0:00:02 > 0:00:04Over the last 11 years on Flog It!,
0:00:04 > 0:00:07we've travelled the length and breadth of the British Isles
0:00:07 > 0:00:09several times over.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12Along the way, you've turned up in your thousands
0:00:12 > 0:00:16with beautiful items for our experts to muse over.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Do you take a wee dram?
0:00:18 > 0:00:21Only for medicinal purposes! THEY LAUGH
0:00:21 > 0:00:26This little nation of ours boasts a rich and proud antique heritage,
0:00:26 > 0:00:30filled to the brim with exquisite items of craftsmanship.
0:00:30 > 0:00:35You have brought along one of my favourite things. I love Mouseman.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37So, in today's programme,
0:00:37 > 0:00:41we're going to give you the lowdown on some of our great British makers.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11In this episode, we'll be looking at the best of British -
0:01:11 > 0:01:15antiques and collectibles from up and down the country.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17We've got the real granddaddy of the knives.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20I don't want you using that on me!
0:01:20 > 0:01:22And sometimes it's not just what you have,
0:01:22 > 0:01:26it's knowing where they came from and the best place to sell them
0:01:26 > 0:01:29that really makes a difference.
0:01:29 > 0:01:30Oh, wow!
0:01:30 > 0:01:34Coming up, we'll give you the know-how to find your own
0:01:34 > 0:01:35best of British.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39If it's from a limited edition of 100, try and get the earlier pieces.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41This is where I drop it!
0:01:41 > 0:01:45James Lewis visits Derby to learn some trade secrets
0:01:45 > 0:01:47from one of Britain's iconic ceramics makers.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50This is just not easy, is it?
0:01:50 > 0:01:53And when it comes to English greats, we'll let you know
0:01:53 > 0:01:55when damage won't dent their appeal.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58A bit of sticky tape isn't necessarily a bad thing.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Now, the great thing about this show is, we get to visit
0:02:03 > 0:02:05the four corners of the United Kingdom.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07And there's always a buzz amongst our experts
0:02:07 > 0:02:10as to whether you will bring us some local treasures to look at.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12And you never disappoint.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16So, if you want to buy a bit of British, here are some pointers.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Whatever you buy, make it the best you can afford.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23So, rather than perhaps buy five items at £100 each,
0:02:23 > 0:02:25buy one for £500.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28You go with your gut reaction, but if you've got
0:02:28 > 0:02:31a little bit of knowledge, turn everything upside down.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33Strangely, in our business,
0:02:33 > 0:02:38we attach value to who made something, who painted something,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41when it was made, rather than the object itself.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Look out for stylised pieces from the 1950s. They're on the up.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51So here are some of our very best finds
0:02:51 > 0:02:53and what you can learn from them.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58And British names don't come any bigger than Royal Worcester.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03For Flog It! expert Philip Serrell, it's almost a way of life.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07I think the wares are stunning and because I'm in Worcester,
0:03:07 > 0:03:11it's something that I've tended to specialise in throughout the years.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Highly decorative wares and models of the 19th century,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17and then in the 20th century, the real key for me,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20I suppose, are the hand-painted wares - cattle by the Stintons,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23hand-painted fruit by people like Sebright.
0:03:23 > 0:03:28You know, I remember Adam took in a vase by White
0:03:28 > 0:03:30that was decorated in peacocks.
0:03:30 > 0:03:31And you've brought me a lovely example
0:03:31 > 0:03:34of a Worcester vase. Can you tell me how you came to own it?
0:03:34 > 0:03:35Well, it was my parents'.
0:03:35 > 0:03:40They acquired it from friends about 40, 45 years ago.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44And my parents gave it to me about 15 years ago.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Worcester porcelain is one of the most historic
0:03:47 > 0:03:51and longest established porcelain factories in the world and because they're one of the best,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54they are widely collected all around the world.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58It's obviously hand painted, brightly enamel painted, with...
0:03:58 > 0:04:02- That's a peacock, isn't it?- I think so, yes. It certainly looks like it.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Peacocks in Worcestershire are an unlucky bird,
0:04:05 > 0:04:09because the peacock tail is meant to represent the devil's eye, and if
0:04:09 > 0:04:14you have a peacock tail in the house, it's meant to bring you bad luck.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18Now, the lid doesn't sit on quite right. Oh, look!
0:04:18 > 0:04:22- They didn't come out the factory like that!- No, that's courtesy of my father.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24Your father did that to preserve it?
0:04:24 > 0:04:26- To preserve the lid. - To preserve the lid.
0:04:26 > 0:04:32Unfortunately...is that a crack? It is. A hairline crack in the lid.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35The damage on that vase really didn't count
0:04:35 > 0:04:37as a major damage at all. And, if anything,
0:04:37 > 0:04:40it showed that it had never been near a dealer's shop,
0:04:40 > 0:04:43it had never been in a fair, it was just nice and honest and genuine.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47A bit of sticky tape isn't necessarily a bad thing.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49And the date code for this,
0:04:49 > 0:04:52we add up all these dots here, there are 17 dots in total
0:04:52 > 0:04:57which...my calculations make it around 1908, when that was made.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00So, if we turn it back round again,
0:05:00 > 0:05:04we've got a very handsome Worcester vase with cover.
0:05:04 > 0:05:10So, I think that we should put an estimate of £200 to £300
0:05:10 > 0:05:14and I think it will make 300 to 350, eventually,
0:05:14 > 0:05:18once everyone's had a bid at it. Does that sound acceptable?
0:05:18 > 0:05:23- Sounds reasonable to me, yes. But I would want a reserve on it. - 20 quid?- Oh, no...- I'm joking!
0:05:23 > 0:05:27- No, I would say 200.- OK. - Does that sound all right?- Yes.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32You'd have thought that was primed to go in Philip's sale,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35and it was, because Philip has the big collections of Worcester,
0:05:35 > 0:05:38every sale he has, he's in Worcestershire
0:05:38 > 0:05:40and it's one of the things he specialises in.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44So, in that respect, it was the perfect sale for the vase to go in.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49Lot 760 is this really lovely vase.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52I've got 400. Will you go 420? 420.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56Straight in there at 400.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00At 450. 480. 500, bid.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03520. I've got 520 in the room.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07If you think about it, there's probably more Worcester porcelain
0:06:07 > 0:06:09in Worcester than there is anywhere else.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13And so, as the local auctioneer, I'm probably going to sell more Worcester,
0:06:13 > 0:06:15and so, people tend to come to us for it.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19- 700.- Oh, my giddy aunt.- 720.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24- 750. 780.- Gosh, it's going on and on, isn't it?
0:06:24 > 0:06:28850, 880, 900.
0:06:28 > 0:06:29920.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31You need to be mindful, all the time,
0:06:31 > 0:06:33that whatever you see
0:06:33 > 0:06:37is someone's property, and it's your job, your duty,
0:06:37 > 0:06:39to get the most that you can for it.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43- Oh, Barbara...- Let's see if we can get four figures. 1,100.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45- £1,100.- Wow!- 50, is it?
0:06:45 > 0:06:47You can never predict what's going to happen in an auction.
0:06:47 > 0:06:491,150, is it?
0:06:49 > 0:06:53- 1,150.- This is quite special. - Yeah.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55£1,150. 1,200 in America.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57At £1,200,...
0:06:57 > 0:07:00The internet's proved to be a great leveller, because collectors
0:07:00 > 0:07:04can find the things that they crave from wherever they might be.
0:07:04 > 0:07:09- There's is the bid. In America.- In America, that's gone to the States.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12- At £1,200, and I sell, then... - How are you feeling?- Wonderful!
0:07:12 > 0:07:14GAVEL FALLS
0:07:14 > 0:07:17£1,200 - the hammer's gone down. That's what we like to see!
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Selling the vase in Worcester meant the buyers knew where to look.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22And now this classic English piece has a new home,
0:07:22 > 0:07:24thousands of miles away.
0:07:24 > 0:07:31It's very important, really, to sell a local item in a local saleroom.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34And one example of that were
0:07:34 > 0:07:37the wonderful little fox terrier portraits
0:07:37 > 0:07:41that we had on our Wells programme.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Cherie, I'm always interested to see pictures in Flog It!
0:07:45 > 0:07:50and I particularly like this little pair of dog portraits.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Could you tell me, where did you get them?
0:07:53 > 0:07:56They were bequeathed to my husband by a very dear friend
0:07:56 > 0:07:59about 30-odd years ago.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03So, they've been part of your life for a considerable amount of years.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06- It's time to pass them on?- Yes.
0:08:06 > 0:08:12They are both signed, and we can see the signature in the corner here,
0:08:12 > 0:08:16it's J A Wheeler.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19Wheeler was not a professional artist.
0:08:19 > 0:08:24Some might call him a good amateur. He was better than a good amateur.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28I see that you have a document here with details of him.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31Can you tell me a bit about the artist?
0:08:31 > 0:08:35As far as I know, he was born in Cheltenham and he came
0:08:35 > 0:08:40to live in Bath, and I think he painted most of his work in Bath
0:08:40 > 0:08:43after the Army. He was in the Army first of all.
0:08:43 > 0:08:49And then he went on from there. He was a self-taught artist, I believe.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52- These dogs, I think they're fox haired terriers.- That's right!
0:08:55 > 0:08:57They are very realistic,
0:08:57 > 0:09:02they are very, very detailed and they are very well executed.
0:09:02 > 0:09:07The fact that they were little, charming fox haired terriers,
0:09:07 > 0:09:13that helped. Animal paintings are universally collected and loved.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16And people who have a particular interest
0:09:16 > 0:09:20in a particular type of dog will go after that type of picture.
0:09:21 > 0:09:27I would probably estimate them 150 to 250.
0:09:27 > 0:09:32Would you be happy to put them in at that price, 150 to 250?
0:09:32 > 0:09:37- Yep, I should think so. - But they are well worth that, and they may well fly.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Anita has been conservative with the estimate
0:09:40 > 0:09:44because he's not a big name, but he is a local boy.
0:09:44 > 0:09:45Will that make a difference?
0:09:45 > 0:09:47It is such a shame Cherie can't be here,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50but she is actually on holiday in Peru. So, she's enjoying herself.
0:09:50 > 0:09:56- Lovely.- But we won't be ringing her up, really, to tell her...
0:09:56 > 0:09:58We have to start these straight in at £300.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01That's what I like. No messing.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03580, got to go 600.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07- 620? 620.- Highest price of the day.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10620, now looking for 650. 650 on the back telephone.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15I absolutely love it when the item goes higher.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18That gives me a great buzz.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20700? 700.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24The Jack Russell lovers are here in force, at least on the telephone!
0:10:24 > 0:10:29800. 800 on the back telephone. At £800. Now, 50, anywhere?
0:10:29 > 0:10:34He was a Bath artist, so we're selling it in the right area.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36Now 950? 950.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38That's astonishing.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41At 950, he's back again. At 950 it is, then.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Are you all sure and done at 950?
0:10:44 > 0:10:48I'd just have loved the owners to be there when they were sold.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54You've always got in the back of your mind...local.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57If it's local, it's going to have an interest.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00The auctioneer's going to work harder for you.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04And in Harrogate, there was this amazing postcard and photograph album.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Tell me, how did you come about them?
0:11:07 > 0:11:11My mum had them at her house, and I just cleared her house out.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14What's amazing is the condition of the album, just to begin with.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18It's super. But what's even more interesting is what's inside, actually.
0:11:18 > 0:11:24The album is awash with postcards and photographs from the 1900s,
0:11:24 > 0:11:291910, 1920. Some pre-war ones. This is a lovely one we found, as well.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33The Bridlington Excelsior Prize Silver Band.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Things like that are just wonderful.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38They were all there their trophy, their twin-handled cup,
0:11:38 > 0:11:42and these lovely instruments all on display.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44God, it would have made a noise.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48Then we had the polling card which, again, was local. Local elections.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52All of these aspects - you could never photograph them again.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55This polling card, you could never make again.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59That group of people, that's what's so interesting about them. They're so local to that area.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01That's why people are after it.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05- I would like to put an estimate on it of about £300 to £500.- Right.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07- Are you happy with that?- Yes!
0:12:09 > 0:12:13But has Thomas got carried away by a few choice cards?
0:12:13 > 0:12:16On the day, the auctioneer had his doubts.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19- £300 to £500 on this.- Hmm...
0:12:19 > 0:12:22There are one or two local ones here, but not that many.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Which is a shame. I think, as so often with these things,
0:12:25 > 0:12:26they sell best in their own area,
0:12:26 > 0:12:29so if you had a great album of Yorkshire cards,
0:12:29 > 0:12:33they'd sell like mad, but when you get a mixed album like this, not quite so easy to sell.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36This will be a struggle, I think, personally.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39I agree with you, Paul, I think we are going to struggle on that one.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43You could buy these cards individually for 10p, 20p, 30p.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45- Yeah, pressure's on.- Thanks!
0:12:46 > 0:12:49I can remember when we got to the auction, Paul was, you know,
0:12:49 > 0:12:53"I've had a chat to the auctioneer. We don't think it's going to sell.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55"Oh, it's going to be taken home."
0:12:55 > 0:12:58First round, into the ring, the bell's not even gone,
0:12:58 > 0:13:03we're on the floor already, trying to claw our way up after the ten-second count.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07- This is going to be a tricky one, but I think we should just get it away.- I don't know.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10And then, suddenly, the auction happened. There's a phone bid.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14Yes, quite a lot of them there, lot 509. Couple of hundred for it?
0:13:14 > 0:13:16200 I'm bid, 210, now, £200, the opening bid.
0:13:16 > 0:13:22210 I'm bid, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, 280...
0:13:22 > 0:13:25There's somebody with their paddle just up. You just love that.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28As an auctioneer, you cannot pray for anything better.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Somebody doing this all the time,
0:13:30 > 0:13:34they've got somebody on the phone, or somebody's there,
0:13:34 > 0:13:39you've got two people doing that, both paddles up, it started. 300. And 20. 340, 360, 380, 400.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43410, 420, 430. 430, 440, 450.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46- Not bad.- This is fantastic.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49The album is working. It's fighting its corner.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52And I felt vindicated that I put that bullish estimate on it.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54I was so wrong, cos I agreed with the auctioneer.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56I thought it would struggle.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59Ye of little faith!
0:13:59 > 0:14:01500, 510.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04510, 520, 530.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06It just went on and on and on and on.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08550, 560, 570.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10When you been told it's not going to sell,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13"Oh, we might not get anything for it." It kept on going up and up and up.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16- 570, 580, 590...- Wow!
0:14:16 > 0:14:20- ..590, 600, 610. - Absolutely fantastic!- I know.- 630.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24Somebody's found something in there that's very collectable.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26Yeah, well, there was quite good things.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30660, 670, 670, 680, 690.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34- 690, 700, 710... - It's still going on!
0:14:35 > 0:14:41700, upstairs. At £700. Any more? 700, then, it's going at £700.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44Janet, £700!
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Unbelievable!
0:14:47 > 0:14:49I think she was ecstatic.
0:14:49 > 0:14:54I reckon it made that money because there were some interesting
0:14:54 > 0:14:58black-and-white photographs of the silver band.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00There were some colliery photographs.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03There was also that piece of political ephemera.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05And it was an early card as well.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09It was early 1900s, before women had the vote, so, again, fascinating.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13With all those things of local interest...
0:15:13 > 0:15:16that's why it made the £700.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21And that's the thing about our beautiful country - every region has its own gems,
0:15:21 > 0:15:26but with so much variety out there in the early days, even we were caught out occasionally.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29She's a pretty girl. Oh, hi, Philip.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32- It's Newlyn.- Newlyn copper.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34I'm not convinced that that's always been in there.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36- No, I don't think that has. - No, it hasn't.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39It's slightly Arts and Crafts looking.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43- I'd imagine you're about right there.- What £30 to 50?- £50.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47- Purely because it's got Newlyn on. Otherwise, about 20 quid. - Absolutely.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52That's the joy of Flog It! - the fact that you're standing there or sitting at your table
0:15:52 > 0:15:55and you never know what's going to pitch up next.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57I think that's quite sweet, that.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00So what do you know about Newlyn brassware?
0:16:00 > 0:16:02Well, I didn't know anything about it.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04It was just a present. And then I looked
0:16:04 > 0:16:08and saw it was made in Newlyn, but that's as much as I know.
0:16:08 > 0:16:09- Really?- Yeah, really.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14I have seen one other piece, but bigger than that...a plate.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18- I quite like it. I think it's a bit of fun. I don't think it's worth a fortune.- No.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22It's very easy to become insular in this job. I live and work in Worcester
0:16:22 > 0:16:25and I look at Worcester pots, Worcester pots, Worcester pots,
0:16:25 > 0:16:30and I don't get too much local Newlyn School copper that's made there.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35I wouldn't profess to be an expert in Newlyn metalware.
0:16:35 > 0:16:40I've had a word with Paul, but it's probably got a value of around £30 to £50.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43- Yeah, well, that'd be handy. - What would you do with that?
0:16:43 > 0:16:46- I'd get some seed potatoes. - Are you a big gardener?
0:16:46 > 0:16:50- I like a bit of gardening, yes. That keeps me on me feet, moving about.- Yeah.
0:16:50 > 0:16:56I think seed potatoes are more important to Eric than Newlyn bowls. really,
0:16:56 > 0:17:01and I just think... that was just typical of him.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05If we put that in at £30 to £50, put a reserve on it of £25,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08I would hope that it would sell, because I just think it's an interesting thing.
0:17:08 > 0:17:13- Somebody will enjoy it, won't they? - Absolutely. I think it's rather nice. actually.
0:17:13 > 0:17:18- Certainly, Eric, if I ever see any Newlyn copper again, I shall think of you, sir.- Oh, thank you.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21- And gardening. - Thank you very much.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Philip valued it at £40.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25It's certainly undervalued.
0:17:25 > 0:17:31To be quite honest, it's a lovely example of Newlyn copper, beaten all the way around.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35You've got this lovely Cornish fish emblem throughout. He's going to have a surprise.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38We're going to start the bidding at £200. £200 straightaway.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41- God grief! - 200 quid, straight in.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44You can't ever beat local knowledge, can you?
0:17:44 > 0:17:49If you want to sell a piece of Newlyn ware, where's the best place to sell it? Well, close to Newlyn.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53At £240. At 240. I'm bid £250.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56There's no doubt that your local man might understand local things.
0:17:56 > 0:18:01260. At 270. 270 I'm bid. Anybody else? At 270 in front of me.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04- What do you think? - I never thought 270...
0:18:04 > 0:18:07- That's really good, isn't it? - I'm shaking.- I'm bid 270.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11- At 270. Thank you. - It went for more than we thought.
0:18:11 > 0:18:16I'm delighted. As I said, I'm not an expert in items from the Newlyn School.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19I'm delighted for you. And it's taught me a bit as well.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23- That's the beauty of this game. - I thought it was worth about 50 quid.- We can always learn more.
0:18:23 > 0:18:30I go out now and I know if I see a piece of copperware with fish on it there's a chance it's Newlyn ware.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33It might be by Pearson. And it's doing this programme,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36as you travel round the country,
0:18:36 > 0:18:39you begin to realise
0:18:39 > 0:18:43and you're more aware of different objects.
0:18:44 > 0:18:50Since then, I've learned much more about Newlyn copper. All will be revealed soon
0:18:52 > 0:18:56And travelling hundreds of miles up and down Britain for Flog It!,
0:18:56 > 0:19:00our experts have picked up quite a few trade secrets along the way.
0:19:00 > 0:19:01Buying a British collectible,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04if you're buying something from a limited edition,
0:19:04 > 0:19:07make sure you're buying it at the start of the run.
0:19:07 > 0:19:12So, if it's from a limited edition of 100, try and get the earlier pieces or, obviously, the last.
0:19:12 > 0:19:17Look for iconic things that resemble a period of time.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21An antique or whatever you're buying should speak to you,
0:19:21 > 0:19:23and if you like the '60s then buy that.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27For me, it's the 17th century that speaks to me.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30And now here are some of my trade secrets.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33It's true, we're a nation of dog lovers,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36so anything connected with our four-legged friend
0:19:36 > 0:19:38is very collectible,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41especially when it's combined with a fabulous British artist.
0:19:41 > 0:19:46And it doesn't have to be a big name to sell well on home turf.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49And don't forget, the antiques market is international
0:19:49 > 0:19:53and great British names will attract worldwide attention.
0:19:53 > 0:19:59And always collect something you're passionate about - that way you'll never get bored.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03You can never have too much Royal Worcester. You should have more and more...and them some more!
0:20:06 > 0:20:09We British are a nation of porcelain lovers.
0:20:09 > 0:20:15We see more ceramics at our Flog It! valuation days than any other single category of antiques.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17And the great thing about porcelain is,
0:20:17 > 0:20:22normally all you need to know is right there in front of you, on the plate.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Firstly, in its overall condition
0:20:24 > 0:20:29and, secondly, when you turn it over and look at the factory stamp marks or the potter's name.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33And with a little bit of information and a good guidebook,
0:20:33 > 0:20:37you can normally work out if what you have is of any value.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44James Lewis lives and works in Derbyshire,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47and it's so fitting that among the antiques
0:20:47 > 0:20:52he gets most excited about are pieces of this best British product.
0:20:54 > 0:20:59Derby has been famous for its porcelain from the mid-18th century,
0:20:59 > 0:21:02since the Dewsbury factory started work here.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06And it's been collected and treasured by Royal families,
0:21:06 > 0:21:11monarchs, collectors all over the world, for about 250 years.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14And for anybody who loves porcelain,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17this is just paradise.
0:21:17 > 0:21:23For me it's England's finest factory and sometimes you get tingles.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28And, for me, they're coming all down the spine and all to the fingers.
0:21:28 > 0:21:34Over my 20 years as an auctioneer, I have handled thousands of pieces of Royal Crown Derby,
0:21:34 > 0:21:39but I've never really spent too much time thinking about the work that goes into it.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42But today, I have access to all areas of the factory.
0:21:42 > 0:21:47And rumour has it they're going to let me make a plate.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51- Tim, nice to see you. - Morning, James.- Hi.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53So, tell me, what's going on here?
0:21:53 > 0:21:59Here we're making one of your favourite plates, I believe, Marie Antoinette.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01What are you saying?
0:22:02 > 0:22:06- So where does it start from here? - Well, it's just a roll of clay,
0:22:06 > 0:22:10it's made in the smith house, comes out through a machine, like a giant sausage machine.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13- Yeah.- Comes out here and just cut in a roll.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15So how many of these do you make an hour?
0:22:15 > 0:22:19- You can make about 60 an hour. - And if you're working hard(?)
0:22:19 > 0:22:20BOTH LAUGH
0:22:20 > 0:22:23- This is going to fall apart. - No, it won't.
0:22:23 > 0:22:24- You can do this.- I'll try.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26You can do this!
0:22:26 > 0:22:29Just place it in the middle of the mould.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33It'll be a miracle if it actually gets to the mould.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36You think you're making pizzas, don't you?
0:22:36 > 0:22:38HE LAUGHS
0:22:38 > 0:22:40Pull the gate down.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56You need to press. Foot on there. That releases it.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00- It will come off. There you go. - Yay!
0:23:00 > 0:23:03I can't believe that actually worked.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05It wasn't that hard, was it?
0:23:05 > 0:23:08Brilliant!
0:23:08 > 0:23:11- The famous 1128. Or Imari. - Yes, the Imari one.
0:23:11 > 0:23:17These are the patterns that Royal Crown Derby are most well-known for -
0:23:17 > 0:23:24the Imari. Called the Imari because of the influences from the Japanese port of Imari.
0:23:24 > 0:23:30And the port of Imari was exporting porcelain that was mainly red, green, blue and gold.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35Royal Crown Derby started these patterns around 1870
0:23:35 > 0:23:40and this market is still as buoyant today as it was in the 1870s.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48- Karen, hi.- Hi.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51- I've been told you're the queen of the fettlers.- I believe so.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54That sounded like something from The Hobbit.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56What is a fettler?
0:23:56 > 0:24:01A fettler is a person that cleans down a piece of work once it's made.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05Clean all the rough edges, any blemishes, any marks.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09Well, if you're working on one that I've just done, there'll be plenty of work to do.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13- Is this one that I made earlier? - One like you made earlier, yes.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17- It'll have gone round the drying process for a couple of hours. - OK. Right.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20We've cleaned the edge off with a knife.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22And then we'll use what we call a whirler...
0:24:22 > 0:24:28- just to hold the sponge against the edge. And that is dissolving... - The plate!
0:24:28 > 0:24:32Yes, it will dissolve the plate if you leave it on there long enough.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35Why couldn't I just have had a straight plate?
0:24:35 > 0:24:38- A lot easier.- Wouldn't have been so interesting for you.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41- There you go. The next one's yours. - I knew this was coming.
0:24:43 > 0:24:44That's it.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47That doesn't look like you were doing it at all.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53- That would be enough.- Are you sure? - Yeah. That's fine.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57You're just being kind. ..Excuse me, would this pass?
0:24:57 > 0:24:59- You'd pass that, wouldn't you?- Yeah.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06OK, now this is where I drop it.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11- Not too bad. - That looks fine.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14We can send that on its way now to be inspected.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17- And who inspects it? - Christine will inspect that.
0:25:17 > 0:25:22- Be kind!- I will. - Thanks very much. Thanks.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36- That's lovely.- Is that all right? - Yeah, it's OK. - Thank goodness for that.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47The last time I saw my plate, it was unfired clay.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50Since then, it's been fired, glazed, fired again,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53then the underglaze blue and fired again.
0:25:53 > 0:25:58And it's been decorated and gilded and fired again,
0:25:58 > 0:26:02but now it's ready for the final stage, my gilding.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11- Emma, hi.- Hello.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15Right. It's starting to look like the 1128 pattern that I recognise.
0:26:15 > 0:26:20- So you're filling in the white gaps. - Anything you see that's white,
0:26:20 > 0:26:24we will fill with 24-carat gold and then it will go off to be fired and burnished.
0:26:24 > 0:26:30- Right. Now, I was always told that the gilder's job was the most responsible one.- Yeah.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34If you make a mess, all the work that everybody else has done is ruined, isn't it?
0:26:34 > 0:26:37- No pressure(!)- No pressure. Right, great. Thanks very much.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41- Would you like to have a go? - Come on. Right, here goes.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46- Right.- Right.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48It's brown. Why does it look brown?
0:26:48 > 0:26:54Because all the oils and the chemicals that are in the gold,
0:26:54 > 0:26:59and then when it's fired, all of those come out. And that's why it goes into burnishing.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03- Everything that's left on the top gets burnished out and the gold's left underneath.- OK.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06- It's...- Ooh! - No, that's fine.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09If you need a cloth, we have one there.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11I'm going to need more than a cloth, I think!
0:27:11 > 0:27:14We're going to need a whole sink. So we get it quite close, do we?
0:27:14 > 0:27:17Yeah. Just take a little gold off your brush so you don't run.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20- That's it. - I haven't run in years.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22SHE GIGGLES
0:27:22 > 0:27:24Fantastic!
0:27:24 > 0:27:27I think you could get a job here if you wanted.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31You've got a very steady hand. I'm impressed.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33I've gone over here.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37Just put your brush down, pick up the cloth. That's it.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41That's it. And just wipe it off.
0:27:41 > 0:27:45- Fantastic!- I've still not done it.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48This is just not easy, is it? It really isn't.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51It's like anything else - practice makes perfect.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53It is.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57I've been doing this for 15 years now and I'm still learning every day.
0:27:57 > 0:28:03- So... It can be a lot of fun sometimes. It's a lovely job. - Very rewarding.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07It is. And if you've got an artistic nature,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10then it is a really fulfilling job.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12That's very good.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15Are you sure you don't want a job here?
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Do you know, I love Royal Crown Derby,
0:28:18 > 0:28:24and to see a factory employing real human beings,
0:28:24 > 0:28:27not doing everything by machine, is lovely.
0:28:27 > 0:28:33Yeah. And this will be a completely unique and individual piece.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35You're telling me!
0:28:35 > 0:28:36That's one word for it!
0:28:36 > 0:28:39Ah, no!
0:28:39 > 0:28:40The next stage is, it'll be fired,
0:28:40 > 0:28:44then it'll be moved on into burnishing where it'll be polished up
0:28:44 > 0:28:47and the end product will be what you see in the shop.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52Finished! Look at my plate!
0:28:52 > 0:28:55I'm so proud of it! OK, I didn't do all of it but I did some.
0:28:55 > 0:29:00I've sold these for years and years and I always appreciated them,
0:29:00 > 0:29:03but I appreciate them even more
0:29:03 > 0:29:05now I know how much work goes into them.
0:29:05 > 0:29:11One thing is for sure, I am not going to give up the day job,
0:29:11 > 0:29:12I'm going back to auctioneering.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16And the great thing about Royal Crown Derby
0:29:16 > 0:29:18is it's still out there to be collected.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21And if you can find an Imari piece from around 1870,
0:29:21 > 0:29:23it could be worth several thousand pounds.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28James Lewis may have lost his heart to those wonderful ceramics,
0:29:28 > 0:29:34but for David Fletcher, his passion lies with another great British icon.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37It's a car mascot...
0:29:37 > 0:29:41modelled as a cartoon character called Old Bill,
0:29:41 > 0:29:45created by a man called Bruce Bairnsfather.
0:29:45 > 0:29:51And this is a model of Old Bill, a bust of Old Bill made in bronze.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54The helmet's actually signed Bruce Bairnsfather.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56He was a Tommy, a British soldier
0:29:56 > 0:29:59who got up to all sorts of escapades
0:29:59 > 0:30:02and found himself in pretty grisly situations,
0:30:02 > 0:30:07as you might expect any poor soldier in the First World War to experience.
0:30:07 > 0:30:13And people used to decorate their car radiators with objects like this.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15They would affix them to the radiator cap.
0:30:15 > 0:30:22I would save this because... it belonged to my dad.
0:30:22 > 0:30:27So for purely personal, sentimental reasons, really,
0:30:27 > 0:30:31he collected anything to do with Old Bill.
0:30:31 > 0:30:36And when he died, we sold his collection with the exception of this particular piece.
0:30:36 > 0:30:42And did you know that the police are referred to as the Old Bill
0:30:42 > 0:30:47because in the early 1920s they used to have moustaches like this.
0:30:51 > 0:30:56Still to come - we reveal how when it comes to rare British gems,
0:30:56 > 0:30:57beauty isn't everything.
0:30:57 > 0:31:02Very, very crudely modelled. Just what the collector's looking for.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06We'll show you how to spot a real mouse from a fake.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09It's all about patination, about colour.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12And when it comes to buying back our cultural heritage,
0:31:12 > 0:31:16we discover just how far national pride can raise the stakes.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19The Scots are a very proud, passionate race.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21Never expected anything like that.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28There are some wonderful works of art out there, great names and superb antiques,
0:31:28 > 0:31:33and we want to give you some more information on what makes them special.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35'You know one of my passions is wood,
0:31:35 > 0:31:38'beautifully crafted individual pieces.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41'So when some of Robert "Mouseman" Thompson's work
0:31:41 > 0:31:42'makes an appearance...'
0:31:42 > 0:31:45You don't like mice? '..it always grabs my attention.'
0:31:45 > 0:31:48Selling at 380.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51- Always does the business. - That's amazing.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54He was a traditional British craftsman
0:31:54 > 0:31:58who devoted his working life to the quintessential English oak.
0:31:58 > 0:32:04This gorgeous stool was bought in a house clearance by Lindsey and it's an example of Mouseman's early work.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06You have made my day.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08Look at the grain on the oak!
0:32:08 > 0:32:13£430. Any advance on £430?
0:32:13 > 0:32:15- Yes! - Lovely!
0:32:15 > 0:32:19That's the most expensive Mouseman piece we've sold on Flog It!
0:32:19 > 0:32:25But regular expert and Thompson fan, James Lewis, can go one better.
0:32:25 > 0:32:30Interestingly, I actually have the world record for the highest price ever achieved with a Mouseman.
0:32:30 > 0:32:35It was a dining room suite for 39,000 made in 1933.
0:32:36 > 0:32:41The Mouseman's work dates from the 1920s to the present day,
0:32:41 > 0:32:45with a family-run company continuing the handcrafted furniture tradition.
0:32:45 > 0:32:49So how do you spot an early and more valuable work?
0:32:49 > 0:32:53Well, check out that iconic symbol, look at the mouse carefully!
0:32:53 > 0:32:56It will have plenty to tell you.
0:32:56 > 0:33:00Slender mice with longer tails denote an early work.
0:33:00 > 0:33:05More modern pieces will have a robust, stockier mouse with a shorter tail.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08The legs are another clue. From the 1930s,
0:33:08 > 0:33:11the mice were carved without front feet.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14So if the little critter has all four legs,
0:33:14 > 0:33:18you've found a very early piece dating to the 1920s.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22Lastly, run a metal detector over the item.
0:33:22 > 0:33:28Screws were used by the workshop only after Thompson's death in 1955.
0:33:28 > 0:33:34So if the mouse squeaks, you know it's a modern piece.
0:33:34 > 0:33:38Robert Thompson was born in Kilburn in North Yorkshire in 1876.
0:33:38 > 0:33:46Self-taught, he used traditional tools to handcraft English oak into beautiful tactile pieces.
0:33:46 > 0:33:52He started by carving pieces for municipal buildings and churches in his local area.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56Like this work in St Mary's Church in Kilburn.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59But it was his experimental furniture designs
0:33:59 > 0:34:02that breathed new life into 17th century classical styles,
0:34:02 > 0:34:04which really brought him to prominence
0:34:04 > 0:34:09and has meant his name is one to watch out for even today.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14That famous mouse icon has an uncertain history,
0:34:14 > 0:34:17but according to Thompson himself, it all started as a joke.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21While working in a church, one of his colleagues happened to remark,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24"We are all as poor as church mice."
0:34:24 > 0:34:28Thompson then carved a small mouse to the church screen he was finishing
0:34:28 > 0:34:31and from then on, the mouse symbol
0:34:31 > 0:34:33appeared on every piece Thompson crafted.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36And like most things of quality, there are always imitations
0:34:36 > 0:34:39so you need to watch out for fakes.
0:34:39 > 0:34:45It's all about patination, about colour, about feel.
0:34:45 > 0:34:50The modern outright fake is copying the English oak,
0:34:50 > 0:34:53but the oak isn't seasoned well enough,
0:34:53 > 0:34:56it's a slightly different colour,
0:34:56 > 0:34:59but they do also copy the mouse signature.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03Interestingly, that first mouse has never been found,
0:35:03 > 0:35:07so next time you come across a piece of old oak furniture
0:35:07 > 0:35:08take a close look.
0:35:08 > 0:35:13You could rediscover a historic piece of traditional English craftsmanship.
0:35:14 > 0:35:15Remember those clues -
0:35:15 > 0:35:18it'll be slender with a long tail and front legs,
0:35:18 > 0:35:22and clearly recognisable whiskers.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25Let the mouse hunt begin!
0:35:29 > 0:35:33There's something about the famous names in the world of antiques
0:35:33 > 0:35:36that still sends a shiver down my spine - Wedgewood, Moorcroft,
0:35:36 > 0:35:41and, of course, my personal favourite, Thomas Chippendale.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44As an Englishman, it makes me feel incredibly proud.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47There are other nations that are just as proud of their history and heritage,
0:35:47 > 0:35:51and on "Flog It!" over the years, we frequently visit
0:35:51 > 0:35:53Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56And some of the items that are brought in to show our experts
0:35:56 > 0:36:00are amongst the most interesting we have ever come across.
0:36:00 > 0:36:01But what makes them so?
0:36:03 > 0:36:05If I've learned anything over the years,
0:36:05 > 0:36:08it's never to judge a book by its cover, as Mark discovered
0:36:08 > 0:36:12when he came across this dog-eared piece of pottery in Wales.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16Of course, I'm a Welshman. I was born in Wales.
0:36:16 > 0:36:18I do remember Merthyr Tydfil.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20I was hoping to see some nice local Welsh pottery
0:36:20 > 0:36:23and you've brought this wonderful object in to show us.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25You didn't get it from Battersea Dogs Home, I presume?
0:36:25 > 0:36:30No. When we lived in Shropshire, we met an elderly lady
0:36:30 > 0:36:33who'd just retired from running a public house,
0:36:33 > 0:36:35and she wanted to sell some of her things,
0:36:35 > 0:36:38because she didn't have room for them all
0:36:38 > 0:36:40and my husband bought the dog.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42So can you remember what you paid for it, John?
0:36:42 > 0:36:47- £4.- £4?!- I didn't know really what it was worth.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49Well, I think it's quite a good buy.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52- When was this? - Oh, about 15 years ago.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55So if we actually take a look now at the dog.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58Now, I'd like him to be a collie, a Welsh collie.
0:36:58 > 0:37:02And he's got this lovely short nose. Maybe we'll create a new breed
0:37:02 > 0:37:05and call it a short-nosed Welsh collie.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07But it's by the wonderful factory Ewenny.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11Ewenny Pottery mark there, 1901 underneath, which is great.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14The Ewenny village in the Vale of Glamorgan
0:37:14 > 0:37:16has had a number of potteries for many years,
0:37:16 > 0:37:20right back to the late 17th century.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22A lot of the factories closed down
0:37:22 > 0:37:24during the first Industrial Revolution,
0:37:24 > 0:37:27and a handful of family potters still existed.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29If you want my honest opinion,
0:37:29 > 0:37:33I think it would've been one of a pair, maybe, originally.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35There is a little bit of flaking on the glaze,
0:37:35 > 0:37:38but it's a very fragile pottery anyway,
0:37:38 > 0:37:39a bit like Wemyss and Majolica,
0:37:39 > 0:37:43so collectors are willing to overlook a little bit of damage.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47This particular factory, taking its name from the village -
0:37:47 > 0:37:48Ewenny Pottery -
0:37:48 > 0:37:53revived the whole handcraft movement at the end of the 19th century.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56The arts and crafts were boundless.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59I mean, people wanted to go back to basics, really.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03To go back to those handmade, distinctive pieces.
0:38:03 > 0:38:09They captured that market in Ewenny in a very distinctive Welsh way.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13It is nicely signed and dated, and I would probably put an estimate
0:38:13 > 0:38:16to attract people in of £100 to £150,
0:38:16 > 0:38:19which is not bad on the £4 you paid.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23- Would you be happy to do that? - Yes.- Yes, yes.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26Why have you decided to sell him now?
0:38:26 > 0:38:30Well, we thought we should bring him back to Wales, where he belongs.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32- You've brought him home.- Yes.
0:38:32 > 0:38:33A little corker.
0:38:33 > 0:38:38Very, very crudely modelled. Just what the collector's looking for.
0:38:44 > 0:38:48Marcus put a valuation of £100 to £150 on this.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50Now, I've had a chat to a Ewenny expert, OK?
0:38:50 > 0:38:55A chap called Ieuan. Now he has put a different valuation on this.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58- Oh?- What if I said to you it might make £300.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02- Would you be really happy? - Wow. I'd be really happy.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05- OK. Mark. - Yes?- Slight under-valuation there.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07We don't know yet. It hasn't been sold.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10We're going to find out right now. Good luck.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14Ewenny figure of a dog, start me straight in at £160.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17£170, 180, 190, 200 and 10,
0:39:17 > 0:39:22220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270 - takes me out.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25Fantastic! It made it a real pedigree hound.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28£420, 430, 440, 450,
0:39:28 > 0:39:31460, 470, 480...
0:39:32 > 0:39:35..490, 500 - make it 20.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37Oh, wow!
0:39:37 > 0:39:41520, 550, 580, 600.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45At £600. On my right, at 600. Are we all done at 600?
0:39:45 > 0:39:46Yes!
0:39:46 > 0:39:48Fantastic!
0:39:48 > 0:39:49- £600.- Fantastic.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53- How do you feel about that? - Great!- Brilliant.
0:39:53 > 0:39:57- So tremendous, really. - Very, very good.- Great.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01They decided to bring the Welsh dog back home
0:40:01 > 0:40:03and how right they were to do so.
0:40:03 > 0:40:07Because...it was the right place to sell it.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11Wow! £4 becomes £600.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15By selling in the right place, you too could earn a pretty profit.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17And whether it's pottery or pictures,
0:40:17 > 0:40:20wherever we go in the UK, our experts are always looking
0:40:20 > 0:40:23to unearth those national treasures.
0:40:23 > 0:40:29Of particular interest are artists from the part of the country we're working in.
0:40:29 > 0:40:34And there was one lovely picture - a watercolour in Belfast.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37Malachy, thank you for bringing this lovely
0:40:37 > 0:40:42watercolour by Joseph William Carey along to "Flog It!" today.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45Not at all. Thank you very much for having me.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48I'm just enjoying it so much!
0:40:48 > 0:40:52This work is very typical of this artist -
0:40:52 > 0:40:54gentle, muted colours,
0:40:54 > 0:40:59expressing the softness and the beauty of the Irish landscape.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02He was a member of the Royal Ulster Academy,
0:41:02 > 0:41:06and he travelled about in Ireland a lot, different places,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09painting the scenery.
0:41:09 > 0:41:15And this one is the Pass of Kylemore in Connemara.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18It's of particular interest to be in a part of the country
0:41:18 > 0:41:22and have an artist that you are perhaps unfamiliar with
0:41:22 > 0:41:24being shown to you.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26Tell me, where did you get it?
0:41:26 > 0:41:30- I bought it in an antique shop.- How long ago?- Roughly about 40 years.
0:41:30 > 0:41:3440 years. Did you pay a lot of money for it at that time?
0:41:34 > 0:41:37I never like to pay much for anything, so I don't think I would've!
0:41:37 > 0:41:39You sound like a Scot!
0:41:40 > 0:41:42I can't remember offhand,
0:41:42 > 0:41:45but we didn't consider it expensive at the time.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48It was more that we fancied that view there
0:41:48 > 0:41:51- and bought it for that reason. - Yeah. Uh-huh.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55- So, has it been on the wall?- Not since we moved about ten years ago.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58A picture should be on the wall.
0:41:58 > 0:42:04The artist's heart and soul is in that item.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07If you love a picture, it should be on the wall.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10If you don't love it, pass it on to someone who will.
0:42:10 > 0:42:15Now, on price, this artist is doing well.
0:42:15 > 0:42:19I would like to estimate it in the region of 600-800.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22- Yes.- Would you be happy to sell it at that?
0:42:22 > 0:42:24I... Well...
0:42:24 > 0:42:27I'd been hoping you'd be saying half a million or something.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29I could've bought a couple of houses.
0:42:29 > 0:42:30Well, wouldn't we all?
0:42:35 > 0:42:39- Irish artist, Irish saleroom. - How exciting is this?
0:42:39 > 0:42:43- I've been waiting for this moment. This is it. Good luck.- Thank you.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47Joseph William Carey. Pass of Kylemore, Connemara.
0:42:47 > 0:42:48Watercolour drawing.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52It's signed and dated 1915.
0:42:52 > 0:42:57We'll say 800, 700, 600, we'll take £500 to open a bid. 500.
0:42:57 > 0:43:04Back of the room at 500, 520, 550. At £550 for the Carey. At 550.
0:43:04 > 0:43:10At £550. You all done at £550 for the Carey? Bidder is outside at 580.
0:43:10 > 0:43:14£580 I have now for the Carey.
0:43:14 > 0:43:19- At £580.- One more!- At £580 for the Carey picture. At 580?
0:43:19 > 0:43:23- You all finished at £580? I'm letting it go.- He's going to sell.
0:43:23 > 0:43:27- He's going to sell. - Last call at 580.
0:43:27 > 0:43:30- You're happy with that. - Hmm.
0:43:30 > 0:43:37This type of early 20th century watercolour landscape is perhaps not
0:43:37 > 0:43:44just quite as desirable in today's market as it was 20 years ago.
0:43:45 > 0:43:48Malachy bought it as a holiday souvenir because he liked it,
0:43:48 > 0:43:52which should always be your guide - buy what grabs you.
0:44:01 > 0:44:05The thing to remember, that as a nation we might be insular,
0:44:05 > 0:44:08but we travel around our country fairly extensively,
0:44:08 > 0:44:09so it doesn't surprise me
0:44:09 > 0:44:13to find something from the north of Scotland on the south coast.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16We come down to the southern most tip of the country, Southampton,
0:44:16 > 0:44:18and you appear with something from Scotland.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21You couldn't get much further away. Did you know it was from Scotland.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23Oh, yes, yes. Of course.
0:44:23 > 0:44:25So, how did you come by this?
0:44:25 > 0:44:28At one time I was a publican,
0:44:28 > 0:44:32and a customer of mine who was a little bit...
0:44:32 > 0:44:34He turned around and asked me to buy it off of him.
0:44:34 > 0:44:35Yeah? Was he a Scot?
0:44:35 > 0:44:37Yes, he was a Scotsman, yeah.
0:44:37 > 0:44:39I'd never heard of a skint Scot.
0:44:39 > 0:44:42And who put a price on it - you or him?
0:44:42 > 0:44:48- He did originally, but I pulled him down.- What did you pay for it?- £40.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51- How long ago?- 20 years ago. 25.
0:44:51 > 0:44:53It was a lovely story.
0:44:53 > 0:44:57And I only ever believe what I'm told.
0:44:57 > 0:45:00Basically, this would have been worn with a kilt,
0:45:00 > 0:45:03and it's a little bit of Scottish ceremonial dress.
0:45:03 > 0:45:05If we just take it all out...
0:45:05 > 0:45:07we've got the little fork there.
0:45:07 > 0:45:11And there...we've got the knife.
0:45:12 > 0:45:17And there...we've got the real granddaddy of the knives,
0:45:17 > 0:45:19or dagger.
0:45:19 > 0:45:22This is a polished cairngorm stone here.
0:45:22 > 0:45:26These aren't hallmarked silver, so they're just plated or white metal.
0:45:26 > 0:45:31They can date from anything from late Victorian times, 1880,
0:45:31 > 0:45:33through to 1920, perhaps 1930.
0:45:33 > 0:45:35It's called a sgian-dubh.
0:45:35 > 0:45:37It's a nightmare for auctioneers
0:45:37 > 0:45:39when you have to catalogue words like sgian-dubh.
0:45:39 > 0:45:43It's best to say it quickly in a dictaphone and get someone else to look it up.
0:45:43 > 0:45:46I used to be a teacher, and I resigned after eight weeks saving
0:45:46 > 0:45:52a whole generation of children from absolute academic, educational nightmare.
0:45:52 > 0:45:55I mean, my grammar is dreadful and I can't spell.
0:45:55 > 0:45:59So, "dirk" I can manage, D-I-R-K, but sgian-dubh?
0:45:59 > 0:46:01How on earth do you spell sgian-dubh?
0:46:01 > 0:46:04- I think it'll make £200 to £300. - Do you?
0:46:04 > 0:46:06Yeah, I think we can put a reserve on it of £200,
0:46:06 > 0:46:10- and I hope you'll be happy with the result.- I would be.- Good-oh.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12I don't want you using that on me!
0:46:14 > 0:46:16No matter how sharp its credentials,
0:46:16 > 0:46:18will a Scottish sgian-dubh bought for £40,
0:46:18 > 0:46:22be overlooked in the Southampton saleroom?
0:46:22 > 0:46:28Start at £300. 320, 350, 380, 400...
0:46:28 > 0:46:31Today with the internet, with live bidding in salesrooms,
0:46:31 > 0:46:33with marketing,
0:46:33 > 0:46:39the local auction room almost becomes nationwide or international.
0:46:39 > 0:46:44At £800, I'll take 50 anywhere. 850 at the back.
0:46:44 > 0:46:46The Scots are a very proud, passionate race.
0:46:46 > 0:46:51They wear their kilts, they wear their dress uniform
0:46:51 > 0:46:53and dirks and sgian-dubh are part of that.
0:46:53 > 0:46:57And if you want to buy a really smart dirk or sgian-dubh
0:46:57 > 0:47:01that is the finishing touch to your kilt of your clan,
0:47:01 > 0:47:03it's not a lot to pay, really.
0:47:03 > 0:47:07£900, 900, 950, 1,000 and 50,
0:47:07 > 0:47:12£1,050 - right at the back at 1,050.
0:47:12 > 0:47:15Selling at 1,050.
0:47:15 > 0:47:17Yes, £1,050!
0:47:17 > 0:47:20"Flog It!" is at the cutting edge! How about that!?
0:47:20 > 0:47:21It's wonderful.
0:47:21 > 0:47:23I never expected anything like that.
0:47:26 > 0:47:30So, here are my top tips -
0:47:30 > 0:47:32always buy something that catches your eye.
0:47:32 > 0:47:36If you like it, the chances are, someone else will.
0:47:36 > 0:47:39Fix your budget and stick to it.
0:47:39 > 0:47:41And know when condition DOES matter.
0:47:41 > 0:47:44Sometimes you can get away with a bit of damage.
0:47:44 > 0:47:47And when it comes to selling, be on-trend.
0:47:47 > 0:47:49Knowing when and where to auction
0:47:49 > 0:47:52will maximise your chances of a good sale.
0:47:57 > 0:47:59I'm a big fan of Newlyn copper.
0:47:59 > 0:48:03It's the stories behind the item that evoke an image of a bygone era
0:48:03 > 0:48:07and a lost community. So back in 2006, I jumped at the chance
0:48:07 > 0:48:11to visit the Newlyn copper works to find out a little bit more about
0:48:11 > 0:48:13an important slice of local history.
0:48:19 > 0:48:23Newlyn has always been one of the country's most important fishing ports
0:48:23 > 0:48:25and indeed it still is today, as you can see.
0:48:25 > 0:48:27But back in the 19th century,
0:48:27 > 0:48:31when the weather was really bad, the fishermen couldn't go to sea,
0:48:31 > 0:48:32they couldn't earn their living.
0:48:32 > 0:48:34But all that changed in 1888,
0:48:34 > 0:48:37when John Drew McKenzie arrived on the scene.
0:48:37 > 0:48:40He was an established artist and illustrator
0:48:40 > 0:48:43and he took pity on the fishermen, he wanted to help them,
0:48:43 > 0:48:45so he taught them handicraft skills.
0:48:45 > 0:48:48He set up the Newlyn Industrial Class
0:48:48 > 0:48:51to teach those necessary skills.
0:48:51 > 0:48:56The fishermen were used to handling copper, as they often used it for boat repairs.
0:48:56 > 0:48:57It was so readily available
0:48:57 > 0:49:02and became the material of choice for the craft workshop.
0:49:02 > 0:49:04However, the skill and creative influence
0:49:04 > 0:49:07needed to produce fine pieces of art
0:49:07 > 0:49:10was down to a chap called John Pearson
0:49:10 > 0:49:11who came to Newlyn in 1892.
0:49:11 > 0:49:15He taught at the Industrial Class for seven years.
0:49:15 > 0:49:17Pearson was a very skilled copper worker,
0:49:17 > 0:49:21and soon the Newlyn workshops were making wonderful things,
0:49:21 > 0:49:24which today are highly desirable.
0:49:24 > 0:49:26And I'm going to find out if anything's changed over the years,
0:49:26 > 0:49:29and the man I want to meet is principle craftsman Mike Johnson,
0:49:29 > 0:49:31and he's in here - The Copper Works.
0:49:36 > 0:49:38- Mike, I'm sorry to stop you in mid-bash.- Not at all.
0:49:38 > 0:49:41Should I say that really? You are bashing away, but you're actually
0:49:41 > 0:49:43fashioning this into shape.
0:49:43 > 0:49:45What are you working on?
0:49:45 > 0:49:47It's a font for Trinity Church.
0:49:47 > 0:49:49It's part of a commission they've asked us to do.
0:49:49 > 0:49:51They want a font, they want a lectern, a communion table,
0:49:51 > 0:49:53- benches - the whole lot. - Right.
0:49:53 > 0:49:56Oak and copper furnishings for the new Trinity church.
0:49:56 > 0:49:58What brought you to Newlyn?
0:49:58 > 0:50:01I moved down about 15 years ago to work with my uncle, initially,
0:50:01 > 0:50:04working on the films, making suits of armour.
0:50:04 > 0:50:08- But my passion had always been copper.- Newlyn copper?
0:50:08 > 0:50:11Newlyn copper. And so I decided to move away from the film work,
0:50:11 > 0:50:13and go into working in copper full-time.
0:50:13 > 0:50:18- So as a young lad, you were obviously aware of Drew McKenzie and John Pearson.- Yeah.
0:50:18 > 0:50:19And you collected Newlyn copper?
0:50:19 > 0:50:25Yeah, I started late, started in the '80s, but it was beautiful work,
0:50:25 > 0:50:28exquisite work, and affordable then. Now...
0:50:28 > 0:50:30It's very, very collectable!
0:50:30 > 0:50:32So, that was it. That kick started the passion.
0:50:32 > 0:50:35OK, talk me through how you take a sheet of metal and get it like this.
0:50:35 > 0:50:38Well, that's nearly finished, so I'll start you from scratch.
0:50:40 > 0:50:44- Here's a couple of the big persuaders!- Right.
0:50:44 > 0:50:48- Feel the weight in those. - Gosh! Gosh.
0:50:48 > 0:50:51- So, basically you let gravity do the work.- Exactly. Yeah, exactly.
0:50:51 > 0:50:52Let gravity do it, not you.
0:50:52 > 0:50:59- Start from the end, and work your way around.- It's a noisy old job!
0:50:59 > 0:51:01Very noisy, yeah.
0:51:01 > 0:51:03So, work your way around the bowl...
0:51:05 > 0:51:08..and so on, until you get the whole bowl completely dished.
0:51:08 > 0:51:12It's so pliable and soft. It's a wonderful metal to work with.
0:51:12 > 0:51:14The next stage, once you have the bowl dished up,
0:51:14 > 0:51:18- is to planish it and remove all the dents you've put into it.- Right.
0:51:18 > 0:51:19So I'll hammer away.
0:51:26 > 0:51:28This is incredibly clever.
0:51:28 > 0:51:32And, obviously, the longer you're hitting it, the harder it's getting.
0:51:32 > 0:51:34Absolutely. And if you want to take it to say a repousse stage,
0:51:34 > 0:51:38and you want it softer again, heat the metal until it's red hot,
0:51:38 > 0:51:40drop it in cold water, and it loosens the copper up again.
0:51:40 > 0:51:44And then you can work on smaller little fishes, impregnations of bubbles and seaweed...
0:51:44 > 0:51:46Exactly. Yeah. Exactly.
0:51:46 > 0:51:47OK, what's the next stage?
0:51:47 > 0:51:51How do you get it to sort of reflect all the light, bounce...
0:51:51 > 0:51:54- I'll take you back to the font. - ..and look alive?
0:51:54 > 0:51:58To help bounce light up through the water and give that sparkle,
0:51:58 > 0:52:01we've gone for a really fine ball peening all the way through.
0:52:01 > 0:52:04So there's about two days of work in just putting in
0:52:04 > 0:52:07endless little ripples all through the copper.
0:52:07 > 0:52:09That's a ball-peen hammer, the round sectioned hammer.
0:52:09 > 0:52:11- Douh-douh-douh-douh.- Yeah.
0:52:11 > 0:52:14- Hundreds of thousands of those. - Absolutely, yes.
0:52:14 > 0:52:17In the zone.
0:52:17 > 0:52:20- But it's created, like the skin of an orange now.- Absolutely.
0:52:20 > 0:52:23Wow. I know you're influenced by Drew McKenzie and Pearson -
0:52:23 > 0:52:28are you frightened to put fish on it, and bubbles and seaweed?
0:52:28 > 0:52:30Yes!
0:52:30 > 0:52:32McKenzie's designs were SO exquisite,
0:52:32 > 0:52:35and so whatever you try and do in a contemporary sense,
0:52:35 > 0:52:38it's always going to be looked at in that context.
0:52:38 > 0:52:41So you're either looked at as trying to be generic deliberately,
0:52:41 > 0:52:44or that you're trying to copy, and mimic.
0:52:44 > 0:52:46Are you asked to do a lot of commission work?
0:52:46 > 0:52:49Yes, these pieces have gone into Liberty's,
0:52:49 > 0:52:52there's stuff in the local galleries down here.
0:52:52 > 0:52:54Yeah, there's a lot of commission work.
0:52:54 > 0:52:56You can't go wrong with Liberty's for a main client.
0:52:56 > 0:52:59- No.- That's where it all started. - Very flattering, exactly.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03But Mike doesn't only work to his own designs,
0:53:03 > 0:53:07he's about to restore a Newlyn landmark, made by the original
0:53:07 > 0:53:09Newlyn School coppersmiths.
0:53:09 > 0:53:11I've got the copper galleon
0:53:11 > 0:53:13here off the roof from the Fishermen's Mission in Newlyn.
0:53:13 > 0:53:16It's probably one of the most important pieces in Newlyn.
0:53:16 > 0:53:20- Hence all the weathering. - It's been up there since 1911!
0:53:20 > 0:53:23But this was an early Newlyn copper piece made by the lads.
0:53:23 > 0:53:25- That's an iconic landmark, really.- It is.
0:53:25 > 0:53:28- I'm surprised it hadn't been stolen. - It's a long way up!
0:53:28 > 0:53:3220 or 30 metres up on a roof. You'd have to be very keen.
0:53:32 > 0:53:34So what have you got to do to this?
0:53:34 > 0:53:38It needs stripping. It's been gilded and painted over the years.
0:53:38 > 0:53:40So we'll carefully strip it all back to copper,
0:53:40 > 0:53:42we'll re-gild it and we'll re-rig it, as well.
0:53:42 > 0:53:44A lot of the rigging has got quite tatty.
0:53:44 > 0:53:47And get it ready for its next 100 years.
0:53:47 > 0:53:49- Then put it back up on the roof? - It'll go back up on the roof.
0:53:52 > 0:53:54Well, that was a real delight.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57It's wonderful to meet craftsmen and experts in their own field,
0:53:57 > 0:54:00and talking of experts, it's time to catch up with our very own.
0:54:00 > 0:54:03And here's Philip with some cleaning tips.
0:54:03 > 0:54:07So many people think the best way to clean a piece of copper is to
0:54:07 > 0:54:09get some wire wool or some acid or whatever.
0:54:09 > 0:54:12And they try and rub it clean and buff it up.
0:54:12 > 0:54:14I'd rather see it completely unpolished than that.
0:54:14 > 0:54:18There's a good tip for you, ladies. Never polish copper.
0:54:18 > 0:54:21Well, now we know who keeps the Serrell household tidy.
0:54:22 > 0:54:25Lots of you have told me at our valuation days that "Flog it!"
0:54:25 > 0:54:29has inspired you to go out and explore the world of art and antiques.
0:54:29 > 0:54:32But what was it that first inspired our experts?
0:54:34 > 0:54:37Well, I'd like to show you the first piece of silver I ever bought,
0:54:37 > 0:54:40but growing up to be a silver dealer meant that I sold
0:54:40 > 0:54:43all the pieces of silver I've ever had.
0:54:43 > 0:54:47What you don't sell when you're a silver dealer are your books.
0:54:47 > 0:54:49And they're actually the most value to you.
0:54:49 > 0:54:53And this is special because it's... I mean, it's a very modest book.
0:54:53 > 0:54:56And now I know it's full of inaccuracies,
0:54:56 > 0:54:59because I've corrected some of them myself, which is fantastic,
0:54:59 > 0:55:01but this is my first hallmark book.
0:55:01 > 0:55:03And you can date a hallmark book.
0:55:03 > 0:55:06If you look at a working assay office...
0:55:06 > 0:55:10so you take Birmingham, which is ongoing, and...1985.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13That's when I got it.
0:55:13 > 0:55:17£1.75 and I've used it for...ten or 15 years after that.
0:55:17 > 0:55:20So every bit of silver I looked at, I was looking it up in this.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23A bit redundant now and a bit tatty and a bit awful.
0:55:23 > 0:55:26But I can't bear to part with it.
0:55:27 > 0:55:30Knowing the hallmarks puts you ahead of the game.
0:55:30 > 0:55:33With a smartphone you can have them on the palm of your hand
0:55:33 > 0:55:36when browsing for the best of British buys.
0:55:40 > 0:55:44I've often wondered what some of our successful owners have done
0:55:44 > 0:55:46with the money in the past.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49You probably have as well. So we've caught up with a few of them.
0:55:52 > 0:55:55Anne came along to our Cheshire valuation day in 2010
0:55:55 > 0:56:00and brought a rather unusual brooch, which caught David Fletcher's eye.
0:56:00 > 0:56:02Tell me a bit about it.
0:56:02 > 0:56:05It was given to me on my wedding day 29 years ago
0:56:05 > 0:56:08by my late husband
0:56:08 > 0:56:12and I wore it at our wedding reception, and during our honeymoon.
0:56:12 > 0:56:16- I bet your eyes popped out, didn't they?- Mm-hm.
0:56:16 > 0:56:18Your loss is our gain, as they say.
0:56:18 > 0:56:22I went with an open mind. I had no idea what value it was.
0:56:22 > 0:56:25- It splits apart. Do you want me to show you?- Yeah, you show me, please.
0:56:26 > 0:56:29OK, so you're taking it out of it's case - fantastic.
0:56:29 > 0:56:33And you're left with two... or at least a pair of clips.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36So, really, whoever buys this is getting three
0:56:36 > 0:56:39pieces of jewellery for the price of one.
0:56:39 > 0:56:41Fantastic.
0:56:41 > 0:56:43But why do you want to sell it?
0:56:43 > 0:56:46- We've got alpacas...- Alpacas!- Yeah.
0:56:46 > 0:56:48And we want to buy some land to keep them on.
0:56:48 > 0:56:49We've got eight.
0:56:49 > 0:56:54Scarlett, Honeysuckle, Buttercup,
0:56:54 > 0:56:58Noah, Jacob, Monty, Daisy
0:56:58 > 0:57:01and Olympia Rose, who was born during the Olympics.
0:57:01 > 0:57:06OK. But I'm not sure how much land an alpaca uses,
0:57:06 > 0:57:09but I think this will make between £1,000 and £1,500.
0:57:14 > 0:57:17It's a sparkler. I do love it, I must admit.
0:57:17 > 0:57:18It's going under the hammer now.
0:57:18 > 0:57:21585. Give me 800.
0:57:21 > 0:57:26800 on the phone. At £800, I'll take 20. 820, 840.
0:57:26 > 0:57:30It was a bit slow to start and I thought it wasn't going to sell.
0:57:30 > 0:57:32And 50. 1,100.
0:57:32 > 0:57:34Sold!
0:57:34 > 0:57:351,200 and 50.
0:57:35 > 0:57:401,300. 1,300 on the phone. And 50 in a new place.
0:57:40 > 0:57:43But then all the bidders started and I was very pleased with what I got.
0:57:43 > 0:57:461,350, now in the room with 1,350.
0:57:46 > 0:57:47Thank you, sir.
0:57:47 > 0:57:52- Yes! Yes, £1,350!- Yeah.
0:57:52 > 0:57:54- And have you got your eye on some land already?- Not yet.
0:57:54 > 0:57:58We want to really get enough money together to get enough land for
0:57:58 > 0:57:59when the herd grows.
0:57:59 > 0:58:02So that's a great start for the fund.
0:58:02 > 0:58:06But since then, her empire has expanded in a slightly different direction -
0:58:06 > 0:58:08a new business.
0:58:08 > 0:58:11I've just opened, and I'm really excited about it.
0:58:11 > 0:58:13I'm like a child in a sweet shop.
0:58:13 > 0:58:15I love craft things.
0:58:15 > 0:58:17Meanwhile, Honeysuckle, Noah
0:58:17 > 0:58:20and the gang remain in their rented accommodation.
0:58:20 > 0:58:23But don't worry - they're still very much part of the plan.
0:58:23 > 0:58:27This is a picture of two of our alpacas - Honeysuckle and Buttercup.
0:58:27 > 0:58:29And this is the alpaca wool.
0:58:29 > 0:58:34I can't wait to get our own alpaca wool onto these shelves!
0:58:35 > 0:58:39So it just goes to show, you can turn your unwanted antiques into almost anything.
0:58:41 > 0:58:42Well, that's it for today's show
0:58:42 > 0:58:45and I hope we've given you some food for thought.
0:58:45 > 0:58:49Join me again soon for more inside information and surprising sales.
0:58:49 > 0:58:51But until then, it's goodbye.
0:58:59 > 0:59:02Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd