Style Weekly
In the final minute of an online showdown last week, a bidder named "al gold" snatched Justin French's 18-karat, white gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watch away from "gp1980" for $18,100.
As for French, time ticks by behind bars. The former Richmond developer is serving 16 years for a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme involving historic tax credits. Last week, the U.S. Marshals Service announced the auctions of French's furniture, jewelry and art, the proceeds of which are intended to help compensate French's victims.
The jewelry was going, going, gone last week. But there are more goodies to come. Under way through June 6 is a sale of Federal style mahogany benches (details at gsaauctions.gov). And up next is an auction of French's forfeited art — including a signed Henri Mattise lithograph, photos by Virginian Sally Mann and art by the late Cy Twombly.
Run by Gaston & Sheehan Auctioneers online at txauctiononline.com, the sale is scheduled to run June 18 to July 2. According to the U.S. Marshals Service, several Richmond artists are represented. There's a 60-inch by 60-inch enamel and canvas by Heide Trepanier, lithographs by Gerald Donato and prints by Travis Fullerton. There are several paintings by Virginia Commonwealth University graduate Ron Johnson, work by mixed-media artist David Freed and a piece by Ed Trask.
Click here to see the documents listing all the property forfeited by Justin French.
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