Woman Pays $30 for Thrift Store Art—Then Discovers What It’s Actually Worth
The woman suspected she found a special piece of art after spotting the artist's signature written in pencil, along with a number.
A woman spotted an artwork at a thrift store and instantly fell in love with it, despite the $30 price tag looking like an even better deal. Sara, who goes by @thriftswithsara on Instagram, shared that the size and professional framing of the piece caught her eye, leading her to believe it might be more expensive than listed. It wasn't until she inspected the artwork more closely that she noticed two key details: it was signed with pencil, not just a print, and numbered.
This led her to suspect the piece held significant value. The artwork turned out to be a serigraph by artist John Powell, named "Enchanted Forest." Sara posted a video on her Instagram account, noting her price of $30, which she believes could be worth close to $1,000. Powell was born in Hollywood, California, and began painting at 16, creating intricate compositions influenced by color, flowers, gardens, pottery, and global art.
He held one-man shows in the U.S. and Japan before passing away in 2025 at 94. The specific serigraph, described as a limited-edition printer's proof on paper and hand-signed, was listed for $625 on eBay and $425 on iCollector in 2025. However, it wasn't the artwork's potential value that initially attracted Sara. "I was really excited when I saw it first because I just liked it and wanted it for my home," she said.
The piece now has a permanent spot in her home, complementing her love for objects with intriguing histories. Sara explained that having items with stories in her home is always fascinating, which aligns with the essence of her Instagram page.
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