Whoops! TV show assistant smashes 2,500-year-old Chinese bronze mirror

chinese bronze mirror
In a case of death by beauty, a Chinese model accidentally smashes a 2500 year old priceless bronze mirror. Whoops!

Here is one story that seemed to have been missed by me, despite having even been picked up by wired magazine.

Ever get nervous watching people handle priceless porcelain or works of art? Worried they might drop it? Well how about this one (Anyone have the video of this?).

TV show assistant smashes 2,500-year-old bronze mirror

TV SHOW ASSISTANT SMASHES 2,500-YEAR-OLD BRONZE MIRROR

2007-01-17 03:30:10 Xinhua English

A Chinese television show audience watched dumbstruck as a presenter’s assistant accidentally smashed a 2,500-year-old bronze mirror.

 

The mirror, dating back to the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.), was being held up for display on a China Central Television programme, when it fell from its wooden casket.

The programme, shot on Jan. 14, was to select “ten most valuable treasures” from China’s private collections.

The accident left the audience and crew silent and stunned until experts rushed on to the stage to pick up the pieces.

The program’s producer has promised to invite leading antique experts to repair the brittle mirror, but there have been no published offers of compensation.

The mirror’s owner, renowned antique collector Chen Fengjiu, said the CD-sized mirror was the only one of its kind and other collectors had offered 1 million U.S. dollars to buy it.

Experts said the mirror, which was gilded and inlaid with 11 turquoise stones, demonstrated the craftsmanship of the Warring States Period and was of great value. 

Ouch! 

The Chinese media was a lot less kind in their descriptions:

"Miss manners live demonstrations of a complete ancient bronze mirrors " "Miss fumbled smashed ancient ceremonial bronze mirrors."

In the end, it seems like the producer reached a settlement with the mirror’s owner. In addition, bronze mirror restoration experts from around the world managed to restore the mirror.

So how did this happen in the first place? Well it seems the hostesses on the show were arranged by the local municipal government and had zero prior experiences with handling cultural relics. They were simply chosen for their looks. 

For those curious, here is more in depth article from the Chinese media…

百万美元青铜古镜摔碎

本报南京讯央视《艺术品投资》栏目和江苏省丹阳市人民政府联合举办的“2007民间寻宝记——走进丹阳”两天来好戏连台,但在14日的压轴大戏——评选“十大宝物”刚刚登场之际,一面曾被陈逸飞等出价100万美元的战国青铜镜,在礼仪小姐展示时不慎摔落在地,当场“粉身碎骨”!

  古镜意外摔落宝物瞬间消失

  14日下午,200多名国内各地的藏家齐聚丹阳电视台演播大厅,共同期待“十大宝物”揭晓。2时50分,为了增加节目的互动性,央视节目主持人请了5位现场的藏家,上台进行民间选宝,凭借他们自身的经历各自选出一件可以入选“十大宝物”的“宝物”。

  资深藏宝人许耀新等被请到台上。经过许耀新的慎重目测和手感,他选中一面战国青铜镜,并以极其专业的知识讲解这面古铜镜的价值。主持人当即请礼仪小姐上台,手持这面古镜向在场观众展示,但令人惊愕万分的事情突然发生了,在小姐移手之际,古镜突然从盒内摔落到地面上!记者和众多目睹这一过程的人都愣在当场,一时鸦雀无声。在人们还没有醒悟过来之际,央视工作人员、礼仪小姐和专家都赶紧在地面上捡拾碎片。记者注意到古镜已经碎裂成很多片。看到宝物瞬间消失,许耀新痛心地说:“这简直是犯罪!”由于事情突然,主持人立即出来圆场,并取消了接下来的展示。栏目负责人方书华当场承诺将邀请国内最著名的青铜器修复专家贾文忠将这一古镜尽全力修复完整。

  价值百万美金反映2500年前工艺水准

  经过打探,《扬子晚报》记者获悉此镜的主人是在古镜收藏界声名显赫的陈凤九。坐在台下第一排的陈先生此时在冷静的外表下是无比的心痛。他告诉记者,这面古镜他已收藏了16年,现在家中有古镜1000余面,这面战国青铜镜是最好的。他一生痴情古镜,通过查阅资料和探访名家,得悉这面古镜是一孤品。天津博物馆、保利集团以及已经故去的陈逸飞先生,都曾出高价向其购买,其中最多出价100万美元。

  据许耀新和从北京赶来的藏家苏平介绍,这面战国青铜镜充分反映了2500年前的工艺水准,古镜除镏金外,还镶嵌了11颗绿松石(宝石一种),周围一圈10颗仅半个绿豆大小,中间一颗则绿豆大,绿松石周围还有精美纹饰。到现在,这些绿松石是怎么镶嵌上去、历经两千多年风雨还不掉等都是不解之谜,古镜可能是此次藏品中最有价值的“宝贝”之一。但记者注意到,事后此镜并未能入选专家们评选出的“十大宝物”,另一面汉鎏龙虎纹金铜镜则以50万元的身价入选。

  万凌云

  事件进展

  央视已与藏家达成和解

  本报讯(记者丁肇文)今天上午,记者电话采访了尚在外地的央视《艺术品投资》栏目主编方书华,“我们与藏家已经完全和解了。”方书华告诉记者,栏目组将找全国最好的铜镜修复专家来修复这面铜镜。

  据方书华介绍,此次活动是丹阳市政府和《艺术品投资》栏目联合主办的,节目现场的礼仪小姐都是由丹阳市政府安排的,这些礼仪小姐没有经过文物知识的培训。对于记者提出的保险问题,方先生表示:“我们节目每天经手的文物成千上万,而且都是事先没见过的,根本没法上保险。”

  著名文物修复专家贾文忠上午接受记者采访时则呼吁,文物收藏知识亟待普及。“我们从事文物工作,入门的头一天就要学习要双手捧着交接文物,递文物的时候一定要在对方拿牢之后再松手。”贾先生表示,现在越来越多的人收藏文物,但是很多人只知道收,不懂得藏,文物保养保存的知识十分欠缺。比如,拿青铜器和金银器要戴手套,拿

邮票要用镊子,看重要的画甚至要戴上口罩,防止打喷嚏污染了画。另外,摆放文物也很有学问,比如房间里太阳直晒的地方不能摆放文物,墙角旮旯里湿度最大也不能放文物,南北通透的房子通风处的墙上不能挂画,厕所边上不能摆放怕熏的文物;一般的文物要放到玻璃柜里收藏,不经常看的文物要装到囊匣里收藏等等。贾先生表示,不光是老百姓,就连一些文物工作者都欠缺收藏的知识,所以最近几年才会接连发生拍卖公司的展柜被碰倒、水淹文物等一系列事件。

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