A woman was left stunned after a brooch that had spent decades stored in a bedside table drawer turned out to be a treasure worth thousands of pounds.
Helen Scaife, 51, decided to value her mother’s inherited jewelery on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow after it had spent years collecting dust in her bedroom.
She was stunned when experts revealed that the brooch was hundreds of years old and a rare and highly valuable relic with ancient Roman origins.
The historic piece of jewelery, made during the Renaissance period more than 300 years ago, is now expected to sell for up to £7,000.
Helen plans to put the money towards her mother’s retirement, saying: “It’s a lot of money at a time when my mother doesn’t have much.”
The brooch spent decades stored in Helen Scaife’s nightstand drawer for decades.
Helen Smith, head of jewelery at Hansons Auctioneers, examines the brooch
The brooch, which depicts a gryllus, a strange creature with joined human and wild boar heads, will be up for grabs at Hansons Auctioneers, in Etwall, Derbyshire, on June 27.
Helen said the rare piece had been in her bedside drawer for decades and had been passed down from mother to daughter for at least three generations.
‘It has probably been in the family since the 19th century. My grandmother was born in 1909 and she has definitely been in the family ever since.
‘My mother inherited it more than 30 years ago. She has used it from time to time, but most of the time she has kept it in a nightstand drawer.
No one in Helen’s family knew how they came to possess the brooch and had no idea of its value until jewelery expert Geoffrey Munn revealed its historical pedigree on television.
It produced one of the series’ classic jaw-dropping moments and elicited gasps from Helen.
Helen, a Cardiff civil servant, said: ‘My friend got tickets to the Antiques Roadshow and invited me to go with her.
‘We went because we love the show and she had some things to take away.
‘I immediately thought of the brooch because we have always been curious to know what it was, as we had not seen anything like it.
‘All the cameos we had seen in the past, or Googled, were invariably the faces of women or Greek gods.
“Nothing we found looked like our brooch, so I was hoping someone could tell us what it was and where it came from.”
‘I wasn’t expecting what we discovered, which is evident in the show, I think.
‘When I got home, my mother didn’t believe me at first. She thought she was teasing him.
‘I was going to try to keep it a secret until the show aired, but in the end I decided it wouldn’t be fair to her. And he has a way of getting information out of me.
Helen has decided to part with the family heirloom “for a combination of reasons.”
She said: ‘Firstly, now that we know how much it could be worth, my mother is worried about the insurance.
Plus, if it turns out to be worth what Geoffrey suggested, it would be a lot of money at a time when my mother doesn’t have much.
‘He just turned 78 and I want him to spend the rest of his life having fun.
“If the sale of the brooch allows that to happen, then to me it’s worth a lot more than sitting in a drawer.”
He added: “I love it and I think it’s a beautiful object, but I wouldn’t use it and I think it’s a terrible shame that it’s hidden away.”
The brooch was identified as an intaglio gryllus cameo brooch dating from the late 16th or early 17th century.
The gryllus, carved from agate stone, is a comical combination of animal and human forms seen in Greco-Roman glyptic art, especially intaglios.
Helen Smith, head of jewelery at Hansons Auctioneers, said: “These fanciful creations were popular subjects in ancient Rome and were often carved from precious stones.”
The brooch was identified as an intaglio gryllus cameo brooch dating from the late 16th or early 17th century.
The gryllus, carved from agate stone, is a comical combination of animal and human forms seen in Greco-Roman glyptic art.
Speaking about the brooch, Helen Smith, head of jewelery at Hansons Auctioneers, said: “What a find.” The brooch is a miniature work of art, extraordinary and beautiful. It’s so rare, I’ve never handled an example like this before.
“Collectors will be fascinated by its depiction of a gryllus, a mythical creature.”
The name Gryllus is derived from the cursive word ‘Grillo meaning monster and the Latin word ‘Gryllus’ meaning caricature.
Mrs Smith continued: “These fanciful creations were popular subjects in ancient Rome and were often carved from precious stones.
‘Although these grotesque representations were fun, they had more serious connotations.
‘They were believed to protect the wearer against demonic spirits.
‘It’s a wonderfully complex object. The carving represents three joined heads, two classical figures and a boar’s head.
‘The cream background highlights the dark and light complexity of the carving. The attention to detail is incredible.
‘The agate itself measures just 20mm x 17mm and is set within a gold and pearl back mount dating from around 1840.
‘The agate stone symbolizes strength, protection and courage. It is often associated with emotional stability, inner calm and self-confidence.
“Therefore, it is possible that both the choice of decoration and the material used to create it were interrelated.”
Helen Smith (pictured), head of jewelery at Hansons Auctioneers, said: ‘What a find.’ The brooch is a miniature work of art, extraordinary and beautiful. It’s so weird, I’ve never handled an example like this before.’
Ms Smith added: “A mythical beast to ward off demons made from a material believed to calm the wearer.”
‘For any jewelry connoisseur, this brooch is exceptional. It also acts as a reminder to look in those dusty corners, empty out those drawers, and look under the bed.
“Very often, this is where you get the best finds at auctions.”
