0:00:02 > 0:00:05You've been coming to our "Flog It!" valuation days
0:00:05 > 0:00:09for well over a decade now and you haven't disappointed.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13With around 950 shows under our belt and thousands of your antiques
0:00:13 > 0:00:17and collectables valued, you've certainly put our experts
0:00:17 > 0:00:19through their paces.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23- Absolutely beautiful. Happy to flog it?- Yes.- Let's flog it.- Flog it.
0:00:23 > 0:00:24120....
0:00:25 > 0:00:29- That's a good result. Top end.- Great. - Happy, very happy with that.
0:00:29 > 0:00:30Very happy.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32And now we want to share some of the knowledge
0:00:32 > 0:00:35we've learnt from the items you've shown us.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37Welcome to Trade Secrets.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06To restore or not to restore?
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Now, that's the quandary that presents itself
0:01:09 > 0:01:12to lovers of all antiques and collectables.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Damage can detract from an item's appeal,
0:01:15 > 0:01:19yet it's true to say collectors prefer authenticity.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24So on today's show, we'll be treading the fine line of restoration
0:01:24 > 0:01:26and confronting issues head-on.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Got a bit of bad news for you.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33And we find out how to become restoration savvy.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37The best way of learning the lesson is to buy a piece
0:01:37 > 0:01:41that you think is perfect and you subsequently discover it's restored,
0:01:41 > 0:01:42cos you'll never forget that one.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46And discover what the bidders make of a recently restored heirloom.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48£1,400. We're on the phone, you're out.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52The hammer's gone down. Your husband had a good eye, didn't he?
0:01:56 > 0:01:57At our valuation days,
0:01:57 > 0:02:01the restoration we see is usually so good you can barely spot it.
0:02:03 > 0:02:08But, back in 2010, I took a trip to the foothills of Snowdonia
0:02:08 > 0:02:11to find out about a monumental restoration job
0:02:11 > 0:02:13that everybody can see,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16at Gwydyr Castle, one of the finest Tudor houses in Wales.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23A house like this just echoes of the past -
0:02:23 > 0:02:25the walls permeate history.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29You can't help yourself. You want to touch them and soak it all up.
0:02:29 > 0:02:30It was once a fortified house.
0:02:30 > 0:02:35The castle was the ancestral home of the powerful Wynn baronets,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38a significant family in North Wales throughout the Tudor
0:02:38 > 0:02:39and Stuart period.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Today, as you can see, the house has evolved over the centuries
0:02:42 > 0:02:45but inside it's full of character and charm and atmosphere.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48All the perfect ingredients for a fairytale.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55This modern-day fairytale started in 1994 when a young couple,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Judy Corbett and Peter Welford, followed their dreams.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01Throwing caution to the wind, they bought Gwydyr with the money
0:03:01 > 0:03:05they raised in the sale of an inherited cottage and a bank loan.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08It was totally dilapidated at the time -
0:03:08 > 0:03:11a crumbling ruin with a wild, overgrown garden.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14With the help of the Welsh Historic Monuments Agency,
0:03:14 > 0:03:18they started what will probably end up being their lifetime's work -
0:03:18 > 0:03:20its restoration.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24A restoration project of this size is a huge undertaking.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26In fact, I'm going to rephrase that -
0:03:26 > 0:03:28it's a MAMMOTH undertaking,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31but Peter and Judy are totally focused and committed.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33They love architecture, they love history
0:03:33 > 0:03:37and, with that combination, they've succeeded so far.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39It's a beautiful, beautiful castle.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43I'm going inside to catch up with Judy to find out all about it.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51What was it like when you first came here?
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Um, it was pretty derelict, yeah.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57- Roofless in part, horses and chickens living in here.- Really?
0:03:57 > 0:03:59- In this particular room?- Yes.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Yeah, so it was really quite bad
0:04:02 > 0:04:04and obviously no plumbing or wiring to speak of.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06I had a walk around the grounds before I came in
0:04:06 > 0:04:08and they're beautifully landscaped now.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Lots of formal plantings, lots of clipped yew and box
0:04:11 > 0:04:14and, gradually, it's all coming back together again.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19There's one particular tale I know you haven't mentioned yet and
0:04:19 > 0:04:24that's how you managed to do a bit of detective work on your dining room.
0:04:24 > 0:04:29Yes, a neighbour turned up with the sale catalogue.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33- Of the contents of the castle.- Of the contents of the castle from 1921.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Basically, to cut a very long story short,
0:04:36 > 0:04:38it transpired that William Randolph Hearst,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41who you'll know as Citizen Kane in the famous film,
0:04:41 > 0:04:45had bought two rooms at the sale here in 1921.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48The rooms had been destined for San Simeon in California,
0:04:48 > 0:04:50the castle he was building for himself there.
0:04:50 > 0:04:55We'd started doing some detective work and gradually traced the room
0:04:55 > 0:04:57to the Metropolitan Museum in New York
0:04:57 > 0:04:59and that is where we found it.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Was it on display? Or was it just in storage?
0:05:01 > 0:05:05No, it was actually still in its packing crates from 1921.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08- They'd never done anything with it?- Never done anything with it.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10So were they pleased to sell it back to you, then?
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Well, it took us two years to negotiate with them
0:05:12 > 0:05:15and we went over to New York to see the room, in fact...
0:05:15 > 0:05:16How fascinating!
0:05:16 > 0:05:18..and went to this extraordinary warehouse in the Bronx.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21- This whole new world was opening up for you.- Yes.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23There, in the middle of it, was our panelled room,
0:05:23 > 0:05:26and they literally just give us a hammer and a chisel and said,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28"Go ahead and open the crates."
0:05:28 > 0:05:31And the most astonishing thing was, when we started opening the crates
0:05:31 > 0:05:34and saw this amazing room, it still smelled of Gwydyr,
0:05:34 > 0:05:37after all those years, 75 years.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41- Only you know what that smell is, really.- Well, it moved us enormously.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43- Just to have that piece of... - Did you have a tear in your eye?
0:05:43 > 0:05:45- I did, I'm afraid, yes. - Can I have a look?
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Absolutely, yes.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51Of course, all the furniture, all the contents were sold as well.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53Why was there a big house sale?
0:05:53 > 0:05:56Hard to say. 1921, just after the war.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00Money was tight, same old story, it was happening all over Britain.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03And was that the start, really, of the decline?
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Yes, in Sir John Wynn's day, the estate was huge.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10You know, the deer park alone was 36,000 acres.
0:06:10 > 0:06:11So it was a massive estate.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17So this is lot 88, the remarkably fine 17th-century panelling.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19How much did it sell for back then, do you know?
0:06:19 > 0:06:22Ah, well, quite a lot of money, actually.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25I think it was something like 1,000 guineas, which is a lot of money.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27But it attracted a lot of attention.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31Hearst obviously was introduced to it by his friend, Lord Duveen,
0:06:31 > 0:06:35who owned the house then and started to asset strip, basically.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38After two years of negotiation
0:06:38 > 0:06:42it got packed away back in that box again and shipped back over here.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45It came back, yes, yes, after 75 years of exile,
0:06:45 > 0:06:47it came back to Gwydyr and...
0:06:47 > 0:06:49Was it a puzzle, putting it back together?
0:06:49 > 0:06:51Or was it all carefully marked, joint-to-joint?
0:06:51 > 0:06:52Well, unfortunately not,
0:06:52 > 0:06:55so that's why it made our job that much more difficult.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59It was very hard because they came in great big sheets of panelling
0:06:59 > 0:07:01and they had very loose markings on the back,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04but we were really working from just the sale catalogue,
0:07:04 > 0:07:06these sepia photographs.
0:07:06 > 0:07:07Whilst we were working on the room,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10we hardly left the place for two years, it was that intense,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13really, just making sure that everything went back together again.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16- You really are living and breathing this, aren't you?- Yes.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19We're very passionate about it and love it very much.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Gosh, here we are.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46Wow, I love the carvings, I love the trailing ivy with the grapes.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49Yeah, they're very intricate and very elaborate and...
0:07:49 > 0:07:51When was that carved? When was this made?
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Well, the panelling was made for this space
0:07:53 > 0:07:55in about 1640 for Sir Richard Wynn
0:07:55 > 0:07:57and then it's been embellished
0:07:57 > 0:07:59and played with a little bit over the centuries
0:07:59 > 0:08:00but really, yeah, 1640.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04And this echoes what's going on around the doorway, doesn't it?
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Yes, these twisty columns, they're called Solomonic columns.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Lovely, deep relief on the carving.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14And then in the middle we've got the coat of arms of the Wynn family.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16OK, this is what we've got to look out for now
0:08:16 > 0:08:19- if we find anything like this we know where to bring it.- Yes, exactly.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22The three eagles of Owain Gwynedd and the three lions of King Cynan.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26Was the leather panelling part of the package out of the crate as well?
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Yes, everything came back except the movable furniture.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32So even the window shutters came back.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36This leather frieze up here is actually quite important.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39When it came back from America, it was completely black.
0:08:39 > 0:08:40We took advice from the V&A
0:08:40 > 0:08:43and they said the best thing to clean it with is spit.
0:08:43 > 0:08:48So we spent six months, I'm afraid, and a lot of spit later,
0:08:48 > 0:08:51it now shines but we both ended up with very bad sore throats
0:08:51 > 0:08:52- at the end of it. - What a wonderful tale.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55It's a great detective story, isn't it?
0:08:55 > 0:08:57Another little piece is that
0:08:57 > 0:08:59if William Randolph Hearst hadn't bought this room,
0:08:59 > 0:09:01it would have burnt in a fire the following year,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03so we're very grateful to him also.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12For Judy and Peter, restoring this magnificent Tudor house,
0:09:12 > 0:09:15it was essential to preserve its heritage
0:09:15 > 0:09:19but for everyday antiques it isn't always a clear-cut decision.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Clearly, there are arguments for and against,
0:09:22 > 0:09:26so if you haven't quite made your mind up, maybe we can help.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35If you have a teapot and the spout's broken, I wouldn't necessarily
0:09:35 > 0:09:38have the spout restored just so you can sell the teapot
0:09:38 > 0:09:41because you might find there is an imbalance
0:09:41 > 0:09:43between outlay and suitable income.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47Restoration is always acceptable.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51But you have to mention that it's been done.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54The best way of learning the lesson
0:09:54 > 0:09:56is to buy a piece that you think is perfect
0:09:56 > 0:09:59and you subsequently discover it's restored,
0:09:59 > 0:10:01cos you'll never forget that one.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05We see all types of restored items on "Flog It!".
0:10:05 > 0:10:10For some, the restoration comes as an unwelcome surprise.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13In other cases, the objects have been lovingly restored
0:10:13 > 0:10:15by the people we meet.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17Claire Rawle had the pleasure of the latter
0:10:17 > 0:10:20at a valuation day in Hertfordshire.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23My husband bought it... We reckon about 20 years ago,
0:10:23 > 0:10:25not quite sure about that.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29..for scrap at an antique fair for £15.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Then he took it to a local watchmaker man and he said,
0:10:32 > 0:10:34"Oh, it's worth repairing,"
0:10:34 > 0:10:39so we spent about £350, which seemed an awful lot of money then.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42I would be interested in knowing a bit more about it.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44It's a lovely thing.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47This watch had been very, very sympathetically done.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Basically, the restorer had restored the movement and made it work -
0:10:50 > 0:10:52which is what you expect them to do -
0:10:52 > 0:10:55but hadn't gone in for lots of polishing and cleaning
0:10:55 > 0:10:57and tidying up of the dial and the hands and things,
0:10:57 > 0:11:00which spoils it completely.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03If you open it up, nice set of hallmarks inside,
0:11:03 > 0:11:05which give you the date, 1838.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08The thing I really love is when you get into the back
0:11:08 > 0:11:10and you open this last cover
0:11:10 > 0:11:13and there we have just the back of the movement.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15It's beautifully made.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17Quite understated, in a way, but you've got this nice,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20what they call this "engraved cog" here,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22which covers the escapement inside.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26Most people that buy watches don't expect them to be working.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29They'll either do it themselves or they get it done professionally.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32There are very few people that will ask, "Does it work?"
0:11:32 > 0:11:34The one thing they will ask is whether it ticks
0:11:34 > 0:11:37because that means that the main spring is still working.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39So, as long as that still goes, it's got more value.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42I think anybody who knows anything about chronometers
0:11:42 > 0:11:45will look at that and think, "Wow, yeah, that's really nice.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47"That's an interesting piece." £500 to £600.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51- Oh, really?- Yeah.- Yes. That's wonderful.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55The more I look at it, the more I think that it will do very well.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58- I think if you put a £500 reserve on it...- Right, right.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00- Fix it.- Right, right.- Is that OK?
0:12:00 > 0:12:03- Yes, that's fine.- Estimate 5 to 6.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07- Right.- And, yeah, I think it should go well.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10It was lovely that it was in working order.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13I think it probably put a little bit on but not a tremendous amount.
0:12:13 > 0:12:14It was a good watch anyway.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17This is where it gets interesting. This is the beauty of an auction.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20- Because anything can happen. We could have a big surprise.- Hopefully.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22There we are, lot 216.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26It ought to be close to 500 for this one. 300 bid, thank you, sir.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29300 I'm bid, 20... 400 he says.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31400 I'm bid. 500 we're bid for it.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34At 500. You're going well.
0:12:34 > 0:12:35Are you going to finish?
0:12:35 > 0:12:37At 500, then, I'm going to have to sell it.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39£500.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Thank you very much.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43- I'm happy with that £500. - Yes, it's wonderful.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45From £15, it's not bad, is it?
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Yes, yes, and you got the money back from the repairs as well
0:12:48 > 0:12:50and you had all those years of enjoying it and use.
0:12:50 > 0:12:51Absolutely.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53I think you need to be very careful
0:12:53 > 0:12:56if you're thinking of restoring a pocket watch.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00An awful lot of them actually are not worth restoring
0:13:00 > 0:13:03because the cost of restoring is totally going to outweigh its value.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06Where you've got a nice one, then, yes, obviously,
0:13:06 > 0:13:08you want to think about having it restored.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Less called-on for pocket watches,
0:13:11 > 0:13:15an area where restoration is more commonly seen
0:13:15 > 0:13:19is with Royal Worcester China, which was established in 1751.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25Because of the pottery's vast output and the popularity with collectors
0:13:25 > 0:13:28of this fragile porcelain, restored pieces often crop up.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Some even have replacement parts.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34The trick is, as our own
0:13:34 > 0:13:38Worcester-born boy Philip Serrell knows, is spotting it.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40I just wanted to know if it was genuine, actually.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43- Why do you want to know if it's genuine?- I don't know.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47We bought it from a national exhibition centre and I liked it
0:13:47 > 0:13:51because of all the roses. I'm a roses person, a pink person.
0:13:51 > 0:13:52And I really fell in love with it
0:13:52 > 0:13:55and after I bought it I just wondered if it was genuine.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57This is shape number 1286,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00and it's called a crown-topped potpourri.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04It's got this dot system which started in 1891
0:14:04 > 0:14:05and there are 16 dots there,
0:14:05 > 0:14:09so we can date this quite precisely to 1907.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12It just strikes me as being a little bit odd.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15Can you see this is like an ivory
0:14:15 > 0:14:17and what we call shot-silk decoration
0:14:17 > 0:14:21in those intervals there? And yet there it's totally different.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23I have thought that myself, I did notice that.
0:14:23 > 0:14:28I just wonder whether it may have been that...
0:14:28 > 0:14:31this cover has been a replacement at some point in time.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34I think Pat was spot on, really,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37and it goes back to this thing about trusting your eyes.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41If you look at that, you can see that the rim around the bottom
0:14:41 > 0:14:45of the top didn't quite match the rim around the base of the vase.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48That should tell you that something perhaps doesn't quite marry up.
0:14:48 > 0:14:49So I think she was spot on with her instincts
0:14:49 > 0:14:51that top and bottom didn't quite match.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53So how much did you pay for it?
0:14:53 > 0:14:55We think about 180.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57I think it will show you a profit on that,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00providing there's no restoration and it's all A-OK, as I said.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04I think that my estimate for it would probably be £200 to £400
0:15:04 > 0:15:08and put a reserve on it of £200 on the basis that it's not restored.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10You know, it looks very crisp around here.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13I've had a look and it looks OK, but it's difficult in these lights.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16If you're buying a perfect piece for a perfect price, that's fine.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19If you're buying a restored piece for a restored price, that's fine.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21What you don't want to be doing
0:15:21 > 0:15:23is buying a restored piece for a perfect price.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26And restoration can be that good that, you know,
0:15:26 > 0:15:30a dealer or an auctioneer just might not spot it.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32As you can imagine,
0:15:32 > 0:15:36we were all intrigued to see what the saleroom made of Pat's vase.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40- I've been all over this, top to toe. It's absolutely sound.- Right.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44- There is not a problem at all. - Is the cover right for the pot?
0:15:44 > 0:15:45- That's where we fall down.- OK.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49No, it is what we've termed in the catalogue an "associated cover".
0:15:49 > 0:15:52- It has a marginal effect on the price.- OK.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54But not phenomenal because, at the end of the day,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57these things are rare, these are very expensive.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59And, also, for anyone out there,
0:15:59 > 0:16:01if you've got a smashed pot and got the cover,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04don't sling it out, because people are desperate to buy the covers.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06- These are often the first things that get broken.- Yeah.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08- We're going to sell. - Going to sell it.- Oh, yeah.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11It's just that cover that's just going to hold it back.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14But did the Royal Worcester collectors agree?
0:16:14 > 0:16:16I open at £450.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20- Yes!- £450 on a maiden bid clears everybody else.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24I've got 450 on my right. Do I hear 460 in the room?
0:16:25 > 0:16:29It's on a commission bid, then. Opening and closing at £450.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32All sure, all done?
0:16:32 > 0:16:36- Bang, hammer's gone down.- Short and sweet.- Short and sweet, yeah. £450.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Great result. Top end of Philip's estimate.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42Although the lid wasn't a perfect match,
0:16:42 > 0:16:44the fragile nature of Royal Worcester
0:16:44 > 0:16:48means associated covers are more accepted by collectors.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51However, if you want to avoid a restored piece,
0:16:51 > 0:16:54Philip has a top tip.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58If you go to an antique fair or you go to an auction room
0:16:58 > 0:17:02and you see people picking up a piece of porcelain and biting it,
0:17:02 > 0:17:04they're checking for restoration.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07Now, if a pot has been restored and you bite into it,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09it's just like biting into soap
0:17:09 > 0:17:12and you almost feel like it's going to come away in your mouth.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15If you bite onto a piece that's not been restored,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18it's like biting on a piece of glass, it's really quite hard.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20That's a way of looking for restoration.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23But, of course, in the world of ceramics,
0:17:23 > 0:17:25other big names, like Moorcroft,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28also have a low threshold for bumps and scrapes.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33The joy of Moorcroft is it's fairly easy to restore,
0:17:33 > 0:17:36because a lot of the ground colours are very plain.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40So, you can get a big chunk out and it's just blue.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43So, to restore a lot of Moorcroft is very easy
0:17:43 > 0:17:47and the financial benefits are really good.
0:17:47 > 0:17:53Easily disguised restoration, though, can come as a bit of a shock,
0:17:53 > 0:17:58as Jim and Betty found out in 2010 with their Moorcroft trinket dish.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01Thank you so much for bringing this little trinket dish along.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04Now, you must know a little bit about it if you watched Flog It!
0:18:04 > 0:18:09- I think it might be 1930s. - Absolutely spot-on.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12And do you know the name of the pattern?
0:18:12 > 0:18:15- Not really.- Testing! - Is it Mushroom, or...?
0:18:15 > 0:18:17- No, that's Claremont. Mushroom is Claremont.- Right.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20- This is Hazeldene.- Oh, Hazeldene, yes.- It's very similar.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24If we turn it over, there we've got the "Made In England",
0:18:24 > 0:18:27which tells you it's made after 1925.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29"Potter to HM the Queen".
0:18:29 > 0:18:31That would have been Queen Mary.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34And the W Moorcroft facsimile signature there.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38So a little dish that is very sought-after at auction.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40I love this Hazeldene pattern,
0:18:40 > 0:18:44especially with the sunset red ground to it.
0:18:44 > 0:18:45Ooh.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52I've got a bit of bad news for you.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54- It's been restored at some stage.- Oh.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it has been done.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03It looks like sort of 15-, 20-year-old restoration.
0:19:03 > 0:19:04It's starting to show through.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07When restoration's done, when it's brand-new,
0:19:07 > 0:19:08it's very difficult to tell.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12The restoration fades and it doesn't last,
0:19:12 > 0:19:14so you might think you've restored something
0:19:14 > 0:19:17and spent £100 restoring it for ever.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19It's not the case.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22The restoration will come back and it will change in time.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24So, you'll have to do it again.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26- Is it a family piece?- No.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30- Where did you find that?- Well, where did we pick that up, Jim?
0:19:30 > 0:19:33- A car-boot sale. - How much did you pay for it?
0:19:33 > 0:19:34£2. £2.
0:19:34 > 0:19:40Well, for £2, you know, it's still a great buy at £2.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42If it had been perfect,
0:19:42 > 0:19:47I think your £2 would have transformed into £200.
0:19:47 > 0:19:52With the restoration, you've still made a really good investment,
0:19:52 > 0:19:55because I still think it's going to make 60-100.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57- Brilliant, isn't it? - That still all right, isn't it?
0:19:57 > 0:19:59- That more than I thought. - It's great.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02I just thought it's just a wee dish.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Well, it is a wee dish, but it's a great wee dish.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08If you've got a rare piece of Moorcroft
0:20:08 > 0:20:11and you can't afford 5,000 for the perfect one,
0:20:11 > 0:20:15you can still afford 2,000 and get one that's damaged.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19But because Moorcroft is so easy to restore, it will look fabulous.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23And the potential to make restored Moorcroft look as good as new
0:20:23 > 0:20:26might explain what unfolded in the saleroom.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32A very nice Moorcroft flambe design circular pin tray.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36And I've two very close bids.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38And I'm started at £210.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41210. 210. 210.
0:20:41 > 0:20:42210.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44220.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46240.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48260. 280.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50300.
0:20:50 > 0:20:51320.
0:20:53 > 0:20:5420 against you.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00340.
0:21:02 > 0:21:03360.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05- 360.- 380.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08400.
0:21:09 > 0:21:10420.
0:21:12 > 0:21:13440.
0:21:17 > 0:21:22- 440. Anyone else want in at £440? - £440, Betty!
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Selling on the telephone at £440.
0:21:25 > 0:21:30- Well, who'd have believed that? - Well done, James.- £440.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33Hey, we keep saying it's a roller-coaster ride of emotions
0:21:33 > 0:21:34here in the auction room, don't we?
0:21:34 > 0:21:36You don't know what's going to happen.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38We keep saying it's not an exact science.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40Damaged - yes, it was.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45But did the bidders on the phone care? Clearly not.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47When two people really want something,
0:21:47 > 0:21:49you can't predict the result.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55Now, in 2012, an elderly woman in Spain took the art world by storm
0:21:55 > 0:21:58when she popped into her local church
0:21:58 > 0:22:01and tried to restore a century-old fresco.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04That was an obvious case of what not to do.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06But botched job aside,
0:22:06 > 0:22:10even professional restoration of artwork can be controversial.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14In Brian and Maria's case, the jury's still out.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19- It was passed to my father from his uncle.- Right.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22So it's been in the family quite a few years.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24Father passed away in October.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28Before that, it was always his wish to take the family abroad.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30So it's kind of passing the legacy down, really,
0:22:30 > 0:22:34to try and probably use it as our leverage to, hopefully, get abroad.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36Oh, that's a lovely thing to do.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39- I'm sure he'd have approved of that. - Yes, he would have done.- Yeah.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42Just up until recently, you couldn't really see much of the picture
0:22:42 > 0:22:45and we had it restored around Christmas time
0:22:45 > 0:22:47so you can actually see the detail.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50You can even virtually see the people at the front of the boat.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53My first thought was, if they have so recently
0:22:53 > 0:22:55spent good money on having it restored,
0:22:55 > 0:22:57is there a hope, therefore,
0:22:57 > 0:22:59that they can reclaim that
0:22:59 > 0:23:02over and above what the value of the picture is?
0:23:02 > 0:23:04And, sometimes, people are caught out
0:23:04 > 0:23:06by believing that every time they spend
0:23:06 > 0:23:09on some restoration or conservation,
0:23:09 > 0:23:13it will automatically add value to the hammer price
0:23:13 > 0:23:17in the case of the auction - that isn't always the case.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20I would say, as a general rule, I'd normally advise against that.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23If you're going to sell something, what people do like to see generally
0:23:23 > 0:23:25is something that looks as though
0:23:25 > 0:23:27- it's been hanging on a fireplace for 20 years.- Right.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31I started on a negative, but just that would be the general advice.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Having said that, it does, as you say,
0:23:33 > 0:23:35reveal what a strong image that is.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38And walking towards it, as I did, and seeing it on the easel,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41it really stands out as being a lovely composition.
0:23:41 > 0:23:49It was a good image, lots of interest, well placed on the canvas.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52So it was a lovely painting in its own right.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55Now, the signature is not an easy one to read.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57You don't know anything about the artist at all?
0:23:57 > 0:23:58- Nothing at all.- Nothing at all.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01I think it's by one of the Grebes, one of the Grebe family.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03And, certainly, stylistically,
0:24:03 > 0:24:06it looks very much late 19th-, early 20th-century Dutch School.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08It is very much of that ilk.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12Standing where I'm standing now, I can see the restoration.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14- I can see this patch, particularly, here.- Right.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16I'm not meaning to be too negative about it,
0:24:16 > 0:24:17- just realistic about it.- Yeah.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20It was quite a textured finish to the artwork.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23But the restoration interrupted that.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25It looked wrong, it looked thicker and it looked wrong,
0:24:25 > 0:24:27and it had a sort of sheen to it
0:24:27 > 0:24:29which was different to the rest of the painting.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31I think we have to be realistic.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35I think we've got to look at it as being 200-400, 300-500.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38It may well be that I'm being too pessimistic about it.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42But if you're happy to kind of bracket it somewhere in that region,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45and I think then you've got sort of your holiday almost booked.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48- And then anything else is a bonus. - On top of that, yeah, sure.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51- Does that make sense?- Yeah. - Yes, yes, yes.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Having already spent £300 on restoration,
0:24:54 > 0:24:58they needed the painting to make at least the top of that estimate.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02So did Brian and Maria get the holiday they wanted?
0:25:02 > 0:25:04At 320 on the net. 340.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06360, do I see now?
0:25:06 > 0:25:08I've got 340 on the net. At 340 in the UK. At 340.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11360 in Holland. 380. At 380. At 380 bid.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13- It could be going back to Holland. - At 380.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Keep clicking away. 400. £400 bid. At £400.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18At 400. 420 now.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20At £400. Net has it at £400.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22We'll go to the telephones next, then.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25420. 440. 460?
0:25:25 > 0:25:26460, anyone, now?
0:25:26 > 0:25:28460. At 460. 480.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30500? £500, anyone?
0:25:30 > 0:25:31500 on the telephone there.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34At 500. 550 on the net.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Incredible. There's a battle between the telephone and the internet.
0:25:37 > 0:25:406 on the telephones. At 600 bid.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42At 600. 650 now. 650.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46700 now, may I say? £700, surely. 700 on the phone.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48- Maria! £700.- 750.
0:25:48 > 0:25:49800, now, do I see from anyone?
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Who's coming in first? At 800.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53I have 750, commission bid has it.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56800 on the telephones. At 800 bid. At 800.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59- And 50 now. Telephone bid coming in...- Wow!
0:25:59 > 0:26:01No? At 850 on the net, then.
0:26:01 > 0:26:031,000, now, do I see?
0:26:03 > 0:26:04950 bid. 1,000, surely.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07- Colin's working this very well. - Yes, it's brilliant.
0:26:07 > 0:26:111,000 on the telephone. Any more bids now? 1,100. 12?
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Do I see 1,200? I do. 1,200 bid. 13 now.
0:26:15 > 0:26:16It's not unlucky, you know...
0:26:16 > 0:26:18- Someone's going home with a lot of money.- Yes.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20..unless you don't bid.
0:26:20 > 0:26:231,300 bid. Thank you. 1,300. 1,400 now.
0:26:23 > 0:26:2614, do I see? 1,400. 15 now, surely. 15?
0:26:26 > 0:26:291,500, may I say now? You know you need it.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34At 1,400, then. At £1,400. We're on the phone.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37You're out on the net, you're out in the room. Last call, then.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40- £1,400.- Selling at £1,400.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42- The hammer's gone down. Yes! - Brilliant.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Your husband had a good eye, didn't he? He liked that.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47- He saw the value in that. - He did like it.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50- That is marvellous.- Thank you. - Your first auction, £1,400.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55I was so excited when there was so much interest about that painting,
0:26:55 > 0:26:57because I did like that painting.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00It was a very strong, dynamic picture.
0:27:00 > 0:27:01I was delighted.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04It obviously went to a good home and I'm really pleased.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07Well, that exceptional result was due in no small part
0:27:07 > 0:27:10to some excellent marketing by the auction room.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12The painting of the Grebe
0:27:12 > 0:27:15even attracted bidders from its homeland, the Netherlands.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Now, the question is, would Brian and Maria's painting
0:27:18 > 0:27:23have fetched even more money if it hadn't been restored?
0:27:23 > 0:27:25Well, we'll never know.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Now, here are a few things to consider
0:27:28 > 0:27:31if you are thinking about restoration.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36The decision on whether to restore often comes down to taste.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40If you're keeping a piece, it needs to be aesthetically pleasing to you.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44And, sometimes, that means conservation is necessary.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48But bear in mind, restoration is not a cheap job.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51It's an investment in its own right.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55And if you're planning to sell, think carefully.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59Because that outlay won't necessarily be returned at the auction.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Fortunately, the Grebe painting hit the market at the right time
0:28:03 > 0:28:06and attracted international interest...
0:28:07 > 0:28:11..which meant Brian and Maria got that long-planned holiday.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16They took the whole family to Ibiza and had a fantastic time.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18And that's what I call a result.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Well, that's it for today's show. I hope you've enjoyed it.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26So, go on, get out there, get buying and have some fun with antiques,
0:28:26 > 0:28:30and join us again soon for more Trade Secrets.