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Daily Record
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
BBC Antiques Roadshow reveals surprising valuation for historic toy set thought to be worth £50
Antiques Roadshow expert Hilary Kay was left asking one guest "really?" when she revealed the true value of her grandad's toy set that she had been left to play with. A guest on Antiques Roadshow was left astounded by the unexpected valuation of her grandfather's vintage toy set. During the show's visit to Aston Hall in Birmingham, expert Hilary Kay was captivated by a vibrant toy set brought in by a guest. The toys depicted characters from a classic children's story. The expert couldn't hide her delight, exclaiming: "I feel as if I've stepped into a scene from The Wind and the Willows. "We've got all the characters there and we've got the caravan and the horse. It's absolutely charming. Where did it come from?". The guest shared an intriguing backstory, as reported by the Mirror. "The author Kenneth Grahame was a patient of my grandfather, who lived in Goring-on-Thames," she said. Hilary connected the dots, remarking: "Which works very well, of course, because Kenneth Grahame, the author of The Wind and the Willows, lived in Cookham which is just down the road from Goring." The conversation took a sentimental turn when the guest presented a cherished black and white photograph of her grandfather with her mother seated on his knee, drawing Kay's interest. Hilary described the toys in detail: "They're flat cut wooden characters, beautifully painted and articulated with steel pins so they can move. "And they are of a type which makes me think of a particular maker which is a company called Talford Toys. Talford Toys sounds like this massive enterprise. It was two sisters. Two sisters who lived in Talford Cottage in Reigate, set up Talford Toys." The guest then revealed a touching personal anecdote: "When Kenneth Grahame had this one made for my grandfather, he had one made for himself as well," she disclosed. Hilary then spotted an unlikely addition amongst the collection, Winnie the Pooh. Grinning, she enquired: "Please tell me why Pooh Bear has muscled in to The Wind and the Willows?". The guest, laughing, explained: "Well apparently, Kenneth Grahame really liked Winnie the Pooh so he just added Winnie the Pooh." Hilary playfully remarked: "And hoped that your grandfather would love him as much," to which the guest agreed. Gingerly handling the figure, Kay confessed: "I'm going to take my life in my hands and pick him up and hope I can put him down again. "Winnie the Pooh here, we can see he's articulated. He can move his head, he can move his little arms, his legs." However, the BBC antiques expert delivered some disappointing news, noting: "I've checked on all the feet which is where the name would be written and there is no name. So no proof of Talford Toys but I do know that Talford Toys made a Pooh bear set. "Of course, the characters in Pooh Bear were illustrations by Ernest Shepard, just as he was the illustrator of The Wind and the Willows. So there is a link there." The valuation continued: "There is quite a following as far as the collectibility of these toys are concerned. And the little figures can fetch £100, perhaps £200 a piece so my feeling is, including Pooh who is really enjoying his time by the river bank, I would put the estimate at perhaps £1,000 to £1,500." The guest was completely stunned by the revelation, managing only to express her surprise with a simple: "Really?" Hilary showed appreciation for the guest's contribution of historical significance, saying: "So thank you for bringing to life that wonderful time in the 1920s and 1930s on the Thames in Berkshire." The owner's face lit up with joy as she replied: "How exciting. Thank you Hilary." Later reflecting on the moment, the guest admitted: "I honestly thought it was going to be worth about £50, because I thought it was made by a local craftsman and it had been played with by my mother's family and me when I was little. So it's quite exciting."
Daily Mirror
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Antiques Roadshow guest gobsmacked by value of grandad's toys she thought was worth £50
An Antiques Roadshow expert gave an impressive price for a Wind and the Willows toy set despite no proof of its origins. An Antiques Roadshow guest was taken aback by the real value of her grandad's toy set. The BBC show visited Aston Hall in Birmingham, where Hilary Kay was enchanted by a guest's colourful toy set depicting characters from a beloved children's tale. She exclaimed: "I feel as if I've stepped into a scene from The Wind and the Willows. "We've got all the characters there and we've got the caravan and the horse. It's absolutely charming. Where did it come from?" "The author Kenneth Grahame was a patient of my grandfather, who lived in Goring-on-Thames," the guest revealed. Kay noted: "Which works very well, of course, because Kenneth Grahame, the author of The Wind and the Willows, lived in Cookham which is just down the road from Goring." The guest also presented a nostalgic black and white photo of her grandfather with her mother on his lap, which caught Kay's attention. Describing the toys, Kay said: "They're flat cut wooden characters, beautifully painted and articulated with steel pins so they can move. "And they are of a type which makes me think of a particular maker which is a company called Talford Toys. "Talford Toys sounds like this massive enterprise. It was two sisters. "Two sisters who lived in Talford Cottage in Reigate, set up Talford Toys." The guest shared a personal connection: "When Kenneth Grahame had this one made for my grandfather, he had one made for himself as well,". Kay then pointed out an unexpected character among a set: Winnie the Pooh. She quizzed with a smile: "Please tell me why Pooh Bear has muscled in to The Wind and the Willows?" The guest, chuckling, responded: "Well apparently, Kenneth Grahame really liked Winnie the Pooh so he just added Winnie the Pooh." With a playful tone, Kay continued: "And hoped that your grandfather would love him as much," which the guest confirmed. Handling the figure carefully, Kay admitted: "I'm going to take my life in my hands and pick him up and hope I can put him down again. "Winnie the Pooh here, we can see he's articulated. He can move his head, he can move his little arms, his legs." Kay didn't have the best news, however, as she revealed: "I've checked on all the feet which is where the name would be written and there is no name. So no proof of Talford Toys but I do know that Talford Toys made a Pooh bear set." "Of course, the characters in Pooh Bear were illustrations by Ernest Shepard, just as he was the illustrator of The Wind and the Willows. So there is a link there." Then came the valuation itself: "There is quite a following as far as the collectibility of these toys are concerned. "And the little figures can fetch £100, perhaps £200 a piece so my feeling is, including Pooh who is really enjoying his time by the river bank, I would put the estimate at perhaps £1,000 to £1,500." The revelation floored the guest, who could barely utter anything beyond her astounded question: "Really?" Kay expressed gratitude to the guest for sharing a slice of history: "So thank you for bringing to life that wonderful time in the 1920s and 1930s on the Thames in Berkshire." The delighted owner responded with a beaming smile: "How exciting. Thank you Hilary." Reflecting on the experience later, the guest confessed: "I honestly thought it was going to be worth about £50, because I thought it was made by a local craftsman and it had been played with by my mother's family and me when I was little. So it's quite exciting." Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Scotsman
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Edinburgh restaurant begins new dining chapter inspired by famous author
The team behind one of Edinburgh's most popular city centre restaurants has announced plans to start a new dining chapter at its Castle Street venue in June. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Badger & Co takes its name from one of the main characters in the classic children's book, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, who was born at 32 Castle Street in 1859. The Wind in the Willows tells the riverbank story of Mr Badger and his friends, Mole, Ratty and Mr Toad. Famous amongst generations around the world, the novel has been translated into over 30 languages, including Chinese, Japanese, French, Spanish, German and Portuguese, giving it a wide international appeal. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Inspired by Mr Badger and The Wind in the Willows story, Badger & Co is now getting set to turn a new page and take its culinary adventures beyond the 'Wild Wood' with a creative dining experience that celebrates the best local and seasonal produce, including ingredients foraged from local hedgerows. Badger & Co's new chapter will commence in June New head chef, Scott Campbell, will lead a kitchen team of eight to create bold, seasonal menus. Mixologist Jay Brady will also be shaking up a new creative cocktail menu inspired by The Wind in the Willows theme. Open seven days a week, the classic Georgian townhouse venue will provide indoor and outdoor seating for around 45 diners, as well as space for four-legged friends in the lounge. Private dining experiences for up to 12 guests and special events will also be available. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sian Thomas, General Manager at Badger & Co, said: 'As the birthplace of The Wind in the Willows author, we're really proud to be the custodians of this beautiful city centre venue. Badger & Co has continued to pay homage to one of the book's leading characters since opening the doors to local diners and visitors in 2016. 'We're now getting set to start a new dining chapter on Castle Street from June with a new head chef and exciting new menu. Diners can expect the best local, seasonal and foraged produce.' Badger & Co supports 20 local hospitality jobs. Badger & Co is located at 32 Castle Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3HT. For more information on Badger & Co, go to and follow on and Facebook
