Antiques Roadshow is always full of interesting items, and on the show’s recent trip to Powis Castle and Garden in Wales, they uncovered a gem of a painting.
With beauty in the eye of the beholder, artwork can sell for varying amounts. But on this occasion, a guest couldn’t believe her ears when Grant Ford told her that a painting she’d purchased from a charity shop for just £25 was worth a small fortune.
The colourful painting had a backstory capable of giving historians goosebumps. The powerful image, depicting an interesting Scottish scene, blew the expert away.
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In a miraculous turn of events, the guest stumbled across the item merely by chance. She explained that she’d been returning home after taking her two children on holiday to the Scottish Highlands.
She and her family were driving back to their home in Shropshire when the weather took a turn. Upon exiting the car for a walk, the rain started firing down, prompting the woman to head into the nearest possible charity shop to get her ten and 12-year-old children raincoats.
It was at this point she stumbled across the painting. She explained: “I didn’t get a raincoat, I got a painting,” to which Grant replied: “Gosh, I wish I was there before you.”
Upon analysing the fine piece of work, the expert revealed that the oil-on-canvas was a “Confident colourist” style, “Clearly signed lower-right Cunningham”. Intrigued by the whole situation, Grant asked whether the guest had looked into the artist, to which she answered in the affirmative, saying she’d done a, “Wee bit of research.”
She added: “On the back, it told me that he was a Glasgow artist, who studied at the Glasgow School of Art. He was born the same year as my own mum, so 1926.” Elaborating on John Cunningham’s background, Grant confirmed, “He was very much sort of born and bred in Lanarkshire but centred in Glasgow.”
“He taught a great deal, and then when he retired from the Glasgow School of Art as a teacher and a senior lecturer, he became a sort of professional artist in 1985.”
Showcasing his inquisitive mind, Grant asked how much she originally paid for it, to which she answered: “£25, ten years ago,” which took the expert by surprise. He said: “I just think that’s an amazing piece of luck because this is a very sought-after painting. And actually, it holds quite a lot of value.”
At this point, Grant revealed that, if the guest chose to sell, she could make an astronomical profit. He determined: “I can confidently say that it’s worth £4000 to £6000.”
Unsurprisingly, the valuation rendered the guest stunned. She beamed: “Oh, wow! That’s quite astonishing. For £25, I’m glad I bought it.”
Not quite believing her luck, Grant concluded with a touching sentiment. He smiled: “You could have found a raincoat that day; luckily you found a brilliant painting.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
