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English Cane Back Chair, ca. 1700

Value (2019) | $1,200 Retail – $1,400 Retail
Watch  

GUEST:
We found it at an antique store in Winnipeg, Canada.

APPRAISER:
What did you pay for it?

GUEST:
I think we paid about $200.

APPRAISER:
Okay, this type of chair, these cane-backed chairs, were brought into the colonies from England from, like, 1680 to 1710. They were really used a lot in Boston and Newport. And then they started making American versions of them here.

GUEST:
Oh, okay.

APPRAISER:
Okay? So my first thing was, is this American or is it English? If you look down at this wood right here, these little flecks show that this is beechwood. I don't see any maple on this, so it is an English chair. This type of chair, with the carved crest rail, and if you come down here, this ram's horn arms-- handholds. Then this lower stretcher, which is carved, it's a high-style version. What it's missing, the reason it's low, are the feet. This had probably ball feet that were down here. They've been cut off, and that's why it's so low.

GUEST:
Oh, right. Okay.

APPRAISER:
But it's a William and Mary chair. You'd also call it, a little bit of Jacobean influence. You paid you said $200.

GUEST:
$200.

APPRAISER:
This is probably worth about $1,200 to $1,400, so you did okay.

GUEST:
Okay.

APPRAISER:
Do you want to know how much it would be worth if it were American?

GUEST:
Yes.

APPRAISER:
You would? Okay. About $250,000 if it were a Boston 1710 version. They're rare as hen's teeth.

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Appraisal Details

Appraiser
Leigh Keno
Folk Art, Furniture
Keno Auctions
New York, NY
Update (2019)
$1,200 Retail – $1,400 Retail
Appraised value (2005)
$1,200 Retail – $1,400 Retail
Featured In
Bismarck, Hour 1 (#1010)
Vintage Bismarck (#2320)
Event
Bismarck, ND (July 30, 2005)
Category
Furniture
Form
Chair
Material
Wood

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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