Frederick Douglass Picture Questions

diggummup

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Jul 15, 2004
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I bought this picture of Frederick Douglass from the son of one of the original Tuskeegee airmen. He said he got it from his dad who passed away several years ago. It is signed by a listed artist, Charles Wells... Charles Wells | Smithsonian American Art Museum It is 25.5" x 19" framed.
To me it looks like a print. It's hard to tell. The penciled signature looks legit. However what doesn't make sense is, if it's a print shouldn't it be numbered? Also what kind of value you think this would this have? I paid $25 for it. Here are the photos, all comments welcomed...

DSC07993 (890x1024).jpgDSC07994 (820x1024).jpgDSC08001.JPGDSC07995 (1024x765).jpgDSC07996.JPG
 

Hard to tell if it's a print. I would contact the Smithsonian if any reproductive were authorized or if they sold the original from their collection. Myself, I would remove it from the frame and check to see if any ink seeped through the paper.
 

Yes, I saw the original last night researching. I already thought it looked like a print, especially after I looked at the close up photos I took. You can actually tell it's a print if you have a large enough computer screen, once you click it a couple times and enlarge the close up photo. It also appears as if the signature is an exact match as the original, so it would be printed also. Oh well. Probably worth what I paid for it.
 

Cool find. I'd say worth at least what you paid, perhaps a bit more.
 

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