Episode 11 Antiques Master

This is Antiques Master,

the contest to find Britain's top amateur antiques expert.

For eight weeks, the country's finest antiques minds

were put to the test in a series of demanding challenges.

Now, in the semi finals,

the contest gets even tougher as the elite return to battle it out

in the stately Regency Rooms

at Townley Hall in Burnley.

Their goal?

A place in the final.

Hello and welcome to Antiques Master.

I'm Sandi Toksvig and this is the search for Britain's top amateur antiques enthusiast.

Tonight, in our third semifinal, another three keen contestants

compete for just one place in the Antiques Master final.

But, now, the pressure really steps up

as the cream of our contestants fight it out

all under the watchful eye of our resident expert, Mr Eric Knowles.

They may be one step closer to the title,

but, ultimately, there can only be one Antiques Master.

Let's meet tonight's semi finalists.

John Denham, a retired geography teacher from Hertfordshire.

Clearly, the competition is going to be tougher in this round because everybody's got through the heats,

so I'm looking forward to a tough contest.

Stella Brooker, a doll collector from Surrey.

Now that I've made it into the semifinal, Heaven only knows

whether I can make it into the final. We'll just have to see.

And the highest runner-up from the heats, Sandy Rich, an insurance broker from Oxford.

I feel like I've been given a second chance.

I want to capitalise on that.

I've been calling myself the biggest loser, but I'd like to be a winner.

But who will have what it takes to win a coveted place in the final

and move one step closer to becoming Antiques Master?

The journey continues.

Your first challenge is all about your antique specialisms.

Each of you has a different antiques passion

and we're going to put that specialist knowledge to the test.

So, once again, we have scoured the country for five glorious examples

for each of you and what you need to do is to study them.

Please tell us which is the most valuable,

which is the oldest and which one is the odd one out?

There are 40 points available.

10 points for each antique that you correctly identify.

You get an extra 10 points if you can tell us the price

of the most valuable piece within 15% of its auction estimate.

So, let's see who's got a real eye for detail.

John is first to be tested on his specialism, stoneware from the 16th to the 19th century.

Your odd one out is not British.

-OK.

-Do they tend to be British, things that are stoneware?

Yes, there's a tremendous amount of wonderful stoneware made over

this long period of time and this is a very nice example of a hunt jug.

And you can see the hunt going on along the bottom of the jug here.

There are the huntsmen. There are the hounds.

It could be late 18th century or it could be early 19th century.

And what do you think about being in the semifinal?

Chuffed to little mint balls. Yeah, it was absolutely wonderful, yeah.

Well, this is some sort of a canister. It's got a pewter top.

-Right.

-It screws on here.

I think it's a tea canister, that's what I think it is. I don't think it can be incredibly valuable.

-I feel it's 19th century.

-Right.

-Mid-19th century.

On to the next one - is that more familiar?

Well, this is a rather striking tavern mug of the mid-18th century.

And it's got a "WR" on!

-Ah!

-Could that be William?

That's rather exciting. But it would need to be late 17th century to be William the Third.

-Right.

-A lot of these tavern mugs didn't survive very well, but this is absolutely wonderful condition.

-Again, a bit of a puzzle.

-We don't want to make it too easy.

-It is the semifinal.

-Absolutely not.

-OK.

Odd one out.

-Oh!

-This is the odd one out?

-This is from Germany.

This is from the Westerwald area of the Rhineland, even though it's got

the George Rex on the little applied medallion there.

What is typical of Westerwald is the grey body and this cobalt blue,

which is rather a nice Baroque, swirly thing here.

Right, OK. I like this one. This is a sweet thing.

Yeah, but this is more like a caricature jug, isn't it?

It's rather primitively done, rather simply done.

OK, and you think that one's British. You think

-the giveaway for the odd one out is the colouring, really?

-I think so, yes.

OK, so we have this one as the not British piece.

Now we've got a puzzle.

I think, these tavern jugs are so rare, I think if this came up in auction, I'm going to...

-I have to hurry you.

-I'll have this as the most valuable.

-Most valuable.

And the oldest, please?

Well, I think I'm going to put the little one at the far end.

It's got things about it which make me think it's a primitive one from the early 18th century.

OK. You come and stand with me.

-OK, I'll stand with you.

-Eric will tell us the truth.

Believe it or not, the oldest piece that I am looking for isn't this chap in the tricorn hat.

This is going to take some believing. It's actually this piece.

Now, it's very much in the style of Westerwald.

They've got the same grey body.

The body itself, though, this is quite light

when you pick it up and, also, it's a very smooth glaze, as well.

You tend to find with the Westerwald examples that they've quite a coarse glaze on top.

So, this particular one was dated to 1770 and, despite its German pretensions, it's a Brit.

So, the odd one out...

I can tell you is this piece.

John, you said something, not seen before, a bit of a mystery.

These are usually the pointers that are telling us that we've got a mystery object.

This, in actual fact, is North European. It dates around about 1800, but that is our odd one out.

So, when it comes to the most valuable, you got visibly excited

when you looked at this piece and datewise you're looking at 1830.

WR? Well, I think we'll settle for William IV.

And, you're absolutely correct, this is our most valuable piece.

Well, well done. You get 10 points.

You can get another 10 if you can tell us the price

of the most valuable within 15% of the auction estimate.

I'm going to go for £1,200.

Right, £1,200 we are bid.

I was looking for 15% either side of £1,500.

We are very near, but we're just not within the parameters of what we were looking for.

-Thank you very much, John.

-Thank you.

-John walks away with 10 points out of a possible 40.

Stella is next. Will she spot the oldest, most valuable

and odd one out in her specialism, antique dolls?

-And the odd one out, it's the only British doll.

-Look at this!

-It's not a good hairstyle, can I just say?

-I think Queen Victoria might have had a bit of a go at you!

-You think it's actually her?

-Not her, but they did tend to try and sort of mimic some of her styles.

We've got some fab wooden feet by the looks of things, so it looks like... Yes, it is all wooden.

-Oh, that's a beautiful doll.

-OK, let's move onto the next one.

-A lovely little bisque doll.

-We've got little pierced ears.

-That's unusual, is it?

-Some of the better ones do have pierced ears.

Now, what have we got? Oh, look at that!

-We have... I get so excited about such silly things. We've got a Steiner.

-Is that good?

-Which is a German make. Mm-hm.

-Mm-hm.

-Uh hum.

-Hmm mmm!

-It's not bad.

-Oh, right, OK.

-It's not bad.

Let's come on to the next one which, stylistically, is more similar to the first one.

Oh, she is fab.

And you can actually compare them, because they've both got flat feet.

The earlier dolls, you don't tend to get heels on the shoes and I'm

hoping this is one of the really, really nice Grodnertal dolls.

-Valuable?

-Yes.

-Oh, right. So, possibly, the most valuable?

-Yes. At the moment I'm thinking yes.

-Right. We're going to be pressed for time.

Now, what do we think about her? She looks more robust.

A bisque doll, and we're just going to upturn her again because we want

to see the back of it and we have, I think, that's Simon and Halbig.

-Which is?

-German.

-German. Still in the German. OK.

German, definitely German.

She's got staggering buttons down the front of her.

Actually, hasn't she?

-I didn't spot those.

-Glorious!

-Look at the work.

-We're running out of time.

Now she, it looks like she's had possibly a cordial too many.

This is a beautiful English doll.

-She looks very long.

-I've not seen feet like this, actually.

Now we're going to have to make some decisions. Let's pick the doll with the UK passport.

-This one.

-You think it's that one. Right, so that one goes there.

Now, although you shouldn't ask a lady her age, we need the oldest.

-This one.

-This one here. And the one that is the most valuable?

-Ah! I'll have a quick look down.

-Oldest... The most valuable. Steiner.

-You can change your mind. This is the most valuable?

-Yeah.

-Sure?

-No.

-We'll put you out of your misery, we'll get in Mr Eric Knowles.

Let me find the grande dame in front of you.

I am looking for somebody who is going to date to 1810 and this lady, you mentioned Queen Victoria and

you thought it might be a little bit earlier.

Well, she's 1830 or thereabouts.

But you're quite right, it's the princess, the Grodnertal doll.

She's got all the credentials, hasn't she?

I mean she is, in every sense of the word, she's royalty.

So, 10 points to start you off there, Stella.

-Phew!

-Now, the odd one out.

You put the odd one out there and, if I was given the choice

of putting this, I would have put it in the same place.

-She would speak to you with a British accent.

-Oh, yes.

And as for the date? 1860.

-Well done, Stella, another 10 points.

-Thank you.

OK? When it came to our most expensive, I mean, look at them all!

We were looking for something that dates from around about 1885.

-You went with this, didn't you?

-Jules Steiner.

Actually, he started off as a watchmaker and then he became

a toymaker and then he graduates to making these sorts of dolls.

But is it the most valuable?

-Yes, it is.

-10 points there.

So, you've got 30 points in total.

You could gain another 10 points.

All you need to do is tell me how much is the Steiner doll worth, within 15% of the auction estimate?

£2,500.

£2,500 we are bid.

£2,500 is very near, but it's not near enough.

-We were looking for £3,100.

-Oh!

Stella takes the lead with 30 points.

Sandy is last up. Can his passion for commemorative ware 1750 to 1900 win him the full 40 points?

-Your odd one out is a 20th century reproduction.

-Right.

All right? So, now I have to ask you first of all if you're surprised to

be in the semifinals, because in fact you lost in your...

Yes, I feel very lucky to be here.

Well, you were the highest scoring loser with 85 points.

You did very well. Now, what have we got here?

Well, this is a wine glass, which has got a twisted stem.

It's a gorgeous thing, isn't it?

This is wheel engraved. The rose in itself might not necessarily tell us anything, but,

if we turn it around to the other side, we have the Forget Me Not.

It's about 1750.

-They are used to toast...

-So, it could be the oldest.

-..The absent Stuarts.

-But could it be a 20th-century reproduction?

-I don't think so.

You don't think so, OK. Now let's come onto...

Now, I'm not going to be too disparaging about it because I think my alarm bells are already ringing.

-Oh, why?

-What it's supposed to be is a commemorative object of

a very famous sea battle, the glorious 1st of June.

-This might be the odd one out?

-Yes.

The quality of the glaze and the blueness of it, is just...

-It's not... There's something a little bit whiffy about it.

-OK. Let's come on to the next one.

This is a little commemorative plaque with the initials QC of Queen Caroline.

-Oh, she didn't have a good life.

-The wronged queen of George IV.

It has to be sort of 1820s.

This lustre ware is very typical of certain factories, but sort of

-Sunderland is particularly associated with it.

-Right. Now then, let us move on.

-Now, Rodney for ever.

-Rodney for ever!

The victor in a very important naval battle called the Battle of The Saints or Les Saints.

-I would say that we are probably in Staffordshire here.

-I'm going to have to...

-Yeah, absolutely.

-I'm always rushing people along, I'm afraid.

-Then here we have a basalt teapot.

On this side it has Nelson.

-It might have a mark on the bottom here.

-There's a little bee.

But this sort of ware was made by Wedgwood commemorating the death of Nelson at Trafalgar.

-Right, OK.

-About 1805.

Well, let's start with our odd one out.

Let's start with the one that you think is the 20th century reproduction.

-Clearly shouting to me that I'm wrong is this object.

-All right.

-Let's move on to the oldest item.

-The oldest object is the Jacobite glass.

-Jacobite glass.

-And the most valuable?

The most valuable?

I will go with the Rodney object for the most valuable.

Anything you would like to change your mind about?

-No, I'm fairly confident with those.

-Come here and find out what Eric has got to say.

Let's look for our oldest item.

I'm looking for something that does date from the middle part of the 18th century

and I would go for our Jacobite glass.

Datewise about 1750, maybe 1760.

Well done, 10 points.

-Thank you.

-Odd one out?

Well, this isn't absolutely perfect.

You probably noticed that this has not been made just as it should be.

There's a little bit of blistering on there,

but if I'm looking for the odd one out, yes, I'm going to go here.

You can look in as many books as you like, but it's picking the things up, it's looking, touching, feeling.

And it is 20th century.

So, it is our odd one out.

Another 10 points.

The most valuable? We've got characters here.

I mean Nelson, of course, the most revered off all.

But Caroline, the injured Queen of England.

I can tell you now that this is, in actual fact,

-is a little bit more valuable than the Nelson commemorative. But is it the most valuable?

-No.

It is your Rodney pearl ware.

Datewise on this we have down for being 1790, so you're absolutely right.

This is our most valuable piece.

You've got 30 points so far. You can gain another 10 if you can give me

the price of "Rodney forever" within 15% of the auction estimate.

I will say £1,800.

£1,800. £1,800, Mr Knowles. Will it buy us the bowl?

It will buy you the bowl and a bit more because we were looking at either side of £1,000.

Nevertheless, you get 30 points.

Well, let's have a look at where that puts us after the first challenge.

John, you have a very creditable 10 points, you are in second place, but in joint first place we have Stella

and Sandy, who both gained 30 points.

One of you will leave the contest at the end of the next challenge.

I have to say, 20 points, not much in it. It's all still to play for.

So, let's go through to the Green Room for A Place In Time.

In the second challenge, we've selected five antiques, all from different periods.

First is a mystery wooden item.

Next a ceramic tureen.

The third item is a snuff box, followed by a pair of vases.

Two candlesticks complete the line up.

The antiques have been placed in random order.

Each contestant has five minutes to assess and position them from

earliest to latest on the Antiques Master timeline.

10 points will be awarded for each one they get right.

Sandy is first to examine the candlesticks.

-They are silver coloured and...

-Silver coloured, does that mean they're silver?

It does mean they're silver because they've got a hallmark on them.

Well, it's got a crown. I think it's Sheffield silver.

It's somebody, somebody and company.

It's facing that way. Which one's that one, then?

These are George or a William.

Right, does that make them early, late?

Well, it means it's earlier than Queen Victoria, which helps.

The vases have an auction value of £1,600.

They look to me like continental sort of vague Art Nouveau feel about them. Look to me like 1900.

-Art Nouveau, I'm hoping.

-Why?

Oh, I always get these muddled up.

Because it's just a little bit more "growing from the earth" as it were.

-OK. More organic...

-Organic, that's the word.

-I'm here to please.

-Organic's very good.

The organic form and the way the glass is sitting would say they were sort of about 1900, 1910.

The third piece to date is the snuff box.

Oh, this looks nice.

-Now, have we got a patch box or a little snuff box? Oh, that's fine.

-What's a patch box?

When people used to get smallpox and it would be to sort of cover over little marks.

Here we have a snuff box made of horn.

This sort of thing is, you know, made all over Europe, basically.

And when you say horn, are we talking about a fairly domestic animal?

-It's a cow horn, yeah.

-Ah! OK.

-So, you wouldn't have any problems with it being an endangered species.

-No, there's not an ethical issue.

-It's obviously been engraved and then inlaid in black.

I suppose I'm going to date that about 1800.

The ceramic dish is next up for inspection.

It's ceramic and it's Crown Derby.

Is that the mark or the style?

-The mark there with the crown.

-Oh, that's a bit of a giveaway.

And it's the pattern that's called Imari.

I think it's what they call the Imari pattern which was imitating a pattern from Japan.

-Oh, OK.

-And I think it was based on the Port of Imari because it's where the stuff got exported out of.

I would think mid-19th century.

This is rather gaudier, isn't it?

-It's a bit busy.

-This is the epitome of Victorian vulgarity, I think.

-Is it not your taste?

-No, it isn't really.

The mystery wooden box is last to be assessed.

-Now this is a most curious object, isn't it?

-Yes.

What do you think it is?

-I've no idea.

-Can you put your hand in there?

Maybe I'm going to pull a rabbit out or something like that.

-But it's got N and Y on here.

-What does that suggest to you?

-Or Y and N possibly. Yes, and no.

-I think it's a ballot box.

-Ah!

You drop your ball and if it drops down into the N, that's a no, and if

you drop it into the Y, that's a yes, and the phrase "blackballing"

comes from these sorts of objects because if the black balls are in the No...

-You're out!

-You're out. It's fab, isn't it?

And what does the shape of it suggest to you, in terms of date?

-I'm going to go with 19th century again.

-OK.

Just as a feeling rather than anything else.

It's decision time. They have just one minute left to place the antiques in chronological order.

This is the wild card. I think that I shall have this as the oldest.

Sandy thinks the snuff box is the earliest antique.

I'm going to go for that.

Stella agrees, and so does John.

They also all agree on the next item being the candlesticks.

These are about 1790, 1800.

Stella places the ceramic dish in the middle of the timeline.

-Right.

-And so does Sandy.

Don't worry, don't worry. Everything's under control.

It doesn't look like it, but it is.

-But John goes for the mystery wooden box.

-I'm going to put that there.

Stella chooses the wooden box as the penultimate item.

Sandy agrees.

-I think this is about 1860s.

-But John picks the ceramic dish.

-I'm confident that these are...

-Those are the latest, the youngest.

-The latest.

-Finally, they all agree on the glass vases as the latest item to complete the line up.

Are the contestants happy with their decisions?

I'm confident that this is in the right place.

-I fear that those might be moved around.

-1800, a bit later...

-Yeah.

-A bit later... A bit later.

-A bit later... A bit later.

-And much later.

-And much later.

-Time's up.

-Happy?

-Yes.

-No!

Stella and Sandy's timelines match, but John's differs.

Is either version in the right order?

Well, you've all put your things in the correct order, you hope. Let's find out from Eric.

Let's find our oldest item that should be on that particular podium.

The item that should be there is right in front of me.

It should be the horn box, and it is horn, but it's got a

little wooden liner to make it tight because it is for snuff.

Datewise, 1780 and it is our least valuable item in front of you, valued at a mere £250.

-You all get 10 points.

-So, next in line, as we make our way back towards the present day.

If you know your ceramics, you will know that this type of porcelain stroke bone china was very popular

from the late 18th century all the way through into the 19th century.

If you know your hallmarks, you will know that these date

to the reign of George III, which is no great help

because he's there in the late 18th and early 19th century.

So, if I was to put the two together,

which would remain?

The candlesticks.

These date to 1802 and they are actually the most valuable.

We have them priced at £2,000.

Yet again, all three of you get 10 points.

We're at the midway point.

What goes midway? Is it this?

Or could it be this?

It's this. It is your Derby porcelain sauce tureen, not Crown Derby.

From a collector's point of view, they will refer to this as Bloor Derby. It's 1820.

And here we get a little separation of the points because

Sandy and Stella are the ones who got that correct, so 10 points each.

And so we're left with two interesting objects, I think.

I mean, I find these quite beautiful.

I think that they were intended for floral displays.

They were probably by a firm called Stewart, circa 1900.

I'm going to leave them there

because this box, as you immediately said, that this is going to be mid-19th century.

But then somebody mentioned the word "Edwardian" and so the cat is amongst the pigeons.

But those of you who did say mid 19th century were absolutely right.

The ballot box is 1845.

So, this lovely pair of vases are 1900 in date and they are our latest items in front of you.

And both Sandy and Stella got the ballot box right and all three of you got the lovely vases correct.

So, shall we have a look and see what that does to our points.

Now John, you came in from the first challenge with 10 points, you've

gained a very credible 30 points in this round and you have 40 points.

Sandy and Stella, you both started with 30 points

and you have both gained the full 50, so you have 80 points.

So, where does that leave us? Well, very sadly, John, you are in third

place and your trip towards the title of Antiques Master finishes here. I'm so sorry to lose you.

I do hope you've had a good time.

-Absolutely, yes.

-Good.

It was a pleasure to meet you. Stella and Sandy, more work to be done.

Only one of you will get a place in the final of Antiques Master.

There is everything to play for as we go through to the Red Room.

So, Stella and Sandy, you are two minutes away

from a place in the Antiques Master final, but who will it be? It is time for your final challenge.

I'm going to start with an open question.

Buzz if you know the answer. Five points if you get it right,

but it is five points off for a wrong answer.

If you answer correctly, choose one of the five categories for a further question worth 10 points.

But, get the answer wrong, the question will be passed over to

the other contestant with a chance for them to steal five points, so I suggest you choose wisely.

The round will end after two minutes or when all five antiques are out of play.

Well, I have to say, it couldn't be tighter.

You are both on 80 points, so there is everything still to play for.

The time starts now.

What term describes a knot in wood, especially walnut, that's used in veneer to give a decorative pattern?

-Yes, Sandy?

-Burl.

-Burl is correct. Please choose a category.

Adam.

With which cabinetmaker and craftsman did Robert Adam

collaborate on several large house projects, including Harewood House and Nostell Priory?

-Thomas Chippendale.

-Correct. Open question, either of you can answer.

Orientally influenced design is commonly known by what name, literally meaning Chinese?

-Chinoiserie.

-Chinoiserie is correct. Please choose a category.

-Daum.

Daum. With which furniture designer did Daum team up in order to add ironwork to his products?

-Gallais.

-Not correct. I'll pass to Sandy.

-I'm sorry.

-It was Louis Majorelle. Open question.

The 18th-century brother and sister team, William and Mary Bielby

are best known for applying what form of decoration to glass?

-Sandy.

-White enamel.

Correct. Please choose a category.

-Wedgwood.

-What is the name for this type of ceramic by Wedgwood?

-Jasperware.

-Correct. Open question. What standard of purity equal to 925

parts of silver to 75 parts alloy has been attested since 1300 by the leopard's head mark? Sandy.

-Sterling.

-Sterling. Correct.

-Please choose a category.

-Elkington.

What metalworking process did Elkington develop in the 1830s?

-Electroplate.

-Correct.

Open question. Which French city was a centre for bobbin lace

and the site of a porcelain factory founded by the Prince de Conde in 1725?

-Chantilly.

-Chantilly.

Please choose a category. Spode.

What was Spode's official trade name from 1867 until 1970?

-No? I'll pass it over to Stella.

-Copeland?

Copeland is correct.

After that extremely impressive display of knowledge,

I can tell you that you have both concluded with very high scores indeed.

Stella, you have 90 points.

But, quite considerably in the lead, Sandy, you have a very impressive

130 points. You take the last remaining place in our final.

My commiserations to you, Stella.

Sandy, how are you feeling?

I'm buzzing slightly still.

Slightly buzzing. Let's see what Eric reckons.

Well, really back from beyond the pale, really, but a worthy winner on this occasion.

So, Sandy completes our final line up and he will be joining Charles Ormrod and Jonathan McFarlane

from our other two semifinals.

One of them will be walking away with the title of Antiques Master 2011.

Do join us next time for what promises to be a gripping final.

It feels really great to be in the final.

I felt like I was in the zone in getting questions right that I

somehow knew in the back of my mind. I was very pleased.