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Steuben Crystal Heart & Key Paperweight

Value (2014) | $2,500 Retail – $5,000 Retail
Watch  

GUEST:
My parents, Bill and Jean Guy, were the longest serving governor and first lady of North Dakota. This was given to them, and they passed it on down to me. On the very last night that we were living in the governor's residence, a friend of theirs called up and said, "I must come and see you." And we were all exhausted from moving and sad to leave our home of 12 years, and mom said, "Oh, please, can't we get together with you later in the week?" And they said, "No, we must see you tonight." So they presented Mom with this red leather box and Dad with a little tiny box that had the key to her heart in it.

APPRAISER:
The key to her heart, is that too sweet? We see a lot of Frederick Carder's Steuben glass on the Antiques Roadshow, but that was the color period of the Steuben glass. And Steuben Glass of course is in Corning, New York. This is the crystal period of Steuben, and the crystal glass was the best glass made in that time period. This glass was given to presidents, it was given to kings and queens and dignitaries, a very wonderful gift to be given. This is a Steuben heart and key paperweight #1007. And it was made by James Houston, 1970s.

GUEST:
Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER:
These are 18-karat gold. This is gold. And you also have the original fitted box. The box might be worth about $150. It's always wonderful to have the box. They get lost, so be sure to keep it all together. I think for a retail price, roughly $2,500 to $3,500.

GUEST:
Nice.

APPRAISER:
And with all the provenance, I would insure it for $5,000.

GUEST:
Very good.

Support provided by: Learn more

Appraisal Details

Appraiser
Kathleen Bailey
Glass, Pottery & Porcelain, Silver
None
Seattle, WA
Appraised value (2014)
$2,500 Retail – $5,000 Retail
Featured In
Bismarck, Hour 1 (#1907)
Event
Bismarck, ND (May 31, 2014)
Category
Glass
Period
1970s , 20th Century
Form
Box , Paperweight
Material
Glass

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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