The New Hampshire Union Leader crows about the American Impressionist painting bought for $100 by a clever ‘picker’ at a local yard sale. It’s in Skinner’s Jan. 28 sale in Boston estimated at $50-70,000:

The painting by Frederick Carl Frieseke, called “Olive Trees, Cagnes,” was discovered by an antique picker, an experienced dealer who stopped by a yard sale in southern New Hampshire last summer on the hunt for something special.

Every picker dreams of finding an antique gem hidden in a pile of junk that’s worth big bucks, but Starr said it rarely happens.

This picker got lucky when he saw the painting of an olive grove sitting among other items up for sale. The New Hampshire man didn’t know much about the painting, but he had a hunch that it was more than just a worthless work of art.

“He knew this painting was done by somebody who knew what they were doing,” Starr said.

The picker, who has more than 20 years of experience, noticed the dark blue signature in the corner. He saw the letters “F” and “C” and then “Frie.” The letters faded out, but he then noticed a “K.” Turns out the painting was a previously undiscovered work by Impressionist Frederick Carl Frieseke when he was in Cagnes, France.

Painting Found in Garage Sale Makes Impression (Union Leader)