05-09-2022, 04:47 PM
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-new...180980045/
An antiques seller for about a decade, Laura Young knows what it means to sift through piles of objects in the hopes of finding one unique item. But an August 2018 trip to a Texas thrift store exceeded her expectations on almost every level.
When Young first noticed a marble bust under a table at an Austin Goodwill store, she was captivated by its aesthetic. The sculpture weighed roughly 50 pounds.
“Clearly old,” she tells Matt Largey of KUT 90.5. “The hairstyle … looked kind of Greco-Roman. And he was gorgeous—he looked great.”
The bust’s price was hard to miss. It was stuck on his upper cheekbone. At $34.99, which Young notes is “a pretty high price for Goodwill,” she decided it was worthwhile for such an unusual find.
Young would soon learn just how unique the statue was. She reached out to academic experts to learn more about the statue and eventually got a definitive answer from a Sotheby’s consultant, reports the San Antonio Express-News’ Timothy Fanning. His verdict: The bust was from ancient Rome.
Wow, that is impressive... not only that it made its way to America (most likely looted from Germany during World War II), but that its origins remained a mystery for over 70 years thereafter .
Apparently, it's now on display in a San Antonio museum, but it'll eventually be returned to Germany. However, she does have a 3D-printed copy of the statue, so she has something to remember it by .
An antiques seller for about a decade, Laura Young knows what it means to sift through piles of objects in the hopes of finding one unique item. But an August 2018 trip to a Texas thrift store exceeded her expectations on almost every level.
When Young first noticed a marble bust under a table at an Austin Goodwill store, she was captivated by its aesthetic. The sculpture weighed roughly 50 pounds.
“Clearly old,” she tells Matt Largey of KUT 90.5. “The hairstyle … looked kind of Greco-Roman. And he was gorgeous—he looked great.”
The bust’s price was hard to miss. It was stuck on his upper cheekbone. At $34.99, which Young notes is “a pretty high price for Goodwill,” she decided it was worthwhile for such an unusual find.
Young would soon learn just how unique the statue was. She reached out to academic experts to learn more about the statue and eventually got a definitive answer from a Sotheby’s consultant, reports the San Antonio Express-News’ Timothy Fanning. His verdict: The bust was from ancient Rome.
Wow, that is impressive... not only that it made its way to America (most likely looted from Germany during World War II), but that its origins remained a mystery for over 70 years thereafter .
Apparently, it's now on display in a San Antonio museum, but it'll eventually be returned to Germany. However, she does have a 3D-printed copy of the statue, so she has something to remember it by .
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