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Duffner & Kimberly Sconce, ca. 1910

Value (2014) | $8,000 Retail – $12,000 Retail
Watch  

GUEST:
I have this light that I purchased from a friend of a friend. She just happened to have some items that she wanted to sell, and it was very pretty and very unique, and for the right price, I bought it.

APPRAISER:
You remember what you paid for it?

GUEST:
$175.

APPRAISER:
And how long ago did you buy it?

GUEST:
I'm going to estimate maybe four years ago.

APPRAISER:
Someone made an attachment here, and they sort of hung it from a ceiling?

GUEST:
The lady that I purchased it from claimed that it was in her grandma's house, and that somebody just turned it into a ceiling lamp versus the wall hanging.

APPRAISER:
Even though this is not marked-- I know you had said you didn't find a mark, and I looked and I couldn't find any mark-- but I'm absolutely sure this is a Duffner & Kimberly lamp, or a sconce, rather.

GUEST:
Duffner & Kimberly?

APPRAISER:
They were in New York, two men, Duffner and Kimberly. Duffner worked with Bradley and Hubbard and others. Very talented pair. They opened up in New York in 1905 and then I think produced their first lamp in 1906. Now, they were contemporaries of Louis Comfort Tiffany. They saw themselves as competitors with Tiffany, and they made the highest quality stuff they could possibly do, and that's evident in these shades and then also the metalwork for the sconce. Now, this is a wisteria shade, which is one of the most highly sought after designs, and I think most of the major lamp makers made shades with wisteria design, and as everybody can see, they're just drop-dead gorgeous. This, to me, is one of the prettiest sconces I've ever seen.

GUEST:
Thank you!

APPRAISER:
So, Duffner and Kimberly got into a little financial trouble, and they were only open from 1905 to 1911. They declared bankruptcy in 1911. Any idea what it might be worth?

GUEST:
No, sir, I... I really don't. I said if it's worth $1,000, I'll be excited.

APPRAISER:
Okay, I would think that a fair retail price on this would be between $8,000 and $12,000.

GUEST:
Holy mackerel.

APPRAISER:
And I would have it reworked so it goes back to a sconce. You could certainly hang it and enjoy it in your home.

GUEST:
That is awesome news!

Support provided by: Learn more

Appraisal Details

Appraiser
David P. McCarron
Decorative Arts, Glass, Pottery & Porcelain, Silver
Appraised value (2014)
$8,000 Retail – $12,000 Retail
Featured In
Chicago, Hour 1 (#1922)
Event
Chicago, IL (July 26, 2014)
Category
Glass
Period
20th Century
Form
Lamp
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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