Take a look at this drawing and offer thoughts. It was found in an estate. I’d be 95% sure it isn’t real, but… there is a chance it could be knowing who and where it came from. How in the world would I tell? My Physics/Math/Psych background doesn’t help at all with this.
Picasso painted many versions of Two Harlequins during the Rose Period, so if real, it’s not that unique, so the value would be several thousand dollars. Again, if original.
But it’s hard to discern through a photo. It looks more like an etching than a painting, and the framing is not high quality. My guess is it’s a reproduction, but an art appraiser would really need to see it first hand and assess it with the record of provenance.
4 Likes
From the framing alone I’d guess it was a reproduction. On Reddit there is are several “subreddits” one being antiques with some very knowledgeable people. Post there.
I googled that title and saw many paintings. This one is a drawing. Would that automatically mean fake? I doubt there’s any written history.
You could take the work to an art appraiser and see if it is worth something. You will probably have to pay a fee. Are there any galleries near you? That might be a place where you can get a referral to an appraiser? Another possibility is an auction house. I worked for an auction house in the Boston area and there was a person on staff who appraised artwork.
2 Likes
Picasso did thousands of drawings
1 Like
I’ll let my sister know since she’s the Executrix. She’d need to find one between Ottawa, Canada and Syracuse or perhaps Albany, NY to be sort of within a decent range - just in case anyone knows someone. 
My guess is it’s a fake, so I don’t know that we’d want to pay much checking it out.
BUT, my grandmother had very wealthy friends living in the wealthiest city in the nation at the time and this came to my dad from her, so…
H had a friend that was NYC art dealer years ago and kept his very, very expensive paintings in his mother’s house in the south- hanging on the walls! H visited one time and said isn’t that a XXXXX? So, you never know.
1 Like
What kind of condition is it in? Looks like it has been damp within the frame. Or that is on the glass?
The back certainly looks like water damage but maybe that’s colorIing of some sort? Can you take the frame off to see the type of paper it is on and if there are markings on the back?
Any idea the year this came into family hands?
I knew a lady once who had a lot of valuable antiques which I’m sure looked great in her once big home but she now lived in a small condo. She was afraid her heirs would have no idea what was valuable or not and started putting labels on the back to alert them to value. I thought that was a great idea.
3 Likes
I think it is in sad shape from improper storage. My grandmother passed away in 1992 and dad’s house is not climate controlled at all. My grandmother knew her wealthier friends from at least back in the late 70s.
Sis is talking about taking it to a nearby University to see if anyone in their art department is willing to give their thoughts either for free or a reasonable cost. I don’t know if she actually will do it or is just talking about it. Dad died in 2018 and she’s just now getting around to going through some of his things. I’ll be in the area in latter Sept and might be able to guide her in person a little bit if she doesn’t do anything beforehand.
She’s also found a ton of watches, jewelry, and a “gold” nugget that appears to be real gold.
It could all be fake, or not. Both Grandma and Dad were packrats, esp as they aged. Packrat sounds nicer than Hoarder. Grandma had better things due to her friends and location. Some of it was sold after her death, but these are things that ended up with dad. I’m not sure why and dad isn’t around to ask, nor is my uncle since Covid got him in 2020. It’s just my sister and I left - and two younger cousins who won’t know.
1 Like
Well, the provenance includes the story of how you ended up with it. So your grandmother knew wealthy people in the right time period so that’s a good start. And framed and kept because it was thought valuable.
Condition is very important. It’s going to have to come out of the frame in any case just for someone to examine it and sooner the better to prevent further damage. Won’t know any damage until the frame is removed at any rate. If you remove the frame to inspect it then save the frame–I’m one of those people who save “original” packaging just in case.
How large is it?
The type of paper, the texture, the edges of the paper will all be clues. Anything written on the back. But most of that is hidden in the frame and under the mat right now.
Right now what you have is a fun lottery ticket! You just haven’t scratched it off yet to reveal a prize (if any)!
3 Likes
I just sent your questions and suggestions to her. I’ll let you know what she says. Thanks for the help. Lottery tickets can be fun, though I’m afraid the 30 years of sitting in a non climate controlled room hasn’t been kind to it. At least it wasn’t in the garage.
On a similar note, she tells me there’s Ivory. How can one “sell” that when it’s illegal to sell?
Selling ivory is dependent on the date it was acquired as far as I know.
It’s Ming’s Honolulu Ivory jewelry - a brooch and earrings. I’ll attach a pic when I’m off the phone with her. Google tells me they sold jewelry back in the 40s, pre ban.
13 3/4 top to bottom and 10 inches wide for the whole thing, actual pic is 10 1/4 +/- top to bottom and 7 1/4 +/- left to right. The black spots do turn her fingers black, so could come off, but no pressure or trying to clean with “anything” since we don’t know what we’re doing. It’s on a solid board type of “paper.” The white square has no relief to it at all, so we’ve no idea what that is.
Is the picture attached to the board or actually part of the board?
Is there actually a separate paper apart from the main board that the the picture is on?
My uninformed impression is that it is a reproduction that’s in pretty bad shape. But I’m not an expert.
I will say that the jewelry is absolutely beautiful with an intricate design. I can see that over an internet picture. There are some websites selling Ming jewelry (some auction). Some of those prices go high.
2 Likes
The picture is attached to the board, but not easily separated, so perhaps glued I would think.
Sounds like a print. That’s how you would do a poster print for framing. Plus the edges are straight and I would think they would be deckled. Again. I’m just an internet non expert. (But I’ve mounted and framed many a poster in my time.) Just my one cent opinion.
If there is no raised texture at all where the picture is then it’s most likely a print on board made to be framed.
1 Like