At The Manor - Antiques Roadshow

Antiques Roadshow is visiting Wightwick Manor Wolverhampton and what a fantastic setting this Arts and Crafts House is! Packed with William Morris designs and boasting a fantastic collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings including works by Rossetti and Burne-Jones.

Today though thankfully the marquee is redundant, it's a scorcher and all the action is taking place outside on the terrace.

AR is a thoroughly British affair and so are the orderly queues winding their way to the awaiting specialists. Oh is only here to take it all in and so we are free to wander observing, listening and marvelling at the behind the scenes experience.


Wightwick Manor

Objects are appearing from a sea of blankets, bubblewrap, boxes, trolleys and plastic bags. All to be viewed and appraised, stories told and the stand out few to feature in the recorded show.



 

AR Specialists

The jackets are off and Steven Moore, Lars Tharp and local boy Will Farmer are ploughing through a Ceramic tsunami. Behind them the archetypal English gentleman Paul Atterbury resplendent in signature Blue and Yellow striped boating jacket and titfer helping Judith Miller to reduce a very large line of miscellaneous.
In a slightly elevated position is sitting Geoffrey Munn whose Jewellery queue looked disappointingly short.




The picture queue

Lots of the favourites are here all listening intently, emparting their knowledge and finally giving that all important valuation. A crowd gathers around golden girl Fiona Bruce as a punter tries his luck at Basic, Better Best the interactive knowledge building feature recently introduced. The heat is on literally so it's a picnic and cold drink in the shade of the trees before back to see clocks and watches specialist Richard Price record to camera. It's fascinating to see the camera men, directors and technicians all working in unison and you realise what a slick operation AR is.

Paul Atterbury

Rupert Maas

 Oh specialises in paintings and prints so the AR experience wouldn't be complete without a visit to Rupert Maas' table. A winding stream of hopefuls are gently yet authoritively informed of the value (or lack of) of their pictures. Traditional very much seemed to be the order of the day but Who Knows? I may just have missed that hidden Lowry, Nicholson or Picasso! I can't wait to see the finished programme.

What a wonderful and thoroughly British day!

Highly  recommended!

Go see Antiques Roadshow and remember in this age of over inflated prices it's FREE.


Still to be recorded this season:

Thurs 6th September - Chatham Historic Dockyard

Thurs 13th September - Falmouth Maritime Museum


Antiques Roadshow Website www.bbc.co.uk/antiquesroadshow

Wightwick Manor  http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wightwick-manor/


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