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Berlin Porcelain Plaque, ca. 1900

Value (2014) | $2,000 Auction – $3,000 Auction
Watch  

GUEST:
I found it at a yard sale.

APPRAISER:
And how much did you pay for it?

GUEST:
I paid five dollars.

APPRAISER:
And you've enjoyed it? Has it been hanging on the wall?

GUEST:
No, actually, I kind of put it away because the frame was kind of loose from the, uh, picture.

APPRAISER:
It's a painting taken from an Italian original. The Italian original would have been done in the 18th century on canvas, and this is actually done on porcelain, and it was done in Germany just about the turn of the century, about 1900, and these boys are eating fruit, and it's actually very popular. We do find this particular subject in a number of different sizes done by a number of different artists in the Berlin area, predominantly from the KPM Manufacturing Company. It's really, really quite well done as we look at the workmanship. I want to turn it over and show you the back, if I may. There are some identifying marks which certainly do help date it as well as tell us exactly what region it was produced in. In the center here, we have an impressed eagle mark, and that is actually a symbol that was used by a number of different manufacturers, but they were all done within and around the general area of Berlin. So we certainly do know that this is a Berlin porcelain plaque.

GUEST:
Is that right?

APPRAISER:
There's also an additional paper label here, which-- let's turn it right side up-- was a retailer label, which is also always nice to have. Very often, they've disintegrated. It just gives a little bit more integrity to it that this label was on there from the very start.

GUEST:
My goodness.

APPRAISER:
Well, it's very, very competitive at auction. People love plaques like this in very appealing subjects. At auction today, I would expect would sell between $2,500 and $3,500.

GUEST:
Oh, my goodness. That's great.

APPRAISER:
That's very good for a five-dollar investment.

GUEST:
Yes, yes, it is.

Support provided by: Learn more

Appraisal Details

Appraiser
Stuart Slavid
Decorative Arts, Pottery & Porcelain, Silver
Update (2014)
$2,000 Auction – $3,000 Auction
Appraised value (2000)
$2,500 Auction – $3,500 Auction
Featured In
Denver, Hour 1 (#0509)
Vintage Denver (#1927)
Event
Denver, CO (June 17, 2000)
Category
Pottery & Porcelain
Period
19th Century , 20th Century
Form
Plaque
Material
Porcelain

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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