‘Antiques Roadshow’ Reveals Emotional Story of What Happened 20 Years After Stoneware Sold for Shocking Amount
Antiques Roadshow fans have said that a heartwarming story from a recent episode of the PBS series would make for the perfect “Lifetime movie material.”
On the Monday, November 18 episode, the popular antique appraisal show shared an update from a 2004 episode, where a guest named Tom brought along his stoneware cooler for a valuation. At the time, antiques expert Allan Katz estimated the jug to be worth between a jaw-dropping $65,000 and $85,000.
“Are you kidding me? Oh my god,” Tom said in the 2004 episode.
In the new episode, Katz shared an update, explaining what happened when the cameras stopped rolling. “That was the Saturday and Monday morning, the phone rang, and it was Tom,” Katz revealed. “He said, ‘Were you serious about the price? Because we could really use some money.'”
Katz went on to say he arranged to have the jug picked up two days later, and he brought it to the Philadelphia Antiques Show and sold the piece for an astonishing $110,000.
“I remember calling Tom that night, and he was just blown away,” Katz continued. “They then told me, for the first time in their lives, they had enough in their bank account to now apply to adopt a child… a baby boy from Guatemala.”
Unfortunately, the story is bittersweet, as Tom passed away four years later at the age of 46. His wife, Carol, had written Katz and told him about it and thanked him for the good times on Antiques Roadshow, as well as helping bring their son, Henry, into their lives.
In a beautiful moment, Carol and a grown-up Henry reunited with Katz and the stoneware jug. During the catch-up, Carol revealed she and Tom also made another purchase with the money, a used Volkswagen Beetle they nicknamed “the Jug Bug.”
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“I’ve always known about the jug,” added Henry, who explained he’d recently graduated high school. “It contributes to the person who I am today. All of it sort of roots back to this jug.”
Fans loved the moment and took to social media to share their reactions, with one commenter writing, “This is a beautiful story! The “”jug” is incredible, I’m so happy it has survived the decades and is now with a collector who has allowed the adopted foster son to experience the artifact.”
“Adoptive dad here!! Wonderful, wonderful story of changed lives!” said another.
“The jug did exactly what it was meant to do- bring beauty into the world- in more ways than one,” another added.
Another wrote, “Wow! What a touching story. What an amazing young man.”
“Lifetime movie material right there,” said one Instagram user.
“This is the “rest of the story” moment any good person would want to know of. That Antique Roadshow gentleman was more than a knowlegable host, he helped a good man achieve his selfless goal of adoption to create family that would live on and honor his memory. Just beautiful…” added another.
You can watch the full segment in the video above.
Antiques Roadshow, Mondays, 8/7 c, PBS
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