An 'Antiques Roadshow' guest was left in shock after learning the surprising value of her mother's jewellery, which she had not believed to be genuine. On an old 2006 episode shot in Norwich, valuables expert Geoffrey Munn met a lady who brought along two eye-catching brooches bequeathed to her.
Sitting amongst the greenery, Munn mused: "Well we're sitting in a garden and in a way, this is a little celestial garden that you brought me here today, isn't it?" reflecting on the charming setting spawned by the heirlooms.
"Tell me about these wonderful jewels, where do they come from?" he inquired with curiosity. Directing his attention towards an insect-shaped brooch, the woman recounted: "Well that was left to me by my mother and through her mother from my mother, so I know where that came from," reports the Express.
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Discussing the origins of the second jewel, she added: "But when our mother died, we went through various little boxes of things, of nothing in particular, and we each had a choice and this was my choice. I don't even know if it's real. We never saw it, my mother never wore it and my father didn't know where it came from. Never seen it before."
Munn's reply was brimming with excitement: "My goodness. Well, it certainly is real. Actually, it's the most fascinating jewel." Delving into its historical value, he explained: "There's a huge revival for everything 18th Century and 19th Century and for all intents and purposes, the use of the enamel, the use of the gem setting, the whole composition, is inspired by 18th Century France.
"But we can say with absolute confidence this isn't an 18th Century jewel, it's an 18th Century revival one and blue enamel, diamonds, a little ruby in the front. And turn it over and there's a locket at the back.
"Very tightly fitting locket but one would be able to remove that and put a photograph or a lock of hair in there." When questioned about wearing the brooch, the owner confessed: "I do wear it and I love it", prompting Munn's delighted response: "Good, that's marvellous! So you love your jewellery. What do you feel when you wear the jewellery?"
The owner's reply, "I feel sort of regal, I think?" was met with the expert's approval: "fantastic." Munn then turned his attention to another piece: "Now tell me about this one. This is the most extraordinary bug, isn't it?"
The lady shared her thoughts, believing it was purchased for her grandmother in the 1890s: "It's wonderful, I always thought it was actually bought for my grandmother." Munn concurred, stating: "No, that's absolutely perfect, I think, because one can look at jewellery and it is dated by design and that's what we really look for actually.
"This is a superb gem set bumblebee brooch or at least a bee brooch and a Victorian one."
The owner admitted: "It's terribly difficult to decipher," and Munn agreed: "Isn't it? But it's absolutely there. They're a very distinguished firm running in competition with Cartier. So there's a maker for a superb gem set bumblebee."
He enthused over its "silky looking salon sapphire" and the allure of its "very pleasing colour" alongside "little, rather menacing ruby eyes". Upon Munn's enquiry regarding their value, she said: "Well I know that Pa had that one valued at about £4,000 and that, well, we didn't even know it was real."
He wrapped up with: "Well £4,000, that's a little while ago because I think that's a very desirable thing. It's very concentrated, it's very animated, it's by a superb maker and everybody wants this thing, honestly they do.
"And value is to do with measured want, that's all that value is. And I'm going to tell you in measured want that's £10,000."
The guest's reaction to the valuation was unmistakable as she gasped: "Good God." Yet, Munn wasn't finished. He turned his assessment to the second brooch saying: "And measured want again here, not off the hook quite yet. Not quite the same gasp-inducing figure but still substantial at £4,500."
Responding, she mentioned: "That's very gasp if you think that it was loose and Ma never wore it." Munn's closing words were an appreciative: "Well superb. Thank you very much."
