BBC Antiques Roadshow guest blown away as family heirloom with gruesome past given eyewatering value
Antiques Roadshow valuation 020424
The Antiques Roadshow team and Fiona Bruce transported viewers to Sefton Park Palm House in Liverpool during Sunday’s repeat episode from last summer.
Viewers were able to revisit a letter from Kate Bush, an early version of the Beatles logo and a novelty giant Hoffner – as well as a pair of 2,000-year-old coins which still fetched a four-figure valuation despite being altered in the "worst" way possible.
But it was one guest’s English Civil War collection which caught Adam Schoon’s eye. Taking a look at the array of items on the table, Schoon noted: “Well, we’re looking at a portrait of William Prescott...
“Who was on the execution scaffold of the Seventh Earl of Derby, in 1651. It’s quite a dramatic story, tell us about it.”
The guest explained: “Well, William was a great friend of the Seventh Earl of Derby, and served in the army with him.
“Then in 1651, the Seventh Earl by decree of Parliament, for high treason was executed, so he went to the scaffold with him.”
Antiques Roadshow guest brought along his ancestors items from the Seventh Earl of Derby
BBC
William Prescot was the guest's ancestor and he'd received the items as a keepsake from his moments on the execution scaffold the day the Earl died.
“He handed everything over, and he asked William Prescott to put his foot on him to make sure he didn’t wriggle through the execution. This was recorded by witnesses,” the guest added.
Stunned by the history, Schoon said: “It is powerful stuff, and when we look at these things, they’re incredibly personal.
“We have the leather skullcap and we also have this pair of beautifully made suede gloves and they are in incredibly good condition, the stitching is there to be seen, but rather plain. They were status symbols, weren’t they?”
The guest was left stunned at the £20,000 valuation
BBC
There was a picture in a frame which was dated 1631, with Schoon noting that the detail wasn’t great and there were condition issues with cracking.
Despite the small issues, Schoon was eager to value the items and revealed: “It is an amazing little archive of things and the fact that you can marry your ancestor to these things just makes it particularly potent.
“And the actual execution took place not 20 miles from here, in Bolton. So, a really powerful local story involving local men.
“The painting without a full attribution I’d put it between £10,000 and £15,000. The portrait miniature, that’s probably worth £2,000 to £3,000.
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Antiques Roadshow guest was left stunned at the valuation
BBC
“So as a group, the items at auction would be between £18,000 and £22,000.”
Although the guest was seemingly blown away by the estimated value of his family heirloom, he was steadfast in not putting the collection up for sale: “I think it'd be a travesty to sell them.”