Ohio Folk Art Double Portrait, ca. 1838
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GUEST:
This is Anne Jacobs and her brother Joseph Jacobs, and they lived in Wooster, Ohio, which is actually only about, uh, 50 miles southwest of here. She was born in 1835, and I believe he was born in 1833.
APPRAISER:
So that would mean that she's probably about three there.
GUEST:
That's what I would imagine, yes.
APPRAISER:
So, we're talking about maybe 1838 when this painting was, was painted.
GUEST:
Yes. I would say about, yes.
APPRAISER:
And this was a family painting?
GUEST:
The people that owned it, the, the parents died and the, the children had no room for it anymore. And so I was able to buy it from them. They were distant cousins.
APPRAISER:
The scale of this painting suggests that this family had some money.
GUEST:
Yes, I believe they owned a mill in Wooster, Ohio.
APPRAISER:
It's a wonderful Ohio painting. There's very little body of work to talk about...
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
...Ohio folk art portraiture. It's not signed, which is typical of folk art paintings. It was probably done by an itinerant...
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
...who came through Wooster. You very seldom see two children in the same painting. What else is so great about this is that she's holding that wonderful cat.
GUEST:
(chuckles)
APPRAISER:
You can see the cat sort of squirming there.
GUEST:
Not too happy. (laughs)
APPRAISER:
Not too happy. He's holding this marvelous pull toy. And I love the little red yarn...
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
...that's attached so he could pull it along. It gives the painting just a little splash of color. And here at the top, we have the dress and the wagon.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
That certainly adds value to the painting. Does it add 20% to the painting? No. But it's nice to have it all together as a package. It's in the original frame.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
Which is great. It's been relined-- the canvas has been laid down on a newer piece of canvas to protect it. It's had a little bit of conservation. And you can see here, for example...
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
...that there may be a little bit of inpainting there.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
I would like to have seen a little bit something in the background.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
To really sort of bring it all together. But at the same time, the kids are sort of jumping off the, off the canvas. What did you pay for it?
GUEST:
I paid a lot for it, because I really, really wanted it. I paid $20,000 for it.
APPRAISER:
Well, you know...
GUEST:
And it was the only time I ever asked my father to borrow money, too. (laughs)
APPRAISER (chuckles): Well, so you, so you paid $20,000, and how long ago was this?
GUEST:
About 20 years ago.
APPRAISER:
Okay. We all agreed that it's right there at the top. Certainly at the top for an Ohio folk art painting.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
But it's not a, just a great, great, great folk art painting.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
Because it's just missing a little, a few things. The background...
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
Their faces are a little bit flat.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
But nonetheless, we all agreed $30,000 to $40,000 is an easy estimate for this.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
And there might be a lot of upside if it were to come to auction. It's a great folk art portrait. Probably the best that I've seen in the time that I've been selling antiques in Ohio.
GUEST:
Really?
APPRAISER:
And that's almost 25 years.
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