'Antiques Roadshow' guest 'floored' after expert revealed the value of her grandma's portrait

Guests on "Antiques Roadshow" aren't always looking for appraisals to sell vintage items, but a lot of them walk in to figure out how much the family heirlooms priceless to the, are worth in monetary terms. A woman on the show brought a portrait of her grandmother, painted by renowned artist Robert Henri, only to be "flabbergasted" by the appraiser, Peter M. Fairbanks, who told her that it could be worth  $250,000 to $300,000. 

In the episode, the guest shared that the painting was a special item in her family and had been passed down to her. She said, "My father gave me this painting, which I remember so well when I was a little child in Yorkshire, England. And this lady is my grandmother. She lived in a wonderful house called 'The Gleddings' in Halifax, Yorkshire, and the painting was painted by Robert Henri, which she shared with Fairbanks."

She further added that the artist was a friend of the family. "She considered herself a Bostonian. She was born outside Boston in West Dedham, Massachusetts. Never worked. I don't think she ever boiled a pot of water for tea. Look at that hand," the woman mentioned, pointing at the painting. The appraiser acknowledged that it was a wonderful portrait, and quite unusual as well. "I don't know whether you know much about Robert Henri, but he studied with Thomas Anshutz at the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts, with William Merritt Chase, and he founded the Ashcan Society in 1908, when this painting was painted," he told the guest. He further added that the artist once went to Holland for the summer, and records show that he was commissioned to do a portrait.

The appraiser confirmed the assumption that this was the portrait, and went on to explain the details of the artwork. "This painting combines a number of styles," he noted. "The ruddy complexion was probably quite surprising at this time. It's sort of like Francis Bacon in the face here. I mean, this is really bright. And the dry brushstroke is very Ashcan in the way he is rendering this portrait, yet he paints her in a very elegant Chase way. So to me, it's a combination of the Ashcan style and the William Merritt Chase portraiture style," he added.

Faibanks also noted that the artist didn't miss any decorative element as he captured the three-stone ruby ring on the woman's hand as well. "The mayoral jewels of Halifax. She borrowed them for the painting," the guest explained. 

The expert then asked the guest if she had the painting appraised in the past. The woman explained that she got the painting in the 60s, and she sent a photograph to the repository of Henri's works in Boston, who told her that it wasn't worth more than $4,500. "But I can tell you, we treasure it. For us, it's a treasure," she added.

However, the appraiser did not agree with the previous estimation, saying that there are some collectors who would pay well for the painting. "I believe you should probably insure this somewhere in the area of $250,000 to $300,000," he told the guest. The owner of the painting was visibly shocked as she could only say, "Oh, no! Oh, my God!"

The appraiser explained that the painting is worth that much because it is from the time when the Ashcan school was founded, and it has been taken good care of.

Still in disbelief, the guest said, "Well, I'm floored. Are you sure about that?" The appraiser assured her once again.