Antiques Roadshow

GUEST: These pieces were brought by my grandmother from China in the late 1940s when she went to Germany and then, subsequently, to the United States.

That's a picture of my mother and father on their wedding day.

That was taken in 1944.

APPRAISER: When appraising Asian art, we look at three things: firstly, quality; secondly, the material that the item's composed of or carved from; and thirdly, the age.

So let's start with the picture frame.

This is paneled serpentine carved with quite crude foliate and animal images.

If we have a look at these almost comical faces...

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: ...it's a fair carving.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: Serpentine is a soft stone; it's porous and shows many inclusions.

It doesn't have the purity of a jade.

The hardwood is a stained hardwood.

The frame probably dates from the end of the 19th century into the early 20th century.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: But then we move on to the jade pendant.

This is a white jade pendant dating from the 18th century.

Its hue or tone is of near pure white.

GUEST: Mmm.

APPRAISER: It's a harder stone, fewer inclusions, if any inclusions at all.

There's no big brown or white spurs through the jade.

These qilin, or mythical beasts, are carved in a archaic scroll.

The archaic scroll frames a immortal figure with script to the reverse.

The carving on the pendant is good, not great.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: This was worn as a pendant, originally, in the 18th century.

And then probably during the late 19th, early 20th century, it was mounted onto a hongmu, or hardwood stand.

Which one do you think's worth more money?

GUEST: Well, I assumed, size-wise, the picture frame would be worth much more.

APPRAISER: The serpentine picture frame-- its auction estimate would be between $800 and $1,200.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: The white jade 18th century pendant, at auction would have a pre-sale estimate of $3,000 to $5,000.

GUEST: Oh, wow.

I never would have expected that.

That's wonderful.