'Antiques Roadshow' guest gasps in disbelief after expert reveals value of her 135-year-old item
More than artifacts and collectibles, "Antiques Roadshow" guests are a major factor keeping audiences glued to TV screens, with their dramatic and often emotional reactions to the valuations of the items they bring. People often arrive on the show with little to no information about their important artifacts, which leaves them in tears in the end. For some, the monetary value of their items doesn't matter as they are emotionally attached to their family heirlooms. This was the case with the guest who brought an impressive papier mache rabbit that was made in Germany.
In the episode, the elderly guest had brought the item, which she inherited from her father. She shared that her father was very close with his uncles, who regularly sent him gifts. "He had an uncle who lived in Chicago, who didn't have any children. So he would send him these darling gifts from a toy store in Chicago and Peter Rabbit came to our house and our grandchildren, and they've all grown up with Peter Rabbit," she shared.
The guest added that the family brings out Peter Rabbit every Easter as a centerpiece. She added that the toys were quite treasured, and her father didn't play with the rabbit much. The expert, Billye Harris, then took over from the guest to explain the history of the item. She told the guest that while it was sent from Chicago, it wasn't made in the U.S. She noted that the rabbit was made in Germany and that the company still makes them.
She pointed out that it was made of papier mache and its large size made it unique. "What's really wonderful about yours is, he has these great big tall ears and beautiful brown glass eyes-- oh, my gosh, I can't even get started on these shoes," she exclaimed. Harris further revealed that the item, a candy container, was made in 1890, and it had faded. The guest was shocked to learn that the head of the rabbit lifted up to make space for candy. The expert further noted that the rabbit also had a papier mache egg with some of the original straw in the basket.
She pointed out that the original color of the item was a brighter green and at the time of manufacturing, the color was made with either copper or arsenic. "This is a candy container with arsenic?" the guest exclaimed. However, Harris assured them that there was nothing to worry about as the textile experts had confirmed that the item was dyed with a copper-based color.
Coming to the number, the expert noted that these papier mache articles were quite common and popular in the market. Given the damage around the face and ear of the rabbit, the article would still be worth $2,000 to $3,000, she noted. At this, the guest gasped and said, "Wow-- that's a lot of candy!"
In the end the expert added that if the item was in mint condition, it could go for up to $10,000 at an auction going by the previous records. However, the guest wasn't interested in the money as she told the expert that the item was priceless to her and her family.
