Antiques Road Show Tasmanian table by James Lumsden 1851

Loo-table and pedestal examined at the Antiques Road Show, made of Tasmanian Huon Pine by James Lumsden and submitted to the Great Exhibition of London 1851 where it was bought by Mr. Loft. Though nibbled at by dogs, its value was estimated at GBP10K to 20K.
(Sorry about the quality - just grabbed the first device at hand - a small tablet - when the episode was broadcast free-to-air, ABC TV Australia - Ed.)

TRANSCRIPT
... that was in at this version from before is Tasmania. This is a complete surprise for me and we're looking at this slightly in reverse but it is absolutely fantastic because here on the top of the pedestal is this tantalizing ink inscription. It says "This Loo table I bought at the Great Exhibition of All Nations 1851 and by Mr. Loft" and then on the other side of the top we also have got this rather nice printed entry also from the Great Exhibition original catalogue and it says "Lumsden, Brisbane Street Hobart Town one four five one four six (145.46) loo table top of Huon pine and pedestal for the same". It was something that has been inherited ever since the Great Exhibition? No, not at all. A friend of my mother's gave it to her in 1955 and said she hated it and could my mother take it off her hands before she cut it up for firewood or something like that. It was just a gift and we've kept it ever since then and it's here today. And there seems to be some animals that seem to be very keen on it as well, I see it there's been a certain amount of chewing on the plinth, is that ..? That's lurchers. Is it lurchers, is it? Well, I think a lot of the appeal of it is actually within the timber itself. If we take down the tilt top the Brigid click is very good quality lacquered brass mount [?]. It's this fantastic segmentally veneered timber, it almost looks a little bit like burr yew in many ways but it is this incredibly rich oily timber which is indigenous to Tasmania the Huon conifer or pine and I think the oiliness is a great appeal to your lurchers because of course it's rather satisfied and rather like cedar which is rather appealing that's why they keep on going back for a little bit more of a nibble I think. The cabinet maker himself, do you do know much about his origins? I understand that he was born in Elgin and he went to Tasmania but whether that was under a cloud I don't know. Right, so his life must have been fairly grim in Elgin if he decided to be a craftsman [?] because that's in the 1830s or 1840s, it was a pretty rough and tough and hardy place to be but obviously he set up quite a successful business there because to be then exhibiting at The Great International Exhibition of 1851 and to be representing something patriotic and nationalistic which is made out of the great tree of Tasmania is a remarkable thing. What's fantastic about this is that with the Tasmanian documented history and the Great Exhibition premium attached to it I think this is something which it's really very difficult to work out whether it's worth ten thousand pounds or whether it's worth twenty thousand pounds, it's a unique object. Despite the dog eating it? Despite the dog eating it I think it's a fantastic thing and so long may it survive. Thank you very much.