An unknown picture
By reinydawn
@reinydawn (11642)
United States
May 31, 2010 8:54pm CST
A while back, we asked my mom to see if she could touch up an old picture of my husbands grandmother (or great grandmother, I don't know). My mom does this kind of stuff all the time and she's working on this pic for us. Today we were visiting her and she wanted to give it back to us because she didn't think she could do much with it. Well, she had taken the picture out of the frame and we thought she gave us the wrong frame back. In the frame is a picture of a woman and it's signed "Clara Bow". We didn't know who that was, but my brother said she was a huge silent movie star. We're guessing they had the picture in the frame, then put the family picture in front of it instead of buying a new frame.
I've looked up Clara Bow and she was in fact a very big silent movie star. Now I'm wondering if this signed photo is worth anything...
3 people like this
4 responses
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
1 Jun 10
Wow! I've heard of Clara Bow! I love some of the old silent movies, maybe that's why I know of her. I'd be surprised if that photo wasn't worth something, maybe quite a lot to a silent movie buff.
I wouldn't know the first thing about how to find out what it's worth or who would buy it, though. Maybe you could put it on eBay and see how the bids go. If you want to keep the photo, just have someone you know make a huge bid for it (much higher than the highest bidder) so they'd "win" the auction and you wouldn't have to sell it to anyone. I know that's a bit dishonest but it could help you to find out what it may be worth.
Or, look around for sites that have something to do with silent movie stars. Clara Bow was definitely popular and well-known in her time.
What an incredible find! 
@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
1 Jun 10
I've been researching it all night. I've seen a lot of pics on e-bay and stuff for .99 starting bid. Some pictures I've seen on memorabilia sites for 9.99. I did see one personalized autograph pic for 1,000 and another one for 6,999. This one does have an autograph, but I think it's just a print, not a "real" signature. I'm going to keep looking and asking. If that roadshow auction thing comes to town I'll ask them!!!
I was hoping you'd have some input on this one. I remember my other movie post that you said you were a big silent movie buff.
1 person likes this
@karen1969 (1779)
•
2 Jun 10
I'm a big silent movie buff too. You should be able to research online to find out if it's an original autograph or a printed one. Have a look through the Ebay listings for 'Clara Bow autograph'.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
1 Jun 10
Oh, you are so lucky!!!! Clara Bow was a great silent film actress and that picture must be worth a fortune to the right person! Poor Clara never made it into the talkies because of her heavy Brooklyn accent but she was the "IT" girl in the 20's.
2 people like this
@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
5 Jun 10
I haven't looked it up any more than that first night, but I don't think it's really going to be worth a lot. Everyone I have mentioned it to (that is into silent movies) says she was awesome. I don't know much about silent movies though so she means nothing to me. I'm going to keep looking around though.
@GardenGerty (169585)
• United States
1 Jun 10
I have heard of this stuff happening, but never to anyone I know personally even online. It might be worth something. I guess it had sentimental value to them or they would not have saved it.
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
1 Jun 10
We're going to ask my father-in-law if he knew it was there. Chances are it's been in that frame for MANY years!
@karen1969 (1779)
•
2 Jun 10
I am a fan of Clara Bow, she was a wonderful actress especially in the film It. I am sure the signed photo would be worth selling, if you don't want to keep it yourself. It might be nice to keep as a family heirloom though. I have seen some of her autographs sell on eBay, but I don't think they sell for hundreds of pounds, maybe £20-£50 or so.
@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
5 Jun 10
You mean "It" by Stephen King? I'm going to have to check on that one. The photo really belongs to my father-in-law so we have to check with him before we do anything with it. I'm sure he never knew it was behind that photo of his mom (or grandmother, I can't remember).
@karen1969 (1779)
•
6 Jun 10
Yes, "It" from the 1920s, wonderful film. Clara Bow was so charismatic, a great star! 
1 person likes this
