I Found a Picasso at the Flea Market

I've always wanted to say that.

I have found lots of amazing things at the flea market over the years: Warhol prints, Edward Weston photos, innumerable pieces of Charles Eames furniture. But there is nothing quite like speaking the words, I found a Picasso at the flea market for $30. It has an incantatory quality that make one's eyes enlarge with dreams of treasure. Mine is not even a great Picasso. Just a 1927 etching from Chef's D'oeuvre Inconnu, edition 99. But a Picasso nonetheless. I like the image of the shirtless older artist painting the young bohemian model but I have almost no emotional connection to it and will feel no pain when it transfers to a new owner.

Here is how the deal went down. I arrive at the Alemany flea market early one sunday about a month ago. One of my frenemies brushes past at the edge of the parking lot trying to hide a classical-looking drawing under his arms. I say something like, I see I'm a little late, and the usually witty dealer can do nothing but chortle. Imagine getting to work at 5:50 am on sunday morning and realizing you're late.

Even though frenemy is normally thorough, I try to trace the arc of his exit back to the site where he scored. It turns out to be one of the least interesting of the regular sellers who happens to have stumbled on an interesting load. To my great surprise there are several tidy piles that still appear untouched. Frenemy must have really scored if he abandoned all this opportunity just to cart off a treasure.

My mind clouded with envy I go to work on the old portfolios and start to make a pile of my own: early Vasarelly litho from his time with the Denis Rene gallery in Paris before he sold out and went commercial, a portrait by Minor White of a male youth at SFAI in the 1940s, Daumier prints, a book of Felicien Rops engravings, and to top it all off, the Picasso. The seller tries to appraise his material a la prima as I mutely stand by, but is overwhelmed by his desire to make quick sales. The bill tallies up at around $430. I feel a twinge of guilt but not enough to suppress my grin when I tip my hat to frenemy later on that morning.

Comments

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How accomlished do you feel when you find little second hand treasures! Thank you for sharing your gorgeous finds!