Washington Portrait, Once Ignored, Now Up For Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Feb 18th 2010 at 9:02PM

I'm a sucker for the priceless piece in the attic stories. I think a lot of people are, it fuels our fantasies that treasure might exist right under our noses. That's certainly the case in the story of Oliver Chanler who paid little attention to a George Washington portrait hanging in his parents library. He assumed that the painting was a copy but found out around 10 years ago that the picture is actually an original Gilbert Stuart. Stuart's paintings of Washington hang in museums around the U.S. and some sell deep in the millions. That won't be true of this one, the smaller piece is up for sale on March 27 through Cottone Auctions in Geneseo, N.Y. with an estimate of $200,000 to $300,000. The painting has never been restored or cleaned. Chanler happens to be related to the the United States' first multimillionaire, John Jacob Astor, so the provenance seems assured and it could be possible that Astor was the original owner of the painting. Chanler's great-grandfather, John Winthrop Chanler, who served in the House of Representatives definitely owned the work.

Tags: art, art auction, ArtAuction, george washington, GeorgeWashington, gilbert stuart, GilbertStuart

Filed under: Auctions, Art

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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 5)

donna craft Feb 20th 2010 10:45AM

Find someone who specializes in the type of antique you want evaluated, tell them you need it appraised for insurance purposes, don't tell them you're planning on selling the item.

Also, there are many books, onlline sites that can provide good info re: the value of your items.

jpuzzlewhiz Feb 20th 2010 12:33PM

Ye gods, where'd you learn how to frigging SPELL?

You write like an ignoramus.

Don't ever post again until you've learned how to spell properly, and SCREW the Internet shorthand practice (u for "you," b for "be,' etc.). Internet shorthand is for people who are too lazy and too FRIGGING STUPID to use proper spelling! No wonder this country's illiteracy rate is so high, and still climbing!

JOHN PHILLIPS Feb 21st 2010 3:25AM

Your old tool is your business and more information that we want to know :)

jbjg24m Feb 20th 2010 7:34AM

i once found an old box filled with old coins in my grandfathers attic, turns out they were worth a small fortune!

Wil Feb 20th 2010 7:54AM

John Jacob Astor was not the first multimillionaire American. That distinction belongs to Stephan Girard.

Jon Feb 20th 2010 10:30AM

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say with a name like Stephan Girard he was not an AMERICAN. He might have been the first rich immigrant.

jtfee Feb 20th 2010 12:53PM

According to Wikipedia: Stephen Girard (May 20, 1750 – December 26, 1831) was a French-born, naturalized American, philanthropist and banker. He personally saved the U.S. government from financial collapse during the War of 1812, and became one of the wealthiest men in America, estimated to have been the fourth richest American of all time, based on the ratio of his fortune to contemporary GDP[1]. Childless, he devoted much of his fortune to philanthropy, particularly the education and welfare of orphans. His legacy is still felt in his adopted home of Philadelphia. MORE IMMIGRANTS LIKE STEPHEN GIRARD WOULD BE WELCOME!

Karen Feb 20th 2010 3:44PM

I find it amazing that no one has said anything about George Washington not being the first president of the United States. In fact the first president was John Hanson 1715-1783. I was shocked when my 13 yr old son told me this. In fact I bet him $10. I lost. I chocked it up to the one new thing I try to learn everyday. Hopefully it will be ya'lls first.

HUGO Feb 21st 2010 12:26AM

Wrong... it belongs to one, William Daniel Floyd. Get your facts straight.

Lgcoach77 Feb 20th 2010 7:55AM

Mawparis, thanks os much. Im not a trusting person. I wish it wasn't like that but life experinces teaches u to think about hidden adgendas

callaway40 Feb 20th 2010 8:59AM

you dont have to be rich to have a library, i have one in my bathroom, two magazines on back lid of the toilet! lol

tmktwo Feb 20th 2010 9:18AM

i keep mine in the flip up footstool in front of the throne .

Elaine Feb 20th 2010 10:31AM

love your sense of humor. great answer!!!

Barbara Feb 20th 2010 9:10AM

Anything is only worth what some one is willing to pay for it at that very moment.

nazztea Feb 20th 2010 10:01AM

For sure don't take it to that guy on History Channel's "Pawn Stars", he's so greedy he won't pay retail even on something HE wants. (Does he haggle at the grocery store?) The show's a great way to find out about the history of some items and what they might be worth, but he's usually only interested in making 100% profit on an item not in helping the customer.

kevinbgood621 Feb 20th 2010 9:10AM

Bless you George ! Not only was he the father of our country and first President but he turned down being King and sat for a good portrait !

Karen Feb 20th 2010 3:50PM

George Washington was the father of our country. But he was not the first president. That destinction belongs to John Hanson, 1715-1783. Check for yourself.

Mike Owens Feb 20th 2010 9:31AM

about 20 years ago we were rehabing a house and found an old peach crate in the basement with a false bottom, it has 3900 in 1939 one dollar bills and 5 20 dollar gols pieces and 5 five dollar gold pieces in which I wish I still had. But all together it was about 31000 dollars we found. We paid the back house payments of the people whom, lost the home and gave them 10,000 and kept the rest

Cutie Feb 20th 2010 9:40AM

I recently went through a plastic bag in the garage that was taken from my mother's house after she died in 1989. It was full of old letters from 1907 to 1922 including many military post cards from WW I and draft cards, etc. I'm trying to get some translated now it seems a good way to find out about your ancestors. Nothing worth anything to anyone but me. My mother once said her grandfather was the chauffer to the King of Italy so that's about as notorious a relative as we'll ever find.

donna craft Feb 20th 2010 10:52AM

You'd be surprised at what those postcards, stamps, etc, would be worth. It would be a good idea to get them appraised, even if you aren't planning on selling them.

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