Best of British Flog It: Trade Secrets


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Over the last 11 years on Flog It!,

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we've travelled the length and breadth of the British Isles

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several times over.

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Along the way, you've turned up in your thousands

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with beautiful items for our experts to muse over.

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Do you take a wee dram?

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Only for medicinal purposes! THEY LAUGH

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This little nation of ours boasts a rich and proud antique heritage,

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filled to the brim with exquisite items of craftsmanship.

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You have brought along one of my favourite things. I love Mouseman.

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So, in today's programme,

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we're going to give you the lowdown on some of our great British makers.

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In this episode, we'll be looking at the best of British -

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antiques and collectibles from up and down the country.

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We've got the real granddaddy of the knives.

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I don't want you using that on me!

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And sometimes it's not just what you have,

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it's knowing where they came from and the best place to sell them

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that really makes a difference.

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Oh, wow!

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Coming up, we'll give you the know-how to find your own

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best of British.

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If it's from a limited edition of 100, try and get the earlier pieces.

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This is where I drop it!

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James Lewis visits Derby to learn some trade secrets

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from one of Britain's iconic ceramics makers.

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This is just not easy, is it?

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And when it comes to English greats, we'll let you know

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when damage won't dent their appeal.

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A bit of sticky tape isn't necessarily a bad thing.

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Now, the great thing about this show is, we get to visit

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the four corners of the United Kingdom.

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And there's always a buzz amongst our experts

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as to whether you will bring us some local treasures to look at.

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And you never disappoint.

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So, if you want to buy a bit of British, here are some pointers.

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Whatever you buy, make it the best you can afford.

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So, rather than perhaps buy five items at £100 each,

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buy one for £500.

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You go with your gut reaction, but if you've got

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a little bit of knowledge, turn everything upside down.

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Strangely, in our business,

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we attach value to who made something, who painted something,

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when it was made, rather than the object itself.

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Look out for stylised pieces from the 1950s. They're on the up.

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So here are some of our very best finds

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and what you can learn from them.

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And British names don't come any bigger than Royal Worcester.

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For Flog It! expert Philip Serrell, it's almost a way of life.

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I think the wares are stunning and because I'm in Worcester,

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it's something that I've tended to specialise in throughout the years.

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Highly decorative wares and models of the 19th century,

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and then in the 20th century, the real key for me,

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I suppose, are the hand-painted wares - cattle by the Stintons,

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hand-painted fruit by people like Sebright.

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You know, I remember Adam took in a vase by White

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that was decorated in peacocks.

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And you've brought me a lovely example

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of a Worcester vase. Can you tell me how you came to own it?

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Well, it was my parents'.

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They acquired it from friends about 40, 45 years ago.

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And my parents gave it to me about 15 years ago.

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Worcester porcelain is one of the most historic

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and longest established porcelain factories in the world and because they're one of the best,

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they are widely collected all around the world.

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It's obviously hand painted, brightly enamel painted, with...

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-That's a peacock, isn't it?

-I think so, yes. It certainly looks like it.

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Peacocks in Worcestershire are an unlucky bird,

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because the peacock tail is meant to represent the devil's eye, and if

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you have a peacock tail in the house, it's meant to bring you bad luck.

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Now, the lid doesn't sit on quite right. Oh, look!

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-They didn't come out the factory like that!

-No, that's courtesy of my father.

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Your father did that to preserve it?

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-To preserve the lid.

-To preserve the lid.

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Unfortunately...is that a crack? It is. A hairline crack in the lid.

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The damage on that vase really didn't count

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as a major damage at all. And, if anything,

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it showed that it had never been near a dealer's shop,

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it had never been in a fair, it was just nice and honest and genuine.

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A bit of sticky tape isn't necessarily a bad thing.

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And the date code for this,

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we add up all these dots here, there are 17 dots in total

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which...my calculations make it around 1908, when that was made.

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So, if we turn it back round again,

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we've got a very handsome Worcester vase with cover.

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So, I think that we should put an estimate of £200 to £300

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and I think it will make 300 to 350, eventually,

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once everyone's had a bid at it. Does that sound acceptable?

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-Sounds reasonable to me, yes. But I would want a reserve on it.

-20 quid?

-Oh, no...

-I'm joking!

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-No, I would say 200.

-OK.

-Does that sound all right?

-Yes.

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You'd have thought that was primed to go in Philip's sale,

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and it was, because Philip has the big collections of Worcester,

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every sale he has, he's in Worcestershire

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and it's one of the things he specialises in.

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So, in that respect, it was the perfect sale for the vase to go in.

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Lot 760 is this really lovely vase.

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I've got 400. Will you go 420? 420.

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Straight in there at 400.

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At 450. 480. 500, bid.

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520. I've got 520 in the room.

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If you think about it, there's probably more Worcester porcelain

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in Worcester than there is anywhere else.

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And so, as the local auctioneer, I'm probably going to sell more Worcester,

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and so, people tend to come to us for it.

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-700.

-Oh, my giddy aunt.

-720.

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-750. 780.

-Gosh, it's going on and on, isn't it?

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850, 880, 900.

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920.

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You need to be mindful, all the time,

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that whatever you see

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is someone's property, and it's your job, your duty,

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to get the most that you can for it.

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-Oh, Barbara...

-Let's see if we can get four figures. 1,100.

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-£1,100.

-Wow!

-50, is it?

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You can never predict what's going to happen in an auction.

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1,150, is it?

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-1,150.

-This is quite special.

-Yeah.

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£1,150. 1,200 in America.

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At £1,200,...

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The internet's proved to be a great leveller, because collectors

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can find the things that they crave from wherever they might be.

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-There's is the bid. In America.

-In America, that's gone to the States.

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-At £1,200, and I sell, then...

-How are you feeling?

-Wonderful!

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GAVEL FALLS

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£1,200 - the hammer's gone down. That's what we like to see!

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Selling the vase in Worcester meant the buyers knew where to look.

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And now this classic English piece has a new home,

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thousands of miles away.

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It's very important, really, to sell a local item in a local saleroom.

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And one example of that were

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the wonderful little fox terrier portraits

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that we had on our Wells programme.

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Cherie, I'm always interested to see pictures in Flog It!

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and I particularly like this little pair of dog portraits.

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Could you tell me, where did you get them?

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They were bequeathed to my husband by a very dear friend

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about 30-odd years ago.

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So, they've been part of your life for a considerable amount of years.

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-It's time to pass them on?

-Yes.

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They are both signed, and we can see the signature in the corner here,

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it's J A Wheeler.

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Wheeler was not a professional artist.

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Some might call him a good amateur. He was better than a good amateur.

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I see that you have a document here with details of him.

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Can you tell me a bit about the artist?

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As far as I know, he was born in Cheltenham and he came

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to live in Bath, and I think he painted most of his work in Bath

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after the Army. He was in the Army first of all.

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And then he went on from there. He was a self-taught artist, I believe.

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-These dogs, I think they're fox haired terriers.

-That's right!

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They are very realistic,

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they are very, very detailed and they are very well executed.

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The fact that they were little, charming fox haired terriers,

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that helped. Animal paintings are universally collected and loved.

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And people who have a particular interest

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in a particular type of dog will go after that type of picture.

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I would probably estimate them 150 to 250.

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Would you be happy to put them in at that price, 150 to 250?

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-Yep, I should think so.

-But they are well worth that, and they may well fly.

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Anita has been conservative with the estimate

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because he's not a big name, but he is a local boy.

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Will that make a difference?

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It is such a shame Cherie can't be here,

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but she is actually on holiday in Peru. So, she's enjoying herself.

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-Lovely.

-But we won't be ringing her up, really, to tell her...

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We have to start these straight in at £300.

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That's what I like. No messing.

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580, got to go 600.

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-620? 620.

-Highest price of the day.

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620, now looking for 650. 650 on the back telephone.

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I absolutely love it when the item goes higher.

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That gives me a great buzz.

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700? 700.

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The Jack Russell lovers are here in force, at least on the telephone!

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800. 800 on the back telephone. At £800. Now, 50, anywhere?

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He was a Bath artist, so we're selling it in the right area.

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Now 950? 950.

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That's astonishing.

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At 950, he's back again. At 950 it is, then.

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Are you all sure and done at 950?

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I'd just have loved the owners to be there when they were sold.

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You've always got in the back of your mind...local.

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If it's local, it's going to have an interest.

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The auctioneer's going to work harder for you.

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And in Harrogate, there was this amazing postcard and photograph album.

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Tell me, how did you come about them?

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My mum had them at her house, and I just cleared her house out.

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What's amazing is the condition of the album, just to begin with.

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It's super. But what's even more interesting is what's inside, actually.

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The album is awash with postcards and photographs from the 1900s,

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1910, 1920. Some pre-war ones. This is a lovely one we found, as well.

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The Bridlington Excelsior Prize Silver Band.

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Things like that are just wonderful.

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They were all there their trophy, their twin-handled cup,

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and these lovely instruments all on display.

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God, it would have made a noise.

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Then we had the polling card which, again, was local. Local elections.

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All of these aspects - you could never photograph them again.

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This polling card, you could never make again.

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That group of people, that's what's so interesting about them. They're so local to that area.

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That's why people are after it.

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-I would like to put an estimate on it of about £300 to £500.

-Right.

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-Are you happy with that?

-Yes!

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But has Thomas got carried away by a few choice cards?

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On the day, the auctioneer had his doubts.

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-£300 to £500 on this.

-Hmm...

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There are one or two local ones here, but not that many.

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Which is a shame. I think, as so often with these things,

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they sell best in their own area,

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so if you had a great album of Yorkshire cards,

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they'd sell like mad, but when you get a mixed album like this, not quite so easy to sell.

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This will be a struggle, I think, personally.

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I agree with you, Paul, I think we are going to struggle on that one.

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You could buy these cards individually for 10p, 20p, 30p.

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-Yeah, pressure's on.

-Thanks!

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I can remember when we got to the auction, Paul was, you know,

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"I've had a chat to the auctioneer. We don't think it's going to sell.

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"Oh, it's going to be taken home."

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First round, into the ring, the bell's not even gone,

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we're on the floor already, trying to claw our way up after the ten-second count.

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-This is going to be a tricky one, but I think we should just get it away.

-I don't know.

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And then, suddenly, the auction happened. There's a phone bid.

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Yes, quite a lot of them there, lot 509. Couple of hundred for it?

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200 I'm bid, 210, now, £200, the opening bid.

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210 I'm bid, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, 280...

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There's somebody with their paddle just up. You just love that.

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As an auctioneer, you cannot pray for anything better.

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Somebody doing this all the time,

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they've got somebody on the phone, or somebody's there,

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you've got two people doing that, both paddles up, it started. 300. And 20. 340, 360, 380, 400.

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410, 420, 430. 430, 440, 450.

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-Not bad.

-This is fantastic.

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The album is working. It's fighting its corner.

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And I felt vindicated that I put that bullish estimate on it.

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I was so wrong, cos I agreed with the auctioneer.

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I thought it would struggle.

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Ye of little faith!

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500, 510.

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510, 520, 530.

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It just went on and on and on and on.

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550, 560, 570.

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When you been told it's not going to sell,

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"Oh, we might not get anything for it." It kept on going up and up and up.

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-570, 580, 590...

-Wow!

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-..590, 600, 610.

-Absolutely fantastic!

-I know.

-630.

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Somebody's found something in there that's very collectable.

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Yeah, well, there was quite good things.

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660, 670, 670, 680, 690.

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-690, 700, 710...

-It's still going on!

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700, upstairs. At £700. Any more? 700, then, it's going at £700.

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Janet, £700!

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Unbelievable!

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I think she was ecstatic.

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I reckon it made that money because there were some interesting

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black-and-white photographs of the silver band.

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There were some colliery photographs.

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There was also that piece of political ephemera.

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And it was an early card as well.

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It was early 1900s, before women had the vote, so, again, fascinating.

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With all those things of local interest...

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that's why it made the £700.

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And that's the thing about our beautiful country - every region has its own gems,

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but with so much variety out there in the early days, even we were caught out occasionally.

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She's a pretty girl. Oh, hi, Philip.

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-It's Newlyn.

-Newlyn copper.

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I'm not convinced that that's always been in there.

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-No, I don't think that has.

-No, it hasn't.

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It's slightly Arts and Crafts looking.

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-I'd imagine you're about right there.

-What £30 to 50?

-£50.

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-Purely because it's got Newlyn on. Otherwise, about 20 quid.

-Absolutely.

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That's the joy of Flog It! - the fact that you're standing there or sitting at your table

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and you never know what's going to pitch up next.

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I think that's quite sweet, that.

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So what do you know about Newlyn brassware?

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Well, I didn't know anything about it.

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It was just a present. And then I looked

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and saw it was made in Newlyn, but that's as much as I know.

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-Really?

-Yeah, really.

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I have seen one other piece, but bigger than that...a plate.

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-I quite like it. I think it's a bit of fun. I don't think it's worth a fortune.

-No.

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It's very easy to become insular in this job. I live and work in Worcester

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and I look at Worcester pots, Worcester pots, Worcester pots,

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and I don't get too much local Newlyn School copper that's made there.

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I wouldn't profess to be an expert in Newlyn metalware.

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I've had a word with Paul, but it's probably got a value of around £30 to £50.

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-Yeah, well, that'd be handy.

-What would you do with that?

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-I'd get some seed potatoes.

-Are you a big gardener?

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-I like a bit of gardening, yes. That keeps me on me feet, moving about.

-Yeah.

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I think seed potatoes are more important to Eric than Newlyn bowls. really,

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and I just think... that was just typical of him.

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If we put that in at £30 to £50, put a reserve on it of £25,

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I would hope that it would sell, because I just think it's an interesting thing.

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-Somebody will enjoy it, won't they?

-Absolutely. I think it's rather nice. actually.

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-Certainly, Eric, if I ever see any Newlyn copper again, I shall think of you, sir.

-Oh, thank you.

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-And gardening.

-Thank you very much.

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Philip valued it at £40.

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It's certainly undervalued.

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To be quite honest, it's a lovely example of Newlyn copper, beaten all the way around.

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You've got this lovely Cornish fish emblem throughout. He's going to have a surprise.

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We're going to start the bidding at £200. £200 straightaway.

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-God grief!

-200 quid, straight in.

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You can't ever beat local knowledge, can you?

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If you want to sell a piece of Newlyn ware, where's the best place to sell it? Well, close to Newlyn.

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At £240. At 240. I'm bid £250.

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There's no doubt that your local man might understand local things.

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260. At 270. 270 I'm bid. Anybody else? At 270 in front of me.

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-What do you think?

-I never thought 270...

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-That's really good, isn't it?

-I'm shaking.

-I'm bid 270.

0:18:040:18:07

-At 270. Thank you.

-It went for more than we thought.

0:18:070:18:11

I'm delighted. As I said, I'm not an expert in items from the Newlyn School.

0:18:110:18:16

I'm delighted for you. And it's taught me a bit as well.

0:18:160:18:19

-That's the beauty of this game.

-I thought it was worth about 50 quid.

-We can always learn more.

0:18:190:18:23

I 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.

0:18:230:18:30

It might be by Pearson. And it's doing this programme,

0:18:300:18:33

as you travel round the country,

0:18:330:18:36

you begin to realise

0:18:360:18:39

and you're more aware of different objects.

0:18:390:18:43

Since then, I've learned much more about Newlyn copper. All will be revealed soon

0:18:440:18:50

And travelling hundreds of miles up and down Britain for Flog It!,

0:18:520:18:56

our experts have picked up quite a few trade secrets along the way.

0:18:560:19:00

Buying a British collectible,

0:19:000:19:01

if you're buying something from a limited edition,

0:19:010:19:04

make sure you're buying it at the start of the run.

0:19:040:19:07

So, if it's from a limited edition of 100, try and get the earlier pieces or, obviously, the last.

0:19:070:19:12

Look for iconic things that resemble a period of time.

0:19:120:19:17

An antique or whatever you're buying should speak to you,

0:19:170:19:21

and if you like the '60s then buy that.

0:19:210:19:23

For me, it's the 17th century that speaks to me.

0:19:230:19:27

And now here are some of my trade secrets.

0:19:270:19:30

It's true, we're a nation of dog lovers,

0:19:300:19:33

so anything connected with our four-legged friend

0:19:330:19:36

is very collectible,

0:19:360:19:38

especially when it's combined with a fabulous British artist.

0:19:380:19:41

And it doesn't have to be a big name to sell well on home turf.

0:19:410:19:46

And don't forget, the antiques market is international

0:19:460:19:49

and great British names will attract worldwide attention.

0:19:490:19:53

And always collect something you're passionate about - that way you'll never get bored.

0:19:530:19:59

You can never have too much Royal Worcester. You should have more and more...and them some more!

0:19:590:20:03

We British are a nation of porcelain lovers.

0:20:060:20:09

We see more ceramics at our Flog It! valuation days than any other single category of antiques.

0:20:090:20:15

And the great thing about porcelain is,

0:20:150:20:17

normally all you need to know is right there in front of you, on the plate.

0:20:170:20:22

Firstly, in its overall condition

0:20:220:20:24

and, secondly, when you turn it over and look at the factory stamp marks or the potter's name.

0:20:240:20:29

And with a little bit of information and a good guidebook,

0:20:290:20:33

you can normally work out if what you have is of any value.

0:20:330:20:37

James Lewis lives and works in Derbyshire,

0:20:410:20:44

and it's so fitting that among the antiques

0:20:440:20:47

he gets most excited about are pieces of this best British product.

0:20:470:20:52

Derby has been famous for its porcelain from the mid-18th century,

0:20:540:20:59

since the Dewsbury factory started work here.

0:20:590:21:02

And it's been collected and treasured by Royal families,

0:21:020:21:06

monarchs, collectors all over the world, for about 250 years.

0:21:060:21:11

And for anybody who loves porcelain,

0:21:110:21:14

this is just paradise.

0:21:140:21:17

For me it's England's finest factory and sometimes you get tingles.

0:21:170:21:23

And, for me, they're coming all down the spine and all to the fingers.

0:21:230:21:28

Over my 20 years as an auctioneer, I have handled thousands of pieces of Royal Crown Derby,

0:21:280:21:34

but I've never really spent too much time thinking about the work that goes into it.

0:21:340:21:39

But today, I have access to all areas of the factory.

0:21:390:21:42

And rumour has it they're going to let me make a plate.

0:21:420:21:47

-Tim, nice to see you.

-Morning, James.

-Hi.

0:21:470:21:51

So, tell me, what's going on here?

0:21:510:21:53

Here we're making one of your favourite plates, I believe, Marie Antoinette.

0:21:530:21:59

What are you saying?

0:21:590:22:01

-So where does it start from here?

-Well, it's just a roll of clay,

0:22:020:22:06

it's made in the smith house, comes out through a machine, like a giant sausage machine.

0:22:060:22:10

-Yeah.

-Comes out here and just cut in a roll.

0:22:100:22:13

So how many of these do you make an hour?

0:22:130:22:15

-You can make about 60 an hour.

-And if you're working hard(?)

0:22:150:22:19

BOTH LAUGH

0:22:190:22:20

-This is going to fall apart.

-No, it won't.

0:22:200:22:23

-You can do this.

-I'll try.

0:22:230:22:24

You can do this!

0:22:240:22:26

Just place it in the middle of the mould.

0:22:260:22:29

It'll be a miracle if it actually gets to the mould.

0:22:290:22:33

You think you're making pizzas, don't you?

0:22:330:22:36

HE LAUGHS

0:22:360:22:38

Pull the gate down.

0:22:380:22:40

You need to press. Foot on there. That releases it.

0:22:520:22:56

-It will come off. There you go.

-Yay!

0:22:570:23:00

I can't believe that actually worked.

0:23:000:23:03

It wasn't that hard, was it?

0:23:030:23:05

Brilliant!

0:23:050:23:08

-The famous 1128. Or Imari.

-Yes, the Imari one.

0:23:080:23:11

These are the patterns that Royal Crown Derby are most well-known for -

0:23:110:23:17

the Imari. Called the Imari because of the influences from the Japanese port of Imari.

0:23:170:23:24

And the port of Imari was exporting porcelain that was mainly red, green, blue and gold.

0:23:240:23:30

Royal Crown Derby started these patterns around 1870

0:23:310:23:35

and this market is still as buoyant today as it was in the 1870s.

0:23:350:23:40

-Karen, hi.

-Hi.

0:23:460:23:48

-I've been told you're the queen of the fettlers.

-I believe so.

0:23:480:23:51

That sounded like something from The Hobbit.

0:23:510:23:54

What is a fettler?

0:23:540:23:56

A fettler is a person that cleans down a piece of work once it's made.

0:23:560:24:01

Clean all the rough edges, any blemishes, any marks.

0:24:010:24:05

Well, if you're working on one that I've just done, there'll be plenty of work to do.

0:24:050:24:09

-Is this one that I made earlier?

-One like you made earlier, yes.

0:24:090:24:13

-It'll have gone round the drying process for a couple of hours.

-OK. Right.

0:24:130:24:17

We've cleaned the edge off with a knife.

0:24:170:24:20

And then we'll use what we call a whirler...

0:24:200:24:22

-just to hold the sponge against the edge. And that is dissolving...

-The plate!

0:24:220:24:28

Yes, it will dissolve the plate if you leave it on there long enough.

0:24:280:24:32

Why couldn't I just have had a straight plate?

0:24:320:24:35

-A lot easier.

-Wouldn't have been so interesting for you.

0:24:350:24:38

-There you go. The next one's yours.

-I knew this was coming.

0:24:380:24:41

That's it.

0:24:430:24:44

That doesn't look like you were doing it at all.

0:24:440:24:47

-That would be enough.

-Are you sure?

-Yeah. That's fine.

0:24:500:24:53

You're just being kind. ..Excuse me, would this pass?

0:24:530:24:57

-You'd pass that, wouldn't you?

-Yeah.

0:24:570:24:59

OK, now this is where I drop it.

0:25:030:25:06

-Not too bad.

-That looks fine.

0:25:080:25:11

We can send that on its way now to be inspected.

0:25:110:25:14

-And who inspects it?

-Christine will inspect that.

0:25:140:25:17

-Be kind!

-I will.

-Thanks very much. Thanks.

0:25:170:25:22

-That's lovely.

-Is that all right?

-Yeah, it's OK.

-Thank goodness for that.

0:25:320:25:36

The last time I saw my plate, it was unfired clay.

0:25:440:25:47

Since then, it's been fired, glazed, fired again,

0:25:470:25:50

then the underglaze blue and fired again.

0:25:500:25:53

And it's been decorated and gilded and fired again,

0:25:530:25:58

but now it's ready for the final stage, my gilding.

0:25:580:26:02

-Emma, hi.

-Hello.

0:26:090:26:11

Right. It's starting to look like the 1128 pattern that I recognise.

0:26:110:26:15

-So you're filling in the white gaps.

-Anything you see that's white,

0:26:150:26:20

we will fill with 24-carat gold and then it will go off to be fired and burnished.

0:26:200:26:24

-Right. Now, I was always told that the gilder's job was the most responsible one.

-Yeah.

0:26:240:26:30

If you make a mess, all the work that everybody else has done is ruined, isn't it?

0:26:300:26:34

-No pressure(!)

-No pressure. Right, great. Thanks very much.

0:26:340:26:37

-Would you like to have a go?

-Come on. Right, here goes.

0:26:370:26:41

-Right.

-Right.

0:26:430:26:46

It's brown. Why does it look brown?

0:26:460:26:48

Because all the oils and the chemicals that are in the gold,

0:26:480:26:54

and then when it's fired, all of those come out. And that's why it goes into burnishing.

0:26:540:26:59

-Everything that's left on the top gets burnished out and the gold's left underneath.

-OK.

0:26:590:27:03

-It's...

-Ooh!

-No, that's fine.

0:27:030:27:06

If you need a cloth, we have one there.

0:27:060:27:09

I'm going to need more than a cloth, I think!

0:27:090:27:11

We're going to need a whole sink. So we get it quite close, do we?

0:27:110:27:14

Yeah. Just take a little gold off your brush so you don't run.

0:27:140:27:17

-That's it.

-I haven't run in years.

0:27:170:27:20

SHE GIGGLES

0:27:200:27:22

Fantastic!

0:27:220:27:24

I think you could get a job here if you wanted.

0:27:240:27:27

You've got a very steady hand. I'm impressed.

0:27:270:27:31

I've gone over here.

0:27:310:27:33

Just put your brush down, pick up the cloth. That's it.

0:27:330:27:37

That's it. And just wipe it off.

0:27:390:27:41

-Fantastic!

-I've still not done it.

0:27:410:27:45

This is just not easy, is it? It really isn't.

0:27:450:27:48

It's like anything else - practice makes perfect.

0:27:480:27:51

It is.

0:27:510:27:53

I've been doing this for 15 years now and I'm still learning every day.

0:27:530:27:57

-So... It can be a lot of fun sometimes. It's a lovely job.

-Very rewarding.

0:27:570:28:03

It is. And if you've got an artistic nature,

0:28:030:28:07

then it is a really fulfilling job.

0:28:070:28:10

That's very good.

0:28:100:28:12

Are you sure you don't want a job here?

0:28:120:28:15

Do you know, I love Royal Crown Derby,

0:28:150:28:18

and to see a factory employing real human beings,

0:28:180:28:24

not doing everything by machine, is lovely.

0:28:240:28:27

Yeah. And this will be a completely unique and individual piece.

0:28:270:28:33

You're telling me!

0:28:330:28:35

That's one word for it!

0:28:350:28:36

Ah, no!

0:28:360:28:39

The next stage is, it'll be fired,

0:28:390:28:40

then it'll be moved on into burnishing where it'll be polished up

0:28:400:28:44

and the end product will be what you see in the shop.

0:28:440:28:47

Finished! Look at my plate!

0:28:490:28:52

I'm so proud of it! OK, I didn't do all of it but I did some.

0:28:520:28:55

I've sold these for years and years and I always appreciated them,

0:28:550:29:00

but I appreciate them even more

0:29:000:29:03

now I know how much work goes into them.

0:29:030:29:05

One thing is for sure, I am not going to give up the day job,

0:29:050:29:11

I'm going back to auctioneering.

0:29:110:29:12

And the great thing about Royal Crown Derby

0:29:140:29:16

is it's still out there to be collected.

0:29:160:29:18

And if you can find an Imari piece from around 1870,

0:29:180:29:21

it could be worth several thousand pounds.

0:29:210:29:23

James Lewis may have lost his heart to those wonderful ceramics,

0:29:250:29:28

but for David Fletcher, his passion lies with another great British icon.

0:29:280:29:34

It's a car mascot...

0:29:340:29:37

modelled as a cartoon character called Old Bill,

0:29:370:29:41

created by a man called Bruce Bairnsfather.

0:29:410:29:45

And this is a model of Old Bill, a bust of Old Bill made in bronze.

0:29:450:29:51

The helmet's actually signed Bruce Bairnsfather.

0:29:510:29:54

He was a Tommy, a British soldier

0:29:540:29:56

who got up to all sorts of escapades

0:29:560:29:59

and found himself in pretty grisly situations,

0:29:590:30:02

as you might expect any poor soldier in the First World War to experience.

0:30:020:30:07

And people used to decorate their car radiators with objects like this.

0:30:070:30:13

They would affix them to the radiator cap.

0:30:130:30:15

I would save this because... it belonged to my dad.

0:30:150:30:22

So for purely personal, sentimental reasons, really,

0:30:220:30:27

he collected anything to do with Old Bill.

0:30:270:30:31

And when he died, we sold his collection with the exception of this particular piece.

0:30:310:30:36

And did you know that the police are referred to as the Old Bill

0:30:360:30:42

because in the early 1920s they used to have moustaches like this.

0:30:420:30:47

Still to come - we reveal how when it comes to rare British gems,

0:30:510:30:56

beauty isn't everything.

0:30:560:30:57

Very, very crudely modelled. Just what the collector's looking for.

0:30:570:31:02

We'll show you how to spot a real mouse from a fake.

0:31:020:31:06

It's all about patination, about colour.

0:31:060:31:09

And when it comes to buying back our cultural heritage,

0:31:090:31:12

we discover just how far national pride can raise the stakes.

0:31:120:31:16

The Scots are a very proud, passionate race.

0:31:160:31:19

Never expected anything like that.

0:31:190:31:21

There are some wonderful works of art out there, great names and superb antiques,

0:31:240:31:28

and we want to give you some more information on what makes them special.

0:31:280:31:33

'You know one of my passions is wood,

0:31:330:31:35

'beautifully crafted individual pieces.

0:31:350:31:38

'So when some of Robert "Mouseman" Thompson's work

0:31:380:31:41

'makes an appearance...'

0:31:410:31:42

You don't like mice? '..it always grabs my attention.'

0:31:420:31:45

Selling at 380.

0:31:450:31:48

-Always does the business.

-That's amazing.

0:31:480:31:51

He was a traditional British craftsman

0:31:510:31:54

who devoted his working life to the quintessential English oak.

0:31:540:31:58

This gorgeous stool was bought in a house clearance by Lindsey and it's an example of Mouseman's early work.

0:31:580:32:04

You have made my day.

0:32:040:32:06

Look at the grain on the oak!

0:32:060:32:08

£430. Any advance on £430?

0:32:080:32:13

-Yes!

-Lovely!

0:32:130:32:15

That's the most expensive Mouseman piece we've sold on Flog It!

0:32:150:32:19

But regular expert and Thompson fan, James Lewis, can go one better.

0:32:190:32:25

Interestingly, I actually have the world record for the highest price ever achieved with a Mouseman.

0:32:250:32:30

It was a dining room suite for 39,000 made in 1933.

0:32:300:32:35

The Mouseman's work dates from the 1920s to the present day,

0:32:360:32:41

with a family-run company continuing the handcrafted furniture tradition.

0:32:410:32:45

So how do you spot an early and more valuable work?

0:32:450:32:49

Well, check out that iconic symbol, look at the mouse carefully!

0:32:490:32:53

It will have plenty to tell you.

0:32:530:32:56

Slender mice with longer tails denote an early work.

0:32:560:33:00

More modern pieces will have a robust, stockier mouse with a shorter tail.

0:33:000:33:05

The legs are another clue. From the 1930s,

0:33:050:33:08

the mice were carved without front feet.

0:33:080:33:11

So if the little critter has all four legs,

0:33:110:33:14

you've found a very early piece dating to the 1920s.

0:33:140:33:18

Lastly, run a metal detector over the item.

0:33:180:33:22

Screws were used by the workshop only after Thompson's death in 1955.

0:33:220:33:28

So if the mouse squeaks, you know it's a modern piece.

0:33:280:33:34

Robert Thompson was born in Kilburn in North Yorkshire in 1876.

0:33:340:33:38

Self-taught, he used traditional tools to handcraft English oak into beautiful tactile pieces.

0:33:380:33:46

He started by carving pieces for municipal buildings and churches in his local area.

0:33:460:33:52

Like this work in St Mary's Church in Kilburn.

0:33:520:33:56

But it was his experimental furniture designs

0:33:560:33:59

that breathed new life into 17th century classical styles,

0:33:590:34:02

which really brought him to prominence

0:34:020:34:04

and has meant his name is one to watch out for even today.

0:34:040:34:09

That famous mouse icon has an uncertain history,

0:34:110:34:14

but according to Thompson himself, it all started as a joke.

0:34:140:34:17

While working in a church, one of his colleagues happened to remark,

0:34:170:34:21

"We are all as poor as church mice."

0:34:210:34:24

Thompson then carved a small mouse to the church screen he was finishing

0:34:240:34:28

and from then on, the mouse symbol

0:34:280:34:31

appeared on every piece Thompson crafted.

0:34:310:34:33

And like most things of quality, there are always imitations

0:34:330:34:36

so you need to watch out for fakes.

0:34:360:34:39

It's all about patination, about colour, about feel.

0:34:390:34:45

The modern outright fake is copying the English oak,

0:34:450:34:50

but the oak isn't seasoned well enough,

0:34:500:34:53

it's a slightly different colour,

0:34:530:34:56

but they do also copy the mouse signature.

0:34:560:34:59

Interestingly, that first mouse has never been found,

0:35:010:35:03

so next time you come across a piece of old oak furniture

0:35:030:35:07

take a close look.

0:35:070:35:08

You could rediscover a historic piece of traditional English craftsmanship.

0:35:080:35:13

Remember those clues -

0:35:140:35:15

it'll be slender with a long tail and front legs,

0:35:150:35:18

and clearly recognisable whiskers.

0:35:180:35:22

Let the mouse hunt begin!

0:35:220:35:25

There's something about the famous names in the world of antiques

0:35:290:35:33

that still sends a shiver down my spine - Wedgewood, Moorcroft,

0:35:330:35:36

and, of course, my personal favourite, Thomas Chippendale.

0:35:360:35:41

As an Englishman, it makes me feel incredibly proud.

0:35:410:35:44

There are other nations that are just as proud of their history and heritage,

0:35:440:35:47

and on "Flog It!" over the years, we frequently visit

0:35:470:35:51

Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

0:35:510:35:53

And some of the items that are brought in to show our experts

0:35:530:35:56

are amongst the most interesting we have ever come across.

0:35:560:36:00

But what makes them so?

0:36:000:36:01

If I've learned anything over the years,

0:36:030:36:05

it's never to judge a book by its cover, as Mark discovered

0:36:050:36:08

when he came across this dog-eared piece of pottery in Wales.

0:36:080:36:12

Of course, I'm a Welshman. I was born in Wales.

0:36:120:36:16

I do remember Merthyr Tydfil.

0:36:160:36:18

I was hoping to see some nice local Welsh pottery

0:36:180:36:20

and you've brought this wonderful object in to show us.

0:36:200:36:23

You didn't get it from Battersea Dogs Home, I presume?

0:36:230:36:25

No. When we lived in Shropshire, we met an elderly lady

0:36:250:36:30

who'd just retired from running a public house,

0:36:300:36:33

and she wanted to sell some of her things,

0:36:330:36:35

because she didn't have room for them all

0:36:350:36:38

and my husband bought the dog.

0:36:380:36:40

So can you remember what you paid for it, John?

0:36:400:36:42

-£4.

-£4?!

-I didn't know really what it was worth.

0:36:420:36:47

Well, I think it's quite a good buy.

0:36:470:36:49

-When was this?

-Oh, about 15 years ago.

0:36:490:36:52

So if we actually take a look now at the dog.

0:36:520:36:55

Now, I'd like him to be a collie, a Welsh collie.

0:36:550:36:58

And he's got this lovely short nose. Maybe we'll create a new breed

0:36:580:37:02

and call it a short-nosed Welsh collie.

0:37:020:37:05

But it's by the wonderful factory Ewenny.

0:37:050:37:07

Ewenny Pottery mark there, 1901 underneath, which is great.

0:37:070:37:11

The Ewenny village in the Vale of Glamorgan

0:37:110:37:14

has had a number of potteries for many years,

0:37:140:37:16

right back to the late 17th century.

0:37:160:37:20

A lot of the factories closed down

0:37:200:37:22

during the first Industrial Revolution,

0:37:220:37:24

and a handful of family potters still existed.

0:37:240:37:27

If you want my honest opinion,

0:37:270:37:29

I think it would've been one of a pair, maybe, originally.

0:37:290:37:33

There is a little bit of flaking on the glaze,

0:37:330:37:35

but it's a very fragile pottery anyway,

0:37:350:37:38

a bit like Wemyss and Majolica,

0:37:380:37:39

so collectors are willing to overlook a little bit of damage.

0:37:390:37:43

This particular factory, taking its name from the village -

0:37:430:37:47

Ewenny Pottery -

0:37:470:37:48

revived the whole handcraft movement at the end of the 19th century.

0:37:480:37:53

The arts and crafts were boundless.

0:37:530:37:56

I mean, people wanted to go back to basics, really.

0:37:560:37:59

To go back to those handmade, distinctive pieces.

0:37:590:38:03

They captured that market in Ewenny in a very distinctive Welsh way.

0:38:030:38:09

It is nicely signed and dated, and I would probably put an estimate

0:38:090:38:13

to attract people in of £100 to £150,

0:38:130:38:16

which is not bad on the £4 you paid.

0:38:160:38:19

-Would you be happy to do that?

-Yes.

-Yes, yes.

0:38:190:38:23

Why have you decided to sell him now?

0:38:230:38:26

Well, we thought we should bring him back to Wales, where he belongs.

0:38:260:38:30

-You've brought him home.

-Yes.

0:38:300:38:32

A little corker.

0:38:320:38:33

Very, very crudely modelled. Just what the collector's looking for.

0:38:330:38:38

Marcus put a valuation of £100 to £150 on this.

0:38:440:38:48

Now, I've had a chat to a Ewenny expert, OK?

0:38:480:38:50

A chap called Ieuan. Now he has put a different valuation on this.

0:38:500:38:55

-Oh?

-What if I said to you it might make £300.

0:38:550:38:58

-Would you be really happy?

-Wow. I'd be really happy.

0:38:580:39:02

-OK. Mark.

-Yes?

-Slight under-valuation there.

0:39:020:39:05

We don't know yet. It hasn't been sold.

0:39:050:39:07

We're going to find out right now. Good luck.

0:39:070:39:10

Ewenny figure of a dog, start me straight in at £160.

0:39:100:39:14

£170, 180, 190, 200 and 10,

0:39:140:39:17

220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270 - takes me out.

0:39:170:39:22

Fantastic! It made it a real pedigree hound.

0:39:220:39:25

£420, 430, 440, 450,

0:39:250:39:28

460, 470, 480...

0:39:280:39:31

..490, 500 - make it 20.

0:39:320:39:35

Oh, wow!

0:39:350:39:37

520, 550, 580, 600.

0:39:370:39:41

At £600. On my right, at 600. Are we all done at 600?

0:39:410:39:45

Yes!

0:39:450:39:46

Fantastic!

0:39:460:39:48

-£600.

-Fantastic.

0:39:480:39:49

-How do you feel about that?

-Great!

-Brilliant.

0:39:490:39:53

-So tremendous, really.

-Very, very good.

-Great.

0:39:530:39:57

They decided to bring the Welsh dog back home

0:39:570:40:01

and how right they were to do so.

0:40:010:40:03

Because...it was the right place to sell it.

0:40:030:40:07

Wow! £4 becomes £600.

0:40:070:40:11

By selling in the right place, you too could earn a pretty profit.

0:40:110:40:15

And whether it's pottery or pictures,

0:40:150:40:17

wherever we go in the UK, our experts are always looking

0:40:170:40:20

to unearth those national treasures.

0:40:200:40:23

Of particular interest are artists from the part of the country we're working in.

0:40:230:40:29

And there was one lovely picture - a watercolour in Belfast.

0:40:290:40:34

Malachy, thank you for bringing this lovely

0:40:340:40:37

watercolour by Joseph William Carey along to "Flog It!" today.

0:40:370:40:42

Not at all. Thank you very much for having me.

0:40:420:40:45

I'm just enjoying it so much!

0:40:450:40:48

This work is very typical of this artist -

0:40:480:40:52

gentle, muted colours,

0:40:520:40:54

expressing the softness and the beauty of the Irish landscape.

0:40:540:40:59

He was a member of the Royal Ulster Academy,

0:40:590:41:02

and he travelled about in Ireland a lot, different places,

0:41:020:41:06

painting the scenery.

0:41:060:41:09

And this one is the Pass of Kylemore in Connemara.

0:41:090:41:15

It's of particular interest to be in a part of the country

0:41:150:41:18

and have an artist that you are perhaps unfamiliar with

0:41:180:41:22

being shown to you.

0:41:220:41:24

Tell me, where did you get it?

0:41:240:41:26

-I bought it in an antique shop.

-How long ago?

-Roughly about 40 years.

0:41:260:41:30

40 years. Did you pay a lot of money for it at that time?

0:41:300:41:34

I never like to pay much for anything, so I don't think I would've!

0:41:340:41:37

You sound like a Scot!

0:41:370:41:39

I can't remember offhand,

0:41:400:41:42

but we didn't consider it expensive at the time.

0:41:420:41:45

It was more that we fancied that view there

0:41:450:41:48

-and bought it for that reason.

-Yeah. Uh-huh.

0:41:480:41:51

-So, has it been on the wall?

-Not since we moved about ten years ago.

0:41:510:41:55

A picture should be on the wall.

0:41:550:41:58

The artist's heart and soul is in that item.

0:41:580:42:04

If you love a picture, it should be on the wall.

0:42:040:42:07

If you don't love it, pass it on to someone who will.

0:42:070:42:10

Now, on price, this artist is doing well.

0:42:100:42:15

I would like to estimate it in the region of 600-800.

0:42:150:42:19

-Yes.

-Would you be happy to sell it at that?

0:42:190:42:22

I... Well...

0:42:220:42:24

I'd been hoping you'd be saying half a million or something.

0:42:240:42:27

I could've bought a couple of houses.

0:42:270:42:29

Well, wouldn't we all?

0:42:290:42:30

-Irish artist, Irish saleroom.

-How exciting is this?

0:42:350:42:39

-I've been waiting for this moment. This is it. Good luck.

-Thank you.

0:42:390:42:43

Joseph William Carey. Pass of Kylemore, Connemara.

0:42:430:42:47

Watercolour drawing.

0:42:470:42:48

It's signed and dated 1915.

0:42:480:42:52

We'll say 800, 700, 600, we'll take £500 to open a bid. 500.

0:42:520:42:57

Back of the room at 500, 520, 550. At £550 for the Carey. At 550.

0:42:570:43:04

At £550. You all done at £550 for the Carey? Bidder is outside at 580.

0:43:040:43:10

£580 I have now for the Carey.

0:43:100:43:14

-At £580.

-One more!

-At £580 for the Carey picture. At 580?

0:43:140:43:19

-You all finished at £580? I'm letting it go.

-He's going to sell.

0:43:190:43:23

-He's going to sell.

-Last call at 580.

0:43:230:43:27

-You're happy with that.

-Hmm.

0:43:270:43:30

This type of early 20th century watercolour landscape is perhaps not

0:43:300:43:37

just quite as desirable in today's market as it was 20 years ago.

0:43:370:43:44

Malachy bought it as a holiday souvenir because he liked it,

0:43:450:43:48

which should always be your guide - buy what grabs you.

0:43:480:43:52

The thing to remember, that as a nation we might be insular,

0:44:010:44:05

but we travel around our country fairly extensively,

0:44:050:44:08

so it doesn't surprise me

0:44:080:44:09

to find something from the north of Scotland on the south coast.

0:44:090:44:13

We come down to the southern most tip of the country, Southampton,

0:44:130:44:16

and you appear with something from Scotland.

0:44:160:44:18

You couldn't get much further away. Did you know it was from Scotland.

0:44:180:44:21

Oh, yes, yes. Of course.

0:44:210:44:23

So, how did you come by this?

0:44:230:44:25

At one time I was a publican,

0:44:250:44:28

and a customer of mine who was a little bit...

0:44:280:44:32

He turned around and asked me to buy it off of him.

0:44:320:44:34

Yeah? Was he a Scot?

0:44:340:44:35

Yes, he was a Scotsman, yeah.

0:44:350:44:37

I'd never heard of a skint Scot.

0:44:370:44:39

And who put a price on it - you or him?

0:44:390:44:42

-He did originally, but I pulled him down.

-What did you pay for it?

-£40.

0:44:420:44:48

-How long ago?

-20 years ago. 25.

0:44:480:44:51

It was a lovely story.

0:44:510:44:53

And I only ever believe what I'm told.

0:44:530:44:57

Basically, this would have been worn with a kilt,

0:44:570:45:00

and it's a little bit of Scottish ceremonial dress.

0:45:000:45:03

If we just take it all out...

0:45:030:45:05

we've got the little fork there.

0:45:050:45:07

And there...we've got the knife.

0:45:070:45:11

And there...we've got the real granddaddy of the knives,

0:45:120:45:17

or dagger.

0:45:170:45:19

This is a polished cairngorm stone here.

0:45:190:45:22

These aren't hallmarked silver, so they're just plated or white metal.

0:45:220:45:26

They can date from anything from late Victorian times, 1880,

0:45:260:45:31

through to 1920, perhaps 1930.

0:45:310:45:33

It's called a sgian-dubh.

0:45:330:45:35

It's a nightmare for auctioneers

0:45:350:45:37

when you have to catalogue words like sgian-dubh.

0:45:370:45:39

It's best to say it quickly in a dictaphone and get someone else to look it up.

0:45:390:45:43

I used to be a teacher, and I resigned after eight weeks saving

0:45:430:45:46

a whole generation of children from absolute academic, educational nightmare.

0:45:460:45:52

I mean, my grammar is dreadful and I can't spell.

0:45:520:45:55

So, "dirk" I can manage, D-I-R-K, but sgian-dubh?

0:45:550:45:59

How on earth do you spell sgian-dubh?

0:45:590:46:01

-I think it'll make £200 to £300.

-Do you?

0:46:010:46:04

Yeah, I think we can put a reserve on it of £200,

0:46:040:46:06

-and I hope you'll be happy with the result.

-I would be.

-Good-oh.

0:46:060:46:10

I don't want you using that on me!

0:46:100:46:12

No matter how sharp its credentials,

0:46:140:46:16

will a Scottish sgian-dubh bought for £40,

0:46:160:46:18

be overlooked in the Southampton saleroom?

0:46:180:46:22

Start at £300. 320, 350, 380, 400...

0:46:220:46:28

Today with the internet, with live bidding in salesrooms,

0:46:280:46:31

with marketing,

0:46:310:46:33

the local auction room almost becomes nationwide or international.

0:46:330:46:39

At £800, I'll take 50 anywhere. 850 at the back.

0:46:390:46:44

The Scots are a very proud, passionate race.

0:46:440:46:46

They wear their kilts, they wear their dress uniform

0:46:460:46:51

and dirks and sgian-dubh are part of that.

0:46:510:46:53

And if you want to buy a really smart dirk or sgian-dubh

0:46:530:46:57

that is the finishing touch to your kilt of your clan,

0:46:570:47:01

it's not a lot to pay, really.

0:47:010:47:03

£900, 900, 950, 1,000 and 50,

0:47:030:47:07

£1,050 - right at the back at 1,050.

0:47:070:47:12

Selling at 1,050.

0:47:120:47:15

Yes, £1,050!

0:47:150:47:17

"Flog It!" is at the cutting edge! How about that!?

0:47:170:47:20

It's wonderful.

0:47:200:47:21

I never expected anything like that.

0:47:210:47:23

So, here are my top tips -

0:47:260:47:30

always buy something that catches your eye.

0:47:300:47:32

If you like it, the chances are, someone else will.

0:47:320:47:36

Fix your budget and stick to it.

0:47:360:47:39

And know when condition DOES matter.

0:47:390:47:41

Sometimes you can get away with a bit of damage.

0:47:410:47:44

And when it comes to selling, be on-trend.

0:47:440:47:47

Knowing when and where to auction

0:47:470:47:49

will maximise your chances of a good sale.

0:47:490:47:52

I'm a big fan of Newlyn copper.

0:47:570:47:59

It's the stories behind the item that evoke an image of a bygone era

0:47:590:48:03

and a lost community. So back in 2006, I jumped at the chance

0:48:030:48:07

to visit the Newlyn copper works to find out a little bit more about

0:48:070:48:11

an important slice of local history.

0:48:110:48:13

Newlyn has always been one of the country's most important fishing ports

0:48:190:48:23

and indeed it still is today, as you can see.

0:48:230:48:25

But back in the 19th century,

0:48:250:48:27

when the weather was really bad, the fishermen couldn't go to sea,

0:48:270:48:31

they couldn't earn their living.

0:48:310:48:32

But all that changed in 1888,

0:48:320:48:34

when John Drew McKenzie arrived on the scene.

0:48:340:48:37

He was an established artist and illustrator

0:48:370:48:40

and he took pity on the fishermen, he wanted to help them,

0:48:400:48:43

so he taught them handicraft skills.

0:48:430:48:45

He set up the Newlyn Industrial Class

0:48:450:48:48

to teach those necessary skills.

0:48:480:48:51

The fishermen were used to handling copper, as they often used it for boat repairs.

0:48:510:48:56

It was so readily available

0:48:560:48:57

and became the material of choice for the craft workshop.

0:48:570:49:02

However, the skill and creative influence

0:49:020:49:04

needed to produce fine pieces of art

0:49:040:49:07

was down to a chap called John Pearson

0:49:070:49:10

who came to Newlyn in 1892.

0:49:100:49:11

He taught at the Industrial Class for seven years.

0:49:110:49:15

Pearson was a very skilled copper worker,

0:49:150:49:17

and soon the Newlyn workshops were making wonderful things,

0:49:170:49:21

which today are highly desirable.

0:49:210:49:24

And I'm going to find out if anything's changed over the years,

0:49:240:49:26

and the man I want to meet is principle craftsman Mike Johnson,

0:49:260:49:29

and he's in here - The Copper Works.

0:49:290:49:31

-Mike, I'm sorry to stop you in mid-bash.

-Not at all.

0:49:360:49:38

Should I say that really? You are bashing away, but you're actually

0:49:380:49:41

fashioning this into shape.

0:49:410:49:43

What are you working on?

0:49:430:49:45

It's a font for Trinity Church.

0:49:450:49:47

It's part of a commission they've asked us to do.

0:49:470:49:49

They want a font, they want a lectern, a communion table,

0:49:490:49:51

-benches - the whole lot.

-Right.

0:49:510:49:53

Oak and copper furnishings for the new Trinity church.

0:49:530:49:56

What brought you to Newlyn?

0:49:560:49:58

I moved down about 15 years ago to work with my uncle, initially,

0:49:580:50:01

working on the films, making suits of armour.

0:50:010:50:04

-But my passion had always been copper.

-Newlyn copper?

0:50:040:50:08

Newlyn copper. And so I decided to move away from the film work,

0:50:080:50:11

and go into working in copper full-time.

0:50:110:50:13

-So as a young lad, you were obviously aware of Drew McKenzie and John Pearson.

-Yeah.

0:50:130:50:18

And you collected Newlyn copper?

0:50:180:50:19

Yeah, I started late, started in the '80s, but it was beautiful work,

0:50:190:50:25

exquisite work, and affordable then. Now...

0:50:250:50:28

It's very, very collectable!

0:50:280:50:30

So, that was it. That kick started the passion.

0:50:300:50:32

OK, talk me through how you take a sheet of metal and get it like this.

0:50:320:50:35

Well, that's nearly finished, so I'll start you from scratch.

0:50:350:50:38

-Here's a couple of the big persuaders!

-Right.

0:50:400:50:44

-Feel the weight in those.

-Gosh! Gosh.

0:50:440:50:48

-So, basically you let gravity do the work.

-Exactly. Yeah, exactly.

0:50:480:50:51

Let gravity do it, not you.

0:50:510:50:52

-Start from the end, and work your way around.

-It's a noisy old job!

0:50:520:50:59

Very noisy, yeah.

0:50:590:51:01

So, work your way around the bowl...

0:51:010:51:03

..and so on, until you get the whole bowl completely dished.

0:51:050:51:08

It's so pliable and soft. It's a wonderful metal to work with.

0:51:080:51:12

The next stage, once you have the bowl dished up,

0:51:120:51:14

-is to planish it and remove all the dents you've put into it.

-Right.

0:51:140:51:18

So I'll hammer away.

0:51:180:51:19

This is incredibly clever.

0:51:260:51:28

And, obviously, the longer you're hitting it, the harder it's getting.

0:51:280:51:32

Absolutely. And if you want to take it to say a repousse stage,

0:51:320:51:34

and you want it softer again, heat the metal until it's red hot,

0:51:340:51:38

drop it in cold water, and it loosens the copper up again.

0:51:380:51:40

And then you can work on smaller little fishes, impregnations of bubbles and seaweed...

0:51:400:51:44

Exactly. Yeah. Exactly.

0:51:440:51:46

OK, what's the next stage?

0:51:460:51:47

How do you get it to sort of reflect all the light, bounce...

0:51:470:51:51

-I'll take you back to the font.

-..and look alive?

0:51:510:51:54

To help bounce light up through the water and give that sparkle,

0:51:540:51:58

we've gone for a really fine ball peening all the way through.

0:51:580:52:01

So there's about two days of work in just putting in

0:52:010:52:04

endless little ripples all through the copper.

0:52:040:52:07

That's a ball-peen hammer, the round sectioned hammer.

0:52:070:52:09

-Douh-douh-douh-douh.

-Yeah.

0:52:090:52:11

-Hundreds of thousands of those.

-Absolutely, yes.

0:52:110:52:14

In the zone.

0:52:140:52:17

-But it's created, like the skin of an orange now.

-Absolutely.

0:52:170:52:20

Wow. I know you're influenced by Drew McKenzie and Pearson -

0:52:200:52:23

are you frightened to put fish on it, and bubbles and seaweed?

0:52:230:52:28

Yes!

0:52:280:52:30

McKenzie's designs were SO exquisite,

0:52:300:52:32

and so whatever you try and do in a contemporary sense,

0:52:320:52:35

it's always going to be looked at in that context.

0:52:350:52:38

So you're either looked at as trying to be generic deliberately,

0:52:380:52:41

or that you're trying to copy, and mimic.

0:52:410:52:44

Are you asked to do a lot of commission work?

0:52:440:52:46

Yes, these pieces have gone into Liberty's,

0:52:460:52:49

there's stuff in the local galleries down here.

0:52:490:52:52

Yeah, there's a lot of commission work.

0:52:520:52:54

You can't go wrong with Liberty's for a main client.

0:52:540:52:56

-No.

-That's where it all started.

-Very flattering, exactly.

0:52:560:52:59

But Mike doesn't only work to his own designs,

0:53:000:53:03

he's about to restore a Newlyn landmark, made by the original

0:53:030:53:07

Newlyn School coppersmiths.

0:53:070:53:09

I've got the copper galleon

0:53:090:53:11

here off the roof from the Fishermen's Mission in Newlyn.

0:53:110:53:13

It's probably one of the most important pieces in Newlyn.

0:53:130:53:16

-Hence all the weathering.

-It's been up there since 1911!

0:53:160:53:20

But this was an early Newlyn copper piece made by the lads.

0:53:200:53:23

-That's an iconic landmark, really.

-It is.

0:53:230:53:25

-I'm surprised it hadn't been stolen.

-It's a long way up!

0:53:250:53:28

20 or 30 metres up on a roof. You'd have to be very keen.

0:53:280:53:32

So what have you got to do to this?

0:53:320:53:34

It needs stripping. It's been gilded and painted over the years.

0:53:340:53:38

So we'll carefully strip it all back to copper,

0:53:380:53:40

we'll re-gild it and we'll re-rig it, as well.

0:53:400:53:42

A lot of the rigging has got quite tatty.

0:53:420:53:44

And get it ready for its next 100 years.

0:53:440:53:47

-Then put it back up on the roof?

-It'll go back up on the roof.

0:53:470:53:49

Well, that was a real delight.

0:53:520:53:54

It's wonderful to meet craftsmen and experts in their own field,

0:53:540:53:57

and talking of experts, it's time to catch up with our very own.

0:53:570:54:00

And here's Philip with some cleaning tips.

0:54:000:54:03

So many people think the best way to clean a piece of copper is to

0:54:030:54:07

get some wire wool or some acid or whatever.

0:54:070:54:09

And they try and rub it clean and buff it up.

0:54:090:54:12

I'd rather see it completely unpolished than that.

0:54:120:54:14

There's a good tip for you, ladies. Never polish copper.

0:54:140:54:18

Well, now we know who keeps the Serrell household tidy.

0:54:180:54:21

Lots of you have told me at our valuation days that "Flog it!"

0:54:220:54:25

has inspired you to go out and explore the world of art and antiques.

0:54:250:54:29

But what was it that first inspired our experts?

0:54:290:54:32

Well, I'd like to show you the first piece of silver I ever bought,

0:54:340:54:37

but growing up to be a silver dealer meant that I sold

0:54:370:54:40

all the pieces of silver I've ever had.

0:54:400:54:43

What you don't sell when you're a silver dealer are your books.

0:54:430:54:47

And they're actually the most value to you.

0:54:470:54:49

And this is special because it's... I mean, it's a very modest book.

0:54:490:54:53

And now I know it's full of inaccuracies,

0:54:530:54:56

because I've corrected some of them myself, which is fantastic,

0:54:560:54:59

but this is my first hallmark book.

0:54:590:55:01

And you can date a hallmark book.

0:55:010:55:03

If you look at a working assay office...

0:55:030:55:06

so you take Birmingham, which is ongoing, and...1985.

0:55:060:55:10

That's when I got it.

0:55:110:55:13

£1.75 and I've used it for...ten or 15 years after that.

0:55:130:55:17

So every bit of silver I looked at, I was looking it up in this.

0:55:170:55:20

A bit redundant now and a bit tatty and a bit awful.

0:55:200:55:23

But I can't bear to part with it.

0:55:230:55:26

Knowing the hallmarks puts you ahead of the game.

0:55:270:55:30

With a smartphone you can have them on the palm of your hand

0:55:300:55:33

when browsing for the best of British buys.

0:55:330:55:36

I've often wondered what some of our successful owners have done

0:55:400:55:44

with the money in the past.

0:55:440:55:46

You probably have as well. So we've caught up with a few of them.

0:55:460:55:49

Anne came along to our Cheshire valuation day in 2010

0:55:520:55:55

and brought a rather unusual brooch, which caught David Fletcher's eye.

0:55:550:56:00

Tell me a bit about it.

0:56:000:56:02

It was given to me on my wedding day 29 years ago

0:56:020:56:05

by my late husband

0:56:050:56:08

and I wore it at our wedding reception, and during our honeymoon.

0:56:080:56:12

-I bet your eyes popped out, didn't they?

-Mm-hm.

0:56:120:56:16

Your loss is our gain, as they say.

0:56:160:56:18

I went with an open mind. I had no idea what value it was.

0:56:180:56:22

-It splits apart. Do you want me to show you?

-Yeah, you show me, please.

0:56:220:56:25

OK, so you're taking it out of it's case - fantastic.

0:56:260:56:29

And you're left with two... or at least a pair of clips.

0:56:290:56:33

So, really, whoever buys this is getting three

0:56:330:56:36

pieces of jewellery for the price of one.

0:56:360:56:39

Fantastic.

0:56:390:56:41

But why do you want to sell it?

0:56:410:56:43

-We've got alpacas...

-Alpacas!

-Yeah.

0:56:430:56:46

And we want to buy some land to keep them on.

0:56:460:56:48

We've got eight.

0:56:480:56:49

Scarlett, Honeysuckle, Buttercup,

0:56:490:56:54

Noah, Jacob, Monty, Daisy

0:56:540:56:58

and Olympia Rose, who was born during the Olympics.

0:56:580:57:01

OK. But I'm not sure how much land an alpaca uses,

0:57:010:57:06

but I think this will make between £1,000 and £1,500.

0:57:060:57:09

It's a sparkler. I do love it, I must admit.

0:57:140:57:17

It's going under the hammer now.

0:57:170:57:18

585. Give me 800.

0:57:180:57:21

800 on the phone. At £800, I'll take 20. 820, 840.

0:57:210:57:26

It was a bit slow to start and I thought it wasn't going to sell.

0:57:260:57:30

And 50. 1,100.

0:57:300:57:32

Sold!

0:57:320:57:34

1,200 and 50.

0:57:340:57:35

1,300. 1,300 on the phone. And 50 in a new place.

0:57:350:57:40

But then all the bidders started and I was very pleased with what I got.

0:57:400:57:43

1,350, now in the room with 1,350.

0:57:430:57:46

Thank you, sir.

0:57:460:57:47

-Yes! Yes, £1,350!

-Yeah.

0:57:470:57:52

-And have you got your eye on some land already?

-Not yet.

0:57:520:57:54

We want to really get enough money together to get enough land for

0:57:540:57:58

when the herd grows.

0:57:580:57:59

So that's a great start for the fund.

0:57:590:58:02

But since then, her empire has expanded in a slightly different direction -

0:58:020:58:06

a new business.

0:58:060:58:08

I've just opened, and I'm really excited about it.

0:58:080:58:11

I'm like a child in a sweet shop.

0:58:110:58:13

I love craft things.

0:58:130:58:15

Meanwhile, Honeysuckle, Noah

0:58:150:58:17

and the gang remain in their rented accommodation.

0:58:170:58:20

But don't worry - they're still very much part of the plan.

0:58:200:58:23

This is a picture of two of our alpacas - Honeysuckle and Buttercup.

0:58:230:58:27

And this is the alpaca wool.

0:58:270:58:29

I can't wait to get our own alpaca wool onto these shelves!

0:58:290:58:34

So it just goes to show, you can turn your unwanted antiques into almost anything.

0:58:350:58:39

Well, that's it for today's show

0:58:410:58:42

and I hope we've given you some food for thought.

0:58:420:58:45

Join me again soon for more inside information and surprising sales.

0:58:450:58:49

But until then, it's goodbye.

0:58:490:58:51

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0:58:590:59:02

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