0:00:02 > 0:00:03Over the ten years on "Flog It!",
0:00:03 > 0:00:06we have valued thousands of your items
0:00:06 > 0:00:09and been with you as you've sold them at auction -
0:00:09 > 0:00:11sometimes for a small fortune!
0:00:11 > 0:00:13Sold, £30,000!
0:00:13 > 0:00:15During that time, we've learned a great deal
0:00:15 > 0:00:17about antiques and collectables
0:00:17 > 0:00:20and, as a nation, we cannot get enough of them.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23Now, I want to share some of that knowledge with you.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25So sit back and enjoy,
0:00:25 > 0:00:29as our experts divulge their trade secrets.
0:00:56 > 0:00:57In today's programme,
0:00:57 > 0:01:00we're celebrating one of my favourite design periods -
0:01:00 > 0:01:04the 100 years or so that came to define the Georgian style.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06The experts and I long for the day
0:01:06 > 0:01:08when a piece by Chippendale or Gillow
0:01:08 > 0:01:11appears at one of our valuation days.
0:01:11 > 0:01:12But aside from the celebrated makers,
0:01:12 > 0:01:15what should we be looking out for?
0:01:15 > 0:01:17Here's what you need to know.
0:01:17 > 0:01:23Coming up, we've got great tips on how to spot a Georgian gem.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25Philip tells us how to fall back in love
0:01:25 > 0:01:27with brown furniture.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Let quality speak to you. And it always will.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31And then you've got to listen to what you hear.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34Charlie gets hot under the collar.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36It's quite a, dare I say, sexy thing.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39And Michael has got reasons to be cheerful
0:01:39 > 0:01:41when one item clocks up a top price.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45At £2,100, then, for the last time...
0:01:50 > 0:01:53We don't see that many Georgian items on this show,
0:01:53 > 0:01:55but we're all delighted when they do turn up.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58And sometimes, they can be quite valuable.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04I think the real good tip about the word "Georgian"
0:02:04 > 0:02:07is it's a great thing for an auctioneer to use,
0:02:07 > 0:02:09because it covers about 120 years.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13You're going from about 1710 through to about 1830,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16so you've got this huge chunk of time and you can call it "Georgian".
0:02:16 > 0:02:18So it sounds really knowledgeable - I like that.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20I think sometimes it's a mistake
0:02:20 > 0:02:23to think that just because something is old, it's going to be worth money.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25That never follows.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29So a lot of older things are actually very affordable.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Buy a small walnut chest of drawers
0:02:32 > 0:02:36or a little cellaret - something small.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39A little side table that will go in anybody's home.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42I would say it's a great time to be buying Georgian furniture.
0:02:42 > 0:02:43It can only go up.
0:02:43 > 0:02:44Antiques are for everyone,
0:02:44 > 0:02:48and just because the word "Georgian" is attached to "antique",
0:02:48 > 0:02:49it doesn't mean that you can't afford it.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52You can buy a Georgian teaspoon for under a tenner.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55So go out there, find the things that you want and buy them.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59So, here are some of the best Georgian items
0:02:59 > 0:03:00that we've seen on "Flog It!".
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Charlie Ross was delighted
0:03:05 > 0:03:09when a quintessential Georgian silver piece crossed his table.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13I think every posh person in the Georgian period
0:03:13 > 0:03:15had a snuff box.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19- I think it's a snuff box. - I think it's a snuff box, too.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21It's rather an attractive one.
0:03:21 > 0:03:27Snuff boxes come in all sorts of sizes and materials.
0:03:27 > 0:03:28Do you know what it's made from?
0:03:28 > 0:03:31- I presume it's silver...and ivory. - It is silver and ivory.
0:03:31 > 0:03:32Absolutely spot-on.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36If it were bone, which might be another material,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39it would have a little black flecking through it,
0:03:39 > 0:03:40which you don't get with ivory.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43It's interesting that the colouring's going
0:03:43 > 0:03:45on the top there.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48- I thought that. - I've opened it up and...
0:03:48 > 0:03:49What did you make of the inside?
0:03:49 > 0:03:52- I thought it was wood, first of all. - You thought it was wood?- I did.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54I can see why you thought that -
0:03:54 > 0:03:57- it's got a woody grain to it, hasn't it?- Yes.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01You see, what's happened is that it's become discoloured,
0:04:01 > 0:04:05and the reason it's gone that colour is because it's been used for snuff.
0:04:05 > 0:04:10You need it to have that lovely, light ivory colour,
0:04:10 > 0:04:14and of course, things like smoke can discolour it.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15You can clean it.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17DON'T bleach it,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20because if you bleach ivory, or try to bleach it,
0:04:20 > 0:04:23you will lose the surface patination,
0:04:23 > 0:04:24and that's fatal.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27The inside, it appears, has been gilded at some stage.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29Right - why would that be?
0:04:29 > 0:04:35Um, for protection of the silver and also for quality purposes...
0:04:35 > 0:04:38So, what's the sort of person that would have a snuff box like this?
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Oh, quite a gentry.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43I mean, this is high quality in silver.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47If you were an important person and you wanted to be taking snuff
0:04:47 > 0:04:50and you wanted to pull it out of your pocket and take snuff,
0:04:50 > 0:04:52you really wanted to be having a silver one.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54Or, better still, a gold one.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56We can tell that it's George III,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59- because we've got George III's head on there.- Yes.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01The date stamp is unclear,
0:05:01 > 0:05:04and I've come up with two possibilities -
0:05:04 > 0:05:07- 1790 or 1810.- Right.
0:05:07 > 0:05:12For the purposes of valuation, we'll call it 1800, George III.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14I'd give a wide estimate of £100 to £200.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16- Right.- I think it's certainly worth £100
0:05:16 > 0:05:19- and I'd like to see it make nearer £200.- OK.
0:05:19 > 0:05:24Strictly speaking, ivory that is pre-1947 is acceptable.
0:05:24 > 0:05:29But I think...it's almost true to say that all ivory
0:05:29 > 0:05:31is becoming less and less acceptable,
0:05:31 > 0:05:33even the very early ivory.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38So were the bidders put off by the ivory when it went to auction?
0:05:38 > 0:05:42Or did they go for a quality piece of Georgian silverware?
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Can I start the bidding at 100?
0:05:45 > 0:05:47- 100...- Ooh!- 130... - That's good, we've sold it.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49At 130, at 40, at 140.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53150. 160. 170...
0:05:53 > 0:05:54That's good.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56- 200. 210...- John!
0:05:56 > 0:05:58210, commission bid.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00220. At 220 in the room, now.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04240. 260. 280.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06At 280...300.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09- Serious case of under-valuation. - But then they come and buy it.- Yes.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12At 300. At 300, then, we're all done, then.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14- At £300...- Wow!
0:06:14 > 0:06:18They loved it! At £300, the hammer's gone down.
0:06:18 > 0:06:19With a sale of £300,
0:06:19 > 0:06:23the buyers clearly loved the finesse as much as we did.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26They connect you with history, with a bygone era.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29And they're quite often beautifully made.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31You think of someone like Nathaniel Mills,
0:06:31 > 0:06:34who made silver snuff boxes, the workmanship is superb.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40Keep in mind, snuff boxes come in many shapes and materials.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42The wooden ones are a great way
0:06:42 > 0:06:46for you to start collecting gorgeous Georgian at reasonable prices.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53But it's not just Georgian knick-knacks we come across.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57Philip Serrell is also a man with an eye for Georgian value for money.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00In 2003, he found a versatile piece
0:07:00 > 0:07:04of often-overlooked Georgian brown furniture.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08You see, I think, as tables go, it's a really useful little table.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10You've got a drawer at the front.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13You can use it as a side table up against a wall.
0:07:13 > 0:07:14It's a fold-over tea table.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17We can put that up against the wall,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19put little knick-knacks on it there, use it as a display table.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22It's about 1800, give or take ten years.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25- Timber - any ideas? - I always thought it was mahogany.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28The real tip here is to go and handle as much timber as you can.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Once you've handled it,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33you'll just grow to know more about it.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37It looks like it's mahogany. This grain here is mahogany.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40But it is... If you lift it, it's really, really heavy.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42Now, that could be for three reasons -
0:07:42 > 0:07:45first reason is that it might not be mahogany.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47It might be something like padauk wood,
0:07:47 > 0:07:49which is a really seriously heavy wood.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53A lot of these oriental planters that you see with marble tops on,
0:07:53 > 0:07:54the aspidistra stood on them,
0:07:54 > 0:07:56a lot of these are made from padauk -
0:07:56 > 0:07:59and boy, is it ever hard and heavy.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Second reason is that a lot of these tables are actually veneered
0:08:02 > 0:08:07and this is solid, and because it's solid, it's heavier.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10And the third reason is I'm just getting weaker in my old age.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12Um... What have you had done to the top?
0:08:12 > 0:08:14There were some very bad marks on the top,
0:08:14 > 0:08:19and we've had an antique restorer sympathetically wash the top
0:08:19 > 0:08:21to try and take off some of the damage.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Whoever's done it has done a good job.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26But you can tell the top has been washed out,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28and that is going to devalue it at auction.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31There's an expression in our business -
0:08:31 > 0:08:33if all you've got to apologise for is the price,
0:08:33 > 0:08:35then it makes it attractive to someone.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38If you say, "It's a lovely table, but the top's been washed out..."
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Now, if you've got a watermark on the top of a table,
0:08:41 > 0:08:45the correct thing to do is try and restore that mark
0:08:45 > 0:08:47to the same colour as everything else.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50The easiest thing to do is to strip the top clean, repolish it,
0:08:50 > 0:08:51and there you are - done.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54It's easier, but what you're then doing is renewing it,
0:08:54 > 0:08:56not restoring it,
0:08:56 > 0:09:00so in my eyes, a good restoration is always acceptable.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04You'd like to see it the way it was, but please, please, please
0:09:04 > 0:09:05don't strip things and repolish them.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08Don't renew things, because they're not antiques then.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11I think this in auction today will make £200 to £400.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15So we'll put a reserve on it of £200 and that should mean
0:09:15 > 0:09:17that it's heads, you win, tails, you don't lose.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20In this business, beauty is very much in the eye of the beholder,
0:09:20 > 0:09:22and a good piece of furniture
0:09:22 > 0:09:25can be a really good, classical piece of mahogany
0:09:25 > 0:09:29that was made for a London town house by a well-known maker,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32or it can be a stunning piece of 18th century yew wood
0:09:32 > 0:09:34that might have been made in the country
0:09:34 > 0:09:36for the local landowner.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40So I think what you've got to do is let quality speak to you.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43And it always will. And then you've got to listen to what you hear.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46So were the buyers listening to Philip's enthusiasm
0:09:46 > 0:09:48for bagging a Georgian bargain?
0:09:48 > 0:09:50£180, now.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52200. 220.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54240. 260.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57At £260, now. Telephone's up.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00At 280. 300.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03At 300. 320.
0:10:03 > 0:10:04340.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06At 360. 380.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09At 380... At 400.
0:10:09 > 0:10:10420.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15At £420, my written bids are £420 now.
0:10:15 > 0:10:16440 is a telephone bid.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20At £440 - where's 60?
0:10:20 > 0:10:24It's on the telephone at £440, now, and sells...
0:10:24 > 0:10:26- Neville, that's great, isn't it? - Yeah.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29Top end of Philip's estimate, 440.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Believe it or not, that table has come down even more
0:10:32 > 0:10:33since the auction day.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36It's probably worth no more than £200.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38But isn't it great value for money?
0:10:38 > 0:10:40We should all be aware of that.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42We're in the ultimate green business.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44Get out there and buy these things.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46Use them as a small dining table in a flat or whatever,
0:10:46 > 0:10:48but use them, buy them,
0:10:48 > 0:10:50because they're great value for money.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53You're not going to go and buy a new table for that sort of money.
0:10:53 > 0:10:54Here's one of my tips for you.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58If you're thinking of buying or bidding on something Georgian,
0:10:58 > 0:11:02make sure you ask if the item has been damaged or restored,
0:11:02 > 0:11:06because this can greatly affect the value.
0:11:06 > 0:11:07And remember, if you don't ask,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10the seller's not obligated to tell you.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14Philip seems to be drawn to the Georgian as much as I am.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18He was also presented with a piece of classic Georgian Delft
0:11:18 > 0:11:20that had seen better days, but he soon realised
0:11:20 > 0:11:23he had something really special in front of him.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26If we just turn it over,
0:11:26 > 0:11:30we see that the back's really rather typical of Delft.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33When I first looked at that plate, I and one of our backstage valuers,
0:11:33 > 0:11:35we thought it was probably continental.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Now, it wasn't - in reality it was English,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41and English Delft is worth more than continental Delft,
0:11:41 > 0:11:42as a very broad term.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46This...almost pimpled body here and this creamy colour
0:11:46 > 0:11:49is typical of Delft.
0:11:49 > 0:11:50At some point in time,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53it might have had the dreaded wire hangers on it,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55because we can see a bit of a chip there.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58- Oh, yeah.- Having said that, Delft is a very soft body.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00We're looking for things that are 200 and 300 years old,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03and in porcelain, damage is crucial.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06In Delft, in a way, because it's a much flakier glaze,
0:12:06 > 0:12:08damage is almost acceptable,
0:12:08 > 0:12:12but always try and buy as perfect a piece as you can.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14If we turn it over,
0:12:14 > 0:12:19we can see that this blue panel here is typical of Delft.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23What I find unusual is this colour around the border here.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Normally with Delft, you'd expect it to be blue and white,
0:12:25 > 0:12:29occasionally you get flashes of yellow or whatever.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32But that manganese colour, for me, that lifted it up above the norm.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34In terms of date,
0:12:34 > 0:12:38I'd think it's probably about 1750 or thereabouts.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41It is Delft, and it'll have an auction value
0:12:41 > 0:12:43of around £200 to £300.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46- Oh!- On a good day, it might do a bit more.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50Perhaps put a reserve on it at somewhere between £150 and £200.
0:12:50 > 0:12:51Fine, yeah.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Richard brought Geraldine along to the auction
0:12:54 > 0:12:56to see if the unusual purple-manganese hue
0:12:56 > 0:12:59would cause a stir.
0:12:59 > 0:13:00475, 500.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02525, 550, 575, 600.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04625...625 anywhere?
0:13:04 > 0:13:07At six...625, 650, 675, 700.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09725, 750, 775...
0:13:09 > 0:13:11775, anywhere?
0:13:11 > 0:13:16You're finished at £750, all done and finished. All done...
0:13:16 > 0:13:18- That's fantastic! - Yes. Very, very good.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22- 750 quid. - Didn't think it'd even sell.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Not bad for a single plate.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27There's an expression in this business -
0:13:27 > 0:13:29"Let your eyes be your guide and your pocket your judge."
0:13:29 > 0:13:31When you pick something up, your eyes...
0:13:31 > 0:13:33Go by your first instincts.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36They'll tell you if it's old or not and tell you about the condition.
0:13:36 > 0:13:37Once you've established all of that,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40all you've got to let your pocket do is tell you how much to pay.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44Keep your eyes peeled for Delft in unusual colours,
0:13:44 > 0:13:47and buy British - it could fetch you much more.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Michael Baggott knew exactly what he was looking at
0:13:52 > 0:13:55when this next item lay in front of him,
0:13:55 > 0:13:57and he was very excited about it.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00Well, the minute I saw the watch...
0:14:00 > 0:14:04First of all, it's solid gold. You don't make low-quality items
0:14:04 > 0:14:06in solid 22-carat gold.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08'Nicky, it's fair to say'
0:14:08 > 0:14:11- that my eyes popped out of my head...- I'm very pleased!
0:14:11 > 0:14:13..when you opened your little box in the queue
0:14:13 > 0:14:16and I saw this magnificent watch.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19'It was set with pearls, the enamelling was perfect.'
0:14:19 > 0:14:24It was just absolutely as good an object of that type
0:14:24 > 0:14:25that you could make.
0:14:25 > 0:14:30We've got this beautiful gold case,
0:14:30 > 0:14:34set with half pearls all the way round the bezel on a blue enamel
0:14:34 > 0:14:36and white enamel crown, which is quite fantastic.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39And look at the back of this.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41I know. That's what I love. I love the colour of it.
0:14:41 > 0:14:46Classic Georgian design - very restrained, it's sophisticated,
0:14:46 > 0:14:49it's a neoclassical piece made to the highest quality.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53That's all the features you look for in good Georgian design -
0:14:53 > 0:14:55style, quality and proportion.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59It's an English watch, but it's a very French and Swiss technique,
0:14:59 > 0:15:05that they developed in about 1750, 1765, of engine turning.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10But the real joy of it should be when we get it open.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13There we go, that's the cover open,
0:15:13 > 0:15:17and then there should be another snib here.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19'It's always important to look inside a watch,
0:15:19 > 0:15:20'to make sure it's got movement.'
0:15:20 > 0:15:23Sometimes good cases and bad movements
0:15:23 > 0:15:24can get married together.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26Look at the craftsmanship in that -
0:15:26 > 0:15:30beautifully pierced, fan pierced.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Hopefully, we'll have a maker's name on it.
0:15:35 > 0:15:36Right.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Well, they're not watchmakers, but it's a very good name to have.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42It's Rundell and Bridge,
0:15:42 > 0:15:45and they were goldsmiths to George IV,
0:15:45 > 0:15:49and they actually provided most of the regalia for his coronation,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52they provided all the diamonds for his crown...
0:15:52 > 0:15:55Be aware that even prominent watchmakers,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57within their lifetime,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59had competitors who would copy their work
0:15:59 > 0:16:02and sign their name to their movements.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05So it's not as simple, I'm afraid, as looking at the name,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08opening a book and doing it that way.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11You've got to know something about the way the movement is designed
0:16:11 > 0:16:14and the quality you expect to see in there.
0:16:14 > 0:16:15If we close that up...
0:16:15 > 0:16:20I mean, the only flaw with this is the lack of the minute hand -
0:16:20 > 0:16:22not terribly useful like that!
0:16:22 > 0:16:25But otherwise, it's in lovely condition.
0:16:25 > 0:16:26I think it's a stunning watch,
0:16:26 > 0:16:29so I think, for the purpose of the auction, we'll put...
0:16:31 > 0:16:36..£600 to £800 on it, a fixed reserve of £600
0:16:36 > 0:16:39and hopefully, if two people get behind it,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42we could do very much more than that.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44So, did the buyers come from all corners
0:16:44 > 0:16:49to bid for such an exquisite Georgian piece?
0:16:49 > 0:16:52950. 1,000. And 50.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56(They love it.)
0:16:56 > 0:16:57Already well over the estimate -
0:16:57 > 0:17:01these bidders recognised Georgian splendour when they saw it.
0:17:01 > 0:17:051,900. 2,000. 2,100.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08Commission bid's out, 2,100 in the room.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12At £2,100, then, for the last time...
0:17:12 > 0:17:18- £2,100, Nicky.- I told you my eyes popped out of my head.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20And my eyes are very rarely wrong!
0:17:20 > 0:17:23Wow! They certainly weren't this time, Michael!
0:17:23 > 0:17:27It's essential that you check out the inside of an old watch or clock,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30because they both have mechanical moving parts.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34Better still, get an expert to do it for you, because you may find out
0:17:34 > 0:17:37it's worth a great deal more than you originally thought.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Here are a few more tips on what to look out for
0:17:40 > 0:17:42for a good Georgian piece.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45If you are buying any Georgian silver,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48look for the marks of reputable silversmiths,
0:17:48 > 0:17:51like Hester Bateman and Nathaniel Mills.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54But beware of Georgian pretenders who copy them.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57There's nothing better than looking for quality of workmanship
0:17:57 > 0:17:59and doing your research.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02You can expect some wear and tear on a Georgian piece,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06which could be, after all, some 300 years old.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09As a rule of thumb, buy the best quality you can afford.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13And finally, Georgian brown furniture isn't dead,
0:18:13 > 0:18:15it's just resting.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18As Philip and I agree, it can often speak of quality craftsmanship.
0:18:18 > 0:18:24So now's your chance to pick up a versatile piece at a decent price.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31We have many things in common with our Georgian forebears.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35Like us, they prized new technology, they appreciated the arts
0:18:35 > 0:18:37and they loved a good party.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39But there's one thing in particular
0:18:39 > 0:18:41that does link us to Georgian England -
0:18:41 > 0:18:45and that is our love of a cup of tea.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49On valuation days, we get through around 700 cupfuls.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52We see an awful lot of tea-related paraphernalia,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55from tea caddies to tea services to teapots.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Christina Trevanion is an ardent collector of Georgian teapots,
0:19:01 > 0:19:03so she went to meet a man
0:19:03 > 0:19:06whose connection to the good old-fashioned cuppa
0:19:06 > 0:19:09goes back ten generations.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19We all think that the cafe culture is a very 21st-century phenomenon -
0:19:19 > 0:19:21meeting up with your friends
0:19:21 > 0:19:23in a local coffee house over a good cuppa.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26But it's actually been going on for hundreds of years.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33In the backstreets of London, around the Strand,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36there was a thriving coffee house industry
0:19:36 > 0:19:37at the turn of the 18th century.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40I'm really excited, because I'm about to meet an ancestor
0:19:40 > 0:19:43of one of the men who really shaped the whole British psyche
0:19:43 > 0:19:48as we know it today - and that, believe it or not, was through tea.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52- Hello. Hi, you must be Stephen. - Indeed, welcome.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56Thank you - Stephen Twinings, as of the famous Twinings dynasty.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Yes - I'm very proud to be the tenth generation of the family
0:19:59 > 0:20:01to be in tea, and the gentleman behind me,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Thomas, was the one who started it all off.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07And was instrumental in making us a nation of tea drinkers
0:20:07 > 0:20:11by opening the world's first dry tea and coffee shop where you're standing.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14- Fantastic!- Shall we talk about it over a cup of tea?
0:20:14 > 0:20:16- Why not? That sounds perfect! - Come this way.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19I would like to know why we drink tea in Britain.
0:20:19 > 0:20:24The Portuguese and the Dutch had both discovered tea ahead of the British.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28So in 1662, King Charles II marries a Portuguese princess,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30- Catherine of Braganza. - Yes, of course.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33She is a tea devotee, an absolute tea lover.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37She brings tea to London and makes it fashionable at the London court.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40- Right.- But not everyone welcomes the arrival of tea.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43The brewers, who made what we drank for lunch, dinner -
0:20:43 > 0:20:47and we drank beer for breakfast too - it was a threat to their business.
0:20:47 > 0:20:48The clergy said it was a sinful drink
0:20:48 > 0:20:51because it wasn't grown in a Christian country.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54And the other people who didn't like tea were the doctors -
0:20:54 > 0:20:56they immediately said, "This is bad for your health."
0:20:56 > 0:20:59So those three lobby groups got together
0:20:59 > 0:21:02and persuaded the government of the day to impose a massive tax
0:21:02 > 0:21:04on this bad-for-business, bad-for-your-healh
0:21:04 > 0:21:05and bad-for-your-soul drink.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08This makes tea a status symbol drink.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12Only the wealthy and the aristocracy can afford this drink.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16100g of tea in those days, in today's money, allowing for inflation,
0:21:16 > 0:21:18about £160.
0:21:18 > 0:21:19SHE GASPS
0:21:19 > 0:21:23£160?! Oh, my goodness, that's incredibly expensive.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26So it was served once or twice a week,
0:21:26 > 0:21:29- but at no particular time of day, and was a very special occasion.- Wow.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32So really, really high-end of society.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34- Absolutely.- Good grief!
0:21:34 > 0:21:37And it's not until the tax comes down -
0:21:37 > 0:21:40it was actually Thomas Twinings' grandson, Richard Twinings,
0:21:40 > 0:21:43who persuaded William Pitt the Younger to reduce the tax on tea
0:21:43 > 0:21:46and then we become a nation of tea-drinkers,
0:21:46 > 0:21:48because everyone can then go out and afford to buy it.
0:21:48 > 0:21:49Of course, yeah.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53Our growing love of tea was reflected in a wealth of objects
0:21:53 > 0:21:55to accompany a good cuppa, from tea caddies -
0:21:55 > 0:21:58which were locked up by the mistress of the house
0:21:58 > 0:22:01to keep out the hoi polloi - to teapoys.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03Christina's passion is for teapots
0:22:03 > 0:22:06and she couldn't resist the chance to show hers off.
0:22:06 > 0:22:11I just wanted to know a little bit about what Georgian ladies
0:22:11 > 0:22:14were putting into my teapots at that time.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16Right. Certainly it was exclusively Chinese teas.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18The Chinese tea had a monopoly until...
0:22:18 > 0:22:21Well, the first Indian tea arrived in this country in 1838.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25Is that why porcelain is known as "chinaware"? Absolutely.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28The captains would put below the cargos of the tea,
0:22:28 > 0:22:31in the area of the ship which would probably get flooded with seawater,
0:22:31 > 0:22:34- this beautiful porcelain they'd discovered.- In China.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37- So this is Chinese porcelain. - Real Chinese porcelain.- Gosh.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40That's fantastic. Ladies were introduced to drinking tea,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43- but were they drinking tea from Chinese porcelain?- Absolutely.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45We had earthenware, we had pewter,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48- but nothing as beautiful and delicate as this.- No.
0:22:48 > 0:22:49Because as much as we tried,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52we couldn't replicate the thinness and the delicacy of this porcelain.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Not for a few years, is my understanding.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58I've got some teapots here which span about 25 years,
0:22:58 > 0:22:59maybe slightly more,
0:22:59 > 0:23:03and I'm assuming the English got more confident with their patterns
0:23:03 > 0:23:04and their shapes with porcelain
0:23:04 > 0:23:07as they got more confident drinking tea in public.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09- Yes.- This is a Chinese version here,
0:23:09 > 0:23:13then we get slightly more Anglicised with this floral spray.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15- Then of course, we get polychrome decoration.- Yes.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19And then this, which is quintessentially English, really.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22- Yes.- And of course, think of the Georgian interiors at the time.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24This sort of neoclassicism would perfectly match.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27Absolutely. It's a beautiful example, isn't it?
0:23:27 > 0:23:31It is, and it's the British embracing tea and embracing style.
0:23:31 > 0:23:32Yes.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Can you show me exactly how my Georgian ladies would have
0:23:40 > 0:23:43used my teapots to make tea? Is this exactly how we do it today?
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Yes - the process hasn't changed because the principles haven't changed.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48You need a clean, warmed teapot.
0:23:48 > 0:23:53The old rule is one teaspoonful of tea per person and one for the pot,
0:23:53 > 0:23:56but actually, it's the ratio of tea to water that determines
0:23:56 > 0:23:58the intensity of the flavour.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01You need water at the right temperature.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05So if you're making a green tea or a white tea, it has to be slightly cooler,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08so you'd let the kettle come to the boil, then leave it for a four or five minutes.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11For black tea, it needs to be very close to boiling point.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15Be patient with your tea - it takes time to give off its flavour.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18Colour is not flavour - don't let your eyes deceive you about tea.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22Allow it to brew, let the flavour come out, until three minutes...
0:24:22 > 0:24:26- Three minutes?- Three minutes. - If I'm desperate for a cup of tea...
0:24:26 > 0:24:29- You've got to wait three minutes. - Oh, no!- Absolutely.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33- You've got to let the antioxidants out and the full flavour.- OK.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35But milk in before or after?
0:24:35 > 0:24:37Historically correct to put the milk in first
0:24:37 > 0:24:39if you've made the tea in the teapot.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41If you're making it in a mug of tea with a bag in it,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43let it brew with the heat, take it out and then add the milk.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45Brilliant. I love it. Thank you so much.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49- Do we really have to wait three minutes?- We do.- Oh, good lord!
0:24:53 > 0:24:54So, my top tip for you,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57if you're thinking of collecting tea ephemera,
0:24:57 > 0:24:59if you're looking at a tea caddy, for example,
0:24:59 > 0:25:00take a look on the inside.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03Make sure that the foil on the inside shows signs of wear
0:25:03 > 0:25:06that you would expect from 100 years of use.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08My second tip,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10if you're thinking about collecting 18th-century teapots,
0:25:10 > 0:25:13if your pocket can afford it, that is,
0:25:13 > 0:25:15make sure you choose examples with lids.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17Unfortunately, most of mine don't have lids,
0:25:17 > 0:25:19but they will retain their value
0:25:19 > 0:25:22if they have all their component parts to them.
0:25:22 > 0:25:23And my third, and top tip
0:25:23 > 0:25:28is if you are thinking of collecting Chinese or English porcelain,
0:25:28 > 0:25:29to tell the difference,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32the Chinese porcelain will be an awful lot thinner.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34So if you hold them up to the light,
0:25:34 > 0:25:36you can almost see through the Chinese porcelain,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39whereas the English example is slightly thicker-potted
0:25:39 > 0:25:41and you can't see through it.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51I've often noticed in auctioneers' catalogues
0:25:51 > 0:25:54the term "Georgian" printed to describe certain lots.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Please, do remember, if you want to invest in this period,
0:25:57 > 0:26:01the Hanoverian period, there were four King Georges on the throne,
0:26:01 > 0:26:03spanning over 100 years.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06George I came on the throne in 1714.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10George IV took us right up to 1830.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12If the auctioneer doesn't know which King George it was,
0:26:12 > 0:26:16then do your own research, because the earlier the king,
0:26:16 > 0:26:21the rarer, the older. It should be worth a lot more money.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Don't just settle for any George. Do your homework.
0:26:26 > 0:26:27In Georgian England,
0:26:27 > 0:26:31the lifestyle of the wealthy was one of elegance and refinement,
0:26:31 > 0:26:34and entertaining became a way of showcasing one's wealth.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38Seated here at this table, with its fine French dinner service
0:26:38 > 0:26:42and its cut-glass crystal would be the country's aristocracy,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44all dressed in their finest silks.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47A lady's wig could not be too high or too heavy,
0:26:47 > 0:26:49but she had to be careful
0:26:49 > 0:26:53that she didn't catch it alight on the candelabra that lit the room.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58An elaborate dinner of soups, meats, pastries and dessert
0:26:58 > 0:27:01would be served on the finest china
0:27:01 > 0:27:06and the meal would often take over two hours to finish.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08And the Georgians loved their wine,
0:27:08 > 0:27:10and hidden underneath this side server
0:27:10 > 0:27:13is the grape juice that got the party started.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17This is a superb example of a wine cooler,
0:27:17 > 0:27:19and it's attributed to Robert Gillow,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21master maker and designer.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25Gillow was one of the first to recognise the strengths of mahogany.
0:27:25 > 0:27:30It became fashionable and readily available from about 1720 onwards,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33imported from the West Indies and Jamaica.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37This wood had a wonderful, tight, straight grain,
0:27:37 > 0:27:39with no knots, no saps.
0:27:39 > 0:27:44It was just right for carving this wonderful, intricate detail.
0:27:44 > 0:27:45And as you can see,
0:27:45 > 0:27:48this cellaret is made up of component parts,
0:27:48 > 0:27:49all beautifully carved.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52But the wine would have been brought up from the ice house,
0:27:52 > 0:27:55a stone-built building in the grounds of this estate.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59Within that building would be one hole, dug into the ground,
0:27:59 > 0:28:04six feet in diameter, 30 feet down, packed full of ice.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07It would then be chipped off when required,
0:28:07 > 0:28:09brought up to the house in sacks.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13It would then be dumped into this chiller, which is lead-lined,
0:28:13 > 0:28:16to keep that ice really, really chilled.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19Incidentally, this holds 20 bottles of wine,
0:28:19 > 0:28:23and if you count the chairs around this table, there's 20 of them.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25That's what I call a great party!
0:28:27 > 0:28:30As we've heard, the Georgian era has something for every pocket.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32So get out there and get looking!
0:28:33 > 0:28:35Well, I hope you have learned enough
0:28:35 > 0:28:39to help you sniff out a few Georgian gems.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43Good luck and join us again soon for more Trade Secrets.