Featured I know the artist but how would i value this oil painting?

This is an oil painting done by Les Ray back in the 60's. I know he has a website and sells prints but also sells the originals. This was done before he started making prints or copies. Do you guys think this has any value? Where would I sell it? I got it for $29 because it was beautifully done and the man looks just like my grandfather. Size is
36"x 24". Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank.

 

u said it all....go to his site and ask !!
it's lovely.....

 

I did talk to his wife about it and she said they sell them for an average of $15,000. I don't believe I can get that for the painting. I have never sold art before so I really don't even know where to start. I am in L.A. is there a local place i can take it to? send photos to?

 

$15,000..........for 29 bucks ?? WOW !!!!

L.A. is a strange place for art....but I see this as a decidedly mid west image...or further east....
Crocks...milk cans....produce & a farmers almanac.....you need to find an auction house with a country lean to it, that reaches further afield than CA.
IMO..

 

The title, When They Grew Their Own, might make it appealing to those folks who chucked their city jobs to become artisanal farmers.

 

I wish I could get $15 for it! I really doubt I will even get close to that. That being said people have bought original from him so you never know i guess. I will keep my fingers crossed and talk to some dealers/auction houses. One of his originals on his site they are asking $50,000! Art world is crazy!

 

Good....get crazy too !!!
The downside is............WAIT...at $29......THERE IS NO DOWNSIDE !!

 

I couldn't find Les Ray on either askart.com or findartinfo.com, which isn't a good sign. My understanding is that major auction houses and galleries are only interested in handling works of listed artists with prior auction results.

That may not apply to smaller venues, though.

 

When trying to sell works by living artists, set your sights low. For whatever reason, people are not willing to pay anywhere near what it will cost to buy directly from the artist when buying on the secondary market. It kind of makes sense in that the types of people who buy current art from galleries directly from artists are different than those searching the secondary market. Unless the artist has an established record on the secondary market, people are generally unwilling to spend much for the works.

As an example I had a work I purchased by a well known artists who's works sell for $ 5K+. My painting was from 10 years or so earlier in his career but still had an original price tag over $1000.00 . I tried unsuccessfully for several years to sell it, starting at $750.00. I lowered my price numerous times and ultimately sold it locally for an offer of $150.00. I had absolutely no interest in it when offered on ebay, despite a best offer option.

 

There's a Norman Rockwell quality to it. Maybe the MAGA constituency would go for it. Isn't that when America used to be great?

 

*begin sarcasm* Nah, I think that was pre-Civil war, pre-suffragates, and maybe even pre-democracy. *end sarcasm*

Sorry... couldn't resist...

 

when he's gone, people are sure that he doesn't do copies of his own works that would count as originals as well but lower the value of the other copies.

 

so im new here and don't know much......but.... I went to lesray website, on the left theres a list of all kinds of his work. If you goto the "general store" section of "Artwork" and click there, you will see 7 different pictures available as artists proofs for $1,000 to $1,200 and limited editions for $900 to $1,000

What I find interesting thou is that yours "when they grew their own" is not mentioned there at all. Any thoughts

 

maybe it was purchased directly from the artist....and was never printed..!