Last time I was at Goodwill, there was a gentleman with a very lovely (and large) oil painting in his cart.ย I saw him do a double take at the painting, examine it and then put it right back on the floor where he found it.ย I guess he saw me watching, because he looked at me and said โIt has a hole in it.โย He picked it up and showed me how someone attempted to repair it on the back and then repaint a small section on the front.ย He said he thought it might be worth something because it looks old and itโs an original, but itโs not worth the time with a hole and the botched touch-up.ย
Apparently, he has been collecting paintings from Goodwill for years just because he enjoys them, but when he researched one in particular that he paid $35 for, he found that it might be an original from the 18th century.ย And it was!ย He had it appraised and learned that it was worth $1,800.ย
When we were done chatting, I purchased the painting for myself.ย Because it was lovely and only marked $15 (in true Goodwill fashion, itโs written right on the back of the canvas in magic marker).ย When Iโm shopping, I try to stick to the rule that if I donโt know where I would use something, it doesnโt come home with me.ย But I just couldnโt pass this painting up.ย
Itโs currently propped up on the shelf behind our bed.ย It looks nice there, especially with the current green walls and dark wood, but I have always wanted a large photograph of the Hubs and I in that spot, so it is just temporary.ย After that, I have no idea where it will go.ย Itโs fairly large at 3 feet wide by 2 feet tall, which limits the places it can go, but the large size is one of the things I love about it.ย
The frame, however, is very cheap and flimsy andโฆugly.ย We most likely wonโt be getting a new frame for it, since those are pretty pricey, and if we keep the current frame, we will definitely add some reinforcements to the back.ย ย What do you think?ย Hang it up without a frame?ย Upgrade the current frame?ย Maybe add some molding to it and give it a coat of paint?
Hi,
I have a quick question about your blog, do you think you could e-mail me?
Brian
Your Goodwill is awesome. I love that painting. For $15 its a masterpiece! I vote for adding molding to beef up the frame.
It really is, I’m so lucky. ๐
Thanks for your vote!
Really nice painting! I’d research it as there are initials/a name in the corner and this does not look like an amateur painter’s work… Super find!
I should do that, it would be fun to find out. I’ll let you know if I find anything big!
I too like the painting a lot. Such a realistic image of life in somewhere else.
I sort of like the frames, I don’t think this particular painting needs very posh frames. It could also actually be without frames. Or then something rustic around it.
Okey… not too clear opinion from here ๐
Hahaha, it would all look good to you, huh? ๐
Nice find! I’m jumping on the moulding bandwagon. Beef that baby up, and call it a day ๐
I think that’s what I’ll do! Love your new profile pic, by the way, it’s super cute.
I love it as well… We are renting, the place was cleanly painted before we moved in and I have nothing on the walls yet. That would be the sort of find I would love in a local op shop. I agree with the beef it up talk and would even, I think it would be well worth it!
And then you can blog about how to beef it up too!
Hey, that’s a good idea. ๐
I would have bought it too! I have a nice watercolor I got at Goodwill. It was obviously someone’s souvenir from a Mexican vacation, since it is a very popular subject, but they bothered to have it matted and framed at Michael’s, which would have cost them at least $200.00.
It would be fun to find out what yours is, I mean the location. I have done that online and while it takes hours, it is fun!
I love the feel of the painting too, and I wouldn’t change the frame, personally, because it has such nice, clean lines. On the other hand, it isn’t very Victorian, is it? ๐