Powis Castle Antiques Roadshow

The land of song is also a land of castles.

The sheer scale and beauty of Powis Castle in mid Wales is quite operatic.

High on a narrow ridge overlooking the Severn Valley,

this red stone fortress has hardly changed since the Middle Ages.

With a little help over the years, the formal gardens look today

pretty much as they would have looked when they were first laid out in the 17th century.

Conway, Caernarfon and Harlech were all built with one purpose -

to keep the Welsh in check, but Powis began life as a stronghold of Welsh princes.

Sandwiched between its powerful neighbours to the west,

Gwynedd, and to the east, England.

The princes of Powis held on to their kingdom and when the medieval

wars were over, their castle endured while others fell into decay.

In 1587, Powis was sold to the hugely wealthy Herbert family,

who had estates in England and Wales

as well as connections with the English monarchy.

The first Herbert to live here, Sir Edward,

put his mark on the castle in various ways, including the creation

of one of its most romantic rooms,

the long gallery, festooned, as you might expect, with family portraits.

As with all dynasties, some generations devoted themselves to enhancing the family home,

others were more interested in their own private pleasures,

so the place had its good and its bad times.

In the early 1900s, the 4th Earl, George Herbert, and his wife Violet,

decided it was time for some serious restoration.

George worked on refurbishing the interior of the castle, remodelling several of the principal areas,

like the dining room and the oak drawing room.

The formal gardens were Violet's territory. She took personal charge

of the staff and drew up elaborate plans to revive the baroque gardens.

She somehow found time to keep a journal.

She wrote "I see velvet lawns and wide paths,

"rose gardens, fountains and clipped yews,"

and she boasted, "The garden shall be one of the most beautiful,

"if not THE most beautiful, in England and Wales".

Did she succeed?

What do you think?

So thanks to the Herberts for bringing Powis back to its former glory,

and beyond, and thanks to our

host today, the National Trust, who have been giving it

the famous white glove treatment for over 50 years.

-They look like twins. Are they?

-They were bought at the same time.

My great grandfather bought them for his two daughters,

which would have been my grandmother and my great aunt, and they've stayed in the family ever since.

That's my grandmother and my great aunt.

And with the bears.

With the bears, new, newly bought in about 1910.

Fantastic, and were they kept together all that time?

They were passed on. One was given to me and one was given to my cousin.

-Yes.

-Who's recently decided that she would

move house and didn't want hers any longer, so I said, "Please, please let me have them back together".

Well done, you, because it's so unusual to get this size and the fact that they're a pair.

-Oh, really?

-So which one was yours?

Um, this one.

This one I've had since I was about ten.

-Really?

-Yes.

-How fantastic. Sadly they're not by Steiff.

-No, no.

-We did know that.

-You did know that. Who do you think they're by?

We don't know but we think they were bought at a trade fair.

I'd love to know what he paid for them, because they look so

-different here when they were new to when they've been so much loved.

-They've been loved.

And it could be that one should be called Fred Bear and the other Thread Bear! What do you think?

-Sorry.

-I think you're right.

So when you inherited yours, was he like that?

Probably yes, I think they were well used by the two little girls.

Yes, this one's had, um, suede pads put on because obviously they

wore out and your one's had felt pads put on,

and originally they would have been felt, not suede.

-Oh, right.

-Um, equally I think yours has been kissed so much on the mouth

that he's had a little bit of a face-lift if you like,

but aren't they absolutely splendid and such a big size.

I said they're not by Steiff but they are German and I can't pinpoint which make it is.

The speciality about them is that they're together and they're twins,

so I would insure them...

for £2,000.

Really?

-Wow!

-It is so rare to get this size, exactly the same,

with this wonderful history.

Well, thank you very much.

Pleasure.

This is the sort of piece I absolutely love,

but what do you do with it?

I don't know, that's a question we've been asked many times.

Right. OK, so it's really quite an intriguing piece.

Now, what you actually have to do...

first of all you open up the top bit.

-Yes.

-Then that extends.

-Mm.

-And that comes up.

It's never done that before.

-No, it hasn't.

-We've talked about it at many parties.

-Do you know, I can see that, look at all that muck round there.

-Yes.

I've been to many of Celia's dinner parties and after a few drinks we've tried to find out what it did.

-And we've never been able to.

-I don't think after a few drinks is the right moment to try to find...

Much more fun, though!

-Much more fun.

-That is true, that is true.

So, the tube that we've got here...

can you see there?

Just an opening at the top, OK?

-Yes, yes.

-Now, you have to take this off.

-Ah.

And then, you've got this lovely spring, OK?

-Right.

-And what you do is put a candle inside there,

then put that in, that spring loads the candle, OK?

-Mm, right.

-Then, that screws back in.

-And the way that's curved there at the top.

-Yes.

As the candle is burning, it holds it at exactly the right level.

-Oh, right.

-Oh, right.

And so the spring is just steadily pushing that up.

Ah, so it's slowly making it...

Yes, as it burns down at the top and just pushes, and it keeps it at the right level to reflect...

at least when it's clean.

This is a reference to your cleaning ability.

And it keeps it at exactly the right level to reflect the light back.

Now, there are two other things you can do with it.

The mind boggles.

Now, if you're going to read in bed or something like that.

-Oh.

-That then hooks on, OK?

Or, if you haven't got somewhere suitable to hook it, you then...

Let's get that right.

Isn't that beautiful, the way that works?

-It is beautiful, it's lovely.

-It's amazing.

That splays out so you can then, with that up, read.

Ah, so all has been revealed.

So the little piece that's under here,

-what's that for?

-Ah, now that's fascinating as well.

There wouldn't be matches, would there?

-Yes, there would.

-There would be matches, oh, so that's what it is.

Just close that up for a moment.

That's the striker and then... well, I say matches, they would be Vestas.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-So, it's a travelling piece, of course.

-Right.

-And would be part of a whole travelling set.

-Yes.

-So it really is the most fascinating and rare piece.

We've got the London hallmarks there and those are actually for 1878.

-Yes.

-And the company involved is that of Frederick Purnell.

It's not the easiest of pieces to put a value on.

I can't remember one coming on the market recently. They only rarely

come on the market, but I think we're looking at at least £2,000.

Oh!

Wonderful.

-Party time.

-Won't be sold, won't be sold, but at least we can tell our friends at dinner parties now.

-Now we know.

-It's cast a bit more light on it, hasn't it?

-Yes.

-Oh! Well done. I like the pun.

-Oh, that's funny, thank you very much.

-Thank you.

It was a present from my late husband.

Do you collect this sort of thing?

No, no, it was just a one-off.

He just turned up with it?

-Yes.

-And did he say anything about it?

Only the usual endearments when he gave me a present.

-How sweet, and do you love it?

-Yes.

-I think the workmanship is fabulous.

-So do I.

-But I've no idea...

-Incredible, isn't it?

-..where it's came from or anything.

Right, well, if you go back to the 18th century,

great time for giving presents to ladies.

Ladies like little things, you know, and you would indeed, as he gave it to you...

This would, in about 1770-75, have been given to a loved one.

And what it is, it's a blue glass bottle which has been facet cut,

they've cut these lozenges into it, very akin to drinking glasses of the time, then it's been enamelled.

One of the main enamellers in London...

and this is London decorated at the time... is a man called James Giles.

He did everything from drinking glasses to little toys.

This was coming under the class of a toy at the time.

And this one is very unusual for being so well delineated.

We've got landscapes in here, sort of Chinoiserie landscapes,

mad birds, flowers and this fantastic bouquet of flowers on the back side.

-And the little bees as well.

-Butterflies, indeed.

Original gold cover, and original stopper.

-That's often missing.

-Yes.

Now, the lady would have taken this to Vauxhall Gardens, which were the great place

for entertainment of the time, music and shows,

and as she passed some disgustingly pooey

member of the populous, she would have...

-..onto her handkerchief.

-Yes.

Just to cover up the pong, and of course everybody did smell then, you know, we didn't bathe.

-No deodorants.

-No deodorants, absolutely right.

I think that's a corking example and we're looking at somewhere between...

£1,500 and £1,800.

Oh, wow.

-As much as that?

-Indeed, it was a lovely, lovely present.

It certainly was, certainly was, you've made me feel weepy now.

Oh, bear up.

-An original script. "Dr Who" 1977. I mean obviously that's the Tom Baker days.

-Indeed, yes, yes.

I mean, in my view the best Dr Who.

-Mm.

-It's debatable, yeah.

-Debatable.

-How did you get hold of this?

-My wife's aunt, who was the mother of one of the people on the team,

was using it for scrap paper.

in fact, on the back you've got about doing dried flowers, and it was only

afterwards that she suddenly discovered what she'd actually got and it was a Dr Who script.

Someone should be in trouble...

They really... I mean, they've done such...

Well, not a terrible thing, but it has made a huge difference. I mean,

the "Women's Institute flowers for growing and drying"

-written all over the back of a '77 Dr Who script does take some beating.

-Quite.

It was only when we discovered...

or when the wife discovered what it was that we "Oh, this is worth keeping," as simple as that.

Yeah, I mean, to have something like a Dr Who script, "Horror of Fang Rock",

I mean, you can't get a better title than that.

-No.

-And have you ever seen this episode, or..?

Yes, we actually bought the DVD of it, and we haven't actually gone through yet to make sure

that it is verbatim but that's one of the things we want to do.

-Right, I mean these now are so hugely collected.

-Right.

-I mean, with the latest series that Dr Who's been doing, the value of the things has just shot up.

-Really?

So it's staggering, but in this sort of condition you'd be looking at...

-easily sort of £300-£500.

-Right.

Without the dried flower scribbling, you'd be looking at £500-£700.

-Yes.

-And it's something which is steadily rising so...

-Really?

It doesn't matter that much, but obviously to the sort of

purist collector, it will make a bit of a difference, but it's such a fun object.

Who is this charming little girl, and how did you come by it?

It's my daughter Sarah. We were on holiday in Plymouth

and we saw a studio that was advertising

-on the window that you could go in and have a pencil drawing done.

-So this was on the street?

On the street, yeah, in Plymouth Hoe and we went in and Mr Lenkiewicz was there, we didn't know who he was.

-Mr Lenkiewicz was the artist?

-The artist, yes, that's right, got no idea who he was at the time,

but, um, just thought it would be nice as a little souvenir.

-And can you remember the experience of...

-Yes, very well.

Um, he just sat with her, and my husband and I just sat to the side

and it was done in about two or three minutes, very quick.

-Two or three minutes?

-Yes, yes, very quick.

-What did the artist look like?

Very scary.

Um, he'd got very long hair, dressed in black, completely in black,

didn't speak to us at all,

he didn't say a word at all and when he'd finished drawing,

he just held it up for our approval and we said "yes"

and that was it, he just held his hand out for the money and that was it, really.

-And the money was?

-£3, I think. Yes, £3.

£3, right. And the date we're talking about?

1975.

-And I suppose many portrait painters make their living first by doing that.

-That's right, yes.

The extraordinary thing is that you chose with that £3 an artist who was to become one of the most...

That's right.

..well known, talked about, infamous artists of the last ten years.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Certainly when he died recently, his studio estates were sold in a number of auctions

-and caused great interest, because he was a bizarre figure, was he not?

-Mm, very.

-Do you know much about him?

-Um, just that he liked to paint dead people and I do know that after his

death, um, they did find a body that had been embalmed in his studio, in a drawer.

-Nice(!)

-Yes, very nice, yes(!)

-I mean, he was infamous on a number of levels.

-Yeah.

Well, rather like a good share option, you bought into

-an interesting artist at an early stage, before he took off.

-Yes.

-So you paid for it, £3.

-£3, yes.

-Well, it is your daughter, very pretty as she is, it's not the subject that everyone wants.

-No.

They sort of would prefer portraits of tramps which is what he did very well.

-Yes, yes, yes, that's right.

-But having said that, it's so charming,

it's done with such swiftness and it's worth about £500 or £600.

Really? Really?

LAUGHTER

Well, I gave it to her a couple of years ago

when she moved into her own house and I said to her "Would you like this?"

and she said "No, thank you,"

but I've got a feeling she's going to say "Yes, please" now.

That's wonderful.

It's a bit of a name drop but not so very long ago, I was at

the top of the Rockefeller Center in New York in Manhattan, drinking a Manhattan, and I can tell

you now, having drunk one of those, I know exactly how the Americans got

a man on the moon because I've drank the stuff that got him there, but it's good to know that the cocktail

is alive and well here in Welshpool,

because you are the proud owner of a fascinating cocktail cabinet.

I'm definitely the owner but I'm not particularly fond of it, I've got to admit, No, not particularly.

-Bit of a monstrosity.

-You think it's a monstrosity?

Yes, I think it is. My husband loves it and that's why we've kept it,

but I would have taken it to the dump if I'd have had my way.

You would have... Now, it's very interesting...

I'd like to know where the dump is here in Welshpool because I would be a regular visitor there if this sort

-of thing was to turn up, because at first glance, it could be anything, couldn't it?

-Yeah.

What is interesting is the use of peach-mirrored glass. Now, peach mirror and a sort of strange

electric-blue type of mirroring, very popular in the 1920s, 1930s.

If I'm going to date this, I would say it's probably around

about 1930-1935 so it's of an age where they're using new materials.

-Yeah.

-Shall we have a look inside?

-Inside, OK.

-Because if I was to pull this forward, and that is seriously heavy,

that is very heavy indeed.

Um, you're missing, obviously, a layer there, you're missing a tray

and they usually slide in, as you can see, there are the two slides... you've not got that?

-There was one, it was broken when it was given to us.

-Hang on, you said it was given to you?

-Yeah.

-OK.

A friend of ours living in Brighton and he moved to Thailand and he gave us this because he obviously couldn't

take it to Thailand with him, so it was a present, basically.

-Bit of a reluctant present?

-For me, yes.

I don't want to labour the point. I mean, let's face it, at the end of the day, as long as it goes

-with your curtains, that's all that matters, isn't it?

-Oh, yes.

-You know.

I can't see any maker's label or retailer's label but I think it's safe to assume that it's British.

-OK.

-And you keep it well stocked.

Is this your normal sort of range of drinks because there's...

-It's a bit thin on the ground,

-but, yeah. It is a bit thin on the ground, complete with,

-with cocktail glasses.

-Yes.

That's just crying out for a margarita, isn't it?

Possibly.

So, you've got a little bit of damage here.

-Yeah.

-Have you got that?

-Yes, the piece is...

-Oh, you've got the piece?

-Yes.

OK, so I'd advise you get that put back on as soon as possible.

-Yeah.

-Mm, nice friend?

Yeah, very nice friend.

Yes, I think so too because if I wanted to go and replace this today, I've got quite a good

-precedent because this is the second one I've seen in a week. Can you believe it?

-Oh, right. No.

I've not seen one for about 20 years, I see two in a week.

The other one was in a saleroom in London

and it was priced in the region of...

£1,500-£2,000.

-Wow!

-Yeah?

-I still don't like it any better.

-No!

-They say money talks, but in your case it doesn't make a jot of difference, does it?

-Not really, no.

-No.

-I can't get rid of it because our cat sits on the top of it, so...

-Your..?

-Cat.

-Oh, really?

-Yes, yes.

So it's not so much a cocktail cabinet, it's more a cat stand.

-Yes, cat stand.

-OK.

This is the most decadent cat stand I think I have ever had the privilege of handling.

-But given a choice, could you make mine a Manhattan?

-Yes, for sure.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

In Roadshow folklore, there is one name that always brings a smile to

the faces of people who didn't even see him when he was on the show.

Looking back over 30 years, there is no doubt that he helped

to make the show a hit, and the show made him a star.

That's what I like best of all...

this. The proper baby chair, that...

I should think that's worth about, er...

something like...

You haven't given up all hope of having children, have you? Eh?

Bless my soul.

No.

I'm talking of course about Arthur Negus and looking back with me is Arthur's daughter, Ann Savery.

Ann, very nice to meet you. How did Arthur get involved in the very first place?

Well, he started on Going For A Song

and later when the Antiques Roadshow was conceived,

the producer called him and asked him to take part, which he did.

And he always seemed to enjoy it so much, he was very relaxed,

sort of avuncular. Did he enjoy it as much as he seemed to?

Oh, he enjoyed it immensely, he was never nervous, he was always in anticipation of what he might find,

what treasures may be brought in. He was always more interested in the craftsmanship than the value.

I don't know whether people can imagine what this is,

but it's on an adjustable column here like this

and of course it can be raised and fixed up at that height

and so now everyone will know, it is in fact a wool winder,

but it really is the best one I think I've ever seen, it honestly cannot be faulted.

Well, my husband will be pleased about that, he'll say "It was a good investment after all".

-Yes, he'll sleep better tonight.

-Yes, he will.

-Yes, indeed.

Now, what was Arthur's passion? I imagine it was furniture.

Furniture came first, always, he loved wood, he used to stroke the

table tops, the cabriole legs which gave rise to a lot of jokes,

but I think probably his favourite find was

a cabinet maker's tool box, because his father was a cabinet maker and it brought back so many memories.

Well, let's have a look inside, see what the chap did.

Now you see you'll be rather surprised

because we'll strip it down a bit, just take that away.

There you see is a man who you can nearly hear him saying "I won't take

"my tools away in a box like this, I'll make a little fittings to go in here",

all in mahogany, all banded with satin wood, everywhere little satin wood bands, all the drawers

fitted, like this, little drawers.

All got tools, rules, odds and ends, everything. Now what's in here?

-That's another compartment, Arthur.

-Yes.

-For more tools.

Let's have a decko.

By the time I get this out, it'll all be broken,

but it'll be all right.

Good lord, that takes me back, oh, 50, no, 60 years.

-Yeah.

-When I used to come home from school

and my father would be in a workshop like you would,

perhaps he'd join two bits of wood together like this

and he'd say "Just come and help... Just put this hand screw on there"

And I used to screw it down, tight,

the tighter you get it, I thought "Lovely"...

-Oh, I'd love some of these, I would really, I'm very pleased to have met you.

-Thank you very much.

Yeah, and thank you for bringing it all down, thank you.

The great thing was of course, he knew from first-hand

how these things were made, but what was it like for you to have your father a star?

Well, I lost my identity and became "Arthur Negus's daughter" long ago.

He was recognised everywhere and I was very fortunate to have him as a father.

-And I think we all benefited. Ann, thank you very much.

-You're welcome, Michael.

What have you got in your bubble wrap?

Well, I've got some commemorative ware which is really very appropriate

for the location today, it's about Powis Castle.

-Right.

-And the commemorative ware is in respect of Viscount Clive.

So this is Powis Castle here?

This is Powis Castle but not the view that we see from this angle, it is from the other side of the castle

which was originally the front entrance.

Ah, right before some alterations.

-That's right.

-Well, you've got that one there.

-I've got one as well, snap.

-Oh.

-Now mine's come out the castle,

so where did you get yours from?

Where did I buy mine? I bought mine from an auction several years ago, I collect local

memorabilia and in particular Powis Castle because it's always been a very special place to me.

So what do you think's happened here with this title at the bottom?

Well, it commemorates the attaining of his majority

of Viscount Clive on his 21st birthday.

It's quite an interesting one in that it is reputed that Viscount Clive, who eventually became

the 3rd Earl of Powis, there was a large party and in fact the statue behind us, Pegasus, was originally

a fountain, and to celebrate they actually filled the fountain with beer, so that it spouted beer.

Right. The interesting with these things is obviously they were made

for a grand dinner for him attaining his majority, but you never know whether they were given to the

guests or whether the guests kind of took them away,

as I have with Lord Powis' plate today, so, er...

but he is getting it back, I've assured them.

They're fascinating and, you know, an ordinary plate like that

is worth £20 or £30. Take my hand away,

you have Powis Castle in the middle, it turns a plate from £20 to £30

to one almost worth £200 or £300.

-Hopefully you paid less than that.

-I did pay slightly less, but it was some time ago.

Thank you for bringing it in.

Well, if I was to say to you that all the jewels on this table

meant exactly the same thing, would that come as a surprise to you?

Yes, it would actually.

-Because they're so varied aren't they?

-Yeah.

A strange sort of grey stone here, an amethyst, and mother of pearl and

little coloured stones, but tell me about them in your family.

Well, I believe they belonged to my great grandmother, Penelope Godber,

and, um, they lived in Malaya before the war, Second World War.

During the war I think she was a nurse and when everyone was told

to evacuate, which happened very, very quickly, she refused to leave

until the very last boat went, which was then bombed and then they were in the lifeboat which

was then machine-gunned so she didn't survive, but we found out from the book that was written afterwards.

It was a very sad story but her husband and my grandfather went

back to find her after the war, and of course they didn't,

but they did go back to where they used to live because they'd...

apart from trying to find her, they'd hidden all their valuables under an

outbuilding in a big jam jar, and it was still there, that's how we've still got them.

-And these were in jam jars?

-I think so, yes.

Yes, how marvellous, what an extraordinary story and this

says a lot about jewellery in a way because it's very permanent.

I just wanted to talk to you a little bit about the meaning of

them all, because they do actually mean roughly the same sort of thing.

This is arguably a sort of cameo really but it's made out of the most

-extraordinary material, looks like sort of grey soap, doesn't it?

-Yes.

Have you thought about it at all?

Well, I don't like it, I think it's morbid and ugly.

-You really don't like that one at all.

-No, not really, no.

Well, it's jolly interesting art historically because it's actually made of grey lava

and it's a volcanic rock and it comes almost certainly from Vesuvius

and it was a little souvenir that you might bring back from Pompeii.

The subject matter's really rather funny actually because it's called "The sale of Cupids"

you can see the girl has a little cage full of...

instead of chickens, she's got Cupids for sale

and these girls are buying them and so...

-Oh.

-It's sort of love for sale, you know, I mean, that would be nice, wouldn't it?

I'm not sure, anyway this is an amethyst and pearl brooch and the amethyst

-stands for devotion and devoted love.

-Mm, yes.

So love for sale, devotion, pearls for Venus, need we say more?

And this one too, it's a heart- shaped jewel and it's

amongst the more surprising of all three on the table.

-Well, that's just fun, isn't it?

-It is fun.

-Yeah.

But it's a great deal more than fun actually, says he with some menace in his voice.

-OK.

-Because there's a sort of handwriting in jewellery of this

sort and actually I do recognise this handwriting as being that of

a family of jewellers, at least a married couple of jewellers

called Georgie and Arthur Gaskin.

Now they were working in Birmingham in the Arts and Crafts taste

and they are jolly famous.

-Scaring me now!

-And...

That's what I'm trying to do...

So mother of pearl hearts surrounded by forget-me-not flowers in silver,

heightened with little precious stones,

an Arts and Crafts jewel, so three sentimental jewels

with a more than sentimental, if not almost

unbearably tragic history, bringing them all together at

this table, and a bewildering range of prices really, because if you're lucky enough to find this...

And I don't think you would be lucky actually because... I do like that, it's a bit austere

-but I think it's a good, good thing, you might not have to pay more than, say, you know, £120 for it.

-Mm.

This one curiously out of fashion at the moment yet very, very beautiful and very intense pure colour of

purple, probably no more than say £200 or £300 also completely given away I think in the modern climate.

This one rather different, Gaskins are very collected, very sought after,

-people like jewellery with an identity and, um...

-I've got good taste then!

You certainly have, you just love it and it comes from your heart, you knew nothing of this

before that, you did love it, so I'm going to value that one at...

-well, close to £1,000.

-OK. Good.

This is every girl's dream, a beautiful white wedding dress and it was yours.

Tell me a little bit more.

It was made by Laura Ashley, one of the first wedding dresses she ever made.

My brother in law was the head chemist of Laura Ashley at the time,

when I was getting married and I'd already bought three dresses,

the bridesmaid's dresses and I couldn't find anything that I really liked,

and he mentioned it to Laura Ashley and she said she had a bolt of silk

and that she'd run me up a dress if I wanted one.

-When was this? Mid 1970s?

-1975.

So you're not shopping for this, you're going in to the factory which is, what, 20 miles away in Carno.

-That's right, in Carno, where it was, yes.

-Yes, so you're going in there and she's fitting you herself?

Yes, she measured me up for the dress.

But that's absolutely astounding to actually meet her, and the design is totally of its time. I mean,

mid 1970s, this was the style and, um, of course, Laura Ashley had come

to fame really in the 1950s actually when, um, Audrey Hepburn first wore a headscarf in Roman Holiday.

I don't know if you remember that film, a wonderful film.

She wears a headscarf and suddenly headscarves for girls take off and of course there is

Laura Ashley in her kitchen, sewing and stitching and screen printing headscarves, and, from there,

it developed into a very profitable business and something like this is just absolutely of its time.

It's got the high Victorian neck and wonderful slimline bodice.

How elegant you look here. Really, really lovely

and then you follow it down and of course you get the trademark

frill at the bottom, which is really all part of her style.

-To have something with such importance, goodness me, how do I price it?

-Don't know.

How do you price a wedding day?

-Exactly, yes.

-Um, this is the sort of thing that I'd love to

see in a museum and that's where it should be, it should be on show...

I'm afraid your picture should be with it for all to see

and, um, I think really at least £500 upwards possibly.

-Really?

-Yes, yes.

-It cost me nothing.

Well, it's a fantastic piece of design and it's not only about

the style and the fashion and the value but it's about your memories.

Well, it's pretty obvious you shouldn't be allowed anywhere near ceramics, isn't it?

-No, he's a bit damaged, isn't he?

-What have you done to it?

Well, he's always been like this.

He belongs to my father and he's known him to be broken

for nearly 90 years so I can't take any responsibility for that, really.

And where do you keep him? I mean...

Well, I keep him on top of the piano, he spent the last

previous 80 years up in the attic and my father used to play with him

when he was a little boy and then we used to try and stick him together when we were children and...

Well, he's a fabulous thing. Do you know anything about it?

Nothing at all, it's just quite fascinating really and we just took advantage of you being here

today to come along and see if you knew anything about it, because I've never seen anything like it.

-It's a great model and it's got a great story as well.

-Has it?

-Yeah.

-Oh.

-It's a Staffordshire model and it's telling a piece of wonderful social history. This chap here...

-Poor chap, yes.

-Well, you've bust it so much that you can't see what it should say there.

-Right, OK.

It should say "The death of Munro".

-Right.

-This chap was an officer out in India.

-OK, yes.

He went out shooting one day on an island not far from Calcutta, this is in the 1790s.

-Right.

-In December he went out shooting and it all went wrong.

LAUGHTER

Yes, badly wrong.

-He lost.

-Yes.

And, um, the tiger got him and ate him.

They celebrated it in the Staffordshire potteries here.

-Right.

-And made models.

-Right.

This model is made by a chap called Obadiah Sherratt and

it's quite famous in pottery terms for having table bases like this.

So this is one from that period?

This is a Staffordshire model made in the beginning of the

19th century. It's a great thing. It's also pretty unusual.

Well, I've never seen one, yeah.

-It would be a hell of a lot better if there was a bit more of it.

-Yes.

Um, funnily enough his brother was eaten by a shark.

-Oh, dear.

-I've never seen a model of that, but it's quite true, this chap was called Hugh, he was

eaten by a tiger and his brother Alexander was eaten by a shark.

-They weren't lucky, were they?

-No, they weren't. I mean, some families really don't get the luck.

-No.

-Sometimes damage affects the value, of course.

Yeah!

I suppose if you stuck him in an auction,

he'd make somewhere between £500 and £1,000.

-What, like this?

-Yeah.

No!

-Like this?

-Yeah.

Goodness me, so what would he be worth if he was whole?

Well £15,000.

-No!

-Yeah, it's a really good model.

-Is it really?

-Was.

Was, yes. Goodness me.

And now as the sun starts to think about setting on the noble and craggy features of our experts,

it's time to say goodbye from Welshpool,

which incidentally was once called simply "Pool"

and they added the Welsh bit in 1830 to avoid confusion with the other Poole in Dorset.

Either way, it's a very nice place to be, and from the luscious Powis Castle, goodbye.