Birdgirl
Did the antique lady also tell you that the prints you bought for twenty bucks aren't really considered antiques or art? They are mass-produced prints for decoration on in people's houses. Some come framed, others unframed so you can pick whatever frame best goes with your drapes. What might be worth some money are original hand-colored lithograph prints put out by Currier and Ives way back in the 19th and early 20th century. Even then the pictures were produced by the millions for purchase by everyday people who wanted to have something pretty to hang on their walls. These original lithographs would be sought by art and antique collectors, though I couldn't say for sure what they would be worth. Like many antiques and art objects, demand and interest can drive determine market or auction value of the item. People's tastes and interests change, so it's best only to buy and collect things that you yourself actually like and enjoy. There are people who probably have a basement full of Beanie Babies that they thought would ensure their kids way through college and still have money left over for an early retirement. The prints you bought were probably modern reproductions done with some type of photographic process. Lithographs are something entirely different.