Home / Arts and Entertainment / Lost Art Found: $30 Sale Becomes $1.35M Masterpiece
Lost Art Found: $30 Sale Becomes $1.35M Masterpiece
3 Oct
Summary
- Gertrude Abercrombie painting found at estate sale for $30.
- Artwork sold for $1.35 million, setting a new record.
- Painting was missing for over 70 years before reappearing.
A remarkable rediscovery has seen Gertrude Abercrombie's 1951 painting, "Alderman Merriam's Shells," fetch $1.35 million at auction. The artwork, which had been missing for over 70 years, was acquired for just $30 at a Michigan estate sale.
This significant find and subsequent sale establishes a new world auction record for Abercrombie, a prominent figure in Chicago's art and music communities. The painting, originally gifted in 1952, disappeared from public view after a series of exhibitions in the early 1950s.
Experts note the painting's unique lighting, surreal elements, and the early appearance of a cracked seashell motif, which became a signature element in Abercrombie's later works. Following restoration, the piece vastly exceeded its auction estimate, cementing its status as a valuable rediscovery.
