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18th-Century White Jade Pendant & Serpentine Frame, ca. 1900

Value (2009) | $3,800 Auction – $6,200 Auction

GUEST:
These pieces were brought by my grandmother from China in the late 1940s when she went to Germany and then, subsequently, to the United States.

APPRAISER:
Who's pictured in the frame?

GUEST:
That's a picture of my mother and father on their wedding day, and that was taken in 1944.

APPRAISER:
When appraising Asian art, we look at three things: firstly, quality; secondly, the material that the item's composed of or carved from; and thirdly, the age. So let's start with the picture frame. This is paneled serpentine carved with quite crude foliate and animal images. If we have a look at these almost comical faces, it's a fair carving.

GUEST:
Okay.

APPRAISER:
Serpentine is a soft stone; it's porous and shows many inclusions. It doesn't have the purity of a jade. The hardwood is a stained hardwood. The frame probably dates from the end of the 19th century into the early 20th century. But then, we move on to the jade pendant. This is a white jade pendant dating from the 18th century. It's hue or tone is of near pure white. It's a harder stone, fewer inclusions, if any inclusions at all. There's no big brown or white spurs through the jade. These qilin, or mythical beasts, are carved in an archaic scroll. The archaic scroll frames a immortal figure with script to the reverse. The carving on the pendant is good, not great.

GUEST:
Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER:
This was worn as a pendant, originally, in the 18th century, and then probably during the late 19th, early 20th century, it was mounted onto a hong-mu, or hardwood, stand. Now, I'm curious to know-- which one do you think's worth more money?

GUEST:
Well, I assumed, size-wise, the picture frame would be worth much more.

APPRAISER:
The serpentine picture frame-- its auction estimate would be between $800 and $1,200.

GUEST:
Okay.

APPRAISER:
The white jade 18th-century pendant, at auction, would have a pre-sale estimate of $3,000 to $5,000.

GUEST:
Oh, wow, I never would have expected that. That's wonderful. It's more than I expected, more than I ever dreamed.

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Appraisal Details

Appraiser
Robert Waterhouse
Asian Arts
PKR Antiques & Fine Art
West Palm Beach, FL
Appraised value (2009)
$3,800 Auction – $6,200 Auction
Featured In
Madison, Hour 2 (#1408)
Event
Madison, WI (July 11, 2009)
Category
Asian Arts
Period
18th Century , 19th Century , 20th Century
Form
Frame , Pendant
Material
Jade , 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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