Featured Wish it was a Jackson Pollock

I just found this unsigned painting at my Goodwill. I often joke with my picker buddy that someday I'm going to find a sketch or something by Jackson Pollock because he once lived in Chico, California where I currently reside.

I searched the internet for "found Jackson Pollock art" and there's actually a couple of real cases. In one, a woman, Teri Horton, found an unsigned work at a thrift store–she bought it to give to her friend with no idea of what it might be–and later someone recognized the style. She hired a specialist, Peter Paul Biro, and in his opinion it was real. He thought the one she found was commissioned, damaged, and instead repairing it JP painted a whole new one and abandoned the first without signing it. So the story goes. What I couldn't believe is that she turned down separate offers of $4M and $8M on her $5 purchase? She's holding out for more. With zero provenance, I would take the millions.

There's a second story about a gouache work of his, not in the typical drip/pour style he's famous for, coming out of a garage in Arizona. It actually had some traceable history and was more easily identified given the ownership and other artists' six-figure artworks of the era in the same garage. The homeowner called an appraisal service for an LA Lakers poster worth about $300 and they found much more interesting pieces. His deceased half-sister was a woman in the NY art scene, Jenifer Gordon Cosgriff, and had willed the art to him. The auction estimate was $15M.

Peter Paul Biro was involved in identifying both of the works and so I found his website and sent him photos with a description of what you see here. He replied in less than 24 hours and thinks the paint colors post-date JP's work but he's not sure from the photos. For the fee of $4k, the painting can be analyzed in a laboratory for a definitive answer.

It's kind of a fun story and I thought I'd share. There's other nearly unbelievable moments like this out there and it gives a picker some hope. My personal record is a US military watch I bought for $245 and sold for $3,600 at auction.

40 x 30 inches. Hand stretched and stapled canvas on custom frame with Masonite backer board. The unpainted spots on the canvas show age, dust and/or yellowing.

 

I was familiar with both of the stories you referenced. I agree the materials look very recent. I would say a home art project using some stuff they had lying around. I would put it up in a recreation or kids room.

 

That's a very contemporary palette and not one that Pollock worked with.

Debora

 

Yeah,the staples scream newer but I still love the colors! Is that scribbling on the back or do I see letters?

 

Does look like a child's scribbles.

Debora

 

@johnnycb09
Yes, scribbles, in crayon. It has merit and interest for the sake of art viewing and that's really why I bought it. I never had real hopes it was by JP, but it is only by taking on something like this and diving into it that one learns more about this field of collecting valuable items. So that's why I wanted to share this post and story.

Entertainment (intrigue if I may) is part of the game, IMO.

 

I do that too. Buy things I'm curious about. Good way to explore and learn. (If the price is right, of course.)

Debora

 

Never cared much for that style but it has grown on me , and I like the color combinations in that one. It would go great in a retro late 50's / early 60's Eichler home , the ones that used to sell for nothing that are now worth big bucks ! I would have to have a couple of matching lava lamps to go with it ......fun !

 

Jackson Pollock Chico-whoa.Same town they filmed 'Robin Hood' with Errol Flynn & Claude Rains.

 

@bosko69 That is correct. The Lower and Upper Bidwell Park here are just amazing. It's one of the largest municipal parks in all of USA, #26 on the list, at 3,670 acres. They shot the first Robin Hood film you mentioned in the lower park areas. The valley oak trees there are very large specimens of that species and the actor could easily stand on the big branches at 14 or 18 feet up, with 4 foot diameters (just to give an idea of these oaks). The creek flows through the whole thing, and the upper park has obsidian lava beds right next to the water. It tops 110 degrees here in the summer so the creek is a popular place. The upper park is a small canyon with butte rock formations. Bidwell is dramatic and beautiful.

 

Last time we were there Sierra Nevada Brewing were in a mini wherehouse on the outskirts of town ! Them kids made history .

 

Sierra Nevada Brewing is probably the first (not to sell-out) micro-brewery to make it big and inspired countless others like Widmer Bros., Red Hook, Lagunitas, etc. on the west coast to continue making craft brews in opposition to Bud, Coors, Miller, and the like.

It's still on the "outskirts" of town. The town is growing around it. 100K+ now

 

Holy Cow-Chico was a lot more podunky 35-40 years ago & Paradise (sadly) was retirement heaven.

 

I incorrectly stated the canvas shows yellowing from age in the first post. The canvas is actually painted a light beige/tan color all over before applying the drips and pours of multiple color paints. It did have some dust though. Chico is a hot and dry climate so the staples wouldn't necessarily oxidize in storage.

 

Would rather own a Pollock than have been Pollock-yet his tortured hell can be our $$$. Venture Capitalists can teach us this-especially the ones that own Van Gogh's.