Antiques Roadshow expert reveals unusual connection to rare trophy worth five figure sum

Daily Mail​

3 days ago

An antiques roadshow expert has revealed an unusual connection to a rare trophy worth £75,000.
During a resurfaced 2006 instalment of the BBC show, expert John Baddley met a guest with an array of impressive items from a former Wimbledon champion.
Referring to the man in a framed photograph as Norman Brooks, also known as 'the father of Australian tennis', John questioned how he knew him.
The guest explained: 'He's my grandfather. In his tennis career, he won many, many events but he won Wimbledon in 1907, being the first foreigner to win Wimbledon which was considered a mammoth effort because the British weren't going to let it go easily.'
Brooks had also won the international competition either as he took the trophy home for a second time in 1914.
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He continued: 'We believe this trophy and the 1914 are the only full size replicas in existence.
'Other than that, everyone else has only got miniatures.
'I think that was borne out due to the fact they never expected to lose in 1907, so they just made another one, as it were.
'Then from there to 1914, there was no one outside Britain that won it.
'Even Tony Wilding, who was a New Zealander, he lived in Britain, right? So he got a miniature.
'But grandfather got, we believe, the only two full sized replicas and even when we inquired at Wimbledon, they didn't even know.'
John commented: 'Which makes it exceptional, because I have to say, when I initially saw it, I just thought 'Well somebody's stolen it, [and] bought it over here. But exceptionally rare. Yes.'
When asked if his grandfather won the 1907 doubles as well, the guest replied: 'Yes, he won the doubles in 1907 which was the maiden year as they say, from the point of view that he was the first man to win it but he won the singles and the doubles, which was quite staggering really.'
John then turned to his expertise to the valuation as he explained: 'Purely in financial terms, I would have thought the doubles jug is going to be worth, to a collector, let's put it that way, well in excess of £20,000 or £8,000.'
Examining a weathered racket, the expert asked if it was the one used in any championships, to which the guest could not confirm.
'But certainly used by him, it's probably £5,000 or £2,000,' John said.
The expert then moved his attention onto the main piece, the iconic Wimbledon trophy replica.
He said: 'But what's this worth? I mean, only one other replica known, which you also own, and obviously the original is at Wimbledon, but a massively important trophy to tennis enthusiasts.
'It's difficult to come up with a price but I think at auction, you're talking about a figure well in excess of £75,000 or £30,000. So a fantastic piece.'
However, the guest didn't react to the massive sum, simply replying: 'I believe grandfather believed these belong to Australia, not an individual.'
John then suggested the guest donate it to a sporting museum, which the owner agreed it was something he would like to do.
But in an unexpected turn, the expert revealed his own personal line to the trophy, explaining: 'I also have a personal interest in this, because, I don't know if you have noticed but, if I can pick it up here, on the side there is 1893. W Bradley, Wilfrey Bradley.
'Well my name's John Badley. And he's a distant relation of mine', he disclosed as the guest remarked: 'How wonderful'.
John then joked: 'So I hope you don't mind if I give it a quick kiss', and proceeded to peck the trophy.
He then held the trophy over his head before declaring: 'And then I do the classic', to the applause of those watching.
'That's wonderful Jon', the guest beamed, as John added: 'I'll take it with me now', feigning a theft of the prestigious trophy, much to the crowd's delight.