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The unique stories people tell about their favorite heirlooms and yard-sale bargains are one of the best parts of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, and "Your Stories" gives you the chance to share your own antiquing adventure with the world. Each week we'll post a new treasure-hunting tale or lesson learned, e-mailed to us by fans like you!

Featured Story:

Metal-Detecting Discovery

Posted 11.09.09

While metal detecting in New Hampshire on an old logging road, we found an item about an inch in diameter that was about 18 inches underground. The back of the item seems to be lead but the front is gold or brass or copper with a Star of David with a circle around it and what look like sun rays. There is some writing on the circle that seems to be Hebrew in nature. We are very excited about this item, but no one can tell us what it is or where it came from.

— Chris
Warren, Michigan

Previous Stories:

Unknown Utrillo

Posted 11.02.09

This is interesting but it isn't antiquing. It is an inheritance, of sorts. There is a painting we have had in my family for over 50 years. My mom bought it from a family friend who bought it from someone on the street in Paris during the war (at least that is the story). She paid $25.

As an artist and student of art, I always wanted the painting, and when my mother was making out her will she asked me what I wanted. I said I wanted that painting, real or not. She said, "That old thing?" and I now have it; however, getting it appraised and authenticated is something I haven't done yet, as my mother is still alive and I have siblings that definitely wouldn't care about the painting unless it was worth something.

I read up on the French painter Maurice Utrillo, and found to my amazement things that point to the painting's possible authenticity. I know Utrillo produced several thousand paintings and some are out there unverified. At least 10 years ago a dealer told me that a large oil painting of Paris by Utrillo could be worth $800,000. Mine is a bit smaller, but still large. It is gouache on board and shows Saint-Denis outside Paris. I was told the painting would have to be dated by a paint sample, but the price of an appraisal would be quite costly for me.

— Margery
Santa Cruz, California

Home Is Where the Treasure Is

Posted 10.26.09

My 84-year-old mother has many rare wonders in her home. She loved to collect things. My father died 12 years ago and now she would like to clear out the house. I've found Depression glass she collected and I know of many other collections in her home. My father built the house in the 1960s. He was told that no other house had been there, but when laying the foundation he found gas and water pipes and an old foundation. Their house is among many old homes in North Plainfield. Just thought I would share.
— Tod
North Plainfield, New Jersey

Family Diaries

Posted 10.19.09

My great-uncle Charlie, who was born in 1886 and died in 1963, never married or had any children. He lived a pretty interesting life, and my family has been able to read about it because he kept a diary. Now, by "diary" I don't mean little books with little keys; I mean nearly 30-pound books that he created himself. My father eventually made cedar boxes to protect them in.

The diaries were handed down to my son when my mother passed away. They are truly a family treasure. Charlie was in World War II and kept his diary going throughout. He marched on the White House for veterans' benefits and wrote by candlelight while he camped outside. He wrote every day of his life — that alone makes these books very interesting — but he also collected baseball scores, stamps, news articles, and tickets and flyers from vaudeville shows. Charlie was also an artist with many drawings. He used brown paper bags and department store flyers for paper during the Depression years.

There are five of these thick, heavy books. Amazement does not begin to explain the response of everyone who I've shared these books with. When I was much younger I took one book to show my history teacher, and again — amazement!
— Joanne
Carleton, Michigan

Priceless Painting

Posted 10.09.09

I went to an auction with a friend 10 years ago and bough several items. One was a painting of beautiful yellow roses. The painting is simply signed "Blaine." It seemed no one wanted this large painting (it is 23 by 34) so I got it for $8. I just love and admire it. I decided to look up the artist and found it is probably the work of Paul Blaine Henrie. I still have no idea what it is worth, but I think it may be more than I gave for it. It has no markings except for "Blaine," which is how the artist signed his paintings before 1961. It's taken me 10 years to start researching, because I really don't want to sell it. But since I've been watching ROADSHOW my interest kind of got the best of me! It's priceless to me.
— Vicki
Belton, Kentucky

Soulful Violin

Posted 10.05.09

I purchased my violin at a little music store outside of Washington, D.C. I was 14 and the instrument was a birthday gift from my dad. I tried out a number of new violins, but they all sounded the same. I asked if they had any used ones. I tried one after another and, though they sounded nice, they just didn't have that indescribable something I was looking for. Finally, I had all but given up when this old violin caught my eye. It wasn't very pretty, its finish worn and nearly gone in some spots, but there was just something that drew me to it. This violin looked like it had been played a lot over the years; its wear was from use, not from neglect. As soon as I drew the bow across the first string I knew I had found my violin. It had a soul as deep and murky as Baltimore's Harbor. I imagined how many loving hands it had passed through since it was made over 200 years ago.
— Candice
Baltimore, Maryland

Civil War Quilt

Posted 09.28.09

I was asked to show a quilt at school that was handed down to me by my great-great-great grandmother. I began my lesson by talking about how you should know your family's history, because if you don't important facts might be lost forever. Well, when I unfolded my Civil War-era quilt made of fine silks and velvet, teachers from around the school started peering in and couldn't believe the exquisite condition and uniqueness of it. I have never had the quilt appraised, but many people asked me of its value. I spoke only of its historical value, not its monetary value. Maybe someday someone will tell me what its worth.
— Leeann M.
Sherman, Texas

Homecoming

Posted 09.21.09

Growing up in Virginia, my grandmother Oma always had beautiful linens on her Thanksgiving table. She was born into a Lutheran family in 1919 in Windecken, Germany, a very small farming village. It was customary for young teenage girls to embroider their initials, in her case "A.D.", on the corner of napkins and tablecloths in preparation for their future marriage. These linens stitched in the early 1930s were given to me as a housewarming gift this year. As I lovingly washed and ironed them, I had to ask my grandmother why one of the tablecloths had the initials "P.M." on it. To whom did it belong and why did Oma have it all these years? "Oh, that's Paula's," she said. It was then that I heard the story of the M. family in Windecken. They were Jewish and having difficulty getting enough staple goods due to Nazi restrictions. Oma's mother, my great-grandmother, would sneak the family milk and eggs in the dead of night. As thanks, Mrs. M. gave her daughter Paula's gorgeous tablecloth away. 70 years later I was determined to find Paula's descendants, and that I did. Starting with a history of the Jews from Windecken, I learned that Paula's sons, Alfred and Julius, had escaped to South Africa. Using online resources, I found Julius's grave marker in Johannesburg, and the parks department gave me the address of his wife. I called her and was able to get the number of her brother-in-law Alfred's son, Leon. I called him immediately and when I told him I had his grandmother's tablecloth, he almost cried out for joy and explained, "Today is my birthday. This is the best gift I can imagine." I mailed the tablecloth to South Africa soon thereafter. It is now home.
— Kristin
Darien, Connecticut

Brilliant Brooch

Posted 09.14.09

I own a diamond brooch that's approximately 60 years old and is an amazing piece of jewelry. It is about 3 inches tall and two inches wide, and comes from England. It has its own special tool that transforms the brooch into various pieces. The brooch can be split in half and worn on the shoulders, as was once the style. Additionally, the brooch comes with a set of rubies, sapphires, and pearls that can be mounted in the center of the pin using the special tool. I believe it is very valuable -- a very brilliant and special piece of jewelry.
— Deborah
Groton, Massachusetts

Folk Art Find

Posted 09.4.09

Twenty years ago my wife bought what she thought was an old wooden toolbox at an estate auction at an old farm near Philadelphia. She only paid $50.00 for it. She brought it home and I scraped off the top layers of paint to find 18th-century fraktur decorations all over the box, like those found in Pennsylvania German homes. It has the original strap, hand-forged hinges, and a till inside. I believe it is a bible box or small dowry chest. We have it displayed in our home now.
— Brian
Lansdale, Pennsylvania

Saved from Demolition

Posted 08.17.09

We found an old, run-down building where a fellow was trying to sell antiques. He was having a difficult time with his failing health so he decided to sell, and we became the owners of everything inside. We have stumbled upon many treasures there, and we are continually discovering things that we cannot throw away. We are on a quest to find out of the worth of many of these items. The Internet is certainly helpful, but sometimes we cannot find the answers. We have paintings that are signed and dated from 1671. Shortly after all this happened the antique store was condemned and demolished. Certainly it was meant for us to acquire these things but for what reason? Hopefully we will find out someday. We love watching your show because it gives us reason to believe that there will be a treasure in our junk.
— Deborah
Holt, Florida

Gray Pay Station Telephone

Posted 08.10.09

I have had a very rare antique pay phone for most of my life, without ever having any idea how rare it was until a few days ago. I had been looking for years for a similar one just to see what it was worth, but couldn't find one. Recently, I found a Web site with the email addresses of some phone collectors. I contacted them and was told that I do indeed have a very rare find! It's a family heirloom and has been in my family for at least 80 years or more. The phone itself has a patent date of 1904, so it is at least a century old.
— Melissa
Beaumont, Texas

Kennedy Necktie

Posted 08.03.09

In 1959 John F. Kennedy visited my hometown of Crowley, Louisiana. A local men's store created a necktie for that occasion. It was a thin black tie with JFK's profile surrounded by kicking donkeys. Years later his brother Edward would marry Victoria Reggie, a woman from Crowley. The tie was handed down to me from my father at his death. I have never seen another one like it.
— Johnny
Los Angeles, California

Tea for Two

Posted 07.27.09

After years of watching ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, I saw that it was finally coming to Dallas, and so for Father's Day I procured tickets for my husband. He was thrilled! As soon as people found out we were going, however, it seems everybody had a family heirloom they suggested we take. We narrowed the selection down to a small brass figurine that belongs to my mother and a lovely little teapot that belongs to my stepmother.

On the day we went to pick up the teapot, it was sitting on the kitchen table with all the paperwork my stepmother had accumulated regarding it: a handwritten description from her grandmother (to whom it originally belonged); a picture from a catalog of a teapot that looked just like it; and an appraisal from 1982 stating that if the teapot was authentic its value was between $25,000 and $30,000. My husband and I freaked! Here was a potentially very valuable teapot that had come down through my stepmother's family and she was willing to just hand it over to us to take to ANTIQUES ROADSHOW! We respectfully declined. No way we could risk transporting such a delicate antique. Next time ANTIQUES ROADSHOW comes to Dallas, I will get tickets for my stepmother to bring it!
— Stephanie
Red Oak, Texas

Signed by The Master of Suspense

Posted 07.20.09

My father sat next to Alfred Hitchcock on a plane in the 1960s and asked the director to sign his business card. My father's card has his own information on one side, and Mr. Hitchcock's signature on the back. The "A" in the signature is in the shape of Mr. Hitchcock's head, similar to the shape he would step into in the opening of his TV show. It's done in ink pen and very cool! My father had the card framed in glass and open to both sides. It had been thrown around in drawers for years and I felt it needed to be preserved. I have never heard of an Alfred Hitchcock signature like this.
— Marley
Oxford, PA

A Surprise from Dad's Past

Posted 07.13.09

My father died years ago and my brother, who lived closest to him, kept most of his personal effects. He was cleaning out after a yard sale and gave me some old letters, an address book, voter registration receipts from the 1930s and a green-colored card dated 1935 with the words "Olympic Fields, Formerly Elysia" and silhouettes of unclothed people sketched on it. Upon viewing the silhouette of a topless woman, I thought, "Oh my, it's a nudist colony?" So I searched online for "Olympic Fields, Formerly Elysia" and it turns out there were not one but two films made featuring the members of a nudist colony by that name. My dad would have been 22 years old at the time of membership (long before I was born). There's a picture of some members at the gate of the colony for sale on eBay. This was considered a health thing in those days and improper behavior was allegedly prohibited. I am hoping that this rare bit of ephemera will fetch a pretty price.
— Suzanne
Santa Monica, CA

The One-Dollar Victrola

Posted 07.06.09

My husband was working for a woman and saw an old Victrola with a wooden horn stored in her basement on the dirt floor! Of course it had condition issues, but he asked if she would sell it and she said she would take a dollar. Done deal. He took it to ANTIQUES ROADSHOW in Chattanooga, Tennessee in July 2008 and it was appraised for $800 to $1,200. A local collector purchased it from my husband for $900 in spite of the condition. He was happy, we were happy. We had a wonderful time at ROADSHOW and will certainly go again if we are lucky enough to get tickets.
— Bella
Lynchburg, VA

Royal Bayreuth Vase

Posted 06.29.09

I was antiquing in western Massachusetts and found a small shop in the country. I spotted a vase that caught my eye immediately. It featured a landscape with a castle, a river and a full moon. It was porcelain and marked Royal Bayreuth in blue on the bottom. The seller had bought it in New York and kept it for nine years. She had marked it down to $199. I left the shop and went to the Brimfield Antique Show, where I spotted an identical vase on a table of Limoges vases. It was a Royal Bayreuth with the same marking on the bottom. It was selling for $500 and that was the least expensive item on the table. I raced back to the other town and bought the vase. I have since moved to California. While in Massachusetts I had the vase appraised for about $300. I think it's worth more because of the landscape, which is somewhat unusual for Royal Bayreuth. An appraiser in California told me the vase couldn't be very old because there was a small locomotive train within the landscape! He said the vase had to be from after the 1920s because of the train. Well I know there were trains in Europe way before that time!
— Laura
Escondido, CA

Berbice Chair

Posted 06.22.09

My best friend and I go "yard sailing" every weekend. At one sale, I spied from quite a distance a white chair. It was set to the side, so I thought it had been sold. I walked over and saw that it was a Berbice chair (also called a planter's or plantation chair), although it did not have the swing-out arms that the sitter (often the plantation owner) would use as a footrest. I asked if it was sold, and was told that it wasn't very good because you couldn't lean back in it, and so the price was $1. However, the cane in it was perfect, and the only repair needed was two new wooden dowels to stabilize the arms. The chair was painted white, but was still a steal...and yes, I took it home! I've had my nose stuck in antiques books and magazines for years, and it always pays off!
— Lynne
Venice, FL

Mysterious Rock

Posted 06.15.09

I was at a church rummage sale, looking for costume jewelry and anything else that caught my eye. The latter runs the gamut from anything to everything. It was late in the day so the real dealers had already been through. I found some decent rings, and while I was at it I found a funny-looking square rock with a hole in it. It looked like some kid had scratched his initials into the side at some point, and it had concentric circles carved into the top. I almost put it back twice, but for some reason hung onto it. They wanted a whopping $2 for the rock, and being a classic pack rat's pack rat, I took it home. Some research turned up what it is: the ugly lump is a late 18th-century hand-carved soapstone inkwell from New England; these were apparently carved in several locations so the exact place is hard to pin down. In the words of the author of a book on inkwells, it's "rather rare." It's not so ugly anymore.
— Ruth
Bloomfield, CT

If Antiques Could Talk

Posted 06.08.09

If tables and chairs could talk just how much would we hear? I have a whole set that I think is about 100 years old: six chairs, a table with slide-out leaves, and a buffet to match. I bought it from a family that had to clear out their mother's house in order to sell it. The daughter said I could buy the set if I promised not to split it up. Of course I bought it and have kept it in good condition. I have never refinished it, and all the rungs are in very good shape as are the backs and legs. I have owned it for 24 years now. If chairs and tables could talk it would be the story of a lifetime.
— Mary
Princeton, WI

Just Say No

Posted 06.01.09

When a friend was downsizing prior to moving into a smaller house, he offered my husband an old pump organ for free. The wood appeared to be beautiful cherry, but the thing was not in very good working condition. My husband took it anyway. After tinkering with the internals, he got it in working condition, lemon oiled the cabinet to a fare-thee-well, then tried to sell it. Turns out, no one today is interested in having this particular parlor piece, so now it occupies a prominent place in our basement storage area. Lesson learned: just because something old is given to you doesn't make it worth your while to cart it home.
— Amy W.
Lynchburg, VA

Fan-Mail Writer

Posted 05.22.09

When I was 16 years old I followed a suggestion from 16 Magazine called "How to Get a Letter from Your Favorite Star." Beatles fan that I was, I thought I'd go through the "back door," so to speak, and wrote Maureen Starkey, Ringo Starr's wife. She wrote to me twice: the first time I received a handwritten letter, the second time an autographed picture that was a postcard-sized, black-and-white glossy. Though I'm not sure if the autographs are authentic, the story is great and true and I do feel the letter is genuine. I'm still a Beatles fan today.
— Angela M.
Buckeye, AZ

I'll Take It

Posted 05.18.09

My husband hauls scrap metal for a living. A man stopped him one day and asked if he wanted some old metal. My husband said, "Yes, I'll take it." The man was cleaning out a storage unit and it was full of boxes and other stuff. My husband kept one box that had brass and scrap metal, and in the bottom was a Radio Telegraph Transmitting Key made by Theodore R. McElroy. We have tried looking it up to find out when it was made and are having no luck. It is different than the pictures we are finding. Maybe one day we will find out. Always remember you never know what you will find when not looking for it.
— Laura H.
Lebanon, KY

A Friend from the Past

Posted 05.11.09

I was at an auction in Los Angeles, California in the late 1970s and purchased a statue of W.C. Fields. I love W.C. and used to get up early on Saturday mornings to watch his old movies. As I saw the unusual items being auctioned (like a section of wrought-iron fence from a movie star's home), I noticed a large, ugly-looking, doll-like object being carried to the stage in a man's outstretched arms. I immediately said to my aunt "My gosh, I can't believe some of the junk being auctioned off; do they think anyone will buy that?" However, as I was finishing my sentence, I heard the auctioneer ask how much would be offered for this statue of W.C. Fields! When I heard W.C., I didn't care what it was. I finished my sentence in a loud voice: "5.00." No one bid against me and I became (and still am) the proud owner of this W.C. memorabilia.
— Nadine S.
Wichita, KS

Tripping over Treasure

Posted 05.04.09

My husband was playing in the forest somewhere in Germany when he was a young teenager. As he started to run, he tripped over something. He looked down to see what he had tripped over and noticed some kind of pottery sticking out of the ground. So Tom (my future husband) and his friends started digging. After lots of work they extracted a jug. We think it is a Bellarmine jug from 1676!
— Jo Ann S.
Englewood, CO

Diary of War

Posted 04.27.09

My mother, who is passed now, loved books, so she went to this moving sale and bought a box. In this box was one book that grabbed my heart, because to read it was to go back in time; it was like you were there. I've kept the book in the shape it was in when I received it. Every few years I bring it out with my white gloves and read it. It is wonderful, full of names, phone numbers, ranks, and everywhere the writer went. It is amazing how the writer can bring you back to the very spot he stood in and tell things about the war that were probably classified.
— Linda S.
Montgomery, TX

Antique Love Seat

Posted 04.17.09

My Aunt Ree died several years ago at the age of 85. When she was still in her teens, she came home one day with an old and dirty love seat that she had transported on the back of a horse. Although I don't know what she paid for it, I do know her family was upset that she had paid an outrageous amount. She cleaned the piece up, recovered it and used it in her living room, where it remained until she died. I now have that love seat to remind me how much Aunt Ree loved antiques! — Sue H.
Dallas, TX

Letter from a Former First Lady

Posted 04.13.09

This is the story of a box that was fixing to be dumped in a dumpster. I, being the curious one that I am, could never throw anything away like my brothers do. To make a long story short, as I sifted through this box, I found a letter from Jacqueline Kennedy to my grandmother. It was a poignant letter trimmed in black thanking my grandmother for her generous contributions to the JFK Presidential Library. The letter was dated 1964, when I was only 3 years old. It was in pristine condition. The moral to the story is never get in a hurry to throw out old boxes; you never know what may be hidden in them.
— Leeann M.
Sherman, TX

Harvesting History

Posted 04.06.09

I was born and raised on a farm. 32 years later I left my wife and children for a year and rented a house in a town 150 miles away while I went back to school to pursue a new career as an electrical line worker. I rented from a wonderful couple and we gained respect for each other. They were antique collectors. One day the husband took me inside their garage and asked me to help him get an item down off the ceiling. Here it was – a wooden, four-fingered grain cradle from the 1860s and 1870s! These are so hard to find and this one was in just wonderful and fantastic condition. We got it down and he told me to take it before I left to go back to my family! Yes, they gave me this piece of rich history and it will forever be in my family's heart as the husband has passed away and his wife is now 77 years of age. The wife and I remain in constant contact and will continue to be as she asks about the grain cradle they gave our family.
— Randy A.
Brodhead, WI

A Souvenir from a Watchman's Rounds

Posted 03.30.09

This story begins with a trip to visit my grandfather. It was early in the evening when I arrived, and I was upset to find him in a delirious state. His blood pressure was high, his oxygen levels were very low and he was running a temperature of 103 degrees. I carefully explained to my disabled uncle that his dad needed to go to the hospital and we should call for an ambulance. My uncle Jim, who suffers from cerebral palsy, and I spent the night in the emergency room. When we saw our sedated grandfather in bed we felt scared for his health. Early the next day, we returned home to my grandfather's house and went to bed. When Jim and I woke up I cooked him dinner, cleaned up, and organized things around the house. While straightening up the bathroom, I noticed a round object in the back of the linen closet under an inch of dust. After I pulled it out and dusted it off, I was surprised to see a clock. An "Underwriter's Laboratories Time Detector" to be exact. This thing is in perfect condition; there is even the last paper record still inside the clock. The key-chain ornament reads "Chicago Watchclock Corporation 1526 S. Wabash Ave. Chicago Ill." This watchclock is an interesting piece of nostalgia. I'm keeping my thoughts hopeful that my grandfather may get better. But at the young age of 84, congestive heart failure is a scary problem. I'm returning tomorrow to tell him about my find.
— Ryan B.
Blairsville, PA

Searching for an Answer

Posted 03.23.09

My husband inherited a beautiful old violin and was intrigued by the "Klotz" name and 1794 date inscribed inside. Since it had come through his uncle's family to his father and then to him, he was convinced it was a genuine Josef Klotz. I researched the Klotz family of violinmakers online and wasn't so sure. It was a book-back violin (made from two pieces) and all the Klotz violins I found pictures of had solid backs. Secondly, the wood was matchstick-style maple and the finish was a rich orangey-red that was hardly scuffed or worn at all. It certainly seemed more contemporary that the 1700s in my non-professional opinion! When ANTIQUES ROADSHOW was in Dallas recently, I procured tickets for my husband. The violin debate would be settled once and for all. My husband called me from the show. "Well," he said, "the violin isn't a Josef Klotz. It's early 19th century like you suspected." Feeling vindicated after all my hours of research, I asked, "What gave it away -- the book-back or the wood?" "The neck," he replied. "The appraiser took one look at it and explained that high-end violins don't have any varnish on the necks." "Well, I never saw that coming," I replied, "so I guess I can't tell you 'I told you so!'"
— Stephanie B.
Red Oak, Texas

A Gift from Iceland

Posted 03.16.09

My dad passed seven years ago. I was helping my mom go through his stuff when I saw a kayak figure that I always remembered sitting on top of his chest of drawers. I knew it was old, handmade, and meant a lot to my dad. Well, I asked my mom about it and she told me the story behind it. While my dad was in the Coast Guard in the 1940s his ship went to Reykjavik, Iceland. There, he talked with locals and one day my dad gave one local a pack of cigarettes. The man was thrilled. The next day he came back with a gift for my dad. It was a hand-carved whalebone kayak with a figure and paddles. My mom told me the man gave this gift because he was so happy and grateful. We think it has either whale skin or seal skin covering it. You can also see the hand stitching. The next day the same man came back again to thank my dad. My dad gave him a chocolate bar. "For your wife," he said, and the man smiled so much. My dad always remembered him and the bond they had created. I am now trying to find out how much this figure is worth. I know no amount of money could ever replace the memories of its origins, but my dad is gone and the memories will always be with us.
— Liane M.
Weymouth, MA

Ring of Memories

Posted 03.13.09

Many years ago, my great-grandfather was an orphan on the streets of New Orleans, where he sold candy to survive. At some point, he was given a lady's ring, which he kept his whole life. The ring has been passed down to the women in our family (his daughter, who was my grandmother, then to my mother). I am the fourth generation to have the ring that we know of. My great-grandfather's personal history is a mystery to us, since he only could remember being a tiny child on the streets, struggling to survive. We do not know how he came to have the ring. It is an oval brownish/golden stone with a small, carved gold flower in the middle. It is in a solid-gold solitaire setting and the stone is about 6 to 8 millimeters in size. The center of the flower is a tiny diamond. Since my great-grandfather was orphaned and had no family, we don't know if it had belonged to his mother, a sister, or if someone gave it to him out of sympathy. The ring had one broken prong on it and my mother had it reset in a gold setting (we have the original setting) about two years ago. She passed away from leukemia last year, and just prior to that she gave me the ring. I had seen a ring exactly like this in the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan as a child during a family vacation. My mother was ecstatic at seeing "a ring just like Papa's!" I cannot find a jeweler who can tell me what kind of stone it is, but I know the ring is very old. I have looked all over the Internet for information on it, to no avail. The only ring I ever saw like mine was in the museum's jewelry case. I am now 56. I love the story of my great-grandfather having the ring as a poor child as much as I love the ring, because it meant so much to the women in the family who loved him so dearly. Somehow, later in life, he traveled from New Orleans to the Carolinas, and then to work and prosper in the old mills in south Mississippi, where our family resides today. Everyone who knew my great-grandfather dearly loved him because of his integrity, gentle nature, and kindness toward others – which was surely rooted deeply in his difficult beginnings. I loved the ring as a child, but love it more today and cherish the loving memories surrounding it. It will go to my daughter later and then to my granddaughter and on and on, as God allows.
— Brenda F.
Brandon, MS

An Unexpected Heirloom

Posted 03.02.09

Several years ago, my daughter Somer gave me a complete set of Cathay dinnerware she picked up at an estate sale. She thought it was at least good enough to use for everyday dishes. I now own a complete service for eight including serving platters, sugar bowl with lid, creamer, casserole dish (also with lid), salt and pepper shakers, and not just the cups and saucers, but also the coffee mugs. Unlike my daughter, I immediately fell in love with this dinnerware — not only for the unique pattern, but also for the look. I have been using this dinnerware indiscriminately. At least I was, until finding out the dinner plates for the Monmouth stoneware my mother just bought at an estate sale are worth $35 apiece! Of course I did some searching on the Internet to find out if my daughter was as astute a shopper when she bought my dishes, and discovered the Cathay dinner plates sell for $13.99 each. The sugar bowl without the lid sells for $18.99 and the chop plate sells for $33.99. I figure I've got well over $500 worth of stoneware. My family may not have any other heirlooms of particular value, but we have some darn nice dishes! Maybe you have a set you're using for everyday dishes that you might want to set aside for someone to inherit someday.
— SJ
Red Oak, Texas

The Past Resurfaced

Posted 02.16.09

Some years ago I rented a location in downtown San Antonio that had not been occupied for about 60 years. During cleanup, I found an old box with a bunch of metal and wooden objects that had obviously been used for some sort of printing process. I refrained from throwing them away and some years later examined them. I learned that they were letterpress cuts that had been used for advertising for the dress shop that occupied the space in the 1920s. The largest is 19 inches long and most of them are about 6 inches by 2 inches. The problem I have is that I have never found cuts of a similar size and the numerous enquiries I have sent out have yielded nothing. I watch eBay frequently and the only things I've noticed are dingbats. There are two dingbats in this "collection," but they are related to the rest. One of the cuts has a copyright date of 1928. I would imagine the shop failed during the depression and the cuts didn't suffer the fate of most of this sort of ephemera of the era by being consumed in the scrap metal drives of WWII.
— Blake
San Antonio, Texas

Attic Treasure

Posted 02.09.09

I met a guy who knew my sister and knew I collected antiques. He was getting thrown out of the house he lived in all his life. He asked me if I wanted to buy any of his things, as he had to be out in the morning and had nowhere to go. I went to his house, which was large and totally a mess. It seemed an auction house had been there and took all the furniture and paintings, etc. I felt bad for him and gave him $100 and said I would root around. He left to go to the racetrack. After hours of looking, I found 3 suitcases of fine costume jewelry, a ton of 1950s and 1960s sports memorabilia, but in the attic, a turtle-back trunk. Dry rotted and smelling of mothballs, I tossed it out of my way and it rattled. There were 114 pieces of Steiff sterling flatware and 100 other pieces including some 16th- and 17th-century English sterling! I never saw him again or I would have gladly rewarded him.
— Ken
Parkville, Maryland

A Doll in Times of Sacrifice

Posted 12.29.08

I was born during World War II in Germany. My birthday is November 29. In 1945 as the war ended my mom wanted to give me a doll for my birthday and also make that my Christmas present. There were no stores to buy a doll due to the bombings. There was also no money to buy one. She was told by someone there was a family that was hungry and needed food and they had a doll they where willing to give up for some food. So my mom got the doll for me as a birthday and Christmas gift combined using the food rationing stamps given at that time for purchasing food. She sacrificed the stamps for the doll and I received the doll as my gift. She knitted an outfit for it and I dressed it up at Christmas.

In January she took my doll and put it up and told me I would get it back at my next birthday and Christmas. That was until I got married at 16 in 1956. She let me bring my doll with me to America. As I had my children I dressed up my doll with their baby clothes and I could not let them ever play with the doll. My mom had reminded me all the years I had it that they had to go hungry to get me that doll and to not let any of my children play with it in order to prevent it from breaking. There is no telling how old the doll was when my mom got it for me.
— Sieglinde
San Antonio, Texas

Folk Art Family History

Posted 12.22.08

While in Macon, Georgia, for the world famous Cherry Blossom Festival my husband and I were browsing in an antiques store. We spotted an iron cutout figure which the clerk identified as "from up North." The price was $55, which my husband said was too much. I tried to change his mind, but he wouldn't budge. I had an appointment the next day and stopped in to buy the figure. The reason I wanted the figure is that it was actually made by my father-in-law. During his earlier years my father-in-law had made these cutouts to help support his large family. When compared to the cutout at my brother-in-law's house, ours is identical. It was not, however, "from up North." It was made in Macon, Georgia, in the late 1960s and it is priceless.
— H. M.
Lizella, Georgia

Bottom of the Box

Posted 12.15.08

At an estate auction, in a 10-ream cardboard box filled with an attic and basement mish-mash of items, there was a glass canning jar rusted shut. Inside were some buttons, spools of thread, some nails, tacks, and a tightly wadded up paper bag with several rubber bands wrapped around. I tried, but could not loosen the lid. I had to see what was in the paper wad. Twenty minutes and a $2 bid later it was time to find out. Inside the bag were five Roosevelt for President pins, six Win with Wilkie pins, and six Walter Johnson (pitcher of the Ghost ball) for Congress pins. My love of the box lots will never die!
— Thomas
Rocky Ridge, Maryland

Ivy Ceramic Basket

Posted 12.08.08

Years ago while antiquing at a flea market in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, I had only walked a few steps when my eyes spotted a white ceramic basket vase. Green ivy and a green handle to simulate a vine kicked my brain in gear — I knew I had seen this before. The price was $12, so I grabbed it. Upon returning home I phoned my father, who had antiques books for Hull, Roseville, and McCoy. After describing it to him we realized it was from the "Tuscany" collection of Hull. The "Moon Basket" made in 1959, described and pictured in a Hull collectors book published in 1992, purchased in mint condition in 1992 listed for $125. Fifteen years later, still in mint condition, I would say my $12 was put to good use! One person's junk can absolutely be a treasure! I just wish I really knew what it is worth now, even though to me it is priceless!!
— Kimberly
Lebanon Junction, Kentucky

Symbolic Medallion

Posted 12.01.08

My mother gave me her found treasure as a young girl. While riding her pony over 74 years ago she stopped to give her pony, Star, a rest. She told me she was kicking around old oyster shells in an old clay pit and found a token medallion. I have researched and read many articles about Florida Indians and early missions in Florida. I believe this to be a token given by very early missionaries in the teachings of Christianity to the Indians. It appears to be made of bronze and has a male Indian warrior with a tomahawk on one side and an Indian woman with a child in a papoose on the other side. I think it was symbolic of the relationship of man and woman in marriage. The man is the provider and the woman is the caregiver of children. After much research I believe it came from shell mounds on the east coast of Florida. There were missionaries near St. Augustine.
— Vicki
Howey in the Hills, Florida

A Rare Find for a Card Collector

Posted 11.24.08

I have been collecting baseball cards for about 25 years now and I was in an antiques shop in the Pacific Northwest when in a small box I noticed what looked like a baseball card tucked under some stuff. So, I bought this card and it was a 1909 baseball card. A rare find for a card collector, I thought. I took it to my father and showed him and he agreed with me. It looks like Honus Wagner. With all the hype about how much it is worth, I now keep it in a bank vault until I can get it authenticated. Collecting has been so much fun and never have I been so excited to be collecting baseball cards.
— James
Castle Rock, Washington

On The Hunt

Posted 11.17.08

I like to go to antiques shops to search for unusual and old books about dogs. I love the "hunt" and I love a good deal. About 10 years ago I was in this upscale type of antiques shop not really finding anything that interesting. I was about to give up when I spotted this book that was a true story about two of King Charles Spaniel dogs whose nurse owner dressed them up and took them to the Mayo Clinic hospitals to entertain patients and children. It was a vintage 40s book in good condition. I paid $25. It was more than I wanted to pay, but I bought it anyways. On the way home I looked it over more thoroughly and noticed this scribbled-looking signature on the front page. I thought it looked like a child's type of writing. I then started reading the preface. I was shocked to find that Helen Keller had written it. Entitled "Tribute to a Dog," the tribute was nice as Helen Keller knew the importance of dogs and in her world she depended upon them. Well anyways, at the end of her tribute, she signed it in print. I looked at that signature and turned the page back to the scribbled name I saw in the front of the book. It was the same signature! Ms. Keller's signature is not that uncommon, but it is very uncommon in books. I kept the book for a while and then sold it to a collector who said that she had that breed of dog and had a blind person in her family. You never know what you'll find in the "hunt." It was one of my favorite discoveries.
— Susan
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Hoosier Cabinet

Posted 11.07.08

Several years ago my mother talked me into taking my great-grandmother's Hoosier cabinet. Since we were remodeling our kitchen at the time, it really intrigued me to find out what life was like when the Hoosier was "state of the art" in kitchen convenience. I asked my grandmother if she knew when her mother bought it. She said she bought it in June 1933 (the month she graduated from high school) at the estate sale of another family member. So I found some Good Housekeeping and Better Homes and Gardens magazines from that time and set about re-creating the kitchen. I researched through eBay and found an advertisement with the exact stencils that matched my Hoosier. We found most of the original hardware and replaced the rest with originals. With a little paint and carpentry, the cabinet was restored as a display cabinet.

My family has come up with many items that were original to the Hoosier and it has become the theme for my collection. I buy only things actually dated 1933 or which magazine ads and cook book photos in my collection date to that year. Naturally, I have more collectables than can be nicely displayed at one time, so I enjoy exchanging things by season. My Hoosier is in the corner of the dining room and it is a grand presence in our home. I have learned so much about Depression Era life through my researching and collecting. As a theme, it affords me a wide range of interesting items. I have collected magazines, cookbooks, food containers, canisters, utensils, and graniteware, displaying it all in the Hoosier. It has become a historic time capsule as well as a family heirloom and a glimpse of history that I can enjoy every day.
— Brit
Jamestown, New York

Hellier Heaven

Posted 10.31.08

We landed in Deming, New Mexico, and liked it and bought a place there. I went to a little second hand store and was looking for rare fiddles when I spotted what appeared to be an old Stradivarius Hellier made about 350 years ago. I talked the man down to $125 and purchased it. I looked in my best source book and it showed some with the exact same purfling, striations, and markings on the flamed back. And the tone is superb. The finish looks old and weathered. If it is not a Stradivarius, it is a very convincing replica. I call it my Hellier or at least my Strad. Markings on it are sparse. It has three neat letters inside: "E.R.S." Could this mean Exact Replica Stradivarius? Let me be wrong about that!
— Elton
Deming, New Mexico

Right Under My Nose

Posted 10.27.08

When my dear friend died, her mother asked me to make sure that I kept her bench rather than sell or donate it. She indicated that it had some value. I put it in my living room and didn't give it much thought after that. When a friend who is knowledgeable about antiques visited, I asked her to look at it and she said it was not hand made and probably wasn't worth anything. About seven years later my friend finally decided to turn the bench over and look at it and found a label saying "Stickley." She also found a hand made nail. With these intriguing clues we researched online and believe it was made by Charles Stickley in New York!
— Evelyn
Pennsylvania

Sweet Dolls

Posted 10.20.08

A few years back, a show was done in Austin and in it were little dolls portraying scenes. They were doing different things (some playing poker etc.). My grandmother who is still alive — she's 90 years old — and her mother made those dolls to get money for sugar during the war when she lived in Homer, Louisiana. I believe they were valued at around $10,000. We couldn't believe that something she had made to make cakes were worth so much money. We still have some in the family.
— Camille
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Abe Lincoln's "Bed Quilt"

Posted 10.10.08

Years ago my father obtained a land survey company, Greeley-Howard-Norlin, in the Chicago area. I, as a very young man, saw a copy of a drawing of the original Fort Dearborn prior to Chicago becoming a city, which was in the files of the company. A few years ago I recalled the moment and started to look for this drawing. The files were in disarray and stored in a warehouse of approximately 4,000 square feet, which made it difficult to find the Fort Dearborn drawing. However, I came across an exhibit drawing, which later proved to be the exhibit used in a court case against Illinois Central Railroad. The exhibit was prepared by Greeley-Howard-Norlin. Abe Lincoln, then a lawyer, referred to the drawing as the "Bed Quilt" in his response in court. I have yet to find an appraiser to set a value on the exhibit. Several offers have been made, but not enough for me to part with it.
— Donald
Chicago, Illinois

Antique Billiards Table

Posted 10.06.08

I work for K and E Moving in Bellingham, Washington. One day while we were on a move a woman asked if I knew anyone who wanted a pool table. It was the woman's grandfather's, but they were tired of moving it from house to house. I said I would take it and see if I could find someone. It was very heavy and when I unwrapped the table I was blown away at the beauty of it. It came with lights, cues, balls, books, and even papers authenticating its originality. I looked it up online and found out it was a Geo. Wright & Co. billiard table from London. They were patentees and manufacturers of the Neoteric billiard and dining table combined. I found some quote where someone was selling a similar table for $3,500.
— Willow
Bellingham, Washington

Amelia Earhart Find

Posted 09.29.08

While rummaging through boxes of books in the front yard of an estate sale, I happened to see The Fun Of It and remembered it was written by Amelia Earhart. Next to it was We by Charles Lindbergh. I bought both with other books for $2 each. Later that evening I began looking through the books and noticed that Earhart's book had something taped to the inside title page. It appears that the book owner had cut out the printed author's name and taped in its place an actual autograph of Amelia's. I have not been able to spend the time to authenticate it, but it's in ink and appears to match examples of her signature on noted sites. I love estate sales!
— Glenda
Ventura, California

Jessie Arms Botke Painting

Posted 09.19.08

I bought a painting from the Goodwill, of all places. I just fell in love with it. The piece is entitled "Tropical Pool" and the artist is named Jessie Arms Botke. There was a guy looking at it just as I walked up. He told me that he would have purchased it, but he had so many other works of art at home that he could not afford to purchase another one. He was just out looking. I examined it for a long time, left it, went back, and finally decided to get it. I paid $20 for it. After I got it home I noticed on the back was a label that read "Reofect Painting" (I can't find anything on the internet about this company) and then went on to describe the piece as though it had been part of a lot. Well, I thought nothing of it and it's been hanging on my wall over my fireplace (it looks lovely up there, too!) ever since. So, I guess what I am saying is purchase what YOU like, not what it's worth.
— Donna
Clackamas County, Oregon

That Does Compute

Posted 09.15.08

I was at a local flea market just looking for something to catch my eye, when I happened upon a stack of old Popular Electronics magazines. Looking through the stack, I came across the January, 1975 issue with the headline "The World's First Minicomputer Kit to Rival Commercial Models ... Altair 8800." I remembered hearing about this back in the 70s and I thought that this might be something. So, I asked the vender how much and she said 50 cents. What the heck, I bought it. A little checking that night on the Internet and I found copies selling for $200 or more. 40,000% profit, not bad.
— Wayne
Kingsville, Maryland

Alaskan Moose Hide

Posted 09.08.08

My husband's uncle, Jess Myers, helped with a cattle drive from Valdez to Fairbanks, Alaska, in the early 1900s. While in Fairbanks he was a barber and was paid in different ways. One payment was a moose hide that has a very beautiful moonlight scene of a moose and an old broken cabin in the snow all burned in by hot iron rods. The date on the left hand corner is 1914 and says "Reclamation" Fairbanks, Alaska. We found only a half hide in a museum in Fairbanks while on a trip in the 1980s. The curator said there were three artists in Alaska that did this type of work for a living at that time. This artist is Timme. It is truly a beautiful and well-done work of art.
— Donna
Lewiston, Idaho

A Complete Collection

Posted 08.29.08

I have a friend who has been collecting Nevil Shute hardcover books for many years. She needed only one more to complete her collection and I had been on the look-out. Well, I was at an antiques yard sale and rummaged through a musty box of miscellaneous magazines and books. Aha! I thought I recognized a title, yup, Nevil Shute. I asked, "How much?" She answered, "Oh, just take it. It's too musty, the library doesn't even want them." The book was worth at least $100 according to my research. My friend was thrilled to complete her collection. It had been published once in England and once in the United States.
— Joyce
Colville, Washington

Historical Diaries

Posted 08.25.08

During the Springfield, Ohio, Flea Market one year, I walked all day, but saw nothing that I truly found fascinating. Just as I was about to leave, I passed one more booth with old books and quilts. A set of what looked like diaries caught my eye, and I picked one up and began to read. The history of a well-to-do family in Virginia, it read as a record of who came to visit on Sundays, births and deaths, and like a story, each day recorded for five years. The price was $1 for the set, so I bought them. When I returned home and began to settle in for a good read, I realized the diaries chronicled events from 1939 to 1943. Curious, I began to look for certain dates in history and landed on December 7th, Sunday, 1941. The entry read "Japanese attacks Hawaii and declares war with U.S. and Britain." Then, on Thursday, December 11th, 1941, "Declaration of war by Germany and Italy on U.S.A. 12:30 Declaration of war by President against Germany and Italy." I was flabbergasted. She recorded every speech, every boat that was sunk, and continued with her daily activities list. From 1940 to 1943 this wonderful woman had made 370 blankets to distribute to U.S. soldiers through the Salvation Army and Red Cross, lost her son, and buried many friends and relatives. Her last entry simply says "end of 1943." This diary is priceless to me and I only wish her further writings had been found.
— Kimberly
Lebanon Junction, Kentucky

Wedding Gift Inkwells

Posted 08.18.08

My husband's grandfather worked from the age of 11 in a glass house in Millville, New Jersey. When he was about to be wed, his co-workers fashioned two beautiful inkwells as a wedding gift for his bride. I understand these items were called "end-of-the-day" products. Several years ago these magnificent inkwells were passed down through the family to my husband. Our daughter recently visited the Smithsonian Institution and saw the same inkwells on display in the glass section! They are over 100 years old and I think of these gentle grandparents every time I look at their wedding gift.
— Edith
Baltimore, Maryland

W.T. Richards Watercolor

Posted 08.11.08

I am 85 years old and an incurable collector. When I lived in New York, I'd go antiquing on 6th Avenue and 26th Street at an open-air flea market. One Sunday, I bought a little watercolor of three trees along a river with schooners in the background. It was signed and dated, W. T. Richards 1870. I looked up his name and found out that he was one of the great Hudson River School artists and 1870 was his best year. I contacted a curator at the Brooklyn Museum and she came to see it at my home. She said it was authentic and a good find. When I first brought it home and told my wife I paid $120 for it she blew her stack, but when I sold it at auction for $4,200 she forgave me.
— Edward
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

A Pleasant Surprise

Posted 08.04.08

About 25 years ago we bought an old armoire at a local Cocoa Village used furniture store for about $700. It needed a carving repair and a tassel door handle. We found an old furniture repairer in Melbourne, an old, old man himself. He told us the piece was called a triple wardrobe, was English, and dated from about 1870, probably early art modern. He said the wardrobe came apart. We hadn't known that. He lifted off the top. We lifted out the two boxes after unscrewing them and lifted them off the rack with legs. He repaired the carving and told us how to get a new tassel handle made from the existing one. It's been a conversation piece in our living room ever since.
— Pete
Melbourne, Florida

Winnie The Pooh Cells

Posted 07.28.08

Back in 1982, I found two Winnie the Pooh film cells from the original Winnie the Pooh Disney production in a thrift store. I paid $8 for the pair. Both are from the dream sequence "Heffalumps and Woozles." One is a double cell. The front one shows Pooh in his nightshirt and the back one has the two jack-in-the-box characters surrounding him. The other is Pooh alone in his nightshirt and cap fast asleep. They both have certificates on them stating they were used in an original Disney production. In 1992, I went into the store in Disneyland where they had only Owl left from the original production at $350. On last checking in 2000, I was told I could probably get about $3,000 for both. Now there's a great deal! I'm still keeping them!
— Nancy
Santa Maria, California

Watch For A Bargain

Posted 07.21.08

In the late 70s one Saturday, we read an ad for a total estate auction at a house that morning in a town near us. The sale was due to start soon so we rushed over in time, only to do about 15 minutes of preview. I found three shoeboxes with jewelry in them. One had a bunch of broken up watches, some beads, and rings. I looked inside a ring and saw "14K." I thought I had a real find. When these boxes came up for bid, they were auctioned as choice. I took the box with that "gold" ring for $7.50. The ring turned out to be 14K RGP. I hadn't looked close enough to see it was only plated, but in with those watches were eight women's watches, some inset with diamonds, and a battered man's Rolex Oyster. Unemployed at the time, and needing money, I sold the women's watches for $8 each and the broken Rolex for $225. That event hooked me on auctions.
— Philip
Laurel, Maryland

The Hunter and the Bear

Posted 07.14.08

My husband, Mike, and I were at a show in San Diego where we noticed a 15 3/4-inch bronze. We asked the price and the vendor wanted $2,500. We spoke about the piece for a while and walked away. We returned with an offer of $1,200 cash and it was accepted. The sculpture is marked by Nicholai Lieberich and is called "The Woodsman, Axe and Bear." It's from 19th-century Russia. Mike decided to look in my Kovels' Antiques & Collectibles price list for 2004 and found the piece under Bronze, Sculptures. It is valued in the book at $8,960. After many hours of research, we have found a treasure. It is truly beautiful.
— Betty Ann
Turlock, California

Roadshow Riches

Posted 07.07.08

Like any day out looking for a bargain, I found one, an old jug. I took it home and realized it had the words "Smithville, Tenn. Sept 12, 1907" on it. Years later I got to go to the ANTIQUES ROADSHOW in Tampa. I brought along my jug and had it appraised. The gentleman was very helpful and courteous and appraised it between $500 and $750. He also informed me that it might go for more in the area it was made. Well, I am pleased to let you know he was not wrong. I sold it today on an online auction for $910. It will be on display at the Tennessee State Museum for everyone to see. I can't wait to go back to one of your shows and bring another "Roadshow Riches" item!
— Richard
Arnaudville, Louisiana

Kutani Urns

Posted 06.30.08

While living in Japan during the early 1970s, I had many opportunities to see beautiful Kutani urns and other ceramic objects made by hand. I particularly loved one vase and purchased it even though it cost $150. We lived on an Army post and one night the lights went out. While searching for candles, my husband accidentally caused a wooden doll to fall and it landed on my beautiful vase taking two small bites out of the rim. So, we called the Kutani man who, with my husband, repaired my vase. My husband, knowing I was devastated, agreed to buy another. These large vases/urns measure about 18 inches tall and 12 inches wide and are hard to find as they require several firings and are subject to breakage in the kiln. After saying no to several urns over a six-month time, the Kutani man brought one I liked. He found it in the back of the storage area, he said, and really didn't know its story, but the clay was old style. When we moved back stateside in 1975, we had an appraiser look at the items and found the second urn had two marks on the bottom. The earlier mark was Chinese and the second fire mark was Japanese. Both items were appraised much higher then their purchase price.
— Carolyn
Silver Spring, Maryland

Thrift Store Find

Posted 06.23.08

Several months ago I found a framed document in a thrift store and took it home for $10 because I thought the ink blotches made it look real. At that time I didn't even know what the Ordinance of Secession was. Now that I know, being Afro-American, I felt weird having it hang on my wall. But I thought, "What the heck, the matting matches the color of the wall," and I continued my research. The more I read, the more I realized how valuable this document was and why! I finally saw a picture and realized it was valued at $35,000.
— Rosetta
Spartanburg, South Carolina

Graduate School Cider Mug

Posted 06.16.08

I volunteered at a thrift shop in Cleveland for 14 years. Often we would receive small antiques from people breaking up homes. One day a Chinese export pitcher came in, which I learned was a cider mug after seeing one later at the Henry Ford Museum. The handle was damaged and the cover long gone. Our manager placed a $10 sticker on it and there it stood for two weeks, unsold. At that time we workers were allowed to bid on items, which had not sold. I bid $10 and was the winner. I had the handle restored by a museum retiree for $5 and enjoyed it for some years. Finally, when my oldest son decided to attend graduate school, money was tight. I sold the mug to a dealer for $500! What a treasure to be redeemed as I told a friend. She commented that the only thing you ever own is what you give away. I have never regretted selling the mug.
— Patricia
Cincinnati, Ohio

Limbert Arts and Crafts China Cabinet

Posted 06.09.08

One Saturday evening my wife asked me to drive her to an antiques emporium in town. At first I complained, but agreed and drove to the place. I went my way and she went hers. I came upon a china cabinet that just wowed me. I normally inspect the pieces my wife is interested in buying, but this piece did catch my attention. I checked the condition and construction and I just loved it. I asked for the price and was told that it was $210 and that they would give me 10% off. I paid $189, not bad for an antique china cabinet. When I took it home I looked up information to find the approximate time it was made. I had guessed 1930s. While looking for information, I noticed a brand inside the drawer that said "Limbert Arts and Craft Furniture Company, Grand Rapids and Holland". I also noticed a number in the back of the cabinet and both shelves had the same number. I became curious and wanted more information. I went to a dealer and I showed him pictures of the piece. He confirmed that it was a Limbert and the value a lot more than what I paid. A week after I bought it I revived the finish and now the cabinet is displayed in the dinning room. And to think I did not want to go antiquing that evening!
— Perfecto
Frederick, Maryland

It All Comes Out in the Wash

Posted 06.02.08

A friend of ours is what I call an "un-dumper" and is always bringing home treasures from the local dump. One day we saw that he had salvaged an old galvanized double washbasin up on legs and was using it as a planter on his patio. My husband and I took a liking to it and asked about it. He offered to give it to us, but we said we would research its value and make a fair offer for it. I did a little homework and saw several selling for $80 or $90 plus shipping. By the time we got back around to asking about it, he had sold it to a dealer. He felt bad that he hadn't known we really wanted it. A few months later, my husband came back from a day at a wonderful farm auction. He said he had brought me home a little present. In the back of his truck he had a beautiful example of a galvanized double laundry tub. The price this time? $7. Now we have a beautiful laundry tub, which is useful for many things, and we figure we saved a few bucks, too. Sometimes you have to wait a while for just the right treasure, but it all comes out in the wash!
— Brit
Jamestown, New York

Let There Be Light

Posted 05.23.08

I used to be a carpenter for the Hotel Del Coronado in California. Two of us were sent down to the old vault that had been turned into a place to store their important paper work in 1920. As he and I were tearing out the old shelving we came to a section that had a void behind it. Inside this void were several boxes and when we looked inside the boxes we found so many treasured pieces of handcrafted antiques. One was an old candelabra. It was very ornate pewter and silver that was made to hold two candles.

In 1887 Thomas Edison and his original 10-member crew came out to the hotel and it was the first hotel in the world to be wired for electricity. He took many of these candelabras and wired them for electricity. These would be some of the oldest electric lamps in the world. There were so many other antiques as well. When we turned them in we were allowed to keep a couple of items as a reward. This was back in 1978. I chose the most ornate and beautiful lamps. The bottom plate is numbered, has Reed & Barton's name, and has the hotel's name and emblem. If you remove this plate, inside is the original wiring. The most remarkable thing is that it still works.

So, I own a lamp that was one of the first electric lamps in the world and wired by the master and inventor of electricity himself, Thomas Edison. It is in mint condition and to me is a priceless treasure that nobody else has. The hotel put the remaining items on display. They have one lamp that was not wired and is still a candelabra with a price tag of $5,000. I am the only one that owns the lamp wired by Edison. It is a priceless and precious antique and a one-of-a-kind.
— Michael
Ft. McCoy, Florida

Civil War Treasure

Posted 05.19.08

I was approached by a man asking if I was the guy who collected swords. I answered with a resounding "YES!" He asked me to look at two swords he had in the trunk of his car. I did and he offered them both to me for half of the price of three appraisals I would have to get. I took them and had them appraised. Fortunately for me, in those days swords were not popular. They were written appraisals with the highest being $150. I took all three appraisals to the owner of the swords. He said "Oh heck, just give me $50 for the pair" and I did.

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW came to Oklahoma and Mr. Mitchell confirmed I had a James Conning sword. They were rare. I was very happy to know I had this treasure and I was happy to learn all the research I had done was paying off. I have been appraising swords for local people here for over 15 years now. I have found information not found in any book and have compiled my own book of references. All this, thanks to the interests I have developed by watching ANTIQUES ROADSHOW. By the way, that sword turned out to be worth every penny I paid for it at $50. Mr. Mitchell agreed with me. It was worth $18,500 on a bad day because Confederate States swords are so rare. It is a beautiful piece of American history.
— Bill
Edmond, Oklahoma

Sitting Pretty

Posted 05.12.08

While browsing through the many bays at a flea market, I came upon a child's rocking chair that caught my eye. I thought it would be perfect for my "Patti Playpal" doll, which had been my favorite childhood toy. I asked the proprietor the price and was delighted to learn he wanted only $5 for it! Imagine my surprise when my online research resulted in discovering the chair to be from the 1930s, with an estimated value of between $100 and $175. My doll will be sitting pretty from now on!
— Peg
Nashua, New Hampshire

Carousel Chandeliers

Posted 05.05.08

I was in my favorite thrift store and saw two chandeliers sitting on the floor. They were very dusty and dirty. I saw them from across the room and thought they may be plastic. There was a man looking at them and I decided to wait until he was done and if he did not take them I would have a look. He walked away and I went over. The wires were cut at the top and they had old fixtures on them that read "Made in Taiwan." The fixtures did not match and I almost didn't buy them, but since they were only $4 each I realized I would only be out $8 if they did not work out. So I bought them.

I took them to a stained glass shop where the shop owner saw the tag and said "Oh my goodness. Please don't tell me you only paid $4 each for these." She said the fixtures may be made in Taiwan, but the chandeliers are very well made of American stained glass. They are worth approximately $500 each. I cleaned them up, changed the fixtures, and they are the most beautiful chandeliers I've ever seen. The horses are approximately seven by nine inches in diameter of different colored stained glass — saddle, mane, hooves, etc. The colored carousel horses are set in a clear rainbow glass. Above and below the rainbow glass is a pattern of milk and blue stained glass — just beautiful. I am a horse person and I love them.
— Jackie
Cocoa, Florida

Kindness Returned with St. Nicholas

Posted 04.28.08

Germ de Jong, a well-known 20th-century Dutch painter (born in 1886), used to come to my parents home in Amsterdam during the winter of hunger in 1944. The Germans had occupied Holland since 1940. In 1944, after the failed attempt by General Bernhart Montgomery to have the allied troops cross the Rhine River near the city of Arnhem ("a bridge too far!"), the Nazis refused to bring food to the major cities in the western part of Holland. As a result, many people died from hunger during that winter. My parents had somehow gotten a hold of a 50-pound bag of split peas. Mother made bowls of pea soup and that helped us to get through the winter.

On a few occasions, Germ visited our home and Mother served him soup. He was very grateful to have his stomach filled and one day brought her a charcoal drawing of the St. Nicholas church in Amsterdam. Oil paints were no longer available, so Germ was forced to use charcoal, which I believe he made himself. The drawing shows the church set back behind a row of houses along the waterfront that used to be an open bay of the Zuider Zee. In the corner of the drawing one can see the Tower of Tears where the sailors' wives gathered to wave goodbye to their husbands as the ship sailed away. It was from this point that Henry Hudson sailed on his discovery trip to what is now known as the Hudson Bay. Of course, St. Nicholas is the patron saint of Amsterdam and the December 5th St. Nicholas feast is named after him. Santa Claus bringing presents has roots in the St. Nicholas story. The 19"-by-22" drawing is signed, dated 1944, and is in my possession. A number of Dutch museums own and exhibit some of Germ de Jong's works.
— Teade
Arvada, Colorado

Hitching with Hadrian

Posted 04.18.08

In 1982 I was hitchhiking from Edinburgh to London. I ended up stranded at the roadside just south of Newcastle on Tyne, the home of Emperor Hadrian's wall. At the time, there were many excavation sites around the city where Roman ruins were being unearthed. As I stood at the side of the road with my thumb out, for what seemed to be an eternity, I kicked the dirt and paced back and forth. Something caught my eye, and as I bent down to pick it up, I realized that I had unearthed what seemed to be a small Roman relic. It is a triangular-shaped stone sculpture with fluted lines emanating from a circle and hole through the top, almost like a sun amulet that would have been worn as part of armor or as part of a horse's bridle. When I arrived in London I took it to the British Museum and a curator in the antiquities department confirmed that I had indeed found a strange and wonderful Roman object, and encouraged me to donate it to the museum collection. I chose to bring it home with me where it resides quite happily to this day.
— Carl
Los Angeles, California

Hopeful China

Posted 04.14.08

When I was in high school, my mother purchased china from the local grocery store for my hope chest. I have had the china packed in storage for over 30 years in the original boxes. I have the complete set minus the butter dish and candlesticks. A couple of months ago, I pulled them out to use and my friend, being curious, contacted a local antiques dealer. His comment was that they were worth $1,000 to $2,000, and possibly more with the original boxes. Needless to say, what I had out was boxed back up and put back in storage.
— Pat
Smyrna, Tennessee

Why High School Pays

Posted 04.07.08

I was shopping at an antiques market when I spotted a rare Wave Crest plaque, something that I thought would be beyond my buying power. Surprisingly, it was reasonably priced. The dealer was working on a crossword puzzle and asked his wife for a four-letter, Spanish word for house. She responded, "hacienda." I smiled, told him the word is "casa" and that I would like an additional $5 discount. He had already lowered the price, but gladly lowered it $5 more. I purchased the plaque and gave thanks for my high school Spanish class many years prior.
— Kenny
Milford, Delaware

Rediscovered Beauty

Posted 03.31.08

I have a little, oval rug given to me by an elderly cousin of my mother's in Portland, Oregon. The children used the rug in the attic. It was very dirty and I was going to throw it away until I looked at it and noticed the flowers under the dirt. The cat had also used it! I called a rug cleaner in Portland and they asked me if it was wool and I said I thought it was. They also asked me if it was tied on the ends and I said it was so they asked me to bring it in, which I did. They cleaned the rug and when I went to pick it up they unrolled it for me and I said, "What a beautiful, little rug!" It was all flowers, bright and lovely. The man there asked me where I got it and I really had to think.

This cousin, Dr. Florence Brown, was a doctor in Portland for 40 years. She had a half sister who was a nurse, Gerty Brown, who went to China as a missionary and would sometimes send Florence things. Gerty never did come back to the U.S. She only had to come to the border of Manchuria and China to receive her inheritance when their father passed away. So, that's where I got the rug.

The man told me the name of the family who made these rugs and that they actually quit making them in 1927. So, that's the approximate age of the rug. I have forgotten the name of the tribe who made these rugs, but the man slyly offered me $350 for it. That was about 20 years ago. Some people who were in the store at the same time shook their heads at me and I told the man it was a keepsake so I couldn't really sell. I have kept it, keeping the cats and children off it, and it has retained its beauty.
— Wilda
Princeton, Oregon

George Washington Etching

Posted 03.21.08

My 84-year-old mother took a layer of newspaper out from the bottom of a very old chest of drawers that her mother had given to her 40 or 50 years ago. An artist's proof signed in pencil by "W. E. Marshall" in 1862 was also found face up in the chest. The pine wood grain from the bottom of the drawer was transferred onto the backing of this large etching. It is a proof of George Washington in the "dollar bill" pose. It must have been untouched for some time. My late grandmother did not know or just never mentioned this treasure in the bottom of the drawer. I took it to the National Archives in Washington, D.C. and we compared it to theirs. They have a copy of the etching, but we have an original. Those folks were speechless. In Greensboro, I took it to Etherington Conservation and Don Etherington looked at it and said, "As clean as this is, it may be the first one done by William E. Marshall!"
— Gordon
Pleasant Garden, North Carolina

What's In The Box

Posted 03.17.08

While visiting a sister in Washington, D.C. last year, we strolled into a shop in the antiques mall. I found what I thought was an old wooden box of silver flatware. Upon opening it, I was saddened when I realized it was just some old gold tinted spoons and forks. However, I liked the old box and decided to buy it anyway. The owner sold it to me for $10. When I got back home to S.C., and unpacked it again to get a better look, I realized it was stamped "solid durilyte." Not knowing what that was, I went to my computer. The company is still in existence, so I sent them a picture of the set and they sent me a pricelist for replacements if needed. One butter knife was almost $100, and I have almost a complete set of the Empress pattern. And I bought it because I liked the old box!
— Rosetta
Spartanburg, South Carolina

Perseverance Pays Off

Posted 03.10.08

When I moved to sleepy, little Burkittsville, Maryland, in 1983, the first neighbor to welcome me was an antiques dealer who lived down the street. While taking me for a house tour I greatly admired a painted dower chest dated 1777 with the initials SF, and decided then and there that someday I would try to obtain it. She and her husband had found the chest locally and painted black, only to discover the original surface when they stripped the piece. Twenty years later that same neighbor bought a house from me and to sweeten the deal asked what antique of hers I wanted. I said, "The 1777 chest!" I recently married a woman whose last name is Scott. My last name is Fout. The chest is initialed SF! What luck!
— Dan
Burkittsville, Maryland

Follow Your Instincts

Posted 03.03.08

My husband and I were visiting local antique stores looking for bargains. We both have an interest in swords and this particular store had two antique swords on display. These were supposedly antique Japanese katanas. One was stamped "factory made" from the World War II era. The other was in a brass combat officer's sheath, which my husband felt did not belong with that particular sword. I had many misgivings because of his feelings, and in the long run I talked him out of purchasing the sword for $200.

We were leaving on our honeymoon (we had been married a week) and I convinced my husband it would still be there a week later when we returned. He claimed it would not. We returned from our honeymoon a day late, on Sunday instead of Saturday, a week later. We called the antique dealer to arrange to see the sword again. He had sold it late on Saturday to a gentleman from New York who was vacationing in our town. We kept in contact with the dealer, hoping he would have further swords. We stopped in to see him two weeks later and he told us he had heard from the buyer. The man had called him to thank him. The sword and sheath were appraised in New York and put up for auction. My husband was right. The sheath and sword were not supposed to be together. The sword was much older. The set sold at auction for $5,000 even though it was not actually a set! I have since learned to listen to my husband's instincts!
— Barb
Marion, Texas

Family "Flippie" Mug

Posted 02.25.08

I was in Germany where I was in the military in the 1980s during the month of February. I was out with a German husband and wife and they asked me if I would like to come to their house for some drinks after going to a club. As I was getting ready to leave, I shook the guy's hand and hugged his wife. Before I walked out the door, the guy went into the cabin and gave me a "flippie" mug. On top it had a picture of a lady. The guy said that it had been passed down through his family and that they had no one else to give it to. I said he should keep it, but they didn't want to hear that so I took the mug and to this day I still have it. Even if it has no value, it has value to me and it will be passed on to my son.
— Gerald
San Antonio, Texas

Chessie Cat Lithograph

Posted 02.15.08

My father was a teacher, and for years he chaperoned senior trips from Indiana to New York and Washington, D.C. in the 1940s. They traveled on the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad trains. He always brought back a deck of playing cards with the trademark "Chessie Cat" on the backs. Years later I came across a signed litho of the "Chessie Cat." The owner did not want the print, only the frame, and gave it to me. The backing board carried a label from Madsen, in Paris, on the Rue St. Honoré. I researched the artist's name (G. Gruenwald, a Viennese artist) and had a local printer confirm that I had a stone litho print. It was created to symbolize quiet restful air-conditioned travel, "Sleep like a kitten," for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad in 1937. It's a great treasure from my childhood. Unfortunately, when I graduated, we traveled by bus on our senior trip.
— Nan
Camby, Indiana

1932 Babe Ruth Baseball

Posted 02.11.08

My wife and I enjoy going to tag sales and one day I picked up a free cardboard box of plastic containers. I put the box in the garage and I didn't look it over until the following October when I was going to our landfill. I started tossing items that I didn't want into the trunk of my car when I picked up this old baseball that wasn't in very good condition. I was about to toss it with the other stuff when I saw the name "Babe Ruth." Well, I am not a baseball fan so I put the ball in my sock drawer and I forgot about it. In March, 2006, there was a story about the "Lost Treasures of Baseball" in the USA Weekend Magazine. The 1932 World Series "Called Shot" baseball that Babe Ruth hit off the Chicago Cubs pitcher Charlie Root was one of the lost treasures. I had never looked at that old baseball I put away in my sock drawer several years ago. I couldn't see very much outside of the signature so I went to my workbench and looked at the ball using a light with a magnifying lens. WOW! There's a lot of stuff on this baseball. A partial "YA," "CUB," the date 1932, a small hole, and some of the stitching is ripped apart. And this is just some of what is there. The signature has not been authenticated, but my gut feeling is that this could be the "Called Shot" baseball.
— Harold
Shaftsbury, Vermont

An Important Shelf Liner

Posted 01.28.08

While cleaning out my parents' home I discovered a couple of flat pieces of cardboard lying on a shelf under some other items. As I was about to throw them away, I happened to slide them apart and inside was a nice looking print. Peering more closely, I realized that it was signed "Grant Wood, 1937." I consulted a friend who is an art professor and she verified that I had found "Tree Planting Group" by Grant Wood. It was also noted on the print in Mr. Wood's pencil that it was a gift to Mr. and Mrs. Hudson Stroud. I knew who Hudson was because he was a fairly famous author in the 1950s through the 1970s and professor of creative writing at the University of Alabama where my dad was an accounting professor and business school dean for many years. I also knew that Hudson was one of Dad's tax accounting clients and that they were good friends. The print must have been a gift to my parents from the Stroud's. I don't know why they never had it framed and left it in the closet but it is now framed, de-foxed, and happily hanging on my wall. Always look at what is lining the shelves!
— Sarah
Lexington, Kentucky

A Real Find

Posted 12.28.07

One day I spotted a ladder-back arm chair in a local shop in Washington D.C. At first I thought it was a reproduction, but when I noticed its beautiful patina I could see tiger maple, as well as wear on the arms and legs. I had a feeling it was an original, but not sure. I noticed another customer admiring it, so when he stepped away I, of course, grabbed it! I took it to the owner, a friend who was happy that I wanted it. She thought the chair was a reproduction, but I still thought it was original. I bought it for $120. As I was leaving the other customer approached me and said, "You have a real find." He said he was a fine antiques dealer and that the chair was authentic and was completely original. I was thrilled!! He believed it was made in the Tennessee-Kentucky valley area around 1790 and 1810. The owner, who overheard our conversation smiled and said, "Don't take that chair to the ANTIQUES ROADSHOW and find out it's worth $1,000 or more." I replied smiling, "I just might do that."
— Bill
Washington D.C.

The Petty Family Archive

Posted 12.21.07

One of the many things the Petty racing family was famous for was the "Petty Boneyard." Simply put it was a wooded area where the old race cars would be towed after their days on the track had come to a close. In 1987 I had the opportunity to spend some time with Richard and his father while working on a magazine article. We were given access to the "Boneyard" one afternoon. Talk about a NASCAR museum, the further we walked into the woods the further back in time we went. Eventually the numbers on the doors went from 43 (Richard's) to 42 (Lee's). We came to an old rusted 1957 Oldsmobile with the number 42 on the door. Only on this car the "2" had been hand-painted into a "3," giving us the impression that this was most likely Richard's first race car. Upon further exploration I came upon a piece of machined aluminum filling in a part of the dashboard area. On the aluminum was the name "Richard" written in pencil in a child's handwriting. I removed this piece and showed it to Richard later that day. He autographed it and it went home with me.

Fast forward to 1992. On a return trip to Randleman, North Carolina, I asked to go back to the "Boneyard." Richard said that a few years prior the EPA had come in and either removed or buried all the vehicles. Consequently, I now have what I believe is the only piece of Richard's first car with not only his autograph as an adult but also as a child. In addition, I attended his last race and tribute concert in Atlanta and have a complete set of tickets and passes from that. Basically, I have the career bookends of one of auto racing's most famous drivers.
— Paul
Plymouth, Michigan

Humbled by a Humble Sign

Posted 12.17.07

Thirty years ago I bought a house from a man who had worked with my dad for Humble Oil Company. In the shed out in the back was a large enameled Humble Oil sign. I gave it to my dad thinking that he would want it. He kept it out in his backyard for about five years and then placed it in his sister's barn. When we returned to his sister's last year I asked my dad to find my old sign that had been in the barn for about 20-plus years. I took it home and decided to sell it since no one that I gave it to seemed to want it. I got an offer of $300 and then someone said "Why not try an online auction?" Well, after a week it sold for $1,825 to a dealer in New York City. My sign went from a Louisiana shed, to a backyard, to a barn, and then to downtown New York. Wow! What did I do with the money? I took my mom, dad, and daughter on a cruise.
— Cheryl
Lafayette, Louisiana

Who Knows Nutting?

Posted 12.10.07

I live in a small town in Eastern Ontario, Canada, where an auction is held every month at the local hall. The local antiques market dealers, along with the local townsfolk flock there hoping to get a good deal on glass, pottery, and silver from estate sales. This auction is also known for its original works of art in oil and watercolor, and attracts many dealers knowledgeable in paintings. One night the paintings were being sold by lots; you could pick as many as you wanted for a specified price. I waited until the price went down to $10, and went up to take my pick. While I was poking around the tables, I noticed what appeared to be a print that had been colored in. To my surprise it was signed by Wallace Nutting and entitled "Grandmother's Sheffield." I bought it for $10 and after contacting several auctions houses I learned that it is worth as much as $300! So much for "knowledgeable art dealers!"
— Pat
Pakenham, Ontario

Grandma's Four Golden Rules

Posted 12.3.07

I owe my collecting hobby to my grandmother, who taught me some valuable lessons while I was at the tender age of eight. As we toured her "doll room," she would constantly remind me to 1) Narrow my collecting so that I became the expert, 2) Know your prices, 3) Pay attention to condition, and 4) Enjoy what you collect. She used her antique doll-collecting hobby to subsidize her family's earnings and many of her dolls commanded top dollar at many New York auctions. She was well known in the Chicago area as the "expert."

Being a guy, my focus became cars and parts, with the parts actually becoming my specialty. I would travel from town to town buying old car dealer inventory and found that this part-time job paid for my entire college education through a Masters degree. I decided to start my first collection, following the lessons learned from my grandmother, and saved all of the car emblems found at the various dealers. These were all new-in-the-box Chevy, Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Ford, Rambler, Nash, Studebaker, Chrysler, and Cadillac, era 1940 to 1980, which at the time, did not command very much money. To me, they were like jewelry and I marveled at the artistry that went into each of the individual designs. My collection got a bit out of hand and I stopped when I hit around 2,500 pieces. Luckily the collection did not take up much space and never became a burden on our household.

Well, time has a way of making many things valuable and I now subsidize my family's income by selling on eBay. We've had individual emblems bring over $300 and our emblems have found their way onto top show cars from all over the world. The hardest part was actually selling my first emblem, as I had broken a rule by becoming emotionally attached to the collection (a lesson I must have missed). Having sold off around only part of our collection, we are well on our way to putting our daughter through college and paying off the mortgage on our house. We continue to collect, but have branched out into a different specialty: railroad collectibles. I continue to follow the rules set forth by my grandmother and have become one of the county's experts on railroad artwork, having recently spoken at the George Bush Library in College Park, Texas, worked as an appraiser, and have had many articles published in train magazines. Thank you, Grandma, for your valuable lessons, I paid attention.
— Greg
Winfield, Illinois

The Lady in the Mink Coat

Posted 11.26.07

I lived down the street from an auction house in the early 1970s. I used to walk to it on Tuesdays before I went to work. One day there was a big turnout and one of the items for sale was a smoke stand that, although had interesting design, was black and looked as if it had been through a fire. The bidding began and as everyone else dropped out (at about $10) I knew I was bidding against only one other person. At $12 we both leaned into the crowd to see who we were bidding against. My heart sank when I saw the lady in the mink jacket. I, on the other hand, was in blue jeans and a T-shirt. As soon as she looked at me she dropped out of the bidding and I got the smoke stand for $12. Although it didn't clean up as nice as I hoped I did get it clean enough to tell that at one time it was brass. The blue crystal ashtray that was in the bowl (since broken) was why I wanted it. I still have it and love to tell the story about the lady in the mink.
— Lesley
Louisville, Kentucky

A Quilt and a Western for a Kind Gesture

Posted 11.19.07

While looking for clothes at the local Salvation Army store and not sure of what I could afford, I picked up a magnetic fish game that reminded me of one I had years ago. It also seemed the only thing I could afford at the moment. I then walked passed the nearly empty bookshelves and found a book by Harry Brown for 25 cents. I kept it, deciding that it would be a good read, and continued on to the linen table, happy with my two items. While pulling out a tangle of sheets, blankets, and a mixture of curtains I pulled on a quilt. It had a patchwork of panels made of different fabric scenes. I was so happy, but when I pulled it completely I noticed it had a slight smell, stains, fading on one panel, and a few seams had unraveled. I was going to put it back but decided not to. Then I noticed it had handmade stitching. And handmade stitching meant the quilt was not machine- or factory-made. With the condition it was in I didn't know what to do, until a woman clear across the table and near the clothes racks rushed over and suddenly started searching near me while eyeing the quilt. I decided to keep it. The woman followed me until I was near the cash register and gave up after realizing I was not going to let the quilt go. At the register, I really wanted the quilt and the other two items, but only had $9 on me, not enough for the quilt. A man standing in the line eyed the fish game and asked if I was buying it. I said yes, but after a moment, I asked if he had kids and he said yes. So I gave it to him. With that gesture, the Salvation Army cashier smiled at me and gave me the quilt for $3 and the book for free. I was so happy as I walked home. At home, I found out the book was a 1960 first edition Western by Harry Brown and although the quilt has no name, identification of who made it, or when it is still handmade and beautiful. I hope to care for and preserve it, and hopefully learn from it.
— Norma
Bronx, New York

R. Tourte Watercolors

Posted 11.12.07

I lived in Texas for many years in the 1970s. One day my husband met a retired doctor, who had no spouse and no children. We invited him over to our house and he fitted right in with our family. We loved him for his gentleness, wisdom, and caring ways for our children that were at that time ages five, three, and one. My family adopted him as our children's grandfather and he adopted us as his family. Needless to say, he was at our home for dinner at least twice a week, every weekend, and at every family function including holidays. His photo was often in family pictures. For us he was the grandfather; my parents lived in New York and my husband's father had passed. When my husband decided to move to south Florida he appeared very sad and we were sad, as well, to leave him behind. However, due to his failing health he reassured us that he had made plans to live in an assisted living house and he had everything arranged. Upon our departure he gave me as a gift his collection of R. Tourte watercolors and the artist binder that had a collection of ink block prints. He said "I know that as an artist yourself you will appreciate it." I framed a few pieces and left the others in the binder. A few years after we left Texas he passed away. His wisdom and caring ways remain with us forever.
— Margaret
Plantation, Florida

The Holy Grail of Movie Posters

Posted 11.5.07

My next-door neighbors recently came over and asked my husband if he could help them move some rather heavy furniture out of a house that belonged to their daughter-in-law's deceased parents. After we finished helping, they offered us a bag of old movie posters and memorabilia that the parents had from owning an old movie theater. While burning trash we were hauling off from the house, we decided to go through the bag. My husband pulled out a poster that read "Metropolis." It had pictured at the bottom a very fake, scary-looking creature. Having five kids, my husband said, "I'm going to keep this to scare our kids." Laughing, I grabbed the poster and threw it on the fire. Later the same night I was watching ANTIQUES ROADSHOW when they asked a collector of movie memorabilia what would be the Holy Grail find for him? He replied by saying, "I would like to find the US version movie poster of the movie Metropolis." He said it would be priceless to him! I looked at my husband staring at me and said, "Don't you say a word!" Needless to say, I cried the whole night.
— Cynthia
Poplarville, Mississippi

Souvenir of a Lifetime

Posted 10.29.07

During the summer of 1959 I was on liberty from the USS Taconic AGC-17 in Villefranche-sur-Mer, France. I had grown tired of sailors' haunts and wanted to see real French life. I walked past the waterfront after visiting little family-owned restaurants, etc., when the demolition of a boathouse caught my eye. I was able to poke about without being challenged and up toward the interior of the roof was, I thought, a cobweb-covered coat of arms. I asked a worker if he knew who owned the clump of dust; he said no one and that the boathouse was being destroyed and rebuilt. I asked if I could buy the clump from him and he eagerly said "Yes, five dollars American." This might be the souvenir of a lifetime, and I was eager to pay him to climb up to get it for me.

When I was able to clean the dirt off the prize it turned out to be a large dark, wooden clock. It is spring-wound with a pendulum above a hooked door; the brass works is enclosed in an octagonal box with lead shielding behind the wooden clock face and Roman porcelain numbers. Its chime, a wound wire, is struck on the hour with a leather-covered wooden mallet. The clock is 25 inches tall and 18 inches wide with deeply carved and intricately detailed dark wood. It has a fox on one side and a hound opposite with grapes, vines, and birds in the center. The brass works has an outline image of a bell with the stamped words "EISERIN BREVETE SC" arched over and under the bell that is bordered on each side with the letters E and S. Underneath is stamped 1595, and below that are a random two separate 5s. Personal value? Priceless! Real value? Unknown.
— Dennis
Churubusco, Indiana

Land Survey Equipment?

Posted 10.22.07

About five years ago my younger brother was a garbage man. He found a wooden box with some type of measuring device inside of it. Well, I was at one time on a land survey crew and I love antiques as well. My brother, thinking it was something used for surveying land, brought it home for me. We usually only see each other on holidays and he rode around with this wooden box in the back of his pickup truck for about two months. Then on Christmas, when he was loading up his family to leave our mom's house, he spotted the box. He handed it to me and told me about finding it in the trash and that it was really old looking. He really thought it was land survey equipment. I did some research on my little wooden box and what was inside it. That's when I discovered that what my brother found in the trash was truly a treasure. Inside of that wooden box was a stadimeter. This is not just any stadimeter, either. I am the proud owner of Lt. Fiske's Stadimeter, Pat. Pending No. 7 from the 1890s. I have done hours of research looking for a stadimeter like mine. I have never found one, not even on eBay! However, I did find one very similar... at the Smithsonian! Mine is older and in much better condition than theirs! Wow, talk about a treasure. This was a type of survey equipment for sure, but it was used on the seas, not the land.
— Paula
Macclenny, Florida

Hidden Lithographs

Posted 10.15.07

When we moved my mother's things up to our Alaskan home after she passed away, we inherited a wealth of art work that was hers and my fathers. My mother, Pamela Mason, was a well-known western artist and my father, Hubert Mason, was an engineer and commercial artist, more fondly remembered for his caricatures and humorous art. When we moved some of their "boxes" of materials out of our downstairs after an argument with the sewer line, I began to go through some of the materials that they had stored away. In one box there was a plastic bag holding a tissue-wrapped package of about 100 lithographs by H. M. Wall and others. These are beautiful original proofs and color originals for seed catalogues and children's book illustrations, such as the "One Syllable Series," which must have been popular at the turn of the last century.

Wall was my mother's aunt's husband and apparently was a well-known New York lithographer who was active in the late 1800s and early 1900s. While I had seen a few of the flower illustrations, I was amazed at the package and number of originals casually wrapped and stored away. All are in excellent condition and the colors are like new! When I went onto the Internet I looked up "H. M. Wall lithographer" and was immediately directed to what turned out to be a Smithsonian Institute display on lithography. One of the displays showed a Child's catalog and a cover photograph of one of Wall's lithographs! Now my challenge is to find our how much they are worth and where I can auction or sell a portion of them — it would be a shame to put them back in the box!
— Michael
Anchorage, Alaska

First Place Oars

Posted 10.5.07

About 23 years ago my father bought an old apartment building in Medford, Massachusetts, which he renovated. When he was cleaning the basement he found a pair of black walnut oars that he used to prop up the basement windows. Then my brother noticed that the oars had engraved plates on each of them. One of the inscriptions read, "1st Prize Lake Winipiseogee August 3rd, 1852." The inscription on the other oar read, "Won at the Regatta between Harvard and Yale by the Harvard Club Oneida Class of '53." The regatta was the first intercollegiate sporting event in North America. The oars are the first place prize that was presented to the Harvard crew who won the regatta over Yale.

Attending the regatta and presenting the oars to the Harvard crew was General Franklin Pierce, who was running for president of the United States of America, and who later became the 14th President of the United States of America in 1853. My father discovered that this event has much historical value. It was the beginning of all college sport competitions in North America. An abundance of history surrounds this race. He also learned that approximately one third of the courageous rowers who participated in this historic regatta went on to become officers in the Civil War. In addition, his research also revealed that a superintendent from the Boston, Concord, and Montreal Railroad Company offered to pay for the expenses associated with the regatta, expecting that it would promote train travel to New Hampshire's Lake Winnipesaukee region. Once Harvard and Yale agreed with the superintendent's offer, the first college rivalry in all of North America began.
— Paul
Ogunquit, Maine

A Wave From Heaven

Posted 10.1.07

A friend called the other night to ask if I'd seen the ANTIQUES ROADSHOW that just aired (Part 2 from Bismarck). She said a woman showed a framed Kodak advertisement she bought at my grandparent's Fortuna, North Dakota, shop. I recalled the item, thanked my friend for calling, and sat musing at the coincidence of that show airing the very week my late grandmother would have turned 99 years old.

A few minutes later it hit me why that Kodak collectible was so familiar. Of all the antiques in my grandparents' shop, for some reason I have in my photo album a picture of me holding that very item. I was visiting Fortuna in 1982 and my grandmother wanted a photo of the advertisement to send to a prospective buyer. I agreed to hold the framed advertisement and have my picture taken. It was funny because Grandma always used an old Kodak box camera to take pictures, and the advertisement was a picture of a woman taking a photograph of a family group. The legend on the frame reads, "Keep a Kodak Story of the Children." I also took a picture of Grandma that day.

I found both photographs in my album, side by side. Knowing how fastidious Grandma was about writing on the backs of photographs, I checked to see what she wrote on the backs of these. Mine simply had my name on it, but hers read "Grandma Martha Scheff, 75 years." That's when I remembered the reason I was in Fortuna that day, 24 years ago. It was grandma's 75th birthday! I can't help but feel the appearance of this Kodak advertisement on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW is a little wave from heaven #8212; not to mention a scold to remember to do a better job of documenting my own family's memories! I would love to find the woman who owns that Kodak collectible now. I don't want to buy it, but I would like to share this story with her. It feels rather amazing to me.
— Cecile
Fortuna, North Dakota

An Austrian Hutch

Posted 9.24.07

I met Chuck about 10 years ago. I always admired this beautiful hutch he had in his house. He had bought it 10 years previously at an estate sale in Los Angeles. When he decided to sell his house he sold all his furniture except the hutch. I couldn't possibly ever afford the hutch with four daughters and two grandchildren living at home. Accidentally I blurted out, "Well if you're just gonna leave the house for a realtor to sell, please don't leave the hutch!" never thinking I would ever own it. Well, lo and behold, he told me I could have it! It is my most treasured antique and I am so happy it came into my life! Now comes the impossible search to find out if it's really an 1870 Austrian hutch. Thank you, Chuck!!!
— Linda
Squaw Valley, California

Bidding on the Small Stuff

Posted 9.17.07

My mother and I have a weekly hobby of going to a local Saturday night auction. One night the crowd was a little bigger than usual. The sale was from a local gentleman that most everyone knew. After most of the bigger items and furniture had been sold, the auctioneer moved onto the kitchen items and junk boxes. That is when most folks decided to visit the snack bar. But for the ones who stuck around... we hit GOLD! In one box there were programs from the University of North Carolina basketball games with a young Michael Jordan as one of the players. I missed out on those. My box, bought for $2 because it had a great pie taker and other kitchen items, held a small, brown vase. After taking it home, washing it off, and looking at the bottom, I found out that it was a McCoy Pottery vase and it has been appraised at $50. So the next time the auctioneer starts bidding on the small stuff just hang around!
— Hope
Mebane, North Carolina

Time to Dust the Toys

Posted 9.10.07

When my brothers and I were just little kids back in the 1930s in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, once every year my Aunt Marian would tell us that it was time to dust the toys in the cubby hole in the attic. Would we like to help her? We waited each year to hear her say that. The cubby hole was a trap door in the attic of my grandmother's house that contained toys that were my father's, uncle's, and aunt's, dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s. As my aunt would take them out, we were allowed to hold them and look at them but never do anything that would hurt them. After the toys were dusted, they were put back in the cubby hole to await their next annual dusting.

My aunt died in the 1990s and the toys from the cubby hole were given to my cousins, brothers, and me. My prize possession, a toy that I selected, is a metal wind-up toy with a boy, Patty, riding on the back of a pig. Patty has on the original tan material britches, cape, and knickers. The pig has a metal cape painted red and trimmed in gold. Patty has on a green top hat and is holding the reins to the pig. The saddle is light green. When you wind it up, Patty goes back and forth like he is riding a horse and his arms move up and down, pulling the reins. It still works. The lettering beneath the works says LEAMANN'S D. R. PATENTE ENGL.PATENTS. Made in Germany. U.ST.A Pat'd 12 MAY 1903. There is a marking on the saddle and underneath that resembles a bell hanging from a barbell. I don't think there is anything that I treasure more than Patty's Pig. I took it to Freeman's Auction House in Philadelphia to have it appraised and they were very impressed.
— Robert
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A Presidential Discovery

Posted 8.31.07

I tend to frequent coin and antiques shows. At one show I was intrigued by a box of old cancelled stock certificates, which I purchased as a group without really going through them. Weeks later, when I did have time to rummage through them, I found laying folded in the bottom of the box an old land grant for property near the old Fort Dodge in Iowa. It was a presidential land grant signed by President James Buchanan himself. I'd call that a presidential discovery!
— C. Douglas
Draper, Utah

Original Maija Painting

Posted 8.27.07

While my husband and I were out garage-saling we went to an apartment where a lady was selling her mother's furniture and household items. My husband spotted a beautiful large painting of an Indian chief and purchased it for $20. He proudly took it home (I wasn't as enthused as he was) and hung it in the dining room. For one year it hung there when I decided to look at the name and check it on the internet to see if the painter was on there. And she was: It was an original painting by Maija. I sold it on eBay, with my husband's approval, for $500!
— Corrine
Bothell, Washington

Buy What You Like

Posted 8.20.07

I used to frequent an auction barn out in the country. I saw a piece of pottery in amber/ochre/green tones that I liked. I only saw it from a distance, but decided I wanted it, and requested it to go next. Sure enough, I got the piece for $15. There were no markings on it, but I liked it. Months later I was looking through a book on Ohio pottery at a local bookstore. And there it was! A jardiniere made by Roseville in a pattern called "Autumn." It was made before 1918 when pieces were identified only by paper stickers. The book indicated a value of $750. And there I was, alone in the middle of the bookstore, dying to say "Hey, someone, come here and look at this! I have this!!!" I can't say I like the piece any more than I did before I found it was worth $750, but I can attest: buy what you like!
— Rita
Cleveland, Ohio

1885 Crazy Quilt

Posted 8.13.07

Recently we visited a friend in Florida. She knows that I'm a quilter and asked if I would like to see a quilt she had. When she put it out for me to see I got goose bumps. For 30 years she has had this beauty folded in the top of her closet. I, needless to say, went bananas!! When we met her the next day she said that she had finally made a decision about the quilt. She would not give it to me, but was willing to share it with me because of my reaction to its beauty. It is dated 1885, has spiders, shoes, a three-dimensional butterfly, an owl, a horse, stars, names, initials — too many things to mention! And the stitching around the patches is outstanding. Finally, it is trimmed in a red velvet border and ecru lace. It is a delight to behold. I had planned to hang it but was advised not to. Only one little spot has shown any real wear amazingly enough. It was appraised for $1,800. She gave me the appraisal. I was told to lay it against something if I wanted to show it, which I definitely do, changing its position once a week. I will never let it be hidden away again! Although she is not aware of all the history behind the patches, I'm sure there are many stories to be told. How lucky can you get to be sharing this beautiful piece of art?
— Nancy
West Chester, Pennsylvania