0:00:02 > 0:00:04MUSIC: "Pomp and Circumstance" by Edward Elgar
0:00:10 > 0:00:12Over the years on "Flog It!" we've helped you
0:00:12 > 0:00:16sell many thousands of your antiques and collectables,
0:00:16 > 0:00:18and during that time we've seen some wonderful things
0:00:18 > 0:00:21and it's not easy to put a price on them all,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24but there are some things we know will always find a market.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28So we want to let you into our Trade Secrets.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02In today's programme, we will be exploring commemorative pieces -
0:01:02 > 0:01:06what to look out for and what's best to avoid.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Avoid any commemorative pottery
0:01:11 > 0:01:14made after Queen Victoria's coronation in 1837
0:01:14 > 0:01:17because it is so plentiful.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19But Anita finds the exception to that rule.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22- Bad news first?- Yes, please.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25- Commemorative stuff is off. - Oh, dear.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28- Good news?- Yes.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31- This type of stuff is HOT.- Lovely!
0:01:31 > 0:01:32And Mark tries desperately
0:01:32 > 0:01:35to bring Frances round to his way of thinking.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38I love it. Now, does that make any difference to you?
0:01:38 > 0:01:40- Do you like it any more?- No.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43- No? You still don't like it? You're determined to flog it?- Yes.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45- Wonderful, cos we wouldn't have a show otherwise.- No!
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Discovering what you've got in all of your bags and boxes
0:01:52 > 0:01:55is like shining a light on the history of Britain.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59And it seems to me we all like to own pieces that commemorate
0:01:59 > 0:02:01royal occasions or important people -
0:02:01 > 0:02:05possibly because we're so proud of our monarchy.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07There are lots of reigns to choose from,
0:02:07 > 0:02:11so when is your commemorative mug worth hanging on to,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14or when is it just two a penny?
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Everybody has collected Diana and Charles.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Now, how many people do you know
0:02:20 > 0:02:26that have a CAMILLA and Charles commemorative plate?
0:02:26 > 0:02:28The thing to do, like any other antique,
0:02:28 > 0:02:30really, is just buy quality.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Buy the best that you can.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34When you're looking for commemorative ware to invest in,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37I would look for earlier pieces.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39Go back into the 18th century,
0:02:39 > 0:02:41and if possible, go back into the 17th century
0:02:41 > 0:02:46cos those pieces have real rarity and a true value.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49We've selected some of the most interesting pieces of royal memorabilia
0:02:49 > 0:02:52that caught our eye in the "Flog It!" auction rooms.
0:02:52 > 0:02:53First up, a Royal Doulton jug,
0:02:53 > 0:02:58commemorating the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Royal Doulton was one of the major factories
0:03:00 > 0:03:02in the whole country of course, and the world,
0:03:02 > 0:03:04and they made a whole range -
0:03:04 > 0:03:06they made Series Ware,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09which was a printed design onto a plain background,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11and Kings Ware was another range of items that they made
0:03:11 > 0:03:14amongst the many different ranges of items that they made.
0:03:14 > 0:03:15And it's quite distinctive,
0:03:15 > 0:03:19with that sort of treacly brown glaze to it.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22A lot of people will recognise this, it's Kings Ware.
0:03:22 > 0:03:27The brown ground, with the figure, often made for Dewar's Whisky.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29- Correct. - Hence the Dewar's on this one.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Can you tell me, whose is this?
0:03:32 > 0:03:34- It's actually mine.- Right.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39It was my grandmother's father's whisky decanter...
0:03:39 > 0:03:40Right.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43- ..and he actually kept whisky in that.- Excellent -
0:03:43 > 0:03:46- so it was used for its purpose? - Oh, absolutely.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49This one was made to commemorate the coronation,
0:03:49 > 0:03:54George V and Queen Mary, on the 22nd of June, 1911.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57So this was made in quite large quantities.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00A lot of commemorative ware was produced to commemorate
0:04:00 > 0:04:05royal weddings, coronations, any major royal event,
0:04:05 > 0:04:09so this as Kings Ware goes isn't a particular high rarity.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12- Right.- Although some pieces can be worth an awful lot.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15It largely depends on the figures, the shape...
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Of course, condition is another factor.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20'I think for a royal commemorative item to be worth a lot of money,'
0:04:20 > 0:04:22generally speaking it has a pre-Victoria.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25Once Victoria came on the throne,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28commemoratives started being made in much larger quantities,
0:04:28 > 0:04:32for jubilees, record reign, et cetera, et cetera.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36And post-Victoria, we see loads and loads of royal commemoratives.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38So pre-Queen Victoria,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41and you've got half a chance of finding something quite valuable.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Usually these make £60 to £80. They're a model we're familiar with
0:04:45 > 0:04:47because we see them quite often.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50We'll put a 40 reserve, just in case.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Right, may I have an opening bid, please, of £50?
0:04:53 > 0:04:5540, and 20.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57And five. I have 30.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59And five. At £35.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01At 40, sir. £40.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03At 40 at the back of the room.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06Lady on my right, at £45, it's going...
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Don't we all hope for more when we put something in auction?
0:05:11 > 0:05:12But in this specific incident
0:05:12 > 0:05:14with the Kings Ware jug,
0:05:14 > 0:05:18I think our contributors were secretly hoping that I was wrong
0:05:18 > 0:05:21and I think they thought it was probably worth £100, £150.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Unfortunately for them, I was right.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30If it's not rare, it won't fetch a high price.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32Earlier Victorian pieces are worth more,
0:05:32 > 0:05:34but beauty's in the eye of the beholder.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38What a lovely piece of Victoriana you've brought in.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41- Now, you love it, don't you? - Oh, yes. No!
0:05:41 > 0:05:44- What do you mean, "no"?- No, no.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48- Why not? - It's just...not my sort of thing.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50- You think it's quite ugly, don't you?- Yes.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Well, you see, I love it, because we've got here a wonderful,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56what we call relief moulded ware.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59Basically, it's been made into halves in a mould and then put together.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02But it's to commemorate the death of Prince Albert.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06Prince Albert died in 1861. This was produced shortly after.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Albert was an archetypal Victorian -
0:06:09 > 0:06:11not only the Queen's consort,
0:06:11 > 0:06:15but he engaged with the public with engineering, he was a scientist.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Crystal Palace Exhibition was down to him.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20You couldn't have wanted more, really -
0:06:20 > 0:06:22and a very collectable piece.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24This was a very traumatic part of British history.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28I mean, remember Victoria went into mourning for the rest of her life.
0:06:28 > 0:06:33She was absolutely devastated by the loss of her husband.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36The death of Albert, of course, had a profound effect on Queen Victoria -
0:06:36 > 0:06:39in fact she spent the rest of her life in mourning -
0:06:39 > 0:06:41and nearly destroyed the monarchy.
0:06:41 > 0:06:42And I just love the imagery.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45You've got a wonderful portrait of Albert there.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49The whole jug is covered with royal pomp and ceremony.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53You've got crowns, you've got symbols, the royal crest on the back.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56You've got all the medallions. It's just fantastic.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00Albert was missed by the scientific community and a lot of other
0:07:00 > 0:07:05people because of his commitment to improving British society.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08I love it. Does that make any difference to you?
0:07:08 > 0:07:10- Do you like it anymore?- No.- You still don't like it!
0:07:10 > 0:07:12- You're determined to flog it.- Yes.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14- Wonderful, cos we wouldn't have a show otherwise.- No!
0:07:16 > 0:07:19It wouldn't have mattered what I said to Frances.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22I would never have got her to love that jug.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24I think, in today's market,
0:07:24 > 0:07:29we're probably looking at an estimate of £60-£80.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34I hope it'll make a bit more than that. We'll put a reserve at 50.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36- Would that be all right with you? - Yes.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38Albert died 40 years before Queen Victoria,
0:07:38 > 0:07:43but despite a shorter life, he certainly left his mark.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47I guess the greatest monument to Prince Albert would be the Albert Hall, wouldn't it?
0:07:47 > 0:07:50- What a wonderful building and a lovely monument. - A bit too big...
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Too big to bring to "Flog It!"
0:07:53 > 0:07:56If you've got anything like that, we want to see you!
0:07:56 > 0:07:58Bring it to our valuation. Here's the auction. Good luck.
0:07:58 > 0:08:03Who'll start me at £50? Thank you. 59 bid. Who's in at 60 now?
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Thank you. 60. 70. 80. 90.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08- 100.- It's doing well.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10110. 120.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12130. 140.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16- 140. 150. 160. - Somebody on the phone.
0:08:17 > 0:08:22Right at the front here at £150. I'm looking for 160.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25If not I'll sell at £150 then.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29At double the estimate, £150 is a great deal for something that
0:08:29 > 0:08:31Frances couldn't wait to get rid of.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35Sometimes rarity isn't about how many pieces were made,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38but about how many pieces have lasted.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42Occasionally our experts stumble on Victorian memorabilia
0:08:42 > 0:08:45that by all accounts should never have survived.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49Julie, thank you so much for bringing this wonderful set of,
0:08:49 > 0:08:51well, paper plates.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54They're very fragile, where did you get them from?
0:08:54 > 0:08:59When my grandmother passed away, she sent a trunk down for my mum
0:08:59 > 0:09:00and dad to go through.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03They were going through all the bigger bits,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07and these were at the bottom. My mother said, "We don't want those."
0:09:07 > 0:09:11So I said, "Can I have them?" And I've had them ever since.
0:09:11 > 0:09:12I was about six.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14So if you hadn't - when you were six?
0:09:14 > 0:09:19- If you hadn't put your hand up and said I'll take those, they'd have...?- They'd have gone.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23The dishes were wonderful. They're what we call ephemera.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Strictly speaking, that's something that's produced at a time
0:09:27 > 0:09:29and not meant to last.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32They were in the process of being thrown away
0:09:32 > 0:09:35when she saved them, as a six-year-old child,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38so there probably is what happened in 99 out of 100 cases.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42Do you know anything about them? The dates? Where they were made?
0:09:42 > 0:09:43I don't.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47They must be quite old because that's Queen Victoria and Albert.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51- Yes, you get a clue from the subjects, don't you?- Yes.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55I've never seen anything like them before - to be quite honest.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00They're basically produced for the Jubilee in 1887.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03It's basically scenes from Victoria's life,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06so we've got the coronation there.
0:10:06 > 0:10:11And on this one, she's marrying Albert.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Then it's the birth of Prince Albert.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17Good to get those in the right order,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20not the baby before the marriage.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22Then we've got the various important scenes.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24This is probably the best-known image,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27it was published in various forms.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31It was a print and was issued on ceramics as well.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35They've been produced as a story of her life so far.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39When you get into the 1887, 1897 commemorations,
0:10:39 > 0:10:44basically anything you can think of that you could stamp, engrave,
0:10:44 > 0:10:49emboss or transfer print, the Queen's head on would've been made.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53We're talking about tens of thousands of objects
0:10:53 > 0:10:57in huge quantities. It was a marketing bonanza.
0:10:57 > 0:11:02- What's amazing is they are so incredibly fragile.- Yes.
0:11:02 > 0:11:07From a distance, they look like porcelain, but they're card.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09We can see why they're made in card, they're made by...
0:11:09 > 0:11:11It's incredibly small.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14Raphael Tuck & Sons.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17- They're extremely well-known for postcards.- Oh, right.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20One can only imagine that as they were making postcards,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23they had a bright idea, "Why don't we make these little
0:11:23 > 0:11:26"commemoratives dishes and sell them in sets?"
0:11:26 > 0:11:29The dishes themselves, because they're paper,
0:11:29 > 0:11:30because they're ephemeral,
0:11:30 > 0:11:35there probably aren't more than two or three sets in collections.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37So, because of their rarity,
0:11:37 > 0:11:41that's what created the interest and made them sell very well.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44I think the set of six, because they're by Tuck,
0:11:44 > 0:11:48because they're in super condition, let's put £60-£100 on.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51Let's put a reserve of £60 and let's see what they do.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57- They're better to be seen, rather than in the dark.- Yes, exactly.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00- Let someone else appreciate it. - Absolutely.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03I'd like to see £150 for these, please. 150 I'm bid on commission.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05- Thank you, 150 I'm bid.- Wow!
0:12:05 > 0:12:08185 standing. 210. 230.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11- Fantastic.- £260 with you, madam.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13260, we all done? Selling here.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15- What a result!- Isn't it?!
0:12:15 > 0:12:18- Gosh!- Most surprising.- Good grief.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20- I'm shocked that actually.- Good grief, yes.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22If you take the high estimate, you double it
0:12:22 > 0:12:25- and you add the lowest amount, I was spot-on.- You were!
0:12:26 > 0:12:31The fact that Julie's paper plates weren't designed to last gave them
0:12:31 > 0:12:34a rarity value that fetched a good price.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Apart from the Royal occasions,
0:12:39 > 0:12:43objects are made to commemorate all manner of events.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45From ship launches to moon landings,
0:12:45 > 0:12:48to important moments in our military history.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52Next up are some silver coffee spoons made to commemorate
0:12:52 > 0:12:55the Battle of the Somme in 1916.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Each one of the bowls of the spoons bears
0:12:58 > 0:13:03the name of an action during the Battle of the Somme.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06They are French and, being French,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10- the standard isn't quite as high as it would be on English silver.- No.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14These tiny marks on the top right-hand side of each bowl
0:13:14 > 0:13:16tell us that.
0:13:16 > 0:13:22The finials are each dated 1914-1915.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26And are enamelled with the flags of the Allies.
0:13:26 > 0:13:32I chose these spoons mainly because of the story.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36I think it's really important to establish a link
0:13:36 > 0:13:42whenever you can with an event which occurred all those years ago
0:13:42 > 0:13:49and somebody who's alive and around today, who's able to explain
0:13:49 > 0:13:54that particularly because it's part of their personal history.
0:13:54 > 0:13:59- Can you trace them back to the Battle of the Somme?- Yes.
0:13:59 > 0:14:04Because my aunt, great-aunt, was a Queen Alexandra nurse
0:14:04 > 0:14:10and she actually was nursing at the front.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13She gave them to me as a wedding present in 1951.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15How did she acquire them?
0:14:15 > 0:14:19Well, I can only presume on off-duty moments from field hospital,
0:14:19 > 0:14:24she went to local places and picked them all up.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27And they are still going strong today.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31Now known as Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps,
0:14:31 > 0:14:33or more commonly the QAs,
0:14:33 > 0:14:37they continued to work at the sharp end of military
0:14:37 > 0:14:39life across the world.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42As a wedding present, you must be a bit sad to see them go.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Yes, yes, I am. I like them, but I've got to downsize.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49My family aren't interested,
0:14:49 > 0:14:53so I thought, well, going to someone who might appreciate them.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56As far as the value is concerned,
0:14:56 > 0:15:00I think optimistically we could expect £10 a spoon.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04Conservatively, I would be thinking in terms of an estimate of £30-£50.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06All other things being equal,
0:15:06 > 0:15:10- would suggest a reserve of £30.- Yes.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15World War I period commemorative spoons.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18These are interesting things. At 35, 40, 50, 60.
0:15:18 > 0:15:2270, at £70 on the side. I'll take five.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24Yes, £70. That was short and sweet.
0:15:24 > 0:15:25Blink and you'll miss that one.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28- That was very good. £70, are you happy?- Yes, I am.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Because I thought originally
0:15:30 > 0:15:32they weren't valued that much.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37- I thought they would, so I'm thrilled.- What you said, yes.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39Yes, I was a little bit disappointed.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41I felt they might have made more than that.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45I suppose it comes down to the fact that spoons like this are not
0:15:45 > 0:15:47that uncommon in the great scheme of things.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52To be pretty brutal, they didn't weigh a great deal and it's
0:15:52 > 0:15:56always the melt value that puts the bottom in the silver market.
0:15:56 > 0:16:01Anniversaries create renewed interest in commemorative items,
0:16:01 > 0:16:05so Lorna's spoons would've fetched a much higher price in 2014,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08being the centenary of the First World War.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11Perhaps she should have held on a little bit longer.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15If you plan to sell a piece that commemorates a national event,
0:16:15 > 0:16:19it's worth looking ahead to a significant anniversary.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23It's quite possible that with all the interest focused around that
0:16:23 > 0:16:27moment in history, items associated with will spike in value.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31If you're collecting commemorative pottery,
0:16:31 > 0:16:35look for the pieces earlier than Queen Victoria's coronation.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38Anything afterwards is likely to be mass-produced.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42Don't be put off by pieces commemorating a death.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Though not as joyful as birth, there's still a market for them.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47If it's silver you're after,
0:16:47 > 0:16:50make sure you feel the weight of it first.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52Quality silver will be heavily cast.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59There's one commemorative object that crops up more than any other.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03Lurking in the back of many a cupboard are china mugs
0:17:03 > 0:17:04marking Royal events
0:17:04 > 0:17:07and it is the one thing that is sure to get our experts
0:17:07 > 0:17:09hot under the collar.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Every time I do a valuation day, one thing I know
0:17:11 > 0:17:15I am always going to find is a piece of commemoratives china.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19I vowed never, ever, ever to do this commemorative ware on "Flog It!"
0:17:19 > 0:17:21- Oh, right!- Ever, ever, ever!- Why?
0:17:21 > 0:17:25They are sort of just mass produced little trinkets, really.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28And it is believed the first such trinket was
0:17:28 > 0:17:30made for Elizabeth I as early as 1600,
0:17:30 > 0:17:34but it was not until the middle of the 19th-century that the
0:17:34 > 0:17:37production of commemorative china really took off.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40The Industrial Revolution saw a huge influx of machinery.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44Pottery pieces previously made by hand could now be
0:17:44 > 0:17:45made in their thousands.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49Avoid any commemorative pottery made after Queen Victoria's
0:17:49 > 0:17:53coronation in 1837 because it is so plentiful.
0:17:53 > 0:17:54But don't rush straight
0:17:54 > 0:17:56to the nearest charity shop with your mugs.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58Later china can still be worth something
0:17:58 > 0:18:01if it is by a well-known maker.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05Look for good names, particularly from the Victorian period and later.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09Look for Copeland, Vinton, Wedgwood, Coalport, that sort of thing,
0:18:09 > 0:18:12because you can guarantee the quality will be higher.
0:18:12 > 0:18:17Betty, I have got bad news for you, and I have got good news for you.
0:18:17 > 0:18:23- Bad news first?- Yes, please. - Commemoratives stuff is off.
0:18:23 > 0:18:30- Oh, dear.- Good news?- Yes. - This type of stuff is hot.- Lovely.
0:18:30 > 0:18:35It is made by Wedgwood, which is one of the best of the factories.
0:18:35 > 0:18:41It is commemorating the Queen's coronation in 1953.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44- If I say, 100 to 150?- Really? - Would you be happy with that?
0:18:44 > 0:18:46Yes, yes, certainly!
0:18:46 > 0:18:50Even Morecroft has a few commemorative pieces.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Morecroft did not do an awful lot of commemorative stuff
0:18:53 > 0:18:57and this is commemorating the 1914-1918 war, isn't it?
0:18:57 > 0:18:58I have seen so many different ones.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02But this one, I have never seen one of these before.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05This is a rare piece of Morecroft, I am convinced of that.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07So I reckon, 200 to 300.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10As with all antiques, rarity is everything,
0:19:10 > 0:19:14but it is not always obvious which items will become rare.
0:19:14 > 0:19:20Probably be most common fallacy is, "Oh, look what I have got!
0:19:20 > 0:19:24"I have got a mug from Edward VIII, the king that abdicated!"
0:19:24 > 0:19:27You think, "Oh, God, not again!"
0:19:27 > 0:19:30Because the lead up to the coronation of Edward VIII, it was a really
0:19:30 > 0:19:35long lead up period, and lots and lots and lots of them were produced.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39And as soon as everybody realised he was going to abdicate,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41all of the others were bought up.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45Whereas poor old George VI had a very short lead up, he was crowned, he was
0:19:45 > 0:19:50a king like any other, and therefore, nobody thought anything of them.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53But in fact, George VI is rarer than Edward VIII.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57There will always be china marking Royal events,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00which is why there is so much of it about.
0:20:00 > 0:20:01So here is a good tip -
0:20:01 > 0:20:04look out for objects commemorating non-Royals.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07They are likely to be rarer, and therefore, worth more.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11One such item that Anita fell in love with was a jug
0:20:11 > 0:20:16celebrating the legendary Scottish entertainer Harry Lauder.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Now, he was the biggest thing in Scotland since sliced bread.
0:20:20 > 0:20:26He was a music hall turn and he was beloved of everyone.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30Harry secured his status as national treasure after playing
0:20:30 > 0:20:34the lead role in a Glasgow pantomime in 1905.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38It was for this show that Harry wrote a song, I Love A Lassie,
0:20:38 > 0:20:42the song he is best remembered for.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46MUSIC: "I Love A Lassie" By HARRY LAUDER
0:20:46 > 0:20:49# She is as sweet as the heather
0:20:49 > 0:20:52# The bonnie purple heather.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56# Mary, my Scotch bluebell. #
0:20:58 > 0:21:02It was Harry's fellow workers in the coal mines who first spotted his
0:21:02 > 0:21:07talent for singing and encouraged him to perform in local music halls.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11By 1911, he was touring America earning 1,000 a night,
0:21:11 > 0:21:13and a year later,
0:21:13 > 0:21:17he was headlining Britain's first ever Royal Variety Show.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21An extraordinary life like Harry Lauder's from miner to
0:21:21 > 0:21:25millionaire is certainly one worth commemorating.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28So you can find pieces out there with lovely stories attached
0:21:28 > 0:21:30if you are willing to do a bit of research.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34But if Royal memorabilia is your thing, remember, there is
0:21:34 > 0:21:36more than china mugs to collect.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Nations like our own with a wonderful history of monarchy
0:21:45 > 0:21:47are awash with items that marked
0:21:47 > 0:21:50the comings and goings of kings and queens,
0:21:50 > 0:21:52princes and princesses.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55These two little object might look very insignificant
0:21:55 > 0:21:57but they are important.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00And the reason they are important is that they relate to royalty.
0:22:00 > 0:22:05Royal items like this that were used by the household, may have
0:22:05 > 0:22:09been handled by royalty themselves, become dramatically valuable.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12This is a Georgian table fork that is worth £50.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16But because of this engraving on it, it's a Georgian
0:22:16 > 0:22:19table fork that is worth £500, £600, £700.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22The one thing they all have in common is
0:22:22 > 0:22:24they will be surmounted by Coronet.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27We have got a crown which is for a prince.
0:22:27 > 0:22:32You can also get other objects which weren't made for the Royal family
0:22:32 > 0:22:35but have an association with them.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38This spoon is the most boring thing you can think of.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42It is a tablespoon from the canteen, it is worth £30 or £40.
0:22:42 > 0:22:48What happens, however, was that at Wickhill House in Berkshire,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52the man who owned that house had a royal visitor.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56And when royalty comes to visit, it is often the way that if they have
0:22:56 > 0:23:00used a piece of silver you will take that and send it immediately
0:23:00 > 0:23:04off to your silversmith, the date and the occasion recorded on the back.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08But what you will have is the royal crest appended there.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13The owner of Wickhill House at the time was a noted hunter
0:23:13 > 0:23:18and we know that in a subsequent year the man who was to go on to be
0:23:18 > 0:23:22King Edward VIII went on a hunting trip to Africa for six months,
0:23:22 > 0:23:28so it makes sense that this spoon was used by Edward VIII
0:23:28 > 0:23:33to have his dessert, on the 22nd April, 1924.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36So unlike the fork, which we know is royal
0:23:36 > 0:23:39and made for the royal household,
0:23:39 > 0:23:42this, we know, has been in Edward VIII's mouth.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46It is a moment of history encapsulated in an object
0:23:46 > 0:23:50and you can tell all of this simply by the engraving.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59People come to our valuation days with all kinds of items
0:23:59 > 0:24:03and for all kinds of reasons, but some stand out from the others,
0:24:03 > 0:24:07like Alan and Joan, who met up with Mark Stacey,
0:24:07 > 0:24:09in Stirling, back in 2006.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18It was actually quite nice
0:24:18 > 0:24:21because we were standing well back at the end of the queue,
0:24:21 > 0:24:24all going along, and he actually looked at the watch and said,
0:24:24 > 0:24:27"This is very nice, a half hunter, and basically, right away, he said,
0:24:27 > 0:24:29"You go to the front of the queue."
0:24:29 > 0:24:31We thought, "Oh, wonderful, a good start!"
0:24:31 > 0:24:33Very nice to see you here in Stirling.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35Now, I love looking at little boxes like this
0:24:35 > 0:24:38because you never know what you're going to find inside them.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41So, shall we open it up straightaway?
0:24:41 > 0:24:45The watch itself is quite a typical half hunter.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49That means that we can tell the time without opening the watch.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53What I always like to see on these is the retailer's mark
0:24:53 > 0:24:58on the front of the clock, it is the same as on the box.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02So we know that the whole thing has been together.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04The watch came from my father's aunt.
0:25:04 > 0:25:09My Aunt Ina was a very eccentric spinster, never married,
0:25:09 > 0:25:13no children, but she was a real character.
0:25:13 > 0:25:18She used to wear a fur coat, I remember, in the summer.
0:25:18 > 0:25:23She had a fur coat, and sandals, with socks, ankle socks,
0:25:23 > 0:25:26and one of these croupier's hats!
0:25:26 > 0:25:27She was just lovely!
0:25:27 > 0:25:31The watch would have gone to my son. He died three years ago.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34He was a waistcoat and bow tie man, so that would have gone to him.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Craig was such a snappy dresser.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40And always had been, from when he was a young boy.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44As an older child, I never remember him wearing a T-shirt.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48It was always shirts, or shirts and ties, suits, waistcoats,
0:25:48 > 0:25:50he had a load of waistcoats.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53He would have worn that watch with absolute pride.
0:25:53 > 0:25:54Without any doubt.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58It sometimes too painful to have things lying about that
0:25:58 > 0:26:02just remind you all the time, such a sadness, so we thought,
0:26:02 > 0:26:03"Just get rid of it."
0:26:03 > 0:26:07And we will do something for him and my mother, with the money.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11- Have you ever thought of the value yourself?- Not really, no.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Not particularly, no.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16It just lies in a drawer collecting stoor,
0:26:16 > 0:26:18along with many other things.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20- Collecting what?- Stoor.- Stoor?
0:26:20 > 0:26:24- What is stoor?- Dust.- Dust? Oh! I must remember that!
0:26:24 > 0:26:26I will confuse my friends when I go home!
0:26:26 > 0:26:29If we were putting that in for auction,
0:26:29 > 0:26:32I would probably suggest around £200 to £300
0:26:32 > 0:26:34- and we put the reserve at 200. - Excellent.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39Next up, the nine carat gold half hunter pocket watch,
0:26:39 > 0:26:40and it belongs to Joan and Alan here.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Thanks for coming in. It is a great watch.
0:26:43 > 0:26:44Why are you flogging this again?
0:26:44 > 0:26:46It is for the memorial?
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Yes, we wanted to do something for my son.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50- My son died in a car crash... - Yes, you said earlier.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53- ..and that would have been his watch.- Aaw.
0:26:53 > 0:26:54He was a real smart dresser.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Let's hope we get that top end of the estimate.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58We, on to Lot 350a,
0:26:58 > 0:27:03the nine carat gold half hunter pocket watch with white enamel dial.
0:27:03 > 0:27:09A few commissions on this lot. We are starting the bidding at £180.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11- Oh, they have started at 180. - That is good.
0:27:11 > 0:27:17200, 210, 220 on commission, 230 beside me, 240, 250...
0:27:17 > 0:27:20It started to build up and build up, "Come on, keep going, keep going!"
0:27:20 > 0:27:24- 260. 270. 280.- Wow!
0:27:24 > 0:27:28290. 290 is here. Any advance on £290 for it?
0:27:28 > 0:27:30Then it just seemed to stop.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33- It just stopped. - It was like, "Sold!" Oh!
0:27:33 > 0:27:37- All done at 290. All done at £290. - The hammer has gone down.
0:27:37 > 0:27:42- I want to clap!- Good result, wasn't it? £290.- It was excellent.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45Thank you so much for coming in.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50What we decided to do was buy the chairs that we have in the back
0:27:50 > 0:27:54garden, because Craig was such a home and garden person,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57and he was part of building this wee garden as well,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00so it felt right to just do what we did with them.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04We have been asked, "Will you be putting a plaque up?"
0:28:04 > 0:28:08And I think, no, it is just too much for me. I would not want that.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12There is enough with the memories that are in your own head
0:28:12 > 0:28:15every day without being reminded of it by a plaque.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18I just wouldn't like that at all.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20You know, these are Craig's seats,
0:28:20 > 0:28:24so it feels like he is still part of things.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33Well, I am delighted that "Flog It!" was able to help Alan
0:28:33 > 0:28:37and Joan to commemorate their son in such a beautiful way.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39That is the beauty of the show.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42I hope you have enjoyed today's trade secrets.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44Join me again soon, next time.