Antiques Roadshow guest weeps after finding out huge value of 'rare' plates

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A guest on Antiques Roadshow was overcome with emotion after getting some of their old plates valued on the show.In a recent episode of the classic BBC One show, the guest had brought along a couple of strangely shaped white plates adorned with different images and outlined in blue.Taking a look at the pieces was John Sandon, a glass and ceramics expert, who was very impressed and described the plates as 'rare as they come'.The Mirror reports that he told the guest: "They seem to be a matching pair of plates, but one's painted with a comical [Chinese man], and here you've got a figure of a king." They apparently dated all the way back to the 1600s. “They're very peculiar," John continued before asking the owner of the dishes: "What do you know about them?" The guest told John: “Well, I remember them on the wall of my husband's parents' house."And traditionally, in the family, they were said to be very valuable.

But no one else seemed to know anything else about them.”The guest continued: “In due course, they came to my husband. And when I asked him about them, he said all he knows about them is that they came from his mum's family."Taking a closer look, John commented: "What is curious is the palette and the colouring."We've got some nice mixes of colours, which does indicate really quite an early date."The presenter added: "So we're looking back here into the 17th century.“But one thing we do find in early Delft often are portraits of the reigning kings and queens of the time.”One of the plates had the image of a king on it, prompting John to say: "So one wonders here what this chap might be - so they're a very splendid king with a sceptre.“And I suppose he's holding a letter or a scroll - who do you think he is?" John