1912 Robert Ridgway "Color Standards"
GUEST:
It was just in a box of books. I collect old books, so I looked through it. I just really was intrigued by all the, the colors and stuff, so I bought it.
APPRAISER:
It's called "Color Standards and Color Nomenclature" by Robert Ridgway. Have you found anything out about Mr. Ridgway?
GUEST:
I couldn't find out anything, so I gave the book to my daughter Ina.
APPRAISER:
And?
GUEST:
Yeah, she passed it on to me, and I did a little research and I found out a little bit about the author, and that he was a ornithologist...
APPRAISER:
Right, he's identified here as curator of the Division of Birds...
GUEST:
Okay, okay.
APPRAISER:
...United States National Museum. And I know another book by Ridgway about birds, "Birds of North and Middle America," but I didn't realize he had made this book. And this book, as he explains in his preface, was really an attempt as a scientist to standardize names of color in a similar way that weights and measures had been standardized. The beauty of the book are the plates.
GUEST:
Yeah.
APPRAISER:
There's a caution here printed that the plates should not be exposed to light or they could fade, and clearly, they haven't been, because they're beautifully vibrant. Now, in 1886, Ridgway published a book called "Color Nomenclature for Naturalists"...
GUEST:
Hm.
APPRAISER:
...that illustrated 186 colors. This book has 1,115 colors.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
Plus, on each page there's, for guidance, control, white and black, as well.
GUEST:
Hm.
APPRAISER:
So there's over 1,400 pieces of color.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
All of which had to be cut out and mounted by hand. You've noticed these aren't printed on the page, but mounted.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
I'd hate to be painting my house based on these, because you get a whole great variety.
GUEST:
(laughs) It is hard to choose your favorite one.
APPRAISER:
Exactly. But I think we agreed that we both liked purple. So let's show that.
GUEST:
Right, I do like purple.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
The Ridgway color system never caught on. So this is really, I think, a testament to Ridgway and his tenacity. No commercial publisher could have taken this on. I don't know if you've noticed, it was published by the author.
GUEST:
Oh, no, I didn't see that. (guest murmurs)
APPRAISER:
The edition must have been very small, certainly less than 500 copies, and probably closer to 300.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
So it maybe failed as a scientific work, but I think it succeeds as a work of art. How much did the box cost?
GUEST:
No, I just bought the one book.
APPRAISER:
Okay.
GUEST:
It cost me a dollar.
APPRAISER:
I would certainly think, in this condition, which is very good, this copy would sell for between $700 and $800.
GUEST:
(laughing): Oh, you're kidding! Oh, my gosh. You're kidding!
APPRAISER:
I'm not kidding.
GUEST:
Wow.
GUEST:
Oh, my gosh.
APPRAISER:
And it's an exciting book because of the contents. I appreciate your bringing it in.
GUEST:
That's amazing.
GUEST:
Oh, I can't believe it.
GUEST:
Oh, my God.
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.