1977 Cartier Limited Edition Egg
GUEST: It's an egg. It's an egg.
APPRAISER: Do we know anything more about the egg?
GUEST: I purchased it, and I think I got two more with it. I spoke to my son, and he said he got two of 'em, so there was three of 'em.
APPRAISER: Oh, okay. Where did you acquire these?
GUEST: Off an online auction. Probably nine years ago?
APPRAISER: Okay.
GUEST: Ten years ago? It's been a while.
APPRAISER: Wow. And do you recall what you paid for the egg?
GUEST: (SIGH) Not much. A couple of hundred bucks, a hundred buck, yeah.
APPRAISER: Okay, for the set of three.
GUEST: Yeah.
APPRAISER: Did they give you any information about these particular eggs that you were buying?
GUEST: No, no.
APPRAISER: So it was sort of a...
GUEST: They were just cute. I collect cute things. (laughing)
APPRAISER: Okay. Well, I, I think that this is adorable.
GUEST: Yeah.
APPRAISER: So kudos to you.
GUEST: Thank you.
APPRAISER: This is a wonderful novelty piece.
GUEST: Okay.
APPRAISER: Uh, we've got a beautiful footed egg with a gorgeous foliate concentric design that's rolling around the edges.
GUEST: Okay.
APPRAISER: It's got a beautiful seamless hinge that runs along the entire width of the piece.
GUEST: Okay.
APPRAISER: The signature is Cartier. Your item is clearly defined as item number eight out of a series of 25.
GUEST: Okay.
APPRAISER: It's made out of sterling silver with 18-karat yellow gold accents.
GUEST: Oh, cool.
APPRAISER: It was made in 1977. We've got the Cartier emblem on the very front. It opens, and we've got a delightful scene with a little enameled frog. On the bottom of his foot, he is marked Cartier. And we know that this is authentic.
GUEST: So it's real. Really?
APPRAISER: Yes.
GUEST: See, that's what, I always wanted to know that!
APPRAISER: Yes! And then you've got the beautiful, charming flowers with the amethyst that would have been carved in Idar-Oberstein, Germany. And then you also have carved coral flowers, which would have been done in Italy.
GUEST: Wow.
APPRAISER: So this is a global piece, with all the elements coming together into one delightful package.
GUEST: Oh, my gosh!
APPRAISER: So an Easter egg, limited-edition series, by a wonderful well-known maker in Cartier.
GUEST: Yeah!
APPRAISER: Would you have any idea as to the value of this piece in today's market?
GUEST: I didn't even know if it was real or not. I just thought it was cute as heck, so I have no idea. (both laughing)
APPRAISER: Well, I think that your investment in the three, despite the fact that you have just one with you today...
GUEST: Yeah, I might have two more when I get home, depending on how much it is. (laughing) I'm going to call him-- it's my son. (laughing)
APPRAISER: Say, "Son, give me those back."
GUEST: Yeah!
APPRAISER: If you were to see an item like this come to auction, you could reasonably anticipate an auction estimate of $1,000 to $2,000 just for the one egg.
GUEST: Awesome.
APPRAISER: So with having three...
GUEST: Yeah! Fun!
APPRAISER: ...you could be doing quite well. And again, that's a tremendous...
GUEST: Yeah!
APPRAISER: ...uptick in value over what you originally paid for it.
GUEST: Yeah, and now I know it's real.
$1,000 - $2,000 Auction
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Understanding Our Appraisals
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.
