Stockport Flog It!

Our valuation day is being held at one of the finest buildings

in greater Manchester - the picturesque Stockport Town Hall.

Its shape has earned it the nickname "the wedding cake",

and there's plenty of people wanting a bite of it today.

What a marvellous turnout we have got here today.

It looks like the whole of Stockport has arrived for our valuation day.

The queue goes right past the town hall in that direction.

We're now turning the corner, hundreds of people are laden

with bags and boxes full of antiques and collectables

they're hoping are going to make a small fortune

when we put them into auction a little later. Who's it going to be?

We don't know. This is where the journey starts,

but they've all come here to ask our experts that all-important question,

which is, "What's it worth?"

-What are you going to do when you've found out?

-ALL: Flog it!

With more than 800 people queueing for a valuation,

this is one of our busiest valuation days,

and our experts have some challenges ahead.

First up, Mark Stacey.

He's almost as terrifying as working with Philip Serrell!

I can imagine!

And talking of which,

Philip Serrell is already giving his first-class valuations.

-Do you want to sell this?

-I'm thinking about it.

I love that.

Inside there's already plenty of people lining up, with everything

from antiques, collectables and valuable art to be discovered.

And the room itself is worth appreciating, too.

Our canvas is the town hall's marvellous ballroom,

which normally hosts a mixture of civic events and entertainment.

But today, it's being brightened up by "Flog It!" fans and antiques.

Today's venue attracts lots of interesting objects

from both home and away, but which of these very English items

fetches over £6,000 at auction?

Is it the two charcoal drawings by local artist Trevor Grimshaw?

Or this Cornish Troika lamp, with provenance?

Well, keep watching to find out.

First up, over on Philip's table,

there's something that's left him uncharacteristically lost for words.

-How are you, Sue, all right?

-I'm fine.

Not much I can tell you about that, is there?

-You're the expert!

-What?!

Don't you come round here, using that sort of language!

What's really interesting about this,

if you turn it up, all the dots on the bottom - can you see them?

Yes, just. They are tiny.

It tells you everything there is to know about it.

-This is Royal Worcester.

-Yeah.

And at 11 o'clock, there's always six dots or less.

And at one o'clock, there is always six dots or less.

If there's six dots there and six dots there, that's 12,

and then there's another 10 on the bottom, so we've got 22 dots.

And they started banging a dot on there in 1891,

so that was made in 1913.

And there is a four-digit number at the bottom, which is 2491.

-Now, that's the shape number.

-Oh, I see.

So if you get the patent book out, it will tell you that 2491

-is a small bulbous-bodied vase, three sizes.

-Yes.

And this is hand-painted.

It IS hand-painted, is it?

Yes, because it is signed here by a man called Watkins.

It's hand-painted with peacocks. So that's what I know.

-Yes.

-What do YOU know?

It was my grandmother's,

and from the date, it must have been her father's before her.

And when she was getting old,

she kept giving me stuff and saying, "Take this away

"cos otherwise your father is going to throw it on the tip."

So I've been looking after this since the late '70s, early '80s.

To be quite honest, it just gets ignored these days.

Why is today the day to sell it?

My son is getting married next year,

and he's marrying a Chinese girl,

and they are getting married in England

and then they're going to Beijing to get married again.

So, I mean, Mother's got to go to Beijing, hasn't she?

-In terms of value, have you ever thought what it may be worth?

-No.

-You could have a very cautious estimate on it of £80-£120.

-Yeah.

And reserve it at 60 quid.

If it does well,

-it might just get you a taxi ride to the airport.

-Great!

Now, I've found myself a hot little item amongst the crowds.

Steph, it's nice and warm here!

Wonderful early pither stove! Where did you get this?

Well, it's been in our family for 50 years.

My mother used to go around a lot of junk shops and antique markets,

and she acquired it from somewhere,

but she said it definitely belonged originally

on a bow-top gypsy caravan.

Oh, I can picture it now.

My mum used it to keep her terraced house warm for 30 years.

And that would do the job. That little stove would do the job.

-If you kept the door open, all the heat would flow through the house.

-It was lovely.

Wonderful little things. It's beautiful, made of copper,

and all of this is hand beaten. I think this is real quality.

This is circa 1910. I'll tell you where this would look fabulous -

on one of those canal boats. There's a big market for these.

It just so happens that, for the last 15 years,

-it's been on our canal barge.

-You're joking! Well, there you go!

Why have you taken it out of the canal boat, then?

Sadly, my husband has been taken ill, and we're having to sell the barge.

-Oh.

-We can't manage it any more, so the barge will be sold in the spring,

and all the things on it will be sold as well.

What do you think this little stove is worth today?

I really have absolutely no idea.

I think we could put this into auction with a value

-of at least £50-£100.

-That sounds fine by me.

-With a reserve at 50.

-That sounds excellent.

-I'll see you at the auction, will I?

-I'm afraid not.

Tomorrow, I'm going to New Zealand.

So I'm going to entrust you to sell it for me.

I will certainly turn the heat up in the auction room, that's for sure.

Thank you.

From the unusual to, dare I say it, a rather common name on this show -

very popular with collectors and interior designers alike.

Mark's found a "Flog It!" favourite.

-Hello, Vivien.

-Hello.

-Now, what a very striking lamp base you've brought in.

-Thank you.

-Have you had it a long time?

-40 years.

-40 years?

-So you bought it brand-new?

-Brand-new.

-From Cornwall?

-Yes.

From the Troika shop?

Well, it was a small gift shop but they had a lot of Troika.

-Do you know what we call that in our business?

-No.

-Fantastic.

-Oh!

-Because it's provenance.

-Yes.

You bought it new, you bought it because you liked it.

-It was the height of chic in the 1970s.

-Yes, lovely.

-YOU were the height of chic.

-I was, then!

-It's very striking.

You've got some lovely detail here.

This almost Aztec-type design which they're famous for.

If we turn it over, we think, "Oh, it's not marked,"

-but of course the mark is hidden inside.

-Yes.

-It's fooled everyone today.

-I bet it has.

-And you've enjoyed it obviously during the '70s.

-Yes.

Obviously it's been tucked away, has it?

Yes, it's been tucked away since because we've moved different houses.

-It doesn't go into your modern home?

-It doesn't match.

-That's a shame.

-Yes.

-I'd love it, I have to say. I think it's stunning.

-Can you remember what you paid for it?

-It wouldn't be too expensive.

£20, £30?

-I was going to say that because it was expensive at the time.

-Yes.

These were sold through good art galleries and good gift shops,

-so they weren't bargain basement.

-No, no.

-Because they were handmade.

-Yes.

-They are handmade. So you have to pay for that.

-That's right.

In terms of value, I hope this will lighten you up a bit.

I think we should be conservative

because Troika's flaky at the moment. But maybe 200 to 300.

-Yes...

-Would you be happy with that?

-I was thinking a bit more.

-What were you thinking?

-I was thinking about 350.

That's a very precise sum. Why have you come up with 350?

-Well, I didn't want to be greedy and say 400.

-Go on, let's be greedy!

-I was hoping it would fetch...

-I think it's got every chance.

I think we've got to be sensible.

-Shall we try it at 300 to 400?

-Yes.

-And then we'll put the reserve at 300, fixed.

-Yes.

I'm hoping it gets a good price

cos it's got everything going for it.

-It's in good condition, it's a good, strong design.

-Yes, lovely.

-Are you happy with that?

-Yes, happy.

-Vivien, thank you very much indeed.

Thank you.

Well, our experts have now found our first batch of items

ready to send off to auction. I think there's some real gems there.

We might be in for one or two surprises.

Here's a quick recap of what we're taking with us.

Philip's hoping the sale of this very English vase

will help Sue pay for her trip to China.

Steph's pither stove is unusual and desirable.

And Troika pottery has been reliable at auction in the past on "Flog It!"

but will it make Mark's estimate today?

We've travelled 17 miles south of Stockport to a small village

just outside Congleton near Macclesfield.

And it's as pretty as a picture. And pretty packed as well.

This is where we're selling all our items -

Adam Partridge's sale room.

Sue, are you feeling nervous?

-Just a little bit, yes.

-Do you know, I am as well.

-I really am, because auctions can have lots of highs and lows.

-I know.

But things are flying out.

We have a packed sale room, the atmosphere is electric,

and you're in the good hands of Philip Serrell,

who understands Worcester. It's on his doorstep.

He's sold more Worcester than anyone else

so he knows what he's talking about.

Good luck. This is it, it's going under the hammer.

Next lot, 310. Royal Worcester vase

painted with a peacock by Watkins.

Date 1913, Royal Worcester, always popular. And start me £80 for that.

80...

-It's sold!

-Take five. At £60. At £60, any more now?

At £60 for this.

Five online.

65. At 65 online. Take 70. At £65, internet bidder.

At £65. Are you done then? 65.

At £65...

BANGS GAVEL

-Great.

-£65. Entry level, you were right.

Yeah, it wasn't expensive,

but the point is in today's market,

the world's seen that because it's been interneted,

it's been catalogued properly, so it's made what it's worth.

Oh, yes. As I say, I'm just thrilled that it's sold.

It's my turn to be the expert right now.

Unfortunately, Steph cannot be with me. As you know,

she's in New Zealand and I hope you're enjoying that holiday,

but we do have the pither stove and it's about to go under the hammer.

Let's find out what this lot think

cos I did say at the valuation day, a lot of canal boats around here,

a lot of caravans, this could suit it and it's great value for money.

Keeps you warm as well. Here we go.

Lot 175. It's a copper-covered Gypsy caravan stove, a pither stove.

I'm bid £50. Take five, for the Gypsy stove. 50 bid.

Take five. At £50. Any advance on £50? 60.

Five. 70. Five. 80. Five.

90. Five. 110?

£100, then. At £100, the Gypsy stove, we're selling at 100.

All done? Ten online. 120.

120, I'm bid. At 120, the Gypsy stove.

130, it's on the internet now.

At 130, selling live online at 130.

-All done, then.

-BANGS GAVEL

Sold online £130. Steph will be so pleased with that, a great result.

Next up, we've got a Cornish treasure.

Going under the hammer right now,

something that's very dear to my heart.

It's abstract, it's textured, it's contemporary. And it's Troika.

-Sums it all up, really.

-It does.

It's a wonderful lamp base, we've had them on the show before.

We've sold lots of Troika. It does exceptionally well.

-And it's good 1970s studio pottery.

-It is.

It's good quality, it's caught on a lot.

And actually, you bought it...

-Did you buy it down in Cornwall in the '70s?

-Yes.

-Good for you!

-In St Ives? Where did you go?

-Um... Well, we've been all over.

Yes, St Ives...

Well, if we sell this, it could be another trip back to Cornwall.

Lovely colourways. It's signed by the artist underneath, Linda Thomas.

Great artist. There were many working. One of the best, she was.

-So fingers crossed.

-Right. Fingers crossed.

-We're going to sell that.

281 now. An old favourite for us, a Troika pottery lamp.

Decorated by Linda Thomas. £300 for it.

300.

200, then, surely.

-200 bid.

-Yes, 200 bid.

220. Any more on this one? At 220.

At 220. Any more now? 220.

On this now at 220.

Come on, it's worth a bit more.

I'm afraid it's not going to make that in the current market. 282.

No. He's passed on it.

I'd sooner take it home.

-Yeah, I think you're right. I think it's a lovely piece.

-Yes.

-Yes, good size as well.

-Yes, it is lovely.

-Yeah. Sorry about that.

-That's OK.

-That's auctions for you, isn't it?

Some days people will go mad for that and take it to its top end

-and other days it'll struggle and some days it doesn't sell.

-Yes.

We're back at Stockport Town Hall for our valuation day.

Philip's been busy and he thinks he's spotted a great find.

He's getting additional research done to verify his suspicion

that it's worth a penny or two.

How much are they going to make? How much?!

And it seems Mark's already in the money.

-Habla espanol?

-Si.

-Como te llamas?

-Tony.

-Encantado.

-Igualmente.

Now, Tony, you speak English as well, don't you?

Un poquito. A little.

-Just like my Spanish! And you are?

-I'm Norma, his mother-in-law.

-Adrian.

-Adrian.

Very nice to meet you all.

Now, you've brought two very interesting gold coins in

to show us today.

Have they been in the family a long time?

- One is...dias anos? - Ten years.

And the other one was given by my father as a present

-when I was 20 years.

-When you were 21.

-21st birthday.

-Si.

-Yes. Which one was the 21st birthday present?

-The Spanish one.

The big one.

-Espanol.

-Espanol!

We see a lot of coins on "Flog It!".

We see a lot of sovereigns and half sovereigns.

I quite like these because one is French and the other is Spanish.

This is Charles III or Carlos III, which is Charles III,

1789, I think, it says on the back.

And you can see he's a Bourbon because the Bourbons of Spain,

they had very big noses.

-And you've brought them in to sell, I suppose.

-Yes.

Because we've had a little look at them.

And I mean, a lot of it is of course to do with

the weight of the coin because they're both 18 or 22 carat gold.

The slight problem with this one is somebody's put that little

loop on it. You put it on. So you've made it as a pendant.

But it's still quite interesting. What are you hoping they're worth?

-Do you know?

-No.

Well, I think if we were putting them in to auction,

we'd put them in together as one lot.

And I think we'd have to be looking at around about £300-400

for the two. Something like that.

-Would you be happy to sell them for that?

-Yes.

We'll put a reserve on them of £300.

Well, let's hope we get a good price.

Now time to catch up with Philip and find out

if his excitement was justified.

I think these are interesting.

-Tell me, what do you know about these, then?

-Um...

What's the artist's name?

-Well, It's Trevor Grimshaw.

-Trevor Grimshaw?

He's a local artist from this area.

How local?

Um, he lived in Hyde,

which is probably about seven or eight miles from here.

And did you buy them in a gallery, or...?

No, we went to his house and we bought them at his house.

I have a bit of a connection with Trevor

because I had some insurance business with his family.

So you were an insurance agent to Mr Grimshaw,

and what period in time was this?

This was dating from the late '70s up to 2000 and something.

Have you got an interest in art, or did you just like these?

Not particularly, but we decided one Christmas

we'd buy each other something a bit different

so we thought, "Let's get each other a picture."

And I said, "Well, I know this man called Trevor Grimshaw."

So these were painted somewhere between 1970 and 1990, as a guess?

-Possibly, yes.

-Possibly, yeah.

But when I look at that, they were painted out of period, aren't they?

-Yes.

-I mean, these are trying to be, what, '30s? '20s or '30s?

Well, they're sort of depicting Northern scenes,

how they were with the chimneys and the smoke, you know,

and the canals as it is there.

And of course, Northern artists are massively, massively sought after.

Oh, wow.

And you are going to just the right place to sell these,

because Adam specialises in Northern art.

I think what we've got to do,

I think this one is probably worth more. And that's probably...

Let's call it the train effect. I think that's absolutely fantastic.

And I would put an estimate on this one of £800-£1,200.

This one, I think, is a little bit less

and we should perhaps put £600-£900 on it.

And the reserve, I would use the bottom estimate as a reserve,

-but I'd give Adam 10% discretion.

-Right.

You know, but I wouldn't be surprised, you know,

if these went and made £2,000, £2,500.

It really wouldn't surprise me,

but I think if we estimated them at that, it would kill it stone dead.

OK, yeah.

-Are you happy with that?

-Yes, we'll follow your advice.

Next up, a rather more exotic item.

-Hello, Elaine.

-Hello.

-Now, what a funny little figure you brought in.

-Nobody in the family, is it?

-No.

Where on earth did you get it from?

-From a

-car-boot sale. A car-boot sale, so 50p or something?

-No, £5.

-£5?

-Yeah.

And why did you buy it?

-What attracted you to it?

-It just looked happy. Nice little face.

And did you think it was anything?

To look at him like that, he doesn't look old,

but underneath, you can see he's had some wear, so...

It dates from the Republic period,

which is sort of 1910 to 1950, that sort of period.

Yeah, yeah.

It's a funny area because lots of things that are Chinese

are making lots of money on sale at the moment

and sometimes it's difficult to know why

because even things that don't look very interesting

are selling for a lot of money.

Because there is a lot of interest in things Chinese.

What would that be that he's holding?

It's some sort of gourd. It's like a fruit.

-I wondered if it was a peach, or...

-No, I think it's a gourd.

I think it's reasonably good quality

and if we look underneath,

we do have some impress marks,

which please don't ask me what they say

because I haven't got the faintest idea,

but the face is quite nicely done. As you say, it looks quite jolly.

I would like to see it making somewhere around, sort of,

£70-£100, something like that.

-I mean, would you be happy to sell it for that?

-That's fine, yeah.

What sort of figure would you be happy with, with the reserve

-if we have that estimate?

-Whatever you recommend.

-Well, I think we'll put £60.

-That's fine.

-As a reserve.

If it doesn't sell for £60, it just might be worth hanging on to

and trying it again in the future some time,

and have you found any other bargains over the years?

-Quite a lot, yeah.

-Have you? Maybe I should follow you around.

-You can teach me how to car boot.

-I'll show you.

Well, we'll find out just how much of a bargain Elaine got later on

when we take that cheeky figure off to auction.

Well, that's it. We have had a wonderful day here at Stockport,

but now it's time to remind ourselves of our final items

as we go off to the auction room for the last time.

Mark hopes these French and Spanish coins

will motor ahead and buy Antonio a new car.

Philip loves these Trevor Grimshaw scenes

and hopes his low estimates will draw in the bidders.

And bargain hunter Elaine picked up this fun figure for just a fiver

and Mark thinks it could make a lot more.

So let's get back to the sale room, just outside of Macclesfield.

And here come those gold coins.

Antonio, Norma, fingers crossed.

It's a great time to sell gold. Mark's probably told you that as well.

Gold prices are high, precious metals right up there.

We've got two coins.

A Spanish coin, your 21st birthday present, and a French coin.

Let's find out what the bidders think.

660 is a French gold 20-franc coin from 1908

and a Spanish gold Charles III four-escudos coin, 1787,

in a mount there. And I'm bid 210 in one place, taking 220. At 210.

At 210, where's 220 now. 20 online, 30.

240, 250. 250 bid.

At 260. 270. 270 bid.

270, 80. Online at 290.

At 290. 290.

Any more now? 300. Internet here. At £300, take 20.

At £300, any more now?

At £300 these two.

300.

We've sold them right on the reserve, only just £300.

Well, this next item was bought from a car-boot sale for just £5.

And it belongs to Elaine here.

Well done, you. You've got a good eye.

We're talking about this little Chinese figure,

an impress seal mark. Could do well over £100.

The Chinese market is red hot right now.

The quality certainly stood out

and, as you say, Paul, these days the sky's the limit with China.

Yeah, it's a really hard thing to value, Chinese artefacts.

-Anyway, good luck.

-Thank you.

-We're going into auction right now.

340, a Chinese Republic period porcelain figure

of a robed boy there, holding a gourd.

Lovely figure, this one. Lot 340, and bid me £70.

Start me at £50, then.

50 bid, at £50, any more now on 50? At 55 online.

At 60. 60 online, five in the room.

65 in the room, 70 now.

At £65, 70 online. At £70 now, 70.

And five, 75. 80 bid. 80's bid, 85.

85. All online now, 85.

Is there 90? £85. 90 bid. At £90.

-Well, that's all right because I did put a discretionary reserve.

-Yes.

At £95. Lovely figure, at 95.

I'll take 100.

Are you all done on this one? 95, going to be sold at 95. 100.

-100, new bidder. £100.

-Did it. Did it.

At 110, we're still going.

At 110, wake 'em up with the bell. 110, last chance to bid. At 110.

Any more now? At £110, we're away.

£110. Hammer's gone down.

-We're happy with that.

-Very.

-Very good.

Very happy, yeah.

-Dennis, Stacia, I'm excited. Are you excited?

-We are a bit, yeah.

It's been a long wait since that valuation day.

We were talking about Trevor Grimshaw's proper Northern art

-and Adam was so pleased to have these in. He really was.

-Oh, good.

I've seen Trevor Grimshaw's work before.

Not on this kind of scale, though.

These are big for his works, for his charcoal works.

Why are you selling something so wonderful?

And if you've got two, why don't you keep one and sell the other?

We've enjoyed them for 15 years, we thought we should pass them on.

We bought them for each other for Christmas presents...

-In '95, wasn't it?

-Yeah, I think it would have been, yes.

And we've had them all this time, so why not let them go?

Well, let's find out what the bidders think, shall we?

Because these are highly desirable. Especially up here. Here we go.

On to lot 608.

Trevor Grimshaw, a charcoal graphite drawing,

the industrial landscape with train, bidding starts at 950 here,

I'll take £1000 in the room.

At 950, take 1000, and 50.

1150, 1250, 1300 in the room now.

1300, I'll take 50.

1350. 1400. 50.

1500...

2400, 2500.

2600, 2700.

-2800, 2900.

-Pity you didn't buy a few more.

£3800 for the first one, is there 3900?

£3800, are you all done on the first one now?

£3800.

Thank you very much.

£3800. Let's see what the second one does.

-What a great investment.

-2700, the next one.

On to 609.

It's the next Trevor Grimshaw industrial landscape with canal.

You've got 600. I've got 800 to start. I'll take 20. 820.

840, 860, 880, 900,

and 20, 960, 980, 1050, 1150, 1250.

In the room, 1250. 1300, 50, 1400, 50.

1500, 50, 1600? 1550.

At 1550, 1600, and 50.

Pleased?

2300, 2400,

2500, 2600,

2700, 2800.

2700 this time, at 2700.

-Try not to be disappointed.

-That's not a bad guess, is it?

2800, we are back on. 2800, it's not over, 2900, 3000.

It's still going.

2900 this time.

At £2900, are you done?

Thank you very much.

-I never expected that.

-No.

-£6,700!

That's what we call a great "Flog It!" surprise.

-I think we paid 250.

-250.

Is that what you paid?

-Yes, yeah.

-For the two?

-For the two, yes.

Well, Stacia and Dennis, thank you so much for bringing those in.

What a wonderful way to end such a brilliant day here in Cheshire.

Great surprise at the very end.

That's where the money is - in Northern art.

If you've got some, we want to see it,

but until then, keep watching "Flog It!" for many more surprises.

It's goodbye from us all.