Highest Valued Furniture

HIGHEST VALUED FURNITURE FROM ANTIQUES ROADSHOW HISTORY A CABINET FULL OF EGGS Not your standard carton of eggs. At the Philadelphia Antiques Roadshow, a woman showed appraiser Leslie Keno, a Pennsylvania spice cabinet made in the 1760s. When Leslie opened the top drawer he discovered a 19th Century collection of bird eggs nestled in cubbies and a decaying journal. It was called a specimen box, an artifact from a bygone era. You never know what you might find in your attic. This piece was valued at: $25,000 to $30,000 IGHEST APPRAISALS EVER -LEGEND Antique Name Date Made Appraisal Low to High Roadshow stop where it was featured Facts about the piece. Philadelphia Card Table From 1760 $250,000 to $350,000 Appraised in Hartford, Connecticut, 2008 The most valuable piece of furniture ever on the show. It would have been worth more, maybe $100,000 more, had it not been refinished. John Seymour Federal Card Table ПЬ From the 1790s $200,000 to $300,000 Appraised in Seacaucus, New Jersey, 1998 Bought at a yardsale for $25. While it was appraised at a maxi- mum of $300,000 it eventually sold for $541,500 at auction. New York Desk and Bookcase From the 1700s $20,000 to $250,000 Appraised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 2006 This piece had a large price range because it was not possible to tell if the top and bottom halves were together originally. Swap- ping tops and bottoms, called a marriage, devalues the furniture. Herter Bros. Sideboard & Table From the Late 1800s $100,000 to $150,000 Appraised in Cleveland, Ohio, 2002 This was a two piece collection made by the Herter Brothers who created furniture for some of the wealthiest men of the post civil war era. Duncan Phyfe Sewing Table From 1805 Ui $100,000 to $120,000 Appraised in Southfield, Michigan, 1996 This piece's owner credits her hobby of antiquing with keeping her going through a battle with cancer. UNDERSTANDING THE APPRAISAL PROCES Appraisals are: Appraiser's goal: an Expert's Best Guess Provide a Useful Number for the Owner Appraisals are never a guarantee of how much cash someone will receive for a piece. There are three main areas to which an appraiser could assign a value. The Jade Collection The highest collection appraisal ever on Antiques Roadshow was a collec- tion of jade artifacts from China. Auction Appraisal based heavily on similar BID items recently sold at auction. Hard to predict what someone will pay during the fast paced auction experience. The collection was appraised at: $710,000 to $1,070,000 Retail Appraisal based on the higher end of what someone might pay. Owner may have to wait a long time until someone is willing to pay their asking price. It eventually sold for only $494,615 at auction. Insurance Appraisal based on the maximum value of the piece. 5 Things to Know - In the event the piece is destroyed, insurance is most cost effective about getting your items on Antiques Roadshow when the piece's full value can be returned. 2. 3. 4. 5. Regional pieces If it's already been If you already Send a high quality photo with are good, if good lighting. on the show, don't know everything submit it Even if your piece is chosen, there is about the furniture, a second round to they are high quality. don't submit it. determine which They're looking for pieces will be good TV shown on TV. Do I Have to Carry my Piece to the Show? No. Professional movers will pick up your piece. DIG DEEP W. Ine history of the piece can be almost as hen the Roadshow gets its first look at a piece of furniture the research starts. They study the piece closely, checking it's condition, what's under drawers, on the bottom, the top and back. important as its physical condition. The producers love old pictures and documents that can establish the history of the furniture. Revealing the truth is what appraisers live for. Sources: video.pbs.org/video/1777052731/ mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/44451 pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/understanding.html pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/fts/mobile_200603A42.html pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/fts/providence_200501A20.html pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/fts/philadelphia_200605A15.html pbs.org/cgi-registry/wgbh/roadshow/archive_search.cgi?category=Furniture&x=42&y=12 %24