Japanese Kannon Figure, ca. 1200
Watch
APPRAISER:
You walked in with a whole array of things.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
Where did you get them, and what were you expecting to find out?
GUEST:
I purchased them at a thrift store that I go to. I wasn't sure what I had. I just like Asian artifacts and art.
APPRAISER:
And you go to the thrift store often?
GUEST:
I do. I go about twice a week to see what they have, because they get stuff in all the time.
APPRAISER:
What do you think this is?
GUEST:
I didn't know if it's a girl or a boy, but I think it's a girl. It looks like, serene, like maybe Buddha, but I'm not sure. I was just drawn to it, the carvings.
APPRAISER:
You've pointed out some of the features that are important to recognize. One is the serenity of the face. And it's not only just the serenity, but it's the very fine-quality details, which indicates skill on the part of the person that did it. The discoloration you see here is from metal.
GUEST:
Oh, okay.
APPRAISER:
And it's a little hard to see, but right up here at the headdress, there's a hole. And these holes go all the way around the top. And at one time, there was probably a little metal diadem, crown, some sort of extra appendage that was part of this figure, indicating its importance as an object of devotion.
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
Now going down from the head, look at the quality of the carving. The body is very subtle. There's kind of a curvature here, and you see the garment that is in these very tight, crisp folds as it falls in a somewhat stylized, but very realistic kind of pattern across the body, clinging to the form of the figure below. Now there's also, on the feet, these blocks. And there's a residue on the blocks indicating that it was set into a base.
GUEST:
Oh, okay. That's what I was wondering.
APPRAISER:
Because it won't stand freely.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
And the other thing we can observe about it is the material. This is made of pine. Stylistically, the way the face is done, the robes and so on, correspond to a period of time in China and Japan during the 12th, 13th century.
GUEST:
Oh, my gosh.
APPRAISER:
And into the 14th century.
GUEST:
Oh, my goodness.
APPRAISER:
So roughly around 1200, and maybe even before.
GUEST:
Oh, my goodness.
APPRAISER:
This is Japanese.
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
But it exhibits this international style of Buddhist art that was popular at that period of time.
GUEST:
Is it like a Buddha, sort of?
APPRAISER:
It's a figure of Kannon, who represents mercy, compassion. It's a happy figure, something that's good.
GUEST:
(laughing) That's good, that is good.
APPRAISER:
It's an androgynous figure. For something that is of such great antiquity, it's in really good shape. What did you pay for it?
GUEST:
Two dollars.
APPRAISER:
You paid two dollars?
GUEST:
I did.
APPRAISER:
I think it's likely worth between $4,000 and $6,000 at auction.
GUEST:
Oh, my gosh, that's a lot. That's amazing. (giggles) That's amazing. So I did find something! I'm excited. Oh, my gosh. Thank you!
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.
