It's the tenth anniversary of one of my favorite shows, Antiques Roadshow. Monday night I watched maybe one of the greatest episodes ever, Jackpot! AR is on the short list for a few reasons.
1. The people.
2. The appraisers.
3. The finds.
4. The dramatic stories/history behind each piece.
The people (and me) are rarely aware of what they possess. It's this innocence juxtaposed against the appraisers expert knowledge that makes each segment unendingly endearing and intriguing. It gives me hope everytime.
"Where did you say you came into possession of this pot?" **
"I bought it at a yard sale in 1986."
"It's a fine example of American folk art. Maybe the best." The appraiser rubs the pot. "See there's no glaze? Glaze didn't start happening until the eighteenth century."
"You're kidding." The pot owner looks at the pot with new eyes, seeing it, like us, for the first time as something more akin to magical than something to hold loose thumb tacks. "I knew it was special, I just had to have it."
"This pre-dates glaze." The appraiser says, gravely.
"Pre-dates glaze..." The person mouths the words without sound, her eyes transfixed on the pot.
"How much did you pay for this?"
"Oh, maybe two dollars." The person looks embarrassed.
"Two dollars." The appraiser says expressing a burst of air,with a bit of a chuckle indicating that the pot maybe worth three hundred times that. I get a butterfly. I can't take my eyes off the screen.
"Look here, underneath see this mark? This is the mark of Apapo Lacooney." He puts his hands through his hair. "Apapo Lacooney almost never worked in pottery. This is so rare." My heart skips a beat. I have to know. What is it worth?!
"So you paid two dollars."
"I think so, five is my limit, so..."
"Well, you do have some condition issues, there are some scratches in the interior, but that said." He looks at the owner. "Conservatively. At auction. I'd say this Apaco Lacooney is worth at least. $25,000."
"uh, oh my. I um." The person, like me is dumbstruck. Flabbergasted. "I uh, had no idea, I, hahah! That's great. phew."
"Without the scratches I'd say $30,000. Still, not a bad return on your investment?" The appraiser asks.
"No, not at all. I'm speachless. Thank you." They stare at the pot. "My husband said it was ugly. Now how'em gonna get it home."
They laugh together, we laugh together. That idiot husband, she's rich!
** the story is entirely made up from my imagination, if there is an Apaco or Apapo Lacooney, its a coincidence. And I want ten percent.
This week there was a man who had inherited a letter to an editor of one of the most famous and often reprinted newspaper editorials.
"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."
The response to this little girls letter was so inspiring I cried real tears. It is as true then, September 21, 1897 (this week 114 years ago), as it is now. I hate to rush the seasons, but couldn't we all use a little Christmas in September?
God Bless Antiques Roadshow, may they have decades more for us and of course love love love PBS.
If you like what you read pass it on. Thanks!
1. The people.
2. The appraisers.
3. The finds.
4. The dramatic stories/history behind each piece.
The people (and me) are rarely aware of what they possess. It's this innocence juxtaposed against the appraisers expert knowledge that makes each segment unendingly endearing and intriguing. It gives me hope everytime.
"Where did you say you came into possession of this pot?" **
"I bought it at a yard sale in 1986."
"It's a fine example of American folk art. Maybe the best." The appraiser rubs the pot. "See there's no glaze? Glaze didn't start happening until the eighteenth century."
"You're kidding." The pot owner looks at the pot with new eyes, seeing it, like us, for the first time as something more akin to magical than something to hold loose thumb tacks. "I knew it was special, I just had to have it."
"This pre-dates glaze." The appraiser says, gravely.
"Pre-dates glaze..." The person mouths the words without sound, her eyes transfixed on the pot.
"How much did you pay for this?"
"Oh, maybe two dollars." The person looks embarrassed.
"Two dollars." The appraiser says expressing a burst of air,with a bit of a chuckle indicating that the pot maybe worth three hundred times that. I get a butterfly. I can't take my eyes off the screen.
"Look here, underneath see this mark? This is the mark of Apapo Lacooney." He puts his hands through his hair. "Apapo Lacooney almost never worked in pottery. This is so rare." My heart skips a beat. I have to know. What is it worth?!
"So you paid two dollars."
"I think so, five is my limit, so..."
"Well, you do have some condition issues, there are some scratches in the interior, but that said." He looks at the owner. "Conservatively. At auction. I'd say this Apaco Lacooney is worth at least. $25,000."
"uh, oh my. I um." The person, like me is dumbstruck. Flabbergasted. "I uh, had no idea, I, hahah! That's great. phew."
"Without the scratches I'd say $30,000. Still, not a bad return on your investment?" The appraiser asks.
"No, not at all. I'm speachless. Thank you." They stare at the pot. "My husband said it was ugly. Now how'em gonna get it home."
They laugh together, we laugh together. That idiot husband, she's rich!
** the story is entirely made up from my imagination, if there is an Apaco or Apapo Lacooney, its a coincidence. And I want ten percent.
This week there was a man who had inherited a letter to an editor of one of the most famous and often reprinted newspaper editorials.
"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."
The response to this little girls letter was so inspiring I cried real tears. It is as true then, September 21, 1897 (this week 114 years ago), as it is now. I hate to rush the seasons, but couldn't we all use a little Christmas in September?
God Bless Antiques Roadshow, may they have decades more for us and of course love love love PBS.
If you like what you read pass it on. Thanks!
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