'Antiques Roadshow' guest brings an old pocket watch. Now, it's one of the most valued items on the show
Sometimes a seemingly common item, be it a doorstop or a toy, could turn out to be extremely valuable. That's why it isn't surprising that the most expensive item ever appraised on "Antiques Roadshow" US is something that doesn't look extraordinary, despite being a work of intricate craftsmanship. According to Entertainment Weekly, the most expensive item to appear on "Antiques Roadshow" U.S. so far is a Patek Phillippe pocket watch. The gold pocket watch is extremely special to the owner as it has been with him for a long time. The timepiece has many unique features and comes with the original box, a warranty, as well as several extra parts.
The watch was discovered in St. Paul, Minnesota, and was featured in an episode of the show that was aired on June 26, 2004. At the time that watch was valued at $1.5 million according to the official website of Antiques Roadshow. Appraiser Lark E. Mason gave the owner a significant margin, as per Entertainment Weekly. The watch's owner Robert explained that the timepiece was a family heirloom and was created by Swiss watchmaker Patek Phillipe. "This watch was handed down from my great-grandfather. He was the owner of the 'St. Paul Pioneer Press and Dispatch' back in 1914, when he received this watch. And it was handed down from him to my father, and then he gave it to me."
Another item which is also one the most expensive items to ever appear on the show was a set of Chinese rhinoceros horn cups which was initially bought by a collector named Doug for $5,000. The cups were found in Tulsa back in 2011 and were estimated to be worth roughly $185,000 to $250,000 per cup, which brought the total set's worth to $1-$1.5 million. However, later it was reported that only two of the cups found a buyer.
The third most expensive item ever appraised on "Antiques Roadshow" U.S. is a Boston Red Stockings baseball card and a letter from the time when the team was first formed, a collection that was estimated to be worth $1 million. The woman who had the card explained that it originally belonged to her great-great-grandmother, who had a boarding house in Boston where the team stayed back in 1871.
Another very expensive item appraised on the show was a 1904 oil painting from acclaimed Mexican artist Diego Rivera, and a man from Corpus Christi, Texas walked away with an appraisal of $800,000 to $1 million for it in 2012. The painting which was called “El Albañil,” was later sold at $2.2 million. Another famous and very expensive painting on the show was a portrait of Frederic Remington along with a letter signed by Remington himself. The item was appraised at $600,000 to $800,000, because of Remington’s popularity.
