The Collectors: Being Cases mostly under the Ninth and Tenth Commandments

"The Collectors: Being Cases mostly under the Ninth and Tenth Commandments" by Frank Jewett Mather, Junr. is a compilation of stories peering in the world of art collecting, probably around the turn of the century. This book dives into the questionable morality and odd personalities of people who collect art and their relationships with the art itself, experts, and one another. Each story looks at the clash between truly loving art and the traps of greed and dishonesty that come with collecting. The book begins by setting the scene with an introduction that talks about the tales to come, featuring shady characters who have unique, but deceitful, ways of ensnaring unsuspecting victims in their webs of artifice, reflecting on the complexities and contrasting motivations that drive the pursuit of art. The readers meet a diverse cast of characters– patrons, critics, and artisans– each adding to a rich story about the cultural and ethical aspects of acquiring art.