“ANTIQUES Roadshow viewers were left stunned by a guest’s rare item after it was valued at an eye-watering sum. The unusual piece of interest appeared in the BBC show over the weekend with expert Ronnie Archer-Morgan. Sign up for the TV newsletter Thank you! A guest was stunned to discover her item could fetch up”, — write: www.thesun.co.uk
The unusual piece of interest appeared in the BBC show over the weekend with expert Ronnie Archer-Morgan.
Thank you!
A guest was stunned to discover her item could fetch up to £150,000Credit: BBC
The item was a ironwood pole club dating back to the 18th centuryCredit: BBC This time the team were visiting the Firstsite contemporary art gallery in Colchester.
Presented by Fiona Bruce, the episode featured an ironwood pole club.
The guest told how the item was originally uncovered by her in-laws after they moved into a new home.
It had been abandoned by the previous owners and sat collecting dust in the attic for decades.
The family suspected the hidden treasure had come from Fiji, but they were desperate to find more answers.
She said: “In the 1960s, my husband’s parents bought a house in West Wales with all its contents and this was in its contents.”
Mr Archer-Morgan clarified the pole club originated from the Cook Islands and was most likely from the 18th century.
He told the story of Captain Hook and his surgeon had discovered one of these pole clubs on a visit to Polynesia.
“This is a magnificent ironwood pole club and the Cook Islands people call it an akatara,” he said.
“They were made either on the island of Rarotonga or Atiu.
“Originally, this would have been a fighting weapon, but by the time there was contact from the West, this had become a ceremonial weapon imbued with manna.
“And manna is like the spiritual power of the warrior chief who would have owned this. I feel as though I’ve got the power holding this. It’s such an impressive object.”
Despite some damage to the pole club, Mr Archer-Morgan estimated it could go on pre-sale in Paris for up to a whopping £150,000.
Upon hearing the news, the visitor exclaimed in shock: “Crikey. That’s amazing, really amazing.”
She added: “I just can’t believe how did something like that end up in an old house in the middle of Wales?
“How did it get there? I’d love to be able to step back in time and follows its journey because it’s just incredible.”
This comes after another guest was also left gobsmacked as an item she “chucked in the bin” received a very surprising valuation.
As usual, members of the public flocked to the site to have their prized possessions valued by the show’s experts.
But there was a surprise in store for a woman who brought it in an old item.
Expert Siobhan Tyrrell examined the piece and valued it at up to £400.
In another episode, a husband and wife brought two items to her, a bracelet and a stunning pendant.
After discussing the items further, Harrogate jewellery specialist Susan Rumfitt, revealed her valuation and the couple were completely blindsided by how much both items were worth.
The ‘piece of tat’ pendant was given a value of between £3,000 and £5,000, which left the couple shocked.
However, the bracelet would have fetched even more if they tried to sell it at auction.
Susan stated: “The opal bangle, of course, it’s a magnificent piece.
“If that came up to auction, we would be looking at an estimate of £8,000 to £10,000.”
The husband’s jaw dropped at the huge value of the item as he exclaimed: “I didn’t expect that …. That’s incredible.”
The BBC One series features a team of experts ready to give their opinions on hidden treasures.
He is known for both Antiques Road Trip and BBC‘s Antiques Roadshow.
Away from his TV career and he previously worked at Sotheby’s in London as a Specialist in their Collectors Department.
Izzie Balmer – Izzie was previously a part of BBC Street Auction’s celebrity edition before becoming a member of Antiques Road Trip.
She is a popular antiques valuer and auctioneer from Derbyshire who is now a recognizable face.
As well to her TV work, Izzie predominantly works as a head valuer at the Wessex Auction rooms in Wiltshire.
Steven Moore – Steven is known for being an antiques dealer, auctioneer and museum curator.
He has also used his expertise in the past to write for a variety of magazines.
Steven joined the Antiques Road Trip in 2020 and has also been an expert on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow.
Natasha Raskin Sharp – Natasha is an Antiques Road Trip expert with a passion for antiques and art.
She was born in Glasgow in 1986 into a family of art collectors with her dad Philip Raskin being a successful artist.
Irita Marriott – Irita is an antiques expert and dealer as well as being the founder of Irita Marriott Antiques.
She is one of the latest BBC antiques expert on Antiques Road Trip and full time antiques dealer based in the UK.
Charles Hanson – Charles chose a career in antiques because he has a love for history and enjoys the drama of an auction.
He joined Bargain Hunt back in 2002 and works as an auctioneer.
Raj Bisram – Raj is a British antiques expert and auctioneer.
He co-founded Bentley’s Fine Art and Antiques Auction House in Cranbrook, Kent in 1995.
Philip Serrell – Philip says that he thinks antiques found him “rather than the other way round”.
He was approached by the Bargain Hunt series producer of the day and recorded the first Bargain Hunt filmed at Malvern in 1999.
The dealer, who is known for his scarves, was then asked to feature as an expert.
David Harper – David is an antiques expert, artist, speaker and writer.
He has gone on to make multiple TV appearances, with his first television role in 2005 as presenter of Channel 4‘s Natural Born Dealers.
James Braxton – Ever since he was young, James was always interested in the world of antiques and began pursuing a career in the industry after purchasing an auctioning company in 1991.
He founded the Fine Art Auction Group where he currently serves as director, responsible for running five auction rooms in the South of England.
James has appeared in other hit TV shows including Bargain Hunt and Flog it!
Roo Irvine – Roo, whose full name Arusha Irvine, is an antiques dealer and television presenter from Scotland.
As well as Antiques Road Trip, she has also appeared on shows such as Bargain Hunt, Flipping Profit and the celebrity version of Antiques Road Trip.
Tim Wonnacott – Timothy is an English chartered auctioneer, chartered surveyor, antiques expert, narrator, and a television presenter.
He used to be a director of Sotheby’s; one of the world’s oldest auction houses.
He has been the narrator of Antiques Road Trip since it began in 2010.
Mr Archer-Morgan told the story of Captain Hook and his surgeon had discovered one of these pole clubs on a visit to PolynesiaCredit: BBC