1979 Clyde Aspevig "Snow Ridge" Oil
GUEST:
It's a painting by a kid that I went to school with in Montana. His name is Clyde Aspevig.
APPRAISER:
And so you've known this artist for some time?
GUEST:
Well, we actually went to school about the same time. I didn't really know him that well.
APPRAISER:
Okay.
GUEST:
But I liked his work, so I got a chance to get this at an auction, and so I bought it.
APPRAISER:
What kind of auction was it?
GUEST:
It was a fundraising auction for, like, a junior women's club.
APPRAISER:
Okay, and how long ago was that?
GUEST:
Probably 30 years ago or more.
APPRAISER:
So this is an oil on canvas painting by Clyde Aspevig. It's from 1979.
GUEST:
That's about right.
APPRAISER:
So you probably acquired it not that long after it was painted.
GUEST:
Right, probably.
APPRAISER:
We do have here in the lower right a signature and a date. And there's a tag on the back, and I don't know if you've noticed that.
GUEST:
I saw it today when you looked at it, but I've never seen it before.
APPRAISER:
And the tag gives us the title of the painting.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
Which is "Snow Ridge." And it also gives a price of $5,000.
GUEST:
Yeah, I was shocked.
APPRAISER:
Now, what did you pay for the painting?
GUEST:
$600.
APPRAISER:
Well, Clyde Aspevig is one of the best known contemporary painters of western art. He started his career really in the '70s, but since then has become very successful and well known as one of the best artists, really, painting these western landscapes. He believes very strongly in preserving the untouched landscape, and so he has committed really his whole life career to painting Montana, Wyoming, all of these areas.
GUEST:
Is he still alive?
APPRAISER:
He is still alive. He was born in 1951.
GUEST:
Oh, okay.
APPRAISER:
But he's still painting and represented by galleries and highly sought after.
GUEST:
Oh, okay, cool.
APPRAISER:
And have you had this painting appraised before?
GUEST:
No, never.
APPRAISER:
This painting currently would have a replacement value of $50,000.
GUEST:
Whoo. That's nice. Thank you.
Appraisal Details
Executive producer Marsha Bemko shares her tips for getting the most out of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.
Value can change: The value of an item is dependent upon many things, including the condition of the object itself, trends in the market for that kind of object, and the location where the item will be sold. These are just some of the reasons why the answer to the question "What's it worth?" is so often "It depends."
Note the date: Take note of the date the appraisal was recorded. This information appears in the upper left corner of the page, with the label "Appraised On." Values change over time according to market forces, so the current value of the item could be higher, lower, or the same as when our expert first appraised it.
Context is key: Listen carefully. Most of our experts will give appraisal values in context. For example, you'll often hear them say what an item is worth "at auction," or "retail," or "for insurance purposes" (replacement value). Retail prices are different from wholesale prices. Often an auctioneer will talk about what she knows best: the auction market. A shop owner will usually talk about what he knows best: the retail price he'd place on the object in his shop. And though there are no hard and fast rules, an object's auction price can often be half its retail value; yet for other objects, an auction price could be higher than retail. As a rule, however, retail and insurance/replacement values are about the same.
Verbal approximations: The values given by the experts on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW are considered "verbal approximations of value." Technically, an "appraisal" is a legal document, generally for insurance purposes, written by a qualified expert and paid for by the owner of the item. An appraisal usually involves an extensive amount of research to establish authenticity, provenance, composition, method of construction, and other important attributes of a particular object.
Opinion of value: As with all appraisals, the verbal approximations of value given at ROADSHOW events are our experts' opinions formed from their knowledge of antiques and collectibles, market trends, and other factors. Although our valuations are based on research and experience, opinions can, and sometimes do, vary among experts.
Appraiser affiliations: Finally, the affiliation of the appraiser may have changed since the appraisal was recorded. To see current contact information for an appraiser in the ROADSHOW Archive, click on the link below the appraiser's picture. Our Appraiser Index also contains a complete list of active ROADSHOW appraisers and their contact details and biographies.