Ancient Masterpiece Uncovered in Unexpected Place—What's the Story Behind Its True Value?

A lost artifact from the Italian sculptor responsible for Rome’s Trevi Fountain was found in a reclamation yard — and could be worth up to $13,270.

The 27-inch tall maquette of Pope Clement XII by Pietro Bracci was spotted by a collector at a salvage yard in Wiltshire, England.

Pietro Bracci was commissioned by the Roman Senate to execute a bronze portrait of Pope Clement XII commemorating the pope’s donation to the Capitoline Museums.

The lot is estimated to fetch between $6,635 and $13,270 when it comes up for auction on Oct. 8, despite only being initially bought for $400.

Woolley and Wallis’ furniture specialist Mark Yuan Richards said the artifact — believed to have been completed in the 1730s — “is an exceptionally exciting discovery.

He added: “To have a rare eighteenth-century marble figure of Pope Clement XII by Pietro Bracci come to light, and now be offered for sale, is a remarkable opportunity.

“Bracci was one of the great sculptors of eighteenth-century Rome, and this extraordinary survivor offers a tangible connection to the world of the papal court and the artistic splendour of the period.”