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Toy Barn, ca. 1890

Value (2016) | $1,500 – $2,000
Watch  

GUEST:
This is a replica of a barn that was owned by my great-great- grandfather, and this replica was built by my great-grandfather. The original barn was on Massachusetts Avenue, behind my great-great- grandfather's meat market.

APPRAISER:
Which is this building right here.

GUEST:
Right, and then this is the barn back here.

APPRAISER:
Oh, yeah, I can see the same staircase that's on the front here. Well, these things were very, very popular in the late 19th century into the early 20th century. This was probably built early 1890s. It's a little different because it's a barn, not a dollhouse, and you have some little funky wooden horses there, which are cute, and a chicken coop, which is way cool. Well, it's really, really, nice. It's got great paint, nice history. It's been here in Indianapolis. I love the cupola. It probably did have a little weathervane at one time. Interesting family history. Did you ever have it appraised by anybody?

GUEST:
No.

APPRAISER:
Okay, well, it goes into a folk art category for dolls and toys, and a little barnhouse like this is probably in the $3,000 to $4,000 range.

GUEST:
Wow, cool.

APPRAISER:
So it's good. Don't make it into a birdhouse.

GUEST:
Oh, no, it's going to stay in the family.

APPRAISER:
Thanks a lot.

Support provided by: Learn more

Appraisal Details

Appraiser
Richard Wright
Dolls, Toys & Games
Update (2016)
$1,500 – $2,000
Appraised value (2001)
$3,000 – $4,000
Featured In
Indianapolis, Hour 3 (#0615)
Vintage Indianapolis (#2021)
Event
Indianapolis, IN (August 18, 2001)
Category
Dolls
Period
19th Century
Form
Toy

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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