November 03, 2016: After this appraisal aired, a viewer suggested that this could be an authentic Georg Jensen candelabra because artisans in America occasionally neglected to mark the pieces.   While it is true that Jensen pieces from Denmark were retailed in the U.S., a dispute arose between Jensen and his exclusive U.S. retailer, Frederick Lunning.  Lunning had been selling items under the Jensen name that were not authorized by Jensen during WWII.  Jensen ultimately sued Lunning and their business agreement ended. This adds an element of suspicion for collectors when purchasing any Jensen items that do not have the Danish hallmarks.  Appraiser Sara Wishart explains her attribution further: "All in all, even if this specific pair of candelabra could be attributed to 'Jensen USA/NY,' I'd still refer to them as ‘Jensen-style’ because they are a direct copy of an actual Jensen pattern (design #324, created in 1919).  If the mystery mark could be traced to an actual silversmith, that would certainly add to the story of the piece, but would still keep them in the realm of 'Jensen-style.'  As such, I don't think the value would be affected, because they're still Jensen copies."

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.