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Tane Bowl & Candlesticks, ca. 1955

Value (2018) | $6,000 Auction – $8,000 Auction
Watch  

APPRAISER:
I fell in love with these when you unpacked them.

GUEST:
Wow.

APPRAISER:
Tell me, where did they come from?

GUEST:
An antique store in New Jersey, within the last eight to ten years. And I like them because they're weird.

APPRAISER:
Do you know anything about them at all?

GUEST:
I know they're sterling or silver with onyx, and that they're by a Mexican artist, but that's about the extent of it. Whether that's right or not, I don't know.

APPRAISER:
Well, they're made by a company called Tane, out of Mexico City. Tane was probably-- and still is-- probably one of the largest manufacturers of silver in Mexico City. And these would have been made in the 1950s.

GUEST:
Really?

APPRAISER:
Wonderfully designed, as you can see from the bowl, the decoration goes all the way around and is quite consistent and quite interesting. What did you call it, actually, that you thought these were made out of?

GUEST:
Onyx.

APPRAISER:
Onyx?

GUEST:
Yes.

APPRAISER:
They're not.

GUEST:
What are they?

APPRAISER:
They're made out of obsidian.

GUEST:
Which is?

APPRAISER:
Which is a good question. (chuckles) Obsidian is a volcanic glass.

GUEST:
They're glass.

APPRAISER:
They are made out of glass. It's a volcanic glass. Sometimes it almost looks a little bit like cat's eye.

GUEST:
Okay.

APPRAISER:
Some of the pieces you may get a little bit of iridescence out of it. Tremendously interesting. I was only ever to see an auction sale of one bowl. And not the candlesticks at all. So it's really nice that you have the suite of those.

GUEST:
Okay.

APPRAISER:
Now, these were made by Tane, but they were retailed by Lunt, in the United States. On the bottom, which you know that they are marked there, and there's a variety of marks there. It says "Mexico," it says "Tane," and it says "sterling," and as well as that, it also says "Lunt." These were probably commissioned as much as anything for Lunt to sell. But just an amazingly interesting design and great condition. Do you recall what you paid for them back then?

GUEST:
I think $1,200. That's my recollection. And I tend to go for the unusual or the bizarre when I collect, and this fits that definition.

APPRAISER:
As unusual and bizarre.

GUEST:
And bizarre.

APPRAISER:
Well, it also very much fits into the design of mid-century modern.

GUEST:
Okay.

APPRAISER:
On the whole, you're looking at an auction estimate of between $8,000 and $12,000 for the suite.

GUEST:
You're kidding.

APPRAISER:
I wouldn't kid you.

GUEST:
I can't believe I'm saying, "You're kidding." And these are in the mid-century modern world?

APPRAISER:
Yes, absolutely.

GUEST:
I'm stunned.

APPRAISER:
They would have been made in the 1950s.

GUEST:
I own something mid-century modern! (laughing) I'm stunned!

APPRAISER:
Well, I think they're fabulous.

GUEST:
Oh my goodness, I'm ecstatic. Thank you. Excellent.

APPRAISER:
Thank you so much for coming today.

Support provided by: Learn more

Appraisal Details

Appraiser
Stuart Slavid
Decorative Arts, Pottery & Porcelain, Silver
Update (2018)
$6,000 Auction – $8,000 Auction
Appraised value (2017)
$8,000 Auction – $12,000 Auction
Featured In
Harrisburg, Hour 3 (#2203)
Celebrating Latino Heritage (#2228)
Event
Harrisburg, PA (June 03, 2017)
Category
Silver
Period
1950s
Form
Bowl , Candlestick
Material
Silver

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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