Antiques Roadshow viewers horrified as guest discovers eye-watering value of ‘ugly’ gift from his mum

Antiques Roadshow viewers were left baffled on Sunday as the owners of an ‘ugly toad ornament’ were told the true value of their family heirloom.

Hosts Fiona Bruce and the show’s antiquities experts traveled to Brodie Castle in Morayshire, Scotland to film the final episode of the BBC show.

And fans were horrified when expert Lee Young revealed how much the strange three-legged yellow toad was worth.

The ornament had been in the owner’s family for six decades, but the guest admitted he and his wife were split over the unusual piece.

The owner, who received the item as a birthday present from his mother, said: ‘He has been known to me as an ugly toad for about 60 years. My mother collected unusual objects.

He jokingly added, “I love her but not my wife so much.”

The expert dated the ornament as an 18th-century piece of Scottish pottery from Dunmore, describing it as a “monochrome glaze masterpiece”.

He then revealed that the ornament was based on a mythical three-legged Chinese toad, which brings good fortune or wealth to its owners.

Lee said, “I love that it’s in this thick, almost imperial yellow glaze. The reason I say imperial yellow is that it’s actually based on a mythical Chinese toad.

“The myth has it that the three-legged toad comes to your house on a full moon to predict an event, usually of good fortune or wealth. So, in China, he is actually depicted with small coins in his mouth.

He added: “I think he’s such a wonderful thing and for all the things we’ve just discussed about him I think he would easily bring an estimate of £600-900 at auction, and if two people were excited about him, maybe a little bit more.’

The Scot was shocked and gasped saying, “Oh wow. I am delighted.

Lee added, “And I suspect if two people got excited for him, he might even do a little more.”

Turning to the man’s wife, Lee then asked, “Do you like him a little more now?” to which she nodded and laughed, “Yes.”

Viewers didn’t seem enthusiastic about the ornament, with one writing on Twitter: “Each to their own”

Another wrote: ‘My first reaction on seeing the frog is ‘what the hell is that? But honestly it would be something I would have in my house’

Value: Fans were horrified when expert Lee Young revealed how much a three-legged yellow toad was worth a bid estimate of £600-900

Viewers didn’t seem enthusiastic about the ornament, with one writing on Twitter: “Each to their own”

It comes after a guest was stunned by the value of her beloved diamond brooch which she brought to the BBC show at Brodie Castle in Morayshire.

Expert Susan Rumfitt was delighted to take a look at the ‘unusual’ and ‘stunning’ diamond brooch, which the expert revealed was from the Art Deco period of the 1930s.

She said, “That’s a beautiful brooch. I hope you wear it every day,” to which the owner confirmed she wore it in the “evenings” when “going out.”

Explaining how she first came across the article, the guest explained, “It just came to my grandmother’s family,”

Susan went on to explain, “The brooch is from the 1930s, which is the height of the Art Deco period, which was really about having a good time as far as fashion jewelry, the party was concerned.

‘So I can imagine your grandma really having fun putting that brooch on. There’s kind of a sense of drama about it, isn’t there? He’s kind of playing on his own with these beautiful diamonds and everything.

Susan added: “When we come to the 1930s the style of jewelry was very similar to the 20s in terms of the boldness and the awe-inspiring like we see here, but we moved away from the color and we are also focused on diamonds. , which is quite extraordinary considering that in 1929 we had the Wall Street Crash and the Depression.

“Well, one of the biggest designers that started the love for diamonds was Chanel, of course, and they partnered with DeBeers to promote the diamond industry.

“And they were basically saying diamonds are portable, you can show the greatest value in the smallest volumes, it’s not a gem by any means but it’s portable, so it’s no wonder so many people are turning to diamond jewelry if the likes of Chanel said that’s the thing you should do.

‘It’s pretty mind-blowing, isn’t it? It makes a statement in white gold, it has a yellow gold back. That white gold at the top again helps really reflect those diamonds. It’s absolutely wonderful.

Shocked: An Antiques Roadshow guest was stunned by the value of her beloved diamond brooch she brought to the show at Brodie Castle in Morayshire

Stunning: Expert Susan Rumfitt was delighted to take a look at the ‘unusual’ and ‘stunning’ diamond brooch, which the expert revealed was from the Art Deco period of the 1930s

Susan then asked, “Have you ever thought about the number of carats in the weight of diamonds?

The guest guessed three before the expert revealed the weight was 14 carats and its value was £20,000.

She joked, “Oh my God. It took my breath away. Oh the crumbs, it brings tears to my eyes.

“A very big surprise, I’m still shaking right now,” she added later before the expert remarked, “It was wonderful.” Fantastic to find it and please someone when they have no idea it would be worth so much it was just beautiful, fantastic.