Antiques Roadshow Guest Gets the Surprise of a Lifetime After Host Examines Her Old Family Heirloom

10. A Museum-Quality Piece

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Over his long career as a specialist in Chinese antiques, Lark Mason claimed to have seen a few such items put on sale. He said, nevertheless, that he had never seen one as big or as in fine form as the one sitting on the table in front of him right then. He mentioned the chisel marks on the monument, absence of signage, and marble's quality considering its antiquity. When it comes to antiquities, he said the work was such a magnificent example that it would be ideally at home in a museum. If it were auctioned, it would also surely garner a really sizable price. Experts like Mason avoid using the phrase "museum-quality" carelessly. It suggests that the work is not only valuable but also historically important enough to help the audience to grasp art and culture. Especially remarkable were the size and state of the monument. Because many Tang Dynasty relics have been destroyed or damaged over the ages, well-preserved objects are quite rare. Its age was further confirmed by the absence of contemporary marking or marks as well as by the particular chisel marks unique of Tang Dynasty workmanship. These elements taken together make this monument not just a priceless antique but also a significant historical item.