WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Antiques Roadshow.
An Antiques Roadshow guest nearly gave away a valuable heirloom to a charity shop, having saved it from her late aunt's trunk.
In an episode filmed at RAF Marham, expert Judith Miller encountered a woman curious about an item she found but knew little about.
The woman shared her story: "I discovered it after I nursed an aunt who sadly died.
"She had a trunk in her bedroom full of fascinating things and I came across this and I haven't got a clue what it was for.
"She never told me before either what it was for but just investigating it, I think it has something to do with sewing?
"It has places for needles there and a little threading [bit] where thread can go in but I can't remove that so I'm not quite sure."
Judith clarified the mystery object's purpose, saying: "Well yes it is, it's a lovely sewing clamp. So you put this on the side of your table, it had everything you needed to do sewing.
"This would have come off, I don't want to force it, and of course your thread would come out there as well as being around here.
"And this is a little tape measure that's in here and it's beautifully decorated."
She added insight into its origins: "Now when we think of Tunbridge ware, we think of something with lots of little pieces of wood in it.
"But actually this is early Tunbridge ware, so this was made not far from where it was intended to go which was a present from Brighton.
"So it was made in Tunbridge Wells and this was made in the Regency period so 1810, 1815 and of course where was the height of Regency society was in Brighton."
Continuing, she highlighted the item's allure: "And so something like this would have been a lovely gift. It would have been an expensive gift in that period. Beautifully made, rare.
"I've never seen one before," the guest admitted, prompting Judith to proceed with her valuation.
Judith replied: : "I've seen a few but not that many and this is beautifully decorated. This is what people who collect Tunbridge ware really look for.
"And so Regency, rare, made for Brighton in Tunbridge, and worth? Easily £1,000."
Surprised, the guest could barely hide her astonishment, saying: "Goodness me. I'm glad that wasn't put in the charity shop, because it nearly did."
The close call sparked laughter between Judith and the guest as they considered how narrowly the precious commodity nearly slipped away.
Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
