Antiques Roadshow

APPRAISER

Hi, Janet, how are you?

GUEST

Hi, great, how are you?

APPRAISER

Good, where do you come from today?

GUEST

Richmond, Richmond, Virginia.

APPRAISER

Terrific, terrific. I almost thought you had brought me breakfast.

GUEST

Well, I didn't get breakfast myself. I was out early this morning so...

APPRAISER

Well, I'm glad you came in with this wonderful tea caddy. Now, tell me, where did you get this tea caddy?

GUEST

I got it at an estate sale in Virginia, but not in Richmond, in the western part of the state. I collect boxes and tea caddies but did not ever have one of a shape quite like that and thought it was interesting.

APPRAISER

Well, it certainly is an unusual shape. I don't think people realize today just how important and how valuable tea was to the Europeans. Literally, it was more expensive than gold. So it almost always was stored under lock and key, and tea, as a ritual, would be served almost entirely by the lady of the house. The servants would bring the material out. She would take the tea caddy out, very, sort of, reverently open the tea caddy and pour it out and whatnot. Now, I understand that when you bought this you had some doubts about it. You weren't sure whether or not it was real.

GUEST

Well, there were several antique dealers at the same estate sale where I was at the sale, and they didn't seem to be very interested in it, and that made me feel it couldn't be original...

APPRAISER

Couldn't be real, right.

GUEST

Yes, if they were not fighting over it.

APPRAISER

Well, it's a pear-form tea caddy. One of the things that's a real tip-off here for us in determining the authenticity is this brass piece that was added later.

GUEST

Yes, I was pretty sure that was not original.

APPRAISER

Added later but it gives us an important clue. And actually, if you look in here you'll see-- see that red?

GUEST

Yes.

APPRAISER

Well, that's the original stain of the caddy, okay?

GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

And you look at... There are a couple of other things that give us a good indication of age. This little ivory escutcheon here, which has nice little shrinkage right in here and on the back we have a hinge right here. And see how that's worn right there?

GUEST

Yes, yes.

APPRAISER

In order to do that, someone would have to be constantly opening and closing it opening and closing it, and there's also very wonderful wear on the bottom here.

GUEST

I looked at the bottom. I looked at the hinges, but I know they are very good at faking bottoms and hinges.

APPRAISER

Absolutely-- this one happens to be a real one. And it actually... It's had some color taken off of the top of it, the red here and possibly the stem might have been repaired, and the foil on the inside here has been replaced. How much did you pay for it?

GUEST

$235.

APPRAISER

What do you think it's worth?

GUEST

Well, until today, $235. But if you're telling me it is original, it's probably more like $2,000.

APPRAISER

It's about $4,000.

GUEST

Oh!

APPRAISER

You actually got it right. It's a wonderful example of a tea caddy and hope you enjoy it, it's a terrific one.