March 31st 2024.
During the latest episode of Antiques Roadshow, viewers were caught off guard when one of the experts refused to give a valuation on a particular item. This was a rare occurrence on the show, where almost every object is given a price. Host Fiona Bruce was back at the helm of the show, which took place at Alexandra Gardens in Cardiff.
One guest brought along an item that left expert Ronnie Archer-Morgan stunned. The object had a dark history, as it was connected to the transatlantic slave trade. In a voiceover, Fiona explained that it was a disc that endorsed the reputation of an African slave trader in the 18th century port of Bonny.
Upon inspecting the item closely, Ronnie felt the need to address something important. He wanted to make it clear that both he and the Antiques Roadshow team strongly disapproved of the ivory trade. However, he also felt it was necessary to discuss the item, despite its links to the "callous trade" of the past.
Ronnie proceeded to describe the ivory bangle as "amazing", despite its connection to the trading of human life. He admitted that it was one of the most difficult things he had ever had to talk about, but it was important to address it. The guest then shared how she acquired the object, which was through a house sale 36 years ago for only £3.
She had no idea what it was at the time, but thought it looked interesting. However, upon researching it, she discovered that it was linked to the trading of people. Ronnie noted the "beautiful calligraphy" on the bangle, and shared his belief that the name inscribed, Prince Jemmy of Grandy, was an African man who was "a despicable human being" for participating in the slave trade.
Ronnie candidly shared that his great-grandmother was a returned slave from Nova Scotia, Canada, and it was his cultural duty to talk about these kinds of objects. When it came to the valuation, Ronnie made a bold decision. He refused to put a price on the item, stating that he did not want to associate a value with something that represented such a terrible business.
Instead, he saw the value in the lessons that this object could teach. He thanked the guest for bringing it in and making him feel sad, as it was a reminder of the dark past and the importance of learning from it. The episode ended with the reminder that Antiques Roadshow airs on Sundays on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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