Eye Of The Beholder
She bought it from a thrift store for $5 as a gift for a friend, but it was way too big to even get through the door. With nowhere to put it, she was looking forward to getting rid of the thing at the yard sale.
The man’s eyes widened when he saw the colorful canvas propped up against the table. “Do you have any idea how valuable this painting is?”
Friendly Gesture
Teri Horton loved browsing thrift stores and yard sales for things she could sell on for a profit. Once, she even came across an Ebel watch worth more than $2,000.
But on this day in 1991, the San Bernardino resident wasn’t looking for hidden treasure, she simply wanted a gift to cheer up her friend who was going through a difficult time. When she saw the painting, she just knew it would brighten her day. Unfortunately, she missed one very important detail.
Big Picture
The retired truck driver drove the gift over to her friend and presented it to her at the door. While her friend did like the gift, it was too big to fit through her doorway.
In the end, Teri had no choice but to get rid of it at one of her regular yard sales. But one customer couldn’t take his eyes off the painting. In fact, he was head-over-heels in love with the thing.
Eye-Catching
The man staring at the painting revealed himself to be a local art teacher. He looked around nervously and asked if he could speak to Teri privately.
“Just spit it out!” the straight-talking pensioner blurted at the curious customer. The man was hesitant but felt compelled to be honest with her. “Do you have any idea who painted this?” he asked.
Express Yourself
“Who The **** Is Jackson Pollock?” asked Teri, who clearly wasn’t much of an art lover.
While it wasn’t exactly the politest way for Teri to talk to someone who was pointing out a work of art that would soon change her life, her crude reply to the teacher would later become the title for a documentary about the woman’s incredible story. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
Rags to Riches?
Teri - who was a regular buyer of lottery scratchers and could often be found in Newport Beach holding up a cardboard sign asking for cash - couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
But with the unsigned painting having been bought at a thrift store with no record of its history, Teri was going to have her work cut out convincing anyone to buy it. Fortunately, help was at hand.
Expert Opinion
Before Long, Teri had hired forensic art expert Paul Biro to confirm she was indeed in possession of a genuine Pollock. The modern expressionist had been known to throw a lot of his paintings out and his brother did live in the area, so it wasn’t a completely crazy idea for one of his pieces to end up where it did.
Biro concluded his analysis and called Teri with the results right away.
Real Deal
A triple fingerprint and paint splatter analysis, plus a side-by-side comparison to Pollock’s ‘No. 5, 1948,’ determined that the painting was the real McCoy.
Biro was very excited. ‘No. 5, 1948,’ had sold for $140 million. He promptly booked a meeting with the International Foundation for Art Research, but they had some very bad news for Teri.
Conflicting Opinions
At this point, Teri was demanding $50 million for the painting, but due to the lack of official evidence to confirm the painting’s authenticity, the foundation refused to give the painting their seal of approval.
Then one day, an offer of $9 million came in. Teri was quick to respond to the sum that would put her begging and gambling days well and truly behind her.
‘Thanks, But No Thanks’
“I know what it’s worth and I’m not gonna sell for something less than it should go for,” insisted Teri firmly.
Years passed by with several attempts to verify the painting and secure an offer closer to Teri’s asking price. But sadly, the feisty retiree eventually entered into a battle of a very different nature.
Sad News
Teri passed away after a long fight with cancer on July 8, 2019, aged 86. She never sold the painting, but a documentary about her efforts was made in 2006 titled ‘Who The **** Is Jackson Pollock?’
Despite Teri’s passing, there is still hope that the painting might one day be sold, but there’s one condition.
Passed Down
“I think it’s worth closer to $10 to $15 million,” said Teri’s son Bill Page. “It has value because it was Teri Horton’s and the subject of a movie known around the world and shown in art classes.”
Teri’s final wishes to Bill were clear, "Sell that damn painting," she warned. "But don’t you dare give it away." Will Bill ever attract the kind of figure that would have made Teri proud?