0:00:04 > 0:00:08We've all got bits and pieces tucked away in garages and attics
0:00:08 > 0:00:11that haven't been looked at for many years.
0:00:12 > 0:00:13150...
0:00:13 > 0:00:16- WOMAN EXCLAIMS - Good Lord!
0:00:16 > 0:00:20It may be you that's got something of real historical interest and value,
0:00:20 > 0:00:23or something that a collector is looking out for.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29It's a bottle of gin now, never mind a glass of gin!
0:00:29 > 0:00:34For over ten years now on Flog It, you've shared with us your stories and items,
0:00:34 > 0:00:38and today I want to share some inside knowledge with you.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Welcome to Flog It! Trade Secrets.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10Among the thousands of things that you bring along to show us at our valuation days,
0:01:10 > 0:01:13there's always something relating to our love of the countryside,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16whether it's walking sticks or fishing rods.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Now, these are the things that we all have lying around at home,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22and some of it could be of great value.
0:01:22 > 0:01:27So today, we're giving you the inside track on our love for the great outdoors.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Today's show is packed with secrets.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32- Sold.- Goodness gracious! That's unbelievable!
0:01:32 > 0:01:35We'll be showing you how the transport of yesteryear
0:01:35 > 0:01:38can be worth a fortune to you...
0:01:38 > 0:01:42- Did you fly in? - Yes. The rest of it's outside.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44..how cycling has gone from this...
0:01:44 > 0:01:46..to this.
0:01:46 > 0:01:51And we'll be showing you how to pick the winning sports memorabilia of the future.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55So, what trade secrets will our experts reveal?
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Really go for the most prominent sportsperson that you can
0:01:59 > 0:02:02and the most sought-after sport.
0:02:02 > 0:02:07I see endless boxes and boxes of football programmes,
0:02:07 > 0:02:12but it's really the pre-war ones that people are collecting.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16Don't spend a lot of money on sporting memorabilia
0:02:16 > 0:02:19unless you know its provenance.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25The national excitement over the 2012 Olympics
0:02:25 > 0:02:28is just the latest example of our nation's passion for sport.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32It's a passion that's reflected at our valuation days.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36We see all manner of sports memorabilia turning up.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40- From the rare... - It's a Sunday stick.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44- ..to the iconic... - We've got David Beckham's boots!
0:02:44 > 0:02:46..to the quite frankly bizarre.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48I love the adult bats.
0:02:48 > 0:02:53Collectors of sporting memorabilia are some of the most fanatical you are going to come across.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56How many have you got in your collection?
0:02:56 > 0:02:58I would think about 15 to 20,000.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01This is what collecting is all about - a fanatic!
0:03:01 > 0:03:04So, if you want to know the secrets and the inside track
0:03:04 > 0:03:07on what's hot in the world of sport,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10then get ready, we're under starter's orders.
0:03:13 > 0:03:18Here are some of the most interesting items we've seen over the years.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23If you have a sporting hero or a team you support,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26you want sort of relics, objects,
0:03:26 > 0:03:29that relate you to them.
0:03:29 > 0:03:35And sometimes the memorabilia is literally related to its owner.
0:03:35 > 0:03:40The nice thing about this group of medals is, they come from the vendor's father.
0:03:40 > 0:03:46He'd gone and seen his father play, he had the whole history with it and he had all the records, as well.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48So, this is your father here.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Yes. Ernie Pattison.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54It was as complete an archive of that footballer's life
0:03:54 > 0:03:56as I think it's almost possible to get.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59We've got some of his original contracts, as well.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03- Yes. That one, I think, is the Scunthorpe contract. - This is the local interest one.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06But what's more important is, we've got the medals.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10- And, of course, they're all gold football medals.- Yes, they are.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13There was a nice history. He'd started off as an amateur,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16he was a miner, and it had got him out of the mines.
0:04:16 > 0:04:22He came from a mining village called Barlborough, near Derbyshire.
0:04:22 > 0:04:28He left there when he was 16 and he went to play for Frickley Colliery.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31And then Notts Forrest came and they signed him on,
0:04:31 > 0:04:34and then he was transferred to West Bromwich Albion.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37You had all of it, the whole story,
0:04:37 > 0:04:40encompassed by a tableful of objects, which is lovely.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Any idea of value?
0:04:43 > 0:04:46- I had them appraised locally for gold...- Right.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49..just the gold itself, and it's somewhere between
0:04:49 > 0:04:54£360 and £400, with the gold value.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Thankfully, the interest in football
0:04:57 > 0:05:00takes them above and beyond that, you'll be glad to know.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03I think we should put them in auction
0:05:03 > 0:05:06at a reserve figure of, say, £700
0:05:06 > 0:05:10and we'll put the estimate at eight to 1,200.
0:05:10 > 0:05:15A sporting connection will often increase the value of an item beyond its weight in gold.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19But auctioneer Colin Young thought Michael overshot the estimate
0:05:19 > 0:05:22and revised it to £500 to £700.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26But let's see how much it went for.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30Lot number 275. Who's going to start me at £500?
0:05:30 > 0:05:34Four to go, then, surely? £400. 400? Three? £300, anyone?
0:05:34 > 0:05:37- That's far too low.- Mm.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41320. 340. And 360 on the book. At 360.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44380 now? 380. 400.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48- 420.- You can't buy gold football medals for 400 quid.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50460 do I see? 460 bid now?
0:05:50 > 0:05:55460 bid. At 460. 480. At 480 bid. Any more bids now?
0:05:55 > 0:05:57At 480. 500 bid. At 500.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59- It's going up.- Just teased it.
0:05:59 > 0:06:04At 500. 520 now. At £500, are we all done? Going this time.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08- It's one interested bidder, isn't it? - Yes.- Any more bids from the net?
0:06:08 > 0:06:09No. Any more from the room?
0:06:09 > 0:06:11All done and finished, then.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14They are sold at £500.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17Well done, Colin. He teased that last bit out.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Colin knew his market and was right to bring the estimate down.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23It was a bit disappointing,
0:06:23 > 0:06:26but the most important thing is that the vendor's happy.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32Thankfully, the medals sold for more than their scrap value.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36If they belonged to a famous footballer, they would've sold for even more.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Here's our expert Michael, with the inside track.
0:06:39 > 0:06:44If you're investing, really go for the most prominent sportsperson that you can
0:06:44 > 0:06:46and the most sought-after sport.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50So it's going to be football, it's going to be cricket.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52I don't suspect you could buy Andy Murray's tennis racket
0:06:52 > 0:06:55that he won the Olympic Gold Medal for,
0:06:55 > 0:07:00but if you could, that's the sort of thing that will be an icon in 100 years to come.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Merchandise relating to big names in sport
0:07:05 > 0:07:07is certainly worth looking out for.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11But more obscure items can have value, too.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15You never know, you might have something lurking in your garage
0:07:15 > 0:07:17that's a treasured collector's piece,
0:07:17 > 0:07:21but it's disguised as something else.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24In all my years as an auctioneer, I've never encountered one of those.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27I've never seen one of these.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30I suppose it's possible I might've done and not known what it was,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33but I was very surprised and pleased to see that.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37- Have you hurt your leg?- No. This is not really a walking stick.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41- Is it not?- No. It's a Sunday stick, as it was called.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45You could go walking on a Sunday, when golf wasn't able to be played,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48and you could use this to hit the occasional golf ball.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50People would think you were out for a walk with your walking stick.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55It evoked a time when people didn't take leisure on a Sunday.
0:07:55 > 0:08:00Sunday was a day of rest. You didn't work and you didn't play.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03- You weren't allowed to play golf on a Sunday.- In certain places, no.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Like, St Andrews is closed on a Sunday.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09So if you're out a walk, you would take this with you
0:08:09 > 0:08:12and when no-one was looking, hit a few golf balls.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15So, you'd be in trouble if you saw the minister coming along
0:08:15 > 0:08:18- on the opposite side of the road? - Possibly, yes!
0:08:18 > 0:08:21That's when you spun it round and reverted to it as a walking stick.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23And what a lovely story.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27Doesn't it seem curmudgeonly to prevent people from playing golf on a Sunday?
0:08:27 > 0:08:30You work jolly hard all week, you want a bit of fresh air,
0:08:30 > 0:08:33and your local minister says "No, no, no!"
0:08:33 > 0:08:35I think I'd rather be playing golf.
0:08:35 > 0:08:40Now, this is going to appeal to collectors both of walking sticks
0:08:40 > 0:08:43and, of course, people like yourself who are golfers.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47- How did you come by it? - It belonged to my mother. She had it for many years.
0:08:47 > 0:08:52Although she wasn't a golfer, she was interested in golf and anything Scottish.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55It's difficult to value something which you haven't encountered before.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59It's very useful to get a bit of input from the owner,
0:08:59 > 0:09:03and Richard, frankly, knew more about that golf stick than I did.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06We're always very grateful for a piece of input like that.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09It helps us to come up with a valuation.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12I suppose, otherwise,
0:09:12 > 0:09:14your valuation probably is instinctive.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17I knew it wasn't going to make £400 or £500,
0:09:17 > 0:09:19but I knew it was of some value.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Now, I would be inclined to estimate this
0:09:22 > 0:09:24- in the region of £30 to £50.- Yes.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26If it made 50 or 60,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29- I wouldn't be surprised.- Yes.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31But I can't see it making much more than that.
0:09:31 > 0:09:36Collectors of golfiana, as it's called, what a horrible word,
0:09:36 > 0:09:40tend to be reasonably well off and they'll spend money on their hobby,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43and that'll end up in a collection somewhere.
0:09:43 > 0:09:48I don't think the owner will take it out for a walk when he exercises the dog,
0:09:48 > 0:09:49but I might be wrong!
0:09:49 > 0:09:52I think this will go in Scotland.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56There's a lot of golf memorabilia in Scotland.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59- Good luck.- Thank you.- Here we go.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03We have the Sunday stick in the form of a golf club.
0:10:03 > 0:10:09- I'm bid 40 to start. At £40. 45. 50. - That was good.- Five. 60.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13At £60. Anybody else left? 65. 70.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16- Five.- Someone on the phone here.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18£80. Are you all done?
0:10:18 > 0:10:21£80 and we're away at 80.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25- £85.- 85. Just in time on the net.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28At £85. All done, ladies and gents?
0:10:28 > 0:10:33On the internet - the room's out - at £85.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37- That's more like it, isn't it? - That's good.- That's a good price.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41- Someone was serious about that. That's going in a collection. - I hope so.
0:10:41 > 0:10:47When it comes to sport and leisure you can collect anything from bats to books,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50but how do you know what will reap you rewards in the future?
0:10:50 > 0:10:54It's back to David Fletcher with some advice...
0:10:55 > 0:11:00If I was collecting sporting items,
0:11:00 > 0:11:06I would collect in the field which I either played or watched.
0:11:06 > 0:11:11Clearly, if you're not a golfer you're going to get as much enjoyment out of a golf stick.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14If you like football, collect football programmes.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17If you like rugby, collect signed rugby shirts.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22Don't buy them at charity sales when everyone's had a drink or two after dinner,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24because they'll make more than they're worth.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28See if you can find something autographed by..
0:11:28 > 0:11:30..an All Black team from the 1930s.
0:11:30 > 0:11:36That is where the potential lies, something which has got a bit of age and character.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40That's a good tip from David.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42To get a sporting chance of success in the saleroom,
0:11:42 > 0:11:46look out for items that you have special interest in.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50You're likely to know more about the subject and enjoy your buy,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53regardless of its value.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57But now to our most modest expert,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00with a very personal connection to cricket.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04I'm going to be in the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
0:12:04 > 0:12:07because I played cricket for Poland.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11There you go. A surprised look from the director there!
0:12:11 > 0:12:15Poland does have a cricket team and I'm half-Polish, my mother's full Polish,
0:12:15 > 0:12:20and I qualified and played in a Euro cricket tournament for Poland a couple of years ago.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Did quite well, especially against Croatia!
0:12:23 > 0:12:25So when I saw the autograph album, I thought,
0:12:25 > 0:12:31"This is a good way of me giving some of my knowledge on cricketers
0:12:31 > 0:12:34"and the famous names of olden-day cricket."
0:12:34 > 0:12:39So your father got this book and managed to fill it with lots of autographs of famous cricketers.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41All in the 19...
0:12:41 > 0:12:43- ..about 1924, I think.- 1924, 1925.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45So we'll look through...
0:12:45 > 0:12:48We saw lots of autograph books,
0:12:48 > 0:12:50cricket, football, allsorts of sports,
0:12:50 > 0:12:52and some of them aren't as exciting as others.
0:12:52 > 0:12:58This one was a particularly good one because it had some real old-time legends of cricket in there,
0:12:58 > 0:13:01names like Jack Hobbs and Hammond and Sutcliffe
0:13:01 > 0:13:03and all the big names.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07When you get something really good like that, the price is hard to predict.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11There's going to be a few famous Yorkshiremen there, I'm sure.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15- Herbert Sutcliffe.- Absolutely. - That's great, isn't it?- Yes.
0:13:15 > 0:13:20It's a super album. There's a lot of interest to cricket collectors there.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24I think it'll probably make between £100 and £200 for the collection.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26- That could be good.- Yes.
0:13:26 > 0:13:31When we got to the auction room, I always thought it would do a bit better,
0:13:31 > 0:13:36and there was a sort of palpable sense of excitement about the album,
0:13:36 > 0:13:40but you don't know for sure until it comes under the hammer.
0:13:41 > 0:13:42He absolutely loved it.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45And he's got a buyer on the phone from Spain.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49- Has he?- Yes!- Goodness me! - It's going under the hammer now.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53When the album came up for sale, Paul may have given me a slight indication
0:13:53 > 0:13:55that this was going to go well.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57As it came up...
0:13:57 > 0:14:00150. 160. 170. 180. 190.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04- ..it went really quickly. - 200. 20. 240.
0:14:04 > 0:14:09- There was people in the room... - 240. 260. 280. 320.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11..and then the phone came in.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- The phones are coming! - I can't believe this.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18360 I'm bid. 360. 380. 400. At £400...
0:14:18 > 0:14:20- This is more like it.- 420.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24It was one of the more exciting auction moments that you can find.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28440 I'm bid. 440. 460. 480.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31- This is my grandson.- 500.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33520.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36540. 580.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40580, our number-two telephone. All finished in the room?
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Sold and away at £580.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47- Yes!- Brilliant! - The hammer's gone down. £580.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50I thought it might make two or 300, perhaps a little more.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53As it happens, I think it made almost 500,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56which was a bit more.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59It's a new game - "Higher" she says "Higher!"
0:14:59 > 0:15:01I can't believe it!
0:15:01 > 0:15:03- Janet, what's the name of your grandson?- BOTH: Lewis.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06- Well, what do you think of that? - It's amazing.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09Part of the reason that the autograph album sold so well, I'm sure,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13is because the autographs were not overlapping each other
0:15:13 > 0:15:16and they were all done on a single sheet
0:15:16 > 0:15:19so that later on, if you decide to sell it
0:15:19 > 0:15:22or your descendants decide to sell it,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25they will be able to maximise the profit out of it
0:15:25 > 0:15:29by having the potential to split it up, if necessary.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32So if you're a keen autograph collector,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34get each signature on a different page
0:15:34 > 0:15:37and don't write their name underneath.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41Like most collections, they'll get split up in the future
0:15:41 > 0:15:46so make sure there's room for the scissors to cut around them.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51The Flog It experts have decades of experience and an encyclopaedic knowledge of antiques.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55But sometimes, even the very best are left baffled.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59I love to find something about which I know nothing.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01And I think, unlike some people,
0:16:01 > 0:16:06I'm very, very capable of putting my hands up and saying,
0:16:06 > 0:16:08"I know nothing!"
0:16:08 > 0:16:13I need you to tell me what it is. Let's just talk it through on the outside.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16It's a bamboo...
0:16:16 > 0:16:20..basically a bamboo walking stick with a bit of carved bone on the top.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23- It's not ivory, it's carved bone. - Yes.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27The age looks to me to be...
0:16:27 > 0:16:29..almost Victorian, probably Edwardian.
0:16:29 > 0:16:34What an exciting thing to find. I thought it was just a walking cane.
0:16:34 > 0:16:35Hello.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37When I pulled the top out,
0:16:37 > 0:16:41I thought it was going to be a sword stick!
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Does that give you a clue?
0:16:44 > 0:16:48Was it a sword stick? No! It was a horse-measuring cane.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52It's got the hands... Can we stand it upright? There we go.
0:16:52 > 0:16:58- That shows the measurement there or opposite here? - It would have to be there.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02- It would show on there, yes. - It couldn't be there because that would always be the same.- Yes.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04You're quite right!
0:17:04 > 0:17:08I'm working this out as I go along!
0:17:08 > 0:17:10And it was really beautifully made,
0:17:10 > 0:17:14it had some restoration, but an unusual thing.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18Difficult thing to value. I think I put about £50 on it.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22Lot 237! Nice old horse-measuring stick!
0:17:22 > 0:17:25These used to make an awful lot of money round Newmarket,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28- and still do.- Oh! - All the traders used to have them.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Straight in - £20 for it. 20 I'm bid, here with the lady.
0:17:31 > 0:17:3520. Two. 25. 25. 28.
0:17:35 > 0:17:3830. At 30 now. At the back there at 30.
0:17:38 > 0:17:4235. 40. 45. 50.
0:17:42 > 0:17:4755. 60. 65. 70.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51- 75. The undertaker's in on this one. - LAUGHTER
0:17:51 > 0:17:5285 with the lady. 85.
0:17:52 > 0:17:57You see, it's equine memorabilia. Big money.
0:17:57 > 0:18:02That lady there, at £85. Anybody else? Who's going to bid?
0:18:02 > 0:18:06It goes with the lady, then, at 85.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08- Yes! £85.- Brilliant.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10It's remarkable, something like that,
0:18:10 > 0:18:15that was used purely for the purpose for which it was intended -
0:18:15 > 0:18:18measuring horses - has become a collector's item.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22I don't suppose it'll ever be used to measure a horse again.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27So here's what we've learned so far...
0:18:30 > 0:18:32It's a fantastic piece of memorabilia.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36Sporting memorabilia can certainly win gold in the saleroom
0:18:36 > 0:18:40and there are a few things you can do to secure yourself a medal.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44Look out for famous sporting names. If they're famous now,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47there's a good chance they'll be sought-after in the future.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51Do we know who he was and who he played for?
0:18:51 > 0:18:56- He played for Glasgow Rangers. - He's going to be well sought-after. Very collectable.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58Collect a sport you're interested in.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02If you're asking a player to sign their life away in an autograph book,
0:19:02 > 0:19:06make sure the names could be split in the future.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09What a lovely trophy to have.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13Some items may not look like a sporting gem,
0:19:13 > 0:19:15but you'd be surprised what ends up a winner.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19Or you could take your sporting memorabilia to a specialist sports auction
0:19:19 > 0:19:23where you might get a better price.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Very good!
0:19:25 > 0:19:27And one tip that applies not just to sport
0:19:27 > 0:19:31but to all sorts of antiques...
0:19:31 > 0:19:35Always buy something that makes you feel good inside, that puts a smile on your face
0:19:35 > 0:19:40because it's always going to be a good investment, even if it doesn't go up in value.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42So there's no reason to drop the ball
0:19:42 > 0:19:46the next time you encounter some of our sporting history.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50If you could have any beautiful antique you liked,
0:19:50 > 0:19:51what would it be?
0:19:51 > 0:19:54I put that question to Charlie Ross.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57If I wanted to own one thing in the world,
0:19:57 > 0:20:01it would be a complete set of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04What is Wisden? Wisden is the cricketer's Bible.
0:20:04 > 0:20:10First published, I think, in, er, 1864 and still being published today.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13They are just a history of cricket,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16and you can look up anybody.
0:20:16 > 0:20:22I love using them today. You meet someone and they say, "My dad played for so and so"
0:20:22 > 0:20:26and then when they've gone home you can look in Wisdens and check them out,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29see if their dad did really play for so and so.
0:20:29 > 0:20:34Because people tend to spin yarns about these things, dare I say it!
0:20:34 > 0:20:36But for me, it's a complete fascination.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40I'm a member of the Lord's Taverners, of the MCC.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44I still, dare I say it, turn out and play the odd game of cricket.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47There are about 150 volumes of Wisden,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50of which I have 120, 125,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53so I've got more to buy. But they're the expensive ones, of course.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57The relevance of this particular Wisden, 1938,
0:20:57 > 0:21:03it's got the scores from the 1936-37 tour of Australia,
0:21:03 > 0:21:05England playing Australia Down Under.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09Now, the bat has got signatures
0:21:09 > 0:21:12of all the players that played in the test matches.
0:21:12 > 0:21:17Some of the names are a little illegible now.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21Signed in old fountain pen, it's hardly surprising they're illegible.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25But if you look up the Wisden, you can check all the names so you've got the full teams.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28That, for me, is real history.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32This bat belonged to Len Hutton who was playing for the England team.
0:21:32 > 0:21:37And at the top of the Australian list is the signature of Donald Bradman,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40the greatest cricketer that ever lived - by miles.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43I don't think anybody would argue with that.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45If you're a good batsman,
0:21:45 > 0:21:50you average 40 or 50 runs per innings.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54Quite simply. Donald Bradman's average when he finished playing
0:21:54 > 0:21:57was 99.9.
0:21:57 > 0:22:03Had he scored four runs in his last ever test innings, he would've averaged 100,
0:22:03 > 0:22:07twice as much as anybody's ever averaged, or nearly twice as much.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Sadly, he was out for nought.
0:22:09 > 0:22:14But they say that possibly a tear in his eye got in the way of the ball.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19I think Charlie might shed a tear when he sees which Flog It! expert
0:22:19 > 0:22:21appears in this year's almanac.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31Cricket is just one sport we Brits are proud to have invented.
0:22:33 > 0:22:38But not all lawn games that evoke an image of Englishness were born on our shores,
0:22:38 > 0:22:40as I found out in Devon.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43There's something quintessentially English
0:22:43 > 0:22:46about playing croquet on a lovely summers day like this,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49on a very smooth velvety lawn.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52This particular croquet court is at Castle Drogo,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55in the heart of Devon.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02But far from being the embodiment of Englishness,
0:23:02 > 0:23:06the game is thought to possibly have been French,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09developed around the time of William the Conqueror in 1066.
0:23:09 > 0:23:15The game was recreated to construct the battle scenes where William the Conqueror's army
0:23:15 > 0:23:19were marching through the ranks of Harold's defenders.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25Over the next few hundred years the game grew in popularity,
0:23:25 > 0:23:29and when James I descended to the throne of England in 1604
0:23:29 > 0:23:32he brought his croquet equipment down from Scotland,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35and along with it... his golf clubs!
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Well done! Roger, it's a pleasure to meet you.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47You're chairman of the Budleigh Salterton Cricket Club,
0:23:47 > 0:23:51so you must know all there is to know about this wonderful game.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55I think the game really is lost in the midst of time.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58There are many, many old references to the game.
0:23:58 > 0:24:03But the modern game can be traced to 1851, to the Great Exhibition no less,
0:24:03 > 0:24:05when it was a demonstration game,
0:24:05 > 0:24:09and it came in from Ireland with the kind of rules that we play these days.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12Has the game developed much over the years?
0:24:12 > 0:24:14Oh, yes. It's developed considerably.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18Like most games, it's developed mostly because people get so good at it.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22Therefore, the rules get modified to make it more difficult.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24All the ones I've seen have always had a round head.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27You're using one with a square head.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Yes. The square head is thought of as being, er,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33slightly more developed than the round head.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36- A bit more clout! - It also has the wonderful...
0:24:36 > 0:24:38- Oh, it stands up. - So when you're having a chat,
0:24:38 > 0:24:41- you can just leave it there. - As you do!
0:24:45 > 0:24:48So you and I will play a game, we'll have one ball each.
0:24:48 > 0:24:53- I'll be yellow. What are you going to be? - I shall be blue.- OK, come on, then.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59- We've got to what? - Get in front of the first hoop.
0:24:59 > 0:25:04- You always know the first hoop because it's got a blue top. - Blue top. First hoop, blue top.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06Find my line...
0:25:06 > 0:25:08That's not bad at all. That's very good, Paul.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11Let's see if I can do as well as that.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15That's a good effort.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22- That's the way it could go. - Now that is a good shot.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26That's a very good shot. He's a cunning old fox, isn't he?
0:25:26 > 0:25:28Yes. Yes!
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Ohh!
0:25:30 > 0:25:34- It was so close, wasn't it? - It just turned at the last minute!
0:25:34 > 0:25:38- Look at the grin on his face! - ROGER LAUGHS
0:25:40 > 0:25:42- Oh!- That was good!
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Ohh! Oh...
0:25:45 > 0:25:49Run that and you've won. That's a lovely shot.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Well, I think you let me win that, Roger.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54But we've gone through all the hoops,
0:25:54 > 0:25:58that's the end of the game, what's this peg for in the middle?
0:25:58 > 0:26:02There's another version of the game. It's not usually played by people just starting,
0:26:02 > 0:26:06because croquet's all about fun and they like to be able to play and socialise.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09- And have a few drinks while you're doing it!- Exactly.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12- What's this game called? - Association Croquet.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14Association Croquet.
0:26:14 > 0:26:19- Shall we peg out, so they say? Shall we have a go at hitting that? - Yes.- Let's do it.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22- Ready? Who's going first? - You go first.- All right.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25- Nicely done.- Just!
0:26:25 > 0:26:29- Well done. Thank you.- Thank you. - I think it's time for Pimm's.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36Still to come on today's show,
0:26:36 > 0:26:40more first-class advice from our experts.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44Having the stamps, the photographs and the story
0:26:44 > 0:26:45gives the buyer confidence
0:26:45 > 0:26:48that they know they are buying a genuine article.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53And we'll take a look at how we've enjoyed travelling the great outdoors,
0:26:53 > 0:26:57from paddle steamers to aeroplanes and allsorts in between.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02So don't pack your bags just yet.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09The British are great travellers, and we're always looking to the wider world
0:27:09 > 0:27:11for inspiration and adventure.
0:27:11 > 0:27:16Many of the objects you bring to our valuation days are testament to our wanderlust.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18Our experts are always happy to hear your stories
0:27:18 > 0:27:21and give you information and a valuation.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24But what makes something collectable and valuable?
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Well, sit back and enjoy the ride.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34You may be surprised to discover that objects that once helped us travel
0:27:34 > 0:27:36can now help our bank balance,
0:27:36 > 0:27:38as Philip Serrell found out.
0:27:39 > 0:27:45Well, you know, I like daft, quirky things, and, erm,
0:27:45 > 0:27:48and those propellers are a piece of sculpture in their own right.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52They're laminated. They look cool, they look good.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56- Did you fly in? - Yes. The rest of it's outside.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59- What do you know about it? - My grandfather acquired it,
0:27:59 > 0:28:02probably in the 1930s.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05He was a bit of a collector of antiques,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08more nautical than anything from the air.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11He was ahead of his time if he was collecting 70-odd years ago!
0:28:11 > 0:28:16He had a contract to run down to Southampton and Portsmouth, to the dockyards
0:28:16 > 0:28:18because they were breaking up boats,
0:28:18 > 0:28:21and then acquired or bought this.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23I bet he's got some real fascinating stuff.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26It's one of those bizarre instances
0:28:26 > 0:28:29of the way the antique world has progressed,
0:28:29 > 0:28:34because, you know, people become much more decadent in their taste,
0:28:34 > 0:28:37and you find yourself looking at something like this
0:28:37 > 0:28:42and it's got possibilities in the antique world.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45I think one of the things is, people watch programmes like Flog It
0:28:45 > 0:28:48and whereas five or ten years ago they might've discarded something,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51now they appreciate that something has a value
0:28:51 > 0:28:53and they're able to realise it.
0:28:53 > 0:28:58- I think you could put £120 to £180 as an estimate on it.- Mm.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00I think we can put a fixed reserve of £100 on it.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04I think if you have a real good result at the auction,
0:29:04 > 0:29:08it could conceivably top the £200 mark.
0:29:08 > 0:29:13Propellers make really good money. With regard to that one, it was hard to put a price on it.
0:29:13 > 0:29:18A lot of propellers that come on the market are six foot and they're hard to display at home.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20But this little one - perfect.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23- It wouldn't get us airborne. - No, it wouldn't!
0:29:25 > 0:29:28Interest here on the book. Four-blade propeller.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32- I've got 12 bids on the book here. - 12 bids!
0:29:32 > 0:29:35Starting 200. 220.
0:29:35 > 0:29:36They love it.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39240. 260. 280. 300.
0:29:39 > 0:29:43320. 320.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46Per blade, Paul, was my valuation!
0:29:46 > 0:29:49£300 on the book. 320.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53320. 340. 360.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55380. 400. 420.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57Wow.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59440.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02£420 commission bid. 440.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05All done at £420, then.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09Yes! £420! You've got to be happy with that.
0:30:09 > 0:30:13- Your mother is going to be over the moon.- She will be, yes!
0:30:13 > 0:30:16I think things like propellers and gas masks,
0:30:16 > 0:30:18it's really quirky stuff,
0:30:18 > 0:30:22so you can go and find those in the attic or wherever
0:30:22 > 0:30:24and it will surprise you. Never discard them.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27Take them to your local saleroom and find out what they're worth.
0:30:29 > 0:30:35Today's trash could be tomorrow's treasure, so think carefully before throwing away anything,
0:30:35 > 0:30:38especially if it's good quality and of some age.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42Now, from a flying propeller to a rare piece of flying history that proves what we all say -
0:30:42 > 0:30:45provenance is key.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49I want to know about your badges. What are they all about?
0:30:49 > 0:30:52That one was when I did a couple of wing walks.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54- Wing walks?- Wing walks.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57And the second one I did when I was 75.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01- So you did wing-walking at 75?- Yes.
0:31:01 > 0:31:06Maggie's achievements on the wing were just so surprising.
0:31:06 > 0:31:11She said that she did her first wing walk at the age of 75.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13I was, you know, amazed.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16She did it all for charity. Obviously a game girl.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18Wing-walking at 75 - wow!
0:31:18 > 0:31:22And parachute-jumping. I've done two jumps, as well.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24You're a very, very brave woman!
0:31:24 > 0:31:29- So planes have obviously been a part of your life. - Probably from my father, yes.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32- There he is there in the First World War.- That's right.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34And he worked in the Royal Flying Corps.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37So this here, RFC,
0:31:37 > 0:31:40is Royal Flying Corps, which predates the RAF.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44- So this was First World War aeroplanes.- Yes.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47He was in the First World War and the Second World War.
0:31:47 > 0:31:52- What was his name? - Theodore Frederick Saunders. - Theodore Frederick Saunders. Wow.
0:31:52 > 0:31:57Items from the First World War are so collectable.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59It's just edging out of living memory,
0:31:59 > 0:32:03but everything is documented from this war.
0:32:03 > 0:32:08One can really delve deep and do your own research.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11That's why it's so important and so collectable.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13"Air Board Technical Notes".
0:32:13 > 0:32:16But what's nice is, it's stamped "Royal Flying Corps".
0:32:16 > 0:32:19It's a very interesting book, but a little dry.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23I understand. I don't know what else to do with it!
0:32:23 > 0:32:25This book is actually quite interesting.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27OK, it's technical notes again,
0:32:27 > 0:32:31- but it's got pictures of all the planes.- That's right.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33We're not looking at lots of money.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36- No.- It's going to be under £50, I'm afraid.- That's all right.
0:32:36 > 0:32:40I'd never actually seen anything like this before.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43I thought they could be too rare.
0:32:43 > 0:32:49Being too rare means that they are too scarce to have a collectorship behind them.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53But what I didn't realise is that Royal Flying Corps items
0:32:53 > 0:32:58were such a short-lived regiment before it became the RAF,
0:32:58 > 0:33:00they will hold a value.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03And I was genuinely surprised at the time.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06The WWI Department of Aircraft Production technical notes.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10Good wartime memorabilia. Who'll start me? 50 to get on.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14£30? At 30, down here. At £30.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17In front of me at £30. Five now?
0:33:19 > 0:33:22At £30. Five. 40.
0:33:22 > 0:33:28Five. 50. Five. 60. At £60 in front of me now.
0:33:28 > 0:33:32Five. 70. Five. 80. Five.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36- 90.- This is good!- Yes!
0:33:36 > 0:33:40Five. 100 bid. 100.
0:33:41 > 0:33:46- At 100 now. 110. - I would never have believed that.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50At £100, then? Are you sure? In front of me at 110. Back in.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53120, if you like, sir. At 110.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55Have another. You're here now.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58At 110. 120, if you like.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02At 110, right at the back, then, at 110.
0:34:02 > 0:34:07- Sold. £110.- Goodness gracious! That's unbelievable!
0:34:07 > 0:34:11That could pay for another wing walk if you were allowed to do it.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15These books made so much money because the provenance was so good.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18That's very important with items such as this,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21because they could've been printed at any stage,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24but having the stamps, the photographs and the story
0:34:24 > 0:34:27really gives the buyer confidence
0:34:27 > 0:34:29that they know they are buying a genuine article.
0:34:30 > 0:34:35If you've got any militaria at home that you're thinking of selling,
0:34:35 > 0:34:39make sure you dig out any corresponding photographs or correspondence
0:34:39 > 0:34:42because it all adds to the story,
0:34:42 > 0:34:44and that adds to the value.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48Next, we're on the Isle of Wight.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52Will found a piece of history that's of real local interest.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55It's just a shame he didn't know what it was!
0:34:55 > 0:34:58Working in an auction house, we see a lot of items,
0:34:58 > 0:35:00there's a high turnover of lots,
0:35:00 > 0:35:05so generally you've either seen something similar or the same
0:35:05 > 0:35:07when something comes through the door.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10Matt, Ian, I'm not even going to pretend
0:35:10 > 0:35:13that I know what this is in front of us,
0:35:13 > 0:35:15but it's certainly caught my eye.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19I had to tell them, "I've got no idea what this is. You tell me."
0:35:19 > 0:35:24What you've got in front of you is the heart of a paddle steamer.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27This sat in front of a big triple-expansion steam engine,
0:35:27 > 0:35:30- the biggest type of engine you get in a boat.- Yes.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32An engineer would stand here
0:35:32 > 0:35:35and he's controlling the engine and driving the boat.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38They told me everything they knew about this piece
0:35:38 > 0:35:40that they had found in an abandoned steamship.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42They knew exactly what it was.
0:35:42 > 0:35:47We operate a paddle steamer called Medina Monarch. It's the smallest one in the world,
0:35:47 > 0:35:51one of three working paddle steamers that carry passengers in this country.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55We were given the opportunity to go in and look for spares
0:35:55 > 0:35:57and we came across this.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59This was just lying about the ship.
0:35:59 > 0:36:04These were paddle steamers on the Isle of Wight that were abandoned, decommissioned,
0:36:04 > 0:36:09and these two guys saw an opportunity there to buy an abandoned steamboat
0:36:09 > 0:36:13and plough money, effort and time into restoring it,
0:36:13 > 0:36:15and they got it back on the river.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18I'm going to say £50 to £100.
0:36:18 > 0:36:23If you've got someone who really knows what it is and what's it worth to them,
0:36:23 > 0:36:28they're going to be prepared to pay what they're prepared to pay, no matter what the estimate is.
0:36:28 > 0:36:33- Matt and Ian are helping to preserve a very special piece of maritime history.- We are.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37And it's a great big lump of brass that you wheeled into the valuation day.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41- It's being sold to raise money to do up your paddle steamer, is that right?- It is.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45It's going under the hammer now. Good luck, guys.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48The auctioneer said there was enough interest from around the country,
0:36:48 > 0:36:52I think a couple of phone bids against a commission bidder.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54310. 320. 330.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57340. 350.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59360. 370.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01380.
0:37:01 > 0:37:05390. 400. 410.
0:37:05 > 0:37:06420.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08It's a lot better than 50 quid!
0:37:08 > 0:37:11490. 500?
0:37:11 > 0:37:14- Phone's in now.- 520, phone bid. 540.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16560.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19560. 580.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22580, yes. All done at 580?
0:37:22 > 0:37:24600 back in.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26- 600. 620.- Good work.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29640. Is the phone bidder out?
0:37:29 > 0:37:34- Oh, come on! - All done at 620. Selling at £620.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37Yes! £620!
0:37:37 > 0:37:41- That's got to make you feel good. - Brilliant.- Good for you. - We're really chuffed.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45- That goes a big way towards that finance, doesn't it?- It does.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47- Thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51It's that element of history that would've been lost,
0:37:51 > 0:37:57and so you need people like Matt and Ian to salvage these pieces from being lost forever.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01Saving derelict objects can be a great way of making money for old rope,
0:38:01 > 0:38:03or even old brass.
0:38:03 > 0:38:09But obviously, you need permission from the owner before you take anything away.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11Salvage yards and good old-fashioned tips
0:38:11 > 0:38:15are also great places to save historic items from the fire
0:38:15 > 0:38:18and give them a new lease of life.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22Not all items need to be used for their original purpose,
0:38:22 > 0:38:24as Adam found out.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28I choose my contributors and items based on a couple of basic rules.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30The owner has to be a good character...
0:38:30 > 0:38:32- You didn't lose your accent.- No.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36- And you've not lost your humour. - Oh, you mustn't do that!
0:38:36 > 0:38:38..it has to be an unusual item...
0:38:38 > 0:38:41What is a man like you doing with a trench periscope?
0:38:41 > 0:38:44..and I have to know what it is and roughly what it's worth!
0:38:44 > 0:38:46And it ticked all three boxes.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49It's a handy gadget. When have you had the chance to use it?
0:38:49 > 0:38:55If you're a little fella and you want to look at a football match, that's what you need.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59- It's French manufacture.- Yes. - World War I?
0:38:59 > 0:39:01Yes, definitely.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04And it's got this very nice leather protective case.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06- Where did you get this from? - Bury St Edmunds.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09This bloke who had an army shop, and, er,
0:39:09 > 0:39:12you know, surplus army stuff,
0:39:12 > 0:39:15- and I had a swap and that was it. - You did a deal.- Yes.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18- Why are you selling it?- I've been forced into it.- Who by?- My wife.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21- "Get rid of your junk!" she said. - ADAM GASPS
0:39:21 > 0:39:25It's quite an interesting item now. I would think it'd make about £50 in the current market.
0:39:25 > 0:39:29It should do, I hope. Maybe more. Would it make more, no?
0:39:29 > 0:39:32- 50 or 60. I don't think it'll make much more.- That's all right.
0:39:32 > 0:39:3650 to 60 is really keeping it very tight, isn't it?
0:39:36 > 0:39:39It doesn't leave much room for any discrepancy.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42That's because I'm pretty sure there must've been one
0:39:42 > 0:39:46that I remember going for about £50 or £60 pretty soon before that,
0:39:46 > 0:39:51so I thought, "Let's see if we can get it really accurate."
0:39:51 > 0:39:55- John, that WWI periscope is a lovely little item.- It is.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57Real quality, isn't it? I'm pleased you picked that.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01- Beautiful leather case. Not a lot of use.- Nice thing.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05- It's just a bit different, isn't it? - Yes. Slightly different. - We had fun filming it.
0:40:05 > 0:40:09- Look at...- Look at the family over there!- Turn that around!
0:40:09 > 0:40:12Look at that! That's a cracking family you've brought along.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15- Lots of moral support.- They're good.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18Good luck. This periscope is now going under the hammer.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20Lot 130 now.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24We have the First World War hand-held periscope with its fitted leather case.
0:40:24 > 0:40:28Interest on the sheet shown. I start at £30. 32.
0:40:28 > 0:40:3135. 38. And 40. 42.
0:40:31 > 0:40:3545. 48. Above at 48. 50. 55.
0:40:35 > 0:40:3760. Five. 70.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39- Five. 80.- Lovely.
0:40:39 > 0:40:4190. 90 at the back. Coming in?
0:40:41 > 0:40:44Gentleman at 90. I'll take five again.
0:40:44 > 0:40:4990 by the door, at 90. Any advance on £90?
0:40:49 > 0:40:52- Yes!- £90?- 90 quid. You've got to be happy with that.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54Yes, yes. That's a result.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58- That'll be tea and cakes for the rest of my life. - Tea and cakes for the family!
0:40:58 > 0:41:01For the rest of my life!
0:41:02 > 0:41:06He used to use the periscope so that he could have a better view at the football.
0:41:06 > 0:41:11I think I asked him, "How would you manage without the periscope?"
0:41:11 > 0:41:13He said quite simply,
0:41:13 > 0:41:15"Football's on telly these days, lad!"
0:41:15 > 0:41:18Made me feel a bit silly, really!
0:41:19 > 0:41:22It may have seen action in WWI,
0:41:22 > 0:41:26but I love the way John found another use for the periscope at the football.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29Often an item isn't redundant,
0:41:29 > 0:41:33it just needs a little imagination to bring it back to life.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36And now to a gentler way to enjoy the outdoors,
0:41:36 > 0:41:39with a piece that would add character to any garden...
0:41:39 > 0:41:41A local lad, then?
0:41:41 > 0:41:44- You can tell that, the way I talk! - Yes, I can!
0:41:44 > 0:41:46'..much like its owner.'
0:41:46 > 0:41:50I've got to say, looking at this really quickly,
0:41:50 > 0:41:52£40 to £60.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55You don't know what I'm talking about.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59- £40 to £60 for the trolley sack. - Oh, sorry! That!
0:41:59 > 0:42:03- That blanket come off my bed this morning!- I think...
0:42:03 > 0:42:05You liked that, did you?
0:42:05 > 0:42:07I think that is great.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10What's its story? Where's it comes from?
0:42:10 > 0:42:12- I...- Your garden?
0:42:12 > 0:42:15For starters, I suffer from old-timers' disease.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17- I can't remember. - I know the feeling.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20I believe I bought it from an antique dealer.
0:42:20 > 0:42:24- Did you? We've got to be looking at around about 100, 150 pounds.- Yes.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26- Happy with that?- Oh, yes!
0:42:26 > 0:42:29- Shall we put this into the auction without the trolley?- Yes.
0:42:29 > 0:42:33- I tell you what... - Bung me in, as well!
0:42:33 > 0:42:38Onto lot 10 now. Lot 10 is the 20th-century heavy figural sundial.
0:42:38 > 0:42:4250 bid. At 50. Five. 60. Five.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46- We're in.- We're all right. - 75. Above at 75. 75.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50Where's 80? At 75. 80's bid. 85.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53- This is good.- 90. Five.
0:42:53 > 0:42:57At £95, are you all done?
0:42:57 > 0:43:00- Not bad at all.- Not bad! - I'm happy, so you must...
0:43:00 > 0:43:04- Even for scrap, I couldn't have got that sort of money.- No.
0:43:04 > 0:43:07- What are you going to do with it? - Well, I make people smile.
0:43:07 > 0:43:12I'll probably give it to the wife and she'll go and waste it on food!
0:43:13 > 0:43:17It just goes to show that even the impractical has a value.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20So, what are the insider tips so far?
0:43:20 > 0:43:23When it comes to travelling the outdoors,
0:43:23 > 0:43:25the planes, trains and automobiles of the past
0:43:25 > 0:43:28have a huge collectors market.
0:43:28 > 0:43:32Keep hold of anything transport-related until you've had it valued.
0:43:32 > 0:43:36Salvage yards can be a great place to pick up a bargain,
0:43:36 > 0:43:38so go and have a rummage.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41And an object can have many uses,
0:43:41 > 0:43:45so just because it's not fit for its original purpose
0:43:45 > 0:43:48that doesn't make it worthless.
0:43:50 > 0:43:54There are some wonderful works of art out there, great names and superb antiques.
0:43:54 > 0:43:59We want to give you some information on what makes them special.
0:44:01 > 0:44:03As we've seen so far on today's show,
0:44:03 > 0:44:08it's not just the traditional items that can go down a storm in the saleroom.
0:44:08 > 0:44:12Objects that cash in on our nostalgia for methods of transport
0:44:12 > 0:44:15can be very lucrative, too.
0:44:15 > 0:44:18Take, for example, the velocipede, or as you may know it -
0:44:18 > 0:44:20the bicycle.
0:44:20 > 0:44:22From the Pennyfarthing to the tandem,
0:44:22 > 0:44:24the Raleigh to the Racer,
0:44:24 > 0:44:27bikes have been part of our daily lives for decades.
0:44:27 > 0:44:29Over the years on Flog It,
0:44:29 > 0:44:33I've learned a lot about the cycles of the past and future...
0:44:33 > 0:44:37- Paul, this is the YikeBike.- Gosh!
0:44:37 > 0:44:40..and how much they can earn you at auction.
0:44:40 > 0:44:43And it all started in the Midlands.
0:44:44 > 0:44:48- Steve.- Hi.- This a very small part of your bicycle collection.
0:44:48 > 0:44:50Tell me, how did the bike evolve?
0:44:50 > 0:44:55Bikes came to Coventry in 1869 when a fellow called Rowley Turner pedalled into Coventry.
0:44:55 > 0:45:00He went to a sewing machine factory, they were making sewing machines in the city,
0:45:00 > 0:45:03and he came on a bike like this, a bone-shaker.
0:45:03 > 0:45:05He sold it to the factory that they ought to make these things,
0:45:05 > 0:45:09and that was the beginning of cycle-making in Coventry.
0:45:09 > 0:45:13The first really important bike to be produced in Coventry
0:45:13 > 0:45:15was the safety bike.
0:45:15 > 0:45:19The new design, with a diamond frame and same-size wheels,
0:45:19 > 0:45:23offered an alternative to the dangerous, cumbersome high-wheelers
0:45:23 > 0:45:25known by most of us as...
0:45:28 > 0:45:32Now that I'm standing by the side of you, I think I've changed my mind.
0:45:32 > 0:45:36No, no! You've got to have a go! I'm sure you can do it.
0:45:36 > 0:45:38- What's the technique? - The technique is,
0:45:38 > 0:45:40you've got to put one foot on the step,
0:45:40 > 0:45:43either step, it's up to you, whatever you feel comfortable with,
0:45:43 > 0:45:46and then you've got to pull yourself up in the saddle,
0:45:46 > 0:45:48holding onto the handle bars.
0:45:50 > 0:45:54- I'm sure you can do it! Give it a go.- OK.
0:45:54 > 0:45:58And then hop. Hop, hop! Get some momentum and jump up into the saddle.
0:45:58 > 0:46:02- Go on! Give it a go! - The grin on his face...!
0:46:05 > 0:46:08- Yes! - JAUNTY MUSIC
0:46:14 > 0:46:18The Pennyfarthing, like this one, can make thousands of pounds at auction.
0:46:18 > 0:46:21Even if it is unrideable!
0:46:21 > 0:46:23- Agh! - CLUNK!
0:46:23 > 0:46:25HE LAUGHS
0:46:29 > 0:46:33The mass production of bikes led to the evolution of a new sport.
0:46:34 > 0:46:38And memorabilia from this time is highly sought-after,
0:46:38 > 0:46:40as Michael Baggott discovered.
0:46:41 > 0:46:45- This is from my grandfather, who was called Eli Pope.- Right.
0:46:45 > 0:46:47This is his picture there.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50- Oh, right. - He built this five-wheeled bicycle.
0:46:50 > 0:46:53I don't know the name for a five-seater bicycle.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56- They call it a quinary.- Quinary. You learn something every day on Flog It.
0:46:56 > 0:46:59- I'd never heard it.- Even I do.
0:46:59 > 0:47:04He then also raced with it on the old Crystal Palace track
0:47:04 > 0:47:06and he won this medal for winning the race.
0:47:06 > 0:47:11- So rather than a cup, he got a watch! - A gold watch.
0:47:11 > 0:47:14Michael valued the collection at £150 to £250,
0:47:14 > 0:47:20but didn't realise Sylvia's grandfather had a great cycling reputation
0:47:20 > 0:47:23and was a member of the Dunlop Team.
0:47:23 > 0:47:26How did this affect the sale price?
0:47:26 > 0:47:30I have got to start the bidding here at £300.
0:47:30 > 0:47:35- Fantastic!- £300. 320 on the phone.
0:47:35 > 0:47:36340. 360.
0:47:36 > 0:47:40- Sylvia!- It's going up! - 340. 360 you say.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43360. 380. 400.
0:47:43 > 0:47:47- £400. And 20. 440.- Come on!
0:47:47 > 0:47:51- 460.- I can't believe it.- Fantastic! - 500.
0:47:51 > 0:47:52- And 20.- It deserves to make it.
0:47:52 > 0:47:55550 now. 580.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58At 580, then, if you're done...
0:47:58 > 0:48:02- Oh, pedal power!- Wowee!- £580!
0:48:02 > 0:48:07You may be surprised to know that bikes from your living memory have rocketed in value, too.
0:48:09 > 0:48:11This Chopper was no exception.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14I had one. I had a bright orange one.
0:48:14 > 0:48:16- Oh, right.- I was very lucky.
0:48:16 > 0:48:20- But I love this ultra-violet colour. It's so girly, isn't it?- It is.
0:48:20 > 0:48:25Well, if we said this has a valuation at £350 to £450,
0:48:25 > 0:48:27what would you say to that?
0:48:27 > 0:48:29I'd say that was very good.
0:48:29 > 0:48:31Fingers crossed. Here it goes.
0:48:31 > 0:48:33275. 300.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36325. 350.
0:48:36 > 0:48:40All done at £350, then? Are we quite sure?
0:48:41 > 0:48:44He's sold it. 350.
0:48:44 > 0:48:48Rare Choppers have been known to sell for up to £2,000,
0:48:48 > 0:48:53so have a look in your garage for any unwanted two-wheelers.
0:48:53 > 0:48:57Maybe it's time to do some recycling!
0:49:02 > 0:49:05We talk about the auction room a lot on the show.
0:49:05 > 0:49:09For the past 11 years, we've been seeing people buying and selling in the saleroom.
0:49:09 > 0:49:11But there is an alternative.
0:49:11 > 0:49:15If you're just starting out or you're serious about adding to a collection,
0:49:15 > 0:49:17for me, there is a better way.
0:49:17 > 0:49:20But where do you start?
0:49:20 > 0:49:23Petworth in West Sussex would be ideal,
0:49:23 > 0:49:26as it lays claim to no less than ten of these...
0:49:27 > 0:49:29Antique shops.
0:49:29 > 0:49:32If you want to buy an antique or a collectable
0:49:32 > 0:49:35but don't want the uncertainty of the auction room,
0:49:35 > 0:49:38antique shops may be the best place for you.
0:49:38 > 0:49:40They stock everything,
0:49:40 > 0:49:44from 18th-century furniture, to books, paintings and lamps.
0:49:44 > 0:49:47You can browse at your leisure, negotiate a price
0:49:47 > 0:49:49and still walk away with a bargain.
0:49:49 > 0:49:51And that's not all.
0:49:51 > 0:49:53With antique shops come antique dealers.
0:49:53 > 0:49:55By their very nature,
0:49:55 > 0:49:58dealers love antiques and they love to talk.
0:49:58 > 0:50:01More often than not, you come across one who really knows his stuff.
0:50:01 > 0:50:05All you have to do is be brave enough to ask.
0:50:06 > 0:50:09I'm no stranger to antique shops,
0:50:09 > 0:50:11so I'm going to ask two local furniture dealers
0:50:11 > 0:50:16for their tips of the trade, starting with furniture expert Tony Wilkinson.
0:50:16 > 0:50:19Tony, hello. There is a misconception that
0:50:19 > 0:50:23from the outside you look in and go, "It's a bit posh and too expensive."
0:50:23 > 0:50:25Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
0:50:25 > 0:50:29Well, you're absolutely right. It's one of the big problems.
0:50:29 > 0:50:34When running a shop like this, you try and get it looking terrific
0:50:34 > 0:50:37and then find you've frightened off half the customers.
0:50:37 > 0:50:42But once they come through the door, they'll be surprised at what value for money some of this is.
0:50:42 > 0:50:45- And there's something for everybody, price ranges?- Absolutely.
0:50:45 > 0:50:49From, you know, a couple of hundred pounds for a really nice pair of chairs,
0:50:49 > 0:50:52up to 10, 15,000, 20,000.
0:50:52 > 0:50:56But most of the furniture couldn't be made today
0:50:56 > 0:50:58for what we're selling it for now.
0:50:58 > 0:51:01Can you give the viewers any tips on what you look out for
0:51:01 > 0:51:04when buying your passionate piece of 18th-century English?
0:51:04 > 0:51:08I always say to somebody, what they want to do is not to rush up to a piece.
0:51:08 > 0:51:13Stand back from it, look at its general proportion and see how it stands.
0:51:13 > 0:51:17If anything jars, that probably means something is wrong.
0:51:17 > 0:51:20- It's been altered at some stage. - Something's going wrong there.
0:51:20 > 0:51:23But having established the proportions right,
0:51:23 > 0:51:27get up to it, look at the detail, look at the surface and colour.
0:51:27 > 0:51:31- That's the thing that can't be changed.- It's the richness.
0:51:31 > 0:51:34And make sure the thing is as original as possible.
0:51:34 > 0:51:38- Pay a bit more to buy something really good.- Yes.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41And that doesn't just apply to buying furniture.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44That's good advice when buying any antique.
0:51:44 > 0:51:48OK, first stop, lots learnt there and some really useful tips.
0:51:48 > 0:51:50Dealers like Tony often specialise,
0:51:50 > 0:51:53so if you've got something in mind, do your homework.
0:51:53 > 0:51:57The beautiful thing is, antique shops are not chain stores.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00Each and every one of them is different.
0:52:00 > 0:52:04So if one shop doesn't have what you're looking for, another might.
0:52:04 > 0:52:09And you might make a day of searching the shops for something that suits your taste.
0:52:09 > 0:52:11For me, it's primitive country furniture.
0:52:11 > 0:52:16I'm always happy to get some advice from dealer David Swanson about what to look out for.
0:52:17 > 0:52:21Country furniture has a charm about it
0:52:21 > 0:52:25that other furniture doesn't have. It's lived.
0:52:25 > 0:52:28The nice thing about it is, it's so obviously all used
0:52:28 > 0:52:31because it was made for cottages and inns.
0:52:31 > 0:52:35It was just made to be used. Utilitarian furniture.
0:52:35 > 0:52:38So the charm is the wear.
0:52:38 > 0:52:42What do you look for when you go out buying your key pieces?
0:52:42 > 0:52:45Firstly, hopefully it hasn't been enhanced to make it more saleable,
0:52:45 > 0:52:47it hasn't been altered.
0:52:47 > 0:52:50And then, very importantly,
0:52:50 > 0:52:52its charm, its quirkiness,
0:52:52 > 0:52:56its character and colour.
0:52:56 > 0:52:59And that's built up over two or 300 years.
0:52:59 > 0:53:04- Hundreds of years of dust, dirt... - Smoke, polish.- Yes.
0:53:04 > 0:53:08In the trade, it's called a skin. It's either got a skin or it hasn't.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11- And if it doesn't have a skin, don't buy it.- Don't look at it.
0:53:11 > 0:53:17Cross the threshold of these shops and you'll discover an abundance of antiques and expertise.
0:53:17 > 0:53:22They want your business, so some dealers will let you pay in instalments
0:53:22 > 0:53:26and even loan you an item to take home, to see if it works in situ.
0:53:26 > 0:53:31Even if you don't buy anything, you can learn an awful lot along the way.
0:53:31 > 0:53:35Two very different dealers, both with lots of useful information.
0:53:35 > 0:53:38But if you're serious about buying an antique,
0:53:38 > 0:53:41hopefully you can strike up a bit of a deal.
0:53:41 > 0:53:44Looking for antiques to buy can be great fun,
0:53:44 > 0:53:46whether it's in Petworth, Tetbury, Hungerford,
0:53:46 > 0:53:51or in a town or city near you that has a scattering of antique shops.
0:53:51 > 0:53:56Because if you can't find it one, you'll find it in the other.
0:54:00 > 0:54:04Lots of you have told me that Flog It has inspired you
0:54:04 > 0:54:06to explore the world of antiques.
0:54:06 > 0:54:08But what inspired our experts?
0:54:08 > 0:54:12The first item I ever bought at auction, or anywhere else for that matter,
0:54:12 > 0:54:14is this little white china dish.
0:54:14 > 0:54:17Made in Germany in the late 19th century,
0:54:17 > 0:54:21it's typical of so much souvenir-ware made in Germany,
0:54:21 > 0:54:25and it commemorates the opening of Delabole Railway Station
0:54:25 > 0:54:27in October 1893.
0:54:28 > 0:54:33It's important to me because, as I say, it was the first thing I ever bought,
0:54:33 > 0:54:38and I bought it at a cattle market in Holsworthy, down in North Devon.
0:54:38 > 0:54:42Running parallel and concurrently with the cattle market,
0:54:42 > 0:54:44the pig auction and the sheep auctions and so on,
0:54:44 > 0:54:49there'd be a little sale of furniture, household effects, bric-a-brac and so on.
0:54:49 > 0:54:54In those early days, I just loved going to Holsworthy and poking around.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57I saw this and thought I had to have it,
0:54:57 > 0:54:59and I probably paid about ten bob for it -
0:54:59 > 0:55:0250 pence.
0:55:03 > 0:55:06I've often wondered what some of our successful owners
0:55:06 > 0:55:08have done with the money in the past.
0:55:08 > 0:55:12You probably have, as well. We've caught up with a few of them.
0:55:15 > 0:55:18Today, we hear how the sale of a silver plate
0:55:18 > 0:55:22helped Berenice Williams realise her artistic dream.
0:55:22 > 0:55:27I think I've always been artistic and always wanted to paint,
0:55:27 > 0:55:30but with a very busy life, with three children,
0:55:30 > 0:55:34I never really had the opportunity.
0:55:35 > 0:55:38I had a very nice silver tray
0:55:38 > 0:55:42and I wasn't quite sure what it was used for.
0:55:42 > 0:55:44Where does it live in your house?
0:55:44 > 0:55:47Well, it sits on the coffee table in the sitting room
0:55:47 > 0:55:49and it gets knocked around by the grandchildren,
0:55:49 > 0:55:54so I just thought, "What a pity. I'll bring it to you and see if you liked it."
0:55:54 > 0:55:57Unless you're living in a bungalow, you've got it on the wrong floor.
0:55:57 > 0:56:01- Oh, right. - This belongs in the bedroom.- Oh!
0:56:01 > 0:56:04- Oh, really? - This is a dressing table tray.
0:56:04 > 0:56:09It's very commercial at the moment. It never really falls out of fashion.
0:56:09 > 0:56:13- Let's put it into auction with £100 to £150 on it.- Really?
0:56:13 > 0:56:17- Oh, gosh!- Let's put a reserve of £90 on it, fixed,
0:56:17 > 0:56:19- and let's see how it goes.- Amazing!
0:56:19 > 0:56:22- Good luck.- Thank you.- Here we go. It's going under the hammer.
0:56:22 > 0:56:2780. 80 a bid there only. At £80. Five anywhere now?
0:56:27 > 0:56:30At £80. Five. 90. Five.
0:56:30 > 0:56:33- Brilliant. - Silver's selling well here today.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36- I hope Uncle John's watching from up there.- I bet he is.
0:56:36 > 0:56:39- 140. 150 now.- Good heavens.
0:56:39 > 0:56:45At £140. All out in front of me, then? At 140...
0:56:45 > 0:56:48- Well done!- Top end! - He knows his onions, doesn't he?
0:56:48 > 0:56:53- That'll pay for my art now. - What sort of art? Art classes?
0:56:53 > 0:56:57I'm just going on some art courses and the next one is £140.
0:56:57 > 0:57:01- It was meant to be!- Exactly!
0:57:01 > 0:57:04So it all seemed very fortuitous
0:57:04 > 0:57:08that my silver tray sold for £140.
0:57:11 > 0:57:13I'm a very fast painter.
0:57:13 > 0:57:17And I like using acrylics
0:57:17 > 0:57:20because you can actually be quick,
0:57:20 > 0:57:23and then if you make a mistake, you can get rid of it
0:57:23 > 0:57:26and paint over it and they dry quickly.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30There is a large exhibition in Reading
0:57:30 > 0:57:33with over 400 exhibits,
0:57:33 > 0:57:37and I sold quite a few paintings there,
0:57:37 > 0:57:41which was absolutely amazing to see those red dots.
0:57:41 > 0:57:44And I got highly commended, as well.
0:57:44 > 0:57:48I'm not sure whether I can be called an artist,
0:57:48 > 0:57:50but I think if you sell a painting,
0:57:50 > 0:57:54perhaps that does make you an artist.
0:57:54 > 0:58:00So obviously, like everybody, I've got a long, long way to go,
0:58:00 > 0:58:04but I just feel that I've made a lot of progress,
0:58:04 > 0:58:06and probably it all started
0:58:06 > 0:58:10with my £140 from my silver tray at Flog It.
0:58:11 > 0:58:15'It just goes to show, selling unwanted antiques
0:58:15 > 0:58:18'can lead to more than just cash in your pocket.
0:58:20 > 0:58:24'We hope you've been inspired with a glimpse at some intriguing items
0:58:24 > 0:58:27'that reflect our love of the great outdoors
0:58:27 > 0:58:29'and our passion for sport.
0:58:29 > 0:58:33'If you've got an object an home that you're tired of looking at...'
0:58:33 > 0:58:37Dust it down. You never know, a collector may want it.
0:58:37 > 0:58:42I hope you've enjoyed today's show. See you next time for more Flog It! Trade Secrets.
0:58:42 > 0:58:45Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd