Glasgow Flog It!


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Glasgow's wealth and reputation is based on trade -

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sugar, tobacco and textiles flowed to all the corners of the globe

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from the docks on the River Clyde which, in turn, gave rise

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to the famous ship-building industry.

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Glasgow has always been a creative city and as the heavy industry declined, the art scene flourished.

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Today, you can forget about Paris, London and New York.

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Art's heart is right here in Glasgow. Welcome to Flog It.

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Docks once busy with Glasgow's ship-building industry

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are now home to a thrilling and thriving art scene.

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The city's home to the Scottish Opera, Ballet,

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the national orchestra and, of course, HQ of BBC Scotland.

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Glasgow's cultural excellence was first recognised in 1990,

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when it was named Britain's first City of Culture.

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Today's venue couldn't be more fitting.

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Built as a museum and art gallery, the magnificent Kelvingrove

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is literally a palace of the arts.

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'This magnificent setting has really drawn the crowds.

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'On hand to help spot any potential masterpieces

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'are our very own double act, James Lewis...'

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-Underwear that she put away for getting married, but she never did.

-Your aunt's underwear?

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I've got to see this!

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'..and Will Axon.'

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Done well not to drink it. I bet there's been a few late nights

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when the shops are shut and you thought, "Shall we?"

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Will?

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'Not all the items brought along are quite so risque.

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'In fact, someone has brought in something very precious indeed

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'that makes over £1,000 at auction.

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'Is it this group of silver vesta cases,

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'this collection of nine-carat gold jewellery,

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'or this silver Oriental vase?

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'Find out later, when they go under the hammer.'

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Kelvingrove has witnessed many events in the past 100 years,

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but I don't think anything matches the excitement of our Flog It crowd.

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If I could bottle this atmosphere, I'd be a rich man!

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Let's dive into our first valuation

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and catch up with James Lewis to see what he's spotted.

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Lesley, whenever I see a box like this,

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the first thing is I know it's got silver in it.

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Yes.

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It's either going to have a three-piece tea service,

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a bachelor's one, a dressing table set

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or silver-mounted coffee cans.

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But when you see that box, it's got to be one of them.

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And what a FANTASTIC set!

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Just so, sort of, modern and fresh.

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Considering that this was made in the 1920s...

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-Right.

-..I think it is remarkably current and remarkably now.

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The spoons are solid silver.

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In a way, they tell you instantly what the cups were used for.

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We have these little coffee bean terminals. They look mint.

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-Have they just stayed in here?

-No. Far from it.

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I think they were very well used in their time.

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-They've been in the family since the '30s.

-OK.

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I think they were probably a wedding present to my mother's cousin,

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who was married in the '30s.

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They were very hospitable jolly people who entertained a lot.

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He passed them to my mother at one time and she used them a lot.

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-Did she?

-And I've used them.

-Really?

-But not recently.

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The porcelain itself is made by Cauldon of Stoke-on-Trent.

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-If you hold it up to the light, it's almost transparent.

-Yes.

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Very, very thin, fine quality porcelain.

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And the silver mounts are made...

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-That one's Chester.

-Oh!

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-The spoons are Birmingham.

-Really?

-Well, it's not where they were made.

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It's where they were assayed.

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As a retailer and a manufacturer of porcelain,

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you would commission the cheapest silver that you could

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so you would increase your profit margins.

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The silver smith that makes these

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might be more expensive to buy the spoons from.

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They'd shop around and get a maker for these

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-and a different maker for the spoons.

-Right.

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These are dated 1927.

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-So just before the '30s when you know your family had them.

-Yes.

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-If we put £70 to £100 on them.

-Mm-hm.

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-Is that all right?

-Yeah. Absolutely.

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-Let's hope we can celebrate with something stronger than coffee!

-That would be very much appreciated.

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'A gorgeous little set, and on the balcony,

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'Will has also got his hands on a mystery box.

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'What will be in this one?'

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June, whose dressing table have you been raiding to come to Flog It?

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-Where's this box come from?

-My late mother-in-law's house.

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She passed away last year.

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During clearing, we came across a lot of things. This is one of them.

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Let's have a look inside, shall we?

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Well, you've got a real mix in here.

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Let's get a few pieces out.

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We've got a little gold-framed cameo brooch.

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And we've got this interesting

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gold and enamel naturalistic frame,

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which must have had something in the centre at some stage.

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At some point, probably.

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Then another little brooch. Again, rather sweet.

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Little split seed pearl

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and gold in black enamelling.

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And then we've got...

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We always like to see a fitted box.

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Look at that! That's very pretty, isn't it?

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Let's put that down there.

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You've got a little split seed pearl brooch and a pendant brooch,

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which could have been worn as either a necklace or a brooch.

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We've got another box, a right Aladdin's trove here!

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There's a little selection of brooches.

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Some portrait brooches. We've got another mourning brooch.

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Typical one with the plaited hair. So it's mounting up.

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We've got one more box. Let's have a look what we can see in here.

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I see, we've got a little suite

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of typical Victorian nine-carat gold, I'd have thought, jewellery.

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There seems to be a theme running through the jewellery here.

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Brooches and mourning jewellery, such as with the plaited hair.

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And here, with the black enamelling and seed pearls.

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A classic combination of mourning jewellery.

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We've got a couple of photographic portrait brooches here.

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Recognise them at all? They're in the same box.

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I wondered if maybe one of them was possibly his great-gran,

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-who he never knew.

-Right, OK, yeah.

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-Then we've got a gentleman here.

-Possibly the same family.

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She's got a good Victorian look.

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He looks maybe a little bit later, maybe late Victorian, Edwardian.

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At some stage along the line,

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this is nice quality jewellery, so someone has taken a bit of effort

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-and bought some nice pieces.

-Yes.

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Most of them are going to be nine-carat gold.

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-We'll let Anita go through it and catalogue for her sale.

-Yeah.

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-And we'll give her a guide price of 100 to 150.

-OK, excellent.

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So, June, we'll pack it off to Anita

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and see how her jewellery buyers respond.

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-Hopefully, by waving their paddles in the air wildly at her.

-Yes.

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-I look forward to seeing you at the sale.

-Thank you very much.

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'Wearing mourning jewellery has been in practice since the 1600s,

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'but it became particularly popular in the 19th century,

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'mainly because of Queen Victoria and her lengthy period of mourning.

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'Widows were expected to dress in black,

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'adorned with discreet pieces of jewellery.

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'Items made from jet being especially popular.

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'We've seen some exceptional pieces go under the hammer.'

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Excellent!

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I wish they could have been here!

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'So, let's see how this collection goes for June.

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'There's plenty of items flooding in of all shapes and sizes.'

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-Gosh! This is quite large to struggle in with, isn't it?

-Yes.

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Got some other things at home.

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I think that's quite cute.

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I'd put that at about, um...

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-1830, 1840.

-Right.

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I'd say it's Scandinavian. Boxes like this have their virtue.

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You can always keep something in them, you really can.

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It's hard to put a value on traditional things like this,

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which are quite naive pieces of folk art.

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We're showing it at a disadvantage.

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It's just straight out the loft into this place.

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-It wasn't cleaned up.

-Needs a bit of TLC.

-Oh, aye.

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It needs a bit of beeswax, treating and feeding.

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If I did this...

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You can just get to see, you know?

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It would look like that and you'd fall in love with this little box.

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-I never thought of polishing it.

-If you spent a few hours waxing it,

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and feeding and treating it, you'd turn it into £80 to £120.

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-Would you?

-Yes. It's got a lot of charm to it, it really has.

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'And while that heads back home for some TLC,

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'let's get back to the valuation tables.'

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Ross, what a great venue we're in for Flog It!

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I'm sure there's a joke about losing your head,

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but we'll concentrate on what you've brought in to show us.

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Quite a tidy little collection.

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You must be out most weekends looking for bargains.

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I tend to go to auction houses, antiques shops,

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car boot sales, that sort of thing.

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Can you remember what price you've been paying for them?

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Most of the vestas were about £40.

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The cases are a wee bit more expensive.

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-There's a couple that I liked just because they looked unusual.

-Mm.

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This one and this one.

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They're the two that I'd picked out to talk about in more detail.

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I'm not going to look at the dates and go through each one, cos you know and I know

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most of them are going to be late 19th century early 20th century,

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into the 1930s, that sort of period.

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They're the two cigarette cases.

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Slightly limited in their market.

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Smoking memorabilia, that sort of thing,

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it's come down a little from where it once was.

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What do you like about these two?

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This one, I didn't quite understand what it was,

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with this triangular section at the top, which comes out.

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The other one, I just liked the design of it.

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I thought it was unusual.

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Let's have a look at this top one.

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The first thing that strikes me is Deco! Very Deco shape.

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The square shape. You've got this stepped decoration here.

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The engine turning is very similar

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to the Deco cigarette boxes that you see.

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And like you say, it's obvious that this corner piece comes out.

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If I do that, we can see that, yes,

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there we've got what I suggest should be a wick.

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So you've got the wick. It's soaked in lighter fluid.

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Then if we turn this over, you've got the area you can strike it.

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That will ignite the wick and that's passed around the table.

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As you replace the corner section, that will extinguish it.

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Rather a natty little thing, isn't it?

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Then if we have a look at the one at the front. You like the decoration.

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Does that remind you of anything?

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When I look at it, I think of Japanese wood block prints.

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-Yes.

-That were very popular towards the end of the 19th century.

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It informed what we would call the aesthetic period.

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Even though it hasn't got a date letter,

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that is probably where that fits into the scheme of things.

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You obviously know what you've paid for these.

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I think you've got a figure in mind. Why don't you tell me what that figure is?

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-250.

-OK.

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But I would advise that 200 would be probably a reasonable reserve.

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Right, OK. 250, I don't think you're out of the way with that.

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I think if you're prepared to go to 200 to 300, straddle that 250 mark.

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-Ay.

-What's going to happen with £200? Is it going to go back into the Ross collection?

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I promised my wife I'd take her for a meal if I made anything, so I'd do that.

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Thank you for coming along today.

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I hope we can get you and your wife a decent meal out of it.

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-Thank you.

-I look forward to seeing you at the sale.

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-Can I shake your hand?

-Course you can.

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We have found our first three items, so this is where it gets interesting.

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We have to put those valuations to the test and, as you know, anything can happen in an auction room.

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Here's a quick recap of the items that are going under the hammer.

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'James was spot-on with guessing what was in the case.

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'Hopefully, it will sell for more than his valuation.

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'June's treasure trove of jewellery should lure someone in

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'to snapping up this little haul.

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'And Ross's collection of vesta and cigarette cases

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'is sure to spark some interest in the auction room.'

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We're in the West End of Glasgow at the Great Western auction rooms.

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It's an antique and general sale so there should be a lot of interest.

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Let's go inside and soak up the auction atmosphere.

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Hopefully, it's a packed house.

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It certainly is, and Anita Manning is on the rostrum and raring to go.

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First up, it's Lesley's silver and china coffee set.

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1920s, but it looks like it could have been made yesterday.

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-It's so contemporary.

-Everything going for it.

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-I hope so.

-Do you like your espressos?

-Yes, I do.

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-But you don't really use these?

-Not any longer.

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Let's find out what the bidders think.

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It's going under the hammer now.

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A cased set of six Cauldon china coffee cans and saucers

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in original fitted box.

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A bonnie little set.

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Can we say 200? 150?

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Will you start me at £100? Start me at 100.

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50, then. 50 bid.

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50 with you, sir. Any advance on 50?

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-60. 70. 80. 90.

-Three people, look.

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£90. 100 fresh bidder. 110. 120.

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120 with Pat. Any advance on £120? Any advance on 120? 120...

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-Sold.

-Gone.

-Fine.

-Easy, wasn't it?

-Yeah.

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Easy when it's quality and looks great.

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'Just like the coffee set, that was a simple, yet elegant, auction.

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'Staying on the theme of silver collections...'

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It's a starting point for anybody's collection.

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-We're all on that learning curve.

-Yeah.

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The older you get, the more you realise you don't know! It's true!

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Yeah. The more you know, the more you know you don't know.

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It's that sort of scenario.

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-Fingers crossed.

-Yeah.

-Going under the hammer right now.

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-I am holding two bids on the books.

-That's what we want.

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Exactly. That's what we want.

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-And I can start the bidding at £160.

-That's very good.

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160. Any advance on 160? 180.

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200 with me. 220. 240.

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A lot of silver dealers are here today, Ross.

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260. 280 with me. 300.

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There's another bid on the book.

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320 with me. The bid's with me at 320.

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Any advance on 320?

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Any advance on 320? All done at 320? 320...

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Can you remember what you paid for them?

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APPLAUSE Not far off that.

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-We got your money back?

-Yes.

-Good.

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'Just over what Will predicted.

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'That means Ross treating his wife to a few nice dinners out.'

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Going under the hammer now, a jewellery box full of treasure!

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-It belongs to June. Hello, June. Who's with you?

-My husband, Jim.

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-Jim, hello. This was your mother's jewellery?

-Yes, indeed.

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I see, now, why you brought him along.

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-Right, OK. We need to sell this. We're looking for £100, £150.

-Yes.

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-It's mourning jewellery, something you didn't wear.

-No.

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I think we've priced it at the right level.

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-There's a lot there for the money.

-Exactly, yeah.

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Fingers crossed we're going to find a buyer for it now. Here we go.

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It's a superb lot of Victorian jewellery. A lovely lot.

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Will you start me at £100? 100 bid.

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-100 bid. Any advance on 100?

-Yes, we're in.

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-We're on the phone, look.

-120, 130.

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140. 150. 160. 170.

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You're in the money!

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180. Anyone else from the floor? 180.

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190 with me. 200. 210. 220. 225.

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230. I'm out. £230 for all the jewellery. 230.

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240 on the phone. 250. 260.

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-They like this a lot.

-270.

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280. 290.

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-Maybe something really shines.

-The star brooch is nice quality.

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-£310. Any advance on 310?

-Fresh to the market.

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All done at 310? 310...

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Yes! That's a sold sound! 310, well done.

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-Well done.

-Good work.

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'What a great result! There was obviously a piece in that set that caught everyone's attention.'

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That's the end of our first visit to the auction today.

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Some good results and happy faces, and that's what it's all about.

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As you can see, I am surrounded by fine art.

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Glasgow is at an all-time high as a destination for art lovers from all over the world.

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The graduates have gone on to make big names for themselves as well.

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What is it about Glasgow artists? Let's check it out, shall we?

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The roll call of famous Glaswegians is impressively long.

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On that illustrious list is the creator of this much-loved piece of public art,

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sculptor and artist George Wyllie.

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This piece is The Running Clock.

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Like all good art, there's an underlying truth.

0:19:130:19:16

In this case, it's delivered with punch, wit and humour

0:19:160:19:19

to tell the passers-by that time is of the essence.

0:19:190:19:23

Better get moving.

0:19:230:19:25

'As an artist whose work is seen by so many people every day,

0:19:250:19:29

'I want to find out what made him tick.

0:19:290:19:31

'Born in Glasgow in 1921,

0:19:310:19:35

'Wyllie had a long career that spanned naval engineer

0:19:350:19:38

'to customs officer.

0:19:380:19:40

'He took up art relatively late in life, at the age of 58.

0:19:400:19:44

'He created sculptures that were thoughtful, playful and fun...'

0:19:440:19:48

This is a machine for equal distribution of wealth.

0:19:480:19:52

-It doesn't work.

-Naturally!

0:19:520:19:55

'..But most of all, provocative.'

0:19:550:19:57

Brought up in the shadow of the shipyards in the Craigton area,

0:20:030:20:07

the industrial history of the city

0:20:070:20:09

was a lifelong influence on his work.

0:20:090:20:11

It was here in 1987 that he produced one of his most famous pieces, The Straw Locomotive,

0:20:110:20:17

a 78-foot lifesize replica of a locomotive

0:20:170:20:21

with a steel lightweight subframe wrapped in chicken mesh

0:20:210:20:24

then completely covered in straw.

0:20:240:20:27

Unable to find a permanent home for the sculpture in an art gallery,

0:20:290:20:32

Wyllie came up with a typically dramatic and poignant solution.

0:20:320:20:36

Inspired by the Viking longboat funerals,

0:20:360:20:39

he torched his creation on the site of the North British Locomotive Works in Springburn,

0:20:390:20:44

once the very heart of Glasgow's locomotive industry.

0:20:440:20:48

For the small invited audience, this was the last straw - pardon the pun.

0:20:520:20:56

Many of them had spent their lives building steam engines

0:20:560:21:00

and this wonderful, wonderful creative piece left them in tears.

0:21:000:21:04

It was so imaginative - part sculpture, part performance.

0:21:040:21:08

Pure Wyllie - a profound message delivered with a powerful punch.

0:21:080:21:13

For over 50 years, George Wyllie worked and lived here with his wife Daphne,

0:21:220:21:28

in this modest bungalow overlooking the lower Clyde.

0:21:280:21:31

I've come here today to meet Louise, the eldest of his two daughters,

0:21:310:21:34

to find out more about this extraordinary man.

0:21:340:21:38

Louise, where did this stem from? He took up art late in life, about the age of 58.

0:21:460:21:52

I suppose his initial inspiration came from his mother,

0:21:520:21:55

who spent a lot of time with both boys.

0:21:550:21:58

They both liked to dance from an early age.

0:21:580:22:00

She was a great inspiration. She painted as well.

0:22:000:22:03

-That's where it originally came from.

-Childhood memories.

-But his time in the navy.

0:22:030:22:09

He actually loved the navy.

0:22:110:22:13

I think that opened his eyes to the world.

0:22:130:22:17

It certainly changed his views on life.

0:22:170:22:20

That instigated something. He came back and taught himself to weld.

0:22:200:22:25

-He went on a course?

-He went on an evening course.

0:22:250:22:28

He was in his 50s, working at Customs and Excise on the river.

0:22:280:22:31

That's hot work, Mr Wyllie. You've got to be an engineer

0:22:310:22:35

-as well as an artist.

-You find these days that artists are...

0:22:350:22:40

more and more leaning towards engineering and industrial processes for their work.

0:22:400:22:45

So how did he make the transition to full-time artist

0:22:450:22:50

and jack his job in?

0:22:500:22:52

-It's a big, big move.

-It was, really.

0:22:520:22:55

But I think...unlike somebody young, he was at an age

0:22:550:22:59

where you'd be looking to what you'd be doing for the rest of your life.

0:22:590:23:03

-He must have been hell-bent on creating things.

-He was, up until the last few years of his life.

0:23:030:23:09

He was working into his 80s.

0:23:090:23:12

It wasn't just about work, it was a lifestyle.

0:23:120:23:15

Everything seemed to fire his imagination.

0:23:150:23:18

My hopes are that this rocket will go up there

0:23:190:23:21

and the Russians are watching and it'll send a signal

0:23:210:23:24

up to their spacemen, man-to-man.

0:23:240:23:27

What better way of indicating that than to have a shortbread satellite?

0:23:270:23:32

Give me a brief overview of the things that Dad was creating on a day-to-day basis.

0:23:340:23:39

It changed, didn't it, by the hour.

0:23:390:23:42

-Working on something here, something there.

-Yes.

0:23:420:23:45

Originally, he worked on painting the view.

0:23:450:23:48

He said to us, "What do you think of that? I want an honest opinion."

0:23:480:23:52

We'd go, "Mm, well..." PAUL LAUGHS

0:23:520:23:55

"What d'you mean, well?" We'd end up down the bottom of the garden!

0:23:550:23:59

-Did you say it was rubbish?

-We'd say, "Hm." You know.

0:23:590:24:02

It started like that and he moved on to sculpture.

0:24:020:24:06

I think that came from things he collected on the beach.

0:24:060:24:09

-Salvageable things. Recyclable things.

-It went from there.

0:24:090:24:13

To making objects.

0:24:130:24:15

Let's talk about the word "sculpture". He used that a lot.

0:24:180:24:21

But he replaced the P with a question mark right in the middle.

0:24:210:24:25

Yes, he did. He felt that the question mark was too important

0:24:250:24:30

to be at the end of the question, it should be at the centre of everything.

0:24:300:24:35

So you question every single art installation.

0:24:350:24:38

-Everything that he created, there was a meaning.

-Yes.

0:24:380:24:41

His art was for public appreciation. It wasn't a personal thing.

0:24:410:24:46

He became very popular with the public because they understood the messages he sent through his art.

0:24:460:24:52

In the early days, when some of his work was quite humorous,

0:24:520:24:55

the art world were very sceptical about his "intent", if you like.

0:24:550:25:01

It was difficult for him to make headwind.

0:25:010:25:05

He didn't want to go to London, because he had to leave this.

0:25:050:25:09

I can see why. You wouldn't want to leave this, would you?

0:25:090:25:13

He was self-taught, he followed his instincts and he loved what he did with a passion.

0:25:160:25:22

And he's been a great influence to many artists around the world.

0:25:220:25:26

-Especially here in Glasgow, which has such a vibrant art scene.

-Yes.

0:25:260:25:29

Three of the Turner Prize winners in the last five years were born in Glasgow or educated in Glasgow.

0:25:290:25:35

-So he left a big impact.

-He has, yes.

0:25:350:25:38

By the time of his death in May 2012,

0:25:420:25:45

George Wyllie was one of Scotland's most successful original artists.

0:25:450:25:50

His work is to be included in the curriculum in Scottish schools

0:25:500:25:53

and there's a project under way to create two giant question marks

0:25:530:25:58

which will be suspended by a crane over the River Clyde.

0:25:580:26:01

A poignant and fitting tribute, which I'm sure would appeal to the artist himself.

0:26:010:26:06

George Wyllie has left a rich and inspiring legacy,

0:26:060:26:09

which I'm sure that people of Glasgow and the Clyde will continue to support for many years to come.

0:26:090:26:15

Welcome back to Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery.

0:26:250:26:28

This is a portrait by Vincent Van Gogh,

0:26:280:26:31

one of the greatest ever impressionists.

0:26:310:26:33

It's a portrait of a young Glaswegian art dealer,

0:26:330:26:36

Alexander Reid, painted in 1887.

0:26:360:26:39

He shared a flat with Van Gogh in Paris.

0:26:390:26:41

It's all about the company you keep to get a portrait painted like that.

0:26:410:26:45

I love the use of the greens and the red, not only in the background

0:26:450:26:49

but also all over the face.

0:26:490:26:51

It's absolutely stunning. Something to remember.

0:26:510:26:54

Right now, I think it's time we join up with our experts, don't you?

0:26:540:26:58

See if they paint a pretty picture about their next item and give us something to remember.

0:26:580:27:03

Ian, let me take you back to the 18th century.

0:27:050:27:07

-Right.

-And you were a pipe smoker.

0:27:070:27:10

You would, without doubt, be smoking a very long-stemmed clay pipe.

0:27:100:27:16

-OK.

-I don't know if you've ever handled these clay pipes,

0:27:160:27:20

but a bang on the side,

0:27:200:27:23

a knock from a branch or a trip,

0:27:230:27:25

-and the pipe stem would snap.

-OK.

0:27:250:27:27

So this is your 18th-century equivalent of a mobile phone case.

0:27:270:27:34

-BOTH LAUGH I see.

-The thing everybody had

0:27:340:27:36

to protect their most treasured possession.

0:27:360:27:40

So the pipe would go inside.

0:27:400:27:42

That answers a lot of questions.

0:27:420:27:45

It was probably made in Holland,

0:27:450:27:47

although they were made in northern Europe and in the UK.

0:27:470:27:52

The shape of the bowl is quite a tall one.

0:27:520:27:56

Normally, the larger the bowl on the clay pipe,

0:27:560:28:00

-the later the clay pipe is.

-Oh, right.

0:28:000:28:03

The earlier you go back, the more expensive tobacco was.

0:28:030:28:07

-Right, OK.

-As tobacco became cheaper, the bowls became bigger.

0:28:070:28:11

You look at this, it's a nice big bowl,

0:28:110:28:14

so you can say with pretty much confidence

0:28:140:28:17

-that would date to about 1780 to 1800.

-I had no idea it was that old.

0:28:170:28:22

Then you look here. Do you know what that emblem's meant to be?

0:28:220:28:27

I didn't know it was an emblem!

0:28:270:28:29

It's an anthemion

0:28:290:28:31

and it's meant, in Greek antiquity,

0:28:310:28:34

to be a stylised honeysuckle.

0:28:340:28:37

It was very fashionable.

0:28:370:28:39

Josiah Wedgwood used it in his pottery.

0:28:390:28:42

Robert Adam used it in his architecture and plaster mouldings.

0:28:420:28:46

And here we have a country pipe case maker

0:28:460:28:50

using it as decoration on there.

0:28:500:28:52

-It's a lovely little object.

-Thank you.

-Where did you find it?

0:28:520:28:57

It's been in the house and my parents' house for as long as I can remember, 50 years-plus.

0:28:570:29:03

Neither of them knew where it had come from.

0:29:030:29:07

I guess the fact that it's on the Flog It table

0:29:070:29:10

means you want to sell it?

0:29:100:29:12

Well, it's been there doing nothing for all these years.

0:29:120:29:16

Somebody will love it!

0:29:160:29:18

It is a bit of a classic.

0:29:180:29:21

£80 to £120. It's worth about 100.

0:29:210:29:24

I certainly wouldn't want to see it less than 80.

0:29:240:29:28

If it made more than the 120, it's done very well.

0:29:280:29:31

-On that basis, shall we take it to auction?

-Definitely.

0:29:310:29:35

'Over in the natural history section, Will has a case that does have something inside.'

0:29:350:29:41

Susan, thanks for coming along.

0:29:410:29:43

You've brought in the smallest thing today and behind us

0:29:430:29:46

is the biggest thing I've seen today.

0:29:460:29:48

Let's see what's inside this rather nice small fitted box.

0:29:480:29:53

Let's open her up. Look at this!

0:29:530:29:56

A thimble! Not any old thimble.

0:29:560:29:59

We see a lot of thimbles. They're usually in silver.

0:29:590:30:01

This is in solid gold.

0:30:010:30:04

Is this something that you've inherited or do you use it?

0:30:040:30:07

I don't use it and I didn't inherit it.

0:30:070:30:10

-It was bought for me by my husband as a present.

-Nice gift!

0:30:100:30:14

-Yeah. He does know what I like.

-Anything small.

0:30:140:30:18

Bijouterie, isn't it?

0:30:180:30:20

The fact that it's gold makes it premier league in the thimble scene.

0:30:200:30:25

And it's in its fitted case, which must be original.

0:30:250:30:28

We've got a retailer for Dundee.

0:30:280:30:30

I've had a look at the marks.

0:30:310:30:34

-You wanted an idea of how old it was.

-Yeah. The age.

0:30:340:30:37

The marks have been pretty well rubbed, probably through use.

0:30:370:30:42

But referring back to Sir Roger, who's been here since 1901,

0:30:420:30:47

your thimble's probably not much younger than him, actually.

0:30:470:30:51

Edwardian period. It's got a bit of age to it.

0:30:510:30:54

Yeah. It's older than I thought.

0:30:540:30:57

A gift from your husband.

0:30:570:30:59

So, obviously, you didn't have to ask him how much he paid for it.

0:30:590:31:04

No, but it wouldn't have been very much at all!

0:31:040:31:07

LAUGHING: Sounds terrible, doesn't it?

0:31:070:31:09

I'm sure a lot of thought went into it. A lot of thought went into it.

0:31:090:31:14

The market for all things gold is good at the moment.

0:31:140:31:18

Let's see if we can make him a profit.

0:31:180:31:20

At auction, I think you're going to be looking at around the £100 mark.

0:31:200:31:25

-OK.

-Is that a nice surprise?

-Yes.

0:31:250:31:27

-You thought it was worth a bit less than that?

-About...20!

0:31:270:31:32

Hang on! I think I've got a 20 in me pocket!

0:31:320:31:35

No, let's put it in at 80-120. Straddle that £100 mark.

0:31:350:31:39

The old Flog It favourite, 80 to 120.

0:31:390:31:41

The only thing left to say is see you at the saleroom.

0:31:410:31:45

'Finally, James is delivering a colourful history lesson.'

0:31:470:31:51

-Gary, let me take you back 50 years.

-OK.

-To mainland China.

0:31:520:31:56

Being run by Chairman Mao,

0:31:560:31:58

a communist, a hater of the Imperial past.

0:31:580:32:03

If you were an art lover,

0:32:030:32:05

you would not be able to own this 40 or 50 years ago.

0:32:050:32:10

There was a complete rejection of the past,

0:32:100:32:14

but also a denial of the past by the communist regime.

0:32:140:32:18

So you can imagine now that China has opened to the west,

0:32:180:32:22

each businessman that is now in charge of a very wealthy successful business,

0:32:220:32:29

is wanting to buy back pieces of Chinese history.

0:32:290:32:33

That's why you have timed this absolutely to perfection.

0:32:330:32:38

Good. JAMES LAUGHS

0:32:380:32:41

I can see it's slightly tarnished. It's not polished, which is perfect.

0:32:410:32:45

-What's its history?

-It was my late father's.

0:32:450:32:48

He bought it, I think, at an antique fair

0:32:480:32:51

and gave it to me to find out a bit about it.

0:32:510:32:55

I was quite interested in it,

0:32:550:32:57

simply because how beautiful I thought it was.

0:32:570:33:00

To find out, first of all,

0:33:000:33:02

whether or not it was Chinese or maybe even Japanese.

0:33:020:33:06

That's one of the questions that I thought as well.

0:33:060:33:09

The Japanese symbolism is almost identical to the Chinese.

0:33:090:33:14

I don't read Chinese or Japanese scripts so, for me,

0:33:140:33:18

looking at the signature underneath was a bit of a problem.

0:33:180:33:22

But the guys here, we've got six off-screen valuers,

0:33:220:33:25

and six out of six said, "We think it's Chinese."

0:33:250:33:29

So, fingers crossed it is.

0:33:290:33:31

The decoration is the three-toed dragon.

0:33:310:33:36

The three-toed dragon is often a Japanese dragon, as well as Chinese.

0:33:360:33:40

The Chinese five-toed Imperial Dragon, representative of the emperor.

0:33:400:33:46

Here we have chrysanthemums and other emblems that, for me,

0:33:460:33:51

would indicate Japanese, not Chinese.

0:33:510:33:54

But I've gone along with the overall view that it's Chinese,

0:33:540:33:59

so we'll see.

0:33:590:34:01

Well, I said you'd timed it to perfection.

0:34:010:34:04

-Ten years ago, this would have been worth £100, that's all.

-OK.

0:34:040:34:08

At the moment, I think, even if it's Japanese,

0:34:080:34:11

it's going to be worth £400 to £600, something like that.

0:34:110:34:16

And if it's definitely Chinese,

0:34:160:34:18

it might even double its money and make £1,000.

0:34:180:34:21

That's a real surprise, I can assure you that.

0:34:210:34:24

-Yeah? Is that all right?

-Very definitely.

-Good.

0:34:240:34:27

Let's take it to Anita, get her to translate that mark on the bottom,

0:34:270:34:31

and fingers crossed she comes back with some good results.

0:34:310:34:35

-Fingers crossed, indeed. Thanks very much.

-Thank you.

0:34:350:34:39

'With so little time, it's incredibly difficult to value items like this.

0:34:390:34:44

'Hopefully, our auctioneer will be able to find out more.'

0:34:440:34:47

What a wonderful day we've had at Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery,

0:34:470:34:51

a place packed full of fine art and antiques.

0:34:510:34:54

Our experts have made their final choices. We found some antiques of our very own to take off to auction.

0:34:540:35:00

It's time to say goodbye to Kelvingrove as we head to the saleroom for the last time.

0:35:000:35:04

Here's a quick recap of all the items going under the hammer.

0:35:040:35:09

'Ian's 18th-century pipe case is wonderfully unusual.

0:35:090:35:13

'Could it set the auction alight?

0:35:130:35:16

'Susan's small but perfectly formed gold thimble

0:35:160:35:19

'should fetch a large sale price.

0:35:190:35:22

'And Gary's vase could command a massive four-figure sum,

0:35:220:35:26

'depending on where it's from.

0:35:260:35:28

'Back at the auction rooms, I caught up with Anita Manning,

0:35:300:35:33

'who's done some further research into the vase.'

0:35:330:35:36

Is it Chinese? Is it Japanese? James thinks it's Chinese.

0:35:360:35:40

-This little vase is Japanese.

-How could you tell?

-There are several things that we look at.

0:35:400:35:46

If we first look at the little band that encircles the neck of the vase,

0:35:460:35:51

we see a band of chrysanthemums.

0:35:510:35:53

This is a very common motif used in Japan.

0:35:530:35:58

It was a sign of prosperity and wealth and good fortune.

0:35:580:36:04

-We often see it on Japanese objects.

-That's the first clue.

-First thing.

0:36:040:36:07

Second clue - Japanese dragons, three claws.

0:36:070:36:12

Chinese dragons, five claws.

0:36:120:36:15

Are you serious about that? I've never heard that before.

0:36:150:36:18

No-one's ever said that to me in my life. I hope you're listening and learning.

0:36:180:36:23

We all know that Chinese artefacts, the market for them is a lot stronger than the Japanese market.

0:36:230:36:29

Uh-huh. I've kept it at four to six and I'm hoping there's interest

0:36:290:36:33

because there is quality there

0:36:330:36:35

and we have identified the maker's mark, which is on the base.

0:36:350:36:39

That helps as well. Provenance is key, really.

0:36:390:36:42

Watch this space. Let's put those values to the test right here.

0:36:420:36:46

'And with an auctioneer like Anita, who knows what it could fetch?'

0:36:460:36:50

Something I have never seen on this show before in 11 years of Flog It.

0:36:520:36:57

It's a walnut pipe case made in the 18th century to protect clay pipes.

0:36:570:37:02

-It belongs to Ian. Thank you very much for bringing it in.

-Thank you.

0:37:020:37:07

I'm rather jealous that James had the enjoyment of handling this and talking about it.

0:37:070:37:12

This is absolutely wonderful!

0:37:120:37:14

£80 to £120, I think that's no money for something so rare.

0:37:140:37:20

I've seen a few, but a long, long time ago.

0:37:200:37:22

And I have to say, if that was in an antiques fair

0:37:220:37:26

I wouldn't be valuing it, I'd be buying it. Wouldn't you?

0:37:260:37:29

Yeah. And it would be possibly £200 to £300 at an antiques fair.

0:37:290:37:33

Good on you for bringing it in.

0:37:330:37:35

-We love to see something, well,

-I

-haven't seen before in my life.

0:37:350:37:40

It's a first for me. It's going under the hammer now. Wish we could buy it, but we can't. Good luck.

0:37:400:37:46

An 18th-century walnut clay pipe case

0:37:460:37:50

with brass onlaid and inlaid wire work.

0:37:500:37:54

This is an early pipe case, ladies and gentlemen.

0:37:540:37:58

It's a rare, rare wee item.

0:37:580:38:01

Can we say £150?

0:38:010:38:04

150? 100?

0:38:040:38:07

Will you start me at £50? Start me at £50.

0:38:070:38:11

50 bid. 50 bid. With you, sir, at £50.

0:38:110:38:16

I want to put my arm up!

0:38:160:38:19

Any advance on 50? 60. 70...

0:38:190:38:23

This is definitely one for the purists.

0:38:230:38:26

..£90. Any advance on £90? All done at £90?

0:38:260:38:31

£90...

0:38:310:38:32

Sold at 90. Well, it's gone, OK? It's gone.

0:38:320:38:36

Well, I would have thought it would have been estimated 20 or 30.

0:38:360:38:41

'James was spot-on with his valuation,

0:38:410:38:44

'but I really had hoped that the bidders would have fought for something so rare and unusual.'

0:38:440:38:49

Under that hammer now, we've got a thimble hallmarked Chester 1900.

0:38:490:38:53

It's very late Victorian. Belongs to Susan.

0:38:530:38:56

-Possibly, for not much longer. Boxed as well.

-Yeah.

0:38:560:38:59

-This was a 30th wedding anniversary present.

-Yes.

0:38:590:39:03

You don't really mind selling it, do you?

0:39:030:39:06

-No, not at all.

-Joint decision?

-Yes.

0:39:060:39:08

-Looking forward to this?

-Yes.

0:39:080:39:11

Let's put it under the hammer and see what this lot here think.

0:39:110:39:14

It's going under the hammer now.

0:39:140:39:17

A nine-carat gold thimble, ladies and gentlemen.

0:39:170:39:20

What else do you need? It's a lovely, lovely wee thing.

0:39:200:39:24

And it's in its fitted case from Dundee.

0:39:240:39:27

Can we say £150?

0:39:270:39:31

150.

0:39:310:39:32

100?

0:39:320:39:34

Start me at £50.

0:39:340:39:37

-50 bid.

-Hold me back, Paul!

0:39:380:39:40

50 is bid. Any advance on 50 for the thimble?

0:39:400:39:43

60. 70. 80...

0:39:430:39:46

As long as it's not Susan's husband buying it back, we don't mind.

0:39:460:39:50

£100. 100.

0:39:500:39:52

110, fresh bidder. 110.

0:39:520:39:54

It's with you, sir, at £110.

0:39:540:39:58

For the golden thimble. 120, fresh bidder again.

0:39:580:40:02

We've got the top end of the estimate.

0:40:020:40:05

£120. It's the poshest thimble you could get!

0:40:050:40:10

Any advance on £120?

0:40:100:40:13

-One more over there.

-Any advance on 120?

0:40:130:40:16

All done at 120? 120...

0:40:160:40:19

Yes! That's a sold sound! Top end of the estimate. Well done, Will.

0:40:190:40:23

And well done, Susan. A bit of money towards what you want to buy.

0:40:230:40:27

'Brilliant! That's £100 more than Susan expected.'

0:40:270:40:32

A touch of the Orient goes under the hammer here in Glasgow.

0:40:320:40:35

Is it a Chinese vase or Japanese vase? Anita has done her homework.

0:40:350:40:39

-It is Japanese and it belongs to Gary.

-Yes.

-You knew that a few days ago.

0:40:390:40:44

You'd done a bit of research online, once the catalogues were printed.

0:40:440:40:48

£400 to £600, that's what we're after.

0:40:480:40:51

Will we get that, James?

0:40:510:40:53

We should still get that. The Chinese market is buoyant.

0:40:530:40:57

-Stronger.

-Much stronger, but it's pulling the Japanese market with it.

0:40:570:41:01

Because almost all the Japanese styles were inspired by the Chinese.

0:41:010:41:05

-They're linked quite strongly.

-Fingers crossed, everyone.

0:41:050:41:08

Let's put it to the test.

0:41:080:41:10

Lot 170, ladies and gentlemen,

0:41:100:41:13

is this rare Japanese silver baluster vase in high relief.

0:41:130:41:19

It has the signed mark for Mitsuhiro,

0:41:190:41:24

one of the most prestigious Japanese silversmiths.

0:41:240:41:27

She's researched the maker, which is great!

0:41:270:41:30

£600? 600?

0:41:300:41:32

500?

0:41:340:41:35

Hopefully, we've got a telephone line booked.

0:41:350:41:38

-£300? 300 bid.

-In the room, there.

0:41:380:41:41

300 bid. Any adva... 320.

0:41:410:41:45

350. 380. 400.

0:41:450:41:48

-420. 450. 480. 500.

-Gary, you are in the money.

0:41:480:41:53

£500. Any ad... 520, fresh bidder. 520.

0:41:540:41:59

550. 580...

0:41:590:42:03

-Anita's weaving her magic.

-She's very good.

0:42:030:42:06

..650. 680. 700.

0:42:060:42:10

700 at the arch. £700.

0:42:120:42:16

-MAN: Here!

-Great. Fresh legs.

0:42:160:42:20

-Well called.

-720, fresh bidder.

0:42:200:42:23

720. 750. 780...

0:42:230:42:27

It's a fight between two people in the room.

0:42:270:42:30

..900. 950.

0:42:300:42:34

1,000. 1,050.

0:42:340:42:38

1,100...

0:42:380:42:40

Gary, you are definitely in the money now.

0:42:400:42:43

-This is your first auction.

-Any advance on £1,100?

0:42:430:42:47

Doesn't get any better than that.

0:42:470:42:49

Any advance on 1,100?

0:42:490:42:52

All done at 1,100? 1,100...

0:42:520:42:55

-Yes! The Japanese market is strong!

-APPLAUSE

0:42:550:42:58

£1,100.

0:42:580:43:00

Put it there! You did the right thing there.

0:43:000:43:03

I would have sold that for £1,100. So would you.

0:43:030:43:07

-Well done.

-I'm tingling for you!

0:43:070:43:09

It'll be getting split with my mum.

0:43:090:43:11

-It's what my dad would have wanted.

-Aw, bless her. Look after her.

0:43:110:43:16

That's what mums are all about.

0:43:160:43:18

Wow! What a wonderful way to end today's show.

0:43:180:43:21

-Thank you for bringing that in.

-Thank you very much.

0:43:210:43:24

Whoo! We enjoyed that. I told you there was going to be a surprise.

0:43:240:43:27

Join us again for many more.

0:43:270:43:29

From Glasgow and the wonderful work of Anita Manning, it's bye bye.

0:43:290:43:34

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0:43:490:43:52

E-mail [email protected]

0:43:520:43:55

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