Famous Connections - Part 2 Flog It: Trade Secrets


Famous Connections - Part 2

Similar Content

Browse content similar to Famous Connections - Part 2. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!

Transcript


LineFromTo

Stand by for some more inside information

0:00:130:00:17

from the Flog It! experts.

0:00:170:00:18

We've got a wealth of experience from over ten years of valuing

0:00:180:00:22

antiques and collectables.

0:00:220:00:23

So, if there is something you need to know, you can find it right here,

0:00:230:00:27

on Trade Secrets.

0:00:270:00:29

In today's show,

0:00:560:00:58

we're exploring how famous events can affect an item's value.

0:00:580:01:01

Coming up - some collectables relating to famous events

0:01:010:01:05

get our experts hot under the collar.

0:01:050:01:08

Phyllis, I'm so excited to see all this.

0:01:080:01:12

My heart begins to pound, I think, "We've got something special!"

0:01:120:01:16

Charlie discovers that appearances can be deceptive.

0:01:160:01:19

I just thought it was a ghastly tea service, to be perfectly honest,

0:01:190:01:23

and it was only when I turned a piece up that I realised

0:01:230:01:26

the historical importance of it.

0:01:260:01:29

And we find out what difference provenance can make.

0:01:300:01:34

Now, if this was early 20th century, it would be worth

0:01:340:01:37

a few or several hundred pounds.

0:01:370:01:41

But because of the provenance, it's probably worth £20,000.

0:01:410:01:44

Well, they say you never forget where you were

0:01:480:01:50

when you heard about a major event.

0:01:500:01:52

The moon landings, for instance, or the death of a notable person.

0:01:520:01:55

Now, sometimes, these events are a good excuse to go out and collect

0:01:550:02:00

associated memorabilia, which become quite valuable in their own right.

0:02:000:02:04

Just think of the huge amounts of money

0:02:040:02:06

paid by the collectors for Titanic memorabilia.

0:02:060:02:10

So, which events, past or present, are the ones to look out for?

0:02:100:02:15

You know when you think back, and you remember

0:02:150:02:18

where you were when something happened?

0:02:180:02:21

I think, for me, that's when you realise

0:02:210:02:23

that somebody great has died

0:02:230:02:26

or something important has happened in world history.

0:02:260:02:30

When a centenary or bicentenary of a certain event comes round,

0:02:300:02:33

you tend to see a peak in the prices of items associated with that event.

0:02:330:02:38

The collectable items are the items with the mistakes on,

0:02:380:02:42

or the changes in dates.

0:02:420:02:44

For example, Prince Charles and his second wedding to Camilla -

0:02:440:02:48

there were two dates. Can we remember why the date was changed?

0:02:480:02:53

The Pope had died.

0:02:530:02:55

Therefore, we had to move the wedding a few weeks later.

0:02:550:02:58

So, the first date is always collectable.

0:02:580:03:00

Without question, anything to do with Nelson

0:03:000:03:05

and the Battle of Trafalgar went wild at the bicentenary.

0:03:050:03:10

For me, the next big one - Battle of Waterloo.

0:03:100:03:14

Bicentenary 2015, anything to do with the Duke of Wellington,

0:03:140:03:19

if you've got anything in the cupboards, bring it out in 2015.

0:03:190:03:22

Back in 2005, Mark Stacey found an item

0:03:230:03:26

which commemorated the death of a very great Brit.

0:03:260:03:31

What can I say about Admiral Lord Nelson?

0:03:310:03:34

He was the superstar of his day.

0:03:340:03:37

What an interesting item you've brought in to show us!

0:03:370:03:40

It's a very interesting box.

0:03:400:03:42

This year, particularly, because it's a little brass box

0:03:420:03:46

made to commemorate the death of Admiral Lord Nelson,

0:03:460:03:50

after the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

0:03:500:03:53

And, of course, it's the bicentenary this year,

0:03:530:03:55

so if you're going to sell something with Nelson memorabilia, this is the year to sell it.

0:03:550:04:00

Nelson saved Britain.

0:04:000:04:02

His publicity machine was fantastic.

0:04:020:04:05

I mean, at his funeral they had entry tickets only.

0:04:050:04:10

The man was a legend in his day.

0:04:100:04:15

But what I like about it is that it's very nicely made.

0:04:150:04:18

We have a portrait of Lord Nelson,

0:04:180:04:20

and then we have a nice, classical Greek key border going around.

0:04:200:04:24

And then on the bottom, we have "conqueror"

0:04:240:04:27

and then the various battles -

0:04:270:04:29

Copenhagen, as well as Trafalgar, of course.

0:04:290:04:33

'The Battle of Trafalgar was a definitive moment'

0:04:330:04:36

in the battle against Napoleon.

0:04:360:04:38

Sadly, Lord Nelson died in that battle,

0:04:380:04:41

which really created a superhero.

0:04:410:04:44

And, of course, a lot of items would have been made

0:04:440:04:46

to commemorate both the battle and Lord Nelson.

0:04:460:04:49

I think we should put a conservative estimate on it,

0:04:490:04:52

and a wide estimate of £100 to £200.

0:04:520:04:55

150, 160.

0:05:020:05:03

At 160. 170. 180.

0:05:030:05:07

190. At 190. 190 with me now.

0:05:070:05:10

200. 210. 220.

0:05:100:05:13

At 220 in the room now. 220.

0:05:130:05:15

Are you all done now at 220?

0:05:150:05:17

-Happy?

-Yes.

0:05:170:05:19

'Everything proved right on the day, didn't it?'

0:05:190:05:21

It was a lovely object.

0:05:210:05:22

The bicentenary of the death of Nelson.

0:05:220:05:25

The two items coming together helped create a magical result.

0:05:250:05:30

If you have an item at home that commemorates an important

0:05:300:05:34

historical event, choose carefully the best time to sell it.

0:05:340:05:38

Pick an important anniversary, if possible.

0:05:380:05:41

Back in 2007, James found some tickets

0:05:410:05:44

from a very special American event.

0:05:440:05:47

Entrance to the opening of the Statue of Liberty.

0:05:480:05:52

I mean, you don't get more of an iconic symbol of the US than that.

0:05:520:05:57

We've cleared stuff out and dumped it in the roof and never looked at it.

0:05:570:06:01

This hasn't been opened until about February this year, wasn't it?

0:06:010:06:06

How on earth did it arrive in their attic without anyone knowing it?

0:06:070:06:12

And then, with it, this wonderful history of George Washington

0:06:120:06:17

and the Brooklyn Bridge in an envelope together.

0:06:170:06:20

This is the invitation to the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge

0:06:200:06:24

-and the Statue of Liberty.

-It's dated, you see.

0:06:240:06:28

1883 there, for the Brooklyn Bridge.

0:06:280:06:31

And 1886 for the opening of the Statue of Liberty.

0:06:310:06:35

The people of France gifted the Statue of Liberty to the US.

0:06:350:06:39

It was designed by Frenchman Frederic Auguste Bartholdi.

0:06:390:06:42

The Brooklyn Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world,

0:06:420:06:46

and was seen as an engineering marvel of its day when it opened.

0:06:460:06:51

It says "The trustees of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge

0:06:520:06:55

"request the honour of the presence of Mr Daniel Huntington."

0:06:550:06:59

-Was that a relative?

-No. Not as far as we know.

0:06:590:07:02

-Is that the same man as that on there?

-That's Huntington, isn't it?

0:07:020:07:05

Ah, well, now, this chap...

0:07:050:07:08

General Huntington was one of George Washington's generals

0:07:080:07:12

-in the War of Independence.

-Was he?

0:07:120:07:15

And we're going through this, and it says,

0:07:150:07:17

"Sample of George Washington's hair."

0:07:170:07:19

My heart begins to pound. I think, "We've got something special!"

0:07:190:07:23

Little piece of paper here that says, "Hair of General Washington.

0:07:230:07:28

"The very string, ribbon that had bound his hair."

0:07:280:07:35

And it's empty. Oh, no!

0:07:350:07:38

The floor fell away.

0:07:380:07:40

Where's the hair?

0:07:400:07:41

It's been in the roof all these years.

0:07:410:07:43

-Whether it's disintegrated, I don't know.

-Oh, blimey.

0:07:430:07:46

If only that had been there,

0:07:460:07:48

it would have been just one of the most important

0:07:480:07:51

'Flog it! moments ever.'

0:07:510:07:53

Now, as a collection without the hair, it's going to be worth

0:07:530:07:57

£300-400, something like that.

0:07:570:08:01

-As long as the right people know about it.

-Yes.

0:08:010:08:03

Do you want to know what it would be worth if you can find the hair?

0:08:030:08:06

-Go on, go on.

-This might inspire you to go into your attic.

0:08:060:08:10

-Somewhere between £7,000 and £10,000.

-Well, I'm blowed!

0:08:100:08:14

Really? As much as...?

0:08:140:08:16

-It's worth a grovel.

-Yes.

0:08:160:08:19

Unfortunately, despite having a good rummage,

0:08:190:08:22

Vera and Michael were unable to unearth

0:08:220:08:25

the former US President's hair.

0:08:250:08:26

240. 260. 240 here, then. 260 anywhere?

0:08:260:08:30

At 240, all done, then. At £240, all finished.

0:08:300:08:35

240.

0:08:350:08:37

I thought it was going to fly, but thank God it didn't sell, really,

0:08:370:08:42

because I think it was the wrong place, wrong time.

0:08:420:08:46

We're not worried, Paul. We really wanted to get on your programme.

0:08:460:08:49

Aww!

0:08:490:08:50

We've enjoyed every moment.

0:08:500:08:52

'If Vera and Michael still have those tickets,

0:08:520:08:55

'I don't think they'll regret it.

0:08:550:08:58

'The market has changed so much since live internet bidding.'

0:08:580:09:02

I can't think for one minute that those tickets will end up staying in the UK.

0:09:020:09:08

They'll end up selling online to an American collector,

0:09:080:09:11

or an American dealer, and they will make double, at least,

0:09:110:09:15

what they failed to sell for before.

0:09:150:09:17

If you are selling an item with international appeal,

0:09:170:09:20

make sure your auction house has an online catalogue.

0:09:200:09:23

To get the best price, you'll need to attract global bidders.

0:09:230:09:28

Charlie didn't have this problem when he found some china

0:09:280:09:32

with appeal close to home.

0:09:320:09:34

On the face of it, Hazel, this is incredibly boring.

0:09:350:09:39

'I had not attached the importance'

0:09:390:09:42

to this item when I first saw it. I just thought

0:09:420:09:45

it was a ghastly tea service, to be perfectly honest.

0:09:450:09:48

It was only when I turned a piece up

0:09:480:09:50

that I realised the historical importance of it.

0:09:500:09:53

So if we have a look at the bottom of one of these pieces

0:09:530:09:56

it will tell us about it, won't it?

0:09:560:09:57

It does say Cunard White Star under there.

0:09:570:10:00

Tell me where you got it from.

0:10:010:10:03

-It's from the Queen Mary.

-Yeah.

-The old Queen Mary.

0:10:030:10:06

-The old Queen Mary.

-And it was acquired somewhere along the line,

0:10:060:10:11

and came into the family.

0:10:110:10:13

I like the word "acquired".

0:10:130:10:15

-When the Queen Mary actually went out of commission...

-Yes.

0:10:150:10:18

..certain parts and pieces left the ship

0:10:180:10:22

before she went to be in America.

0:10:220:10:25

Cunard, one of the most famous shipping lines of all time,

0:10:250:10:28

was started by a Canadian in the first half of the 19th century.

0:10:280:10:33

And its flagship later on was the Queen Mary,

0:10:330:10:37

which had an extraordinary career.

0:10:370:10:39

It was launched, I think, in 1936.

0:10:390:10:42

Soon after that, of course, the War came,

0:10:420:10:45

and it was used as a troopship carrier.

0:10:450:10:48

Then it went back into service as an oceangoing liner

0:10:480:10:51

and ended up, of course, in California.

0:10:510:10:54

So it's had an extraordinary career, and to find something

0:10:540:10:58

that had come directly from that ship is really quite exciting.

0:10:580:11:02

The Queen Mary was kitted out in 1936. This was done for first class.

0:11:020:11:10

So, it's the poshest of the posh Cunard.

0:11:100:11:13

I suspect that when it finally was decommissioned and sold off,

0:11:130:11:18

they probably kept a lot of the items on board,

0:11:180:11:23

because now it's more or less a floating museum in California

0:11:230:11:27

and it wouldn't be a proper museum without the items there.

0:11:270:11:31

So I don't think there's that many things that have

0:11:310:11:34

hit the market from the Queen Mary.

0:11:340:11:36

If we look at one or two of these pieces, I'm afraid...

0:11:360:11:40

-It's well cracked.

-Cracked.

0:11:400:11:43

-Rough voyage.

-Bad waiter.

0:11:430:11:45

HE LAUGHS

0:11:450:11:46

Bad waiter or a rough journey. How much?

0:11:460:11:49

Well, I'm supposed to be a valuer, but I haven't got a clue.

0:11:490:11:52

I would say to you, I'd be very surprised

0:11:520:11:56

if it got up to £100 and would expect, out of interest,

0:11:560:11:59

if it's catalogued properly, £40-£60.

0:11:590:12:03

Here we go. For this lot, shall we start at £10?

0:12:070:12:10

Interesting little lot for collectors.

0:12:100:12:14

-Five, 40, sir.

-Look, we've got 40.

0:12:140:12:16

45, 50. 60. Five. 70.

0:12:160:12:21

-80.

-This is good.

-Five.

0:12:210:12:24

90. Five.

0:12:240:12:27

100. And 10.

0:12:270:12:30

120. 130.

0:12:300:12:32

140.

0:12:320:12:34

150. No.

0:12:340:12:37

-£140 near me. Against you on the back... Going at 140. I sell.

-140.

0:12:370:12:41

The hammer's gone down.

0:12:410:12:43

I think there's only one answer to the question,

0:12:430:12:45

"Why did it make so much money?"

0:12:450:12:49

The estimate was wrong. I think I got it wrong.

0:12:490:12:52

Because I didn't know enough about it I erred on the conservative side

0:12:520:12:57

and I think 100-150 would have been a better estimate.

0:12:570:13:00

Don't be so hard on yourself, Charlie.

0:13:000:13:02

It was a lot of money for a few cracked plates and cups.

0:13:020:13:07

I think there's no doubt that if this had come on the market

0:13:070:13:10

without the provenance of the Cunard line,

0:13:100:13:13

it would have been worth £10 or £12, probably.

0:13:130:13:17

You should never underestimate the lure of buying into a piece

0:13:170:13:20

of glamorous history.

0:13:200:13:23

The Queen Mary was the fastest and the best,

0:13:230:13:27

and people have a great affection

0:13:270:13:29

for this wonderful liner.

0:13:290:13:31

Phyllis, I'm so excited to see all this stuff,

0:13:310:13:35

because the Queen Mary was Clyde-built - a bit like myself -

0:13:350:13:40

and, of course, the Queen Mary sailed

0:13:400:13:44

from this part of the world all over the place.

0:13:440:13:48

Now, tell me, where did you get this stuff?

0:13:480:13:51

My brother worked for Cunard line for 34 years

0:13:510:13:54

-and he collected it through the years.

-Uh-huh.

0:13:540:13:57

He died ten years ago and it's been left to me.

0:13:570:14:01

Was a steward?

0:14:010:14:03

He was in the stores, he was a steward, in the bar, everything.

0:14:030:14:08

The Queen Mary is one of the icons of the 20th century,

0:14:080:14:12

and it was the epitome of luxury -

0:14:120:14:18

the fitting, the presentation,

0:14:180:14:21

the cabins, the furniture that was in it

0:14:210:14:25

was of the first quality,

0:14:250:14:27

and in the Art Deco style.

0:14:270:14:29

And people have a great love and affection for this ship,

0:14:290:14:35

which was the first of the great liners.

0:14:350:14:38

-Now, who have we got here, Phyllis?

-That's Liberace.

-Liberace.

0:14:390:14:44

And we've got his signature.

0:14:440:14:46

And we also have the gorgeous Elizabeth Taylor.

0:14:460:14:49

And a little later we have Cliff Richard and The Shadows.

0:14:490:14:55

And on the back of this, we have autographs of that group.

0:14:550:14:59

Is there any sentimental attachment to them, Phyllis?

0:14:590:15:04

Not now, cos every time I find them, I have a little weep, you know.

0:15:040:15:07

Ah, right.

0:15:070:15:09

Phyllis was a wee bit sad when she sold the items.

0:15:090:15:13

I think there was a tear in her eye, and I can understand that.

0:15:130:15:16

But she had thought about it beforehand,

0:15:160:15:19

she had thought about selling it,

0:15:190:15:22

and she had felt that to leave them in a drawer, unloved,

0:15:220:15:28

uncared for, was not the thing.

0:15:280:15:30

She wanted to sell them, to pass them on to a collector.

0:15:300:15:35

Would the famous names impress the bidders?

0:15:360:15:39

Start me at £200. 200 to start me.

0:15:390:15:41

200 I'm bid. 220. 240. 260. 280.

0:15:410:15:46

300. 320. 340. 360.

0:15:460:15:49

380. 400. 420.

0:15:490:15:52

430. 450. 480.

0:15:520:15:56

480. The bidding's in front, 480.

0:15:560:15:59

At £480, right in front of me.

0:15:590:16:03

-Bang! Hammer's gone down.

-Yes!

0:16:030:16:05

That's good, isn't it? Thanks very much.

0:16:050:16:08

Memorabilia from the Queen Mary

0:16:080:16:10

is greatly sought after by the collectors.

0:16:100:16:14

What it showed us was a little time capsule of the Queen Mary,

0:16:140:16:18

and this would be very appealing for the collectors.

0:16:180:16:22

Yes, it's certainly worth keeping your eyes open for items

0:16:220:16:25

related to the Queen Mary or the Cunard line.

0:16:250:16:28

But what else should you consider when buying or selling antiques

0:16:280:16:32

related to famous events?

0:16:320:16:34

Items associated with Lord Nelson,

0:16:340:16:36

a superstar in his own lifetime, are always popular.

0:16:360:16:40

But if you are auctioning a collectable relating to a great Brit,

0:16:400:16:44

choose your time carefully.

0:16:440:16:46

An anniversary or a centenary will yield a bigger sale price.

0:16:460:16:51

Consider who is going to want to buy your famous-related item

0:16:510:16:55

and where they are based.

0:16:550:16:56

If a potential buyer is transatlantic,

0:16:560:16:59

make sure you sell in an auction house that's online.

0:16:590:17:02

And, finally, it's always worth exploring your attics

0:17:020:17:05

or your cupboards - you never know what you might find.

0:17:050:17:09

I've been to many places with famous connections

0:17:130:17:16

over my years on Flog It!,

0:17:160:17:17

but, arguably, one of the most inspiring landscapes is the Lake District,

0:17:170:17:21

where children's author Arthur Ransome

0:17:210:17:24

created Swallows And Amazons.

0:17:240:17:25

Arthur Ransome was born in Leeds in 1884

0:17:290:17:32

and spent three months every summer holiday in the Lakes.

0:17:320:17:35

He was a boarder at Old College in Windermere,

0:17:350:17:37

where his short-sightedness marked him out as a failure.

0:17:370:17:41

So, for him, the holidays were a refuge.

0:17:410:17:44

In 1924, after a career as a journalist,

0:17:440:17:46

Ransome and his wife settled permanently in the Lakes.

0:17:460:17:51

I've come to his former home to meet up with

0:17:520:17:55

author and member of the Arthur Ransome Society

0:17:550:17:57

Diane Janes to learn more.

0:17:570:17:59

What were his passions and interests?

0:18:000:18:02

His huge passion in life was fishing.

0:18:020:18:04

-Oh, well you're in the right place, aren't you?

-Absolutely.

0:18:040:18:07

-You really are.

-Plenty of scope for that round here.

0:18:070:18:09

-He also enjoyed sailing...

-Yeah.

0:18:090:18:11

..and he kept a small dinghy on Windermere during all his time here.

0:18:110:18:15

Did he ever dream that he would be

0:18:150:18:16

a successful author at the age of 40?

0:18:160:18:18

Well, his hope, ever since childhood, had been to write books

0:18:180:18:23

and, in fact, he didn't actually begin Swallows And Amazons

0:18:230:18:26

till he'd been here for five years. So he was 45 by then.

0:18:260:18:29

-Really?

-So, in a sense, it was rather a make or break moment.

0:18:290:18:32

He desperately wanted to get away from the journalism

0:18:320:18:35

and actually write children's books.

0:18:350:18:37

And his inspiration came in 1928, in an unexpected form

0:18:410:18:45

when his old friend, artist and author WG Collingwood,

0:18:450:18:48

introduced Ransome to his grandchildren

0:18:480:18:50

who were spending the summer with him.

0:18:500:18:53

The ensuing friendship with these children -

0:18:530:18:55

Susan, Titty, Roger and Tatty -

0:18:550:18:57

had a profound effect on Ransome's life.

0:18:570:18:59

He took them fishing and helped teach them to sail,

0:19:010:19:03

just as their grandfather had taught him, all those years before.

0:19:030:19:06

He even bought them two sailing boats - Swallow and Mavis.

0:19:060:19:11

Months later, when the children's visit ended,

0:19:110:19:14

they came here to Uncle Arthur's workroom,

0:19:140:19:17

where they presented him with a goodbye gift -

0:19:170:19:19

a pair of Turkish slippers.

0:19:190:19:21

In return, Ransome decided to write a story for them

0:19:240:19:27

to remind them of their holiday,

0:19:270:19:30

and he wrote that story in this very room.

0:19:300:19:32

And it was Swallows And Amazons.

0:19:320:19:34

And, when it was finished, he decided to dedicate it to,

0:19:430:19:46

and it says here,

0:19:460:19:48

"The six for whom it was written, in exchange for a pair of slippers."

0:19:480:19:52

Can you sum up what you think the most enduring appeal of the books is?

0:19:590:20:03

I think one of the reasons that it's been such a success

0:20:030:20:06

is that Ransome was an inclusive writer.

0:20:060:20:09

The children feel that they're right there in the stories.

0:20:090:20:12

You feel you're by the campfire or in the boat.

0:20:120:20:15

He's also a very good describer.

0:20:150:20:18

You get a real sense of the landscape and the people,

0:20:180:20:23

-and children just seem to really enjoy that.

-Lock into that.

-They do.

0:20:230:20:26

And children, even now, are still reading them, which is astonishing.

0:20:260:20:30

-It is, really, isn't it?

-It's been nearly 80 years in print.

0:20:300:20:33

Do you know, I want to be in the book now!

0:20:330:20:35

I want to go on an adventure.

0:20:350:20:38

Ransome's inspiration came from the beauty and the magic

0:20:380:20:41

of this stunning scenery,

0:20:410:20:43

and his skill in weaving that into the exciting adventure stories

0:20:430:20:47

has ensured the Swallows And Amazons books

0:20:470:20:49

have never been out of print.

0:20:490:20:52

We talk about provenance a lot on Flog It!,

0:20:550:20:59

especially when it comes to relating an item to a famous person or event.

0:20:590:21:03

But how do we know if that story's authentic?

0:21:030:21:06

Now, sometimes the value of an antique

0:21:090:21:11

isn't just the intrinsic worth of the object,

0:21:110:21:13

it's the story and the history behind it.

0:21:130:21:15

And, of course, we call that provenance.

0:21:150:21:17

Now, an easy provenance,

0:21:170:21:19

if you've got a written, verifiable history of the object,

0:21:190:21:23

you can trace it back through historical documents

0:21:230:21:25

and you know its journey and where it started.

0:21:250:21:29

Now, this piece of tribal art is a great example.

0:21:290:21:33

First of all, stylistically, we know that it is a piece of Benin bronze.

0:21:330:21:39

And the Benins, of course, were in what now we call Southern Nigeria.

0:21:390:21:44

So, we look at this piece and we wonder,

0:21:440:21:46

"Gosh, is it an old piece or is it not? How can we provenance it?"

0:21:460:21:49

Well, you start to look at the colour, the patination,

0:21:490:21:53

and it's got this wonderful sort of nutty-brown colour and this hue to it.

0:21:530:21:59

And we know from the history of these objects

0:21:590:22:03

that this is going to take it back beyond 1900.

0:22:030:22:07

If it were 20th century, it would have a sort of

0:22:070:22:11

brassy, greeny colour to it.

0:22:110:22:13

Then we look at one or two other things, as well.

0:22:130:22:15

Stylistically, is it correct?

0:22:150:22:17

Well, it's of a queen mother

0:22:170:22:18

and it would have been used as an altar piece

0:22:180:22:21

to give prayer to in, probably, the Benin palace.

0:22:210:22:26

Now, if you start to look a little bit closer...

0:22:260:22:29

Gosh, this is heavy so you've got to be very careful.

0:22:290:22:33

Just very delicately flip it over on its back.

0:22:330:22:36

Now, what you want to see is the contours of the interior

0:22:360:22:41

match identically the contours of the exterior.

0:22:410:22:44

That, again, tells you that it is pre-1900.

0:22:440:22:49

And again, we can add it to the provenance of the Benin tribe.

0:22:490:22:52

Now, you might be wondering,

0:22:530:22:55

"What difference does it make if it's 19th or 20th century?"

0:22:550:22:58

Well, with the Benin tribes,

0:22:580:23:02

in 1897, we, the British,

0:23:020:23:05

to go and teach a lesson to the king of the Benins,

0:23:050:23:09

sent troops out there,

0:23:090:23:10

and he was arrested and executed and his palace was ransacked.

0:23:100:23:15

And items like this were looted and brought back.

0:23:150:23:18

So, because of all the patination and the casting,

0:23:180:23:23

we know it is from the period of pre-1897,

0:23:230:23:28

ie before the palace was ransacked,

0:23:280:23:30

and it makes it a very historically important piece.

0:23:300:23:34

So, the good tips we've learnt - the patination, the casting,

0:23:340:23:37

and know the history of what the object should look like

0:23:370:23:40

and what they were used for.

0:23:400:23:42

And that 1897 dateline

0:23:420:23:44

makes all the difference to the value of an object like this.

0:23:440:23:49

Now, if this was early 20th century, it would be worth a few,

0:23:490:23:54

or several, hundred pounds, as a decorative piece of tribal art.

0:23:540:23:58

But, because of the provenance, and we know it is part

0:23:580:24:02

of the King of Benin's Palace, it's probably worth £20,000.

0:24:020:24:06

Knowing an item's provenance can make the difference between

0:24:060:24:09

it being worth a few pounds or a few thousand,

0:24:090:24:12

so it always pays to do your homework.

0:24:120:24:16

We're nearly at the end of the show and it's been fascinating

0:24:180:24:21

to hear about all those famous events and people.

0:24:210:24:24

But for me, it's you, the viewers, with your passion for antiques

0:24:240:24:27

and collectables - YOU are the real stars of Flog It!.

0:24:270:24:31

Now, you'll all recognise this name - Whitefriars.

0:24:310:24:35

The designs of Geoffrey Baxter are of particular interest

0:24:350:24:38

to our Flog it! expert Anita Manning, who is a glass lover.

0:24:380:24:42

So she was delighted when Georgina brought along

0:24:420:24:45

a matching pair of glass vases to our valuation day in Bath in 2012.

0:24:450:24:50

I'm Georgina Katanach, head teacher of Kenley Primary School.

0:24:520:24:56

I've no idea where the vases came from.

0:24:560:24:59

They'd just been sitting on a shelf for a long time.

0:24:590:25:02

Georgina, these are a wonderful pair of tangerine pyramids.

0:25:020:25:06

Please tell me where you got them.

0:25:060:25:09

I've...stolen them from the school.

0:25:090:25:13

They've just been sitting on the shelf, doing nothing,

0:25:130:25:16

and as head teacher

0:25:160:25:17

I have taken the decision that we're going to sell them for school.

0:25:170:25:23

-How long have they been there?

-At least 20 years.

0:25:230:25:26

I've been at the school 20 years and they've been there for ever.

0:25:260:25:29

They'd been around for ages and I hadn't noticed them really.

0:25:290:25:33

A parent said, "I think they're worth a little bit. I've seen those on Flog It!"

0:25:330:25:37

-And do you know what they are?

-Whitefriar.

0:25:370:25:40

I only know that because a parent spotted them.

0:25:400:25:43

That's when I took them off the shelf

0:25:430:25:45

and decided to start looking after them.

0:25:450:25:47

I had Anita Manning on the day, and she was absolutely superb.

0:25:470:25:52

She was so kind and very friendly and put me at ease.

0:25:520:25:55

These things are very collectable. These were made probably 1968, '69.

0:25:550:26:01

I thought her advice was really useful,

0:26:010:26:04

because I knew a little bit about Whitefriars but not an awful lot.

0:26:040:26:08

Late '60s, what we had was oranges and lime greens and shocking pinks.

0:26:080:26:12

-Psychedlic.

-Psychedelic!

0:26:130:26:16

-Oh, it takes me back!

-Me too!

0:26:160:26:20

I would put an estimate of perhaps £100-£150

0:26:200:26:24

on the pair. Would you, or would the school...

0:26:240:26:29

be happy?

0:26:290:26:31

I sure the school will be happy, the children will be happy.

0:26:310:26:34

Well, I'd just like to say to all the pupils at Kenley Primary School,

0:26:380:26:42

I hope you're watching this and enjoying the moment here

0:26:420:26:45

with Georgina and Anita.

0:26:450:26:46

And I've just been given this.

0:26:460:26:48

HE LAUGHS

0:26:480:26:50

And I've just been given this.

0:26:500:26:53

The auction was very exciting. I'd been to a couple of auctions before

0:26:530:26:58

but never having sold anything, And it was a really exciting day.

0:26:580:27:01

I had to sit on my hands so I didn't bid for anything.

0:27:010:27:05

One, two, three, four, five, six on the book, which helps.

0:27:050:27:08

Six bids on the book!

0:27:080:27:10

-We start at 120.

-Yes!

0:27:100:27:12

150. 160 I'm bid.

0:27:120:27:14

Any advance on £160?

0:27:140:27:17

All done, then.

0:27:170:27:19

Selling with me, commission bid, on 160.

0:27:190:27:23

I was happy with the price that we got for it.

0:27:230:27:26

I thought we'd get about £100,

0:27:260:27:28

and I promised the children £100 whatever.

0:27:280:27:32

Short and sweet, wasn't it? £160, kids. That's good.

0:27:320:27:36

The school council are going to spend £100 on toys for the playground.

0:27:360:27:41

# I don't mind doing it for the kids

0:27:410:27:44

# So, come on

0:27:450:27:47

# Jump on board, take a ride... #

0:27:470:27:52

All the children use the equipment.

0:27:520:27:54

We have some in the infant playground,

0:27:540:27:56

some in the junior playground,

0:27:560:27:58

and every now and then, the school keeper, Mr Thornton,

0:27:580:28:01

goes up on to the roof to get them all back down.

0:28:010:28:04

And we bought the big Connect Four. They love the challenge of that.

0:28:040:28:08

And I am actually very good at it, as well.

0:28:080:28:12

I think if you find something you think is valuable,

0:28:120:28:15

it's a great, fun day anyway to go along and get it valued,

0:28:150:28:21

because who knows what's hiding up in our lofts?

0:28:210:28:25

Well, I love the fact those children benefited

0:28:280:28:32

from the sale of those vases.

0:28:320:28:33

If you've got any antiques and collectables you want to sell,

0:28:330:28:37

bring them along to one of our valuation days and we'll see what we can do for you.

0:28:370:28:41

Well, that's it for today.

0:28:410:28:42

Join me again soon for many more Trade Secrets.

0:28:420:28:45

Download Subtitles

SRT

ASS