Two Tiffany Vases, ca. 1920

Appraised on: July 29, 2006

Appraised in: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Appraised by: Kathleen Bailey

Category: Glass

Episode Info: Milwaukee, Hour 2 (#1118)

Originally Aired: November 5, 2007

IMAGE: 1 of 1  

Appraisal Video: (0:00)

GUEST: Well, I saw them at a house sale. I was paying for another piece – in fact, I'd just finished paying for it – and I saw them sitting on the windowsill, and the light shined through one of them, and I was thinking I needed a red vase, so I went back and went over and looked at them, and ended up picking them up, and saw the signature on them, and it says Tiffany, and I don't know whether they're really Tiffany or not really Tiffany, but I thought they were very pretty red vases that I needed for flowers.

APPRAISER: Well, first thing that I want to bring to attention is this tape on the piece.

GUEST (laughing): Yes.

APPRAISER: And you got these how long ago?

GUEST: Oh, I'd say five, six months ago.

APPRAISER: Okay, and as we can see, it says $10.00 on there.

GUEST: It still says $10.00 on there.

APPRAISER: Okay.

GUEST: I purchased them both. I believe they were both $10.00, so I think this one had a $10.00 tape on it, too, that I did get the tape off of that one.

APPRAISER: Okay, well, when you find a pair that are high-end type pieces, you should be suspicious to begin with. One would then compare the signatures on the piece. We did that at the table earlier, when you had your back turned. And the shape is rather classic. And it has a nice iridized foot. They have nice striations on the inside. And it's
a cased glass.

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: So, we try to then form an opinion. Do we have a reproduction here, because it's a pair, and the odds of finding a $10.00 Tiffany vase...?

GUEST: Sure. Yes. Very slim. I thought so myself.

APPRAISER: Yeah, very slim.

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: However, we're going to get fatter, because you have a wonderful eye for glass.

GUEST: Oh, really?

APPRAISER: And these are, in fact, Tiffany.

GUEST: Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness! Oh, that's a thrill to know.

APPRAISER: And they're worth $10,000 to $15,000 retail for the pair.

GUEST: Are you serious?

APPRAISER: I am serious.

GUEST: Oh, my goodness.

APPRAISER: I am serious.

GUEST: Oh, I think I better take the $10.00 tag off.

APPRAISER: I cannot believe it.

(laughing)

APPRAISER: What a buy.

GUEST: Yes, I guess it was. I guess my husband won't mind me going out looking occasionally.