Topics: Art, Money, US News, TikTok, Social Media
A woman has spoken out after buying a necklace which looks like a Tide Pod for $2 and then finding out how much it's really worth.
Jess Smith was thrift shopping in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when a 'really weird' necklace caught her eye.
The 23-year-old art student and TikToker saw what appeared to be a Tide Pod on a necklace - little did she know just what it would turn out to be, resulting in the item becoming her 'biggest thrift item ever'.
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Smith told Business Insider she was browsing around the necklace rack when she spotted the necklace hanging with a 'giant clear pendant on it'.
"And when I say giant, I mean it was a big pendant, easily two by two or three by three inches," she continued. "It was neon, translucent, and I thought it was made of plastic."
Essentially, it looked like a Tide Pod stuck on the end of a gold chain and for $1.99, the student thought why not buy it?
When the TikToker looked closer at the piece of jewelery, she saw it appeared to have some writing on the pendant - a name and date.
Intrigued, she took a photo of the item and uploaded it to Google Lens to help try and find related photos and text, where she came across the work of an artist named Aaronel deRoy Gruber.
Gruber was known for her painting, sculpting and photography, many of her works showcased in several museums.
Smith reflects: "Instantly, I was like, 'Wow, this is so cool. Now what do I do with this necklace?'"
And another question to note - despite Jess noting she doesn't 'like to sell things' - is if the necklace was the famous artist's, how much was it worth?
Smith found the Irving and Aaronel deRoy Gruber Foundation online - the foundation 'established in 2000 to support and promote the artwork of Aaronel deRoy Gruber (1918-2011) and to engage Pittsburgh-based and regional artists and initiatives connected to sculpture, photography, printmaking and painting'.
She called the foundation up and ended up on the phone to the director, Brittany Reilly, who quickly confirmed the necklace was a genuine piece of Gruber's.
"She also said it's a really special piece because Gruber made quite a few different necklaces - they don't know how many - but each one has a completely unique color palette and form," Smith added.
The TikToker found out the necklace is wroth between $2,800 and $3,200.
She was also offered to be put in touch with private collectors who would 'pay the full $3,000+ price'.
However, Smith has decided to keep it, but loan it to the gallery in 'multiple cycles' before she 'even think[s] about selling it'.
"Appreciate it, enjoy it - that's what Aaronel would want," Reilly told Smith.
And people have flocked to Smith's TikTok in awe of her story and the necklace.
One user wrote: "I thought it was the Tide Pod at first but it’s really cool that you were able to find such an important piece of artwork."
Another added: "So often women's art gets tossed aside, labelled as cheap, costume jewelry when it had some significant meaning to it. Thanks for saving her."
UNILAD has contacted Irving and Aaronel deRoy Gruber Foundation for comment.
