Sellers Saw Just A Brass Box But This Antique Hunter Paid $60 For It Because It Is A Betel Nut Box Worth Far More

At one stop on a long road trip, the sellers saw a brass box. The shopper behind the YouTube channel The Antique Hunter saw something else, and paid $60 for it.

“I’m not sure that the people selling it knew or necessarily cared what its function was,” the host says. “They saw a brass box. I paid $60. This is actually a betel nut box.”

It was the last of three special buys shown at the end of a long haul from Seattle toward a string of antique shows, and it came with a story worth telling.

An Estate Sale In Kentucky Where Nothing Was Priced

The video opens in a small Kentucky town at an estate sale advertised only by signs. Some people had figured it out, the host says, and the family was clearly handling the sale on its own.

Nothing was priced, and relatives were carrying things out in piles as shoppers arrived. The host decided to help where possible, offering fair prices because the family seemed overwhelmed and the host did not want them to lose out.

There were Cole of California items, Washington Decorating glassware, old English steak knife sets and plenty of 1970s pieces, along with a wooden skateboard from the 1970s that the host took because interest in old wooden boards is starting to build.

Mystery Writers, Fishing Lures And A 2001 Surprise

From that sale came books and lures. A 1969 mystery by Richard Lockridge, who wrote whodunits with Frances Lockridge, should sell in the $20 to $25 range, the host says. A 1979 book called Too Young to Die, about celebrities who left the world too early, sells in the $20 to $30 range.

The fishing lures were a lesson in dating. Wooden lures are the oldest, made in the 1950s and before, then came hard plastic in the 1960s and mostly fiberglass by the 1970s. A lure in a box that looked old turned out to be a 2001 collector edition, but even those still sell for $20 to $25.

Bark Cloth Drapes, Art Deco Bookends And A Lot Of Frankoma

Along the road, the host paid $50 for four bark cloth drape panels from Montana, which are musty and have a little dry rot but could be worth about $75 each if cleaned properly. In Rapid City, South Dakota, there were Art Deco wooden bookends from about 1940 that should sell around $40.

A painted aluminum butter dish cost about $6 and the host expects it to sell around $20. A set of four Gay Fad glasses with a deliberately bent stem, meant to hint to guests that they had enough, cost $10 for all four.

In South Dakota, the host found a stash of Frankoma pottery. Christmas card miniatures cost $5 each, and the host says the 1970s bone color that used to sell for little has picked up as the market has grown. The host also bought Frankoma inaugural mugs for $5 each, which usually sell for 10 or 12, though some years and colors, like the lavender from 1983, are scarce because the factory burned down that year.

The Football Trash Can, The Bongos And A Pair Of Cork Lamps

Closer to the end of the trip, the host picked up a late 1950s to 1960s football pennant trash can that usually sells for $30 or $35. Groovy bongos in their original box cost $10 and typically sell for about $25.

A pair of small cork lamps from the 1970s cost $30. They are popular with mid-century collectors, and the host says they are hard to find in good shape because the cork breaks down after years of pinned notes.

A Rhinoceros Figure Paid For At $70

One shop had a big collection of rhinoceroses. The host chose an Artigiana Rinconada piece with a smooth texture and many glaze treatments, about five times the size of the average figure. It cost $70, and the host says such pieces typically sell for more than double that.

The Brass Betel Nut Box Shaped Like A Rhinoceros

Then came the $60 box. The host explains that betel nuts, which people in parts of Asia and the Pacific chew, give a slight lift like caffeine and a particular flavor. People in that part of the world stored them in brass boxes and brought them out on special occasions.

This box is figural and shaped like a rhinoceros. The host dates it to the early to mid 20th century, pointing to the darkening on the bottom and the polished look on top where it has been handled. The box has age and a patina that gives it a really cool look.

The host admits it is a very specific item, but says these unusual things are the kind that sell for good money and surprise buyers because you do not see them often.

A Murano Dolphin Compote Bought For $99

The favorite glass piece of the trip was a 1960s Salviati Murano compote with a dolphin. The dealer knew what it was and priced it, and then allowed a 10% discount, so the host paid $99.

The piece is made from three separate parts fused together, the bowl, the dolphin and the base. The host has sold smaller and flatter ones for $225 before and believes this one is worth at least that and possibly more because of the ruby color.

How To Spot A Hidden Treasure Like A Pro

The pattern across the video is simple. Look at the shape and the purpose of an object, check the bottom for marks, and notice when a piece is a specific, unusual form rather than a generic one.

Handle things carefully, check the condition, and remember that the same item can be worth much more in good shape. A piece with an original box, a rare color or an unusual figural design often draws more interest.

Finally, be fair at estate sales. As the host did, pay a reasonable price when a family is clearly overwhelmed, because a fair deal makes everyone feel good.

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