ORIGINAL NORMAN ROCKWELL PAINTING--Rare opportunity! Start Price USD 245,000.00 Current Price USD 245,000.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Thursday, June 26, 2008 End Time Sunday, July 06, 2008 Location Wood Bay, Auckland See more about 'ORIGINAL NORMAN ROCKWELL PAINTING--Rare opportunity!' Description FOR SALE IN ORIGINAL GILDED FRAME BY PRIVATE OWNER. This is an original portrait given by Norman Rockwell to his first wife, who resembled closely the girl in the painting.  It is entitled "Girl with Lipstick" and is in excellent condition. My great-grandfather saw this painting on a 1922 cover of American Magazine. It reminded him of his recently deceased daughter. He subsequently contacted Mr. Rockwell himself who, after consulting with his wife, agreed to sell it to him for $900. It has been in my family ever since (in the original gilded frame as in photo). This is a rare opportunity to purchase an original Rockwell, which is a sound investment not to mention a lovely piece. The highest priced Rockwell painting recently went for $15 million dollars, and a common price for an original is $500,000 and up.  "Little Girl with Lipstick" was verified as authentic by the Norman Rockwell Museum last summer, and currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The dimensions are 8" by 10". More about the piece: This portrait is among a series of paintings of women/girls between 1918 and 1930, which have since been issued as fine china collectors plates called Rockwell's Rediscovered Women Collection. An extreme close-up such as this portrait is a very rare occurence in Rockwell's vast body of works, so it is quite unique. When this painting appeared on the cover of American Magazine in 1922, cosmetics had just become the newest fad among American women. Make-up received harsh critiques from traditionalists, which were then countered by those women caught up in the excitment of the Roaring Twenties. "Little Girl with Lipstick" beautifully transends this social controversy and speaks to something much deeper than fashion. Please ask questions if you have any. Thanks! PAYMENT: Given the value of this piece we are open to using escrow.com for buyer's protection. This will give the buyer a chance to inspect and--if not as described--return for full refund. Funds are protected until purchase has been accepted by the buyer. Full refund would be given anyway provided the piece is returned in same condition.     Place a Bid!