Pennsylvania Tramp Art Dresser, ca. 1910
Watch
GUEST:
This piece is about 100 years old, and it was made by my grandfather, who was a self-taught carpenter and almost illiterate. So, I'm very proud of the fact that he made this, and it's now in my possession. It's tramp work, and it's made from cigar boxes. My grandfather sat beside his wife while she was recuperating, and with a penknife, carved all these little tiny pieces.
APPRAISER:
Where was your family living?
GUEST:
They were living in Williamsburg, Pennsylvania.
APPRAISER:
Tramp art was home industry. And everybody assumes that these were made out of cigar boxes. And I think part of them could have been made out of cigar boxes, but you know as well as I do, there are some pieces in here that are bigger than what a cigar box would be.
GUEST:
Oh, yes.
APPRAISER:
I think what they really looked for was a wood that was kind of soft and easy to carve. I think he did this to show his skill at lamination, and it alternates maple and walnut. And what he did was, he took a strip the same width and depth all the way across and glued them together, and then he cut it to fit this and put this scallop in the front. And the thing that I love the most about this is, it was a labor of love for him. When I first walked up to it, the first thing I noticed were the hearts at the top of each mirror.
GUEST:
You noticed the hearts?
APPRAISER:
'Cause he made it for his sweetie, and something you almost never see is decoration on the bottom like that. He's paid a lot of attention to detail.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
Would you be surprised if I told you that this is worth $6,000 to $8,000?
GUEST:
(gasps) Yes.
APPRAISER:
(laughs)
GUEST:
Yes, I would be very surprised.
APPRAISER:
Well, that's the case.
GUEST:
Well, it's going to stay in the family. I'll never sell it.
Appraisal Details
Executive producer Marsha Bemko shares her tips for getting the most out of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.
Value can change: The value of an item is dependent upon many things, including the condition of the object itself, trends in the market for that kind of object, and the location where the item will be sold. These are just some of the reasons why the answer to the question "What's it worth?" is so often "It depends."
Note the date: Take note of the date the appraisal was recorded. This information appears in the upper left corner of the page, with the label "Appraised On." Values change over time according to market forces, so the current value of the item could be higher, lower, or the same as when our expert first appraised it.
Context is key: Listen carefully. Most of our experts will give appraisal values in context. For example, you'll often hear them say what an item is worth "at auction," or "retail," or "for insurance purposes" (replacement value). Retail prices are different from wholesale prices. Often an auctioneer will talk about what she knows best: the auction market. A shop owner will usually talk about what he knows best: the retail price he'd place on the object in his shop. And though there are no hard and fast rules, an object's auction price can often be half its retail value; yet for other objects, an auction price could be higher than retail. As a rule, however, retail and insurance/replacement values are about the same.
Verbal approximations: The values given by the experts on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW are considered "verbal approximations of value." Technically, an "appraisal" is a legal document, generally for insurance purposes, written by a qualified expert and paid for by the owner of the item. An appraisal usually involves an extensive amount of research to establish authenticity, provenance, composition, method of construction, and other important attributes of a particular object.
Opinion of value: As with all appraisals, the verbal approximations of value given at ROADSHOW events are our experts' opinions formed from their knowledge of antiques and collectibles, market trends, and other factors. Although our valuations are based on research and experience, opinions can, and sometimes do, vary among experts.
Appraiser affiliations: Finally, the affiliation of the appraiser may have changed since the appraisal was recorded. To see current contact information for an appraiser in the ROADSHOW Archive, click on the link below the appraiser's picture. Our Appraiser Index also contains a complete list of active ROADSHOW appraisers and their contact details and biographies.
