GUEST: I brought two clocks, and the matching vases for the pink one, and I bought them at an estate sale here in Charleston, and I think I paid $500 for the group together.
APPRAISER: Okay, and why did you happen to select these clocks?
GUEST: Well, I... was drawn to the pink ones, of course, because I love pink. I just thought they were beautiful and unique.
APPRAISER: The two clocks are somewhat similar. They're both of French origin, and they represent about 30 or 40 years difference in when they were actually made. And one sort of transitions to the other. The earliest one is the one that has the dome on top of it. Louis-Philippe period, probably made about 1850 or so. And during that time period, there was a real craze to put domes over clocks. And it's amazing that the dome on that clock has still survived. 99% of the clocks that we see at the ROADSHOW, the dome's often been long lost. And to have that dome is really important to the overall value of the clock. It also has protected the clock. You'll notice how bright the coloring of the bronze or the gilt wash over it has remained, and that's really unusual. This clock not being under the dome, you can see how much more dull the color is. That does have a porcelain dial, it does have a French movement, it's French origin, and the stone on it is an aggregate, probably an onyx of some kind. And that onyx with the dome is really a very nice combination. It lets a lot of light in, the onyx sort of reflects the light back again, very attractive clock. This clock here, it has hand-painted panels, and it's unusual that you still have the two original ewers. Very nicely decorated, very good quality, again French origin, but this one was probably made closer to 1880 or 1890. So two different time periods, you can see how the styles have somewhat changed. But the construction of the clocks is very, very similar, where they have this metal frame that sort of holds the decorations in place. Terms of value, you said you paid $500 for both of them, and how long ago was that?
GUEST: I would say that's been maybe eight or nine years.
APPRAISER: Well, we know in 2007, the world changed for the clock worlds. A lot of clocks had lost value significantly, and these clocks probably did a little of that as well, but they're certainly on their way back up again. The upper clock... That clock today if you were to find that in a finer shop, it would easily be priced at $2,500. This clock down here, as a clock set, the clock itself and the two ewers, the value would be around $1,800. So for a $500 investment, you did very, very well.
GUEST: That's great. Thank you.
