Antiques Roadshow expert Serhat Ahmet left one guest stunned at the valuation of his grandfather’s pelican statue – admitting he wouldn’t pay anything near it if he bought it today.
In the classic episode which will air once again this evening after it originally aired back in September 2023, fans of the beloved BBC series will get another chance to see the experts take a look around Swanage, Dorset.
Expert Cristian Beadman stumbles across dinosaur footprints in the queue whilst Marc Allum feasts his eyes on a waterline model of boats, describing him as “big boy toys”.
Raj Bisram takes a look at an American baseball bat and mitt dating to the Second World War before Geoffrey Munn is thrilled to see the original designs for the coronet for King Charles.
The designs were created for his Investiture as Prince of Wales in 1969 by master goldsmith Louis Osmond, and he discovered the surprising role a ping-pong ball played as its crowning glory.
Elsewhere, John Benjamin appraises intimate photographs and jewellery belonging to the exiled dowager empress Maria Feodorovna, mother of the last tsar of Russia.
The guest explained the pelican was called Alfie Hammond
BBC
Ronnie Archer Morgan challenges Fiona to guess the odd one out from his unique private collection of walking sticks before Will Farmer ends the day on a high with lost wax casting in bronze by sought-after sculptor Joseph Bernard.
However, it was Ahmet who left one guest stunned with the history of his grandfather’s ornament and the price it could fetch at auction.
Standing the pelican for everyone to see, the guest immediately explained: “I call this item Alfie Hammond.
“And I believe he is a pelican, and I inherited him from my grandfather and as a young accountant, he went to see one of his first clients, a doctor called Alfie Hammond.
The guest claimed he had no idea who the pelican was made by
BBC
“He walked into the waiting room and saw this pelican and he said, ‘Lovely pelican, Alfie when you die can I have your pelican?’ and Alfie said, ‘Of course you can’.”
Laughing at the story, Ahmet added: “Wonderful! Well, it is a sculptural beauty. Do you know what it is for and who it is by?”
The guest admitted: “No, I read the thing on the side that says Doulton Lambeth, I can’t tell you any more than that!”
Ahmed went on to delve into the history behind the statue and said: “OK, so, Doulton. A wonderfully famous factory, it started in the 19th century and originally made pipes and toilets and things like that.
“But in the late 19th century they turned to making art pottery. Things that were simply made to please the eye. This particular piece is an architectural piece, so it is sometimes described as a garden piece.
“For me, I just see it very much as a gargoyle type of object. Now these are rare, they don’t just turn up every day and the colour of it, this terracotta colour is just wonderful. Any idea of value?”
Serhat was pleased the guest brought the statue to the roadshow
BBC
“Well, I would give you £100 if it was yours, not mine,” the guest teased before Ahmet revealed: “I’d give you £100. I think I would give you a lot more in fact.
“I would not be surprised if this went way and above the £1,200 bracket and I think it is just gorgeous. It really speaks to me and I thank you so much for bringing it in today.”
Pleased with the valuation, the guest asked: “Am I correct in thinking he is supposed to stop untoward people entering my life? As a gargoyle is that the idea?”
Ahmet questioned why he would want it as a protector after being sarcastically informed it didn’t work as the guest quipped: “Well, that’s another story.”
