Culture & Entertainment · India Bureau
US artist's $9.99 thrift-store find sells for $34,375 at auction
A North Carolina-based artist discovered a valuable geometric abstract painting at a Goodwill store for under $10, which subsequently sold for nearly $35,000 at a prestigious auction house. The artwork was attributed to renowned abstract artist Ilya Bolotowsky.
LSN India ·
Beth Feeback, an artist from North Carolina, made an unexpected discovery while browsing items at a local Goodwill store. Among the racks of second-hand goods, she found a large painting priced at just $9.99—a fraction of what would prove to be its actual market value.
Feeback's instincts about the piece were validated when a friend suggested investigating the work's origins. Upon closer examination, the painting was identified as a geometric abstract work by Ilya Bolotowsky, a significant figure in the American abstract art movement. The discovery marked a remarkable stroke of fortune for the artist, whose keen eye had spotted something of considerable cultural and monetary worth among discarded items.
The painting's provenance was further enhanced by its connection to the Weatherspoon Art Museum, lending additional credibility and prestige to the work. When the piece went under the hammer at Sotheby's, one of the world's leading auction houses, collectors recognised its value. The final hammer price of $34,375 represented a return on investment that few thrift-store shoppers could have anticipated.
The sale underscores how valuable artworks occasionally surface in unexpected places, and highlights the importance of art knowledge when browsing second-hand markets. For Feeback, the find demonstrated that treasure hunting in thrift stores can occasionally yield genuinely significant discoveries for those with expertise or good fortune to recognise them.