We love the Antiques Roadshow.
Of course we're waiting to see what that mid-century glassware will get at auction, it's so collectable now... Is the painting of an unknown man by a little known artist worth a fortune and will the young woman sell or keep her great aunt's ruby ring when she finds out what it's worth? But there's more for the listener than that.
There are the layers of Stories.
First each person tells the tale of how they came upon their object. Then the expert adds a story of their own - Who was it made by? When did they make it? Is it common or rare? And quite often there is further layer of story as well, when the possession belonged to a relative who has passed away or when they are letters found in an attic. Then we get a glimpse of their story too, one that has been inherited and passed down through the generations of a family. We are are watching for all these stories - and the interplay between them.
In last week's episode a man who works at a council rubbish dump found a stash of letters. Not an unusual story until we learn that the person who wrote them worked in Winston Churchill's house and that in the letters she told stories of the day to day life of one of the 20th century's greatest figures.
“She used to write to her son every day about the daily goings of Winston Churchill, what he was getting up to, how he was feeling and just interesting stuff about him”.
Amongst many other things in the discarded stash, the man found a cigar case, a top hat and a photograph of Winston signed to the housekeeper. All thrown away by someone, presumably, with no connection to the stories which would have been lost if the letters had not been found.
And the value? £10,000.
I think the stories are worth a lot more...
Dan Milne
Director Narativ London
What's your story? To join us for our next Narativ Listening and Storytelling workshop in London on April 24th click here.
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