GUEST: This is a painting by a street artist, uh, from New Orleans.

Her name is Sister Gertrude Morgan.

She was very spiritual, and she expressed her spirituality in her artwork.

APPRAISER: When did you acquire this?

GUEST: I purchased it for $45 in 1973 in New Orleans.

I was there for a conference, and I was walking around the, um, French Quarter, and there was a gallery that, uh, was showing her work.

APPRAISER: And what was the name of the gallery you bought it from?

GUEST: Uh, Borenstein Gallery.

APPRAISER: Larry Borenstein had a gallery in the French Quarter.

His gallery championed Sister Gertrude Morgan's work, and eventually his gallery became Preservation Hall.

GUEST: Yes, exactly, yes.

APPRAISER: So, very, very famous location.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: Sister Gertrude is born in 1900.

She comes to New Orleans in 1939.

She is a Black American that becomes a preacher, a philosopher, a musician, a poet and an artist.

And this is one of her paintings.

As you said, they have a religious tone to them.

For Sister Gertrude, this is actually one of her larger pieces.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: It's a very nice-sized piece.

It's fully developed, and when we look at it, we see what she usually tries to work into some of her paintings.

Sister Gertrude is up in the upper right-hand corner...

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: ...and she's standing there reaching out and holding hands with what most people think is either God or Jesus.

Right.

That she's marrying, and we see angels, and then we see this kind of structure, and that's her New Jerusalem.

And it's an oil painting, and she did it on a paperboard.

On the back, is the $45 price tag...

GUEST: Right.

APPRAISER: ...that you paid, and we see a wonderful black and white photo of Sister Gertrude.

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: It's a wonderful, wonderful artwork.

GUEST: Thank you.

APPRAISER: And, um, in terms of valuation, what do you think it's worth in today's market?

GUEST: I would say maybe $500.

APPRAISER: This I would place, for sure, in the top 20% to 25% of her entire body of work.

GUEST: Oh, wow.

APPRAISER: It has all the pluses.

You purchased this from the Larry Borenstein Gallery.

That's a gold seal of approval.

So in today's market, retail, I really have no problem saying this is somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000.

GUEST: (laughs) Wow.

(laughing): Well, thank you.

That is exciting and very interesting.

Thank you.