Walter Keane Books

Q: I have a hardbound book titled “Walter Keane,” part of the Tomorrow’s Masters Series by Johnson Meyers. It’s a first printing by Johnson Meyer Publishing Company, Redwood City, California and has a copyright date of 1964. Is there any collectible value to this book because of the 2014 movie, “Big Eyes,” depicting the scandal about Walter Keane not painting the pictures sold as his work? I also have the book “MDH Margaret Keane” with the same copyright date.

A: These books were originally sold as a boxed two-volume set. Margaret Keane signed some of her paintings with her initials, MDH, and her last name. Some of these are in the book about her. Walter claimed credit for her paintings of big-eyed children and those paintings are included in the book about him. The couple divorced in 1965, but it was not until a 1970 radio interview that Margaret revealed that she was the real painter of the “big eye” pictures. The movie has generated interest in the Keanes and online sources are asking high prices for the books but they will probably not sell for much more than other used books. A set was offered for sale online for $700 but hasn’t sold yet.