Antiques Roadshow guest left in shock over life changing value of 'incredibly rare' dress as she begs 'don't tell my granddaughter!'

A guest on the Antiques Roadshow was left in shock when she discovered the life changing value of her ‘incredibly rare’ dress. 

The woman revealed she had been gifted the 18th century a la francaise, or a sack back robe, by her friend in the 1960s after the birth of her daughter. 

The garment, made from hand painted silk, had been stored in a box until now, with the lady joking ‘don’t tell my granddaughter!’ when the true value was revealed.   

Expert Hilary Kay began: 'Looking at this dress, I can sort of picture the scene one misty morning, a woman walking through the abbey meadows. It’s wonderful and is it a family heirloom?'

The guest replied: 'It was given to me by a friend in the 1960s. And she gave it to me because I just had a daughter and I think she thought she might be interested in it, to dress up in it.'

A guest on the Antiques Roadshow was left in shock when she discovered the life changing value of her ‘incredibly rare’ dress

The woman revealed she had been gifted the 18th century a la francaise, or a sack back robe, by her friend in the 1960s after the birth of her daughter.

She added: 'But she never did. It's never been touched and I've never seen it out.'

Hillary then revealed that it dated back to circa 1760-1770s: 'It is an open front and women would wear it with a petticoat underneath and wide hoops to create a wonderful silhouette.It would have been quite extraordinary.

'It's painted silk. It would have been imported from Europe to be made up into this dress in England. 

'When one looks at a dress like this, one has to appreciate that this is an extraordinary survivor.

'Painted fabrics are notoriously difficult to keep and the fact it’s been kept in a box for so long, would perhaps explain why it hasn’t just fallen to pieces which so often is the fate.

'It is an incredibly rare survivor, it’s beautiful, it’s a lovely design, and perhaps more importantly, a dress like this is of huge demand internationally by collectors and museums.

'This has a future way outside here at Tewkesbury and who knows where it will ultimately end up but this is for a major museum somewhere in the world.' 

She then left the owner and the crowd stunned when she declared that it could be worth a staggering £40,000.

The garment, made from hand painted silk, had been stored in a box until now, with the lady joking ‘don’t tell my granddaughter!’ when the true value was revealed as £40,000

As the crowd in the background gasped, the guest was left stunned by the value. She then laughed: 'Oh don’t tell my granddaughter that! Oh dear, I can’t believe that'

Kay concluded: 'What was a present from a friend, is now going to be worth something around £40,000.'

As the crowd in the background gasped, the guest was left stunned by the value. 

She then laughed: 'Oh don’t tell my granddaughter that! Oh dear, I can’t believe that.'