0:00:04 > 0:00:07For well over a decade now, "Flog It!" has offered you
0:00:07 > 0:00:10the chance to have your antiques and collectables valued
0:00:10 > 0:00:13and sold in auction rooms all over the British Isles,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16and sometimes for a great deal of money.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26And during that time, we have all learned a great deal about the world
0:00:26 > 0:00:31of fine art and antiques that we, as a nation, cannot get enough of.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34So today, I want to share some of that knowledge with you.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37So stand by to hear some more trade secrets.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06For me, craftsmanship is the central part
0:01:06 > 0:01:09of the appeal of any piece of fine art.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13Now, until relatively recently, everything was made by hand.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16And amongst those legions of individuals
0:01:16 > 0:01:19creating beautiful pieces,
0:01:19 > 0:01:21there have always been a number of dedicated
0:01:21 > 0:01:23non-professional craftsmen and women.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28'So, today, we're celebrating the wonderful work
0:01:28 > 0:01:30'of those amateur artisans.'
0:01:31 > 0:01:33I think this is a love token.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37- Oh, do you?- I think somebody in the 19th century
0:01:37 > 0:01:40wanted to create something interesting for a loved one.
0:01:40 > 0:01:45'And it's a show that promises to be an eye-opener for all of us...'
0:01:45 > 0:01:48I'm going to sit back and let you educate me now.
0:01:48 > 0:01:53'..as Charlie unpicks the secrets of an American patchwork quilt.'
0:01:53 > 0:01:56If none repeated, it'd be called a charm quilt.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00But since there's a few that repeat, it's just called a scrappy quilt.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03- Good Lord, we are learning a lot here!- There you go!
0:02:03 > 0:02:06'Caroline finds that extraordinary quality can come from
0:02:06 > 0:02:08'the most unexpected quarters.'
0:02:09 > 0:02:12I think it was Ken's grandfather who made them in his shed.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15And I discover how religious philosophy gave birth
0:02:15 > 0:02:17to a design classic.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21The simplest and purest of furniture you will ever find,
0:02:21 > 0:02:23and it is so practical.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33Now, I don't suppose for one minute that the unknown maker
0:02:33 > 0:02:36of this leather blackjack, which dates to around 1690,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39had any idea that today this would be worth around £1,000.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41But it is, it is a hardy survivor.
0:02:41 > 0:02:46This was meant to be used, abused really, filled up with ale or wine.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48And there's the spout. Look, there is the handle.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Pour it away. Look, use it for a few months and chuck it.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55It is irrelevant that it was made by an amateur.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57But is that always the case?
0:03:03 > 0:03:06If it is unsigned, go for some nice, early naive work.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09I think if you're looking for something that is handmade,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12you are looking for a truth and honesty of its design.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14You're looking for something of its period.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16But also always look for quality.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21It could be a carved bit of wood, it could be a carved bit of marble.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23And you are actually thinking in your head,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26"You couldn't actually get that made
0:03:26 > 0:03:31"or even buy the materials for what it would cost to make now by hand."
0:03:33 > 0:03:37'You'll find quality in all types of handmade items -
0:03:37 > 0:03:41'in professional pieces, of course, but also in amateur works.'
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Well, here we are in Lincolnshire,
0:03:46 > 0:03:51and what better thing to fly in than these two iconic World War II
0:03:51 > 0:03:55planes, which look as if they could be just flying into one
0:03:55 > 0:03:59of the dozens of airfields that were around here in the Second World War.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03I don't know the models. Can you tell me a bit about them?
0:04:03 > 0:04:08Well, I presume this is the... This is the Spitfire.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11And then I have been told that it is the Mosquito.
0:04:11 > 0:04:16I was very surprised when I was told that these were handmade,
0:04:16 > 0:04:18because they are beautifully made.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21They really are. And somebody spent an awful long time on them
0:04:21 > 0:04:22in his shed.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25I think it was Ken's grandfather who made them in his shed.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Well, they have come into the family from my grandad,
0:04:28 > 0:04:30who worked in the railway yard at Doncaster.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32He was quite a handy sort of chap.
0:04:32 > 0:04:38Yes. And he'd make old model planes, cos he had a workshop.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43And he got me... Boys, he used to make model planes for them, like.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45So you think he made these?
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Well, we think so, yeah.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50You know, they are very, very indicative of that period.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54You could almost see the guy in his shed making them, you know,
0:04:54 > 0:04:57watching the planes going overhead.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59It's naively made.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01And this one, the detail in this.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05You can see underneath the work that has gone into it.
0:05:05 > 0:05:06He must've been very proud of them.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08And they are working models, aren't they?
0:05:08 > 0:05:11- The propellers go around. - Well, yeah.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15'I could tell they were handmade when I looked more closely at them.'
0:05:15 > 0:05:17There was no uniformity in them. There were differences.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19But they were very, very beautiful things, though.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21There is a lot of people
0:05:21 > 0:05:24that are interested in World War II memorabilia.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27There are a lot of people interested in planes.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31I think they could get £40 to £60.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35And if we put a fixed reserve at £40
0:05:35 > 0:05:37and hope that they fly.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39That's right, yes.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Fingers crossed. Anyway, they are going under the hammer right now.
0:05:42 > 0:05:43Let's put it to the test.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46£30 bid. Two now. Making it two.
0:05:46 > 0:05:47It's two. And five.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Anywhere else, now five. 35? 38? 38 bid, 40 do I see now?
0:05:49 > 0:05:5138, going to bid - 40 surely?
0:05:51 > 0:05:5240. Selling at 40.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56£40, it's sold, the hammer has gone down.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00£40 was a very, very cheap price for these airplanes. It really was.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02It seems such a shame.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05Somebody has spent an awful long time making these.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09As always, a known maker, a known artist makes all the difference.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12To my mind, it doesn't matter who has made them,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15it is the fact that they have been lovingly and carefully handcrafted.
0:06:15 > 0:06:21'Love and care is evident in the work of enthusiastic hobbyists.'
0:06:21 > 0:06:24- Is it a hobby or a profession? - No, it's a hobby.
0:06:24 > 0:06:25You can't make money at it.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27'And in pieces designed back
0:06:27 > 0:06:30'when craft was a more mainstream activity.'
0:06:30 > 0:06:32So this will fit into sort of a large Victorian house.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35It will also fit into a small cottage.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38If you're going to look at one area that is quite interesting, that
0:06:38 > 0:06:42has got a lot of different regions to study and can fetch good money -
0:06:42 > 0:06:4619th-century American quilts.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50Beautiful, handmade social history, but quite valuable.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54One such quilt crossed the Atlantic to the Cotswolds,
0:06:54 > 0:06:57the home of Arts and Crafts.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Once there, it caught the eye of Charlie Ross.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Well, this quilt came from the United States.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05- Right, as indeed you do. - Yes, as indeed I do.
0:07:05 > 0:07:06- I am from Boston.- Right.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08The quilt is from Pennsylvania.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11It was made in about 1880.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16It recently hung in an American quilt exhibit back in Georgia.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18'I liked the quilt.'
0:07:18 > 0:07:19It appealed to me.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24And part of me wanted to know more about it.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26The pattern is called 1,000 Pyramids.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28- 1,000 Pyramids.- Right.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31- It's probably got a thousand pyramids!- Not quite.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34- But there's a lot. There are only a few that repeat.- Yeah.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37So if none repeated, it would be called a charm quilt.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39But since there are a few that repeat,
0:07:39 > 0:07:41it's just called a scrappy quilt.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44- Good Lord, we are learning a lot here!- There you go!
0:07:44 > 0:07:46'She had a passion for quilts.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50'She had - although she repeated it rather sort of ashamed,'
0:07:50 > 0:07:54because she didn't want her husband to know - over 50 quilts.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58- We moved into an English house with no closets.- Yeah.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02So I'm thinking I need to pare back on some of my quilt collection.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04- Right. - So I brought this along with me.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07It's hugely enjoyable to get somebody...
0:08:07 > 0:08:11and unusual, to get somebody along to "Flog It!"
0:08:11 > 0:08:14that knows considerably more about something than you do yourself.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18You might say in my case that is not rare at all!
0:08:18 > 0:08:22Just to cut out the pieces, to do it would take several days.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25And then sewing each one of these by hand...
0:08:25 > 0:08:27you're talking several weeks.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30- I bought it at an estate sale.- Yeah.
0:08:30 > 0:08:35And there was a piece of paper stitched to it loosely, and it said,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38"Made by Aunt Meg for my nephew."
0:08:38 > 0:08:43A quilt made by me would not be worth anything at all.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48A quilt particularly stitched as this was,
0:08:48 > 0:08:50that has a splendid charm to it.
0:08:50 > 0:08:55I can't imagine that it is worth much less than £100 to £150.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59If we estimated it at that, perhaps a reserve of £80?
0:08:59 > 0:09:03- That will be fine. - Would that be satisfactory?
0:09:05 > 0:09:08Was it hard to choose one to get rid of first or do you think this
0:09:08 > 0:09:10- is your worst one you're selling? - No.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12I have another one that is similar to this.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14- All right, so you have got a double. - Yeah.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18And so I sort of thought, well, if I was going to thin the herd,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21- that I would pick one that I already had.- That's sensible.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24- You're sounding like a proper collector.- Thank you.
0:09:24 > 0:09:25Let's hope you get the top end.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27- It's going under the hammer now.- OK. - This is it.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30203, American patchwork quilt.
0:09:30 > 0:09:321,000 Pyramids pattern.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34At 110, who's going on? 120.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37- 130. At 130 against you.- Great.- Oh!
0:09:37 > 0:09:39At 130 then against you.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42Selling then at 130...
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Yes! The hammer has gone down with a boom.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47'Apart from its value as an object,
0:09:47 > 0:09:49'if you actually'
0:09:49 > 0:09:53put down the price per hour, it's a jolly cheap thing.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56Yes, a fantastic bargain
0:09:56 > 0:09:59and an amazing piece of heritage for the lucky bidder.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03Handmade objects do involve hours of great skill and offer
0:10:03 > 0:10:09something unique, like this walking cane Mark Stacey spotted in 2010.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13We've got here what I think is a piece of fruit wood.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16So it's come from like a walnut tree or an apple tree
0:10:16 > 0:10:18or something like that, a pear tree,
0:10:18 > 0:10:22that somebody first of all has carved out and then has started...
0:10:22 > 0:10:25Once he's got it down to a particular shape,
0:10:25 > 0:10:29he has then started to carve all these little details out.
0:10:29 > 0:10:30The quality was exceptional.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33I mean, there were so many things going on in this cane.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36I mean, I loved the fact also, as soon as you touched it,
0:10:36 > 0:10:40you knew there was 150 years of history there,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42because the warmth of the wood...
0:10:42 > 0:10:45There had been so many greasy paws all over that.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49It had added to that lovely warmth, the patina, it was wonderful.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52I think this is a love token.
0:10:52 > 0:10:53Oh, do you?
0:10:53 > 0:10:56I think somebody in the 19th century wanted to create something
0:10:56 > 0:10:58interesting for a loved one.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01We've got these entwined hands there.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03And then all the way down here,
0:11:03 > 0:11:08they have done a spiral twist with this lovely decoration of hops.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10When you are looking at items like this,
0:11:10 > 0:11:12they are sometimes very symbolic.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16You know, you find hearts, pairs of birds, snakes.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20All these are symbolic of love, longevity.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24And sometimes, you know, we don't know the meeting, because maybe
0:11:24 > 0:11:28they're items carved and they were very specific to that person.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33- I'd certainly want to put it in at £100 to £150.- Yes? Oh, lovely.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38I love this next item. And they say you can tell a man's
0:11:38 > 0:11:41profession by his walking cane, and this is just absolutely gorgeous.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44We know there's an awful lot of collectors out there
0:11:44 > 0:11:46for walking canes and that sort of thing.
0:11:46 > 0:11:47Big market, very big market.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49They will like this. Yes, they will like it a lot.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53The wooden cane we are on to now. This is fun.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55300.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58With me at £300. Against you in the room.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02£300, Lydia!
0:12:02 > 0:12:04At £300, commission bid.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Are we all out and clear? I sell?
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Thank you. £300, excellent.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14This is a one-off piece. It was exquisitely carved.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16That will appeal to collectors.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Generally, though, anything from this period
0:12:19 > 0:12:22with that quality of carving will be desirable.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Symbolism features often in handmade items.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29The maker of this cane could have crafted it for a sweetheart,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32just as sailors used to spend long periods at sea,
0:12:32 > 0:12:36fashioning scrimshaw for their loved ones back on dry land.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38You've brought a lovely piece of scrimshaw in here.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40What is the story behind this?
0:12:40 > 0:12:42I don't know a lot about it.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45- It was in the house ever since I was very small.- Uh-huh.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48That's really how it got there. Who brought it? I do not know.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Scrimshaw is quite an interesting art,
0:12:51 > 0:12:56because it is quite a naive form of craftsmanship.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59But also it is, by definition, quite a refined
0:12:59 > 0:13:05and painstaking way of decorating either whales
0:13:05 > 0:13:08or walruses' teeth or possibly sometimes bone.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12It is thought to have been primarily sailors who would undertake
0:13:12 > 0:13:15this form of craft using knives or needles
0:13:15 > 0:13:19to scratch away at the surface and to actually make the design up.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22Normally, they represent the... If I just turn that over.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25..ship that they were serving on.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28And there it is, a nice masted galleon there with billowing sails.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32I mean, sailors did a lot of different craftsmanship,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35from weaving through to quite exquisite embroidery and needlework,
0:13:35 > 0:13:39so to extend their ability to engraving is kind of really
0:13:39 > 0:13:40not that unusual.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43And they spent hours and days and weeks and months at sea.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45They had to fill it in some way.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Now, if that ship were traceable
0:13:47 > 0:13:51or if it were known as to where that sailed, who might have
0:13:51 > 0:13:56sailed on it, that would potentially add value to the piece itself.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58The more detailed, the better.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00The more skilful the artist, the better.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03But if something is either named or indeed dated
0:14:03 > 0:14:06and to give it sort of a real root back in history,
0:14:06 > 0:14:11and a degree of provenance that goes with it, is helpful.
0:14:11 > 0:14:16I think, date-wise, it is going to be probably mid-19th century.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18You can't get much scrimshaw for 100, 150,
0:14:18 > 0:14:20so shall we say 200 to 400?
0:14:20 > 0:14:22- Yes.- Put a reserve on of £200.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26- Yes.- Make that firm?- Yes.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Thank you for coming in today and bringing it.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32- No problem, I enjoyed it.- We'll see what we can do at the auction.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34There we go, a very nice piece of scrimshaw.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36And a lot of interest in it.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40- At 300. 320. From Australia.- Oh!
0:14:40 > 0:14:42They are an international collectable.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45It crosses all sorts of barriers, potentially,
0:14:45 > 0:14:47in terms of appreciation.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50At 440, net bidder has it. Any more bids from the room?
0:14:50 > 0:14:54We sell then to Australia at 440.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57It is just a fascinating thing that the word scrimshaw will be picked up
0:14:57 > 0:15:01on a word search, and somebody as far away as Australia chased it down
0:15:01 > 0:15:03and succeeded in buying it, which is wonderful.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Scrimshaw may be highly collectable, but it is also easily faked,
0:15:08 > 0:15:12so do your homework to make sure yours is genuine.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14And like ivory, it is controversial.
0:15:14 > 0:15:20But it is perfectly legal to buy or sell if it dates before 1973.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24Scrimshaw was generally created by talented amateurs
0:15:24 > 0:15:25with time to spare.
0:15:25 > 0:15:30As was a wonderfully unusual item that Mark spotted in 2012.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Now, you have brought this charming little object in.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37Can you give me a little bit of the history of it?
0:15:37 > 0:15:41It has been in the family, so I have lived with it all my life.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44It was worked by a relation of my father's.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48- Oh, wow. So it has come right through your family?- Yes.- Wonderful.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51This type of woolwork picture's remarkably rare these days.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54I mean, I loved it because it was so 3-D
0:15:54 > 0:15:57and the colours were beautiful on it.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00It almost hadn't aged at all.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03You've got the name - Mary Ann Lawrence.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07And the date - 1837.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09- And she was aged 13...- I know.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11..when she did this.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13Now, you wouldn't get many 13-year-olds today doing such
0:16:13 > 0:16:16- lovely handwork, would you?- No.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20- And it must have taken hours of work, mustn't it?- Absolutely, yes.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22And patience.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25'The beauty of this is the naivety.'
0:16:25 > 0:16:29This is a handmade item from a lady of leisure, really,
0:16:29 > 0:16:33who had time before television and radio to sit there sewing.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37It transported me back to a Jane Austen novel.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40In an ideal world, I think, if we want to show that
0:16:40 > 0:16:41it's from a private source,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44we would want to put an estimate of something like 300 to 500.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46- Would you be happy with that?- Yes.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49So we put a fixed reserve of 300?
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Hopefully, that will bring in all those buyers.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57'Jane was so confident about the colourful woolwork
0:16:57 > 0:16:59'that she upped the estimate.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01'But would the bidders agree?'
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Going under the hammer right now, my favourite item of the whole
0:17:04 > 0:17:08valuation day - the strawberry woolwork diorama.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10There it is - pretty and unusual thing.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12And I'm bid £410 for it.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Against you all at 410.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18All done then at 520?
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Finished at 520?
0:17:21 > 0:17:25- It's gone at £520.- Mid-estimate.
0:17:25 > 0:17:26Well, that's OK, that's OK.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29- Hopefully, a museum has bought it. - Yeah, you never know.
0:17:29 > 0:17:30Yes, that'd be nice.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32- It would be, wouldn't it?- Yes.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36This would have gone to a specialist dealer or collector
0:17:36 > 0:17:38in that type of folk art.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42An associate, of course, of the sort of naive paintings.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44It would look lovely in a room
0:17:44 > 0:17:46full of Georgian-period oak furniture.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50'I agree, and I'd be happy to have it in my home.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53'Some handmade items can be rough and ready,
0:17:53 > 0:17:56'but this needn't detract from their appeal.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00'Hours of work, pride and passion have gone into their making,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02'so they represent great value.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06'In some cases, you can pick up an antique piece for less than new.
0:18:06 > 0:18:11'Handmade textiles are a popular collectable, not surprising,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14'as they are often the result of great skill.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18'But be sure to keep them in the best conditions, away from moths
0:18:18 > 0:18:21'and potentially damaging sunlight.'
0:18:22 > 0:18:24Scrimshaw is highly sought-after,
0:18:24 > 0:18:28but if it is suspiciously cheap, it is probably fake.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Good authentic pieces command great prices.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34In 2012, this cane, dating back two centuries,
0:18:34 > 0:18:39sold at auction for a whopping £46,000.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43The owner had stored it on top of a cupboard for 60 years.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45'So what else is worth considering?'
0:18:47 > 0:18:50I think one of the most important things is to keep your eyes open
0:18:50 > 0:18:53for antiques of the future.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Now, if you know a local maker producing quality items
0:18:56 > 0:19:01that you think will stand the test of time, then why not invest?
0:19:01 > 0:19:04At the end of the day, if it doesn't go up in value, at least you
0:19:04 > 0:19:05have bought something that you love
0:19:05 > 0:19:08and it's going to put a smile on your face.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10It's going to make you feel good, and that is what it is all about.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Thomas Plant is a man who loves to look at all the beautiful
0:19:17 > 0:19:19antiques you bring to our valuation days,
0:19:19 > 0:19:24but he is also a collector of some rather unusual handmade objects.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32These are pilgrim shells.
0:19:32 > 0:19:38They're carved mother-of-pearl with scenes from the Bible.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41They are carved in the Holy Land - Palestine or Israel.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45As you go on a pilgrimage, you want to bring something back.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47And these are souvenirs.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50But you can buy these souvenirs now or you could have bought them
0:19:50 > 0:19:53in the 19th century, bought them in the 18th century.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56The reason why I like them and why I want to collect them is...
0:19:56 > 0:20:00not that I'm over-religious, not that I'm religious at all.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04But I find that anything with religion associated to it
0:20:04 > 0:20:09is going to have a deeper sense of thought put into it.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12The applied design, the workmanship,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15the craftsmanship is going to have that extra bit of love.
0:20:15 > 0:20:22We have scenes of the Madonna, Jesus and Joseph,
0:20:22 > 0:20:27scenes of St Andrew with his cross and the Last Supper.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32The man or woman who has carved these has used many tools.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35He has probably used a sharp blade or a small chisel to carve out
0:20:35 > 0:20:38the faces of the Last Supper.
0:20:38 > 0:20:43Down below, he has used a file to do this beautiful pierced design
0:20:43 > 0:20:48and then a smaller tool to do the frieze around the rim.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53Now, the substance they are carved out of, mother-of-pearl,
0:20:53 > 0:20:56gives it that certain extra something,
0:20:56 > 0:20:58because it makes them shimmer.
0:20:59 > 0:21:04Earlier examples... are painted as well.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08And you can get MASSIVE ones with different scenes
0:21:08 > 0:21:09from all scenes of the Bible.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11They are sometimes cased in leather.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13But they're like 500 quid.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17Each one of these is reasonable at £50 to £80 each.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20Everything starts with the patronage of the Church
0:21:20 > 0:21:22or of a religion.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26And I feel that the people who have carved these have devoted time,
0:21:26 > 0:21:29effort and quality into them.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31And I really enjoy them.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41The American Museum in Bath houses one of the best collections
0:21:41 > 0:21:43of original Shaker furniture in the world.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50The Shakers were a religious community in 18th-century America.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55Their faith was based on order, simplicity, sharing and no clutter!
0:21:55 > 0:21:58This philosophy is poured into the furniture
0:21:58 > 0:22:01that became symbolic of the movement.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Shaker designs sprang from a religious philosophy
0:22:06 > 0:22:08that rejected the values of the world at large,
0:22:08 > 0:22:12a world that was deliberately set apart from everyday American life
0:22:12 > 0:22:16during the late 18th and early 19th century.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21And this is what I am talking about - the simplest
0:22:21 > 0:22:25and purest of furniture you will ever find, and it is so practical.
0:22:25 > 0:22:30Every time I look at Shaker furniture, it always makes me smile.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Life is so simple when you declutter.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36And the Shaker belief was all about sharing things.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38You couldn't have clutter or else you would never find anything.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41Because they had to share their tools, their utensils,
0:22:41 > 0:22:43their blankets, absolutely anything.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46And when you look at the furniture, you'll never see
0:22:46 > 0:22:49a piece of Shaker furniture that has been identified by its maker.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52You see, they didn't want to know, they didn't want single ownership
0:22:52 > 0:22:54of that either.
0:22:54 > 0:22:55Mixture of woods were used,
0:22:55 > 0:22:59all highly coloured and polished as well.
0:22:59 > 0:23:00This is a cherry wood top.
0:23:00 > 0:23:01They loved fruit woods
0:23:01 > 0:23:04but also hardwoods - ashes and maples - and lots of softwoods.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07You will find softwoods always in the pine carcass.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10They're sort of a lightweight, cheap wood.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14It is a bit like a soapbox, really, but no-one looks at the inside.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17But just looking at the simple banks of drawers...
0:23:17 > 0:23:20there is absolutely no ornamentation.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23There is no need for decoration.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26It sort of takes the eye off of what the whole thing was supposed
0:23:26 > 0:23:27to be about in the first place.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29This is very humble.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31But when you take a closer look at this chest of drawers,
0:23:31 > 0:23:34you think, "Hang on, look at the overhang on the top."
0:23:34 > 0:23:36I've never seen an English or European
0:23:36 > 0:23:39chest of drawers like this, with such generous overhangs.
0:23:39 > 0:23:44You see, now this, also doubles up as a counter, as a tabletop.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46Very functional, very practical.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49And somebody has been using this as a worktop,
0:23:49 > 0:23:52because can you see all these drawn knife marks?
0:23:52 > 0:23:55There is an indication of an awful lot of work going on here,
0:23:55 > 0:23:57which is great, because that is what it was meant to be used for.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59And also, it has got a drop-leaf section here,
0:23:59 > 0:24:03so you can fold that flap down and move the thing
0:24:03 > 0:24:06back against the wall, get it out of the way, declutter again.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08Cleanliness was next to godliness here.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11# I love Mother... #
0:24:11 > 0:24:13The Shakers strove to lead pure and simple lives,
0:24:13 > 0:24:15and their furniture reflects this.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18The simple and elegant designs were way ahead of their time,
0:24:18 > 0:24:22and almost by accident, they became art objects.
0:24:22 > 0:24:23# ..May have his throne
0:24:23 > 0:24:27# And the miser, his gold
0:24:27 > 0:24:30# The monarch, his palace
0:24:30 > 0:24:33# And the princes
0:24:33 > 0:24:36# I covet none of this
0:24:36 > 0:24:39# For I the gospel call. #
0:24:39 > 0:24:40Take a closer look at the picture rail,
0:24:40 > 0:24:44because you've got these... hand-turned pegs which have been
0:24:44 > 0:24:47driven into this wood, which has been painted with a blue ground.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49But the great thing about this is,
0:24:49 > 0:24:54you don't just hang your clothes on it or your tools,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57but when you've finished using a piece of furniture
0:24:57 > 0:24:59and space is of a premium,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02you can pick your piece of furniture up
0:25:02 > 0:25:06and you can hang it out of the way.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09You see, they were always in the pursuit of perfection,
0:25:09 > 0:25:12improving things, moving along.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14A simple thing like this stove.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16OK, it is a very basic wood burner.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18Here is the hub of the burner.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20But also it has got an extension on the top.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23As this heats up all day long, so does that.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26So that is going to give off twice as much heat again.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28You see, it's genius, isn't it?
0:25:28 > 0:25:30And I love this as well - the old rocker.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33And this is so typical of a ladder-back chair.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37It looks like an English one - ladder-back here with the rush seat.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40But what sets it apart is the fact that it is an American one and
0:25:40 > 0:25:44it has got these lovely mushrooms terminating at the top of each leg
0:25:44 > 0:25:45where it joins the arm.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47I love that. And that is so comfortable,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49you just want to hang on to that and caress it.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53But this I have to show you, because Shaker furniture hasn't just
0:25:53 > 0:25:57influenced furniture designers, but all designers of the 20th century.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00If I hold that up, that does look like a bit of Philippe Starck,
0:26:00 > 0:26:02doesn't it? Let's face it.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05But it is just the simpleness, it's just...
0:26:05 > 0:26:07You don't need a lot of weight there -
0:26:07 > 0:26:11it's just a functional little sidetable or candle stand.
0:26:11 > 0:26:16Beautifully symmetrical. And again, so pleasing on the eye.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19# For I the gospel call
0:26:19 > 0:26:24# And a kind, loving mother
0:26:24 > 0:26:27# Which is better than them all
0:26:27 > 0:26:31# The king may have his throne
0:26:31 > 0:26:35# And the miser, his gold
0:26:35 > 0:26:38# The monarch, his palace
0:26:38 > 0:26:40# And the princes... #
0:26:40 > 0:26:44I would love to live my life in a space like this,
0:26:44 > 0:26:47because I know I would be on top of everything and, you know,
0:26:47 > 0:26:49I'd have more time to read and more time to think
0:26:49 > 0:26:51and I'd be a happier person.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53That is what Shaker furniture does for you.
0:26:53 > 0:26:58# Which is better than them all. #
0:27:06 > 0:27:10'Regular viewers will know that I'm susceptible to the charms
0:27:10 > 0:27:11'of handmade antiques.'
0:27:13 > 0:27:15I didn't want to put this down.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18You know when you feel something and it touches your soul...?
0:27:18 > 0:27:20You can caress wood, you can love wood, it tells a story.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24'Plenty of collectors share my passion
0:27:24 > 0:27:25'and even the work of unknown amateurs
0:27:25 > 0:27:28'can make a respectable showing at auction.'
0:27:29 > 0:27:31HE WHISPERS
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Thank you. £300, excellent.
0:27:36 > 0:27:37'In the absence of a famous name,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40'handmade objects created by the keen enthusiasts
0:27:40 > 0:27:44'must display exceptional levels of craftsmanship
0:27:44 > 0:27:46'to be of significant value.'
0:27:46 > 0:27:49We sell then to Australia at 440...
0:27:50 > 0:27:53'But if you're antique hunting for pleasure rather than profit,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56'you'll find an abundance of amateur work
0:27:56 > 0:27:59'destined to put a smile on your face.'
0:28:04 > 0:28:06Well, that's it for today's show.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10I hope we have given you some useful pointers and some food for thought.
0:28:10 > 0:28:15So if you're hungry for more, join us next time on Trade Secrets.