Since the Antiques Roadshow first aired in 1979, hundreds of thousands of viewers have tuned in to catch a glimpse of the valuable pieces being uncovered across the UK.
With the chance to gain extra pocket money from a forgotten find, guests have brought all sorts of items for the experts to inspect. Below you’ll find all the details on which antiques sold for the most – whatever your interest, you’re sure to find something you like here!
Van Dyck Painting
We all dream about stumbling upon a valuable painting in an antiques shop then selling it for a lot more later, and that’s exactly what happened in Cirencester in 2013 when a guest produced an authentic Van Dyck painting.
It was originally bought by the owner for just £400 from an antique shop, and the show's experts valued the painting at a sizeable £400,000.
Banksy’s ‘Mobile lovers’
In April 2014, Banksy’s ‘Mobile lovers’ appeared on the wall of Bristol's Broad Plain Boys Club. The artwork depicted a couple embracing while both staring at their phones, a statement on modern-day life in Banksy’s work.
A few months after the piece appeared the 120-year-old youth club found it was struggling financially, and so in a bid to prevent closing, brought ‘Mobile Lovers’ to the Antiques Roadshow.
In August 2014, the experts valued the artwork at £403,000 with the money going towards Broad Plain Boys Club, preventing their closure,
Angel of the North
2008 brought the first seven-figure valuation when Fiona Bruce and the expert team visited Gateshead.
A six-foot-tall maquette of the Angel of the North by sculptor Antony Gormley was brought to the Roadshow crew. The prototype was the final version Antony Gormley made before the 66ft sculpture was commissioned in 1994 which art expert Philip Mould described as ‘probably the most successful contemporary sculpture in Britain’.
The sizeable statue had been carried by five people to the site after residing in the council offices for 13 years.
Experts valued the sculpture at £1 million, more than was initially paid for the 66ft statue itself.
FA Cup
The entry that broke the million-pound barrier was the presentation of a retired silver FA cup in 2015. Owned by local residents, it went against the conventional mould of antiques and caused some controversy.
The cup, which was the third FA cup trophy, was created by Bradford business Fattorini and Sons. It served its time between 1911 and 1991, and claimed the title for the longest serving cup.
Silver expert, Alastair Dickenson, actually believes the trophy had been initially designed for use as a champagne or wine cooler due to its multiple engravings of grapes and vines.
Faberge Flower
In 2017, the Antique Roadshow’s highest-valued item came via two British soldiers. The two brought in an item that had belonged to the British army regiment, a Faberge flower.
The stunning six-inch-tall flower was crafted using gold, silver, enamel and jade with a diamond centre and carved rock crystal base. It’s one of the only surviving ‘botantanical studies’ created by Faberge in the early 1900s. The antique piece was even kept with its original presentation box.
The astounding valuation, revealed by Geoffrey Munn, the show’s Faberge jewellery expert, stood at £1 million.
The Antiques Roadshow continues to be popular with viewers who tune in every week to see the next big sale, but will there be anything more valuable than a Faberge flower in the future?
