Overview
- Angelika and Ulrich from Hagen brought a box of twelve antique Japanese Kozuka grips to ZDF’s Bares für Rares, and experts appraised the lot well above the sellers’ expectation.
- On June 12 the show’s Japan specialist Detlev Kümmel dated the pieces to roughly 1830–1868 and placed the total value at €2,500–€3,000, surprising the owners who had hoped for about €600.
- A bidding contest in the dealer room ended with dealer Daniel Meyer buying the collection for €3,000, a result reported across national entertainment outlets.
- The sellers revealed they had originally paid under 100 Deutsche Mark for the lot, turning a small flea‑market purchase into a four‑figure return and a memorable personal windfall.
- Kozuka are small decorated grips for utility knives often made of shakudō, a copper‑based alloy prized by collectors, and the episode highlights how televised expert appraisals and dealer competition can sharply change market outcomes.