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

3. A Very Special Antique Item

From the time the camera moved to the owner of this Chinese monument, you as a spectator could tell the expert was poised in suspense ready to begin his assessment. And who not would be? If you handle antiques or work at an auction house, then finding something like this marble statue is once-in-a-lifetime experience. Lark Mason's enthusiasm was evident throughout through the episode as the owner described how she acquired the monument. Though Mason would later provide viewers with the whole picture and background behind this shocking discovery, it was clear that the lion monument had been created in East Asia. The monument itself was a wonder of workmanship; its smooth lines and minute details revealed the creator's talent. This work was clearly remarkable even before Mason started his official assessment. The way the light interacted with the surface of the stone to expose minute variances in color and texture suggested its age and grade. For someone like Mason, such a discovery is not only professionally fascinating but also personally intriguing since it provides a real link to a far-off time and place.