An Antiques Roadshow expert was left dumbfounded by a ‘mysterious’ object on Sunday night’s episode of the show – before revealing its true value to a very shocked guest.
BBC crews headed to Ebrington Square in Londonderry in the west of Northern Ireland for the latest episode of the valuation show.
And in a very rare occurrence for the programme, expert Adam Schoon was left completely baffled by a ‘mysterious’ object, admitting ‘I don’t really know!’ about its origins.
The guest brought in a paddle-shaped object, which Adam soon discovered to be from the Austral Islands in the south Pacific.
The guest suggested it could be a carpet beater or a paddle, while Adam hypothesised it could have been used in a ritual or dance.
Mystery: Expert Adam Schoon admitted he ‘didn’t know’ for certain what the object had been used for
A dumbfounded Adam told the guest: ‘It’s interesting because actually, I don’t really know!’
‘But look at it – it’s carved all over. The face of the paddle has these bands and wiggle work and repeat triangular motifs. Can you imagine the length of time this would have taken to do?’
He added that the difficulty was because it came from a society that didn’t record how they used objects – but suspected that it had been made at some point during the 19th century.
He continued: ‘I think it’s 19th century. A lot were made in the sort of 1820s and 1840s and were pretty much trade items.
‘The islanders would be visited by missionaries and traders and whalers, they wanted something to exchange for goods.’
Adam pointed out the intricate and ornate carvings in the item, focusing on two carvings of figures in the head – something that the guest had never before noticed.
She said that the item had been given to her by her grandma as she needed something to decorate with when she moved house.
Mindblown: An Antiques Roadshow guest was left in shock after the true value of the ‘mysterious’ item was revealed
Intricate: Adam analysed the intricate paddle, which he believed to originate from the 19th century
Interesting: Adam believed it came from the Austral Islands in the south Pacific
As Adam moved on to the valuation, the guest was left astonished at the true cost of an item she had believed to be worthless.
Taking into account a small slice out of the rim, Adam said the paddle could fetch between £700 and £1,000.
The delighted guest said: ‘Oh really! Wow! Well done Nana!
‘It’s a wonderful story – and I never even noticed the heads and the figures on it at all! That’s brilliant – thank you!’
Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC Two or on BBC iPlayer.
Delighted: The guest was amazed at the shock of the family heirloom and thanked Adam
