GUEST: This is a samovar that’s been in my family for over 100 years.
My grandfather purchased it.
The characters on the bottom are the four horsemen of the apocalypse, and most of them have swords.
However, there’s one that my father replaced.
It’s more like a cocktail spear, and he swears that it’s the original, but I know it isn’t.
The last time I remember this being used was for my parents’ 25th anniversary sometime in the ’50s, if that long.
I have had it in my possession since ’97.
There were some people in the East Lansing area who looked at this… APPRAISER: Okay.
GUEST: …and whoever looked at this said they think it’s from Great Britain.
My sister thinks it’s from Russia.
It does tip.
And the inside is grody.
(chuckles) I just love it.
APPRAISER: It is, in fact, British.
The hallmarks are not Russian.
They’re British hallmarks.
GUEST: Thank you.
APPRAISER: Instead of a samovar, it’s a tea kettle that tips rather than a samovar with a spigot where you get the li-liquid out.
GUEST: Ah, thank you.
APPRAISER: It is sterling silver.
It has lots and lots of hallmarks on it.
Hallmarks for R.G.– Garrard and Company.
They were jewelers and silversmiths to the crown.
They were appointed in 1843.
They’ve merged, but they’re still in business making high-end luxury jewelry and silver.
British hallmarks are made up of different symbols that tell you the city, the date, the maker.
The rampant lion stands for sterling.
The body has a date letter of 1872.
And the top up here has a date letter of 1871.
So perhaps it took a while to make this.
It’s pretty monumental, we think it’s more than likely a presentation piece.
Up here we have, um… figures of victory, Winged Victory, and they’re all holding laurel wreaths, and that’s a symbol of victory.
And we come around the bottom, it’s all supported by these sort of tortured figures.
You call these the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?
I’m not… GUEST: That’s what I was told.
(chuckles) APPRAISER: That’s what you were told.
They look more like anguished harpies or furies.
I do think it’s a presentation piece.
More than likely to like a returning general.
The sword that you pointed out, you said that your, your dad placed this little metal… Well, yeah, at some point the sword got lost and he put that in there.
Yeah, well.
That and then this.
There’s a trumpet up here… GUEST: Ah.
APPRAISER: …that this one’s holding that has been broken off.
GUEST: Okay.
APPRAISER: It’s so much silver.
It has so much going on.
For insurance value, we’d insure it at $75,000.
GUEST: Okay.
Wow.
APPRAISER: Yeah, it-it’s pretty amazing.