Weller Sicard Vase, ca. 1903
GUEST:
I don't know too much about it other than I inherited it from my aunt, because nobody else wanted it in the family. They thought it was kind of ugly. And I thought, well, maybe I kind of thought it was pretty. But anyhow, she had gotten it from a couple that she had given money to and could not pay her back. She didn't even know if there was any value to it, but she accepted it because the couple could not pay back.
APPRAISER:
You know it's Weller Pottery, which was made in Zanesville, Ohio, and very quickly, I'm gonna show the mark on the bottom where it says Weller. Has a very big, bold mark here.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
The interesting thing about this vase, was actually done by a Frenchman named Jacques Sicard, who was employed by Sam Weller, came to Zanesville, Ohio, because he did this particular type of metallic glaze that Sam Weller was very fascinated by. We've kind of got an amalgamation of cultures here. The form itself is very English, because Weller also employed an Englishman named Frederick Hurten Rhead, who brought many very interesting English shapes. And so we've got an American company, an English shape, and a French decorator who did the work on this vase. It has a sunflower design. There are recesses, four recesses, and the sunflower design.
GUEST:
That's what I kind of liked about it, that recess was so different...
APPRAISER:
Very nice, and then the four handles, but one of the keys to Weller, which is important with this vase, is the color. And you can see the whole spectrum of color on this vase, which is very, very nice. The age on this piece is roughly 1900 to 1905. Now, someone appraised this vase a few years ago for you?
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
And what did they tell you?
GUEST:
A gentleman wanted to buy it from me for $500, the appraiser.
APPRAISER:
I think that at auction, this piece would easily sell for between $2,500 and $3,500.
GUEST:
Really?
APPRAISER:
Really.
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.