GUEST: I bought it at an estate sale from a prominent family a couple of years ago in Portland.
APPRAISER: And how much did you pay for it?
GUEST: I paid what I thought was quite a bit of money-- about $1,200.
APPRAISER: $1,200. It's an American silver picture frame made by Tiffany and Company. Tiffany and Company is the epitome of quality, craftsmanship, artistic expression. And it's got a very Art Nouveau flavor. I don't think it was a commercial production. I think they made this one, and that was it, because it's so big and so heavy and so robust. I particularly love the Art Nouveau influence of the strapwork along the borders. You can see the quality is so amazing. It's even decorated on the sides. They put a little bit of a bevel on the bottom so that it stood upright correctly. And the back is remarkable. I mean, they just don't miss a detail. When Tiffany made a high-quality item, they didn't spare. It's got a signature on the bottom, and because of that signature, I can date it to maybe about between 1892 and 1904. The auction value today would probably be somewhere in the $3,000 to $5,000 range.
GUEST: Okay-- oh, my goodness. I'm very happy to hear that, thank you.
