Antiques Uncovered, BBC Two series, May 2012

Antiques … what do we really know about them? Often we don’t look much beyond their surface beauty, apart from maybe questioning their value. Some antiques started life as purely practical objects, while others were for decoration and the expression of wealth. But whether they’re from a stately home or a two up and two down, they unlock a fascinating history of the way we lived then and now.

In Antiques Uncovered, historian Dr Lucy Worsley uncovers the stories behind some of these remarkable objects and how they relate to our lives today. Antiques expert Mark Hill looks at why some items have become priceless, while others are waiting in the wings to become the collectables of tomorrow. This three-part series was shown on BBC 2 in May 2012.