Antiques Roadshow has seen its fair share of weird and wonderful items over the years, but this one perhaps tops the list of the former.
Viewers of the BBC programme were more than a little freaked out by a family heirloom that was brought in by a man who admitted his family weren't overly fond of it.
Resembling the old children’s character Cat in the Hat, the item consisted of a scraggly white feline which jumps up out of a top hat and sticks out its tongue - while an eerie tune plays in the background.
As it was demonstrated on the episode - set at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, a grand house built in the style of a French chateau - members of the public laughed nervously in the background, while antiques expert Hilary Kay couldn’t contain her excitement.
“It’s such a great object,” she gushed.
Even the poor bloke who brought it along didn’t sell it particularly well, revealing how his daughters call it the “creepy cat”.
Hilary then conceded that there was an element of creepiness about it.
The guest explained that it had been in his family since it was originally bought and belonged to his great, great aunt.
When asked whether he knew what company made it, he said: “We looked on the V&A website and there is one in the V&A.
“I think it said Roullet-Decamps.”
Hilary went on to explain that the company, based in Paris, started in 1865 and was a big enterprise which produced “some of the most enchanting small automata that you’re going to see”.
She added: “It’s in great condition. It plays a single melody on a little cylinder musical box inside.”
And the crazy part is, if he decided to sell it, the owner was to make a surprise amount.
“It’s slightly tricky,” Hilary continued. “The last one I saw was with a dealer that sold for about $2,500.
“So my feeling is that a good auction price here in the UK would perhaps be around £1,500 to £2,000.”
The guest was visibly shocked, simply uttering “wow”.
“Do you think your daughters might like it a little more now?” Hilary asked.
He admitted that he didn’t think they would sell it after all.
Viewers of the repeat episode were torn over whether they liked the cat or now.
One said: “Creepy toy cat klaxon!”
A second agreed: “Cat in a Hat. No thanks.”
A third wrote: “Omg that cat in the hat is nightmare inducing.”
But others loved it.
“I really liked the cat in the hat!” said one.
“I want the cat in the hat!” another agreed.
While a third reasoned: “Bloody love this mad cat thing, nothing like a bit of old sh**e to interest the crowd.”
Antiques Roadshow airs Sundays on BBC One from 8pm.
