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Copeland Majolica Ewer, ca. 1870

Value (2017) | $700 Retail
Watch  

GUEST:
I found this at Brimfield about a year ago.

APPRAISER:
So tell me right off the bat, how much did you pay for it?

GUEST:
$75.

APPRAISER:
Okay.

GUEST:
The man I purchased it from said that that's what he paid for it at auction, and he just wanted rid of it.

APPRAISER:
Well, let's talk about what it is. A lot of people would call it a jug or a pitcher, but I would call it a wine ewer. And at the time it was made, the Italian Renaissance was very much part of the modern taste.

GUEST:
Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER:
Even for a house like this one we're in right now, the big houses of Newport, they loved the Italian Renaissance style. And so they bought pieces of the actual Italian Renaissance that you can see in some of the great Newport mansions. And they also bought things that kind of looked in that style.

GUEST:
Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER:
But this would have been very popular. I'm talking about the late 19th century. The 1870s was kind of a high point of what we call Renaissance Revivalism. And a number of potters made things that spoke to that style, including the English potter Copeland. Now, when we talk about English majolica-- and this is a great example of that, majolica referring to the colors, the glazes on it-- there are a number of makers that come to mind, the best-known being Minton and also Wedgwood, made... These two big firms made great majolica. But Copeland were a slightly smaller firm, but very respectable. And they made, in my opinion, some of the best majolica that was made in England. The quality of the modeling is superb. And I looked it over, and I think it's in perfect condition. Which is unusual for something of this age and fragility, so I think you did great. It's not a hugely valuable thing, but I'm going to say, in a good auction, this is going to bring four or five times what you paid, but let's put it in an antiques shop, in a retail setting like you bought it. I think it's $700 in a good antique shop.

GUEST:
Thank you.

APPRAISER:
Very nice thing.

Support provided by: Learn more

Appraisal Details

Appraiser
Nick Dawes
Decorative Arts, Glass, Pottery & Porcelain, Silver
Heritage Auctions
Dallas, TX
Appraised value (2017)
$700 Retail
Featured In
Newport, Hour 2 (#2217)
RECUT: Newport, Part 4 (#R0106)
Event
Newport, RI (September 18, 2017)
Category
Pottery & Porcelain
Period
19th Century
Form
Ewer , Pitcher , Vessel
Material
Majolica , Pottery

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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