From Trash to Treasure: How I Found a Priceless Italian Ocarina for Just One Dollar

From Thrift Store Curiosity to Musical Treasure: My $1 Antonio Canella Ocarina Find

It was just an ordinary afternoon when I wandered into a local thrift store, not looking for anything in particular—just browsing, as I often do when I need a mental break. That’s when I spotted something unusual tucked between old vases and kitchen knickknacks.

The object looked like a strange cross between a submarine and a potato—ceramic, slightly weathered, and oddly heavy for its size. It had a warm, hand-crafted feel, and curiosity got the best of me. I flipped it over and noticed a small stamp on the bottom that read: “Ant. Canella Ferrara, Italy.” I had no idea what it was, but for just one dollar, I figured it would make a quirky conversation piece.

Once home, I started digging into what I’d found—and what I uncovered was incredible.

It turned out this odd little item was a handmade ocarina, a traditional Italian wind instrument with a long, fascinating history. More specifically, I had stumbled upon a ten-hole transverse ocarina crafted by Antonio Canella, one of the most respected names in ocarina-making, based in Ferrara, Italy.

The gold stamp near the mouthpiece confirmed its authenticity. These instruments aren’t just collector’s items—they’re works of art, each one individually shaped and tuned to produce hauntingly beautiful tones. Ocarinas have roots going back thousands of years, but they gained popularity in 19th-century Europe, especially in Italy where artisans like Canella helped define their modern form.

What amazed me most wasn’t just the potential value of the piece (though similar ocarinas can fetch hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars), but the fact that something so rare and rich in cultural heritage had been sitting quietly in a thrift store, waiting to be found.

Now, it sits proudly in my home—not just as a piece of decor, but as a reminder that sometimes, the most unexpected treasures come when you’re not even looking for them.

So next time you’re in a secondhand shop, keep your eyes open. You never know what forgotten masterpiece might be waiting for just a dollar and a little curiosity.