One extremely lucky woman bought a $3.99 vase from a thrift store in Virginia that ended up being worth over $100,000.
Jessica Vincent told CNN that she and her partner have a habit of visiting their local Goodwill store multiple times a week to hunt for hidden treasures. When she spotted the red and green vase, she had a hunch it was special. For less than $4, it was hardly a gamble. So, she handed over the cash and took it home.
“People tell me I have a good eye,” Jessica said. “You can put me in an aisle with a whole bunch of dollar store stuff, and I can pick out the one item with a little bit of value.”
After purchasing, Jessica took some pictures of her new vase, including a snapshot of an insignia, and posted them on social media. A glassware group on Facebook quickly responded and shared that she’d unwittingly purchased a piece by artist Carlo Scarpa. He created the vase for an Italian company called Venini in 1942.
Rare Thrift Store Vase Goes For More Than Double Its Appraisal
Someone with the Wright Auction House confirmed the origin and estimated it was worth $30,000 to $50,000. However, when it hit the auction block, it earned more than double that. A European collector ended up paying $107,100. Jessica pocketed about $83,500 of that. Jessica wasn’t just thrilled to make a small fortune off her find, though. She was also happy that the thrift store vase was recognized and would be admired for what it is.
“I knew I wanted to get it back in the art world,” she told The New York Times. “They didn’t know it existed. I feel like I saved it from obscurity.”
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