About Ben Mahmoud Expertise Questions regarding "the business of the arts (ie.artist/dealer relations).
Questions regarding the collecting of contemporary art.
Please keep in mind that I am not a professional appraiser, however, I can direct interested parties to sources of information.
Experience 40 years as professor of art, Northern Illinois University
Curator of University Art Collection (responsible for purchase and care).
Member of the board of directors, Illinois Arts Council.
Juror of many competitions.
See vitae: http://benmahmoud.com/resume.html
Publications Many conference proceedings.
"Advice to Young Artists in a Postmodern Era" with William Dunning, Syracuse University Press, 2000.
Education/Credentials MFA, Ohio University, 1960
Awards and Honors See vitae: http://http://benmahmoud.com/resume.html
I have recently purchased a large watercolour that is signed BRR in the bottom corner, I am unsure who the artist is and could do with help, it appears quite old and is of a Tiger standing under a tree, the tiger has 3 green stripes on its body and mane, it is more African in looks and is not made to look like a real Tiger, it looks like it was painted in the 1970s but really am unsure, please can anyone help me.
Many Thanks
Jason Cornish
Answer It is impossible to answer your question with the data you have provided. I would need to know the exact size of the work. Is it dated? Is the only identifying mark the letters BRR?
What kind of paper is it on? Hold the paper up to the light, and very good papers will have a watermark somewhere on the sheet...it might say Arches or something else.
And most importantly, I would need an image of the painting. I don't think you can upload an image within this process, but you surely can send it to my e-mail address directly. bmahmoud@niu.edu
And with all of that, it is more than likely I will not be able to identify the work, but I think I can make a very rough estimate of the value....very rough.
It would be interesting, and maybe enlightening, to know from whom you purchased the work.
