Latest news with #Robjn
NZ Herald
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Painting by New Zealand artist Frances Hodgkins worth $100,000 goes undiscovered for years
A painting by pioneering New Zealand artist Frances Hodgkins, which was bought at a council auction in the UK for a bargain basement price, has been valued at $112,787 (£50,000). In a recently aired episode of BBC arts programme Fake or Fortune, the artwork belonging to art blogger Robjn
Edinburgh Live
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Fake or Fortune guest lost for words as painting given five-figure sum
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A Fake or Fortune guest was lost for words as his painting was given a five-figure sum. Robjn Cantus, who lives near Cambridge, bought more than 30 paintings during a "trolley dash" at an auction house back in 2020. He was particularly excited to pick up a painting by Vera Cunningham, which was one of two items in the same lot attributed to the artist. Robjn paid £35 for the pair, but only wanted one of them. On the latest episode of Fake or Fortune, which aired on Monday (August 4), Robjn was stunned to discover that the "by-product" painting was actually a forgotten original by Frances Hodgkins, which was worth around £50,000, reports the Mirror. (Image: BBC) Hodgkins is regarded as one of New Zealand's most revered expatriate artists. Mary Kisler, an art historian from New Zealand and Hodgkins expert, studied the painting on the BBC show. "You can read Robjn's painting as fitting in to a really large number of Hodgkins' works. When you lay those works side-by-side, you can see absolutely that Robjn's work fits among them," she said. "I do wonder if this is October Landscape," Mary added, referring to a painting by Hodgkins that had not been found. "I think it's a damn good one - I'd love to have it myself." Host Fiona Bruce added: "It's phenomenal... For Robjn, it's the find of a lifetime." (Image: BBC) Speaking to Metro about the staggering valuation, Robjn shared his surprise, saying: "I did wonder if it was the painting of a schoolchild when I first saw it. "I didn't really think much of it, just shoved it into an air-conditioned barn, and it went into my storage area to be forgotten." Robjn also remained adamant that his rare item isn't for sale, adding: "Since filming, I've forgotten about it, really. "For many viewers, the show is all about wealth - but I bought the painting in 2020, and I've got to the end of this journey. "To have it authenticated after trying for all those years is worth more than the value." Fake or Fortune is available to stream on BBC iPlayer
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Fake or Fortune guest left speechless as 'forgotten' auction painting worth £50,000
A Fake or Fortune guest was left stunned when he learned the staggering value of his item on Monday. A Fake or Fortune guest was left speechless as his "forgotten" auction painting was worth £50,000. Robjn Cantus, who lives near Cambridge, bought more than 30 paintings during a "trolley dash" at an auction house back in 2020. He was particularly excited to pick up a painting by Vera Cunningham, which was one of two items in the same lot attributed to the artist. Robjn paid £35 for the pair, but only wanted one of them. On the latest episode of Fake or Fortune, which aired on Monday (August 4), Robjn was stunned to discover that the "by-product" painting was actually a forgotten original by Frances Hodgkins, which was worth around £50,000. Hodgkins is regarded as one of New Zealand's most revered expatriate artists. Mary Kisler, an art historian from New Zealand and Hodgkins expert, studied the painting on the BBC show. "You can read Robjn's painting as fitting in to a really large number of Hodgkins' works. When you lay those works side-by-side, you can see absolutely that Robjn's work fits among them," she said. "I do wonder if this is October Landscape," Mary added, referring to a painting by Hodgkins that had not been found. "I think it's a damn good one - I'd love to have it myself." Host Fiona Bruce added: "It's phenomenal... For Robjn, it's the find of a lifetime." Speaking to Metro about the staggering valuation, Robjn shared his surprise, saying: "I did wonder if it was the painting of a schoolchild when I first saw it. "I didn't really think much of it, just shoved it into an air-conditioned barn, and it went into my storage area to be forgotten." Robjn also remained adamant that his rare item isn't for sale, adding: "Since filming, I've forgotten about it, really. "For many viewers, the show is all about wealth - but I bought the painting in 2020, and I've got to the end of this journey. "To have it authenticated after trying for all those years is worth more than the value."
Metro
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
'I bought painting a for £35 - it was the find of a lifetime worth £50,000'
Art blogger Robjn bought more than 30 paintings during a 'trolley dash' at an auction house in the east of England back in 2020, hunting for lost treasures. Among his finds, he was particularly excited to pick up a painting by Vera Cunningham — which came bundled with another piece, a sort of by-product — for just £35. But on the latest episode of the BBC's Fake or Fortune, Robjn was stunned to discover that the so-called 'by-product' is actually a forgotten original by Frances Hodgkins, worth around £50,000. 'I did wonder if it was the painting of a schoolchild when I first saw it,' he told Metro. 'I didn't really think much of it, just shoved it into an air-conditioned barn, and it went into my storage area to be forgotten.' The picture in question is almost certainly a missing painting called October Landscape, once exhibited at London's Lefevre Gallery in 1943. It later became part of the Hertfordshire Pictures for Schools collection — an initiative aimed at displaying real works by real artists in schools, rather than reproductions or prints, to encourage a post-war generation to appreciate art and make it accessible to all children, not just the elite. Robjn writes a blog about the paintings he's purchased from this collection and had previously attributed the piece to Vera Cunningham, describing it simply as a 'garden scene.' Later, he received an email from a reader who insisted the painting was actually by Hodgkins and urged him to investigate. Luckily, Robjn took their advice. Fake or Fortune, hosted by Fiona Bruce and renowned art dealer Philip Mould, follows members of the public who suspect they might be sitting on a hidden treasure. It's a total lottery — some leave disappointed, while others, like Robjn, discover they own a valuable original, in this case, by one of the most revolutionary female artists of the 20th century, whose work was once exhibited alongside that of Pablo Picasso. Here are five top tips for any budding art dealers out there courtesy of Fake or Fortune's own Phillip Mould… The back can often tell you more than the front – I'm talking about labels, I'm talking about auction history, what people might have inscribed or written on something. That's one of the ways that you can be led to an interesting artist. Was your great-granddad known to have collected art? Was he someone with an eye? Or did he just pick up what was closest to him and bang it on the wall? I know it's an obvious thing to say, but all contributors have normally gone online and Googled the artist before they get to us. If you've got an artist's name or a potential artist name, look to see other works by that artist. Just use your own eye, compare what you're looking at with what you're seeing on the screen. Be aware that fakers will sometimes base a work exactly on a known painting in the public domain. Ask yourself that question, 'Am I actually being duped by a replica of something that the Faker or a faker has seen?' Get advice from someone who knows or ask a regional auction House. Regional houses are now doing better than they ever have before. You could always walk something around to a regional auction house and get a view. They might or might not be able to tell you the answer, but you're looking at people who've seen so much that they carry wisdom. Finally, once you think you might have something interesting, there is, of course, another way to find out, and that is to contact Fake or Fortune. For now, though, Robjn is adamant that his rare gem isn't for sale. In fact, it's not even on the wall. 'It's sat behind a pile of other pictures,' he says, slightly sheepish. 'The problem with buying things at auction is it's quite addictive. You find other pieces that interest you, and you just bounce from one level of interest to the next. So somewhere, behind a load of artists of the period, she's there — on the floor.' 'My walls are starting to resemble that old-fashioned Stella Artois ad set — just pictures everywhere. But it'll go up, eventually.' We're joined by Mould, who describes Robjn as a 'discerning hoarder'. 'You're not myopically hoarding, but you do it with discernment, and you have a great eye.' He tells Robjn. 'The reason that Robin has so many pictures is because he is a buyer who will take risks online and end up with just one painting in a knot, but a clutch.' As we speak, no one knew Robjn had embarked on such an extraordinary adventure — he hadn't told a soul about the discovery or the journey it took to get there. Authenticating the painting required an international team of investigators. Though largely forgotten in the UK, Hodgkins has seen a resurgence in her native New Zealand, where Mould notes she is considered 'one of their most important artists of the mid-20th century.' It was there that a copy of the painting was sent, and a team of experts confirmed emphatically that Robjn's find is indeed a genuine Hodgkins — and the long-lost October Landscape. Despite having uncovered many treasures in his time, Mould called this discovery particularly thrilling. 'I was licking my lips to get involved with an artist who already really excited me. This was bold and head-turning, technically skilled, clearly old — and all of that put together means I'm interested.' The process took weeks, but Robjn was so busy finishing a book about the Pictures for Schools scheme that he joked, 'A bomb could have gone off outside my house and I wouldn't have cared.' More Trending Even as the show's conclusion approached, Robjn remained cautious. 'I'm a pessimist by nature, so if you start with the idea that it's never going to work out, then you're never going to be disappointed,' he says. 'Since filming, I've forgotten about it, really. For many viewers, the show is all about wealth — but I bought the painting in 2020, and I've got to the end of this journey. To have it authenticated after trying for all those years is worth more than the value.' View More » Fake or Fortune? continues on August 11 at 9 pm on BBC1. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Strictly star investigated over drug use on show 'also suspected of drinking' MORE: Inside Jay Blades' career as The Repair Shop host charged with two counts of rape MORE: Chloe Ayling: 'The email that made me realise why people doubted my kidnapping'
