“Antiques Roadshow” Auction Appraiser is Left Speechless After Realizing the Worth of a Lion Statue

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” hits too close to home for PBS’s Antiques Roadshow fanatics – meaning that a lot of “junk” people have stored in their attics might actually be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars!

And thanks to the famous touring show, a lovely Southwestern lady was able to find out just how much her family’s precious Chinese art figure was worth. Typically, it’s the item’s owner that is left speechless when they receive an offer that’s well over the expected price, but this time around it was the expert appraiser that was left with unexpected emotions.

Keep on reading to find out why this prized possession was so significantly special in the eyes of an expert.

There’s something extremely exciting when you’re doing some spring cleaning, and find a box full of nostalgic items. Whether it’s some childhood toys or just a painting you remember seeing hung up in your grandparents’ home, the sentimental value on something like that is always priceless.

Screenshot from "Antiques Roadshow"

While an item might seem priceless to us, though, at the end of the day, knowing the true financial value of your prized possession can come in handy – especially if you want to insure it. Which is exactly what this local Southwestern woman decided to do.

The thing about getting the true financial value for your item all comes down to who appraises it. Many people go to local pawn shops or second-hand stores, which can be a great and efficient resource. And getting a second or third opinion by an expert is always best.

Image by Andrew Campbell/Flickr

But as any knick-knack and antique lover out there knows, the ultimate place to get your item appraised by an incredibly experienced expert is PBS’s Antiques Roadshow. Thankfully for this Southwestern lady, the roadshow was heading close to home to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2002.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Antiques Roadshow series, we’re here to help explain.

The unique show has been running for 24 years now, with the sole purpose of providing the opportunity for guests to bring in their prized possessions, in order to get a true appraisal assessment by professionals.

Image by Andrew Campbell/Flickr

What makes the show so special, though, isn’t just their expert appraisers who specialize in a range of categories, but the fact that the show is literally on the road and travels to different cities, allowing people all around the world the chance to participate and learn more about their treasured belongings and family heirlooms.

PBS describes the series perfectly, stating that it’s “part adventure, part history lesson, part treasure hunt”.

While the adventurous part of the show is the fact that it travels around different cities, finding artifacts from around the world, the history lesson comes from both the item’s owner backstory and the expert appraisers’ evaluations.

Image by Tony Harrison/Flickr

Some people have the coolest background stories for their items, while others don’t know anything at all. Thankfully, though, each appraiser is well-rounded enough to be able to validate and confirm the truth behind an item’s potential value.

Because of the high standards and expectations from the Antiques Roadshow, there is a very specific process that goes into the appraisal procedure. As soon as you bring in your personal belonging, you’re paired up with different professionals to analyze the antique item.

And in July 2002, this special guest in New Mexico would be paired up with a group of experts of Asian artwork – Lark Mason, James Callahan, and Dessa Goddard – to analyze and appraise her nostalgic Chinese sculpture.

Image by Andrew Campbell/Flickr

Once the pros look at the item, they present the owner with the historical background, an authentic analysis and validation, and the financial value.

What makes the show so fun is that some people bring items that are completely worthless, while others have true treasures and rarities that they never would’ve expected. But because the appraisers see so many people come and go with all sorts of trinkets and antiques of all sorts of values, the way they present the final offer is usually set with professional demeanor and poise.

Image via Lark E Mason Jr. / Facebook

But when the appraisal team saw what the southwestern lady brought in, they were absolutely taken aback and couldn’t help letting their emotions get the best of them. So, what exactly was this special item?