Antiques Roadshow host Fiona Bruce was left speechless at the valuation of the original Joker suit worn by Jack Nicholson in the 1989 Tim Burton Batman film.
Memorabilia collector Stephen Lane brought three Batman items to the BBC One show, as the Antiques Roadshow production visited Wollaton Hall in Nottingham.
The imposing Elizabethan mansion provided a fitting backdrop to the valuation as it appeared as Wayne Manor in several Batman movies.
Lane showcased an instantly recognisable Batman head cowl, as well as a belt worn by the Gotham-based superhero and finally the colourful Joker suit.
Fiona played a game of Basic, Better & Best with the three items to try and discern which was the most valuable, with the possible price tags ranging from £4,000 to £150,000.
However, Fiona’s initial guess proved to be wrong as it was in fact the Joker suit that was the most valuable, ranging from between £100,000 and £150,000.
He explained the cowl was the least valuable because it had not been worn on screen for the Batman film, followed by the belt, which he admitted was “a really big deal” for collectors, but was also “very, very niche”.
He added: “The suit wins through. It presents so well. It’s so colourful and the attribution to Jack Nicholson as well – he’s just a superstar.”
Fiona noted it was a “fantastic” find as the crowd gathered around the objects reacted to learning it was the very suit worn by Nicholson in the blockbuster film.
Fiona said: “There was a little intake of breath here. We all remember that, don't we? He was amazing in that part.”
Lane replied: “Just perfect casting for the role. No doubt about it. These were made by a famous suit maker from the 60s.
“The colour purple is actually a particular shade of purple, because it's the colour of the LA Lakers, which was Jack Nicholson's favourite basketball team.
“It was always going to be purple – so it was a representation of what we saw in the original 60s series and the comic – but it's this shade specifically for that.
“This costume was worn by Jack Nicholson, so it has got some screen time to it.”
Elsewhere in the episode, Antiques Roadshow expert Hilary Kay was left stunned when a never-before-seen collection of Elizabethan clothing dating back 500 years appeared at Wollaton Hall.
The textiles find included a bedspread and two pillow cases sewn by Elizabeth I and her ladies in waiting, but was led by an ‘extremely rare’ ivory silk satin sleeve and sleeve support.
The items belonged to the Wollaton family, who built Wollaton Hall in 1588, and until their discovery, no examples of sleeve supports were known to exist.
Hilary described the sleeve support, which is known as a farthingale sleeve, as ‘exceptional’ as it has remained in an almost perfect condition along with the satin sleeve it originally supported.
