An Antiques Roadshow guest was left in complete shock after learning the eye-watering value of a ‘one-off’ brooch.
In an episode of the hit BBC show show from last month, expert Joanna Hardy met with a mother and daughter.
The pair had taken their prized possession to Beaumaris Castle in north Wales to show it to the valuers and see what secrets they could uncover.
And the BBC expert was amazed by the small brooch and knew it was special from the start.
Joanna was sure it was from renowned French jewellers Van Cleef and Arpels, famous for the clover shaped necklaces and bracelets loved by celebrities – but wasn’t completely sure.
And Joanna shared her surprise at seeing the stunning item, and kept asking if it was real.
An Antiques Roadshow guest was left in complete shock after learning the value of a one-off brooch during an episode last month presented from Beaumaris Castle in north Wales
BBC expert Joanna Hardy was amazed by the small brooch and knew it was special from the start
Joanna was sure it was from renowned French jewellers Van Cleef and Arpels but wasn’t completely sure.
She said:’It can’t be true, is it true? This is made with turquoise, rubies, 18 carat gold and diamonds. It’s a fabulous jewel.
‘It has all the properties, all the wonderful skills of a company called Van Cleef And Arpels.
She went on to add that this particular brooch was quite rare and one of a only a few ever made.
She said: ‘They made ballerina brooches from the 1940s but not that many.
‘I cannot find the signature of Van Cleef and Arpels. I want to find one, I can assure you.
‘If it is right, it is tens and tens of thousands of pounds.’
The surprised daughter quietly exclaimed ‘Gosh’ but her mother didn’t believe they could be the proud owners of such a valuable item.
After the episode aired, the BBC expert contacted an archivist in Paris and took the brooch with her for further inspection.
Joanna revealed the brooch could be worth tens of thousands of poounds but the mother and daughter duo weren’t convinced
The valuer explained this particular brooch was a rare ballerina brooch and one of a only a few ever made in the 1940s
Van Cleef and Arpels is famous for the clover shaped necklaces and bracelets loved by celebrities (pictured)
She then invited the brooch’s owners to delve further into the truth behind the piece of jewellery.
Joanna explained: ‘This lovely ballerina has been on quite a journey since I last saw you.
‘As you know, I went to Paris with this tucked in my handbag. I met Catherine Cariou who was the former heritage director for Van Cleef and Arpels for 20 years.
‘She is the woman that knows nearly everything and I sort of leant forward and she said: “It’s better than the image you sent me.” That’s a good start.
‘Then she picked it up and she turned it around and she looked with her eye glass and she just kept looking.
And then Joanna shared even more exciting details, adding: ‘She said to me, “It’s the right weight, it’s the right size, it’s the right quality”, and she said there was a workshop in Cannes called Lucien Billie.
‘Lucien Billie was the workshop that made these turquoise ballerina brooches for Van Cleef.’
Which meant the mother and daughter duo were indeed the owners of a Van Cleef ballerina brooch.
The BBC expert later took the brooch to a Van Cleef archivist after the show to find out more and was told it was likely an original and therefore very special
Despite not having any records in the archive, Joanna revealed that the stunning piece could fetch between £40,000 and £50,000 at auction
But this one was slightly different to the normal ones sold.
The BBC valuer explained that the workshops were occasionally granted permission to make special occasion items but were not allowed to sell them on.
Joanna concluded that Lucien Billie must have made the sparkling brooch for his wife or possible as a wedding gift for his daughter.
But the mother was still unconvinced and asked if it really was genuine.
Joanna explained: ‘It is not a Van Cleef and Arpels brooch, because it is not signed and it hasn’t got its number.
‘But it has been made by the same workshop that made those brooches for Van Cleef and Arpels.’
Joanna further explained how unique this brooch truly was and it was that that had drawn her to it at Beaumaris Castle previously.
She added: ‘I don’t think he would have been allowed to make more than one and it would have had to have been a very special occasion.’
But the expert couldn’t elaborate further because there were no records of the brooch in the workshop archives, leaving a 20-year gap in the piece of jewellery’s history.
Despite that, Joanna revealed that the stunning piece could fetch between £40,000 and £50,000.
And the daughter couldn’t believe the enormous sum, gasping: ‘Good heavens. Wow. I mean, that’s a real shock’.
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