For decades, Daniel Buck Soules has been able to look at castoffs and see treasure.
He’s an auctioneer and appraiser — fine art his specialty — and it’s his job to tell clients if they have a rare antique of great value or a nice piece whose only value is sentimental.
Soules has appeared on PBS’s “Antiques Roadshow,” traveled the country for appraisals and has presided over a number of charity auctions, in addition to running his own business in Lisbon Falls. It’s been a career full of highs and lows.
Telling someone an old painting is worth enough to put their kids through college? That’s always a high.
Name: Daniel Buck Soules
Age: 56
Town: Lisbon Falls
Job: Auctioneer/appraiser
The best part about your job: Being able to assist people with identifying and valuing their antiques and paintings. And if they ask, we also assist our clients with the sale of their items.
The most challenging part: It is a difficult market due to the economy, so being able to find the proper buyers for certain items can be difficult.
What got you interested in antiques and art? A love of American history and two uncles who dealt in antiques when I was growing up.
What’s your specialty and why? My specialty is fine art, being paintings and sculpture. Why? Because there are so many artists and to assist our clients (to) identify the artist of their works can make it very rewarding. Especially if we determine that a work is very valuable. To see the client’s face light up is amazing.
You graduated from the International Auction School in Massachusetts. Do auctioneers learn how to speed-talk in auction school or does that have to be a natural talent? There are some auction schools that do teach a “chant.” Most auctioneers that I know do not chant, but do a more natural calling of bids.
What are some of the coolest things you’ve appraised over the years? A letter from John Adams, a 1770s tall-case clock from Newport, R.I., a Rodin sculpture, just to name a few.
What’s the most amazing item you’ve ever appraised? A pair of early American portraits for $2.25 million.
How do you know an antique or piece of art is for real? Forty years of looking at art and antiques gives you an ability to discern the difference. But sometimes it takes research, especially when it comes to artwork, to make sure that it is not a fake.
What was it like working on “Antiques Roadshow”? Being an appraiser on the PBS television show was amazing. Eight to 12 hours of controlled chaos and seeing more items than anyone could even imagine. Especially over 11 years. And the people at PBS were great to work with, as were all of the other appraisers.
Did you get to have one of those the-owner-thought-it-was-junk-but-it’s-actually-worth-a-million-dollars moments on the show? Believe it or not, there is not as much of that as you would think. There was a very expensive collection of autographs that came (to the show) that was valued much higher than the owner thought.
Are you a collector of anything? I do collect paintings and Shaker items.
Tell me about your work at the Hancock Shaker Village: For a number of years I was a cabinetmaker at HSV. Building Shaker reproduction furniture by hand, without machines, and demonstrating to the public. Also had an opportunity to teach as well. It was a very spiritual experience.
If I want to become rich in 50 years, what would you recommend I acquire now? (What’s the pricey antique of the future?): If I knew that, I would have been rich a long time ago. Trends change, tastes change, markets change. There is no one I know that has that crystal ball, unfortunately.
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