It’s finally time to see the three episodes of “Antiques Roadshow” that were filmed at Desert Botanical Garden back in April 2019. I was honored to visit the set during filming, bring a beloved family heirloom of my own, and chat with the team that makes the magic happen. 46 FRONTDOORS MEDIA | MARCH 2 020 OPEN DOORS { publisher’s page } ARIZONA’S ‘ANTIQUES ROADSHOW’ TREASURES REVEALED!

THE EXPERIENCE Lucky ticket holders for “Antiques Roadshow” events are permitted to bring two items to a filming. Upon arrival for your assigned time slot, you check in to determine which appraiser you will be meeting for each item. From there, you wait in line for your turn with the specialist to find out more about your piece. If your item is something special, a producer is called over and you wait to have your appraisal filmed. The flow is a well-oiled machine under the direction of longtime executive producer Marsha Bemko. MY ITEM When I got married, my dad, Tom, brought a special gift to my rehearsal dinner: a four- piece Christofle silver coffee and tea set with beautiful teak handles. It was a wedding gift to him and my mom from an aunt who lived in the Bay Area, so we suspect it was purchased from the iconic store Gump’s in San Francisco in 1969. I met with the very charming Sebastian Clarke of Rago Arts & Auction Center to show him the coffee pot and learned some amazing things about my precious gift. It turns out that the set is silver-plated (not sterling silver), which was determined by the mark and the weight of the pot. That being said, Christofle is considered one of the most valuable producers of these types of gifts at the time as everything was made in France. The value? He estimated I could get about $500 to $1,000 on the secondary market with a full appraisal of the condition. There’s no way I am selling, but it was fun to find out more about my beautiful set. Appraiser Sebastian Clarke filming a segment with a guest. Frontdoors publisher Andrea Evans with Marsha Bemko, “Antiques Roadshow” executive producer. CONTINUED MARCH 2 020 | FRONTDOORS MEDIA 47 WHEN TO WATCH Arizona PBS on Channel 8 will roll out these episodes on the following Mondays at 7 p.m.: March 23,March 30 and April 13. Tune in and let me know your favorite find from the Grand Canyon State!