An Antiques Roadshow Visit- Wet Wet Wet

Well not quite! The Mr and I have been to one other Antiques Roadshow event a few years ago held at Eastbourne on the south coast. The weather and the seaview were glorious and although we did queue for a good while the time passed most pleasently. In stark contrast to our experience last Tuesday at Cromford Mill. It rained and rained and rained. Now the folk of AR cannot control the weather, but the lack of organisation was mind blowing. Everyone in attendance had booked a free ticket in advance, but there seemed to be huge amounts of people waiting. The INITIAL queue zig zagged back and forth and we stood in the mud and rain for a good hour. When we got to the front of that queue we realised it was just to get a wristband and a brief bag check for some. Anyone who had just come to gawp at 'the celebrities' was ushered stright through the gates of the mill yard. I would estimate that was about 90% of the queue. Others, like the Mr and I had to join another queue, quite small in comparison, but still did take us about 30 minutes to get to the front where we were given a card, see above, to join yet another queue. Can you tell I was getting a bit miffed by now? We were then directed to the wrong area but worked out eventually where we should be. Yes, another queue for the ceramic experts. Still the rain poured and poured. There was one expert sitting under cover and the line of folk waiting to be seen was long, but for us too late now to turn back. Plus we had paid £5 to park in a sodden wet field, which I thought was a bit of a cheek. One of the stewards asked if anyone had Asian ceramics to be appraised, and I did, two Chinese things and one Japanese. Now I know none of the items I had were worth lots of money, that was obvious but I was really curious to find out when they had been made. I found them charming and wanted to know a bit more.

The Asian expert was nowhere to be seen, we were told she had gone off to look at something and would be back. Meanwhile the only other ceramic expert had gone off to do some filming, back in ten minutes he said. Actually forty minutes. So we waited in total about three hours to speak to the expert. Who told me the Japanese little sugar bowl was made between 1910-1940, the small flask she didn't know and she didn't know about Chinese ceramics so guessed the plate was probably 19th, possibly English made, "but don't quote me " she said. These are my items which I really like for their character and history.

My advice dear reader, if you are curious about any old artefacts is to speak to Mr Google first or go to a local auction house valuation day. Don't 'pop' along to The Antiques Roadshow.