'Antiques Roadshow' seller gasps in disbelief after expert reveals the value of her rice bowl

From paintings to jewels and vintage timepieces, some things that people walk into “Antiques Roadshow” with seem valuable right from the first glance. But, while guests are clueless about the true value of almost every artifact they bring in, some items look so ordinary that even viewers are surprised after learning the history behind them and the monetary value attached. One such thing was a rice bowl, a bowl cover, and a dish that a guest on the show arrived with, believing that it could not have been worth a lot more than $1,000. Unsurprisingly, her jaw dropped after learning what these items were actually worth.

The items once belonged to the guest’s in-laws, and they gave them to her husband. She also revealed that her father-in-law was the first consul general for the Republic of Korea in New York City. When asked what she thought the items were, she said that they could be a white jade rice bowl and a plate. While the items came together, expert Lark E Mason revealed that they were unrelated.

The dish and the bowl were different colours, and they might have even been made during different periods. The structure of the dish made the expert believe that it could have been made in China in the 18th century, but its thickness suggested that it was slightly more modern. It also did not have any inscriptions on its surface, which was a popular practice during that period in the region.

“The sides are very thin, which I think is indicative of a slightly later period in time, and I looked at the underside, and you can see this kind of low foot on the edge, and there’s not a mark here. Often on the 18th century…you’ll find the mark. And the very white color of this is indicative of a type of quality that would have been only be available for the very wealthiest of people. That’s what helps us to understand a time when this was made,” the expert explained.

Next up for inspection was the bowl and the bowl cover. The round shape at the base of the bowl and on the top of the cover were also popular in the 18th century. Mason, however, interpreted that these items were from the 20th century. As it was time for valuation, the expert asked the guest how much she thought the set would be worth, and she said, “Maybe a thousand dollars?”

“Well, I think it’s worth a bit more than that,” the expert said. “I believe that the two objects together are worth $15,000 to $25,000 at auction. The guest’s reaction was priceless as her mouth was wide open before she covered it with her hand. “Oh my heavens,” she said in disbelief. “That is stunning.” Fans in the comments section on YouTube, however, were more concerned with the material used for the items.

“White jade are extremely rare even rarer than green. This is undervalued,” one user commented. “Cool find someone who didn’t know jade might not understand and throw it away being white and waxy luster it could be mistaken as glass you would be surprised what people throw away white jade is extremely prized now that it is long mined out,” remarked another.