Because he wants to reduce his collection, Jens Sattler from Wismar brings a heavy French bronze from the 19th century to “Bares für Rares”. He once bought it from an art dealer friend of his in Belgium, but now he wants to sell the object.
Bianca Berding is enthusiastic about the “really outstanding work of art” about which the art expert has a lot to tell. It shows the legendary Renaissance admiral Philippe Chabot. In his childhood he was the playmate of the later King Franz I and rose to high office after his accession to the throne. The 45-year-old calls it an “early example of Klüngel” – as a native of Cologne, she will know what she is talking about.
Chabot then fell out of favor through court intrigues and lost all offices and his fortune. But shortly before his death, he was granted a comeback – Chabot was reinstated in all offices. Thus, his career is a “beautiful example of the vicissitudes of life, and how quickly one can fall from grace to disgrace,” Berding sums up.
The motif itself goes back to the Renaissance artist Jean Cousin the Elder, who designed Chabot’s tomb in the 16th century. It is the most important sculptural work of this period in France. The remains of it are now in the Louvre. The statuette presented here was made in the 19th century.
But what is she worth? Jens Sattler would like a whopping 2000 euros for it. Berding thinks that is realistic: she estimates the value at 1800 to 2200 euros. “The 2000 euros are definitely there and you don’t know what will happen to the dealers,” moderator Horst Lichter encourages the seller.
As if he knew what was coming. Because the dealers are really enthusiastic about the gilded bronze sculpture. Fabian Kahl starts with 1000 euros. In the next step, Daniel Meyer increases to 1500. That sets the tone. The dealers raise the price to increasingly adventurous heights, and in the end the work of art goes to Meyer for 4,000 euros.
The seller Sattler has thus earned twice his desired price. No wonder he grins happily into the camera: “I’m really happy.”
Source: “Bares for Rares” in the ZDF media library
Also read:
