Young Boy Buys Painting for $2 and Surprises Everyone

Before technology was all around us, children often developed many interests and hobbies. Some of them spent their time on sports or art, and others built collections of different knick-knacks. Postage stamps and baseball cards were fair game, and foreign coins did well, too.

While those collectors still exist, they’re less common, especially for children. You’re most likely to find a child collecting Pokemon cards or video games before postage stamps. Millennials and youths like comic books above all else.

However, one boy from New Jersey bucked that trend, going to thrift stores and auction houses. At one point, he made it to Antiques Roadshow, and here’s his story.

Asking the Experts

Amateur antique enthusiasts often get outside appraisals to know whether their items are worth anything. Expensive items often end up at thrift stores, and that’s what happened for the young guest on Antiques Roadshow. He went to Richmond, Virginia, to determine a $2 painting’s worth.

The Aristocratic Tradition

Antiques Roadshow started airing in 1979 in the UK because of a documentary series that followed appraisers and collectors. The show was so popular, inspiring offshoots in many other countries. That’s why the youngest collector was on the show!

Dreams of Glory

Many past guests brought antiques for appraisal to learn that they were worthless. However, the dream is to find a rare item worth millions. The boy knew his painting was special but didn’t expect a high valuation for it.

Honing in on the Mystery

The mystery of the objects is what keeps people watching or standing in line to be seen. They want to confirm that sentimental heirlooms are valuable, but others find junk purchases and want to see if they financially pay off.

Spinning a Tale

The appraisers on Antiques Roadshow have seen something similar in the last few years. The camera shows the story of how they were discovered because that’s what people want. Since the viewers make or break it, they have to go along.

Keeping Composed

The cameras rolled in 2013, and one of the star appraisers on the show was about to conduct a unique interview. David Weiss has been with Antiques Roadshow for many years, working with many auction houses. The boy across from him was at ease, so they started!

Grasping History

David was an esteemed professional in the art world, specializing in 19th/20th-century European sculptures, paintings, and drawings. Because of the preliminary exam of the painting, Weiss was the one to determine if it had value!

Supplement the Day Job

David Weiss was a volunteer on Antiques Roadshow like many other appraisers. He was actually the Senior Vice President for the Freeman Auction House and liked to teach about the business aspect of art at Drexel University.

Fueling the Passion

Weiss talked about his love and thrill of making unexpected finds at auctions on his website biography from Freeman’s. He said it was rewarding to help private collectors get those happy discoveries.

Personal History

Weiss started by asking the boy what he might know about the painting and mentioned how he was the youngest guest on the show. The boy had a smile when he said he knew that. Weiss was quite impressed with him.

Making Preparations

The young fan heard that the show was filming in Richmond, so he begged to go with his parents, hoping he might get $100 out of the painting. Finally, his parents agreed and helped him choose the best outfit for the camera.

The Inquiry Starts

This boy was excited about his hobby, and Weiss learned that it wasn’t the only purchase the boy had made. He had been a collector for many years and preferred art, sterling silver, and glass.

Finding a Favorite

David wanted to know what inspired the boy, and he had enthusiastic answers to give. Plus, the boy answered Weiss’s questions and showed knowledge of the subject matter. Overall, his favorite discovery was a large serving platter!

Junk Dives

Weiss asked the boy where he found the items, and he mentioned a “junky auction” near his home in New Jersey. The interview had many surprises, as Weiss thought the boy might have many finds.

Collector’s Choice

Finally, Weiss asked if the boy kept the things he found. It’s natural for collectors to build their collections, and most people might prefer to do that. Kids enjoy holding onto mundane items with sentimental value.

Profitable Endeavor

The boy blew everyone away by saying that he sold them online. Weiss repeated what he said, incredulous. Weiss had no idea such a young man could purchase and sell antiques. This could be the most memorable guest, and he had to know more about him.

The Business of Planning

Weiss was more and more curious about the boy in front of him, wanting to know why he was choosy about what he sold and held onto. When Weiss asked if the boy had made money selling silver, he said he was planning to wait for September!

Rise and Fall of Silver

The kid wanted to wait until September to check the painting’s value because the market fluctuated a lot during this time of year. Weiss asked if the boy kept up with the rise and fall, and the boy confirmed. This was so impressive!

Saving Works of Art

It was fascinating to learn how this boy became the owner of the painting. Though Weiss thought it might have been a yard-sale find, that wasn’t the case. The boy said he went with his dad to the junky auction house, making his dad wait so that he could bid on the artwork.

Taking the Heat

His dad wanted to go home and drink cold water on the hot summer day. However, the boy had other plans and made his dad wait. The boy told Weiss that the piece was at an auction in South Jersey, and he had to stay!

Only $2

Weiss was taken aback when he learned that the boy bought the artwork for $2. No one knew where it came from, which is why he wanted to be on Antiques Roadshow. Weiss was lost for words!

Snapshot of Home

The painting didn’t seem extraordinary, but he knew other signs to look at to assess its worth that the boy couldn’t. At first glance, the canvas held earthy tones, suggesting that it came from a crucial point in history, but that was only the beginning!

Mother and Child

The way the painting was constructed was special, but it’s also what it represented. The subjects in the piece included a mom in a chair, reaching toward a child. It was a beautiful dynamic that made everyone emotional, but the boy had missed one clue!

Taking Notice

Weiss tested the boy to see how much he knew about the artwork. The young man said he had inspected the painting and learned it was a watercolor. However, it was hard to see because of the glass surrounding it.

Assessing Expertise

The boy was correct because it was a watercolor. Someone who could tell silver prices so young had good instincts. However, his inexperience tripped him up, and Weiss wanted him to assess the painting’s worth by himself.

The Missing Link

This young boy had pointed out a signature at the bottom, but he could only make out a part of it. Appraisers can tell a lot from a painting from the signature alone. Weiss chose to help the boy with his skills, asking him to repeat what he had said.

Albert

The boy knew the first name was Albert, but he didn’t know artists by that name. Weiss actually recognized it at once but waited. After a few moments, he broke down the second part, explaining who had painted the masterpiece.

What History Made

Weiss focused on the history of the painting before getting to the appraisal. He could tell the youngster loved art, and that could grow into an occupation. The boy already identified part of the signature, and Weiss told him the last name was Neuhuys.

His Importance

You may wonder why it matters because the painting speaks for itself. However, works by famous artists sell for more than random ones. Still, Albert Neuhuys isn’t a random artist. His influence and iconic style are in the painting.

Dissecting the Work

Neuhuys was a painter in the Netherlands in the 19th century. Weiss explained that he showed life scenes and preferred mothers and children. He belonged to the Laren School, a Dutch artist colony.

Leaving the Hague

His style became looser as the years flew by, which is similar to other Dutch painters of the time. Though other Laren artists preferred landscapes, Neuhuys painted farm life. In fact, he was the contemporary version of Vincent Van Gogh.

Rural Life Tranquility

In his lifetime, Neuhuys’ paintings had a following, and he frequently sold them for profit. The subjects varied from the interior scene to other domestic tasks required for country life. Most of his pieces are shown in museums, but this one was the boy’s possession!

Guessing the Age

Weiss had some more information that proved important for the appraisal. He said that Neuhuys was a Dutch painter and was born in 1844 and died in 1914. He believed the watercolor was completed in the late 19th century.

Give a Guestimate

Weiss liked to give guests a chance to ballpark the worth of their own items. Most people overestimate, but there are often surprises in store. After David gave the painting’s background, he waited for his guess.

Cards on the Table

Weiss asked the young man how much he thought the painting was worth. Everything was worth it, including the ride to Virginia, the hour-long wait, and all the rest. The boy said, “$150.”

Worth of the Master

This boy showed some skill in determining that it was a watercolor, but he probably didn’t know who Neuhuys was. Therefore, that amount seemed decent, but he was shocked when he learned how much it could get at auction.

Selling Himself Short

Weiss respected how much thought he put into the valuation, but he was shocked at the low amount the boy proposed. David went on to say he thought it was worth more than $150, and the eagerness didn’t wane while Weiss offered his own estimate.

Stunning Value

David was happy to reveal the true value of the painting, and the boy couldn’t have imagined it in his wildest dreams. Overall, David said that the Albert Neuhuys watercolor was worth about $1,000 to $1,500 if it sold at auction that day.

Blown Away

All the boy could say was, “Whoa,” gesturing that the appraiser had blown his mind. It was clear this boy had a talent for art, but he had more to learn. Clearly, it was a lot of money for someone who paid $2 for it.

Crafting His Talent

The boy was pleased with himself when David said he could have a good career as an art dealer and to keep at it. However, the boy shocked them all again when he responded with, “I know.”