Albin AMELIN
1902–1975, USA/Sweden

Oil on canvas. Flower Still Life, signed "Amelin", size 92x72 cm. The painting was for sale at an online auction house in Stockholm, Sweden, valued at 60,000 crowns. Albin Amelins surviving relatives believe that the painting is not painted by Albin Amelin. The painting was seized by the police for further investigation. The Court: Investigation and expert opinion showed that the painting was a forgery. The painting is forfeited.

Oil on canvas, floral still life, signed "Amelin 63", size 92x73 cm. The painting had been submitted to a major auction house in Stockholm in Sweden for sales in autumn 2014. In connection with police visits the auction house staff stated that the painting was probably a forgery. The painting was seized for investigation. It was shown for Albin Amelins daughter, Gun Ameli Flanagan, who undoubtedly said that it was a forgery. Court decision: Examination and expert judgment showed that the painting was a forgery. The painting is forfeited.

Oil on canvas signed "Amelin 32" size 66 x 54 cm. The painting was for sale at an online auction house in Stockholm, Sweden. The staff contacted police when the daughter of Albin Amelin noticed the painting and indicated that it is not genuine. The portrait depicts her mother and she hath the original painting in his own home. She showed the original painting and affirmed that the portrait is 100 percent fake. Even Albin Amelins granddaughter participated in interrogations and investigation of the painting. Court decision: Examination and expert judgment showed that the painting was a forgery. The painting is forfeited.

Oil on canvas, still life with flowers in pots, signed "Amelin 52" size 100x82 cm. The painting was owned by a private individual, Mr. R. M. which itself contacts the police after he had seen the Swedish TV program "Crime of the Week". The TV program featuring two counterfeit Amelin paintings and mentions that there are many more fakes probably made by the same forger. Mr. R. M. had in May 2007, bought the painting at a minor auction house in central Sweden for SEK 80,000 (about 8500 euros) and thought he saw similarities with the two paintings that appeared in the program. He then contacts the police to get the painting examined. After investigation, the Court ruled: The painting is not performed by Albin Amelin nor signed by him. It is a forgery.

Oil on canvas, flowers in a pot, apparently representing an original painting by Albin Amelin, signed "Amelin". During the investigation in the 1970's concerning a group that called themselves ”The Society of Art Friends”, the police in Stockholm found two paintings of flowers, signed by Albert Amelin. Both of the paintings were forged. The clues led to a basement premises in Gothenburg, where a man was mass-producing paintings of flowers. On the wall he had a poster of an Amelin painting. The man confessed to having painted the paintings found in Stockholm, but said that he had not signed them with the name Amelin. He stated that he had painted around 500 flower paintings, inspired by the popular Amelin, and sold them to various art dealers – unsigned. The man was prosecuted, but was found not guilty by The Stockholm District Court. Shortly before his death he confessed that he had also signed all the paintings with "Amelin". Since then, the police found only a few of these counterfeits, most of them are still on the market. Included among a high number of confiscated forged art called ”The Society of Art Friends”. Three men, aged 30, 37, and 40 years old, were caught after a tip off from the police reconnaissance force in Ängelholm. Shortly afterwards, another two men were caught. In total, 48 house searches were made through out the nation from which 83 forged paintings were confiscated. Forged art had already been sold for millions of Swedish crowns. Victims of the gang were well known, well to do, businessmen. The gang were aided by art experts who, for very little money, issued certificates of authenticity for a number of the forged paintings. On a door to a flat in Stockholm the men had displayed a sign with the text “The Society of Art Friends”.

Oil on canvas, 91x65 cm. Counterfeiting with falsified signature. The painting was sold by a major auction house in Stockholm in the early 1990s to a private person. Several years later revealed that the painting was a forgery. The auction house withdrew the painting and settled the matter with the buyer. The auction house gave the painting to the police to immediately be forfeited. Note the exact similarity with seizures 0201-K139619-87 signed Amelin 66. Forger was probably painted several canvases with the same motif at the same time, how many, nobody knows with certainty. It is very likely that it is the same forgers who produced some 500 paintings with similar motifs. He confessed shortly before his death that he also signed paintings with "Amelin".

Oil on canvas, 91x65 cm. Counterfeiting with falsified signature. Note the exact similarity with seizures AA-103-86275-2010 signed Amelin 65. Forger was probably painted several canvases with the same motif at the same time, how many, nobody knows with certainty. It is very likely that it is the same forgers who produced some 500 paintings with similar motifs. He confessed shortly before his death that he also signed paintings with "Amelin".

This painting was submitted to an auction house in Stockholm for sale in March 1994. Estimated price 40000-50000 SEK but the auction house became suspicious that the painting was not authentic Police were called and the painting was confiscated for further investigation. Note the similarity with the other Amelin-counterfeits from the same period on this page. The forger had probably painted many canvases with similar motives, how many no one knows for sure. It is very likely the same forger who admitted he painted about 500 paintings with similar floral motif. He confessed shortly before his death that he also signed the paintings with "Amelin".

Oil on canvas, motif with boats, signed "A.Amelin", 31x70 cm. Part of a large police seizures of counterfeit art from the 1980s. Technical examination of the painting shows an area in the lower right corner, which was painted over. Illumination with ultraviolet light shows an underlying signature "B Grude" which, however, not sufficiently been suppressed. Subsequently, the forger painted a new signature "A.Amelin". The painting is very amateurishly painted. The style is not particularly similar to Amelins but may be associated with his mannerisms. The district court's assessment: The painting has been manipulated and added with a forged signature to represent an original work of Albin Amelin. The painting is a forgery and shall be forfeited.

Oil painting on panel, signed, Amelin. The signature in the lower right corner is painted later. Investigation shows that it is signed later than it was painted. Otherwise, it is not changed. A decorative painting by a talented amateur. Contours around the flowers is made otherwise than Amelin used to paint. The painting is not done by Amelin. District Court: The painting is done by an unknown person and subsequently got a forged signature.

Oil on canvas, floral still life in a pot, 92x73 cm, signed "Amelin." Part of a large seizure of the 1980's.

Oil painting on canvas. Deposition to the Police Historical Museum in Stockholm, Sweden by a private person.

Oil on board signed "A. Amelin". Ostensibly depicting a authentic painting by Albin Amelin. The painting has been seized, and after examination been assessed as a forgery.

Oil on canvas signed "Amelin". Ostensibly depicting a authentic painting by Albin Amelin. The painting has been seized, and after examination been assessed as a forgery.