'Antiques Roadshow' guest says he needs to 'make a phone call' after hearing the value of his artwork
"Antiques Roadshow" guests are usually clueless about the true value of the items in their possession, which is why unusual reactions are not new. But the response to such revelations can vary a lot. One guest was blown away by a six-figure appraisal for his family's prized possession. The owner of a John Falter illustration had some idea about the item's value before bringing it in. However, the show's expert, Alan Fausel, still amazed him in the end with a massive appraisal of $250,000. This prompted the guest to make a phone call and modify the insurance policy on the item.
The illustration called "The Driving Range," of people learning golf from John Falter, was passed down to the guest by his father. "I got it through my father. It was something that he had in his home for many years, and when he passed on, it was willed to me, and we've had it hanging in our living room ever since," he told Fausel. He further explained that the illustration depicted a number of poses of people in various stages of good or bad golf, and it was featured as a cover for The Saturday Evening Post.
Fausel then took over to explain the significance of the illustration and the artist. "John Falter did a lot of work for The Saturday Evening Post. He did about 185 covers for them. He was born in 1910 and lived to about 1982," he revealed. The guest added that his father got the illustration back in the 70s, and before that, it was hung up in his company's office. "They went back and forth and settled on a price, and that's how he ended up with it. He paid $2,500," he added.
Fausel explained that it was an interesting cover as it had a lot of appeal. "Not only is there a lot of interest in illustration art these days, but also, this has appeal to golfers, as well," he added.
Before the appraisal, Fausel asked the guest if he had the illustration appraised previously. The guest said that about five or six years ago, he had it appraised for about $80,000 for insurance purposes. "That's interesting because in that time, in the last five or six years, the market has really gone up for illustration art. And in fact, he's recently spiked some prices at auction well into six figures," Fausel told the guest.
"I would put an insurance value of about $200,000 to $250,000 on it," Fausel said. This amazed the guest, and he said, "Really? Wow. I need to make a phone call," suggesting that he needed to get a new policy.
In the end, the guest thanked Fausel for the appraisal, who also complimented him on the wonderful collection.
More on Market Realist:
'Antiques Roadshow' guest struggles to breathe after expert revealed the value of her oil portrait
'Antiques Roadshow' guest gets a staggering appraisal for painting related to Jack the Ripper case
