Yes, Federalist, For Sure

“So Steve, thank you for coming to Antiques Roadshow today. Can you tell us a little something about this piece?”

“It’s a paintbrush.”

“Yes, can you tell us where you found it?”

“Oh, sure. I was walking with my friend Bruce and his dogs. I was walking in the street because Covid, and there it was. Right in the street, right by the curb.”

“Fantastic. And what made you think it was old? That maybe it was an antique?”

“The rust. It was rusty.”

“Of course. But what made you think it might be valuable?”

“Oh, it just looked like a real old fashioned paintbrush, y’know. Nothing fancy. Like something Ben Franklin might have used.”

“Ah, yes, of course. A Federalist design, perhaps?”

“Yes, Federalist. For sure.”

“Great, great. How much do you think it’s worth?”

“I don’t know. A couple grand. Maybe more?”

“Ha! Wonderful! Well, what if we told you it was worth… a million dollars!”

“What? Really?!”

“What if we told you it was actually worth just north of two million?”

“Oh my god! That’s amazing! Wow!”