An Antiques Roadshow expert was ‘left with heart palpitations’ over a collection of Indian paintings worth a life-changing sum of money.
The BBC show made its way to Caversham Park, in Reading, to meet the residents and hopefully find some belongings of value.
Expert Adam Schoon was among those hoping to stumble across a precious artefact – but he was blown away when he discovered a collection of Indian watercolour paintings worth up to a staggering £80,000.
‘Well my eyes were out on stalks and indeed my heart had palpitations when I saw the visual feast within these amazing volumes of Indian watercolours,’ Adam told a guest as he gazed at the paintings.
‘They were in the collection of my great-grandfather, Major General Henry George White,’ the guest informed him.
An Antiques Roadshow expert was ‘left with heart palpitations’ over a collection of Indian paintings worth a life-changing sum of money
The BBC show made its way to Caversham Park, in Reading, to meet the residents and hopefully find some belongings of value
‘After he was commissioned into the Royal Scots in 1854, he went to the Crimean War first of all.
‘After that, he was involved in the Indian mutiny just for a couple of months so I don’t think he acquired the books then but in 1866 to 1870, he was stationed in the north west part of India and that’s where I think he acquired these books.’
In the episode filmed in 2017, Adam pointed out a label, known as a book plate, found inside of the first pages of paintings.
‘He may have acquired them in the north of India but I think these were done in the south of India, Tangor, and that is really on the southern tip of India itself,’ Adam explained, as he analysed the pieces.
‘There were schools of painters who, following a certain western style of art, started to do these figurative studies.
‘The pictures themselves, which were done in gouache on fairly thick card, were done in around 1810.’
Adam proceeded to have a look through the books of paintings, highlighting that his favourite was of a dancer with two musicians.
Asked about how he preserved the pieces, the guest said: ‘They were certainly packed away for a long time and I think they remained in packing cases, right the way through my grandfather’s and in fact my father’s lifetime, because my father spent most of his entire life abroad.’
Expert Adam Schoon was among those hoping to stumble across a precious artefact – but he was blown away when he discovered a collection of Indian watercolour paintings worth up to a staggering £80,000
‘Well my eyes were out on stalks and indeed my heart had palpitations when I saw the visual feast within these amazing volumes of Indian watercolours,’ Adam told a guest as he gazed at the paintings
‘So I think they deduced from that, that they spent 74 years in packing cases and it was only in 1988 that we pulled them out of the case,’ Adam replied. ‘Well my wife pulled them out and said: «Wow!».’
Adam asked if the guest had looked into how much the paintings may be worth, to which he said he had ‘no idea’.
The expert added: ‘I think if I were to put these in auction, and let’s face it, the condition’s good, they’re quite large plates.
‘So my auction estimate would be between £50,000 and £80,000.’
In the episode filmed in 2017, Adam pointed out a label, known as a book plate, found inside of the first pages of paintings
The guest was left in total shock at the whopping value, as the audience let out a chorus of gasps.
‘Oh good Lord!’ he exclaimed. ‘Well I said I’d buy the grandchildren an ice cream if they were more than £100.’
Adam replied: ‘More than £100? I think they had a dead cert there!’
The guest said: ‘Well that’s quite amazing. Thank you very much for all your expertise.’
