Man buys a small painting for $46, turns out it's worth $390,000 - Polidicks

[quote]London (CNN) -- A postcard-sized painting bought as part of a job lot at an auction for $46 (£30) and left hidden away in a drawer for a decade has been identified as work by John Constable worth more than $390,000 (£250,000). Robin Darvell bought a cardboard box full of items including the small artwork -- which depicts a rural scene of trees, a bright blue sky and a meadow -- at a sale in Canterbury, southern England more than 10 years ago. Only a faint signature on the back of its gold frame hinted at its origin. But when Darvell passed the painting on to his son Robert, Darvell junior decided to look into the painting's story, and find out who painted it. Robert Darvell, 45, director of a film marketing company contacted fakes and forgeries expert Curtis Dowling from British TV show 'Treasure Detectives' who embarked on a year-long journey, analyzing the paint, canvas and signature to help solve the mystery. [img]http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/130903115435-constable-painting-story-top.jpg[/img][/quote] [url]http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/03/world/europe/constable-painting/index.html?hpt=wo_mid[/url]

Somewhere right now there is a really pissed auctioneer

Wish I had something like that to sell out for loadsa mone

[img]http://i.imgur.com/yHJQmE3.png[/img] That you Jim Carrey?

[QUOTE]A postcard-sized painting[/QUOTE] How big are your letters?

Well it is a nice painting

[QUOTE=booster;42130851]How big are your letters?[/QUOTE] it looks only marginally smaller than a postcard without the frame, it's a fair comparison given paintings can range anywhere from the side of a building to the side of a coin

[QUOTE=person11;42130899]Well it is a nice painting[/QUOTE] Looks like something I can pick up for a few dollars at the flea market.

I like how instead of instantly flipping it he's looking to have it restored and put up in a museum.

[QUOTE=littlefoot;42130606] That you Jim Carrey?[/QUOTE] not in the slightest?

Just goes to show that the value of a painting is not based on its artistic quality, but just by artist recognition. Also this is why I always want to go to yard sales, you never know what you might find.

this proves that auctions can give you a large profit

[QUOTE=Desuh;42131078]Looks like something I can pick up for a few dollars at the flea market.[/QUOTE] Artificial Inflation at its finest

[QUOTE=Desuh;42131078]Looks like something I can pick up for a few dollars at the flea market.[/QUOTE] Well you're not wrong

I remember I actually got to look at a Constable exhibition some time ago. Nifty stuff. Lucky guy, I guess.

[QUOTE=StupidUsername67;42131426]I like how instead of instantly flipping it he's looking to have it restored and put up in a museum.[/QUOTE] He must be pretty wealthy then.

it's not exactly a significant work by that painter, it's only expensive for the name, so I don't see any shame in selling it...

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/n7OnD90.png[/IMG]

Anything drawn or painted by Constable is going to be worth a lot, regardless of how pretty it is Just like a handkerchief owned by Queen Victoria or a single-page scribbly rough draft by Shakespear is going to be worth a lot

[QUOTE=Desuh;42131078]Looks like something I can pick up for a few dollars at the flea market.[/QUOTE] Is this going to turn into Facepunch's typical "I could shit on a canvas" discussion?

[QUOTE=milkandcooki;42139148]Is this going to turn into Facepunch's typical "I could shit on a canvas" discussion?[/QUOTE] dude i've vomited the mona lisa before, easy shit, art is for pussies go STEM whoo

[QUOTE=milkandcooki;42139148]Is this going to turn into Facepunch's typical "I could shit on a canvas" discussion?[/QUOTE] [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Ofili[/url]

Art is something I will never understand

[QUOTE=kenshin6;42139361]Art is something I will never understand[/QUOTE] take the paintbrush and press it against the canvas its not that hard

Great job announcing to the whole world your name, city and the amount of money you're having around.

[QUOTE=Siduron;42139723]Great job announcing to the whole world your name, city and the amount of money you're having around.[/QUOTE] he didn't sell it and it's being taken care of by a museum

[QUOTE=daijitsu;42142471]he didn't sell it and it's being taken care of by a museum[/QUOTE] I'd rather be remembered as an "art donating hero" than "that chucklefuck who sold priceless art for profit"

[QUOTE=milkandcooki;42142741]I'd rather be remembered as an "art donating hero" than "that chucklefuck who sold priceless art for profit"[/QUOTE] i'd sell it, so would you.

I'd sell it to the highest bidding museum

[QUOTE=milkandcooki;42142741]I'd rather be remembered as an "art donating hero" than "that chucklefuck who sold priceless art for profit"[/QUOTE] This type of art exists purely for pleasure/entertainment, why is it less moral to sell than anything else?