Antiques Roadshow

GUEST

My husband and I actually went to an auction here in Louisville.

APPRAISER

Right.

GUEST

And walked through and saw the prints that we liked and I left the bidding up to him, and he came home with these.

APPRAISER

So you bought them all at one auction?

GUEST

Yes.

APPRAISER

And what did you pay for them?

GUEST

Between $500 to $1,000 for each one. I think this was the least expensive and that was the most expensive.

APPRAISER

And are you guys art collectors? Have you been collecting art for a while, or is this a...

GUEST

Nope, this is our whole collection.

APPRAISER

I love this group of prints because it illustrates to me, as an auction guy, the pleasures, but also the pitfalls, of buying at auction.

GUEST

(whimpers) (laughs)

APPRAISER

Now, you did well, let me tell you that. Let me start over here. This is a reproduction of a Rembrandt painting. It's a self-portrait of Rembrandt. And it's something that's done in the last 50 years.

GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

Doesn't have a whole lot of value.

GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

This is actually an original print. It's a color lithograph by Marc Chagall. Yet it's from a large edition, printed for a book, and, therefore, it doesn't have a lot of value, either. This is actually a reproduction of a pastel drawing by Degas. So, as a reproduction, it doesn't have a whole lot of value.

GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

It's pretty, but not valuable. This beach scene is a reproduction of a painting by Renoir. So, again, pretty, not terribly valuable.

GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

Now, the smallest one up here, which looks maybe the least impressive...

GUEST

Right.

APPRAISER

...is actually an original etching by Renoir.

GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

And it's a subject that he worked on in at least four different versions in print. It's the "Chapeau pingl," or "The Pinning of the Hat." And this is the first etched version of the "Chapeau pingl" that Renoir did. He made this print in the 1890s. And it's something that is not as common as the later versions.

GUEST

Oh, okay.

APPRAISER

Where he developed the theme more carefully, and as such, it's a little more scarce and has more value. Overall, you were saying you spent about $2,500 for the whole group, right?

GUEST

Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER

And when was this?

GUEST

Oh, not too long ago-- couple of years.

APPRAISER

Now, reproductions like these-- the Rembrandt, the Degas, and the Renoir-- they're just decorative; you know, maybe $50, $100 apiece, so...

GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

There you can see, you definitely overspent on those.

GUEST

Right, okay.

APPRAISER

The Chagall, it's more in line with what you should be paying at auction. That's probably in the neighborhood of about $500 to $700 at auction.

GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

And the good news, which I've been saving for last, is this little guy here. And, at auction, $4,000 to $6,000. Towards the high side for that.

GUEST

Wow!

APPRAISER

So, $4,000 to $6,000. Adding all that up, with that one print, you did well.

GUEST

Good.

APPRAISER

And I love that you went out and did this. You know, you went to auction; it's a gutsy thing to do if you're not in the field.

GUEST

Yeah.

APPRAISER

And you, basically, you bought with your eye, and that's, you know, that's just what you should do. But I think it also shows you that it's terribly important to know what you're buying, too.

GUEST

Yes.

APPRAISER

Like anywhere else, knowledge is power.

GUEST

Right.

APPRAISER

And that's so true at auctions, so...

GUEST

Is there any way to, to know, when we're looking at things, reproductions versus...

APPRAISER

A good way to tell a reproduction-- it's a general thing, and you can't always tell a reproduction this way-- is to hold a magnifying glass to it.

GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

And if you see a uniform pattern of dots, that is indicative of a reproduction.

GUEST

Okay.