Antiques Roadshow

GUEST: I have brought a piece of glasswork# that was given to my mother by Dale Chihuly,## I think back in about 1965.

I was raised# in Madison, Wisconsin, and my sister was## a student at the University of Wisconsin in the# art department.

And Dale was, I think, a teaching## assistant.

She met him through an art class, and# she invited him and another friend out to Sunday## dinner.

And they came out to Sunday dinner several# times at our house.

As a thank you gift, he gave## this to my mother.

Well, he's very charismatic,# and he was a major force.

(laughing) When he## would come out for dinner, we would just all# be blown over.

And I remember my mother saying,## "That young man will go far."

(chuckling) So he# was-- and she was not mistaken.

At that time,## he was just setting up the glassblowing facility# in Madison.

And we actually got to go down and## see where they were building it, and we got to# see them blow glass.

I don't think I saw this## exact piece, uh, being worked on, but it's not# signed.

I don't have any documentation on it.## My mother's passed away, my sister's passed# away and I just would, kind of, like to know## how I would go about authenticating it.

APPRAISER: Oh, my gosh, I'm so# excited you brought this today.

GUEST: (laughs) Yes... APPRAISER: This is what I've been waiting for.

GUEST: Yes.

Okay.

APPRAISER: It's amazing.

Dale Chihuly# introd.. glass and the art glass collecting and has# become one of the hugest names right now.

GUEST: Yes, yes.

APPRAISER: But this is an early piece.

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: This is an early# piece he actuall..

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: Uh, he had an accident,# you kn.. and he also had another accident# where he hurt his shoulder.

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: And as you could see,# when the.. that's a really heavy duty with lots of# he.. APPRAISER: So afterwards, he# started working with a team... APPRAISER: ...and so now he# designs.

Think of him more as,## like, the choreographer and the-the glass# blowers are the dancers, um, to all the glass## today.

What I like about early works by modern# masters is that it really shows their process,## and you can see how they blew it in this kind# of asymmetrical piece.

And they're working## out what they're doing, and they have# the trails and the pinching.

But it's## interesting that this is very typical of the# style of the period, too.

So about circa 1965.## It is not signed.

That's not unusual.

It was# probably an experimental piece at the time...

GUEST: Yes.

Yes.

APPRAISER: ...and a lot of those# got chunke..

I would estimate it at $2,000 to $3,000.

GUEST: (chuckling) I'm amazed.# That's very surprising.

APPRAISER: I would write to his studio.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: And just ki.. this piece?"

Send a picture of the piece and# see if his studio will confirm the piece.

GUEST: Ah, okay.

GUEST: Okay, sounds really good.