Antiques Roadshow

APPRAISER

This form of base would have been used for an incense burner.

GUEST

Oh.

APPRAISER

The body is actually a vase. This is a mixture. It's an amalgam of different things. The base draws from 17th-century Chinese design with this trunk coming out of this fellow's mouth. But in Chinese design, this would have been a lion or an elephant.

GUEST

Oh, it's interesting, I always thought it was their beards. (both laugh)

APPRAISER

1868, the Meiji began, and they were producing these things. They were trying to figure out what their market was.

GUEST

Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER

In America, of course, 1876 was our centennial. Japan had opened up, and they were trying to sell their things to the American market, hence... The eagle. If this were to come to auction, I would expect this to sell for $3,000 to $5,000.

GUEST

Okay, very nice.