Free Republic

"You OK?" the appraiser said as the man went down to the ground, heels over head. "Don't fall. I'm not done." An Air Force veteran fell backward to the ground in disbelief after learning a watch he purchased for $345.97 nearly a half-century ago could go for several hundred thousand dollars. The man, featured this week in PBS's popular show “Antiques Roadshow,” showed his virtually unworn 1971 Rolex Oyster Cosmograph to appraiser Peter Planes. The veteran, who has not been identified, explained he was stationed in southeast Asia in the 1970s when he became fascinated by Rolex watches after seeing...

PBS favorite “Antiques Roadshow” has admitted that it mistakenly claimed a grotesque jug dated back to the 19th century, when it was really from a 1970s Oregon high school art class. Appraiser Stephen Fletcher originally said that the piece, featured in a January episode of the show, was worth up to $50,000. -snip The weird pot had migrated about 60 miles from its birthplace at Churchill High School in the years between 1973 or 74 and last summer, when new owner Alvin Barr was thrilled that his estate sale find could be worth a small fortune. Soule and friends contacted...

Father Jamie MacLeod unknowingly bought the work of Anthony Van Dyck 12 years ago at an antique shop for $670. But after being authenticated by the TV program ‘Antiques Roadshow,’ the portrait could now sell for as much as $839,000 at auction. MacLeod plans to use the money to buy church bells to commemorate the end of WWI. A British priest who picked up a painting for $670 is likely to see it sold at auction for as much as $839,000. The BBC reported that Father Jamie MacLeod found Anthony Van Dyck’s Flemish Baroque work 12 years ago in a...

I have come across a piece which looks like a Mayan death mask, anyone know much about this type of possible artifact?

The Kazanjian Red Diamond, one of the most spectacular gemstones ever discovered, goes on display today at the American Museum of Natural History. Red is the rarest color in diamonds — less than 20 are known to exist in the world today. What’s more, the Kazanjian Red Diamond has an amazing back story. The gem was discovered in the 1920s in Litchenburg, South Africa. When found, it was a hefty 35 carats uncut. A diamond broker paid a modest eight pounds per carat for it. It was later sent to Amsterdam to be cut and polished by the Goudiv brothers....

My father's father served in WWII, and brought home with him a German Luger (with holster). My father wondered how he'd go about finding its value, and I told him I'd try to see if I could get some answers here. So...any ideas on where to take it or what to do to find the value? Or, suggestions on how to sell it? Thanks!

E-mail to my brother: "Mom brought home a knife with a swastika on it today that one of her hospice clients was sending to good will. It turns out to be an authentic Hitler Youth Knife with the original sheath: "I don't want it in the house. I could clean it up and sell it on ebay... I could keep it until one of Obama's youth corps shows up at the door and hand it over to them with a good explanation. Don't know if you would want it. Its interesting for something like this to turn up at a...

It's said that one man's trash is another's treasure. And that's right-on in the world or collectibles. All that stuff cluttering up your closets, attic, and garage -- those little knick-knacks, such as old dolls, baseball cards, comic books or action figures, might be more than just junk. On The Early Show Saturday Edition, Reyne Haines, an appraiser on the PBS series "Antiques Roadshow" had tips to help you determine whether all that stuff is trash, or treasure. And she went into detail on numerous types of items: Barbie dolls The 1959 original recently sold for a fortune Aside from...

NEW YORK — An abstract masterpiece by a Mexican artist that was found in the trash by a woman who knew little about modern art has been sold for more than $1 million. The painting "Tres Personajes" by Rufino Tamayo was discovered in 2003 by Elizabeth Gibson, who spotted it on her morning walk on Manhattan's Upper West Side. She said she took it home because "even though I didn't understand it, I knew it had power." The brightly colored abstract work was purchased for $1,049,000 by an unidentified private American collector bidding by phone at Sotheby's Latin American Art...

Mrs. F. received this largeish piece of jewelry from a relative for her birthday (that'd be the jewelry there on the left, wisenheimer). Long story short, the donative relative has no idea what kind of stone or setting this is.

A stumbling visitor to a top museum has destroyed a set of priceless vases which stood on a shelf for 40 years. The 300-year-old Qing vases were among the best known artefacts at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. The visitor is said to have slipped on a loose shoelace and fallen down a staircase bringing the vases crashing down as he tried to steady himself. The vases, donated in 1948, were said to hold a "significant value" and were among the best known pieces on display. The museum declined to identify the man who had tripped. The accident happened last...