Additional Coverage:
- ‘Antiques Roadshow’ guest brings a pickle from 1845 — and it was kind of a big ‘dill’ (marketrealist.com)
A Briny Blast from the Past: 180-Year-Old Pickle Makes ‘Antiques Roadshow’ History
Forget sparkling jewels and dusty paintings, a recent episode of “Antiques Roadshow” featured a decidedly more pungent treasure: a pickle, purportedly 180 years old. The unusual heirloom, preserved in a bottle, even drew the attention of two appraisers, a first for a pickled item on the show.
The guest, inheritor of this unusual family legacy, explained that the pickle had been grown inside its bottle in Burke County, Pennsylvania, back in 1845. He shared the family lore, suggesting an ancestor had placed either a small cucumber or its blossom into the narrow-necked bottle, allowing the pickle to grow within before adding brine. The pickle, he added, is traditionally passed down to the youngest child in the family.
Experts James Supp and Giles Moon were captivated by the unique item. Moon remarked on the novelty, stating it was likely their first pickle appraisal.
Beyond the pickle itself, the bottle also proved intriguing. Embossed with “George Smith and Company, Druggist, Philadelphia,” it was identified as an authentic mid-1800s American bottle.
Without the pickle, Supp estimated its worth at $150 to $200.
However, the presence of the pickle significantly boosted the value. The experts speculated that if proven to be among the oldest pickles in existence, its appeal to collectors could drive the auction price to $500-$700.
Despite the potential windfall, the guest affirmed his intention to keep the family tradition alive, passing the pickle down to his daughter. The future of this remarkably preserved piece of culinary history, it seems, remains in the brine.