Additional Coverage:
- ‘Antiques Roadshow’ guest thought his pickle jar was worth $50 — then he found out its real value (marketrealist.com)
Civil War Pickle Jar Sells for $1,000 on ‘Antiques Roadshow’
Sometimes, the most unassuming items hold the greatest value. This was certainly the case for one “Antiques Roadshow” guest who brought in a simple glass bottle he believed was worth no more than $50. To his astonishment, an expert on the show revealed that his Civil War-era pickle jar could fetch a price tag significantly higher – a cool $1,000.
The elderly guest, with a twinkle in his eye, shared the fascinating history of the bottle. He claimed it was used by Yankee soldiers during the Civil War for their pickles.
The story took an even more personal turn when he revealed that his great-great-grandmother, a Southerner, married one of those very Union soldiers after the war. When asked how the family felt about such a union, the guest humorously replied, “I’m sure it all worked out for the best cause here I am,” eliciting laughter from the expert.
Upon closer inspection, the expert noted some wear at the bottom of the bottle, indicating it was factory-welded. While the specific factory remained a mystery, the expert was “99% sure that it’s an American bottle.” He explained that its size was typical for a jar that would have sat on a country store countertop in the 1860s or 70s.
The guest’s confidence in its use as a pickle jar stemmed from meticulous documentation by his great-great-grandmother, who detailed daily life in “Mint City,” as Dahlonega was then known. This written provenance significantly added to the item’s historical weight. The bottle itself featured a “Cathedral” pattern, consistent with the Gothic decorative arts popular during that period.
While similar “Cathedral” bottles might retail for $300 or $400, the expert emphasized that the rich, personal history attached to this particular jar elevated its value considerably. “To somebody who values that history, it’s probably more like a $1,000 bottle,” he stated, much to the guest’s delightful surprise. What started as a $50 estimation quickly gained an extra zero, proving once again that on “Antiques Roadshow,” history truly does pay.