0:00:14 > 0:00:16Welcome to Flog It! Trade Secrets,
0:00:16 > 0:00:18the show that aims to put YOU in the know
0:00:18 > 0:00:23when it comes to buying and selling antiques and collectables.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35With over ten years of Flog It! behind us,
0:00:35 > 0:00:38that's hundreds of shows and many thousands
0:00:38 > 0:00:40of objects valued and sold.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50So, if you want to know more, you've come to the right place.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20On today's show, we're giving you the inside track on items that
0:01:20 > 0:01:23hail from those parts of the globe that used to be coloured
0:01:23 > 0:01:26pink on old maps - the British Empire.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Coming up...
0:01:30 > 0:01:33We see some intriguing items from around the world...
0:01:33 > 0:01:34Oh, I love this! I love this.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38And the most wonderful sort of snarling snake's head.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Now, that's horrifying.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43..our experts reveal what's in their own collections...
0:01:43 > 0:01:47I've brought one of my favourite personal items to show you today,
0:01:47 > 0:01:49and we use it still to feed our hens with.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52..and offer some surprising tips...
0:01:52 > 0:01:54All you have to do is just huff over it.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56HE HUFFS
0:01:56 > 0:02:02I step aboard that most treasured national vessel, HMS Victory.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07This vessel carried 104 guns, she faced her enemy at close range
0:02:07 > 0:02:10and she's left a legacy which should never be forgotten.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18For nearly 400 years, right up until the latter part of the 20th century,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21we were a mighty imperial force.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25By 1922, the British Empire - the largest in history -
0:02:25 > 0:02:28held sway over a fifth of the world's population
0:02:28 > 0:02:32and covered nearly a quarter of the Earth's total landmass.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36So, it stands to reason that many wonderful treasures
0:02:36 > 0:02:38have made their way to our shores. And thankfully,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41some of them have made their way to our valuation days.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45But what should you look out for when buying imperial items?
0:02:45 > 0:02:49My tip, I think, would be to go for the Indian items -
0:02:49 > 0:02:52not just furniture, but silver and works of art.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56Do not get tempted by the souk seller
0:02:56 > 0:02:59selling you his "very rare" carpet.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03Please don't, because, invariably...
0:03:03 > 0:03:0699% of the time,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09it would be brand new.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11So don't buy anything to start with for £10,000,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14or you could come unstuck.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16Our first port of call on our imperial journey
0:03:16 > 0:03:19is the Indian subcontinent -
0:03:19 > 0:03:22the jewel in the crown of the British Empire,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24and some objects I found intriguing.
0:03:26 > 0:03:31Well, Dee, you've travelled the world, haven't you?
0:03:31 > 0:03:32No, my grandmother.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34She was born in India.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Her parents lived in India.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Her father owned a tea plantation
0:03:42 > 0:03:47and she was born and brought up in Lahore.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50David was delighted by Dee's collection,
0:03:50 > 0:03:52but one piece in particular caught his eye.
0:03:52 > 0:03:57The most amazing piece is this bangle, here,
0:03:57 > 0:04:03which, although it's not marked gold, I think is gold.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06And it's set with turquoise and ruby.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10And the most wonderful sort of snarling snake's head.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12Now, that's horrifying.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14It is horrifying, isn't it?
0:04:14 > 0:04:17But this was a sort of fashionable bracelet to be
0:04:17 > 0:04:19worn by Victorian ladies.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22- Was it worn by any member of your family?- My grandmother.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24- Oh, right. You remember that, can you?- Yes.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28David estimated the bangle would fetch £80-160.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32But would the taste of a Victorian colonial lady stand
0:04:32 > 0:04:35the test of time in today's market?
0:04:35 > 0:04:375, 80, 5.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40- This is very good. - They like it.- Yes, they love it.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42280 now. 280.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46300. 350 is a fresh bidder.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49At 600. Are there any more bids?
0:04:49 > 0:04:54At 600, in the middle of the room. Last call. Going at £600.
0:04:54 > 0:04:55GAVEL BANGS
0:04:55 > 0:04:57- Oh!- Wow.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59Would you like a seat?
0:04:59 > 0:05:02What David knew was that gold from India may not be hallmarked,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05but can still command amazing prices.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07- Oh!- Wow.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10And Michael found something interesting from the other
0:05:10 > 0:05:11end of the Indian subcontinent.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Andy, thank you so much for bringing it in,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17this absolutely marvellous and curious box.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20My pleasure. Do you think it's Indian?
0:05:20 > 0:05:23I think... Now, this has tested me slightly,
0:05:23 > 0:05:26cos I've seen these variously described as African or Indian,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29but I think, especially with the use of ebony, that they
0:05:29 > 0:05:34were made and exported from Ceylon. So I was would be happy to be
0:05:34 > 0:05:38corrected, but as far as I consider, it's a Ceylonese box.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42Ceylon was obviously a very important destination,
0:05:42 > 0:05:46and there were a lot of British colonial workers
0:05:46 > 0:05:48in and around that region.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Ceylon is a former British colony that,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54since 1972, has been known as Sri Lanka.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57Did you know what it was made of when you saw it?
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Well, I thought it was porcupine quill,
0:05:59 > 0:06:04but I'm not sure if this is ebony, or whether the inlay is ivory or bone...
0:06:04 > 0:06:07You're absolutely right.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11Andy's quillwork box was typical of quillwork boxes that I see.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15In effect, the quills are cut and set into panels,
0:06:15 > 0:06:19and the interior borders, which are usually of an exotic hardwood,
0:06:19 > 0:06:23are decorated with small ivory inlays, and usually you have
0:06:23 > 0:06:27a central motif on the lid of an elephant, which we did in this case.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30It is made for the tourist market.
0:06:30 > 0:06:35If you get one ring handle, and I'll get the other, and heave!
0:06:35 > 0:06:39So, we've got all these fitted boxes.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42I would imagine these would be for sewing requisites,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44they would be for jewellery,
0:06:44 > 0:06:46they would be for anything you wanted to put in them.
0:06:46 > 0:06:52There was a supply of objects, in a European taste, for them to take
0:06:52 > 0:06:55when they'd finished their tour of duty, if you like, or
0:06:55 > 0:06:58if they were working in the civil service, to take back to Britain.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01These boxes tended to be a very popular form.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05You can judge the quality of them by the number of ivory dots you
0:07:05 > 0:07:07get in the border.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Basically, the more dots and the closer they are together,
0:07:10 > 0:07:12the better quality of the box.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16- Any idea what it might be worth? - None at all.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20- I thought £30, £40, maybe?- Oh! I'd give you £30 all day long for it.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24Oh, no. I think let's be conservative
0:07:24 > 0:07:26and say £80-120.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Oh, yes.
0:07:28 > 0:07:33In fairness, when I saw the box, I did put a slightly restrictive
0:07:33 > 0:07:37low estimate on it, and I was hoping that it would exceed that.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39The big question is, did it?
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Start at £50. 50...
0:07:41 > 0:07:44- That's very low, but there are a few hands...- 70.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48In the case of the box, Andy didn't really want it back, he wanted
0:07:48 > 0:07:52it sold, so there was no reason to kill it with a large estimate.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56- 220.- This is more like it. - 230, 240.- Fantastic.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58And, as it turned out, that worked in its favour
0:07:58 > 0:08:00and it made a very good price.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04£250, the gentleman there, at the back. 250.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07- Sold, £250. - Wow. Fantastic, yeah.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09- Well done.- Brilliant.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12A low estimate might attract more bidders
0:08:12 > 0:08:14and result in a higher sale price.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18What both the Ceylonese box and the Indian bangle show
0:08:18 > 0:08:23is that great craftsmanship can make great prices.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27A growth area in overseas antiques and collectibles is tribal
0:08:27 > 0:08:32artefacts, and on Flog It!, we have seen some spectacular sales.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Aboriginal art is an expanding market,
0:08:34 > 0:08:37and there's a huge amount of interest in Aboriginal art.
0:08:37 > 0:08:42The best tribal art is not particularly about the object, it's
0:08:42 > 0:08:47whether or not it was made for the people to use in the people's way.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50Throughout the history of the Empire and the Commonwealth,
0:08:50 > 0:08:52people from this country have been posted
0:08:52 > 0:08:55to the four corners of the globe.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58I was working for the Department of Defence in Australia
0:08:58 > 0:09:04and I was posted into Darwin, and I had the opportunity to travel around
0:09:04 > 0:09:09the missions and Melville Island, where some of these have come from.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Aboriginal art is fetching such good money right now.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15Not only are the Australians buying it back -
0:09:15 > 0:09:19it's their social history, they want to fill their museums...
0:09:19 > 0:09:22We were fortunate with these cos they were just early enough
0:09:22 > 0:09:25and some of them were by recognised Aboriginal artists,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28so we were able to find a very strong market for them.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33- I'd like to put a value of £300-500 on the whole lot.- Absolutely fine.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35If we have a lot of excitement pre the sale,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Adam can use his discretion and split them up.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Well, they came as one lot,
0:09:40 > 0:09:42and I'm not one to criticise Paul in any way,
0:09:42 > 0:09:45but, once we'd had a look at the valuations,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48we felt that they would be better served, and the contributor
0:09:48 > 0:09:51would get more money back to him, to split them into lots.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53We've split them into lots.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56- I think these are the strongest, so I've done these three first.- OK.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58Hopefully those will make the 300 and...
0:09:58 > 0:10:01- Whatever's left will make up the difference.- Yeah.
0:10:01 > 0:10:02They were by different artists,
0:10:02 > 0:10:06and I think if they're going to be worth 150, 200 plus each,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09then they should be sold separately, cos someone may just want the one,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12and they may not want to pay £2,000 or so for the whole lot,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15just to get the one that they want.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17I've been looking forward to this moment.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20The Aboriginal art belonging to David. We have a packed house here.
0:10:20 > 0:10:21We certainly have.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24We were inundated with enquiries, not just from Australia
0:10:24 > 0:10:28but from collectors of Aboriginal art from around the world, so,
0:10:28 > 0:10:30of course, the more enquires equals more bidders,
0:10:30 > 0:10:33equals the better price on the auction day!
0:10:33 > 0:10:37Lot number 80 is the first one. 170 is on this phone here. All done now.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40170. We sell at 170.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42£170. That's the first item.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45Goanna and Snakes Hunting by Walid Peru.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Another phone line.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49At 180, all done now.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51- £180.- Lovely.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53Third one to go.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55At 210, are you all done on this one?
0:10:55 > 0:10:57210.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59The hammer's going down. 210.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02180 on the phone. 180 for the killing stick.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05There's the fourth lot. £180.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07170 on this phone. Same buyer.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10- GAVEL BANGS - Yes! £170 for the didgeridoo.
0:11:10 > 0:11:11This is fantastic.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14The final one is the wooden spear in the form of a snake.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17£620... Anyone in the room want a go now?
0:11:17 > 0:11:19- CROWD LAUGHS - At 620?
0:11:19 > 0:11:23We're all done now, at 620. We sell this lot at 620.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26Yes! Hammer's gone down. £620.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30We sold all of those lots.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35Clearly, these were the real deal. The provenance was impeccable.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38David bought them himself in Northern Australia
0:11:38 > 0:11:40in the 1950s and '60s.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44So, what should we be looking out for today?
0:11:44 > 0:11:46Beware of buying things that are too recent, cos,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49since it's become popular, of course, you got Australia now -
0:11:49 > 0:11:52I've not been, but people tell me - you can acquire
0:11:52 > 0:11:56Aboriginal pieces, but they're more designated for the tourist market.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00As soon as you start getting something that's for the tourist market,
0:12:00 > 0:12:04whether it's early or late, then it loses credibility.
0:12:06 > 0:12:11'I'm somebody who always loves to see a bit of tribal art.'
0:12:11 > 0:12:15James, welcome. I have to say, I don't think it's just the name we have in common,
0:12:15 > 0:12:17looking at what you brought along today.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19'The great thing about James is, as soon as he saw me he said,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22"I've got something for you", and he knew that I'd love it.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24Why the interest in tribal art?
0:12:24 > 0:12:28It started 25 years ago when I picked up a mask in a skip.
0:12:28 > 0:12:33- In a skip?!- Yeah.- Where was that? - Locally.- Just outside a house?- Yep.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Tell me how you've come to have them.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39- This one, I picked up at auction for £15.- 15?!
0:12:39 > 0:12:43It's a classic piece of north-west African,
0:12:43 > 0:12:47so from Nigeria, Ivory Coast...
0:12:47 > 0:12:51The headdress and the collars on one of the figures,
0:12:51 > 0:12:54in particular, is typical of the Benin people.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57They were the countries that would go
0:12:57 > 0:13:04and find Africans from other tribes and sell them to the West as slaves.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08- Would these be children? - I think these are kids.
0:13:08 > 0:13:13These are young boys who are being captured by the Benin.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17Here we've got the ropes. This chap here has got a machete.
0:13:17 > 0:13:23Two machetes here. And look, holding this child up who's still...
0:13:23 > 0:13:27- Sucking his thumb.- Sucking his thumb. So, all symbolisms of childhood.
0:13:27 > 0:13:32Arms tied behind the back here, arms tied behind the back here.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34I think we've got an interesting panel here.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37Today, the British involvement with slavery is
0:13:37 > 0:13:40viewed as an unsavoury part of our history.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42But in the time of the British Empire,
0:13:42 > 0:13:46many fortunes at home were built on the slave trade.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49For port cities, such as Bristol and Liverpool,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52it was a major economic mainstay.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55Wilberforce, back in the early 19th century, abolished slavery
0:13:55 > 0:14:02in the UK, so it, rightly so, wasn't something we were very proud of.
0:14:02 > 0:14:03I think we need to be
0:14:03 > 0:14:06fairly open-minded when it comes to age with this.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10Slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire in 1833,
0:14:10 > 0:14:12and a panel like this, made decades later,
0:14:12 > 0:14:15is likely to have been a tourist piece.
0:14:15 > 0:14:20But isn't slavery a rather gruesome subject for a souvenir?
0:14:20 > 0:14:22It's something that is, um...
0:14:23 > 0:14:27..a part of our past that we should be ashamed of,
0:14:27 > 0:14:29but should be discussed, and I think
0:14:29 > 0:14:33if these things are buried and not talked about, then it's unhealthy.
0:14:33 > 0:14:38James sold the panel, along with a tribal ladle, in one lot.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40Tribal panel, very nice one. 150. 160.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Great.
0:14:42 > 0:14:43170.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48170. Are you finished now? 170?
0:14:48 > 0:14:50All done at 170 on the telephone. 170.
0:14:50 > 0:14:51Yes! Hammer's gone down.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53It was a quiet hammer going down, wasn't it?
0:14:53 > 0:14:55Top estimate wasn't a bad result,
0:14:55 > 0:14:57and both Jameses were satisfied.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01But the tribal panel didn't raise the roof, possibly because of
0:15:01 > 0:15:05the gruesome subject matter, as well as the fact it was a tourist piece.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07It can be a different story, though,
0:15:07 > 0:15:12when you come across an artefact that's the genuine article.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16- Oh, Bernie. Can I call you Bernie? - You certainly can.- I love this.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20- I love this! It comes from a long, long way away. Tonga.- Really?- Yes.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23Tonga is a group of islands in the southern Pacific Ocean,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26which became known as The Friendly Islands,
0:15:26 > 0:15:31after the cordial welcome the locals gave Captain Cook in 1773.
0:15:31 > 0:15:37200 years later, in 1970, Tonga joined the British Commonwealth.
0:15:37 > 0:15:38Tell me how you came across this.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42We had an elderly uncle who came along one day and said
0:15:42 > 0:15:46he'd like us to have it cos he was afraid it was going to disappear.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51He just gave it to us over 40 years ago.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53It's a hunting and a killing weapon,
0:15:53 > 0:15:56- and a weapon of self-defence. - Really?
0:15:56 > 0:15:58What do you think this is worth?
0:15:58 > 0:16:00A couple of hundred?
0:16:00 > 0:16:05- It's more likely to do somewhere in the region of £1,000.- Really?!- Yes!
0:16:05 > 0:16:09When it came to auction, Bernice was on holiday,
0:16:09 > 0:16:13but I desperately wanted her to share in the excitement of the sale.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17Have a gin and tonic, sit down, put your feet up
0:16:17 > 0:16:19and enjoy this roller coaster ride.
0:16:20 > 0:16:222,700. 2,800.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24I'm tingling. Can you hear this?
0:16:24 > 0:16:26BERNICE: Yeah, I can. I'm shaking!
0:16:26 > 0:16:293,600. 3,700. 3,800.
0:16:29 > 0:16:313,900. 4,000. 4,200.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34- 4,500. 4,800. - Can you hear this?
0:16:34 > 0:16:38- 'No, I can't hear it now.' - £5,000 in the room.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40SHE GASPS AND YELPS
0:16:40 > 0:16:42'Incredible.'
0:16:42 > 0:16:455,800. 6,000, sir?
0:16:45 > 0:16:48At £5,800 on the telephone.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50- Can you hear that?- £5,800.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53Gosh. Bang! The hammer's gone down.
0:16:53 > 0:16:54That was incredible.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58You just got a round of applause in the sale room, at £5,800.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00'Just incredible.'
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Gosh, what a result. That was fabulous.
0:17:02 > 0:17:07We were all surprised at the sale price of Bernice's Tongan club.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10It just goes to prove that the auction room is the right place
0:17:10 > 0:17:14to sell tribal artefacts, cos buyers from all over the world can
0:17:14 > 0:17:16pick up on it and have the chance to bid,
0:17:16 > 0:17:18which does push the price up.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22I certainly hope that club finds its way back home.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24What other handy tips have we learnt about buying
0:17:24 > 0:17:28and selling antiques that hail from foreign climes?
0:17:32 > 0:17:36Avoid pieces that look like they were made for the tourist market,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39unless they have some obvious age and quality.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Look closely at the craftsmanship.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44It should be relatively easy to tell.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Items made from Indian gold won't have been assayed in this country,
0:17:50 > 0:17:53so are unlikely to have been marked.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56If you are not sure if something is authentically gold,
0:17:56 > 0:17:58don't spend a fortune on it.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02Provenance is key.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06Try and find out as much as you can about an object before parting
0:18:06 > 0:18:10with your cash. If you're sure it's a genuine thing, then go for it.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Most importantly, if you are buying for yourself,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18all that matters is you love it.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24Many things that are familiar with us
0:18:24 > 0:18:27today originated from the British Empire's four corners, and
0:18:27 > 0:18:31that's certainly true of precious stones, as Thomas Plant explains.
0:18:33 > 0:18:39Some of the best diamonds we see in the antiques world are antique
0:18:39 > 0:18:42and they're from India. They look too good to be true.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45They're so white, they're so pure, and you think,
0:18:45 > 0:18:47"Oh, is this really a diamond?"
0:18:47 > 0:18:49You're there, you could be at a car-boot sale,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52you could be at a flea market.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56"Is it going to be a piece of glass? It looks amazing."
0:18:56 > 0:18:59So, what does one do if you haven't got your eyeglass,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02you haven't got a laboratory next to you?
0:19:02 > 0:19:05A diamond will not take condensation.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08A piece of glass will, other gemstones will.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10All you have to do is just huff over it...
0:19:10 > 0:19:12HE HUFFS
0:19:12 > 0:19:17..and nothing will change. On other stones, it will remain...
0:19:17 > 0:19:18for a second.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22But that's my top tip.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30The Indian subcontinent, Australia, Africa, the West Indies -
0:19:30 > 0:19:33the British Empire spanned the globe.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36It was our nation's mastery of the oceans that enabled us
0:19:36 > 0:19:38to dominate the world.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Perhaps the greatest symbol of British sea power
0:19:41 > 0:19:44was Admiral Lord Nelson, whose most famous ship rests
0:19:44 > 0:19:48this day in Portsmouth, home of the Royal Navy.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56HMS Victory, a national icon, famous for her leading role in the
0:19:56 > 0:20:00greatest British naval victory of all time, the Battle Of Trafalgar.
0:20:00 > 0:20:01CANNONS BOOM
0:20:01 > 0:20:05Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson's flagship and his deathbed,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08a complex machine of war and a thing of beauty.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11This vessel carried 104 guns.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14She faced her enemy at close range.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16She's left a legacy which should never be forgotten.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Her story started in 1759.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28Plans and designs were organised by one of the greatest surveyors of the Navy at the time.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34It took 250 skilled shipwrights to build the hull
0:20:34 > 0:20:39of this magnificent vessel and they felled 5,000 oak trees to do it.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42This is the original decking.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46Once a hull was built, it was left to season in dry dock for three years,
0:20:46 > 0:20:49far longer than you would normally expect wood to dry out
0:20:49 > 0:20:51but they left the wind to blow through it,
0:20:51 > 0:20:55taking out all the moisture content, which closed the grain up even tighter,
0:20:55 > 0:20:59making it impervious to rot and wear and damage.
0:20:59 > 0:21:04That's possibly the reason why this vessel has lasted such a long time.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08After all, she is the oldest commissioned naval warship in the world.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12After being launched in May 1765,
0:21:12 > 0:21:17it was actually 13 years later until HMS Victory was called to fight.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20Once she started, she didn't hold back and took part in more
0:21:20 > 0:21:25than ten battles, under several different admirals.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31But her biggest fight took place in 1805
0:21:31 > 0:21:36against the increasing threat that was Napoleon Bonaparte.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43HMS Victory would now set sail on its greatest voyage ever,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45under the command of Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson,
0:21:45 > 0:21:49who was now recognised for his unconventional tactics.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52When he set sail on the Victory, he had already lost an arm
0:21:52 > 0:21:54and the sight in one eye in battle.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57It seemed he and the vessel were fearless in their ambition
0:21:57 > 0:21:59to protect Britain,
0:21:59 > 0:22:03but could their combined might defeat Napoleon Bonaparte?
0:22:04 > 0:22:08Britain's flagship HMS Victory spanned 227 feet.
0:22:08 > 0:22:13She housed 820 crew, could reach a speed of ten knots
0:22:13 > 0:22:16and displaced a weight of 3,500 tonnes.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20The French and the Spanish had twice as many flagships.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Napoleon was arrogantly confident.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27He thought the combined might of the Spanish and the French warships
0:22:27 > 0:22:29would be too much for Nelson and his fleet.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32But his military experience was on land, not at sea.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Nelson, however, understood the ocean.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39He assembled his officers here in his cabin, around this very table.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42There is history in the making here.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45But Nelson's plan was simple and effective.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49He would sail up behind the enemy, split his fleet into two columns
0:22:49 > 0:22:53and surround the rear of the enemy lines, isolating it.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57His clever thinking was orchestrated to a devastating effect.
0:22:57 > 0:23:0017 French ships with captured and a knockout blow was
0:23:00 > 0:23:04delivered to the flagship, Bucentaure. The battle was won.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06CANNONS BOOM
0:23:08 > 0:23:10While HMS Victory survived,
0:23:10 > 0:23:12Nelson was shot right here on this very deck
0:23:12 > 0:23:15and that brass plaque marks the spot where he was shot by a French marksman.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18He lived long enough to know the battle was won,
0:23:18 > 0:23:22but later died below deck and his body was preserved
0:23:22 > 0:23:26in a barrel of brandy for the long and arduous journey back home.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31The Victory returned to Portsmouth, where she now rests.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Standing here, it brings to life the accounts of how Nelson
0:23:35 > 0:23:41protected our country and that is definitely worth investing in.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50Between the 17th and 19th centuries, as the Empire opened the world up to
0:23:50 > 0:23:55trade, all manner of exotic items made their way to Britain.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58People's interest in the produce of the Empire
0:23:58 > 0:24:01was reflected in the items manufactured at the time.
0:24:01 > 0:24:06One style of ceramics that captured that interest was majolica.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10Deborah, you've brought in this very nice majolica oyster dish.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12It is majolica pottery.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15It's majolica, it's from Stoke-on-Trent, from the Potteries.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18- The wacky world of Victorian majolica.- Yes.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20The lovely thing about majolica
0:24:20 > 0:24:23is the fun designs the factory brought in.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26It's wonderfully moulded, it's very naturalistic.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28It looks like a pineapple.
0:24:28 > 0:24:33You've got these nice, deep, moulded leaves, nice, strong colours.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38The inspiration for British majolica came from several places.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42The Italian pottery, the work of 16th century French potter
0:24:42 > 0:24:46Bernard Palissy, and other early British potters.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49The result was a highly decorative, colourful ceramic,
0:24:49 > 0:24:52which was very popular in mid-Victorian Britain.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57Huge majolica fountains with life-sized human and animal figures
0:24:57 > 0:25:00formed centrepieces at major Victorian trade shows.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04I love British majolica,
0:25:04 > 0:25:06and this jug by Minton
0:25:06 > 0:25:09typifies everything about majolica.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12In Britain, the big three Staffordshire potteries that
0:25:12 > 0:25:17dominated the market were Minton, Wedgwood and George Jones & Sons.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21There were also a number of smaller potters who were producing majolica,
0:25:21 > 0:25:23but it's best to look out for those big names.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28If you are wanting to form a collection of majolica now,
0:25:28 > 0:25:32go for the good pieces. Go for pieces which are unusual.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34For example, find a pineapple jug
0:25:34 > 0:25:38but maybe with a bug or a bird sitting on the handle,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41something that makes it a little bit more unusual.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44It is prone to chipping and cracking and,
0:25:44 > 0:25:47because a lot of the items were everyday domestic objects,
0:25:47 > 0:25:51collectors are willing to be a little bit more lenient.
0:25:53 > 0:25:58Particularly popular with collectors are the eccentric and exotic teapots
0:25:58 > 0:26:01which were made by Minton and George Jones.
0:26:01 > 0:26:06They come in a range of shapes and can fetch huge prices today.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09I think the monkey might attract quite a few people.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11This is it!
0:26:11 > 0:26:12£2,000.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16£2,400 over there.
0:26:16 > 0:26:17Are we finished?
0:26:17 > 0:26:19GAVEL BANGS
0:26:19 > 0:26:22What do you think about that? Bang, there it goes!
0:26:22 > 0:26:24- APPLAUSE - Yeah, well done!
0:26:28 > 0:26:30So keep your eyes peeled for this kind of thing.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34The rarest of Winton teapots is the vulture and serpent design.
0:26:34 > 0:26:40One of these sold in 2005 for nearly £40,000.
0:26:51 > 0:26:52Right, next victim!
0:26:53 > 0:26:57Adam Partridge is a man of many talents - a musician and a sportsman
0:26:57 > 0:27:00and he certainly knows a thing or two about antiques.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05His own collection includes a rather surprising piece.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08I've brought one of my favourite personal items along to show
0:27:08 > 0:27:12you today and it is this little 19th century or earlier
0:27:12 > 0:27:14Jamaican grain scoop.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17I just think this is a charming object, very simple.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20Not expensive but a good couple of hundred years old.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24Great age and patination on it. You just can't fake things like that.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27I'm a big fan of all things Caribbean. I used to work
0:27:27 > 0:27:29on Caribbean cruise liners,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32back in 1998, auctioneering - selling artworks.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35It's where I met my dear wife. It's where I fell in love with her
0:27:35 > 0:27:37and with the islands as a whole.
0:27:39 > 0:27:44It's stamped up by a maker in Montego Bay in Jamaica
0:27:44 > 0:27:48and it says Jamaica BWI, British West Indies.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52It's just a lovely tactile object and we've got all these notches
0:27:52 > 0:27:55around the side. I don't know what they signify.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57In fact, when you own something yourself in this job,
0:27:57 > 0:28:01you're quite negligent on doing your own research. I've never even
0:28:01 > 0:28:02looked up the maker or anything.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06It's an item that was made to be used. You can see it's been used.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08That's what's given it all its character and charm.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11I don't believe an item like this should sit on a shelf.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14So we try and use this whenever we can. We keep hens
0:28:14 > 0:28:17and we use it still as a grain scoop to feed our hens with.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Even everyday items like Adam's grain scoop
0:28:21 > 0:28:24will be of some interest in years to come.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33So, if you have an interesting item from a far-flung land,
0:28:33 > 0:28:35bring it along to one of our valuation days.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39You never know, you could be sitting on a small fortune.
0:28:43 > 0:32:52Do join me again soon for more trade secrets.