Antiques Roadshow expert reveals guest's medal isn't pure gold
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During the latest episode of Antiques Roadshow, BBC host Fiona Bruce took viewers to the stunning grounds of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. The guests brought the experts a number of their beloved items to be valued including a Korean painting, a unique walking stick and a curious rocking horse. However, it was a Scottish medal that caught the attention of expert Gordon Foster.
Speaking about how he acquired the medal, the guest told Gordon: “I bought it about nearly 30 years ago from the old Edinburgh, rare book dealer called Alan Rankin, who is sadly no longer with us. I thought it was a curiosity.”
“Very much a curiosity,” the expert replied. “You probably know a bit about it as the Beggar’s Benison Club, which was a gentleman’s private all-male club.”
Gordon told the guest the gentleman’s club was founded in the 1730s, but they opened a branch in Edinburg in the 1770s.
“I suspect that’s probably where this one comes from one of the Edinburgh branches,” Gordon explained as he pointed out: “There are no marks on it.
“What we’ve got is Adam and Eve from the old verse saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply’ and on the reverse we have Venus and Adonis and, ‘Lose no opportunity’.
“And by accounts, it was a very hedonistic club with all sorts of rituals and I think maybe a product of the Enlightenment.”
As he inspected the medal further, the expert suspected it would have been worn at meetings.
“It’s got a suspension loop on the top,” he added. “They’re quite difficult to date because they’re not hallmarked. My guess is maybe the 1780s.
When asked how much he paid for the medal 30 years ago, the guest explained: “Alan sold it to me for quite a substantial sum of £350 under the assumption that it was pure Scottish gold.”
However, Gordon was quick to point out the medal wasn’t made from pure gold.
“We do get Scottish gold and it is a lovely thing to see Scottish gold.
“But this is slightly disappointing for you, there is gold in it, it is gold on top of silver.”
“It’s a silver-gilt,” Gordon explained before adding: “That’s what the medals were.”
Turning his attention to what the item may be worth at auction now, he predicted: “You paid £350 for it.
“I can tell you today it is about double that, £600 to £700.”
“Thank you,” the guest replied as Gordon concluded: “Thanks so much for sharing with us a great piece, a great story.”
Elsewhere in the episode, expert Adam Schoon was blown away by the story of an intrepid plant hunter who worked in the Himalayas.
Adam then had to value the guest’s Tibetan tea set and prayer wheel, which was a gift by the 13th Dalai Lama.
Adam also met with Louise Marshall, who learned to play the bagpipes alongside her father at wedding parties in Gretna Green.
While Ronnie Archer-Morgan was intrigued by a walking stick that turned out to be a botanist’s gadget cane complete with shears.
Antiques Roadshow airs on Sunday at 8pm on BBC One.
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