0:00:03 > 0:00:05You've been coming to our Flog It! valuation days
0:00:05 > 0:00:08for well over ten years now,
0:00:08 > 0:00:11bringing in all manner of wonderful things
0:00:11 > 0:00:13to put our experts through their paces.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16- Oh, gosh, he's rather scary!- He is.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20During that time we've helped you sell around £1 million worth
0:00:20 > 0:00:22of antiques and collectables.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Thank you.
0:00:24 > 0:00:25- Bosh!- Excellent!
0:00:25 > 0:00:28And along the way we've all learnt a great deal about the items
0:00:28 > 0:00:30that have passed through our hands.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33In this series I want to share some of that knowledge with you,
0:00:33 > 0:00:37so stand by to hear our trade secrets.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06More often than not, when we set up home,
0:01:06 > 0:01:08we set about decorating it, too.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Not just with antiques, but with ornamentation - pictures,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14mirrors, chandeliers, carpets, curtains,
0:01:14 > 0:01:16the latest designs on our cutlery.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19We all love a splash of colour
0:01:19 > 0:01:21and we also like to leave our own stamp on a property.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25So on today's Trade Secrets we're looking at decorative items -
0:01:25 > 0:01:29which to leave alone and which are worthy of closer inspection.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37Coming up, James discovers a giant item with big problems.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39Just... Oh, no!
0:01:40 > 0:01:44Elizabeth gets to grips with the ancient art of enamelling.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48- If you put it straight down... - It's exciting, isn't it?- Yes!
0:01:50 > 0:01:53It's deja vu as Philip is put under pressure.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57Four weeks ago I was watching Flog It! Saw that make £200.
0:01:57 > 0:01:58Very similar.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01And Anita hits the jackpot.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04- Yes!- Wow! £1,200.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12Some of the decorative things we surround ourselves with at home
0:02:12 > 0:02:15have no practical use, like ornaments, for instance.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18They're there just to look good but, by their very nature,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21some of them are of very high quality.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Time and time again they turn up at our valuation days,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27so here are some tips on what to look out for.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31What I like you might like, he might not like...
0:02:31 > 0:02:35We've got different taste as to what makes good decoration or not.
0:02:35 > 0:02:36Some people like very little,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39some people like very fussy, very elaborate.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Does the shape and the decoration work together?
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Because, if they don't, it's going to be hard on the eye,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47if they do, it's going to look a treat.
0:02:47 > 0:02:48Wow!
0:02:48 > 0:02:50Don't just think, "That's quite nice,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53"I'll have another look at it," it's got to hit you.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56If you're trying to find the very best of decoration,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00then look no further than Wedgwood's Fairyland Lustreware.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07These works by artist Daisy Makeig-Jones
0:03:07 > 0:03:11are riots of stunning bold colours and fantastical shapes.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13That's hand-decorated.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16You can't imagine, can you?
0:03:18 > 0:03:21We don't often see Fairyland Lustre on our valuation days,
0:03:21 > 0:03:25but when we do it quickly works its magic.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27Yes! Brilliant. Well done.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32The legendary David Barby was a huge fan.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34Mary, I can't understand...
0:03:35 > 0:03:39if anybody owned a piece as beautiful as this,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41they would wish to sell it.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Does it have unhappy memories for you or what?
0:03:44 > 0:03:48- I think I was frightened by the figures as a child.- Really?- Yeah.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51'One of the most distinctive things, I think,'
0:03:51 > 0:03:54in 20th century ceramics, you can tell a piece of Clarice Cliff,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57and you can certainly tell a piece of Wedgwood Fairyland Lustre.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Beautifully decorated, very intricate.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02always got fairies on it, of course,
0:04:02 > 0:04:07and under this beautiful lustrous glaze.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10This design is called Paradise Garden.
0:04:10 > 0:04:11And if we look at the outside
0:04:11 > 0:04:14it's full of fairies in the most exotic settings.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17- This is the one you disliked, is it?- Yes, that's right.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20- The goblin on the rainbow. - Yes.- But isn't it beautiful?
0:04:20 > 0:04:22I love these rich lustre colours.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26They used metallic pigments - gold, silver copper, etc,
0:04:26 > 0:04:27suspended in oil -
0:04:27 > 0:04:30and then they'll paint it with this metallic pigment.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32And when it's fired,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35you're left with the shiny metallic glaze on top of it.
0:04:35 > 0:04:40What I find extraordinary is the use of giltwork inside.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44In the arcades, we have views of exotic buildings,
0:04:44 > 0:04:47like distant Constantinople and minarets and towers.
0:04:47 > 0:04:52But we also have those black fairies with green wings.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58David estimated £1,200-£1,600.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00Truth or fairy story?
0:05:00 > 0:05:02Time for the auction!
0:05:03 > 0:05:08Five phone lines booked. There's serious interest from the USA.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11And the website has been going crazy, the internet.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13All over the world for this one. Let's find out.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15This is the big one.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18This is the Wedgwood Fairyland bowl.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21I'm going to start the bidding at £1,300.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23Is there 1,400 in the room?
0:05:23 > 0:05:281,400. 1,500. 1,600. 1,700.
0:05:28 > 0:05:301,800.
0:05:30 > 0:05:331,900. 2,000.
0:05:33 > 0:05:342,100.
0:05:34 > 0:05:362,200.
0:05:36 > 0:05:382,300.
0:05:38 > 0:05:392,400.
0:05:39 > 0:05:412,500.
0:05:41 > 0:05:422,600.
0:05:44 > 0:05:45Now I'm tingling.
0:05:45 > 0:05:462,700.
0:05:51 > 0:05:52£2,700. £2,800.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59£2,800!
0:06:02 > 0:06:03As decorated pieces go,
0:06:03 > 0:06:07I do think that Fairyland Lustre is right up there with the very best.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Daisy Makeig-Jones is a big name in ceramic decoration,
0:06:12 > 0:06:16and it pays to remember that big names often command high prices.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24John Piper was another big 20th-century designer.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28He is best known as an official war artist of World War II
0:06:28 > 0:06:30and for designing the glass
0:06:30 > 0:06:32during the renovation of Coventry Cathedral.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38His artwork can be expensive in the saleroom.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43But you can pick up a less pricey Piper for your sitting room.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48In the 1950s his work was used to decorate furniture.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51It's some sort of photographic reproduction
0:06:51 > 0:06:54that is laminated onto the top of that table.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57It's accessible fine art,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00but not everyone appreciates the appeal.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04- You gave it to him?- Yeah. - He was going to skip it!
0:07:04 > 0:07:07- I was going to skip it.- You know what this is!- I do now, yeah.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11Four weeks ago I was watching Flog It! Saw that and it made £200.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13- Very similar.- It was.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15Well, let me tell you, five or ten years ago,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17I wouldn't have known what this is.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20It's just a lovely view of London by John Piper.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22And it's a real cool thing.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25When I started, when dinosaurs walked the earth,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28people wouldn't want John Piper tables.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31They wanted traditional 18th-century oak tables.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33But that's how the business is changing.
0:07:34 > 0:07:39As Paul said, we'd seen the same model on Flog It! a year earlier.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41I think this is great.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Furniture like this was bought, really,
0:07:44 > 0:07:47because it represented everything that was up to date.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50You know, pared down, modern materials -
0:07:50 > 0:07:52that's the most important thing of all, I think.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54It was sold at Philip's saleroom.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57The next item, £200 in the room.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00At £200 and I sell then...
0:08:00 > 0:08:03Hammer's gone down. £200 - top end of that estimate.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08- Why did you get rid of it? - I just needed some room in my flat.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12I mean, I didn't know anything about it.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15He needed a table so I said he could have it.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17- What did the one in my saleroom make, £200?- £200, yeah.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19A bit better condition than this one,
0:08:19 > 0:08:22but we can we can put £100-£200 as an estimate.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26- So that's all fine, isn't it? - Sound!- Right, that's sound!
0:08:26 > 0:08:31Sound indeed, but will it fetch more than its Flog It! predecessor?
0:08:31 > 0:08:361950s coffee table with the John Piper views of London.
0:08:36 > 0:08:37I bid £100. I'll take 10.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39Well done.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41£100.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44At £100. Any advance on £100?
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Anyone else? At 120.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51- It's gone down.- I'm pleased about that. 70-50, fair split, isn't it?
0:08:51 > 0:08:53ALL LAUGH
0:08:55 > 0:08:58Well, a little less than we'd hoped for,
0:08:58 > 0:09:01but the previous table was pristine, which proves
0:09:01 > 0:09:04the importance of condition when it comes to decorative items.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Damage is always going to affect the sale of anything, really,
0:09:08 > 0:09:10some things more than others.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13And I think collectors would rather pay you
0:09:13 > 0:09:16maybe 50%-100% more for a perfect one
0:09:16 > 0:09:18than for one with a bit of damage on it.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Now, on Flog It! we are forever making the point
0:09:23 > 0:09:25that quality sells, always.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28With decorative items, quality is often clear from the outset.
0:09:30 > 0:09:35Take this German super-sized wine rummer from the 19th century.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39Chris, imagine you are a 17th-century lord
0:09:39 > 0:09:43and you are hunting for the day and coming back to a roaring fire...
0:09:43 > 0:09:46- Yes.- ..and you want a great glass of wine to drink.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49This is the sort of thing that you would have had at your table.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52Probably not quite as large as this in the 17th century,
0:09:52 > 0:09:54but certainly this style.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57'This goblet was probably made for a ceremonial purpose.'
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Certainly not for everyday household use.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04It was made around 1870-1890,
0:10:04 > 0:10:08but the thing that makes me fall in love with it
0:10:08 > 0:10:11is the wonderful quality enamelling on the bowl.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15If you were looking at this on a canvas done in pure oil paint,
0:10:15 > 0:10:17you'd think it was good.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21But imagine doing it in enamel that had to be heated and fired.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Brilliant. I really love it.
0:10:23 > 0:10:24It's a pity it's broken,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27- but it was broken when we got it.- I know.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29When it came out of the late mother-in-law's house,
0:10:29 > 0:10:30it was already broken.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33Just... Oh, no!
0:10:33 > 0:10:36But I'd already fallen in love with the top!
0:10:37 > 0:10:41So by the time the foot was exposed it was just too late.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43What's it worth?
0:10:43 > 0:10:47- If it had been perfect this would have been £400-£600.- Yes.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Something like that. But it's not.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53- It's still got to be £60-£100, isn't it?- I would have thought so, yes.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56I think the enamel work is amazing.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59James and Chris were confident
0:10:59 > 0:11:02that the decorative quality of this unusual piece
0:11:02 > 0:11:04would trump the damage.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06But were they right?
0:11:06 > 0:11:08It has a great big chunk missing out of the base.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12I don't think it even stood quite straight with the chunk missing,
0:11:12 > 0:11:13so it's not the best start.
0:11:15 > 0:11:21What about £100? £50 for it? £50, the goblet.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24Not the sort of thing I'd recommend putting a reserve on.
0:11:24 > 0:11:29It's an impressive thing. £50. £50. Large green glass goblet.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33He's a good auctioneer, so he gave it his all.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35£50?
0:11:35 > 0:11:37- No.- No.
0:11:37 > 0:11:38Oh, well.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40Not an easy thing to mend, I suppose.
0:11:40 > 0:11:45Paintings, furniture, porcelain... silver...
0:11:45 > 0:11:50can all be repaired fairly easily, but glass?
0:11:50 > 0:11:52Probably the most difficult of all.
0:11:53 > 0:11:59It's a shame for Chris it didn't sell, but perhaps no surprise.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Quite apart from the serious damage,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04where do you put a two-foot wine glass?
0:12:06 > 0:12:09When decorating your home, simplicity pays.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12And what could be more straightforward
0:12:12 > 0:12:13than putting up a picture?
0:12:13 > 0:12:17Art-lover Anita Manning was taken with a fine pair of maritime scenes
0:12:17 > 0:12:21brought along to a valuation day by Angela.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23Tell me, where did you get them?
0:12:23 > 0:12:27I found them in a loft. My husband was a third-generation butcher
0:12:27 > 0:12:31and we moved in to become the third-generation
0:12:31 > 0:12:33and they were in the loft when we moved in.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36They are by Adolphus Knell,
0:12:36 > 0:12:40a British artist active in the middle to late 1800s.
0:12:42 > 0:12:47Adolphus Knell came from a family of marine or maritime painters,
0:12:47 > 0:12:51so the painting of these subjects was in his blood
0:12:51 > 0:12:54and these were well-executed pictures.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58They had a... A luminous quality.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02When I looked at the sky and the reflection of the sun
0:13:02 > 0:13:07in the water, I could see wonderful quality there.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09I really enjoy them.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13I would probably estimate somewhere 250-350.
0:13:13 > 0:13:19- Are you happy to put them to auction at that price?- Yes. Quite happy.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21They were being sold in Bristol,
0:13:21 > 0:13:24and his family came from Bristol,
0:13:24 > 0:13:28so it was being sold in the right area.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Fingers crossed. They are going under the hammer.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33A pair of oils on board, both signed
0:13:33 > 0:13:36Adolphus Knell. And interest here.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39250. 280. 300. 320. 350.
0:13:39 > 0:13:46380. 400. 420. 450. 480. £500 on the book. 550. 600.
0:13:46 > 0:13:47650.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49650.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51700. 750.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53It's still going on!
0:13:53 > 0:13:54720.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56750. 780.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58My estimate was a wee bit conservative.
0:13:58 > 0:14:03I can be like that sometimes. But it encourages the bidding.
0:14:03 > 0:14:04800.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06£1,000?
0:14:06 > 0:14:10Thank you. £1,000 in the room. 1,100 anyone else?
0:14:10 > 0:14:12- It's incredible.- 1,100.
0:14:12 > 0:14:141,200? 1,300?
0:14:14 > 0:14:17All done now at £1,200. Selling in the room at £1,200.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22- Yes!- £1,200!
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Brilliant!
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Those beautiful paintings would make fine additions to any home.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Even if you can't stretch to £1,200,
0:14:33 > 0:14:37why not check out a painting sale at your local auction house?
0:14:37 > 0:14:40You might just snap up a bargain, and a lovely image to boot.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Taste is paramount when collecting decorative pieces.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50It's so...ugly.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55You don't have to be an expert to know what you like.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00Be wary of damage to decorative items.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Remember, they are made to be admired.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07So if they are chipped or cracked, like Chris's glass goblet,
0:15:07 > 0:15:08stay clear.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12It doesn't get more decorative than Wedgewood Fairyland Lustre
0:15:12 > 0:15:14but it's much sought-after
0:15:14 > 0:15:17by collectors with extremely deep pockets.
0:15:18 > 0:15:23This set sold in the UK in 2013 for almost £30,000.
0:15:23 > 0:15:28So, if a fairy grants you a wish, you know what to ask for!
0:15:35 > 0:15:37During the 16th and 17th century,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41bedrooms in grand country houses were of semi-public nature.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43So to get from one room to another
0:15:43 > 0:15:47you literally had to totter through somebody's bedroom
0:15:47 > 0:15:50by opening a huge great big door, creating a draught.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54So beds had to be extremely impressive, highly decorative.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58These were the most expensive pieces of domestic furniture
0:15:58 > 0:15:59in any grand house.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03This one dates back to the 1660s
0:16:03 > 0:16:05and it was the height of fashion back then.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07The bed itself is of simple construction -
0:16:07 > 0:16:12you have a headboard, a framework, four posts and a wonderful canopy.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15But the whole thing is beautifully disguised
0:16:15 > 0:16:19in yards and yards of the finest fabric imported from overseas,
0:16:19 > 0:16:20no expense spared.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24It's there to show off. And look at the detail in this canopy.
0:16:24 > 0:16:30Look at the brocading! That must have taken somebody months to do.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34The sprung bed - well, there was no such thing as a sprung bed.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37What you actually slept on were ropes.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40A series of holes would be drilled around this bed,
0:16:40 > 0:16:42around the framework, and ropes would be passed through
0:16:42 > 0:16:45and then tightened up into a knot and held there.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48And this is where we get the phrase "good night, sleep tight."
0:16:48 > 0:16:50To get a good night's sleep every now and then
0:16:50 > 0:16:53you had to tighten the rope up.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55The bed boards are known as the dossers,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58because people slept in a sort of semi-upright position.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02Again, look at the brocading. Highly decorative, gilded as well.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Up to the hilt sometimes with coats of arms.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08It is a highly decorative piece and as a piece of furniture, well,
0:17:08 > 0:17:10it doesn't get any better, does it?
0:17:21 > 0:17:23As well as decorating their homes,
0:17:23 > 0:17:24men and women of all cultures
0:17:24 > 0:17:27have looked at ways of decorating themselves.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30One example, the fearsome warriors of ancient Britain
0:17:30 > 0:17:35terrified the invading Romans by painting themselves blue.
0:17:35 > 0:17:36Now, in Georgian Britain,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39one particular fashion of adornment grew up,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41as Caroline Hawley explains.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48These are both 18th-century patch boxes.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51They would contain patches, or beauty spots,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54which were actually very important
0:17:54 > 0:17:57in the late 18th and early 19th century.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Not just for vanity,
0:17:59 > 0:18:02but smallpox was rife in those days
0:18:02 > 0:18:06and those that didn't die were left with fairly unsightly scars,
0:18:06 > 0:18:08and this was a method of covering up the scars.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12They would be made of velvet, very soft velvet,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15or sometimes poorer people would have made out of mouse skin,
0:18:15 > 0:18:20and they would be cut into the shapes of hearts, stars, diamonds,
0:18:20 > 0:18:24and they would be placed on the scars on your face.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26These were made in England.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31Originally, they were made in gold and beautifully enamelled,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33and terribly expensive.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36But that was really the reserve of the very, very rich.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39And other people wanted to copy the fashion,
0:18:39 > 0:18:44so consequently, these lovely little boxes were enamelled on copper.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48And you can see on this one, which is very badly damaged, sadly,
0:18:48 > 0:18:52the enamel coming away and the copper at the base.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56They were very often given as love tokens.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58Now, this one says on top says,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01"This trifle pleads my constant love."
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Sadly, I had to buy this for myself,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05it wasn't given to me as a love token.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09What distinguishes these from snuff boxes
0:19:09 > 0:19:11is the fact that there is a mirror inside.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15And you would use that to strategically place your patch.
0:19:16 > 0:19:21Something in this condition, which is fairly poor,
0:19:21 > 0:19:25I think you could still buy this for well under £50.
0:19:25 > 0:19:31Now, this one here is another patch box in much better condition.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34This, because it's in better condition,
0:19:34 > 0:19:36I think would have a value of £100-£200,
0:19:36 > 0:19:38but in perfect condition
0:19:38 > 0:19:43they would get something between £200-£400 at auction.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45But they are very fragile, easily knocked,
0:19:45 > 0:19:47and the enamel is easily broken.
0:19:47 > 0:19:53This one says on top, "Look without and think on me.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56"Look within my love you'll see."
0:19:56 > 0:19:58That is just so sweet.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02I think these are gorgeous.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04The word "enamel" derives
0:20:04 > 0:20:09from the old German word "smelzan", "to smelt".
0:20:09 > 0:20:12It's made by fusing powdered glass to a base material
0:20:12 > 0:20:13such as metal or glass.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17And then it's fired in a controlled environment.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20In the late 18th century,
0:20:20 > 0:20:24the proximity of Birmingham's metal producers
0:20:24 > 0:20:25and the glassworks of Stourbridge
0:20:25 > 0:20:28made one Black Country town a leader in this craft.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Bilston, on the south-east tip of Wolverhampton,
0:20:33 > 0:20:36became world-famous for enamelling.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39And today it holds a special place
0:20:39 > 0:20:42in the heart of expert Elizabeth Talbot,
0:20:42 > 0:20:44as it's where her mother grew up.
0:20:47 > 0:20:48The origin of what I do
0:20:48 > 0:20:51really stems, magically, from the enamels of Bilston,
0:20:51 > 0:20:55because I grew up surrounded by people who collected and loved them.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01As I've got older, I suddenly realised I needed to know more
0:21:01 > 0:21:04about these beautiful things for my own benefit, too.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12I'm here today at Bilston Craft Gallery to meet with John Grayson,
0:21:12 > 0:21:14who is an enamel craftsmen.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16We've got a lovely selection here in front of us.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19- May we have a closer look at some of them?- Yeah.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21The candlestick is particularly interesting because,
0:21:21 > 0:21:25in its nature, it's got to be quite a large object.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27But the technology of the time
0:21:27 > 0:21:31only allowed them to fire relatively small objects.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33So that's a very good tip for collectors -
0:21:33 > 0:21:36the early pieces would be produced in smaller sections
0:21:36 > 0:21:40- because they hadn't got the capacity to make a bigger pieces.- Yeah.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43We've got some patch and snuff boxes at the front.
0:21:43 > 0:21:48That's a very good example of transfer printing.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51White-coated enamel transfer put on, fired on.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53My two favourites
0:21:53 > 0:21:55are the dog and the bird.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59- I really love the sculptural form of those and the painting.- Uh-huh?
0:21:59 > 0:22:04And with my own work I try to emulate those forms and shapes,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07just bring them into the contemporary age
0:22:07 > 0:22:10by putting kind of contemporary images
0:22:10 > 0:22:14intertwined with these traditional shapes and patterns.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Enamelled goods are a huge area for collectors
0:22:25 > 0:22:30and beginners will find it easy to pick up boxes for about £70.
0:22:30 > 0:22:35Larger objects and more unusual pieces can reach four figures.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38If you're keen on contemporary examples,
0:22:38 > 0:22:41the simple transfer-printed works are more affordable
0:22:41 > 0:22:43than the labour-intensive hand-painted ones.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48John has offered to show Elizabeth how it's done.
0:22:49 > 0:22:55The first stage is putting some coats of enamel onto the metal surface.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57The metal is copper?
0:22:57 > 0:23:00Yep, and in Georgian times they would have used copper as well.
0:23:00 > 0:23:05The enamel, in simple terms, is coloured glass ground down in water.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08- Right.- And we're just going to give it a shake.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10SHE LAUGHS
0:23:10 > 0:23:11- Certain wrist action there!- Yes.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14And that's just to basically mix it up, OK?
0:23:16 > 0:23:17And I've got a container.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20As you can see it's quite thick,
0:23:20 > 0:23:24- like double cream.- It looks like custard from here. Delightful!
0:23:25 > 0:23:30I'm going to pick that up. Try and keep my fingers off it so it's clean
0:23:30 > 0:23:32and literally dip it in.
0:23:33 > 0:23:34Let it drain off.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Just going to put it on top of the kiln to dry out.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45If you put it straight in the kiln
0:23:45 > 0:23:47at 800 degrees centigrade,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50it's going to make the water boil instantly
0:23:50 > 0:23:54and at best you'd have a textured surface.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59The heat from the kiln soon dries it out.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Then it's going to go straight into the middle of the chamber.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09My goodness.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12- So that's 800 degrees in there.- Yep.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15- And you can see that the temperature is dropping on the kiln.- Oh, yes.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19So we're waiting for that to come back up to temperature again,
0:24:19 > 0:24:21which will take a couple of minutes.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23It depends on the size of the piece.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28Drum roll!
0:24:31 > 0:24:32Oh, my goodness!
0:24:32 > 0:24:37And there you can see that the colours have actually changed.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40It's changing in front of my eyes. How amazing.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42The colour is going to be quite muted anyway
0:24:42 > 0:24:45- because of the contamination from the copper.- Right.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48But if you look at the edges where the enamel is a bit thicker,
0:24:48 > 0:24:50you can see that that's what it will be like
0:24:50 > 0:24:52with the multiple coats all over.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56- How many coats would that take? - Probably about five.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01John has carefully coated one for the next stage.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04Applying a transfer.
0:25:04 > 0:25:09- The colour is still enamel, so it's glass.- On the transfer?- Yeah.- Really?
0:25:09 > 0:25:15But it's ground much more finely and it's put in oil rather than water.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20In the Georgian time they used to print onto tissue paper
0:25:20 > 0:25:23and then, when it's fired, the paper would burn away,
0:25:23 > 0:25:27leaving the enamel pigment on the surface.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Yes.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31So you can see now it's loose...
0:25:31 > 0:25:33Oh, yes, on the slide, yes.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38You can see how thin that coat is.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41- It's a bit like putting on a contact lens.- Yes.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43And that's going to go onto the surface...
0:25:45 > 0:25:48- ..of the enamel.- Do you want to do that one or do I...?
0:25:48 > 0:25:52- You can have a go if you want. If you put it straight down...- Oh!
0:25:52 > 0:25:56OK. You can see, because the shape is irregular
0:25:56 > 0:26:00and the print is flat, at first it doesn't want to go down,
0:26:00 > 0:26:05but this is where the stretchiness of the transfer comes in.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07So you can actually start to stretch it to shape.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14- It's coming, isn't it?- Yep. - It's slowly getting there.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19Some Georgian enamel boxes,
0:26:19 > 0:26:21they just put a print on it,
0:26:21 > 0:26:25but the more elaborate ones would either be painted over the top...
0:26:25 > 0:26:30- And coloured in.- In effect, yeah, like a very, very posh drawing book!
0:26:32 > 0:26:36Or painted directly onto that first coat.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38So, having seen it completed to this level,
0:26:38 > 0:26:41do you have any that you've already painted and decorated in colours?
0:26:41 > 0:26:42Yes.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Well, these two you might be interested in.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48That's one unpainted, just with the transfer.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51- So that's the same stage we've just reached.- Exactly, yeah.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54- But then just stopped at that point.- Right.- OK.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58And then this one shows a classic example of how
0:26:58 > 0:27:02I would then overpaint over the top. So this lady, again,
0:27:02 > 0:27:05was a transfer print, exactly the same.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09But you can see there's colour has been added to it, painted on.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13Like you would paint normally, but it's ground-down glass,
0:27:13 > 0:27:17- rather than normal paint. - So do you use very fine brushes?
0:27:17 > 0:27:21- Very, very, very fine, yeah. - It's exquisite work.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23It's wonderful to meet somebody who has brought this
0:27:23 > 0:27:27method of production and decoration into the 21st-century,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30but in very honest and traditional ways. So, thank you for your time.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32- Thank you very much.- It's lovely!
0:27:36 > 0:27:39I shall go away and re-look at the enamels again
0:27:39 > 0:27:41with far more satisfaction and understanding
0:27:41 > 0:27:43than I even had before today.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57Still to come on today's show,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Philip slips up on some tiles.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03You know, they're not hugely valuable.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05On 40, on 50. Keep going.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07I meet a couple with a flair
0:28:07 > 0:28:10for decorating their Edwardian time-capsule home.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13- It's like a mini museum! - THEY LAUGH
0:28:13 > 0:28:17And some Victorian embellishment drives James potty.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20I mean, really, it's vandalism in the extreme.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31Now, figurines are usually purely decorative,
0:28:31 > 0:28:35but closer inspection may reveal some hidden secrets,
0:28:35 > 0:28:36as Mark explains.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Well, this cheeky little chappie is quite important to me
0:28:40 > 0:28:43because I don't normally collect things
0:28:43 > 0:28:46that mention a town or a city or anything,
0:28:46 > 0:28:48but first of all I fell in love with the object.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51It's a little flask, a spirit flask.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53The hat comes off here
0:28:53 > 0:28:55and then you put your favourite tipple in there -
0:28:55 > 0:28:58a bit of gin, or a bit of rum, or whatever it is.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00And you've got this rather portly gentleman -
0:29:00 > 0:29:03so maybe it's for port, actually - sitting on a bar stool,
0:29:03 > 0:29:08looking jolly happy with himself in his bright-yellow tail coat.
0:29:08 > 0:29:13But then if you look at the bottom it says, "In the bar at Brighton".
0:29:13 > 0:29:17And as I live in Brighton and I'm rather partial to a drink -
0:29:17 > 0:29:19but I don't wear such outlandish clothes -
0:29:19 > 0:29:21I just think he's rather wonderful.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24Mass-produced, German, about 1910 or so.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26But I've never seen one,
0:29:26 > 0:29:29and a lot of people I know who like collecting Brighton memorabilia
0:29:29 > 0:29:30haven't seen one either.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33So he's quite a rarity as well as being an oddity.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35And I hope, when I'm his age,
0:29:35 > 0:29:40I'll be sitting on a bar stool with my glass, chin-chinning everybody.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48When we speak about the decorative arts,
0:29:48 > 0:29:50we're normally referring
0:29:50 > 0:29:53to the design and the manufacture of functional objects.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56Now, most of what we see at a Flog It! valuation day
0:29:56 > 0:30:00falls into this category - your unwanted household items.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04So, how can you spot good decorative design?
0:30:07 > 0:30:12In every case, it's always the quality that shines out.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14So, if you have a piece of marquetry furniture,
0:30:14 > 0:30:18where there's an exquisite design in the surface of the piece,
0:30:18 > 0:30:20then that's where the value lies.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22If you're looking at silver,
0:30:22 > 0:30:24an emerging area I would suggest
0:30:24 > 0:30:27is the wonderful 1970s designs of Stuart Devlin.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32Great designer, innovative, very much of the era, of the period.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36His work is always signed, because you get a set of hallmarks.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38So, you get that lovely mark stamped in there.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40They are rising in value rapidly.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44Don't be influenced by other people.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Because somebody else thinks something is wonderful,
0:30:47 > 0:30:51don't feel that you need to think it's wonderful as well.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53Be individualistic with your tastes.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56Functional doesn't have to be dull.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58Some vases that Michael found
0:30:58 > 0:31:01at a valuation day in Portsmouth in 2012
0:31:01 > 0:31:03were certainly not dull.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05The vases were obviously Chinese,
0:31:05 > 0:31:08which is flavour of the month at the sale rooms.
0:31:08 > 0:31:13I spotted you in the queue with these marvellous vases.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16They have the signs that we look for in the trade
0:31:16 > 0:31:19of private ownership, continuous private ownership.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21- Do you know what that sing is?- No.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24- It's specks of white emulsion. - Ah.- All over them!
0:31:24 > 0:31:27Cos people never used to cover up,
0:31:27 > 0:31:30- they just used to do the painting, and you'd get splatters.- Yes.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33- They scream Chinese.- Right.
0:31:33 > 0:31:38But very, very early form of Chinese vessel.
0:31:38 > 0:31:44This shape would date back possibly 2,500 to 3,000 years.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46These are end of the 19th century.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49- Oh, right!- They're about 1870,
0:31:49 > 0:31:51- up to about 1900.- Really?
0:31:51 > 0:31:53I didn't think they'd be that old.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55We've got cloisonne decoration.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57'With cloisonne, you will have wires'
0:31:57 > 0:31:59that you apply to a body,
0:31:59 > 0:32:03although they can be cast in place when an object is more robust.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07In this case, these are quite moderate quality.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11You get little pop marks where the glass hasn't quite filled up,
0:32:11 > 0:32:14- but they've still smoothed it off.- I see.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18Let's be cautious and say £80-120,
0:32:18 > 0:32:22and let's put a fixed reserve of £70 on them.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24They won't go for any less than that.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31They're a good-looking pair of vases that could brighten up the home
0:32:31 > 0:32:33and come in handy.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37- What did your grandmother put in them?- Those huge...
0:32:37 > 0:32:40- Remember those huge feathers?- Yeah. - Sort, I suppose, '70s, late '70s?
0:32:40 > 0:32:44- I know the ones.- She used to have those.- Yeah, bright colours.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47- Which is a good look, really. - It is, for an interior designer.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50Here we go. Let's find out what the bidders think.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54Lot 540 - the Chinese copper vases.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56£50... £50, surely.
0:32:56 > 0:32:5850 I have. And 5.
0:32:58 > 0:33:0255. 65? 70? At £65...
0:33:02 > 0:33:04Oh, we need a bit more than that.
0:33:04 > 0:33:05We do, I'm afraid.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08- At £65...- Maybe they needed the feathers in them.
0:33:08 > 0:33:1065, then, all done.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14- Not sold, I'm afraid. - Sorry about that.- Never mind.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16Look on the bright side, it's not a chest of drawers -
0:33:16 > 0:33:18- you don't have to drag that home, do you?- No.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22I was surprised they didn't sell,
0:33:22 > 0:33:25because I think they might have even scrapped out as bronze
0:33:25 > 0:33:30for the low estimate, but they were the lowest quality of that type.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Objects with a use generally find a buyer,
0:33:36 > 0:33:41but with highly decorated pieces, taste is a bigger consideration.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43Clearly, this pair didn't hit the spot on the day.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48Functional antique silverware
0:33:48 > 0:33:50is a firm favourite of the "Flog It!" tables.
0:33:50 > 0:33:54We see a huge quantity of cutlery, tea sets and plates,
0:33:54 > 0:33:58all with a variety of decorative features to delight the eye.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02Of all the things I was expecting to find in Worcester today,
0:34:02 > 0:34:05it wasn't a George I solid-silver coffee pot.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Is this something you're using still today?
0:34:08 > 0:34:09No, I've never used it.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11I was a licensee for many years,
0:34:11 > 0:34:15and one day a customer came in and it was that colour all over.
0:34:15 > 0:34:16It was absolutely black.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18He said, "Jim, I'm short of cash."
0:34:18 > 0:34:22I said, "Oh, really. How much?" He said, "I want £100 for it."
0:34:22 > 0:34:25- £100, a lot of money. - It was a lot of money, I thought.
0:34:25 > 0:34:26But there you are.
0:34:26 > 0:34:31As soon as you find and you see a piece of 18th-century silver,
0:34:31 > 0:34:35you think, "Wow, fantastic, let's talk about this."
0:34:35 > 0:34:40It's that typical George I shape, tapered cylindrical,
0:34:40 > 0:34:43domed cover, spire finial.
0:34:43 > 0:34:44Look at that panelled spout.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47It goes right the way down to halfway down the coffee pot,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50and it's got what's called a skirted base.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52That's a classic Georgian style.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55But... Here's the but...
0:34:55 > 0:34:57This decoration...
0:34:57 > 0:34:59Imagine you're sitting in a Victorian house
0:34:59 > 0:35:00and all your friends
0:35:00 > 0:35:03are having these up-to-date rococo-style coffee pots.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05You don't want to buy a new one,
0:35:05 > 0:35:08so you emboss and decorate something you already have.
0:35:08 > 0:35:14That was made in 1720 but all of this was done in 1860, 1870.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Banging it around to try and make it more fashionable...
0:35:19 > 0:35:23I mean, really, it's vandalism in the extreme.
0:35:23 > 0:35:28To try and put flowers and scrolls and emboss all these silly things
0:35:28 > 0:35:32onto something that was just beautiful when it was made...
0:35:32 > 0:35:33Urgh.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37If it had been plain, undecorated,
0:35:37 > 0:35:39you'd be looking at around £1,000.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43But it's not. Let's put a conservative estimate on it.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46If we put 300-500...
0:35:47 > 0:35:48All right?
0:35:48 > 0:35:51The difference between Georgian and Victorian taste
0:35:51 > 0:35:55was writ large in this poor, tampered-with coffee pot.
0:35:55 > 0:35:56Did the bidders mind?
0:35:57 > 0:36:01Lot 355 is the 18th-century coffee pot.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03200 bid for that.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06210, 220, 230, 240, 250...
0:36:06 > 0:36:08Gosh, it's climbing fast.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11270, 280, 290, 300 bid.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13At £300...
0:36:13 > 0:36:16Straight up to the lower estimate.
0:36:16 > 0:36:17Is there any more?
0:36:18 > 0:36:20At £300, and I sell.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22At £300 and done...
0:36:22 > 0:36:24Thank you.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26Yes, the hammer's gone down. It was a good deal, wasn't it?
0:36:26 > 0:36:28Very good. One of my better deals.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31- One of your better deals. - There was a profit.
0:36:31 > 0:36:36Why the Victorians couldn't just make their own things
0:36:36 > 0:36:40and start with a lump of silver and make something themselves...
0:36:40 > 0:36:42Why they had to continuously go back
0:36:42 > 0:36:46and mess up something that was perfectly good, I really don't know.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51Jim's coffee pot provides a lesson for us all.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54Ornamentation can be a blessing to a piece,
0:36:54 > 0:36:59but if it isn't authentic, it can also turn off purist collectors.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03Just as the Victorians disliked
0:37:03 > 0:37:06the Georgian taste for simple, classic lines,
0:37:06 > 0:37:09today's buyers don't always appreciate
0:37:09 > 0:37:11a piece of quality craftsmanship from the past.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16It's in remarkably good condition. 19th century.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19- 1850s, 1860s, something like that. - Oh, right.
0:37:19 > 0:37:21It's what we call Bohemian glass.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24Bohemian glass, because it comes from that part of the world.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27I think it would have held something in it, certainly.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31It's too big to be unused.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35I think it certainly would have had a water, a tonic, something in it.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37What happens is...
0:37:37 > 0:37:40the glass is blown,
0:37:40 > 0:37:42and it's a clear glass.
0:37:42 > 0:37:46Then this red ruby you can see around it
0:37:46 > 0:37:48is flashed over the glass.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50So, the clear glass is blown
0:37:50 > 0:37:52and then it's dipped in a ruby glass
0:37:52 > 0:37:54and taken out immediately.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57It's then shaped and left to cool.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59Then, how does the decoration get made?
0:37:59 > 0:38:03The wheel engraver comes off and takes away the ruby,
0:38:03 > 0:38:08to leave what we see now, and it creates an effect, a 3D effect.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12It is very difficult to achieve that 3D effect,
0:38:12 > 0:38:15years and years of knowing... Because once you do something,
0:38:15 > 0:38:17you can't rub it out.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20You're taking away rather than adding.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24Each side has an architectural building on it.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28Austro-Hungarian, something like that. So that Middle European.
0:38:29 > 0:38:30'Karlsbad in the Czech Republic'
0:38:30 > 0:38:35certainly has lots of these Bohemian glasses in there,
0:38:35 > 0:38:37which have these scenes on them.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40They are quite collectible, and I would feel disappointed
0:38:40 > 0:38:44if you didn't get between £120 and £180.
0:38:44 > 0:38:49Lot 272, Bohemian ruby flashed and engraved decanter.
0:38:49 > 0:38:5385, 90, 95, 100.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55£100 now, selling at 100.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57Got you at 100. Are we all done?
0:38:57 > 0:38:59At £100 now.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04- It was a struggle.- Sold on the reserve.- It sold on the reserve.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08We see so much Bezak, Troika and Whitefriars,
0:39:08 > 0:39:11and now something quality comes along, wonderfully made...
0:39:11 > 0:39:14And much cheaper than Bezak and Troika.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16Much cheaper and much rarer.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19- But, you know, maybe not so fashionable...- It's fashion.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21Yeah, we're in the fashion business.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23How collectible is it these days?
0:39:23 > 0:39:25You know, I think we'd be hard pushed to make £100 on it now,
0:39:25 > 0:39:27to be candid.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29I think this would go really well in a bathroom.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32Many decorative objects are more subject
0:39:32 > 0:39:36to the vagaries of fashion than purely functional ones,
0:39:36 > 0:39:39regardless of their quality and craftsmanship.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42That said, some pieces never go out of style.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45Catherine Southon spotted some timeless items
0:39:45 > 0:39:47at a valuation day in Hampshire.
0:39:47 > 0:39:51I was given them by my granddad in 1994.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54As far as I know, they were an engagement present
0:39:54 > 0:39:55for my nan and granddad.
0:39:55 > 0:40:00When I saw their quite simple shape and the vibrant colours,
0:40:00 > 0:40:04I thought that they were probably 1930s Art Deco.
0:40:05 > 0:40:06And when I found out
0:40:06 > 0:40:10that her relatives were engaged in the '20s, '30s period,
0:40:10 > 0:40:12then that did all make sense.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16What I like about them is that they are in lovely condition
0:40:16 > 0:40:18and they are glass.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20From a distance they may look ceramic,
0:40:20 > 0:40:23and indeed I thought they were ceramic first of all,
0:40:23 > 0:40:25but as you see them, they are actually made from glass.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28And they look to have been painted on the reverse of glass,
0:40:28 > 0:40:31so this is the glass on the outside, but underneath that,
0:40:31 > 0:40:34that's where they've been painted.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36Which was great because it means from the outside
0:40:36 > 0:40:39you couldn't really damage them, they couldn't be scratched.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41And the colours on them, these have all been hand-painted,
0:40:41 > 0:40:43they were absolutely beautiful.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47They're really lovely, soft blues for the butterflies
0:40:47 > 0:40:49and the vibrant red dragon.
0:40:49 > 0:40:54They're really well done and rather beautiful.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58And also, they've got a lovely clear stamp on the bottom
0:40:58 > 0:41:01that tells us that they were made in Stourbridge.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05Stourbridge glass is one of the...best in the world.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07I mean, it's amongst the best in the world.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09This goes back centuries,
0:41:09 > 0:41:13but the real Stourbridge glass which we associate with the name
0:41:13 > 0:41:15goes back to the 19th century
0:41:15 > 0:41:18when there's lots of different factories working in that period.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21The lids aren't in such good condition,
0:41:21 > 0:41:23these do look a little bit tarnished.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26But nonetheless, you seem to have looked after them.
0:41:26 > 0:41:27Oh, absolutely, yeah.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31They put £200 to £300 on these caddies.
0:41:34 > 0:41:39£100. And 10. 110. 120. 130. 140.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41Right up at the top - 150.
0:41:41 > 0:41:45They didn't really, in my opinion, reach their full potential.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48And I would have liked to have seen them make £300.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50I mean, they were a trio, which is unusual.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54At £150 for the very last time.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57- Right on the reserve. They've gone.- That's fine.
0:41:57 > 0:42:01The lids were quite tarnished, so maybe that put some people off,
0:42:01 > 0:42:04but generally speaking, I mean, they were fab.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07I agree, those caddies would add a glorious splash of colour
0:42:07 > 0:42:09to any kitchen shelf.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13I must say, I have never seen tea caddies like them before.
0:42:13 > 0:42:14For a piece of Art Deco design
0:42:14 > 0:42:17which usually sells for pretty high prices,
0:42:17 > 0:42:20they were most certainly bargains.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22Dawn, where do you reckon the expression,
0:42:22 > 0:42:25"A night on the tiles comes from"? Hey?
0:42:25 > 0:42:27A collectible that combines
0:42:27 > 0:42:30functional and decorative appeal like no other
0:42:30 > 0:42:33is the communal garden ceramic tile.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35How many of these have you got?
0:42:35 > 0:42:39- About 30.- And this is just a sample. Where are they from?
0:42:39 > 0:42:41- Have you been knocking somebody's fireplace apart?- No.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44They was in my nan's house, we moved them from a fireplace,
0:42:44 > 0:42:47and then when I got them home I didn't know what to do with them,
0:42:47 > 0:42:49so I put them in the loft.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53I think these date from around the Art Nouveau period.
0:42:53 > 0:42:57And that's typified... If you think of Charles Rennie Mackintosh,
0:42:57 > 0:43:01if you think of those stylised Art Nouveau flowers on vases,
0:43:01 > 0:43:04they look very much like that, don't they?
0:43:04 > 0:43:06See, I do like some tiles,
0:43:06 > 0:43:10and I like early Delft tiles that are blue and white
0:43:10 > 0:43:15and relate perhaps to, you know, I don't know, 1700, 1740,
0:43:15 > 0:43:18but for me, these were just a little bit Victorian,
0:43:18 > 0:43:20and I've got to admit,
0:43:20 > 0:43:24the Victorian era actually sort of doesn't do it for me too much.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27They're not hugely valuable.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31I think they're worth between 75 and perhaps a couple of quid apiece,
0:43:31 > 0:43:32which is £20 to £40.
0:43:32 > 0:43:35- I don't think we need to put a reserve on, do you?- No.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38They're not going to make a great deal, are they?
0:43:38 > 0:43:40What will you do if I make 20, 30 quid, is that...?
0:43:40 > 0:43:42I want to send me daughter to Australia.
0:43:42 > 0:43:44- To Australia?- Yep. To meet her uncle.
0:43:44 > 0:43:47I don't think she's going to get to the bus station on these.
0:43:47 > 0:43:49- Every little helps.- Absolutely.
0:43:50 > 0:43:53Did these prove to be famous last words?
0:43:55 > 0:43:5730 glazed ceramic tiles.
0:43:57 > 0:44:0130 quid, straight in. 30. 32. 35. 38.
0:44:01 > 0:44:03You in? 40. 45.
0:44:03 > 0:44:0450. 55. 60.
0:44:04 > 0:44:06At 60 now.
0:44:06 > 0:44:105 on the net. 70. 75. 80. At 80.
0:44:10 > 0:44:1285. 90.
0:44:12 > 0:44:14Keep going. 95. 100.
0:44:14 > 0:44:15This is exciting.
0:44:15 > 0:44:18110. 120. At 120.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21I can only assume someone spotted something we missed.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25150. 160. 170.
0:44:25 > 0:44:27Keep going.
0:44:27 > 0:44:29200 now. The net at 200. 220.
0:44:29 > 0:44:31240.
0:44:31 > 0:44:33At £240. Look at that picture again,
0:44:33 > 0:44:35internet bidders, and bid.
0:44:35 > 0:44:37260.
0:44:37 > 0:44:41At £260. Back on the net at 280.
0:44:41 > 0:44:46At £280 now. I sell at 280. Anybody else?
0:44:47 > 0:44:49Dawn, you've got to be over the moon with that?
0:44:49 > 0:44:50It's amazing.
0:44:50 > 0:44:52Cos we were all going to settle for 30 to 40 quid -
0:44:52 > 0:44:54no reserve, we didn't care.
0:44:54 > 0:44:56Perhaps not all the way to Australia,
0:44:56 > 0:44:59but a bit further than the bus stop, eh, Philip?
0:44:59 > 0:45:02The £1 apiece, that was clearly silly.
0:45:06 > 0:45:10Perhaps it's easy to overlook tiles
0:45:10 > 0:45:12as no more than something to be walked on.
0:45:12 > 0:45:17But there's clearly a market for the rarer and more collectible varieties
0:45:17 > 0:45:18of this most commonplace item.
0:45:18 > 0:45:23- Oh, that is wonderful.- £550.
0:45:24 > 0:45:26So what is their appeal?
0:45:26 > 0:45:28These were works of art as well.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31They were mass-produced like bricks for houses,
0:45:31 > 0:45:33but they were tube-lined, they were engraved, they're embossed,
0:45:33 > 0:45:39so many techniques of decoration in something just so functional.
0:45:39 > 0:45:45I used to collect tiles myself until my mean wife made me sell them all.
0:45:45 > 0:45:49If you're in the market for tiles, what should you be aware of?
0:45:49 > 0:45:51Look for good-condition ones
0:45:51 > 0:45:56and be prepared to pay quite healthily for proper tiles.
0:45:56 > 0:45:59You can pay several hundred pounds for an individual tile
0:45:59 > 0:46:02if the design is correct and the maker is important enough.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05If you've got a name on a tile, anything like that,
0:46:05 > 0:46:09if it's particularly decorative, arty, then it's going to sell well.
0:46:10 > 0:46:13Here's a name to look out for - Minton.
0:46:13 > 0:46:1711 Minton tiles are going under the hammer right now. Quality.
0:46:17 > 0:46:18Great ceramics.
0:46:18 > 0:46:21£280, that's 30 quid over top end.
0:46:22 > 0:46:24Minton pottery began producing ceramic tiles
0:46:24 > 0:46:27during the Industrial Revolution.
0:46:27 > 0:46:31Both for exterior use on roofs and for inside the home
0:46:31 > 0:46:33on floors, walls and furniture.
0:46:36 > 0:46:41During the Victorian period, the use of decorative tiles exploded.
0:46:43 > 0:46:44As all the big names in pottery
0:46:44 > 0:46:47wanted a piece of this lucrative action,
0:46:47 > 0:46:50ceramic tiles were produced in their millions
0:46:50 > 0:46:53throughout the 19th century.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56To this day, millions of homes across Britain
0:46:56 > 0:47:00boast tile porches, hallways and fireplaces.
0:47:00 > 0:47:01In the early 20th century,
0:47:01 > 0:47:05the use of tiles in architecture reached new heights.
0:47:05 > 0:47:07London's famous Michelin building,
0:47:07 > 0:47:10now a swanky Chelsea restaurant,
0:47:10 > 0:47:13astonished the world with its exuberance
0:47:13 > 0:47:15when it opened for business in 1911.
0:47:15 > 0:47:19At another London landmark, Harrods,
0:47:19 > 0:47:22visitors to the food hall can still see a sumptuous display
0:47:22 > 0:47:24of Royal Doulton tiles
0:47:24 > 0:47:27designed in 1902 by William Neatby.
0:47:31 > 0:47:35More recently, tiles have moved from being seen as functional items
0:47:35 > 0:47:37to wonderful works of art, in their own right.
0:47:39 > 0:47:42This probably dates back to the 1960s and 1970s
0:47:42 > 0:47:47when there was a revival in interest in Victoriana and Art Nouveau.
0:47:49 > 0:47:50At the turn of the century,
0:47:50 > 0:47:55the Arts And Crafts movement began to champion the production of tiles.
0:47:55 > 0:47:59Look for William De Morgan - he is without a shadow of a doubt
0:47:59 > 0:48:03the most interesting decorator of tiles that I know of.
0:48:03 > 0:48:05His work was produced in the late 19th century,
0:48:05 > 0:48:10the early 20th century, wonderful deep red, lustrous decorations
0:48:10 > 0:48:13of exotic birds, sea galleons,
0:48:13 > 0:48:15serpents, really wonderful things.
0:48:17 > 0:48:20Nick Hall is not the only fan of William De Morgan.
0:48:22 > 0:48:27He was a close associate of William Morris and the Pre-Raphaelites,
0:48:27 > 0:48:32so he was at the very centre of the art world and the craft world
0:48:32 > 0:48:37at the end of the 19th, beginning of the 20th century.
0:48:37 > 0:48:41And he rediscovered the lost techniques
0:48:41 > 0:48:46of the making lusterware of the Middle East.
0:48:46 > 0:48:52Now, we can see this in this little tile of a galleon in full sail
0:48:52 > 0:48:56and this was one of his very common motifs.
0:48:56 > 0:49:00We see this red, a ruby lustre,
0:49:00 > 0:49:04and what this gives us is depth in the colour,
0:49:04 > 0:49:09an iridescent quality which is very, very beautiful.
0:49:09 > 0:49:14He also made huge murals composed of many different tiles
0:49:14 > 0:49:17of galleons in full sail.
0:49:17 > 0:49:21And these are just a wonder to be hold.
0:49:22 > 0:49:25If you're hoping to spot a William De Morgan tile,
0:49:25 > 0:49:28familiarise yourself with his designs.
0:49:28 > 0:49:31There's an array of different marks that you can look at,
0:49:31 > 0:49:34you can learn, so a little bit of knowledge,
0:49:34 > 0:49:36a little bit of research, you can get ahead of the game
0:49:36 > 0:49:39and buy one that's worth twice as much as some of the others.
0:49:39 > 0:49:43If you're unlucky you might unearth a gem.
0:49:43 > 0:49:47In the room, the bid at 2,600.
0:49:48 > 0:49:502,650.
0:49:50 > 0:49:55- All done. - That is incredible. £2,650.
0:49:55 > 0:49:58- Even I am sitting down now. - Absolutely amazing.
0:49:58 > 0:50:01Look for De Morgan, study him, find him,
0:50:01 > 0:50:03build a collection, and I think you'll earn money.
0:50:03 > 0:50:07One single De Morgan tile bearing this chameleon design
0:50:07 > 0:50:13was sold at auction in 2013 for nearly £9,000.
0:50:14 > 0:50:16If your pockets aren't deep,
0:50:16 > 0:50:20there are plenty of tiles by other makers to tempt you.
0:50:20 > 0:50:23Even if you can't afford enough to cover your bathroom wall,
0:50:23 > 0:50:25you'll still have a lovely array of artworks.
0:50:33 > 0:50:35When you think of decorating a house,
0:50:35 > 0:50:39heavy industry doesn't immediately spring to mind.
0:50:39 > 0:50:41I went to Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria
0:50:41 > 0:50:46to see how people decked out their homes in Edwardian times.
0:50:46 > 0:50:47This is Vickerstown,
0:50:47 > 0:50:51built especially to house the local shipyard workers.
0:50:52 > 0:50:56A house like this is typical of the type a foreman would have enjoyed
0:50:56 > 0:51:00and, thanks to its current owners, who have lovingly restored it,
0:51:00 > 0:51:02we can see what life was like
0:51:02 > 0:51:04back in the early 1900s in Vickerstown.
0:51:11 > 0:51:15- And here are the couple, Russ and Nicola.- Hello.- Pleased to meet you.
0:51:15 > 0:51:18- Pleased to meet you too.- What a talented couple as well.- Thank you.
0:51:18 > 0:51:20This is so impressive.
0:51:20 > 0:51:24Just by first impressions, it's like a mini museum.
0:51:24 > 0:51:27- It really is, but the whole house embraces you as well.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:51:27 > 0:51:30- Attention to detail!- Yeah...
0:51:30 > 0:51:33- Or spots of it.- Who's it down to? - It's both of us.
0:51:33 > 0:51:35- We both have got a good eye for things.- Definitely.
0:51:35 > 0:51:38- We both know the same things. - We both like the same things.- OK.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41Well, obviously, this was very fashionable, this look,
0:51:41 > 0:51:42in the early 1900s.
0:51:42 > 0:51:46It reminds me of William Morris. You've got the whole theme going on.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49How did this come about? You obviously bought the house...
0:51:49 > 0:51:51- You're local anyway. You were born and bred here.- Yeah.
0:51:51 > 0:51:54It was very old and dilapidated when we got in.
0:51:54 > 0:51:57- Yeah, all the fencing had collapsed.- It was crying out...
0:51:57 > 0:52:00- ..to be loved, really.- Yes. - It was just in a desperate...
0:52:00 > 0:52:03So, obviously, you had to renovate it, but were the skirting boards
0:52:03 > 0:52:05and the architraves and the cornices here?
0:52:05 > 0:52:08- No, I put all them in myself. - You're a carpenter by trade.
0:52:08 > 0:52:11Yes, I served my time in the yard as a carpenter.
0:52:11 > 0:52:15That's really taking it back to sort of where, in the early 1900s,
0:52:15 > 0:52:19you would have been working in the shipyard, living here,
0:52:19 > 0:52:20maybe as a foreman carpenter,
0:52:20 > 0:52:22going to work, and here you are now.
0:52:22 > 0:52:25Yeah. Maybe we've lived here before, then.
0:52:25 > 0:52:27- Yeah, this could be our second life.- Ooh, spooky.
0:52:27 > 0:52:30How do you take this house, though, into the millennium?
0:52:30 > 0:52:34- What's the kitchen like? I mean... - Well, come and have a look.- OK.
0:52:37 > 0:52:39Oh, wow.
0:52:39 > 0:52:42- Nice.- Very nice! I like the AGA. Obviously you cook on it.
0:52:42 > 0:52:47Yeah, we do. Just about. We heat things on it.
0:52:47 > 0:52:49THEY LAUGH
0:52:49 > 0:52:52So how has this changed? What have you done in here?
0:52:52 > 0:52:55Originally, it used to be a small kitchen, half-and-half,
0:52:55 > 0:52:56and the bathroom, downstairs bathroom.
0:52:56 > 0:53:00- So there was a toilet, bath and sink.- You've moved that upstairs?
0:53:00 > 0:53:03- We've taken that upstairs now. - So, where are the white goods?
0:53:04 > 0:53:08- Well, if you look into that cupboard there.- Can I look in your cupboard?
0:53:08 > 0:53:11- You certainly can.- Oh, yeah. Look at that. A fridge-freezer.
0:53:11 > 0:53:13- Well hidden away.- Microwave...
0:53:13 > 0:53:16Microwave and toaster under there. And underneath...
0:53:16 > 0:53:20Everybody's got to do some washing, so there's the washer and dryer.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23- They're all the boring bits. - Great, though, isn't it?
0:53:23 > 0:53:27The most recent one we've done, though, is the bedroom.
0:53:27 > 0:53:29So that's probably the favourite one at the moment.
0:53:29 > 0:53:31We've probably done the best job of our bedroom.
0:53:40 > 0:53:44- So this is our favourite room at the moment.- Great colours again.
0:53:44 > 0:53:48- Nice, isn't it? Really rich and warm.- Yes. Is it all original?
0:53:48 > 0:53:53- Most of it is, yes.- Windows? - Windows are. Fireplace is original.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56- There's obviously one obvious thing that's not...- Look at that cornice!
0:53:56 > 0:53:59- I know.- We made a little mistake but we think we've got away with it.
0:53:59 > 0:54:02- THEY LAUGH - That is a bit OTT, isn't it?
0:54:02 > 0:54:04- Yeah, it is. - But, hey, it's a bedroom.
0:54:04 > 0:54:06- Yeah, it looks great. - It's nice and rich.
0:54:06 > 0:54:09- Thank you so much for showing me around.- You're welcome.
0:54:09 > 0:54:11It's great. It's a trip back in time.
0:54:11 > 0:54:14- Thank you very much.- It's been a pleasure having you, showing it off.
0:54:20 > 0:54:22This may not be to everyone's taste,
0:54:22 > 0:54:26but if you have a passion for a particular period of decoration,
0:54:26 > 0:54:28it's amazing what you can do.
0:54:36 > 0:54:40Decoration can apply as much to the person as to the house.
0:54:40 > 0:54:43Now, at a valuation day in Bath back in 2012,
0:54:43 > 0:54:46a flash of blue caught my eye.
0:54:48 > 0:54:51Oh, wow! Oh. Hey, look. Look.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55You'd have to give me a lot of money for them.
0:54:55 > 0:54:57This is totally out of my league.
0:54:57 > 0:54:59I wouldn't have a clue what I'm talking about here,
0:54:59 > 0:55:03but I can appreciate that they're beautiful. I love the enamelling.
0:55:03 > 0:55:07'I bought the cuff links in the belief that they were 1919,'
0:55:07 > 0:55:08that's when they were made.
0:55:08 > 0:55:11Actually, they were made in 1950. Big difference.
0:55:11 > 0:55:14If I go off and get it a quick...
0:55:14 > 0:55:17Shall I say, off-the-cuff, valuation...
0:55:17 > 0:55:19THEY LAUGH
0:55:19 > 0:55:22Working away off camera are lots of Flog It! valuers,
0:55:22 > 0:55:25and I've asked Sophie Hutton to take a look at Stephen's cuff links.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28OK, let's just say they haven't got a lot of age.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31- Let's say they're, what, 1950s, 1960s?- Yes.
0:55:31 > 0:55:35I would think, at auction, you'd be looking at...easily 400 to 600.
0:55:35 > 0:55:37Well, there was a fine quality to them.
0:55:37 > 0:55:39You know, 14 diamonds, blue enamel.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42They looked like Faberge, almost.
0:55:42 > 0:55:44They weren't, sadly.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46This will go on the phone or online. Here we go.
0:55:46 > 0:55:51A pair of Russian diamond-set blue enamel cuff links. 340, 360...
0:55:51 > 0:55:53There's a commission bid, look. He's looking down on the book.
0:55:53 > 0:55:56420, 440.
0:55:56 > 0:56:00£420. Fresh bidder in on 420. Anyone else?
0:56:00 > 0:56:02They're just selling, aren't they, over the reserve?
0:56:02 > 0:56:06- Good bargain.- £420.- Yes. I think it's a bargain.
0:56:06 > 0:56:11I will still look for a pair that were made and hallmarked in 1919.
0:56:14 > 0:56:16If anyone can find them, Stephen can,
0:56:16 > 0:56:19with 23 years of hunting under his belt,
0:56:19 > 0:56:22he's amassed an astonishing collection
0:56:22 > 0:56:24of over 2,000 pairs of cuff links.
0:56:25 > 0:56:27My journey with cuff links began
0:56:27 > 0:56:30when I'd just been appointed into a junior management role
0:56:30 > 0:56:32in the mining industry
0:56:32 > 0:56:35and I ended up with a French cuff
0:56:35 > 0:56:38and the need for a pair of cuff links.
0:56:38 > 0:56:41And then I found, "Ooh, I'm wearing a blue tie today,
0:56:41 > 0:56:45"and a blue pocket square," because I liked to be dapper in those days,
0:56:45 > 0:56:50many years ago, so I would go out and buy a blue pair of cuff links.
0:56:50 > 0:56:52Anyhow, it just took off.
0:56:54 > 0:56:57Cuff links go back to 1662 at least,
0:56:57 > 0:57:02when Charles II married Catherine of Braganza
0:57:02 > 0:57:05and some cuff links were made for that occasion.
0:57:05 > 0:57:08I'd love to come across a pair of those.
0:57:12 > 0:57:15I think it's real fun collecting cuff links,
0:57:15 > 0:57:18and wearing them, of course, because I want to wear my collection.
0:57:20 > 0:57:24I've got some cuff links that are absolutely solid gold, really heavy.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27I bought them from the auction
0:57:27 > 0:57:31when they cleared out the home of Agatha Christie, the author.
0:57:31 > 0:57:36Special ones like this are, I think, 1960s.
0:57:36 > 0:57:40They're gold and it's 14 sapphires with one diamond,
0:57:40 > 0:57:42and what's unique about these
0:57:42 > 0:57:45is they belonged to the man with short, fat, hairy legs -
0:57:45 > 0:57:49Ernest Wiseman, or Ernie Wise as we knew him, out of Morecambe & Wise.
0:57:49 > 0:57:51So they're quite special,
0:57:51 > 0:57:53because I've got short, fat, hairy legs as well.
0:57:56 > 0:57:59If you want to be finely dressed and look dapper,
0:57:59 > 0:58:03then cuff links are the finishing touch. They're easy to collect.
0:58:03 > 0:58:07Lots of antique fairs and shows, bric-a-brac shops,
0:58:07 > 0:58:09and there's a value to some of them as well,
0:58:09 > 0:58:11so it's a long-term investment.
0:58:13 > 0:58:17When I want to sell some, it'll be a trip to New York.
0:58:17 > 0:58:21They fetch a good price in New York, I've noticed.
0:58:21 > 0:58:24Go for it. Be smart. Get smart.
0:58:28 > 0:58:30It's always a joy to meet a collector,
0:58:30 > 0:58:33and Stephen's clearly passionate about his subject.
0:58:33 > 0:58:36Now, if you fancy trying your hand at a bit of buying and selling,
0:58:36 > 0:58:39then join us again soon for more Trade Secrets.