Antiques Roadshow couple devastated as they lose out on £35,000 after 'big mistake'

An Antiques Roadshow couple was left stunned when expert Hugh Scully revealed their treasured table was worth far less than they believed, costing them a potential £35,000. The BBC star was shown a late Georgian/Regency period table crafted from mahogany wood, dating back to the 1820s. At first glance, Hugh was impressed and appeared excited by the rare piece.

But after taking a closer look, his enthusiasm faded when he spotted two major issues – the wood had become badly discoloured from years of sun exposure, and a leather top had been added at some point. The couple explained they had previously been given a sky-high valuation and were sceptical about the figure of £35,000 that had been put on their table. When they confirmed this number, Hugh replied bluntly: “That is too much, I’m afraid.” He then broke the devastating news that a “big mistake” had been made, which slashed its value.

He said: “Somebody has, I’m afraid, made a big mistake with this. This was never designed to have a leather top.”

The antiques veteran pointed out that the mahogany slab had been cut into to accommodate the leather, which significantly compromised the integrity of the table.

“That is going to make a huge difference to the value,” he continued. “I’m afraid I’ve already taken quite a bit off your £35,000 as a result of that.”

Despite the crushing downgrade, Hugh still had admiration for the craftsmanship. He praised the quality of the mahogany and its historical significance, while recognising how much the couple cherished it.

But when it came to putting a new price on the piece, the verdict was sobering. Hugh admitted: “I’m going to have to revalue it. Minimum of £10,000, possibly £12,000 is more realistic.”

Although the revised figure was dramatically lower, it still represented a sizeable gain on what the owners originally paid. Hugh asked how much they had spent on the table, and the guest revealed: “£600.”

That meant even with the downgraded estimate, the couple was sitting on an impressive return - but far less than the life-changing sum they had once imagined.

The segment, filmed in Northallerton in 1999, left viewers fascinated by the pitfalls of modifications to antiques.

Fans were quick to react online, with one commenting: “Furniture was made to be used and to have wear and tear on it; the fact it has survived this long makes it invaluable for someone’s collection at home or office to be continually useful still.”

Another praised the way the encounter was handled, writing: “The evaluator was not only positive but so was the couple, which made a huge difference. As he said, they are enjoying it.”

Antiques Roadshow continues Sunday at 8pm on BBC One.