An Antiques Roadshow expert deemed a family treasure “scruffy” yet still attached a hefty valuation, contingent on its restoration.
During the episode filmed at Belfast’s Botanic Gardens, ‘s seasoned valuer Richard Price examined what he described as an “unusual example” of a French four glass clock, not shying away from critiquing its condition.
The owner recounted the clock’s lineage, saying: “It came to me from my father and from my grandfather and grandmother before so it’s [been] in the family since the late 1800s.”
Price responded with a hint of challenge: “OK. I shall disprove that in a minute”, eliciting a good-natured retort from the guest: “Fair enough then! I thought you would.”
Price scrutinised the clock’s state: “So let’s just consider it. The condition is a little bit disappointing perhaps.”
BBC Antiques Roadshow expert gives scruffy family heirloom top price despite its disappointing appearance (Image: BBC)
BBC Antiques Roadshow expert gives scruffy family heirloom top price despite its disappointing appearance (Image: BBC)
He continued, highlighting its once splendid features: “It would have been wonderful gilded bits of brass. These lovely floral swags which could be so attractive.
“You’ve got the columns and then you’ve got the multicoloured champleve enamel and then, of course, you can see the lovely enamel dial centre and also the bezel and the mercury pendulum also with all the multicoloured enamel. So that’s lovely.
“There’s also the enamel up here and there would have been a little finial on the top but that’s missing.”
To the guest’s surprise, what was believed to be marble on the clock turned out to be Brazilian onyx.
“And you’ve said to me just now you thought the clock might be late 19th Century”, Price continued. “Were any of your family in France at the time or not?”
The guest revealed that his grandparents had tied the knot in Paris in 1909, leading Price to speculate that the item could have been a “wedding present at the time” – a theory the owner agreed with.
Upon closer inspection of the clock, Price noted: “I can see there it actually says ‘Made in France’ and on the dial front everything about it with the Arabic rather than the Roman numerals says to me early 20th Century.
“The use of the onyx, early 20th Century. This would have been a top-of-the-range item when it was new.”
Antiques Roadshow expert Richard Price valued a ‘scruffy’ clock for £4,000 if it was given a refresh. (Image: BBC)
Wrapping up, the expert declared: “So the only other thing to consider is the value. I mentioned earlier it’s very scruffy.”
“If you were to spend serious money on this and do it up, it would certainly be selling for in the region of £4,000.”
Upon hearing the valuation, the guest barely reacted, remaining silent but Price observed: “Little smile come on there.”
However, he then cautioned: “But you’re going to have to put away at least £1,000 to do it properly.”
The guest wondered if this was a “good investment”, with Price affirming that it was: “The Chinese are mad about enamel. So it would almost certainly go to the Far East.”
The clock’s owner quickly dismissed this idea though as he was adamant that the piece wouldn’t be up for sale.
“There’s no chance of it going to the Far East. It’s going to stay in the middle of Ireland where it’s been for the last 50 years, 60 years.”
Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on One and iPlayer.