Antiques Roadshow guest stunned as plaque found on a scrap heap receives staggering valuation
ONE Antiques Roadshow guest was left reeling after an item he found on a SCRAP HEAP received an incredible valuation.
An older woman brought a family plaque to the experts as they visited Compton Verney for tonight’s episode.
She presented the table with a large plaque featuring a litany of animals on its borders, with a naked man riding a horse in the middle.
The expert told her that the plaque featured “beautiful work, intricacy like you’ve never seen and, to me, it screams one factory and that’s Pilkingtons.”
“Pilkingtons’ based up in Clifton, Greater Manchester. So tell me, how has the plaque travelled all the way down here to be in Compton Verney today?”
She explained that the plaque was a family heirloom, passed down from her grandfather, to her father and eventually, to her.
“It belonged to my family by my grandfather who worked for Pilkington’s” she said.
“He was a sales rep, one day he found it on the scrap heap and asked to take it home and he was given and it’s been in the family ever since.”
“Everyone in the family loved it except my great grandmother who was a staunch Methodist who was horrified by the naked man on the front.”
“She insisted we turn it around because there’s a beautiful antelope on the back.”
The piece was made by Richard Joyce, with a JR monogram as his signature and an antelope design on the back, which helped date his work to 1909.
Despite the small damage, including a few chips and indents on the side, the item was valued at around £3000 to £5000, to which the woman replied, “Wow, lovely!”.
Last week, Antiques Roadshow expert Joanna Hardy was left with a twinkle in her eye after spotting a sparkling sapphire ring.
The BBC show featured a guest who appeared with a stunning necklace and ring that belonged to her mother.
Joanna admitted her heart had “jumped” when she first saw the giant sapphire.
She revealed the collection was worth up to £10,000.
The guest explained to Joanna that the jewellery was gifted to her mother from her father for their 25th wedding anniversary in 1974.
She said: “They were given to my mother many years ago, and I don’t really know the history of either of them.
“The ring she didn’t really wear because it was quite a big, heavy ring.