Halloween – Daryle Lambert's Antique and Collectible Blog – Frankenstein, but which one?

Curt Frankenstein

I can feel it in the air. Halloween is almost here. Witches and goblins and even a few monsters may be sneaking around, so be on guard. This is truly a time to be enjoyed with your kids because carving jack-o-lanterns and making costumes will bond you together forever. I still remember being out most of the night with my pillow case collecting ever type of goody known to man. Yes, there are some very special monsters on the loose and Frankenstein is one of the best, but not so fast.

Today we will be talking about Frankenstein, not the monster, but Curt Frankenstein, the artist. I once bought a print signed Curt Frankenstein and listed it on eBay because I couldn't find anything on him after searching several of the artist websites such as Ask Art and Artnet. To my surprise, I almost immediately started to get bids. I believe that the first one ended at around $300 and this definitely got my attention. Since that time I have had several of Frankenstein's pieces and have done well with everyone of them. You see there are very few dealers around the country that know the name and when they search their usual places, Curt's name doesn't appear there. In fact I have only found three or four of Curt's prints listed on eBay.

Often there are items that don't find their way into the regular channels of information that we count on but that doesn't mean that they don't have value and Curt Frankenstein's works fall into that category. If you are fortunate enough to find prints by this surrealist, count your blessings because they will bring you several hundred dollars and I have purchased several at $5.00 or less. I fact the last one I received was given to me because I purchased so many other items at the sale. See more about us at www.31corp.com.

I did find a website of his and this seems to be the proper place to list it for you.

CURT FRANKENSTEIN

Sad news: Curt Frankenstein passed away January 4th 2009. If you have any questions please call: 847.256.4764 Curt Frankenstein is a well known painter and a printmaker, who came to the Chicago area from Germany when he was 25. He attended the American Academy of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Otis Art institute of Los Angeles. Subsequently he took courses in Lithography under Max Kahn at the Art Institute and in Etching under Hedi Bak at Studio 22 in Chicago. He now resides in Wilmette, IL, where he has a studio and print shop with his own etching press. Curt Frankenstein first succeeded in selling his paintings in 1954 at the 57th Street Art Fair. He has continued to participate in art fairs ever since, still attending about six each year. A Surrealist Painter: It was during the 1950s when abstract art was the attraction that Frankenstein found his calling. He was devoted to representational art, and after viewing surrealist paintings at the Art Institute, it was clear where his passion lied. Frankensteins's paintings tell a story. Paradoxes and Mysteries, he likes the tension between fantasy and reality. He uses familiar images in unfamiliar surprising ways. His paintings are realistic, but at the same time not real. His aim is to break up accustomed views of the world and to suggest that there is more to reality than meets the eye.