My grandmother was an antique dealer/collector. She owned this painting until she passed in 2002.
Then my dad keep it until last month when he passed. I remember seeing it in the late 80s. She kept it in a drawer of an old dresser. She told me it was John Wilkes Booth.
Then in the 90s, the family story was my dad drove my grandmother and painting to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. They said is was JWB and an original painting of that time. They do not due appraisals but suggested she insure it for $50,000. We never found any paperwork from the Smithsonian Institution.
My sister has it in a safe location. Next month she is taking it to a place that will have several people doing free appraisals on antiques, paintings etc. Almost like "The Antique Roadshow".
We want to sell it, auction it if it's valuable.
It never had a frame that I'm aware of. My limited research is it does not look exactly like JWB. Maybe wrong time period? Or because it's a painting maybe that's why it looks different than the 40 plus known photos of him.
Its' about 16" tall, oval and about 1/2 inch thick.
If anyone could enlighten me on this or know a good website that could help, please chim in.
Then my dad keep it until last month when he passed. I remember seeing it in the late 80s. She kept it in a drawer of an old dresser. She told me it was John Wilkes Booth.
Then in the 90s, the family story was my dad drove my grandmother and painting to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. They said is was JWB and an original painting of that time. They do not due appraisals but suggested she insure it for $50,000. We never found any paperwork from the Smithsonian Institution.
My sister has it in a safe location. Next month she is taking it to a place that will have several people doing free appraisals on antiques, paintings etc. Almost like "The Antique Roadshow".
We want to sell it, auction it if it's valuable.
It never had a frame that I'm aware of. My limited research is it does not look exactly like JWB. Maybe wrong time period? Or because it's a painting maybe that's why it looks different than the 40 plus known photos of him.
Its' about 16" tall, oval and about 1/2 inch thick.
If anyone could enlighten me on this or know a good website that could help, please chim in.
