Platner Chair & Ottoman, c 1975
GUEST:
My cousin called me and said, "I'm at this garage sale. Our pastor has this chair, his wife hates it, and they just want to get rid of it." And so, I asked her how much, and she said, "$50." And I said, "Well, I'll buy it." So...
APPRAISER:
Well, God giveth and God taketh away.
GUEST:
Exactly, right.
APPRAISER:
Okay. Do you know anything about the chair?
GUEST:
I don't.
APPRAISER:
It's designed by Warren Platner.
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
And it's produced by Knoll International.
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
And that sticker is under this ottoman seat, if we lift it up here.
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
Right here. So Knoll International helps us date it.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
Puts it into the 1970s, as opposed to the 1960s.
GUEST:
Oh, okay.
APPRAISER:
It's called a high-back lounge chair and ottoman.
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
So this is a larger size and a larger ottoman. Original fabric. I think somebody could work with that to tighten it up, and I think it'd be important to keep the original cover with the piece. It's a bronze base. If we look at this metal wire base down here...
GUEST:
Uh-huh.
APPRAISER:
...that comes in two different finishes, a nickel finish and a bronze finish. Bronze finish is the more desirable finish. Nickel finish has a tendency to rust.
GUEST:
Okay; is this one a bronze or a nickel?
APPRAISER:
This one's bronze.
GUEST:
Oh, okay.
APPRAISER:
So very popular style. Postmodern furniture is very collectible today.
GUEST:
Uh-huh.
APPRAISER:
It serves a lifestyle. This is a nice, big, comfortable chair.
GUEST:
Yeah.
APPRAISER:
The way people want to live in an informal way today.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
Now, how long have you had it?
GUEST:
I've had it since September.
APPRAISER:
So $50.
GUEST:
$50.
APPRAISER:
I'm happy to inform you that today at auction, this chair would bring between $2,000 and $4,000.
GUEST:
Holy cow! (laughing) Wow, wow. Very cool, very cool. That's a good $50 investment.
APPRAISER:
I'd say so.
GUEST:
Yeah!
APPRAISER:
Individually, we'd probably put $1,500 to $2,500 on the chair...
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
...and $500 to $1,000 on the ottoman.
GUEST:
Okay, wow.
Appraisal Details
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.