The UK Antiques Roadshow team is currently shooting episodes for the 40th anniversary year of the series, and there seems to be no better way to mark the moment than the revelation that experts report a unique Fabergé ornament they recently valued could be one of the most significant finds in the show’s entire history.
According to jewelry specialist Geoffrey Munn, the very delicate Fabergé flower is worth an estimated $l..3 million. Reportedly, Munn was reluctant to estimate the worth, as many people follow the show, and it might be tricky to declare such an amount. But history already seems to have been made.
The show was filmed at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley, West Midlands, early on June 21st, and is scheduled to be shown during the fall, on BBC One. Many agree it is an episode destined to make it into history, as the intricate Fabergé flower has already become famous as perhaps the most expensive item ever valued on the show.
The news was confirmed by Simon Shaw, executive producer of Antiques Roadshow. “We’ve had one of the most significant jewelry finds in 40 years of Antiques Roadshow history, but we don’t want to spoil the surprise” he stated.
Spectator Dan Bansal said “there was a stunned intake of breath when the figure was revealed.” The tiny ornament shaped like a stem of flowers is only about four inches high, and it also features a remarkable presentation box.
A similar but simpler looking item recently sold at auction for approximately $763,200. As the new valued item is more elaborate, it could indeed fetch the higher price of six zeroes.
It is thought that the piece was awarded to an army regiment following the Boer War.
It is a rare item made by the House of Fabergé, the same people who produced Fabergé eggs. The authentic jeweled eggs have become famous worldwide as Russian Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II gave them as Easter gifts to their beloved wives and mothers. It is believed that 50 such Imperial eggs have been produced by the house in the past.
The Antiques Roadshow series began airing for the first time in 1977, at first as a BBC documentary about a London auction house conducting a tour of the West Country. The pilot episode was shot in Hereford and presented by contributor Bruce Parker as well as antique expert Arthur Negus. Since the pilot was highly successful, the show was picked up and proceeded through the years, its format hardly undergoing any changes.
Through the years, the show has made its way through various regions of the United Kingdom in a quest to appraise distinct and worthy antique items. Visits have been made to other countries, such as Canada and Australia, and other production companies worldwide have been keen to produce their own versions. The American show first aired in 1997.
As of 2017, Antiques Roadshow is being presented by British journalist and television presenter Fiona Bruce.
Not certain about you, but we can’t wait to follow through and watch this episode when it airs in the fall season.