Taking Appraisal on the Road: The Antiques Roadshow

By Teresa Ambord

If you love antiques, you might be a fan of the Antiques Roadshow. No matter how much people love their family heirlooms or other treasures, they don't just want to love them. Generally, they also want to know how much they are worth. Antiques Roadshow (AR) gives people a chance to show their treasures and get a professional opinion about their worth.

The host of the show, Lara Spencer, is an avid collector whose love of antiques grew out of her need to furnish an apartment on a shoestring budget. An enthusiastic long-time fan of AR, she was the natural choice to take over as host in January 2004.

If you watch the show you know that AR tours each year, making stops in cities around the United States. Tickets are free, and so are the verbal appraisals. Anyone with a ticket is entitled to bring two items to have appraised.

Each Roadshow event includes 70 to 80 appraisers, with expertise in 20 categories. 

What You Can Get Out of the Roadshow

If you are wondering whether AR would be a good place to sell your antiques, or perhaps to buy some, the answer is easy. No. No buying or selling is permitted.

But you can get a good, free appraisal, and enjoy the show. 

If you can't make it to the Roadshow, there are other ways to get quality appraisals, though AR recommends against trying to complete an appraisal over the Internet.

AR recommends that you find a good appraiser by asking your antique-loving friends.  If that doesn't help, call a museum and ask if they know of any. 

Here Are A Few Things That AR Suggests You Keep In Mind:

  • If you have antiques that fall into various categories, seek out a generalist, not a specialist.
  • An appraiser should never charge you a percentage of the appraised value. Obviously this practice might affect the value assigned to your antiques, making the appraisal suspect.
  • The appraisal is an opinion, not a hard fact. The selling price at auction might be quite different.
  • When you hire the appraiser, be clear about your reason for needing the report. Is it for tax purposes? Insurance? Or it could be for the dividing the assets of an estate or for planning your will. The purpose will determine the scope and type of appraisal you need.
  • Don't try to get an accurate appraisal based only on a photo of the item. That seldom works. If necessary, there are appraisers who will visit your home.

To Read More About Getting a Good Appraisal, Connect to the AR Web site at:

To Read "Tips of the Trade" Directly From the Antiques Roadshow:

Antique Talk Has Interesting Tidbits and Stories for Antiques Enthusiasts, Plus Appraisal Services:

Here's a Site You Might Find Interesting, From Certified Appraiser, Dorothy Schaffer:

Schaffer's Web site offers a variety of services, including email notification of upcoming estate sales and auctions. She also provides helpful information about the need for appraisals. For serious antique buffs, her site is worth the visit.





Sources: