Did you guess what it was worth? Value of £200,000 put on Chinese Imperial robe brought along to Antiques Roadshow at Ham House

By Rory Poulter

13th Sep 2021 | Local News

This is the jaw-dropping moment that a silk robe originating in China in 1750 was valued at £200,000, possibly more, on the Antiques Roadshow.

It was brought along to the event filmed at Ham House, on the banks of the River Thames, Richmond, and was among an array of remarkable treasures revealed on the programme.

Asian Art specialist, Lee Young, thought it might be the most important Chinese treasure ever found on the popular BBC series.

He said: "A robe of 1750 is a very rare robe indeed.

"There are a few survivors. The only other ones I have seen of this type, you would have to go to Beijing and you would have to go to the Palace museum."

Remarkably, the couple who brought the fabulous silk robe along to the programme, revealed that it had been kept in a child's dressing up box for years.

The socially distanced crowd gathered around the couple let out a gasp when the valuation was given. And the reaction on social media was equally stunned.

It was not the only valuation to shock contributors to the programme. A relatively simple wooden bowl thought to originate from Melansia in the south west Pacific, which includes Fiji and Tonga, bought for just £10 was valued at £20,000-£30,000.

The owner, who thought it might have been brought to the UK by explorer Captain Cook, was momentarily reduced to tears.

A 1961 portrait by Indian born artist F.N. Souza bought for £50 was valued at £7,000-£10,000. The outfit of the owner, who revealed he had recently taken up drawing himself, caught the eye of many viewers.

Many also remarked on a mother and daughter seen over the shoulder of a woman who brought along a fantastic collection of garnet jewellery. The valuation was put at £4,000-£5,000 and the pair of onlookers were likened to stern faced bouncers.

Other finds included two glass goblets engraved with images of the Crystal Palace that were picked up for just a few pounds.

Expert and valuer, Siobhan Tyrrell, admired a dressing gown made from a blanket by a German Prisoner of War.

And the team also examined a sobering photo album that documents the moment British atomic bombs were tested in 1956, which was compiled by a British soldier who was an eyewitness to the event.

Ceramics specialist, Serhat Ahmet, challenged the presenter Fiona Bruce to 'spot the fake' amongst a group of items made by the Sevres porcelain factory.

The show originally started filming at the historic property on the banks of the Thames on June 24. The pandemic meant the production was entirely socially distanced and the number of people allowed in to visit as the long-running series was filmed was restricted.

The selection process for contributors was similarly abnormal as they were required to apply in advance, giving details of their items, before being chosen to take part in the much-loved programme.

The programme provided a fabulous showcase for Ham House itself, the Jacobean Mansion built in 1610 and described as the ultimate example of fashion and power.

It is owned and operated by the National Trust having been donated by Sir Lyonel Tollemache in 1948, finally opening up as an accredited museum in 2015.

  • Are you the owner of the fabulous robe and would you be prepared to tell Nub News a little more about it? Get in contact via via [email protected]

     

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