APPRAISER: So you've been telling me that your aunt was the original person... GUEST: Yes, yes.

APPRAISER: ...in your family to own this.

GUEST: Yes, uh-huh.

APPRAISER: And where did she have it?

GUEST: In Kenilworth, Illinois.

APPRAISER: Okay.

GUEST: Yeah, she and her husband built a new home there in 1931.

And this is one of the things that they bought to decorate, and it was used in his den.

APPRAISER: Wow.

We've got a very, very beautiful painting here.

It's actually on porcelain rather than canvas or board or anything.

And the qualities of the light and the dark and the shadows and the use of that is really very beautiful.

And so we look a little closer and we try to find a signature.

And on this one it's actually sort of easy to see.

GUEST: Right.

APPRAISER: Sometimes it's hidden under the frame, but if you look right in this corner, just in dark, you can see it's signed Wagner.

Now, he was a very well-known painter of the 19th century.

GUEST: Oh, really?

Great.

APPRAISER: He painted on porcelain, and many of his things have come up before, um, privately and at auction.

And the quality of his work is collected, um, by many people.

He did very many different styles, um... The pieces that will bring the most money are the naked ladies... GUEST: (laughing): Oh, yeah... APPRAISER: ...the nymphs and things, in sheer... GUEST: sure.

APPRAISER: ...uh, drapes, et cetera.

But you can see that the quality of his work is very good.

I would expect this piece to be by the Berlin factory GUEST: Right, right.

APPRAISER: the King's, uh, Porcelain Factory.

And to do that, um, it's... probably going to be signed on the back.

So I want just want to take the back off... GUEST: All right.

APPRAISER: ...if that's all right with you.

We have something here already... Um... we have the title of it.

It's called "Smoker," in German.

It also has a country name, which would have been for export.

Now, looking in this corner, it's very, very difficult to see, but perhaps you can see there is a scepter mark... GUEST: I see that, right.

APPRAISER: ...and the initials "K.P.M."

It's a beautifully painted piece.

It's by someone very well-known.

Um, its size is good.

So, because this one is... maybe not one of the beautiful maidens that's num-number one in the collecting category, I'd say for a piece in this size, we'd probably be seeing about $2,500 to $3,500 at auction.

GUEST: That's extraordinary.

(both chuckle) GUEST: Unexpected.

APPRAISER: Exac So... GUEST: This is one of my favorite things, so it's a keeper... APPRAISER: Good, see?

GUEST: ...as far as I'm concerned.

APPRAISER: Good eye.

Good eye.