The Repair Shop

S04:E24 - Family Portrait, Vintage Fountain Pen, Tiger Automaton

Today in the Repair Shop, Jay Blades and the team bring three treasured family heirlooms, and the memories they hold, back to life. Fine art conservator Lucia Scalisi finds herself in the middle of an unusual mystery, when she sets about restoring a painting by celebrated artist CJ Frost. Brought into the Repair Shop by Andrew Winter, the portrait depicts his mother as a young woman, and having been left languishing in an attic for decades, it has become torn and discoloured over time. But as Lucia begins her painstaking restoration work, she makes an unusual and surprising discovery! Mechanically minded duo Steve Fletcher and David Burville team up for the repair of a 130-year old automaton tiger, which has amused and terrified generations of small children. Once the proud possessor of a ferocious growl and a fearsome leap, the tiger has lost its sparkle in recent years.And fountain pen restorer and historian Laurence Oldfield tackles the restoration of a vintage Wyvern fountain pen. This treasured item was presented to owner Sharon by her grandfather, to mark her achievement in being the first member of her family to graduate from university – but it hasn't written a word for years.