A married couple were left gobsmacked when they uncovered two seemingly lucrative items hidden in the walls of their home during a renovation project that people say could be worth a lot of money
A gobsmacked couple stumbled upon a pair of hidden paintings during their home renovation, leaving them wondering if they’d struck gold. Tracy and Ray from New Buffalo, Michigan, have been sharing updates on their lakeside home refurbishment on TikTok, where they posted the surprising and possible lucrative discovery.
“Did we just hit the jackpot?” Tracy captioned the video. The clip showed her uncovering the artwork concealed by fabric above a wooden beam near their roof. Clearly the reverse side of a canvas, Tracy carefully extracted it from the wall cavity, prompting an audible gasp from her mate. “Wow that looks expensive,” her friend remarked after examining the painting, leading Tracy to joke that it’s “probably from TJ Maxx”.
Meanwhile, Ray had found a second frame, which his wife then began to remove.
“This is the winner, this is the Van Gogh,” she teased while anticipating the reveal. “Who is going to uncover the Monet?”
While it may not have been the works of these famous artists, the painting did portray a serene forest scene, which excited some TikTok viewers.
One user speculated: “First one is by Phillip Cantrell and is worth a couple hundred bucks, but the second one is by Antoine Blanchard and from what I find on the net is worth about $20,000-$28,000. Nice find.”
Another penned: “I have that same small painting only large… check the artist… mine is worth $4,000. We paid $5 at a car boot sale.”
Whilst a third person declared: “Nice! Are they paintings or prints?” To which Tracy assured: “Definitely paintings not prints.”
The pair subsequently returned to their account with a follow-up post, meanwhile, providing clearer snaps of the artworks.
Supporting feedback from the initial TikTok post, one user exclaimed: “This is an original oil painting by American artist Phillip Cantrell (born 1922), known for his landscape paintings.”
Whilst a second person backed the theory that the second painting is indeed the work of Blanchard. “The signature reads ‘Blanchard’, which is very likely Antoine Blanchard (the pseudonym of French painter Marcel Masson, 1910–1988),” they noted.
“He’s well-known for his romantic, impressionistic Paris street scenes – often featuring the Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame, and bustling boulevards, just like yours.”
The TikTok user added: “Authentic Blanchard oil paintings typically sell at auction in the range of $2,000 – $6,000, with larger or particularly lively compositions reaching $10,000+.”
Others, however, cast doubts over the paintings’ authenticity. “These are very likely to be mass produced decor art from the 70/80s,” one person explained. “Their value is in if you like them or not.”
And a second individual concurred: “Unfortunately, not worth much at all and extremely common. Sold at department stores like Gimbels and Boston Stores in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.”
What do you think? Have Tracy and Ray stumbled upon the real deal? Or are the paintings simply prints or copies?