First, we're off to New York City, where the treasures of an accomplished actor are center
stage.
GUEST: My name is S. Epatha Merkerson, and I think people probably know me from playing
Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on "Law & Order" for 17 seasons, and now as Sharon Goodwin,
the hospital administrator on "Chicago Med." I grew up in Detroit. I'm the last of five
children, but I'm the only one that pursued acting and theater. I moved to New York in
1976, and I've been pursuing my career ever since. My first real memory is doing Jean
Genet's "The Blacks," and it was directed by George Faison. I really attribute him giving
me my first real gig in the city. But it was a great, great opportunity, and it really
started me working in Off-Off-Off-Broadway. (laughs) I won the Emmy, the Golden Globe,
and the SAG Award all in that same season from my performance in a movie called "Lackawanna
Blues" that was directed by George Wolfe and written by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. It was an
amazing time. I was, I think, 53 when all of that happened. So it was very heady. I
felt a response to all the hard work that I'd done. And it was really pleasing and weird
to sit in the audience, and then hear your name. We're in my apartment in New York City,
in Harlem. I always felt the story of Harlem. There's a great history here, and I've always
been a history buff, so it just seemed the right place for me to be. Hi!
HOST: S. Epatha Merkerson invited ROADSHOW appraiser Bene Raia to take a look at some
favorite pieces from her Black memorabilia collection.
APPRAISER: Why do you collect Black memorabilia? GUEST: You know, I just love history.
APPRAISER: Mm-hmm. GUEST: And I think this is very much a part
of our history. And even the negative stereotype. APPRAISER: Because they're all negative stereotype.
All, every single one of them. GUEST: Absolutely. Absolutely.
APPRAISER: Especially this one. GUEST: Yeah.
APPRAISER: They're just making fun of the shapes of Black women.
GUEST: Exactly. APPRAISER: And how does it make you feel to
see something like this? GUEST: But you know, I, I think it's important
that you know all sides of your history. APPRAISER: Mm-hmm.
GUEST: And this, even though it, the connotation of it was negative, to me, that people who
survived through all of that... APPRAISER: Yes.
GUEST: ...when these things were really prominent... APPRAISER: Mm-hmm.
GUEST: ...and not "considered collectibles," it speaks to their strength that they could--
especially Black women... APPRAISER: Exactly.
GUEST: And the more I know about my history, the more I can pass it on. Bringing it to
my house makes me uplifted, I feel, you know? APPRAISER: That's, that... What you just said
there is exactly what I feel. I have one piece of Black memorabilia.
GUEST: Uh-huh. APPRAISER: It actually gives me hope.
GUEST: Yeah. APPRAISER: Because I look at it, and I'm,
like, "Wow, we've come so far." GUEST: Yeah.
APPRAISER: It is negative. GUEST: Yeah. But... But there's beauty in
it. APPRAISER: Yes, it doesn't hurt you.
GUEST: No. No. APPRAISER: Because you are the one who owns
it. GUEST: Exactly. (both laughing) Exactly. And,
you know, when I initially saw some of this stuff, that was my idea.
APPRAISER: Yeah. GUEST: That I'm gonna just buy this up so
white folks can't buy it up. APPRAISER: Yeah.
GUEST: And use it for that negative connotation. I'm gonna lift it up. I'm gonna put it on
my wall. I'm gonna situate it on, on my cabinet. APPRAISER: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
GUEST: So that anyone that comes in the house will see that this is a part of who I am.
APPRAISER: Why don't you tell me how you came to own these pieces here?
GUEST: Okay, um, this I bought in New Orleans. APPRAISER: Mm-hmm.
GUEST: I was there doing a film. APPRAISER: Mm-hmm.
GUEST: And it was $95. I purchased the ashtray in Albany, I'm pretty sure.
APPRAISER: Mm-hmm. GUEST: Probably late '70s.
APPRAISER: Mm-hmm. GUEST: And I paid five to $20 for it.
APPRAISER: Okay. GUEST: Yeah. And I can't recall where I bought
this, but I know that I've had it at least ten or 15 years.
APPRAISER: Okay. Okay. GUEST: And I, I love it because it has that
sort of iridescence in the, in the paint. APPRAISER: Mm-hmm.
GUEST: But I really loved that her belly was the, where you put the cookies.
APPRAISER: Put the... Yeah, that's, that's what's unusual about this one, is that the
belly is where the lid is. GUEST: Uh-huh.
APPRAISER: So this is sometimes called a front loader. And this one, because of the glaze,
I'm thinking it might be made in Japan, because of the iridescent glaze.
GUEST: Oh, wow. APPRAISER: The Japanese made a lot of lusterware.
GUEST: Okay. APPRAISER: This appears to be very fine bisque.
The detailing is really unusual and nice. GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: The hair is textured. GUEST: Oh...
APPRAISER: The features are well-defined, including the teeth.
GUEST: Uh-huh. APPRAISER: And even the eyes. It, there's
an indent where the pupils are. GUEST: Right.
APPRAISER: So that level of detail tells me that this was made by a fine porcelain house.
Probably Germany, is what I'm thinking. GUEST: Okay.
APPRAISER: Now, this one over here, this was made by Red Wing Pottery. They're based in
Minnesota, and the designer for this piece is Charles Murphy, and he got the patent to
make this one in 1947. GUEST (chuckling): 1947?
APPRAISER: Exactly. Yeah. GUEST: I wouldn't have thought. That's so
cool. APPRAISER: What would you think this would
be worth? GUEST: You know, I paid $95 for it.
APPRAISER: Mm-hmm. GUEST: So I haven't a clue beyond that.
APPRAISER: Okay, well, this one just sold in August for $250.
GUEST: Oh, wow. APPRAISER: This one is worth about $95...
GUEST: Uh-huh. APPRAISER: ...to $125.
GUEST: I know I didn't pay that much for it. APPRAISER: That's, that's what it's worth.
GUEST: Yeah. APPRAISER: I've seen similar ones sell.
GUEST: Okay. APPRAISER: And this one is worth about $125.
I've seen almost identical ones... GUEST: Okay. Okay.
APPRAISER: ...sell for $125. GUEST: Excellent. That's cool.
APPRAISER: So, yeah. Are you pleased with that?
GUEST: It's good to know. Yeah, I'm very pleased. The truth is, is, it wouldn't matter.
APPRAISER: Mm-hmm. GUEST: Because I just love the pieces. They've
been with me for a long time.
HOST: S. Epatha Merkerson's Black Americana collection gets more attention later on. GUEST (laughing): Oh, wow. That's amazing.
HOST: Now back to Harlem and S. Epatha Merkerson's home, where appraiser Leila Dunbar checks
out a piece connected to Black entertainers of the past.
APPRAISER: Epatha, thanks so much for having us today. I cannot wait to see what we're
gonna appraise! GUEST: Perfect. Follow me.
APPRAISER: This seems to be the spotlight or the centerpiece of your dining room here.
GUEST: It, it is, indeed. APPRAISER: So tell us how you got this poster.
GUEST: Well, I have this really good friend, Jesse Martin, who I did "Law & Order" with.
APPRAISER: I... GUEST: You think you might know him?
APPRAISER: I think I might have heard of him. GUEST: And he knew that I collected things
like this. I always called him my little brother. He always called me Big Sis. And it's the
kind of thing that we did for one another. I took him to an art fair, and I said, "So
one of these paintings are for you," and he chose what he wanted. And I bought the painting
for him. We just kind of did that for one another.
APPRAISER: So you essentially have decorated each other's homes.
GUEST: Essentially. Yeah. APPRAISER: To a certain degree.
GUEST (laughing): To a certain... He certainly has decorated mine.
APPRAISER: Well, we have "The Georgia Smart Set presents the Brown Skin Mammas of 1930."
Why is this piece important to you? GUEST: Well, I just really like the history
of it. And it's also, has to do with theater and dance. And, but I think basically, for
me, it is a depiction of what was given and shown of Black folks at a certain period of
time. And so, you know, even though they might have this image in it, I like the sass of
the women, and that makes me feel good. The hands on the hip, the, you know, the speaking.
APPRAISER: (laughing) GUEST: I see all of that, you know, I love
it. This one, you know, I love all of that. It's great. There's movement.
APPRAISER: So this has an interesting, and we don't know how tight, but it has a correlation
and association with Ma Rainey. She started the Georgia Smart Set.
GUEST (laughing): Oh, wow, that's amazing. APPRAISER: Great blueswoman. In fact, Mother
of the Blues. Really, the first major blues star from the 1920s, best known for her hit
"See See Rider." GUEST: Exactly, right, right. And August Wilson
wrote a play called "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," and it's being turned into a film by... Viola
Davis is going to be playing Ma Rainey. So knowing that I have this connection to Ma
Rainey and connection with August Wilson and his plays, this has a greater meaning for
me. Totally, so, thank you so much for that. APPRAISER: So I think if this went up at auction,
the auction estimate would probably be somewhere between $1,000 and $1,500.
GUEST: Wow, that's a lot. APPRAISER: If I was going to put an insurance
estimate, a retail replacement, I would probably easily put somewhere between $4,000 and $5,000.
GUEST: Okay. Wow.