Established in 2009, host, appraiser Martin Willis conducts audio interviews focusing on the full range of collecting antiques, art, decorative art as well as auctions and the history of it all. Martin conduct interviews with Auctioneers, Artists, Antique Dealers, Art Dealers, Appraisers, Experts & Specialists, Historians, Curators, Avid Collectors, Show Promoters and more.
One of the world’s leading Leonardo experts, Martin Kemp, discusses how he helped authenticate the $450 million Salvator Mundi talks about what it was like behind the scenes exploring the authenticity of the discovery of a lifetime. The world record price of $450 million reflects the hype. He also discusses the mystery buyer, which ends up being Saudi Arabian prince Badr bin Abdullah, Leonardo da Vinci, and much more.
Actor Tony Dow, known as “Wally” on Leave it to Beaver is a now a modern sculptor. This interview discusses how he got into acting, and later how he became a sculptor. Check out his work here: Bilotta Gallery
by Martin Willis
This blog is a generalization, there is a segment of young people that are really into antiques and I applaud them all. However, as an appraiser I am constantly hearing people say to me something along the lines of: “My kids don’t want any of my antiques”.
Unfounded Rumors
Around 25 years ago I was at a Christmas party with dozens of antique dealers, shop owners and auctioneers. Caroline French, from a family of antique show promoter, and a current antiques shop owner got everyone’s attention. What she said at the time was unfathomable. I can only paraphrase after this many years, but the gist was the following. “You watch as time goes on, kids will not have any interest in antiques, I see signs of this all the time”
I literally walked away from the conversation shaking my head and thought there was nothing to it. After all, growing up in southern Maine, and living in the historic coastal New Hampshire area, I saw no signs of this. There were many wonderful pieces still in generational homes waiting to be found. There were many people I grew up with had an ongoing interest in antiques and art. Shops were everywhere, young people were buying and showing up at auction. It seemed more like a standard and that it was the way it would remain.
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Dr. Anne Laure Bandle on Skype from Geneva discusses her new book: The Sale of Misattributed Artworks and Antiques at Auction. She brings up several examples of ‘sleepers’ at an auction, where something slipped through the cracks. As someone who has attended auctions for several decades, I have seen this first hand. She tells examples of huge profits made, and the legal implications of it all.
Enjoy this perspective of eight-year old Connor McCrory, at the time of the recording, he was known as the youngest picker.
Author, Jim Craig joins us for a fascinating interview on the finest American eagle carver of all time, John Haley Bellamy. There are myths about the carver, and his life that Jim discusses, high auction records and more!