TWO handmade bracelets that were bought at a museum in the 1970s for just $400 ended up being worth $53,000.
Antiques Roadshow appraiser Tony Abeyta was surprised to see the two bracelets made by a famous Native American artist.
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The guest explained that his parents collected jewelry, usually made of silver and turquoise, from the Southwest.
One was a simple silver bracelet with a piece of turquoise in the middle, and the other had protrusions that resembled a landscape along it.
Each bracelet costs less than $200 and was made by Charles Loloma, a Native American Hopi jeweler.
Loloma popularized the use of gold and other previously unused precious stones in Hopi jewelry.
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“He really is the godfather of Native American jewelry. His influence and impact were unprecedented,” Abeyta said.
He explained that the handcuffs were from the beginning of Loloma’s career.
“Those [designs] it evolved into large, very complex bracelets inlaid with ironwood, coral and turquoise,” he said.
“They were very beautiful, but I went back to that period, which I like the most.”
The guest thought that the two pieces together would be valued at around US$15,000.
However, both were signed by Loloma and came with the original papers and certifications from when they were purchased, which increased their value.
Abeyta estimated that the grooved bracelet would sell for about $25,000.
“Wow, can I sit down?” the guest joked when he found out the price.
But there was more good news on the way.
The other bracelet was worth a little more, $28,000.
When the guest asked why it was more valuable, Abeyta said, “Because people like turquoise!”
“So my parents did pretty well when they bought them in the 70s,” the guest said with a smile.
BLING BLING
On another episode of Antiques Roadshow, appraiser Kevin Zavian nearly broke his scale while weighing a gold belt buckle.
The buckle appeared to be covered in gold nuggets. It was inlaid with mammoth ivory and shaped like Alaska, made of approximately five carats of diamonds.
“Those [gold] nuggets are soldered to a gold base. So even though it looks like they’re all there, it’s a lot of work and work,” he said.
“All the materials here, except the diamonds, are truly Alaskan.
“Everywhere you look there is a beautiful sign of quality that someone took care of while they were making it.”
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The seller wasn’t sure when the buckle was made, but assumed it was from the 1970s.
“This is a glow before the word existed… It’s so beautiful I want to wear it!” Zavian said.
The seller joked that he was “too fat” to wear it, so he agreed to sell it.
Ultimately, Zavian considered the belt to be worth between $20,000 and $40,000.
“That’s a little more than I was thinking!” laughed the salesman.
“You have that sparkle in your eyes and that’s what gold does to people!” Zavian said.
A brooch that was passed down from generation to generation was valued at $28,000, thanks to the designer.
The US Sun also covered a family who kept a 1920s artifact valued at $70,000.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
