Antique Roadshow Interesting Item: Navajo Blanket Worth Half a Million

By Jamie Gilliam


Today’s featured item is something really special. Not only, is it one of the most valuable antiques collectibles to ever appear on Antique Roadshow, but it is truly a National Treasure. The blanket at first seems insignificant at best, but looks can be deceiving. It was given to the owner’s Grandmother’s Foster-father by Kit Carson himself. Carson was the frontiersman in charge of rounding up and imprisoning Navajo Indians in the late 1800s. Apparently they can tell by the pattern on the blanket that it is very old and one of the first most pure patterns the Navajo ever used. They also say that it is a chief’s blanket, which is also very exciting. Check out this video clip of the appraisal to learn more.



Even with financial and historical importance aside, I have to say that it was honestly one of the most entertaining antique appraisals I have ever seen from the show. The antique appraiser, Donald Ellis, is so excited he can barely contain himself, and when he tells the owner the value, the man is so shocked that he is moved to tears. The fact that the appraisal wasn’t even based on the fact that Carson had owned the blanket is very exciting too. The value of antiques rise significantly based on historical figures. My favorite line would have to be “When you walked in with this, I just about died.” What a great appraisal!

Rumor has it that the blanket later sold for $550,000. This appraisal was in 2002. I wonder what the value of that blanket is today. Maybe one day they’ll do a revisit episode on Antique Road Show.

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