US Woman's Rare Pot Sells For Rs 29 Lakh On Her 91st Birthday

American resident Lois Jurgens received a life-changing surprise on her 91st birthday when a rare stoneware crock she had kept on her porch for 40 years sold for approximately Rs 29 lakh ($32,000). Jurgens had initially planned to sell the 30-gallon Red Wing pot at a garage sale, where it likely would have fetched no more than $50 before its true value was discovered.

Just before pulling the trigger, the Nebraska grandmother saw that Bramer Auction and Realty was holding a sale featuring antique crocks, so she called to ask if they could include her earthenware as well.

The auction house's owner, Ken Bramer, was initially circumspect about including Jurgens' crock in the sale, as all ads had already been placed and the event was only a few days away. Despite this, Bramer decided to drop in at Jurgens' home and check the crock. After turning the pot around, he spotted a set of blue butterfly markings on the back and instantly figured out that it was a valuable item.

"The blue butterfly markings were rare but what made his jaw drop was that it was stamped twice, a once-in-a-lifetime find for a serious Red Wing collector," news personality Colleen William reported.

Jurgens estimated that Bramer could sell the pot for around $100. Bramer nearly laughed and assured her that she was "going to be surprised".

Also Read | Former Oregon Mayor Missing Since 2006 Identified Through Skeletons Found On Beach

'Bidding War'

On the auction day, around 300 bidders turned up with only three remaining as the price of the crock hit $19,000. Jurgens could not be at the venue due to her 91st birthday, as she was volunteering at a local church. By the time she arrived at the fairgrounds, the bitter three-way fight between eager bidders from Texas, Kansas, and Iowa had concluded.

"We did a little better than $100," Bramer teased Jurgens before adding: "We got you $32,000."

Astonished by the news, Bramer described that Jurgens felt weak in the knees and needed to be helped onto the stage, where she sat beside the crock. She said that in 91 years of her life, the sale of the crock was the most exciting thing that had happened to her.