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Folk Art Oil Portrait, ca. 1800

Value (2021) | $8,000 Auction – $12,000 Auction
Watch  

GUEST:
This painting came into my husband's antique store in Norfolk, Virginia, about 20 years ago. A picker found it, um, in an old house they were tearing down in Norfolk, in the Ghent area. It was in really bad shape. It had tears, and it was really dark, and you couldn't see any of the background or anything on it, but it fascinated him. So he paid, um, $200 to the picker and he brought it home, and he said, "I think I can clean it." And I said "No, no, no, no, I don't think you can."

APPRAISER:
(chuckles)

GUEST:
So we ask around and we found an art teacher down in Suffolk, Virginia. She also restored fine art. So we took it down there to her, and she took a look at it and she said, "Oh, please sell me this painting. I must have it for my private collection." My husband, Larry, said, "No, my wife is very attached to it." She took the girls and she kept them for a year.

APPRAISER:
My goodness.

GUEST:
And she completely restored them.

APPRAISER:
What was the cost of having that done?

GUEST:
She charged us $700 to restore it.

APPRAISER:
You picked the right person, and I think that was more than fair. This is an oil painting on canvas, and I would date it between 1795 and as late as 1810. The style in which they're dressed, with these high-waisted white dresses, it's indicative of what was very much in the, in fashion in that period, and we assume they're sisters. We have decided without any doubt that the picture is of American origin, because this bow back Windsor chair that's in the background, that's an American form, not to be confused with an English Windsor chair. I suspect that these girls grew up in a family that had some money to spend. And oftentimes, portraits of young girls, they-- if they could afford it-- they would have their portraits painted, because there are a lot of children who never made it to adulthood. The mortality rate for children was very high. We might ask, "Why aren't these girls smiling?" We will rarely see portraits of, in the late 18th, early 19th century-- throughout the 19th century-- people usually weren't painted smiling. In this case, they look a little pensive, like they're serious-minded, well-behaved children. The picture is further enhanced by the fact that each young lady is wearing a coral necklace, and we think that's a carnelian in a gold frame, and these necklaces were considered a sign of good luck and a, an expression of wealth or opulence. So you might ask me, "Steve, who painted it?" I worked at it, and I consulted with a number of people-- in fact, some people who specialize in American folk portraiture. And they basically thought it was a terrific picture. They said the style in which it was painted doesn't direct us towards anyone in particular, but it doesn't make it any less attractive, that's for sure.

GUEST:
Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER:
Valuing it, we came up with a consensus. At auction, I would probably estimate it between $8,000 and $12,000.

GUEST:
I just love the girls, and so thank you so much.

APPRAISER:
Well, that makes two of us.

GUEST:
I really appreciate it. (both laugh)

Support provided by: Learn more

Appraisal Details

Appraiser
Stephen L. Fletcher
Clocks, Decorative Arts, Folk Art, Furniture
Bonhams Skinner, Inc.
Boston, MA
Appraised value (2021)
$8,000 Auction – $12,000 Auction
Featured In
Colonial Williamsburg, Hour 2 (#2614)
Event
Williamsburg, VA (September 28, 2021)
Category
Folk Art
Period
19th Century
Form
Portrait
Material
Oil

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.

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