Yup'ik Language Manuscript, ca. 1895
GUEST: This book is about the first Yup'ik writing. And this was written by my grandfather. And he learned to read and write this, um, written Yup'ik language from Uyaquq. And he was known as Helper Neck.
APPRAISER: I think this is an amazing book. As you were saying, Uyaquq means "neck" in Yup'ik.
GUEST: In Yup'ik, yeah.
APPRAISER: And basically Uyaquq was a helper in the Moravian Church, which, hence the name Helper Neck. Quite fascinating that he did this in five years and then started teaching it to others.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: Can you tell me a little bit more about your grandfather, and how long maybe it took him to even learn how to do this himself?
GUEST: Um, both my grandparents learned to read and write like this. I grew up living with my grandmother as a little girl. And she would read and write that. That was the only way she could read and write. But I didn't pay attention at the time. But then...
APPRAISER: So you never learned yourself?
GUEST: No. I don't know of anybody that can read and write Helper Neck's writing today. And my grandparents did not speak English. They only spoke Yup'ik. And I couldn't read that, so, um, but I've got his manuscript. And I've also got my grandmother's manuscripts.
APPRAISER: And do you know if there's any of these anywhere else, maybe?
GUEST: I heard that there was two other manuscripts, or books, I called them, but they were at, uh, museums. And my grandfather went to villages and taught other people the writing, and they always called it Uyaquq, Uyaqum igai, which means "Helper Neck's writing."
APPRAISER: And what does this mean to you?
GUEST: I grew up watching that. Not my grandfather's writing, but my grandmother's. So they mean a lot to me, just because of the history.
APPRAISER: So one of the things that I think is very important about this piece is, as we've known through Alaska Native cultures and the languages, that they have been dying off for a very long time. Some of them are almost extinct. And so it's really wonderful to be able to see and have this written Yup'ik language and being something that is a strong example of carrying on the Yup'ik language and culture, and making sure that it's preserved for future generations. I think it's very precious and obviously priceless for you and your family. I would probably s, insure a book like this for maybe over $100,000. But I also think that it's so unique in its nature that it would take some more research with other people to find out a little bit more about it. And maybe the price and value could go up.
GUEST: Yes.
APPRAISER: But it's a treasure.
GUEST: Mm-hmm, yes, it is-- thank you.
APPRAISER: Mahsi'choo.
GUEST: Mm-hmm, quyana.
APPRAISER: You are somebody that speaks Yup'ik yourself. This is something that you could be very proud of.
GUEST: Yes.
$100,000 - $100,000 Insurance
$100,000 - $100,000 Insurance
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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.
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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.
