Additional Coverage:
- ‘Antiques Roadshow’ guest brings a bowl that cost him $2 — then the expert revealed its real value (marketrealist.com)
A lucky “Antiques Roadshow” guest experienced quite the surprise when a small bowl, purchased for a mere $2 decades ago, was appraised for thousands. Initially thought to be a Chinese sauce boat, the piece turned out to be a rare example of early British porcelain, dating back to the 1750s.
An expert on the show identified the bowl as a “Wigornia type” Worcester porcelain piece, named after similar sauce boats bearing the Latin word for Worcester. Its petal-like shape and delicate design hinted at Chinese influence, but the expert confirmed its English origin.
The guest recounted how the bowl was discovered amongst a tray of assorted items around 30 years prior, catching the eye of a family member. Little did they know they had stumbled upon a treasure.
Despite some damage, including a firing crack and a chip, the expert estimated the bowl’s value to be between $6,682 and $13,364. The guest, understandably astonished, exclaimed, “Good Lord!” The expert lightheartedly responded, “Not bad for a couple of quids’ worth of junk on a tray, is it?”