Antiques Roadshow guest makes candid confession as late friend's gift gets top value

WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Antiques Roadshow.

An Antiques Roadshow expert confessed to not being "allowed" to do something after encountering an intriguing early 20th Century artefact.

The BBC daytime show journeyed to Pitzhanger Manor in London to film another episode, with specialist Marc Allum particularly delighted to inspect what his next guest had brought along.

"I'm a massive science fiction fan and I cannot tell you how enamoured of this item I am", the expert began.

"What we have here is an original 1927 programme for the iconic German science fiction dystopian film called Metropolis.

"It's an absolute wonder. Please, tell me, where did it come from?"

The guest responded: "It comes from a surprise bequest which was left to me by a family friend when I was a child.

"I knew this old lady who was known to me as Mrs Seymour, her stage name was Ethel Erskine, and she was a Gaiety Girl. She worked hard. She was a working actress.

"When she died when I was in my late teens, I got her small archive and this was in the archive.

"I knew Metropolis was a really seminal film in cinema history but I didn't realise for quite a long time that it was a premiere programme."

Allum further explained that Metropolis was the "masterpiece" of film director Fritz Lang, with the movie "exploring new ways of making film, special effects [and] model making".

On the front of the programme, it reads: "Premier Presentation At Marble Arch Pavilion' on Monday, March 21, 1927".

Before delving into the details of a nearly century-old artefact, the expert noted it was "better to have clean hands and not wear gloves", explaining that it "makes it safer to handle".

He then delved into the programme itself: "If we open it up to the frontispiece, we see an iconic image of the city which was based on New York, that's where the imagery sort of came from."

Delving deeper, he pointed out: "And if we turn over a couple of pages, we see some other fabulous imagery, because what's really important about the film as well is, in science fiction terms, the design elements, including the Maschinenmensch, the robot in the film.

"[It] basically means 'machine human' and it is just the most wondrous piece of cinematic imagery and costume.

"So here we have this wonderful programme with elements about the production, the film and things and it's hard to explain to people what an important film this is."

After scrutinising the item, Allum gave his verdict: "You're very lucky to own this. And I'm going to talk about value. I think it's worth £2,000."

Caught off-guard by the valuation, the guest stuttered: "OK. Several pages of pieces of paper for £2,000 OK", but quickly expressed his excitement: "That's amazing. I may sell it."

In a lighter moment, Allum jested: "I may have to buy it off you", yet swiftly clarified, "I'm not allowed unfortunately!"

The show's rules prevent experts from purchasing items they appraise, so while Allum might have been tempted, the search for a buyer rests solely with the owner.

Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.