Antiques Roadshow has pulled another surprise out the bag from two guests who just thought they were bringing some 'costume jewellery' to be valued. On Sunday night (October 30) Fiona Bruce was back presenting the BBC One show from Wollaton Hall in Nottingham.
And things got off to a good start as two cousins were given a jaw-dropping valuation. Valuer John Benjamin was on hand to look over the poignant items which were handed down to them from their 'great-great-great granny' as well a piece from their great aunt.
But out of the items, there was one that caught John's - a stunning ring. "She was gifted it as costume jewellery," the girls revealed.
And they seemed certain there was no value in it as when one of them tried on the ring, they informed John it had no weight to it. However, they were soon left stunned as John declared: "It’s an emerald!"
The guests couldn't hide both their surprise and excitement as John continued to tell the pair it was a South American emerald surrounded by Victorian-cut white diamonds mounted up in 18-carat gold. John then said: “Shall we talk a little bit about the values?”
He first told the guest that their other trinkets would likely fetch them around £3,500 at auction but he the jokingly said: "I haven’t even started yet," making clear there was something big to come. He went on to tell the pair that the emerald ring would bring in around £4,000 alone leaving them with their jaws dropped.
"You’ve actually got a total value there of something like seven to ten thousand pounds," John added as one of the girls giggled, before exclaiming: "Oh my god!"
But it wasn't just the guests that were shocked this week as Antiques Roadshow’s Hilary Kay was bowled over when a never-before-seen collection of Elizabethan textiles dating back 500 years appeared on her table during filming at Wollaton Hall.
The discovery, which included a bedspread and two pillowcases sewn by Elizabeth I and her ladies in waiting, was led by an “extremely rare” ivory silk satin sleeve and sleeve support. The items belonged to the Wollaton family, who built Wollaton Hall in 1588, and until their discovery, no examples of sleeve supports were known to exist.
The sleeve support, known as a farthingale sleeve, has remained in an almost perfect condition along with the satin sleeve it originally supported, the BBC show said. Author and lecturer Kay added: "Exceptional.
"It is such an exciting moment to be faced with something from the 16th century which is in such incredible condition."
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