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Willem Blaeu World Map, ca. 1640

Value (2018) | $10,000 Retail
Watch  

GUEST:
I got it about 15 years ago or so at a Goodwill store. I think it was under $20.

APPRAISER:
Under $20, and why--why did you buy it?

GUEST:
I thought it was very pretty.

APPRAISER:
(laughing) Hey, that's a good reason. When you came in, you said something that warmed my heart, which is that you watch the ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.

GUEST:
Yes.

APPRAISER:
And what about watching ANTIQUES ROADSHOW made you have a question about the map?

GUEST:
In order to be an authentic map, I guess, it has to have a fold or a crease. And I thought this one did, maybe. In the middle.

APPRAISER:
Okay. And so you brought it in. You said, "I can't tell." It was in a frame.

GUEST:
Right.

APPRAISER:
Right? And, in fact, that's one of the first things I look at. The image of the map is by Willem Blaeu. And it is one of the most famous world maps there is. Now, that means there are lots and lots and lots of reproductions of it. I look at the center fold. Unfortunately, I looked at this, and I looked at it. And if you look up here, I couldn't see anything. I just, it looked as flat as a pancake. And I'm thinking, "All right, I guess it's a reproduction." I was going to let you down easy. But then I started looking, and if you look right up here, there's a ridge. And that is a plate mark. And it's a good-looking plate mark for being original, because it's very close to the image. Fake plate marks are usually farther away. So I'm looking, I'm saying, "Well, boy, that looks pretty good, but it looks flat." So I say, "Well, what do I gotta to do?" I gotta take it out. And what did we discover when we popped it out? It's glued down to a board. I can't see whether it's got a center fold. So what I did was, I took my finger, and I very gently rubbed it along the middle, and you can actually feel a bump. Okay? It looks flat because it's been glued down. There was a center fold there. Looking at that, looking at the plate mark-- it's an original.

GUEST:
Wow.

APPRAISER:
This is one of the great maps. It's from 1640. It's by a man named Willem Blaeu, down here. And it's got the date, which is 1630. That was the first year it was published. This could have been anywhere from 1630 to 1640. It was made in Amsterdam. The color is absolutely appropriate. I mean, it looks right. I'm quite sure it's right.

GUEST:
Is that all hand-colored?

APPRAISER:
That's hand-colored. It's an engraving. It would have been printed in black-and-white. And Blaeu was known for his hand-coloring. It's got everything map collectors want. So the value is quite a bit less than it would be if it wasn't laid down. Even in this condition, it's worth $10,000 in a shop.

GUEST:
(laughing): Holy cow! Really? I'm shocked.

APPRAISER:
(laughs)

GUEST:
Is there any way of getting it off?

APPRAISER:
There is a way of taking it off. It would probably run maybe... up to maybe $1,500, $2,000 to remove it. When you take it off, depending on how well it comes out, it could be worth anywhere from $12,000 to $14,000.

GUEST:
Wow.

APPRAISER:
(laughing)

GUEST:
I'm shocked.

Support provided by: Learn more

Appraisal Details

Appraiser
Christopher W. Lane
Prints & Posters
The Philadelphia Print Shop West
Denver, CO
Appraised value (2018)
$10,000 Retail
Featured In
Meadow Brook Hall, Hour 1 (#2301)
Event
Rochester, MI (June 14, 2018)
Category
Prints & Posters
Period
17th Century
Form
Map
Material
Ink , Paper

Executive producer Marsha Bemko shares her tips for getting the most out of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.

Value can change: The value of an item is dependent upon many things, including the condition of the object itself, trends in the market for that kind of object, and the location where the item will be sold. These are just some of the reasons why the answer to the question "What's it worth?" is so often "It depends."

Note the date: Take note of the date the appraisal was recorded. This information appears in the upper left corner of the page, with the label "Appraised On." Values change over time according to market forces, so the current value of the item could be higher, lower, or the same as when our expert first appraised it.

Context is key: Listen carefully. Most of our experts will give appraisal values in context. For example, you'll often hear them say what an item is worth "at auction," or "retail," or "for insurance purposes" (replacement value). Retail prices are different from wholesale prices. Often an auctioneer will talk about what she knows best: the auction market. A shop owner will usually talk about what he knows best: the retail price he'd place on the object in his shop. And though there are no hard and fast rules, an object's auction price can often be half its retail value; yet for other objects, an auction price could be higher than retail. As a rule, however, retail and insurance/replacement values are about the same.

Verbal approximations: The values given by the experts on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW are considered "verbal approximations of value." Technically, an "appraisal" is a legal document, generally for insurance purposes, written by a qualified expert and paid for by the owner of the item. An appraisal usually involves an extensive amount of research to establish authenticity, provenance, composition, method of construction, and other important attributes of a particular object.

Opinion of value: As with all appraisals, the verbal approximations of value given at ROADSHOW events are our experts' opinions formed from their knowledge of antiques and collectibles, market trends, and other factors. Although our valuations are based on research and experience, opinions can, and sometimes do, vary among experts.

Appraiser affiliations: Finally, the affiliation of the appraiser may have changed since the appraisal was recorded. To see current contact information for an appraiser in the ROADSHOW Archive, click on the link below the appraiser's picture. Our Appraiser Index also contains a complete list of active ROADSHOW appraisers and their contact details and biographies.

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