Additional Coverage:
- ‘Antiques Roadshow’ guest almost cries after hearing the value of items left behind by her late mom (marketrealist.com)
A Pennsylvania woman was nearly brought to tears on PBS’s Antiques Roadshow after learning the staggering value of her late mother’s jewelry collection. The collection, described by appraiser Lucy Gorgan as a “wonderful snapshot” of four major jewelry periods, included an Art Deco brooch, a 1920s compact, a 1950s woven purse, and a 1960s pendant.
The guest inherited the items from her mother, a stylish Pittsburgh socialite, who passed away two years prior. She believed many of the pieces were gifts.
Gorgan began with the dazzling Art Deco brooch, composed of platinum, diamonds, and an estimated six carats total diamond weight. Its value?
$7,000. Next, she examined the gold and silver compact, a “wonderful example of the 1920s” Retro period, complete with sapphire clasps and the prestigious Tiffany & Co. signature.
This piece was appraised at $1,000.
The real showstopper, however, was the 18-karat gold woven purse from the 1950s Retro period. Featuring a diamond and emerald clasp, the Italian-made handbag was valued at a remarkable $20,000. Finally, the Van Cleef & Arpels pendant, adorned with a five-and-a-half carat Colombian emerald, was estimated at $10,000.
The combined appraised value of the collection reached $38,000, leaving the guest speechless and emotional. “Oh, thank you, Lucy,” she managed, fighting back tears. “She’d [her mother] be so pleased.”