0:00:04 > 0:00:06One of the things I love about Flog It!
0:00:06 > 0:00:09is meeting you, members of the general public and together,
0:00:09 > 0:00:13we've taken hundreds of trips to auction houses all over the country,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16putting our experts' valuations to the test.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18In this series, we're pooling all of that knowledge together
0:00:18 > 0:00:23to help you get some inside information. Welcome to Trade Secrets.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52In today's show, we're taking a look at items
0:00:52 > 0:00:56originally from other parts of the world.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59By 1922, the British Empire - the largest in history -
0:00:59 > 0:01:03held sway over a fifth of the world's population.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07It stands to reason that many wonderful treasures
0:01:07 > 0:01:09have made their way to our shores. And thankfully,
0:01:09 > 0:01:13some of them have made their way to our valuation days.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17Coming up, Thomas marvels at the history of one object.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19That's a pint of rum at midday.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23And we explore how our other vices
0:01:23 > 0:01:26have spawned a whole area of collecting.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Nowadays we all have sugar in enormous quantities.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31We all have too much of it.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35Tobacco and snuff taking has always been a controversial subject.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37And we catch up with Ann,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41whose story proves we should never take things at face value.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43Sold!
0:01:43 > 0:01:47- The whole room... Everybody started applauding.- Lewis!
0:01:50 > 0:01:52Now, do you know what this is?
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Well, if you've been watching Flog It! you probably do.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57It's a little, tiny tea caddy.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00This was brought back to the country when trade was opened up
0:02:00 > 0:02:03throughout the 18th century and tea became rather fashionable.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07And, as well as tea, other valuable and exotic commodities
0:02:07 > 0:02:08came back to the mother country.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13Things like spices and tobacco and sugar and coffee,
0:02:13 > 0:02:15we couldn't get enough of them.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19This demand is reflected in the antiques of the day.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27The British really got a taste for tea in the 17th and 18th century
0:02:27 > 0:02:30and by the 19th century, it was still very expensive
0:02:30 > 0:02:34and only the very wealthy and privileged could afford to drink tea.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37These are the sort of people that would have had caddies
0:02:37 > 0:02:40and this teapoy is a version up from the tea caddy.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44This is, of course, an elaborate teapoy, a tea caddy on a stand.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48There we are. It's a beautiful satinwood interior.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51It's in really, really lovely condition.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55These lift out and they are wonderfully made.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Mahogany and then satinwood...
0:02:57 > 0:03:03So it's a very high-class item to keep one's valuable tea locked away.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06- I don't suppose you've got a key.- We have no key.- No.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09It's a complicated lock but it's a sign of great quality.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13- Keep the servants out!- That's right. Lock the servants out
0:03:13 > 0:03:16and keep your green and black tea separate.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18The problem with it commercially, I suppose,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21is that it's a bit useless in the modern home.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24It's very pretty, it's very decorative but it's quite big.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27I suppose you could put a plant on it or something,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30but you can't then open it and have a look at that wonderful interior.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34Perhaps that represents a slightly limited market for it.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37You told me you wanted £1,000, really.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39- It's in my head.- Yeah.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41- If we put an estimate of 800-1,200. - Mm-hm.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43It's likely when we go to the auction,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46the auctioneer may say, "Oh, you're quoting us ten years ago prices."
0:03:46 > 0:03:48I think we're going to sell it.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52Genuine teapoys like this one we had was a beautiful example
0:03:52 > 0:03:54and they don't come on the market very often.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58Did its rarity guarantee the teapoy a sale?
0:03:58 > 0:04:01I had a chat to the auctioneer and he said it's not a popular piece of kit.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04You know, if it was a tea caddy, people would want to own it.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Because it's a teapoy, it becomes a piece of freestanding furniture.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11- What do you do with it?- Yeah. But, I mean...- That's the downside.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13At £600 for the teapoy.
0:04:13 > 0:04:14At £700...
0:04:14 > 0:04:16It looks like it's going home.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18Sorry, unsold.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21I'm quite upset that the teapoy didn't sell because I thought it was
0:04:21 > 0:04:24a fabulous example of its kind and I thought we had it exactly right.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27In fact, I think it should make £1,450
0:04:27 > 0:04:30and I think if it was represented in another auction,
0:04:30 > 0:04:34perhaps with other items of a similar nature, caddies ideally,
0:04:34 > 0:04:37then it should make over £1,000.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40Yeah, yeah, Adam. But seriously, he has a point.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44An item is more likely to sell if it's presented with other,
0:04:44 > 0:04:48similar pieces as the collectors will be circling.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51For some collectors, the sky's the limit.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53A George II tortoiseshell and silver tea caddy
0:04:53 > 0:04:58sold at auction in 2012 for £17,000.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02So what other consumables landed on our shores as a result
0:05:02 > 0:05:05of the trade triangle?
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Nowadays we all have sugar in enormous quantities,
0:05:07 > 0:05:08we all have too much of it.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13In the 18th century, the British developed a tremendous sweet tooth.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17At the beginning of the 18th century it was a very expensive,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19luxury commodity.
0:05:19 > 0:05:20As the decades went on,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23the price started to come down
0:05:23 > 0:05:28but it was still precious enough that in the 1770s and 1780s
0:05:28 > 0:05:31you would quite often have a silver receptacle,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34either to store or serve it in.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37- Mum used to keep sweets in it, actually, which I suppose is... - That's fair enough!
0:05:37 > 0:05:40It would have had originally a blue glass liner
0:05:40 > 0:05:43which is why it's pierced, so the sugar wouldn't fall out.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46It's typical of the period of Adam design.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49You've got all this intricate classical piercing.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52You got a Vitruvian scroll, erm, urns.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54I spotted the urns, they're rather nice.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56They're beautifully done
0:05:56 > 0:05:58but we've got one place here where it's solid,
0:05:58 > 0:06:03and that's so you could put the owner's crest or initials on, when you brought it to the silversmith.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Commercially it's better that there is a blank cartouche there,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09especially if you are giving it as a gift to somebody else.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12What I would be very cautious of
0:06:12 > 0:06:15is that, because there is a premium, a slight premium
0:06:15 > 0:06:18to pieces that haven't been engraved,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22there's a great temptation to remove original engraving.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25When you see a blank cartouche like that, you should always check
0:06:25 > 0:06:28that the thickness of the silver is the same as the rest of the piece.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32I noticed there is a little bit of damage around the foot.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34It wouldn't normally matter that much, you'd knock it out
0:06:34 > 0:06:36but you've got the same piercing on the foot
0:06:36 > 0:06:38as you have on the body of it.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41It's just found a weak spot and it's started to crack and split.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43- Can that be rectified? - It can be done.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46It can be done by a competent silversmith, but it's not cheap.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48It will affect the final sale value of it.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51If the basket hadn't been damaged,
0:06:51 > 0:06:53I would have been far more comfortable in putting
0:06:53 > 0:06:57an estimate of £300-500 on and I would expect it to make
0:06:57 > 0:07:00the top end, maybe £100 more.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04What impact did that damage have an the sale price?
0:07:04 > 0:07:08170? 175. 180.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Take 185. The bid's at £180 in the room.
0:07:11 > 0:07:12At 180 and selling...
0:07:12 > 0:07:14GAVEL BANGS
0:07:14 > 0:07:17- That was a great result.- It was in that state. Someone must think
0:07:17 > 0:07:20they've a really good silversmith that can put it right.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24If you're considering restoration, consider it very carefully.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28If it's done badly, that's worse, especially for you,
0:07:28 > 0:07:30because it won't be cheap.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34So you'll have thrown money away to make the object you own worse.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37If you're in any doubt, leave things alone!
0:07:37 > 0:07:41Our heritage as a trading nation means that there are
0:07:41 > 0:07:45collectables out there whose value lies in that history.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49The bronze pint measure from Jamaica, St Andrews,
0:07:49 > 0:07:55was just a piece of colonial history, which was so special.
0:07:55 > 0:07:56- Marjorie.- Hi.- Hi.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59- You've brought along something quite interesting.- Is it?
0:07:59 > 0:08:01- It is really interesting! - I've got no idea what it is.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04I want to know about it, from where you got it from.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08Well, my sister found it in one of her packing cases
0:08:08 > 0:08:09when she moved to America.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13- You and your sister are from Jamaica.- Yeah, originally.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15You were there and you wanted to keep it.
0:08:15 > 0:08:16I wanted to have a look at it.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19She was getting ready to put it in the bin.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Marjorie's sister was going to throw this measure away.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26And to be honest with you, it didn't surprise me
0:08:26 > 0:08:29because it did look like nothing. I mean, it looked like a bronze pot.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33It's probably the best thing I've seen all day, if you want my honest opinion.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36It's doesn't mean it's worth a tremendous amount of money,
0:08:36 > 0:08:38but I think it's rather special.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40Such care had been taken in making this piece.
0:08:40 > 0:08:45And it was struck, as in struck, with all the right strike marks -
0:08:45 > 0:08:48William IV, the Customs and Excise mark.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51And the lettering on the front was superb.
0:08:51 > 0:08:56"St Andrews, Jamaica, Imperial Pint."
0:08:56 > 0:09:01Everything about it just screamed quality.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05- I reckon it's a pint measure for rum.- Right.- And it's a naval piece.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09So if you're on the ship, I think the ration was a pint a day.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13- A lot, isn't it?- Well, it was quite a lot. But they did drink quite a lot.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16- Yeah, probably. - A bit of Dutch courage as well.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19- If you had a pint of rum, you be able to conquer anything.- Right.
0:09:19 > 0:09:25The rum ration is a naval tradition. It stems back to our beer ration.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29The beer ration was a ration of beer, a pint of beer
0:09:29 > 0:09:31you'd get at midday.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35Now, in the 17th century Britain had a scrap with the Portuguese
0:09:35 > 0:09:38and the Spaniards and we conquered the West Indies.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42The beer ration was superseded by the rum ration.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46That's a pint of run at midday. Whew!
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Fascinating. I think it's a really interesting object.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51One of the nicest things I've seen.
0:09:51 > 0:09:56- And I would suggest this would be worth £70-£100 at auction.- OK.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00I think I was extremely conservative with my £70-£100 estimate.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02- 170...- They love it.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05- They absolutely love it. - It's such a rare thing.
0:10:05 > 0:10:06£170.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09It's going to be sold, make no mistake, you'll miss it. All done.
0:10:09 > 0:10:10GAVEL BANGS
0:10:10 > 0:10:12Lovely thing!
0:10:12 > 0:10:17It was our heritage, so to speak. And Jamaica's heritage.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19That's what was so special about it.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23It just encapsulated Britain as a whole.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Rarity and a great story can increase an item's value.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29I can't believe Marjorie's sister
0:10:29 > 0:10:31nearly threw that rum measure away.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35The lesson there is always have a closer look before you throw
0:10:35 > 0:10:37anything away.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42The rum ration continued as a Navy tradition right up until 1970,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44so there's no need to worry about
0:10:44 > 0:10:46what to do with drunken sailors today!
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Another commodity that was shipped to Britain from the Empire
0:10:50 > 0:10:51was tobacco.
0:10:53 > 0:11:00Now, Ann, there are antiques that look amazing, they look decorative.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02There are antiques that are useful
0:11:02 > 0:11:04and there are antiques that just speak history.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06And you just close your eyes and feel that
0:11:06 > 0:11:09and you can feel 300 years of history.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11It is an absolutely wonderful object.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14'That circular snuffbox that Ann brought in'
0:11:14 > 0:11:16is one of the things that
0:11:16 > 0:11:22you look at and you don't need to be an expert.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24It tells you everything.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27You know that old phrase, "It does what it says on the tin."
0:11:27 > 0:11:30It's got who owned it written on it.
0:11:30 > 0:11:35It's got a date bang in the middle of it and it's quite obvious
0:11:35 > 0:11:37that it's either a snuff or a tobacco box, really.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41The history of snuff goes way back into the 16th century.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45Tobacco and snuff taking has always been a controversial subject
0:11:45 > 0:11:50and when we look back in history, in 1604, King James I visited
0:11:50 > 0:11:53Cambridge University and they said, if anybody is caught taking snuff
0:11:53 > 0:11:56in front of King James, he'll take them to the Tower.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58He hated it that much.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Then 100 years later, the reign of Queen Anne,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04she was herself the biggest snuff taker in England.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08Really, throughout the 18th century
0:12:08 > 0:12:12was the real time of growth of the taking of snuff.
0:12:12 > 0:12:18And as the snuff became more readily available to the masses,
0:12:18 > 0:12:23then the variety of snuffboxes again became more and more varied.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27This is a wonderful thing. It's a combination snuff.
0:12:27 > 0:12:32So you move each dial and each wheel to a certain position
0:12:32 > 0:12:36and then that allows you to pull the moon down and open it.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38Our only problem is we don't know the combination.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41- No!- So we haven't been able to get into it today.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46- Do you know the combination? - I have no idea. I have no idea.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49I've got about 30 or 40 of those combination snuffboxes
0:12:49 > 0:12:53in my collection, and the most frustrating thing is
0:12:53 > 0:12:56when you've actually cracked it, you shut it and you forget.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00And then you go, "Oh, no! What was that?" And you start all over again.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04I should think it's going to make £200-£300 at auction.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07Something like that. I think we ought to put a reserve on it.
0:13:07 > 0:13:08A reserve of 200.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12If it doesn't go for that then take it out, take it home and enjoy it.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15And who cares? If it doesn't sell, who cares?
0:13:15 > 0:13:16I'll have a gamble.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26James has spent hours trying to open up the secret formula to unlock it,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28and he couldn't and nor can I.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30- Well, I cracked it.- You cracked it?
0:13:30 > 0:13:33- Do you agree with the valuation first?- No.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35We've put in an estimate of 300 to 400.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37- Right, so James is a bit under there?- Oh, yes.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Not streets away, but I think possibly the price has been
0:13:40 > 0:13:44- helped by the fact that we got it open.- Go on, explain how.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46Two little hands...
0:13:46 > 0:13:49And you set them at about three o'clock, or horizontal.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51And then there's a smiley face there.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54- You can just about see it, or at least I can.- Yeah.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Now, hopefully, there we are,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59the moon slides up and in you go to your box.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03- How long did it take you to work that out?- Well, I was there...
0:14:03 > 0:14:07- a day or two, actually.- Did you take it home?- I did, I did, yes.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10Whose estimate proved right on the day?
0:14:12 > 0:14:15500 anywhere? At 500. 520.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17540. 560. 580.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19600. 620. 640.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22660. 680. 680 anywhere?
0:14:22 > 0:14:25I have £660 behind me. Anyone else?
0:14:25 > 0:14:28We're finished at £660.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30- I can't believe it! - That was pure quality.
0:14:30 > 0:14:36It's all about who loves it more, rather than what it's worth.
0:14:36 > 0:14:41And two people just purely loved it. I loved it too.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45Lots of other people love snuffboxes too, and we see them
0:14:45 > 0:14:47at most of our valuation days.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Because snuff taking was originally an elite pastime,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53many of them are beautifully made and decorated.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56But as the masses took up the habit,
0:14:56 > 0:14:58snuffboxes became more rudimentary.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02So if you're looking to collect, there's something for every budget.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06The record auction price for a snuffbox was set in 2011
0:15:06 > 0:15:08when a magnificent Meissen
0:15:08 > 0:15:12gold-mounted royal example, made for Augustus III,
0:15:12 > 0:15:15Elector of Saxony and the King of Poland,
0:15:15 > 0:15:19sold for a staggering £900,000!
0:15:19 > 0:15:25Paul and Chris's sugar basket was a beauty, but had seen better days.
0:15:25 > 0:15:26If you've got some damaged silver,
0:15:26 > 0:15:30be wary about getting it restored, as you may cause more damage.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34And look out for blank cartouches on silverware -
0:15:34 > 0:15:36an engraving may have been removed.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Check that the thickness of the metal is the same
0:15:39 > 0:15:40all the way around the piece.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44And if you are in the market for some tea-related paraphernalia,
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Adam has a word of advice.
0:15:46 > 0:15:47Watch out for teapoy marriages,
0:15:47 > 0:15:50where someone's just got a tea caddy and stuck it
0:15:50 > 0:15:54on the base of an occasional table and converted it into a teapoy.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56So always have a good look at those.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04British colonists have deemed it their duty to bring a civilising
0:16:04 > 0:16:06influence to their subject peoples.
0:16:06 > 0:16:11The English language, Christianity, and railways were all exported
0:16:11 > 0:16:13across the globe under the Empire.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16But there's one thing in particular that's remained
0:16:16 > 0:16:20associated with England, and that's cricket!
0:16:20 > 0:16:23We're always pleased to see your sporting memorabilia at our valuation days.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27Football, rugby, cycling - we've seen it all,
0:16:27 > 0:16:32but cricket does seem to have a particular place in the hearts of the Flog It! fans.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34Two of our best-loved Flog It! experts,
0:16:34 > 0:16:38Adam Partridge and Charlie Ross, are devotees of the game.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42So they went along to the MCC museum at Lord's to find out what
0:16:42 > 0:16:45makes an iconic piece of cricket memorabilia.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49MUSIC: Test Match Special Theme "Soul Limbo" by Booker T & The MGs
0:16:52 > 0:16:53When did your love for cricket start?
0:16:53 > 0:16:57- From a very small boy I was playing with a cricket bat.- Yeah.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00Introduced by my father, of course, like most of us were.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04- Then you went on and played at school?- At school, Ealing Cricket Club,
0:17:04 > 0:17:08played for the Taverners, I have my own company team that we play.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12- And you're captain? - Of course I'm captain!
0:17:12 > 0:17:16- Can I bring my team along?- Perhaps you could.- Challenge!- There we are.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18What about you, tell me about your cricketing history.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21I'm a mad, mad enthusiast for cricket
0:17:21 > 0:17:24but I'm also an extremely poor player of cricket.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26- I don't believe that.- It's true.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29I was quite good when I was about 15 and I opened the bowling at school
0:17:29 > 0:17:33and I remember being quite fast and I just got steadily worse, really.
0:17:33 > 0:17:38- You're a member here, are you not? - 33 years I've been a member here.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41As a member here you have certain privileges and you opened
0:17:41 > 0:17:44a few doors for us today like the door to the museum, hopefully.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48It's a general misconception that the museum is not open to everybody.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50Anybody can visit the museum.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54People from all around the world come to the museum to see the wonderful exhibits.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56# I don't like cricket... #
0:17:56 > 0:18:01As well as being the spiritual home of cricket, Lord's also boasts
0:18:01 > 0:18:06a staggering collection of over 15,000 pieces of cricketing history.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09This looks like a bit of old wood, doesn't it, to the average person?
0:18:09 > 0:18:13To some people it will and they'll wonder why we are getting so excited about this.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16There's a name on the back, what's the name?
0:18:16 > 0:18:19- Dr WG Grace.- Dr WG Grace. - The most eminent Victorian.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22He was, he was an enormous man and he was a doctor
0:18:22 > 0:18:24and had a huge great beard.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27- And a great celebrity of the period? - He was.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31He played for England in the first ever Test match
0:18:31 > 0:18:35here in England against Australia in 1880.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37- And, I don't know...- Do you remember that game, Charlie?
0:18:37 > 0:18:39CHARLIE LAUGHS
0:18:39 > 0:18:41How dare you!
0:18:41 > 0:18:44It's absolutely wonderful and it's dated 1901.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47That's the king of cricket names.
0:18:47 > 0:18:52If you're looking for things today, if you're looking at current players in the England team,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54- people like Cook, people like Pietersen...- Mmm.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57If you are lucky enough to get them to sign a bat,
0:18:57 > 0:18:59even if it's a bat they haven't used,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02get them to sign it, tuck it away.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Do you know what, Charlie, they sign more nowadays, don't they?
0:19:05 > 0:19:07Players are constantly signing, so I don't know
0:19:07 > 0:19:12- if they are ever going to be as important as anything like this. - They won't be, you're quite right.
0:19:12 > 0:19:18Serious collectors in any field are always on the lookout for oddities.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21The more weird and wonderful, the better.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23In 1936 there was a game here
0:19:23 > 0:19:27and a chap from Cambridge University, Jehangir Khan,
0:19:27 > 0:19:31was apparently bowling and killed the sparrow mid-flight
0:19:31 > 0:19:33on the way to the wicket.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Either that, or the batsman hit the ball into the sparrow.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39I think it's a romantic story because no-one really saw this happen. They just...
0:19:39 > 0:19:42- Did they not? - ..found a dead sparrow.
0:19:42 > 0:19:43THEY LAUGH
0:19:43 > 0:19:46It's a great example to show the eccentricity of the game.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48What makes this particularly special,
0:19:48 > 0:19:52- this is very well-known throughout the cricketing world.- Yeah.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Therefore, the provenance would have given it value.
0:19:54 > 0:19:59I think it's a wonderful item. I'm just glad it's not a partridge!
0:20:06 > 0:20:10This is the complete collection of the world's most famous sporting book.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13You've got quite a sizeable collection, haven't you, Charlie?
0:20:13 > 0:20:16I've got over 100. This is the cricketers' Bible.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20If you want to know anything about anybody that played Test cricket,
0:20:20 > 0:20:24school cricket, minor county cricket, anywhere in the world,
0:20:24 > 0:20:27you'll find them in the Wisden's Almanack.
0:20:27 > 0:20:32A full collection like this would be worth well in excess of £100,000.
0:20:32 > 0:20:38- This year, 2013, is the 150th edition.- It is. It is.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41Why do you say that with a grin on your face? Come on?
0:20:41 > 0:20:43I've got to show you, if I may.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47- You're not one of the five cricketers of the year, are you? - I'm not quite Charlie, no.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51- I am in the Cricket Around The World section.- Wonderful!
0:20:51 > 0:20:55- For Poland.- Are you Polish? - My mother's Polish.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59- I have played cricket for Poland. - You're an international cricketer?
0:20:59 > 0:21:03- I am.- Shake me by the hand, that's marvellous. I never, ever realised.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07"In 2008, an 11 made up of players of Polish descent,
0:21:07 > 0:21:11"starring auctioneer Adam Franciszek Partridge
0:21:11 > 0:21:15- "from BBC antiques show Flog It!" - That's absolutely marvellous.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18A, we've got Flog It! in there and B, coupled with your name.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21It shows how cricket has travelled to countries, emigration has
0:21:21 > 0:21:24taken cricket to other places where they've never thought of it.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27Who would've thought Poland would play cricket?
0:21:30 > 0:21:34- How do you feel seeing the Ashes there?- It's so small!
0:21:35 > 0:21:38So tiny for such a famous object.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41The most famous cricketing object in the world.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43- Perhaps we should explain why it's called.- When did it all start?
0:21:43 > 0:21:47This came about as a result of England losing to Australia
0:21:47 > 0:21:49for the first time on home soil.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52- It was a matter of national disgrace, wasn't it?- In 1882.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54It certainly was. It had never happened before.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57This was the end of cricket.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00So a sporting newspaper did an obituary for English cricket
0:22:00 > 0:22:03saying it had died that day and the body was going to be cremated
0:22:03 > 0:22:08- and the Ashes were going to be sent to Australia.- Yes, indeed.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10- An England team went to Australia. - The next time they toured.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12The next time they toured
0:22:12 > 0:22:18and, actually, England won when they were ahead 2-1 in the series.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22The Ashes were then presented to the honourable Ivo Bligh
0:22:22 > 0:22:26and so he then brought back the Ashes of English cricket.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28It's only ever left here once, has it not?
0:22:28 > 0:22:32I think it's only been to Australia once in its life. Otherwise, it lives here.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34This is completely priceless.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37I don't think anybody could put a value on that. It is a one-off.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Well, it's not every day that our Flog It! event throws up
0:22:45 > 0:22:48something that's worth many thousands of pounds,
0:22:48 > 0:22:51and when it does, we like to follow it up on Trade Secrets.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55So here's what happened when Michael Baggott met Ann
0:22:55 > 0:22:57in Lincoln back in 2012.
0:23:03 > 0:23:09I went along to Flog It! at Normandy Hall in Scunthorpe to flog
0:23:09 > 0:23:11what I thought was African artefacts.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15Ann, you're obviously not a lady to be messed with.
0:23:15 > 0:23:16No, not at all!
0:23:16 > 0:23:20Not with all these lethal weapons on the table in front of me!
0:23:20 > 0:23:22They don't look like the sort of things you'd have gone out
0:23:22 > 0:23:24and bought intentionally.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26No, a friend gave them to me.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30A family member had brought them back from Africa some years ago,
0:23:30 > 0:23:32so they've been handed down to him.
0:23:32 > 0:23:37There were two spears and an axe and a shield and we thought they
0:23:37 > 0:23:41were African origin, we thought they'd been brought back from Africa.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46There were two sorts, broadly, two main sort of tribal artefacts.
0:23:46 > 0:23:52The first type is items that were made for use.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56The others are those that are made for the tourist market.
0:23:56 > 0:24:01- Right.- So this group, to me, has a look of functionality about it.
0:24:01 > 0:24:06I've no idea of the value of the items. No idea whatsoever.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09We took them along because they've been stored in
0:24:09 > 0:24:12a cupboard for years and just to see, you know, what they were worth.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16I think this, to me, this shield and the calabash are the nicest things.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20I think as a group let's put them in at...
0:24:20 > 0:24:22£200-£400.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24- Really?- Yeah, yeah.- Gosh!
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Tribal art is a very difficult thing to value,
0:24:27 > 0:24:31so a nice broad estimate reflects the fact that you're saying
0:24:31 > 0:24:34to the person, "Well, it's really up to you what you
0:24:34 > 0:24:38- "think they're worth," and they'll make their bids accordingly.- OK.
0:24:38 > 0:24:401,100 by the door. £1,100.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42We went off to the auction
0:24:42 > 0:24:47and we was having a nice day, just looking around and enjoying the day.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49- At £400. - GAVEL BANGS
0:24:49 > 0:24:54When it was time for us to go on, we joined Michael and Paul...
0:24:54 > 0:24:55Going under the hammer right now
0:24:55 > 0:24:57we have a little group of ethnographica.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59You're probably thinking, "What's he on about?
0:24:59 > 0:25:04"What's ethnographica?" Well, Ann can tell us, can't you? And who have you brought along?
0:25:04 > 0:25:07- This is Lewis.- Hello, Lewis, shake my hand. How old are you?- 11.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11When it came to our turn to go on, it was just amazing.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15Let's get straight to this, we've got all the telephones and the net.
0:25:15 > 0:25:16ALL the telephones? Nice property!
0:25:16 > 0:25:19Who's going to stop me first, put me straight in at £500?
0:25:19 > 0:25:21500, whose first?
0:25:21 > 0:25:25It went straight in at £500, so it was a really nice feeling.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27I thought, "Oh, this is really good!"
0:25:27 > 0:25:31850, 900... 900, 950 bid...
0:25:31 > 0:25:36And on it went. And then it started going up in the thousands...
0:25:36 > 0:25:40- 4,200...- It's £4,200!
0:25:40 > 0:25:434,600. 4,600 now. 4,600.
0:25:43 > 0:25:464,800 now. 5,000 bid.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49At that point I was oblivious to everything that was going on
0:25:49 > 0:25:51around me, I was just amazed.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53I'm looking for 10,000.
0:25:54 > 0:25:5810,000 bid. 11,000, may I say now? 11,000 bid.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00The bids were coming through
0:26:00 > 0:26:02on the telephone and on the internet
0:26:02 > 0:26:05and from Australia, France...
0:26:05 > 0:26:0720,000 bid.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09£20,000!
0:26:09 > 0:26:10SHE LAUGHS
0:26:10 > 0:26:1322,000 now. 22,000. 24,000 now. 24,000.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16The excitement in the room, it was buzzing.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20The whole room was buzzing and everybody was just amazed.
0:26:20 > 0:26:2128,000.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29- At 28,000.- I'm shaking. - £30,000, may I say now?
0:26:29 > 0:26:3130,000. 32,000 now.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38At £30,000. My original telephone bidder is in at £30,000.
0:26:38 > 0:26:39Is there anyone else now?
0:26:39 > 0:26:44And then when it reached the 30,000 and the hammer went down, it was
0:26:44 > 0:26:46just incredible.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Lot sold! £30,000!
0:26:48 > 0:26:51The whole room, everybody started applauding and...
0:26:51 > 0:26:53Lewis, high-five!
0:26:54 > 0:26:55Just unbelievable.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59£30,000! That is absolutely incredible!
0:27:00 > 0:27:02I'm shaking, look!
0:27:02 > 0:27:03Wow!
0:27:03 > 0:27:06- We just got £30,000!- I can't believe it. I can't believe it.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Missed something. Missed something really big.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11I'm flabbergasted. I really don't know what to say.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15It turned out the winning bid came all the way from Australia,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18where an eagle-eyed curator at Sydney's Primitive Art Museum
0:27:18 > 0:27:20spotted the shield on the auction website
0:27:20 > 0:27:23and recognised it as Aboriginal Australian.
0:27:27 > 0:27:28Once I received the money,
0:27:28 > 0:27:30cos it's hard to believe
0:27:30 > 0:27:33until you've actually got the cheque in your hand,
0:27:33 > 0:27:39I popped it in the bank and I treated the children.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42I'd been refurbishing my dining room,
0:27:42 > 0:27:44so that was done far quicker than I'd intended.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48On the day, we had a wonderful experience at the auction
0:27:48 > 0:27:50and at the valuation. It was amazing.
0:27:50 > 0:27:55I'd recommend people to do it. Just take their items, cos who knows?
0:27:55 > 0:27:58They might be as lucky as I've been, and you just don't know what
0:27:58 > 0:28:00you've got hidden in them cupboards and in your attic.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02High-five!
0:28:06 > 0:28:08Well, if we've learnt anything on Flog It!,
0:28:08 > 0:28:10it's "take nothing at face value."
0:28:10 > 0:28:13And I hope we've inspired you to take a closer look
0:28:13 > 0:28:15at some of the things you have lying around your home,
0:28:15 > 0:28:19especially if they've travelled thousands of miles to get to you.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Well, that's it for today's show.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Do join me again soon for more Trade Secrets.