CCI at the Canadian Antiques Roadshow

Archived Content

Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.

CCI Newsletter, No. 34, December 2004

CCI at the Canadian Antiques Roadshow

by Cliff McCawley, Director, Special Projects, and Shanna Ramsay, Marketing Officer

The Antiques Roadshow UK is almost an antique itself. In its 27th season, the show is watched by viewers around the world, and its popularity shows no signs of diminishing. It is a widely watched show for a variety of reasons: it is informative, sometimes funny, and there is always a possibility that someone is unknowingly carrying an object that is exceedingly rare and perhaps worth more than they ever dreamed possible. It has a wide appeal to a range of age groups and people. An American version, Roadshow, produced by PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), began its eighth season in January 2004. Now Canada has its own version. Wallace Cove Productions of Saint John, New Brunswick, under executive producers Mark Pedersen and John Brazill, put together a production team and a group of experts and began shooting the Canadian Antiques Roadshow in May 2004.

From the first show at the Imperial Theatre in Saint John, and with shows in Halifax, Gatineau (Quebec), Toronto, Saskatoon and Calgary, to the final show at the Vancouver Public Library, the production team in the space of less than a month filmed enough material for 14 shows. A happy, but tired, Mark Pedersen said they had planned for 1500 visitors per location and had issued tickets accordingly. This is on average what they got. More than 2200 turned up in Halifax. However, as Mark Pedersen said, "many ticket holders brought along family and friends for support, and we didn't have the heart to turn them away."

CCI decided to participate in a number of the shows to raise awareness of collectors for preservation issues, and to connect those collectors to the conservation community. CCI staff members said that participating in the Gatineau, Saskatoon and Calgary shows was an enjoyable and rewarding experience. It was amazing to see the long lines of people clutching their family heirlooms, flea market finds, and thrift shop treasures. These objects included everything from gold-embossed books, to wall hangings and silver samovars, to early Canadian teaching kits. Large items, such as furniture, had been collected the day before by the production team. There were some wonderful pieces there too.

CCI staff moved among the visitors and experts and along the lines of waiting people. In conversation, they emphasized the importance of heritage and the part that the Department of Canadian Heritage and the conservation community play in conserving it. It was fascinating for CCI staff to look at people's treasures and hear their stories.

Conservators gave advice about the condition of objects, how to store them properly, how to find a professional conservator if the object needed cleaning, conserving or repairing, etc., and where to find other generally available resources. There was a great deal of interest in CCI's Preserving my Heritage Web site where the general public can obtain advice and information on caring for a wide variety of objects. Visitors and experts alike visited the CCI booth to ask the conservators to have a closer look at their pieces and to get more detailed information.

One of the most appealing aspects of the event was that, following the chats with Canadian Antiques Roadshow experts and CCI staff, most visitors left with a renewed appreciation for their object's craftsmanship, origin, history and material make-up — regardless of the monetary estimate they received.

It was generally agreed that the venture was a great success. The producers are already planning next year's shows. The Canadian Antiques Roadshow can be seen on CBC Television beginning in January 2005.