Glass Decanter & Stem Set

Appraised on: August 13, 2005

Appraised in: Los Angeles, California

Appraised by: Kathleen Bailey

Category: Glass

Episode Info: Los Angeles, Hour 3 (#1009)

Originally Aired: March 27, 2006

IMAGE: 1 of 2  

Appraisal Video: (3:04)

GUEST: I got it about 30 years ago. There was an elderly gentleman that lived in San Jacinto. And he had an antique shop, and, um, he didn't have a family, and he just kind of adopted me. And, uh, the very best of what he had, that he thought was his best, he wanted me to have.

APPRAISER: Well, it's probably Baccarat glass, but in order to prove that, we would have to see the line drawings. It also leans towards a nice Bohemian glass. Either way, values and styles are pretty much the same. Now, what you have here is a tall stem, and this is all heavy gilt work, along with heavy enameling. This is also a stemmed wine, a short wine. And again, all the gilt work-- it's all matching, they're just perfect condition. This is the champagne. A little flatter, lower. All the way through, the pattern carries. That is the finger bowl and under plate. But today, one would use it for more of a dessert. You have a handled decanter and a stoppered decanter. And if you notice, you have two different stop tops.

GUEST: Right.

APPRAISER: That's so when they're out of the bottle, you could remember which one goes in which.

GUEST: Oh.

APPRAISER: The one on the end is missing a stopper, and I'm guessing that that's a little cordial, or a little liqueur. Now, generally, these come in a huge set. Do you have more?

GUEST: Yes. Originally, I had 27 pieces. My husband was helping me one day before a party, and he knocked a glass shelf out.

APPRAISER: Oops.

GUEST: And nine of them broke.

APPRAISER: Oops.

GUEST: Yeah. Oops. So... Maybe I shouldn't know how big an oops. (both laughing)

APPRAISER: Well, these were made in about 1870s, 1880s, and again, I would lean towards Baccarat, and since I can't see the other pieces that are available...

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: The pieces that are here on the table, for insurance, would be in the $4,500 to $5,000 range.

GUEST: Ooh.

APPRAISER: So, I hope the oops wasn't...

GUEST: Yeah. Well, he's an antique, too, so I have to keep him.

APPRAISER (laughing): Oh, that's great. One thing about this is, you would not be able to replace this very easily, so cherish what you have left.

GUEST: And keep my husband away from it. Well, just make sure he uses all the bubble wrap.

APPRAISER: Yeah. There you go.

GUEST: Well, that's wonderful. Thank you very much.

APPRAISER: Thank you.

GUEST: That's nice.