Antiques Roadshow viewers left open-mouthed by staggering value of ‘ugly and haunted’ ornament
ANTIQUES Roadshow viewers were left shocked by the eye-watering value of an “ugly” ornament.
Those watching the show saw a guest arrive with her daughter carrying a bird statue that was by no means pleasing on the eye.
The bird, named Ernie, was brown and had a scary looking beak which the guest’s daughter claimed used to give her nightmares as a child.
Expert Steven Moore seemingly agreed with the general sentiment as he claimed it had “a face only a mother could love.”
But Steven informed the shocked guests that if the bird had been intact, it would fetch up to £70,000.
The bird’s head alone could fetch up to £4,000 as it is a very collectable item but its body and head did not seem to match.
He told the BBC guests: “They are very collectible.”
He added: “There is an intriguing possibility. If you could find the head for this body, or if you could find the body for this head, you would have a profit of £60,000 to £70,000.”
And viewers were stunned. Taking to social media, one fan wrote: “Generally speaking, I love Martin Bros’ Wally Birds, but gee. That’s ugly.”
Another said: “Haunted bird head – kill it with fire.”
A third wrote: “What a horrible looking ornament Ernie is.”
Focusing on the price tag, another fan commented: “Who, in their right mind, would spend £70k on a bit of pottery?”
And another said: “£4K just for the head!”