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.
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.