Duke & Duchess of Windsor-signed Menu
Watch
APPRAISER:
What's so special about this menu? "Bill of Fare, Lulu Belle, Gay Nineties Cocktail Bar?"
GUEST:
Well, in 1959 I was a waiter at this restaurant, and these two folks came in as customers.
APPRAISER:
What two folks?
GUEST:
Well, the duke and duchess of Windsor.
APPRAISER:
Ah, not your average customers.
GUEST:
No, they were not. And you took care of them?
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
How did you get that honor?
GUEST:
Well, they asked me to, because I had been raised in Canada, so it was an effort to put them in a comfortable situation.
APPRAISER:
Do you remember what they were served?
GUEST:
Yes, they both ate lobster in a steakhouse, but that's what they ate.
APPRAISER:
So how did you get the menu? What did you say to them to get this menu?
GUEST:
Well, I asked them if they'd be willing to sign the menu for me, and they said they would. As a matter of fact, they were very gracious about it.
APPRAISER:
Well, I'm sure you know the story of the duke of Windsor. He was born 1894, son of George V. He was the oldest son and slated to become the next king of England, once George died. He was also known as the Playboy Prince. I mean, he was dapper and debonair in an era where royalty was scrutinized, even more so than today. He was just about to become the king of England. His father passed away in '36, and he was having an affair with Wallis Simpson. Now, Wallis Simpson was not only divorced, she was Mrs. Wallis Simpson, in the process of getting divorced again. He was forced to abdicate the throne, and he lived the rest of his life in exile, married in 1937 to Wallis Simpson. It really took the breath out of him. He was beloved. He had so much charisma going for him. He traveled all over the world, and this was a real shame. So what makes this menu great is the fact that, A, they both signed it, and they signed it as duke and duchess of Windsor, which were kind of their consolation titles. They are well-collected today. There's been a couple of major auctions of their artifacts over the years. To have both signatures on a menu and to you, and you can document history and provenance?
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
I would value this, if I were going to put it in auction, for about $2,500 to $3,500.
GUEST:
Really? Well, I am amazed. But I'm grateful, thank you very much.
APPRAISER:
Well, that's good. You know, I think the only thing left is, what did they have for dessert?
GUEST:
(laughs): I can't remember. Thank you.
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.
