GUEST: I have a mantel clock that I purchased from a family friend. We bought about seven or eight clocks from her for approximately $400. This was one of them. I think it's the most beautiful. I know that it was made in Paris. There's a stamp on the back. But besides that, I don't have any more information on it.
APPRAISER: This clock is actually of French origin. It's really a result of a few very big companies making these circular movements, and oftentimes, the movements aren't actually signed. They're signed "Made in France," like this one is. The reality is that they were sold to people who case their own clocks or styles. It's a very unusual clock in the fact that it is a brass case that has this champlevé decoration. Now, champlevé is a process of enamel where they put enamel that's divided by brass. And all this little detail work here is really nicely done. And it's an up dial in that it has this wonderful floral decoration on the inside of the time ring. The standard ones are just plain white, and it makes it a little bit more interesting to have that decoration. And then the fittings on the clock would have been a little bit extra in terms of pricing the clock out originally. It has these wonderful feet, and it's not unusual for clocks to be up on feet, but the fact that these are in the form of an animal paw meant that they spent a little extra time casting it. The fact that it has fully turned columns that are decorated that are inset into the case, all little details that make it a special example. So we have a clock made about 1900, probably for a metropolitan market like Chicago or New York or St. Louis. You have any idea of what it's worth?
GUEST: I was hoping to at least make my money back on the clock. I was guessing maybe $500.
APPRAISER: Well, I think you'll be happy to learn that if this clock, with a little bit of cleaning up and servicing the movement, you were to find it in an antiques shop or a clock shop in Chicago, you probably would expect to spend somewhere around $2,500 to $3,000 for it.
GUEST: That's great. That's a pretty good buy. It's beautiful.
