An Antiques Roadshow guest couldn’t keep her mouth shut when told the estimated value of a 1925 Impressionist painting that had been passed down in her family for generations.
The guest showed the 30×36 inch painting by artist Fern Coppedge, which she herself had given to her grandfather, a surgeon, in Philadelphia.
The vibrant artwork, painted in oil on canvas, depicted a snow-covered river and bridge in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, called “Goat Hill.”
Coppedge was an American painter who belonged to the New Hope School of American Impressionism. Her winter scenes are considered to be among the artist’s best-known paintings.
The guest brought along a 30×36 painting by Fern Coppedge, which had been given by the artist herself to her grandfather, a surgeon, in Philadelphia
The guest quickly told the appraiser that Coppedage had given the piece to her grandfather “in gratitude for the surgery he had performed on her.”
She explained that the artwork had remained with her parents for a number of years and that she had then received it from them.
After researching the history behind the painting, the appraiser explained, “Coppedge is originally from Illinois, then studied in Chicago and then moved to Philadelphia where she had a studio.
However, she is best known for her work in the New Hope area, where she moved in 1920.
‘And she is associated with a group of artists known as the Pennsylvania Impressionists. And of that group, she is probably the best known of the female artists.
The priceless artifact depicted a snow-covered river and bridge scene from Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, called ‘Goat Hill’
The guest quickly told the appraiser that Coppedage had given the piece to her grandfather “in gratitude for the surgery he had performed on her.”
“She was her own woman, and I really admire her for that. Her sense of color was just extraordinary. She was basically a Fauve painter and very adventurous in the way she chose to work and depict the area.”
He also noted that the size of the piece made it even more rare, as the legendary artist typically painted on an 18×18 or 20×24 canvas.
When asked about the newer frame, the guest explained that she had replaced the original frame because it had broken over the years and was only held on with tape.
When the appraiser heard this, he expressed his dismay and said, ‘It is quite possible that there was originally a frame in there by Harer or Badura. They were the two most important frame makers in that region and she often used them for her work.’
“You’ve taken my breath away! I’m stunned, I’m totally stunned. I didn’t even think to take this. This was a last minute… ‘Oh, well, why don’t we take this one too?'” said the surprised guest after hearing the appraisal
Coppedge, born Fern Isabel Kuns on July 28, 1883, was an American painter associated with the New Hope School of American Impressionism. Her winter scenes are considered some of the artist’s best-known paintings.
At the end of the appraisal, the appraiser told the guest that he estimated the painting could be worth between $120,000 and $180,000, but that it could easily be worth $200,000.
“You’ve taken my breath away! I’m stunned, I’m completely stunned. I didn’t even think to take this. This was a last minute… ‘Oh, well, why don’t we take this one too?'” said the surprised guest after hearing the appraisal.
The expert went on to say that he could imagine the stunning painting fetching more than $200,000 at auction.
The guest, who held her hand to her chest in amazement, beamed from ear to ear when she heard the good news.
Coppedge was born Fern Isabel Kuns on July 28, 1883. She first visited New Hope in 1917 and settled in the area three years later.
As the decades passed, she often wore a bearskin coat to paint her now iconic scene outdoors in the freezing winter air. She died on April 13, 1951.
Her paintings are currently on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, and the Reading Public Museum in Pennsylvania.