Antiques Roadshow fans are baffled and horrified as 'haunted' bird head ornament is valued at staggering price: 'Kill it with fire'
Fans of Antiques Roadshow were left gobsmacked on Sunday after a creepy-looking bird statue was valued at a six-figure price.
The ornament, playfully named Ernie by its owner and their daughter, featured a bizarre avian-like head that was detached from the rest of its body.
Ernie was so ugly the daughter admitted she was 'terrified' and had nightmares about it as a chid.
Expert Steven Moore agreed that while the ornament was 'very collectible', it also had 'a face only a mother could love'.
He also noted that the top and bottom part of the bird didn't seem to match and it could fetch up to whopping £70,000 (AU$132,765) if the missing parts were located.
The head alone was valued for £4,000 (AU$7,586).
Viewers were shocked at the outcome, with one commenting on social media: 'Who, in their right mind, would spend £70k on a bit of pottery?'
'£4K just for the head!' another added.
Many branded the sculpture as 'ugly', with one commenting: 'Haunted bird head - kill it with fire.'
One user compared it to the Angry Birds cartoon characters, while another added: 'What a horrible looking ornament Ernie is.'
The eccentric sculpture was crafted by the famous Martin brothers, who manufactured pottery in London in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
The four brothers were best known for their 'Wally Birds' designs, which were intricate ornaments that resembled bizarre birds with long beaks, huge feet, human-like heads and a quizzical look in their eyes.
They featured detachable heads and were intended to be used as storage containers for pipe tobaccos.
Martinware, as the Martin brothers' designs are known, has been popular with collectors since the 1970s and are considered very valuable.
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June 27, 2023 at 12:13PM
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Antiques Roadshow fans baffled as 'haunted' bird head ornament is valued at staggering price - Daily Mail
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