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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Charlotte McIntyre

Antiques Roadshow expert issues warning over diamond brooch's origin as huge value unveiled

An Antiques Roadshow guest was left stunned when expert Geoffrey Munn unveiled the value of her 19th century jewels collection.

The BBC show took a trip to Powis Castle in Wales on Sunday with Geoffrey uncovering a jewellery collection "of the highest quality" with rubies and diamonds dating from the 1700s.

The 18th century jewels are the finest pitch in perfect condition.

Explaining how she came to own the items, the guest said: "Well, the two diamond brooches were given to me by my father. [The bow] on my wedding day. And [the flower emblazoned one] came a little bit later and [the ruby bow] was inherited from my grandmother. My father was into the antiques world, it's something that I've grown up with."

Speaking about the collection, Geoffrey remarked: "Well, it's the most superb piece of jewellery set with rubies and diamonds set in silver, probably backed in gold...

The 19th century floral brooch was valued at £15,000 (BBC)

"The one on the left here is a very sweet little bow. The bow is not simply a bow, it's a true lovers knot because the harder it is pulled, the tighter it becomes and then the diamonds are forever, so this little subliminal message for your wedding was perfectly well chosen."

The guest admitted she hadn't "appreciated" the bow's meaning at the time.

Geoffrey was questioned by the guest whether the expert knew the origin of the pieces as Geoffrey explained the larger bow brooch was "probably Spain or Portugal" while the lovers knot was marked as English.

"I would like to think [the floral brooch] was Russian, and that would be very, very exciting. The Russian Crown Jewels were sold in London, after the revolution to raise funds for the new regime. And it's just possible that that is a Russian jewel and wouldn't it be marvellous, if it came from the Russian Crown Jewels."

Geoffrey praised the collection (BBC)

Geoffrey warned: "We can work on that but not here right now. But, what we can work is that these are very valuable to you because they have sentimental values."

Revealing the collection's value, the expert priced the smaller brooch at £8,000, to which the owner exclaimed: "Gosh I had no idea!"

He went on to value the butterfly brooch at £10,000 and the final piece at £15,000.

"They're marvellous things, they're not showy, they're utterly beautiful expressions of an era gone by and that's what we're looking for really," Geoffrey concluded.

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