0:00:02 > 0:00:06'Welcome to the show that aims to put you in the know
0:00:06 > 0:00:10'when it comes to buying and selling antiques and collectables.'
0:00:12 > 0:00:15- Wonderful tea set! - Oh, I love this. I love this.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18With over ten years of Flog It behind us,
0:00:18 > 0:00:23that's hundreds of programmes and many thousands of your objects valued and sold.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27This is where we let you into some of our trade secrets.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01In today's show, we are looking with envy at the eagle-eyed amongst you
0:01:01 > 0:01:03who can spot a car-boot gem at 100 paces.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Now, is it good luck or is it good judgement?
0:01:06 > 0:01:08I don't know. Maybe it's both.
0:01:08 > 0:01:13'Coming up, we're astonished buy your car-boot finds.'
0:01:13 > 0:01:17It really is the most exquisite embroidery box that I've seen.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20- Car-boot?- Car-boot.
0:01:20 > 0:01:26'We see how some of you have the talent to turn purchases made from a few pennies into some serious cash.'
0:01:26 > 0:01:30- Finished? You got it. - Well done!- Thank you, Paul.
0:01:30 > 0:01:37'And I send out two of our Flog It experts to see if this car-booting lark is as easy as it seems.'
0:01:37 > 0:01:40- MIMICS HUNTING HORN - Go on, then. Ready, steady, go.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Go! Come on! Come on, Phil! Come on, man!
0:01:43 > 0:01:45He's mad, absolutely mad.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52At pretty much every Flog It valuation day, we encounter someone
0:01:52 > 0:01:55who has made an incredible car-boot find,
0:01:55 > 0:01:58whether it's jewellery, ceramics or bronzes.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02You have taught us that it pays to keep your eyes peeled at all times,
0:02:02 > 0:02:04because there are wonderful things out there
0:02:04 > 0:02:08waiting to be picked up at car-boot sales all over the country.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12Get up early, get out there early
0:02:12 > 0:02:15and go round quickly and see if you can spot anything.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Don't, you know, go laden with books.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21The best thing you can do is go laden with speed
0:02:21 > 0:02:23and get round as quickly as possible.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27The one thing you have to do is forget all manners.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31As soon as the car opens its boot, get in there and start rummaging.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35That's the key, I think. Because there are treasures to be unearthed.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39Don't buy anything you wouldn't want to put on your mantelpiece.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41There's an awful lot of rubbish at car-boot sales
0:02:41 > 0:02:44and I'm sure people buy things and get them home and think,
0:02:44 > 0:02:48"Heavens, what have I bought this for?" So don't do that.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52'At our valuation days, I'm often in awe of people
0:02:52 > 0:02:56'who've found good antiques for next to nothing at car-boot sales.
0:02:56 > 0:03:02'Philip Serrell was stumped for once when he came across Linda and her extraordinary vase.'
0:03:02 > 0:03:05He's a monster. Where did you buy it?
0:03:05 > 0:03:07- I bought it from a car-boot.- Right.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10- How much did you pay for it? - Do you really want to know?- Go on.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13- Three quid. - Do you have any conscience at all?
0:03:13 > 0:03:16No, he wanted to get rid of it. He even carried it to the car for me.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20- You bought this for three quid? - Yeah. Yeah.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22- So, what is it?- Burmantofts. - How do you know?
0:03:22 > 0:03:26- It says so on the bottom. - No flies on you, is there?
0:03:26 > 0:03:28It was an ideal example of someone who'd gone out,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31they'd had a go, they'd bought something,
0:03:31 > 0:03:35it wasn't overly expensive, but they used their eye.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38That's what guided Linda to buy that in the first place.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40And I think that's fantastic.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44You know, it was a spur of the moment thing, "That's cheap. I'll buy it."
0:03:44 > 0:03:46It's a double-gourd shape,
0:03:46 > 0:03:51- which is almost sort of Chinese in inspiration. - Yeah.- Going back hundreds of years.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53- Yeah.- And you've got this, sort of,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56monumental lizard
0:03:56 > 0:03:58or dragon crawling all around it.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01With another little lizard here.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03And if we just turn him over,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06we can just see here the Burmantofts mark on the base.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10The thing about Burmantofts is, they made all sorts of different things,
0:04:10 > 0:04:14but Linda's vase, in a way, it was quite grotesque,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17and that typified their wares of that period.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20- It is cracked.- Cracked? Cracked?
0:04:20 > 0:04:22Cracked isn't the word for it!
0:04:22 > 0:04:25We've got a chunk out of the lizard here.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29- We've got all this damage to the top...- Yeah.- ..just here.
0:04:29 > 0:04:34And, erm, we've got the crack to end them all,
0:04:34 > 0:04:36that sort of goes all the way round it.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41What's it worth perfect? Cos it's easy to value these things perfect, right?
0:04:41 > 0:04:46Well, people tell me if it's later, a different design, the Persian design, it could be thousands.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48So I would say 100, 150.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52- You think this is worth £100, £150? - Perhaps, if it was good. - If it was good, right.
0:04:52 > 0:04:57Well, I think if this was good, this would be worth between £1,500 and £2,000.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01- Oh, my goodness! If it was good? - Yeah.- Oh, amazing!- Yeah.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05- Amazing. But it's not. - But it clearly is not good.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09Because you've got such a huge financial outlay involved in this...
0:05:09 > 0:05:14- I know.- ..I don't want to see you lose money. That three quid is very precious.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18- I think what we'll do is, I'm going to put on this what I call a "come and buy me" estimate.- Oh, yeah.
0:05:18 > 0:05:23- I'm going to put on this £100 to £200.- Amazing.
0:05:23 > 0:05:28'The big question is, did Linda's bargain basement find manage to turn a profit?'
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Looks like it's been under the hammer already,
0:05:30 > 0:05:34but never mind, it would've been a lovely vase originally.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37Who'll give me £100 anyway? It's got to be worth that sort of money.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40£100. 110. 120.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43130. 140. 150. 160.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44Yes? 170. 180.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47190? No, 180 with H42.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51190 here. At 190. Fresh money at 190.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54All done at 190? Any more?
0:05:54 > 0:05:58- HAMMER BANGS Well done!- Yes! £190, Linda.
0:05:58 > 0:05:59- That is fantastic.- It's marvellous.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03The Burmantofts jardiniere had very, very serious damage.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07And I thought the sale price was pretty strong, bearing that in mind.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11I think if it was perfect, it would've been in the region of £1,000 to £1,500,
0:06:11 > 0:06:16but it was far from perfect, and the restoration cost on that would've been immense.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18So I think it was a pretty good price.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22'On Flog It, we're always making the point that condition is key,
0:06:22 > 0:06:25'particularly when it comes to ceramics.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28'However, Linda proved when it's been bought at rock bottom price
0:06:28 > 0:06:32'at a boot sale, it's possible to turn a tidy profit
0:06:32 > 0:06:34'on a cracked and battered vase.
0:06:34 > 0:06:39'Now, there's something you're guaranteed to find at a car-boot sale,
0:06:39 > 0:06:43'though it normally holds little interest for serious collectors.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46'I'm talking about children's toys
0:06:46 > 0:06:52'and Mark Stacey was enchanted by a children's play thing which made him feel a bit nostalgic.'
0:06:52 > 0:06:56Jeanette, David, this really takes me back to my childhood.
0:06:56 > 0:07:01Sitting at home, just at tea time, waiting for The Magic Roundabout to start.
0:07:01 > 0:07:07- Tell me, where did you get it from? - I got it from a car-boot sale about 20 years ago.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09- And I paid £1 for it.- Good lord.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12I loved The Magic Roundabout as a child.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15I mean, the theme tune itself
0:07:15 > 0:07:17just got me straight in front of the television.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Who was your favourite? Mine was Ermintrude, the cow.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24You know, with the flower that went across.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27I didn't like Dylan, or the one that bounced up and down.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31Things like The Magic Roundabout now have become quite a cult show.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34- Mm-hm.- You know, amongst collectors.
0:07:34 > 0:07:39And not only have we got all the pieces here, but of course, more importantly,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42we've got the original box.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Now, this particular toy
0:07:45 > 0:07:49was brought out between 1974 and 1976.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52So a little after the show started.
0:07:52 > 0:07:57It was made by Corgi Toys, who originally started in the 1950s.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00And they are a well-known name.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02The other nice thing you've got, of course,
0:08:02 > 0:08:06is we've got a little spare tray.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10Yes. The persons who bought it originally bought a spare one
0:08:10 > 0:08:13so it would stay brand new, and it's unopened.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Having the original packaging is key.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20Even if the packaging is slightly damaged, it's better to have it with it.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Condition is everything. If there's damage or if there's scratches,
0:08:24 > 0:08:26it really does put collectors off.
0:08:26 > 0:08:31Sensibly, one would put it into a sale at £400 to £600,
0:08:31 > 0:08:36something like that, with a 400 discretionary reserve.
0:08:36 > 0:08:42'Bought for £1, how much profit did The Magic Roundabout toy make?'
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Boing! It's time for bed. Yes, that jogs the memory.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47It's the whole game of The Magic Roundabout.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50It was valued at £400 to £600,
0:08:50 > 0:08:56but you've had a word with the auctioneer and you think that you would like a little bit more,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59- so you've actually upped the reserve...- Yes, I have.- ..to 500.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03It does happen occasionally on Flog It, vendors will go home,
0:09:03 > 0:09:05have a sleep on it, talk to other members of the family
0:09:05 > 0:09:10and they'll decide, actually, they weren't terribly happy with the suggested reserve.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12And they'll have a word with the auctioneer. That's fine.
0:09:12 > 0:09:17That's life. I'd rather them be comfortable in the price that we sell it for.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20290. 300. 320.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23340. 360. 380. 400.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26- 420. 440. 460. - This is good. They like it.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29490. 500 with you, £500.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33520 anywhere? £500 then, it's away on my left.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36At £500. In the door at £500. All finished?
0:09:36 > 0:09:38- I can't believe it. - What a good result.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42Well, it's not going home, but 500 quid is.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46£500, I suppose, sounds a lot of money for something which is relatively modern.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48But, of course, the condition was good,
0:09:48 > 0:09:54and you had an unopened toy train inside with all the little animals and things on it.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56And the box was there.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00Of course, you should go into your loft. We've all got things hidden away.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03I've got a Lady Penelope toothbrush at home that my dentist gave me,
0:10:03 > 0:10:07which I haven't opened, but she was my favourite Thunderbird.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10'What a fantastic price for that car-boot toy.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14'The Magic Roundabout has attained cult status today.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17'And if you've got the talent to spot what's going to be the next big thing,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20'my advice is snap up the merchandise
0:10:20 > 0:10:23'and then tuck it away for a few decades.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27'Now, you might expect to see plastic toys for a few pennies at a boot sale,
0:10:27 > 0:10:31'but some people find things altogether more unexpected.'
0:10:31 > 0:10:33Tell me about it. Where did you find it?
0:10:33 > 0:10:35Well, I bought him about three years ago
0:10:35 > 0:10:39- from a car-boot sale in Horwich... - A car-boot?- A car-boot,
0:10:39 > 0:10:41believe it or not. And he just really appealed to me.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45He really did. He just took my fancy and I really liked him.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49I'm not surprised. A car-boot sale. What did you pay? Don't tell me, £2.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53- No, I paid 100 for him.- 100. - £100 I paid, yeah.- OK.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56The dealer or the car-booter
0:10:56 > 0:11:00obviously realised it was something that wasn't rubbish,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03because otherwise why put £100 on it?
0:11:03 > 0:11:07But what I don't understand is that when you realise
0:11:07 > 0:11:10that something's probably worth £100,
0:11:10 > 0:11:14why not research it? Why not find out?
0:11:14 > 0:11:16Why not take it to Flog It yourself?
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Let's have a good look at him.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23The first thing to say is he's a dark patinated bronze.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25This isn't his natural colour.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29The bronze, when he was made, would've been more of a brass colour.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32So when people go home and they polish a bronze,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36- they're not just making it shine, they're ruining the whole patination...- Right.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38..that was designed for the initial look.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40Now, if we have a look at the base,
0:11:40 > 0:11:45there's a little signature there, L-E-Q-U-E-S-N-E, Lequesne.
0:11:45 > 0:11:50Now, that's Eugene-Louis Lequesne, who was a sculptor
0:11:50 > 0:11:52working in Paris in the 19th century,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55and he was one of the most famous sculptors of his time.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59'Having a signed bronze is no different to having a signed picture.'
0:11:59 > 0:12:03It's almost the guarantee that it has a value
0:12:03 > 0:12:07that will not just fall away into nothing.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11The fact that it's signed, the fact that you can put a name to it,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13gives you that bit of extra confidence.
0:12:13 > 0:12:18But realistically, it shouldn't be that that makes you buy it.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20You should always look at the object first,
0:12:20 > 0:12:24and the signature should be the confirmation that it's good.
0:12:24 > 0:12:29This piece will appeal to so many different areas of collecting.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31People that collect bronzes in their own right,
0:12:31 > 0:12:35people that are just interior designers,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38and people that just want him for what he is, a bit of fun.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41- I would like to see an estimate of 300 to 500.- Right. - A reserve of 300.- Right.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44But he'll do more than that.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46'Did the bidders think Laura's bargain bronze
0:12:46 > 0:12:49'was worth more than the £100 she paid?'
0:12:49 > 0:12:51400 here on the internet. £400.
0:12:51 > 0:12:5320 anywhere? At 20. 420 the phone.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56Do you want... 540.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59- This is great!- That is good.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02580. 600.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06- 620.- 620! See, you have got a great eye.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08You should still be going to buy bronzes.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11- I may do again.- I think you will.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14700. 720.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16740.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21720 here. At £720. On this phone at 720.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24Anyone else? 720. All finished?
0:13:24 > 0:13:28- Yes!- Wonderful!- That little bronze certainly called a tune there.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31£720!
0:13:31 > 0:13:34It sold pretty well, that one. It was a good estimate by James.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37It was a nice conservative guide price to show the buyers that it's on the market.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40We always like that, not overpriced,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43and that gives bidders the freedom to have a good bid at it.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45'Bronzes are always collectable.
0:13:45 > 0:13:50'There's a huge market for them amongst decorative art collectors.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54'And over the years on Flog It, we've seen many fabulous sculptures
0:13:54 > 0:13:57'which always fetch great prices.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00'But some bronzes can make absolutely staggering sums.
0:14:00 > 0:14:06'In 2010, Alberto Giacometti's 1960 sculpture of a man walking,
0:14:06 > 0:14:08'called L'homme qui marche,
0:14:08 > 0:14:13'sold for £58 million at auction in London.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18'If you're at a car-boot sale searching for bronzes, here are a few things you should bear in mind.'
0:14:18 > 0:14:21Who made it? When was it made?
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Is it in good condition?
0:14:24 > 0:14:26Does it have a good provenance?
0:14:27 > 0:14:31Is it something that is commercially saleable?
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Have a look at the base. If it's showing yellowing on the metal,
0:14:34 > 0:14:38it's bronze, if it's showing white then it's a white metal, such as spelter.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40The other thing is a magnet test.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44Bronze is not magnetic, but cast iron is.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48So often cast iron figures were patinated to look like bronze.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Get your little magnet out, should be part of your toolkit,
0:14:51 > 0:14:53along with your eyeglass and everything else,
0:14:53 > 0:14:55and have a final check with a magnet.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59If you've got a young, buxom, pretty girl with her top off,
0:14:59 > 0:15:05I have to say, it's worth ten times more than an old grizzly old man, looking miserable.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10So, same artist, same size sculpture, different subject matter, makes a huge difference.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13'Most importantly, if you're buying a bronze for yourself,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16- 'you can't go wrong with one you love.' - HAMMER BANGS
0:15:16 > 0:15:19'Often the car-booters we meet on Flog It
0:15:19 > 0:15:22'already know something about their item.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25'But at a valuation day in Twickenham, I met Joy,
0:15:25 > 0:15:29'who had no idea at all of the treasure she'd found.'
0:15:29 > 0:15:33- You've looked after it. - It hasn't been out of the box since I brought it home.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37And it really is the most exquisite embroidery box that I've seen.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41Shall we see if it's as good on the inside as it is on the out?
0:15:41 > 0:15:44Here goes. Opening up now.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46- That weighs a lot, doesn't it? - It does, it's very heavy.
0:15:46 > 0:15:52Pin cushions. Obviously, little sections here for buttons and things.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56- And there's like a false drawer... - That's right.- ..in there.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59- And how old do you think it is? - Oh, early 1800s.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02- No!- Yes, no later than 1820,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05- 1830 at the very latest.- Gosh!
0:16:05 > 0:16:10- Good heavens!- Yeah. It's so well-built, but look at the amount of ivory and horn there.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14- How much did you pay for this? - £4.- £4. Well...
0:16:15 > 0:16:18..shall we add an 0? And then add another 0?
0:16:20 > 0:16:23- That's £400.- No!- Base level.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27'What rewards did Joy reap on her £4 car-boot bargain?'
0:16:28 > 0:16:31£800. £800.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34- 850.- They're keen. They love it!
0:16:34 > 0:16:37£1,400 in the middle of the room. 1,400. 15 on the phone there.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41- I've still got five people bidding. 1,600.- 1,600.- No!
0:16:42 > 0:16:441,700. 1,800. 1,900.
0:16:44 > 0:16:462,000. 2,100.
0:16:46 > 0:16:482,200.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52Against you. No? All done at £2,200, then.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54- Finished? You've got it. - HAMMER BANGS
0:16:54 > 0:16:57- Well done!- Thank you, Paul! APPLAUSE
0:16:57 > 0:16:59They gave you a round of applause!
0:16:59 > 0:17:01£2,200.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05I just don't believe it.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08Joy certainly made a fantastic return on her car-boot bargain,
0:17:08 > 0:17:12turning £4 into a whopping £2,200.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16I wasn't surprised her sewing box sold so well.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20It had two qualities which really attracted serious antique collectors.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22Firstly, it was in great condition,
0:17:22 > 0:17:25and secondly, it had a good age to it.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29So what other things should eager bargain hunters look out for at a car-boot sale?
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Here's what we've learnt so far.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35'If you're at a boot sale buying a toy for the children,
0:17:35 > 0:17:39'consider whether it could become collectable in years to come.
0:17:39 > 0:17:45'If so, let your kids have their fun, but make sure you keep the original packaging.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48'It can make all the difference if you come to sell.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51'When contemplating whether to buy bronze,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54'first check to make sure it's the real deal.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58'Turn the sculpture over and look at the base to check the colour.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00'If it's yellow, it's likely to be bronze.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03'A name to look out for, apart from Lequesne,
0:18:03 > 0:18:08'is Franz Bergman, who created Austrian cold painted bronzes.
0:18:08 > 0:18:13'Many of his works are signed with a B in an urn-shaped cartouche.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15'When you're out and about at a car-boot sale,
0:18:15 > 0:18:19'the normal rules don't really apply. Consider every item you see.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22'When you're paying a pittance for an antique,
0:18:22 > 0:18:25'there's always going to be room for a profit.'
0:18:28 > 0:18:33I can't help but be inspired by those of you who get up early in the morning
0:18:33 > 0:18:35in pursuit of car-boot treasure.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Flog It's Caroline Hawley is a committed car-booter,
0:18:38 > 0:18:42and is very proud of one particular find.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45ROMANTIC MUSIC
0:18:48 > 0:18:51This is one of my favourite items of car-booty.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55I found it possibly 10, 15 years ago.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59And I asked the price and the chap said to me, "It's £4."
0:18:59 > 0:19:02And my look of horror, he said, "It is Christian Dior, love."
0:19:02 > 0:19:05So I paid him the four quid and I've worn it several times since.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08I do feel a little bit like an overstuffed sofa in it.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11However, it's corseted beautifully,
0:19:11 > 0:19:13from the chest right down to the hips.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16And that's what gives you, hopefully, a wonderful shape.
0:19:16 > 0:19:21All these bones here, which originally would've been whalebone,
0:19:21 > 0:19:26but this is from the 50s, so it's actually moved on to plastic stays there.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30Once that's on and you're safely hooked and eyed into it,
0:19:30 > 0:19:34then this dress goes over the top,
0:19:34 > 0:19:36and it is from the 1950s,
0:19:36 > 0:19:40beautiful shape, in silk velvet devore.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44It looks beautiful, it sounds beautiful as it moves,
0:19:44 > 0:19:48and it's unique and it's well worth the £4 I paid for it.
0:19:55 > 0:20:00It always amazes me how many of you can sniff out the most astonishing bargains at a car-boot sale.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04Now, how much of that is down to luck or good judgement?
0:20:04 > 0:20:11Well, to put it to the test, we asked two Flog It regulars to get up with the larks and go on a mission.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14'Britain is a nation of car-boot sale lovers.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19'Every year, we hold around 100,000 sales
0:20:19 > 0:20:24'with, on average, 2,000 to 3,000 eager bargain hunters pouring through the gates.'
0:20:24 > 0:20:27What have you done to me?
0:20:27 > 0:20:32This is the world of the Sunday morning car-boot, Philip. Come on!
0:20:33 > 0:20:36At this time on a Sunday morning, it's either golf,
0:20:36 > 0:20:40breakfast or reading the newspapers. It is not wandering round a field.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43It's rummaging through other people's stuff, Philip.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46You never know what you're going to find. Look at that!
0:20:46 > 0:20:48Laid before us.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Oh, hello. Right.
0:20:51 > 0:20:56"Good morning, gentlemen, and welcome to the Short Hills car-boot sale."
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Now, your mission, if you wish to accept it,
0:20:58 > 0:21:04is to search the car-boot sale in order to find a bargain piece of pottery or porcelain.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07Your budget is a whopping £25.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11"And the winner will be the person who I deem to have bought
0:21:11 > 0:21:15"the best bargain for the amount spent. Good luck, gentlemen."
0:21:15 > 0:21:17No, you can't get anything good for £25.
0:21:17 > 0:21:2025 quid is like a fortune at a car-boot!
0:21:20 > 0:21:24- It's a cheap day out, this! - So, is this it, then?
0:21:24 > 0:21:27- Yeah. This is it. - Over the top. Up and at 'em.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29MIMICS HUNTING HORN
0:21:29 > 0:21:32- Ready, steady, go! - Go! Come on! Come on, man!
0:21:32 > 0:21:35He's mad, absolutely mad.
0:21:36 > 0:21:42'Phil doesn't seem too keen, but Will's got off to an enthusiastic start.'
0:21:43 > 0:21:46If you ever see a crowd around a stall,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49always look over their shoulders in case you're missing something.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52- Ladies, how are you? Good morning. - ALL: Good morning!
0:21:52 > 0:21:54What's going on here, then? What's being bought?
0:21:54 > 0:21:57- We're trying to sell everything. - Are you?
0:21:57 > 0:21:59- We still haven't unpacked it all. - What are you ladies buying?
0:21:59 > 0:22:03- We're just browsing.- Are you? - Just looking for bargains.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06'Is it a case of the hare and the tortoise?'
0:22:06 > 0:22:10Nothing here is priced. How do I know how much that is?
0:22:10 > 0:22:12To me, I put it at about six quid.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16- You put that at six quid?- What would you put it at?- Not six quid.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20- Six quid is a very poorly octopus. - Uh-huh.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23- See, that's sick squid. - Yeah.- We got there. Good. Good.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26That's how much? You want 30 for that, young man?
0:22:26 > 0:22:28- Or 25.- Or 25.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32See, it's coming down, coming down. Why aren't you out playing football?
0:22:36 > 0:22:38Skipping Monkey. A bit like Philip this morning.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43It's no good walking past a box like this, is it? You've got to have a rummage, have a look.
0:22:43 > 0:22:48What's down the bottom? A boat in a bell.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50What more do you want on a Sunday morning?
0:22:50 > 0:22:54Look at him. Look at him over there.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56He's rummaging through someone's boxes.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01Honestly, this is just like a different culture to me.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06'Philip gets down to the nitty-gritty on prices.'
0:23:06 > 0:23:08- Everything's £1 or 50p? - More or less.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13I mean, if you put it at £2, there'll say £1. So, you know...
0:23:13 > 0:23:15If you've got something priced at six quid,
0:23:15 > 0:23:18- what do you expect them to say then?- Three.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22- And if they said £1, what would you say?- Well, it depends how late it is in the day.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25- So the later on, the cheaper the prices?- I would've thought so.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27So if I come back at 2 o'clock, you'll give it away?
0:23:27 > 0:23:29Just take the lot, yeah. SHE LAUGHS
0:23:29 > 0:23:33'Will's extolling the virtues of car-booting.'
0:23:33 > 0:23:38You're not going to find something that belongs in a museum at a car-boot, unless you're very lucky.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41What was it recently, the old Thunderball watch, wasn't it?
0:23:41 > 0:23:44- Did you see that?- No. I didn't see it, I heard about it.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48£25. £25 it was bought for at a car-boot.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51Thunderball watch. Breitling.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54I think it sold the other day, it made over 100,000.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57You just never know what you're going to find.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59'That's right.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03'You've had enough fun, chaps, time to make your choices
0:24:03 > 0:24:06'before the boots slam shut and the cars go home.'
0:24:06 > 0:24:08- Are you a regular?- No, I just do it as a bit of a hobby.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11That's a nice teapot, isn't it?
0:24:11 > 0:24:16- That was my mum's.- Was it?- Yeah. - It's got a chip in, look at that.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20- Faulty goods.- It's very old. - So am I, I ain't worth anything.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24- My budget's £1.- No, I can't do it. - Oh, behave!
0:24:24 > 0:24:28- Go on, then.- Are you sure? - I'll give you it.- You're an angel.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Cheers, my love. Let me just find a pound for you, hold on.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35I've taken a bit of a gamble here because that is like...
0:24:35 > 0:24:37That's like a rum baba and a black forest gateaux.
0:24:37 > 0:24:42You know, it's just real 1970s, but people did used to collect teapots.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44I just hope it's Paul's cup of tea.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46Morning!
0:24:48 > 0:24:50- Got some interesting little bits. All from your own home, is it?- Yes.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56- What about something like that? - Four.- £4.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59I quite like that. Don't you like that? It's rather...
0:25:00 > 0:25:02It's good, isn't it? Nice colour.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04Do you think you'd take three for it?
0:25:04 > 0:25:08- £3.50.- Oh! Look, I'm being screwed to the floor.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12- £3.50.- Lovely.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15- Thank you very much. Good luck for the rest of the day.- Thank you.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20Hallmarked up at the bottom. CH Brannam, Barnstable.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Made in England.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27A genuine bit of English art pottery.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31£3.50. It's nothing, is it? Less than a burger.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36'Job done! Time for a coffee.'
0:25:36 > 0:25:39How have you found it, Philip? Survived? It's not that bad, is it?
0:25:39 > 0:25:42Well, all this expertise and we come back with two polystyrene cups.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45- Yeah, mine's got a rather nice coffee in it. - I found it really hard.- Did you?
0:25:45 > 0:25:50Yeah, because it's just a complete alien sort of concept to me, all this.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52I know where you're coming from.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57- It is harder and harder, I'll give you that...- It's impossible. - ..to find a real, proper antique.
0:25:57 > 0:26:03'Will's up for anything, but Philip clearly feels more at home at an auction or high-end antiques fairs.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06'You've both done well though, fellas.'
0:26:06 > 0:26:09- Well, I'm actually quite pleased. - Shall we go together?- Yeah, go on.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12- Uno.- Dos.- Tres. - Oh, nearly dropped it.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Ah, there's a shock, we both bought pots!
0:26:15 > 0:26:17- Look! Has yours got anything in it? - No.- Maybe a...
0:26:18 > 0:26:23- Cheers, Philip. - Yeah, good health, mate. - It's been emotional.- Yeah, wicked.
0:26:27 > 0:26:32Well, it's the result time. Who has the best eye?
0:26:32 > 0:26:36Let me see. Well, quite honestly, that is a bargain.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39That's a teapot you could use today.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42And that is actually hand-decorated, that's not a transfer.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47That's not bad, actually, for £1. That's very usable.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52And for £3.50, well, actually, this is Brannam, look.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56We've seen that on the show before. It's from Barnstaple. It's all in the clay.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00Down in the West Country. That is nicely thrown.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03Architecturally, it's a good height. I like the strap handle.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07You know, a lot of traditional country skills going on there,
0:27:07 > 0:27:11and it's really true to the principles of hand-thrown pottery.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13It's a good contemporary colour, as well.
0:27:13 > 0:27:20I think, if you had to sell these, that one would turn the best profit.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22'Congratulations, Will.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25'I estimated his tankard at £30 to £50.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29'And Philip's teapot at £20 to £30.
0:27:29 > 0:27:36'Proof positive that Flog It's finest aren't as good as you at spotting bargains at car-boot sales.
0:27:41 > 0:27:45'If you're hunting for bargains, there's something you need to be wary of,
0:27:45 > 0:27:48'especially if you're parting with serious cash.'
0:27:48 > 0:27:52- They're all from car-boot sales and they're all different prices. - Really?- Yes.
0:27:52 > 0:27:57I was frightfully excited when I looked into your bag and saw this.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01I thought this is item of the day on Flog It.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05Erm, it's silver. It's Russian.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08It purports to be 1884.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11- And it's fake.- Oh, no! THEY LAUGH
0:28:11 > 0:28:15'The business of faking is very lucrative. It goes back centuries.
0:28:15 > 0:28:21'It covers high-end items made by real craftsmen to mass-produced Chinese fakes.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25'Quite a few forgeries have crossed the Flog It tables over the years,
0:28:25 > 0:28:27'and it's been our experts' unenviable task
0:28:27 > 0:28:30'to break the bad news.'
0:28:30 > 0:28:32This one is the cheeky fake.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35- Made in brass.- OK.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37There are an awful lot of fakes on the market.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40That's the only thing that's going against it.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Because Blue John is so sought after, they're faking it.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47'So, what can you do to protect yourself?
0:28:47 > 0:28:53'When you're buying from a reputable dealer or auction house, check the description and provenance.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55'If you discover you've bought a fake when you get home,
0:28:55 > 0:28:58'you're well within your rights to return the item.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01'It's a different story when you're at a car-boot sale, though.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04'If you're thinking of parting with serious cash,
0:29:04 > 0:29:07'how can you make sure you're not buying a fake?
0:29:07 > 0:29:11'There are some things to look out for to give yourself a fighting chance.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14'Forged gold and silver items are rife on the market.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17'Fakes are made from base metals that have been gilded or silvered
0:29:17 > 0:29:20'and given false hallmarks.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23'When buying precious metals, look out for crisp hallmarks.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27'Forged ones tend to have a softer outline
0:29:27 > 0:29:29'as they've been stamped with a brass punch
0:29:29 > 0:29:32'rather than the hard steel ones used by the assay offices.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35'Gen up on where the marks should appear on a piece.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37'Forgers often put them in the wrong place.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41'And if you've got a silver item in several pieces,
0:29:41 > 0:29:44'make sure all of them bear the same hallmark.
0:29:44 > 0:29:49'And if you're buying coins made from precious metal, James has a word of advice.'
0:29:49 > 0:29:52If a gold coin is the right size,
0:29:52 > 0:29:55a fake will be too light.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59- But if it's the right weight, a fake will be too big.- OK.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03That one is the right size and the right weight. So that's good.
0:30:03 > 0:30:09'Another collectable that's a favourite with our Flog It audience is good old Clarice Cliff.
0:30:09 > 0:30:14'And it's Clarice's very popularity which makes her a target for forgers.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18'So, how can you tell if your Art Deco ceramic is the genuine article?'
0:30:18 > 0:30:21The style of the pottery, the glaze and everything, it's absolutely right.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25It's got this lovely yellowish tinge to the glaze on the underside,
0:30:25 > 0:30:28which is typical of a right piece.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30'You should also check the weight of your Clarice Cliff.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34'Fakes often feel too heavy or light.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38'No matter what you're collecting, the best way to make sure you don't get stung
0:30:38 > 0:30:42'is by taking time to research and get to know the genuine article.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45'Good luck next time you're scouring the sales for bargains.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48'And if you do get taken by a fake,
0:30:48 > 0:30:53'chalk it up to an experience and remember that it happens to the best of us.
0:30:59 > 0:31:04'Still to come, our experts continue to be wowed by the variety of your boot finds.'
0:31:04 > 0:31:07How on earth have you found that pile at a car-boot sale?
0:31:07 > 0:31:10When you put it like that, I don't want to touch it.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12'And you prove to us yet again that big profits
0:31:12 > 0:31:17- 'are to be had by the eagle-eyed among you.'- Did you enjoy that?
0:31:17 > 0:31:20£500. The hammer's gone down.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26'As Will and Philip found,
0:31:26 > 0:31:29'it's hard to find quality items at a car-boot sale
0:31:29 > 0:31:33'where most of what's on sale, frankly, is run-of-the-mill.
0:31:33 > 0:31:38'But there's plenty out there that's taken great skill and dedication to create.
0:31:38 > 0:31:43'In 2010, to learn more about the expertise involved in making something of quality
0:31:43 > 0:31:48'I visited Martin Andrews, a modern British glassmaker.'
0:31:48 > 0:31:52Traditional glassblowing has not really changed for 400 years.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55Same sort of tools, same benches.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58How do you go about making something like that? How do you get all the colours?
0:31:58 > 0:32:05- In the furnace, I have clear glass. - Yes.- All the colour is added while it's still a solid blob.- Mm-hm.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07Once the design is on, then you start to blow the shape.
0:32:07 > 0:32:12- Gosh, it sounds hit and miss to me. It really... It's experimental. - It's quite specific.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16With glass-blowing, you have no second chances.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19- It's not like clay, you can't go back and patch it up.- No.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22- You get one chance. - You have to get it right.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25The skill of the glassmaker is working as fast as possible.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27You are literally chasing it.
0:32:27 > 0:32:32The working temperature of the glass is between 600 and 1,000 degrees.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35And it will go through that temperature barrier in about 40 seconds.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39So every time you reheat it, you've got about 40 seconds to do something with it.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41- And then you reheat it.- Got you.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44So you're up and down the bench a lot.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46I really do love that. I love the colours in that.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48I love the golden hues.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52Could I ask you to show me how to make something? For a novice like me to attempt something like that?
0:32:52 > 0:32:57- I'd like to have a go at that. - OK.- I really would. Because it looks like a big challenge.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59- OK, let's go and have a go. - How long will that take?
0:32:59 > 0:33:04- It would take about an hour... with my help.- Come on, then.- OK.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11This is actually for real, we're going to take an hour to do this.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13And, erm, I don't know what to do, so just talk me through it.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17OK. You start by heating that up. Get that hot. Just keep it there.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21- OK.- We want to heat the tip up, so it's hot enough for the glass to stick to it when we gather.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24I'm actually feeling quite nervous, to tell you the truth.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26Cos I want this to really work well.
0:33:26 > 0:33:30OK. I think we can take that out. That's fine. Right.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33- Now you're going to gather from the furnace.- Right.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36- You do the first gather. - Gosh, that's hot!
0:33:36 > 0:33:39And you need to be in and out in about seven seconds. OK?
0:33:39 > 0:33:42Keep turning. Keep turning.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44And go to the bench. Don't touch.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47Roll it forward, use all of your arm.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53OK, and we're just going to reheat that, so put the paper down.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55Reheat it in the glory hole.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02- Keep turning?- Keep turning it. - It's not easy, is it?- No.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05I'm actually quite frightened!
0:34:05 > 0:34:07I'll put some of the other colour out, as well.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10And this is cooling all the time now.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13It's cooling, but the coloured glass is still sticking to the clear glass.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16So from here, OK...
0:34:16 > 0:34:21- Pulling back all the time.- Yeah, that's good. So take it off. OK.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24- Now, the hard bit is actually a technique called thumbing.- OK.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27So what you need to do is blow down...
0:34:28 > 0:34:31- Blow with this in your mouth.- Yep.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35Put your thumb over it and trap the air so the air expands in the pipe.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37- Like that? Now? Ready? One big blow? - Yep.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42That's good.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45It's got a little bit larger but you now need to reheat and...
0:34:45 > 0:34:48- Keep my thumb on the end? - No.- No.- No.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52I see, you could do this several times.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56- You could just keep going until you're happy with the size of the air bubble?- Yeah.
0:34:56 > 0:35:01- Roll. Turn.- Oh, wow. - And then back the other way.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09- That's good.- That's better. - Now blow.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12It's looking more like a light bulb at the moment.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16It's getting bigger and bigger. It's getting harder to come out of that glory hole.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19- OK, Martin?- OK. - Yeah?- Out you come, yeah.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21Agh!
0:35:21 > 0:35:24Nearly, nearly. Oh!
0:35:24 > 0:35:26- That's it. - Hang on, hang on, hang on.
0:35:26 > 0:35:31- Agh! - Ohh. That's it. I've just ruined it.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34Nearly had it. That was about 55 minutes' work, wasn't it?
0:35:34 > 0:35:37- Sorry.- That's all right. Never mind.
0:35:37 > 0:35:42- What happens to that now?- Er, well, we'll just put that into the bin.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45Unfortunately, you caught the side and it collapsed.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49- It's so difficult, isn't it? - It is. It's very, very difficult.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51- It is.- Thank you so much, you've been brilliant.
0:35:51 > 0:35:57We were so close. Ten minutes away from seeing that dish open up.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01But I said we'd only do it once, didn't I? I said we'd have an hour on this.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03'That's why I love antiques.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06'I greatly admire the talent of the craftsmen and women
0:36:06 > 0:36:10'who spend years honing their skills to create them.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12'So, next time you see something for sale,
0:36:12 > 0:36:17'especially if it's a bargain, just think of all the effort that went into making it.'
0:36:20 > 0:36:24You know James Lewis. He's a man with a passion for antiques and collectables.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27But what you probably don't know is how far he is prepared to go
0:36:27 > 0:36:29to get his hands on something he wants.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39Well, when it comes to sentiment,
0:36:39 > 0:36:42that old piece of iron there, my old camper van,
0:36:42 > 0:36:46has got to be the most sentimental thing that I own.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49I know they became really fashionable about ten years ago
0:36:49 > 0:36:52and lots of TV presenters started buying them
0:36:52 > 0:36:54because they were the thing to have, but I have to say,
0:36:54 > 0:36:57that's been mine since just about the day I was born.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00I was brought back from hospital in it when I was born,
0:37:00 > 0:37:02I learnt to drive in it,
0:37:02 > 0:37:04I went to university, I came back
0:37:04 > 0:37:07and my parents had sold it. Heartbroken.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Saw it in the local garage, they wouldn't let me buy it back
0:37:10 > 0:37:13cos it was a rust trap, they said, and then five years on,
0:37:13 > 0:37:18I saw it on the M1 and I followed it all the way from Leeds down to Rugby
0:37:18 > 0:37:21and flagged it over on the side of the M1,
0:37:21 > 0:37:26totally illegal, I know, but I bought it off him there and then, £2,500.
0:37:26 > 0:37:31And it took years of love and work
0:37:31 > 0:37:34and lots of money to get it restored.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37But it's back to full glory now and it's on the road
0:37:37 > 0:37:40and it does still have the odd thing that goes wrong,
0:37:40 > 0:37:42I lost a hubcap on the way here,
0:37:42 > 0:37:46and it's not as reliable as a modern car,
0:37:46 > 0:37:48but I absolutely love it.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50I've been round Scotland in it last year
0:37:50 > 0:37:53and camped rough on the Isle of Mull and Skye,
0:37:53 > 0:37:57and I have to say, I would never, ever be without it.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05If you haven't had much luck at a car-boot sale, don't despair.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09There are plenty of Flog It stories of astonishing finds
0:38:09 > 0:38:11that will inspire you to delve a bit deeper
0:38:11 > 0:38:13and rummage a little bit further.
0:38:13 > 0:38:18Don't be frightened to lift up things, cos often it's just thrown around.
0:38:18 > 0:38:23Have a rummage. You never know, you might find a rare Lalique vase. It does happen, you know?
0:38:23 > 0:38:26You could be looking for early children's books,
0:38:26 > 0:38:29anything like that, anything that isn't obviously valuable.
0:38:29 > 0:38:36Look in boxes, because sometimes there can be a work box that they're asking £30,
0:38:36 > 0:38:40but inside the work box, there can be a diamond ring.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Keep your eye open for the good factories.
0:38:43 > 0:38:47If you buy quality, you'll always do well on that.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49If you don't make a profit, you can enjoy living with it.
0:38:49 > 0:38:53'I would've thought, in today's antique-savvy climate,
0:38:53 > 0:38:57'it would be impossible to pick up a ceramic by a well-known factory
0:38:57 > 0:39:01'at a boot sale. But a sharp-eyed couple proved me wrong.'
0:39:01 > 0:39:03They are, of course, Moorcroft,
0:39:03 > 0:39:05which is one of my favourites.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07Can you tell me where you got them?
0:39:07 > 0:39:12- Betty purchased them. - I bought them at a car-boot sale.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15- Aye. Quite near here, yes. - Was it at Kinghorn?- Kinghorn.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19A car-boot sale? A pair of Moorcroft vases?
0:39:19 > 0:39:22- How much did you pay for them? - I think they were £2 each.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25- £2 each?- I think so.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27- Do you go to car-boot sales a lot? - Oh, yes.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30- Are you avid collectors?- Yes.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32- Are you mad collectors?- Yes.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35- Magpies.- Magpies.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39Well done on them. They will have developed an eye
0:39:39 > 0:39:42over a period of time,
0:39:42 > 0:39:44and this is what you've got to do.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47Keep looking, keep lifting,
0:39:47 > 0:39:50keep touching, look at it upside-down,
0:39:50 > 0:39:53ring it to see if it's whole.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56The more you handle wonderful items,
0:39:56 > 0:39:59the more you will learn about them.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01If we look at the back stamp here,
0:40:01 > 0:40:06we can see the blue stamp here, the Moorcroft stamp,
0:40:06 > 0:40:08and "Made in England."
0:40:08 > 0:40:12These little ones here are from about the 1930s
0:40:12 > 0:40:15and they're called the Wheatsheaf pattern.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19They weren't what you would expect from Moorcroft.
0:40:19 > 0:40:24They were quite an unusual pattern, this wheatsheaf pattern,
0:40:24 > 0:40:26they were small, they were pretty enough,
0:40:26 > 0:40:29but they didn't look the deal.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32If they were coming into auction,
0:40:32 > 0:40:36I would put a conservative estimate of 150 to 250 on them.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39- Would you be happy to sell them at that?- Yes.- Ecstatic.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41- Ecstatic! - SHE LAUGHS
0:40:41 > 0:40:47'So, how did the £4 pair of Moorcroft vases do at auction?'
0:40:47 > 0:40:50I'll start them at £330.
0:40:50 > 0:40:54330 straight in. Oh, Betty!
0:40:55 > 0:40:58400.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02450.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04480.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08- Was this a "come and buy me"? - You know me, Paul.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12500. 500.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16- I'm wobbling. This is fantastic! - Phone beside me, £500.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19Would anyone else like in at £500?
0:41:19 > 0:41:22- At £500. - SHE BANGS HAMMER
0:41:22 > 0:41:25- How about that?- Did you enjoy that?
0:41:25 > 0:41:28These were a rare pattern.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31They weren't popular so not a lot of them were made,
0:41:31 > 0:41:36and this is what caused the feeding frenzy at the auction.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40'It was the rarity of the pattern that allowed lucky Betty and Jim
0:41:40 > 0:41:44'to snap up the vases. They must have been overlooked by the previous owner,
0:41:44 > 0:41:47'who hadn't realised their significance.
0:41:47 > 0:41:52'Many items you spot at a car-boot sale won't have a maker's mark to alert you to their quality.
0:41:52 > 0:41:56'Instead, you'll have to judge the workmanship for yourself.'
0:41:56 > 0:41:59This, I think, is just a miniature walking stick
0:41:59 > 0:42:03carved to show off the skills of the craftsman who made it.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07- Right.- And the quality really is very good.- Very good.
0:42:07 > 0:42:12- You know, if we look at this dragon, for example...- They're all intertwined, aren't they?
0:42:12 > 0:42:15Exactly. And then the handle
0:42:15 > 0:42:18just finishes in a sort of lotus flower, I think,
0:42:18 > 0:42:21with a bat, which is a curious motif.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25The nature of the decoration told me it was Chinese.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27I think it was probably made in Canton.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30The motifs were Chinese. There was a dragon,
0:42:30 > 0:42:33I referred to a bat, I think, on the handle.
0:42:33 > 0:42:38- I mean, the time it must have took to carve something like that... - Well, time was cheap, wasn't it?
0:42:38 > 0:42:41That's the thing. And they spent a long time making these.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45Mind you, having said that, they'd have carved it a jolly sight quicker than you and I
0:42:45 > 0:42:50- if we sat down with our Stanley knife and had a go at this. - I wouldn't attempt it.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54In order to make sure that something's ivory and not made of a substitute material,
0:42:54 > 0:42:56like plastic or resin,
0:42:56 > 0:42:59look for a figure, look for a grain in the material.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01Ivory has a very distinct grain.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04If that fails, and if no-one's looking,
0:43:04 > 0:43:06you can always heat up a hat pin...
0:43:06 > 0:43:09Do people still wear hat pins? I think probably not.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12But a needle, maybe, and shove it into it.
0:43:12 > 0:43:14And if it melts, then it's not ivory.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18- So, how did you come by it? - I bought it at a local car-boot.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21- Long ago?- About 12 months ago.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24I hardly dare ask how much to paid for it.
0:43:24 > 0:43:29- I gave £40 for it.- OK. So it wasn't a steal, was it? No.
0:43:29 > 0:43:34I don't think you're going to make a vast profit, but I think you'll make a good turn.
0:43:34 > 0:43:39I would be inclined to estimate it at £100 to £150.
0:43:39 > 0:43:45- So after your commission, with any luck, you'll just about double your money.- Double your money.
0:43:45 > 0:43:47I thought jolly good luck to him.
0:43:47 > 0:43:51It always makes me very cross when I hear people are picking these things up for next to nothing,
0:43:51 > 0:43:56cos whenever I go to a car-boot sale, all I see is old cylinder heads. I never see anything nice.
0:43:56 > 0:44:02'It's illegal to trade in ivory unless it was worked before the 1947 cut-off,
0:44:02 > 0:44:05'as David's walking stick was.
0:44:05 > 0:44:09'Ivory isn't to everyone's taste. Did this £40 buy find a buyer?'
0:44:09 > 0:44:11- Very nice find. - I thought it looked all right.
0:44:11 > 0:44:16It's in good company because there's a lot of other oriental artefacts here, so the buyers are here,
0:44:16 > 0:44:18and hopefully they'll find this one.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21230 online. 240. 240 now.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25250. 250 now. 300, back on the phone again.
0:44:25 > 0:44:27They're fighting this out, aren't they?
0:44:27 > 0:44:31At £400. Nothing in the room. The room's out. 400.
0:44:31 > 0:44:33420 online. Just when you thought you'd got it.
0:44:33 > 0:44:36Back online at 420 now. 440 now.
0:44:36 > 0:44:38460, thank you.
0:44:38 > 0:44:43- 500. At £500. - This is walking out, isn't it?
0:44:43 > 0:44:46At £500. Last call. 520.
0:44:46 > 0:44:48- How much? - HE LAUGHS
0:44:48 > 0:44:50At 520. Shakes his head.
0:44:50 > 0:44:53Back online it is, then, at £520.
0:44:53 > 0:44:56All out in the room. Bid's online. Phone's gone.
0:44:56 > 0:44:59- Selling at £520. - HE BANGS HAMMER
0:44:59 > 0:45:02Put it there. I take my hat off to anybody
0:45:02 > 0:45:06that can turn 40 quid from a car-boot sale into £520.
0:45:07 > 0:45:10'We're no strangers to walking sticks on Flog It.
0:45:10 > 0:45:14'They're popular with collectors because they come in all shapes and sizes,
0:45:14 > 0:45:18'from the rustic to those made of sharks' vertebrae,
0:45:18 > 0:45:21'to elegant silver-topped canes, to those with hidden surprises.
0:45:21 > 0:45:27'It's because there's so much diversity between sticks that some are priced at a few pounds
0:45:27 > 0:45:30'while others can command thousands at auction.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33'The most expensive walking stick we've ever sold on the show
0:45:33 > 0:45:37'was a wooden one from 1852
0:45:37 > 0:45:39'which had some interesting carvings on it.'
0:45:39 > 0:45:42All of these signs here
0:45:42 > 0:45:45are ciphers and emblems that would be known to Freemasons.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48'Despite there being a split in the wood,
0:45:48 > 0:45:50'the cane went for a great price at auction.'
0:45:50 > 0:45:54830. 835. 840.
0:45:54 > 0:45:56850. Let's get on with it. 860.
0:45:56 > 0:46:00870. 860 to my left.
0:46:00 > 0:46:03- 860 to my left.- Wonderful thing. - Not a bad ten bob's worth.- No.
0:46:03 > 0:46:05£860.
0:46:05 > 0:46:08Hammer's gone down. There's a sold sound.
0:46:08 > 0:46:10£860!
0:46:10 > 0:46:16'So if you're at a car-boot sale and you see a fine cane, don't just walk on by.
0:46:17 > 0:46:21'There are some bargain hunters who have disproved the theory
0:46:21 > 0:46:25'that it's always the early bird who bags the boot-sale bargain.'
0:46:25 > 0:46:28We've taken a real step back into Georgian England here
0:46:28 > 0:46:33with political and royal caricatures of the period.
0:46:33 > 0:46:39These are all dating to the late 18th and early 19th century.
0:46:39 > 0:46:43And we've got some really fantastic and famous names here.
0:46:43 > 0:46:48They are collected widely and there's a great market for them in the States
0:46:48 > 0:46:51and there are also very good collectors for them here in the UK.
0:46:51 > 0:46:54Tell me how you've come to have them in your possession.
0:46:54 > 0:46:57Well, I picked them up at a local car-boot sale...
0:46:57 > 0:47:01- HE LAUGHS Fantastic! - ..in the summer time for £10.
0:47:01 > 0:47:05I'd actually been there for about three hours
0:47:05 > 0:47:08and it was about quarter past one and I happened to see the folder.
0:47:08 > 0:47:13- That's incredible, isn't it?- Amazing. - It does just show you that bargains can still be had.
0:47:13 > 0:47:16How on earth have you found that pile at a car-boot sale?
0:47:16 > 0:47:19Not only that, he wasn't even an early bird.
0:47:19 > 0:47:23They'd been there, in that folio, throughout the entire day!
0:47:23 > 0:47:28How on earth could all those people have walked past them and thought, "They're not worth a tenner"?
0:47:28 > 0:47:32There are 25 pieces of 18th century caricature in there.
0:47:32 > 0:47:35"Can't possibly be worth a tenner." What are they thinking?
0:47:35 > 0:47:41We've got here a cartoon by one of the most famous people of the time
0:47:41 > 0:47:43- and that's George Cruikshank.- OK.
0:47:43 > 0:47:49Now, George Cruikshank took over as being the most popular characterist in about 1811.
0:47:49 > 0:47:52I would certainly say
0:47:52 > 0:47:57that you want to find caricatures that are in good condition,
0:47:57 > 0:48:01where they haven't been too trimmed at the sides,
0:48:01 > 0:48:05where there's a good margin around the print image.
0:48:05 > 0:48:07If they have been later coloured,
0:48:07 > 0:48:10then coloured delicately,
0:48:10 > 0:48:14not in red felt-tip or anything horrific.
0:48:14 > 0:48:18Erm, and by good artists, like Cruikshank.
0:48:18 > 0:48:22Each individual one takes a little time, if you're not a specialist,
0:48:22 > 0:48:24takes a little bit of time to do some research.
0:48:24 > 0:48:27And today, here in Northampton,
0:48:27 > 0:48:30- we're not going to have the right time to do it properly.- OK.
0:48:30 > 0:48:36So before we go down the line of value, I can tell you now, I'm not going to put a figure on these
0:48:36 > 0:48:38cos I want to do the research properly.
0:48:38 > 0:48:43I literally thought, "Right, OK, I've got something I don't know about, who knows?"
0:48:43 > 0:48:47And part of the role of a good auctioneer and valuer
0:48:47 > 0:48:49isn't necessarily knowing everything instantly.
0:48:49 > 0:48:53In fact, it's quite the opposite.
0:48:53 > 0:48:56You should always think, "Who knows more about this than me?"
0:48:56 > 0:48:58and go and ask a second opinion.
0:48:58 > 0:49:02Because you might think you know it, but half the time, you don't.
0:49:02 > 0:49:06So what I'll do today, I'll take them away, I'll do some research,
0:49:06 > 0:49:10and between us, we'll come up with a valuation for you and organise a reserve.
0:49:10 > 0:49:12- Is that all right? - Yeah, that's great.
0:49:12 > 0:49:16'What was James's estimate for Steven's £10 boot buy?'
0:49:16 > 0:49:20James, you've put £200 to £300 on this folio of caricatures.
0:49:20 > 0:49:23Not many people would buy them, but I think they are great.
0:49:23 > 0:49:27I really do. Good for you for picking them up at a tenner.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30£130. 130 I'm bid. 140. 150. 160.
0:49:30 > 0:49:33That's good. There's interest in the room.
0:49:33 > 0:49:35290.
0:49:36 > 0:49:40- 300.- Come on!- Oh, this is good news, Steven, isn't it?
0:49:40 > 0:49:43340. He's back in at 340. Telephone two at 340.
0:49:43 > 0:49:47360. On telephone one at 360.
0:49:47 > 0:49:51360. At 360. Look around the room again. At 360 on the telephone.
0:49:51 > 0:49:55- And selling away at £360. - The hammer's going down.
0:49:55 > 0:49:57- £360, guys!- Thank you very much.
0:49:57 > 0:49:59Wow, that's great news, isn't it?
0:49:59 > 0:50:04Interestingly, a lot of the collectors for political caricatures
0:50:04 > 0:50:06are modern-day politicians,
0:50:06 > 0:50:10so you've got a lot of knowledge in the houses of Westminster on this sort of stuff.
0:50:10 > 0:50:12And I have to say, that's actually where I went.
0:50:12 > 0:50:15I asked a couple of politicians what they thought
0:50:15 > 0:50:20and they gave me the odd tip and they turned out to be bang on.
0:50:20 > 0:50:23'That fantastic sale price was largely down to the research
0:50:23 > 0:50:26'James put in after the valuation day.
0:50:26 > 0:50:30'The lesson there is, it always pays to do your homework.
0:50:30 > 0:50:33'If you're hunting for antique caricatures,
0:50:33 > 0:50:36'keep an eye out for the big names, like George Cruikshank,
0:50:36 > 0:50:38'William Hogarth or James Gillray.
0:50:40 > 0:50:45'Some boot finds are much easier to date accurately than Steven's Georgian caricatures
0:50:45 > 0:50:48'as they have their provenance written all over them.'
0:50:48 > 0:50:51- Now, this is an interesting story, isn't it?- It is, yes.
0:50:51 > 0:50:54Thomas Ashmower, is that right?
0:50:54 > 0:50:58- 1795.- Yeah.- So, is he a relative?
0:50:58 > 0:51:01- No.- No?- No. - Have you had it a long time?
0:51:01 > 0:51:05- Probably about six months. - Six months?- Yeah.- OK.
0:51:05 > 0:51:09- Where did it come from? - Car-boot.- Car-boot. It was quite a bargain, was it?
0:51:09 > 0:51:12- I believe so, yeah.- Right. Tell me.
0:51:12 > 0:51:14- 30p.- 30p?
0:51:14 > 0:51:18The loving cup was a great object, one of the great car-boot finds
0:51:18 > 0:51:21of the programme that I've had involvement with, certainly.
0:51:21 > 0:51:23And it was so obvious it wasn't a fake.
0:51:23 > 0:51:27The age was written all over it and the marks, the telltale marks...
0:51:27 > 0:51:29I remember the lip and tooth marks on it.
0:51:29 > 0:51:33And just everything about it, you just knew it was 100 percent genuine.
0:51:33 > 0:51:36The crack there. Well, what do you expect, really?
0:51:36 > 0:51:39- That's where the mouth's been, isn't it?- Yep.- So you would expect that.
0:51:39 > 0:51:42- Yep. It's been...- And maybe that's from his teeth, do you think?
0:51:42 > 0:51:45- Could be. Yeah, that bit of wear from his teeth.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:51:45 > 0:51:47When you put it like that, I don't want to touch it.
0:51:47 > 0:51:50You don't? That's why I want to sell it.
0:51:50 > 0:51:54- Well, it is unusual.- Yeah.- I mean, the date appears to be right.
0:51:54 > 0:51:59It's not a fake or anything like that. It's 18th century. A piece of what we call pearl ware.
0:51:59 > 0:52:02It's all hand-painting. And, of course, the shape is a loving cup.
0:52:02 > 0:52:04The loving cup was a real antique.
0:52:04 > 0:52:08They were used, they were shared at weddings and banquets, as well, with the twin handles,
0:52:08 > 0:52:11and I was really enjoying just holding this one,
0:52:11 > 0:52:14because it really did feel like a piece of history in your hands.
0:52:14 > 0:52:16What do you think it's worth?
0:52:16 > 0:52:19Well, I did send it off with some photographs
0:52:19 > 0:52:22- to get it valued down in London. - Right.
0:52:22 > 0:52:27They estimated, hammer price, between £120 and £150.
0:52:27 > 0:52:31- Well, I think that's a fairly good guide from a photograph.- Yeah.
0:52:31 > 0:52:35- My first thought was £100 to £150. - Yeah.- Similar thing.
0:52:35 > 0:52:37'Malcolm's bargain 30 pence loving cup
0:52:37 > 0:52:41'was sold at James Lewis's auction house. How did it fare?'
0:52:41 > 0:52:44We have, I think, two telephones.
0:52:44 > 0:52:47- Oh, yes!- Here we go. - It was a "come and buy me".
0:52:47 > 0:52:49The date does it, doesn't it?
0:52:49 > 0:52:52350. 360. 370.
0:52:52 > 0:52:55380. 390.
0:52:55 > 0:52:58390. 400. 410.
0:52:58 > 0:53:00420. 430.
0:53:00 > 0:53:04Maybe there's a bit of local regional history somewhere.
0:53:04 > 0:53:07480. 490.
0:53:07 > 0:53:11500. 510. 510 on the second phone? No?
0:53:12 > 0:53:15He's milking them, isn't he?
0:53:15 > 0:53:18Absentee bid still at £500.
0:53:18 > 0:53:20- All sure? - HE BANGS HAMMER
0:53:20 > 0:53:22£500! The hammer's gone down.
0:53:22 > 0:53:26The loving cup sold incredibly well. There's a couple of reasons for that.
0:53:26 > 0:53:29Firstly, Malcolm had only paid 30 pence for it,
0:53:29 > 0:53:34so what's wrong with putting a nice "come and buy me" estimate of £100 to £150 on it?
0:53:34 > 0:53:39It was so incredibly rare that it wasn't a massive surprise that it made £500.
0:53:39 > 0:53:43If you've got something that's good and something that's fun
0:53:43 > 0:53:46and something that's dated and something that's named,
0:53:46 > 0:53:50then... there's always a good market for it.
0:53:50 > 0:53:52'Malcolm's a real alchemist.
0:53:52 > 0:53:57'I wish I had his skill for turning 30 pence into £500!
0:53:57 > 0:54:00'He was canny enough to realise that an antique
0:54:00 > 0:54:02'dating back as far as the 1700s
0:54:02 > 0:54:05'was bound to be worth a bob or two.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08'When you're out hunting for bargains,
0:54:08 > 0:54:10'keep your eyes peeled for dated items.
0:54:10 > 0:54:12'The older, the better.
0:54:12 > 0:54:17'But what else should you consider if you're trawling the boot sales looking for treasure?
0:54:17 > 0:54:21'Don't judge a book by its cover. When you're cruising the tabletops,
0:54:21 > 0:54:25'turn over every ceramic and check the maker's marks.
0:54:25 > 0:54:27'You might get a pleasant surprise.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30'Leave no stone unturned.
0:54:30 > 0:54:34'Rummage in boxes, look under the tables and search through folios.
0:54:34 > 0:54:38'Even if it's late in the day, you might just stumble across a gem
0:54:38 > 0:54:40'everybody else has missed.
0:54:40 > 0:54:43'And pick your saleroom with care.
0:54:43 > 0:54:45'When it comes to flogging your boot finds,
0:54:45 > 0:54:49'choose a sale which has similar items in its catalogue.
0:54:49 > 0:54:51'It could really help your antique walk away.'
0:54:55 > 0:54:59Car-boot sales are clearly the place to unearth some hidden treasures.
0:54:59 > 0:55:01Now, if your eye is taken by a curiosity,
0:55:01 > 0:55:04it's definitely worth investigating further,
0:55:04 > 0:55:07as Jethro Marles found out when he met up with Snowy
0:55:07 > 0:55:11at a valuation day in Chippenham back in 2005.
0:55:14 > 0:55:19I went to the local car-boot at Standerwick Market near Frome.
0:55:19 > 0:55:22Then, years ago, I'm going back a few years now,
0:55:22 > 0:55:27there was hundreds of stalls, hundreds of people doing stalls.
0:55:27 > 0:55:32But I was just lucky to see these two plates and I thought, "Ooh, two plates."
0:55:32 > 0:55:38£2 each. And I knew, as I said, the Poole one was unusual
0:55:38 > 0:55:40because the mark on the back and the lady on the front.
0:55:40 > 0:55:46Poole Swimming Club, the Jubilee Gala, 1935.
0:55:46 > 0:55:50You've got a picture of a figure swimming, a young lady swimming in the water.
0:55:50 > 0:55:54- You turn it over and we've got the mark of Poole Pottery.- Yes.
0:55:54 > 0:55:58That was a very old Poole Pottery mark on the back in 1935,
0:55:58 > 0:56:01so it was... That was one of the reasons I knew
0:56:01 > 0:56:05it was something a little bit different, because it was old Poole, not modern Poole.
0:56:05 > 0:56:08It's in lovely condition, not damaged.
0:56:08 > 0:56:10You've got all this association with Poole
0:56:10 > 0:56:15and the fact you've got a figure from the 1930s swimming.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18- What's it worth? You thought it was worth more than two quid. - Yes, definitely!
0:56:18 > 0:56:23I think you're going to get perhaps £100, £150.
0:56:23 > 0:56:26Poole Pottery Swimming Club Jubilee Gala, 1935.
0:56:26 > 0:56:30Depicting a young swimmer. Apparently it's one of 12 made.
0:56:30 > 0:56:34- Only 12?- Did you know that? - I didn't know that.- Nor did I.
0:56:34 > 0:56:36At 100. At £100.
0:56:36 > 0:56:38And 5. 110.
0:56:38 > 0:56:42At 110. 115, sir. 120, ma'am.
0:56:42 > 0:56:45The auction was really, really exciting.
0:56:45 > 0:56:48A bit nervy for people who have never done it before,
0:56:48 > 0:56:50because there's all the cameras and lights
0:56:50 > 0:56:53and Mr Martin there and everybody else there.
0:56:53 > 0:56:55165. 170.
0:56:56 > 0:56:58At 170. Lady's bid.
0:56:58 > 0:57:02- At £170. Finished now? 170. - HE BANGS HAMMER
0:57:02 > 0:57:04Hammer's gone down. You'll take that, won't you?
0:57:04 > 0:57:06- 170 quid?- I will, certainly.
0:57:06 > 0:57:10The first thing I did with £170 was put it in my pocket,
0:57:10 > 0:57:13because £170 doesn't grow on trees, does it?
0:57:14 > 0:57:19With that £170, I bought a push-bike, a three-wheeled cycle.
0:57:19 > 0:57:24Well, this is it, this is what I spent my money from Flog It. Thank you very much.
0:57:25 > 0:57:28I'm a collector and it's a collector's piece, anyway, the three-wheeled bike.
0:57:28 > 0:57:32I've still got it and still ride it to this day.
0:57:33 > 0:57:37It got me thinking about buying a motorbike trike,
0:57:37 > 0:57:39which eventually I did.
0:57:39 > 0:57:42I've always been a motorbike man.
0:57:42 > 0:57:46I was a bit of a flash man. I had a motorbike and trailer on the back
0:57:46 > 0:57:51and all sorts of things. But now it's just the pleasure, the trike's pleasure.
0:57:51 > 0:57:53I can sit on it, enjoy it,
0:57:53 > 0:57:55and it causes a lot of interest.
0:57:55 > 0:58:01People come and say, "Did you make it? Did you put it together? Did you do this and do that?"
0:58:01 > 0:58:03Everywhere you stop, you get a conversation about a trike.
0:58:03 > 0:58:06That's what I like about the trike.
0:58:06 > 0:58:10'So, what advice can a seasoned car-booter give us?'
0:58:10 > 0:58:12If a car-boot's due to start at ten, get there at six.
0:58:12 > 0:58:18To get up early is the most important. If you like it, buy it, cos somebody else will like it, too.
0:58:18 > 0:58:21# Born to be wild #
0:58:26 > 0:58:30So, the lesson from today's programme is perseverance.
0:58:30 > 0:58:32I hope we've demonstrated that it is possible
0:58:32 > 0:58:35to discover those overlooked treasures.
0:58:35 > 0:58:38So get up early in the morning and get out there car-booting.
0:58:38 > 0:58:41And who knows, it may be the best thing you've ever done.
0:58:41 > 0:58:44See you again soon for many more trade secrets.
0:58:44 > 0:58:48Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:48 > 0:58:49.