Most expensive appraisal?

People always ask me the biggest, meaning most expensive, thing I've appraised and my answer is I don't care about that; what I enjoy is the story behind the item.

This is my favorite piece ever. I went on the radio to talk about it. I was invited to the restoration unveiling and cried. They wanted to get it restored, but the restoration company wouldn't take it without insurance and the insurance company wouldn't take it without an appraisal. So I gave them a cut rate on this piece, I just had to touch it. It was around when Abraham Lincoln was president and at the advent of the Civil War. Patriotism was incredibly high. It's the story...

July 3, 1861 Flag: Entirely handsewn, 34 stars to represent 34 states in the Union, Civil War era.

This piece has provenance as the ladies of Darien, Illinois decided to make a flag to commemorate July 4th. They enlisted a gentleman on horseback to travel to downtown Chicago, Illinois to purchase the fabric. They then sewed the flag throughout the night for its use on July 4th, 1861.

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