The most expensive ever Antiques Roadshow find has been revealed as a Faberge flower gifted to an army regiment - and valued at £1m.
It was taken in for valuation on Wednesday June 21 when the BBC was filming at the Black Country Living Museum at Dudley near Birmingham.
Simon Shaw, the show’s executive producer, described it as "one of the most significant jewellery finds in 40 years" of the programme’s history with suggestions it may be worth over £1 million.
But after reports of the find the piece was recognised by Tatiana Fabergé the Swiss based great-granddaughter of Peter Carl Faberge who knew it was a botanical study created by Fabergé in Imperial Russia during the early 20th century.
She did a little research and found its history. She said: "Look in the book Fabergé Flowers on page 61 there is the exact same flower which is in the Queen’s Own Warwickshire and Worcestershire Yeomanry Charitable Trust."
A spokesman for Faberge added: "Only about 80 of Fabergé’s botanical studies are known to have survived.
"They are among the most beautiful objects produced by the company.
"We can reveal more about the piece taken to the Antiques Roadshow.
"It is 13.3 cm in height. In the form of pear blossom in a vase, its chased and engraved gold stem is placed in in a rock crystal vase carved so it appears to be half full of water.
"The six flowers of blossom are also gold which have been enamelled white with shades of pale pink. Their stamens are oxidised silver with a diamond at the centre.
"The leaves are carved nephrite. Georgina, Countess of Dudley presented the study to The Queen’s Own Worcestershire Hussars, QOWH, in the early 1900s as a regimental trophy.
"Three pears feature on the county’s Arms, hence the choice of pear blossom.
"Indeed the Countess, whose late husband had been the regiment’s commanding officer, gave a sprig of pear blossom worked in silk to every soldier in the squadron of volunteers from the QOWH which sailed on 7th February 1900 to South Africa to form part of the Imperial Yeomanry.
"The idea was that they should wear it in the hats. The Countess was a great friend of Queen Alexandra, and like the Queen, was also a customer of Fabergé.
"Over the years there have been changes in the structure of the British army with regiments amalgamating. Two soldiers in dress uniform took the study to the Antique Roadshow.
"The name of the regiment that currently owns this treasure will be revealed when the programme is screened."
The show is due to be screened this autumn.
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