The Antiques Roadshow has featured a number of valuable items over the years, including a Fabergé flower worth £1,000,000. This gold, diamond, and jade ornament originally belonged to the Queen’s Own Worcestershire Hussars in 1904 and was brought in by Colonel Stamford Cartwright on behalf of the squadron. Another valuable item showcased on the show was the Angel of the North sculpture. This rusty, man-sized model was worth more than the actual statue commissioned by Gateshead council for £800,000. The bronze sculpture was created by Antony Gormley as a maquette to persuade the council to commission the full-size statue.
In 2015, a surprising item made its way onto the Antiques Roadshow – the FA Cup, valued at £1,000,000. This trophy, one of the longest-serving in football history, was brought in by Gabby Logan and Eddie Gray. The cup, designed in 1911 by Fattorini and Sons, featured engravings of grapes and vines, suggesting it may have been originally intended as a wine or champagne cooler. Another unexpected valuation came in 1991 when Terry Nurrish brought in a jardiniere by Christofle he had received as a wedding gift. Initially valued at £10,000, the jardiniere sold at auction in 2014 for an impressive £560,000.
A rare Banksy artwork titled Mobile Lovers was valued at £403,000 on the Antiques Roadshow after it appeared on a plank of wood near the Broad Plain Boys’ Club in Bristol. Dennis Stinchcombe, from the club, hoped to sell the piece to keep the club open, but it was removed by the city council. The painting was eventually sold at auction for the valued amount. In another instance, a painting by Antony Van Dyck purchased by a Derbyshire priest for £400 in 1992 was confirmed as an original masterpiece worth £400,000 when examined by experts on the show. The painting, titled The Magistrates of Brussels, had 17th-century brushstrokes beneath the top layer.
A gold-plated Leica Luxus II camera valued between £300,000 to £800,000 was featured on the show in 2001 after being initially valued at £5,000. The special edition camera, encased in lizard skin and one of four made in 1932, was used by its late owner, an amateur photographer, throughout the 1940s and 1950s. The camera was eventually sold in 2013 for £320,000. These valuable items showcased on the Antiques Roadshow highlight the importance of seeking expert valuation and the potential hidden treasures that can be found in everyday objects.
