19th C. Chinese Bronze Guanyin Figure
Watch
GUEST:
My father purchased it in China 1931, 1932, when he was stationed there as a naval officer. I don't know how much he paid for it or anything, but it's been in my family since he brought it back from China. He just loved her when he walked in and saw her.
APPRAISER:
This is the figure of the goddess of mercy. It's Chinese and her name is Guanyin. She's characterized always by wearing these long robes, sometimes in a standing posture, sometimes in a seated position, often with a cowl over the head and usually with the hands raised and one holding a small scroll, sometimes occasionally holding a lotus branch or some other kind of object. Often the figure of Guanyin will have a beaded necklace of some sort. You can see that this is, in fact, bronze. Here on the fringes of the garment...
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
...running all the way up the side...
GUEST:
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
...and on the middle of the body, there is inlaid silver wire, which is a particularly difficult technique. It's not on the surface. This is actually inlaid into the metal. We have an inscription here on the front.
GUEST:
Mm-hm.
APPRAISER:
And there is also an inscription here on the back. Most of the time, these inscriptions will be who the figure is or some aspect of the figure, but also it will have a name that's attached to the figures that's characteristic of this particular kind of workmanship, and that is the name Shisou, S-H-I-S-O-U. So we often describe these as Shisou vessels or figures, but it's a particular workshop that was active in China. Usually, you see them from the 17th century forward. I would say that this dates from the 19th century. Now, where in the 19th century? It's tough to say. It's in beautiful condition, the inlaid silver wire is in good shape. Fortunately, no one polished it.
GUEST:
(laughing)
APPRAISER:
Cause… You know about that.
GUEST:
I do.
APPRAISER:
Yeah, cause the bronze has this patination that was put there on purpose. And that's in great shape, so it's a beautifully cast figure and it's exactly what people are looking for in the marketplace today. I think in an auction sale, it would make between $8,000 and $12,000.
GUEST:
My father would be so proud. He loved this.
Appraisal Details
Executive producer Marsha Bemko shares her tips for getting the most out of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.
Value can change: The value of an item is dependent upon many things, including the condition of the object itself, trends in the market for that kind of object, and the location where the item will be sold. These are just some of the reasons why the answer to the question "What's it worth?" is so often "It depends."
Note the date: Take note of the date the appraisal was recorded. This information appears in the upper left corner of the page, with the label "Appraised On." Values change over time according to market forces, so the current value of the item could be higher, lower, or the same as when our expert first appraised it.
Context is key: Listen carefully. Most of our experts will give appraisal values in context. For example, you'll often hear them say what an item is worth "at auction," or "retail," or "for insurance purposes" (replacement value). Retail prices are different from wholesale prices. Often an auctioneer will talk about what she knows best: the auction market. A shop owner will usually talk about what he knows best: the retail price he'd place on the object in his shop. And though there are no hard and fast rules, an object's auction price can often be half its retail value; yet for other objects, an auction price could be higher than retail. As a rule, however, retail and insurance/replacement values are about the same.
Verbal approximations: The values given by the experts on ANTIQUES ROADSHOW are considered "verbal approximations of value." Technically, an "appraisal" is a legal document, generally for insurance purposes, written by a qualified expert and paid for by the owner of the item. An appraisal usually involves an extensive amount of research to establish authenticity, provenance, composition, method of construction, and other important attributes of a particular object.
Opinion of value: As with all appraisals, the verbal approximations of value given at ROADSHOW events are our experts' opinions formed from their knowledge of antiques and collectibles, market trends, and other factors. Although our valuations are based on research and experience, opinions can, and sometimes do, vary among experts.
Appraiser affiliations: Finally, the affiliation of the appraiser may have changed since the appraisal was recorded. To see current contact information for an appraiser in the ROADSHOW Archive, click on the link below the appraiser's picture. Our Appraiser Index also contains a complete list of active ROADSHOW appraisers and their contact details and biographies.
