Spider by Faberge

Faberge Spider Brooch? So you were watching Pawn Stars and couldn't believe it when a woman came in with a platinum and diamond encrusted Faberge spider brooch looking for $2,000 and ended up getting a whooping $15k? How much is an authentic Faberge spider brooch going for these days? A black widow Faberge brooch could very easily be worth $80,000-$150,000 or more at auction, if it were real.

The Faberge company, officially "The House of Faberge", has spoken out about the possible Faberge spider brooch. In an email sent to “Time”, Tatiana Zherebkina, spokeswoman for the company, called the reports of a new Faberge spider brooch “untrue and unfounded,” claiming the eight-legged brooch does “not fit into the luxury jeweler’s creative vision.” The Faberge company, however, does not have complete records on the company.

See ---->http://psjfactoids.blogspot.ca/2015/10/jewel-collection-of-romanovs.html
See ----->http://psjfactoids.blogspot.ca/2014/08/montreal-museum-of-fine-arts-fabulous.html

"Indiana Bones" - Paul Koudounaris, Heavenly Bodies

Hand of a jeweled skeleton clutching the pommel of sword in Gutenzell

In late 2013 a relic hunter dubbed 'Indiana Bones' lifted the lid on a macabre collection of 400-year-old jewel-encrusted skeletons unearthed in churches across Europe.

Paul Koudounaris hunted down and photographed dozens of skeletons in some of the world's most secretive religious establishments. The skeletons are said to be the remains of early Christian martyrs.

Thousands of skeletons were dug up from Roman catacombs in the 16th century and installed in towns around Germany, Austria and Switzerland on the orders of the Vatican. They were sent to Catholic churches and religious houses to replace the relics destroyed in the wake of the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s.

After they were found in the Roman catacombs the Vatican authorities would sign certificates identifying them as martyrs then they put the bones in boxes and sent them northwards. The skeletons would then be dressed and decorated in jewels, gold and silver, mostly by nuns. They had to be handled by those who had taken a sacred vow to the church - these were believed to be martyrs and they couldn't have just anyone handling them.

3,500-year-old tribal gold lunula found in Tarrant Valley, Dorset

Treasure hunter David Spohr was searching in Tarrant Valley, Dorset in 2014 when he found a 3,500-year-old tribal gold necklace called a Lunula. - meaning 'little moon' in Latin due to their shape.  The necklaces were worn by ancient tribal leaders as a symbol of their power.

The lunula unearthed by Mr Spohr weighs 71.5 grams, and is one of only a handful ever found in mainland Britain. Only three others have ever been found in Britain, the last of which was dug up in Wales in 1869. The necklace could be worth as much as £20,000. The find would have been worth even more but it is thought to have been damaged by a farmer's plough.

Lunula, Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age, Mangerton

Gold lunula from Blessington, Ireland, Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age, c. 2400BC – 2000BC

Top Collector Guns

"One of One Thousand" Winchesters was a marketing strategy in which Winchester selected one rifle out of every 1,000 they produced and outfitted it with a special barrel, stock, and trigger. This gun was then engraved with the words, “One of One Thousand,” and sold for a premium price. The guns were available in both models 1873 and 1876. Fewer than 200 were made. At auction, these guns have sold for several hundred thousand dollars.

Luger .45 ACP. "The Million Dollar Luger," this gun was the precursor to the Luger Pistole Parabellum 1908. It was created for submission to the United State Army’s gun trials and it is widely believed that only two were produced. Of the two, only one is known and it sold at auction in 2010 for just under $500,000. It is assumed that the other .45 ACP Luger was lost or destroyed since it has never surfaced.

Colt Walker. This single-action revolver was the predecessor to the collectible Colt Dragoon. The Walker was designed in 1846 and only about 1,100 of the guns were manufactured. Authentic Colt Walkers in good condition have gone for as high as $1,000,000. Even in poor condition, a Colt Walker would command a substantial sum.

Dance and Brothers Revolver. J.H. Dance and Brothers began manufacturing firearms for the Confederate government in 1862. Their six-chambered revolvers were widely used by Confederate soldiers. Only around 500 guns were produced and far fewer are known to survive. Authentic Dance and Brothers revolvers have been known to sell for $50,000 or more.

Fabbri Over Under Shotgun. Fabbri made a name for itself as the maker of fine, handcrafted, Italian guns. A brand new over under shotgun from this maker could set you back more than $200,000. These are beautiful firearms with elaborate and intricate engravings. Because of the labour-intensive production process, Fabbri only makes about 25 guns per year.

This golden 7.65mm Walther PP was likely never fired by Adolf Hitler. It sold for $114,000 at a 1987 auction to an anonymous bidder. It has since changed hands several times and would fetch much more today. Wyatt Earp is an icon of the American Old West. His pistol made $ 225,000 at auction. This particular firearm is very likely the one Wyatt used in the most legendary gunfight in Wild West history, the O.K. Corral shootout.

The shot that killed Jesse James was delivered by a heavily used .44 Smith & Wesson. It brought $350,000 in 2003. The Fox Gun Company made this gun especially for Teddy Roosevelt’s safari as he ended his presidential term. It brought $862,500 in 2010.

Simon Bolivar’s Flintlock Pistols: $1,687,500 George Washington’s Saddle Pistols: $1,986,000 in 2002.

Elvis Presly was an avid gun collector. His firearms command high prices whenever they come up for auction. Elvis was known to shoot TV sets if either Robert Goulet or Mel Torme appeared on the screen.

Elvis Presley's golden 9mm