My mother gave me a ‘quality’ vintage beer pitcher – I was shocked when Antiques Roadshow told me it was worth $7,500

A WOMAN brought a treasured family heirloom to the appraisal experts on Antiques Roadshow in a recent episode.

It was a sterling silver beer jug crafted by the renowned Gorham Company of Providence, Rhode Island - and to the guest's surprise, it was worth thousands.

The jug was initially a gift from a close family friend to the guest’s mother for her 70th birthday in 1990.

The mother, in turn, passed it down to the guest, who expressed pride and delight in owning the piece.

It's beautifully adorned with naturalistic hops on the body, handle, and foot.

The Antiques Roadshow appraiser praised the jug as an exemplary piece of American silver craftsmanship, noting the meticulous chasing and hammering work by Gorham’s skilled artisans.

The appraiser emphasized the jug's historical significance.

“It’s older than us," he said. "It’s older than your mother. And it will be here a lot longer than we are.”

When asked for a valuation, the appraiser provided an insurance estimate of $7,500, reflecting the jug's quality and craftsmanship.

The guest was visibly impressed, exclaiming, "Oh, wow. How nice. Wow."

The appraiser concluded by acknowledging the jug's beauty and utility, adding, “Just an exquisite piece of American silver.”

As a final note, the guest mentioned that the jug also makes a lovely vessel for displaying hydrangeas.

MORE TREASURES

A man was overjoyed after discovering that an antique art piece passed down from his mother was worth thousands of dollars.

The man appeared as a guest on Antiques Roadshow, where he presented a decades-old Chinese painting for appraisal by expert Richard Cervantes.

The man shared that his mother received the Qi Baishi painting "years ago" from a friend who needed a place to stay for a few days.

The friend had originally acquired the artwork — created around 1930 — from his father.

Valuable thrifting finds revealed

Here are some of the best thrift store finds:

• Tiffany & Co. earrings that sold for $0.34 and are valued at $430
• American Girl doll that sold for $5.99 and is valued at $300
• Bionicle toy that sold for $14.95 and is valued at $18.101
• Gold record plaque for DJ Quik's 1992 album Way 2 Fonky that sold for @20 and is valued at $200
• Rothy's brand Sugared Berry pointed-toe flats that sold for $155 retail and are valued at $250

During the episode, filmed at the Cheekwood Estate and Gardens in Nashville, Tennessee, Cervantes emphasized the significance of the piece, saying, "Qi is arguably the most important Chinese artist of the 20th century."

He added, "To find something like this is really a tremendously rare find."

Cervantes then shocked the guest by revealing that "in this hot Chinese painting market," the antique was valued at an impressive $10,000 to $15,000.

Looking up to the sky, the guest emotionally expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for saving it, Mom."

More people have gotten their items appraised and have found out they're worth more than they ever imagined.

One woman was stunned to learn that an antique decor item she had owned for years was valued at $125,000.

She had originally bought the piece at a garage sale for just $75 to $100.