Antiques Roadshow UK S48E07 – Stephens House & Gardens 2

The roadshow returns to Stephens House & Gardens, in the leafy suburb of Finchley, north London.

Joanna Hardy strikes gold with an unusual Italian bracelet, while Alexandra Gill finds a rare painting of Hamlet’s Ophelia with a surprising value. Marc Allum meets a young visitor with an arts and crafts clock left to him by his granny, and Lennox Cato is thrilled to discover a miniature chair from the reign of Charles II.

There are curiosities aplenty – Claire Tole-Moir gets to leaf through a signed guest book from the Live Aid after-party, Fuchsia Voremberg examines an exquisitely illustrated ship’s log found in a loft, Frances Christie sees a ceramic artwork destined for the skip, and Geoffrey Munn is delighted to see a pair of rare 18th-century gold bracelet clasps containing a loved-one’s hair. But not everything is in top condition. Ronnie Archer-Morgan examines a Dunhill cigarette lighter clock that arrives in pieces, and Eric Knowles admires a 17th-century dish with cracks and vintage repairs.

Stephens House & Gardens was once home to Henry ‘Inky’ Stephens, who made a fortune from selling indelible ink. Fiona Bruce explores the history of ink, looking at antique bottles, nibs and quills and also two handwritten letters by Charles Dickens. Our venue was also a regular haunt of comedian and writer Spike Milligan, and Fiona meets his daughters Jane and Sile to look at some fascinating objects from their father’s collection.