The latest Antiques Roadshow episode saw one guest left stunned after a vase he had bought for £20 by accident was given an eye-watering valuation.
The owner of the unique vase explained to auctioneer Steven Moore that he had bought the item at an antiques fair before deciding it was a “fake copy” of a Royal Lancaster, storing it under his sink for years.
“This is a beautiful vase,” Mr Moore observed, adding: “I’m almost lost for words for it because it is just glowing, isn’t it?
“Especially in today’s sunlight, it’s absolutely glorious. How did it end up here today?”
“It was a mistake!” the guest admitted, detailing: “I was at an antique fair and I thought it was one thing but it wasn’t, I thought it was a Royal Lancaster.”
“I can see why,” Mr Moore responded. “The luster, and the sort of stylised design.
The vase owner went on: “I decided it was a fake copy, and it went under the kitchen sink for two years.”
“It went under the kitchen sink?” a shocked Mr Moore repeated before joking: “Did you have a leak or something?”
“I just happened to be looking on the internet one night out pops that vase, and I was like, ‘hang on a minute, that’s the vase that’s under the sink,'” the guest recalled.
After asking what the internet had said the vase was, the visitor shared he was led to believe it was a Zsolnay, which I believe is Hungarian.”
“It is,” the museum curator confirmed before adding: “It’s a Zsolnay from Pecs in Hungary and it is the most brilliant example of their work.
“At the turn of the 19th into the 20th century, they developed what were called eosin glazes.
“So this lovely ruby luster, this sort of gold luster, but these were incredibly difficult to fire in the kiln.
“When you turn it round, here, we’ve got the rising sun. We have this path with these geese. It is a work of art, this is as good as any painting.
“In fact, it’s harder to paint in ceramics like this – anyone can take a bit of oil to canvas and call themselves Leonardo da Vinci.”
The presenter enthused: “You have got magic, and this is the most beautiful vase. Zsolnay is red hot right now.
“Hungarian people are buying it back. Can you remember what you paid for it?”
“I paid £20,” The guest answered, to which Mr Moore responded: “You can add a few noughts to that!”
He added: “Your £20 mistake vase… If that was going to auction, I would estimate at £5,000 to £8,000, and I’d expect it to make towards the upper end, if not a little more.”
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“I don’t know what to say, I am genuinely flabbergasted!” the vase owner confessed, seeming stunned.
“The fact it was a mistake…” the auctioneer noted, with the guest going on to quip: “That’s not a bad return, is it? Champagne tonight!”
