An Antiques Roadshow guest moved expert Mark Smith with a collection of watercolour paintings made by a teenage soldier during World War One. The episode, broadcast on October 25 and filmed at Bangor Castle in Northern Ireland, also featured a rare grasshopper-shaped vase and a pair of recliner chairs originally intended for the Titanic.
A Gift from the Battlefield
The guest explained how the paintings came into her possession: "Sixty years ago my mother was visiting a lady and she shared with her that I'd just been accepted for art college and the lady said 'I'd like to give her something'. She gave the watercolour pictures inside this piece of cardboard, which I think probably came from the battlefield."
The six works were created by a young soldier, Archibald McMillan Hanna, while serving on the front line during the First World War. Many of the illustrations depicted gravestones and fallen comrades.
A Short Life, a Lasting Legacy
The teenager never made it home, having been killed in action on the very first day of the Battle of the Somme at just 19 years of age. The guest revealed that the paintings had been given to her by Archibald's mother, with Archibald thought to have been approximately 17 to 18 years old when he produced the works.
"Such a fantastic artist cut down," Mark observed. The guest agreed, noting: "I think they show the horrors of war and the sadness of it."
Valuing the Drawings
Mark continued: "They really are fantastic, I mean that's really what caught my eye. They're such good drawings." Clearly moved, he added: "What an artist he may have been if life had been a bit longer. It's such a legacy for such a short life."
Turning to the paintings' worth, he explained: "I don't like valuing these things but they are really good drawings. If they came up for sale with the story of him and the 1st July where he was killed I think you're probably looking at somewhere around about £400 for these little drawings."
The guest showed little response to the figure, stressing that she hoped to get them sent over to a museum. Mark appeared pleased with her plans, commenting: "I think that's probably where they deserve to be."
Antiques Roadshow airs Sunday nights at 8pm on BBC One with episodes also streaming on BBC iPlayer.
