A.B. Frost, The Critical Moment
I came across a print at an auction recently. From doing my own research, I came up with the details in the above title. I am not familiar with art but it had a reciept from "Barbara Associates" in Massachusetts for $425 in 2005. I am trying if this is really valued at that much and if so, what makes a "print" worth that much. I do know that A.B. Frost died in 1928. It was not numbered. I have seen similar sizes prints range from $75 - $100 on eBay. That is why I am trying to understand the difference. The back of the print has "By-Gone Days", but I am not able to trace this back to this picture. The print itself is 15x11.
I did acquire this at an auction for $10. See previous answer from where it came from.
Auction House
Yes
Hi Sean,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.
Frost did a series of prints titled "By Gone Days"; this is from that series.
The vintage print market has changed quite a bit since 2005, and the $425 price paid at the time would have been a retail price, which is 2-3 times higher than fair market value (I would guess that in 2005, the fair-market value for this print would have been about $150-250; now this is closer in value to $75-125, so the prices on eBay are largely correct.
Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:
Arthur Burdett Frost (American, 1851-1928)
"The Critical Moment" (1903 was the date of the original drawing)
lithograph print
signed in the plate, lower right
11 by 15 inches
matted
PROVENANCE: acquired at auction
$75-125*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.
Please let me know if you have additional questions, or items to appraise, and thank you again for using Mearto.
