'Antiques Roadshow' guest gasps in disbelief after hearing value of her 'macabre' art collection

"Antiques Roadshow" is one place where collectors can cash in on their passion and dedication for gathering memorabilia or items such as playing cards for a long period of time. One guest got a shocking appraisal for her unique and prized collection of macabre author and illustrator Edward Gorey items. The owner who collected the various items, books, dolls, and more over the years, said she spent less than $1,000 but a lot of effort. In the end, the expert, Ken Sanders, rewarded her for all the hard work by appraising the collection to more than $5,000.

In the episode, the guest shared how she grew fond of something that most people don't find collectible. "I've been collecting for many years. This is a sampling of diverse items that I have. A lot of things that I collect are signed and/or numbered, including the doll," she told Sanders. The expert noted that the collection perfectly showcased the vastness of the work that Edward Gorey did and how "truly macabre" his mind was.

Sanders further noted that the most exciting items of the collection were the two dolls. "This one's named Figbash, and it's a hand-designed Gorey doll, and it states that it's filled with rice," he said, pointing to one of the dolls. He further examined the items that carried the trademark signature of the artist. "We have Edward Gorey's trademark signature, where he invariably crosses out his name and then signs underneath the crossed-out name," he noted, adding that he had hardly seen Gorey signatures that didn't follow this pattern.

"The other doll is a Bah-humbug. And he came with the limited edition signed, numbered book, which you also have. The books are rare and collectible in their own right, but the dolls, particularly since Mr. Gorey's passing, have become very, very difficult to find and have escalated in value," Sanders noted. He further examined an item that he had never seen before. "Yes, the tarot cards. They're just a delightful assortment of his postcard work. And this is also signed and numbered," the guest interjected. Sanders noted that Gorey was one of the rarest and most original artists and authors of the 20th century. "You brought us the 'Amphigorey' play poster, signed by Edward Gorey. We have here also a pop-up book that's quite nice. And then you brought one very early book of his, over by your side there," he went on to note.

The expert then asked the guest about how much she paid for the items. "The Figbash doll, I bought that at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and they were $20 apiece. The tarot cards I bought when they were first issued, and I believe I paid $50 for those. 'The green beads,' I paid more for that. I paid about $150 to $200, perhaps," the guest mentioned.

Sanders told her that "The Headless Bust" and the "Bahhumbug doll" could be the centerpiece of the collection. He then estimated that the retail value of the book and the dust jacket would be approximately $1,500. The number left the guest in shock, who let out a loud gasp. "Sorry! That's nowhere near what I paid. I am very surprised," she exclaimed. Sanders then went on to appraise the entire collection at more than $5,000. "Oh, my gosh. It's very hard to believe, and I have so much more at home that I didn't bring!" the guest said in response. 

In the end, the guest shared that the collection she brought was just the tip of the iceberg, and thus, she was pleasantly surprised to get such a high estimate.