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What we might take… Part two.

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When it comes to wanting a weird and unusual item to bring to the Antique Roadshow, I don’t think you can beat what’s hanging on our wall.

Do you see it?

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It’s a bizarre rock crystal piece that’s been gracing my family’s homes since the late 1800’s.

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What is it? Good question.

My grandfather traveled the world at the end of the 19th century and brought this back from Egypt in the early 1880’s or ‘90’s.

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When I was a child I was sure it was pirate treasure because of the skull and crossed bones.

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But the story was it came from an ancient tomb.

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For over 100 years no one in my family knew what it was, so back in 1994 I contacted a museum curator.

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Turns out they weren’t sure either. Early Christian or ancient Coptic?

Interesting.

And in case you’re wondering, I did send photos to Christie’s and Sotheby’s… both of whom sent back replies stating it fell below their $5,000 value requirement ($10,657 in today’s dollars) for auction. And if they’re not auctioning? They’re not identifying.

So…

Another definite Roadshow possibility.

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31 thoughts on “What we might take… Part two.”

  4. Wow, well that’s interesting for sure. No idea what it is for over a century and still no one can identify it? How mysterious indeed, maybe you should take it to the Antiques Roadshow, that sacred ritual the Hubs loves to watch! What do you have to lose?

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  5. So it might have been new when your grandfather got it. A quick search says the skull and crossbones was popularized by “Treasure Island”, published in 1883, but originated in the late middle ages…or maybe a lot earlier depending on who you believe. As just a string of crystals it might be no big deal – but the skull and crossbones makes it cool. It would be interesting to see what an expert says.

    When I was in Colombia, folks were selling “Pre-Columbian” stone beads. A trader showed me how to tell the real thing from those that were artificially aged, not that I had any real interest in beads. Some of those beads from “before Columbus arrived” were recently carved.

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  8. Did you get in to the antique roadshow? I read recently about all the significance of skull and crossbones in the Bible. For example it can mean death and mortality, sin, redemption and victory over death. There are numerous references in the Old Testament and New Testament to skull and crossbones.

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  10. Do you not watch the Oak Island treasure hunt mystery show? They have an XRF machine on there that can anajyze the content of the metal and give you information on how old your piece might be by what is inside it — without damaging the piece irself. It is kind of late to get this done before the Roadshow but if the AR people cannot tell you I would check with a university lab to find out which one has an XRF machine. That could give you information you would not get elsewhere.
    Just a suggestion… The show called “The Curse of Oak Island” is filmed just across the bwy from you in Noca Scotia. I’m sure they would let you use their machine if you asked nicely.

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      1. They use it all the time to see how old things they find are.
        It is a slow-moving show but they have all the bells and whistles, and the XRF machine is a good one. They’ve dated metals back over 2000 years.

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