HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL PAINTING SCORE!

I wasn’t expecting to find this painting at all when some friends told me about an Estate Sale in Rockaway. My one friend said, “they’ve tons of art.” Well the truth is that while they did have quite a bit of art, most of it were prints of wolves or paintings of winter woodland scenes or other insipid subjects, all prints, all signed and numbered, all priced way beyond their value. This happens quite a bit at some Estate Sales as the people who’ve bought them decades ago – probably paid as much, and maybe at that time the value was there, but these days, unless the artist is well known and sought after – the resale value is lower than even the price it cost to frame the piece. The frame is worth more than the art (which isn’t much) I’m not saying to not buy it – but just that “buyer beware” -prepare yourself because you’ll likely never recoup the hundreds they’re asking. So just smile at the family member or sales agent assigned to perform the sale and move along on.

I was extremely lucky. I went to a little sitting room off of the garage and saw two pieces. One was of an Elephant in the jungle displayed on an easle with no frame, and the other looked like something I’d studied in college, a Hudson River School Painting. I snatched them both while other customers ogled the gawdawful wolf prints, flower still life and other commercial art looking “signed” pieces . These two did not have prices. I asked the attendant who said she’d have to check with the daughter. I wasn’t sure how much they were going to ask since most of the artwork was extremely overpriced.

The daughter took one look at the small painting and said – “It’s a shame the frame is damaged – it’s very old.” I asked her how much. She said, “Is 15.00 for the two too much?” I told her not at all.

I continued to look at some incredible sculptures under plastic cube containers and then found the attendant and promptly paid the 15.00.

Of course I’ll have to have an expert take a look at this piece under ultraviolet light. But if the artist is who I think it is – a similar painting sold at auction last September for, I hope you’re sitting down, the auction range was $30,000.00!

Nota Bene: When adding to your collection for your big old money place – you’d never dream of selling- maybe even keep the old, broken frame – but that’s some serious pocket change to put amongst your estate value. And most old money mansions are lousy with broken antiques and threadbare rugs.

Hudson River School paintings by Asher Brown Durand