Found out a old purchase at a flea mkt may be valuable.

Thought I would show it off.



And the story is.

Back in the mid 1980s I went to a flea market in Minneapolis. While there I found the item in the picture. But living in the middle of the USA I was a long way from any possible source of information on the ship in question. After the Internet came out I tried looking up the Ohau with no success. Until recently. I tried looking it up again last week and look what I found now.

The 1899 wreck of the S.S. Ohau.

One thing I never suspected that this bell may have been recovered from a shipwreck. So what do you think? A good find? Historical artifact?

Maybe next year I'll take to the Antiques Roadshow and see what they think.

a reply to: ntech
If I were you, I'd contact either Sotheby's or Christy's auction house. They will ask for you to send them a picture and you can find out what the worth is as well as other information about it. You can find their number or email online. They won't charge you for the assesment. I have a friend who recently contacted them about a painting and they were very helpful.

Nice find, I love flea markets and yard sales, you never know what you're going to find.

a reply to: ntech

As a caveat I must say that I am not a antiques expert, just a amateur.

But at first glance, it causes me to raise an eyebrow. It's in to pristine condition for something recovered from a sunken shipwreck. It looks like it was made yesterday.

I once found a Charles dickens ( Oliver Twist )novel in a skip very old one .
Wish I knew were I put it now .

Great find !

Kool. My hubby has a shoe string business where he shops thrift stores and resells tems on eBay. A book he got for 25¢ sold to a man in Greece for $50.00 plus shipping. There have been several finds of this caliber. He mostly focuses on China and silverware and books but some MacDonads toys have brought unsuspected gains.
I'd be hungry for the provenance of your bell. If it's from a shipwreck who pulled it etc.

Could be a replica made a long time ago. An expert would have to look at it.

a reply to: TDawgRex

The thing is though I did buy in the mid 80s. I had it for 30 years approximately. If it's a fake it's an old one. Though I do wonder if that there could have been more than one Ohau at the time though. That might explain it's good condition. And how this bell ever wound up in Minneapolis. Or maybe it was some kind of duplicate or other weirdness.

Oliver Twist was not published as a book when it was first written. The story was originally published as a serial in a periodical of Dickens day. New segments were released every month. The segments were later combined into a book. I imagine if it's old it's still valuable. I love Dickens. Read a lot as a child and even now have four or five of his books in my Kindle. reply to: Denoli

a reply to: ntech
That's why I'd be curious about its provenance.

A local antiques dealer could do that. Christeys or Sothebys? You go right to the top huh? They charge a commission just to evaluate an item.
ysa reply to: 2manyholes

It appears to be aluminum to me which would not deteriorate under water. But again it's just a photo. I'd bring it to a local antiques dealer for evaluation.
t reply to: TDawgRex

a reply to: AutumnWitch657

No they don't Autumn. Like I said I recently had a friend contact them and there was no charge. Yes they will take a commission if you decide to have them handle the sale.

Yes, why not ask the best in the field? I'm sure you realize that there are many out there who will tell you something is not worth something in hopes that they can buy it from you then turn around and make the sale to their profit.

I contacted them about an old oak cabinet once and they said there was a charge for their assessment. They did say they would provide a certificate for that fee. a reply to: 2manyholes

a reply to: AutumnWitch657

This was just a few weeks ago, it was concerning a painting. Maybe it's different for furniture or perhaps they have changed their policy? They had him email pictures of the painting and after they recieved them he recieved a phone call saying it was a reproduction.

a reply to: AutumnWitch657
if it is aluminum,its a fake for sure.Aluminum will rot away in no time if its in water.Thats why almost everything on a boat is brass or stainless steel.In the 1890's,aluminum was almost gold!

DOUBLE POST. OOPS.

The top of the Washington monument is clad in aluminum. It was precious at the time. Like gold as you said. Anyway it's been up there since 1884 so how delicate could it be?
a reply to: blkcwbyhat

Could be. That was years ago. a reply to: 2manyholes

The ships status is unknown supposedly lost in the Cook Strait NZ. If you have the genuine article and it was purchased in Minneapolis you have an enigma in your possesion. Pretty cool as it would seem unusual that someone discovered the wreck and never reported it. Could it be a pirated craft that made it to the US and was pressed into service on the Great Lakes? Curious find to be sure.

Most reputable antiques dealers are on the up and up. They won't stay in business too long otherwise. I'm not saying bring it to the guy down the street with the large steel shed overflowing with junk. LOL.a reply to: 2manyholes