0:00:04 > 0:00:08For many years now, you've been coming along to our valuation days
0:00:08 > 0:00:10laden with antiques and collectables,
0:00:10 > 0:00:12putting our experts through their paces.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15You can sell this in your pyjamas on a Sunday afternoon
0:00:15 > 0:00:17and it will make its money.
0:00:17 > 0:00:18And during that time,
0:00:18 > 0:00:22we've all learned a great deal about the items we've valued and sold.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Now we want to share some of that information with you,
0:00:25 > 0:00:29so if you want to know more, you've definitely come to the right place.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31This...is Trade Secrets.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03We British are a proud island race,
0:01:03 > 0:01:06out on a limb on the edge of the great continent of Europe.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09But for centuries we've looked to the continent for trade
0:01:09 > 0:01:11and travel, and inevitably,
0:01:11 > 0:01:15little pieces of Europe have found their way to our shores.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21So today's programme takes us on a grand tour of all things European.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28Coming up, continental pieces to take your breath away.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Unbelievable, £7,500.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35We crack an Italian whodunnit.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39Signed Carelli, but Carelli is a very popular Italian name.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43We discover the secret of the German elephant in the room.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46That adds so much more significance to the object, doesn't it?
0:01:46 > 0:01:50And reveal how not to get caught out when buying bronzes.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52This line here, the crispness of the base,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54you lose a bit of that definition.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57As soon as that starts going a bit wavy, or it's not quite
0:01:57 > 0:02:00parallel or true, you've got to be a bit suspicious.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05There are certain objects we quite often see on the show that
0:02:05 > 0:02:09you bring in that we associate with certain countries or areas,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12like Black Forest woodcarving, French bronzes, Danish glass.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15It is quality because they specialise in that
0:02:15 > 0:02:19particular genre, and quality, as we know, always sells.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22So, what constitutes a European classic,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25and what should you be looking out for?
0:02:27 > 0:02:31We're an island race, and so we tend to look in at what we've
0:02:31 > 0:02:35produced in the past, but if you go abroad, go and have a look.
0:02:35 > 0:02:40If you go to Germany, look for KPM plaques, WMF, Meissen -
0:02:40 > 0:02:42look for their history, not ours.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46A good European collectable is one which is indicative
0:02:46 > 0:02:51of the quality of the works which each country is renowned for.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54So, for example, Russian enamelwork, French clocks
0:02:54 > 0:02:57and watch movements, and I think buy the
0:02:57 > 0:03:00best example you can from each particular country of source.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04The Europeans produced wonderful items across the board,
0:03:04 > 0:03:05just like the British.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08If you want to go, for example, ceramics,
0:03:08 > 0:03:12then Meissen is a good favourite, even the later 19th century Meissen
0:03:12 > 0:03:15figures are still sought-after, the quality is always very high.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20We're never short of items that hail from across the water,
0:03:20 > 0:03:24and it's a joy to see European classics cross our tables.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28If Denmark and France are known for glass, Italy for painting
0:03:28 > 0:03:29and Switzerland for watches,
0:03:29 > 0:03:34you can't look at a porcelain doll without thinking Germany.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37I've seen plenty of them, in all shapes and sizes,
0:03:37 > 0:03:41though none quite as large as the one Anita Manning came across.
0:03:41 > 0:03:46- Catherine, this certainly isn't a baby doll.- No, she's quite big.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50One of the biggest dolls that I've seen for a wee while.
0:03:50 > 0:03:55'The doll collectors like aspects of dolls which are a wee bit unusual.'
0:03:55 > 0:03:57This doll was well-fancied
0:03:57 > 0:04:01and I think one of the reasons for that was the sheer size!
0:04:01 > 0:04:04She was a big girl!
0:04:04 > 0:04:06Tell me, where did you get her?
0:04:06 > 0:04:10I know that she was bought in 1930 for an aunt of mine,
0:04:10 > 0:04:14and I inherited her.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17- You became her adoptive mother!- Yes.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20So, if we turn her round to the back...we can see
0:04:20 > 0:04:25the markings of Armand Marseille, we have "AM",
0:04:25 > 0:04:30and we also have the number 390, which is the head mould.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35'Armand Marseille was one of the leading doll manufacturers'
0:04:35 > 0:04:40in Europe from the middle of the 1800s to the 1900s,
0:04:40 > 0:04:42they were German manufacturers.
0:04:42 > 0:04:49They lasted such a long time because of the quality of the product.
0:04:49 > 0:04:54Not only did they make these wonderful doll faces
0:04:54 > 0:05:01and bodies, they made faces that were full of character.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05She has this wonderful colour blue in her eyes, which is good,
0:05:05 > 0:05:09and we have an open mouth with these dainty white teeth.
0:05:09 > 0:05:15I think it's the original hair, it's a bit sort of fly-away there,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18she looks like she's been dragged through a hedge backwards.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22I've got to take into consideration that a doll has been played with,
0:05:22 > 0:05:26it's been carried about by a child, dragged across the floor.
0:05:26 > 0:05:31All the articulated limbs were there, the fingers
0:05:31 > 0:05:37and toes were there, for its age it wasn't in bad condition at all.
0:05:37 > 0:05:43Price, I would say between £200-300, would you be happy to sell her at that price?
0:05:43 > 0:05:45- Yes, I would.- Yeah.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48- Tell me, does she have a name? - No, she never had a name.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52Maybe her next owner will give her a name after all these years.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54I hope so.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57Well, I've always liked the name Anita myself,
0:05:57 > 0:05:58but what about the bidders?
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Did they like the look of this slightly dishevelled piece
0:06:01 > 0:06:03and the name of its classic German maker?
0:06:03 > 0:06:09The Armand Marseille German doll, I'm bid 100 to start it.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13120, 140, 160, 180...
0:06:13 > 0:06:14We're there.
0:06:14 > 0:06:20..200, 220, 240, 260, 280, 300...
0:06:20 > 0:06:23- Yeah, very good. - At £300, anybody else left?
0:06:23 > 0:06:26At £300, and we're away at 300.
0:06:26 > 0:06:31- Bang on top estimate!- Oh, that is... - Big is beautiful.- Big is good.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33The doll collectors, I'm sure,
0:06:33 > 0:06:37think of their dolls as little people,
0:06:37 > 0:06:41and like people they have different faces, expressions
0:06:41 > 0:06:48and characters, so character in the face is a very important thing.
0:06:48 > 0:06:53An unnamed doll, but one with a big hitting name on the label.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56Proof that collectors will pay a more for something a little
0:06:56 > 0:07:00out of the ordinary, especially when it's from a quality maker.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05Appearances can be deceptive.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09Adam Partridge found an item that looked like it came from
0:07:09 > 0:07:15exotic shores, but it turned out to have origins much closer to home.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18It came from the Isle of Wight,
0:07:18 > 0:07:22where my mother used to look after an old army captain.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26- OK.- Who died when he was about 92 or 93.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28And what do you know about the army captain
0:07:28 > 0:07:30and where he might have got it from?
0:07:30 > 0:07:33Well, he was over in India, there was this rogue elephant
0:07:33 > 0:07:36and they were going to shoot it, and he said,
0:07:36 > 0:07:39"Well, no, I'll have a look at it first."
0:07:39 > 0:07:43So they chained it between two trees so it didn't stampede, and they
0:07:43 > 0:07:49lifted its hoof and found out there was a piece of wood in its foot.
0:07:49 > 0:07:50A splinter.
0:07:50 > 0:07:56So he dug it out and bandaged it all up and the elephant...
0:07:56 > 0:08:00- A remarkable story, isn't it?- ..recognised him from then on.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04That adds so much more significance to the object, doesn't it?
0:08:04 > 0:08:07We could have just launched straight into telling you what it was,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09what it's worth and off to the auction with it.
0:08:09 > 0:08:10A fantastic yarn,
0:08:10 > 0:08:14but what's an Indian elephant got to do with Europe?
0:08:14 > 0:08:18A German firm mainly made them, one called Junghans.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22This is almost certainly made in Germany circa 1900,
0:08:22 > 0:08:26you see great big ones four times the size in gilt bronze.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28This one is the one that was made for the domestic market,
0:08:28 > 0:08:30for people to have in their homes.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33It's not bronze, it's made from spelter,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36but they were made en masse, mass produced.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38'The difference between spelter and bronze
0:08:38 > 0:08:40'is quite easy to distinguish,'
0:08:40 > 0:08:42spelter has a sort of tinny quality -
0:08:42 > 0:08:44I do that because I sort of ting my ring on things,
0:08:44 > 0:08:50and you can tell from the sound, a more tinny sound to spelter.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52It's also more lightweight
0:08:52 > 0:08:57and it's a white metal rather than a yellow metal.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01So bronze, if you give it a little scratch in an unseen place,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03it'll come up yellow.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05If you scratch spelter, it'll come up white.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09Shall we put 100 on it, discretion, 10%, or not?
0:09:09 > 0:09:13- No.- 100 fixed?- I know the auctioneer will do his best.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17- So we'll put 100-150?- Right, OK. - Can I move the pendulum round?
0:09:17 > 0:09:19I'm dying to see it swing. There we are.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22'Every firm do their run-of-the-mill things'
0:09:22 > 0:09:24and then they have their feature, their pride of place things,
0:09:24 > 0:09:26and these Mystery Clocks,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29these Elephant Swingers as they're known as, were one of those.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32They're quite a distinctive thing that Junghans made,
0:09:32 > 0:09:35which I think contributed to the strong result of this one.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Quite sought-after things, these. £100 for it, straight in.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40100, 100, 100
0:09:40 > 0:09:44- 110, 120, 130, 140, 150,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47160, 170, 180.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50In the room at 180.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53With the clock ticking, the buyers once again recognise
0:09:53 > 0:09:56German quality, and the price went up and up.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58370, 380...
0:10:01 > 0:10:03..390...400, is it?
0:10:03 > 0:10:11400, 410. £410, and I sell then at £410.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14£410 online, and the hammer's gone down.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17That's an awful lot of money for a spelter clock.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19Clocks are made all around Europe,
0:10:19 > 0:10:23and there are major centres for these - the Black Forest, Bavaria
0:10:23 > 0:10:25and the wonderful carved cuckoo clocks,
0:10:25 > 0:10:28there were loads of German clock manufacturers.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32Also Austria, we see the Vienna clocks, also French clocks,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35which often came as garnitures, as a set of three with the clock
0:10:35 > 0:10:37and a pair of vases or candelabra that
0:10:37 > 0:10:41stood either side on the mantelpiece.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43So there's plenty to look out in terms of
0:10:43 > 0:10:44European clocks and clockmakers.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49The French have given us myriad other first-class designers,
0:10:49 > 0:10:52like Louis-Francois Cartier and Rene Lalique,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55whose works are well worth looking out for.
0:10:55 > 0:10:56And when it comes to sculpture,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59there's another name that stands out from the rest,
0:10:59 > 0:11:03as Will Axon explained at our valuation day on HMS Victory.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07- PJ Mene.- Pierre-Jules Mene. - Exactly right.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10'Pierre-Jules Mene could be considered
0:11:10 > 0:11:14'the pioneer in a group of artists that were producing'
0:11:14 > 0:11:18animal bronzes in France, 19th century, specifically Paris,
0:11:18 > 0:11:22they were known as the Animaliere group of sculptors,
0:11:22 > 0:11:26because that's what they specialised in, animals - dogs, horses,
0:11:26 > 0:11:29domestic animals, anything where they could really
0:11:29 > 0:11:34show off their grasp of the animal's anatomy and form.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36This has been made from a mould.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38You make the bronze and the mould still exists, doesn't it?
0:11:38 > 0:11:42So when Mene died in 1877,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45the moulds of the bronzes were passed on to his son,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48and of course that meant that he could keep producing
0:11:48 > 0:11:52the bronzes, but you wouldn't say it was by Mene necessarily,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54because it wasn't in his lifetime.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57So you've got to be a bit careful, even though it is signed "Mene",
0:11:57 > 0:12:00that's signed in the actual mould itself.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02'One way to try and ascertain as to'
0:12:02 > 0:12:05whether a bronze is produced in the lifetime of an artist or not
0:12:05 > 0:12:08is really to look at the quality of the casting.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Mene was well-known,
0:12:10 > 0:12:13he was involved in the process of making a bronze,
0:12:13 > 0:12:16so he would be checking it along every stage just to
0:12:16 > 0:12:19make sure that the quality was kept high.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22On the later examples, this line here,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25the crispness of the base, you lose a bit of the definition.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28As soon as that starts going a bit wavy or it's not quite
0:12:28 > 0:12:29parallel or true,
0:12:29 > 0:12:31you've got to be a bit suspicious.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Again, handy hint for people at home buying bronzes,
0:12:34 > 0:12:38because they are easy to reproduce, that's the danger.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42'Say the facial features of the animal aren't quite right,'
0:12:42 > 0:12:45you would suspect that it's been rushed through the process,
0:12:45 > 0:12:48which wouldn't have happened within his lifetime.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50So I think, in this case,
0:12:50 > 0:12:55the signature within the bronze itself was a little bit soft around
0:12:55 > 0:13:00the edges, shall we say, wasn't quite as crisp as you would like.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04If we were definite that this was within his lifetime and he'd handled
0:13:04 > 0:13:07it and so on, I would have said the value would have been
0:13:07 > 0:13:11high hundreds, but I think, because I'm erring on the side of caution,
0:13:11 > 0:13:15that it might be a later model. I'm happy to try it at 200-300.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Yes, because I wouldn't sell it for less than 150.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Listen, I don't think you're going to have any trouble...
0:13:20 > 0:13:24- I shouldn't think so.- Good subject, good name, nice quality.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26You've ticked all my boxes, Sandy, see you at the saleroom.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28- Thank you very much.- Not at all.
0:13:28 > 0:13:33- Lot 500, the bronze group, the greyhound and puppy.- Quality piece.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35- It is.- Yeah.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39- I've got to start you at 140.- Ooh...
0:13:39 > 0:13:41It's not over yet.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44140 here, 150, 160...
0:13:44 > 0:13:46Good, we've got some interest in the room.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48170 anywhere?
0:13:48 > 0:13:51The chap over there against the wall's bidding quite heavily.
0:13:51 > 0:13:57- At 180...- He's going to try...- Oh, good.- He's going to get it for 190.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01I think that's it, at £190, are you done?
0:14:01 > 0:14:03Yes! It's gone.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06We were in the right ballpark figure certainly for price achieved.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10If you were talking one made within Mene's lifetime,
0:14:10 > 0:14:16a big group of, say, two horses, one sold recently for 17,500 upwards.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19It's that sort of money, that's the difference.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22Make sure to check the definition of those edges to tell
0:14:22 > 0:14:25if it was made by the master himself.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28But even if it wasn't, all may not be lost
0:14:28 > 0:14:30if you can identify great craftsmanship.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34Chances are it'll still be a fine piece that won't leave you
0:14:34 > 0:14:35out of pocket.
0:14:35 > 0:14:41As usual, Michael Baggott has some wise words on buying European classics.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44When one considers Europe as a whole for a source of antiques,
0:14:44 > 0:14:45it's marvellous,
0:14:45 > 0:14:49because you have all the excesses of baroque within Spain and Italy,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52and it cools off towards France,
0:14:52 > 0:14:54then you get the simplicity
0:14:54 > 0:14:58and beauty of Swedish and Finnish antiques.
0:14:58 > 0:15:03So whatever your tastes veer towards, you will find some thing
0:15:03 > 0:15:08or some style or some maker that you can cleave onto and collect.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11Ever since the days of the 18th century's Grand Tour,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14when intrepid Britons fell under the spell of Europe and its vast
0:15:14 > 0:15:18array of artefacts and antiques, we've been going back for more.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21The challenge for today's travellers is how to separate
0:15:21 > 0:15:23the wheat from the chaff.
0:15:23 > 0:15:29In 2012, James Lewis was sure he'd found a pearl of the Mediterranean.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Giuseppe Carelli - a well known artist,
0:15:32 > 0:15:36well known for painting subjects exactly as these.
0:15:37 > 0:15:42Vesuvius erupting is probably the most common scene
0:15:42 > 0:15:45of any Italian picture in existence.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48- They are everywhere.- That figures.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51So they're not rare scenes, but they are well painted.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Now, they're not framed,
0:15:53 > 0:15:56which would indicate that they're not on the wall. And there's a hole.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59- That hasn't been put in today, has it?- No, some time ago.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01'Damage is always going to be something
0:16:01 > 0:16:04that you have to take into consideration.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07With an oil painting, it's often easier to put right,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10especially if it's a simple, small hole in a canvas.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13When we looked at that pair, there was a small, little tear.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16'Very easy to patch it on the back, fill it in with a bit of oil.'
0:16:16 > 0:16:19- So, £500-800, I should think.- Oh.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22They might even make £1,000 or above.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26Fingers crossed the right people are on the phones and on the internet.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28That would be rather nice.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31James was confident about the attribution of the painting.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34The trouble is, in Italy, the name Carelli is pretty common.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37There were several Carellis painting in the 19th century,
0:16:37 > 0:16:41and that was a cause for concern to auctioneer Anita Manning.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45I was a wee bit worried, Paul, when they came in at the beginning,
0:16:45 > 0:16:49because they looked like the typical 19th century tourist pictures
0:16:49 > 0:16:52that were sold on the harbour.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56Signed Carelli, but Carelli is a very popular Italian name.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58So, I looked at them...
0:16:58 > 0:17:03We had Giuseppe Carelli, Gino Carelli...
0:17:03 > 0:17:05- So, you're not sure?- I'm not sure.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08What I've done is I've sat on the fence a little bit on this
0:17:08 > 0:17:12- and catalogued it as G Carelli. - OK.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16Would this turn out to be a European classic by Giuseppe Carelli
0:17:16 > 0:17:18or just a tourist piece?
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Let the bidders decide.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22Look, James. Look how many phone lines...
0:17:22 > 0:17:24They're all lined up down the front.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Starting at £400. I have two bids.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29600, 650.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31700.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33750.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35I think that says it's Giuseppe, don't you?
0:17:35 > 0:17:36950.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40- 1,000.- There's 1,000.- Oh, dear.
0:17:40 > 0:17:411,050.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45Go on, think about it. Come back to us.
0:17:45 > 0:17:481,200.
0:17:48 > 0:17:49There's the 12.
0:17:49 > 0:17:501,250.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52That's what I thought it was going to be.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54- 1,300.- Oh, it's made more.
0:17:56 > 0:17:571,300.
0:17:57 > 0:18:02It's with Clare. Clare's the last phone left. At £1,300.
0:18:02 > 0:18:071,300. All done at 1,300?
0:18:07 > 0:18:12Yes. Put it there, fabulous. Good call.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14Good call, both of you.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18The bidders were convinced this was a sought after Giuseppe Carelli.
0:18:18 > 0:18:19As these paintings show,
0:18:19 > 0:18:22the "Flog It!" regulars don't always agree
0:18:22 > 0:18:25when it comes to the tricky business of attribution.
0:18:25 > 0:18:31If in doubt, consult the auction catalogue or get specialist advice.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34"Attributed to..." means there's some uncertainty
0:18:34 > 0:18:35about who painted it.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39"After..." means it's a copy of a known work or painter.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41And if they state the name of the artist,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44you should be on safe ground.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48Here are a few things to think about if Classic European is your thing.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51If porcelain dolls appeal,
0:18:51 > 0:18:55keep in mind that damage to the head can reduce their value.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57Shine a strong light inside to check for cracks.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02Junghans mystery clocks are also desirable,
0:19:02 > 0:19:04and there are lots of fakes around.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08If you're not sure, consult a horologist - a clock expert,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10who will know exactly what to look out for.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13And if you follow these tips,
0:19:13 > 0:19:17you should be getting the Classic European antique you've paid for.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25Throughout history, Britain's political relationship with Europe
0:19:25 > 0:19:27has always been a bit ambivalent,
0:19:27 > 0:19:30but we've always appreciated the very best of European culture.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33"Flog It!" expert Caroline Hawley is something of a Francophile,
0:19:33 > 0:19:35as she explains.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41When I was a child, I used to go to France with my parents on holiday,
0:19:41 > 0:19:45and I loved everything about France and all things French
0:19:45 > 0:19:47and that has stayed with me.
0:19:47 > 0:19:52Especially the Art Nouveau period, 1895-1905...
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Everything really.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56I don't know what I don't love about France.
0:19:57 > 0:20:02This lovely piece I've brought today is, not surprisingly, French.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06There were three main centres of paperweight making
0:20:06 > 0:20:07in France at this time.
0:20:07 > 0:20:12Baccarat and Saint Louis, both in the Alsace-Lorraine region,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14and Clichy in Paris.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18This one is a wonderful piece of Baccarat.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21It's what's called a millefiori paperweight,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24which, in Italian, is literally "a thousand flowers."
0:20:24 > 0:20:27I don't know if there's a 1,000, I haven't actually counted.
0:20:27 > 0:20:28There might be.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32It has certain characteristics which are specific to Baccarat.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35These lovely silhouette canes here.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37There's a cockerel, a deer,
0:20:37 > 0:20:40something that looks a bit like a dog, I'm not sure.
0:20:40 > 0:20:45And these canes are made up of many different glass rods
0:20:45 > 0:20:47fused together to form canes
0:20:47 > 0:20:51and then cut at a cross section to expose these beautiful patterns,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54covered over with a beautiful clear glass dome
0:20:54 > 0:20:56to cause the magnification
0:20:56 > 0:21:00which makes what is altogether the most beautiful paperweight.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04What is interesting about this one is that it's dated and signed.
0:21:04 > 0:21:09Things to look for with the Baccarat signatures and dates are rare dates.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13This one is a fairly common date - 1848.
0:21:13 > 0:21:18I have to look very carefully to find it and so will you, I'm sure.
0:21:18 > 0:21:23It's down here. There's a little B above 1848.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28This is a wonderful piece of quality Baccarat glass.
0:21:28 > 0:21:33Consequently, it has a value of towards £2,000.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42One field in which European makers have excelled for centuries
0:21:42 > 0:21:45is silverwork, but when it comes to the 20th century,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48there's one man who stands out from the crowd,
0:21:48 > 0:21:52a master of his craft who many have tried to emulate.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56The one name that everybody screams about is the name
0:21:56 > 0:21:58that's on the back of that broach.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00And there it is. Jensen. Georg Jensen.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Georg Jensen was from Copenhagen
0:22:03 > 0:22:08and he originally graduated in 1892 as a sculptor.
0:22:08 > 0:22:14You can see from almost all of his designs over the period
0:22:14 > 0:22:18that he used his techniques and influences in sculpture
0:22:18 > 0:22:21to do his broaches.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Georg Jensen was a proponent of the Art Nouveau style,
0:22:24 > 0:22:28but no-one had seen anything like his silverwork before.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32By the 1920s, he was the talk, not just of his hometown of Copenhagen,
0:22:32 > 0:22:36but of the world, with workshops producing everything
0:22:36 > 0:22:39from jewellery to cutlery, and even tea sets.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41During his long career, he was prolific,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44and there's a lot out there to choose from.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47But be warned, it comes at a price.
0:22:47 > 0:22:52The rarer early pieces are hugely sought-after and may be recognised
0:22:52 > 0:22:56by their typical Art Nouveau decoration of pods and flowers.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00If you keep your eyes peeled, you could chance upon something
0:23:00 > 0:23:06like this early wine cooler, sold in 2008 for nearly £30,000.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11Jensen encouraged free rein amongst his designers, and the work
0:23:11 > 0:23:15of Johan Rohde and Harold Nielsen is collectible in its own right.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19You can tell who made a piece by examining the back.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21The Georg Jensen stamp will date a piece
0:23:21 > 0:23:25and the number identifies the designer.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28Don't limit yourself to pieces made within his lifetime.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32Jensen died in 1935, but his company is still going strong
0:23:32 > 0:23:36and remains true to his philosophy of artistry in design
0:23:36 > 0:23:39and excellence in craftsmanship.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44Jensen's work may be at a premium, but his legacy is strong,
0:23:44 > 0:23:46and his influence lasting.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48Look out for the work of silversmiths
0:23:48 > 0:23:50Hans Hansen and Bent Knudsen
0:23:50 > 0:23:56for that minimalist Scandinavian style at a more affordable price.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03There are other ways to enjoy classic European works of art
0:24:03 > 0:24:06without spending a penny.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08Over the years, I've had the privilege
0:24:08 > 0:24:11of visiting numerous British museums and galleries
0:24:11 > 0:24:14to enjoy their wonderful exhibits.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16And one of my favourites, and most surprising,
0:24:16 > 0:24:18was at Kelvingrove.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28This striking painting of the crucifixion
0:24:28 > 0:24:31called Christ Of Saint John Of The Cross
0:24:31 > 0:24:34is by the Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38Such is its beauty and power
0:24:38 > 0:24:39that in the last 50 years
0:24:39 > 0:24:42literally millions of people from all over the world
0:24:42 > 0:24:45have made a pilgrimage here to Kelvingrove to see it.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49Standing in front of it, you can really see why, can't you?
0:24:49 > 0:24:52For me, this is one of the most amazing images
0:24:52 > 0:24:53of Christ on the cross
0:24:53 > 0:24:55that's ever been painted.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Most people think it's a gimmick, but it wasn't.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03Dali was a devout Catholic and a very religious man
0:25:03 > 0:25:07and to attempt something like this I think is incredibly brave.
0:25:07 > 0:25:08It's just wonderful,
0:25:08 > 0:25:12these darkening skies over this sort of floating water below,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14which is his fishing village in Spain -
0:25:14 > 0:25:16it's almost like two pictures going on at once,
0:25:16 > 0:25:19but that's done in the Renaissance style.
0:25:19 > 0:25:20It's incredible.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24It's devoid of a crown of thorns, nails and blood,
0:25:24 > 0:25:27and, for me, I think this is my favourite picture
0:25:27 > 0:25:32of the crucifixion. I'd rather look at this than any other.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36The idea came to Dali in a cosmic dream in the 1950s
0:25:36 > 0:25:38and it's called the Christ Of Saint John
0:25:38 > 0:25:42because Dali had a lot of images from the 16th-century friar St John,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45which helped him put this composition together
0:25:45 > 0:25:49and, in order to get that angle of Christ on the cross,
0:25:49 > 0:25:51he hired a Hollywood stunt man
0:25:51 > 0:25:53to hang form gantries in his studio
0:25:53 > 0:25:56and he spent hours getting those angles right.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58I mean, that's not just a one-off,
0:25:58 > 0:26:01this is a well-trained artist doing what he does best -
0:26:01 > 0:26:03executing genius.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06And it is, the brushstrokes are remarkable.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09It's very, very moving, very evocative and incredibly powerful.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11It's almost as if that's Christ's viewpoint
0:26:11 > 0:26:14of what's going on in the world below him.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22As a member of the surrealist movement in the 1930s,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Dali's early paintings depicted strange landscapes
0:26:25 > 0:26:27with fantastical animals,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30and littered with dismembered and distorted body parts,
0:26:30 > 0:26:33painted in exquisite technique.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38These unforgettable images, combined with his flamboyant behaviour,
0:26:38 > 0:26:40gained Dali the reputation
0:26:40 > 0:26:43of an eccentric, perhaps even mad personality.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47So the arrival of one of Dali's artworks to Glasgow
0:26:47 > 0:26:50in the relatively conservative early 1950s
0:26:50 > 0:26:51was bound to cause a stir
0:26:51 > 0:26:54and it was all down to the vision of one man,
0:26:54 > 0:26:58Tom Honeyman, Glasgow's Director of Museums at the time.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02Honeyman visited Dali at his home in Spain.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Dali had just finished Christ Of Saint John Of The Cross
0:27:05 > 0:27:06and, bowled over by what he saw,
0:27:06 > 0:27:10Honeyman thought this would make the most amazing centrepiece
0:27:10 > 0:27:12for the art collection here at Kelvingrove.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Now, was it a moment of madness or inspiration?
0:27:17 > 0:27:20To find out, I'm meeting Neil Ballantyne,
0:27:20 > 0:27:22Kelvingrove's current director.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26Well, in 1952 a lot of people would have said it was madness, but...
0:27:26 > 0:27:29And a lot of criticism at the time, but I believe the last 60 years
0:27:29 > 0:27:32has more than proved the correctness of Honeyman's decision
0:27:32 > 0:27:34- to bring the painting to Glasgow.- Yeah.
0:27:34 > 0:27:35What was the reaction
0:27:35 > 0:27:38when it first arrived in the early part of the 1950s?
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Well, there were a number of protests outside Kelvingrove.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Some of the art students from the Glasgow School Of Art
0:27:44 > 0:27:47were quite shocked at the amount of expenditure.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50I think Dali has always aroused quite a lot of criticism.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53He saw the painting in London just before he decided to make the purchase
0:27:53 > 0:27:54and he saw the reaction of the public there
0:27:54 > 0:27:56and he was convinced that the people in Glasgow
0:27:56 > 0:27:59would feel the same way. And he was absolutely right,
0:27:59 > 0:28:01something like 50,000 people came to see the painting
0:28:01 > 0:28:04in the first three months of display in Glasgow.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09When you leave here, it really is that iconic image you take with you.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12- Absolutely.- Look, thank you very much.- A pleasure.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25Europe has so much to offer there are classic pieces for every taste
0:28:25 > 0:28:29and pocket, so if you want to explore the world of antiques,
0:28:29 > 0:28:34the continent could be a fantastic place to start your journey.
0:28:34 > 0:28:35Well, that's it for today.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39Join us again soon for more Trade Secrets!