0:00:06 > 0:00:10I'm on the roof of one of the most extraordinary buildings in the country.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Below me, kings and queens have been wined and dined,
0:00:13 > 0:00:15from Queen Elizabeth I, during the Tudor period,
0:00:15 > 0:00:19right up to our present queen, Queen Elizabeth II.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21But today, for one day only,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24this magnificent house becomes our backdrop for a valuation day.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27So I am going to hoist the flag for our visitors.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29Where are we?
0:00:29 > 0:00:31Well, I can tell you where we are -
0:00:31 > 0:00:35today we are at Longleat House in Wiltshire!
0:00:35 > 0:00:37- ALL:- Hooray!
0:00:40 > 0:00:42Welcome to Flog It!
0:01:04 > 0:01:06It was back in 1947 that Henry Thynne,
0:01:06 > 0:01:09the sixth Marquess of Bath,
0:01:09 > 0:01:12faced with increasing pressure of taxation,
0:01:12 > 0:01:16decided to open Longleat to the public on a fee-paying basis.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21This unprecedented idea was a gamble.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25The car-owning population was still small,
0:01:25 > 0:01:27petrol was rationed,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30and the country was suffering from austerity.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34But the house opened in 1949
0:01:34 > 0:01:38and counted more than 100,000 visitors in its first year,
0:01:38 > 0:01:42each paying half a crown to tread where kings once stayed.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48Today it's the people of Wiltshire and the surrounding counties
0:01:48 > 0:01:50who are going to be treated like royalty.
0:01:50 > 0:01:51Isn't that right?
0:01:51 > 0:01:52- ALL:- Yes!
0:01:52 > 0:01:53Of course, it is.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55And over there, doing what they do best,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59are our experts ready to wait hand and foot on our visitors,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01because this great big crowd of wonderful people
0:02:01 > 0:02:04want to know the answer to the all-important question, which is...
0:02:04 > 0:02:07- ALL:- What's it worth?
0:02:08 > 0:02:11And on this gloriously hot day, ready to greet our visitors
0:02:11 > 0:02:15and hoping to coax out the crown jewels, is Michael Baggott.
0:02:17 > 0:02:18Oh.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22What do you do to keep your biscuits, if you've got no lid?
0:02:22 > 0:02:26And the lady of the house today is the ever-charming Claire Rawle.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30That's just the job! Parasol.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33I tell you what... Could I borrow? Do you think?
0:02:33 > 0:02:37I think, with a frilly edge, Claire, it's far more you than me.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39Oh, I don't know, Michael.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44So it's time to make our way from the magnificent south front
0:02:44 > 0:02:47round to the beautiful topiary gardens,
0:02:47 > 0:02:49where the valuations will be taking place.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54And we've got a rather special show for you today.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58When Nick brings in this mysterious item, Claire's intrigued.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01Approximately 1904,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04my grandfather came across this teapot in the Himalayas
0:03:04 > 0:03:06wrapped in paper in the snow.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08So he actually just found it, wrapped up in the snow?
0:03:08 > 0:03:10- Apparently so. - Wow, OK.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16And this teapot leads to a momentous discovery!
0:03:16 > 0:03:1830,000 for this alone?
0:03:18 > 0:03:20We could be rocking and rolling.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Will we break our Flog It! record for the highest value item
0:03:23 > 0:03:25ever sold at auction?
0:03:25 > 0:03:2835. £40,000.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33You'll just have to wait and see!
0:03:38 > 0:03:39Later on in the programme,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42I'll be exploring inside Longleat House
0:03:42 > 0:03:45to discover some of its fascinating history.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47But right now, here in the formal garden,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49the valuations are already under way.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Let's catch up with our expert Michael Baggott,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55and take a closer look at what he's found.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Sue, thank you so much for coming along today
0:04:00 > 0:04:03- because you've made my day. - Really?- You have.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06- You've brought this little chap here.- Very small.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08This golden little chap.
0:04:08 > 0:04:09Where did it come from?
0:04:09 > 0:04:11It came from my father-in-law,
0:04:11 > 0:04:13who literally dug it up on the edge of Salisbury Plain,
0:04:13 > 0:04:17about 40, 45 years ago.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20He was ploughing, and it literally turned up.
0:04:20 > 0:04:21So he wasn't out with a metal detector?
0:04:21 > 0:04:25- They hadn't been invented, had they, then?- Oh, yes. Oh, yes.- Well, no.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28How do you find something as small and delicate as that?
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Because he was called Hawk-eye!
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Do you know what it is, actually?
0:04:32 > 0:04:35Well, not really. I just know that it's a very early coin.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Or an earlier coin.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41You've got a beautiful half guinea in gold.
0:04:41 > 0:04:42Oh, a half guinea?
0:04:42 > 0:04:45On the front we've got the royal coat of arms, quartered,
0:04:45 > 0:04:50and we've got the motto and, of course, the date 1774.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54On the obverse side we've got King George III.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56Well, we could see that.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Coins come down to rarity.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03The rarity of how many were minted at a particular time,
0:05:03 > 0:05:05and small variations.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07The main thing is condition.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11The only defect we've got, at the very bottom there -
0:05:11 > 0:05:13that slight knock to the edge.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15It's probably where the ploughshare
0:05:15 > 0:05:17shifted it out of the soil.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20In all other respects, the condition is absolutely wonderful.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24And we grade coins in different finenesses,
0:05:24 > 0:05:26and this is very fine to extremely fine.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28I mean, obviously, the past couple of years
0:05:28 > 0:05:33everybody has been talking about the price of gold going up and bullion.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35- This is beyond bullion. - Yeah.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40I think, for a normal example you'd be thinking £180-£200.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44But I think this is so fine in terms of condition,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48let's put £250-£300 on it.
0:05:48 > 0:05:49We've got to do that,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52because we've got to protect your interests, as well.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55- So we'll put a reserve of £250 on it.- Yep.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58But, obviously, it was discovered years ago
0:05:58 > 0:06:01and it's been in the family... Why sell it now?
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Because it's stuck in a drawer, nobody sees it.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07If a collector had it, they might at least put it on show.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09I hate to break it to you, Sue,
0:06:09 > 0:06:11but most coin collectors have cabinets.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14- Well...- Which have thin drawers. - Well, OK.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18- It's going from a deep drawer into the thin drawer.- Well...
0:06:18 > 0:06:21as long as somebody would appreciate it, then that's fine.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23Thank you so much for bringing it in, you made my day.
0:06:23 > 0:06:24You're welcome.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26Gosh, wouldn't it be great to dig up
0:06:26 > 0:06:29something like that in your own back garden!
0:06:30 > 0:06:32Over on Claire's table,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35is another lucky discovery twinkling in the sunshine.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37- Well, hello, Ian. Nice to meet you.- Hello.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40Now, I'm not, I have to admit, the greatest fan of glass.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43But I do like cranberry glass - this rich red colour.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Tell me a bit about its history.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49I bought it about three years ago from a charity shop.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53And I bought it because, one, it was quite cheap - about £2 -
0:06:53 > 0:06:56and, secondly, the metal collar I felt
0:06:56 > 0:06:59meant that two art forms had been used in it.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Yeah, because it's quite tricky, isn't it, really?
0:07:02 > 0:07:04applying metal to a glass body.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06This piece of cranberry glass,
0:07:06 > 0:07:08would probably have been made in Bohemia
0:07:08 > 0:07:09at the turn of the 19th, 20th century.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Being red, it has gold added to it.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14That's how you get the red colour in glass,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17which always makes it more expensive.
0:07:17 > 0:07:18And then, curiously,
0:07:18 > 0:07:20you've got this wavy thing...
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Although it looks like pewter, it's actually silver.
0:07:23 > 0:07:24Fantastic.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27It's hallmarked. It's got a modern Sheffield hallmark.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30I think it's from about 1989.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32So, I guess somebody else looked at the vase and thought
0:07:32 > 0:07:35that's a pretty little vase, however, we'll embellish it
0:07:35 > 0:07:36with some silver
0:07:36 > 0:07:39and don't seem to have damaged the vase, at all.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Glass isn't selling hugely well at auction at the moment,
0:07:42 > 0:07:44but it's so pretty, it is cranberry,
0:07:44 > 0:07:46and, obviously, you've the silver addition on the neck.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49So, I think you'll see a bit of a profit on your hands.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51Oh, good.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53It would be difficult not to, really, wouldn't it?
0:07:53 > 0:07:56So, my feeling is...
0:07:56 > 0:07:59£40, £50 - that sort of region.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01I don't how that grabs you.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03- That grabs me well.- Excellent.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06- Reserve of £35.- That's fine. - Excellent.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08We'll see what happens at auction.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11It really is a scorcher today.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14The sunhats and parasols are out in force,
0:08:14 > 0:08:17and there's a real family atmosphere.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19Oh, nearly!
0:08:19 > 0:08:21Oh, look!
0:08:21 > 0:08:23- I've won. - PAUL LAUGHS
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Chris, Sally, thank you for bringing me boxes.
0:08:28 > 0:08:29They're full of promise.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32Now, I'll take a wild stab in the dark -
0:08:32 > 0:08:34it's either fish servers or fruit knives.
0:08:34 > 0:08:35Fruit knives.
0:08:35 > 0:08:36Let's have a look.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Should be two tiers...
0:08:38 > 0:08:39Absolutely perfect.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42So, we've got a set of silver and -
0:08:42 > 0:08:47although it's not very PC - ivory-handled fruit knives.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51Often these sets are electroplate and ivory.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53- You've got ivory and solid silver. - Yeah.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Which is a bit odd, really.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58Because if you put solid silver next to fruit acid,
0:08:58 > 0:09:01- it doesn't like it at all. - Oh.- It reacts quite badly.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03If we look at just a couple of pieces.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05We've got the full set of hallmarks.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09Everyone will know that the lion passant is sterling silver.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13- Yep.- Date letter in the centre, which is for 1859.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15And the last mark is Queen Victoria's head.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18And the monarch's head as a punch is the duty mark.
0:09:18 > 0:09:19Oh, right.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22At this time, there was a duty payable on all wrought silver,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24and that's simply the receipt mark
0:09:24 > 0:09:26to say that it has been paid.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28- Oh, right, OK.- Lovely set.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Problem.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32Better if they were fish servers.
0:09:32 > 0:09:37Because people still use those today.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Fruit servers is hardly ever used.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Put it this way, when was the last time you went to a dinner party
0:09:43 > 0:09:46and had a knife and fork to eat your fruit?
0:09:46 > 0:09:47- Erm...never. - Yes.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49That everyone's experience.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Any idea of the value?
0:09:51 > 0:09:53Absolutely not.
0:09:53 > 0:09:59Well, I think we'll be sensible and say £150-£250 for set.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02- All right. - But a fixed reserve of 150.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06But I think, on the day, we can just hope for a couple of very refined Wiltshire folk.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09I'm sure there's some out there!
0:10:09 > 0:10:11There's a real holiday atmosphere here today,
0:10:11 > 0:10:15as our experts bring all kinds of treasures out into the sunshine.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17Hi, Dave.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21Good to see you here today with your early form of cinema, in a way.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23It is a little magic lantern.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25So what was the history behind this one, then?
0:10:25 > 0:10:28It was always brought out when I had a birthday party.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32- My father used to have a cinema show with these on a sheet.- Yeah.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35And I expect all the local kids hated it,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38- because he did it every time until I was about ten.- Yeah.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41And that was all my memories of it. And then they were put away.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44We've shown the children once, and they weren't interested
0:10:44 > 0:10:48- because they're not fast enough. - Yeah.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50I'm guessing it didn't start life with this electric cable
0:10:50 > 0:10:53coming out of it, cos it should have had a candle originally.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55- Yeah, but my father actually converted it.- Oh, did he?- Yes.
0:10:55 > 0:10:56Oh, right, OK.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59So it made life a lot easier than having to light a burner
0:10:59 > 0:11:00and everything in it.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03They are known as magic lanterns, and this really is a nursery
0:11:03 > 0:11:06form of lantern, because of course, they come in all different sizes.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09When this was actually made, at the turn of the 19th,
0:11:09 > 0:11:1320th century, or when they came in, which was the late 19th century,
0:11:13 > 0:11:15there was no general form of cinema
0:11:15 > 0:11:20and photography was still in its infancy and very expensive.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22They are glass slides,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25they are lithographically printed rather than hand-painted.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Very, very colourful.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29And literally, we'd have the burner in here
0:11:29 > 0:11:32and then the slide goes through there, in front of a big lens.
0:11:32 > 0:11:33And the light shines through the back.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36- I think he had a converter to put the small ones in.- Oh, right.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38- He had a piece of wood that he put the bits inside.- Right.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40- You had, like, a holder.- Yeah.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43And then, of course, the images were projected out onto the wall.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45These are known as story slides.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48I quite like the one here, where there is a lady.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51And she is obviously listening at a door. And she is listening away.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53And then all of a sudden, someone opens the door
0:11:53 > 0:11:55and slams it into her face.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58- I can imagine... - We all laughed.- Yeah, exactly.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00The lanterns themselves don't have great value.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04It tends to be in the slides. It is still not going to be huge value.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06They are very collectible,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09but really a collection of the number of slides you've got
0:12:09 > 0:12:12is going to be in the sort of £100 to £150 bracket.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14- Is that all right?- Yep.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16I would suggest putting a reserve,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19but just tipping it under the lower estimate, say at about £90?
0:12:19 > 0:12:21What are you going to spend the money on, then?
0:12:21 > 0:12:25- We've lived in the same house for 43 years.- Oh, wow.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27And it has now come to the stage where it has got
0:12:27 > 0:12:29- to be done up again.- OK.- I need money for home improvements.- OK.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32I look forward to the auction. Fingers crossed it will do well
0:12:32 > 0:12:34and we can do lots of painting in your house.
0:12:34 > 0:12:35Thank you very much.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Set in a valley with the winding river at its base,
0:12:46 > 0:12:50Bradford-on-Avon got its name from the broad ford across the Avon,
0:12:50 > 0:12:54and this crossing point is still at the heart of the town today.
0:12:56 > 0:12:57Replacing the earlier ford,
0:12:57 > 0:13:00this stone bridge was built in the 13th and 14th century
0:13:00 > 0:13:02by the Normans.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04On the south side over there, you can see the two pointed arches
0:13:04 > 0:13:07with the wonderful ribbing going through the tunnel.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10Wonderful, Gothic architectural features.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13The original bridge, this bridge, actually did not have parapets,
0:13:13 > 0:13:18so many people crossing over the water ended up falling in it.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Luckily, it was widened in the 18th century
0:13:20 > 0:13:23and, today, it still remains busy,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26as it's the town's only road bridge across the Avon,
0:13:26 > 0:13:30a task it has been performing for more than 700 years.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38Now, if you're wondering what that little stone building is
0:13:38 > 0:13:40on the bridge just there, well, here's the key for it.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42So let's go and investigate.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50Originally a chapel intended to give travellers an opportunity
0:13:50 > 0:13:55to pray for a safe journey, it later became a prison,
0:13:55 > 0:13:59where local drunks and troublemakers were left overnight to cool off.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08Well, you wouldn't want to be slung in here, would you?
0:14:08 > 0:14:12Look, there's the original cast-iron bedstead that the prisoners
0:14:12 > 0:14:15would have been shackled to - you can see where the rings are -
0:14:15 > 0:14:18with just enough slack to come over here,
0:14:18 > 0:14:20to do the business.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22And I would not want to be downstream of that.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33Looking down on the river, are an abundance of mellow stone buildings,
0:14:33 > 0:14:37giving the impression of a pretty, sleepy Wiltshire town.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42But nothing could be further from the truth.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46The Bradford-on-Avon you see today was shaped by industry,
0:14:46 > 0:14:50a manufacturing town from the 16th century onwards.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Bradford-on-Avon developed as a centre for the wool industry,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56which kept it busy for hundreds of years.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07Most of the buildings on this hillside
0:15:07 > 0:15:11are rows of 17th- and 18th-century terraced houses,
0:15:11 > 0:15:13once home to spinners and weavers.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17Everyone worked from home. It was a cottage industry.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20And the majority of dwellings, like this, were always built
0:15:20 > 0:15:23on the side of a hill to allow maximum sunlight
0:15:23 > 0:15:24to come flooding in.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26Now, if you look closely, on the top floor,
0:15:26 > 0:15:28you can see the windows are wider up there.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30That's where the looms were situated.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33The more sunlight, the more hours you got in.
0:15:37 > 0:15:38Now, in the 1700s,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41you could earn quite a decent wage as a handloom weaver,
0:15:41 > 0:15:45but nothing nearly as much as the merchants who sold the cloth.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47They were known as clothiers and they were the middlemen
0:15:47 > 0:15:51between the weavers they employed and the tailors they sold to.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54Daniel Defoe, who visited Bradford-on-Avon
0:15:54 > 0:15:56in the early part of the 18th century, commented,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58"It was no extraordinary thing
0:15:58 > 0:16:03"to have clothiers worth £10,0000 to £40,000 a man."
0:16:03 > 0:16:07Now, that's the equivalent of around £1 million to £5 million today.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10And the evidence of their wealth can be seen all over Bradford-on-Avon.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13That house was once owned by a clothier.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20And it was the clothiers who were best placed to take advantage
0:16:20 > 0:16:24of the changes the turning of the 19th century brought.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Thanks to such inventions as the spinning jenny,
0:16:32 > 0:16:37the Industrial Revolution brought mechanisation to textile manufacturing.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40Wool weaving moved into purpose-built mills,
0:16:40 > 0:16:42which used water to power the looms.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48The clothiers became factory owners,
0:16:48 > 0:16:52but the power looms replaced the work of many handloom weavers,
0:16:52 > 0:16:56and the large gains in productivity with cost-cutting machinery
0:16:56 > 0:16:58meant those who had opted for factory employment
0:16:58 > 0:17:00were on breadline wages.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Looking at that super view,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09walking past this pretty row of houses,
0:17:09 > 0:17:11which were built for the cloth workers,
0:17:11 > 0:17:14it is hard to comprehend that, during the mid-19th century,
0:17:14 > 0:17:18this area was one of the worst industrial slums in Wiltshire.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Many of these houses were split into two,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27with one two-roomed house entered from the front here
0:17:27 > 0:17:29and the other two-roomed house above,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31entered from the street behind,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34with often around ten people living in each of them.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36It was terribly overcrowded.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38There was no mains water.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41Water was gathered from a well below and carried up this steep hill.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46And of course, drainage was an open cesspit, which often overflowed.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50It's hard to imagine, with this place being so beautiful today.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00The truth of the matter was that, by the early 19th century,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03cloth manufacturing in Bradford was in decline.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05The larger industrial centres in Yorkshire
0:18:05 > 0:18:09were producing cheaper, more affordable cloth.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11And, eventually, the wool trade died away in the South
0:18:11 > 0:18:13and the mills closed down.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18In the 1800s, the outlook was bleak.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21But salvation came from an unexpected quarter.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25In 1848, Stephen Moulton, a good friend of Charles Goodyear,
0:18:25 > 0:18:29set up a rubber factory right here, and Bradford-on-Avon
0:18:29 > 0:18:34became the birthplace of the rubber industry in this country.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36Large mills were taken over
0:18:36 > 0:18:39and the rubber plant became the main employer in the area for decades,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42manufacturing everything from tyres to wiper blades.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46Millions and millions of rubber washers were made.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48And this, in turn, led to another revolution
0:18:48 > 0:18:51here in Bradford-on-Avon - a transport revolution,
0:18:51 > 0:18:55which was started in the 1960s, and it's still going strong today.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Dr Alex Moulton, the great-grandson of the rubber pioneer,
0:19:00 > 0:19:04joined the family company after the Second World War
0:19:04 > 0:19:07and went on to design the rubber suspension system
0:19:07 > 0:19:09for the new Mini car.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12And judging from this footage...
0:19:12 > 0:19:14TYRE SCREECHING
0:19:14 > 0:19:16..I think he did a pretty good job!
0:19:18 > 0:19:21He then took those same principles in rubber suspension
0:19:21 > 0:19:23and applied them to bicycles.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29In 1962, the first Moulton bicycle was born,
0:19:29 > 0:19:34smashing the myth that small wheels meant slow wheels.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38This new take on the classic bicycle became an icon of the swinging '60s,
0:19:38 > 0:19:42seen as a minibike to go with miniskirts and Mini cars.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49The bicycle building factory was started in Bradford-on-Avon,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52and they are still being made here today.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56And they've kindly lent me one of their bicycles
0:19:56 > 0:19:59so I can make the most of the Kennet and Avon cycle route,
0:19:59 > 0:20:02which goes right through Bradford-on-Avon.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07And having walked and peddled my way around the town,
0:20:07 > 0:20:11it's clear to see that not only is the history of Bradford-on-Avon
0:20:11 > 0:20:13preserved in its beautiful architecture,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16but also, I'm glad to say, its manufacturing legacy
0:20:16 > 0:20:18looks to have a safe future too.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31I've already got my favourite, you've probably got yours,
0:20:31 > 0:20:33but right now it's down to the bidders.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36Let them decide exactly what it's worth.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38And here's a quick recap of all the items
0:20:38 > 0:20:40we're taking to auction with us.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Sue's father-in-law, was hawk-eyed to spot this coin
0:20:44 > 0:20:45as he was ploughing that field.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47And, in turn, Michael was very pleased
0:20:47 > 0:20:49to spot it in the Flog It! queue.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55This sweet cranberry glass, with its silver collar,
0:20:55 > 0:20:57should find a home at auction...
0:20:59 > 0:21:02..but will the silver fruit cutlery?
0:21:02 > 0:21:06It's attractive, but rather out-of-date in today's world.
0:21:06 > 0:21:07Fingers crossed!
0:21:09 > 0:21:11There's David's magic lantern -
0:21:11 > 0:21:14will this enchanting but outdated form of entertainment
0:21:14 > 0:21:16find a new home?
0:21:24 > 0:21:29Only 20 miles from Longleat is the historic market town of Devizes.
0:21:29 > 0:21:34Originally a medieval town, Devizes prospered in Georgian times
0:21:34 > 0:21:38when many of its finest buildings were erected.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42And on its outskirts is our auction house,
0:21:42 > 0:21:45Henry Aldridge and Son, a family-run business,
0:21:45 > 0:21:50now operated by a father-and-son team - Alan and Andrew.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55Well, this is the moment I've been waiting for - it's auction time!
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Don't go away, anything could happen.
0:21:57 > 0:21:58This is where it gets exciting.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00In a moment, the sale's just about to start,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03but remember if you are selling or buying in a saleroom,
0:22:03 > 0:22:04there's commission to pay.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08Here, it's 18% - that includes all the other costs, and the VAT.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Let's get on with the sale.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Alan's already in full swing up on the rostrum,
0:22:13 > 0:22:17and our first item to go under the hammer is the fruit cutlery set.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20- 25, 30... - Will it sell?
0:22:20 > 0:22:23They're ready to go, as a presentation set.
0:22:23 > 0:22:28They are quality, but it's something that nobody really wants to own.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31Long gone are those days of the formal dining room,
0:22:31 > 0:22:32where they belong.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35- Fish knives, very popular. - Very popular.
0:22:35 > 0:22:36£1,000 a set now.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40The fruit knives have always been the ugly sister of those sets.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Good luck! That's all I can say, good luck.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45They're going under the hammer at right now.
0:22:45 > 0:22:4812 place setting, Martin Hall. Nice bit of silver in these.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51We can't weigh it, but there is a nice bit of silver.
0:22:51 > 0:22:52Couple of hundred pound.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54Couple of hundred?
0:22:54 > 0:22:56150? One, start me.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58One I've got.
0:22:58 > 0:22:59One I got, one I got, 110.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01At 110.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03At 100, is there 10?
0:23:03 > 0:23:05120.
0:23:05 > 0:23:06130?
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Got 120. Is there 30?
0:23:09 > 0:23:11At £120, not quite enough.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14Is there 130 anywhere? Quick!
0:23:14 > 0:23:16- Not enough.- No.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18I mean, I do remember, ten years ago,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21getting £300, £400 a set at auction.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25So we took that into account, but I think just the wrong day.
0:23:25 > 0:23:26- Yeah.- OK.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29Yeah, tough thing to sell. I thought they would struggle.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33- But I had my fingers crossed for you.- So did I!
0:23:33 > 0:23:35What a shame for Sally and Chris,
0:23:35 > 0:23:38but maybe on another day they might do a bit better.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Going under the hammer now, we've got some cranberry glass.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44A little bit of Bohemia.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46- In fact, Ian, you paid £2 for this, didn't you?- Yes.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49We're going to turn that into, hopefully, £30 to £40.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51Why are you selling it now?
0:23:51 > 0:23:52Because I've had it,
0:23:52 > 0:23:56I don't collect glass, I just found it so attractive.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59- And you bought it cos was a bargain, really.- Yes, as well.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01- Let's face it, it was, wasn't it? - It's nice. It's very pretty.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03With a rather unusual silver collar around it.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06- So... - Good for you for spotting that,
0:24:06 > 0:24:09because it's a little bit of detail that will help get this one away.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11- Yeah.- And it's not too big.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13Some of them can be just too pretentious and showy.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16But this one is quite nice. So let's find out what the bidders think.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18It's going under the hammer right now.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20Cranberry glass vase.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22Nice bit of silver.
0:24:22 > 0:24:23At £20, I've got.
0:24:23 > 0:24:2525. 30, then?
0:24:25 > 0:24:2730. £30.
0:24:27 > 0:24:2932? 32.
0:24:29 > 0:24:3234? 34.
0:24:32 > 0:24:3636. At £34, am I done?
0:24:36 > 0:24:38Done. Hammer's gone down. You were spot on, really.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40Yeah, that was good.
0:24:40 > 0:24:41A confident valuation.
0:24:41 > 0:24:42- Happy with that?- Yes.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44On a £2 investment, I think it's brilliant.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47I wish we could all do that every day of the week.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Five. 30. 35. At £30.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Right now, we're all off to the cinema
0:24:53 > 0:24:56with David's early projector and the slides.
0:24:56 > 0:24:57Absolutely love this.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59David, I kind of envy you in a way
0:24:59 > 0:25:01because my dad never had one of these.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05It's the narration that I would think would be totally entertaining.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09- Wouldn't it?- I think we as children got a little bit fed up with them.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12- Of course.- Because we had them at every birthday party.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14Out they come, and at Christmas time.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16- I agree with the valuation. Good luck.- Hopefully.
0:25:16 > 0:25:17Let's find out what the bidders think.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19It's going under the hammer right now.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Tin-plate magic lantern
0:25:22 > 0:25:24with lots of slides,
0:25:24 > 0:25:26approximately 60 of them in total.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Somewhere around about £110?
0:25:29 > 0:25:31100, get me away.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34£60, then. 60, I got.
0:25:34 > 0:25:3670 anywhere? At £60.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38On the maiden bid. 70 anywhere?
0:25:38 > 0:25:40At £60. 60.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Is there 70? I want a little bit more. It's not quite enough.
0:25:43 > 0:25:44Is there 70...?
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Ladies and gentlemen, that's not quite enough.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50- Didn't sell.- What a shame. - That's mine...
0:25:50 > 0:25:52I nearly lowered the reserve.
0:25:52 > 0:25:53Reserves are a good thing.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55It is not worth giving it away for nothing,
0:25:55 > 0:25:59- cos you'll never buy it back. - We won't. Go in the loft again.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Well, I was thinking of entertaining the grandchildren.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05That's what you should be doing.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07Although David's grandkids may not thank me for that,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10let's hope we have better luck with our next lot.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14Going under the hammer right now,
0:26:14 > 0:26:16possibly with one of the oldest things in the entire sale.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19The George III half guinea, belonging to Sue.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22I absolutely love the story. I think it's lovely.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25- Obviously, valued for over melt. - I did that deliberately.- Good.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Because everybody's got their scrap hat on at the moment
0:26:28 > 0:26:31when it comes to gold and this is such a lovely coin
0:26:31 > 0:26:33and it is in very fine condition.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35I think it is. I think it's superb.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38One of the best I've seen, apart from the little edge.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40- And I could live with that. - I could. It's not on the face.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42We'll find out what the bidders think.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44It's going under the hammer right now.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47This is the gold George III half guinea.
0:26:47 > 0:26:491774.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53I can come straight in at 160 on it.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56At 160. I've got 170.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58180. 190.
0:26:58 > 0:26:59200. 210.
0:26:59 > 0:27:00220. 230.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03240. 250.
0:27:03 > 0:27:04At 250, is there 60?
0:27:04 > 0:27:07At £250...
0:27:07 > 0:27:08All done?
0:27:08 > 0:27:10£250.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12- Gosh.- Brilliant.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14The nice thing is we put it in over scrap.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16It's a coin collector's piece
0:27:16 > 0:27:18and someone's appreciated that here today.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22- Yes, it certainly won't go to melt. Stunning.- We'd no idea what it was.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24And that's the beauty of Flog It! -
0:27:24 > 0:27:27you get to find out all about your items,
0:27:27 > 0:27:31and enjoy spending the proceeds from the auction too.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35And coming up, don't miss out on the spectacular events
0:27:35 > 0:27:37that unfold at auction
0:27:37 > 0:27:39when we come back later on in the show.
0:27:39 > 0:27:40Yes, please.
0:27:40 > 0:27:4355.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45£60,000.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47This is a dream, really.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49And that's all to come!
0:27:49 > 0:27:52But first it's time to head back to our valuation day venue.
0:27:52 > 0:27:53All going and done.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57Longleat House is widely regarded as one of the best examples
0:27:57 > 0:28:00of Elizabethan architecture in the country.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03So, before I joined up with our experts to look for more antiques,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06I decided to take a closer look to find out
0:28:06 > 0:28:08why the house is so exceptional
0:28:08 > 0:28:11and to discover some of its hidden secrets.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24To understand how extraordinary a building like Longleat is,
0:28:24 > 0:28:28you really need to travel back in time, back to when it was built.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31It was in 1541 that Sir John Thynne,
0:28:31 > 0:28:34Steward to the Duke of Somerset,
0:28:34 > 0:28:37purchased the former priory at Longleat.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40During Medieval times, and indeed the Tudor period,
0:28:40 > 0:28:43the landed gentry and nobility lived in castles
0:28:43 > 0:28:46and fortified manor houses built around a courtyard.
0:28:46 > 0:28:51The focus was definitely inwards, the priority was defence.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53England was such a feudal society
0:28:53 > 0:28:56and the remit was fortified architecture.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59But all that was about to change.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03In 1558, Elizabeth I came to the throne.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08The new queen's religious and economic policies brought
0:29:08 > 0:29:12both relative peace and prosperity to the country.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17Queen Elizabeth I travelled around her kingdom a great deal.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20It was vital to show her presence,
0:29:20 > 0:29:23and ambitious members of her court were eager to accommodate her,
0:29:23 > 0:29:28and this sparked off a building frenzy known as "prodigy houses" -
0:29:28 > 0:29:31huge great mansions designed to enhance your reputation.
0:29:31 > 0:29:35It was a symbol of power and family permanence.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37Longleat was the first house in the country
0:29:37 > 0:29:41to be built opening outwards, the outside house.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44It was saying, "Look at me, I'm here to show off and impress."
0:29:44 > 0:29:49And as architecture goes, that's a supreme statement of confidence.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52But Longleat is also exceptional
0:29:52 > 0:29:56because Sir John was at the forefront of a design revolution
0:29:56 > 0:29:59known as the Italian Renaissance.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03Sir John created one of the first classical Renaissance palaces
0:30:03 > 0:30:08in England, a dominant feature of which are the windows.
0:30:08 > 0:30:12Back in the 1500s, glass was hugely expensive.
0:30:12 > 0:30:16In fact, if you moved house, you took your windows with you.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18And an architectural delight like this,
0:30:18 > 0:30:23with more windows than walls, was a statement of extreme wealth.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30'And in the Great Hall you can still see many original 16th century
0:30:30 > 0:30:33'features, including the elaborate wooden screen
0:30:33 > 0:30:36'under the minstrels' gallery.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43'And the bold hammer beam roof.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49'And to find out more about Sir John Thynne,
0:30:49 > 0:30:52'the driving force behind this Elizabethan wonder,
0:30:52 > 0:30:56'I've arranged to meet up with Dr Kate Harris,
0:30:56 > 0:30:59'curator of Longleat's historic collections,
0:30:59 > 0:31:02'in the temperature-controlled archives.'
0:31:02 > 0:31:06Kate, can you tell me a little bit about Sir John the builder?
0:31:06 > 0:31:10I suppose the most remarkable thing about him is the height
0:31:10 > 0:31:13to which he rose, the good luck
0:31:13 > 0:31:16of going to service with Protector Somerset.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18And Somerset, of course,
0:31:18 > 0:31:21was the most important patron of architecture
0:31:21 > 0:31:27at that period and had four or five really major projects on the go.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30Wow, so he's bringing all these elements here to Longleat.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33That's what the locals hated, that he brought a building style,
0:31:33 > 0:31:37a classical Renaissance building style, to his own house.
0:31:37 > 0:31:42They regarded it as a style that is befitting of a prince, no less,
0:31:42 > 0:31:47and completely not suitable for an upstart from Shropshire.
0:31:47 > 0:31:51- And are these the floor plans for Longleat?- These are plans of 1800.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54You can see just how complicated an interior was at this stage.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57- I can.- And the roofscape would have been that much more complicated
0:31:57 > 0:32:00as well because you've got a whole range of buildings
0:32:00 > 0:32:02within the court that you can look down on.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04Gosh, it's a maze when you look down on it!
0:32:04 > 0:32:07In the early 20th century they were still
0:32:07 > 0:32:10worrying their heads about how to sweep the chimneys.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12They had to have a diagram...
0:32:12 > 0:32:16so that they could be sure which flue connected to which hearth.
0:32:16 > 0:32:17They were cleaning the right one!
0:32:17 > 0:32:21- So they're all numbered...- OK. - ..with a key.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24- This dates from about 1912, 1915. - Oh, I see.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28So number 71 there would be the Red Library, so you look there
0:32:28 > 0:32:31and you think, "Right, I've got my roof plan, that's the one."
0:32:31 > 0:32:34It would be a good day to go up and look at the roof for yourself.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36I will do, I will do.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38'And what better way to get there
0:32:38 > 0:32:41'than up the original 16th century stairs?
0:32:41 > 0:32:45'Stairs that Elizabeth I might have used.'
0:32:49 > 0:32:52Well, no wonder the chimney sweeps were confused! Just look at that!
0:32:52 > 0:32:54Without a roof plan,
0:32:54 > 0:32:57you wouldn't know what room you were standing above.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02'This extraordinary late 16th century roofscape is
0:33:02 > 0:33:06'punctuated by a forest of chimneys and banqueting houses.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09'The Elizabethans liked to use roofs for recreation,
0:33:09 > 0:33:12'and banqueting houses provided a small,
0:33:12 > 0:33:17'secluded space containing a fireplace and chairs for relaxing.'
0:33:19 > 0:33:20Now put to other uses,
0:33:20 > 0:33:23this one actually now contains the bell tower.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27But originally this was where you came after dinner,
0:33:27 > 0:33:31maybe to take some spices, have a glass of wine, have an intimate
0:33:31 > 0:33:36conversation, and, of course, take in these stunning views.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38But unfortunately, a little later on,
0:33:38 > 0:33:42these banqueting houses gained a rather dubious reputation as
0:33:42 > 0:33:47a place of maybe too much privacy, if you know what I mean, wink-wink.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52'And privacy was something of an issue.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55'Downstairs, the layout of the main reception rooms
0:33:55 > 0:33:59'is pretty much the same as it was in the Elizabethan period.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02'One opulent room leads directly into another,
0:34:02 > 0:34:07'so the most important and richly decorated spaces had to be used
0:34:07 > 0:34:10'as a thoroughfare by all family, guests
0:34:10 > 0:34:12'and household servants alike.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19'This was also true of the most significant room in the house,
0:34:19 > 0:34:20'the long gallery.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25'An architectural feature that made its appearance
0:34:25 > 0:34:28'in grand houses of the Elizabethan era,
0:34:28 > 0:34:31'the long gallery soon became the centre of family life.'
0:34:33 > 0:34:38Used for entertaining and taking exercise on cold and wet days,
0:34:38 > 0:34:41the long gallery was also used for displaying art, and quite
0:34:41 > 0:34:46fittingly, the art on display here today brings us full circle.
0:34:46 > 0:34:51These beautiful, fragile tapestries are as old as the house.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55Dating back to the 16th century, in their day, items like these
0:34:55 > 0:34:59were priced more highly and valued more highly than paintings.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02And today they are one of the most priceless
0:35:02 > 0:35:05and precious artefacts in this magnificent house.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12Elizabethan houses like this one were built to enhance
0:35:12 > 0:35:16and carry your family's reputation forward for future generations,
0:35:16 > 0:35:18and considering all, I think
0:35:18 > 0:35:23that upstart John Thynne did a rather splendid job, don't you?
0:35:32 > 0:35:34'Back in the formal gardens,
0:35:34 > 0:35:37'the good people of Wiltshire are still arriving.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39'Let's head over to Michael now,
0:35:39 > 0:35:43'whose table is weighed down by a set of three family Bibles.'
0:35:43 > 0:35:46If we have a look inside...
0:35:46 > 0:35:51that's always promising. We've got a lovely period bookplate.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53And that would be for the original owner.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55And that's because when they were made,
0:35:55 > 0:35:58they were expensive books and you needed a mark of ownership.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00So, is that your family crest?
0:36:00 > 0:36:03- Have they been in your family for generations?- I would like
0:36:03 > 0:36:05- to claim it, yes, but no. - No.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09- So, how did you come by them? - My mum's neighbour passed away,
0:36:09 > 0:36:12so her daughter was going to throw them in the skip.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14- So she saved them from the skip. - She saved them from the skip.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18- And then we was over at my mum's one day...- Eight years later.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21..and she was going to throw them away, so we rescued them again.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24And the only reason she didn't was because she couldn't lift them
0:36:24 > 0:36:26to chuck them in the bin.
0:36:26 > 0:36:30Thank goodness for a nice, heavy volume!
0:36:30 > 0:36:31It's very nice, actually.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33We've got an inscription here -
0:36:33 > 0:36:38William Vigor, 1767.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41And if we look at the frontispiece there...
0:36:41 > 0:36:46There we go, the Christian's Family Bible - the Old and New Testaments.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49And there is the date of publication - 1767.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52So Mr Vigor, whoever he was, obviously bought them
0:36:52 > 0:36:54absolutely brand-new.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58The bindings would have been in absolutely full calf,
0:36:58 > 0:37:01fully tooled in gild, the most expensive bindings.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04And one factor is, if we leaf through this, it is
0:37:04 > 0:37:07always expensive to put illustrations into a book.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09It is much easier just to do the plain text.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12The artist has to engrave it, it has to be done separately.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15And there are lots of illustrations in this book,
0:37:15 > 0:37:18lots of lovely engravings. This one,
0:37:18 > 0:37:21we've got the Tribute Money from Matthew.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23And each one, funnily enough,
0:37:23 > 0:37:26is inscribed or dedicated to a different bishop.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30Which is a nice touch, with the bishop's arms there.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33And then if we turn over, we've got one more there.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37And we've got the Wise Men's offering.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40I wonder how much they'd offer for these?
0:37:40 > 0:37:43Have you decided to sell them so you don't get tempted to put them in the
0:37:43 > 0:37:46- skip as well?- No, we don't want them to get damaged any more.
0:37:46 > 0:37:47No, they're quite damaged now.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50We just don't like people leafing through them, to be quite honest.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53- Condition is an issue. - Yeah.
0:37:53 > 0:37:57Because to restore these books would be more money than
0:37:57 > 0:37:59they would be worth once they were restored.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03- Yeah.- People do collect Bibles, particularly in America.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06I think that's where these will probably have the best market.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10And somewhat depressingly, were they in pristine condition,
0:38:10 > 0:38:14we might be looking at many hundreds of pounds.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16Because it is a nice early edition.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19I think, with all of this damage and staining,
0:38:19 > 0:38:22we've got to be realistic and say £50 to £100.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25- So, if you are happy, we'll put them into the auction for you.- Yeah.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27The auctioneer will put them on the internet
0:38:27 > 0:38:31and the world will see them. That is quite a big market to sell to.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35And we'll see if we can catch ourselves a bidder.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44Hello, Nick, it's good to see you on this wonderfully sunny, hot day
0:38:44 > 0:38:46with your glorious teapot, which I just love.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50- What's the history of this one? - My grandfather on my mother's side
0:38:50 > 0:38:54was a captain in the Indian Army.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57And in approximately 1904
0:38:57 > 0:39:01he was seconded to an expedition into Tibet
0:39:01 > 0:39:04with a guy called Colonel Younghusband.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06And apparently it was quite a big affair,
0:39:06 > 0:39:08and during the course of that expedition,
0:39:08 > 0:39:13my grandfather came across this teapot in the Himalayas,
0:39:13 > 0:39:15wrapped in paper, in the snow.
0:39:15 > 0:39:20- OK!- And it was then inherited by my mother and when my mother died
0:39:20 > 0:39:23I inherited it. So that's the story that I got from my mother.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26OK. So he actually just found it wrapped up in the snow?
0:39:26 > 0:39:28- Apparently so.- Wow, OK.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31It's so obviously Tibetan. It has a slightly primitive look to it,
0:39:31 > 0:39:35- doesn't it?- Yes, I fear there's a few dents...
0:39:35 > 0:39:39- I was really surprised.- As to its original age, I have absolutely
0:39:39 > 0:39:42no idea at all and it's value, I have no idea.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45Yeah, well, obviously, he found it in the very days
0:39:45 > 0:39:48of the 20th century. It's going to date from the last part
0:39:48 > 0:39:51of the 19th century so it probably wasn't that old when he found it.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53- Right.- From my understanding,
0:39:53 > 0:39:57cos I think these were actually in fairly ordinary, daily use.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00I mean, it wasn't just sitting on the side waiting for high days
0:40:00 > 0:40:04and holidays when the family came round. I think they were used daily.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06My understanding would be the same.
0:40:06 > 0:40:10It's brass and silver, not quite so highly burnished at the moment,
0:40:10 > 0:40:13and you very often find with Tibetan items they've got this rather crude
0:40:13 > 0:40:15sort of brass embellishment on them.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19Makes them look very primitive but I think actually is charming.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22I think the story behind it is actually amazing
0:40:22 > 0:40:26and within that I'm sure there's a lot more history involved.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29You've obviously decided that it's time for it to find a new home?
0:40:29 > 0:40:33I think so. I have the story, I have the memories,
0:40:33 > 0:40:37- and that's perfectly OK for me. - No-one can take away the story
0:40:37 > 0:40:39and you've got other things that relate to that journey as well.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42- Absolutely.- I think it will sell fine at auction. My feeling is
0:40:42 > 0:40:46- probably 80-120, good old auctioneer's estimate, that.- Mm-hm.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49- Does that feel OK with you? - Yes, I would think so, yes.
0:40:49 > 0:40:54- I think a reserve perhaps of £80 with discretion on it.- Yeah.
0:40:54 > 0:40:55But it's a fascinating story
0:40:55 > 0:40:57and I'm sure there's an awful lot more behind that.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00- But I shall look forward to seeing you at the auction...- Thank you.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02..and watching it fly away.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06'A rather humble estimate by Claire, but her instincts about there
0:41:06 > 0:41:11'being more to the story and history of the piece are correct.
0:41:11 > 0:41:17'Photographs taken during the 1903 British expedition to Tibet
0:41:17 > 0:41:19'undertaken by Nick's grandfather
0:41:19 > 0:41:22'and led by Colonel Francis Younghusband
0:41:22 > 0:41:25'are thought to have depicted Mount Everest to westerners
0:41:25 > 0:41:27'for the very first time.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31'However, this expedition was effectively a temporary invasion
0:41:31 > 0:41:35'by British forces, possibly to counter feared Russian influence.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39'And around 3,000 Tibetans are thought to have been killed.
0:41:45 > 0:41:50'In terms of associated items, this area requires specialist knowledge.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54'But objects connected with the exploration of Tibet, and especially
0:41:54 > 0:41:58'this controversial expedition, are very collectable,
0:41:58 > 0:42:01'as we'll see later on in the programme.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07'But first, while some of our visitors
0:42:07 > 0:42:09'are enjoying a bit of shade,
0:42:09 > 0:42:13'Dee is putting her best foot forward in the topiary gardens.'
0:42:13 > 0:42:18Dee, thank you for bringing this wonderful large snuff box.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21Erm, before I tell you anything about it, what do you know?
0:42:21 > 0:42:25It's my partner's and apparently it belonged to his great aunt.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28It's a very unusual thing for a great aunt to own!
0:42:28 > 0:42:31- Was she a snuff box collector, or...?- No, I think it was part
0:42:31 > 0:42:34of a family of three, and that's the largest one.
0:42:34 > 0:42:36- Three, all shoes?- All shoes.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38It's certainly one of the largest ones I've seen.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42We've basically got a mahogany, solid mahogany body...
0:42:42 > 0:42:47- It is mahogany.- ..that's been carved as a lady's shoe.- Mm-hm.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50And then all of this very meticulous detail,
0:42:50 > 0:42:53all the seams, the buttoning, the decoration,
0:42:53 > 0:42:57- that's all done with little brass pins, and they're nailed in.- OK.
0:42:57 > 0:43:02It's a sort of pique work, which is gold inlaid in tortoiseshell.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06Same technique, small pins to form a decorative effect.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08So do you think this would have been a table snuff box?
0:43:08 > 0:43:10This is a table snuff box,
0:43:10 > 0:43:13unless you've got a giant's pocket to put it in.
0:43:13 > 0:43:17And you would have it on your table and gentlemen would partake of snuff
0:43:17 > 0:43:20at a particular point during the evening.
0:43:20 > 0:43:22But we've got a label there, that's interesting.
0:43:22 > 0:43:26Stuck on, so it's not period with it, but someone's written,
0:43:26 > 0:43:33- "Henry John Perkins, Fox White City Exhibition Circa 1875."- Yeah.
0:43:33 > 0:43:36Had I seen this without that date,
0:43:36 > 0:43:39I would have thought it's more likely to be 1840-1850.
0:43:39 > 0:43:43But we'll just call it a Victorian snuff box.
0:43:43 > 0:43:45Any idea of what the value might be?
0:43:45 > 0:43:47We have no idea.
0:43:47 > 0:43:51Because the small ones always make £100-£150,
0:43:51 > 0:43:54and this is such a big example, it's the biggest one I've seen,
0:43:54 > 0:43:58let's say £300-£500 and put a fixed reserve of £300 on it.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00Yeah, that'd be good.
0:44:00 > 0:44:02And then hopefully we'll see towards the top end.
0:44:02 > 0:44:04So if we do particularly well,
0:44:04 > 0:44:06any plans for what you'll do with the money?
0:44:06 > 0:44:08- We're going on holiday later this year.- Oh, marvellous.
0:44:08 > 0:44:11So we'd use the money to spoil the children...
0:44:11 > 0:44:13- Oh, that's brilliant. - ..and be completely frivolous.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16- Thank you so much for bringing it in.- You're welcome.- Thank you.
0:44:21 > 0:44:24Well, there you are, our experts have just made their final choices
0:44:24 > 0:44:27of items to take off to the sale room,
0:44:27 > 0:44:30so it's time to say farewell to our magnificent host location,
0:44:30 > 0:44:32Longleat House in Wiltshire,
0:44:32 > 0:44:35but right now we've got some unfinished business to do
0:44:35 > 0:44:38in the auction room, and here's a quick recap of all the items
0:44:38 > 0:44:40that are going under the hammer.
0:44:40 > 0:44:42'These illustrated family Bibles were saved from the skip
0:44:42 > 0:44:46not once but twice, so let's hope they find a new home.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51'We are all on tenterhooks with this teapot.
0:44:51 > 0:44:54'We've seen how the story starts, but where does it end?
0:44:54 > 0:44:59'Certainly not with an estimate of £80-120, I can tell you.
0:45:02 > 0:45:06'And last but definitely not least, this huge snuff box.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09'Let's hope we can raise lots of money for Dee's kids
0:45:09 > 0:45:11'to spend on their holiday.'
0:45:16 > 0:45:19'It's a full house in the sale room at Devizes,
0:45:19 > 0:45:22'and with the atmosphere building, it's time to see
0:45:22 > 0:45:26'if the mahogany snuff shoe walks out with a new owner.'
0:45:26 > 0:45:29Dee, good luck with the snuff shoe. Absolutely love this.
0:45:29 > 0:45:31I wish I did this valuation
0:45:31 > 0:45:34and at £300-£400, it's nothing to be sniffed at!
0:45:34 > 0:45:35Why are you selling it now?
0:45:35 > 0:45:38It just sits in the house. It's not doing any good.
0:45:38 > 0:45:41Didn't it inspire you to go out and buy more snuffboxes
0:45:41 > 0:45:42and start a little collection?
0:45:42 > 0:45:45Because, really, they look great on a shelf or display cabinet.
0:45:45 > 0:45:49- It's not my thing.- Not your thing? Let's see if we can get you
0:45:49 > 0:45:51to the top end of that estimate. Here we go.
0:45:51 > 0:45:55Very unusual table mull,
0:45:55 > 0:45:58in the form of a boot. Lovely thing.
0:45:58 > 0:46:01Somewhere around about £400?
0:46:01 > 0:46:04400, 3 start me, 2 get me going.
0:46:04 > 0:46:082 I've got. 210? 220. 230...
0:46:08 > 0:46:11It's a good start. It's a good start.
0:46:11 > 0:46:16250, 260. 270, 280.
0:46:16 > 0:46:203, 310, 320.
0:46:20 > 0:46:21At 310?
0:46:21 > 0:46:23All going!
0:46:23 > 0:46:25Yes, job done, hammer's gone down.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28- That was a good valuation. - That's great, thank you.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31- Thank you for bringing it in, as well.- Lovely.
0:46:33 > 0:46:37Going under the hammer right now - a set of three family Bibles
0:46:37 > 0:46:39dating back to the late 1700s, belonging to Kim
0:46:39 > 0:46:41who's right next to me. Good luck with these.
0:46:41 > 0:46:44I know this kind of thing is really hard to sell.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47I expect Michael has explained that at the valuation day,
0:46:47 > 0:46:50- but I think because of the age... - The quality...- ..and the quality...
0:46:50 > 0:46:53There's a market in America. I mean, they are more valuable
0:46:53 > 0:46:55when they're signed by the author,
0:46:55 > 0:46:58- but these aren't. But we'll see what we can do.- But I think they're good,
0:46:58 > 0:47:02they're the best I've seen. They're the best I've seen.
0:47:02 > 0:47:06If you polish them up, they look very tasty on a bookshelf.
0:47:06 > 0:47:0820, get me away?
0:47:08 > 0:47:1120, I've got. They're all three of them, remember. 20, I've got. 30.
0:47:11 > 0:47:1440. 50. 60.
0:47:14 > 0:47:1570? At £60.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18- They're gone. - Yeah.
0:47:18 > 0:47:20At £60...
0:47:20 > 0:47:22- Sold.- Yeah. - Miracles do happen.
0:47:24 > 0:47:26That was quite nice.
0:47:26 > 0:47:29- I'm pleased they've gone.- Yeah. - Tricky thing to sell.
0:47:31 > 0:47:34Now, on the preview day at the auction, I caught up with Alan to
0:47:34 > 0:47:39have a rather revealing chat about the lot we've all been waiting for.
0:47:42 > 0:47:45I think the most intriguing item to turn up at our valuation day
0:47:45 > 0:47:48had to be this Tibetan teapot, brought along by Nick,
0:47:48 > 0:47:51who had a few other things and some other items at home,
0:47:51 > 0:47:55part of a larger collection, that he's since decided to sell.
0:47:55 > 0:47:57He's brought them along to the auction room.
0:47:57 > 0:47:59I know, Alan, you've done some research.
0:47:59 > 0:48:01You've had these for a couple of weeks now.
0:48:01 > 0:48:03And it turns out they're part of
0:48:03 > 0:48:06- a very significant and important collection.- Yes.
0:48:06 > 0:48:07Talk me through what we've got.
0:48:07 > 0:48:10How many lots, and what sort of money's on them?
0:48:10 > 0:48:14- OK, starting with the photographs, we've put them into three lots.- OK.
0:48:14 > 0:48:17Because we could have made them an archive.
0:48:17 > 0:48:20But it would have made it probably quite an expensive archive.
0:48:20 > 0:48:22So, putting them into three lots...
0:48:22 > 0:48:24Gives a chance for other people...
0:48:24 > 0:48:27Yes. For two or three people to invest in them.
0:48:27 > 0:48:28Wonderful items of social history.
0:48:28 > 0:48:32They're extremely rare. What do you expect to get for the photographs?
0:48:32 > 0:48:3660-odd photos. Something in the region of £2,000-£3,000 per lot.
0:48:36 > 0:48:38That's a lot of money, isn't it?
0:48:38 > 0:48:40- Yes.- Were you happy with the teapots at £80?
0:48:40 > 0:48:45I tested the teapot. It has a very high silver content.
0:48:45 > 0:48:49- So we upped the reserve slightly... - To?- £300.
0:48:49 > 0:48:52OK, let's look at this little figure. I think she's stunning?
0:48:52 > 0:48:55She is absolutely stunning. We tested for silver.
0:48:55 > 0:48:59It's a very low-grade silver, if it is silver.
0:48:59 > 0:49:01But it's still an important artefact.
0:49:01 > 0:49:03There's a hole to test beneath.
0:49:03 > 0:49:06So we had to just leave it as "silvered".
0:49:06 > 0:49:10But, in terms of her quality, it's absolutely stunning.
0:49:10 > 0:49:14- How much do you expect this to fetch?- She could be a surprise.
0:49:14 > 0:49:17We've put a very conservative estimate.
0:49:17 > 0:49:21I think she's about £800-£1,200. That's come and buy me with bows on.
0:49:21 > 0:49:23Do you have a favourite?
0:49:23 > 0:49:26This little fellow here. I think this is so beautifully made.
0:49:26 > 0:49:27Condition is superb.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30The jewels, turquoise, rock crystals,
0:49:30 > 0:49:34and I think one of the fun things, on the back,
0:49:34 > 0:49:37and that's all the little skulls wrapped round his shoulders.
0:49:37 > 0:49:42- What a jolly little fellow!- Wow! What do you expect that to do?
0:49:42 > 0:49:46- Has there been a lot of interest? Interest from China?- Yeah.
0:49:46 > 0:49:50China, the rest of the world, United States, Canada, Britain.
0:49:50 > 0:49:54Conservatively, we put in 12,000-13,000.
0:49:54 > 0:49:57- 12,000-13,000 alone on this one? - Yes.
0:49:57 > 0:50:00And he is... I think that's a come-and-buy,
0:50:00 > 0:50:02I hope it's a come-and-buy.
0:50:02 > 0:50:05I can see it doubling, potentially trebling, that figure.
0:50:05 > 0:50:07- 30,000 for this alone?- Yeah.
0:50:07 > 0:50:09Which puts these at around 20 as well.
0:50:09 > 0:50:12So, really, really, we could be looking at...
0:50:12 > 0:50:15- We could be rocking and rolling! - We could be rocking and rolling.
0:50:15 > 0:50:17The teapot has turned into, what, £80,000 on a good day?
0:50:17 > 0:50:20And I expect you've done a lot of marketing as well.
0:50:20 > 0:50:24We've done a fair bit, Paul. It's been in Tibetan newspapers,
0:50:24 > 0:50:25Boston Times,
0:50:25 > 0:50:30Australian newspapers, Indian newspapers, Himalayan newspapers.
0:50:30 > 0:50:32- You name it.- The list goes on. - It's been there.
0:50:32 > 0:50:34You're a good auctioneer. That's what you have to do.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37We really want to make Nick as much money as possible.
0:50:37 > 0:50:39That's what we're here to do, isn't it?
0:50:39 > 0:50:41'It just goes to show, with pricing antiques,
0:50:41 > 0:50:43'it's not just about the item.
0:50:43 > 0:50:47'History and provenance can be incredibly important
0:50:47 > 0:50:50'in determining value.
0:50:50 > 0:50:53'And, as the big moment approached, I had a chat with Nick
0:50:53 > 0:50:57'to gauge his feelings on all of these exciting developments.'
0:50:57 > 0:50:59- Nick, it's good to see you again. - And you, Paul.
0:50:59 > 0:51:02Boy, that Tibetan teapot has certainly caused a stir!
0:51:02 > 0:51:05Were you aware how significant this collection was?
0:51:05 > 0:51:08No, in a word. I remember these things
0:51:08 > 0:51:11all the way through my life, really, childhood and so on.
0:51:11 > 0:51:15My wife was saying to me, "Perhaps you should sort of sell them."
0:51:15 > 0:51:19So, she saw the advert for Flog It! at Longleat.
0:51:19 > 0:51:21If I hadn't brought along the teapot,
0:51:21 > 0:51:24none of these items would have seen the light of day, I don't think.
0:51:24 > 0:51:27It's wonderful, documented social history,
0:51:27 > 0:51:30an expedition that hardly anybody knew about.
0:51:30 > 0:51:31At the preview day yesterday,
0:51:31 > 0:51:34there were experts from all over the country,
0:51:34 > 0:51:35from every museum you could imagine.
0:51:35 > 0:51:37I think these are going to go for a lot of money.
0:51:37 > 0:51:41Hopefully, it's going to be a day in your life to remember.
0:51:41 > 0:51:43'With the tension mounting in the saleroom,
0:51:43 > 0:51:47'Nick's first lot is about to go under the hammer.'
0:51:47 > 0:51:49I'm getting excited. I hope you are,
0:51:49 > 0:51:51because I think the numbers will add up right now.
0:51:51 > 0:51:54Please don't go away. We valued the teapot at Longleat,
0:51:54 > 0:51:57which led to the rest of the collection being brought along.
0:51:57 > 0:51:59Yeah, that's right, because I spotted the teapot,
0:51:59 > 0:52:02and then I understood that Nick had other items,
0:52:02 > 0:52:04so I advised him strongly to get them looked at and get some proper
0:52:04 > 0:52:08advice on them, because they're so specialised, lovely, lovely, things.
0:52:08 > 0:52:10And Alan has done a lot of research.
0:52:10 > 0:52:13He's contacted people in Nepal, China, all over the world,
0:52:13 > 0:52:15some of the greatest institutions
0:52:15 > 0:52:17are going to be on the phone and online.
0:52:17 > 0:52:19So fingers crossed.
0:52:19 > 0:52:21First lot, start me
0:52:21 > 0:52:23somewhere around about £4,000
0:52:23 > 0:52:26for this first group of photographs.
0:52:26 > 0:52:31- That's punchy!- £4,000? 3, start me. 2, get me away.
0:52:34 > 0:52:382,000, I'm in. 2,100, 2,200, 2,300,
0:52:38 > 0:52:422,400. 2,500, 2,600.
0:52:42 > 0:52:452,700, 2,700.
0:52:45 > 0:52:49They're having to wait for the confirmation on the phone.
0:52:49 > 0:52:503,500 with me.
0:52:50 > 0:52:533,600 anywhere else in the room?
0:52:53 > 0:52:573,650, 3,700. 3,800, back with you.
0:52:57 > 0:53:00£3,800. It's taking its time,
0:53:00 > 0:53:01because the bidders are making their
0:53:01 > 0:53:04minds up, bidding on the phone.
0:53:04 > 0:53:06I'm going to be good to you. 3,950.
0:53:06 > 0:53:104,050 with you, Brian.
0:53:10 > 0:53:11At 4,050.
0:53:11 > 0:53:14Is there 4,100 anywhere else?
0:53:14 > 0:53:16At 4,050.
0:53:18 > 0:53:21Yes, first lot done, at 4,050. Happy?
0:53:21 > 0:53:23That's very good!
0:53:23 > 0:53:25OK, here's the second group of photos.
0:53:25 > 0:53:281,500 I've got. 17?
0:53:28 > 0:53:342,300, 2,400, at 2,700, is there anybody else?
0:53:34 > 0:53:36- Not bad for 36 photographs!- No!
0:53:36 > 0:53:41'Not bad at all, Nick, and after the single group shot made £250,
0:53:41 > 0:53:45'just on its own, the last batch of pictures didn't disappoint.'
0:53:45 > 0:53:4917... 2,500.
0:53:49 > 0:53:502,800...
0:53:50 > 0:53:52- Suspense. - 3,000.
0:53:53 > 0:53:55They've gone.
0:53:55 > 0:53:58£3,000! That's fantastic.
0:53:58 > 0:54:04'Well, that adds up to £10,000 for the photographs alone.'
0:54:04 > 0:54:06This is the first of the figures. Here we go.
0:54:06 > 0:54:081,200, straight in.
0:54:08 > 0:54:11- That's good value for money. - 3? 4?
0:54:13 > 0:54:158?
0:54:15 > 0:54:17You can wake me up in a minute!
0:54:17 > 0:54:1920?
0:54:19 > 0:54:22Wow, we're making history here. You are a big part of this. Thank you.
0:54:22 > 0:54:2533? 34?
0:54:26 > 0:54:30Well, all I can say is thanks to you guys, really.
0:54:32 > 0:54:3537? 38?
0:54:35 > 0:54:36All going?
0:54:40 > 0:54:44'I think we're all bit shocked, and Claire's feeling emotional.'
0:54:44 > 0:54:46It hasn't finished. It really hasn't finished.
0:54:46 > 0:54:48We're going to have some more.
0:54:48 > 0:54:52'The next Tibetan deity went for £1,600,
0:54:52 > 0:54:58'and the gilt with epousee panel raised a very healthy £1,800.'
0:54:58 > 0:55:00All done.
0:55:00 > 0:55:03'But now, what about that very special item
0:55:03 > 0:55:06'that started this incredible story?'
0:55:06 > 0:55:08This is our teapot.
0:55:08 > 0:55:09This was actually where we came in.
0:55:09 > 0:55:12This was the beginning of the journey, yes.
0:55:12 > 0:55:15Interesting little thing.
0:55:15 > 0:55:17I think, probably, £1,200?
0:55:17 > 0:55:211,200, straight in. At 12, I've got.
0:55:21 > 0:55:22Oh, fantastic!
0:55:22 > 0:55:24Is there 14 anywhere else?
0:55:24 > 0:55:2714. 15, 16.
0:55:27 > 0:55:2917, 18,
0:55:29 > 0:55:3119 is back.
0:55:31 > 0:55:34Am I all done at £1,900?
0:55:34 > 0:55:36- £1,900.- That was good for a teapot!
0:55:36 > 0:55:40That's brilliant, that's amazing. Well above estimate.
0:55:40 > 0:55:43Slightly, slightly, yes!
0:55:43 > 0:55:46'And I think we're all very happy about that.'
0:55:48 > 0:55:50OK. Now, this is the big one.
0:55:50 > 0:55:53This is the one that I know the auction house has been waiting for,
0:55:53 > 0:55:55Alan, in particular. He really rates this.
0:55:55 > 0:55:58The deity, Mahakala.
0:55:58 > 0:56:02Let's say somewhere around about 25,000?
0:56:02 > 0:56:0425,000, straight in.
0:56:04 > 0:56:06Ho-ho-ho! Big bucks!
0:56:06 > 0:56:09At 25 I've got, 26.
0:56:11 > 0:56:1626? 27, 28.
0:56:16 > 0:56:1735.
0:56:18 > 0:56:22- 40?- What's going through your mind right now?
0:56:22 > 0:56:24Feels like a dream, really.
0:56:24 > 0:56:26Are you totting this up, thinking,
0:56:26 > 0:56:29"Gosh, I've got so much money, what am I going to do with it?!"
0:56:29 > 0:56:3255, 60.
0:56:32 > 0:56:34INAUDIBLE
0:56:34 > 0:56:3761. 62.
0:56:38 > 0:56:4263, 64, 65.
0:56:44 > 0:56:4666?
0:56:46 > 0:56:48At 65 here.
0:56:48 > 0:56:50For the first time.
0:56:51 > 0:56:53For the second time.
0:56:53 > 0:56:55At 65,000...
0:56:55 > 0:56:58- Done!- Well!
0:57:00 > 0:57:04That is the most expensive item we have ever sold on Flog It!
0:57:04 > 0:57:06- in 12 years, yes.- Really?
0:57:06 > 0:57:08You must be so happy!
0:57:08 > 0:57:11- Well, it's incredible.- You must be. Come on, come on. Talk to me.
0:57:11 > 0:57:14- It is fantastic, yes. Fantastic. - You're taking this very calmly.
0:57:14 > 0:57:17You should be jumping up and down, now.
0:57:17 > 0:57:20Well, my wife will actually do the jumping up and down bit,
0:57:20 > 0:57:22but it's actually surreal.
0:57:22 > 0:57:24I bet it is.
0:57:24 > 0:57:26Because I honestly thought,
0:57:26 > 0:57:30maybe a couple of hundred pounds from the teapot, you know?
0:57:30 > 0:57:34And the other bits and pieces... A few hundred. If I was lucky.
0:57:34 > 0:57:38- It just goes to show you the significance of this collection. - Absolutely.
0:57:38 > 0:57:41'And Nick isn't the only one pleased with this sale.'
0:57:43 > 0:57:46Fantastic sale, very, very pleased with it.
0:57:46 > 0:57:49The Tibetan things went absolutely beautifully.
0:57:49 > 0:57:53The photos and the teapot stayed in the United Kingdom.
0:57:53 > 0:57:55One lot went to Europe.
0:57:55 > 0:57:58The other lot went to Hong Kong where, hopefully,
0:57:58 > 0:58:02it will find its way back to Tibet, where it belongs.
0:58:02 > 0:58:06200 I've got, 220. 240, 260.
0:58:06 > 0:58:10280, 300. At £300, all going!
0:58:10 > 0:58:16We've certainly ended on a real high, here. £118,300.
0:58:16 > 0:58:19- That's incredible.- I know you've got commission to pay on that,
0:58:19 > 0:58:23but it's still an awful lot of money. That's a Flog It! best.
0:58:23 > 0:58:27- That has just made my year, it really has. It really has. - Excellent.
0:58:27 > 0:58:30What can I say? Sadly, we've run out of time here in Devizes, but see you
0:58:30 > 0:58:32next time, and hopefully,
0:58:32 > 0:58:35there's going to be many more big surprises. Stay with us.