1936 Royal Worcester Vase
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GUEST:
I got this from my mother. She and my father started in the antiques hobby when I was in high school. And once or twice I asked her for a piece, and first couple she gave to me, and then she started selling them to me. So I bought this vase from my mother.
APPRAISER:
Well, that's interesting. Not many people actually buy things from their mother. But in this case, I think it might be appropriate because she was in business. But what did you pay for it?
GUEST:
I believe I paid $125, and it was about 40 years ago. I know it's Royal Worcester, and that's really about it.
APPRAISER:
Well, let's look at the mark first on the bottom. It does say Royal Worcester, and made in England. And then there's also a number. It might be a shape or a pattern number. But between the words Royal Worcester and Made in England there's a tiny mark, three interlocking circles and four little dots. And that tells me that this was made in 1936. When these were new in 1936, this would have been an incredibly expensive piece that would have been purchased in a high-end department store, a high-end china shop or jewelry store. These days, a retail price on this would be between $500 and $750.
GUEST:
Very good.
APPRAISER:
Now, 40 years ago, you paid $125. So you paid your mother quite a lot of money for that.
GUEST:
Well, she did have an entrepreneurial spirit.
APPRAISER:
Now, do you think she sold it to you at cost, or do you think you...she made a profit?
GUEST:
Well, I'm not sure. I think it might have been cost. I hope it was, but don't know.
APPRAISER:
Well, it's okay if she made a little money.
GUEST:
Yeah, I think so.
Appraisal Details
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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."
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