They kept the chair in their attic until they could afford to have it upholstered. After six years, Angus took the chair down and removed the layers of its upholstery to get it newly re-upholstered. To his surprise, he discovered gems hidden inside.
Angus had the chair refurbished without telling Angela of its unexpected contents. He then surprised Angela with a diamond ring on their wedding anniversary, admitting that he had found it hidden inside the chair.
The following Valentine’s Day, Angus gave his wife a pair of diamond earrings and some time later, a diamond brooch.
The couple took the jewelry to an Antiques Roadshow to get an appraisal. They were told that the flower brooch was from 1890, the earrings were from 1900 and the ring was from 1900. Altogether, they were worth around £5,000.
Angela and Angus decided to keep the chair and jewelery rather than sell it.
