Antiques Roadshow guest's hobby leaves expert stunned as he interrupts 'hang on!'
Antiques Roadshow graced our screens on BBC One this weekend, with a host of guests eager to have their military keepsakes appraised. Expert Mark Hill was particularly taken with one lady's item a small aircraft propeller in stunning condition.
He couldn't help but admire it, exclaiming: "What a gorgeous, sculptural object, and this wonderful sort of toffee-like colour. What we are looking at is a plane propeller, are you an aviation fan?".
The guest casually dropped a bombshell: "I have flown aeroplanes and built one," prompting a surprised Mark to clarify: "Hang on! You have flown aeroplanes AND built one?".
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"In a garage," she added nonchalantly, leading Mark to quip: "As you do!" followed by shared laughter. "So this is why you know so much about this, of course," he deduced.
But the revelations didn't stop there; the guest astonished him further by stating that the propeller was "not actually to propel the aeroplane".
She elaborated, "What it does is it would sit on a strut between the wings of a biplane and generate electricity for powering an instrument inside the cockpit."
Mark also highlighted several intriguing marks on the piece, including the military crow's foot and the name G. Betjemann & Sons, noting they were synonymous with high-quality boxes and locks.
George Betjemann & Sons, esteemed London cabinet makers, were established in 1851 by George Betjemann and later became a family business in 1858 when his sons, George William and John, joined the company.
"It's a beautiful object," the expert gushed, clearly taken with the piece. "But for me, the small size is perfect because it would display so well on the desk of an aviation fan."
He estimated its value at around £200 if it were to go under the hammer, prompting an astonished reaction from the guest who exclaimed, "Wow, it's not for sale!".
In another segment of the show that had viewers talking, a guest was practically speechless when a vintage pair of men's long johns received an unexpectedly high valuation.
Don't miss the next instalment of discoveries and surprises as Antiques Roadshow returns to BBC One this Sunday.
