Antiques Roadshow is one of the UK’s cherished television gems and has been capturing the hearts of the nation since its first broadcast in 1979. Originally welcoming audiences with Bruce Parker at the helm in Newbury, the beloved series continues its enchantment under Fiona Bruce and her team of connoisseurs journeying across Britain.
After 45 years, fans of the show are aware that most items usually rank up between modest three to hefty five-figure estimates, but occasionally, the show reveals treasures valued at dizzying millions.
Here is a list of some of the show’s highest valuations.
The Fabergé flower
One particular Faberge flower holds the title as one of the highest-valued items to grace the show, coming in at a whopping £1 million assessment.
This discovery was made in a 2018 broadcast, where jewellery specialist Geoffrey Munn was visibly taken aback by the ornate pearl blossom sculpture, which had been entrusted to him by some members of an army regiment. Colonel Stamford Cartwright, representing his squadron, mentioned that this exquisite piece was bequeathed to the Queen’s Own Worcestershire Hussars by Georgina, Countess of Dudley, back in 1904.
Fashioned from a fusion of gold, jade, diamonds and silver, and presented on a rock crystal base, the creation was lauded as a “towering masterpiece.”
Despite the Colonel and his comrades considering it no more than “part of the furniture,” Geoffrey reached the verdict that it represented the “rarest, most poetic manifestation of Faberge’s work that one could ever hope to see.”
Antiques Roadshow has been capturing the hearts of the nation since its first broadcast in 1979. (Image: BBC / Robert Pereira Hind)
A Rock Star’s Guitar
On Antiques Roadshow, music memorabilia is no stranger, yet in 2019, the show’s experts were left astounded by a guitar that had been strummed by Beatles legends John Lennon and George Harrison.
The instrument made its way to Battle Abbey in Sussex, where its owner, Ray, shared the remarkable story of how he came to possess it. He had been gifted the guitar by none other than George Harrison following a recording session for a film company co-founded by the star.
“I played a few notes and he said: ‘Yeah, you’re definitely getting more out of it than I am. It’s doing better for you, why don’t you have it’,” recounted Ray.
Upon examination, the guitar was identified as a rare prototype fretless model from the 1960s, leading expert Jon Baddeley to value it at an eye-watering £400,000.
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The longest-serving FA Cup trophy made an appearance on Antiques Roadshow in 2016 (Image: BBC)
FA Cup
In another memorable episode from 2016, the Antiques Roadshow featured the longest-serving FA Cup trophy. Sport’s Gabby Logan and former Leeds United manager Eddie Gray brought the iconic piece to the show, where silver specialist Alastair Dickenson delved into its history.
He revealed that this was the third iteration of the FA Cup, crafted in 1911 by Bradford’s Fattorini & Sons, and placed a valuation of £1 million on the historic trophy. Gabby Logan noted that this particular cup had been in use right up until 1992 before being retired.
Angel Of The North
A colossal 6ft-high and 17ft-wide model of Antony Gormley’s iconic Angel of the North sculpture has made history on Antiques Roadshow, becoming the first item to be valued at a whopping £1 million.
The revelation came during a 2008 episode filmed at The Sage in Gateshead, where Councillor John McElroy revealed that the impressive piece was owned by Gateshead Council and had been gathering dust in council offices for an astonishing 13 years.
Van Dyck Painting
In another remarkable tale, Father Jamie MacLeod unknowingly purchased a genuine Van Dyck painting from a Cheshire antique shop in 1992 for a mere £400. For years, the striking artwork adorned the hallway of a Derbyshire retreat he ran for clergy members, its true value unbeknownst to him.
That all changed when TV presenter Fiona Bruce spotted it during a shoot in 2013. Having recently worked on a programme about Van Dyck, she suspected the painting might be an original.
After consulting leading authority Dr Christopher Brown, Fiona and Father Jamie were overjoyed to have the piece authenticated as The Old Master painting, with a staggering valuation of £400,000.
Antiques Roadshow airs on One and iPlayer