Pairpoint Brothers Table Ornaments, ca. 1912
Watch
GUEST:
They belonged to my husband, and his father was a jeweler.
APPRAISER:
Okay.
GUEST:
And he did a lot of work in New York, that's where we think he acquired 'em.
APPRAISER:
And do you use them for any specific purpose?
GUEST:
They just sit on my dining room table for pretty.
APPRAISER:
Well that's, I think, exactly what they're for. They're a real statement piece, aren't they?
GUEST:
Yeah...
APPRAISER:
They're absolutely gorgeous looking. They're actually made in London.
GUEST:
Oh, wow.
APPRAISER:
Yeah, and they have a set of English hallmarks on them.
GUEST Oh, wow.
APPRAISER:
So the hallmarks in London in 1912, 1913, which is the beginning of George V's reign, it's about 100 years ago, very different time to now. They're made by the Pairpoint Brothers, who were actually very well known for making pieces like this, which are in a revival style. This is a Renaissance design that has been reproduced in the early 20th century, and I think they are so wonderful. I mean, look at the attributes that we have here. On the top, there is a merman, as you see, blowing on the large shell here. You see his wonderful scaly sort of legs coming out the back here, and he's sitting on these large scallop shells, supported on these four dolphin supports. Now, this type of sea beast was used very much in the 16th century as indicative of an animal that came from the deep, right?
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
So you would get them on antiquarian maps a lot, they were very common motif of the Renaissance period. You see that they merge, or they're sort of lying on these wonderful waves here, beautifully arranged around them. They are sterling silver.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
And what's interesting also about the placement of these marks, is that they're right at the front.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
So they're on show. When hallmarking was first introduced in London, which would be hundreds and hundreds of years ago, 700 years ago, the hallmark would have been hidden on the bottom. By this time, and particularly with this type of object, which is such a showy object, they want to advertise the fact that they're silver right front and center and that's what they've done. They probably weigh around 50 ounces, which in 2014 is around $20 an ounce, about maybe $1,000 or over, just over $1,000 each. But if these were to come up for auction, I would estimate them now at between $4,000 to $7,000.
GUEST:
Wow...
APPRAISER:
So quite a lot more than I think the sort of $2,000 that we would have imagined if they were melted down.
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.
