Parisian dealer Martin Fabiani had worked with the renowned dealer Ambroise Vollard. After his death in 1939, Vollard's collection was inherited by his brother, Lucian, and by the son of Vollard's mistress, Mme de Galea. Lucian sold much of his share to Fabiani, who attempted to ship the collection to the United States for sale. However, due to the occupation of France, shipments originating there were of concern to the Allies. British authorities in Bermuda, where the shipment arrived, confiscated the collection and placed it in prise. The pictures, numbering 635, spent the war years in the custody of the National Gallery of Canada. Fabiani himself was tried after the war for opportunistic dealings, unrelated to the Vollard collection, with the Nazis. Vollard's pictures were released to Fabiani on May 30, 1949. [See Nicholas, in bibliography, pp. 92-93 and 425]
Artist Bibliography
1976
Fabiani, Martin. Quand j'etais marchand de tableaux. Paris, c. 1976
1994
Nicholas, Lynn H. The Rape of Europa. New York, 1995:92-93, 305, 425.