For what it's worth: antiques and fine arts appraiser Beth Szescila helps uncover attic treasures on "Antiques Roadshow".

Beth Gramling Szescila has been a regular on "Antiques Roadshow" for all of its 10 years. So how does the Texas-based appraiser account for her relatively scant amount of airtime on the popular PBS series?

She feels in part that her polite Southern upbringing is to blame. Because being pushy or assertive was frowned upon when growing up in her hometown of Merigold, Mississippi, Szescila still struggles when she pitches an object or story to the show's producers.

"I'm not aggressive enough," admits the Houston resident. "I've really had to learn to promote myself. There were years I never asked to go on camera, but with time and encouragement from the staff and other appraisers on the show, I've learned to get over some of that. I got filmed seven times this past summer--a record for me."

Szescila calls "Antiques Roadshow" the granddaddy of reality TV show, because it is totally unscripted. The players include the 5,000 to 6,000 people who line up with their free tickets 'nd the cast of 70 to 80 appraisers who judge the worth of an amazing array of antiques and collectibles. Each ticket holder is allowed to bring two items, and the most interesting appraisals are recorded for future broadcasts.

Szescila says it's an honor to be on the show, so much so that she and the other appraisers appear for free and even cover their own travel expenses to cities where the show sets up shop.

It's hard work--the show's appraisers examine 10,000 to 12,000 items at each event. But Szescila says there's fun in the treasures you find and the connections you make. Among her more memorable appraisals: an Elvis Presley outfit with an accompanying letter of authentication from his father, Vernon, and the diminutive wardrobe of the world's smallest woman, the 19-inch-tall wife of the legendary Tom Thumb.

One of fewer than 15 members of the International Society of Appraisers (ISA) worldwide who are certified in two different disciplines--antiques and residential contents as well as fine arts--Szescila mainly serves as an appraiser of textiles and decorative arts for the show. But through her Houston-based Szescila Appraisal Service, she gauges the worth of a wide variety of personal property for such purposes as insurance matters, estate affairs, donations, and divorces.

"Many times I go into emotionally charged situations where my client has had some type of major loss," she says. And in those cases, her second major in sociology comes in handy. "You do have to have people skills. It's not just being knowledgeable about objects."

A trained eye is essential, too, as is an attentiveness to detail. "You've got to see the little things that most people don't notice, and you've got to like research," she says. "I learn something new every day."

A graduate of the University of Mississippi, Szescila focused mainly on the fine arts while in college. After graduation, she spent three years as an art teacher for Starkville Public Schools, and she illustrated textbooks and served as a recreational art teacher for Mississippi State University. For three years, she also worked as a fashion illustrator for three department stores in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Her appraisal career came on the heels of having been an antiques dealer for several years. "My shop got robbed, and I was very upset. I decided I wanted to head down the appraisal route."

Appraisal classes followed, and their level of difficulty almost convinced Szescila to reconsider her new career choice. Then came a fortuitous connection. A friend of a friend's house flooded, and the owners desperately needed a quick antiques appraisal. "I dashed out and got letterhead, and my business took off from there."

Today, Szescila's list of credentials is long. She has been a member of the ISA Board of Directors serving as corporate vice-president, a contributing editor of the reference book Antiques for Dummies, and a guest on A&E's "The Incurable Collector" and "Bayou City Treasures" for Houston PBS. She also teaches "Appraisal Tips for the Savvy Collector" through Rice University's continuing studies program. And this year and last, she staged an antiques program at Ole Miss.

A collector herself with a penchant for antique sewing boxes and tools and handmade quilts, Szescila knows firsthand the thrill of a great find, and she likes being part of that moment for her clients. "I enjoy going into people's homes and seeing what they collect and getting excited about what they have," she says.

She's also enamored with the reactions of those who lug their treasures to the various "Antiques Roadshow" locations. "It's real genuine and honest, and I think that's a lot of the success of the show. After the second season, it was the No. 1 show on PBS, and it has been up for an Emmy four times."