GUEST: They're from my mother's family.

They've been in our family about 250 years.

My mother is from Maine, on the coast of Maine.

APPRAISER: Okay.

GUEST: The story is that they come from Boston.

And they've been in our family since the Revolutionary War.

APPRAISER: Okay.

GUEST: I don't know if that's true or not.

(laughs) APPRAISER: Let me tell you about these tables.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: These tables were made after the Revolutionary War.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: In about circa 1810.

And after the war, America grasped hold of this incredible new style called the Federal style.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: It was a reaction, really, against the Chippendale-Rococo style with all the curves and carving.

We have these demilune perfect half-circles.

Very balanced, everything.

GUEST: Yep.

APPRAISER: These are games tables...

GUEST: Yep.

APPRAISER: ...so this unfolds, as you know, and the leg swings out.

And when you weren't using them, you'd put them against the wall and close it up.

GUEST: Yep.

APPRAISER: These oval paterae right there in the front, GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: typical of Federal, that's beautiful satinwood inlay, tapered legs-- I've never seen this fluted carving.

Wonderful detail.

Double cross, crossband at feet.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: At the bottom, yeah.

These tables are probably made in-- based on the construction and the design and this pattern-- this table here with this fluting is typical of Rhode Island, as well as the patera.

Now, did you have either of these appraised ever?

GUEST: Um, this table in '94 apprai... APPRAISER: Okay.

GUEST: ...was appraised for $2,000.

APPRAISER: $2,000, okay.

GUEST: Yeah.

APPRAISER: And how about that table?

GUEST: This... no one's ever appraised this table.

APPRAISER: No one's appraised the second table.

This got unwrapped first, GUEST: Right.

APPRAISER: then I looked at the second one.

And as the wrapping came off...

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: I saw this inlaid sprig.

Now, that is characteristic of a maker named Howard-- Thomas Howard-- who worked in Providence-area Rhode Island.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: This is a, a Rhode Island table.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: And this adds quite a bit of interest to the table.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: I mean, it really does.

GUEST: (laughs) APPRAISER: Collectors love that little delicate sprig.

GUEST: Yeah.

APPRAISER: Look at the wood, this, again, beautiful quality.

GUEST: Yeah.

APPRAISER: This inlaid edge adds a lot to it.

GUEST: Yeah, that's so beautiful.

APPRAISER: And look at this grungy finish on the top.

GUEST: Right.

That's worried me.

APPRAISER: Now, you've never touched it?

GUEST: It's white, and on the in... when you open it up, there's more of this white.

And this wood is cracking.

APPRAISER: Okay, looks like some stains here.

GUEST: And that was...

Right.

Yeah.

APPRAISER: It was used...

GUEST: I don't even...

I don't even put furniture polish on it.

APPRAISER: What are these?

These are sort of scratches there.

Is that...

GUEST: These are...

I have a cat that sits on it sometimes to look out the window.

APPRAISER: Oh okay.

GUEST: And whenever I catch her on it, I stop it, I make her get off.

APPRAISER: So she... she scratched them?

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: I hope you never touch them.

This is the history of the table.

GUEST: Yeah, yeah the table.

APPRAISER: And it's the original shellac from 1805, right around there.

GUEST: Something, yeah.

APPRAISER: This original finish makes a difference.

This table, and the legs are a little bit wider, slightly lower, the proportions, and it doesn't have the sprigs.

I would estimate this at $5,000 to $8,000 at auction.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: Now, this table, because of this incredible wood, GUEST: Right.

APPRAISER: because of the original finish, because of these sprigs, it makes a big difference.

GUEST: Right.

APPRAISER: It's...

I put an auction estimate of $10,000 to $15,000.

GUEST: Wow, that's fantastic.

APPRAISER: It's an incredible table.

They both are.

GUEST: That's fantastic.

(chuckles)