0:00:06 > 0:00:10For well over ten years, you have brought along thousands of objects
0:00:10 > 0:00:11to our Flog It! valuation days
0:00:11 > 0:00:14to put our experts through their paces.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16And during that time, we've helped you sell
0:00:16 > 0:00:19over a million pounds' worth of antiques and collectables.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29In this series, I want to share with you some of the things we've learnt
0:00:29 > 0:00:31about looking at those items.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33Welcome to Trade Secrets.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05It's human nature to want to mark the big occasions in our lives.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07The wedding day,
0:01:07 > 0:01:10the arrival of the baby, the loss of a loved one.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14National events, too, especially those associated with royalty,
0:01:14 > 0:01:16are always of interest.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19In today's programme, we'll be exploring commemorative pieces.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22What to look out for and what's best to avoid.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27Coming up, we see items that commemorate weddings.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32It's the nicest thing I've ever seen on a Flog It! valuation day.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35Our experts reveal their personal favourites.
0:01:35 > 0:01:36They're as decrepit as I am
0:01:36 > 0:01:39but that only makes them more lovable, I think.
0:01:39 > 0:01:40And offer some useful tips.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42The more cheerful the subject,
0:01:42 > 0:01:44the better the buyer will be.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47And we find out what happens to our gold jewellery
0:01:47 > 0:01:49when we decide to scrap it.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Oh, no, I just think, I want to save it!
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Over the centuries, there's been an abundance of items
0:02:00 > 0:02:02to mark one occasion or another.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05We've seen a great deal of them turn up at our valuation days.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08Commemorative china, silverware and medals.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Your houses are full of them,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14and our experts are always delighted to see them.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18In particular, we love learning about the stories behind them.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22But can something so personal become a collector's item?
0:02:24 > 0:02:26Let's see what tips our experts can offer.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29There's a lot of commemorative items out there,
0:02:29 > 0:02:31particularly royal family items,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33which aren't as popular as they used to be.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35So I would say if you're into commemoratives,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38why not look out for space-related things,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41moon landings or even Concorde-related items?
0:02:41 > 0:02:45I think, in time to come, they could be a good investment.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48If you're going to collect commemorative wares,
0:02:48 > 0:02:50try and think of an era you're interested in.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52That way, you'll build up a collection
0:02:52 > 0:02:54that you'll be passionate about.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58The more cheerful the subject that's being commemorated,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01the better the buyer will be.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04First up, a wedding gift from Holland
0:03:04 > 0:03:06that made Michael Baggott's day.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10It's probably the nicest thing
0:03:10 > 0:03:14I've ever seen on a Flog It! valuation day.
0:03:14 > 0:03:19It's a very fine, very early Dutch wedding medal.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23In Holland, you've got a tradition of manufacturing medals,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26striking medals and engraving them.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28And so there is a peculiar little pocket
0:03:28 > 0:03:31where these wedding medals are made.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34It's very difficult to pin an exact date on it.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39- But I would say anywhere from 1650 up to 1700.- Really?
0:03:39 > 0:03:43Weddings, particularly in the 17th and 18th century,
0:03:43 > 0:03:45between two wealthy families,
0:03:45 > 0:03:48would often be a very important event.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50And they would be commemorated
0:03:50 > 0:03:53probably by a gift of silver engraved with the family arms.
0:03:53 > 0:03:58- This is superbly engraved with the wedding couple.- Oh, right.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02So you've got them here in this classical hallway.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04You've got a chequerboard floor
0:04:04 > 0:04:09and these little cherubs parting the clouds with a wreath.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12And the rays of sunlight coming down on their union.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Sort of a blessing from heaven.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17I could see as I was talking to Carol
0:04:17 > 0:04:20that she really didn't have any inclination
0:04:20 > 0:04:21of how much it was worth.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25So before I told her the valuation,
0:04:25 > 0:04:27I did say, it's only a small piece of silver.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31I think I'd be remiss in putting it into the auction
0:04:31 > 0:04:35with a reserve less than £500.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39And you could see as soon as I said £500 as a reserve,
0:04:39 > 0:04:43a look of surprise break all over her face, which was wonderful.
0:04:43 > 0:04:44I wasn't going to bring it in.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48Don't say that, Carol. Don't say that.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Michael was clearly impressed by the medal,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54but did the auction attract bidders who shared his enthusiasm?
0:04:54 > 0:04:57£300? Yes, £300 I'm bid for it.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00At £300 I'm bid for it, at £320.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03At £350, at £380.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05I'm sure, on the day,
0:05:05 > 0:05:09I saw at least three London dealers that had driven up for the sale.
0:05:09 > 0:05:10- This is good.- Perhaps even 80?
0:05:10 > 0:05:14At 650. You're travelling well. 680.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17At 680. 700, now. 700 is bid.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21Going to be sold, I sell at £700.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25£700 is much more than Carol expected.
0:05:25 > 0:05:26But commemorative silver
0:05:26 > 0:05:30that's not only rare but also pre-19th century
0:05:30 > 0:05:34can expect to fetch a good price, so keep your eyes peeled.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36All kinds of objects have been made
0:05:36 > 0:05:38to celebrate weddings over the centuries
0:05:38 > 0:05:41from silver, pieces of china and even material.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Next up, another unusual wedding gift,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47this time from Britain - a patchwork quilt.
0:05:47 > 0:05:53This is fantastic. What a wonderful bit of patchwork.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56Would you mind just giving me a little bit of a hand
0:05:56 > 0:05:59and stretch it out slightly?
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Let's see how big it actually is.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04See, now...
0:06:06 > 0:06:09- Now that...we've lost you! - You have to come to the side.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12- Where are you?- Round here!
0:06:12 > 0:06:15But look at the work that's gone into that.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19'Quilts of that quality are really rare.'
0:06:19 > 0:06:22I have sold very few of them in my past.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24The vibrancy of the patterns are amazing,
0:06:24 > 0:06:26lovely geometric patterns all over it.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29The fact that it's stayed in such wonderful condition -
0:06:29 > 0:06:31it looked like the day it was made.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Something that we don't see a lot of today,
0:06:33 > 0:06:35in the auction houses, I have to say,
0:06:35 > 0:06:37because it doesn't normally survive.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41And one of the things we always say is, "I wonder how early it is?"
0:06:41 > 0:06:45Because the same fashions went all the way
0:06:45 > 0:06:46from the early 18th century
0:06:46 > 0:06:49right through until the 20th century.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51And they're quite difficult to date.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54But of course, they become a little bit easier to date...
0:06:55 > 0:06:57..when you've got that.
0:06:57 > 0:06:581845.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00The one real thing that caught my eye
0:07:00 > 0:07:03was the fact it was dated -
0:07:03 > 0:07:051845 sewn into it.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Notoriously difficult to date these patchwork quilts,
0:07:08 > 0:07:12but to have that on there, to a collector, is pure bliss.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14We've got two initials - "M" and "T".
0:07:16 > 0:07:19Maybe Mary, Mary and Tom, in 1845,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22and this has been a gift of maybe the village
0:07:22 > 0:07:25to a newly married couple, something like that.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29I would put an auction estimate of...£200 to £300?
0:07:29 > 0:07:34- That's a pound a year, isn't it? - Yeah, it is.- 200 years old.
0:07:34 > 0:07:35Yeah, absolutely.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Let's take it to the sale room, see how we do with it,
0:07:38 > 0:07:42but...it'll sell, certainly.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44Very interesting little lot,
0:07:44 > 0:07:48a large and impressive 19th-century stitch patchwork quilt.
0:07:48 > 0:07:49Great little thing, this.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51I can start bidding on commission at 200.
0:07:51 > 0:07:56- Straight in. No problem there. - I am pleased. I am pleased.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58220. 240. 240, now.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01It's just so unusual. And the condition is so good.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04I have 320, here. 400.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Four..still in? I've got 400 against you.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11- 460. I'm going to jump to 500.- Gosh!
0:08:12 > 0:08:15At £520, the bid's on the phone at 520.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17I sell...
0:08:17 > 0:08:20The hammer's gone down. That's a nice figure, £520.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23In terms of value for money,
0:08:23 > 0:08:28I think, "Well, somebody's sold an old quilt for £520,
0:08:28 > 0:08:29"and somebody hasn't had to make it."
0:08:29 > 0:08:31They've both had a good deal, I reckon.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35Patchwork quilts have been made in Britain for the past 300 years,
0:08:35 > 0:08:39often as gifts to mark major events in our lives.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42If you do find one, keep it in good condition
0:08:42 > 0:08:43and check the date -
0:08:43 > 0:08:47rare ones have been known to fetch up to £20,000.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Next up, another textile antique,
0:08:49 > 0:08:53this time commemorating a more sombre occasion -
0:08:53 > 0:08:55a Victorian mourning cape.
0:08:55 > 0:08:56Tell me all about this one.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58I bought it at auction,
0:08:58 > 0:09:02I just thought it was a wonderful item
0:09:02 > 0:09:03and really interesting,
0:09:03 > 0:09:05because you don't see such things nowadays.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07You don't, very often.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10'I was drawn to the mourning cape, partly because we don't see'
0:09:10 > 0:09:12so much costume on valuation days.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15It was lovely to hone in on something which was so beautiful.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18The Victorians would dress up when in mourning
0:09:18 > 0:09:22and when they were actually attending a funeral.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Victorians were fastidious dressers.
0:09:25 > 0:09:30The costumes they wore reflected not only their aspirations
0:09:30 > 0:09:33in their dress, but also the needlewoman's ability
0:09:33 > 0:09:37to translate that into something amazing to wear.
0:09:37 > 0:09:42And so, it's a super time of costume history.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44It's a lovely combination of techniques
0:09:44 > 0:09:46of the use of fabrics as well.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50The high, ruched neck here, which was, as I say, quite common,
0:09:50 > 0:09:52and this wonderful applied zigzag design
0:09:52 > 0:09:54which goes all the way round the back.
0:09:54 > 0:09:59It extends right down to the tiered, frilled hem at the bottom,
0:09:59 > 0:10:02which is really quite lavish, it's lovely.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06It is quite a responsibility to collect textiles of any nature.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09They need to be in the right climate -
0:10:09 > 0:10:11not too hot, not too cold.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Keep them away from damp. Keep them out of direct sunlight.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19Do not let moth get to them, and other pests,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22which can soon eat away at the artefact.
0:10:22 > 0:10:27I think at auction it will probably fetch £25 to £40, I'd have thought.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31And if you're happy, we'll place a reserve of £20 on it -
0:10:31 > 0:10:34then you've got peace of mind. You'd be happy with that?
0:10:34 > 0:10:36Yes - somebody can enjoy it.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39- I think they will. - And look after it.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46Lot number 400 - a Victorian mourning cape.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49A very nice item, this, and a very rare opportunity
0:10:49 > 0:10:51to get a mourning cape in the afternoon!
0:10:51 > 0:10:52Who's going to start me at £20?
0:10:52 > 0:10:5620, 10 to go. 10 bid, 12 bid.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58At 12 bid - 15, 18, 20.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00Two now, at £20 a bid. This is cheap.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03At 30, 32, 35 - now, they're coming back into fashion, sir.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06£38 bid - 40 now. Selling at £38.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08Lady's bid at £38.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10It's not a lot of money, but it shows what you can get
0:11:10 > 0:11:13in quality and interest value for not a great deal, these days,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16which you've still got out there for collectors to buy.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18Victorian clothing of any nature
0:11:18 > 0:11:20doesn't come into auction so very often,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22and certainly, to see a mourning cape -
0:11:22 > 0:11:26which would have been an expensive and important garment in its day -
0:11:26 > 0:11:28is certainly a rarity,
0:11:28 > 0:11:31so it was lovely to be able to see one pass through the auction
0:11:31 > 0:11:33on that day.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Since Vanessa's mourning cape was valued,
0:11:35 > 0:11:37the market for Victorian clothing has gone up,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40so it might have fetched a better price today.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43It's worth considering that commemorative items
0:11:43 > 0:11:46with death associated to it, like Elizabeth's mourning cape,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49do have a limited appeal,
0:11:49 > 0:11:51so when you put them up for sale in an auction room,
0:11:51 > 0:11:53they will achieve a lot less
0:11:53 > 0:11:56than an item commemorating a joyous occasion.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02And what could be more joyous than a celebration of a new life?
0:12:02 > 0:12:05So did a silver mug to celebrate a christening
0:12:05 > 0:12:06fare better than the cape?
0:12:09 > 0:12:11We've got a silver jug in there.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14A lovely silver tankard, a christening tankard.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18- Can I take it out?- Sure. - Let's take a look at it.
0:12:18 > 0:12:23This belonged to my step-grandfather, so my father's stepfather.
0:12:23 > 0:12:24It's an interesting piece -
0:12:24 > 0:12:26it's been in your family for a long time, has it?
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Well, we assume it's a couple of generations, at least.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32The tankard in question was a lovely little thing,
0:12:32 > 0:12:34nicely presented in a fitted case.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36I think it had initials on it as well, didn't it?
0:12:36 > 0:12:40We see these initials and monograms on lots of pieces of silver,
0:12:40 > 0:12:42and you always think, "I wonder who owned that?"
0:12:42 > 0:12:45But you can actually tell us. What are the initials on here?
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Four initials -
0:12:47 > 0:12:50my step-grandfather's name was Edward Graham Fraser Thomson.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52Some people want their antiques
0:12:52 > 0:12:55to look pristine and perfect and like the day they were made.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57To get things like that,
0:12:57 > 0:12:59you need to go to the big, flashy antiques fairs
0:12:59 > 0:13:01where everything is hugely restored,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04and it looks wonderful, like the day it was made.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06But in my opinion, I quite like the ones
0:13:06 > 0:13:09that have had a bit of a life and have initials on.
0:13:09 > 0:13:14It just feels more...more real, I think.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17What can you tell us about him? Did you know much about him?
0:13:17 > 0:13:19I suppose his major contribution
0:13:19 > 0:13:21was that he was a pilot during World War I,
0:13:21 > 0:13:23a reconnaissance pilot,
0:13:23 > 0:13:28and he even went on to write a book about his experiences as a pilot.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32That's more personal to me, whereas this is not necessarily
0:13:32 > 0:13:36of sentimental or important family history.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38You've helped answer my question, really -
0:13:38 > 0:13:41isn't it a shame you're selling? But now you've explained that.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44I have so many other memories I'm able to keep of him.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46I felt a slight shame that he was selling it
0:13:46 > 0:13:50but he had his reasons and it was nicely presented object.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52So it's a lovely object,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55but I think the story really makes it, because commercially,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58it's not hugely valuable - any ideas yourself?
0:13:58 > 0:14:01I was thinking anywhere between £40 and £80?
0:14:01 > 0:14:04Bang on, Richard, well done. Absolutely.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06Let's hope they're both right.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Lovely christening mug, in its leather case.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Mappin and Webb. £100 to start me.
0:14:20 > 0:14:21Come on, Philip.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23Bid me 50 to go, someone.
0:14:23 > 0:14:2550, high bid at 50, 60, 70, 80...
0:14:25 > 0:14:29Good. Gone - quickly, as well. How about that? They like it.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31120, is it? 110 with me.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33At 110.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35- At £110...- More than double!
0:14:36 > 0:14:39At £110, the bid's with me. Any more?
0:14:39 > 0:14:43At £120, and I sell, then at £120 -
0:14:43 > 0:14:44done.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48Superb. That's real quality and well worth £120.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53All sorts of objects are used to commemorate special occasions.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55If you've got something made of material,
0:14:55 > 0:14:59make sure you keep the moths away. Condition is everything.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01If it's silver you're after, look for a date,
0:15:01 > 0:15:04and don't worry too much about initials -
0:15:04 > 0:15:06they may tell a good story.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10And whatever you do, don't get the initials removed -
0:15:10 > 0:15:11it will devalue your piece.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19On Flog It!, we often hear our experts and auctioneers
0:15:19 > 0:15:24refer to items made in gold or silver as its "scrap value".
0:15:24 > 0:15:29But the very idea of sending off a family heirloom to be melted down
0:15:29 > 0:15:31does go against the grain for many of us
0:15:31 > 0:15:34who think antiques should be treasured.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38So what happens when items of jewellery, coins and silver
0:15:38 > 0:15:39go off to the scrap yard?
0:15:39 > 0:15:42Expert Claire Rawle took the bull by the horns
0:15:42 > 0:15:46and went to find out, with some surprising results.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50Gold and silver has been a treasured metal since prehistoric times,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53first as jewellery in ancient civilisations
0:15:53 > 0:15:57and coins from around 700 BC.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00In 2003, for the first time in history,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03gold topped 1,000 an ounce.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07Unwanted pieces turn up time and time again
0:16:07 > 0:16:09at Flog It! valuation days.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11It's worth far more than its melt value.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14This will not be melted. This won't go for scrap.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17£760 - good result.
0:16:18 > 0:16:19The rise in the value of gold
0:16:19 > 0:16:22has meant more people are selling off their old trinkets
0:16:22 > 0:16:24to be melted down -
0:16:24 > 0:16:27something that deeply troubles auctioneer Claire Rawle.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31My real worry is that
0:16:31 > 0:16:33there are some intrinsically beautiful things
0:16:33 > 0:16:35disappearing for ever.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37There are certain collectable items
0:16:37 > 0:16:40that you can never remake. Part of history has gone.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Yes, there's an awful lot of very ordinary stuff,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47you could argue the best thing you could do with it is melt it down.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50But I still feel there's a lot out there that's disappearing,
0:16:50 > 0:16:51and it's gone forever.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54Claire has come to Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter
0:16:54 > 0:16:57to find out what happens to your silver and gold
0:16:57 > 0:16:59if you decide to scrap it.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02She's here to meet Nigel Blackburn, the owner of Lois Jewellery,
0:17:02 > 0:17:06who's been trading in precious metals for 35 years.
0:17:06 > 0:17:07OK, Nigel, when I came in here,
0:17:07 > 0:17:11I came past a load of big signs that say "melt your gold".
0:17:11 > 0:17:13It all seems a bit,
0:17:13 > 0:17:17"bring it in, weigh in, melt it, money handed over, job done."
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Is everything that comes in just going to be melted?
0:17:20 > 0:17:22Certainly not - as you can see in front of you,
0:17:22 > 0:17:24there's a lovely selection of second-hand jewellery.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28- Everything will be sorted. - It's quite refreshing to hear that.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31My worry's been, since the hike in the gold and silver prices,
0:17:31 > 0:17:33that so much stuff has been lost.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37Yes, that's right, but when you look at a small bar brooch like this,
0:17:37 > 0:17:41when gold was £3 a gram, trade, they were £30.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43Now they scrap at more than £30.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45- Yeah.- This is the problem.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49- The intrinsic value is outweighing the individual piece value.- Yeah.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54We do occasionally find a little gem.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57If there is any Victorian jewellery, even if it's got stones missing,
0:17:57 > 0:18:01we'll try to retrieve it and pass it on,
0:18:01 > 0:18:03back into the trade.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07A little piece like that, £20, £30, rather than the £5 scrap value.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09Yes - so it's definitely worth selling.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14A collector of small spoons, you give it a couple of weeks -
0:18:14 > 0:18:17obviously, if it doesn't sell, we scrap.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20The majority of material that comes through the door
0:18:20 > 0:18:24is post-1960 run-of-the-mill chains, bracelets, odd earrings.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Those are melted.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Gold and silver that's selected for scrap is poured into a furnace
0:18:32 > 0:18:35at a temperature of 1,100 degrees centigrade.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38It's a hot process, and a noisy one.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41It only takes five minutes to melt 10kgs of gold
0:18:41 > 0:18:44and eight minutes for the same amount of silver.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47This is the bit I find quite difficult,
0:18:47 > 0:18:53because looking at all these spoons and bits of jewellery,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56and they're all going into that big pot
0:18:56 > 0:18:58and disappearing for ever.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01And I just think, "Oh, no! I want to save it!"
0:19:01 > 0:19:03It's just going to turn into a blob.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06- You cannot save everything.- I know.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08That was probably silverware
0:19:08 > 0:19:11that had been melted down 100, 200 years ago
0:19:11 > 0:19:15and it's going to be remade into other jewellery, other items,
0:19:15 > 0:19:18and it's still going to be melted down in the future.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21I guess. It's the sort of thing you forget about.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24You think once it's made, that's it, it's there for ever.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26But it isn't, is it?
0:19:26 > 0:19:28As long as you save the good bits.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30We always save the good bits.
0:19:33 > 0:19:389,532. It lost about 120g, which is normal.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Oh, so that's the waste-y stuff that comes out...
0:19:41 > 0:19:43- That's right, yeah.- Yeah.
0:19:43 > 0:19:4520...on today's price,
0:19:45 > 0:19:48a touch over £100,000.
0:19:48 > 0:19:49- What, that?- Yeah.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51That's amazing.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53In two weeks, it could be jewellery again.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55It's quite an amazing process.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57I still find it quite emotional,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00watching the stuff going into the furnace.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Um...yeah, it's an interesting business.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09However you feel about your old jewellery being melted down,
0:20:09 > 0:20:13it's worth considering that it takes a tonne of gold ore
0:20:13 > 0:20:17to produce just an ounce of new gold, so sentiment aside,
0:20:17 > 0:20:21recycling is certainly the best for the environment.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23Every single wedding ring that's scrapped in
0:20:23 > 0:20:25will save at least two tonnes of gold excavation.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31But do be careful where you trade your goods -
0:20:31 > 0:20:33not all dealers are as reputable as Nigel.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38I do have a real concern, still,
0:20:38 > 0:20:43with people not achieving the true value of something.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Check out some prices, get some advice.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48You can only sell something once,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52so make sure you sell it for its true value. Just be careful.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59Most objects that commemorate people's lives and events
0:20:59 > 0:21:03are ones we can easily handle - silver, china and the like.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07But sometimes, our treasured items are far too large for auction rooms.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Over the years on Flog It!, I have visited hundreds of places
0:21:10 > 0:21:13that commemorate the lives of men and women in history.
0:21:15 > 0:21:16One of the least impressive,
0:21:16 > 0:21:18but one that made a big impact on me,
0:21:18 > 0:21:21was Clouds Hill Cottage in Dorset.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24This old gamekeeper's cottage
0:21:24 > 0:21:27is a cherished possession of the National Trust
0:21:27 > 0:21:29as it commemorates Thomas Edward Lawrence,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32better known to most of us as Lawrence of Arabia.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34Lawrence was a prolific writer
0:21:34 > 0:21:37and the peace and solitude of Clouds Hill
0:21:37 > 0:21:39provided him with a perfect refuge.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42During World War I, he fought with the Arabs
0:21:42 > 0:21:44against the Ottoman Empire -
0:21:44 > 0:21:48an experience he later described in his best known work,
0:21:48 > 0:21:49Seven Pillars Of Wisdom.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55It was this work that inspired the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58the film that would go on to immortalise his name.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Lawrence became a high-profile figure after the war.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05He was lionised by the British public
0:22:05 > 0:22:07and relentlessly pursued by the press.
0:22:07 > 0:22:12But the stresses of the war and his unexpected celebrity status
0:22:12 > 0:22:14started to get too much for him.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16He was desperate for a new life.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27In an attempt to avoid any more attention,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30Lawrence joined the RAF in 1922,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33even changing his name to John Hume Ross.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35But he was exposed by the British press
0:22:35 > 0:22:37and was forced to leave.
0:22:39 > 0:22:44So, Lawrence came here to Bovington Camp in Dorset in 1923
0:22:44 > 0:22:47where he rejoined the army as a private soldier in the tank corps.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50But he was still desperately unhappy,
0:22:50 > 0:22:52wanting to seek solitude and privacy,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55somewhere he could nurture his writing talents...
0:22:55 > 0:22:57Really, Lawrence wanted somewhere where he could hide.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00And Clouds Hill was the perfect hideout.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Here, he could read, write and listen to music
0:23:02 > 0:23:04and entertain his literary friends
0:23:04 > 0:23:09like Thomas Hardy, EM Forster and George Bernard Shaw.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12This is reputedly Lawrence, sitting on the beach at St Mawes,
0:23:12 > 0:23:14which is just opposite Falmouth.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17That's Henry Scott Tuke - very important artist.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Here's his music system. Look at that.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23Wow...I'd love to hear that.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27This was state of the art, at the time.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29He was a man of good taste.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Let's get it up to speed.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Probably sat here, with a book...a cigarette...
0:23:44 > 0:23:47ORCHESTRAL MUSIC PLAYS
0:24:07 > 0:24:08Look at this.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12This is where the final draft was typed by Lawrence
0:24:12 > 0:24:15for the Seven Pillars Of Wisdom,
0:24:15 > 0:24:18based on his time out in the Middle East.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24It's a very special place, actually. It does embrace you.
0:24:24 > 0:24:25There's an energy here.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41Despite Lawrence's attempts at anonymity,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43he was still hounded by the press.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48When he retired in February 1935, at the age of 46,
0:24:48 > 0:24:50he expected to live quietly at Clouds Hill,
0:24:50 > 0:24:52but he returned to find news reporters
0:24:52 > 0:24:54camped outside the front door.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Sadly, Lawrence was never able to realise his wish
0:24:58 > 0:25:00for a tranquil retirement.
0:25:00 > 0:25:05Just three months after he did retire, on May 13th 1935,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08he was involved in what would prove to be a fatal accident
0:25:08 > 0:25:11on this very stretch of road.
0:25:11 > 0:25:12He collided with two schoolboys
0:25:12 > 0:25:16whilst riding his motorcycle home to Clouds Hill.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18He was taken back to Bovington Camp,
0:25:18 > 0:25:20where he was treated in the military hospital,
0:25:20 > 0:25:23but sadly, he never regained consciousness
0:25:23 > 0:25:25and he died six days later.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Thankfully, both boys survived.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31One of Lawrence's lesser known legacies
0:25:31 > 0:25:34is that the surgeon who tried to save his life at Bovington,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Sir Hugh Cairns, started a campaign of his own,
0:25:37 > 0:25:41and his research led directly to the compulsory wearing
0:25:41 > 0:25:44of motorbike helmets. As a consequence of treating Lawrence,
0:25:44 > 0:25:48Cairns would ultimately save the lives of many motorcyclists.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Had motorcycle helmets been compulsory at the time,
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Lawrence's life may well have been saved.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Hopefully, he'd have ended up fulfilling his dream
0:26:00 > 0:26:03by spending the rest of his days here,
0:26:03 > 0:26:05living peacefully at Clouds Hill.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15Now, there is some debate about the wisdom of buying an item
0:26:15 > 0:26:18with somebody else's name or initials on it.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Sometimes, though, it can just be a happy coincidence
0:26:21 > 0:26:25that adds value to an item, as Elizabeth Talbot found out.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30The two little artefacts I brought today are very dear to my heart.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33The first is this early 19th-century little pewter mug.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37It's all bashed and misshapen and it's had a hard life.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39It was brought to me over 20 years ago
0:26:39 > 0:26:43by an elderly gentleman who came to my office, asking to see me.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46He had no appointment, but I went to have a look,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49and he said he's been clearing out his sheds
0:26:49 > 0:26:52and discovered something that was relevant only to me,
0:26:52 > 0:26:54and he felt I ought to have it.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56I looked at this poor little thing
0:26:56 > 0:26:58and felt there was absolutely no merit in it whatsoever,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00until I read the name along the front.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03It's actually engraved "Elizabeth Warner",
0:27:03 > 0:27:06which was my maiden name at the time. I was very flattered
0:27:06 > 0:27:09and delighted he'd taken the trouble to come and find me
0:27:09 > 0:27:11and give it to me.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Roll the clock forward 20 years, and the same thing happened again.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19A lady appeared in reception, asked to see me and showed me a box.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21As I looked down through the newspaper,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25all I could see was a very, very cracked jug,
0:27:25 > 0:27:28until I took it out to find that at the front of this one
0:27:28 > 0:27:32is the name "Elizabeth Talbot" and the date - 1829.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34And likewise, she'd rescued this
0:27:34 > 0:27:37when she bought a mixed lot of china at an auction house
0:27:37 > 0:27:39and she felt that only I could have it.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43I have two pieces which, in history, are not so dissimilar in age,
0:27:43 > 0:27:48but they've lived separate lives and now have been united in my care,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51each representing the names I have borne.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53They're as decrepit as I am,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56but that only makes them more lovable, I think.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59So they're worth nothing, commercially,
0:27:59 > 0:28:02but often the most valuable things to us
0:28:02 > 0:28:05are the pieces which hold sentimental value,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08and therefore, make them almost priceless.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14Whether it's a birth, death or marriage,
0:28:14 > 0:28:17there is a wealth of commemorative items out there
0:28:17 > 0:28:18to suit every pocket.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23So if you're buying or selling, you know what to look out for.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27I hope you've enjoyed today's Trade Secrets.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29Join me again soon, next time.