GUEST: Well, this chest was given to me by my parents not as a blanket chest, but as a hope chest. They said, "Yes, it is a blanket chest, but this is what you're going to be using this for." We grew up in a house that was nicknamed the Museum House by my friends. My parents tried to get us into the antiques enthusiasm, and they gave us things periodically. This was one of the things that was given to me when I was young. I was told, at least-- you may be telling me something different.
APPRAISER: Okay, okay.
GUEST: But that it was from Pennsylvania, that it was a feather style that was done to it, and that it was a folk piece, but that's about all I know. It's been with me wherever I've gone, it's always held my most precious possessions, so to me, this is a really cool piece, and I treasure it.
APPRAISER: It is a blanket chest, and our consensus at the folk art table is that it's not actually from Pennsylvania.
GUEST: Oh, okay.
APPRAISER: But it's more likely from Shaftsbury, Vermont, where there was a famous furniture maker and decorator named Thomas Madison.
GUEST: Okay.
APPRAISER: And he had a group of followers who produced chests like this at a period of time in American history where many of the people who were living in New England could not afford expensive pieces of furniture, so they took plain pine furniture...
GUEST: And dressed them up.
APPRAISER: And dressed them up with this wonderful feathering kind of paint. So there's this group that is identified with Thomas Madison in Shaftsbury, Vermont, and that's where we think this piece was made.
GUEST: Oh, okay.
APPRAISER: Around 1825. And it's a very well-loved piece. It's had a long and treasured history, but it's got some condition issues, and the paint has gotten a little bit worn and a little bit dull.
GUEST: Right.
APPRAISER: So in terms of a value, that's going to have an impact. So at auction, we would suggest an estimate in the range of $5,000 to $10,000.
GUEST: (laughing): Wait, wait, wait what? No way! Yeah! You serious? Oh God, I sound like those people always on these shows. Really, $5,000 to $10,000?
APPRAISER: Yeah!
GUEST: Holy moly guacamole, wow! Yeah, so... I like it a little better now, this is really cool!
APPRAISER: Right, you'll love it even more.
GUEST: Yeah.
