Treasures of all shapes, sizes and vintages were taken along to a one-off valuation day in Aberdeenshire today.
Bonhams held the event at Haddo House, near Tarves, and invited anyone to come along to have their possessions examined by the experts.
But the piece that caught their eye was a small ornate Jacobite snuff box, which they estimated to be worth over £2,000.
The small box, which dates back to 1750, was brought in to be valued after being passed down through the owner’s family for generations.
Featuring a tiny portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie inside the lid, the copper gilt box also has a hidden detail.
On the front is a country scene, but within it is a small image of King Charles II hiding in an oak tree while escaping from the Battle of Worchester in 1651.
The intricate scene is embedded in a piece of the oak tree that the king was hiding in, which was used to make several snuff boxes.
The tree is known as the Royal Oak or Boscobel Oak due to its location near Boscobel House.
Director of Valuations at Bonhams, Gordon McFarlan, who hosted the event at Haddo House, said it was the “only instance of a piece commemoration of both Bonnie Prince Charlie and Charles II”.
He said: “The thing that makes this snuff box particularly rare is the piece of oak in the lid. On the panel is a tiny enamel scene, and at first, it appears to be just two horsemen standing below a tree.
Similar box previously sold for £9,000
“But if you look closely at the tree, you can see a little face there. That is a depiction of Charles II hiding in an oak tree after the Battle of Worcester.
“Unless you know what you are looking for, this detail makes no sense, and the king’s face is no bigger than a lentil.”
Snuff boxes made with a panel of Royal Oak tend to be very collectable, with Bonhams having sold a similar box in 2012 for £9,000.
It was the most valuable find on the day, with Mr McFarlan estimating the box to worth £2,000 to £3,000.
Mr McFarlan expects the box will fetch more than the estimate due to its rarity.
When told of the valuation, Mr McFarlan said the owner was “pleasantly surprised”, having had no idea the significance of the piece or what it was made from.
Around 50 people came to get their prized possessions valued by Bonhams experts.
Items included an 18th-century Chinese washbowl worth £300-£400 and an 18-carat men’s gold pocket watch worth over £1,000.
The snuff box will be the only item going on sale at the annual Bonhams’ Scottish Sale in October 2022.
