A mosquito removal revealed a staggering $300,000 valuation for a painting above her grandmother’s bed./ Youtube/PBS
A modestly framed painting that had hung above a grandmother’s bed for decades arrived at the US edition of Antiques Roadshow carrying little expectation beyond sentimental value. Inherited within the family and treated largely as décor, the artwork was revealed to be an original by Henry Farny, an artist whose paintings routinely command six-figure sums at auction. The valuation, delivered during a 2018 episode of the programme, left the owner visibly stunned and moved to tears. What followed has since been described by viewers as one of the most emotionally resonant appraisals in the show’s history.
A painting passed down and nearly taken to college
The Roadshow guest explained that the painting entered her family in the 1940s, when it was first acquired by her great-grandfather. For decades afterward, it hung above her grandmother’s bed, existing as a familiar household fixture rather than something viewed as fine art. After her grandmother’s death, the painting was passed on to her. At one point, she even considered taking it with her to college, a decision that prompted the moment that first made her pause. “When I got it, there was a mosquito underneath the glass,” she told Antiques Roadshow paintings and drawings appraiser Meredith Hilferty. “I took it out to the front yard and I opened it up to get the mosquito out, so I could take it with me to college. “And then it kind of scared me a little… I closed it back up immediately, because it looked like it might be real.” That instinct proved correct.
Identifying the artist: Henry Farny
Hilferty confirmed that the painting, depicting Native Americans on horseback, was an authentic work by Henry Farny, a highly regarded 19th-century American painter known for his detailed portrayals of Indigenous life. Farny was born in France and moved to Pennsylvania as a child. According to Hilferty, it was there that he began forming relationships with Native American communities, particularly the Seneca people. That exposure shaped his artistic focus for the rest of his career. “When he was living in Pennsylvania, he began a relationship with the Seneca Indians, and that’s really where his fascination with the different tribes began,” Hilferty explained. The painting brought to the show was especially desirable, she added, because of its composition. “This piece is really interesting because it’s a dense group of figures, which is very desirable in his work.” Later in his life, Farny spent extended time with the Sioux, who adopted him and gave him the name “Long Boots.” The guest had discovered that the small circle beneath Farny’s signature on the painting was a cipher referencing that nickname, a detail that further supported its authenticity. Hilferty noted that Farny’s most prolific and highly valued period began around 1890, placing the painting squarely within the artist’s strongest body of work.
A valuation that changed everything
The painting had previously been appraised twice, once in 1998 for $200, and again in 2004 for $250. According to Hilferty, both figures dramatically undervalued the work. “If we were going to put this in an auction today,” she told the guest, “I would suggest an estimate of $200,000 to $300,000.”The owner was overwhelmed by the news, bursting into tears as the figure sank in. “Oh, my God. That’s so much! I don’t even know what to say,” she said, before joking: “Should I have left the mosquito in the back?” Hilferty reassured her that removing the insect had been the right decision. While a professional conservator would ideally handle such work, a decaying insect could have stained or damaged the painting over time. The appraisal quickly gained attention online, not just for the valuation but for the owner’s reaction. Viewers noted that her response appeared rooted as much in family memory as in monetary shock. “This is one of the most charming Roadshow appraisals in their history,” one viewer commented. “I think her response has so much to do with her relationship and love for her grandmother.” Another added: “Painting may be worth a ton, but the reaction was priceless.” The guest later said she would be keeping the artwork far away from insects, and her dog , now that she understood its value.
Who was Henry Farny?
Henry Farny was a painter and illustrator whose career was shaped by extensive travel and close observation. After early years in Pennsylvania and Cincinnati, he worked in New York as an engraver for Harper’s Monthly, before studying art in Rome, Düsseldorf and Munich. In the 1880s, Farny travelled repeatedly along the Missouri River, sketching, photographing, and collecting artefacts from Indigenous communities. His Cincinnati studio eventually held enough reference material to support nearly any subject he wished to paint. More than 100 of his works were inspired by these western journeys. Among his best-known paintings are Ration Day at Standing Rock Agency, The Song of the Talking Wire, and The Last Vigil. His work often reflects both detailed documentation and a sense of loss, capturing cultures he believed were rapidly disappearing. Theodore Roosevelt once told Farny: “The nation owes you a great debt… You are preserving for future generations phases of American history that are rapidly passing away.” Farny died in Cincinnati in 1916. More than a century later, one of his paintings, long treated as a family keepsake, quietly rewrote the story of a grandmother’s bedroom wall. Go to Source
