Best of British Flog It: Trade Secrets

Over the last 11 years on Flog It!,

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

several times over.

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

with beautiful items for our experts to muse over.

Do you take a wee dram?

Only for medicinal purposes! THEY LAUGH

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

filled to the brim with exquisite items of craftsmanship.

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

So, in today's programme,

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

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

antiques and collectibles from up and down the country.

We've got the real granddaddy of the knives.

I don't want you using that on me!

And sometimes it's not just what you have,

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

that really makes a difference.

Oh, wow!

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

best of British.

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

This is where I drop it!

James Lewis visits Derby to learn some trade secrets

from one of Britain's iconic ceramics makers.

This is just not easy, is it?

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

when damage won't dent their appeal.

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

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

the four corners of the United Kingdom.

And there's always a buzz amongst our experts

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

And you never disappoint.

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

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

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

buy one for £500.

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

a little bit of knowledge, turn everything upside down.

Strangely, in our business,

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

when it was made, rather than the object itself.

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

So here are some of our very best finds

and what you can learn from them.

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

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

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

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

Highly decorative wares and models of the 19th century,

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

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

hand-painted fruit by people like Sebright.

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

that was decorated in peacocks.

And you've brought me a lovely example

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

Well, it was my parents'.

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

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

Worcester porcelain is one of the most historic

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

they are widely collected all around the world.

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

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

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

Peacocks in Worcestershire are an unlucky bird,

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

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

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

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

-No, that's courtesy of my father.

Your father did that to preserve it?

-To preserve the lid.

-To preserve the lid.

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

The damage on that vase really didn't count

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

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

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

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

And the date code for this,

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

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

So, if we turn it back round again,

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

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

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

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

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

-20 quid?

-Oh, no...

-I'm joking!

-No, I would say 200.

-OK.

-Does that sound all right?

-Yes.

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

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

every sale he has, he's in Worcestershire

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

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

Lot 760 is this really lovely vase.

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

Straight in there at 400.

At 450. 480. 500, bid.

520. I've got 520 in the room.

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

in Worcester than there is anywhere else.

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

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

-700.

-Oh, my giddy aunt.

-720.

-750. 780.

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

850, 880, 900.

920.

You need to be mindful, all the time,

that whatever you see

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

to get the most that you can for it.

-Oh, Barbara...

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

-£1,100.

-Wow!

-50, is it?

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

1,150, is it?

-1,150.

-This is quite special.

-Yeah.

£1,150. 1,200 in America.

At £1,200,...

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

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

-There's is the bid. In America.

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

-At £1,200, and I sell, then...

-How are you feeling?

-Wonderful!

GAVEL FALLS

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

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

And now this classic English piece has a new home,

thousands of miles away.

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

And one example of that were

the wonderful little fox terrier portraits

that we had on our Wells programme.

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

and I particularly like this little pair of dog portraits.

Could you tell me, where did you get them?

They were bequeathed to my husband by a very dear friend

about 30-odd years ago.

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

-It's time to pass them on?

-Yes.

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

it's J A Wheeler.

Wheeler was not a professional artist.

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

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

Can you tell me a bit about the artist?

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

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

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

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

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

-That's right!

They are very realistic,

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

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

that helped. Animal paintings are universally collected and loved.

And people who have a particular interest

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

I would probably estimate them 150 to 250.

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

-Yep, I should think so.

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

Anita has been conservative with the estimate

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

Will that make a difference?

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

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

-Lovely.

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

We have to start these straight in at £300.

That's what I like. No messing.

580, got to go 600.

-620? 620.

-Highest price of the day.

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

I absolutely love it when the item goes higher.

That gives me a great buzz.

700? 700.

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

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

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

Now 950? 950.

That's astonishing.

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

Are you all sure and done at 950?

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

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

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

The auctioneer's going to work harder for you.

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

Tell me, how did you come about them?

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

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

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

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

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

The Bridlington Excelsior Prize Silver Band.

Things like that are just wonderful.

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

and these lovely instruments all on display.

God, it would have made a noise.

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

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

This polling card, you could never make again.

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

That's why people are after it.

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

-Right.

-Are you happy with that?

-Yes!

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

On the day, the auctioneer had his doubts.

-£300 to £500 on this.

-Hmm...

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

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

they sell best in their own area,

so if you had a great album of Yorkshire cards,

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

This will be a struggle, I think, personally.

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

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

-Yeah, pressure's on.

-Thanks!

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

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

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

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

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

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

-I don't know.

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

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

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

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

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

As an auctioneer, you cannot pray for anything better.

Somebody doing this all the time,

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

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

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

-Not bad.

-This is fantastic.

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

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

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

I thought it would struggle.

Ye of little faith!

500, 510.

510, 520, 530.

It just went on and on and on and on.

550, 560, 570.

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

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

-570, 580, 590...

-Wow!

-..590, 600, 610.

-Absolutely fantastic!

-I know.

-630.

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

Yeah, well, there was quite good things.

660, 670, 670, 680, 690.

-690, 700, 710...

-It's still going on!

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

Janet, £700!

Unbelievable!

I think she was ecstatic.

I reckon it made that money because there were some interesting

black-and-white photographs of the silver band.

There were some colliery photographs.

There was also that piece of political ephemera.

And it was an early card as well.

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

With all those things of local interest...

that's why it made the £700.

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

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

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

-It's Newlyn.

-Newlyn copper.

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

-No, I don't think that has.

-No, it hasn't.

It's slightly Arts and Crafts looking.

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

-What £30 to 50?

-£50.

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

-Absolutely.

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

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

I think that's quite sweet, that.

So what do you know about Newlyn brassware?

Well, I didn't know anything about it.

It was just a present. And then I looked

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

-Really?

-Yeah, really.

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

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

-No.

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

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

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

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

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

-Yeah, well, that'd be handy.

-What would you do with that?

-I'd get some seed potatoes.

-Are you a big gardener?

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

-Yeah.

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

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

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

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

-Somebody will enjoy it, won't they?

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

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

-Oh, thank you.

-And gardening.

-Thank you very much.

Philip valued it at £40.

It's certainly undervalued.

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

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

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

-God grief!

-200 quid, straight in.

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

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

At £240. At 240. I'm bid £250.

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

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

-What do you think?

-I never thought 270...

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

-I'm shaking.

-I'm bid 270.

-At 270. Thank you.

-It went for more than we thought.

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

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

-That's the beauty of this game.

-I thought it was worth about 50 quid.

-We can always learn more.

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.

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

as you travel round the country,

you begin to realise

and you're more aware of different objects.

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

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

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

Buying a British collectible,

if you're buying something from a limited edition,

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

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

Look for iconic things that resemble a period of time.

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

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

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

And now here are some of my trade secrets.

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

so anything connected with our four-legged friend

is very collectible,

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

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

And don't forget, the antiques market is international

and great British names will attract worldwide attention.

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

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

We British are a nation of porcelain lovers.

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

And the great thing about porcelain is,

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

Firstly, in its overall condition

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

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

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

James Lewis lives and works in Derbyshire,

and it's so fitting that among the antiques

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

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

since the Dewsbury factory started work here.

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

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

And for anybody who loves porcelain,

this is just paradise.

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Tim, nice to see you.

-Morning, James.

-Hi.

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

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

What are you saying?

-So where does it start from here?

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

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

-Yeah.

-Comes out here and just cut in a roll.

So how many of these do you make an hour?

-You can make about 60 an hour.

-And if you're working hard(?)

BOTH LAUGH

-This is going to fall apart.

-No, it won't.

-You can do this.

-I'll try.

You can do this!

Just place it in the middle of the mould.

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

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

HE LAUGHS

Pull the gate down.

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

-It will come off. There you go.

-Yay!

I can't believe that actually worked.

It wasn't that hard, was it?

Brilliant!

-The famous 1128. Or Imari.

-Yes, the Imari one.

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

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

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

Royal Crown Derby started these patterns around 1870

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

-Karen, hi.

-Hi.

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

-I believe so.

That sounded like something from The Hobbit.

What is a fettler?

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

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

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

-Is this one that I made earlier?

-One like you made earlier, yes.

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

-OK. Right.

We've cleaned the edge off with a knife.

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

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

-The plate!

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

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

-A lot easier.

-Wouldn't have been so interesting for you.

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

-I knew this was coming.

That's it.

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

-That would be enough.

-Are you sure?

-Yeah. That's fine.

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

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

-Yeah.

OK, now this is where I drop it.

-Not too bad.

-That looks fine.

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

-And who inspects it?

-Christine will inspect that.

-Be kind!

-I will.

-Thanks very much. Thanks.

-That's lovely.

-Is that all right?

-Yeah, it's OK.

-Thank goodness for that.

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

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

then the underglaze blue and fired again.

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

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

-Emma, hi.

-Hello.

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

-So you're filling in the white gaps.

-Anything you see that's white,

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

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

-Yeah.

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

-No pressure(!)

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

-Would you like to have a go?

-Come on. Right, here goes.

-Right.

-Right.

It's brown. Why does it look brown?

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

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

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

-OK.

-It's...

-Ooh!

-No, that's fine.

If you need a cloth, we have one there.

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

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

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

-That's it.

-I haven't run in years.

SHE GIGGLES

Fantastic!

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

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

I've gone over here.

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

That's it. And just wipe it off.

-Fantastic!

-I've still not done it.

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

It's like anything else - practice makes perfect.

It is.

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

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

-Very rewarding.

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

then it is a really fulfilling job.

That's very good.

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

Do you know, I love Royal Crown Derby,

and to see a factory employing real human beings,

not doing everything by machine, is lovely.

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

You're telling me!

That's one word for it!

Ah, no!

The next stage is, it'll be fired,

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

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

Finished! Look at my plate!

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

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

but I appreciate them even more

now I know how much work goes into them.

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

I'm going back to auctioneering.

And the great thing about Royal Crown Derby

is it's still out there to be collected.

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

it could be worth several thousand pounds.

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

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

It's a car mascot...

modelled as a cartoon character called Old Bill,

created by a man called Bruce Bairnsfather.

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

The helmet's actually signed Bruce Bairnsfather.

He was a Tommy, a British soldier

who got up to all sorts of escapades

and found himself in pretty grisly situations,

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

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

They would affix them to the radiator cap.

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

So for purely personal, sentimental reasons, really,

he collected anything to do with Old Bill.

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

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

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

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

beauty isn't everything.

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

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

It's all about patination, about colour.

And when it comes to buying back our cultural heritage,

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

The Scots are a very proud, passionate race.

Never expected anything like that.

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

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

'You know one of my passions is wood,

'beautifully crafted individual pieces.

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

'makes an appearance...'

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

Selling at 380.

-Always does the business.

-That's amazing.

He was a traditional British craftsman

who devoted his working life to the quintessential English oak.

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

You have made my day.

Look at the grain on the oak!

£430. Any advance on £430?

-Yes!

-Lovely!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It will have plenty to tell you.

Slender mice with longer tails denote an early work.

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

The legs are another clue. From the 1930s,

the mice were carved without front feet.

So if the little critter has all four legs,

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

Lastly, run a metal detector over the item.

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

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

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

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

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

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

But it was his experimental furniture designs

that breathed new life into 17th century classical styles,

which really brought him to prominence

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

That famous mouse icon has an uncertain history,

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

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

"We are all as poor as church mice."

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

and from then on, the mouse symbol

appeared on every piece Thompson crafted.

And like most things of quality, there are always imitations

so you need to watch out for fakes.

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

The modern outright fake is copying the English oak,

but the oak isn't seasoned well enough,

it's a slightly different colour,

but they do also copy the mouse signature.

Interestingly, that first mouse has never been found,

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

take a close look.

You could rediscover a historic piece of traditional English craftsmanship.

Remember those clues -

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

and clearly recognisable whiskers.

Let the mouse hunt begin!

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

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

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

As an Englishman, it makes me feel incredibly proud.

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

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

Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

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

are amongst the most interesting we have ever come across.

But what makes them so?

If I've learned anything over the years,

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

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

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

I do remember Merthyr Tydfil.

I was hoping to see some nice local Welsh pottery

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

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

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

who'd just retired from running a public house,

and she wanted to sell some of her things,

because she didn't have room for them all

and my husband bought the dog.

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

-£4.

-£4?!

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

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

-When was this?

-Oh, about 15 years ago.

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

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

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

and call it a short-nosed Welsh collie.

But it's by the wonderful factory Ewenny.

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

The Ewenny village in the Vale of Glamorgan

has had a number of potteries for many years,

right back to the late 17th century.

A lot of the factories closed down

during the first Industrial Revolution,

and a handful of family potters still existed.

If you want my honest opinion,

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

There is a little bit of flaking on the glaze,

but it's a very fragile pottery anyway,

a bit like Wemyss and Majolica,

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

This particular factory, taking its name from the village -

Ewenny Pottery -

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

The arts and crafts were boundless.

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

To go back to those handmade, distinctive pieces.

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

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

to attract people in of £100 to £150,

which is not bad on the £4 you paid.

-Would you be happy to do that?

-Yes.

-Yes, yes.

Why have you decided to sell him now?

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

-You've brought him home.

-Yes.

A little corker.

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

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

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

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

-Oh?

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

-Would you be really happy?

-Wow. I'd be really happy.

-OK. Mark.

-Yes?

-Slight under-valuation there.

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

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

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

£170, 180, 190, 200 and 10,

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

Fantastic! It made it a real pedigree hound.

£420, 430, 440, 450,

460, 470, 480...

..490, 500 - make it 20.

Oh, wow!

520, 550, 580, 600.

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

Yes!

Fantastic!

-£600.

-Fantastic.

-How do you feel about that?

-Great!

-Brilliant.

-So tremendous, really.

-Very, very good.

-Great.

They decided to bring the Welsh dog back home

and how right they were to do so.

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

Wow! £4 becomes £600.

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

And whether it's pottery or pictures,

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

to unearth those national treasures.

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

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

Malachy, thank you for bringing this lovely

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

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

I'm just enjoying it so much!

This work is very typical of this artist -

gentle, muted colours,

expressing the softness and the beauty of the Irish landscape.

He was a member of the Royal Ulster Academy,

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

painting the scenery.

And this one is the Pass of Kylemore in Connemara.

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

and have an artist that you are perhaps unfamiliar with

being shown to you.

Tell me, where did you get it?

-I bought it in an antique shop.

-How long ago?

-Roughly about 40 years.

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

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

You sound like a Scot!

I can't remember offhand,

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

It was more that we fancied that view there

-and bought it for that reason.

-Yeah. Uh-huh.

-So, has it been on the wall?

-Not since we moved about ten years ago.

A picture should be on the wall.

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

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

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

Now, on price, this artist is doing well.

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

-Yes.

-Would you be happy to sell it at that?

I... Well...

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

I could've bought a couple of houses.

Well, wouldn't we all?

-Irish artist, Irish saleroom.

-How exciting is this?

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

-Thank you.

Joseph William Carey. Pass of Kylemore, Connemara.

Watercolour drawing.

It's signed and dated 1915.

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

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

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

£580 I have now for the Carey.

-At £580.

-One more!

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

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

-He's going to sell.

-He's going to sell.

-Last call at 580.

-You're happy with that.

-Hmm.

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

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

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

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

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

but we travel around our country fairly extensively,

so it doesn't surprise me

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

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

and you appear with something from Scotland.

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

Oh, yes, yes. Of course.

So, how did you come by this?

At one time I was a publican,

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

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

Yeah? Was he a Scot?

Yes, he was a Scotsman, yeah.

I'd never heard of a skint Scot.

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

-He did originally, but I pulled him down.

-What did you pay for it?

-£40.

-How long ago?

-20 years ago. 25.

It was a lovely story.

And I only ever believe what I'm told.

Basically, this would have been worn with a kilt,

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

If we just take it all out...

we've got the little fork there.

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

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

or dagger.

This is a polished cairngorm stone here.

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

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

through to 1920, perhaps 1930.

It's called a sgian-dubh.

It's a nightmare for auctioneers

when you have to catalogue words like sgian-dubh.

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

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

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

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

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

How on earth do you spell sgian-dubh?

-I think it'll make £200 to £300.

-Do you?

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

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

-I would be.

-Good-oh.

I don't want you using that on me!

No matter how sharp its credentials,

will a Scottish sgian-dubh bought for £40,

be overlooked in the Southampton saleroom?

Start at £300. 320, 350, 380, 400...

Today with the internet, with live bidding in salesrooms,

with marketing,

the local auction room almost becomes nationwide or international.

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

The Scots are a very proud, passionate race.

They wear their kilts, they wear their dress uniform

and dirks and sgian-dubh are part of that.

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

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

it's not a lot to pay, really.

£900, 900, 950, 1,000 and 50,

£1,050 - right at the back at 1,050.

Selling at 1,050.

Yes, £1,050!

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

It's wonderful.

I never expected anything like that.

So, here are my top tips -

always buy something that catches your eye.

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

Fix your budget and stick to it.

And know when condition DOES matter.

Sometimes you can get away with a bit of damage.

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

Knowing when and where to auction

will maximise your chances of a good sale.

I'm a big fan of Newlyn copper.

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

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

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

an important slice of local history.

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

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

But back in the 19th century,

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

they couldn't earn their living.

But all that changed in 1888,

when John Drew McKenzie arrived on the scene.

He was an established artist and illustrator

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

so he taught them handicraft skills.

He set up the Newlyn Industrial Class

to teach those necessary skills.

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

It was so readily available

and became the material of choice for the craft workshop.

However, the skill and creative influence

needed to produce fine pieces of art

was down to a chap called John Pearson

who came to Newlyn in 1892.

He taught at the Industrial Class for seven years.

Pearson was a very skilled copper worker,

and soon the Newlyn workshops were making wonderful things,

which today are highly desirable.

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

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

and he's in here - The Copper Works.

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

-Not at all.

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

fashioning this into shape.

What are you working on?

It's a font for Trinity Church.

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

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

-benches - the whole lot.

-Right.

Oak and copper furnishings for the new Trinity church.

What brought you to Newlyn?

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

working on the films, making suits of armour.

-But my passion had always been copper.

-Newlyn copper?

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

and go into working in copper full-time.

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

-Yeah.

And you collected Newlyn copper?

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

exquisite work, and affordable then. Now...

It's very, very collectable!

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

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

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

-Here's a couple of the big persuaders!

-Right.

-Feel the weight in those.

-Gosh! Gosh.

-So, basically you let gravity do the work.

-Exactly. Yeah, exactly.

Let gravity do it, not you.

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

-It's a noisy old job!

Very noisy, yeah.

So, work your way around the bowl...

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

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

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

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

-Right.

So I'll hammer away.

This is incredibly clever.

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

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

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

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

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

Exactly. Yeah. Exactly.

OK, what's the next stage?

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

-I'll take you back to the font.

-..and look alive?

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

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

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

endless little ripples all through the copper.

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

-Douh-douh-douh-douh.

-Yeah.

-Hundreds of thousands of those.

-Absolutely, yes.

In the zone.

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

-Absolutely.

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

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

Yes!

McKenzie's designs were SO exquisite,

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

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

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

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

Are you asked to do a lot of commission work?

Yes, these pieces have gone into Liberty's,

there's stuff in the local galleries down here.

Yeah, there's a lot of commission work.

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

-No.

-That's where it all started.

-Very flattering, exactly.

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

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

Newlyn School coppersmiths.

I've got the copper galleon

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

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

-Hence all the weathering.

-It's been up there since 1911!

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

-That's an iconic landmark, really.

-It is.

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

-It's a long way up!

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

So what have you got to do to this?

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

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

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

A lot of the rigging has got quite tatty.

And get it ready for its next 100 years.

-Then put it back up on the roof?

-It'll go back up on the roof.

Well, that was a real delight.

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

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

And here's Philip with some cleaning tips.

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

get some wire wool or some acid or whatever.

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

I'd rather see it completely unpolished than that.

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

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

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

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

But what was it that first inspired our experts?

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

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

all the pieces of silver I've ever had.

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

And they're actually the most value to you.

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

And now I know it's full of inaccuracies,

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

but this is my first hallmark book.

And you can date a hallmark book.

If you look at a working assay office...

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

That's when I got it.

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

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

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

But I can't bear to part with it.

Knowing the hallmarks puts you ahead of the game.

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

when browsing for the best of British buys.

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

with the money in the past.

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

Anne came along to our Cheshire valuation day in 2010

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

Tell me a bit about it.

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

by my late husband

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

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

-Mm-hm.

Your loss is our gain, as they say.

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

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

-Yeah, you show me, please.

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

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

So, really, whoever buys this is getting three

pieces of jewellery for the price of one.

Fantastic.

But why do you want to sell it?

-We've got alpacas...

-Alpacas!

-Yeah.

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

We've got eight.

Scarlett, Honeysuckle, Buttercup,

Noah, Jacob, Monty, Daisy

and Olympia Rose, who was born during the Olympics.

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

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

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

It's going under the hammer now.

585. Give me 800.

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

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

And 50. 1,100.

Sold!

1,200 and 50.

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

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

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

Thank you, sir.

-Yes! Yes, £1,350!

-Yeah.

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

-Not yet.

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

when the herd grows.

So that's a great start for the fund.

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

a new business.

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

I'm like a child in a sweet shop.

I love craft things.

Meanwhile, Honeysuckle, Noah

and the gang remain in their rented accommodation.

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

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

And this is the alpaca wool.

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

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

Well, that's it for today's show

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

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

But until then, it's goodbye.

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