Weekend in the Life of a Roadshow Appraiser

Each summer for the past 18 years a group of around 70 appraisers come together with the Antiques Roadshow crew and staff in a city to tape three one-hour episodes for the upcoming broadcast season. There are 150 appraisers in total with a core croup of about 40 who have been doing this since the series inception in 1996. For 2013 the series' production tour and appraisal events have been expanded to convention centers in eight cities. 

The first official function for appraisers each tour weekend is the 5 o'clock appraiser meeting that happens on Fridays where Executive Producer Marsha Bemko reviews procedures and talks about things that are unique to each city stop. Many appraisers take advantage of the local attractions by coming in early on Thursday and then spending the day Friday touring the city.

Antiques Roadshow - Baton Rouge, City #6

Friday July 26 

Morning: Welcome to Baton Rouge 

Benches line the streets overlooking the Mississippi River. 

Downtown Baton Rouge! 

Old State House, Baton Rouge

View of the ceiling in the rotunda inside the Old State House.

Looking across the rotunda inside the Old State House. 

Appraiser Noel Barrett at the balcony in the rotunda of the Old State House. 

 Huey Long Museum inside the Old State House, Baton Rouge. 

Afternoon: Nottoway Plantation Trip with ARS Appraisers 

Front view of the Nottoway Plantation.

Appraiser Laura Wooley on the front porch. 

Appraiser Ken Farmer at the Nottoway Plantation. 

Lecturer Margaret on the front porch of Nottoway. 

The grounds at Nottoway Plantation.

250-year-old Oak tree on the grounds at the Nottoway Plantation.

Fantastic lunch at Nottoway restaurant. 

Ballroom curved cypress windows, c 1859. 

Lecturer Margaret in the Nottoway Ballroom.

Back of Nottoway looking toward the swamps. 

View of the Mississippi from Nottoway. 

Saturday July 27

Morning: Welcome to the Antiques Roadshow at the Baton Rouge River Center. Now it's all business as the appraisers must be in their seats and ready to go by 7:30am to prepare for the first guests to arrive with their 8am tickets.  

Welcome to the Roadshow 

Appraisal tables are set up and the Roadshow crew is ready to start filming by 7:45am so the 8am ticket holders can come in early. Over the course of the day, experts will see 5-6,000 people and appraise 10-12,000 items. 

Waiting Area: Here a line of guests patiently awaits for their 
chance to have the Roadshow appraisers view their treasures.  

Entering the production area, lines form behind each specific category to wait for an appraisal. 

John Buxton at the Tribal Art Appraisal table. 

Crowd in the morning at the Tribal table.

Asian Art appraiser and expert Lark Mason shares his knowledge with an intrigued guest. 

Asian, Native American, African & Tribal Art appraisers sit in the same area at the appraiser event, working together when an item requires more than one expert opinion. 

Afternoon: Good Crowd & Some Great Finds 

The lines take over the room in the afternoon. 

 Center Stage: the Roadshow production crew tapes 
51 "formal" appraisals in the center of the hall. 

John Buxton works the line. 

Appraiser huddle. 

John looks to his collection of Tribal Art books as a secondary resource. When on the road with Antiques Roadshow he never leaves home without it! 

Appraisal video and pictures of a fascinating Japanese carving of a 

Northwest Coast scene with totem poles worth $3,000 to $5,000. 

That's a wrap! Antiques Roadshow Insider Newsletter close up

Evening: After the Show

Bridge at sunset...walking back to the hotel from the River Center.

Goodnight Baton Rouge: View of the Mississippi River from the Tsunami restaurant during an after dinner nightcap with fellow appraisers.