Stephen Padlo of Upper Pittsgrove, New Jersey, is young and loves collecting glass, sterling silver, and arts.

He has an uncanny ability to spot hidden gems in old items. He’s certainly one of the youngest piece collectors we’ve ever encountered.

When David Weiss met him on an episode of the Antiques Roadshow, he expressed the same opinion.

He appears regularly as an appraiser of paintings on the popular show.

David Weiss currently serves as a Senior Vice President of Freeman’s and heads the European Art and Old Masters department.

If you’ve seen the Antiques Roadshow, you know it’s not for the common interests of children. Young Stephen, on the other hand, appeared to be born with a distinct personality and set of interests.

Stephen, who is only 11 years old, already has a knack for spotting good deals.

Despite the age difference, Weiss treated the small child with the same level of respect as he would an adult client. Stephen greeted the expert in front of him with the same warmth.

Before proceeding to the item that the young kid had delivered, the two exchanged pleasantries.

Weiss says at one point,

“You must be the youngest collector I’ve seen.”

To which the preteen responds:

“I must be.”

Weiss: “You like buying and selling things?”

Stephen: “Big time.”

Wouldn’t you agree that the young man is on his way to becoming a collector? He also admitted to Weiss that he enjoys collecting glass, sterling silver, and art.

Is it a work of art or a piece of garbage?

Stephen told Weiss a little narrative about how he got the piece he brought to the auction home with him.

He shared that:

“This piece was found at an auction down in South Jersey.”

“It was so hot there my dad didn’t want to stay to get it, but I wanted to so we waited an hour or so and I got it for two bucks.”

The way this little boy thinks is clearly beyond his years. What’s even more amazing is his urge to collect art, especially vintage works like this one.

Weiss informed his young client that the piece he had brought was most likely created in the late quarter of the 19th Century.

As the art depicts, it appears to be a mother and a child sitting. While cooking, the mother appears to be sewing or knitting something. Her daughter, also, is patiently waiting for her with a toy in her hand.

If I may say so, it’s very much a household scene during such times.

A signature was pointed out by the young prodigy before the start of the show.

What are the chances? Stephen was quite curious about the signature because it could lead to the art’s origins or maker. He told Weiss that he could only read the first name, “Albert.” The last name, according to the expert, is “Neuhuys.”

Albert Neuhuys, a Dutch painter who flourished from 1844 to 1914, created this watercolor artwork.

Albert Neuhuys specialized in interior settings with peasants as his major subjects. He would frequently draw families depicting the lifestyle of local farmers and weavers.

The professional assessor even praised the young New Jersey youngster and suggested that he may pursue a career as an art collector.

“I think you’ve got a great career going as an art dealer. You ought to keep at it.”

It’s time to show what it’s worth…

Albert Neuhuys made a lot of duplicates of his watercolor paintings, thus there aren’t many “one-of-a-kind” ones.

Stephen appeared to have done his homework on the piece as well. Whatever he found throughout his research convinced him that it is still valuable — probably about $150.

Weiss, on the other hand, assured him it was worth a lot more!

You’d be surprised at how much this piece of art costs. Hearing the sum, the kid’s reaction was priceless.

To know the whole story and its conclusion…

Watch the video below to hear it from Weiss himself!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family!

Sources: YouTube/Antiques Roadshow PBS, Freeman’s Auction, Wikipedia/Albert Neuhuys