“But it’s barely held together – but this is really quite an important piece of pottery because you’ve got a picture of the king on a rare plate with rare colours.
“So let’s think, the perfect but Chinese subject one, shall we say – £10,000 to £20,000.”
An audible gasp rippled through the onlookers as the guest was left stunned.
John added: “The broken one, it’s got to be more than that, so at least £30,000.”
“Oh my god,” the plate owner exclaimed, throwing her face to her hands.
“Together as a pair, £30,000 or more,” John added. As the bewildered guest appeared emotional, she admitted: “I brought them in my handbag!”
“That’s alright, a good strong handbag,” John laughed before she tearfully responded: “Can I cry now?”
Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.