BBC Antiques Roadshow's Fiona Bruce gobsmacked over 'implausible' first in show's history
by Jamie Brassington, https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/authors/jamie-brassington/, Hayley Anderson · Birmingham LiveAntiques Roadshow host Fiona Bruce experienced a first in her time on the show, admitting to something "that's never happened" before. Filming at Pitzhanger Manor in London, Fiona was joined by ceramics expert Serhat Ahmet for a game of "guess the mystery object".
Ahmet presented three intriguing items from the Meissen porcelain factory in Germany, the first European factory to discover the formula for porcelain. The selection spanned from 1750 to 1880.
The first item, a small box from 1750, could either be a patch box for beauty spots or a ring box. The second object, dating back to 1850, was suggested to be an ice cream cone holder, a claim that Fiona immediately dismissed as "rubbish".
Ahmet explained: "You put a piece of parchment with your ice cream on it, it would sit on top here, as you can see there's a little bar, and that stops the ice cream from slipping down into the cone. And the metal collar kept the ice cream cool."
She challenged him to "Come up with a better one", as the expert suggested an alternative - a posy holder used by a bride. Fiona responded, "OK I don't like either of those but it's got to be one of them"
Ahmet then introduced the third item from 1880, suggesting it could have been used for hot sake or boiled eggs. Fiona retorted: "To be honest, I find all of these completely unconvincing but obviously one of them has got to be right."
The presenter then sought the audience's predictions, with everyone offering different solutions.
It was then Fiona's turn to guess: "Oh my gosh, some of this is so implausible but I know some of it's got to be right."
She decided on the patches, posies, and the sake use. The expert simply confirmed with a smile: "100%", leaving a shocked Fiona to exclaim: "Right? Oh that's never happened! You're so gutted now, aren't you? Totally gutted."
Ahmet admitted he was "gutted" as she added: "I mean, it was a brilliant section of things. I have never seen any of these before."
The expert continued: "Yeah they're incredibly rare. The patchbox, 1750, £1,000."
"The posy holder, 1850, at about £800, and finally the little bowl sets, the sake bowl and stand, 1880 and that's about £500, and you often find one or the other but rarely together."
Fiona expressed her delight on the show, saying: "Well listen, I'm amazed I got it right because that is rare, but to see these objects, that's such a treat, thank you so much", while Ahmet congratulated her on the correct guess.