The Appraisal

How much is this worth?

The fantasy: the oil paintings I inherited would be worth thousands paying for multiple trips abroad, a new house, new cars for all, etc. These fantasies are fueled by watching Antique Roadshow, a program Steve has surprising interest in. I guess he hopes some of this stuff I have lying around is actually worth something and he'll recognize it.

The reality: Not much. Maybe one to two hundred tops and that's just for the 80 year old frames. They had an appraisal clinic out in Dexter yesterday as a fundraiser for their museum. They had appraisers from a 'reputable' art auctioneer. There seemed to be 4 apprentices overseen by one expert, who inconveniently was taking a break when I was there but the apprentice was probably right. The last name, Carelli, is fairly common. Due to inconsistencies in style, he thought the whole family had an assembly line set up cranking these out during the Depression. Artistic merit? Close to zero.

What I should have brought was my Audobon prints but I probably could figure that out on my own.

We drove back along the river on a beautiful fall sunny day. Alas the colors are fading here. When I was driving through Ontario back from Shanna's, I drove through golden wheatfields at sunset. The light was so beautiful. I should have pulled over. The farmers' fields outlined in red sumac and yellow poplars was similarly beautiful Friday night in the fading light backlit by the western sun. My friend was snapping pics through my windows..maybe she'll share.

81 degrees today. I got up early to run. Later, a family dinner at Josh's.