07 January 2024 , 20:50
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Antiques Roadshow expert Gordon Foster admitted he was 'gobsmacked' on Sunday's show as he valued one guest's 'Scottish treasure' with an incredible history at £150,000.
During the latest episode, which was filmed in Pollok Country Park, Glasgow, a guest wanted a family-inherited silver basin, jug and glass bottle of water valued. However, the items soon took a new incredible turn when he shared the family history behind them.
The guest revealed that it all started from an ancestor, who lived in the 1400s on the outskirts of Edinburgh near a place called Cramond Brig. They explained: "One evening, he heard a commotion on the bridge and he saw a man on horseback being attacked. So he ran to the bridge and helped fend off the attackers. Took the man into his house and bathed his wounds.
Antiques Roadshow expert Gordon Foster admitted he was 'gobsmacked' on Sunday's show (BBC)"Long story short, it turned out that he had just saved the life of King James V. And, as a simple farmer, was then gifted land by the King and a condition of that gift was that Jock and his ancestors must be available to the King and his ancestors if ever called upon again at Cramond Brig.
"If you then fast forward to 1822, Sir Walter Scott knew of the story, and had written about it in Tales of a Grandfather. He arranged for my great-great-great-grandfather, William Houison Craufurd, to do a ceremonial washing of the hands to symbolise the washing of the wounds for George IV and that was carried out in 1822 in Edinburgh.
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"The water in here [the glass bottle] is actually the original rose water from 1822! The silverware is what was used for the ceremony." Expert Gordon was left astonished as he replied: "It's the most incredible story, isn't it? It really is!" Gordon revealed that the items were already 'stunning' pieces of silver despite the history behind them.
Gordon valued one guest's 'Scottish treasure' with an incredible history at £150,000 (BBC)The guest then revealed: "It has been done since then for subsequent monarchs" to which Gordon replied: "It was last used for her late Majesty The Queen, presumably?" to which the guest said: "It was, yes, we haven't asked The King as yet and plan to ask next time he comes to Scotland, next year, possibly."
Valuing the items, Gordon said that without the history, they would fetch between £30,000 to £50,000. He added: "I would regard these, having listened to what you said, as one of Scotland's treasures. These are extremely important pieces of silver, you've got the Royal connection, and you've got the continuing Royal tradition that's going to keep going down the generations. It just takes it into a whole different level of value."
He added: "I don't want to frighten you too much, I would put a valuation on this of £100,000 to £150,000! It could even be slightly more!" The guest was left amazed, although insisted: "For us, the value is priceless because it's the only way we can do the service", adding: "It's not going anywhere!" Meanwhile, expert Gordon admitted: "I'm still gobsmacked!"