“I am attaching photos of three items I inherited from my mother in 2019 which might possibly be of interest to you,” wrote Barbara Goldman asking for help appraising some items she was curious about. She recently brought them to an appraisal session held at the Michigan Design Center in Troy.
There antiques expert Brian Thomczek took a closer look at her trio of items in hopes of giving her some additional information on her heirlooms. “All are things I inherited when my mom died in 2019 at age 105,” she told the appraiser at the event.
Included at the event were a Chaim Gross watercolor, an untitled nude from 1939 that was purchased from the artist by her mother in New York approximately in 1940, a watercolor with the artist's name hidden by frame, owned by her mother from before 1955, and one of 15 cartoons (unsigned) created about 1959 for the Great Books Foundation in Chicago, as proposed illustrations for a training manual.
The Gross watercolor is “a little faded,” Thomczek pointed out as he examined it. Goldman said her mother lived in New York until 1947 and that a friend introduced her to the artist while she lived there. “I don’t know how much she paid for it, but it hung on her wall for 70 years,” Goldman explained. “When she died, I took it home.”
According to the Renee & Chaim Gross Foundation ( rcgrossfoundation.org), Chaim Gross (1902-1991) was a modern American sculptor of Hungarian Jewish origin working in New York City from 1921 until his death in 1991. Born in the Carpathian Mountains, he later studied at the city’s art academy in Budapest and in Vienna before immigrating to New York City, where he studied at the Educational Alliance Art School on the city’s Lower East Side. He later worked with the Works Progress Administration and created sculptures for federal buildings, including the Federal Trade Commission Building and buildings at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. In the 1970s, his work was featured at the Smithsonian Art Museum and the foundation, which preserves and interprets the artist’s historic home, studio and art collections, was formed. The foundation is open September through June for one-hour house and studio tours.
The 13-by-17-inch image is dated 1927 and signed in the lower right. Thomczek said it would command $300 to $500 at auction if she decided to sell. “The larger ones bring a little more money,” he said. “This one is in good condition and nudes are a desirable subject matter for many collectors,” he added. Thomczek also appraised the other image, which she called “a Spanish Cubist look,” at $175-$225. “It would help if we could figure out the artist, but it’s well done,” he explained. “If we could figure out the artist, maybe more.
He also looked at the book illustrations, but decided they probably had nominal value. “My mother worked for the Great Books Foundation in Chicago,” Goldman informed the appraiser. “None of these are signed, so I don’t think they are original,” he said.
Goldman was happy for more information, which she will use to help her make some decisions. “I’m getting to the age where I am deaccessioning,” she explained.
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There antiques expert Brian Thomczek took a closer look at her trio of items in hopes of giving her some additional information on her heirlooms. “All are things I inherited when my mom died in 2019 at age 105,” she told the appraiser at the event.
Included at the event were a Chaim Gross watercolor, an untitled nude from 1939 that was purchased from the artist by her mother in New York approximately in 1940, a watercolor with the artist's name hidden by frame, owned by her mother from before 1955, and one of 15 cartoons (unsigned) created about 1959 for the Great Books Foundation in Chicago, as proposed illustrations for a training manual.
The Gross watercolor is “a little faded,” Thomczek pointed out as he examined it. Goldman said her mother lived in New York until 1947 and that a friend introduced her to the artist while she lived there. “I don’t know how much she paid for it, but it hung on her wall for 70 years,” Goldman explained. “When she died, I took it home.”
According to the Renee & Chaim Gross Foundation ( rcgrossfoundation.org), Chaim Gross (1902-1991) was a modern American sculptor of Hungarian Jewish origin working in New York City from 1921 until his death in 1991. Born in the Carpathian Mountains, he later studied at the city’s art academy in Budapest and in Vienna before immigrating to New York City, where he studied at the Educational Alliance Art School on the city’s Lower East Side. He later worked with the Works Progress Administration and created sculptures for federal buildings, including the Federal Trade Commission Building and buildings at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. In the 1970s, his work was featured at the Smithsonian Art Museum and the foundation, which preserves and interprets the artist’s historic home, studio and art collections, was formed. The foundation is open September through June for one-hour house and studio tours.
The 13-by-17-inch image is dated 1927 and signed in the lower right. Thomczek said it would command $300 to $500 at auction if she decided to sell. “The larger ones bring a little more money,” he said. “This one is in good condition and nudes are a desirable subject matter for many collectors,” he added. Thomczek also appraised the other image, which she called “a Spanish Cubist look,” at $175-$225. “It would help if we could figure out the artist, but it’s well done,” he explained. “If we could figure out the artist, maybe more.
He also looked at the book illustrations, but decided they probably had nominal value. “My mother worked for the Great Books Foundation in Chicago,” Goldman informed the appraiser. “None of these are signed, so I don’t think they are original,” he said.
Goldman was happy for more information, which she will use to help her make some decisions. “I’m getting to the age where I am deaccessioning,” she explained.
