A woman's serendipitous hunt for vintage frames at a thrift store led to a remarkable discovery: an N.C. Wyeth painting hidden in plain sight, purchased for a mere $4. However, the true value of this find would remain a mystery for six years until experts estimated it could fetch as much as a quarter of a million dollars at auction.
In 2017, while browsing through a Savers thrift store in New Hampshire, the woman stumbled upon what she described as a "quite heavy and dusty" painting tucked away among a stack of items. Priced at just $4, she decided to make the whimsical purchase. At the time, she playfully joked about the possibility of it being a genuine painting but conducted a quick internet search that yielded no significant results, so the thought was shelved.
The painting found its way into her room and eventually ended up in her closet, largely forgotten. It wasn't until several years later during a spring cleaning session that curiosity resurfaced. She shared some photos of the painting on the Facebook group "Things Found in Walls," where they caught the attention of Lauren Lewis, a conservator from Maine.
Lewis, intrigued by the images, made a three-hour journey to examine the painting. To her astonishment, she confirmed that it was not only legitimate but also highly valuable. Despite some minor scratches and the need for a surface cleaning, the painting had remained remarkably well-preserved over the decades, considering its unknown journey.
The artwork in question was one of four illustrations by N.C. Wyeth created for a 1939 edition of Helen Hunt Jackson's novel, "Ramona." Auction experts believe that this painting is an original piece, possibly given as a gift by Wyeth himself or the book's publishers to the editor or Jackson's estate. While the location of one of the other illustrations is known, two of the four have remained lost to time.
Kathleen Leland, a specialist in American and European art at the auction house, pointed to the back of the frame as crucial evidence of the painting's authenticity. She explained that starting in the mid-1930s, Wyeth consistently used a specific type of artist board known as Weber 'Renaissance' panels, recognizable for their distinctive red backs and elaborate labels. This particular feature confirmed the painting's originality.
Instances where individuals unknowingly possess valuable artworks are rare, especially among those with no prior knowledge of the art world. N.C. Wyeth, a renowned illustrator of the early 20th century, gained significant acclaim for his illustrations, notably his work on the 1911 edition of Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island." His son, Andrew Wyeth, was also a renowned illustrator, receiving the National Medal of Arts in 2007.
N.C. Wyeth's work was celebrated for its ability to enhance the drama and character development of accompanying text through vibrant, action-packed scenes, vivid colors, and a masterful use of light and shadow.
This remarkable painting is slated to be auctioned on September 19 at the Bonhams Skinner's American Art auction in Marlborough, Massachusetts. It stands as a testament to the potential treasures hiding in plain sight, awaiting discovery by the curious and fortunate.

If only she knew how that single act was gonna change her life. Life can be really unpredictable. This is why writing anybody off is a foolish mistake. Someone could go from “zero” to “a hundred” overnight if luck shines on them. Pray for grace…

It is only white people that can buy an ordinary painting for that amount, na wetin concern black man for this matter?