Antiques Road Trip experts were left in a complete state of shock after an innocuous looking statue made show history by selling for thousands. Photo / BBC
Antiques Road Trip experts were left in a complete state of shock after an innocuous looking statue made show history by selling for thousands. Photo / BBC
Antiques Road Tripexperts were left completely gobsmacked after a run-of-the-mill-looking statue made history on the BBC show as it sold for thousands - despite being bought for only £8 ($17).
The BBC television series, which first hit screens in 2010, sees antiques experts who are given a budget compete against one another by buying collectables which they later sell for a profit at auction.
Twelve years ago in 2012 the series made history, leaving watchers and experts shocked as Charlie Ross’ partially-broken Staffordshire elephant statue sold for way more than the bargain $17 he paid for it.
In the episode, Charlie and James Braxton were provided with a small budget of £200 ($416) to purchase antiques, reports Daily Mail.
They bought the damaged clock, which later gained a lot of traction online at their debut auction in Buckie, Scotland.
A voiceover revealed: “With one lot each still to go, Charlie is only £7 ($14.5) ahead, next up it’s his Staffordshire elephant and the auctioneer thinks it could go for a couple of hundred!”
As the audience began to bid, it was not long until the £8 ($17) bargain soared into the hundreds, with bidders making offers online and over the phone.
As the bids continued to climb, Charlie and James looked stunned as they exclaimed: “Sorry, are you hearing this? This is ridiculous!”
The voiceover confessed that the rapidly growing price was “unheard of on Road Trip”, as the auctioneer read out the latest bid of £2100 ($4365.5).
The antique eventually sold for the vast amount of £2700 ($5613), with experts Charlie and James revealing they thought it would only sell for a “few hundred quid”.
It wasn’t just the presenters who were left shocked. Even the voiceover announced: “Never in the history of the Road Trip have we ever had a sale like that, what an amazing result Charlie!”
Charlie Ross' damaged Staffordshire elephant statue sold for vastly more than the bargain he paid for it. Photo / BBC
Fans of the show were quick to reflect on the “exciting” TV moment on X, formerly known as Twitter.
One shared: “Great duo on Antiques Road Trip. Charlie and James are fun to watch. Loved the elephant bought for £8 ($17), sold for £2700 ($5613) at auction - amazing!”
A second person wrote: “The guy from Antiques Road Trip just bought a ceramic elephant for £8 ($17) and sold it for £2700 ($5613). So inspirational. Great metaphor for life.”
A third said: “Charlie on Antiques Road Trip bought a Stafordshire Elephant for £8 ($17) and it sold for £2700 ($5613). I was almost crying with excitement just then!”
Another shared: “OMG! Antiques Road Trip, chipped china figurine of elephant bought for 8 quid sold for £2700 ($5613).”
It comes after the Antiques Road Trip presenters were left stunned in 2023 when an antique sold for 11 times more than the price it was bought for.
Show hosts Irita Marriott and Mark Hill were visibly thrilled as the £20 ($42) vintage London Bus sign drew in an “amazing” profit.
