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A STYLE guru with an eye for a bargain has amazed people with the jewelry they purchased at a flea market.
They decided to research the value of the fashionable earrings after recognizing that they were likely made in 1875.
A money-savvy Reddit user posted on the Thrift Store Hauls forum to share a photo of their purchase.
They held in their hands a pair of stunning “unmarked” gold earrings with a handpainted woman on each side.
They appeared to have been cleaned and polished before being displayed for sale.
“$20 flea market find... Handpainted enamel and 21k gold earrings,” the shopper wrote.
“I can say with 100% certainty that they are approximately 21-carat gold.
“There are multiple spots where over 50% of the original metal has worn away, and they still tested as 21k gold.
“I also did a few deep cuts to test in areas that I'm going to be repairing anyway (there are some major issues on the backs that need to be addressed for them to be wearable so I had some good spots to test).”
Despite costing them just $20, similar styles are being listed by the online marketplace 1stDibs for thousands of dollars.
The site currently has a pair of Victorian enamel yellow gold miniature portrait earrings circa 1875 available for $4,000.
The artwork is strikingly similar to those on the earrings the original poster found at the flea market.
According to Gemporia, earrings can be dated as far back as the Ancient Egyptians from around 1650 BC.
Hundreds of Reddit users upvoted the flea market shopper’s post to express how impressed they were with their thrifty find.
“Wow! These are amazing! This is such a great find! So jealous,” one person wrote.
“Wow museum quality,” another said.
“I love those,” a third chimed in.
“Absolutely stunning. I hope you're going to wear them because they need to be worn and shown. What a find for $20.”
Another user was eager to find out if they would be willing to resell the earrings.
“These are BEAUTIFUL pieces of art, dating back so far in history!” they said.
“Possibly created in France? Probably painted by 2 different artists, as with Currier and Ives China. Each portrait has a unique style.
“It’s staggering that these somehow ended up at a flea market!!
"They passed through so many hands, without their history and value being recognized.
“Simply amazing. I would have purchased these immediately, as I’m sure you did.
“Bravo!! Are you going to have them appraised? Would be interesting to take these to a Road Show site?”
