0:00:05 > 0:00:08It's been well over a decade since we first opened our doors to
0:00:08 > 0:00:11a Flog It! valuation day, and during that time,
0:00:11 > 0:00:14we've travelled the length and the breadth of the British Isles,
0:00:14 > 0:00:17valuing and selling your unwanted antiques and collectibles.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21- This is the nicest thing I've seen all day.- 1,550.
0:00:21 > 0:00:22Yes!
0:00:22 > 0:00:26And we've all learned a great deal about the items that have
0:00:26 > 0:00:28passed through our hands and now,
0:00:28 > 0:00:30I want to share some of that information with you.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34So stand by to hear our experts' trade secrets.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03For a small country,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07Britain has historically punched well above its weight
0:01:07 > 0:01:11and for centuries, our history and culture has influenced nations
0:01:11 > 0:01:13and people all across the globe.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17And today, our antiques are highly sought after worldwide.
0:01:17 > 0:01:22So today, we're celebrating the very best of British.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26We've got a programme that's brimming with patriotic punch...
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Telephone bidder at £1,250.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Yes! £1,250! That is a Flog It! moment!
0:01:32 > 0:01:34Very much the best of British.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37..peppered with good old fashioned mystery...
0:01:37 > 0:01:40A jug usually has a handle, but it also has a spout.
0:01:40 > 0:01:45..and overflowing with great British humour.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49Oh, no! I've made a walnut whip!
0:01:49 > 0:01:53- Oh, no! - THEY LAUGH
0:01:56 > 0:01:59I dare say from watching Flog It!, you're quite familiar with
0:01:59 > 0:02:02some of the famous makers and masters of the antiques world.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Names like Wedgewood, Whitefriars, Clarice Cliff...
0:02:05 > 0:02:07We see a lot of their work
0:02:07 > 0:02:10on the show and it often sells for a small fortune.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13But what about the lesser known designers
0:02:13 > 0:02:16and makers whose work deserves more attention,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19whose work is somewhat under the radar?
0:02:19 > 0:02:25If you look for artefacts which smack strongly of a region's history...
0:02:25 > 0:02:28So, for example, I work in East Anglia at the moment, so what
0:02:28 > 0:02:32would come to mind would be Lowestoft porcelain or Mendlesham chairs.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36If you can afford or are looking to buy a nice silver teaspoon,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39you might get one for £10 at auction.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42But if there's a Hester Bateman one in the same sale,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45it'll cost you £15 or £16, but go for that one instead.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48So do go for the names, if you possibly can.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Look at people around now, current artists,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54that are making really distinctive things.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56Not just in silver or pottery,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00but in creation of any kind of sculpture or painting.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Now, if you thought that valuable pottery on these islands
0:03:08 > 0:03:12came solely from Staffordshire, think again!
0:03:12 > 0:03:18In 2003, the late great David Barby came across an unsung gem
0:03:18 > 0:03:20from 'cross the Irish Sea.
0:03:20 > 0:03:25This is one of the most exciting things that's been brought in today.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29- Have you always treasured it? Has it always been on display?- No.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34- I've used the tray. - On the dressing table?- No, no, no.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37I used to put the turkey on it every Christmas
0:03:37 > 0:03:39because it was the biggest plate I had.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42I'm sure the manufacturers that produced this exquisite
0:03:42 > 0:03:46service did not expect it to be used as a turkey platter!
0:03:46 > 0:03:50Thomas Plant is also a fan of this kind of fine porcelain.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53The story was the lady would put her turkey on the
0:03:53 > 0:03:55tray at Christmas time.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57I'm surprised it stayed in one piece!
0:03:57 > 0:04:01Now, it was produced in County Fermanagh, which is
0:04:01 > 0:04:05Northern Ireland, by a company called Belleek.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09I can tell exactly what period this was made by the mark.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14Now, the mark at the bottom here, as you can see, has a small dog.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18Underneath, the inscription, County Fermanagh, Ireland.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21Now, that will tell me two things.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24First of all, 1891,
0:04:24 > 0:04:28when the McKinley Tariff Act came in and it stated everything that
0:04:28 > 0:04:32was imported into America had to have the place of origin.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35- That was followed through all over Europe.- Yes.
0:04:35 > 0:04:40And 1891 also, they changed it from just putting Belleek
0:04:40 > 0:04:43underneath to putting County Fermanagh.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Normally, the decoration is a pink colour.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49But I like this delicate blue.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52Belleek is so fragile, it's so thin.
0:04:52 > 0:04:58It's some of the thinnest porcelain we make in the British Isles.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03We have this lid here, which has a crack, breakage,
0:05:03 > 0:05:08and part of the shell missing, but you only have three plates.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12- Is the fourth one missing? Is that broken?- Yes.- It's broken.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15The thing about Belleek, it's so very, very thin.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20When it does damage, it damages very quickly, very easily.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Perfect pieces are so rare.
0:05:22 > 0:05:28- I would put a value of between £800-1,200.- Oh!
0:05:28 > 0:05:31- I would put the reserve at £700. - Yeah.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33I shall be keeping everything crossed,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36we're going to get that top figure.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39So, off they went to auction, with high hopes.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43But could that damage bring the price crashing down?
0:05:43 > 0:05:46Lot number 180 is the Belleek Neptune tea service.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49There we go, in pearlescent glazes. Wonderful little lot, this.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53What shall we say? Who's going to start me at... Straight in at £400.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55450 now. 500. 550.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58600. 650. 700. 750.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02800. 850. 900. At 900, bid. 1,000, bid.
0:06:02 > 0:06:051,100 now. 1,100. 1,100, bid.
0:06:05 > 0:06:071,150. 1,200 now.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10- 1,200, bid.- (David!)
0:06:10 > 0:06:121,200, bid. Any more now? We're going then.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14Telephone bidder at £1,250.
0:06:14 > 0:06:20Yes! £1,250! That is a Flog It! moment! That's your first auction.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23- How exciting was that? - Oh, yes! Look!
0:06:23 > 0:06:25What a fantastic result!
0:06:25 > 0:06:29Belleek is one of those names that isn't widely known,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32but pieces of porcelain can turn a fantastic profit, even if
0:06:32 > 0:06:35they're not in tip-top condition.
0:06:37 > 0:06:42This is one of these instances where damage doesn't matter
0:06:42 > 0:06:44with pottery.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48To find perfect pieces is extremely rare.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51To find a perfect tea set is almost unheard of.
0:06:51 > 0:06:57So, a collector, a dealer, would be happy to buy items with damage
0:06:57 > 0:07:02and to pay the premium, just to be able to have them.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Of course, the British talent for creating beautifully unique
0:07:06 > 0:07:10pieces is by no means confined to porcelain and pottery.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14And James had the good fortune to come across something quite
0:07:14 > 0:07:17exceptional in Worcester.
0:07:17 > 0:07:22- What a fantastic object. Do you know what it is?- No.- Not really, no.
0:07:22 > 0:07:27OK, it's a pewter charger and if we turn it over, we have a mark.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30In block capitals, it says, Tudric.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33Tudric always has a mark.
0:07:33 > 0:07:39Simply because Tudric was the trade name of Liberty Pewter, so if it
0:07:39 > 0:07:44doesn't say Tudric on it, it's not Tudric, it's just Liberty Pewter.
0:07:44 > 0:07:49And then underneath, we have a four digit number - 0116.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52And that's the design number of this piece.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Now, the earlier the design number,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58the more sought after it is, generally.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00And this is a really early design.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03It's going to be 1903, 1905, that sort of period.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07Now, there are two main designers that we think about
0:08:07 > 0:08:10when we're looking at Tudric pewter of this period.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14The first one is Archibald Knox.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17And when we're looking at this, it just doesn't look, to me,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19like an Archibald Knox design.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22So then we have to look at other designers it could be
0:08:22 > 0:08:25and one of those is a chap called Charles Voysey.
0:08:25 > 0:08:31Voysey was one of the great Arts & Crafts / Art Nouveau designers.
0:08:31 > 0:08:36If you go to an architect school, they'll all know about Voysey.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39If you go to furniture makers. They'll know about Voysey.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43One of these characters that spreads across all the boundaries.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46It's been rubbed, it's been battered, it's been dented,
0:08:46 > 0:08:49- it's been dropped, so it's seen better days.- Oh, yes.
0:08:49 > 0:08:54- It's been polished. You should never polish pewter.- We haven't.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58That just shows you how long it takes for pewter to go back
0:08:58 > 0:09:00to that colour again.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02This has been polished probably 40 years ago
0:09:02 > 0:09:05and the patternation still hasn't come back.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09Pewter collectors like to see it a nice dull grey colour,
0:09:09 > 0:09:14so in terms of Liberty Pewter, not polishing it is so important.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18It can reduce the value by 70-80%.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23Value, been trying to avoid this subject... £150-250.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25- It is a bit of a stab in the dark. - Yeah.
0:09:25 > 0:09:30And if it turns out to be by one of the important designers, it will make a lot more than that.
0:09:30 > 0:09:35Would polishing the pewter rub away any potential profit?
0:09:35 > 0:09:40Lots of interest in this. I can go straight in at £450.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44- Fantastic.- It's a Voysey. £450, straight in.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47At 450. At 480. 500.
0:09:47 > 0:09:48Oh, I feel faint.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51520. 550. 580 now?
0:09:51 > 0:09:54- 580, I have on the phone. At 580. - I'm speechless.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57580, I have then. Selling, if you're all done...
0:09:57 > 0:10:00At £580.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05Crack! We love it! I knew this one would fly.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09What's not to love about a result like that?
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Voysey may not be a household name in Britain, but it certainly
0:10:12 > 0:10:17helped push the charger to dizzying heights in the saleroom.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21It wasn't a major shock to see it doing that sort of money.
0:10:21 > 0:10:26Liberty and Tudric are names that you cannot better.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31Clarice Cliff is a regular guest on Flog It!
0:10:31 > 0:10:35But in 2007, a lesser known female designer from the Potteries
0:10:35 > 0:10:37stole the limelight.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42- Do you know what it is?- Charlotte Rhead.- Charlotte Rhead, yes.
0:10:42 > 0:10:47Now, Charlotte Rhead, I find her very, very interesting.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51The Rheads were a family who lived in North Staffordshire
0:10:51 > 0:10:58and they had been associated with pottery since the 18th century.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02I find the story of Charlotte Rhead very interesting.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05She came from a family of potters.
0:11:05 > 0:11:10She was born with clay running through her veins!
0:11:10 > 0:11:12And I love the idea of that.
0:11:12 > 0:11:19Now, she was born in 1885 and by the time it came to 1930, when she
0:11:19 > 0:11:24was at her best, she was one of the leading ceramicists of that period.
0:11:24 > 0:11:29- Right.- But if we just look at the back stamp,
0:11:29 > 0:11:35it's always nice to see that beautiful signature.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39When you think of the ceramicists who were working at that time,
0:11:39 > 0:11:43and there was a lot of marvellous things coming out of Britain,
0:11:43 > 0:11:46you think of people like Clarice Cliff and these wonderful,
0:11:46 > 0:11:51loud, jazzy, magical patterns, Charlotte Rhead was a little
0:11:51 > 0:11:56more restrained, a little more traditional...
0:11:56 > 0:12:00Not all that traditional - she was an innovator in her own right,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03but a little more traditional than Clarice Cliff
0:12:03 > 0:12:07and sometimes I think she's sort of put on the backburner
0:12:07 > 0:12:12because of that, but there is a wonderful subtlety about her work.
0:12:12 > 0:12:18I would like to estimate in the region of £50-80.
0:12:18 > 0:12:24- And we could perhaps put a reserve of £45 to protect it.- Yes.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27One thing that had occurred to me, Molly,
0:12:27 > 0:12:33a jug usually has a handle...but it also has a spout.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38- True! We never thought of that! - It was a jug cos it had a handle.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41It wasn't a vase because it didn't have two handles.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44But it didn't have a spout and it only occurred to me
0:12:44 > 0:12:46just at the very end of the valuation.
0:12:46 > 0:12:51It brought a smile to my face. I thought, "What's this all about?"
0:12:51 > 0:12:54The thing is, if it had been a mistake,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57she would not have signed it.
0:12:57 > 0:13:03So her signature is there and she has regarded
0:13:03 > 0:13:08that as a complete item, so maybe she has a sense of humour!
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Would the funny jug make serious money?
0:13:14 > 0:13:18Or would that missing spout pour cold water on Anita's estimate?
0:13:19 > 0:13:22Will Axon was the man with the gavel on this one.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28And 400 is the Charlotte Rhead jug there for you.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31Where do you start me on that? £50 only for it. Thank you, straight in.
0:13:31 > 0:13:32At £50, I'm bid.
0:13:32 > 0:13:38Straight in at £50. That's the way to buy it. 60. 70. 80. 90.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41100. At £100. And ten, seated.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43At 110, seated. Bid at 110 now.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Steals it at 110. All done, then. Are you sure? I shall sell it.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Hammer's up. Have you at 110.
0:13:49 > 0:13:54Yes! You can't go wrong with that. That's what people want now.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58A respectable return for the jug.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01It goes to show that less famous British designers can
0:14:01 > 0:14:03hold their own at auction.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08She may not be one of the names that most people have heard of.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11They've probably heard more of Clarice Cliff, Susie Cooper
0:14:11 > 0:14:13and the such like,
0:14:13 > 0:14:16but in years to come, Charlotte Rhead will be a name that's
0:14:16 > 0:14:19still bandied about, so if you do see some about,
0:14:19 > 0:14:20certainly worth having a go at.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26In 2011, we found a great example of British
0:14:26 > 0:14:29design at its sparkling best.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31Charlie, for one, was blown away.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33Absolutely wonderful, Pauline.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36- Presumably, you know what you've got here, do you?- To a degree.
0:14:36 > 0:14:41- To a degree. You know it's a tea service.- Yes!
0:14:41 > 0:14:44- And you know what it's made of? - Silver.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48This is made by Robert Hennell IV, 1874 in date.
0:14:48 > 0:14:49Right.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53Robert Hennell is one of the great, great names in English silversmiths.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57We have this rather swirly gadrooning decoration on here,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00the bobbin decoration.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04- Very ornate.- It is.- Very Victorian.
0:15:04 > 0:15:09But I have to say, the oval Queen Anne style teapot rather
0:15:09 > 0:15:11flies in the face of the decoration.
0:15:11 > 0:15:18Although Victorian in its date, stylistically looks Georgian.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22That wonderful teapot shape, you would think was George III.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24So perhaps it was influenced by his father,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27who was producing silver earlier,
0:15:27 > 0:15:31but it did have a certain gadroon decoration to it,
0:15:31 > 0:15:36which perhaps was a mixture of the Georgian more simplistic period,
0:15:36 > 0:15:40then with a little bit of fancy Victoriana applied to it.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Now, I'm going to turn one of these pieces upside down.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46And what we have are all the elements that we would
0:15:46 > 0:15:47expect to find.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51We have the lion passant - that simply tells you it's silver,
0:15:51 > 0:15:54the leopard's head - that tells you it was made in...
0:15:54 > 0:15:57- I was going to say London. - London is correct.
0:15:57 > 0:16:02And we've got a T letter date, which I have checked to 1874.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06And here we've got the magic initials, RH, Robert Hennell.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10Very much the best of British. Certainly, any silversmith...
0:16:10 > 0:16:13The eyebrows will be raised when you say Hennell.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16And there's a premium attached to that.
0:16:16 > 0:16:21And in addition to that, that mark, he put on to pieces that were
0:16:21 > 0:16:25- specifically made to order for someone.- Right.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28So this was made for somebody pretty special.
0:16:28 > 0:16:29- Was it made for your family?- Oh, no!
0:16:29 > 0:16:32The other thing that's going to tell you here...
0:16:32 > 0:16:34This decoration,
0:16:34 > 0:16:38this engraving must have been put in at the same time as it was made.
0:16:38 > 0:16:39- Do you see?- Mm-hm.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43There's a gap in the floral engraving here to make
0:16:43 > 0:16:45way for the lettering.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47Fantastic quality.
0:16:47 > 0:16:48Value.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53I'm going to be sensible and say £500-800.
0:16:53 > 0:17:00But I think we'll probably end up at 800. And possibly a bit more.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Because it's not every day you can go to a saleroom and come
0:17:02 > 0:17:06back with a bit of Robert Hennell, so I think it's sensational.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Well, the tea set was sensational!
0:17:09 > 0:17:13But would Robert Hennell's name bring the auction to the boil?
0:17:13 > 0:17:17The Victorian three-piece silver tea service, Robert Hennell,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20nice little lot. We go straight in, £400.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23400. Take 20 now. 400. 420.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26At 420. 440. 460. 480. 500. 520.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29540. 560. 580. 600.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33At 600. 620. 640.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37650. 660. At 660. You're in? 680. 700.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40720. At £720 now.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42It's going in the room. 720.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45All done. At £720. Nobody else?
0:17:45 > 0:17:47- Well done.- Thank you.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50- £720. Happy?- Very.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53# I like a nice cup of tea in the morning
0:17:53 > 0:17:56# To start the day, you see. #
0:17:56 > 0:18:00Well, that tea service certainly wasn't meant for your average
0:18:00 > 0:18:04builder's brew. And what a treat, as Charlie said, to see
0:18:04 > 0:18:07something of such quality on the show.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10We may not be familiar with the name Robert Hennell,
0:18:10 > 0:18:12as with other silversmiths,
0:18:12 > 0:18:17but his work is a great example of the very best of British.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20And if you want to get your own hands on a piece of British
0:18:20 > 0:18:24design, here are our do's and don'ts.
0:18:24 > 0:18:29Watch out for items by less well known British artists and designers.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32You may find they're relatively affordable now,
0:18:32 > 0:18:36with potential for a hefty return in the future.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40Resist the temptation to clean or repair items before auction
0:18:40 > 0:18:43because you could easily do more harm than good.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47And as we found with the wonderful Tudric charger, when it comes
0:18:47 > 0:18:53to pewter, it's particularly important to steer clear of polish.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02There is a proud history of cabinet making in Britain.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06Its most illustrious exponent was of course Thomas Chippendale who
0:19:06 > 0:19:09practised his trade in St Martin's Lane, London,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12in the 18th century.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15There are thought to be around 600 very viable
0:19:15 > 0:19:18examples of his work in the world today
0:19:18 > 0:19:21and because of their rarity and the extremely high
0:19:21 > 0:19:25quality of the workmanship, they are of course hugely valuable.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32You can see examples of Chippendale's work in several
0:19:32 > 0:19:36of England's stately homes, including Harewood House in Leeds.
0:19:38 > 0:19:43Nearby Temple Newsam House also has a number of his pieces,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46including this desk.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50I caught up with in-house furniture expert Ian Fraser to learn more.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52- Ian, hello.- How do you do?
0:19:52 > 0:19:56I couldn't come here to Temple Newsam without speaking to you
0:19:56 > 0:19:59- and seeing this magnificent desk. - It's great, isn't it?
0:19:59 > 0:20:02It really is the holy grail. How did it arrive here?
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Well, Harewood House, when it was a private house, they sold it.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08I guess perhaps the Lordship needed the money,
0:20:08 > 0:20:13but it came up for auction in 1963 and it was acquired for
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Leeds City Art Galleries for display at Temple Newsam House.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18It's got that country house, lived-in look.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22- It's lost a lot of the colour on the marquetry.- It has, inevitably.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25It's lost greens and reds, but I don't mind that.
0:20:25 > 0:20:30- Do you know what year this was made in?- I think it was 1772, I think.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34- Have you worked on this at all?- I have done some remedial works, yes.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37Lifting veneers, putting them back down.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40It was interesting because we were able to see
0:20:40 > 0:20:43some of the original colours when we turned the veneers over.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47And do the drawers slide as beautifully as they did when they were made?
0:20:47 > 0:20:49Yes. You're welcome to try it if you like.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51- Pull one out for me, let's have a look.- We can try.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55- Yes, they do... - Let's have a look at the dovetail.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57I'll just take it out completely
0:20:57 > 0:21:00and you can see the quality of the dovetail joint.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02- Yeah.- It's just outstanding quality.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06- Cut with a fine tenon saw.- Mm. - You're from Canada.- That's right.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09So, what do you think about Chippendale?
0:21:09 > 0:21:12- Does he make the grade over there? - Oh, absolutely.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14The name of Thomas Chippendale is synonymous
0:21:14 > 0:21:16with fine craftsmanship and design.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18It is incredible.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22Chippendale was not a man to guard his trade secrets jealously.
0:21:22 > 0:21:27Quite the opposite, in fact. In 1754 he published a book of his furniture
0:21:27 > 0:21:31designs entitled The Gentleman And Cabinet Maker's Director.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34The book was instantly popular
0:21:34 > 0:21:37and led to many faithful reproductions of his work.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41He was undoubtedly the master cabinet-maker of the age,
0:21:41 > 0:21:46but who, you may ask, are the unsung heroes of the period?
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Well, when I recently visited Syon house in Middlesex, I found
0:21:50 > 0:21:54what can justifiably be described as a hidden gem.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56There are some names in English
0:21:56 > 0:22:00cabinet-making that we are quite familiar with - Bullock,
0:22:00 > 0:22:04Gillow, Chippendale, but have you heard of a chap called William Vile?
0:22:04 > 0:22:07He's one of the best kept secrets of English cabinet-making during
0:22:07 > 0:22:13the 1700s, and this cabinet is made by his hand.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16He set up a workshop on the corner of St Martin's Lane
0:22:16 > 0:22:21in Long Acre, right next to a chap called Thomas Chippendale.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25They were rivals, but you cannot set their work apart.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27There's no denying the quality of craftsmanship.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31You'd think that would be by Chippendale, but it's by Vile.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35Now, he went into partnership with a chap called John Cobb,
0:22:35 > 0:22:39another exceptional cabinet-maker, towards the end of his career,
0:22:39 > 0:22:43and it's at that particular stage, in the 1760s, for a few years,
0:22:43 > 0:22:46that they worked for none other than King George III -
0:22:46 > 0:22:49they were the royal cabinet-makers.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Sadly, I think William Vile's works been overshadowed
0:22:52 > 0:22:55by Thomas Chippendale, but I think this piece is exceptional.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58It's got architectural proportion and detail,
0:22:58 > 0:22:59it's got everything going for it.
0:22:59 > 0:23:04And the price, well, this is so rare it's worth well over £1 million.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13Now, if I say to you British pottery, what springs to mind?
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Probably Staffordshire and the Potteries,
0:23:15 > 0:23:19the epicentre of the industry in this country for over 300 years.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23But there's a lot more to the best of British pottery than
0:23:23 > 0:23:24the factories of Stoke-on-Trent.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30# We'll keep a welcome in the hillside... #
0:23:30 > 0:23:33And pottery enthusiasts Catherine Southon and Mark Stacey
0:23:33 > 0:23:38were keen to prove that very point when they visited Ewenny Pottery
0:23:38 > 0:23:42in Wales, which has been run by the Jenkins family for generations.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Catherine, I'm so excited, I'm going to meet Alun,
0:23:45 > 0:23:48who's going to show me the pottery side of things.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51Well, I believe that they've got a historic collection here,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54- and I really need to know a bit more about the history.- Oh, you do.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56Come on, let's get in there.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Catherine caught up with Caitlin Jenkins,
0:23:58 > 0:24:02the latest in the long line of potters.
0:24:03 > 0:24:08I'd love to go right back in history to where it all started.
0:24:08 > 0:24:14Well, the earliest record of a pottery being here is 1427,
0:24:14 > 0:24:18and this kind of thing would have been made then.
0:24:18 > 0:24:23So how did the Industrial Revolution affect the potteries?
0:24:23 > 0:24:27Well, first of all, in the mid-1800s, there was
0:24:27 > 0:24:31an increase in the potteries, but that quickly declined
0:24:31 > 0:24:35because other materials took hold, tinware in particular.
0:24:35 > 0:24:40Later on, in the 1880s, the Arts and Crafts movement took hold,
0:24:40 > 0:24:45and there was one particular designer called Horace Elliot,
0:24:45 > 0:24:49and he designed pots for the potters to make.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51And what about this piece? Is this by him?
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Yes, we think this is a Horace Elliot.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56- Because it sort of screams that design.- That's right.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58And these are highly desirable, aren't they?
0:24:58 > 0:25:01- Yes, very collectable now.- Right.
0:25:01 > 0:25:02Did he sign his pieces?
0:25:02 > 0:25:06Yes, he did sign them and he also used a fleur-de-lis.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09So that's what we look out for - we look out for the name...
0:25:09 > 0:25:11- Horace Elliott... - And the fleur-de-lis.- Yes.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13That's where we are going to make some money!
0:25:16 > 0:25:20- This is a curious piece, Caitlin. What is this?- That's a wassail bowl.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24My family have been making them for 200 years,
0:25:24 > 0:25:29and they're a communal bowl that they filled with mulled beer
0:25:29 > 0:25:33and cake and passed round when people came in.
0:25:33 > 0:25:38They are actually to celebrate the harvest, celebrate fertility.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41And I should think that if you found something like this,
0:25:41 > 0:25:45one of the older ones, they are highly desirable, really collectable.
0:25:45 > 0:25:52- Yes. I think one recently fetched £6,000.- Really?- In auction.- Wow.
0:25:52 > 0:25:53Yeah, I can see that.
0:25:53 > 0:25:59So you signing all these pieces and dating them, Caitlin Jenkins,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01that's going to be the collectable of the future.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05- That's what we look out for. - Yep, hopefully.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12- This is the beginning of the process.- That's right, yes.
0:26:12 > 0:26:17- What I'm doing first is centring the clay on the wheel.- Right.
0:26:17 > 0:26:18How long have you been doing this?
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Well, I started as a child, through playing with the clay,
0:26:22 > 0:26:26but I've actually been working in the family business since 1969.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29I'm the seventh generation of the Jenkinses.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Caitlin, my daughter, now is with me, she is the eighth.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36There's some fantastic footage, isn't there, of your father working.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40- Does that bring back any memories? - Oh, yes.
0:26:40 > 0:26:45We all learnt, really, how to use clay by playing with it.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48How many pots can you throw in the day, Alun?
0:26:48 > 0:26:53These jugs, I would want to make about 60 to 70 in a day.
0:26:53 > 0:26:5460 or 70?
0:26:54 > 0:27:00- Yes.- This is just the sort of basic. This is not glazing them and firing?
0:27:00 > 0:27:02No, this is just the first stage.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04And each one of them, even though they look the same,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07there will be a difference, because it's handmade.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11It's all handmade, and the glazes the use are just splashed on,
0:27:11 > 0:27:14- so you'll never get two the same. - Which is the charm of it all.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16- That's right, yes.- What's left to do?
0:27:16 > 0:27:20- I'll let this pot stand for about 24 hours.- Right.
0:27:20 > 0:27:25- And you just gently...- Yes, just ease the clay. There we are.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Alun, you make it look so easy.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32- Can Catherine and I have a go, do you think?- Well, yes, of course.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Right, come on, Catherine, let's get on with it.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36CATHERINE LAUGHS
0:27:36 > 0:27:37- Oh...!- That's right.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39CATHERINE SHRIEKS
0:27:39 > 0:27:41- If you rest your arms... - Rest my arms...
0:27:41 > 0:27:42And keep on adding water.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45- Has yours gone as well, Catherine? - No, mine's looking good already.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49- Keep on adding water. - Keep on adding water.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52- Oh, Mark, yours is really good! - Shush! Don't spoil it.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54Yours is brilliant!
0:27:54 > 0:27:56Oh, no!
0:27:58 > 0:28:00Now this is looking good.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03I'm going to stop it! Oh, no...
0:28:03 > 0:28:06Make sure it doesn't go right to the bottom...
0:28:06 > 0:28:08Oh, no, it's gone again!
0:28:11 > 0:28:13Oh, no!
0:28:16 > 0:28:19I think this is wonderful! I think this is a masterpiece.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Oh, I started off so well.
0:28:21 > 0:28:26- I think I've got a new career here. Are you jealous?- I am! But mine's...
0:28:26 > 0:28:28mine's going to be an orchid.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32- Is it?- Yes, it's going to be an orchid vase.
0:28:33 > 0:28:38- Do you take apprentices? - Well, we're a bit choosy!
0:28:38 > 0:28:40Thank you very much, Alun!
0:28:42 > 0:28:46Well, Mark and Catherine's efforts may not have made the grade,
0:28:46 > 0:28:49but genuine Ewenny pottery is collectable.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53Horace Elliot pieces are so rare that they can make
0:28:53 > 0:28:58thousands of pounds, and finding any older pieces in pristine
0:28:58 > 0:29:04condition is so unusual they can therefore be very profitable.
0:29:04 > 0:29:09On Flog It! in 2003, a pottery dog from Ewenny dated 1901,
0:29:09 > 0:29:13sold for £600 despite being damaged.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16Are we all done at £600?
0:29:16 > 0:29:18Yes! Fantastic.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21So although it's not as famous as other pottery,
0:29:21 > 0:29:24Ewenny is definitely one to watch.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32Still to come on our tour of Britain's finest antiques -
0:29:32 > 0:29:35£1,400 we're selling if you're all through.
0:29:35 > 0:29:36We'll take that!
0:29:36 > 0:29:40A slice of history makes a king's ransom.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43Yes! 1,500.
0:29:43 > 0:29:48I explore an important chapter in the story of the cuppa.
0:29:48 > 0:29:49This is fabulous.
0:29:49 > 0:29:54And our experts prove that British eccentricity is alive and kicking.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57I think I'd rather sell my house than sell my cupboard.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04There's one thing that people who are not from the UK
0:30:04 > 0:30:07think they know about, and that is the British character.
0:30:07 > 0:30:12Fair play, the stiff upper lip, a sense of irony and, of course,
0:30:12 > 0:30:13the love of queueing.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20But what is the British character?
0:30:20 > 0:30:22And how is that encapsulated in the antiques
0:30:22 > 0:30:25and the collectables that we Brits so love?
0:30:25 > 0:30:29Well, here are our experts musing on which collectables
0:30:29 > 0:30:33sum up our national character and pull in a profit at auction.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36The British love their gardening, don't they?
0:30:36 > 0:30:39So anything to do with gardening - gardening antiques, benches,
0:30:39 > 0:30:42planters, that sort of thing - they always sell well.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46Flags, medals, commemorative.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49Nostalgia - we are good nostalgia in this country.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51We like things that remind us of where we come from
0:30:51 > 0:30:53and our childhood.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55And of course anything to do with our royal family.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59We've always been very inclusive, I like to think, and very welcoming.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02And because of that I think we've got a richer society for it.
0:31:02 > 0:31:07And a richer society, I think, produces richer results.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16We Brits all love a good yarn, and in 2005 Charlie found
0:31:16 > 0:31:21an item with a fascinating story that was quite literally behind it.
0:31:22 > 0:31:27I think of all the things I've done on Flog It! over the years,
0:31:27 > 0:31:29this is my favourite.
0:31:29 > 0:31:30It's got everything.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33- Do you know who this is? - No, I don't.- Well, I didn't.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35I hadn't got a clue who he was.
0:31:35 > 0:31:40I thought the artist looked familiar, the style of it.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44It's very well painted and it's got some really fascinating
0:31:44 > 0:31:48writing on the back. What have you deemed from it?
0:31:48 > 0:31:53I just got the name of the artist, who I thought it was,
0:31:53 > 0:31:54which was George Morland.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56George Morland.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00Who was a famous alcoholic, but a very, very good painter.
0:32:00 > 0:32:05I thought I could tell this was by Morland when I saw the picture.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07I was rather praying it was by him.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11But the great thing was, when you turned it over there was this
0:32:11 > 0:32:15wonderful writing on the back which told you everything about it.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18How often can you find that with a picture? It's very rare.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20It starts here.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23"This is the portrait of the late Mr Thomas Moore,
0:32:23 > 0:32:28"who established the booking office and tavern about the year
0:32:28 > 0:32:34"of 1760 called the Green Man and Still, Oxford Street, London."
0:32:34 > 0:32:38- Isn't that fantastic?- It is. - And it goes on to say...
0:32:38 > 0:32:40that George Morland stayed there,
0:32:40 > 0:32:44and when it came for the time to leave, the landlord said,
0:32:44 > 0:32:49"If you can't pay, paint a picture of me and the missus and we'll let you go."
0:32:49 > 0:32:51Pub memorabilia is quite collectable nowadays,
0:32:51 > 0:32:54but no way could this be called pub memorabilia.
0:32:54 > 0:32:59This was, is, a work of art.
0:32:59 > 0:33:04It's a painting by a great artist done through force of circumstances.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07Now, this artist has made pictures, you know, 10,000, 20,000 -
0:33:07 > 0:33:09a serious artist.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11- But this is more of a sketch, really.- Yes.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14- It's got some damage.- Yes.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17But as much of the value is attributable to
0:33:17 > 0:33:19the history of it as the painting itself.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23We'll estimate it at 300 to 500, but it's the sort of thing,
0:33:23 > 0:33:26given the history, that might be a bit of a flyer.
0:33:26 > 0:33:27You never know.
0:33:27 > 0:33:28Charlie loved it,
0:33:28 > 0:33:34but would the painting's incredible back story really help it take off?
0:33:34 > 0:33:36Watch this, here we go.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39The attributed to George Morland study.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41300 quid. 300 I'm bid. 300. 320.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44350. 380. 400.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47420. 450. 480. 500.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49The painting got off to a flying start,
0:33:49 > 0:33:52but no-one was quite prepared for what happened next.
0:33:54 > 0:33:55950.
0:33:55 > 0:33:571,000 here.
0:33:58 > 0:34:011,050. At 1,050. 1,100.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04- At 1,100.- We're getting there, aren't we?
0:34:04 > 0:34:051,150 down here.
0:34:05 > 0:34:081,200. 1,300.
0:34:08 > 0:34:091,400.
0:34:09 > 0:34:121,500.
0:34:12 > 0:34:16At £1,500. I sell here at £1,500...
0:34:18 > 0:34:21Yes! 1,500.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24- Wow!- That's three times the top estimate.- That's good.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26They DID like it!
0:34:26 > 0:34:28What an amazing painting!
0:34:28 > 0:34:32It's fair to say that the British love of drink has rarely
0:34:32 > 0:34:36produced such a tragic yet fascinating story.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39There's no doubt that the information that came with
0:34:39 > 0:34:43the picture helped hugely with the sale of it.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48Now it's an emotive topic, but fox hunting has been
0:34:48 > 0:34:52part of British life for centuries, and whatever you may think of it,
0:34:52 > 0:34:56over the years it has generated its fair share of collectables.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01You've brought along a real political hot potato today.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03- That's right.- Is that why you want to get rid of them?
0:35:03 > 0:35:09No. That isn't the main reason, although I'm not keen on fox hunting.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12Are these yours or did you inherit them?
0:35:12 > 0:35:14I inherited them from my mum.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17- And did your mum buy them new?- Yeah. Yeah, she did.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21- Was she a hunting fan?- No, I think she was just a Beswick fan.
0:35:21 > 0:35:26If Beswick produced one horse, they must have produced hundreds.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29And the thing that makes one horse different from another,
0:35:29 > 0:35:31is the different colourways.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35So you can have a variation on a theme.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38I'm sure they didn't do one, but if they did a pink horse,
0:35:38 > 0:35:39I'm sure that'd be worth a fortune.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42- I can immediately see a few problems.- Yeah.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45This little girl on a pony has clearly lost her head,
0:35:45 > 0:35:49and it's been glued back on at some time.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52And our foxy friend here has been too close to the hounds cos
0:35:52 > 0:35:53he's lost his tail.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56And that's been glued back on at one point in time.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59- And also his leg as well. - That's right.
0:35:59 > 0:36:00So we've got bits of damage.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03I think we can put an auction estimate on of £500-£800.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07- Right, OK.- And we'll reserve them at probably £400/£450.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10- 450 with some discretion on it. - Right.
0:36:10 > 0:36:16There are ardent Beswick collectors out there, and if they haven't got
0:36:16 > 0:36:19something that they need to complete their collection and it comes
0:36:19 > 0:36:23up at auction, they just stand there and they bid and they bid.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25And then they bid again.
0:36:25 > 0:36:26Isn't that great?
0:36:26 > 0:36:30Move onto lot 398, is 11 Beswick hunting figures.
0:36:30 > 0:36:31A lot of interest in this lot.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35Bids allow us to start right away at £600.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39That's good. We'll take that.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42620. 640. 660.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45680. 700. 750. 800.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47800 there. 850. 900.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49950. 975.
0:36:49 > 0:36:511,050.
0:36:51 > 0:36:531,100. 1,150.
0:36:53 > 0:36:551,200. 1,250.
0:36:55 > 0:36:571,300. 1,350.
0:36:57 > 0:36:591,400. 1,450.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01At £1,400.
0:37:01 > 0:37:031,450 willing?
0:37:03 > 0:37:05£1,400 - we're selling if you're all through...
0:37:07 > 0:37:09- We'll take that - £1,400. - Brilliant.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11You've got to be so pleased with that.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13Yeah, I am. That's brilliant.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16That is the definition of a runaway success.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20But would an auction room be swept away in the same way today?
0:37:20 > 0:37:23In this business, any price that goes like that,
0:37:23 > 0:37:26will sure as hell go like that.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28What you want is a nice steady increase in prices.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30You don't want things going like that.
0:37:30 > 0:37:35The Beswick market, perhaps, when we filmed this piece,
0:37:35 > 0:37:36it was through the roof.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39I don't think that little hunting group would make as much
0:37:39 > 0:37:40today as it did then.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45Our valuation day at London Zoo in 2012,
0:37:45 > 0:37:49saw all manner of interesting lots come trotting our way.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53Including a foxy piece of British silver for Will.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Carrie and Chloe, welcome to Flog It! In this great location.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59Is this something that you've had, or...?
0:37:59 > 0:38:01It's my dad's.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05- We've nicked it from his house today. - I hope he knows about it.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08He's given us permission.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11OK. Tell me, do you know what it is?
0:38:11 > 0:38:13When they used to go out hunting for foxes,
0:38:13 > 0:38:15they used to stop and have their drinks.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18Yeah, you're dead right. They call them stirrup cups.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20People who hunted,
0:38:20 > 0:38:22certainly those in the red blazers on the horses,
0:38:22 > 0:38:27would often have accessories - flasks, sandwich boxes,
0:38:27 > 0:38:32even their boots, everything would be made to a very high standard.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36Because they well wealthy, they were able to buy very good made pieces.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39Typically, a stirrup cup doesn't have a base or a handle,
0:38:39 > 0:38:41so people think, "What's the good of that?"
0:38:41 > 0:38:44You're going to put your sherry in it and it's going to spill.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46But if I cunningly turn it over...
0:38:46 > 0:38:49- Look at that - it's great, isn't it? - Yeah.- Nice piece of design.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52So the two ears and the nose form a tripod base.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54Cheers! And down it goes. Down the sherry and off they go.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57I've had a look at it - while these were
0:38:57 > 0:39:01made from sort of 1770 onwards, this is a more modern example.
0:39:01 > 0:39:05This is from the 1970s. Yeah? So, if we have a look at the hallmarks,
0:39:05 > 0:39:08cos even though it's not antique, all silver should carry
0:39:08 > 0:39:13the hallmarks, and we can see here, we've got the Sheffield Assay mark.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15We've still got the sterling lion mark.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18And then we've got the date letter here for 1972.
0:39:18 > 0:39:22So you say your dad bought it - where did he get it from?
0:39:22 > 0:39:24- A fair, or...? - Yeah, I think so, yeah.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26- Quite a while ago. - What did he pay for it?
0:39:26 > 0:39:29He says about 100, or something.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31OK, so he's done all right, 100, or something...
0:39:31 > 0:39:33He can't really remember cos it was a while ago.
0:39:33 > 0:39:34It was a while ago, was it?
0:39:34 > 0:39:37- Yeah.- Cos I think 200-300 is a spot-on estimate for this.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40- What do you think, Chloe?- Yeah. - It's a lot of money, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44The stirrup cup was quirkily British,
0:39:44 > 0:39:48but could it race ahead of the pack at auction?
0:39:48 > 0:39:51The stirrup cup with the foxes head.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53There we go. £150 to start.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56- Surely...- 150 I'm bid. 160.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59170. 180.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01190. 190.
0:40:01 > 0:40:03200 there. 210.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05220.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07Looks like a commission bidder.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10250. 260. 270.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13280. 290.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17300. 320. 340.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19Shaking his head. 340 here.
0:40:19 > 0:40:20Anybody else want to come in?
0:40:20 > 0:40:23Good thing. 340. 360.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27- 360 there.- Show me the fox! - 360. Anybody else?
0:40:27 > 0:40:29360...
0:40:29 > 0:40:31I'm happy with that.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34That's a very good result, isn't it?
0:40:34 > 0:40:36So neither its hunting connections
0:40:36 > 0:40:39nor it's age held our little fox back.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42I know the piece wasn't antique, so people will probably be shouting
0:40:42 > 0:40:46at the telly, "You can't have that on Flog It! It's not an antique!"
0:40:46 > 0:40:48But listen, it's an antique of the future.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52It may have been made in the '70s, but the quality was still there.
0:40:52 > 0:40:57In 2012, the unflappable Thomas stumbled across what many of us
0:40:57 > 0:40:59would consider a national treasure.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04Let's show the people...
0:41:04 > 0:41:06This is a big flag, isn't it?
0:41:06 > 0:41:08- It is.- What's the story behind this?
0:41:08 > 0:41:10Well, it belonged to my father.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13When he died, we found it all in his belongings.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16- And your father, was he in the scouts? Was he in the military?- No.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20He helped in the fire brigade in the war, in the Second World War.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22I think that this may have come from his granny that
0:41:22 > 0:41:25- lived in the local village.- People sometimes call it the Union Jack,
0:41:25 > 0:41:28- but the right name is the Union Flag, isn't it?- That's right, yes.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31- And we are holding it the right way, aren't we?- We are, yeah.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34Because of the thick white band at the top, where you've got your toggle.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36He's a little bit moth eaten here,
0:41:36 > 0:41:38but I think somebody can forgive that.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41I think it's probably almost like a coronation flag,
0:41:41 > 0:41:46for maybe a village, village church or even a scout group.
0:41:46 > 0:41:50And, of course, we've recently seen a lot of these around the country.
0:41:50 > 0:41:55The Union Flag has now become part of our psyche again.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59I thoroughly believe with Cool Britannia, with the Olympics,
0:41:59 > 0:42:03all the celebrations with the Golden and Diamond Jubilees,
0:42:03 > 0:42:06that Britain has regained the flag.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08So, why did you bring it along?
0:42:08 > 0:42:11Well, it's been tucked in a box in that attic,
0:42:11 > 0:42:14and I thought it wasn't very good being up there,
0:42:14 > 0:42:16so I thought the world needs to see it, don't they?
0:42:16 > 0:42:19Well, they do need to see it. Have you got any idea of value?
0:42:19 > 0:42:21- No idea whatsoever. - And do you mind about the value,
0:42:21 > 0:42:23or do you just want it to go to a good home?
0:42:23 > 0:42:26I'd like it to be displayed somehow - I don't know how,
0:42:26 > 0:42:28rather than in the attic.
0:42:28 > 0:42:32I think I'd put around £50-£80 on it.
0:42:32 > 0:42:38Not a huge mount of money, but I think we'd reserve it roundabout 30.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41- How does that grab you? - Can we not reserve it at 40?
0:42:41 > 0:42:43Well, we can do it at 40.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46Listen to you! £40, we'll do that at 40.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48The only reason, I was just going on try
0:42:48 > 0:42:49and give it the best chance possible.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51But that's fine - we'll do it at £40.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54- It's got a good chance cos it is quite a big flag.- Yeah, it is.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56And the colours are so strong.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01So Thomas needed a room full of patriotic bidders,
0:43:01 > 0:43:05or the flag would be left fluttering at half-mast.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07There you are - the Union Jack.
0:43:07 > 0:43:08Fine flag, that one.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12150 or 60 or 70? I've got it - 80 I'm bid now.
0:43:12 > 0:43:1490. Are you going to be the £100, sir?
0:43:14 > 0:43:17£100 we're bid for it. Thank you very much.
0:43:17 > 0:43:18That's good.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20120.
0:43:20 > 0:43:21Oh, my lord.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24130 I'm bid now.
0:43:24 > 0:43:25Madam, keep going? No?
0:43:25 > 0:43:28OK then. I sell at £130.
0:43:28 > 0:43:32£130 - sold.
0:43:32 > 0:43:34- Good result. - That's brilliant.- Amazing.
0:43:34 > 0:43:37Yes, we did put the great back in Britain!
0:43:38 > 0:43:42What a triumph and an example of how collectors will snap up items
0:43:42 > 0:43:45that are emblematic of Britain.
0:43:47 > 0:43:51I was surprised - it raced away at £130.
0:43:51 > 0:43:53And Isobel pushed me on reserve as well.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56No, she didn't want 30, she wanted a £40 reserve - it didn't matter.
0:43:58 > 0:43:59As we saw earlier,
0:43:59 > 0:44:02there's a fine tradition of cabinet making in this country,
0:44:02 > 0:44:04so we're always pleased
0:44:04 > 0:44:07when a bit of quality British furniture comes our way.
0:44:09 > 0:44:12Ian and Joanna, I've got to tell you, I think it's absolutely lovely.
0:44:12 > 0:44:15This has got everything going for it, in my eyes.
0:44:15 > 0:44:20It's a lovely piece of 18th century, oak, rustic, country furniture.
0:44:20 > 0:44:24The cabinet's made of oak, oak's indigenous to our shores,
0:44:24 > 0:44:26so that's why it sells well,
0:44:26 > 0:44:30cos it's going to sit beautifully in someone's little cottage.
0:44:30 > 0:44:33Now this is dentil moulding along here.
0:44:33 > 0:44:35It's got a lovely colour here -
0:44:35 > 0:44:38we can see these lovely medullary rays here of the oak.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40Brass escutcheon there.
0:44:40 > 0:44:43Open it up and let's see what we can find in here.
0:44:43 > 0:44:46Look at those lovely old shelves. Really quite primitive.
0:44:46 > 0:44:49And if you think about it, someone's taken some trouble to do that.
0:44:49 > 0:44:51Because you're not going to see these shelves,
0:44:51 > 0:44:54so the easiest thing to do is make them straight-fronted.
0:44:54 > 0:44:57But someone's just take the trouble to give them that shape.
0:44:57 > 0:45:00I think it's lovely. I really do think it's lovely.
0:45:00 > 0:45:04The most important thing about any piece of furniture is the colour.
0:45:04 > 0:45:07And the colour is patina.
0:45:07 > 0:45:09It looks like a bit of chewed toffee,
0:45:09 > 0:45:13it's the lines on its hands, it's the wrinkles on its face.
0:45:13 > 0:45:17All patination is, is 100 years of muck and grime that's been polished.
0:45:17 > 0:45:19And this has just been a functional cupboard.
0:45:19 > 0:45:22And you rub your hands over it, and the grease off your hands
0:45:22 > 0:45:24goes into the timber and gives it that lovely glow.
0:45:24 > 0:45:26It's just absolutely glorious.
0:45:26 > 0:45:29There are a few faults with it.
0:45:29 > 0:45:31If we just...
0:45:31 > 0:45:33have a look just here.
0:45:33 > 0:45:36Can you see there? We're missing a bit of the moulding.
0:45:36 > 0:45:41And if we look along just here, this moulding is also replaced.
0:45:41 > 0:45:45I think, in auction, you could put an estimate on it of £300-£500.
0:45:45 > 0:45:47And I'm sure it'll sell.
0:45:47 > 0:45:51I mean, there are oak collectors who would really want to own this.
0:45:51 > 0:45:53Owner Joanna couldn't make it to the auction,
0:45:53 > 0:45:58but her husband Ian joined me and Philip,
0:45:58 > 0:46:01who was still smitten by the wonderful patination.
0:46:01 > 0:46:04You were saying you're selling it cos you can't get it in the house.
0:46:04 > 0:46:07I'd rather sell my house than that cupboard.
0:46:07 > 0:46:09- It's just lovely.- Here we go.
0:46:11 > 0:46:13Wonderful colour to that.
0:46:13 > 0:46:15I have several bids on this -
0:46:15 > 0:46:19I have got started at £380.
0:46:19 > 0:46:20380 is with me.
0:46:21 > 0:46:23400, sir. I'm out. 420.
0:46:23 > 0:46:27450. 480. 500.
0:46:27 > 0:46:29520. £520.
0:46:29 > 0:46:33At 520 and selling at 520.
0:46:33 > 0:46:36- Brilliant.- Yeah, very good.
0:46:36 > 0:46:40- It's was good, wasn't it? - Yeah. Yes, so you were right.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42Well, it's my business.
0:46:44 > 0:46:48The oak cabinet really did conjure up images of the British
0:46:48 > 0:46:50country cottage.
0:46:50 > 0:46:55And its great selling price is proof of the pulling power of patination.
0:46:55 > 0:46:59You can't replicate 200 years of patina.
0:46:59 > 0:47:01You can't make it tomorrow.
0:47:01 > 0:47:05It's something that's occurred over the whole of its lifetime.
0:47:05 > 0:47:08It's its passport, and you can't forge that.
0:47:08 > 0:47:11I hope our trip through the best of British has evoked
0:47:11 > 0:47:14a little of the national character for you.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18If you'd like to continue on our voyage of discovery
0:47:18 > 0:47:22through the world of antiques, here are some pointers on how to
0:47:22 > 0:47:26appeal to some of British of individuals - the avid collector.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30Items of quality that are only 30 or 40 years old,
0:47:30 > 0:47:33can still make money at auction.
0:47:34 > 0:47:37Always be aware that markets fluctuate,
0:47:37 > 0:47:40so be prepared for prices to go down as well as up.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46This is especially true of items made from precious metal,
0:47:46 > 0:47:48because their value is affected
0:47:48 > 0:47:51by the ever-changing price of gold and silver.
0:47:55 > 0:47:57A portrait's profitability or obviously
0:47:57 > 0:48:00dependant on the artist who painted it,
0:48:00 > 0:48:03but the sitter can also put the price up.
0:48:03 > 0:48:05So if you come across a work you like,
0:48:05 > 0:48:08do your research on both painter and subject.
0:48:10 > 0:48:14And remember, that antique furniture should wear its age with pride.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18Patina is of primary importance to collectors,
0:48:18 > 0:48:24so don't ever be tempted to sand or varnish a piece of history away.
0:48:28 > 0:48:32Sports and sporting memorabilia will always have a special
0:48:32 > 0:48:34place in the British heart.
0:48:34 > 0:48:36Adam, for one, is a fan.
0:48:36 > 0:48:39I'm quite interested in sports memorabilia, specifically
0:48:39 > 0:48:44cricket and boxing - I quite enjoy playing or fighting, I suppose.
0:48:44 > 0:48:46And this is one of my pieces here - it's a
0:48:46 > 0:48:50signed boxing glove from one of my favourites from childhood,
0:48:50 > 0:48:54Nigel Benn, known as the Dark Destroyer.
0:48:54 > 0:48:56We come across a lot of these things in charity auctions,
0:48:56 > 0:48:58sporting auctions, things like that.
0:48:58 > 0:49:00Quite a lot of them are signed.
0:49:00 > 0:49:02They're fairly limited in value -
0:49:02 > 0:49:04I think I paid about £50 for this.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07I don't suppose it's worth a great deal more.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10But if you're going to be collecting sports memorabilia,
0:49:10 > 0:49:14make sure you pick those major names of their period,
0:49:14 > 0:49:18and Nigel Benn was the fighter of his decade.
0:49:18 > 0:49:20So that's why it's a good thing to own.
0:49:20 > 0:49:23I've got a few others- Frank Bruno, Naseem Hamed, etc cetera.
0:49:23 > 0:49:25I've got about eight or ten.
0:49:25 > 0:49:26I also go boxing myself,
0:49:26 > 0:49:29and I go training down at a gym in Stoke-On-Trent,
0:49:29 > 0:49:32with all the big boys, who generally, give me a good beating.
0:49:32 > 0:49:36What better way to get over a stressful day than to have a
0:49:36 > 0:49:37scrap at the end of the day?
0:49:37 > 0:49:39Great, for me.
0:49:43 > 0:49:46It is truly inspiring to see the work of
0:49:46 > 0:49:50so many great British designers and craftsmen on the show today.
0:49:52 > 0:49:55I was on the trail of another great British innovator
0:49:55 > 0:49:59when I visited Moseley Old Hall in Staffordshire in 2010.
0:49:59 > 0:50:03The hall itself is famous as the hiding place of Charles II
0:50:03 > 0:50:07after the Battle Of Worcester in 1651.
0:50:07 > 0:50:11In the 20th century, it was bought by a man called William Wiggin.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14The Wiggin family later sold the property
0:50:14 > 0:50:16to the National Trust for just £1.
0:50:17 > 0:50:21However, Moseley Old Hall isn't the only legacy William has left us.
0:50:21 > 0:50:24His family were the first to introduce
0:50:24 > 0:50:26and make stainless steel items in the world.
0:50:31 > 0:50:34I'm here with Nigel Wiggin, the grandson of William,
0:50:34 > 0:50:37and I've got to say, your grandfather was quite a chap.
0:50:37 > 0:50:39Yes, he did his contribution.
0:50:39 > 0:50:41But he was basically an industrialist,
0:50:41 > 0:50:44developing stainless steel tableware.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48William's father and his eldest son, both called James,
0:50:48 > 0:50:52started J&J Wiggan, a blacksmith business in 1853.
0:50:52 > 0:50:54They made mostly belt buckles
0:50:54 > 0:50:56and stirrups for the horse-drawn community,
0:50:56 > 0:50:58but after the First World War,
0:50:58 > 0:51:01William decided to diversify and move the company forward.
0:51:01 > 0:51:04He'd heard about Staybrite Steel.
0:51:04 > 0:51:09It was a complete new material that didn't rust.
0:51:09 > 0:51:11He bought some Staybrite from Sheffield,
0:51:11 > 0:51:15and we started making bathroom fittings.
0:51:15 > 0:51:18It got us a very good hold in the marketplace.
0:51:18 > 0:51:21The real start of tableware...
0:51:21 > 0:51:23- Teapots, I guess!- Teapots.
0:51:23 > 0:51:25Everyone wants a cup of tea, don't they?
0:51:25 > 0:51:31Yes. And the person who realised that was my grandmother.
0:51:31 > 0:51:361928 was their silver wedding - this is William and Nelly,
0:51:36 > 0:51:40and they were given a lot of silverware.
0:51:40 > 0:51:44And my grandmother suggested to my grandfather that he
0:51:44 > 0:51:48might like to give her a hand with the cleaning.
0:51:48 > 0:51:53And the response to that was, "No."
0:51:53 > 0:52:00And as a result of that, they came up with the amazing idea,
0:52:00 > 0:52:05"Why don't you make some silverware out of Staybrite?"
0:52:05 > 0:52:10And that started the world's stainless steel tableware industry.
0:52:10 > 0:52:12Nobody else thought of it.
0:52:12 > 0:52:14The toast rack was the every first thing we made.
0:52:14 > 0:52:16And you've got that here, haven't you?
0:52:16 > 0:52:18- We've got it here. - Which one is it?
0:52:18 > 0:52:21It's this one here,
0:52:21 > 0:52:23which is, as far as we are aware,
0:52:23 > 0:52:29the world's very first item of stainless steel tableware.
0:52:29 > 0:52:31She said, "You must make a teapot."
0:52:31 > 0:52:32And it's this one here.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35That is 1930.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39The aspect about that was that we couldn't make a teapot.
0:52:39 > 0:52:41It's such a difficult metal to work with,
0:52:41 > 0:52:46and my grandmother came up with an idea,
0:52:46 > 0:52:49which is based on this shape here.
0:52:49 > 0:52:54And the answer is, you bend it round like that and there's your spout.
0:52:54 > 0:52:59It needs a disc in the bottom, needs a handle on, but that is how...
0:52:59 > 0:53:00A single piece of metal.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03A single piece of metal and that is how...
0:53:03 > 0:53:06Do you know what they say which is totally right?
0:53:06 > 0:53:08Behind every good man, there's a good woman.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11- She was obviously the brains. - She was on the ball.
0:53:13 > 0:53:15The company grew from strength to strength
0:53:15 > 0:53:17until the Second World War started,
0:53:17 > 0:53:21when the factory was turned over to ammunition production.
0:53:21 > 0:53:23But then, when the war was over, in the 1950s,
0:53:23 > 0:53:25the Old Hall brand took off again.
0:53:27 > 0:53:331955, we took on board a student from the Royal College Of Art,
0:53:33 > 0:53:34called Robert Welsh.
0:53:34 > 0:53:36Now he was studying to be a silversmith.
0:53:36 > 0:53:41But his thesis, in fact, was for designing stainless steel.
0:53:41 > 0:53:44And he contacted us for some help.
0:53:44 > 0:53:46When he got his degree, we asked him
0:53:46 > 0:53:48if he'd like to be our consultant designer.
0:53:48 > 0:53:51- And he started designing for you. - And he started designing...
0:53:51 > 0:53:53Is this his work?
0:53:53 > 0:53:57This is so recognisable as different to the Wiggin designs.
0:53:57 > 0:54:00It's so obvious!
0:54:00 > 0:54:01This is '64.
0:54:01 > 0:54:03I've got to say, this is fabulous.
0:54:03 > 0:54:06Well, it is the most collectable item of all.
0:54:06 > 0:54:12I think, when we closed down in 1984, we' made about 1,500 of these,
0:54:12 > 0:54:15- so there aren't many around. - That's a collectable then?
0:54:15 > 0:54:17That is, undoubtedly, collectable.
0:54:17 > 0:54:20Old Hall was the wedding present of the '60s.
0:54:20 > 0:54:23I think that's an accolade - the wedding present of the '60s.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26It meant every couple had one.
0:54:26 > 0:54:30You can't go wrong there. What was the demise? What happened?
0:54:30 > 0:54:34Cheap imported stainless steel tableware.
0:54:34 > 0:54:37Nothing like Old Hall in terms of quality,
0:54:37 > 0:54:40but about a third of the price.
0:54:40 > 0:54:43We started having to shrink and shrink,
0:54:43 > 0:54:47so we had to close the works in 1984.
0:54:47 > 0:54:48Which is a sad day for you.
0:54:48 > 0:54:51The worst day of my life, Paul, there's no doubt.
0:54:51 > 0:54:53You still out buying this stuff?
0:54:53 > 0:54:57It's popping up at car boots, it's popping up at charity shops.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00If that popped up at a collectors fair, what would you pay for that?
0:55:01 > 0:55:06They pop up so infrequently - £250.
0:55:07 > 0:55:11Nigel, thank you so much for sharing your life story with me
0:55:11 > 0:55:13and a great family you belong to as well.
0:55:13 > 0:55:15Pleasure, Paul.
0:55:17 > 0:55:19British craftsmanship's world-renowned,
0:55:19 > 0:55:23and it finds its way to the four corners of the globe,
0:55:23 > 0:55:26as Will Axon discovered when he met up with Martina at a valuation
0:55:26 > 0:55:30day in Portsmouth back in 2012.
0:55:34 > 0:55:37Martina, I can tell from your accent that you're not from these
0:55:37 > 0:55:39parts originally, are you?
0:55:39 > 0:55:41You're right, Well, I'm originally from Germany,
0:55:41 > 0:55:44but have lived in the UK since 1984.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46What are you going to do with the money?
0:55:46 > 0:55:47Are you going to visit the family?
0:55:47 > 0:55:51No. We've actually just bought a 1988 Chevrolet Camaro.
0:55:51 > 0:55:53It does need some work doing...
0:55:53 > 0:55:57- A bit of TLC.- A lot of TLC. - So the money's going towards that?
0:55:57 > 0:55:58It's going to help.
0:55:58 > 0:56:01And this, of course, is English - we can tell by the hallmarks.
0:56:01 > 0:56:03We've got Sheffield, 1910.
0:56:03 > 0:56:04Where's this come from?
0:56:04 > 0:56:08- I actually inherited this from my godparents.- OK.
0:56:08 > 0:56:10Who lived in Duisburg in Germany
0:56:10 > 0:56:15and were avid collectors of anything British.
0:56:16 > 0:56:20English silver is far superior to the continental.
0:56:20 > 0:56:23It was always something that I admired.
0:56:23 > 0:56:27I see inside some old paint splashes. Where have they come from?
0:56:27 > 0:56:31I'm guilty there - it's actually been used to store brushes.
0:56:31 > 0:56:33- Paint brushes?- Paint brushes.
0:56:34 > 0:56:39I'm a bit embarrassed to say I did use it as a paint cleaning holder.
0:56:39 > 0:56:41Listen, I think, at auction,
0:56:41 > 0:56:44you should be looking at around the £200 mark.
0:56:45 > 0:56:46So Martina sped off to auction,
0:56:46 > 0:56:50hopeful that selling the British-made family silver
0:56:50 > 0:56:54would put a little extra va-va-voom into her car restoration project.
0:56:56 > 0:57:00Lot 460 is a two-handed silver loving cup.
0:57:00 > 0:57:01Sheffield.
0:57:01 > 0:57:03Start me at 150.
0:57:03 > 0:57:05- 150 I have.- We're in - 150.
0:57:05 > 0:57:08£150. 160. 170.
0:57:08 > 0:57:10180. 190. 200.
0:57:10 > 0:57:12190 in the middle here.
0:57:12 > 0:57:13Is there 200?
0:57:13 > 0:57:15At £190 we are selling.
0:57:15 > 0:57:18At £190, and if you're all done...
0:57:18 > 0:57:20Very last time...
0:57:20 > 0:57:22Just £190 - it's gone.
0:57:30 > 0:57:34After the auction, motor-mad Martina threw out her restoration plans
0:57:34 > 0:57:37and bought a new car instead!
0:57:37 > 0:57:39And this, even has a name.
0:57:41 > 0:57:45The first time we saw the Dragon Wagon was on eBay,
0:57:45 > 0:57:51so we made a ridiculous offer and the lady called us half an hour
0:57:51 > 0:57:56later to say, "If you come with the cash, you could have it."
0:57:56 > 0:57:58It is a head-turner.
0:57:58 > 0:58:00It catches your eye
0:58:00 > 0:58:03and it's quite amazing how many comments you actually get
0:58:03 > 0:58:06when you park it up on the drive.
0:58:06 > 0:58:10It does boost your ego, obviously, as well.
0:58:10 > 0:58:15But the main thing is, we have met so many nice people, such a
0:58:15 > 0:58:20variety of people, who are interested in the same things that we are.
0:58:20 > 0:58:21It's not just a car.
0:58:27 > 0:58:28It's always a pleasure to learn that
0:58:28 > 0:58:32Flog It! has helped somebody indulge their passion.
0:58:32 > 0:58:35Well, that's it for today's show, but do remember
0:58:35 > 0:58:39if you have any antiques you want to sell, you know where to find us.
0:58:39 > 0:58:42Join me again soon for more trade secrets.