Antiques Roadshow expert Judith Miller dies at 71

Judith Miller, the writer and antiques expert who appeared on BBC One's Antiques Roadshow, has died aged 71.

She died "over the weekend after a short illness", her publisher Mitchell Beazley said.

Miller, who wrote more than 100 books on antiques and interiors, joined the BBC show in 2007.

She also co-founded the international bestseller Miller's Antiques Price Guide in 1979, and was a regular lecturer and broadcaster.

At the time of her death, Miller had been working on the latest version of the antiques guide.

One of her notable discoveries on the Antiques Roadshow came when she identified a set of Art Deco posters designed by French painter Jean Dupas, found in Stanway House, Gloucestershire, in 2009.

Born in Galashiels, in the Scottish borders, in 1951, Miller admitted she was a child of the "Formica generation" and said she did not start collecting antiques until the 1960s, as a student at Edinburgh University.

She began researching the inexpensive plates she bought in the city's junk stores, sourcing information in books, auction catalogues and local antique fairs.

Alison Starling, from Octopus publishing group, which owns Mitchell Beazley, 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."

She added that Miller would be "much missed", and had established many friendships with staff at Octopus "forged through topics of conversation as diverse as work, family, dogs, Scottish rugby and her other passion, Bruce Springsteen".

The antiques expert, who founded Miller's Antiques Price Guide with her first husband Martin Miller, leaves her second husband John Wainwright, three children and four grandchildren.