BBC Antiques Roadshow guest gobsmacked as Ronnie Archer-Morgan slaps huge value on items tied to Shakespeare

“Well these stunning items made of beautiful mulberry wood are amazing,” he told the owner of the collection.

Continuing, he informed her: “These two here, they’re what is known as Bardolatry, that is pertaining to the Bard, Shakespeare – you’ve got to tell me where you got these amazing things.”

“Well they came from my husband’s family and we’ve always loved them, particularly that beautiful turning of the salt servers,” she explained.

“They’re stunning,” Arhcer-Morgan enthused, adding: “I don’t know if you know the story, but Shakespeare, born in 1564, in his early adulthood, bought a house in Stratford [Upon-Avon] called New Place.

“And in it, he planted a mulberry tree. The new owner, moving on 200 years, was tired of people visiting Stratford to see Shakespeare’s mulberry tree and had it felled.

“And then he chopped up the trunk and the logs and they were dispersed amongst local wood turners and carvers, one of whom was called George Cooper.

“And George Cooper started making souvenirs to sell to people that visited Stratford called Bardolatry, and these two are such items.”

Analysing the wooden objects, he pointed out: “They’ve got Shakespeare’s coat of arms here and his face, a portrait there, an ink box, it opens up and it’s got compartments there to take ink and pens.

“This also has a portrait of Shakespeare and you have to twist his head to open up to get his stuff. Beautiful, beautiful early work.

“Something to die for – they are heavenly.” Archer-Morgan went on to reveal the impressive price the items could sell for.

“A box like this is something like £4,000,” he began, to which the guest gasped: “Wow!”

Looking at the rest of the collection, he went on: “And for those two and £2,500, so in total, that’s something like £8,500.”