| Eleanor's husband: "Ellie, quick!
Come in here. Your sister's on the telly!"
"What do you mean?" shouted Eleanor from the kitchen where she was making a pot of tea. "She's being interviewed on the Antiques Roadshow about that old wooden box you found when you were clearing out your Gran's attic." Eleanor rushed into the sitting room still holding the pot of tea and stood staring at the telly. "Well, the sly old bird, fancy her not letting me know that she had been filmed." "Ssh, I can't hear what the guy's saying with you blethering on." Eleanor put the pot down on the side table and sat down in the armchair opposite her husband. AR Expert: "Can you tell me anything about the history of this box? How did you come by it." NEXT |
| Gill: "Well, not much really.
My sister and I found it in my Gran's attic when we were sorting out her
effects after she died last year. I think it might have belonged
to my Great Uncle Henry. He was born in 1890 and died in the Spanish
Civil War - he was quite a character so I've been told. There were
some interesting bits and pieces inside it too including some old letters.
But I brought it along today because I was curious about its origin."
AR Expert: "I'm glad you did. This is a fascinating object. They don't come up at auction very often. Do you know if your Great Uncle spent any time in the Far East?" Gill: "I really don't know. But he spent much of his youth abroad in France studying art, and later he was in the Foreign Legion, so perhaps he might have done?" AR Expert: "Hmm, I suppose he might well have acquired it in France, but I can tell you that it's origin is Indian. It would have been made for a Raj around 1840. What makes me say that is this exquisite mother-of-pearl inlay. Just look at the marvellous detail on the bird of paradise, particularly the definition on the beak and head feathers. The colours have hardly faded at all. This is the work of an expert craftsman - possibly Chinese." NEXT |
| AR Expert: "There was quite a good
deal of trading between India and China in the mid 19th Century.
These Chinese inlays were highly sought after for decorating wooden artefacts
in the Rajs' palaces. The lock is interesting too. There is some
very fine brasswork on the escutcheon. It's a shame about the damage.
I wonder how that happened? You haven't let the children play with
this box have you?" (Laughter)
Gill: "Oh dear, I'm afraid that was done by my partner, Neil. As we couldn't find a key, we had to break into it using a bent coat hanger. And it slipped and made that long scratch." AR Expert: "Well, that is a pity. I'm afraid that lock picking will have taken quite a bit off the value. Have you any idea of its worth?" "God, I hate the way they do this," muttered Ellie, "keeping one in suspense. Come on, hurry up, give us the price!" AR Expert: "Despite the damage to the lock, this is an extremely fine and rare piece, and I think that at auction, it would probably fetch in the region of £1,000-£1,500. However, if Neil hadn't picked the lock, I can tell you that this box would have been worth ten times that amount." (Gasp from Gill and surrounding audience.) NEXT |
| "Oh, Gill, I knew I shouldn't
have let you take it!"
At that moment the phone rang. Eleanor's husband picked it up. "Hi Gill, we've just been watching you on the box. Bet Neil's kicking himself. Yes, Ellie's right here. Watch out for sparks!" Ellie snatched the phone from her husband. "Gill, why did you let Neil get at it - he 's so bloody ham-fisted. That's £10,000 down the drain. Well, I just hope the contents were worth it - what did you say they were - some old letters?" "Ellie, just calm down and listen," said Gill, at the same time pushing her hand down on thin air as if her sister could see it over the ether and would respond to the signal. "Those letters could be far more valuable than the box - even in mint condition. I'm coming over to see you tomorrow, after evening surgery - I'll bring them with me. It's all so exciting! See you tomorrow - bye." Ellie threw her head back in the armchair, gazed up at the ceiling and sighed, "I think I'm just beginning to realise who Gill takes after - Great Uncle Henry!" TOP |