APPRAISER: You walked in with a whole array of things.

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: Where did you get them, and what were you expecting to find out?

GUEST: I purchased them at a thrift store that I go to.

I wasn't sure what I had.

I just like Asian artifacts and art.

APPRAISER: And you go to the thrift store often?

GUEST: I do, I go about twice a week to see what they have.

APPRAISER: Yeah?

GUEST: Because they get stuff in all the time.

APPRAISER: What do you think this is?

GUEST: I didn't know if it's a girl or boy, but I think it's a girl.

It looks, like, serene, like, oh, maybe Buddha, but I'm not sure.

I was just drawn to it, the carvings.

APPRAISER: You've pointed out some of the features that are important to recognize.

One is the serenity of the face.

And it's not only just the serenity, but it's the very fine-quality details, which indicates skill on the part of the person that did it.

The discoloration you see here is from metal.

GUEST: Oh, okay.

APPRAISER: And it's a little hard to see, but right up here at the headdress, there's a hole, and these holes go all the way around the top.

And at one time, there was probably a little metal diadem, crown.

GUEST: Oh.

APPRAISER: Some sort of extra appendage that was part of this figure, indicating its importance as an object of devotion.

GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: Now, going down from the head, look at the quality of the carving.

The body is very subtle.

There's kind of a curvature here, and you see the garment that is in these very tight, crisp folds, as it falls... GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: ...in a somewhat stylized but very realistic kind of pattern across the body, clinging to the form of the figure below.

Now, there's also, on the feet, these blocks.

And there's a residue on the blocks, indicating that it was set into a base.

GUEST: Oh, okay that's what I was wondering.

APPRAISER: Because right now, it won't stand freely.

GUEST: Right.

APPRAISER: And the other thing we can observe about it is the material this is made of pine.

Stylistically, the way the face is done, the robes, and so on... GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: ...correspond to a period of time in China and Japan during the 12th, 13th century.

GUEST: Oh, my gosh.

APPRAISER: And into the 14th century.

GUEST: Oh, my goodness.

APPRAISER: So roughly around 1200, and maybe even before.

GUEST: Oh, my goodness.

APPRAISER: This is Japanese... GUEST: Okay.

APPRAISER: ...but it exhibits this international style of Buddhist art that was popular at that period of time.

GUEST: Is it, like, a Buddha, sort of?

APPRAISER: It's a figure of Kannon, who represents mercy, compassion.

GUEST: Mercy.

APPRAISER: It's a happy figure.

It's something that's good.

GUEST: That is good.

APPRAISER: It's an androgynous figure.

For something that is of such great antiquity, it's in really good shape.

What did you pay for it, for GUEST: Two dollars.

APPRAISER: You paid two dollars?

GUEST: I did.

I think it's likely worth between $4,000 and $6,000 at auction.

GUEST: Oh, my gosh.

Oh, my gosh, that's a lot.

That's amazing.

(chuckles) That's amazing.

So, I did find something!

I'm so excited.

Oh, my gosh.

Thank you.