A Nearly Invisible Signature Turned a $30 Painting Into a $1.35 Million Find

A small oil painting purchased for $30 at a Michigan estate sale sold for $1.35 million after experts authenticated it as Gertrude Abercrombie’s 1951 still-life 'Alderman Merriam's Shells'. The 8x11-inch work, unseen publicly for nearly 75 years, was cleaned, authenticated, and exceeded auction estimates, setting a new record for the artist.