Antiques Roadshow

APPRAISER

In 2017 in St. Louis, a guest approached the table, the Asian art table, midday. I recall all three specialists being excited. We were in the presence of a wonderful,

partially gilt bronze bodhisattva. GUEST

I think it's a bodhisattva. It's a figure of the buddha, and this is a repose position. It has gilt but it's worn off. There's a missing arm. I thought it was so beautiful I didn't mind the damage. There was a local person who was a colorful character in Kirkwood so I really wanted to get to his garage sale. I rushed out and the dealers had been there for two days before so I thought everything good would be gone but when I saw this I thought it was so beautiful,

I just grabbed it. APPRAISER

May I inquire what you paid for it?

GUEST

Probably between $75 and $100.

APPRAISER

It wasn't a surprise to either one of us that this was left behind. As you know a slightly off brown, diminutive, small object tucked away in the corner of a room. Dealers have a wheelhouse, have a specific area of knowledge so a silver dealer or a picture dealer or a dealer in modern furniture may have walked by it, as we all do other objects outside of our wheelhouse. This in fact is a gilt bronze figure, beautifully seated, Wenshu, bodhisattva of insight. Beautiful drapery, there's ribbon work. Very fine, reticulated hands. Wonderful rope and jewelry work. There is a Rubenesque, or a chubby quality to the face, which is indicative of the age and period. It's a beautiful face of compassion. When those in my industry look at a Buddhist work about or a Buddhist bronze or devotional objects, faces are important. They should be executed in a serene expression. These are objects of worship, they're often elevated so it's all about quality like many things. There are some features of early bodhisattvas. A truncated or, for want of a better word, skinny waist. The jeweled chest, the very deep and fine drapery of the road. And seated in Royal Ease. And Royal Ease is really a characteristic of very early Buddhist art. The dating would be approximately early 15th-century or early Ming Dynasty. I think we dated it as early Ming. I think there was a suggestion that, on the table then, that it may have been earlier. We dated it as early 15th-century. Stylistically these, there are characteristics that are carried over from century to century so early works of art can be difficult to date at times. The consensus is that it did have a base. The base that is often associated and cast with these objects is a post, and then a similar, conforming lotus base. So it's raised. Its revered, it's elevated, as a Buddha should be. We would not be surprised if the original base had a inscription and that it's possible that that base may have had an imperial inscription. Yes you're missing a hand. Yes you're missing an arm. Any idea what it may be worth in today's market after what I've said?

GUEST

To me it was worth $100 or whatever I paid,

so I didn't really care. APPRAISER

A very conservative retail price would be a hundred to a hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars.

GUEST

Really? Are you really serious?

Oh my goodness. (laughs) I can't believe it. APPRAISER

It's a

wonderful object. APPRAISER

Well. Oh my goodness, I can't believe it.

APPRAISER

I did view the sales in March in New York, during Asia week.

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04:00,980 Correct. So we have a matter of minutes when we view an object. I think Dessa dated at earlier than I did. And we dated it as early 15th- century. The Tang Dynasty is several hundred years earlier than that. Looking back with hindsight, perhaps the months spent researching the object, with comparables. I understand a comparable was found perhaps in the Met. They're often a very good guide, stylistically, as to dating and if there is a consensus in the dating. It sold for in excess of two million. And the two million would represent a buyer's premium. And it's certainly a multiple of both the estimate given at Sotheby's and our appraisal, but I think the marketplace certainly realized it was a scarce opportunity to acquire a fabulous object. And I wonder if the exposure the object had on the ANTIQUES ROADSHOW influenced the purchase price. We're very fortunate to to have the opportunity to be presented hundreds of objects in a day from entry level $20, $30 salt and pepper shakers made in Japan in the 20s to exceptional masterpieces. Having said that we're at a slight disadvantage that we only have minutes or tens of minutes for our guests. It's bittersweet we don't get to spend a month or two with the object perched on a shelf and have moments to touch, obsess, research, spend time with objects, which fundamentally, is why a lot of us get into the industry we love objects. We're very fortunate and I'm grateful for the guests, I'm grateful that the object came across the table, I'm grateful I was the appraiser that met the guest. And I think it's a wonderful story of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW's role in identifying quality, giving strong guidance to guests in relation to value, importance. I think it was an important role that ANTIQUES ROADSHOW played in the eventual sale and possible repatriation of a wonderful object.