 1840 Japanese vase Christopher Kent walked into the “Gray Goose,” a Charleston, S.C., junk shop piled with debris and dust. “There were flea-bitten, 1950s armchairs that should have been given a good burial,” Kent said. “It was the sort of place that makes you want to disinfect yourself when you leave, frankly, just my sort of place.”
But two small panels—no more than 3 inches by 10 inches—hanging on a back wall drew his attention. Kent took them to the rotund proprietor, who said, “Don’t you just love Japanese art?”
After a quick negotiation that brought the price for the pair down to $15 from $25, Kent walked out with two 17th-century Russian triptych panels worth about $1,000.
From the junk shop to international auction houses and major museums, Worthologist Christopher Kent has used that keen eye to spot value in everything from Japanese porcelain to Italian decorative arts and everything in between.
“I am a generalist,” Kent explained. “A generalist has the ability to walk into a room filled with items and be able to say something about every piece. There are really only a handful of people who can do that.”
Walking encyclopedia
How does one become a walking encyclopedia of antiques and fine arts?
For Kent, it started with his grandparents who were both ardent collectors—his paternal grandmother was a textile expert and his grandfather, her husband, a collector of American furniture. “These were serious collectors who would go without dinner or lunch to acquire a piece.” Kent said he inherited both their interest and their collecting “genetic flaw.”
At the age of 6, he started his own collection with an 18th-century Japanese porcelain bowl given to him by a family friend who was in her own right an avid collector. At 11, he made his professional appraisal debut with a collection of 18th-century English porcelain for America’s oldest auction house, Freeman’s in Philadelphia.
And so starting with American furniture, textiles and porcelain, Kent added layer upon layer of period and style to his repertoire. In college, where he studied art history and architectural history, Kent also acquired knowledge of 17th-century Italian furniture and decorative arts.
 17th-century Italian armoire |
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(For more information on the pictured items, click on the images.)
Coming out of college, Kent’s plan had been to do museum curatorial work, only to run into some real-world truths. “I loved the collections, but I hated museum politics,” he said.
Kent continued gathering expertise—from museum collections, auctions and research and by asking questions of dealers and collectors. “You begin to make associations,” Kent explained, “about why this piece is similar to that, and about changes in taste, and what influences dictate trends.”
Museums have sought Kent’s eye and knowledge to help evaluate a broad array of pieces.
Among the institutions he has advised are the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art—both in New York City—the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Textile Museum in Washington, D.C.
 17th-century Italian chairs |
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In the 40 years he has been collecting, much has changed, Kent said, including the definition of an antique. “It used to be anything after 1860 wasn’t an antique, it was Victorian, and that was usually said with distain,” Kent said. “Then it was moved up to 1880 and then completely abolished.”
Art Nouveau, Art Deco and other well-designed and well-crafted styles became targets for serious collectors, and more and more collectors entered the market. “There is a lot of newly minted money, hedge-fund money,” Kent said.
 Art Nouveau brooch
 1920 Art Deco clown |
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Americana has gotten carried along on these waves, Kent said.
By the 1990s, a wrought-iron weather vane was selling in the millions, where a few years earlier the price tag would have been several thousand dollars.
 1954 Hopalong Cassidy lunch box and thermos In December 1992, Christie’s set a record for a lunch box with the sale of the Dudley Do-Right box and thermos for $2,200. It had cost $2.25 when it was new in 1962. But the kicker that changed the world, as far as establishing the world of collectibles, was the Matt Wyse sale in 1996 where the Superman lunch box circa 1954 sold for an unprecedented $11,500.
“That just changed the way people viewed the market,” Kent said. Once a major house auctioned something as modest as a school lunch box for big dollars, Kent explained, anything might be a valued collectible. “It was,” he said, “a transforming moment.”
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Tags: Art Deco, Art Nouveau, biography, Christopher Kent, definition of antique, Freeman's Auctions, Mark Jaffe, Worthpoint
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This brief summary of Christopher Kents career is a gem. The ability to identify a pivot point like this lunch box sale in the market and explain how such a sale was a catalyst for market transition to a new parameter is true wisdom. There are book-learned people being turned out of colleges like factory farming right now but here is an example of a man with a career who has genuine talent enhanced with common sense and a dose of ” book-learning’ which didnt’ ruin him. Thanks for this wonderful story.
Mark, thank you for a wonderful story. If I didn’t know this guy already I’d be on the phone inviting him to dinner. Best to you, Christopher Kent
I love watching his show, and am only mad that it wasnt 1 hour long! Does CK have his own website? I cannot seem to find anything on the net. I wish the show also traveled to Southern California…I think we invented “collecting” out here! haha, there are thrift shops, antique malls, and flea markets and swaps everywhere! Godspeed to Christopher and thanks for the article!
Tom, thanks for your comments about the show, now, sadly in reruns. Bedst to you Christopher
Dear Christopher,
How I love Embassy Chefs and Flea Market Mania! You are so very gracious and unbelievably knowledgeable. I know the shows are reruns. Do you have anything planned for the future? If so, I hope you’ll let folks know. I watch you twice a day and look forward to the dose “happy” that I get from the shows.
Well done!
Best regards,
Linda Garrett
Dear Linda, Thank you so much for your kind words . Yes the years I spent doing Flea market and Embassy Chefs were a treat. I loved meeting people and talking about their treasures and also looking at a countries history and food. You know, I had minutes to look at a specific piece on Flea market, before we shot the footage so a lot of it was flying by the seat of my pants. I’m glad that I had an eclectic background in antiques, it has served and continues to serve me well. I hope that I can convince another network to pick up the option of new episodes. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and also the power of persuasion. Thanks again, always wonderful to hear from a fan.Best regards, Christopher
This article was a fantastic catch to my eye and ears also. How I do Love, the Worthologist, Mr. Kent as well. I love it all, ( generalist) as well. I love to learn about everrrry-thing. I one day, had dreamed of catching up to the amazing Mr. Kent, to get advice on a few things I have come to pick-up and collect myself. I do try to follow thru- listen, and look thru-these flea bitten places myself. I think they are the best target for a great find(s). I have been to Reading twice, and next time, hope to catch the market there. I wanted to know what Mr. Kent was doing these days,during the re-runs- collecting still no-doubt. Your the greatest, with a great eye,great knowledge and a fantastic personality. Thanks C.K. I too would like you to come back to the shows ! Hope I can meet you in person one day, along with me, not 1, but 2 & 3 favorite pieces for that great eye & knowledge of yours. Thanks also Mark for posting this piece.
P.S.
A Question ?
I know autographs are the thing also on items, but if I was to want the autograph of, ” Christopher Kent “, Just how would one go about getting that ? Yes, I am quiet serious, You are a very popular person I think. I know you have alot of Fans, and I am one of those Fans. Tnx.
Back again, with a question, Mr. Kent, I know there is always a way, a person out there to help, trick is to find them, but finding the right one for the job without getting scammed. I have come accross some items, my goodness, wished it could be you to give them a checkout, a few pieces re jewelry, jade, mother of pearl, and ivory, which I am confident they are authentic, there;s the thing, finding a very good person to authenticate a peice and worth. In jewelry, paintings, lithographs,( especially these) I have just sitting around safe as can be from hints of help from you off of the shows, but how to find the real peoples list that one can trust.
I bought a pisnting here while back, took it apart, as one would to put on acid free paper, if it was 100 yr.s old as told, i thought different but wanted the painting, come to find inside the painting had been cut down both sides, to fit a very old frame, which was worth what I paid at least, but the rest- schnazzer- I live in an area where back when the old fort civil war men bunked down at the old rails or coach station as they travelled through from washington way to GA way, theres a history story here, but there is no one that can authenticate the history items, The auctioneer is a jokester, come take over this auction please…
anyway, how would I go about finding some good appraisers, authenticators, people like and as almost as good as you? Know any ? wadesboro, nc.very important, I’m accumilating, AND ITS JUST ALL SITTING, waiting to be sold off. HELP! Or Do I need to just come to Reading PA?