My dad gave me an old wooden club – I was lost for words when I found out it was worth more than a car
A GUEST on Antiques Roadshow was lost for words when he found out that an old wooden club was actually an 18th century relic worth more than a small car.
During Sunday’s episode of Antiques Roadshow, a guest spoke to expert Ronnie Archer-Morgan, showing him a brown wooden club that he inherited from his father.
The guest, who visited the Roadshow in Swanage, revealed that it has been in their family for generations, having been acquired by his great-grandfather who was once a navy captain.
Ronnie, 72, instantly knew that the club came from the South Pacific and offered the guest some information about the family heirloom.
“This is an akua tau, it’s a paddle club. But this is a superb example. It’s not just a club, it’s a status symbol,” he explained. He added that it was probably gifted from one chief to another.
“This had to be 18th century, the time of Captain Cook. This could be 1770s, ’80s, or ’90s,” Ronnie added.
As the camera zoomed in on the club, viewers could see it was covered in intricate carvings.
The expert explained: “This would have been done pre-contact, almost certainly, and they would’ve used shark’s teeth and flints to carve this, no metal.”
Within minutes of seeing the club, Ronnie admitted he’d love to take the club home with him.
“God, it’s full of symbolism this piece.
“I mean, it really is a beauty. It’s a work of art,” the expert gushed.
However, the guest, who said it’s “very special” to him, seemed unwilling to part with it.
Of course, that may not be the case after Ronnie’s appraisal.
Noting that it was the best akua tau he’d ever seen, Ronnie said the club would fetch a pretty penny at auction.
“In a good sale, like in Paris or New York or something, I think this would be valued at £7,000 to £10,000,” he said.
The guest was absolutely blown away by the appraisal, not expecting the club to be worth a similar price to a small car.
The rest of the episode was also full of extravagant antiques, as experts Duncan Campbell examined a silver teapot worth £12,000, while John Benjamin admired a collection of brooches and hair pins also worth thousands.
Antiques Roadshow continues on Sunday and is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.