0:00:05 > 0:00:08Today, we're in Bath, a city, literally, built on water.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10And, from pre-Roman times, the people of Bath and around
0:00:10 > 0:00:15have made use of the naturally hot, bubbling springs that pulse beneath the city's centre.
0:00:15 > 0:00:20And, over the years, they've given the water a spiritual, medicinal and therapeutic importance,
0:00:20 > 0:00:23a tradition which is still very much a part of life here in the city today.
0:00:23 > 0:00:29So let's hope our experts will be gushing at the antiques they're about to see. Welcome to Flog It!
0:00:50 > 0:00:52The Romans bathed in it, the Georgians drank it
0:00:52 > 0:00:55and, today, we relish it.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Taking the waters is what made Bath famous,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03attracting aristocrats and royalty throughout the ages.
0:01:03 > 0:01:08The Assembly Rooms in Georgian times were definitely the place to be seen
0:01:08 > 0:01:12and, today, it looks like nothing has changed because we've got a massive queue here.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14This is where we're setting up our valuation tables
0:01:14 > 0:01:18for the locals to have their antiques and collectables valued.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22And, of course, they're all here to ask our experts that all-important question.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25- Which is...? - ALL: What's it worth?
0:01:27 > 0:01:31Our experts today, the very sociable Anita Manning.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33We're gonnae have a great day, aren't we?
0:01:33 > 0:01:36And always a charmer, David Barby.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39- I love your hat? Don't you like her hat?- It's lovely!- Yeah!
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Pouring through the Assembly Room doors are hundreds of people laden with,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49let's hope, all sorts of treasures.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Today, we've got six off-screen experts,
0:01:51 > 0:01:5722 crew members and 550 people here to get their items valued.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01For all you antique collectors out there, can you spot which one of these items
0:02:01 > 0:02:03will do the best at auction today?
0:02:03 > 0:02:07Will it be the oil painting David Barby has valued as having provenance,
0:02:07 > 0:02:11or the local watercolour Anita spotted of Bath Abbey and beyond?
0:02:11 > 0:02:16And do you Flog It! fans remember what a pizzle stick is made of?
0:02:18 > 0:02:21The Assembly Rooms here in Bath have a wonderful example of a Bath chair,
0:02:21 > 0:02:23dating back to the Georgian era.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27It was designed by John Dawson of Bath for the elderly and sick
0:02:27 > 0:02:31to get from their hotels to the spa, so they could take the curative waters.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Later on in the programme, I'll be finding out a little bit more
0:02:34 > 0:02:37about the healing qualities of the Bath spa waters.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41But first, let's catch up with our experts and see what they're looking at.
0:02:46 > 0:02:51Helen, this is my first visit to Bath. I have fallen in love with the town.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55And this little watercolour drew me to you,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58because it's a scene of Bath. Can you tell me about it?
0:02:58 > 0:03:03Well, it's a picture of the abbey, taken from the far side of the river.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07You'd be standing on the Bath rugby ground to look at this now.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10And it's a bit of a mystery because of the time period.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13It seems to be a fairly recent watercolour,
0:03:13 > 0:03:17but the Guildhall isn't there. We've got the Orange Grove.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20We've got the Frederick's obelisk in the middle.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23But this building is wrong.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26As I say, it's a mystery, so that's why I've brought it.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29- So this building doesn't exist now? - No, no.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33That would be where the Guildhall and the Empire building would be today.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35- The Guildhall was an 18th-century building?- Yes.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Yes, 1857, about.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40The painting, I don't think, is that old.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43The artist has used poetic licence!
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Absolutely! As with the costumes as well, I think.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49- But it's very peaceful. It's very restful.- Yes.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53- I would say it's a late Victorian picture.- Yes.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55It's quite well executed.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59The drawing of the abbey itself shows good artistry.
0:03:59 > 0:04:04But there are weaknesses, particularly when we look at the little figures here.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07- They're a little bit wooden.- Yeah.
0:04:07 > 0:04:13I feel that the picture has probably been painted by a good amateur.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15- Mm-hm.- And he's done it...
0:04:15 > 0:04:19because he enjoys painting
0:04:19 > 0:04:21and he probably loves Bath.
0:04:21 > 0:04:22Yes.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25I looked for a signature.
0:04:25 > 0:04:30And we had... There is a very light, indistinct signature here,
0:04:30 > 0:04:34which could be "Maines" or... I'm not quite sure what it is.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37But the signature does not have the confidence
0:04:37 > 0:04:40of a trained artist.
0:04:41 > 0:04:46So when we're looking at the picture in terms of value,
0:04:46 > 0:04:50we're not seeing a listed artist. We're seeing a charming scene.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54Erm, so we must take those things into consideration.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Can you tell me what's the background of the picture, Helen?
0:04:57 > 0:05:00I've had it for over 30 years.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05It was given to me by my mother, who was the most wonderful auction hunter I know.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08And she picked it up in an auction room for £3.
0:05:08 > 0:05:09ANITA LAUGHS
0:05:09 > 0:05:14And it graced my cottage wall for 34 years, until I moved three years ago.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17But I've gone into a modern house and it really no longer fits.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21- Price-wise, I would put it in maybe £30, £50.- Yes?
0:05:21 > 0:05:26And hope that it would do that, simply because of the subject matter,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29- which is charming and local. - Very much so.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32- Thank you very much indeed! - Thank you for bringing it along. - Thank you.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Charming is not how I'd describe our next item.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40It's rare, esoteric and just a little bit odd.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43- Hello.- Hello. Hello, Paul. - Sorry about the long wait.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47- That's OK.- It is a bit of a long one. There's a lot of people. - We're enjoying it, anyway.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51You've got to be prepared for it if you come to a valuation, because hundreds of people turn up.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55- We DO see everybody and you do have a good time, don't you? - We do, excellent.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59- I like what you're holding.- I'd like to know is what it's made of.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02- Can I have a look?- By all means.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09My first thought was, it was a bull's penis.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12- That's what we've been told. - Politely known...- Right, OK.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15..as a pizzle stick, and we've seen them on the show before.
0:06:15 > 0:06:20And they do fetch £300-£400. They are quite rare, but I'm not sure.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23- We did take it to an antique... - And what did they say?
0:06:23 > 0:06:28He agreed that it was possibly a bull's penis, but he'd not seen a polished one before.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32It has been polished up because they're normally quite crude.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34- Full of ridges.- Right.- OK.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Nevertheless, this is a fine, fine walking cane.
0:06:37 > 0:06:42It's a proper gentleman's thing. It's got its original tip, its original handle.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44- Silver. You see the assay mark is Birmingham?- Yes.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47- This, to me, is around 1880s.- Right.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49- And I think £300-£400.- OK.
0:06:49 > 0:06:50- Mm, OK.- That's great.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53- So, if you want to sell it, let us know...- We'll think about it.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56- ..And we'll put it into auction. - We'll sit here and think about it.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00- Well, come and grab me, won't you? Before the day's over.- We will. - And see if you want to sell it.- OK.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Pizzle is an old English word for "penis".
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Making a pizzle stick involves stretching the skin from a bull's penis
0:07:08 > 0:07:13around a thin metal rod to form a leather-like cane.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15Although it might seem like a bizarre idea now,
0:07:15 > 0:07:18pizzle sticks were all the rage back in the 19th century,
0:07:18 > 0:07:22and right through to the early part of the 20th century.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24While the pizzle stick was a fashionable accessory of the day,
0:07:24 > 0:07:29our next item was a must-have decorative piece of the same period.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31Liz.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35I don't think one of these programmes goes by without having a piece of Moorcroft.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39- Mm.- I'm astounded that this piece has come along,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42because it's such an early piece of Moorcroft.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46- Yes.- So early that you can hardly see the signature on the bottom.
0:07:46 > 0:07:51And so early cos you haven't got the Moorcroft mark.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53In fact, you've got Macintyre on the bottom,
0:07:53 > 0:07:57which is a factory that Moorcroft first of all worked for.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01And he started experimenting with glazes and colours.
0:08:01 > 0:08:06And this is one of his early experimental pieces.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09- Where does it come from? - It belonged to my mother-in-law,
0:08:09 > 0:08:14who passed away last year, so it was left with the family, erm...
0:08:14 > 0:08:16We didn't really know too much about it,
0:08:16 > 0:08:20other than than Mum used to put flowers in it.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24I've never contemplated putting flowers into a Moorcroft vase. It sounds stupid, doesn't it?
0:08:24 > 0:08:27- Well, no...- Because I've always looked at it as a work of art.- Yes.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30I guess we didn't realise at the time that it was a Moorcroft.
0:08:30 > 0:08:35- We just thought it was an old vase and not worth much, really.- Right.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37This was made at the turn of the century.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Sort of 1890, 1900, that sort of period.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44- Didn't realise it was that early. - You can see certain elements there,
0:08:44 > 0:08:47- which are experimental.- Yes.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51So, first of all, the decoration is in blues and lemons.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54And you've got this sort of running of colours,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57where you've got the blue running into the yellow.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00And this is because the kilns were highly fired kilns.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03And they could only use blue
0:09:03 > 0:09:08as the colour that wouldn't change its pigmentation under the firing.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11- Right.- And then they started incorporating other colours.
0:09:11 > 0:09:17Lemon was one of them, and then you have this element of green coming through.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19So this is one of his early pieces.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Hence, all this craquelure, this crackle -
0:09:23 > 0:09:25defects in the glazing,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28because of the high kiln, the high firing -
0:09:28 > 0:09:32which would worry me as an auctioneer, if I came to sell it.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36So an auctioneer might sell it in perfect condition with no defects,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39and no chip round the edge there - which I've just noticed!
0:09:39 > 0:09:41He would put this in the region of about £300-£500.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43Right.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46With the defects, I think we're going to hover
0:09:46 > 0:09:50at round about half that amount - £150-£200.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53I hope, because this is so rare and it's so early,
0:09:53 > 0:09:55there's going to be Moorcroft collectors out there
0:09:55 > 0:10:01- that's going to ignore the chip and the glazed crazing.- Yes.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03And I'll be dumbfounded if it makes over a thousand, ha!
0:10:03 > 0:10:05So shall I!
0:10:10 > 0:10:12- How's it going, Christian? - We've got some good news.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15- Oh, what's that?- Colin and Eileen with the pizzle stick.- Yes, yes.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17- They're going to sell. - Oh, brilliant news!
0:10:17 > 0:10:19They're coming to the auction. That's good news.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23So now we've found our first three items, so let's have a quick recap
0:10:23 > 0:10:26of what we're taking to auction.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29A watercolour of a scenic Bath view,
0:10:29 > 0:10:32including a mystery building.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Secondly, Liz's unusual turn-of-the-century,
0:10:35 > 0:10:37early Moorcroft vase.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40And, thirdly, that rather bewildering pizzle stick.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45For today's auction, we're at Clevedon on the Bristol Channel,
0:10:45 > 0:10:49which was a popular seaside resort during the Victorian era.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52The Victorians were huge fans of sea swimming
0:10:52 > 0:10:56and they used bathing machines to lower themselves into the water,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59in order to avoid exposing any flesh.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Today, these waters still draw the swimmers from the surrounding areas,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10a little less concerned about covering up
0:11:10 > 0:11:13but, obviously, not fazed at all by the extremely cold conditions.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15I wouldn't go in there.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Oh, that looks so cold!
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Testing out the temperature of today's antiques, we're at the Clevedon Salerooms.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30I'm going inside to have a quick chat with Marc Burridge,
0:11:30 > 0:11:31our auctioneer for the show.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34I'm going to find out what's hot and what's not.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42Marc's been doing some digging into that strange cane.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45I've been looking forward to having a chat to you about this.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48What have you concluded? You've done some detective work.
0:11:48 > 0:11:53We have done a lot of work on this and it is rhinoceros horn.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Which puts the value, I mean, through the roof.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58- It does in today's market.- Yes.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02Rhino horn, in weight, is worth more than what gold is in weight.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04I understand that, yes.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07- There's a lot of legislation covering the sale of rhino.- Yeah.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11- The silver marks - Birmingham, 1898. - Right.
0:12:11 > 0:12:16- So you're looking at an item that was Victorian.- Which pre-dates anything that Defra have set.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19We have a letter of approval from Defra to say it can be sold
0:12:19 > 0:12:24and legally traded within the European Union.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27There are plenty of collectors that would like to get their hands on this.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30- They're very rare. - So, on a good day...?
0:12:30 > 0:12:33- £1,000 plus.- This is going to get very, very exciting.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39Taking the plunge with their belongings or hoping to find some real treasures,
0:12:39 > 0:12:43one thing is crystal clear - there's a real bubble of anticipation here today.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Helen, I like what we're just about to put under the hammer.
0:12:46 > 0:12:51- English, 19th-century. It's local.- Very local.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54It couldn't be a better picture of Bath, with the abbey as the central point.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59- It's a lovely watercolour.- Yes. - I hope we have a lot of interest here today in this packed saleroom.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02- It only cost £3, initially. - Should turn a profit!
0:13:02 > 0:13:05- THEY LAUGH - Fingers crossed! Fingers crossed!
0:13:05 > 0:13:07And lot 130...
0:13:07 > 0:13:11is the watercolour of Bath Abbey. Interest here. What can we say?
0:13:11 > 0:13:15- Somebody got £40? £40. Thank you. I'm bid 40 now.- Good.- 45?
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Five behind. And 50, sir?
0:13:18 > 0:13:20And five? And five more?
0:13:20 > 0:13:23All done then? Selling at £50.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26- It's gone at 50.- Well, that's fine. - That's very good, isn't it?
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Top estimate, excellent. Excellent!
0:13:28 > 0:13:32- It's better to be conservative on something like that.- Yes.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36Yes. Yeah. Someone's got to have something...a nice watercolour,
0:13:36 > 0:13:39you know, that nobody else has got. That's a one-off thing.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42- It's different to investing. - Even with the commission that's...
0:13:42 > 0:13:48- Are you quite happy?- Very happy. - That's a super profit. That's a super profit on £3.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52And one person's takings is another person's treasure. Let's hear from the buyer.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56Picking up an original bit of art for 50 quid is a very good deal, I think.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01Also, there's a bit of a family connection with the subject matter.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03My sister actually got married in the abbey.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06So the chance to pick this up for 50 quid was too good to miss.
0:14:09 > 0:14:14Well, going under the hammer right now, we've got a real quality name in ceramics - Moorcroft.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16It doesn't get much better than that. It belongs to Liz.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20But, sadly, Liz cannot be with us today, but we do have our expert, Mr David Barby.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24I know you're a big fan of Macintyre Moorcroft. This is the early period.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28This example is very good, except there is a chip on the neck.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32- That is why you've got £150-£200. - Yeah, and there's excessive glaze crazying on it.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36So somebody's got to be a purist and really interested in that period to buy this piece.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Let's hope there's somebody out there.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41Yes, so do I, because you've got to tell Liz
0:14:41 > 0:14:44- the good news or the bad news, after the sale.- Me?
0:14:44 > 0:14:46- It's your valuation.- Ooh!
0:14:46 > 0:14:49- You're the presenter! - Right, come on!
0:14:49 > 0:14:50235...
0:14:50 > 0:14:55we've got the Macintyre Moorcroft vase and a string of bids.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57- Oh, string of bids. - That's good!- Start at 200.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59240.
0:14:59 > 0:15:00280.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02- 300.- Aah!- 320.
0:15:02 > 0:15:03340.
0:15:03 > 0:15:04360.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06380.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08- Like it!- 400.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10400. 420.
0:15:10 > 0:15:11Bid's with me on 400 then.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Selling at £400.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18- Wooo!- It just goes to show, doesn't it? You see,
0:15:18 > 0:15:20damage can put people off, but there are certain items
0:15:20 > 0:15:24which, a little bit of damage, doesn't worry them too much.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27- Well, I'm pleased for Liz. - So am I, so am I!
0:15:31 > 0:15:35- Is that Liz?- 'Yes.'- Hello, it's David Barby here from Flog It!
0:15:35 > 0:15:41- 'Oh, hello again! How are you?' - I'm fine. I've just got a time window to give you a tinkle.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45Just to let you know, the auction's still going on, but your Moorcroft vase has sold.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47'Oh!'
0:15:47 > 0:15:50And it sold for £400!
0:15:50 > 0:15:53'Oh, that's brilliant.'
0:15:53 > 0:15:56- I'm so pleased for you. Are you happy?- 'Thank you so much, David.'
0:15:56 > 0:15:59No, not at all. I thought you'd be excited and want to know how much.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03- 'Oh, that's absolutely brilliant. Thanks ever so much.'- Not at all.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05OK. Bye-bye! Bye.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13I've been looking forward to this. It's good to catch up with you both, Colin and Eileen, because...
0:16:13 > 0:16:16we were convinced it was a bull's penis, a pizzle stick.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19It turns out... He's done some more research, as you know,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22- and it's now rhino horn.- Yes.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25- Which we're really pleased about. - Well, I bet you are!
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Because, obviously, the value now just goes through the roof.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32- Well, we hope so, Paul. - So he's been on the phone backwards and forwards to you.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36You've now agreed a new valuation of £800-£1,200. Is that right?
0:16:36 > 0:16:40- Correct.- Let's see what the bidders think. It's going under the hammer right now.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42Lot 400 - it's the rhinoceros horn
0:16:42 > 0:16:46walking cane at £800 with me.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49850 in the room. 900.
0:16:49 > 0:16:50950 in the room.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53- 1,000.- Telephone line, isn't it?
0:16:53 > 0:16:541,100.
0:16:54 > 0:16:571,000 on the phone.
0:16:57 > 0:16:591,100. 1,200.
0:16:59 > 0:17:011,300.
0:17:01 > 0:17:021,400.
0:17:02 > 0:17:031,500.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05- 1,600.- Keep going.
0:17:05 > 0:17:071,700.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09No? The room is out.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12All done at £1,600 then?
0:17:13 > 0:17:15- Well, there you go. - Well done. That's very good.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18- Twice the bottom end, £1,600. - Very good, very good.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22- You've brought some support along as well, have you?- We did. - I heard a cheer go up then.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26- Fantastic!- I was about to say, "What are you going to put the money towards?"
0:17:26 > 0:17:30But it looks like you're treating this lot to a day out.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34They might think so. I don't know. We shall... Yes, we shall...
0:17:34 > 0:17:37- Well, thank you for coming in. - ..Spend it wisely.- It's been the end of a long journey for you two.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41- It has.- But, you know... - We got there, eventually. - You got there in the end, yes.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Well, there you are. Some good results there.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52That concludes our first visit to the saleroom today.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55So from an auction room in a Victorian seaside resort,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57it's off to a Georgian spa town.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00I'm going to find out a little bit more about the unique, bubbling mineral waters
0:18:00 > 0:18:03that have endured the centuries.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14This is the rooftop pool of Bath's new thermal spa.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18The people of Bath and beyond have been enjoying the naturally hot, bubbling mineral water
0:18:18 > 0:18:22that pulses beneath the city's surface for thousands of years,
0:18:22 > 0:18:27and taking the waters has always been at the very heart of social life here in Bath.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31But throughout our history, different eras have enjoyed the bath water in very different ways.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34So, today, I'm going on a tour, back in time,
0:18:34 > 0:18:38to see how this water has been appreciated throughout the ages.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Less than 200 metres from one another
0:18:41 > 0:18:45are the Roman Baths, the Georgian Pump Room and the modern Thermae Spa.
0:18:45 > 0:18:50These sites lay testament to the enduring appeal of Bath's naturally hot mineral water
0:18:50 > 0:18:53over the centuries.
0:18:53 > 0:18:58Bath's hi-tech Thermae Spa was designed by Grimshaw architects.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02The main spa building stands on stilts and it¹s constructed in Bath stone
0:19:02 > 0:19:05to blend into its surroundings.
0:19:05 > 0:19:10Enclosed by a glass cube, it is very much a 21st-century statement.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14The architecture reflects the sense of exclusivity and design within.
0:19:14 > 0:19:19It is the naturally occurring hot mineral water that makes this contemporary spa
0:19:19 > 0:19:22the only one of its kind in the United Kingdom.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29The water coming out of this hot spring is 46 degrees Centigrade.
0:19:29 > 0:19:34Now that's hotter than the temperature most of us run our domestic baths at.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38This is one of three naturally occurring springs,
0:19:38 > 0:19:40but it is the only one that you can actually see.
0:19:40 > 0:19:45Incredibly, it's estimated these waters are thousands of years old,
0:19:45 > 0:19:48having travelled up through four kilometres of the earth's crust.
0:19:48 > 0:19:54And it's ancient waters, like this, which can now be seen in the most modern of settings.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58Today, the ancient waters are cleaned using an ultraviolet filtration system
0:19:58 > 0:20:00and pumped into the most modern of settings.
0:20:00 > 0:20:05Although named after the ancient Greek goddess, the Minerva bath has a space-age feel.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Everything about the new spa represents a perfect synergy of the ancient and the contemporary.
0:20:09 > 0:20:14Fibre-optic lighting adds another modern dimension to taking the waters.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19But at £26 a head for two hours use, going to the spa is still a luxurious treat.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22But the Georgians, who built the Pump Rooms, just around the corner,
0:20:22 > 0:20:27considered water to be a much more vital part of their lives.
0:20:27 > 0:20:32Georgian physicians declared that drinking Bath's natural spring waters
0:20:32 > 0:20:37would cure illness, especially those of the internal nature.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40It was a direct result of the medical thinking of the day
0:20:40 > 0:20:44that the Pump Rooms were built in 1795.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48A Greek engraving on the entablature on the northern side of the Pump Rooms,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52sums up the Georgian ethos - "water is best".
0:20:52 > 0:20:56Today, you can still drink the water which is pumped up
0:20:56 > 0:20:59into exactly the same spot as it was 200 years ago.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02Now this fountain, surrounded by playful dancing fish,
0:21:02 > 0:21:06may look old but, in fact, it was installed in the 1980s.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08The fountains are constantly being replaced here
0:21:08 > 0:21:12due to the corrosion caused by the high mineral content.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15Charles Dickens once described supping the water as,
0:21:15 > 0:21:19"the taste of warm flat irons". Well, it hasn't put me off.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23I'm going to give it a go. I've got a glass here. Let's see what it's like.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Gosh, it's almost too warm to drink.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32But it does relax the muscles and the mind.
0:21:32 > 0:21:37And it is very rich in mineral content - 43 in total.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Inspired by the visits of the very fashionable Prince Regent,
0:21:43 > 0:21:46wealthy men and women travelled from far and wide for the Bath season,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49which ran from October to early June.
0:21:49 > 0:21:54And visitors purchased a subscription to the Pump Rooms and took local lodgings.
0:21:54 > 0:21:59It was here in the Pump Rooms that the Georgian aristocratic elite and the growing gentry classes,
0:21:59 > 0:22:03two sectors of society who, traditionally, would not mix publicly,
0:22:03 > 0:22:07mingled together, supped the curative waters while looking at each other.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10The lower classes, who were perceived as a problem,
0:22:10 > 0:22:14generally wouldn't have participated in the whole spa experience.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26From this vantage point, it's possible to look down on the bathers below,
0:22:26 > 0:22:28in what's known as the King's Bath.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31They would have been clothed - the women in their calico.
0:22:31 > 0:22:36The sexes mixed and there are recordings of hanky-panky.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40One observer wrote, "Here, ladies and gentlemen frequently mingle,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42"converse freely, rally,
0:22:42 > 0:22:45"make vows and sometimes love."
0:22:48 > 0:22:53The Georgian spa experience was as much about socialising as it was about health.
0:22:53 > 0:22:58And during the reign of the Prince Regent, Bath became known as a party town.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02And the decadent behaviour obviously bubbled over into what went on in the baths.
0:23:02 > 0:23:07This is in total contrast to the spa etiquette of the Roman era.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17Although part of a temple had been discovered in 1790,
0:23:17 > 0:23:22it was not until much later that the extensive Roman baths were unearthed.
0:23:22 > 0:23:27Like the Georgians and people today, the Romans enjoyed the social aspect of the spa experience.
0:23:27 > 0:23:32They even discussed philosophical issues of the day and held business meetings in the water.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35But, more importantly, they believed these spring waters to be sacred
0:23:35 > 0:23:37and provided by the goddess Minerva.
0:23:39 > 0:23:45This belief meant that the Romans behaved themselves and the sexes did not mix.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50While things might have been more traditional on that front,
0:23:50 > 0:23:54the Romans were certainly ahead of their times in terms of inventing under-floor heating
0:23:54 > 0:23:59and the whole sauna, steam, swim experience.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06The Romans believed the baths should be for people from all walks of life.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09And these holy waters even attracted visitors from overseas,
0:24:09 > 0:24:13making Roman Bath a really cosmopolitan place to be.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21After visiting all three sites,
0:24:21 > 0:24:24what strikes me is how fundamentally similar they are.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27And it seems that people from all societies have something in common.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30They all like to have a good old soak in the bath,
0:24:30 > 0:24:34sip a cool glass of water and enjoy a little bit of decadence.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37With the opening of the new spa, Bath has now reconnected itself
0:24:37 > 0:24:41to its original roots as a city of rest and relaxation,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43albeit with an undercurrent of frivolity.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47Now, where's my trunks?
0:24:47 > 0:24:49Looks good.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58We're back at the Bath Assembly Rooms,
0:24:58 > 0:25:03where our experts are extremely busy sharing their knowledge.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Here's David Barby doing a valuation right now.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10Two cameras filming this, with Mark Ashton, one of the directors here.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13It's being logged by a researcher.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17It's full on! Everybody knows what they're doing here. It's a well-oiled cog.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19And a very busy place.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22- Now, it's Jake, isn't it?- Yes. - And Trina.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25- That's right.- This is an unusual combination. Where did it come from?
0:25:25 > 0:25:28It came from a car-boot sale,
0:25:28 > 0:25:32with other, different, little bits and bobs. And it was £25 altogether.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34- £25?- Yes.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Lots and lots of bits of rubbish in a box, really.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40We just thought these were the two interesting bits that were in it.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43You're so astute, aren't you? For £25, that was a good buy.
0:25:43 > 0:25:48What I think will be startling is this spoon here,
0:25:48 > 0:25:51because that's worth the value of the whole box.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54So anything else is, literally, free.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58Now this is a solid silver spoon.
0:25:58 > 0:26:03This could have been yours, Jake, because the initial on top is "J".
0:26:03 > 0:26:07When we turn it over and we look at the mark...
0:26:07 > 0:26:10This was produced in Exeter,
0:26:10 > 0:26:15round about 1830, so it's got a very good history.
0:26:15 > 0:26:21And this could have been used in Bath by a very wealthy household.
0:26:21 > 0:26:26And from that wealthy household, we've only got one spoon surviving.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Now, this picture, I think is lovely.
0:26:29 > 0:26:34What I like about it, is the fact it could be a Norfolk scene, with the windmill.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37Because it's a fairly low horizon.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41And we associate a picture with a low horizon with that wide-open sky
0:26:41 > 0:26:44that you find on the east coast.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47Painted round about 1890, 1900.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52It is signed, but I cannot see the signature. It just looks like a black strip.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55But it's a quality picture.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57Now why do I say it's a quality picture?
0:26:57 > 0:27:00First of all, because of the frame.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03Now we call this a gilt gesso work. It's gold leaf.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06So it's a very expensive frame.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09And then, I turn it round...
0:27:10 > 0:27:12..and I look at the framers.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16And these framers were based in Knightsbridge.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18And somebody living in Knightsbridge
0:27:18 > 0:27:22at the end of the 19th, early 20th century
0:27:22 > 0:27:26would have been quite wealthy and somebody of discerning taste.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29So this is a good picture.
0:27:29 > 0:27:36I would think this picture is in the region of sort £50-£80 price range.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40If that goes up for auction separately,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43it's going to be about £20-£25.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46- Are you coming to the auction?- No.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48- Oh dear, Jake, why not? Are you going to be at school?- Yes.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52You'll have to have a phone call from your mum at lunchtime.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54- She'll be able to tell you how much it realises.- OK.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58- So you're quite happy putting these up for sale.- Definitely, yes.- Good.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01From a car-boot sale to an auction I think is a good journey.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05- I look forward to seeing the completion. Thank you very much indeed.- Thank you.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09On Flog It! not everything we value goes off to auction.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14This next item really caught my eye, so I just had to have a chat with its owner.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18- Mina, thank you for coming in today. - Pleasure. Thank you for having me.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22- We hardly see any carpets on the show, especially Persian carpets like this one.- Really?
0:28:22 > 0:28:27This one is stunning. Totally out of my depth here and all of our experts are as well.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31- We don't know much about Persian carpets, but... Where are you from?- I'm from Iran...
0:28:31 > 0:28:34- So that's obviously where this has come from.- ..With a Persian carpet.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38- With a Persian carpet! Tell me a bit about its history.- OK.
0:28:38 > 0:28:42In 1979, when I was leaving the country, Iran,
0:28:42 > 0:28:45my father gifted that to me.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48And the illustration on this carpet is from the book,
0:28:48 > 0:28:54- depicts it from the book of Omar Khayyam, who is the poet. I am sure you have heard of him.- No.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57His books have been translated into 21 languages round the world.
0:28:57 > 0:29:03- Right, OK.- Omar Khayyam believed in drink and enjoy your life and don't worry about tomorrow.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05That sounds like Oscar Wilde!
0:29:05 > 0:29:09Yeah, perhaps he was the Oscar Wilde of Iran, yes.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13If you look at the pictures, the illustration in the carpet,
0:29:13 > 0:29:16you will see the man is sitting in the middle and drinking wine
0:29:16 > 0:29:19and enjoying the music and the life.
0:29:19 > 0:29:24- Were you allowed to take this out of Iran?- No, at the time I was not allowed to take it out.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27Because it's woven in silk and wool,
0:29:27 > 0:29:31- therefore I could just fold it to a very small parcel.- Yes.
0:29:31 > 0:29:36- And put it in my hand luggage. - And no-one stopped you, thank goodness!
0:29:36 > 0:29:37Thank goodness, no.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40- But it's OK. Now they can... - You can take things in and out?
0:29:40 > 0:29:42- They bring carpets out. - Things have changed?
0:29:42 > 0:29:46Thanks so much for bringing this in. I'm sorry I can't give you a value.
0:29:46 > 0:29:51- How much did your father pay for this?- I think he paid £5,000 for it.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53Well, you can see its quality and it is worth every penny.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56- And you've looked after it. The condition is superb.- Yes.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00The detail and the work that's gone into that is immense.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03- Thank you.- Thank you for coming in. - Thank you very much.
0:30:03 > 0:30:08Well, that was a real treat. Let's see what shiny items have caught Anita's eye.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11Thelma, I love 20th-century design
0:30:11 > 0:30:14and I love jewellery.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18This is a wonderful collection. Tell me, where did you get it?
0:30:18 > 0:30:23Variously. These came from my parents-in-law, as a gift for us.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27The earrings were my husband's gift to me.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32The wristwatch was bought in 19... Oh, golly!
0:30:32 > 0:30:35My mother and I were in Germany and I bought the wristwatch.
0:30:35 > 0:30:39And the tie clip, I think my husband bought for himself,
0:30:39 > 0:30:43- as he did with these...- Cuff links. - ..Cuff links. And I love the owls.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45Well, these are lovely.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49- And they are all related in some way.- Yes.
0:30:49 > 0:30:55I have had a look at them and I have seen the magic name of Georg Jensen.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59Now, he is one of my favourite designers.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03A Danish designer, part of the Arts and Crafts movement.
0:31:03 > 0:31:09Trained as a goldsmith. Became a sculptor. Designed ceramics.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13And most famously known for his wonderful silver jewellery.
0:31:13 > 0:31:19The Jensen factory is still in production today,
0:31:19 > 0:31:22and still produces wonderful, wonderful designs
0:31:22 > 0:31:25and wonderful jewellery.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27Do you have a favourite, Thelma?
0:31:27 > 0:31:30- I think I like that tie clip.- A-huh.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32That's charming and that is a Jensen one.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35- Yes.- The cuff links are Jensen.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37The tie clip is Jensen.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39The napkin rings - Jensen.
0:31:39 > 0:31:44And the other ones, they are Danish design, as well, but not Jensen.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47So a lovely wee collection of 20th-century design.
0:31:47 > 0:31:51- Tell me, why are you selling them? - I've got so much to get rid of,
0:31:51 > 0:31:56but these are things that neither I nor my children will need in the future.
0:31:56 > 0:32:01Clip earrings are out for us. We've got a lot of India napkin rings.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04So I don't need this particular pair.
0:32:04 > 0:32:09These he'd never use now and now he's reduced to one particular clip WHEN he dresses up!
0:32:09 > 0:32:12ANITA LAUGHS
0:32:12 > 0:32:15And this wristwatch, I haven't used it for so long.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19- But it was rather a special wristwatch when I bought it.- A-huh.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22But the thing about it is, Thelma,
0:32:22 > 0:32:25when you sell these things, they will be enjoyed by other people.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28- Yes, exactly.- You've had your pleasure.- I've had my pleasure.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32If we look at value, what I would do with these, Thelma,
0:32:32 > 0:32:37putting them into auction, I would put them together as a group.
0:32:37 > 0:32:40And I would put an estimate of £200-£300.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44- Yes.- Would you be happy to put them in at that price?
0:32:44 > 0:32:50- Yes, I think so. - I think it's an interesting "come and buy me" type of estimate,
0:32:50 > 0:32:52because you've got lots of stuff there.
0:32:52 > 0:32:56But tell me, Thelma, why have we got three cuff links?
0:32:56 > 0:32:58I don't know.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03- I've often wondered. - It's a mystery lot!
0:33:03 > 0:33:07While Anita admires that beautiful collection of classic jewellery,
0:33:07 > 0:33:11David's found an item that would once have been the ultimate accessory.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14You're no stranger to Bath, are you?
0:33:14 > 0:33:19- No.- You were quite part-and-parcel of Bath society, were you not? Or still are!
0:33:19 > 0:33:22Not now, no. Was.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25Because your husband, was he not Mayor of Bath?
0:33:25 > 0:33:27- He was indeed.- Goodness me!
0:33:27 > 0:33:30- And when was that?- 1980-81.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34Was that a good period for you? Did you have lots of exciting things going on?
0:33:34 > 0:33:37- Oh, yes! It was busy.- You met royalty and goodness knows what.- Yes.
0:33:37 > 0:33:41- Did you go to a garden party?- Yes. - How wonderful!- It was lovely.
0:33:41 > 0:33:42Best hat, you know!
0:33:42 > 0:33:45- Did you participate in any of this? - It was fantastic.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48I think I was about 13 at the time and it was amazing.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51- An awful lot of hard work. - Yes.- For Mum and Dad.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54You're not made mayor out of blue air, are you?
0:33:54 > 0:33:58- No.- You have to put your service in. - Yes.- And your commitment.- Yes.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02This little gold cigarette case, who did it belong to?
0:34:02 > 0:34:04- It was my husband's godfather... - Right.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08- ..who lived in Birmingham. - Do you remember him using this cigarette case?
0:34:08 > 0:34:11- No. I didn't know him terribly well. - Right.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15But, yes, I'm sure he did. I remember him smoking Turkish cigarettes.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17- Those little black ones with the gold tip?- Yes.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19Yes. And did your husband use this? Did he smoke?
0:34:19 > 0:34:23He smoked, but I don't think he... He couldn't get them out fast enough!
0:34:23 > 0:34:24THEY LAUGH
0:34:24 > 0:34:27He preferred the packet.
0:34:27 > 0:34:32Well, this is a lovely piece, because it's very much in the Art Deco style.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36So we've got this smooth finish and these lines going across it,
0:34:36 > 0:34:38which we call engine-turned decoration.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40- OK.- Engine-turned decoration.
0:34:40 > 0:34:45And a lot of small pieces were decorated like this in Birmingham.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48- Yes.- And then there's the gold mark there for 9-carat gold.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51Now, it's a sad thing to say,
0:34:51 > 0:34:54this little box here, possibly, will not be sold for usage.
0:34:54 > 0:35:00- Perhaps a different era now. - Different era. Smoking is no longer de rigueur.- Absolutely.
0:35:00 > 0:35:05So I think it may, unless there's a collector of gold cigarette cases, be for the melting pot.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08- Oh, well.- It's rather sad though, isn't it?- It is.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10But you're selling it at the right time.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12- There could not be a better time. - Brilliant!
0:35:12 > 0:35:16- Because gold prices are high. - Absolutely. Which is why we brought it.
0:35:16 > 0:35:20We thought... We hoped that it might be.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24It's going to a good auction house as well. Have you any preconceived ideas as regards to price?
0:35:24 > 0:35:26- Not really, no.- No.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30Right, I think it's 77 grammes, this particular case.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32- Right.- And it's 9-carat gold,
0:35:32 > 0:35:36so I think a price range between £500 and £700...
0:35:36 > 0:35:42- That's amazing. - ..Would be the sort of figure that we would expect for this case.
0:35:42 > 0:35:43Wow!
0:35:43 > 0:35:46- But the gold prices do fluctuate. - Of course.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50So we've got to be prepared to balance it off with a sensible reserve.
0:35:50 > 0:35:55- And I think we put a reserve of 450 on it.- OK.- Fine.- OK.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58- Does that make you happy? - That sounds brilliant! - That makes us very happy, yes.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01- Are you going to share the proceeds? - Yes!
0:36:01 > 0:36:07- What are you going to do? - Give some to Liz and her brother's on holiday at the moment.
0:36:07 > 0:36:12- We've had a bit of a tough time as a family, cos my dad died last October.- I heard, yes.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15- So it would be quite nice to do something nice...- Yes.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18And have some fun, but to remember Dad as well.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21- I think that's a good idea. - Cos this, after all, is his.
0:36:21 > 0:36:25- Yes.- Lurking in his wardrobe, it was!- Anything in mind?
0:36:25 > 0:36:27- A day out?- Yes, I think so. - I think a day out would be lovely.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30- Then the grandchildren can join in. - Participate.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34I'd wait for a nice summer day and then go for one great picnic.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37- Aw, sounds wonderful!- That sounds brilliant! And a game of cricket!
0:36:37 > 0:36:41- I'll join you.- Yes, please! - Thank you very much for bringing this along.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44- So the reserve is £450.- Yes.- OK.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48- And you'll be there to see it sold? - We will. We're not going to miss that.- No. Absolutely not.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50- Thank you very much. - Thank you very much indeed.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54Let's hope Mary and Liz's cigarette case does well at auction,
0:36:54 > 0:36:58so the family can have that much-needed day out.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00We have had the most marvellous day here.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04It's been a real privilege to be at the Assembly Rooms, such regal surroundings.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08I hope our items have done these surroundings justice.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11We're going to put them to the test right now, as we head off to auction.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14It's time to say goodbye to this magnificent setting
0:37:14 > 0:37:16and here's what we're taking with us.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20Trina and Jake's car-boot sale finds -
0:37:20 > 0:37:26the silver tablespoon and the late 18th-, early 19th-century painting.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30Thelma's eclectic collection of 20th-century jewellery.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34And that 9-carat gold, Art Deco cigarette case.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38We're back at the Clevedon Saleroom.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41And this auction is overflowing with bidders.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44First up, it's Trina.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47- Where's little Jake? - He's on a school trip.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50- He's gone away for two days. - Where's he gone?- Staffordshire.
0:37:50 > 0:37:56- He wanted to come, so he was quite upset. - Ah! Well, send him our regards!
0:37:56 > 0:38:00We had the little oil on panel and the George III tablespoon.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03The auctioneer split them up, thank goodness! They don't go together.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06With this picture, they took the back off
0:38:06 > 0:38:08to reveal all the information, all the details on the back.
0:38:08 > 0:38:141909. They even got the mill. They know where it is. And who it was given to.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16- It's all on the back panel. - Which is lovely.- Yeah.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19So anybody buying that has got complete information.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22- And provenance always adds to the value of something.- Yes.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26Let's put this one to the test and we're following it with the George III silver tablespoon.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28So fingers crossed!
0:38:28 > 0:38:29Lot 220.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32The oil on panel there.
0:38:32 > 0:38:37Two on the book here. At 30. 35. Who's got 40? 40, 40, 40, 40?
0:38:37 > 0:38:38- 40.- Come on!
0:38:38 > 0:38:42Five now. Five. 45. Yes or no?
0:38:42 > 0:38:46OK, there's £40 straight away. So you're quids in.
0:38:46 > 0:38:47Let's see what the spoon can do.
0:38:47 > 0:38:51222 - the George III silver tablespoon there.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54Bright-cut decoration. Exeter, 1792.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56- I have 30 bid. Thank you.- Oh!
0:38:56 > 0:38:59Silver's right up there at the moment.
0:38:59 > 0:39:05Thank you, 40. Now 40. At £35 and selling on 35 then.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09- £35. That's very good. £75. - That's good.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11You do have a great eye.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14You're obviously very keen and I know Jake is as well.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18- He loves car-boot sales. He likes to rummage.- I bet he does!
0:39:18 > 0:39:22Getting him interested at a young age is a really good thing,
0:39:22 > 0:39:27because when he grows up he can be a font of knowledge, like Mr Barby here. Ooh!
0:39:29 > 0:39:33Not bad in total and, despite David's valuation on provenance,
0:39:33 > 0:39:38it was actually the local painting we sold earlier in the programme that made more money.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42Going under the hammer now, a collection of 20th-century jewellery belonging to Thelma.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45And any woman with ANY taste
0:39:45 > 0:39:47would have Georg Jensen, wouldn't they?
0:39:47 > 0:39:52It doesn't matter what age you are, Georg Jensen has this timeless appeal.
0:39:52 > 0:39:57- It's beautiful, it really is. - Simplicity of style.- Yes.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00- The more, the better.- We've got lots of little pieces there.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04- And a little 18-carat watch. - And those owls, enamelled owls.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07This lot is going under the hammer right now!
0:40:07 > 0:40:11Lot 535. Georg Jensen mixed lot there.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15All interesting. All from the same home. Lot 535.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17Five on the book again.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19200 on the book. 220.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22240. 260. 280. 300.
0:40:22 > 0:40:23320. 340.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26340. With me at £320.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28Selling on 320 then.
0:40:29 > 0:40:34Yes, the gavel's gone down! It didn't take long to get to £320.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37- And these items made their price. - Yes.- Made their price.
0:40:37 > 0:40:42Despite a relatively low estimate, they found their own level.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46- Yes, I'm pleased.- Well, thank you for bringing them in Thelma.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54Mary and Liz, it's time to check out those gold prices.
0:40:54 > 0:40:59Are they running high today? Cos it does fluctuate from day to day.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02This will more than likely be melted as scrap.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06- Which is sad. - Oh, why sad? You're not going to use it as a cigarette case.
0:41:06 > 0:41:11- No.- No, definitely not!- You can't stick it in a drawer and say, "Oh, isn't it beautiful?"
0:41:11 > 0:41:17- Cos you're not going to use it! - So let's put it under the hammer! - Go on then!- Here we go, this is it!
0:41:17 > 0:41:18580.
0:41:18 > 0:41:209-carat gold cigarette case.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23- This is it!- Oooh!
0:41:23 > 0:41:27We'll go 500. 520. 550. 580.
0:41:27 > 0:41:29£600 on the book. 620.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32- 620. 650.- This is good!- 700.
0:41:32 > 0:41:33720?
0:41:33 > 0:41:35At 700. 720.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38- 750. 780.- Brilliant!
0:41:38 > 0:41:42800. 820. Still with me at £800.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45And selling at £800 then.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Brilliant! £800. It's gone.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50- That is brill!- Happy faces all round,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53even if it is going to be melted down!
0:41:53 > 0:41:58- At the end of the day, the money's more important really. - It is indeed.- It is.
0:41:58 > 0:42:03- Treat the family!- Someone told me you're going out for the day with all the family members.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06- Yeah.- Yeah. Give them a good treat. - Give them a good day out.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09Where do you fancy going?
0:42:09 > 0:42:13Well, I've got two boys. My brothers got two little girls.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16- So somewhere that we can all have a nice time.- Yes.
0:42:16 > 0:42:21- That won't mind the noise! - And plenty of space. - And plenty of space!- Sounds lovely.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23Eight and ten... 150.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26Two and five. 61.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30Well, that's it. It's all over for our owners.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33Another day in another auction room.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37We've had the most marvellous time here in Somerset. As you can see, the sale is still going on.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39But if you've got anything you would like to sell,
0:42:39 > 0:42:42we would love to see you. Bring them along to one of our valuation days.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45You can pick up details on our website.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48Until then, from Somerset, it's goodbye.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd