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A Bargain Hunt star left a pensioner in tears after she sold an item for more than 100 times its value in jaw-dropping scenes.
BBC presenter Irita Marriott called the guest’s item ‘the greatest thing I’ve ever sold’ as she discussed the unique antique on her new show The Derbyshire Auction House.
Mother and son Helen and Ben invited Irita to their family home where the trio searched for hidden antique gems.
Helen presented a series of family photos from their hallway to the expert, who was overjoyed with them.
Irita initially valued the photograph at between £80 and £120 but after finding out the backstory, the buyer paid more than £1,200 at the peak of an intense bidding war.
Bargain Hunt star, Irita Marriott, left a pensioner in tears after she sold an item for more than 100 times its value after hearing the heartbreaking back story
Mother and son Helen and Ben were shocked to discover their father’s photographs were worth £120,000 and planned on using the money to pay for this funeral
The duo had sought the auction expert’s help to uncover some valuable family treasures they could use to cover the costs of care home fees for Helen’s husband and Ben’s father, Alan, who suffered from dementia.
Alan had worked for a regional arts association, promoting cinema and photography.
And in the family’s hallway Irita found herself drawn to an amazing collection of original, signed images by famous photographers.
And while the valuer was impressed with their potential at the auction house, she admitted it must be hard for the family to part with such precious belongings.
She said: ‘It can’t be easy for them.
‘These items are things that they’ve lived with all their lives, and now that Alan’s gone into care, it’s probably going to be really sad to see them go.’.
Helen and Ben were shocked by the value of the photographs, but there was a further tragic twist.
Alan tragically died before his photos could go under the hammer, but his son confirmed that the money wouldn’t be wasted and he planned to give his father a ‘good send off’.
And while the valuer was impressed with the photograph’s potential at the auction house, she admitted it must be hard for the family to part with such precious belongings
The BBC star even admitted that while she expected them to sell well, the result was a surprise even for her and called the success a perfect tribute to Alan
Ben said: ‘I was absolutely gobsmacked at the values people were willing to bid for what we thought were just nice pictures… that we saw on the wall every day.
‘Absolutely brilliant.’
The BBC star even admitted that while she expected them to sell well, the result was a surprise even for her and called the success a perfect tribute to Alan.
The Derbyshire Auction House airs tonight on Really at 9pm.
