Antiques Roadshow guest who brought a 'tiny box' told a mystery note inside makes it worth a fortune
Tiny boxes lying around in the house might not look like much, but sometimes they could turn out to be artifacts that carry a lot more than just nostalgic value. Over the past few years, people have come across such rare finds in their attics and basements, which eventually reach auction houses or TV shows such as "Pawn Stars" or "Antiques Roadshow." On an episode of "Antiques Roadshow," which was aired on BBC One on November 3, 2024, Journalist Marc Allum examined a "tiny snuffbox" that was once presented to a local Scottish family by a historical figure of Russia.
Massive Fortune and Piece of History in a Tiny Box
In the picturesque Thirlestane Castle in the Scottish Borders, journalist and antiques writer Allum was joined by a mother-son duo who had brought in some old family heirlooms. The local family had ties with the British Colonial Army and the early Russian Navy as well. They shared that the items with sentimental value that they had brought, belonged to a long-lost relative who served in the Royal Navy.
Marc was visibly impressed by the historical items, which included a large portrait of a man, a miniature painting, and a gold enameled snuffbox gifted by a Russian Tsar.
One of the guests shared that the painting was of her ancestor, Alexander Fraser, who was born in Edinburgh and later became a naval officer in the Royal Navy. However, what caught the expert's attention, was a small snuffbox that featured a miniature painting and engravings on the edges.
It also came with a note that the expert believed added a lot of value to the box. Marc read the message on the note which read, "A present from his imperial majesty, Alexander I, emperor of all the Russias to Alexander Fraser, an officer in his Brittanick Majesty's service commanding a party of British seamen on board his Imperial Majesty's ships, Neva and Nedjda. Constad 1st July 1803."
Marc noted that the inscription was incredible as the two ships mentioned in the note later became the first Russian ships to circumnavigate the world. Thus, the item and the story held importance as they show British involvement in the expedition and particularly the role of "Peter the Great" in the development of the early Russian navy.
Marc straight away told the guest that the little snuffbox was an important historical object. "It's not very often that you get to handle something that a Tsar presented to somebody," Marc added. Marc then went on to say that he was only going to value the box. He cautioned the guests that the Russian market is no longer what it used to be, but despite that, the stunning snuffbox was still worth between £20,000 and £30,000 (~$26,000-$39,000). "That's quite a lot for a little box, isn't it?!" one of the guests exclaimed.
However, Marc was confident about the valuation because of the historical significance attached to the box as well as the note that it contained.
