ECONOMY & WORK
MONEY 101
NEWS
PERSONAL FINANCE
NET WORTH
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use DMCA Opt-out of personalized ads
© Copyright 2023 Market Realist. Market Realist is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.
MARKETREALIST.COM / NEWS

'Antiques Roadshow' guest loses her balance as expert reveals the staggering value of her painting

The guest who expected the item to be worth $1,500 was visibly shocked after learning its true value.
PUBLISHED JAN 14, 2025
Screenshot from the episode showing the guest and expert with the painting (Cover image source: YouTube | Antiques Roadshow)
Screenshot from the episode showing the guest and expert with the painting (Cover image source: YouTube | Antiques Roadshow)

The priceless PBS series, Antiques Roadshow has a reputation for knocking off antiques owners off their feet with astonishing appraisals. What's even more fascinating is that the guests often don't know much about the items or the great stories that experts share. In one such case, a guest lost her balance after learning the value of an old painting that was passed down in her family. 

Screenshot showing the expert, the painting and the guest (Image source: YouTube/PBS Antiques Roadshow)
Screenshot showing the expert, the painting and the guest (Image source: YouTube/PBS Antiques Roadshow)

In the episode, the guest brought a beautiful painting for valuation by expert Betty Krulik. She shared that she got permission from her dying aunt to keep the painting and get it checked out by experts. "About six years ago, my aunt was dying of cancer but she invited family members to come through her home and choose whatever they'd like to have", she explained. She further added that her aunt had the final say over who would get what.

Screenshot showing a close up of the painting
Screenshot showing a close up of the painting (Image source:YouTube/PBS Antiques Roadshow)

"I was immediately drawn to this painting and Aunt Marge said: 'Good eye'," the guest added. She explained that her aunt knew the artist, Olin Travis, personally and she commissioned him for the painting. "She wanted to help him out, so she gave him $75 plus $15 a month to do this painting for her," she said. Thus, she paid a total of $275 for the painting, the guest said.

While the guest had some idea about the artwork, Krulik provided some further insight into the artist. "Olin Travis was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, he went to the Chicago Art Institute School, graduated in 1914, and became a teacher there," the expert explained.

Screenshot showing the expert talking about the painting (Image source: YouTube/PBS Antiques Roadshow)
Screenshot showing the expert talking about the painting (Image source: YouTube/PBS Antiques Roadshow)

She then shared that Travis moved back to Dallas in 1921 where he fell in love with a girl from the Ozarks in about 1923, and eventually married her. "Working in Dallas, he decided to open a summer art school and created an art colony in the Ozarks in about 1926," Krulik added saying that it was a special time for the artist. Coming back to the painting, the expert revealed that it was an oil painting on Masonite. She explained that artists only started using the material in the 1930s, so the painting would be from around 1947. She further noted that it was from Travis as he had signed the painting "OT" in the lower left corner, at the bottom.

Screenshot showing the artist's signature on the painting (Image source: YouTube/PBS Antiques Roadshow)
Screenshot showing the artist's signature on the painting (Image source: YouTube/PBS Antiques Roadshow)

The expert revealed that the painting had the precious "Trifecta" which added to the value. "It’s got perfect provenance, it’s in excellent condition in its original frame and it’s a really good subject matter for the artist," she added. 

Screenshot showing the details of the painting (Image source: YouTube/PBS Antiques Roadshow)
Screenshot showing the details of the painting (Image source:YouTube/PBS Antiques Roadshow)

She further explained that most of Travis' market is in Dallas because that's where he's known. However, the Arkansas subject matter of the painting stood out to the expert. Krulik finally suggested that if the painting was to be insured, the amount should be no less than $10,000. 

Screenshot showing the guest's reaction (Image source: YouTube/PBS Antiques Roadshow)
Screenshot showing the guest's reaction (Image source: YouTube/PBS Antiques Roadshow)

The guest was visibly shocked evaluation, as she staggered slightly and held on to the painting's stand for balance. “I did not expect that! Whoa, holy cow! That takes my breath away, good Lord," she said. Krulik replied, “She was right, you do have a good eye.”



 

In the end, the expert asked the woman how much she expected the painting to be worth. The guest revealed that she was expecting to hear about $1,500, thus, her reaction was justified.

MORE ON MARKET REALIST
The guest who paid $7,000 for the collection was delighted to get a hefty return.
8 hours ago
The 30-year retired veteran literally "aced" the card game to win a brand new Kia car.
9 hours ago
The guest was beyond delighted to find out that her grandmother's gift was worth thousands.
11 hours ago
The item was a sculpture made by Noah Purifoy Watts using nothing but debris.
1 day ago
The guest was flabbergasted to learn the value of her family's most prized possession.
1 day ago
The guest who inherited Harry Bertoia sculpture was beyond delighted to find out its true value.
2 days ago
It wasn't just a coat but a 'grand piece of history' that ended up on Harrison's table.
2 days ago
The painting rescued by the guest's father later turned out to be worth five figures.
2 days ago
The guest who collected the items over 40 years was delighted by the nearly six-figure appraisal.
3 days ago
The guest broke down in tears after finding out that her favorite memorabilia was a rare artifact.
3 days ago
The guests were astonished to find out how valuable their father's memorabilia was.
4 days ago
Gibbons was shocked to see the suit that he had lost on an airplane decades ago.
4 days ago
Many who didn't like Seacrest at first seemed to have come around through the season.
6 days ago
The guest couldn't believe her ears when she heard that her old gift from a friend was worth $10,000.
6 days ago
The presentation from the founders of "Bear Minimum" managed to move multiple Sharks.
6 days ago
While the expert on the BBC show did his duty of sharing an appraisal, the guest did not budge.
6 days ago
Fans couldn't believe how quickly the contestant solved the Bonus Round puzzle.
7 days ago
The entrepreneur was called a clever negotiator by all sharks although most of them dropped out.
7 days ago
The guest was in tears after learning that her family's prized possession was worth over $100,000.
7 days ago
The guest got incredibly lucky to find a Benny Andrews painting while looking at junk.
7 days ago