David Bowie painting found in town outside North Bay, Ont., sold for $5, now being auctioned for $38K
A painting that sold for $5 in a small community in northern Ontario last year turned out to be the work of artist David Bowie, and could now sell for more than $38,000.
One person shopping at the community's Macher Mall, about 45 minutes south of North Bay, Ont., in summer 2020 got very lucky and purchased the Bowie painting without knowing what they had.
“One man's junk is another man's treasure,” said the Macher Mayor Lynda Carleton.
The Macher Mall is attached to the town's landfill, and Carleton said people often drop off items they don’t want at the mall instead of taking them to the landfill.
“People drop things that maybe other people could use, rather than filling our landfill," she said. "It’s sort of a free drop-off and a free pickup. It’s everything -- it’s furniture, it’s clothing, lamps, artwork -- you name it."
The person who bought the painting (who has decided to remain anonymous) contacted Cowley Abbott Fine Art, an art auctioneer in Toronto, last November to find out more information.
“The details that she did send, including images, certainly looked promising,” said Rob Cowley, president of Cowley Abbott Fine Art.
“Because there’s a series of these paintings by David Bowie, we were able to compare it to others that have been sold at auction. Once the painting was here in person, we were able to conduct more in-depth research.”
They then contacted a UK-based art expert who is an expert in David Bowie’s signature, and has familiarity with his artwork, as well.
"Pretty soon after, he felt pretty confident that it absolutely was a painting by David Bowie,” Cowley said.
In this June 5, 2007, file photo, singer David Bowie accepts the lifetime achievement award at the 11th Annual Webby Awards in New York. (Stephen Chernin/AP)
Bowie, who died of cancer in 2016 at age 69, got serious about painting in the mid-1970s when he moved to Berlin. The painting is part of a series of 47 pieces of art that Bowie created between 1995 and 1997. He titled the series Dead Heads, according to Cowley Abbott. The painting found at the Macher Mall is called 'D Head XLVI'
Cowley originally expected the painting to fetch between $8,000 and $12,000 at auction, but as of Thursday, it’s going for more than $38,000.
“It would be great to challenge the record, which is US$32,000, so, closer to $40,000 Canadian, but we will see,” said Cowley.
Although Cowley isn’t entirely sure what the painting is of, he said it’s the only Bowie painting to ever be auctioned off in Canada.
“Typically they are offered in the UK, which is of course where he lived," he said. "So we don’t see them very often at all. This will be the first one in Canada. A lot of these portraits probably ended up in the hands of the people he painted, and many times people hang on to such objects."
The Macher Mall remains closed due to COVID-19, but when it does reopen, Carleton is encouraging people to get in line, because she said you never know what you might find.
“Who knows? There could be another David Bowie here.”
Auction bids for the painting close June 24.
Correction
This story has been updated to correct Rob Cowley's name.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Person in flames outside New York courthouse where Trump trial underway, CNN reports
A person set themselves on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place, according to CNN.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
CFIA monitoring for avian flu in Canadian dairy cattle after U.S. discoveries
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is encouraging veterinarians to keep an eye out for signs of avian influenza in dairy cattle following recent discoveries of cases of the disease in U.S. cow herds.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Vancouver firefighter in rehab at home after losing leg to flesh-eating infection overseas
A family trip took a frightening turn for Christopher Won when he was diagnosed with flesh-eating disease while in Hong Kong and now, after weeks of treatment overseas, the Vancouver firefighter is back home recovering.