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Carla Hall: Grandmother's Purse Collection, ca. 1950

Value (2020) | $600 Retail – $750 Retail
Watch  

GUEST:
So these were my grandmother's bags.

APPRAISER:
Mm-hmm.

GUEST:
We called her Granny, and she had such a flair. I remember her carrying this one. And the other two, I just remember getting them, going through her things when she passed away.

APPRAISER:
Mm-hmm.

GUEST:
I don't remember her carrying this one. I would have been afraid to see that one as a kid. I was, like... (mock-screams and laughs) That would've been a little, a little too much for me.

APPRAISER:
That is a reaction a lot of people have to that type of bag.

GUEST:
Yeah, right? So her name was Freddie Mae Glover.

APPRAISER:
Okay.

GUEST:
And so hence the F on this bag.

APPRAISER:
Mm-hmm. Or for fashionista. GUEST (laughing): Yes, yes.

APPRAISER:
With the pearl F on the center. These are all hand-stitched.

GUEST:
Wow.

APPRAISER:
And then it's hand-outlined in gold bugle beads. And then you have the gold bugle bead leaves and flowers to make the F look like part of the bouquet. And this lovely scrollwork of pearls, it goes all the way around, stitched on the satin. I've never seen a bag like this with the monogram or with this plastic covering. But it's made by a company called Patricia of Miami.

GUEST:
Uh-huh.

APPRAISER:
And they were well-known for their plastic and Lucite bags, which would have been a little earlier than this. I've never seen one quite like that. GUEST (excitedly): Ah!

APPRAISER:
This one is the newest of the group.

GUEST:
Okay, okay.

APPRAISER:
Okay? This one is probably from the very late '50s or early 1960s, somewhere in the '60s...

GUEST:
Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER:
And this one is lizard, and then it has this centerpiece of black suede. It's an unusual bag in that it is this coloration, sort of the cream and the gray, almost black lizard skin. Most of the ones that you run across are either black or brown.

GUEST:
Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER:
So this is a more special bag. And this one was made by Sydney of California. So we've got Miami, we've got California...

GUEST:
(chuckles)

APPRAISER:
And now we're going to Havana.

GUEST:
Oh, my gosh!

APPRAISER:
This one is the oldest of the group.

GUEST:
Uh-huh.

APPRAISER:
This is from 1940, and it's an...

GUEST:
Wow.

APPRAISER:
1940s, I should say.

GUEST:
Okay.

APPRAISER:
We can't date it exactly. These were very, very popular. A lot of the American tourists would go to Cuba for vacation, and they would very often bring these bags home as souvenirs. People either really, really love them...

GUEST:
Uh-huh.

APPRAISER:
...or don't care for them at all. There doesn't seem to be any middle ground on the alligator bag with the head...

GUEST:
Right.

APPRAISER:
...and the feet, and then on the back, you know, it's the full alligator body. You've got his back legs there, too. It's the full skin. And then this one we also know belonged to your grandmother Freddie, because it's got her three initials in the center.

GUEST:
Yes! Freddie Mae Glover!

APPRAISER:
Yes. This one is always a conversation piece. A value on this one, in this condition, would probably be about $150, maybe $200.

GUEST:
Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER:
This one is in about the same range. This is a little bit harder for a retail sale in that you have to find another person who's got an F initial.

GUEST:
Oh.

APPRAISER:
And then this one is in the $300 to $350 range.

GUEST:
What?!

APPRAISER:
Yeah, so this is...

GUEST:
Oh, my gosh.

APPRAISER:
Well, this one is in the best condition. It would look the most stylish and sort of fit in with contemporary clothing.

GUEST:
Mm-hmm. Who knew?

APPRAISER:
(laughs)

GUEST:
Because, honestly, they've been living in my closet.

APPRAISER:
Okay.

GUEST:
So let's get them out. I'm gonna have my little purse on.

APPRAISER:
Mm-hmm.

GUEST:
They're, like, "Carla, where're you going?" "To get the mail."

APPRAISER:
(laughter)

Support provided by: Learn more

Appraisal Details

Appraiser
Katy Kane
Rugs & Textiles
Katy Kane Vintage & Couture, Inc
New Hope, PA
Appraised value (2020)
$600 Retail – $750 Retail
Featured In
Celebrity Edition, Hour 2 (#2516)
Event
Carla Hall, DC (November 23, 2020)

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.

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