THE Antiques Roadshow returns to Scotland this week and it is not too late to dust off those family heirlooms, round up car boot sale finds or get rummaging in the loft for long-forgotten treasures.
New Lanark World Heritage Site will host the popular BBC show on Thursday with members of the public invited to bring along items for evaluation by Britain's leading antiques and fine arts experts.
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Presenter Fiona Bruce, who has fronted Antiques Roadshow since 2008, said that she was looking forward to seeing what intriguing and interesting pieces arrive on the day.
"I'm always excited because each venue is different," she said. "People come along with the unexpected and we often don't know what they will bring until they turn up."
Recent gems include a jacket belonging to former US president John F Kennedy, a musical penknife valued at £80,000, a toy panda that once flew with the Dambusters and a sketch believed to be by Picasso that was bought for a few pounds in a house clearance sale.
Ms Bruce said what she enjoys most is hearing the stories behind the objects. While some are quirky – such as the man who "brought along his collection of loo chains in a specially adapted briefcase" – others have poignant and heart-breaking context.
One visitor had learned only three days earlier that his late father had fought in the First World War, was badly injured at the Somme and spent time in a POW camp. The discovery came after a box of old letters was uncovered in a loft.
"The letters were incredibly moving," said Ms Bruce. "His father was an only son and they were clearly written with a view to how they would be received by his terribly worried parents.
"Nonetheless you could read between the lines that things had been incredibly tough. He had been injured very badly and in pain for a long time. It was hugely emotional for all of us – not just the chap who brought them along.
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"They didn't have a financial value, but what an extraordinary story," she added. "I will never tire of hearing those stories."
Entry is free and no pre-registration is required. Doors open at 9.30am and close at 4.30pm.
Antiques Roadshow expert Gordon Foster, who was previously a silver specialist at Christie's in Glasgow, said he had high hopes for the show's visit to New Lanark.
"Bearing in mind the location, I'm expecting to see quality decorative objects by leading Scottish Arts and Crafts designers including Charles Rennie Mackintosh, George Walton, Jessie Marion King and the Macdonald sisters," he said.
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"It would be wonderful to see some works by my own personal favourite Alexander Ritchie of Iona. Ritchie established a workshop on the island at the turn of the 20th century where he produced highly distinctive hand-crafted silver and metalwork."
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