GUEST: I found this on a rummage sale two weeks ago. I love it because I love the flower. I asked the lady how much cost, and she say five dollar. And I say, "Well, has some damage. I offer you three dollar." And she say, "Okay, you have it." My husband say, "No way, what you do with this?" And I say, "It's so beautiful. Even if we put in the hall or somewhere, it's so nice."
APPRAISER: Well, I'm so glad that you brought it to Antiques Roadshow, because it is something special. It's by an artist named Marie Seebold Molinary, and she was a Louisiana artist. She knew at a young age that she would want to be an artist. Her father was an art gallery owner. She studied under William Merritt Chase, she studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and did all of the right things to become a well-known and important artist in her day.
GUEST: Wow.
APPRAISER: She in fact was the second woman to become a member of the New Orleans Artists Association, and this is a great example of her work, and many have sold quite well at auction. This one was included in an exhibition in the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston and it was under the title "Flowers" with a price tag of $75. Probably in the '30s, I'm guessing.
GUEST: 1930?
APPRAISER: Yes.
GUEST: Uh-huh.
APPRAISER: This is an oil painting on canvas.
GUEST: Yes.
APPRAISER: And the canvas has been mounted to a board to stabilize the painting.
GUEST: Uh-huh.
APPRAISER: Do you have any idea of what the value would be?
GUEST:I really don't know. I think maybe a few thousand, but I am not sure.
APPRAISER: Well, this one, because of its condition, I think in its current state could bring $10,000 to $15,000.
GUEST: That's nice.
APPRAISER: The thing about it is you could put some money into restoring it and really increase the value.
GUEST: Uh-huh
APPRAISER: I think if you spent maybe $1,000 restoring the painting, it might be worth $15,000 to $20,000.
GUEST: Wow. That's great. Praise the Lord! I love it.
