“We’re figuring out how to make it perfect…I am really excited about being in a historic environment,” says Bemko, who sees the show as a way of enlivening the past for viewers through the stories antiques can tell. “I always like to imagine who’s used it. It makes the object come alive even though you don’t use those old carriage clocks anymore. There we are making our own history.” It’s not surprising that after nearly two decades of working on Antiques Roadshow, it’s next to impossible for Bemko to choose a favorite object that’s been featured on the show. Still, she says a few tend to stand out every season. “You never really have a favorite child, but sometimes one of them will do something you can boast about that day,” says Bemko, naming a simple peach can label with a letter on its back as an example from last season. The label was one of the pieces appraised at the Orlando stop. Although it wasn’t worth a tremendous amount of money, it came with a great story. It started off the episode, which Bemko says is an easy way to tell that she really likes an object. Dated to 1918, a World War I soldier wrote a letter to the peach company, describing how much he enjoyed the fruit from his position in the trenches. The soldier wrote, “Believe me, they were worth fighting for.” At a time
when decent rations could be hard to come by, the writer mentions that the trenches were littered with the remains of peaches. Had it been only a vintage label, it would have had little value, says Bemko. The letter and the personal story it tells are what give the object its value. If it had merely been a
label, it would have been appraised somewhere around $10. With the letter, it rose to $550–$600. “That’s part of the magic of this show,” she says. “Things that have stunning value . . . they open our eyes to what we appreciate. There’s something very special about those objects.” Bemko herself developed a casual interest in antiques back in college, when she would sometimes go shopping for old furniture. Television, however, was always her passion. It was 18 years ago that the then executive producer of Antiques Roadshow asked if she was interested in a job. At first, Bemko was uncertain if she should take it. Years later, she’s glad of the decision she made. “Am I glad I said yes. It’s become one of my great loves. We’re all learning as we watch Roadshow.” With thousands of unique antiques passing through appraisers’ hands over the years, there’s certainly a lot to learn. Every expert who speaks on the show has been carefully vetted before ever appearing on camera. Bemko says it’s one part of the job that she oversees, but there is also an “appraiser wrangler.” Most are tried and tested and have been on the show for years. When someone new is being considered, Bemko says they’re investigated very carefully by checking backgrounds and keeping an ear to the ground for gossip. By putting them on television, the audience can be assured that each appraiser is someone you can talk to. Lastly, Bemko has a few tips for anyone who plans to make their way to Newport for the outdoor show, or to any future episode of Roadshow. “If you’re lucky enough to have gotten a ticket, my sincere advice is don’t try to impress us with what you own. Take advantage of this special opportunity,” she says. “Understand what you own, then you can make an eyes-wide-open decision about what you own.” Stamps or coins, for instance, are easier to look up and find a value for. Bemko suggests that this is a good chance to get a family painting appraised, or a more mysterious object with less obvious value. Those who didn’t get tickets but still want to watch the spectacle can simply wait until 2018, when the two episodes of Antiques Roadshow filmed at the Rosecliff Mansion will air. H
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