Antiques Roadshow expert Mark Hill delivered a cautionary message to a hopeful guest who arrived with remarkable memorabilia, highlighting missing proof that could potentially dip the value.
The beloved BBC One show’s specialist was met by veteran Mike, who had the extraordinary experience of booking The Rolling Stones in the years before they gained international stardom. During those initial days of the 1960s, their music contrasted with anything that had been heard before and they were yet to conquer the charts.
In this vintage episode, Mike had been set on a mission to generate funds for a local social club in 1963a year ahead of The Stones hitting big fame by arranging an entertainment gig. He was told by their agent at the time that it would cost £95 to book them.
Taking a risky shot that paid off, Mike splurged almost £100 to get what would later become one of the world’s monumental bands to grace his stage. Despite being somewhat under the radar, the event turned out profitable.
(Image: BBC)
Mike showed the expert a collection featuring photos he claimed to have taken himself, a poster, a ticket stub, and a couple of scrapbooks pertaining to the concert arrangements. He additionally admitted that the club made a “nice little profit” from ticket resales, shifting 2,000 at five shillings each, reports the Mirror.
Expert Mark was buzzing on Antiques Roadshow as he reckoned the whole collection could rake in a tidy sum, but there was one bit missing that could really up the ante. “What I’m most interested in, is the photos. Did you take them with your own camera? ” he grilled the owner.
The chap confirmed with a nod, saying: “I took them with my own camera yes. I think it was called a Sportsman camera. I was stood at the side of the stage and I thought I’d take a chance and take some photographs.”
(Image: BBC)
Mark was on the edge of his seat: “Where are the negatives do we know? Do you still have them?” He responded: “The negatives are in a draw, with thousands of other negatives of railways.”
Eager to seal the deal, Mark urged: “I want you to shake my hand and promise me that the first thing you do when you get home, even before making a cup of tea or a gin and tonic or whatever your tipple is, is to find those negatives.”
After a firm handshake, the photo buff vowed: “I’ll look for those negatives for you.” Mark then dished the dirt on why those negatives were pure gold: “I presume we have unpublished and candid shots of one of the earliest concerts that The Rolling Stones performed.
“So for all of these pieces and for me the most exciting and the most valuable parts of it are these candid photographs here, taken by you, never seen before and complete with copy-write with you.”
The antique dealer emphasised the importance of the negatives for resale value, saying: “You have the negatives and that’s what we’ve got to find. Then you can re-sell those with the copy-write and they can be reproduced or whatever it may be, so with the whole lot, negatives included, £2000.”
Mike responded gratefully with: “Thank you very much indeed,” but kept schtum on whether he’d actually flog the items.
Antiques Roadshow airs on BBC One and is available for streaming on BBC iPlayer
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
