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You are here: Home / A new oil painting. What do you think?

A new oil painting. What do you think?

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Last time I was at Goodwill, there was a gentleman with a very lovely (and large) oil painting in his cart.  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.  I guess he saw me watching, because he looked at me and said “It has a hole in it.”  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.  He said he thought it might be worth something because it looks old and it’s an original, but it’s not worth the time with a hole and the botched touch-up. 

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.  And it was!  He had it appraised and learned that it was worth $1,800. 

Goodwill original oil painting 

When we were done chatting, I purchased the painting for myself.  Because it was lovely and only marked $15 (in true Goodwill fashion, it’s written right on the back of the canvas in magic marker).  When I’m shopping, I try to stick to the rule that if I don’t know where I would use something, it doesn’t come home with me.  But I just couldn’t pass this painting up. 

It’s currently propped up on the shelf behind our bed.  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.  After that, I have no idea where it will go.  It’s 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. 

Large oil painting

The frame, however, is very cheap and flimsy and…ugly.  We most likely won’t 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.   What do you think?  Hang it up without a frame?  Upgrade the current frame?  Maybe add some molding to it and give it a coat of paint?

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  1. Brian

    December 5, 2012 at 3:21 pm

    Hi,

    I have a quick question about your blog, do you think you could e-mail me?

    Brian

    Reply
  2. Mini Dork

    December 5, 2012 at 4:05 pm

    Your Goodwill is awesome. I love that painting. For $15 its a masterpiece! I vote for adding molding to beef up the frame.

    Reply
    • Christina O

      December 5, 2012 at 5:01 pm

      It really is, I’m so lucky. 🙂

      Thanks for your vote!

  3. Idske

    December 5, 2012 at 6:35 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Christina O

      December 6, 2012 at 6:15 pm

      I should do that, it would be fun to find out. I’ll let you know if I find anything big!

  4. onshore

    December 5, 2012 at 7:20 pm

    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 🙂

    Reply
    • Christina O

      December 6, 2012 at 6:16 pm

      Hahaha, it would all look good to you, huh? 🙂

  5. TinyFixation

    December 5, 2012 at 9:14 pm

    Nice find! I’m jumping on the moulding bandwagon. Beef that baby up, and call it a day 🙂

    Reply
    • Christina O

      December 6, 2012 at 6:16 pm

      I think that’s what I’ll do! Love your new profile pic, by the way, it’s super cute.

  6. Q

    December 7, 2012 at 5:26 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Christina O

      December 7, 2012 at 4:47 pm

      Hey, that’s a good idea. 🙂

  7. Lisa

    December 31, 2012 at 12:54 am

    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!

    Reply
  8. Rie Sheridan Rose

    February 26, 2013 at 7:03 pm

    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? 😉

    Reply

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Ugly photo time! We're doing the $100 Room Challen Ugly photo time! We're doing the $100 Room Challenge on our dining room (that you guys haven't even seen the "before" of yet). It's a super fun challenge to stay within $100 and makeover a room in a month. We're behind schedule, but there has actually been progress. I'll try to remember to share here, but there's more on the blog! LittleVictorian.com
#100roomchallenge
Update: the MCM is officially sold! We did eventua Update: the MCM is officially sold! We did eventually finish most of our restoration/renovation projects. I'll share the updates in the coming months as we get settled in to our new place. 😁
House update! The realtor is still confused about House update! The realtor is still confused about why "it's such a popular house." When she arrived yesterday for a showing, there were 8 cars in the driveway. 😃

We had three offers the first day, one of whom hadn't even seen the house in person yet.
Surprise! The house is going on the market today. Surprise! The house is going on the market today. (Long story that I'll fill you in on when I have more than 2 seconds.)
.
But we're once again with a realtor that calls our house "unique" instead of calling it a Mid Century Modern. 🤦‍♀️
.
We can't count how many locals came into this house and mentioned that those windows should be removed and walled up and the beams cut off. And then it would be a "normal" house. 🤯
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Still can't really identify with people in this area. 🤷‍♀️ SO happy to be going back home to the East coast TOMORROW!
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