Author and antiques expert Judith Miller, who appeared on Antiques Roadshow, has died at the age of 71.
Her publisher Mitchell Beazley, an imprint of Octopus, said she died “over the weekend after a short illness”.
Miller wrote more than 100 books on antiques and interiors but was best known to the public for her appearances on long-running BBC series Antiques Roadshow, which she joined as an expert in 2007.
Working on the Miscellaneous team, her notable finds included a set of Art Deco posters designed by French painter Jean Dupas, unearthed at Stanway House, Gloucestershire, in 2009.
She had such energy and spirit and always combined her impressively broad-ranging, in-depth knowledge of antiques with a life-long passion to make the world of collecting accessible and un-intimidating to all— Publisher Alison Starling
In 1979 she co-founded Miller’s Antiques Price Guide with her first husband, Martin Miller, and at the time of her death was working on a forthcoming edition of the book.
Octopus publisher Alison Starling said: “I’ve been lucky enough to work with Judith on and off for the last 30 years and the news of her death is a huge shock.
“She had such energy and spirit and always combined her impressively broad-ranging, in-depth knowledge of antiques with a life-long passion to make the world of collecting accessible and un-intimidating to all.
“Judith will be much missed by all those readers and viewers who looked to her for expert and reassuringly friendly advice, and of course here at Octopus, where she established long-standing friendships with numerous members of staff over the years, forged through topics of conversation as diverse as work, family, dogs, Scottish rugby and her other passion, Bruce Springsteen.”
Born in Galashiels in the Scottish borders in 1951, Miller began collecting cheap antique plates in the late 1960s to display in her student accommodation at Edinburgh University.
She leaves her second husband and colleague of over 30 years, writer John Wainwright, children Cara, Kirsty and Tom and four grandchildren, Aria, Leo, Lila and Clea.
