A WOMAN was left stunned by the review of her turkey brooch after she gifted it back.
After suspecting there was something special about this rare item, I took it to be appraised by Antiques Roadshow.
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“It came into our family through a wealthy couple,” the owner explained to appraiser Lourdes Winnick during a recent episode of the beloved PBS series.
As the story goes, the wealthy Jennings couple lived on a ranch outside Tampa, Florida, and encountered a surprisingly tame wild turkey.
He would come into their backyard and didn't seem to scare them or the animals around him.
Mrs. Jennings decided to name the turkey “Napoleon” because of the way it struts around so easily.
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After a while, Napoleon disappeared, according to what the owner of the brooch said.
The couple suspected that the bobcat had gotten to her, leaving Mrs. Jennings upset, so Mr. Jennings ordered a turkey brooch brought out of New York City for her to wear in memory of the fallen bird.
It passed
Years later, the brooch was passed on to the owner's cousin, Carolyn.
Caroline suspected it was gold, but re-gifted it to the woman and current owner a year later anyway because she “wears more jewellery”.
The woman doubted that it was gold, noting that it looked “more like a heavy metal.”
Winnick quickly explained that the heavy feeling was not surprising because the turkey brooch was coated in enamel, which adds weight.
“It's actually a vitreous enamel — it's very elaborate and very vibrant, and it's very difficult to get the colors as they are,” noted the appraiser, admiring the brooch.
Some enameling was also done just so that the brooch will continue to appear three-dimensional over time.
She added that there were no signs indicating who made the piece, but they could verify that it was made in the 1940s or 1950s.
Winnick also verified that the turkey brooch was in fact made of 18-karat gold.
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What is its value?
“This was an expensive gift for her,” the appraiser told the owner.
Taking everything into account, the turkey brooch by Winnick is appraised at $3,000 to $4,000.
“No! Really?” The owner asked excitedly.
“Oh my God, Cousin Caroline might want her back. That's great!”
Winnick joked that the woman should wear the brooch to the upcoming Thanksgiving gathering.
This wouldn't be the first time Antiques Roadshow has told owners of items they previously thought were ordinary and relatively worthless that they are worth thousands of dollars.
A woman paid just $40 for a glass bird at an auction several years ago, and she cried when appraisers told her it was worth $9,000 thanks to its designer.
After a man kept an $80 piece of art from her late husband for decades, he also became emotional after Antiques Roadshow valued it at $20,000.
