Antiques expert Charlie Ross was left stunned by the unexpectedly high valuation of an 18th century item he discovered in a catalogue. The Bargain Hunt star found a "magnificent" wooden desk priced at £500, and instantly knew it was special.

Charlie, 74, said the desk was a piece of Anglo-Indian furniture with drawers and cupboards large enough for two people.

He described in his autobiography, Sold!: "It was made from the finest jet-black ebony, probably sourced from the Coromandel Coast of southeast India, intricately carved and very heavy.

"This desk was something special. Even I, no expert on either ebony or Anglo-Indian furniture, could tell that." The item was taken to auction, with the bidding starting at a "paltry" £300.

The auction room was filled with dealers and members of the public and the bidding quickly rose to £1,000, then £1,200 and then £2,000.

Charlie brought his gavel down at a whopping £5,400 - more than five time the desk's expected value - leaving even the esteemed antiques expert "astounded".

The BBC personality is notorious for smashing auctioneering records, particularly in the vintage car auction scene.

His crowning moment arrived when he oversaw the sale of the 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa Prototype, which snagged over $16 million in 2011, cementing a US record for a car sold under the hammer.

He is best known for his appearances on the BBC's Bargain Hunt, Antiques Road Trip and Flog It!

In conversation with Express.co.uk about his future on Bargain Hunt and thoughts of retiring, Ross remarked: "I think as long as I enjoy it I will carry on doing it, and as long as I am wanted to do it. As long as no one says 'Who is that boring bugger? We don't want him anymore'."

, Ross's entry into the antiques world was a happy accident, sparked by a visit to a Buckingham auction room. With no family connections to the industry, he developed a passion for auctioneering that has endured.

Recalling his time on Bargain Hunt, Charlie said with characteristic enthusiasm: "I'm always full of energy so I have no plans to retire. Onwards and upwards.

"I'm extremely lucky and privileged to be on the show."

Outside work, Charlie prioritizes family life with his wife Sally and their children, Charlotte Macdonald and Olly Ross. He also cherishes his role as a grandfather to four: Finn and Max Macdonald, and Ana and Zac Ross.

Since 1981, Charlie has lived near Bicester, just outside Oxford.