Home / Arts and Entertainment / Thrift Store Art Fetches $254K at Auction
Thrift Store Art Fetches $254K at Auction
14 Oct
Summary
- Painting bought for under $100 sold for £189,200.
- AI helped identify signature and a label clue.
- Artwork identified as a work by Francis Cadell.
A painting discovered in a White Plains, New York, thrift store in 1966 for under $100 has been sold for £189,200 at auction. The artwork, titled 'Interior: The Lady in Black,' remained with its owner for nearly six decades before its true provenance was revealed.
Helene Plotkin, an art teacher, acquired the painting for its aesthetic appeal, unaware of its potential value. The mystery surrounding its signature and a label identifying it as 'Portrait of Miss Don Wauchope' persisted for years.
In 2025, Plotkin's son used Google's AI assistant Gemini to examine a photograph of the painting. The AI helped decipher the signature and pointed towards a label on the canvas, initiating a deeper investigation.
This investigation uncovered historical auction records showing the painting was sold at Christie's in London on March 18, 1966, for £21 under an incorrect title. This discovery paved the way for its identification as a work by Francis Cadell.
Specialists at Lyon & Turnbull confirmed the attribution, correcting the subject to May Easter, one of Cadell's models. The painting, created in the 1920s, depicts Cadell's Edinburgh studio and was sold on June 4, 2026, within its estimated range.
The sale highlights the synergy of historical research, technology, and expert appraisal in uncovering the value of art.
