Japanese Noh Drama Mask Models, ca. 1920
GUEST: I got it from my grandmother, who I assume bought it in Colorado Springs in the '70s from some sort of antique store. She probably wouldn't have paid more than five dollars for it. I just thought maybe it was Japanese. Maybe it had to do with, um, the theater.
APPRAISER: All of these, when you, when you first came to the table, were turned around. (chuckling) So all we saw was this.
GUEST: Yes.
APPRAISER: And none of us had ever seen anything like it, went, "Hmm, that's interesting." Name, play.
GUEST: (gasps)
APPRAISER: Matches... the mask. In Japan, there are different forms of theatrical performances, and Noh dramas have been around since the 14th century. Noh dramas are N-O-H. They would be worn by actors in different performances. Some of them, a lot of them, are from the same drama, but quite a few of them are from different ones. They all have a number. They all have the character. They all have the play. That says "Made." But it's missing the name!
GUEST: (gasps)
APPRAISER: It's missing the name!
GUEST: Oh, no! (chuckles)
APPRAISER: There were schools of Noh masks. There were special Noh mask makers, and there still are today. There's a big female movement of Noh mask makers in the 20th century. I think, likely, this was somebody who really is a fan of Noh dramas and specifically of a particular Noh mask maker.
GUEST: Very cool.
APPRAISER: A collector-- like baseball cards, or Pokémon cards or something like that would say. I want to have them all, but you can't.
GUEST: Hm. Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: So this is a way that you can enjoy them. They're carved out of wood. Some have a little bit of plaster on them, and they're painted. And some are even articulated. I love it, the artistry is fantastic.
GUEST: It's amazing.
APPRAISER: Based on the box, based on the materials, the carving, the characters, I think most likely these were made end of the Meiji period, early Showa period. So between 1912 and 1930. I think most likely, at auction, it would sell for somewhere between $1,000 and $2,000.
GUEST: Whoo! That's awesome. I love 'em, they're beautiful. And they're just so pretty and cute.
$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.
