WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Antiques Roadshow.
An Antiques Roadshow guest was left stunned after discovering the significant value of his father’s rare design sketches.
The episode, filmed at Firstsite in Colchester, featured car expert Cristian Beadman appraising a collection of drawings created by the guest’s father during his tenure at the Ford Motor Company in the 1950s.
The guest recounted his father’s experience of moving to America, describing it as a transition “from black and white in England post-war to technicolour in America.”
Beadman began examining the sketches, noting: “So this is in the heyday of those huge flying Fords with the big engines and the fins and the wings and all the rest of it.
“The design process, obviously, we’ve got this incredible gull-winged supercar here but this is the pencil sketch. Is this the early stages then?”
The owner confirmed that the design process began with crayon sketches, which would be reviewed by their bosses.
If approved, the designers would create more detailed, coloured renderings using airbrush techniques.
Antiques Roadshow guest in disbelief as value of dads irreplaceable sketches takes breathe away (Image: BBC)
An Antiques Roadshow guest brought in his dad’s collection of car sketches from when he worked at the Ford Motor Company in the 1950s. (Image: BBC)
Beadman remarked: “The way he has picked out the sparkle of sunlight on the chrome is utterly extraordinary.
“I don’t know how he did it. And if you look at the hubcaps, you can see that he’s put reflected landscapes with the hubcap, distorting the light with an airbrush. It’s absolutely incredible.”
The guest shared his belief that the designs were “quite rare”, noting they are typically discarded post-production.
He mentioned he had only brought a fraction of his extensive collection, which includes around 50 drawings and 30 pencil outlines.
Antiques Roadshow expert Cristian Beadman valued a collection of 1950s car sketches for at least £10,000. (Image: BBC)
Beadman was impressed, commenting: “What an amazing collection. Needless to say, these are very, very precious in your family. They’re irreplaceable.
“Your father is an incredibly good illustrator but they do have a value.
“Taking into account the ones you brought with you today and the ones you’ve described at home, the whole collection should happily be somewhere between £10,000 and £15,000.”
Clearly taken aback, the guest commented: “Wow. That’s surprising.
“I think dad would be astonished as well. You know? That’s taken my breath away a bit.”
Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on One and iPlayer.