Frank H. Boos III of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

It is with great sadness that we at Abe Silverman's Antique Silver Shop report the passing Frank Boos of Troy, Michigan. (May 11, 2006) Unbeknownst to Frank, he was one of the major inspirations to us to open our own antique silver shop.

The following are the official printed obituaries and background of Frank Boos.

"To Cranbrook and Christie's, auction house owner Frank H. Boos III was a renowned antiques expert whose appraisals were coveted by heirs of auto magnates, senators and an Arctic explorer.

To millions of television viewers, Mr. Boos was the "Bowtie Guy" whose colorful collection of neckwear and enthusiasm made him a staple on PBS' top-rated "Antiques Roadshow."

Mr. Boos, 70, of Bloomfield Hills already had an international reputation when he signed on as the show's silver expert for its first season in 1996. Through 10 years, he delighted in bringing the rarefied world of antiques to a mass audience.

"He thought it was just fabulous," said his son, Jonathan Boos. "He loved meeting people and sharing the thrill of discovery -- discovering the unknown, hidden-away, long-lost paintings and fabulous pieces of silver."

Mr. Boos, the owner of a namesake gallery in Troy, died of complications from vascular disease on Tuesday, May 9, 2006, at his home. http://www.boosgallery.com/

Born June 13, 1935 in Detroit, Mr. Boos grew up in Grosse Pointe Farms and graduated from the then-Detroit University School and Trinity College.

Mr. Boos became Christie's first U.S. agent in 1970, when he auctioned the estate of "Rose Terrace," the Grosse Pointe Farms mansion of Anna Thompson Dodge, the wife of Dodge founder Horace Elgin Dodge.

Mr. Boos also appraised all the art at Cranbrook Institutions.

He wore bowties for decades -- the "louder the better" -- and amassed a collection of at least 150, said his wife of 41 years, Nancy. The ties were a hallmark, along with his signature line on the show telling guests what they could expect for their treasures at "well-advertised auctions," said Marsha Bemko, its executive producer.

"Frank was very passionate about discoveries," Bemko said. "Whenever I talked to him on the show, he always had an almost little boy expression of excitement on his face. He was genuinely fascinated with objects, their history and wanted to share his excitement with all of us."

Survivors include his wife, Nancy; two sons, Jonathan and Christopher; two daughters, Kristina and Alexandra Stephenson; and five grandchildren."
-Detroit News/Joel Kurth

"Frank Boos has been in the appraisal and auction business for over 37 years, and built a leading regional auction house based on quality, professionalism and excellence.

Mr. Boos has been connected with the appraisal and/or dispersal of most of the Michigan area's famous collections.He also handled the collection of the late Minoru and Teruko Yamasaki, an internationally renowned architect who left an outstanding legacy of at least 1,756 projects, one being the World Trade Center in New York City. Mr. Boos was one of the retained appraisers of all of the art and objects d'art belonging to the world famous Cranbrook Institutions, which took him five years to appraise and document. Mr. Boos was also the first US. agent for Christie's in conducting of the Anna Thompson Dodge auction held at her home "Rose Terrace" in Grosse Point farms in 1970, which was Christie's first sale in the Western hemisphere.

Mr. Boos is a consultant to the major museums, numerous insurance companies, law firms, banks and private collectors in Michigan and contiguous states."
-Antiques Road Show