Antiques Roadshow professional fizzes with pleasure as ‘pulse-racing’ Picasso paintings makes present historical past – and fetches eye-watering valuation

An Antiques Roadshow expert was left fizzing with excitement after a Pablo Picasso item made history on the show.

Sunday’s episode saw ceramic expert Will Farmer left shocked at the ‘pulse-racing’ value of a piece of artwork made by no one other than iconic Spanish artist Picasso – a first for the programme.

Taking place at the Hill of Tarvit Mansion and Gardens in Fife, Scotland, locals arrived to have their pieces appraised by experts.

Will was presenter with an unusual jug, to which he said: ‘Well, there are certain names within the firmament of art and design that will raise anyone’s pulse, and one of those has to be Pablo Picasso. And before us, we have a jug by Pablo Picasso.’

The guest then revealed that the jug belonged to her parents and she found it when she was clearing her house after her father’s death.

She continued: ‘And actually, funnily enough, this had been a jug that I was scarcely aware of as being in their house. 

An Antiques Roadshow expert was left fizzing with excitement after a Pablo Picasso item made history on the show

Sunday’s episode saw ceramic expert Will Farmer left shocked at the ‘pulse-racing’ value of a piece of artwork made by no one other than iconic Spanish artist Picasso

‘My mother was a keen art collector, but it didn’t have pride of place in the house at all.’

Will then added: ‘Where we have to head for is a place called Vallauris. And within that area, there were potters and workers, but of particular note, there was a firm called Madoura that was run by Georges and Suzanne Ramie.

‘Let’s take ourselves back to 1946, when Picasso went to visit Madoura Pottery. And while he was there, Georges and Suzanne Ramie allowed him to make three pieces. 

‘And he was so transfixed by this medium that a formation of a new adventure began.’

The expert revealed that from 1947 to 1971, the artist created over 630 different designs.

Will continued: ‘Now, amongst them, there are the unique pieces, but then he would also create editions.’

‘And all of these editions have different ranges in numbers. The very small have a very short edition of only 50 pieces. Some go up to 500.’

‘This jug itself is called Chope Visage and was created in 1959 to an edition of 300. It’s wonderful.’

The expert concluded: ‘The fact that in just a few simple strokes, you can turn a very ordinary picture, a very ordinary jug, into something that has been touched and kissed by Picasso.’

Last week, an expert admitted they were ‘touched’ and had to fight back their emotions as two guests took to the BBC One programme to fulfil their late father’s dying wish.

The recent episode of the series, which sees everyday people bring items from the past for valuation from a series of experts, saw Raj Bisram take a closer look at some very special diving gear.

An Antiques Roadshow expert admitted they were ‘touched’ and had to fight back their emotions as two guests took to the BBC One programme to fulfil their late father’s dying wish

Raj, who was joined by the guests at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea, was left hanging on the two sisters’ every word as they revealed the backstory

Raj, who was joined by the guests at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea, was left hanging on the two sisters’ every word as they revealed the backstory.

One of the guests opened up: ‘Unfortunately, we lost our dad about a year and a half ago. It was his wish to have all of his memorabilia on Antiques Roadshow.’

Looking tearful, her sister continued: ‘Dad was originally from Swansea. He started diving when he was about 11 years old, and got into commercial diving in the 70s.

‘He had over a 20-year career diving. He worked in the North Sea, Middle East and off Nigeria. So, he worked on the Piper Alpha, worked on the Claymore, worked on the Pharos, and many other places in the Middle East and Nigeria.’

Impressed, Raj replied: ‘Some famous places that people will know of!’

Antiques Roadshow airs Sundays on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer.