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Rudolph & Santa Puppets, ca. 1964

Value (2019) | $30,000 Auction – $50,000 Auction
Watch  

GUEST:
My aunt worked at Rankin-Bass Productions for about ten or 15 years in the '70s and early '80s, and she acquired all of them, and they were the production puppets from "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Including Rudolph and Santa, we had Yukon Cornelius, Herbie the Misfit Dentist, and a few others, including assorted reindeer that got melted in our attic, thanks to my mom. We used to have them around the Christmas tree, you know, growing up, and I'm just used to having them around.

APPRAISER:
So what we have here are, are the actual original puppets.

GUEST:
As far as I know.

APPRAISER:
And we can see here they have the articulated legs.

GUEST:
Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER:
The articulated neck here. This is, of course, the young Rudolph.

GUEST:
Yeah.

APPRAISER:
And here's Santa. When you opened the box...

GUEST:
Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER:
And took these fellas out...

GUEST:
Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER:
It was like I was seeing old friends.

GUEST:
Yeah, exactly.

APPRAISER:
As I'm sure it is the case with millions of our viewers, this is a Christmas tradition. 1964 is when the film was made, and, uh, it's definitely has a, a warm spot in all of our hearts.

GUEST:
Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER:
So to actually meet them in person is really exciting.

GUEST:
Exactly.

APPRAISER:
This is iconic, it's on a very different level. It's not a toy, and everyone who has seen it has gotten a kick and recognized it instantly. So you're dealing with something magnificent here. It's too bad that Burl Ives melted away.

GUEST:
Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER:
But, you know, that's the problem when he's in a hot attic.

GUEST:
Exactly.

APPRAISER:
They're made out of cloth and wood and, I think, some plastics and things like that. They're not in perfect condition.

GUEST:
Yeah.

APPRAISER:
The nose has been replaced. I guess the bulb broke.

GUEST:
Play-Doh.

APPRAISER:
Or something. Santa's whiskers are missing there. If I were to estimate it at an auction, I wouldn't estimate it less than $8,000 to $10,000 for the pair.

GUEST:
Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER:
What it would go for at auction, that's anyone's guess.

GUEST:
Okay.

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Appraisal Details

Appraiser
Simeon Lipman
Collectibles, Sports Memorabilia
Update (2019)
$30,000 Auction – $50,000 Auction
Update (2013)
$30,000 Auction – $50,000 Auction
Appraised value (2005)
$8,000 Auction – $10,000 Auction
Featured In
Providence, Hour 2 (#1014)
Survivors (#1719)
Vintage Providence (#2321)
Event
Providence, RI (June 18, 2005)
Category
Collectibles
Period
1960s , 20th Century
Form
Comic figure
November 18, 2013: We contacted appraiser Simeon Lipman for an updated appraisal in today's market. At the time of the appraisal, it was unclear whether the objects were the only surviving examples. Since then, however, it has been verified that they are the only examples, and therefore according to Lipman the value would increase substantially.

Current Appraised Value: $30,000 - $50,000 (Increased)

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.

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More on This Appraisal

Article
Is This the Real Rudolph?
Extraordinary Find
The Extraordinary Story of Two Rankin/Bass Puppets
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