For lovers of thrift stores, finding a rare or valuable vintage item cheap is a huge thrill.
But what if you find something that dates back thousands of years?
This happened to an Texas art collector when she pulled a marble bust from under a table at her local Goodwill store and bought it for $ 35.
Laura Young of Austin, Texas, stumbled upon a bust in 2018 while looking for vintage items for resale.
The story continues under the ad
What she didn’t know at the time, however, was that the bust was originally a complete model of a villa in Pompeii, Aschaffenburg, Germany, according to the San Antonio Museum of Art.
The villa, known as Pompejanum, is a replica of an ancient villa built in Germany by King Ludwig I of Bavaria in the mid-1800s.
The bust once stood in the Pompeianum courtyard, but the villa was badly damaged by Allied bombers during World War II and the bust disappeared soon after.
Read more: Calgary Savings Store Limits the Number of Items Merchants Can Buy
It is not clear exactly how the bust reached the United States, but the museum believes it may have been returned by an American soldier at the end of the Cold War.
Funny, Young told the New York Times that she named the bust “Dennis Reynolds” after the hero in Philadelphia is always sunny – a serial narcissist who has extreme vanity.
The story continues under the ad
Young described the sculpture as “a very difficult, cold, detached, emotionless person who caused me some problems.”
Popular stories
-
General Jonathan Vance is deprived of the Order of Military Merit after pleading guilty and acquitted
-
Matea Roach’s record Jeopardy! the run ended after a $ 1 loss
Young told The Art Newspaper that her experience with antiques and vintage items led her to believe that the bust was probably valuable.
She fastened the bust to her car using the seat belt, took it home, and began searching Google for Roman artifacts.
Safety comes first for the bust that Young fastened with a seat belt on the way home from Goodwill. Pay attention to the yellow price tag on the cheek. Instagram / @templeofvintage
A few phone calls to auction houses were later confirmed: it houses an ancient work of art.
Since the piece was stolen from Germany, Young is unable to claim the title as the rightful owner of the bust, nor is she able to sell it for a significant profit.
“It was extremely bitter, to put it mildly. But I only have control over what I can control, and stealing art, looting during war, is a war crime. “I can’t be a party to it,” Young told The Times.
The story continues under the ad
The bust wears a mask while on display at Young’s home. Instagram / @templeofvintage
However, she will receive a search fee to save the artifact and return it to the legitimate country.
The 52-kilogram bust will first be exhibited for a year at the Museum of Art in San Antonio before being sent home to Bavaria.
Read more: Woman accidentally leaves gold, diamonds and pearls in a donation bag
According to the museum, the bust may depict the son of Pompey the Great (106-48 BC), who was defeated in the Roman Civil War by Julius Caesar.
1:56 “Really Warming Heart”: Old Military Medals Found in Calgary Donation Basket Returned to Family Previous Video Next Video
The story continues under the ad
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Add Comment