Antiques Roadshow expert issues stark warning to guest over costly missing detail from Rolling Stones photo

Antiques Roadshow star Mark Hill issued a warning to one hopeful who turned up with some striking items, explaining that he had concerns over a missing detail that could be costly if not produced.

On the BBC One fan-favourite, the valuation guru was greeted by veteran Mike, who once had the pleasure of hiring The Rolling Stones before they'd found global stardom. At the time, they'd not yet topped the charts and their music was like nothing anyone had heard in the early 1960s.

During the classic episode, Mike had been tasked with raising money for a local social club and wanted to put on a performance to raise funds in 1963 - the year before the legendary band rocketed to fame. At the time of the event, he'd been informed there would be a £95 fee for their attendance, by their agent.

Expert Mark

Taking a punt on what we now know to be one of the greatest bands of all time, Mike put his money where his mouth was and fronted nearly £100 to have them on his stage. Despite the group being relatively undiscovered, the event proved to be lucrative.

The collection presented to the expert included some photos from the event that Mike claimed to have taken himself, a poster, a ticket, and a couple of scrapbooks regarding the organisation of the gig. Mike also confessed the club ended up making a "nice little profit" on the resale of tickets, selling 2,000 at five shillings each.

Having reviewed the information presented on the day, expert Mark believed the entire round-up could fetch a pretty penny. This provided that Mike could stump up one key element that was currently missing from the collection.

Antiques Roadshow guest

"What I'm most interested in, is the photos. Did you take them with your own camera?" quizzed the expert. In response the owner nodded, telling him: "I took them with my own camera yes.

"I think it was called a Sportsman camera. I was stood at the side of the stage and I thought I'd take a chance and take some photographs." Mark prompted: "Where are the negatives do we know? Do you still have them?"

"The negatives are in a draw, with thousands of other negatives of railways," explained Mike. Wanting to strike up a deal, the expert said: "I want you to shake my hand and promise me that the first thing you do when you get home, even before making a cup of tea or a gin and tonic or whatever your tipple is, is to find those negatives."

The Rolling Stones poster

Shaking hands, the photo owner promised: "I'll look for those negatives for you." Mark went on to explain the significance of holding the negatives: "I presume we have unpublished and candid shots of one of the earliest concerts that The Rolling Stones performed.

"So for all of these pieces and for me the most exciting and the most valuable parts of it are these candid photographs here, taken by you, never seen before and complete with copy-write with you."

Alerting the event organiser that the key to re-sale of the goods along with the negatives, the antique dealer reiterated: "You have the negatives and that's what we've got to find.

"Then you can re-sell those with the copy-write and they can be reproduced or whatever it may be, so with the whole lot, negatives included, £2000." Mike told him: "Thank you very much indeed," but didn't give away whether he'd be prepared to sell or not.

Antiques Roadshow airs on BBC One and is available for streaming on BBC iPlayer.