Antiques Roadshow

Mom and I had fun at the Phoenix taping of Antiques Roadshow on Saturday, August 1. We had tickets for 5 p.m. and got there about 4:45. Believe me, it was a challenge moving Mom, her wheelchair, two O2 tanks, and a suitcase loaded with our antiques. A couple heading in took pity on us (it was 110!) and the man grabbed Mom's wheelchair while the woman grabbed the suitcase and escorted us in. After Antiques Roadshow volunteers checked our tickets they told us to get into the rapidly moving line.

While in line we gawked at the other people and what they had (such as a life-size fake horse with a fly net from an old tackshop and a gorgeous Chinese folding chair) and watch clips from former AR shows on the giant screens.

When we got to the head of the line they checked what we had and gave us four tickets (Asian Arts, Toys, Pottery, and Jewelry) telling us what lines to get into. (Each ticket holder gets to bring in two items although an "item" can be a collection although the appraisers might not accept them as a collection.) When we got into the main room a volunteer looked at our four tickets and made recommendations about what line to get into first.

We got into the Asian Arts line and quickly got to meet AR celebrity Lark E. Mason. He accepted my four Chinese teapots as a collection (I told him the 100+ modern ones were at home which surprised him) and looked them over with interest. He quickly zeroed in on one with a sterling silver spout and said it was 18th Century and the best of the lot! The other three he said were late 19th or early 20th century. He appraised the lot at $1000-1500.

We then got in the line for Toys. While in line we got to see AR host Mark L. Walberg. When we got to the table my grandfather's "pre-erector" set by The American Mechanical Toy Co., was appraised by AR celebrity Noel Barrett. Barrett seemed tired (the 5 p.m. group was the 10th and final of the day) and unimpressed with Grandpa's 1913 Christmas present. (Another AR celebrity Gary Sohmers was seated next to him and leaned over. HE seemed to like it!) Barrett appraised it at $150.

Next we went to the Pottery line where two guest (I didn't catch their names) appraisers looked at Mom's pottery dogs she bought for $25 as a teen from some elderly neighbors. The appraisers said it was "definitely Austrian" and most likely an Amphora from about 1915 and worth about $250.

Finally, we got into the Jewelry line where Christie Romero from looked at Mom's family necklace - a small sterling silver mirror on a LONG chain. She thought it was delightful although she couldn't find a makers mark, guessed it was about 1910, and appraised it at about $250.

We made our way out slowly (observing the tapings) and reflected that while we weren't millionaires we hadn't lost any money and no one told us we had a fake. We were tired but happy and left for dinner - hoping Antiques Roadshow comes back again so we can try to get more treasures appraised. The entire process took less than two hours!

As an afternote, a friend of mine had his 1797 Chester County Marriage Chest appraised by Leigh Keno. It was fun to watch that when it aired!