Browse content similar to Instruments - Part 2. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
Line | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|
Have you got more stuff in there? | 0:00:07 | 0:00:09 | |
-No, that's my lunch. -Is that your lunch? | 0:00:09 | 0:00:11 | |
Probably all rubbish. | 0:00:11 | 0:00:12 | |
OK, next, please. | 0:00:12 | 0:00:14 | |
-Have you seen anything nice yet? -I'm not telling. | 0:00:14 | 0:00:16 | |
It's been well over ten years | 0:00:16 | 0:00:17 | |
since you first started coming to our "Flog It!" valuation days | 0:00:17 | 0:00:20 | |
and during that time, we've seen, valued and sold | 0:00:20 | 0:00:23 | |
thousands of your unwanted antiques and collectibles | 0:00:23 | 0:00:26 | |
and I've discovered there's so much more to learn | 0:00:26 | 0:00:28 | |
about the world of fine art and antiques that we all love, | 0:00:28 | 0:00:31 | |
so if you want to know more, you've come to the right place. | 0:00:31 | 0:00:34 | |
Welcome to Trade Secrets. | 0:00:34 | 0:00:36 | |
The antiques trade is obviously built on buying | 0:01:07 | 0:01:09 | |
and selling objects that are pleasing to the eye. | 0:01:09 | 0:01:12 | |
An item's form is often more crucial that to its value than its function. | 0:01:13 | 0:01:18 | |
I can appreciate that they are beautiful. I love the enamelling. | 0:01:18 | 0:01:21 | |
There are, of course, exceptions to this general rule. | 0:01:21 | 0:01:25 | |
And one of those is the market for scientific instruments. | 0:01:25 | 0:01:28 | |
But it is a complex area and finding profitable pieces can prove | 0:01:30 | 0:01:34 | |
challenging to even the most seasoned collector. | 0:01:34 | 0:01:36 | |
So today we are sorting out the wheat from the chaff. | 0:01:37 | 0:01:41 | |
Coming up, Philip gets to grips with some weird science. | 0:01:42 | 0:01:45 | |
-No. -It is no more than about 100 volts. | 0:01:45 | 0:01:47 | |
Hold these while I give you an electric shock. | 0:01:47 | 0:01:50 | |
This will make you laugh, Dorrie! | 0:01:51 | 0:01:52 | |
HE LAUGHS | 0:01:52 | 0:01:54 | |
We hit upon the right formula in the sale room. | 0:01:54 | 0:01:57 | |
-Wasn't that good? Wasn't that good? -Amazing! | 0:01:57 | 0:02:00 | |
Everybody is giving you a round of applause in the auction room. | 0:02:00 | 0:02:03 | |
Wow! | 0:02:05 | 0:02:06 | |
-And Adam shares his own brand of auction using Alchemy. -There we go. | 0:02:08 | 0:02:13 | |
All of that costume jewellery, not gold. | 0:02:14 | 0:02:16 | |
We see lots of instruments of a scientific nature | 0:02:21 | 0:02:23 | |
turning up at our Flog It! valuation days. | 0:02:23 | 0:02:26 | |
Marvellous compasses and barometers and slightly rarer items, | 0:02:26 | 0:02:30 | |
such as microscopes and sextants. | 0:02:30 | 0:02:32 | |
So, which scientific instruments should you be looking out for? | 0:02:32 | 0:02:36 | |
A good entry-level piece for a collector of instruments | 0:02:36 | 0:02:40 | |
might be a simple, extending telescope that you can pick up. | 0:02:40 | 0:02:43 | |
They were made in large quantities, end of the 19th century | 0:02:43 | 0:02:46 | |
and you can pick up a decent telescope for £50. | 0:02:46 | 0:02:49 | |
Microscopes, that often came in big cases, | 0:02:49 | 0:02:52 | |
they would have a number of eyepieces and slides | 0:02:52 | 0:02:55 | |
and things that went with them | 0:02:55 | 0:02:57 | |
and lots of individual accessories like tweezers - | 0:02:57 | 0:03:00 | |
people like to see things in good, original, complete condition. | 0:03:00 | 0:03:04 | |
You can pick up a barometer pretty cheaply today, | 0:03:04 | 0:03:07 | |
and what could be better than going off to work in the morning, | 0:03:07 | 0:03:10 | |
walking down the hall | 0:03:10 | 0:03:11 | |
and just tapping the barometer as you pass. | 0:03:11 | 0:03:14 | |
I think there's something charming about that. | 0:03:14 | 0:03:16 | |
The pitfalls with early scientific instruments | 0:03:16 | 0:03:19 | |
are that they're being forged on a large scale, | 0:03:19 | 0:03:23 | |
and very convincingly, by the Chinese, | 0:03:23 | 0:03:25 | |
and have done for the last five or six years | 0:03:25 | 0:03:28 | |
and they're able to forge them to quite a high standard. | 0:03:28 | 0:03:31 | |
So if you were at a car boot fair and someone shows you something | 0:03:31 | 0:03:35 | |
that looks like an 18th century brass pocket dial | 0:03:35 | 0:03:38 | |
and it's £30, | 0:03:38 | 0:03:40 | |
it's probably come off the boat last week. | 0:03:40 | 0:03:42 | |
Back in 2004, | 0:03:42 | 0:03:44 | |
an exquisite example of a pocket sundial | 0:03:44 | 0:03:47 | |
thrilled two of our experts, | 0:03:47 | 0:03:49 | |
who were confident it hadn't just come off the boat. | 0:03:49 | 0:03:52 | |
The late, great David Barby had the pleasure of valuing the item | 0:03:52 | 0:03:55 | |
whilst Charlie Ross wielded the gavel. | 0:03:55 | 0:03:59 | |
As an auctioneer, you are always thrilled to see quality | 0:03:59 | 0:04:03 | |
and dear David didn't let us down on this occasion. | 0:04:03 | 0:04:05 | |
It is a lovely example of what we term as a pocket sundial. | 0:04:07 | 0:04:13 | |
What is so good about it is the case, the original case. | 0:04:13 | 0:04:17 | |
Cardboard construction | 0:04:17 | 0:04:21 | |
and then covered in a fish skin that we call shagreen. | 0:04:21 | 0:04:25 | |
The fact that it had its original shagreen case was wonderful - | 0:04:25 | 0:04:30 | |
shark skin or fish skin case, sometimes stingray skin case. | 0:04:30 | 0:04:37 | |
To have that - and, of course, | 0:04:37 | 0:04:38 | |
the fact that it had still got its case - | 0:04:38 | 0:04:41 | |
meant that the instrument itself was in such good condition. | 0:04:41 | 0:04:46 | |
Inside, you've even got the original maker's label, | 0:04:46 | 0:04:49 | |
which is "J Abraham - Optician, Bath." | 0:04:49 | 0:04:55 | |
He actually made things for the Duke of Wellington, | 0:04:55 | 0:04:58 | |
so the highest, highest order. | 0:04:58 | 0:05:01 | |
Early 19th century, workmanship was fabulous - | 0:05:01 | 0:05:03 | |
you look at this thing, it's just superbly made. | 0:05:03 | 0:05:06 | |
-Now, all the way around here, you have an indication of time. -Yes. | 0:05:06 | 0:05:12 | |
So you adjust that section with this lever. | 0:05:12 | 0:05:16 | |
This is the actual sundial section. | 0:05:18 | 0:05:21 | |
When it's pulled up, it is always facing north. | 0:05:21 | 0:05:26 | |
So once you've got the position north, the sun will shine, | 0:05:26 | 0:05:30 | |
and on this scale here, you'll be able to tell the time. | 0:05:30 | 0:05:34 | |
The ingenuity and the thought processes | 0:05:34 | 0:05:37 | |
for somebody to be able to make something like that, | 0:05:37 | 0:05:40 | |
that's A, accurate, and B, portable, and C, hard-wearing... | 0:05:40 | 0:05:46 | |
It's really quite remarkable. | 0:05:46 | 0:05:48 | |
If it goes up to auction. | 0:05:48 | 0:05:49 | |
I think it's going to sell between...£500-£800. | 0:05:49 | 0:05:54 | |
Oh! Ooh! | 0:05:54 | 0:05:56 | |
-It could go well over. -Really? -Yes. | 0:05:56 | 0:06:00 | |
How does that feel? | 0:06:00 | 0:06:01 | |
- That's wonderful. - Comfortable. | 0:06:01 | 0:06:02 | |
Comfortable! | 0:06:02 | 0:06:04 | |
-I hope I'm right. -That's wonderful. | 0:06:04 | 0:06:06 | |
So when it came to the auction, | 0:06:06 | 0:06:08 | |
were the buyers as enamoured of the sundial as David and Charlie? | 0:06:08 | 0:06:12 | |
It came as no surprise at all to me | 0:06:12 | 0:06:15 | |
that by the time we got to the auction, | 0:06:15 | 0:06:17 | |
we'd already had huge interest. | 0:06:17 | 0:06:19 | |
People had, to a certain extent, | 0:06:19 | 0:06:22 | |
shown their hand by booking the telephone. | 0:06:22 | 0:06:25 | |
Em... | 0:06:25 | 0:06:27 | |
You wouldn't expect somebody to book a telephone | 0:06:27 | 0:06:30 | |
to bid for something | 0:06:30 | 0:06:31 | |
unless they were going to go at least up to your estimate, | 0:06:31 | 0:06:34 | |
probably a bit more. | 0:06:34 | 0:06:36 | |
The bid's now in the room at £1,400. £1,500, may I say? | 0:06:36 | 0:06:40 | |
1,500. | 0:06:40 | 0:06:42 | |
No. 1,500. | 0:06:42 | 0:06:44 | |
1,600? | 0:06:44 | 0:06:46 | |
1,500 on telephone one. | 0:06:46 | 0:06:49 | |
At 1,500, and I sell then at £1,500. | 0:06:49 | 0:06:54 | |
-Yes! How about that? -I cannot believe it! | 0:06:56 | 0:06:59 | |
I cannot believe... | 0:06:59 | 0:07:02 | |
-Wasn't that good? Wasn't that good? -It's amazing! | 0:07:02 | 0:07:04 | |
Sale price was splendid. | 0:07:04 | 0:07:06 | |
It certainly thrilled David, | 0:07:06 | 0:07:07 | |
David was jumping around like there was no tomorrow when it sold. | 0:07:07 | 0:07:12 | |
I can only say it must have been a tremendous auctioneer. | 0:07:12 | 0:07:16 | |
Modest as ever, Charlie! | 0:07:16 | 0:07:17 | |
'I love it when we exceed everyone's expectations.' | 0:07:17 | 0:07:21 | |
The bidders were clamouring to get their hands on the sundial, | 0:07:21 | 0:07:24 | |
whose precision engineering was out of this world. | 0:07:24 | 0:07:28 | |
Sometimes, it's the more fun and frivolous item | 0:07:28 | 0:07:32 | |
which can catch the eye of our expert, though. | 0:07:32 | 0:07:34 | |
A "magneto-electric machine." | 0:07:34 | 0:07:37 | |
And it says here, "For nervous" - that's me - "and other diseases." | 0:07:37 | 0:07:42 | |
You've got this lovely little...almost like a fly wheel, | 0:07:42 | 0:07:46 | |
that's cranked here, and that... | 0:07:46 | 0:07:48 | |
You turn that round and round and round, | 0:07:48 | 0:07:51 | |
but with this magnet, it creates an electric shock. | 0:07:51 | 0:07:54 | |
Picture the scenario, OK? | 0:07:54 | 0:07:56 | |
You're feeling slightly unwell, just a little bit under the weather, | 0:07:56 | 0:07:59 | |
and you book an appointment at the doctor's. | 0:07:59 | 0:08:02 | |
And you walk in and he hands you these two brass things and says, | 0:08:02 | 0:08:05 | |
"Hold these while I give you an electric shock." | 0:08:05 | 0:08:08 | |
Then you plonk that...down in there. | 0:08:09 | 0:08:13 | |
And you plonk that in there. | 0:08:15 | 0:08:16 | |
And then you hold it... | 0:08:18 | 0:08:19 | |
-I don't want my finger in there. -No, just... | 0:08:21 | 0:08:23 | |
-Look, do I look like I'd hurt you? -Well...I'm not sure! | 0:08:23 | 0:08:27 | |
I think Pat was pretty sound, | 0:08:27 | 0:08:29 | |
I'm not sure that Pat needed this device attached to herself, | 0:08:29 | 0:08:33 | |
but...it's always a good threat, isn't it? | 0:08:33 | 0:08:35 | |
If they start getting out of line, | 0:08:35 | 0:08:37 | |
you can just threaten to crank them up to the machine. | 0:08:37 | 0:08:40 | |
We should carry that around with us on valuation days. | 0:08:40 | 0:08:43 | |
Come on, now... | 0:08:43 | 0:08:45 | |
This will make you laugh, Dorrie. | 0:08:45 | 0:08:47 | |
HE LAUGHS | 0:08:47 | 0:08:48 | |
There was no way I was ever going to hold those things. | 0:08:48 | 0:08:50 | |
Quite happy for them to have a go, and I'll crank it up, | 0:08:50 | 0:08:54 | |
but, no, no...I don't like shocks. | 0:08:54 | 0:08:57 | |
-It's no more than about 100V, honestly. -Oh, no more than 100? | 0:08:57 | 0:09:00 | |
-That's all right, then. -You won't feel a thing. | 0:09:00 | 0:09:03 | |
-Doesn't do anything, does it? -Nothing's happening, no! | 0:09:04 | 0:09:07 | |
The Victorians did believe that the electric shock | 0:09:07 | 0:09:11 | |
actually produced some sort of benefit for you | 0:09:11 | 0:09:15 | |
and if you think about it, | 0:09:15 | 0:09:16 | |
there's a certain electricity running through your body, | 0:09:16 | 0:09:19 | |
your nerve endings. It operates muscles and the like. | 0:09:19 | 0:09:21 | |
And I suppose that must all be interconnected. | 0:09:21 | 0:09:24 | |
But it doesn't do it for me. | 0:09:24 | 0:09:25 | |
I think, girls, that this is going to make probably £20-£30. | 0:09:25 | 0:09:29 | |
Put a reserve on it of a tenner | 0:09:29 | 0:09:31 | |
and I just think someone'll have a bit of fun with it. | 0:09:31 | 0:09:34 | |
Medical instruments, or even items of torture, | 0:09:34 | 0:09:36 | |
there's a massive area of collectability for these. | 0:09:36 | 0:09:39 | |
Now, our little electric shock machine, | 0:09:39 | 0:09:42 | |
I think this was just a little...I've got to say, | 0:09:42 | 0:09:47 | |
probably a Victorian gimmicky thing, really. | 0:09:47 | 0:09:49 | |
Enough to make your hair stand on end! | 0:09:49 | 0:09:51 | |
Let's see what the bidders think of this. | 0:09:51 | 0:09:53 | |
It's going under the hammer right now. | 0:09:53 | 0:09:54 | |
10, 12, 15, 18, 20, | 0:09:54 | 0:09:57 | |
20, 20 - 22. Five, eight, 30. | 0:09:57 | 0:10:01 | |
£30! | 0:10:01 | 0:10:03 | |
And bid two - 32? | 0:10:04 | 0:10:07 | |
£30, the bid in the room, selling on £30, then... | 0:10:07 | 0:10:11 | |
-Yes, £30. -Well done, yeah! | 0:10:11 | 0:10:14 | |
Shocked?! | 0:10:14 | 0:10:15 | |
LAUGHTER | 0:10:15 | 0:10:16 | |
Dorrie and Pat were absolute stars, you know, and for me, | 0:10:16 | 0:10:19 | |
that's what makes a programme - very often, | 0:10:19 | 0:10:22 | |
the contributor is more important than the item they bring. | 0:10:22 | 0:10:25 | |
They were just great to talk to. | 0:10:25 | 0:10:27 | |
Whilst Dorrie and Pat's electro-magneto machine | 0:10:27 | 0:10:30 | |
was mostly a bit of fun, | 0:10:30 | 0:10:32 | |
there is, in fact, a huge market out there for medical instruments. | 0:10:32 | 0:10:36 | |
'And many of the collectables we see on the show | 0:10:36 | 0:10:38 | |
'are a darn side more grisly.' | 0:10:38 | 0:10:41 | |
It's a field surgeon's kit. | 0:10:41 | 0:10:43 | |
Let's pick up the most obvious one, shall we? | 0:10:43 | 0:10:46 | |
-The most gruesome one? -Yes. | 0:10:46 | 0:10:47 | |
That is sharp, | 0:10:47 | 0:10:49 | |
and there's about seven teeth to the inch, there. | 0:10:49 | 0:10:51 | |
That would rip through anything. | 0:10:51 | 0:10:53 | |
It does make me feel slightly queasy, handling these. Ugh... | 0:10:53 | 0:10:56 | |
Not the sort of thing that every house should have. | 0:10:56 | 0:10:58 | |
But I tell you what, | 0:10:58 | 0:11:00 | |
there are a lot of collectors that would be interested in this, yes. | 0:11:00 | 0:11:03 | |
'Collectors of medical items | 0:11:03 | 0:11:05 | |
'often tend to work in the field themselves - | 0:11:05 | 0:11:07 | |
'think doctors, pharmacists, dentists and the like.' | 0:11:07 | 0:11:11 | |
'But did any of them turn up to bid on the field surgeon's kit?' | 0:11:11 | 0:11:14 | |
260, 270... | 0:11:14 | 0:11:17 | |
280. | 0:11:17 | 0:11:19 | |
280, I'll take a fiver, at £280 for the last time? | 0:11:19 | 0:11:24 | |
-That's good. -280. | 0:11:24 | 0:11:26 | |
Yes, £280. | 0:11:26 | 0:11:29 | |
'And there are other medical collectables which turn up | 0:11:29 | 0:11:31 | |
'at our valuation days. A good example is the apothecary cabinet. | 0:11:31 | 0:11:35 | |
'If you're in the market for one, what do you need to consider?' | 0:11:35 | 0:11:39 | |
Originality is vital. | 0:11:39 | 0:11:41 | |
So if you've got an apothecary cabinet with | 0:11:41 | 0:11:43 | |
its original maker's label, | 0:11:43 | 0:11:45 | |
its original bottles, its original scales, | 0:11:45 | 0:11:48 | |
its original weight, pestle and mortar, | 0:11:48 | 0:11:51 | |
then it's going to be more desirable than one with replaced parts. | 0:11:51 | 0:11:55 | |
'And the age, the size and the quality of the cabinet | 0:11:55 | 0:11:58 | |
'are hugely important too. | 0:11:58 | 0:12:00 | |
'Jethro Marles came across a fantastic specimen back in 2006.' | 0:12:01 | 0:12:06 | |
It's a wonderful little cabinet. | 0:12:06 | 0:12:08 | |
And of course you've got everything in here, | 0:12:08 | 0:12:10 | |
all of the bottles are here. | 0:12:10 | 0:12:12 | |
If we open up this drawer here, we've got the scales | 0:12:12 | 0:12:16 | |
for weighing out your powders and all your chemicals, | 0:12:16 | 0:12:18 | |
the funnel for funnelling it into the different tubes. | 0:12:18 | 0:12:20 | |
Date-wise, probably about 1870-1880, something like that. | 0:12:20 | 0:12:24 | |
Start me at 1,000. £1,000, someone? | 0:12:24 | 0:12:27 | |
800 I am bid, 900. | 0:12:27 | 0:12:29 | |
-1,000, 1,100, 1,200 here... -Quite exciting. | 0:12:29 | 0:12:32 | |
1,300 to move on, 1,300, 1,400, 1,500. | 0:12:32 | 0:12:36 | |
-Oh, yes! -16 behind, 17? | 0:12:36 | 0:12:39 | |
£1,600, you're all done at £1,600. | 0:12:39 | 0:12:42 | |
How it's gone down, £1,600, Katie! | 0:12:44 | 0:12:47 | |
That is a fantastic result! | 0:12:47 | 0:12:50 | |
'So if you're thinking of starting a collection of medical instruments, | 0:12:50 | 0:12:54 | |
'make sure you do your homework. | 0:12:54 | 0:12:55 | |
'Now, Caroline Hawley had to go back to school | 0:12:56 | 0:12:58 | |
'when she came across an early type of calculator.' | 0:12:58 | 0:13:02 | |
I have never seen a cylindrical slide rule for sale before, | 0:13:02 | 0:13:06 | |
and I've been on the lookout since because, you know, | 0:13:06 | 0:13:10 | |
it sparked a bit of interest in me. | 0:13:10 | 0:13:12 | |
This is like the centre stadia line on your... | 0:13:12 | 0:13:14 | |
this type of slide rule, that is that. | 0:13:14 | 0:13:16 | |
-That's where your answer comes up when you're finished. -Right. | 0:13:16 | 0:13:19 | |
And this goes up and down to pick up... | 0:13:19 | 0:13:21 | |
There's this notch in here where you pick up your numbers at the bottom. | 0:13:21 | 0:13:24 | |
Multiply by something, pick it up off that one at the top, | 0:13:26 | 0:13:29 | |
and that's how you retrieve your answers, | 0:13:29 | 0:13:31 | |
and this moves up and down that. | 0:13:31 | 0:13:33 | |
Lionel did try and explain to me a little bit, | 0:13:33 | 0:13:35 | |
and I'm afraid I'm still none the wiser. | 0:13:35 | 0:13:37 | |
Years ago, my father tried to explain a flat slide rule to me. | 0:13:37 | 0:13:41 | |
Fortunately, calculators came in very soon afterwards | 0:13:41 | 0:13:45 | |
so I didn't ever have to use them. | 0:13:45 | 0:13:47 | |
This particular model is from 1927, and it was invented, | 0:13:47 | 0:13:52 | |
the cylindrical slide rule, by Professor George Fuller. | 0:13:52 | 0:13:55 | |
Professor George Fuller was Professor of Civil Engineering | 0:13:55 | 0:13:59 | |
at Queen's University in Belfast. | 0:13:59 | 0:14:01 | |
He patented the cylindrical slide rule in 1878. | 0:14:01 | 0:14:06 | |
It's a magnificent instrument, very, very complicated, | 0:14:06 | 0:14:10 | |
an extraordinary piece of engineering. | 0:14:10 | 0:14:13 | |
As you can see, this is in a most beautiful box, a mahogany box, | 0:14:13 | 0:14:16 | |
made by a very good London maker, Stanley, | 0:14:16 | 0:14:19 | |
which was established in 1854, which all adds to the value. | 0:14:19 | 0:14:25 | |
I mean, it's a boy's toy, and it would look good, | 0:14:25 | 0:14:27 | |
it would look quite fun and quirky on somebody's desk. | 0:14:27 | 0:14:30 | |
Not mine, I hasten to add, but I think it has a fairly limited market. | 0:14:30 | 0:14:35 | |
'When it came to the auction, | 0:14:35 | 0:14:36 | |
'Caroline combined the Fuller cylindrical slide rule with | 0:14:36 | 0:14:39 | |
'a second, smaller sliding scale into one lot, | 0:14:39 | 0:14:42 | |
'and put an estimate of £200-£300 on the pair.' | 0:14:42 | 0:14:46 | |
I would not know how to use one of those. | 0:14:46 | 0:14:48 | |
No, you were lucky, you were born in the push button age. | 0:14:48 | 0:14:51 | |
Two bids, I'm bid £210 exactly, | 0:14:52 | 0:14:54 | |
at 210, at £210. 20 if you want it. | 0:14:54 | 0:14:58 | |
At 210, 220, 230, 240. | 0:14:58 | 0:15:02 | |
-At £240... -Come on, come on, come on... | 0:15:02 | 0:15:04 | |
At 240, then. | 0:15:04 | 0:15:06 | |
You're finished at 240? Quite sure? | 0:15:06 | 0:15:09 | |
Lionel, it's gone. | 0:15:11 | 0:15:12 | |
The hammer went down just under mid-estimate at £240. | 0:15:12 | 0:15:16 | |
'Caroline may not have known how to use Lionel's unusual | 0:15:16 | 0:15:19 | |
'cylindrical slide rules but she obviously knew how to value them. | 0:15:19 | 0:15:23 | |
'But it's not always that straightforward to put an estimate | 0:15:24 | 0:15:27 | |
'on a scientific instrument, as Claire Rawle discovered.' | 0:15:27 | 0:15:31 | |
-Well, hello, Florence. -Hello. -Nice to meet you, and you've brought | 0:15:31 | 0:15:35 | |
a really attractive polished mahogany box here, haven't you? | 0:15:35 | 0:15:38 | |
When it opens out, hey presto! | 0:15:38 | 0:15:40 | |
A rather magnificent looking microscope in there | 0:15:40 | 0:15:43 | |
with a huge collection of objectives. So, quite a superior item. | 0:15:43 | 0:15:47 | |
-Well, my husband bought it about 54 years ago. -So he used it? | 0:15:49 | 0:15:53 | |
-He did use it, yes. -Right. | 0:15:53 | 0:15:54 | |
Yes, he used to go past puddles, do it in puddles. | 0:15:54 | 0:15:58 | |
-Pick a jar up and come home... -Oh, and take it home and look at it? | 0:15:58 | 0:16:01 | |
..and then a drop of water on the slide and look through it. | 0:16:01 | 0:16:04 | |
Then say to me, "Come and have a look at this," | 0:16:04 | 0:16:06 | |
you know, and he was so thrilled. | 0:16:06 | 0:16:08 | |
It was a serious instrument, it wasn't a student's instrument | 0:16:08 | 0:16:11 | |
because it had all those different objectives in it. | 0:16:11 | 0:16:13 | |
It was a high-quality, beautifully made instrument, | 0:16:13 | 0:16:16 | |
so it would have been used for somebody | 0:16:16 | 0:16:18 | |
that was really into their science. | 0:16:18 | 0:16:21 | |
You've also brought in a couple of rather nice boxes here | 0:16:21 | 0:16:24 | |
of slides to go with it. | 0:16:24 | 0:16:27 | |
-Botanical subjects, mainly, aren't they? -Yes. | 0:16:27 | 0:16:29 | |
Yeah, and so they've got all their little cards and things there. | 0:16:29 | 0:16:33 | |
Nice sort of late 19th century ones. | 0:16:33 | 0:16:34 | |
'Definitely, slides are worth looking out for, especially decorative ones' | 0:16:34 | 0:16:38 | |
like these with those wonderful lithographic prints round the side. | 0:16:38 | 0:16:42 | |
So if you see any slides like that, if they're in boxes, | 0:16:42 | 0:16:44 | |
and they're always in very plain boxes, | 0:16:44 | 0:16:46 | |
so always open up and see what's in there, definitely worth buying. | 0:16:46 | 0:16:49 | |
-I think an estimate of 300-500? -Yes. -Nice, broad estimate there? -Yeah. | 0:16:49 | 0:16:54 | |
-Does that sound good to you? -I'm happy, yes. | 0:16:54 | 0:16:56 | |
'Did auctioneer Stephen Hearn agree with Claire's estimate?' | 0:16:57 | 0:17:01 | |
We've got a value of £300-£500. | 0:17:01 | 0:17:04 | |
Now, I know you've changed that, haven't you? | 0:17:04 | 0:17:06 | |
Yes, I've moved that on, Paul, because I think it deserves | 0:17:06 | 0:17:09 | |
an estimate somewhere between £500-£700. | 0:17:09 | 0:17:11 | |
'But had the auctioneer over-egged Florence's pudding? | 0:17:13 | 0:17:16 | |
'Or did the bidders prove to be as keen as mustard?' | 0:17:16 | 0:17:19 | |
1,800 in the room. 1,850, new bidder. | 0:17:19 | 0:17:23 | |
-Some fresh legs. -1,900, and 50. 2,000... | 0:17:23 | 0:17:27 | |
..and 50. 2,100, and 50. | 0:17:28 | 0:17:32 | |
'You get quite excited, you get caught up in it.' | 0:17:32 | 0:17:35 | |
I mean, you go to auctions all the time, but it's great | 0:17:35 | 0:17:37 | |
when something starts making money. | 0:17:37 | 0:17:38 | |
-2,009. And 50... -This is incredible. | 0:17:38 | 0:17:41 | |
£3,000. | 0:17:41 | 0:17:42 | |
3,1, 3,2, | 0:17:42 | 0:17:44 | |
3,3, 3,4, | 0:17:44 | 0:17:46 | |
3,5, 3,6. No? | 0:17:46 | 0:17:49 | |
At £3,600 in the room. | 0:17:49 | 0:17:52 | |
I'm selling, then, it's going down at £3,600. | 0:17:52 | 0:17:57 | |
Thank you, sir. | 0:17:57 | 0:17:59 | |
That's a sold sound, isn't it? Wow! | 0:17:59 | 0:18:02 | |
Florence, £3,600, | 0:18:02 | 0:18:05 | |
everybody is giving you a round of applause in the auction room. | 0:18:05 | 0:18:09 | |
Wow. | 0:18:09 | 0:18:11 | |
In the world of collecting, | 0:18:11 | 0:18:13 | |
you're never quite sure what people are going to spend on things, | 0:18:13 | 0:18:16 | |
and it's really exciting when it makes money. | 0:18:16 | 0:18:18 | |
-Thank you, Claire. -Oh, thank you. | 0:18:18 | 0:18:20 | |
It's been an absolute pleasure. I'm so pleased for you. | 0:18:20 | 0:18:23 | |
It was the sheer quality of the piece and the extensive | 0:18:23 | 0:18:26 | |
and unusual range of accompanying slides | 0:18:26 | 0:18:29 | |
that put Florence's microscope in a class of its own. | 0:18:29 | 0:18:32 | |
But at the end of the day, | 0:18:32 | 0:18:33 | |
the result was really down to two bidders in the sale room | 0:18:33 | 0:18:37 | |
who were reluctant to let it go. | 0:18:37 | 0:18:39 | |
So, what other scientific instruments can cause a stir? | 0:18:39 | 0:18:42 | |
'If you're interested in pocket sundials, a good maker's name, | 0:18:43 | 0:18:47 | |
'great condition and original case | 0:18:47 | 0:18:49 | |
'will almost guarantee a sunny result.' | 0:18:49 | 0:18:52 | |
-Yes, how about that? -Cannot believe it. | 0:18:52 | 0:18:54 | |
'If you own an instrument that's complicated to use | 0:18:56 | 0:18:58 | |
'and could even leave our experts scratching their heads, | 0:18:58 | 0:19:01 | |
'then please keep hold of the original instruction booklet. | 0:19:01 | 0:19:04 | |
'You'll be doing a good deed to any future buyer, | 0:19:04 | 0:19:07 | |
'and it may even bump up the sale price. | 0:19:07 | 0:19:10 | |
'Medical instruments come in all shapes and sizes, | 0:19:10 | 0:19:13 | |
'and items can start at a few pounds. | 0:19:13 | 0:19:15 | |
'If you have the stomach and the pocket for it, you can progress | 0:19:15 | 0:19:18 | |
'to those costing a few hundred or even a couple of thousand.' | 0:19:18 | 0:19:23 | |
That is a fantastic result! | 0:19:23 | 0:19:25 | |
Everyone on the Flog It! team has their own way of sniffing out | 0:19:30 | 0:19:33 | |
quality antiques and collectables. | 0:19:33 | 0:19:35 | |
But this show is all about getting you in the know | 0:19:35 | 0:19:38 | |
so we've asked Adam Partridge to reveal | 0:19:38 | 0:19:40 | |
the secrets of his success as a collector of fine things. | 0:19:40 | 0:19:43 | |
Most days in the course of my day job, running an auction house, | 0:19:46 | 0:19:48 | |
I'm out on the road visiting people, doing valuations in their homes. | 0:19:48 | 0:19:53 | |
You never know what people are going to show you | 0:19:53 | 0:19:55 | |
so there are a few essential instruments or gadgets, | 0:19:55 | 0:19:58 | |
tools of the trade that I need to take with me. | 0:19:58 | 0:20:01 | |
And they are all contained in this little box here. | 0:20:01 | 0:20:04 | |
And now I'm going to show you what those instruments are, | 0:20:04 | 0:20:07 | |
so that you can take similar things with you | 0:20:07 | 0:20:09 | |
when you go out buying or antiques hunting. | 0:20:09 | 0:20:11 | |
Well, I would say the most essential tool of the trade is the loupe | 0:20:14 | 0:20:17 | |
or the eyeglass and being quite forgetful, being very busy, | 0:20:17 | 0:20:21 | |
I have to actually get dressed in the morning and put one on. | 0:20:21 | 0:20:23 | |
I always wear one around my neck, | 0:20:23 | 0:20:25 | |
which sometimes causes a funny, unsightly bulge in my stomach | 0:20:25 | 0:20:28 | |
but there it is there, and obviously this is used | 0:20:28 | 0:20:31 | |
for having a look at things in greater detail | 0:20:31 | 0:20:33 | |
whether it be a gemstone, a diamond, | 0:20:33 | 0:20:35 | |
a silver hallmark or any other thing that you might come across. | 0:20:35 | 0:20:39 | |
Bring the object close to you, right up to the eye | 0:20:39 | 0:20:43 | |
and then you can very clearly see the hallmark. | 0:20:43 | 0:20:46 | |
It's very useful for looking at silver hallmarks. | 0:20:48 | 0:20:51 | |
And obviously some of them are very small | 0:20:51 | 0:20:54 | |
such as jewellery ones, | 0:20:54 | 0:20:56 | |
it's an absolute essential for any amateur collector of silver. | 0:20:56 | 0:21:00 | |
When you're looking at a diamond | 0:21:04 | 0:21:06 | |
you have a look under the loupe, you can weigh it. | 0:21:06 | 0:21:08 | |
But another important and very affordable piece of kit, | 0:21:08 | 0:21:11 | |
this is just a few pounds, it's a simple plastic diamond gauge | 0:21:11 | 0:21:15 | |
and you sit your diamond through until it fits the right hole | 0:21:15 | 0:21:20 | |
and there we go, that one looks as though it's 3.5 carats | 0:21:20 | 0:21:23 | |
which is quite a substantial diamond, actually. | 0:21:23 | 0:21:25 | |
Typically, you'd have a set of these balance scales | 0:21:26 | 0:21:29 | |
as well as digital scales for lighter things | 0:21:29 | 0:21:32 | |
and you simply hook this around here | 0:21:32 | 0:21:35 | |
and the silver is in troy ounces | 0:21:35 | 0:21:38 | |
and that tells me that that is 17 ounces. | 0:21:38 | 0:21:41 | |
If you're wondering what a troy ounce is, | 0:21:43 | 0:21:45 | |
it's a unit of imperial measure | 0:21:45 | 0:21:47 | |
which is most commonly used for weighing precious metals. | 0:21:47 | 0:21:50 | |
One troy ounce equates to just over 31g. | 0:21:50 | 0:21:53 | |
I have a device which blows pure air over watch parts | 0:21:57 | 0:22:01 | |
to make sure that they are working correctly. | 0:22:01 | 0:22:04 | |
Rather than blow using your breath | 0:22:04 | 0:22:06 | |
that emits moisture over the watch parts, | 0:22:06 | 0:22:09 | |
it's much better to have pure air. | 0:22:09 | 0:22:11 | |
I collect watches and take this to all the auctions. | 0:22:11 | 0:22:15 | |
We often look at watches and pocket watches | 0:22:15 | 0:22:17 | |
and things like that, and you need to open them up to have a look | 0:22:17 | 0:22:20 | |
at the back of them to see what they're made from | 0:22:20 | 0:22:22 | |
and any makers' marks etc. | 0:22:22 | 0:22:24 | |
I tend to keep this thumbnail quite long. | 0:22:24 | 0:22:27 | |
My son calls it my pocket watch nail, | 0:22:27 | 0:22:29 | |
and I tend to grow that | 0:22:29 | 0:22:31 | |
and dig it in and there you go, it normally works. | 0:22:31 | 0:22:34 | |
But in the absence of a special long nail, | 0:22:34 | 0:22:37 | |
a watch opener might be a good idea. | 0:22:37 | 0:22:40 | |
Lots of people use a penknife | 0:22:40 | 0:22:41 | |
but a proper watch opener is a better tool to use | 0:22:41 | 0:22:44 | |
because it's not going to scratch the material that you're opening. | 0:22:44 | 0:22:49 | |
And what have I got here? There it is. What's that? | 0:22:49 | 0:22:53 | |
It looks like a pen, doesn't it? But it's a magnet. | 0:22:53 | 0:22:56 | |
What on Earth would you want a magnet for? | 0:22:56 | 0:22:58 | |
Well, firstly when we're looking at bronzes, | 0:22:58 | 0:23:00 | |
some bronzes are patinated cast iron to simulate bronze. | 0:23:00 | 0:23:05 | |
Bronze is not magnetic, cast iron is. | 0:23:05 | 0:23:08 | |
A magnet is quite a useful piece of kit. | 0:23:08 | 0:23:09 | |
It's also useful when you're looking through job lots of jewellery. | 0:23:09 | 0:23:12 | |
For example, you've cleared a house | 0:23:12 | 0:23:15 | |
and there's a whole drawer full | 0:23:15 | 0:23:16 | |
and you think, "Oh, what's gold, what isn't?" | 0:23:16 | 0:23:18 | |
Well, you go through it with your magnet - well, that's not. | 0:23:18 | 0:23:21 | |
Anything that's not is usually picked up by your magnet. | 0:23:21 | 0:23:24 | |
This is telescopic, as well. | 0:23:24 | 0:23:27 | |
There we go - all of that, costume jewellery, not gold. | 0:23:29 | 0:23:32 | |
Restoration of ceramics and porcelain | 0:23:35 | 0:23:39 | |
shows up much better under a UV light. | 0:23:39 | 0:23:42 | |
If you just see here, this torch really helps show up | 0:23:42 | 0:23:46 | |
the fact that this handle has been replaced on this little cup, here. | 0:23:46 | 0:23:50 | |
All these tools and instruments I've shown you | 0:23:50 | 0:23:52 | |
are very accessible items, they're all easy to get, | 0:23:52 | 0:23:55 | |
all pretty reasonable, as well. | 0:23:55 | 0:23:57 | |
It's important to have a little tool kit with you | 0:23:57 | 0:23:59 | |
when you're going out looking for antiques. | 0:23:59 | 0:24:01 | |
It depends, of course, what you're interested in - | 0:24:01 | 0:24:03 | |
different tools are suitable for different interests and disciplines. | 0:24:03 | 0:24:07 | |
But it does give you that head start | 0:24:07 | 0:24:08 | |
on the buyers that have come unprepared | 0:24:08 | 0:24:10 | |
if you manage to spot the restoration | 0:24:10 | 0:24:12 | |
because you've got a little UV torch, if you've noticed something | 0:24:12 | 0:24:16 | |
because you've got your loupe with you and others haven't. | 0:24:16 | 0:24:19 | |
It just keeps you that one step ahead of the others. | 0:24:19 | 0:24:21 | |
The 18th century was a time of great interest in all sciences. | 0:24:26 | 0:24:30 | |
Now, expert Michael Baggott had a real treat when he met up | 0:24:30 | 0:24:33 | |
with Linda at a valuation day near Lincoln back in 2012. | 0:24:33 | 0:24:38 | |
-Are you a collector of scientific instruments, Linda? -Well, not really. | 0:24:38 | 0:24:42 | |
I am a collector of older things. | 0:24:42 | 0:24:45 | |
We've got, oh, that's marvellous, a drawing set. | 0:24:45 | 0:24:48 | |
Look at that, beautiful ivory rule. | 0:24:49 | 0:24:52 | |
Wonderful scales on it, and we've got the maker there, | 0:24:52 | 0:24:55 | |
E Hulce & Son of London. | 0:24:55 | 0:24:57 | |
I was given the scientific instruments by an old gentleman. | 0:24:57 | 0:25:01 | |
Erm, it was back in 1984, '85. | 0:25:01 | 0:25:05 | |
I've always sort of had a mathematical bias, | 0:25:05 | 0:25:08 | |
and so I was very interested in the instrument. | 0:25:08 | 0:25:12 | |
It can be dated from the middle of the 18th century | 0:25:12 | 0:25:15 | |
-up to about 1820-1830. -Really? | 0:25:15 | 0:25:17 | |
I think this one, from the style of the instruments, | 0:25:17 | 0:25:20 | |
probably falls at about 1790 to about 1800. | 0:25:20 | 0:25:23 | |
'It sat on the edge of the bookshelf | 0:25:23 | 0:25:26 | |
'for those...about 26 years,' | 0:25:26 | 0:25:30 | |
and, erm, apart from the odd occasion | 0:25:30 | 0:25:33 | |
when anyone expressed an interest in it, then that's where it remained. | 0:25:33 | 0:25:37 | |
It was unused. Not unloved, but unused. | 0:25:37 | 0:25:42 | |
-I think we would put this at £100-£150. -I see. | 0:25:42 | 0:25:45 | |
-And we'd put a fixed reserve of £100 on it. -Right. | 0:25:45 | 0:25:48 | |
And if it does well, what do you plan to spend the money on? | 0:25:48 | 0:25:52 | |
Well, I am quite a keen walker and so I think I would put that | 0:25:52 | 0:25:56 | |
-towards some walking in the Lake District. -Oh, that's marvellous. | 0:25:56 | 0:26:00 | |
I'm set to go trekking to Everest base camp in October, | 0:26:00 | 0:26:04 | |
and so I need to get some practice in. | 0:26:04 | 0:26:07 | |
-So we'll be sending you up and round the mountain... -Hopefully. | 0:26:07 | 0:26:09 | |
..when she comes! Thank you very much indeed, Linda. | 0:26:09 | 0:26:12 | |
'So were we able to raise the money at auction | 0:26:12 | 0:26:15 | |
'to send Linda hill walking?' | 0:26:15 | 0:26:17 | |
At 95 bid, at 95 bid. 98 now, do I see? | 0:26:17 | 0:26:21 | |
At 95 bid, are we all done at 95? So near, yet so far. | 0:26:21 | 0:26:25 | |
At 95 bid, are we all done? I'm finished at 95. Last call, then. | 0:26:25 | 0:26:28 | |
98 bid, do I see 98 bid? At 98 and 100, £100 bid. | 0:26:28 | 0:26:33 | |
At £100 bid, at 100, 110 now, do I see? £100 bid. At 100... | 0:26:33 | 0:26:36 | |
I would have been amazed if it hadn't have sold. | 0:26:36 | 0:26:38 | |
At £100, any more bids? | 0:26:38 | 0:26:41 | |
-Sale's gone down, did it. -Ooh, just, though, wasn't it? | 0:26:41 | 0:26:45 | |
Paul said that someone had bid on it from France, | 0:26:45 | 0:26:48 | |
so I was really pleased that someone must really be interested in it | 0:26:48 | 0:26:53 | |
and actually want it, and so I felt it was going to a good home. | 0:26:53 | 0:26:57 | |
-Excellent, really pleased about that. -Bit of money towards the trip. | 0:26:57 | 0:27:00 | |
-Thank you, Michael. -It's a pleasure. | 0:27:00 | 0:27:03 | |
I suppose from a very early age I've been walking, | 0:27:03 | 0:27:06 | |
but it's been more recent, probably the last ten years, | 0:27:06 | 0:27:09 | |
when I've taken that interest up again. | 0:27:09 | 0:27:12 | |
I have walked in many places in the UK, | 0:27:12 | 0:27:15 | |
but really felt that I wanted an even bigger challenge, | 0:27:15 | 0:27:19 | |
and so decided to take the Everest base camp trip. | 0:27:19 | 0:27:24 | |
It was absolutely special from beginning to end. | 0:27:25 | 0:27:29 | |
The bridges over the gorges, the depth of the gorges, | 0:27:30 | 0:27:35 | |
the snow-capped mountains, | 0:27:35 | 0:27:37 | |
it was just so beautiful wherever you looked. | 0:27:37 | 0:27:40 | |
The money that we made on "Flog It!" went towards | 0:27:40 | 0:27:44 | |
one of the training ventures, | 0:27:44 | 0:27:46 | |
where we went off to the Yorkshire Dales, and that certainly helped me. | 0:27:46 | 0:27:51 | |
I feel very proud and humble in some ways | 0:27:53 | 0:27:56 | |
that I managed to get to Everest base camp. | 0:27:56 | 0:28:02 | |
I know lots of trekkers do go up there, | 0:28:02 | 0:28:05 | |
but certainly feel that, erm, as an older person, | 0:28:05 | 0:28:09 | |
that it was a real achievement | 0:28:09 | 0:28:11 | |
to actually get to the top, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. | 0:28:11 | 0:28:16 | |
If you need to raise some funds to achieve a burning ambition, | 0:28:24 | 0:28:27 | |
you know where to find us, a "Flog It!" valuation day. | 0:28:27 | 0:28:31 | |
Well, that's it for today's show. | 0:28:31 | 0:28:32 | |
Do join us again soon for more Trade Secrets. | 0:28:32 | 0:28:35 |