anyone want a picasso?

Houston man lists Picasso painting for sale on neighborhood website

Houston Picasso painting for sale Nextdoor ad

A Houston man is listing this alleged Picasso painting for $12,000.

UPDATE: The Picasso painting is now listed as sold. CultureMap has reached out to the seller for comment.

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As the fourth-largest city in the country, Houston is hardly lacking in head-scratching items for sale online. Consider the viral Craigslist ad that one local man posted for his dilapidated, 1999 Toyota Camry: “You want a car that literally no one will ever compliment you on? Well, look no further,” the hilarious post declared.

Adding to the annals of dubious items for sale in Houston is a recent listing on Nextdoor that has been making the social media rounds. A man in the Candlelight Oaks neighborhood is offering an “original Pablo Picasso painting with proper documentation for sale from early 1900s.”

Bypassing the usual (and, perhaps, safer?) art dealer route, the resident, listed as John Kiger, values the painting at $15,000 — but is willing to let it go for a mere $12,000. Kiger describes the painting as being from “Picasso's Blue Period (1901-1904), characterized by somber paintings rendered in shades of blue and blue-green, only occasionally warmed by other colors, began either in Spain in early 1901, or in Paris in the second half of the year.”

To assuage any doubts a serious collector may have, here are some highlights from Kiger’s Nextdoor post:

The painting is professionally framed with UV glass.
It includes COA (copy of authenticity).
The item will be packaged properly before delivered to location with his own "security detail" (inside a bank, for example) for "safety and security"
Kiger will include two other documents that include insurer policy for the painting and a registered certificate from the NFATR (National Fine Arts Title Registry).
The frame and matting/glass "is not cheap."

CultureMap reached out to Kiger, who declined to officially comment, but does note that he collects and appreciates “certain items” and allows “others to truly enjoy them as well from time to time.”

For now, Houstonians will have to wait to see what future trinket the enigmatic Kiger is prepared to share on Nextdoor.

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always be prepared

Texas tax-free weekend lets shoppers stock up on emergency supplies

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Emergency supplies like first aid kits that cost less than $75 are eligible for a tax break this weekend.

The best time for Texas residents to stock up on supplies to prepare for natural disasters is coming up this weekend. The annual statewide Emergency Preparation Supplies Sales Tax Holiday runs from April 25-27, when Texans will be able to purchase critical emergency supplies — plus household necessities like batteries and fire extinguishers — tax-fee.

Shoppers can purchase certain emergency supplies tax-free starting at 12:01 am on Saturday, April 25, and the "holiday" runs until midnight on Monday, April 27. There is no limit on the number of qualifying items that can be purchased during the weekend, and purchases can be made in store, online, through the mail, and via custom order.

Saving on emergency supplies
Emergency preparation supplies must be purchased under certain price brackets to qualify for the tax exemption. For example, portable generators must have a sales price less than $3,000 to qualify for a tax break. Ladders and hurricane shutters that cost less than $300 also qualify.

Delivery, shipping, handling, and transportation charges are included in the sales price, according to the Comptroller. So if a shopper buys a $299 rescue ladder and is charged a $10 delivery fee, the total sales price for the purchase is $309, and tax would need to be paid for that sales price.

Additional items that qualify for a tax break as long as they cost less than $75 include:

Axes
Batteries – single or multipack (AAA cell, AA cell, C cell, D cell, 6 volt or 9 volt)
Carbon monoxide detectors
Fire extinguishers
First aid kits
Fuel containers
Ground anchor systems and tie-down kits
Hatchets
Ice products – including reusable and artificial ice
Light sources – including those that are battery operated or portable self-powered sources; candles, flashlights, and lanterns
Mobile telephone batteries and mobile telephone chargers
Non-electric can openers
Non-electric coolers and ice chests for food storage
Radios – including portable self-powered radios, battery operated radios, two-way radios, and weather band radios
Smoke detectors
Tarps and other plastic sheeting

The full list of qualifying items is available on The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts' website.

As a reminder, over-the-counter items like antibacterial hand sanitizer, soap, and spray and wipes are always exempt from sales tax if they are labeled with a "Drug Facts" panel in compliance with Food and Drug Administration regulations.

Non-qualifying items that will still be taxed
Medical masks, face masks, and gloves of any kind do not qualify for a tax exemption. Other taxable items including toilet paper, cleaning supplies (such as disinfectants and bleach wipes), vehicle or boat batteries, chainsaws, plywood, extension ladders, and stepladders. Camping equipment and supplies, including stoves and tents, are also not eligible for a tax break.

Additionally, any repair or replacement parts for emergency preparation supplies do not qualify for tax exemptions, and neither do any services that are performed on or related to those supplies.

What to do if a qualifying item is taxed during the holiday
If customers buy a tax-exempt item between April 25-27 and are still taxed, they may request a refund from the seller on the tax paid for the item. The seller can grant the refund to the buyer, or provide them with Form 00-985, Assignment to Right to Refund, which would allow the customer to file a claim for their refund through the Comptroller's website.

tax free weekend emergency supplies texas