Flea Market treasure found


Locutus
+1
#1
While you were at the flea market happily picking up an 8 track tape of "Frampton Comes Alive" the woman next to you just found a $100,000 Renoir

h/t Fark


(Newser) – The flea market box lot was less than $50, and the buyer picked it up mostly for the Paul Bunyan doll it contained. But it turns out the box lot also contained an original painting by Renoir that could fetch up to $100,000 in an auction at the end of the month, reports the New York Times. The 5.5-inch-by-9-inch painting of the Seine riverside is believed to be Renoir's Paysage Bords de Seine. It was bought from a French gallery in 1925 and later sold to a Maryland collector, but art historians aren't sure when or how it disappeared.

Flea markets are notorious for producing forgeries, but art experts think this is the real thing. "You just see it and you know it’s right," says one at the Potomack auction house in Virginia. The buyer brought the painting there in a white plastic bag. "She liked the look of the frame, and started tearing off the paper on the back, and her mum told her to stop," says the Potomack expert.




Woman Finds Renoir Original at Flea Market - Painting could sell for up to $100K later this month
 
SLM
+3
#2  Top Rated Post
Score! Like winning the lottery. Always nice to hear about things like that.
 
taxslave
+1
#3
Quote: Originally Posted by SLMView Post

Score! Like winning the lottery. Always nice to hear about things like that.

Unless you are the seller.
 
SLM
+1
#4
Quote: Originally Posted by taxslaveView Post

Unless you are the seller.

LOL. Good point.

It pays to pay better attention to the junk in the attic I guess.
 
taxslave
+2
#5
Quote: Originally Posted by SLMView Post

LOL. Good point.

It pays to pay better attention to the junk in the attic I guess.

Whenever we tear down a building we are on the lookout for trinkets. Actually we are looking for the motherload.LOL
 
SLM
+2
#6
Quote: Originally Posted by taxslaveView Post

Whenever we tear down a building we are on the lookout for trinkets. Actually we are looking for the motherload.LOL

If you do come across all that gold bullion I misplaced you will let me know, right?

I think if it's art you have to really know what you're looking for, as the article states, forgeries abound.

But when it comes to flea market finds, I think the beautiful part of it is picking up something simply because you think it's neat or interesting. Then the reward of finding out it's actually worth something is an incredible bonus.
 
shadowshiv
+1
#7
I'm waiting to find that rare and valuable comic that someone is selling in a garage sale somewhere(found at the bottom of a trunk or something)!
 
SLM
+1
#8
Update:

$7 Renoir find may be stolen from museum - Weird News - Canoe.ca

Just when you thought it was safe to auction off your flea market acquisitions.
 
skookumchuck
+2
#9
Quote: Originally Posted by taxslaveView Post

Whenever we tear down a building we are on the lookout for trinkets. Actually we are looking for the motherload.LOL

Seems i missed this. Try a metal detector. When they raised the old Qualicum train station for restoration a number of years back i found quite a few turn of the century silver coins and a couple rings one Diamond and Emerald 18 k near the old front steps and under the building. Had to crawl a bit but worth it.
 
relic
#10
A few years ago a buddy and I went to Boston {area}for a mosikkle thing,and while wandering arround trying to find a beer I liked,I ran accross this big,multi block long yard sale,hanging from a pole was a bunch of German helmets,15 $ apiece.Since all my stash was earmarked fo hard to find British bike parts,I reluctantly passed.I have kicked myself every day since.
 
shadowshiv
+1
#11
Quote: Originally Posted by SLMView Post

Update:

$7 Renoir find may be stolen from museum - Weird News - Canoe.ca

Just when you thought it was safe to auction off your flea market acquisitions.

Darn. Looks like they'll be out $7 now!

Quote: Originally Posted by skookumchuckView Post

Seems i missed this. Try a metal detector. When they raised the old Qualicum train station for restoration a number of years back i found quite a few turn of the century silver coins and a couple rings one Diamond and Emerald 18 k near the old front steps and under the building. Had to crawl a bit but worth it.

Awesome!

Did you end up keeping any for yourself or did you end up selling everything?
 
SLM
+2
#12
Quote: Originally Posted by shadowshivView Post

Darn. Looks like they'll be out $7 now!

Who would have thought a Renoir sold at a flea market for $7 would not have been legit?
 
shadowshiv
+2
#13
Quote: Originally Posted by SLMView Post

Who would have thought a Renoir sold at a flea market for $7 would not have been legit?

Well, I certainly wouldn't have expected it to have been one that was stolen from a museum, that's for sure! LOL!
 
SLM
+1
#14
Quote: Originally Posted by shadowshivView Post

Well, I certainly wouldn't have expected it to have been one that was stolen from a museum, that's for sure! LOL!

I'd look at the whole thing like it's a helluva story to tell for a $7 investment!
 
shadowshiv
+1
#15
Quote: Originally Posted by SLMView Post

I'd look at the whole thing like it's a helluva story to tell for a $7 investment!

I'm cheap. I want my money back...or perhaps a spot on a Reality TV show. It could be called Storage Wars: Redux!
 
SLM
#16
Quote: Originally Posted by shadowshivView Post

I'm cheap. I want my money back...or perhaps a spot on a Reality TV show. It could be called Storage Wars: Redux!

LOL! With the right P.R. you could parlay the tale into a lot more than $7. Gotta spend money to make money ya know.
 
PoliticalNick
+1
#17
Quote: Originally Posted by taxslaveView Post

Whenever we tear down a building we are on the lookout for trinkets. Actually we are looking for the motherload.LOL

Sorry for the red TS, supposed to be green.....damn phone screen...

I was doing a reno job in Ladysmith and found 4 rubbermaid containers of hockey & baseball cards. I showed then the the old guy who owned the place and he said I could have them. Last valuation was $11,000
 
shadowshiv
+1
#18
Quote: Originally Posted by PoliticalNickView Post

Sorry for the red TS, supposed to be green.....damn phone screen...

I was doing a reno job in Ladysmith and found 4 rubbermaid containers of hockey & baseball cards. I showed then the the old guy who owned the place and he said I could have them. Last valuation was $11,000

It's easy enough to fix. I don't mind removing a Red that's accidentally given. I'll remove it, and you should be able to give him a Rep again. Just give me a minute to do it.

Okay, I removed it, so you should be able to re-give the Rep!
 
SLM
+2
#19
Quote: Originally Posted by shadowshivView Post

It's easy enough to fix. I don't mind removing a Red that's accidentally given. I'll remove it, and you should be able to give him a Rep again. Just give me a minute to do it.

Okay, I removed it, so you should be able to re-give the Rep!

Helping to make the world a more peaceful place, one green numeral at a time.
 
PoliticalNick
+1
#20
Quote: Originally Posted by shadowshivView Post

It's easy enough to fix. I don't mind removing a Red that's accidentally given. I'll remove it, and you should be able to give him a Rep again. Just give me a minute to do it.

Okay, I removed it, so you should be able to re-give the Rep!

Thanks Shadow....now can you fix my phone screen so I don't do it again...
 
taxslave
#21
Quote: Originally Posted by skookumchuckView Post

Seems i missed this. Try a metal detector. When they raised the old Qualicum train station for restoration a number of years back i found quite a few turn of the century silver coins and a couple rings one Diamond and Emerald 18 k near the old front steps and under the building. Had to crawl a bit but worth it.

Best we did was about $40 in change from the middle school. One of the neater spots was off the Namu cannery in front of china camp. Probably not much left now except the odd bottle.
 
PoliticalNick
#22
Quote: Originally Posted by SLMView Post

Update:

$7 Renoir find may be stolen from museum - Weird News - Canoe.ca

Just when you thought it was safe to auction off your flea market acquisitions.

Sorry but "no know police report" of the theft

And

Quote:

Potomack said the painting had not turned up when it checked London's Art Loss Register, a database of stolen and lost art. It also consulted the FBI's art theft website to confirm it was not listed as stolen.

To me this says it wasn't stolen. Even if it was theft has a 10 year statute of limitation which is long past.

I'd say this is a clear case of 'finders/keepers' & possession is 9/10ths of the law.
 
shadowshiv
+1
#23
Quote: Originally Posted by PoliticalNickView Post

Sorry but "no know police report" of the theft

And



To me this says it wasn't stolen. Even if it was theft has a 10 year statute of limitation which is long past.

I'd say this is a clear case of 'finders/keepers' & possession is 9/10ths of the law.

The person who stole it may not be able to get charged, but if an item is stolen it can be given back to the owner no matter how much time has elapsed, can't it? Aren't art items that were taken by the Nazis still being given back to their rightful owners(if ownership can be proven)?
 
SLM
#24
Also as was evidenced in the Gold Coin thread of a few weeks back as well.
 
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