Some people enter a thrift shop in search of a bargain vase or perhaps a vintage jacket. Art lover Laura Young entered a Goodwill in Austin with little in the form of hopes or dreams.
What she did take home, though, was something simply incredible. Amid the trinkets and things hung an imposing marble bust that radiated an otherworldly vibration.
It only cost $34.99. Laura had no idea what this impulse purchase would turn out to be…
A Curious Find in Austin
It was August 2018, and Laura was doing something she enjoys—treasure hunting at Goodwill. Her gaze landed on a thick, white marble bust that was propped against the ground amid the usual chaos.
It weighed 52 pounds and appeared to have been pulled directly from a museum, not a bargain bin. “It was worth it at $35,” she later said to the press.
“There was no reason not to purchase it.” The expression on the statue appeared to be set in perpetuity, and its craftsmanship was flawless. She had no idea who it was. But it fascinated her for some reason, and she took it home.
A Hunch Worth Following
Laura had spent years selling antiques, so something in her was confident that this was more than just a decorative sculpture. She knew it was old—but how old? That was the question.
Convinced to find out about the background of her new acquisition, she began calling art dealers, auction houses, and historians. What started as a $35 indulgence soon turned into an entire research mission.
What she learned would shock even the most experienced collectors. Yet, at the time, she still had no idea how rich the history of this artifact was.
Enter the Experts
Her questions eventually took her to Sotheby’s, one of the world’s best-known auction houses. Experts there began analyzing the bust with increasing curiosity.
Its style, composition, and weathering all indicated something far older than anybody had ever dared imagine. And then the moment that changed it all—an art historian recognized the bust in a 1930s photograph of the ancient piece proudly exhibited in a German museum’s recreation of a Roman villa.
It wasn’t old—it was ancient. Their best educated guess? This piece was produced about 2,000 years ago, at the height of the Roman Empire.
Meet Sextus Pompey
It is thought to represent Sextus Pompey, Roman sea commander and son of the great Pompey—who had first been a political opponent of Julius Caesar before becoming his enemy.
Sextus led a life of adventure, one filled with rebellion, sea battles, and changing allegiances during Rome’s civil wars.
His historical legacy may have faded with the passage of time, but his portrait persisted—until it disappeared in the devastation of World War II. That is, until Laura inadvertently restored him to the spotlight on a shelf in a Texas thrift store.
From Roman Villa to Texan Thrift
Before it went to Texas, the bust decorated the Pompejanum’s courtyard in Aschaffenburg, Germany. It was constructed by King Ludwig I of Bavaria.
The structure was a copy of a Roman dwelling and functioned as a classical art museum. The bust was there until WWII, when it was placed in storage to keep it safe from destruction.
Then came the air raids. The museum was bombed, artifacts were lost, as were records. The bust was among those lost artifacts—its location unknown for decades.
A Wartime Disappearance
The bust, as per curators’ accounts, ought to have been retrieved from storage sometime between the late 1940s and early 1950s.
“It seems likely that an American serviceman took it” opined San Antonio Museum of Art curator Lynley McAlpine.
That would account for how it ended up in America, where it vanished into the sea of private collections—until it reappeared in a Goodwill in Texas, patiently waiting to be re-discovered.
How Did It Get to Goodwill?
Even Laura is unsure how the bust wound up on a shelf in Goodwill. She attempted to find the donor through Craigslist, but no one got in touch with her.
“I would really love it if whoever donated it came forward,” she said. “It’s most likely not the original person who took him, but I’d still like to know the story.”
Despite the mystery, her garage sale find had international significance, and people were starting to notice.
A Home at SAMA—for Now
The bust is now on permanent display at the San Antonio Museum of Art, where it has mesmerized visitors since its return in 2022.
It will stay there until it is time to return to Germany. Even though the marble statue is officially owned by the state of Bavaria, the museum and Laura agreed to an extension of a temporary loan.
For others, even viewing the bust in person is a dreamlike experience—a lost artifact returned to the public again through a chance encounter with a sharp shopper.
The Legal Side of Looted Art
Since the bust was seized during wartime, it falls under international agreements that regulate cultural property.
Thus, Germany claims it—and deservedly so. Instead of an overbearing gesture, nonetheless, the Bavarian government collaborated with SAMA to facilitate public exhibition before repatriation.
It’s a generous acknowledgment of the strength of cross-cultural cooperation—and an uncommon happy conclusion to the murky world of looted antiquities.
Laura Young’s Legacy
For Laura, it has been a surreal and rewarding experience. She never intended to make headlines or discover an irreplaceable Roman treasure.
But she’s glad the statue she found is part of an international tale, bringing people together through history in a tangible way.
“It’s bittersweet,” she says, aware that she’ll eventually have to leave the bust behind—but also aware that she brought it home to its rightful place in the books.
A Reminder in Marble
The bust, cleaned and restored, is a silent witness to the Roman Empire, Europe at war, and modern Texas. It’s more than just a work of art.
It’s a reminder that history isn’t only stored in museums and textbooks but all around us, sometimes even at a random thrift shop.
All it takes is a curious mind, and maybe a stroll through an interesting secondhand shop.
Back to Bavaria
Once its time in San Antonio is over, the bust will return to Germany, where it will once more reside at the Pompejanum.
There, it will be exhibited with complete recognition of its travels and rediscovery. Heads will turn not only at its Roman heritage but at its Texas sojourn.
To Bavarian curators, it’s a homecoming. To the rest of us, it’s evidence that more missing history may still be recovered.
The $35 Treasure
In a fast-paced world of online shopping, Laura Young’s tale is an anthem of serendipity. A $35 discovery at Goodwill became an international historic news headline.
Naturally, not everyone will leave Goodwill with a Roman bust in hand, but Laura’s story is a sign to always stay on your toes—your next treasure could very well be hiding in the most unexpected place.
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