Antiques Roadshow

GUEST

It was passed down from my great-grandfather, made in Paris with old American silver dollars and then brought back here when they moved back here later on.

APPRAISER

Yeah, that's one of the things I really find fascinating about this. It is made out of melted American, U.S. silver dollars, and your... The grandfather was a... great-grandfather was a Confederate sympathizer?

GUEST

Right.

APPRAISER

And he fled the country with his money and had the tea set made in Paris.

GUEST

Right, exactly.

APPRAISER

And he was looking for support from Napoleon III, as I understand it.

GUEST

Yes, sir.

APPRAISER

Well, the set, as you know, comes in this beautiful, fitted antique box, 19th-century, original box, all fitted for the sterling set. And this set was made by a company by the name of Odiot, that's O-D-I-O-T. They are the most famous silversmiths in France. The quality of the set is absolutely superb. The detail, the workmanship, everything about this set. Look at Neptune on the top of the pitcher. It's just beautiful, beautiful quality sterling, by your very finest maker, a huge set, obviously. Well, I think that in a well-advertised auction, an antique tea set like this from France, mid-19th century, this kind of history, you're talking somewhere in the area of $70,000 to $90,000.

GUEST

Wow. Wow, that's incredible.

APPRAISER

Thank you very much for bringing it to the ROADSHOW.

GUEST

My pleasure.

APPRAISER

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

GUEST

My pleasure.