An Antiques Roadshow guest was left lost for words after they found out the true value of their two family heirlooms – after being given the wrong price many years ago. 

A recent episode of the US version of the show, which airs on American channel PBS, visited the North Carolina Museum of Art.

One woman brought in two jade tablets and a jade seal that belonged to her great, great grandmother.

When she died in 1929, her mum went on to inherit them and she was keen to find out the true value of them after getting them appraised in 2007.

Speaking about the tablets, expert Robert Warehouse said: ‘They’re mottled green jade. 

‘They’re plaques or tablets. It’s likely that the two on the screen behind the seal were, in fact, out of an album.

An Antiques Roadshow guest was left lost for words after they found out the true value of their two family heirlooms – after being given the wrong price 

One woman brought in two jade tablets and a jade seal that belonged to her great, great grandmother, who died in 1929, and her mum went on to inherit them 

‘So it may have been a jade-paged book and they’re incised with official script and the seal, again, is green jade, surmounted with a double dragon and a cord. 

‘The seals are symbol of imperial authority. Most imperial seals that are done in this square form are surmounted with this double dragon. 

‘It’s a very common motif on imperial seals or court seals.

‘And the piece of jade is lovely. It’s mottled. It’s green jade. It’s consistent with what used to be in the court.’ 

Robert then went on to explain how they were trying to figure out when they were made, after the guest was told that they were from 18th century China.

He also thought the same, until he pointed out: ‘It’s actually dated here Guangxu, first year of Guangxu, which is 1875.’

Robert then moved onto the seal and explained that there were characteristics indicating that it’s not from the 18th century. 

He explained: ‘There’s a weakness of carving through the side here, where you have these celestial clouds. 

The jade tablets were valued at $20,000 to $30,000 

Meanwhile the guest was told that the seal was valued at $30,000 to $50,000  –  but if in a multiple of 10 could be $300,000 to $500,000

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‘If we look at examples of 18th century models, everything is highlighted. There is a deeper lapidary carving to all aspects of the seal.’ 

The expert also pointed out that on the underside there was two columns of script – a seal script and compressed script – but there were mis-carvings on one side. 

The ‘weakness’ implied that it’s not from 18th century, but is in fact a 19th century imperial jade seal. 

The expert then went on to value both of the items.  

Robert explained that as an ᴀssociated pair, the book would be $20,000 to $30,000. 

The guest was lost for words and simply relied: ‘OK… wow.’

He then explained that the seal had an action estimate of $30,000 to $50,000.

Robert added: ‘I think our takeaway was if there can be a shared consensus within the industry, among peers, that it is 1875 to the end of the Guangxu reign, that it may be a multiple of 10…

“So it may carry an auction estimate of $300,000 to $500,000.”

The guest could not believe what she had been told. 

She replied: ‘Oh is that all?…

‘Well that’s a little bit different than what I was expecting today but oh my. 

‘Oh my. Thank you. 

‘That’s amazing. Wow.’

She had been told that her mum had appraised both items 18 years ago, and they were a totally different price to what she was told on the show. 

Back in 2007 she was told that the items were $1,400 each. 

The UK version of Antiques Roadshow airs on BBC.