Q: I have a painting which I found when I was cleaning out a relatives house. It appears to be signed by the artist “Riviera” or “Rivera”. It has a paper stuck on the back which explains that it is an authentic work of art signed by the artist. Can you tell me anything about this?

A: Your painting is actually a lithograph print. The print was commissioned by “The Collector’s Guild Limited” which is why you have a raised “CG” on the front of the work. The Collector’s Guild was a company based in New York which was organized much like the Franklin Mint Company. They sold original works of art including prints and collectibles. In the 1960’s through the 1970’s they published a number of work by French and American artists. Your “authentication” label on the back of the work lists the ‘Societé de Verification de la Novelle Gravure International of New York and Paris” which was connected to The Collector’s Guild.

Your print is by the artist Antonio Rivera who is a French artist known for his landscapes. It is signed in pencil by the artist and is numbered 62 out of 375 prints. The Collector’s Guild offered the artists an almost irresistible way to market their art. Many artists' careers were boosted by the exposure they received and it made fine art affordable for the masses. Although your print is signed and numbered, many criticized the manner in which the pieces were produced and deemed them not authentic. It has been said that some artists including Picasso and Salvador Dali would sign blank pieces of paper well in advance of the prints being made, thus not qualifying it as an authentic artist-signed work.

Regardless, there are a lot of Collector Guild prints on the market. Most are priced in the $30-$50 range.

Karen Waterman is a fine art, antique furniture and decorative arts appraiser in the East Bay area and will answer as many questions regarding your “hidden treasures” as possible. By sending a letter or email with a question you give full permission for use in the column. Names, addresses or e-mail will not be published and photos will be returned if requested. Send e-mails (digital photos preferred) to trashortreasure@ymail.com. Send snail mail to East Bay Newspapers, Att.Karen Waterman, PO. Box 90, Bristol, RI 02809.