Antiques Roadshow netsuke expert Alexandra Aguilar was left stunned when one pair of guests argued over the appearance of a family heirloom which fetched a staggering four-figure value.
During the classic episode, which is set to air tonight, Fiona Bruce and the experts Clissold Park in Stoke Newington, north London, where treasures include one of Lewis Hamilton’s racing helmets, Scandinavian jewellery and memorabilia from the movie Blade Runner.
Marc Allum heard the inspiring story of the British Reggae Artists Famine Appeal, a fundraising response to Live Aid in 1985, while Will Farmer inspected a perspex mermaid sculpture by Arthur Fleischmann.
However, it was Aguilar who came across a historical figure and asked the guest: “Sometimes we see objects that really divide opinion. I personally really like this! Do you like it?”
The guest laughed and admitted: “I appreciate the work that has gone into it, for example, like the paintings on the Kimono and things like that but as a piece, I am indifferent about it, it has got more sentimental value about it I would say.”
“And do you have it in your house on display?” Aguilar probed the guest’s wife who immediately replied: “I put it as far away as possible I absolutely loathe it.”
Aguilar was intrigued as to where the guest got the item from, leaving them to reveal: “So this belonged to my grandfather as far as I am aware! Then it went to my mother and then my mother went to me.
“She said you have always liked this so why don’t you have it I have had it since then, so about 10-15 years. What would you use it for?”
Delving into it’s history, Aguilar explained: “It’s a table screen, it’s decorative. It’s Japanese, late 19th century and this style is called Kutani, it’s an example of Kutani where what is quite typical with Kutani, is this bright red colour and also the guilt decoration.
“Now I don’t know if you’ve had a look at it in detail. There are two figures in the centre and they’re actually well-known figures they appear a lot in Chinese and Japanese Arts, especially in Zen Buddhist paintings they are well-known characters that are called Kanzan and Jitoku.
“Kanzan is a poet and his hand is missing but he should be holding a scroll, a hand scroll. Jitoku was a kitchen worker in the same temple and he carried a broom as we can see.
“They are best friends and they are always represented together. Kanzan, the scroll he holds, there isn’t anything written on it because it idea is that it is better to learn from nature than from the scriptures.
“Jitoku with his broom, cleans away impurities in people’s souls. I don’t know if you have seen underneath, there is a signature. So this is the artist’s signature and he was called Watanu and yes he was a late 19th century Meiji period painter.”
Moving onto the most important task – the valuation – she revealed: “Now I am sorry to say that it is quite damaged, so yes there is the hand missing here which is a problem and you also have an area here which has been chipped and I think there may be a little bit of restoration as well.
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“So yes, when it comes to value, at auction it’s probably worth between £500 to £1,000.”
The guest was more than pleased with the valuation and expressed: “Very nice! Thank you very much, really interesting as well! Do you like it now?”
His wife immediately quipped back: “No I hate it.”
