A woman bought a painting for $2.99 at a thrift store and it ended up being auctioned for $2,875 when it was found to be the work of Johann Berthelsen.
Dayton resident Marissa Alcorn said she and her fiance stopped at a Goodwill store after dinner and were able to leave when she spotted an interesting frame on a cart brought out from the back by a store employee.
She thought it was an "awful painting," but decided to buy it because it was only $2.99.
She said she was loading the painting into the car when something caught her eye.
"It had a little plaque at the bottom of the frame," Alcorn said. "Out of curiosity, I type in the name and find out it was Johann At first she thought "It's probably just a fake."
Members of a free art appraisal group on Facebook urged her to have the painting authenticated, and she took it to Cincinnati auction house Caza Sikes, where experts confirmed it was indeed a Berthelson work titled "Chapel, St. Patrick's Church."
The painting sold for $2,875. Alcorn said the money will go toward her upcoming wedding.
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