18th-Century American Spoon Rack
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GUEST:
This is a family heirloom that my father gave me. His father gave it to him after digging it out of a family storage unit, which was an old converted chicken coop in Rockmart, Georgia. And said it had been handed down from his family before that. And I had it in a storage unit until I came to see you today. (laughs)
APPRAISER:
Your family was in Georgia, and how long had they been in America?
GUEST:
Our earliest relative that we trace back came over in the mid-1630 or so from England, and he lived in Massachusetts. And then family went down after a generation to Georgia and North Carolina.
APPRAISER:
I think when they were living in Massachusetts, somebody made this for them. The reason I think that is cause it's white pine.
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
This is an amazing chip carved spoon rack.
GUEST:
Chip carved, okay.
APPRAISER:
Chip carved spoon rack. You see all those pinwheels?
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
They draw those out with a compass, and then they'll take a really sharp small chisel or some small device and they carve all those pinwheels out. And it's got the heart on the top, but even more importantly, on your side is the date: 1764. This is so rare. And at auction, we think this would bring $3,000 to $5,000.
GUEST:
Really?
APPRAISER:
Really.
Appraisal Details
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