Best antique bargin you ever found?

**noodlesoup** · 08-05-2007, 09:41 PM

My sister found an 1890s Japanese hand carved calling card box at Goodwill for 25 cents, it is worth $1500!

**kaykwilts** · 08-05-2007, 10:48 PM

I don't know enough about antiques to be able to spot one in a thrift store if it came up upon me and bit me in the leg. Wish I was knowledgeable. I bet I have passed by many a good bargains that on the surface looked worthless but is worth a mint.

**mydaisy2003** · 08-05-2007, 11:24 PM

Awesome find for her. Congrats!!! But I have to agree that I wouldn't know a great antique even if it was in front of me either. Which is a great thing for someone else who does.

**shadomoon** · 08-05-2007, 11:46 PM

I only look for 'antiques' that I know about - my own pop culture items that I am familiar with. They are few and far between but I can only look for what I understand.

**danceswduckys** · 08-06-2007, 12:51 AM

Hubby and I like to watch Antique Roadshow sometimes. It's amazing how many people find deals like your sister! One time a guy found an original painting by a well known artist in a garage that was worth more than $20,000! If I had the skill and the luck, I'd have all medical debt taken care of!

**autumnlynn** · 08-06-2007, 05:49 AM

I found three old Hummel figuerines at a yard sale. The lady wanted $5.00 for them. I asked her if she knew anything about them and she said only that her mother-in-law had brought them to her from Germany.

I couldn't take them for $5.00 and told her they were valuable and to keep them. She was so happy!!

**frugalfarmwife** · 08-06-2007, 07:31 AM

Autumlyn that was so kind of you!

The best I've gotten was a hand written soldiers diary from the civil war, I got it in a box lot at an auction for a dollar

Did a bit of research and sold it on ebay to a collector who was THRILLED with it for over $400.00

kj

**FrugalMomof3** · 08-06-2007, 08:04 AM

I too wouldnt know if anything was valuable either but I can say I once purchased a authentic LV briefcase bag for $1 at a flea market and sold it for $500 on ebay.

I bought it with the thought it was a fake then I took it to the LV store in the mall and he stated it was authentic and valued at over $800.

**Jaded** · 08-06-2007, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by autumnlynn

I found three old Hummel figuerines at a yard sale. The lady wanted $5.00 for them. I asked her if she knew anything about them and she said only that her mother-in-law had brought them to her from Germany.

I couldn't take them for $5.00 and told her they were valuable and to keep them. She was so happy!!

I'm so glad you did that. I would have too.

I haven't ever found anything valuable that I know of, but I've never had anything appraised.

**AnitasArts** · 08-09-2007, 08:41 PM

I found a Wavecrest dresser box from the Victorian era at a garage sale for $1.00. I had no clue what it was. I thought it just looked pretty. After I got home and researched it I about had a cow! I sold it on ebay for $550.00

**pkellyc** · 08-10-2007, 10:52 AM

Years ago a family in our church was burned out of their home. One of the elderly women who belonged to our church was donating a bed to the family. The ex husband and I went to pick it up and just loved the 1819 hand carved bed. We made such a fuss over it the woman gave it to us with the stipulation that we get the church family a bed of their own. We promptly did so. I don't remember the value of the bed but I know we had it insured. In the end I left the bed and now I am wondering if the ex still has it. He just loved that bed. More than I did by the way.

**Judi Dial** · 08-20-2007, 05:52 PM

Well, I'm a used bookseller, so I won't talk about the books. It's how I used to make my money and I have way more knowledge than the average Joe, so I expect to make money when I buy books.

All that said, the best used deal I probably ever got was two Halliburton suitcases (the aluminum ones) for $35 at a junk shop. There was a cop in the shop telling them how valuable the suitcases were and the price kept going up. DH was travelling a lot and I figured that it would possibly help with the airlines destroying his luggage all the time, so I bought them.

Five years later, the airline ran a luggage cart over one and paid us $150 for it. A few years after that, they sprung the other one and paid for new locks (about $80) and a repair job. So, one's gone, we have a new set of locks, and still have the other.

I didn't know what they were when I bought them, like I said, I was just thinking that maybe we wouldn't have to buy DH a new suitcase every year if I bought them, and I was right!

JD