The Surprising Value Of A WWII Christmas Card On Antiques Roadshow
British TV show "Antiques Roadshow" has been on air since 1979, and since then, several valuable treasures have been featured. Throughout the years, free appraisals offered by dealers and auction houses have revealed interesting tidbits about some special items and their histories. In a special Christmas episode, a guest was surprised at the value given to a Christmas card that he brought to have appraised.
The expert, Frances Christie, was excited about the Christmas card, as she recognized the artwork on it as the creation of Rex Whistler — a renowned inter-war artist who created illustrations, portraits, advertisements, and murals. "He was one of those bright young things, but this is a much more intimate side of him because it is a very personal Christmas card but what we don't know is it says, 'To Tony Sherlock'. Who is Tony Sherlock?" Christie asked the man (via Express). "That's me! Master Tony Sherlock!" the man who brought the Christmas card replied. It turned out that Sherlock's father served in the Welsh Guards during World War II where Whistler also served. "Rex Whistler was my father's officer," Sherlock said.
How much is the Christmas card worth?
Rex Whistler (self-portrait above) was born in 1905 in what is now known as Greater London. He was a well-known artist during his time and had notable works of art to show for it. Whistler's clientele consisted of famous individuals, and his social life was active as well. Per The Guardian, Whistler's most notable work was a mural in a restaurant in Tate Britain, and he was only 21 years old when he created the artwork. When World War II began, Whistler was already 35 years old, but he wanted to serve his country and joined the Welsh Guards. In 1944, Whistler was in Normandy when he was killed by a German mortar.
Frances Christie had great news for Tony Sherlock. She estimated that the Christmas card's value was somewhere between £1,200 and £1,800 (approximately $1,600 to $2,440), as reported by Express. Sherlock was surprised at the large value and said, "Right, oh interesting! It's really beautiful, isn't it?"