The year 2009 will be the 13th season of the 5-time Emmy nominated Antiques Roadshow. It is hosted by Mark Walberg, and is one of the highest-rated series on PBS where over 10 million people tune in each week.
What is Antiques Roadshow
The concept of Antiques Roadshow is simple. Experts from around the country, including those from the premier auction houses, such as Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Doyle New York, as well as many independent dealers, give free appraisals of collectibles and antiques. The show is highlighted by stories of yard sale finds, family heirlooms, and items found tucked away in basements and attics. The experts let the visitors know the exciting, and sometimes, unbelievable truths behind these items.
There are 20 new episodes this year, including two special Antiques Roadshow Special Editions. The show is going on the road to six different cities this year, including:
- Atlantic City, NJ
- Raleigh, NC
- Madison, WI
- Denver, CO
- San Jose, CA
- Phoenix, AZ
Thousands flock to the show hoping the possession carried will not only be worth a fortune, but will allow an individual the chance to be seen on the actual taping of the show. This year will find a Palm Springs resident looking for an appraisal on a Clyfford Still painting. It was an old housewarming present, but is now the most valuable of all items appraised on the show. The estimate: a conservative half a million dollars.
Online Roadshow Archive
Another nice feature of this show is the online Roadshow Archive. It allows visitors to browse through many of the items highlighted on the show to see if a person might have a like treasure tucked away in the attic. Currently, the video archive contains items from season nine in 2005 through last season. Items are being added to the archive regularly with plans to have it completely updated this year.
Executive Producer Marsh Bemko lists some tips for using the Archive.
- Values can go up or down. Depending on market trends, location of the seller, and the condition of the item, the values can go up or down. That’s why when someone asks what an item is worth, the answer is often “It depends.”
- When the appraisal was completed is important. This date is usually found in the upper left hand part of the page, under Appraised On. Time affects the appraisals and the value could now be lower, higher, or about the same as when the appraisal was done.
- The key is context. Many of the experts on the show will let the visitor know what an item is worth at auction, retail, or for insurance purposes. The auction is of course, the one that most of the experts know the best. Some of the shop owners will talk about the retail price. While there are no specific rules, an auction price is normally about half of the retail price. But for many other objects, the auction price can be much higher than retail. However, for most insurance estimates, the retail value is about the same.
- The words used will matter. An appraisal is actually a written legal document, which the values given on the show are verbal approximations. An appraisal will usually require a lot of research and is what the insurance companies use to determine value.
- It’s really just someone’s opinion. While these are highly regarded experts offering the values for the items, it all comes down to an opinion. The values given can and do vary.
- The appraiser may have changed jobs. The original expert on the show may have switch companies or affiliations. The archives are updated frequently to be sure the appraiser’s contact information is correct.
Antiques Roadshow is a terrific way to see some of the important pieces of history from the United States and throughout the world. Tickets are offered online for free at PBS, and are awarded through a drawing. A person simply has to sign up on the website, pick which show suits him, and wait for a response.
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