Another Awesome Art Find!

[capt-zero]

I'm going to have to stop doing this. This can't happen like this every week. This week started out slow and I was getting dissapointed by 0930. I had been to a dozen or so sales and except for about an ounce of Egyptian silver jewelry, hadn't found anything worth buying. I saw another sale in a lower middle class neighborhood. I wasn't really expecting anything much there, other than the usual bric a brac, but went anyway. While I was there though, I came across the lithograph below priced at $15. My jaw dropped out of my mouth and I uttered an unnacceptable phrase; perhaps too loudly. The lady next to me was shocked. Anyway, below is a pencil signed lithograph by Joan Miro. Did some surfing on him (yes I know, I thought he was a woman also until today) and was shocked at the retail prices on his work. Auction values not much better. I have yet to identify this particular piece (he made several hundred lithographs during his career), but the least I saw a signed one go for was $375 up to $4800. Ebay prices are not significantly better. Anyway, if this keeps up every week, I might have to think about quitting my day job.

 

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[centfladigger]

way to start your own gallery...nice find

 

[surf]

Hey capt-zero,

I know you didn't pay too much, but I'd like to temper your enthusiasm on the signature. His is one of those oft faked artists' signatures. He did have an accent aigu, but the seeming accent grave over the "i" just does not look right to me. Have a look at Joan Miro signature search, and see what you think.

It's difficult for me to tell a lithograph from a Heliogravure when it's behind glass. Here's hoping you can successfully move it.

 

[mjlalt]

Yeah , I'm no expert of signatures but that "i" looks wrong

look where the "i" starts. On this one it starts at the top (there is no left up swing)

 

[capt-zero]

I agree that the art world is full of outright fakes. I know I've bought a few. As far as it's being a heliogravure, I did take it out of the frame first thing and it is definitely a lithograph. I'm quite familiar with them and the difference. I've been collecting original prints for a couple of decades. I've already talked to my "resident" art expert and she wants to check it out and refer me to the right person (she works as an art restorer for a local art museum). I generally don't take things at face value, but generally at garage sales, there isn't the dollar motivation for too many shennanigans. As far as signatures are concerned, I'll let the experts decide. There were a number in your search that looked similar to mine, the "i" included. I always take anything I see on the net with a big grain of salt. No offence intended.

 

[mjlalt]

Perhaps his signature changed a bit as he got older, that does happen.
I wish you luck and I hope that it a very valuable!

 

[austin]

Nothing wrong with the signature and I believe it is legit. I too collect art(or I did before I got old and quit caring). You have a treasure...

 

[desertmoons]

Oh miro is good stuff. Nice find. I hope it turns out well for you. You need centaflaggers cat and sell them as a pair lol.

 

[Sterling]

Congrats "Capt" on those finds...