Community Chat

[gidgetgh]

This is long so feel free to skip it if you don't like long posts.

My sister and I own this painting. It belonged to our dad, who inherited it from his aunt when she passed away in in the early 2000's.  She was almost 104 when she passed away.  My father remembered this painting from when he was a little boy. 

The painting is not signed on the front. It is signed on the back of the canvas. You can only read part of the signature. After the signature is "'98" which would be 1898 I assume. It isn't 1998 and I can't imagine that it's 1798 but I really don't know. I just know it's really old. 

My sister and I don't like the painting at all and we'd like to do something with it. Problem is, we don't know if we have an old paint by numbers painting or an Antiques Roadshow painting. 

I've googled until I'm blue in the face. I've taken it to a local art gallery. Waste of time. He said "I can't read the signature" and that was that. 

I texted a picture of the signature to a friend and she spent time researching also. 

I've sent pictures of it front and back to Sotheby's. They have a free service and they'll look at things for you. When I heard back from them they just said they weren't interested in it. I also emailed the twins from Antiques Roadshow. Same response. I emailed an auction house in NC that I was referred to. Same response. I understand all that, but no one will go out on a limb and guide me in the right direction or give me an idea of what we have or don't have. 

A few of them suggested consignment. I'm fine with that but I don't know whether to consign it for $1 or 1 million dollars. 

And so the painting sits in our guest room and I glare at it each time I walk in the room and they guy in the painting glares right back at me. 

Any thoughts on this in general or how I might get a clearer view of the signature?

[deepwaterdotter]

Were it my painting I would consign it for sale with no reserve at an art auction.

[Bri36]

Nobody wants to deal with it because it's possibly from an  unknown artist?

What does the picture look like?    Can you post a picture of it here?

[SusieQ_2]

I don't know what you should do but I enjoyed reading your post. I love how it's been handed down through the generations and the part about how you glare at the guy and he glares right back. Cute!

I know, not helpful. Wish I could be. I can only say that if you're debating between one dollar and a million, go with the million, or at least 500 thousand!

[dooBdoo]

          @gidgetgh,   I'd suggest contacting the university art departments near you to see if any of their staff -- or perhaps their museum curators -- could help you out or refer you.  

          I think you need someone who can look at it in person.    It takes a lot of footwork, as you've discovered, but I think it's worth it to get a better idea of possible value before selling it.   I know someone who's an art museum curator, and I'll see if he has any other specific suggestions.

[ChynnaBlue]

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@gidgetgh wrote:

I've sent pictures of it front and back to Sotheby's. They have a free service and they'll look at things for you. When I heard back from them they just said they weren't interested in it. I also emailed the twins from Antiques Roadshow. Same response. I emailed an auction house in NC that I was referred to. Same response. I understand all that, but no one will go out on a limb and guide me in the right direction or give me an idea of what have or don't have. 

A few of them suggested consignment. I'm fine with that but I don't know whether to consign it for $1 or 1 million dollars. 

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If they've all told you they aren't interested, I think that's your answer - it's not worth much.

Sell it for whatever you think is a fair price or donate it to a silent auction.

[Mz iMac]

Did you look up the partial signature on Google?  Maybe added the word "painter" at the end?

[Kachina624]

What are your sources are trying to tell, mincing words, is that without the name of the artist, the painting is pretty much worthless.  It might be worthless even with the name of the artist,  if the artist was a nobody.  It might sell as a novelty someone would put in a room decorated in the period of the painting, for a few dollars. 

I have a painting my mother bought in the '30s from the artist himself for $30.  It's a desert landscape featuring Shiprock, a 1600 ft monolith in the four corners area.  Very New Mexican.  The artist is not well known, although a museum in Colorado Springs has one of his paintings.  His nephew told mom that her painting is one of his best.  I wouldn't expect to get get more than a couple hundred dollars for it if I could find someone who wanted it. 

[Puzzle Piece]

If the pro's aren't interested, then it's yours to find a buyer if you want to sell it.  If you donate it to a charity, you can get some write off of sort. 

Recently, I inherited many items when the in-laws passed away.  We gave away and donated all of it.  We didn't even keep the carpeting.  I found my late MIL's taste so very awful.  Folks came and raided and I was okay with that.

[SXMGirl]

Sometimes internationally-known auction houses just are not interested in what the average person might have.  Many years ago, I had Freeman's Auction in Philadelphia auction off some of my cousin's paintings.  We did not get in the millions, but we did okay.  At the time, they had probably two large auctions a year, and my cousin's paintings were included in the brochure (the size of a book) that went out to all of their clients.  This might be an option.  If nothing else, they might take more of an interest.