• Connect with us
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  • Our Sponsors

Discovering America’s Hidden Treasures ™
On Tour
Watch
Special Features
Appraisals Archive 
Appraisers 
 Shop
    Quick links
  • Learn more about ROADSHOW's 2022 Tour
  • 2022 Tour Complete Rules
  • 2022 Tour FAQs
  • Past Event: Nashville, TN — May 10, 2022
  • Past Event: Boise, ID — May 31, 2022
  • Past Event: Santa Fe, NM — June 14, 2022
  • Past Event: Woodside, CA — June 22, 2022
  • Past Event: Shelburne, VT — July 12, 2022
On Tour

On Tour

Things We Commonly See at ROADSHOW

Things We Commonly See at ROADSHOW

FAQs

FAQs

    Quick links
  • Watch Episodes Online
  • TV Schedule
  • Best Moments of Season 25
  • Best Moments of Season 24
  • Best Moments of Season 23
  • Best Moments of Season 22
  • Cities from Past Seasons
  • About Executive Producer Marsha Bemko
  • Roadshow's Editorial Policy
Watch | RECUT: Desert Botanical Garden, Part 2

Watch | RECUT: Desert Botanical Garden, Part 2

Watch | Hotel del Coronado, Hour 3

Watch | Hotel del Coronado, Hour 3

Watch | RECUT: Desert Botanical Garden, Part 1

Watch | RECUT: Desert Botanical Garden, Part 1

    Quick links
  • Detours Podcast
  • Video "RoadShorts"
  • Roadshow Topics — Endangered Species
  • Roadshow Topics — Sports Appraisals
  • Roadshow Topics — Best Moments
  • Roadshow Topics — Staff Picks
  • For Teachers
  • AR "Extras" Newsletter Sign-up
Article | Understanding Rosewood Regulations

Article | Understanding Rosewood Regulations

Link | Meet Celia Birtwell

Link | Meet Celia Birtwell

Article | The History and Legacy Surrounding "The Well of Loneliness"

Article | The History and Legacy Surrounding "The Well of Loneliness"

  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

WPA Silkscreen Posters, ca. 1940

Value (2018) | $6,000 Auction – $9,000 Auction
Watch  

GUEST:
I realize that they are from the WPA period, the 1930s, here in America. And they were part of a group of posters that became available to me through two elderly ladies who had taught at the Art Institute of Chicago.

APPRAISER:
They are, in fact, the work of the WPA, from Chicago. And each one of the posters says, "The WPA Art Project," either Chicago or, in some case, it'll say Illinois. Only two of these posters are signed. And to be honest, the names that are on them are not particularly major names. These are all from 1936 to 1941. The WPA employed over 5,000 artists, and they produced thousands and thousands and thousands of posters. It was the way for unemployed artists in America during the Depression to find some work. It was a really, a great program that benefited America as a whole. And a lot of the WPA posters concentrated around cultural events. And that's largely what we have here. We have National Art Week. We have Understanding the Arts. We have a poster that encourages people to read more. Now, they're all silkscreens. All of those posters were actually printed on board, and this is why very few of them have survived. Silkscreen actually scratches very easily. You can see a few scratches in this image, but not, not so bad. You've kept these in really good condition. And usually with WPA posters, the board will crack, or the images will get scratched, so very few of them have survived. This poster dates from 1940. This poster dates from 1941. Now, the Library of Congress has the largest collection of WPA posters in America, with over 900 images. But I have to tell you, in the ten years that I've been conducting poster auctions, I have never seen so many WPA posters at once.

GUEST:
Oh!

APPRAISER:
But I usually see one at a time. If I'm lucky, in a great year, I'll see three at a time. But here we're showing five of them. You have another one here. So a total of six.

GUEST:
Plus about three or four or five more that I don't have with me.

APPRAISER:
These posters have become so popular in America now, I would estimate, at auction, as a group, the six pieces that we have here at $10,000 to $15,000.

GUEST:
Oh, my!

APPRAISER:
A really extraordinary slice of graphic Americana.

GUEST:
Well, that is very exciting news.

Support provided by: Learn more

Appraisal Details

Appraiser
Nicholas D. Lowry
Prints & Posters
Swann Auction Galleries
New York, NY
Update (2018)
$6,000 Auction – $9,000 Auction
Appraised value (2005)
$10,000 Auction – $15,000 Auction
Featured In
Houston, Hour 3 (#1006)
Vintage Houston (#2319)
Event
Houston, TX (July 16, 2005)
Category
Prints & Posters
Period
20th Century
Form
Poster
Material
Paper

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.

More on This Appraisal

Article
WPA: Putting Art to Work
More from PBS

Benjamin Franklin

Get to know one of the 18th century's most influential figures.

Now Hear This | Great Performances

Discover the secret histories of some of the greatest music ever written.

Putin's Road to War

Explore what led to Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine.

"I know there's a lot of envious people hearing that story..." Antiques Roadshow on Facebook

What’s inside the case?

@RoadshowPBS on Instagram

William Austin Burt patented the U.S.'s first "typographer” on July 23 in 1829. 110 year later came this "The Gold Royal" typewriter… @RoadshowPBS

We're soaking up the story behind this @LeslieKeno appraisal! #antiquesroadshow @RoadshowPBS

  • Connect with us
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  • ABOUT ROADSHOW
  • Schedule
  • Contact Us
  • Credits
  • Press
  • For Teachers
  • Telephone Scam Warning
  • Roadshow Imitators Warning
  • Doing Business with Appraisers
  • Our Sponsors
  • Our Funders
  • Corporate Sponsorship

Funding for ANTIQUES ROADSHOW is provided by Ancestry, and American Cruise Lines. Additional funding is provided by public television viewers.

Produced By

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW is a trademark of the BBC and is produced for PBS by GBH under license from BBC, Worldwide. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. ©1997 – 2022 WGBH Educational Foundation.

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Policy
  • Copyright
Subscribe Hide  ×

A weekly collection of previews, videos, articles, interviews, and more!