Art: Artist File lawsuits, Seeking Royalties In the 1973 Sotheby Parke Bernet auction in New York, Robert Scull sold some of his art collection. This helped inaugurate today’s money-soused contemporary-art market. Several artists watched the auction from a standing room only section in the back of the room. That is where the artist, Robert Rauschenberg saw his 1958 painting “Thaw” being sold for 85,000 dollars. His piece was originally sold to Scull for 900 dollars. At the end of the auction Rauschenberg confronted Scull and stated that he did not work so hard for Scull to make that profit. This uproar inspired the California Resale Act to come about. This act required anyone reselling a piece of fine art, living in the state or selling the art in the state, for 100,000 dollars or more to pay the artist 5 percent of the resale price. This law is now brought to action this month by three artists such as: Chuck Close, Laddie John Dill and the estate of the sculptor Robert Grahm. They filed suits against the auctions Sotheby, Chistie and, the online auction site eBay for failure to pay royalties. Mr. Close said in a recent interview that the royalty resale law allows the artist to share in the increase in value, at least in a small way. Under the California law no payment is due if the price drops. These suits do not show the damages and they do not list sales of art by California Residents. Eric George is the lawyer that filed these law suits. He explained