This woman has had this painting since her grandmother passed. It belonged to her grandmother, who hung it right above her bed.
Her grandmother has had it since she was 19-years-old when her grandmother’s father gave it to her. The granddaughter believed it was given to her grandmother sometime during the 1940s.
She wasn’t sure if it was a painting or a photograph but when she opened it one day to get rid of a bug stuck inside, she closed it immediately.
It startled her how much it looked so real.
It had been appraised before in a general appraisal event in 1998 for $200 and in 2004 for $250. But it looked like they weren’t satisfied with the appraisal that’s why she brought it to the Antiques Roadshow on PBS.
Antiques Roadshow visits different US cities and features different stories of an appraisal. They feature local antique owners with their antique item to be appraised by an appraisal expert.
Tickets to get on the show are free so anyone can apply to get on the show. But the ones who get to be on the show are randomly selected.
If you’re not lucky enough to get on this show, there are still other ways to get free appraisals in your city or town.
Attend Appraisal Day At A Local Auction House
Is there an auction house near you? Call them and ask if they have scheduled free appraisal days and how to be part of it. They only include a limited number of items and individuals who can have this done so it’s always best to call in advance. An expert will examine each item brought in and offered an auction-value estimate, the projected amount the item would fetch at auction.
This is a verbal appraisal and there will be no report made indicating the value estimate. So make sure you have a pen and paper to write down information like that.
Visit A Major Local Antique Show
Search for antique shows in your area. If there are none, widen the search for the nearest major city. Call them first and ask if they offer professional appraisals. These appraisals are free but you need to buy a ticket to get inside. The projected value is also not written so make sure to have your pen and paper to write it down yourself.
Ask Antique Shops and Auction Houses
Befriend your local antique shop owner in the hopes that they may give you a free appraisal. Ask auction houses directly if they can give you an appraisal for free.
Attend a Visiting Appraisal Show
This includes shows like Antiques Roadshow. And that’s what this lady did.
She took this watercolor and gouache painting from American painter, Henry Francoise Farny. In his paintings, he always depicted the post-civil war era and the oppression of Native Americans.
He has at least 20 paintings recorded by auction houses, art museums, and heritage centers. And there could be more owned by unassuming owners who might believe it’s a print.
Similar to the situation with this lady.
Would you like to know what appraisal expert, Meredith Hilferty, valued this 1892 H. F. Farny Watercolor & Gouache Painting? Watch the video below to find out how much and how the granddaughter felt.
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