Antiques Roadshow expert Hilary Kay delivered a whopping valuation for the portrait of singer and activist John Lennon and his partner Yoko Ono.
The portrait was done shortly after their wedding and famous “bed-in” in 1969 and was described it as a “cracking item“.
Explaining the history around how they came to have the painting, the guest explained: “Both of my parents worked in television and this is done from the early summer of 1969, we believe, just after the ‘peace bedding’.
“After they got married they flew over to London to do a series of interviews and my father was filming the interviews, he was a cameraman back in the sixties and asked them to sign this just before they worked out of the studio.”
The guest added his father handed over a piece of cardboard or “caption card” used in the studio and asked them both to sign it which they did and “this is what they got back”.
Detailing some background information, Hilary explained to excited guests around her.
“He and Yoko Ono got married in Gibraltar in 1969 and went to the Amsterdam Hilton and announced to the world they were going to have a week’s bed-in, invited the press to come and interview them everyday.
“And the press were excited to be invited to the honeymoon of John and Yoko.”
Hilary went on to ask if the guest has placed the portrait “somewhere special” but was surprised by their answer.
He explained, he’d actually rediscovered his father’s item after it was misplaced for a while when clearing out a coat cupboard.
“We got it framed and its been on the wall ever since” he continued.
Hoping to discover more at the back of the card, Hilary excitedly asked: “I haven’t looked at the back of it, have you looked at the back of it?”
“No,” the guest replied before they both turned it over to reveal, to their dismay, it was blank.
“Completely blank,” Hilary said with laughter before explaining just how much the portrait could fetch at auction.
Hilary reminded the guest of John’s celebrity status and the international attention the self-portrait would get, especially from those “people with pockets that are quite deep“.
“I would put the current value anywhere without any question between £35-40,000,” Hilary announced.
The proud owner, shocked and amazed broke into laughter, unable to hide his excitement.
Stunned guests muttered “wow” while clapping in the background.
“ Please don’t lose it again,” Hilary begged as the guest replied: “I won’t.”
Antiques Roadshow airs Sunday on BBC One at 8pm.
