Article February 6, 2006 Issue

ANTIQUES and TRUE APPRAISALS

BY PAM KISSOCK

During a visit last year to the set of the popular Public Television series Antiques Roadshow, I was able to watch expert appraisers at work. They were examining precious objects that TV viewers had brought in.

The qualified opinions of these professionals reflect years of experience in handling and studying items in their field of expertise. They take into account such things as age, condition, and provenance—origin, previous owners, makers, and other history. They bring along magnifying glasses, flashlights, personal reference books, and so on—useful tools in evaluating the condition and value of items.

Thousand of people apply for tickets for the show, hoping the objects they bring in will turn out to be worth a fortune—plus guarantee them a prime-time television appearance. But thousands of other owners have to be disappointed. They learn that their prized possessions are not the priceless gems they'd hoped they were. Still, they often get a helpful new perspective on the true value of what they own.