Woman’s $4 Thrift Store Find Could Be Worth $250K
A Woman Discovers a Hidden Masterpiece at a New Hampshire Thrift Store
A woman’s ordinary thrift store visit turned into a potential six-figure payday when she stumbled upon a remarkable painting. Little did she know, the artwork she picked up at a New Hampshire thrift store in 2017 could be the lost work of a master artist.
The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, found the piece at Savers thrift store in Manchester, New Hampshire. Initially, she was simply looking for old frames to fix up. However, her curiosity was piqued when she posted the painting on the Facebook group “Things Found In Walls – And Other Hidden Findings.” It was then that Maine-based conservator Lauren Lewis recognized the potential value of the artwork, identifying it as a possible creation by Newell Convers (N.C.) Wyeth.
The Legacy of N.C. Wyeth
N.C. Wyeth, a prolific artist known for his more than 3,000 paintings, was a prominent figure in the art world. He was best known for his 25 illustrations for the Scribner Classics publishing house, collectively known as Scribner’s. Wyeth came from a family of artists, with his father Andrew Wyeth and grandfather Jamie Wyeth also making significant contributions to the art scene.
The painting that was discovered is part of a series of four works created for the 1939 edition of Helen Hunt Jackson’s novel “Ramona.” The book tells the story of a Scottish-Native American girl living in Southern California after the Mexican-American war. Prior to this discovery, only one of the paintings from the series had been found.
Now, this once-lost painting is set to be auctioned by Bonhams Skinner on September 19, with an estimated bidding price ranging from $150,000 to $250,000. The auction house describes the artwork as a portrayal of the tension between Ramona and her foster mother, Señora Moreno.
The woman who found the painting initially joked about its authenticity, but now she stands to potentially earn a life-changing sum from her $4 thrift store purchase.
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According to conservator Lauren Lewis, who first recognized the painting’s significance, she is “99 percent certain that it is authentic.” Despite some minor scratches and the need for a surface clean, the artwork remains in remarkable condition considering its unknown journey over the past 80 years.
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