set a remarkable record when a battered elephant ornament bought for a mere £8 sold for an eye-watering sum.
During a re-run of a 2012 episode, connoisseurs Charlie Ross and James Braxton were challenged with spending £200 on vintage goods, aiming to sell them at a profit.
Held at an auction in Buckie, Scotland, the aged trinket caught fire online, lining Charlie’s pockets with an astronomical profit. Snapped up for only £8, this pre-owned gem fetched an astonishing £2,700 when hammered down.
The programme’s commentator enthused: “With one lot each still to go, Charlie is only £7 ahead. Next up, it’s his Staffordshire elephant, and the auctioneer thinks it could go for a couple of hundred! “.
Then the bidding commenced with: “£80 is online,” briskly escalating to, “£130 online that’s okay.”
Antiques Road Trip showed an incredible sale of a damaged elephant (Image: (Image: BBC))
A stunned Charlie blurted out: “It’s jumped to £130?”
“£140 is on the phone,” continued the auctioneer.
The narrator piped up: “This is getting really interesting; there are no more bids in the room but the phone and internet bids are really picking up! “.
Before long, the amount rocketed to £400, catapulting Charlie from his seat in sheer astonishment and glee.
Antiques Road Trip is a hugely popular show where people auction off their treasures. (Image: (Image: BBC))
As the price soared further into the £600 and £650 bracket, the expert couldn’t contain himself: “Are you hearing this? This is ridiculous!”
While the stakes climbed to towering bids of £1,000 and then £1,200, at which point rival James realised he was utterly outmatched.
During the gripping auction, the auctioneer could be heard escalating the bids: “£1,400… £1,800, £1,900, £2,000,” while a voice-over chimed in with excitement, declaring: “Unheard of on the Road Trip! “.
The tension heightened as the auctioneer pressed on: “£2,100, £2,230, £2,300 is on the phone. Are we all done online at £2,500?” The fervour continued with “£2,600”.
Eventually, with a commanding strike of his gavel, the auctioneer announced that the elephant had fetched a staggering £2,700 online.
With a humorous touch of defeat, James remarked: “I fear my Road Trip is already over,” as the prized item went to Myrna Schkolne from California, who confessed her long-standing quest for the elephant, spanning 25 years.
In a revelation about her determination, she disclosed that she rose at 5am for the phone bid, emoting: “I saw this elephant on the website, and it was love at first sight.”