An Antiques Roadshow guest was left amazed by the six-figure valuation of a rare object found in her home.

Fiona Bruce and the BBC show’s team went to Firsite contemporary art gallery in Colchester for the episode which was shown over the weekend. 

During the episode, expert Ronnie Archer-Morgan was seen assessing the value of an unusual ironwood pole club.

The visitor explained her in-laws discovered the item initially, after buying a new home and discovering it had been left behind by the previous owners. 

She elaborated: ‘In the 1960s, my husband’s parents bought a house in West Wales with all its contents and this was in its contents.’

Through internet research, her family guessed that the pole club may originate from Fiji. 

As Antiques Roadshow visited Firstsite in Colchester, a guest was left surprised by the value of their unusual item

Expert Ronnie Archer-Morgan assessed the value of the ironwood pole club, as well as giving background on its history

Ronnie revealed it was actually from the Cook Islands, adding: ‘This is a magnificent ironwood pole club and the Cook Islands people call it an akatara. 

‘They were made either on the island of Rarotonga or Atiu.’

He recounted the story of Captain Cook, who travelled to Polynesia and how, on his third visit, his surgeon spotted one of these pole clubs.

Ronnie continued: ‘Originally, this would have been a fighting weapon, but by the time there was contact from the West, this had become a ceremonial weapon imbued with manna. 

‘And manna is like the spiritual power of the warrior chief who would have owned this. I feel as though I’ve got the power holding this. It’s such an impressive object.’

Furthermore, he could deduce the item’s age – 18th century – by identify that it is stone cut.

He added: ‘The 1770s when Cook arrived. If this could be attributed to anything to do with James Cook, wow. Things like this have a value. 

‘It’s a shame about the damage. There’s a little bit of the tip missing, but it doesn’t detract from its energy and power. 

Ronnie was noticeably impressed with the object and revealed it would fetch an impressive amount

Elsewhere, another guest had been left amazed after discovering the value of their rare snuffbox

‘If I wanted to put it into a sale – and this would go into a top sale in Paris – they would put a very comfortable pre sale estimate between £100,000 and £150,000.’

The guest was surprised to hear this, as she said: ‘Crikey. That’s amazing, really amazing.’

Speaking to the camera later on, the guest shared: ‘I just can’t believe how did something like that end up in an old house in the middle of Wales? 

‘How did it get there? I’d love to be able to step back in time and follows its journey because it’s just incredible.’

Elsewhere, another guest was left stunned after learning the value of their rare snuffbox. 

The BBC show’s spin-off, Unseen Treasures, featured a previously unaired clip from the team’s time at the Hill of Tarvit Mansion in Fife, Scotland.

Expert Gordon Foster met a guest who brought along a gold and quartz snuffbox dating back to 1815.

He told the visitor: ‘Well, I’ve seen many snuffboxes on the Antiques Roadshow over the years but I have to say, the snuffbox that you’ve brought in is one of the best I have ever seen.

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‘It’s 18 carat gold, it’s Scottish, and it’s got this fabulous faceted citrine on top. Tell us how it’s come into your family.’

She explained how the box came from her husband’s side of the family – detailing how the couple inherited it from his grandmother.

During his inspection, Gordon discovered an inscription as well as the date marked as 1815. He remarked: ‘It’s a splendid inscription, isn’t it?

‘That’s a specialist engraver who’s done that part of the box, but there’s many other specialists who’ve been involved in the making of it.

‘The border is cast in 18 carat gold. The sides are incurved, and we have a special flush hinge on the back, so it’s a specialist hinge maker who’s done that. The stone itself will have been done by an Edinburgh lapidary specialist, who’ve cut the stones.

‘The colour of that stone, sometimes you’ll see that catalogued as smoky quartz. It’s got that golden, almost honey, whisky colour, to a deep, deep colour.

‘It’s a fantastic stone in its own right’, noting that it was made in Edinburgh.

Gordon added: ‘That must have been one real special friend, to have given a box like that’ and the guest clarified: ‘Yes, we don’t know why or what the relationship was between his friend.’

After a further examination, Gordon informed the guest: ‘If that turned up on the market, you would be looking at an estimate of £10,000 to £15,000.’

Antiques Roadshow airs on BBC One and iPlayer.