GUEST: My late husband bought it at a farm auction about 30 years ago for $22.50. It's a tenor lute, and that's all I know.
APPRAISER: It's a rare instrument. The rarity doesn't necessarily add tremendously to the value, but I love the headstock. This is called a moccasin headstock, very 1920s, early tenor banjo style. Then the body is almost totally traditional, mid-'20s mandolin family instrument, and it's combined together. It has an original, very high-quality hard shell case. Do you have any idea of the value of this instrument?
GUEST: $22.50.
APPRAISER: That's a good start. So if I multiply that by 100, I think we're about there. I think this instrument, because it's a nice instrument, it's in relatively nice condition, very little damage to it, would sell nowadays for between $2,000 and $2,500.
GUEST: Oh, my word! That's surprising.
