Marcus Chen
In 1984, Bruce and Jackie Mahi Erickson bought a painting of Hilo Bay from an antique shop in Mountain View. The painting was signed J. Nawahi, 1888. Joseph Nāwahī was a Native Hawaiian educator, lawyer, legislator, and publisher, and the only prominent Native Hawaiian of his time to take up Western-style painting. On an episode of Antiques Roadshow, an appraiser estimated the painting to be worth between $100,000 and $150,000. The year after its appearance on the show, the painting was officially valued at more than $450,000.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Joseph Nāwahī |
| Year | 1888 |
| Painting Title | Painting of Hilo Bay |
| Buyers | Bruce and Jackie Mahi Erickson |
| Purchase Price | $395 |
| Antiques Roadshow Appraisal | $100,000 - $150,000 |
| Official Appraisal | $450,000 |
| Joseph Nāwahī's Occupation | Lawyer, legislator, educator, publisher, songwriter, painter |
| Joseph Nāwahī's Attributes | Native Hawaiian, self-taught painter |
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What You'll Learn
Joseph Nāwahī's life and achievements
Joseph Nāwahī, born Iosepa Kaho'oluhi Nāwahī-o-Kalani'ōpu'u in 1842, was a Native Hawaiian educator, lawyer, legislator, minister, songwriter, publisher, and painter. He is often described as Hawaii's renaissance man. Nāwahī served as a legislator and minister in the Kingdom of Hawaii and worked closely with Queen Liliʻuokalani, for whom he had a fierce loyalty, to draft a new constitution in 1893. He remained an advocate for Hawaiian independence after the monarchy was overthrown.
Nāwahī was the publisher of a newspaper that was critical of the rebellion and the overthrow of the government, which landed him in jail around 1893-1895. He subsequently caught tuberculosis and died in 1896.
Nāwahī was the only prominent Native Hawaiian of his time to take up Western-style painting. His artwork represented the kingdom at the 1889 Universal Exhibition in Paris. Nāwahī's "Painting of Hilo Bay" (1888) was featured on an episode of "Antiques Roadshow", where it was appraised at between $100,000 and $150,000. The appraiser noted that Nāwahī was "a good artist, but not a great artist," due to his lack of formal training. However, the painting's value was also determined by its historical significance and the scarcity of Nāwahī's remaining works.
The owners of the painting, Bruce and Jackie Mahi Erickson, considered themselves caretakers of "Painting of Hilo Bay" and wanted to make it available to Native Hawaiians to encourage interest in the life of Joseph Nāwahī. The following year, the painting was officially valued at more than $450,000, three times the high end of the "Antiques Roadshow" estimate. The Ericksons decided to donate the painting to the Kamehameha Schools through the Ke Aliʻi Pauahi Foundation (KAPF), a support organization for Hawaiian students.
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The discovery of the painting
In 1984, Bruce and Jackie Mahi Erickson stumbled upon a painting of Hilo Bay hanging in a Mountain View antique shop. The artist's name was largely illegible, with only an "ahi" visible. The couple were not art collectors, and had only visited the shop on a whim to see if the owner had any old photographs. They were drawn to the painting, however, and decided to purchase it for $395.
After buying the painting, the Ericksons discovered that the artist was Joseph Kahoʻoluhi Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu, a nineteenth-century Native Hawaiian educator, lawyer, legislator, and publisher, known for his loyalty to Lili‘uokalani, her people, and the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. Nāwahī was also the first and only known nineteenth-century Native Hawaiian to paint in the Western style.
The Ericksons soon considered themselves caretakers of the painting, rather than its owners. They wanted to make it available to Native Hawaiians for viewing, and to encourage interest in the life of Joseph Nāwahī.
The couple appeared on the PBS television programme "Antiques Roadshow" to have the painting appraised. The appraiser estimated the painting was worth between $100,000 - $150,000, taking into account the historical context of the painting and the scarcity of Nāwahī's artworks. The appraiser also commented that Nāwahī was "a good artist, but not a great artist", due to his lack of formal training.
Following their appearance on "Antiques Roadshow", the Ericksons decided to donate the painting to the Kamehameha Schools through the Ke Aliʻi Pauahi Foundation (KAPF), a support organization that administers post-high scholarships and funds educational programs for Hawaiian students.
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The painting's condition and restoration
The painting was in a poor state when the Ericksons first bought it, with the canvas blackened and cracked, requiring hundreds of dollars' worth of restoration work. The painting was valued on Antiques Roadshow at between $100,000 and $150,000, an informal estimate done for television. The appraiser, Alan Fausel, stated that Nāwahī was "a good artist, but not a great artist", citing the “somewhat awkward and stiff portrayal of the figures”. However, Fausel also acknowledged the painting's historical significance, calling it "Hawaiian gold in the art market and a national treasure".
The Ericksons considered themselves caretakers of the painting, rather than owners, and planned to eventually make it available to Native Hawaiians for viewing. They officially donated the painting to the Kamehameha Schools through the Ke Aliʻi Pauahi Foundation (KAPF), a support organisation for Hawaiian students. A year after its appearance on Antiques Roadshow, the painting was formally appraised at more than $450,000, three times the high-end estimate given on the show. This increase in value was partly due to another Nāwahī painting selling at auction for $400,000 around the same time.
As with all appraisals, the values given by experts on Antiques Roadshow are considered ""verbal approximations of value". An official appraisal is a legal document, generally for insurance purposes, and involves extensive research to establish authenticity, provenance, composition, and other attributes. The value of an item can change over time due to various factors, including the condition of the object, market trends, and the location of the sale.
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The painting's valuation on Antiques Roadshow
The "Antiques Roadshow" featured a painting by Joseph Nāwahī, a Native Hawaiian who was a legislator, minister, teacher, principal, surveyor, songwriter, and publisher. Nāwahī's "Painting of Hilo Bay" (1888) was valued on the show between $100,000 and $150,000. The appraiser, Alan Fausel, described Nāwahī as a “good artist but not a great artist,” citing the somewhat awkward and stiff portrayal of figures in the painting. However, Fausel acknowledged the painting's historical significance, especially for Native Hawaiians, and referred to it as "Hawaiian gold in the art market and a national treasure."
The owners of the painting, Bruce and Jackie Mahi Erickson, purchased it in 1984 from an antique shop, initially attracted to it because it depicted Hilo Bay. They later discovered the artist's identity and his significance in Hawaiian history. The Ericksons considered themselves caretakers of the painting rather than owners and eventually donated it to the Kamehameha Schools through the Ke Aliʻi Pauahi Foundation (KAPF), an organisation that supports Hawaiian students' education.
The "Antiques Roadshow" valuation was an informal estimate for television and not a professional assessment. The following year, the painting was officially valued at over $450,000, three times the high end of the show's estimate. This increase in value was partly due to another Nāwahī painting fetching $400,000 at auction around the same time.
It is important to note that the values given by experts on "Antiques Roadshow" are considered “verbal approximations of value.” A formal appraisal is a legal document, generally for insurance purposes, and involves extensive research to establish various attributes of the object. The value of an item can also change over time due to factors such as the condition of the object, market trends, and the location of the sale.
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The painting's official valuation
The "Painting of Hilo Bay" by Joseph Nāwahī, a Native Hawaiian, was valued at between $100,000 and $150,000 on "Antiques Roadshow". The appraiser, Alan Fausel, described Nāwahī as a “good artist, but not a great artist”, due to his lack of formal training. He also noted that the painting was somewhat damaged, with cracks and blackening, which would have affected its value.
However, it is important to note that the "Antiques Roadshow" valuation is considered an informal estimate for television and not a professional assessment. Indeed, the show's executive producer, Marsha Bemko, has emphasised that the values given by experts on the show are "verbal approximations of value". In contrast, a formal appraisal is a legal document, generally produced for insurance purposes, and involves extensive research.
The year after its appearance on "Antiques Roadshow", the painting was formally appraised and valued at over $450,000, more than three times the high-end estimate given on the show. This significant increase in value was partly due to another Nāwahī painting selling at auction for $400,000 around the same time.
The owners of the painting, Bruce and Jackie Mahi Erickson, considered themselves caretakers of the painting rather than owners. They eventually donated the painting to the Kamehameha Schools through the Ke Ali'i Pauahi Foundation, a support organisation for Hawaiian students.
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Frequently asked questions
The painting is "Painting of Hilo Bay" by Joseph Nāwahī, an oil painting from 1888.
Joseph Nāwahī was a Native Hawaiian who was a lawyer, legislator, educator, songwriter, and publisher. He was also an advocate for Hawaiian independence.
The owners, Bruce and Jackie Mahi Erickson, donated the painting to the Kamehameha Schools through the Ke Aliʻi Pauahi Foundation (KAPF).
The appraiser on Antiques Roadshow estimated the painting to be worth between $100,000 and $150,000. However, it was officially valued at more than $450,000 the year after its appearance on the show.
