Peterborough 10 Flog It!

CHORAL SINGING

Isn't that just incredible? What an architectural delight.

Peterborough Cathedral, one of the finest surviving Norman buildings in Europe.

And it's our valuation-day venue.

We're not here on a tour because hundreds of people have turned up,

laden with bags and boxes, for their unwanted treasures to be valued. Welcome to Flog It!

Sitting in the heart of Peterborough,

the origins of one of the finest cathedrals can be traced back over 1,350 years.

This building is around 900 years old,

and it's heaving with historical riches, like the Hedda Stone,

and the tomb of Katharine of Aragon,

Henry VIII's first wife.

So with a historical pedigree like that,

what better place to delve, dive and discover some hidden antiques

and treasures? If you're happy with your valuations, what are you going to do?

Flog it!

Working the queue are today's lean experts, Philip Serrell and Charlie Ross.

"What do you think of it so far?" "Rubbish!"

With over 50 years of combined experience, they don't have any problems

keeping their eye on the job!

"It's not an old flame - but I'm keeping my fire extinguisher handy".

-They're so corny, aren't they?

-They're fabulous!

-So you like violets?

-I do, I love violets.

-Is your name Violet?

-No.

-Oh, right.

-But you can call me Violet if you like.

-Violet, I will see you inside.

-OK.

But first let's take a peek at what's coming up on quite simply...

one of the best valuation days we've ever had!

Charlie doesn't seem too chuffed with his box of stuff.

-We are not in the money!

-Oh!

But only time will tell if he's right.

Elizabeth, this is cracking!

-You never know what's going to happen at an auction room.

-No.

Philip, on the other hand, gets all fired up with a stunning Moorcroft vase.

I think this is a really lovely thing. It does something to you!

-I think this is a bit special.

-This is the one to watch.

650. 680.

But to find out how much it goes for, well, you'll just have to wait and see.

Oh, is there a tear in the eye?

Yeah, there is, isn't there? Bless, bless, bless!

Right, the doors are open, and it's time to get this massive queue inside.

What an inspiring building. I've certainly got high hopes for today.

I think Philip Serrell has as well. He's our first expert to the tables.

Let's take a closer look at what he's found.

It's charming collection of silver brought in by husband and wife Ian and Jane.

Have you had them long?

We've had them about two years, but my mother had them for about 50 years before that, all inherited.

-So they're inherited bits?

-Yeah.

-Do you know what you've got?

-Well, we've always thought these were mustard pots.

-Salts.

-Oh?

-Yeah.

-OK. And we know they're nurses' buckles.

-Yeah.

-And these are vesta cases.

-What are vesta cases for?

-Striking matches.

You would open that up and you'd keep matches in there,

then you'd take your match out and you'd strike it along the bottom,

-and that would hang from a chain through a buckle that fits on to a lady's belt.

-Oh, right?

So that's where that comes from. Now, these little bits are known as "toys".

And they're not toys in the sense of something you'd play with,

but toys are small bits of silver. A hallmark tells you it's silver.

-An anchor, as these have all got, means they were made in Birmingham...

-OK.

If my eyes are right. No guarantee about that.

And Birmingham specialised in assaying toys.

So these are all Birmingham bits of silver. They date, I would think, from about 1885-1890

through to about 1910.

So all in that period. But this is a totally separate kettle of fish,

because this is Continental. If we turn it over, it's got some marks there...

and, truthfully, I can't make those out, but I think they're Continental.

-Have you any idea what they're worth?

-None whatsoever.

The reason why I ask the question is that, over the last two years,

these things have probably quadrupled in value,

because, whilst they're not scrap, the sort of base price of silver and gold is the melt price.

-Right.

-I think that you are going to get £80-£120 for these.

-Right.

-And that's roughly 15 and 15 and 30 is 60,

plus another 20, that's your base price, 80-120.

They will make what they're worth. They're interesting things.

-You're both happy about selling them?

-Yes. They're just in the cupboard or a drawer,

-and we'll invest in some more antiques.

-And so you should indeed. I shall see you at the auction.

# ..Lift mine eyes unto the mountains

# Whence cometh

# Whence cometh

# Whence cometh my help... #

-Anita and Peter, thank you so much for coming in today.

-You're welcome.

-I've got to say, though, Anita and Peter, I bet a lot of people call you Neat'n'Pete, don't they?

-Yes!

Neat'n'Pete!

Well, look, this is wonderful. This is a lovely little dome-topped tea caddy.

-I mean, that's very nice. The veneer hasn't split. Can you see that?

-Yes, I can.

-Very good, isn't it?

-And I love this ambiguous decorative swirly grey that walnut has.

-Lovely.

Right from the William and Mary period. Everyone wanted this sort of Continental flavour,

and it was the walnut wood that really pioneered furniture-making from the late 1600s onwards.

-Sadly, this is not from the 1600s...

-Blast!

-Or the 1700s or the 1800s...

-It's mid-19th century.

-Right.

-Early Victorian.

It's better off shut than it is open.

-Unfortunately, when you open it up, it does let you down, doesn't it?

-Yes.

-And you know that as well.

Something's gone on, I don't know what.

Somebody has put some coarse sandpaper on this mahogany and stripped it back

and then re-varnished it, because it's lost all its colour. You can see that.

-That looks more modern than this.

-Very much so, yeah. Have you any idea what it might be worth?

-I thought maybe it would be nice to get £50 for it.

-Oh, you'll easily get that.

-Oh, right.

If the inside was as good as the outside, you'd be looking at £200-£250.

-Right.

-But it's not. Let's put this into auction with a value of £80-£120.

-I really like this. When it's closed, it's like a little burst of sunshine, isn't it?

-It is.

It's my brew, and you never know, it might even get the top end of the estimate, plus a little bit more.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you. Love it.

-Thank you.

Let's navigate to Philip,

who's chatting with Hilda about an unusual map.

The thing I love about Flog It! is you get the weird, the wacky,

and the wonderful.

And this probably falls into all three of those categories.

The joy of the job really is that you see things you've never, ever seen before.

I've never, ever, ever seen anything quite like this before.

-I've never seen anything like it.

-Have you not?

Well, we'll get loads of letters now saying, "I had 43 of those."

On the cover it says C Smith & Son. Tape Indicator Map Of London.

EJ Larby Ltd, London. And if you open it up...

..it tells you, with this map, by using this scale,

all the streets in London, the bridges, the parks, the docks.

You name it, it's on there. It's even got a London Underground map as well.

If we go down to Tower Bridge, it says 58 52,

so what we do is we get this measure and we put it across the grid to 58,

which we've done, and then we come back a long this scale here

and we read off 52, and what does it say, Hilda? Tell the people.

-Tower Bridge.

-Thank you. Thank you so much.

-Where on earth did you get this from?

-Well, I don't really know.

I think we acquired it through my husband's family.

I think one of the uncles died and they had a clear-out and, somehow,

it's got around the family, past his father, and we seem to have it.

I think this is absolutely, truly wonderful, right?

And it's the sort of thing you would go to an auction

and you'd fall in love with it and you'd buy it

and then you take it home and spend two or three hours playing with it

and then you'd fold it up, put it in a drawer,

and never, ever get it out ever again.

Then, in ten or 15 years' time, you'd think, "I'd better sell that."

And then on the cycle goes, you see.

-I think it's fantastic.

-You can't guess at how old it is at all?

I would guess that it's 1920s, 1930s.

If you talk money for this, I haven't the first idea what it's worth.

Right.

If I were going to guess, I would think it's £30 to £50?

And I'd probably put a £20 reserve on it.

So I'd go 30, 50 estimate, 20 reserve.

-That's fine.

-Is that fine?

-Yes, that's fine.

You'll be able to find your way home, won't you?

Well...

So Philip and I have discovered some interesting treasures, but we don't want to leave Charlie out.

What will he make of Elizabeth's old tin?

-Elizabeth, I can't wait to open your tin!

-Right.

-Do you know what's in there? I suppose you do.

Mmm.

Right, let's have a look and see what we've got.

Good grief! Gold, silver... Any jewellery in there?

-Mostly watches, I think.

-I think mostly watches.

May I take a couple out?

-Yes.

-There's something staring at me there.

-Right!

-Now, this is a hunter watch.

-Right.

-If this is gold, we're in the money.

No.

-It is not gold.

-Right.

-We are not in the money!

-Oh!

Oh, dear!

Let me just look at the other side just to make absolutely doubly sure.

I'm opening up... No.

It's what they rather delightfully called rolled gold,

which, frankly, means that it isn't. Yes. But never mind. It's a hunter pocket watch.

You see the rest of these pocket watches, they're open-faced.

Imagine yourself going hunting and careering around the countryside.

-If you had a watch like that, if you fell off, it wouldn't break.

-Right, yes.

-Would it?

Now, that's a huge disappointment.

I suspect that this one might well be silver

when I open it up and have a look.

It is. Continental silver. Now, most of these watches would be Swiss-made.

They date from... the late-19th century,

but most of them would be sort of '20s.

But we've got something interesting here. What is this offending object?

-Well, I didn't know until last week.

-And now you do?

-Hopefully.

-Who told you?

-My brother.

-And what did he say it was?

He said it was a sovereign holder.

-Do you know, he's absolutely right!

-Excellent.

I think you'd tuck that away somewhere, wouldn't you?

You wouldn't want to advertise the fact you were walking around with gold sovereigns in your pocket.

-Is it full of sovereigns?

-No.

-What good is a sovereign case without any sovereigns in it?

This box is getting worse, frankly, Elizabeth! We really have got a lot that is less than exciting here!

But I'm still going to do it and we're still going to see how much money we can get.

I think with regard to a valuation, as that isn't gold, we're not going to get too excited.

20, 30, 40, 50...

-I suspect we're looking at between £50 and £100 for the lot.

-OK.

-At least the silver value of the chain is worth something. It's worth quite a lot for scrap now.

-Right.

Not that I'd want to scrap a nice chain like that,

-but I can't see any point in putting a reserve on it.

-Fine.

Frankly, there's nothing else you can do with it. You don't want to stand at a cold, wet boot fair

with these items and somebody will offer you £2 for each of them! And you'll be driven round the bend.

But this is the sort of thing a lot of people will look at.

-And we might get a pleasant surprise. Thank you.

-OK, thank you.

?While we were here in the area filming, somebody gave me a tip-off

about a wonderful house in Nassington, just down the road.

So I went to check it out. Take a look at this.

Every house has a story, so I've come to the village of Nassington in Northamptonshire

to take a look at a house with an incredible story.

It may be bright and sunny but I'll tell you what,

I think it's the windiest day of the year.

This is it, Prebendal Manor.

It may look like a pretty old farmhouse but don't judge a book by its cover.

There's a lot to see here. Come with me.

Let's start with the front door itself, through the porch here.

You can see the stonework surrounding this door is pointed.

That's typical of the 15th-century style.

This is late medieval and, interestingly enough,

up here you can see there's a couple of strike marks.

There's one there and there's one there.

They've been done by the master mason, the man who built this.

It's a way of identifying him.

On the outside, we've got these two wonderful weathered stone corbels.

There's one there with an image of a face, just left,

eroding away, but that's what you'd expect on such an old building

and that's just the start - let's see what else I can find.

Determining the age of old buildings is all about looking for clues,

piecing together the jigsaw of architectural detail,

like the rounded arch here on the back door -

a style typically found on early 13th-century buildings

and very different to the pointed

15th-century front door we've just seen.

Interestingly enough, we've moved from the front elevation to the rear elevation

and we've gone back 200-300 years in time.

Why have we done that?

This manor house is 800 years old

and, over those years, it's been shaped and remodelled and extended

by every owner that's lived here.

They've left their mark and so they should.

What makes Prebendal Manor so special

is not only is it the oldest manor house in Northamptonshire

but it's possibly the oldest continuously lived-in manor house in England.

These window arches, the two of them with their diamond decoration,

are typical of a medieval feature,

especially with those little stone tri-foils cut underneath them -

that's a really nice little touch.

This is quite nice as well - this great big buttress.

That's what you'd expect to find on a cathedral or church of the period.

It's there for two reasons - to stop the walls imploding inwards

and from bellowing outwards.

This is another indicator of age. Look at this -

randomly cut stone, beautifully laid.

You can see how it's just softened in hue over the years.

It's lovely and warm and mellow.

Local stone, beautiful mature grounds. It's lovely.

For me, this represents the architectural ideal as a house

that I would like to live in, and I'm sure you would.

But this manor house didn't always look like this.

'In the 1960s, the house was run-down, with most of its ancient details covered up.

'The odd bit was peeking out, but it took years of dedicated work

'to peel back and unearth the building's true identity,

'and that's just what the current owner, Jane Bale, did when she bought it back in 1968.'

Hi, Jane!

-Hello.

-Hello, nice to meet you.

-Pleased to met you as well. What are you up to?

I've got an archaeological test bit.

-Have you found anything interesting?

-Not an awful lot. A bit of Roman pottery, even some brick,

a bit of glass, but really not very much.

But in the past, we've had some lovely bits.

-That is a section of a piece of a bone comb.

-Golly.

It's 10th century and it's got an inscription on it.

It would have looked a bit like this.

-It would have come from that bit.

-Oh yes, I can see.

This is a little tiny bone chess piece.

-One of my favourite ones is this tiny little knife here.

-It's beautiful.

We found that in a dig in the field.

So archaeology is the key to unlocking the history of the house?

Absolutely. Without it, we would never have managed to do it.

-How many hours do you spend doing this?

-Hours and hours. It's just me and my little trowel.

-Can we go and have a look around? Can you show me around?

-Absolutely.

When did you first notice that there was...

well, medieval history attached to this place?

There were various things that pointed it out.

First of all, the little bits of stonework that you could see,

but when I went into the house, when we were being shown around,

I peeled a tiny bit of plaster off, and a bit of wallpaper,

and I saw the stone arch underneath

and I thought, "Hey, this is not a Georgian house."

I bet the kids were fascinated as well?

Absolutely, but I kept dead quiet

-because I didn't want the seller to put the price up.

-Right.

Then we set to, after we'd bought it.

-Playing house detective from there on in.

-Absolutely.

-Any books, any guidance?

-I went everywhere.

We managed to acquire Margaret Woods' book on the English medieval house -

absolutely my Bible, and I took it everywhere with me

-because I drove around England looking at medieval houses.

-Just knocking the door?

Knocking at the door with my four children, in my beaten up old car,

and they were terribly helpful to me.

Then we started to undress the house carefully ourselves,

with the help of an architect and a structural engineer,

because we didn't want pull things down that we shouldn't have done,

and we began to unpick it and discover what it was all about.

What is the biggest find to date?

I think finding King Canute's royal manor, from the archaeology.

It was absolutely fascinating.

-How did you stumble across that?

-Well, we excavated inside the house

and we found first of all this hearth

and I thought it might be the hearth of a medieval building

but it wasn't - it was the hearth of an Anglo-Saxon hall.

Our later research showed King Canute came here sometime after 1017,

so this house replaced King Canute's house.

So this house is 800 years old - so we've got a huge history.

It's got a great selling point now,

if you wanted to put this on the market. What a CV it would have!

It would indeed but I'm not willing to sell it at the moment!

-Can I go and have a look around by myself? Do you mind?

-Not at all.

-OK. I'm quite nosy.

-OK.

I've got to say, this house has the most wonderful feeling about it,

once you're inside.

It makes you feel really good. It embraces you.

This area is the great hall.

It would have been flooded with light due to these wonderful great big 13th-century windows

and all the evening's entertainment would have been in this one space

and also, all the day-to-day general living.

That 13th-century doorway, that led to the solar -

that was for the lord and lady of the manor to use,

a room out there, their private quarters.

But this is what I want to see, really -

the full effect of the long drop of these 13th-century windows.

This staircase wouldn't have been here. None of this flooring area would have -

that's the great hall. But there would have been flooring here,

and a staircase to get up to this section

because this was the minstrels' gallery.

The people down there looking up here saw this original beam

and they would also see this wonderful architectural detail.

This moulding was put on by a side rebate plane,

by a carpenter, done by hand.

Hours and hours of hard work to get that little ogee mould

and that one there.

On the rear side, the side that the people down there couldn't see,

he didn't have to do anything.

There's a cost-cutting exercise

from the 13th century,

and it's just little details like that that really amuse me,

and it brings the history of this place alive,

and I think Jane has done a remarkable job here over the last 40 years or so.

It's sheer passion, determination and dedication,

and she's given the local people something to be proud of,

a sense of connection to their past.

And in doing so,

has preserved our heritage for future generations.

So, how do you think our experts' valuations went?

We've got our first four items.

Now we're taking them off to the sale.

Let's hope the bidders will want to snap them up.

We've come to Batemans Auctioneers in Stamford.

Right, the moment I've been waiting for and the sun is shining!

It's going to put a smile on people's faces and, hopefully, make them bid a lot higher

on all of our items. I can hear David Palmer, today's auctioneer, on the rostrum.

150. 160. 170.

Our owners are in there, feeling really nervous. It's OK for you, you can put your feet up and enjoy this!

But I've got to get over there and join them, and look at it!

Come with me. Let's push our way through, OK?

Excuse me, can I get through?

So with the excitement building up, the first lot to go under the hammer is Ian and Jane's silver collection.

I should go "Har!" like a pirate! This is not panto, this is Flog It!

-Why are you selling?

-They were my mother's. She'd had them for 40 years,

and we inherited them two years ago, and they just live in a drawer.

Hopefully, the collectors are here and they'll go to a good home. This is it.

Perfect twin salts.

Nice little lot, £50 the lot. 55. 60. 65.

70. 75. 80. 85. 90.

-This is good.

-95. 100. 110. 120. 130.

-140. 150. 150 down here in yellow, at £150 now.

-It's exciting.

-It's an exciting sale.

-160.

170.

At... 180.

At 180 the net. The salts and a nurse's buckle.

It's from Florence.

At 180. All done.

At £180.

Yes, jolly good result. Thoroughly enjoyed that. Yes!

And you did as well.

Really good, yeah.

-Don't forget, there is commission to pay. It's 15%. But enjoy that money.

-Thank you.

A great result. Let's hope that's a good omen for the rest of the sale.

Well, especially as I'm the expert next with Anita and Pete's tea caddy.

-It's a nice-looking caddy.

-Yes, it is.

-It's got all the right things going for it.

Let's find out what the bidders think, shall we? Here we go! Good luck.

The early Victorian walnut tea caddy, circa 1850.

Our overdomed top one,

arched top, domed top, whatever you like to call it.

£30 for that? 30. 32. 35.

38. 40. 45. 50.

55. 60. 65. 70. Here at 70 now.

75. 80. 80 with the lady.

Selling there with the lady at 80.

Are you in at the back? I can't see you, sir.

85? 80 here. It's the lady's bid, then, £80. Nobody else? Done at 80.

All you've got to do is stick some brass on it.

Well, we just did it, didn't we? We just did it.

I was a little bit worried, but I did say to you

it's not one of the best

I've seen on the show, but nonetheless it had everything going for it.

-And the price was just right, so someone's going to enjoy that.

-Lovely.

-And it's good to see you again.

-It's good to see you too. Thank you very much.

That's the way the cookie crumbles in the saleroom.

It made its bottom estimate and found its value.

Next, we have Elizabeth's collection of watches and Charlie didn't mince his words about them!

I've been looking forward to this moment

because I can say to you, going under the hammer now we've got a lot of junk! Not my words!

I've just been joined by Elizabeth. She's perfectly cool with this,

but it's in the words of the elegant Mr Charlie Ross.

We're not using a reserve. I know you hate no reserves,

-but...

-No reserve as well? No reserve! What happens if it only goes for a fiver?

-You can't call it junk and put a reserve on it, can you?

-No, I suppose not.

-You're OK with that, aren't you?

-Yeah.

-Mother's in the room, though. Is she fine with that?

-She's deaf, so I won't tell her.

Assorted silver...

watches and chains

and sort of knick-knacky things showing up there.

See how it goes. Fiver for it. 5 I'm bid.

5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 12. 15.

18. 20. 22. 25. 28.

30. 35. 40.

Had you going there! You're all quiet now.

-55. 60.

-Happy now?

75. 80. 85. 90.

95. 100.

Back at 100. At £100. New money. 110. 120. 130. At the back, 130.

At 130 now, at the back, then, at £130. Nobody else?

It goes then... 140 here.

150. Still at the back at 150.

This is what we like.

Internet at 150.

It's really interesting.

At 150. 160.

There might be the odd little thing.

£160. 170, new bidder.

Elizabeth, this is cracking, isn't it?

Bear in mind that I am prone to exaggerate.

At 170, right at the back. At 170. Net, you're out.

All done. At £170. Nobody else? Finished at 170.

-Hammer's gone down. £170.

-Excellent.

-You never know what's going to happen at an auction room.

-No.

You just don't. You can't fathom it out.

-There were so many things there, though. Just the one little thing somebody wanted.

-Mmm.

-Hmm.

Hey, got to look on the bright side. We're happy.

That's great.

Well, it's said that one man's junk is another man's treasure.

But what a great result for Elizabeth. She looked delighted.

'Now for something completely different -

'Hilda and her wacky map.'

-This item is a first for Flog It! I've never seen it over the years. Have you, Phil?

-No.

An indicator map of London from the 1930s.

-Hilda, thank you for bringing your curio in.

-That's OK.

How did you come across this?

We think it came from my husband's father's family.

We've had it about nine or so years now.

It was in a load of bits and pieces. We didn't know what to do with it.

-We thought we'd just keep it a while.

-Bring it along. Philip's put £30 to £50 on this.

Yeah. By the time you've set it up and worked out how to use it,

you've lost the will to get there, really!

Let's find out if we can make some money today.

-This was going in the bin, wasn't it?

-It was.

-A bit of classic recycling. Here we go.

Lot 240 - the tape indicator map of London.

Showing there in a little box.

This is fun - a map of London with the card covers.

A fiver for it, straight in. Five I'm bid.

5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

All done at £9?

10, 12, 15, 18, 20.

At £20. Done then, at £20.

Is that it? You can find your way around London with this!

You in at 22? Done then, at £20.

Nothing on the net?

All done at £20.

-There you go, spot on.

-I don't have to take it home!

I think it's probably too complicated to use,

isn't it, really?

'I think we've made Hilda's day.

'Maybe she'll put the money towards a Sat Nav.'

I want to show you around one of my favourite market towns in the UK.

It's also the location for our auction in today's show,

and it's been described as "the finest stone town for its size in England", and it's Stamford.

It is a Georgian gem, praised by architectural historians and writers.

Apparently, the 19th-century novelist Sir Walter Scott

doffed his hat at this view up to St Mary's Church over there,

and, if I had a hat right now, I'd doff it as well, because that is quite spectacular.

And even on a dull old windy day like today,

this town still sparkles with architectural detail,

whether it be little Tudor chimneystacks

or roof tiles or little bits of stucco masonry

just highlighting themselves out to you, so come on! Get your walking boots on. We're going for a tour.

Stamford prospered during the stagecoach era due to its strategic location

on the famous Great North Road.

It's a day's coach ride from London to Stamford,

and then another day onwards from Stamford to York,

so it makes it the perfect resting place for the weary traveller to stop for the night

and get board and lodgings. Now, there've been many coaching inns in this lovely old market town,

but the grandest has to be the George of Stamford.

And it's still here today. It's right there behind me.

Inside there are two doorways marked "London" and "York",

the waiting rooms for passengers going in each direction.

The exact age of the George isn't really known,

but historians reckon it started life as an old monastic inn, owned by Peterborough Abbey.

The earliest references to the George date back to the 15th century,

so that means there's been an inn on this site for 600 years.

The famous gallows sign there straddling the High Street is said to welcome the honest traveller

and obviously warn off the highwaymen.

So I imagine the likes of Dick Turpin and Tom King would be quaking in their boots when they saw that.

But in actual fact it's more to do with marketing and advertising.

Although it started off as a Saxon settlement, Stamford's heyday was in the Middle Ages.

It prospered under the Normans,

and thanks to the wool trade became one of the ten largest towns in England.

And I have to say there's been a market here on Broad Street ever since 972.

There's even a mention in one of Shakespeare's plays of a character

buying a yoke of bullocks from Stamford Fair.

Some of Stamford's medieval architecture can be tricky to see, but some stands out,

like this, Browne's Hospital.

Not a hospital in the modern sense of the word, it's an almshouse,

built in 1475 by a rich wool merchant, a Mr William Browne.

Now, he built this for ten poor men to live in and two poor ladies.

And the two poor ladies were here to look after the ten poor men.

In the corner there, there's a chapel where they had to pray three times a day

for the soul of their benefactor Mr Browne.

He was obviously determined to go to paradise.

And I'll tell you what, this little enclave really does feel like a paradise.

It's an oasis of tranquillity.

However, Stamford today is best-known for its impressive Georgian architecture.

And St George's Square is the perfect example.

Even today there's nothing modern about it, as you can see...

well, apart from a few cars parked here.

The earliest inspired classical building to be built in Stamford is this one right here. Look at that,

the most perfect symmetry about it.

If you follow me, over in the corner over here,

we have the assembly rooms.

It is the oldest provincial assembly rooms in the country, in fact,

and this is where you'd take afternoon tea

and go dancing in the evenings,

where young men would meet suitable young ladies,

and this was built in the 1720s, and it's still being used today.

Isn't that marvellous?

Next door, the windows on the right may look real, but, in fact, they're blocked up,

a victim of the infamous window tax of the 17th and 18th centuries.

If you had more than six, you had to pay a levy.

And that's where we get the expression "daylight robbery".

Now, around the corner in St Mary's Street, you get a wonderful variety

of different Georgian architectural styles.

Now, that's because the Georgians loved to look through architectural pattern books

to sort of almost personalise their own buildings, but in a very subtle way.

You have to look closely to appreciate this, but I can point out a couple of examples here.

Look at this doorway. Fluted classical columns,

terminating with these wonderful little ionic capitals at the top.

And right up there, underneath the eaves, you see the soffit board.

There's a detail running along there. That's called a dental cornice.

Now, you see a lot of that on Georgian furniture. So that's one example.

And next door here, the neighbours, number 22, as you can see, it's exactly the same-sized house,

same proportions, but the door surround here is known as a Gibbs surround.

This is designed by the Georgian architect James Gibbs,

and he featured in a lot of his work architrave around doors, windows and niches

that had protruding pieces of stone.

That was one of his features, normally with a keystone like that one,

underneath a pointed pediment. So you can see, it's different, but it's subtle.

And underneath the eaves up there on the soffit board, you haven't got the dental cornice,

but what you've got is noggins jutting out in the form of gallows brackets.

And the only way you can really sort all this out is to take your time and do it on foot.

It's a wonderful way to explore the town. There really is so much to see here.

It's marvellous!

Now, one particular feature that I really do love is the Collyweston slate roof,

and there's a great example of it up there, and on all the buildings along there.

On my house at home in Wiltshire, I have a roof just like that.

The tiles are made from a particular type of limestone, first discovered near the village of Collyweston.

They follow the same pattern, starting with broad slates that get smaller as they reach the top.

There are various sizes and they all have lovely names,

like outlaw, inlaw, mope, wibbits, tant, and the very smallest, pinchsome.

Well, that concludes the end of my little tour of Stamford,

and I've thoroughly enjoyed myself,

and hopefully it's inspired you to check out your local town,

because there's so much you can learn, but you've got to do it on foot.

'We're having such a great day in Peterborough, and there are still more people arriving.'

-Lovely! Thank you.

-I don't believe how many people turned up today!

'With so many good things coming in already,

'Charlie's found a Flog It! favourite,

'brought in by father Gary and his son, David.'

-So it must be half-term?

-Yeah.

-And you've come along with Dad.

-Yeah.

-To watch him sell something, or have something valued anyway.

-Yeah.

How did you get it?

-In a charity shop.

-In a charity shop. Who found it?

-Me.

-He did.

-You did?

-Yeah.

-Did you know what it was when you saw it?

-Yeah.

-Without even looking at the name?

-Yeah.

-Woargh! Who's taught you, Dad?

-Yeah.

CHARLIE LAUGHS

-Everybody knows Clarice Cliff. But how much did it cost?

-50 quid.

Oh, so it wasn't 50p?

-You know what it is, obviously. Do you know the pattern?

-Rhodanthe.

Rhodanthe is the pattern. You obviously know what it is.

Jam pot or preserve pot.

They like to call them preserve pots

because it could be jam or marmalade, I suppose.

-Do you know the shape?

-Bonjour.

-Bonjour.

So the rhodanthe pattern,

with bright oranges and yellows and browns.

-The painting's quite crude, isn't it?

-Yeah, it is.

But then it looks perhaps a little like a French Impressionist painting.

It's got that wonderful charm. This is in super condition.

The million-dollar question is, "What's it worth?"

You're hoping it's worth more than £50.

-Dad presumably knows it's worth more than £50.

-Yeah.

What do you think?

100, 150?

I think that's on the low side, 100, 150.

I think it's worth more than that. I'd like to see the estimate at 150 to 200.

I could honestly see it making £200.

But we'll put a reserve on it of 150 with perhaps a little discretion,

then if the auctioneer's running out of steam at 130, 140,

he'll have your permission to sell it for that. Still a tidy return on the capital.

-Oh, yeah. Yeah.

-And then what happens to the profit?

-Ha ha.

CHARLIE LAUGHS

-That's up for grabs, is it?

-Yeah, more than likely take him to a football match but we'll see.

Don't go to a football match!

Take the money off Dad and get into a few more charity shops,

and bring the things along to Flog It!

So as we crack on with more valuations, I can guarantee no-one will glaze over

with what Anne's brought along to Philip's table.

Anne, you don't even need to turn this up to tell you what it is, do you?

-No, it shouts it.

-It shouts it, it screams it, it kicks you in the shins it,

it pulls your hair out that it's it.

We'll talk about it in a minute, but what about you? Where do you live? Locally?

I do. I live about 20 miles south of here in Buckton, a lovely little village, full of history.

And has this little beauty followed you around, or how long have you had it?

No, actually, I got that from my parents who are both now dead,

-but I've known it all my life.

-Yeah?

-I suppose I...

-Did they buy it?

-I think it was a wedding present.

They never told me that's what it was. I just assumed that's what it was.

Did they hold it any regard?

Well, my mother loved it. Yes, she did. My father was a bit ambivalent about it,

but she quite enjoyed it. I don't think she knew it was worth anything.

-She certainly never mentioned it to me.

-Do you think it's worth anything?

-I think so, I know who it's made by.

-Shall we tell everybody else who it's made by?

-Go on.

-Do they need to be told?

-They might, because it's a bit unusual in colouring.

-Well, you tell me why.

-Well, it's William Moorcroft and you don't often...

Well, I didn't often see the flambe of style, the colour.

-Usually, blues seem to be the thing that appeared most often.

-And it dates to...?

-The '30s sometime, I think.

-Do you want to swap seats or are you quite happy to keep dispensing...?

-No, no, you just finish off for me.

-There's only one thing left now. You've only left me with one thing.

-And that's how much it's worth.

-Sorry. How much is it worth, Philip?

You're the smart beggar, you tell me! No... Truthfully, look, I think this is a really lovely thing.

-You're absolutely spot on, it's Moorcroft.

-Yeah.

-And it dates from 1930 to 1938.

-Oh, so it's quite a short period, then?

But the crucial thing are these fish here.

-Yeah.

-And that just... You're right, it does lift it.

This flambe period, you see lots of those blue ground ones, but I think this is truly lovely.

In terms of value, have you got a secret hope for what it might make?

-I'd love it to make over a thousand. Is that...?

-Yeah...

I think we've got to temper our secret hopes with a bit of sense and sensibility.

-Right.

-All right?

I think it should do over £1,000, I really do.

But I think you need to put a sensible estimate, 500-800...

you could perhaps even go 600-900, if you wanted to.

-I would rather do that one.

-OK.

-600-900.

-We'll put the 600-900 on.

-With a fixed reserve of 600.

-What?

-600.

-Go on, then. Fixed reserve at £600.

-Yes, please.

I really truly think that you could sell this in your pyjamas on a Sunday afternoon

and it will make its money. It'll be on the net. Are you happy with that?

Yes, providing that internet connection is there, that's great.

It'll be fine. And the way you've got to look at this

-is that you own these things for a short period in life.

-Yes.

-And you've had your turn

-and it's up to someone else now to...

-It is, yeah.

I hope they thoroughly enjoy it, and perhaps they won't break it and I might!

Well... Oh, no!

'Hands off, Philip! I think that Moorcroft's going to fly.'

-Aw!

-There you go.

-Thank you.

-We can't have you outside in the cold for a few hours, can we?

-Why don't you tell me...?

-I've kidnapped her!

'We're having a great day in Peterborough and there's still more people coming through the door.'

Charlie's spotted a lovely Cuban mahogany table. I'm quite jealous. Let's take a closer look.

John, doesn't everything look so much better in these wonderful surroundings?

-It's a beautiful building, isn't it?

-It's absolutely wonderful.

Now, I'm so thrilled because you've brought a bit of furniture along today.

We see very little furniture on Flog It! And when we get furniture Paul normally swipes it!

-Ah?

-So I'm thrilled to do the furniture.

-Good, excellent.

-Has this been at home for a while?

-It's been at home, oh...30-odd years.

-It was given to me with quite a few other bits and pieces...

-Yes?

-..of an old gentleman I knew.

-Yeah?

He was no longer using them, so he said, "Would you like them?" And I've had them ever since.

-It's a beautifully rich, rich mahogany.

-This would be the original colour?

Yes, that's natural wood with a lot of care and polish. It's mid-19th century.

It's Victorian, it's the first part of Victoria's reign...

I just wondered why it would have a drawer and a false drawer. Is it...?

-Because it can go in the centre of a room.

-Ah, right.

-Any bit of furniture that is what we call freestanding...

-Right.

..is more valuable than otherwise.

Quite often you see a piece of furniture and it's beautifully finished on one side,

-and it's a bit of old pine on the back.

-It's stuck against the wall.

-Exactly.

So it can go against the wall. Whereas this would go in the middle of a big drawing-room

-and, from wherever you viewed it, it would look equally splendid.

-Nice, yeah.

I'm opening this up and hoping... and indeed finding oak linings,

-as opposed to a bit of pine or something.

-Yes.

-The cabinet maker that made this

has gone the extra yard. And it slides in and out. It's a bit like closing a door on a Rolls-Royce.

I've never had a Rolls-Royce, so I wouldn't know.

Well, I have to say neither have I, but it's lovely.

I love the original knobs. I think they're superb. So what do you reckon it's worth?

I hope you're not going to be disappointed here.

-I would think 100-120.

-Yeah. I think it's worth a bit more than that.

I think, expect the saleroom estimate to be 100-200.

-Right you are.

-I'd be very... well, pleasantly surprised if it made more than 200.

-I would like however to see it make 150-160.

-That's fine.

-OK?

-That's OK, Charles, yes.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-A pleasure to see a bit of furniture.

-Good. Thank you very much.

'I second that! I love my furniture. Our next story takes us back to World War II.

'Pat's brought in some trench art which her husband inherited from a war veteran.'

I like to see different interesting things, Pat. And this is different and interesting.

This could almost be passed off as trench art.

And trench art is very poignant memories of Second World War experiences.

It's very difficult to see, but we've got France, Dunkirk...

then we've got Normandy, Germany, Holland, France, Belgium...

and then, at the bottom, we've got "Victory 8 May 1945".

And we've got a Royal Engineers badge at the top. Who was the man that it belonged to?

-It belonged to a man called Bert Dean.

-Bert Dean?

-Yes.

And he was in the Royal Engineers. Obviously, it was his.

-He probably made it from his experiences, you know.

-And was he at Dunkirk?

-Yes, he was.

Yes, he was on the beaches. He got his legs all shot up

and he had trouble with his legs right through until he died.

I just think that's absolutely fascinating. You know, I keep using the word poignant, but it is.

It's just a massive piece of history,

and I think my generation and the generations that follow me, you were so lucky

that you don't have to experience the war

-and the real, terrible things that happened during that time now.

-It must've have been bad.

-Awful,

-absolutely truly awful. But in terms of value, we've got to get a bit hardnosed about it...

-Yeah.

-This is not silver...

-No.

-It's not the most expensive bit of wood in the world...

-No.

-I think that you need to put an estimate on it of sort of £30-£50.

-Yeah.

-And how many memories are there in this?

-A lot, isn't there?

-And we're going to sell them for £30.

-I know, but there you go.

Thank you so much for bringing it along. I think it's just a really evocative thing, isn't it?

Yeah, that's all right, Philip. Thank you. It's just been in my loft, you know.

-It deserves a better space.

-It does, yes.

'Let's get that and our other items wrapped up and sent off to auction,

'and here's a quick reminder of what we're taking.

'So we're back in Stamford at Batemans Auction Rooms

'where auctioneer David Palmer is warming up the saleroom.'

-120.

-I'm glad you're here because no-one else seems to be alive.

Remember if you are buying or selling at auction, there is commission to pay.

Here at Batemans in Stamford

it is 15% plus the dreaded VAT,

so factor those costs into the hammer price.

-Check the details in the catalogue. It's all printed there like these...

-Excuse me.

I was just going to say like these ladies have here at Batemans.

-Could you sign my catalogue? Thanks very much.

-Of course I can.

-Are you buying or selling, madam?

-I'm buying.

-Are you? Good luck.

-Thanks very much.

-I can recommend some Moorcroft coming up later.

'And it's the Moorcroft that I asked our friend and valuer Kate Bateman

'to take a look at on the preview day.'

Well, I've been looking forward to talking about this one with Kate

because we see a lot of Moorcroft on this show, but I think this one's a little bit special.

This is the one to watch, I think.

It's a really nice example. It's a proper William Moorcroft one,

it's an early design,

it's quite a rare design, this fish and jellyfish one,

and the condition's brilliant. This is the stuff that auctioneers clap their hands over.

Philip's put a value of around £600-900 on it. He thinks it'll fly away.

Yeah. He's being fairly cautious on that.

Recent results for this kind of design and this particular one are a lot higher than that.

I'd put 1,000-1,500. That's purely because people want to think they can get a bargain,

but you have to price it properly in the market.

If it looks too cheap they will assume that something's wrong with it.

We've kept the reserve the same at 600, but we've put 1,000-1,500 in the catalogue.

And actually I'm hoping it will do better than that. We've had lots of interest,

so, fingers crossed. The condition's excellent. It's going to go.

All done. 30.

I can't wait to see that go later, but first a piece of social history

that Pat wants to see go to a good home.

It's a bit of trench art. It was made by a veteran who was serving in Dunkirk.

-There's lots to talk about here, isn't there?

-There is.

It's a really hard thing to put a price on. We're looking at £30-£50.

These things are popular at the moment, so I hope it'll do well.

I've seen prisoner-of-war art fly through the roofs of salerooms.

-We put silly prices on of £100 and it made 1,000.

-I know.

Anyway, let's find out what the bidders think of this, cos this is quite unusual.

Militaria, old trench art. A trench art shield.

There we are. They made these shields for the soldiers.

Really rather nice. 10 for it? £10 I'm bid.

10. 12. 15.

18. 20. 22.

Here done at 22 now. Is that it? At £22 only. All done at 22.

Finished and done at £22. All done, then, at 22.

I'm sorry, that's not sold.

-It's going home.

-Oh, well.

-It's a cheap memory that, isn't it?

I'm not putting it back in the loft, I don't feed the loft.

It is a cheap memory, yeah.

That sort of memorabilia is so difficult to put a price on.

But I'm glad it's going home with Pat and it lives to fight another battle.

Next it's John with a piece of furniture that I've fallen in love with.

I can find a home for this in every single bedroom I've got, in a hallway, on the landing...

it would look great by the side of the bed with a table lamp on it,

it would look nice underneath the window... There's plenty of places for a table like this.

-John, I think we've got a buyer.

-I'm not allowed to buy!

But I tell you what, if I'm getting excited about it, you are and so are this lot.

Let's find out what they think, shall we? Here we go.

The Victorian mahogany occasional table with a single drawer.

Showing now, rather nice one. £50 for that?

50 I'm bid. 55. 60. 65. 70.

75. 80. 85. 90. 95.

-100 now. A standing bid of 100.

-We've sold it.

-Yeah.

110. 120. 130.

-There's more interest as well.

-140. 150. 160.

170. 170 here.

This side at 170. Is that it? At 170. 180 on the phone.

190. Phone go again.

200.

-210.

-Oh!

-Not bad.

220.

-230.

-This is good.

-240. Here on the phone at 240.

-Still on the phone.

-Over the top end now, John.

-Down here at 240.

-All done.

-Got to be happy with that.

It would look good sitting next to a commode.

Here on the phone at £240. Done at 240.

-Yes! That's a sold sale!

-Good stuff!

-Excellent.

-You see, everyone needs an occasional table.

-They do!

Especially if you're kitting out a small hotel

or something like that or you've just bought a house.

That's great furniture, it's a good investment. You'll always get your money back. But it looks beautiful!

-So there you go.

-Excellent, Paul.

-We did the business for you.

-John can go home happy.

-Congratulations, well done.

And I must say, if you've got any furniture, we would love to see it.

Bring it along to one of our valuation days because the experts absolutely love it!

'Let's keep up the pace with our next lot.'

Well, it's never let us down in the past.

You know what I'm talking about. Yes, it's Clarice Cliff.

We've got a bit owned by Gary and David.

Old eagle-eyes here spotted this for £50, didn't he?

-You paid for it, obviously, Dad.

-He found it in a charity shop.

-Well done. Is this your first auction?

-No.

-An old hand.

He's got to be the youngest dealer in the room.

It's Saturday here so it's a day off school anyway.

We're looking to sell this preserve pot with a value around £150-£200.

If you can turn that sort of profit on the first few deals,

well, he's got a good career in front of him.

-That's all I can say.

-I hope so!

-We've got to put it to the test right now, though.

470, Clarice Cliff. The preserve pot. Showing now.

The decorative one. Rather nice. Very collectible. Showing now. 55.

65. With me at 65. 70. 75.

-Oh, there's hands going up everywhere.

-At 95, 100, 110.

120. 130. You in? 140. 150.

160. 160 now. At the back, at 160.

170.

170. The commission's at 170. Anybody else?

All done at £170.

Is that it? Sure you're both out, gents?

At £170, nothing on you. Done then at 170.

The hammer's gone down. That's what you call turning a profit.

Well done, you. Shake my hand.

And please, please, please carry on doing what you're doing, won't you?

Encourage your friends.

-Let's see a new generation of young kids getting stuck into antiques and collectables.

-Why not?

'Now it's Anne's Moorcroft vase.'

We can't get this Moorcroft out of our minds, ever since the valuation day.

We've all been thinking about it, especially Anne here, who's sort of been left...

-well, not knowing what to do!

-Yes.

-We had an original valuation by Philip, £600-£900,

but you did say this is going to fly. This is going to do well over £1,000.

Obviously, a few weeks have gone by, the auction catalogue's been published, it's gone out,

and they're revised that valuation to £1,000-£1,500. You know that as well, don't you?

-It was a bit of a shock!

-I think they might have to revise it again in a minute!

-Oh, dear!

There are serious collectors out there that know certain patterns and certain patterns are very rare.

I think this could fly away,

but I don't know what "fly away" means. I mean, you'd be happy with 2,000, wouldn't you?

-I would be delighted with 2,000.

-Would you settle for 2,500?

-Yes.

-You would, wouldn't you?

LAUGHTER

You just need two bidders that get stuck in like a Jack Russell wrestling with an old sock

-and not one of them's going to let go.

-OK.

-Happy?

-Yes.

Anyway, we've got a cracking piece going under the hammer right now, and I'm so excited!

Here's hoping! Here we go!

William Moorcroft fish and jellyfish vase.

There's the vase showing up there.

Start me at £400. 400 I'm bid. 420.

-Anne, fingers crossed.

-Yeah, absolutely.

-520.

550. 600 in the room. 650. 700 on you?

700 this phone.

Phone at 700. 750 in the room.

Sort yourselves out, phones. 800.

800. 850.

900 on one of these phones.

950, sir? 950. 1,000 on the phone.

1,000 this phone. 1,050 on you? 1,050.

Oh.

1,100.

1,150. Room at 1,150.

1,200 net. 1,250 room.

Room at 1,250. 1,300 here. 1,350 room.

1,400 over there. 1,450.

1,500 net. 1,550 room. 1,600.

1,650. 1,700.

1,750. 1,800 here.

1,850.

1,900 this one. 1,950.

-2,000?

-Well, there we got to 2,000 so far!

-We did.

2,000 here. 2,100. Room at 2,100.

2,200.

2,300.

2,400.

2,500.

2,600. 2,700.

In the room at 2,700.

2,800. 2,900.

3,000.

3,100.

3,200 here. 3,250 off you?

-3,250.

-Oh, think of all that money!

-3,300.

-And what you'll do with it.

-Yes!

-Spend!

-This phone at 3,300.

At 3,300.

-What? 3,400. New money at 3,400.

-I don't believe this!

-3,400.

3,400. At 3,400.

3,500. That phone at 3,500. Either of you two 3,600?

3,600.

3,700.

Oh, my word!

3,800.

3,900.

4,000.

4,100? 4,100.

4,200.

4,300.

4,400.

Goodness me!

No, we are at 4,400.

-4,400.

-4,500's next.

4,500.

4,500. Down here at 4,500. Anybody else?

At £4,500, the bid is in at 4,500.

I'll take a 50.

4,550.

The phone above you at 4,550. 4,600?

-Yes.

-4,600.

4,650?

Go to 4,700?

4,600. The bid's here at 4,600. All yours.

-What a lovely moment!

-Selling, then, at £4,600.

-The hammer's going down now.

-Unbelievable!

-4,600!

You've got a round of applause. Deservedly so as well.

Oh, is there a tear in the eye?

Yeah, there is, isn't there? Bless, bless, bless! Think of...

-That's really nice.

-Oh, it's lovely.

-Well done, you.

-What a wonderful way to end a brilliant day

here in Stamford, this wonderful old historic town.

-And thank you so much...

-Thank you as well.

-..for coming along to Peterborough Cathedral.

All the gems came out when it mattered.

Join us next time, won't you, for many more surprises when lots of antiques go under the hammer.

But until then, it's goodbye from all of us.