A Brooch Purchased for Just $25 at an Antique Market May Be Worth $19,000
It took 35 years for the brooch's owner to discover its true value.
Courtesy of Gildings Auctioneers
When jewelry lover Flora Steel purchased a brooch in the 1980s at an English antique market for just $25, she had no idea that the statement piece was actually worth thousands. Now, 35 years after purchasing the brooch, it is expected to sell for upwards of $19,000 at auction.
The brooch was designed by famous Victorian Gothic Revival designer and architect William Burges, who is best known for designing Cardiff Castle in Wales, according to a statement from Gildings, which will auction the brooch later this year.
Courtesy of Gildings Auctioneers
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Steel was unaware of the brooch's significance until she came across a 2011 Antiques Roadshow "Most Wanted Finds" clip. The clip was recently aired during the show's "At Christmas" episode. In the episode, jewelry expert Geoffrey Munn presented a page of sketches from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The sketches depicted a set of nine brooches from the 19th century, which included the one Steel had in her possession.
"When the clip popped up on my phone, I said to myself, ‘That reminds me of the brooch I found 35 years ago,'" Steel said in Gildings' statement. "I decided to have a better look at the V&A drawing, and lo and behold, there was my brooch! I practically fell off my chair!"
After watching the episode, Steel contacted Gildings to again confirm the brooch is one of the designs by Burges. The silver, coral, lapis lazuli, and malachite brooch, which has a cross through the middle of a circle, will be sold at auction in the spring of 2024.
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