An Antiques Roadshow guest was left stunned after learning the true value of a piece of rock memorabilia she had kept in an envelope for decades. The BBC programme visited an antiques fair at Belfast's Botanic Gardens, where expert Raj Bisram assessed a set of three autographs from The Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Signed Tickets from 1967 Concert
The guest produced three ordinary-looking tickets, on the reverse of which were signatures from legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix, bassist Noel Redding, and drummer Mitch Mitchell. She explained that she obtained press passes for the Northern Ireland gig in 1967 through a friend. The concert was part of the Queens University Festival in Belfast, and she recalled being at the very front, describing it as a loud but great performance where Hendrix played his guitar with his teeth and possibly smashed it at the end.
The gig coincided with Hendrix's 25th birthday. The guest noted that organisers had arranged a birthday cake for him backstage, and because of their press passes, they were allowed backstage where Hendrix was drinking a bottle of whisky rather than eating the cake. Seizing the opportunity, she asked all three band members to sign the back of the tickets.
Expert Valuation
The guest revealed that the signed tickets had been tucked away in an envelope ever since the concert. Expert Raj Bisram explained that the memorabilia's value had soared following Hendrix's untimely death at 27 in January 1969. He noted that items linked to Hendrix command high prices due to his enduring fanbase. He valued the three signatures together at between £5,000 and £7,000 at auction.
Stunned by the figure, the guest exclaimed: "What? You're joking. That's crazy." The episode is available on BBC iPlayer.
