10
Loading video...
By Jack Beresford
Senior Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
An antique collector had her suspicions confirmed after taking a closer look at a 19th century desk harboring an exciting secret.
Victoria, the owner of Peachy Bee Antiques in Kennesaw, Georgia, has had an interest in antiques from an early age.
“My parents have always collected antiques and my mom always took me into antique stores growing up,” she told Newsweek. “But I really started to get up and appreciate them about five years ago.”
Read More on On the Internet
She’s not alone in that respect. Earlier this year, a report published by ResearchAndMarkets.com valued the second-hand collectibles market at $142.5 billion in 2024, with that figure projected to rise to $248.9 billion by 2034.
Antiques are a key component of this second-hand collectibles market, offering potential for investment opportunities as well as the chance to own and cherish eye-catching pieces in the home.
As with any form of collecting, however, there is an unmistakable thrill to the chase and the twists and turns that come with it. In the case of Victoria and an antique desk dating back to the “early 1800s,” the most significant twist in the tale came with the discovery of something hidden within the piece.
“I’d actually had this desk for about a year,” she told Newsweek. “I bought it at an auction but had left it sitting in my inventory because it was so large and heavy for me to move around and show.”
Victoria was familiar with desks from this era, but from the moment this particular piece arrived in her possession, she knew it was different.
“This was the heaviest one I’ve owned and it just felt special. The leather and gold details were so luxurious,” she said. “I was curious why there was a chunk of wood underneath the inkwells. Something felt unusual about it and I couldn’t figure out how to get into it.”
Victoria began to suspect that the “chunk of wood” was, in fact, part of a hidden compartment within the desk. “I own an antique store so I’ve known some desks to have hidden compartments,” she said.
For some time she would look at the desk, convinced there was a secret section inside of it but clueless as to how it could be accessed.
It wasn’t until a chance discovery, while researching the piece online ahead of listing it, that she was able to gain access.
“A couple weeks ago I was reverse searching with images and came across a website that had a very similar desk to mine, detailing exactly how to open the compartment,” she said.
Eager to capture the moment of truth for posterity, Victoria picked up her camera and, following the instructions found online, proceeded to try and access the secret compartment.
...
The instructions proved accurate and, within minutes, she had gained access to a compartment that had been closed for decades, if not more. Using a pin located on the side of the desk she was then able to press down on another section of the piece, releasing a section of wood, behind which there were three secret drawers.
Even better still, she captured the moment on camera with the resulting footage posted to Instagram @peachybeeantiques, where it has now been watched over a million times.
The discovery was a huge surprise to many watching online, but Victoria had a different reaction.
“My reaction was more ‘I knew it!’” she said. It was also a reminder to trust her “gut feeling” about pieces like this. “This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. Where I’ve bought an antique and felt it was special before knowing what it actually held,” she said.
Victoria said the discovery definitely added value to the piece, while her video’s viral success also ensured she sold the piece quickly. She only hopes the clip has inspired viewers to take a closer look at second-hand items and see if they can uncover a few secrets themselves.
“It really made me happy that so many people were interested,” she said.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines