A guest on BBC One’s Antiques Roadshow was astonished to learn the enormous value of a centuries-old pistol he brought in on Sunday’s episode.
He had not spent a single penny on the ‘astounding’ display weapon, which was given to him by his stepfather who ‘wasn’t interested’ in what what meant to be a gift for him.
The show’s expert Robert Tilney was impressed by the gun’s ‘highest possible quality’, especially after learning it had been ‘dry fired’ and broken in the past.
‘This is a top quality presentation piece,’ Mr Tilney remarked, before detailing that it was most likely from the 170s or 1780s.
He then took viewers through the gorgeously intricate design of gold and silver running down the barrel of the pistol.
A guest on BBC One’s Antiques Roadshow was astonished to learn the enormous value of a centuries-old Italian pistol (pictured) he brought in on Sunday’s episode
The display weapon was dated around the 1770s and 1780s, and given a £15,000 to £20,000 valuation
The show’s expert Robert Tilney was impressed by the gun’s ‘highest possible quality’, especially after learning it had been ‘dry fired’ and broken in the past
Beginning with the double-barreled muzzle, which was embossed with a ‘fabulous’ burst of gold at the point from which the weapon fired, the expert continued: ‘Here, gold chasing [running his finger towards the sight].
‘The two cartouches are the Turin proof marks. This is silver inlay work of the finest possible quality – a superb lion mask here with gilt round it.’
Mr Tilney then disclosed what he would expect to see such an item fetch at auction – a breathtaking £15,000 to £20,000.
At first, its owner could only muster a ‘wow’.
‘It’s just a fabulous piece,’ the expert added. ‘Not something that a small boy should have played with, but we’ll forgive you – it’s wonderful. Thanks so much for bringing it in.’
The owner had described how the Italian pistol had been given to him when he was a teenager, and it had since been through the wars – albeit only metaphorically.
His stepfather had been given the gun as a present by a business partner, but ‘later on, he wasn’t interested, so I received it from him’.
Mr Tilney ran down the ‘fabulous’ designs embossed onto the barrel to two cartouches denoting that it came from Turin, Italy, seen at the bottom of the image
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