BBC Bargain Hunt guests left in tears after beloved item sells for more than '100 times its value'
Bargain Hunt star Irita Marriott left a guest visibly emotional after their item sold for more than "100 times its value". The BBC antiques guru was hosting her Discovery+ series, The Derbyshire Auction House, when she discovered a heartfelt story with guest Helen and her son Ben.
While scouring their home for hidden gems, Helen presented a set of family snaps which contained original signed shots from acclaimed photographers that dated back to 1975. They included works from Graham Smith and Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen, whose works are now displayed in the Tate Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
In a heartbreaking twist, it was unveiled that the photos were being auctioned to help fund the care of Helen's husband, Alan. Alan was suffering from dementia at the time and required full time care. However, he sadly passed away before the episode aired with the money being used towards his funeral, the Mirror reports.
The beloved snaps were once hanging in the hallway of their home, thanks to Alan's former role in promoting cinema and photography.
The photographs were sold individually, with one estimated at £80 to £120.
Their value quickly sparked a fierce bidding war, with the picture ultimately fetching an eye watering £12,000.
After discovering the huge sum which the photo had sold for, Helen was moved to tears.
Following the auction, Irita reflected on the difficult situation, noting: "It can't be easy for them. These items are things that they've lived with all their lives.
"Now that Alan's gone into care, it's probably going to be really sad to see them go."
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Helen's son Ben was also left "gobsmacked" by the outcome of the auction.
He said: "I was absolutely gobsmacked at the values people were willing to bid for what we thought were just nice pictures... that we saw on the wall every day. Absolutely brilliant."
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