Collection of Paintings
Watch
APPRAISER:
I understand you're a denizen of the thrift stores, is that right?
GUEST:
I am, I am.
APPRAISER:
And are these some of your finds?
GUEST:
They are. I don't know much about them. This one nearest you, I paid $14.
APPRAISER:
Fourteen dollars?
GUEST:
Yes, and these three, eight dollars each.
APPRAISER:
And do you know anything about this artist, or do you know who it's by?
GUEST:
No, I couldn't figure out the signature and I was hoping that maybe you guys could.
APPRAISER:
Right, well, I struggled a little bit with it to begin with, to be honest. When I flipped it round and I saw that it was framed in Scottsdale, Arizona, that rather piqued my interest. It's a part of the world that I actually spend a bit of time in, and I thought, "Well, maybe it's an Arizona artist." So I did a little more delving, and I believe it's a work by Jessie Benton Evans, who was actually one of the best known Arizona artists of the early 20th century. She moved there for her health around about, I think, 1912, 1913, early part of the 20th century. So this is one of her works, a typical desert scene. You paid $14 for this one?
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
So this at auction should comfortably be $1,200 to $1,800.
GUEST:
Oh, wow.
APPRAISER:
So $1,200 to $1,800.
GUEST:
Awesome.
APPRAISER:
And these ones over here, very different paintings, but obviously they appeal to you too. And do you know anything about these?
GUEST:
I don't, and they weren't signed.
APPRAISER:
Well, when you brought them out, I thought, "These are very reminiscent of an Italian artist who lived in the 18th, early 19th century, Michelangelo Maestri." And he did paintings of young muses, nymphets, in diaphanous gowns against a black background, so these are very typical. Now, I don't think they are by him, but I think they're followers of, or they're in the circle of, and as such, they should be worth, I would think, probably $400 to $600 each. So then $1,200 to $1,800 for these, $1,200 to $1,800 for this. So you paid, what, $24 for that, $14 for that, so I would say keep going to the thrift stores.
GUEST:
Not bad.
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.
