0:00:04 > 0:00:08Over the last 11 years on Flog It, we've made nearly 1,000 shows.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11We've seen literally hundreds of thousands of items
0:00:11 > 0:00:15and we've helped you sell around £1 million worth of antiques and collectables.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18So, in this series, I want to share with you
0:00:18 > 0:00:21some of the information and knowledge that we've collected
0:00:21 > 0:00:25to help you get in the know. Welcome to Flog It! Trade Secrets.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01On today's show, we're giving you the inside track on bargain buys,
0:01:01 > 0:01:03how to spot them and where to buy them,
0:01:03 > 0:01:06and also what you might have in your house
0:01:06 > 0:01:08that could be worth a small fortune.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12'We'll be looking at some of the best bargain buys Flog It has ever seen.'
0:01:12 > 0:01:14£5. Really.
0:01:14 > 0:01:15'Outrageous.'
0:01:15 > 0:01:17But lucky her!
0:01:17 > 0:01:22'Our experts pass on their wisdom to help you bag a bargain of your own.'
0:01:22 > 0:01:26Quality and the unusual and you can't go wrong.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29'Stay watching and all will be revealed.'
0:01:29 > 0:01:32- AUCTIONEER:- 720. 740...
0:01:33 > 0:01:37There's one thing we love to see on Flog It - the bargain buys.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41And I've learned that you have to keep your eyes peeled at all times
0:01:41 > 0:01:44because there are wonderful treasures out there just waiting to be picked up
0:01:44 > 0:01:47for as little as a few pounds in charity shops,
0:01:47 > 0:01:50car-boot sales, auction rooms and antique shops.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52It's staggering what's out there.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56TRUMPET SPLUTTERS
0:01:58 > 0:02:02'So, what are our experts' secrets for getting a bargain?'
0:02:02 > 0:02:04The important thing is to look everywhere.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08A fair or a car-boot, look under the table or at the bottom of the box.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Look even behind the vendor. They may not have unpacked a box
0:02:11 > 0:02:16and you might spot something poking out behind them that you can show an interest. So use your eyes.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Buy something that nobody else knows.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21You've got to get down on your hands and knees,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24rummage under tables, have a good rummage through those boxes.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27It feels like Christmas every day when you're having a good rummage.
0:02:27 > 0:02:28It's fantastic.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38So here are some of our very best finds
0:02:38 > 0:02:40and what you can learn from them.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Often on Flog It, people bring in things
0:02:43 > 0:02:46which they have bought maybe at a car-boot sale
0:02:46 > 0:02:48or in a charity shop.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52And it's always wonderful when these things go to auction
0:02:52 > 0:02:56and get enormous prices. And I had one such item.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01This is a very interesting little brooch.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05I think it's absolutely gorgeous.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08In fact, I think it might just suit my jacket.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Absolutely!
0:03:10 > 0:03:15The lady had picked it up because she liked it and she found it attractive.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18I actually got it in an adjacent town at a car-boot sale
0:03:18 > 0:03:22within the last 12 months. It was just lying there on the stall.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24Apparently there'd been a lot of really good stuff.
0:03:24 > 0:03:29He said, "You've missed it all." That was just there and it was £4.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32- £4. That's not a lot of money. - No. Indeed, no.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36When I first looked at it, I thought it might have been Russian,
0:03:36 > 0:03:40but when we looked at the marks on the back,
0:03:40 > 0:03:44we realised that it had been made by Marius Hammer,
0:03:44 > 0:03:49who was one of the most prestigious Norwegian silversmiths.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52We have an M and a little hammer.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56And we have the mark 930,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58which is the silver mark.
0:03:58 > 0:04:03The Norwegians and the Swedish were wonderful with enamelled work
0:04:03 > 0:04:06and this is representing that type of work.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09'This was a highly collectable item.'
0:04:09 > 0:04:12I couldn't believe that she'd only paid £4 for it.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15It's a very finely-crafted piece.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18We have a maker's name.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20- It's in the original box.- Yes.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24Taking all these factors into account,
0:04:24 > 0:04:28I would estimate it 80 to 120.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32- So it was quite a good investment for £4.- It certainly was, wasn't it?
0:04:32 > 0:04:35'Scandinavian jewellery appeals to collectors
0:04:35 > 0:04:37'because of the quality.'
0:04:37 > 0:04:41The quality was always there and the design was always there.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44'At £4, that brooch was a real steal.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48'But was it the car-boot bargain of the day that Anita thought?'
0:04:48 > 0:04:50100. And 10.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53- 120. 130. 140.- Wow!
0:04:53 > 0:04:56150. 160. 170.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59180. At £180, are we all done?
0:04:59 > 0:05:01180.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05- HAMMER BANGS - Yes! £180!
0:05:05 > 0:05:08You see, a lot of people don't know the value of 20th-century modern...
0:05:08 > 0:05:12It's like darts! 180!
0:05:12 > 0:05:16What I always say to people is, see if you can spot the unusual items -
0:05:16 > 0:05:21the items that make you think, "What's that?" or, "That's amazing!"
0:05:21 > 0:05:24So quality and the unusual
0:05:24 > 0:05:26and you can't go wrong.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29'Great advice from Anita there.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33'What about David Fletcher's trade secrets?'
0:05:33 > 0:05:37The lesson is, I think, that you turn these things upside-down,
0:05:37 > 0:05:39you look for silver marks, you look for gold marks,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42manufacturer's marks and so on.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45You know, use what knowledge you've got
0:05:45 > 0:05:50and use the very business of going to car-boot sales to improve that knowledge.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Wow, this is a stylish thing, isn't it?
0:05:53 > 0:05:55A cigarette lighter, of course.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Tell me how you came to own it.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01Well, last year we were at a car-boot sale and wandering around
0:06:01 > 0:06:04and picked it up because I thought it was a cute piece
0:06:04 > 0:06:07which was up for sale for £7.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11- £7?- Yes. And the boyfriend bartered it down to £4.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15Outrageous. But lucky her!
0:06:15 > 0:06:18I'm pretty certain it's by Dunhill, and what's more,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22it looks to me that it was made between the wars.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24It's sort of in the Art Deco style.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28Reminds me a bit of a skyscraper.
0:06:28 > 0:06:33You know, that very modern style of architecture that was sweeping America in the 1930s.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Very understated base
0:06:35 > 0:06:39and capital, really, echoing the sort of architectural theme.
0:06:39 > 0:06:44But above all else, it's just a cool thing to own.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Smoking was in itself stylish.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51And that particular cigarette lighter was one of the earliest ones to be manufactured
0:06:51 > 0:06:53so you could just use one hand.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56There's a sort of elegance about it, isn't there, really?
0:06:56 > 0:06:58It's funny that we should associate it with smoking,
0:06:58 > 0:07:02which is today not considered to be politically correct or in itself at all elegant.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04It's clearly marked Dunhill
0:07:04 > 0:07:07and it also states on the base, "Cartier Licence"
0:07:07 > 0:07:11so that means it was made under licence to a Cartier design.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13And we also have the assay mark,
0:07:13 > 0:07:16which tells us that it's nine-carat gold.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19Cartier is one of those big brands.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21I think it was Edward VII who said,
0:07:21 > 0:07:25"Cartier is a jeweller for kings and the king of jewellers."
0:07:25 > 0:07:27And very fitting that a Dunhill lighter,
0:07:27 > 0:07:31which itself is a brand associated with quality and style and class,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33should in this instance tie up with Cartier.
0:07:33 > 0:07:38I think it's worth somewhere between £250 and £350.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43'But how much did this bargain buy go for?'
0:07:43 > 0:07:47A nine-carat gold Dunhill Cartier tallboy lighter.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51London, 1934, with the engine-turn case.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53I've got two commission bids.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57- (That's good.) - I'm starting it at 4...- 4?
0:07:57 > 0:07:59460 starts me.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02- That's great.- At 460. 480 now.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06At 460. At 460.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08- HAMMER BANGS - Bang! Sold!
0:08:08 > 0:08:10- Well, your chap turned a good profit on that.- Yes, he did.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13The auction finished very quickly. I was very surprised.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16But that's the way it is. There were bidders out there who wanted it
0:08:16 > 0:08:18and they were falling over themselves to buy it.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23'Not bad for a £4 investment.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26'Now, one of my top tips is always look for a good name,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28'like Cartier or Dunhill.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31'There's an immediate cachet and value.'
0:08:33 > 0:08:38'In 2006, Thomas Plant found a real bargain and a real haggler.'
0:08:38 > 0:08:40How much did you pay for it at the car-boot sale?
0:08:40 > 0:08:43The lady wanted £8 but I negotiated down to a fiver.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46Why was that? Why was the negotiation in there?
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Because it's sort of like a matter of principle, really.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51If you're a car-booter, you always want to get the best deal.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53When they've told you they'd bought it for a fiver,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56they're either really relaxed
0:08:56 > 0:08:58or become incredibly greedy
0:08:58 > 0:09:01and want everything for it, want the top, top dollar.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05I found it at a car-boot sale last summer, rummaging around,
0:09:05 > 0:09:10and I knew it was something nice, but I didn't know exactly what it was.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13Richard was very relaxed and a very affable man.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17It's a piece of Art Nouveau pewter made by the factory Kayserzinn.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21Kayserzinn is a German manufacturer.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24They made pewter in the Art Nouveau style
0:09:24 > 0:09:26in the late 19th, early 20th century.
0:09:26 > 0:09:31Now, we can call it Art Nouveau, or the German word, which is Jugendstil.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34- Right.- The young style. And it's got all the typical attributes
0:09:34 > 0:09:38of any Art Nouveau or Jugendstil piece.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41You have the sinuous flowing lines here,
0:09:41 > 0:09:45which the fish have made through swimming in it, and then the other interesting thing is the decoration.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49The decoration is asymmetrical. That's very typical of the Art Nouveau period.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53- Do you know where that comes from? - No.- Japanese plates...- Oh, right.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57..or Japanese design and Chinese is asymmetrical.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00If you look at their designs, they don't always fold.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Here in the West, we love things which match.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06We're obsessed by it. Look at our mantelpieces.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10- That's right.- Fire, mirror, vases. Match, fold them on each other.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13And here, they've really sort of turned it on its head.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16Decoration here, bulrushes, and then some more here.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18It would've been better if you had a naked lady on here,
0:10:18 > 0:10:22which is a real femme fatale,
0:10:22 > 0:10:26real motif of the Art Nouveau period. But they were interested in nature.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29And this shows that this is a fish dish, it's got fish on it.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32I think I was quite mean with my estimate.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34What do you think it's worth?
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Well, I guess £25, £30, something like that.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40I think a bit more. I think 40 to 60, something like that.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43- That's good news.- Cos it's a popular thing, Art Nouveau.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48He was going to spend his £40 on wine, women and squander the rest, I think.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52'That's my kind of man. So how much did that bargain platter,
0:10:52 > 0:10:54'picked up for £5, make at auction?'
0:10:54 > 0:10:57We've got this pewter fish dish.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00130. 140. 150. 160.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03- This is good.- 170.- This is...
0:11:03 > 0:11:05180. 190.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07- £200.- Ooh!
0:11:07 > 0:11:10- For £200, then. - HAMMER BANGS
0:11:10 > 0:11:15- That's superb! Good find!- Thank you very much.- Well done!- Thank you.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18It made a whopping £200 at auction. Well done him.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21And in the end, he gave the money to charity.
0:11:21 > 0:11:26'Even if you don't know anything about an antique, don't be put off.
0:11:26 > 0:11:31'You may find the thing you like could be worth a small fortune.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33'Elizabeth Talbot came across something special
0:11:33 > 0:11:37'which proved to be just such a thing.'
0:11:37 > 0:11:39What can you tell me about your wonderful sugar caster?
0:11:39 > 0:11:44Erm, all I can tell you is that I got it from a car-boot
0:11:44 > 0:11:46probably about four years ago,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49and I just liked it so I bought it for a fiver.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52- £5, really?- It was £7.50.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54- And you beat them down.- To five!
0:11:54 > 0:11:57On the bottom, Moorcroft with a signature
0:11:57 > 0:12:00and the "Made in England" impressed into the bottom.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02So it's beautifully documented.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06And it's amazing nobody else spotted it. You must have been secretly jumping up and down.
0:12:06 > 0:12:12- Well, I didn't know what it was. - Right.- I just assumed it was something to do with sugar or flour.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15When they know nothing at all, you have a clean sheet
0:12:15 > 0:12:18with which to unveil the true story for them,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21and that's really, really satisfying.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23As a professional valuer and cataloguer,
0:12:23 > 0:12:28that gives real satisfaction on a personal level.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31The use of the combination with pewter
0:12:31 > 0:12:34links it back to the early days when, in the early 1900s,
0:12:34 > 0:12:38they produced a lot of items for outlets such as Liberty's,
0:12:38 > 0:12:40and I was rather hoping that I'd find a Liberty mark on this
0:12:40 > 0:12:43but I can't find any stamp on that.
0:12:43 > 0:12:49But certainly the combination suggests that it's a nice early 20th-century example.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53In terms of a piece of Moorcroft, anything which is culinary
0:12:53 > 0:12:57or, sort of, more unusual
0:12:57 > 0:12:58obviously is quite a find.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01One tends to find bowls and vases,
0:13:01 > 0:13:03whereas a sugar caster is a little bit more exciting.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07Pieces which were more intricate or more unusual
0:13:07 > 0:13:09'were made is smaller numbers
0:13:09 > 0:13:12'and therefore, by definition, there were fewer to start with,'
0:13:12 > 0:13:14so they have greater value.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18I'd have said it should make between 300 and £400 quite comfortably.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22- Right.- And it might do a little bit more,
0:13:22 > 0:13:26but 300 to 400 I think is a realistic pre-auction estimate.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29- It's a good return for a £5 note. - It is!
0:13:29 > 0:13:31'Well, let's see.'
0:13:31 > 0:13:37- That's such a good spot in an old junk shop, was it?- No, a car-boot.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40- 260. 280. 300.- It's climbing, Sue. - 300 this side.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43320. 340. 360.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45380. 400.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47It's nice when something just takes off
0:13:47 > 0:13:51and you feel it's caught the imagination of the market.
0:13:51 > 0:13:52600. 620.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54640. 660.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56It literally is electric in the room.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59- At 840. 860. 880.- Are you all right?
0:13:59 > 0:14:01900. 900.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03- 950. Make it 1,000.- You're shaking.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07At 1,000. At £1,000!
0:14:07 > 0:14:11- Done, then, at £1,000?- You're going to settle for that, aren't you?
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- HAMMER BANGS - Sue! Wonderful!
0:14:14 > 0:14:18It's wonderful to see the response of the owner who is selling,
0:14:18 > 0:14:22because in many cases, it's true delight from them, too.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26- How fantastic is that?- That's fantastic!- Absolutely brilliant.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34So here's what we've learnt so far.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38'Look for quality and good names.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41'Don't be afraid to try and haggle down the price.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44'And buy things which appeal to you personally.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47'That sugar shaker proved to be a brilliant buy.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50'Bought for £5 and sold for £1,000.'
0:14:55 > 0:14:58'A canny shopper can usually pick up a bargain
0:14:58 > 0:15:01'if they know what to look for.'
0:15:01 > 0:15:03So here's another trade secret.
0:15:03 > 0:15:08I think, to a new collector, it's always going to be a spoon.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11But in this case, a particular type of spoon.
0:15:11 > 0:15:16At the moment, 18th-century table spoons are very undervalued.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19And you can still buy beautiful examples like this.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22This is a Newcastle spoon, old English pattern,
0:15:22 > 0:15:26made by Langlands & Robertson in 1778.
0:15:26 > 0:15:31And you can see, it's got an absolutely pristine set of hallmarks
0:15:31 > 0:15:32on the back of the stem.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34The bowl's got its original tip,
0:15:34 > 0:15:37there's no wear, there's no damage to it.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41And when that was made, it would be the equivalent today of £300 or £400.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45£50, £60 will buy that.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49And actually, in scrap weight in just the silver,
0:15:49 > 0:15:51if you went over it with a steam roller,
0:15:51 > 0:15:57there's £38 worth of silver in it, so you're actually paying £12 or £22
0:15:57 > 0:16:00for an 18th-century masterpiece.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02So it's very undervalued at the moment.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07Probably not after this goes out. There'll be a stampede and they'll be £500 each.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11But if you want to start collecting silver, which is always prohibitively expensive,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14this is where the smart money is at the moment.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25At every valuation day,
0:16:25 > 0:16:27our experts wow us with their depth and breadth of knowledge.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30They seem to know pretty much everything.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32But where does all this expertise come from?
0:16:32 > 0:16:35We're spending the day with Flog It favourite Philip Serrell,
0:16:35 > 0:16:39who learned to buy and sell bargains wheeling and dealing on the hoof.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45I think the expression is,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47"Worcester born, Worcester bred,
0:16:47 > 0:16:48"strong on the arm, thick in the head."
0:16:50 > 0:16:54I've spent the whole of my life in and around the county and I really, really love it.
0:16:54 > 0:16:5850 then, at 50, please. At 5, down at 45...
0:16:58 > 0:17:01I started in Worcester livestock market
0:17:01 > 0:17:03and my first boss was a very, very forgetful man
0:17:03 > 0:17:06and he told me to come to work on the Monday morning
0:17:06 > 0:17:08wearing a pin-stripe suit, so I did.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12First day at work, he sent me to the market, here.
0:17:14 > 0:17:19And I ended up in one of these pens in a 48-hour-old pin-stripe suit.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22And, well, without going into too much detail,
0:17:22 > 0:17:24you can see what the back end of a sheep looks like in this weather.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28Most of it was deposited all over my brand-new suit.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32I can look back at this now quite fondly, but at the time,
0:17:32 > 0:17:36up to your thighs in the back end of a sheep, not good.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41At 45 here. 6. 7.
0:17:41 > 0:17:4547 bid. Right the way...
0:17:48 > 0:17:52My very first day, I can remember
0:17:52 > 0:17:55watching the sheep and the cattle being sold
0:17:55 > 0:17:59and I swear, it was about four months before I ever saw anybody bid.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02You come to the refined atmosphere of a fine art auction room
0:18:02 > 0:18:04and everyone's holding their paddle like this.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07You try and spot a bidder here. It's all...
0:18:10 > 0:18:12It's all this stuff. It's done it code.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15It's a secret society, I'm convinced of it.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26The thing about animals and me is
0:18:26 > 0:18:28they either kick me or they bite me.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31Vases don't do that.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38I think the thing that does it for me about being an auctioneer
0:18:38 > 0:18:39is the people that you meet.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43But also, for that short period of time before you sell something,
0:18:43 > 0:18:48you have a massive, ever-changing collection of items.
0:18:48 > 0:18:53And it's the opportunity to perhaps hold things and see things and appreciate things
0:18:53 > 0:18:57and they're yours for that very instant of time before you sell them, and that's lovely.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59It's not so much what something is
0:18:59 > 0:19:02but it's the social history of something.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05It's not the chair but it's whose bum's been on the chair,
0:19:05 > 0:19:07and that's what I love.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Most people think of house clearances -
0:19:11 > 0:19:13big castles and country houses,
0:19:13 > 0:19:17but sometimes ordinary properties need clearing, and this is an example.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20I first came here about three years ago to look at a single item
0:19:20 > 0:19:24and now the family want me to advise them on clearing what's left in this property.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29HE KNOCKS ON DOOR
0:19:32 > 0:19:36- This was my mother-in-law's house. - So basically, all of her belongings are here.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40- All of her belongings. - And you now need it just cleared. - We just need it cleared.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46- I have found... - Is that a Wedgwood service?
0:19:46 > 0:19:49It IS a Wedgwood service. So is that silver?
0:19:49 > 0:19:52- What do you reckon? - Hmm...it's quite heavy.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54- So am I. - THEY LAUGH
0:19:55 > 0:19:58A spider's nest.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01In truth, I don't think there's too much of massive value in here.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05But you never know what you're going to find, do you? Let's see what else we can come across.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14My mother-in-law claimed she wasn't a hoarder but her father was.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18There are some things in life that are assets and there are some things that are liabilities,
0:20:18 > 0:20:24and I think a lot of this falls into the... Although, that's nice. That's an old croquet set, 19th-century.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27- Yeah.- And a set of crown green bowls.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38I wanted the Beano, the Dandy, the Hornet or the Victor, right?
0:20:38 > 0:20:42And my dad made me have Look And Learn cos he thought it would make me intellectual. He failed.
0:20:42 > 0:20:47Ooh. Here we are. I can see through those. I'm going to keep these.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53That's interesting. If I'm right, that's a microscope in there.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58- Well, she was a scientist.- Was she? - A horticulturalist, so she did a lot of botany and biology.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01That would be quite exciting, if that was her microscope, wouldn't it?
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Let's have a look. Oh, that's cool, isn't it?
0:21:04 > 0:21:08That's just fantastic. For me, this is the crown jewels.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12So what are these in here? These are her slides.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Don't know what that is. What on earth is that?
0:21:16 > 0:21:20- What do you think that is?- Could be spores from a mushroom.- Is it?
0:21:20 > 0:21:21Possibly.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25- Did you know this was here?- No.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29- Here's a decision for you.- There's so much that I didn't know about.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32- So is this going to stop or go? - It can go.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36I've got to tell you, if I was in your shoes, I'd struggle to sell that.
0:21:36 > 0:21:37The but is,
0:21:37 > 0:21:41if you didn't sell it and you were sentimental and you kept it,
0:21:41 > 0:21:45what's going to happen to it? Well, you'd do that...
0:21:45 > 0:21:48and then you'd put it under a bed or on top of the wardrobe
0:21:48 > 0:21:51and it probably would never see light of day again.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54And the one thing she did say before she died
0:21:54 > 0:21:57was not to keep things just because they were hers
0:21:57 > 0:22:01but to make sure that somebody else who might enjoy them got the opportunity to have them.
0:22:01 > 0:22:02That's fantastic.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24That was a lovely job to do. And the real joy is, you get back to the saleroom
0:22:24 > 0:22:28and you just never know what surprise you're going to find when you start unwrapping things.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30So, fingers crossed.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47At most auctions there's often one sale which takes everybody's breath away,
0:22:47 > 0:22:51and, like you, I want to find out more about how one object
0:22:51 > 0:22:53can change the life for its owner.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55So here's one that really stands out for me.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02'Sometimes the biggest bargains of all are those lurking in your own home.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05'Unloved and unwanted antiques
0:23:05 > 0:23:07'can be the key to fulfilling your dreams.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10'Barbara, who came to our Stockport valuation day,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13'was one of those lucky ones.'
0:23:15 > 0:23:20Why should I settle down when I'm still quite active and fit
0:23:20 > 0:23:24and I want to see these countries and I have the opportunity to see them?
0:23:24 > 0:23:26Barbara...
0:23:26 > 0:23:31- this has been in pride of place in your jewellery box, is that right? - Erm, not quite.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35I had a necklace from my mother which I'd never seen her wear
0:23:35 > 0:23:37and I didn't really like it.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41So we decided to take it to Flog It.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43Where's it been all these years?
0:23:43 > 0:23:46It's been in a little box, in a polythene bag,
0:23:46 > 0:23:51buried under my waterproofs as a hiding place.
0:23:51 > 0:23:52Well, I think that's disgraceful!
0:23:52 > 0:23:57- I'm sorry. - To keep such an elegant piece of jewellery under your waterproofs.
0:23:57 > 0:24:02- I'm sorry.- That's all right. We'll forgive you. You brought them in. You've redeemed yourself!
0:24:02 > 0:24:04They're not British, they are Italian.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08Now, the Italians and the Romans have been making this sort of jewellery
0:24:08 > 0:24:10for hundreds and hundreds of years.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13They've been using mosaics and micro-mosaics,
0:24:13 > 0:24:15and this is what we have here.
0:24:15 > 0:24:20- We have little micro-mosaics set into, I think, cornelian...- Right.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22- ..which is a type of agate.- Right.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25And we have little panels of birds
0:24:25 > 0:24:28and then some sort of classical scene and then another bird.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32- Yeah.- And a matching pair of earrings with birds in them again.- Yes.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35And they sit beautifully here,
0:24:35 > 0:24:37as we can see, with these little gold swags.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40And on the back we've got a little swing.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42I mean, they're lovely quality.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44In terms of date,
0:24:44 > 0:24:46I think they're going to date to the Edwardian period.
0:24:46 > 0:24:51- Oh, right.- Value. I'd like to put 200 to 300 on them.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53- Really?- Would that be OK with you? - That would be lovely.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57And we'll put a 200 discretionary reserve cos we don't want to give them away.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00- Oh, no, no.- We don't want them to sell for nothing.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04- Is there a long-held ambition you'd like to put it towards?- Yes.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07I've always had fascination for Japan.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11I wouldn't spend it on the house and things.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13The things I've got will last me.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15One is getting older.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19You can cut that bit out. SHE LAUGHS
0:25:23 > 0:25:26It was fantastic. We went early so we could get the atmosphere
0:25:26 > 0:25:29and see what was happening and see how the things were being sold.
0:25:31 > 0:25:32It was great.
0:25:32 > 0:25:37Going under the hammer, the most exquisite micro-mosaic necklace and earrings belonging to Barbara
0:25:37 > 0:25:39who needs to go to Japan.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41And then when it was my turn,
0:25:41 > 0:25:43it started off OK, I was all excited.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48It's a lovely lot, this, a 19th-century yellow metal necklace
0:25:48 > 0:25:51with the micro-mosaic hard stone panels with the matching earrings.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Micro-mosaic stuff's making great prices at the moment, I find,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57and very, very popular. And what a lovely set this is.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01Lot 760. I'm bid £200. Take 220 next.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03- Straight in at 200.- Wow.- 320. 40.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07- 60. 80. 400. 20. 40. 60. 80. 500. - This is flying.
0:26:07 > 0:26:13And then when it went above a certain price, the whole place was so quiet.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17520. 540. 560. 580. 600. And 20. 640.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20- Wow.- 660. 680. 700 here. And 20.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22It was amazing.
0:26:22 > 0:26:23- This is an upgrade.- 800.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26- SHE GASPS - This is an upgrade from economy.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28840. 860.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34- 880. 900.- £900.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36920. 940.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39960. 980.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41Hey! This is wonderful!
0:26:41 > 0:26:44£1,000. And 50.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47- 1,200. 1,250. - First class soon.
0:26:47 > 0:26:491,300. 1,350.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52- (Japan.)- (Japan. Japan.)
0:26:52 > 0:26:541,400. 1,450.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58- 1,500. 1,550.- Arigato.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02- 1,600. 1,650.- Do you know Japanese for "this is absolutely bonkers"?
0:27:02 > 0:27:041,650 on the phone.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08- 1,650! - At £1,650. Are you all done, then?
0:27:08 > 0:27:11- What did we value it at?- 200 to 300.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15- Phone bidder. - HAMMER BANGS
0:27:15 > 0:27:19- 1,650.- Wow!- Wow! - APPLAUSE
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Absolutely amazing. I got a round of applause at the end of it as well.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Do you know, I just love it when that happens. Well done, Adam Partridge, as well.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30'With her fantastic Flog It windfall,
0:27:30 > 0:27:34'Barbara was able to go on and book her ticket to ride.'
0:27:34 > 0:27:37It was beautiful. It was cherry blossom time.
0:27:37 > 0:27:43Beautiful buildings. But we did go down a river which was like white-water rafting.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Very exciting...and scary. SHE LAUGHS
0:27:46 > 0:27:50'Barbara brought back enough memories and souvenirs to last a lifetime.'
0:27:50 > 0:27:54This is what I do when I get up.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58I put on...my dressing gown.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06Which reminds me of being in Kyoto and Japan.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10And it is absolutely...beautiful.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17'So, go on, search your home.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20'You could be sitting on some treasure and not even know it.'
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Well, that's it for today's show.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26And if we've learnt anything on Flog It, it's take nothing for granted.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30I hope we've given you some inspiration and some insider tips
0:28:30 > 0:28:33on how to root out your very own bargains.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd