Couple set to make thousands from bronze sculpture found in £12 box of ornaments bought online

The couple found Antonio Susini's Peasant Resting on his Staff in a box they bought for £12 online
Courtesy of Christie's

A couple who paid £12 for a box of “ornaments” are now set to make thousands after they discovered the box contained a bronze by Antonio Susini - one of greatest bronze sculptors of 17th century.

The work, called Peasant Resting on his Staff, was made by Italian artist Susini in around 1600. It went on online sale at Christies London today and is expected to fetch between £25,000 and £35,000.

The work was found by a couple in South Africa who in their retirement began attending local auctions as a hobby.

The pair, who live Kwazulu Natal, spent R260 (£12) buying a box on eBay-like platform Bidorbuy platform which was described as containing “brass ornaments.”

After closer inspection and a bit of research, they realised the boots on the work looked to be 17 Century style. They contacted Milo Dickinson, a specialist at Christie’s London, who recognised the work was by Susini - a Florentine sculptor who specialised in marble and bronze and who was a close contemporary of Giambologna. Some of his famous public commissions include the Fontana del Carciofo, which stands in the Palazzo Pitti palace in Florence.

(Courtesy of Christies)
Courtesy of Christie's

Mr Dickinson said of the work: “It has that sharpness to the edges, extremely delicate detail and amazing surface finish that is typical of Susini’s best bronzes - his work is easy to spot to the trained eye, and this was of such extraordinary quality.”

The auction house sold a Susini work, a bronze depicting Venus drying herself, last year for £1 million.

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