Leon Julien Deschamps Bronze, "The Harvest"
Watch
GUEST:
It was purchased at auction in England about ten years ago and we believe it be a 19th-century French bronze. That's about it.
APPRAISER:
This bronze is by one of the more notable salon bronziers...
GUEST:
Oh, really?
APPRAISER:
of the 19th century. Yes, it's Léon Deschamps and he was born in 1860, and he died in 1928. He won several medals and showed in many salons during the late-19th and early-20th century and this particular piece is signed on the front, "En Moisson"...
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
and that means "the harvest."
GUEST:
"The harvest."
APPRAISER:
He had a particular penchant for the harvest and he did bronzes like this using, generally speaking the sand-cast method. We also have a signature of his on the side right here...
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
as well as, then, on the reverse side, the foundry mark the Suss foundry mark and that was of also a famous foundry in the 19th and early-20th century. It's fortunate that this is the original cast size of the piece. During the mid-19th century many pieces were cast in a smaller size by the invention of, uh, Achilles Collas of the pantograph. However, this is the original one shown in the 1903 salon.
GUEST:
Oh, really?
APPRAISER:
Yes. This is the original casting and it's quite an extraordinary piece. He studied under Hippolite Moreau and he won several medallions in the Paris salons and was just one of the more notable of the bronziers of the 19th century. Can you tell us, Neil, what you paid for this?
GUEST:
I seem to think it... say in England, £800 which is about $1,200, $1,300 equivalent.
APPRAISER:
Ah, well, I think we may have a little bit of a surprise for you. On the open market right now and I think by a reputable dealer this bronze would be worth between $45,000 and $50,000.
GUEST:
Ah, no! Are you joking?
APPRAISER:
Absolutely.
GUEST:
Oh, my goodness!
APPRAISER:
It is an extraordinary piece of his workmanship and he was one of the much more notable men of his era, so...
GUEST:
Oh, my goodness.
APPRAISER:
It's a phenomenal piece and I'm so glad you brought it on the Roadshow with us.
GUEST:
Oh, jeez! Can we cry on camera?
APPRAISER:
( laughs ) Sometimes it can amaze you. And this particular one when I saw it, I was just flabbergasted by it. I was so hoping that...
GUEST:
My wife's going to be back there falling off her chair.
APPRAISER:
( laughs )
GUEST:
Oh, my goodness, me. Whoa! We call her Griselda. ( laughs ) Don't know why, but...
APPRAISER:
Well, I like the name, Griselda. It sort of fits. ( laughs )
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.
