Under the Hammer
Under the Hammer is a 1993 British comedy-drama series written by John Mortimer that follows the romantic and intriguing lives of art experts working at a prestigious London auction house. The show stars Richard Wilson as Ben Glazier and Jan Francis as Maggie Perowne. The seven-episode series originally aired from late 1993 to early 1994, with storylines centring around art fraud, mysterious deaths tied to rare masterpieces, and even international trips to Moscow.
Episodes
What defines a masterpiece: the fact that a renowned artist created it, or the merits of the work itself? Ben and Maggie are thrilled by the discovery of a possible 16th-century Bronzino--but the owner inherited the painting under suspicious circumstances.
Klinsky's resident wine expert has miraculously stumbled upon a reserve of Chateau Petrus '61, pricing the rare wine at £850 per bottle. Ben distrusts the windfall, as well as a superb silver piece brought to him by a shady antiques dealer.
Ben and Maggie visit Moscow to explore the possibility of opening an auction house there. Ben plans to make the most of his time with Maggie, but he's foiled by an amorous tour guide and a masterpiece that suddenly resurfaces after being lost for generations.
The Klinsky chairman purchases a piece from a modern painter, but Ben doubts the artwork is all it's purported to be. Through their keen instincts and a bit of luck, Maggie and Ben uncover a bold plot and finally begin to recognize their feelings for one another.
A bidder at Klinsky's New York branch mysteriously dies, and Ben suspects that a rare Titian masterwork has something to do with it. After making some unexpected discoveries, Ben must make a choice between what's best for his career and his conscience.
A lost manuscript containing an unpublished story from Charles Dickens presents a tantalizing prospect, but it might be too good to be true. When the manuscript is stolen, Ben finds himself the prime suspect, with much more than his reputation at stake.
The prickly, imperious head of Klinsky's antiquities department is causing trouble for Maggie, but it's nothing compared to her personal life. She must decide once and for all where her heart lies: with the dashing wine expert, her career, or a certain third party.
