A guest on BBC's Antiques Roadshow was left stunned and visibly put out after one of the show's experts gave her piece of furniture a scathing evaluation. Appraiser Christopher Payne was on hand to review a small walnut-wood writing bureau that had been in a lady's family for generations, but it soon became clear that not all was as it seemed.

Explaining a bit about the history of the item, the guest revealed that it had allegedly been given to her granddad's grandmother as a wedding present, making it potentially 300 years old. Christopher wasn't convinced by the supposed condition of the piece initially, noting that the feet on the desk had been changed several times. However, he did comment that he liked its small size and that many other furniture hunters did too, giving it a good chance to be sold if they wanted to. Remarking that he thought it most likely dated back to the time of "Queen Anne, George I, 1700 to 1720," he asked for the history surrounding it.

The woman told: "The story is that it came into the family with my grandfather's grandmother, who was a housekeeper at a big house in Staffordshire, and when she married the gardener, she was supposed to have been given this as a wedding present." She went on: "Now, my grandfather was born in 1854, and it was his grandmother, so that would take it back to 1820?"

Giving the item a more in-depth appraisal, Christopher commented on many of its common characteristics. However, when he removed one of its drawers, he found an issue. "When you look at the fineness of the dovetails, it's not brilliant. It's not as well done as I'd like it to be." He then added, "And I'm suspicious about this staining on the edge here. The stain is the same along the top as on the side. I have a suspicion that someone has done that to give that look of age and wear."

Showing the owner the inside of the drawer, he remarked, "Does that look like 300 years of wear and tear?" Giving his damning review, he told her: "When I look at this I think is something made at the very earliest, turn of this century." Gobsmacked, the owner replied, "This century?" Dropping a bombshell, he finished: "I think it's... I'm going to have to use a word I don't think I've ever used on the Roadshow, I think it's a fake."

Despite the revelation, Christopher explained that the piece was still worth around £3,000. Torn between disappointment and relief, the owner explained that they'd always wanted to know the real history of it. The episode was first aired in 1998.