Antiques Roadshow guest doesn't react as ‘exotic' bird cage that ‘breaks all the rules' worth eye-watering sum
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WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Antiques Roadshow.
An Antiques Roadshow guest quietly uttered 'gosh' as she was told of the true value of her inherited bird cage.
BBC expert Lennox Cato was among the specialists who visited Helmingham Hall to meet with guests and their fascinating items, including a woman with a stunning bird cage.
He remarked: 'So we have this wonderful, almost exotic looking bird cage.'
When he questioned its provenance, she replied: 'Well it was inherited by my husband from his family who lived in Suffolk but I'm afraid he doesn't know anymore than that.
'He doesn't know where they got it from, I'm sure they inherited it but I don't know who from.'
Stating that he believed it to be English from around 1790 to 1800, Cato began: 'The colours, well, they're just amazing. I love the idea, looking from the top and working down.
'The carved finials and these little baubles hanging are bone to signify it's a bird cage.
(Image: BBC)
'We have a little bird in this wonderful oval. The bars are actually brass but they've been blackened.'
He pointed out that there was a coat of arms on the front of the cage but sadly, she confessed: 'I'm afraid we've never looked into who that is.'
Cato continued to demonstrate how the beautiful item worked, with a little 'dove of peace' figurine in place to keep the small doors closed.
He elaborated: 'And then we have the little feeding drawers left and right and on the lower section, you can turn these round and we have a little tray for cleaning.
'This is what we call parquetry work, little pieces of wood, nicely simulated, to form patterns.
'Let me just spin it around to show everyone just how nice it is.'
(Image: BBC)
After stating that it had been made up of a mix of maple, padauk and ebony, Cato began to summarise.
He said: 'All the years I've been dealing, I've seen a number of bird cages but I've never seen a bird cage as interesting and as beautiful as this.
'This to me, wow, it breaks all the rules. And I think if you saw this for sale, it could quite easily cost you £15,000.'
Despite the whopping figure, the guest barely seemed to acknowledge what the expert said, quietly stating under her breathe 'gosh', before he added: 'It's a jolly good thing.'
Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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