Appraisal: Mildred Wirt Benson-inscribed Nancy Drew Books
Clip: Season 29 | 3m 3sVideo has Closed Captions
Appraisal: Mildred Wirt Benson-inscribed Nancy Drew Books
Join Ken Gloss for an exciting appraisal of the Mildred Wirt Benson-inscribed Nancy Drew Books in this Season 29 social extra.
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Appraisal: Mildred Wirt Benson-inscribed Nancy Drew Books
Clip: Season 29 | 3m 3sVideo has Closed Captions
Join Ken Gloss for an exciting appraisal of the Mildred Wirt Benson-inscribed Nancy Drew Books in this Season 29 social extra.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipGUEST: I represented the original author of the Nancy Drew.
And when she signed a contract in 1930, she agreed never to reveal that she wrote the books under a pen name.
I started collecting and the more I learned about it, the more I found it interesting.
And I actually met her and found out that she was offered a chance to get an award from the university.
She was the first woman to get a master's in journalism from the University of Iowa.
She was told that she couldn't reveal that she wrote the books 60 plus years before that because of the contract she signed and sh-she was like Nancy Drew.
So she was furious.
So she contacted me because I was a lawyer.
Said, "We'll take it to the Supreme Court!"
We talked to the publisher and it was a win-win situation for everybody to acknowledge that she was the person who wrote them.
It got the university to be able to give her an award.
APPRAISER: What was her name?
GUEST: Her name was Mildred Wirt Benson.
APPRAISER: The first book we have here is signed to you.
GUEST: Yes.
It says Mildred Wirt Benson, who wrote the original of this story under the pen name of Carolyn Keene.
APPRAISER: Why did she inscribe it that way?
GUEST: I met her before we got her authorization to acknowledge that she was the original author of it.
She was doing this as a favor to me.
APPRAISER: The next book in the timeline that we have is this.
Tell me what the significance of this book and inscriptions are.
GUEST: Sure.
I went to the University of Iowa with her when she accepted her award as the first woman to receive a masters in journalism and she was acknowledged as the author of the Nancy Drew's.
And so I asked her, "Would you sign one for me?"
She did sign it then at the conference and it's something I treasure from that.
APPRAISER: The other signature?
GUEST: The other signature is the illustrator.
APPRAISER: So this is probably the first book that she actually could legally sign.
GUEST: I never thought of it that way but I think that is true.
APPRAISER: So this one is just it's printed down here.
GUEST: This was our success.
The publisher agreed to include these in all the books that she wrote from that time forward.
APPRAISER: I'm fascinated by the last book near you.
GUEST: It's an ordinary paperback.
The book is the story of that conference where she was acknowledged as the author of the original Nancy Drews and it's signed to Peggy Wirt.
"This is a fine account of how my identity as Nancy Drew's author became known.
Millie Wirt Benson, the real Nancy Drew."
APPRAISER: Now, who's Peggy?
GUEST: Peggy is her only was her only child because she was such a law-abiding citizen.
She didn't tell her daughter that she wrote the Nancy Drew books because she signed a contract.
APPRAISER: Nancy Drew books, there are millions of them.
There's a lot of confusion what are what editions they are and so on.
But that's not what makes these valuable.
It's the inscriptions.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: I would say these as a group, I think easily $5,000 - $10,000 retail.
GUEST: Wow, I'm surprised.
I really am.
I uh, they're sentimental to me.
It's a memory of a good time and something I felt proud of doing and surprised that it's interesting to anyone else.
Appraisal: Alphonse Mucha "The Seasons" Decorative Panels, ca. 1987
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Clip: S29 | 2m 53s | Appraisal: Alphonse Mucha "The Seasons" Decorative Panels, ca. 1987 (2m 53s)
Appraisal: 1907 President Theodore Roosevelt Presentation Cane
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Clip: S29 | 2m | Appraisal: 1907 President Theodore Roosevelt Presentation Cane (2m)
Appraisal: Society of American Florists Globe Sign, ca. 1920
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Clip: S29 | 2m 16s | Appraisal: Society of American Florists Globe Sign, ca. 1920 (2m 16s)
Appraisal: Louis Vuitton Box & Cartier Tank Women's Watch
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Clip: S29 | 2m 59s | Appraisal: Louis Vuitton Box & Cartier Tank Women's Watch (2m 59s)
Appraisal: Late 20th C. Mark Twain Miniature Books
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Clip: S29 | 1m 53s | Appraisal: Late 20th C. Mark Twain Miniature Books (1m 53s)
Appraisal: 1939 - 1941 DC Comics Golden Age Collection
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Clip: S29 | 3m | Appraisal: 1939 - 1941 DC Comics Golden Age Collection (3m)
Appraisal: 1933 George T. Stagg Distillery O.F.C. Bourbon
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Clip: S29 | 2m 46s | Appraisal: 1933 George T. Stagg Distillery O.F.C. Bourbon (2m 46s)
Appraisal: Patek Philippe Pendant Pocket Watch, ca. 1910
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Clip: S29 | 1m 50s | Appraisal: Patek Philippe Pendant Pocket Watch, ca. 1910 (1m 50s)
Now PlayingAppraisal: Mildred Wirt Benson-inscribed Nancy Drew Books
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Clip: S29 | 3m 3s | Appraisal: Mildred Wirt Benson-inscribed Nancy Drew Books (3m 3s)
Appraisal: Charles Louis Boehme Silver Coffee & Tea Set, ca. 1805
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Clip: S29 | 1m 42s | Appraisal: Charles Louis Boehme Silver Coffee & Tea Set, ca. 1805 (1m 42s)
Appraisal: Charles Dorman Robinson Oil Painting, ca. 1920
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Clip: S29 | 2m 25s | Appraisal: Charles Dorman Robinson Oil Painting, ca. 1920 (2m 25s)
Appraisal: 1939 Nile Kinnick-inscribed Heisman Trophy Program
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Clip: S29 | 2m 47s | Appraisal: 1939 Nile Kinnick-inscribed Heisman Trophy Program (2m 47s)
Appraisal: John Waters Posters
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Clip: S29 | 3m | Appraisal: John Waters Posters (3m)
Appraisal: Black Forest Child's Bear Chair, ca. 1900
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Clip: S29 | 2m 17s | Appraisal: Black Forest Child's Bear Chair, ca. 1900 (2m 17s)
Appraisal: National Tomb Trade Stimulator, ca. 1930
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Clip: S29 | 2m | Appraisal: National Tomb Trade Stimulator, ca. 1930 (2m)
Appraisal: Desmo Mickey Mouse Hood Ornament, ca. 1934
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Clip: S29 | 1m 38s | Appraisal: Desmo Mickey Mouse Hood Ornament, ca. 1934 (1m 38s)
Appraisal: 1934 Motorcycle Polo Championship Trophy
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Clip: S29 | 2m 40s | Appraisal: 1934 Motorcycle Polo Championship Trophy (2m 40s)
Appraisal: Sun Ra's Metallic Headdress, ca. 1970
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Clip: S29 | 2m 15s | Appraisal: Sun Ra's Metallic Headdress, ca. 1970 (2m 15s)
Appraisal: Folk Art Marionette, ca. 1930
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Clip: S29 | 2m 4s | Appraisal: Folk Art Marionette, ca. 1930 (2m 4s)
Appraisal: Austin Junior Pedal Car, 1940
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Clip: S29 | 2m 17s | Appraisal: Austin Junior Pedal Car, 1940 (2m 17s)
Appraisal: 19th C. Reproduction Lover's Eye Ring
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Clip: S29 | 1m 56s | Appraisal: 19th C. Reproduction Lover's Eye Ring (1m 56s)
Appraisal: Cardinals Players Autograph Jacket, ca. 1940
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Clip: S29 | 1m 35s | Appraisal: Cardinals Players Autograph Jacket, ca. 1940 (1m 35s)
Appraisal: 1906 Tiffany Studios Pomegranate Table Lamp
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Clip: S29 | 2m 35s | Appraisal: 1906 Tiffany Studios Pomegranate Table Lamp (2m 35s)
Appraisal: 1845 Ancestral Pickle in Bottle
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Clip: S29 | 2m 4s | Appraisal: 1845 Ancestral Pickle in Bottle (2m 4s)
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW Season 29 Trailer
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Preview: S29 | 30s | ANTIQUES ROADSHOW Season 29 Trailer (30s)
Preview: Pretty or Pretty Ugly?
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Preview: S29 Ep24 | 30s | Preview: Pretty or Pretty Ugly? (30s)
Appraisal: 1909 Lella Grace Woodward Oil Painting
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Clip: S29 Ep24 | 2m 7s | Appraisal: 1909 Lella Grace Woodward Oil Painting (2m 7s)
Appraisal: Yonezawa Toys Airplane, ca. 1950
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Clip: S29 Ep23 | 1m 52s | Appraisal: Yonezawa Toys Airplane, ca. 1950 (1m 52s)
Appraisal: Walking Popeye with Original Box, ca. 1935
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Clip: S29 Ep23 | 1m 4s | Appraisal: Walking Popeye with Original Box, ca. 1935 (1m 4s)
Appraisal: Staffordshire Child's Tea Service, ca. 1825
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Clip: S29 Ep23 | 2m 4s | Appraisal: Staffordshire Child's Tea Service, ca. 1825 (2m 4s)
Appraisal: Renaissance-revival Style Crib & Bill, ca. 1892
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Clip: S29 Ep23 | 32s | Appraisal: Renaissance-revival Style Crib & Bill, ca. 1892 (32s)
Appraisal: Child’s Pieced & Appliquéd Quilt, ca. 1850
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Clip: S29 Ep23 | 28s | Appraisal: Child’s Pieced & Appliquéd Quilt, ca. 1850 (28s)
Appraisal: Child's Cobalt-buttoned Shoes, ca. 1890
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Clip: S29 Ep23 | 17s | Appraisal: Child's Cobalt-buttoned Shoes, ca. 1890 (17s)
Appraisal: Gustav Stickley Desk, ca. 1910
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Clip: S29 Ep17 | 1m 1s | Appraisal: Gustav Stickley Desk, ca. 1910 (1m 1s)
Appraisal: Salesman's Sample Plow, ca. 1880
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 35s | Appraisal: Salesman's Sample Plow, ca. 1880 (35s)
Appraisal: Reverse-painted Handel Shade, ca. 1920
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 1m 4s | Appraisal: Reverse-painted Handel Shade, ca. 1920 (1m 4s)
Appraisal: Patek Philippe & Swiss Watch Collection
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 3m 48s | Appraisal: Patek Philippe & Swiss Watch Collection (3m 48s)
Appraisal: NASA Parachutes & Pot Handles, ca. 1965
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 1m 20s | Appraisal: NASA Parachutes & Pot Handles, ca. 1965 (1m 20s)
Appraisal: German Dolls in Original Clothes, ca. 1905
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 2m 57s | Appraisal: German Dolls in Original Clothes, ca. 1905 (2m 57s)
Appraisal: George Luks Watercolor, ca. 1925
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 3m 14s | Appraisal: George Luks Watercolor, ca. 1925 (3m 14s)
Appraisal: English Regency Hall Tree, ca. 1840
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 3m 1s | Appraisal: English Regency Hall Tree, ca. 1840 (3m 1s)
Appraisal: Early 19th C. Hawaiian Lei Niho Palaoa
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 1m 14s | Appraisal: Early 19th C. Hawaiian Lei Niho Palaoa (1m 14s)
Appraisal: "Dick and Jane" Teacher's Edition Book, ca. 1950
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 38s | Appraisal: "Dick and Jane" Teacher's Edition Book, ca. 1950 (38s)
Appraisal: Dent Hardware Toy Battleship, ca. 1920
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 2m 48s | Appraisal: Dent Hardware Toy Battleship, ca. 1920 (2m 48s)
Appraisal: Cut Steel Handbag, ca. 1920
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 1m 49s | Appraisal: Cut Steel Handbag, ca. 1920 (1m 49s)
Appraisal: 19th C. Shell-encrusted Casket
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 34s | Appraisal: 19th C. Shell-encrusted Casket (34s)
Appraisal: 1982 Henry Moore "Half-Figure: Round Head" Bronze
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 2m 39s | Appraisal: 1982 Henry Moore "Half-Figure: Round Head" Bronze (2m 39s)
Appraisal: 18th & 19th C. Etchings
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 1m 16s | Appraisal: 18th & 19th C. Etchings (1m 16s)
Appraisal: 1873 Royal Worcester Japonisme Flask Vases
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 3m 2s | Appraisal: 1873 Royal Worcester Japonisme Flask Vases (3m 2s)
Appraisal: 1799 Patrick Russell Indian Serpents Book
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Clip: S29 Ep21 | 32s | Appraisal: 1799 Patrick Russell Indian Serpents Book (32s)
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