Ep 22. Vintage Los Angeles

Vintage Los Angeles is the 22nd episode of season 17 of Antiques Roadshow UK. In this episode, the avid collectors and antique enthusiasts of Los Angeles bring in some remarkable items for appraisal, including some from the golden age of Hollywood.

The first item up for appraisal is a sleek art deco automaton, made by a famous French manufacturer, which once adorned the dressing room of a silent movie star. The Roadshow's experts are impressed with not just the model's condition but also the exceptional craftsmanship that went into its making.

Next up is a six-foot-tall neon sign made by a well-known company that designed for famous clients like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. The sign once graced the top of a Hollywood theater and has rarely been seen since the theater's decline. Despite its size, the sign is deemed a valuable piece of art in its own right, reflecting the energies of another era.

The roadshow also features items that have lost their original purpose and now have found alternative uses. A kiln from a long-defunct pottery studio is being used nowadays as a storage cabinet. Surprisingly, its historic value is not lost on the experts, who note that it's not every day that one gets to see a century-old kiln in such good condition.

A large collection of 1950s Hollywood memorabilia stun the experts next, including candid photographs of Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, and Marlon Brando on the set of their beloved films. The experts in the show are careful to preserve the footage as it offers a glimpse into what Hollywood was like in the 1950s, and they call it a treasure trove that encapsulates an iconic era of the movie industry's history.

A 19th-century grand piano, associated with the silent film era, is another gem among the collection. The item belonged to the actress Mae West and has a rich history of association with several persons of significance, including Liberace, who played it in a concert.

Finally, the latest addition to the collection is a replica of a British 17th-century astrolabe, a fascinating device used to measure the position of the stars and planets. Believed to have been created by one of Great Britain's most celebrated 18th-century brass founders, it's rare.

As always, the experts at Antiques Roadshow UK assess each item's value concerning its historical or cultural significance, its condition, and the popularity of the item among other factors. The episode is a celebration of Los Angeles's rich cultural history, commemorated through antique and collectible items that are unique, fascinating, and valuable to all those interested in the rare and the exquisite. The vintage collectors' appetite for these antiques remains insatiable, and the Roadshow experts continue to be amazed by the wealth of unique finds that always surprise them on the show.