Antiques Roadshow

GUEST

I bought this at an auction...

APPRAISER

Uh-huh.

GUEST

...about 34 years ago.

APPRAISER

Here in Florida?

GUEST

Yes.

APPRAISER

Why did you buy it?

GUEST

I bought it because I thought she was beautiful. No other reason. I knew nothing about it.

APPRAISER

Well, this is actually by a very, very famous French artist. He was primarily a painter. His name was Jean-Lon Grme, and he was probably the leading French artist of the 19th century working in what we call the Academic style. 19th century had an Academic style and then they had the new painters, you know, the Impressionists.

GUEST

And what year was that?

It was in the 1850s-1860s. And he specialized in historic scenes

scenes of the Middle East, of Ancient Egypt, of Ancient Greece, and Ancient Rome. And your figure is interesting because she's actually an Ancient Roman figure. She has this very exotic headdress in here, but the real giveaway is these shoes that lifts your foot up from the floor. She was in a bathhouse. What's unusual about your piece is how large it is. Most of the pieces by this artist that come to the market are about this big or maybe this big. It's beautifully cast. The French at this time were the leading founders. Wonderful detail. And this has the original patina, this gold finish. It's absolutely perfect condition.

GUEST

Oh, I thought she was beautiful.

APPRAISER

Well, what did you pay for it?

GUEST

$500.

APPRAISER

You paid $500? That's a fair amount of money 35 years ago.

GUEST

Well, I thought that was expensive.

APPRAISER

Uh-huh. Grme's work is very desirable, very highly sought-after. At auction, this would bring between $30,000 and $40,000.

GUEST

(exhales) (woman laughs) (laughing)

APPRAISER

You okay?

GUEST

Why are you laughing? I'm amazed.

APPRAISER

That's good.

GUEST

I'm amazed!

APPRAISER

Great.