Antiques Roadshow

[Tim Bourland]

This show is one of my favorites.

Have you ever taken an item to one of these events? If so, what did you find out about the item? If not, do you have anything that you believe is very old and valuable?

[Vivian Cornwell]

When Antiques Roadshow came to Columbus, OH, Cindi Hammons (my daughter) and I each took two things....well Cindi let me take three and she took one. I took old framed pictures (etching - drawing - lithograph) from my dad. He was the manager of the Picture Framing Department in Dayton, OH at Rike's Department store. My pictures were valued up to $600 and Cindi's item was not that valuable either. We didn't make the TV show but we had a wonderful time. The sad thing is we heard two or three "crashes" and loud "OHHHHHH's" when someone dropped their treasure.

Yes, I love that show. I record it every week so if I am not home, I still do not miss it. It would be exciting to have something that is really valuable OR to find something at a garage sale or Thrift Store that turns out to be a special find. That hasn't happened yet. Ha.

[Wes Smith]

I'm an Antiques Roadshow junkie. I have several things that have great value to me, but none that would rise to the definition of extremely valuable in Roadshow terms. My dad's antique roll top desk is probably my favorite. He purchased it in DeSmit, SD, in 1947 from the estate of an attorney. Have no idea how old or valuable it is. Doesn't matter. It's in the family and will stay there. I do have a page from the first edition of the King James Bible ca. 1611. It was given to me by a dear friend who was CEO of Child Evangelism Fellowship for several years. It was given to him by a Christian College in Southern California in honor of his financial gifts to them. Most of my stuff is either family "treasures" or things that I have picked up at a garage sales. I have a nice collection of old radios. One is a 1934 upright Montgomery Ward Airline. Found it at a junk shop. The guy said if it worked he would charge $50.00 for it, but since it didn't he would take $20.00. All I had was $10.00 on me (around 1975). He told me to open the trunk on my car and take it with me. I took it home, turned to wires to the speakers around and it worked just fine. Still does. Fun hobby!

[Gina Stevenson]

Yes, I love that show. I record it every week so if I am not home, I still do not miss it. It would be exciting to have something that is really valuable OR to find something at a garage sale or Thrift Store that turns out to be a special find. That hasn't happened yet. Ha.

But those thrift stores have gotten smart, too, and -- I've heard -- ebay certain things they think have more value than thrift-shop prices. Actually, good for them, but too bad for those hoping to make a "steal" when shopping at them nowadays. ;)

Have seen something on there that made me feel I should have kept at least one thing I had from years ago. It was a very nice glass clothes scrubbing board ... kept good enough that the printing on the wood surrounding the glass could even be read yet. :( Oh, well .........

[Glenn Harris]

Love the show. We watch it all the time. I don't know if anything we have is valuable enough to merit mention but the things we have that may be are also the things that are priceless to us so it would most likely be finding out for insurance sake and nothing else. The things that come to mind are my wife's cameo ring that has been passed down from generation to generation for at least 100 years and my grandfathers collection of WWI memorabilia that would probably excite a military collector.

I remember going to my wife's great aunts estate sale and seeing old glass milk bottles that had been in her garage for over 60 years selling for up to $100.00 apiece. I joked with her son (my wifes second cousin) who was in total shock over it that he should be glad she didn't return those bottles for their nickle deposit. He said it was 2 cents back then. I remember they had several boxes of old books they were selling in lots and all the boxes sold for somewhere between $1.00 and $5.00 except for one box that sold for over $500.00. I always wondered what book was in that box that the dealers who were bidding saw.

[Jim Franklin]

I have the stamp collection that my grandmother started in about 1895 when she was about 12 years old and gave to me in 1948 when I was 11. I also have a ball glove autographerd by Ken Griffey, Jr. I grieve that some students got away with a book on Lincoln that had a copywrite date of 1901. We have an old mixing bowl that has been in our family since I was a youngster that my sister said she had seen one like it going for $50 about 15 years ago. Also a wall plaque that was given to my parents by our church parishioners in Fargo, NC as a Christmas gift in 1945.

[John Kennedy]

I'm an Antiques Roadshow junkie. I have several things that have great value to me, but none that would rise to the definition of extremely valuable in Roadshow terms. My dad's antique roll top desk is probably my favorite. He purchased it in DeSmit, SD, in 1947 from the estate of an attorney. Have no idea how old or valuable it is. Doesn't matter. It's in the family and will stay there. I do have a page from the first edition of the King James Bible ca. 1611. It was given to me by a dear friend who was CEO of Child Evangelism Fellowship for several years. It was given to him by a Christian College in Southern California in honor of his financial gifts to them. Most of my stuff is either family "treasures" or things that I have picked up at a garage sales. I have a nice collection of old radios. One is a 1934 upright Montgomery Ward Airline. Found it at a junk shop. The guy said if it worked he would charge $50.00 for it, but since it didn't he would take $20.00. All I had was $10.00 on me (around 1975). He told me to open the trunk on my car and take it with me. I took it home, turned to wires to the speakers around and it worked just fine. Still does. Fun hobby!
Noted your Dad bought the desk in DeSmet in '47. In those days the Dakotas were a treasure trove for antiques. When my folks pastored at Carthage, they bought an oak table with about 5 or 6 leaves at a farm sale for $4.00. That was nearly 60 years ago and the table's still in the family. My son has it in his apartment in El Cajon. Dad bought a pewter double oil lamp with a chain that could pull down from the ceiling mount. That, unfortunately, got away years later - we were having a new parsonage built in Austin, TX and had taken some stuff to be stored in the new house
and several items, including some Navajo rugs dating from the 40's, walked out the door, possibly witha plumber or electrician. Oh well.

[Jim Franklin]

Wes, John do you remember that according to "The Little House on the Prairie" writings of Laura Ingles Wilder that the Ingles family lived in DeSmet part of Laura's early years. For awhile while our family was at Carthage my ordained mother pastored a small flock in DeSmet in hopes of organizing a Nazarene church there but then some of the folks left for defense plant work in the West. I have been told that there is an Ingles museum in DeSmet. Of course the town was named after the famed Catholic missionary Father DeSmet.

[Lorie Hatcliff]

Wes, John do you remember that according to "The Little House on the Prairie" writings of Laura Ingles Wilder that the Ingles family lived in DeSmet part of Laura's early years. For awhile while our family was at Carthage my ordained mother pastored a small flock in DeSmet in hopes of organizing a Nazarene church there but then some of the folks left for defense plant work in the West. I have been told that there is an Ingles museum in DeSmet. Of course the town was named after the famed Catholic missionary Father DeSmet.

Jim, you beat me to it! The Ingalls family homesteaded about a mile from town and then lived in the actual town of DeSmet. After Laura married and later moved to MO, the rest of her family (sisters and parents) stayed in DeSmet and are buried there. I've visited many Laura sites, but have not had the privilege to see that one yet. Makes me wonder if that roll top desk had belonged to someone who knew the family. That would be exciting!

[Wes Smith]

That's interesting history. For some reason if I had ever heard that Ingalls were in DeSmet, it didn't stick. The brass lock on the roll top reads "The Gunn Desk (or, possibly Cunn), Grand Rapids Mich. It's a classic...one with all the pigeon hole and long drawers. I rarely sit at it without having memories of dad.

[John Kennedy]

Spent several days in DeSmet in the summer of '07 - had gone to Carthage for a high school reunion and DeSmet was the closest place with a motel. Saw the signs for the Ingallls homestead museum located there. Have read that several towns claim the homestead - guess since the family at one time or other resided in all of them that they're all right.

I tend to be a geographical authenticity nut, so I have always been amused by the mountains around Dodge City (as seen on GUNSMOKE) and the topography of the DeSmet area didn't square up with what I saw on TV.

Wes, I take it that your Dad pastored in DeSmet in the late 40's? When we were in SD your folks were at White River - recall visiting there one time when Mom spoke there for the Missionary Society. We were at Carthage from '52-'55 and Dad would sometimes supply DeSmet while Mom would preach at Carthage.

[Lorie Hatcliff]

Spent several days in DeSmet in the summer of '07 - had gone to Carthage for a high school reunion and DeSmet was the closest place with a motel. Saw the signs for the Ingallls homestead museum located there. Have read that several towns claim the homestead - guess since the family at one time or other resided in all of them that they're all right.

I tend to be a geographical authenticity nut, so I have always been amused by the mountains around Dodge City (as seen on GUNSMOKE) and the topography of the DeSmet area didn't square up with what I saw on TV.

Wes, I take it that your Dad pastored in DeSmet in the late 40's? When we were in SD your folks were at White River - recall visiting there one time when Mom spoke there for the Missionary Society. We were at Carthage from '52-'55 and Dad would sometimes supply DeSmet while Mom would preach at Carthage.

The Ingalls moved at least 6 times before Laura was 12 and settled in DeSmet. So all those places could make that authentic claim.

I hear ya on the Dodge City topography. Our family has been watching the first season of Gunsmoke and getting a kick out of those mountains, as well as the fact that the same group of trees outside of town is always where the bad guys are hiding out. :ihe_cowboy: