Walnut Reclining Chair, ca. 1876
APPRAISER: And you and I have a little secret, right?
GUEST: Yes, we do.
APPRAISER: Should we share it with everyone else? What do you think?
GUEST: I'm ready, yes.
APPRAISER: Let's do it. (mechanism clicks) (mechanism clicks) There you go.
GUEST: Bring this back.
APPRAISER: Voilà. (both laugh) Where did you find this chair?
GUEST: I found this chair at my friend's house about 12 years ago, and he was willing to sell it.
APPRAISER: Okay.
GUEST: And I had to have it, just because it was so interesting, it was so different. I have used the chair and it's really comfortable.
APPRAISER: Okay.
GUEST: It looks like it would be harsh with the metal on the sides.
APPRAISER: Yes.
GUEST: It's very soft. It's very comfortable. And this does recline down so you can take naps.
APPRAISER: We see Victorian furniture on the ROADSHOW quite a lot.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: This is a walnut crest with a beautifully carved little sunburst here, these flower petals, beautiful figured burl. I love this molded arch and all these details, which are walnut, with this caned back and seat.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: And then you got leather arms. Some of the unsung heroes, really, of Victorian design and Victorian furniture are some of the inventors...
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: ...and the great genius that they had in engineering this convertible furniture. And they would apply for patents to have the latest and the greatest type of furniture like this that would be made for, actually, a very wealthy public.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: These are pretty expensive at the time.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: And in the 19th century, when this was made, in 1876, this would have been pretty much the cat's meow to own. You can not only adjust this footrest up...
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: ...but it also, of course, goes down.
GUEST: Right.
APPRAISER: So, which is kind of great.
GUEST: Yeah.
APPRAISER: And it will go, literally, all the way.
GUEST: Correct.
APPRAISER: Let's put it all the way down in the back, if you don't mind. (mechanism clicks) So, if you, if you want to, you can actually make this into a bed. There are reclining chairs like this, these convertible chairs, that exist... In, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they have one.
GUEST: Oh, my goodness.
APPRAISER: This shows the innovation of that period.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: That's how special they are. I think it's made in New York. A company named the Marks Company made very similar chairs. There's this beautiful polychrome floral and pin-striped decoration that's totally original.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: The condition is unbelievable on this. These are the original casters, which are mahogany.
GUEST: Mm-hmm, mm, wow.
APPRAISER: So it's a really high-quality, expensive caster. This is the original leather upholstery. So, you, you...
GUEST: Yes, we haven't touched it.
APPRAISER: How much did you, did you pay for the chair?
GUEST: $400.
APPRAISER: Okay. The interest in this would probably come mostly from museums.
GUEST: Right.
APPRAISER: But I'd put an auction estimate on this piece of probably in the range of about $2,500 to $3,500.
GUEST: Wow, wow. Oh, that's incredible-- that's incredible.
$2,500 - $3,500 Auction
$2,500 - $3,500 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.
