Two wall-hung plates that stunned Antiques Roadshow experts after being carried to the BBC show in their owner’s handbag have sold – for over £20,000.
The plates depicting King James II and a Chinese figure standing in a rocky landscape appeared in 2014 when ceramic expert John Sandon said they were as rare as you can get.
Their owner broke down in tears as the true value of the plates was revealed.
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At the time, she explained: “I remember them on the wall of my husband’s parent’s house and traditionally in the family they were said to be very valuable.
“But no one else seemed to know anything else about them and in due course they came to my husband.
“When I asked about them, he said all he knew was that they came from his mother’s family.”
Mr Sandon then told her: “I mean this one is in a bit of a shocking state.
“It’s been broken in half, I mean someone liked it enough to stick it back together just about but it’s barely held together.
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“But this is really quite an important piece of pottery because you’ve got a picture of the king on a rare shape and rare colours.
“It doesn’t get much more special than this so we can forgive the poor condition.”
The woman was left crying and telling those who had gathered: “I bought them here in my handbag.”
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He replied: “That’s alright it’s a good strong handbag.”
Now the rare 17th Century artefacts have been sold separately for £12,600 and £7,560 including buyers’ premiums at Woolley and Wallis auctioneers, Salisbury, Wilts as reported by What’s The Jam.
Clare Durham, ceramics specialist, said the two items were incredibly rare adding neither had been seen on the market for upwards of a century.
Both plates were produced in Brislington Delftware, a form of tin-glazed earthenware, from the Brislington pottery established in Bristol in the 1650s.
Ms Durham said: “The sale of two historic Delftware plates shows that Delftware still has a following.”
“The price for the plate featuring King James II was strong considering it had been broken in half.”
This is thought to have been deliberate and happened to many other pieces picturing the King following The Glorious Revolution which saw the monarch deposed for his political and religious beliefs, which he tried to impose on society.
Alarmed protestants feared a Catholic revival and the monarch was criticised for the misuse of the army to intimidate the public.
Family legend has it that a member of the Devon-based family broke the plate, but it was rescued by a relative who was loyal to the King and his descendants.
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