WHEN a pregnant woman needed to get a new pram for her imminent arrival, she thought nothing of selling an old necklace to pay for it.

But little did she realise the jewellery was actually a 400-year-old treasure worth up to £20,000.

The woman walked into Duke's auctioneers of Dorchester with the gold and enamelled pendant and chain wrapped in tissue paper.

She had inherited the item from her grandmother but thought it was broken as it was in three sections.

But expert Amy Brennan pieced the parts together to reveal a complete Renaissance pendant that was made during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the 17th century.

It features an enamelled pelican - a religious symbol to represent the Passion of Christ and one that Elizabeth adopted as a message that she was the 'mother of the Church of England'.

The reverse of the pendant bears Papal cross keys, symbolising a secret Catholic allegiance.

In the years before the pendant was made the Reformation was taking place across Europe when the Catholic Church was under attack and so it is thought this was the original owner's way of secretly demonstrating her faith.

The present owner, whose grandmother was originally from Poland, has decided to sell the item at Duke's of Dorchester.

It has been given a pre-sale estimate of £3,000 to £6,000. In 2013 a near-identical pendant sold for £12,000 so it is hoped this one could sell for £10,000 to £20,000.

Miss Brennan, from Duke's, said: "The owner had no idea how much it was worth.

"She wanted to buy a new Bugaboo pram because she was pregnant and came to see us with this pendant wrapped in a tissue.

"She said she had inherited it from her grandmother and it had been kept in a drawer for many years.

"We have examined it and we believe it to be a really exciting enamelled piece of jewellery from the Renaissance.

"In the 19th century, there was a huge revival for Renaissance-style jewellery and much of it was copied using different gemstones and fresher, brighter colours of enamel.

"The market is flooded with Renaissance Revival jewels making it difficult to identify an authentic piece but we believe it is and ultimately it is up to the market to decide.

"I have told the owner that she should be able to buy a few Bugaboos from the proceeds of the sale.

"We have cautiously catalogued it and given it a pre-sale estimate of between £3,000 to £6,000.

"However a similar one sold for £12,000 three years ago."

The item is being sold in Dorchester on Friday.