“So they put small prices on everything, hoping that the employees of the building could purchase them, not knowing that they were going to be gifted.
“So everybody picked some moderate things to take and at the end, they didn’t have to pay for it and this was one of them.
“It was in my in-law’s house since 1946 which is the year my husband was born and he remembers it being in the house all those years and loved it.”
When questioned by expert Tony Abeyta on whether she knew who had painted the artwork, she replied: “No, I moved about two years ago and it’s been in storage in the house.
“I had forgotten to really look at it and was surprised that it was a woman and not a man, because that was my memory of it.”
Tony then began to clarify that it was a painting in its original frame, having never been opened up, and was probably created in about 1900.
“When I first saw it, I knew exactly who painted it,” Abeyta stated.
“And so all I had to do was look behind the dust in this area in here – JH Sharp.
“Joseph Henry Sharp who was a very important American painter, but more so, a really important Taos painter.”
Born in Ohio in 1859, Sharp was thought to be a “master of capturing still lifes” as well as his subject matter.
“He painted almost exclusively in Taos, Taos Pueblo Indian people. So these are real people, this is a real portrait.”
Summarising its value, Abeyta said: “The fact that it’s never been opened, it’s never been cleaned, it is as fresh as you can get a painting. It’s in A+ great condition.
“If it were to be in a retail gallery situation, this painting would bring between $50,000 (£39,500) and $70,000 (£55,000).”
Upon hearing the staggering figure, the guest gasps and clutched at her chest.
Her voice broke as she told him: “I can’t believe it. That’s amazing.”
As she began wiping away tears, the expert told her: “It’s really wonderful. Look at this, you know, I get these goose pimples thinking you didn’t know that it was there.
“And it’s just a wonderful, great painting.”
Clearly grateful for the appraisal, the guest continued: “Thank you so much, thank you so much.
“It’s wonderful news, this is so unbelievable.”
Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on PBS.