1930s porcelain vase valued at $50,000 in Boise
An appraisal event at the Idaho Botanical Garden revealed a Marcel Goupy piece from the early 20th century as the top valuation of the day.
By Amir Navarro ·
Collectors who brought household items to the Idaho Botanical Garden in Boise discovered that a piece of early 20th century French art pottery was the most valuable object appraised on November 10. The event, part of the television series RECUT, highlighted the financial gap between common estate items and rare decorative arts. While many guests received modest valuations, one specific artifact stood out due to its maker and age.
The top appraisal was a vase attributed to Marcel Goupy, a French ceramicist known for his work in the early 1900s. Appraisers assigned a value of $50,000 to the piece, which dates from approximately 1930. This figure far exceeded the other items presented at the session, where finds from the Woodside area of Boise were also evaluated. Some of those local discoveries reached values of up to $44,000, placing them close to but below the Goupy vase.
The appraisal took place as part of the fourth season of the program, which focuses on identifying hidden treasures in private collections. The Idaho Botanical Garden served as the venue for this specific recording, allowing the public to see the evaluation process. Other episodes in the series have featured appraisals at historical sites such as Filoli and Rosecliff mansion, where items have been valued at sums ranging from $100,000 to $400,000.
The Goupy vase represents a specific niche in the international market for Art Deco and interwar ceramics. Its value stems from the rarity of surviving pieces by this particular artist. The appraisal confirms that such items can retain or increase their monetary worth over nearly a century. The episode concludes with this $50,000 valuation as the definitive result of the Boise gathering.
