Brazen man goes on Antiques Roadshow with a Banksy he ripped off a wall in Brighton but its told it’s worth NOTHING as the artist won’t verify it
- A man appeared on Antiques Roadshow asking for a valuation of ‘his’ Banksy
- The man, who was living in Brighton in the late 1990s said he ‘gave it a tug’
- Expert Rupert Maas said with a certificate of authenticity, it was worth £20,000
- As it had been pulled from a public wall, Banksy will not confirm it is genuine
A man who appeared on the Antiques Roadshow asked for a valuation of a Banksy artwork he had ripped off a wall in Brighton.
The man, who said he was living in Brighton in the 1990s admitted noticing the artwork on a wall. He said the work was ‘loose’ and came off in his hands.
He said he was certain it was a genuine Banksy and was asking for a valuation.
A man, left, asked Antiques Roadshow expert Rupert Maas, right, for a valuation of his Banksy, centre
The man said he ‘tugged’ the metal artwork from a wall on a Lido in Brighton, Sussex
The man said he was certain the artwork is a genuine Banksy, but said the artist will not authenticate it. Mr Maas told the man that without the certificate, the work is worthless. He said the artist is unlikely to provide a certificate in circumstances when the artwork is removed from a public place
The mysterious artist’s work can be worth up to £10 million, though to achieve any value, the artwork has to have a certificate of authenticity.
During Sunday’s edition of the show, which featured previously unseen footage from the popular show, the man asked expert Rupert Maas for a valuation.
The man said: ‘I used to live in Brighton in the late 90s, early 2000s, and I was walking along the Brighton seafront when I saw it on the Lido. It looked loose, I went over, pulled it off basically.’
Mr Maas asked the man what proof he had that the artwork was a genuine Banksy. The man replied: ‘I know what it is, I know what year it was, it was around 2004, I’m basically just trying to get a valuation of it.’
Upon hearing the history of the artwork, Mr Maas cautioned the man that Banksy is incredibly careful about his brand.’
Several social media users were critical of the man’s actions in removing the artwork
The man said he attempted to secure a certificate of authenticity but was unsuccessful. He claimed he was certain the artwork was genuine as ‘Brighton was hit quite a bit by Banksy when he was down there around that time.’
However, Mr Maas said: ‘I think the message is, if you do see a piece of graffiti art out there, leave it for the public. I’m not lecturing you, I’m just saying, but without that certificate, it’s just very difficult to sell.
‘With it, it might be worth £20,000. Without it, you’re nowhere. I’m sorry.’
On social media, people were unsympathetic to the man’s plight.
Several said he should return the artwork to the people of Brighton.
One woman wrote: ‘The brass neck on antiques roadshow gets better. The Banksy could be worth £20,000 but he can’t get it authenticated as he stole it off a public wall in Brighton.’
Another wrote: ‘Serves you right.’
A third person suggested: ‘Still laughing about the man that was on the Antiques Roadshow with a Banksy he’d liberated in Brighton to be told it was worthless because he’d done that. #karma.’