Calligraphic Drawings, ca. 1885

Appraised on: June 22, 2002

Appraised in: Cleveland, Ohio

Appraised by: Carl Crossman

Category: Paintings & Drawings

Episode Info: Cats and Dogs (#1619)
Cleveland (#707)

Originally Aired: September 15, 2003

IMAGE: 1 of 3  

Appraisal Video: (1:49)

GUEST: When I was about 16 years old, my great-aunt was visiting, and she said that since I was one of the few in the family that really liked old things, she was going to give those to me. She explained to me that they were gifts given to her by somebody that was dating her at the time.

APPRAISER: Uh, did they ever marry?

GUEST: No, they didn't, nope.

APPRAISER: But she got to keep...

GUEST: She got to keep the paintings.

APPRAISER: These are calligraphic drawings that were done by professional drawing instructors who taught young ladies and schoolboys how to do this type of drawing that led into calligraphic writing and beautiful script. Now, what's particularly interesting about these is most of the ones we see are deer and eagle. I've been talking with people on the floor. We have never seen a cat.

GUEST: Really?

APPRAISER: And he's thoroughly delightful. This is what everybody would want in a calligraphic drawing. I mean, just look at the face, it's wonderful. And then on the other one, although we have an eagle, it's not a typical eagle. You don't usually see this wonderful little landscape vignette that's been included in it. So you have two of the most unusual drawings that I've ever seen, plus impeccable documentation. Sometimes we may get the artist's name, but we don't have the person they were given to. I would say on the cat, if I were to insure it, somewhere between $3,500 and $4,000. And the eagle, probably around $2,500 to $3,000.

GUEST: Oh, my.

APPRAISER: Yeah. But I'm telling you, these are the best.

GUEST: Wow.