APPRAISER: I fell in love with these when you unpacked them.
GUEST: Wow.
APPRAISER: Tell me, where did they come from?
GUEST: An antique store in New Jersey, within the last eight to ten years. And I like them because they're weird.
APPRAISER: Do you know anything about them at all?
GUEST: I know they're sterling or silver with onyx, and that they're by a Mexican artist, but that's about the extent of it. Whether that's right or not, I don't know.
APPRAISER: Well, they're made by a company called Tane, out of Mexico City. Tane was probably-- and still is-- probably one of the largest manufacturers of silver in Mexico City. And these would have been made in the 1950s.
GUEST: Really?
APPRAISER: Wonderfully designed, as you can see from the bowl, the decoration goes all the way around and is quite consistent and quite interesting. What did you call it, actually, that you thought these were made out of?
GUEST: Onyx.
APPRAISER: Onyx?
GUEST: Yes.
APPRAISER: They're not.
GUEST: What are they?
APPRAISER: They're made out of obsidian.
GUEST: Which is?
APPRAISER: Which is a good question. (chuckles) Obsidian is a volcanic glass.
GUEST: They're glass.
APPRAISER: They are made out of glass. It's a volcanic glass. Sometimes it almost looks a little bit like cat's eye.
GUEST: Okay.
APPRAISER: Some of the pieces you may get a little bit of iridescence out of it. Tremendously interesting. I was only ever to see an auction sale of one bowl. And not the candlesticks at all. So it's really nice that you have the suite of those.
GUEST: Okay.
APPRAISER: Now, these were made by Tane, but they were retailed by Lunt, in the United States. On the bottom, which you know that they are marked there, and there's a variety of marks there. It says "Mexico," it says "Tane," and it says "sterling," and as well as that, it also says "Lunt." These were probably commissioned as much as anything for Lunt to sell. But just an amazingly interesting design and great condition. Do you recall what you paid for them back then?
GUEST: I think $1,200. That's my recollection. And I tend to go for the unusual or the bizarre when I collect, and this fits that definition.
APPRAISER: As unusual and bizarre.
GUEST: And bizarre.
APPRAISER: Well, it also very much fits into the design of mid-century modern.
GUEST: Okay.
APPRAISER: On the whole, you're looking at an auction estimate of between $8,000 and $12,000 for the suite.
GUEST: You're kidding.
APPRAISER: I wouldn't kid you.
GUEST: I can't believe I'm saying, "You're kidding." And these are in the mid-century modern world?
APPRAISER: Yes, absolutely.
GUEST: I'm stunned.
APPRAISER: They would have been made in the 1950s.
GUEST: I own something mid-century modern! (laughing) I'm stunned!
APPRAISER: Well, I think they're fabulous.
GUEST: Oh my goodness, I'm ecstatic. Thank you. Excellent.
APPRAISER: Thank you so much for coming today.
