Antiques Roadshow guest gobsmacked by puzzle valuation ‘My goodness’
Antiques Roadshow: Expert values old set of puzzles
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Antiques Roadshow visited Stonor Park in Oxfordshire for a previously aired episode of the BBC series. Expert Justin Croft was thrilled to be tasked with evaluating a guest’s 19th-century puzzle but the owner of the piece was left gobsmacked when the expert revealed how much the childhood item could fetch at auction.
After completing the puzzle, the expert shared his thoughts on the image created.
“It’s a wonderful thing,” Justin said. “I absolutely love it.
“I must say, I’ve never seen anything like this on the roadshow and when we look at it, it’s actually a very complicated jigsaw.
“It’s quite easy to do but once you’ve done it and you start reading about it, it’s really quite a puzzle in itself.
“But first of all, what about you? Where do you fit in with this?”
Read more: Antiques Roadshow guest gobsmacked by value of hidden Shakespeare p…
The guest replied: “When I was a child and went to stay with my grandparents, this was something that I was given to do, really from the age of about nine or 10.
“And when I got into my early 20s, she gave it to me and I’ve kept it ever since.
“Oh that’s wonderful,” Justin commented. “We can see down here, a date and I think that says 1807.
“What’s happening in this puzzle is that these children are being led through a path, aren’t they?”
“As you put the puzzle together, the path becomes clear,” the expert continued.
“They go through this gate, the gate of languages, so it’s presumably learning to read and write I suppose.
“They’re going through all sorts of trials and tribulations and they have to keep themselves on this central path at the middle don’t they, so this is a kind of educational toy, of the sort that perhaps we wouldn’t give to our children now?
“It’s quite a moralistic game and in the end, there’s this thing called the Temple of Truth, and it’s on the Hill of Science.”
DON’T MISS
Si King blown away as Dave Myers drops Hairy Bikers’ family news [VIDEO]
‘Is this for real?’ GMB viewers horrified by flatulence debate [INSIGHT]
Debbie McGee faces Christmas alone stranded from home in Covid scare [INTERVIEW]
Justin was thrilled to reveal the guest had kept the box in its original form, a wooden box with a printed paper wrapper on top.
“I think it’s an interesting piece because it tells us something about childhood 200 years ago, and it’s a really interesting period of childhood in about 1800.
“Up until about 1800 children really weren’t thought of anything more than small adults.
“Towards the end of the 18th century, the beginning of the 19th century, we get this whole idea of childhood as being some special kingdom and children should perhaps be dealt with differently, and receive an education and perhaps even be given toys, and a whole market springs up of toys and games and books for children.”
Get the latest three-day weather forecast where you live. Find out by adding your postcode or visit InYourArea
“Does it have a value? I think it does certainly because you’ve kept it in beautiful condition. And also,
very importantly, you’ve kept the box.
Justin confirmed the item could fetch between £800 and £1000 at auction.
“Goodness, is it? My goodness, it’s so tiny,” the owner replied.
“Small but perfectly formed I love it,” Justin said and the guest added: “Lovely, thank you very much.”
Antiques Roadshow continues on BBC One on Sunday January 2 at 8pm.
Source: Read Full Article