Homeless man thrilled with $20 for discarded Bambi painting from garbage — until antique store reveals it's worth thousands
Antiques can often have a value that no one fathoms. Vintage styles and designs of the past often catch the eye of collectors. Besides, no one ever knows how much to expect from a seemingly simple object. A homeless man named Adam never thought that something he chanced upon in a trash can could be worth much, as reported by News 1130. Nevertheless, every dollar counted for him to make ends meet. When he sold a Bambi painting that he found to Alexander Archbold, owner of the antique store, Curiosity Incorporated, he got $20, per City News. However, when Archbold learned of the painting’s true value, he knew what to do.
Adam became homeless after he fell into depression. It caused him to lose his wife, home and kids and he began to live on the streets. He made a living by going through dumpsters and selling whatever was possible to stores like Archbold’s. The man knew Adam as he had been visiting him frequently with simple vintage items found in dumpsters. He would purchase them so that Adam had a little something to get by through the days. When Adam stumbled upon the Bambi painting in its dirty frame, he tried to sell it. “They just told him to leave because, he said, as a street person, they don’t take you seriously. I got the impression that he just really didn’t feel like a person. And that just really made me sad,” Archbold recalled.
He was moved when Adam approached him with a Bambi painting. “I thought, well, it’s Bambi. I can probably clean it up,” the owner recalled. He agreed to buy it from Adam for $20. Adam was glad to receive a little something and went on his way. When Archbold was cleaning the painting, he realized it was more than just an antique piece. The painting had a copyright dating back to 1937, which revealed that it was an original animation cel from the classic Disney movie. “I just thought, oh my goodness. It’s the real thing and it’s worth a lot more than I thought it was. And I have to do something to help this guy out,” he recounted.
He did his research and realized the painting was going for around $3,500 and shared his findings on his YouTube channel. Soon, he got an offer of $3,700 and sold the painting on eBay. The man decided that he had to share his earnings with Adam. “I just said that I gotta find him and whatever I get, he's getting half and so that's what I was trying to do,” Archbold remarked. The next few days were spent in a frantic search for the homeless man.
“I drove up and down every single alley. I went to the shelters. I went everywhere I could go to try and find him,” he mentioned. Determined to give him his share, the owner shared the message among acquaintances. Eventually, Adam heard the good news and went back to the antique store, where he was handed $1,600. Adam’s joy knew no bounds. The amount was definitely one that would accelerate a life-changing movement in his life.