I went to an auction yesterday and did really well. I bought two oil-on-canvas, framed, original paintings. They’re both signed illegibly, but I have no reason to think the artist is anyone important.
One looks pretty damn similar to this and this. The frame looks like this, but cherry-colored, vertical, and much bigger. The whole thing is probably 50"x 35".
After you tell me what it’s worth, I’ll tell you what I paid for it. 
When I get home, I’ll post a picture if I can.
Eh, you could probably get $30 for the frame if you sold it alone (assuming it’s wood and not plastic).
The painting is worth whatever you paid for it, be that $2, or $200,000.
Both of your exemplars look fairly amateurish; the sort of thing that is mass-produced by a competent, but not inspired, painter. It’s worth exactly what you paid for it, since it makes you happy. Now, if you can decipher the signature (or post a close-up and let us try to figure it out), and that painting turns out to be the early work of a future master, different story.
Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society.
As others have said, the paintings are worth whatever you paid for them. even if it’s 50 cents. And esthetically, they’re worth much less.
Pretty much the same response as others. Monetarily the painting is worth however much someone is willing to pay for it. Presently its value is whatever you paid for it.
It’s emotional value is something only you can assess. You seem to like it, which is a good thing. Don’t let anyone change your mind.
I hope you’re not going to tell us they were painted by Hitler.
So here’s the painting. See if you can tell me what the signature looks like.
(I think I just found the artist…Cool!)
Confirmed. It’s by Renato Longanesi, who is apparently a ship painter of Martha Stuart quality- well-known, mass produced…but good enough for WalMart. I don’t know if that’s a win or a loss. I still like it.
Of all the reasons to buy a painting, the one I respect the most is that the painting speaks to you. Never mind its monetary value or its potential as an investment; I couldn’t care less about that aspect of art. Do you find meaning in it? Then it was worthwhile.
There are ways of assigning value to not-particularly-interesting art. Basically, you can treat it like a decorating commodity, kind of like how old books can be sold by the foot to fill up decorative bookcases.
For example, art with women in period costume or cute children is always going to sell for more than a still life. A predominantly blue painting will sell more than a predominately orange one. Something reasonably looking but really, really large will be disproportionately valuable. There are trends, for sure. Village scenes come in and out of fashion, for example. But I believe professionals can look at a painting and come up with a fairly accurate price.
I was in Hobby Lobby yesterday and it amazed me how fast my head whipped around when I caught sight of some poster frames they had for sale. Inside the frames were Van Gogh paintings, Van Gogh who I love and whose talent is recognized the world over. Still, I was floored at how I was like a moth to the flame over his sunflowers, Wheat Field with Cypress and Bedroom at Arles. And they were just poster frames.
Anyway, you know what you love and you love it to pieces. Yes, I have Van Gogh prints in my house.
