Our Day with Ken Farmer (Antiques Roadshow)

What an exciting day we knew this would be!  Hubby and I had been planning this little trip for awhile; it would be a day trip but it would be time spent together, alone, and we would get to meet KEN FARMER! He gives free appraisals between the hours of 1:00 and 4:00 on the third Wednesday of each month.   We had seen him many times on Antiques Roadshow and knew he would give us fair appraisals on some of our valuables.  He's located in Radford, Virginia - only about two hours from our home!

 

Although it rained the entire way there, stopped for a few minutes when we were in town and stormed the entire way back, the trip was still enjoyable.  This, I can say because I slept at least half the way there and half the way back.

  

Once inside, we signed in, found some seats and wandered around the place to see what others had brought and take a look at some of the things that he would be selling in an upcoming auction.

Want to see what we brought?  

He asks that you restrict your items to "two to three per person".  So, we decided to go with artwork and this ephemera:   Some of these items date back to the late 1800's.  Can you read the notes for monies received for land purchase?  (I've started a special album for you to download, if you want to use any of them for artwork, etc.  I'll be adding individual advertisements, etc.)  I knew these history records would be worth at least a couple hundred dollars.

   Hubby saw a similar airlines poster advertisement on the Antiques Roadshow just a couple days ago.  That one was worth about $2200.  Ours is a copy, but he figured it, too, would have surprising value.  

We've had this original watercolor in our collection.  The artist's name is Carolyn McTighe.  I googled her name and found someone with that name who writes children's books but couldn't find any info about her watercolors.  This is signed in pencil. 

Remember our zebra picture?  The early work by David Shepherd?  This piece is encased in a special frame and we didn't want to do anything to devalue this original.  His prints are selling in London's Christies for over $30,000.  And, that's for more recent works done in the '80's and

'90s.  This one is signed and dated 1967.  It was important that we know how much to insure it for.  

  

Finally, we have this mounted original Samoan tapa cloth.  It's hand done and is another piece we've had for several years.

So, were we surprised at the huge values of our items?  I'll say!!!!

First, the ephemera:  It's valuable only to a collector of such local items.  The amount they would pay would probably be minimal.  In other words, don't take the time to tuck it into a safe deposit box and rely on it to pay for education of my grandchildren.

The airlines poster?  A recent copy, but someone might shell out $15 or $20 for it.

The appraisers did some research on the Carolyn McTighe watercolor.  It was agreed that it was an attractive piece.  She hasn't shown in any of the major art museums.  Not yet, anyway.  The value was approximated at $400 - $450.  

The tapa cloth is worth about $300; however, it is difficult to find anyone who knows what it is in this area (per the fine arts appraiser).  In other words, it's a very nice piece, it has some value, but good luck finding someone who has an appreciation for tapa cloth.  Someone besides me, that is.

Finally, our David Shepherd masterpiece.  Our one investment that would enable us to take a wonderful cruise around the world:  Well, it isn't an original piece, as we thought it would be.  (It sure looks original...)  Rather, it's a copy of a print.  More than that, it's a blown-up copy of a print.  The frame is worth about $75 - $80.

And, as they say at the end of the Roadshow, "We had lots of fun!"