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Privacy NoticeA gust on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow was left stunned when a pair of unloved paintings hidden away in her loft for 14 years turned out to be worth a small fortune. An unsuspecting visitor to the show was stunned to learn that two dusty artworks, tucked away and forgotten, came with a large five-figure valuation. Antiques Roadshow expert David Battle was a part of the team at Ightham Mote in Ivy Hatch as he examined two peculiar paintings brought by a lady visitor. “Do you have these hanging on your wall?”, asked Battle to which the guest answered: “No. They’ve been in my loft for about 14 years.” Sensing her lack of appreciation for the pieces, Battle teased: “Oh so you really, really like them”, leading to a chuckle from the owner as she admitted not liking them at all. “My husband bought them in a boot sale about 15 years ago,” she shared.
An Antiques Roadshow guest’s jaw dropped when she was told her paintings were worth £20,000
(Image: BBC)
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She added that her son-in-law fancied them to be mid-18th Century Indian artefacts, jokingly claiming his supposed expertise in the field. Despite the lack of details about the origin of the paintings or their purchase price, Battle revealed her son-in-law’s assessment was “completely wrong”. He elaborated: “The frames are Chinese, 18th Century. They enclose an inner mount which is enamel on copper, very, very beautifully done. There’s also another border adorned with what appears to be rough cut garnets set in gilt beading. “One prominent feature is an elephant. But is this a hint of their Indian origins as some have conjectured? No. How do I know it’s not an Indian painting? By the eyes of the elephant. Only the Chinese painted elephant’s eyes like that, so this is definitely Chinese. The white elephant is symbolic of the Buddha.” Battle highlighted an English girl holding a “flaming pearl” in the same artwork, as well as two Buddhistic dragons battling over the jewel in the sky. The expert then turned his attention to the second painting: “But here? What’s happening here? We’ve got a man presenting a military gentleman with a silver urn.
Antiques Roadshow expert David Battle labelled a pair of Chinese paintings as ‘amazing’
(Image: BBC)
“Why? The way he’s cradling it suggests that he is receiving it with love and care.” “It’s not just a silver urn for soup. I believe these two are symbolic of the death of this girl, and that represents the husband receiving her soul. And that neo-classical urn is typical of the symbolism you find in mourning.” “I think they’re the most amazing things I’ve seen in a long time.” Wrapping up his appraisal, Battle advised: “I’d get them out of the attic. I think you should invest a bit in getting them cleaned, because I reckon they could fetch between £15,000 and £20,000.” She was visibly taken aback by the high valuation and left speechless. In her shock, she laughed and swinged her legs on her chair in delight. Antiques Roadshow can be viewed on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnBBCAntiques Roadshow
