A CHARITY that works with Scots in London was overjoyed to learn of the value of a silver cup it has had for 331 years.

The Loving Cup was valued at £100,000 by an expert at the BBC Antiques Roadshow at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.

On a busy day for the experts, an original Glasgow Boy painting by George Henry was also brought in, to the delight of the show's presenter, Fiona Bruce.

Another highlight was a watercolour by one of the Glasgow Girls, Norah Neilson Gray.

Willie Docherty, chief executive officer of Scotscare, had brought the charity's silver cup up from London for the day.

The Antiques Roadshow's silver expert Alastair Dickenson described it as "the find of the year", saying: "I've been in the business 43 years and I don't recall a cup like that ever coming up for sale anywhere in all that time."

Mr Docherty said: "The cup was given to the charity by its first Master, James Kynneir. 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])."

"It's the only surviving relic from that time in our history."

The charity was formally established 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.

It provides grants and training, as well as housing, for Scots living in London. It also offers help to tackle substance abuse, mental health problems and debt issues for those in need.

Mr Docherty said: "We can trace our history to 1611. A fire destroyed our London offices in 1877, but we reckon the cup must have been off-site at the time."

He said the silver expert had only ever seen one cup like it before.

"He was amazed. He said he had heard of our cup but had never seen it. We knew it was valuable, but had guessed it might be valued at £20,000 to £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, HW, and that he was a high-quality silversmith.

The Roadshow attracted several thousand people before the doors were shut at 4.30pm.

People arrived with heirlooms in all sorts of containers, including a large number of distinctive blue Ikea carrier bags.

One visitor had come from Texas, combining a trip to the show with a holiday in Scotland.

The Main Hall was a scene of bustling activity, with visitors waiting in patient queues to consult the relevant expert. Television crews alighted on certain consultations to film them.

Ann McGoff, of Craigend, Glasgow, was interviewed on camera by Lee Young, a specialist in 'miscellaneous' antiques.

She said later: "I came here today to try to find out more about this little fellow."

She was holding a beautiful little Japanese tobacco-pouch, hand-carved from wood. "It's dated from about 1868 to 1912. My father used to keep his collar-studs and cufflinks in it."

Mr Young gave Miss McGoff a valuation of between £400 to £600, "though it could be more," she added. She has no plans to sell it.

Claudette and Jimmy Harvey, of Castlemilk, had brought items including an old silver buckle.

"I got information it had possibly been a nurse's buckle," said Mrs Harvey. "It has red enamel, and it was made in Birmingham in 1910. A value of up to £150 was put on it.

"We were clearing my mother's house," she added. "I had a great-aunt who was in the nursing profession, so it could have been hers."

Back inside the gallery, the heirlooms just kept on coming. The experts had a busy day of it.

Afterwards, Ms Bruce said: "We have had a brilliant day at Kelvingrove. What was particularly thrilling for me was to see a Glasgow Boy painting brought in. It was so beautiful, it could easily have graced the walls of Kelvingrove itself."

The resulting programme will be broadcast next year.