UPDATE: I am closing comments on this post. I’ve approved a few more, but you would not believe the amount of spam I get about this picture. So let’s review: I’m not selling mine. I don’t want to buy yours. And I’m not a B. Mitchell painting broker. Sheesh. I have half a mind to make this post private.
There is a mystery that has been haunting me for as long as I can remember. Something I don’t understand, something that I have wondered about. Something I am reminded of every day when I see this picture hanging in my dining room:
When I was a child this picture hung in our house. As an adult my mom passed it on to me. It matches the dark wood on my dining room table. And honestly even though it’s incredibly dated, no where feels like home without this picture. It’s the first thing I hang. My husband likes to mock me for this.
But let’s talk about the mystery. I *think* this is an old Home Interiors print. I don’t even think they have Home Interiors anymore. It was a party thing – like Tupperware – except you bought home decoration items. We had quite a few of them in my house when I was growing up.
The picture has 12 panes. Twelve little mini pictures – all little slices of Americana done mostly in an Autumn theme. Lord how I miss Autumn. Florida doesn’t do Autumn. We get summer and winter here. And winter is short. But I digress. As usual. I know, get on with it.
Each of the 12 panes has a signature in neat print – B. Mitchell. Each pane except one. The bottom right pane – the one with the grass and the broken down wagon does not seem to have a signature. I remember as a child staring at that pane forever trying to find it. It didn’t make sense to me then and it doesn’t now. Did they forget? Did B. Mitchell not paint that one? Was it some anonymous person? Are they trying to drive me insane?
I’ve told this story to my boys and every once in a while they will stop and look at it and try to find the signature. I’ve passed on the madness!!! Have you seen this painting? Did it hang in your mama’s house? Is your 12th pane signed? Can you tell me where the signature is hidden? Or just tell me I will never find it so I can stop looking already.
EDITED TO ADD: I have no idea what the painting is worth. And I have no intention of selling it. I just wondered if anyone knew about the signature in the 12th pane. :/
OMG! This picture hung in my house as a child too!!! After my mom passed, I think my father threw it away. I’ll have to look next time I go to his house since it is sold and we’ll have to clean it out soon!
http://www.thehomegardenparty.com/ this company has purchased Home Interiors, and my have some info about your picture.
Oh, wow! This was my Mom’s and is now in my living room. Hehe..just looked for the signature in that pane…nothing.. wild!
This picture hung in every house I lived in growing up. I never noticed the signatures.
I wonder if my mom still has this…..
I LOVE this print! I saw it at my mother’s cousin’s house, and I love it. I don’t care if it looks dated…I think it rocks. I especially love the pumpkin cube thing-y.
Sorry I can’t help you with the signature thing. I’ve never looked at it that closely before.
Does anyone that still has this painting want to sell it, or can you tell me what it’s called.. My Husband’s grandmother had this painting in her house and I loved it, when she passed I dont know where it went, and I have looked and looked for it but havent had any luck…Please Please if someone has this and wants to part with it let me know…Thanks so much and I hope someone can help me
@ MINDY. I HAVE THE PICTURE AND IM WILLING TO SELL IT!!! MY EMAIL CHEVYTHANG86@YAHOO.COM
My family has a tradition now… as long as I can remember we have always had this painting …now that we are all grown, we a family of six (my parents, my two sisters, and my self and brother all have this same exact painting in our homes. It’s ours and we love it….
i have this picture as well and will sell it if someone wants it. make me an offer
I have this same picture from childhood. Did anyone every find out any information on it?
This is too funny. My sons were three and seven and shared a room and insisted I buy this print at a garage sale. It hung in there room for years but got lost in a move. My husband found one in some of his moms stuff and brought it home. We just found another at a garage sale that I had to buy because they no longer share a room so each can have one. My daughter tried to buy if off her little brother and I have had to promise to buy her one the next time I find one.
i got this picture at a yard sale and i was wondering how much it was worth. please let me know
I bought this last week at a rummage and was wondering if anyone knows what he value of it is… HJCOBB05@AOL.COM
I have the same large picture you have. I love it. The one with the wagon, barn and tree on mine is signed B Mitchell. I finally decided to look B Mitchell up and see what this is all about. I still don’t know for sure but I love the big picture and it is warm and inviting.
I just purchased this print today ay a thrift store and I love it. I too am curious about its origin and true value. I couldnt part with it, but it would be very interesting to know. If anyone ever solves the mystery, please keep me informed. Thanks!
My mother had the same painting in her house, all ways hung in the kitchen . I just bought one at a yard sale for 2 dollars it brought back memeries.i called her up and told her and she said she got hers frome one of those partys and she laghed. I love it to. P.S not sight at bottam corner
i have the same painting it was my mothers, just love the picture the way it looks in my kitchen, have always wondered if their is any value to the painting. Also there is not a signature in bottom right corner.
I have have this painting and am willing to sell it for a reasonable price. cantact me at my email t04man@yahoo.com
I know how this sounds but i was curious if any of you noticed you having “extreme” attatchments to this painting , or a serious drive to posses this painting. I recently entered into an old abandoned house in hopes to possibly purchase the property and found myself unable to leave the house without the painting and almost feel like a “need” to have this painting. just let me know your thoughts on this
Oh MY! I thought I was the only one. The same picture hung in my house growing up. It got lost, misplaced, whatever…just gone..somewhere between the moving we did. I found won today at a thrift store and I was ecstatic. I hadn’t been looking for one, but when I saw it I got a huge flashback of growing up. I had to have it. It was a little busted up at the bottom but I didn’t care. I went to check out and the lady GAVE it to me because it needed TLC!!! I called my mom and am taking it to her ASAP.
I recently saw this picture again at a masonic temple hall. It brought back memories of my grandmother also. She had it hanging up also in the dining room. I loved that picture. I had a friend trying to find me one but he has struck out. He did find out that the one pane with no signature is by the artists daughter. If anyone is interested in selling one let me know.
I have a similar oil painting not a print but all 12 frames are signed and in different order than the one shown.
My husband was in the air force with this artist, his first name is Bruce and when the crew was on down time he would paint these pictures from photos he had taken and then put them into old window frames that he found. I have 2 of these and 2 of the Milton Bradley 500 pc puzzels of the National Parks. My husband said Bruce had a bunch of kids and when he got out he bought a small hotel so each kid could have their own room.
I have one I am interested in taking offers. My Husband just found out we are expecting and could use a little extra money. Thanks. Serious inquiries only please. christinacpowell@yahoo.com
My name is Bruce Mitchell the artist you are talking about is my father Bruce Kirk Mitchell. I believe the painting in the bottom right was not painted by my father. It is a little off from his painting style. I’m not sure why the printing company swap another artist work into the 12 set as my father did paint a painting for each pain.