Most amazing freebie ?

What's the most amazing antique/collectible you ever got for free ? Love,a child,an inheritance and disease remission are all great,but considering this forum-let's keep the main post to a material discovery.
PS-But if you want to share one of your other 'personal miracles' as a 'P.S.' or an aside at the end-that's cool.

 

Way back in the dark ages when I was but a young fool,I was a volunteer for Meals On Wheels. One of my favorite clients was a 94 year old lady named Kathryn Porter.She lived in a crumbling 2 story house crammed with antiques. I often visited her even when I wasnt "on duty" . She had had a leak along one of her chimneys and the mantle had collapsed and she asked me if I would help her clean it up . So many lovely figurines and bric a brac was broken ,but the one thing relatively intact was a brass and copper Tiffany clock with matching candelabra (one arm was broken on a candelabra) she asked me if Id like to have it and I was thrilled. Mind you I was all of 18 and knew Tiffany was a good name but not a whole lot otherwise. Long story short,I took it to a shop to get it fixed and the guy said it'd be $500 to fix it. Being a young person,I didnt have $50 much less 500. After I declined,he then offered to buy it from me for $500 and my but I was thrilled ! That was a fortune in 1980 ! As the years went by I realized he took full advantage of my ignorance,but thats the game, then and now . Miss Porter had been a New York socialite and had moved down to Florida with her mother after the crash of 1929. She never married,wich was astonishing as she had been a lovely girl . Her mother died in 1942 and she lived in that big old house alone till she died in 1983 . Her 1938 car was parked under the port cochere and other than flat tires was in remarkable condition. She and I would chat for hours,she told me lots of lovely stories about parties and trips and balls and the like. I wish I could have seen her again before she died .

 

Amazing tale Johnny,it's got the making's of a great short story.

 

Agree! A lovely, vivid story!

I'd like to think that if I were a shop owner in that situation, I wouldn't take advantage of someone like that.

I wonder how many times he's told that story!

 

I never had space in a shop & therefore never had a chance to buy from 'walk-ins',but I did see it happen at some of the shops I frequented.Sweet little granny comes in & gets offered $15 for a Gustav Stickley piece.
I knew a few Pickers who'd run outside to make gran a bit better offer.

 

I was walking into a Salvation Army once, long closed, and a lady was walking in with some old jewelry to donate. I asked for a gander/butcher's and she handed me an old spoon ring. It was a very floral pattern turned into a ring back in the 60s and fit me. It's still in my jewelry box.

 

a 14K stick pin of a French horn..........found on the street..

 

That’s great enriching story,thanks.

 

Amazing, Davey

 

Astounding-This one'll be darned tough to top.
Davey-Just out of curiosity,how did you choose to get into the house clearance business ?

 

I don’t know who the hell would be able to top Davey’s amazing story/find (but Iam not holding my breath)

I don’t have any single great story. The owner/manager of a charity shop give me a old original wildlife drawing by known SA artist a few weeks ago. Probably because I was a regular and I support his shop. He insisted but I did feel awkward about it.

 

We saw Lovejoy over here in the States too-loved it.I know a few officers who got early retirement and also got into antiquing.

 

Enjoy the piece-he likes you and appreciates your business.

 

My favourite Ian McShane show was Lovejoy. Read some of the books, too. I do believe Davey is the winner. However, I "found" 2 rings: one I wear all the time, the other is in the jewelery box. I'm sure I've been given stuff for free, but I can't think of anything right now.

 

funny eh...the guy had all that cash stashed , waiting for a rainy day....that never came........ I understand him !

Oh..... ya....Davey wins !!!!

 

Davey wins on maybe unusual but winning career choices too ! I guess you never know where life's going to take you.

 

Amazing find Davey ! Id kill to do what you do .Not just for the money,but the thrill of treasure hunting.