All valuations were correct at the time of broadcast. This rare bear stand that was a family heirloom gets an absolutely shocking value of six figures, a first for Antiques Roadshow Australia! It was designed and dated to 1888, in a small town in Switzerland called Reims, made by Black Forest Furniture and from linden wood. Its journey to Australia was certainly epic, and so is its astonishing value! But will he part with this childhood relic? Filmed at the National Trust Norman Lindsay Gallery and Museum in the Blue Mountains in 2025.
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Video Summary
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A family heirloom, known as \"the Bears,\" is appraised by art advisor Elizabeth Hastings. Originally from a 19th-century homestead in Orange, this unique piece of furniture served as an umbrella and hat stand. Identified as a rare example of Black Forest furniture, the piece holds significant sentimental value and a surprising market valuation.
So what we have here today, it really is amazing.
A unique family item has caught the eye of art advisor Elizabeth Hastings.
Can you tell me a little bit about it?
I'd love to, thank you Elizabeth. Look, we affectionately call it the Bears.
It's a bit hard to tell now, but it was designed to keep
umbrellas and I'm told it was the hat stand as well, but also kept guns at one time.
It's from our family homestead up in Orange, which was once a big sheep farm with over 10,000 sheep
and this was very much at the centrepiece of the homestead that dated back to 1888.
It's just always been a part of, I guess, my life.
My kids now love having it in the house.
The Bears were always, I guess, a personification of that house,
especially at night when the fire was burning and in its eyes, it caught the glint of the flame.
It's almost like it's a living piece of art.
Well, I can imagine if you're a five-year-old boy and you stood about the size of the Bear,
he could be quite terrifying at night if he caught the light in his eyes.
Very much so, and my sons still look at it now and they're still quite,
it's a respectful fear, you know, it's such a wonderful, well-cut piece that it's just, yeah.
Exactly.
This is actually a wonderful piece of Black Forest furniture.
These pieces actually originated in Switzerland in a town named Reims and I would say it definitely
dates to the mid to later 19th century and it obviously came out to Australia.
At some point in that historic period.
Can you think of perhaps any of your forebears who might have brought this piece to Australia?
I just have no, I have no idea.
No, but it's obviously been in your family for a number of generations.
The makers of Black Forest furniture, they generally worked in maple and walnut and linden.
I think this piece is probably linden because of the lightness of the wood.
In terms of value, there are a few little condition issues, but if you look around online,
I've seen pieces just like this that are $40,000.
Wow.
Okay, that's fantastic.
So this is a very special piece.
You're not thinking of selling?
I haven't got that far yet.
I feel like it's a family heirloom.
It's very much a part of me and the family.
It's definitely food for thought.
I mean, that's a lot of money, so we'll see.
Just for so long, I've just wanted to know sort of where it was from, what it was about,
and also how much it's worth.
It's been difficult for me to keep it because I haven't had the room or the place like it
once did, so $40,000 sort of gives you a bit more of a nudge thinking about selling it.
