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Antiques Roadshow is a captivating television program that not only shares the intriguing histories of vintage items but also keeps viewers hooked with the dramatic reactions of owners discovering the true worth of their possessions. Will their heirlooms turn out to be priceless treasures or mere sentimental keepsakes?
Sometimes, the story behind an item overshadows its monetary value. For instance, on the British version of Antiques Roadshow, a glassware expert unknowingly consumed liquid from an ancient bottle, later realizing it was human urine. The bottle, transformed into a “witch bottle,” was historically used to ward off evil spirits from homes.
Whether you’re rummaging through your attic for your great-grandfather’s forgotten relics or stumbling upon a gem at a garage sale, Antiques Roadshow proves that anything can happen. Below are ten instances where the show’s experts unearthed extraordinary treasures.
10. Thrift Store Vase
Exploring thrift stores, second-hand shops, and charity outlets is always an adventure, as you never know what hidden treasures you might uncover. The thrill of potentially finding something incredibly valuable for a bargain price adds to the excitement.
A participant on the British Antiques Roadshow presented a modest collection of ceramics, hoping to learn their origins. Most pieces were acquired at low prices from charity shops. Among them was a pale green square vase with intricate pierced patterns, purchased for just £7.99. This particular vase caught the expert’s attention due to its ancient Chinese craftsmanship. The vase was a technical marvel, consisting of two vases fused together during creation. After careful examination, the expert confirmed it was a Ming Dynasty artifact.
The owner was left speechless. “Ming? Truly Ming?” he exclaimed. His elation upon learning the vase was valued between £5000 and £10,000 resonated deeply with the audience.
9. Navajo Ute Blanket
Occasionally, the most unassuming items carry the most remarkable histories—and equally impressive valuations. This Navajo Ute blanket, intricately woven with stripes of white, black, and blue, might easily be overlooked. However, these “chief blankets” are highly prized and can fetch extraordinary sums.
The owner of the blanket featured on Antiques Roadshow received it as an inheritance from his grandmother. As a child, it was casually used on his bed or draped over him during cold nights. The Roadshow experts instantly identified its significance. As a stunning representation of Navajo craftsmanship, it was appraised at a minimum of $350,000. Overwhelmed, the owner reflected on his grandparents’ humble lives as struggling farmers.
A similar blanket, once used by a cat for birthing, sold for $1.5 million. Its owner had been surviving on a meager $200 a month. This serves as a reminder to perhaps scour your attic for such hidden gems.
9. Diego Rivera Painting
Diego Rivera stands as one of Mexico’s most significant 20th-century artists, renowned for his expansive murals that revolutionized the art world. While his third wife, Frida Kahlo, may enjoy greater fame today, a 1933 article about her was titled “Wife of master mural painter gleefully dabbles in art.” Though their reputations have shifted over time, Rivera’s works remain highly coveted.
One of Rivera’s early paintings, believed lost for years, resurfaced when a man brought it to Antiques Roadshow. Titled “El Albañil” or “The Laborer,” the piece was appraised at an impressive $800,000 to $1 million. Not bad for a painting that had been casually displayed behind a door in a family home.
7. Walt Whitman Letter
Walt Whitman is celebrated as one of America’s most impactful poets. While his works faced both admiration and criticism during his lifetime, his legacy has solidified his place in the American literary pantheon.
The item brought to Antiques Roadshow wasn’t a rare edition of Whitman’s poetry but something far more intimate. During the Civil War, Whitman assisted wounded soldiers by transcribing letters to their families. While he penned many such letters, few have survived, and even fewer bear his signature.
The letter was presented on Roadshow not for its individual significance but as part of a family’s collection of Civil War memorabilia. However, experts quickly identified its rarity. Initially valued at $8,000-$12,000, its worth was later revised to potentially $20,000 after consultation with a Whitman specialist.
6. Lincoln Assassination Eyewitness Letter
Few events in American history are as iconic as the assassination of President Lincoln. The tale of John Wilkes Booth entering Ford’s Theatre, where Lincoln and his wife were enjoying Our American Cousin, is widely known. Amid audience laughter, Booth fired a shot at the president, leaped onto the stage, brandished a dagger, and declared, “Sic semper tyrannis!”—”Thus always to tyrants!”
While this is the accepted narrative, those present experienced chaos and confusion. This makes the letter brought to Antiques Roadshow by a woman particularly significant. It contains a firsthand account of the assassination written by her grandfather, who was in the theatre that night. He had attended hoping to see General Grant but instead witnessed one of the 19th century’s most pivotal moments.
According to the letter, Booth also shouted from the stage, “I have done it!” and “The South’s avenged!” The document was appraised at $10,000-$15,000.
5. Card Table
John and Thomas Seymour were renowned furniture craftsmen in late 18th and early 19th century Boston. Their “Federal” style pieces, crafted from luxurious woods and adorned with intricate details, are now displayed in museums nationwide. It was a surprise, then, when a table created by the duo was brought into Antiques Roadshow upside down on a cart.
The table’s owner had acquired it at a yard sale for just $25, after negotiating down from $30. Initially hesitant, she nearly passed on it due to its instability and poor condition—covered in grime and mold. The demi-lune mahogany card table, however, proved to be a treasure. Experts appraised it at $225,000, cautioning that overcleaning and removing its original patina could have drastically reduced its value.
When the table was later auctioned, it fetched $490,000. Including the buyer’s premium paid to the auction house, the final sale price reached $541,000.
4. Charlotte Brontë Ring
While rummaging through her attic, a woman stumbled upon a dusty, locked box. After a relative located the missing key, she opened it to find a small ring inside. The exterior was ornate, but the most intriguing feature was a hinge on the edge. Inside was something even more unusual—a braid of what appeared to be human hair.
When the ring was brought to Antiques Roadshow, its mystery was unraveled. An inscription inside revealed the name Charlotte Brontë and the date of her death. The hair inside likely belonged to the famed author. Such mourning jewelry was common in the 19th century, often crafted to honor deceased loved ones. Similar pieces made from hair were known to be part of the Brontë family’s possessions.
The ring was appraised at approximately £20,000. A reminder to never overlook a locked box.
3. Bohdisattva Statue
Bronze statues often fetch high prices, but they usually need to be in pristine condition to be truly valuable. When a slightly damaged bronze bodhisattva statue appeared on Antiques Roadshow, its worth wasn’t immediately apparent. However, Asian art experts were thrilled, even though the statue was missing an arm.
The owner discovered the statue at an estate sale, where many of the best items had already been claimed by antique dealers. Ignored by others, she purchased it for about $100. Experts confirmed she had secured a steal, dating it to the early 15th century and valuing it at $100,000-$150,000. As it turned out, they were mistaken on both counts.
When the statue was auctioned later, it was identified as originating from the earlier Tang Dynasty. It ultimately sold for $2 million at Sotheby’s.
2. Fabergé Flowers
Just as the term “Ming” excites antique collectors, the name Fabergé evokes a similar thrill. The renowned jeweler of the early 20th century crafted exquisite pieces for the Russian royal family, including their famous Easter egg gifts. Geoffrey Munn, a jewelry expert and avid Fabergé admirer, once joked that viewers playing a drinking game during Antiques Roadshow must take a shot every time he mentions Fabergé.
Those viewers would have been thoroughly inebriated by the time he finished discussing a delicate floral arrangement he examined. These were no ordinary flowers—the vase was carved from solid rock crystal, the stem crafted from gold, the petals adorned with enamel, and each dewdrop represented by a diamond. Every detail was a testament to Fabergé’s artistry.
When estimating the value of such a masterpiece, the expert concluded it could easily surpass £1 million.
1. Tang Marble Lion
The demand for Chinese antiques and antiquities has reached unprecedented heights. A new generation of affluent Chinese collectors is investing heavily in reclaiming art and artifacts that have left their homeland over centuries. Items once casually acquired by tourists have now skyrocketed in value.
A woman initially felt a tinge of disappointment upon learning that the marble lion she inherited from her grandparents wasn’t from the Ming Dynasty, as she had believed. However, her concerns were quickly alleviated. The Antiques Roadshow expert identified the intricately carved statue as originating from the Tang Dynasty, another illustrious era in Chinese history. The expert was so moved by its craftsmanship that he became visibly emotional.
The marble lion was appraised at $120,000-$180,000.
