An Australian mother made a fool of herself after taking to Facebook Marketplace to sell a painting for $200 that was actually worth $20,000.
Sarah Bonner bought the minimalist piece from the same popular second-hand site in 2021, but decided to relist it for some extra cash.
After originally listing the item for $100, she was thrilled when she was offered $200 by a “very nice” buyer who chatted with her on Tuesday.
Mrs. Bonner told the Gold Coast Bulletin It wasn’t until the next day, when another buyer wrote to her asking if the painting was still available, that she realized she had made a costly mistake.
That buyer told her the piece was most likely made by French artist Pierre Soulages, who died in 2022.
The abstract painting that the woman sold on Facebook is probably by the French artist Pierre Soulages
Similar works of his have sold for tens of thousands, such as this one for $30,060
The work appears to be one of 200 in a series entitled ‘Lithographie No. 3’.
Similar pieces from the artist’s collection have sold for more than $50,000, and one of his paintings – not in this series – fetched $35 million at auction.
She claims Leigh Capel purchased the item
Ms. Bonner’s painting – or rather the former painting – would probably have been worth $20,000 if verified.
“If I knew someone in that situation, I would like to see them actually get offered a better deal and be honest with them about how much it’s worth,” she said.
“It could have really brightened my year and made a real difference to my family.”
She said she looked up the buyer’s name online and claimed he was Leigh Capel, a well-known Sydney art dealer.
Mr Capel runs the Belle Epoque gallery in Petersham, which sells art and antiques.
There are no indications that Mr Capel has done anything wrong.