Antiques Roadshow guest speechless over eyewatering valuation of £2.50 charity shop brooch

An Antiques Roadshow guest was left speechless just minutes into the latest episode when she was given the eyewatering valuation of a brooch she picked up in a charity shop for just £2.50

In the new episode on Sunday, April 27 from Thirlestane Castle in the Scottish Borders, the woman told expert Susan Rumfitt she had purchased the brooch in a charity shop "with a lot of other costume jewellery" but she admitted it "just didn't feel like costume jewellery" because of its weight.

She said: "The clasp was broken when I bought it and I took that to a little jewellers and asked if he'd mend the clasp and he did and I asked if it was worth anything and he said 'not really' but he said 'if you're selling it I'll buy it for £50' and I thought if he wants to buy it for £50 it's probably worth a little bit more."

Susan went on to tell the owner a little bit about the brooch which dated back to around 1870 and was made up of saphires, representing devotion, and diamonds, representing everlasting eternal love.

She said: "You've got a very devotional and romantic piece of jewellery," as she pointed out the mounts were two intertwined hearts. "Perhaps it was given as a marriage gift," she added.

After being told the brooch was purchased from the charity shop for just £2.50, Susan told the guest: "It's got everything going for it. If it came up for auction I think we'd be looking at an estimate of two to three thousand."

The owner was left speechless and could only utter "oh my goodness" as she gathered herself.

After regaining her composure, she went on to say: "I wasn't expecting that, not at all - maybe £100, £200 because I've had it a while, but never in the thousands."

The latest episode comes after an guest questioned an expert's appraisal as she was stunned by just how much her family painting was really worth.

In an episode from Swanage Pier and Seafront, among the items presented was a stunning painting by Samuel John Lamorna Birch, brought in by two individuals who shared its charming backstory.

One of the guests recounted: "My uncle and aunt used to go to Cornwall on holiday and they found his studio, which is in the picture there, on the way down to Lamorna Cove and they met the artist and bought this picture from him."

Expert Alexandra Grill was thrilled to discover "The Studio, Lamorna" inscribed on the reverse side, along with Birch's autograph and the original price tag of £20 - a detail confirmed by the owner.

When it was valued in the region of £2,000 to £3,000, the revelation prompted a gasp from one of the guests off-camera, as the owner of the painting expressed shock, their face a picture of surprise, leaving the owner to question "really?".

Antiques Roadshow is on One Sundays and on iPlayer