English Lady's Secretary, ca. 1880
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GUEST:
It belonged to my grandmother. When I was growing up, it was in her home. We weren't allowed to touch anything. I don't know anything about where she bought it, but she and my grandfather traveled all over Europe and picked up things, and she had an affinity for cherubs, so she was probably attracted to this piece because of these cute little cherubs, I'll bet.
APPRAISER:
Just because of the plaques? Okay.
GUEST:
Probably-- and it's pretty.
APPRAISER:
From across the room, when one sees it, you think it's French. Everything about it just screams, "I'm a French lady's writing desk."
GUEST:
Totally.
APPRAISER:
Because of the cherubic plaques, they're in the Sèvres style-- Sèvres is a French porcelain manufactory. The shape of the legs, these metal-mounted trim elements that were gilded originally.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
Some of the gold highlights are still showing up in areas that are hard to polish. But in the areas where polish was heavily applied over the years...
GUEST Yes, probably lots.
APPRAISER:
...the gilding has been wiped off of the bronze. And it has a stenciled label from the manufacturer, which is most unusual, and we can see it here on the inside.
GUEST:
Oh, yeah.
APPRAISER:
And it says "Crunden Upholsterers, New Street, in Brighton." Brighton. So it's actually an English desk...
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
...made in the French taste. It's from about the 1880s.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
Do you have any idea what it might be worth?
GUEST:
I have no idea. It's been sitting in my bedroom, now in the guest room. It's been moved around quite a bit. Couple of thousand, maybe? Hopefully?
APPRAISER:
Maybe? In today's market, it's probably not a couple of thousand.
GUEST:
Thousand? Thousand?
APPRAISER:
You're probably looking at about $800 to $1,200.
GUEST:
What do you think she would have paid for this in maybe the 1930s, '40s? Maybe later than that.
APPRAISER:
Oh, it might have been $40 or something.
GUEST:
Yeah. Yeah,
APPRAISER:
I mean... Way back then, at Depression-era prices, it could have been ten dollars, who knows?
GUEST:
Wow. I really need to take better care of it, but it's a beautiful piece. I love it.
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