An Antiques Roadshow US star couldn’t stop sobbing as she found out the eye-watering value of a bronze sculpture.
In an episode of the PBS show taking place at Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester, Michigan, back in 2018, a guest brought in a sculpture of a man bending over while trying to retrieve his fallen hat – and turned out to be from artist Kaneda Kenjiro. Explaining how the item came to be in her possession, the guest explained it used to be at her godmother’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. He’s something that I’ve always treasured because he’s different. 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.”
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Expert Lark Mason explained that the hat had been carried away on a wave of water, explaining of the piece: “He is in a rice field. On his back was where he would put the hoe.”
(Image: Antiques Roadshow PBS)
He explained that the sculpture dated back to 1890, and was made in Tokyo, Japan. Mason explained: “It was in response to a change in Japan where there was a real effort to industrialise Japan and move it forward to become part of international commerce.
“They were making things that would be sold to a common audience and they would be displayed in World’s Fairs in places like St Louis, Philadelphia and Chicago.” Lark then pointed to a square marking on the piece – Kenjiro’s signature.
(Image: Antiques Roadshow PBS)
After demonstrating how the one-legged man attached to the bronze base, Lark removed it, explaining: “You’ve got to balance the weight. And this is a fairly heavy object. So one of the ways that is achieved, by the base extending so far.
“But, also, look what the figure does. It extends far as well. And there’s enough weight that’s balanced by this, and I’m going to pull it out. You can see that it’s got this fairly substantial block attached to the end of the foot, so that this is not going to move.
(Image: Antiques Roadshow PBS)
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“All that was calculated by the sculptor when he came up with this idea,” Lark continued, before he was ready to reveal just how much the piece was worth. He explained: “For retail replacement purposes, I think a figure of $12,000 would be about right.”
The guest couldn’t believe what she was hearing, closing her eyes and clutching her chest as she gave a one word response: “Really?” After a few minutes of catching her breath, she said: “I had no idea! That’s wonderful. Oh my gosh, thank you.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
