Antiques Roadshow guest stunned by staggering $30,000 value for family heirloom
An Antiques Roadshow guest was shocked when their Japanese sculpture, including a silver tortoise and a bronze figure, was valued far higher than expected.
An episode of Antiques Roadshow left a guest stunned when their seemingly modest silver sculpture turned out to be worth far more than expected.
One guest brought in a detailed Japanese sculpture made of solid silver, crafted by renowned Imperial court artist Unno Shomin.
The piece, shaped like a tortoise, also featured gold barnacles attached to its shell. The expert examined the piece, and they were left impressed by the craftsmanship.
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“In addition to the material, there’s the workmanship. Not only the details of things like the barnacles, but the details of the scales, the face, the seaweed, all this is chased and done by hand,” the expert explained.
He also praised the underside of the sculpture, noting its pristine condition and the care the guest had taken in preserving it over the years.
The guest shared that the piece had been brought back by his father from World War II. When asked to estimate its value, the guest guessed around $3,000 to $4,000.
The expert added, “Let’s add a little bit. I think it’s more like $20,000 to $30,000 at auction.” Visibly surprised, the guest responded, “That’s quite a bit. More than I thought it would be.”
Japanese sculptures have a history of commanding high prices at the show.
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In another episode, another guest was visibly emotional after learning the true value of a family heirloom — a bronze sculpture made by artist Kaneda Kenjiro during the Meiji period.
“When I was a teenager, I saw this man at my grandmother's house. She said, 'One day I'm going to put this in my will and it'll be yours'. Recently, she just gave it to me,” the guest recalled.
"I like the fact that his hat is missing, it's gone, but he's trying to get to it. I like the movement that's in his clothes,” she added.
The expert valued the piece at $12,000 for retail replacement, leaving the guest visibly emotional and teary-eyed.
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