Watercolor, A study of Thomas Jefferson by Thomas Sully, American School, 1821.

This watercolor had been in the family for generations. It had been stored in the attic for many years in a broken frame. Because of unusual circumstances they finally decided that the time had come to sell. A dealer offered to buy the painting for what the owner thought was a substantial amount but he decided to check with a qualified appraiser before he sold it to this gentleman. I appraised the painting for sale purposes but had trouble finding comparables as it was really one of a kind. I advised my client on the most advantageous sales outlet and the watercolor sold at Christie’s auction in New York for four times the amount that the dealer offered.