Paul Atterbury
Encyclopedia
Paul Atterbury, FRSA
(born 1945) is a British antiques
expert, probably best known for his many appearances since 1979 on the BBC
TV programme Antiques Roadshow
.
(née
Holman), who worked on the 1950s children's Watch With Mother
programme Andy Pandy
for the BBC
and who, it is claimed, based the character's appearance on that of her son, Paul Atterbury specialises in the art, architecture, design and decorative arts of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Originally training as a graphic designer, he later studied art history
at the University of East Anglia
and went on to work for Sotheby Publications
. He became an historical advisor for Royal Doulton
and was the editor of Connoisseur magazine from 1980 to 1981.
Since 1981 Atterbury has been a freelance writer, lecturer, broadcaster and exhibition curator. He most frequently curates for the Victoria and Albert Museum
in London, his exhibitions there including "Pugin: a Gothic Passion" (1994) and "Inventing New Britain: the Victorian Vision" (2001).
Atterbury has written or edited over thirty books, mostly on ceramic
s. He is also known for his travel writing, and has also written books on railways and canals. He has published books of old postcards showing Eype
and West Bay, two Dorset
villages.
Until 2003 Atterbury was also chairman of the Little Angel Theatre
puppet theatre in Islington
, north London. He also tours the country with his stage show 'Have You Had it Long Madam?' with fellow Antiques Roadshow expert Hilary Kay
.
In 2007 Atterbury appeared on Channel 4
's archaeology
series Time Team
and is a Fellow
of the Royal Society of Arts
. In November 2009 he narrated BBC Four
's documentary
The Last Days of the Liners which examined how, in the years following World War II
, countries competed to launch the most magnificent passenger ships on the great ocean routes.
Atterbury is the owner of the only remaining Teddy puppet from the television series Andy Pandy
, that is not kept as part of a museum collection, which was a gift to his mother.
Atterbury lives in Eype
in Dorset
.
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
(born 1945) is a British antiques
Antiques
An antique is an old collectible item. It is collected or desirable because of its age , beauty, rarity, condition, utility, personal emotional connection, and/or other unique features...
expert, probably best known for his many appearances since 1979 on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV programme Antiques Roadshow
Antiques Roadshow
Antiques Roadshow is a British television show in which antiques appraisers travel to various regions of the United Kingdom to appraise antiques brought in by local people. It has been running since 1979...
.
Biography
The only son of Rowley Atterbury and puppeteer Audrey AtterburyAudrey Atterbury
Audrey Selma Atterbury was a British puppeter best known for her work on the 1950s pioneering BBC's children's series Andy Pandy....
(née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Holman), who worked on the 1950s children's Watch With Mother
Watch with Mother
Watch With Mother was a cycle of children's programmes broadcast from 1952 by BBC Television which was created by Freda Lingstrom.It was the first BBC television programme specifically aimed at pre-school children, like its radio equivalent Listen with Mother that also started in 1950...
programme Andy Pandy
Andy Pandy
Andy Pandy is a British children's television series that premiered on BBC TV in June or July 1950. The original series of programmes was shown until 1970, when a new series was made. A third series was made in 2002...
for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and who, it is claimed, based the character's appearance on that of her son, Paul Atterbury specialises in the art, architecture, design and decorative arts of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Originally training as a graphic designer, he later studied art history
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
at the University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
and went on to work for Sotheby Publications
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
. He became an historical advisor for Royal Doulton
Royal Doulton
The Royal Doulton Company is an English company producing tableware and collectables, dating to 1815. Operating originally in London, its reputation grew in The Potteries, where it was a latecomer compared to Spode, Wedgwood and Minton...
and was the editor of Connoisseur magazine from 1980 to 1981.
Since 1981 Atterbury has been a freelance writer, lecturer, broadcaster and exhibition curator. He most frequently curates for the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
in London, his exhibitions there including "Pugin: a Gothic Passion" (1994) and "Inventing New Britain: the Victorian Vision" (2001).
Atterbury has written or edited over thirty books, mostly on ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
s. He is also known for his travel writing, and has also written books on railways and canals. He has published books of old postcards showing Eype
Eype
Eype is a small village in south west Dorset, England. The village is situated on the Jurassic Coast, several miles west of Bridport.Eype means "steep place" and many of its buildings can be traced back to the late eighteenth or early nineteenth centuries, but little is known in detail until the...
and West Bay, two Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
villages.
Until 2003 Atterbury was also chairman of the Little Angel Theatre
Little Angel Theatre
The Little Angel Theatre is a puppet theatre catering for children, families and adults, off Upper Street in the London Borough of Islington.The 100 seat theatre, in a former Temperance hall, was opened on 24 November 1961, by founder John Wright...
puppet theatre in Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, north London. He also tours the country with his stage show 'Have You Had it Long Madam?' with fellow Antiques Roadshow expert Hilary Kay
Hilary Kay
Hilary Kay is a British antiques expert, author and lecturer, probably best known for her many appearances on BBC TVs Antiques Roadshow programme on which she is one of the team of experts....
.
In 2007 Atterbury appeared on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
series Time Team
Time Team
Time Team is a British television series which has been aired on Channel 4 since 1994. Created by television producer Tim Taylor and presented by actor Tony Robinson, each episode features a team of specialists carrying out an archaeological dig over a period of three days, with Robinson explaining...
and is a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
. In November 2009 he narrated BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
's documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
The Last Days of the Liners which examined how, in the years following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, countries competed to launch the most magnificent passenger ships on the great ocean routes.
Atterbury is the owner of the only remaining Teddy puppet from the television series Andy Pandy
Andy Pandy
Andy Pandy is a British children's television series that premiered on BBC TV in June or July 1950. The original series of programmes was shown until 1970, when a new series was made. A third series was made in 2002...
, that is not kept as part of a museum collection, which was a gift to his mother.
Atterbury lives in Eype
Eype
Eype is a small village in south west Dorset, England. The village is situated on the Jurassic Coast, several miles west of Bridport.Eype means "steep place" and many of its buildings can be traced back to the late eighteenth or early nineteenth centuries, but little is known in detail until the...
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
.
Selected publications
- 1994: Pugin: a Gothic Passion’'. New Haven: Yale University Press (as co-editor)
- 2002: Poole Pottery: Carter and Co. and Their Successors 1873–2002. Richard Dennis ISBN 0903685868
- 2006: Branch Line Britain: A Nostalgic Journey Celebrating a Golden Age. Newton Abbot: David & Charles (2006) ISBN 0715324160 * 2007: Along Lost Lines. Newton Abbot: David & Charles ISBN 071532568X
- 2007: Victorian House Style Handbook. Newton Abbot: David & Charles ISBN 0715327054 (as editor)
- 2008: Tickets Please: A Nostalgic Journey Through Railway Station Life. Newton Abbot: David & Charles ISBN 071532876X
- 2008: Moorcroft: a Guide to Moorcroft Pottery 1897–1993. Richard Dennis ISBN 0955374103
- 2009: All Change! (AA Illustrated Reference). Automobile Association ISBN 0749557850
External links
- Atterbury on the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- Atterbury on Easy Speak
- Atterbury on Chateaucoye.com
- Atterbury on PBS.org
- Atterbury on 123people.co.uk