A London-based charity that works with Scots in the capital was all smiles today.
Scotscare had just learned at the BBC's Antiques Roadshow event in Glasgow that a silver cup presented to the charity in 1683 had been valued at £100,000.
Willie, chief executive officer at ScotsCare, had brought the cup up from the capital to have it evaluated at the antiques event at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.
"The cup was given to the charity by its first Master, James Kynneir," he said.
"He was a Glasgow weaver merchant who went to London and made his fortune there.
"He had a severe illness but recovered from it, and he dedicated his fortune to the charity.
"The cup was made in 1654 and he gave it to the charity in 1683, to mark his year as Master.
"It's amazing to think that the cup dates from the time of the London Plague [1665-6] and the Great Fire of London [1666]."
Willie added: "It's the only surviving relic from that time in our history."
The charity began life as the Scottish Hospital of the Foundation of Charles II, in 1665, and later became known as the Royal Scottish Corporation before finally switching its name to ScotsCare in 2003.
"We trace our history back to 1611. A blaze destroyed our London offices in 1877, but we reckon the cup must have been off-site at the time."
Willie said the antiques expert had only ever seen one cup like it before.
"He was amazed," said Willie. "He said he'd heard of our cup before but had never actually seen it.
"We knew it was valuable, but had guessed it might be valued at £20,000,-£30,000.
"As it turned out, it was valued at £100,000 and we will need to get it insured now for £150,000."
All that is known about the cup's maker are his initials, H.W.- and that he was a high-quality silversmith.
The Antiques Roadshow's silver expert Alastair Dickenson described the Loving Cup as "the find of the year".
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