Even though he was young, he was doing very well at such an interesting hobby. A young collector found a painting at a junk auction and knew that he had to have it. He had a good feeling about it and willingly paid $2 for it. Despite what his intuition told him, the real value of the portrait still came as a shock.
Special Interview
In 2013, appraiser David Weiss met one of the most special guests to ever grace the set of Antique Roadshow. He had no idea that this was the case at the time. Fans of the show mostly knew Weiss as the expert in the arts. Who was the young man that he was up against anyway?
Special Interview
A Knowledgeable Person
On the American version of the reality TV show, Weiss made a name for himself as an expert in drawings and paintings. He had prior experience in a number of auction houses. At the time, there was a young man sitting in front of him. Despite this youth, the boy looked as calm as he could be.
A Knowledgeable Person
Antique Trader
It is awesome to hear about children who get into interesting hobbies at such a young age. This young man was on the show because of a painting that he bought. He thought it was a fascinating piece, but he did not know anything else about it. The boy brought it to the show to have it appraised.
Antique Trader
Essential Part
If you are an appraiser, it is part of your job to learn more about the object. There is no way you can make a fair evaluation, after all. This will allow you to assess the object and see what state it is in. When its history is murky, you will also have to dig deeper and conduct research of your own.
Essential Part
Following The Standard Procedure
There are many appraisers on Antique Roadshow. They all followed the same steps in the general sense. Over the years, a lot of people have appeared on the show. Everyone followed the same process, more or less. In the end, the best pieces were the ones that came with a great story.
Following The Standard Procedure
Two-Dollar Painting
The show was shot in Richmond, Virginia. This young guest did not live in the area, so he had to travel for the appraisal of his painting. There is nothing strange about this at all. It is always good to get a second opinion, especially if you are still an amateur. This will allow you to find out its real value.
Two Dollar Painting
Worth It Or Not?
When you go to a thrift store, you will find a lot of valuable items sold for lower than their real value. In those places, they do not have the manpower to individually assign the prices. The young boy on the show needed help to determine the real value of the painting. Could Weiss lend him a hand with this?
Worth It Or Not?
Traveling Appraiser Docu-Series
Antique Roadshow made its debut in 1979. It started out as a documentary series about a traveling appraiser and antique appreciator. This was a hit, and it has since branched out. For one thing, there have been many versions of it on the air. We want you to focus on the American version this time.
Traveling Appraiser Docu-Series
Antique Enthusiast
We are glad that the young man knew what he was getting himself into. No doubt, he must have been honored to appear on Antiques Roadshow. After all, not everyone gets to appear as a guest on a TV show and talk about their passion in life! It must have been very exciting for him.
Antique Enthusiast
European Art And History
David Weiss made a name for himself with his expertise in European art. He has been in this field for over three decades by now. The topics that he considers his forte would be 19th and 20th century European art works. Aside from statues and sculptures, he is also an expert in paintings.
European Art And History
Skilled Man
David Weiss also knew a lot about Oriental rugs. With these things in mind, it is not hard to see why he was the one called on to meet the boy. His experience clearly suited the appraisal of the painting in question. He was the one who was in the best position to give it a price.
Skilled Man
SVP AT Auction House
David Weiss, together with the other appraiser on the show, participated in the dealings himself. This is not his primary job, however. That one would be at the Freeman Auction House. In the company, he is serving as the Senior Vice President. This is an appropriate position for someone of his standing.
SVP AT Auction House
A Professor
This is the same title that he held when he worked in the capital of the nation. David Weiss learned plenty of things during the time that he spent in Washington, D.C. He might be good at his job, but he has another vocation. He also teaches business-related subjects at Drexel University in Philadelphia!
A Professor
Most Rewarding Experience
David Weiss is always happy when he found a unique item at auctions. He has talked about his job on the website of Freeman’s Auction House. “For me, the most rewarding experiences as an auction house appraiser are the happy, unexpected ‘discoveries’ that originate from private collectors and estates. The best and most memorable of these ‘finds’ have resulted in massively successful prices realized,” he said. How exciting must that be? These are the sort of experiences that make him love his field even more!
Most Rewarding Experience
Evaluating The Item
On the show, people would bring their finds to have it be appraised and evaluated by someone in the biz. David Weiss, as usual, talked to the young guest before he named a price for the painting. He kicked off the interview by asking the youngster what he could say about the work of art in question.
Evaluating The Item
Young Man’s Passion
David Weiss began the interview by paying the young man a compliment: “You must be the youngest collector that I’ve seen.” When he heard this, the boy smiled and agreed, “I think so.” It was already amazing to have such a young boy on the show, but Weiss was even more impressed by his poise!
Young Man’s Passion
Convincing His Parents
The boy knew that he had to act once he found out that the show was taped in Richmond, Virginia. After learning about this, he talked to his parents in the hopes that they would take him there. The boy really wanted to persuade them because he thought he would receive a hundred bucks for the painting.
Convincing His Parents
Ultimately Agreeing
He must have been over the moon when his parents said yes! The family lived in South Jersey, so they had to drive from there all the way to Richmond, Virginia. It is clear that he had supportive parents. Lucky! They even chose a bright red shirt that the boy could wear during his guest appearance.
A Thrilling Experience
The boy was happy that they took him to the show. He was only an amateur, so it was a huge honor for him to appear on Antiques Roadshow. The truth was that he was a budding collector in his own right. The painting is not the only treasure that he has found during his adventures.
His Favorite Objects To Collect
David Weiss was surprised to hear that. It turns out that the young man had been collecting items for some time already. He asked the boy what sort of things he would buy. This was what the youngster had to tell the professional appraiser: “I like glass, sterling silver, and art.”
His Favorite Objects To Collect
Passion For Antiques
Weiss wanted to hear more things about these items. It was intriguing to hear how much knowledge about the industry the young boy had. On top of that, it was evident that he was passionate about collecting based on his voice alone. Without a single doubt, the young man loved collecting antiques!
Passion For Antiques
His Most Loved Antique
The boy had no problems answering all the questions that the appraiser had for him. He displayed a lot of knowledge about the subject matter. This youngster shared that the item in his collection that he liked best was a silver serving platter. Wow. That is quite an unusual choice for someone his age!
His Most Loved Antique
“Junk Auction”
David Weiss was blown away by the answers he got from the young man. He wanted to hear how someone of that age could be this interested in antiques. “Where do you find this stuff?” the professional asked the amateur. The boy replied that he would go to “a junky auction” in his South Jersey hometown.
Junk Auction
Different From Him
It was amazing to see how well this young boy was doing in the field. David Weiss made a couple of assumptions about the youngster after hearing these things. For one thing, he thought that the boy found it hard to sell his treasures. In the end, he turned out to be very wrong about this.
Different From Him
Keeping The Items
David Weiss clearly wanted to hear more about this boy, who had such a lot of passion for antiques. The appraiser asked the young man if he liked to keep the items from the junk auction. The truth is that more mature and experienced antiques collectors approach this kind of thing very differently than their younger counterparts do.
Keeping The Items
Antique Collectors
By that, we mean that plenty of older collectors only hold onto their things for the value. In general, they do not mind parting ways with these items if the price is right. On the other hand, kids like to keep their treasures to themselves. For them, these things carry more sentimental value than anything else!
Antique Collectors
Selling Online
This explains why David Weiss was surprised to hear what the young man had to say. The boy replied, “I like to sell them online.” It was clear that the appraiser was shocked to hear this. He even repeated, “You like to sell them?” We bet that he did not expect to see a child who can do such a grown-up thing.
Selling Online
Unforgettable Guest
David Weiss was shocked when he heard this bit of information. This was the only time that he had ever heard of a child who dealt in antiques like that! With this, the boy cemented himself as one of the most unforgettable guests to appear on the show. It only increased his fascination with the young man.
Unforgettable Guest
Business Minded
What else would he learn about the young man? David Weiss really wanted to see what the young man had to say about the items that he collected. Did this child sell them or keep them at home? The professional appraiser asked, “Have you made a lot of money selling silver, you’d say?” When he asked this, he did not expect that the guest would answer this question with a lot of enthusiasm. The young man replied that he would wait until September to sell silver since its price was best during that time of the year! It was a great way to demonstrate that he was serious about what he did.
Business Minded
Gathering Information
But how did the young man even find the painting in the first place? David Weiss wanted to hear the boy talk about it some more. We doubt that you know a child who knows this much about art and antiques! He guessed that the boy found the painting at a garage sale and went with his gut.
Gathering Information
A Piece Of Painting
The young guest explained that his father accompanied him to a junk auction at some point in the summer. This was where he found the painting! Its price had only been two bucks. He actually had to convince his father not to go home yet just so he could buy it for himself.
A Piece Of Painting
On The Sunny Side
The young man shared, “This piece was found at an auction down South Jersey. It was so hot there, my dad didn’t wasn’t to stay to get it, but I wanted to.” It is incredible to think that he got his hands on it for only two dollars. He placed his bid and won.
On The Sunny Side
A Significant Story
As soon as he saw it, he knew that the painting would come with a fascinating story. Was he right about that? At first, it was very difficult since the information he had was very limited. It was hard for someone his age to conduct a research like that. This was the reason he asked the show for help!
Is It Valuable?
Was it really a special painting? If you are not familiar with the art world, we doubt that you would pay special attention to it. In reality, he only looks like a regular painting. It was a good thing that the child saw that it was a unique work of art! David Weiss was impressed that he picked up on this.
Is It Valuable?
Mother And Child
When he inspected the painting, the professional appraiser took note of various details. For one thing, David Weiss said that it was painted with normal earth tones. Its concept revolved around a mother sitting on a chair with a child sitting on a lower one. There was nothing unusual about this part of the process, but there was something about it that frustrated the young man. What could it be?
Mother And Child
Testing The Boy
As he listened to the boy tell the story, David Weiss was impressed. It was amazing to hear what this young boy had to say about art and antiques. The child managed to deliver all the answers with sharpness and clarity. Aside from that, he bid on an item that would not have interested a lot of people.
Expert In Arts
Expert In Arts
The young man shared that he noticed the medium of the painting right away. It did not take him long to figure out that it was made with watercolor. Even so, he had a hard time feeling the brushstrokes and the like. After all, the painting was obscured by a layer of glass. Luckily, this is where David Weiss steps in.
Expert In Arts
Skill In Appraising
We are glad that the boy stuck with what his gut told him. For one thing, he was correct about the medium used for it. Indeed, it was painted with watercolor. He might have been young, but it was wrong to underestimate his skills in the industry. Without a doubt, he was far wiser than his real age.
Skill In Appraising
The Only Problem
Basically, there was just one problem in his way. It was all about his lack of experience in the industry. If it were not for this, he would not have to go on the show. By this point, the professional appraiser had other questions for him to consider. Weiss wanted to push the boy in the right direction!
The Only Problem
Improve The Child’s Talent
After taking a look at the painting, Weiss saw that there was something at the bottom. It was a big clue to the real value of the painting. The young boy was frustrated since he could not figure out the second half of the artist’s signature. With his background, the professional appraiser figured it out in no time at all. He did not just tell the young man about the value. It was a great opportunity to teach him a thing or two about art appraisal. Weiss asked the young man to talk about the painting some more.
Improve The Child’s Talent
Real Passion
They were getting close to revealing the real value of the painting. David Weiss asked the boy to talk about the portrait some more. He knew that this skill was going to come in handy in the future. As a professional, he recognized that the boy held a lot of potential. In the future, this was definitely a viable career path for the young man. It was clear that he was passionate about what he did.
Real Passion
Albert Neuhuys’ Painting
David Weiss asked the young man to describe the signature at the bottom of the painting. The boy did as asked, but he said that he could not fully figure out the last name of the artist. At this point, Weiss told him the answer. This was how the child and everyone in attendance knew it was by Albert Neuhuys.
Albert Neuhuys’ Painting
19th Century Painter
Albert Neuhuys was a painter who hailed from the Netherlands. He was born in the 19th century. According to David Weiss, he was one of those Dutch painters who painted scenes of home life. The painting in question was an example of this since it showed a mother and child duo at home. Back in the day, Neuhuys went to a Dutch artist colony called Laren School and studied alongside the likes of Jozef Israels and other artists. After leaving the country, he had to deal with a huge shift from a rural lifestyle to an urban one. This was also the period of time that he produced a lot of art.
19th Century Painter
Era Of Peaceful Painting
During his lifetime, Albert Neuhuys produced a lot of peaceful paintings. His main source of livelihood had been his art! Most of the time, he drew paintings that showed life inside the home. This was the case for the work of art that the boy brought to the show! It was a lovely painting of a mother sewing as her child peeked at the work that she was doing. What a sweet concept.
Era Of Peaceful Painting
Domestic Tasks
Aside from that, he liked to show domestic tasks in rural areas. He would also paint farmers as they went about their jobs. You will find a lot of his pieces in art museums! For some reason, this one was in the possession of a young boy. Not only that, but he paid two bucks for it.
Domestic Tasks
One Of The Dutch Painters
David Weiss, it goes without saying, knew more about painting than this young man did. This made a lot of difference since he knew more about the artist in question. Before he revealed the price of the work of art, he talked about the painter some more: “Neuhuys was one of the Dutch painters. He was born in 1844, and he died in 1914. I think your watercolor was probably done in the last quarter of the 19th century.” By then, everyone must have been coming up with various sums in their head. The young boy listened patiently to everything that Weiss had to say.
One Of The Dutch Painters
The Guessing Game
The antiques expert wanted to pick at the boy’s brain some more. He wanted to know how much the child thought it was worth. Now that he knew who the artist was, he had more information to take into consideration. Most of the time, people would go to the show because they thought an object was worth a lot of money. They are even willing to travel all the way to Virginia for this reason. Sadly, they typically overestimate its real cost. Was this also going to be the case for the young man? Let us find out.
The Guessing Game
What’s The Real Worth?
David Weiss turned to the child and asked, “How much do you think is worth?” This time, he wanted to test just how good the young man is at appraising items. It was a great way to see if the boy was on the right track. The guest spent a lot of time traveling from New Jersey to appear on the show. The moment of truth was finally approaching. He thought it over and gave it his best shot: “Hundred and fifty bucks.”
What’s The Real Worth
A Hundred And Fifty Short
“Hundred fifty bucks?” David Weiss repeated what the boy just said. He then went on, “I think it’s worth a hundred and fifty. I think it’s worth more than one hundred and fifty.” The boy was excited to hear this, but he let the appraiser continue. Everyone in attendance had been holding their breath. The professional appraiser did not let the suspense last a moment later. He told the guest, “Today, if your Alber Neuhuys watercolor came to an auction. It would probably sell for about $1000 to $1500.” The boy was shocked to hear this. It was evident that he was shocked to hear it was worth a “thousand.”
A Hundred And Fifty Short
That’s A Lot Of Money
After hearing this, the boy was only able to say, “Woah.” He did not guess that the painting would be worth that much money! Of course, it was a very welcome surprise. Even though he blew it, David Weiss knew that the boy had a natural talent for collecting. He told the guest that he could be a great appraiser in the future. Still in shock about the value of the painting, the boy replied, “That’s a lot of money.” He only paid two dollars for it, but he could now get a thousand bucks for the work of art.
That’s A Lot Of Money
Polishing His Talent
As you can imagine, the young guest was thrilled to hear this. David Weiss also told him, “So I think you’ve got a great career going as an art dealer. You should keep at it.” It must have been very flattering to hear this from an expert! The young man nodded and said, “I know.” He then added, “I think I’m going to be rich!” The professional appraiser agreed with him. As long as the young man worked on it, we are sure that he could make all of his dreams come true. We wish him the best of luck!
Polishing His Talent