Local History

And it opened its doors to the public at Sheffield City Hall on Thursday 10th May 2007, to a crowd of about 2000.

The Antiques Roadshow's Eric Knowles

Eric Knowles, expert on the Antiques Roadshow for the past 26 years, dropped into BBC Radio Sheffield for a chat with Toby Foster and ended up valuing 'some old watch'...

"I joined the Antiques Roadshow on a youth opportunity scheme in 1981" says Eric, "and I've never got bored of it. You don't know what's going to come out of those black plastic bin-liners and cardboard boxes.

"Those people who turn up with Harrods shopping bags - it's always an anticlimax!"

Eric has been in the antiques business since 1971 and says that the Antiques Roadshow is a great think-tank: "When you're on your own and you need to know about something you've got no one to turn to. But when you're on the Roadshow you've got all these great brains around you."

Henry Sandon loves pots

So the burning question - are those experts really founts of all knowledge or do they actually have a load of help behind the scenes?

"No - we really know our stuff! We keep a few books to one side because you can't remember every date in your head. But if you don't know it then you shouldn't really be recording it," says Eric.

But what happens when you have to tell someone that their treasure is worthless? "Well you've got to be very diplomatic" says Eric. "It might be worth nothing but it can still be a treasure - a family treasure."

And Toby Foster's producer Jamie brought in some of his own 'antiques' for Eric's expert eye. The first piece: a Charles and Diana tin from the Royal Wedding in 1981...

"Hmm, the Princess Di 1981 tin comes under the heading of 'this and that'" says Eric, "which if you abbreviate it means 'tat'!

"It'll probably get you as far as Rotherham. If you walk half way."

Jamie Campbell with his antique watch and tin

But when Jamie produces a gold watch, Eric puts his glasses on.

"I got this watch off a bloke for £50. I don't like it much" says Jamie.

"How much do you want for it? Will you take £55?" asks Eric.

The bidding progresses but Eric won't stop at £80... or £320... or £380.

Eventually someone pipes up with £500, and that's where Eric stops.

Antique watch

"It's 15 carat gold! A lovely gold watch, key-wound - dates from 1870-80 - and in its original fitted travelling case. £400-£500."

So what's the best thing Eric has ever seen?

"It's so difficult because there are so many - and it's the people as much as the antiques.

"Probably a whacking big teapot which came in at Liverpool. It turned out not to be a teapot but a punch pot because it was so big and made in 1750. You would have had to be a millionaire to afford the tea that went in it.

"The lady who brought it in said to me, 'You don't sell your heirlooms, do you?' But six months later at an auction house in London, she sold it for £14,500! She went back to Liverpool and bought her council house. It's nice when you get these stories - but there are so many of them."

And no doubt some treasures will turn up at the City Hall in Sheffield.

"I'm usually on two tables at the Roadshow - miscellaneous and ceramics", says Eric. "But because we're in Sheffield we've had new signs made: for ceramics it's 'crockery', and for miscellaneous, it's 'owt else'!"