AnushkaDavid Weiss
David Weiss is an esteemed figure in the history of the Antiques Roadshow. He is a Senior Vice President of Freeman’s and heads the European Art & Old Masters department. He is an expert in 19th & 20th Century European Paintings & Sculpture. He has also served as a Vice President at a Washington, D.C. auction house for nearly 14 years. Looking at his expertise and preliminary examination of the boy’s painting; Weiss was the right man to approach for the evaluation of that painting.
The Painting
The painting which the young lad got with him was covered in glass. Looking like any other ordinary painting this one turns out to be the extraordinary one. It wasn’t any modern art or an abstract one, rather it was a simple landscape one. A lady knitting a sweater while another lad sitting beside her. At a glance, it seems to be a typical and usual canvas. But for Weiss, it was a masterpiece.
Passionate Being
In his personal bio, Weiss tells that he loves the thrill of discovering the most unexpected finds when he works at the auction house. He says, “For me, the most rewarding experiences as an auction house appraiser are the happy, unexpected ‘discoveries’ that originate from private collectors and estates. The best, most memorable of these ‘finds’ have resulted in massively successful prices realized.” Little did Mr. Weiss know that he will be finding a distinct piece of work brought in by a young boy.
Rapport Formation
The usual ritual at the show is rapport formation with the person who brings stuff to be appraised. Following the ritual, Weiss began the show by asking general questions to the boy. Weiss initiated the interview by asking the boy about the painting, he brought along. He even says to the boy, “You must be the youngest collector that I’ve seen.” With a smile on his face, the boy responded, “I think so.” Weiss was surprised to see a boy this young showing up at the show.
Unusual Hobby
As the interview progressed, Weiss learned that the boy has this unusual hobby of collecting antiques. And this was not the first painting he bought, rather he had been collecting things from a period Weiss could not have ever imagined. This discovery made Weiss even more curious about the things that the boy had been storing. Weiss questioned him about the favorite item that the boy had been collecting. The answer kept Weiss wondering…
Sterling Silver Art
The boy had a peculiar interest in glass, sterling silver, and art. Weiss could not stop admiring the child and his unconventional interest in antiques. Weiss was sure that this hobby of the boy was more than a passing interest. Not only a random hobby, but the boy had a good amount of knowledge regarding his subject matter. The boy informs Weiss that the best discovery to date he made was that of a large silver serving platter. Weiss wanted to know about the beginning of his passion to understand how he reached to the masterpiece painting.