A UNIQUE detail on a small statue has helped make it worth tens of thousands of dollars.
The owner of the rare item said she had come across it thanks to the generosity of her husband’s coworker.
“It’s a statue that was given to my husband — he’s a contractor, and it was given to him from someone that he works with,” she explained to Antiques Roadshow appraiser Kerry Shrives during a 2009 episode of the series.
The bronze and marble statue featured a woman with a long flowing cloth covering much of her face.
Shrives immediately pointed out the base of the statue was signed by J.L. Gerome, a famous French artist in the mid to late 1800s.
“He spent most of his career as a very prominent and well-regarded French painter and engraver,” the appraiser explained.
“It wasn’t until he was about 50 that he really became a sculptor.”
One of Gerome’s first sculptures appeared in 1878, and Shrives called the owner’s statue a “really great example of his work.”
MONEY MATERIAL
Shrives also confirmed that the title of the piece was “Woman with a Veil” and pointed out the decorative detailing on the fabric of the clothing depicted on the statue.
Additionally, while it was clear that the sculpture included marble and bronze, the appraiser said it was a “majority” bronze.
Despite all the stunning details that made up the piece, Shrives said the “experimentation” and “combination of materials” with painting the marble and patenting the bronze made it particularly special.
It was also made in three different sizes by Gerome, and the owner happened to have the largest version.
HAND HOLD-UP
The only issue with the statute was that it was missing a left hand, but Shrives reassured the owner that a professional could craft a new one out of marble and re-attach it with relative ease.
Shrives said she had recently seen one with a completely re-attached new arm sell at auction for around $75,000.
Considering the owner’s version with only the missing hand, the appraiser estimated its value to be anywhere between $60,000 and $80,000.
“It’s really, in the scheme of things, a minor conditional issue — believe it or not,” Shrives reassured her.
Antiques Roadshow best finds
Antiques Roadshow has helped people put a price on their treasures since 1979. Here are some of the most interesting finds
- A hand-me-down ring that had been in the family for generations was valued at $595,000
- A silver coin found on a farm is worth $30,000
- A Rolex that cost just $120 is now worth $45,000
- The portrait of a woman’s mother at four years old and its frame was worth $32,000
- A book of hymns that was kept in a basement was worth $50,000
- A rare sculpture bought at a flea market in 1961 was worth $100,000
- An antique floor lamp from an estate sale was worth $15,000
- A mobile from the 1940s was worth a whopping $2 million
- A tablecloth drawn on by a baseball legend was worth $1,500
- A Picasso plate that hung above an oven was worth $15,000
TIME TURMOIL
The owner was speechless at the prospect.
Surprisingly, the value of the statue would have gone down if the owner tried to sell it today.
Antiques Roadshow estimated it would only be worth around $40,000 to $60,000 in 2024.
It wouldn’t be the first time the owners of rare art were shocked that they could’ve been holding on to something worth that much money.
A woman who kept a $40 glass bird she thrifted was nearly moved to tears when appraisers with the PBS series said it was worth $9,000.
Similarly, two portraits bought for $150 at a store years ago were really worth $30,000 thanks to the famous American artist who designed them.
