WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Antiques Roadshow.

An Antiques Roadshow guest beamed after discovering the true value of a table presented by an Emperor.

The daytime series travelled to Ebrington Square, Derry, where expert Lennox Cato was presented with a “sweet little table” by a guest.

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When asked about its provenance, the owner explained: “This table belonged to a Lord Macartney who was from a place called Loughguile. I think that’s how you pronounce it, in Devock in County Antrim.

“And Lord Macartney was the first British ambassador to China. So he took up his position in the late 1700s.

“He was there to try and meet the important people who he needed to meet.

“I think he got to meet the Emperor once. But the problem was the Emperor expected the sort of envoys to kowtow, I think is the expression they used.

“So they had to be very submissive to the Chinese. And this didn’t fit well with Macartney.

“He didn’t like doing this, so he sort of refused to do it.

“And after he met the Emperor, I think the Chinese felt ‘Well look, we’ve given him airtime and that’s it.’”

The guest shared that the ambassador had come back to Britain in about 1794, before adding: “So he had two years between going over and coming back.

“The Emperor gifted him two boxes. I think they were connected to the tea business. And this is what the table is made out of. The two boxes.”

“Because tea was very expensive,” Cato remarked as the guest said: “I guess it was a top present from the Emperor to see him on his way.”

Cato then elaborated: “It’s a little end-supported Regency table made about 1810, 1820.

“When I see pieces of furniture like this, a certain name comes to mind, and that’s the name of Gillows. And they were based in Lancashire. They were fine cabinet-makers, furniture makers.

“When I look at the top of this table here, these are either the back and the front of a tea box.

“They’ve encased it in metal and this brass would have been originally gilded.

“It’s very, very elegant. Regency furniture is not as fashionable as it used to be but when you get something which is small and pretty like this, then with your provenance, it makes a lot of difference.”

Taken aback, the guest admitted: “Just, it blows my mind, that this could have come from a gift from the Emperor. It absolutely blows my mind.”

The expert said: “I think that has good foundation. OK, value.”

But before Cato could share just how much the table was worth, the owner stated: “Can I just say something before you jump into valuation? I’ve a second one at home.”

The surrounding audience laughed as Cato exclaimed “Hey!” with the guest clarifying that it was an “exact pair”.

Cato then shared: “One’s worth £1,500. A pair’s going to be £5,000 plus”, with the table’s owner beaming: “Fantastic.”

The expert remarked that the table was “lovely” but wished he had “both of them standing side by side”.

To this, the guest laughed: “I know. I’ve only got a small car!”

Antiques Roadshow is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.