House of Folk Art

Matt and Sully are back at Ledbetter Auction Gallery in Gibsonville with a fresh stack from a 400-piece single-owner folk art collection that just came through the door.The collection had already been unboxed and was waiting to be photographed, but Matt had not fully gone through it yet. So instead of picking their own favorites from around the gallery, Matt and Sully grab a random stack of about 40 pieces and start digging in with fresh eyes.This episode is a look at what a real folk art collector collects: the known names, the lesser-known artists, the pieces that need more research, and the kind of work that only starts to make sense once you slow down and really look at it.The stack starts with a carved Calvin Cooper dog, then moves into work by Po Phil, Levent Isik, Alpha Andrews, Kaye Simmons, Sam Ezell, Bob Newell, Richard Burnside, John Burgess, Myrtice West, Aretha Hardy, Albert Wagner, Purvis Young, Willie White, and more.There are auction estimates, artist stories, a few mystery signatures, and plenty of moments where the guys have to admit they do not know everything yet. That is part of the point. This is what it looks like when a collection arrives, the research starts, and the pieces begin to tell you where they came from.Do you know a folk artist or have a picking story worth sharing? Reach out to the show:Chapters00:00 | Welcome Back to House of Folk Art with Matt and Sully02:42 | First Up: The Wood Carved Dalmatian04:20 | Matt’s First Pick from the Stack06:00 | Sully Learns About Levent Isik07:40 | Mixed Media in a Frame08:26 | Reminiscent of Bernice Sims09:15 | Matt’s Favorite Piece So Far10:07 | Sam Ezell Shows Up in the Art Pile11:25 | Mail Pouch Chew12:14 | Richard Burnside from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina14:04 | Key West Folk Art16:26 | An Incredible Memory Painting of Quilt Making18:04 | Myrtice West, Self-Taught Visionary Artist20:43 | Gold Framed Folk Art?22:15 | Animals & Angels23:25 | Albert Wagner26:08 | Folk Style, But…26:55 | An Early Sam Ezell27:42 | Purvis Young and Goodbread Alley31:58 | Folk Art Framed in PVC Pipe32:59 | A Series of Folk Paintings34:08 | A.B. the Flag Man, Don’t Forget It40:17 | Folk Art from a Coal Miner42:59 | The Art of Willie White46:20 | Alpha Andrews on Mixed Paper48:19 | James Bland Folk Art Face49:58 | Back to Myrtice West51:47 | Grilling Is Pleasing53:31 | Butch Anthony Face Pan55:25 | Back to A.B. the Flag Man57:52 | One More Time with Levent Isik01:00:57 | A Good Day at the Auction Galleryhouseoffolkart@gmail.com(919) 410-8002Leave your name and where you are from and you might hear yourself on a future episode.Follow @houseoffolkart for more stories, field trips, and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.

Matt has been raised on canes since he was ten years old, and now he is passing the tradition down by raising his own kids on folk art canes too. From snake wrapped handles to fully carved masterpieces, he walks through some of the best walking sticks in the collection and ends by seeing if Kai can spot the most valuable cane in the room.Throughout the episode he breaks down the difference between a simple carved handle and a true tip to top cane, why certain carvings reveal themselves only under good light, and how collectors can easily overlook the best details when a cane is sitting across a room. Matt gives a full tutorial on what makes a cane great, what makes one just decent, and why a few of these pieces are among the best in the entire folk art world.The episode builds toward two key moments for anyone interested in folk art canes and walking stick collecting. Matt first reveals a top tier 1904 carved cane, a true tip to top masterpiece that he considers one of the best examples of American folk art carving he has ever handled. He then moves into an Antiques Roadshow style appraisal session where he breaks down insurance values, auction estimates, and his own real world offers on several antique canes. Along the way he explains how to identify Mexican folk art canes by the eagle, snake, and cactus motif, how to recognize the hand of a single carver across multiple sticks, and how collectors can display and decorate with canes in their own homes.This episode offers one of Matt’s most in depth looks at folk art canes and why he has collected them for so long. Raising canes takes on an entirely new meaning in this one.Chapters00:00 | Introducing the Cane Collection and Matt’s Early Start in Folk Art01:20 | The Red Painted Hand Cane and the Skeleton Bone Cane04:21 | Hidden Details on the Cat and Snake Cane05:57 | The Florida Alligator Cane08:34 | The Natural Root Cane with Folded Hands10:13 | A Rare Cabinet Card Featuring a Basket and Walking Stick11:58 | Comparing a Mid Level Cane to a Tremendous Cane16:26 | Introducing the 1904 Cane and Why It Stands Out22:04 | What the Carver Might Say if Canes Could Speak23:45 | Insurance Values, Auction Estimates, and High End Cane Collecting27:57 | How to Identify Mexican Folk Art Canes32:00 | Discovering a Carver Through Matching Umbrella Canes36:39 | The Contemporary Lee Reese Cane from Salem South Carolina40:46 | How a Cane Grows42:52 | Decorating with Folk Art Canes at Home44:03 | Asking a Young Collector to Choose the Most Valuable CaneWhen the last cane goes back on the table, Matt is reminded how much history can live inside a simple piece of wood. The anonymous carvers of the early 1900s, the regional styles, and the newer makers like Lee Reese all show how folk art canes evolve while still holding on to their roots.Do you know a folk artist or have a picking story worth sharinghouseoffolkart@gmail.com(919) 410 8002Leave your name and where you are from and you might hear yourself on the next episode.Follow @houseoffolkart for more stories, adventures, and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.

Matt and Kyle sit down after two full days of picking at the Liberty Antiques Festival in Liberty, North Carolina. Surrounded by their finds, they go through the haul piece by piece, from rare signed North Carolina pottery and 19th-century paintings to a pristine Benny Carter saw.The conversation dives into the stories behind the buys, the lessons learned from years on the road, and the excitement that comes with finding something special in a sea of booths. From showcase surprises to pottery discoveries, this episode captures the rhythm and reward of a good show weekend.Chapters00:00 | Let’s get ready to go through the Liberty haul04:54 | Matt reflects on first trips to Liberty and twenty years of picking07:17 | The showcase buy and how to think through bulk deals09:10 | Pottery finds at Liberty14:41 | The mini painted basket16:37 | 19th-century gilt frame paintings19:37 | The $90 oval portrait29:48 | Benny Carter painted saw and birdhouse34:35 | Back to the showcase treasures and collecting small finds48:28 | Reflections on Liberty and looking ahead50:47 | Send in your folky storiesAs the conversation wraps, Matt and Kyle look ahead to the next round of shows and auctions, reflecting on what makes Liberty so unique. From pottery and paintings to showcase treasures, the episode reminds us that every object has a story and every picker has a tale worth telling.Watch the Dealer Setup Day vlog titled “Day 1 at Liberty Antique Festival | Quilts, Baskets, and a Ghost Table” now on the House of Folk Art channel. The second Liberty vlog will be released next Monday and will feature many of the items discussed in this episode.Do you know a folk artist? Send in your folky stories:📧 houseoffolkart@gmail.com📞 (919) 410-8002Leave your name and where you’re from, and you might get a shoutout on the next podcast.Follow @houseoffolkart for more behind-the-scenes stories and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.

Matt and Mike Smith sit down inside the Griffith Fine Art Museum at Red Oak Brewery to talk about the wild early days of Southern folk art and the collectors who helped define it. What begins as a casual visit quickly turns into a deep dive into Mike’s decades-long journey from salesman to documentarian, capturing the rise of self-taught art across the Southeast.Mike shares how he met artists like Benny Carter, James Harold Jennings, and Howard Finster, and what it was like to ride with Carter through the backroads of North Carolina with a revolver on the dash and a cooler full of copperheads in the back. He recalls photographing artists in their homes, quitting his day job after a single conversation with Finster, and how those early trips shaped the entire field of outsider art.Matt and Mike talk about the collectors who kept the movement alive and the growing problem of fake pieces appearing in auctions. They compare real works to counterfeits, share tips on spotting authenticity, and reflect on how folk art has changed as the next generation starts to collect.Sully joins at the end to ask a few behind-the-scenes questions about Mike’s photography and how he built trust with artists before taking a single shot.Chapters:00:00 | Welcome to the Griffith Fine Art Museum at Red Oak05:26 | Giving Mike His Flowers09:09 | Benny and Mike Take New York15:07 | Meeting James Harold Jennings20:19 | Fearrington Folk Art Show Preview25:49 | The Discovery of Tom Fiddler30:20 | Why Folk Artists Create35:40 | So Bad It’s Good40:41 | The Fake Art Problem50:45 | Spotting Benny Carter Fakes55:01 | Time for a Red Oak59:50 | The Best Time to Buy Art1:04:46 | Sully’s Closing QuestionsAs the conversation winds down, Matt and Mike look back on the people who made this community what it is today. The stories of Benny Carter, Mose Tolliver, and Howard Finster remind them that folk art has always been about more than sales or recognition. It’s about the spark that makes someone pick up a brush, carve a block of wood, or turn everyday life into something worth remembering.The next great folk artist is probably out there right now, carving, painting, or welding in quiet determination, waiting for someone like Mike Smith to stop by with a camera and a story to tell.Follow @houseoffolkart for more behind-the-scenes stories and upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.

Matt sits down with his father Wade Ledbetter, the legendary picker whose exploits have become House of Folk Art folklore. From walking to school with a .22 rifle to sleeping with shotguns in dangerous hotel rooms, Wade shares raw stories from the golden age of picking when there was no internet, no cell phones, and pickers ruled the auction house circuit.The conversation covers Wade's transition from insurance salesman to full-time picker, the electric atmosphere at John Lambert's Mebane auction house, and the legendary finds that made other pickers rich while Wade and Matt struggled. Hear about the John Singer Sargent discovery, and the William Merritt Chase painting that sold for $750,000.The episode concludes with an intensive salt glaze pottery lesson as Matt prepares Sully for Liberty Antique Festival. Learn to distinguish Timothy Boggs drips from contemporary pieces, understand why N. Fox is better than H. Fox, and discover how 1800s potters shared techniques and stamps. From canning jar forms to dramatic alkaline glazes, this is your crash course in Piedmont North Carolina pottery.What you'll learn:The dangerous reality of 1990s picking trips and cheap hotel roomsHow auction house time slots sold for $500 during the golden eraThe picking partnership dynamics and money-splitting rulesSalt glaze vs alkaline glaze pottery identification tipsWhy signed pottery commands premium prices and which potters to seekThe collaborative nature of 19th-century pottery productionFollow @houseoffolkart and get ready for Liberty – but don't buy junk or Matt will hit it with a baseball bat.Chapters:00:00 | Wade Ledbetter introduction and school rifle stories00:31 | Early Picking Days – insurance sales to antique partnerships02:58 | Dangerous Hotel Stories – shotguns, strangers, and picking safety07:45 | The Golden Auction Era – Mebane's electric atmosphere and picker competition11:07 | Pottery Cycles – why Thomas Richie now costs $200 instead of $1,20013:54 | The "Sconion" Mystery – Brigg's auction chant vocabulary16:00 | Picking Partnership Rules – money splitting and gas tank protocols19:39 | Benny Carter Encounter – meeting the artist before he became famous21:38 | Real Picker Philosophy – why you must sell the best to survive26:27 | Mickey's Magic – Confederate soldier images and $12,000 sugar chests29:27 | The John Singer Sargent Story – Wade's million-dollar discovery expectations31:01 | William Merritt Chase Revelation – $750,000 hammer at Mebane auction33:39 | Sex and Pottery – Wade's controversial pottery wheel advice34:17 | Salt Glaze Masterclass Begins – preparing Sully for Liberty shopping35:08 | Timothy Boggs Identification – dramatic drips and canning jar forms39:00 | Piedmont vs Alkaline Glaze – brown salt glaze vs green western NC pottery42:28 | Signature Hierarchy – why N. Fox beats H. Fox and potter collaboration secrets

Matt opens his doors to the official House of Folk Art gallery – a sanctioned room in his Gibson­ville home where guests drink wine, discuss eyeball jugs, and sleep surrounded by Benny Carter cityscapes. What started as empty walls has become a rotating exhibition that changes every two years, filled with the kind of obtainable art that proves you don't need millionaire money to live with authentic folk art.This episode is pure education for new collectors: Matt breaks down how he built this collection piece by piece, why he can't afford Bill Traylor but settles happily for Mary Proctor, and the upgrade system that turns $60 eyeball jugs into serious collections. You'll hear the Purvis Young story that changed Benny Carter's entire approach, learn why Red Oak Brewery needs to know about Gibson­ville's auction scene, and discover how fake Bill Traylors flood LiveAuctioneers while the real deal costs six figures.The conversation covers everything from salt-glaze pottery drips to Civil War swords, walking stick disasters at Liberty Antique Festival, and why Matt once threatened to destroy $1,700 worth of pottery with a baseball bat over pickup hours. Plus: the essential folk art reference book every collector needs, Matt's bouncer days at Plumb Crazy roadhouse, and a live demonstration of why you always check the whole sword before buying.What you'll learn:- The upgrade system: how $60 becomes $600 becomes $6,000 over time- Essential folk art names from the Oppenheimer collection book- How to spot fake Bill Traylors and Purvis Youngs on auction sites- Why Matt's dad's picking wisdom still guides every purchase- The difference between collecting and dealing (and why collectors lose money)- Salt-glaze pottery basics: drips, stamps, and Alamance County goldWhether you're starting with Mary Proctor paintings or dreaming of museum-quality pieces, this episode shows how authentic folk art beats Target wall decor every time – and costs less than you think.Follow @houseoffolkart and check upcoming auctions at LedbetterAuctions.comChapters:00:00 | Cold Open – Dead people's art and Gibson­ville introductions01:24 | House Tour – the sanctioned folk art room and B&B concept03:09 | Collection Philosophy – why this isn't the "best of the best"05:54 | Folk Art Pricing – from $60 eyeball jugs to $7,250 records08:27 | Red Oak Brewery Rant – local art gallery missed connections14:19 | Folk Art Discovery – how people find self-taught art15:18 | The Essential Reference Book – Three Ring Circus collection guide17:25 | Money Talk Defense – why pricing matters in art discussions20:31 | Teaching Kids to Collect – Matt's 13-year-olds at Liberty22:17 | Art World Categories – why labels exists25:11 | Academic vs Self-Taught – the Hudson River School revelation29:01 | Benny Carter's Origin Story – from Halstead Metals to art career32:20 | The Purvis Young Influence – how $30 paintings changed everything35:17 | Masterpiece Phases – Benny's detailed period vs later work44:10 | Collection Building Strategy – pottery, furniture, walking sticks48:12 | The Upgrade System – from $85 jugs to signed masterpieces52:05 | Salt-Glaze Pottery Lesson – drips, stamps, and kiln science55:23 | Walking Stick Disasters – the Liberty rack catastrophe story59:16 | Collecting vs Dealing – why pickers can't keep everything1:00:29 | Specialization Benefits – North Carolina monkey jugs only1:04:18 | Fake Art Warning – LiveAuctioneers and "sold as is" scams1:06:01 | Authentication Stories – how to spot fakes1:07:23 | High-End Art Reality – Monet, Basquiat, and auction house politics1:08:58 | Pickup Hours Rant – the $5 tile incident and business boundaries1:10:29 | Picasso Timeline Confusion – Matt's art history education gaps1:14:23 | Picking Stories – the Dan Siegle mistake and learning experiences1:19:52 | Plumb Crazy Bouncer Days – guns, bikers, and college jobs1:25:42 | Wall Decoration Philosophy – real art vs Target purchases1:27:32 | Starter Recommendations – Mary Proctor and R.A. Miller1:30:15 | Collecting Parameters – setting limits to avoid chaos1:33:38 | Civil War Sword Inspection – Union vs Confederate identification1:35:16 | Final Collecting Advice – passion over price, knowledge over impulseThe house tour continues next episode – folk art living at its finest.

If you’ve ever wondered how an old jar of quarters, a dusty license plate, or a mystery canvas can bankroll a folk-art empire, this hour is your crash course. Matt Ledbetter and Sully leave the gallery table behind and unpack the method behind the madness of picking...long drives, door knocks, and gut checks that separate a lucky flea-market haul from a life-changing score. They relive two-week marathons with $12,000 in road cash, explain why “brown is down” furniture still sells if you know the buyer, and debate the ethics of flipping a $10 painting for $29,000. Matt revisits a $10 North Carolina license plate that hammered for four figures, a briefcase of mint Case knives that reset his risk meter, and the “toolbox” cash trick that keeps the gas tank full; it’s part road-trip thriller, part market master class, part soul search, proving expertise can both elevate and encumber.What you’ll pick up along the way • Pricing math in real time — melt-value silver, die-variety coins, and why original boxes can 10× a toy’s worth • Spotting sleepers — porcelain plates, state-shaped tags, and other ephemera hiding in plain sight • Negotiation hacks — when to flash cash, when to go silent, and how a polite follow-up visit scores the real jackpot • Ethics of the flip — drawing the line between savvy and predatory when the seller doesn’t know what they have • Road-crew rituals — motel auctions on Friday nights, seat-belting stoneware so it survives I-40 potholes. • Future-casting — why self-taught art could be the next crypto curve, and which categories Matt thinks still have rocket fuelChapters00:00 | Cold Open – Who Plays Matt?01:30 | Interdimensional Cable?02:54 | Coin Crash Course: VAM Marks05:52 | Silver-Price Spike Math07:34 | “Brown-Is-Down” Furniture Debate08:39 | Folk Art as the “Next Crypto”10:06 | Confederate Currency as Art11:53 | Pop Packaging & Warhol Parallels15:45 | $10K George Nakashima Near-Miss18:53 | License-Plate Economics 10119:59 | Tennessee State-Shape Tags24:10 | Netflix Picker-Series Pitch26:01 | Blind-Squirrel Case-Knife Score30:45 | Boxed Lionel Trains Attic Flip34:01 | Knife-Reference Revelation39:30 | Two-Week Indiana Picking Run49:17 | $10 Arthur Dow Painting → $29K53:54 | Chester Webster Bird-Jug Tale56:26 | The “Toolbox” Cash Rule58:57 | Million-Dollar Daydreams59:37 | $400 Whirligig Valued at $50K+01:01:30 | Wrap-Up & Next HuntsFolk art isn’t just what hangs on a wall; it’s the math of silver ratios, the rust on a license plate, and the nerve to offer ten bucks when your gut screams “maybe.” Whether you’re a weekend yard-sale scout or dreaming of six-figure sleepers, this episode hands you the roadmap...detours, dilemmas, and all. Keep riding shotgun with us by following @houseoffolkart on social, and track the next haul at LedbetterAuctions.com. The hunt never ends; it just moves to the next county line.