10 of the most valuable items ever appraised on Antiques Roadshow
Antiques Roadshow has been revealing the values of some of the most precious items since 1997, but only these historic pieces got the biggest appraisals.
Antiques Roadshow guest gets his baseball cards valued
The hit PBS show Antiques Roadshow has been revealing the values of some of the most precious items since 1997, but only certain historic pieces have received the biggest appraisals ever.
The series features guests presenting rare items, whether they're family keepsakes or just plain random objects, to experts for appraisal.
Usually, guests are happy or even shocked to learn that their pieces are worth a couple thousand dollars. Other times, they're stunned speechless with a five-figure value.
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However, what has kept viewers coming back for more of this this wholesome, effortlessly educational, show-and-tell series over the many decades is the unexpected items that crop up every now and again. Fans of the beloved show have become treasure hunters themselves, sniffing out these incredible masterpieces year after year.
Here are 10 of the most valuable items appraised on Antiques Roadshow.
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10. Joseph Kleitsch oil painting
A Joseph Kleitsch oil painting dated from around 1925 was appraised in New York in 2014, and originally purchased for approximately $100.
Fine art appraiser Debra Force gave the owner a shock when she offered an estimated gallery price of $500,000.
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9. 1907 Robert Henri oil painting
In 2010, in San Diego, a woman proved family heilooms are worth keeping sometimes.
She brought in a classic oil painting by American artist Robert Henri and explained that it was given to her by her father and that the woman in the painting is her grandmother.
Appraiser Peter M. Fairbanks told her that the family keepsake should be insured for $250,000–$300,000 - a total that was later raised to $500,000–$700,000 in 2016.
8. 1896 Frederic Remington portrait with letter
Tons of paintings are appraised on Antiques Roadshow, but a 1896 Frederic Remington portrait, like the Robert Henri painting, was a keepsake as it depicted a family ancestor.
A man recieved the shock of his life when he brought the painting of his great-grandfather, Lea Febiger, to the show 2014 stop in Birmingham.
The piece was done by a friend of Febiger's, artist Frederic Remington, and included a letter from the painter to the subject.
Appraiser Colleene Fesko told the owner that it would likely sell for between $600,000-$800,000 at auction.
7. Alexander Calder mobile
The Alexander Calder mobile proves that fancy paintings or old collections aren't the only things that fetch a hefty value.
During Antiques Roadshow's 2010 show in Miami Beach, a guest brought in a mid-20th century mobile by American sculptor Alexander Calder.
Appraiser Chris Kennedy told the owner that her family heirloom could auction for between $400,000 and $600,000, and even retail for $1 million when Calder is popular.
In 2021, the mobile’s retail value was updated to $2 million.
6. 18th-Century Qianlong jade collection from Qing Dynasty
In 2009, Raleigh, North Carolina, a woman brought in a stunning collection of Qianlong Jade, dating back to the 18th century.
Appraiser James Callahan gave the owner an idea of how much the items were worth, offering an appraisal of $710,000-$1,070,000 at auction.
5. 1871–1872 Boston Red Stockings archive
Any kind of sports memorabilia usually lands a pretty massive price and one woman found that out during an episode in 2014 in New York.
She explained to appraiser Leila Dunbar that her great-great-grandmother had a boarding house in Boston, where the Boston baseball team stayed in 1871.
That relationship resulted in a family heirloom of original Boston Red Stockings baseball cards and a letter from the first lineup of players. The collection was appraised at $1 million.
4. Chinese rhinoceros horn cups
Any old collection of Chinese art will nab a hefty appraisal on Antiques Roadshow, but one of the most valuable came came during an episode in Tulsa in 2011.
A man had been collecting rhinoceros horn carvings for decades and had a particular love for a certain cup and purchased its full set.
The ornate collection, made around 1700, was originally purchased by the owner for approximately $5,000 and appraiser Lark E. Mason revealed the set's value at $1 million–$1.5 million.
3. Navajo Ute First Phase blanket
A Navajo Ute First Phase blanket was one of Antiques Roadshow's most expensive items. A man brought in the piece of history during a Tucson, Arizona, episode in 2001.
"I don't know an awful lot about it, except that it was given by Kit Carson, who ever – I'm sure everybody knows in his history. Given to the foster father of my grandmother," he said of the 19th-century Navajo blanket.
Appraiser Donald Ellis gave the owner a shock when he informed him that the item was valued at $350,000–$500,000 — a total that was raised to $750,000–$1 million in 2016, and later $1.5 million–$2 million in 2021.
2. 1904 Diego Rivera El Albañil oil painting
Sometimes heirloom paintings are never really thought about until they're appraised for a hefty amount. One guest discovered that during an episode in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 2012.
A man brought in a painting by Diego Rivera, which had been hanging behind a door in a family home.
Made in 1904, El Albañil was authenticated and appraised by Colleene Fesko, who put the value at $800,000–$1 million.
The value was updated in 2018, potentially retailing at $1.2 million–$2.2 million.
Patek Philippe pocket watch
A Patek Philippe pocket watch is considered the most expensive item appraised on Antiques Roadshow.
Even a modern watch from the Swiss watchmakers can fetch quite a pretty penny, but, a pristine one from the brand dating back to 1914 saw an even heftier appraisal.
The owner brought in the family heirloom, which had been handed down from his great-grandfather, to the show's stop in St. Paul, Minn., in 2004.
Appraiser Paul Hartquist estimated the auction value at $250,000, a total that was first increased in 2016 to $1.5 million and later updated to $2 million–$3 million in 2018.
