0:00:03 > 0:00:06You've been coming to our "Flog It!" valuation days
0:00:06 > 0:00:09for well over ten years now, bringing in all manner
0:00:09 > 0:00:13of wonderful things to put our experts through their paces.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15Will you be there at the auction?
0:00:15 > 0:00:17- Of course.- Yes, so shall I. - Yes, good.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19And during that time, we've helped you sell
0:00:19 > 0:00:23around a million pounds' worth of antiques and collectables.
0:00:23 > 0:00:24GAVEL BANGS
0:00:24 > 0:00:26- We'll take that. Well done. - Thank you.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28And along the way, we've all learnt a great deal
0:00:28 > 0:00:31about the items that have passed through our hands.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34In this series, I want to share some of that knowledge with you
0:00:34 > 0:00:36so stand by to hear our trade secrets.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07The world of decorative antiques and collectables
0:01:07 > 0:01:09is endlessly fascinating.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12There's something for every taste and fashion,
0:01:12 > 0:01:14from the good...
0:01:14 > 0:01:15to the bad...
0:01:15 > 0:01:18and the ugly.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21So, on today's Trade Secrets, we're looking at decorative items,
0:01:21 > 0:01:25which to leave alone and which are worthy of closer inspection.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32Coming up, James discovers a giant item with big problems.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35I just thought, "Oh, no!"
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Elizabeth gets to grips with the ancient art of enamelling.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44- If you put it straight down... - It's exciting, isn't this?- Yes!
0:01:46 > 0:01:49It's deja vu as Philip is put under pressure.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52- Four weeks ago, I was watching "Flog It!"...- Yeah.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54..I saw that and it made £200.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56And Anita hits the jackpot.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00- Yes!- £1,200!
0:02:04 > 0:02:08Some of the decorative things we surround ourselves with at home
0:02:08 > 0:02:11have no practical use, like ornaments for instance.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13They're there just to look good.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17But by their very nature, some of them are of very high quality,
0:02:17 > 0:02:20and time and time again they turn up at our valuation days
0:02:20 > 0:02:22so here are some tips on what to look out for.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27What I like, you might like, he might not like.
0:02:27 > 0:02:28You know, we've all got different tastes
0:02:28 > 0:02:30as to what makes good decoration or not.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32Some people like very little,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35some people like it very fussy, very elaborate.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Does the shape and the decoration work together?
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Because if they don't, it's going to be hard on the eye.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43If they do, it's going to look a treat.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45Wow! Don't just think,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47"Oh, that's quite nice. I'll have another look at it."
0:02:47 > 0:02:49It's got to hit you.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52If you're trying to find the very best of decoration,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55then look no further than Wedgwood's Fairyland Lustre ware.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03These works by artist Daisy Makeig-Jones,
0:03:03 > 0:03:07are riots of stunning, bold colours and fantastical shapes.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11- That's hand-decorated. - You can't imagine, can you?
0:03:14 > 0:03:17We don't often see Fairyland Lustre on our valuation days
0:03:17 > 0:03:21but when we do, it quickly works its magic.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24- GAVEL BANGS - Yes! Brilliant.- Good.- Well done.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28'The legendary David Barby was a huge fan.'
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Mary, I can't understand that
0:03:31 > 0:03:35if anybody owned a piece as beautiful as this
0:03:35 > 0:03:37they would wish to sell it.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Does it have unhappy memories for you, or what?
0:03:40 > 0:03:45- I think I was frightened by the figures as a child.- Really?- Yeah.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47One of the most distinctive things in 20th-century ceramics.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50You can tell a piece of Clarice Cliff, for example,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53and you can certainly tell a piece of Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Beautifully decorated, very intricate,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58always got fairies on it of course,
0:03:58 > 0:04:01and under this beautiful lustrous glaze.
0:04:02 > 0:04:07This design is called Paradise Garden and if we look at the outside
0:04:07 > 0:04:11it's full of fairies in the most exotic settings.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13- This is the one that you disliked, is it?- Yes, that's right.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15- The goblin on the rainbow. - That's right, yes.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18But isn't it beautiful? I love these rich lustre colours.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21They used metallic pigments - gold, silver,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24copper, et cetera, suspended in oil and then they'll paint it
0:04:24 > 0:04:27with these metallic pigments and when it's fired,
0:04:27 > 0:04:31you're left with the shiny metallic glaze on the top of it.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35What I find extraordinary is the use of gilt work inside.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39In the arcades, we have views of exotic buildings,
0:04:39 > 0:04:43like distant Constantinople, of minarets and towers,
0:04:43 > 0:04:48but we also have those black fairies with green wings.
0:04:49 > 0:04:54David estimated £1,200-£1,600.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58Truth or fairy story? Time for the auction.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03Five phone line books, there's serious interest from the USA,
0:05:03 > 0:05:05and the website has been going crazy.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08The internet's been going "whirrr" all over the world for this one.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Let's find out. This is the one we want, this is the big one.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13This is the Wedgwood Fairyland bowl.
0:05:13 > 0:05:19I'm going to start the bidding at £1,300. Is there 1,400 in the room?
0:05:19 > 0:05:251,400, 1,500, 1,600, 1,700,
0:05:25 > 0:05:271,800, 1,900,
0:05:27 > 0:05:312,000, 2,100, 2,200.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34At 2,300,
0:05:34 > 0:05:36- 2,400, - SHE GASPS
0:05:36 > 0:05:402,500, 2,600...
0:05:40 > 0:05:41Now I'm tingling.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43- ..2,700.- God!
0:05:45 > 0:05:49- They really want it.- £2,700, 2,800.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55- GAVEL BANGS - £2,800.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01As decorated pieces go, I do think that Fairyland Lustre is really
0:06:01 > 0:06:04right up there with the very best.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Daisy Makeig-Jones is a big name in ceramic decoration
0:06:08 > 0:06:12and it pays to remember that big names often command high prices.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20John Piper was another big 20th-century designer.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24He's best-known as an official war artist of World War II,
0:06:24 > 0:06:25and for designing the glass
0:06:25 > 0:06:28during the renovation of Coventry Cathedral.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35His artwork can be expensive in the saleroom
0:06:35 > 0:06:38but you can pick up a less pricey Piper for your sitting room.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44In the 1950s, his work was used to decorate furniture.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47It's some sort of photographic reproduction
0:06:47 > 0:06:49that is laminated onto the top of that table.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55It's accessible fine art, but not everyone appreciates the appeal.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59- You gave it to him?- Yeah. I rescued this from the skip.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01- He was going to skip it.- I was going to skip it.
0:07:01 > 0:07:02- You know what this is? - I do now, yeah.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05- About four weeks ago I was watching "Flog It!"...- Yeah.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08..saw that and it made £200. Very similar.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11It was. Well, let me tell you, about five or ten years ago,
0:07:11 > 0:07:13I wouldn't have known what this is.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16It's just a lovely view of London by John Piper.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18And it's a real cool thing.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21When I started, when dinosaurs walked the earth,
0:07:21 > 0:07:23people wouldn't want John Piper tables.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27They wanted traditional 18th-century oak tables,
0:07:27 > 0:07:29but that's how the business has changed.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33As Paul said, we'd seen the same model on "Flog It!" a year earlier.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36I think this is great.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Furniture like this was bought really because it represented
0:07:40 > 0:07:45everything that was up-to-date - pared-down modern materials.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48That's the most important thing of all, I think.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51It was sold at Philip's saleroom.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53The next item, at £200 in the room.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55At £200 and I sell then.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58The hammer's gone down. £200, the top end of that estimate.
0:08:01 > 0:08:02Why did you get rid of it?
0:08:02 > 0:08:07I just needed some room. I didn't know anything about it.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10He needed a table so I just said, "You can have it."
0:08:10 > 0:08:13- What did the one in my saleroom make? Was it £200?- £200, yeah.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16A little bit better condition than this one but what we can do
0:08:16 > 0:08:18is we can put £100-£200 as an estimate on this.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22- So, that's all fine, isn't it? - Sound.- Right, that's sound.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26Sound indeed but will it fetch more than its "Flog It!" predecessor?
0:08:27 > 0:08:311950s coffee table with the John Piper views of London.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35- I bid £100. I'll take 10.- Well done. - At £100. Is there 10 now?
0:08:35 > 0:08:38At 100. At £100.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40Any advance on £100?
0:08:40 > 0:08:4220 here. Anyone else? At 120.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45- GAVEL BANGS - Hammer's gone down.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48I'm pleased with that. 70/50 is a fair split, isn't it?
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Well, a little less than we'd hoped for
0:08:53 > 0:08:55but the previous table was pristine,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58which proves the importance of condition
0:08:58 > 0:09:00when it comes to decorative items.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04Damage is always going to affect the sale of anything really
0:09:04 > 0:09:06and some things more than others.
0:09:06 > 0:09:11And I think collectors would rather pay you maybe 50%-100% more
0:09:11 > 0:09:14for a perfect one than for one with a bit of damage on it.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18Now, on "Flog It!", we're forever making the point
0:09:18 > 0:09:21that quality sells always.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24With decorative items, quality is often clear from the outset.
0:09:26 > 0:09:31Take this German super-sized wine rummer from the 19th century.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35Chris, imagine you are a 17th-century lord
0:09:35 > 0:09:39and you are hunting for the day, you're coming back to a roaring fire
0:09:39 > 0:09:42and you want a great glass of wine to drink from.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45This is the sort of thing that you would have had at your table.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Probably not quite as large as this in the 17th century,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50but certainly this style.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53'This goblet was probably made for a ceremonial purpose,'
0:09:53 > 0:09:56certainly not for everyday household use.
0:09:56 > 0:10:03It was made around 1870-1890, but the thing that makes me fall in love
0:10:03 > 0:10:07with it is the wonderful quality enamelling on the bowl.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11If you were looking at this on a canvas done in pure oil paint,
0:10:11 > 0:10:13you'd think it was good,
0:10:13 > 0:10:16but imagine doing it in enamels that had to be heated and fired.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18It's brilliant. I really love it.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22It's a pity it's broken but it was broken when we got it.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26When it came out of my late mother-in-law's house, it was broken.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29I just thought, "Oh, no!"
0:10:29 > 0:10:33But I'd already fallen in love with the top
0:10:33 > 0:10:37so by the time the foot was exposed, it was just too late.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40What's it worth? If it had been perfect,
0:10:40 > 0:10:44I think this would have been £400-£600, something like that.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47- Yes.- But it's not. It's still got to be 60-100, hasn't it?
0:10:47 > 0:10:48I would have thought so, yes.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51I think that the enamel work is amazing.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56James and Chris were confident that the decorative quality
0:10:56 > 0:11:00of this unusual piece would trump the damage.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02But were they right?
0:11:02 > 0:11:05It had a great big chunk missing out of the base.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08I don't think it even quite stood straight with the chunk missing
0:11:08 > 0:11:09so it's not the best start.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13What about £100?
0:11:13 > 0:11:14£50 for it.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16£50, the goblet.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20Not the sort of thing I'd recommend putting a reserve on.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22This is an impressive thing. £50.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25£50. Large green glass goblet.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28He's a good auctioneer so he gave it his all.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32- Oh, no!- £50.- No.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36- Oh, well.- It's not an easy thing to mend, I suppose.
0:11:36 > 0:11:41Paintings, furniture, porcelain, silver
0:11:41 > 0:11:45can all be repaired fairly easily but glass?
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Probably the most difficult of all.
0:11:49 > 0:11:54It's a shame for Chris it didn't sell, but perhaps, no surprise.
0:11:55 > 0:11:56Quite apart from the serious damage,
0:11:56 > 0:12:00where do you put a two-foot wine glass?
0:12:02 > 0:12:05When decorating your home, simplicity pays
0:12:05 > 0:12:07and what could be more straightforward
0:12:07 > 0:12:09than putting up a picture?
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Art lover Anita Manning was taken with a fine pair
0:12:12 > 0:12:16of maritime scenes brought along to a valuation day by Angela.
0:12:16 > 0:12:21- Tell me, where did you get them? - I found them in a loft.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24My husband was a third-generation butcher
0:12:24 > 0:12:27and we moved in to become the third generation
0:12:27 > 0:12:29and they were in the loft when we moved in.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32They are by Adolphus Knell,
0:12:32 > 0:12:38a British artist active in the middle to late 1800s.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43Adolphus Knell came from a family of marine or maritime painters
0:12:43 > 0:12:47so the painting of these subjects was in his blood
0:12:47 > 0:12:49and these were well-executed pictures.
0:12:49 > 0:12:54They had a luminous quality.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59When I looked at the sky and the reflection of the sun on the water,
0:12:59 > 0:13:03I could see wonderful quality there.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05I really enjoy them.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09I would probably estimate somewhere 250-350.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13Are you happy to put them to auction at that price?
0:13:13 > 0:13:15- Yes, quite happy.- Yeah.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20They were being sold in Bristol and his family came from Bristol,
0:13:20 > 0:13:23so it was being sold in the right area.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Fingers crossed. They're going under the hammer.
0:13:25 > 0:13:31A pair of oils on board, both signed "Adolphus Knell". Interest here.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34250, 280, 300, 320,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37350, 380, 400,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40420, 450, 480, £500 on the book.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43550, 600, 650.
0:13:43 > 0:13:48650, 700, 750... I'll take 20, if it's easier for you.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52- Listen, it's still going on! - 720, 750, 780...
0:13:52 > 0:13:54My estimate was a wee bit conservative.
0:13:54 > 0:13:59I can be like that sometimes, but it encourages the bidding.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02800. £1,000, thank you.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06£1,000 in the room. 1,100, anyone else?
0:14:06 > 0:14:07That's incredible.
0:14:07 > 0:14:101,100, 1,200, 1,300?
0:14:10 > 0:14:15All done now at £1,200. Selling in the room at 1,200.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19- GAVEL BANGS Yes!- £1,200!- Brilliant.
0:14:21 > 0:14:26Those beautiful paintings would make fine additions to any home,
0:14:26 > 0:14:30even if you can't stretch to £1,200, why not check out
0:14:30 > 0:14:33a paintings sale at your local auction house?
0:14:33 > 0:14:36You might just snap up a bargain and a lovely image to boot.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43Taste is paramount when collecting decorative pieces.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46It's so...ugly.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50You don't have to be an expert to know what you like.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56Be wary of damaged decorative items.
0:14:56 > 0:15:01Remember, they're made to be admired so if they're chipped or cracked,
0:15:01 > 0:15:04like Chris's glass goblet, stay clear.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08It doesn't get more decorative than Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10but it's much sought-after by collectors
0:15:10 > 0:15:12with extremely deep pockets.
0:15:14 > 0:15:19This set sold in the UK in 2013 for almost £30,000.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23So, if a fairy grants you a wish, you know what to ask for.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33During the 16th and 17th century,
0:15:33 > 0:15:37bedrooms in grand country houses were of semipublic nature.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40So, to get from one room to another, you literally had to totter
0:15:40 > 0:15:44through someone's bedroom by opening a huge, great big door
0:15:44 > 0:15:49creating a draft, so beds had to be extremely impressive.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52Highly decorative, these were the most expensive pieces
0:15:52 > 0:15:56of domestic furniture in any grand house.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58This one dates back to the 1660s
0:15:58 > 0:16:01and it was the height of fashion back then.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03The bed itself is of simple construction.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06You have a headboard, a framework, four posts
0:16:06 > 0:16:10and a wonderful canopy, but the whole thing is beautifully disguised
0:16:10 > 0:16:13in yards and yards of the finest fabric
0:16:13 > 0:16:16imported from overseas. No expense spared.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20It's there to show off and look at the detail in this canopy.
0:16:20 > 0:16:25Look at the brocading! That must have taken somebody months to do.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30The sprung bed, well, there was no such thing as the sprung bed.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33What you actually slept on were ropes.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36A series of holes would be drilled around this bed,
0:16:36 > 0:16:38around the framework, and ropes would be passed through
0:16:38 > 0:16:41and then tightened up into a knot and held there.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45And this is where we get the phrase, "Goodnight, sleep tight" from.
0:16:45 > 0:16:46To get a good night's sleep,
0:16:46 > 0:16:49every now and then you had to tighten the rope up.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51The bed boards are known as the dossers
0:16:51 > 0:16:54because people slept in a semi-upright position.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Again, look at the brocanting. Highly decorative.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00Gilded, as well, up to the hilt sometimes with coats of arms.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03It is a highly decorative piece and as a piece of furniture,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05well, it doesn't get any better, does it?
0:17:17 > 0:17:20As well as decorating their homes, men and women of all cultures
0:17:20 > 0:17:23have looked at ways of decorating themselves.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26One example, the fearsome warriors of Ancient Britain
0:17:26 > 0:17:30terrified the invading Romans by painting themselves blue.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34Now, in Georgian Britain, one particular fashion of adornment
0:17:34 > 0:17:36grew up, as Caroline Hawley explains.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44These are both 18th-century patch boxes.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47They would contain patches or beauty spots,
0:17:47 > 0:17:49which were actually very important
0:17:49 > 0:17:54in the late 18th, early 19th century, not just for vanity
0:17:54 > 0:17:57but smallpox was rife in those days
0:17:57 > 0:18:02and those that didn't die were left with fairly unsightly scars,
0:18:02 > 0:18:04and this was a method of covering up the scars.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08They would be made of velvet, very soft velvet,
0:18:08 > 0:18:12or sometimes poorer people would have them made out of mouse skin
0:18:12 > 0:18:16and they would be cut into the shapes of hearts, stars, diamonds,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19and they would be placed on the scars on your face.
0:18:20 > 0:18:25These were made in England. Originally, they were made in gold
0:18:25 > 0:18:29and beautifully enamelled and terribly expensive,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32but that was really the reserve of the very, very rich,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35and other people wanted to copy the fashion.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37So, consequently these lovely, little boxes
0:18:37 > 0:18:41were enamelled on copper and you can see on this one,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45which is very badly damaged, sadly, the enamel coming away
0:18:45 > 0:18:48and the copper at the base.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51They were very often given as love tokens.
0:18:51 > 0:18:57Now, this one on top says, "This trifle pleads my constant love."
0:18:57 > 0:18:59Sadly, I had to buy this for myself,
0:18:59 > 0:19:01it wasn't given to me as a love token but anyway,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04what distinguishes these from snuffboxes
0:19:04 > 0:19:07is the fact that there's a mirror inside
0:19:07 > 0:19:11and you would use that to strategically place your patch.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16Something in this condition, which is fairly poor...
0:19:16 > 0:19:19I think you could still buy this for well under £50.
0:19:20 > 0:19:26Now, this one here is another patch box in much better condition.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29This, because it's in better condition,
0:19:29 > 0:19:34I think would have a value of 100-200, but in perfect condition,
0:19:34 > 0:19:38they would get something between £200-£400 at auction.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41But they're very fragile, easily knocked,
0:19:41 > 0:19:43the enamel is easily broken.
0:19:43 > 0:19:48Now, this one says on top, "Look without and think on me.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52"Look within my love you'll see."
0:19:52 > 0:19:54That is just so sweet.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57I think these are gorgeous.
0:19:59 > 0:20:04The word "enamel" derives from the Old German word "smelzan", to smelt.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08It's made by fusing powdered glass to a base material,
0:20:08 > 0:20:10such as metal or glass,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13and then it's fired in a controlled environment.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16In the late 18th century,
0:20:16 > 0:20:18the proximity of Birmingham's metal producers
0:20:18 > 0:20:22and the glassworks of Stourbridge made one Black Country town
0:20:22 > 0:20:24a leader in this craft.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29Bilston, on the south-east tip of Wolverhampton,
0:20:29 > 0:20:31became world-famous for enamelling.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36And today it holds a special place in the heart
0:20:36 > 0:20:40of expert Elizabeth Talbot, as it's where her mother grew up.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45The origin of what I do really stems magically
0:20:45 > 0:20:47from the enamels of Bilston
0:20:47 > 0:20:51because I grew up surrounded by people who collected and loved them.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56As I've got older, I suddenly realise
0:20:56 > 0:20:58I need to know more about these beautiful things
0:20:58 > 0:21:00for my own benefit, too.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08I'm here today at Bilston Craft Gallery to meet with John Grayson,
0:21:08 > 0:21:10who is an enamel craftsman.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12We've got a lovely selection here in front of us.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14- May we have a closer look at some of them?- Yeah.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18The candlestick is particularly interesting because, in its nature,
0:21:18 > 0:21:23it's got to be quite a large object, but the technology of the time
0:21:23 > 0:21:26only allowed them to fire relatively small objects.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28So, that's a very good tip for collectors,
0:21:28 > 0:21:32that the earlier pieces would be produced in smaller sections
0:21:32 > 0:21:36- because they hadn't got the capacity to make the bigger pieces.- Yeah.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40We've got some patch and snuff boxes at the front.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43That's a very good example of transfer printing.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47- White coat of enamel, transfer put on, fired on.- OK.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50My two favourites are the dog and the bird.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55I really love the sculptural form of those and the painting,
0:21:55 > 0:22:00and with my own work, I try to emulate those forms and shapes
0:22:00 > 0:22:02and just bring them into the contemporary age
0:22:02 > 0:22:05by putting contemporary images
0:22:05 > 0:22:10intertwined with these traditional shapes and patterns.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21Enamelled goods are a huge area for collectors,
0:22:21 > 0:22:26and beginners will find it easy to pick up boxes for about £70.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31Larger objects, and more unusual pieces can reach four figures.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33If you're keen on contemporary examples,
0:22:33 > 0:22:36the simple transfer-printed works are more affordable
0:22:36 > 0:22:39than the labour-intensive hand-painted ones.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43John has offered to show Elizabeth how it's done.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49The first stage is putting some coats of enamel
0:22:49 > 0:22:53- onto the metal surface. - So, the metal is copper?
0:22:53 > 0:22:57Yep, and in the Georgian times, they would have used copper, as well.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00The enamel, in simple terms, it's coloured glass
0:23:00 > 0:23:02- ground down in water.- Right.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04And we're just going to give it a shake.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07- SHE LAUGHS - A certain wrist action there, yes.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10- Yep, and that's just to basically mix it up, OK?- Right.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15And I've got a container, and you can see it's quite thick,
0:23:15 > 0:23:16a bit like double cream.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20I was going to say, it looks like custard from here. Delightful.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25And I'm going to pick that up, try and keep my fingers off it
0:23:25 > 0:23:27so it's clean and literally just dip it in...
0:23:29 > 0:23:30..and let it drain off.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38I'm just going to put it on top of the kiln just to dry out
0:23:38 > 0:23:42because obviously if you put it straight in the kiln,
0:23:42 > 0:23:47800 degrees centigrade is just going to make the water boil instantly
0:23:47 > 0:23:49and, at best, you'd have a textured surface.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54- The heat from the kiln soon dries it out.- Yeah.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03It's going to go straight into the middle of the chamber.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07My goodness. So, that's 800 degrees in there?
0:24:07 > 0:24:10Yep, and you can see that the temperature is dropping
0:24:10 > 0:24:11- on the kiln.- Oh, yes.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14So, what we're waiting for is for that to come back up
0:24:14 > 0:24:17to temperature again, which will take a couple of minutes.
0:24:17 > 0:24:18It depends on the size of the piece.
0:24:22 > 0:24:23Drumroll.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31- Oh, my goodness!- And there you can see the colour temperature change.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Look at the colour! It is changing in front of my eyes.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38- How amazing.- The colour's going to be quite muted anyway
0:24:38 > 0:24:41- because of the contamination from the copper.- Right.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43But if you look at the edges where the enamel is a bit thicker,
0:24:43 > 0:24:46you can see that that's what it'll be like
0:24:46 > 0:24:50- with the multiple coats all over. - How many coats would that take?
0:24:50 > 0:24:52Probably about five.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58John has carefully coated one for the next stage -
0:24:58 > 0:25:00applying a transfer.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04- The colour is still enamel, so it's glass.- On the transfer?
0:25:04 > 0:25:07- Really?- Yep, but it's ground much more finely
0:25:07 > 0:25:10and it's put in oil, rather than water.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15In the Georgian time, they used to print onto tissue paper...
0:25:15 > 0:25:19- Really?- ..and then when it's fired, the paper would burn away,
0:25:19 > 0:25:23- leaving the enamel pigment on the surface.- Yes. Yes, yes.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29- OK.- So, you can see actually now it's...- Oh, yes, a lot of slide.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32- Do you want to see if you can...? - Oh, my goodness.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34See how thin that coat is?
0:25:34 > 0:25:36- It feels a bit like putting on a contact lens.- Yeah.
0:25:36 > 0:25:42And that's going to go onto the surface of the enamel.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45- Do you want to do that one or do I...?- You can have a go if you want.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48- If you put it straight down. - Oh, there we go.- Yeah, OK.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Now, you can see because the shape is irregular
0:25:52 > 0:25:55and the print was flat, at first it doesn't want to go down
0:25:55 > 0:26:00but this is where the stretchiness of the transfer comes in.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03- So you can actually start to stretch it to shape.- Ah, yes.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09- It's coming, isn't it?- Yep. - It's slowly getting there.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16On some Georgian enamel boxes, they just put a print on it,
0:26:16 > 0:26:20but the more elaborate ones would either be painted over the top
0:26:20 > 0:26:23- to give it...- Coloured in? - In effect, yeah.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26Like a very, very posh drawing book, yeah!
0:26:28 > 0:26:31Or painted directly onto that first coat.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34So, having seen it completed to this level,
0:26:34 > 0:26:36do you have any that you have already painted and decorated
0:26:36 > 0:26:38- in lovely colours?- Yeah. Yeah.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41Well, these are two you might be interested in.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44That's one unpainted, just with the transfer.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46So, that's the same stage we've just reached?
0:26:46 > 0:26:50- Exactly, yeah, but then just stopped at that point.- Right.- OK.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53And then this one shows a classic example
0:26:53 > 0:26:56of how I would then overpaint over the top
0:26:56 > 0:26:59- so this lady again was a transfer print.- Mm-hm.
0:26:59 > 0:27:04Exactly the same, but you can see this colour has been added to it,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07painted on like you would paint normally,
0:27:07 > 0:27:11but it's ground down glass rather than normal paints.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14So, do you use very, very fine brushes?
0:27:14 > 0:27:16- Very, very, very fine. - Because it's exquisite work.- Yeah.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18It's wonderful to meet somebody who has brought
0:27:18 > 0:27:22this method of production and decoration into the 21st century,
0:27:22 > 0:27:26but in very honest and traditional ways, so thank you for your time.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28- Thank you very much.- It's lovely.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34I shall go away and relook at the enamels again
0:27:34 > 0:27:37with far more satisfaction and understanding
0:27:37 > 0:27:39than I even had before today.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56The market for decorative ware is buoyant!
0:27:56 > 0:27:59- SHE GASPS - £2,800!
0:27:59 > 0:28:02And with so many different fields and techniques to delight the eye,
0:28:02 > 0:28:06it's easy to find a niche to suit your own tastes.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08On a canvas, done in pure oil paint,
0:28:08 > 0:28:12you'd think it was good, but imagine doing it in enamels.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14I hope we've encouraged you to explore
0:28:14 > 0:28:17the wonderful world of antiques and collectables.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22And join us again soon for more Trade Secrets.