Dundee

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0:00:03 > 0:00:06We like each Roadshow to be a voyage of discovery

0:00:06 > 0:00:09and this week we've come to a place which has close ties

0:00:09 > 0:00:11to some epic journeys of exploration.

0:00:11 > 0:00:13Welcome to Dundee.

0:00:46 > 0:00:49Here's an interesting little fact. Did you know, at one time,

0:00:49 > 0:00:51there were more millionaires in Dundee

0:00:51 > 0:00:53than any other part of Britain?

0:00:53 > 0:00:57It's all down to this - jute, harvested from a plant in India.

0:00:57 > 0:00:58Now, it may not look like much

0:00:58 > 0:01:02but it was one of the most familiar products of the 19th century.

0:01:08 > 0:01:11This is how it came out of the plant in its natural form,

0:01:11 > 0:01:14and it then went through a variety of processes

0:01:14 > 0:01:20to be used in all sorts of things like string, rope, cloth, sailcloth,

0:01:20 > 0:01:24flooring, clothes and it was all made here in Dundee.

0:01:24 > 0:01:27Some 50,000 people worked in the industry.

0:01:28 > 0:01:33Not surprisingly, it made some individuals very wealthy,

0:01:33 > 0:01:36including jute baron Sir James Caird.

0:01:38 > 0:01:40Caird, like everyone in Dundee,

0:01:40 > 0:01:43watched the exciting launch of this ship, the Discovery,

0:01:43 > 0:01:46on its maiden voyage in 1901 to Antarctica.

0:02:04 > 0:02:07Below deck, it's easy to imagine life on board.

0:02:07 > 0:02:10Basic with few home comforts.

0:02:13 > 0:02:15This is the captain's cabin.

0:02:15 > 0:02:17Robert Falcon Scott was appointed expedition leader.

0:02:17 > 0:02:22Scott of the Antarctic, of course, and he was immensely courageous.

0:02:22 > 0:02:25It's incredible to think that on its maiden journey,

0:02:25 > 0:02:30this ship was stuck in the ice for three years before it was rescued.

0:02:30 > 0:02:32Sir James Caird was so impressed

0:02:32 > 0:02:34by the bravery of the men on the Discovery

0:02:34 > 0:02:37that he later helped fund Shackleton's epic journey

0:02:37 > 0:02:40on the Endurance to the Antarctic via the South Pole.

0:02:44 > 0:02:48As we know, it became one of the most incredible adventure stories

0:02:48 > 0:02:52of all time, when the expedition became stranded on the ice.

0:02:52 > 0:02:54Just when things looked hopeless,

0:02:54 > 0:02:57Shackleton launched a heroic mission to get help on a lifeboat.

0:02:57 > 0:03:01That lifeboat was named after Sir James Caird

0:03:01 > 0:03:02and it saved their lives.

0:03:05 > 0:03:08Sir James Caird left many legacies here in Dundee.

0:03:08 > 0:03:12He funded the construction of this magnificent hall, Caird Hall,

0:03:12 > 0:03:14which is the venue for our journey

0:03:14 > 0:03:17into the uncharted waters of today's Roadshow.

0:03:20 > 0:03:24Here we are, Edinburgh Castle Peep Show. Absolutely splendid.

0:03:24 > 0:03:28In three languages - the chateau of Edinburgh, in French,

0:03:28 > 0:03:30Das Schloss, in German,

0:03:30 > 0:03:32and the castle of Edinburgh.

0:03:32 > 0:03:34So, it was designed for tourists, really.

0:03:34 > 0:03:36Now, I'm going to ask you to help me open this

0:03:36 > 0:03:38because it's a lovely peep show.

0:03:38 > 0:03:40Let me... I've got it open.

0:03:40 > 0:03:42You hang on to the bottom.

0:03:42 > 0:03:44And, if we go through it,

0:03:44 > 0:03:47we can see the whole streets of Edinburgh,

0:03:47 > 0:03:49and it's vibrant in its colour.

0:03:49 > 0:03:52And I can see somebody in what looks like a kilt at the end, there.

0:03:52 > 0:03:53Is that right?

0:03:53 > 0:03:58Yes. Yes, that'll be in the Grassmarket in Edinburgh.

0:03:58 > 0:04:00I was there the other day, and I have to say,

0:04:00 > 0:04:03I don't recognise this building here on the left.

0:04:03 > 0:04:05I don't recognise that

0:04:05 > 0:04:09- but the others are completely clear. That's the back of the castle.- Yes.

0:04:09 > 0:04:15That's Castle Terrace here and the old High Street goes down from here.

0:04:15 > 0:04:17- Yes.- Towards Holyrood.

0:04:17 > 0:04:19- The Royal Mile. - The Royal Mile.- The Royal Mile.

0:04:19 > 0:04:23So, tell me, where did you buy this wonderful thing 40 years ago?

0:04:23 > 0:04:27I got it in...more of a junk shop than an antique shop, in Perth.

0:04:27 > 0:04:31- Yes.- And when I came across this, I just couldn't resist it.

0:04:31 > 0:04:33Well, I couldn't resist it either.

0:04:33 > 0:04:36I mean, apart from the box being rather tatty,

0:04:36 > 0:04:38the inside is as bright and as vibrant as ever -

0:04:38 > 0:04:41that's because it's been kept out of the dust

0:04:41 > 0:04:43and it's been handled with care.

0:04:43 > 0:04:45Nowadays, something like that,

0:04:45 > 0:04:49you'd be paying somewhere in the region of £600 or £700.

0:04:49 > 0:04:51- Really?- Yes, absolutely.

0:04:51 > 0:04:52I didn't expect that!

0:04:52 > 0:04:56- So, there you are, you've done rather well.- Thank you very much.

0:04:56 > 0:04:57Thank you for bringing it in.

0:05:02 > 0:05:04So, what is a nice lady like you

0:05:04 > 0:05:07doing with an extraordinary carriage clock like this?

0:05:07 > 0:05:11Well, it was part of a collection my father had.

0:05:11 > 0:05:14All his pieces were not naughty pieces like this,

0:05:14 > 0:05:16but it just happened to be the nicest one

0:05:16 > 0:05:19I liked to look at and play with when I was young.

0:05:19 > 0:05:22Later on, I was able to take only one piece

0:05:22 > 0:05:24from our house with me

0:05:24 > 0:05:31because things were getting very dangerous in Germany where I grew up,

0:05:31 > 0:05:33close to the end of the war,

0:05:33 > 0:05:36and my parents by this time were no longer with me

0:05:36 > 0:05:38and I just grabbed this and fled.

0:05:38 > 0:05:42How extraordinary! And were the Russians advancing at this time?

0:05:42 > 0:05:44- Yes, yes.- Were they really? - Very close, yes.

0:05:44 > 0:05:46How did you manage to get out?

0:05:46 > 0:05:50Well, we just stood by the end of the road and hoped for a lift,

0:05:50 > 0:05:55which I got eventually from a German military bus.

0:05:55 > 0:05:58And this being a small little carriage clock...

0:05:58 > 0:06:01- Yes, I had it in my coat pocket. - Yes, fantastic.

0:06:01 > 0:06:03- Yes.- And do you remember it in your childhood?- Yes.

0:06:03 > 0:06:06As far as I remember it never went,

0:06:06 > 0:06:09I mean it was never looked upon to get your time,

0:06:09 > 0:06:12it was just a piece, an ornament, you know.

0:06:12 > 0:06:14- It has the most extraordinary enamel panels.- Yes.

0:06:14 > 0:06:16Yes, my father must have fancied the panels.

0:06:16 > 0:06:19Yes, it's got a little bit of a male...

0:06:19 > 0:06:23My daughters, they tell me now that when they were little,

0:06:23 > 0:06:25they used to look at it and giggled and thought,

0:06:25 > 0:06:27"We'd better not let Mum know

0:06:27 > 0:06:29"we're looking at these naked ladies," you see.

0:06:29 > 0:06:31I think that's terrific.

0:06:31 > 0:06:35- Well, it's a very pretty little Swiss carriage clock.- Yes.

0:06:35 > 0:06:38With silver gilt construction of case,

0:06:38 > 0:06:43- made around 1915, 1920, that sort of period.- Yes, yes.

0:06:43 > 0:06:45And of course the great feature about it

0:06:45 > 0:06:49are these lovely enamel panels with the semi-naked women.

0:06:49 > 0:06:51- They're not erotic, they're very lovely.- Yes.

0:06:51 > 0:06:53So, as I said, Swiss made.

0:06:53 > 0:06:57- Yes.- With a nice white enamel dial and a silver gilt case,

0:06:57 > 0:07:00- but most of the gilding has come off the silver.- Yes.

0:07:00 > 0:07:02- Obviously too much polishing.- Yes.

0:07:02 > 0:07:05Well, it's still a highly desirable clock, in this sort of condition,

0:07:05 > 0:07:07- a little bit less than normal.- Yes.

0:07:07 > 0:07:09But still every collector in the market

0:07:09 > 0:07:13- should pay between £1,500 and £2,000.- Really, really?

0:07:13 > 0:07:16- Oh, I am surprised.- That was worth pinching off the shelf

0:07:16 > 0:07:20- before you ran for it! - Yes!- Thank you for bringing it in.

0:07:20 > 0:07:23- It's fantastic. - It's been a pleasure, thank you.

0:07:23 > 0:07:26When I initially looked at this, I thought,

0:07:26 > 0:07:29"Another writing desk," and they come in quite regularly,

0:07:29 > 0:07:32but this is something really special,

0:07:32 > 0:07:34because not only is it a writing desk,

0:07:34 > 0:07:37it's the world's first copying machine.

0:07:37 > 0:07:41- Is it yours? Is it something you bought?- It's a colleague of mine,

0:07:41 > 0:07:44he has a special interest in writing slopes - we're both journalists.

0:07:44 > 0:07:48So let's have a look at it, let's have a look, so we open this,

0:07:48 > 0:07:50and a standard writing slope.

0:07:50 > 0:07:52What's in here?

0:07:53 > 0:07:57- Oh, couple of candlesticks. - These... That's right, go on there.

0:07:57 > 0:07:58Like so...

0:07:59 > 0:08:03And then, like every writing slope, it has some secret drawers...

0:08:04 > 0:08:06..and in here we have...

0:08:06 > 0:08:08a brush...

0:08:10 > 0:08:12- ..and a handle.- We need that.

0:08:12 > 0:08:15You need that.

0:08:15 > 0:08:19Thank you. This goes in here, like so.

0:08:19 > 0:08:21Just wind there...

0:08:23 > 0:08:25There we go.

0:08:25 > 0:08:31So what we have here is something that was invented by a Scotsman.

0:08:31 > 0:08:33That's right, Sir James Watt.

0:08:33 > 0:08:35James Watt, you know all about him.

0:08:35 > 0:08:37Um, and then when he was working

0:08:37 > 0:08:43between his Birmingham factory and the mines down in Cornwall,

0:08:43 > 0:08:45he was travelling backwards and forwards a lot,

0:08:45 > 0:08:48and he obviously needed his documents copied,

0:08:48 > 0:08:51so the only way to do that would be to sit here writing the letter

0:08:51 > 0:08:53and then write a copy,

0:08:53 > 0:08:56send the letter off and keep the copy for his files.

0:08:56 > 0:08:58- Very time consuming. - Very time consuming.

0:08:58 > 0:09:00Being a great engineer, he thought,

0:09:00 > 0:09:02"I want to find something simple that works,

0:09:02 > 0:09:04"then I can actually copy my letters

0:09:04 > 0:09:07"without having to hand-write them again",

0:09:07 > 0:09:11so he developed this, and it was patented back in 1780,

0:09:11 > 0:09:15and this came into production about 1790.

0:09:15 > 0:09:19So it's well over 200 years old, and how it works is,

0:09:19 > 0:09:21although I haven't got a letter,

0:09:21 > 0:09:24I have got a great Antiques Roadshow brochure here.

0:09:24 > 0:09:27You would have written your letter in a special ink,

0:09:27 > 0:09:31and then you would have wetted... wetted the tissue,

0:09:31 > 0:09:35and I think we've got some tissue somewhere, probably at this side.

0:09:35 > 0:09:39There we are, there's some... Ooh, there's some letters here as well.

0:09:39 > 0:09:41The drying book.

0:09:41 > 0:09:43You would have wetted the tissue

0:09:43 > 0:09:46and then you would have put the letter and the tissue together,

0:09:46 > 0:09:50put it on here, and then you would have wound the handle.

0:09:50 > 0:09:52Hopefully it would go in, and inside here

0:09:52 > 0:09:56there are two rolling plates, and you pressed the two together

0:09:56 > 0:09:58and you would get an offset of the actual letter

0:09:58 > 0:10:00you had written in the first place.

0:10:00 > 0:10:03- Mm-hm.- You turn that around, and then you get a fair copy,

0:10:03 > 0:10:06- so you could actually read it. A fabulous invention.- Ingenious.

0:10:06 > 0:10:10Absolutely ingenious, simple, but it worked and, you know,

0:10:10 > 0:10:12this was invented way before, obviously,

0:10:12 > 0:10:15photocopying or even the typewriter,

0:10:15 > 0:10:17so it's an extremely ingenious

0:10:17 > 0:10:22and beautifully constructed bit of engineering,

0:10:22 > 0:10:25- and it's also a piece of furniture. - Absolutely, yeah.

0:10:25 > 0:10:29It's extraordinary that in my whole career, which is, I hate to say it,

0:10:29 > 0:10:33but it's coming up to 30 years, I've only seen three examples,

0:10:33 > 0:10:38one of which I actually handled, and we saw one at Ascot,

0:10:38 > 0:10:43slightly different design, earlier in the series, so like all things,

0:10:43 > 0:10:45you never see one and then two come along together.

0:10:45 > 0:10:47- Yeah.- But, extraordinarily rare.

0:10:47 > 0:10:51I think in the first year, they only made 150.

0:10:51 > 0:10:57The last one to sell at auction sold for £26,000.

0:10:57 > 0:11:01- British sterling?- British sterling, yeah, not guineas, £26,000.

0:11:01 > 0:11:05- Oh, right.- The one that came up at auction, I have to say,

0:11:05 > 0:11:09had a great provenance, that it came from the Watt family,

0:11:09 > 0:11:11so that added quite considerably to it

0:11:11 > 0:11:14but, without a doubt, I would see this at auction

0:11:14 > 0:11:17at £12,000 to £15,000 and it could easily make more

0:11:17 > 0:11:19because it's in fabulous condition.

0:11:19 > 0:11:20- Wow, there you go.- Great fun to use.

0:11:20 > 0:11:23It's a fabulous piece, thank you so much for bringing it in.

0:11:23 > 0:11:25Wonderful. Thank you very much.

0:11:29 > 0:11:33This is a little rectangular blue leather box

0:11:33 > 0:11:35about three inches wide,

0:11:35 > 0:11:40and on the lid we have the letters "MV Clytoneus"

0:11:40 > 0:11:42that's "merchant vessel".

0:11:42 > 0:11:43- Yes.- Clytoneus.

0:11:43 > 0:11:47Launched 9th of the 4th, 1948.

0:11:47 > 0:11:51- Clearly not by you, ma'am. - No, certainly not.

0:11:51 > 0:11:53So who did launch this vessel?

0:11:53 > 0:11:56Um, it was my great aunt who launched it, um...

0:11:56 > 0:12:00Did she talk about it at all? I mean do you know much about it?

0:12:00 > 0:12:03Well, um, she did mention it once or twice,

0:12:03 > 0:12:06but, I mean, I was only about 11 when she died, so...

0:12:06 > 0:12:08- Oh, I see. - Yes, but she left this to me.

0:12:08 > 0:12:11Well, it's quite a small box, quite clearly,

0:12:11 > 0:12:15and therefore it's not going to have a grand, opulent content,

0:12:15 > 0:12:19- but the contents are incredibly pretty, aren't they?- Yes.

0:12:19 > 0:12:26- What we have in the box is a sweet little bow-shaped brooch.- Yes.

0:12:26 > 0:12:30- In platinum and diamonds.- Right.

0:12:30 > 0:12:34Now the style of the brooch is interesting,

0:12:34 > 0:12:37because, now - can we just come back,

0:12:37 > 0:12:41- reel this back to the year that this launch took place, 1948?- 1948.

0:12:41 > 0:12:43Well, may I tell you that there is no way

0:12:43 > 0:12:46that that brooch was made in 1948.

0:12:46 > 0:12:48- Really?- No. I don't think so,

0:12:48 > 0:12:52I think that the retailer who have put this brooch in the box

0:12:52 > 0:12:55have bought maybe a second-hand brooch

0:12:55 > 0:12:57and they've put it in their own case

0:12:57 > 0:13:00and they've put the, you know, little motif...

0:13:00 > 0:13:02- Embossed the...- On the front.

0:13:02 > 0:13:05The brooch itself is very strongly of a period

0:13:05 > 0:13:08of around about the First World War.

0:13:08 > 0:13:16Now, the diamonds in the frame are what we call pave set,

0:13:16 > 0:13:19they're in touching formation,

0:13:19 > 0:13:25but the key to this brooch, which I know it's only very, very little,

0:13:25 > 0:13:29but the key to this brooch is that when you look at it

0:13:29 > 0:13:35with the lens through the side, you notice that engraved

0:13:35 > 0:13:38on the centre, at the side,

0:13:38 > 0:13:43are the magic words "Cartier Ltd."

0:13:43 > 0:13:45Now that's a whole new ball game.

0:13:45 > 0:13:49- Yes. - So the value changes dramatically.

0:13:49 > 0:13:51Now, all right, we're not suggesting

0:13:51 > 0:13:55we've got a large important-size Cartier diamond brooch.

0:13:55 > 0:13:57- No, no.- But I don't know about you -

0:13:57 > 0:13:59- I think it's incredibly pretty. - It is, yes.

0:13:59 > 0:14:02and wearable... I don't know whether it's something you wear.

0:14:02 > 0:14:07Not usually. I wore it at my wedding but I don't think I've worn it since.

0:14:07 > 0:14:10Well, I think that such a brooch,

0:14:10 > 0:14:12if it was sold on the open market,

0:14:12 > 0:14:14- not that it will be, I appreciate that.- No.

0:14:14 > 0:14:16- It would be...- Sentimental value.

0:14:16 > 0:14:20a lot of interest in it, actually because it's so small and so sweet.

0:14:20 > 0:14:22- Yes.- So what are we talking about with prices?

0:14:22 > 0:14:26The fact it's by Cartier means that if you were selling it,

0:14:26 > 0:14:29it would fetch in the region of a couple of thousand pounds.

0:14:29 > 0:14:31- Right.- Nice piece that she gave you.

0:14:31 > 0:14:35- Yes, yes, beautiful, yes. I love it, thank you.- Thank you.

0:14:39 > 0:14:41It's amazing being up here in Scotland

0:14:41 > 0:14:44and looking at a watercolour like this,

0:14:44 > 0:14:46because it's like one of the Scottish artists.

0:14:46 > 0:14:49- Yes, the Glasgow School. - The Glasgow School.

0:14:49 > 0:14:52At the bottom here we have a signature

0:14:52 > 0:14:53and it's by Johann -

0:14:53 > 0:14:56and an almost unpronounceable middle name,

0:14:56 > 0:14:58which is Zoetelief Tromp.

0:14:58 > 0:15:04He's an artist that was born in Indonesia, so Dutch East Indies,

0:15:04 > 0:15:07and came over and studied in Holland, in the Hague.

0:15:07 > 0:15:12Because he was born in the 1870s, this would have been painted

0:15:12 > 0:15:14probably about 1910, 1920,

0:15:14 > 0:15:16but it's extraordinary to find this picture,

0:15:16 > 0:15:19which is so like the Scottish watercolourists,

0:15:19 > 0:15:22really, of the Glasgow School over here,

0:15:22 > 0:15:25so how did a Dutch painting like this land up here?

0:15:25 > 0:15:29Well, according to my uncle it was bought by his father, my grandfather,

0:15:29 > 0:15:31probably in the 1930s.

0:15:31 > 0:15:36It was certainly bought in Dundee but we know no more about it than that.

0:15:36 > 0:15:38I just love the composition. I mean when you look at it,

0:15:38 > 0:15:40it's a little girl on the swing, there,

0:15:40 > 0:15:44- and on the left here is the sister, dying to have a go.- Indeed.

0:15:44 > 0:15:46But she's got to wait her turn.

0:15:46 > 0:15:48- And I think she's rather impatient, looking at it.- Yes.

0:15:48 > 0:15:51But you know, when you look at a picture like this,

0:15:51 > 0:15:53- which is impressionistic...- Yes.

0:15:53 > 0:15:56Look at the way that's constructed. it's very broadly painted.

0:15:56 > 0:15:59You stand back to look at it for it all to come together.

0:15:59 > 0:16:02- Indeed.- But it's so cleverly done and I have to put a value on this,

0:16:02 > 0:16:04because this is your heirloom,

0:16:04 > 0:16:09and I think at auction that would make certainly £4,000 to £6,000.

0:16:09 > 0:16:12Heavens, that's a surprise, I didn't think it would be as much as that.

0:16:12 > 0:16:14Oh, my uncle will be delighted,

0:16:14 > 0:16:17I can see him buying a high definition television now.

0:16:19 > 0:16:23Well, that's rather sad. I think I'd rather have that.

0:16:23 > 0:16:25Now, quite rightly in Dundee,

0:16:25 > 0:16:27we've talked quite a bit about the Discovery,

0:16:27 > 0:16:31you know, and the crucial role it played in Antarctic history,

0:16:31 > 0:16:33but there is more to that story, isn't there?

0:16:33 > 0:16:36- And you're from the Discovery Point Museum.- That's right.

0:16:36 > 0:16:40And I think you want to explore with me, a lesser known aspect of this.

0:16:40 > 0:16:44That's correct, and what I have here, really, is an example

0:16:44 > 0:16:48of the starting point for Captain Scott's Antarctic career.

0:16:48 > 0:16:51- So what is that? That's a cigarette case.- It's a small cigarette case

0:16:51 > 0:16:54which was awarded to him in St Kitts

0:16:54 > 0:16:57in the West Indies in 1887.

0:16:57 > 0:17:01- He won a cutter race, in other words an oared rowing race.- Yes.

0:17:01 > 0:17:05And was awarded this small cigarette case.

0:17:05 > 0:17:08The key point about this cigarette case is it happened at a time

0:17:08 > 0:17:11when another interesting Antarctic character, Sir Clements Markham,

0:17:11 > 0:17:13- arrived on the scene.- Yes.

0:17:13 > 0:17:16He was invited by the Commandant of the West Indies Squadron

0:17:16 > 0:17:20- and was in St Kitts at the same time.- So he saw Scott perform.

0:17:20 > 0:17:23He saw Scott perform and recognised in him the qualities that he thought

0:17:23 > 0:17:26might be useful for a leader of an expedition.

0:17:26 > 0:17:28Right, so Markham was a sort of talent scout.

0:17:28 > 0:17:32His job, unofficially, or officially, was to go round,

0:17:32 > 0:17:37look at young cadets, trainee officers, and say "he's going far".

0:17:37 > 0:17:39That's exactly what they did.

0:17:39 > 0:17:41- So without that... - It wouldn't have happened.

0:17:41 > 0:17:43Nothing would have happened, no Discovery.

0:17:43 > 0:17:46- No, no, we wouldn't have Captain Scott.- No story. No, we can go home.

0:17:46 > 0:17:48- Exactly.- So what's the book?

0:17:48 > 0:17:52The book is probably one of our star items in the collection.

0:17:52 > 0:17:56It's Sir Clements Markham's personal photograph album,

0:17:56 > 0:17:58and on the first page, here,

0:17:58 > 0:18:03the ship that took them all to Antarctica, the RRS Discovery,

0:18:03 > 0:18:05which was built at Dundee, is here being launched.

0:18:05 > 0:18:08- This is the launch? - That's the actual launch, 21st March.

0:18:08 > 0:18:11There she is going down the... down the, down the slips.

0:18:11 > 0:18:14So he assembled... what - it's like a scrap book?

0:18:14 > 0:18:18It's a scrap book, exactly that, with all of the photographs

0:18:18 > 0:18:22that he acquired over the period of the National Antarctic Expedition.

0:18:22 > 0:18:25Right, so it covers the ship, what else does it cover?

0:18:25 > 0:18:28It covers also... Just have to open this a little bit more.

0:18:28 > 0:18:30And this is a particularly interesting photograph,

0:18:30 > 0:18:33this is a Who's Who of Antarctic exploration.

0:18:33 > 0:18:37- They're all in it.- They're all in it, you've got Scott in the centre,

0:18:37 > 0:18:40- you've got Edward Wilson, the famous zoologist...- Yes, yes.

0:18:40 > 0:18:44You've got Lieutenant Royds, Armitage and then right behind there

0:18:44 > 0:18:46in pride of place is Ernest Shackleton.

0:18:46 > 0:18:49- Of course.- Who everybody knows. - Now what's happened here?

0:18:49 > 0:18:54- Ah well, um, William Shackleton, same name, but...- No connection.

0:18:54 > 0:18:56..but no connection, was the physicist,

0:18:56 > 0:18:58the original physicist on the expedition,

0:18:58 > 0:19:01except he did upset quite a few people within the crew

0:19:01 > 0:19:04and it was decided to take him off the ship.

0:19:04 > 0:19:06- Yes.- And Sir Clements Markham being who he was,

0:19:06 > 0:19:09decided that he no longer fitted in with the expedition.

0:19:09 > 0:19:11- So he just cut him out. - Cut him out.

0:19:11 > 0:19:14- It's like Stalin, isn't it? - Yes.- He doesn't exist.

0:19:14 > 0:19:15Left the body and the legs.

0:19:15 > 0:19:18Thought crime - along those lines, yes!

0:19:18 > 0:19:21So, that in itself is a wonderful piece of history,

0:19:21 > 0:19:23as you say, that is Antarctic history.

0:19:23 > 0:19:24That is, it's the Who's Who.

0:19:24 > 0:19:27- And what else?- Turn it round again.

0:19:27 > 0:19:29- So what's that? - This is a particularly

0:19:29 > 0:19:30- nice image of...- A lovely shot.

0:19:30 > 0:19:34- the Discovery leaving Lyttelton. - So the beginning of the voyage?- Yes.

0:19:34 > 0:19:36Setting off from New Zealand.

0:19:36 > 0:19:38Yeah, after having been in dry dock,

0:19:38 > 0:19:40having been repaired, and off she goes,

0:19:40 > 0:19:42- in a trip, really, which is a trip to the unknown.- Yes.

0:19:42 > 0:19:44- It's like going to the surface of the moon.- Yes.

0:19:44 > 0:19:46Well, all those trips were - the last great frontier.

0:19:46 > 0:19:49- Yes, it was the last great frontier. - I mean, I find these so exciting,

0:19:49 > 0:19:51because I try to put myself in the mind

0:19:51 > 0:19:54of people at that time, setting off on these voyages,

0:19:54 > 0:19:57knowing they'd be away for years, possibly,

0:19:57 > 0:20:00knowing...no idea about what was going to happen -

0:20:00 > 0:20:01it's fantastic stuff.

0:20:01 > 0:20:05I think this is a clear case where objects that superficially

0:20:05 > 0:20:08have no particular significance, are very significant.

0:20:08 > 0:20:11- Yeah.- A cigarette case like that, without that inscription,

0:20:11 > 0:20:13in that condition is £20.

0:20:13 > 0:20:14- Yeah, that's right. - Add that component

0:20:14 > 0:20:19- and you're dealing with a vastly superior sum - hundreds.- Yeah.

0:20:19 > 0:20:23Because, as you say, without that, there would be no polar expeditions,

0:20:23 > 0:20:25no Discovery, no Scott, no nothing.

0:20:25 > 0:20:27The book is a different issue -

0:20:27 > 0:20:28it's clearly a good provenance,

0:20:28 > 0:20:31we're looking at thousands of pounds.

0:20:31 > 0:20:34- Yeah.- Because this is such a rare association of images,

0:20:34 > 0:20:38material, ephemera, which tells a very personal story

0:20:38 > 0:20:41from the person who made it all happen.

0:20:41 > 0:20:44Yeah, we were very, very excited to get it, obviously.

0:20:44 > 0:20:46- I think so, I would be. Thank you. - You're welcome.

0:20:46 > 0:20:49I bet these have pride of place in your dining room.

0:20:49 > 0:20:52Well, they're actually in my mother's dining room,

0:20:52 > 0:20:54on either side of the sideboard.

0:20:54 > 0:20:56Right. What do you know about them?

0:20:56 > 0:20:59Not very much at all. My grandfather bought them

0:20:59 > 0:21:03and he was told at the time they came from the Duke of Hamilton's palace.

0:21:03 > 0:21:07Right, right, that's a grand start, isn't it?

0:21:07 > 0:21:11The Duke of Hamilton's palace, well, it was called Hamilton Palace.

0:21:11 > 0:21:15It was sold, the contents were sold in 1882.

0:21:15 > 0:21:16- It's a very famous auction.- Right.

0:21:16 > 0:21:19One of the most famous auctions in the 19th century.

0:21:19 > 0:21:20Oh, I didn't know that.

0:21:20 > 0:21:26These candelabra are clearly, to me, what's called Rococo Revival,

0:21:26 > 0:21:30which started in popular taste in about the 1820s, 1830s,

0:21:30 > 0:21:34but for a big, very wealthy noble family like the Hamiltons,

0:21:34 > 0:21:37who were in London buying all the best French things,

0:21:37 > 0:21:40they would be buying French early revival things

0:21:40 > 0:21:43in the 1810s, 1820s, so, when he got married,

0:21:43 > 0:21:46or almost certainly in 1819 when he became the Duke.

0:21:46 > 0:21:48Just to explain very quickly

0:21:48 > 0:21:52how I can date these - they look like French 1730s or '40s

0:21:52 > 0:21:55but they're a little bit more clumsy

0:21:55 > 0:21:58which takes me to England possibly, or France,

0:21:58 > 0:22:00in the 1820-1830 revival period,

0:22:00 > 0:22:03but the most charming thing - have you noticed the dragon?

0:22:03 > 0:22:05No, I can't say I did.

0:22:05 > 0:22:08You haven't had a good look at them, have you, ever really?

0:22:08 > 0:22:10They've just always been there.

0:22:10 > 0:22:11Gathering dust on mum's shelf,

0:22:11 > 0:22:14there we go, but there's a lovely - you can see the tail

0:22:14 > 0:22:18- here and it works all the way up into the dragon's mouth.- Right.

0:22:18 > 0:22:20- Do you know what they're made of? - No.

0:22:20 > 0:22:23I don't. Honestly, I don't know anything about them.

0:22:23 > 0:22:26Are they gold?

0:22:26 > 0:22:28I don't think so, but I don't know.

0:22:28 > 0:22:33Well, they're gold plated, if you like - they're what we call ormolu,

0:22:33 > 0:22:36which is actually brass or bronze which has had a coat of gold paste

0:22:36 > 0:22:40put on with mercury and then it's fired and it just burns

0:22:40 > 0:22:42itself onto the brass underneath.

0:22:42 > 0:22:45They're fantastic things, I mean they're just great.

0:22:45 > 0:22:47I think you're going to have to pay at auction

0:22:47 > 0:22:51- a minimum of £2,000 to £3,000. - Really?

0:22:51 > 0:22:53And I think if you could ever prove the provenance,

0:22:53 > 0:22:55ie the history of them,

0:22:55 > 0:22:56I think you should double it.

0:22:56 > 0:22:59Very good.

0:23:01 > 0:23:05I usually talk about military items,

0:23:05 > 0:23:10war items, but you've brought along a few items today that are anti-war.

0:23:10 > 0:23:14- I have indeed.- Tell me something about them and who they belong to.

0:23:14 > 0:23:16These refer to my grandmother's brother.

0:23:16 > 0:23:19His name was Bernard Douglas Taylor.

0:23:19 > 0:23:21- This is him?- That's him, yes.

0:23:21 > 0:23:23Was he a Friend, was he a Quaker?

0:23:23 > 0:23:25He was a Quaker, the whole family

0:23:25 > 0:23:28had been Methodists but turned Quaker before the First World War.

0:23:28 > 0:23:31Prior to the war starting, he took part

0:23:31 > 0:23:34- in many anti-war committees and so on.- Oh, did he?

0:23:34 > 0:23:36And once the war had started, he helped out with other

0:23:36 > 0:23:39conscientious objectors and so on.

0:23:39 > 0:23:43When the time came for his drafting, he appeared before a panel

0:23:43 > 0:23:48and pleaded his case for not having to join the military.

0:23:48 > 0:23:50And what's this hand-written letter about?

0:23:50 > 0:23:53That's his declaration to the selection panel.

0:23:53 > 0:23:57- Oh, this is dated January 26th, 1917.- Yes.

0:23:57 > 0:23:59Um, he's written here, "I am not" -

0:23:59 > 0:24:02underlined - "a soldier

0:24:02 > 0:24:08"and no amount of coercion can ever cause me to become an instrument

0:24:08 > 0:24:11"for the slaughter of my fellow man."

0:24:11 > 0:24:13So quite clearly he,

0:24:13 > 0:24:18he was a very intense man and definitely not one to, er...

0:24:18 > 0:24:20- He was.- go against his morals.

0:24:20 > 0:24:23And whatever else he said to the panel,

0:24:23 > 0:24:28they came to the unanimous agreement that, due to his statement

0:24:28 > 0:24:31and his eloquence and his intensity,

0:24:31 > 0:24:34that he should be fully exempted from military service.

0:24:34 > 0:24:38Interesting. Now this photograph here puzzles me somewhat,

0:24:38 > 0:24:41because this is, I guess, him, is it?

0:24:41 > 0:24:44- That's him, yes.- Well, why is he wearing military uniform?

0:24:44 > 0:24:46What happened was, he decided that

0:24:46 > 0:24:52the help he was giving out to dependants of "conchies" and so on,

0:24:52 > 0:24:54he could perhaps do more, so he decided to go to France

0:24:54 > 0:24:55to help out there.

0:24:55 > 0:24:57Was this while the war was in progress?

0:24:57 > 0:24:59It was still in progress, yes,

0:24:59 > 0:25:02but what happened was, when he got off the ferry in Calais,

0:25:02 > 0:25:05a gendarme came up, asked him his business and when he explained,

0:25:05 > 0:25:07the gendarme said,

0:25:07 > 0:25:11"What I suggest to you sir, is that you go to the nearest tailors,

0:25:11 > 0:25:14"have yourself a uniform made and put it on immediately,

0:25:14 > 0:25:16"because if the women of France

0:25:16 > 0:25:20"see you in civilian clothes, a young, fit, hale man,

0:25:20 > 0:25:22"they're going to tear you to pieces

0:25:22 > 0:25:25"because their men have been dying at the front," and so on.

0:25:25 > 0:25:27Yes, yes, that's extraordinary.

0:25:27 > 0:25:30You've also brought along an armband. Tell me about this.

0:25:30 > 0:25:31I know nothing about it.

0:25:31 > 0:25:36I presume it's part of a Quaker voluntary organisation's motif.

0:25:36 > 0:25:39Well, in fact, I do know what this is.

0:25:39 > 0:25:41This is the Quaker star.

0:25:41 > 0:25:47- Oh, I see.- And it's the badge of the Quaker relief organisation.

0:25:47 > 0:25:50- That's good to know. - And so he would have worn

0:25:50 > 0:25:52the Quaker star on his arm.

0:25:52 > 0:25:56As far as I know, he had no other form of insignia on the uniform,

0:25:56 > 0:25:58- solely this.- Yes, he would have worn

0:25:58 > 0:26:01this armband to show who he was, to show that he was a Quaker.

0:26:01 > 0:26:04- Right.- And also, of course, to support the other Quakers who were

0:26:04 > 0:26:06- also over there.- Yes, indeed.

0:26:06 > 0:26:08Because he wouldn't have been alone.

0:26:08 > 0:26:11But it must have been the most appalling thing,

0:26:11 > 0:26:18actually, to be the subject of people's ridicule,

0:26:18 > 0:26:21because he would have been ridiculed at home, in Britain.

0:26:21 > 0:26:23I don't know that ridicule is the word.

0:26:23 > 0:26:26I would say disliked to the point of being hated.

0:26:26 > 0:26:27Hated? It's a strong word.

0:26:27 > 0:26:32Yes, but the feeling in the country against conscientious objectors

0:26:32 > 0:26:35was very, very strong indeed and in fact, if you open that,

0:26:35 > 0:26:38- you'll perhaps see what I mean. - This envelope?- Yes.

0:26:38 > 0:26:43What's this dated? 1916, it looks like from the postmark.

0:26:43 > 0:26:45Oh, it's a letter to him.

0:26:45 > 0:26:48You'll see.

0:26:48 > 0:26:51Oh, my oh, goodness me,

0:26:51 > 0:26:53it's a white feather.

0:26:53 > 0:26:56It's a white feather - as in the Four Feathers film.

0:26:56 > 0:27:01It says, "Noble sir, if you are too proud or frightened" -

0:27:01 > 0:27:05underlined - "to fight, wear this".

0:27:05 > 0:27:07- And the white feather. - And this has been kept.

0:27:07 > 0:27:11It's been kept, yes, it was kept by my grandmother

0:27:11 > 0:27:14just to show the feelings that some human beings have

0:27:14 > 0:27:16towards others, so...

0:27:16 > 0:27:18- He obviously was a man of deep beliefs.- Absolutely.

0:27:18 > 0:27:23But how must he have felt when he received this?

0:27:23 > 0:27:25How would you feel if you'd received this?

0:27:25 > 0:27:29I don't know, I think from what I've read of his background

0:27:29 > 0:27:31that he would have accepted it

0:27:31 > 0:27:34as an example of how human beings can look upon

0:27:34 > 0:27:39each other and feel sad and sorry for perhaps, for the person who wrote it.

0:27:39 > 0:27:42Well, that's an interesting perspective, isn't it, I suppose.

0:27:42 > 0:27:45And I have to say that I've never seen another

0:27:45 > 0:27:47- white feather letter, ever.- Yes.

0:27:47 > 0:27:50Because I doubt whether anybody kept them. I would have thought that...

0:27:50 > 0:27:53I think most people would have been very anxious to get rid of them

0:27:53 > 0:27:55- completely, very quickly.- Exactly.

0:27:55 > 0:27:57I actually feel quite privileged

0:27:57 > 0:28:01to be able to see it, to... it's quite incredible.

0:28:01 > 0:28:03And I wouldn't mind betting

0:28:03 > 0:28:06- that if this was actually sold - I'm sure you don't want to do it.- No.

0:28:06 > 0:28:11But if this was sold, at auction today, you'd get a number of people

0:28:11 > 0:28:16willing to pay probably £500, £600 for it, because it's most unusual.

0:28:16 > 0:28:20- I think this is an indictment on war itself.- Oh, quite.

0:28:20 > 0:28:21And also an indictment

0:28:21 > 0:28:25on the sort of person that would have sent that letter.

0:28:25 > 0:28:27Yes. The whole country felt the same way at the time.

0:28:27 > 0:28:29Of course they did, we were very patriotic,

0:28:29 > 0:28:33but I find this in today's world, I find this very moving.

0:28:33 > 0:28:35Thank you for showing it to me.

0:28:35 > 0:28:37Thanks very much.

0:28:39 > 0:28:44This beautiful stars and stripe dress, obviously fancy dress.

0:28:44 > 0:28:45Tell me the story of it.

0:28:45 > 0:28:50Well, it was designed and made by my grandmother for my mother, in 1926.

0:28:50 > 0:28:54Mummy was aged 18 but Granny was very thrifty

0:28:54 > 0:28:58and she was a superb needlewoman. They both designed and made clothes,

0:28:58 > 0:29:03so you can see how she's used this red and white and blue cotton sateen

0:29:03 > 0:29:06fabric, cut the red into stripes and put the whole thing together.

0:29:06 > 0:29:09I think the headdress looks rather like something

0:29:09 > 0:29:11out of a Lyon's Corner House waitress's outfit.

0:29:11 > 0:29:14Well, it certainly looks a bit like Wonder Woman, doesn't it?

0:29:14 > 0:29:17- Doesn't it? - But I mean what's fantastic about

0:29:17 > 0:29:20this is that when I think when I was sent off to fancy dress parties,

0:29:20 > 0:29:22I always used to go as a pirate or a nurse, because it was easy.

0:29:22 > 0:29:26This is something quite more delightful.

0:29:26 > 0:29:30And I wore it to a fancy dress party in 1981, I wore it with silver lame

0:29:30 > 0:29:33Mary Quant tights and I danced the Charleston in it.

0:29:33 > 0:29:36- Wow.- It was such fun.

0:29:36 > 0:29:38The wonderful thing about this dress is that

0:29:38 > 0:29:43at that period, mid-1920s, women, after the First World War,

0:29:43 > 0:29:46women were partying, they were smoking, wearing much more make-up.

0:29:46 > 0:29:49- Mummy wasn't allowed to smoke.- Mummy wasn't smoking, well that's...

0:29:49 > 0:29:51- And no nail varnish either. - No nail varnish, either.

0:29:51 > 0:29:54It's a wonderful example of something from the 1920s,

0:29:54 > 0:29:57just before the Crash, people were still partying then,

0:29:57 > 0:30:00it got very much more sombre after that,

0:30:00 > 0:30:03but this is fabulous and just beautiful,

0:30:03 > 0:30:05thank you so much for bringing it.

0:30:05 > 0:30:08- Thank you.- Valuation of these things is, is so difficult because really

0:30:08 > 0:30:10it's a very personal thing,

0:30:10 > 0:30:14I mean, it would certainly be of great interest at auction,

0:30:14 > 0:30:16I could see it making £150, £200.

0:30:16 > 0:30:19Well, I mean I treasure the fact it's still in the family

0:30:19 > 0:30:22and I love having it, thank you so much.

0:30:28 > 0:30:30Our jewellery expert John Benjamin

0:30:30 > 0:30:32was seen coming off the plane last night at Dundee airport

0:30:32 > 0:30:34staggering under the weight

0:30:34 > 0:30:36of something very, very heavy in his suitcase.

0:30:36 > 0:30:38I found out today what it is, because we asked him

0:30:38 > 0:30:41if, heaven forfend, his house should go up in flames,

0:30:41 > 0:30:44what two objects would he rush out with, clutching one in each hand,

0:30:44 > 0:30:45and John you brought along...

0:30:45 > 0:30:47this, I know, is very heavy.

0:30:47 > 0:30:50neither of the bits you brought are jewellery, which intrigues me.

0:30:50 > 0:30:54- No.- But let's start with this one. Why have you brought this along?

0:30:54 > 0:30:56All right, well this is a bowl that was fashioned -

0:30:56 > 0:30:59it's actually called "The Greedy Squirrel".

0:30:59 > 0:31:01The story behind this bowl was this.

0:31:01 > 0:31:06When I was 17 I left school.

0:31:06 > 0:31:11No qualification to speak of. I was very lucky to get a job

0:31:11 > 0:31:16working in a jewellery shop located in Bloomsbury called Cameo Corner.

0:31:16 > 0:31:21Cameo Corner was started by this man. I'll show you a picture.

0:31:21 > 0:31:22- There we are.- What's his name?

0:31:22 > 0:31:27Moshe Oved a mystic, a sculptor, a jeweller

0:31:27 > 0:31:32started the shop up with nothing, and by the time he died,

0:31:32 > 0:31:34some of the customers of the shop

0:31:34 > 0:31:36were extraordinarily important people including Queen Mary,

0:31:36 > 0:31:39who had her own armchair in the shop,

0:31:39 > 0:31:42that no-one else was allowed to sit in.

0:31:42 > 0:31:45For the four years I worked at Cameo Corner,

0:31:45 > 0:31:48this squirrel sat on the counter

0:31:48 > 0:31:51in the corner, right next to where I worked.

0:31:51 > 0:31:55When I left Cameo Corner, that, of course, I left.

0:31:55 > 0:31:58About, I don't know, three or four years ago,

0:31:58 > 0:32:02the thing appeared at auction, and I was told about it and I thought,

0:32:02 > 0:32:04"I have to have the squirrel".

0:32:04 > 0:32:09That squirrel had been winking at me for four years, so I bought it

0:32:09 > 0:32:11and it weighs a ton, doesn't it?

0:32:11 > 0:32:14Ooh, yes, it does weigh a ton. I've got to say, John,

0:32:14 > 0:32:16if you don't mind, it's not the most attractive thing

0:32:16 > 0:32:20- I've ever seen.- You don't like it? - I'm not wild about it, but obviously

0:32:20 > 0:32:22it means a lot to you.

0:32:22 > 0:32:25It means a great deal to me because it represents my young life

0:32:25 > 0:32:28in the jewellery industry, so there we are.

0:32:28 > 0:32:33- And what about this object here? - Well, that is a silver sugar sifter.

0:32:33 > 0:32:3612 or 15 years ago, a telephone call from one of our branches.

0:32:36 > 0:32:39Could I go down to visit a local client,

0:32:39 > 0:32:42who it turned out had a large box of jewellery.

0:32:42 > 0:32:44I went to visit this client,

0:32:44 > 0:32:47sure enough the jewellery was astonishing,

0:32:47 > 0:32:51and it turned out that the collection was owned by her father.

0:32:51 > 0:32:53He had made it all.

0:32:53 > 0:32:56He was called Henry George Murphy.

0:32:56 > 0:32:59Henry Murphy was a goldsmith and silversmith who owned a shop

0:32:59 > 0:33:03in Marylebone called The Falcon Studio

0:33:03 > 0:33:09and in 1928 up to his death in 1939 he churned out the most amazing

0:33:09 > 0:33:11jewellery and silverware.

0:33:11 > 0:33:13Well, how did I come by this?

0:33:13 > 0:33:19I researched the man's life, we photographed all his jewellery,

0:33:19 > 0:33:21the client said that up in the loft

0:33:21 > 0:33:24they had the entire archive of the Falcon Studio.

0:33:24 > 0:33:27- It was a time bubble upstairs. - What a find.

0:33:27 > 0:33:31And what happened was that we recogn... I say "we",

0:33:31 > 0:33:34because I collaborated with one of our own colleagues

0:33:34 > 0:33:36on the Antiques Roadshow, Paul Atterbury.

0:33:36 > 0:33:39We wrote a book about Murphy

0:33:39 > 0:33:42and they gave me the silver sugar caster.

0:33:42 > 0:33:43They gave it to you?

0:33:43 > 0:33:46- Yes, they gave it to me. - And what's it worth, this?

0:33:46 > 0:33:48- Do you know? - Do you know something?

0:33:48 > 0:33:50I don't care what it's worth.

0:33:50 > 0:33:53I have something that means a great deal to me,

0:33:53 > 0:33:56because that is a thread in my life,

0:33:56 > 0:34:00and for me, that is a very personal piece.

0:34:00 > 0:34:03- John, thank you.- Thank you, Fiona.

0:34:05 > 0:34:08This is the kind of thing I could only have dreamed

0:34:08 > 0:34:13would arrive at my table today. Here we have perhaps, how can I say,

0:34:13 > 0:34:16one of the legends of golfing history.

0:34:16 > 0:34:20And this is Old Tom Morris. Can you tell me where this came from?

0:34:20 > 0:34:23It was, um, in my father's house after his death,

0:34:23 > 0:34:27and when we cleared the house out, we found it.

0:34:27 > 0:34:29- Right, so it wasn't hanging on the wall?- No.

0:34:29 > 0:34:32OK, well, let's talk about Old Tom Morris because essentially here

0:34:32 > 0:34:36we have a superb photographic image of Old Tom Morris

0:34:36 > 0:34:38on the course at St Andrews.

0:34:38 > 0:34:39He's in a bunker,

0:34:39 > 0:34:42which actually is probably not that usual for old Tom Morris,

0:34:42 > 0:34:45because Old Tom Morris was an exceptional golfer,

0:34:45 > 0:34:49he was regarded as absolutely invincible on the course.

0:34:49 > 0:34:52He actually won the Open at Prestwick four times,

0:34:52 > 0:34:56starting in 1861 I believe, and here he is at St Andrews.

0:34:56 > 0:35:00There's a slightly more poignant history to Old Tom as well,

0:35:00 > 0:35:03because he had a son, Young Tom Morris,

0:35:03 > 0:35:07and Young Tom Morris won the Open four times as well,

0:35:07 > 0:35:10but the sad thing is that he died at the age of 24.

0:35:10 > 0:35:16So we have two generations of a family, both exceptional golfers,

0:35:16 > 0:35:22both exceptional Scottish golfers, and Old Tom here lived to, I think,

0:35:22 > 0:35:27around about 1904, 1905 - sadly his son died in around about 1875.

0:35:27 > 0:35:30And it's a very poignant story,

0:35:30 > 0:35:33but added to that we have a man here who,

0:35:33 > 0:35:37to collectors, is literally the god of the golfing world

0:35:37 > 0:35:42- and what is more, we have a signed photograph here.- Yes, yes.

0:35:42 > 0:35:44And I wonder, had you ever considered a value

0:35:44 > 0:35:46- on this photograph?- No idea.

0:35:46 > 0:35:52No, well this picture is worth £2,000 to £3,000.

0:35:52 > 0:35:55I've been offered £1,000 for it.

0:35:55 > 0:35:57- You haven't been offered enough.- No.

0:35:57 > 0:36:01Because it's an absolute classic of its time and, to be honest,

0:36:01 > 0:36:04- to come to Scotland and find it in Scotland...- Yes.

0:36:04 > 0:36:06- ..has kind of made my day. - That's what I thought it would, yes.

0:36:06 > 0:36:08Thank you, it's great.

0:36:08 > 0:36:11- Thank you ever so much for bringing it along.- Thank you.

0:36:11 > 0:36:14- This bowl, I love it, I really, really love it.- Good.

0:36:14 > 0:36:18It's fantastic, a visual feast of best pottery folk art you can get,

0:36:18 > 0:36:19it's a gorgeous thing,

0:36:19 > 0:36:22- everything's going on. - Yes, it is, yeah.

0:36:22 > 0:36:27It's lovely that it's dated, 1862. I mean, what's that?

0:36:27 > 0:36:31I don't know, but I love the fact that the top hat was coming off.

0:36:31 > 0:36:35- I mean it's extraordinary, man in a top hat on a bucking bronco.- Yeah.

0:36:35 > 0:36:37It's an assortment of random images,

0:36:37 > 0:36:41we've got this wonderful steam train here, we've got

0:36:41 > 0:36:44two ships. It's a fantastic slipware bowl.

0:36:44 > 0:36:48- Uh-huh.- Technically about slipware, it's pottery which is then coated

0:36:48 > 0:36:52- with a very, very thin layer of another coloured slip.- Right.

0:36:52 > 0:36:57Which is basically liquid clay, which is then carved into

0:36:57 > 0:36:59this sgraffito effect.

0:36:59 > 0:37:00- The history of slipware...- Yeah.

0:37:00 > 0:37:02Goes right back into medieval times.

0:37:02 > 0:37:06This, being a 19th century piece, it became popular throughout,

0:37:06 > 0:37:10really, the UK, North Devon is very, very famous for slipware.

0:37:10 > 0:37:14- Yes.- Barnstaple and so forth, but we're up in Dundee.- Yeah.

0:37:14 > 0:37:16Where did you get this one?

0:37:16 > 0:37:20This I found in my mother's attic when I moved my mother and father

0:37:20 > 0:37:22to a smaller home this year,

0:37:22 > 0:37:27and Margaret Morren was my great-great-aunt.

0:37:27 > 0:37:32Fantastic, so this has gone down from person to person to person.

0:37:32 > 0:37:35- Yeah, it has indeed.- And lives in the attic.- It was in the attic.

0:37:35 > 0:37:37I think I shall be displaying it now.

0:37:37 > 0:37:40Would Margaret Morren have made it?

0:37:40 > 0:37:42- Have designed it?- It's very unlikely.

0:37:42 > 0:37:45It's more likely it was made perhaps as a present for her birth.

0:37:45 > 0:37:48- Oh, for her birth?- But I mean your family records may be able to

0:37:48 > 0:37:50- tell you something about her. - I need to look into it.

0:37:50 > 0:37:52- You need a genealogist in the family.- I do, I do.

0:37:52 > 0:37:56- I think it's a gorgeous thing. - Good, thank you.

0:37:56 > 0:37:59I suppose got to think about what it might be worth.

0:37:59 > 0:38:02I suppose in auction, £2,000.

0:38:02 > 0:38:04Is it as much as that?

0:38:04 > 0:38:06Oh, goodness, no, I'd no idea,

0:38:06 > 0:38:10no idea at all, just thought it was a family piece, great.

0:38:10 > 0:38:11It's lovely, it's really, really nice.

0:38:11 > 0:38:14- I'm sure I shan't be selling it. - I covet it.

0:38:14 > 0:38:16Good. Oh, well, I'll take it to my home.

0:38:16 > 0:38:19- You could come and look at it sometimes.- Thank you.

0:38:19 > 0:38:21Thank you very much, thanks.

0:38:23 > 0:38:28The first thing I'd love to ask you is what did you have for breakfast?

0:38:28 > 0:38:31- Was it toast and marmalade? - It was, yes.- It was.- It was.

0:38:31 > 0:38:34And did you turf the bread out of the bread bin first

0:38:34 > 0:38:37- before you put the clock in? Did you really?- I did.

0:38:37 > 0:38:38That's fantastic, I love that.

0:38:38 > 0:38:40But we're not here to look at a bread bin,

0:38:40 > 0:38:43we're here to look at this extraordinary machine inside.

0:38:43 > 0:38:44- Can I take it out?- Yes.

0:38:46 > 0:38:49There we go.

0:38:49 > 0:38:51Well, it's terrific fun, love it to bits.

0:38:51 > 0:38:53I saw it poking out of the top of the bread bin

0:38:53 > 0:38:56and I thought to myself, "Please let that be what I think it is,"

0:38:56 > 0:38:59and it's exactly what I think it is, which is great.

0:38:59 > 0:39:01So it's called a skeleton clock.

0:39:01 > 0:39:03The reason it's called a skeleton clock

0:39:03 > 0:39:07is because the movement plates have been pierced out so that you

0:39:07 > 0:39:11can see straight through them and you can examine the wheel work

0:39:11 > 0:39:15in between the two plates, whereas normally with a clock you'd have

0:39:15 > 0:39:17- brass plates and you couldn't see any of the wheel work.- Right.

0:39:17 > 0:39:22So we call this a skeleton clock. So how is it such an extraordinary

0:39:22 > 0:39:24machine arrives here in Dundee?

0:39:24 > 0:39:29Well, it came into our family in the Second World War. My grandfather

0:39:29 > 0:39:33was a farmer in Dumfriesshire and a local businessman approached him

0:39:33 > 0:39:36at Christmas time - he wanted some geese that my grandfather had.

0:39:36 > 0:39:39- Geese?- Some geese to give to his workers at Christmas time,

0:39:39 > 0:39:41but he couldn't afford to

0:39:41 > 0:39:44pay my grandfather for the geese so he said "I'll give you a clock"

0:39:44 > 0:39:47on the condition he could have a look at it every now and again

0:39:47 > 0:39:50on the mantelpiece and we've had it ever since in the family.

0:39:50 > 0:39:52What a fantastic story - did your father have an interest

0:39:52 > 0:39:54- in clocks, in horology? - No, not that I know of.

0:39:54 > 0:39:57But he had a good eye, obviously, he was a canny Scottish farmer.

0:39:57 > 0:39:59He was, yes, he was.

0:39:59 > 0:40:01And what sort of date was that? Second War?

0:40:01 > 0:40:04Yeah, I think it was 1941 that it came into our possession, uh-huh.

0:40:04 > 0:40:09Was it? 1941? Well, I'll tell you a little bit about the history of it.

0:40:09 > 0:40:12Made around 1830, that sort of period.

0:40:12 > 0:40:17On the front we've got a maker's name of R Hess of Liverpool.

0:40:17 > 0:40:19- Right.- Now it's my belief that Mr R Hess

0:40:19 > 0:40:22never made this clock, I suspect he was a jeweller

0:40:22 > 0:40:25and it was his shop clock,

0:40:25 > 0:40:27or shop timepiece,

0:40:27 > 0:40:29and it would have been a wonderful looker

0:40:29 > 0:40:31and it would have attracted people into the shop.

0:40:31 > 0:40:34They would set their watches by the time on the clock.

0:40:34 > 0:40:37- Oh, right.- A lot of jewellery shops had a shop's regulator

0:40:37 > 0:40:40or a shop's mantel clock, sometimes in the window,

0:40:40 > 0:40:42but often they wanted to draw people into the shop

0:40:42 > 0:40:46so they had a clock sitting on the table, or as a long case clock.

0:40:46 > 0:40:49People would come and regulate their pocket watches

0:40:49 > 0:40:50every day, or every week,

0:40:50 > 0:40:52and they were very useful at bringing people in.

0:40:52 > 0:40:56But what is particularly fun about this clock is the balance wheel

0:40:56 > 0:40:59that oscillates backwards and forwards just there.

0:40:59 > 0:41:02That has this lovely snaky which holds the spring which keeps

0:41:02 > 0:41:05the tension for the balance wheel to oscillate backwards and forwards.

0:41:05 > 0:41:08Now the faster the balance wheel oscillates,

0:41:08 > 0:41:11- the faster the second hand goes round, OK?- Oh, right.

0:41:11 > 0:41:13And you can make the balance wheel go faster and slower

0:41:13 > 0:41:15by adjusting the balance spring,

0:41:15 > 0:41:18this spring that's coiled down that the snake is holding.

0:41:18 > 0:41:21But what is even more wonderful about this

0:41:21 > 0:41:23is the way that the two plates of the movement

0:41:23 > 0:41:27have been pierced out in this lovely geometric design,

0:41:27 > 0:41:31and when you turn the clock around it becomes even more apparent

0:41:31 > 0:41:34because it's pierced out at the back,

0:41:34 > 0:41:38but it's the layered design that particularly appeals as well.

0:41:38 > 0:41:41It's just beautifully laid out

0:41:41 > 0:41:45and the one last thing that's really good quality is when you look

0:41:45 > 0:41:48at the quality of the wheel work, you will notice I don't know whether

0:41:48 > 0:41:54- you've seen it, but each wheel has six spokes to each wheel.- Right.

0:41:54 > 0:41:55Now the average clock has four

0:41:55 > 0:41:58spokes to each wheel, a good quality clock has five spokes,

0:41:58 > 0:42:01but a really good quality clock has six spokes,

0:42:01 > 0:42:03it's a sign of exceptional quality.

0:42:03 > 0:42:06- Good.- So, now...

0:42:06 > 0:42:10the last question I have to ask - did it ever have a glass dome?

0:42:10 > 0:42:12Not as far as I know.

0:42:12 > 0:42:14- We've actually had a dome made for it.- You have?

0:42:14 > 0:42:17- You just didn't bring it with you. - But didn't bring it with us.

0:42:17 > 0:42:20And you don't, you didn't have the original base with it at any time?

0:42:20 > 0:42:23- Wasn't original, no, no. - Well, that's a shame

0:42:23 > 0:42:26because the original base and the original dome is important to have,

0:42:26 > 0:42:29you know, it's just a lovely thing to be able to have with it,

0:42:29 > 0:42:31and, you know, that's life, they break.

0:42:31 > 0:42:33My wife will kill me for saying this,

0:42:33 > 0:42:36but she was dusting some bits and pieces off a shelf

0:42:36 > 0:42:40- and an ornament broke my skeleton clock dome the other day.- Oh, right.

0:42:40 > 0:42:43And she rang me in tears. I was slightly in tears as well.

0:42:43 > 0:42:46they're incredibly difficult to replace.

0:42:46 > 0:42:49OK, well, much collected, this is...

0:42:49 > 0:42:52a skeleton clock collector's dream.

0:42:52 > 0:42:57I'd love to own it, a fantastic clock, so it has a market value.

0:42:57 > 0:43:00Um, from a flock of geese.

0:43:00 > 0:43:02- A good deal. - I wonder how many it was -

0:43:02 > 0:43:04and they would have gone by Christmas,

0:43:04 > 0:43:05whereas here this clock is now.

0:43:05 > 0:43:08- I've still got it.- Um, open market value for this clock,

0:43:08 > 0:43:09take a little bit off

0:43:09 > 0:43:11for the fact that it's missing its base and its dome.

0:43:11 > 0:43:15- Right, right.- But certainly a collector today would pay

0:43:15 > 0:43:19between £8,000 and £12,000 for it.

0:43:19 > 0:43:25- Oh, good news.- Thank you very much for bringing it in.

0:43:25 > 0:43:27- It's a terrific clock. - Thank you, right.

0:43:29 > 0:43:33This is probably my favourite item of the day. It dates from 1602

0:43:33 > 0:43:36and it's a pirlie pig. "Well, it doesn't look much like a pig"

0:43:36 > 0:43:38I can hear you say, but up here in Scotland a pirlie pig

0:43:38 > 0:43:40is what they call a money box,

0:43:40 > 0:43:43and it used to be used in the Council to fine town councillors

0:43:43 > 0:43:46if they couldn't be bothered to turn up for a meeting,

0:43:46 > 0:43:47so it must have had a few bob in it.

0:43:47 > 0:43:49They could probably do with something like this

0:43:49 > 0:43:51in the House of Commons, if you ask me.

0:43:51 > 0:43:56Well, now it's going to the local McManus Art Gallery and Museum here,

0:43:56 > 0:43:57and our time here is almost up.

0:43:57 > 0:44:00We've had an interesting and eclectic mix of items,

0:44:00 > 0:44:01I think it's fair to say,

0:44:01 > 0:44:04so from the Roadshow in Dundee, bye-bye.