0:00:06 > 0:00:07It's been well over a decade
0:00:07 > 0:00:12since we first opened our doors to a "Flog It!" valuation day.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14During that time we've travelled the British isles valuing
0:00:14 > 0:00:17and selling your unwanted antiques and collectables.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19This is the nicest thing I've seen all day.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22- 50.- Yes!
0:00:22 > 0:00:25And we've all learnt a great deal about the items that have
0:00:25 > 0:00:26passed through our hands.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29And now I want to share some of that information with you,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32so standby to hear our experts' trade secrets.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05Today we're celebrating the very best of British.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09Three guys in a pub talking about a marrow.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12We're going to give you the lowdown on some of our great
0:01:12 > 0:01:15makers from up and down the country.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18We've got a programme brimming with patriotic punch.
0:01:18 > 0:01:25- Telephone bidder at £1,250.- Yes! £1,250. That is a "Flog It!" moment.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Very much the best of British.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30Peppered with good old-fashioned mystery.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34A jug usually has a handle but it also has a spout!
0:01:34 > 0:01:37And overflowing with great British humour.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Oh, no! Oh...!
0:01:40 > 0:01:42I've made a walnut whip.
0:01:42 > 0:01:43Oh, no!
0:01:49 > 0:01:51I dare say from watching "Flog It!",
0:01:51 > 0:01:54you're quite familiar with some of the famous makers
0:01:54 > 0:01:55and masters of the antiques world.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Names like Wedgwood, Whitefriars, Clarice Cliff,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01we see a lot of their work on the show
0:02:01 > 0:02:03and it often sells for a small fortune,
0:02:03 > 0:02:07but what about the lesser-known designers and makers
0:02:07 > 0:02:09whose work deserves more attention,
0:02:09 > 0:02:11whose work is somewhat under the radar?
0:02:12 > 0:02:14If you look for artefacts
0:02:14 > 0:02:17which smack strongly of a region's history...
0:02:17 > 0:02:20For example, I work in East Anglia at the moment,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23so what would come to mind would be Lowestoft porcelain
0:02:23 > 0:02:25or Mendlesham chairs.
0:02:25 > 0:02:30If you can afford or are looking to buy a nice silver teaspoon,
0:02:30 > 0:02:32you might get one for £10 at auction,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35but if there's a Hester Bateman one in the same sale,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38it'll cost you £15 or £16, but go for that one instead.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41Do go for the names, if you possibly can.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44Look at people around now, current artists
0:02:44 > 0:02:46making really distinctive things.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48Not just in silver or pottery,
0:02:48 > 0:02:52but in creation of any kind of sculpture or painting.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02Now, if you thought that valuable pottery on these islands
0:03:02 > 0:03:04came solely from Staffordshire,
0:03:04 > 0:03:06think again.
0:03:06 > 0:03:11In 2003, the late, great David Barby came across an unsung gem
0:03:11 > 0:03:13from across the Irish Sea.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17This is one of the most exciting things that's been brought in today.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Have you always treasured it? Has it always been on display?
0:03:22 > 0:03:24No, I've used the tray.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26On a dressing table?
0:03:26 > 0:03:30No, no, no, I used to put the turkey on it every Christmas,
0:03:30 > 0:03:32because it was the biggest plate I had.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36I'm sure the manufacturers that produced this exquisite surface
0:03:36 > 0:03:39did not expect it to be used as a turkey platter.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43Thomas Plant is also a fan of this kind of fine porcelain.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46The story was the lady would put her turkey on the tray
0:03:46 > 0:03:47at Christmas time.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50I'm surprised it stayed in one piece!
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Now, it was produced in County Fermanagh,
0:03:53 > 0:03:58- which is Northern Ireland...- Mm-hmm. - ..by a company called Belleek.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02I can tell exactly what period this was made by the mark.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06Now, the mark at the bottom here, as you can see, has a small dog,
0:04:06 > 0:04:11- then underneath, the inscription, "County Fermanagh, Ireland."- Mm-hmm.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14That will tell me two things.
0:04:14 > 0:04:19First of all, 1891, when the McKinley Tariff Act came in,
0:04:19 > 0:04:23and it stated everything that was imported into America
0:04:23 > 0:04:25- had to have the place of origin. - Yeah.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27That was followed through all over Europe.
0:04:27 > 0:04:33- Yes.- And 1891, also, they changed it from just putting Belleek underneath
0:04:33 > 0:04:36to putting "County Fermanagh."
0:04:36 > 0:04:40- Normally, the decoration is a pink colour.- Mm-hmm.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42But I like this delicate blue.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Belleek is so fragile, it's so thin,
0:04:45 > 0:04:50it's some of the thinnest porcelain we make in the British Isles.
0:04:50 > 0:04:56We have this lid here, which has a crack, breakage,
0:04:56 > 0:04:58and part of the shell missing,
0:04:58 > 0:05:00but you only have three plates.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04- Is the fourth one missing, is that broken?- Yes, it got broke.
0:05:04 > 0:05:09- I would put a value between £800-£1,200.- Wow!
0:05:10 > 0:05:14- I would put the reserve at 700. - Yeah.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16I shall be keeping everything crossed
0:05:16 > 0:05:18we're going to get that top figure.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21So off they went to auction with high hopes.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25But could that damage bring the price crashing down?
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Lot number 180 is the Belleek Neptune tea service,
0:05:28 > 0:05:31there we go, in pearlescent glazes. Wonderful little lot, this.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33What shall we say for it? Who's going to start me at 4?
0:05:33 > 0:05:36Straight in, £400. At 450? 450.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39500, 550, 600, 650,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42700, 750, 800, 850, 900.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44At 900 bid.
0:05:44 > 0:05:471,000 bid, at 1,000. 1,100 now? 1,100 bid.
0:05:47 > 0:05:491,150, 1,200 now.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Oh, David!
0:05:51 > 0:05:531,250 now? 1,200 bid. Any more now?
0:05:53 > 0:05:56We're going, then. Telephone bidder at £1,250.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00Yes! £1,250! That is a "Flog It!" moment.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03That's your first auction - how exciting was that?
0:06:03 > 0:06:04Oh, yes, look!
0:06:06 > 0:06:08What a fantastic result!
0:06:08 > 0:06:11Belleek is one of those names that isn't widely known,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14but pieces of porcelain can turn a fantastic profit,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18even if they're not in tip-top condition.
0:06:20 > 0:06:27This is one of these instances where damage doesn't matter with pottery.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30To find perfect pieces is extremely rare.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33To find a perfect tea set is almost unheard of.
0:06:34 > 0:06:39A collector, a dealer, would be happy to buy items with damage
0:06:39 > 0:06:43and to pay the premium just to be able to have them.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49Of course, the British talent for creating beautifully unique pieces
0:06:49 > 0:06:51is by no means confined to porcelain and pottery.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57James had the good fortune to come across something quite exceptional
0:06:57 > 0:06:58in Worcester.
0:07:00 > 0:07:01What a fantastic object.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03Do you know what it is?
0:07:03 > 0:07:05- No.- Not really, no.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08OK, it's a pewter charger and if we turn it over,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10we have a mark
0:07:10 > 0:07:13in block capitals that says "Tudric".
0:07:13 > 0:07:15Tudric always has a mark,
0:07:15 > 0:07:21simply because Tudric was the trade name of Liberty pewter,
0:07:21 > 0:07:23so if it doesn't say Tudric on it,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26it's not Tudric, it's just Liberty pewter.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31Underneath, we have a four-digit number, 0116,
0:07:31 > 0:07:34and that's the design number of this piece.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Now, the earlier the design number,
0:07:37 > 0:07:39- the more sought-after it is, generally.- Yes.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42This is a really early design.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46It's going to be 1903, 1905, that sort of period.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50There are two main designers that we think about
0:07:50 > 0:07:52when we're looking at Tudric pewter of this period.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55The first one is Archibald Knox.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59When we're looking at this, it just doesn't look, to me,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01like an Archibald Knox design.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Then we have to look at other designers it could be,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07and one of those is a chap called Charles Voysey.
0:08:07 > 0:08:14Voysey was one of the great Arts & Crafts/Art Nouveau designers.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16If you go to an architect school,
0:08:16 > 0:08:18they'll all know about Voysey.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22If you go to furniture makers, they'll know about Voysey.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25One of these characters that spreads across all the boundaries.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28It's been rubbed, it's been battered, it's been dented,
0:08:28 > 0:08:29it's been dropped.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32It's seen better days and it's been polished
0:08:32 > 0:08:34and you should never polish pewter.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37- I bet you guys haven't done it. - We haven't.- No.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39That just shows you how long it takes
0:08:39 > 0:08:42for pewter to go back to that colour again.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44This has been polished probably 40 years ago
0:08:44 > 0:08:47and the patination still hasn't come back.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51Pewter collectors like to see it a nice, dull grey colour,
0:08:51 > 0:08:53so in terms of Liberty pewter,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56not polishing it is so important.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00It can reduce the value by 70-80%.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Value - I've been trying to avoid this subject.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05£150-£250.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07It is a bit of a stab in the dark
0:09:07 > 0:09:10and if it turns out to be by one of the important designers,
0:09:10 > 0:09:12and it will make a lot more than that.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16Would polishing the pewter rub away any potential profit?
0:09:17 > 0:09:19Lots of interest in this.
0:09:19 > 0:09:20I can go straight in.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22At £450...
0:09:22 > 0:09:24- Fantastic!- It's a Voysey.
0:09:24 > 0:09:29- £450, we're straight in. - At 450, 480, 500.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33- Oh, I feel faint!- 520, 550, 580 now?
0:09:33 > 0:09:35580 I have on the phone, at 580.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37- I'm speechless.- Come on.
0:09:37 > 0:09:42580 I have, then. Selling, if you're all done, at £580.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44"Cer-rack!" That's a sold sound
0:09:44 > 0:09:45and we love it.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47I knew this one would fly.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51What's not to love about a result like that?
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Voysey may not be a household name in Britain,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57but it's certainly helped push the charger to dizzying heights
0:09:57 > 0:09:59in the sale room.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02It wasn't a major shock to see it doing that sort of money.
0:10:02 > 0:10:08Liberty and Tudric are names that you cannot better.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14Clarice Cliff is a regular guest star on "Flog It!", but in 2007,
0:10:14 > 0:10:19a lesser-known female designer from the Potteries stole the limelight.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21Do you know what it is?
0:10:21 > 0:10:24- Charlotte Rhead. - Charlotte Rhead, yes.
0:10:24 > 0:10:29Now, Charlotte Rhead, I find her very, very interesting.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33The Rheads were a family who lived in North Staffordshire
0:10:33 > 0:10:39and they had been associated with pottery since the 18th century.
0:10:39 > 0:10:44I find the story of Charlotte Rhead very interesting.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47She came from a family of potters.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53She was born with clay running through her veins
0:10:53 > 0:10:55and I love the idea of that.
0:10:55 > 0:11:01Now, she was born in 1885 and by the time it came to 1930,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04when she was at her best,
0:11:04 > 0:11:08- she was one of the leading ceramicists of that period.- Right.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11But if we just look at the back stamp,
0:11:11 > 0:11:16it's always nice to see that beautiful signature.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21When you think of the ceramicists who were working at that time,
0:11:21 > 0:11:25and there was a lot of marvellous things coming out of Britain,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28you think of people like Clarice Cliff and these wonderful,
0:11:28 > 0:11:32loud, jazzy, magical patterns.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Charlotte Rhead was a little more restrained,
0:11:36 > 0:11:40a little more traditional. Not all that traditional -
0:11:40 > 0:11:43she was an innovator in her own right -
0:11:43 > 0:11:46but a little more traditional than Clarice Cliff
0:11:46 > 0:11:48and sometimes I think she's sort of put
0:11:48 > 0:11:51on the back burner because of that.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54But there is a wonderful subtlety about her work.
0:11:54 > 0:12:00I would like to estimate in the region of £50-£80.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03One thing that had occurred to me, Molly -
0:12:03 > 0:12:05- a jug usually has a handle.- Mmm.
0:12:06 > 0:12:11- But it also has a spout.- True. We never through of that.- Never.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14It was a jug, cos it had a handle,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17it wasn't a vase, because it didn't have two handles,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20but it didn't have a spout and it only occurred to me
0:12:20 > 0:12:21just at the very end of the valuation.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23It brought a smile to my face
0:12:23 > 0:12:26and I thought, "What's this all about?"
0:12:26 > 0:12:29The thing is, if it had been a mistake,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32she would not have signed it.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35- Right.- So her signature is there
0:12:35 > 0:12:40and she has regarded that as a complete item,
0:12:40 > 0:12:42so maybe...
0:12:42 > 0:12:44she has a sense of humour!
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Would the funny jug make serious money,
0:12:50 > 0:12:53or would that missing spout pour cold water on Anita's estimate?
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Will Axon was the man with the gavel on this one.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03And 400 is the Charlotte Rhead jug there for you.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Where do you start me on that? £50 only for it.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09- Thank you, straight in at £50 I'm bid.- That's good.- Straight in.
0:13:09 > 0:13:14Straight in at £50. That's the way to buy it. 60, 70, 80, 90, 100.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16At 100 and 10 seated.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20110, seated bid at 110 now, steals it at 110.
0:13:20 > 0:13:21All done, then? You sure?
0:13:21 > 0:13:24I shall sell it, hammer's up, have you at 110?
0:13:24 > 0:13:28- Yes!- There you are.- You can't go wrong with 20th century modern.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30- That's what people want now. - Thank you!
0:13:31 > 0:13:34A respectable return for the jug.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37It goes to show that less famous British designers
0:13:37 > 0:13:39can hold their own at auction.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44She may not be one of the names that most people have heard of,
0:13:44 > 0:13:46they've probably heard more of Clarice Cliff,
0:13:46 > 0:13:48Susie Cooper and suchlike,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51but in years to come, Charlotte Rhead will be a name
0:13:51 > 0:13:53that's still bandied about.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56If you do see some about, it's certainly worth having a go at.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02In 2011, we found a great example of British design
0:14:02 > 0:14:04at its sparkling best.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Charlie, for one, was blown away.
0:14:07 > 0:14:08Absolutely wonderful, Pauline.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Presumably, you know what you've got here, do you?
0:14:11 > 0:14:13- To a degree.- To a degree?
0:14:13 > 0:14:16- You know it's a tea service!- Yes!
0:14:16 > 0:14:19- And you know what it's made of? - Silver.
0:14:19 > 0:14:25- This is made by Robert Hennell IV, 1874 in date.- Right.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29Robert Hennell is one of the great, great names in English silversmiths.
0:14:29 > 0:14:35We have this rather swirly gadrooning decoration on here,
0:14:35 > 0:14:36the bobbin decoration.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38- Very ornate, isn't it?- It is.
0:14:38 > 0:14:43Very Victorian, but I have to say, the oval Queen Anne-style teapot
0:14:43 > 0:14:47rather flies in the face of the decoration.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51Although Victorian in its date,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54stylistically, it looks Georgian.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57That wonderful teapot shape you would think was George III.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00Perhaps it was influenced by his father,
0:15:00 > 0:15:02who was producing silver earlier,
0:15:02 > 0:15:06but it did have a certain gadroon decoration to it,
0:15:06 > 0:15:11which perhaps was a mixture of the Georgian, more simplistic period,
0:15:11 > 0:15:16then with a little bit of fancy Victoriana applied to it.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19I'm going to turn one of these pieces upside down
0:15:19 > 0:15:21and what we have are all the elements
0:15:21 > 0:15:23that we would expect to find.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27We have the lion passant - that simply tells you it's silver.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30The leopard's head - that tells you it was made in...
0:15:30 > 0:15:31I was going to say London.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34London is correct and we've got a T letter date,
0:15:34 > 0:15:38- which I have checked to 1874.- Right.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42Here we've got the magic initials RH - Robert Hennell.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44Very much the best of British.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Certainly, any silversmith will...
0:15:46 > 0:15:49The eyebrows will be raised when you say Hennell - "Oh, Hennell!" -
0:15:49 > 0:15:51and there's a premium attached to that.
0:15:51 > 0:15:57In addition to that, that mark he put on to pieces that were
0:15:57 > 0:16:01- specifically made to order for someone.- Right.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03This was made for somebody pretty special.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05- Was it made for your family?- Oh, no.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07The other thing that it's going to tell you here -
0:16:07 > 0:16:09if you look at this decoration,
0:16:09 > 0:16:13this engraving must have been put in at the same time it was made.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15- Do you see?- Mm-hmm.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18There's a gap in the floral engraving here
0:16:18 > 0:16:21to make way for the lettering.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Fantastic quality.
0:16:23 > 0:16:24Value?
0:16:24 > 0:16:29I'm going to be sensible and say 500-800,
0:16:29 > 0:16:33but I think we'll probably end up at 800.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36- Mmm!- And possibly a bit more.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38It's not every day you can go to a sale room
0:16:38 > 0:16:40and come back with a bit of Robert Hennell,
0:16:40 > 0:16:42so I think it's sensational.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44Well, the tea set was sensational,
0:16:44 > 0:16:48but would Robert Hennell's name bring the auction to the boil?
0:16:50 > 0:16:53The Victorian three-piece silver tea service there.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Robert Hennell, nice little lot. 460, 480, 500, 520.
0:16:57 > 0:16:58540, 560.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00580, 600.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02At 600. 620, 640.
0:17:03 > 0:17:04650, 660.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08- At 660, 680. 680, 700.- Yes! Come on.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10720. At £720 now.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12It's going in the room.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14At £720, nobody else?
0:17:14 > 0:17:16- Well done.- Thank you.- Yeah.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18- Thank you very much.- Happy?- Very.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22# I like a nice cup of tea in the morning
0:17:22 > 0:17:25# For to start the day, you see... #
0:17:25 > 0:17:28Well, that tea service certainly wasn't meant
0:17:28 > 0:17:31for your average builder's brew and what a treat,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34as Charlie said, to see something of such quality
0:17:34 > 0:17:36on the show.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39We may not be familiar with the name Robert Hennell,
0:17:39 > 0:17:40as with other silversmiths,
0:17:40 > 0:17:45but his work is a great example of the very best of British.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50If you want to get your own hands on a piece of British design,
0:17:50 > 0:17:53here are our dos and don'ts.
0:17:53 > 0:17:54Watch out for items
0:17:54 > 0:17:58by less well-known British artists and designers.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01You may find them relatively affordable now,
0:18:01 > 0:18:05with potential for a hefty return in the future.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09Resist the temptation to clean or repair items before auction,
0:18:09 > 0:18:12because you could easily do more harm than good.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15As we found with the wonderful Tudric charger,
0:18:15 > 0:18:16when it comes to pewter,
0:18:16 > 0:18:20it's particularly important to steer clear of polish.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30There is a proud history of cabinet making in Britain.
0:18:30 > 0:18:35Its most illustrious exponent was, of course, Thomas Chippendale,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38who practised his trade in St Martin's Lane, London,
0:18:38 > 0:18:39in the 18th century.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44There are thought to be around 600 verifiable examples
0:18:44 > 0:18:46of his work in the world today
0:18:46 > 0:18:50and because of their rarity and the extremely high quality
0:18:50 > 0:18:54of the workmanship, they are, of course, hugely valuable.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00You can see examples of Chippendale's work
0:19:00 > 0:19:02in several of England's stately homes,
0:19:02 > 0:19:04including Harewood House in Leeds.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12Nearby Temple Newsam House also has a number of his pieces,
0:19:12 > 0:19:13including this desk.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18I caught up with in-house furniture expert Ian Fraser to learn more.
0:19:20 > 0:19:21- Ian, hello.- How do you do?
0:19:21 > 0:19:24I couldn't come here to Temple Newsam without speaking to you
0:19:24 > 0:19:28- and seeing this magnificent desk. - It's great, isn't it?
0:19:28 > 0:19:31It really is the Holy Grail. How did it arrive here?
0:19:31 > 0:19:34Well, Harewood House, when it was still a private house, they sold it.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37I guess, perhaps, the lordship needed the money,
0:19:37 > 0:19:39but it came up for auction in 1963
0:19:39 > 0:19:42and it was acquired for Leeds City Art Galleries
0:19:42 > 0:19:45for display at Temple Newsam House.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47- It's got that country house lived-in look.- Yep.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51- It's lost a lot of the colour on the marquetry.- Inevitably, it has.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54It's lost the greens and the reds, but I don't mind that.
0:19:54 > 0:19:59- Do you know what year this was made in?- 1772, I think.
0:19:59 > 0:20:00Have you worked on this at all?
0:20:00 > 0:20:03I have done some remedial works to it, yes.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06- Lifting veneers.- Putting them back down.- Putting them back down.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09It was interesting, because we were able to see
0:20:09 > 0:20:12some of the original colours when we turned the veneers over.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14And do the drawers slide as beautifully
0:20:14 > 0:20:15as they did when they were made?
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Yes, you're welcome to try it if you like.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20- Pull one out for me.- We can try.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23- Yes, they do. - Let's have a look at the dovetails.
0:20:25 > 0:20:26Just take it out completely
0:20:26 > 0:20:29- and you can see the quality of the dovetail joints there.- Yeah.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32- Just outstanding quality. - Cut with a fine tenon saw.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35- You're from Canada, aren't you? - That's right.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38So what do you think about Chippendale, then?
0:20:38 > 0:20:40- Does he make the grade over there? - Absolutely.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43The name of Thomas Chippendale is synonymous
0:20:43 > 0:20:47- with fine craftsmanship and design. - It is incredible.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51Chippendale was not a man to guard his trade secrets jealously.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Quite the opposite, in fact.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57In 1754, he published a book of his furniture designs entitled
0:20:57 > 0:20:59The Gentleman And Cabinet Maker's Director.
0:21:01 > 0:21:02The book was instantly popular
0:21:02 > 0:21:06and led to many faithful reproductions of his work.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10He was undoubtedly the master cabinet maker of the age,
0:21:10 > 0:21:14but who, you may ask, are the unsung heroes of the period?
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Well, when I recently visited Syon House in Middlesex,
0:21:18 > 0:21:24I found what can justifiably be described as a hidden gem.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26There are some names in English cabinet making
0:21:26 > 0:21:30that we're quite familiar with - Bullock, Gillow, Chippendale -
0:21:30 > 0:21:32but have you heard of a chap called William Vile?
0:21:32 > 0:21:36He's one of the best-kept secrets of English cabinet making
0:21:36 > 0:21:42during the 1700s and this cabinet is made by his hand.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46He set up a workshop on the corner of St Martin's Lane and Long Acre,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49right next to a chap called Thomas Chippendale.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53They were rivals, but you cannot set their work apart.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56There's no denying the quality of craftsmanship here.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00You'd think that would be by Chippendale, but it's by Vile.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Now, he went into partnership with a chap called John Cobb,
0:22:03 > 0:22:07another exceptional cabinet maker, towards the end of his career
0:22:07 > 0:22:11and it's at that particular stage in the 1760s for a few years
0:22:11 > 0:22:15that they worked for none other than King George III.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17They were the royal cabinet makers.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19Sadly, I think William Vile's work
0:22:19 > 0:22:22has been overshadowed by Thomas Chippendale,
0:22:22 > 0:22:24but I think this piece is exceptional.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26It's got architectural proportion and detail,
0:22:26 > 0:22:28it's got everything going for it, and the price?
0:22:28 > 0:22:33Well, this is so rare, it's worth well over £1 million.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40Now, if I say to you British pottery,
0:22:40 > 0:22:41what springs to mind?
0:22:41 > 0:22:43Probably Staffordshire and the Potteries,
0:22:43 > 0:22:48the epicentre of the industry in this country for over 300 years,
0:22:48 > 0:22:50but there's a lot more to the best of British pottery
0:22:50 > 0:22:53than the factories of Stoke-on-Trent.
0:22:53 > 0:22:58# We'll keep a welcome in the hillside... #
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Pottery enthusiasts Catherine Southon
0:23:00 > 0:23:04and Mark Stacey were keen to prove that very point
0:23:04 > 0:23:07when they visited Ewenny Pottery in Wales,
0:23:07 > 0:23:11which has been run by the Jenkins family for generations.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14Catherine, I'm so excited, I'm here to meet Alun,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16who's going to show me the pottery side of things.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20Ooh! Well, I believe that they've got a historic collection here
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- and I really need to know a bit more about the history.- Oh, you do.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Come on, let's get in there.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Catherine caught up with Caitlin Jenkins,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29the latest in the long line of potters.
0:23:32 > 0:23:37I'd love to go right back in history to where it all started.
0:23:37 > 0:23:43Well, the earliest record of a pottery being here is 1427.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47This kind of thing would have been made then.
0:23:47 > 0:23:52How did the Industrial Revolution affect the potteries?
0:23:52 > 0:23:57First of all, about mid-1800s, there was an increase in the potteries,
0:23:57 > 0:24:02but that quickly declined, because other materials took hold,
0:24:02 > 0:24:04tinware in particular.
0:24:04 > 0:24:09Later on, in the 1880s, the Arts & Crafts movement took hold
0:24:09 > 0:24:13and there was one particular designer called Horace Elliot
0:24:13 > 0:24:18and he designed pots for the potters to make.
0:24:18 > 0:24:19And what about this piece here?
0:24:19 > 0:24:21Yeah, we think this is a Horace Elliot.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24- Because it sort of screams that design?- That's right.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28- And these are highly desirable. - Yes, very collectible now.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Right. Did he sign his pieces?
0:24:31 > 0:24:35Yes, he did sign them and he also used a fleur-de-lis.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37- Fleur-de-lis, that's what we look out for?- Yeah.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40- We look out for the name...- Horace Elliot.- ..and the fleur-de-lis.- Yes.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42That's where we're going to make some money.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47This is a curious piece, Caitlin. What's this?
0:24:47 > 0:24:50- That's a wassail bowl. - Wassail bowl.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53My family have been making them for a couple of hundred years
0:24:53 > 0:24:59and they're a communal bowl that'd be filled with mulled beer and cake
0:24:59 > 0:25:01and passed round when people come in.
0:25:01 > 0:25:07They're actually to celebrate the harvest, to celebrate fertility.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10And I should think that if you found something like this,
0:25:10 > 0:25:11one of the older ones,
0:25:11 > 0:25:14they're highly desirable, really collectible.
0:25:14 > 0:25:21- Yes, I think one recently fetched £6,000 in auction.- Really? Wow.
0:25:21 > 0:25:22Yeah, I can see that.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30- This is the beginning of the process?- That's right, yes.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34What I'm doing first of all is centring the clay on the wheel.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Right. How long have you been doing this?
0:25:36 > 0:25:40I started as a child through playing with the clay,
0:25:40 > 0:25:44but I've actually been working in the family business since 1969.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47I'm the seventh generation of the Jenkins.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51Caitlin, my daughter, who's with me, she's the eighth.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54There's some fantastic footage of your father working.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58- Does that bring back any memories. - Oh, yes.
0:25:58 > 0:26:03We all learned, really, how to use clay by playing with it.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06How many pots can you throw in a day, Alun?
0:26:06 > 0:26:12These jugs, I would want to make about 60-70 in a day.
0:26:12 > 0:26:13- 60 or 70 of those?- Yeah.
0:26:15 > 0:26:16What's left to do?
0:26:16 > 0:26:20- I'll let this pot stand for about 24 hours.- Right.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25- And you just gently...- Just ease the clay.- Just pinch it.- That's right.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28- There we are.- Alun, you make it look so easy.
0:26:28 > 0:26:29Can Catherine and I have a go, do you think?
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Well, yes, of course.
0:26:32 > 0:26:33Right, come on, Catherine.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35Let's get on with it.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38- Oh, God! - CAITLIN: That's right.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40CATHERINE SHRIEKS CAITLIN: If you rest your arms...
0:26:40 > 0:26:43- Rest my arms.- Has yours gone as well?- Keep on adding water.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45Oh, no, mine's looking good already.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47ALUN: Press it down gently. CAITLIN: Keep on adding water.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Keep on adding water?
0:26:49 > 0:26:50Oh, Mark, yours is really good!
0:26:50 > 0:26:53I... Shush! Don't spoil it!
0:26:53 > 0:26:54Oh, no, yours is brilliant!
0:26:54 > 0:26:57On, no! Gawd!
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Oh! Now, this is... Now this is looking good!
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Right, how do I stop it?
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Oh, no! Oh...!
0:27:04 > 0:27:06I've made a walnut whip.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Oh, no, it's gone again!
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Oh, no!
0:27:16 > 0:27:19I think this is wonderful, I think this is a masterpiece!
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Oh, I started off so well!
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Oh, I think I've got a new career here.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26- Are you jealous?- I am.
0:27:26 > 0:27:27Mine is...mine is...
0:27:27 > 0:27:29going to be an orchid.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31- Is it?- Yes, going to be an orchid.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35Do you take apprentices?
0:27:36 > 0:27:37Well, we're a bit choosy.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Oh, thank you very much, Alun!
0:27:42 > 0:27:46Well, Mark and Catherine's efforts may not have made the grade,
0:27:46 > 0:27:49but genuine Ewenny pottery is collectible.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53Horace Elliot pieces are so rare
0:27:53 > 0:27:55that they can make thousands of pounds
0:27:55 > 0:27:59and finding any older pieces in pristine condition is so unusual,
0:27:59 > 0:28:02they can therefore be very profitable.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08On "Flog It!" in 2003, a pottery dog from Ewenny, dated 1901,
0:28:08 > 0:28:13sold for £600, despite being damaged.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Are we all done, then, at £600?
0:28:16 > 0:28:17Yes!
0:28:17 > 0:28:18Fantastic!
0:28:18 > 0:28:21So although it's not as famous as other pottery,
0:28:21 > 0:28:23Ewenny is definitely one to watch.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34I hope we've shown you that the best of British
0:28:34 > 0:28:37doesn't have to be about the usual suspects.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Join me again soon for more trade secrets.