GUEST: It's a cruet set. It's been in a box for years, and seven or eight years ago, somebody came by and took a look at it and said, "Geez, the hallmark's interesting. You ought to have it checked." So seven years later, I raced right down, and here I am, sir. I know nothing about these.
APPRAISER: I'm certainly glad you did. It's English, what we call Georgian silver, which is sterling silver, and very beautiful cut crystal. It's a six-bottle cruet stand, and it was made in London in 1805.
GUEST: Good gosh.
APPRAISER: And the maker is a gentleman by the name of Paul Storr, S-T-O-R-R, one of England's most famous late-18th- and early-19th- century silversmiths. The very finest quality, the detail in the stand, the detail in the mountings, quality of the cut glass, 40:46:14 the beautiful markings, which are on each one. Do you have any idea what it might be worth?
GUEST: (chuckles) I haven't a clue, and I had a heart attack in April, so you better come easy on me.
APPRAISER: Well, I'm going to try to, but you might be rather surprised to find out that in a well-advertised auction, a piece of Paul Storr silver of this quality is somewhere in the $8,000 to $12,000 range.
GUEST: I'm shocked. (stammers) I can't speak so smoothly now. (laughing)