Additional Coverage:
- ‘Antiques Roadshow’ guest breaks down after hearing the value of her heirloom with ‘dramatic story’ (marketrealist.com)
A recent episode of “Antiques Roadshow” featured a heartwarming and emotional appraisal. An elderly woman brought in a collection of her grandmother’s jewelry, each piece carrying a remarkable story of family history and survival.
The guest recounted her family’s dramatic escape from Russia during the revolution. Her grandmother and aunt fled with the jewels, hiding beneath rags at the bottom of a boat.
Tragically, other family members, including two uncles and a pregnant aunt, were killed. Her grandfather, a member of the Tsar’s cabinet, was also executed.
Eventually, with the help of her father, an American spy, the family made their way to the United States.
Expert Sarah Churgin examined the collection, highlighting a brooch and a ring. Although unmarked, she identified them as noble jewelry, indicative of the family’s wealth.
The ring, made of platinum with cut diamonds and a ruby center, likely of Burmese origin, was particularly noteworthy. Churgin recommended having the ruby certified.
The guest was stunned when Churgin appraised the brooch at $15,000 to $20,000. “And I brought it here in my pocketbook!”
she exclaimed, nearly in tears. The ring, despite its worn condition, received a similar valuation, thanks to its precious stones.
The combined value of the brooch and ring, totaling between $30,000 and $40,000, left the guest overwhelmed. She expressed a poignant wish that the jewels could speak, as they held such a dramatic story. The segment served as a powerful reminder of the historical and emotional significance that can be attached to seemingly ordinary objects.