Antiques Road Show: Tiaras, Tallboys and Teddy Bears

Antiques, and the pursuit of them, have become something of a national pastime. The turnover of auction houses goes from strength to strength and major national newspapers increasingly employ saleroom correspondents. Antiques fairs abound; even car-boot and jumble sales have become popular hunting grounds for knowledgeable enthusiasts. This is a selection of articles from the "Antiques Roadshow" column of the "Radio Times", and is edited by the BBC TV programme's producer. Among the "finds" dealt with in the book are the #20,000 Staffordshire slipware owl, the unknown portrait by a Dadaist artist, Schwitters, and the bronze figure of "The Sluggard". Also featured are sometimes humorous accounts of treasures discovered in stair cupboards, dusty bookshops and toy boxes, tips on restoration, ideas for the more humble collector and guidance on how to spot a fake.