Antiques Roadshow

HOST

As we leave the Big Apple for Saratoga, New York, and hit the links with pro golfer and sports announcer Dottie Pepper.

GUEST

I'm Dottie Pepper. I work for CBS Sports as their lead walking announcer for their golf coverage. So we're at the Saratoga Golf and Polo Club. I was born in the Saratoga

Hospital. (laughing)

Which is right here at the end of the street where the golf course is. And I grew up in the little town of Wilton, just three miles away. I was introduced to the game of golf the summer that I went from age seven to age eight. It was through a set of golf clubs here in town that my grandmother bought me, and I was hooked from, from the very beginning. By the time I had gotten to seventh grade, I was starting to be pretty good at playing golf and wanted to play on the golf team. Well, there wasn't one for girls. So I had to petition the state, had to pass a physical, jump through all sorts of hoops, and did get some support at Saratoga High from the athletic director to, to make this happen. So I played one year on JV, and then from eighth grade on, I was playing on the boys' team. It went from there to getting a college scholarship at Furman, three times All-American there. And as soon as I finished my college career, I did turn pro, and I won 17 times on the LPGA Tour. Two major championships in there-- '92 and '99-- at the Dinah. (cheers and applause) Whoo! (cheers and applause) Six times on a Solheim Cup team, including the first in 1990,

at Lake Nona. COMMENTATOR

Then, at seven, Dottie demonstrated just how you get to 16 under par. (cheers and applause) What magnificent putting.

GUEST

It's always special to be part of an inaugural anything. Playing, literally, among legends.

HOST

ROADSHOW appraiser Leila Dunbar joins Dottie for a few holes of golf and a few tips.

GUEST

Beautiful!

You follow directions well. APPRAISER

Can you coach me every day, Dottie?

You're highly coachable... APPRAISER

(laughter)

HOST

And to talk about her legendary Solheim Cup trophy.

GUEST

The Solheim Cup is the women's version of the Ryder Cup, so it's a biennial competition at match play. United States versus Europe. To be part of the inaugural one for the women's side in 1990 was... It's on the list of the things that I'm, I'm really proud of.

APPRAISER

Tell us about this 1990 Solheim Cup.

GUEST

So this is the inaugural. There were eight women on each team. One captain from Europe, one from the United States. And they made a Solheim Cup for, this, this size version,

for each of the members of the teams... APPRAISER

Mm-hmm.

GUEST

...one for the captain, and then the Solheim Cup itself is, you know, probably almost three times as big, maybe two-and-a-half times. And when they gave these all to the players, they said, "By the way, this is it." So the Waterford Company broke the mold for the mini Solheim Cup. So it's, there are 18 of them.

And that's it. GUEST

That's it.

APPRAISER

So, if I were going to value this, the first thing, there have been no Solheim Cups that I'm aware of that have ever sold at auction.

Hm. APPRAISER

Which I would understand, because

they mean so much... GUEST

Correct.

APPRAISER

...to the different players and because it only started in 1990. So, if you're looking at Ryder Cups that have been given out to the players and the captains over the years, again, depending on the team, the player, the year, they can sell at auction anywhere-- believe it or not, and it's a wide range-- $10,000 up to $170,000...

Huh. APPRAISER

...paid for one awarded to Sam

Snead. GUEST

Oh, okay.

APPRAISER

So you can see, that's a huge range.

Sure. APPRAISER

So, if I was gonna put an insurance value on this, I'd insure it for a minimum of $35,000. A minimum of $35,000.

That's amazing. APPRAISER

Because again, it's important, and because you were one of the key players, and it's the first Solheim Cup. And you can't overstate that. It's going to be the first Solheim Cup in 50 years, in 100 years, in

200 years. GUEST

That will never change.

APPRAISER

You are completely etched in history here, Dottie.

GUEST

It's very cool. (laughs) I'm, again, I'm kind of blown away.

APPRAISER

And I love my party gift that I get to take home with me. I'm a giver. (both laughing)

HOST

Most families have a story about an old treasured item. Does Dottie Pepper's family lore about an heirloom table hold up? Appraiser Meredith Meuwly tees up some facts.

GUEST

The one piece on the entry I'm really curious about because it's a family piece, and it was given to my great-grandfather and, and his wife, my great-grandmother. It was their "smoking table." It sat between their two recliners and it was gifted to them by someone who married into the family. And she had traveled the world. Probably back in the early 1900s. Beyond that,

I really don't know. APPRAISER

Okay, so this piece that we looked

at. It's a parlor table. GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

And that's where the men in Victorian times went to smoke.

GUEST

So, that sort of made sense, right?

APPRAISER

It totally makes sense!

Wow. Okay. APPRAISER

And this is a Rococo Revival piece.

Hm. APPRAISER

And dates to about 1880.

Okay. APPRAISER

And I know that it's Rococo Revival

because it's very symmetrical. GUEST

Okay.

APPRAISER

If it was 18th-century Rococo period, it's asymmetry. So, pro tip, if it's asymmetrical, it's Rococo period. If it's symmetrical, it's Rococo Revival, 19th century. What I love about it is the shape, and it's a turtle back-shaped top.

Mm-hmm. APPRAISER

And it's got a beautiful beveled edge. It's a nice piece of marble that's on this lovely table.

Mm-hmm. APPRAISER

Do you have any idea about the value?

GUEST

Zero idea.

APPRAISER

Yeah. Victorian furniture, not so much in style.

Mm-hmm. APPRAISER

They made a lot of it. At auction today, I'd say $300 to $500. It's an easy sell.

GUEST

Yeah. Well, it's found its space here. I know it, it meant a lot to my, my great-grandparents, and all the way down the line, and it's, it's just ours and we love it. This was fantastic. I learned a lot. And I also can now put to rest the, the supposed stories of where that entry table came from. (laughs) Mom's story was this way. Dad's story was that way. Now it, it all makes sense. And the time period totally makes sense with my family's history. And it really kind of completes the story for me.