posted 04-08-2003 03:19 PM            

Here is a pair of fiddle and shell tongs by C. A. Burnett as pictured in Silver Magazine, Jan/Feb 1996. At that time a John Norie wrote an article about tongs. He made a number of very debatable comments, including that the tongs had "appliqué shells stamped on both arms" and, about the "R. R. W" engraving, "I do not think it should be difficult to trace the original owner." I ask everyone to take my word for it that this wasn't the stupidest thing written by Mr. Norie. His opinion on a bent ladle bon bon dish was a classic. I tried to point out his errors in the next issue, since I was writing in anyway to identify a "Wachsschnurhalter" for someone.

I eventually decided that in my opinion the Magazine wasn't really being edited well and let the matter go. I purchased an almost identical pair of tongs, and found to my amazement that many very knowledgeable people thought the decoration was appliqué or soldered on. I will leave it to FredZ to explain why these shells are swaged on, because that is not why, Ladies and Gentleman. we are gathered here today.
I really wanted a way of leading into the questions:

1) Did anyone see Mr. Frank Boos (the man with the wilted bow tie) on the Antique Road Show?

2) Has anyone ever seen him identify and appraise anything correctly?

The fact is he either doesn't know what coin, sterling, and French first standard mean or doesn't care since he uses them interchangeably, sometime in the same sentence. Couldn't someone from this forum volunteer to replace this man? My doctor says he either has to go, I have to stop watching the show, or I have to increase my blood pressure medication.
Maurice

posted 04-08-2003 09:49 PM            

Concerning the shell ornament.... Soldering on the shell would anneal the metal and would require excessive planishing to bring back the spring required for properly functioning tongs.

Tongs are made as if you were making two spoons back to back. It is a trick to leave a thickened portion on the handles where the shell will be formed. The final steps require planishing to both smooth the surface and to work harden the portions that you wish to be tough or springy.

Many believe the bowls are also attached to the handles. The drops are also swaged on most handwrought spoons.

posted 04-08-2003 11:34 PM            

I think the main problem is that no actual silver experts seem to want to be on the Roadshow for long. They had Christopher Hartop for a bit, as well as some other trustworthy folks, but it seems like they all left. Boos was there, and they decided to give him the silver gig. How hard could it be for an experienced general property auctioneer? Pretty hard, apparently. They were nice tongs, but a ridiculous valuation.

My personal favorite flub is one I wrote about a few years ago. It was on "At The Auction", Leslie Hindman's show on HGTV. Some inexperienced youngster was appraising a nice coin silver snuff box, engraved with a person's name, a New York Wall Street Address, and an 1850's date, and bearing the very clear (Eagle)<AC>(Head) trademarks of Albert Coles. She said, "Well, the eagle means it is German or Austrian silver". I can't remember much of the rest, being quite outraged, but I do know that some lady got a very, very wrong appraisal.

BTW, I have actually seen some Norwegian spoons with applied shells. No American pieces, but who knows? There are probably exceptions to every rule.

posted 04-09-2003 12:21 AM            

I don't really have so much sympathy for Boos, he shouldn't be appraising what he doesn't know. I don't agree with his prices, but that is just an opinion. My real objection is the mistakes he makes before he gives a value. He really doesn't know anything about silver, all qualities, are about egual to him.

.750=.800=.810=.900=.925=.925=.950=.958 and repousse=cast. My lawyer always warns me to say "in my opinion".

posted 04-09-2003 12:44 AM            

And I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for all the antique shows. Always something new to learn! Have noticed errors on all of them, including an appraiser confidently stating that gold jewelry is always marked, so the appraisee's piece was costume (apparently no testing kit was available). Owning several nice unmarked pieces of Victorian gold, I had my doubts. Next show - correction to a value of $2500.00 (nice diamonds in it, too!). The values often seem way too high, but I've also seen items valued for much less than what they commonly sell for in my area. I don't get a chance to watch very often, maybe that's why I enjoy them.

Have to agree with Kimo, Bargain Hunt is very strange (host reminds me of Anthony Newley), but entertaining. I also prefer the original British Roadshow, it's faster paced and much less sensationalized (plus I get to see some things rarely seen in this country).

Cheryl ;o)

posted 04-09-2003 07:58 AM            

Mr. Boos also appraised a Georgian late 18th c. sauce ladle a while back at being worth around $35.

I actually took an unmarked coin silver waste bowl with repousse strawberries to Mr. Boos at his auction house once. It was a presentation piece given to one of the first supreme court of MI justices from the bar of MI in (I think 1856). He appraised it at around $125.

posted 04-09-2003 09:14 AM            

The next day I was told it was a covered bon-bon bowl made in Birmingham, England in the 1830's.

posted 04-09-2003 10:44 AM            

This is a "wachsschnurhalter", basically a German bougie box.
Again my objection is not his curious pricing but his erroneous identifications. His prices go both ways, I would like to buy the ladle and Tiffany silver from him, and I would sell him those tongs, and any pitchers and "libation" cups I get.

Fred's story reminded me of a time when I appraised a Tiffany tea and coffee set, and had to go to court to testify.

The opposing "expert" had written that the "filigre" teaset had scratch marks on it showing it had been "replated" by a jeweler. I testified and left. The lawyer told me not only did the other "expert" not testify, but after I did he literally took to his heels and ran.

posted 04-09-2003 11:01 PM            

The difference is they only make their mistakes in front of people who buy their catalogs, or attend their auctions maybe a few thousand people, mostly knowledgeable. The roadshow makes their mistakes in front of many times that number, mostly naive people who really believe the "experts".

As far as more private mistakes, who can compete with professional appraisers who have letters behind their names, and are oh so proud that they neither buy nor sell. A particularly virulent group that spreads its idiocy in my neighborhood charges about $175 an hour for opinions that are truly laughable. In one appraisal they did, they got only one thing right in a group of 11 items averaging $3-4,000 in value. I am not talking about an opinion of value; I am talking about not recognizing the right date or country of origin. One favorite example was over 100 years off and the wrong continent altogether. Another is a “pair” of chamber sticks one being 2 inches shorter than the other (they WERE technically a pair but they didn’t notice or note the damage). Then there was the case where an appraiser called 46 place settings of Reed and Barton plate “sterling”. The owner paid for insurance for 15 years on $30,000 of sterling that didn’t exist.