0:00:02 > 0:00:04In over ten years on Flog It!,
0:00:04 > 0:00:06we have valued thousands of your items
0:00:06 > 0:00:08and we've stood by you in the saleroom
0:00:08 > 0:00:10as they've gone under the hammer.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12- Yes!- Wow.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14During that time, we've all learnt a great deal
0:00:14 > 0:00:17about antiques and collectibles,
0:00:17 > 0:00:19and here's where you can find out more.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21This is Trade Secrets.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48The British are great travellers,
0:00:48 > 0:00:50and we're always looking to the wider world
0:00:50 > 0:00:53for inspiration and adventure.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55Many of the objects you bring to our valuation days
0:00:55 > 0:00:57are testament to our wanderlust.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Our experts are always happy to hear your stories
0:01:00 > 0:01:03and give you information and a valuation.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06But what makes something collectable and valuable?
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Well, sit back and enjoy the ride...
0:01:10 > 0:01:13..because today, we're taking you on a whistle-stop tour
0:01:13 > 0:01:16of travel and the great outdoors.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19They called it a quinary.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Quinary? You learn something on Flog It! every day, don't you?
0:01:22 > 0:01:25Our journey begins with first-class advice
0:01:25 > 0:01:27from our experts.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31Take them to your local saleroom and find out what they're worth.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35We'll be meeting some unlikely daredevils along the way.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37So you did wing-walking at 75?
0:01:37 > 0:01:39Yes.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43And I'll be travelling back in time on two wheels.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46- I think I've changed my mind. - No, you've got to have a go!
0:01:52 > 0:01:54You may be surprised to find
0:01:54 > 0:01:56that objects that once helped us travel
0:01:56 > 0:01:58can now help our bank balance,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01as Philip Serrell found out.
0:02:01 > 0:02:07Well, you know, I like daft, quirky things, and, erm,
0:02:07 > 0:02:11and those propellers are a piece of sculpture in their own right.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14They're laminated. They look cool, they look good.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18- Did you fly in? - Yes. The rest of it's outside.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21- What do you know about it? - My grandfather acquired it,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24probably in the 1930s.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27He was a bit of a collector of antiques,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30more nautical than anything from the air.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34He was ahead of his time if he was collecting 70-odd years ago!
0:02:34 > 0:02:35He had a contract to run
0:02:35 > 0:02:38down to Southampton and Portsmouth, to the dockyards
0:02:38 > 0:02:40because they were breaking up boats,
0:02:40 > 0:02:43and then acquired or bought this.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45I bet he's got some real fascinating stuff.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48It's one of those bizarre instances
0:02:48 > 0:02:51of the way the antique world has progressed,
0:02:51 > 0:02:56because, you know, people become much more decadent in their taste,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59and you find yourself looking at something like this
0:02:59 > 0:03:04and it's got possibilities in the antique world.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07I think one of the things is, people watch programmes like Flog It!
0:03:07 > 0:03:10and whereas five or ten years ago they might have discarded something,
0:03:10 > 0:03:13now they appreciate that something has a value
0:03:13 > 0:03:15and they're able to realise it.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20- I think you could put £120 to £180 as an estimate on it.- Mm.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23I think we can put a fixed reserve of £100 on it.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26I think if you have a real good result at the auction,
0:03:26 > 0:03:30it could conceivably top the £200 mark.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32Propellers make really good money.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34With regard to that one, it was hard to put a price on it
0:03:34 > 0:03:36because I wasn't sure what it was off.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38A lot of propellers that come on the market
0:03:38 > 0:03:41are six foot and they're hard to display at home.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43But this little one - perfect.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46- It wouldn't get us airborne. - No, it wouldn't!
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Interest here on the book. Four-blade propeller.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55- I've got 12 bids on the book here. - 12 bids!
0:03:55 > 0:03:56Starting...
0:03:56 > 0:03:58320.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Per blade, Paul, was my valuation!
0:04:02 > 0:04:05£300 on the book. 320.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09320. 340. 360.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11380. 400. 420.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13Wow.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15440.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18£420 commission bid. 440.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21All done at £420, then.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23Yes! £420!
0:04:24 > 0:04:26I think things like propellers and gas masks,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29it's really quirky stuff,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32so you can go and find those in the attic or wherever
0:04:32 > 0:04:35and it will surprise you. Never discard them.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Take them to your local saleroom and find out what they're worth.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Today's trash could be tomorrow's treasure,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46so think carefully before throwing away anything,
0:04:46 > 0:04:48especially if it's good quality and of some age.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50Now, from a flying propeller
0:04:50 > 0:04:53to a rare piece of flying history that proves what we all say -
0:04:53 > 0:04:56provenance is key.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59I want to know about your badges. What are they all about?
0:04:59 > 0:05:03That one was when I did a couple of wing walks.
0:05:03 > 0:05:04- Wing walks?- Wing walks.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08And the second one I did when I was 75.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11- So you did wing-walking at 75?- Yes.
0:05:11 > 0:05:16Maggie's achievements on the wing were just so surprising.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21She said that she did her first wing walk at the age of 75.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23I was, you know, amazed.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27She did it all for charity. Obviously a game girl.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Wing-walking at 75 - wow!
0:05:29 > 0:05:32And parachute-jumping. I've done two jumps, as well.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35You're a very, very brave woman!
0:05:35 > 0:05:37So planes have obviously been a part of your life.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40Probably from my father, yes.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42- There he is there in the First World War.- That's right.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44And he worked in the Royal Flying Corps.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48So this here, RFC,
0:05:48 > 0:05:51is Royal Flying Corps, which predates the RAF.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54- So this was First World War aeroplanes.- Yes.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58He was in the First World War and the Second World War.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01- What was his name? - Theodore Frederick Saunders.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03Theodore Frederick Saunders. Wow.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Items from the First World War are so collectable.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10It's just edging out of living memory,
0:06:10 > 0:06:14but everything is documented from this war.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18One can really delve deep and do your own research.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22That's why it's so important and so collectable.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24"Air Board Technical Notes".
0:06:24 > 0:06:27But what's nice is, it's stamped "Royal Flying Corps".
0:06:27 > 0:06:30It's a very interesting book, but a little dry.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34I understand. I don't know what else to do with it!
0:06:34 > 0:06:36This book is actually quite interesting.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38OK, it's technical notes again,
0:06:38 > 0:06:42- but it's got pictures of all the planes.- That's right.
0:06:42 > 0:06:43We're not looking at lots of money.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47- No.- It's going to be under £50, I'm afraid.- That's all right.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51I'd never actually seen anything like this before.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54I thought they could be too rare.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Being too rare means that they are too scarce
0:06:56 > 0:06:59to have a collectorship behind them.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04But what I didn't realise is that Royal Flying Corps items
0:07:04 > 0:07:09were such a short-lived regiment before it became the RAF,
0:07:09 > 0:07:10they will hold a value.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13And I was genuinely surprised at the time.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17The WWI Department of Aircraft Production technical notes.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Good wartime memorabilia. Who'll start me? 50 to get on.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25£30? At 30, down here. At £30.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28In front of me at £30. Five now?
0:07:30 > 0:07:33At £30. Five. 40.
0:07:33 > 0:07:39Five. 50. Five. 60. At £60 in front of me now.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43Five. 70. Five. 80. Five.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46- 90.- This is good!- Yes!
0:07:46 > 0:07:50Five. 100 bid. 100.
0:07:51 > 0:07:56- At 100 now. 110. - I would never have believed that.
0:07:56 > 0:08:01At £100, then? Are you sure? In front of me at 110. Back in.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04120, if you like, sir. At 110.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10- Sold. £110.- Goodness gracious! That's unbelievable!
0:08:10 > 0:08:13That could pay for another wing walk if you were allowed to do it.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Remember, if you've got any militaria at home
0:08:17 > 0:08:18that you're thinking of selling,
0:08:18 > 0:08:19make sure you dig out
0:08:19 > 0:08:23any corresponding photographs or correspondence
0:08:23 > 0:08:25because it all adds to the story,
0:08:25 > 0:08:27and that adds to the value.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31Next, we're on the Isle of Wight.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35Will found a piece of history that's of real local interest.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39It's just a shame he didn't know what it was!
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Working in an auction house, we see a lot of items,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44there's a high turnover of lots,
0:08:44 > 0:08:48so generally you've either seen something similar or the same
0:08:48 > 0:08:51when something comes through the door.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Matt, Ian, I'm not even going to pretend
0:08:53 > 0:08:56that I know what this is in front of us,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58but it's certainly caught my eye.
0:08:58 > 0:09:03I had to tell them, "I've got no idea what this is. You tell me."
0:09:03 > 0:09:07What you've got in front of you is the heart of a paddle steamer.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11This sat in front of a big triple-expansion steam engine,
0:09:11 > 0:09:13- the biggest type of engine you get in a boat.- Yes.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15An engineer would stand here
0:09:15 > 0:09:19and he's controlling the engine and driving the boat.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21They told me everything they knew about this piece
0:09:21 > 0:09:24that they had found in an abandoned steamship.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26They knew exactly what it was.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29We operate a paddle steamer called Medina Monarch.
0:09:29 > 0:09:30It's the smallest one in the world,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33one of three working paddle steamers
0:09:33 > 0:09:35that carry passengers in this country.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38We were given the opportunity to go in and look for spares
0:09:38 > 0:09:40and we came across this.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42This was just lying about the ship.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45These were paddle steamers on the Isle of Wight
0:09:45 > 0:09:47that were abandoned, decommissioned,
0:09:47 > 0:09:52and these two guys saw an opportunity there to buy an abandoned steamboat
0:09:52 > 0:09:57and plough money, effort and time into restoring it,
0:09:57 > 0:09:59and they got it back on the river.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02I'm going to say £50 to £100.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04If you've got someone who really knows what it is
0:10:04 > 0:10:06and what's it worth to them,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09they're going to be prepared to pay what they're prepared to pay,
0:10:09 > 0:10:10no matter what the estimate is.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12Matt and Ian are helping to preserve
0:10:12 > 0:10:15- a very special piece of maritime history.- We are.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18And it's a great big lump of brass
0:10:18 > 0:10:21that you wheeled into the valuation day.
0:10:21 > 0:10:22It's being sold to raise money
0:10:22 > 0:10:25- to do up your paddle steamer, is that right?- It is.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29It's going under the hammer now. Good luck, guys.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32The auctioneer said there was enough interest from around the country,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35I think a couple of phone bids against a commission bidder.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38400. 410.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40420.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42It's a lot better than 50 quid!
0:10:42 > 0:10:45490. 500?
0:10:45 > 0:10:48- Phone's in now.- 520, phone bid. 540.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50560.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53560. 580.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56580, yes. All done at 580?
0:10:56 > 0:10:58600 back in.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00- 600. 620.- Good work.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03640. Is the phone bidder out?
0:11:03 > 0:11:08- Oh, come on! - All done at 620. Selling at £620.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Yes! £620!
0:11:11 > 0:11:13That's got to make you feel good.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15- Brilliant.- Good for you. - We're really chuffed.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19- That goes a big way towards that finance, doesn't it?- It does.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21- Thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25It's that element of history that would have been lost,
0:11:25 > 0:11:29and so you need people like Matt and Ian to salvage these pieces
0:11:29 > 0:11:30from being lost for ever.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33Saving derelict objects
0:11:33 > 0:11:35can be a great way of making money for old rope,
0:11:35 > 0:11:37or even old brass.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40But obviously, you need permission from the owner
0:11:40 > 0:11:43before you take anything away.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45Salvage yards and good old-fashioned tips
0:11:45 > 0:11:49are also great places to save historic items from the fire
0:11:49 > 0:11:52and give them a new lease of life.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56Not all items need to be used for their original purpose,
0:11:56 > 0:11:58as Adam found out.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02I choose my contributors and items based on a couple of basic rules.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04The owner has to be a good character...
0:12:04 > 0:12:07- You didn't lose your accent.- No.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10- And you've not lost your humour. - Oh, you mustn't do that!
0:12:10 > 0:12:12..it has to be an unusual item...
0:12:12 > 0:12:15What is a man like you doing with a trench periscope?
0:12:15 > 0:12:18..and I have to know what it is and roughly what it's worth!
0:12:18 > 0:12:20And it ticked all three boxes.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24It's a handy gadget. When have you had the chance to use it?
0:12:24 > 0:12:27If you're a little fella and you want to look at a football match,
0:12:27 > 0:12:29that's what you need.
0:12:29 > 0:12:34- It's French manufacture.- Yes. - World War I?
0:12:34 > 0:12:35Yes, definitely.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38And it's got this very nice leather protective case.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40- Where did you get this from? - Bury St Edmunds.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43This bloke who had an army shop, and, er,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46you know, surplus army stuff,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49- and I had a swap and that was it. - You did a deal.- Yes.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52- Why are you selling it?- I've been forced into it.- Who by?- My wife.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55- "Get rid of your junk!" she said. - ADAM GASPS
0:12:55 > 0:12:57It's quite an interesting item now.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00I would think it'd make about £50 in the current market.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03It should do, I hope. Maybe more. Would it make more, no?
0:13:03 > 0:13:06- 50 or 60. I don't think it'll make much more.- That's all right.
0:13:06 > 0:13:1050 to 60 is really keeping it very tight, isn't it?
0:13:10 > 0:13:13It doesn't leave much room for any discrepancy.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16That's because I'm pretty sure there must've been one
0:13:16 > 0:13:20that I remember going for about £50 or £60 pretty soon before that,
0:13:20 > 0:13:25so I thought, "Let's see if we can get it really accurate."
0:13:25 > 0:13:29- John, that WWI periscope is a lovely little item.- It is.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Real quality, isn't it? I'm pleased you picked that.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35- Beautiful leather case. Not a lot of use.- Nice thing.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37It's just a bit different, isn't it?
0:13:37 > 0:13:39- Yes. Slightly different. - We had fun filming it.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43- Look at...- Look at the family over there!- Turn that around!
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Look at that! That's a cracking family you've brought along.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49- Lots of moral support.- They're good.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Good luck. This periscope is now going under the hammer.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54Lot 130 now.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57We have the First World War hand-held periscope
0:13:57 > 0:13:58with its fitted leather case.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02Interest on the sheet shown. I start at £30. 32.
0:14:02 > 0:14:0535. 38. And 40. 42.
0:14:05 > 0:14:0945. 48. Above at 48. 50. 55.
0:14:09 > 0:14:1160. Five. 70.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13- Five. 80.- Lovely.
0:14:13 > 0:14:1590. 90 at the back. Coming in?
0:14:15 > 0:14:19Gentleman at 90. I'll take five again.
0:14:19 > 0:14:2390 by the door, at 90. Any advance on £90?
0:14:23 > 0:14:26- Yes!- £90?- 90 quid. You've got to be happy with that.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Yes, yes. That's a result.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31That'll be tea and cakes for the rest of my life.
0:14:31 > 0:14:32Tea and cakes for the family!
0:14:32 > 0:14:36For the rest of my life!
0:14:36 > 0:14:37He used to use the periscope
0:14:37 > 0:14:41so that he could have a better view at the football.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45I think I asked him, "How would you manage without the periscope?"
0:14:45 > 0:14:47He said quite simply,
0:14:47 > 0:14:49"Football's on telly these days, lad!"
0:14:49 > 0:14:52Made me feel a bit silly, really!
0:14:53 > 0:14:56It may have seen action in WWI,
0:14:56 > 0:14:59but I love the way John found another use for the periscope
0:14:59 > 0:15:01at the football.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03Often, an item isn't redundant,
0:15:03 > 0:15:07it just needs a little imagination to bring it back to life.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10And now to a gentler way to enjoy the outdoors,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13with a piece that would add character to any garden...
0:15:13 > 0:15:15A local lad, then?
0:15:15 > 0:15:19- You can tell that, the way I talk! - Yes, I can!
0:15:19 > 0:15:20'..much like its owner.'
0:15:20 > 0:15:24I've got to say, looking at this really quickly,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27£40 to £60.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29You don't know what I'm talking about.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33- £40 to £60 for the trolley sack. - Oh, sorry! That!
0:15:33 > 0:15:37- That blanket come off my bed this morning!- I think...
0:15:37 > 0:15:39You liked that, did you?
0:15:39 > 0:15:41I think that is great.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44What's its story? Where's it comes from?
0:15:44 > 0:15:46- I...- Your garden?
0:15:46 > 0:15:49For starters, I suffer from old-timers' disease.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51- I can't remember. - I know the feeling.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54I believe I bought it from an antique dealer.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58- Did you? We've got to be looking at around about £100, £150.- Yes.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00- Happy with that?- Oh, yes!
0:16:00 > 0:16:03- Shall we put this into the auction without the trolley?- Yes.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07- I tell you what... - Bung me in, as well!
0:16:07 > 0:16:11On to lot 10 now. Lot 10 is the 20th-century heavy figural sundial.
0:16:12 > 0:16:1650 bid. At 50. Five. 60. Five.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20- We're in.- We're all right. - 75. Above at 75. 75.
0:16:20 > 0:16:25Where's 80? At 75. 80's bid. 85.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28- This is good.- 90. Five.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31At £95, are you all done?
0:16:31 > 0:16:35- Not bad at all.- Not bad! - I'm happy, so you must...
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- Even for scrap, I couldn't have got that sort of money.- No.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41- What are you going to do with it? - Well, I make people smile.
0:16:41 > 0:16:46I'll probably give it to the wife and she'll go and waste it on food!
0:16:47 > 0:16:51It just goes to show that even the impractical has a value.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54So, what are the insider tips so far?
0:16:54 > 0:16:57When it comes to travelling the outdoors,
0:16:57 > 0:16:59the planes, trains and automobiles of the past
0:16:59 > 0:17:02have a huge collectors market.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Keep hold of anything transport-related
0:17:04 > 0:17:06until you've had it valued.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10Salvage yards can be a great place to pick up a bargain,
0:17:10 > 0:17:13so go and have a rummage.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15And an object can have many uses,
0:17:15 > 0:17:19so just because it's not fit for its original purpose,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22that doesn't make it worthless.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27There are some wonderful works of art out there,
0:17:27 > 0:17:28great names and superb antiques.
0:17:28 > 0:17:33We want to give you some information on what makes them special.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37As we've seen so far on today's show,
0:17:37 > 0:17:39it's not just the traditional items
0:17:39 > 0:17:42that can go down a storm in the saleroom.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46Objects that cash in on our nostalgia for methods of transport
0:17:46 > 0:17:49can be very lucrative, too.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52Take, for example, the velocipede, or as you may know it -
0:17:52 > 0:17:54the bicycle.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56From the Pennyfarthing to the tandem,
0:17:56 > 0:17:59the Raleigh to the Racer,
0:17:59 > 0:18:02bikes have been part of our daily lives for decades.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04Over the years on Flog It,
0:18:04 > 0:18:07I've learned a lot about the cycles of the past and future...
0:18:07 > 0:18:11- Paul, this is the YikeBike.- Gosh!
0:18:11 > 0:18:14..and how much they can earn you at auction.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17And it all started in the Midlands.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22- Steve.- Hi.- This a very small part of your bicycle collection.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24Tell me, how did the bike evolve?
0:18:24 > 0:18:25Bikes came to Coventry in 1869
0:18:25 > 0:18:29when a fellow called Rowley Turner pedalled into Coventry.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31He went to a sewing machine factory,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33they were making sewing machines in the city,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36and he came on a bike like this, a bone-shaker.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39He sold it to the factory that they ought to make these things,
0:18:39 > 0:18:43and that was the beginning of cycle-making in Coventry.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46The first really important bike to be produced in Coventry
0:18:46 > 0:18:49was the safety bike.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52The new design, with a diamond frame and same-size wheels,
0:18:52 > 0:18:56offered an alternative to the dangerous, cumbersome high-wheelers
0:18:56 > 0:18:58known by most of us as...
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Now that I'm standing by the side of you, I think I've changed my mind.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09No, no! You've got to have a go! I'm sure you can do it.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11- What's the technique? - The technique is,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14you've got to put one foot on the step,
0:19:14 > 0:19:17either step, it's up to you, whatever you feel comfortable with,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20and then you've got to pull yourself up in the saddle,
0:19:20 > 0:19:22holding onto the handle bars.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27- I'm sure you can do it! Give it a go.- OK.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29And then hop. Hop, hop!
0:19:29 > 0:19:32Get some momentum and jump up into the saddle.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36- Go on! Give it a go! - The grin on his face...!
0:19:39 > 0:19:41- Yes! - JAUNTY MUSIC
0:19:47 > 0:19:49A Pennyfarthing like this one
0:19:49 > 0:19:52can make thousands of pounds at auction.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Even if it is unrideable!
0:19:54 > 0:19:56- Agh! - CLUNK!
0:19:56 > 0:19:59HE LAUGHS
0:20:03 > 0:20:07The mass production of bikes led to the evolution of a new sport.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11And memorabilia from this time is highly sought after,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14as Michael Baggott discovered.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18- This is from my grandfather, who was called Eli Pope.- Right.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20This is his picture there.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23- Oh, right. - He built this five-wheeled bicycle.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26I don't know the name for a five-seater bicycle.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30- They call it a quinary.- Quinary. You learn something every day on Flog It!
0:20:30 > 0:20:32- I'd never heard it.- Even I do.
0:20:32 > 0:20:37He then also raced with it on the old Crystal Palace track
0:20:37 > 0:20:40and he won this medal for winning the race.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44- So rather than a cup, he got a watch! - A gold watch.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48Michael valued the collection at £150 to £250,
0:20:48 > 0:20:49but didn't realise
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Sylvia's grandfather had a great cycling reputation
0:20:53 > 0:20:57and was a member of the Dunlop Team.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00How did this affect the sale price?
0:21:00 > 0:21:04I have got to start the bidding here at £300.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08- Fantastic!- £300. 320 on the phone.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10340. 360.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13- Sylvia!- It's going up! - 340. 360 you say.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16360. 380. 400.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20- £400. And 20. 440.- Come on!
0:21:20 > 0:21:24- 460.- I can't believe it.- Fantastic! - 500.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26- And 20.- It deserves to make it.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29550 now. 580.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32At 580, then, if you're done...
0:21:32 > 0:21:36- Oh, pedal power!- Wowee!- £580!
0:21:36 > 0:21:40You may be surprised to know that bikes from your living memory
0:21:40 > 0:21:41have rocketed in value, too.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45This Chopper was no exception.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48I had one. I had a bright orange one.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50- Oh, right.- I was very lucky.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54- But I love this ultra-violet colour. It's so girly, isn't it?- It is.
0:21:54 > 0:21:59Well, if we said this has a valuation at £350 to £450,
0:21:59 > 0:22:01what would you say to that?
0:22:01 > 0:22:03I'd say that was very good.
0:22:03 > 0:22:04Fingers crossed. Here it goes.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07275. 300.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10325. 350.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13All done at £350, then? Are we quite sure?
0:22:14 > 0:22:17He's sold it. 350.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Rare Choppers have been known to sell for up to £2,000,
0:22:21 > 0:22:26so have a look in your garage for any unwanted two-wheelers.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31Maybe it's time to do some recycling!
0:22:34 > 0:22:38Lots of you have told me that Flog It has inspired you
0:22:38 > 0:22:39to explore the world of antiques.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42But what inspired our experts?
0:22:42 > 0:22:44The first item I ever bought at auction,
0:22:44 > 0:22:46or anywhere else for that matter,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48is this little white china dish.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51Made in Germany in the late 19th century,
0:22:51 > 0:22:55it's typical of so much souvenir-ware made in Germany,
0:22:55 > 0:22:59and it commemorates the opening of Delabole Railway Station
0:22:59 > 0:23:01in October 1893.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04It's important to me because,
0:23:04 > 0:23:07as I say, it was the first thing I ever bought,
0:23:07 > 0:23:12and I bought it at a cattle market in Holsworthy, down in North Devon.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16Running parallel and concurrently with the cattle market,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18the pig auction and the sheep auctions and so on,
0:23:18 > 0:23:22there'd be a little sale of furniture, household effects,
0:23:22 > 0:23:23bric-a-brac and so on.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26In those early days, I just loved going to Holsworthy
0:23:26 > 0:23:27and poking around.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31I saw this and thought I had to have it,
0:23:31 > 0:23:33and I probably paid about ten bob for it -
0:23:33 > 0:23:3650 pence.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44We talk about the auction room a lot on the show.
0:23:44 > 0:23:45For the past 11 years,
0:23:45 > 0:23:48we've been seeing people buying and selling in the saleroom.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51But there is an alternative.
0:23:51 > 0:23:52If you're just starting out
0:23:52 > 0:23:55or you're serious about adding to a collection,
0:23:55 > 0:23:56for me, there is a better way.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00But where do you start?
0:24:00 > 0:24:02Petworth in West Sussex would be ideal,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05as it lays claim to no less than ten of these...
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Antique shops.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11If you want to buy an antique or a collectable
0:24:11 > 0:24:14but don't want the uncertainty of the auction room,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17antique shops may be the best place for you.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19They stock everything,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23from 18th-century furniture, to books, paintings and lamps.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26You can browse at your leisure, negotiate a price
0:24:26 > 0:24:29and still walk away with a bargain.
0:24:29 > 0:24:30And that's not all.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33With antique shops come antique dealers.
0:24:33 > 0:24:34By their very nature,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37dealers love antiques and they love to talk.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41More often than not, you come across one who really knows his stuff.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45All you have to do is be brave enough to ask.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48I'm no stranger to antique shops,
0:24:48 > 0:24:50so I'm going to ask two local furniture dealers
0:24:50 > 0:24:52for their tips of the trade,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55starting with furniture expert Tony Wilkinson.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Tony, hello. There is a misconception that
0:24:58 > 0:25:02from the outside you look in and go, "It's a bit posh and too expensive."
0:25:02 > 0:25:04Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
0:25:04 > 0:25:08Well, you're absolutely right. It's one of the big problems.
0:25:08 > 0:25:13When running a shop like this, you try and get it looking terrific
0:25:13 > 0:25:16and then find you've frightened off half the customers.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19But once they come through the door,
0:25:19 > 0:25:22they'll be surprised at what value for money some of this is.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25- And there's something for everybody, price ranges?- Absolutely.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27From, you know, a couple of hundred pounds
0:25:27 > 0:25:29for a really nice pair of chairs,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32up to 10, 15,000, 20,000.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35But most of the furniture couldn't be made today
0:25:35 > 0:25:37for what we're selling it for now.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41Can you give the viewers any tips on what you look out for
0:25:41 > 0:25:44when buying your passionate piece of 18th-century English?
0:25:44 > 0:25:45I always say to somebody,
0:25:45 > 0:25:48what they want to do is not to rush up to a piece.
0:25:48 > 0:25:49Stand back from it,
0:25:49 > 0:25:52look at its general proportion and see how it stands.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56If anything jars, that probably means something is wrong.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00- It's been altered at some stage. - Something's going wrong there.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03But having established the proportions right,
0:26:03 > 0:26:07get up to it, look at the detail, look at the surface and colour.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10- That's the thing that can't be changed.- It's the richness.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14And make sure the thing is as original as possible.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18- Pay a bit more to buy something really good.- Yes.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21And that doesn't just apply to buying furniture.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24That's good advice when buying any antique.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27OK, first stop, lots learnt there and some really useful tips.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Dealers like Tony often specialise,
0:26:30 > 0:26:33so if you've got something in mind, do your homework.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36The beautiful thing is, antique shops are not chain stores.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40Each and every one of them is different.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44So if one shop doesn't have what you're looking for, another might.
0:26:44 > 0:26:45And you might make a day
0:26:45 > 0:26:49of searching the shops for something that suits your taste.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51For me, it's primitive country furniture.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53I'm always happy to get some advice
0:26:53 > 0:26:56from dealer David Swanson about what to look out for.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01What do you look for when you go out buying your key pieces?
0:27:01 > 0:27:05Firstly, hopefully it hasn't been enhanced to make it more saleable,
0:27:05 > 0:27:07it hasn't been altered.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10And then, very importantly,
0:27:10 > 0:27:12its charm, its quirkiness,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16its character and colour.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19And that's built up over two or 300 years.
0:27:19 > 0:27:24- Hundreds of years of dust, dirt... - Smoke, polish.- Yes.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28In the trade, it's called a skin. It's either got a skin or it hasn't.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31- And if it doesn't have a skin, don't buy it.- Don't look at it.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33Cross the threshold of these shops
0:27:33 > 0:27:37and you'll discover an abundance of antiques and expertise.
0:27:37 > 0:27:38They want your business,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41so some dealers will let you pay in instalments
0:27:41 > 0:27:46and even loan you an item to take home, to see if it works in situ.
0:27:46 > 0:27:47Even if you don't buy anything,
0:27:47 > 0:27:50you can learn an awful lot along the way.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Looking for antiques to buy can be great fun,
0:27:53 > 0:27:55whether it's in Petworth, Tetbury, Hungerford,
0:27:55 > 0:28:00or in a town or city near you that has a scattering of antique shops.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Because if you can't find it one, you'll find it in the other.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13Well, I hope we've piqued your interest
0:28:13 > 0:28:16with our rundown of travel-related antiques.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20If you think you've got something of interest at home,
0:28:20 > 0:28:21don't just leave it there.
0:28:21 > 0:28:22Get it valued,
0:28:22 > 0:28:26because, remember, there are all kinds of collectors out there.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29At £580, then, if you're done.
0:28:29 > 0:28:30I hope you've enjoyed today's show.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34See you next time for more Flog It! Trade Secrets.