One of the exciting parts about being an antique dealer is the hunt for exceptional antiques that other people are more than willing to throw to the curb. But, of course, quickly discarding valuable antiques isn’t always the case. The general public knows some antiques are valuable, like diamond rings and fancy antique furniture. But what about these Antiques Roadshow finds?
The owners may have had some provenance that led them to believe these items were worth a lot of money. But if you saw these items sitting in a thrift shop with no context, would you buy them? Would you know that they were possibly worth millions of dollars? Try out your appraiser skills and see if you were right on the money or wildly off base.
Antiques Roadshow Appraisals
Alexander Calder Mobile
Item: Aluminum mobile
Period: c. 1950
Aired: 7/10/2010
Value: $400,000 – $1,000,000 (Updated in 2021: $800,000 – $2,000,000)
Elias Pelletreau Silver Teapot
Item: Silver teapot
Period: c. 1750
Aired: 7/25/1998
Value: $20,000
Colima Pottery Dog Figure
Item: Pottery dog
Period: 200 BC – 200 AD
Aired: 8/8/2015
Value: $9,000 – $12,000 (Updated in 2018: $10,000 – $13,000)
Navajo Ute First Phase Blanket
Item: Blanket
Period: c. 1850
Aired: 6/9/2001
Value: $350,000 – $500,000 (Updated in 2021: $1,500,000 – $2,000,000)
Jean-Michel Basquiat Oil Stick Drawing
Item: Drawing
Period: c. 1979
Aired: 9/18/2017
Value: $400,000 (Updated in 2021: $500,000)
Tlingit Bowl & Ladle
Item: Bowl and mountain sheep horn ladle
Period: 18th – 19th century
Aired: 8/15/2009
Value: $250,000 – $300,000
Map of Lower Mississippi
Item: Paper map
Period: 1858
Aired: 8/11/2001
Value: $4,500 – $5,000 (Updated in 2016: $150,000 – $200,000)