Duxford Flog It!

MUSIC: "In the Mood" by Glenn Miller

Today we're in Imperial War Museum, Duxford.

It's perhaps best known as one of the world's leading aviation museums.

But today, for one day only,

hundreds of people have arrived, laden with unwanted antiques

and collectables.

Welcome to "Flog It!"

MUSIC: "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines"

We've set up our stall in the fantastic AirSpace hangar,

filled with aeroplanes ranging from the very big to the very small.

And all of them, a unique part of our aviation history.

Airspace used to be known simply as "Hangar 1",

but in the year 2000, it was decided the building should be extended

by another 40%, in order to fit in even more aircraft.

It's absolutely packed, from floor to ceiling in here,

with aircraft of all shapes and sizes.

Even before the extension, this was called the "super hangar",

and you can see why.

Today, we'll be telling the stories

some of these magnificent machines.

The ambitions for them, and the pilots who flew them.

But of course, we'll be telling the stories behind the hundreds of antiques

that the people have brought in today.

MUSIC: "The Great Escape" Theme

Our Top Guns today are Group Captain James "Bomber" Lewis...

-That is a candlestick.

-I realise that!

HE LAUGHS

And Lieutenant Commander Christina "Hotshot" Trevanion. Chocks away.

Are you thinking about splitting the profits?

Is it going to be a bit of a profit-share arrangement?

-We haven't negotiated yet!

-See how much it's worth first!

-Could be a bit of diesel money.

Everyone's here to ask our experts that all-important question,

which is...?

ALL: What's it worth?

And hopefully they'll make a small fortune at auction.

Which of these items will fetch top dollar at the sale room?

Is it this Mappin & Webb silver tea service,

from 1918?

Or will these World War II medals be awarded

the distinction of top spot?

Or maybe this painting by a famous British artist.

Or is it?

We've got a lot to get through today, so let's get straight on to the tables.

First up, it's James.

George and Carol, are you fans of Miss Marple?

It all depends! SHE LAUGHS

I know that was rather a strange way of starting to talk about a tea service,

but whenever I see a silver tea service like this, I always think about...

TROLLEY SQUEAKS

..squeaky trolleys(!)

THEY LAUGH

That's what I think about(!)

THEY LAUGH

I always think about Miss Marple,

when I see a little tea service like this.

It's just archetypal "English", isn't it?

It's a lovely set - a wonderful quality.

We've got a maker's mark for Mappin & Webb.

Or a retailer in this case, probably.

But then we've got the mark for Dublin.

Now, Mappin & Webb, a classic English retailer,

you normally see Sheffield, Birmingham or London hallmarks.

This is the first time I've ever seen

a Dublin hallmark with Mappin & Webb.

So it's just an interesting

side to it.

It's in the Celtic style,

with this wonderful strap work

and these great, big raised bosses.

And it's a really stylish set.

Any ideas as to value?

-No idea at all.

-I haven't got any at all. None at all.

-None at all?

-It's just a real pity to have it up in the loft,

when it's such a waste, and if someone else can appreciate it...

It would be nice for someone to appreciate it, but do you know what I think will happen?

Not melt down?

Oh, really?!

-There's a possibility that this will end up in the melting pot.

-Oh!

For the moment, silver's on a high.

There's about 55, 60 ounces here, altogether.

Therefore, your tea service,

that ten years ago was unfashionable

and unwanted,

is now quite good.

So, estimate -

£700 to £1,000.

Gosh!

-More than you thought?

-Yeah.

But fingers crossed, it'll make nine,

and it'll go to somebody who loves it.

-All right?

-Very nice.

It would be a crime against antiques if that service

was melted down.

'Let's hope the tea drinkers are out in force at the auction

'to save it.'

'Now, what's just landed on Christina's table?!

So, Christine, we've gone from normal aeroplanes of flight

-to space travel!

-I'm afraid so.

-It's wonderful! I love it!

Now, we'll open him up,

and we'll show him in his glory. There he is.

Tell me a little bit about him.

Well, we bought him at a boot sale,

-the usual story.

-Did you?

About 20 years ago.

-My husband thinks he cost about 50p.

-Did he?!

SHE LAUGHS

We bought him for our eldest children,

who weren't that interested.

And he was put in the cupboard and just left until the other day.

We got it our for our nine-year-old daughter.

-She thought it was extremely freaky.

-Oh, really?!

Wouldn't have anything to do with it.

So we thought we'd bring him along.

He does still work in a fashion, doesn't he?

-He can be a bit temperamental. Can he?

-Shall we give him a go?

-Yes.

-Are you feeling brave?

-Yes.

-OK.

If you're brave enough,

give it a go.

MECHANICAL WHIRRING

I think he's wonderful.

Ooh!

Let's turn him off.

-It's nice when it stops, isn't it?

-It is.

-He's quite noisy, bless him.

-He is. Very.

What we've got is your tin-plate robot,

and you've got The Flight of Apollo?

He's got a film, like a reel, in it.

And the film should go round.

Flight of Apollo was, correct me if I'm wrong, around 1961.

That dates him to the 1960s,

which would be about right.

-Gosh, right.

-It's earlier than I thought.

A Japanese model, he really is very representative of his time.

-Oh, right!

-He's really quite "cosmic".

-Oh, good!

THEY LAUGH

Right,

I think at auction,

if he were in excellent condition,

we would be looking somewhere in the region of about £150...

-Right.

-..if he was perfect, OK?

-Yes.

Maybe we should be looking in the region of more £60-£100?

Yes, yeah.

With a reserve at 60.

That's a lot of money going for that!

It's not bad for an investment of 50p, is it?

It's not bad at all.

I think you've probably done better with this than put it in the bank.

I think so. Definitely.

MUSIC: "Fancy Footwork" by Chromeo

# But if you let her see that fancy footwork

# Show her you're that type of guy. #

I've brought Susie, who I've met in the crowd,

holding, I know, a concertina, to my favourite aircraft,

which is this.

D'you know what that is?

It's an aeroplane of some sort.

It's a Lancaster bomber, a British heavy bomber.

Carried more bombs than any other British aircraft

during the Second World War.

It was famous for its raids,

for the Dambusters, in 1943.

I have made one of these as an Airfix model, and I'm very, very proud of it.

-Very good!

-I'm here in my favourite position. Can I have a look at this, Susie?

-Certainly.

Are you a local girl?

I'm from London, but I'm staying in Cambridge with my dad at the moment.

-Is this Dad's?

-That's my mother's.

-It's Mum's?

-Yes.

-Right. Did she play?

She used to play that and sing folk songs.

-Can I take it out and have a look?

-Certainly.

The box is marked Crabb, that is Harry Crabb & Son.

Concertinas.

Now...

INSTRUMENT SQUEAKS

The bellows are working! And the reeds!

There's nothing wrong with it. Have you ever tried playing this?

Useless! I have no talent for it.

So am I. Absolutely useless as well.

I'm just looking for a paper label. It should have a paper label but it doesn't.

Now, the first thing to check with a concertina is the bellows.

Make sure they are not ripped and torn. That is interesting.

Can you see on the bellows? There is an 'L'. Can you see that?

-Yes.

-That there? That tells me one thing straight away.

-This is not made by Crabb & Sons.

-Isn't it?

-No.

-It is in the wrong box.

-It's made by Lachenal & Co of London.

Circa 1900-1905.

Wonderful pierced fretwork. That is what you expect to see.

-Also, have you counted those buttons?

-No.

-There's 24.

Which tells me this is quite desirable.

The more buttons the better because the more it can do musically so that puts the price.

We've seen these on the show before, we've seen them with 12 buttons.

They don't fetch a lot of money.

24 buttons is good, 32 buttons is fantastic.

-How many buttons?

-24.

-Not 32.

-Mid-range, mid-range, OK?.

It is not too bad. The condition is very, very good.

If we put this into auction I think it should do £400.

But in order to get it there we need to tempt people in.

-Could we put this in at £200-£400?

-Yes.

-We should watch this fly away.

-Good.

-If you pardon the pun!

Let's hope our first batch of antiques takes off at auction.

We are now ready to go over there and here's what we're taking.

As a nation of tea drinkers it is our duty to save the Mappin & Webb tea service from the melting pot.

In good working order,

Susie's concertina still has plenty of music to make.

Christine's 1960s robot complete with box should appeal to the collectors.

From Duxford we've travelled a few miles east

to Rowley's fine art auctioneers at Tattersalls in Newmarket.

On the rostrum today is auctioneer Will Axon.

It's my turn to be the expert right now

and I've just been joined by Susie in the nick of time.

We've always sold these on the show and they normally deliver around £400

for the ones that are like yours.

Let's see what the bidders think. It's going under the hammer right now. This is it. Good luck.

76 is the Lachenal concertina in a Crabb case.

There we are. A nice example.

Where do you start me? I'm bid 100, 120, 140, 160 I'm bid.

You're bidding 180, now.

In the room at 180. At 180, I have you.

A 180 bid now.

Join me? 200 now, on the telephone.

-It's gone. But it is struggling.

-£200.

With you I shall sell it. Make no mistake.

Hammer's up this time at £200 and selling.

Gosh, we just got it away.

-That was close.

-It was.

-That was a lucky one.

I was hoping we'd make sweet music and end in a crescendo.

-But we are still OK. We said £200-£400.

-I did want to sell it.

I think, I think whoever bought that wasn't pushed.

No-one else wanted it so it was sold on the reserve, let's face it.

-At least it was sold on the reserve.

-Yeah.

Next it's Christine's toy robot.

'Do you know, I love this. And it still works, doesn't it?'

-It does work.

-I think this will find its way back to Japan.

-I hope so.

It would be nice, wouldn't it?

-There's such a big market for them, there really is.

-Is there?

-Yes.

It is a collectable. Let's find out what the bidders think.

It is going under the hammer, this is it.

226 now.

It's the new Space Explorer, black painted and lithographed robot.

There it is in its rather tired case but never mind.

It's been well loved and played with.

Start me at 50, 60, 70 bid here.

-Brilliant.

-75. 80. 85 in the gods. An 85 bid now, at 85.

Looking for 90. At 85 I shall sell it.

In the gods at 85, and selling this time at 85.

-Brilliant.

-Well done.

-I am amazed.

That robot is going to entertain somebody now, that is for sure.

-That is brilliant.

-That was designed to put a smile on your face.

-It certainly was.

I'm totally amazed by that.

I didn't think it would sell.

Gosh.

Now it's George and Carol's Mappin & Webb silver tea service.

-Why are you selling this?

-We never use it.

It sat in the loft for the last 20-odd years

and it is our 35th wedding anniversary coming up.

We shall use the money towards that.

You've brought along James.

-Here we are in the auction. Doesn't it go quickly?

-It goes very quickly.

Have you been thinking about the valuation, thinking, I hope it doubles that?

It would be very nice but it will be nice to see what happens.

-It is exciting.

-This is such wonderful quality.

I'm just hoping that it will go for above the scrap value.

-There are a couple of silver...

-I've seen them, I have seen them.

..they were viewing earlier and I said,

"What do you think to that?" and they said, "Oh, it is beyond scrap."

So it has an intrinsic value? Above the value of the weight of the metal.

Let's find out what the bidders think, that's what it's about, it's down to them.

-Ready for this?

-Yes.

-Here we go.

So, we move onto the silver section of today's sale.

The first lot of which is the George V tea and coffee set.

I've got interest here starting me where? I'm bid 1,000 with me.

At £1,000 on commission.

1,100. 1,200.

1,250, 1,300.

50 again, if it helps you. It's 1,300 here. Shakes the head.

At £1,300, I'm bid. All done.

Last chance at £1,300 and selling.

-50...

-There, late legs.

-Almost missed it.

-He did, didn't he.

At 1,400, 1,500. You're in by 20.

At 1,500, it's on the telephone. At £1,500 bid.

All done at 1,500.

-Yes!

-Fantastic.

-Result.

Well above the melt value.

Silver has gone slightly since the valuation.

The guy on the line said it was £1,300 scrap.

Including premium, it's well above.

That's fantastic. That's brilliant.

-Happy customers?

-Definitely.

Patrick, whenever I see anything like this it reminds me

of tales of childhood, a little boy reading Biggles, Douglas Bader,

learning about the Dambusters and the bouncing bomb.

All those guys were awarded this.

The Distinguished Flying Medal.

The Distinguished Flying Medal, what an amazing thing.

What a fantastic place to discover it - here.

Tell me about the medal and tell me about who it was awarded to.

It was my stepfather, Ronan Allen, he was a wonderful guy.

He was an air gunner in the Royal Air Force but previous to the war

he'd been in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

which meant he learned how to fly a plane.

Although he wasn't a pilot, they attacked the Philips factory in Eindhoven in Holland

where they made radar and radios for German aircraft and the German war industry.

The plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire and the pilot was injured.

He wanted the guys to bail out and Ronan said, no, I can fly.

They pulled the pilot out of the seat and he flew the plane

bringing back a valuable plane and a valuable crew as well.

-Gosh.

-There's the pilot who he saved.

All those men have died of old age.

The reason they died of old age was he brought the plane back.

-That is a true hero.

-He was indeed.

There's a letter from the king, King George.

Unfortunately, a facsimile signature which you always got on these things.

-They are never genuine.

-No.

What we have here, we have the three straightforward Second World War medals.

We have got the France and Germany Star, the 1939 and 1945 star.

A Victory Medal and the Distinguished Flying Medal.

That is the Air Efficiency Medal but I'm not too sure about it.

Very late, probably 53/54. Something like that.

One of the questions that I am sure so many people are thinking,

why do you want to sell them?

You're obviously very proud of him as family history.

He would've wanted them to go to my daughter who is 29.

She's got two grandchildren but they never knew him.

She knew him as her grandad.

I think it is quite possible they could disappear into a drawer

and they may be discarded.

If we can pass them on with all the memorabilia to somebody

who would do something good with them,

we'll make some money out of it.

I was thinking in terms of an estimate of £1,000-£1,500.

I would recommend a reserve of £1,000.

If it doesn't make that, have it home.

-But you know, I've got no doubts whatsoever, it's going to sell.

-OK.

-I think, pardon the pun, they're going to fly.

-OK!

Thank you very much.

You're nicking one of my lines there, James!

But seriously, those medals represent true heroism.

# Adolf, you've bitten off

# Much more than you can chew... #

We all know Christina's partial to a bit of glitter

and here she's struck gold with Sandra and Roger's bracelet.

-Tell me a bit about it. Where's it come from?

-I was given it about 15 years ago but to be honest with you

I don't like bracelets, and they don't like me.

I catch them all the time. I've probably only worn it about twice.

-Oh, right.

-It's been stuck in a drawer for years.

-I thought I would just bring it and see.

-What a shame.

It dates to the Victorian period. Probably about 1880/1890.

We've got this wonderful garnet set in the middle.

Inset into that is a little gold star with a little sea pearl.

Really great quality workmanship.

Then, just set to the sides we've got this sea pearl here and here

and we've got a lovely little curved link chain around the outside.

We know it's a good quality piece because of the workmanship at the front

and the clasp at the back is pretty much totally invisible.

It's actually been illusion-set so when you wear it

it's not obvious where the clasp is which is always a good sign of workmanship.

We know that it's good quality because it is 15 carat gold

which is obviously a better and higher standard of gold.

Very lovely and I am sad you don't wear it

because I think there will be quite a few ladies out there

who would wear it pretty much every day.

At auction I think we're looking somewhere in the region of £200-£300.

Something like that.

-How does that sound?

-Sounds fantastic.

-Are you happy with that?

-Absolutely.

-I don't know why I'm asking Roger, it's your bracelet!

-I will enjoy her spending it!

Finally, James sticks his neck out with this portrait.

Well, Tebor, this is a first for me.

I have to say I have never had something signed Lowry

on the Flog It! tables before.

What an interesting picture.

How on earth did it come to be in your hands?

-I bought it with others about 40 years ago at auction.

-At auction?

I've had it ever since.

Lowry is, without question, one of the most famous British painters of the 20th century.

He is of course famous for those sketches and oils

of those matchstick men and cats and dogs that everybody even sings about.

But here, we're looking at a portrait

that is totally different to the style of Lowry.

I have to tell you that we all went, oh yes, Lowry, not a chance.

Then you start to think, OK, it is dated 1911.

If you're going to fake a Lowry,

would you fake a portrait of an elderly man?

-I wouldn't if I was going to fake a Lowry.

-He was possibly unknown in those days.

In 1911, we're looking at a portrait that certainly has age to it.

It's certainly of the period

and in 1911, that's when Lowry was at Manchester School of Art

before Lowry started to paint in his well-known style.

So, the massive question, is it a Lowry or isn't a Lowry?

None of us know. That is the honest answer.

The pencil sketches that I have sold in the past,

they are worth £1,500-£2,000 for a little pencil sketch

or figures before a cottage.

I sold two pen and ink sketches of figures in bowler hats

and they made £19,000 and £20,000 each.

-A lot of money.

-An awful lot of money.

But all of those had one key word that is so important

when it comes to Lowry and that is provenance.

-It hasn't come from a famous collection.

-No, exactly.

Give us a chance with it.

Take it to Will, Will Axon, who is a Flog It! valuer as well,

he knows what needs to be done with this.

Let's just see what it might be.

-Yes.

-It might be £10,000.

It might be ten quid.

If it is a complete fake. Let's just find out.

'That's it, our experts have made their final choices

'and we've found some gems here today.

'I've got my favourites and you've probably got yours'

but watch out, there could be a big surprise in the auction room.

We've had a marvellous time here at Duxford.

Everyone's enjoyed themselves and we have learnt a lot about aviation history.

As the GIs would say, it's been a swell day.

Right now it is time to put those valuations

to the test as we head off to the auction room for the last time.

Here's what we're taking with us.

Patrick's medals and his stepfather's story bring the past alive

and are worth every penny of James's estimate.

Sandra's gold bracelet is a shining example of late Victorian jewellery.

And finally, Tebor's portrait signed Lowry.

Now, is it a fake or is it real?

# You and I

# Baby we go side by side... #

Before we get started, let's hear what Will Axon has to say on Tebor's alleged Lowry.

# Tell me what we're going to do. #

'I've seen and handled enough Lowrys'

to know that my gut feeling is this is not right.

It's not like Lowry's work.

That's my opinion and that's my first gut reaction.

I've actually sent a few images of it

to one of the main dealers in Lowry works in the country.

He just had to have one look at it and he could tell it's not right.

I would be as keen as mustard to sell the first Lowry to appear on Flog It!

-We'd all be happy.

-What value have you put on that?

-I've put it in at £100-£150.

-Just as a bit of wallpaper.

It's almost got a curio appeal. It's got value at that.

-But I think James deep down knew it was not going to be right.

-Sure.

-Thank you very much, Will.

-Not at all.

Will's convinced it is fake

but I think James is still holding out hope that it might be the genuine article.

'We're looking at £100, maybe £150.'

It's a bit of wallpaper in its own right.

-It's lovely.

-It's a nice picture.

-It's caused a good talking point.

We've all enjoyed discussing this and musing over it.

Let's find out what the bidders think. Let's put it to the test.

-See if we can get that hundred pounds.

-Do you think we will?

-No.

No, I don't either. I don't think it is going to sell.

We'll find out what the bidders think.

Let's hope it is.

A speculative lot for you here, ladies and judgement.

Circle of LS Lowry.

I'm reliably informed he didn't have a circle because he was a miserable old git

and he didn't have any friends.

People copying him of course in his style.

Make your own mind up on this.

I have got interest starting here at 90, 100, I'm bid.

At 110, I have.

At 120, 130. I have a bid at 130 here.

At 130 now. 140, 150.

My bidder at £150.

60, the nod. At £160.

Join me now at 160.

Speculative lot. 170.

At 170. 180. At £180. 190.

200 bid me now. 200, yes? At 190 behind me. At 200 bid.

At 220 now. 220 now, 220 behind me.

240. At 240 it is with Tess.

A 240 bid. Yes? 260. At 260 behind me. Yes?

280. At £280, behind me at 280. 300 if you want.

At £280. Three bid.

At 300, I am bid 320.

At 320 now. At £320. I am bid 340.

-At 340.

-Some interest.

Some interest is good interest.

At £360, it is behind. At the 380 bid me now. Yes?

At 360 now. No?

At £360, thank you for your help. It is £360.

Last look round for you ladies and gents. At £360 all done.

-As a decorative painting, £360.

-Very good.

-So you are happy.

-Very much, yes.

-A strange result.

-Yes.

-Really weird.

-Yeah, yeah.

It's far more than it's worth for an oil sketch.

Nowhere near what it's worth for a Lowry.

That's auctions for you.

At the end of the day, two people really liked looking at the subject matter.

-Maybe it reminded them of somebody they know.

-Lowry!

-Maybe.

It's nothing like Lowry.

The jury's out on that but at least Tebor's happy.

Next up, it's Sandra and Roger's gold bracelet.

-You've got security with you?

-Absolutely.

-You never know what it's going to go for.

-You've only worn this twice.

-I know. I just don't do bracelets.

-You don't do bracelets.

No, unfortunately they catch on things.

This one is very Victorian.

I like the little star on it but it's not my kind of thing.

I love it. I think it's lovely.

It's pretty but it needs to go where somebody's going to wear it.

What are we going to get today?

-I don't think it's going to be huge amount.

-£100? £150?

£150, I would hope.

As long as there's enough for the TV licence next year.

So you can carry on watching Flog It!

Let's find out what the bidders think.

It's going under the hammer right now.

Lot 430 now is the 15-carat gold

sea pearl and semiprecious stone-set bracelet.

There we are. Nicely in its fitted case.

I'm bid 120,40. I'm bid 160.

Have you? At 180 bid.

At 200, 220, 240, 260...

God, it's jumping ahead. Leaps and bounds.

At 280 here. Bid me one more at 280, 300,

320, at 320. Gentleman's bid.

40. Will it help? At 320 here. Look at me again.

At £320. 40, fresh blood.

There's 40, at 340 in the gods.

£340, right up there on the back row.

The hammer's up this time at 340.

-Yes!

-Fantastic.

-£340.

With the workmanship on it, that's brilliant.

-Super.

-Good. We like that.

-Well over the top end.

-Straight down the pub.

Next up is Patrick's medals.

Always difficult to value as each one represents an individual act of heroism.

Why are you selling them?

They won't mean anything to my daughter or my grandchildren.

We're taking a chance to come to Flog It!

because we are all Flog It-ers.

I am going to give the money, provided they sell,

to my daughter for her wedding next month.

Congratulations.

Wow. Every penny helps. James, I like the lot. I think you're right on the money there.

-Good, nothing like pressure, is there.

-No. There isn't.

-A wedding resting on this!

It's going right under the hammer right now. Take a look at this.

Lot number 11 is the World War II DFM group of five.

There we are. Interesting lot this.

Some history about it as well and some nice photos for you.

I've got interest here starting me where?

800, 850. 900. 1,000.

Gone.

1,400.

1,400 here. 50 where? At 1,450.

50. 1,500. My bidder.

At 1,500. I will come to you all. 1,600. Bid me now.

Wow.

Fabulous. I can hear wedding bells.

At 1,800 bid. Left handed at 1,900. Round it up?

At 1,900. Two bid.

-At 2,000 bid now.

-Wow.

-At 2,000. 22?

At 22 bid. At 2,200 bid. At 22.

24. At 2,400. 24. 26.

At 2,600 bid.

At 26. 28 At 28 now.

Round it up. At 2,800. Three? At 28.

Coming to you all now.

At £2,800, on the telephone.

-£2,800, Patrick.

-Wow.

Well done, Will Axon, great auctioneering.

Things are flying out today.

£2,800. I'm tingling. You've got to be shaking.

I am, I am. I can't believe it. Absolutely unbelievable.

Search a big interest in militaria at the moment.

What you're investing in is pieces of history, not just medals but real history.

-James, that flew.

-That was a great result. A good price for that.

-Very good.

-It's going to a great cause as well.

-It is, thank you.

# Bells will ring

# The sun will shine, woah... #

Well, that's it, it's all over. Another day in another saleroom.

Just like the aircraft at Duxford, we certainly had our high-flyers

and some very happy owners.

I told you there'd be one or two big surprises and we certainly delivered.

That's it. Sadly, we've run out of time.

Until the next time, from Newmarket, from all of us, it's goodbye.

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