1963 Betye Saar Flight Print
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GUEST:
I found this painting at a yard sale, and I just thought it was super-cute. When I got home, I noticed that it had a signature. So thought, hm, this might be something that I can take to the ROADSHOW and see what they have to say about it.
APPRAISER:
Well, I was very excited to see it. I recognize it right away. And this is a fantastic example of the artwork of Betye Saar. She's an African American artist. She has a long and distinguished career. Betye Saar is born in 1926. She's still working today. And this is from 1963. She's a Los Angeles artist, born and raised and studied in Los Angeles. And in the early '60s, she began doing etchings and screen prints, like this, of images of, uh, childhood, images that are of different cultures. This print has its title, Flight. Color screen print. And it was done in an edition of 14. And we just know a few examples today. One of those is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Another is in the collection of the Detroit Institute of the Art. I have not seen another impression outside a, a museum. So I was very excited to see it today. This was quite a yard sale find.
GUEST:
Yeah, I, um, it was leaning up against a tree, and it was in a frame. And when I picked it up, the frame fell off, so I didn't get the frame.
APPRAISER:
It's a fantastic example of her work. Um, Betye Saar is an important American artist. Her archive was recently taken in by the Getty Institute in Los Angeles.
GUEST:
Hm.
APPRAISER:
She's known for assemblage.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
Which are constructions of found objects. She would go to a lot of yard sales herself, but this is really going back to her roots. It's a charming image of a young Black girl, and she's taking off in flight, as the birds are. Do you have any idea what it might be worth?
GUEST:
I... would hope it's worth the two dollars that I paid for it.
APPRAISER:
Definitely.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
At auction today, a work like this I would conservatively estimate at $5,000 to $7,000.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
And my expectation of such a scarce print that hasn't come to auction before, it could easily sell as high as $10,000.
GUEST:
Wow. Oh, my gosh.
APPRAISER:
Congratulations.
GUEST:
Thank you, that's awesome! Guess I probably should get it framed.
APPRAISER:
It's time for a new mat and frame.
GUEST:
(laughs) Awesome, thank you.
APPRAISER:
Thank you very much. Okay?
CREW (clapping): All right, terrific, congratulations.
GUEST:
(exhales heavily)
APPRAISER:
Yeah.
(all clapping)
GUEST:
That's awesome!
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