Antiques Roadshow

GUEST

We were at a garage sale, and I happened to see them in a tub, and went, "Oh, my, it's an oyster plate," and found five more of these, and found six of the ones on the end, all for a dollar apiece.

APPRAISER

A dollar apiece.

GUEST

Yes.

APPRASIER

Not bad. And so that was okay with you, a dollar apiece?

GUEST

That was very okay with me, so...

APPRAISER

I bet, sure. We have a variety made by George Jones in England, and this one, which is a little bit more generic.

GUEST

Yes.

APPRAISER

The marketplace varies tremendously. The majolica market has softened considerably over the last several years...

GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

...but the oyster plate market has not.

GUEST

Ah, that's good.

APPRASISER

The oyster plate market is doing phenomenally well. And ideally, the more color, the more pop that the colors have, the more valuable. This one, very generic. In today's market here, you can pick these up for between $50 and $100 apiece.

GUEST

Oh my, okay.

APPRAISER

So you get your one dollar investment back.

GUEST

That's not bad.

APPRAISER

On this one here. But now we have three George Jones ones, and we know that by the mark on the back. They have what we call a thumbprint mark that's totally distinctive of being George Jones.

GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

These would date to about 1875.

GUEST

Really?

APPRAISER

In theory, this one would sell about $400 to $600.

GUEST

Each?

APPRAISER

Yes.

GUEST

I have three of those.

APPRAISER

And these two, each, more like $600 to $800.

GUEST

I did very well.

APPRASIER

Each. For your one dollar, one dollar, one dollar... you paid one dollar each for them?

GUEST

I did.

APPRAISER

Okay.

GUEST

Wow.

APPRAISER

So that's not such a bad thing.

GUEST

That's a very good thing.