This is a Printing or a Painting (I'm Pretty sure it is an old print) used to advertise the Forbes coffee and Tea Company. I could find a whole variety of metal tins and storage containers (in the 1930's the company moved to spices, but from the late 1800's until about 1920 they made a good bit of money in Cofee. They were the first company, if what I was reading is correct, to grind the bean and have the grounds ready to be brewed instead of selling the whole roasted bean. On the tin of coffee prominently displayed on the advertisement, it is clear that it says "Steeel Cut", which I guess was the term for this new technique at the time. I found this painting in the basement of my parents house, in a far corner of the laundry room. My mother and father have been lifelong collectors of antiques and we have a small house's worth of space in rubbermaids filled with every imaginable collectiable you can think of. I have been trying for years to get my mother to just throw most of it away until I grew up and started to work on Ebay with her. I am also A+, NET+, and have a small busniess, but now I have contacted the "bug". The Picture was brought up to my room, where I realized what it was a googled the Frobes Coffee company and found how much the tins are going for on ebay, but I have yet to see anything like this. I am wondering if, in fact it is an advertisement (I would have a hard time beleiving that it isn't) and what something like this would go for at auction. I sprayed it very lightly and in intervals with a dust off container. I spray in intervals so the cold doesn't build up on the fragile medium or ink. Also, I was afraid some liquid woudl come out. I frequently use dust off to clean off collectibles. It measures 18" high by 28" acrosss. There are no accidental damage to this, just about 6 small nail/screw holes where it was affixed for advertistment. I am really convinced now that it is a print, because there is a small spot where the yellow paint is missing and you can see the blue underneath that was probably the first layer of the print. I am including pics ot these. It really is a pretty color picture and I was wondering if I should spend the monty to restore it or just sell it like it is? I appreciate your input.
