An Antiques Roadshow guest was left almost speechless after learning the staggering value of a clock his wife had branded as 'ugly'. The BBC programme visited Cardiff, where expert Richard Price examined the ornate timepiece, which had been stored in the attic for five years.
Price noted the clock was covered in filth and asked why it was so dirty. The guest confessed his wife had banished it to the attic because she found it ugly. Price revealed that beneath the grime lay a wonderful bronze bull, and valued the clock at £20,000 in its current state, with a potential worth of £30,000 to £35,000 after restoration.
The guest, who had expected a value of a few thousand pounds, was stunned. His wife recalled his emotional reaction upon returning home. The couple later had the clock professionally restored by specialist John Jillings, who discovered the springs were signed and dated February 1754, helping to precisely date the piece.
When the restored golden clock was unveiled, the wife exclaimed in delight and kissed Jillings on both cheeks in gratitude. She admitted she would never have believed it could look so good, adding, 'Now it's not quite so ugly.'
