A Pennsylvania antique shop owner may have hit the jackpot after purchasing a drawing for just $12 at an auction. Heidi Markow, the owner of Salvage Goods in Easton, believes the artwork could be an original piece by the famous French Impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Markow, who is also a certified art appraiser, noticed the drawing had an antique frame, a faint signature, and a stamp on the back indicating it was brought to the United States by a high-end importer and sold to a prominent collector.
These clues led her to suspect the nude sketch could be a genuine Renoir dating back to the 1880s. To confirm her suspicions, Markow enlisted the help of a fellow appraiser. “He looked it over and said he agrees with me.
So, he said, congratulations,” she recounted. The drawing has now been invited for examination by the prestigious Wildenstein Plattner Institute (WPI).
Possible Renoir discovery in Easton
If authenticated, it will be officially recognized as an original Renoir piece. Markow shared her potential find on Good Day Philadelphia, displaying the artwork and discussing its possible authenticity. “For us, it’s more of a historical find,” she said.
The actual worth of the drawing remains unknown, but other Renoir artworks have sold for millions of dollars. Markow plans to find out more when she takes it to auction. The lingering mystery is how the drawing ended up at an auction in Pennsylvania if it is indeed a Renoir.
The piece was reportedly once owned by a prominent person in Philadelphia with ties to the city’s Art Museum. Markow is unsure if she will sell the masterpiece if authenticated, but if she does, it could potentially sell for a significant sum. The WPI is scheduled to inspect the piece early next month.
