If there is one thing that Antiques Roadshow has taught us, it is that we must immediately begin delving through dumpsters.
The classic BBC programme featured the work of Trinidadian artist Althea McNish, the first Black British textile designer to achieve international renown.
Antiques specialist Ronnie Archer-
Morgan has long been an admirer of McNish’s art, so he was astonished when a visitor to the roadshow brought a plethora of her designs that he had salvaged from a dumpster!
On how he obtained all of the artwork, he explained: ‘2020, builders were throwing everything away, I was a naughty boy, asked if I could have a look, bought bits and pieces, made a bargain…’
Obviously, the man had no clue what he was picking up at the time, but Archer-Morgan was eager to emphasise the importance of McNish’s work.
‘She was one of the most influential, post-war textile designers that Britain has seen. She brought the colour and vibrancy of Trinidad to the shores of post-war Britain at a time when we really needed colour here.
‘She did designs for liberty, she did stuff for Christian Dior, she did beautiful swatches… I mean, these colours are amazing.’
McNish also designed for the Royal Family.
‘I believe in 1966 she designed the royal wardrobe when Queen Elizabeth went round the Caribbean,’ the collector added.
‘She was extraordinary,’ Archer-Morgan hailed.
He went through a notebook containing her creations, all of which had retained their clarity and vibrancy fifty years after their creation.
Obviously, it is all very wonderful, but the most astonishing part is the estimated value of the artwork.
Archer-Morgan indicated that a square centimetre of the textile patterns may bring up to £2,500.
Yet, the man’s whole archive may be worth far more.
‘I think, what you’ve brought to us here is worth in excess of £250,000. In excess of. And it needs to be calculated.’
Yep, you read it correctly: the artwork a guy discovered in a dumpster might bring over a quarter million pounds.
‘That’s blown me away,’ he said, as we should think!
Viewers at home were equally as shocked by the appraised value, and they all vowed to keep a watch out for future dazzling jewels in trash cans.
‘Well done for saving that from the skip’, one tweeted.
‘Think I need to dive in skips more often! £250,000! Wow!!’, another wrote.
Antiques Roadshow continues next Sunday on BBC One.
Source My Celebrity Life.
