Featured Have you ever missed an opportunity to buy a great painting?

I was cruising through a store today, and I saw a nice painting. I couldn't quite make out the signature so I didn't buy it. On my way home I figured out the signature (the store was already closed by now) and immediately realized I made a mistake. After I got home I started doing research, and the artists similar works have sold between $1000-$1500...(this was for sale at a thrift shop so it would have been priced at $30 max)

When I last saw it, the store was closing in 15 minutes (so unless someone bought it in the last 15 minutes it will still be there). Naturally I'm going to get there as soon as the store opens and hope that it's still there. Does anyone have a similar story to share? I'm literally sick to my stomach realizing my mistake now...

 

I've had a number of times at large flea markets where i'll see something interesting/odd, walk away to think about it for awhile or do some quick research on my phone, only to go back and find it sold.

Not a painting, but about 8 years ago there was a old huge tube tester unit at a booth, with all kinds of odd attachments. The vendor wasn't there and I waited 5 minutes before leaving to look at other things. No price tags. Went back a bit later to see some guy buying it, for 45. It was probably an 800-1000 dollar unit.

No one knows everything. Most of us probably walk by underpriced treasures daily, totally oblivious to what we have missed.

You still have a good chance of snagging that painting i'd say. Good luck.

 

I've missed more items than I've bought..........

 

I left this Pierre Paulin, Thonet chair at an estate sale, priced $300.
After finding one that night that sold for $1500. I went back and bought it the next day (half price day) for $150.
I sold it at a local auction for $2,000.

 

You didn't miss that one .............SWEET !!!!

 

And hopefully MrNate doesn't miss that painting tomorrow!

 

Thanks Anundverkaufen, i hope so too! I took a photo of it but I don't want to jinx it until it's in my hands. I promise to post a photo and details tomorrow if I get it.

 

Huh????

 

I've second guessed myself on lots of things and missed out, but I'd rather reflect on my good fortune yesterday. Browsing book shelves at St. Vincent de Paul, I happened to glance up to the top shelf and there was a lamp, took one more step and stopped dead in my tracks...that looks like Moorcroft Hibiscus. Nothing to lose at $8.00, so took it home and removed the metal base, an lo and behold, there it was Moorcroft, Made in England. I photocopied the base to include with the tag.
Luck this this doesn't happen very often, but when it does, keeps you in the game.

 

I tell those that complain that we sometimes make good money off others to go out and spend the time, gas, vehicle wear and tear, storage, labor, money wasted on bad choices or damaged objects, theft, etc. to go do all that and get back to me.
And many other things actually.

 

I was at local Vinny's picked up 3 pieces of pottery and then several other items ended up putting the pottery pieces back, got home looked them up. 2 Natzler bowls and a Heino vase, Needles to say I broke all speed limits get back there but they were gone.

 

Wow, everyone has some good stories, I don't feel so bad. I will feel bad of course if the painting is gone, but I'll at least know I have fellow collectors who have felt the pain like I have.

 

Usually, the issue is price, even if a relative bargain. Had to walk away from a Tiffany Favrile charger for $300.00 because I just did not have the disposable income at the time. Still kick myself over that one but you can't spend what you don't have.

I walked away from a Grueby bowl with a mostly obscured mark, as the dealer wanted $40.00 for it. Seemed like a lot of money for an unknown little bowl at the time. About 20 minutes later, it struck me what the mark read. By then, it was gone.

More often than not, I am the one to figure things out and make the deal. One of my best buys ever was a double marked Teco vase that the auctioneer thought had Chinese writing on it. No one else figured it out and I walked away with it for that same $40.00 price. You win some and lose some.

Even if I don't know, I will take a hunch if the item is cheap enough. Some of my best buys have been made this way. On the other hand, I still have some of those great buys I have never figured out

 

It was still there!!!!

 

When I had my shop in Chatham, we used to clean out houses for estates. We picked up a pair of portraits of a fisherman and his wife. Not knowing anything about Cape Cod artists at the time, we sold them for a pittance. Found out later they were each worth over $5,000. Still kicking myself 40 years later

 

I don't recognize the artist. Goff? Gott?

 

Yeah, the signature was challenging. It's Lloyd L Goff

 

Congratulations, Mr. Nate,
I was wondering if that shop was open on a Holiday.
It's not a picture I would drool over, but would definitely grab it for resale. Heck, his prints sell for 5+ times what you paid. Originals over 100 times.
He has been exhibited in about all the art venues and galleries I can think of.
Do you plan to hang it at home for a while, or go straight to auction?

 

Not a painting but ORIGINAL (!!!!) Barcelona chairs; a pair for $300. I'm literally still sick about it. I should've just bought them--but didn't. I was new to estate/home auctions & didn't known you could pre bid. I saw them on a quick stop after work one day, went back the next Saturday morning at open & went to purchase them & someone had purchased them in a pre bid. I can't even talk about it; I'm so sick over it and it was a year ago. I'll never forget that missed opportunity. Now I buy what I want on the spot! I feel your pain.

 

Yay!!!!