1922 Raymond Jonson Arroyo Oil
Watch
GUEST:
Well, I know it's a Raymond Jonson painting. I went to an estate sale about six months ago, and I saw this on the wall, and I just, I loved it. So I asked the lady what she wanted for it, and she said she'd like $40 for it. So I went ahead and paid the $40.
APPRAISER:
What, uh, what drew you to the painting?
GUEST:
Well, I'm a native New Mexican, and I, uh, just recently moved away from New Mexico, and wanted to purchase it so I'd have something to remind me of New Mexico.
APPRAISER:
As you say, the artist is Raymond Jonson, who's an important American artist. Born in 1891, died in 1982. What do you know about Raymond Jonson?
GUEST:
I know that he was a UNM art professor, but other than that, I, I don't know much.
APPRAISER:
He's an interesting artist. There are, like with many artists, different periods within his career. Later on in his career, in the 1930s, he was part of a group called the Transcendental Painting Group. He was a founder of this group, actually, and this group was concerned with art and spirituality. Earlier in his career, in 1922, he first visits Santa Fe, and he has a liking for Santa Fe. So much so that two years later, he moves here. What's the title of this painting? Do we know?
GUEST:
On the back, it says "Arroyo Number Three."
APPRAISER:
And the painting has the artist's device at lower left, almost a shape, which is used by the artist rather than the spelling out of the full name. And it's also dated 1922. It's an oil on board. We believe that the frame is probably original. We also believe that the inscriptions on the back showing the title, also probably in the artist's hand. Another painting, also from 1922, depicting arroyo, is in the collection of the Smithsonian. What can you tell a guy from the East Coast about arroyo?
GUEST:
Well, arroyo is, is kind of a piece of land in between two high areas, and when it rains, the, the rain just flows through the arroyo. And, uh, in a desert...
APPRAISER:
Mm-hmm.
GUEST:
...it's, it's a sight to see.
APPRAISER:
Mm-hmm. I love the colors. I love the depiction of the work. I'm fascinated by the fact that you were able to acquire the work for $40. Do you often find other paintings or, or things that you like to collect at, at...
GUEST:
I've been going to garage sales since a little kid.
APPRAISER:
Ah.
GUEST:
A little kid. And I've been buying things that I like.
APPRAISER:
Mm-hmm.
GUEST:
And that I can afford.
APPRAISER:
Mm-hmm. It's a great example of an early work by Raymond Jonson. Great because it's a New Mexico theme. Do you have any sense what this painting might be worth, and is the painting currently insured?
GUEST:
It's not insured. We had no idea until we took it home and I looked at the back and it had the title. We saw that there was one in the Smithsonian.
APPRAISER:
Mm-hmm.
GUEST:
So we assume that there's some value to it.
APPRAISER:
Mm-hmm. I think today, conservatively, for auction purposes, $30,000 to $50,000.
GUEST:
Wow. Wow. That's amazing. That's amazing, that's a pretty good investment for, for $40. Yeah, yeah.
APPRAISER:
No, I think it's, it's terrific, and...
GUEST:
I love it.
APPRAISER:
I would insure this painting for $80,000.
GUEST:
That's amazing, wow. (laughs) That's... That's... I've, I've had to stop working, and, um... (voice trembling): It's really hard when you can't work anymore. And, uh... To buy something that's worth something that I can contribute back, um, means a lot to me.
APPRAISER:
I, I completely understand that.
GUEST:
Yeah. Yeah, so, thank you. Yeah, well... Thank you, and, uh... I, I'm going to really cherish it.
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.
