Antiques Roadshow expert stunned by ‘extremely rare’ jewellery in show first – but it’s bad news for the owner
AN Antiques Roadshow guest made show history after he brought in a ‘beyond rare’ ring to be valued by expert Geoffrey Munn.
The expert was in awe of the unique jewellery ‘he had never seen before’, which he described as a ‘belter’.
During the latest episode of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, jewellery specialist Geoffrey left a guest disappointed after revealing that the auction price for the ring they brought along wouldn’t amount to huge figures.
In the episode, the expert began: “Well, there’s rare, there’s very rare, and there’s extremely rare – and what you brought me today is beyond rare.”
He quizzed: “So tell me about what you brought with you.”
The man responded: “Well, originally, it was given by a great uncle to my father, who then passed it on to myself.
“He was a great collector. And we don’t know any more than that, I’m afraid.”
Geoffrey offered background information about the item, replying: “It is an extraordinarily rare ring because it takes the form of the precious metal ring, a gold ring.
“But in this case, it’s actually made of a very humble material indeed, it’s made of quill, which is literally that sort of plasticky end of a feather.
“A swan’s feather has been shaved down into little columns with little threads of quill and then bound around the core, but even more remarkably, the gold lettering goes in and out of the quill.”
He continued: “So it’s a tour de force of craftsmanship, and it says on it when we pick it up here very delicately, ‘I gave innocent,’ and this is obviously a love token, and we would have guessed that very easily, simply on that evidence alone.
“Because this is gold foil running through it, and that’s a reference to the sort of incorruptibility of a relationship, a love relationship. And that would have been quite enough for me today to get very excited.
“Very, very excited, but you brought me a letter that came with it as well.
He added: “And then this is the most touching love letter that comes with the ring because the fellow that has given it to the recipient says, ‘To my little insect.'”
The owner quickly interjected: “Yes, that’s a bit strange!”
Geoffrey then replied back: “I would like to interpret that it was actually a butterfly because in the world of amatory symbolism and metaphor.
“The butterfly is the symbol of the psyche, goddess of the soul, and all higher emotions, including love. So I think he’s probably alluding to that.”
He added: “1785, with his signature, and so we can only assume that he’s made this thing, and we can only hope and pray that it worked.”
“I’ve never seen anything quite like it, gosh, what a belter, honestly, I can’t believe it.
“And the great irony of all this gush from me is that you might be expecting a high value, and you won’t get it!
He then told the guest that the item would only be worth ‘£600 to a collector of rings’ but might be even more than that at auction.
The man was pleased with what he heard and responded: “Wow, amazed at that.
“We just thought because it wasn’t gold, it wouldn’t be worth anything at all.”
Last night, Gemma Collins and DJ Melvin Odoom were featured in the Celebrity Antiques Road Trip.
The TOWIE star tried to butter up an antique shopkeeper for a bargain buy but failed miserably.
Antiques Roadshow airs on Sundays at 8pm on BBC Two.