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Appraisal, Valuation and Inspired Guesswork or the Rise of TV Antique Shows and the Collecting Bug

By Howard Lewis

The Price is Right.

Once upon a time you knew precisely where you stood. You were, metaphorically speaking, peering over the shoulder of the venerable Arthur Negus, denizen of that epitome of middle class culture, The Antiques Roadshow. Now, however, you�re turning this way and that, amidst a plethora of antiques discovery programmes, as you seek to satisfy your voyeuristic craving and perhaps learn a little something as you go.

Life used to be very simple in the antique firmament on TV. Its first airing was Going for a Song in 1965, so ancient a time that England had yet to win the World Cup and I was still in short trousers, in a programme memorably described as a

�Pooterish pottery riddleathon, chaired in its glory days by Max Robertson with Arthur Negus stapled to one side for a bit of gossip. Max would then proffer a vaguely familiar looking antique loom at teams of experts and a clueless public, demanding both date and asking price. Points were awarded for the closest bid.�

That won�t ring too many bells with today�s protagonists, by all accounts. This was an age in which most educated people were expected to have a routine general knowledge of art, antiques and collecting because it suggested some hint of engagement and appreciation of the world around them. Of course, the clueless public were a convenient prop to the cardsharps around them but the scenario hasn�t deviated too far over the last forty years. Having said that, presenters could always be relied upon in yesteryear to wear a jacket and tie and a sensible haircut � this was the BBC after all � so one wasn�t confronted, as is our current misfortune, by a bunch of D listers swathed in Hawaiian tee shirts and an all over tan.

Yet the extraordinary thing is that these programmes � and, believe me, there are plenty of them � have such enduring appeal. The antiques themselves obviously play their part but the real key is the human dimension and, without exception, it is a feature of all the latter day productions that the viewing public are encouraged to make contact and tell their stories. However, whereas The Antiques Roadshow was deliberately more formal in its approach, more recent entrants are positively gushing. The three best examples of this new genre are Flog It, Bargain Hunt and Cash in the Attic, each of which, like The Antiques Roadshow, have spawned some very ugly American hatchlings. More of that anon.

Back here, we have David Dickinson, full of grandiloquent gestures and gravelly tones, hosting Bargain Hunt. Dickinson, notwithstanding that he loves the sound of his own voice, has certainly done the rounds and knows his stuff unlike the motley crew from Cash in the Attic who look like cast offs from a lifestyle channel. Bargain Hunt is not designed to be too successful but just give a taste of what could be achieved with a good eye and a judicious approach though, as ever, it is most watchable when confronted by the unexpected. One contestant so successfully bought and sold a copper log box that Dickinson, momentarily speechless, had to dispatch a crew member to an ATM to cough up enough cash when he ran short. Priceless!

Howard Lewis, Chairman http://www.invaluable.com Only Invaluable gives you unrivalled access to pre-sale and post-sale information for auction houses and salerooms across the globe. Find art, antiques and collectables. Try our Keyword search, register at http://www.invaluable.com for a free 14 day trial.

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Antique Furniture. Antique furniture is much sought after depending on the make and style of the specific item. Tables and writing desks, complete dining sets, chairs, cabinets, and armoires are all popular and motifs vary greatly by period from ornately carved Baroque pieces to the simple lines of Shaker furniture. Individual selection depends entirely on taste.
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Don't use plastic bubble wrap to store silver and ceramics. Heat and humidity can cause permanent discolorations.
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Collectors are able to determine the age of bottles by looking at several features. Early bottles were either hand blown or blown into a mold. Bottles that were made between the late 17th century and the mid 19th century have a pontil mark. The pontil mark is a circular depression on the bottom of the bottle. It is made when the pontil rod is transferred from the blowpipe for final shaping and finishing. After 1800, the pontil was usually ground down and polished so it was not as noticeable, but it was still visible.
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For most people the point of an interesting antique collection is personal satisfaction in owning historical pieces with superb workmanship. For man y collectors the value of antiques in their possession is not nearly as critical as their love of the pieces. Whether you collect antique furniture, antique hardware, or antique tools, collect what you love and you will have years of enjoyment from the pursuit of good pieces.
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