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Australian masterpieces found in US charity shops

An oil painting by Australian painter Grace Cossington-Smith, and has since been valued at $45,000 (£29,000), was purchased for just $25 (£16) from a charity shop in Dallas.

Mrs Pool stumbled upon Wild Flowers with White Coral while browsing in a charity shop.

She hung the work in her study for more than a year before her husband, Phil, decided to do some research into its origins. An internet search revealed that works by Smith, who died in Sydney in 1984, were held by the National Gallery of Australia.

How the painting made its way from Australia to Texas remains a mystery, but art historians believe it once belonged to American actor Vincent Price, who married Australian Coral Browne and was known for his interest in Australian art.

A second discovery was made this month, when a John Coburn work, Solstice, surfaced in a second-hand shop in the Texan town of San Marcos. Coburn, an artist, is known for his tapestries and distinctive style.

The semiabstract painting was purchased for US $45. It was only when curiosity got the better of her and she Googled the name on the back that she realised the painting's provenance. Solstice is now thought to be worth $20,000.

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