Antiques Roadshow expert Lawrence Hendra admitted he was nervous after being presented with a painting by English artist Laurence Stephen Lowry during Sunday night’s episode. 

The art historian joined host Fiona Bruce at the historic Stonor Park in Oxfordshire, where treasures included tribal spears from the South Pacific and ancient carvings from the Indian subcontinent. 

The Lowry portrait was brought in by a gentleman who first purchased it for £1,300. The painting, titled Figure Standing One, came from the Lefevre Gallery, which represented Lowry and sold many of his paintings. 

“Whenever I see a painting purported to be by Laurence Stephen Lowry on the Antiques Roadshow, I should get very excited but to tell you the truth, I get a bit nervous because not only was Lowry one of the most distinctive and popular and valuable artists of the British 21st century, he was also the most faked,” explained Lawrence. 

The guest revealed that he bought the painting with the “surplus money” he was left with after bagging a vintage bicycle. 

Explaining what drew him to the piece, he said: “I was a teddy boy and it looks like a teddy boy,” adding that when he brought the artwork home, his son joked “a fool and his money are soon parted”.

Speaking about the significance of Lowry’s work, Lawrence said: “He was an artist of the people, he was painting the scenes he saw around him. Totally unpretentious and I think that’s why a lot of people were drawn to his work.”

The expert continued: “He painted the mood of the nation, I think. Provenance with Lowry is crucial. Now thankfully, on the reverse of your picture you have a label from The Lefevre Gallery which represented Lowry as you know and sold many of his works and you also have this letter.

“This letter was sent to you from the director of the gallery in 1998 and he says ‘further to your letter of the 29th July the painting by Lowry was sold by us in 1965 for £175’ and it’s got all of the labels and stock codes on the reverse.”

Lawrence went on to reveal that at auction, he would expect to see the painting sell for between £60,000 and £80,000. 

Pleased with Lawrence’s valuation, the guest responded: “I like the sound of that.”

Viewers were amazed by the item’s huge valuation, with one person writing on social media: “Lowry painting on antiques roadshow… 60-80k!!!!”