Sculptor Pascal Pierme was surprised when he went to the Eldorado Hotel to retrieve some consigned artwork and the management would not return the items.

The issue may be resolved soon, but the chain of events has been a lesson for Pierme and other artists about consignment procedures.

His three wall pieces, worth a total of about $20,000, had been on display at the hotel for about four years. But when he went to the hotel to swap pieces about two months ago, Pierme said, the directing manager, Alfred Matter, refused to release the art without a properly signed consignment form from the previous hotel manager.

Pierme said he has a consignment form signed by an employee of the hotel, but it's missing the employee's printed name next to the signature.

It was filled out when Pierme became part of the Zane Bennett gallery a year ago. Pierme recently forwarded e-mails about the artwork to the hotel's spa manager because he said the directing manager would not read them. Pierme said he believes the e-mails show ownership of the artwork by detailing transactions between the Zane Bennett gallery and the hotel.

Matter counters that Pierme's consignment form was actually signed by an hourly wage employee who received permission from the manager over the phone. Since the form was not signed by the manager, Matter said, it is not acceptable. Matter also said the artwork had previously been housed at the hotel for three to four years without any documentation.

Pierme originally had four pieces displayed in the hotel; one sold, and he was paid for it, Matter said.

Christian Cheneau, Zane Bennett's artistic director, confirmed that he went to the Eldorado on Pierme's behalf to retrieve the work and failed to do so. He declined to comment further.

The hotel has had continued problems with Pierme being unable to produce acceptable proof of ownership according to the Eldorado's standards, Matter said, adding that the hotel contacted the Zane Bennett gallery Tuesday to propose an agreement.

Pierme said the Eldorado is offering to return the artwork if the gallery agrees not to file a lawsuit against the hotel. The artist is planning to meet with hotel managers to discuss the deal.

In addition to the conflict with Pierme, the Eldorado Hotel is dealing with Samantha Furgason, who promotes clients through her Artwork International Inc. Furgason said two artists, Colette Hosmer and Sarah Gilman, who collectively put nine pieces of artwork on consignment at the Eldorado Hotel, cannot retrieve their pieces. This artwork is valued at $14,200, according to Furgason.

Furgason originally installed the artwork at the Eldorado and had a "friendly" agreement with hotel managers. However, she said, because she promotes artists but does not represent a gallery, she did not provide consignment forms. When she originally installed the artwork, she said, she inquired about a consignment agreement, and the Eldorado called for "a consignment book of images with support texts of the artists." She said she submitted a portfolio with prices for consignment, which she assumed was sufficient documentation to prove ownership. The portfolio was later lost by the hotel, and she provided a replacement.

When later questioned about the two artists promoted by Furgason, Matter said he is unaware of Furgason and her attempts to retrieve art for her clients. As far as he knows, he said, Pierme is the only artist who is seeking to retrieve works.

But Matter also said Furgason's portfolio would not be sufficient to prove ownership, and that the hotel could not find a portfolio.

He emphasized that consignment form is required for retrieving artwork, and said, "Ninety-nine percent of the time, the gallery provides the consignment sheet when installing art at a hotel."

Furgason said when she offered Matter a wide range of documents showing ownership of the art, Matter refused it. He also did not give her his e-mail address or any other contact information essential for receiving e-mails.

"Contingency for releasing work should be the same as contingency for accepting the artwork in the first place," Furgason said.

Furgason said she has done business with one other hotel, La Posada, which deals with at least 30 artists. That hotel's program requires two weeks' notice to return work upon an artist's request.

Back at the Eldorado, Matter says he refuses to release any artwork from the hotel to artists without proper documentation. "I am not willing to jeopardize my job over $45,000 of artwork," he said.