0:00:04 > 0:00:06Today we've travelled
0:00:06 > 0:00:08to the cultural and entertainment capital of Wales
0:00:08 > 0:00:11from St David's Hall and the Coal Exchange to this,
0:00:11 > 0:00:15the Millennium Centre. Old and new, this city really does have it all.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17But today there's one special addition.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21We're in Cardiff, and this is "Flog It!".
0:00:41 > 0:00:45Cardiff is home to some of the world's greatest entertainers
0:00:45 > 0:00:47and cultural institutions.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51With the likes of Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey
0:00:51 > 0:00:55hailing from the city, Cardiff certainly has a lot to shout about.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59So, let's hope its people are in fine voice at our valuation day.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01HE LAUGHS
0:01:02 > 0:01:04And our venue today is the magnificent National Museum
0:01:04 > 0:01:07here in the heart of this buzzing city, and take a look at this!
0:01:07 > 0:01:10This building is certainly going to be buzzing today.
0:01:10 > 0:01:11Hundreds and hundreds of people are here,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14laden with unwanted antiques and collectables.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16They're here to see our experts, to ask lots of questions,
0:01:16 > 0:01:19to find out what it's worth, and if they're happy with that valuation,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22- what are you going to do? - ALL: Flog it!
0:01:22 > 0:01:23Exactly!
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Bore da. I can say "bore da".
0:01:33 > 0:01:35# What's new, pussycat? #
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Our experts today include "Flog It!"'s favourite Welshman,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41Mark Stacey, who's hoping to hit the right notes with all his finds.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43That's not Welsh, is it?
0:01:43 > 0:01:46And she's certainly a lady lending her expertise today,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48is Catherine Southon.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50# She's a lady
0:01:50 > 0:01:53# Oh, oh, oh, she's a lady
0:01:54 > 0:01:58# Talking about that little lady #
0:01:58 > 0:02:00- I've forgotten the word for "morning" now.- Bore da!
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Bore da! Bore da! Bore da!
0:02:03 > 0:02:04Bore da.
0:02:05 > 0:02:11Inside the museum there's over 500 years' worth of stunning fine art,
0:02:11 > 0:02:15ceramics, items of silver, collections from all over the world,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18even one of Europe's finest Impressionist art collections.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Let's get this magnificent queue inside
0:02:20 > 0:02:23and see what else we can find, shall we?
0:02:25 > 0:02:28Two of our items today are given high estimates,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31but which one rockets and which one burns in the sale room?
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Is it this Japanese ivory hardwood figure group...
0:02:37 > 0:02:40..or this stunning sapphire, ruby and diamond ring?
0:02:40 > 0:02:42Keep watching to find out.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50'The hall is filling up and I've already spied some cracking items,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53'so I've got high hopes for today's show.'
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Now everybody's inside, I think we should get on with it.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Let's start valuing. And I can see Mark over there.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03He's already at the table, and he's spotted a real gem.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05Take a closer look.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08- Hello, Mervyn. Hello, Ruth.- Hi.- Hi.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12Aren't we in a fabulous setting - the National Museum of Wales?
0:03:12 > 0:03:14- Yes.- Fantastic, isn't it? - We're very proud of it.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17I can see why, actually. It's wonderful.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22I love it. And you've brought something rather nice in yourself.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24- I hope so.- Thank you.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27Now, tell me, where did you get this lovely glass from?
0:03:27 > 0:03:31Well, this was given to me by a patient of mine.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34- I'm a retired ophthalmic optician. - Oh, right.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39During an examination I actually identified a problem
0:03:39 > 0:03:43with a patient, which ultimately we found was a brain tumour.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Gosh!
0:03:45 > 0:03:51The person survived, and they were obviously very grateful, you know,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54that it had been spotted early, so they gave me this.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Wonderful! It's a very nice drinking glass.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00It's a sort of an ale glass or something like that, isn't it?
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Well, I don't really know.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05It's got a sturdy... It looks like a man's glass, doesn't it?
0:04:05 > 0:04:10And basically we've got this lovely sort of waisted form
0:04:10 > 0:04:12with this sort of lobed section here,
0:04:12 > 0:04:15and then on this sort of little spreading foot,
0:04:15 > 0:04:19and a lovely, chunky S-form handle here.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22The interesting thing is that, mounted in the bottom
0:04:22 > 0:04:28is a little silver coin with, I think, George III on it.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30- Yes.- This is going to be 18th-century glass.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35It's beautifully engraved with the wheat and the hops here,
0:04:35 > 0:04:38which I think indicates again it was more for beer
0:04:38 > 0:04:41rather than wine or anything like that.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44- Oh! I never thought of that. - And these lovely initials.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47I mean, I like it. To me it looks right,
0:04:47 > 0:04:50and I would like to put somewhere in the region
0:04:50 > 0:04:53of £150 to £200 on it.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56- Oh, that's fabulous. - What do you think about that?
0:04:56 > 0:04:59- That's fine.- That's fabulous. - We must put a reserve, of course.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02I think we need to put a reserve of 150.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04- OK.- With ten percent discretion, if that's OK with you.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08- Fine.- But it all looks right to me, and I like the feel of that,
0:05:08 > 0:05:12and I could imagine having a drink and looking down at the coin there.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16- Gosh, that's wonderful. - It's a nice-looking thing.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Well, I'll drink to that, Mark. Now, over on Catherine's table,
0:05:19 > 0:05:24she's found a delightful curiosity. But what on Earth is it for?
0:05:25 > 0:05:29Patrick, I always like to find something
0:05:29 > 0:05:32a little bit out of the ordinary on "Flog It!",
0:05:32 > 0:05:35and this fishie has certainly caught my eye.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37Where did you get it from, Patrick?
0:05:37 > 0:05:40An old gentleman lived across the road from me,
0:05:40 > 0:05:44and I used to pop in to see him, if he wanted something from the shop.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46- Right.- And he gave it to me,
0:05:46 > 0:05:50so that's the story. That's all I know about it.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53I love the way that it's articulated,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56and it's got a wonderful movement to it.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59But what was it actually used for?
0:05:59 > 0:06:04Well, my first initial thought was that you open up the mouth here
0:06:04 > 0:06:06and perhaps you put matches in.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Maybe it was a Vesta case or something like that.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11But then I noticed that this opens up,
0:06:11 > 0:06:15so I think you probably would have put snuff in here,
0:06:15 > 0:06:19and opening it up, you can see the markings on there
0:06:19 > 0:06:21that tell us that it's a continental piece of silver.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23Yeah.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26I date it to early 20th century,
0:06:26 > 0:06:30and I would have thought a gentleman would have had something like this
0:06:30 > 0:06:33- probably for snuff.- Mm-hm.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36But would he have wanted to put this, which is quite fragile,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39in his pocket? I'm not so sure.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43Would it just be something that a gentleman would have had
0:06:43 > 0:06:48- just to put, I don't know, in his lounge or something?- Yeah.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50I just think it's such a fine piece.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53I love the movement of it, and that's really...
0:06:53 > 0:06:57That's what makes it. It's something that I would love to own.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00It's just got a wonderful feel to it,
0:07:00 > 0:07:05and it's got lovely little semi-precious stones for the eyes.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08- Quite charming, really, isn't it? - I've seen one in Torquay,
0:07:08 > 0:07:11but it didn't have the stones. It was just all silver.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14- No stones for the eyes. - I've never seen these before,
0:07:14 > 0:07:18so I'd really be putting a guess on them for the estimate,
0:07:18 > 0:07:23but I'm going to put £100, £150 on, with a set reserve of £100.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26You don't want to sell it below that, because it's really smashing.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29- It's a fab thing, isn't it? - Yes, well, I'm happy.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32I could do that all day long, move it around,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35- cos it's wonderful. - It is.- It sings to me,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38and I think a lot of people will be attracted to it.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Thank you for bringing it along. You've really made my day.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Well, there's no doubt Catherine was taken by that fish.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49Now here's another object that, believe it or not, you'll find in a river too.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55Today I've been looking for a piece of Welsh folk art to show you,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58that sums up the social history of the area,
0:07:58 > 0:08:00and I think I've come across it thanks to David,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02who's joined me here on the steps of the museum.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06Now, I've seen pictures of these in books, and I've read about them.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10- Early hot-water bottles, you could say, couldn't you?- Oh, yeah.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14And I know why there's a hole in there, because you'd hang that up
0:08:14 > 0:08:18in the hearth, over the fireplace, to keep that warm.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21You know the bars in front of the fire? A spike would stick out...
0:08:21 > 0:08:23And you'd put it on, and while you're keeping warm,
0:08:23 > 0:08:27- that stone warms up, and then you can put it in the bed.- Yes.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30And if you were in love and you had to leave your sweetheart at home
0:08:30 > 0:08:33to go off and work, that would keep the bed warm for her, as well.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36I found this when I was a 13-year-old schoolboy,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39- thrown away in a river. - 13 years old?- Yes.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41And it's been in the family ever since.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43So you were mudlarking, picking things up.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46- Nothing else to do in those days. - That's a proper river stone.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49- You can see how smooth it is. - It's been weathered over the years.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52It looked like that both sides at one time.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Just by the water running past it.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57I should imagine the guy who made this couldn't afford a knife
0:08:57 > 0:09:00to make a love spoon, but you could make one of these.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04Get a stone, get some scrap iron from the cowshed, and knock it out.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08Yeah. What are the others you found? What symbols are on it?
0:09:08 > 0:09:11- Um, a heart and a guardian angel. - Wow!
0:09:11 > 0:09:14That's really nice. A hard thing to put a value on!
0:09:14 > 0:09:16- I imagine so.- Quite a hard thing to put a value on.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19I would say that's sort of circa 1850, 1880.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22And if you had to buy something like that,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24- you'd pay around...up to £200.- Gosh!
0:09:24 > 0:09:26I mean, that's quite rare.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29And this kind of thing is exactly what we like to see on the show,
0:09:29 > 0:09:33just a flavour of social history. Thank you so much. Thank you.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36David's decided to hang on to that piece of folk art,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39and I don't blame him. It's got such a lovely story attached to it,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42and you can't put a price on that.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44'Now, back to our experts,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47'and as you'd expect in this entertainment capital,
0:09:47 > 0:09:49'Catherine's spied a rather quirky instrument.'
0:09:49 > 0:09:52I've come up here to get a real feel for this building,
0:09:52 > 0:09:56but also I've come to see you, Mike. What have you got here?
0:09:56 > 0:09:59- This wonderful banjo! - Well, yes. It's a banjo
0:09:59 > 0:10:02which is roughly about a hundred years old.
0:10:02 > 0:10:07Er, I renovated it, er, three or four years ago,
0:10:07 > 0:10:11- basically because I'm an engineer - - When you say you renovated it...
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Well, it was stuck in an attic for many, many years,
0:10:15 > 0:10:18and it was just completely black. You couldn't see any detail at all.
0:10:18 > 0:10:23All the brass is all black. The vellum was all ripped,
0:10:23 > 0:10:25so I replaced the vellum, made a new bridge,
0:10:25 > 0:10:28and then polished it all back up
0:10:28 > 0:10:31and cleaned the wood up with antique wood restorer.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34It's a fantastic piece of art, really.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36Let's just look at it. Can I have a hold?
0:10:36 > 0:10:40We'll try not to drop it down there. If I do, I'll be in serious trouble.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Oh, it's got a great feel to it, hasn't it?
0:10:42 > 0:10:45Can't say I'm a banjo player. This is all ebony, isn't it,
0:10:45 > 0:10:48- so you've got an ebony neck to it. - Yes.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50There's a maker's name on the back there.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Yes. It's hard to see, but it's called Rick Spencer.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58Richard Spencer. Well, I've done a bit of research on Richard Spencer,
0:10:58 > 0:11:02and we know that he was making banjos from the 1880s,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05and he stopped making them from 1915,
0:11:05 > 0:11:07so we know that this is probably late 19th century,
0:11:07 > 0:11:11early 20th century. I think it's fantastic.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14I'm going to let you hold it, and you can show me how to hold this.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19It's held in that position, with the neck up to the shoulder level.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21- Right.- And that's how it was held.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23Right. So you're positioned perfectly.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26Let's hear it in a minute, but I just want to talk about value.
0:11:26 > 0:11:31I must admit I have never actually sold one of these at auction,
0:11:31 > 0:11:33but I have seen them come up very occasionally,
0:11:33 > 0:11:37and I'm actually surprised at the sort of money they do make.
0:11:37 > 0:11:42I think we should put this in with an estimate of £100 to £150,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45- and a reserve of £80. Now, are you happy to sell at that?- Yes.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47- I will, yeah.- Happy to sell.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49Well, I think the only thing that's left to do
0:11:49 > 0:11:52- is to give it a little whirl. - Well, we'll try, yes.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56- Let us hear. - HE PLAYS LIVELY TUNE
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Very good!
0:12:10 > 0:12:14Well, I'm looking forward to see how that banjo does in the sale room.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17It's time we got off to the auction room!
0:12:17 > 0:12:20Our experts have now found their first items to put under the hammer,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23so here's a quick reminder of what we're taking.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28Will Ruth and Mervyn be toasting a great result for that glass tankard?
0:12:30 > 0:12:34Here's hoping there's nothing fishy about Catherine's valuation
0:12:34 > 0:12:37of this silver curiosity.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42And will our bidders be in tune with Catherine's valuation of the banjo?
0:12:46 > 0:12:48We're leaving the hubbub of central Cardiff
0:12:48 > 0:12:52and heading ten minutes up the road to Anthemion Auctions,
0:12:52 > 0:12:56the only international fine-art sale room in Cardiff.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00It's the sale-preview day, and I took the opportunity
0:13:00 > 0:13:03to have a quick word with auctioneer Ryan Beach,
0:13:03 > 0:13:08to find out what he thought of that charming little silver fish.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13Patrick's articulated fish. Now, look at this little fishie.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17- Watch this. It's still alive! - THEY LAUGH
0:13:18 > 0:13:20- Little tiddler! - HE LAUGHS
0:13:20 > 0:13:25We've got £100 to £150 on that. It's continental silver.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28- Yes.- It's not got an English assay mark on it at all.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30I'd imagine that will do the top end.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33Hopefully. I mean, it should do. It's German.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35You've got a German mark in there.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39It's a maker's mark for Simon Rosenau, I think.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42Excuse my pronunciation. It's 800 standard,
0:13:42 > 0:13:45so you got the marks inside here,
0:13:45 > 0:13:47so you can see the SR there for the maker's mark.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49There's the 800 there, which is the standard mark.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52- For continental silver. - Yes. It's 80 percent silver.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55British silver's 92.5 percent. This is 80 percent.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Catherine was under the impression it might be for snuff.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01It's difficult to say. It's got quite a tight fit,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04so it could be snuff. As a vinaigrette, you'd expect a grille.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07But with the mouth opening as well, so you've got two openings here.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11I think it's purely a novelty thing, and a lot of these were made.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13Typical Victorian kind of thing, really.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15This will end up in a vitrine, a display cabinet,
0:14:15 > 0:14:19- with other bits of silverware. - It's not going to be used nowadays.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22I can't see you walking down the street
0:14:22 > 0:14:24waving it as a vinaigrette beneath your nose.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26- THEY LAUGH - Good luck with that.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29Hopefully it'll get the top end. Thank you.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Well, we'll see how that little fish gets on a bit later.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35And today, well, it's the time of the auction,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38and it is absolutely packed full of exciting bidders.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41The question on everybody's lips is,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43will our items be hitting the high notes,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46exceeding any of our experts' valuations?
0:14:46 > 0:14:48You've heard what they've had to say,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50but right now it's down to that lot.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54Don't forget, there's commission to pay at any auction room.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59Here it's 17.5 percent on the hammer price, plus VAT.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04Ryan's on the rostrum, so what are we waiting for?
0:15:04 > 0:15:07I think it's time we made some music, don't you, Mike?
0:15:07 > 0:15:09- I think so. - We got that Richard Spencer banjo,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12the Clapham banjo, going under the hammer now.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15And this is a lovely example of a good banjo,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17and I know it's the first banjo
0:15:17 > 0:15:21that Catherine has ever, ever probably handled and sold, isn't it?
0:15:21 > 0:15:23- It is, actually. - It's a "Flog It!" first!
0:15:23 > 0:15:26It is a first for me. We put 100, 150 on.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29I just didn't know, to be honest. But it is really beautifully made.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31It is unusually made.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35Good inlays, wonderful rosewood neck.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37It's not warped at all. It's not bent.
0:15:37 > 0:15:42The harmonics are very good on it. It's exceptional, actually.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44Let's see if we can find a buyer here today.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Any banjo enthusiasts? We're just about to find out.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53Lot 552 is the rosewood banjo.
0:15:56 > 0:16:0155 I have to start. At £55. At £55, and 60. Is there 60?
0:16:01 > 0:16:04- Five. 70. Five. - Good. Man in the room.
0:16:04 > 0:16:0680. Now at £80.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08At £80 in the room. At £80 now.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12In the room at £80. At £80. In the room at 80.
0:16:12 > 0:16:1485 on the net. 90 in the room. At £90.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17In the room at 90 now.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21At £90. In the room at 90 now.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23At £90...
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Just got it away. You happy with that?
0:16:26 > 0:16:29Yes. I would've liked to have obviously got more,
0:16:29 > 0:16:31because it's a lovely banjo, but, er, yeah.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35But you've got two more left, so keep playing, won't you?
0:16:35 > 0:16:37Yeah, in a different room to where the wife is,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40- cos she doesn't like me playing. - She doesn't like it.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43At least you're not in the garden shed. At least you're in the house.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45Well, I keep my bike in the shed.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48Well, Mike's wife might not be a fan,
0:16:48 > 0:16:50but someone in the sale room was.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53Next up it's Patrick and that lovely silver fish.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56Why are you selling this, anyway?
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Well, it's just been lying in a drawer.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01It was given to me by an old gentleman,
0:17:01 > 0:17:03and he said, "You do what you want with it."
0:17:03 > 0:17:05And you've just stuck it in a drawer.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09It's a really hard thing to display, unless you've got other items,
0:17:09 > 0:17:12silver items, like little Vestas and things like that,
0:17:12 > 0:17:16cardholders that you can display in a cabinet,
0:17:16 > 0:17:18and they look fabulous then, don't they?
0:17:18 > 0:17:20But that's a different kind of a fish, isn't it?
0:17:20 > 0:17:22Yeah. A different kind of a fish altogether.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26But nevertheless, one which is going to get caught today, I'm sure,
0:17:26 > 0:17:27because it's a good dealer's lot, you know?
0:17:27 > 0:17:31Well, it's unusual. That's one of the things they go for.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34You don't see them that often. We're putting it under the hammer now.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37Let's find out what this packed auction house thinks, shall we?
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Big continental white-metal model of a fish here,
0:17:41 > 0:17:45- with the articulated body. - I love this so much.
0:17:45 > 0:17:4875 I have to start. At 75. 80. Five. 90. Five.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52100 takes me out. At £100. £100, the gentleman standing here now.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55- £100 with the gentleman. 110.- Yes.
0:17:55 > 0:18:00120. 130. 140. 150. At 150. Back of the room, at 150 now.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04At £150, the back of the room. At 150. Are we all done?
0:18:04 > 0:18:06At £150.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11- Yes! Spot on. Spot on. - Well done. Very nice thing.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14It's nice when you get it right, isn't it?
0:18:14 > 0:18:16THEY LAUGH
0:18:16 > 0:18:20Well, someone fell for that fish hook, line and sinker.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24But will the bidders take the bait with our next lot?
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Here's that Georgian tankard.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28Ruth and Mervyn, it's good to see you again.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31This is the moment of truth, when we put your valuation,
0:18:31 > 0:18:35or, should I say, Mark's valuation, to the test.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38OK. We're looking for £150 to £200 for the glass tankard.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41- Well, it's going to charity.- And all the money's going to charity.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43- Which is the charity?- Sightsavers.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45I'm sure this is going to go,
0:18:45 > 0:18:48and all of these bidders here are going to stick their hands up.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Hopefully we'll get the top end of the estimate. Let's find out.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53Here it is.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57The glass tankard here, with the coin in the base.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00£80 I have to start.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04At £80. And five is there now? At £80.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07No, it's not finished.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10At £90. With me at 90. 95.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13- 100 with me. - No, it's not going to go.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16110. 120 with me. At 120 with me. At 130 on the net.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19140 with me. At 140 with me.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22- 150 takes me out. - We've got the reserve.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25At £150 on the internet. 160 on the net.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29160. 170 on the net. At 170 on the net. £170.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32On the internet now at £170.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35At 170 on the internet. At 170. Are we all done?
0:19:35 > 0:19:37At £170...
0:19:37 > 0:19:41- 180 on the net. 180 on the net. - THEY LAUGH
0:19:41 > 0:19:43- 180!- 190.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45At 190 on the internet now. At 190.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50At £190...
0:19:50 > 0:19:53- Yes!- Yes! - That hammer definitely went down.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56- Thank you! Fabulous. - Well done. Well done.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Thank you for coming in. Lovely story, as well.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03- That's exactly what we want to hear on the show.- Fabulous.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08So, that's our first set of items under the hammer,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11and we'll be back later with more, so stay tuned.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16We often see on the programme
0:20:16 > 0:20:18objects that we put into the sale room
0:20:18 > 0:20:20which reflect their regional identity.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22Take, for example, Troika from Cornwall,
0:20:22 > 0:20:26influenced by the rugged texture of the landscape,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29and in its own way it's become identifiably regional.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33But is it possible for a building to successfully succeed
0:20:33 > 0:20:35in profiling a country's identity?
0:20:35 > 0:20:38Take a look at this.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51Wales' Millennium Centre - it's hosted everything from opera,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54rock to pop performers.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59But it's the centre's design that I'm most interested in.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02Over 20 architects and designers took on the massive challenge
0:21:02 > 0:21:06of creating this iconic Welsh building.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Now, before we can fully understand the building,
0:21:10 > 0:21:12we need to understand the land that it was built on.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14Now, a hundred years ago, and this is a fact,
0:21:14 > 0:21:16this whole area that I'm walking in now
0:21:16 > 0:21:19was the world's busiest dockyard.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23It was a hive of activity - steam trains going backwards and forwards,
0:21:23 > 0:21:25cargo ships going in and out of the dock,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28delivering coal all over the world.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32But then in 1964, the docks went into rapid decline.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34Of course there was no trade, no business,
0:21:34 > 0:21:38so the whole of this bay area eventually fell into disrepair,
0:21:38 > 0:21:40and finally became derelict.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44The government recognised something had to be done,
0:21:44 > 0:21:46and set up a programme of regeneration.
0:21:46 > 0:21:51At the same time, the Welsh National Opera was looking for a new home.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57So the building's concept started out life as an opera house.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00The architects' brief was to create a landmark
0:22:00 > 0:22:04that was unmistakeably Welsh, but internationally outstanding,
0:22:04 > 0:22:08a building that would do for Wales what the Sydney Opera House had done for Australia,
0:22:08 > 0:22:12and in doing so, become synonymous with the country.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16The architects' inspiration came from Welsh culture and landscape,
0:22:16 > 0:22:18and the design was modelled
0:22:18 > 0:22:21on the country's great stratified landforms.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29Welsh quarries have roofed the world since the 19th century,
0:22:29 > 0:22:32so, fittingly, the exterior is dominated
0:22:32 > 0:22:36by walls of waste slate, set in different-coloured layers,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39much like you'd find in the Welsh sea cliffs.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43But perhaps the most dominating feature
0:22:43 > 0:22:46is the steel roof of the auditorium,
0:22:46 > 0:22:49a poignant reminder of the country's old steel industry.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52This impressive foyer runs throughout five storeys
0:22:52 > 0:22:55of the building, and the materials used
0:22:55 > 0:22:58continue to connect with the Welsh landscape and its culture.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Now, I must say the architects have been very clever,
0:23:01 > 0:23:03because in all of the public areas,
0:23:03 > 0:23:05they've selected several different species of timber,
0:23:05 > 0:23:09and they've left it in its natural, unstained state,
0:23:09 > 0:23:12a nod to the heavily forested woodlands of the country.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16Take a look at this, because that is absolutely striking.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20And over the years, all of these elders...
0:23:20 > 0:23:23there's beech, there's sycamores and there's cherrywoods -
0:23:23 > 0:23:25will just glow with warmth, and, like the building,
0:23:25 > 0:23:27become more harmonious.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30Even the lights have been planned
0:23:30 > 0:23:32to echo the country's geological history.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37Have you noticed the buds at the top of these lighting columns
0:23:37 > 0:23:40all around here look like unfurling leaves?
0:23:40 > 0:23:42And they've been decorated with a graphic interpretation
0:23:42 > 0:23:45of prehistoric fern fossil. Look at that.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48That's something you find in the great lumps of coal here.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50But I have to say, the attention to detail in design,
0:23:50 > 0:23:54right through to the craftsmanship and installation,
0:23:54 > 0:23:56is simply the best.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59And where possible, surfaces are left textured,
0:23:59 > 0:24:01which allows you to touch them as you walk by.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03It's a building you want to caress.
0:24:03 > 0:24:04It's a building you fall in love with.
0:24:04 > 0:24:09WELSH MALE-VOICE CHOIR SINGING
0:24:09 > 0:24:11'There's six performance spaces here,
0:24:11 > 0:24:15'but for me the most spectacular is the Donald Gordon auditorium.
0:24:15 > 0:24:20'Here to tell me more is project director and executive architect, Rob Firman.'
0:24:24 > 0:24:28So, what techniques have you used here to echo the Welsh heritage?
0:24:28 > 0:24:32The starting point, really, was horizontal strata, natural geology,
0:24:32 > 0:24:34and making a building that echoed that.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38The idea was, we're going to use lots of different types of wood
0:24:38 > 0:24:41in its natural condition. How many can we get?
0:24:41 > 0:24:45If we could only have got one when we went to the forests of mid-Wales,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48we'd have made do with that, because we wouldn't have felled any trees
0:24:48 > 0:24:51specially for the project. We used wood that had already been felled,
0:24:51 > 0:24:53that was available to us at the time.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56And then we set about organising them in the sizes that we could get,
0:24:56 > 0:24:59not try and make everything ordered and regular.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02There's a natural harmony within the grains, then.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Do you know, I love looking at this,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08because it looks like you've dug a quarry out,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10seeing these sedimentary levels.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Part of the skill we brought to this room as designers was,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16we made a room that's beautiful. I can say that out loud,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18cos I do believe it. We made a beautiful room.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21But it also works perfectly for acoustics.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25For natural acoustics for the opera or for orchestral music, it's extremely good.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28That's obviously the biggest challenge for an architect
0:25:28 > 0:25:31working in a performing auditorium like this.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33That's the number-one challenge, the acoustics.
0:25:33 > 0:25:39To make it sound good, and not get completely buried in that science,
0:25:39 > 0:25:41so that the room looks like a scientific laboratory
0:25:41 > 0:25:45that's only designed to make you hear something well.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48What we wanted for this room was for it to be harmonious materials
0:25:48 > 0:25:50and rich, warm colours.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53WELSH MALE-VOICE CHOIR SINGING OPERA
0:26:08 > 0:26:11- This opened in 2004, didn't it? - Mm, November 2004, yes.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14- How long did it take to build? - 33 months.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18It was the best experience, the best people involved in it.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20Welsh craftsmen?
0:26:20 > 0:26:23Yeah. We had some staggeringly great people.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26I mean, the guys that put the slate on the outside
0:26:26 > 0:26:27were from a family in North Wales.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30That was their family business, laying slate.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33I'd be incredibly proud to have worked on this if I was a Welsh guy.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37Well, I'm not. I'm a Yorkshireman. I've lived here for a very long time,
0:26:37 > 0:26:39- and I now think of myself as Welsh. - Yeah.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42I bet you do. You've got to be an adoptive Welshman now,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44to have achieved this. This is a legacy you've left.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47- Yeah.- And that's a nice thing to do in life.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51- Feels good.- Yeah, I bet it does. Yeah. I envy you.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53WELSH MALE-VOICE CHOIR SINGING OPERA
0:26:59 > 0:27:03So, have the architects successfully designed a building
0:27:03 > 0:27:07that's unmistakeably Welsh? Well, I can only speak for myself,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10but I think the carefully considered choice of materials
0:27:10 > 0:27:12strikes a deep nationalistic chord,
0:27:12 > 0:27:17and it's a remarkably effective representation of the motherland.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20And it's been a real privilege filming here for a few hours today,
0:27:20 > 0:27:25just getting a sense of Welsh culture at its very best.
0:27:41 > 0:27:45Welcome back to the National Museum here in the heart of Cardiff.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48It's time to find some more antiques to take off to auction,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51so let's join up with our experts and see what Catherine's up to.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00Chris, I'm looking rather admiringly at your ring.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02- Can I have a little look at it? - Yes, certainly.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04- It is absolutely stunning. - If I can get it off.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08- If you can get it off your finger. - It was jammed with the other one.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10- Thank you. May I try it on? - Certainly.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12Where did you get it from?
0:28:12 > 0:28:17Well, I happened to see it in an antique shop with my husband,
0:28:17 > 0:28:21and I said, "Oh, look at that ring. It reminds you of Great Britain -
0:28:21 > 0:28:25- red, white and blue." - It is!- I said, "That's gorgeous.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29Well, unbeknown to me, he went into the jewellers and put it away for...
0:28:29 > 0:28:32- So he was a real romantic? - Oh, yeah. A rose every month.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36- A red rose, a silk one. - So you saw this in the shop,
0:28:36 > 0:28:38and commented that you liked it,
0:28:38 > 0:28:40and then he went back and bought it for you.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43That's quite correct, yes.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Well, it looks to me to be 1930s in date.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48Could be '40s, but it is absolutely stunning.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52I think it's so unusual. We've got the ruby here,
0:28:52 > 0:28:55and then the sapphire and then the diamonds.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59The diamonds, they're not claw set. They're pave set.
0:28:59 > 0:29:00- Pave, yes.- Pave set,
0:29:00 > 0:29:04and then we've got white gold actually set onto white gold.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08- I just think they look so stunning. - Well, it's different, isn't it?
0:29:08 > 0:29:11It's a really unusual setting,
0:29:11 > 0:29:14and it just jumps out at you, doesn't it?
0:29:14 > 0:29:16And the colours are just... oh, beautiful.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18The reason, if I do sell it,
0:29:18 > 0:29:21is because I want to help my grandchildren
0:29:21 > 0:29:25- with a deposit for a house. - Oh, that's very kind of you.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28Well, they'll get on the first rung at least.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30That's a lovely thought, isn't it?
0:29:30 > 0:29:35I would put a value on, of this, of £1,500 to £2,000.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37Oh, lovely.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40- How does that sound to you? - Very well.- Does that sound good?
0:29:40 > 0:29:45- Let's put a reserve on of £1,200, just to protect it.- Yes.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49- Oh, definitely.- Say 1,500 to 2,000, with a 1,200 reserve.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52- Yes.- Do you think you'd be happy about that?
0:29:52 > 0:29:55Oh, yes, cos I know it's going for my grandchildren,
0:29:55 > 0:29:58- our grandchildren.- Right. So it's going to a good cause.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00It's going for a very good cause, yes.
0:30:00 > 0:30:05Well, it's a beautiful ring, and thank you so much for bringing it along to "Flog It!".
0:30:05 > 0:30:07- Thank you.- That's fine, my darling.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11Well, that's some serious bling.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13Let's hope it catches the eye of a couple of bidders.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16As we're in such a remarkable location,
0:30:16 > 0:30:19I just had to steal myself away from the experts
0:30:19 > 0:30:23and the valuation tables to take a look at some of the other treasures
0:30:23 > 0:30:26that are on show here at the National Museum, Cardiff.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30And there's one particular one that I really want to show you, and it's over here.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40And it's this, this magnificent oil on canvas
0:30:40 > 0:30:43painted by Claude Monet in 1905.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47It's titled Water Lilies, and it's part of a larger series of works -
0:30:47 > 0:30:52in fact 250 other works on water lilies that Monet painted.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54It was the main focus of his life, really,
0:30:54 > 0:30:57in the last 30 years before he died in 1926.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00This particular painting, along with many others here,
0:31:00 > 0:31:02was left by Gwendoline and Margaret Davies,
0:31:02 > 0:31:07two sisters whose collection has really put this museum on the international map.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12I think they're very lucky to have them, as well.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19Back in the hall, Mark's with sisters Olwen and Lynn,
0:31:19 > 0:31:21who have wowed him with a very quirky carving.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24Where on Earth did you get it from?
0:31:24 > 0:31:28Well, my husband inherited it in the year 2000,
0:31:28 > 0:31:31and it was from an uncle of his,
0:31:31 > 0:31:36and his wife, when she was alive, was in the antique business.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38- Was she?- Yes.
0:31:38 > 0:31:42Now, would it surprise you to know that this is not a Welsh item?
0:31:42 > 0:31:44- THEY LAUGH - No. Not really, no. No.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46But it is wonderful, isn't it?
0:31:46 > 0:31:49I mean, it's loosely a sort of humorous-figure group.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52- It is, yes. - And you've got carved ivory.
0:31:52 > 0:31:56- Yes.- Now, ivory is a little bit of an odd subject these days,
0:31:56 > 0:32:00because some people don't like ivory,
0:32:00 > 0:32:04but this is an antique. This was made during the Meiji period,
0:32:04 > 0:32:08so probably around... between 1868 and 1912.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11The thing I don't quite understand about it is,
0:32:11 > 0:32:13what is the story being told?
0:32:13 > 0:32:17To me it looks like this tradesman is being attacked
0:32:17 > 0:32:20- by these little gargoyles.- Yes. - And I don't know whether...
0:32:20 > 0:32:23I think he's throwing salt or something at them.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26- I see.- Because he's got his hand clenched there,
0:32:26 > 0:32:30and he's carrying a little pan there, maybe with salt in it.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33And down here we've got somebody rubbing their eye,
0:32:33 > 0:32:36so maybe some of the salt has gone into their eye.
0:32:36 > 0:32:40This one is protecting himself with a bowl of eels or something.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43And they're all resting on this barrel,
0:32:43 > 0:32:46which again might symbolise the tradesman element.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49But you've got nice quality carving,
0:32:49 > 0:32:53and there's a little square seal signature underneath the barrel.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55- What's in the barrel, would you say? - Nothing.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58Not now, I know. But what was it meant to be?
0:32:58 > 0:33:02It's just decorative. It might have carried, um...
0:33:02 > 0:33:04- In Japanese history. - Grain or something like that.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08- Oh.- It's wonderful, isn't it? And where does it live at home?
0:33:08 > 0:33:11- Have you had it out on display to the world?- No.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14It's been wrapped in tissue paper and then bubblewrap
0:33:14 > 0:33:16in a box in the bottom of the wardrobe.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18- That's not very nice.- I know,
0:33:18 > 0:33:22but I just... I'm not very fond of it at all, to be honest with you.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26The thing with something like this, the auction house will love it,
0:33:26 > 0:33:29because it's fresh to the market. It's quality,
0:33:29 > 0:33:33and there's a big collectors' market for it, I'm sure.
0:33:33 > 0:33:38- So if we put it in at 500 to 700, with a 500 fixed reserve...- Yes.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41I think they'll come out of the woodwork, if you'll excuse the pun,
0:33:41 > 0:33:44and people will want to buy it, because it's a humorous group,
0:33:44 > 0:33:47and it'll be quite commercial.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49- We might have a surprise or two on the day.- Oh, lovely.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51- Would you be happy with that. - Yes, I would be happy.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54- Yes, that's fine. - And it can come out of your wardrobe
0:33:54 > 0:33:58- and be seen to the world. - Yes, that's it. Yes.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01'Olwen's able to sell this ivory object
0:34:01 > 0:34:05'because it's classified as a worked item which pre-dates 1947.'
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Now, I've been looking for that special something
0:34:08 > 0:34:11amongst the bags and boxes myself, and I've found a real corker.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18In the firing line right now, we have Mary for a valuation.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20- Did you like that?- Yeah.- Mr Bond!
0:34:20 > 0:34:23- HE LAUGHS - This, I absolutely love.
0:34:23 > 0:34:27- I know smoking isn't particularly PC. I don't smoke. Do you?- No.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30But having a collection of lighters can still be fun,
0:34:30 > 0:34:35and there are plenty of people out there that collect Dunhill lighters.
0:34:35 > 0:34:39Because that's what this one is. So, how did you come by it?
0:34:39 > 0:34:42- Car boot. - You're joking! A car-boot sale?
0:34:42 > 0:34:44- Yeah.- What, here in Cardiff?- Yeah.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47Coo, there's some money to be made here, isn't there?
0:34:47 > 0:34:50- How much did you pay for that, then? - About £10.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53£10?!
0:34:53 > 0:34:56- I think you've done rather well. Do you know that?- Yeah.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59- Did you know it was made by Dunhill? - Yeah.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02It doesn't get much better for a lighter than that, does it?
0:35:02 > 0:35:04- Let's face it.- No.- Great name.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08- It is, yes.- The company was founded by Alfred Dunhill...
0:35:08 > 0:35:10- Oh, yes?- ..in 1907.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12- Still going today.- Yeah.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15And we've seen quite a few Dunhill lighters on the show before,
0:35:15 > 0:35:18particularly the Aquarium ones with the fish in them.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21- I've seen them, yeah. - We've had quite a few of those,
0:35:21 > 0:35:26but this is based on a 17th- century Flintlock tinder pistol,
0:35:26 > 0:35:29a tinder lighter. I'm quite attracted to it.
0:35:29 > 0:35:34This was first put into production in 1936.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36Nevertheless, for me it sums up
0:35:36 > 0:35:42that sort of hunting, shooting, fishing type country gent,
0:35:42 > 0:35:44walking around in his tweeds.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47- You can see it's petrol-filled, can't you?- Yeah.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50So there's its chamber. You undo that little screw,
0:35:50 > 0:35:52and put your petrol in there.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56- There was a more expensive model... - Yeah.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59- ..which was filled with butane, filled with a gas.- Ah, right.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01- This is just a petrol lighter.- Yeah.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05And I bet, if you filled this up with petrol today, that would work.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07Yeah.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10- Why do you want to sell this now? - It's a bit manly, isn't it,
0:36:10 > 0:36:13- and we don't smoke. We don't smoke, so...- No.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17- It's a nice object to look at, though.- It is, yes.
0:36:17 > 0:36:22Right! Value. A Dunhill lighter made in 1936
0:36:22 > 0:36:25as a novelty Flintlock lighter...
0:36:25 > 0:36:28I think is worth in the region of £100.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30- Yeah.- Possibly a little bit more.
0:36:30 > 0:36:35- I think we put the classic £80 to £120 on it.- Right.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38- A reserve of £70.- Yeah.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42- And hopefully turn your £10 into 100.- Yeah.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44- Happy?- Yes.- Shall we do it?
0:36:44 > 0:36:47- Yeah.- Let's hope we hit the target.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52That's it. Our experts have now made their final choices of items
0:36:52 > 0:36:54to take off to auction,
0:36:54 > 0:36:58so it's time to say goodbye to our magnificent host venue for today,
0:36:58 > 0:37:00the National Museum, Cardiff,
0:37:00 > 0:37:03surrounded by some of the world's finest art.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05What a marvellous day out! But right now,
0:37:05 > 0:37:07it's time to put our own art to the test.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Let's find out what it's worth. Let's get over to the sale room.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13And here's a quick recap of what's going under the hammer.
0:37:14 > 0:37:19Catherine was dazzled by this ring, but was she right to put such a high estimate on it?
0:37:21 > 0:37:25Let's hope the bidders are more impressed with these Japanese figures than Olwen is!
0:37:27 > 0:37:30'And I've fallen for this Dunhill novelty lighter
0:37:30 > 0:37:33'that cost Mary just a tenner.'
0:37:36 > 0:37:39With all those fantastic antiques under our belt,
0:37:39 > 0:37:43we're heading back up the road to the auction house to see how they fare under the hammer.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46We've had some solid results so far,
0:37:46 > 0:37:49but I hope that Dunhill lighter isn't going to buck the trend.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55- Mary, it's good to see you again. - And you. Yeah.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58I've got high hopes for this. I think the name Dunhill will help,
0:37:58 > 0:38:01but you just don't know what's going to happen in an auction room.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05This is the exciting bit about an auction, putting it to the test,
0:38:05 > 0:38:08- but we don't mind, do we? We're brave.- That's right, yeah.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11- Let's give it a go, yeah? - OK. Yeah.- OK. This is it.
0:38:11 > 0:38:16The Dunhill tinder pistol here, the novelty table-top lighter here.
0:38:16 > 0:38:1935 I've got to start. £35.
0:38:19 > 0:38:2335. 38, is there anyone at? 35 I have. 38.
0:38:23 > 0:38:2640. 42. 45.
0:38:26 > 0:38:3048. 50. Five. 60. Five. 70. Five.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32- Oh...- Takes me out at 75.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37At 75, the gentleman standing. At 75 now.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40At £75 now, standing. At 75.
0:38:40 > 0:38:41At £75. Are we all done, then?
0:38:45 > 0:38:48- At £75... - GUNSHOT SOUND EFFECT
0:38:48 > 0:38:50Well, it's gone. We had a fixed reserve of 70.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54We just did it. £75. I told you it's touch-and-go sometimes.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57- You did, yes. Yeah. - But we got it about right.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00Yeah. Yeah. Brilliant.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02- Thank you for coming in. - Thank you.- It's my pleasure.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08Well, we got a bit more than the reserve, so I'm happy with that.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13Lastly, we've got two really intriguing items.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16Remember that ivory figure group that Mark loved?
0:39:19 > 0:39:22And that gorgeous diamond, sapphire and ruby sparkler
0:39:22 > 0:39:24that Christine brought in?
0:39:26 > 0:39:28Well, they've both been given high values,
0:39:28 > 0:39:31but can you antique hunters out there work out
0:39:31 > 0:39:33which one gets the bidders most excited?
0:39:33 > 0:39:37Well, first under the hammer, it's the ivory carving.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40So, why have you decided to sell now?
0:39:40 > 0:39:43Because it's in the wardrobe with bubblewrap round it.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45- What's it doing in the wardrobe? - I don't really like it.
0:39:45 > 0:39:49You don't like it? OK. Well, there's a big market for this, isn't there?
0:39:49 > 0:39:53At 500 to 700, there should be a lot of internet interest in it.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55- Should be.- I hope so. - Shall we put it to the test, girls?
0:39:55 > 0:39:58Shall we? This is what we've waited for, isn't it?
0:39:58 > 0:40:02- Indeed.- Some excitement, and you always get that in an auction room.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05- Yes.- One way or the other, isn't it?
0:40:05 > 0:40:09Exactly. One way or the other. OK. Let's do it, shall we? Here we go.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13Lot 608 is the Japanese carved-ivory and hardwood figure group here.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15Lot 608.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18500 I have, and 20 I'll take. At 500.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21At 20. 550. 580. 600.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23620. 650. 680. 700.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27720. 750. 780. 800.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29- Great.- 820. 850.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32- Yes.- You see, it was very good, wasn't it?
0:40:32 > 0:40:35- Here we go. - 980. 1,000. And 50. 1,100.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39And 50. 1,200. And 50. 1,300. And 50. 1,400.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42- Is this exciting enough? - Yes, it is! Very much so.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46At £1,500. With me at £1,500. At £1,500.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50At 50, is there anywhere? At £1,500. £1,550 on the net.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53Are we all out on the telephones and in the room?
0:40:53 > 0:40:56At £1,550... Thank you.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58- Hammer's gone down.- Wonderful!
0:40:58 > 0:41:01- Isn't that good news? - Yes, lovely.- Absolutely!
0:41:01 > 0:41:04- Wasn't that worth the wait? - Yes, it was.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- We were hoping it would be. - You came up and had a chat to me.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11"Oh, Paul, we're ever so frightened. We don't think it's going to sell."
0:41:11 > 0:41:15Yeah. Well, you got us excited when you came to value it, you know.
0:41:15 > 0:41:20- Well, I try my best. - You were very good.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23No, it's a lovely piece. We loved the quality.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26I think it was a bit of a "come and get me",
0:41:26 > 0:41:28- but the world found it. - Treat yourselves!
0:41:28 > 0:41:31Yeah. We'll have a meal on the way home now.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34Well, Olwen and Lynn were overjoyed with that great result,
0:41:34 > 0:41:38and here's another real quality item. Can it do just as well?
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Now, listen. We got this wonderful crossover ring,
0:41:44 > 0:41:47five sapphires, five rubies, and - what? - 34 diamonds.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50- It is a showpiece. - It's a lot of ring, isn't it?
0:41:50 > 0:41:54My two granddaughters have been on to me. They both like it.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58- So if it doesn't sell, it'll go home. - OK.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01It's just about to go under the hammer now. Let's watch this.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04If it doesn't go, we're not bothered. It's going back home.
0:42:04 > 0:42:08I know this means a lot to you. Let's see if we can get £1,500.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11This is it. Let's find out what the bidders think.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15The sapphire, ruby and diamond crossover ring here.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18- It's all gone quiet. - What do I have to start?
0:42:18 > 0:42:21£1,050. At £1,050.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24At 1,100 is there now? At 1,050. At 1,050.
0:42:24 > 0:42:29- At 1,050. Do I see 1,100 anywhere? - Struggling a bit.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31Are we all done?
0:42:32 > 0:42:35At £1,050...
0:42:35 > 0:42:38- No. Unsold.- Didn't sell that. - That was a struggle.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41That's quite all right. It'll go home for the grandchildren.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43- Are you quite pleased with that? - I think Christine is.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47- Aren't you? Yeah. I don't blame you. - It is a beautiful piece.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49Well, that was a shock!
0:42:49 > 0:42:52'I was expecting something of that quality to fly.'
0:42:52 > 0:42:54But at least Christine's happy.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56She can take the ring home for her grandchildren.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00Well, that's it. It's all over for our owners,
0:43:00 > 0:43:02and don't you just love auctions?
0:43:02 > 0:43:05You can never predict what's going to happen.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08That's why they're so exciting. All credit to our experts,
0:43:08 > 0:43:10because it's not an exact science, as you have just seen.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12It's quite hard to put a value on something.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15Do join us again for many more surprises to come in the future.
0:43:15 > 0:43:20But until then, it's goodbye from all of us here in Cardiff.
0:43:20 > 0:43:24Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:24 > 0:43:28E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk