I've known for a long while that I'm a geek or a dork. No, I'm not going to go into some kind of Revenge Of The Nerds monologue here, but those closest to me know I'm a geek and if there were ever any doubt in their minds, the excitement I feel over this story would pretty much lock up my geekdom forever.
In the past week, Antiques Roadshow both here in the US and in the UK have set record valuations. When I saw the headline, I just could not wait to read the story. I knew I was going to write about it even if no one else read it. I had to. Antiques Roadshow is the greatest insight into human nature. It is reality television because it shows, most of the human emotions in each episode. The people displaying them are not actors, wanna be actors or shooting for 15 minutes of fame.
If you have ever watched an episode and seen someone who thought they had nothing, and find out they are now $100K richer, you just want to give them a hug. You are not jealous because you feel their excitement. When someone thinks they have something worth $100K and it turns out it was in fact, not a Tiffany, but a Diffany, you see the anguish on their face. You know all of those years they bragged or told a story about how they found the piece to their friends and family is going through their mind. You just feel sorry for them, unless of course they were smug and had to be shot down.
The emotions are not just left to the people bringing in the items, but also the appraisers. If you have never seen the male twin appraisers practically have an orgasm when they see an 18th century Chippendale desk then you just have not been watching the right kind of shows.
Well, this week, in Palm Springs when Antiques Roadshow was filming they set broke their all-time record twice in one show. The record was broken when someone brought in a signed Meet The Beatles album which was valued at $150,000. But then, a woman brought in a painting by Clyfford Still. Apparently it had been in the family for 50 years when it was given to a family member as a house warming gift. The Roadshow people estimated its worth at $500K, but said that was being very conservative because a recent Still painting fetched $21M at auction. You can see the episode in January when it airs.
In the UK this week they had their first $2M valuation which was a four foot high model of the famous sculpture Angel Of The North. That episode is being repeated later this week.
Damn that's really cool. I wish I had luck like that. I could use the cash. LOL
ReplyDeleteI admit it, I love that show.
ReplyDeletei LOVE this show! If watching this show means I'm a geek then I'm happy to be called one.
ReplyDeleteThose twins creep me out for some reason.
I love that show.....and i have to say that the Will and Grace episode of it was HI-larious....
ReplyDeleteI love Antiques Roadshow! And Enty's comments about the people on it are so true!
ReplyDeleteI'm more of a dork - that Beatles album was not the record (until the painting you mentioned). There was a tea table appraised by one of teh Kenos a number of years ago that they put at around 300k. The woman who owned it auctioned it at Christie's and it fetched 500k.
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to see normal, deserving people get good fortune, instead of the reality whores.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with Antiques Roadshow is that it does play with "reality" because the appraisers aren't just pulling that info out of their butt on the spot, they've had photos and letters back and forth with the people bringing stuff in for weeks to months prior.
ReplyDeleteWhen I learned that, it made the thrill of AR much less must-see. I just thought I'd see who else's bubble I could pop.
I miss watching Antiques Roadshow, not because I can't get PBS anymore, but because my guy thinks it's boring. I love it, though. It makes me want to look through the junk store things I collected from my pre-Chicago days and see if any of it is still worth anything.
ReplyDeleteThere was a funny episode of Frasier where Frasier, Niles, and dad are watching Antiques Roadshow and take a drink every time someone says "veneer".
ReplyDeleteI love the Keno brothers. They are so ridiculous. The appraisers are not allowed to directly offer to broker an auction or a sale, but they are allowed to leave business cards lying around.
One time, someone care in with a missing cradle from King Charles I of England. There was no appraisal price given and I'm sure there must have been a big investigation afterwards.
I'm not really a Geek, I lean more towards dorky. Just slightly inept, socially, you know.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly why I never want to throw out anything.
ReplyDeleteDangit, I would have dusted off something out in the garage and headed on over to Palm Springs if I would have known.
ReplyDeleteI can still see Grace's reaction when she pretended to be someone getting a low appraisal. Remember Jack laughing and saying "Do it again?" Too funny.
Oh, how I love the Antiques Roadshow. I prefer the UK version over the US version though, mainly because they have pre-1800 items more frequently :D
ReplyDeleteAs for the highest valued piece, I seem to recall a navajo blanket or weave that was on the US program that was valued at about $500k. That was a few years ago, however.
actually Dn when it came to Canada a few years ago it was straight forward bring your stuff in and get it appraised. of course there were diffenrent levels you went through to allow for time and to ge to the right specialist of that department but whatever appraisals there were it was on the spot.
ReplyDeletemaybe they do it different in the US not really sure.
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who LOVES this show.
ReplyDeleteI especially love it when they show an appraisal worth a few thousand dollars and the person tears up because that amount of money can make a HUGE difference in many people's lives!
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ReplyDeleteThe BF and I actually will try to guess the appraisals - kinda like Price is Right. He watches it more so he typically wins.
ReplyDeletei've always wanted to take a truckload of stuff to AR, but the thought of the lines of people just freaks me out! that and i'm afraid i'd break something i love and wouldn't sell anyway!
ReplyDeletei do love the show, though. and i remember that navajo blanket, too!
Holy Carp! I'm so glad I'm not the only person who loves A.R.! And for EXACTLY the reasons you mentioned - I'm so glad someone else gets out of it what I do! I'ma be on the lookout for these episodes!
ReplyDeleteI used to love watching Antiques Roadshow, but I haven't for a few years.
ReplyDeleteWhen they came to my town I was one of the "lucky" volunteers from my local PBS station that were picked to work in various positions on the set. I happened to be doing crowd control and had a radio to summon the producer in case someone had an interesting item for an over-the-shoulder shot. Let me tell you, 12+ hours standing/walking on a concrete floor is not fun!
A couple funny things happened. I was given a shirt the same color as the production staff, instead of the regular volunteer color shirt, so the appraisers were chatting with me when I wasn't on the floor like I was "one of their own." The lady who did the porecelin/pottery was great. "Everyone is bringing in Aunt Emma's vase and it's all a bunch of crap." I had lunch with the guy that did the Black Memorbilia and he was quite amusing. If you watch the show, you can see me standing there, multiple times, looking like a big ol' bitch of a bouncer. It was an experience, but not one I care to repeat.