Saltaire Flog It!

Today, we're in West Yorkshire in the pretty and historical village of Saltaire.

It was created as a model village in 1853

by Yorkshire industrialist Sir Titus Salt,

and it has a rich history of architecture and culture,

so it seems to be the perfect place to meet up with all the locals

and look at their unwanted antiques. Welcome to Flog It!

And this is where it all starts, a Flog It valuation day.

And we are certainly blessed with a wonderful location -

the grand, the very imposing Victoria Hall.

At nearly 150 years old,

it looks as beautiful today as it did back then.

In fact, the whole village is totally alluring.

It's a magnet for artists, poets, writers, musicians and, of course, today,

hundreds of people laden with bags and boxes full of antiques.

The lucky ones will go to auction and earn a small fortune.

They've all come to ask that all-important question - what's it worth?

-And when they find out, what are they going to do?

-ALL: Flog it!

But first, we have to find it.

And wasting no time getting stuck in are our experts,

Michael Baggott and David Barby.

Hugely knowledgeable in the antiques trade,

I doubt their professional eye will miss anything of interest.

This one guy that can remember all the letters and the dates.

-Apart from that one!

-That is an achievement!

Today's programme is full of fabulous items from all over the globe,

but can you work out which one of the following ISN'T European?

There four Lalique-style light shades,

this late 19th-century clock

or these porcelain scent flasks?

Everybody is now safely seated inside, and I must say,

the interior of this building is as spectacular and magnificent

as the exterior, built in 1869.

They certainly don't build things like this today, do they?

Let's hope we can find some antiques worthy of such a venue.

It looks like Michael has made a fantastic start. He's spotted a real gem. Take a look at this.

-John, thank you very much for coming along today.

-You're welcome.

-It was David who called me over in the queue earlier.

-It was.

-He showed me this lovely purse...

-Mm-hmm.

..and then this wonderful little fellow inside it. But where did you get them from?

You don't look like the sort of man that has a lady's purse!

No. They came in a box of equipment which was going to our charity,

-the Marie Curie one.

-These were in the bottom of the donation box?

Yes, in the bottom, in a plastic bag, along with that.

-So when your eye spied these...

-I thought, "That's too good for the shop."

-The glint of silver alerted you.

-The weight of it alone.

-That's a very good point.

-It's very heavy for what it is.

We'll look at the purse first. Basically, we've got a ladies evening bag.

If you could afford it, in the early part of the 20th century,

you would have a mesh bag made out of solid silver.

Most of these aren't made in this country.

-This meshwork is a bit too fine and delicate.

-It's very delicate.

It was a speciality of French and German silversmiths.

So we've got here a solid silver frame mount.

Because it was imported, we've got the import marks for London,

-and the date letter for 1918.

-1918.

We do, I think, go mainly by the weight of this.

I think we're about four ounces, three to four ounces.

-On the kitchen scales, it was about four ounces.

-Scales in my fingers, what can I say?

-What's more interesting is what was in it.

-That was in.

-Do you know what that is?

-It's a Vesta.

-It is, it's a Vesta case.

-Basically, a case for matches.

-Mmm.

People wonder, "Why do you have cases for matches?"

They had a tendency to go off,

-and you'd be lucky to get out...

-Set your jacket on fire.

-Exactly!

So, as a safety feature, they put them in metal tins, and, of course...

-Logically.

-..as soon as you do that, as soon as it becomes an accessory,

you want to decorate it, and make it into various novelties.

We've got, "Guild of St Aloysius, St Cuthberts."

-So it's obviously had...

-Church connections along the way.

Church connections, or an association. And we've got, "souvenir" on the top.

We have got hallmarks there, which are very nice.

-No maker's mark, sadly, which is a little unusual.

-It's a shame.

But we've got the hallmarks for Birmingham 1890.

Now, there is something unusual about those marks.

-1890 was the year when the duty on silver was abolished.

-Oh, right.

To show that the duty had been paid, you would have the sovereign's head,

-George III, William IV, Victoria.

-Queen Victoria.

It's marked there.

Because this was the year when they abolished it,

we know that those marks are only in use up to the 1st May, 1890.

It probably won't make a great deal of difference to the value but it's just quirky.

What probably will make a difference to the value is the split.

Absolutely! That instantly takes some of the value off, not a lot, I hope.

It's not all of it but it's a little job that needs to be done.

-I think, at auction, we would put these in together.

-I would think so.

If they part on their separate ways after the auction,

all the better for that.

Let's put them in at £80 to £120.

I reckon that at 40 to 60 and I reckon that at 40 to 60.

-It all the profit, that's what it's going to.

-It's all for the hospice?

-Absolutely.

-Thanks very much indeed, John.

-Thank you for that.

-It's a pleasure.

It's a great cause and the more we can bag in the saleroom, the better.

In the meantime, let's trot over to David Barby.

-Mary?

-Yes.

-I've always liked Beswick figures.

-Yes.

Is this part of your collection you've got tired of, or what?

No, it's a one-off. It was my step-mum's. She had it for a long time.

-She passed away in the year 2000.

-And you've had it ever since?

-Yes.

Do you not like it?

Yeah, I do like it, but it's not to my decor

and I don't want it to get damaged.

-It's too nice for it to be damaged by the children.

-It is a very nice model.

Beswick are very good, particularly the modelling of horses.

-I'm just going to check that it is Beswick.

-It is.

Yeah, there's the mark.

-It's not often you see them reclining like this.

-No.

This is a dappled mare, or stallion. That's rather a nice position.

Very attentive, as though he's just caught a noise or something like that.

His ears are upright. It's a very well-observed sculpture.

-I like the colouring as well and the fact that it's table level.

-Yes.

Or cabinet level. I've seen cabinets chock-a-block with these horses,

they look very good.

-The value of these depends on the appeal at the time of auction.

-Yeah.

If you've got a lot of farmers in, they will bid high. Horses, very, very popular.

Pigs are popular and sheep, anything to do with domestic animals

and the horse is a domestic animal.

So there's a wide interest, a wide market. Everything has its price.

These figures are well documented,

depending on whether they're cracked or damaged or chipped.

This one's in lovely condition.

I think at auction this will sell somewhere between £50 and £90.

That sort of price range.

They have made considerably more.

-I'm just allowing for the state of market.

-Yeah.

-Would you be happy at that?

-Yeah.

I think we need to put a reserve.

Let's guard it from going below a figure that we really want

and put a reserve price at £50.

-Is that acceptable?

-That's fine.

-Can I say £50 with discretion?

-Yeah.

-OK. So if he gets 48, the hammer will come down.

-Yeah, that's fine.

-OK. I think it's important not to lose a purchaser.

If you get £50, what are you going to do with it?

-I'm going to buy some ladies.

-Some ladies?

-Yes.

-Doulton ladies?

-Yes.

Now is the time to buy, particularly at auction,

because prices are not as high as a few years ago.

There might be Doulton ladies at the sale when you sell this.

I'll be looking.

Well, it appears Michael was also looking and spotted some first.

John, I can really have no complaint today

because you've brought me four scantily-clad ladies.

Where did you get them from?

I was working on the house due for refurbishment

and they were in boxes that were going in the skip.

I delved into it and found one, delved a bit further and found the four glass things.

I looked a bit further and found these and I thought...

-Those must go with those?

-No, I didn't.

-I brought them home, tried to fit them together and realised...

-Bingo?

-Yeah.

It's scandalous that at any time these were heading for a skip.

First of all, well done for stopping them going in there,

because what a terrible loss.

You got these home, they are signed here

Muller Fres Luneville.

Did you look that up, or do any work on that?

-When I got them, I took them to a local antiques dealer to find out...

-What they were.

He told me that Muller Fres was Muller Brothers.

-Luneville was light city...

-Absolutely.

And they were Art Nouveau, probably 1930s-ish.

Near enough, near enough. I can fill it out a little bit more.

You've got the fantastic glassworks run by Emile Galle.

And Muller brothers, before they set up on their own,

worked for Galle, but they left him in about 1905

and were working through the '20s and '30s and I think they closed in 1937.

So, basically, you've got something that's very much like,

if anyone seen any Lalique on Flog It, it's very much in his style.

We've got press moulded glass, which is given this contrast

by this acid etching

and we've got the acid etched signatures on each one.

And lovely that we've got the original mounts.

Whilst they trained under Galle and his wonderful techniques

and learnt their craft there,

by the time these were produced, which I imagine is about 1925,

Lalique is the most fashionable glassmaker in France.

He's the one they're imitating.

Possibly, in some respects, surpassing.

The figures are beautifully thought out and made.

I think we've basically got two pairs, rather than a set of four.

This one sadly has had a bit of damage here,

but when that is mounted in the frame and on the wall,

I don't honestly think that'll make a great deal of difference.

Right, now we know all about them, it's really a question of what they're worth.

You took them to an antiques dealer to find out what they were in the first place.

He must have made you an offer, John. What did he say?

He offered me £75 each for them.

I think, at the time, that was probably quite a fair offer,

although these things were very popular ten years ago.

Bearing in mind the bit of damage here,

I want to be a little bit more cautious

and say £250 to £350 at auction

with a fixed reserve of £250.

I think that really is good value for whoever's looking to buy them.

Maybe they'll go on from that.

Why now have you decided to part with them?

When I got them, we were doing a restoration at home

and I thought possibly we may use them.

We finished the restoration and never used them

and they've just sat in that box.

That box that might one day make it back into a skip unless we get them into the auction.

-Yeah.

-Let's put them into the sale and hopefully they will fly on the day.

-Thank you so much for bringing them in.

-My pleasure.

It's a hive of activity down there.

We certainly have been very industrious.

We've now found our first three items to take off to auction.

Let's up the tempo. Let's put those valuations to the test.

While we make our way to the saleroom, here's a run-down,

just to jog your memory of all the items going under the hammer.

Michael got the ball rolling with the evening bag

and Victorian Vesta case, both donated to a charity shop.

Any profits go to a good cause.

Next, the Beswick horse should have no problem galloping to its top estimate.

And, finally, these glass light shades caught Michael's eye

and I've no doubt they'll find some admirers in the saleroom.

It's auction time, and we're just outside Halifax, at Calder Valley auctioneers

with auctioneer Ian Peace.

It is a jam-packed saleroom.

Take a look at this - hundreds of people, you just cannot move.

There's not a seat to spare. Any moment now, the auction will start.

Ian Peace will take to the rostrum and sell the lots.

Stay tuned, don't go away. This could get exciting.

First up hoping to seduce the bidders are those desirable light shades.

It's great to see you, John. I've been thinking about these ever since yesterday

when I chatted to the auctioneer. Ian fell in love with them, I like them...

Obviously, great subject matter but it's pure quality. Pure quality.

Not quite sure if the brackets were made for them. They look like a rough cast.

-They do, but remember they're experts in making glass, not metal mounts.

-OK.

They do fit when they are up on the wall.

-The thing is, they're very stylish.

-Very architectural as well.

Get a set of two or four in a row, and you've got this stunning look.

Found in a skip! That's unbelievable.

Let's find out what the bidders think. We know we'll get the top end.

This could get exciting. Stay tuned, here we go.

Shades there, what am I bid for this lot here, ladies and gentlemen?

I've got two commission bids and I'm going to start this at £200.

At £200.

At 225 and £250.

We're in.

At 275, I have 300 here.

At £320.

At £340 on commission.

At 360 in the room.

At £360. At 360.

Are there any further bids? At £360.

Come on, we can go a bit.

All done?

-They've gone. £360.

-Got those away.

-Got them away. Well done, Michael.

Well, they certainly attracted a lot of interest

and it's a good job John didn't sell them for the £300 he was offered.

Next up, it's our old friend, Beswick.

-It's got to go, hasn't it?

-Yes.

-It does. It doesn't fit the decor.

That's what everybody's been saying.

They're talking about that Beswick horse.

Mind you, Beswick is contemporary,

it does work with some modern situations.

I can understand why people want to get rid of Victorian mirrors and over-the-top things

but there is a big market for Beswick horses.

-We've seen it on the show before. Mr Barby, what do you think of this one?

-I rather like this.

Unusual because it's reclining - that's probably going to sell it - as opposed to reclining.

-He looks good. I know you want to put the money towards some figurines.

-Yeah.

Fingers crossed, we need as much money as possible. This is it, let's see what this lot think.

The Beswick model of a Shire mare.

Shall we say 50? £40.

-£40, thank you very much.

-40, straight in.

I'll go in fives, 45, 50, and 5, 60, and 5, 70.

75 at the back of the room.

-80, fresh bidder.

-That's good.

Right over there at £80. Are there any further bids?

You're back in, 85, thank you.

-That's good, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-£85, then, on my left.

-Top end, well done.

-That just shows how popular Beswick is.

It always is. There's a big market for it.

Well done on the valuation as well.

It's a minefield, valuing Beswick, we've seen it on the show before.

You could have a different colour, grey, and it might not sell.

It could be a black mare and they fetch three times the money.

-Look, it's gone, you're happy.

-Yes.

-You can get some figurines, hopefully.

-Yes.

Well, so far so good. Let's hope that continues with John's charity lot.

Next up, something that's been found in a charity shop.

It's a ladies evening bag with Vesta case.

-It's been brought in by John. Did you find this yourself?

-I did.

A box of stuff came to the hospice and in the bottom was a plastic bag with this.

I thought, "It's too good to put on the stall."

We would have probably got £4 or £5.

It's a good trade lot, silver purse, silver Vesta.

Nice things at antiques fairs.

-There should be two or three bidders.

-Yeah.

-We'll see the middle or maybe the top end.

-OK.

-Oh, that's good.

-It's positive, isn't it?

-Absolutely.

It's a good time to sell silver as well, the prices are high.

Here we go. This is it.

And the silver mesh ladies mesh evening bag

and it's with a Victorian silver oval Vesta case.

What am I bid for this lot here?

100? 80? 50, I have.

We're in.

Low start, but it will climb.

£70. 80, do I see? At 70 and 80.

Oh! That's better.

90, madam, £90. £100.

That's even better.

£100, any advance on 100?

£110 there. 120.

They like it, that's the main thing.

I think it's reached its value.

First and last time...

-Good result.

-Well done.

That's a pleasure.

Thankfully, the money is all going back to charity.

And thanks to you, you spotted it.

A lot of these things do sneak out, don't they?

It costs us £9,000 a day to keep the hospice open.

-Does it really?

-It does.

-So every penny helps.

-Of course it does.

So that's it for our first visit to the saleroom.

Now, one of the ways auction houses earn their money is to try

to authenticate items before they go under the hammer.

It takes expertise and detective work and it's not as easy as you might think.

I've come to Temple Newsam in Leeds to discover for myself

just how tricky certifying antiques can be,

particularly in one of my favourite areas, furniture.

For me, there's one name that always tops the list when it comes to good design and cabinet making.

That name is as popular today as it was two and a half centuries ago -

the legend, Thomas Chippendale.

Chippendale was born in West Yorkshire in 1718.

His wood furniture design and craftsmanship soon became renowned nationwide,

like these examples at Harewood House.

His name is famous throughout the world

but his work can be more difficult to identify than you may think.

Even if you have got £1 million to spend,

it doesn't guarantee you'll get a genuine, authenticated piece.

Take this exquisite Harrington commode, for example.

It recently sold at Sotheby's for over £3.5 million -

a world record for any piece of English furniture.

Even with a price tag like that, is not guaranteed to be by Thomas Chippendale.

Rather, it was described as, "Almost certainly crafted by him."

However, this Rococo rosewood bookcase at Dumfries house

is authenticated as a Thomas Chippendale piece.

It was estimated in 2007 by Christie's at £4 million.

It's thought that if sold at auction it could triple that estimate

which would make it one of the most valuable pieces of furniture in the world.

So how do you spot the genuine article?

It's estimated there are around 600 authenticated pieces

of Thomas Chippendale's work surviving in the world today.

When I mean that, I mean works made by Thomas Chippendale

during his lifetime from his workshops in St Martin's Lane, London.

Add to that, of other craftsmen working around the country

who merely emulated his work.

Take these four chairs as an example.

One of them is the odd one out and it's really difficult to tell.

All of them are beautiful works from the 18th century and are based on a Thomas Chippendale design.

One of them isn't a genuine Chippendale, but which one?

Well, there are clues.

So, looking at this chair now, typical latticework back.

Obviously, the Chinoiserie period.

Wonderful carved cresting on the back rail.

Good, deep colour to the mahogany. Cuban mahogany, only the best.

This was quarter sawn, the heart wood, very expensive to use

because there was a lot of waste. Thomas's chairs were expensive in their day.

Wonderful carved open splat backs as well, which Thomas Chippendale was renowned for.

A little bit of French influence from the Rococo, the early period, here.

High cab leg, crisp carving,

terminating in a wonderful dancing hoof foot.

Look at the broadness of the seats, no expense spared

because these chairs were made for wealthy gentleman.

Gentleman, who had made it in life.

They were rich, they were portly, so it had to take their weight and their abuse.

I love this chair with this splat back look, that lyre.

That's taken a great deal of skill to do.

A bit of neoclassical influence -

the little roundel with the beads, typical of Thomas Chippendale.

The C scroll here and that whole Robert Adam thing coming into play,

the grand tour.

We've got these neoclassical columns, fluted legs,

terminating on a block foot.

That looks like the pillar of a Roman temple.

This chair, lastly - it's got a lovely splat back.

It's a smaller proportion than the rest of the chairs.

It's slightly lighter in hue.

I would say that's not Cuban mahogany.

I would say the proportions aren't generous enough for Thomas Chippendale.

They are mean, slightly pinched.

So, for me, that one is the odd one out.

I tell you what, it is so difficult to tell.

So why is there furniture in the style of Chippendale

but not actually made by him?

It's all because of a book he published in 1754

called The Gentleman And Cabinet Maker's Director.

It was extremely influential and a real marketing coup -

the first book to be published with deluxe furniture designs.

The rich could choose which designs they wanted

and place an order, or any decent furniture maker could copy them.

It was such a hit, two more editions followed.

Here at Temple Newsam, they have some wonderful authenticated examples of his work.

Some are owned by the house and others by the Chippendale Society.

The star piece is this writing table.

I caught up with Ian Fraser, the in-house furniture expert...

..who is also the Chippendale Society's honorary conservator,

and fellow furniture enthusiast, to tell me more about it.

-Ian, hello.

-How do you do?

I couldn't come to Temple Newsam without speaking to you

-and seeing this magnificent desk.

-It's good, isn't it?

It really is the Holy Grail. How did it arrive here?

Harewood House, when it was still a private house, they sold it.

I guess perhaps the Lordship needed the money.

It came up for auction in 1963

and it was acquired for Leeds City Art Gallery for display at Temple Newsam house.

It's got that country house, lived-in look.

-It's lost a lot of the colour on the marquetry.

-It has. Inevitably, it has.

It's lost the greens and the reds but I don't mind that.

-How do you know it's a genuine Chippendale, are there receipts?

-There are, at Harewood house.

This is part of Chippendale's greatest commission for Harewood House.

They have the documentary evidence. That's why we know it's Chippendale.

-Absolutely no question.

-Do you know what year this was made in?

-1772, I think.

The height of the neoclassical period.

-You can see it's neoclassical, can't you?

-Yes.

-The wonderful applied architectural detail.

-Swags and pinion, yeah.

-Have you worked on this at all?

-I have done some remedial works to it.

Lifting veneers, putting them back down.

It was interesting because we were able to see

some of the original colours

when we turned the veneers over.

You can learn so much just from looking at the joints.

The quality of the cabinet making is outstanding, it really is.

Do the drawers slide as beautifully as they did...?

-Yes, you're welcome to try it if you like.

-Pull one out for me.

-We can try.

-Yes, they do...

-Have a dovetail.

Let's take it out completely

and you can see the quality of the dovetail joints there.

Yeah. Look at that. The dovetails, yeah.

-It's just outstanding quality.

-Cut with a fine tenon saw.

-You're from Canada, aren't you?

-That's right.

What do you think about Chippendale?

-Does he make the grade over there?

-Oh, absolutely.

I mean, the name of Thomas Chippendale is synonymous with fine craftsmanship and design.

It is incredible. If you're into cabinet making

and find craftsmanship like this...

He was light years ahead.

-It's a religious experience, isn't it?

-Approaching it, yes.

The books were the key to his success.

They reached a wider audience and he became a household name.

He was really clever. He didn't just target the gentleman of the house,

he targeted the ladies, making smaller, delicate pieces of furniture for them.

In short, he was a marketing genius

and he didn't mind other craftsmen copying him.

He even advertised the fact, and that is why today we see

so many pieces of furniture of the Chippendale style

and of the Chippendale period.

But unless you have a piece of furniture that's made by Thomas Chippendale

in his workshops in St Martin's Lane in London,

with documented evidence and a bill of sale,

you will never know for sure if it's the genuine article.

Welcome back to Victoria Hall,

our valuation day venue here in Saltaire.

I must say, there's still a crowd outside. The room is full inside.

We really do have our work cut out today.

But right now let's catch up with our experts

and see what else we can find to take off to auction.

And David is up first with Catherine and her son Harry.

I'm always surprised when people want to sell medals,

because they are part of your history.

In particular, for people like Harry's age,

because he might want to ask you in years to come,

"What did my grandfather do? "What did Great-grandfather do?"

-Yeah.

-What can you show him from that period?

Do these belong to your family?

They did, but they weren't immediate family.

It was my grandfather's father's...

-Was it grandfather's father's...?

-Grandfather's brother's wife's brother.

-That's it.

SHE LAUGHS

So very distantly related.

I can understand why you wanted to sell these. They are interesting.

They are part of our history and I like the idea that someone

is going to obtain that and these medals

and melt them into a collage with a description of the history of this particular gentleman

who died during the war and you've got this preserved for posterity.

How did you get hold of them?

It was my mother that's given them to myself and my brother.

-You know, she did say to sell them if we wished.

-Right.

I think they're going to make an interesting sum.

What is so interesting is this gentleman here.

Joseph Johnson Greenwood.

He was only 19 when he died.

That's right, yes.

He died in modern day Iraq - it was called Mesopotamia -

at a town called Amara.

-This is all detailed for posterity in war records.

-Yes.

-We know also that he died at a hospital camp.

-Yes.

But all that is left of that gentleman is this bronze disc here

which was awarded, or sent,

to all the families that lost loved ones at the front.

-Right.

-That is why it was sent.

In addition, there are two medals here.

The Victory For Civilisation medal,

and this is the Military Medal here.

To accompany those medals, we've also got the certificates

which were sent in the box.

Those were sent together with ribbons so they could be worn.

-These were all sent posthumously.

-Yes.

-Because he had died by the time these medals were struck.

-Yes.

From his person, we have this almost Bakelite tag.

So, if he was found, many years later, from his remains,

that tag would have survived and we could tell who he was.

And stamped into that we have the name "Greenwood, The King's Own".

Somewhere along the line, he acquired this one here,

which is War Munitions Volunteers.

One wonders whether, in fact, he was given that because he volunteered underage.

Oh, right, yes.

Or whether he got through into the Army because he was a volunteer.

Let's talk about valuation money.

We're selling a little bit of English history here.

There are collectors out there of militaria and in particular medals and medallions.

When these go up for sale, with all the documentation,

I think someone will pay between £100 and £120.

I think we need to put a reserve on it

and it has to be either close to, or on £100, with discretion.

Right.

-Is that going to be invested in Harry?

-Of course!

All I can see is ice creams!

I feel very privileged to have handled these

-and looked at the documentation. Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

It's always a poignant reminder to what previous generations sacrificed

when we see medals like that on the programme.

Let's check in with Michael, who's found something from a bit further afield.

Angela, Andy, thank you for bringing along these exquisite little vases.

Is it a case of one each? Who do they belong to?

-We haven't discussed that, have we?

-I think we'll share them, yes.

Marvellous. Where did they come from?

They were from my grandmother. My mother then inherited them

and then subsequently they came down to me.

I heard that my grandfather collected antiques.

They weren't antiques - they were probably new when he collected them,

in the early part of the 20th century.

About 1900, 1910?

I would imagine that was about the period when he acquired these.

If I could build a time machine and go back to buying then,

that would be absolutely wonderful.

-Are they treasured things?

-I've always liked them, really.

We did have a valuation done on them about six years ago.

-Right.

-They said that because there was some slight damage

on one of the necks and on the base of one of them,

they would probably be valued around £200 to £400.

That's a help for me, anyway.

That was at the time, but I really don't know.

We've got these two lovely designs. Angela, which is your favourite?

Definitely that one.

-Andy, which one do you prefer?

-I prefer the other one.

I mean, I have to say, whilst the quality of this is breathtaking,

-there is something in the aesthetic there that I love.

-So delicate.

I'm with you on that, Angela.

It's this attention on small items that appeals to the Japanese market as well.

You've got the cherry blossom here or sakura.

You've got probably another indigenous Japanese flower here.

You've got these little covers

and hopefully, we've got... Yes, signatures.

We've got a seal mark. That's the stylised signature of the artist.

We've got...

Again, another one. That appears to be a different mark.

It's a bit more finely executed.

-Does that mean it's different maker?

-Possibly, there's a potter that has produced this form

but independent artists decorated them in a different way.

-Oh, right.

-Yes.

These things were made at the end of the 19th century

for the Western market.

When your grandfather bought these, they probably came in little fitted pine or cherry wood cases.

You would actually have more information about the vases

decorated onto the front.

-As is the way...

-They would be discarded.

We being vulgar Westerners,

we chuck the boxes away and put them on the mantelpiece.

The Japanese aesthetic is to keep these things in the boxes

because they believe the more you look at an item,

the more it devalues it aesthetically.

It's the whole ritual of taking an item out in an box.

It would have a silk cord around it. You would unwrap it,

and you would take your vase out, your friend would look at it,

and then it would go back and live in the box.

So, without the boxes and with the chips...

And believe you me, Japanese collectors do not like imperfection in any way or form,

-no matter how small those chips are, they will fixate on them.

-Yes.

Still, I think they're lovely.

I think they're probably the most beautiful bit of Oriental porcelain we've ever had on Flog It.

The problem is the market has gone down slightly

in the last six or seven years.

Japanese things used to be what everybody wanted and now it's Chinese things.

Having said that, your initial valuation,

even given the little bits of damage, was probably quite low.

So let's give them a go.

Let's say £300 to £500.

-Yeah?

-Let's put a reserve, with a little bit of discretion,

-so let's fix it at, say, 250.

-Yes.

-Which is more than the original valuation.

-Yes.

-Let's see if a couple of people

fall in love with them.

I know today I certainly have. Thank you so much for bringing them in.

Thank you.

-It's Jeff and Jane?

-Yes.

-Do you jointly own this?

Is it a family heirloom? From which side?

-It was given to Jane.

-Yes.

-Given to you by whom?

By an eccentric uncle.

-An eccentric uncle?

-Yes.

-It is a bit of an eccentric clock, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Is this all that he left you?

-He actually gave me it before he died.

But he did leave lots of very interesting things.

The things I'm looking for are the missing objects,

two vases or candlesticks either side.

Then that would complete the garniture de cheminee.

In other words, a clock with two side pieces.

-Do you have those at home and not recognised what they were?

-No.

It would be nice if we had the complete set. Now we're just looking at an unusual clock

and this would have been sold around 1870, 1880.

What I like about this, first of all, it's a time piece

with a conventional movement, probably by Japy Freres.

Just think of the house that would have come from.

Either a French property, or it's been imported into England,

and this would have been standing, together with the two side pieces,

on a walnut credenza,

a rather ornate piece of furniture, for display.

Because this is a display piece.

What I like about it is the components.

We have blue and white ceramic and these gilded metal sections

which at some time or other have been lacquered.

We're not running into a vast amount of money.

What I like about the ceramic is it is a copy

of a type of ceramic that existed

during the 17th and 18th century in Holland, Delft.

We are looking back to the 18th century for inspiration

for this ceramic piece.

It looks slightly Oriental and that's because Oriental porcelain

was being imported into Europe and the Europeans copied the Oriental pieces.

The actual movement itself is eight-day and it strikes on a bell.

That's a good quality movement. The actual face itself is decorated

with a sort of rose lancet design in the middle.

Then you have all this decorative elements of lion heads

and ring handles mounted on this.

It's made to look more expensive,

more luxurious than actually it is.

If you look at it, it goes against all the dictates of modern fashion.

Modern fashion is minimalism and this is certainly not minimalistic.

We've got to aim it at a sensible figure to appeal to a wide market.

I'm thinking, in terms of the price range, of about £200 to £300.

Hopefully, more up to about £400.

-Would you be happy at that sort of price range?

-Yes.

I think we ought to put a reserve on this of £200. OK?

-We've got to protect your uncle's memory.

-Yes.

Our experts are now making their final choices of the day

and I have to say a big thank you to everybody who's turned up

and a fond farewell to this magnificent venue, Victoria Hall here in Saltaire.

We do have to put those items under the hammer. Let's up the tempo.

We're going over to the Calder Valley right now

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

David reminded us all how important our social history is

with a collection of World War I medals.

Michael sniffed out two beautiful Japanese porcelain scent flasks.

And finally, this superb ostentatious 19th-century clock.

So we're back at Calder Valley auctioneers

and taking to the rostrum for us again is auctioneer Ian Peace.

Before we unleash the bidders, I had a chat with Ian

to get his take on the sweet little Japanese scent bottles.

Thank you for this, this is one of our lots coming up in the sale tomorrow.

Double gourd scent bottles, Japanese, early 20th century.

Michael has put £300 to £500 on them, with a fixed reserve of £250.

Are we still on the money?

No, since the original filming they have been increased to £300.

I think that's a little bit high.

Are the marks definitely Makuzu?

We can't be certain. They are of that style.

-There's a slight variation in each vase.

-OK.

-There is not enough there to actually attribute to...

-Makuzu. Right.

-But we are on the money, still? £300 to £500?

-Bottom estimate.

That's OK, we can work with that. That's what auctions are all about.

People get excited, they bid each other up,

and before you know where you are, you've got a surprise. It could be the top end. Stay tuned.

So now it's sale day.

The room is packed and our next lot under the hammer are the medals.

We've got one bronze memorial plaque and some medals brought in by Catherine and her son,

who can't be with us today because he is at school.

-These have been in the family quite a long time, haven't they?

-They have, yes.

Let's find out what the bidders think. These things normally sell well. Here we go.

The First World War medals, together with the bronze death plaque.

May I say 60? 60 I have.

£60, thank you. 60, 70 do I see?

At 70 here, then. At 80, at 90, 100.

110, 120, 130, 140. £140 bid.

£140 bid. At 140 on my left.

-150...

-That's good, that's a late bidder.

-160.

£160 all settled.

£160, the hammer went down. It was a very quiet hammer, going down.

It wasn't the normal knock we have. It was £160.

-I think it was the Iraq connection that made the difference.

-Do you?

-Yes.

-Happy with that?

-Very, yes.

-You've got to be happy with that?

-Yes.

-Well done.

-Is it going to Harry?

It will be going towards the trip that we're going on together.

For Harry. Harry, I hope you're watching this.

Good luck at school as well. Keep studying.

Next it's time for Jeff and Jane's flamboyant clock.

Good luck, good luck. Why are you selling this clock?

It doesn't really go with our decor, really.

-It's a lot to look at, isn't it?

-I think so.

-It's a shame we haven't got the complete set.

-Yes.

The garniture de cheminee - we haven't got the two vases.

-Then it would look great, wouldn't it?

-Splendid, yes.

A striking clock, put it on a plinth in a house, it would look marvellous.

-It's coming up now.

-Let's find out what all the bidders in the room think, shall we?

The late 19th century continental porcelain mantel clock.

Right, a couple of hundred, 150.

£100, 100.

At 110, 120, 130...

This guy's keen.

150, 160, 170, 180.

-I think it's going.

-190.

-It's going.

-190...

Are we all done at 190?

-One more go.

-At 190, 200 do I see?

We're just short of the reserve at 190. 200 I can take.

Is there a bid of 200, if not, at £190...

Not sold.

He didn't sell it for the sake of £10.

-I would have sold that.

-So would I.

-I would have used my discretion. Would you have done?

-I would.

I'm not so bothered, it will go back on my piano.

Thank you for putting smiles on our faces, anyway.

It was a lovely thing. Really nice.

-Pleasure.

-Never mind.

-We nearly did it, we nearly did it.

And now for our final lot - the Japanese scent bottles.

I wonder how Michael will react when I tell him what the auctioneer said.

Andrew and Angela, good luck. I've been looking forward to this.

And, Michael, it's good to see you again.

The Japanese scent bottles, absolutely beautiful.

I had a chat to the auctioneer yesterday.

He said not quite an identical pair

and not possibly by the maker you thought.

They're individual vases but they've been put together.

-They are by Makuzu Kozan...

-Right.

..under the workshop run by his stepson, Hanzan.

Because they're so small, they've signed them

with the two-character seal mark instead of the standard four.

See, he does know his stuff. I had a chat to the auctioneer and I was thinking,

"Will this affect the value?" Ian said "No." He's still happy with the 300 to 500.

He was more cautious on the lower end.

Let's find out what this lot here think, shall we? Good luck.

A fine pair of early 20th century porcelain gourd-shaped scent flasks.

150, anywhere? At £100 to open.

-100, I have. 125.

-150, 175...

Oh, we're bit low yet.

210 here. 220, if you like. 210.

At 210. Any advance at 220? 230...

There's a bid on the book, look.

250 here.

And 60, 260. 270, any further bids?

Going then at £270.

He's using the discretion.

At £270, then. First and last time.

You're both right. Ian said yesterday the lower end,

but we're happy.

-Michael's happy. Yes?

-Yes, oh, yes.

It's always the thing. Had they not been chipped,

then they appeal to a totally different Japanese domestic market.

-Anyway, that made great telly. Is it, isn't it? Is it?

-It is.

And we did the business.

That's it, it's all over. Another day in another saleroom for Flog It.

We've had a bit of a mixed day, some highs and lows but at least

everybody has gone home happy, and that's what it's all about.

I hope you enjoy the show. See you next time for some more surprises.

Until then, from the Calder Valley, it's goodbye.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd