Weirdest things on Antiques Roadshow

It sometimes feels as if Antiques Roadshow is older than some of the vintage items it showcases. But there is no denying the enduring popularity of the long-running British programme.

The format, which is disarmingly simple, has changed little in the 40 years since the show first aired.

The production team rolls into a photogenic location and locals bring in items discovered in the attic to be evaluated by a team of experts.

The sweet spot comes when people are genuinely taken aback by the news that their antiques are worth an absolute fortune.

For the past 11 years, Antiques Roadshow has been presented by Fiona Bruce.

She weighs up why, four decades since its inception, the show continues to be so widely adored. ‘‘I think it’s amazing that the Antiques Roadshow is essentially the same as it has been for 40 years and it’s still hugely popular.

‘‘What makes it eternally popular is probably what I love about it – that we all hope that we could have something gathering dust on the mantelpiece or in the attic that either turns out to be very valuable or has an amazing story.

‘‘It happens week in, week out. You’d think that the world would begin to run dry, but it hasn’t.

‘‘We still find amazing things every week.’’

Bruce, 55, who has also presented Crimewatch in the UK and Fake Or Fortune?, is an ideal choice as a presenter of Antiques Roadshow, as she has been a fan of the show since she was young.

‘‘I still remember watching Antiques Roadshow as a child with my parents, on a Sunday night, sitting in our 1970s living room.

‘‘Then, I suppose when I was in my 20s, I dipped out of it for a while. I was probably going out – or at least I certainly hope so.

‘‘I gradually came back to it and then I was asked to present it, which I had no idea was coming.

‘‘I was absolutely thrilled. It’s not often that you get asked to work on a

Fiona Bruce once spotted a valuable Van Dyck painting on ‘‘I looked at it and as I was making a programme about Van Dyck at the time I thought it had the look of the genuine article.’’ programme you’ve watched for so long and genuinely watch at home.’’

Reflecting on more than a decade fronting the show, Bruce picks out her own highlight.

‘‘My personal favourite would probably have to be when a man of the cloth turned up with a painting, which he thought might be a Van Dyck. I looked at it and as I was making a programme about Van Dyck at the time, I thought it had the look of the genuine article.

‘‘And so we had it examined and my hunch turned out to be right. It has been proven to be the case and it is now being exhibited as a Van Dyck.

‘‘I can’t imagine that will ever happen to me again in my lifetime and it’s definitely a highlight for me.’’

Bruce goes on to reveal that some of the experts’ knowledge has rubbed off on her. ‘‘I’ve certainly learnt more about antiques. I have my own collections. I have paintings. I also collect things called ‘samplers’, which are Victorian pieces of needlework usually done by children in a workhouse to show that they have a skill which can be used in service, stitching household linen or that kind of thing.

‘‘I think they’re very humble and very beautiful. But our experts are like walking Wikipedias. They’re incredible. And they just fish knowledge out of their brains, which is a marvel to behold.’’

The presenter goes on to recollect the most surprising item someone has brought to a valuation day.

‘‘If I had to pick the most unusual thing that’s turned up in the time that I’ve been working on the show, could it be the man who turned up with an attache case full of loo chains – just a small sample of his collection?

‘‘Could it be the man who turned up not once, but twice with a foetal membrane dried on to a piece of A4 paper that had belonged to his great-grandfather? It’s called a caul. It used to be a talisman against drowning and it used to have some value.’’

Or, Bruce concludes, ‘‘Could it be the lady who brought along a potty that had a picture of Hitler on the bottom? When you did a little ‘tinkle’ into it, it played its own little tune. And because it was rare, it was worth over £1000.’’

– James Rampton, TV Guide

Antiques Roadshow, Saturday, 6pm Prime and 8.30pm Choice.