GUEST: These pieces belonged to my mother- and father-in-law. They acquired them about 14 or 15 years ago quite by accident. My wife's uncle was handling the disposition of a friend's estate. His wish was that everything just be sold and the money given to charity. So my wife's uncle asked family members to come on in ahead of outsiders and allowed them to go through, pick something out, and make an offer.
APPRAISER: What are you hoping to find out about these vases today?
GUEST: I'm hoping to find out that they are authentic. There's been a lot of speculation in the family. We know that they're signed vases.
APPRAISER: We see signatures on each vase. They are signed "Louis Comfort Tiffany," so we're wondering if these are authentic Tiffany vases. Indeed, I believe they are. We've got probably about $13,000 worth of Tiffany glass in front of us. I've arranged these in an order. I saw one that was very interesting. This vase, for instance, is a flower-form vase that I would describe, uh.. it could be in the $1,500 range. The second one here would be in that same value range-- about $1,500. They are Favrile glass, as all of these vases are. The second pair, if we look at this great tendril form on them with green leaves and also little tiny flower buds, it makes them even more special than the two gold iridescent ones. I would probably place the value of these two at $5,000 for the pair. And then finally for me the piëce de rèsistance is this really great goblet-form vase...
GUEST: It's my father-in-law's favorite piece.
APPRAISER: Well, he's got good taste. I would say this one alone is probably in the $5,000 range. It has great blue iridescence in the interior, which is wonderful. And each one of these pieces is unique. Just a great example of American art glass from the turn of the century.
GUEST: I've gained a new appreciation for their beauty, that's for sure. Thank you.
