GUEST: The history goes back to a great-aunt that lived in Peking-- at that time it was called Peking-- with her husband, who was an Army surgeon, and they were stationed in China for, in the early 1900s, about 1910. They became very good friends with one of the princess of dowers. This happens to be one of them that she got. She got a number of them. When she gave all her Chinese things away, I chose this one.
APPRAISER: What was the name of the person who gave this to your great-aunt?
GUEST: Princess Der Ling was her name. Lady-in-waiting for two years in the hidden city.
APPRAISER: It is Chinese, clearly.
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: It is a informal court robe. The dragons here, of which there are three, as you see in the front...
GUEST: Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: ...and there are actually five on the back...
GUEST: Oh. I've never counted 'em.
APPRAISER: ...including the two, including the two on the shoulders here, okay?
GUEST: Oh, okay, mm-hmm.
APPRAISER: And then there's actually a secret dragon inside the flap of the robe here.
GUEST: Oh, my gosh!
APPRAISER: So it makes it nine in total.
GUEST: Oh, I've never seen that, that is amazing.
APPRAISER: It was probably made for a prince.
GUEST: Oh, oh! Well, she, the doweress, had a son, and he was the prince, the heir of the throne. But because of the Boxer Rebellion, he never came to power.
APPRAISER: Well, there were a number of princes in the imperial court.
GUEST: Oh.
APPRAISER: So there are more than one. What do you think it's worth?
GUEST: Maybe $3,000?
APPRAISER: Well, I think a little more than that.
GUEST: A little more?
APPRAISER: Because it is most likely a prince's robe, in very good condition, you are in the vicinity of about $15,000 to $25,000...
GUEST: Oh, my gosh.
APPRAISER: ...at auction.
GUEST: (laughing): Oh, gee, I better take good care of it, then!
APPRAISER: You have taken brilliant care of it.
GUEST: Yeah, oh.
APPRAISER: You really have.
GUEST: Thank you, wow. That's amazing.
