Roll up, roll up! 'av a right old laugh and see if Grandma's knick-knacks are worth a few bob!

The Mount Eden Village Mainstreet and Business Association present:

The Mount Eden Village Antiques Road Show

Ever wondered how much that antique vase was really worth that you picked up from a car boot sale? It looks quite elegant once the dust has been cleared off it. How about those old stacks of comic books your granddad donated to you? They're in pristine condition - and how many copies of 'Spider-Man - Issue 1' can possibly be floating around anyway?

Those questions can be answered, plus a whole lot of Victorian period entertainment, with the return of The Antiques Roadshow to Mount Eden Village on Saturday April 5 at 12pm.

After an overwhelmingly successful event in 2005 which saw several hundred people venture to Mt Eden Reserve with their various heirlooms and antiques, The Mount Eden Village Mainstreet and Business Association have organized a bigger event in 2008. Expanding from the Mt Eden Reserve during its last outing, Ngauruhoe St will be closed off and transformed into a mini Victorian England - where Dickens-like street urchins and performers turn a trick to earn a shilling with a spruiker more than happy to guide.

Appraisers from the respected auction house Art and Object will take their place on the outdoor stage and address the public audience, who will be seated underneath the large street marquee. The professional appraisers are on hand to evaluate antiques, kiwiarna, heirlooms, art both modern and old plus of course any old bric-a-brac. You never know ... that item gathering dust in the attic might be worth its weight in gold or have the same value as a lump of coal.

Outside the marquee Ngauruhoe Street will come to life with shoe shiners, flower girls and a string quartet while the Swell Gentlemen's Badminton Club partake in a few swipes of the shuttlecock, Great Aunt Myrtle and Dear Cousin Arabella will be dishing out cups of tea, Nip-Nip the Dancing Monkey entertains and the mysterious Beatrix the Bearded Lady foresees the futures of those who dare ask.

All funds raised on the day will be donated to The Maxine Van Der Velden Trust; funding scholarships to help young Aucklanders in need of financial help for their educational, sport and art development.

THE ANTIQUES ROADSHOW plays When: Saturday 5 April 12pm start. Objects accepted for valuation until 2pm. Where: Ngauruhoe Street, Mt Eden, Auckland (off Mount Eden Rd in the Village). Weather: In the event of rain, the antique appraisals will be held in the Methodist Church hall with the performance events occurring underneath the marquee. Price: Free for audience viewing. Gold coin donation for valuation (two items allowed per person).

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