Antiques Roadshow has graced our screens for forty years and has become one of the nation’s most beloved television programmes and a national institution. It has featured thousands of unique stories over the years, and introduced many incredible characters and unforgettable moments. In this anniversary celebration, Paul Atterbury and Marc Allum look back at the quintessential moments from the show’s illustrious history, providing a look at the history behind the very best and most intriguing objects that have appeared on the show.
Antiques Roadshow: 40 Years of Great Finds reveals the astonishing stories behind findings such as the discovery of the Lalique vase which had been bought for a pound at a car boot sale and left in the loft, only to be valued and sold for £25,000; the twenty-three original Beatrix Potter drawings; a brooch designed by the great Victorian architect William Burges; a poignant letter written by a doomed passenger on the Titanic, and legendary 1970s glam rocker Marc Bolan’s distinctive Gibson Flying V guitar.
Beautifully illustrated, and featuring a wealth of artifacts from the show, this is a truly revealing book, unearthing moments from history through each of the extraordinary objects discovered on the programme.
Paul Atterbury joined BBC One’s Antiques Roadshow as an expert in 1990, specialising in 19th and 20th century art and architecture. He has written widely on history, railways, arts and travel, as well as curating exhibitions for the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Marc Allum is a freelance art and antiques writer, broadcaster, consultant and lecturer based in Wiltshire. He has been a miscellaneous specialist on the Antiques Roadshow since 1998 and has appeared on various other television and radio programmes. Marc spent 16 years as a London-based auctioneer and has written and contributed to numerous books. He writes regularly for magazines and has a passion for playing the bass guitar and tinkering with large engines.