0:00:05 > 0:00:08We are at the home of the British oyster industry,
0:00:08 > 0:00:11and later on, I will be getting hands-on with a conservation
0:00:11 > 0:00:15project that hopes to save this world-famous delicacy.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18We are in Essex. Welcome to "Flog It!".
0:00:42 > 0:00:44We will be back at the coast later on in the show,
0:00:44 > 0:00:46but right now, today's valuations
0:00:46 > 0:00:48are taking place at one of the county's
0:00:48 > 0:00:51most famous stately homes - Layer Marney Tower,
0:00:51 > 0:00:54Britain's tallest Tudor gatehouse.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59The tower rises an imposing 80 feet into the air.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01And hundreds of people have turned up here today
0:01:01 > 0:01:02from all over the surrounding area,
0:01:02 > 0:01:05hoping their antiques and collectibles will reach
0:01:05 > 0:01:08the dizzy heights in the auction room. But before all that,
0:01:08 > 0:01:12they're here to ask our experts that important question, which is...
0:01:12 > 0:01:16ALL: What's it worth?
0:01:16 > 0:01:19And the two people with the answer are our "Flog It!" experts.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Today, we've got the erudite, Elizabeth Talbot...
0:01:23 > 0:01:25That's lovely, a piece of history.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29- Are you looking to sell that, then, are you or...?- Yeah.- Yeah?
0:01:29 > 0:01:32..and the very knowledgeable Philip Serrell.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34What on earth is that worth?
0:01:38 > 0:01:40So, as the people of Essex take to their seats
0:01:40 > 0:01:43and our experts prepare for a busy day of valuations,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45let's look at what is coming up.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50We have something really exciting.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54It is a rare and intriguing picture by a troubled artist.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56It is quite coup for "Flog It!".
0:01:56 > 0:01:59I think there is a considerable amount of value here,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02because of its rarity and its story and its provenance.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06We have the rare, framed 1960s original
0:02:06 > 0:02:08collage by Kenneth Halliwell.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11See how it does in the saleroom later.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16The area I'm standing in right now is known as the holding bay.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19This is where the lucky owners are brought with their items to
0:02:19 > 0:02:21be researched before they hit the filming tables.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25And talking about the valuation tables, let's get straight over to
0:02:25 > 0:02:27Mr Phillip Serrell, our first expert,
0:02:27 > 0:02:29who's got a real gem on his hands.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31Let's take a closer look ourselves.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35- Charles, how are you? - I'm fine, thanks very much.
0:02:35 > 0:02:36Been waiting long today?
0:02:36 > 0:02:39All day, but it's been most enjoyable because there's a lot of fun,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42- nice people here today. - It might be worth it.
0:02:42 > 0:02:43What have you brought along, then?
0:02:43 > 0:02:48- Well, these are figures that I saw when I was in India.- Yeah.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50They represent various trades, as you see.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54And because I was in India towards the end of the Japanese campaign...
0:02:54 > 0:02:59- When would that have been? - That was in 1944, '45.- Yeah.
0:02:59 > 0:03:04And I was an engine fitter servicing aircraft that were being
0:03:04 > 0:03:07- used at the end of the... - Can I ask you a very rude question?
0:03:07 > 0:03:09- By all means.- How old are you?
0:03:09 > 0:03:12A week ago, I was 90.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14You're joking!
0:03:15 > 0:03:17- It's a fact.- 90?- 90.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19Well, I don't know what's in the water,
0:03:19 > 0:03:21but I think I could probably do with some. Really?
0:03:21 > 0:03:23That's remarkable, seriously.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27And I don't feel a day over 20, so... No, no, that's an exaggeration.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32Yes, 90. And when I came home, my fiancee at the time...
0:03:32 > 0:03:35We had visited an aunt who had recently been
0:03:35 > 0:03:36to a house clearance sale.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39- In India?- No, no, no, this was back in the UK.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42And she had bought these on spec.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45And because I was recently returned from India and I thought,
0:03:45 > 0:03:48"Oh, look, I recognise some of these people."
0:03:48 > 0:03:50She said, "Do you like them?" I said, "Yeah."
0:03:50 > 0:03:53- As she gave them to us. - Really?- Just like that.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55And so they have been in my possession,
0:03:55 > 0:03:57and my wife's, who has now passed away.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59- Yeah.- And they have been in my possession ever since.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01I think they're very much 20th century.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04Yes, do you think? Where might they have been made?
0:04:04 > 0:04:07I would think they were probably made in India.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10- They're made out of, I think, terracotta.- Yeah.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12And my guess is that they were made
0:04:12 > 0:04:15somewhere between about 1900 and 1920.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17They are all various named trades, are they?
0:04:17 > 0:04:21That's right, and their names on the little base. For instance, khansama.
0:04:21 > 0:04:22Khansama, what would khansama do?
0:04:22 > 0:04:24A sort of a waiter. There's probably a tray...
0:04:24 > 0:04:27- He's probably carrying a tray. - So he's carrying a tray.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29- Good facial features, aren't they?- Well, yes.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32- And little whiskers there.- Yeah.- And the modelling, I think, is excellent.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35I mean, for instance, that one is a water carrier.
0:04:35 > 0:04:36- Can I turn it around?- Yes.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39And that's a bhishti.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42Carrying the water in an animal skin.
0:04:42 > 0:04:43This is your favourite one?
0:04:43 > 0:04:48Well, I think this one. He's the groom, he's carrying a saddle.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50So, you have made your mind up, Charles,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53- that after all these years, it is time for them to go.- I think so.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Um, I don't think you are going to get rich on the proceeds.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01- I think they should carry an auction estimate of £80 to £120.- OK.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03I'd put a reserve on them of £80,
0:05:03 > 0:05:05give the auctioneer 10% discretion.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08And I think if you had a bit of luck, they might make 150.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10I actually think they're quite fun things.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13- Yes.- What I think is more remarkable is you, really.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16What was your happiest memory of India?
0:05:16 > 0:05:18We got...
0:05:18 > 0:05:23We got to know an Anglo-Indian family who made us welcome in their home.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26- Yeah.- And there were some very attractive girls there.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28- But they were all... - I'm going to stop you there.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30I think this is... Charles, this is a daytime programme,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32we can't go any further with your story.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36- It's beyond...- Let's just hope they sell well at the auction.- OK.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39Even at 90, you see, he has still got it in him.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Oh, I wish he had let him finish the story.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Interesting owner and interesting item.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46Now, over to Elizabeth,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49who was enjoying the wildlife in the rose garden.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Barbara, I love your little birds. Thank you for bringing them in.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Do they have a story behind them?
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Not really too much of a story from my point of view.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01I've almost sort of inherited them or I picked them out from an
0:06:01 > 0:06:05elderly neighbour who was getting rid of and anything you wanted, really.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08- So you chose these as your... - Yeah, it was a reminder of him
0:06:08 > 0:06:11- and, yeah, the happy times we'd had with him.- How lovely.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14- Yeah.- And are you a seamstress or a sewer at all?
0:06:14 > 0:06:17Um... A sewer. Or was a sewer, yeah.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21I mean, they are novelty pin cushions,
0:06:21 > 0:06:23which were a very popular element
0:06:23 > 0:06:27in the sewing box of Victorian ladies and Edwardian ladies.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29And right through to the First World War,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32you would find variations on novelty pin cushions.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34And the silver ones come in lots of natural forms.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36You get everything from elephants and hedgehogs
0:06:36 > 0:06:38to different sorts of birds. There are collectors
0:06:38 > 0:06:41who will sort of look specifically for some of the rarer models.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44But what I like about yours is that you've got two different sizes,
0:06:44 > 0:06:46you've got a nice little family here.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50They have obviously been, I think, re-stuffed
0:06:50 > 0:06:51and recovered at some time.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55I don't think that's necessarily the right fabric to the top.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Nonetheless, they have been preserved as little cushions,
0:06:58 > 0:06:59which is superb.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02And the assay marks tell me that they
0:07:02 > 0:07:06were made by the silversmiths company of Sampson Mordan.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10- Right.- A very famous manufacturer of particularly novelty
0:07:10 > 0:07:12and miniature items.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15And he was working right up until the First World War.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Right. Do you think a Birmingham assay?
0:07:18 > 0:07:19Because the chap who used to...
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Mr Walker came from Birmingham, the family were...
0:07:22 > 0:07:25- Interesting question, they are actually Chester.- Oh, right.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28They could have been Birmingham, but in this case, they are Chester.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32And the dates are 1912, 1914 and 1916, quite interestingly.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35- So, no rhyme or reason to that. - No.- Just fact, really.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37So, why are you parting with them?
0:07:37 > 0:07:41Well, first of all, the interest was to bring them here and see what
0:07:41 > 0:07:44you thought of them, if they were silver, and if they were, any value.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48- And I don't really think my children will be fighting over them.- OK.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51So it might be a thing to just, yeah, you know, move on and...
0:07:51 > 0:07:53- Part with at this stage.- Yeah. - Well, Barbara, I think realistically
0:07:53 > 0:07:57we should put those in to auction with an estimate of £100 to £150.
0:07:57 > 0:07:58OK, thank you.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01But I suggest that we place a reserve of £100 firm, or fixed,
0:08:01 > 0:08:05so that's the minimum that we would except on the day.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08- I think that is very fair... - Right, OK.- ..for you and for them.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11They're not the rarest of examples of novelty animals,
0:08:11 > 0:08:13but they are very charming, in lovely condition.
0:08:13 > 0:08:18- And I think 100 to 150 is a good expectation.- I think that's great.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20- Wonderful.- Thank you very much.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22Something for the collectors there.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25Now, those are not the only beautifully made small
0:08:25 > 0:08:27objects at Layer Marney Tower.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35Homes like this often have little hidden gems tucked away,
0:08:35 > 0:08:37and this is one of them. You can't miss it, though.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39It is a giant dolls' house.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42It would have been a real labour of love for the person who made it.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46It is called Mandalay and it was started in 1979
0:08:46 > 0:08:51by Miss Iris Patricia Kemp while she was waiting for a heart operation.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54Her father had seen a picture of a Georgian dolls' house
0:08:54 > 0:08:56in a magazine, so he copied it.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01He made the superstructure, the shell, and Iris did the rest.
0:09:01 > 0:09:06And the house just grew and grew and grew into 18 rooms.
0:09:06 > 0:09:07And it is all here!
0:09:07 > 0:09:09And when you stand back and look at the detail,
0:09:09 > 0:09:13it really is quite exquisite. There is so much going on in every room.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15And once she'd finished furnishing
0:09:15 > 0:09:19and decorating each room, she even created a family to live there.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21And she gave them all names.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23We've got Mrs Greenway, look, the cook,
0:09:23 > 0:09:25prepping the supper for the evening.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28And here, at the bottom of the stairs in his suit,
0:09:28 > 0:09:32that's Matthews, the butler, in charge of all the domestic staff,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34possibly the most important person in the house.
0:09:34 > 0:09:39Now, that is a fascinating piece of family history, a unique piece.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Now, let's join up with our experts.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43And hopefully, they're looking at something fascinating
0:09:43 > 0:09:44and unique as well.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50Philip has found something that makes him feel very much at home.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54- This is daft, you know, David.- What?
0:09:54 > 0:09:57- Well, because I have driven up from Worcester.- Yes, I know.- OK?
0:09:57 > 0:10:01And I've driven, what, 180 miles to be in Colchester.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04If I walk out my office and go 50 yards down the road, that is
0:10:04 > 0:10:07- where these were made.- Yes. - So, where did you get these from?
0:10:07 > 0:10:13- These belonged to my wife's grandmother.- Right, yeah.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17And, um, she passed them onto her daughter-in-law.
0:10:17 > 0:10:22And, um, so Chrissie's mother
0:10:22 > 0:10:24has asked us to bring them along to "Flog It!".
0:10:24 > 0:10:26I think they're lovely. They are really, really lovely.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30And, you know, you don't need to look at the mark too much,
0:10:30 > 0:10:33- cos I know exactly what they are. They are Royal Worcester.- Yes.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37They were made somewhere between 18... I would think,
0:10:37 > 0:10:42- '72, '75 and about 1880.- Yes.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46In terms of decoration, you know, they're almost Japanese
0:10:46 > 0:10:51in influence, with these ferns, the guilt ferns, and the insects.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53Very Japanesque in style, really.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55And that was the rage from about, I don't know,
0:10:55 > 0:10:571865 through to about 1880.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01- And I think this is beautiful. This is a dressing table set.- It is.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04Got a pair of candlesticks, a pair of little jars,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06probably for hat pins, two pots.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09This is a ring stand. And a little tray.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11If you want to be really picky,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14you've got some gilding that has rubbed around there.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17But this rich enamelling of these butterflies, I think,
0:11:17 > 0:11:19- is absolutely fantastic. And they are all different.- Yes.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22And it is all in good order as well, which is lovely.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25- I think you need to put it in at 200 to 300 estimate.- Right.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- And reserve it at 180. That's what I would do.- Yes.
0:11:28 > 0:11:29- And it will sell all day long.- Yes.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32And the real joy about it is, it's beautiful quality.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34Look at that lily there.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36- I know, it's just brilliant. - Is it a lily or an orchid?
0:11:36 > 0:11:38I'm not good on my flowers.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40- That's a lily.- Is it? Phew, that's a relief.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43I really, really hope that a private collector buys these
0:11:43 > 0:11:46and takes them home and enjoys them, because I think they are lovely.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49- I've got a feeling they might get broken up or split up.- Yes.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51But, you know, hey-ho. That's...
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Whatever makes the money for you, that's all that matters.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57When you think that Chrissie's grandmother bought this in 1920,
0:11:57 > 0:12:01or in the '20s, and evidently, she paid seven pounds.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03- That was a tump of money.- Wasn't it?
0:12:03 > 0:12:07- A huge amount of money. - That was a tump of money.- Yes.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09If it wasn't so hot, I'd work that out.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11- But we'll just settle for a lot of money.- Yeah.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13- I hope you get as much at auction.- Yes.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15- Thank you for coming along. - Thank you very much.- Cheers now.
0:12:15 > 0:12:20That Worcester set gives us a glimpse into a bygone era.
0:12:20 > 0:12:21Well, there you are,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24you have just seen our first three items ready to go off to auction.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28So, from the calm and the tranquil Layer Marney to the excitement
0:12:28 > 0:12:30and the unpredictability of the saleroom,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33let's put those valuations to the test.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35And here's a quick recap of what is going under the hammer.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Charles's marvellous collection of terracotta Indian figures is
0:12:41 > 0:12:44unusual, so it should be noticed at the auction room.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51The three silver pin cushions fashioned as birds are classic
0:12:51 > 0:12:53collector's items.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59And lastly, the glorious dressing table set
0:12:59 > 0:13:02from Philip's hometown of Worcester.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11For today's sale, we have travelled south to the town of Rayleigh
0:13:11 > 0:13:15and the auction house, which is packed with potential bidders.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18The man in charge today is Mark P Stacey,
0:13:18 > 0:13:21who is sharing the rostrum with his brother, Paul.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24I shall sell to you, sir, then, at ten pounds.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29We are starting with the collection of Indian figures.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31When I grew up, I wanted to be just like Charles,
0:13:31 > 0:13:33cos I think you're fabulous.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35- You are still playing tennis, aren't you?- Yes.- And you are 90.
0:13:35 > 0:13:40- I am taking up wing walking soon. - Wow!
0:13:40 > 0:13:42- I bet you could beat me at tennis as well.- Easily.- Yes, yes.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45- You're a keen, regular player, aren't you?- Absolutely.
0:13:45 > 0:13:46- I'm good at it, too.- Mm.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48Only I say that, of course, you wouldn't.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51I reckon this is a rare occasion where a vendor is older than
0:13:51 > 0:13:53the lot.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55You may well be right.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Talking about the lot, though, I do really like those ten Indians.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00- They are fun.- I know they're made for the export market,
0:14:00 > 0:14:02but there is something about them.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05The lot is going under the hammer, this is it. Here we go.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08Now we move to lot 530,
0:14:08 > 0:14:11a collection of ten assorted Indian painted clay figures.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13There we are. Very unusual.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16A commission bid, I have.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18Starting at £70.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22Commission bid at 70. At £70 with me. It's a commission bid.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Any advances now at 70?
0:14:24 > 0:14:26At £70 now, last opportunity, then.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29It is a commission bid and selling and 70...
0:14:30 > 0:14:32The hammer has gone down on £70.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36It was the lower end of estimate. That was fast and furious, Charles.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38Blink and you'll miss that one. Sorry it didn't get any higher.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Totally satisfied anyway,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43and it has been an enjoyable occasion,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46- a lot of fun, too.- It is great fun. Auctions are great fun.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48If you've got anything like that, we would love to see you.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Bring it along to one of our valuation days.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Details of up-and-coming dates and venues you can find on our BBC
0:14:53 > 0:14:55website or check the details in your local press.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58Dust them, down them, bring them in, and we'll flog them.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04What a fantastic man! Now, was that a joke about the wing walking?
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Now for some lovely porcelain.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11Going under the hammer now, we have our Royal Worcester dressing
0:15:11 > 0:15:13table set, belonging to Chrissie and David.
0:15:13 > 0:15:14David, good to see you again.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16I know, Chrissie, you have to rush off to work,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19but at least you could make the auction. I know these are yours.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22- They were grandmother's as well. - They were, yes.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25- Sad to see them go?- Yes, but they have been in a box for 27 years.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28- Doing absolutely nothing. - Absolutely.- Up in the loft.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31- So why not sell them?- Yep. - Let somebody else enjoy them.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33And on the day, we had our Royal Worcester expert with us,
0:15:33 > 0:15:35Mr Philip Serrell.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37- They should fly.- They should fly. - They should fly.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42A very nice Royal Worcester dressing table set enamelled
0:15:42 > 0:15:46in butterfly decoration on a blue ground, lovely lot there. Lot 715.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Commission bids, I have. Must start the bidding at £140.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51140 is bid. 150 anywhere?
0:15:51 > 0:15:55140. 150. 160. 170.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58At £170, advance if you wish at 170.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01I shall sell then at £170.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03It is a fair warning, I'm selling at 170.
0:16:06 > 0:16:07170 and sold.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09- It's gone down. - I'm disappointed in that.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12- Are you disappointed? - What were you hoping for, Philip?
0:16:12 > 0:16:16A difficult thing to sell because they are not fashionable. Um...
0:16:16 > 0:16:19But I think that someone could break those up
0:16:19 > 0:16:23and I thought they might have just topped 250, 280.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25But you have got to put the estimate right to get there.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27- Sure.- Absolutely.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30- You're happy, aren't you?- Yes, yes. - Absolutely.- Job done.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35Well, at least they may be staying together as a set.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38Just been joined by Barbara and our expert, Elizabeth.
0:16:38 > 0:16:39I am talking about collectibles,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42and of course, there is a market all over the world for collectibles.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45They buy online. Everyone is using the internet.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47They are texting each other and they are tweeting,
0:16:47 > 0:16:50exactly what we are doing right now with the little birds.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54But since the valuation day, I know we have still got that fixed
0:16:54 > 0:16:58- reserve, but you have put the value up slightly, haven't you?- I have.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00- And you have upped that reserve, haven't you?- I have, yes.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04- Why would you want to go cheap? - Cheap, cheap.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07These little novelty pin cushions are highly sought after.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10They are, and it is nice to have three, so I have high hopes
0:17:10 > 0:17:11- for them.- 200 to 300?
0:17:11 > 0:17:14- Yeah.- It should do it. So there is no worry, is there?
0:17:14 > 0:17:16You didn't have to worry about that.
0:17:16 > 0:17:17Let's find out what the bidders think,
0:17:17 > 0:17:19they are going under the hammer right now.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24We come now to the set of three graduated silver pin
0:17:24 > 0:17:27cushions in the form of hatching chicks. A nice lot, that one there.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Commission bids, I have. Must start the bidding here with me at £100.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33- Commission bid's at £100. - Straight in, Barbara, at £100.
0:17:33 > 0:17:34- Good.- 120.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37130. 140. Against you. 150.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41160. 170. 180. You're out.
0:17:41 > 0:17:42180, my bid.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45- Come on, come on, bid more, bid more.- Commission bid.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47£200, my bid, against you on the internet.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50- 210. 220, my bid.- Jump in, Paul.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53220 now. Finished on the internet?
0:17:53 > 0:17:55230 coming back in, 240 is my bid.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58At 240 now. Against you, internet bidder.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00- Commission bid's at 240, any advances, please?- Yes.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02There's a phone over there.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04260 is against you.
0:18:04 > 0:18:05270. 280.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Against you, sir, one more? 290.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11- 300, I have. - That's more like it, isn't it?
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Right, very good, yeah.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15310. 310 is on my left. 310 now.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17310 on my left, coming in on the phone.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19At 310 now.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22At 310 now. Bid's on my left. Are we all done?
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Fair warning, last chances, then, please. At £310.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Hammer's going down.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30- Exciting, thank you. - That is a sold sound.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32That was worth the wait, wasn't it? It really was.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34- You didn't have to worry. - Right, yeah.
0:18:34 > 0:18:35I was getting worried, thinking,
0:18:35 > 0:18:37"Have I done the right thing?" But, yeah.
0:18:37 > 0:18:42Those birds were very popular and got double the estimate.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44Well, some good results there and some very happy owners,
0:18:44 > 0:18:46and that is what it is all about.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48Our first visit to the auction room, done and dusted.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51We are coming back here later on in the programme, don't go away.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Now, Essex has become best known in recent years for its party
0:18:54 > 0:18:58culture, but it is also home to a very traditional industry,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00that of the oyster fishermen.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02It is a food that is enjoyed all over the world.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06But times are getting a lot harder for the men who catch them.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09I went to Mersey, which is just a few miles up the coast,
0:19:09 > 0:19:10to find out more.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26The Essex coast is one of the best places in the world to find oysters.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Richard Haward's family have been dredging oysters here on the
0:19:29 > 0:19:34Blackwater Estuary for generations, all the way back to 1792.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42And I am here to spend the day with Richard and his son, Bram.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44At this time of the year, it is
0:19:44 > 0:19:46actually illegal to fish for native oysters.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49So fishermen like Richard and Bram can only land their catch
0:19:49 > 0:19:52when there is a letter R in the month,
0:19:52 > 0:19:55so the season really runs from September until April.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58And as we are filming this in the heart of the summer,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00it's actually August, there is no fishing.
0:20:00 > 0:20:01But there is still plenty of work to do,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03and I'm going to help the guys out.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07So, Bram, what exactly do I need to do?
0:20:07 > 0:20:10- Put those on for a start? - Yep.- Keep nice and clean.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Today, it is not about going fishing,
0:20:17 > 0:20:20but tending to the stock of oysters growing in the estuary.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29What is a good catch? On a good day, how many oysters can you land?
0:20:29 > 0:20:34- Uh... 5,000, plus.- Really?- Yep. - That's a lot of oysters, isn't it?
0:20:34 > 0:20:37Yeah, it is a lot of oysters, but you do a lot of hours for that amount.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Dad loves it, doesn't he? I mean, he loves being here. Look at him.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44Even though he is past his time and age, he doesn't look it.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47- I started at four o'clock this morning.- Did you?
0:20:47 > 0:20:49So what are the hours for an oyster fisherman?
0:20:49 > 0:20:52- I started at four this morning. - You started at four?!- Yeah.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55- Why, because of the tide? - Tide, yeah. There's low tide then.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58I was hand picking them, picking them by hand.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00You can only really fish at low tide, then, can you?
0:21:00 > 0:21:03No, but when you go handpicking, you are obviously in the mud,
0:21:03 > 0:21:05picking them up by hand. Then you wait for the tide
0:21:05 > 0:21:07to come up, and then go catch them in the boat.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09- So you just make the most of it. - Yep.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13- When the boat can't get out, you do it.- Yeah.- Well, good on you.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16- Was Dad up at four?- Yeah, right(!)
0:21:23 > 0:21:25What are we going to be doing today, Richard?
0:21:25 > 0:21:27We're going to be catching, we hope, mainly small oysters,
0:21:27 > 0:21:30which we're going to take from here on the river
0:21:30 > 0:21:33and relay on our own beds in the creeks, where they should get
0:21:33 > 0:21:36better food and grow and fatten and make a much better oyster.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40- Is that something you have to do every season?- Well, yeah.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Some you can take straight out of the river, but they are rarely
0:21:43 > 0:21:45as good as anything you can produce in the creeks.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48That is the way it has been done for a long, long time.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52Richard's family are part of a conservation project to protect
0:21:52 > 0:21:56the rare British native oyster, which has been in decline for years.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00We are hardly catching any native oysters at all at the moment.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03We leave them there to spawn and then for the spawn to settle
0:22:03 > 0:22:06and become what we call spat and then grow,
0:22:06 > 0:22:09but that takes four to five years before they're big enough to sell.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12So it is a very, very long-term project.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16- Why are they in decline? - Probably overfishing years ago.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Combined with...predators.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Several things eat oysters, especially when they're young.
0:22:26 > 0:22:27Changes in the water,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30the quality of the water. A combination of all of those things.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34There were wild oyster beds all around the British Isles.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36A lot of those beds now are just nonexistent
0:22:36 > 0:22:39and have been probably for nearly 100 years.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42Obviously, you have been in business all your working lives,
0:22:42 > 0:22:45but, I mean, this family business goes back generations, doesn't it?
0:22:45 > 0:22:47- Yeah, I am the seventh, Bram's the eighth.- Yeah.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Hopefully, there'll be a ninth.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51Yeah, there will be a ninth, he's in training.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59This is time-consuming work.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02And when they are fishing, the boat will often be at sea for eight hours
0:23:02 > 0:23:07a day and may return with a catch of only 100 kilos of shellfish.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12And they need at least 150 kilos just to break even.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15What we've got here are rock oysters, and you can tell
0:23:15 > 0:23:17- they are cos they look like rocks, I guess.- That's right.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20Native oysters are sort of rounder and smoother.
0:23:20 > 0:23:21Yep, that's correct.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25So basically, what we are doing now is just separating oysters
0:23:25 > 0:23:27- that have got stuck together. - That's correct.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30Do you separate them because it would stunt their growth
0:23:30 > 0:23:31if they're stuck together?
0:23:31 > 0:23:33It will stunt their growth, make them grow a funny shape.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36And quite honestly, if you left them too late,
0:23:36 > 0:23:39- you wouldn't manage to part them into single oysters.- Really?
0:23:39 > 0:23:41I don't think I'm strong enough.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43It is jolly enjoyable on a day like this,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46- but obviously, you're out in all weathers.- Yes, in the middle of...
0:23:46 > 0:23:50And this gets rather difficult if it is pouring with rain and cold.
0:23:50 > 0:23:55And cold. The rain is not really a problem. The cold...
0:23:55 > 0:23:58The problem when you become an old man like me.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01- How old are you now? If you don't mind me asking.- 68.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04- And you are still working every single day.- Yeah.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07When do you think you'll retire? Will you ever retire?
0:24:07 > 0:24:09- My boy says never.- Never.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12- Well, Bram needs a hand, doesn't he? Let's face it.- Yep.
0:24:12 > 0:24:13For a few more years, anyway.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17- The trouble is I won't do what he tells me, so...- Is he in charge now?
0:24:17 > 0:24:18He's in charge of the boat, yeah.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28- So, this is your stretch of water? - It is, we own this bit of seabed.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31- How much of this seabed do you own? - We've got seven acres here.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Seven acres, that is a large area, isn't it? That really is.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37- And are there marker buoys showing where...?- We've got
0:24:37 > 0:24:41- marker buoys and we've got withes - sticks that mark what we've got.- OK.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44- So, I guess, we've got to get these back in the water?- Yep.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46OK, so just literally straight in?
0:24:46 > 0:24:49Well, slowly, don't go too quickly or else they'll end up in a heap.
0:24:49 > 0:24:50If you just...
0:24:52 > 0:24:55I see, cos you don't want them to land on top of each other.
0:24:55 > 0:24:56No, you want them spread out.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58So they are down there now for how many years?
0:24:58 > 0:25:01- Probably three or four, I would say. - Three or four years.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04- Can I do to this one?- Yes, you can do that one, but be careful.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06- Don't go with it.- No.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09- Welcome to your new home, guys.- Yep.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Where will these end up once they have been picked up?
0:25:12 > 0:25:13Where will they be sold to?
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Well, a lot of them we sell into London,
0:25:15 > 0:25:18because London is nearby, 60 miles, and a big sender.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21And we've got our own stall up there as well.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25Other than that, round the country, Middle East, Far East.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28- All over Europe?- A little bit, not so much at the moment, but...
0:25:30 > 0:25:32There you go, guys.
0:25:32 > 0:25:33The last one.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40There we are, that is the work done for today, but Richard
0:25:40 > 0:25:44and Bram will be back doing exactly the same thing tomorrow.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46I've had a marvellous time here helping these guys out.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48It couldn't be any better.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50And I think it is wonderful that generation after
0:25:50 > 0:25:54generation of the same family are keeping a local traditional
0:25:54 > 0:25:56industry well and truly alive.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58And long may it continue.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Welcome back to our valuation day here at Layer Marney Tower.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15And as you can see, we still have hundreds of people
0:26:15 > 0:26:18waiting to see our experts, so fingers crossed we are
0:26:18 > 0:26:21going to find some real gems right here, right now.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25So let's join up with our experts and take a look at our next item.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30You have brought a lovely historical piece in today, Jill.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34- What can you tell me about your cribbage board?- Not a lot, really.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38This was left with my mother's things, and we inherited it.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41And we were afraid that when anything happened to us,
0:26:41 > 0:26:44the children would just throw it away, they wouldn't be interested.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46- Just disregard it as "that old thing".- Yes, yes.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49At first glance, it looks a very sort of plain
0:26:49 > 0:26:53and straightforward piece of engine-cut brass.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55Cribbage boards have an interesting history.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59They were believed to be invented by a British soldier and poet
0:26:59 > 0:27:03called Sir John Suckling in the 17th century, so quite a long time ago.
0:27:03 > 0:27:08Um, and it was sort of a game, where you put in your little pegs, or
0:27:08 > 0:27:13even sort of pared down matchsticks, and keep score along the board.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17But obviously, you can score dominoes or card games with it.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20And it was adopted particularly on board ship
0:27:20 > 0:27:22and by military personnel.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24It is an easy to carry along game and you can sort of have
0:27:24 > 0:27:28lots of that, whiling away at boring hours in trenches, etc,
0:27:28 > 0:27:33and whilst on board ship, playing with your colleagues.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36Yours is late, it is a 20th-century piece of brass,
0:27:36 > 0:27:40which intrinsic, isn't worth a lot, it's not that unusual.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43But what makes yours special is the engraving right in the middle.
0:27:43 > 0:27:44And it is...
0:27:51 > 0:27:55Now, can you, via your mother, tell me anything about that?
0:27:55 > 0:27:56No, nothing at all.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59Is there any family connection to the ship or anything?
0:27:59 > 0:28:01- Not as far as I know, no.- OK.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03Well, certainly, to my knowledge,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06there have been several HMS Excellents
0:28:06 > 0:28:08through the years, over the centuries,
0:28:08 > 0:28:11and it has always been associated with being a training ship.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15Gunners would use it to practise their shooting
0:28:15 > 0:28:17skills from on board ship.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21And that was really what it was known as being.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23What it is is a little pocket...
0:28:23 > 0:28:28It's a slice of history there, ready for somebody to tap into.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31And in the current market, military and naval
0:28:31 > 0:28:34and British history is very much at the fore of people's consciences.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37A very popular field for collecting.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39So, it is a very modest piece,
0:28:39 > 0:28:42but actually it is quite a heart-warming piece, too.
0:28:42 > 0:28:47In terms of value, unless further research throws up
0:28:47 > 0:28:49a huge discrepancy, I think the value
0:28:49 > 0:28:51is actually going to be quite modest.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53I would think roundabout
0:28:53 > 0:28:56- sort of £30 to £50 at auction would be realistic.- That's fine.
0:28:56 > 0:28:57- Does that sound all right?- Yes.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00And we'll put a reserve on, if you would like one?
0:29:00 > 0:29:03- Yes.- A reserve? Lower end of the estimate, at £30.
0:29:03 > 0:29:04That would be fine.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07We'll fix it at 30, and then you've got peace of mind.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10- And we'll see what the response is to it.- Thank you.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13- Thank you for bringing it in. - Thank you very much.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17If only that cribbage board could talk, the stories it could tell.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21We've taken a step away from the valuations,
0:29:21 > 0:29:24which are taking place outside, in the glorious sunshine,
0:29:24 > 0:29:27to the shade of the great barn, a cooler part of the building,
0:29:27 > 0:29:29in fact, the oldest part of the estate here.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31And I've just been joined by Iris.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34And thank you so much for bringing in a Kenneth Halliwell collage,
0:29:34 > 0:29:36dated 1966.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39Now, I had the good fortune of filming with "Flog It!"
0:29:39 > 0:29:42recently about a playwright from Leicester called Joe Orton,
0:29:42 > 0:29:45who was Halliwell's live-in partner. And of course, Joe Orton,
0:29:45 > 0:29:48you know, one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century,
0:29:48 > 0:29:50tackled subjects which so many people were frightened to
0:29:50 > 0:29:54talk about on stage - What The Butler Saw, Loot, plays like that.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56Still very, very popular today.
0:29:56 > 0:30:01Now, while Orton's career was taking off, unfortunately...
0:30:01 > 0:30:04- Halliwell's was declining. - Halliwell's was declining, yes.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07What can you tell me about this and how did you come by it?
0:30:07 > 0:30:10We used to own a second-hand record shop in Ilford.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14And my partner and I went round to an elderly lady.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18And she had this above the mantelpiece.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21And I was quite fascinated by it, but I wasn't sure what it was.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25I went to look and I noticed it was Halliwell, and I questioned her.
0:30:25 > 0:30:29And she said that a neighbour was a friend of Joe Orton's
0:30:29 > 0:30:30- and Kenneth Halliwell's.- Right, OK.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33So I asked if she would be interested in selling it,
0:30:33 > 0:30:36because she seemed to need some money at the time.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38And she said, yes, she would be interested.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41- And I made her an offer and she accepted.- Right.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45- And have you had it on a wall ever since, enjoying this?- No.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48- I took it home and... - Where has it been?
0:30:48 > 0:30:50I considered putting it on the wall,
0:30:50 > 0:30:52but I thought it was a bit depressing.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55And I've got a cousin in Devon who said to me,
0:30:55 > 0:30:58"Do not put it on the wall because it is bad karma."
0:30:58 > 0:31:01- Really? - So it never ever went on the wall.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04What do you think is depressing about it? I...
0:31:04 > 0:31:06Structurally, I think it is very, very good.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09There are the eyes that stare at you.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11And I think the stairway doesn't lead anywhere.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13No, I don't think it's supposed to, really, is it?
0:31:13 > 0:31:15I think Halliwell felt his life...
0:31:15 > 0:31:18Was slightly trapped and he was going around in circles.
0:31:18 > 0:31:19And there was an exhibition, I think.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23Well, Orton's career really peaked in 1966, he persuaded Halliwell
0:31:23 > 0:31:26to have an exhibition on the King's Road of all his collages.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28This possibly would have been one of them.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31It's dated '66, it could have been for that exhibition.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33Possibly.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35- But sadly, none of his work sold.- No.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38And a year later, in '67,
0:31:38 > 0:31:40he killed Orton and then committed suicide...
0:31:40 > 0:31:42- That's right.- ..in his flat, in Islington, in North London.
0:31:42 > 0:31:43- In Noel Road.- Yes, yeah.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46I think he's a man with exceptional talent, actually,
0:31:46 > 0:31:49- and I think he's been overlooked. - Yes.- I really do.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51And I think there's a considerable amount of value here
0:31:51 > 0:31:55because of its rarity and its story and its provenance.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59My gut feeling is if you put this into auction with
0:31:59 > 0:32:03an estimate of around £800 to £1,200, I think it will sell.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05Yes.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08What's the least amount of money you would let this go for?
0:32:08 > 0:32:11Well, I think a reserve of 1,000 would be correct.
0:32:11 > 0:32:12OK.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16If we pitch that at 800 to 1,200 with a reserve at 800,
0:32:16 > 0:32:17would you be happy?
0:32:17 > 0:32:20I think...I think tucking it slightly under the £1,000 mark
0:32:20 > 0:32:24gives it a chance to get that £1,000.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27- Yes, yes, I agree.- Yeah?
0:32:27 > 0:32:29I'm confident it will get that.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31I think there will be a lot of interest
0:32:31 > 0:32:34because it's been a long time since one of these has gone on the market.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36- Yes. - And this is a particularly good one.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39- Hm. That'd be great.- Yeah.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42That's a really exciting picture to see
0:32:42 > 0:32:44and definitely one to watch at the auction.
0:32:44 > 0:32:45Now, back out in the sunshine,
0:32:45 > 0:32:49where Elizabeth has a table full of bright Staffordshire ware.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52Well, Lynn, if all, you've come dressed for the wedding.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54- You look beautiful.- Thank you.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57But you've actually taken your accessorizing to another level
0:32:57 > 0:33:01because you have brought along this amazing set to match your outfits.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03It wasn't planned, it just happened, honestly.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06A lot of hard work went into that, it's very beautiful.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10Well, thank you for coming along and bringing a coffee set with you.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12And do you know much about it?
0:33:12 > 0:33:18Not too much, just that I think it's probably 1930s
0:33:18 > 0:33:22and it came from a maiden aunt of my husband's.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26I noticed that it had Shelley on the bottom.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28And it is just very, very pretty.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30And, Yvonne, you know this set as well?
0:33:30 > 0:33:33I don't know the set, but I do know Auntie Dot,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36and she was a lovely, gentle lady,
0:33:36 > 0:33:40very quiet and just a lady, really.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44But Lynn was very kind. She knows I was desperate to get on the show.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48So she found this treasure to bring.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50So you are both getting something out of the day today.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52- Yes, definitely, definitely.- Good!
0:33:52 > 0:33:56The Shelley which I suppose we all think of is the bright
0:33:56 > 0:34:00- and colourful, avant-garde pieces. - The different handles, yes.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04Which were running parallel with the Art Deco period
0:34:04 > 0:34:07that was so strong in the design world at that stage.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11Now, what you have here is a service which is...
0:34:11 > 0:34:14- I know you know the name of the flowers.- Anemones.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17Well, this is actually the Anemone pattern.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21And the name of the shape of both the cups
0:34:21 > 0:34:24and the coffee pot is the Vincent shape.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28Seeing it here on this beautiful day, the sunshine coming down.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31- On the lovely blue cloth. - It just seems...
0:34:31 > 0:34:35I mean, it's in lovely condition and it's very English and it just...
0:34:35 > 0:34:38It is very happy, a happy service.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41Having seen it all spread out now, can you bear to part with it?
0:34:41 > 0:34:44Yes, I can. Yes.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47I think we're looking at round about £100 to £150
0:34:47 > 0:34:48within total.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51- Does that sort of still suit you? - Yeah, I haven't...
0:34:51 > 0:34:54Up until I was going to bring it, I wondered if it would only be
0:34:54 > 0:34:58sort of worth about £60, something like that, so that's...
0:34:58 > 0:34:59It should be worth more than that.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03And I think if it doesn't reach £100, I would certainly not
0:35:03 > 0:35:06- worry about hanging onto it for a little while longer.- OK.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09- Another visit to "Flog It!". - Yes, another visit, yay!
0:35:09 > 0:35:12- So if we put it through... If you are happy to sell it at that.- Yes.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14A £100, £150 estimate.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16We'll set a reserve on it of 100,
0:35:16 > 0:35:19so you've got peace of mind on the day.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23And we'll see what we do on the day. Does that suit you?
0:35:23 > 0:35:25That would be absolutely wonderful, thank you.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27Thank you so much for bringing it in
0:35:27 > 0:35:29- and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.- I'm sure we will,
0:35:29 > 0:35:32- thank you.- Thank you. - Thank you very much.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36I wonder if we are going to see them both at the auction.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39Well, there you are, our experts have now made their final
0:35:39 > 0:35:41choices of items to take off to auction.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44And I think there could be one or two surprises there.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48So sadly, it is time to say goodbye to our magnificent host
0:35:48 > 0:35:49location, Layer Marney Tower.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52Right now, we've got some unfinished business to do in the saleroom.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56And here is a quick recap of all the items we are taking with us.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01This cribbage board with its inscription really is
0:36:01 > 0:36:02a little piece of history.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09And I'm looking forward to seeing how this Kenneth Halliwell
0:36:09 > 0:36:11collage does in the saleroom.
0:36:16 > 0:36:18It's pretty, it's Shelley and it's not a lot of money,
0:36:18 > 0:36:21so we will be saying goodbye to Lynn's coffee set.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29We are heading back to Rayleigh, in Essex,
0:36:29 > 0:36:31where our sale is taking place.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34Let's now find out what auctioneer Paul Stacey
0:36:34 > 0:36:36makes of the Halliwell collage.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40I love this. I really do. If I could own this, I'd love to buy it.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44It belongs to Iris. It is, as you know, a Kenneth Halliwell collage.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47And I had the fortune of finding out about Kenneth Halliwell
0:36:47 > 0:36:50and his partner, Joe Orton, when I did a piece for "Flog It!"
0:36:50 > 0:36:51about six months ago.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54And I went to the museum in Islington,
0:36:54 > 0:36:57where there's a large collection of his work.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01I never thought I would see an original come on the market
0:37:01 > 0:37:06in my life, so for me, this is a great "Flog It!" find.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10It's...it's a very rare thing, with so much history behind it.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13It is a definite winner, there is no doubt about that at all.
0:37:13 > 0:37:17- How many phone lines have you got booked?- Three at the moment.- Great.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20And I think there is... You know, potentially there could be
0:37:20 > 0:37:24other buyers that also just come just purely to buy this,
0:37:24 > 0:37:26because it is such a unique thing.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29Halliwell did without a doubt live on the edge anyway.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31Um... And everything else.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35I think the whole thing is fantastic, very, very interesting.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38- Unique thing. It's going to do very, very well.- Yeah.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40Good luck with that. Well, I don't need to say good luck, really,
0:37:40 > 0:37:42it is going to sell itself.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44- It's going to be good, yeah. - Just wait for the surprise.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47Whatever you do, don't go away, this could get very interesting.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49Stay tuned.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52But before we find out how it does, we have a couple of other items
0:37:52 > 0:37:54to go under the hammer.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Our next item isn't a great deal of money,
0:37:57 > 0:37:58but it is a great deal of fun
0:37:58 > 0:38:01and you can get a great deal of use out of it if you play games,
0:38:01 > 0:38:04especially cribbage. Because it was made, wasn't it, Jill,
0:38:04 > 0:38:07- as a cribbage board?- Yes, that's right.- It is machine polished.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10- It is a nice piece of brass.- Yep. - But you can score with other games.
0:38:10 > 0:38:14I use them for dominoes and things like that, lots of family fun.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16And not a lot of money, so hopefully,
0:38:16 > 0:38:19- someone is going to buy this and put it to use. Here we go.- Hope so.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21It's going under the hammer now.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24Moving now to 560.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28We have a brass peg cribbage board with the inscription
0:38:28 > 0:38:30HMS Excellent, 1916.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33Commission bids, I have, straight in at...
0:38:33 > 0:38:37- Commission bid!- Yes!- £38 is bid. It's a commission bid with me at 38.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40Any advances now? 38 is bid,
0:38:40 > 0:38:4240 we are looking for. 40, thank you, sir.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45Back of the room at £40. 42.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48One more takes it if you want it, sir. 45 now.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52Back of the room at £45 and selling. Are we all done?
0:38:53 > 0:38:55- Yes!- That was all right. - It was good, wasn't it?
0:38:55 > 0:38:58- Thank you very much. - Someone... Well done.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00- Someone is going to put that to use. - Yes. Thank you.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02That is an excellent start.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04Let's hope it's a sign of things to come.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09Next, we have something that does not quite fit the mould.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12OK, normally on the show, we are selling Shelley tea sets,
0:39:12 > 0:39:15but right now we are selling a Shelley coffee set.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17It is going under the hammer and it belongs to Lynn,
0:39:17 > 0:39:20who's right next to me. Hello. And I know you are here with Yvonne.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22- You are best friends?- We are. - You are both at the valuation day.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25I think it is a first for us on the Shelley coffee set.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27- Is it really? - We have had hundreds of tea sets.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30It is a quite modern issue, but it has such a bright and vibrant
0:39:30 > 0:39:33pattern and lovely tradition, and it is a Vincent shape, so hopefully...
0:39:33 > 0:39:36- And it should draw in the bidders. - I hope so.- OK. And it is complete.
0:39:36 > 0:39:37Let's find out what they think.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39It's going under the hammer right now.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41Good luck, girls. This is it.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45We come now to a decorative Shelley patterned coffee set, as catalogued.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48Where are we going to be? Let's get going at £90.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50£90 straight in. £90 is bid.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52Thank you. 95 anywhere?
0:39:52 > 0:39:5595. 100. 110. 120.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58120 on the commissions. 130 anywhere?
0:39:58 > 0:40:02Coming in, madam? 130, thank you. 140 is against you. 140. 150.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06160 is with me. Against you at £160 now.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08It is my commission bid against you in the room.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11I am selling on the commissions at £160.
0:40:11 > 0:40:12Hammer is going down.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16- There you are, it's gone. Sold. - That's great.- That's brilliant.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19- That is brilliant.- We are happy, you're happy. Great valuation.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21So, you've experienced the valuation day.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23They saw the whole process go through.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26- You have now witnessed the auction. - Yes.- Wonderful.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28- And you are going home happy? - We are, very happy.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30We've had wonderful days out.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34And it made a little over the top estimate for them.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37Well, it has been a long wait, but it is my turn to be the expert.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40Yes, we are talking about the Halliwell collage.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42Iris has just joined me in this packed saleroom.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45- I tell you what, it is getting hotter by the minute.- It is.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47Especially as our lot is going under the hammer.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50- What is going through your mind right now?- I'm just nervous.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52Are you? I'm nervous for you as well.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54Look, I know it is going to sell.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56I've got in contact with the museum in Islington.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59And I know there are three phone lines booked.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01I had a chat to the auctioneer on the preview day
0:41:01 > 0:41:03and he is very excited about it.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07- He has had lots and lots of interest.- That's really good.- So...
0:41:07 > 0:41:10Iris, I think you could be doing a little dancing.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12You are in the money. Well, are you ready for this, Iris?
0:41:12 > 0:41:14- I certainly am.- So am I.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16Let's hand the proceedings over to the auctioneer
0:41:16 > 0:41:20and find out exactly what the bidders, what the phone lines
0:41:20 > 0:41:21and what the internet thinks.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23Let's get some big money. Here we go.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29We have the rare, framed 1960s original
0:41:29 > 0:41:31collage by Kenneth Halliwell.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33Shall we say about 500 to start?
0:41:33 > 0:41:36500 anywhere? 500 I have got straight in, thank you.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39600. 650.
0:41:39 > 0:41:43700. 750. 800. 850.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46900. 950.
0:41:46 > 0:41:491,000. 1,100.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52At £1,100 now. Gentleman standing at 1,100.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55- At 1,100...- It could be going in the room, it could be going in the room.
0:41:55 > 0:41:571,100.
0:41:57 > 0:41:591,200. Against you.
0:41:59 > 0:42:011,300. 1,400.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03- 1,500.- We've got a phone line now.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06We've got a phone line coming in. This is getting exciting.
0:42:06 > 0:42:081,600.
0:42:08 > 0:42:101,800.
0:42:10 > 0:42:111,900.
0:42:11 > 0:42:132,000.
0:42:13 > 0:42:142,200.
0:42:14 > 0:42:162,400.
0:42:16 > 0:42:172,600.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20- What is going through your mind right now?- It's amazing.
0:42:20 > 0:42:24At 2,600, for the last time, are we all done and selling?
0:42:24 > 0:42:2627. 28 I'll take, sir.
0:42:26 > 0:42:272,800.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29From the museum, with the 2,800.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32For the last time and selling at 2,800...
0:42:32 > 0:42:34Your sale, well done.
0:42:34 > 0:42:35Thank you.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38£2,800 for Iris!
0:42:38 > 0:42:40Oh! What is going through your mind?
0:42:40 > 0:42:42- It's brilliant.- Yeah?- Brilliant.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44Oh, how exciting was that? I told you there was going to be
0:42:44 > 0:42:47a surprise. We have Mark joining us now from the museum.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50I interviewed Mark a few months ago. This is Mark from the museum
0:42:50 > 0:42:52in Islington. Come in. You were the lucky buyer.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55- Phew! It was close, wasn't it? - It was close, we were a bit worried.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57- You got to your threshold nearly, didn't you?- Very near.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00- An extra hundred. How about that? - Well, I'm delighted.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03- This is the lady who has owned it for the last two years.- Oh, really?
0:43:03 > 0:43:07Thank you very much, Iris. I appreciate it for the museum.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10And the good news is, everybody can go and see it.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12You can go to Islington, you can see the museum there.
0:43:12 > 0:43:14We've been there on "Flog It!", it is well worth it.
0:43:14 > 0:43:16And, Iris, thank you so much for looking after it.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18- And enjoy that money, won't you? - I will.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20I hope you've enjoyed today's show.
0:43:20 > 0:43:22Please join us again for many more surprises.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25But right now, from Essex, it doesn't get any better than this.
0:43:25 > 0:43:26Goodbye.