An Antiques Roadshow guest gasped as he learned the true value of a clock he bought decades ago at an antiques fair in London, in scenes on the BBC One show on Sunday evening.
The Antiques Roadshow estimated the stylish clock was made in 1905, but the BBC One guest told her he had bought it in 1998 at an antiques fair in London.
He paid £6,000 for the clock, which he admitted was ‘a lot of money’ but said he was instantly enamoured with the quirky design.
He said: “I just really liked it. I thought that’s lovely and something that’s very unusual and that was it. It’s actually been sitting on my sideboard for over 20 years and keeps good time.”
The show’s expert, who sat down with him as the antiques programme visited the National Trust property Culzean Castle in Scotland, said the clock was ‘very unusual’ indeed.
She said: “I’ve seen a tremendous amount of Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts clocks in my time, but I’ve never seen one quite like this.
“What I think is so exciting about this period and this style is that people were sick of the Victorian style.”
She continued: “Arthur Lazenby employed these great designers working for Liberty’s in London.
“This was high fashion and would in its day have been very expensive. The thing I’m really excited about is this copper face being off-centre and these flying birds. It is so unusual.”
She then turned to putting an estimated value on the clock and said that if it were to be auctioned off today, she would put its price tag between £15,000 and £20,000.
The guest was visibly taken aback as he replied: “Goodness me. I'm very surprised. Extremely surprised.”
Smiling, the Antiques Roadshow expert replied: “So a good choice in 1998,” to which he insisted: “I shall continue to enjoy it.”
This comes after another expert on Antiques Roadshow was surprised to learn a guest had paid just £17 for a "rare and special" antique during a recent episode of the BBC One show.
Among those who took part was a guest who had brought an object which she believed to be a "granary door," with her said to have purchased the item in San Francisco – and it turned out to be worth up to £600.
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