Fabergé or Fauxbergé? Flower from Tsarist Russia with royal links which was kept hidden in a shoebox in Liverpool could be worth £250,000

By MARK DUELL, DEPUTY CHIEF REPORTER (DIGITAL) Published: 09:57, 16 July 2026 | Updated: 10:07, 16 July 2026 A Fabergé flower from Tsarist Russia which once belonged to European royalty before being hidden in a shoebox in Liverpool could be worth more than £250,000. The delicate enamel Martagon lily which is native to eastern Europe is owned by sales associate Rachael Randles, who inherited it from her step-grandmother Mary. The piece which features in the BBC's Fake or Fortune is thought to have been left to Mary by her friend Helen, Queen Mother of Romania - a keen Fabergé collector. Presenter Fiona Bruce and historian Philip Mould attempt to authenticate the flower with the help of experts in the show which investigates mysteries behind art. The object has a deep red enamel bloom and vivid green leaves perched on top of a slender enamelled gold stem supported by a hidden steel rod to hold it upright. The flower has been placed inside what appears to be a rock crystal water-filled vase. Mary was friends with Helen thanks to a personal and professional connection the two families had through Ms Randles's grandfather Austin who worked as a solicitor. When Mary was alive, she always believed the flower was a genuine Fabergé creation and an auction house agreed, valuing it at hundreds of thousands of pounds. But when Ms Randles inherited the piece following Mary's death, the auction house downgraded it and was no longer convinced it was a real Fabergé piece. (From left) Fiona Bruce, Sophie Randles, Rachael Randles, Philip Mould and Geoffrey Munn pose for a photo with the Fabergé flower ahead of the new series of the BBC's Fake or Fortune The flower is owned by Rachael Randles, who inherited it from her step-grandmother Mary Art historian Philip Mould takes a closer look at the Fabergé flower during the programme In the programme airing on BBC One at 8pm tonight, the experts use science and historical detective work to try to determine whether Ms Randles's flower is real. Bruce tries to uncover ledgers and documents in Russian archives and speaks to specialists for details about the royal families of Yugoslavia, Denmark and Romania. Along with Ms Randles, she looks into family archives of letters and photos which confirm the friendship between Rachael's grandparents and royal families. There is a link to Queen Alexandra of Yugoslavia and even the late Queen Elizabeth II, who sent a letter of condolence to Mary following Austin's death in March 1987. Addressed to 'Mrs Austin Smith' in Southport, it read: 'I was so very sorry to hear of your husband's death. I will greatly miss his loyalty and wise counsel. I send my heartfelt sympathy to you and your family in your grievous loss. Elizabeth R.' Meanwhile, Mould speaks to Geoffrey Munn, who has handled many Fabergé flowers and famously valued one at £1million on the Antiques Roadshow in 2018. That piece was one of only three items to be valued at £1million in the show's history - the other two being an Angel of the North model and an FA Cup trophy. During Fake or Fortune, Mould also speaks to Victoria and Albert Museum jewellery historian Helen Molesworth who explains how the flowers were made. If the flower is confirmed to be genuine Fabergé flower, it could be worth upwards of £250,000. The results of the investigation will air in the show tonight. Rachael Randles (left) with Victoria and Albert Museum jewellery historian Helen Molesworth Courtauld Institute expert Aviva Burnstock examines the piece before specialist X-ray testing Bruce learns about the royal connections with Rachael Randles in Liverpool's Central Library This other Fabergé flower was famously valued at £1million on the Antiques Roadshow in 2018 In a preview clip released today, Mould says: 'It's a flower, it's a really beautiful piece of craft, possibly enamel.' Bruce adds: 'It is beautiful. Generally people think of Fabergé in terms of Fabergé eggs.' And Mould says: 'Yeah, those magnificent gifts given to each other by the Imperial royal family. But no, that's just the start of it, I mean you've got jewellery, picture frames, tableware and flowers.' The House of Fabergé is a luxury jewellery house which was founded in Saint Petersburg in 1842 and soon became a symbol of Imperial Russia's splendour. The business was led by master craftsman Peter Carl Fabergé and created a series of beautiful objects – most famously the Fabergé Easter eggs made for the Tsars. But exquisite Fabergé flowers were also highly sought after as they were exchanged as gifts among members of the Russian royal family and others across Europe. Determining their authenticity in the present day generally falls to auction houses and specialists, with many fakes having previously been sold for large amounts. Fake or Fortune? airs on BBC One tonight at 8pm