Revolutionary War Sword, ca. 1770
Watch
GUEST:
I brought in a sword, I thought Civil War sword when I bought it. I bought it in a pawnshop in Tylertown, Mississippi, about 35 years ago.
APPRAISER:
This sword is what started all American swords. It's earlier than Civil War. This one is actually a Revolutionary War sword. There's about a 20-year gap that we can put this sword in, from about 1765 to 1785. It's a classic example of a cavalryman's sword from the Revolutionary War. If you notice, in the center of the blade, we've got three grooves, or fullers. A lot of people will call those blood grooves, but that's incorrect. Those were actually started back in Japan centuries ago as a way of lightening and strengthening the blade.
GUEST:
Oh, okay.
APPRAISER:
And that's a trait of the blade being made in Europe. The time that this was made, the finest metals came from Europe.
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
They had a better way to temper the steel. They would import the blades in and then they'd assemble them here in America.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
And I love the handle on this sword. It's made of a piece of cast brass. And you can imagine, after you cast that brass, it comes out with casting flaws on it. And there are casting flaws on the inside of the guard but the guard is nicely finished on the outside of the guard. That's because it was a necessity that they get these swords into service. So you finish what you can see and you leave plain what you can't see.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
They also had a hand-turned grip made of American wood. And then we have the pommel cap, which holds the whole sword together, is made of a cast piece of brass as well. All the swords that come from this sword later have this style to thank because we're a fledging country, and we're fledgling sword makers at the time, too. You paid how much for it?
GUEST:
$35.
APPRAISER:
$35. And this was when?
GUEST:
1975.
APPRAISER:
This sword today would retail for about $4,500.
GUEST:
Wow. Mmm. Never expected that.
APPRAISER:
This market on this sword isn't what it was. There were several people that were driving the market back five, ten years ago, and they passed away. So the value is down. There was a time this same sword would have brought $6,500.
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.
