Antiques Roadshow Shockers: Hidden Chinese Masterpieces Revealed!

My birthday usually falls on Thanksgiving vacation and a very good friend of mine who was a an antiques dealer in Baltimore called me up and said that he had a piece that he'd just gotten from an estate that he thought that I should have. So I went and looked at it and fell in love with it instantly. I asked him what the price was and he told me and I said oh well I can't afford that and he said well go home and ask your mother to give it to you for your birthday. So I did and she said oh well that was way too much and I said well how about birthday and Christmas. She gave it to me for my birthday and Christmas combined. She paid $350. This exquisitely carved censer is a refined example of Chinese craftsmanship created in the early 20th century but deeply rooted in the artistic traditions of the 18th century Qing Stone. The vessel reflects the classical aesthetics admired during the Qianlong period, balanced, elegant, and symbolically rich. Its body is encircled by lotus vines in raised relief, a motif associated with purity and spiritual harmony. The vines flow seamlessly around the censer demonstrating the artisan's mastery in creating depth, texture, and rhythmic movement. The handles feature loose articulated rings, a technically demanding achievement requiring exceptional precision to carve the rings free while preserving the integrity of the stone. A delicately carved butterfly forms one of the handles, symbolizing joy, renewal, and good fortune. Although inspired by imperial Qing examples, subtle carving lines on the leaves indicate an early 20th century creation where craftsmen revived classical motifs with slightly less polished finishing. This stylistic blend traditional design, interpreted through later workmanship, makes the censer especially appealing to modern collectors, particularly those seeking pieces that echo the refined serenity of 18th century art. And if you wanted to sell this at auction today, my sense is that it would be in the $50,000 to $80,000 range at auction, which is a pretty good price. Well, it's still a very nice birthday present. Lord, yes. And I have to say, I don't know many people that have put $300 down and ended up with something like this. My husband's great uncle Jake was a correspondent for the Philadelphia Ledger in the 30s. He enjoyed traveling and collecting, and he particularly enjoyed collecting Asian pieces. This is made of jade. The design, the shape, and the material indicate that it's Chinese. And this is a shape that in China we refer to as a hu, a very specific type of vase form that is copying an ancient bronze design. This remarkable object is a Chinese jade hu vase, carved in a that consciously echoes ancient bronze ritual vessels. Crafted from high-quality jade, its design borrows directly from archaic forms. The pear-shaped body, the tioti, mask, motif on the front, and the interlaced background pattern reflect a reverence for early Chinese bronze art. The scrolls and animal heads, complete with stylized horns and looped mouths, are carved with elegant precision. A loose ring handle in itself, a technical feat in jade carving, emphasizes the carver's skill and visual finesse. The jade chosen for this piece is particularly noteworthy. It exhibits natural discoloration, likely selected on purpose to give the vase a sense of age and venerability, as if it had been buried or weathered over time. This deliberate patina brings a subtle illusion of antiquity, serving as a bridge between real history and crafted homage. Acclaimed jade vases in this hu archaistic form were especially popular in the late Qing dynasty. Some comparable pieces date to the 18th-19th centuries, when carvers looked to ancient bronzes for inspiration. These vases are often richly carved, featuring leiwen, thunder-pattern grounds, teyote masks, and ring handles in the form of mythical beasts. Symbolically, the hu vase form originally derived from ritual wine containers, but in jade it becomes more of a ceremonial or decorative object, resonating with ideas of continuity, power, and reverence. The taodi motif, central to the design, evokes ancient myth guardians and ritual potency. Together with the aged stone and masterful carving, the vase projects an aura of timelessness, both a tribute to antiquity and a statement of refined artistic taste. Today, if this came up for auction, we would expect it to sell between $8,000 and $12,000. Okay, I am very surprised. That's marvelous. If you'd come a few years ago, it wouldn't have anywhere near that. It's something from my aunt, and it's a rather strange-looking object to some of my family members, and they did not want it. And when did your aunt get this? I suspect she went to New York City. She lived in Houston and went somewhere in the late 50s, early 60s. You're absolutely correct that this is an odd-looking object. This remarkable bronze vessel is an ancient Chinese ritual wine container, known for its unusual form and powerful symbolism. Dating roughly to the 11th century BCE, it belongs to a long tradition of ceremonial bronzes used during ancestral rites, objects reserved for members of high status, wealth, or noble lineage. Its tall, blade-like tripod legs immediately stand out, elevating the body of the vessel so that heated wine could be warmed over a small flame. The two upright posts at the rim served as handles, allowing the user to lift and pour even when the vessel was hot, while the spout facilitated the controlled flow of ritual wine. Cast in bronze, using a labor-intensive piece-mold technique, the vessel embodies the sophistication and technical mastery of early Chinese metallurgy. The mold itself would have been carved in clay, then assembled around molten bronze to produce its sharp lines, geometric shapes, and rich textures. Along the front runs a central ridge dividing the surface into two symmetrical planes. On each side appears a stylized eye, forming together a taotie-like mask, with horn-like projections rising above. This abstract creature, often interpreted as a mythical beast or water buffalo, evokes protection, authority, and connection to the spiritual world. At the rear of the vessel rests a small pictograph cast into the metal, likely a workshop or clan mark, identifying the group responsible for producing the piece. The striking patina, shifting from bright green to deep mineral tones, is the result of centuries of burial, where the bronze reacted with soil minerals to form this distinctive surface. Such vessels were commonly interred in tombs as part of a ritual assemblage, intended to accompany the deceased into the afterlife. What do you think this thing's worth? I have no idea. I'm not familiar with Chinese archaic vessels. I think at auction today, a conservative estimate would be in the $10,000 to $15,000 range. I'm going to be hearing from my cousins, I'm sure. Thank you, sir. Well, I have this great friend in Charleston who was a commercial artist for 40 years, and after he retired, he opened up his own antique business, and his love was Asian arts. And about somewhere between 15 and 20 years ago, he gave this to me because we'd become great friends. Well, you know, even at the time that he gave it to you, that was a very, very generous gift. This cinnabar lacquer box is a remarkable example of Chinese craftsmanship from the Qianlong period, 1735 to 1796, a time considered the pinnacle of lacquer artistry. It was created through the traditional cinnabar lacquer technique. One layer of lacquer was applied, dried under carefully controlled conditions, polished, then covered with another layer repeated hundreds of times to produce the deep, rich, and durable surface characteristic of high-quality cinnabar work. Upon this foundation, artisans meticulously carved dense diaper patterns across the surface, showcasing superb skill and extraordinary attention to detail. The centerpiece of the box's design is the carving of the Buddha's hand citron, a fruit symbolic in Chinese culture for blessings, longevity, and good fortune. Its flowing finger-like tendrils are rendered with great elegance, making the motif both spiritually meaningful and artistically striking. Inside, the box is finished with glossy black lacquer, showing natural crackling often referred to as alligator peel, a desirable sign of age and authenticity. Such a piece was most likely part of a scholar's desk ensemble, used to store small personal items such as brushes, seals, or paper. Although the box shows minor chips and wear, these are typical for antique lacquer, and can be restored without difficulty. Nowadays, a box like this is worth between like $15,000 and $20,000. Wow. And that value would be an auction estimate on that, yeah. $15,000 to $20,000. Yeah, yeah. It's a beautiful box. I'm overwhelmed. I guess it'll go back to where it was, but with a lot more reverence. Maybe a little velvet and better light. Yeah. I'm thrilled. I'm overwhelmed. It's wonderful. My dad got it in India. He was in World War II in India, on the India-Chinese border, and he brought it back with him on the war, so it's always been in our house. Matter of fact, it's set there by the fireplace, and we had a dairy farm, and dad would come in and hang his hat on it after work. Do you know anything more about how it was discovered? It's unusual to find something like this on the Indian border. Of course, you hear stories, but I don't know exactly, but he said it was sitting on a big turtle, and his buddy in the army, he had the turtle, but he died, and we lost track of where the turtle was. The object is a Chinese bronze guardian figure, a powerful sculpture believed to date from the 16th-17th century during the Ming dynasty, originally discovered near the India-China border during World War II. It was brought home by the owner's father and spent decades as a simple household present placed by the fireplace, even serving as a hook for his hat after long days on the family dairy farm. Yet behind this humble use lies a work of remarkable cultural depth. The figure represents the protector deity of the north, one of the four-directional guardian gods in traditional Chinese cosmology. This deity is typically depicted seated upon a black tortoise, its sacred mount. Although the tortoise base is now missing, its original presence is confirmed by the account of the soldier who first found the statue. The sculpture itself displays the characteristic armor and posture of a Ming military guardian, similar to those seen in Buddhist temple statuary. Traces of gilding remain on the breastplate, indicating that the figure was once richly decorated, glowing in gold leaf, as was customary for high-status ritual bronzes. Do you have any idea of value? No, I have no idea. Even without the tortoise vehicle, you're looking at a piece that could bring as much as $70,000 to $100,000 at auction. My two brothers will be really tickled. It's a classic example of Ming bronze sculpture. If it was complete, it would be somewhere in the vicinity of $200,000 to $300,000. Well, maybe whoever's got the turtle will call me. I was living in Los Angeles in about 1991, and I came home one day, and a box was on my front step. I took it inside, I opened it up, and I found this, and I found an address on the outside of the box that was a post office box, which I knew to be my father's. I gave him a call, and I said, where did this come from? And he said, it was something your grandmother picked up when she traveled around the world in the 1950s. And he said, it struck me as the kind of thing that you ought to have. This is a finely cast Chinese bronze guardian figure, believed to date to the late Ming dynasty, a period known for high-level bronze craftsmanship and religious statuary. Expertly modeled, the figure exhibits martial robes, a ribbon-like latticework on its tunic, and beast mask motifs on its vest elements typical of Ming guardian kings or celestial protectors. According to comparable examples, these figures were often gilded, polychromed, and enriched with glass beads or jewelry to convey both power and sanctity. On closer inspection, the head shows signs of wear or a slightly softer definition in the casting. The crown seems to fall away, and the details become less crisp, which may indicate that the casting process was tapering off. This fading sharpness in the upper part resembles the gradual wear seen in block prints when the blocks are worn down. Based on its characteristics, the figure may have originally been gilded and decorated with polychrome lacquer and glass ornament, giving it a vibrant presence in its original context. The patina is especially telling. A mature, mellow coffee hue suggests that the bronze has not been overly polished and carries the gentle richness of age. Many of the glass beads remain intact, implying that its decorative elements have survived relatively well. The weight of the sculpture described as a heavy casting also supports the idea of a high-quality piece made with substantial bronze rather than a hollow or lightly filled casting. Historically, such guardian figures probably served protective or ritual functions, likely positioned in temples or shrines as celestial beings guarding sacred spaces. Their form and iconography evoke Buddhist or Taoist guardian kings, invoked for their power, vigilance, and spiritual protection. A conservative auction estimate today would be between $15,000 and $20,000. Ten years ago, these guardian figures would carry an auction estimate of $2,000 to $3,000. Well, it's been in my family for as long as I can remember. I remember going down to Brownsville and seeing it at my grandmother's house. I'm not sure exactly how it came into the family. And do you have any idea as to its age? No, I know it's nice because you can put your finger and you can feel the paint or whatever, the enamel that's on it. And so it tells me I think it's a little bit nicer than the ordinary vase. This porcelain vase represents the refined decorative traditions of late 19th to early 20th century China, created during the Republic period but inspired by the artistic splendor of the Qianlong era. It is crafted in porcelain and richly adorned with painted enamels in relief, a technique often associated with Moorish-style raised decoration. Although the enamel work is not the tightest in execution, it remains skillfully applied, allowing the viewer to feel the textured surface where colors and lines gently rise from the glaze. The vase features a yellow enamel ground alternating with celestial-themed cartouches. Within these framed scenes appear scholars among rocky landscapes, elegant ladies in garden pavilions, and other symbolic groupings, classic imagery that evokes ideals of harmony, virtue, and scholarly refinement. Surrounding the cartouches are scrolling lotus motifs, rendered with lively movement, and a collar decorated with ruyi or lingzhi mushroom forms, symbols of longevity and auspicious fortune. Though it bears a Qianlong rain mark, it was not created in the 18th century. The over-glazed iron-red mark, the thickness of the foot rim, and the white-exposed porcelain base all indicate a later production. Rather than an attempted imitation, the mark serves as an homage to the height of imperial Chinese craftsmanship, reflecting admiration for the era's artistic ideals. Its likely start in life was as a pair, but often these pairs over 80 years become singles. Now we come to value. In a retail setting, these bars would carry a price tag of $12,000 to $15,000. Wow. That's more than I thought. Thank you. I bought it at a garage sale about 40 years ago. And what price did you pay 40 years ago? $10. $10. Do you know the country of origin? No, I know absolutely nothing about it. I just saw it and I liked it. That's the best reason to buy a piece. It's definitively Chinese. The decoration on the vase is what we call Femille Noire, which is a black glaze or black ground. This porcelain vase is a fine example of Chinese Femille Noire decoration. A distinctive style, characterized by a deep black ground, enriched with vivid enamel paintings. Cloaked in this dark glaze, the vase features prunus blossoms, a pheasant perched atop rocky outcrops, and bamboo groves, a harmonious trio of motifs symbolizing resilience, elegance, and scholarly refinement in Chinese art. Its shape, often described as a gourd or pear-form vase, reflects classical proportions admired during the Qing period. Beneath the vase lies a six-character underglaze blue mark reading the Ming reign Chenghua, from the year 1465 to 1487. While the vase itself is not from the 15th century, the presence of this mark aligns with a well-documented historical trend. Chinese potters of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, as well as the 19th century, frequently used earlier Ming marks to honor classic styles or appeal to collectors. Closer examination reveals why this example is attributed specifically to the 18th century. The foot rim is smoothly worn evidence of natural abrasion accumulating over roughly two centuries. The underglaze blue used for the mark is a violet-toned, freely painted blue with depth and tonal variation, unlike the flatter, more uniform blue commonly seen in 19th century imitations. The enamel decoration, though spontaneous and less rigidly controlled, matches the characteristic brushwork of 18th century famile noir wares. Inside, the vase shows a desirable aged interior, dirty, rough, and consistent with long-term use and exposure. The wear across the enamel surface also corresponds to 200 years of age, rather than the softer wear patterns typical of 19th century examples. A hundred years difference, these are quite scarce. When they do come onto the marketplace, they're in high demand. So, the conservative auction estimate for this vase would be $30,000 to $50,000. Oh my gosh. Well, I am quite surprised. A prudent $10 investment. All right. These two are, they're called scholar's pieces. They sit on the scholar's desk, and you'd have one flower on them. And I like the monochrome and peach chrome glaze, and when I saw them, got them. This one I bought here in Atlanta from a guy who sells primarily export porcelains, and he calls this domestic, and I like domestic Chinese better than I do export. The two small vases are believed to date from the 19th century. They are Chinese scholar's vases, delicate containers traditionally placed on a scholar's desk to hold a single flower. These vases are admired for their elegant forms and the subtle beauty of their glazes, particularly monochrome and peach bloom glazes, prized for their soft hues and smooth transitions. The larger vase is thought to originate from the early 18th century, likely from the Kangxi or Yongzheng periods, circa 1690 to 1730. It demonstrates exceptional craftsmanship with precise control over the glaze so that it stops neatly at the foot. This vase also features a crushed strawberry glaze created using copper oxide, producing a rich and distinctive texture. In contrast, the 19th century small vases may show minor imperfections, such as areas where the glaze dripped and had to be ground off, or slightly gritty foot rims, typical characteristics of that period. At auction, these two vases would probably sell for $2,500 a piece. Okay. These two here. This one, on the other hand, is much, much more desirable. At auction, I would expect this piece to sell for between $8,000 to $10,000. I received it from my grandmother, who got it from a friend of hers who was an antique collector about 30 years ago. That's marvelous. It's a Chinese eggshell porcelain bowl. Okay. Eggshell means, of course, very thin, so thin that you really have to be careful handling it. And it was originally one of a pair. So probably what happened to the other one is somebody broke it. This bowl is a Chinese eggshell porcelain piece, a delicately crafted artifact whose history reflects both refined artistry and the shifting tastes of collectors over the past century. Although it bears the Qianlong, Qianlong mark, referencing the celebrated Qing dynasty emperor who reigned from 1735 to 1796, the bowl itself was actually produced in China during the 1920s. This period saw a flourishing industry of porcelain made specifically for the tourist and export markets, particularly appealing to Western buyers and expatriates living in China. Its most striking feature is the eggshell thin body, so fine and translucent that it must be handled with exceptional care. The bowl is decorated with elegant depictions of beautiful women, a motif highly favored by Western consumers seeking art that unmistakably conveyed the aesthetic of Chinese porcelain. Originally part of a matching pair, only one has survived, and it likely came with a Rococo-style stand and a finely crafted presentation box. Although once considered of modest value, pieces like this have gained significant attention in recent years as Chinese collectors increasingly seek to reclaim artworks created for early 20th century foreign markets. However, now at auction you'd be looking at an estimate of two to three thousand dollars. Awesome. Now if you had the pair. That would be. It would be somewhere in the vicinity of about eight to twelve thousand dollars. Wow. So good timing. Good timing.