Antiques Roadshow

GUEST

Well, this is a portrait. It's my great-great- grandmother. It was in my grandparents' house for years and passed down through the family, my dad, and now it's... hanging in my home.

APPRAISER

And where did your great-great-grandmother live?

GUEST

She was born in Essex, Connecticut, and that's all I know other than the year, I believe it was 1836.

APPRAISER

Essex, Connecticut, is located on the Connecticut shoreline. It's about halfway between New Haven and New London. This is a primitive portrait. It's an oil on canvas that was done by an itinerant artist. We have not been able to identify the hand yet.

GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

So we need to do a little research. This child is two to three years old, so we're looking at a portrait that was done about 1838. And she's just glorious. It's what you want in a portrait, and it's what you want in a child's portrait. We see that she's wearing this wonderful coral necklace. And she's just decked out. She has two coral bracelets, and she's dangling yet another coral necklace. Coral, gold, all expensive commodities back in the 1830s. So they are displaying and showing that they are a wealthy family. We love the blue dress-- it's one of the great colors when it comes to a child's portrait. Red is exciting, blue is also exciting. This wonderful vase of flowers. I love the blend of going from light to a darker shade. There is some damage that has been repaired very professionally, and I think very well done.

GUEST

Well, I'm glad it was done.

APPRAISER

Yeah, this painting has not been over-cleaned. And you can see a slight line there.

GUEST

Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER

But the key here is nothing in the face. The face is untouched, all original, it's wonderful. When it comes to not identifying the artist who did it, you get to a point where you look at it and you say, "It doesn't matter."

GUEST

Wow, okay.

APPRAISER

Because it's so terrific, and that's what people are buying now. They're buying the portrait, and the image of the girl is just extraordinary. So what we're going to do today is put a conservative retail value on it.

GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

In the neighborhood of $20,000 to $25,000.

GUEST

Oh my goodness.

APPRAISER

And I really feel that I'm being conservative here, and that we will be able to actually identify the artist.

GUEST

Oh, my gosh. Okay. Oh, wow.

APPRAISER

So we're thrilled that you brought it today.

GUEST

Well, thank you for that wonderful news. I am, like, thrilled about this. And I will continue to enjoy this. It's just such a nice piece.