Antiques Roadshow: Milwaukee, Wis. - Hour Two

Airs Monday, October 15, 2012 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV

Friday, October 12, 2012

Credit: Jeff Dunn for WGBH

Above: At ANTIQUES ROADSHOW in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, appraiser Berj Zavian of Doyle Galleries discovers a true gem - several of them, in fact - when he spots this ruby and diamond bracelet. Purchased by the owner's great-grandmother - a German countess - from Austria's Empress Eugenie in the 1890s, the bracelet boasts five beautiful Burmese pigeon blood rubies, an 18-carat gold band and dozens of small full cut diamonds set in platinum. Zavian estimates the auction value of the bracelet at $30,000 to $35,000 at auction.

Specialists from the country's leading auction houses and independent dealers from across the nation travel throughout the United States offering free appraisals of antiques and collectibles. ANTIQUES ROADSHOW cameras watch as owners recount tales of family heirlooms, yard sale bargains and long-neglected items salvaged from attics and basements, while experts reveal the fascinating truths about these finds.

Experts' Library

No doubt about it, our experts are extremely knowledgeable. But they also have a secret weapon — a backstage library of reference materials covering an abundance of topics from all areas of the antiques and collectibles world. In case you'd like to get your hands on some of these tools of the trade, we've created a full listing organized by category.

Highlight: 1895 Ruby and Diamond Bracelet

Berj Zavian appraises a ruby and diamond bracelet, purchased by the owner's great-grandmother — a German countess — from Austria's Empress Eugenie in the 1890s.

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, ANTIQUES ROADSHOW host Mark L. Walberg and appraiser Nicholas Lowry peruse the world's largest collection of posters by French lithographer Jules Cheret, best known for his colorful advertisements for the Moulin Rouge.

At the Midwest Airlines Center, appraisers get a kick out of the objects arrayed for their evaluation, including a charming 1772 needlework sampler crafted by the youngster who would become renowned clockmaker Aaron Willard's wife; a lovely circa 1890 Japanese bronze sculpture of a peasant woman and baby; and a ruby and diamond bracelet, purchased by the owner's great-grandmother - a German countess - from Austria's Empress Eugenie in the 1890s, with an auction estimate of $30,000 to $35,000. All of the appraisals from this episode are available for online viewing.

Miss last week's show? Catch up on your appraisal watching in the "Roadshow" Archive. Search by city, episode, season, and more!

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW is on Facebook, and you can follow @RoadshowPBS on Twitter.

Antiques Roadshow: Milwaukee: 1967 "Yellow Pages" Paper Dress

Watch Coming Monday, October 15, at 8/7C, Milwaukee, Hour 2 on PBS. See more from Antiques Roadshow.

In Milwaukee (Hour 2), Caroline Ashleigh discovers a hot little number — a paper dress made entirely out of "The Yellow Pages." Watch this preview to find out how much its worth.

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