'Antiques Roadshow' Appraiser Gets Choked Up After Seeing Woman's Heirloom

Antiques Roadshow has let us fantasize about finding treasure in our own attics for over 20 years. And the best moments are when the folks on screen discover something truly one of a kind... and worth a lot of money. One episode proved to be unlike any other, though, when a woman and her artifact moved the show’s most tenured appraiser to tears.

No repeats

The team at Antiques Roadshow are usually experts at spotting diamonds in the rough, and one of their most qualified assessors has to be Lark Mason. When it comes to Chinese antiquities, Mason is one of the best. Yet even he was in no way prepared for the whirlwind of emotion the day had in store.

Time with the "Roadshow"

After a 24-year tenure with the prestigious Sotheby’s New York auction house, Mason eventually reached the title of director of online auctions. He is also an esteemed expert, teacher, and lecturer and has even founded his own auction company — all the while blowing the minds of eager trinket carriers on Antiques Roadshow.

Volunteer position

So, Mason probably walked into filming feeling confident. But what you may not know while watching the show is that all those appraisers aren't getting paid. They volunteer for the job and cover their own travel expenses — a testament to their love of priceless antiques.

Probability of being seen

On the flip side, getting facetime with an appraiser is a major stroke of luck — let alone making the final on-air cut. The show visits just a handful of cities each year, which means thousands of people line up to get their chance.