AN auctioneer expert has found a £2,000 antique made for the Titanic hidden in a home – can you spot it in the picture?
Charles Hanson – who stars on Bargain Hunt and Flog It! – came across the historical artefact while visiting a property in Burton-On-Trent, Staffordshire.
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Normally found in museums, the small item was discovered on a kitchen countertop.
Upon closer inspection, Charles soon realised the stamping showed it was used by first-class passengers onboard the White Star Line over 100 years ago.
Sharing the find to Twitter he said: “Okay fine people, can you spot the £2,000 treasure on this kitchen sideboard/windowsill in a local house call we recently advised a client on yesterday?”
After being flooded with comments from his followers trying to guess the priceless item, he revealed the special piece was a tea cup.
He added: “The cup! In cobalt blue and gilt, was made by ‘liner china’ firm Spode for Stonier & Co in Liverpool.
“Its pattern number R4332 was made for first-class passengers who set sail on the ill-fated liner Titanic.
“Pieces of the distinctive R4332 have been recovered from the wreck.”
However, the boss of Hansons Auctioneers told DerbyshireLive it wasn’t used on the ship.
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He added: “Similar wreck cargo has been found onboard the Titanic, but the rest is in the Atlantic.
“If we could prove it was onboard, it would be worth nearer £100,000.
“But we can’t prove that, and the client has been through his family tree to make doubly sure they weren’t onboard – he can’t find any evidence.”
The Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912, after hitting an iceberg.
Nearly 2,000 people died in the tragedy.
Parts of the shipwreck are still at the bottom of the ocean today along with silverware, paintings and furniture.
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