1 00:00:01,900 --> 00:00:05,600 GUEST: This is a, what I think is a tea cozy that I purchased on Portobello Road 2 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:10,600 in London about maybe five or six years ago. And what attracted me to it was, 3 00:00:12,666 --> 00:00:17,500 I have some other whimsies that, that are beaded in the same manner that I purchased in, 4 00:00:19,433 --> 00:00:24,300 in the States. And this beading reminded me of those pieces. Those pieces, I believe, 5 00:00:26,300 --> 00:00:29,800 were made by the Iroquois Indians near Niagara Falls at the turn of the century. 6 00:00:30,866 --> 00:00:32,833 APPRAISER: It's made by the Iroquois, 7 00:00:32,833 --> 00:00:37,233 and, uh, in the summer, spring to autumn, uh, they clustered around Niagara Falls, 8 00:00:37,233 --> 00:00:42,200 set up little tables, and sold beaded whimsies. They're typically small pouches. 9 00:00:43,766 --> 00:00:45,766 GUEST: Right. APPRAISER: Maybe five or six inches in diameter. 10 00:00:45,766 --> 00:00:47,666 GUEST: Mm-hmm. 11 00:00:47,666 --> 00:00:49,666 APPRAISER: But they would have sold thousands of beaded whimsies for 12 00:00:49,666 --> 00:00:53,533 every one tea cozy. It's really a rare object. This is earlier than circa 1900. 13 00:00:54,700 --> 00:00:56,300 GUEST: Oh, really. 14 00:00:56,300 --> 00:00:57,766 APPRAISER: This, this may be, more or less, 150 years old. 15 00:00:57,766 --> 00:00:59,566 GUEST: Hm! 16 00:00:59,566 --> 00:01:02,433 APPRAISER: Perhaps, uh, 1850, 1860. So, a half a century older... 17 00:01:02,433 --> 00:01:04,333 GUEST: Wow, I had no idea. 18 00:01:04,333 --> 00:01:05,900 APPRAISER: ...than maybe some of those whimsies that you were referring to. 19 00:01:05,900 --> 00:01:07,900 GUEST: Mm-hmm. APPRAISER: Do you know where the beads are made? 20 00:01:07,900 --> 00:01:09,700 GUEST: I don't know where they're made. I think they're glass beads, but, um... 21 00:01:09,700 --> 00:01:12,500 APPRAISER: They're glass beads made in Venice, Italy... 22 00:01:12,500 --> 00:01:14,400 GUEST: Really. 23 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:17,400 APPRAISER: ...brought here by traders and, uh, providing Native people with 24 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:22,400 the opportunity to decorate with glass beads. Iroquois particularly favored clear beads, 25 00:01:24,466 --> 00:01:28,466 of which this really exemplifies them. And one of the beauties of a clear bead is that it reflects 26 00:01:30,566 --> 00:01:34,333 light. And objects that reflect light, in Native culture, are considered to be rather special. 27 00:01:34,933 --> 00:01:36,666 GUEST: Hmm. 28 00:01:36,666 --> 00:01:37,566 APPRAISER: It's almost as if there's a spiritual quality to them. 29 00:01:37,566 --> 00:01:39,566 GUEST: Mm-hmm. 30 00:01:39,566 --> 00:01:41,600 APPRAISER: Like a quartz crystal, some p, folks might feel. The interior is lined 31 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:46,400 with a polished cotton cloth. It's also stuffed, as a quilt might be stuffed... 32 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:48,933 GUEST: Mm-hmm. 33 00:01:48,933 --> 00:01:50,166 APPRAISER: ...in order to keep that tea nice and warm. 34 00:01:50,166 --> 00:01:51,733 GUEST: Mm-hmm. 35 00:01:51,733 --> 00:01:54,600 APPRAISER: This side is a little bit more lavishly done. 36 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,166 GUEST: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. 37 00:01:56,166 --> 00:01:58,366 APPRAISER: So this is a star device, a stellate device... 38 00:01:58,366 --> 00:02:00,200 GUEST: Mm-hmm. 39 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:02,166 APPRAISER: ...reflecting the upper world, powers of heaven, if you will. 40 00:02:02,166 --> 00:02:04,533 GUEST: Mm-hmm. 41 00:02:04,533 --> 00:02:07,166 APPRAISER: The other side...reflects a tree of life. It's in perfect condition. It could fade. I, 42 00:02:11,033 --> 00:02:15,400 I would recommend that it's not in direct sunlight. May I ask what you paid for it? 43 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,600 GUEST: I believe I paid about 40 pounds for it. 44 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:21,533 APPRAISER: What do you think five years ago, in U.S. dollars, that would be? 45 00:02:21,533 --> 00:02:23,233 GUEST: Might have been $60. 46 00:02:23,233 --> 00:02:24,800 APPRAISER: $60. GUEST: Some, something. 47 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:25,600 APPRAISER: I, I think... GUEST: I think it was less than $100. 48 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:26,666 APPRAISER: Yes, yes. 49 00:02:26,666 --> 00:02:28,466 GUEST: Mm-hmm. 50 00:02:28,466 --> 00:02:31,466 APPRAISER: Um, I wish I could shop with you. (laughing) That's a good 51 00:02:31,466 --> 00:02:36,466 value. On a retail basis today, I would value this at approximately $5,000. 52 00:02:39,133 --> 00:02:41,000 GUEST: (gasps) Oh, my goodness, really? 53 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:42,600 APPRAISER: Yeah, it, it's fabulous. 54 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:44,100 GUEST: Really! I had no idea.