A sculpture inherited by two Virginia sisters from their grandfather was sold for more than $300,000 in an auction on Saturday.
The sisters were initially told the statue, called “Despair,” by renowned French sculptor Auguste Rodin, was probably worth around $1,500.
A Falls Church gallery was able to authenticate the signature of Rodin featured on the base and on the underside of the bronze figure.
An auctioneer at the gallery thought it could fetch about $135,000.
The final sale price was $306,800 paid by a phone bidder from Germany. The two sisters from McLean and Alexandria inherited the statue from their grandfather.
Photo Credit: Quinn's Auction Galleries