Coughton Court 1

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0:00:30 > 0:00:35Today the Roadshow has come to a location that has its own dramatic place in history,

0:00:35 > 0:00:40having played a vital role in the ultimate political thriller of its day.

0:00:40 > 0:00:43This story has all the necessary ingredients -

0:00:43 > 0:00:46charismatic heroes and villains,

0:00:46 > 0:00:47outlaws on the run,

0:00:47 > 0:00:50betrayal, torture and death.

0:00:50 > 0:00:56Add to that list "gunpowder, treason and plot" and you'll know the rest.

0:00:56 > 0:01:00Two churches that lie side by side here at Coughton Court in Warwickshire

0:01:00 > 0:01:04offer clues as to what sparked off the whole affair.

0:01:04 > 0:01:09November 5th 1605 was a turning point in religious history,

0:01:09 > 0:01:13marked these days by spectacular entertainment for all the family.

0:01:13 > 0:01:17But Guy Fawkes wasn't in the Gunpowder Plot alone.

0:01:17 > 0:01:19There were 13 plotters in all

0:01:19 > 0:01:22and several were kinsmen of the Throckmorton family,

0:01:22 > 0:01:26who've lived at Coughton Court for over 600 years.

0:01:27 > 0:01:31When news reached them that the plot to blow up Parliament had failed,

0:01:31 > 0:01:36Fawkes's fellow conspirators gathered here in the blue drawing room, to discuss tactics.

0:01:36 > 0:01:42They decided to ride north but they were followed by the king's soldiers and rounded up for execution.

0:01:42 > 0:01:47What led these men to become desperadoes, determined to overthrow the crown?

0:01:47 > 0:01:52They were Catholics and victims of a harsh regime imposed on their religion

0:01:52 > 0:01:54which had begun during the reign of Henry VIII.

0:01:54 > 0:01:58They wanted to practise their faith without fear of persecution.

0:02:01 > 0:02:04Which brings us back to Coughton Court's two churches.

0:02:04 > 0:02:07This one, the original Catholic church,

0:02:07 > 0:02:11was seized and handed over to the Church of England during the Reformation.

0:02:11 > 0:02:15It took 300 years for Catholicism to be officially recognised again.

0:02:15 > 0:02:20And in 1853 the Throckmortons built a new church next door.

0:02:24 > 0:02:26During those 300 years,

0:02:26 > 0:02:30many Catholic houses continued to worship in secret. The penalty was death.

0:02:36 > 0:02:43As you might expect, the framework of Coughton Court contains a number of secret hiding places.

0:02:43 > 0:02:47Visiting priests would take refuge when the authorities came knocking.

0:02:49 > 0:02:52Here, two compartments, one above the other, were hollowed out.

0:02:52 > 0:02:58Their design was so cunning that not one of the secret occupants was ever discovered.

0:03:00 > 0:03:04Turbulent times required a vigilant lookout.

0:03:04 > 0:03:09Today, I've got a bird's-eye view as the gentlefolk of Warwickshire arrive for the Roadshow.

0:03:09 > 0:03:11An historic one, of course.

0:03:11 > 0:03:16I think if this were mine I'd hang it in the larder.

0:03:16 > 0:03:18- Where have you got it? - It's in the hall.

0:03:18 > 0:03:21- In the hall?- In the hall. - Do you like it?- I love it.

0:03:21 > 0:03:26- You've got a macabre sense of humour, have you?- Possibly, yes.- You and the Japanese both.

0:03:26 > 0:03:31- I think it's FANTASTIC! It's a real goody.- It is, isn't it? - Where did it come from?

0:03:31 > 0:03:34A friend of mine, when he was seriously ill.

0:03:34 > 0:03:39- He knew I'd always admired it and he came round one night and asked if I'd like to keep it.- No!

0:03:39 > 0:03:46- Isn't that wonderful?- That was lovely. He said that when he'd had a few drinks, he saw them dance.

0:03:46 > 0:03:49And he'd seen them dance many times.

0:03:49 > 0:03:51- It's a great idea.- Yes.

0:03:51 > 0:03:54The Japanese do actually have quite a macabre sense of humour.

0:03:54 > 0:04:00And the West actually like the sort of mad Japanese sense of humour

0:04:00 > 0:04:02and their stories and their legends.

0:04:02 > 0:04:07And the two came together. This would never have been made for a Japanese house.

0:04:07 > 0:04:11This is the Japanese making for the Western market.

0:04:11 > 0:04:15They were so skilled, the Japanese ivory carvers. This is ivory.

0:04:15 > 0:04:19Quite often they're bone, the lesser-quality ones are bone. Here with humour,

0:04:19 > 0:04:23we've got the ringmaster with a fan.

0:04:23 > 0:04:26- And the fan is not a complete fan. - No.

0:04:26 > 0:04:30- They've made it purposely with bits out of it, which is brilliant.- Tatty.

0:04:30 > 0:04:37This is in mother-of-pearl, abalone shell, and he's got a scarf on his head the same.

0:04:37 > 0:04:40Here we've got something, I don't know whether it's a young human

0:04:40 > 0:04:45jumping through the hoop or whether it's supposed to be a dog. But, whatever, there it goes.

0:04:45 > 0:04:50They're being entertained by another skeleton playing a samisen.

0:04:50 > 0:04:54Samisen is a three-stringed instrument. "Sen"

0:04:54 > 0:04:58is three, one, two, three strings down here.

0:04:58 > 0:05:02And another one playing a drum and the drum's got no skin.

0:05:02 > 0:05:05It goes straight through, it's just wonderful.

0:05:05 > 0:05:09Problems, we've lost a foot here.

0:05:09 > 0:05:12- I vacced it up.- You what?

0:05:12 > 0:05:17It fell off and without realising it I vacced it up in the vacuum cleaner.

0:05:17 > 0:05:18I know.

0:05:21 > 0:05:24- Well, that's not good news.- No.

0:05:24 > 0:05:29What's happening is the glue, which is made of fishbones and scales,

0:05:29 > 0:05:35is after... What date's this? 1885.

0:05:35 > 0:05:37..is breaking down.

0:05:37 > 0:05:39And that's a problem.

0:05:39 > 0:05:45Um, it would be possible to get that recarved. It would not be cheap.

0:05:45 > 0:05:50But it would be doable, and frankly it deserves a new foot.

0:05:50 > 0:05:53I love it, I think it's a great, great thing.

0:05:53 > 0:05:58I've never seen another one like it and that's in 30 years of playing this game.

0:05:58 > 0:06:03So I think that would... would sell extraordinarily well.

0:06:05 > 0:06:10I think it would make at auction somewhere between £5,000 and £8,000.

0:06:10 > 0:06:14That's absolutely wonderful. Absolutely wonderful, thank you very much.

0:06:14 > 0:06:18Now what is in this lovely Christmassy box?

0:06:18 > 0:06:20Is it one of your treasures?

0:06:20 > 0:06:23No, it belongs to my father and it was his mother's before that.

0:06:23 > 0:06:25Oh!

0:06:25 > 0:06:31Nice bit of ancient, ancient tissue. Oh, he's great, isn't he?

0:06:31 > 0:06:33Let me just wind him up and put him down on the table.

0:06:33 > 0:06:36Does he stagger about a bit too?

0:06:36 > 0:06:41Yes, I think we've all seen people like this on Christmas or New Year's Eve, haven't we?

0:06:41 > 0:06:44Well, let me tell you a little bit about him

0:06:44 > 0:06:46as he ricochets around the table.

0:06:46 > 0:06:49He's made by a company called Fernand Martin.

0:06:49 > 0:06:52Which sounds like an English company but was French.

0:06:52 > 0:06:55And, ooh, hang on.

0:06:55 > 0:06:59Oh, that's nice. Look here, this will tell us all about it.

0:06:59 > 0:07:03Here's the name, "Le Pochard", the drunkard.

0:07:03 > 0:07:10And here we have all the details about the maker, FM, Fernand Martin.

0:07:10 > 0:07:14And the date here of 1900.

0:07:14 > 0:07:17So we know it's after 1900.

0:07:17 > 0:07:20We can also see that he's called Nellie. Who's Nellie?

0:07:21 > 0:07:24Nellie's my grandmother.

0:07:24 > 0:07:27Your grandmother. So he was bought for her, presumably.

0:07:27 > 0:07:34- Presumably, yes.- I mean, it's quite a strange present to give to a child, this particular toy. Don't you think?

0:07:34 > 0:07:39Well, I've always thought so, yes. Especially as we're a strict Methodist teetotal family.

0:07:39 > 0:07:43- Oh, perhaps it was to show the dangers of drink.- Perhaps so.

0:07:43 > 0:07:44THEY CHUCKLE

0:07:44 > 0:07:46Now, what about the value?

0:07:46 > 0:07:51I wonder what your great-grandfather paid for it when he bought it for your grandmother.

0:07:53 > 0:07:55A few shillings, perhaps.

0:07:55 > 0:08:02But today, this particular company, Fernand Martin, is very much sought after.

0:08:02 > 0:08:07And I would have thought we're talking about perhaps £400 or £500 with this box lid.

0:08:07 > 0:08:08Wow.

0:08:11 > 0:08:15Well, they do tend to say that dogs look like their owners.

0:08:15 > 0:08:20I'm not sure if this dog looks like its owner, but it looks like that little dog. What's the story?

0:08:20 > 0:08:23First of all, she was the daughter of a mill owner in Lancashire.

0:08:23 > 0:08:27And she married PT Barnum, the famous circus man.

0:08:27 > 0:08:31- That must have been exciting. - She was 23 and he was 63. So there was quite a...

0:08:31 > 0:08:32Sounds right.

0:08:32 > 0:08:38After he died - and they had quite a happy marriage, I think, for about 18 years - she was left very rich.

0:08:38 > 0:08:44She then married, they say for love, but unfortunately the Greek diplomat died after 11 months.

0:08:44 > 0:08:50She moved to Paris and she married the Baron Alexandi Doningani.

0:08:50 > 0:08:53- And she had this little dog called Follette.- Right.

0:08:53 > 0:08:58And I presume when Follette died, she had this brooch made from it.

0:08:58 > 0:09:01I don't know much about this brooch but I believe it's called an Essex.

0:09:01 > 0:09:05- I don't know what an Essex is. - When was this photo taken?

0:09:05 > 0:09:101920s, I should think. I think she died 1928.

0:09:10 > 0:09:13Mmm, and how did you come by this delightful little object?

0:09:13 > 0:09:19Well, my great-grandmother, who I remember, she died when I was ten, was the residual legatee.

0:09:19 > 0:09:22Although she married three times, she had no children.

0:09:22 > 0:09:25- This lady?- Yes. - Well, that's interesting

0:09:25 > 0:09:29because I would have thought that, rather than having had this made,

0:09:29 > 0:09:34- she probably found it, thought it looked exactly like Follette and bought it.- Right.

0:09:34 > 0:09:37Because these usually date from a considerably earlier period.

0:09:37 > 0:09:42And it's quite right, it is called an Essex crystal after William Essex

0:09:42 > 0:09:47who actually painted porcelain, so I've never quite worked out why these are called that.

0:09:47 > 0:09:53But how these are done is very interesting because they're all carved out from behind.

0:09:53 > 0:09:55- Not painted? - No, it's carved from behind.

0:09:55 > 0:09:56Carved from behind.

0:09:56 > 0:09:58And it's quite three-dimensional.

0:09:58 > 0:10:04When you look at them sideways you can see that the carving occupies all of the thickness of the rock crystal.

0:10:04 > 0:10:08- Rock crystal, not glass? - No, rock crystal.

0:10:08 > 0:10:13And then painted with a very, very fine brush, very fine brushes.

0:10:13 > 0:10:16And he's got a little border of raised cut diamonds.

0:10:16 > 0:10:18And he's wearing his dog collar.

0:10:18 > 0:10:20- Yes.- And he's wearing it there too.

0:10:20 > 0:10:23- Is it French? - No, I would say it was English.

0:10:23 > 0:10:26And they're usually about 1870-1880.

0:10:26 > 0:10:271870-1880?

0:10:27 > 0:10:29They're quite sought after.

0:10:29 > 0:10:33And as it's a particularly charming subject,

0:10:33 > 0:10:35and a very popular one,

0:10:35 > 0:10:39I'd value this for insurance at about 2,000 today.

0:10:39 > 0:10:402,000 today?

0:10:40 > 0:10:44Yes, the last we heard was about 800 or something, yes.

0:10:44 > 0:10:47- It's lovely, thank you very much for bringing it along.- Thank you.

0:10:47 > 0:10:50- We get a lot of football programmes turning up.- Yes.

0:10:50 > 0:10:55- But what's particularly unusual is that they're all yours.- Yes.

0:10:55 > 0:11:00- I don't collect football programmes, I don't collect football memorabilia.- You don't?- No. No.- So?

0:11:00 > 0:11:05- They're all mine.- They're all yours? - Oh, yes.- So you've been to all these matches?- Yeah.

0:11:05 > 0:11:09I've got three sons and I take my sons off to the football quite often.

0:11:09 > 0:11:12But wasn't it slightly unusual for a girl to be going to football?

0:11:12 > 0:11:15It was most unusual.

0:11:15 > 0:11:21- And how did it all start then? - I don't know, my father was very keen on football.

0:11:21 > 0:11:26He was a very good player who could have turned professional.

0:11:26 > 0:11:29And I got very keen on football.

0:11:29 > 0:11:33And my first great football hero was Stanley Matthews.

0:11:33 > 0:11:35Right, well, we have him here.

0:11:35 > 0:11:41And I actually went to Villa Park one day, just to see Stanley Matthews play.

0:11:41 > 0:11:43And how old were you then?

0:11:43 > 0:11:45- 13, 14.- Really?

0:11:45 > 0:11:47- Yes.- And you went by yourself?

0:11:47 > 0:11:51Oh, yes. They used to have football special buses from town.

0:11:51 > 0:11:55- But you must have been the only girl on board.- Probably, yes.

0:11:55 > 0:11:57You've several different clubs, what's going on here?

0:11:57 > 0:12:02Well, I went to Birmingham one week and Wolves the next.

0:12:02 > 0:12:07Because I couldn't afford to go away with Wolves very often, and so I went to Birmingham.

0:12:07 > 0:12:10This one's slightly scruffy, what was going on here?

0:12:10 > 0:12:13Well, that was my very first match.

0:12:13 > 0:12:18It was a very dreary cold February and I was overjoyed at being able to go.

0:12:18 > 0:12:22- Your father had allowed you to go? - Yes.- When you went to these matches,

0:12:22 > 0:12:27as a young girl, I mean, it must have been extraordinary with no other girls there. It was all boys.

0:12:27 > 0:12:29There were one or two.

0:12:29 > 0:12:33And sometimes I used to take people with me, not football fans,

0:12:33 > 0:12:36but people who would come to keep me company.

0:12:36 > 0:12:41And I had a friend who used to stand on the terraces knitting.

0:12:41 > 0:12:46She never saw anything that went on, on the pitch, she just stood there turning

0:12:46 > 0:12:51out her little woolly garments, while I was watching the drama.

0:12:51 > 0:12:55And then as soon as the whistle went, she'd put it back in her bag and off we'd go.

0:12:55 > 0:12:58- That's when you find out who your friends are.- Absolutely.

0:12:58 > 0:13:02An England-Denmark match. Neither of those are Wolves or Birmingham.

0:13:02 > 0:13:07- No, but it was at Wolverhampton. - Oh, is that so? - And it was a World Cup qualifier.

0:13:07 > 0:13:11And they hardly ever had World Cup qualifiers except at Wembley.

0:13:11 > 0:13:14This was interesting from my point of view, later on,

0:13:14 > 0:13:20because three of the players were killed in the Munich disaster.

0:13:20 > 0:13:26That team there, you can see, is the old Manchester United, pre-Munich.

0:13:26 > 0:13:33- Right.- And that one is just after the Munich disaster when they were a team of anybody who they could buy.

0:13:33 > 0:13:38- Wow, and look, it's just a complete...- Hardly anybody left.

0:13:38 > 0:13:42- No.- I mean, I was at that match, and the atmosphere was phenomenal.

0:13:42 > 0:13:48The outpouring of sympathy and grief for Manchester United had to be seen to be believed.

0:13:48 > 0:13:51And everybody was wanting United to win.

0:13:51 > 0:13:57- Sadly, probably the most valuable ones are the Manchester United match programmes.- They are.

0:13:57 > 0:13:59These sort of programmes are worth,

0:13:59 > 0:14:04you know, perhaps £100, £150 each, for the really good ones.

0:14:04 > 0:14:08- Thank you so much for bringing them, it's a fascinating story. - Thanks a lot.

0:14:10 > 0:14:15Well, this looks an awful lot worse than it is. I'll put your mind at ease, it isn't really a problem.

0:14:15 > 0:14:19This great big piece of walnut that's come off here,

0:14:19 > 0:14:22I'm afraid that this glue gets very, very dry, as you can see.

0:14:22 > 0:14:25It's very dry and it's just simply fallen away.

0:14:25 > 0:14:29Just clean it off and as long as somebody uses a reversible wood adhesive, it can go back.

0:14:29 > 0:14:32As long as the glue's cleaned off, it'll be fine.

0:14:32 > 0:14:36And you'll never really see, it's made in two pieces anyway.

0:14:36 > 0:14:38It hasn't broken, so don't worry about that.

0:14:38 > 0:14:40But while we've got it open, look at that lock.

0:14:42 > 0:14:45Lovely old early lock. Now you tell me where this has come from.

0:14:45 > 0:14:49Because I think I can tell you quite a story about it. But what story can you tell me?

0:14:49 > 0:14:55Well, I'm not 100% sure, but my aunt brought it over from the Continent in about 1935.

0:14:55 > 0:14:59She was born and bred in Czechoslovakia and brought up in Czechoslovakia.

0:14:59 > 0:15:02Its most likely provenance would have been in Czechoslovakia.

0:15:02 > 0:15:07I'm thrilled that you said Czechoslovakian parents and background, because that's wonderful.

0:15:07 > 0:15:13But what is so fantastic, you just don't see this sort of thing any more with the top part.

0:15:13 > 0:15:16- Yes.- I mean, if you go the big, big castles in Germany,

0:15:16 > 0:15:20Regensberg, Baden Baden, yes, you see this sort of thing lined up.

0:15:20 > 0:15:26Sometimes the bottom half, occasionally with the top part. It's quite rare to see the two together.

0:15:26 > 0:15:29I love this illusion pattern. Isn't it lovely?

0:15:29 > 0:15:35A sort of trompe l'oeil, three-dimensional aspect of this perspective. It's lovely.

0:15:35 > 0:15:40- What have we got in here? We'll just have a quick look.- The lock's a bit fragile.- OK, if you just hold that.

0:15:40 > 0:15:43And these release the drawers, do they?

0:15:43 > 0:15:46- That's right, yes, they slide. - Oh, I see, yes. Up, and then open.

0:15:46 > 0:15:49- Oh, isn't that nice?- Yes.

0:15:49 > 0:15:52- Not a secret drawer, just a way of locking it.- That's right.

0:15:52 > 0:15:56The top here is a sort of Rococo 1730-50 look,

0:15:56 > 0:16:00with this serpentine flowing shape

0:16:00 > 0:16:03- but the bottom is Neo-Classical, isn't it?- Yes, yes.

0:16:03 > 0:16:05Much more severe, rectangular shape.

0:16:05 > 0:16:10All straight lines. So this is sort of 1770-1780 in Northern Europe.

0:16:10 > 0:16:13Whereas this is 1730-50.

0:16:13 > 0:16:15So, clearly, it is late piece.

0:16:15 > 0:16:19- And they do belong together, don't they?- They do.- Yes.

0:16:19 > 0:16:23- What I love about this is that it's been in this country 70 years now, at least.- Yes.

0:16:23 > 0:16:27It's never been touched by anyone. That is the most important thing.

0:16:27 > 0:16:31I like this dirty old condition and that will affect the value.

0:16:31 > 0:16:34- Yes.- The dirt. - What, improve it or reduce it?

0:16:34 > 0:16:36- What do you think? - Improve it, I hope.

0:16:36 > 0:16:40To me, improve it, yes. I'm going to be mean with the valuation.

0:16:40 > 0:16:45I don't want to overvalue it, because I like it a lot. But I do like it.

0:16:45 > 0:16:48I'm going to put £12,500 on for insurance.

0:16:48 > 0:16:51That's lovely.

0:16:51 > 0:16:53Thank you very much indeed.

0:16:53 > 0:16:56I inherited these, I think it's about two years ago.

0:16:56 > 0:16:58And I've always really loved them.

0:16:58 > 0:17:01I used to house-sit for a friend.

0:17:01 > 0:17:06And I used to always admire these particular figures and I was lucky enough to inherit them.

0:17:06 > 0:17:10Just visually, and I can absolutely understand why you love them,

0:17:10 > 0:17:15is because they've just got so much life in them.

0:17:15 > 0:17:19- The person who made these was in fact a woman.- Oh, right.

0:17:19 > 0:17:22And her initials are...

0:17:22 > 0:17:26CLJR Colinet.

0:17:26 > 0:17:29Claire Jeanne Roberte Colinet.

0:17:29 > 0:17:31And she was actually born in Brussels.

0:17:31 > 0:17:35And she moved to where the market was, to Paris.

0:17:35 > 0:17:41Paris was an incredibly exciting time in the early 1900s.

0:17:41 > 0:17:46It was full of artists and artists' models, dancers.

0:17:46 > 0:17:51And it was really about the first time that society allowed women

0:17:51 > 0:17:56in certain circles to go bare breasted without it being absolutely taboo.

0:17:56 > 0:18:02I mean, it was still very shocking but, I mean, look at her, she's absolutely fantastic.

0:18:02 > 0:18:10And I think these models show very much a female understanding of the female.

0:18:10 > 0:18:13I always thought so. I don't know why, it's the way they look.

0:18:13 > 0:18:18- It's the sensitivity. - Glamorous and sensitive. - They are incredibly glamorous.

0:18:18 > 0:18:25She has chosen the best figured ivory for her neck, her chest and her underarms.

0:18:25 > 0:18:29This wonderful slight, very slight stripiness

0:18:29 > 0:18:32which you have in good-quality ivory.

0:18:33 > 0:18:36The bronze is full of movement.

0:18:36 > 0:18:40Absolutely stylistically up to the moment.

0:18:40 > 0:18:44I mean, you couldn't have more exciting, more vibrant costumes

0:18:44 > 0:18:47than they had, you know, as their models.

0:18:47 > 0:18:51And of course the skill to get this movement,

0:18:51 > 0:18:55which, of course, is where the problem has occurred with this model.

0:18:55 > 0:18:59Because she's been carved absolutely standing on her tiptoes.

0:18:59 > 0:19:01So she's had a break there.

0:19:01 > 0:19:07And her support, because her dress is very heavy, has gone, has broken.

0:19:07 > 0:19:10And somebody has repaired that, not terribly well.

0:19:10 > 0:19:12But probably as best as they could.

0:19:12 > 0:19:16But the horrid thing is, and why it looks so bad, is it's then been painted.

0:19:16 > 0:19:18- Right.- Gosh.

0:19:18 > 0:19:22Well, say no more, there is a little bit that's come off it.

0:19:22 > 0:19:25So we'll put her to one side and we'll look at this,

0:19:25 > 0:19:29the slightly bigger... the bigger model.

0:19:29 > 0:19:33I absolutely love her cap. I mean, look, it's got this wonderful plume.

0:19:33 > 0:19:38The jewel on the front, these great big, almost sort of...

0:19:38 > 0:19:40sort of earmuffs.

0:19:40 > 0:19:43She's got a wonderful face.

0:19:43 > 0:19:47The movement with her leg, her dress is swirling out.

0:19:47 > 0:19:55And if you look at her little bolero, which is quite skimpy, you'll see that there are traces of colour.

0:19:55 > 0:19:58Now this would have been much more colourful.

0:19:58 > 0:20:01The red would have been much more vibrant,

0:20:01 > 0:20:05- there would have been more colour and I'm afraid the enamelling has worn away.- Right.

0:20:05 > 0:20:11- What I would say is these are worth restoring.- Right.

0:20:11 > 0:20:14This one needs the most restoration.

0:20:14 > 0:20:18I think that we're talking about spending...

0:20:18 > 0:20:21Brave enough to spend 1,000?

0:20:21 > 0:20:23- Right.- OK.

0:20:23 > 0:20:29For £3,000 or more, when she's in good condition.

0:20:29 > 0:20:36I think she, in a way, needs less restoration. And I think spend...

0:20:36 > 0:20:391,000...

0:20:39 > 0:20:43for maybe a retail price of £8,000 or more.

0:20:43 > 0:20:45Grief!

0:20:45 > 0:20:49So sometimes you just have to go that extra step.

0:20:49 > 0:20:52OK, it'd be worth it, I think.

0:20:52 > 0:20:54Absolutely fabulous.

0:20:55 > 0:20:59You're part of this coach party that's come from Bromsgrove.

0:20:59 > 0:21:02- From Bromsgrove, yes.- What is the connection with you all?

0:21:02 > 0:21:05Well, we all belong to the Health Service

0:21:05 > 0:21:09and all so happy working together that we all joined the fellowship.

0:21:09 > 0:21:13- But you brought me this to see. - I did, yes.- How did you come by it?

0:21:13 > 0:21:17Well, my family all came from Worcester and my mother had six sisters -

0:21:17 > 0:21:20three were nurses and three did other work.

0:21:20 > 0:21:23And I'm the last one of the family now, so it's come down to me.

0:21:23 > 0:21:25- You've inherited this.- I have.

0:21:25 > 0:21:27- And you like it, do you? - Very much, yes.

0:21:27 > 0:21:30It's a cigarette box, which you shouldn't really like,

0:21:30 > 0:21:33health people shouldn't like.

0:21:33 > 0:21:35It's a very nice lining as well, isn't it?

0:21:35 > 0:21:42It's a lovely lining, but of course the important thing about it is the plaque on top.

0:21:42 > 0:21:45I've took it to someone and they said, "Oh, that's plastic,"

0:21:45 > 0:21:49- and dismissed it.- Good heavens, you want to dismiss them.

0:21:49 > 0:21:54- It's painted by Harry Davis. - It is Harry Davis.- My great idol at the Worcester factory.- Yes.

0:21:54 > 0:22:00And it's made by Royal Worcester, somewhere about the 1910s, '20s, something like that.

0:22:00 > 0:22:06- It's very difficult to date because the plaque's been affixed to the top of this pewter cigarette box.- Yes.

0:22:06 > 0:22:08But it's absolutely beautiful.

0:22:08 > 0:22:13Highland sheep. These sheep are up in a sort of wonderful misty Scottish setting behind there.

0:22:13 > 0:22:15- Yes.- It's beautiful, isn't it?

0:22:15 > 0:22:18- Have you been to the Highlands? - Oh, yes.

0:22:18 > 0:22:22- Yes, so you'll recognise scenes like this.- The mistiness, yes.

0:22:22 > 0:22:25Now it's fairly valuable, do you realise that?

0:22:25 > 0:22:27Well, it's valuable to me, yes.

0:22:27 > 0:22:29Have you got it insured?

0:22:29 > 0:22:31Only with the house insurance.

0:22:31 > 0:22:35Yes, I think you should get your house insurance altered.

0:22:35 > 0:22:39- Yes.- And insure this for £2,000.

0:22:39 > 0:22:41ASTONISHED GASPS

0:22:41 > 0:22:43Thank you.

0:22:43 > 0:22:46So that'll pay for the coach going back, won't it?

0:22:48 > 0:22:51- How far away's Birmingham from where we are?- About 20 miles.

0:22:51 > 0:22:5315 to 20 miles, I think.

0:22:53 > 0:22:58Oh, right, so in fact these have not travelled very far.

0:22:58 > 0:23:01They started off their life in Birmingham.

0:23:01 > 0:23:06- Yes.- Because there, of course, we've actually got the marks of Matthew Boulton.- Yes.

0:23:06 > 0:23:10- Boulton was a great driving force behind the Industrial Revolution. - Yes.

0:23:10 > 0:23:12And so inventive. Interestingly,

0:23:12 > 0:23:17with these chamber sticks, which are Old Sheffield Plate, I'm sure you realise that...

0:23:17 > 0:23:19Yes. They're not solid silver, no.

0:23:19 > 0:23:24..we've actually got "Soho Patent" stamp.

0:23:24 > 0:23:27Soho, of course, was Matthew Boulton's great factory.

0:23:27 > 0:23:34- Yes.- The patent here, though, is fascinating, because I can't remember seeing this one before.

0:23:34 > 0:23:39It's got a spike at the bottom there and then of course turning that,

0:23:39 > 0:23:41that lifts up.

0:23:41 > 0:23:45And the stub of the candle is then extracted.

0:23:45 > 0:23:49I would think today you've got to think in terms of about £500 or £600 for those.

0:23:49 > 0:23:51- Each?- No, for the pair.

0:23:51 > 0:23:53For the pair, oh.

0:23:53 > 0:23:56But what excites me even more

0:23:56 > 0:23:58is what we've got here.

0:23:58 > 0:24:00What can you tell me about this jug?

0:24:00 > 0:24:05It was bought here about 1960-1963.

0:24:05 > 0:24:06Right.

0:24:06 > 0:24:08Georgian, I think.

0:24:08 > 0:24:09Yes, that's fair enough.

0:24:09 > 0:24:15And from documentary evidence I've got, it was awarded to the master of a ship.

0:24:15 > 0:24:17Well, in fact he'd lost his ship.

0:24:17 > 0:24:20Gosh, so he was given this, having lost his ship?

0:24:20 > 0:24:26- Now normally you get a present when you save a ship. - It's incredible to me.

0:24:26 > 0:24:33- It's engraved on the bottom there by the people who financed the trip and the insurers.- Extraordinary.

0:24:33 > 0:24:37Yes, what have we got here? "The gift of respondentia lenders

0:24:37 > 0:24:40"and underwriters on the late..."

0:24:42 > 0:24:47I love that, "the late ship". I've never heard of a ship being referred to as a late ship before.

0:24:47 > 0:24:49"Lord Mansfield".

0:24:49 > 0:24:56And that is "the 2nd July 1774 to Captain...

0:24:56 > 0:24:58"William Fraser".

0:24:58 > 0:25:02- The year after the ship was lost, roughly.- Right, right.

0:25:02 > 0:25:07But this has to be one of the finest Neo-Classic jugs I've seen.

0:25:07 > 0:25:11- Really?- Oh, it's an absolute joy.

0:25:11 > 0:25:14Perfectly proportioned,

0:25:14 > 0:25:16wonderful beaded edge there.

0:25:16 > 0:25:20They're just like separate pearls on the surface.

0:25:20 > 0:25:22And then, when you look at the satyrs and

0:25:22 > 0:25:26drapery festoons, I mean, those are brilliant.

0:25:26 > 0:25:29The acanthus leaf, most beautifully executed.

0:25:29 > 0:25:33So, you know, it's got to be somebody pretty good making this.

0:25:33 > 0:25:37And there we are, tucked right down inside

0:25:37 > 0:25:39are the marks.

0:25:39 > 0:25:41Now the actual date

0:25:41 > 0:25:45we can see just there is 1774.

0:25:45 > 0:25:48So that's good, it ties up absolutely.

0:25:48 > 0:25:51The maker's mark, we can see practically all of it,

0:25:51 > 0:25:54is Daniel Smith and Robert Sharp.

0:25:54 > 0:25:57They produced some of the greatest Neo-Classic silver.

0:25:57 > 0:26:00What did you pay for it?

0:26:00 > 0:26:03About £480...

0:26:03 > 0:26:05- in 1960.- In 1960-something.

0:26:05 > 0:26:08Yes, which is a fair amount of money at that stage.

0:26:08 > 0:26:11But I think there's a bit of improvement.

0:26:11 > 0:26:16This I could see quite easily going 2,500-3,000,

0:26:16 > 0:26:20possibly even more, with all that wonderful history to it.

0:26:20 > 0:26:23It really is a most stunning piece.

0:26:24 > 0:26:26Are you a gambler?

0:26:26 > 0:26:29Sometimes, yes.

0:26:29 > 0:26:31OK, I'll tell you what we'll do.

0:26:32 > 0:26:39I'm not a gambler, I was once told to take a bet on the Grand National and I lost.

0:26:39 > 0:26:45And I thought, "This is ridiculous, there goes £10, I'm not doing this again." But I will make an exception.

0:26:45 > 0:26:52This has just come out of my pocket, what have we got here, 20, 40, 60, 80... There's about £100 there.

0:26:52 > 0:26:58- I bet you £100 you haven't had these for very long.- You would be correct.

0:26:58 > 0:27:01You owe me a hundred quid, quickest hundred quid I've ever earned.

0:27:01 > 0:27:07Now let me tell you, you've been going either round fairs or auctions.

0:27:07 > 0:27:09Yes, not recently.

0:27:09 > 0:27:16It was something I did about four to five years ago when I got the interest, to have a look at them.

0:27:16 > 0:27:19And have you now stopped?

0:27:19 > 0:27:21- Yes, yes.- Because?

0:27:21 > 0:27:26I stopped because I enjoyed the pieces I bought...

0:27:26 > 0:27:31to look at and thought, "If I gain more pieces,

0:27:31 > 0:27:35- "I'm not going to have time to concentrate looking on the ones I like."- OK.

0:27:35 > 0:27:39What did you think you were buying?

0:27:40 > 0:27:46In some instances, probably very modern...um, netsukes.

0:27:47 > 0:27:52I think there is possibly one there that is a bit old.

0:27:55 > 0:27:57- That one?- Yeah, yeah.

0:27:57 > 0:27:59- It isn't.- No.

0:27:59 > 0:28:02- None of them are. - No.- The whole lot are brand-new.

0:28:02 > 0:28:05Yeah, I didn't think any of them were really old.

0:28:05 > 0:28:07There are millions of them about.

0:28:07 > 0:28:12I was Ardingly antiques fair yesterday, day before yesterday,

0:28:12 > 0:28:16and there was a stall there which must have had 1,000 of them on.

0:28:16 > 0:28:21- Yeah, yeah.- Now I don't mind that, because they were all wood.

0:28:21 > 0:28:26You can keep that one, you can keep that one, you can keep those.

0:28:26 > 0:28:28But you can't keep any of those.

0:28:28 > 0:28:30Why? Because they're all ivory.

0:28:30 > 0:28:35These are modern ivory - elephants are being killed for these.

0:28:35 > 0:28:38- That's it, yeah, yeah. - And you mustn't buy them.

0:28:38 > 0:28:40No problem with old ivory.

0:28:40 > 0:28:47If you want to collect old netsuke I've no problem with that at all. And so I'm delighted you've stopped.

0:28:48 > 0:28:50Good.

0:28:50 > 0:28:52Well, this is classic Roadshow.

0:28:52 > 0:28:55This is beautiful weather, wonderful grounds, lovely house,

0:28:55 > 0:28:59- smashing crowd. What more could we ask for?- Excuse me for interrupting.

0:28:59 > 0:29:03- Do excuse me. I wonder whether you'd fancy a cigarette.- Mark, a cigarette?

0:29:03 > 0:29:07- But Navy Cut, I never did smoke those.- You don't smoke?

0:29:07 > 0:29:10- Very strong, you shouldn't have those.- Filterless?

0:29:10 > 0:29:12- Oh!- Not these ones!

0:29:12 > 0:29:13LAUGHTER

0:29:13 > 0:29:19Excellent, isn't it? In fact, actually if you look at this, it borrows that Navy Cut look.

0:29:19 > 0:29:24But in fact actually this is a German toy made in the first quarter of the 20th century.

0:29:24 > 0:29:29And in fact, actually if you look at the writing on it as well, "Manufactured from Walker & Sons".

0:29:29 > 0:29:32They didn't get that right. It wasn't perfect grammar.

0:29:32 > 0:29:35Let's see it again.

0:29:35 > 0:29:37It's just a bit of fun, isn't it?

0:29:37 > 0:29:41I think it's wonderful. It's a rare survivor that would have cost nothing when it was made.

0:29:41 > 0:29:43It's survived in someone's drawer.

0:29:43 > 0:29:47What's it worth? £10 but it's worth every bit of £10, isn't it?

0:29:47 > 0:29:49Yes.

0:29:52 > 0:29:56Looking at some of these images here on the table, the posters behind us,

0:29:56 > 0:30:02they're actually images that some people will recognise, they are sort of imprinted in our brain.

0:30:02 > 0:30:07- But it's the name of the artist that one doesn't know, Margaret Calkin James.- Exactly.

0:30:07 > 0:30:09Now Margaret Calkin James was your ma?

0:30:09 > 0:30:13- Yes.- Tell me about her.

0:30:13 > 0:30:17Well, she was an extremely accomplished designer,

0:30:17 > 0:30:21calligrapher, painter, embroideress.

0:30:21 > 0:30:25- You name it, she had done it, really.- She had tackled it.

0:30:25 > 0:30:32- And she became a commercial artist in, I think, before 1920 with the Rainbow Workshops.- Yes, that's right.

0:30:32 > 0:30:37- And here we've got...- Her day book. - Rainbow Workshops on the front. - Yes, yes.

0:30:37 > 0:30:42- Oh, underground posters, bluebells, this one, I presume.- That one, yes.

0:30:42 > 0:30:46That was done on April 7th.

0:30:46 > 0:30:49And it's got a nice cross through it, how satisfying to cross it through.

0:30:49 > 0:30:51- Yes, yes.- Mission accomplished.

0:30:51 > 0:30:57What else have we? Ah, that's nice, I presume that's why this one is marked Kenwood which is behind me.

0:30:57 > 0:31:00Tell me, just as a matter of interest,

0:31:00 > 0:31:05- you...were you around when these underground posters were...- Oh, yes.

0:31:05 > 0:31:08- Did you ever see them as a child in the underground?- Yes.

0:31:08 > 0:31:10Tell me what that felt like.

0:31:10 > 0:31:15It was the greatest thrill. The first ones that I remember plainly walking into the underground

0:31:15 > 0:31:18and seeing were Kenwood and its mate Box Hill.

0:31:18 > 0:31:20Oh, I know Box Hill, yes.

0:31:20 > 0:31:24And there they were and I stood and looked at them and thought,

0:31:24 > 0:31:27"My mother did those!" And I was so proud.

0:31:27 > 0:31:34If one thinks of Margaret Calkin James, one thinks of colour,

0:31:34 > 0:31:39- one thinks of geometry, one thinks of patterns.- Yes.

0:31:39 > 0:31:47And we've got all that here, and perhaps it says it most obviously in the Royal Tournament poster there.

0:31:47 > 0:31:53- Yes, yes.- Where you have this wonderful rhythm counterbalanced with one way, the other way,

0:31:53 > 0:31:56- the cross checking of the lances. - Yes.- And the whole thing is

0:31:56 > 0:31:59- such a marvellous piece of mathematical design.- Yes.

0:31:59 > 0:32:04- But with movement and with life.- Yes.

0:32:04 > 0:32:08Just next to you, we've got a piece of needlework.

0:32:08 > 0:32:13How does that all fit into the scheme of things? I'm sure it's there for a reason.

0:32:13 > 0:32:19Well, that is most remarkable. 16 years before my mother's death she had a massive stroke.

0:32:19 > 0:32:21And was she badly affected?

0:32:21 > 0:32:26- She lost her speech and the use of her right side. - Oh, dear, dear, dear.

0:32:26 > 0:32:31But she was such an indomitable person that she taught herself

0:32:31 > 0:32:36- to do embroidery with just her left hand, on a frame. - And she was not left-handed?

0:32:36 > 0:32:43- No, no, she wasn't left handed, and she did over 200 of these small embroideries.- Which are delicious.

0:32:43 > 0:32:47And she did this chair seat because it was worn out.

0:32:47 > 0:32:49And did she continue working right till the end?

0:32:49 > 0:32:54Almost to the end, about I suppose two or three months before.

0:32:54 > 0:32:59The patterns started getting weaker, she would just do rows of different colours.

0:32:59 > 0:33:03- It was very sad to see it. - But she still had the passion to create.- Yes.

0:33:03 > 0:33:09Now I'm pleased to say that although lots of people out there don't know the name of Margaret Calkin James,

0:33:09 > 0:33:15a good number of connoisseurs do, and her work is certainly sought after.

0:33:15 > 0:33:21These posters would easily fetch into four figures.

0:33:21 > 0:33:24- Really?- Definitely, without any question at all.

0:33:24 > 0:33:31So the market is there for her designs and what she produced.

0:33:31 > 0:33:34What I hope is that in the next few years,

0:33:34 > 0:33:37people will begin to see her in the round

0:33:37 > 0:33:42and realise that she is much more than the designer of Kenwood

0:33:42 > 0:33:44or Trooping the Colour or Kew Gardens.

0:33:44 > 0:33:46I think that in the next ten years,

0:33:46 > 0:33:50Margaret Calkin James will be a name that everybody knows.

0:33:50 > 0:33:54Well, that's very encouraging of you to say so.

0:33:54 > 0:33:58It's lovely to see blue and white together, it makes a wonderful colour.

0:33:58 > 0:34:03- Yes.- Especially out in the sunshine, it looks beautiful, doesn't it? All through the family?

0:34:03 > 0:34:06Yes, indeed. Came from my great-great-grandmother.

0:34:06 > 0:34:08And it passed down through the family

0:34:08 > 0:34:12and came to me because I had a cabinet to put it in. I ended up with the collection.

0:34:12 > 0:34:14Oh, do you like it as well?

0:34:14 > 0:34:19- Yes, I think it's lovely. We're particularly interested in this piece here.- This one here?

0:34:19 > 0:34:22Yes. This is almost an odd one out, isn't it?

0:34:22 > 0:34:24- Very much so.- It's all Worcester.

0:34:24 > 0:34:26Oh, is it?

0:34:26 > 0:34:29Say from the start. Yes, you've got a butter pot

0:34:29 > 0:34:34and cover but without its stand. It should have a stand, you haven't got the round stand to it?

0:34:34 > 0:34:36I think we have. I thought it was a separate plate.

0:34:36 > 0:34:38Good. No, it's the stand for the pot.

0:34:38 > 0:34:40Oh, right, well, we've got that too.

0:34:40 > 0:34:44- This is a mug for drinking cider. - Oh, right.- Do you drink cider? - Oh, yes.- Yes.

0:34:44 > 0:34:46Well, it's jolly good stuff.

0:34:46 > 0:34:50And a nice teapot. Worcester teapots I think are the most perfect shape.

0:34:50 > 0:34:54- Yes.- And this is wonderful, isn't it?- Isn't that pretty?

0:34:54 > 0:34:57This is a beautiful basket with the pine cone pattern.

0:34:57 > 0:35:01This is transfer printed and beautiful. That's a lovely piece.

0:35:01 > 0:35:04And this one is a spoon tray

0:35:04 > 0:35:07for putting the spoon on, part of a tea set.

0:35:07 > 0:35:12- You carry the spoon around and give it to somebody to stir their tea with.- Oh, I see.

0:35:12 > 0:35:14And one of the later pieces of this -

0:35:14 > 0:35:19these are all in the 1770s-1780s -

0:35:19 > 0:35:22this one is almost in the 1790s, has a little pattern mark,

0:35:22 > 0:35:27a factory mark of a disguised numeral and for a spoon tray it's unusual.

0:35:27 > 0:35:30And this is the quite unusual pot, yes.

0:35:30 > 0:35:32We don't know what that is.

0:35:32 > 0:35:36I wondered whether they put crystals in, a towel over their head and sniffed it.

0:35:36 > 0:35:40- Yes, we used...- Friar's Balsam or something.- Friar's Balsam...

0:35:40 > 0:35:42BOTH: ..to clear the head.

0:35:42 > 0:35:44- No, no, no.- Wrong guess.

0:35:44 > 0:35:47Wrong guess, what else did you think it was?

0:35:47 > 0:35:49- Shaving mug.- A shaving mug!

0:35:51 > 0:35:52It's actually an inkwell.

0:35:52 > 0:35:57- Oh, right.- A desk inkwell, yes, you have a little glass pot in there

0:35:57 > 0:36:00which you keep the ink in, as ink is very corrosive.

0:36:00 > 0:36:03And in here are wafers for sealing your letter

0:36:03 > 0:36:08and sand to dry them up, and the pens go in there.

0:36:08 > 0:36:09- I see.- So there you are.

0:36:09 > 0:36:14The unusual thing about it, it is Worcester, it's got a little tiny crescent,

0:36:14 > 0:36:17in date about 1785-1790.

0:36:17 > 0:36:21But it's an unfinished pattern.

0:36:21 > 0:36:23It shouldn't just be lines of blue.

0:36:23 > 0:36:29I think that it should have been gilded, lines of gold to make it...and gold round the rim.

0:36:29 > 0:36:31- It would look very smart.- Yes.

0:36:31 > 0:36:34You know? But for some reason or other,

0:36:34 > 0:36:38it left the factory without being gilded.

0:36:38 > 0:36:41Perhaps it was a little damaged, got little blemishes on it.

0:36:41 > 0:36:46- Yes.- And they said, "Oh, to hell with this, we won't finish it off." - Oh, I see.- "We'll just sell it."

0:36:46 > 0:36:49I suppose cheap as a second or something,

0:36:49 > 0:36:52- and somebody used it as an inkpot. - Yes.- You've got some unusual pieces.

0:36:52 > 0:36:57Some ordinary pieces, but beautiful. None of these are phenomenally valuable.

0:36:57 > 0:37:02- I mean, the basket is probably going to be what, sort of £400, something like that.- Gosh.

0:37:02 > 0:37:07- The mug, a very, very pretty mug, 300 to 400.- Heavens!

0:37:07 > 0:37:09Teapot the same. The butter dish...

0:37:09 > 0:37:15If you can find the little stand for it to sit on, it's going to be about 600 with the whole thing.

0:37:15 > 0:37:19- Good heavens!- Spoon tray 200 or 300. - We'd better get them insured.

0:37:19 > 0:37:22And the ink pot is very unusual.

0:37:22 > 0:37:25I don't know what that's worth because it's unfinished.

0:37:25 > 0:37:29I would have a guesstimate of about, say...I don't know, 400.

0:37:29 > 0:37:31- Wow.- You've got a few thousand.

0:37:31 > 0:37:36I was going to bring them on my bicycle in my rucksack but I couldn't. Glad I came in the car.

0:37:38 > 0:37:41It's really hot, but what a view.

0:37:41 > 0:37:44That's going to cool you down, isn't it?

0:37:44 > 0:37:49- I love it.- Do you?- I do. - What do you love most about this completely wonderful painting?

0:37:52 > 0:37:55The way you can see through to the valley beyond.

0:37:55 > 0:38:02This hoosh, that rainbow, that boat and its tiny tender and the waterfall and...

0:38:02 > 0:38:07- where do you want me to stop? - Well, because it just goes on for ever, doesn't it?

0:38:07 > 0:38:09The detail of it is extraordinary.

0:38:09 > 0:38:12You can completely lose yourself in this.

0:38:12 > 0:38:18Everywhere you look there's another extraordinary, almost cataclysmic vision of weather.

0:38:18 > 0:38:20You've got the clouds parting here to allow

0:38:20 > 0:38:27a wisp of cloud over that distant and almost horrific jagged edge of cliff.

0:38:27 > 0:38:29You've got this amazing mist driving up this

0:38:29 > 0:38:34valley here and out of it coming this splintering, scintillating waterfall

0:38:34 > 0:38:39down to this unbelievable cool, placid, calm loch

0:38:39 > 0:38:42with a great big ship in it so far down.

0:38:42 > 0:38:48And then, over here, I love this vertiginous bit here, this rock just... Isn't it extraordinary?

0:38:48 > 0:38:51You want to push it over the edge and yet you know it's massive

0:38:51 > 0:38:54and vast along with the rest of this huge landscape.

0:38:54 > 0:38:58And then this wonderful rainbow in that mist, and just look at it.

0:38:58 > 0:39:00And it goes on for ever.

0:39:00 > 0:39:02I mean...it's magical.

0:39:02 > 0:39:06You can dream of trolls living in here. You can think what you like about it.

0:39:06 > 0:39:12- But, overall, it's a symphony of different weather conditions, isn't it?- Absolutely.

0:39:12 > 0:39:14Quite, quite lovely.

0:39:14 > 0:39:18So, it's by Alfred William Hunt and we can see bottom right there.

0:39:18 > 0:39:23And it's signed and dated 1869,

0:39:23 > 0:39:26which has got to be the heyday of this artist's career.

0:39:28 > 0:39:31Now, he was a very interesting chap, born in Liverpool.

0:39:31 > 0:39:33- He's a Liverpool artist.- Right.

0:39:33 > 0:39:35But he went to Oxford

0:39:35 > 0:39:40and was a very well-educated man and really he was a scholar and a poet.

0:39:40 > 0:39:46I think that tells you a lot about the way he's seeing this landscape, because he's seeing it poetically.

0:39:46 > 0:39:50I mean, this is a series of beautiful stanzas of poetry

0:39:50 > 0:39:54about the weather and the landscape and the magnificent mountains.

0:39:54 > 0:39:58I can't tell you how modern this picture would have been for 1869.

0:39:58 > 0:40:01If you'd gone into the exhibition where this was shown and seen it,

0:40:01 > 0:40:05you'd go, "Wow! That's new, I've never seen anything like that before".

0:40:05 > 0:40:08It's because he's looking forward - he's a Modernist really.

0:40:08 > 0:40:12He's looking forward, finding a new way of expressing his emotion

0:40:12 > 0:40:15and his, er, reaction to the landscape.

0:40:15 > 0:40:19Anyway, a wonderful painting, completely wonderful painting and what's more, you know,

0:40:19 > 0:40:23not known to academia.

0:40:23 > 0:40:28- This is a lost masterpiece. There's been an exhibition just literally. - Don't tell him.- What?

0:40:28 > 0:40:32- Don't tell him.- Don't tell anyone. - Don't tell anyone. OK, it'll be our secret.

0:40:32 > 0:40:36But it's been lost for hundreds of years.

0:40:36 > 0:40:39You knew where it was... and one or two others.

0:40:39 > 0:40:43There's been an exhibition in the Ashmolean Museum just earlier this year

0:40:43 > 0:40:47of this artist's work and they didn't know anything about it. Nothing.

0:40:47 > 0:40:52They knew it existed but they didn't know it still existed, or where it was.

0:40:52 > 0:40:54How did it get into your family?

0:40:54 > 0:41:00Grandfather used to drive ships around the place and when he came back from America he was very rich.

0:41:00 > 0:41:04A-ha! There's money in ships, money in ships, can be.

0:41:04 > 0:41:08He bought lots of pictures and things he liked and when he died,

0:41:08 > 0:41:11it sort of came down the family to us.

0:41:11 > 0:41:13- And it's been on your walls ever since.- Yes.

0:41:13 > 0:41:16How wonderful. Ever had it valued?

0:41:16 > 0:41:18- No.- Not at all.

0:41:18 > 0:41:20- Probate value.- And what was that?

0:41:20 > 0:41:22- About 5,000.- 5,000-ish? Yeah, yeah.

0:41:22 > 0:41:25Well, I can imagine how that would be.

0:41:25 > 0:41:28Now, I think probably a picture this good,

0:41:28 > 0:41:32this rare, of this date, by this artist...

0:41:32 > 0:41:34at least £40,000.

0:41:34 > 0:41:35Good grief.

0:41:39 > 0:41:40Is there a doctor in the house?

0:41:45 > 0:41:49And the rest. I mean, that is conservative. That is conservative.

0:41:49 > 0:41:51It is that good.

0:41:51 > 0:41:57I think if two people got carried away, I can see it doing 60,000...easily.

0:41:59 > 0:42:01It's really, really beautiful.

0:42:01 > 0:42:04I might be able to buy that cottage then.

0:42:04 > 0:42:05That would be nice.

0:42:07 > 0:42:12Well, people come to the Roadshow in twos and threes, families etc, but look at this crowd of people.

0:42:12 > 0:42:15- Where have you all come from? - Bromsgrove, Redditch.

0:42:15 > 0:42:18- Is that far away?- Not very far, no.

0:42:18 > 0:42:20- Eight to 12 miles. - How many of you are there?

0:42:20 > 0:42:22- 39, 40.- 39, 40.

0:42:22 > 0:42:27- It's grown since you've got here. Have you had a good day at the - Roadshow? ALL: Lovely, thanks.

0:42:27 > 0:42:31- And has anyone had any really good news?- ALL: Yes, yes, Sheila.

0:42:31 > 0:42:34- You have.- I did indeed, yes. - Really, what happened?

0:42:34 > 0:42:40It was a...a box I had that Arthur Sandon valued for me over £2,000.

0:42:40 > 0:42:42Henry Sandon, was this?

0:42:42 > 0:42:44- Sandon senior.- Yes.

0:42:44 > 0:42:49- He knows what he's talking about. So, a successful day for you?- It was indeed, yes.- And everyone else?

0:42:49 > 0:42:54- Yes, lovely.- But you're desperate to get home. So thanks for coming. And you're welcome any other time.

0:42:54 > 0:42:56All aboard.

0:42:56 > 0:43:00You don't have to tip, but anything's welcome. Thank you.

0:43:00 > 0:43:04Well, everyone else has gone home, so I might as well.

0:43:04 > 0:43:05See you soon, bye.