Home / Arts and Entertainment / Victorian Christmas Cards Astonish Antiques Expert
Victorian Christmas Cards Astonish Antiques Expert
10 Mar
Summary
- Victorian Christmas cards from 1841 were presented to an expert.
- The expert valued the rare cards at between £1,500 and £2,000.
- A separate guest discovered a 1960s gold brooch worth at least £3,000.
On a recent Antiques Roadshow episode, a visitor presented a collection of Christmas and New Year cards believed to be the first ever produced. Expert Justin Croft examined the items, noting they appeared Victorian and potentially dated from 1841, two years earlier than the commonly accepted first cards created by Henry Cole in 1843.
The guest explained her great-grandfather, a doctor and surgeon to a printer named Charles Drummond, produced these cards. Croft was impressed by their "brilliant condition," estimating their commercial value at £1,500 to £2,000 for the eight items considered genuine Christmas cards.
Elsewhere in the show, another guest brought a small gold rabbit brooch from the 1960s. Expert Joanna Hardy identified it as 18-carat gold with a sapphire eye and diamond accents. She appraised its current value at least £3,000, suggesting it could fetch £8,000 to £10,000 if linked to a renowned jewellery house.
