An Early Christmas Present

[Lost&Found]

Standing outside the TS in the window, waiting for it to open, I saw a primitive painting of an old barn and became quite interested in it. There was a couple looking at it and the woman was googling and looked at her companion and smilingly said, "she found the artist". He said, "Is it good?" and she answered, "Yeah". Some how, . I was able to be the second person
into the store and immediately grabbed it. Haven't done much research yet but it looks promising.

Cut to the chase: Artist

John Wells James oil on board 12 1/2 x 15 1/2



https://www.1stdibs.com/creators/john-wells-james-1873-1951-american/art/

 

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[diggummup]

SCORE! He's been featured on the Antiques Roadshow also. 1930 John Wells James Painting | Roadshow Archive | PBS

 

[AwakenYouthful]

Wow, what a find!

 

[dieselram94]

Sweet, this is why I tell my son and wife to always assume someone is listening in and also silence is golden.

sent from a potato with gravy!!...

 

[mkulltra]

Congrats! Awesome score! How pissed were the other people when they saw you walk out with that?

 

[Lost&Found]

Yes, silence and stealth is necessary to any kind of hunting.

To be honest I did not even see them in the store. They might of seen me take it from the window while they were still on line to get in. Maybe, they realized after that I heard them but I was ahead of them online and would of picked it up before them anyway. From the door opening to it being in my hands- no more than 15 seconds.

I've been looking for a late 19th early 20th century American painter for another reason than just resale. A couple of months ago I decided to google the name of an early childhood friend that I lost contact with when my family moved when I was 5. Surprisingly, I found him and it turns out he is a well known NY dealer of this type of painting. Now I just have to get the nerve to contact him. I doubt that he might even remember me.

 

[dieselram94]

I'd just call him. I bet he remembers you.

sent from a potato with gravy!!...

 

[Baltimore]

Incredible! sell that one painting and you've made more than some of us have ever made in our entire picking lives, probably several of us combined! May I ask how much you managed to scoop it up for?

 

[tamrock]

Finally a painting that isn't the run of the mill thrift store art signed by a nobody. That's a very pleasant to admire piece of art you have...''TOUCHDOWN''

I've only found one signature on a watercolor that came up with a hit on the smart phone. His name was Silvio Carl Fracassini. In my research I found he was born in the next town to me in 1907, so purchase it from the flea market just to donate it to the local museum in Louisville, Colorado. They were very happy and it only cost me 15 bucks. It may have got me 200 maybe 300 bucks at best if I sold it, but I had a very rare convicted feeling for me on that day.

 

[tamrock]

SCORE! He's been featured on the Antiques Roadshow also. 1930 John Wells James Painting | Roadshow Archive | PBS

WOW!!!!

 

[Lost&Found]

Price was $12.99 with 25% off on Mondays paid $9.47 plus tax.

It also is signed on the back with a dedication to Charlotte & ? Dated June 11, 1940

 

[2Minnesota]

Love it! Another fantastic find .

 

[Drmad7]

Sweet, this is why I tell my son and wife to always assume someone is listening in and also silence is golden.

sent from a potato with gravy!!...

EXACTLY what I tell my son when he would ask "Are you gonna buy that and sell it?!" Excellent...beyond EXCELLENT score OP!!!!! I have over 20+ paintings and prints from TS, they all have some kind of value, but not even close to yours!

 

[gino22]

Love it, and a miracle it got that far unnoticed. Any store in my area would have put that 30k price tag on it before even knowing what they had.

 

[Drmad7]

I just met one of the new managers at my local Goowdill. I noticed prices were a tad higher on some things. He explained where the new furniture came from, the company that made them, and the quality of the materials they used. I'm thinking it will bit a little harder to score great things there! But at least he's a nice guy and says he's views the money they make from sales from the perspective of how many families they can help and for how long. I think he would have grabbed that painting up quick!!

 

[Lost&Found]

Love it, and a miracle it got that far unnoticed. Any store in my area would have put that 30k price tag on it before even knowing what they had.

Luck smiled on me. This TS seems to just unpack boxes and the minimum wage workers price the items. If it looks pretty they put a higher price on it. They only seem to screen their jewelry looking for silver and gold and not caring about the makers marks. One picker showed me pics of the diamond and other precious stone jewelry he has found there. It seems like they don't take the time out to decipher signatures on artwork. glass and ceramics. One of the managers I spoke to about how they price items said, "we are a high volume store and need to get the shelves stocked quickly".

Thanks everyone for posting. I don't think I can get top price for this painting, There are condition problems (paint loss) and it needs some restoration and cleaning. Also size, subject and the time period in the artists life are important valuation factors. I found the artists website started by his family and will contact them shortly. Maybe they can give me some info on the subject, time period and who he dedicated and countersigned it to on the back of the painting.

Home - John Wells James ~Artist Official Site

 

[dieselram94]

Keep us posted!

sent from a potato with gravy!!...

 

[Drmad7]

And if they ask for it back, because it was mistakenly donated by(or anything along those lines)…ask for a comparable finder's fee!

 

[dieselram94]

And if they ask for it back, because it was mistakenly donated by(or anything along those lines)…ask for a comparable finder's fee!

No way... once its sold its sold. Never be bullied around because someone else wants to make s profit...

sent from a potato with gravy!!...

 

[randazzo1]

Awesome!