LYNNWOOD — Marjorie West loves the PBS television series, “Antiques Roadshow,” so she was especially excited when one of the show’s appraisers came to Anna’s Home Furnishings in Lynnwood March 27.
“We follow the Roadshow wherever it goes,” West said.
A Lynnwood resident, West sat on a couch at the furniture store for a couple hours waiting to show her 1845 hat tree with original glass to Roadshow appraiser Judy Campbell.
West didn’t mind the wait because she had a close up view as Campbell worked and was able to see and hear about all the pieces that were shown before hers.
“I also brought this George Matthis print of the Feather River Railway, but I don’t think she’ll look at this ‘cause we’re only allowed one item to be appraised,” West said.
West said she went to the Roadshow last year when it came to Seattle. She found out that a piece from the California gold rush was worth more than her family’s tradition.
“We have a lot of stuff from my husband’s father who acquired some things in California,” she said.
Out of several hundred people who came to the store that day to see if they had a hidden treasure, only 150 were seen by Campbell. Some in line said they wanted to see what the value was so they could sell it on the website eBay or, like West, wanted to make note of the value so they could pass it down through family.
“I write it in a book and keep it for my children,” West said. “I’m not interested in selling.”
Others wanted a figure so they could insure their rare item.
Campbell said the figures she quotes are for insurance purposes only. “It really depends on the market for the value,” she said.
Looking at West’s hat tree, Campbell, in her ninth season on the show, said she would “put this at about $800.”
“Oh really,” West said, adding that she was pleasantly surprised. As suspected, Campbell wouldn’t look at West’s Matthis print because of time demands.
Edmonds resident Howard Fankhauser also sat near Campbell and was having fun watching her with others and their antiques.
“Some people were unhappy and thought their (piece) was worth more,” Fankhauser said. “But she has been kind, gracious and very genuine to each person.”
Fankhauser, who inherited some antiques from his aunt, brought a lamp with children standing on the base to show Campbell.
“I remember seeing this lamp at her house when I was growing up,” he said.
Seeing the lamp for the first time, Campbell said, delightedly, “Oh, how charming … this is from the 1880s or 1890s. Children figures were very popular, it’s an oil lamp that has been electrified, I would give it an insurance value of about $750.”
Fankhauser said he was surprised and said he will keep the lamp, not sell it.
“We’ve had it put away, maybe we’ll put it out now,” he said.
Other items found to be quite valuable that day, Campbell said, included a Steiff stuffed bear worth about $5,000, a couple of Tiffany lamps and a World War II quilt.
“It was very patriotic and included all the documentation and letters,” Campbell said of the quilt. She gave it an insurance value of about $5,000.
Campbell, from Michigan, said she loves what she does.
“I’m very passionate about this,” she said. “All the appraisers on the show are.”
Campbell said that while the appraisers carry a lot of information in their heads, they also study books and on the internet before they go on the air for a TV show.
Campbell’s visit to Anna’s Home Furniture, at 19909 40th Ave. W., Lynnwood, came as part of a promotion as the store launched a new line of Pulaski Furniture, The Antiques Roadshow Collection, said Vince Nguyen, store manager. The collection includes copies of antiques found through the show.
A portion of the profits from sales of the collection go to PBS, Rod Cochrane, of Pulaski Furniture, said.
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