Colchester 5 Flog It!

We've got a massive queue outside the town hall

here to ask our experts that all-important question. Here's an expert.

Mr David Barby.

If you follow me, we have another one, the gorgeous Kate Bateman.

Hello!

This is said to be one of Britain's oldest towns.

It's been a military base for the last 2,000 years. So where are we?

-Colchester!

-And what are we here for?

Flog It!

This Baroque-style building is Colchester town hall,

our magnificent venue for today.

All these people have come to meet our experts

to ask that all-important question, "What's it worth?"

When they've found out, it's off to auction.

Today's experts, Kate Bateman and David Barby are trawling the crowd.

Kate's got antiques in her blood

and runs an auction house with her father.

Exciting!

What have you got there?

While David is the daddy when it comes to spotting a thing of beauty.

-You look like Barbara Windsor in her younger days.

-I know!

-Remember that camping scene?

-No, I don't do that! Too cold!

The charmer's pretty good at antiques, too!

And as this crowd find their seats,

they have no idea what the day might have in store.

Trust me, one owner is in for a really big surprise.

At my age, you know, it's shocking, this sort of thing.

-Oh, do stop, this is awful!

-No, no!

-No, don't stop.

-Keep going!

SHE LAUGHS They're still at it!

SQUEALS AND LAUGHTER

That's all to come. So let's get down to the valuations.

Here's Kate with Joe.

Joe, you've brought this fantastic centrepiece. What can you tell me about it?

Right. It was bought in 1965.

My mother bought it. There was a fantastic three-day auction

at an old house in Burnham on Crouch.

It belonged to a sea captain who'd brought back things, filled the house, from all over the world.

-Right.

-Absolutely marvellous.

-OK.

-My mother really loved it.

She always had it on the mantelpiece.

We had it out at Christmas on the table with a bunch of grapes hanging from here.

And tangerines and things down the bottom.

It's a really unusual shape. We've got all this crazy decoration.

-It's quite ornate. All these sea scrolls. It's a bit Rococo.

-Yes.

If we look on the bottom to see who the maker is.

As we suspected, Doulton Burslem.

A registration number, 142326.

If we look that up in a book, that will tell us it was made in 1890.

That's the year this registration number was put in the book.

It was retailed by Phillips of Oxford Street in London.

Quite a high-class retailer. Do you like it?

-I do.

-Yes?

-I love it when it's got the grapes and the fruit.

-Very festive, I imagine.

-It is. It brings it all together.

It looks so empty like that.

When I see things like this, I expect to see bits broken off.

I've looked really carefully for bits of glue! But it seems to be perfect.

-It's amazing it's survived this well.

-Yes.

-You've taken good care of it.

-As good as I could.

That's one very good reason for selling it.

-Because it is in perfect condition.

-OK.

Either it's a question of putting it in the loft to keep it safe

or putting it on the mantelpiece and it gets chipped or broken.

I'd think, "Why on earth didn't I bring it to Flog It before it got broken?"

That's probably a good thing. Pass it on to somebody who'll enjoy it.

-Price-wise, 100 to £150.

-Mm-hmm.

I wouldn't be surprised if it made a bit more on the day. It's a strange thing.

-Would you be happy with that sort of figure?

-Yes, yes.

-What about a reserve of £80?

-Yes.

-And estimate of 100 to 150.

-Sounds fine.

-What have you got there? I'm intrigued.

-That's actually the original catalogue.

-Where your mother bought it?

-Yes.

-We went there, my mother and I.

-And this is it, Lot 162.

-Yes. Old Doulton china fruit bowl and a Staffordshire figure.

-A Staffordshire figure.

-How much did you pay?

-Seven pounds, five shillings.

-So that's our aim, seven pounds, five shillings.

-Yes!

-Let's hope we can improve on that.

I think Kate's on safe ground, there.

As she says, it shouldn't be hard to make that £7 target ten times over.

Here's David Barby.

Who does this belong to?

It came from my mother's father. That's where it started.

You know what it is, don't you?

-Yes.

-This is a lovely example of a combined propelling pencil which is there.

And it's retractable.

And then do you see those little flower heads? Beautiful.

Lovely detail.

Then on the other one, if I push it down,

a provision for putting a nib.

You dip that into the inkwell and start writing.

-So this would have been ideal for a lady.

-Yes.

Who had a purse or a little vanity case

which had a writing set as well.

This, I think, is quite, quite adorable.

What I love is the engine-turned decoration on this solid silver case.

On the silver case you can see the hallmark just there.

And even the name of the manufacturer.

"R.M. Mosley, London."

The major manufacturer for these was Mordan & Co.

This is very much in their manner, but Mosley & Co.

The date letter there is a Gothic F

so we're looking at about 1841.

Produced in London, 1841.

But that's not the only attraction,

the case and those little flower-head pushes,

it's this at the end here which is a cairngorm engraved, which is lovely.

-Do you know what that was for?

-I imagine it was something for stamping.

-Right.

So after you'd written your letter, you'd put it in the envelope

and this was then used to seal it

whilst the wax was still molten.

And if I can see with my eyes,

there's an engraved name which I think says, back-to-front, Miriam.

Miriam.

And just into the capital letter M,

there's traces of wax.

So this actually has been used.

-Oh!

-Of course, the name is back-to-front as you put it in the wax, it would appear normal.

A very good collectors' item.

When it goes up at auction,

I'd like to see it probably 50 to £80.

That sort of price range.

Would you be happy at parting with this family heirloom at that sort of level?

As long as there's a fixed reserve on it. I wouldn't want it to go for a few pounds.

-I'd like to make sure...

-Very sensible. A reserve of £50? Would you be happy?

-That's fine.

-OK.

Sheila, thank you. I shall be at the auction watching the price go up.

-Look forward to seeing you, Nigel.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

We're staying with small and beautiful for our next item.

Wendy and Peter, thanks so much for coming in.

We're having a wonderful time. Everyone's in high spirits.

I love what you're holding. I think it's absolutely charming.

Tell me about its history.

Well, it belonged to my father.

He died at 91 and I've had it ever since.

It's spent most of its life in a sideboard drawer.

-Have you used it much at all?

-No.

-You don't have the odd tipple?

-He's had a restful life!

Let me have a look. He's made from a nut.

Look, it's exquisite!

-Yes.

-He can almost speak to you, can't he?

-He hasn't yet!

-The children don't want him, unfortunately.

-I really can't believe that.

They've got so many other funny things.

It's so usable, as well. It's a practical piece of kit.

I've seen a lot of corkscrews in my time

and I know a lot of collectors would like to own this one.

It's a novelty piece. It's late Victorian.

But it's in great condition. The glass eyes are a little bit scratched.

I think if you put this into auction, we'd put a value of 80 to £120 on it.

-Is that right?

-And a reserve of 70. I'm pretty sure you'll get the top end.

-Is that right?

-Yes.

-That's amazing.

If two collectors are there on the day, it'll go even higher.

If he was a real parrot, he'd be very pleased.

-Exceptionally pleased.

-Having laid in a drawer for years!

If you're going to own a parrot, Peter, this is the type to own.

They don't answer back.

No.

Now, what's Kate found? She's with Debbie.

-Are you a Clarice Cliff collector?

-Not really, no.

I liked it a few years ago. We went to look around at Clarice Cliff,

-but not really, no. I've only got these two.

-Did you inherit these?

No, I bought them six to eight years ago. We used to go to antiques fairs.

We just bought them then.

Which do you like best?

-This one.

-I'm with you on that.

This one, I call it the fried eggs pattern, but officially it's Orange Chintz.

It's supposed to be flowers. All hand-painted

but it's a really cool shape, and the shape is going to excite collectors.

It's funky and unusual. It looks like a spaceship!

In the 1930s that was so cool and new.

This fabulous cross-section on the base.

It's marked up Bizarre, Clarice Cliff. Hand-painted.

Condition's quite good. There are a few nibbles on the rim.

But that was before it was actually painted, so the factory let it out with those irregularities.

The shape is called Stamford.

So that's from that style range.

This one is Rhodanthe

and the shape is Biarritz,

this very square... I suppose they were thinking of the south of France.

This one comes in different colourways. Brown is my least favourite.

There's one called Aurora, which is pink and grey and quite pretty.

They're nice together, the same colour take, so they'll sell well together as one lot.

-You want to put them to auction?

-Yes.

-You want to get rid of them?

-Is that so you can buy other things?

-Yes, I'm moving house in March

and I want to buy bits for that. This doesn't go with a new house

-so out with the old, in with the new!

-Right.

A spring clean! Right.

In terms of price, I think probably 300 to 400 is where I'm thinking.

Mainly for this one. This one is £50-ish on its own,

but you would put them together in one lot

because it'll appeal to a Clarice Cliff collector.

-Is that a figure you'd be happy with?

-Um...

-Did you pay more than that?

A little bit more, but it was a long time ago, so...

-Perhaps a little bit more.

-So maybe 350 reserve?

-Yes, 350 would be fair.

We'll make it a firm reserve. 350 to 400 as an estimate for the two together.

Hopefully this one will sell it and they get a freebie with it as well.

-OK.

-Fingers crossed.

-Hope so.

Hope our fried eggs go well!

-They do look like fried eggs!

-They do!

Of course, a precise and colourful description is the auctioneer's art.

Erm, Kate...

We meet a lot of collectors on this programme,

people with shelves full of Clarice Cliff and display cabinets full of Royal Doulton.

But what if your budget is a lot bigger and your display shelves are the size of two big barns?

I'm at Bonnard's Farm in Essex to meet a man who's taking collecting to the next level.

It starts here through this rather unassuming door. Let's have a look.

There's always been a certain romance about the early days of motoring.

Cars have been with us now for over 120 years.

So are they mechanical artworks, technical wonders or just a necessity of modern life?

Either way, the nostalgia of those pioneering days

is still being fuelled by vintage rallies, museums

and more unusually, private collections like this one.

Bernard Holmes used to be an executive at the Ford Motor Company.

So when his own business ventures provided enough money for an expensive hobby,

it's not surprising his collection led here.

This is where it all started for you?

Yes, this was the first car we restored

and it was a nuts to bolts restoration. Body off, down to the chassis.

Incredible job you've done.

It was very enjoyable doing it.

What do you look for in a practical classic like these lovely old cars

-when you go to buy one.

-If I come across a car and I fall in love with it, I'll buy it.

I then add it to the collection.

So this one was bought. I knew nothing about the car.

I've learned about it as I've restored it and I've learned to love it.

We've travelled a number of miles in it.

All these cars get used.

-They're all roadworthy.

-It's after using them that you get an affinity with them.

-But you would buy a wreck, would you?

-Yes, this one was a wreck.

A very expensive wreck! But it was a wreck when I bought it.

You couldn't have used it.

You get the parts hand-made now in this country?

Yes, what you try and do is use the original part and repair it

by re-sleeving or putting bushes in or whatever.

That's the first way to go.

If you can't do that, you're forced into copying the part and remaking it.

You try and do that as little as possible.

You do a lot of the work yourself, which keeps the costs down.

Yes. Although I say I do the restoration myself,

obviously I use a team of people. So I subcontract the paint out.

I subcontract the upholstery out.

A friend of mine, Barry, did the wickerwork.

Somebody else does the woodwork for me.

But there's a lot of time and money spent in disassembling the car,

doing all the running around, getting the parts plated, that's what I do.

Bernard has 26 cars and dozens of motorbikes

all restored to an incredible condition.

If we're going to talk about these wonderful vintage cars, you have to include a Rolls Royce!

-You ought to, I guess!

-And there's one right here!

This is a 1913 Silver Ghost

with a particularly light bodywork on it.

-It's called a London to Edinburgh.

-It was built as a Grand Tourer.

Yes. And this is capable of 70 miles an hour.

Last year we did a tour via Paris down to the Cotes D'Azur

-back to Monaco and back through the Alps.

-Your wife told me you took this to Durban.

Yes, we did 4,500 kilometres around South Africa.

Durban, Swaziland, and down out through Cape Town.

-Wonderful.

-What did the people from the townships think about this?

I always think people are very generous.

Actually, we did take this into a township.

And it just caused the same sort of stir that it would in England!

They must have thought you were royalty! It's incredible!

You don't get envy. People just admire the car for what it is.

-Clap and cheer!

-It's very generous of people, really.

What would one of these cost in this condition today?

-Half a million, I guess.

-Incredible.

Absolutely incredible.

But they're not all that price. The entry level would be a Model T Ford.

There are thousands still on the road. You can get one for £10,000.

All that nostalgia is kept alive by events like the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.

It started in 1927 and every year, 500 old cars make the 54-mile journey south.

The only rule is they have to have been built before 1905.

It's an enthusiast's dream, and some of them really go!

Bernard's cars are regulars on the various historic rallies.

His engineering background means he has his favourites.

I'm particularly interested in De Dion Bouton.

I have single cylinders, twins, four cylinders, an eight-cylinder.

-So I can follow the De Dion.

-What's the fascination with them?

I like the engineering.

And at the turn of the last century,

Darroch and De Dion supplied more than 60% of all motor cars.

-Right.

-In the world. So they were the leaders in their industry.

Let's look at another. I know you have a favourite down there.

It's a particularly exciting car.

It's a twin-cylinder De Dion dating from 1904.

Let's have closer look. Is it easy to drive?

It's particularly easy, this one,

because you just move this lever into that position,

push that forward, and you're in first gear.

-Right.

-Push it back and you're into second gear.

-Then move that back to that position and that's into third gear.

-Right.

-So it's a bit like rubbing your tummy and patting your head.

-Yes!

But once you're used to it, there's no possibility of mucking the gear change up.

-You need good co-ordination.

-Yes. And it's got a good turn of speed.

35 miles an hour, nearly 40 miles an hour.

You don't go any faster or it vibrates itself to death!

What a wonderful collection. The good news is, Bernard opens to the public on selected days of the year.

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.

For our auction we're staying in Colchester

and we're at Reeman Dansie Auction Rooms.

We're starting our sale with Nigel and Sheila's propelling pencil,

valued at 50 to £80.

Surely you could make use of this? Don't you do doodles? Don't you want to use it?

-No...

-You can still buy the lead.

-Not with that.

-Not with that?

-No.

-It's a nice thing.

-It is.

-It's a really nice thing.

I think now, you can't use it. You have to buy separate nibs.

It's very difficult to get the inks and everything to go with it.

It makes your handwriting look good! I still use an ink pen.

So do I. But something like that is very difficult.

It's more for a cabinet or a collectors' item.

Silver's very high in value at the moment, so that's good.

It's got everything going for it.

Let's find out what the bidders think. This is the test.

Let's find out what it's worth.

The Victorian silver combination propelling pencil and pen.

What do you say? £50 to start me? £50 start for this one?

£50 to start me?

-40, then? 40 I have down here.

-OK.

44. 46. 48.

50. 55.

60. £60 seated down here now. 60. At £60.

Any advance?

-All done now? 65 on the internet.

-Good.

-65.

On the internet now. Sure, sir?

At £65 on the internet. One more?

-70.

-Excellent.

-£70 bid now in the room. £70.

-We're doing it.

-370. 75.

At £75 on the internet now.

80. At £80. Back in the room at 80.

£80 bid. 85 on the internet? At £80 in the room. I'm selling. All done.

That was a battle, but we did it!

The pen is mightier than the sword!

For sure!

Next up, Joe with his 120-year-old fruit dish.

Doulton is a great name. We're looking at 100 to £150.

-You got this in auction, didn't you?

-Yes, 1965.

-Have you spotted anything here you'd like to buy?

-Some beautiful furniture.

-Yes.

-Georgian furniture.

-It's a good time to invest in antiques.

-There's never been a better time.

-Yeah.

-And it doesn't get greener.

-Their carbon footprint is zero because they get recycled.

-It's the ultimate recycling.

-Good stuff.

-Have you seen anything you'd like to buy?

-Loads of things.

-If you were allowed!

-Yes. There's a box there I'd take home with me.

But sadly not. Not today.

Good luck. Let's find out what the bidders think.

We want £150 at the top end. Here we go.

The unusual Victorian Doulton Burslem fruit dish.

Complete with a grape suspender. There we are.

Very splendid thing. What do you say? 80?

£80 to start me. £80 to start me.

£80 for it. 60, then?

£60 start. 60 is bid on there. At 60.

At £60 bid now. At 60. Do I hear 65?

£60 is bid.

-It's struggling.

-Struggling.

-£60 is bid.

-And advance? All done now?

-He's not selling.

-All done?

65 on the internet.

70. At £70 bid now.

At 70. At £70 bid.

At £70.

75. At 75.

-80. At £80 bid now. 80.

-Gosh, it's done it.

At £80 bid now. At 80. At £80.

-£80 is bid.

-Well done, internet bidders!

It's going to be sold. Against you on the internet. One more? £80 is bid.

Are you all done?

-Fabulous.

-Phew!

Internet bidding does slow it up, but it does put the prices up,

-that's for sure.

-It's worth the wait.

Somebody sitting at home on their computer bidding at the very last minute.

-Are you happy with that?

-Yeah, absolutely.

-Well done.

-Good.

-Thank you.

-Thank you. That was great.

-Just, wasn't it just? I didn't think it was going to sell.

-I thought it was stuck at 70. It's good.

If this next lot doesn't sell, it'll drive me round the twist!

Peter and Wendy's corkscrew. I love it.

Those bright glass blue eyes get me on the old parrot.

Absolutely wonderful. Good luck, both of you.

I know there are plenty of corkscrew collectors that will love this.

Hopefully, top end of the estimate. Here we go.

A late Victorian novelty carved nutshell corkscrew

in the form of a parrot head.

What do you say? £50 to start me?

50? 50 to start me?

50's bid on there. At 50. At £50.

55.

60 with you, sir. 65.

-At 65. 70. £70 bid.

-Come on!

-At 70.

£70 bid.

Any advance? All done now? At 75 on the internet. Against you.

80. At £80 in the room. At £80 in the room.

Against you on the internet. At £80. 85.

90. At £90 back in the room now.

At 90. At £90 in the room.

Against you on the internet. 95. 100.

-100.

-Interest now.

110. At 110 on the internet now.

Against you all. All done? £110.

-Well done.

-Not bad, is it?

-£110. Hammer's gone down.

-Amazing!

-That was great, wasn't it?

-Yes!

-It went to somebody bidding online, on the internet.

-Yes.

-Gone to a collector?

-I think so, yes. Definitely. Yes.

Sold to another online bidder.

It just shows how local auction rooms are reaching out to all over the world.

Debbie's Clarice Cliff piece is valued at 350 to £400.

I had a chat to James, the auctioneer, just before the sale.

-I asked him if he would separate them.

-OK.

And he said no, purely because the smaller bowl is the one that just might sell.

-That's the cool shape.

-Yes. And the other one will really struggle.

-OK.

You wouldn't get your money back. By putting the two together,

-someone's going to buy them and they'll have the problem of splitting them up.

-OK.

-But he thinks they're going to struggle.

-OK.

But you never know. We've got internet bidding, phone bidding. It's not all in the room.

-Somebody like you might get carried away...

-And spend their money!

-Spend all their money on this.

-Spend £350 on Clarice Cliff instead of a pair of shoes!

-What would you do?

-I'd veer on the side of shoes, myself!

-Handbags, if it was me! Handbags.

-That's girls for you!

1930s Clarice Cliff Bizarre Stamford bowl

and the Clarice Cliff Rhodanthe pattern dish.

Two items of Clarice Cliff here. Start me.

£300 to start me?

£300 to start me, ladies and gentlemen. 300 I have.

£300 bid now. 320. 340.

350 I have. 350 is bid here now.

At 350. 350. 360 I'll take.

360 behind you. 360 is bid now. 360.

360 is bid here now.

At 360. 380, anywhere?

At £360. It's going to be sold. All done at 360.

Well done. Just scraped it in there, didn't we? There's commission to pay.

-Yeah.

-You wouldn't have lost much money. Maybe £20 at the end of the day.

-But you've had the joy out of them.

-Yeah, I want to buy something new now.

-What are you going to buy? Not shoes.

-No, not shoes, handbags. I've bought a new house

so it'll go for bits in there.

-And that haemorrhages money. Curtains, cushions, carpets.

-Yes.

-I know the feeling. Enjoy the new house.

-Thank you.

Well done. Spot on.

-Yeah. I thought they might struggle.

-Yeah, so did James. He'll be surprised.

The M25. Mile after miles of cars, lorries and road works.

But look carefully and there are some real treasures nearby.

Sometimes you might glimpse something special out of the corner of your eye

and there never seems to be time to stop and take a closer look.

Well, today, I am going to stop.

Just 600 yards off the M25, Europe's busiest motorway -

you can hear it, just over there, with the lorries bombing along -

is this wonderful Georgian mansion, Copped Hall.

It's survived a fire, road construction, obviously,

and land-hungry developers.

It was a grand country mansion, once surrounded by thousands of acres of hunting parks and farmland.

But one Sunday morning in 1917, most of Copped Hall was burnt out

in a disastrous fire.

It fell into ruin. Over the years, it was stripped of doors, fireplaces,

even the roof.

When the M25 cut through the grounds in the 1980s,

Copped Hall once more came to wider attention

and developers tried to move in.

It was down to local campaigners to save the hall and start a long, slow job of rebuilding it.

Architect Alan Cox, who played in the ruins as a boy,

is one of those campaigners.

-Why did you get involved?

-I knew it since I was a teenager. I've studied architecture

and by various coincidences I got involved and joined in with local people

and we set up a campaign to save it. And we got support for that.

Everywhere. Powerful people supported us. It took nine years

and eventually we won.

-Did you have to raise much money?

-Yes. We had to borrow money.

But we found two people to lend us the money.

So that was it. We set up a charitable trust quite near the end

before we bought it, and then raised the money.

-Exciting!

-And then we paid the money back.

-Paid it back.

-Which took five years.

So we had no mortgage and it's just putting it back together again.

-It's an ongoing project.

-Yes. The budget to do it all is a lot of money.

Probably ten million. But we don't think like that.

The process of doing it is part of the attraction.

-It's evolving all the time.

-Yes.

The point about this is it's a work in progress.

People come here. They go and look at buildings that are complete,

but this is half-way done and they see it gradually restored.

-As an architect, are you overseeing this project?

-Yes.

-Is it running on schedule?

-There's no schedule.

-No budget?

-We own it. No budget, no schedule,

we just move on and we share what we do with the public who come in their hundreds.

What's the most exciting part of the build so far for you?

I think finishing the saloon - not finishing it, but getting it usable.

When we get a bit of floor or roof on, we use it for a concert or play

so it's used regardless of the fact it's only half-done or quarter-done.

-You're putting heart and soul back into the building already.

-It's not only about the building,

it's about the people here. Without the people, it wouldn't happen.

It's two things.

It might be a mess now, but when Copped Hall was built in 1758,

it was a grand residence.

The huge landscaped gardens were tended by an army of 31 gardeners.

It had style and character.

Ghostly reminders of those glorious days are still scattered around the grounds.

It would have been a perfect setting for a lavish garden party.

The inside was spectacular, too.

I'm off to see the work the Trust has done so far.

The fire in 1917 and subsequent demolitions

have left this incredible building without any roof and 90% of its floor joists,

the two key elements that hold this grand building together.

They stop the walls from imploding inwards and falling outwards.

So that was the first thing to be tackled,

to get the shell, the superstructure, solid.

And also get it watertight so work can carry on.

Interestingly, Alan's discovered in the cellar, right below me,

there are four supporting columns.

One here, one here,

there and there.

If he finds there's evidence that these columns come up through this floor which has been re-screeded,

if there's evidence they poke through, that means there's four classical columns

that would have sat on them holding these joists up. The big oak joists that were here.

This is what Alan thinks the entrance hall might have looked like.

This is a great space, the saloon, a very important room in the house

where all the entertaining was done. The ceilings here are a lot higher than the other rooms.

The cornice would have been incredibly deep. See where it starts.

See these holes in the wall which are there to support great big chunks of plaster

moulded in great big sections going around here.

This photo of the saloon taken in about 1900

shows just how that plasterwork would have looked

and how it fitted into the opulent surroundings of this mansion.

The ornate and ostentatious look is simply stunning.

The Trust is bringing it all back slowly but surely.

Eventually, all this will be wood-panelled and will look stunning.

I can't wait to see this finished!

These holes here in the wall

are where the original stone stringers and risers of the staircase were tied in.

Winding all the way around this great big stairwell.

Sadly, in the 1950s, somebody demolished it.

They started at the top and pulled out these stone treads and risers and newel posts

and dropped them from up there down to there on this lovely flagstone floor.

So you get an idea of just how much work there is still to do.

If you want to see the mountain that's left to climb, follow me.

Look at this!

I should have brought my tool kit!

The Trust has had some grants in the past and they've used that money wisely and sensibly.

But they've now run out of money. You can see the amount of work they've still got to do.

This is the next project. That's the first floor dining room up there.

There's still no roof. One thing that does happen in big stately piles like this

when they need to raise money, and Alan's adopted the scheme here,

anybody can pay to have a Georgian window, a lovely sash window reinstated

into the original apertures. These cost £2,000 a window.

It would be really nice to see these horrible steel shutters and doors removed from this building.

I just hope they raise the money.

Wow! Restoring one great big antique!

The main aim of the Trust is to permanently protect Copped Hall,

restore it to its former glory so it can be used for educational purposes

and the local community can really benefit.

Future generations can come here and appreciate it. That's the good thing.

I just wish them luck!

Back at Colchester town hall, everyone's in good spirits

and Kate is ready with our next owner, Mariette.

Mariette, hello. Welcome to Flog It! You've brought something small and beautiful!

-Yes.

-Tell me about it.

I can't tell you very much. I brought it on behalf of my mother.

She inherited it when my father's mother died, my paternal grandmother.

It's lived in the box ever since. That's all I know about it.

-In a box? You don't show it at all?

-No!

-Aw!

-I know!

-It's come from quite far away.

-Ah.

-What he have here is a 19th-century Chinese celadon jade scent bottle.

If we pick it up here, it's so small and tactile,

it's got this lovely little brass and turquoise, but faded, lid.

And then you've got what's probably a bone or possibly ivory scoop.

I guess you'd dip it in and dab it behind your ears or dab your perfume inside your wrists

and put it back in.

It's really sweet.

The only other thing I can think it might be used for is snuff or something like that.

It could be that instead of perfume a snuff scoop that you'd put a pinch of snuff on and sniff it up!

But it's quite a lovely thing, irrespective of what its use is.

We'll stick with scent bottle at the moment.

It's a lobed, we call it lobed form decoration.

-But otherwise very plain.

-Yes.

Often we see them with intricate carvings, dragons, all kinds of stuff on it.

But I love the simplicity of this. It's so tactile.

-You want to pick it up...

-And stroke it, yes.

It's a lovely thing.

It sits in a box!

-Yes!

-So you wouldn't be gutted if we sold it, I suppose?

-No, she wouldn't be, no.

-It's your mother's.

-It is.

Price-wise, there are lots of collectors out there.

Obviously the earlier stuff is higher prices.

But Jade is quite high at the moment.

Chinese collectors are buying stuff like this back again.

-Right.

-I would have thought conservatively it's 50 to £80, something like that.

-But I would certainly put a reserve on it of £50 just to protect it.

-Yes.

You could maybe give it a bit of auctioneer's discretion, so maybe they'd let it go at 45.

-But I think it's worth £50 every day of the week.

-It's lovely,

but it sits in a box and my mother doesn't want it,

so sell it. Flog it!

Flog It! That's the name of the game and why we're here!

-We'll give it a go at the sale room.

-OK.

-Hopefully they'll have other Oriental bits to help it sell.

-Attract other bidders, yes.

-I'm scenting victory at the sale room!

Wonderful. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Over to David Barby for our next item.

Sandra, I'm fascinated by anybody that owns Troika.

-Good!

-Did you acquire this from a car boot sale

or did you actually buy it from a shop many years ago?

No, we bought it from a shop in Tintagel in Cornwall.

Wonderful. What was the appeal?

Just the look of it and the feel of it.

And the Aztec part of it, I've always liked it.

So you bought this in the late '70s, early '80s, that sort of period.

-Yes.

-Right.

-Yes.

-Right.

This freestanding sculpture here, which I think is superb,

is known as the Aztec mask.

So we have the Aztec features there and a stylised mask on the other side.

-I love the colouring and the rough woven feel to it. It's very tactile.

-It is, yes.

It gives the impression of being so modernistic.

How much did you pay for that?

-I think it would have been 15 to £17.

-15 to £17.

-Yes.

It's going to be worth considerably more now.

-Yes.

-If that goes up for auction, I think the price is going to be round about

250 to £500.

With reservation because we have one little bit of damage there.

-It's chipped.

-Yes. I didn't know that.

-Where's this been in your home?

-It has been wrapped, in a box, in the shed.

-In the shed?!

-Yes!

Why did you put it in the shed?

I didn't have anywhere nice to put it to show it off.

"I'll put those away for now." And you forget about them.

-The shed's hardly the best place to put them.

-It was wrapped, though!

This piece here, which I particularly like, this little roundel,

that's more sort of Ben Nicholson designs. I think that's an attractive piece.

But that's more of a common shape and form to this one.

So we're probably looking 40 to £50.

I was never quite sure what it was classed as. A vase, or...

I think it would look ridiculous with flowers coming out.

-It's had bits in it.

-It stands in its own right.

Look, you're parting with family memories, aren't you?

-Yes.

-What do your children think about this? Do they like them?

I've never asked them, to be honest.

-They won't be angry with you if you sold?

-No, they've probably forgotten that they're there.

-They've never gone into the garden shed!

-No!

Too many spiders!

So what would you do. Let's say this one goes in at top end of the estimate at 500.

And this one goes for round about 60?

What would you do? Reinvest in art?

-I have a daughter who has a birthday coming up.

-Right.

-She'll be coming 21?

-(40!)

-(40?) Well, life begins at 40!

-Yes.

I've yet to experience that!

I believe you!

Thousands wouldn't! But I believe Kate's found another item for us.

-Bobby, hello. Welcome to Flog It!

-Thank you.

You've brought some books in today. Tell me about them.

They were my great-uncle's.

When he passed away, some time ago, about 20 years ago,

they were some of the things that we thought looked interesting

and that we collected from his house.

-Looked old and caught your eye.

-They certainly did.

They've certainly got age. We'll start with this which caught my eye.

Quite a plain leather binding. But when we open it up,

it's incredibly old.

"The Saints Treasury, being sundry sermons preached in London

"by the late Reverend and painful minister of the Gospel."

Not quite sure what that means! "Jeremiah Burroughs, 1654."

So we're talking just after Shakespeare, Cromwellian times.

Commonwealth. We'd got rid of the monarchy, basically, instated a parliament.

This is exciting times. Not a particularly exciting text, sermons.

-Parliamentarian sermons!

-Exactly.

Just having a flick through,

it's not the most fun thing to sit through on a Sunday, I must say!

-No.

-But it's ridiculous, it's 350 years old

and in incredibly good condition considering how old it is.

In terms of book collectors, age does not in itself make it exciting.

If it was a very early atlas or something else,

or Shakespeare text, something of that age.

Someone somewhere might like it.

But it brings us on to the other book from your uncle.

Which is, looking at the cover, County Maps.

Now, what I see all the time coming into our sale room

is these maps, framed up, hand-coloured,

either contemporary with when they were done or later.

And just frames of single counties.

What you have is the whole book. I assume it's complete with every county in.

There's no front page, so it's not saying who did it,

but I think it's by a chap called Greenwood.

-And we're talking early to mid-Victorian so about 1840.

-OK.

We have got railways on here, so that should help date it.

Although it's not brilliant condition with the binding,

you have got a bit of the spine gone, it's not what we'd call a breaker

in that's it's not broken and ripped to pieces...

-OK.

-..and sold off separately.

It's got a bit of water damage here. It's got damp at some point.

Weren't you tempted to rip it out?

No. I'd rather see it go in one piece.

-And hope that somebody would keep it in one piece.

-Yeah.

-Because the condition's good...

-I know they say this is the price per page because they'll rip it up.

But hopefully because it's in one piece, they won't.

-Here we are in Essex. Colchester. There it is.

-Yep.

The Roman town of Colchester. They have a vignette here of Chelmsford and Southend.

They're very beautiful things. Price-wise,

-conservatively 150 to £200.

-Really? As much as that?

There are a lot of prints. At least 20 to 30.

-I'm surprised.

-They'll get at least £30 each.

-Yes.

-Yes, I think that's about right. Is that a price you'd be happy to sell for?

-Absolutely.

I didn't think it would be that much.

Maybe put a reserve of £100?

-Try 150 to £200 as the estimate for the catalogue.

-Yes. OK.

-See how they go.

-Sure.

-All right?

We'll hope that somebody wants a preaching sermon as well on the side!

Beryl, these are quite exciting pictures.

They look as though they've been either stuck in an attic

or neglected, because they've never been restored.

-No.

-The frames have never been cleaned.

-Where do they come from?

-They're from my friend's cottage.

-They were on the wall. I don't think they were loved very much by her.

-Right.

When she died and I got them down, they were really, really dirty.

I've wiped them over, but I don't think they were loved very much.

Do you like fishy subjects?

Um, not really!

-Not really. They're more masculine, aren't they?

-Yes.

If you think in terms of the period when these were painted,

late 19th century, early 20th century,

the hobby of the very wealthy was hunting, shooting, fishing.

These would have been in a gentleman's residence,

maybe in his library, or his sporting room!

On the wall, you'd have cased pike that he'd caught, stuffed,

or heads of animals that he'd shot, things like that.

These pictures were painted by an artist called Roland Knight.

His signature is there. And he painted exclusively fish

for that middle-class market.

These are oil paint onto canvas.

And they're slightly dirty.

Even here where the gap has gone into the pike's side,

that should be a brilliant red.

When they were up in your friend's house, did she have open fires?

-Yes, she did, yes.

-So the smoke from the open fires has discoloured the paint.

That can be taken off to reveal some depths of blue and red on the fins

and they will look entirely different.

But these are sought-after pictures.

To have a pair is wonderful. They can be put in each recess of the fireplace.

In a symmetrical room. So these are quite nice.

He does achieve good prices.

I'm going to project a price for the pair

of about 200 to £400.

That sort of price range. If you get up to £500, I'll jump with joy!

For a reserve, we need to put £200 on them.

-OK.

-I'd hate to see them go for less.

-Are you agreeable to that?

-Yes, that's fine.

-They belonged to a friend. No regrets about parting with them?

-No. She wanted me to sell them.

Well, I'll be there at the auction, batting for you. So fingers crossed!

Thank you!

And this is what we're taking with us.

What a wonderful collection!

We're selling our items at Reeman Dansie in Colchester,

and our auctioneer today is James Grinter.

First up are Sandra's two Troika pieces.

David gave them a total value of £290 to £560.

On closer inspection of damage, our auctioneers advised reducing that to £250 to £350.

-You paid what, £15 for these?

-About £15 to £17.

Hopefully we can turn it into 300 quid and you can go back to Cornwall!

-Turkey!

-Yeah!

-Turkey?! Cornwall! Cornwall!

-You won't get that tan in Cornwall!

-You will! Oh, you will!

-If it isn't raining.

-If it's not raining!

The Troika Aztec mask pottery ornament.

And the Troika roundel vase.

Two vases. What do you say for these?

£200 to start me? £200 start me for the Troika.

Two is bid on there. At £200 bid now. At 200.

£200. 210. 220.

There we are, look!

220. 230. 240.

At 240 down here now. 250.

260. 260 is bid now. At 260.

-Come on!

-260 is bid.

270. 280.

At 280 in the room now. At 280. 290.

-300.

-That's good, Sandra.

£300 in the room now. 300. 320.

340.

At 340 in the room now. At 340.

At 340 in the room. 360.

380. At 380.

Back in the room now at 380.

380 back in the room. Against you on the internet. 400. £400.

-Excellent!

-On the internet now. 420 another place.

James, well done. He's doing a proper job!

Against you on the internet. At £420 in the room. Final warning now.

I'm going to sell it. All done now at 420.

Come on, my 'andsome! £420! Brilliant. Well done!

That is a holiday if you want to go to Cornwall for a weekend.

I think it's more a day out with the grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

OK. How many grandchildren?

-Three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

-Wow!

Well, even with all that lot, the Troikas pulled in enough to go round the whole family!

We might need a prayer for this next item. Bobby's sermon book and the county maps.

I wondered if the auctioneer might split them, but he's kept them together.

-One will help sell the other.

-Yes.

-150 to £200.

Why are you selling now?

-We came to Flog It for the valuation and thought, "Yes..."

-Got carried away!

-I pounced on you!

-Got swept up in the moment!

-Flog it!

That's what it's all about. We're here to flog it! Here it is.

The parliamentary sermon book, The Saints Treasury, 1654.

And another one, County Maps, as well.

Quite a lot of interest. I start the bidding with me at £220 with me.

At £220 with me now. 220.

230?

At £220 with me now. At 220. Do I see 230 anywhere?

At £220. A maiden bid. All done?

The road to success were the maps.

-Brilliant.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

-There's commission to pay, but enjoy that money.

-Yes!

-Thanks for bringing it in. Well done.

-That was a great result!

-Straight in!

-Great!

-I thought we might be stuck, but we weren't.

-There was a bit of damage, but it didn't apply.

-It was fine.

-Enjoy the money!

-I will do. Thank you very much.

What a good result!

Up next, Beryl's pair of Roland Knight fish paintings.

-Beryl, good to see you. These came from a little cottage.

-Yes.

They do have that country house look, don't they?

A perch and a pike.

200 to £400. Why are you selling these?

-I don't really like them.

-No.

-My friend who gave them to me asked me to sell them.

-Sell them.

-"Get a bit of money for yourself."

-It's that nasty pike!

I don't mind the perch. I've caught perch but never pike.

-They have a nice naive quality about them.

-They do.

-I can see these all cleaned up in a study.

-They need a clean. They're dull.

Good luck. It's a pair. £200. That's no money, is it?

Let's see what the bidders think.

The Roland Knight, a pair of oils.

Fishing catches here.

I have two commissions with me and I start the bidding

-at £220.

-That's great!

-230.

240. 250. 260. 270.

280. 290. 300. 320.

320 in the room, now. £320 bid. 340.

360. 380. 400.

420. 440.

460. 480. 500.

At £500. Back of the room.

£500. 520 on the internet.

-520!

-540.

-540 in the room.

-540, Beryl!

560.

580.

At 580 still in the room.

-600.

-600!

-£600.

On the internet, against you all.

All done now at £600.

-What a big catch! Hey! £600.

-That was good!

-What a surprise!

Wasn't that a surprise! I was expecting around 250. Something like that.

-You've got to be over the moon.

-Absolutely thrilled.

-Commission here is 15% plus VAT.

-OK, that's fine.

-Brilliant!

-What will you put that money towards?

A flight to Thailand.

-Thailand? Why?

-My son lives there.

-Right. OK. Oh, bless you!

-I'll go and see him. Brilliant.

-When was the last time you saw him?

-In the summer.

-Oh, great.

-Thank you for bringing them in.

-Thank you!

Thank you so much.

Now we're going all girly and delicate

with this lovely 19th-century Chinese jade scent bottle.

We're looking at 50 to £80. It belongs to Mariette. This is Mum.

-It is actually mine!

-It's yours, isn't it! What's your name?

-Rosemary.

-Pleased to meet you.

Why have you decided to sell this?

-Because I don't collect scent bottles.

-You don't.

-No.

It's a lovely little thing.

It was a present to my husband from a grateful patient.

-OK. Happy with the valuation?

-Completely.

It should do the top end, shouldn't it?

-Jade and Chinese things are doing really well. So I'm hoping.

-Time to sell.

Good.

We'll find out what the bidders think. Good luck, Kate. Good luck both of you.

Thank you very much, Paul.

A late 19th-century Chinese green jade snuff bottle.

A snuff bottle here.

Two commissions with me.

Start the bidding at £320.

-£320 with me now. 320.

-Good heavens!

320. Do I hear 340?

At 320. 340 on the internet. 360.

At 360 with me on the book. 380.

400. At £400 with me.

420. 440.

440 with me.

440. 460. 480.

-Kate!

-480 is bid now. 500.

-A shocker!

£500 I'm at. 520. Another place on the internet. 540. 540 on the internet.

560. 580.

-600.

-At my age, it's shocking, this sort of thing!

£600. 620?

620 on the internet now. 640.

640 is bid now. 640.

At 640. 660? At 660.

660 is bid now.

680.

-700.

-I've gone all clammy.

-I don't believe it!

720?

720. 740.

-This is ridiculous!

-Oh, gosh!

740 is bid. 760?

-760.

-We missed something, didn't we, Kate?

-Somebody's gone mad.

-Somebody has!

At £800 now. 820? 820.

-£820!

-820 is bid.

820. 840? On the internet

at 840.

840. 860.

-Oh, do stop! This is awful!

-No, don't stop!

At £860.

All done now? Fair warning.

All done at 86... 880.

880. Back in the UK now.

900 in China!

At £900 in China.

Mr UK, will you make it 920?

Come on, UK!

920!

-Yes!

-At 920 now. 940 back in China.

-940 in China.

-Let's round it up!

940. All done at £940.

-940.

-960.

-No!

-Back in the UK! 960.

I like your style, sir. 980.

Back in China.

In China!

Round it up to £1,000. Come on.

It's only money! At £980.

Make it £1,000?

Last chance. £980. Sold!

-£980!

-Wonderful!

-What a lovely surprise!

-I can't believe it.

-Wow!

Tingling! Hope you're on the edge of your seats at home! Enjoying it as much as we are.

Absolutely wonderful. And it will all go to charity.

-Fabulous!

-I've made up my mind.

-Which charity?

-Medecins Sans Frontieres.

-OK.

-Excellent.

-My favourite charity.

My heart is really going. That rarely happens to an auctioneer!

What a rollercoaster ride!

We said somebody was going home with a lot of money and it's you!

I can't believe it. Thank you very much.

Thank you for bringing it in.

We're out of time here. Hope you've enjoyed the day as much as we have.

Join us again for more surprises. Until then, cheerio from us.

Thank you very much indeed.

It was a wonderful experience!