CHAPTER SEVEN
Hannah looked up as Brett walked into the dining room. They’d spread a blanket over the table and Nick was studying the painting she’d found in the attic.
“Bring the light a little closer,” Nick said to her.
Hannah tilted the LED flashlight to the right.
“That is good.” After focusing on one area of the canvas, he stood and smiled. “I have good news, and not so good news.”
Pat gave a resigned sigh. “Before you tell us about the painting, I’d like to introduce Brett Forster. Brett, this is Nick Costas.”
Brett held out his hand. “We’ve met once before at the retirement village.”
Nick nodded. “I remember. I haven’t seen Ida for a few weeks. How is she?”
“She’s doing okay.”
“That is good.” Nick turned to Pat. “Does Ida know anything about the painting?”
“I’ll ask her when I’m at the village this afternoon. What have you discovered?”
Nick placed his magnifying glass in his briefcase. “The canvas reminds me very much of Albert Bierstadt’s work. The composition, color, and brushstrokes are all reminiscent of his style. However, with limited information about its provenance, it is impossible to say who may have painted this canvas.”
“Was that the good news or the bad?” Pat asked.
“A little of both. I can not rule out that the painting isn’t a Bierstadt. If you asked me to tell you my initial reaction, I would say we have an undiscovered masterpiece in front of us. But I have been known to be wrong.”
Hannah turned off the flashlight and grinned at Nick. If the painting really was a Bierstadt, it could be the biggest art discovery of the year. “What should Pat do next?”
“The painting needs to be authenticated. I would be happy to call a friend who works in New York City. Liliana has helped me on many occasions. More importantly, she is very familiar with the work of the Hudson River School artists.”
“Is there anything else I should know?” Pat asked.
“We will need to send the painting to Liliana. It could be gone for three or four weeks.”
Hannah looked at Pat. He didn’t seem worried about the painting leaving the house. “What about insurance and choosing a company to take the painting to New York?”
“Transportation is the easy part. I use a local company who are very reliable. The insurance is not so easy. We can not insure the painting against an unknown value. I will provide a valuation based on the information we have today. After Liliana has authenticated the painting, we can arrange more insurance before the canvas is returned to the ranch.”
Pat moved closer to the painting. “What could it be worth if it is a Bierstadt?”
“It is hard to say. At auction, it could sell for up to half a million dollars, maybe more if there is a group of keen bidders.”
Pat’s eyes widened. “I didn’t think it would be worth that much.”
“There will be a lot of interest in this landscape,” Nick said. “But first we need it authenticated. Are you happy for me to send it to New York City?”
Pat looked at Brett. “What do you think?”
“Nick’s right. You need to know who painted the landscape. If the best way of getting that done is to send it to New York, then that’s what needs to happen.”
Pat nodded. “Okay. When do you want to send it?”
“I will call Liliana and see what her schedule is like. Our only stumbling block will be Christmas. If Liliana has no vacation time planned, she will probably want to see the painting as soon as possible. I will give you a call after I have talked to her. But for now, you need to take care of this painting. Do you have a security system in place?”
“I’ve never thought we needed one,” Pat said.
Nick looked at the dining room walls. “Even if this painting isn’t a Bierstadt, your collection is worth a lot of money. I would strongly recommend a good security system be installed.”
