The Repair Shop

S05:E43 - Italy Portrait, Stained Glass Window, Polyphon

Today in the Repair Shop, Jay Blades and the team bring four treasured family heirlooms, and the memories they hold, back to life.First at the barn is Liz Cottis from Essex. She's hoping art conservator Lucia Scalisi can revive a painting with a touching history. Liz's father commissioned a local artist to paint a portrait of his beloved wife, while he was stationed in Italy in the 1940s. He paid for the work with his prized chocolate ration. To Liz it is a priceless, if faded, memento of their love, which she would love to display. Lucia sets to work lifting the dust and grime and unveils this true work of art. Dom creates a new frame to set it off a treat and reveals the now fitting tribute to Liz's much missed parents. Arriving next is Maria Bennet from Liverpool, with a guilty conscience, as well as an item to fix. She's hoping stained glass expert Matt Nickels can put things right. An unfortunate accident with her daughter in laws front door saw the decorative glass panel, they were so proud of, shattered. Matt and Dom join forces to transform the jumble of glass fragments and twisted metal framing back into a thing of beauty. Matt pieces together the complex jagged jigsaw, while Dom crafts metal bars to support and protect the panel from any future mishaps. Maria's daughter in law is over the moon and Maria is redeemed. Sue Pritchard and her son Richard are next to arrive at the barn, with a Polyphon music box which has been in the family for four generations. They need specialist Steve Kember and woodwork expert Will Kirk to give it some overdue TLC. The 120 year old music box holds happy memories of a much-missed mother but is battered and playing erratically. Steve painstakingly repairs the musical mechanism and cylinder, while Will makes it look as good as it soon sounds.