The shopping for home products and other items of daily use might be slightly out of budget when done at a mall. However, there is still an option where one is not paying through the nose for those regular home furnishing goods and other products. Heading over to yard sales is that smart choice! The people who have a thing for the antiques are attracted to such sales and they are not disappointed by what their eyes see and what all they can buy at a real bargain. These yard and estate sales present some incredible stuff that once carried a lot of value for their owners. Emil Knodell from Texas always went such yard sales whenever he heard of one around the town. But this one particular trip to an estate sale in Missouri City brought a chain of unimaginable events in his life. His ordinary hobby landed him in an extraordinary situation!
A Leisure Pursuit
Emil Knodell, 67, a retired director of marketing was fond of attending yard sales and antique shows. He never missed an opportunity to be at one to soothe his eyes with all the quaint objects kept there for sale. He held every piece delicately and had a keen eye for every precious object. He often bought some of the relics that captivated him and he could not resist the urge to bring it home. The history hidden behind those second-hand items piqued his interest in them. It was a usual day for Knodell to show up at one estate sale in Missouri City, Texas that he heard about. He could not have ever known that this visit would lead him to an unexpected place.
New Day, New Sale
Knodell leaned about an estate sale in Missouri City, Texas organized by a company named Premier Estates Sales Network. The company’s name was enough for this US veteran to keep a few hours of his day reserved for this sale. He was aware that this company conducted such sales with expert knowledge of every item displayed for the customers. So, they were sure about every piece in the sale and what value it held today and during the past. As much as he thought that they knew their antiques, there was still something that would be unexpected for both parties!
Inhaling The Scent Of Past
This old man’s interest in the ancient past and its treasures pulled him towards these yard sales. He became a known face at these events around his neighborhood. He felt that those pieces were telling a story and it’s amazing to breathe in that aroma once in a while. Every item displayed belongs to a person who preserved them for quite long before putting them up for sale for others to live with them. That was all Knodell was expecting from his visit to Missouri city that day. Little did he know something incredible awaited him in that backyard.
Dresser That Caught Attention
When he entered the sale, Knodell started exploring the items kept there until one beautiful piece grabbed his attention. It was an old-fangled but stunningly designed wooden dresser with its top made of marble and three drawers beneath with some embellishments. Although this dresser would not allure many at first glance, this man found it extremely attractive as soon as he saw it. He was fixated at its unique design with dark wood that was common during the past but was not seen anymore. He found it a good choice for enhancing his dining room as it happened to be a perfect size to fit in there. He stepped forward to observe it carefully.
A Deeper Knowledge
Knodell had to know all about this dresser and wanted to admire it from up close. When he was taking a good look at that antique wooden piece, the seller told him that this dresser has not found any buyer from the past three days. He was further informed that the price of this dresser is now $100 instead of $300 that was assigned to it on the first day. Since it wasn’t popular among the people, they decided to drop the cost. Knodell was curious to know more about it.
Diving Into Its History
Every item at the yard sale has some historical value attached to it. Those second-hand items spent a lot of time at one home and have an intriguing past. That’s what made Emil Knodell a fan of the yard and estate sales. The dresser that had captured his interest was assumed to be from 1890. The seller also told him that it was a priced possession of the owner of that estate. He had recently passed away leaving a few relics including this dresser for the public to buy. Knodell knew quite a lot about this piece by now and it was decision time.
Ready To Spend $100
Knodell was ready to buy the dresser for a song. He did not think twice as he felt that it was just the right fit for his dining room and had a rare charm to it! The deal was done as he made the payment and waited till he could load it in his truck to give it a new home. While he imagined this new wooden piece to decorate his house, his fate had planned something else. This dresser would turn out to be an unforgettable purchase after an unexpected revelation in a few moments. Those decorated drawers were hiding away some secrets.
Loading It In The Truck
Initially, Knodell was confident that he would be able to pick it up and transfer it to his truck. But after his purchase was processed and it was time to move it, he found it heavier than expected. Of course, old wood could be hefty. Knodell had to ask for help here as he was sure that it was not a one-man job. So, he called out a worker of that estate sale company present there to give him a hand to lift the dresser. Jeff Allen, the employee heard him and agreed to lend him a helping hand. It was now an army of workers who lifted the dresser along with Knodell and started to move towards his truck. This small journey wasn’t going as planned as something felt strange.
Ready To Help
It had been a good day at the estate sale for Knodell as he made a unique purchase for decorating his dining room. His love for antiques brought him to the sale by Premier Estates and it proved to be a great decision as he found just what he was looking for. Now, it was time to carry the dresser home after the employees of the sale help him stow it in his truck. The dresser required a lot of manpower to lift it due to its bulkiness. The people working for the Premier Estate Sales Network there were pleased to assist their customers. No one involved in this task had any clue about what was about to happen next.
Mysterious Sounds
They all began to heave the dresser from the ground and move in the direction of Knodell’s truck. Within a few seconds of picking it up and taking a few steps forward, they could hear a weird loud noise coming from inside the drawers. “As soon as we laid it down, it started making all this racket on the inside. Obviously, we were very intrigued with what was happening,” shared Allen. They all were taken aback by the sound as no one knew anything that could be present in it to create that clatter. It was all perplexing at that moment!
A Broken Dresser?
The inexplicable noise shocked everyone including Knodell and Allen as they never anticipated the dresser to have something inside it that could make such a loud noise. They were quite sure that it was empty before they tried to lift it. The noise could be due to a broken piece of wood inside or anything that came off while lifting it. Did they just impair the dresser while trying to move it or was there another explanation for the mystifying sound? Knodell wanted to know the truth right there and then.
Hunting Through The Drawers
It was a state of tumult for Knodell and the employees surrounding the old dresser. They could not wrap their heads around this strange sound and wanted to have clarity. So, Knodell and the team opened each of the three drawers to find the origin of the baffling noise. Every wooden drawer was quite spacious and deep. There were chances of something hidden in the dark depths of one of the drawers. After ferreting around all the drawers in search of the reason behind the mysterious noise, they still had no answer. There wasn’t even the tiniest piece in the chest creating the sound. They carried another second round of investigation just to be sure but all in vain. What were they hearing if nothing was inside those drawers?
A Casual Backdrop
While Knodell and others who were witness to this weird sound were engaged in knowing the truth behind it, other visitors of the estate sale were moving around casually. Many other antiques were keeping other customers busy as a mystery was being solved in a corner. No one could sense the unbelievable secret that was hidden somewhere in the old wooden piece of furniture. They were trying hard to uncover the hidden element making that sound.
Artifacts At Yard Sales
The companies or people that hold these events like yard and estate sales are usually acquainted with the artifacts they are selling. At times, these can be heirlooms or other relics that have been there in their family for quite long. They might think that they know every inch of that piece, but they can be proved wrong by certain professionals or antique lovers visiting that sale. Knodell was one such customer who was au fait with artifacts. Premiere Estates company is an expert in their field but this dresser was telling another story.
A Complex Design
After sifting through the three embellished drawers twice, they had not yet discovered the source of that noise. Knodell did not doubt the expertise of the company for even a second. He was confident that there was nothing more to the dresser than what meets the eye as the company must have done a proper analysis of every item on sale. He might be convinced but the other truth of that sound was standing strong too. There had to be an explanation for that. Knodell, Allen, and others were now preparing themselves for thorough research but with a twist.
Something Was Amiss
Things were not making sense to anyone as no one was able to come up with a plan to unravel the mystery. They had explored the drawers quite a few times now but all futile attempts. Whenever they tried to move it, they could hear the sound. It was frustrating as they were not able to locate the source of the noise after numerous efforts.
They were wondering if this dresser was hiding a secret that was impossible to know without proper means. They were not ready to give up!
Nothing Was Predictable Anymore
This estate sale had given Knodell an unexpected experience with just one impulsive purchase. He was attracted to this dresser and found it a real bargain. He paid for it instantly without thinking again but that wasn’t the end of his story as one would expect. In this case, his bargain created an enigma. He wasn’t the only one confused here as a few employees were involved too who could not explain this puzzling situation. With thoughts running through their heads, now, they decided to pick up the dresser and lay it on its back to investigate it further. They were oblivious to its incredible secret!
A Different Perspective
The cabinets of the special dresser were inspected carefully when they kept it on the ground but they realized that it can be examined from a different angle too. This time, the workers, Allen and Knodell lifted the dresser and laid it on its back. As soon as they had a new perspective to look at the antique piece of furniture, things were no longer blurry. The three drawers visible to them were not the only available spaces in the dresser. They could spot another tiny drawer beneath the three that had already been dug in many times.
Concealed From This World
They had just stumbled upon a small drawer that they could have never seen in the normal standing position of the dresser. It was camouflaged with the wooden panel lining of the dresser. The men discovered that the panel had a notch behind and below it that was an alternative to the handle. “When you look at the front of it, it looks like it has three obvious drawers with molding on the base – but the bottom has a secret drawer that opens up,” Knodell revealed.
Bewildered By This Discovery
This wasn’t what Knodell had ever imagined about his trip to the estate sale in Missouri City, Texas. The dresser he bought turned out to be the most mysterious second-hand item present at the sale. Knodell, Allen, and other workers were speechless for a moment when they chanced upon this secret drawer. The dresser and in fact, all things on sale are checked by the professional appraisers and the families of the owners before they decide to see them. Surprisingly, no one noticed this hidden drawer until it was purchased by this old man. The men were ready to open it and the astonishing discoveries had just begun.
Holding Precious Antiquities
They opened the drawer and could not believe their eyes. The secret drawer was hiding away some amazing gems from the past. There were mementos and other things of the owner of that dresser. “There were rings, diamonds, gold and all kinds of stuff. It was a real adrenaline rush. Both of us were in shock for a second,” Allen shared in the interview. As they looked closely, they even found some military medals, dog tags, and a lock of hair that had been preserved for years. This exploration of the secret drawer was going to be full of surprises for them!
A Valuable Noise
The sound heard by them while they tried to move the dresser wasn’t an ordinary noise made by some broken pieces inside. It was worth quite a lot as revealed by those precious items found inside. On further inspection, they concluded that some of the stuff dated back to the Civil war which contradicted their previous assumption that the dresser was designed in 1890. It could be much older than that! Knodell had paid $100 for this historical piece but they were quite sure that it could come with a much bigger price tag if those antique valuables were counted in the calculations.
Staring At The Treasure
Now, a group of people was looking at a jackpot that they found by pure luck. None of them had any clue that the ordinary old dresser would be holding such deep and precious secrets. Allen used his expert knowledge about the antiques and estimated that the old pieces of jewelry, war memorabilia, and other preserved items would be worth $15,000 approximately. Knodell had just paid the tiniest fraction of this amount! At first, it just felt like a dream but everything lying in front of them was real and they had to look quite a few times to grasp this unbelievable truth.
Road To Riches
There were valuable pieces and relics found in the hidden section of a second-hand dresser and it was hard to absorb all that had just happened. Knodell took his time to wrap his around this unimaginable discovery. His love for artifacts and historical elements gave him the biggest surprise of his life. The $100 that he spent led him on an unexpected road that had riches all over it. This dresser was now being estimated to be worth $15,000 or even more considering the valuables loaded in it. It was a stroke of good luck that Hit Knodell and he landed in a heap of wealth. However, the way he reacted to this after figuring it all out is commendable.
All About Feeling Right
“I bought the chest of drawers. I didn’t buy those things,” expressed Knodell. There could be many arguments about the ownership of this treasure and whether Knodell deserves to take them home or not but he never insisted on being the one who would carry the jackpot. “If I kept them, I would never feel right about it. There would be a cloud over the whole thing. It’s a feeling more than anything else.” He did not allow the shining sight of those riches to get to his head. He remained calm and made a decision. Allen stood in support of Knodell!
Back To The Real Owner
No second thoughts were involved while taking the next step. Knodell knew that there was someone who cherished these precious gems and uniquely stored them, so, all of it belongs to that person. “I’m an old ex-Marine and I try to do the right thing. Jeff also, the man in charge, his immediate reaction was, 'Let’s call the owner.' There was never a question of anyone keeping it; it was: 'This is fantastic. Let’s call the owner and get the stuff back to them,” shared Knodell. He was the man of his word and everyone present there who witnessed the entire episode were in agreement with this great step.
Contacting The Owner
Allen acted upon Knodell’s decision instantly and called the estate executor. He was the son of that man who passed away and left behind this treasure. He was glad that someone found the prized possessions of his father and chose to inform him about them instead of claiming them to be belonging to him. He was in awe of Knodell’s gesture. “He remembers that dresser in a house in Michigan when he was a little child -- in his grandfolks’ house. And he had no idea there was a hidden compartment,” Allen revealed.
Treasure Returns Home
As soon as the estate executive showed up, the whole story was narrated to him and everything that happened beginning with the dresser finding a customer and the workers hearing a noise while trying to lift it ending with the unexpected discovery in a hidden drawer. He was amazed at all that occurred at this estate sale. The highlight was Knodell deciding to give it all up and return the historical valuables to their actual home. This is definitely an exceptional act and he deserves all the respect for doing the right thing.
In The News
After the great discovery, Knodell’s story was published at various places and he was interviewed by news channels about his fortunate encounter. The story was covered by the news channels who appreciated the man for his selfless act and staying humble despite all the riches that came his way. He serves as an inspiration for many as what he did is not something that one expects from people especially during a time when money sits at the top spot!
A Memorable Experience
Yard sales are quite a nice place to be when one is looking for something that falls in the budget. Someone curious about the history and if artifacts attract them, yard sales are a perfect event to attend. Knodell would always be an attendee of such events because of his interests in the second-hand items that carry a story with them. He will definitely continue to head over to such sales especially after the treasure hunt he participated in. The dresser proved to be mysterious antiquity and there might be many such dressers around the world that hideaway some secrets!
