bless you......

So much for the people who think hoarders are nuts.

Hoarders are nuts. How often do you think something like this happens? And what makes you think these people were hoarders? Bottom line is they just got lucky, like winning the Lottery.

Ancient treasures, sure.

But house full of ceramic clowns, and 30 cats, still nuts...

Has the person who sold it for $3 killed himself?

Guy last year found a box of baseball cards in Grandpa's attic, worth a fortune. Another found an attic with WWII photos - historic treasure if not marketable. Another found boxes of gold coins in an old man's garage when he died. Look at your stuff people, you may have enough to pay off those oppressive student debts, or that upside down mortgage !

Recently purchased a 10K white gold bracelet with sapphires and diamonds at a yard sale for $2 bucks My best find so far but have other treasures as well

Horders aren't nuts, it's the people that pay 2.2 mil. for a bowl, silly people. What really sets it off, it was Made in China.. lol. they have to be laughing their a$$'s off.

I don't want to cast aspersions, but the news article does not verify that this, in fact, was a garage sale purchase.

Anyone trying to sell stolen or forged items can easily claim they bought something years ago at a flea market or garage sale, and they go to so many that they just can't remember from whom.

Just saying, it would be a better story if it were corroborated.

RE: Hoarders/nuts

Hey, Tim and Cory, and my dear, fellow posters, my comment was in jest.

Obviously many of the hoarders have some serious psychological issues.

Some day we'll all look back at this thread and laugh. (See? That is facetious.)

actually what MSNBC describes as a sawtooth pattern is a LOTUS BLOSSOM

Look at your stuff people, you may have enough to pay off those oppressive student debts, or that upside down mortgage !

Yeah.... OR, you could just focus that energy on actually being productive, instead of waiting for lightning to strike.

gary, since there is only one similar known to exist it is a safe bet if it was stolen the owner would have reported it and the plablicity would have brought this to there attention.

Look at your stuff people, you may have enough to pay off those oppressive student debts, or that upside down mortgage !

So now it's political. Okay. Well, you wouldn't have student debts if you chose not to take them. Nobody forces them on you. And having an upside down mortgage, for a lot of people, was their choice. Refinancing to buy more stuff and toys, and people getting loans they couldn't afford contributed to this problem. And again, no one forced you to buy a home. By the way, nobody guarantees your home will go up in value.

was thinking the same thing Ed

Ugly damn bowl, I would have let it go for 50 cents.

I'd like to eat just one helping of Raisin Bran out of a 1,000 year old bowl!

Fresh milk, or course.

Gary_Chicago, I was thinking the EXACT same thing. There is no fool who sold it for $3.

Nut hoarders are generally squirrels and while we may not understand their behavior, I would offer that they are not completely insane though they are a little frenetic.

Time to check on the value of my Davy Crockett cereal bowl!

Sounds to me like it was once stolen and the garage sale story is just the cover-story.

All I found in my garage are cardboard boxes, dust, spiders, and old Target mugs---

There will be a suit against the person who bought the ancient bowl. Count on it---Frivolous lawsuit to get some of the money from the millions it was sold for---They will come up with some story.

Why didn't we read anything about the history of the bowl?

I'd like to know the story behind it and how it survived a thousand years, ending up in this person's garage sale. And most importantly, how come the original owner apparently had no idea about its value.

Just a note...it may sound obvious but when you find an item like this and take it to an "expert" for appraisal, if they tell you it's not worth much but then offer to buy it from you...keep the item, get another appraisal. And so on...

.

Stolen? Junk?

Trust me - Sotheby's did abackground check on it to prevent being involved in autioning either stolen or junk items.

If this had been stolen, wouldn't somebody have reported their missing multi-million dollar salad bowl?

In other news, a horrible tragedy occurs following a garage sale by a local NY family resulting an apparent double homicide and suicide by ball pean hammer.

What really sets it off, it was Made in China.. lol. they have to be laughing their a$$'s off.

Probably not since "they" have been dead for a thousand or so years.

Great story for springtime. Garage Sale season is almost here!

A family member has a whole SET of "Rose Medallion" china including 2 vases about 4 feet tall (and i have NEVER seen any others of them elsewhere)

Those are worth a nickel or two, fork...I hope you don't actually eat from it! Pretty stuff...

"honestdebate

Sounds to me like it was once stolen and the garage sale story is just the cover-story."

A debate is never honest when one has no information based on fact.

Come back when you do, or just change your name to, "ITHINKEVERYBODYISALIAR". I'm willing to bet that when good things happen to other people, it makes you mad as heck and just a tad jealous!

who ever paid 2.2 million for a lotus blossom bowl...must have been a bloomin idiot...

It does happen sometimes. I have a friend who was buying decoys out of a guys car trunk at a show and asked about the old blanket some were wrapped in. The guy sold it to him for $50 and he turned it around for $240,000 after finding out it was an Indian chief's robe. Never happened to me though...at least not yet.

Dan-451372

Look at your stuff people, you may have enough to pay off those oppressive student debts, or that upside down mortgage !

Yeah.... OR, you could just focus that energy on actually being productive, instead of waiting for lightning to strike

Please tell me you are off from work today or have a job....or are you being "productive" at work posting on a MSNBC blog?? ;)

I am off from work, btw :)

hoarders rarely have anything of significant value in their homes. The things they cry over losing are things like bottles of lotion bought last month and 50 year-old tax documents, so yeah...they are nuts.

Hopeful American

Look at your stuff people, you may have enough to pay off those oppressive student debts, or that upside down mortgage !

So now it's political. Okay. Well, you wouldn't have student debts if you chose not to take them. Nobody forces them on you. And having an upside down mortgage, for a lot of people, was their choice. Refinancing to buy more stuff and toys, and people getting loans they couldn't afford contributed to this problem. And again, no one forced you to buy a home. By the way, nobody guarantees your home will go up in value.

WOW bitter much??

not everyone have loads of money to pay their way thru school and you cannot surely be bashing those that choose to get an education and "hopefully" be "productive" members of society.

as per the mortgage fiasco, yes some people got over their head for lack of better financial and otherwise judgement, but again, some people who did it the right way and were financially responsible, fell prey to a collapsing market at no fault of their own.

so perhaps put your (sarcastic) tag name here to good use, Hopeful America. ;)

Hmmm... There is another aspect to this matter to consider...

If I were the seller, I would do my best to track down the people who sold me the bowl; and, I would split the "windfall profit" proceeds with them. That would be a kind thing to do.

Unfortunately, I realize there are way too many people who are parsimonious, and who do not believe in sharing anything.

So now it's political. Okay. Well, you wouldn't have student debts if you chose not to take them...

Hopeful American - you are the only person trying to turn this into something political. IReadyou's comment wasn't intended as a political statement. S/he was only trying to make the point that we all might have something of value that might make life a little easier if we can get a goot price for it.

...it is a safe bet if it was stolen the owner would have reported it and the plablicity (sic) would have brought this to there (sic) attention.

Really, AndrewWoody?

my pig head was already on my pork shoulder at the time of Plato...2,500 years ago.

Anyone? only $1 million

Damnyou.............Well lookie everyone....I have an obsessed stalker! Wow that must make me a celebrity....or him just crazy!

Come to mine first. I have got a boatload of antique rocks that predate this bowl by thousands of years. And i will let ya have em CHEAP !!.... only 100 bucks each.

Brand new 18 piece Tupperware set, with lids, only $500,000.00!

Taking bids....... Now!

The new tupperware might not fetch that kind of price.

But, if you have the matching lids on tupperware more than two years old, it is very rare.

cory,

yard sale price ...500K wont work..... but if you write that down first then cross it out and put 50K then 5K...then "make offer"....some nitwit will probably offer ya 500 bucks, after a little wrangling you should be able to settle for about a grand.

Tramp

But my Tupperware was made in China too...

Will not consider offers under $10,000.00, I have a family to feed.

Which will probably be tough considering I just sold all of our plastic ware...

a big lol lostfl.

LostFL, I actually have my mother's Tupperware canister set (4 pieces, graduating sizes) from the mid 1950's. Back then the seal had a raised seal on it along with the date. It said "TupperSeal" with a picture of a seal (mammal). I love this set and wouldnt part with it for anything. Still using it to this day.

Looks like this (4th from left, top row), along with the date...

https://www.google.com/search?q=tupper+seal&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Lqf&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=EcRJUbWkBKHS2AXhloDwBg&ved=0CD8QsAQ&biw=1920&bih=964#imgrc=KYa1yxAv5K5pzM%3A%3BaOxvm7nBy410OM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Ffarm3.staticflickr.com%252F2639%252F4126308477_ac98bb54d6_z.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.flickr.com%252Fphotos%252Fthbonamici%252F4126308477%252F%3B640%3B480

Better believe the Mafia is coming to extort its fair share! Did i say mafia, I meant IRS....did i say extort...I meant tax!

This family will still have profitted...but will have to give up nearly half!

What is even more rare is a set of tupperware bowl with matching lids and NO "meltdown" marks after the first week.

As for the antique rocks, I read a story about a guy that went to a rock show and bought a rock for $10. It turned out that the rock was a sapphire worth over $2 million. When the seller found out he tried to get the rock back by taking the buyer to court. The seller said the rock got put into the wrong basket (he had baskets with different prices that buyers could pick from). The buyer's attorney asked for any kind of proof that the seller had a $2 million basket and how many other rocks were in it. Case closed.

I can't believe how much vintage tupperware I have. Some McDonalds stuff from the 70's. Guess I'll hang on to it for awhile....unless someone wants to offer me $500K for the lot. LOL

True dat, thinker. I also read about a kid that found a huge diamond in a state park.

I've always liked rocks. I'll go to Scooters sale, but I'll have to haggle with him.

I have alot of vintage Tupperware and some McDonalds treasures from the 70's. I guess I'll keep them for awhile....unless someone wants to offer me $500K for the lot! LOL

Does.

Imagine being that garage sale family........FTW?!?!?!?!?

Some people's trash is other people's treasure!

It's more than likely that the family that sold the bowl won't read this article, which I guess is good for them not to. However I could definately see it more likely that an azzhole neighbor will come around and say, "Hey Billy, did you read about the idiot that sold a two-million dollar bowl for three dollars"? "I COULD NOT LET THAT ONE GO"! :-)

@reallyn: Thank you, grammar police. Do you feel better about yourself now?

I'm wondering when they file the lawsuit claiming the bowl was STOLEN and not purchased for three bucks.

I think his name was RALPH

Gay porno?

Kanye West's with Kim Dash.. lol

lol

now that's...just wrong...but it sounds right...

I think we should put a suicide watch on those people who parted with the bowl for $3. I feel sorry for them.

They should never have underestimated what rich people would shell out for objects they consider valuable.

They were probably happy to get $3 out of it at the time. They didn't lose anything in this deal - they got exactly what they wanted.

I wonder if they had $5 on it and he talked them down? LOL

I would like to know too if they had a clue. And if they did... how could they keep their emotions in check when paying only $3.00.

If they have any conscience at all... maybe they could slip the original sellers a few extra bucks for the opportunity to make the purchase. Would be a good gesture of kindness.

That's my only question too ... ok, so you bought this crappy old bowl for $3 and it looked good, allegedly sitting on your mantle for 6 years ... then one day you decide it's worth the time, effort and money to find out it is worth a fortune.
(Just to clarify, as I work with antiques, you can find people that will give opinions but to get a true appraisal of something with that value, you need to actually spend some time and effort finding the correct person and then spend some $$$ for them to do the research necessary to authenticate it).
Things like this DO happen but this article leaves me feeling that there is alot more to know.

I think they knew it was rare when they bought it but didn't say anything to the seller. They then held onto it for probably the what qualified for a "statute of limitations" laws exemption so the seller couldn't come back to sue them.

Deb, what the hell statute of limitations is there on getting a good deal at a garage sale? That was a ridiculous comment.

Maybe they were watching an episode of American Pickers or Antiques Roadshow and figured it was worth looking into.

Doesn't Antiques Roadshow actually go 'on the road'? Maybe they took it there when the show came to town.

I have to agree with Steve the antiquer, though. There is a lot more to know about this story.

Starfire03, LG-267159, Steve Illinois 49, and Deb-474227:

"The auction house said the only other known bowl of similar size and design has been in the collection of the British Museum for more than 60 years."

Unless the family who bought the bowl at the garage sale were experts in Northern Song Dynasty ceramics and had seen the only other existing comparable bowl at the British Museum-- and the chances of that are probably pretty slim -- how could they possibly know its value?

Sour grapes.

Because you're a moron who probably tries trolls every article and says something politically naive no matter how disconnected it is from the article itself ... get help.

Tad's bridge is calling, let him go back home.

Tad, don't worry about Steve in Illinois. He just doesn't want to admit that 2 million with a couple more years of Obama spending will only buy a ceramic bowl from wal mart due to hyperinflation!

Michael ... sorry you didn't really understand the point but it's apparent why. I am not agreeing or disagreeing with the troll or your opinion - this isn't a political blog ... get it? I am trying to understand the mentality of a person that can bring political BS into any discussion. This is an article .. a fun article about an antique that was found at a garage sale -- with the thousands of political blogs giving you 24/7 opportunity to blow you political anger load - why do you need to invade this blog? If you or he seriously have that much rage consuming you then I stand by the advice to - get help.

I was wondering the same...

We were moving and decided to have a garage sale for stuff we wanted to get rid of. Two older ladies I knew stopped by and one came over to me holding a ceramic monkey we were selling and said get this out of here. I asked why and she said this is a McCoy and you can take it right over to the antique shops in a certain area and get 200-300 for it. Thank God she came along because I just thought it was a really ugly thing that belonged to my late aunt.

They looked at the bottom for the makers mark then looked up the translation.

seeker6, not everything is marked. That looks like an unmarked kind of thing. More I look at it the more it looks like chalkware from a carnival. LOL

Looks like an old stoneware mixing bowl. They're pretty popular and sell quickly at sales. My guess is that that is what the buyers initially thought until they actually picked it up and examined it. The fact that they kept it on their mantel says that by the time they got it home, they knew it wasn't anything like McCoy.

Even worse... people DO PAY that kind of money to a retro.

Did you buy it? You could have gotten a two-hundred percent mark up if you said it belonged to James Bond back in the seventies.

Nothing is 'worth' anything until you have a willing buyer.

They were compensated. They made their three bucks, tax free. Besides, if it hadn't sold, they probably would have used it as a water dish for their cat or something. Lol! Sorry, I just had to.

They were. $3. The amount they wanted.

I bet your one of the lazy poor FREELOADER

Nice things can't happen to people without someone like yourself trying to &..T all over it. Stop hating you clown. Now go out in this miserable snow and volunteer your time somewhere instead of biatching if you truly feel that way. Seems to me you have plenty of time while waiting for the first of the month and my taxes to pay you.

Seriously? a one hundred percent tax? So the seller, in essence, gives the bowl to the government, who then sells it and pockets the money. There's a word for that system, and, free hint, it isn't "capitalism", though it does start with a C and end with an M.

Are you crazy! Why can't you be happy for them instead of envious and petty?

You just don't understand economics. Selling the bowl at auction IS the 'rich people tax'. A way of getting the money back to the people. No bowl is worth $2 million. No coin is worth $2 million. It is just bragging rights, a way of separating the rich from their money. I am sure the people who sold it at auction will buy a house and a colleg education for their kids, something of real value. Then probably blow the rest on stupid purchases, just like every other rich person who keeps the economy humming...

So the 50% tax that we already pay on capital gains isn't good enough anymore? Now we need to give 100%?

With all due respect Billy, maybe you should stop taking other people's legally earned money and give 100% of what money you earn to the poor? See if you still feel the same way about it.

So we no longer need to talk about, Spreading the wealth around.

We can just say, " Dude... pass the bowl ...!"

Just another Obama Phoner trying to collect something that doesn't belong to him (her).

Why don't you stay off these commenter sites? Apparently you can't be happy for anybody, and if anybody happens to get lucky or recognizes something for what it's worth, you suddenly think you deserve a piece of it. Get off your butt and work. Or perhaps do what other people do which is get interested in collecting something or trading in something and spend their weekends searching for things in their area of expertise. As their knowledge grows, they trade up to more expensive pieces. They hope to get lucky and stumble upon something really good, but while doing so they socialize, get out of the house and enjoy the process. The collection gives them comfort, a reason to become a member of community and national organizations, and to read and research.

Then there are people like you who complain as a means of entertainment and probably buy lottery tickets and claim the drawings are rigged. Need I say more?

Sounds like little Billy Barty has doo-doo in his underwear and no one to help make the stink go away!

Get a life clown.

I do love these articles that bring out the liberal whiners always wanting - but not wanting to do anything for it. Sad part is, even when they die, they get one last grab at my tax dollars.

Ess, GOP are clowns, proven over and over again.

S VDB: Can'tcha just let it go for once? Not everything is political, ya know.

You have no proof that Billy Barty is a "liberal" and your rant just makes you look like an azz.

All I have to do is read little Billy's rant again and conclusively know that yes. He's a bleeding heart liberal.

there should be a 100% tax on it, for food for the poor

He's a bleeding heart liberal.

So you are saying that only a liberal would feel any sort of compassion for another human being? That a conservative would turn their back on someone truly in need?

That really makes me happy to know. I suspected that you regressives were hateful, self-centered, non-ethical, lying, let me reiterate HATEFUL, pigs, but now I have proof. It's very satisfying.

I truly hope you never have any life altering events that put you in a place you didn't expect to be. Never-give-an-inch fascists like you never expect anything like that, but it happens. In fact, it's happened to so many of your kind that the liberals are looking pretty good to them these days and they're leaving the right-wing in droves. Or maybe they're just tired and scared of the hate rhetoric that's been exposed as being one of the sustaining principles of the right.

You reap what you sow, pal.

Paddywack... concise, truthful and thoughtful reply to Ess Vdb's pole opposite comments! Shakespeare once wrote that the biggest fool is one whom argues with one... let your comments stand and dismiss that fool and his ilk...

100% tax are you just another welfare rat wanting to live off the system? I know that you voted for Obama. You're just another loser wanting someone else to work, so that they can pick up your tab. Get a Fu*ckin Life.

Shepperddogs... capital gains is 15% for US of America, are you drunk or high?!

Let me get political as a fair response.

Though without his additional payment amount (to bring his tax to almost 15%), Romney would of been under 10%! After this was disclosed, with the reveal of his taxes at such a late time in the campaign, people like you STILL WONDER WHY he lost the election!