0:00:02 > 0:00:05Over the years on Flog It you've brought us thousands of fascinating
0:00:05 > 0:00:08and valuable antiques from all across the world.
0:00:08 > 0:00:13From Oriental ceramics to German woodcraft and Aboriginal art.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16There isn't much that hasn't crossed our valuation tables
0:00:16 > 0:00:19and I think it's fair to say, we've got the inside track
0:00:19 > 0:00:21on a whole world of fine art and antiques
0:00:21 > 0:00:23and we'd love to share it with you.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54On today's show we'll take a whistle-stop tour around the world,
0:00:54 > 0:01:00taking a look at items that have travelled hundreds, even thousands of miles to reach our doors.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03We'll be seeing what gems of knowledge we can pick up en route.
0:01:05 > 0:01:10On this programme, our experts will be showing you their favourite international treasures.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13You get little palpitations in your stomach.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16"Oh, my goodness, how exciting, what a wonderful thing to see."
0:01:16 > 0:01:19And they'll give you their insider knowledge on how to spot
0:01:19 > 0:01:23the difference between a genuine Oriental article and a fake.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Heat up a pin and stick it in!
0:01:26 > 0:01:29If you want to get some world-class, top tips,
0:01:29 > 0:01:33on the best of European and Oriental collectables, all will be revealed.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39For centuries we've plied our wares back and forth across
0:01:39 > 0:01:41the English Channel to Europe and the Orient.
0:01:41 > 0:01:46Traders hoping to capture something unique which cannot be found on our shores.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53For years we featured some wonderful well-travelled pieces
0:01:53 > 0:01:57that have hailed from all across the globe.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01I think the real key, if you're going to buy a foreign antique,
0:02:01 > 0:02:05it's a worldwide market now, so what might be inexpensive in one country,
0:02:05 > 0:02:09might be expensive in another place and the trick is to move A to B.
0:02:09 > 0:02:14I would be aware not to follow trends.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Five years ago Russian antiques were very popular,
0:02:17 > 0:02:19now it's Chinese antiques.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23If you get swept along with that wave, you can come a cropper, I think.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26The best thing to do is just buy items,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29irrespective of where they're from, on their quality and their rarity
0:02:29 > 0:02:32and, most important, whether you like them or not.
0:02:32 > 0:02:33A tip at the moment would be,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36after the Chinese market has strengthened and levelled off,
0:02:36 > 0:02:37I think the Indian market,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41Indian subcontinent market will prove to be very strong.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44But first, let's take a look at some of the very best items that
0:02:44 > 0:02:49have appeared over the last 11 years on the show and what we can learn from them.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51British people have always enjoyed travelling
0:02:51 > 0:02:54and in the 19th century a lot of people went to travel Europe
0:02:54 > 0:02:56on what was termed, The Grand Tour,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00which gave us a real taste for continental works of art.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02And right up to the current day,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05we Brits have had a love affair with things foreign that seem
0:03:05 > 0:03:10a little bit different and, yet, delectable to us.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13I remember my very first ever Flog It -
0:03:13 > 0:03:17years ago when I had hair, and that was at Bradford
0:03:17 > 0:03:20and I was quite a nervous young chap, I think, then.
0:03:20 > 0:03:21Hard to believe, isn't it?
0:03:21 > 0:03:25Please tell me, how did you come to own these fantastic things?
0:03:25 > 0:03:29The set there came from my grandparents.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33This tea set is different from most ordinary silver tea sets
0:03:33 > 0:03:37because it's by one of the most important silversmiths
0:03:37 > 0:03:40and designers of the 20th century, by Georg Jensen.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43- Is that so?- "Ge-org Yensen" as some people say.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46These are really wonderful examples of his work.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50It was 1931, very high design, ivory handles, one of those things
0:03:50 > 0:03:53when you see it you get little palpitations in your stomach.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56"Oh, my goodness, how exciting, what a wonderful thing!"
0:03:56 > 0:03:59If we look underneath, all this writing here,
0:03:59 > 0:04:03you can actually see Georg Jensen's mark there.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06They're sterling silver. That's a very nice object.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08I said to the lady, Yorkshire lady,
0:04:08 > 0:04:12"I think this is worth at least £2-3,000."
0:04:12 > 0:04:16She said to me, "Are you sure, dear, you look very young."
0:04:16 > 0:04:17She didn't believe me.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22I should have stuck to my guns but instead we put 800-1,200.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26- Mm...- Which is a tidy sum.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Very encouraging.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31So what happened to our callow youth's estimate when it came to auction?
0:04:33 > 0:04:37I'm going to have to start the bidding on my sheets at £1,800.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39THEY GASP
0:04:39 > 0:04:41We have 1,850 in the room. 1,900, 1950?
0:04:41 > 0:04:44£2,000. 2,100...
0:04:44 > 0:04:472,800, 2,900. £3,000?
0:04:47 > 0:04:503,200. 3,200 now say.
0:04:50 > 0:04:523,400, 3,600, 3,800.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54That's unbelievable.
0:04:54 > 0:04:584,400, 4,800. £5,000. 5,200.
0:04:58 > 0:05:005,200, anywhere?
0:05:00 > 0:05:03All finished then at £5,000.
0:05:03 > 0:05:04All done and finished.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06Goose pimples.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09Good gracious me!
0:05:09 > 0:05:12- Oh, I've gone all hot. - So have I.
0:05:12 > 0:05:13£5,000.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20It just shows, though, a good European designer name will make huge prices.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22So look out for the name, Georg Jensen
0:05:22 > 0:05:27and if you find a piece by him, don't hesitate to snap it up.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32If there's one thing the Europeans have given us antique lovers,
0:05:32 > 0:05:34it's an eye for the classical nude.
0:05:34 > 0:05:39The female nude, the male nude is not an easy thing to do.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Ask Michelangelo himself.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44You know, you'd rather see a sculpture of a tractor
0:05:44 > 0:05:46than a bad nude.
0:05:46 > 0:05:51One that's beautifully done, and you can tell immediately across a room.
0:05:51 > 0:05:56I have fallen in love with this figure. I think it's delicious.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59What better form is there than the female nude.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03I mean, perhaps I'm just saying that and I'm slightly biased,
0:06:03 > 0:06:05but it is a perfect format
0:06:05 > 0:06:09and it's a beautifully, beautifully carved.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Where did she come from?
0:06:11 > 0:06:14- She came from a castle in France. - Really?
0:06:14 > 0:06:17- Fontainebleau.- Fontainebleau? - Not far from Paris, yeah.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19I've been to Fontainebleau.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Have you found a signature on it, have you ever looked?
0:06:21 > 0:06:23There is one somewhere, but...
0:06:25 > 0:06:27Crikey!
0:06:27 > 0:06:29- That's it.- Ah, here we are.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31Caradossi.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35Caradossi has a certain significance in certain areas.
0:06:35 > 0:06:40He wouldn't be, what could one say, not Premier division. Division One.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42Good grief, that's heavy.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46Who was born in 1861.
0:06:46 > 0:06:51- I think we're talking about this figure being 1890, 1900.- Mm-hm.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55- I think this figure is worth £1,000.- Right.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59I think she's lovely, delightful and I hope she does well.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Nudes do sell well, male nudes and female nudes.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06You've only got to go to Rome or Florence, and there are more
0:07:06 > 0:07:09nudes per square inch than anywhere else in the world.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Charlie seemed confident about his valuation
0:07:11 > 0:07:15but was his hunch about nudes right?
0:07:15 > 0:07:17I think this is the best thing in the saleroom.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21- Yes, it is.- And I would, wouldn't I? - It's the star of the show.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23We have a telephone bid.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25- Telephone bid!- We've got commission bids as well
0:07:25 > 0:07:28- and we're starting at 800. - Oh!- 825.- It's gone.
0:07:28 > 0:07:33850? 850. 875? 875.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36I feel 1,000 coming on, don't you?
0:07:36 > 0:07:38At £900. 925.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42925, 950? 950 on the telephone.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44975. 1,000?
0:07:44 > 0:07:46- That's fab!- Christine will be happy.
0:07:46 > 0:07:47£1,000 I've got.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49£100 bids now.
0:07:49 > 0:07:521,100, sorry? 1,100, I've got.
0:07:52 > 0:07:551,200? £1,200, I've got.
0:07:55 > 0:07:561,300? 1,400? £1,400.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00I wish she was here. I just wish she was here.
0:08:00 > 0:08:011,500. 1,600 on the telephone.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03- She'll be going to Las Vegas now. - Won't she?
0:08:03 > 0:08:07At £1,500 in the room. Sold at £1,500.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11- Goodie!- Yes! Well done, Charlie. - I'm pleased with that.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13- Really pleased.- What a result!
0:08:13 > 0:08:16The great thing about sculpture, and, indeed, paintings nowadays,
0:08:16 > 0:08:20you can look up immediately what the last work by a particular
0:08:20 > 0:08:24artist made and it'll give you a benchmark for the next piece.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27The signature is hugely important.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31This statue and the silver service before sold well
0:08:31 > 0:08:33because of the name and the fine workmanship,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36but it's not the only way you can measure value.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39If you want to invest in European objects,
0:08:39 > 0:08:41you may need to think out of the box.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45And Mark Stacey likes to do exactly that.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Now, as soon as I saw you holding this,
0:08:49 > 0:08:53I thought I've got to film it if you are interested in selling it.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57Oh, Harlow, how can I forget Harlow with that wonderful figure.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01That Austrian pottery figure, this high.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04I mean, I described it as camp, what other word is there for it?
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Where on earth did you get it from?
0:09:06 > 0:09:09I inherited this from my grandfather,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12and it's resting itself in my house now.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16It appealed to me because it was sheer Victorian fun
0:09:16 > 0:09:20but, on a serious note, it was quality.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22You've got this wonderful plumed hat.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25There's a lovely, delicate expression on her face
0:09:25 > 0:09:29and she is holding this wonderful, oversized fan.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32I think it's a fantastically outrageous item.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36I must admit, I hadn't seen one quite as big as that before,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39or since, I have to tell you.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43I would be tempted to suggest something like £3-400.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47I think, on the day, it might prove to be a surprise. It might just fly away.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50Very, very expensive to make and produce
0:09:50 > 0:09:53and I just knew there would be collectors out there for it.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58So did the kitsch Victorian lady find someone to appreciate her at auction?
0:09:59 > 0:10:03I have two commissions with me and I start the bidding at £280 with me.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08300 with Ian. £300, 320, 340,
0:10:08 > 0:10:09360, 380.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11- Yeah.- We're there.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13480, 500.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15520... 760.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17That's unbelievable!
0:10:17 > 0:10:20800... 920, 940, 960...
0:10:20 > 0:10:221,300. 1,400.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24- What have we missed, Mark? - I don't know.
0:10:24 > 0:10:301,500. At £1,500 on my right now at £1,500.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34Mark, that's incredible.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38I thought 3-400 was a little on the conservative side
0:10:38 > 0:10:41but it is best to tease the bidders in - but 1,500,
0:10:41 > 0:10:43you can't beat it.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48Of course, there's always been a very, very exciting market in Europe
0:10:48 > 0:10:51for ceramics, shipped all over the world
0:10:51 > 0:10:56and a lot of it, inevitably, came over to the United Kingdom.
0:10:56 > 0:10:57We would have loved that.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01The Victorians loved covering every space of their drawing-room.
0:11:01 > 0:11:06When you find something like this, in good condition, it's a premium.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11Great advice from Mark Stacey as he says look out for Victorian
0:11:11 > 0:11:15ceramic knick-knacks, which haven't been chipped while dusting
0:11:15 > 0:11:18and, remember, for European art, the more unusual, the better.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25At the turn of the century the trend for items with a saucy secret
0:11:25 > 0:11:28appealed to our British taste for concealment.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31And one caught the eye of our expert.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36In Winchester, towards the end of the day, I had a real treat
0:11:36 > 0:11:40because a lady brought in an absolutely fabulous bronze lamp base.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44Originally, it was my nan's and then she gave it to my mum
0:11:44 > 0:11:48and then, when she died, I just took it and I don't use it.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51It's a very pretty, little lamp.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56It's on a marble base and it's cast bronze and we're helped out,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59immensely, by the fact that on the back of the chair,
0:11:59 > 0:12:03there's a little inscription that says Nam Greb.
0:12:03 > 0:12:09Nam Greb is the mark of the Austrian bronze founder, Bergman.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12And, it's Bergman, backwards.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15I think there was a very good reason that he used to sign them like this
0:12:15 > 0:12:18because he didn't want his name on things like this,
0:12:18 > 0:12:22- which people might think, "Oh, that's peculiar."- Really?
0:12:22 > 0:12:26That's just a trade name, there's nothing offensive about that.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Shall we share its little secret?
0:12:28 > 0:12:31One, two, three.
0:12:31 > 0:12:32Oh, dear!
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Often when you get an overtly erotic scene,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39rather than just a classical female nude,
0:12:39 > 0:12:44or a nude used in the form of decorative device that's acceptable, it would be concealed.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47It's a rare, early novelty.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51- Shall we cover her modesty? - Yeah, why not. SHE LAUGHS
0:12:51 > 0:12:53Everyone at home's had enough of a shock.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57I think we can put this into auction and say...
0:12:57 > 0:13:00- £250 to £350.- Really?
0:13:02 > 0:13:04So were our buyers as naughty a nation
0:13:04 > 0:13:06as their Edwardian counterparts?
0:13:06 > 0:13:09I'm going to start the bidding at £500.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Yes!
0:13:11 > 0:13:13I can't believe it.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17550, 570, 600 and 20,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20650, 670, commission bids out.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23At £700 for the telephone and selling at £700,
0:13:23 > 0:13:25is there any more?
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Yes! £700.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32- Marvellous!- Oh, you've got to be so happy with that, haven't you?
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Absolutely.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37There's nothing like a great name like Bergman.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39Add that to the quality and the pretty lady
0:13:39 > 0:13:41and you have a hat-trick.
0:13:41 > 0:13:46What the bronze typified was that some of the very best things
0:13:46 > 0:13:49that we see on Flog It actually do come from around the world
0:13:49 > 0:13:50and particularly Europe.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57So here's what we've learnt so far.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01A well-known name and good quality workmanship always adds to value,
0:14:01 > 0:14:05so do your research, so you know what to look for.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09Be on the lookout for nudes as long as they are beautifully executed.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13And seek out the naughty, or the novel, it might have the
0:14:13 > 0:14:17je ne sais quoi that will set the bidders' hearts aflutter.
0:14:21 > 0:14:26Now if you're a collector, you go looking for the rare and the unusual to add your collection.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Our Flog It experts all love collecting
0:14:28 > 0:14:33and away from the valuation tables, you can find them searching auction rooms and antique fairs,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36looking for that much sought-after piece.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38Thomas Plant is a connoisseur of glass.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42He's the man you go and see when you're looking for tips.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46So what was it about glass that first put a gleam in his eye?
0:14:46 > 0:14:48I just love glass. There's something which,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50ever since I was in the business,
0:14:50 > 0:14:54and was at university learning about the business, glass caught me,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57especially Scandinavian post-war glass.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00So that's another thing and I have an example here of a very,
0:15:00 > 0:15:02one of my very first pieces,
0:15:02 > 0:15:06which my grandmother helped me get, actually.
0:15:06 > 0:15:07And it's a piece of Kosta Boda.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11Kosta, which is a Swedish glass manufacturer,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14and this one was designed by somebody called Vicke Lindstrand,
0:15:14 > 0:15:16and it was made in 1955.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21And if you can see, you've got a net inside here.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25And then you can see the cutting on the side of this vase
0:15:25 > 0:15:26and it's a shoal of fish.
0:15:26 > 0:15:31So it's the all fish swimming in and out of the net, or escaping the net.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33Any Fish In The Net, this is called.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37And it's just a fantastic piece of glassware.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Now, these are relatively cheap...
0:15:40 > 0:15:43For a piece of hand-blown,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46designer-made glassware,
0:15:46 > 0:15:49from the '50s. And the other great thing about Scandinavians
0:15:49 > 0:15:53and their glass is every bit is signed.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57And it's given a number so you can date it, you can track it,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59you can find out who made it,
0:15:59 > 0:16:01and you can complete your whole collection
0:16:01 > 0:16:04with signed bits of glass and it's just wonderful.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07So that's something I would advise people to buy,
0:16:07 > 0:16:08because it's relatively cheap,
0:16:08 > 0:16:11but it's also got such quality to it.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18Something I've learned over the years,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21if you want to invest in antiques, obviously buy the best.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23But what is the best? How do you know what's the best?
0:16:23 > 0:16:25Don't go straight to a saleroom and spend your money.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27Visit the specialist dealers.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30They've spent a lifetime learning their craft.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32They love to talk, so don't be shy.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35And who knows? You might just strike up a deal.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38There are some wonderful works of art out there.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Great names and superb antiques.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43And we want to give you some more information
0:16:43 > 0:16:45on what makes them special.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Here on Flog It we have broad tastes
0:16:49 > 0:16:52and something you've brought in for us again and again
0:16:52 > 0:16:56has been the popular willow pattern with its tale of the Orient.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00But its origin isn't what it seems, as you're about to find out.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03And we'll discover just how valuable it is today.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08- Of course you know what they are? Open salt cellars?- Cellars.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11Because in the 19th century, 18th century and right the way back
0:17:11 > 0:17:15until the Elizabethan period, salt wasn't put in a little shaker,
0:17:15 > 0:17:17it was put in an open cellar like this.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21And if we take one out and have a little look,
0:17:21 > 0:17:22these detach quite easily.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25They're like miniature bowls in their own right, aren't they?
0:17:25 > 0:17:26They're lovely, aren't they?
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Super. And turn them over, clear mark underneath there,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31and that is the mark for Royal Worcester.
0:17:31 > 0:17:36And that's the capital T, and that's the date letter for 1882.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38The pattern in the centre there, do you recognise it?
0:17:38 > 0:17:41- Willow pattern? - Willow pattern, exactly.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44- It's the most well known pattern of all blue and white.- Yes.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46I think they're quite sweet.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48So, I going to put an estimate of...
0:17:50 > 0:17:54- 50 to £80 on them. - Mm-hm.- Is that OK?- That's fine.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57That might not be the highest of valuations,
0:17:57 > 0:17:59but we'll come back to see how that did at auction.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04The enduring appeal of willow goes back to the 18th century,
0:18:04 > 0:18:08when an interest in all things Oriental really hotted up.
0:18:08 > 0:18:13Traders returning from the Far East brought back exotic lacquerware
0:18:13 > 0:18:15and silks adorned with pagodas,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18strange animals and fanciful dragons.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22We had never seen such outlandish designs before and we were hooked.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28Soon the great and the good descended on their own designers
0:18:28 > 0:18:31to create wallpapers, furniture and ceramics
0:18:31 > 0:18:34which all hearkened to the mysteries of the East.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39One phrase captured this new European vogue
0:18:39 > 0:18:42for taking Chinese designs and embellishing them...
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Nothing epitomises it better than the willow pattern
0:18:48 > 0:18:53which appears in the 1790s and depicted a tragic romance.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56A princess decided to ignore her father's demands
0:18:56 > 0:19:01to marry a noble man of his choosing and eloped instead with a servant.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Life was blissfully happy for them,
0:19:03 > 0:19:07until her disgruntled father hunted them down and had them killed.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11They lived eternally together afterwards as doves.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13A symbol of everlasting love.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18A charming story, but entirely fabricated.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22Some say it was probably British potter, Josiah Spode,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25who came up with the willow pattern story as a marketing ploy
0:19:25 > 0:19:28to sell more plates and it worked.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30Remember, when you're looking for the willow,
0:19:30 > 0:19:33there's a lot to choose from, as the willow pattern has been made
0:19:33 > 0:19:37by more than 400 potters in Great Britain alone.
0:19:37 > 0:19:42So, look out for good makers like Spode, Minton and Royal Worcester.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46Look at the mark and you can find out who made it from reference books.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50And keep in mind, if it isn't marked, you're on shaky ground.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53It could be old, or a cheap reproduction,
0:19:53 > 0:19:57so you need to be prepared to do some more research
0:19:57 > 0:20:00to learn how to tell the treasure from the trash.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02So, how did the Royal Worcester piece
0:20:02 > 0:20:06valued at £50 to £80 do at auction?
0:20:06 > 0:20:09I think there's a lot of value here for not a lot of money.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12Nice little lot. What are you going to bid for this? Who'll start me?
0:20:12 > 0:20:1670. Five. 80 then, new blood. Five. 90.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Five. 100. 110. 120. 130.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24- 140.- Wow, they like them. - At 140. 150 with me.
0:20:24 > 0:20:29160 to me, 160 in the room and the book's out at 160.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33- That was so good.- Wasn't that good?
0:20:33 > 0:20:34Fantastic result.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36- SHE LAUGHS - Fantastic.- Oh, thank you.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40It just goes to show, even after all these years,
0:20:40 > 0:20:44our love affair with the affordable willow pattern is still going strong.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49But if you want the real Chinese pieces, prices can be much higher.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52To the owner's astonishment, this pot found in the attic
0:20:52 > 0:20:55was valued at £2.6 million,
0:20:55 > 0:20:57so keep your eyes peeled.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01With luck like that, you could be as rich as an emperor.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08If you do want to get your feet wet
0:21:08 > 0:21:13buying original Chinese pieces, you're entering a complicated field.
0:21:13 > 0:21:14A few years ago,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17I was lucky enough to get some help on how to spot the real thing.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22It seems that to be a dealer or collector of Chinese antiques,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25you need to have a PhD In the subject.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Dr Tim Foster not only deals in Chinese ceramics,
0:21:28 > 0:21:31he's also a leading expert in this field.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37How did your passion for Chinese ceramics start?
0:21:37 > 0:21:40Well, it grew out of a passion for history really.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Both sides of my family were in the business, so I grew up with it.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47And it was when I realised that you could buy
0:21:47 > 0:21:51a cracked 18th century tea bowl that was 250, 280 years old
0:21:51 > 0:21:56for £5 or £10, I just thought, well, there's a piece of history.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58- It's quite incredible, isn't it?- It is, it is.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01Can you explain what the dynasties are?
0:22:01 > 0:22:05I mean, the focus on the dynasties is a bit misleading really,
0:22:05 > 0:22:07because they span hundreds of years.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10- So, the Ming dynasty actually lasts about 300 years...- Yes.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13..from the 14th century through to the middle of the 17th century.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15And the most recent is the Ching dynasty.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18That ran from the mid-17th century almost through to,
0:22:18 > 0:22:19well, the beginning of this century.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21Is it really as complicated as it seems?
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Are we walking into a minefield trying to buy this?
0:22:24 > 0:22:25It is a fairly complex field,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28because the one thing you can't do with Chinese writers
0:22:28 > 0:22:29- is rely on the marks.- Mmm.
0:22:29 > 0:22:34This piece shows one of the complexities of the field,
0:22:34 > 0:22:37in as much as it is marked, but it's marked with a Ming mark.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41So this says it was made 400 years before it was made
0:22:41 > 0:22:43and the marks that you find on Chinese porcelain
0:22:43 > 0:22:45are nine times out of ten incorrect.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48- They just don't correspond to the item?- That's correct.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51'Because the Chinese have such a reverence for the past,
0:22:51 > 0:22:55'it wasn't unusual for them to mark newer pieces with older dates.'
0:22:57 > 0:22:59And the other factor of course is that the Chinese have
0:22:59 > 0:23:03quite a consistent sort of aesthetic sense, so they reproduce shapes,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06styles and patterns over literally hundreds of years.
0:23:06 > 0:23:11This is a K'ang-Hsi prunus jar, symbolic of the coming of spring.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15- Mm-hm.- 300 years old. This is a 100 year-old reproduction.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17- You can see it's a copy, can't you? - Well, I think so.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20- When they're side-by-side... - When they're next to each other.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23And you do see them around so, you know, you could collect this.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26It's 100 years old. It's hand-painted. And it is symbolic.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29You can't go on the pattern or the decoration.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33- You have to go on the object itself. - The texture.- That's right.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Know your field really.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38What do you look for when you go and see a piece of blue and white?
0:23:38 > 0:23:43Um... Well, the foot river's important on any piece of ceramic.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47Now on a K'ang-Hsi foot rim, it will be absolutely dense,
0:23:47 > 0:23:49- very, very hard, very, very smooth.- OK.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53There are an awful number of factors you're taking into consideration.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55- The only way to learn about it is to handle it.- Right.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57And to know what you're handling when you're handling it.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01Live with it, you know, enjoy it, feel it. That's how you learn.
0:24:01 > 0:24:02- It's not marked.- Price?
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Well, this is a very good vase and I suppose...
0:24:05 > 0:24:09it would depend on where you were buying it, but several thousand.
0:24:09 > 0:24:10Um...
0:24:10 > 0:24:13- Several thousand?! Really?- Yes.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17- Yes. It's 300 years old and it's a very good quality piece.- Wow.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19CLASSICAL CHINESE MUSIC PLAYS
0:24:26 > 0:24:29So, how would you go about starting a collection?
0:24:29 > 0:24:32What would you look for? What would your first piece be?
0:24:32 > 0:24:34I think the beauty of Chinese ceramics
0:24:34 > 0:24:37is that it literally does fit any pocket.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39You can buy a hand-painted 18th century plate
0:24:39 > 0:24:42- for between £10 and £20.- If it's damaged.- With a hairline crack in.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Damage on a piece of Chinese porcelain
0:24:44 > 0:24:47will knock between 80 and 90% off the value of it.
0:24:47 > 0:24:48But you can learn from them.
0:24:48 > 0:24:53You have to find a dealer who knows what they're selling
0:24:53 > 0:24:55and then you take that home with confidence,
0:24:55 > 0:24:59with a written receipt saying that was made in 1720 or 1735...
0:24:59 > 0:25:03- Mm-hm.- ..and you live with it. - But don't buy from auctions.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07You see a lot in auction that really isn't, um... very old.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10And if you brought from a dealer, you could actually return it.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Definitely, and he'll tell you what it is.
0:25:12 > 0:25:18There are two or three in each county, it's a case of asking around and seeing who there is.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22- And starting up a collection. - That's right. And you can do it for a fiver.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25'Because it's a very complicated market,
0:25:25 > 0:25:27'this can work in your favour.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29'It means lots of sellers won't not know the value
0:25:29 > 0:25:33'and you might have a better of picking up a bargain.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35'So, go for it.'
0:25:38 > 0:25:40'Coming up, our experts reveal
0:25:40 > 0:25:43'what to look for in treasures from the East...'
0:25:43 > 0:25:47I don't think I've seen a fan in such wonderful condition.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49It could only be the best quality.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53'..and tell you when it's fine to let your heart rule your head.'
0:25:53 > 0:25:59That's what antiques can do to us. They fire our imagination.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04We've all got something at home,
0:26:04 > 0:26:07that one special item that we're particularly attached to.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09But I want to know what's the one thing
0:26:09 > 0:26:13our experts would rescue from a burning building?
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Gosh, if there was a house fire, the one thing I would really save
0:26:16 > 0:26:20would be this painting here, the Moulin Rouge in Paris.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24Not of any great commercial value. It's not a rare French Impressionist
0:26:24 > 0:26:27painting worth millions of pounds, but it's the sentimental value.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30I bought this in a flea market in Paris,
0:26:30 > 0:26:35the day after a most wonderful and sumptuous evening at the Moulin Rouge.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39I was whisked away by my wife, a surprise birthday treat,
0:26:39 > 0:26:41holed up in the most wonderful Art Deco hotel
0:26:41 > 0:26:43on the Left Bank overlooking Notre Dame
0:26:43 > 0:26:46and then picked up and taken to the Moulin Rouge that evening.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Most incredible night, I shall never, never forget it.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53And the following day, just wandering along this fantastic flea market in Paris,
0:26:53 > 0:26:56stumbled across this painting and just had to have it.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59I like art anyway, I love the painting,
0:26:59 > 0:27:03and the memory this evokes for me makes it my most valuable treasure.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08All of our experts have so much knowledge, but also,
0:27:08 > 0:27:13each one of them has something they are really passionate about.
0:27:13 > 0:27:18One man who's been bitten by the blue and white collecting bug is our expert, Mark Stacey.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20He wanted to show us the old method of transfer printing
0:27:20 > 0:27:23on ceramics, which achieves that lovely effect.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26So, he's heading off to pottery to get hands on
0:27:26 > 0:27:28to show us how it's done.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32We always think hand-painted pottery is the most valuable
0:27:32 > 0:27:36kind of ceramics, but that's not always the case.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38At the Middleport Pottery in Stoke-on-Trent,
0:27:38 > 0:27:42they've been mass manufacturing pottery for 200 years.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Mark met Jemma Baskeyfield,
0:27:44 > 0:27:48the company historian to find out more about it.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52Where's this demand coming from? Who's buying it at the moment?
0:27:52 > 0:27:56Our biggest area of growth as far as customers go are in the Far East.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58So, in Japan and in South Korea
0:27:58 > 0:28:02they really appreciate what is a very British pottery.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06Oh, that's rather odd, isn't it? Because back in the first phase
0:28:06 > 0:28:10of the popularity of blue and white of course, we were actually copying the Orientals.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12We were producing Chinoiserie designs, weren't we?
0:28:12 > 0:28:14- It's almost come full circle.- Yes.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18Then over time that developed and by the time our company came along,
0:28:18 > 0:28:21in the Victorian period,
0:28:21 > 0:28:24you got these much more English patterns.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27Very romantic, and this is now appreciated
0:28:27 > 0:28:32by those customers we were taking inspiration from in the first place.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35So, these buyers are looking for those traditional patterns,
0:28:35 > 0:28:39- the floral, decorative pieces? - Exactly.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42One of the things that annoyed me when I was collecting blue and white
0:28:42 > 0:28:44is people said, "Oh yes, but it's not hand-painted."
0:28:44 > 0:28:47But it's a very skilled process, transfer printing, isn't it?
0:28:47 > 0:28:49It is, very much so.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53And the best way for you to understand,
0:28:53 > 0:28:55is probably to go to our transferring shop
0:28:55 > 0:28:58and actually see the ladies and have a go yourself.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01- I was hoping you'd say that. - Well, come on then.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07'Before transfer printing, all ceramics were hand-painted,
0:29:07 > 0:29:11'which was time-consuming and could only be afforded by the rich.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13'In the mid-18th century,
0:29:13 > 0:29:16'potters developed a transference technique of printing,
0:29:16 > 0:29:18'which meant it could be more mass-produced
0:29:18 > 0:29:20'and reach a wider market.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26'I've always wanted to see how this is done and now's my chance.'
0:29:26 > 0:29:27How are you?
0:29:28 > 0:29:32So, here's Jackie, one of our top transferers.
0:29:32 > 0:29:33- Hello, Jackie.- Hello.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37She'll help you today to understand more about transferring.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40- Are you going to be gentle with me Jackie?- Very gentle.- Are you sure?
0:29:40 > 0:29:42- Yes. - You're making it look very easy.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46You don't want me to cut this out, do you? You'll get it ready for me.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49- Yes, I've done most of that for you. - Thank you.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53So, how long does it take you to learn to do this properly?
0:29:53 > 0:29:57- It took me about six or seven years. - Wow.- I was a slow learner.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00Oh, no! Do you think I can learn it in ten minutes?
0:30:00 > 0:30:02I do believe in miracles!
0:30:02 > 0:30:04SHE LAUGHS
0:30:04 > 0:30:07What's the first part of the process?
0:30:07 > 0:30:12The first part is where the print is printed onto the tissue,
0:30:12 > 0:30:14- via the rollers.- Oh, right.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17OK, I can take you up to our print area and show you how it's done.
0:30:17 > 0:30:18Great, thanks.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21'These delicate designs will end up on ceramics,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24'but how do they get this fabulous print onto the paper?
0:30:26 > 0:30:29'A metal drum is etched with the pattern and inked up.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31'The design is printed onto paper,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34'which is then later transferred onto the ceramic.'
0:30:36 > 0:30:39And how long does it take to dry here? Just a few seconds?
0:30:39 > 0:30:42This one, it'll last about an hour, this one will.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45It needs to stay sticky for us to actually use it.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47Oh, so if it's dry...
0:30:47 > 0:30:50Yep, as soon as it dries, it's no use, we'd have to throw it away.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53So timing is really quite crucial in this room.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57- And this pattern, we've been decorating with since 1862.- Wow.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01- This has always been a popular design, hasn't it?- Yeah.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04- A lot of people have produced it. - Yes, over 60 factories.- Yeah.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06And we're the last one.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09'The last one standing.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12'It's ironic, what started as mass production
0:31:12 > 0:31:14'has become a rare skill.'
0:31:15 > 0:31:19Well, Jackie, I'm going to watch how you do this. You've cut out the...
0:31:19 > 0:31:21The prints.
0:31:21 > 0:31:25And what we're doing now, we're applying the border.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29You're pushing it down and, as you come round here,
0:31:29 > 0:31:31you're lifting it.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34- So you're sort of placing it, then pushing it down.- Yeah.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37- Do like doing it?- I love it.
0:31:37 > 0:31:38Then you get a piece of flannel...
0:31:38 > 0:31:40and you rub it down.
0:31:42 > 0:31:43And you take your sides...
0:31:45 > 0:31:47..put it about the middle.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50So, there's some glue on the back of these already?
0:31:50 > 0:31:53No. The prints are sticky. If you feel...
0:31:54 > 0:31:57..the prints are sticky already.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59It's still wet, see, the printing.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03- You have to put them on while they're still wet.- OK.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08But you can't possibly get them in the same place every single time, can you?
0:32:08 > 0:32:10More or less. Every one's different.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14There is a slight difference, which what makes it so nice.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18- That's the back stamp you're putting on there.- Burleigh Ware.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20So, would you like a go?
0:32:20 > 0:32:23- I'd love a go.- Swap seats. - Shall I swap seats?
0:32:26 > 0:32:27Right, plonk yourself down.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30- So, first of all, I've got to get my jug, haven't I?- Yes.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32So, I just pick this up.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36- Yeah. You can feel it's sticky. - Oh, I can. Yes.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38So, the middle bit goes under there.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40You push it into it.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42Very good.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45- Have I got it twisted? - No, pull it further up.
0:32:45 > 0:32:46Oh, I've ripped it.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48HE LAUGHS
0:32:48 > 0:32:50WOMAN LAUGHS
0:32:50 > 0:32:54- I think this is going to be really rare Asiatic Pheasant.- It is, yeah.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58Keep your thumb on when you lift it up again.
0:32:58 > 0:32:59LAUGHTER
0:32:59 > 0:33:01And the same again, the other side.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03I'm getting used to this, now.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09If I'm firing this with thousands of other jugs,
0:33:09 > 0:33:10how will I know it's mine?
0:33:10 > 0:33:12I think you'll know that one's yours.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14LAUGHTER
0:33:14 > 0:33:17- Oooh!- Pick up a stamp and just so we know it's yours,
0:33:17 > 0:33:20we're going to put a special rose on the bottom.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22- Aww.- Just for you.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26- Now, you can show all the girls your work.- Look, girls.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28WOMEN CLAP AND CHEER
0:33:28 > 0:33:30Special. >
0:33:30 > 0:33:33- I'm quite pleased with it. - I am, yeah.- Thank you, Jackie.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36- It's all right. - That's really made my day.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40- That's it, Jackie. I've finished, now.- That stage is finished.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42- You've got to rub it down. - That stage?
0:33:42 > 0:33:44You've got another stage to do, now.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46- You didn't tell me this, Jackie. - No, I know.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48So, what do I have to do now?
0:33:48 > 0:33:53- You have to take your coat off and put on a pinny.- A pinny?
0:33:53 > 0:33:54And some rubber gloves.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01- Do you like it?- Yeah, I do. - They're lovely, aren't they?
0:34:01 > 0:34:04- What is this stuff? Glue? - It's liquid soap.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07- Oh, it's horrible.- It's nice.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09Rub it. That's it.
0:34:09 > 0:34:13'The soap fixes the transfer and then it's off to be cleaned...'
0:34:13 > 0:34:14- Not bad.- It's good.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19'..by me.'
0:34:19 > 0:34:22Now, what's been left on there is actually the pattern?
0:34:22 > 0:34:23That's just the pattern, yeah.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26Just swill it in the water, take the rest of it off. That's it.
0:34:26 > 0:34:27Now, what we do,
0:34:27 > 0:34:29is we'll put it on this truck, here.
0:34:31 > 0:34:32That's it.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34That's the most we can do in here.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38We'll hand it over to the rest of the factory, it'll have a firing,
0:34:38 > 0:34:41then dipping in glaze, then a final firing.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44And then, fingers crossed, we'll have a finished,
0:34:44 > 0:34:48half decent piece of pottery at the end. And we'll send it on to you.
0:34:48 > 0:34:49I hope so. Cos you never know,
0:34:49 > 0:34:52that could be a valuable antique in the future.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54We'll be lucky.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56'So, you see, it isn't a simple process.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00'There's a lot of hard work and skill that goes into this beautiful craft.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03'But, is it worth collecting?'
0:35:03 > 0:35:06The great thing with transfer printed ware
0:35:06 > 0:35:10is that there's a huge variety in patterns that you can choose from.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13Botanical, animal-related subject,
0:35:13 > 0:35:15country houses.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17Of course, the Oriental patterns.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20So, wherever you are in the collecting sphere,
0:35:20 > 0:35:23there's something for you.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25This is a really good tip for you.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28If you really fancy collecting transfer printed ware,
0:35:28 > 0:35:31I can't think of a better time than now
0:35:31 > 0:35:34to start collecting transfer printed wares.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36The market has really dropped.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40So, if you want to start collecting, go car-booting,
0:35:40 > 0:35:43go to your local charity shops, if you want, because there's
0:35:43 > 0:35:47really some good things to be found, for very little money.
0:35:47 > 0:35:48- Thank you, ladies!- WOMEN: Goodbye!
0:35:48 > 0:35:52See you again! Thank you for your help! Bye-bye! Bye!
0:35:52 > 0:35:53WOMEN: Bye!
0:35:53 > 0:35:55Goodbye, Mary, Ellen!
0:35:55 > 0:35:58- Bye!- Bye.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07People in the Far East may like our blue and white china, but we
0:36:07 > 0:36:12still have a voracious appetite for original antiques from Asia.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14Even though our experts find them hard to value,
0:36:14 > 0:36:17it doesn't stop them from giving it a go.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19So, here are their tips on how you can understand
0:36:19 > 0:36:21the mysteries of the East.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26Terry and Jackie, you have brought along
0:36:26 > 0:36:28a fan and I don't think I've seen
0:36:28 > 0:36:31a fan in such wonderful condition.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34'Quality speaks for itself. You really only'
0:36:34 > 0:36:37have to look at an Oriental item of quality
0:36:37 > 0:36:41and you can almost see it from three, four yards away.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43Just the detail on the figures,
0:36:43 > 0:36:45the flowers, all the decoration
0:36:45 > 0:36:48and the little latticework
0:36:48 > 0:36:50is just so intricate.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52It could only be the best quality.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56This is Cantonese, 1890, 1900,
0:36:56 > 0:36:59and this is the sort of thing that frankly, in terms of value,
0:36:59 > 0:37:03has gone through the roof in the last five years or so.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07And what I particularly like about it is the way that you look
0:37:07 > 0:37:12from strand to strand, it tells a story all the way through.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14If you follow one figure, for example,
0:37:14 > 0:37:16you take a figure here,
0:37:16 > 0:37:18half of his body's on that panel,
0:37:18 > 0:37:19half of his body's on that panel,
0:37:19 > 0:37:21and same with the trees.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23Tells a story all the way through.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26It is quite remarkable quality.
0:37:26 > 0:37:27I'm sure it's ivory.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30I needed to just check that it wasn't plastic.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33That may seem silly, but, you know,
0:37:33 > 0:37:37plastic dates from a lot earlier than a lot of people think.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39But this is undoubtedly ivory.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41'The simple way to check if it's not plastic,'
0:37:41 > 0:37:44heat up a pin and stick it in.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47If it's plastic, it'll melt a hole in it, but it won't matter,
0:37:47 > 0:37:49because if it's plastic, it wouldn't be valuable.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51If it's ivory, it won't go in.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54Ivory's become more and more emotive
0:37:54 > 0:37:59with the butchering of elephants and...
0:38:01 > 0:38:08..we feel pretty happy, legally, to sell items pre-1947.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12Anything that has been, for want of a better word,
0:38:12 > 0:38:15butchered in our lifetime, certainly within my memory,
0:38:15 > 0:38:17'is taboo.'
0:38:17 > 0:38:21- What do you think it's worth? - A hundred?- More.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23- 200.- I think more.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25- Really?- I really do.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29I think a lot of the Chinese think, "We should be having these things back, now,"
0:38:29 > 0:38:34and they are prepared to pay huge money to have the right things back.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38- I think this could be worth £300 or £400.- Crikey.- Crumbs!
0:38:40 > 0:38:42'With the expectation mounting in the room and overseas,
0:38:42 > 0:38:46'was anyone prepared to have a flutter on the fan?'
0:38:46 > 0:38:51We've got an awful lot of Chinese and Eastern artefacts in the sale.
0:38:51 > 0:38:56It's bringing in all the overseas buyers and hopefully they'll pick up on this.
0:38:56 > 0:38:57The Cantonese ivory fan.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00Let's start at 150. 150, I'm bid.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02150, 160, 170, 180, 190.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05At £190, now. Done, then.
0:39:05 > 0:39:06At 190, 200, 220.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08220, 240.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10260. 280. 300. 320.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12- There you are. We're already...- I know.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14380, 400.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16400, 420, 440,
0:39:16 > 0:39:18460, 480. 500.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20550.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22- 600.- 600. At 600, now.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24650, 700, 750.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27- I'm lost for words.- So am I.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29- 850, 900.- I must brush up on
0:39:29 > 0:39:30my Cantonese valuations.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32At 950. 1,000.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34'It's very important that you'
0:39:34 > 0:39:35look at the sale and think,
0:39:35 > 0:39:38"That's right for my object." But a good auctioneer will do that for you.
0:39:38 > 0:39:411,600. The phone at 1,600.
0:39:41 > 0:39:42- And 50.- 1,650.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45JACKIE: That's amazing.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47- That is incredible.- Wow.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49Jackie, there's tears.
0:39:49 > 0:39:521,800. Phone at 1,800.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54£1,800. Anybody else?
0:39:54 > 0:39:55- And 50.- 1,850.
0:39:57 > 0:39:581,900?
0:39:59 > 0:40:01At 1,850. I sell with the internet.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04At £1,850.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06- Jackie.- I know. I daren't look.
0:40:06 > 0:40:07THEY LAUGH
0:40:07 > 0:40:09Down here at 1,850.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12- Oh, my goodness me. - Wow, wow.- It's wonderful.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15Tears in the eyes.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17Never mind, Charlie, you can be wrong as often as you like!
0:40:17 > 0:40:20I'm going to become a decorator.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22What an amazing price.
0:40:22 > 0:40:27Do make sure you get your antique piece into a specialist auction,
0:40:27 > 0:40:28where the saleroom can help you
0:40:28 > 0:40:31build up a worldwide fan base
0:40:31 > 0:40:34and hopefully get you the best bid.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37But, it's also about timing.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41If there was ever a time to sell something Chinese, it's now.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46A prime example of the buoyancy was the plaque at Preston.
0:40:46 > 0:40:53This is about 1880, 1890 and we see figures and attendants
0:40:53 > 0:40:57in formal gardens with these building structures
0:40:57 > 0:40:59and very stylised trees.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01This is an object just to be looked at
0:41:01 > 0:41:03and enjoyed for its artistic merit,
0:41:03 > 0:41:05rather than anything to be used.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07Would you be happy at £100 to £150.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10- Yeah.- Would you?- Yeah.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13I think you'd be very silly to be happy with that.
0:41:13 > 0:41:14I think it's worth a bit more.
0:41:14 > 0:41:18- I reckon 300 to 500 is more to the mark.- Brilliant, yeah.
0:41:18 > 0:41:19I think you'll do really well.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21That is a great thing.
0:41:21 > 0:41:22'Now that we have live bidding,'
0:41:22 > 0:41:26there is no excuse for not getting
0:41:26 > 0:41:28the right result, really, on an object.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30Lot 430,
0:41:30 > 0:41:32Chinese carved ivory plaque.
0:41:32 > 0:41:33'The Chinese market'
0:41:33 > 0:41:36is voracious. There is so much money out there.
0:41:36 > 0:41:42£700. Straight in on one of the phones at £700.
0:41:42 > 0:41:43800 online.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45840, 860. I'll come back.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47900, 920,
0:41:47 > 0:41:49940, £1,000.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51The bid's on the phone at 1,000.
0:41:51 > 0:41:5310 years ago, would've been worth £100.
0:41:53 > 0:41:57'Four years ago, maybe 200 or 300.'
0:41:57 > 0:41:58- £2,000.- Oh, my God!
0:41:58 > 0:42:00'Just kept flying.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02'The bids absolutely shooting in
0:42:02 > 0:42:05'from the online bidding platform that we have.'
0:42:05 > 0:42:08At some points, it was coming in quicker than I could actually take
0:42:08 > 0:42:09the bids and I was having to jump bids
0:42:09 > 0:42:11'to keep up with it.'
0:42:11 > 0:42:13We're not there yet. 24, 25.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15It's fantastic!
0:42:15 > 0:42:16At the time we sold it,
0:42:16 > 0:42:20I put three to five, expecting it to make a thousand.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22£3,000.
0:42:22 > 0:42:243-1. 3,100.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26We're not there yet.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28The Internet has enabled us
0:42:28 > 0:42:31here to market everything
0:42:31 > 0:42:33all over the world. So it's made a massive difference.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35I can't believe it.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38Very excited people in the far corner here. Congratulations to you.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41Its £3,300 online.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44Direct from Shanghai at £3,300.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46He said coming from Shanghai.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48You're out in the room, the phones are all dead.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51It's £3,300 online.
0:42:51 > 0:42:52Sold.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54£3,300.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57APPLAUSE It's so fantastic!
0:42:57 > 0:43:00Oh, my God!
0:43:00 > 0:43:05Really, that was just sold at the perfect time.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08If that was to come on the market now,
0:43:08 > 0:43:10it would make less than half that.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12It's changed that quickly.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15So, it's all about timings.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17And, if you're not greedy
0:43:17 > 0:43:20and you don't try to hold on too long
0:43:20 > 0:43:23and you time it well, fantastic.
0:43:23 > 0:43:25And that's exactly what happened on the day.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28'Things may have dampened down a bit since we sold that plaque,
0:43:28 > 0:43:31'but buying Chinese can still be a great investment.
0:43:31 > 0:43:35'The trade secret is not to rush out to sell,
0:43:35 > 0:43:37'but hang on until the market looks right.'
0:43:39 > 0:43:43'If you want to invest, there are some Chinese pieces where you
0:43:43 > 0:43:45'cannot go wrong, including a type of ceramic
0:43:45 > 0:43:47'called Famille Rose.'
0:43:48 > 0:43:53Gosh, we are going back now, many, many years, to Andover.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56You've brought a nice collection of Oriental ceramics
0:43:56 > 0:43:58in to show us today.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00Can you give us the history of them?
0:44:00 > 0:44:03Well, they were my mum's and she died about 25 years ago.
0:44:03 > 0:44:07When she died, we were clearing out her loft and we found it in there.
0:44:07 > 0:44:09I love Famille Rose.
0:44:09 > 0:44:12It's so delicate. The colouring.
0:44:12 > 0:44:15Lots of 20th century examples.
0:44:15 > 0:44:19This was really bang in the mid to late 19th century.
0:44:19 > 0:44:23We get the Famille Rose from the sort of pinky colours,
0:44:23 > 0:44:25pinky greens and blues in the pattern.
0:44:25 > 0:44:30There was so much! There was some lovely tureen covers and stands.
0:44:30 > 0:44:33'A pair of vases, shaped dessert dishes.'
0:44:33 > 0:44:37They're very typically decorated with these Oriental scenes.
0:44:37 > 0:44:39Little people in different courtyards,
0:44:39 > 0:44:40buildings in the background.
0:44:40 > 0:44:44'Cantonese Famille Rose ware gets its name from the Port of Canton.
0:44:44 > 0:44:46'That's where it was exported to the rest'
0:44:46 > 0:44:49of the world, although it was probably made in one of
0:44:49 > 0:44:52the big ceramic-producing areas in China.
0:44:52 > 0:44:54- Have you ever thought about the value?- No.
0:44:54 > 0:44:57- This is why you brought them here today?- Yeah.
0:44:57 > 0:45:00I think it's such a shame. It is just a waste, isn't it?
0:45:00 > 0:45:04I was quite mean, you know, because I could get away with it then.
0:45:04 > 0:45:06I put such a ridiculous estimate on it.
0:45:06 > 0:45:08I suggest we put it in as a little group,
0:45:08 > 0:45:11and if we did put them in with a sale,
0:45:11 > 0:45:13I think we'd be looking at an estimate
0:45:13 > 0:45:16of maybe £200-300 for the group.
0:45:16 > 0:45:20- Oh, right.- Is that all right? - Yeah, that's...
0:45:20 > 0:45:22Oh, hindsight is a wonderful thing, Mark!
0:45:22 > 0:45:26So how did the buyers feel about the Famille Rose on the day?
0:45:28 > 0:45:30800, 820...
0:45:31 > 0:45:36- We could be here all night. - 850, 880, 900...
0:45:37 > 0:45:42..and 20. 950. 1,000.
0:45:42 > 0:45:46- And 50.- D'you need a seat? - 1,100. And 50.
0:45:46 > 0:45:491,200. And 50.
0:45:51 > 0:45:55£1,200 on the phone here against all in the room. 1,250 at the back.
0:45:55 > 0:45:59- 1,300.- 1,300!- And 50.
0:45:59 > 0:46:041,400. And 50. 1,500.
0:46:06 > 0:46:11And 50. 1,500 on the phone. All done at 1,500.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14Against all at £1,500, selling.
0:46:14 > 0:46:18Yes! On the phone, £1,500.
0:46:18 > 0:46:20APPLAUSE
0:46:20 > 0:46:23- That's great.- I don't believe it! - That is just great.
0:46:23 > 0:46:25I just don't believe it.
0:46:25 > 0:46:29If you're thinking of collecting Chinese porcelain,
0:46:29 > 0:46:35what I would do is go and look in museums, go and study the porcelain.
0:46:35 > 0:46:38Go to local auctions, see what people are buying.
0:46:38 > 0:46:43Go find out the good Oriental dealers, go and talk to them,
0:46:43 > 0:46:46you know, because they are looking for potential buyers,
0:46:46 > 0:46:49so they're willing to help steer you through that.
0:46:49 > 0:46:53If you want to find a bargain, remember, knowledge is everything.
0:46:53 > 0:46:57You can never do too much research, so find a good reference book
0:46:57 > 0:46:59and get reading.
0:46:59 > 0:47:02It can get your heart racing, as Anita Manning knows.
0:47:04 > 0:47:08I love dressing up, and this is the most wonderful kimono.
0:47:08 > 0:47:11Do you dress up in this? Has this got any family...?
0:47:11 > 0:47:16- My husband has worn it at a fancy dress.- Has he?- He looked good.
0:47:16 > 0:47:20If we turn it round to the back first of all,
0:47:20 > 0:47:25we can see this wonderful imperial dragon here.
0:47:25 > 0:47:28Look at those eyes, a wee bitty scary.
0:47:28 > 0:47:31And this symbol here denotes a pearl.
0:47:31 > 0:47:35I had the immediate impact of the colours
0:47:35 > 0:47:37and the quality of the embroidery.
0:47:37 > 0:47:39That dragon with the scary eyes!
0:47:39 > 0:47:45What did it mean? That wonderful pearl symbol! What did it mean?
0:47:45 > 0:47:49But it also made me think of, who did it belong to?
0:47:49 > 0:47:53What was their life like? What was their function in life?
0:47:53 > 0:47:55What was life in court like?
0:47:55 > 0:47:59I think that it could have been a military kimono
0:47:59 > 0:48:05and may have been worn by an officer at ceremonial occasions.
0:48:05 > 0:48:10So, that's what antiques can do to us, they fire our imagination.
0:48:10 > 0:48:16Difficult to put a price on it, but if we put it in at 150-200,
0:48:16 > 0:48:18we might have a chance at that.
0:48:18 > 0:48:23When I give an estimate, either in Flog It or in my own auction,
0:48:23 > 0:48:25it is an estimate.
0:48:25 > 0:48:30We don't know exactly how much it's going to get
0:48:30 > 0:48:32until the hammer falls.
0:48:32 > 0:48:35Any advance now at 520 for the kimono?
0:48:35 > 0:48:38- At 520, 550, 580, 600...- Yes!
0:48:38 > 0:48:42- 620, 650...- Someone really wants it.
0:48:42 > 0:48:46At £700. Any advance now on £700 for the kimono?
0:48:46 > 0:48:48To be sold for £700.
0:48:48 > 0:48:53Yes, the hammer's gone down. £700!
0:48:53 > 0:48:59What a turnaround! Worn for a fancy dress party and sold for £700.
0:49:01 > 0:49:05I'm renowned for being a wee bit conservative, though.
0:49:05 > 0:49:08- I'm tingling all over, are you tingling?- Absolutely.
0:49:08 > 0:49:12If you're a collector of Oriental items in the UK,
0:49:12 > 0:49:15is this a good time to hold onto your items
0:49:15 > 0:49:18or is it a good time to sell them?
0:49:18 > 0:49:20I always say if you love a collection, keep it.
0:49:21 > 0:49:26But if you've bought to sell, or if you've bought because it was
0:49:26 > 0:49:30something that caught your eye, then this is the time to sell.
0:49:31 > 0:49:33It's amazing how much they know.
0:49:33 > 0:49:36You've heard their tips and now here are mine.
0:49:37 > 0:49:41'In the tricky Oriental market, be cautious, as we found earlier.
0:49:41 > 0:49:44'A mark doesn't necessarily mean it's really old
0:49:44 > 0:49:47'because it's easy enough to copy old marks.
0:49:47 > 0:49:50'Be wary of online auctions which claim something is
0:49:50 > 0:49:51'authentically Ming.
0:49:51 > 0:49:54'There's no substitute for touching and seeing an item.
0:49:54 > 0:49:57'And most of all, do your homework.
0:49:58 > 0:50:02'Don't forget, when it comes to the mysterious Oriental market,
0:50:02 > 0:50:05'if you go with your heart and enjoy owning a piece,
0:50:05 > 0:50:10'you might also get lucky enough to earn some serious cash.'
0:50:11 > 0:50:14If you find a piece you like and you want to start a collection,
0:50:14 > 0:50:16where do you begin?
0:50:16 > 0:50:18Well, this tale of one man's obsession with
0:50:18 > 0:50:22the lure of the Orient may give you some food for thought.
0:50:24 > 0:50:26Collecting is a real bug and once you've got it,
0:50:26 > 0:50:29there is no stopping it. Believe me, it's so addictive.
0:50:29 > 0:50:31But of course, there is one major problem.
0:50:31 > 0:50:35Sooner or later, you're going to run out of space to store it all,
0:50:35 > 0:50:38and it's precisely at this point, back in 1955,
0:50:38 > 0:50:43that antiques dealer and collector Denys Eyre Bower decided to do
0:50:43 > 0:50:47something radical about housing his own personal collections.
0:50:47 > 0:50:52So he borrowed £6,000 from the bank and bought himself a castle.
0:50:52 > 0:50:55And this is it. Chiddingstone Castle.
0:50:57 > 0:51:00'He had antiques from his four areas of interest
0:51:00 > 0:51:02'on display to the public.
0:51:02 > 0:51:03'Buddhism...
0:51:07 > 0:51:09'..Egyptian art...
0:51:09 > 0:51:12'..Stuart and Jacobean artefacts...
0:51:15 > 0:51:19'..and the exquisite Japanese collection.'
0:51:19 > 0:51:22'His acumen for antique collecting being much better
0:51:22 > 0:51:24'than his grasp of property management,
0:51:24 > 0:51:27'and it's true to say his obsession with collecting
0:51:27 > 0:51:30'had a disastrous effect on every other area of his life.'
0:51:33 > 0:51:35Not long after taking over the castle,
0:51:35 > 0:51:39Denys met and fell in love with a beautiful young lady half his age.
0:51:39 > 0:51:41He was so in love with her,
0:51:41 > 0:51:44but one day, when she threatened to call off the romance,
0:51:44 > 0:51:47well, he was so besotted he ran to see her,
0:51:47 > 0:51:49picked up one of his antique guns, took it with him,
0:51:49 > 0:51:53dramatically threatening to kill himself if she called it off.
0:51:53 > 0:51:56Well, don't ask me how, but somehow, accidentally,
0:51:56 > 0:51:58he managed to shoot her.
0:51:59 > 0:52:01'Denys was sentenced to life imprisonment,
0:52:01 > 0:52:04'and spent a number of years in Wormwood Scrubs,
0:52:04 > 0:52:08'before finally being freed in 1962, when he returned
0:52:08 > 0:52:12'to live at Chiddingstone Castle among his collections.
0:52:12 > 0:52:14'I have arranged to meet Julia Hutt,
0:52:14 > 0:52:18'curator of Japanese art at the Victoria and Albert Museum,
0:52:18 > 0:52:20'and also a trustee of Chiddingstone Castle,
0:52:20 > 0:52:23'to look at some of Denys' Japanese collection.'
0:52:27 > 0:52:30There's a wonderful collection of Japanese artefacts here.
0:52:30 > 0:52:31We're surrounded by them.
0:52:31 > 0:52:33This is what I would normally associate
0:52:33 > 0:52:35Japanese lacquer-ware with.
0:52:35 > 0:52:38Things like the sake bowls there with the typical reds,
0:52:38 > 0:52:41- and of course, the little writing box there.- Yes.
0:52:41 > 0:52:44Lacquer is basically the sap from a tree that grows in east
0:52:44 > 0:52:48and southeast Asia, and by making incisions in the bark,
0:52:48 > 0:52:50the sap oozes out...
0:52:50 > 0:52:55- They can draw it off.- Yes. It's collected and then it's processed.
0:52:55 > 0:52:58And the vessels themselves, now, let's look at this little box.
0:52:58 > 0:53:00Now that's some discipline to achieve that.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03Yes, really testing of the lacquerer's skills to be able
0:53:03 > 0:53:07to work with these minute pieces and place them individually.
0:53:07 > 0:53:11- This is some of the best work I've ever seen in my life.- Yes.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23Do you respect Denys as a collector, a connoisseur?
0:53:23 > 0:53:26- Did he have a good eye?- Absolutely. - Yeah, I agree with you.
0:53:26 > 0:53:29I think he was an English eccentric
0:53:29 > 0:53:33who happened to be in the right place at the right time.
0:53:33 > 0:53:36He was buying on modest means
0:53:36 > 0:53:41and with a very good eye he was able to buy some spectacular pieces.
0:53:52 > 0:53:55Well, old Denys may have had a turbulent private life,
0:53:55 > 0:54:00but I tell you what, boy, was he a good collector and dealer!
0:54:00 > 0:54:03He had a fabulous eye for detail.
0:54:03 > 0:54:07He followed his own instincts, he bought items when they weren't
0:54:07 > 0:54:10fashionable so they were affordable, there's a lesson for us all there.
0:54:10 > 0:54:15He bought only quality and items that weren't overly restored.
0:54:15 > 0:54:16And his legacy is here today
0:54:16 > 0:54:19for us all to enjoy at Chiddingstone Castle.
0:54:31 > 0:54:34'So today we have seen some wonderful items that have come to
0:54:34 > 0:54:37'the Flog It tables from foreign climes, but there is one more
0:54:37 > 0:54:41'that shows Flog It has something to give back to the world.
0:54:44 > 0:54:48'Last year, Gaynor Connor and Sister Yvonne brought in an item
0:54:48 > 0:54:51'Gaynor had squirreled away for 20 years.'
0:54:51 > 0:54:53We took to Flog It
0:54:53 > 0:54:55a beautiful Arts and Crafts mirror,
0:54:55 > 0:54:57a nice brass Arts and Crafts mirror.
0:54:57 > 0:55:01What we have is this hexagonal brass frame
0:55:01 > 0:55:06with these Celtic knots round the rim.
0:55:06 > 0:55:11Now, this motif was particularly popular
0:55:11 > 0:55:14during the Arts and Crafts movement.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17I would say it's not the best of quality,
0:55:17 > 0:55:21but it still has that very nice Celtic knot, good motif,
0:55:21 > 0:55:25nice condition, obviously well looked after.
0:55:25 > 0:55:33I would estimate it in the region of, say, £60-80.
0:55:33 > 0:55:36- Would you be happy to sell it at that?- Yes, I would.
0:55:36 > 0:55:40- I mean, the money's going to a very good cause.- Tell me about that.
0:55:40 > 0:55:45I went to Malawi a few years ago and I saw the situation out there
0:55:45 > 0:55:49and so it's going to a hospital in Malawi.
0:55:49 > 0:55:50That's wonderful, Gaynor.
0:55:50 > 0:55:55- £80 will do an awful lot out there, I'll tell you.- So, £80.- Right.
0:55:55 > 0:55:56- To Malawi.- Brilliant.
0:55:59 > 0:56:02I've never been to an auction before,
0:56:02 > 0:56:04so I didn't really know what to expect.
0:56:04 > 0:56:08Ladies and gentlemen, this lot is being sold and the money's
0:56:08 > 0:56:12going directly to St Joseph's, which is a bush hospital in Malawi.
0:56:12 > 0:56:14Let's hope we get a good price for this Arts and Crafts
0:56:14 > 0:56:18- brass framed octagonal wall mirror.- Good luck.
0:56:18 > 0:56:21Very excited at the prospect
0:56:21 > 0:56:23of a big deal with somebody
0:56:23 > 0:56:26to have a lot of money come in for this mirror.
0:56:26 > 0:56:31I can start the bidding at £100 and 10 is bid. 110 I have, is there 120?
0:56:31 > 0:56:34At £110. 120, 120 in the room.
0:56:34 > 0:56:37120, all done at 120?
0:56:37 > 0:56:40Anyone else now, at £120, we sell.
0:56:41 > 0:56:44Not bad, double the estimate.
0:56:44 > 0:56:46That's a true reflection of the price, wasn't it?
0:56:46 > 0:56:49- That's not bad at all. - Can do a lot in Africa with that.
0:56:51 > 0:56:56- Hi, just a little donation. - Oh, my goodness gracious!
0:56:56 > 0:57:00'The Sisters of the St Augustinian Order have become quite expert
0:57:00 > 0:57:03'at finding things that are worth a few quid in their shop,
0:57:03 > 0:57:06'which they put towards their charity.'
0:57:08 > 0:57:09Hey, look at this!
0:57:09 > 0:57:12'We've recently built a girls school'
0:57:12 > 0:57:15because we've found that the girls are not being educated.
0:57:15 > 0:57:20They go out into the bush and supply medicines to people who need help.
0:57:22 > 0:57:25'So how far could the £120 raised at our Flog It auction
0:57:25 > 0:57:27'go in Malawi?'
0:57:27 > 0:57:31The money that we raised from the sale of the mirror actually
0:57:31 > 0:57:36went to buy medicines, erm, simple things like paracetamol,
0:57:36 > 0:57:37they can't afford them.
0:57:37 > 0:57:40And also, mothers who have newborn babies
0:57:40 > 0:57:43are not allowed to take babies out of the hospital
0:57:43 > 0:57:44unless they have an item of clothing,
0:57:44 > 0:57:47so it would have gone for clothing as well.
0:57:49 > 0:57:52Our Top Tip is, if you're going to have a clear out,
0:57:52 > 0:57:56then do it with a friend, and it's amazing the fun you have.
0:57:59 > 0:58:01Mairi, what about this for Flog It? Eh?
0:58:01 > 0:58:03Or Strictly?
0:58:04 > 0:58:07'Well, I'm not sure Len Goodman would like it,
0:58:07 > 0:58:11'but as Gaynor and Sister Yvonne said, try a clean out with a friend
0:58:11 > 0:58:15'and as we know on Flog It, you can never tell what you might discover.'
0:58:15 > 0:58:17We're so privileged on the show to pick up
0:58:17 > 0:58:20information on antiques from all across the world,
0:58:20 > 0:58:24and I hope you've learned something today on your travels with us.
0:58:24 > 0:58:27Join me again next time for more on Flog It Trade Secrets,
0:58:27 > 0:58:29but until then it's goodbye.
0:58:33 > 0:58:36Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd