Hertfordshire 56 Flog It!

Today, we've travelled to a scenic north Hertfordshire.

But it's not just the spectacular scenery I have come to look at.

Take a look at this - the Large Reclining Figure, ten metres long.

It's one of Henry Moore's best-loved sculptures.

Later, I'll be finding out

more about the village he called home for 40 years.

First, it's over to the other end of the county

to find some fine art of our own.

Welcome to Flog It!

'Hosting our hunt for today's antiques and collectables

'is a world-class venue - Ashridge House,

'in the historic town of Berkhamsted.

'It's here that the Norman invasion came to a stop in 1066,

'where William the Conqueror officially became King.'

It may not be the Norman Conquest, but we do have an army of people

who have marched across the counties of Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire,

all laden with antiques and collectables,

all eager to ask our experts that all-important question, which is...

CROWD: What's it worth?

'Heading the treasure hunt at the front of the queue is Claire Rawle.'

Right, that's a reward for getting here so early!

'And bringing up the rear, Thomas Plant.'

Come on, Thomas. Give us a 100-yards dash.

100-yards dash! You don't want to see me run!

There's an Italianate feel about today's programme.

Where the cameras are set up now

are the Italian-inspired Lady Marian Alford rooms

with marble fireplaces, fluted columns and architectural detail

picked out in rich gold leaf.

It really does shine and glow.

But outside, our researchers are working hard

on all the items that are going under the hammer,

overlooking the Italian gardens.

How inspirational is that?

'Let's see what they've come up with.

'It looks like it's Thomas first,

'who's about to unravel a bit of British history.'

-We've got an unusual item, haven't we, Isabella?

-Yes.

-Shall we unfurl it?

-Yes.

Let's show the...people.

-This is a big flag, isn't it?

-It is.

-What's the story behind this?

Well, it belonged to my father.

When he died, we found it in his belongings.

-Your father, was he in the Scouts or the military?

-No.

He helped in the fire brigade in the Second World War,

but we think this may have come from his granny who lived in the village.

People call it the Union Jack, but the right name is the Union Flag.

-That's right.

-And we are holding it up the right way?

-We are.

Because of the thick white band at the top with your toggle.

He's a little bit moth-eaten, but I think somebody can forgive that.

I think it's almost like a coronation flag

for maybe a village church or even a Scout group.

So, why did you bring it along?

Well, it's been tucked in a box in the attic.

I thought it wasn't good being up there, so I thought,

the world needs to see it!

-They do! Have you got any idea of value?

-No idea whatsoever.

Do you mind, or just want it to go to a good home?

I'd like it to be displayed somehow, I don't know how.

-Rather than in the attic.

-Yeah. Absolutely.

-I think I'd put £50 to £80 on it.

-Right.

-Not a huge amount of money.

-Yeah.

-I think we'd reserve it round about 30.

-Right.

-How does that grab you?

-Can we not reserve it at 40?

-We can do it at 40. God!

-SHE LAUGHS

We'll do that at 40.

I was just going to give it the best chance possible.

We'll do it at £40 and it's got a good chance.

-It is quite a big flag.

-It is.

-And the colours are so strong.

'Claire has her sights on another timely piece from a bygone era.'

You've brought a really nice item. Tell me a bit about it.

My husband bought it - we reckon about 20 years ago, not quite sure -

for scrap at an antique fair for £15.

-The idea was to scrap the silver case.

-Yes.

-It's in a silver case.

Then he took it to a local watchmaker who said, "Ooh, it's worth repairing."

So we spent about £350, which seemed like an awful lot of money then.

-We'd be interested in knowing a bit about it.

-It's a lovely thing.

It's a chronometer. That's a much more sophisticated timepiece.

-Oh, right.

-It's better than your average pocket watch.

It's a nice, nice item.

You've got this lovely silver dial with various subsidiary dials.

Nice hands and things.

You say you had it overhauled by a watchmaker?

-He was obviously a very good chap. He did a good job.

-Yeah, he was.

-There's a temptation to do tidying-up to dials.

-Right.

Which, as far as a collector goes, is absolute death to anything.

It's got all its original silvering. Nice blued steel hands on it.

It's a very simple-looking item.

From that, you'd think, "That's quite nice."

-Yes.

-"But it's not that special."

Then you turn it over,

then on the back, you've got this rather interesting hot-air balloon.

We thought that was unusual!

It was the time when it was still

in its infancy, hot-air ballooning.

If you open it up,

nice set of hallmarks inside,

which give you the date, 1838.

We've got an inscription. It's quite difficult to read.

-It relates to Victoria's coronation.

-Oh, right.

She succeeded to the throne in 1837, so we're all tying in nicely.

The thing I really love is when you get into the back,

-you open this last cover and there we have...

-It's amazing!

..just the back of the movement, beautifully made, quite understated.

You've got this nice engraved cock,

which covers the escapement inside and the balance wheel.

-Do you see that sparkly thing?

-Yes.

-Sitting in the end there.

-That's a diamond endstone. It's quite a big one.

-It is!

They were used in good movements because they're very tough,

it holds it all together, and it's very decorative.

This is something that the ordinary person wouldn't have been able to afford.

-This was an expensive item in its day.

-Oh, right.

It would have been a gentleman, a gentleman interested in time,

and not necessarily interested in the foppish look.

Because you have quite a simple-looking item.

It doesn't express wealth by a quick look at it.

-So I think it would be somebody who had money, definitely...

-Right.

..was interested in modern technology.

-Oh, right.

-This is, sort of, the latest iPhone of its day.

It's something you've decided to sell?

-We have, yes.

-Anybody who knows anything about chronometers

will think, "Wow! That's really nice, an interesting piece."

-£500 to £600?

-Oh, really?

-Yes.

-Yes. That's wonderful.

-The more I look at it,

-the more I think that it will do very well.

-Oh, right.

If you put a £500 reserve on it...

-Right.

-Fix it. Is that OK?

-Yes, that's fine.

-Estimate 500 to 600.

-Right.

-Yeah, I think it should go well.

It's been a busy and industrious morning for our experts,

but they have now made their first choices of items to take to auction.

This is where it gets exciting. We put those values to the test.

It's all down to the bidders. What do they think?

Here's a quick recap of the items that are going under the hammer.

'Time is ticking for Margaret's Victorian watch.

'Will she pocket a profit?

'Will Isabella's Union Flag be raised to pole position at auction?

'We're leaving Ashridge and going to Tring,

'to put our items under the hammer.'

Tring Market Auction rooms has had people buying and selling antiques for over 20 years.

Judging by this crowd, it's going to be busy.

Fingers crossed for one or two surprises.

'Whether you're buying or selling, you'll pay commission...

'..Let's see what's first up.'

Right now, we are flying the flag for antiques!

It's the Union Flag about to go under the hammer.

-Isabelle, thank you for bringing that in.

-You're welcome.

Why are you selling this.

We were just sorting through the attic

and found it amongst my dad's bits and bobs

and thought, "That's a bit smelly! We'd better get rid of that!"

-"That's a bit smelly!"

-"That's a bit smelly, isn't it?!"

"I prefer 50 quid than something smelly," that's what you thought!

-The smell of the money.

-Yeah.

-Yeah!

-I hope we're going to make the estimate.

I put it in at not very much money, so you never know.

-I think you'll get £50.

-You think so?

-Yeah.

Everybody's feeling like we're putting the "Great" back into Britain right now.

-Also, we're regaining the flag.

-Yes. So, good luck.

-Thank you.

Lot number 116 now.

There you are, the Union Jack. Fine flag, that one.

100? Or 50? Or 60? 70, I've got.

80 I'm bid now. 90. Are you going to be the £100, sir?

-£100 we're bid for it, then. 110.

-Gosh!

-That's good.

-120.

-Ooh, my lord!

130 I'm bid now!

Madam, keep going. No? OK, then.

I sell at £130, then.

-£130. Sold!

-Wow!

-Good result.

-Brilliant.

-Amazing.

-Yes.

We did put the "Great" back in Britain!

'How will the pocket watch fare next?'

Margaret and I are hoping to turn a £15 buy

-into something like £600, £700, maybe £800?

-Well, hopefully! Yes.

-With any luck.

-We're talking about that wonderful pocket watch.

-1838, commemorative pocket watch, Queen Victoria.

-Yes.

-This is quality, isn't it?

-Very, very nice.

It's got a lovely movement in it. When it was cleaned, they found

the maker's name in the back, so it's a good thing.

-It's got everything going for it.

-Absolutely. Hope so.

Let's find out what the bidders think.

This is the beauty of an auction.

-Anything could happen. Could have a surprise.

-Hopefully.

Lot 216.

We ought to be close to 500 for this one.

300 bid. Thank you, sir. 300 I'm bid.

400 he says. 400 I am bid. 500 we're bid for it. At 500.

Going well. Are you going to finish? At 500 I'm going to have to sell it.

£500...

Thank you very much.

-I'm happy with that.

-It's wonderful! From £15, it's not bad, is it?

-You got the money back from the repairs as well.

-Yes.

-And you had all those years of enjoyment.

-Absolutely.

-Been really good.

-Yes. I'm pleased with that.

-It's a nice thing, so well done.

-Thank you.

'There's some great art on display here at the fine art sale in Tring.

'I'm always fascinated by where pieces have come from and what inspired them.'

While we're filming in the area,

I had the opportunity of visiting another fascinating collection,

that of the sculptor Henry Moore,

who lived in Hertfordshire for the last 46 years of his life.

The legacy he left this county is really quite extraordinary.

All our judgements of architecture, of form and everything else

are based on the fact that we're human beings of the shape we are.

If we were like horses, and could go to sleep on all fours,

all our architecture, all our art would be different.

Of course it would.

'From a red telephone box with a small art exhibition inside,

'to a field of sheep, all grazing in the shadow of a bronze sculpture.

'Perry Green in the village of Much Hadham houses works created by

'one of the most influential and acclaimed artists of our time,

'the British sculptor Henry Moore.'

Although Henry Moore was a Yorkshireman born and bred,

his connection to Perry Green was a long and deep-rooted one.

Having moved here just after the start of the Second World War in 1939,

this village became home to Henry Moore and his family for the next 46 years,

a place where some of his most iconic sculpture was brought to life and put on display.

'But the move to Hertfordshire was one of chance rather than design.

'In 1940, Henry and his wife Irena were forced to abandon their London home and studios,

'which had been badly damaged during the Blitz.

'This old farmhouse, Hoglands, became their new abode.

'The couple settled in quickly to village life

'and, crucially, Henry resumed his sculpting.'

This is Henry's first studio, known as the top studio.

It was his principal work space for 15 years.

Sadly, I'm not allowed to go the other side of the glass.

I would dearly love to get in there to touch some of the tools.

There is so much history here in this little room.

This is the type of studio that Henry would have loved.

It's unpretentious. It's organic.

But essentially, it has the most incredible light.

That's so important to work by.

It was in here in 1943 that he carved Madonna And Child

from brown Portland stone,

and many of his other early plaster works ready for bronze casting,

such as Draped Torso.

Just as forms of the human body dominated Moore's work,

so did elements of the natural world.

It is said that many of his fluid shapes in his sculptures

reflected the Yorkshire landscape of his childhood.

But he also drew influences from his immediate working environment.

Whilst at Hoglands, Henry would wander around the gardens

and pick up pieces of broken bone, shell and stones

and use these as a material, theme or choice for a lot of his work.

To give you an example, his Torso 1976 sculpture

started out life as a small piece of flint very much like this piece,

which Henry would have found walking along the path.

He would take this back to his maquette studio,

position it by a piece of clay and start to model the clay.

Before long, this piece of flint took on a whole new meaning.

To have a collection of things like this around you

means that if I walk in here in the morning,

there's something that will get me thinking.

Any shape whatever - people, trees, the clouds -

any shape whatever is a possible starting or excitement for me.

The birth of Moore's daughter Mary in 1946

also provided inspiration.

Moore became focused on concepts involving the family,

and created many mother and child compositions for public spaces.

As Henry's reputation grew and the commissions became more frequent,

Hoglands became a hive of artistic activity.

Moore employed assistants, expanded his studios

and played host to many visitors.

It wasn't just studios and a sculpture garden that Henry and his team created here.

In the early part of the 1950s, they constructed their own foundry,

so Henry could cast his own lead and bronze sculptures.

The foundry would have been built around here, which is overgrown now.

Back then, it would have been all hands at the pump.

Even his secretary was drafted in to operate a large set of bellows

to keep the metal hot enough to pour.

By all accounts, Moore was a workaholic.

With his life's work surrounding him, he rarely switched off.

As time went on, Moore was also preoccupied by his legacy,

and so he established the Henry Moore Foundation in 1977,

to promote sculpture within the cultural life of the country.

Henry Moore never really retired.

He worked on his ideas right up until the end,

producing mainly sketches in his later years, due to arthritis setting in.

Upon his death in 1986, production of sculpture on this site ceased,

but the dawn of a new era for his work was just around the corner.

Work began in 2004 to restore Hoglands to the way it was

when Moore and his family lived there.

The gardens and studios were left as they were in the artist's time,

except now they were part of a public space

where people could enjoy his sculptures,

as they had done as Moore's guests for many decades before.

The Henry Moore Foundation is open to the general public from April to October every year.

What a fitting tribute - the place where many of his great sculptures

were conceived and made are here on display for all of us to enjoy.

The same place that inspired him, this very ground, for over 40 years.

Welcome back to Ashridge House,

our magnificent venue for our valuation day.

Let's catch up with our experts and see what other items we can find to take to auction.

'I've found a special piece of Lowry memorabilia

'owned by Peter and Judith.'

Life In Industry - there you are, front cover of the catalogue.

Lowry, a typical scene showing the industrial northern landscape.

"LS Lowry, June 22, 1953."

It's a signed piece of paper by Lowry

of what I can gather is the most wonderful exhibition of art works

for sale on the open market.

How did you come by this?

We found this in a box of books about the Manchester Ship Canal,

inside one of the books.

-In an auction room, a junk shop?

-It was in a car-boot sale.

-How long ago?

-About three years ago.

-How much did you pay for it?

We only paid... It was certainly less than £5 for the whole box of books. This was just inside.

-What have you done with this for three years?

-It's been on a shelf,

in a bookcase, with us wondering what to do with it.

If we put that into auction, I would put a value of...

What do you think?

Well... We've no idea, really.

If it was a signed limited print, of which there are many on the market,

-£3,000 to £8,000.

-Gee whizz!

-Yeah.

Obviously, you're buying a bit of his signed art work.

We don't have his art work, but we have...

by all intents and purposes, let's say a signed print.

-HE LAUGHS

-In a way!

If you frame that up, I think that's wonderful!

-It tells you exactly what day he was there.

-Yeah.

I think you could put this into auction with a value of £80 to £120.

-Oh, wow.

-That would be superb.

-That's very good.

HE LAUGHS

If you'd like to sell it, I would like to enter that into the auction.

-Yes.

-That sounds great.

-That sounds good to me.

That would be brilliant, thank you.

Well, we need one more item for auction, and it's Thomas's move.

So, Barbara, this piece of Anglo-Indian art

would be the kind of thing you'd find in a house like behind me.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-Wonderful.

-It's that sort of quality.

-Do you like it?

-I do, yes. I do.

We've never played chess on it and I've never played chess,

but I've always had it on display

because I think it's just a beautiful ornament.

Where did it come from?

It came from my late husband's family.

He inherited it from his grandparents.

-Were they wealthy people?

-I'm not too sure.

I know they were of the era when the ladies went on the Grand Tour.

-Yeah.

-So it's possible that they might have picked it up there.

Might have picked it up, late 19th century, on the Grand Tour.

India might have been a stretch too far.

The Grand Tour's mainly round Europe,

but they could have gone there and bought it, maybe in a market,

in Turkey, maybe, where it could have come overland, so to speak.

-Yes.

-But it is rather handsome.

We say it's Anglo-Indian because it's got the use here of bone,

ivory and tortoiseshell.

The ivory in this was used, and this was made, well before 1947.

Anything later than 1947, we cannot sell,

it is illegal to handle.

But ivory made pre-then is OK.

-The work in this is amazing, isn't it?

-It is. Beautiful.

You've got this tortoiseshell base

and then this beautiful fretwork around the octagonal

with this amazing engraved and painted design around the octagonal.

On this beautiful turned horn stem

with ivory roundels

and on a similar tortoiseshell and fretwork carved base

on these paw feet. Now, these feet are bone.

-Oh, they're bone.

-They're bone. They're not ivory, they're bone.

-You see the little black flecks?

-Yes.

-Those are blood vessels.

Bone has blood in it. Ivory is a pure substance.

-Thought it was dirt!

-No, it's not dirt!

And then to top it all off, not only have you got the chessboard,

you've got the pieces as well - white and a red stained one.

Again, these are ivory. It's amazing that it's complete.

There's one or two nicks out of the rooks and a bit of fret missing.

This can be restored. It's not the end of the world.

-Otherwise, it's all there.

-Yes.

-Very collectable in today's market.

Why do you think it is so collectable?

Well, either because of the ivory and the tortoiseshell,

-or people collecting chessboards?

-You've hit the nail on the head.

You've got people who collect Anglo-Indian works of art.

You've got people who collect chess pieces.

Also, you've got the emerging economies.

-The emerging economy of India are collecting back...

-Are they?

Yeah, of course. Absolutely.

And the Far East, the Chinese,

do like anything made out of ivory or tortoiseshell.

So they're quite keen on all of these subjects.

And of course, we have our own collectors here.

Therefore, that will command a good valuation.

I think an estimate should be £500 to £700.

-I think that's pretty good!

-Yeah?

-We reserve it at 400?

-Yes.

-I think it's a very, very handsome set.

-Good.

-Will you come to the auction?

-I will. It's not far away from me.

-I'll certainly come.

-I'll look forward to seeing you there.

What an inspiring day we have had here at Ashridge House.

We've seen hundreds of antiques and collectables.

Right now, let's put those valuations to the test.

Let's get over to the auction room in Tring for the last time.

Here's a quick recap of what's going under the hammer.

'This Lowry signed print was found hidden in a box of books.

'But will the story have a happy ending?

'And will it be checkmate or chequebooks at the ready

'for Barbara's exquisite Anglo-Indian chess set?

Dudley Art Gallery, 1953. I wish I was there, but I wasn't born.

-Peter and Judith! Wouldn't you have loved to have been there?

-Yes.

Gosh! To see all that talent on display!

At least you've got a little memento.

Picked up for £5. That's incredible! In a bunch of old books!

-Yeah.

-You were just flicking through.

-So lucky to see it.

We might have missed it completely, no trouble.

-We didn't know it was there when we bought it.

-I love this.

I hope this goes to a good collector.

Fingers crossed. Here we go. We're handing things over

to Stephen on the rostrum to let him weave his magic.

Number 433.

We have this catalogue, Life In Industry, signed by Lowry!

There it is, on there.

Good signature on the front. That's worth £100 for the signature.

50? Yes, we're off. 60. 70.

Are you 80? 90. Perhaps even 100?

Yes! 100 I am bid. And ten. And 20 now.

And 30. 140. 150, is it?

160. 170. 180. Are you 90?

190, then. I'm selling for £190. Thank you.

Sold! £190!

LAUGHING: That's brilliant!

Yeah. Not bad for a £5 purchase!

And I expect you've still got those books.

Still got the books. That's what we bought. Now we've got £190 as well.

-There you go.

-Thank you very much.

-It's incredible what can happen in an auction room.

-Made up! Thank you! Right!

'Next, completing our artistic extravaganza,

'the Anglo-Indian chess set.'

I'd like to thank you for bringing in possibly one of the best items

I've seen on Flog It! for many, many years.

That Anglo-Indian chess set, which Thomas had the pleasure of valuing.

-Lots of interest.

-Oh.

-It's quality. Quality always sells.

The damage won't put anybody off. I mean, it will NOT!

-Why are you selling this?

-Well, because I don't play chess.

-Mm-hm.

-My son and daughter don't want to inherit it.

It's just such a lovely thing

that I'd like it to go to a good home to be repaired and to be used.

It's exciting because it's going under the hammer right now.

Fingers crossed. Hope it flies, I really do. This is it.

Right, lot number 153.

The Anglo-Indian miniature chess set.

Shall we say 400? And 50. And 500. And 50.

600. And 50. 700. And 50.

800. And 50. 900 we're bid.

950 I'm bid for it.

1,000 I have. 1,000. And 50.

1,100? I've got 1,100, thank you.

At £1,100, then. 50 is it?

I sell for £1,100. Thank you.

-That's good, isn't it?

-Very good.

Very good result.

Is that a sad moment? It's gone.

-In a way, but I won't have to dust it any more!

-No!

'The chess set more than doubled its reserve

'and Barbara can put away her duster. Good result all round.'

The auction's still going on, but it's all over for our owners.

What a fabulous day we've had.

All of our owners have gone home very happy,

and that's what it's all about.

If you've been inspired by their finds today, why not join us in auction?

Surely, you must have something lurking in your attics and cupboards

that could be worth a small fortune.

Go on, give it a go. Until then,

from Tring here in Hertfordshire, it's goodbye.