It was as if artist Gwendolyn Bennett was reaching out to me from the beyond. I had seen a landscape painting by the artist more than a week ago at the Swann Auction Galleries’ twice-yearly…
Category: Art
Whimsical sculptures from old doll heads & tins
Posted in Art, collectibles, Crafts, and Dolls
I had only just arrived at the crafts festival, on the lookout for that unique something-something that would wow me. I had dipped into one vendor’s space after another – not lingering, just glancing and moving on.…
That’s Miss Tina, my art-travel buddy Kristin said as we arrived for the Swann Auction Galleries twice-yearly sale of African American art. Kristin is always on the lookout for celebrities at these events, and we’ve…
The art of Rex Goreleigh
Posted in Art
The couple wanted that painting – badly. I understood. I had seen it as I walked into the auction gallery, on a wall slightly to the right, the rectangular-shaped oil painting that had its own…
Readers ask about MC Jones art & Christmas pyramids
Posted in Art, Christmas, Holidays, and Reader questions
Friday at Auction Finds is readers’ questions day. I try to guide readers to resources for them to determine the value of the items that they own. I’m not able to appraise their treasures, but…
Sweetgrass baskets by Annabelle Ellis
Posted in Art, Black history, collectibles, Crafts, and Culture
My auction buddy Janet had missed the two baskets entirely. I had, too, on my first walk-through at the auction house – a new one for me but a return spot for her. They were…
During an auction preview recently, I was flipping through some framed paintings propped against a wall when I came upon one without a frame. It was a pencil drawing with a faded and worn mat that…
1950s photos of cops, artist, black boys
Posted in Art, Children, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, and Photos
The flat box was lying practically in the middle of a wide table of throw-away items at the auction house. So I had to stretch my arms pretty far over to retrieve it, and I…
About a year ago, I wrote a blog post about a sculpture that was displayed at the 1939 New York World’s Fair by artist James House Jr. A reader recently wrote me about two pieces…