English Architect's Desk, ca. 1730
Watch
GUEST:
It principally has been used as a decorative piece in my living room, and it sits under a large Federal mirror. It was more or less a gift.
APPRAISER:
These are so-called architect's tables. When this piece was made about 1725, 1730, it was a brand-new form of furniture, and it was really answering the needs of landed gentry. They would have done architectural renderings, perhaps, on something like this, maybe a little reading on it. A little bit of the sort of Downton Abbey, Lord Grantham connection. This was an elegant, elegant, high-style piece of furniture. It's also very functional. The table extends and makes a larger flat area. Then if you want, you can turn this into a little lectern. Perhaps that's where your book would be or your watercolor would be. And then further, there's lots of cubbyholes in this piece. Underneath, a great spot for storage. Little side panels here, which open up for drawers. This drawer is filled with ink. And then your side has got a door. I also love what's inside. Looks like William Morris wallpaper from about 1890 or so that someone had fun in there. I imagine a child...
GUEST:
I know! It's like somebody's kid was in there, right?
APPRAISER:
It's like a dècoupage. It's so charming. And then on my side, there are three graduated drawers so you can have a lot stored in this piece, a lot of your artist's supplies. But then also, as we close it, an elegant piece of early Georgian furniture. It really reminds me of some of the early pieces that we see made in Boston. And there are details on this piece which really make it elegant, and I wanted to just draw attention to the three Corinthian columns across the front, which hold up these lovely curved arches. And you can see they're all inlaid. And then the reeded columns taper, which is just what you want to see, and that makes the form light. They spared no expense when it came to finding the most lovely wood they could with burled veneers. In today's modern living, there's not a lot of use for something like this, and so it affects its value. Have you ever had it appraised before?
GUEST:
I had it appraised back, oh, 30 years ago for $10,000.
APPRAISER:
We're seeing that material which was very sought after by a certain generation is now less sought after, and the brown furniture has taken a hit. If this were to come to auction, we'd put a conservative estimate of $4,000 to $6,000. If you're insuring it, I would say $12,000, $15,000 for a piece like this.
GUEST:
Thank you so much for everything you've taught me about 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.
