Pricey Art

Oh my the holidays are almost here and I happen to find a fabulous gift – for our home!  I stopped at one of my favorite 2nd hand stores and by complete chance was captivated by a watercolor painting sitting on top of a huge pile of framed art.  Could it be an original?  I’ve almost been fooled before with watercolor replicas – but not this time.  Not only was this an original watercolor, but it so happen to have information on the back of the frame.

It was sold by the fine arts Birmingham Gallery by John McKinney in Michigan.  According to the handwritten portion, the artist was from Denmark and her name was Ulla Grau.  I was curious as to how old the piece was – my guess put it at either the 50’s or 60’s.  I wanted to know more but wasn’t sure if the art gallery was still around so I did a little research and got more than I was expecting.  The art gallery opened in 1968 and shut down in 1977 after owner John McKinney was violently murdered (case still remains unsolved – for news clippings see here).  As for information on the artist herself, I could find nothing which makes the art that much more mystifying!  The purchase price for this art with original frame – $7.99.

The colors are more vibrant than the picture shows – but it is a watercolor that is aging.  I hung it where there is no direct sunlight and hope it lasts!

Images:  House of Many Hues