0:00:47 > 0:00:49After the hundreds of thousands of miles clocked up
0:00:49 > 0:00:52in search of treasures on the Antiques Roadshow,
0:00:52 > 0:00:55sometimes people ask if we could ever run out of great finds.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57Well, it's that time when we look back on our year
0:00:57 > 0:01:01and I can tell you, if this last 12 months is anything to go by,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04there's little danger of the well running dry.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07From the rarest doll's house figures we've ever seen...
0:01:07 > 0:01:11The dream item for me. I couldn't have imagined anything better.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15Those are seriously early and important.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18..to the most gorgeous jewellery...
0:01:18 > 0:01:22There were some wonderful workshops that were making
0:01:22 > 0:01:26these types of jewels and they're highly collected now today.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29The '70s period is really quite in.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33..and an important painting that had been thought lost.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35I'm very excited about it. I've never seen it before
0:01:35 > 0:01:37and it's by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40- Now, he is a very important person. - Could it be very valuable?
0:01:40 > 0:01:42I'm afraid you'll have to wait and see on that.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Yes, it's been an exciting year, as our team scoured the country
0:01:48 > 0:01:52in search of prized pieces, many with remarkable stories.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55We're about to bring you up to speed on what happened next
0:01:55 > 0:01:58after the experts dropped the bombshell on unsuspecting owners
0:01:58 > 0:02:01and I'll be meeting some of those surprised faces again,
0:02:01 > 0:02:04here in the sumptuous setting of Cardiff Castle.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14Our first update takes us to the silver department.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16Between them, our experts have uncovered
0:02:16 > 0:02:18dozens of beautifully wrought pieces,
0:02:18 > 0:02:23from the finest early English spoons to elaborate oriental services.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25For the experts, it's all about rarity,
0:02:25 > 0:02:29craftsmanship and high value, and all three came together
0:02:29 > 0:02:31when veteran Roadshow specialist Ian Pickford
0:02:31 > 0:02:34spotted a tankard at our show at Broughton Castle.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Wow!
0:02:36 > 0:02:38- What a tankard!- Yes.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40How long have you actually had
0:02:40 > 0:02:43the good fortune of owning it?
0:02:43 > 0:02:45Owning it, only since it was passed to me,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48- but I've known it all my life. - Right.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50But I know little about it.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52What we've got here...
0:02:52 > 0:02:56The form is entirely European - very English, actually.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00It's the form of a 17th-century tankard.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Right.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05- But it's not English.- Oh.
0:03:05 > 0:03:06So where does it come from?
0:03:06 > 0:03:09- China?- Well, yes.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14The market today for Chinese work, Chinese-related pieces,
0:03:14 > 0:03:18- is very, very hot.- Oh, right.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21There's been nothing as good as this on the market,
0:03:21 > 0:03:23as far as I'm aware.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27So, when you've got something that's probably the best that there is,
0:03:27 > 0:03:29I would think we're looking at
0:03:29 > 0:03:34between £20,000 and £25,000.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36- CROWD GASPS AND MUTTERS - My word.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38That's fantastic!
0:03:38 > 0:03:42- And it could go more.- Really?
0:03:42 > 0:03:44Right.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47The owner of that tankard, Rob Lowe, is here,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51along with Marilyn, your wife. You looked pretty surprised.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54What did you think when Ian suddenly came up with that value?
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Er, it was a shock.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59I've always thought it might be valuable,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01but nothing like that, of course.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05And Ian had said nothing abut it at all until we got on camera.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08- That's how it works, you see. We like to do that.- Yeah.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11And you were absolutely flabbergasted, weren't you?
0:04:11 > 0:04:13Yes, I was, yes. We never thought it was
0:04:13 > 0:04:17anywhere near worth that amount of money, so, yeah.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19It was a bit of a rollercoaster for you, wasn't it,
0:04:19 > 0:04:22- after that valuation? - Yes, once we got the valuation,
0:04:22 > 0:04:26we decided to sell it cos we were nervous of having it in the house
0:04:26 > 0:04:31and we took it to various places to get second opinions
0:04:31 > 0:04:33and everybody had a different opinion.
0:04:33 > 0:04:39We decided to take it to another valuation house and auction house
0:04:39 > 0:04:42and they did an awful lot of investigation work
0:04:42 > 0:04:46and actually sent it away to a London assay office
0:04:46 > 0:04:50to have it tested to determine what age it was.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53So they put the silver through a test, a physical test,
0:04:53 > 0:04:55to ascertain its age.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58Apparently, they can tell the age because of the level of impurities
0:04:58 > 0:05:04in the silver and it turned out to be between 1500 and 1600.
0:05:04 > 0:05:05Wow!
0:05:05 > 0:05:07That's incredible, isn't it?
0:05:07 > 0:05:10And it also turned out to be English rather than Chinese.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Which is what Ian had thought it might be.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16Ian quite rightly thought it was Chinese because of its appearance
0:05:16 > 0:05:19and because of the rarity of what it turned out to be.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21So, you ended up with a silver tankard
0:05:21 > 0:05:24- that was even earlier than Ian had thought.- Yes.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27And English, as opposed to Chinese, once these tests had been done
0:05:27 > 0:05:29which, obviously, we can't do at the Roadshow.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31So, what did you sell it for in the end?
0:05:31 > 0:05:37In the end, it went for £36,000, which was absolutely amazing.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40So, what are you going to do with the windfall?
0:05:40 > 0:05:43We've got two sons and some grandchildren in Australia,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46so we hope to visit them more than we would have done before.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48- It'll buy you quite a few flights, won't it?- Yeah.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58Another visitor to a Roadshow, shown earlier this year, was Jim Dunstone,
0:05:58 > 0:06:00who was stunned when oriental expert John Axford
0:06:00 > 0:06:03examined his collection of jades.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06These Chinese jade carvings,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09I think they're great things. They are made to be handled.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12They are made by scholars. Where did you get these from?
0:06:12 > 0:06:16We bought them in Singapore, when we were there in the 1970s.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19We were always told they were sleeve pieces. What does that mean?
0:06:19 > 0:06:22Well, that's one way of calling them, sleeve pieces.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25They could also be called handling pieces,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27because they were designed specifically to be picked up,
0:06:27 > 0:06:29handled and turned over.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31The idea of them being a sleeve piece,
0:06:31 > 0:06:33if you are wearing a long Chinese robe,
0:06:33 > 0:06:36you'd be able to store them turned up in your sleeve.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38So, they become a handling piece or a sleeve piece
0:06:38 > 0:06:40and they are to be picked up, touched.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44And so, how tactile they are is very important to them.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47- How glorious.- It is. It's a lovely idea.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50These all date from the reign of the Emperor Qian Long.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52That's what we were told.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Do you remember how much you paid for them in Singapore?
0:06:55 > 0:06:58These were all under 100 Singapore.
0:06:58 > 0:07:03Nowadays, you're probably looking at £5,000 here.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05- Goodness. - Maybe a little bit more here.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Maybe 5,000 to 8,000 here.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11And I think this one could easily top £10,000 at auction.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14So, I think you've got more than £20,000 here.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16I think I'd better up the insurance.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20Having been made aware of their value, owner Jim made a plan.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23He wanted to sell the pieces and donate the money
0:07:23 > 0:07:25to a cause that had special relevance
0:07:25 > 0:07:27to him and his late wife, Catherine.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30We met up with Jim to tell us all about it in Swanage.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33The original idea, with my wife,
0:07:33 > 0:07:36was that those things would pay for our house,
0:07:36 > 0:07:37once we got back to the UK.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40But we got the house without it
0:07:40 > 0:07:46and, as my wife was in a convalescent home, dying,
0:07:46 > 0:07:50we decided that we ought to do something sensible with it
0:07:50 > 0:07:54and we'd both sailed ever since we were married.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59What better charity could there be than the RNLI?
0:07:59 > 0:08:01I have had occasion to call them out.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06So, we sold them and sent the cheque to the RNLI.
0:08:07 > 0:08:12And that's what my wife wanted when she died.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15The sale of the jades raised £20,000,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18which was gratefully received by the RNLI.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21Jim went to meet Neil Hardy, its operations manager at the site
0:08:21 > 0:08:26of its new lifeboat station to see how his donation was being spent.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29We're very grateful for your donation
0:08:29 > 0:08:32because, obviously, as you can see from the nature of the project,
0:08:32 > 0:08:35a lot of people have put a lot of money and time towards it
0:08:35 > 0:08:39and without their help and your help, we couldn't do this
0:08:39 > 0:08:43and I couldn't stand here, as a proud volunteer of the RNLI,
0:08:43 > 0:08:46and say, "Look at our brand-new lifeboat station."
0:08:46 > 0:08:50It's really going to make a difference to the people out there
0:08:50 > 0:08:54who are counting on minutes and hanging on.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56We will be able to get away a lot quicker.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58Well worth every bob.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03I think my wife would be very, very impressed and very, very grateful
0:09:03 > 0:09:07that the money is going to such a worthwhile cause.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16What a generous gesture by Jim and his wife.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20We've since heard that a plaque will be installed at the lifeboat station
0:09:20 > 0:09:23in memory of her and in recognition of their donation.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26Now, we love a good book on the Antiques Roadshow
0:09:26 > 0:09:29and our book experts have been kept very busy over the last year.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33Here are a few of the most memorable page-turners.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36- This is extraordinary. This is an original watercolour.- Yeah.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40And it dates, obviously, from about 1900.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42It's so typical of this period.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46Look at the frontispiece. This is just...
0:09:46 > 0:09:50- Well, it's heavenly, isn't it? Absolutely heavenly.- Yeah.
0:09:50 > 0:09:56It's a general book on anatomy from 1546,
0:09:56 > 0:09:59written by a chap called Charles Etienne
0:09:59 > 0:10:04and this is his work on "La dissection des parties du corps",
0:10:04 > 0:10:07so on dissection of the parts of the body.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11Here we have a wonderful peep and as you look down into it,
0:10:11 > 0:10:17you see all the way along the grand central aisle of the Crystal Palace.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21This huge leather-bound volume looks like a monster book, doesn't it?
0:10:21 > 0:10:24- Yes.- And it says Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26But further down, it says, "A Motion Picture".
0:10:26 > 0:10:29This is signed to Anne Waddington from Alice In Wonderland.
0:10:29 > 0:10:34And what this is, in fact, is an amazing presentation script
0:10:34 > 0:10:37for the 1933 Paramount film Alice In Wonderland.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40It's quite difficult to try and think about
0:10:40 > 0:10:42what something like this is worth,
0:10:42 > 0:10:48- but I'm going to put £5,000 to £8,000 on this.- Oh, my!
0:10:48 > 0:10:50SHE LAUGHS
0:10:50 > 0:10:54I won't give it back to my mum! I'm off!
0:10:56 > 0:10:59But perhaps the most exciting find came in to Tewksbury
0:10:59 > 0:11:02earlier this year when Clive Farahar was presented
0:11:02 > 0:11:07with a cinematic family tale, as he met our next owner, Guy Bowden.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09"The Third Man, the draft script."
0:11:09 > 0:11:15This was the film that Carol Reed made in 1949. Tell me about it.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18My mother was the secretary to the film director
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Carol Reed, as he was then.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24And when we were going through her effects, we found this.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27I knew, growing up, that she'd been part of the filming process...
0:11:27 > 0:11:28- Yes.- ..and been his secretary.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31But I never realised that she had this in her possession.
0:11:31 > 0:11:37So, she actually went out to Vienna with Carol Reed and Orson Welles?
0:11:37 > 0:11:38Tell me how this came about,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41because this was originally a novella by Graham Greene.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Carol Reed, who was well-known for being quite grumpy,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47was presented with this novella to read,
0:11:47 > 0:11:48and he said, "I haven't time to read this."
0:11:48 > 0:11:50So, he tossed it to my mother and said,
0:11:50 > 0:11:52"Could you read this and do me a precis?"
0:11:52 > 0:11:54And that's how the script came about.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56And here is a picture of her -
0:11:56 > 0:11:58a lovely picture of her, I have to say,
0:11:58 > 0:12:00beautifully made up and all the rest of it.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02Beautifully posed with the rest of the crew.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05She was there for the whole period of filming.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07So, right from the time they flew first out to Vienna,
0:12:07 > 0:12:10to go round and look for locations.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12They went to the cafes, they investigated the sewers.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16- All the iconic... - Images that we know so well.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18- Yes.- Fantastic.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22After the show went out, we were contacted by a museum in Vienna,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25devoted to the film The Third man.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27They were desperate to see the collection.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31So, we took owner Guy and his wife, Sarah, to the city.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34They just had to stop off at one of the film's classic locations -
0:12:34 > 0:12:37the big wheel at Prater amusement park.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42We had no idea that the journey to Tewkesbury to the Antiques Roadshow
0:12:42 > 0:12:44would take us any further than that.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47I had no idea that it would take me this far
0:12:47 > 0:12:51and bring us both to Vienna to see the museum of The Third Man.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53I was contacted by Gerhard,
0:12:53 > 0:12:55who is the director-owner of The Third Man Museum,
0:12:55 > 0:12:58and he was delighted to hear that such a thing as this script
0:12:58 > 0:12:59and some of the other photographs
0:12:59 > 0:13:02and other memorabilia, that my mother had, existed.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04The next part of Guy's mission in Vienna
0:13:04 > 0:13:07was to meet Gerhard, who owns the museum.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10The Third Man, to Vienna, is very important
0:13:10 > 0:13:13cos it's one of the most famous movies of movie history
0:13:13 > 0:13:17and it's shot in the city and it brings a lot of tourists.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23- Gerhard.- Oh, wow! Hello, Guy. - We meet at last.- Yes.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25This is fantastic.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29I'm speechless. This is so wonderful.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33Yes, I started 19 years ago. I got this huge collection together.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37It's supposed to be one of the most important British movies,
0:13:37 > 0:13:41great British-Austrian connection. Today, it's a cult movie.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43And it's a huge phenomenon.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46I think I have something that you might be interested in.
0:13:46 > 0:13:47Oh, yes, I think so too.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51- Here it is.- Oh, wow.
0:13:56 > 0:13:57Oh, wow...
0:14:00 > 0:14:03Oh, Guy, this is fantastic!
0:14:03 > 0:14:06This is very, very personal and everything.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09We don't have equivalent items like that.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Gerhard was so thrilled to see the script,
0:14:11 > 0:14:14he offered Guy the value quoted by Clive Farahar
0:14:14 > 0:14:17on the Roadshow - £5,000.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20It's brilliant that the script has found its home here, I think,
0:14:20 > 0:14:25because that's where it belongs, and I think, if my mum was alive,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27that's where she'd want it to be.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37What a perfect home for that script - back in Vienna,
0:14:37 > 0:14:4067 years after the release of that famous film.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43And it's a good moment to tell you about a very special edition
0:14:43 > 0:14:45of the Roadshow we'll be filming next year.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49We're producing an entire episode around stars and related objects
0:14:49 > 0:14:53from the world of film, music, theatre and TV.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57Now, where would be the perfect place for such a programme?
0:14:57 > 0:14:59MUSIC: Theme to EastEnders
0:14:59 > 0:15:02Yes, next summer, the Roadshow will roll in to Albert Square.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Have you got a story about a brush with fame?
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Perhaps the day you met the Beatles
0:15:08 > 0:15:11or when your relative worked on a movie?
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Maybe you own something connected with an iconic TV show.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16Tell us of your moment and memento
0:15:16 > 0:15:19and maybe you could be the star of our production
0:15:19 > 0:15:21on the set of Britain's best-loved soap,
0:15:21 > 0:15:23as we take up residence in Walford East.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25We'll be selecting the best stories
0:15:25 > 0:15:27for a special day out in Albert Square.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Details are on our website.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38Our jewellery team are always fascinating to watch at a Roadshow.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40They've mastered the perfect poker face
0:15:40 > 0:15:44when confronted with a great piece and an unsuspecting owner.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50This is absolutely fabulous.
0:15:50 > 0:15:56This is luxury at its height, in terms of the craftsmanship.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59We're going to look inside and see the most ravishing brooch,
0:15:59 > 0:16:03in the form of a darting kingfisher with its prey in its beak.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07Jewellery - it's about love, it's about power,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10but it can also be a little bit about scandal.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13And who would have thought it with a beautiful bracelet like this?
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Everybody likes things like this
0:16:16 > 0:16:20because they are really, really super-duper,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23top-of-the-range stones.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26I think your brooch is probably worth
0:16:26 > 0:16:31something in the region of £40,000 today.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33That's nice.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38But one jewel, brought in to Joanna Hardy, at Audley End,
0:16:38 > 0:16:41turned out to be something of a puzzle.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44What was going through your mind when you saw this
0:16:44 > 0:16:48- and when did you see this? - I bought it in 1972
0:16:48 > 0:16:52in Collingwood's of Conduit Street,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54a jeweller no longer with us, I think,
0:16:54 > 0:16:58and I have no idea by whom it was made.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01This stone is a tourmaline, which is a natural stone.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04And this would have come from Brazil.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06There were some wonderful workshops
0:17:06 > 0:17:09that were making these types of jewels
0:17:09 > 0:17:12and they're highly collected now, today.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15The '70s period is really quite in.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Do you remember how much you paid for it?
0:17:17 > 0:17:19- No idea.- Well...
0:17:19 > 0:17:23I just think it is absolutely fabulous
0:17:23 > 0:17:27and I think, at auction, you'd be looking in the region
0:17:27 > 0:17:30of around about £5,000 to £7,000.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32- Heavens! - SHE CHUCKLES
0:17:32 > 0:17:34That's lovely.
0:17:34 > 0:17:39- And the only thing is, there is no signature.- I know.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42- There is no signature of this wonderful craftsman.- Mmm.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45And I would love to know who the craftsman is.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49- Maybe he might be watching. - Wouldn't that be wonderful?
0:17:49 > 0:17:52That ring was a real whodunnit.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56After it was shown, lots of people in the jewellery world contacted us,
0:17:56 > 0:17:59keen to solve the riddle of the ring.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03I have found out who made it and so we're here at the Assay Office.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06I've invited the owner to come and we're going to hallmark it
0:18:06 > 0:18:09with the maker's mark, which is so exciting.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14What was wonderful is that, in the end,
0:18:14 > 0:18:18we nailed it down to Lawrence Wheaton.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21He was born in 1944.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23He went to train as a goldsmith
0:18:23 > 0:18:27with the Swedish royal court jewellers, Bolin,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30which is pretty amazing.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32And then he came back to England
0:18:32 > 0:18:36and he worked for a workshop before he set up on his own.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38And he was also a teacher
0:18:38 > 0:18:40at the Hornsey College of Art at the same time.
0:18:40 > 0:18:46- And, unfortunately, he died about seven years ago.- I see.
0:18:46 > 0:18:51But I needed confirmation that it was made by Lawrence Wheaton,
0:18:51 > 0:18:57so I managed to get hold of his wife, Pat,
0:18:57 > 0:18:59and I showed her the close-up of the ring
0:18:59 > 0:19:02and she said, "That's my husband's ring."
0:19:02 > 0:19:07And Lawrence Wheaton, now, is going to be remembered
0:19:07 > 0:19:10and not lost to the history books.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13So, having confirmed the maker of the ring,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16the next step was to hallmark it with Lawrence Wheaton's mark,
0:19:16 > 0:19:18using a state-of-the-art laser.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20So, this is where it's all going to happen.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24- This is where the hallmarking is going to happen.- Hi.- Hello.- Hello.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26And what have we got on the screen here?
0:19:26 > 0:19:30Basically, this is what the general hallmark looks like.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32We've got the sponsor's mark,
0:19:32 > 0:19:37the crown for the gold and the "750" is 18-carat gold.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39And then we've got the leopard's head
0:19:39 > 0:19:41which is the London Assay Office mark,
0:19:41 > 0:19:43so it shows it's been actually assayed
0:19:43 > 0:19:46and it's actually been here to the London Assay Office.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49- And the LVW, in the script like that...- Yes.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52- ..is for Lawrence Victor Wheaton. - That's right, yes.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56Which is the same mark as he would have had in 1972.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58- Yes, that's right. - So, now you're going to hallmark it.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01I've never seen this before.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04This green mark is where the mark is actually going to go,
0:20:04 > 0:20:06so I'm just going to set it up properly
0:20:06 > 0:20:07and make sure it's all straight.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21- So, is that done then? - Yeah, all done.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24- I can't...I can't wait.- So quick.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26I can't wait to see it.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30Oh, my goodness! That is incredible!
0:20:30 > 0:20:33I am now going to present you with your ring.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38I wish you a wonderful heirloom to have forever.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40Fantastic! Thank you so much!
0:20:47 > 0:20:50So, now you know what a visit to the Roadshow can lead to.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52That lucky owner, Jane, is very happy
0:20:52 > 0:20:54with her newly embellished ring.
0:20:54 > 0:20:59When an exciting find turns up at the Roadshow, word gets round fast.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01Like when Fergus Gambon showed me something very special
0:21:01 > 0:21:03at our Roadshow in Gloucestershire.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Fergus, word's going round the Roadshow
0:21:06 > 0:21:08that you've found something seriously exciting.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11Something quite, quite, quite extraordinary.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14The dream item for me. I couldn't have imagined anything better.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17- What is it? - Well, this guy, he's turned up,
0:21:17 > 0:21:21and in this box are three doll's house dolls.
0:21:21 > 0:21:27Look at those. Now, those are seriously early and important.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29But then what does he say? He says,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31"I've got the whole house at home
0:21:31 > 0:21:33"with all the furniture and more dolls."
0:21:33 > 0:21:35- The doll's house?- The doll's house that they come from.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Which, if it's early 18th century...
0:21:39 > 0:21:41..it's of national importance.
0:21:41 > 0:21:42And we weren't disappointed
0:21:42 > 0:21:45when Fergus brought the collection to camera.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49Can you tell me what you know about it?
0:21:49 > 0:21:52All I know is that it's from the beginning of the 18th century,
0:21:52 > 0:21:531705, apparently.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56It's followed the female line of my mother's family
0:21:56 > 0:21:58since, I believe, somewhere around then,
0:21:58 > 0:22:02but previous to that it was built by some tradesmen on the Isle of Dogs
0:22:02 > 0:22:07in 1705 for a lady called Miss Westbrook, whose initial is E,
0:22:07 > 0:22:10which I think means Emily, but it might have been something else.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Right. So let's get this into context.
0:22:12 > 0:22:141705.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18- That's right.- And this house, the Westbrook baby house, as we call it,
0:22:18 > 0:22:22because early English doll's houses are referred to as baby houses,
0:22:22 > 0:22:25not doll's houses, until the early part of the 19th century.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29There is no other like it. It is totally unique.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33So, it was quite unorthodox for the Roadshow,
0:22:33 > 0:22:37because the doll's house from which they came was in your house.
0:22:37 > 0:22:42So, like never before, we trailed over to your house with a cameraman
0:22:42 > 0:22:44and I looked at it.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46When I opened it...
0:22:46 > 0:22:49those panelled rooms
0:22:49 > 0:22:51and that wonderful furniture,
0:22:51 > 0:22:57I was looking at something which was unchanged, essentially,
0:22:57 > 0:23:01for 311 years.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04When you see something that's so well preserved and complete
0:23:04 > 0:23:08when one is so used to looking at things in terrible condition,
0:23:08 > 0:23:10it's quite difficult to look at things and think,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13"That can't be real and genuine."
0:23:13 > 0:23:16But it is! It's the importance of this object.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18So...
0:23:18 > 0:23:22For the house with its contents we're looking at,
0:23:22 > 0:23:26um, a conservative estimate...
0:23:27 > 0:23:33..of £150,000, maybe £200,000.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36CROWD MURMURS
0:23:36 > 0:23:39That's pretty astonishing.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Fergus, I remember that Roadshow so clearly
0:23:44 > 0:23:46and as soon as you saw those dolls,
0:23:46 > 0:23:49you had a suspicion, a strong suspicion where they'd come from.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Mm-hmm, I did, I did. But I couldn't believe it would be true, really.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55I was, like, "No, I must be wrong."
0:23:55 > 0:23:56Just put into context for us, Fergus,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59how significant a find it was.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02It's massively significant, really.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05But this was a doll's house that you knew about already, didn't you?
0:24:05 > 0:24:07I knew about it because it's quite well-known
0:24:07 > 0:24:12because it was illustrated in a book that was published in 1955,
0:24:12 > 0:24:16but it's just in a granular black and white single photograph
0:24:16 > 0:24:20and people had been looking at this photograph for years, wondering,
0:24:20 > 0:24:22"Where's that house? Where can we see it?"
0:24:22 > 0:24:25And it prompted quite a reaction amongst doll's house enthusiasts.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28It certainly did. They were used to staring
0:24:28 > 0:24:30at this black and white photograph and all of a sudden,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33the Roadshow allowed them to see the house in high definition
0:24:33 > 0:24:36and in colour and they were really excited
0:24:36 > 0:24:40and they realised the importance of it and the beauty of it.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42So, there were a lot of reactions.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45The other reaction was a reaction to my valuation.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48- What, too high or too low?- Both.
0:24:48 > 0:24:53There were some who found the concept of valuing a doll's house
0:24:53 > 0:24:57at £150,000 to £250,000 in some way morally wrong
0:24:57 > 0:25:00because you could actually buy a real house for that kind of money,
0:25:00 > 0:25:04and I can understand that totally. But I think you have to look at it.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07It's not a mere toy, it's a work of art.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10It's an important object, it's a great antique.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13So, if you look at a painting by Picasso,
0:25:13 > 0:25:15that would be valued at many millions of pounds,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17I think you wouldn't be offended by that.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19You'd understand why that was the case.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22And I think you have to look at the doll's house in the same way.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25And there were others who felt that my valuation didn't reflect
0:25:25 > 0:25:27the importance of the piece at all
0:25:27 > 0:25:30and some people said, "I'd have said half a million on that."
0:25:30 > 0:25:32So, you can't win in this job,
0:25:32 > 0:25:34but I had to come up with something
0:25:34 > 0:25:37and, as I think I explained at the time, there's no precedence,
0:25:37 > 0:25:40so one has to make a judgement and that's what I did.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42Well, it's not just Fergus who's had a great year.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45Our paintings team has as well.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48We've two updates about paintings.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51Both relate to pictures brought in to Arley Hall in Cheshire.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55In our first, Amin Jaffer, an authority on Indian and Asian art,
0:25:55 > 0:25:59was delighted to tell owner John about a family portrait.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01You might think you're looking at a portrait
0:26:01 > 0:26:03by a European artist of the 1930s.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07In actual fact, this painting was done
0:26:07 > 0:26:11by an Indian artist in the 1950s. It's obviously a portrait.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Can you tell me something about the sitter?
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Yes, the sitter's my mother.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20It was painted in India and...
0:26:21 > 0:26:24..the artist worked for Grindlays Bank,
0:26:24 > 0:26:27which was where my father worked,
0:26:27 > 0:26:29and that's how we got to know...
0:26:29 > 0:26:31That's how he came to paint your mother?
0:26:31 > 0:26:34- Yes.- Well, the artist has actually signed his name.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38- A very well-known artist in India today, Krishen Khanna.- Yeah.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40So, obviously, you have a family relationship with him
0:26:40 > 0:26:43- or you had a family relationship with him?- Yes, my mother did.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45I was too young at the time, but my mother knew him.
0:26:45 > 0:26:51It's extremely rare to find a picture by Krishen Khanna from 1954.
0:26:51 > 0:26:57Do you have any idea of the value of a 1954 Krishen Khanna painting?
0:26:57 > 0:27:01None, none whatsoever. It's never been valued.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04I sort of mentioned to my mother that I might bring it here today
0:27:04 > 0:27:07and she said, "Go ahead, see what happens."
0:27:07 > 0:27:09But no idea whatsoever.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11Well, I think she would be happy to know that,
0:27:11 > 0:27:13were it to be offered at auction,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16it would probably be with an estimate of something like
0:27:16 > 0:27:18£30,000 to £50,000 today.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20CROWD LAUGH
0:27:22 > 0:27:25- Crikey!- Are you shocked, or am I?
0:27:25 > 0:27:29I think you're going to make her a very happy lady today.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32What we all wanted to know was how mum Patricia reacted.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35We caught up with them to find out.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37Well, astonished.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39SHE LAUGHS
0:27:39 > 0:27:41Krishen painted the portrait
0:27:41 > 0:27:45because he'd been short of somewhere to stay
0:27:45 > 0:27:48and we said, "Oh, come and stay with us.
0:27:48 > 0:27:54"We've got a spare room if you can put up with two small boys."
0:27:54 > 0:28:00I can't remember sitting for the portrait but...
0:28:01 > 0:28:04..when Krishen was leaving, he...
0:28:05 > 0:28:11..gave it to us and we were quite overwhelmed.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16Krishen was always very cheerful and, um...
0:28:16 > 0:28:22er...exactly the sort of person you'd like to have as a friend.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26Krishen Khanna is alive and well and living in India.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30We arranged a video call to reunite him with Patricia, after many years.
0:28:31 > 0:28:36- Patricia. - Krishen, how wonderful to see you!
0:28:36 > 0:28:39How marvellous to see you! Lovely to see you!
0:28:39 > 0:28:42HE LAUGHS
0:28:42 > 0:28:46- It's been so long. - What are you doing now? Are you...?
0:28:47 > 0:28:54- Painting away like crazy.- Good. - I make a lot of work, a lot of work.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58Are those your paintings in the background?
0:28:59 > 0:29:04Well, some of them, yes. There are... Yes, yes, yes.
0:29:04 > 0:29:11- They're drawings and paintings that my son, Karan, has.- Oh, yes.
0:29:11 > 0:29:16- But I'm doing very large works now. - Are you? Oh!
0:29:16 > 0:29:20That, behind you, is the portrait that I did of you.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22That's the one, yes.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24THEY LAUGH
0:29:24 > 0:29:28She is, I would say, she's more beautiful now.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31THEY LAUGH
0:29:32 > 0:29:35It's a memory of a very happy time.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41- Ah, yes, it is, yeah.- Yes.- It is.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45- Love to you and the family.- Yes. - Thanks, Krishen. Bye.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56How lovely to see Patricia back in conversation
0:29:56 > 0:29:59with 91-year-old Krishen after all these years.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01We saw Patricia's painting at Arley hall,
0:30:01 > 0:30:04which turned out to be a rich scene for art.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07Rupert Maas told me about a remarkable portrait,
0:30:07 > 0:30:09which he was about to film with its owner, Nicholas.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12Rupert, I know we've got to talk in whispers about this,
0:30:12 > 0:30:13because the owner is nearby.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15Why are you so excited about this picture?
0:30:15 > 0:30:17It doesn't look like much, does it?
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Perhaps it isn't. It's just a guide to an engraver to show him
0:30:20 > 0:30:23how to do the engraving and it's by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25He is a very important person.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28He's a wonderful Victorian neoclassical painter.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32He's the single most valuable artist that there is in Victorian times.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35I was talking to the man who owns it, who brought it in,
0:30:35 > 0:30:37and he told me, "Actually, I've got his portrait,
0:30:37 > 0:30:40- "the engraver's portrait." - That's what this is, is it?
0:30:40 > 0:30:43We sent the van and we've got it and it's coming up on camera
0:30:43 > 0:30:45- and we're about to record it. - Fabulous.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47He is SUCH a good painter
0:30:47 > 0:30:50and when he's not doing, sort of, neoclassical ladies in togas,
0:30:50 > 0:30:53he does a portrait for his own purposes.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56- This wasn't for sale.- So this is Alma-Tadema painting his engraver?
0:30:56 > 0:31:00Yes, he's off his pitch, but it is the most wonderful portrait
0:31:00 > 0:31:03and I'm very excited about it. I've never seen it before.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06- Could be very valuable?- I'm afraid you'll have to wait and see on that.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08And we didn't have to wait long
0:31:08 > 0:31:10for Rupert to join the owner, Nicholas, in front of the camera.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14Now, it really isn't often that I get a picture like this
0:31:14 > 0:31:17on the Antiques Roadshow. This is an artist I know very well.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19His name is Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema
0:31:19 > 0:31:23and it's a portrait of your great-great-grandfather
0:31:23 > 0:31:26and he was Leopold Lowenstam, a very important man to Tadema
0:31:26 > 0:31:29because he was his engraver.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32This man, Lowenstam, your great-great-grandfather,
0:31:32 > 0:31:35was incredibly important to Tadema.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38What I like about the portrait of him is
0:31:38 > 0:31:41here he is actually making the plate from a painting by Tadema
0:31:41 > 0:31:43and then the light has been diffused
0:31:43 > 0:31:46by this wonderful paper screen
0:31:46 > 0:31:49that's set at an angle against the window,
0:31:49 > 0:31:52so that the light is non-directional.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54What an amazing portrait.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56You must know something about it?
0:31:56 > 0:31:58It was a wedding present, um...
0:31:58 > 0:32:03and I think the wedding was in 1883 and then it was...
0:32:03 > 0:32:06That's the date of the picture, it's up there.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09Yes, and it was displayed in the Royal Academy a year later,
0:32:09 > 0:32:11in 1884, at the Summer Exhibition.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14In fact, it's actually inscribed with a dedication here
0:32:14 > 0:32:17and the dedication is to Mrs Lowenstam,
0:32:17 > 0:32:20of her husband aged 41 years.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22It's also the year of his greatest success.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25He'd only just been made a Royal Academician,
0:32:25 > 0:32:27he'd just moved into this massive house,
0:32:27 > 0:32:30he was making tonnes of money, he was very happy.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32We're talking about Tadema here, not Lowenstam.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35He was a very happy, jovial man.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38They were close family friends and I think my great-great-grandmother
0:32:38 > 0:32:41might have been the governess to their children as well.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44Tadema, a very valuable artist in his own day
0:32:44 > 0:32:47and in recent times, he's become very valuable again.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51In fact, he holds the record for a Victorian painting
0:32:51 > 0:32:54at 36 million for an enormous picture
0:32:54 > 0:32:56sold in New York a few years ago.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58This one doesn't quite reach that,
0:32:58 > 0:33:01because it's not of a neoclassical subject and it's not huge,
0:33:01 > 0:33:04but it is very, very good.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08Er, I'm going to put it at £200,000 to £300,000.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10HE GASPS
0:33:10 > 0:33:12CROWD MURMUR AND LAUGH
0:33:12 > 0:33:14(Yeah.)
0:33:16 > 0:33:18LAUGHTER
0:33:22 > 0:33:25- The trouble is, it would never be sold.- No, of course not.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27What a wonderful thing.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30Actually, you know, this might be one of the best pictures
0:33:30 > 0:33:33we've ever seen on the Roadshow in its entire history.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35Well, the story doesn't end there.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39It turned out scholars of the work of artist Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema
0:33:39 > 0:33:42had been searching for this picture for decades.
0:33:42 > 0:33:43After our Roadshow,
0:33:43 > 0:33:46the owner decided to have the painting restored.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48Our expert Rupert oversaw the process.
0:33:48 > 0:33:52So, Stuart, this picture has been untouched for 130 years
0:33:52 > 0:33:54and you're the first person to do so.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56What sort of condition is it in?
0:33:56 > 0:34:00It's almost in pristine state and perfect state of preservation.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02There are no cracks.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04There's nothing but a little bit of soot that's got trapped
0:34:04 > 0:34:11between the glass and the paint layers are in excellent condition.
0:34:11 > 0:34:16The only thing is where there's been a small thin amount of varnish
0:34:16 > 0:34:19that's dropped back, so some of the colours are not as saturated
0:34:19 > 0:34:21and as rich as they should be.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26We've brought the picture to Stuart Sanderson,
0:34:26 > 0:34:27a restorer I've known for a long time,
0:34:27 > 0:34:29and he's very used to Victorian pictures.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33In fact, I believe he's restored two very, very important pictures
0:34:33 > 0:34:36by this artist, so he's no stranger to them.
0:34:36 > 0:34:37He knows how they should look,
0:34:37 > 0:34:39he knows what you can do to them and what you can't.
0:34:39 > 0:34:43The first thing that happens when you clean a picture
0:34:43 > 0:34:47is that these layers of 130 years of soot and dirt come off the top
0:34:47 > 0:34:50and underneath, especially when you wet it,
0:34:50 > 0:34:51you get this wonderful change.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54It's like wetting a stone and suddenly,
0:34:54 > 0:34:57you can see inside it and all the colours go ping.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01One of the other things about finding a picture of this stature
0:35:01 > 0:35:04is the big splash it makes in the academic pond
0:35:04 > 0:35:07if you tell the right academic about it.
0:35:07 > 0:35:08Liz Prettejohn,
0:35:08 > 0:35:10one of the leading authorities on Alma-Tadema,
0:35:10 > 0:35:12received a call from Rupert
0:35:12 > 0:35:15and wanted to learn more about this rediscovered work.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19I've been working on Alma-Tadema for at least 20 years, probably longer.
0:35:19 > 0:35:24Alma-Tadema was one of the major painters, not just in Britain
0:35:24 > 0:35:28but in all of the world in the second half of the 19th century.
0:35:28 > 0:35:33He was really famous for his scenes of classical antiquity -
0:35:33 > 0:35:38maidens in classical drapery on marble benches,
0:35:38 > 0:35:40drenched in sunlight.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44And I always knew there was a portrait of this sitter,
0:35:44 > 0:35:49Leopold Lowenstam, but it was unknown where it was.
0:35:49 > 0:35:53So, now I hear that the painting's been discovered
0:35:53 > 0:35:55and I'm really excited to see it at last.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57The timing couldn't have been better,
0:35:57 > 0:36:00as Liz was preparing a major exhibition
0:36:00 > 0:36:01of the work of Alma-Tadema,
0:36:01 > 0:36:03so was keen to see the portrait for herself.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07So, you've seen a lot of paintings by Alma-Tadema, I know,
0:36:07 > 0:36:09but I'm fairly sure you've never seen this one.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12No, I certainly haven't! It's amazing.
0:36:12 > 0:36:17I'm really quite impressed by what a wonderful condition it's in.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20So, did you ever think of looking for this picture?
0:36:20 > 0:36:23Oh, sure, but I never thought I'd see it.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26- But he did show the painting. - Oh, did he?
0:36:26 > 0:36:30Yeah, he showed it and it appeared several times at exhibition,
0:36:30 > 0:36:33including in his memorial exhibition in 1913,
0:36:33 > 0:36:38- which I think is the last time it's actually been seen in public.- Wow!
0:36:38 > 0:36:40It didn't take long for Liz to decide
0:36:40 > 0:36:43she wanted the picture to be part of the exhibition.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45The Museum of Friesland in the Netherlands
0:36:45 > 0:36:48was where it would debut, not far from Alma-Tadema's birthplace.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52Rupert arranged to meet the owner, Nicholas, on its opening night.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56- It was a great shock to find out how valuable it was.- Yeah.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59But I think you were equally shocked that we brought it along.
0:36:59 > 0:37:00I couldn't believe it!
0:37:00 > 0:37:02It was as if all my Christmases had come at once
0:37:02 > 0:37:04cos you don't see, on television,
0:37:04 > 0:37:08how many sort of coloured-in prints and things that aren't valuable
0:37:08 > 0:37:13or interesting that I look at, and to see this, that was just...
0:37:13 > 0:37:17Well, it was like finding a great big nugget of gold in a desert.
0:37:17 > 0:37:18That's great.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21How fabulous does it look, now it's been cleaned
0:37:21 > 0:37:23and the frame restored as well?
0:37:23 > 0:37:27Yes, it's looking magnificent and it's wonderful to see it here,
0:37:27 > 0:37:30surrounded by other magnificent paintings by Tadema.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36I think it's really exciting doing my job on the Antiques Roadshow.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39It's a bit like Raiders Of The Lost Ark - finding something,
0:37:39 > 0:37:43and it's not been seen by the public for hundreds of years,
0:37:43 > 0:37:45is the most exciting thing,
0:37:45 > 0:37:49and to be part of the process of restoring it,
0:37:49 > 0:37:54researching it, presenting it to the wider public, in context,
0:37:54 > 0:37:57is a very exciting thing to do.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01Surrounded by many of Alma-Tadema's finest paintings,
0:38:01 > 0:38:04Nicholas's great-great-grandfather's portrait
0:38:04 > 0:38:08was finally back in the spotlight after more than a century.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17That touring exhibition visits the UK next July.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20And we've our own celebrations to mark next year.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24On May 17th, 1977, Hereford town hall threw open its doors
0:38:24 > 0:38:27and a young man called Bruce Parker turned to the camera
0:38:27 > 0:38:31to record the very first Antiques Roadshow.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33We're in Hereford today,
0:38:33 > 0:38:36the city that gives its name to white faced cattle and cider,
0:38:36 > 0:38:39the beautiful cathedral city on the River Wye.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43There are people with all sorts of packages, large, small,
0:38:43 > 0:38:45some objects carefully packed up,
0:38:45 > 0:38:47others in supermarket carrier bags.
0:38:47 > 0:38:51And the people here all have the one idea of finding out more
0:38:51 > 0:38:53about that particular item they've had at home,
0:38:53 > 0:38:55perhaps through generations,
0:38:55 > 0:38:58but they've never had the opportunity to ask anybody.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01What I can see is that Arthur Negus is over there
0:39:01 > 0:39:03with a very interesting piece of needlework.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06And the rest is history.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10We're preparing to mark our 40th anniversary, by inviting back owners
0:39:10 > 0:39:13who brought along some of the most memorable objects to the Roadshow
0:39:13 > 0:39:15to hear what's happened since. To give you a flavour,
0:39:15 > 0:39:19we tracked down the owner of one of the programme's famous finds,
0:39:19 > 0:39:23Ozzie the Owl, first seen in Northampton in 1990.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25I caught up with his owner, Pat Ramsey,
0:39:25 > 0:39:28and the man who made the discovery, expert Henry Sandon,
0:39:28 > 0:39:29when the show visited Cornwall.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33Pat, it's great to see you again.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36And we couldn't miss this chance to reunite you with Henry
0:39:36 > 0:39:40and a copy of Ozzie. This is not the real Ozzie.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43That was one of our most memorable days on the Roadshow,
0:39:43 > 0:39:45when you came in. What do you remember of it?
0:39:45 > 0:39:49We wanted to know, Mum and Dad, how old he was, you know.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53I thought, "It's a good chance. The Roadshow's in Northampton.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56"I'll...I'll take him."
0:39:56 > 0:40:00It's actually a little drinking cup. You pour out the drink into there
0:40:00 > 0:40:02and you can't put the head down
0:40:02 > 0:40:04- until you've drunk it all up.- I see.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07It's a useful way of making sure you drink all your drink up.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11It's what we call slipware, made in Staffordshire,
0:40:11 > 0:40:15somewhere round about 1700, 1720.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18- Oh, my word! What's that? - 270 years old.
0:40:18 > 0:40:22- Good gracious!- This is pretty rare.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25So, I was really shocked, you know.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28Well, and YOU were pretty shocked when Ozzie turned up.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31- What do you remember, Henry? - I was petrified of it.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34It was the finest piece I'd ever had on the Roadshow
0:40:34 > 0:40:38in all the years I'd been doing it and there he was, in my hands.
0:40:38 > 0:40:43It was absolutely wonderful because he was an enormous prize.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47I don't know what you or your father think it's worth. Any idea?
0:40:47 > 0:40:53- We don't know.- Are you comfortably sitting there?- Yes, I'm OK.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57Something between about £20,000 and £30,000.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01- Good gracious! Never! - £20,000 and £30,000.
0:41:01 > 0:41:07- You said, incredibly, you'd brought it in on the bus.- Yes.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10So, I said, "Take it home by taxi"...
0:41:10 > 0:41:12LAUGHTER
0:41:12 > 0:41:14..which I thought was very clever and they did.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17- They went home by taxi.- Yes.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20But more than that. You went home with a police escort.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24Two policemen. Frightened Mum and Dad to bits!
0:41:24 > 0:41:29- What did he eventually sell for? - I think it was £17,000 or £17,500.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32£17,000, £17,500.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34He went to the museum, which, you know,
0:41:34 > 0:41:37we were quite thrilled that he was in a museum.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40- Yes, he's in Stoke-on-Trent Museum. - Yes.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43- And they're very, very proud of him. - Yes.- They think he's great.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47And, Pat, some of the money went to help children in Brazil.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50- Tell me about that. - Well, it my dad's idea.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54Donate it to the Salvation Army,
0:41:54 > 0:41:59because they help a lot of the street children in Brazil, you know.
0:41:59 > 0:42:04South America, as you all know, is quite poor.
0:42:04 > 0:42:08- It's a wonderful legacy, though, isn't it?- Mmm.- Lovely children.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11I get in contact with them sometimes.
0:42:11 > 0:42:17We call her Mrs Owl and the children are the owlets.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20- The street children in Brazil? - Yes, yes.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23And now the owlets have baby owlets as well,
0:42:23 > 0:42:28- so I think it's all due to this little chap.- All due to Ozzie.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31He means a lot to me and to everybody.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35What a great story! And, of course, there have been all sorts of tales
0:42:35 > 0:42:38of what's happened to objects after their moment of fame
0:42:38 > 0:42:41on the Roadshow since cameras first rolled, back in 1977.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44If you've got a good story, let us know.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46Contact us via our website.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54And we hope to see you as the show tours the country next year.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57Let's catch up next with a curious little object
0:42:57 > 0:42:59we first saw earlier this year when it turned up
0:42:59 > 0:43:02during a Roadshow in Wiltshire.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04The question was, what was it?
0:43:04 > 0:43:09You brought in this tiny little box and...are many, many questions.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11Well, I brought this in on behalf of my father.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13There's a code on one of the sides,
0:43:13 > 0:43:16a sort of numerical code that he's never been able to crack.
0:43:16 > 0:43:20And we just wondered, really, what the story was about it.
0:43:20 > 0:43:26It's got a name on the top, which I read as J Jones.
0:43:26 > 0:43:29Now, that was the person who probably gave it.
0:43:29 > 0:43:33We also know the date, because it's here on the top - 1785.
0:43:33 > 0:43:35And then it's got a chain of numbers.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37Now that's the enigma.
0:43:38 > 0:43:42Eagle-eyed Roadshow viewer Paul Wisken was watching and, Paul,
0:43:42 > 0:43:45you were convinced that you could crack this 230-year-old code.
0:43:45 > 0:43:47Is this something you do as a hobby?
0:43:47 > 0:43:50Um, yes, I've always been fascinated by codes
0:43:50 > 0:43:54and, specifically, ciphers, rather than any other type of code,
0:43:54 > 0:43:57where you've got a plain substitution of numbers for letters.
0:43:57 > 0:43:59Well, here, we've got numbers and symbols,
0:43:59 > 0:44:01so how did you go about trying to crack it?
0:44:01 > 0:44:04Well, I looked at the numbers around the side
0:44:04 > 0:44:07and we have ten possible digits,
0:44:07 > 0:44:10but then I noticed some of them have symbols
0:44:10 > 0:44:14beside them or over the top, which gives 30 possibilities,
0:44:14 > 0:44:18which gives us the full alphabet of 26 letters, plus a few spares.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21Then I noticed that there is a repeated sequence
0:44:21 > 0:44:24with the two double eights
0:44:24 > 0:44:28and they're both preceded by another number
0:44:28 > 0:44:33and they are repeated in the way that one is a three-letter word
0:44:33 > 0:44:35and the other combination exactly the same.
0:44:35 > 0:44:39It's the last three letters of a five-letter word.
0:44:39 > 0:44:43And that only gives us - if it is in English - only six possibilities.
0:44:43 > 0:44:47Ingenious. And so, where did you end up? What do you think it says?
0:44:47 > 0:44:51I think it says, "The gift is small, but love is all."
0:44:51 > 0:44:55My only problem is that the first word doesn't say "The",
0:44:55 > 0:44:58- if the rest of the code is correct. - What does it say?
0:44:58 > 0:45:02- It says "Htd". - Oh, that's rather unsatisfactory.
0:45:02 > 0:45:04It is, yes. And for that reason,
0:45:04 > 0:45:07I'm still treating this as a work in progress.
0:45:07 > 0:45:10I can't definitively say that I've got it right.
0:45:10 > 0:45:13I believe I have, but if I've got it right,
0:45:13 > 0:45:16then the guy who carved it or wrote it has got it wrong.
0:45:16 > 0:45:18But I'm not going to give up
0:45:18 > 0:45:20until I've proved whether I'm right or wrong.
0:45:20 > 0:45:24If you were going to try and crack that beginning there, "Htd",
0:45:24 > 0:45:26how much longer do you think that would take?
0:45:26 > 0:45:28It will take me probably several years,
0:45:28 > 0:45:31even if I was working full-time on it,
0:45:31 > 0:45:33because I would have to go right back to basics
0:45:33 > 0:45:35and with that combination,
0:45:35 > 0:45:38there are one million million million possibilities.
0:45:38 > 0:45:43- So, maybe see you in ten years' time then.- Or maybe 100 years' time.
0:45:43 > 0:45:46- Paul, thank you so much. - That's fine.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49Well, at that same show, two visitors caught our eye.
0:45:49 > 0:45:51Rowan and Thomas arrived at Bowood House
0:45:51 > 0:45:55on a baking hot summer's day, wearing heavy woollen suits.
0:45:55 > 0:45:59Roadshow expert Mark Hill decided to swelter with them
0:45:59 > 0:46:01and put on a spare suit they'd brought along.
0:46:01 > 0:46:03You two, me and this mannequin are wearing
0:46:03 > 0:46:07some fantastic 1930s and 1940s suits
0:46:07 > 0:46:09- by Montague Burton.- Indeed.- Yeah.
0:46:09 > 0:46:13Montague Burton founded his company selling clothes in 1903
0:46:13 > 0:46:15- and was enormously successful. - Yeah, yeah.
0:46:15 > 0:46:19By 1929, hundreds of shops, mills, factories.
0:46:19 > 0:46:22I mean, he really captured that moment of, sort of,
0:46:22 > 0:46:24in a way, would you say tailoring for the masses?
0:46:24 > 0:46:26Yeah, definitely tailoring for the masses
0:46:26 > 0:46:29and sort of allowing the everyday man
0:46:29 > 0:46:32to buy a tailor-made suit.
0:46:32 > 0:46:35Tell me the story. How did you get into this?
0:46:35 > 0:46:38We're both sort of interested in the tailoring industry
0:46:38 > 0:46:41and we're both '30s and '40s re-enactors.
0:46:41 > 0:46:44We go all over the country doing re-enacting and World War II events.
0:46:44 > 0:46:46- You do re-enactments.- Yeah.
0:46:46 > 0:46:49But you seem to have so much more than just suits.
0:46:49 > 0:46:53Yeah, I sort of collected all the sort of collectibles
0:46:53 > 0:46:55that go with it, really -
0:46:55 > 0:46:59anything that interests me and displays the suits and...
0:46:59 > 0:47:03- I just love it.- You've got the habit.- Yeah, I have, really.
0:47:03 > 0:47:05Do we think we're perhaps a little obsessed?
0:47:05 > 0:47:08A little bit, maybe. Yeah, definitely.
0:47:10 > 0:47:12After the show went out, a viewer contacted us
0:47:12 > 0:47:16to say they may have something else for Rowan and Thomas's wardrobe.
0:47:16 > 0:47:18So, as they headed to Yorkshire on a vintage weekend,
0:47:18 > 0:47:21we took them to meet Penny in her retro cafe,
0:47:21 > 0:47:25dedicated to her late grandfather, Stanley.
0:47:25 > 0:47:26When my grandfather, Stanley, died,
0:47:26 > 0:47:28there were a number of items in his house
0:47:28 > 0:47:30that were from his time at Burton's.
0:47:30 > 0:47:34He worked there for nearly 40 years and he was very proud of his trade.
0:47:34 > 0:47:38And I saw Rowan and his partner on the Antiques Roadshow,
0:47:38 > 0:47:41who were actually Burton's memorabilia collectors,
0:47:41 > 0:47:45which granddad would think, in itself, was absolutely fantastic.
0:47:45 > 0:47:48For two people, young people to take an interest
0:47:48 > 0:47:51and a real passion in the things that he shared a passion for,
0:47:51 > 0:47:53he'd be absolutely over the moon
0:47:53 > 0:47:56and I'm sure he's looking down now, laughing his head off.
0:47:59 > 0:48:03- Hi, guys. Fantastic to finally actually meet you in person.- It is.
0:48:03 > 0:48:05- Thank you very much. - You look incredible.
0:48:05 > 0:48:10- I've got some photographs to show you of him...- I'd love to see them.
0:48:10 > 0:48:15..which... I think we'll agree, he looks quite sharp.
0:48:15 > 0:48:19- Oh, yes.- Oh, wow.- That's incredible. - They're his two sisters.
0:48:19 > 0:48:22- And what year would this be? - Um, that is... It's written...
0:48:22 > 0:48:25- 1948.- Yeah, you can tell.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28Big, wide, straight-legged trousers, big lapels.
0:48:28 > 0:48:32- Actually, I've got two suits that I'd like to give to you.- Oh, wow.
0:48:32 > 0:48:34And this is him wearing one of those suits,
0:48:34 > 0:48:36which is referred to as the christening suit
0:48:36 > 0:48:38- cos he bought it for my mum's christening.- Oh, wow.
0:48:38 > 0:48:42- And he wore it pretty much for everything after that.- Really?
0:48:42 > 0:48:44- Yeah, the navy three-piece suit. - Oh, wow.
0:48:44 > 0:48:46And that's him with my grandmother.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49He would be over the moon.
0:48:49 > 0:48:51He would think the whole thing is absolutely hilarious.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54He'd think the fact that two young, you know,
0:48:54 > 0:48:59two young men are interested and are actually as interested as he was...
0:48:59 > 0:49:02- Yeah.- Yeah.- And if there was one thing about my granddad
0:49:02 > 0:49:05was that he loved to laugh and if he was here now
0:49:05 > 0:49:09and he could see you guys, he would be laughing his socks off.
0:49:09 > 0:49:12He'd be absolutely over the moon.
0:49:12 > 0:49:14- That's fantastic. - Thank you very much.
0:49:15 > 0:49:19- So, here we are.- Wow!- It fits quite well. It's really nice.
0:49:19 > 0:49:23- Oh, my word, look at you! It looks like it was made for you.- Yeah.
0:49:23 > 0:49:26- It looks like Stanley's cut it for you.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:49:26 > 0:49:30- Perfect for vintage weekends away. - Vintage weekends away, yeah, yeah.
0:49:30 > 0:49:31- Retro...- Retro festivals.
0:49:31 > 0:49:35We're going to one this weekend, so fantastic. Brilliant.
0:49:37 > 0:49:40Thanks to Rowan and Thomas, resplendent in their new suits.
0:49:40 > 0:49:42And if you have a vintage outfit to show off,
0:49:42 > 0:49:46do come to a Roadshow. Our dates for 2017 are coming up.
0:49:53 > 0:49:55And our final catch-up on items screened earlier this year
0:49:55 > 0:49:58takes us back to our day at Audley End.
0:49:58 > 0:50:01It's another wartime story which I was fascinated to hear about
0:50:01 > 0:50:02when I met Brian Davis.
0:50:03 > 0:50:05My mum was a cleaner
0:50:05 > 0:50:09in the ministries in Whitehall in the early '80s,
0:50:09 > 0:50:11notably the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
0:50:11 > 0:50:13She noticed these from the basement.
0:50:13 > 0:50:16They were being practically thrown out.
0:50:16 > 0:50:20She was outraged, so she reported it to a senior civil servant,
0:50:20 > 0:50:24but he said, "Would you like to take those home to keep them safe?"
0:50:24 > 0:50:25And we've had them ever since.
0:50:25 > 0:50:27And what do you know about him? Who is this?
0:50:27 > 0:50:31Hedley Nevile Fowler. Squadron Leader Hedley Nevile Fowler.
0:50:31 > 0:50:36We know he was shot down in May of 1940, and taken into captivity.
0:50:36 > 0:50:39He was held in three different camps -
0:50:39 > 0:50:41finally, at Colditz Castle.
0:50:41 > 0:50:44Colditz, that is a name to chill the heart, isn't it?
0:50:44 > 0:50:47It is indeed. But he actually successfully escaped from Colditz.
0:50:47 > 0:50:49And what happened to him then?
0:50:49 > 0:50:51He was posted to the Armament Squadron,
0:50:51 > 0:50:54near Boscombe Down, which was basically as a test pilot.
0:50:54 > 0:50:56And in March of '44,
0:50:56 > 0:51:00he had an accident and fell out of the sky and was killed.
0:51:01 > 0:51:03What a story!
0:51:03 > 0:51:05And how can we help you here today, Brian?
0:51:05 > 0:51:07Why have you brought this all to us?
0:51:07 > 0:51:09So, I really wanted to put it out there,
0:51:09 > 0:51:14in case someone knows Hedley Fowler, or is related to Hedley Fowler,
0:51:14 > 0:51:16and I'd quite gladly give it over.
0:51:16 > 0:51:19So, could we find the relatives of Hedley Fowler?
0:51:19 > 0:51:21Well, Brian's back with me now with...
0:51:21 > 0:51:24Shirley Wilson and Sydney Craig.
0:51:24 > 0:51:28- How are you related to Hedley Fowler?- He was my mother's cousin.
0:51:28 > 0:51:30And was he talked about in the family at all?
0:51:30 > 0:51:33- Yes, he was always there. - Always talked about.
0:51:33 > 0:51:38He was a hero to the family. We were brought up with him.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41- So brave that he got back. - From Colditz?- Yeah.
0:51:41 > 0:51:43And he escaped from Colditz.
0:51:43 > 0:51:46Took him a year to get back here and then, within months, he was dead.
0:51:46 > 0:51:48- So tragic.- Mm, terrible.
0:51:48 > 0:51:51And when you came along to Audley End, you brought along,
0:51:51 > 0:51:52as well as these pictures, this book,
0:51:52 > 0:51:54- which is the story of Hedley's life.- Yes.
0:51:54 > 0:51:58- And I know, Sydney...- His father wrote it. Here's another one.
0:51:58 > 0:52:01- Wow, it's fantastic, isn't it?- Is it a bit emotional for you, Brian?
0:52:01 > 0:52:06- It is. It really is, honestly, yes. - It chokes you up, doesn't it?- Yes.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08And it's that picture we've never seen.
0:52:08 > 0:52:13- We have seen a picture in there.- But we've seen it in black and white.
0:52:13 > 0:52:15So, that's the photograph and then this is the painting
0:52:15 > 0:52:18- that was taken from it.- Yes. - And it's all thanks to you, Brian.
0:52:18 > 0:52:22You so much wanted to be able to give these items back to people
0:52:22 > 0:52:25- to whom they meant so much. - I did, yeah.
0:52:25 > 0:52:32It's actually down to my mum but, yes, I've had them in my possession.
0:52:32 > 0:52:36They're not my family but I do recognise our heroes.
0:52:36 > 0:52:40It means a hell of a lot. There are memorable days in your life.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42You get married, you have children
0:52:42 > 0:52:46and, for me, this is one of those, honestly. It's a lovely day.
0:52:46 > 0:52:50- What does it mean to you to have these things from Brian?- Oh!
0:52:50 > 0:52:52- It's our family.- Yeah. - We haven't got many of us.
0:52:52 > 0:52:57- It's just us three sisters.- Yeah. - It's great.- It's...
0:52:57 > 0:53:01I mean, we were brought up with him, you know, his name.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04- Well done, you, Brian. - Well done, thank you.- That's fine.
0:53:04 > 0:53:07No problem at all. I always wanted him to be remembered
0:53:07 > 0:53:09- and all those that went with him as well.- He is remembered.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12- I know he will be.- Mm. - He definitely will.
0:53:14 > 0:53:17We've come to the end of our look back on this year.
0:53:17 > 0:53:20It's time to look forward to next year, our 40th anniversary,
0:53:20 > 0:53:22and we'd love you to join our experts
0:53:22 > 0:53:24as we travel around the country.
0:53:24 > 0:53:27Diaries at the ready because here comes our line-up of venues,
0:53:27 > 0:53:29including here, Cardiff Castle.
0:54:47 > 0:54:50If you're interested in joining us at one of our future venues,
0:54:50 > 0:54:52go onto our website because there are lots of tips
0:54:52 > 0:54:54about how to get the most out of your visit.
0:54:54 > 0:54:56We'd also love to hear about the special object
0:54:56 > 0:54:58you might be planning to bring.
0:54:58 > 0:55:00Contact us via our website.
0:55:06 > 0:55:10Before we go, we have a sad end to this look back on our year.
0:55:10 > 0:55:14A few weeks ago, our dear friend and colleague Graham Lay died.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17Graham was a remarkable man,
0:55:17 > 0:55:20deeply knowledgeable and well-respected in his field.
0:55:20 > 0:55:21But, unknown to many,
0:55:21 > 0:55:24he'd battled with cystic fibrosis from his childhood.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26His contribution to the Antiques Roadshow
0:55:26 > 0:55:29over the course of nearly 30 years was profound,
0:55:29 > 0:55:33transforming our approach to filming human stories of wartime.
0:55:33 > 0:55:36Here's an extract from a particularly memorable meeting
0:55:36 > 0:55:39he had a couple of years ago.
0:55:39 > 0:55:41- So, were you captured at the same time?- Yeah.
0:55:41 > 0:55:44And what happened to you?
0:55:44 > 0:55:49I was taken to a French chateau and shown into a big room
0:55:49 > 0:55:54and standing there was Field Marshall Rommel
0:55:54 > 0:56:00and, looking out of the window, was Field Marshal von Rundstedt.
0:56:00 > 0:56:02Two of the most important officers,
0:56:02 > 0:56:06high-ranking officers in that part of the theatre at the time.
0:56:06 > 0:56:11That's right. He said, "Is there anything that you require?"
0:56:11 > 0:56:14So, I said, "Yes, I'd like a pint of beer."
0:56:14 > 0:56:17LAUGHTER
0:56:17 > 0:56:23"I'd like a packet of cigarettes and I'd like a good meal, please."
0:56:23 > 0:56:28- Yeah.- And I was served, in his mess,
0:56:28 > 0:56:31and on the table was a stein of beer
0:56:31 > 0:56:35and there was a packet of cigarettes.
0:56:35 > 0:56:38- Not this... This packet? - That's the empty packet...
0:56:38 > 0:56:40- Good grief!- ..which I kept.
0:56:40 > 0:56:44I think...that the medal group,
0:56:44 > 0:56:47plus the story, plus the objects you have
0:56:47 > 0:56:50are going to be worth somewhere in the region of
0:56:50 > 0:56:53£7,000 to £10,000.
0:56:53 > 0:56:54Not for sale.
0:56:54 > 0:56:57LAUGHTER
0:56:57 > 0:57:00- Good for you.- Not for sale.
0:57:00 > 0:57:02APPLAUSE
0:57:05 > 0:57:08We'll miss Graham for all he brought to the show
0:57:08 > 0:57:11but also as an irreplaceable member of our travelling band
0:57:11 > 0:57:13and as a friend.
0:57:13 > 0:57:16From the whole team, bye-bye.