Faqs - Feedback
Real Questions. Expert Answers.History Detectives receives e-mail inquiries from all around the world. Here you can investigate some of the most intriguing questions sent to our group of sleuths - and the experts' answers to each person's puzzler.
Lisa says: Dear Ms. Luray, Actually this is not a story suggestion, but rather a question regarding learning to do what you do. I have to admit, I am completely fascinated by "History Detectives". I have always been interested in mysteries and the stories behind pretty much everything...I am interested in learning more about becoming an appraiser. Do you suggest a master's degree? If so - which areas would you suggest I investigate? Or, is there another route to take?
Elyse says: First, let me say, thanks for watching the show. I'm glad that you are interested in becoming an appraiser. The first thing I would do is contact the Appraisers Association of America and American Society of Appraisers. Each has courses and requirements in order to come a member. In addition, check with your local university to see if they offer courses. (I took one at NYU but got most of my experience from working at Christies.) Since you seem to have a vast knowledge of many things, then you may want to become a generalist. Although, it is always helpful to have one specific area of expertise (the more unique the better- you become more marketable). If you are interested in jewelry, there are requirements to be a gemologist. If you are interested in the more academic areas, a master always helps (for me, there is no masters in popular culture!) but it is certainly not necessary. To be quite honest, the best appraisers are the ones who have used their eyes and hands the most, as holding, touching and seeing art/objects is the best education one can get. Lastly, visit the auction houses. It's the best place to see what people have to sell and you will learn the true fair market value for pieces. Always save the catalogues and the prices realized. You will soon see that your library is your most important tool. Thanks again and good luck!
Laurentia asks: Dear Dr. Luray, As a dissertator in Art History (currently playing "Art Sleuth" for my dissertation), I am thrilled to be able to turn on my television and see you playing a vital role on this team. My specialty is 16th and 17th century N. European painting and graphics - may I ask what area of art you found most compelling? Also, will the team ever attempt a mystery outside of the U.S.?
Elyse says: Thank you for your interest in our show. I would love to know more about work with paintings. You may be surprised by my favorite area of art, is popular culture. I love stuff, old stuff that relates to the culture of America at that time period. I especially love anything relating to the old west, including cowboys and Indians. My home is a crosss between vintage Marx Bros. movie posters to vintage animation art to Navajo weaving to old wooden trade signs! For graphics, I love the work from the late part of the 19th Century. I think the lithography from that time period is so beautiful. Thanks for your note. Enjoy your work...
Chris asks: I have written to President's Nixon, Reagan, Ford, and GW Bush. I have received letters but wonder if the signatures are real. How would I check?
Elyse says: Believe it or not the best place to start is the auction houses. You should send a copy of your signatures to Christies, Sothebys, Skinner (Boston) and Swann (New York). Also try looking on www.gottahaveit.com. You can also compare your signatures to auction catalogues and reference books found in a local library. Good luck!
Doreen asks: Why did you not wear gloves while working with the Firestone archives? I was relieved to see them in the next segment, but isn't/shouldn't that be Standard Operating Procedure?
Gwen says: Dear Doreen, many people have raised this question. In fact, archivists know that, with most documents, gloves are more likely than not to cause damage, since they prevent the subtle sensitivity of touch. (The major exceptions are "sacred" documents, such as important papers in the National Archives, and some documents that are more than 300 years old.) In addition, it's a choice that each institution makes, largely having to do with the kinds of documents they preserve and the kinds of people who might use them. The Firestone Collection is a business archive in a research university. Research libraries have deliberated these choices and, with rare exceptions, they almost always ask for care - and sometimes direct supervision - on the part of researchers, rather than white gloves. That's why you'll see some collections where we wear gloves, and others where we don't. So, it's a good question to ask. Thanks for your interest.
Di asks: What was the last year Sears Homes were available? Thanx. Love this program.
Gwen says: I'm really pleased to hear that you like the program. The Sears house segment was one of my favorites, since we unraveled a complex story in the course of doing many kinds of research. Sears produced its first "Modern Homes" catalogue in 1908. (A decade later they began giving the houses names, instead of just numbers. Their general catalogue, which began in 1893, had offered various building materials, but not house designs.) Sears closed the "Modern Homes" department in 1940. By the way, there were also many other American companies producing mail-order house-plans, beginning with George Barber in the 1880s, and the Aladdin Company began its "kit homes" in 1906. (Theirs lasted until 1981.) Thanks for your interest in History Detectives. Keep asking questions!
Ida asks: I wanted to know about the War Bond for the 3rd Liberty Loan. Are any of these bonds still in existence today and what is the value of these bonds?
Wes says: Dear Ida, Many Liberty Loan posters were produced in runs measured in the hundreds of thousands, and many have survived in pristine condition. Most are of relatively modest value.
Keith asks: How did she get the autopsy pictures if the only contact with the medical examiner was two weeks before? And with 137 bullet holes in the car how many times did 6 men reload or did they have extra guns?
Wes says: Dear Keith, The six-man posse did not, in fact, reload their weapons. They used automatic rifles and one Colt 45 semi-automatic pistol. Remember, the bullets that Lacy (the Medical Examiner) examined were test fired from a Colt semi-automatic recovered from the Bonnie and Clyde "death car." At the time, Bonnie's sister, Billie Mace, was awaiting prosecution for the murder of the highway patrolmen who were killed about two weeks before Bonnie and Clyde were killed. These murders (the patrolmen) were initially pinned on Billie - test firing of the "Death Car" gun showed they were killed by Bonnie and Clyde. Lacy undoubtedly received the photos about the time that B and C were killed, while he was working on the ballistics test.
Danielle asks: I was wondering if you could tell me who created the pictures in Truth magazine of the women playing football? I really like it and would like to look for a copy and it would help to know the artist's name.
Elyse says: The artist was Walter Granville Smith. Truth Magazines are hard to find, but he was a very prolific artist during his time! Good luck with the hunt!!!!!
Sue Anne asks: The story about the small clay head found in New Jersey, is there a value given to a piece like that?
Elyse says: Although we do not discuss value on the History Detectives, I will give you some idea of the price. The face is very rare in the United States, yet as the professor showed us, there are many faces in Mexico. This would decrease the value of the price to less then $1000.
Cassandra asks: I work in the research department at a large Museum and my colleagues and I all love your show. We were wondering whether you ever come across an investigation that turns out to be a real dud - starts with nothing, leads nowhere, etc.
Gwen says: Your question is certainly on the mark! Yes, we spend a lot of time doing preliminary investigations and even filming (but not with a whole crew) on stories that don't pan out, even after turning away 90% of the suggestions that come in. Certainly museum staff all know that funny combination of owners' wishful thinking on the one hand and a lack of possible sources or leads on the other. We've tried to keep some of this ambiguity in the program, reminding viewers that historical research and even historical knowledge is inevitably in a state of flux that new information can turn up or old, respected sources can be disproved. Some viewers and reviewers seem annoyed about this, but that response probably makes it all the more important to bring forward the exciting, frustrating, and ongoing quality of historical research. Thanks for your enthusiasm about the show. Best, Gwendolyn Wright
Kevin asks: My question is H.D. doing a show on a historical mystery in Frederick County, Maryland? I'm not too far from the area and I quite intrigued about it.
Gwen says: Hello, Kevin. I hope you enjoyed the first episode of H.D. We are doing a story about a house in Reliance, Md., right on the Delaware border, in the segment on the Washington, D.C., area. A historical plaque outside, put up in the 1930s, says it was the house of the infamous Patty Cannon, who kidnapped free people of color and sold them back into slavery in the 1820s.
Elyse, what is the most significant discovery that you've unearthed?
When I was working for Christie's Auction house I visited the battlefield where Custer had his last stand. Jason Pitt, an owner of some property on the Battle of Little Bighorn, unearthed a copper plate with a carved sketch on it. After some research we determined that the sketch was a ledger drawing, engraved by a Sioux Indian, recording the fight (this would be similar to an American solider keeping a diary). The drawing was so beautiful and you could see the warrior was trying to tell a story. It was very easy to interpret. The copper plate was probably from a bucket or pan from the Sioux campsite. It's amazing to think that we found somebody's eyewitness account to the Battle of Little Bighorn and that it survived over a hundred years in the ground.
Gwen, what's the best thing about your job?
The people are the best thing about this job. Every story has us all working closely together, pushing ourselves and each other to find the best ways to understand the complexities of history and explain these to a general audience. This includes the people we've interviewed, too. I deeply appreciate their curiosity about the past and, when it reveals something difficult, even painful, their ability to proceed with their lives, creating alternative futures.
Wes, what is the most surprising discovery you have ever made?
During my visit to the Bienville Parish, Louisiana, courthouse I had the privilege of examining the original notes made by the coroner who examined the bullet-riddled bodies of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker. Most authors who have written about the doomed desperadoes quote directly from these notes. To my surprise, within a matter of seconds, I discovered that not only had researchers misread these notes and missed key forensic information, but they also missed that the notes were probably compiled by two different people!
Elyse, are you often surprised by what you find?
As an appraiser on the Antiques Roadshow, I often find amazing things that always surprise me. When we were taping in New York, I had a person bring me some boxing memorabilia that they found in an old cabin in upstate New York. When they were remodeling their kitchen, they found boxing gloves, shoes and a championship belt hidden behind a nailed shut cupboard. I and another sports memorabilia appraiser began researching the property and realized that Joe Louis, the famous boxer, was the original owner of the cabin! Not only were the owners surprised about the provenance of the memorabilia but they were thrilled to know that Joe Louis once lived in the home that they just bought!
Tukufu, if you could go back in time to solve a historical riddle, who would you want to meet?
Jesus Christ, Moses, Buddha, Muhammad, Harriet Tubman, Isis, Mary (Mother of Jesus), Malcolm X, John Brown, Gandhi, Joan of Arc, Saartjiie Baartman and Josephine Baker.
Wes, how would you become a history detective?
You know, there aren't any colleges that offer a degree in being a "History Detective!" Probably wise, however, since the demand in the real world isn't huge! But, a good liberal arts education always helps. This isn't to suggest that one needs to have a college degree. Probably the key element is simply an innate desire to want to KNOW. Over the course of my career, I've met plenty of folks who are great detectives, and they all share a couple of common characteristics: they're naturally inquisitive and don't give up when they run into roadblocks.
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