Antiques Roadshow: Valuation of large book stuns guest
An Antiques Roadshow guest was left gobsmacked when she discovered the value of her 19th-century watercolour book.
The BBC One show visited Brodie Castle and Estate in Morayshire, Scotland, where people came from all over to have their items valued.
One item that caused a stir was a book titled Drawings by the De Alwis Family, which originated from Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka.
Expert Matthew Haley was amazed by the watercolour drawings from the 1880s related to the influential De Alwis family.
The book contained beautiful illustrations of Sri Lankan plant life, including flowers, seeds, and nuts.
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Some drawings were so large they covered two pages.
Matthew described it as “one of the biggest and most spectacular books I have seen on the Antiques Roadshow.”
The owner, a descendant of the De Alwis family, said: “It belonged to an aunt who was born in the early 1930s, she was given this as a book just to draw in, as a toy, sort of.”
“And there are some drawings and writings from her as a child, then she kept it and when she passed away it was inherited by us.”
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Matthew and the guest went on to scroll through the book which documented her aunt’s drawings from her early life which also included sketches of a steamship and aeroplane.
“Fortunately, she hasn’t had too much of a go at the watercolours,” said Matthew which appeared to suggest that further use of watercolours could have damaged the precious paper.
The current owner of the book went on to explain that “quite a long time ago” she had taken it to be valued and had been informed it was worth around £5,000.
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However, Matthew explained: “That doesn’t surprise me for a moment, these sorts of watercolours of this quality in this condition are really really sought after.”
“Nowadays I would expect it to make somewhere closer towards £10,000.”
“Wow, gosh, wow, that’s amazing!” exclaimed the owner.
Matthew went on to quip: “Not the sort of thing you should let younger family members draw in!”
You can watch Antiques Roadshow on BBC One
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