Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Antiques Roadshow visited Salt Lake City, appraising items at Red Butte Garden.
- Over 9,000 applied, but only 100 items were featured on the show.
- A Reagan-signed letter was appraised at $1,500, highlighting unique historical finds.
SALT LAKE CITY — Many people have one or two vintage objects in their home — a keepsake from a family member, a thrifted find or a decorative piece. The hit TV show "Antiques Roadshow" travels across the country, discovering these unique finds and appraising them.
The 30th season tour stopped on Tuesday at the Red Butte Garden and Arboretum in Salt Lake City.
"Each year 'Roadshow' gives our fans a chance to experience culturally rich places, complete with gorgeous architecture, art and nature that provide an intriguing backdrop to capture appraisals and allow us to take viewers backstage to see and learn about places that they might otherwise miss," said executive producer Marsha Bemko.
Over 9,000 applicants entered the lottery system to be able to take their antiques to the event. After a selection process, only a few thousand were chosen to visit the show site. The group was narrowed down even more to just over 100 items and owners being shown on the show.
The selection process begins with a generalization tent. General antique specialists sort each item into a different category such as musical instruments, photographs, jewelry and artwork. All of the appraisers have been in the business for years, bringing with them their expertise and knowledge.
"The show gives a bit of a touch on history. I think it connects history, an object and a person," said Stanley Bystrowski, an "Antiques Roadshow" generalist.
Bystrowski also mentioned that many items had significance in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Artwork, pioneer antiques and other items of religious significance were common to find.
After visiting the generalist station, each guest goes to their item's specific tent to get it appraised by a specialist. Each ticketed guest was allowed to bring two items for appraisal. The appraisers give a verbal appraisal based on any family history, documents and the item itself. Many items were valued at over thousands of dollars.
"You get insights into the techniques people used and how they lived," said Peter Shaw, a musical instrument appraiser specializing in violins. "There is so much sentimental value."
One such item came from Annemarie, of Riverton. In college, she worked at a shoe museum with thousands of unique pairs. One of the pairs had once belonged to Nancy Reagan, wife of President Ronald Reagan. As she was looking at the shoes, Annemarie thought that the shoes looked "lonely," and needed a pair of the president's near them.
"I decided to write (the president) a letter. My husband was in television news at the time and he said that they get so many letters and they will never read it," Annemarie said. PBS provided access to those getting appraisals but under the condition that no last names be used.
Annemarie's tongue in cheek sense of humor made its way to the president's desk, where President Reagan read the letter and personally responded. The letter, signed in Reagan's own handwriting, explained that he would love to donate a pair and send it to the museum.
"The shoes are now together," Annemarie shared.
The unique story caught the attention of expert book and manuscript appraiser Ken Gloss. He valued the letter at over $1,500, and insisted he had never seen anything like it before.
"It's exciting. I've always been curious. My husband and I watch the show all the time," Annemarie explained. "For the historical part of it, it's very interesting because you get to see things that you don't have to go to a museum for."
Over 100 items will be featured on the three episodes of "Antiques Roadshow" centered in Salt Lake City. PBS' hit show will bring unique items, like Annemarie's, to the living rooms of families all over the country.
