The Great Outdoors Flog It: Trade Secrets

We've all got bits and pieces tucked away in garages and attics

that haven't been looked at for many years.

150...

-WOMAN EXCLAIMS

-Good Lord!

It may be you that's got something of real historical interest and value,

or something that a collector is looking out for.

It's a bottle of gin now, never mind a glass of gin!

For over ten years now on Flog It, you've shared with us your stories and items,

and today I want to share some inside knowledge with you.

Welcome to Flog It! Trade Secrets.

Among the thousands of things that you bring along to show us at our valuation days,

there's always something relating to our love of the countryside,

whether it's walking sticks or fishing rods.

Now, these are the things that we all have lying around at home,

and some of it could be of great value.

So today, we're giving you the inside track on our love for the great outdoors.

Today's show is packed with secrets.

-Sold.

-Goodness gracious! That's unbelievable!

We'll be showing you how the transport of yesteryear

can be worth a fortune to you...

-Did you fly in?

-Yes. The rest of it's outside.

..how cycling has gone from this...

..to this.

And we'll be showing you how to pick the winning sports memorabilia of the future.

So, what trade secrets will our experts reveal?

Really go for the most prominent sportsperson that you can

and the most sought-after sport.

I see endless boxes and boxes of football programmes,

but it's really the pre-war ones that people are collecting.

Don't spend a lot of money on sporting memorabilia

unless you know its provenance.

The national excitement over the 2012 Olympics

is just the latest example of our nation's passion for sport.

It's a passion that's reflected at our valuation days.

We see all manner of sports memorabilia turning up.

-From the rare...

-It's a Sunday stick.

-..to the iconic...

-We've got David Beckham's boots!

..to the quite frankly bizarre.

I love the adult bats.

Collectors of sporting memorabilia are some of the most fanatical you are going to come across.

How many have you got in your collection?

I would think about 15 to 20,000.

This is what collecting is all about - a fanatic!

So, if you want to know the secrets and the inside track

on what's hot in the world of sport,

then get ready, we're under starter's orders.

Here are some of the most interesting items we've seen over the years.

If you have a sporting hero or a team you support,

you want sort of relics, objects,

that relate you to them.

And sometimes the memorabilia is literally related to its owner.

The nice thing about this group of medals is, they come from the vendor's father.

He'd gone and seen his father play, he had the whole history with it and he had all the records, as well.

So, this is your father here.

Yes. Ernie Pattison.

It was as complete an archive of that footballer's life

as I think it's almost possible to get.

We've got some of his original contracts, as well.

-Yes. That one, I think, is the Scunthorpe contract.

-This is the local interest one.

But what's more important is, we've got the medals.

-And, of course, they're all gold football medals.

-Yes, they are.

There was a nice history. He'd started off as an amateur,

he was a miner, and it had got him out of the mines.

He came from a mining village called Barlborough, near Derbyshire.

He left there when he was 16 and he went to play for Frickley Colliery.

And then Notts Forrest came and they signed him on,

and then he was transferred to West Bromwich Albion.

You had all of it, the whole story,

encompassed by a tableful of objects, which is lovely.

Any idea of value?

-I had them appraised locally for gold...

-Right.

..just the gold itself, and it's somewhere between

£360 and £400, with the gold value.

Thankfully, the interest in football

takes them above and beyond that, you'll be glad to know.

I think we should put them in auction

at a reserve figure of, say, £700

and we'll put the estimate at eight to 1,200.

A sporting connection will often increase the value of an item beyond its weight in gold.

But auctioneer Colin Young thought Michael overshot the estimate

and revised it to £500 to £700.

But let's see how much it went for.

Lot number 275. Who's going to start me at £500?

Four to go, then, surely? £400. 400? Three? £300, anyone?

-That's far too low.

-Mm.

320. 340. And 360 on the book. At 360.

380 now? 380. 400.

-420.

-You can't buy gold football medals for 400 quid.

460 do I see? 460 bid now?

460 bid. At 460. 480. At 480 bid. Any more bids now?

At 480. 500 bid. At 500.

-It's going up.

-Just teased it.

At 500. 520 now. At £500, are we all done? Going this time.

-It's one interested bidder, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Any more bids from the net?

No. Any more from the room?

All done and finished, then.

They are sold at £500.

Well done, Colin. He teased that last bit out.

Colin knew his market and was right to bring the estimate down.

It was a bit disappointing,

but the most important thing is that the vendor's happy.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Thankfully, the medals sold for more than their scrap value.

If they belonged to a famous footballer, they would've sold for even more.

Here's our expert Michael, with the inside track.

If you're investing, really go for the most prominent sportsperson that you can

and the most sought-after sport.

So it's going to be football, it's going to be cricket.

I don't suspect you could buy Andy Murray's tennis racket

that he won the Olympic Gold Medal for,

but if you could, that's the sort of thing that will be an icon in 100 years to come.

Merchandise relating to big names in sport

is certainly worth looking out for.

But more obscure items can have value, too.

You never know, you might have something lurking in your garage

that's a treasured collector's piece,

but it's disguised as something else.

In all my years as an auctioneer, I've never encountered one of those.

I've never seen one of these.

I suppose it's possible I might've done and not known what it was,

but I was very surprised and pleased to see that.

-Have you hurt your leg?

-No. This is not really a walking stick.

-Is it not?

-No. It's a Sunday stick, as it was called.

You could go walking on a Sunday, when golf wasn't able to be played,

and you could use this to hit the occasional golf ball.

People would think you were out for a walk with your walking stick.

It evoked a time when people didn't take leisure on a Sunday.

Sunday was a day of rest. You didn't work and you didn't play.

-You weren't allowed to play golf on a Sunday.

-In certain places, no.

Like, St Andrews is closed on a Sunday.

So if you're out a walk, you would take this with you

and when no-one was looking, hit a few golf balls.

So, you'd be in trouble if you saw the minister coming along

-on the opposite side of the road?

-Possibly, yes!

That's when you spun it round and reverted to it as a walking stick.

And what a lovely story.

Doesn't it seem curmudgeonly to prevent people from playing golf on a Sunday?

You work jolly hard all week, you want a bit of fresh air,

and your local minister says "No, no, no!"

I think I'd rather be playing golf.

Now, this is going to appeal to collectors both of walking sticks

and, of course, people like yourself who are golfers.

-How did you come by it?

-It belonged to my mother. She had it for many years.

Although she wasn't a golfer, she was interested in golf and anything Scottish.

It's difficult to value something which you haven't encountered before.

It's very useful to get a bit of input from the owner,

and Richard, frankly, knew more about that golf stick than I did.

We're always very grateful for a piece of input like that.

It helps us to come up with a valuation.

I suppose, otherwise,

your valuation probably is instinctive.

I knew it wasn't going to make £400 or £500,

but I knew it was of some value.

Now, I would be inclined to estimate this

-in the region of £30 to £50.

-Yes.

If it made 50 or 60,

-I wouldn't be surprised.

-Yes.

But I can't see it making much more than that.

Collectors of golfiana, as it's called, what a horrible word,

tend to be reasonably well off and they'll spend money on their hobby,

and that'll end up in a collection somewhere.

I don't think the owner will take it out for a walk when he exercises the dog,

but I might be wrong!

I think this will go in Scotland.

There's a lot of golf memorabilia in Scotland.

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

-Here we go.

We have the Sunday stick in the form of a golf club.

-I'm bid 40 to start. At £40. 45. 50.

-That was good.

-Five. 60.

At £60. Anybody else left? 65. 70.

-Five.

-Someone on the phone here.

£80. Are you all done?

£80 and we're away at 80.

-£85.

-85. Just in time on the net.

At £85. All done, ladies and gents?

On the internet - the room's out - at £85.

-That's more like it, isn't it?

-That's good.

-That's a good price.

-Someone was serious about that. That's going in a collection.

-I hope so.

When it comes to sport and leisure you can collect anything from bats to books,

but how do you know what will reap you rewards in the future?

It's back to David Fletcher with some advice...

If I was collecting sporting items,

I would collect in the field which I either played or watched.

Clearly, if you're not a golfer you're going to get as much enjoyment out of a golf stick.

If you like football, collect football programmes.

If you like rugby, collect signed rugby shirts.

Don't buy them at charity sales when everyone's had a drink or two after dinner,

because they'll make more than they're worth.

See if you can find something autographed by..

..an All Black team from the 1930s.

That is where the potential lies, something which has got a bit of age and character.

That's a good tip from David.

To get a sporting chance of success in the saleroom,

look out for items that you have special interest in.

You're likely to know more about the subject and enjoy your buy,

regardless of its value.

But now to our most modest expert,

with a very personal connection to cricket.

I'm going to be in the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack

because I played cricket for Poland.

There you go. A surprised look from the director there!

Poland does have a cricket team and I'm half-Polish, my mother's full Polish,

and I qualified and played in a Euro cricket tournament for Poland a couple of years ago.

Did quite well, especially against Croatia!

So when I saw the autograph album, I thought,

"This is a good way of me giving some of my knowledge on cricketers

"and the famous names of olden-day cricket."

So your father got this book and managed to fill it with lots of autographs of famous cricketers.

All in the 19...

-..about 1924, I think.

-1924, 1925.

So we'll look through...

We saw lots of autograph books,

cricket, football, allsorts of sports,

and some of them aren't as exciting as others.

This one was a particularly good one because it had some real old-time legends of cricket in there,

names like Jack Hobbs and Hammond and Sutcliffe

and all the big names.

When you get something really good like that, the price is hard to predict.

There's going to be a few famous Yorkshiremen there, I'm sure.

-Herbert Sutcliffe.

-Absolutely.

-That's great, isn't it?

-Yes.

It's a super album. There's a lot of interest to cricket collectors there.

I think it'll probably make between £100 and £200 for the collection.

-That could be good.

-Yes.

When we got to the auction room, I always thought it would do a bit better,

and there was a sort of palpable sense of excitement about the album,

but you don't know for sure until it comes under the hammer.

He absolutely loved it.

And he's got a buyer on the phone from Spain.

-Has he?

-Yes!

-Goodness me!

-It's going under the hammer now.

When the album came up for sale, Paul may have given me a slight indication

that this was going to go well.

As it came up...

150. 160. 170. 180. 190.

-..it went really quickly.

-200. 20. 240.

-There was people in the room...

-240. 260. 280. 320.

..and then the phone came in.

-The phones are coming!

-I can't believe this.

360 I'm bid. 360. 380. 400. At £400...

-This is more like it.

-420.

It was one of the more exciting auction moments that you can find.

440 I'm bid. 440. 460. 480.

-This is my grandson.

-500.

520.

540. 580.

580, our number-two telephone. All finished in the room?

Sold and away at £580.

-Yes!

-Brilliant!

-The hammer's gone down. £580.

I thought it might make two or 300, perhaps a little more.

As it happens, I think it made almost 500,

which was a bit more.

It's a new game - "Higher" she says "Higher!"

I can't believe it!

-Janet, what's the name of your grandson?

-BOTH: Lewis.

-Well, what do you think of that?

-It's amazing.

Part of the reason that the autograph album sold so well, I'm sure,

is because the autographs were not overlapping each other

and they were all done on a single sheet

so that later on, if you decide to sell it

or your descendants decide to sell it,

they will be able to maximise the profit out of it

by having the potential to split it up, if necessary.

So if you're a keen autograph collector,

get each signature on a different page

and don't write their name underneath.

Like most collections, they'll get split up in the future

so make sure there's room for the scissors to cut around them.

The Flog It experts have decades of experience and an encyclopaedic knowledge of antiques.

But sometimes, even the very best are left baffled.

I love to find something about which I know nothing.

And I think, unlike some people,

I'm very, very capable of putting my hands up and saying,

"I know nothing!"

I need you to tell me what it is. Let's just talk it through on the outside.

It's a bamboo...

..basically a bamboo walking stick with a bit of carved bone on the top.

-It's not ivory, it's carved bone.

-Yes.

The age looks to me to be...

..almost Victorian, probably Edwardian.

What an exciting thing to find. I thought it was just a walking cane.

Hello.

When I pulled the top out,

I thought it was going to be a sword stick!

Does that give you a clue?

Was it a sword stick? No! It was a horse-measuring cane.

It's got the hands... Can we stand it upright? There we go.

-That shows the measurement there or opposite here?

-It would have to be there.

-It would show on there, yes.

-It couldn't be there because that would always be the same.

-Yes.

You're quite right!

I'm working this out as I go along!

And it was really beautifully made,

it had some restoration, but an unusual thing.

Difficult thing to value. I think I put about £50 on it.

Lot 237! Nice old horse-measuring stick!

These used to make an awful lot of money round Newmarket,

-and still do.

-Oh!

-All the traders used to have them.

Straight in - £20 for it. 20 I'm bid, here with the lady.

20. Two. 25. 25. 28.

30. At 30 now. At the back there at 30.

35. 40. 45. 50.

55. 60. 65. 70.

-75. The undertaker's in on this one.

-LAUGHTER

85 with the lady. 85.

You see, it's equine memorabilia. Big money.

That lady there, at £85. Anybody else? Who's going to bid?

It goes with the lady, then, at 85.

-Yes! £85.

-Brilliant.

It's remarkable, something like that,

that was used purely for the purpose for which it was intended -

measuring horses - has become a collector's item.

I don't suppose it'll ever be used to measure a horse again.

So here's what we've learned so far...

It's a fantastic piece of memorabilia.

Sporting memorabilia can certainly win gold in the saleroom

and there are a few things you can do to secure yourself a medal.

Look out for famous sporting names. If they're famous now,

there's a good chance they'll be sought-after in the future.

Do we know who he was and who he played for?

-He played for Glasgow Rangers.

-He's going to be well sought-after. Very collectable.

Collect a sport you're interested in.

If you're asking a player to sign their life away in an autograph book,

make sure the names could be split in the future.

What a lovely trophy to have.

Some items may not look like a sporting gem,

but you'd be surprised what ends up a winner.

Or you could take your sporting memorabilia to a specialist sports auction

where you might get a better price.

Very good!

And one tip that applies not just to sport

but to all sorts of antiques...

Always buy something that makes you feel good inside, that puts a smile on your face

because it's always going to be a good investment, even if it doesn't go up in value.

So there's no reason to drop the ball

the next time you encounter some of our sporting history.

If you could have any beautiful antique you liked,

what would it be?

I put that question to Charlie Ross.

If I wanted to own one thing in the world,

it would be a complete set of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.

What is Wisden? Wisden is the cricketer's Bible.

First published, I think, in, er, 1864 and still being published today.

They are just a history of cricket,

and you can look up anybody.

I love using them today. You meet someone and they say, "My dad played for so and so"

and then when they've gone home you can look in Wisdens and check them out,

see if their dad did really play for so and so.

Because people tend to spin yarns about these things, dare I say it!

But for me, it's a complete fascination.

I'm a member of the Lord's Taverners, of the MCC.

I still, dare I say it, turn out and play the odd game of cricket.

There are about 150 volumes of Wisden,

of which I have 120, 125,

so I've got more to buy. But they're the expensive ones, of course.

The relevance of this particular Wisden, 1938,

it's got the scores from the 1936-37 tour of Australia,

England playing Australia Down Under.

Now, the bat has got signatures

of all the players that played in the test matches.

Some of the names are a little illegible now.

Signed in old fountain pen, it's hardly surprising they're illegible.

But if you look up the Wisden, you can check all the names so you've got the full teams.

That, for me, is real history.

This bat belonged to Len Hutton who was playing for the England team.

And at the top of the Australian list is the signature of Donald Bradman,

the greatest cricketer that ever lived - by miles.

I don't think anybody would argue with that.

If you're a good batsman,

you average 40 or 50 runs per innings.

Quite simply. Donald Bradman's average when he finished playing

was 99.9.

Had he scored four runs in his last ever test innings, he would've averaged 100,

twice as much as anybody's ever averaged, or nearly twice as much.

Sadly, he was out for nought.

But they say that possibly a tear in his eye got in the way of the ball.

I think Charlie might shed a tear when he sees which Flog It! expert

appears in this year's almanac.

Cricket is just one sport we Brits are proud to have invented.

But not all lawn games that evoke an image of Englishness were born on our shores,

as I found out in Devon.

There's something quintessentially English

about playing croquet on a lovely summers day like this,

on a very smooth velvety lawn.

This particular croquet court is at Castle Drogo,

in the heart of Devon.

But far from being the embodiment of Englishness,

the game is thought to possibly have been French,

developed around the time of William the Conqueror in 1066.

The game was recreated to construct the battle scenes where William the Conqueror's army

were marching through the ranks of Harold's defenders.

Over the next few hundred years the game grew in popularity,

and when James I descended to the throne of England in 1604

he brought his croquet equipment down from Scotland,

and along with it... his golf clubs!

Well done! Roger, it's a pleasure to meet you.

You're chairman of the Budleigh Salterton Cricket Club,

so you must know all there is to know about this wonderful game.

I think the game really is lost in the midst of time.

There are many, many old references to the game.

But the modern game can be traced to 1851, to the Great Exhibition no less,

when it was a demonstration game,

and it came in from Ireland with the kind of rules that we play these days.

Has the game developed much over the years?

Oh, yes. It's developed considerably.

Like most games, it's developed mostly because people get so good at it.

Therefore, the rules get modified to make it more difficult.

All the ones I've seen have always had a round head.

You're using one with a square head.

Yes. The square head is thought of as being, er,

slightly more developed than the round head.

-A bit more clout!

-It also has the wonderful...

-Oh, it stands up.

-So when you're having a chat,

-you can just leave it there.

-As you do!

So you and I will play a game, we'll have one ball each.

-I'll be yellow. What are you going to be?

-I shall be blue.

-OK, come on, then.

-We've got to what?

-Get in front of the first hoop.

-You always know the first hoop because it's got a blue top.

-Blue top. First hoop, blue top.

Find my line...

That's not bad at all. That's very good, Paul.

Let's see if I can do as well as that.

That's a good effort.

-That's the way it could go.

-Now that is a good shot.

That's a very good shot. He's a cunning old fox, isn't he?

Yes. Yes!

Ohh!

-It was so close, wasn't it?

-It just turned at the last minute!

-Look at the grin on his face!

-ROGER LAUGHS

-Oh!

-That was good!

Ohh! Oh...

Run that and you've won. That's a lovely shot.

Well, I think you let me win that, Roger.

But we've gone through all the hoops,

that's the end of the game, what's this peg for in the middle?

There's another version of the game. It's not usually played by people just starting,

because croquet's all about fun and they like to be able to play and socialise.

-And have a few drinks while you're doing it!

-Exactly.

-What's this game called?

-Association Croquet.

Association Croquet.

-Shall we peg out, so they say? Shall we have a go at hitting that?

-Yes.

-Let's do it.

-Ready? Who's going first?

-You go first.

-All right.

-Nicely done.

-Just!

-Well done. Thank you.

-Thank you.

-I think it's time for Pimm's.

Still to come on today's show,

more first-class advice from our experts.

Having the stamps, the photographs and the story

gives the buyer confidence

that they know they are buying a genuine article.

And we'll take a look at how we've enjoyed travelling the great outdoors,

from paddle steamers to aeroplanes and allsorts in between.

So don't pack your bags just yet.

The British are great travellers, and we're always looking to the wider world

for inspiration and adventure.

Many of the objects you bring to our valuation days are testament to our wanderlust.

Our experts are always happy to hear your stories

and give you information and a valuation.

But what makes something collectable and valuable?

Well, sit back and enjoy the ride.

You may be surprised to discover that objects that once helped us travel

can now help our bank balance,

as Philip Serrell found out.

Well, you know, I like daft, quirky things, and, erm,

and those propellers are a piece of sculpture in their own right.

They're laminated. They look cool, they look good.

-Did you fly in?

-Yes. The rest of it's outside.

-What do you know about it?

-My grandfather acquired it,

probably in the 1930s.

He was a bit of a collector of antiques,

more nautical than anything from the air.

He was ahead of his time if he was collecting 70-odd years ago!

He had a contract to run down to Southampton and Portsmouth, to the dockyards

because they were breaking up boats,

and then acquired or bought this.

I bet he's got some real fascinating stuff.

It's one of those bizarre instances

of the way the antique world has progressed,

because, you know, people become much more decadent in their taste,

and you find yourself looking at something like this

and it's got possibilities in the antique world.

I think one of the things is, people watch programmes like Flog It

and whereas five or ten years ago they might've discarded something,

now they appreciate that something has a value

and they're able to realise it.

-I think you could put £120 to £180 as an estimate on it.

-Mm.

I think we can put a fixed reserve of £100 on it.

I think if you have a real good result at the auction,

it could conceivably top the £200 mark.

Propellers make really good money. With regard to that one, it was hard to put a price on it.

A lot of propellers that come on the market are six foot and they're hard to display at home.

But this little one - perfect.

-It wouldn't get us airborne.

-No, it wouldn't!

Interest here on the book. Four-blade propeller.

-I've got 12 bids on the book here.

-12 bids!

Starting 200. 220.

They love it.

240. 260. 280. 300.

320. 320.

Per blade, Paul, was my valuation!

£300 on the book. 320.

320. 340. 360.

380. 400. 420.

Wow.

440.

£420 commission bid. 440.

All done at £420, then.

Yes! £420! You've got to be happy with that.

-Your mother is going to be over the moon.

-She will be, yes!

I think things like propellers and gas masks,

it's really quirky stuff,

so you can go and find those in the attic or wherever

and it will surprise you. Never discard them.

Take them to your local saleroom and find out what they're worth.

Today's trash could be tomorrow's treasure, so think carefully before throwing away anything,

especially if it's good quality and of some age.

Now, from a flying propeller to a rare piece of flying history that proves what we all say -

provenance is key.

I want to know about your badges. What are they all about?

That one was when I did a couple of wing walks.

-Wing walks?

-Wing walks.

And the second one I did when I was 75.

-So you did wing-walking at 75?

-Yes.

Maggie's achievements on the wing were just so surprising.

She said that she did her first wing walk at the age of 75.

I was, you know, amazed.

She did it all for charity. Obviously a game girl.

Wing-walking at 75 - wow!

And parachute-jumping. I've done two jumps, as well.

You're a very, very brave woman!

-So planes have obviously been a part of your life.

-Probably from my father, yes.

-There he is there in the First World War.

-That's right.

And he worked in the Royal Flying Corps.

So this here, RFC,

is Royal Flying Corps, which predates the RAF.

-So this was First World War aeroplanes.

-Yes.

He was in the First World War and the Second World War.

-What was his name?

-Theodore Frederick Saunders.

-Theodore Frederick Saunders. Wow.

Items from the First World War are so collectable.

It's just edging out of living memory,

but everything is documented from this war.

One can really delve deep and do your own research.

That's why it's so important and so collectable.

"Air Board Technical Notes".

But what's nice is, it's stamped "Royal Flying Corps".

It's a very interesting book, but a little dry.

I understand. I don't know what else to do with it!

This book is actually quite interesting.

OK, it's technical notes again,

-but it's got pictures of all the planes.

-That's right.

We're not looking at lots of money.

-No.

-It's going to be under £50, I'm afraid.

-That's all right.

I'd never actually seen anything like this before.

I thought they could be too rare.

Being too rare means that they are too scarce to have a collectorship behind them.

But what I didn't realise is that Royal Flying Corps items

were such a short-lived regiment before it became the RAF,

they will hold a value.

And I was genuinely surprised at the time.

The WWI Department of Aircraft Production technical notes.

Good wartime memorabilia. Who'll start me? 50 to get on.

£30? At 30, down here. At £30.

In front of me at £30. Five now?

At £30. Five. 40.

Five. 50. Five. 60. At £60 in front of me now.

Five. 70. Five. 80. Five.

-90.

-This is good!

-Yes!

Five. 100 bid. 100.

-At 100 now. 110.

-I would never have believed that.

At £100, then? Are you sure? In front of me at 110. Back in.

120, if you like, sir. At 110.

Have another. You're here now.

At 110. 120, if you like.

At 110, right at the back, then, at 110.

-Sold. £110.

-Goodness gracious! That's unbelievable!

That could pay for another wing walk if you were allowed to do it.

These books made so much money because the provenance was so good.

That's very important with items such as this,

because they could've been printed at any stage,

but having the stamps, the photographs and the story

really gives the buyer confidence

that they know they are buying a genuine article.

If you've got any militaria at home that you're thinking of selling,

make sure you dig out any corresponding photographs or correspondence

because it all adds to the story,

and that adds to the value.

Next, we're on the Isle of Wight.

Will found a piece of history that's of real local interest.

It's just a shame he didn't know what it was!

Working in an auction house, we see a lot of items,

there's a high turnover of lots,

so generally you've either seen something similar or the same

when something comes through the door.

Matt, Ian, I'm not even going to pretend

that I know what this is in front of us,

but it's certainly caught my eye.

I had to tell them, "I've got no idea what this is. You tell me."

What you've got in front of you is the heart of a paddle steamer.

This sat in front of a big triple-expansion steam engine,

-the biggest type of engine you get in a boat.

-Yes.

An engineer would stand here

and he's controlling the engine and driving the boat.

They told me everything they knew about this piece

that they had found in an abandoned steamship.

They knew exactly what it was.

We operate a paddle steamer called Medina Monarch. It's the smallest one in the world,

one of three working paddle steamers that carry passengers in this country.

We were given the opportunity to go in and look for spares

and we came across this.

This was just lying about the ship.

These were paddle steamers on the Isle of Wight that were abandoned, decommissioned,

and these two guys saw an opportunity there to buy an abandoned steamboat

and plough money, effort and time into restoring it,

and they got it back on the river.

I'm going to say £50 to £100.

If you've got someone who really knows what it is and what's it worth to them,

they're going to be prepared to pay what they're prepared to pay, no matter what the estimate is.

-Matt and Ian are helping to preserve a very special piece of maritime history.

-We are.

And it's a great big lump of brass that you wheeled into the valuation day.

-It's being sold to raise money to do up your paddle steamer, is that right?

-It is.

It's going under the hammer now. Good luck, guys.

The auctioneer said there was enough interest from around the country,

I think a couple of phone bids against a commission bidder.

310. 320. 330.

340. 350.

360. 370.

380.

390. 400. 410.

420.

It's a lot better than 50 quid!

490. 500?

-Phone's in now.

-520, phone bid. 540.

560.

560. 580.

580, yes. All done at 580?

600 back in.

-600. 620.

-Good work.

640. Is the phone bidder out?

-Oh, come on!

-All done at 620. Selling at £620.

Yes! £620!

-That's got to make you feel good.

-Brilliant.

-Good for you.

-We're really chuffed.

-That goes a big way towards that finance, doesn't it?

-It does.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

It's that element of history that would've been lost,

and so you need people like Matt and Ian to salvage these pieces from being lost forever.

Saving derelict objects can be a great way of making money for old rope,

or even old brass.

But obviously, you need permission from the owner before you take anything away.

Salvage yards and good old-fashioned tips

are also great places to save historic items from the fire

and give them a new lease of life.

Not all items need to be used for their original purpose,

as Adam found out.

I choose my contributors and items based on a couple of basic rules.

The owner has to be a good character...

-You didn't lose your accent.

-No.

-And you've not lost your humour.

-Oh, you mustn't do that!

..it has to be an unusual item...

What is a man like you doing with a trench periscope?

..and I have to know what it is and roughly what it's worth!

And it ticked all three boxes.

It's a handy gadget. When have you had the chance to use it?

If you're a little fella and you want to look at a football match, that's what you need.

-It's French manufacture.

-Yes.

-World War I?

Yes, definitely.

And it's got this very nice leather protective case.

-Where did you get this from?

-Bury St Edmunds.

This bloke who had an army shop, and, er,

you know, surplus army stuff,

-and I had a swap and that was it.

-You did a deal.

-Yes.

-Why are you selling it?

-I've been forced into it.

-Who by?

-My wife.

-"Get rid of your junk!" she said.

-ADAM GASPS

It's quite an interesting item now. I would think it'd make about £50 in the current market.

It should do, I hope. Maybe more. Would it make more, no?

-50 or 60. I don't think it'll make much more.

-That's all right.

50 to 60 is really keeping it very tight, isn't it?

It doesn't leave much room for any discrepancy.

That's because I'm pretty sure there must've been one

that I remember going for about £50 or £60 pretty soon before that,

so I thought, "Let's see if we can get it really accurate."

-John, that WWI periscope is a lovely little item.

-It is.

Real quality, isn't it? I'm pleased you picked that.

-Beautiful leather case. Not a lot of use.

-Nice thing.

-It's just a bit different, isn't it?

-Yes. Slightly different.

-We had fun filming it.

-Look at...

-Look at the family over there!

-Turn that around!

Look at that! That's a cracking family you've brought along.

-Lots of moral support.

-They're good.

Good luck. This periscope is now going under the hammer.

Lot 130 now.

We have the First World War hand-held periscope with its fitted leather case.

Interest on the sheet shown. I start at £30. 32.

35. 38. And 40. 42.

45. 48. Above at 48. 50. 55.

60. Five. 70.

-Five. 80.

-Lovely.

90. 90 at the back. Coming in?

Gentleman at 90. I'll take five again.

90 by the door, at 90. Any advance on £90?

-Yes!

-£90?

-90 quid. You've got to be happy with that.

Yes, yes. That's a result.

-That'll be tea and cakes for the rest of my life.

-Tea and cakes for the family!

For the rest of my life!

He used to use the periscope so that he could have a better view at the football.

I think I asked him, "How would you manage without the periscope?"

He said quite simply,

"Football's on telly these days, lad!"

Made me feel a bit silly, really!

It may have seen action in WWI,

but I love the way John found another use for the periscope at the football.

Often an item isn't redundant,

it just needs a little imagination to bring it back to life.

And now to a gentler way to enjoy the outdoors,

with a piece that would add character to any garden...

A local lad, then?

-You can tell that, the way I talk!

-Yes, I can!

'..much like its owner.'

I've got to say, looking at this really quickly,

£40 to £60.

You don't know what I'm talking about.

-£40 to £60 for the trolley sack.

-Oh, sorry! That!

-That blanket come off my bed this morning!

-I think...

You liked that, did you?

I think that is great.

What's its story? Where's it comes from?

-I...

-Your garden?

For starters, I suffer from old-timers' disease.

-I can't remember.

-I know the feeling.

I believe I bought it from an antique dealer.

-Did you? We've got to be looking at around about 100, 150 pounds.

-Yes.

-Happy with that?

-Oh, yes!

-Shall we put this into the auction without the trolley?

-Yes.

-I tell you what...

-Bung me in, as well!

Onto lot 10 now. Lot 10 is the 20th-century heavy figural sundial.

50 bid. At 50. Five. 60. Five.

-We're in.

-We're all right.

-75. Above at 75. 75.

Where's 80? At 75. 80's bid. 85.

-This is good.

-90. Five.

At £95, are you all done?

-Not bad at all.

-Not bad!

-I'm happy, so you must...

-Even for scrap, I couldn't have got that sort of money.

-No.

-What are you going to do with it?

-Well, I make people smile.

I'll probably give it to the wife and she'll go and waste it on food!

It just goes to show that even the impractical has a value.

So, what are the insider tips so far?

When it comes to travelling the outdoors,

the planes, trains and automobiles of the past

have a huge collectors market.

Keep hold of anything transport-related until you've had it valued.

Salvage yards can be a great place to pick up a bargain,

so go and have a rummage.

And an object can have many uses,

so just because it's not fit for its original purpose

that doesn't make it worthless.

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

We want to give you some information on what makes them special.

As we've seen so far on today's show,

it's not just the traditional items that can go down a storm in the saleroom.

Objects that cash in on our nostalgia for methods of transport

can be very lucrative, too.

Take, for example, the velocipede, or as you may know it -

the bicycle.

From the Pennyfarthing to the tandem,

the Raleigh to the Racer,

bikes have been part of our daily lives for decades.

Over the years on Flog It,

I've learned a lot about the cycles of the past and future...

-Paul, this is the YikeBike.

-Gosh!

..and how much they can earn you at auction.

And it all started in the Midlands.

-Steve.

-Hi.

-This a very small part of your bicycle collection.

Tell me, how did the bike evolve?

Bikes came to Coventry in 1869 when a fellow called Rowley Turner pedalled into Coventry.

He went to a sewing machine factory, they were making sewing machines in the city,

and he came on a bike like this, a bone-shaker.

He sold it to the factory that they ought to make these things,

and that was the beginning of cycle-making in Coventry.

The first really important bike to be produced in Coventry

was the safety bike.

The new design, with a diamond frame and same-size wheels,

offered an alternative to the dangerous, cumbersome high-wheelers

known by most of us as...

Now that I'm standing by the side of you, I think I've changed my mind.

No, no! You've got to have a go! I'm sure you can do it.

-What's the technique?

-The technique is,

you've got to put one foot on the step,

either step, it's up to you, whatever you feel comfortable with,

and then you've got to pull yourself up in the saddle,

holding onto the handle bars.

-I'm sure you can do it! Give it a go.

-OK.

And then hop. Hop, hop! Get some momentum and jump up into the saddle.

-Go on! Give it a go!

-The grin on his face...!

-Yes!

-JAUNTY MUSIC

The Pennyfarthing, like this one, can make thousands of pounds at auction.

Even if it is unrideable!

-Agh!

-CLUNK!

HE LAUGHS

The mass production of bikes led to the evolution of a new sport.

And memorabilia from this time is highly sought-after,

as Michael Baggott discovered.

-This is from my grandfather, who was called Eli Pope.

-Right.

This is his picture there.

-Oh, right.

-He built this five-wheeled bicycle.

I don't know the name for a five-seater bicycle.

-They call it a quinary.

-Quinary. You learn something every day on Flog It.

-I'd never heard it.

-Even I do.

He then also raced with it on the old Crystal Palace track

and he won this medal for winning the race.

-So rather than a cup, he got a watch!

-A gold watch.

Michael valued the collection at £150 to £250,

but didn't realise Sylvia's grandfather had a great cycling reputation

and was a member of the Dunlop Team.

How did this affect the sale price?

I have got to start the bidding here at £300.

-Fantastic!

-£300. 320 on the phone.

340. 360.

-Sylvia!

-It's going up!

-340. 360 you say.

360. 380. 400.

-£400. And 20. 440.

-Come on!

-460.

-I can't believe it.

-Fantastic!

-500.

-And 20.

-It deserves to make it.

550 now. 580.

At 580, then, if you're done...

-Oh, pedal power!

-Wowee!

-£580!

You may be surprised to know that bikes from your living memory have rocketed in value, too.

This Chopper was no exception.

I had one. I had a bright orange one.

-Oh, right.

-I was very lucky.

-But I love this ultra-violet colour. It's so girly, isn't it?

-It is.

Well, if we said this has a valuation at £350 to £450,

what would you say to that?

I'd say that was very good.

Fingers crossed. Here it goes.

275. 300.

325. 350.

All done at £350, then? Are we quite sure?

He's sold it. 350.

Rare Choppers have been known to sell for up to £2,000,

so have a look in your garage for any unwanted two-wheelers.

Maybe it's time to do some recycling!

We talk about the auction room a lot on the show.

For the past 11 years, we've been seeing people buying and selling in the saleroom.

But there is an alternative.

If you're just starting out or you're serious about adding to a collection,

for me, there is a better way.

But where do you start?

Petworth in West Sussex would be ideal,

as it lays claim to no less than ten of these...

Antique shops.

If you want to buy an antique or a collectable

but don't want the uncertainty of the auction room,

antique shops may be the best place for you.

They stock everything,

from 18th-century furniture, to books, paintings and lamps.

You can browse at your leisure, negotiate a price

and still walk away with a bargain.

And that's not all.

With antique shops come antique dealers.

By their very nature,

dealers love antiques and they love to talk.

More often than not, you come across one who really knows his stuff.

All you have to do is be brave enough to ask.

I'm no stranger to antique shops,

so I'm going to ask two local furniture dealers

for their tips of the trade, starting with furniture expert Tony Wilkinson.

Tony, hello. There is a misconception that

from the outside you look in and go, "It's a bit posh and too expensive."

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

Well, you're absolutely right. It's one of the big problems.

When running a shop like this, you try and get it looking terrific

and then find you've frightened off half the customers.

But once they come through the door, they'll be surprised at what value for money some of this is.

-And there's something for everybody, price ranges?

-Absolutely.

From, you know, a couple of hundred pounds for a really nice pair of chairs,

up to 10, 15,000, 20,000.

But most of the furniture couldn't be made today

for what we're selling it for now.

Can you give the viewers any tips on what you look out for

when buying your passionate piece of 18th-century English?

I always say to somebody, what they want to do is not to rush up to a piece.

Stand back from it, look at its general proportion and see how it stands.

If anything jars, that probably means something is wrong.

-It's been altered at some stage.

-Something's going wrong there.

But having established the proportions right,

get up to it, look at the detail, look at the surface and colour.

-That's the thing that can't be changed.

-It's the richness.

And make sure the thing is as original as possible.

-Pay a bit more to buy something really good.

-Yes.

And that doesn't just apply to buying furniture.

That's good advice when buying any antique.

OK, first stop, lots learnt there and some really useful tips.

Dealers like Tony often specialise,

so if you've got something in mind, do your homework.

The beautiful thing is, antique shops are not chain stores.

Each and every one of them is different.

So if one shop doesn't have what you're looking for, another might.

And you might make a day of searching the shops for something that suits your taste.

For me, it's primitive country furniture.

I'm always happy to get some advice from dealer David Swanson about what to look out for.

Country furniture has a charm about it

that other furniture doesn't have. It's lived.

The nice thing about it is, it's so obviously all used

because it was made for cottages and inns.

It was just made to be used. Utilitarian furniture.

So the charm is the wear.

What do you look for when you go out buying your key pieces?

Firstly, hopefully it hasn't been enhanced to make it more saleable,

it hasn't been altered.

And then, very importantly,

its charm, its quirkiness,

its character and colour.

And that's built up over two or 300 years.

-Hundreds of years of dust, dirt...

-Smoke, polish.

-Yes.

In the trade, it's called a skin. It's either got a skin or it hasn't.

-And if it doesn't have a skin, don't buy it.

-Don't look at it.

Cross the threshold of these shops and you'll discover an abundance of antiques and expertise.

They want your business, so some dealers will let you pay in instalments

and even loan you an item to take home, to see if it works in situ.

Even if you don't buy anything, you can learn an awful lot along the way.

Two very different dealers, both with lots of useful information.

But if you're serious about buying an antique,

hopefully you can strike up a bit of a deal.

Looking for antiques to buy can be great fun,

whether it's in Petworth, Tetbury, Hungerford,

or in a town or city near you that has a scattering of antique shops.

Because if you can't find it one, you'll find it in the other.

Lots of you have told me that Flog It has inspired you

to explore the world of antiques.

But what inspired our experts?

The first item I ever bought at auction, or anywhere else for that matter,

is this little white china dish.

Made in Germany in the late 19th century,

it's typical of so much souvenir-ware made in Germany,

and it commemorates the opening of Delabole Railway Station

in October 1893.

It's important to me because, as I say, it was the first thing I ever bought,

and I bought it at a cattle market in Holsworthy, down in North Devon.

Running parallel and concurrently with the cattle market,

the pig auction and the sheep auctions and so on,

there'd be a little sale of furniture, household effects, bric-a-brac and so on.

In those early days, I just loved going to Holsworthy and poking around.

I saw this and thought I had to have it,

and I probably paid about ten bob for it -

50 pence.

I've often wondered what some of our successful owners

have done with the money in the past.

You probably have, as well. We've caught up with a few of them.

Today, we hear how the sale of a silver plate

helped Berenice Williams realise her artistic dream.

I think I've always been artistic and always wanted to paint,

but with a very busy life, with three children,

I never really had the opportunity.

I had a very nice silver tray

and I wasn't quite sure what it was used for.

Where does it live in your house?

Well, it sits on the coffee table in the sitting room

and it gets knocked around by the grandchildren,

so I just thought, "What a pity. I'll bring it to you and see if you liked it."

Unless you're living in a bungalow, you've got it on the wrong floor.

-Oh, right.

-This belongs in the bedroom.

-Oh!

-Oh, really?

-This is a dressing table tray.

It's very commercial at the moment. It never really falls out of fashion.

-Let's put it into auction with £100 to £150 on it.

-Really?

-Oh, gosh!

-Let's put a reserve of £90 on it, fixed,

-and let's see how it goes.

-Amazing!

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

-Here we go. It's going under the hammer.

80. 80 a bid there only. At £80. Five anywhere now?

At £80. Five. 90. Five.

-Brilliant.

-Silver's selling well here today.

-I hope Uncle John's watching from up there.

-I bet he is.

-140. 150 now.

-Good heavens.

At £140. All out in front of me, then? At 140...

-Well done!

-Top end!

-He knows his onions, doesn't he?

-That'll pay for my art now.

-What sort of art? Art classes?

I'm just going on some art courses and the next one is £140.

-It was meant to be!

-Exactly!

So it all seemed very fortuitous

that my silver tray sold for £140.

I'm a very fast painter.

And I like using acrylics

because you can actually be quick,

and then if you make a mistake, you can get rid of it

and paint over it and they dry quickly.

There is a large exhibition in Reading

with over 400 exhibits,

and I sold quite a few paintings there,

which was absolutely amazing to see those red dots.

And I got highly commended, as well.

I'm not sure whether I can be called an artist,

but I think if you sell a painting,

perhaps that does make you an artist.

So obviously, like everybody, I've got a long, long way to go,

but I just feel that I've made a lot of progress,

and probably it all started

with my £140 from my silver tray at Flog It.

'It just goes to show, selling unwanted antiques

'can lead to more than just cash in your pocket.

'We hope you've been inspired with a glimpse at some intriguing items

'that reflect our love of the great outdoors

'and our passion for sport.

'If you've got an object an home that you're tired of looking at...'

Dust it down. You never know, a collector may want it.

I hope you've enjoyed today's show. See you next time for more Flog It! Trade Secrets.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd