0:00:11 > 0:00:14We've got over ten years of "Flog It!" behind us -
0:00:14 > 0:00:15that's hundreds of programmes
0:00:15 > 0:00:18and thousands of your antiques valued and sold.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22So stand by for some top tips. This is Trade Secrets.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Our relationship with the sea
0:00:51 > 0:00:53and all things maritime is undisputed
0:00:53 > 0:00:57and that's been very much evident at all the valuation days
0:00:57 > 0:01:00that we've held near coastal locations.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03So if there's a tang of salt in the air today,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07that's because today's show is dedicated to maritime antiques.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Coming up on today's show...
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Thomas has some saucy seaside fun...
0:01:14 > 0:01:20A beautiful sea nymph in a skimpy outfit, and very saucy.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24..nautical-but-nice postcards appeal to the bidders.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28440, 460, 480, 500, may I say?
0:01:28 > 0:01:31..and we find out what really makes waves at the auction.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33940?
0:01:33 > 0:01:34960?
0:01:39 > 0:01:42The seaside holds a special place in our collective imagination.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Our love affair with bucket-and-spade holidays
0:01:45 > 0:01:49means we see a great deal of seaside antiques and collectibles
0:01:49 > 0:01:51turning up at our valuation days,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54especially near coastal locations.
0:01:54 > 0:01:55Now the question is -
0:01:55 > 0:01:59which seaside trinkets should you be looking out for?
0:01:59 > 0:02:02There are all kinds of local souvenirs to be picked up
0:02:02 > 0:02:06at fairs and auctions, but not many are as eye-catching
0:02:06 > 0:02:09as this spelter figurine seen at Great Yarmouth.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13She's beautiful. Tell me about her.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17I bought it at a local flea market roughly about ten years ago
0:02:17 > 0:02:21- and fell in love with it then. - It was love at first sight?
0:02:21 > 0:02:24- It certainly was.- It's got such nice attention to detail.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26Little features on her face,
0:02:26 > 0:02:30and down on her feet you've got her little toenails, etc,
0:02:30 > 0:02:32her fingernails, that's a nice detail to have.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35That's always a good sign on a figure.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39She is classically Deco in this bathing suit, with this wonderful...
0:02:39 > 0:02:44It was such an opulent time, technology was moving forward,
0:02:44 > 0:02:46women got the vote,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49and this just reflects that modern, forward-thinking time.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53'Why did the designer put a bit of sex appeal to this figure?
0:02:53 > 0:02:55'Well, of course, it's going to make it sell, isn't it?'
0:02:55 > 0:03:01We'd sort of stepped out of full bathing cards
0:03:01 > 0:03:07in the Victorian period, wearing full linen costumes
0:03:07 > 0:03:09covering every inch of flesh.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12And I think this is what this is all about, really,
0:03:12 > 0:03:16this is a beautiful sea nymph on this plinth
0:03:16 > 0:03:18in a skimpy outfit.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22It was quite new at the time, and very saucy.
0:03:22 > 0:03:23As you probably know,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26it's in a spelter, rather being in a bronze.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30You would have bought this in the late '20s, early '30s,
0:03:30 > 0:03:34if you couldn't afford bronze figures.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Because they would have been really quite expensive.
0:03:37 > 0:03:38In the Art Deco period
0:03:38 > 0:03:41not everybody had oodles of cash.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45This is spelter, it's an easier material to make out of
0:03:45 > 0:03:47and doesn't cost as much, can still be aspirational.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50How much did you pay for her?
0:03:50 > 0:03:53- Between 50 and 60, I think it was about £55.- Really?
0:03:53 > 0:03:55I think £55 is very good.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Imagine bringing this home to your wife and family,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59"Look, darling, what I've bought."
0:03:59 > 0:04:01She'll think it's like you bringing home Playboy.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04We'll put it in with the estimate £100-120
0:04:04 > 0:04:07and the discretionary reserve at £80.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09I think that's perfectly sensible.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10I'd be very pleased with that.
0:04:15 > 0:04:20£50 she starts...and she's nice quality - 60, 70, 100.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24110, 120, 130, 140...
0:04:24 > 0:04:28at £140 she is, and where is 50?
0:04:28 > 0:04:31She's attractive at £140...
0:04:31 > 0:04:33- Happy with that?- Yeah, very pleased with that.- Yeah?
0:04:33 > 0:04:35What's that going towards?
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Towards a season ticket with Norwich City Football Club.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Looking at her I think, "Gosh, she's a really good figure.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44"If she was bronze she'd be thousands of pounds!"
0:04:46 > 0:04:47Thousands of pounds!
0:04:47 > 0:04:53But because she was spelter, I think £140 was an extremely fair price.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56I think today she might make a bit more.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Spelter statues are much lighter than bronze,
0:04:59 > 0:05:03but often mounted on a heavy base to give them more weight.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07So, tip the statue upside down, and if it feels top-heavy,
0:05:07 > 0:05:09it's probably spelter.
0:05:17 > 0:05:18Seaside memorabilia,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21well, we all like to be beside the sea, don't we?
0:05:21 > 0:05:23And there's a huge collective market in this sort of thing,
0:05:23 > 0:05:25it tends to be more mass-produced.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28Often from Germany.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31We all like a bit of sauciness, we're British after all.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36And what could be more British than the saucy seaside postcard?
0:05:36 > 0:05:41Elizabeth was delighted to find three Edwardian albums at Skegness.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43David, lovely to see you,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46and I'm intrigued by this collection of albums you've brought in.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48What can you tell me about them?
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Well, when my father died 30 years or more ago,
0:05:51 > 0:05:55my mother asked me to dispose of some of his clothing
0:05:55 > 0:05:57which was in a cupboard,
0:05:57 > 0:05:59and she said, "Take everything in that cupboard
0:05:59 > 0:06:03"and just get rid of it," presumably give it to charity or something.
0:06:03 > 0:06:04And at the bottom of the cupboard,
0:06:04 > 0:06:08after I got the clothing, I found these albums of photographs.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10I thought, "Ooh, gosh, what fun."
0:06:10 > 0:06:12And apparently they've caused a bit of excitement.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15We think a lot of them, we think they're lovely.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19Within the three albums there's a very varied and eclectic mix,
0:06:19 > 0:06:24we have some humorous, some local, some quite serious,
0:06:24 > 0:06:26and some very collectible.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Lots and lots of strands to talk about.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33I particularly liked the collection of Skegness postcards
0:06:33 > 0:06:36because it was a large collection, it covered three albums,
0:06:36 > 0:06:40it had been very carefully appointed into themes
0:06:40 > 0:06:42within the different albums,
0:06:42 > 0:06:47and there was some quite interesting historic documentation
0:06:47 > 0:06:49in the photographic ones.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52But that was offset with some cheeky humour on the others.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56The albums help date the collection to early 1900s through,
0:06:56 > 0:07:01so that's a lovely period of postcard production and collecting.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03I particularly rest upon these pages,
0:07:03 > 0:07:08which illustrate some early tourist views of Skegness.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11- I used to work at Butlins, too. - Oh, did you?
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Yes, when I came to Skegness 22 years ago
0:07:14 > 0:07:16I came to become the press officer for Butlins.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Wow, another coincidence.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22And also at the front we have significant military-related ones,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25and lots of strong themes
0:07:25 > 0:07:26which will inspire collectors
0:07:26 > 0:07:29to get quite excited about what you have here.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34Most collectors of postcards will almost automatically pick a theme.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37It's almost as if the postcards come second to the fact
0:07:37 > 0:07:40you're interested in the theme, whether that is motor transport
0:07:40 > 0:07:43or disasters, or a geographical location.
0:07:43 > 0:07:48So, a lot of collections do, by nature, formulate a theme.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51But conversely to that,
0:07:51 > 0:07:55collectors looking for fresh cards onto the market love,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58and will pay more, for a mixed collection
0:07:58 > 0:08:01which is naturally formed from a correspondence
0:08:01 > 0:08:05which took place in the early part of the 20th century.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08I would think they should make between £120 and £180,
0:08:08 > 0:08:10- quite comfortably.- Yes.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13But I do suggest that we place a protective reserve of £120,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16fixed, so that they don't sell for less than that.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18Yes, I wouldn't like them to go for less.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22So, we'll do that, and I shall meet you there on the big day.
0:08:26 > 0:08:27£50, who's going to be first in?
0:08:27 > 0:08:3255, 60, five, 70, five, 80, and five, and 90, and five,
0:08:32 > 0:08:39100, ten, 120 on the book, 130 in the room, 140. 200, 220, 240, 260,
0:08:39 > 0:08:41280, 300, 320 -
0:08:41 > 0:08:46- See, he's got a commission being on the books.- 550, may I say? 500 bid.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50Thank you, and 50 now? I'll take 20, let's keep the progress rolling.
0:08:50 > 0:08:56520, 540 bid, 560, 580, 600 surely?
0:08:56 > 0:09:01- At 580, it's on the telephone, do we have any more bids? 580 last.- 580.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04We're done and finished, £580.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Unbelievable.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09Unbelievable, I'm taken by surprise by the amount it's raised.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13I'd have to give it serious consideration in a quieter moment!
0:09:14 > 0:09:17It's obviously impossible to say exactly the motivation
0:09:17 > 0:09:21for anyone to bid for those postcards,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23but the collection contained a social history
0:09:23 > 0:09:26which was all wrapped up in those three volumes,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29and that was the important element.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38Postcards by Donald McGill are - I think - very, very funny,
0:09:38 > 0:09:40still make me laugh.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44"It's not an old flame, but I'm keeping my fire extinguisher handy."
0:09:44 > 0:09:45HE CACKLES
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Extraordinary proportioned women and, indeed, men,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50I think they're very funny.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Some of the captions, yes, they're rude,
0:09:52 > 0:09:54but they're quite acceptable today.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57And if you get that sort of art in good condition,
0:09:57 > 0:09:59it's becoming more and more collectable.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02If you're going to collect maritime postcards
0:10:02 > 0:10:06I would go for steamships, and just turn them over
0:10:06 > 0:10:09and have a little look at the inscription on the back.
0:10:09 > 0:10:14It might refer to some particular incident that has taken place,
0:10:14 > 0:10:16the postcard itself might be from someone who's well-known
0:10:16 > 0:10:18or to someone who's well-known,
0:10:18 > 0:10:22and that adds a little bit of social dimension to it.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25Another collectable that relays sentiments from our past
0:10:25 > 0:10:31is scrimshaw, the art of decorating or carving shells, ivory or teeth.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Trading in modern examples is banned,
0:10:34 > 0:10:40but it is legal to trade marine ivory crafted before 1973.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Kane, it's very rare I can say to somebody,
0:10:42 > 0:10:46"You've got a very interesting pair of teeth there."
0:10:46 > 0:10:47But in this case, I can.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49How did you come by them?
0:10:49 > 0:10:51Well, I was told when I was a child by my dad
0:10:51 > 0:10:53that there were whalers in the family,
0:10:53 > 0:10:57and these have been handed down through the family by him.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01- What we've got here, I think, is a pair of sperm-whale teeth.- Yes.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05These particular types of item have become very, very collectible.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07If I'm being frank with you,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10I would have liked to have seen a little more information on them.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14We've got scenes here of two ships in full sail,
0:11:14 > 0:11:18and this little boat, and we've got the representation of the sea,
0:11:18 > 0:11:23but on the very fine ones we've got information, dates,
0:11:23 > 0:11:25maybe the name of the ship.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27But we haven't got that on these.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29'They were a little bit faded.'
0:11:29 > 0:11:32One always worries a little bit when you see a lot of action,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35but I felt the wear and the fading
0:11:35 > 0:11:39signified that they were part of the original.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42These days we've got to look at these very closely,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44cos there's an awful lot of fakes around.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47The modern fakes are made out of resin.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50Normally with the resin ones we get a hot pin and stick it in,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53we don't need to do that here, these are perfectly fine.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Pieces to look out for are those pieces with ships and names on it,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59the reproductions often have far too much information
0:11:59 > 0:12:03and are very stained, deliberately trying to be old.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05If we're putting them into sale
0:12:05 > 0:12:08I would be happy with an estimate of £800-1,200,
0:12:08 > 0:12:12- with a reserve of £800, we're protecting them.- Yes.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16And I must be honest with you, I'm not sure how they're going to do.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Cliodhna, we've got scrimshaw here, couple of whale teeth, it's a pair,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30- that's one of the virtues. - Absolutely.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34Mark Stacey has put a valuation of £800-1,200 on the scrimshaw,
0:12:34 > 0:12:35will it do it?
0:12:35 > 0:12:37Well, I'd like to think it would,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40but we just thought that estimate was a bit punchy.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42You want to encourage the bids, not scare them away,
0:12:42 > 0:12:44so we had a word with the vendor,
0:12:44 > 0:12:48we now have them in with an estimate of £600-800, with a reserve of £500.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50Why have you put it down that much?
0:12:50 > 0:12:52Well, as I say, it's nice to have a pair,
0:12:52 > 0:12:57- but the definition of the carving has faded.- It's lost a bit.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02Sometimes these come with flags or identifying features
0:13:02 > 0:13:04so you can get the name of the boat,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06which can appeal to a much wider audience,
0:13:06 > 0:13:09and there's none of that unfortunately on these.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12- We'll see how we go. - You're going to do your best, I know you are!- We will!
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Who'll start me at £400?
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Lot number 306. £400 I'm bid, who's in at 420?
0:13:20 > 0:13:22420.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26440. 460.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30- 480.- God, this is like pulling teeth(!)- Oh...
0:13:30 > 0:13:32940.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37960, 980, 1,000.
0:13:37 > 0:13:42I'm selling at £980 on the telephone...
0:13:42 > 0:13:46- We've done it, £980!- That's wonderful.- All that fuss for nothing.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49It's unlikely that you're going to find a bargain piece of scrimshaw
0:13:49 > 0:13:52in a specialist dealer or specialist auction.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55There are other dealers, of course, who have house clearances,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58all sorts of things, that don't recognise what they've got.
0:13:58 > 0:13:59So, yes, like everything in life
0:13:59 > 0:14:01there are plenty of bargains out there
0:14:01 > 0:14:04if you happen to be in the right place at the right time.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13If you're buying scrimshaw, watch out for the fakes.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15There are some AMAZING fakes.
0:14:15 > 0:14:21Now, the real test is a needle.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24A hot needle will go into resin,
0:14:24 > 0:14:26it won't go into the actual scrimshaw itself.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Good tip, Thomas. Make sure you know what you're buying.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Carefully research your items.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37Postcards by artists like Donald McGill may fetch
0:14:37 > 0:14:38good prices at auctions.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41It's often the more quirky, cheeky items that will grab
0:14:41 > 0:14:44someone's attention, so keep those eyes peeled.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54You will always hear the "Flog It!" Experts talking about condition,
0:14:54 > 0:14:56it is such an important consideration
0:14:56 > 0:14:59when it comes to buying or selling antiques and collectables.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02So, here's Nick Hall with some useful pointers.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09I'm often asked, "How important is condition
0:15:09 > 0:15:11"when you're buying antiques and collector's items?"
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Well, it's not a straightforward, simple answer,
0:15:14 > 0:15:18it depends on the genre of the thing you're looking at buying.
0:15:18 > 0:15:19Where it is very important
0:15:19 > 0:15:23is when you're looking at 19th and 20th century fine porcelain,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26and then it becomes absolutely key and paramount.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29A perfect example are these wonderful pair of vases here.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Both are designs by Daisy Makeig-Jones
0:15:32 > 0:15:36from the wonderful Fairyland Lustre series that she did.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Now, one of them has an almost invisible hairline crack,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43and the difference in the value is unbelievable.
0:15:43 > 0:15:44Let me show you.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Take this one, for instance, here.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50Hold it up, spin it round, catch it in the light...
0:15:50 > 0:15:53And you just don't see anything there at all, any problems.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55What I suggest you do
0:15:55 > 0:15:59is just very gently run your finger around the outside.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03You will eventually, if there is any condition faults,
0:16:03 > 0:16:06just feel a little imperfection.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09And there it is, I've just run my finger across it there,
0:16:09 > 0:16:11and I can just feel a sharp, jagged edge
0:16:11 > 0:16:14which I didn't see with the naked eye.
0:16:14 > 0:16:15Look even closer still
0:16:15 > 0:16:17and you will make out a hairline crack
0:16:17 > 0:16:21which just drops down through the main part of the pattern there,
0:16:21 > 0:16:25and at right angles cuts along the bottom.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29This vase is a rare pattern by a desirable factory,
0:16:29 > 0:16:30should be worth a lot of money.
0:16:30 > 0:16:35In fact, the perfect one is worth about £7,000 or £8,000.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38This one with the damage
0:16:38 > 0:16:42is worth maybe at best £1,000, if you were lucky.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45If you put them both together...
0:16:45 > 0:16:50and you had a perfect pair, you'd be looking at £20,000.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53So, go with open eyes, handle them, feel them,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57and that all-important tip - run your finger around the glaze
0:16:57 > 0:17:01and try and find that imperfection, cos if you don't, you'll be sorry.
0:17:07 > 0:17:08Now here's my advice -
0:17:08 > 0:17:11buy the best maritime antique you can afford right now.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15As in any field of antiques, quality always sells.
0:17:15 > 0:17:20It's better to buy one great piece than three lower-end pieces.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22So, spend your money wisely.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29And if you want to start a collection
0:17:29 > 0:17:31of quality nautical memorabilia,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34you could so worse than snapping up items
0:17:34 > 0:17:37from the fabulous liners of the early 20th century.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40Ah, look at that, isn't that gorgeous?
0:17:40 > 0:17:43It's a deckchair blanket, isn't it?
0:17:43 > 0:17:46In the late 1800s the White Star Line and Cunard
0:17:46 > 0:17:49competed for business crossing the Atlantic,
0:17:49 > 0:17:51carrying thousands of passengers
0:17:51 > 0:17:55emigrating to a new life in the United States and Canada.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00- 120.- He's done it, they've gone!- Brilliant.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03They fought for the honour of being the fastest to make the crossing,
0:18:03 > 0:18:09until White Star Line commissioned the luxurious Oceanic in 1899,
0:18:09 > 0:18:14and decided to concentrate on comfort and reliability instead.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18Mementos that hark back to the golden age of luxury ocean travel
0:18:18 > 0:18:21will always fetch a premium at auction.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24Anything from porcelain dining sets
0:18:24 > 0:18:28to cutlery and dinner menus with the Cunard or White Star logos
0:18:28 > 0:18:31are popular with collectors.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33And ships such as Oceanic,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Lusitania, Mauritania, and Queen Mary
0:18:36 > 0:18:39are names to look out for.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41The Holy Grail of the maritime collecting world
0:18:41 > 0:18:43is without doubt Titanic memorabilia,
0:18:43 > 0:18:46items like life jackets, pocket watches,
0:18:46 > 0:18:48and personal letters from the ship
0:18:48 > 0:18:50have fetched tens of thousands of pounds.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54And the most expensive item to date - a plan of Titanic
0:18:54 > 0:18:57used at the inquiry into the sinking -
0:18:57 > 0:19:01fetched £220,000 in 2011.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03So, if you ever get the chance
0:19:03 > 0:19:08to own something from the world's most notorious shipping disaster,
0:19:08 > 0:19:09you're on to a winner.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16# The ships were wood way back in the past
0:19:16 > 0:19:20# When sails made clipper ships go fast
0:19:20 > 0:19:22# And oak was wood to make them last
0:19:22 > 0:19:25# They'd keels of Sunderland oak, me boys. #
0:19:25 > 0:19:27In 2009 I got the chance
0:19:27 > 0:19:31to visit a fascinating boatbuilding project on the River Wear.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34Sunderland has a long and rich history of shipbuilding
0:19:34 > 0:19:37dating as far back as 1346.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39But what's not so well known
0:19:39 > 0:19:41is its equally important boatbuilding heritage.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43There have been little boatyards
0:19:43 > 0:19:46scattered all up and down the banks of the River Wear
0:19:46 > 0:19:47for the last 600 years,
0:19:47 > 0:19:51building everything from wooden fishing vessels to motor launches
0:19:51 > 0:19:54and lifeboats for the Royal Navy.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57And like its larger shipbuilding cousin,
0:19:57 > 0:19:58the wooden boatbuilding industry
0:19:58 > 0:20:02has played a key role in Sunderland's nautical history.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Side by side, these two industries prospered for centuries.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13But by the 1950s, modern materials such as plastics and fibreglass
0:20:13 > 0:20:16saw the traditional craft of wooden boatbuilding
0:20:16 > 0:20:18all but die out along the River Wear.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22A similar fate was soon to befall the shipbuilding industry,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25when the last yards closed in 1988.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32The Maritime Heritage Centre was started by a group of volunteers
0:20:32 > 0:20:35determined to preserve the city's nautical history.
0:20:35 > 0:20:36The yards may have gone,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39but the skills of wooden boatbuilders haven't.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41Well, not while 72-year-old Derek Rowal,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44one of the last surviving boatbuilders on Wearside,
0:20:44 > 0:20:46is still practising his craft.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56What drew you to boatbuilding in the first place?
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Well, it was an accident, really.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01When I left school I wanted to be a cabinet maker.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03But when I went round the boatyard
0:21:03 > 0:21:05and seen the trees and smelt the timber,
0:21:05 > 0:21:09I fell in love with it straightaway. It was absolutely fantastic.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11- I was right in me element. - I bet you were.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13So you've always been a boatbuilder?
0:21:13 > 0:21:17Well, I served me time from '52 to '58.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20And, of course, in them days you had to do National Service.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22And when I came out of National Service,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25you were supposed to be taken on for six months,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27but the boatyard was closing down.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30But lucky enough, one of the yards had a cobble smashed up.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33- Which is an old fishing boat, an old working boat?- Exactly.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35- You've got one down there, haven't you?- Yeah.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Well, I've actually built one of those,
0:21:37 > 0:21:39a clinker-built vessel just like that,
0:21:39 > 0:21:43with my dad when I was about 19 down in Cornwall.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45- Brilliant.- Yeah, so I know all about the hard work.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51What's the next project for the Heritage Centre?
0:21:51 > 0:21:54- What are you working on? - We're going to work on the Willdora.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56- It was a Dunkirk veteran.- Ooh.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01She's down the docks. If you wish, you can come down and I'll show you.
0:22:01 > 0:22:02I'd love to. I'll follow you.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05- Willdora.- Willdora.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09Willdora was one of hundreds of small boats which set sail to France
0:22:09 > 0:22:12as the German Army drove all the Allied Forces
0:22:12 > 0:22:16back to the Normandy coast in the summer of 1940.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19Despite being badly damaged by shellfire during the evacuation,
0:22:19 > 0:22:24she is credited with saving 200 servicemen from the Dunkirk beaches.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26After the war she went back to fishing,
0:22:26 > 0:22:29and was later sold as a pleasure craft.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33Years later, she was spotted sunk in Sunderland's South Dock.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44She is in a bad way, you've got a lot of work to do.
0:22:44 > 0:22:45- You really have.- Oh, yes.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48What plans have you for her once she's finished?
0:22:48 > 0:22:50We'll just take her to all the various venues
0:22:50 > 0:22:53where they have historic ships of this nature
0:22:53 > 0:22:58and sail her round, you know, for people to see.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Wonderful feeling, isn't it,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02to think this vessel saved so many lives?
0:23:02 > 0:23:06- Yes, yes.- You'd be glad to see this in 1940, wouldn't you?- I bet.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13Keeping our past alive is what Derek and his colleagues are all about.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16And it's great to see such an important part
0:23:16 > 0:23:18of Sunderland's industrial past
0:23:18 > 0:23:21being so carefully preserved for future generations.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33A major part of our maritime history is tied up with the Royal Navy,
0:23:33 > 0:23:35and whenever "Flog It!" visits a city port
0:23:35 > 0:23:37we're always on the lookout for naval treasures.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40So, after Catherine spotted a charming silver item
0:23:40 > 0:23:46at Plymouth in 2003, we managed to track down the owner, Michael,
0:23:46 > 0:23:48to find out what happened next.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50HE BLOWS WHISTLE
0:23:53 > 0:23:54Well done.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56So you've brought along this boatswain's whistle,
0:23:56 > 0:23:57or boatswain's call.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59Do you know what they were actually used for?
0:23:59 > 0:24:04It was used by the boatswain to pipe officers on board and off board ship.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08What's nice about it, and unusual as well,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11is it's got the initials here, "WHM",
0:24:11 > 0:24:15which is probably the initials of the boatswain, which is nice.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17It's not something you see very often,
0:24:17 > 0:24:22these are usually quite plain, so to have the monogram is quite special.
0:24:22 > 0:24:23Also, it's silver,
0:24:23 > 0:24:28we can tell that from the nice hallmark on the other side here.
0:24:28 > 0:24:34Reading the hallmark...I think that it probably dates from 1827,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37and we can tell that by the actual letter "I"
0:24:37 > 0:24:39that's been used here.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42Also at the end, there's the initials "GK",
0:24:42 > 0:24:46which I think at that time stand for George King.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49I knew it was something different,
0:24:49 > 0:24:52but I didn't know it was that different.
0:24:52 > 0:24:53Not being a naval person
0:24:53 > 0:24:56I wouldn't have known a lot about a boatswain's whistle.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00So how did you come about this then?
0:25:00 > 0:25:03It was passed to my mother from someone in church,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06who gave it to her as a memento.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10He used to use it in the convoys during the war.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15I was cleaning the garage out and getting rid of bits and pieces -
0:25:15 > 0:25:18in fact, it would have been thrown out if I hadn't kept it.
0:25:18 > 0:25:24Now, value. I think it should fetch between £80-120.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27And we should probably put a reserve on of about £70.
0:25:27 > 0:25:28What do you think about that?
0:25:28 > 0:25:32- Very nice, thank you.- That's quite a nice price.- Sounds good.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41I think it's wonderful, and I was very much hoping
0:25:41 > 0:25:45that something like this would come in, being in Plymouth, as we are.
0:25:45 > 0:25:46Let me tell you the value.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Our expert Catherine valued this,
0:25:48 > 0:25:52and she's put an estimate of £80-120 on it.
0:25:53 > 0:25:58I think that's extraordinary! I'd love to buy that for £80.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02I think we're really looking at more like £200-300.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05It's not a rare object, but it's an unusual object.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09And there are a tremendous number of collectors for small silver objects.
0:26:16 > 0:26:21The day of the auction, we had a trip booked on the Orient Express
0:26:21 > 0:26:23for our ruby anniversary.
0:26:23 > 0:26:29So my daughter and my grandson took our place there.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31On next to lot 391,
0:26:31 > 0:26:35which is the George IV silver boatswain's whistle.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38- Lot of bids on this.- Good.- Oh, yeah!
0:26:38 > 0:26:42- I'm bid £160 for it.- Straight in!
0:26:42 > 0:26:45- Good start.- At £160...
0:26:45 > 0:26:49At £160. 170, 180, 190,
0:26:49 > 0:26:50200, and ten,
0:26:50 > 0:26:52220, 230,
0:26:52 > 0:26:57240, 250, 260, 270, 280...
0:26:57 > 0:26:59At £360 at the back.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01370 now, 380...
0:27:02 > 0:27:06390, 400. £500.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10- And 20.- (500 quid!) - At £520 there.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12At £520 then...
0:27:12 > 0:27:16All done in the room at £520.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19All done then at £520.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23- And it's going...yes! £520. - Fantastic.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Your grandad will be really pleased, won't he?
0:27:26 > 0:27:29You've got to ring Grandad up, has he got a mobile?
0:27:29 > 0:27:32- Yeah, we can get him on the mobile. - Can you ring him up?- Yes.
0:27:33 > 0:27:38My daughter phoned us when we got back, and she said,
0:27:38 > 0:27:45"It did very well at auction, it fetched £260."
0:27:45 > 0:27:46I said, "Oh, that's really good."
0:27:46 > 0:27:50She said, "No, I'm telling lies, it fetched £520!"
0:27:50 > 0:27:53So it was a surprise.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55The sale of that little boatswain's whistle
0:27:55 > 0:27:59helped pay for a once-in-a-lifetime holiday to Australia
0:27:59 > 0:28:01for Michael and his wife Vicki.
0:28:01 > 0:28:06Whatever money we had would have gone to that trip,
0:28:06 > 0:28:10and for spending as well, you know.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19Well, Michael's little piece of naval history
0:28:19 > 0:28:21certainly played an important part
0:28:21 > 0:28:24in helping him and Vicki realise their dream.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26Now, if you have anything you would like to sell,
0:28:26 > 0:28:28bring it in to one of our valuation days,
0:28:28 > 0:28:32and hopefully we can help you off on a trip of a lifetime.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35I hope you can put some of these tips to good use,
0:28:35 > 0:28:40but until then, please join me again soon for more trade secrets!