0:00:04 > 0:00:07As we know on Flog It, the world of antiques is simply vast,
0:00:07 > 0:00:10with so many eras and items for you to collect
0:00:10 > 0:00:14that sometimes, the choice can seem daunting.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16We've got a wealth of experience
0:00:16 > 0:00:21with over a decade of valuing and selling your antiques and collectables.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24These are fabulous!
0:00:24 > 0:00:27You've travelled the world, haven't you?
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Last call, then. Going at £600.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34- Wow!- Would you like a seat?
0:00:36 > 0:00:38So if there's something you need to know,
0:00:38 > 0:00:42you're more than likely to find it right here on Trade Secrets.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13In today's Trade Secrets, we're exploring the appeal of Victoriana.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16You bring along to our Flog It valuation days
0:01:16 > 0:01:19more items relating to the Victorian era
0:01:19 > 0:01:22than any other period in our design history.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26Queen Victoria was on the throne from 1837 until 1901.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29And everything designed in that period
0:01:29 > 0:01:33has come to be known as Victoriana.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35Mass production meant more goods were available to buy
0:01:35 > 0:01:38and many of these things are still in circulation today.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41But which ones are worth a second look?
0:01:45 > 0:01:48On today's show, our experts have loads of tips
0:01:48 > 0:01:50on how to spot the best of it.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Look for something which has a patent to it.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57Because the Victorians loved their patents.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Everyone was an inventor!
0:01:59 > 0:02:03They share their thoughts on some colourful items.
0:02:03 > 0:02:04It was hot property.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07It was the thing we look for. The thing we hope to buy.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09And we see some excellent results at auction.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13Are we call done at £4,100?
0:02:13 > 0:02:14Yes!
0:02:14 > 0:02:16'So, keep watching to get our tips
0:02:16 > 0:02:19'about how to sort out the Victorian wheat from the chaff.'
0:02:23 > 0:02:26The Victorian age was one of imitation and reproduction.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Old styles were revived and reinvented.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34And sometimes more than one style was used to influence a single piece,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36all of that fussy ornamentation.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38A lot of you cannot get enough of it.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40And judging by our Flog It valuation days,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42there is loads of it out there.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45So, if you want to get your hands on the very best of Victoriana,
0:02:45 > 0:02:50here are our experts to give you their trade secrets.
0:02:52 > 0:02:57Just because it's Victorian, doesn't mean it's large and cumbersome.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01What I think is the best buy in today's market
0:03:01 > 0:03:07are Victorian and antique pieces of furniture.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09They are so cheap.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13Of course, the Victorian era lasted an awfully long time.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17And we're all tempted to think of the latter part of that period
0:03:17 > 0:03:21where things were mass-produced, big, brown and ugly.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23But it's far from that.
0:03:23 > 0:03:24Look at majolica.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26That's not brown!
0:03:26 > 0:03:28The Victorian interior
0:03:28 > 0:03:30was vivid to the point of vulgarity!
0:03:30 > 0:03:34I think jewellery is something which is very collectable.
0:03:34 > 0:03:35Victorian jewellery
0:03:35 > 0:03:38is worth looking at.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40You can find some beautiful, beautiful pieces
0:03:40 > 0:03:44which sit nicely and comfortably in a modern setting
0:03:44 > 0:03:46but stand out as being superb quality.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Victoriana is our bread and butter on Flog It.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55But it can be about much more than frills and frippery.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57And here are our experts to show you why.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03Anita Manning found a piece that was utterly high Victorian,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05complete with flutes and cut glass.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08But it had more to it than first met the eye.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13This wonderful centrepiece
0:04:13 > 0:04:19is about elaborate dining in the 19th century.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Tell me, where did you get it?
0:04:21 > 0:04:23It was handed down from my family.
0:04:23 > 0:04:24And, they had a big house
0:04:24 > 0:04:27and obviously they had all this sort of thing that went with the house.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30So it came from a big house?
0:04:30 > 0:04:35Can you imagine the beauty of a Victorian dining room,
0:04:35 > 0:04:41candle-lit, the table laden with beautiful food
0:04:41 > 0:04:44and this lovely centrepiece in the middle?
0:04:44 > 0:04:48It's silver-plated. It is of such good quality
0:04:48 > 0:04:52that I would believe it to be Elkington's.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55This piece was made by George Elkington.
0:04:55 > 0:05:02Now, he was the first to devise the process of electroplating.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04This new Victorian process
0:05:04 > 0:05:10to attach silver by means of an electrical current to another metal.
0:05:10 > 0:05:15If we look at the style, we can see these elaborate winged horses
0:05:15 > 0:05:17with fish tails.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21On these arms, we have a ram motif.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Now, this was typical of the Victorians.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28They would mix their styles up. You've got this classical column here
0:05:28 > 0:05:32and these more elaborate aspects to the item.
0:05:32 > 0:05:38On top of these arms, we have these cut glass bowls.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41And again, they're in good condition.
0:05:41 > 0:05:47Condition is always important when you are buying something.
0:05:47 > 0:05:53You want it to be as good as it can be.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57I would estimate it in the region of £200 to £300.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Would you be happy to sell it?
0:05:59 > 0:06:01- Yes, yes we would.- Yes.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04So, more than just a showy centrepiece.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08A demonstration of Victorian innovation at its best.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11But did it attract the buyers?
0:06:11 > 0:06:15- I've got one, two, three, four, five commission bids here.- Yes!
0:06:15 > 0:06:17At 350, just. At 350 I'm bid.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20360 I'll take from you. At 360.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25All my bidders are out. At £360. Left-handed in the room at 360.
0:06:25 > 0:06:26Who'll join us? Yes or no?
0:06:26 > 0:06:30I shall sell it, then, at £360.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34- Yes!- Hammer's gone down.- Good, good, good!- Brilliant result.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39It just goes to show you can't always judge a Victorian piece by its cover.
0:06:39 > 0:06:44And someone really appreciated the cutting-edge silver technique
0:06:44 > 0:06:47behind its ornate appearance.
0:06:47 > 0:06:52Look out for names like Elkington and make sure the condition is as good as possible.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54'Why did it do so well at auction?'
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Well, it was quite simply
0:06:56 > 0:07:01a lovely big quality piece.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06The Victorians loved their bling
0:07:06 > 0:07:08and we see a lot of it on the show.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11But Michael Baggott came across a piece of late Victorian jewellery
0:07:11 > 0:07:14that was a cut above the rest.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17The necklace was such an unusual piece,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19because normally, at this stage,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22you would find pearls set with other gemstones
0:07:22 > 0:07:24or in a slightly different setting.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26That very loose fringe setting
0:07:26 > 0:07:28which just set off the pearls themselves.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31And the fact that it was original and mint and cased
0:07:31 > 0:07:34made it quite a rare and unusual find.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Can you tell me anything about it? Where did you get it from?
0:07:37 > 0:07:40Well, it was given to me by a dear friend of my husband's
0:07:40 > 0:07:44who later became godmother to my son.
0:07:44 > 0:07:49I've had it since about the 1950s/1960s,
0:07:49 > 0:07:53and I've just kept it as a memory of this lady.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56- It's very delicate and isn't for everyday wearing.- No.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58Have you got any idea what the date is of it?
0:07:58 > 0:08:01- I've really no idea. No idea.- Right.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03You judge things stylistically.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05It's the way it's fashioned, the way it's made,
0:08:05 > 0:08:07can tell you something about it.
0:08:07 > 0:08:12If you get gemstones with a closed backing, that tends to be 18th century.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14'Open-backed tends to be 19th century.'
0:08:14 > 0:08:19It's made out of not diamonds, well, small diamonds there,
0:08:19 > 0:08:20but these pearls.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23- Have you noticed they're quite irregular?- I have noticed, yes.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27Well, this was before you had mass-produced cultured pearls
0:08:27 > 0:08:30where you basically get a piece of carved mother-of-pearl,
0:08:30 > 0:08:33insert it in an oyster and let it build up over time.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36These are all natural Scottish river pearls.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39It's lovely to find freshwater pearls,
0:08:39 > 0:08:43'but it's quite rare to get Baroque pearls like that in that setting.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45'A lovely thing.'
0:08:45 > 0:08:49They're extremely rare, now. You're no longer allowed to fish for them.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52The Scottish mussels are almost extinct.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57As a consequence, the pieces that do come onto the market are highly sought-after.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02It's at a time when the pearls were more valuable than diamonds themselves.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05- So you've got the diamonds actually setting the pearls off.- I see.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08They're not worth their weight in diamonds at the moment.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11But they were back then.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14I think, in its state, which is absolutely mint,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18in its original case, and that's all perfect,
0:09:18 > 0:09:22I think you're probably looking in the region of about £300 to £500 at auction.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26Jewellery is very much fashion-led
0:09:26 > 0:09:27with private buyers.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29Because they want to wear it.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34But did the buyers find this unique bit of Victorian sparkle
0:09:34 > 0:09:36on trend today?
0:09:36 > 0:09:39700. 25.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42750. 75. 800.
0:09:42 > 0:09:4325.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45At 825.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49825 against you. 850? At 850.
0:09:49 > 0:09:5175. 900.
0:09:51 > 0:09:5325. 950.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56To be sold. 950.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58Can't believe it. Can't believe it.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Second thoughts? 950 and going.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05- Close! Gosh!- 950 quid! - That's amazing!
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Yes.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09£950!
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Someone truly appreciated the quality
0:10:12 > 0:10:14of that very special necklace.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18It's always a good idea to look out for a piece with its case.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22It'll be worth a lot more if it's in mint condition.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25We've seen some pieces that are elegant and beautiful.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28But if you still think Victorian can be over the top,
0:10:28 > 0:10:30well, you'd be right.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32And there's plenty of that around, too.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36Majolica, colourful earthenware inspired by Italian pottery
0:10:36 > 0:10:38was a big hit with the Victorians.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41And, back in 2002,
0:10:41 > 0:10:46David brought Thomas Plant a piece by famed Minton designer, George Jones.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49That was a hot ticket with the buyers at the time.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51This looks interesting.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55I believe this is majolica.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58- Yes.- And possibly George Jones.
0:10:58 > 0:11:03I think that it's referred to in a book that I saw recently
0:11:03 > 0:11:05as "Dog on a Cushion".
0:11:05 > 0:11:10Dog on a Cushion. Am amazing piece of Victoriana.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12That just sums it all up.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16The colours. The complete opulence of it all.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18Who wants a dog on a cushion in pottery?
0:11:18 > 0:11:23It is something which is appreciated by a lot of people.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26A universally collected item.
0:11:26 > 0:11:27For the love... I mean, honestly.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29It is ghastly!
0:11:29 > 0:11:34I'm just going to turn it over. Here we are. Here's the kite mark.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39If I look in my book here. Here are the registrations.
0:11:41 > 0:11:431870, it's got here, for the year.
0:11:43 > 0:11:451870.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49So I think 1870, 1871, I think that's correct.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52- Don't you?- Near enough.- Near enough.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56English majolica was popular because the colours were bright,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59the designs were new, it was forward thinking.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02You can imagine the bourgeoisie class
0:12:02 > 0:12:04being built up within Britain.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06A new middle class being built.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Therefore, they wanted to spend their money on new items
0:12:09 > 0:12:13and this was something new, exciting, forward-thinking.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15It was the new style.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19Tell me, have you an idea what the actual item was used for?
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Sort of an ink well, I believe.
0:12:21 > 0:12:22It could be an inkwell,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25could be used on a ladies' dressing table.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29Et cetera. It's certainly quite a feminine piece.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32What makes it so Victorian is the colours,
0:12:32 > 0:12:36those beautiful bright, bright colours and so juxtaposed.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39'You open the lid, it's a different colour to the outside.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42'It was the start of what you could call kitsch.'
0:12:42 > 0:12:44That's what makes it Victorian.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46Something like this, I would suggest,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49£1,500 to £2,000.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53To go for sale. Is it something you'd like to include in the sale?
0:12:53 > 0:12:55It seems a pity to keep it locked away.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57It should be enjoyed, I think.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02So the Victorians were made about majolica.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04But did today's buyers feel the same?
0:13:04 > 0:13:07We have had a lot of interest here.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10I can start on 1,000, 1,100,
0:13:10 > 0:13:121,200, 1,300,
0:13:12 > 0:13:151,400, 1,500, will you?
0:13:15 > 0:13:18It was hot property. It was the thing to look for.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20The thing we hoped to buy.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Or hoped to see come into Flog It.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25And it did really well.
0:13:25 > 0:13:272,000. 2,100.
0:13:27 > 0:13:292,200.
0:13:29 > 0:13:30Wow!
0:13:30 > 0:13:33- In the room at 2,100.- Thinking of the money already, Terry?
0:13:33 > 0:13:37- Pinch me!- All right!
0:13:37 > 0:13:392,400?
0:13:39 > 0:13:42At £2,300 now.
0:13:42 > 0:13:442,400?
0:13:44 > 0:13:46Well, well, well. Congratulations.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49- That's brilliant. Thank you. - Happy with that?- Yeah, very!
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Would it make that money now?
0:13:51 > 0:13:53No. Definitely not!
0:13:53 > 0:13:57That fashion has changed, the market has gone.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01Prices have gone down over the last ten years
0:14:01 > 0:14:03as it's just gone out of fashion.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06But if you're one of those who love these kitsch majolica designs -
0:14:06 > 0:14:07you know who you are! -
0:14:07 > 0:14:09it's a great time to pick up a bargain.
0:14:10 > 0:14:15Keep a keen eye out for celebrated designers such as George Jones,
0:14:15 > 0:14:19Hughes Protat and Paul Commalero.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22Some highly decorated Victorian ceramics like majolica
0:14:22 > 0:14:24are prone to a little bit of damage.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26It's forgivable - it's made of soft paste.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30And a lot of serious collectors are willing to overlook this
0:14:30 > 0:14:32if the piece is unusual or rare.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35So, don't throw away your cracked plate.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37Get specialist advice.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45Mark Stacey came across an extraordinary vase back in 2006
0:14:45 > 0:14:48that proves my point.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50If we look at the vase in detail,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53the quality is just breathtaking.
0:14:53 > 0:14:58I think it's by a firm of glassmakers called Webb of Stourbridge.
0:14:58 > 0:15:03It's not signed, but I'm almost sure it can only be their quality.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07Stourbridge housed some of the most important English glass factories
0:15:07 > 0:15:09including Thomas Webb.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12This was a very good example of its type.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16This white layer is applied right over the body.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21And an artist etches out this pattern.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26As we go around it, we can see a fantastic flying beetle here
0:15:26 > 0:15:28with the most delicate of wings.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31And these wonderful curling leaves
0:15:31 > 0:15:33and a wonderful floral display here.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38The thing that stands out in this particular piece is the decoration.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41The sheer complexity of it all,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44the fact that all that white glass was applied
0:15:44 > 0:15:46and then very carefully taken away
0:15:46 > 0:15:49leaving the most finest of details.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52I love this butterfly overlapping
0:15:52 > 0:15:55and the whole thing just sits perfectly.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58I want to keep going...like that to it.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01- It's such a wonderful tactile object, isn't it?- It's lovely.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05To do something like that requires great skill.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09In terms of date, it's around about, I suppose, 1860.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13- Roughly that sort of date, and it's a good size.- Yes.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16I have a couple of slight reservations.
0:16:16 > 0:16:21The background colour is not as bright and vivid as some of these vases.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23To me, the only thing that slightly let it down
0:16:23 > 0:16:25was that the colour was a little bit dull.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29If it had been a vibrant red or a vibrant yellow,
0:16:29 > 0:16:31it would have been a bit more interesting.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33And, of course, it was chipped.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35We've got a small chip on the rim
0:16:35 > 0:16:37which I'm not going to be unduly concerned about
0:16:37 > 0:16:40but we have to acknowledge that it's there.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43I'm always concerned with damage when it comes to ceramics and glass.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47A chip is easier to repair than a crack,
0:16:47 > 0:16:54but if it's a rare item, collectors will still pay a good amount of money for it.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59I would suggest you put in an estimate of £400 to £600.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02- Would that surprise you? - It does, really, yes! Yes.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06I knew it was nice quality, but I didn't think we would get that much.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Well, I think we should put a reserve of 400 on it as well,
0:17:09 > 0:17:11so we don't give it away too cheaply
0:17:11 > 0:17:13because it must be worth that all day long.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17Look, I knew that £400 to £600 was conservative,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20I just didn't realise it was uber conservative!
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Quite a few commissions here and interest.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Starts me straight in at £500.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28500 I have and 20. 550.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30580. 600.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32And 20. 650. 680. 700.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35And 20. 720. 750.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38780. 800. And 20.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40Well, Mark, the chip and the subdued colour
0:17:40 > 0:17:43didn't seem to bother the bidders!
0:17:43 > 0:17:46What do I know? Cos it still went way above my estimate.
0:17:46 > 0:17:491,650. And 50. 1,700.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54And 50? And 50. 1,800. 2,000.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56100? 2,100.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58And the bids kept on coming!
0:17:58 > 0:18:013,000. 3,100.
0:18:02 > 0:18:043,200. 3,300.
0:18:04 > 0:18:063,400.
0:18:06 > 0:18:07I'm crying!
0:18:08 > 0:18:123,600. 3,700.
0:18:12 > 0:18:153,800. 3,900.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17- 4,000.- When will it stop?- 4,100.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23At £4,100. Are we all done at 4,100?
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Yes!
0:18:26 > 0:18:27SALE ROOM APPLAUDS
0:18:27 > 0:18:29Oh, how fantastic!
0:18:31 > 0:18:33£4,100!
0:18:33 > 0:18:35That was a surprise for us,
0:18:35 > 0:18:37but even more so for Jill.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40If you think you have something interesting at home,
0:18:40 > 0:18:45there's loads of places now you can take and get reference and advice on.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49Your local auction house, your local dealer, the internet.
0:18:49 > 0:18:54These are all good places to start researching your object.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57It might well be worthwhile.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02An incredible sum, and an exquisite piece.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05If you've got something like that that shouts quality
0:19:05 > 0:19:07and it's by an interesting maker,
0:19:07 > 0:19:09it doesn't matter what the colour is.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12It could make a small fortune.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15Now, here are a few tips on navigating your way
0:19:15 > 0:19:18around the whacky world of Victoriana.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21If you're trying to date jewellery,
0:19:21 > 0:19:24look at the setting and the kind of metal.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28But best of all, get to know your jewellery by handling it.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30If you want to collect majolica,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32examine the kite marks to date it.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35You can tell George Jones from those vibrant colours
0:19:35 > 0:19:38and whatever you do, be patient.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42What goes out of fashion can just as easily come back in.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47You should look out for astonishing and unusual pieces.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50The rarer they are, the more valuable.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53And if they're that good, a small chip won't matter.
0:19:53 > 0:19:58Remember, Victoriana doesn't have to mean garish.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00There are some beautiful pieces out there
0:20:00 > 0:20:02just waiting to be appreciated.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09The Victorians had inventiveness surging through their veins
0:20:09 > 0:20:13and our tables are often groaning with fascinating Victoriana.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17And they thought of everything, as Charlie Ross discovered!
0:20:17 > 0:20:19I've never seen one of these before!
0:20:19 > 0:20:21- It's a gold changer.- Yeah.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25- It changes sovereigns into change. - Right.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28- The sovereign would come through the front.- Sovereign comes in there.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30- Through the channel. - Down it would come.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33- And it would... - Trip the counterbalance
0:20:33 > 0:20:37then you could open the drawer through the front.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39And then take your change out.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Fantastic.
0:20:42 > 0:20:43The Victorians had an answer for everything
0:20:43 > 0:20:47but how did they become such masters of invention?
0:20:51 > 0:20:55During the Victorian era, Britain emerged as a powerhouse of industry.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59Steam technology, which had been developed by James Watt,
0:20:59 > 0:21:01powered the great factories,
0:21:01 > 0:21:03allowing them to churn out raw materials -
0:21:03 > 0:21:09iron, textiles and manufacturing goods - all at a terrific rate.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11As these rolled off the factory belt,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14other British inventors came to the fore.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed the new railways
0:21:19 > 0:21:24and powerful new steamships which sped goods to a waiting world.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26And scientists like Michael Faraday
0:21:26 > 0:21:29made possible the electric telegraph
0:21:29 > 0:21:33which meant that communication could happen on a global scale.
0:21:35 > 0:21:40The stage was set for industrialists to feed a new Victorian appetite
0:21:40 > 0:21:42for stuff!
0:21:42 > 0:21:44So, what did the Victorians do for us?
0:21:48 > 0:21:51The list goes on and on and on.
0:21:51 > 0:21:52And on!
0:21:54 > 0:21:58Some of these inventions often land on our tables,
0:21:58 > 0:21:59like that sovereign changer.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01And they can be much sought-after,
0:22:01 > 0:22:03as we found out when it went to auction.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05285. 290?
0:22:05 > 0:22:07285's there. 290, anywhere?
0:22:07 > 0:22:09285 on the phone. 290, anyone?
0:22:09 > 0:22:11285.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13- Brilliant!- 285.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15We nearly did the £300 for you.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17We looked after you!
0:22:20 > 0:22:25It's that spirit of inventiveness which we still enjoy collecting today.
0:22:25 > 0:22:30Look out for the kind of gadgets that show you how much Victorians loved problem solving.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34And which stand out as being unique to the period.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36What's so delightful about the Victorian age
0:22:36 > 0:22:38is that if you cannot afford a steam engine,
0:22:38 > 0:22:43you can have your pick of the most innovative items without breaking the bank.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50Matches as we know them today came into use around the 1830s.
0:22:50 > 0:22:56But they had a rather alarming tendency to ignite spontaneously in your pocket back then.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00How like the Victorians to come up with a sensible solution!
0:23:02 > 0:23:05An area I think is well worth looking at
0:23:05 > 0:23:07is the collection of Vesta cases.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11It's something that at entry level you can buy for less than £5.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16I've brought along an interesting variety of three I have here.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20One is this terribly iconic Victorian figure of Mr Punch.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24He's got a Wee Willie Winkie candle-holder to light him to bed.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27So you could also put your little match in there
0:23:27 > 0:23:31and he would just give you enough light to blow out your candle
0:23:31 > 0:23:33and get into bed.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36The next one along is something close to my heart.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38It's French, and I love all things French.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41A little French Vesta case, continental silver,
0:23:41 > 0:23:44decorated in mistletoe. Beautiful little thing.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48But my favourite and most unusual one is this.
0:23:48 > 0:23:55It's brass, silver-plated and it's in the form of an outside lavatory!
0:23:55 > 0:24:01Complete with the timber-boarded door.
0:24:01 > 0:24:02We'll knock at the door here,
0:24:02 > 0:24:06open the door, and there we see the Victorian gentleman,
0:24:06 > 0:24:10complete with top hat, sitting on the lav!
0:24:10 > 0:24:14Because it's quite unusual and a little bit cheeky,
0:24:14 > 0:24:18I think this would have a value of around £100.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22My top tip for buying Vesta cases
0:24:22 > 0:24:24is to think outside the box
0:24:24 > 0:24:26and buy something a little quirky.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30Don't get the run of the mill, get something different, a bit cheeky, a bit funny.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37The Victorians loved their heroes,
0:24:37 > 0:24:39whether inventors or great leaders.
0:24:39 > 0:24:44But nobody encapsulated heroism more than the Duke of Wellington.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48He defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815
0:24:48 > 0:24:52and it established him as one of the great figures of the time.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57In 1859, Wellington College, a charitable school,
0:24:57 > 0:24:59catering for the orphans of army officers
0:24:59 > 0:25:01was founded as a tribute to him.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04I visited it in 2011.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09Its 19th-century Baroque style was designed by John Shaw
0:25:09 > 0:25:12who was influenced by the work of Sir Christopher Wren.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone in 1856
0:25:15 > 0:25:18and Prince Albert was elected president of the governors.
0:25:20 > 0:25:25The first 76 boys arrived on 20 January in 1859.
0:25:25 > 0:25:2849 of them were army orphans,
0:25:28 > 0:25:31paying fees between £10 and £20 a year.
0:25:31 > 0:25:36The remaining 27 were sons of serving officers and civilians.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Since then, the school has gone from strength to strength.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Today, it's a thoroughly modern public school.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43I'm here to meet former pupil, Patrick Mileham. Hello!
0:25:43 > 0:25:48- How do you do?- Pleased to meet you. How would the school have been in its very early days?
0:25:48 > 0:25:52When it was opened by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
0:25:52 > 0:25:54back in 1859,
0:25:54 > 0:26:01it had sprung up within three years on a particularly awful piece of land.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03- A wilderness.- It was barren.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07Barren sand, heath, gorse, the back of beyond!
0:26:07 > 0:26:09This must have looked like a beacon of hope back then?
0:26:09 > 0:26:11- Striking architecture.- Well, it is.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15It was built to dominate, because it was built in the heroic style.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18It must have been pretty grim, to start off with.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Rising up as it does starkly from the wilderness.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25And for the first boys, it must have been quite a shock
0:26:25 > 0:26:29to stumble across this building and realise you were here for six months
0:26:29 > 0:26:31for your first term.
0:26:31 > 0:26:38They were taught by mainly clergymen in the traditional Victorian education system.
0:26:38 > 0:26:44But they had their fun, too, and they pretty quickly took to sports and rugby was established early.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48Cross-country running, presided over by Charles Kingsley of Muscular Christianity.
0:26:48 > 0:26:53A lot of the early pupils would have gone into the army once they'd finished their education here.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56That is true. They were sons of soldiers
0:26:56 > 0:27:00and naturally, a lot of them went into the same profession.
0:27:00 > 0:27:05As a mark of how highly Queen Victoria esteemed the college and the boys,
0:27:05 > 0:27:07many of whom would join the Establishment,
0:27:07 > 0:27:09she was there to inaugurate it.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14That's the main gate, where Queen Victoria would have arrived by horse-drawn carriage.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18You can imagine the sense of urgency and importance as she came through that arch.
0:27:18 > 0:27:23Up there is the college motto, "Sons of Heroes", which is very appropriate.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27Brave fathers gave their lives at the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Up there is Wellington's motto.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31"Fortune favours the brave."
0:27:31 > 0:27:34There he is, the iron duke, the Duke of Wellington,
0:27:34 > 0:27:36looking down on us.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42150 years ago, the college stood out in open countryside.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Today, that landscape has matured.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48It's now surrounded by 400 acres of lush parkland.
0:27:48 > 0:27:49Much here has changed,
0:27:49 > 0:27:53but the college philosophy of duty, courage and the spirit of public service
0:27:53 > 0:27:57is thriving, as a living memorial to one of our greatest heroes.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12I hope we've opened your eyes to the flamboyance and inventiveness
0:28:12 > 0:28:16of Victoriana in all its varied glory.
0:28:18 > 0:28:19Well, that's it for today.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22Join me again soon for more Trade Secrets.