Auction · originally published
Ancient Temple Carving Headed To Antiques Roadshow
I had mentioned that a friend of mine is headed to the Roadshow with me with a 200-pound ancient stone carving in hopes of getting a valuation and identification. You might wonder how someone in rural Ohio comes to possess a seemingly ancient, several-thousand year old carving from what will likely prove to be from a temple in Asia.
He works for an express shipping company that, as I'm sure all shipping companies experience, sometimes receives shipments whose mailing address is missing, has fallen off, or is illegible. With no address to send these items to, they get sold off in the company store. He has bought everything from gas grills to power equipment to oil paintings to - ancient temple carvings - all for pennies on the dollar. I know first-hand how unbelievable the deals can be as I purchased a 19th century European oil painting via his access to the company store. It's probably worth at least 3-4 times what I paid for it.
Sadly, that regional store was closed and all future lost shipments redirected to corporate headquarters - possibly so that the top execs have access to all the lost goods from all the shipping centers themselves.
We believe we know who this carving is meant to depict and even though it isn't Victorian, upon Paul Tucker's good suggestion, I'm presenting the carving to you here to see if you have some thoughts.
Have fun.
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