Heidi Markow, proprietor of Easton, Pennsylvania's Salvage Goods Antiques, was at a collector's auction buying stuff for resale when a little drawing caught her fancy. See it in the video below.
"I didn't know what it was, I just knew that I wanted it," Markow said.
She ended up paying $12 for the chalk drawing of a woman. When Marko got home, she looked closely and noticed a faint signature: Renoir.
From ABC News.
She believes the piece is a portrait of Aline Charigot, Renoir's wife, and dates back to the late 1800s during his Ingres period, where "he paid a lot of attention to light and shading."
After months of researching and watching Renoir documentaries, Markow reached out to Sotheby's, which referred her to an art appraiser who has been working in the industry for the past 43 years, Markow said.
Upon inspection, the appraiser confirmed Markow's inclination and said, "Congratulations."
Previously:
• Painting by David Bowie found for $5 in a thrift store is now up for auction
• Painting found in basement by junk dealer is a Picasso
