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For many years now, | 0:00:03 | 0:00:05 | |
you've been coming along to our valuation days, laden with | 0:00:05 | 0:00:08 | |
antiques and collectibles, putting our experts through their paces. | 0:00:08 | 0:00:12 | |
You can sell this in your pyjamas on a Sunday. | 0:00:12 | 0:00:14 | |
I don't know anything, do I? | 0:00:14 | 0:00:16 | |
And during that time, | 0:00:16 | 0:00:18 | |
we've all learned a great deal about the items we've valued and sold. | 0:00:18 | 0:00:22 | |
Now we want to share some of that information with you, | 0:00:22 | 0:00:25 | |
so if you want to know more, you've definitely come to the right place. | 0:00:25 | 0:00:29 | |
This is Trade Secrets. | 0:00:29 | 0:00:32 | |
The British have a great tradition of industry and craftsmanship, | 0:00:58 | 0:01:02 | |
but just across the water, the Continent has been producing | 0:01:02 | 0:01:06 | |
equally exquisite items to inspire and fascinate us Brits | 0:01:06 | 0:01:10 | |
for many centuries. | 0:01:10 | 0:01:12 | |
The Flog It! team | 0:01:12 | 0:01:14 | |
regularly get presented with items that have made their home | 0:01:14 | 0:01:17 | |
here in Britain, so today's show is all about how to spot the very best. | 0:01:17 | 0:01:23 | |
A whirlwind trip to the cold outer reaches of Europe | 0:01:23 | 0:01:27 | |
takes in a camera that would delight any spy... | 0:01:27 | 0:01:31 | |
It was a real kind of 007 "for the lady" thing, wasn't it? | 0:01:31 | 0:01:35 | |
..an intriguing royal Russian saga... | 0:01:35 | 0:01:37 | |
It's got tantalising clues. | 0:01:37 | 0:01:39 | |
It would be lovely to think that it is part of that Romanov dynasty. | 0:01:39 | 0:01:42 | |
..and we send Christina and Caroline on French leave. | 0:01:42 | 0:01:45 | |
And no, it's not a booze cruise! | 0:01:45 | 0:01:47 | |
-Oh, my goodness! Are you serious? -Yes. Happy French hunting! | 0:01:47 | 0:01:51 | |
-Do you like that? -Aw! | 0:01:51 | 0:01:53 | |
There are many European items we expect to see at our valuation days, | 0:01:57 | 0:02:00 | |
but more often than not | 0:02:00 | 0:02:02 | |
you bring in something that takes us all by surprise. | 0:02:02 | 0:02:05 | |
Now, we may think we know a lot about the best Europe has to offer, | 0:02:05 | 0:02:08 | |
but think again. There's always a lot more to learn. | 0:02:08 | 0:02:11 | |
If you were going to formulate a collection of European items | 0:02:11 | 0:02:14 | |
you'd sort of think, well, Venice is great for Italy and the Dresden area | 0:02:14 | 0:02:18 | |
for porcelain, and I would just say to you, try | 0:02:18 | 0:02:21 | |
and make your collection as broad as possible. | 0:02:21 | 0:02:24 | |
You should always go to antiques shops when you're on holiday. | 0:02:24 | 0:02:27 | |
Oh, wow. I always do busman's holidays myself, you know. | 0:02:27 | 0:02:29 | |
I think it's great. | 0:02:29 | 0:02:31 | |
If you're interested in European collectibles, as Philip says, | 0:02:31 | 0:02:34 | |
it doesn't have to be all about the classics. | 0:02:34 | 0:02:38 | |
There are more unusual pieces that are worth a shot. | 0:02:38 | 0:02:41 | |
Adam found a snappy little number that wouldn't have been | 0:02:41 | 0:02:43 | |
out of place in 007's kitbag. | 0:02:43 | 0:02:46 | |
Anne's little vanity camera. | 0:02:46 | 0:02:48 | |
It was a real kind of 007 "for the lady" thing, wasn't it? | 0:02:48 | 0:02:53 | |
-If we press that button there, we've got a compact. -That's right. | 0:02:53 | 0:02:58 | |
And in here, this one comes out for your lipstick. | 0:02:58 | 0:03:01 | |
'I mean, how many times have you had a picture taken and thought,' | 0:03:01 | 0:03:04 | |
"Let's just have a quick zhuzh-up before we have the picture done." | 0:03:04 | 0:03:07 | |
I think it was a great, ingenious thing. | 0:03:07 | 0:03:10 | |
-That pops out and there is the camera. -That's it. -Isn't that cute? | 0:03:10 | 0:03:15 | |
Really lovely. So it was made in the mid-1950s. German-made. | 0:03:15 | 0:03:21 | |
And I believe the firm also made lighters in the same way. | 0:03:21 | 0:03:24 | |
Lighter-cameras and musical cameras as well. | 0:03:24 | 0:03:27 | |
A really good and rare novelty item. I was very excited to see that. | 0:03:27 | 0:03:31 | |
I don't think I've seen one in the flesh before. | 0:03:31 | 0:03:33 | |
-Any idea what it's worth? -200? -I think that's a pretty good guess. | 0:03:33 | 0:03:36 | |
I would prefer to put it slightly less, | 0:03:36 | 0:03:38 | |
-if you're agreeable, to put 150 to 250 as the estimate. -Yeah. | 0:03:38 | 0:03:42 | |
-And a reserve of 150, so it doesn't go for less. -Yeah, that's fine. | 0:03:42 | 0:03:46 | |
-Thanks for bringing it in. It's a lovely little item. -Thank you. | 0:03:46 | 0:03:49 | |
Would Anne's compact Petie camera realise a petite price? | 0:03:49 | 0:03:53 | |
One of my favourite lots today. | 0:03:53 | 0:03:55 | |
German Petie vanity camera. | 0:03:55 | 0:03:57 | |
Will you start me at £100? | 0:03:58 | 0:04:01 | |
110. 120. 130. 140. 150. | 0:04:01 | 0:04:06 | |
150. Any advance on £150? | 0:04:06 | 0:04:10 | |
-All done at 150? 150... -SHE BANGS GAVEL | 0:04:10 | 0:04:13 | |
Hammer's gone down. That's sold. | 0:04:13 | 0:04:15 | |
I think someone had a real bargain there. | 0:04:15 | 0:04:17 | |
I thought it might have made a bit more than that. | 0:04:17 | 0:04:20 | |
Never mind, Adam. | 0:04:20 | 0:04:21 | |
Some lucky buyer got a two-for-one deal at a compact price too. | 0:04:21 | 0:04:25 | |
Definitely Germany's a great source of vintage cameras. | 0:04:25 | 0:04:29 | |
Fantastic engineering in everything they produced, I think, | 0:04:29 | 0:04:32 | |
and of course, the most famous name in cameras, the Leica cameras, | 0:04:32 | 0:04:36 | |
were also of German manufacture. | 0:04:36 | 0:04:38 | |
While Germany can boast first-class modern optics, James Lewis found | 0:04:38 | 0:04:42 | |
a French gem from three centuries earlier that was just as ingenious. | 0:04:42 | 0:04:48 | |
John Butterfield, when he was working in Paris in the late | 0:04:48 | 0:04:51 | |
17th century, around 1680, 1690, invented the Butterfield dial. | 0:04:51 | 0:04:57 | |
And that is what we have here. | 0:04:57 | 0:04:59 | |
The idea is that we have this little section here called the gnomon, | 0:04:59 | 0:05:04 | |
which works in the same way as a sundial. | 0:05:04 | 0:05:06 | |
You lift that up, | 0:05:06 | 0:05:08 | |
so that it points directly into the air at a right angle | 0:05:08 | 0:05:12 | |
and you use the compass to point it in the right direction | 0:05:12 | 0:05:17 | |
and you will see that it casts a shadow over the time. | 0:05:17 | 0:05:22 | |
But this isn't a piece of equipment | 0:05:22 | 0:05:24 | |
that you could have travelled around with | 0:05:24 | 0:05:27 | |
because the angle of the gnomon here | 0:05:27 | 0:05:30 | |
is particular to the angle of longitude | 0:05:30 | 0:05:33 | |
of the town that you are in. | 0:05:33 | 0:05:35 | |
The lovely thing also... | 0:05:35 | 0:05:37 | |
-is in its original fitted case. -SHE GASPS | 0:05:37 | 0:05:40 | |
-Have you never taken it out? -I've never taken it out. -Haven't you? -No. | 0:05:40 | 0:05:44 | |
'If that had been in my home,' | 0:05:44 | 0:05:45 | |
I think it would be just | 0:05:45 | 0:05:47 | |
about the first thing that I would have done, is to open the case, | 0:05:47 | 0:05:50 | |
take it out, look underneath, but I'm always fiddling with things. | 0:05:50 | 0:05:54 | |
Simon Beauvais. Maker. | 0:05:55 | 0:05:59 | |
So some time, probably... | 0:05:59 | 0:06:03 | |
300 years ago, approximately, | 0:06:03 | 0:06:07 | |
Simon Beauvais was sitting in his little workshop, making this. | 0:06:07 | 0:06:12 | |
Wow! | 0:06:12 | 0:06:14 | |
I thought, Simon Beauvais? Never heard of him. | 0:06:14 | 0:06:17 | |
Never heard of him. So I thought, I'll look him up online. | 0:06:17 | 0:06:20 | |
Couldn't find anything. | 0:06:20 | 0:06:21 | |
Looked in the clocks and watches reference books, | 0:06:21 | 0:06:24 | |
couldn't find anything. | 0:06:24 | 0:06:25 | |
So he just can't have been a very prolific maker. | 0:06:25 | 0:06:29 | |
He obviously just made the odd thing. | 0:06:29 | 0:06:32 | |
And if he made more, they're not recorded. | 0:06:32 | 0:06:35 | |
It's worth 300 to 500. | 0:06:35 | 0:06:37 | |
Wow! | 0:06:37 | 0:06:38 | |
-It's a good little thing. -It's a lovely little thing! | 0:06:38 | 0:06:42 | |
James and I thought this was just so beautiful, | 0:06:42 | 0:06:45 | |
we didn't care if it wasn't by a renowned European watchmaker. | 0:06:45 | 0:06:49 | |
We did care that neither of us could buy it. | 0:06:49 | 0:06:53 | |
If the rules were that we could bid on these things... | 0:06:53 | 0:06:55 | |
-I'd be bidding against you. -..it would be us two. | 0:06:55 | 0:06:58 | |
Fighting over it! | 0:06:58 | 0:07:00 | |
Here we go. | 0:07:00 | 0:07:02 | |
A little Butterfield brass pocket sundial. £600? | 0:07:02 | 0:07:06 | |
400? Will you start me at 300? | 0:07:06 | 0:07:09 | |
200? | 0:07:09 | 0:07:11 | |
200 bid. | 0:07:11 | 0:07:13 | |
220. 240. | 0:07:13 | 0:07:16 | |
260. 300. | 0:07:16 | 0:07:17 | |
320. | 0:07:17 | 0:07:19 | |
-It's sold. -380. | 0:07:19 | 0:07:21 | |
Any advance on 380? | 0:07:21 | 0:07:23 | |
-400, back in. -Come on! | 0:07:23 | 0:07:26 | |
At £400. Any advance on 400? All done at 400. | 0:07:26 | 0:07:31 | |
-400... -SHE BANGS GAVEL | 0:07:31 | 0:07:33 | |
£400. It's gone. | 0:07:33 | 0:07:35 | |
The precision of the sundial was clear, | 0:07:35 | 0:07:38 | |
but sometimes the attraction of a piece is less obvious. | 0:07:38 | 0:07:41 | |
Philip came across a painting from Europe | 0:07:41 | 0:07:44 | |
that wasn't quite what it seemed. | 0:07:44 | 0:07:46 | |
-This is just absolutely lovely. -I've always liked it. | 0:07:46 | 0:07:50 | |
-So this is a painting? -I think so, yes. | 0:07:50 | 0:07:54 | |
-It is and it isn't. -Right. -Because it's a porcelain plaque. | 0:07:54 | 0:07:59 | |
So let's just move that over. | 0:07:59 | 0:08:01 | |
So now...we have here this really | 0:08:01 | 0:08:04 | |
wonderful 19th-century painting on a porcelain panel. | 0:08:04 | 0:08:09 | |
And it's of a sort of young girl, looking quite wistful, | 0:08:09 | 0:08:12 | |
with this landscape beyond. | 0:08:12 | 0:08:14 | |
'The thing about that plaque was, anyone can paint a face,' | 0:08:14 | 0:08:16 | |
anyone can paint eyes. Look at the hands and the feet. | 0:08:16 | 0:08:19 | |
Now, I want you now to have a look at that girl's fingers | 0:08:19 | 0:08:22 | |
and her fingernails. | 0:08:22 | 0:08:23 | |
That's painting. | 0:08:23 | 0:08:25 | |
But the mark that we're looking for is KPM. | 0:08:25 | 0:08:29 | |
And that's the sceptre mark which you can just see | 0:08:29 | 0:08:32 | |
-impressed into the porcelain. -Right. -And that is the best. | 0:08:32 | 0:08:35 | |
It's the King's Porcelain Manufactory. KPM. | 0:08:35 | 0:08:38 | |
Actually it isn't really that, | 0:08:38 | 0:08:40 | |
that's the sort of English version, but I can't pronounce the real one. | 0:08:40 | 0:08:44 | |
They just produced the finest-quality porcelain plaques. | 0:08:44 | 0:08:48 | |
So if this were to make £100 to £200 at auction, that would be good? | 0:08:48 | 0:08:52 | |
-No, I wouldn't sell it for that. -You wouldn't? | 0:08:52 | 0:08:55 | |
I'd rather keep it because it's more sentimental value. | 0:08:55 | 0:08:57 | |
What about sort of 300 to 500? | 0:08:57 | 0:08:59 | |
-Is that sort of getting closer to the mark? -No. | 0:08:59 | 0:09:02 | |
You're absolutely right, cos I think at auction...that you could | 0:09:02 | 0:09:05 | |
estimate it at probably £1,200 to £1,800. | 0:09:05 | 0:09:09 | |
-OK. -So what I want to know is, if this makes £2,000, Celina, | 0:09:09 | 0:09:13 | |
what are you going to spend the money on? | 0:09:13 | 0:09:17 | |
A horse. | 0:09:17 | 0:09:18 | |
A horse. Is that a definite horse? | 0:09:18 | 0:09:20 | |
Or a maid. | 0:09:20 | 0:09:22 | |
-Or a maid. -Or a day out shopping in New York. | 0:09:22 | 0:09:25 | |
A day out shopping in New York. | 0:09:25 | 0:09:28 | |
-So you don't want much, really, do you? -No. | 0:09:28 | 0:09:30 | |
I'm with Celina part of the way, you know? Horse? Not really for me. | 0:09:30 | 0:09:35 | |
A trip to New York sounds great. And a maid? | 0:09:35 | 0:09:37 | |
Well, I'm not going to go there. | 0:09:37 | 0:09:39 | |
Lot 566 is the very beautiful 19th-century KPM porcelain plaque. | 0:09:39 | 0:09:45 | |
What may I say for that to start me? What do we say? | 0:09:45 | 0:09:48 | |
About £1,500 to start me? £1,500 to put me in? | 0:09:48 | 0:09:51 | |
1,500, may I say? 1,500 with Mervin. | 0:09:51 | 0:09:54 | |
1,600 at the back. 1,700 you want now? | 0:09:54 | 0:09:57 | |
1,700 with Mervin. 1,800 in the room. | 0:09:57 | 0:10:01 | |
£1,800 bid. | 0:10:01 | 0:10:03 | |
It certainly seemed as if Celina would get one of her three wishes. | 0:10:03 | 0:10:06 | |
2,800. Still there at 2,800 in the room. 2,800. | 0:10:06 | 0:10:10 | |
This is great! This is great! They absolutely love it! | 0:10:10 | 0:10:13 | |
3,000 bid. 3,100? | 0:10:13 | 0:10:15 | |
At £3,000 in the room... | 0:10:15 | 0:10:18 | |
Last call against you, selling at £3,000 then... | 0:10:18 | 0:10:21 | |
HE BANGS GAVEL | 0:10:21 | 0:10:23 | |
Bang! That hammer's gone down. £3,000! | 0:10:23 | 0:10:26 | |
Whenever you pick up a porcelain plaque | 0:10:26 | 0:10:28 | |
and it smells quality at you, you're always hoping that | 0:10:28 | 0:10:31 | |
when you turn it over you've got that impress KPM, | 0:10:31 | 0:10:34 | |
because that just adds the gold seal, that's the standard. | 0:10:34 | 0:10:37 | |
And they're quality things. | 0:10:37 | 0:10:39 | |
They're a quality item, so you don't see them every day, | 0:10:39 | 0:10:42 | |
but it does make your heart skip a beat when you do see one. | 0:10:42 | 0:10:46 | |
KPM stands for Konigliche Porzellan-Manufaktur, by the way. | 0:10:46 | 0:10:51 | |
And that painting was a very unusual example of European fine art | 0:10:51 | 0:10:55 | |
at its best. | 0:10:55 | 0:10:56 | |
When we talk of Europe, we think about the countries we've seen | 0:10:56 | 0:11:00 | |
so far, but what about the vast territory that straddles both Europe | 0:11:00 | 0:11:04 | |
and Asia and which is attracting growing attention from collectors | 0:11:04 | 0:11:07 | |
and dealers alike? | 0:11:07 | 0:11:09 | |
You've probably heard of Carl Faberge, | 0:11:09 | 0:11:12 | |
who designed jewellery for the Russian royal family. | 0:11:12 | 0:11:15 | |
Well, he had a lesser-known competitor whose works also | 0:11:15 | 0:11:18 | |
made it to these shores more than a century ago. | 0:11:18 | 0:11:21 | |
Works like this cutlery set, spotted by Charlie Ross. | 0:11:21 | 0:11:25 | |
-Well, we've got a name on here, haven't we? Joseph Marchak. -Yes. | 0:11:25 | 0:11:29 | |
And what can you tell me about that? | 0:11:29 | 0:11:31 | |
I gather that he was known as the Cartier of Kiev. | 0:11:31 | 0:11:34 | |
-I love that expression. He was the Cartier of Kiev. -Yes. | 0:11:34 | 0:11:38 | |
And I'm told also that Marchak made cutlery for the Tsar. | 0:11:38 | 0:11:42 | |
-Oh, right. -So, he was the business, really. -Yes, so he was high-class. | 0:11:42 | 0:11:47 | |
If you happen to be of a certain standing, social standing, | 0:11:47 | 0:11:52 | |
economic standing, you want something made, you want it | 0:11:52 | 0:11:56 | |
made by the best, and if not the best, certainly the second best. | 0:11:56 | 0:12:00 | |
You don't want it just knocked out. | 0:12:00 | 0:12:02 | |
You want to say to people round the dining table, | 0:12:02 | 0:12:05 | |
"This was made by Marchak." | 0:12:05 | 0:12:07 | |
-And this one here? -What a marvellous question. | 0:12:07 | 0:12:11 | |
Caviar. You'd have to be... I think that one possibly for caviar. | 0:12:11 | 0:12:14 | |
You'd have to be a multi-billionaire to use that one for caviar. | 0:12:14 | 0:12:19 | |
-I just wondered about that. -I've had a chat with a colleague | 0:12:19 | 0:12:22 | |
-and we think £800 to £1,200 is a sensible estimate. -Mm-hm. | 0:12:22 | 0:12:27 | |
But to be absolutely certain I'm going to ring up Kate Bateman | 0:12:27 | 0:12:31 | |
and ask her to do a little bit more research, | 0:12:31 | 0:12:34 | |
-so that we don't get it wrong. -Right. | 0:12:34 | 0:12:36 | |
There is a chance that we've undervalued, | 0:12:36 | 0:12:38 | |
so at the moment it's 800 to 1,200, reserve 800 with discretion. | 0:12:38 | 0:12:43 | |
OK. | 0:12:43 | 0:12:44 | |
Thank you for bringing such an interesting piece of history along. | 0:12:44 | 0:12:47 | |
Thank you very much indeed. | 0:12:47 | 0:12:49 | |
What did Kate's detective work uncover? | 0:12:49 | 0:12:51 | |
Marchak are still going, so we contacted Marchak | 0:12:51 | 0:12:54 | |
and they got quite interested and said there's no record of this, | 0:12:54 | 0:12:56 | |
but they fled the revolution themselves and moved to Paris, | 0:12:56 | 0:12:59 | |
so they lost a lot of their records. | 0:12:59 | 0:13:01 | |
Clearly, it's solid silver, it was made for somebody who had some money | 0:13:01 | 0:13:04 | |
and was fairly influential and liked to show off their wealth. | 0:13:04 | 0:13:07 | |
Whether or not that was somebody connected to the royal family | 0:13:07 | 0:13:10 | |
is very hard to prove. | 0:13:10 | 0:13:12 | |
The mystery continued. | 0:13:12 | 0:13:14 | |
Many of today's Russians are keen to reclaim their pre-revolutionary | 0:13:14 | 0:13:17 | |
heritage, so when it came to auction, | 0:13:17 | 0:13:20 | |
would they gamble on a royal connection? | 0:13:20 | 0:13:23 | |
Let's start at £1,000. Straight in. | 0:13:23 | 0:13:28 | |
1,100 here. At 1,100. 1,200. | 0:13:28 | 0:13:30 | |
1,300. 1,400. | 0:13:30 | 0:13:33 | |
-Good. -1,500. -Come on. | 0:13:33 | 0:13:35 | |
16. | 0:13:35 | 0:13:37 | |
-17. -Halfway. | 0:13:37 | 0:13:38 | |
18. 19. | 0:13:38 | 0:13:40 | |
2,000? 2,000. | 0:13:40 | 0:13:41 | |
2,100. | 0:13:41 | 0:13:42 | |
'It went right through the top estimate, | 0:13:42 | 0:13:45 | |
'so clearly the bidders weren't playing Russian roulette.' | 0:13:45 | 0:13:47 | |
4,900. | 0:13:47 | 0:13:49 | |
-5,000. -(My valuation was wrong.) | 0:13:49 | 0:13:52 | |
5,200. | 0:13:52 | 0:13:54 | |
5,300. | 0:13:54 | 0:13:55 | |
5,400. | 0:13:55 | 0:13:57 | |
At £6,000. | 0:13:57 | 0:13:59 | |
The underbidder, I knew, was Russian. | 0:13:59 | 0:14:02 | |
I had spoken to before the sale. She had rather pooh-poohed it. | 0:14:02 | 0:14:06 | |
Whether she was trying to pull the wool over my eyes, I don't know. | 0:14:06 | 0:14:10 | |
She'd said, "This isn't the quality I was expecting. | 0:14:10 | 0:14:13 | |
"I'm not really interested." And then proceeded to | 0:14:13 | 0:14:15 | |
sit in the back of the room and bid her socks off! | 0:14:15 | 0:14:18 | |
I was a bit surprised by that. | 0:14:18 | 0:14:20 | |
7,000. | 0:14:20 | 0:14:22 | |
7,000. 7,100. | 0:14:22 | 0:14:24 | |
7,200. | 0:14:24 | 0:14:26 | |
-At 7,200. You're sure? You've finished? -Yeah. | 0:14:26 | 0:14:28 | |
Cracking result. | 0:14:28 | 0:14:29 | |
One last chance to think about it, madam. | 0:14:29 | 0:14:32 | |
At £7,200, on the phone. Done at 7,200. | 0:14:32 | 0:14:35 | |
-7,500. -GASPS | 0:14:35 | 0:14:37 | |
Unbelievable! | 0:14:37 | 0:14:39 | |
7,500. | 0:14:39 | 0:14:40 | |
At 7,500. | 0:14:40 | 0:14:42 | |
At 7,500. | 0:14:42 | 0:14:44 | |
7,600. | 0:14:44 | 0:14:45 | |
-Down here at 7,600. -This is what auctions are all about, | 0:14:45 | 0:14:48 | |
when it goes like this. You just can't beat it. | 0:14:48 | 0:14:50 | |
Incredible tension. | 0:14:50 | 0:14:52 | |
Here at 7,600. 7,700? | 0:14:52 | 0:14:54 | |
Goes, then, at £7,600. | 0:14:54 | 0:14:58 | |
HE BANGS GAVEL Yes! £7,600! | 0:14:58 | 0:15:00 | |
-APPLAUSE -Thank you. -Well done! | 0:15:00 | 0:15:04 | |
But did it go back to Russia? | 0:15:06 | 0:15:08 | |
It was a local person who was looking for things to buy | 0:15:08 | 0:15:11 | |
as an investment and just thought that that might be | 0:15:11 | 0:15:14 | |
a good investment, and I think probably right. | 0:15:14 | 0:15:18 | |
There is a finite amount of Faberge and Cartier, | 0:15:19 | 0:15:22 | |
and when these things come on the market | 0:15:22 | 0:15:24 | |
they tend to be only available to the deepest of pockets, | 0:15:24 | 0:15:28 | |
so go for Marchak. | 0:15:28 | 0:15:31 | |
A full set will be beyond most of us, | 0:15:31 | 0:15:33 | |
but if you chance upon even a single piece by Joseph Marchak, | 0:15:33 | 0:15:37 | |
the Cartier of Kiev, you'll have found some real Russian quality. | 0:15:37 | 0:15:41 | |
So what's in a name? We're familiar on Flog It! | 0:15:41 | 0:15:45 | |
with many of Europe's classic makers, | 0:15:45 | 0:15:47 | |
but each country has its own unique artistic heritage, so delve | 0:15:47 | 0:15:51 | |
a little deeper, there's a wealth of lesser-known treasures to be found. | 0:15:51 | 0:15:55 | |
Petie cameras are perfect entry-level cameras, | 0:15:55 | 0:15:58 | |
but if you're into serious makers look for German engineering | 0:15:58 | 0:16:02 | |
brilliance, with names like Zeiss and Leica, and check your attic. | 0:16:02 | 0:16:07 | |
This long-overlooked Leica Lexus I sold in 2012 for a massive £600,000. | 0:16:07 | 0:16:14 | |
But if you simply fall in love with something particular to an area | 0:16:14 | 0:16:17 | |
you can overlook the name and enjoy it for what it is - | 0:16:17 | 0:16:20 | |
fantastic European craftsmanship. | 0:16:20 | 0:16:23 | |
You're always telling us about the hidden treasures you manage to | 0:16:28 | 0:16:31 | |
unearth at your local car-boot sales and flea markets. | 0:16:31 | 0:16:35 | |
But to be fair, more and more people are getting wise to that, and | 0:16:35 | 0:16:39 | |
the bargains are definitely thinner on the ground, so what can be done? | 0:16:39 | 0:16:43 | |
Caroline Hawley thinks the answer lies across the Channel. | 0:16:43 | 0:16:46 | |
Fellow expert Christina Trevanion wonders if there's anything there | 0:16:46 | 0:16:49 | |
that will float her boat. | 0:16:49 | 0:16:51 | |
Caroline, you called me a couple of weeks ago. | 0:16:56 | 0:16:58 | |
There was something about France, | 0:16:58 | 0:17:00 | |
there was something about shopping, there was definitely something about | 0:17:00 | 0:17:03 | |
-pain au chocolat... -Yes. -I'm intrigued. | 0:17:03 | 0:17:05 | |
Tell me where we're off to. | 0:17:05 | 0:17:07 | |
-You've heard of the booze cruise, Christina? -Yeah. | 0:17:07 | 0:17:09 | |
Well, this is more of an antique collectible hunting cruise | 0:17:09 | 0:17:12 | |
and it's so doable. | 0:17:12 | 0:17:14 | |
Six hours from Portsmouth to Caen, and an hour from there is | 0:17:14 | 0:17:18 | |
one of my favourite shopping experiences in France. | 0:17:18 | 0:17:21 | |
-A lovely antique fair in Lisieux. -Brilliant. | 0:17:21 | 0:17:25 | |
And you will love it. You will love it. | 0:17:25 | 0:17:27 | |
-You are going to have to seriously put a padlock on my wallet. -I know! | 0:17:27 | 0:17:32 | |
I'm a bit worried about letting those two loose in France. | 0:17:32 | 0:17:36 | |
After the ferry, | 0:17:36 | 0:17:38 | |
they travel across Normandy by car to the town of Lisieux to visit | 0:17:38 | 0:17:42 | |
one of the regular antique markets, or brocantes as they're called. | 0:17:42 | 0:17:46 | |
What a feast for the eyes. This is amazing. | 0:17:46 | 0:17:49 | |
-Do you like it? -It's just so beautiful, isn't it? | 0:17:49 | 0:17:52 | |
First, Caroline wants to show Christina something | 0:17:52 | 0:17:55 | |
quintessentially French. | 0:17:55 | 0:17:58 | |
THEY SPEAK FRENCH | 0:17:58 | 0:18:06 | |
Christina, it's an armoire marriage. | 0:18:06 | 0:18:08 | |
What does an armoire... It's a cabinet, a wardrobe. | 0:18:08 | 0:18:11 | |
It's a sort of wardrobe, yes. | 0:18:11 | 0:18:12 | |
But it's from this region. | 0:18:12 | 0:18:14 | |
THEY SPEAK FRENCH | 0:18:14 | 0:18:17 | |
La Ferriere. 45km from here. | 0:18:17 | 0:18:21 | |
-And all carved by hand. -Wow. | 0:18:21 | 0:18:23 | |
And it's the middle of the 19th century. | 0:18:23 | 0:18:25 | |
THEY SPEAK FRENCH | 0:18:25 | 0:18:28 | |
-The price... Le prix... -How much would it cost? | 0:18:28 | 0:18:31 | |
-It's 1,990 euros, which is about £1,700. -Just shy of £1,700? -Yeah. | 0:18:31 | 0:18:37 | |
That is quite a lot of money. | 0:18:37 | 0:18:39 | |
-It's a lot of money, but for the quality. -I think it's beautiful. | 0:18:39 | 0:18:45 | |
I was thinking more along the lines of we might buy a little bit of | 0:18:45 | 0:18:48 | |
jewellery or something slightly that...we can slip in our suitcase | 0:18:48 | 0:18:51 | |
rather than a rather large... | 0:18:51 | 0:18:54 | |
-We'll go look for some smaller things. -OK. | 0:18:54 | 0:18:57 | |
Well, I don't think you'll be getting that one home on the roof rack. | 0:18:59 | 0:19:04 | |
Good-quality items have high price tickets. | 0:19:04 | 0:19:08 | |
It is worth trying to negotiate, though, | 0:19:08 | 0:19:10 | |
because they're very amenable to negotiation, | 0:19:10 | 0:19:13 | |
but the good things tend to command good prices. | 0:19:13 | 0:19:16 | |
But there are lots of bargains to be had. | 0:19:16 | 0:19:19 | |
Look at this damask and the quality of it. | 0:19:21 | 0:19:25 | |
The French spend such a lot of time at the table | 0:19:25 | 0:19:29 | |
and these napkins are just such beautiful quality. | 0:19:29 | 0:19:32 | |
And the initials on them, | 0:19:32 | 0:19:34 | |
they would be embroidered by a young girl before she got married. | 0:19:34 | 0:19:40 | |
So she would have her initials before marriage and then when | 0:19:40 | 0:19:44 | |
she got married she would then put the initials of her married name. | 0:19:44 | 0:19:47 | |
Her beloved on. | 0:19:47 | 0:19:50 | |
-A set of 16. 68 euros for 16. -That's phenomenal. | 0:19:50 | 0:19:54 | |
-Would you pay more in a shop now for them? -You would, yeah. | 0:19:54 | 0:19:57 | |
I mean, they're beautiful-quality damask. | 0:19:57 | 0:20:00 | |
And that's...translates as about £57. | 0:20:00 | 0:20:02 | |
-And even better if you're an "AL". -Yeah, quite! | 0:20:02 | 0:20:05 | |
-Have to find a CT somewhere! -Yeah. | 0:20:05 | 0:20:08 | |
I think they're really beautiful | 0:20:08 | 0:20:10 | |
and I've been listening to everything you've told me | 0:20:10 | 0:20:12 | |
and I think now, less looking, bit of shopping, | 0:20:12 | 0:20:15 | |
-I'm going to try and impress you. -Good. -Wish me luck. | 0:20:15 | 0:20:18 | |
THEY SPEAK FRENCH | 0:20:18 | 0:20:21 | |
-See you later. -See you later. | 0:20:21 | 0:20:23 | |
I think this is really quite wonderful. | 0:20:29 | 0:20:31 | |
It's not to everyone's taste. | 0:20:31 | 0:20:33 | |
It's really rather brash and really rather funky, | 0:20:33 | 0:20:36 | |
but made by Baccarat, the glass firm. | 0:20:36 | 0:20:38 | |
So often we see these back in the UK with just the glasses, | 0:20:38 | 0:20:41 | |
we don't see it with the glasses, stand and bowl | 0:20:41 | 0:20:44 | |
and the decanter as well. | 0:20:44 | 0:20:46 | |
Really nice. Very gaudy. | 0:20:46 | 0:20:48 | |
Like I say, not to everyone's taste, but great fun. | 0:20:48 | 0:20:51 | |
Look at this. | 0:20:55 | 0:20:57 | |
I love my suits, and this is fabulous. | 0:20:57 | 0:21:01 | |
Wool, mohair, locally made. | 0:21:01 | 0:21:05 | |
The skirt. This is so nice. But 50 euros. I don't know. | 0:21:08 | 0:21:12 | |
It's gorgeous. It isn't Chanel, but it has that sort of look about it. | 0:21:12 | 0:21:16 | |
Chanel used a lot of this fabric, especially during that period. | 0:21:16 | 0:21:20 | |
SHE SPEAKS FRENCH | 0:21:20 | 0:21:21 | |
THEY SPEAK FRENCH | 0:21:24 | 0:21:28 | |
I've just bought the most fabulous suit, really lovely, | 0:21:29 | 0:21:34 | |
for about £30, which is unbelievable. | 0:21:34 | 0:21:37 | |
I mean, you cannot get a one-off suit anywhere for £30, | 0:21:37 | 0:21:42 | |
and I will wear it a lot. I love it. It's gorgeous. | 0:21:42 | 0:21:46 | |
The French are known for their style, | 0:21:46 | 0:21:49 | |
so if you're interested in vintage clothing you've got a good chance | 0:21:49 | 0:21:52 | |
of finding something very special in the home of haute couture. | 0:21:52 | 0:21:56 | |
SHE SPEAKS FRENCH | 0:21:57 | 0:22:00 | |
-Cinema. -Hollywood. -Yeah. | 0:22:00 | 0:22:02 | |
And Cleopatra. And how much would that cost me? | 0:22:02 | 0:22:06 | |
SHE SPEAKS FRENCH | 0:22:06 | 0:22:08 | |
-That's 30 euros. 3-0? -Yes. -Nice hat. | 0:22:08 | 0:22:13 | |
What date would you say that was? | 0:22:13 | 0:22:16 | |
-That's rather lovely, isn't it? -Maybe '70s. | 0:22:16 | 0:22:18 | |
It's comfy. I like it. | 0:22:20 | 0:22:23 | |
Have you got a mirror anywhere? | 0:22:23 | 0:22:25 | |
Oh, that's quite nice, isn't it? | 0:22:29 | 0:22:31 | |
Christina had the Franglais down pat. | 0:22:31 | 0:22:34 | |
-So... -SHE SPEAKS FRENCH | 0:22:34 | 0:22:36 | |
..for the deux? | 0:22:36 | 0:22:37 | |
SHE SPEAKS FRENCH | 0:22:37 | 0:22:39 | |
50. | 0:22:39 | 0:22:41 | |
I'd be happy with that. I think they're really nice pieces. | 0:22:41 | 0:22:44 | |
Thank you very much. | 0:22:44 | 0:22:46 | |
I've come across these, which is more than just a carving set. | 0:22:49 | 0:22:53 | |
There's actually this item here, which you put the leg of lamb in, | 0:22:53 | 0:22:56 | |
so when it's hot it saves you from getting your hand burned. | 0:22:56 | 0:23:00 | |
Twist it up like this, which holds it firm, | 0:23:00 | 0:23:02 | |
and then you can carve it with the knife, you've got the fork. | 0:23:02 | 0:23:07 | |
And I think they're very stylish. They've got this Art Deco look. | 0:23:07 | 0:23:11 | |
They've got horn handles, which isn't to everybody's taste, | 0:23:11 | 0:23:14 | |
but they were fabricated pre-1947, so I'm OK with that. | 0:23:14 | 0:23:19 | |
The gentleman said I can have them for eight euros, | 0:23:19 | 0:23:23 | |
which is fantastic, it's about £6, so it's £2 a piece. | 0:23:23 | 0:23:26 | |
They've got to be bought, haven't they? | 0:23:26 | 0:23:28 | |
SHE SPEAKS FRENCH | 0:23:28 | 0:23:31 | |
HE SPEAKS FRENCH | 0:23:31 | 0:23:33 | |
Everything is just laid out so beautifully. | 0:23:37 | 0:23:39 | |
The atmosphere is really relaxed and really chilled out. | 0:23:41 | 0:23:44 | |
Just really good fun, really good fun. | 0:23:44 | 0:23:46 | |
My tip would be - absolutely bring a phrase book, | 0:23:50 | 0:23:52 | |
try and learn your numbers, or at least have a pen | 0:23:52 | 0:23:55 | |
and paper to hand, so that you know exactly what you're | 0:23:55 | 0:23:57 | |
talking about when it comes to negotiating and dealing. | 0:23:57 | 0:24:01 | |
It's so easy to come here. | 0:24:01 | 0:24:03 | |
You can either do it as part of your family summer holiday, | 0:24:03 | 0:24:07 | |
if you happen to be in France, or you can actually come over | 0:24:07 | 0:24:10 | |
for a day trip or a long weekend, so it really is achievable. | 0:24:10 | 0:24:14 | |
It looks like they found plenty to make their trip worthwhile, | 0:24:14 | 0:24:18 | |
but don't forget, there's a six-hour ferry ride home. | 0:24:18 | 0:24:23 | |
I've bought something especially for you, Christina. | 0:24:23 | 0:24:27 | |
Me? | 0:24:27 | 0:24:28 | |
-Oh, my goodness! Are you serious?! -Yes. | 0:24:30 | 0:24:33 | |
-You found some! -Happy French hunting! Do you like it? | 0:24:33 | 0:24:36 | |
Wow! Well done, you! | 0:24:36 | 0:24:39 | |
I said to you this morning. Oh, I'm really touched. | 0:24:39 | 0:24:42 | |
What a lovely memory of our trip. | 0:24:42 | 0:24:44 | |
-Aw. -Thank you so, so, so much. | 0:24:44 | 0:24:48 | |
-Right, come on. We've got a ferry to catch. -We're going to miss it. -Let's run. | 0:24:48 | 0:24:52 | |
Now, it's often the case that some of the visitors to our valuation day | 0:24:55 | 0:24:59 | |
know more about their item than we do. | 0:24:59 | 0:25:01 | |
And that's certainly the case of Christine, | 0:25:01 | 0:25:03 | |
a regular to the valuation days up in the North of England. | 0:25:03 | 0:25:06 | |
She had a lot to tell Kate Bliss about a very interesting | 0:25:06 | 0:25:10 | |
pair of French brooches back in 2006. | 0:25:10 | 0:25:14 | |
What have we got here? | 0:25:14 | 0:25:15 | |
We've got some plastic jewellery. | 0:25:15 | 0:25:17 | |
I love plastic jewellery, plastic brooches, | 0:25:17 | 0:25:21 | |
but these are by a very special lady. | 0:25:21 | 0:25:24 | |
-Lea Stein. -That's right. | 0:25:24 | 0:25:25 | |
And what do you know about Lea Stein? | 0:25:25 | 0:25:27 | |
-Only that she was from Paris. -That's right. | 0:25:27 | 0:25:30 | |
Her husband worked in plastics and she experimented, I think magically, | 0:25:30 | 0:25:36 | |
with the colours and the effects that only plastic can give you. | 0:25:36 | 0:25:39 | |
In fact, when she was working from the '60s to the '80s, | 0:25:39 | 0:25:42 | |
she was very little-known outside Paris, and it's only recently that | 0:25:42 | 0:25:46 | |
she's gained really international recognition as a jewellery designer. | 0:25:46 | 0:25:50 | |
'Lea Stein brooches, I do collect.' | 0:25:50 | 0:25:51 | |
I collect other brooches too, but they're not my real passion. | 0:25:51 | 0:25:55 | |
And I would say these ought to be anywhere between £20 | 0:25:55 | 0:25:58 | |
-and £40 each at auction. -Yes. | 0:25:58 | 0:26:00 | |
So if you're happy with that we'll put them in with that estimate | 0:26:00 | 0:26:04 | |
and hope that we've got a real collector there, | 0:26:04 | 0:26:07 | |
like yourself, be prepared to give a good price. | 0:26:07 | 0:26:10 | |
Yes. I'd like that. | 0:26:10 | 0:26:13 | |
I wanted to spend the money on my greatest passion, which is | 0:26:13 | 0:26:17 | |
novelty salt and pepper pots, or cruets as I prefer to call them. | 0:26:17 | 0:26:20 | |
The Lea Stein Paris plastic brooches in the form of cats. Rather pretty. | 0:26:20 | 0:26:25 | |
20 to open. £20. 20 I'm bid. And 5. | 0:26:25 | 0:26:29 | |
-30. -Oh, yes. There's interest in it, Kate. | 0:26:29 | 0:26:32 | |
And 5. 40, sir. 40. | 0:26:32 | 0:26:34 | |
And 5. 50. | 0:26:34 | 0:26:36 | |
At 50. And 5. | 0:26:36 | 0:26:38 | |
-Ooh! -At £55. | 0:26:38 | 0:26:39 | |
Are we all finished? | 0:26:39 | 0:26:41 | |
At £55. First and last time... | 0:26:41 | 0:26:43 | |
-Yes, great result. -Gone to a lady. | 0:26:45 | 0:26:47 | |
I've now got, as of this week... | 0:26:51 | 0:26:55 | |
3,005, | 0:26:55 | 0:26:57 | |
and they're displayed all over the house. | 0:26:57 | 0:27:00 | |
You've got sea life and seaside in the bathroom. | 0:27:00 | 0:27:05 | |
The kitchen is mostly food-based. | 0:27:05 | 0:27:09 | |
I've got storybook characters. | 0:27:09 | 0:27:12 | |
I've got pixies and elves. | 0:27:12 | 0:27:14 | |
I've got a farmyard on here. | 0:27:14 | 0:27:16 | |
And not on display, in here... | 0:27:16 | 0:27:20 | |
are Christmas ones. | 0:27:20 | 0:27:22 | |
I love them because of their immense variety, their colours, | 0:27:24 | 0:27:30 | |
the feel of them, their smallness, | 0:27:30 | 0:27:32 | |
and it gives you something to look for when you're out and about. | 0:27:32 | 0:27:36 | |
I can go to flea markets, zip round the room, really, | 0:27:37 | 0:27:41 | |
cos I'm only looking for things with holes in their heads. | 0:27:41 | 0:27:45 | |
Some of them seem to have distinct personalities. | 0:27:46 | 0:27:50 | |
I've got this one here. I brought him from over there, actually. | 0:27:51 | 0:27:56 | |
He's very realistic and it's absolutely beautiful. | 0:27:56 | 0:28:00 | |
And it's so nice being surrounded by all these little people. | 0:28:00 | 0:28:04 | |
The cruets aren't for sale because I just love collecting them, | 0:28:04 | 0:28:09 | |
amassing them, really. | 0:28:09 | 0:28:11 | |
I'm quite proud of the number I've got. | 0:28:11 | 0:28:13 | |
And they're all listed in a book. I can't sell one. | 0:28:15 | 0:28:19 | |
It would leave a gap in the list. | 0:28:19 | 0:28:22 | |
Well, that's the best thing about collecting, | 0:28:24 | 0:28:26 | |
it's a never-ending process. You sell something, you buy something. | 0:28:26 | 0:28:29 | |
But remember, always trade upwards. | 0:28:29 | 0:28:32 | |
And if you've got something you want to sell, | 0:28:32 | 0:28:34 | |
bring it along to one of our valuation days. | 0:28:34 | 0:28:37 | |
Well, that's it for today. Join us again soon for more trade secrets. | 0:28:37 | 0:28:42 |