It’s not very often, if ever, that an item cannot be valued on Antiques Roadshow, but viewers were taken aback when one expert actually refused to put a price on something.
Sunday night’s episode saw an expert decline to give a valuation to one of the guest’s items after admitting it was ‘one of the most difficult things’ he had ever spoken about on the show.
With host Fiona Bruce back at the helm, the Roadshow headed to Alexandra Gardens in Cardiff.
There, one guest let expert Ronnie Archer-Morgan stunned when they came along with an item that had a history with transatlantic slave trade.
Explaining its history in a voiceover, Fiona said: ‘The item was a disc that acted as an endorsement of the professional reputation of an African slave trader in the West African port of Bonny in the 18th century.’
Inspecting the item closely, expert Ronnie told the guest: ‘I want to make it absolutely clear that myself and we and the Antiques Roadshow wholly and unequivocally disapprove of the trade in ivory.
‘But this ivory bangle here is not about trading in ivory, it’s about trading in human life, and it’s probably one of the most difficult things that I’ve ever had to talk about.’
Nevertheless, he insisted: ‘But talk about it we must.’
He proceeded to describe the item as ‘amazing’, despite its links to the ‘callous trade’ of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
The guest went on to explain how she acquired the object when she used to work for a family looking after them.
‘One of the members passed away and she was having a house sale,’ she said. ‘And I bought that 36 years ago in the house sale for £3.’
The guest ‘had no idea what it was’ but just thought it ‘looked interesting’.
‘Now I’m researching, it said traders I thought it meant trading in coffee or spices, but I realised they were trading in people.’
Looking closely at the ‘beautiful calligraphy’, Ronnie said he believes the name of the man inscribed – Prince Jemmy of Grandy – was an African himself who was ‘a despicable human being’ trading in people.
‘I’d like to meet him and tell him how honest I think he is,’ Ronnie declared, after noticing the words ‘honest fellow’ etched into the item.
Ronnie then candidly shared: ‘My great-grandmother was a returned slave from Nova Scotia in Canada and came back to Sierra Leone and Freetown.
‘And I actually think it’s my cultural duty, our cultural duty, to talk about things like this.’
When it came to the valuation, Ronnie stated: ‘I just don’t want to value it.
‘I do not want to put a price on something that signifies such an awful business.
‘But the value is in the lessons that this can tell people. The value is in researching this and what we can find out.
‘And I just love you for bringing it in and thank you so much for making me so sad.’
Antiques Roadshow airs Sundays on BBC One and on BBC iPlayer.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
MORE : Celebrity Bake Off fans do double take after Alison Hammond appears to swear
MORE : Baroness Karren Brady becomes a grandmother at 54 as daughter welcomes baby boy
