An Antiques Roadshow guest was left speechless when she learned the exorbitant value of her unappreciated paintings.
The artwork, which had been hidden in his loft for 14 years, was hailed as “the most incredible thing I’ve seen in a long time” by expert David Battle.
The guest joined the series at Ightham Mote in Ivy Hatch to have the car’s boot paintwork assessed.
“Do you have these hanging on the wall?” David asked.
The lady admitted: “No, they’ve been in my loft for about 14 years!”
An Antiques Roadshow guest was left speechless when she learned the exorbitant value of her unappreciated paintings.
The artwork, which had been hidden in his loft for 14 years, was hailed as “the most incredible thing I’ve seen in a long time” by expert David Battle.
She explained that she “really didn’t like them,” adding: “My husband bought them at a garage sale about 15 years ago.
‘My son-in-law believes they are Indian and date back to the mid-18th century because he thinks he is the expert.’
David explained: ‘The frames are Chinese, from the 18th century. They enclose an inner support of enamel on copper, very, very beautiful.
‘Then there is another border, this time with rough-cut garnets, probably in gold beads.
‘The frame encloses these two scenes. What is going on? I find the iconography deeply disconcerting.
“The most obvious one is this elephant. Could it be, as has been suggested, an Indian painting? No.
“How do I know this isn’t an Indian painting? Because of the elephant’s eyes. Only the Chinese paint elephants’ eyes like this, so this is definitely Chinese. The white elephant is the symbol of Buddha.”
Then he glanced at the second painting and continued, “But what is going on here? We have a man presenting a silver urn to a military gentleman.”
David explained: “The frames are Chinese, from the 18th century. They contain an enamelled copper inner frame, very, very beautiful.”
Revealing the true value, the expert said: “I would take them out of the attic and have them cleaned, because I think they would sell for between £15,000 and £20,000.”
David explained: ‘It’s not just a silver urn that you’re going to put soup in. I think these two are a symbol of this little girl’s death and that’s a symbol of the husband receiving her soul.
“And that neoclassical urn is a clear example of the symbolism that is found in mourning. I think it is the most amazing thing I have seen in a long time.”
The expert revealed the real value: “I would get them out of the attic. I think you should spend some money on cleaning them up, because I think they would sell for between £15,000 and £20,000.”