For nearly three decades the BBC had produced a programme called Antiques Road Show, in which antiques experts tour the country, and in prime locations film them examining and valuing people's treasures. I believe it also exists in other lands - Canada, Australia, possibly the US too. Certainly they have done "specials" from those places and achieved a following.
Occasionally they find a total gem of exceptional monetary value. One such was the rare slipware jug Ozzie the Owl, who sold for over £20,000:
A few months ago a priest brought in a painting he had bought for £400, hoping to find it was worth more, so he could sell it to get his church bells replaced. The experts thought it just might be a lost Van Dyck, which would make it worth rather more than the man thought.
Turns out it is - and it may be worth £400,000! Much restoration and research seems to reveal it might be a sketch for a group portrait that was destroyed hundreds of years ago.
Don't know about you, but if I gambled £400 on an art work, it would turn out to be worth 40p!
I shall be tuned in tonight watching that.
ReplyDeleteGeorge and I went to a filming of the show in the summer and typical Road-Show weather it rained more or less all day.
I did get to speak to Fiona Bruce, she's lovely....
I went in 1998 at Greenwich. Luckily it was fine. I got to meet Eric Knowles, who spent longer than he should have trying to find the boy hidden in an apple tree in my old postcard! My old History teacher was filmed for the show with his old toy "foxikins" which was worth £200 back then..
ReplyDeleteWe love antiques roadshow! I love antiques...I wish I had something that was that valuable. Unfortunately my family didn't keep heirlooms and they got rid of the 'junk' they found on the property when they bought it. Stuff that'd be worth tons of money now.
ReplyDeleteVal, didn't you go with your friend a couple of years ago? Wasn't it at London Zoo?
ReplyDeleteNearly, Judith. What a memory! But that was Flog It.
ReplyDeleteOf course I forgot.....
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I have of value is a picture that belonged to my grandfather..well, I say it has value, but for all I know it could be worth a tenner :)
ReplyDeleteI love Antiques Roadshow,expecially when someone thinks they have junk and it turns out they have something wonderful
I think I'd be lucky to find anything worth more than 4p! It always amuses me on the Antiques Roadshow when they tell someone something they brought in is worth 10 grand and they just go 'Oh, very nice'. In other words, they already knew that ;0)
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