During an episode of BBC’s Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, one particular item caused quite the stir as it was ultimately rejected by the show’s expert. Joanna Page, famed for her role in Gavin & Stacey, faced off against opera singer and ex-Strictly star Wynne Evans in the episode first shown in 2023 in a quest to uncover antique treasures within a set budget.
The goal, as per usual, was to scour vintage shops across south Wales in search of valuable items priced below their worth, with the intention of flipping them at auction for a profit.
Experts Roo Irvine and Irita Marriott were present to impart their wisdom and assist in the hunt for hidden gems. While assisting Joanna, Roo stumbled upon what she described as: “This is the nicest Tiffany lamp I have ever seen.”
She quickly clarified: “Not an original Tiffany lamp, because it could be millions of pounds, but Tiffany style. Look at it!”
Joanna, however, was far from enamoured, expressing her unease: “Well it is beautiful, but I do have to say it sort of creeps me out a bit.”
Roo, visibly taken aback, pressed for an explanation. The Welsh actress elaborated: “Because, oh my goodness, that is sort of just like half-alien and half-spider’s face.”
It didn’t take long for Roo to catch on to Joanna’s perspective, as she exclaimed: “Oh yes! With the multiple eyes. Oh you have put me right off it now.”
The duo flinched when they saw the hefty £950 price tag on an ornate item, with Roo believing it was still a good buy, stating: “I think for £950 you would get that in a heartbeat.
“Really?” Joanna questioned, to which the expert sadly informed her: “Oh yes. But it is too much, we don’t have that much.”
Hearing this, the actress promptly turned and said decisively: “Come on! Let’s go. You cannot have it,” as they had merely £315 to spend.
Antique Trader records state that the record-breaking price for a Tiffany lamp sold at a Christie’s auction in 1997 reached an astonishing $2.8 million (£2.1 millions), reports the Express.
These iconic lamps are celebrated for their stained glass designs, individually created by soldering together bits of colored glass under the expertise of Tiffany and Co, in homage to Louis Comfort Tiffany’s style. The authentic handcrafted Tiffany lamps date from the years 1890 to 1930.
Antiques Road Trip is available to watch on BB iPlayer.
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