Antiques Roadshow expert jokingly walks off with Wimbledon trophy after unveiling personal link

Edinburgh Live

5 days ago

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WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Antiques Roadshow.
An Antiques Roadshow guest proudly shared his grandfather's historic achievements with his Wimbledon collection worth thousands.
Crowds gathered during another filming segment of the BBC daytime series with expert Jon Baddley meeting with a guest and his array of impressive items from a former Wimbledon champion.
Referring to the man in a framed photograph as Norman Brooks, 'the father of Australian tennis', the expert 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.'
This wasn't the only time Brooks had won the international competition either as Brooks took the trophy home for a second time in 1914.
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.'
(Image: BBC)
'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.'
Baddley chipped in: '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.'
He then asked if his grandfather won the 1907 doubles as well, to which 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.'
Baddley then began to appraise the fascination collection, elaborating: '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.'
Turning his attention to a beaten up racket, the expert asked if this was the one he used during one of the championships but the guest candidly admitted that he wasn't sure.
'But certainly used by him, it's probably $5,000 or £2,000," Baddley said.
It was then time to value the main item on the table, the iconic Wimbledon trophy replica.
Baddley 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.
(Image: BBC)
'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.'
The guest doesn't react to the astonishing figures, instead stating: 'I believe grandfather believed these belong to Australia, not an individual.'
Baddley suggests a sporting museum which the guest said he would like to do.
But in an unexpected moment, the expert shared that he too has a connection to the trophy.
He shared: '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.'
With a smile, the guest remarked: 'How wonderful.'
Baddley then cheekily stated: 'So I hope you don't mind if I give it a quick kiss', as he kissed the trophy with the guest laughing.
The expert then triumphantly lifted the trophy over his head in true Wimbledon fashion as he said: 'And then I do the classic', with onlookers applauding him.
'That's wonderful Jon', the guest smiled before Baddley quipped: 'I'll take it with me now', pretending to run off with the iconic trophy, much to everyone's amusement.
Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.