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Today, we're in Bath, a city, literally, built on water. | 0:00:05 | 0:00:08 | |
And, from pre-Roman times, the people of Bath and around | 0:00:08 | 0:00:10 | |
have made use of the naturally hot, bubbling springs that pulse beneath the city's centre. | 0:00:10 | 0:00:15 | |
And, over the years, they've given the water a spiritual, medicinal and therapeutic importance, | 0:00:15 | 0:00:20 | |
a tradition which is still very much a part of life here in the city today. | 0:00:20 | 0:00:23 | |
So let's hope our experts will be gushing at the antiques they're about to see. Welcome to Flog It! | 0:00:23 | 0:00:29 | |
The Romans bathed in it, the Georgians drank it | 0:00:50 | 0:00:52 | |
and, today, we relish it. | 0:00:52 | 0:00:55 | |
Taking the waters is what made Bath famous, | 0:00:57 | 0:01:00 | |
attracting aristocrats and royalty throughout the ages. | 0:01:00 | 0:01:03 | |
The Assembly Rooms in Georgian times were definitely the place to be seen | 0:01:03 | 0:01:08 | |
and, today, it looks like nothing has changed because we've got a massive queue here. | 0:01:08 | 0:01:12 | |
This is where we're setting up our valuation tables | 0:01:12 | 0:01:14 | |
for the locals to have their antiques and collectables valued. | 0:01:14 | 0:01:18 | |
And, of course, they're all here to ask our experts that all-important question. | 0:01:18 | 0:01:22 | |
-Which is...? -ALL: What's it worth? | 0:01:22 | 0:01:25 | |
Our experts today, the very sociable Anita Manning. | 0:01:27 | 0:01:31 | |
We're gonnae have a great day, aren't we? | 0:01:31 | 0:01:33 | |
And always a charmer, David Barby. | 0:01:33 | 0:01:36 | |
-I love your hat? Don't you like her hat? -It's lovely! -Yeah! | 0:01:36 | 0:01:39 | |
Pouring through the Assembly Room doors are hundreds of people laden with, | 0:01:43 | 0:01:46 | |
let's hope, all sorts of treasures. | 0:01:46 | 0:01:49 | |
Today, we've got six off-screen experts, | 0:01:49 | 0:01:51 | |
22 crew members and 550 people here to get their items valued. | 0:01:51 | 0:01:57 | |
For all you antique collectors out there, can you spot which one of these items | 0:01:57 | 0:02:01 | |
will do the best at auction today? | 0:02:01 | 0:02:03 | |
Will it be the oil painting David Barby has valued as having provenance, | 0:02:03 | 0:02:07 | |
or the local watercolour Anita spotted of Bath Abbey and beyond? | 0:02:07 | 0:02:11 | |
And do you Flog It! fans remember what a pizzle stick is made of? | 0:02:11 | 0:02:16 | |
The Assembly Rooms here in Bath have a wonderful example of a Bath chair, | 0:02:18 | 0:02:21 | |
dating back to the Georgian era. | 0:02:21 | 0:02:23 | |
It was designed by John Dawson of Bath for the elderly and sick | 0:02:23 | 0:02:27 | |
to get from their hotels to the spa, so they could take the curative waters. | 0:02:27 | 0:02:31 | |
Later on in the programme, I'll be finding out a little bit more | 0:02:31 | 0:02:34 | |
about the healing qualities of the Bath spa waters. | 0:02:34 | 0:02:37 | |
But first, let's catch up with our experts and see what they're looking at. | 0:02:37 | 0:02:41 | |
Helen, this is my first visit to Bath. I have fallen in love with the town. | 0:02:46 | 0:02:51 | |
And this little watercolour drew me to you, | 0:02:51 | 0:02:55 | |
because it's a scene of Bath. Can you tell me about it? | 0:02:55 | 0:02:58 | |
Well, it's a picture of the abbey, taken from the far side of the river. | 0:02:58 | 0:03:03 | |
You'd be standing on the Bath rugby ground to look at this now. | 0:03:03 | 0:03:07 | |
And it's a bit of a mystery because of the time period. | 0:03:07 | 0:03:10 | |
It seems to be a fairly recent watercolour, | 0:03:10 | 0:03:13 | |
but the Guildhall isn't there. We've got the Orange Grove. | 0:03:13 | 0:03:17 | |
We've got the Frederick's obelisk in the middle. | 0:03:17 | 0:03:20 | |
But this building is wrong. | 0:03:20 | 0:03:23 | |
As I say, it's a mystery, so that's why I've brought it. | 0:03:23 | 0:03:26 | |
-So this building doesn't exist now? -No, no. | 0:03:26 | 0:03:29 | |
That would be where the Guildhall and the Empire building would be today. | 0:03:29 | 0:03:33 | |
-The Guildhall was an 18th-century building? -Yes. | 0:03:33 | 0:03:35 | |
Yes, 1857, about. | 0:03:35 | 0:03:37 | |
The painting, I don't think, is that old. | 0:03:37 | 0:03:40 | |
The artist has used poetic licence! | 0:03:40 | 0:03:43 | |
Absolutely! As with the costumes as well, I think. | 0:03:43 | 0:03:46 | |
-But it's very peaceful. It's very restful. -Yes. | 0:03:46 | 0:03:49 | |
-I would say it's a late Victorian picture. -Yes. | 0:03:49 | 0:03:53 | |
It's quite well executed. | 0:03:53 | 0:03:55 | |
The drawing of the abbey itself shows good artistry. | 0:03:55 | 0:03:59 | |
But there are weaknesses, particularly when we look at the little figures here. | 0:03:59 | 0:04:04 | |
-They're a little bit wooden. -Yeah. | 0:04:04 | 0:04:07 | |
I feel that the picture has probably been painted by a good amateur. | 0:04:07 | 0:04:13 | |
-Mm-hm. -And he's done it... | 0:04:13 | 0:04:15 | |
because he enjoys painting | 0:04:15 | 0:04:19 | |
and he probably loves Bath. | 0:04:19 | 0:04:21 | |
Yes. | 0:04:21 | 0:04:22 | |
I looked for a signature. | 0:04:22 | 0:04:25 | |
And we had... There is a very light, indistinct signature here, | 0:04:25 | 0:04:30 | |
which could be "Maines" or... I'm not quite sure what it is. | 0:04:30 | 0:04:34 | |
But the signature does not have the confidence | 0:04:34 | 0:04:37 | |
of a trained artist. | 0:04:37 | 0:04:40 | |
So when we're looking at the picture in terms of value, | 0:04:41 | 0:04:46 | |
we're not seeing a listed artist. We're seeing a charming scene. | 0:04:46 | 0:04:50 | |
Erm, so we must take those things into consideration. | 0:04:50 | 0:04:54 | |
Can you tell me what's the background of the picture, Helen? | 0:04:54 | 0:04:57 | |
I've had it for over 30 years. | 0:04:57 | 0:05:00 | |
It was given to me by my mother, who was the most wonderful auction hunter I know. | 0:05:00 | 0:05:05 | |
And she picked it up in an auction room for £3. | 0:05:05 | 0:05:08 | |
ANITA LAUGHS | 0:05:08 | 0:05:09 | |
And it graced my cottage wall for 34 years, until I moved three years ago. | 0:05:09 | 0:05:14 | |
But I've gone into a modern house and it really no longer fits. | 0:05:14 | 0:05:17 | |
-Price-wise, I would put it in maybe £30, £50. -Yes? | 0:05:17 | 0:05:21 | |
And hope that it would do that, simply because of the subject matter, | 0:05:21 | 0:05:26 | |
-which is charming and local. -Very much so. | 0:05:26 | 0:05:29 | |
-Thank you very much indeed! -Thank you for bringing it along. -Thank you. | 0:05:29 | 0:05:32 | |
Charming is not how I'd describe our next item. | 0:05:32 | 0:05:36 | |
It's rare, esoteric and just a little bit odd. | 0:05:36 | 0:05:40 | |
-Hello. -Hello. Hello, Paul. -Sorry about the long wait. | 0:05:40 | 0:05:43 | |
-That's OK. -It is a bit of a long one. There's a lot of people. -We're enjoying it, anyway. | 0:05:43 | 0:05:47 | |
You've got to be prepared for it if you come to a valuation, because hundreds of people turn up. | 0:05:47 | 0:05:51 | |
-We DO see everybody and you do have a good time, don't you? -We do, excellent. | 0:05:51 | 0:05:55 | |
-I like what you're holding. -I'd like to know is what it's made of. | 0:05:55 | 0:05:59 | |
-Can I have a look? -By all means. | 0:05:59 | 0:06:02 | |
My first thought was, it was a bull's penis. | 0:06:05 | 0:06:09 | |
-That's what we've been told. -Politely known... -Right, OK. | 0:06:09 | 0:06:12 | |
..as a pizzle stick, and we've seen them on the show before. | 0:06:12 | 0:06:15 | |
And they do fetch £300-£400. They are quite rare, but I'm not sure. | 0:06:15 | 0:06:20 | |
-We did take it to an antique... -And what did they say? | 0:06:20 | 0:06:23 | |
He agreed that it was possibly a bull's penis, but he'd not seen a polished one before. | 0:06:23 | 0:06:28 | |
It has been polished up because they're normally quite crude. | 0:06:28 | 0:06:32 | |
-Full of ridges. -Right. -OK. | 0:06:32 | 0:06:34 | |
Nevertheless, this is a fine, fine walking cane. | 0:06:34 | 0:06:37 | |
It's a proper gentleman's thing. It's got its original tip, its original handle. | 0:06:37 | 0:06:42 | |
-Silver. You see the assay mark is Birmingham? -Yes. | 0:06:42 | 0:06:44 | |
-This, to me, is around 1880s. -Right. | 0:06:44 | 0:06:47 | |
-And I think £300-£400. -OK. | 0:06:47 | 0:06:49 | |
-Mm, OK. -That's great. | 0:06:49 | 0:06:50 | |
-So, if you want to sell it, let us know... -We'll think about it. | 0:06:50 | 0:06:53 | |
-..And we'll put it into auction. -We'll sit here and think about it. | 0:06:53 | 0:06:56 | |
-Well, come and grab me, won't you? Before the day's over. -We will. -And see if you want to sell it. -OK. | 0:06:56 | 0:07:00 | |
Pizzle is an old English word for "penis". | 0:07:02 | 0:07:05 | |
Making a pizzle stick involves stretching the skin from a bull's penis | 0:07:05 | 0:07:08 | |
around a thin metal rod to form a leather-like cane. | 0:07:08 | 0:07:13 | |
Although it might seem like a bizarre idea now, | 0:07:13 | 0:07:15 | |
pizzle sticks were all the rage back in the 19th century, | 0:07:15 | 0:07:18 | |
and right through to the early part of the 20th century. | 0:07:18 | 0:07:22 | |
While the pizzle stick was a fashionable accessory of the day, | 0:07:22 | 0:07:24 | |
our next item was a must-have decorative piece of the same period. | 0:07:24 | 0:07:29 | |
Liz. | 0:07:29 | 0:07:31 | |
I don't think one of these programmes goes by without having a piece of Moorcroft. | 0:07:31 | 0:07:35 | |
-Mm. -I'm astounded that this piece has come along, | 0:07:35 | 0:07:39 | |
because it's such an early piece of Moorcroft. | 0:07:39 | 0:07:42 | |
-Yes. -So early that you can hardly see the signature on the bottom. | 0:07:42 | 0:07:46 | |
And so early cos you haven't got the Moorcroft mark. | 0:07:46 | 0:07:51 | |
In fact, you've got Macintyre on the bottom, | 0:07:51 | 0:07:53 | |
which is a factory that Moorcroft first of all worked for. | 0:07:53 | 0:07:57 | |
And he started experimenting with glazes and colours. | 0:07:57 | 0:08:01 | |
And this is one of his early experimental pieces. | 0:08:01 | 0:08:06 | |
-Where does it come from? -It belonged to my mother-in-law, | 0:08:06 | 0:08:09 | |
who passed away last year, so it was left with the family, erm... | 0:08:09 | 0:08:14 | |
We didn't really know too much about it, | 0:08:14 | 0:08:16 | |
other than than Mum used to put flowers in it. | 0:08:16 | 0:08:20 | |
I've never contemplated putting flowers into a Moorcroft vase. It sounds stupid, doesn't it? | 0:08:20 | 0:08:24 | |
-Well, no... -Because I've always looked at it as a work of art. -Yes. | 0:08:24 | 0:08:27 | |
I guess we didn't realise at the time that it was a Moorcroft. | 0:08:27 | 0:08:30 | |
-We just thought it was an old vase and not worth much, really. -Right. | 0:08:30 | 0:08:35 | |
This was made at the turn of the century. | 0:08:35 | 0:08:37 | |
Sort of 1890, 1900, that sort of period. | 0:08:37 | 0:08:40 | |
-Didn't realise it was that early. -You can see certain elements there, | 0:08:40 | 0:08:44 | |
-which are experimental. -Yes. | 0:08:44 | 0:08:47 | |
So, first of all, the decoration is in blues and lemons. | 0:08:47 | 0:08:51 | |
And you've got this sort of running of colours, | 0:08:51 | 0:08:54 | |
where you've got the blue running into the yellow. | 0:08:54 | 0:08:57 | |
And this is because the kilns were highly fired kilns. | 0:08:57 | 0:09:00 | |
And they could only use blue | 0:09:00 | 0:09:03 | |
as the colour that wouldn't change its pigmentation under the firing. | 0:09:03 | 0:09:08 | |
-Right. -And then they started incorporating other colours. | 0:09:08 | 0:09:11 | |
Lemon was one of them, and then you have this element of green coming through. | 0:09:11 | 0:09:17 | |
So this is one of his early pieces. | 0:09:17 | 0:09:19 | |
Hence, all this craquelure, this crackle - | 0:09:19 | 0:09:23 | |
defects in the glazing, | 0:09:23 | 0:09:25 | |
because of the high kiln, the high firing - | 0:09:25 | 0:09:28 | |
which would worry me as an auctioneer, if I came to sell it. | 0:09:28 | 0:09:32 | |
So an auctioneer might sell it in perfect condition with no defects, | 0:09:32 | 0:09:36 | |
and no chip round the edge there - which I've just noticed! | 0:09:36 | 0:09:39 | |
He would put this in the region of about £300-£500. | 0:09:39 | 0:09:41 | |
Right. | 0:09:41 | 0:09:43 | |
With the defects, I think we're going to hover | 0:09:43 | 0:09:46 | |
at round about half that amount - £150-£200. | 0:09:46 | 0:09:50 | |
I hope, because this is so rare and it's so early, | 0:09:50 | 0:09:53 | |
there's going to be Moorcroft collectors out there | 0:09:53 | 0:09:55 | |
-that's going to ignore the chip and the glazed crazing. -Yes. | 0:09:55 | 0:10:01 | |
And I'll be dumbfounded if it makes over a thousand, ha! | 0:10:01 | 0:10:03 | |
So shall I! | 0:10:03 | 0:10:05 | |
-How's it going, Christian? -We've got some good news. | 0:10:10 | 0:10:12 | |
-Oh, what's that? -Colin and Eileen with the pizzle stick. -Yes, yes. | 0:10:12 | 0:10:15 | |
-They're going to sell. -Oh, brilliant news! | 0:10:15 | 0:10:17 | |
They're coming to the auction. That's good news. | 0:10:17 | 0:10:19 | |
So now we've found our first three items, so let's have a quick recap | 0:10:19 | 0:10:23 | |
of what we're taking to auction. | 0:10:23 | 0:10:26 | |
A watercolour of a scenic Bath view, | 0:10:27 | 0:10:29 | |
including a mystery building. | 0:10:29 | 0:10:32 | |
Secondly, Liz's unusual turn-of-the-century, | 0:10:32 | 0:10:35 | |
early Moorcroft vase. | 0:10:35 | 0:10:37 | |
And, thirdly, that rather bewildering pizzle stick. | 0:10:37 | 0:10:40 | |
For today's auction, we're at Clevedon on the Bristol Channel, | 0:10:42 | 0:10:45 | |
which was a popular seaside resort during the Victorian era. | 0:10:45 | 0:10:49 | |
The Victorians were huge fans of sea swimming | 0:10:49 | 0:10:52 | |
and they used bathing machines to lower themselves into the water, | 0:10:52 | 0:10:56 | |
in order to avoid exposing any flesh. | 0:10:56 | 0:10:59 | |
Today, these waters still draw the swimmers from the surrounding areas, | 0:11:04 | 0:11:07 | |
a little less concerned about covering up | 0:11:07 | 0:11:10 | |
but, obviously, not fazed at all by the extremely cold conditions. | 0:11:10 | 0:11:13 | |
I wouldn't go in there. | 0:11:13 | 0:11:15 | |
Oh, that looks so cold! | 0:11:15 | 0:11:18 | |
Testing out the temperature of today's antiques, we're at the Clevedon Salerooms. | 0:11:24 | 0:11:27 | |
I'm going inside to have a quick chat with Marc Burridge, | 0:11:27 | 0:11:30 | |
our auctioneer for the show. | 0:11:30 | 0:11:31 | |
I'm going to find out what's hot and what's not. | 0:11:31 | 0:11:34 | |
Marc's been doing some digging into that strange cane. | 0:11:38 | 0:11:42 | |
I've been looking forward to having a chat to you about this. | 0:11:42 | 0:11:45 | |
What have you concluded? You've done some detective work. | 0:11:45 | 0:11:48 | |
We have done a lot of work on this and it is rhinoceros horn. | 0:11:48 | 0:11:53 | |
Which puts the value, I mean, through the roof. | 0:11:53 | 0:11:56 | |
-It does in today's market. -Yes. | 0:11:56 | 0:11:58 | |
Rhino horn, in weight, is worth more than what gold is in weight. | 0:11:58 | 0:12:02 | |
I understand that, yes. | 0:12:02 | 0:12:04 | |
-There's a lot of legislation covering the sale of rhino. -Yeah. | 0:12:04 | 0:12:07 | |
-The silver marks - Birmingham, 1898. -Right. | 0:12:07 | 0:12:11 | |
-So you're looking at an item that was Victorian. -Which pre-dates anything that Defra have set. | 0:12:11 | 0:12:16 | |
We have a letter of approval from Defra to say it can be sold | 0:12:16 | 0:12:19 | |
and legally traded within the European Union. | 0:12:19 | 0:12:24 | |
There are plenty of collectors that would like to get their hands on this. | 0:12:24 | 0:12:27 | |
-They're very rare. -So, on a good day...? | 0:12:27 | 0:12:30 | |
-£1,000 plus. -This is going to get very, very exciting. | 0:12:30 | 0:12:33 | |
Taking the plunge with their belongings or hoping to find some real treasures, | 0:12:35 | 0:12:39 | |
one thing is crystal clear - there's a real bubble of anticipation here today. | 0:12:39 | 0:12:43 | |
Helen, I like what we're just about to put under the hammer. | 0:12:43 | 0:12:46 | |
-English, 19th-century. It's local. -Very local. | 0:12:46 | 0:12:51 | |
It couldn't be a better picture of Bath, with the abbey as the central point. | 0:12:51 | 0:12:54 | |
-It's a lovely watercolour. -Yes. -I hope we have a lot of interest here today in this packed saleroom. | 0:12:54 | 0:12:59 | |
-It only cost £3, initially. -Should turn a profit! | 0:12:59 | 0:13:02 | |
-THEY LAUGH -Fingers crossed! Fingers crossed! | 0:13:02 | 0:13:05 | |
And lot 130... | 0:13:05 | 0:13:07 | |
is the watercolour of Bath Abbey. Interest here. What can we say? | 0:13:07 | 0:13:11 | |
-Somebody got £40? £40. Thank you. I'm bid 40 now. -Good. -45? | 0:13:11 | 0:13:15 | |
Five behind. And 50, sir? | 0:13:15 | 0:13:18 | |
And five? And five more? | 0:13:18 | 0:13:20 | |
All done then? Selling at £50. | 0:13:20 | 0:13:23 | |
-It's gone at 50. -Well, that's fine. -That's very good, isn't it? | 0:13:23 | 0:13:26 | |
Top estimate, excellent. Excellent! | 0:13:26 | 0:13:28 | |
-It's better to be conservative on something like that. -Yes. | 0:13:28 | 0:13:32 | |
Yes. Yeah. Someone's got to have something...a nice watercolour, | 0:13:32 | 0:13:36 | |
you know, that nobody else has got. That's a one-off thing. | 0:13:36 | 0:13:39 | |
-It's different to investing. -Even with the commission that's... | 0:13:39 | 0:13:42 | |
-Are you quite happy? -Very happy. -That's a super profit. That's a super profit on £3. | 0:13:42 | 0:13:48 | |
And one person's takings is another person's treasure. Let's hear from the buyer. | 0:13:48 | 0:13:52 | |
Picking up an original bit of art for 50 quid is a very good deal, I think. | 0:13:52 | 0:13:56 | |
Also, there's a bit of a family connection with the subject matter. | 0:13:56 | 0:14:01 | |
My sister actually got married in the abbey. | 0:14:01 | 0:14:03 | |
So the chance to pick this up for 50 quid was too good to miss. | 0:14:03 | 0:14:06 | |
Well, going under the hammer right now, we've got a real quality name in ceramics - Moorcroft. | 0:14:09 | 0:14:14 | |
It doesn't get much better than that. It belongs to Liz. | 0:14:14 | 0:14:16 | |
But, sadly, Liz cannot be with us today, but we do have our expert, Mr David Barby. | 0:14:16 | 0:14:20 | |
I know you're a big fan of Macintyre Moorcroft. This is the early period. | 0:14:20 | 0:14:24 | |
This example is very good, except there is a chip on the neck. | 0:14:24 | 0:14:28 | |
-That is why you've got £150-£200. -Yeah, and there's excessive glaze crazying on it. | 0:14:28 | 0:14:32 | |
So somebody's got to be a purist and really interested in that period to buy this piece. | 0:14:32 | 0:14:36 | |
Let's hope there's somebody out there. | 0:14:36 | 0:14:39 | |
Yes, so do I, because you've got to tell Liz | 0:14:39 | 0:14:41 | |
-the good news or the bad news, after the sale. -Me? | 0:14:41 | 0:14:44 | |
-It's your valuation. -Ooh! | 0:14:44 | 0:14:46 | |
-You're the presenter! -Right, come on! | 0:14:46 | 0:14:49 | |
235... | 0:14:49 | 0:14:50 | |
we've got the Macintyre Moorcroft vase and a string of bids. | 0:14:50 | 0:14:55 | |
-Oh, string of bids. -That's good! -Start at 200. | 0:14:55 | 0:14:57 | |
240. | 0:14:57 | 0:14:59 | |
280. | 0:14:59 | 0:15:00 | |
-300. -Aah! -320. | 0:15:00 | 0:15:02 | |
340. | 0:15:02 | 0:15:03 | |
360. | 0:15:03 | 0:15:04 | |
380. | 0:15:04 | 0:15:06 | |
-Like it! -400. | 0:15:06 | 0:15:08 | |
400. 420. | 0:15:08 | 0:15:10 | |
Bid's with me on 400 then. | 0:15:10 | 0:15:11 | |
Selling at £400. | 0:15:11 | 0:15:14 | |
-Wooo! -It just goes to show, doesn't it? You see, | 0:15:15 | 0:15:18 | |
damage can put people off, but there are certain items | 0:15:18 | 0:15:20 | |
which, a little bit of damage, doesn't worry them too much. | 0:15:20 | 0:15:24 | |
-Well, I'm pleased for Liz. -So am I, so am I! | 0:15:24 | 0:15:27 | |
-Is that Liz? -'Yes.' -Hello, it's David Barby here from Flog It! | 0:15:31 | 0:15:35 | |
-'Oh, hello again! How are you?' -I'm fine. I've just got a time window to give you a tinkle. | 0:15:35 | 0:15:41 | |
Just to let you know, the auction's still going on, but your Moorcroft vase has sold. | 0:15:41 | 0:15:45 | |
'Oh!' | 0:15:45 | 0:15:47 | |
And it sold for £400! | 0:15:47 | 0:15:50 | |
'Oh, that's brilliant.' | 0:15:50 | 0:15:53 | |
-I'm so pleased for you. Are you happy? -'Thank you so much, David.' | 0:15:53 | 0:15:56 | |
No, not at all. I thought you'd be excited and want to know how much. | 0:15:56 | 0:15:59 | |
-'Oh, that's absolutely brilliant. Thanks ever so much.' -Not at all. | 0:15:59 | 0:16:03 | |
OK. Bye-bye! Bye. | 0:16:03 | 0:16:05 | |
I've been looking forward to this. It's good to catch up with you both, Colin and Eileen, because... | 0:16:09 | 0:16:13 | |
we were convinced it was a bull's penis, a pizzle stick. | 0:16:13 | 0:16:16 | |
It turns out... He's done some more research, as you know, | 0:16:16 | 0:16:19 | |
-and it's now rhino horn. -Yes. | 0:16:19 | 0:16:22 | |
-Which we're really pleased about. -Well, I bet you are! | 0:16:22 | 0:16:25 | |
Because, obviously, the value now just goes through the roof. | 0:16:25 | 0:16:28 | |
-Well, we hope so, Paul. -So he's been on the phone backwards and forwards to you. | 0:16:28 | 0:16:32 | |
You've now agreed a new valuation of £800-£1,200. Is that right? | 0:16:32 | 0:16:36 | |
-Correct. -Let's see what the bidders think. It's going under the hammer right now. | 0:16:36 | 0:16:40 | |
Lot 400 - it's the rhinoceros horn | 0:16:40 | 0:16:42 | |
walking cane at £800 with me. | 0:16:42 | 0:16:46 | |
850 in the room. 900. | 0:16:46 | 0:16:49 | |
950 in the room. | 0:16:49 | 0:16:50 | |
-1,000. -Telephone line, isn't it? | 0:16:50 | 0:16:53 | |
1,100. | 0:16:53 | 0:16:54 | |
1,000 on the phone. | 0:16:54 | 0:16:57 | |
1,100. 1,200. | 0:16:57 | 0:16:59 | |
1,300. | 0:16:59 | 0:17:01 | |
1,400. | 0:17:01 | 0:17:02 | |
1,500. | 0:17:02 | 0:17:03 | |
-1,600. -Keep going. | 0:17:03 | 0:17:05 | |
1,700. | 0:17:05 | 0:17:07 | |
No? The room is out. | 0:17:07 | 0:17:09 | |
All done at £1,600 then? | 0:17:09 | 0:17:12 | |
-Well, there you go. -Well done. That's very good. | 0:17:13 | 0:17:15 | |
-Twice the bottom end, £1,600. -Very good, very good. | 0:17:15 | 0:17:18 | |
-You've brought some support along as well, have you? -We did. -I heard a cheer go up then. | 0:17:18 | 0:17:22 | |
-Fantastic! -I was about to say, "What are you going to put the money towards?" | 0:17:22 | 0:17:26 | |
But it looks like you're treating this lot to a day out. | 0:17:26 | 0:17:30 | |
They might think so. I don't know. We shall... Yes, we shall... | 0:17:30 | 0:17:34 | |
-Well, thank you for coming in. -..Spend it wisely. -It's been the end of a long journey for you two. | 0:17:34 | 0:17:37 | |
-It has. -But, you know... -We got there, eventually. -You got there in the end, yes. | 0:17:37 | 0:17:41 | |
Well, there you are. Some good results there. | 0:17:47 | 0:17:49 | |
That concludes our first visit to the saleroom today. | 0:17:49 | 0:17:52 | |
So from an auction room in a Victorian seaside resort, | 0:17:52 | 0:17:55 | |
it's off to a Georgian spa town. | 0:17:55 | 0:17:57 | |
I'm going to find out a little bit more about the unique, bubbling mineral waters | 0:17:57 | 0:18:00 | |
that have endured the centuries. | 0:18:00 | 0:18:03 | |
This is the rooftop pool of Bath's new thermal spa. | 0:18:11 | 0:18:14 | |
The people of Bath and beyond have been enjoying the naturally hot, bubbling mineral water | 0:18:14 | 0:18:18 | |
that pulses beneath the city's surface for thousands of years, | 0:18:18 | 0:18:22 | |
and taking the waters has always been at the very heart of social life here in Bath. | 0:18:22 | 0:18:27 | |
But throughout our history, different eras have enjoyed the bath water in very different ways. | 0:18:27 | 0:18:31 | |
So, today, I'm going on a tour, back in time, | 0:18:31 | 0:18:34 | |
to see how this water has been appreciated throughout the ages. | 0:18:34 | 0:18:38 | |
Less than 200 metres from one another | 0:18:38 | 0:18:41 | |
are the Roman Baths, the Georgian Pump Room and the modern Thermae Spa. | 0:18:41 | 0:18:45 | |
These sites lay testament to the enduring appeal of Bath's naturally hot mineral water | 0:18:45 | 0:18:50 | |
over the centuries. | 0:18:50 | 0:18:53 | |
Bath's hi-tech Thermae Spa was designed by Grimshaw architects. | 0:18:53 | 0:18:58 | |
The main spa building stands on stilts and it¹s constructed in Bath stone | 0:18:58 | 0:19:02 | |
to blend into its surroundings. | 0:19:02 | 0:19:05 | |
Enclosed by a glass cube, it is very much a 21st-century statement. | 0:19:05 | 0:19:10 | |
The architecture reflects the sense of exclusivity and design within. | 0:19:10 | 0:19:14 | |
It is the naturally occurring hot mineral water that makes this contemporary spa | 0:19:14 | 0:19:19 | |
the only one of its kind in the United Kingdom. | 0:19:19 | 0:19:22 | |
The water coming out of this hot spring is 46 degrees Centigrade. | 0:19:26 | 0:19:29 | |
Now that's hotter than the temperature most of us run our domestic baths at. | 0:19:29 | 0:19:34 | |
This is one of three naturally occurring springs, | 0:19:34 | 0:19:38 | |
but it is the only one that you can actually see. | 0:19:38 | 0:19:40 | |
Incredibly, it's estimated these waters are thousands of years old, | 0:19:40 | 0:19:45 | |
having travelled up through four kilometres of the earth's crust. | 0:19:45 | 0:19:48 | |
And it's ancient waters, like this, which can now be seen in the most modern of settings. | 0:19:48 | 0:19:54 | |
Today, the ancient waters are cleaned using an ultraviolet filtration system | 0:19:54 | 0:19:58 | |
and pumped into the most modern of settings. | 0:19:58 | 0:20:00 | |
Although named after the ancient Greek goddess, the Minerva bath has a space-age feel. | 0:20:00 | 0:20:05 | |
Everything about the new spa represents a perfect synergy of the ancient and the contemporary. | 0:20:05 | 0:20:09 | |
Fibre-optic lighting adds another modern dimension to taking the waters. | 0:20:09 | 0:20:14 | |
But at £26 a head for two hours use, going to the spa is still a luxurious treat. | 0:20:14 | 0:20:19 | |
But the Georgians, who built the Pump Rooms, just around the corner, | 0:20:19 | 0:20:22 | |
considered water to be a much more vital part of their lives. | 0:20:22 | 0:20:27 | |
Georgian physicians declared that drinking Bath's natural spring waters | 0:20:27 | 0:20:32 | |
would cure illness, especially those of the internal nature. | 0:20:32 | 0:20:37 | |
It was a direct result of the medical thinking of the day | 0:20:37 | 0:20:40 | |
that the Pump Rooms were built in 1795. | 0:20:40 | 0:20:44 | |
A Greek engraving on the entablature on the northern side of the Pump Rooms, | 0:20:44 | 0:20:48 | |
sums up the Georgian ethos - "water is best". | 0:20:48 | 0:20:52 | |
Today, you can still drink the water which is pumped up | 0:20:52 | 0:20:56 | |
into exactly the same spot as it was 200 years ago. | 0:20:56 | 0:20:59 | |
Now this fountain, surrounded by playful dancing fish, | 0:20:59 | 0:21:02 | |
may look old but, in fact, it was installed in the 1980s. | 0:21:02 | 0:21:06 | |
The fountains are constantly being replaced here | 0:21:06 | 0:21:08 | |
due to the corrosion caused by the high mineral content. | 0:21:08 | 0:21:12 | |
Charles Dickens once described supping the water as, | 0:21:12 | 0:21:15 | |
"the taste of warm flat irons". Well, it hasn't put me off. | 0:21:15 | 0:21:19 | |
I'm going to give it a go. I've got a glass here. Let's see what it's like. | 0:21:19 | 0:21:23 | |
Gosh, it's almost too warm to drink. | 0:21:26 | 0:21:29 | |
But it does relax the muscles and the mind. | 0:21:29 | 0:21:32 | |
And it is very rich in mineral content - 43 in total. | 0:21:32 | 0:21:37 | |
Inspired by the visits of the very fashionable Prince Regent, | 0:21:40 | 0:21:43 | |
wealthy men and women travelled from far and wide for the Bath season, | 0:21:43 | 0:21:46 | |
which ran from October to early June. | 0:21:46 | 0:21:49 | |
And visitors purchased a subscription to the Pump Rooms and took local lodgings. | 0:21:49 | 0:21:54 | |
It was here in the Pump Rooms that the Georgian aristocratic elite and the growing gentry classes, | 0:21:54 | 0:21:59 | |
two sectors of society who, traditionally, would not mix publicly, | 0:21:59 | 0:22:03 | |
mingled together, supped the curative waters while looking at each other. | 0:22:03 | 0:22:07 | |
The lower classes, who were perceived as a problem, | 0:22:07 | 0:22:10 | |
generally wouldn't have participated in the whole spa experience. | 0:22:10 | 0:22:14 | |
From this vantage point, it's possible to look down on the bathers below, | 0:22:22 | 0:22:26 | |
in what's known as the King's Bath. | 0:22:26 | 0:22:28 | |
They would have been clothed - the women in their calico. | 0:22:28 | 0:22:31 | |
The sexes mixed and there are recordings of hanky-panky. | 0:22:31 | 0:22:36 | |
One observer wrote, "Here, ladies and gentlemen frequently mingle, | 0:22:36 | 0:22:40 | |
"converse freely, rally, | 0:22:40 | 0:22:42 | |
"make vows and sometimes love." | 0:22:42 | 0:22:45 | |
The Georgian spa experience was as much about socialising as it was about health. | 0:22:48 | 0:22:53 | |
And during the reign of the Prince Regent, Bath became known as a party town. | 0:22:53 | 0:22:58 | |
And the decadent behaviour obviously bubbled over into what went on in the baths. | 0:22:58 | 0:23:02 | |
This is in total contrast to the spa etiquette of the Roman era. | 0:23:02 | 0:23:07 | |
Although part of a temple had been discovered in 1790, | 0:23:13 | 0:23:17 | |
it was not until much later that the extensive Roman baths were unearthed. | 0:23:17 | 0:23:22 | |
Like the Georgians and people today, the Romans enjoyed the social aspect of the spa experience. | 0:23:22 | 0:23:27 | |
They even discussed philosophical issues of the day and held business meetings in the water. | 0:23:27 | 0:23:32 | |
But, more importantly, they believed these spring waters to be sacred | 0:23:32 | 0:23:35 | |
and provided by the goddess Minerva. | 0:23:35 | 0:23:37 | |
This belief meant that the Romans behaved themselves and the sexes did not mix. | 0:23:39 | 0:23:45 | |
While things might have been more traditional on that front, | 0:23:46 | 0:23:50 | |
the Romans were certainly ahead of their times in terms of inventing under-floor heating | 0:23:50 | 0:23:54 | |
and the whole sauna, steam, swim experience. | 0:23:54 | 0:23:59 | |
The Romans believed the baths should be for people from all walks of life. | 0:24:02 | 0:24:06 | |
And these holy waters even attracted visitors from overseas, | 0:24:06 | 0:24:09 | |
making Roman Bath a really cosmopolitan place to be. | 0:24:09 | 0:24:13 | |
After visiting all three sites, | 0:24:18 | 0:24:21 | |
what strikes me is how fundamentally similar they are. | 0:24:21 | 0:24:24 | |
And it seems that people from all societies have something in common. | 0:24:24 | 0:24:27 | |
They all like to have a good old soak in the bath, | 0:24:27 | 0:24:30 | |
sip a cool glass of water and enjoy a little bit of decadence. | 0:24:30 | 0:24:34 | |
With the opening of the new spa, Bath has now reconnected itself | 0:24:34 | 0:24:37 | |
to its original roots as a city of rest and relaxation, | 0:24:37 | 0:24:41 | |
albeit with an undercurrent of frivolity. | 0:24:41 | 0:24:43 | |
Now, where's my trunks? | 0:24:43 | 0:24:47 | |
Looks good. | 0:24:47 | 0:24:49 | |
We're back at the Bath Assembly Rooms, | 0:24:56 | 0:24:58 | |
where our experts are extremely busy sharing their knowledge. | 0:24:58 | 0:25:03 | |
Here's David Barby doing a valuation right now. | 0:25:03 | 0:25:06 | |
Two cameras filming this, with Mark Ashton, one of the directors here. | 0:25:06 | 0:25:10 | |
It's being logged by a researcher. | 0:25:10 | 0:25:13 | |
It's full on! Everybody knows what they're doing here. It's a well-oiled cog. | 0:25:13 | 0:25:17 | |
And a very busy place. | 0:25:17 | 0:25:19 | |
-Now, it's Jake, isn't it? -Yes. -And Trina. | 0:25:19 | 0:25:22 | |
-That's right. -This is an unusual combination. Where did it come from? | 0:25:22 | 0:25:25 | |
It came from a car-boot sale, | 0:25:25 | 0:25:28 | |
with other, different, little bits and bobs. And it was £25 altogether. | 0:25:28 | 0:25:32 | |
-£25? -Yes. | 0:25:32 | 0:25:34 | |
Lots and lots of bits of rubbish in a box, really. | 0:25:34 | 0:25:37 | |
We just thought these were the two interesting bits that were in it. | 0:25:37 | 0:25:40 | |
You're so astute, aren't you? For £25, that was a good buy. | 0:25:40 | 0:25:43 | |
What I think will be startling is this spoon here, | 0:25:43 | 0:25:48 | |
because that's worth the value of the whole box. | 0:25:48 | 0:25:51 | |
So anything else is, literally, free. | 0:25:51 | 0:25:54 | |
Now this is a solid silver spoon. | 0:25:54 | 0:25:58 | |
This could have been yours, Jake, because the initial on top is "J". | 0:25:58 | 0:26:03 | |
When we turn it over and we look at the mark... | 0:26:03 | 0:26:07 | |
This was produced in Exeter, | 0:26:07 | 0:26:10 | |
round about 1830, so it's got a very good history. | 0:26:10 | 0:26:15 | |
And this could have been used in Bath by a very wealthy household. | 0:26:15 | 0:26:21 | |
And from that wealthy household, we've only got one spoon surviving. | 0:26:21 | 0:26:26 | |
Now, this picture, I think is lovely. | 0:26:26 | 0:26:29 | |
What I like about it, is the fact it could be a Norfolk scene, with the windmill. | 0:26:29 | 0:26:34 | |
Because it's a fairly low horizon. | 0:26:34 | 0:26:37 | |
And we associate a picture with a low horizon with that wide-open sky | 0:26:37 | 0:26:41 | |
that you find on the east coast. | 0:26:41 | 0:26:44 | |
Painted round about 1890, 1900. | 0:26:44 | 0:26:47 | |
It is signed, but I cannot see the signature. It just looks like a black strip. | 0:26:47 | 0:26:52 | |
But it's a quality picture. | 0:26:52 | 0:26:55 | |
Now why do I say it's a quality picture? | 0:26:55 | 0:26:57 | |
First of all, because of the frame. | 0:26:57 | 0:27:00 | |
Now we call this a gilt gesso work. It's gold leaf. | 0:27:00 | 0:27:03 | |
So it's a very expensive frame. | 0:27:03 | 0:27:06 | |
And then, I turn it round... | 0:27:06 | 0:27:09 | |
..and I look at the framers. | 0:27:10 | 0:27:12 | |
And these framers were based in Knightsbridge. | 0:27:12 | 0:27:16 | |
And somebody living in Knightsbridge | 0:27:16 | 0:27:18 | |
at the end of the 19th, early 20th century | 0:27:18 | 0:27:22 | |
would have been quite wealthy and somebody of discerning taste. | 0:27:22 | 0:27:26 | |
So this is a good picture. | 0:27:26 | 0:27:29 | |
I would think this picture is in the region of sort £50-£80 price range. | 0:27:29 | 0:27:36 | |
If that goes up for auction separately, | 0:27:37 | 0:27:40 | |
it's going to be about £20-£25. | 0:27:40 | 0:27:43 | |
-Are you coming to the auction? -No. | 0:27:43 | 0:27:46 | |
-Oh dear, Jake, why not? Are you going to be at school? -Yes. | 0:27:46 | 0:27:48 | |
You'll have to have a phone call from your mum at lunchtime. | 0:27:48 | 0:27:52 | |
-She'll be able to tell you how much it realises. -OK. | 0:27:52 | 0:27:54 | |
-So you're quite happy putting these up for sale. -Definitely, yes. -Good. | 0:27:54 | 0:27:58 | |
From a car-boot sale to an auction I think is a good journey. | 0:27:58 | 0:28:01 | |
-I look forward to seeing the completion. Thank you very much indeed. -Thank you. | 0:28:01 | 0:28:05 | |
On Flog It! not everything we value goes off to auction. | 0:28:05 | 0:28:09 | |
This next item really caught my eye, so I just had to have a chat with its owner. | 0:28:09 | 0:28:14 | |
-Mina, thank you for coming in today. -Pleasure. Thank you for having me. | 0:28:14 | 0:28:18 | |
-We hardly see any carpets on the show, especially Persian carpets like this one. -Really? | 0:28:18 | 0:28:22 | |
This one is stunning. Totally out of my depth here and all of our experts are as well. | 0:28:22 | 0:28:27 | |
-We don't know much about Persian carpets, but... Where are you from? -I'm from Iran... | 0:28:27 | 0:28:31 | |
-So that's obviously where this has come from. -..With a Persian carpet. | 0:28:31 | 0:28:34 | |
-With a Persian carpet! Tell me a bit about its history. -OK. | 0:28:34 | 0:28:38 | |
In 1979, when I was leaving the country, Iran, | 0:28:38 | 0:28:42 | |
my father gifted that to me. | 0:28:42 | 0:28:45 | |
And the illustration on this carpet is from the book, | 0:28:45 | 0:28:48 | |
-depicts it from the book of Omar Khayyam, who is the poet. I am sure you have heard of him. -No. | 0:28:48 | 0:28:54 | |
His books have been translated into 21 languages round the world. | 0:28:54 | 0:28:57 | |
-Right, OK. -Omar Khayyam believed in drink and enjoy your life and don't worry about tomorrow. | 0:28:57 | 0:29:03 | |
That sounds like Oscar Wilde! | 0:29:03 | 0:29:05 | |
Yeah, perhaps he was the Oscar Wilde of Iran, yes. | 0:29:05 | 0:29:09 | |
If you look at the pictures, the illustration in the carpet, | 0:29:09 | 0:29:13 | |
you will see the man is sitting in the middle and drinking wine | 0:29:13 | 0:29:16 | |
and enjoying the music and the life. | 0:29:16 | 0:29:19 | |
-Were you allowed to take this out of Iran? -No, at the time I was not allowed to take it out. | 0:29:19 | 0:29:24 | |
Because it's woven in silk and wool, | 0:29:24 | 0:29:27 | |
-therefore I could just fold it to a very small parcel. -Yes. | 0:29:27 | 0:29:31 | |
-And put it in my hand luggage. -And no-one stopped you, thank goodness! | 0:29:31 | 0:29:36 | |
Thank goodness, no. | 0:29:36 | 0:29:37 | |
-But it's OK. Now they can... -You can take things in and out? | 0:29:37 | 0:29:40 | |
-They bring carpets out. -Things have changed? | 0:29:40 | 0:29:42 | |
Thanks so much for bringing this in. I'm sorry I can't give you a value. | 0:29:42 | 0:29:46 | |
-How much did your father pay for this? -I think he paid £5,000 for it. | 0:29:46 | 0:29:51 | |
Well, you can see its quality and it is worth every penny. | 0:29:51 | 0:29:53 | |
-And you've looked after it. The condition is superb. -Yes. | 0:29:53 | 0:29:56 | |
The detail and the work that's gone into that is immense. | 0:29:56 | 0:30:00 | |
-Thank you. -Thank you for coming in. -Thank you very much. | 0:30:00 | 0:30:03 | |
Well, that was a real treat. Let's see what shiny items have caught Anita's eye. | 0:30:03 | 0:30:08 | |
Thelma, I love 20th-century design | 0:30:08 | 0:30:11 | |
and I love jewellery. | 0:30:11 | 0:30:14 | |
This is a wonderful collection. Tell me, where did you get it? | 0:30:14 | 0:30:18 | |
Variously. These came from my parents-in-law, as a gift for us. | 0:30:18 | 0:30:23 | |
The earrings were my husband's gift to me. | 0:30:23 | 0:30:27 | |
The wristwatch was bought in 19... Oh, golly! | 0:30:28 | 0:30:32 | |
My mother and I were in Germany and I bought the wristwatch. | 0:30:32 | 0:30:35 | |
And the tie clip, I think my husband bought for himself, | 0:30:35 | 0:30:39 | |
-as he did with these... -Cuff links. -..Cuff links. And I love the owls. | 0:30:39 | 0:30:43 | |
Well, these are lovely. | 0:30:43 | 0:30:45 | |
-And they are all related in some way. -Yes. | 0:30:45 | 0:30:49 | |
I have had a look at them and I have seen the magic name of Georg Jensen. | 0:30:49 | 0:30:55 | |
Now, he is one of my favourite designers. | 0:30:55 | 0:30:59 | |
A Danish designer, part of the Arts and Crafts movement. | 0:30:59 | 0:31:03 | |
Trained as a goldsmith. Became a sculptor. Designed ceramics. | 0:31:03 | 0:31:09 | |
And most famously known for his wonderful silver jewellery. | 0:31:09 | 0:31:13 | |
The Jensen factory is still in production today, | 0:31:13 | 0:31:19 | |
and still produces wonderful, wonderful designs | 0:31:19 | 0:31:22 | |
and wonderful jewellery. | 0:31:22 | 0:31:25 | |
Do you have a favourite, Thelma? | 0:31:25 | 0:31:27 | |
-I think I like that tie clip. -A-huh. | 0:31:27 | 0:31:30 | |
That's charming and that is a Jensen one. | 0:31:30 | 0:31:32 | |
-Yes. -The cuff links are Jensen. | 0:31:32 | 0:31:35 | |
The tie clip is Jensen. | 0:31:35 | 0:31:37 | |
The napkin rings - Jensen. | 0:31:37 | 0:31:39 | |
And the other ones, they are Danish design, as well, but not Jensen. | 0:31:39 | 0:31:44 | |
So a lovely wee collection of 20th-century design. | 0:31:44 | 0:31:47 | |
-Tell me, why are you selling them? -I've got so much to get rid of, | 0:31:47 | 0:31:51 | |
but these are things that neither I nor my children will need in the future. | 0:31:51 | 0:31:56 | |
Clip earrings are out for us. We've got a lot of India napkin rings. | 0:31:56 | 0:32:01 | |
So I don't need this particular pair. | 0:32:01 | 0:32:04 | |
These he'd never use now and now he's reduced to one particular clip WHEN he dresses up! | 0:32:04 | 0:32:09 | |
ANITA LAUGHS | 0:32:09 | 0:32:12 | |
And this wristwatch, I haven't used it for so long. | 0:32:12 | 0:32:15 | |
-But it was rather a special wristwatch when I bought it. -A-huh. | 0:32:15 | 0:32:19 | |
But the thing about it is, Thelma, | 0:32:19 | 0:32:22 | |
when you sell these things, they will be enjoyed by other people. | 0:32:22 | 0:32:25 | |
-Yes, exactly. -You've had your pleasure. -I've had my pleasure. | 0:32:25 | 0:32:28 | |
If we look at value, what I would do with these, Thelma, | 0:32:28 | 0:32:32 | |
putting them into auction, I would put them together as a group. | 0:32:32 | 0:32:37 | |
And I would put an estimate of £200-£300. | 0:32:37 | 0:32:40 | |
-Yes. -Would you be happy to put them in at that price? | 0:32:40 | 0:32:44 | |
-Yes, I think so. -I think it's an interesting "come and buy me" type of estimate, | 0:32:44 | 0:32:50 | |
because you've got lots of stuff there. | 0:32:50 | 0:32:52 | |
But tell me, Thelma, why have we got three cuff links? | 0:32:52 | 0:32:56 | |
I don't know. | 0:32:56 | 0:32:58 | |
-I've often wondered. -It's a mystery lot! | 0:32:59 | 0:33:03 | |
While Anita admires that beautiful collection of classic jewellery, | 0:33:03 | 0:33:07 | |
David's found an item that would once have been the ultimate accessory. | 0:33:07 | 0:33:11 | |
You're no stranger to Bath, are you? | 0:33:11 | 0:33:14 | |
-No. -You were quite part-and-parcel of Bath society, were you not? Or still are! | 0:33:14 | 0:33:19 | |
Not now, no. Was. | 0:33:19 | 0:33:22 | |
Because your husband, was he not Mayor of Bath? | 0:33:22 | 0:33:25 | |
-He was indeed. -Goodness me! | 0:33:25 | 0:33:27 | |
-And when was that? -1980-81. | 0:33:27 | 0:33:30 | |
Was that a good period for you? Did you have lots of exciting things going on? | 0:33:30 | 0:33:34 | |
-Oh, yes! It was busy. -You met royalty and goodness knows what. -Yes. | 0:33:34 | 0:33:37 | |
-Did you go to a garden party? -Yes. -How wonderful! -It was lovely. | 0:33:37 | 0:33:41 | |
Best hat, you know! | 0:33:41 | 0:33:42 | |
-Did you participate in any of this? -It was fantastic. | 0:33:42 | 0:33:45 | |
I think I was about 13 at the time and it was amazing. | 0:33:45 | 0:33:48 | |
-An awful lot of hard work. -Yes. -For Mum and Dad. | 0:33:48 | 0:33:51 | |
You're not made mayor out of blue air, are you? | 0:33:51 | 0:33:54 | |
-No. -You have to put your service in. -Yes. -And your commitment. -Yes. | 0:33:54 | 0:33:58 | |
This little gold cigarette case, who did it belong to? | 0:33:58 | 0:34:02 | |
-It was my husband's godfather... -Right. | 0:34:02 | 0:34:04 | |
-..who lived in Birmingham. -Do you remember him using this cigarette case? | 0:34:04 | 0:34:08 | |
-No. I didn't know him terribly well. -Right. | 0:34:08 | 0:34:11 | |
But, yes, I'm sure he did. I remember him smoking Turkish cigarettes. | 0:34:11 | 0:34:15 | |
-Those little black ones with the gold tip? -Yes. | 0:34:15 | 0:34:17 | |
Yes. And did your husband use this? Did he smoke? | 0:34:17 | 0:34:19 | |
He smoked, but I don't think he... He couldn't get them out fast enough! | 0:34:19 | 0:34:23 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:34:23 | 0:34:24 | |
He preferred the packet. | 0:34:24 | 0:34:27 | |
Well, this is a lovely piece, because it's very much in the Art Deco style. | 0:34:27 | 0:34:32 | |
So we've got this smooth finish and these lines going across it, | 0:34:32 | 0:34:36 | |
which we call engine-turned decoration. | 0:34:36 | 0:34:38 | |
-OK. -Engine-turned decoration. | 0:34:38 | 0:34:40 | |
And a lot of small pieces were decorated like this in Birmingham. | 0:34:40 | 0:34:45 | |
-Yes. -And then there's the gold mark there for 9-carat gold. | 0:34:45 | 0:34:48 | |
Now, it's a sad thing to say, | 0:34:48 | 0:34:51 | |
this little box here, possibly, will not be sold for usage. | 0:34:51 | 0:34:54 | |
-Perhaps a different era now. -Different era. Smoking is no longer de rigueur. -Absolutely. | 0:34:54 | 0:35:00 | |
So I think it may, unless there's a collector of gold cigarette cases, be for the melting pot. | 0:35:00 | 0:35:05 | |
-Oh, well. -It's rather sad though, isn't it? -It is. | 0:35:05 | 0:35:08 | |
But you're selling it at the right time. | 0:35:08 | 0:35:10 | |
-There could not be a better time. -Brilliant! | 0:35:10 | 0:35:12 | |
-Because gold prices are high. -Absolutely. Which is why we brought it. | 0:35:12 | 0:35:16 | |
We thought... We hoped that it might be. | 0:35:16 | 0:35:20 | |
It's going to a good auction house as well. Have you any preconceived ideas as regards to price? | 0:35:20 | 0:35:24 | |
-Not really, no. -No. | 0:35:24 | 0:35:26 | |
Right, I think it's 77 grammes, this particular case. | 0:35:26 | 0:35:30 | |
-Right. -And it's 9-carat gold, | 0:35:30 | 0:35:32 | |
so I think a price range between £500 and £700... | 0:35:32 | 0:35:36 | |
-That's amazing. -..Would be the sort of figure that we would expect for this case. | 0:35:36 | 0:35:42 | |
Wow! | 0:35:42 | 0:35:43 | |
-But the gold prices do fluctuate. -Of course. | 0:35:43 | 0:35:46 | |
So we've got to be prepared to balance it off with a sensible reserve. | 0:35:46 | 0:35:50 | |
-And I think we put a reserve of 450 on it. -OK. -Fine. -OK. | 0:35:50 | 0:35:55 | |
-Does that make you happy? -That sounds brilliant! -That makes us very happy, yes. | 0:35:55 | 0:35:58 | |
-Are you going to share the proceeds? -Yes! | 0:35:58 | 0:36:01 | |
-What are you going to do? -Give some to Liz and her brother's on holiday at the moment. | 0:36:01 | 0:36:07 | |
-We've had a bit of a tough time as a family, cos my dad died last October. -I heard, yes. | 0:36:07 | 0:36:12 | |
-So it would be quite nice to do something nice... -Yes. | 0:36:12 | 0:36:15 | |
And have some fun, but to remember Dad as well. | 0:36:15 | 0:36:18 | |
-I think that's a good idea. -Cos this, after all, is his. | 0:36:18 | 0:36:21 | |
-Yes. -Lurking in his wardrobe, it was! -Anything in mind? | 0:36:21 | 0:36:25 | |
-A day out? -Yes, I think so. -I think a day out would be lovely. | 0:36:25 | 0:36:27 | |
-Then the grandchildren can join in. -Participate. | 0:36:27 | 0:36:30 | |
I'd wait for a nice summer day and then go for one great picnic. | 0:36:30 | 0:36:34 | |
-Aw, sounds wonderful! -That sounds brilliant! And a game of cricket! | 0:36:34 | 0:36:37 | |
-I'll join you. -Yes, please! -Thank you very much for bringing this along. | 0:36:37 | 0:36:41 | |
-So the reserve is £450. -Yes. -OK. | 0:36:41 | 0:36:44 | |
-And you'll be there to see it sold? -We will. We're not going to miss that. -No. Absolutely not. | 0:36:44 | 0:36:48 | |
-Thank you very much. -Thank you very much indeed. | 0:36:48 | 0:36:50 | |
Let's hope Mary and Liz's cigarette case does well at auction, | 0:36:50 | 0:36:54 | |
so the family can have that much-needed day out. | 0:36:54 | 0:36:58 | |
We have had the most marvellous day here. | 0:36:58 | 0:37:00 | |
It's been a real privilege to be at the Assembly Rooms, such regal surroundings. | 0:37:00 | 0:37:04 | |
I hope our items have done these surroundings justice. | 0:37:04 | 0:37:08 | |
We're going to put them to the test right now, as we head off to auction. | 0:37:08 | 0:37:11 | |
It's time to say goodbye to this magnificent setting | 0:37:11 | 0:37:14 | |
and here's what we're taking with us. | 0:37:14 | 0:37:16 | |
Trina and Jake's car-boot sale finds - | 0:37:18 | 0:37:20 | |
the silver tablespoon and the late 18th-, early 19th-century painting. | 0:37:20 | 0:37:26 | |
Thelma's eclectic collection of 20th-century jewellery. | 0:37:26 | 0:37:30 | |
And that 9-carat gold, Art Deco cigarette case. | 0:37:30 | 0:37:34 | |
We're back at the Clevedon Saleroom. | 0:37:36 | 0:37:38 | |
And this auction is overflowing with bidders. | 0:37:38 | 0:37:41 | |
First up, it's Trina. | 0:37:41 | 0:37:44 | |
-Where's little Jake? -He's on a school trip. | 0:37:44 | 0:37:47 | |
-He's gone away for two days. -Where's he gone? -Staffordshire. | 0:37:47 | 0:37:50 | |
-He wanted to come, so he was quite upset. -Ah! Well, send him our regards! | 0:37:50 | 0:37:56 | |
We had the little oil on panel and the George III tablespoon. | 0:37:56 | 0:38:00 | |
The auctioneer split them up, thank goodness! They don't go together. | 0:38:00 | 0:38:03 | |
With this picture, they took the back off | 0:38:03 | 0:38:06 | |
to reveal all the information, all the details on the back. | 0:38:06 | 0:38:08 | |
1909. They even got the mill. They know where it is. And who it was given to. | 0:38:08 | 0:38:14 | |
-It's all on the back panel. -Which is lovely. -Yeah. | 0:38:14 | 0:38:16 | |
So anybody buying that has got complete information. | 0:38:16 | 0:38:19 | |
-And provenance always adds to the value of something. -Yes. | 0:38:19 | 0:38:22 | |
Let's put this one to the test and we're following it with the George III silver tablespoon. | 0:38:22 | 0:38:26 | |
So fingers crossed! | 0:38:26 | 0:38:28 | |
Lot 220. | 0:38:28 | 0:38:29 | |
The oil on panel there. | 0:38:29 | 0:38:32 | |
Two on the book here. At 30. 35. Who's got 40? 40, 40, 40, 40? | 0:38:32 | 0:38:37 | |
-40. -Come on! | 0:38:37 | 0:38:38 | |
Five now. Five. 45. Yes or no? | 0:38:38 | 0:38:42 | |
OK, there's £40 straight away. So you're quids in. | 0:38:42 | 0:38:46 | |
Let's see what the spoon can do. | 0:38:46 | 0:38:47 | |
222 - the George III silver tablespoon there. | 0:38:47 | 0:38:51 | |
Bright-cut decoration. Exeter, 1792. | 0:38:51 | 0:38:54 | |
-I have 30 bid. Thank you. -Oh! | 0:38:54 | 0:38:56 | |
Silver's right up there at the moment. | 0:38:56 | 0:38:59 | |
Thank you, 40. Now 40. At £35 and selling on 35 then. | 0:38:59 | 0:39:05 | |
-£35. That's very good. £75. -That's good. | 0:39:06 | 0:39:09 | |
You do have a great eye. | 0:39:09 | 0:39:11 | |
You're obviously very keen and I know Jake is as well. | 0:39:11 | 0:39:14 | |
-He loves car-boot sales. He likes to rummage. -I bet he does! | 0:39:14 | 0:39:18 | |
Getting him interested at a young age is a really good thing, | 0:39:18 | 0:39:22 | |
because when he grows up he can be a font of knowledge, like Mr Barby here. Ooh! | 0:39:22 | 0:39:27 | |
Not bad in total and, despite David's valuation on provenance, | 0:39:29 | 0:39:33 | |
it was actually the local painting we sold earlier in the programme that made more money. | 0:39:33 | 0:39:38 | |
Going under the hammer now, a collection of 20th-century jewellery belonging to Thelma. | 0:39:38 | 0:39:42 | |
And any woman with ANY taste | 0:39:42 | 0:39:45 | |
would have Georg Jensen, wouldn't they? | 0:39:45 | 0:39:47 | |
It doesn't matter what age you are, Georg Jensen has this timeless appeal. | 0:39:47 | 0:39:52 | |
-It's beautiful, it really is. -Simplicity of style. -Yes. | 0:39:52 | 0:39:57 | |
-The more, the better. -We've got lots of little pieces there. | 0:39:57 | 0:40:00 | |
-And a little 18-carat watch. -And those owls, enamelled owls. | 0:40:00 | 0:40:04 | |
This lot is going under the hammer right now! | 0:40:04 | 0:40:07 | |
Lot 535. Georg Jensen mixed lot there. | 0:40:07 | 0:40:11 | |
All interesting. All from the same home. Lot 535. | 0:40:11 | 0:40:15 | |
Five on the book again. | 0:40:15 | 0:40:17 | |
200 on the book. 220. | 0:40:17 | 0:40:19 | |
240. 260. 280. 300. | 0:40:19 | 0:40:22 | |
320. 340. | 0:40:22 | 0:40:23 | |
340. With me at £320. | 0:40:23 | 0:40:26 | |
Selling on 320 then. | 0:40:26 | 0:40:28 | |
Yes, the gavel's gone down! It didn't take long to get to £320. | 0:40:29 | 0:40:34 | |
-And these items made their price. -Yes. -Made their price. | 0:40:34 | 0:40:37 | |
Despite a relatively low estimate, they found their own level. | 0:40:37 | 0:40:42 | |
-Yes, I'm pleased. -Well, thank you for bringing them in Thelma. | 0:40:42 | 0:40:46 | |
Mary and Liz, it's time to check out those gold prices. | 0:40:51 | 0:40:54 | |
Are they running high today? Cos it does fluctuate from day to day. | 0:40:54 | 0:40:59 | |
This will more than likely be melted as scrap. | 0:40:59 | 0:41:02 | |
-Which is sad. -Oh, why sad? You're not going to use it as a cigarette case. | 0:41:02 | 0:41:06 | |
-No. -No, definitely not! -You can't stick it in a drawer and say, "Oh, isn't it beautiful?" | 0:41:06 | 0:41:11 | |
-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! | 0:41:11 | 0:41:17 | |
580. | 0:41:17 | 0:41:18 | |
9-carat gold cigarette case. | 0:41:18 | 0:41:20 | |
-This is it! -Oooh! | 0:41:20 | 0:41:23 | |
We'll go 500. 520. 550. 580. | 0:41:23 | 0:41:27 | |
£600 on the book. 620. | 0:41:27 | 0:41:29 | |
-620. 650. -This is good! -700. | 0:41:29 | 0:41:32 | |
720? | 0:41:32 | 0:41:33 | |
At 700. 720. | 0:41:33 | 0:41:35 | |
-750. 780. -Brilliant! | 0:41:35 | 0:41:38 | |
800. 820. Still with me at £800. | 0:41:38 | 0:41:42 | |
And selling at £800 then. | 0:41:42 | 0:41:45 | |
Brilliant! £800. It's gone. | 0:41:45 | 0:41:48 | |
-That is brill! -Happy faces all round, | 0:41:48 | 0:41:50 | |
even if it is going to be melted down! | 0:41:50 | 0:41:53 | |
-At the end of the day, the money's more important really. -It is indeed. -It is. | 0:41:53 | 0:41:58 | |
-Treat the family! -Someone told me you're going out for the day with all the family members. | 0:41:58 | 0:42:03 | |
-Yeah. -Yeah. Give them a good treat. -Give them a good day out. | 0:42:03 | 0:42:06 | |
Where do you fancy going? | 0:42:06 | 0:42:09 | |
Well, I've got two boys. My brothers got two little girls. | 0:42:09 | 0:42:13 | |
-So somewhere that we can all have a nice time. -Yes. | 0:42:13 | 0:42:16 | |
-That won't mind the noise! -And plenty of space. -And plenty of space! -Sounds lovely. | 0:42:16 | 0:42:21 | |
Eight and ten... 150. | 0:42:21 | 0:42:23 | |
Two and five. 61. | 0:42:23 | 0:42:26 | |
Well, that's it. It's all over for our owners. | 0:42:28 | 0:42:30 | |
Another day in another auction room. | 0:42:30 | 0:42:33 | |
We've had the most marvellous time here in Somerset. As you can see, the sale is still going on. | 0:42:33 | 0:42:37 | |
But if you've got anything you would like to sell, | 0:42:37 | 0:42:39 | |
we would love to see you. Bring them along to one of our valuation days. | 0:42:39 | 0:42:42 | |
You can pick up details on our website. | 0:42:42 | 0:42:45 | |
Until then, from Somerset, it's goodbye. | 0:42:45 | 0:42:48 | |
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd | 0:43:07 | 0:43:09 |