Originally published at: Painting by David Bowie found for $5 in a thrift store is now up for auction | Boing Boing
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Well… why sell it? How often do you get to own a painting you like by a famous artist?
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I’m guessing the mystery owner has more use for/need of some ready cash than a nice painting with a famous signature.
It looks unfinished to me. But what do I know about art?
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I’ll buy that quicker than that TBL is wanting for cash.
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Hooboy, odd synchronicity given the other thread…
Anyway. Eh, not bad. I rather like the use of color and interesting form. Not in love with it, but if I was a Bowie fan I think it would enhance the appreciation.
I’ve thought about this. I don’t own anything super valuable. I have a few collectible things worth a few hundred dollars, but nothing like the, “Oh my, i had no idea.” type money from the Antique Roadshow.
But I have thought about it. I keep my eyes peeled at estate and garage sales for hidden gems. I have wondered, “What if I did find a big score. And not just a score, but something I really, really would treasure.” Like an authentic hand forged vintage katana? A mint copy of Showcase #22? A Mint Star Wars Carded Boba Fett?
Then I’d have to take a really hard stock of my life. It is fairly easy for me to go ahead and hold on to something worth a few hundred dollars, as it wouldn’t change too much for me. But something worth $20,000? More? Sigh. I mean even if it was a grail item, I think I would be forced to sell it because the overall betterment of my position would trump the joy that the thing brings me. I am sure I would compensate by getting a few other, cheaper things to fill the void. 
Now if I were in a position where I didn’t NEED $20,000, then I am keeping the thing!
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Yeah, that’s fair enough. I guess it would also depend on the piece, too. If it was someone I really admired, I’d be more likely to keep it.
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With a printer and a decent scan, you too can own it.
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i want to know how it ended up in a thrift in Ontario!
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when i was 8 i received a battery-powered toy which moved around, made sounds, and had flashing lights. because my mother is one of those kinds of moms who stores the comic books instead of throwing them out, not only do i still have the toy in perfect working condition but i also have the original packaging in a condition that could be described as “like new”. i loved that toy when i was 8 and played with it for many cycles of batteries.
last year that toy in its original packaging sold at auction for just over $25,000. even though i’d love a 25k windfall, i’m not even the slightest bit interested. the connection to joyous moments of my childhood is worth more to me than money. i don’t know if moving the decimal point a couple of places to the right would change my mind or the prospect of penury. i try hard not to get too attached but there are things which work their way into one’s heart.
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What was it?
it was a toy train engine which moved in a semi-circular pattern, had flashing lights in the front, made a train sound with a periodic bell sound and had a cartoonish engineer who would lean out of the cab at certain points in the pattern.
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Bowie is to painting as Michael Jordan is to baseball.
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Both of them were above average, even if they weren’t up to professional level?
Incredible talents in one area, kinda meh in another.
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