Need help identifying a potential Turner

Hey folks,

There's lots of fake Turners out there! I'd really appreciate thoughts on whether this looks to be a legitimate painting by JMW Turner. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

 

It's a legitimate Turner PRINT, made as a decorative item.

 

I can assure you it's not a print. It's a watercolour! I've even looked at it under a magnifying glass, etc.

 

Where did you get it and what were you told about it? And would/could you post a photograph of both the front and back including frame? Along with photographs of any stickers, labels and/or handwritten notations.

Debora

 

I got it at a local auction several years ago. It was sold as a watercolour by "Thomas Robins". Not much more was known about it by the seller. I've included a few more pictures - I have a full picture of the back but not of the front (including frame). I'll take a new image of that too and include soon.

 

An exciting possibility!
It needs to be removed from its modern frame to be examined further.

 

Agree. It needs to be opened up and examined.

Debora

 

Thirded for removal. Those acidic mats need to be replaced badly, and no original piece should have Masonite as backing.

 

@newbie7897

Anything further on this? Did you open it up? If so can you provide some more photos for closer inspection.

 

Hi all - apologies for the delay! I've had a family emergency. I've now gotten round to taking apart the frame. Some very interesting things inside. I've attached images. It appears to have been painted on artistic card/paper.

I also found a penciled note on the back that appears to say "3) Please use the appropriate moulding & the old plain backing".

A note was also originally attached to the back of the frame (it fell off but I kept it with the sales paperwork) that I forgot to include in my original post. This claimed it was done by "Thomas Sewell Robins" (or follower of???). Again this is included in the images.

As always I'd really appreciate your thoughts and comments. Thanks in advance!

 

The paper says this work is by a follower of Robins. The distinction of "follower" means someone who liked Robins' style and tried to paint like him, but was not Robins. If it said "circle of" then it would have meant it was painted by someone Robins knew (like a fellow painter, student, or apprentice).

 

Thanks - there is some confusion as the auctioneer seemed to think it was actually by Robins and not a follower (this is stated in the paperwork of sale too). But I wasn't particularly interested in that, I just really liked the painting. However the point of interest here is that the signature looks a lot like Turner's.

 

Well, I would say pull out a 20 banknote to compare. Some examples here, with a contact form for analysis. I can't find an example of him signing the front of a watercolor, but here's one of the back.

I would say that it appears he looped his J and M, whereas this signature does an inverted swoop instead. I would not say they are the same from these examples.