Appraisals • Depression Glass

Related Resources Antiques Roadshow OKC 2003 • Know Your Appraisers • The Cookie Jar Spot

Elsewhere on the Web • PBS Antique Roadshow • Red Wing Pottery

Once again it was proven to me how small a world it really is! Since I was disappointed about not finding out the correct pattern name for the depression glass sugar and creamer at the Antiques Roadshow, I decided to investigate a little further. I finally had a picture to share, so I contacted someone that I "met" years ago on Prodigy and knew was fairly active in the glass world.

I emailed Reyne Haines and asked if she could help me out. You can imagine my surprise when she emailed me back with the correct glass manufacturer and the comment that she was the one at the Antiques Roadshow that originally told me she thought it was the Pyramid pattern. . . . . Yes, it's a pretty small world!

Reyne Haines has been with the Antiques roadshow for six of the eight seasons and graciously gave me some of her time to talk about to tell me the backstage part of the Antiques Roadshow.

The first question was how did she get started?
She related that when she first saw Antiques Roadshow, she decided that "she could that"! So she went ahead and contacted the show, the rest is history.

After the first question, conversation just flowed and here are some of Reyne's tidbits.

Back in the "old days" of Antiques Roadshow tickets were not distributed, people just lined up outside the venue and waited to see if they could get in. Reyne said in the early years it would be amazing to go to a venue and see literally thousands of folks in line, many getting in queue the day before the show starts. This format was changed a few years ago when a random drawing of 6500 tickets per location was put into place. Three shows are taped at each location, typically about 75 items, 25 for each episode. Out of 6000 folks, only seventy five make the cut, but many attendees don't realize that and come prepared to be on TV! They have to be gently told, that no -- not every one makes it.

There can be as many as seventy experts per show, all paying their entire expenses including airfare. The experts start their weekend duties on Friday afternoons with an informal talk with the staff. At this briefing they will discover who is producing the show, find out more about security, etc. Next morning after meeting for breakfast, the doors open at 8 am with an unending line of hopefuls. The appraisers can be hoarse by lunch time when they take turns taking their break, but the show must go on and continues on until six or seven in the evening.

There are dozens of different categories for antiques and collectibles, but the glass and pottery/porcelain areas are always the most popular.

After a person gets into the appraisal area and goes through the long glass line, there are normally three experts ready to help. Each expert takes the next person waiting in line, so it can be a luck of the draw as to who might be lucky enough to discover the next treasure! Out of thousands and thousands of items seen each taping there are always a few items that elude the appraisers. But since the glass experts work together, each bringing a particular strength to the team, it usually is no more than five to ten a day that are turned away without an appraisal.

Even when folks are turned away, the experts can still help with tips and suggestions.

• First of all they can tell what it's not.
• They can make sure an item isn't a reproduction.
• Also how the item was produced, as well as the time period, style and shape. With that information people can usually continue researching on their own with additional reference books and materials.

Antiques Roadshow has a library of books at the disposal of the appraisers, but Reyne said they all bring books depending on what they might need help with. Pattern glass and antique bottle books are the two used most oftenat the glass tables. Antiques Roadshow also has three computers linked to the Internet for additional information. Reyne uses the computers only when she is involved in a taping and might be looking for specific years or technique names that have interesting backgrounds.

• The average item appraised is under $100.
• 50% of the customers have inherited from relatives and just want to know what it is and where they can learn more about it.
• Many others just want to know if it is garage sale material or worth more.

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Photographs (c)2003 Barbara Crews, licensed to About, Inc.