Antiques Roadshow

GUEST

I brought in a Tiffany cigarette holder. I had it home for my drawer for 50 years. In Ridgewood, New Jersey, they used to do auctions every week. I had bought some things at the auction, and at the last minute, they had boxed lots, and I wanted a piece of pewter. So we waited till the end of the auction and I bought the box with the piece of pewter in it for five dollars. And this was at the bottom of the box.

APPRAISER

It's a cigarette holder. And you know that it's signed "Tiffany and Company" right on the edge.

GUEST

Yes, and it's on the box, too.

APPRAISER

Right, it's in the original fitted box, which is always nice to have. You have this part that's made out of gold, 18-karat, and then it's engine turned, and then on top of the engine turning, they put this translucent enamel. And that's guilloch enamel. Usually, you see it on a box, which is flat. It's from about 1915 to 1917.

GUEST

Really?

APPRAISER

When this was made. It's most likely made in France. And today, if we were selling it at auction, it would be $1,000 to $1,500.

GUEST

Oh, my gosh.

APPRAISER

Yeah, so there's still a lot of interest in them.

GUEST

Holy cow. Oh my, I... I'm... I don't even know what to say. I mean, I thought $100 maybe.