An expert on Antiques Roadshow refused to value an object in the latest episode of the BBC show on Sunday.
Ronnie Archer-Morgan admitted to feeling upset upon seeing the article and stated that he would not “put a price tag on something that would mean such a horrible deal.”
The guest had brought an ivory disc, which she revealed she had bought 36 years ago for £3, and which Ronnie revealed came from the slave trade.
He began by issuing a strong statement, telling her: ‘I want to make it absolutely clear that I and we at Antiques Roadshow totally and unequivocally disapprove of the ivory trade.
He continued: ‘But this ivory bracelet here is not about trading in ivory, it is about trading in human lives.
An expert on Antiques Roadshow refused to value an object in the latest episode of the BBC show on Sunday
Ronnie Archer-Morgan admitted to feeling upset upon seeing the article and stated that he would not “put a price tag on something that means such a terrible deal.”
The guest had brought an ivory disc, which she revealed she had bought 36 years ago for £3, and which Ronnie revealed came from the slave trade.
‘It’s probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to talk about, but we need to talk about it.
“This is an amazing object and a testament to the cruel trade that took place in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.”
When asked where she got the ivory bracelet, the guest revealed that she had worked for a family “taking care of them” and, when one of the members died, the item was put up for sale.
Intrigued, she decided to buy it and said: ‘I thought it was interesting. I had no idea what it was.
Ronnie asked her why she had kept it for over three decades and she replied: “I had no idea what it was, there was something about it and now I’m looking into it.”
“It said traders and I thought it meant trade in coffee or spices and then I realized it was trade in people.”
Ronnie inspected the disc, pointing out the writing engraved around it that showed the name of a person, a ship, and the inscription “honest mate.”
He revealed that the name was that of a slave trader and could not hide his fury and disgust, saying: “A despicable human being.”
The guest revealed that she had worked for a family “taking care of them,” when the item went up for sale and she purchased it, saying, “I thought it was interesting.” She had no idea what it was’
Ronnie inspected the disc, pointing out the writing engraved around it that showed the name of a person, a ship, and the inscription “honest mate.”
‘I think it was an indigenous trader, someone from Nigeria. He would not have been trading with his own people, he was another nation, another tribe.
‘And then we have “honest fellow.” I would like to meet him and show him how honest I think he is.
He went on to note: ‘These objects are really rare. I only know of the existence of half a dozen of them. It’s extraordinary.
‘I mean, this is a document that, in a way, is living proof, surviving proof that this horrible trade took place, and look how beautiful the handwriting is. The beauty of the calligraphy simply belies the terribleness of the message.
The bracelet was inscribed with the name of the ship ‘Anna’ and the year 1782, and the guest revealed that that particular ship contained 535 slaves.
Ronnie commented: ‘Probably all stacked on top of each other, transported across the Atlantic for months.
‘The Slavery Abolition Act was not published until 1833, headed by William Wilberforce, so this is much earlier. “This is more than 50 years earlier than when trade was widespread.”
He revealed that the name was that of a slave trader and could not hide his fury and disgust, saying: “A despicable human being.” I would like to meet him and show him how honest I think he is.
Visibly emotional, Ronnie said: ‘I just don’t want to value it. I don’t want to put a price on something that is such a horrible business.’
She added: “My great-grandmother was a returned slave from Nova Scotia in Canada and she came back to Sierra Leone and I really think it’s my cultural duty, our cultural duty to talk about things like this.”
Visibly emotional, Ronnie said: ‘I just don’t want to value it. I don’t want to put a price on something that is such a horrible business.
He added: ‘But the value is in the lessons this can convey to people. The value is in investigating this and what we can discover and I love you for bringing it to the Roadshow and thank you so much for making me so sad.”
Antiques Roadshow airs on BBC One on Sunday nights at 7pm