Love of History led to Lifetime Plans
She’s a familiar face to fans of the long-running, popular PBS series Antiques Roadshow, where she serves as a specialist in Native American art. And while she’s recognized globally for her expertise in Tribal Arts, Linda Dyer’s talents expand to other areas, as well. She’s also a general appraiser, broker, and consultant in fine arts and antiques.
Her fascination with antiques, art, and artifacts began as a young child growing up in Boston.
“I grew up at a time where you’d open a door in the morning, and your parents would tell you to be back for dinner,” she recalls with a laugh. “And you were off and running. When I was, I think around eleven, I used to get on buses, they had a great bus and subway system, and I’d go down to the Harvard campus and spend time at the Harvard museums. Then, when I got older, I’d go into the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and wander through the halls.”
Back then, she was especially drawn to ancient Egyptian exhibits. Later, when a good friend got a job developing a gift shop at Harvard’s Peabody Museum of Ethnology, Dyer devoted a lot of time to helping out. It allowed her access to a wealth of knowledge.
“There was a time when museums were just gigantic glass cases with handwritten cards, and I was captivated by everything I saw.”
While Dyer would later go to school to become a nurse, she remained dedicated to pursuing her passion for art history and antiques. She eventually left nursing full-time and got a job at a major auction house.
“I was working as a nurse for 12-hour weekends. Then I’d work at an auction house about four days a week as a consultant and building a department for them.”
It gave her an invaluable education from people who were standouts in many different fields.
“I was surrounded by everything, not just my specialty, and I got to learn from the masters of this ilk. There were some tremendous people there that have since passed on. But they were all engaging human beings who were absolutely willing to share what they knew.”
Dyer credits her love of art to her mother and father, whose own parents fled the genocide in Armenia. She said her mom and dad, who grew up during the Depression, had an “eye” and appreciation for art and passed it on to her. As far as her becoming a specialist in Native American Art, that has a lot to do with her father, who traveled while serving in the Air Force.
“He’d travel on a troop train across the U.S., and while other people would send home satin pillows that said, ‘Made in Taiwan,' he was always buying things woven into the experience. He bought a lot of Native American jewelry and pieces of pottery for my mom. So, I developed a fascination with the American West.”
Her expertise shines through on the Antiques Roadshow. Through the years, she’s had the chance to evaluate a wide range of artifacts.
“People come and share their different stories,” she says. “The show is part adventure, part history lesson, and part treasure hunt. And who wouldn’t enjoy that?”
When she’s not traveling for PBS, she shifts to her expertise as a generalist, working as a consultant for auction houses, companies, and individuals, trying to determine the value of many types of items.
“What I do the most here in Tennessee is help people divest their homes, whether it be an estate or just a collection. Because you can have the True Cross or the Hope Diamond, but if you don’t know where to place it, you can make a big mistake.”
Dyer says there’s a kindred spirit between those who share a love of history and items that tell the story of a time gone by. At one point, Mike Wolfe (of American Pickers), now a friend, consulted with her before he developed his show. There’s something special that draws like-minded people together.
“We’re all cut from the same cloth,” she says. “My colleagues on the Antiques Roadshow are the most passionate, adventurous, romantics - all fascinated by history. And every time we go on tour, it’s like going off to summer camp.”
If you’d like to contact Linda Dyer regarding her appraising or consulting services, you can email her at ledyer256@aol.com or call (615) 791-9242.
