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Antiques Roadshow appraiser Lark Mason with the collection of Chinese rhinoceros-horn cups appraised at the TV show's stop in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Image copyright Antiques Roadshow, used by permission.

Record-setting appraisal at Antiques Roadshow’s Tulsa stop

Catherine Saunders-Watson
Catherine Saunders-Watson
Antiques Roadshow appraiser Lark Mason with the collection of Chinese rhinoceros-horn cups appraised at the TV show's stop in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Image copyright Antiques Roadshow, used by permission.
Antiques Roadshow appraiser Lark Mason with the collection of Chinese rhinoceros-horn cups appraised at the TV show’s stop in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Image copyright Antiques Roadshow, used by permission.

TULSA, Okla. – On Saturday, July 23, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, PBS’s Antiques Roadshow recorded the highest-value appraisal in the series’ 16 years of production. Veteran Roadshow Asian arts expert Lark Mason identified a collection of five late 17th/early 18th-century Chinese carved rhinoceros-horn cups and valued the set at $1 million to $1.5 million.

The second highest-value appraisal recorded by Antiques Roadshow was for a collection of Chinese carved jade bowls, estimated to be worth as much as $1.07 million, discovered at the event in Raleigh, North Carolina in 2009.

The rhino-horn cups were brought to the Tulsa Convention Center by one of approximately 6,000 ticket holders. The owner, who prefers to remain unidentified, told Mason he started collecting cups inexpensively in the 1970s and had no idea of the collection’s current value. Because of today’s strong market for Chinese antiques and antiquities, the collection’s value has increased dramatically since its original purchase.

Antiques Roadshow Executive Producer Marsha Bemko commented on the record-breaking find: “As we continue our 16th season production tour here in Tulsa, we couldn’t be more excited about such an extraordinary, rare treasure, and we look forward to sharing it with the nation!”

Tulsa was the fourth stop on Antiques Roadshow’s six-city 2011 production tour. The three episodes produced from the Tulsa event will air as part of Roadshow’s sixteenth season, from January to June 2012.

Antiques Roadshow’s summer 2011 production tour will continue in Atlanta on August 6 and wrap up in Pittsburgh on August 13. Tickets to Roadshow events are free, but have already been distributed. Additional tickets are not available.

More information about Antiques Roadshow’s summer 2011 production tour is available online at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/faq_02.html

Nine-time Emmy® Award-nominated Antiques Roadshow is produced for PBS by WGBH Boston. Executive producer is Marsha Bemko.

Antiques Roadshow is sponsored by Liberty Mutual and Subaru. Additional funding is provided by public television viewers.

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ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE

Antiques Roadshow appraiser Lark Mason with the collection of Chinese rhinoceros-horn cups appraised at the TV show's stop in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Image copyright Antiques Roadshow, used by permission.
Antiques Roadshow appraiser Lark Mason with the collection of Chinese rhinoceros-horn cups appraised at the TV show’s stop in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Image copyright Antiques Roadshow, used by permission.
Collection of five late 17th/early 18th century Chinese carved rhinoceros-horn cups appraised for $1M to $1.5M on PBS's Antiques Roadshow. Image copyright Antiques Roadshow, used by permission.
Collection of five late 17th/early 18th century Chinese carved rhinoceros-horn cups appraised for $1M to $1.5M on PBS’s Antiques Roadshow. Image copyright Antiques Roadshow, used by permission.
Expert Lark Mason (left) breaks the good news to the anonymous owner of the Chinese rhino-horn cups that his mini trove is worth $1-$1.5 million. Image copyright Antiques Roadshow, used by permission.
Expert Lark Mason (left) breaks the good news to the anonymous owner of the Chinese rhino-horn cups that his mini trove is worth $1-$1.5 million. Image copyright Antiques Roadshow, used by permission.