An Antiques Roadshow expert declined to appraise an ‘amazing’ item due to its ‘callous’ backstory.
The BBC One show is well-known for discovering hidden treasures and unexpected valuables, but during a visit to Cardiff, expert Ronnie Archer-Morgan encountered an item that led to an enlightening experience rather than a financial gain.
You can watch the segment here:
In the episode, Archer-Morgan was approached by a woman who showed him a ring-shaped object.
He immediately made his position clear: “I want to make it absolutely clear that myself and we in The Antiques Roadshow wholly and unequivocally disapprove of the trade in ivory.”
The camera focuses on an intricately carved ivory bracelet with an inscription, resting on a purple cushion.
The guest explained she purchased the piece at a house sale for a mere $3, unaware of its historical background. However, Archer-Morgan soon delved into its troubling past.
He elaborated: “But this ivory bangle here is not about trading in ivory, it’s about trading in human life.
“It’s probably one of the most difficult things that I’ve ever had to talk about, but talk about it we must.”
Though acknowledging the bracelet’s craftsmanship as ‘amazing,’ Archer-Morgan highlighted its grim connections to the 17th and 18th-century slave trade.
Observing the bangle, it bears the inscription ‘Prince Jemmy of Grandy.’
This bracelet served as a testament to an African slave trader’s professional reputation, with phrases like ‘honest fellow’ inscribed.
Archer-Morgan criticized the original owner: “I’d like to meet him and tell him how honest I think he is.”
When it came to determining its worth, he remarked: “I just don’t want to value it. I do not want to put a price on something that signifies such an awful business. But the value is in the lessons that this can tell people. The value is in researching this and what we can find out. And I just love you for bringing it in and thank you so much for making me so sad.”
The clip was shared on Reddit, where users praised the expert’s decision not to assign a value to the bracelet.
One comment read: “Fascinating, disgusting, sad, maddening, surreal. Thank you for sharing this.”
“Very interesting artefact, it really belongs in a museum – bequeathed or donated,” another user suggested.
A third remarked: “This is how you recognize and talk about history. Taking these monuments of the past and putting them into the proper context of the era in which we come from.”
A fourth user, who frequently deals with sensitive historical topics, added: “As a historian who has to handle uncomfortable topics frequently, he handled this perfectly. I need to steal a page from him.”
Another commenter expressed admiration: “Props to this guy for clearly being so emotionally touched on so many levels and not being brought to anger or even raising his voice at her or anyone present. Just saying what needs to be said, and making a statement in the end by not wanting to value it. What composure.”