'Antiques Roadshow' guest kept family heirloom hidden for years — then he learnt its real value
"Antiques Roadshow" guests often realize that they were in possession of a hidden treasure lying around in the house, once they bring an artifact, collectible or family heirloom to the show. In some cases, such precious items are hiding in plain sight, but some people keep them out of everyone else's sight. One such guest walked in with his grandparents' vintage weathervane and a clock that he had been hiding under his bed for years. While the guest didn't think much of the items, the show's expert, John Delaney, revealed that the two instruments were incredibly rare and worth about $4,500.
Talking about the story behind the items, the guest said, "Here is a weathervane and a clock that my grandparents had. They worked in upstate New York at a lodge. When they retired, these were one of the things that they gave them for retirement. They've been passed down through our family. My mother had them, now I have them. They've been hanging on the wall for years, and it was, like, we were getting ready to remodel. And we said, 'Well, these have got to go.' So we actually put them on the floor under the bed and had them under the bed for years." He further shared that it was a friend of his who recommended him to take the items to the show.
The expert, Delaney, then took over to reveal that the guest had a clock, but the other instrument was a barometer. "To have a clock and a barometer as a sort of pair is really unusual. Typically, people just buy a clock and hang it on the wall. This probably was designed to go either on either side of a window or a door," he shared. He then added, "You'll notice that they have two different dials. Barometers typically have a silver dial, and it's engraved. It's a brass dial that has a silver wash over it, and the black hand is a contrast against that. The other dial is actually enamel, and it shows up very nicely."
Looking closely, the expert found out that both items were made by the same retailer called Caldwell Company, based in New York. "Really quite incredible. These both were probably made about 1890. Actually, even in 1880. Quite early for this type of thing. Fantastic quality," he said, leaving the guest surprised. Coming to the appraisal, Delaney said that if the two items were cleaned and polished, they would be worth around $4,500 in a retail setting. The number shocked the guest, and he chuckled as he said, "Wow."
"Not bad for having something under your bed," Delaney joked. "Not at all, yes, indeed. Yeah," the guest said in response as he looked at the items with a spark in his eyes.
More on Market Realist:
'Antiques Roadshow' guest's parents called her flag print 'worthless' — then she found out its value
‘Antiques Roadshow’ guest nearly falls down after expert revealed the value of her 1915 painting
