'Antiques Roadshow' guest stunned after expert revealed the value of painting gifted by a friend

"Antiques Roadshow" guests are rarely prepared for the appraisal that their prized possessions get from experts. Their reactions are also as unpredictable as the price tag that the item may fetch. One such guest got the shock of her life after finding out that a gift from her friend was worth thousands of dollars. The owner of the David Klein TWA Poster had little to no idea of the significance of the item. It was the show's expert, Nicholas D. Lowry, who told her that she was holding a rare piece of art, which was worth over $3,500. The guest, who had already committed to splitting the profits with her friend, was then left with her jaw on the floor. 

"It was given to me by a friend, he's from the Seattle area. He was in a little shop, and there was a bunch of rolled-up posters in a bin. And, he just liked it, probably paid a few dollars for it, and that's really all I know," the guest mentioned. "So you're asking me to appraise a gift?" Lowry asked her.

Lowry then took over to explain the provenance of the item. "The obvious thing is, it's advertising TWA flights to New York City. The artist signs his name 'David,' his full name is actually David Klein," he explained. "And in my opinion, it is one of the greatest graphic depictions of Times Square. It's a geometric, abstract, almost kaleidoscopic view of this great, bustling intersection. He captures all of the energy, he captures all of the excitement, he captures all of the movement," he added. 

He went on to note that the poster was created in 1956, and it was part silk screen and part photolithograph. "One of the other great things about the poster is the plane that's on top. The plane is the TWA Lockheed Constellation, known as the Connie. They were considered great airplanes," the expert shared. He then told the guest that the propeller plane indicated that the poster was one of the original prints, as the reprints of the artwork had a silhouette of a jet plane. "Not only was the company very fond of this poster, but this poster is also in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, MoMA," Lowry shared.

Coming to the appraisal, the expert said, "I don't want to cause a rift between you and your friend. But at auction, I would estimate this piece between $2,500 and $3,500." This left the guest in shock as she exclaimed, "Oh, my gosh! Oh, he's going to be so thrilled! Oh my gosh!"

Watch the video here.

In the end, Lowry reminded him that she was supposed to share the profits. "Yes, I told him I would!" the guest said in the end.

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