I just saw some of the chase cards from Breygent’s Paranormal Activity set posted on card talk. For the most part the chase look great, and I applaud Breygent for stepping up and grabbing more licenses. . . but the 9 card puzzle chase set bothers me a lot.
The artist, if you can’t make it out in the small scan is David Desbois. He’s become a pretty popular artist for Breygent, and he clearly has talent. Unfortunately Mr. Desbois has a bit of a checkered past in Non-Sport Cards. . . If you know what I’m talking about you may think I’m beating a dead horse, and that’s fine — skip the post. . . sadly news about Mr. Desbois didn’t travel that far back in 2008 so to many this is news.
Back in 2008 David Desbois wasn’t working for a trading card company — he just wanted to be. So he apparently picked up some LOTR Masterpieces blanks (or erased penciled cards) and created his own masterpiece. . . The results were stunning, but since he wasn’t officially an artist on the set, and no one knew who he was it seems he decided that ‘Desbois’ wasn’t the best signature, so he changed his art and signed (er… forged) ‘Vanderstelt.’
 
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In David’s own words, as he posted on Scoundrel:
Alright then,
I’ll tell you the story of the fake vanderstelt…
I’m not very proud of it, but I guess we all learn from our mistakes
My name is David Desbois and I’m an artist here in Canada, I mainly do commissions for different people I meet along the way and I plan to get to Topps, maybe for Heroes SE2 or LOTR masterpieces 3, who knows? I think I have what it takes. I send an email with some pictures last week and waiting for a reply. I don’t really know what the process is, but anyway…
The truth is i’m not sure if it’s possible to make a living of it.
I did a card as an unofficial artist on an official card to try my mediums on the card and see if it would look good. well, it came great and I didn’t really know what to do with it, so peer pressure made it ebay and since it cannot sell without a name, I just put one. It was some kind of bet.
Now the card have been restored. It’s bad, but now I’m sorry about itSo I contacted Mark to get some help with topps and he told me to not show it around, but it’s already been shown anyway so I told him that I was gonna keep it. Then Len contacted me to get it and I told him that same story. that’s about it.
now it’s very easy bitching back and forth, but from now on I’ll be straight and you will only find my own ACEO on ebay
sorry for that Mark and I hope we can settle things between each other cuz I’m really a fan of you
byebye
David
Artist Mark McHaley added some additional information:
Unfortunately (or fortunately..depending on how you look at it) I’m able to shed more light on this situation. David is (in fact) the artist of the card with the forged signature. David contacted me a couple of months ago about about me doing a commission for him. On learning about this forgery, I’ve refunded his deposit as I just don’t feel right about doing any kind of business with him. It’s sad…because he seems like a nice guy and a real talent. But the facts speak for themselves. A couple of days ago David contacted me about working for topps. I asked for more samples and said I would forward them on to topps (and our editor quickly replied, being interested). David sent me the same sample that Jason posted along with a ‘test’ card that David said he had done to see how an official topps card handled his paints. I told him that I forwarded the other images to topps, but not the official card that he painted over and that that kind of thing was really frowned upon. My advice was to not show anyone the card and keep it to himself. He said that he would keep it and I quote “(the aragorn I did on Topps card was a test to see what the surface is like for my mediums, but I guess that cannot sell since it’s not real. I’ll keep it)”
Here is the pic he sent me…same as the above…only with his signature. If topps hires him…I sincerely hope that he cleans up his act and flies the straight and narrow from now on. Either way…I also have to inform topps so they can make their own decision.
While these two posts are the most pertinent in the thread and are reprinted here partially in case they delete the threads on Scoundrel the entire discussion can be found here.
David Desbois either destroyed another artists work, or obtained a blank card that he drew on as an unlicensed artist, then he forged the signature of one of the top artists in the set, and tried to sell the card on eBay. Clearly a bad decision, and clearly illegal. . . and while I understand that people make mistakes and change and all that good stuff it bugs me.
He attacked a hobby I love and I won’t forgive that — but more than that it bothers me that so many great artists have paid their dues for years and not had the opportunity to work on base card art, let alone a chase set, yet this guy forges some work and in less than 2 years is cranking out chase card sets for Breygent.
I personally will be avoiding Desbois’ work (he has also worked on Dexter), and in general avoiding sets he is involved with. If his involvement bothers you I suggest you do the same, or notify Breygent of your displeasure.
Jon
I was going to say…..I can’t believe it,but nothing shocks me anymore. Very Sad :o(
Comment by Delia — January 14, 2010 @ 7:21 pm
I wasn’t aware of this issue before………….more forgeries! I just read that Upper Deck has admitted to forging some high end gaming cards. Things like this are going to completely ruin the hobby of card collecting. If the company’s and artists are making forgeries, who are we, the collectors, going to trust? I’ve been concerned about the forged autographs for quite a while but now it appears that the problems have spread farther than that. These cards costa lot of money and I’m getting to the point where it’s hard to trust anyone anymore and that really impacts on my enjoyment of collecting non-sports cards.
Comment by Ed Lovell — January 15, 2010 @ 3:24 pm
It’s ironic because he was the one who contacted me thru Ebay to let me know about the Pine auto,and how it was a fake.I had a good hunch that my card was a fake,but he confirmed it for me. :o( like I said…..very sad indeed.
Comment by Delia — January 16, 2010 @ 12:44 pm
What bugged me the most about this whole thing is just how insincere Desbois was with his apologies and his attempt to justify his actions. Some of us suspect that there were more forgeries that went under the radar, and that he only stopped because the community caught him.
Comment by Steve — January 16, 2010 @ 3:42 pm
hi Jon,
I can’t change the past, but only make a brighter future. I made a mistake while ago that kinda been amplified and took huge proportions. Was I stupid? yes I was
but I don’t see your goal of bring it back more than 2 years after rather than vengence and hatred.
David
Comment by David — January 17, 2010 @ 8:26 am
Hey Jon…first let me say that although I certainly DO NOT condone what David did in the past, I did accept his apology at the time and chose to move forward from there. As an artist and collector that loves this wacky hobby I was truly caught off guard when I first encountered these sketch cards…and as divergent as everyone’s reaction was (on Scoundrel), I always tend to look for the positive in EVERYTHING that happens. I thought it was great that keen eyed collectors on Scoundrel found, in various Ebay auctions, questionable sketch cards by a few artists that would affect the collecting industry. Many of us die hard collectors are MASTER collectors and attempt to acquire at least one sketch from each “official” participating artist. So when something “unique” appears on the Ebay horizon, we all tend to get quite concerned as this would affect the very nature of our MASTER collections. In some instances, it’s simply the fact that a name is left off of the official artist list…to this day my name doesn’t appear on the Topps Indiana Jones Heritage artist list! In other instances, an artist’s sketch just doesn’t show up for an extended period of time…who know why. And unfortunately, in some instances, someone has painted over an “official” sketch card…which in it’s own right has become something to collect despite it’s “legal” ramifications. Frankly, anyone can do anything they want with a sketch card once they pull it from a pack and it’s become their property…they can rip it to shreds, hand color it themselves or light a small fire and keep warm for a few seconds (after all it’s only 8.75 square inches…hehehe). What becomes legally questionable is when someone alters an “official” sketch card and attempts to sell it AS AN OFFICIALLY LICENSED PRODUCT.
I’m a firm believer in positivity on all levels and took David’s apology at face value and wrote back then…”now let’s move forward”…and sincerely believe that. No one can change their past but they can bank on what they achieve in the future…and that’s what can become their true value in any field they choose to turn their positivity and talents towards.
Comment by Len Bellinger — January 17, 2010 @ 1:04 pm
I believe that people are free to forge their own opinions. My post, on my blog is my opinion, and I welcome opposing opinions in the comments.
What I have found, though, is that few people outside of the Scoundrel circle were aware of this. Now, some of those collectors, who happen upon webjon will have a more complete picture upon which to make their opinions.
It is my opinion that there are other artists, who haven’t admitted to forging other artists work, have put in more years in the industry, and aren’t getting these opportunities to work on base/chase sets. In my opinion that isn’t right.
Jon
Comment by webjon — January 17, 2010 @ 1:31 pm