This candidate has clear ideas: "My neighbor and I get a keg of beer and a few sausages, sit in the garden and are just happy," says Frank Papajewski. "Our women should think about money."

The 62-year-old warehouse clerk comes from the Ruhr area, as his t-shirt reveals. He brought a "small cute bust" to "Bares for Rares", as Horst Lichter put it. Friederike Werner knows more about the bronze figure: It is the young Esmeralda that Victor Hugo immortalized in his famous 1831 novel "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame". The bust shows Esmeralda with long, flowing hair, a kind of turban on her head and a "nice big cleavage," as the expert notes.

The bust is by the French sculptor Emmanuel Villanis, who was known for his depictions of women. In general, figures from literature and mythology that seduced men and murdered men were very fashionable in Art Nouveau. So Salome, Judith, Lucrezia Borgia - or Esmeralda. The object they brought with them dates from between 1890 and 1900 and is still in good condition.

Papajewski's hands are a little tied when it comes to the sale: the Esmeralda was lost in the neighbor's attic, on whose behalf he is now selling it. The neighbor's pain limit is 400 euros. Fortunately, Friederike Werner has no objections - she estimates the value at 350 to 450 euros.

In the dealer's room, even before the auction begins, it is agreed who will bid on the object: Elke Velten-Tönnies has fallen in love with the figure. But the other dealers have also found favor: Almost all participate and place bids. So the price rises to 750 euros. As predicted, Velten-Tönnies was awarded the contract. The pain threshold is easily reached.

Accordingly, Frank Papajewski is satisfied with the business. Afterwards, he waves the banknotes at the camera and says happily: "Tonight we'll have a beer and a bratwurst."

Source: "Bares for Rares" in the ZDF media library

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