Antiques Roadshow expert ‘nervous’ as he gives staggering price to guest’s family items

An Antiques Roadshow expert was on hand to appraise a number of beautiful items that were once royal “gifts”.

WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Antiques Roadshow.

An expert on Antiques Roadshow confessed that a guest’s collection of family heirlooms was making him feel “nervous” as he estimated their high value.

The BBC daytime show featured Geoffrey Munn, an expert in antiques, who was tasked with evaluating several exquisite items, including a pair of cufflinks, which had been passed down through the guest’s family.

The guest shared: “Well they were given to my great-grandfather who was chef to Edward VII and Queen Victoria at the end of her reign by the crown heads of Europe. And some of these are Russian pieces.”

She believed that these items were presented to her great-grandfather as a “gift”, bestowed upon him by aristocrats such as Manuel of Portugal, Wilhelm II, and various other visitors at Sandringham Estate and Buckingham Palace.

Munn noted: “These are Russian ones and a pair of gold cufflinks with alternating rubies and diamonds in a nugget effect.

“And there’s the most marvellous word in Russia used to describe this which is called samorodok which means a nugget and it’s a very very Russian technique favoured by Faberge.

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“In fact, these are not by Faberge and the lid satin rather conveniently tells us that they’re made by somebody called Ivanov working in St Petersburg. It’s certain they are a gift from the Imperial family because the Imperial family cipher appears above.”

Discussing her great-grandfather’s culinary past, she revealed: “Well he was a Frenchman to start with and I understand he had been chef to people like the Rothschilds and had been to Saltram in Devon. Edward VII heard of him and wanted him to be his chef and I think he may have poached him.”

She proudly displayed a photograph of her esteemed ancestor alongside her grandmother and aunt.

Munn responded with admiration: “Oh that’s very touching, isn’t it? My goodness…he’s a brilliant chap, I must say.”

As they delved into examining other heirlooms, the guest explained: “I have been told they were cufflinks but they have little rings on which you can see just there.

“I really don’t know. I imagine because they were given to my great-grandfather, they must have been cufflinks I feel and because he only had daughters, possibly the daughters had them made into brooches or pendants.”

However, Munn was disheartened to learn that any alterations might have erased the maker’s mark, despite the items’ strong resemblance to Faberge’s style.

He remarked with a hint of regret: “In every way they positively reek of Faberge but in stamp collecting terms I can’t be absolutely certain.”

Yet, there was no ambiguity regarding a brooch gifted by Tsar Nicholas, identified as genuine Faberge by the initials of workmaster August Holming, leaving Munn with “absolutely no doubt of”.

The guest couldn’t hide her delight, exclaiming: “Wonderful. Because I wondered and half hoped it would be and that’s marvellous.”

Munn enthused about the cufflinks’ value, noting: “Now as for value, the cufflinks are impressive. They’re very Russian, Russian technique.

“In the manner of Faberge but a rose by any other name smells as sweet but it certainly isn’t as valuable.

“I think with an Imperial provenance, nonetheless, they are very desirable, very wearable, and a very precise provenance.”

The expert’s valuation of approximately £8,000 for the cufflinks was met with excitement from both the audience and the guest.

The guest couldn’t hide her surprise, exclaiming: “Really? My goodness gracious me.”

Munn then suggested that the converted cufflinks, now brooches, could fetch even more, estimating them at around £9,000.

As he reassured the astonished guest, Munn asked: “You feeling calm? This is very, very good isn’t it? Making me nervous.”

The guest expressed her reluctance to sell, stating: “I don’t really want to sell these. I want to keep them because they’re family pieces”, prompting Munn to agree: “I think in a way they should be kept together as a collection.”

After discussing keeping the collection intact, Munn invited the guest to estimate the value of the Imperial brooch.

She ventured a guess: “Well if these are that price, that must be £10,000?”

Munn playfully revealed the true value: “Well it is £10,000 and it’s more than £10,000. It’s £15,000.”

The revelation was met with coos and applause from the audience as the guest reacted joyously: “My dear chap. Gosh.”

She continued, expressing her astonishment: “That’s amazing. I never realised it would be as much as that, I must confess.”

Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.