0:00:06 > 0:00:09In over a decade on "Flog It!" we've valued
0:00:09 > 0:00:11thousands of your antiques and collectibles,
0:00:11 > 0:00:12and we've helped you sell them
0:00:12 > 0:00:16in auction rooms all over the British Isles.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19And during that time, we've learnt a great deal about the items
0:00:19 > 0:00:21that are passed through our hands.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24- A great thing to have on "Flog It!"- Thank you so much.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27In this series, I want to share some of that knowledge with you,
0:00:27 > 0:00:32so sit back and enjoy, as our experts divulge their trade secrets.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05There are certain things that turn up
0:01:05 > 0:01:10time and time again at our valuation days, like items of silver,
0:01:10 > 0:01:13snuff boxes, Clarice Cliff, Royal Doulton - we love them all.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17But then there are the more unusual things you bring in.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21Rarities that sometimes defy valuation.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24And they certainly create a buzz amongst the "Flog it!" Team.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27In today's programme, we'll be celebrating the rare
0:01:27 > 0:01:31and the extraordinary, and shedding some light on their mystery.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34On today's show, surprises for Charlie.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36What?
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Christina finds something unusual down a rabbit hole.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41Rare as hen's teeth.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44And I'm blown away by some astonishing sales.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46I'm not joking - listen!
0:01:46 > 0:01:48Two thousand three, anyone else?
0:01:48 > 0:01:50And Adam discovers a very rare and valuable book
0:01:50 > 0:01:53hidden in a soup packet...
0:01:53 > 0:01:54My jaw dropped.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57..which gets the international market in a bidding frenzy.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00160,000, 170,000...
0:02:05 > 0:02:08Time and time again we find that rarity can add a premium to the
0:02:08 > 0:02:10value of an object.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Poor condition and damage can be trumped by something that is
0:02:13 > 0:02:15rarely seen, so how do we know
0:02:15 > 0:02:18when we've got something that's extremely unusual?
0:02:18 > 0:02:20And where is the best place to start looking?
0:02:22 > 0:02:24If I'm looking round an antiques fair
0:02:24 > 0:02:27and I see something I don't know, I love buying them.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30Because it's where you learn about things,
0:02:30 > 0:02:32sometimes it turns out to be quite an interesting thing.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37More often than not, of course, it turns out to be nothing at all.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41But if you get that wee sort of buzz from it,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43that feeling that it might be something,
0:02:43 > 0:02:47then it is occasionally worth having a go at it.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49You can always do your research afterwards.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53It's always worth taking a punt on something,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56because if you don't know what it is, perhaps the person who's
0:02:56 > 0:02:58selling doesn't know what it is,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01and it might well be that little secret find.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05But identifying that secret find
0:03:05 > 0:03:09- something that's unusual or even rare - isn't always easy.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11That's where our experts come in.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15Experts like Charlie Ross, who discovered that a big surprise
0:03:15 > 0:03:17awaited him in a small package.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19I'm expecting to find a carriage clock in here,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22there's a little button that releases the top.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24What you can do is leave it in here
0:03:24 > 0:03:27and still have the benefit of the clock itself,
0:03:27 > 0:03:32as it is, just by pulling that panel up there, isn't that neat?
0:03:32 > 0:03:33Very nice.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36'The size was exciting,'
0:03:36 > 0:03:40because most carriage clocks are...let's say,
0:03:40 > 0:03:44that size, and this was a miniature one, half size.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46And also, what I didn't know of course,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49until I took it out the box,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52was those wonderful pietra dura panels on it.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54Pietra dura - "hard stone",
0:03:54 > 0:03:57literally translated from the Italian,
0:03:57 > 0:04:01they are panels from Italy, and I think it's absolutely sweet.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05'Pietra dura are pieces of rock put together rather like a jigsaw
0:04:05 > 0:04:10'and glued together, so you don't see the joints, the glue,'
0:04:10 > 0:04:13so the skill is in the cutting - rather like a jigsaw puzzle -
0:04:13 > 0:04:18to make sure that one bit fits exactly into the next.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22I can see that there is a little bit of damage on the back panel here.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25That's an expensive job to do.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Somebody doing this will need to repair that, otherwise, bit by bit,
0:04:28 > 0:04:32the pieces of stone will fall out and you'll be left with nothing.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35But the side panel is absolutely perfect. I think it's worth...
0:04:35 > 0:04:39Well, it would be worth 3-500 all day long in perfect condition,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42I really think 2-300 is the right estimate,
0:04:42 > 0:04:46and the auctioneer should work hard on this because it'll certainly be,
0:04:46 > 0:04:48even if he's got six carriage clocks in his sale,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51the best carriage clock in his auction.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54Charlie was obviously charmed by such an unusual piece,
0:04:54 > 0:04:56but would rarity outweigh damage?
0:04:56 > 0:05:01- £2-300 put on this by our expert Charles here.- Spot on.
0:05:01 > 0:05:02It's going under the hammer now.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Pretty little late 19th century carriage clock,
0:05:05 > 0:05:09- and significant interest... - Ooh, good.- Great!
0:05:09 > 0:05:12- The lowest commission bid is £500. - What?!
0:05:12 > 0:05:16I was quite bowled over when the auctioneer opened the bidding
0:05:16 > 0:05:19and said, "I have commission bids here" and whatever he said,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22"600 - 50, 700 - 50."
0:05:22 > 0:05:25And there wasn't a bid in the room!
0:05:25 > 0:05:28£750 is what I have with me, may I say £800?
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Is there 800 in the room?
0:05:31 > 0:05:36With me and to be sold then, all happy, at £750...
0:05:36 > 0:05:40Straight in and straight out, blink and you'll miss it. £750, Richard!
0:05:40 > 0:05:45I was astonished by the price. I think the rarity was the thing.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48In hindsight, how many miniature carriage clocks have
0:05:48 > 0:05:50I seen with pietra dura panels?
0:05:50 > 0:05:52The answer is very few,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54and therefore there's an extra premium, over and above
0:05:54 > 0:05:59the extra cost of making the object is the rarity value.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Go for something unusual!
0:06:02 > 0:06:07It seems a rare design or size can sometimes matter more than damage.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10But if you have an unusual object in pristine condition,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12you really could hit the jackpot.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17Christina came across some objects she wished she'd had
0:06:17 > 0:06:20the pocket for. A rare collection that marked the very early
0:06:20 > 0:06:22beginnings of a very well-known maker.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26You've absolutely made my day bringing these in.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29I have seen these in books before, but never in real life,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32- do you know how rare they are? - No.- Rare as hen's teeth.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36- Oh!- Or should we say, as rare as a rabbit teapot.- Great, absolutely.
0:06:36 > 0:06:42The designs were developed by a nun called Barbara Vernon.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46Now, she was the daughter of a man called Cuthbert Bailey,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49who was one of the managers at Royal Doulton.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51Her father, in 1934, decided that he wanted
0:06:51 > 0:06:53to produce a line of nurseryware for Royal Doulton,
0:06:53 > 0:06:58and his first idea for a designer was to go to his daughter,
0:06:58 > 0:07:00because her drawings were so endearing,
0:07:00 > 0:07:02she used to make her animals into caricatures.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05- This is the end result.- How lovely.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08- These are also the precursors to the Bunnykins.- Yes.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10So it all links together,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13and these are just a Bunnykins collector's dream.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17They really are the first Bunnykins figures, if you like,
0:07:17 > 0:07:21but in a utilitarian teapot, creamer and sugar bowl.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23The Bunnykins range are very collectable,
0:07:23 > 0:07:25they're still being made now,
0:07:25 > 0:07:27and they have crossed the 20th century,
0:07:27 > 0:07:28cos you get very early Bunnykins,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31which were taken from the original sketches of animals,
0:07:31 > 0:07:35and now you get Bunnykins which are wearing helmets and space hats,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38so they really have grown with the generations.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41So let's have a little look to confirm my suspicions,
0:07:41 > 0:07:44we'll take the cover off there, look at the bottom.
0:07:44 > 0:07:45Yes, lovely mark there,
0:07:45 > 0:07:49Royal Doulton mark with the Bunnykins either side,
0:07:49 > 0:07:53great that we've got that, collectors are going to love that.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57When the war came, 1939, production stopped,
0:07:57 > 0:08:03- and it never started again, so these are incredibly rare.- Good grief!
0:08:03 > 0:08:06- We do have a problem with this, don't we?- Yes.
0:08:06 > 0:08:07The sugar bowl, we've got
0:08:07 > 0:08:11a crack that runs from the rim right down through the body.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13That is going affect the value,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16collectors want them in absolutely mint condition.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20I think perhaps at auction, I still think it will fetch
0:08:20 > 0:08:22- something in the region of £5-700. - Right.
0:08:25 > 0:08:26Damage worries me, but...
0:08:26 > 0:08:29We're going to find out, because this is our lot, here we go.
0:08:29 > 0:08:34Bunnykins three-piece tea set, somebody bid me £800 for it.
0:08:34 > 0:08:35- Oh, gosh.- Wonderful!
0:08:35 > 0:08:39- 850, 880, 900...- They are rare.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42..980, 1,000 - and 50, any more?
0:08:42 > 0:08:43At 1,050 - 1,100.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48There's the bid at 1,100 - 1,150,
0:08:48 > 0:08:511,200, 1,250, 1,300.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56- 1,350, 1,400...- £1,400.
0:08:56 > 0:09:02At 1,400 then, there's the bid, and I sell at £1,400, done, thank you.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05Well, £1,400, the hammer's gone down.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09- I'm shaking, I've learnt something. - Bunnykins.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Bunnykins, that's where the future is.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14The sugar bowl had a crack,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17which I was incredibly worried about at the time, but I think
0:09:17 > 0:09:20because it was such an early set,
0:09:20 > 0:09:22and because Bunnykins collectors do want those early pieces
0:09:22 > 0:09:27and there are so few around, in that instance it really did not
0:09:27 > 0:09:29matter hugely that there was a little bit of damage.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Once again, the bidders decided to overlook
0:09:33 > 0:09:37the state of repair for the pleasure of owning a rare prototype.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Bunnykins have bred prolifically since the 1930s,
0:09:40 > 0:09:42and there are plenty to choose from.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45But keep an eye out for rare pieces
0:09:45 > 0:09:47like Mother, Billy and Farmer Bunnykins.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49If they're in tiptop condition,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52they can change hands for around £1,500.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Let's not pretend it's easy to find something very rare.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00After all, there's not much of it around!
0:10:00 > 0:10:04But there are things you can do to improve your chances.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Find a traditional collection with a more unusual theme,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10like this most enchanting set I came across by Britains,
0:10:10 > 0:10:14one of the leading manufacturers of lead toys since the 19th century.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20I've not seen this particular set before. The gardening set.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22- Really?- It's fantastic.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26The condition, I've got to say, is 100% perfect.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29It's absolutely fantastic.
0:10:29 > 0:10:34And what I love is you've even got the little glycerine bags,
0:10:34 > 0:10:39look, and it says "Geranium" on there. "15 Plants".
0:10:39 > 0:10:41And that's two pence, that little packet,
0:10:41 > 0:10:45which you could buy separately. I'm going to tip that out.
0:10:45 > 0:10:50Look at all those little geraniums in there! Isn't that brilliant?
0:10:50 > 0:10:52You can pick one up and they pop...
0:10:54 > 0:10:55..into the soil.
0:10:55 > 0:11:02I'm going to put it into auction with an estimate of £180 to £250,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05but in no way let them go any cheaper than that,
0:11:05 > 0:11:07because these are quite rare.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10It was not only delightful but rare,
0:11:10 > 0:11:13and, in a triple whammy, was in great condition.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15So I knew this would have buyer-appeal,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18and so did auctioneer Will Axon.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Most of the time at the auction house,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23when toys are brought in, certainly lead toys, it is
0:11:23 > 0:11:27usually soldiers, cars, or vehicles, or figures, that sort of thing.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31It's not as usual to see a gardening set come through the door.
0:11:31 > 0:11:36And I've got interest here, where? At 130, 140. I'm bid 150.
0:11:36 > 0:11:41At 150, I'm bid, on commission. 150. 160. 170. 180. You're in now.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45- 180 in the room. At 180. 190. Fresh blood.- Come on.- 200.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49- 220. 240...- We've sold it. - ..280. 300.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53320. 340. I shall sell them at 340.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56All done at 340?
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Hammer's gone down, Eric. Well done.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Some Britains sets are very collectable.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05I mean, the standard sets that you get coming through the sale, maybe
0:12:05 > 0:12:09six figures in these long boxes, can make £200, £300 regularly.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Then if you start getting into rare figures,
0:12:12 > 0:12:15you've got a Flying Corps box set, which includes a little
0:12:15 > 0:12:20zeppelin and so on, I think one of those sold for £3,000.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24And Salvation soldiers, again, is a very rare set,
0:12:24 > 0:12:28and I think another set at auction did sell for £8,000.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Quite astounding, isn't it? What someone will pay to buy back
0:12:31 > 0:12:34that childhood that perhaps they never had?
0:12:34 > 0:12:38This is a great example of how a classic collection
0:12:38 > 0:12:41with a twist on a theme can be hugely desirable.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44But this was nothing compared to the extraordinary collection
0:12:44 > 0:12:46Kate Bliss found in 2009.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50- Which is your favourite here? Which one do you like best?- Gosh.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53Um, I've got to say this one, I think.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57There's just something about him. He's a proper little character.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01He is, isn't he? That's what strikes me about all of these.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03They've all got their personalities,
0:13:03 > 0:13:05their quirkiness, if you like.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09Let's look at these two quirky figures first because, if you look
0:13:09 > 0:13:13- closely, as you can see, on their hats, there's a little mark.- Right.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15An F and an M.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19And they stand, those two initials, stand for Fernand Martin,
0:13:19 > 0:13:21who was French.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24They're never in very good condition, his characters,
0:13:24 > 0:13:28because they were made from scrap metal that was
0:13:28 > 0:13:32scavenged from the streets of Paris, literally. So those are interesting.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Then we have three very different ones here,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38and if you go a little way across Europe from France,
0:13:38 > 0:13:39you come to Germany,
0:13:39 > 0:13:43and these three are by one of the best-known German manufacturers
0:13:43 > 0:13:47of toys at that moment, a company called Ernst Lehmann.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50And one of the characteristics of the toys produced by the firm
0:13:50 > 0:13:54were the bright colours they used, and the lithographed designs.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56We can see that, I think, beautifully,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59on the wheels of this cart here.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01So what about value? This lovely collection?
0:14:01 > 0:14:05- All in all, you've got several hundred pounds here.- Right.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07And I think with the right collectors at the auction,
0:14:07 > 0:14:11- they could significantly surpass my estimates.- Lovely.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15Bashed about a bit, but would that bother the collectors?
0:14:16 > 0:14:19I love these tin-plate toys. I know the condition's poor
0:14:19 > 0:14:22on some of them, but who cares, because they're early ones.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Let's find out what this lot in the room think, shall we? Here we go.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33Lot 734. We have to open the bidding at 500...
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Oh, late bids for this.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37£680.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41- £680.- Straight in at 680!
0:14:41 > 0:14:43Be still, my beating heart.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48'Be still, our beating hearts. These tin characters flew out the door.'
0:14:48 > 0:14:49420.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54'We could hardly believe what was happening, as the bids went up
0:14:54 > 0:14:56'and up.'
0:14:56 > 0:14:57I'm not joking. Listen.
0:14:57 > 0:15:002,300 anywhere else? Finished?
0:15:02 > 0:15:052,200... Do you know something?
0:15:05 > 0:15:08That's taken us to a total of £4,990.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11Just under five grand.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13Give us a hug! Come on!
0:15:13 > 0:15:16I'm totally gobsmacked. Absolutely gobsmacked.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20Nearly five grand for those clockwork tin-plate toys.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23Didn't matter about the condition. The collectors loved them.
0:15:23 > 0:15:24They were so rare.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28'We realised these were special, but not quite how special.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31'Luckily for Stephanie, the collectors knew.'
0:15:31 > 0:15:34We're always telling you on Flog It! about the importance
0:15:34 > 0:15:37of condition, but inevitably, there are exceptions.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41Those marvellously eccentric tin figures were so unusual that our
0:15:41 > 0:15:44mantra of "condition, condition, condition"
0:15:44 > 0:15:46was thrown out the window.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49for me, the fact that they were a little bit battered
0:15:49 > 0:15:51really did add to their charm.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57So what else can you do to have a better chance of finding rare
0:15:57 > 0:15:59and unusual items?
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Get to know the field you're interested in
0:16:02 > 0:16:05so you can understand the history and the story.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08And then you'll know what's ubiquitous and what's rare.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10Collectors will pay a premium for their favourite
0:16:10 > 0:16:12collectable in a rare size or colour.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17It can be challenging and very exciting to look for prototypes
0:16:17 > 0:16:21and experimental pieces by a well-known designer.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24These can be very sought-after by the aficionados.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28But you'll need to make sure you have some
0:16:28 > 0:16:30evidence of its provenance.
0:16:30 > 0:16:35So look out for marks or documentation to prove its pedigree.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38And remember that while damage can be a turn-off it may be
0:16:38 > 0:16:41overlooked if a piece is of such exceptional rarity,
0:16:41 > 0:16:47quality or historical value that a collector just has got to have it.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49So when you see something truly individual,
0:16:49 > 0:16:51keep something in mind that the wear and tear can be
0:16:51 > 0:16:56part of its charm, and might well add to its value.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Like you, our experts are great rummagers in their pursuit
0:17:03 > 0:17:06of finding interesting antiques and collectables,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09and Caroline Hawley is no exception.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12And occasionally, her rummaging throws up something
0:17:12 > 0:17:13rather intriguing.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18I found this about 30 years ago in a box of junk,
0:17:18 > 0:17:20probably at an auction sale,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23and I had absolutely no idea what
0:17:23 > 0:17:25it was, except for the fact
0:17:25 > 0:17:30that the missing part of it was inside it.
0:17:30 > 0:17:35Now, this is made of pottery, no maker's mark on it at all.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37It is probably Staffordshire pottery. It's got a hole
0:17:37 > 0:17:40at the bottom of it. It's got a little bit of damage here.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45And if we lift it up, it has got a hinged metal lid,
0:17:45 > 0:17:47complete with holes pierced in the top,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50and you open it up...
0:17:50 > 0:17:55- And it closes like that.- 'So what is it, Caroline?'
0:17:55 > 0:17:57So, here's the answer.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59It's a toothbrush holder.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03Taylors Drug Company Ltd, The Special.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06And by golly it is. It's enormous.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10And it pops into the toothbrush holder just like that,
0:18:10 > 0:18:13keeping your toothbrush clean and healthy for another day.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Since he joined the Flog It! team back in 2003,
0:18:20 > 0:18:24Adam Partridge has grown in stature from the rather overconfident
0:18:24 > 0:18:26young chap of those early days...
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Everything I touch turns to sold.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Yes, I remember that. The Midas touch thing.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34..to the mature auctioneer of today.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37And I can start the bidding at £100,000.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40We've come to know and love Adam as a man of many parts, and
0:18:40 > 0:18:44one of his myriad of interests is religious paraphernalia, so you can
0:18:44 > 0:18:48imagine his delight when something extraordinary fell into his lap.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56I have a great interest in Judaica.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59I think this boils down to, perhaps, right back to my childhood.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03I'm half Polish, so I think there's a slight connection there,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05and I grew up in a very musical background,
0:19:05 > 0:19:07so I met lots of Jewish violinists
0:19:07 > 0:19:11and I was in Jewish houses, and I felt part of the whole culture,
0:19:11 > 0:19:15and it all evolved that we started doing a Judaica sale.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18So we've got a very big auction tomorrow with a very
0:19:18 > 0:19:21good representation of Judaica in it.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25Judaica refers to the ceremonial art that Jewish people use
0:19:25 > 0:19:29in their rituals in synagogue or in the home, and Adam's brought
0:19:29 > 0:19:34in for sale a wide variety of pieces relating to various festivals.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37One of the most important of these is Passover, where Jews
0:19:37 > 0:19:41retell the story of Moses from the book called Hagadah.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44They also sample symbolic food from a special dish,
0:19:44 > 0:19:46and Adam had a fine example.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Oof! Solid silver. I'm not faking this.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53It's extremely heavy, about 200 ounces of silver.
0:19:53 > 0:19:58It depicts Moses, here, parting the Red Sea, which is
0:19:58 > 0:20:01very symbolic for the Passover festival anyway.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05And these alcoves or recesses are where the various items of foods
0:20:05 > 0:20:07would have been placed.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10It's designed by a very famous
0:20:10 > 0:20:15sculptor, really, George Weil. 1979.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20So, not antique, as such, but George Weil is major name in the art world.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Comes also with a matching cup, the Cup of Elijah, here,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26and our estimate's only £1,000-£1,500.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29I actually drove about 200 miles to go and get these from a customer.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32I think they are going to make towards £3,000,
0:20:32 > 0:20:36but we'll see what happens when they come under the hammer.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Apart from all these wonderfully-interesting things here,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42we've got extra special. Something that was found in really, really,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45unusual circumstances and is going to be extremely
0:20:45 > 0:20:47valuable and important.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53I don't take much time off work.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56I'm a real workaholic. I'll do all hours.
0:20:56 > 0:21:01I get home late at night and I took a week holiday. One week!
0:21:01 > 0:21:05And these clients of ours phoned up and Bill went out.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09- Normally, it would have been me. - He was sunning himself
0:21:09 > 0:21:13and I found myself up in north Manchester.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15I was being toured around the house.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18The lady just kicked along this box,
0:21:18 > 0:21:22along the floor, and said, "Well, there's a box of Jewish books there.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25"Is there anything in there?" And this was the box, itself.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29A chicken soup box. Rummaging around in it,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32perhaps the most modest-looking is this little manuscript.
0:21:32 > 0:21:38But on leafing through it, I opened it up, and it is quite apparent
0:21:38 > 0:21:42that someone with a very skilled hand has created this.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46When Adam returned from his holiday, the first question he asked was...
0:21:46 > 0:21:50"Anything good come in while I was away?" He presented me with this.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55And my jaw dropped. Neither of us knew exactly what it was.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59I'm not pretending that we would be experts straight away, but we both
0:21:59 > 0:22:02had the instinct, I suppose, the gut feeling, to know that it was
0:22:02 > 0:22:06something very important and worth investigating further.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Bill and Adam's hunch was right. This wasn't any old manuscript,
0:22:13 > 0:22:17but a rare Passover Haggadah, by Aaron Wolf, the chief Jewish scribe
0:22:17 > 0:22:22of the Imperial Library, working in Vienna in the early 18th century.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24It was an incredible find.
0:22:26 > 0:22:27At that point,
0:22:27 > 0:22:32I took it out to certain Jewish colleagues of mine,
0:22:32 > 0:22:36mainly in north Manchester and that is how I came up also
0:22:36 > 0:22:38seeking Dr Wise's advice about it.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46Dr Yaakov Wise, an historian at the Centre for Jewish Studies
0:22:46 > 0:22:48at the University of Manchester, examined the book.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56This is a very rare survivor. It's a hand-illuminated
0:22:56 > 0:23:01and illustrated Haggadah from the middle of the 18th century.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05It was written in Pressburg, which is now called Bratislava,
0:23:05 > 0:23:10and it is an example of the finest-quality Haggadah that has been
0:23:10 > 0:23:12made in the last two or three hundred years.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17Jewish families value their simple Haggadahs,
0:23:17 > 0:23:20much like people might have a family Bible.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23But most have no financial value, which makes this hand-written
0:23:23 > 0:23:29and hand-painted work, created in 1727, quite extraordinary.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32So this was always a, sort of, premium example, I suppose?
0:23:32 > 0:23:34One that was just for the very wealthy?
0:23:34 > 0:23:39It would have been very, very expensive when it was made.
0:23:39 > 0:23:40If you think about it,
0:23:40 > 0:23:44the text has got to be hand-written, the illustrations have got to be
0:23:44 > 0:23:49hand-drawn and hand-illuminated and, if we look at one of the...
0:23:49 > 0:23:52- The illustrations are wonderful, aren't they?- Yes.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54Here, we have got the story
0:23:54 > 0:23:58- of the baby Moses, about to be put in the river.- Do you think that
0:23:58 > 0:24:01Aaron Wolf did both the calligraphy and the drawings?
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Well, we don't know, actually. It was quite common on those days
0:24:04 > 0:24:07to have a partnership between a Jewish scribe and a Christian artist.
0:24:07 > 0:24:12- Ah.- Because there were very few, if any, trained Jewish fine artists
0:24:12 > 0:24:14of that period.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18- So, if you look at this page, which is Moses...- Wonderfully detailed.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22..petitioning Pharaoh. This is medieval costume and the scenery,
0:24:22 > 0:24:28the buildings, are all medieval - some, possibly, Christian artist's
0:24:28 > 0:24:33- idea of what Jews would look like, but using medieval costume.- Right.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35Could you tell me a bit more about Aaron Wolf,
0:24:35 > 0:24:40- the scribe and calligrapher here? - He was one of the top scribes
0:24:40 > 0:24:42in 18th-Century Europe.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46He was employed by the best families, the most wealthy families,
0:24:46 > 0:24:50- such as the Oppenheimers, for whom this Haggadah was written.- Right.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53The Oppenheimers married into the Rothschild family,
0:24:53 > 0:24:55because, as we say in Yiddish,
0:24:55 > 0:24:59- money goes to money.- And in a very famous name, of course.- Yes.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03And I suspect that it moved across Europe with the Rothschilds.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Having survived the Napoleonic Wars, the upheavals in Germany
0:25:06 > 0:25:09in the 19th century, the First World War,
0:25:09 > 0:25:13apparently, it arrived in Belgium just before the outbreak of
0:25:13 > 0:25:17- the Second World War.- It's amazing to think what events this has survived,
0:25:17 > 0:25:21- what its seen over almost 300 years of its existence.- Yes.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24So, Belgium at the beginning of the Second World War?
0:25:24 > 0:25:28And it, apparently, came to England in 1940.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Over 100,000 Jews fled Germany
0:25:30 > 0:25:34and Austria in the two years before the outbreak of World War II,
0:25:34 > 0:25:38heading for safety across Europe, America and the former Palestine
0:25:38 > 0:25:42- and taking only their most treasured possessions.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45Dr Wise thinks the owners of this precious Haggadah
0:25:45 > 0:25:48may have kept it concealed on the way to Britain.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Once here, it remained with a distant relative,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55who apparently had no idea of its significance.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59How do you feel having this so close?
0:25:59 > 0:26:04It's exciting, because, you know, you never come across...
0:26:04 > 0:26:08People have loved their whole lifetimes and never come across
0:26:08 > 0:26:14a Haggadah of this quality and this age and this significance.
0:26:14 > 0:26:15In terms of value, we've put
0:26:15 > 0:26:19an estimate on it of £100,000-£150,000 -
0:26:19 > 0:26:21an awful lot of money. What really makes it so valuable
0:26:21 > 0:26:25and how many people do you think would be actually interested in it
0:26:25 > 0:26:27at that, sort of, level of price?
0:26:27 > 0:26:33Well, it's extremely rare, it's probably one of the five or six
0:26:33 > 0:26:36- oldest Haggadot in Europe.- Gosh.
0:26:36 > 0:26:41- I would like to see it go to a museum.- I agree with you.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44I think it would be lovely for it to end up in a museum.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47I'd quite like to go and visit it again one day.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52We have, encouragingly, had some interest from the Jewish Museum
0:26:52 > 0:26:55in Vienna, which I think would be particularly appropriate.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59Exactly. That is where first used, in Vienna. That is a very good idea.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08There is a lot riding on it and a lot of pressure on us all, as well.
0:27:08 > 0:27:09But with a sale like this,
0:27:09 > 0:27:13we have to trust our research and, ultimately, trust in the object.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17It is a wonderful, wonderful, thing to be offering for auction.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20I ma quite sure it will achieve a superb price.
0:27:21 > 0:27:26Just what price exactly? We'll find out a little later.
0:27:31 > 0:27:36Coming up, Philip plays the guessing game over a mystery object...
0:27:36 > 0:27:39- What is it?- I brought it along for someone to tell me what it was.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42Our experts do some detective work...
0:27:42 > 0:27:45- So, smuggling.- It's so intriguing.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49And the sale of that rare Jewish manuscript leaves Adam overcome.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54What I love about Flog It! is that, much as we love them,
0:27:54 > 0:27:58it's not all about antiques! Sometimes the buzz can come from
0:27:58 > 0:28:02the mysteries that surround the things and places all around us
0:28:02 > 0:28:04and are even in the very landscape.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12I've brought you here to Greatstone, near Dungeness, to show you these -
0:28:12 > 0:28:15the strange-looking concrete structures
0:28:15 > 0:28:18that lie abandoned at the edge of a waterlogged gravel pit.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22They look like early forms of abstract art, but they are not.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25They played a significant part in the history
0:28:25 > 0:28:27of Britain's defence system.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32After the First World War, the biggest threat to Britain's security
0:28:32 > 0:28:36was from the air. What the country needed was an operational edge -
0:28:36 > 0:28:40a way of pin-pointing incoming enemy bombers before they reached
0:28:40 > 0:28:43the English coast. The old system relied on sight, using spotters
0:28:43 > 0:28:45with binoculars.
0:28:49 > 0:28:5230 enemy aircraft over the Channel, flying due west.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56But it wasn't effective at night or in bad weather conditions.
0:28:56 > 0:29:01The solution lay with one man, Lieutenant William Tucker.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04Tucker had spent much of the First World War in trenches,
0:29:04 > 0:29:08using listening devices to search out enemy locations.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11By the 1920s, he decided to apply the same listening techniques
0:29:11 > 0:29:15to the skies. The result was a series of concrete structures,
0:29:15 > 0:29:20like these, along the South Coast. They reflected the sound waves
0:29:20 > 0:29:24of incoming aircraft onto carefully-placed microphones.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29And various sound mirrors survive, dotted along the South Coast,
0:29:29 > 0:29:33but this is the only place you can see all three designs side by side.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38To explain how the work, I've come to meet Owen Leyshon,
0:29:38 > 0:29:43who is warden for the Dungeness National Nature Reserve.
0:29:43 > 0:29:47- Owen, hiya.- Hello.- Pleased to meet you and thanks for meeting today.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50- These are absolutely fabulous. - Brilliant, these sound mirrors.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53- How does the technology work? - Well, it's pointing
0:29:53 > 0:29:57out into the English Channel, it's collecting soundwaves from
0:29:57 > 0:30:01- the enemy aircraft or potential enemy aircraft.- Yep.- So you had a guy
0:30:01 > 0:30:04standing where I am, with a sound trumpet, pointing back
0:30:04 > 0:30:08in to the 20-foot dish, so he has got his back to the sea.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10He would have a stethoscope on
0:30:10 > 0:30:13and he's moving that trumpet around, trying to get a bearing
0:30:13 > 0:30:17of where the aircraft is. And, remember, with this one,
0:30:17 > 0:30:20- it is very, very...- It's very vertical.- It's vertical, indeed.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24- So...- It's almost picking things up that are low. not way up there?
0:30:24 > 0:30:27So, if the planes were coming in very high, they were in trouble.
0:30:27 > 0:30:32What they did then was designed the 30-foot mirror.
0:30:32 > 0:30:37They tilted the dish higher up into the sky, to get the higher aircraft
0:30:37 > 0:30:39as they were coming in.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42- Can I go and look at the big one? - Let's go and have a look.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45- It's amazing, isn't it? How big is that?- That's 200 foot.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51Incredible size when you get up to it, isn't it?
0:30:51 > 0:30:54- Very impressive.- 200 feet. - Indeed, yes.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57Concave lengthways, but also vertically, as well.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00I can see that when you look at the edges.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02How does this one work?
0:31:02 > 0:31:05You have got a set of microphones in a big arc around the forecourt
0:31:05 > 0:31:09of this 200-foot mirror. And you would have had a guy in the office,
0:31:09 > 0:31:12- out this window up here. - I'm so pleased they are still here.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14This is a real eye-opener for me.
0:31:14 > 0:31:20- What was the down side? - Radar came along in the late 1930s,
0:31:20 > 0:31:23so, quickly, the range they could pick up the aircraft
0:31:23 > 0:31:27was much better than these sound mirrors and they became obsolete
0:31:27 > 0:31:30- quite quickly. Impressive structures. - They are, aren't they? Yeah.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33I'm pleased they are here today. I really am.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38These structures do stand as a monument to a man whose work
0:31:38 > 0:31:42was to have a profound effect on the outcome of World War II.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46The communications systems that Tucker developed between his mirrors
0:31:46 > 0:31:50and HQ were so effective that it was copied by the radar team
0:31:50 > 0:31:52and led directly to their success.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04The world of antiques and collectables
0:32:04 > 0:32:08is full of rare and limited editions and stories of lost works
0:32:08 > 0:32:12by famous painters. And it is not unusual for you to bring in to one
0:32:12 > 0:32:17of our valuation days, something that we have not seen before,
0:32:17 > 0:32:20yet we know all about it. But every now and then, you present us
0:32:20 > 0:32:22with something shrouded in mystery.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29An item with a bit of mystery is always appealing.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31If it is something that we don't know about
0:32:31 > 0:32:37or something that we can't quite see or something that we can't quite
0:32:37 > 0:32:40- understand. - You do get the odd mystery item,
0:32:40 > 0:32:43I suppose, when you just don't know what it is.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46It's lovely, actually, when that goes into the saleroom,
0:32:46 > 0:32:49because the key thing is somebody might know what it is
0:32:49 > 0:32:50and they could be incredibly rare.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53When Philip Serrell came across a mystery item,
0:32:53 > 0:32:57he thought it was time to play his own form of parlour game.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59What's in there, then?
0:32:59 > 0:33:02I brought it along for someone to tell me what it was.
0:33:02 > 0:33:07It came from my father, presumably came down to him from somebody else
0:33:07 > 0:33:11- in the family, but it's always been a mystery.- It might still be!
0:33:11 > 0:33:13'When I first opened that box,'
0:33:13 > 0:33:16you didn't know what was in there and those strange little objects.
0:33:16 > 0:33:20And it's really, in a way, a process of elimination.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22Your first thought is, perhaps it's a game.
0:33:22 > 0:33:27It can't be that. Then you look at the way it's formed.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31It's quite clear that they were darners.
0:33:31 > 0:33:37- It's almost like a child's, or a miniature, sewing accessory set.- OK.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40Some of these are like sock darners or darners for the end of gloves
0:33:40 > 0:33:46and that sort of thing. These different shapes - eggs and ovoids -
0:33:46 > 0:33:49they are all different darning tools, I think.
0:33:49 > 0:33:50'It was just a really'
0:33:50 > 0:33:54fun thing and I love things that are just a bit different
0:33:54 > 0:33:57and a bit of fun and just a talking point, really.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00They are in different... Box wood, possibly bits
0:34:00 > 0:34:04of mahogany. I think it's really, really cute.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07You've got marquetry and parquetry. Both of them are inlaid woods.
0:34:07 > 0:34:13Marquetry is basically a picture and parquetry is a geometric design.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16The best way to remember it is, if you think of a parquet floor,
0:34:16 > 0:34:20it's just wood blocks that are geometrically laid down.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23So, parquetry is a geometric inlay of wood.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26- I think it's probably about 1900-1910.- Mm-hm.
0:34:26 > 0:34:31Yes, I think you can estimate this at auction at, sort of, £30-£50.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34I'd put a £20 reserve on it and it will sell all day long,
0:34:34 > 0:34:38- cos it's a really sweet little thing. Happy to put that in?- Yes.
0:34:38 > 0:34:39Thanks for bringing it.
0:34:41 > 0:34:4519th-Century Continental beach parquetry box, containing a set
0:34:45 > 0:34:47of miniature parquetry balls and implements. £20.
0:34:47 > 0:34:5020, at the back. Straight in at 20.
0:34:50 > 0:34:5225. 30.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55- 35, fresh bidder.- That's good. Someone new in the room now.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58At £38, at the back. At £38 bid. Are we all done and finished?
0:34:58 > 0:35:02Buyer at the back has it, at £38.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06For me, the buyer of that is probably someone who collects
0:35:06 > 0:35:11sewing accessories. But, you know, it falls into that treen category.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14And treen is turned wood or small wooden items,
0:35:14 > 0:35:16so it could fall into that category.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18Or just someone who likes a bit of fun.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21It just goes to show that it that it only takes a small investment
0:35:21 > 0:35:23to realise the biggest entertainment value.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26I've never seen one of those before and I've never seen once since...
0:35:26 > 0:35:29and I'll probably never see one again. But it's fun, isn't it?
0:35:30 > 0:35:33Some items, like that rare Haggadah,
0:35:33 > 0:35:36come with wonderful stories attached.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39Occasionally, the story itself can be the reason for its appeal
0:35:39 > 0:35:40to collectors.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44It can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary...
0:35:44 > 0:35:45as Charlie Ross found.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48Generally speaking, you wouldn't take a bayonet as being
0:35:48 > 0:35:51a particularly fascinating object...
0:35:51 > 0:35:54to do on "Flog It!" because we see a lot of them
0:35:54 > 0:35:56and they are of a standard price.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59But this man wasn't particularly interested in his bayonet.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02It's the fact that he worked at Butlins
0:36:02 > 0:36:06and his act was to balance this damn thing on his nose.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08- Were you called Johnny Pearce? - Yes.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11- Is that your real name?- Yes, yeah. - Oh, it is?- Yeah.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14But, tell me, you're not English, are you?
0:36:14 > 0:36:17- Well, I changed it by deed pole. - Oh, did you?
0:36:17 > 0:36:20- I've been over here...70 years. - Good Lord.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22I'm one of the...
0:36:22 > 0:36:24fortunate people who escapes the Nazis,
0:36:24 > 0:36:27and I came from Berlin in 1938.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30- My father sent me to England... - Just in the nick of time.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32He saved my life, yes.
0:36:32 > 0:36:37Out of that story came this amazing ring.
0:36:37 > 0:36:38What have we got in here?
0:36:38 > 0:36:41- Er... Well, after the war...- Yes.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43..we were living in Tooting,
0:36:43 > 0:36:48and a photo album arrived out of the blue...
0:36:48 > 0:36:51with photographs of my grandmother.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54And this was inside, slotted in, the book.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58- Stuck in there and it came through... - So smuggled in?
0:36:58 > 0:37:00Well, whether it was smuggled, I don't know,
0:37:00 > 0:37:03but this came in my possession.
0:37:03 > 0:37:08We had this wonderful 1910/1920 belle epoque era diamond ring.
0:37:08 > 0:37:12Let's have a look at it. It's a very pretty ring,
0:37:12 > 0:37:16set with three good-sized diamonds in the middle.
0:37:16 > 0:37:17'I loved the ring.'
0:37:17 > 0:37:23I loved the format of it, the quality of it, the shape of it,
0:37:23 > 0:37:28the fact that it had larger stones and smaller stones.
0:37:28 > 0:37:29'I thought it was charming.'
0:37:29 > 0:37:34It's, I have to say, I think extremely beautiful,
0:37:34 > 0:37:38but not the most commercial, in terms of design, these days.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41- Hmm-hmm.- People tend to go for plainer rings,
0:37:41 > 0:37:42single stone, three-stone,
0:37:42 > 0:37:46diamond rings rather than such intricacies.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49I'd like to put a valuation of 300-400 on it...
0:37:49 > 0:37:51That would be very nice.
0:37:51 > 0:37:56..with a fixed reserve, below which thou shalt not go, of £250.
0:37:56 > 0:37:57Yes, fine.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00- Are you happy with that?- I would be and my wife would be happy,
0:38:00 > 0:38:02and the kids would be happy, too.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04Well, we'll put that into the sale,
0:38:04 > 0:38:08and you take your balancing act home with you to practise.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10HE LAUGHS
0:38:10 > 0:38:14This ring has had an amazing journey and it's come back to the family.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16- Yes.- Posted to you.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19Yes, inside a photo album.
0:38:19 > 0:38:24- Cut out and smuggled into the country.- Incredible, isn't it?
0:38:25 > 0:38:29It's going under the hammer now. The diamond ring is up for grabs.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31Diamond ring. Start at 200, 210,
0:38:31 > 0:38:35220, 230, 240, 250,
0:38:35 > 0:38:37260, 270
0:38:37 > 0:38:39280, 290...
0:38:39 > 0:38:41In a way...
0:38:41 > 0:38:47I felt slightly concerned that he was selling it
0:38:47 > 0:38:48because this had this story,
0:38:48 > 0:38:53and the story was not going to be as important ever again...
0:38:53 > 0:38:55once the ring had changed hands.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57550, 570...
0:38:57 > 0:39:00600...
0:39:00 > 0:39:02At £600. At 600.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05£600. selling upstairs at £600.
0:39:07 > 0:39:11£600. Great, great result.
0:39:11 > 0:39:12You've got to be so happy.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15I'm very happy. My wife sitting over there, she's happy.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17She must have obviously fainted already.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20I've got to give her the kiss of life.
0:39:20 > 0:39:24I think, in this particular instance, the object sold itself.
0:39:24 > 0:39:32I think, had the object been related to horrible things that were
0:39:32 > 0:39:35going pre-war and post-war, it might have added value.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39The fact that that ring had come in this extraordinary
0:39:39 > 0:39:42way into the country was a fascinating story,
0:39:42 > 0:39:45but I don't think it affected the value of the ring at all.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49While John was obviously happy,
0:39:49 > 0:39:52the joy of that ring, for me, was not in its value at all,
0:39:52 > 0:39:56but in the tale of its odyssey from Nazi Germany.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59We love your fascinating stories, so please keep them coming.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04Our experts often have to turn detective to winkle out
0:40:04 > 0:40:08the provenance or history of an object.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10And when this mysteriously shaped box
0:40:10 > 0:40:14appeared before Michal Baggott, he was keen to do some digging.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16I love boxes like this, shaped boxes,
0:40:16 > 0:40:19cos it took a lot of work, believe me, to make that box.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23A specialist did it, and usually for a very good reason.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27So you know what's in it already. Let's open it up and reveal...
0:40:27 > 0:40:30- that fabulous pendant.- Yeah.
0:40:30 > 0:40:35But being a bit of an anorak, what I also think is fabulous...
0:40:35 > 0:40:39is the retailer's name on the top of the box. Henry Tessier.
0:40:39 > 0:40:44Tessier, one of the most important firms in the 19th century.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48So this is your mother's. Do you know where she got it from?
0:40:48 > 0:40:52It's been passed down from various generations.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54I'm not sure who owned it originally.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56- It's just come down through the family.- Yeah.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58Right. Now let's have a look.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01Now what we've got is the most fantastic
0:41:01 > 0:41:04garnet with a little fly...
0:41:05 > 0:41:10..but picked out with diamonds and little ruby eyes,
0:41:10 > 0:41:11so it was a lot of work in this.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15You get a lot of garnet and gold jewellery,
0:41:15 > 0:41:19especially with insect motifs on it, in the Victorian period.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22The Victorians lovely their symbolism,
0:41:22 > 0:41:25and you can see that in the use of images in their jewellery.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28The dragonfly meant courage,
0:41:28 > 0:41:30the spider prudence.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34And in the case of this pendant, the fly represented humility
0:41:34 > 0:41:37and a hidden secret. Intriguing.
0:41:37 > 0:41:42What's interesting is we've also got an engraved date, which is
0:41:42 > 0:41:45LL, 1st of August, 1882.
0:41:46 > 0:41:5012th of October, 1882.
0:41:50 > 0:41:55That's a very odd dated inscriptions cos it's the same year
0:41:55 > 0:41:57and it's different months.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00Normally, with a piece that is a mourning jewel,
0:42:00 > 0:42:03you would associate it with the colour black,
0:42:03 > 0:42:05and you would see two quite distant dates,
0:42:05 > 0:42:09hopefully, at least 20, 30, 40, 50 years.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12The fact that it was two dates within the same year might
0:42:12 > 0:42:15have meant that it was for an infant,
0:42:15 > 0:42:18or it may have commemorated some other event.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22I wasn't sure, at the time, of the iconography of the jewel.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24It is a fairly stunning little pendant.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27I think we've got to put an estimate of £200-£300
0:42:27 > 0:42:32- and a fixed reserve of £200. - OK.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35And it's really worth that all day long.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39How mysterious. I'd love to know the story behind the pendant.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41What did the bidders make of it?
0:42:41 > 0:42:43Good luck to Ed, who can't be with us.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45It's going under the hammer right now.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49I can start you here at 150 on the book.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51At 150. 160...
0:42:51 > 0:42:53170, 180, 190...
0:42:53 > 0:42:56200. The book's out at 200. 220 now.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58220 on the phone.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00220. Thank you, madam.
0:43:00 > 0:43:02240, 260...
0:43:02 > 0:43:03280...
0:43:03 > 0:43:06- This is good. It's going to get the top end of the estimate.- 300...
0:43:06 > 0:43:09It deserves to. It's a really finely worked piece.
0:43:09 > 0:43:13340, 360, 380, 400.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16- Oh, fantastic.- This is very good.
0:43:16 > 0:43:21..440, 460, 480, 500... 500.
0:43:21 > 0:43:25- What do we say? Quality always sells.- At 500...
0:43:25 > 0:43:27I wish Ed could have been here, that's all I can say.
0:43:27 > 0:43:30He'd be doing cartwheels now, wouldn't he?
0:43:30 > 0:43:33The beauty of that jewel clearly appealed to the bidders.
0:43:33 > 0:43:36Sometimes inscriptions add to an item's value,
0:43:36 > 0:43:40and the pendant's mysterious reference to dates two months
0:43:40 > 0:43:44apart might have boosted interest and the sale price.
0:43:44 > 0:43:47We may never know, but it's that mystery which can be
0:43:47 > 0:43:48so alluring to collectors.
0:43:51 > 0:43:53There is one area of collectables where symbolism
0:43:53 > 0:43:56is key to its function.
0:43:56 > 0:43:58Jennifer brought in a piece belonging to one of the most
0:43:58 > 0:44:00secretive societies.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03It was so covered in enigmatic symbols.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06It was down to David Barnaby to decipher what they meant.
0:44:07 > 0:44:09It's so intriguing
0:44:09 > 0:44:15because this is quite a valuable item of Masonic regalia...
0:44:15 > 0:44:16in the fact that it's...
0:44:16 > 0:44:19It's not one of the tokens or the medals they would wear,
0:44:19 > 0:44:23but it is a watch in a triangular section,
0:44:23 > 0:44:25which in itself is a Masonic symbol.
0:44:26 > 0:44:30Philip Serrell can shed some light on this secret society as he's
0:44:30 > 0:44:34come across a fair few pieces in his time.
0:44:34 > 0:44:35What makes something Masonic?
0:44:35 > 0:44:39Well, there are all sorts of varying degrees of being a Mason, you know?
0:44:39 > 0:44:42And the thing that you're looking for is perhaps the symbols and the
0:44:42 > 0:44:46ciphers, and there's the square, the level, the compass,
0:44:46 > 0:44:49the pillars, the all seeing eye.
0:44:49 > 0:44:54You know, these things are emblematical of the Masonic culture.
0:44:54 > 0:44:56It's in silver and, inside,
0:44:56 > 0:44:59you've got details concerning where it was made.
0:44:59 > 0:45:03It's a Swiss movement, a Swiss case.
0:45:03 > 0:45:04On this enamel dial,
0:45:04 > 0:45:07you have all these symbols from the Masonic order.
0:45:07 > 0:45:11'Masonic memorabilia is hugely collectable.'
0:45:11 > 0:45:17If you find a glass vase that's got nothing on it, it might be worth X.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20But if you find a glass vase that's got the square, the level
0:45:20 > 0:45:22and the compass on it,
0:45:22 > 0:45:25then it might be worth ten times X. It adds value.
0:45:25 > 0:45:30- The only defect, as far as I can see, is this cracked glass...- Yes.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33..which you shouldn't have too much difficulty, the purchaser,
0:45:33 > 0:45:34- in replacing.- No.
0:45:34 > 0:45:38I think it's a fascinating jewel and there are members out
0:45:38 > 0:45:44there of The Order and also collectors of Mason memorabilia.
0:45:44 > 0:45:46And I think, at auction, it could realise anything between 120
0:45:46 > 0:45:48- and 150.- Oh, right.
0:45:48 > 0:45:52- But the auctioneer may say, "I want it tucked under 100."- Fine.
0:45:52 > 0:45:56Who's going to buy a watch like that? Well, there's three areas.
0:45:56 > 0:45:58There's a museum...that collects Masonic items,
0:45:58 > 0:46:01there's an individual that collects Masonic items,
0:46:01 > 0:46:05or there's a horologist, someone who collects watches,
0:46:05 > 0:46:07who perhaps hasn't just got that example.
0:46:07 > 0:46:11And I suppose the other area is someone might just take a shine to it.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14I have one, two, three, four telephone bids...
0:46:14 > 0:46:16- Four telephone bids! - ..three commission bids,
0:46:16 > 0:46:18and I've no doubt a certain amount of interest in the room.
0:46:18 > 0:46:21I bid on the book £400 only.
0:46:21 > 0:46:23400, 400, 400.
0:46:23 > 0:46:25420, 450, 480,
0:46:25 > 0:46:28500, 520, 580...
0:46:28 > 0:46:30600? Any more in the room?
0:46:30 > 0:46:33- At 620, 650... - Oh, Jennifer.
0:46:33 > 0:46:36..700, 720, 750...
0:46:36 > 0:46:39- 780, 800...- They love it!
0:46:39 > 0:46:42- This is a huge learning curve. - For you.- Me.
0:46:44 > 0:46:46At 800.
0:46:46 > 0:46:48At £800. Any more at all?
0:46:48 > 0:46:53At £800. And I sell then at 800 and done.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56- Brilliant!- What a wonderful moment! - I'll come again next week!
0:46:58 > 0:47:02Everyone loves a mystery, as this auction proved.
0:47:02 > 0:47:04The reason why it made the money that it did was
0:47:04 > 0:47:05because it was Masonic.
0:47:05 > 0:47:10An in fact I'd brokered a deal for one to a museum about three
0:47:10 > 0:47:12months before this and it was between £600 and £900,
0:47:12 > 0:47:14so it was always going to make that sort of money.
0:47:16 > 0:47:20If you want to enter the secret world of Masonic memorabilia,
0:47:20 > 0:47:23look out for the famous square and compass images,
0:47:23 > 0:47:26and for items linked to famous Masons and lodges.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30But they can be copied or faked, so make sure of provenance
0:47:30 > 0:47:34and try to get that authentication document.
0:47:34 > 0:47:37So how can you get to the bottom of the mysteries that surround
0:47:37 > 0:47:38some objects?
0:47:38 > 0:47:42For a mysterious or amazing story to add to an object's value,
0:47:42 > 0:47:45it must have a tangible connection.
0:47:45 > 0:47:49Ideally, ensure you have some strong provenance - a photo,
0:47:49 > 0:47:51a letter or a receipt.
0:47:52 > 0:47:55An object's original purpose can sometimes remain
0:47:55 > 0:47:59hidden in the mists of time - that's part of the appeal.
0:47:59 > 0:48:02So look out for objects which provide a fascinating talking point.
0:48:04 > 0:48:08Examine clues like symbols, designs and marks.
0:48:08 > 0:48:10Doing your own detective work to unlock
0:48:10 > 0:48:13the story behind an item can be half the fun.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16But sometimes a mysterious object's worth may not
0:48:16 > 0:48:19be in its monetary value at all...
0:48:19 > 0:48:22but in the story attached to it.
0:48:22 > 0:48:25By hanging on to it, you'll be keeping that story alive,
0:48:25 > 0:48:26so get sleuthing.
0:48:32 > 0:48:35Most of the items you bring along to our valuation day is
0:48:35 > 0:48:38dated from the 19th and 20th century.
0:48:38 > 0:48:40It's very unusual for us to see items
0:48:40 > 0:48:42that have survived from an earlier period,
0:48:42 > 0:48:46so you can imagine my delight when I met up with Joe at a valuation
0:48:46 > 0:48:49day in Melksham, Wiltshire.
0:48:49 > 0:48:51We've got the oldest things here today in the room.
0:48:51 > 0:48:53- Really?- Yes.- Oh, I'm surprised.
0:48:53 > 0:48:55- Something for the purists.- Yeah.
0:48:55 > 0:48:58So tell me, how did you come across all of these?
0:48:58 > 0:49:00Well, they are part of my late husband's collection
0:49:00 > 0:49:03and it was started by a friend of his called Bob G...
0:49:03 > 0:49:07And then your husband started collection from there on.
0:49:07 > 0:49:09'He collected all kinds of different things,
0:49:09 > 0:49:13'including oil lamps and old flat irons...'
0:49:13 > 0:49:17Bits of animal skull. He just liked collecting.
0:49:17 > 0:49:20I love them. I love the onion glass shape - typical -
0:49:20 > 0:49:22that's why they're called onion glass.
0:49:22 > 0:49:24I love the fact the it's lopsided.
0:49:24 > 0:49:26You could never make these so even
0:49:26 > 0:49:30because they're all individually handmade.
0:49:30 > 0:49:31This one is of bell form.
0:49:31 > 0:49:34That's a nice, interesting shape as well. And this one...
0:49:34 > 0:49:37Again, this is early 18th century.
0:49:37 > 0:49:39And this one has its own seal.
0:49:39 > 0:49:41Now that's something to look out for...
0:49:41 > 0:49:44on any onion glass wine bottle...
0:49:44 > 0:49:46because the seal will put more value on it.
0:49:47 > 0:49:51OK, let's put a fixed reserve on them at £300.
0:49:51 > 0:49:54- Yeah.- OK? And hopefully they will do £100 more than that.
0:49:54 > 0:49:57- Well, that would be nice. - That would be nice.
0:49:57 > 0:50:01So off to auction for those rare onion-shaped bottles.
0:50:01 > 0:50:05- 400 I'm in.- That's good. - 400. 450. 500.
0:50:05 > 0:50:07550. 600.
0:50:07 > 0:50:10650. 700. 750.
0:50:10 > 0:50:11800.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14And the bids just kept on coming!
0:50:14 > 0:50:171600. 1700.
0:50:17 > 0:50:201800. At 1700 on that phone...
0:50:20 > 0:50:23Ladies and gentlemen in the room...
0:50:23 > 0:50:25Anywhere else at 1800? Am I going?
0:50:26 > 0:50:29Gosh! That's fantastic! I'm ever so pleased for you.
0:50:31 > 0:50:35We were all rather surprised that it was £1,700.
0:50:35 > 0:50:38But I think that was because on the day there were people
0:50:38 > 0:50:39telephone bidding,
0:50:39 > 0:50:43and I believe they were sold to people from the United States.
0:50:43 > 0:50:47- My husband Peter would be delighted. - He had a great eye.- Right.
0:50:47 > 0:50:49What are you going to put the money towards?
0:50:49 > 0:50:52It's going to Portland Bird Observatory,
0:50:52 > 0:50:54where he was secretary for 20 years.
0:50:54 > 0:50:58As well as being an avid collector of anything and everything,
0:50:58 > 0:51:01Jo's late husband Peter was passionate about birds.
0:51:01 > 0:51:05He dedicated 20 years of his life to the Portland Bird Observatory,
0:51:05 > 0:51:08where he served as secretary.
0:51:08 > 0:51:13The history of the bird observatory is that in the 1950s
0:51:13 > 0:51:15there were a group of bird enthusiasts
0:51:15 > 0:51:18who realised that this was an important place
0:51:18 > 0:51:20because of its geography.
0:51:20 > 0:51:21Springtime,
0:51:21 > 0:51:24when the birds that have spent the winter in Africa are arriving
0:51:24 > 0:51:27in this country, we are really the first land fall,
0:51:27 > 0:51:31the first place they spot and so things tend to home in on us.
0:51:32 > 0:51:37One of the people who was involved was a lady called Helen Brotherton.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40She bought the lighthouse in 1960
0:51:40 > 0:51:45and it was opened in 1961 by Sir Peter Scott.
0:51:45 > 0:51:48And from then on it's flourished as a bird observatory.
0:51:52 > 0:51:55The real bit of science we get into is the bird ringing.
0:51:55 > 0:52:00Catching and marking birds with little individual metal rings.
0:52:00 > 0:52:04That enables us to really pinpoint individual birds and find out,
0:52:04 > 0:52:08the ones we catch as they arrive in the spring,
0:52:08 > 0:52:10we're able to find out where they go to later in the year.
0:52:14 > 0:52:17When I sold Peter's bottles it seems like the obvious thing that I
0:52:17 > 0:52:19should donate the money to the observatory
0:52:19 > 0:52:20which was the love of his life.
0:52:24 > 0:52:26I enjoy coming down here very much
0:52:26 > 0:52:29and I enjoyed spending time here with Peter.
0:52:29 > 0:52:32We used to go off and walk round the island visit the quarries
0:52:32 > 0:52:36and walk along the coastal path looking for flowers and birds,
0:52:36 > 0:52:40and it was just some of the happiest memories of my life.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56Rare finds don't get much more exciting than the wonderful Haggadah
0:52:56 > 0:53:00that Adam and his colleague Bill found in an old box in Manchester.
0:53:03 > 0:53:06It attracted international attention.
0:53:06 > 0:53:09But on auction day would it also attract international bidders?
0:53:11 > 0:53:13I don't feel very well, actually.
0:53:13 > 0:53:16I'm full of cold, congested, but nothing is done to stop me
0:53:16 > 0:53:18getting up there in a minute and selling this manuscript.
0:53:18 > 0:53:20It's really encouraging, a room full of people.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23I haven't seen an auction this busy for quite a long time.
0:53:23 > 0:53:26I'm ready excited. You're going to have to stop me talking
0:53:26 > 0:53:28because I'm going to just go on and on and on.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30I can't wait to get up there.
0:53:30 > 0:53:31Adam was as excited as a schoolboy!
0:53:31 > 0:53:34But finally it was the moment of truth.
0:53:35 > 0:53:39He'd estimated the book at £100,000 to £150,000,
0:53:39 > 0:53:42but could it match his expectations?
0:53:43 > 0:53:47Lot 100. The 18th-century Passover Haggadah.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50And I can start the building at £100,000.
0:53:50 > 0:53:55I'll ask for 105,000 next, please. It's £100,000 to start.
0:53:55 > 0:53:57105 on the phone. 110.
0:53:57 > 0:54:01115. 120. 125.
0:54:02 > 0:54:05£125,000 on this phone now.
0:54:05 > 0:54:07130. 135.
0:54:09 > 0:54:10135. 140.
0:54:11 > 0:54:15135 with James. 10,000, Bill?
0:54:15 > 0:54:17140,000. 145.
0:54:17 > 0:54:20150.
0:54:22 > 0:54:23155.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26160. 165.
0:54:26 > 0:54:29At 160,000...
0:54:29 > 0:54:30170,000.
0:54:30 > 0:54:34170. I'll take 5 if you want. 170,000 here.
0:54:34 > 0:54:36This was exceeding Adam's wildest dreams!
0:54:36 > 0:54:38175. 180.
0:54:38 > 0:54:41I'll take 180. 180 to this phone.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44A new bidder joined the fray and it looked like there was
0:54:44 > 0:54:48fierce competition to win this incredibly rare prize.
0:54:48 > 0:54:52Quite appropriate. 185,000.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55190. At 190,000 now.
0:54:55 > 0:54:59I've got all day, I don't mind. 190,000. 195 now.
0:54:59 > 0:55:01195 on this phone. Round it up, then.
0:55:04 > 0:55:08Are there any decisions on the other phone? At 195,000...
0:55:08 > 0:55:09At 195,000...
0:55:12 > 0:55:15For the first time, then, at 195,000. Are we bidding?
0:55:15 > 0:55:16We're bidding 200.
0:55:16 > 0:55:19- 200,000. - AUDIENCE GASPS
0:55:19 > 0:55:21at 200,000. Oohs and aaahs all round!
0:55:21 > 0:55:22210.
0:55:22 > 0:55:25210 on Bill's phone now.
0:55:25 > 0:55:27Whatever you want to bid me. I'll take 215 if you want.
0:55:27 > 0:55:31- Or 220 would be better. At 210.- 220?
0:55:31 > 0:55:34210,000 is on the phone here.
0:55:34 > 0:55:37The hammer is up, then, for the first time. At 210,000.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42Second time at 210,000. Have you finished bidding?
0:55:42 > 0:55:44- He's asking his client on the phone. - Right.
0:55:45 > 0:55:50- No, sir.- At £210,000, it's the final call.
0:55:50 > 0:55:51No extra than 210?
0:55:51 > 0:55:54- No, sir.- They are completely done. We are selling, then.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57Final chance, then. At £210,000,
0:55:57 > 0:55:59if you're all sure and done...
0:56:00 > 0:56:02Thank you very much.
0:56:02 > 0:56:03APPLAUSE
0:56:10 > 0:56:11Well done, Bill.
0:56:15 > 0:56:18That's very good. It's gone to where I wanted it to go as well.
0:56:18 > 0:56:22It's going back to Vienna, ladies and gentlemen, which is where it originated.
0:56:22 > 0:56:26Which is a very romantic story. Thank you very much.
0:56:26 > 0:56:27APPLAUSE
0:56:30 > 0:56:34A result which - for once - threatened to leave Adam speechless!
0:56:34 > 0:56:36Gosh!
0:56:36 > 0:56:38I feel very emotional, actually.
0:56:38 > 0:56:41And I'm really, really, really pleased that it's made such a strong price.
0:56:41 > 0:56:46210,000 is basically really what I thought it was worth.
0:56:48 > 0:56:49Delighted. Delighted.
0:56:49 > 0:56:53It made a wonderful price, a very strong price,
0:56:53 > 0:56:56and nice to do a good job on a wonderful thing.
0:56:56 > 0:56:58I will miss it very much.
0:57:01 > 0:57:05It's now going back to where it belongs, to Vienna.
0:57:05 > 0:57:08And... Yeah, I'm just extremely emotional.
0:57:08 > 0:57:10I've never felt like this before.
0:57:11 > 0:57:13Oh, dear. Thank you very much.
0:57:14 > 0:57:18What an emotional journey for Adam, and that incredible Haggadah.
0:57:21 > 0:57:24There are, of course, items of religious interest to look
0:57:24 > 0:57:28out for across many faiths but what should you keep in mind?
0:57:29 > 0:57:32Religion, as a general rule, doesn't sell very well.
0:57:32 > 0:57:34The amount of times we have a valuation day
0:57:34 > 0:57:40and people bring in family Bibles or portraits and things like that.
0:57:40 > 0:57:44But there are certain areas that are still collectable.
0:57:44 > 0:57:46For an example, church furniture.
0:57:46 > 0:57:48Gothic church furniture is quite popular
0:57:48 > 0:57:51and perhaps things like rosary beads you'll see.
0:57:51 > 0:57:53So there are other collectables in religious terms,
0:57:53 > 0:57:57but I would be careful and would advise you against thinking
0:57:57 > 0:58:00that everything religious is therefore collectable or valuable,
0:58:00 > 0:58:01because that is quite far from the case.
0:58:04 > 0:58:08So, from the tantalisingly secret to the exceedingly rare,
0:58:08 > 0:58:10there's a world of unusual treasures
0:58:10 > 0:58:12and mysteries out there for you all to uncover.
0:58:17 > 0:58:20Well, that brings us to the end of today's show.
0:58:20 > 0:58:21I hope you've enjoyed it.
0:58:21 > 0:58:25Do join us again soon for some more inside information on Trade Secrets.