It's hard to know exactly what's fact and what's rumor, Menticide. I've heard so MANY different stories from people "in the know" that I'm frankly so frustrated with "I think"s or "I heard"s and the like that I want to just cover my ears and eyes and move on to something else. Is Frank Jr an artist? This post hasn't clarified that point to any extent that I can rely on. Personally, I don't know the answer to the question. Nor do I know what happened to cause the rifts that are obviously occurring in the family.
I will state unequivocally that the situation arises from some serious lack of foresight and family estate planning. At their ages, Ellie and Frank should have had a trust and written wills filed with their attorneys stating exactly who got what and how things should be handled upon either or both of their deaths. They didn't. That's criminally negligent IMHO. Nobody gets out of this life alive and you have to plan and control what's going to happen after your death. It's a serious responsibility we all have to minimize the confusion and stress (and the estate taxes) of that eventuality.
If any of you haven't prepared your will (or your trust or estate) yet, I strongly suggest you take the time, spend a little money, and get your ducks lined up. It's a great relief and your family will thank you (eventually).
As for the Frazettas, they brought all this on themselves by not doing what anyone with 1/10 of their estate value (and half a brain) would have done. The ugliness of the results is sad and without facts it's only sadder that people continue to speculate and discuss things we know so little about.
I'll shut up now. I'm happy that Frank's painting went for so much money, but you might ask yourselves why Frank didn't sell it when he was alive?
Peace, Jim (|:{>
