0:00:02 > 0:00:04In over ten years on Flog It
0:00:04 > 0:00:07we have valued thousands of your items and we've stood by you
0:00:07 > 0:00:09in the sale room, as they've gone under the hammer.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11APPLAUSE
0:00:11 > 0:00:13£600.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16- Yeah!- Yeah!
0:00:16 > 0:00:17And during that time,
0:00:17 > 0:00:20we've all learnt a great deal about antiques and collectables
0:00:20 > 0:00:22and now I want to share some of the knowledge with you.
0:00:22 > 0:00:28So sit back and enjoy as our experts let you in on their trade secrets.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00I'm always saying that collecting antiques is the ultimate recycling.
0:01:00 > 0:01:01They are, by definition,
0:01:01 > 0:01:03second-hand, third-hand and fourth-hand
0:01:03 > 0:01:05and many are past their best
0:01:05 > 0:01:07and they end up getting thrown away.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11But as we discover, it's those items which have ended up on the scrap heap
0:01:11 > 0:01:15or hidden away in a forgotten corner, that prove that sometimes
0:01:15 > 0:01:18you CAN get something for nothing.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Bang! The hammer's gone down.
0:01:20 > 0:01:25Coming up: our experts tell us their secrets of good detection.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Sometimes all that glistens is gold.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31We hear about when you have the nose to sniff out a find.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34What a clever bloke to pick them up.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38And how a hunch can sometimes earn you a fair old sum.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Here are our experts' tips on what to do
0:01:45 > 0:01:49if you think you've unearthed something valuable.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Not every car has a mascot on the front telling you who made it.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54But when you open the door and look inside,
0:01:54 > 0:01:57it's fairly obvious whether it's a Lada or Rolls-Royce.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00And the same is true with antiques.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03You do your research. It's all out there for you
0:02:03 > 0:02:05in books and the internet.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08And even just asking questions.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11If you think you've unearthed something of value,
0:02:11 > 0:02:15if your have a trained eye, or even amateur eye,
0:02:15 > 0:02:19you can tell whether it's well-made and something that's got weight to it.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22You should be able to pick it up and think, "Yes."
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Even if you're thinking that, take it to someone who might know.
0:02:25 > 0:02:26Take it to your local auction house.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31Over 900 Flog It valuation days
0:02:31 > 0:02:36and you still surprise us with the array of discarded and overlooked treasures you bring in.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38But sometimes, something comes along
0:02:38 > 0:02:41that is not about the monetary value
0:02:41 > 0:02:43but about our own social heritage.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45This next find in the north-east
0:02:45 > 0:02:47appealed to the inner geek in David Fletcher.
0:02:47 > 0:02:52I believe it's from the Swan Hunters Wigham Richardson shipyard on the Tyne.
0:02:52 > 0:02:58It lists all the ships that were built during that shipyard's life, I believe.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01At each launch, all the visitors and dignitaries,
0:03:01 > 0:03:07captains, admirals, both local and national, signed the book
0:03:07 > 0:03:09at the launching of the ship.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11There was a bit of me that was a bit excited.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15'Although I wouldn't claim to be any good at interpreting old documents,
0:03:15 > 0:03:16'that one shouted at you, really.'
0:03:16 > 0:03:20You didn't need to be an expert to see the appeal.
0:03:20 > 0:03:21Amazing.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25These superbly illuminated pages.
0:03:25 > 0:03:30Each one with a flag or a spray of flags.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34HMSAS Natal.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39Presumably Her Majesty's South African ship Natal.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42And there's a South African flag.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45And some signatures beneath that.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50One of whom is the High Commissioner for South Africa.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55And then it's interesting to note that in the early days,
0:03:55 > 0:03:57we really just have signatures.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02And we go back to 19...
0:04:04 > 0:04:06..11. That's the first entry.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08The social importance of something like that is enormous.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12It tells a tale of the splendour, really,
0:04:12 > 0:04:19that was British industry in the middle years of the 20th century.
0:04:19 > 0:04:24I must say, it's the best thing I've ever seen on Flog It.
0:04:24 > 0:04:25The flags were fantastic.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27There were some big names there, too.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31So it had more of an instant appeal than the average document.
0:04:31 > 0:04:37It wasn't quite as crusty as some of the books in this lovely library appear to be.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39How did you come by it?
0:04:39 > 0:04:45I believe it was found in a skip down in the area where the shipyards were
0:04:45 > 0:04:47at a clearing out of the shipyards.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51It was given to me a few years later by the person who found it in the skip.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54When the shipyards closed, people just chucked things away.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56They had no commercial value.
0:04:56 > 0:05:03And, at the time, they seemed to have no social or historical value.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06And people just threw them away.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08It's very regrettable.
0:05:08 > 0:05:09'To pick up a document like that
0:05:09 > 0:05:12'in that lovely leather binding'
0:05:12 > 0:05:14and just chuck it. Who could do that?
0:05:14 > 0:05:17It's been lying in the book case at home for a lot of years.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22And now is the time for somebody to have it who'll appreciate it more than I would.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25It's practically impossible to value something like this.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29But I would be inclined to give an estimate of three to £500.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33And I would suggest a reserve of 300.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39Did David find someone like-minded amongst the bidders
0:05:39 > 0:05:42who understood its social significance?
0:05:43 > 0:05:45Lot 110. One of my favourite lots.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47The leather-bound visitors book.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49One commission bid.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51I start at £300.
0:05:51 > 0:05:52It's sold.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55At 300. 310.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57To my right. In the room at 310.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59320, anybody?
0:05:59 > 0:06:01At £310.
0:06:01 > 0:06:0320, yes or no?
0:06:03 > 0:06:07At £310. Are we all done?
0:06:08 > 0:06:09Thank you so much for bringing it in.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12- A lovely bit of heritage.- Thank you.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Not a bad price for an item that nearly ended up in the dump.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20And yet it's worth so much more in terms of historical significance.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25I was delighted to find it had been bought by the shipyard archivists.
0:06:25 > 0:06:26That was fantastic.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29This book started out at the shipyard
0:06:29 > 0:06:31and incredibly has found its way home
0:06:31 > 0:06:35to a place where researchers can learn about the region's social history.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38It's nice that one turned up. But for every one that turns up,
0:06:38 > 0:06:41there are thousands lost forever.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43Think twice if you come across old documents
0:06:43 > 0:06:45that don't interest you.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48They could represent an important part of British history
0:06:48 > 0:06:51and someone out there will snap them up.
0:06:53 > 0:06:58One item had Charlie Ross reminiscing about his own social history.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01Imagine seeing something at a Flog It
0:07:01 > 0:07:06that I hadn't seen for, crumbs, 40 years?
0:07:06 > 0:07:08No, 50 years plus!
0:07:08 > 0:07:10Babar books!
0:07:10 > 0:07:12They are wonderful.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14I looked through a few of them
0:07:14 > 0:07:17and I recognise so many of the actual pictures.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Not just Babar himself
0:07:19 > 0:07:22but some of the characters in the books.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24It's terribly exciting for me.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27I can remember the stories being read to me
0:07:27 > 0:07:29by my parents when I was small.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34And I think they lasted long enough for me to read to my children.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38I don't know where they are now. Probably got torn and scribbled in.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Never scribble in a book!
0:07:40 > 0:07:44Never colour a book unless it is a colouring book.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46It completely wrecks the value.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50These books need to be mint condition to make top dollar.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52How did you get hold of them?
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Many, many years ago, I worked for a motoring organisation.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58In those days, I was on a motorcycle and side car.
0:07:58 > 0:08:03- Yep.- And one day, between Raglan and Usk,
0:08:03 > 0:08:05in one of the lay-bys,
0:08:05 > 0:08:06all these was thrown out!
0:08:06 > 0:08:08- No.- I looked through them
0:08:08 > 0:08:11and collected them up and took them home.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13What a clever bloke to pick them up.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Yes, they're 20th century,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19but in another 20 years, they'll be 100 years old.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22The original author, Jean de Brunhoff, was French.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25- So I understand.- He was born in 1899
0:08:25 > 0:08:32- and these are dated...- 1934, '35, '36, '37 and '38.
0:08:32 > 0:08:33'38 is interesting,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36because I thought he died in 1937.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39- I presume it was just published the year after he died.- Possibly, yes.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43So to have five in a run,
0:08:43 > 0:08:44at the end of his life,
0:08:44 > 0:08:46I think is very exciting.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Lovely, lovely colours.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50Big, big images.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52The illustrations are wonderful.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55- They are very nice.- Just fantastic!
0:08:55 > 0:08:58I'd like to stay here and read them all.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00There is one other image. Look at that!
0:09:00 > 0:09:03I remember that so well.
0:09:03 > 0:09:08I think he was genuinely surprised to find that they were of a value.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12I think that these volumes are worth over £100.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14- Are they?- I do.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16I think we'll estimate them at 100 to £200.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19I think there'll be no shortage of people wanting to buy these.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21If I were allowed, I'd buy them myself!
0:09:21 > 0:09:24Well, you can't, Charlie. Give someone else a chance.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28Was anyone as enchanted with them at auction as Charlie?
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Lot 622 is The Story of Babar,
0:09:31 > 0:09:33five in the set here.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35£100 I have to start. £100.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37110. 120. 130.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39- 140. 150.- Going well.
0:09:39 > 0:09:40- Takes me out at 150.- On their way.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43150, now. At £150.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45Are we all done, then, at £150.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47Yes. Sold. £150.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49- In and out, virtually.- Yes.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Lovely things. Good illustrations.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54- Very nice.- Good for you for looking after them all that time.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57They've been in the attic for ages.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02I think collecting children's books is a fascinating thing.
0:10:02 > 0:10:08It's a bit like toys. Do you use them or tuck them away and keep them in mint condition?
0:10:08 > 0:10:12The answer, of course, if you're interested in investment,
0:10:12 > 0:10:14is to keep them in mint condition.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17If you want to read the book, read it.
0:10:18 > 0:10:24There's a very healthy market for the first print or first edition of a children's book.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27The most valuable you can own are those by famous writers.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31If you also have a signed copy, you're in the money.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33This signed edition of a Beatrix Potter book
0:10:33 > 0:10:36would sell for £10,000.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Not exactly child's play!
0:10:42 > 0:10:44Sometimes it takes you, our visitors,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48to rescue an item that would otherwise be lost to posterity.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52Our expert Philip Serrell was delighted to be the recipient.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54How did you come by it?
0:10:54 > 0:10:56I'm a stonemason by trade.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58I was working on a house in Weymouth
0:10:58 > 0:11:01and they had a skip there that people were using for the job.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05And I went to put something in the skip and I knocked a box over
0:11:05 > 0:11:06that someone had chucked in there
0:11:06 > 0:11:08and I saw this in there.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11It was rolled up. I assumed it was costume jewellery.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15That's a good example of "one man's rubbish is another man's jewels."
0:11:15 > 0:11:17- What do you think you've got? - I thought it was amethyst.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21I'm not sure. Some are a purple colour and some aren't. But I'm not an expert.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24When I told my friend Andy I was coming here today, my mate,
0:11:24 > 0:11:27he just thought I was mad.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29"It's not even gold." I said, "I'm sure it's gold."
0:11:29 > 0:11:33- What does Andy do? - He's a stonemason, too.- Stonemason.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Tell him to stick to stonemasonry!
0:11:35 > 0:11:37I can understand someone discarding that necklace
0:11:37 > 0:11:40but sometimes, all that glistens IS gold!
0:11:40 > 0:11:43And it was in this instance.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45If you just flip that over,
0:11:45 > 0:11:47have a look through there.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51See that little tab that says nine carat?
0:11:51 > 0:11:52Oh, yes.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55- That's nine-carat gold. - Nine-carat gold.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57Are they amethysts? Truth is, I don't know.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01I think they're probably paste, in all truth.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05- Would you ever wear this?- I don't think I would.- It's quite showy.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Yes, I prefer personally something plain.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10But I can see that somebody would like it.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14They were a lovely, lovely couple. They're rescued something, is how I look at it.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Rescued something that had been discarded.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20And they'd owned it but it wasn't being used
0:12:20 > 0:12:24and they realised that not using it, give someone else the chance to own it. Bring it to Flog It.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27In a way, it's a happy result all round.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30So we'll put this into auction with an estimate of 30 to £50.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33- Is that OK?- Yes, that's fine. Yes.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35The hardest thing about our job
0:12:35 > 0:12:38is telling someone something they thought was priceless is worthless.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41And the real joy is telling someone
0:12:41 > 0:12:44that something they thought was not worth much is actually good.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Well, how about if we put it in with a three to 500 estimate?
0:12:51 > 0:12:53- Well, that would be even better! - Amazing!
0:12:53 > 0:12:55No, we'll leave it to Adam.
0:12:55 > 0:13:00OK? We'll tell him we want a minimum reserve of £200 on it.
0:13:00 > 0:13:05And if he wants to estimate it anywhere - I mean, if they're amethysts,
0:13:05 > 0:13:07it might be that it's five to £800.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10- They're a lot more expensive, are they?- Yeah.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13If they're not amethysts, it might be two to four, three to 500.
0:13:13 > 0:13:18It's that ballpark. We'll tell him we want a fixed reserve of £200
0:13:18 > 0:13:21and where he goes after that is up to him, really.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24Depending on what he finds. Are you happy with that?
0:13:24 > 0:13:26- Yeah.- Very happy with that.
0:13:26 > 0:13:27So, was it their lucky day?
0:13:27 > 0:13:29280.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31290. 300.
0:13:31 > 0:13:32320. 340.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35360. 380. 400.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37420. 440.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39- Didn't see this coming!- No.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42420. Any more now? At £420.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44440. 460.
0:13:44 > 0:13:45480.
0:13:45 > 0:13:46500.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48520?
0:13:48 > 0:13:50£500. At 500.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52At £500. All done, then? Selling.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54At £500.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59Bang. The hammer's gone down. 500 quid.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03You go barmy when you have a skip and somebody dumps their clutter in it!
0:14:03 > 0:14:06- You do. But we don't mind that. - Excellent.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08Were those real amethysts? I don't know.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10But I'd guess, with the money they made, they must have been.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12As a rough rule of thumb,
0:14:12 > 0:14:15if you've got a piece of glass, you put it in a bit of tin.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18If you've got a quality stone, you put it in gold.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22In a way, that's a really good indication of whether you have a good thing or a bad thing
0:14:22 > 0:14:25in your hands or even round your neck.
0:14:25 > 0:14:26What a gem of an item.
0:14:26 > 0:14:31But remember, you must always ask permission from the skip owner before helping yourself.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38Here are my trade secrets about what to look out for
0:14:38 > 0:14:41if you unearth something that tickles your interest.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46It's easy to overlook dusty old documents, but don't.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50There's a niche market for things that tell of our social history.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Unlike historical documents,
0:14:53 > 0:14:55which can have the patina of age,
0:14:55 > 0:14:58if you come across an old book from a famous author
0:14:58 > 0:15:01that you think could be rare, keep it pristine
0:15:01 > 0:15:05and get some specialist advice in this highly sought-after field.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10While luck played a part in each of these finds,
0:15:10 > 0:15:14each person had the wherewithal to pick them up
0:15:14 > 0:15:15rather than walk on by.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20Be alert. If you come across something that looks a bit special,
0:15:20 > 0:15:23go with your instinct and investigate.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25You could be sitting on a gold mine!
0:15:34 > 0:15:38The little boy or girl in all of us often imagines discovering treasure.
0:15:38 > 0:15:44So what better way to indulge the dream than by going on an unusual kind of hunt,
0:15:44 > 0:15:45on rugged Dartmoor.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49I'm here today to try out something a little bit different,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52something I've not really come across before.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55And that's the unusual hobby of letter-boxing.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59Letter-boxing was developed for the very first tourists on Dartmoor.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02It's basically a giant treasure hunt.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04You follow the clues to find the hidden letter boxes
0:16:04 > 0:16:10and it takes in all the 1,000 square kilometres of the National Park.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12I'm here on an orienteering-style treasure hunt,
0:16:12 > 0:16:16which is basically a hunt all over Dartmoor, as far as you can see,
0:16:16 > 0:16:20using map references and clues looking for hidden boxes.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22Traditionally, once you found one of these boxes,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25you would leave your calling card with your details on it
0:16:25 > 0:16:29so the next person to find that box would see your card and send it to you in the post.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33He would leave his card, and the next person finds that, and it goes on and on.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37Now, some traditional aspects of letter boxing have been kept alive,
0:16:37 > 0:16:41but it's not necessary to leave your personal details today.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45What you have now is an individual stamp which you find in each box.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48You collect the stamps. And that's exactly what I'm going to do.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54It all started here in 1854 with James Perrott,
0:16:54 > 0:16:59a local guide from Chagford who took early tourists deep into the moor.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02He built a small cairn of rocks at Cranmere Pool,
0:17:02 > 0:17:04a popular walking destination,
0:17:04 > 0:17:06where he placed a stone jug.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10This has been recognised as the very first letter box.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13150 years later,
0:17:13 > 0:17:15it's still going strong.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19And Roger Poole, co-chair of the prestigious Dartmoor 100 Club,
0:17:19 > 0:17:24is going to initiate me into the secrets of this historic pastime.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27I've been given all I need in my rucksack.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30So where do we go first? What do we do?
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Well, we need some clues and a map.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35- Fortunately, I've got the clue book. - OK.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37I've also got a map of the area.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39Where are we? What are we looking at?
0:17:39 > 0:17:43We're at Shilstone Tor in grid 65.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46And we look in the book and it gives us a clue for the tor.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48It says, "Tor 172 degrees,
0:17:48 > 0:17:51"and a white chimney is 86."
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Is that the white chimney over there?
0:17:53 > 0:17:56That's the white chimney that you can see in the trees.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59So if you look through the compass...
0:17:59 > 0:18:03- That's dead on... It's just under 80 degrees.- Right.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05Now take a bearing of it on the tor.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07- That's the tor.- That's the tor.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10That says...150 degrees.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13So we've got to move over that way at least 25 degrees.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15I see how this works, now!
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- So if we walk towards the chimney... - Yeah.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23If we head up towards that way.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27'By keeping two landmarks in constant view,
0:18:27 > 0:18:29'we can calculate our route to the letter box.'
0:18:29 > 0:18:32- There's our chimney again. - Is that about right?
0:18:32 > 0:18:35It's about 83. I think we need 86.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37And we need 172 on the tor.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41- Virtually 172, 173. - So we're spot on?
0:18:41 > 0:18:43So if we keep tracking this way,
0:18:43 > 0:18:44it's got to be around here, somewhere.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48Now, the rest of the clue. It says, "The box is under a boulder,
0:18:48 > 0:18:50"a backward L-shaped."
0:18:50 > 0:18:52That's a boulder.
0:18:52 > 0:18:53That's L-shaped.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59You're like a schoolboy running round a playground, aren't you?
0:19:00 > 0:19:02How big is this box, Roger?
0:19:02 > 0:19:05- It's a little white pill pot. Like that.- Right. OK.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07I was expecting...
0:19:07 > 0:19:08No, no, no.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10There it is!
0:19:12 > 0:19:14See if it's the right one.
0:19:15 > 0:19:16OK.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20There's the stamp.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25So what you need to do is get your stamping gear out.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27It's probably hidden away.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29If you want to take a copy.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32- I've got a special rubber stamp that we had made.- Well done.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34A bit of blue Flog It ink.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37You want to put your Flog It stamp on here.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45There we go.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47- Yep, that's very good.- Brilliant.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51'So we leave a stamp and take a stamp. Mission accomplished.'
0:19:51 > 0:19:54So how did you get involved in this? When did you start?
0:19:54 > 0:19:59We started over 25 years ago now, with a school walk, with our children.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02And we found a couple of letter boxes,
0:20:02 > 0:20:05and thought, "This is good", it kept the children active.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09They didn't get bored. We just went on from there.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15It's all about the hunt. So onwards and upwards.
0:20:15 > 0:20:1799 to go, and I get one of these?
0:20:17 > 0:20:19That's right!
0:20:19 > 0:20:21And not before. And you can have a badge!
0:20:22 > 0:20:28'And now it's time for Flog It to add to the 150-year tradition.'
0:20:28 > 0:20:31This is where we can place our Flog It letter box.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33What do you want me to do, Roger?
0:20:33 > 0:20:35If you give me the letter box...
0:20:36 > 0:20:38Check that everything's in it.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42It's in a nice water-tight container.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44Perfect container for this. That's for you.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48- So you're going to go off... - I shall go away now and site it.
0:20:48 > 0:20:54- Site it. And then log all the co-ordinates and the bearings.- Yes.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57- There you go.- And then I'll put that on our website.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00- Thanks very much.- Thank you.- What a wonderful day out.- Away we go.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02- Bye! See you again.- Bye!
0:21:02 > 0:21:04Even I don't know where he's going to hide that.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08I've got to look up all the bearings, just like you have.
0:21:08 > 0:21:09That's the way it works.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17This is certainly no outdated tradition, I can tell you.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21It started as one Victorian man's initiative to get people out and about,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24to explore the moors and get them out in the fresh air.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28But 150 years later, it's still fulfilling its aim.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32I bet James Perrott never expected the popularity to grow
0:21:32 > 0:21:35to the extent where there are now some 3,000 letter boxes
0:21:35 > 0:21:37dotted all around these moors.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41Wherever you look, you'll find one, if you've got the co-ordinates.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44And today, I got my first stamp, so it's a start.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46Are you tempted?
0:21:53 > 0:21:55Now, I know Anita Manning is one of your favourite experts.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58She is the first lady of Flog It!
0:21:59 > 0:22:02We're used to seeing Anita at our valuation day tables,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06giving valuations to our owners and also on the rostrum as an auctioneer
0:22:06 > 0:22:08in her own sale room in Glasgow.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Sixty. Seventy.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13But what inspired Anita to become a pioneer herself?
0:22:16 > 0:22:18What sets me apart from other auctioneers
0:22:18 > 0:22:20is that I'm a woman.
0:22:20 > 0:22:25Now, I started my business in 1989, over 20 years ago.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28And I started the business with my daughter.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31300 bid.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34It's not that I'm anti-men. I love men!
0:22:34 > 0:22:39I've been married several times and I've always had a great time with them.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42But I wanted to start up on my own.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46I wanted to feel empowered. I wanted to have my own business,
0:22:46 > 0:22:51to make my own decisions, to use my own philosophy behind my business.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02# Sweet dreams are made of this... #
0:23:02 > 0:23:05I was a young woman in the 1970s and 1980s.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09We were earning our own living, we were doing our own thing.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13After all, I'm a Glasgow girl and was pretty adventurous.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17My dad was a union man, my mum was pretty feisty.
0:23:17 > 0:23:22And I was a woman who wanted to be mistress of my own destiny!
0:23:31 > 0:23:33I love Kelvingrove Museum.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35I live five minutes away
0:23:35 > 0:23:40and I find myself drawn to this museum weekend after weekend
0:23:40 > 0:23:44and I bring my grandchildren down as well and they love it.
0:23:44 > 0:23:50It shows just a marvellous selection of items from all over the world.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53Wonderful pictures, wonderful objects.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57But my favourite room is this room here,
0:23:57 > 0:24:00which shows the Glasgow style.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07In the late 19th, early 20th century,
0:24:07 > 0:24:12there were a remarkable group of women artists and designers
0:24:12 > 0:24:14working in Glasgow.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17Now, central to this movement,
0:24:17 > 0:24:18was the Glasgow School of Art
0:24:18 > 0:24:23and its director at that time, Francis Newbury.
0:24:23 > 0:24:30Francis Newbury encouraged equal opportunities and encouragement for women.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33And that was at a time when women were denied further education
0:24:33 > 0:24:36at universities.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42Now, these women worked in a variety of different media,
0:24:42 > 0:24:48painting, ceramics, metalwork, textiles and interior design.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51They were celebrated throughout Europe
0:24:51 > 0:24:56and exhibited their work in all the major international exhibitions.
0:24:58 > 0:25:03Margaret MacDonald was one of our most important Glasgow girls.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08An English girl, but she'd come with her sister, to study at Glasgow School of Art.
0:25:08 > 0:25:14They had a studio in the centre of Glasgow and they collaborated on many projects.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17If you look at these wonderful panels,
0:25:17 > 0:25:19we see an example of this.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22And they're a pair of candle sconces.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26We have this long, elongated figure
0:25:26 > 0:25:30stretching up to greet the morning light.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Not only did the girls work in Glasgow,
0:25:37 > 0:25:39they fell in love.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41Margaret married Charles Rennie Mackintosh
0:25:41 > 0:25:47and Frances married his fellow architect, Herbert MacNair.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51And they formed a formidable group.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53They were known as "The Four".
0:25:57 > 0:26:01These are two wonderful, wonderful panels.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03They were done in collaboration.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05Margaret and Charles.
0:26:05 > 0:26:10This one was done by Margaret, entitled The May Queen,
0:26:10 > 0:26:14and this one was done by Charles and it's entitled The Wassail.
0:26:14 > 0:26:19Now, these wonderful panels were made for Miss Cranston's tea rooms
0:26:19 > 0:26:24but they were exhibited in the Secessionist exhibition
0:26:24 > 0:26:27in Vienna in 1900.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30And it is said that works like these from Scotland
0:26:30 > 0:26:35influenced artists such as Klimt and Hoffmann.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44The Four were also known as "The Spook School",
0:26:44 > 0:26:49and when we look at this mirror by Frances MacDonald, we know why.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53If we look at these long elongated female figures
0:26:53 > 0:26:59with the skeletal arms and fingers pointing towards the centre,
0:26:59 > 0:27:03the mirror is decorated with images of the plant "Honesty",
0:27:03 > 0:27:06and at the top we have flower heads
0:27:06 > 0:27:08and this is surrounded by seed pods
0:27:08 > 0:27:13which are symbolising rebirth, regeneration.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16And they are... They are symbols.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20And they are stylised. This was another thing about the Glasgow style.
0:27:20 > 0:27:27It took things from nature and it stylised them. It turned them into design.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30We also have these hearts here,
0:27:30 > 0:27:31again a symbol of love,
0:27:31 > 0:27:36and it's a motif which is often used in the Glasgow style.
0:27:36 > 0:27:37Wonderful mirror.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Honesty.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41A bit too honest!
0:27:47 > 0:27:50I may be a little long in the tooth now,
0:27:50 > 0:27:54but I still think of myself as a Glasgow girl.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56I may not have the talent of that lot,
0:27:56 > 0:28:01but hey, we've all got to do our little bit for girl power!
0:28:04 > 0:28:06Those Glasgow girls were prolific.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08So look out for other names, like Jessie M. King,
0:28:08 > 0:28:11Ann Macbeth, Margaret Mary Gilmore,
0:28:11 > 0:28:14Bessie McNichol and Nora Nilsson-Grey.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18Anita would agree. You never know what might turn up!
0:28:18 > 0:28:22And all of our experts would agree that when it comes to selling
0:28:22 > 0:28:26antiques, the most unlikely looking items can turn a tidy profit.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29But the real secret on today's show is stay alert
0:28:29 > 0:28:31and don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35And assume if something's been thrown away, that's it's rubbish.
0:28:35 > 0:28:36See you next time.