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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Zara Woodcock

Antiques Roadshow guest stunned over valuation as 'garish' pendant makes history

An Antiques Roadshow guest impressed expert John Benjamin with her unique pendant from the 19th century.

Viewers tuned in to watch Fiona Bruce at Clissold Park in Stoke Newington to see the selection of antique items brought in by guests.

One guest brought in an interesting-looking pendant which piqued John's interest.

Taking a look at the item, John said: "Well now this is a teardrop shape rather severe dark-coloured jewellery box and when you open the lid it reveals something considerably more colourful and bold inside a splendid gold pendant."

"Do you like it?" he asked the guest before she responded: "It's a little bit garish. But yeah, I do like it."

John went on to explain that French and European Jewellers in the 19th century would create jewellery that looked like they were from the 16th century.

A guest brought in a unique pendant believed to be from the 19th century (BBC)

"Now what we call that is Neo-renaissance another term [is] Tudor revivalism," he said.

"Of course, this one we've got has an interesting piece of paper, server 1879, which does suggest that it is a 19th-century piece."

John said that many factors of the pendant would suggest that it isn't as old as it looks. He then pointed out the colours and the figures drawn onto it.

He explained that jewellers purposefully made the items look like they were from the 16th century (BBC)

"Then have a look at this, did you see this large triangular-shaped stone? It's a diamond, but what we call a flat Lesko cut diamond," he continued.

According to the expert, the frame was a "giveaway" for him as the scrolls and heart detailing in it would make it more 19th-century than the 16th-century.

He went on to shock guests and viewers when he revealed: "It would finish up making £10,000."

He valued it at around £10,000 (BBC)

The guest was shocked and lost for words, simply replying with a "wow".

John explained why the pendant was history-making for the show as he hadn't "done a near renaissance jewel like this on the Antiques Roadshow in 30 years."

"This is the first one. So can you imagine how much pleasure you've given me to talk to you about it?" he said.

Antiques Roadshow airs on Sunday at 8pm on BBC One.

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