"Aw … it's wonderful, gorgeous," Ranger said. "And, unless it's a sampler, it's rare to see a piece of needlework signed. But it's English, not Scottish. It's too romantic, too idealized. Not tough enough. I think it's worth about $400." (I thought it would be more.)
Susan Lahey, Ritchie's Asian arts specialist, looked at the kimono and told me the plum blossoms, light colours, silver and gold thread and symbols meant it was a woman's spring kimono, made at the turn of the last century for special occasions. Because of the rip it was worth only $200 or so. (Dear me. I'd seen one very similar in the BBC's Homes & Antiques magazine valued at 1,800 pounds – but then a dog hadn't attacked it.)
Heather Pigat, one of Ritchie's picture experts, studied the watercolour and the charcoal sketch, each of which was signed. While she was away in her office going over them, I panicked. What if … they were photographs of copies?
They weren't. Thank you, God. I was spared that humiliation. W. H. Sweet lived between 1889 and 1943 and painted my watercolour of the exquisite and legendary Apprentice Pillar at Rosslyn Chapel near Edinburgh, Scotland. Sweet often painted interiors of churches and manor houses. The colours are still rich and bright, the ornate Victorian frame is perfect for the subject and the location (Rosslyn Chapel) and the provenance (my grandfather through to me) are known, so the picture, said Pigat, would fetch between $800 and $1,000 at auction.
The last piece was the simple charcoal sketch done by British artist Steven Spurrier, who lived between 1878 and 1961. "Like Degas," said Pigat, "he did a lot of finished salon pieces such as musical concerts, so he also did a lot of studies for these works – studies of dancers, for example. In addition, he did a lot of graphic work – posters, illustrations and such things as Horse Guard paintings. There is a broad range of value to his work."
My modest sketch? Pigat thought it was as charming as I did. "By this time," she said as she studied it carefully, "Spurrier had a strong control of his subject and a confident hand. You did well for your five pounds. At auction you'd get about $1,000."
Any real surprises here? One. I thought the needlepoint piece would be the most valuable. But the great treat was the verdict on the Spurrier and knowing that even when I was just a kid, I knew a bargain when I saw one. The best feeling is that David and I love it as much now as we did when we scraped together the five pounds to pay for it.
Roadshow in a nutshell
For a description of the Antiques Roadshow in both Ottawa and Toronto, go to the Antiques Roadshow website.
You can also find a listing of the final Canadian choices and their values at this website and then fill in the form with the location: Ottawa or Toronto. Roadshow groupies will also enjoy the BBC's magazine, Homes & Antiques, available in good magazine stores across Canada; it includes a regular price guide and pictures for items shown on the program.
Another wonderful publication is the Antiques Roadshow A-Z of Antiques Hunting (McClelland & Stewart, $45).
If you're curious about your own possessions, there are good auction houses, antiques dealers and professional appraisers in most large cities who will do an evaluation for you for a fee, but Ritchie's $10-charge to raise money for feeding street people was a special price; expect to pay far more wherever you live.
Read more in Out & About and Flea Markets & Antiques Fairs
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