
Appraisal: François Breton Violin, ca. 1830
Clip: Season 28 Episode 4 | 2m 5sVideo has Closed Captions
Appraisal: François Breton Violin, ca. 1830
In Old Sturbridge Village, Hour 1, Lawrence Cavalieri appraises a François Breton violin, ca. 1830.
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Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Funding for ANTIQUES ROADSHOW is provided by Ancestry and American Cruise Lines. Additional funding is provided by public television viewers.

Appraisal: François Breton Violin, ca. 1830
Clip: Season 28 Episode 4 | 2m 5sVideo has Closed Captions
In Old Sturbridge Village, Hour 1, Lawrence Cavalieri appraises a François Breton violin, ca. 1830.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipAPPRAISER: Somebody carved an initial "M" in there.
GUEST: That was before me.
APPRAISER: You didn't do that?
(laughs) GUEST: No.
But when I was young, I played the violin.
And in, uh, 1958, I was invited to join the, uh, Worcester Youth Orchestra.
Uh, and my great-uncle knew the director of the orchestra, Harry Levenson, who was also my violin teacher.
And Uncle Abe asked Harry if he would, uh, could find a violin for me that he could give me as a gift when I joined the orchestra.
And this is the violin that, uh, he found.
APPRAISER: Yeah, this is a very beautiful violin.
It was made, in my opinion, by François Breton in Mirecourt, France, around 1830.
Some of the things that indicate that are, well, the, how finely it was made and how nice the varnish is.
Any violin that was made before 1850 would have had a Baroque, or a shorter, neck.
After 1850, they modernized, uh, violins so that they could get more volume and better sound out of them.
This is, uh, many steps above what the normal high school violinist is going to acquire.
This violin has about the best wood I've ever seen on a violin.
The flaming maple on the back is so tight, and, uh, this is as good as it gets.
GUEST: It cost my uncle $800.
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: Well, in 1958, $800 would have been a, a significant investment.
GUEST: Yeah.
APPRAISER: Uh, uh, today, I would, I would expect this to be hanging on the wall of a, of a, a good violin shop with a price tag of between $15,000 and $20,000...
GUEST: Wow.
APPRAISER: ...at retail.
So it's really a beautiful violin.
GUEST: (murmurs) APPRAISER: And, uh, Uncle Abe is a, a good guy.
GUEST: He was a, he was very generous uncle.
(chuckles) APPRAISER: Yeah.
GUEST: Um, and the, insurance purposes?
APPRAISER: For insurance purposes, you could probably insure it for $25,000, maybe even $30,000.
It's a very fine professional violin.
GUEST: Thank you.
Appraisal: 1872 Chinese Bronze Censer
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: S28 Ep4 | 1m 2s | Appraisal: 1872 Chinese Bronze Censer (1m 2s)
Appraisal: 1942 Ted Williams Game-worn Red Sox Jersey
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Clip: S28 Ep4 | 4m 44s | Appraisal: 1942 Ted Williams Game-worn Red Sox Jersey (4m 44s)
Appraisal: 1954 Marilyn Monroe Tissue with Soldier's Letter
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Clip: S28 Ep4 | 3m 40s | Appraisal: 1954 Marilyn Monroe Tissue with Soldier's Letter (3m 40s)
Appraisal: Albert Carrier-Belleuse Bronzes, ca. 1855
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Clip: S28 Ep4 | 3m 46s | Appraisal: Albert Carrier-Belleuse Bronzes, ca. 1855 (3m 46s)
Appraisal: Beavis and Butt-Head Original Artwork, ca. 1993
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Clip: S28 Ep4 | 3m 51s | Appraisal: Beavis and Butt-Head Original Artwork, ca. 1993 (3m 51s)
Appraisal: Chinese Jade Duck, ca. 1675
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Clip: S28 Ep4 | 2m 58s | Appraisal: Chinese Jade Duck, ca. 1675 (2m 58s)
Appraisal: Chinese Qing Dynasty Marble Guanyin, ca. 1880
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Clip: S28 Ep4 | 3m 25s | Appraisal: Chinese Qing Dynasty Marble Guanyin, ca. 1880 (3m 25s)
Appraisal: Japanese Wooden Toy Boat, ca. 1950
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Clip: S28 Ep4 | 2m 21s | Appraisal: Japanese Wooden Toy Boat, ca. 1950 (2m 21s)
Appraisal: Paco Rabanne Aluminum Dress, ca. 1967
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Clip: S28 Ep4 | 2m 5s | Appraisal: Paco Rabanne Aluminum Dress, ca. 1967 (2m 5s)
Appraisal: Paul Revere Pottery Vases, ca. 1925
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Clip: S28 Ep4 | 4m 49s | Appraisal: Paul Revere Pottery Vases, ca. 1925 (4m 49s)
Appraisal: Qi Baishi Ink Drawing, ca. 1948
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: S28 Ep4 | 3m 22s | Appraisal: Qi Baishi Ink Drawing, ca. 1948 (3m 22s)
Appraisal: Sapphire & Diamond Star Brooch, ca. 1880
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: S28 Ep4 | 3m 37s | Appraisal: Sapphire & Diamond Star Brooch, ca. 1880 (3m 37s)
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