Essex 57 Flog It!

We are at the home of the British oyster industry,

and later on, I will be getting hands-on with a conservation

project that hopes to save this world-famous delicacy.

We are in Essex. Welcome to "Flog It!".

We will be back at the coast later on in the show,

but right now, today's valuations

are taking place at one of the county's

most famous stately homes - Layer Marney Tower,

Britain's tallest Tudor gatehouse.

The tower rises an imposing 80 feet into the air.

And hundreds of people have turned up here today

from all over the surrounding area,

hoping their antiques and collectibles will reach

the dizzy heights in the auction room. But before all that,

they're here to ask our experts that important question, which is...

ALL: What's it worth?

And the two people with the answer are our "Flog It!" experts.

Today, we've got the erudite, Elizabeth Talbot...

That's lovely, a piece of history.

-Are you looking to sell that, then, are you or...?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

..and the very knowledgeable Philip Serrell.

What on earth is that worth?

So, as the people of Essex take to their seats

and our experts prepare for a busy day of valuations,

let's look at what is coming up.

We have something really exciting.

It is a rare and intriguing picture by a troubled artist.

It is quite coup for "Flog It!".

I think there is a considerable amount of value here,

because of its rarity and its story and its provenance.

We have the rare, framed 1960s original

collage by Kenneth Halliwell.

See how it does in the saleroom later.

The area I'm standing in right now is known as the holding bay.

This is where the lucky owners are brought with their items to

be researched before they hit the filming tables.

And talking about the valuation tables, let's get straight over to

Mr Phillip Serrell, our first expert,

who's got a real gem on his hands.

Let's take a closer look ourselves.

-Charles, how are you?

-I'm fine, thanks very much.

Been waiting long today?

All day, but it's been most enjoyable because there's a lot of fun,

-nice people here today.

-It might be worth it.

What have you brought along, then?

-Well, these are figures that I saw when I was in India.

-Yeah.

They represent various trades, as you see.

And because I was in India towards the end of the Japanese campaign...

-When would that have been?

-That was in 1944, '45.

-Yeah.

And I was an engine fitter servicing aircraft that were being

-used at the end of the...

-Can I ask you a very rude question?

-By all means.

-How old are you?

A week ago, I was 90.

You're joking!

-It's a fact.

-90?

-90.

Well, I don't know what's in the water,

but I think I could probably do with some. Really?

That's remarkable, seriously.

And I don't feel a day over 20, so... No, no, that's an exaggeration.

Yes, 90. And when I came home, my fiancee at the time...

We had visited an aunt who had recently been

to a house clearance sale.

-In India?

-No, no, no, this was back in the UK.

And she had bought these on spec.

And because I was recently returned from India and I thought,

"Oh, look, I recognise some of these people."

She said, "Do you like them?" I said, "Yeah."

-As she gave them to us.

-Really?

-Just like that.

And so they have been in my possession,

and my wife's, who has now passed away.

-Yeah.

-And they have been in my possession ever since.

I think they're very much 20th century.

Yes, do you think? Where might they have been made?

I would think they were probably made in India.

-They're made out of, I think, terracotta.

-Yeah.

And my guess is that they were made

somewhere between about 1900 and 1920.

They are all various named trades, are they?

That's right, and their names on the little base. For instance, khansama.

Khansama, what would khansama do?

A sort of a waiter. There's probably a tray...

-He's probably carrying a tray.

-So he's carrying a tray.

-Good facial features, aren't they?

-Well, yes.

-And little whiskers there.

-Yeah.

-And the modelling, I think, is excellent.

I mean, for instance, that one is a water carrier.

-Can I turn it around?

-Yes.

And that's a bhishti.

Carrying the water in an animal skin.

This is your favourite one?

Well, I think this one. He's the groom, he's carrying a saddle.

So, you have made your mind up, Charles,

-that after all these years, it is time for them to go.

-I think so.

Um, I don't think you are going to get rich on the proceeds.

-I think they should carry an auction estimate of £80 to £120.

-OK.

I'd put a reserve on them of £80,

give the auctioneer 10% discretion.

And I think if you had a bit of luck, they might make 150.

I actually think they're quite fun things.

-Yes.

-What I think is more remarkable is you, really.

What was your happiest memory of India?

We got...

We got to know an Anglo-Indian family who made us welcome in their home.

-Yeah.

-And there were some very attractive girls there.

-But they were all...

-I'm going to stop you there.

I think this is... Charles, this is a daytime programme,

we can't go any further with your story.

-It's beyond...

-Let's just hope they sell well at the auction.

-OK.

Even at 90, you see, he has still got it in him.

Oh, I wish he had let him finish the story.

Interesting owner and interesting item.

Now, over to Elizabeth,

who was enjoying the wildlife in the rose garden.

Barbara, I love your little birds. Thank you for bringing them in.

Do they have a story behind them?

Not really too much of a story from my point of view.

I've almost sort of inherited them or I picked them out from an

elderly neighbour who was getting rid of and anything you wanted, really.

-So you chose these as your...

-Yeah, it was a reminder of him

-and, yeah, the happy times we'd had with him.

-How lovely.

-Yeah.

-And are you a seamstress or a sewer at all?

Um... A sewer. Or was a sewer, yeah.

I mean, they are novelty pin cushions,

which were a very popular element

in the sewing box of Victorian ladies and Edwardian ladies.

And right through to the First World War,

you would find variations on novelty pin cushions.

And the silver ones come in lots of natural forms.

You get everything from elephants and hedgehogs

to different sorts of birds. There are collectors

who will sort of look specifically for some of the rarer models.

But what I like about yours is that you've got two different sizes,

you've got a nice little family here.

They have obviously been, I think, re-stuffed

and recovered at some time.

I don't think that's necessarily the right fabric to the top.

Nonetheless, they have been preserved as little cushions,

which is superb.

And the assay marks tell me that they

were made by the silversmiths company of Sampson Mordan.

-Right.

-A very famous manufacturer of particularly novelty

and miniature items.

And he was working right up until the First World War.

Right. Do you think a Birmingham assay?

Because the chap who used to...

Mr Walker came from Birmingham, the family were...

-Interesting question, they are actually Chester.

-Oh, right.

They could have been Birmingham, but in this case, they are Chester.

And the dates are 1912, 1914 and 1916, quite interestingly.

-So, no rhyme or reason to that.

-No.

-Just fact, really.

So, why are you parting with them?

Well, first of all, the interest was to bring them here and see what

you thought of them, if they were silver, and if they were, any value.

-And I don't really think my children will be fighting over them.

-OK.

So it might be a thing to just, yeah, you know, move on and...

-Part with at this stage.

-Yeah.

-Well, Barbara, I think realistically

we should put those in to auction with an estimate of £100 to £150.

OK, thank you.

But I suggest that we place a reserve of £100 firm, or fixed,

so that's the minimum that we would except on the day.

-I think that is very fair...

-Right, OK.

-..for you and for them.

They're not the rarest of examples of novelty animals,

but they are very charming, in lovely condition.

-And I think 100 to 150 is a good expectation.

-I think that's great.

-Wonderful.

-Thank you very much.

Something for the collectors there.

Now, those are not the only beautifully made small

objects at Layer Marney Tower.

Homes like this often have little hidden gems tucked away,

and this is one of them. You can't miss it, though.

It is a giant dolls' house.

It would have been a real labour of love for the person who made it.

It is called Mandalay and it was started in 1979

by Miss Iris Patricia Kemp while she was waiting for a heart operation.

Her father had seen a picture of a Georgian dolls' house

in a magazine, so he copied it.

He made the superstructure, the shell, and Iris did the rest.

And the house just grew and grew and grew into 18 rooms.

And it is all here!

And when you stand back and look at the detail,

it really is quite exquisite. There is so much going on in every room.

And once she'd finished furnishing

and decorating each room, she even created a family to live there.

And she gave them all names.

We've got Mrs Greenway, look, the cook,

prepping the supper for the evening.

And here, at the bottom of the stairs in his suit,

that's Matthews, the butler, in charge of all the domestic staff,

possibly the most important person in the house.

Now, that is a fascinating piece of family history, a unique piece.

Now, let's join up with our experts.

And hopefully, they're looking at something fascinating

and unique as well.

Philip has found something that makes him feel very much at home.

-This is daft, you know, David.

-What?

-Well, because I have driven up from Worcester.

-Yes, I know.

-OK?

And I've driven, what, 180 miles to be in Colchester.

If I walk out my office and go 50 yards down the road, that is

-where these were made.

-Yes.

-So, where did you get these from?

-These belonged to my wife's grandmother.

-Right, yeah.

And, um, she passed them onto her daughter-in-law.

And, um, so Chrissie's mother

has asked us to bring them along to "Flog It!".

I think they're lovely. They are really, really lovely.

And, you know, you don't need to look at the mark too much,

-cos I know exactly what they are. They are Royal Worcester.

-Yes.

They were made somewhere between 18... I would think,

-'72, '75 and about 1880.

-Yes.

In terms of decoration, you know, they're almost Japanese

in influence, with these ferns, the guilt ferns, and the insects.

Very Japanesque in style, really.

And that was the rage from about, I don't know,

1865 through to about 1880.

-And I think this is beautiful. This is a dressing table set.

-It is.

Got a pair of candlesticks, a pair of little jars,

probably for hat pins, two pots.

This is a ring stand. And a little tray.

If you want to be really picky,

you've got some gilding that has rubbed around there.

But this rich enamelling of these butterflies, I think,

-is absolutely fantastic. And they are all different.

-Yes.

And it is all in good order as well, which is lovely.

-I think you need to put it in at 200 to 300 estimate.

-Right.

-And reserve it at 180. That's what I would do.

-Yes.

-And it will sell all day long.

-Yes.

And the real joy about it is, it's beautiful quality.

Look at that lily there.

-I know, it's just brilliant.

-Is it a lily or an orchid?

I'm not good on my flowers.

-That's a lily.

-Is it? Phew, that's a relief.

I really, really hope that a private collector buys these

and takes them home and enjoys them, because I think they are lovely.

-I've got a feeling they might get broken up or split up.

-Yes.

But, you know, hey-ho. That's...

Whatever makes the money for you, that's all that matters.

When you think that Chrissie's grandmother bought this in 1920,

or in the '20s, and evidently, she paid seven pounds.

-That was a tump of money.

-Wasn't it?

-A huge amount of money.

-That was a tump of money.

-Yes.

If it wasn't so hot, I'd work that out.

-But we'll just settle for a lot of money.

-Yeah.

-I hope you get as much at auction.

-Yes.

-Thank you for coming along.

-Thank you very much.

-Cheers now.

That Worcester set gives us a glimpse into a bygone era.

Well, there you are,

you have just seen our first three items ready to go off to auction.

So, from the calm and the tranquil Layer Marney to the excitement

and the unpredictability of the saleroom,

let's put those valuations to the test.

And here's a quick recap of what is going under the hammer.

Charles's marvellous collection of terracotta Indian figures is

unusual, so it should be noticed at the auction room.

The three silver pin cushions fashioned as birds are classic

collector's items.

And lastly, the glorious dressing table set

from Philip's hometown of Worcester.

For today's sale, we have travelled south to the town of Rayleigh

and the auction house, which is packed with potential bidders.

The man in charge today is Mark P Stacey,

who is sharing the rostrum with his brother, Paul.

I shall sell to you, sir, then, at ten pounds.

We are starting with the collection of Indian figures.

When I grew up, I wanted to be just like Charles,

cos I think you're fabulous.

-You are still playing tennis, aren't you?

-Yes.

-And you are 90.

-I am taking up wing walking soon.

-Wow!

-I bet you could beat me at tennis as well.

-Easily.

-Yes, yes.

-You're a keen, regular player, aren't you?

-Absolutely.

-I'm good at it, too.

-Mm.

Only I say that, of course, you wouldn't.

I reckon this is a rare occasion where a vendor is older than

the lot.

You may well be right.

Talking about the lot, though, I do really like those ten Indians.

-They are fun.

-I know they're made for the export market,

but there is something about them.

The lot is going under the hammer, this is it. Here we go.

Now we move to lot 530,

a collection of ten assorted Indian painted clay figures.

There we are. Very unusual.

A commission bid, I have.

Starting at £70.

Commission bid at 70. At £70 with me. It's a commission bid.

Any advances now at 70?

At £70 now, last opportunity, then.

It is a commission bid and selling and 70...

The hammer has gone down on £70.

It was the lower end of estimate. That was fast and furious, Charles.

Blink and you'll miss that one. Sorry it didn't get any higher.

Totally satisfied anyway,

and it has been an enjoyable occasion,

-a lot of fun, too.

-It is great fun. Auctions are great fun.

If you've got anything like that, we would love to see you.

Bring it along to one of our valuation days.

Details of up-and-coming dates and venues you can find on our BBC

website or check the details in your local press.

Dust them, down them, bring them in, and we'll flog them.

What a fantastic man! Now, was that a joke about the wing walking?

Now for some lovely porcelain.

Going under the hammer now, we have our Royal Worcester dressing

table set, belonging to Chrissie and David.

David, good to see you again.

I know, Chrissie, you have to rush off to work,

but at least you could make the auction. I know these are yours.

-They were grandmother's as well.

-They were, yes.

-Sad to see them go?

-Yes, but they have been in a box for 27 years.

-Doing absolutely nothing.

-Absolutely.

-Up in the loft.

-So why not sell them?

-Yep.

-Let somebody else enjoy them.

And on the day, we had our Royal Worcester expert with us,

Mr Philip Serrell.

-They should fly.

-They should fly.

-They should fly.

A very nice Royal Worcester dressing table set enamelled

in butterfly decoration on a blue ground, lovely lot there. Lot 715.

Commission bids, I have. Must start the bidding at £140.

140 is bid. 150 anywhere?

140. 150. 160. 170.

At £170, advance if you wish at 170.

I shall sell then at £170.

It is a fair warning, I'm selling at 170.

170 and sold.

-It's gone down.

-I'm disappointed in that.

-Are you disappointed?

-What were you hoping for, Philip?

A difficult thing to sell because they are not fashionable. Um...

But I think that someone could break those up

and I thought they might have just topped 250, 280.

But you have got to put the estimate right to get there.

-Sure.

-Absolutely.

-You're happy, aren't you?

-Yes, yes.

-Absolutely.

-Job done.

Well, at least they may be staying together as a set.

Just been joined by Barbara and our expert, Elizabeth.

I am talking about collectibles,

and of course, there is a market all over the world for collectibles.

They buy online. Everyone is using the internet.

They are texting each other and they are tweeting,

exactly what we are doing right now with the little birds.

But since the valuation day, I know we have still got that fixed

-reserve, but you have put the value up slightly, haven't you?

-I have.

-And you have upped that reserve, haven't you?

-I have, yes.

-Why would you want to go cheap?

-Cheap, cheap.

These little novelty pin cushions are highly sought after.

They are, and it is nice to have three, so I have high hopes

-for them.

-200 to 300?

-Yeah.

-It should do it. So there is no worry, is there?

You didn't have to worry about that.

Let's find out what the bidders think,

they are going under the hammer right now.

We come now to the set of three graduated silver pin

cushions in the form of hatching chicks. A nice lot, that one there.

Commission bids, I have. Must start the bidding here with me at £100.

-Commission bid's at £100.

-Straight in, Barbara, at £100.

-Good.

-120.

130. 140. Against you. 150.

160. 170. 180. You're out.

180, my bid.

-Come on, come on, bid more, bid more.

-Commission bid.

£200, my bid, against you on the internet.

-210. 220, my bid.

-Jump in, Paul.

220 now. Finished on the internet?

230 coming back in, 240 is my bid.

At 240 now. Against you, internet bidder.

-Commission bid's at 240, any advances, please?

-Yes.

There's a phone over there.

260 is against you.

270. 280.

Against you, sir, one more? 290.

-300, I have.

-That's more like it, isn't it?

Right, very good, yeah.

310. 310 is on my left. 310 now.

310 on my left, coming in on the phone.

At 310 now.

At 310 now. Bid's on my left. Are we all done?

Fair warning, last chances, then, please. At £310.

Hammer's going down.

-Exciting, thank you.

-That is a sold sound.

That was worth the wait, wasn't it? It really was.

-You didn't have to worry.

-Right, yeah.

I was getting worried, thinking,

"Have I done the right thing?" But, yeah.

Those birds were very popular and got double the estimate.

Well, some good results there and some very happy owners,

and that is what it is all about.

Our first visit to the auction room, done and dusted.

We are coming back here later on in the programme, don't go away.

Now, Essex has become best known in recent years for its party

culture, but it is also home to a very traditional industry,

that of the oyster fishermen.

It is a food that is enjoyed all over the world.

But times are getting a lot harder for the men who catch them.

I went to Mersey, which is just a few miles up the coast,

to find out more.

The Essex coast is one of the best places in the world to find oysters.

Richard Haward's family have been dredging oysters here on the

Blackwater Estuary for generations, all the way back to 1792.

And I am here to spend the day with Richard and his son, Bram.

At this time of the year, it is

actually illegal to fish for native oysters.

So fishermen like Richard and Bram can only land their catch

when there is a letter R in the month,

so the season really runs from September until April.

And as we are filming this in the heart of the summer,

it's actually August, there is no fishing.

But there is still plenty of work to do,

and I'm going to help the guys out.

So, Bram, what exactly do I need to do?

-Put those on for a start?

-Yep.

-Keep nice and clean.

Today, it is not about going fishing,

but tending to the stock of oysters growing in the estuary.

What is a good catch? On a good day, how many oysters can you land?

-Uh... 5,000, plus.

-Really?

-Yep.

-That's a lot of oysters, isn't it?

Yeah, it is a lot of oysters, but you do a lot of hours for that amount.

Dad loves it, doesn't he? I mean, he loves being here. Look at him.

Even though he is past his time and age, he doesn't look it.

-I started at four o'clock this morning.

-Did you?

So what are the hours for an oyster fisherman?

-I started at four this morning.

-You started at four?!

-Yeah.

-Why, because of the tide?

-Tide, yeah. There's low tide then.

I was hand picking them, picking them by hand.

You can only really fish at low tide, then, can you?

No, but when you go handpicking, you are obviously in the mud,

picking them up by hand. Then you wait for the tide

to come up, and then go catch them in the boat.

-So you just make the most of it.

-Yep.

-When the boat can't get out, you do it.

-Yeah.

-Well, good on you.

-Was Dad up at four?

-Yeah, right(!)

What are we going to be doing today, Richard?

We're going to be catching, we hope, mainly small oysters,

which we're going to take from here on the river

and relay on our own beds in the creeks, where they should get

better food and grow and fatten and make a much better oyster.

-Is that something you have to do every season?

-Well, yeah.

Some you can take straight out of the river, but they are rarely

as good as anything you can produce in the creeks.

That is the way it has been done for a long, long time.

Richard's family are part of a conservation project to protect

the rare British native oyster, which has been in decline for years.

We are hardly catching any native oysters at all at the moment.

We leave them there to spawn and then for the spawn to settle

and become what we call spat and then grow,

but that takes four to five years before they're big enough to sell.

So it is a very, very long-term project.

-Why are they in decline?

-Probably overfishing years ago.

Combined with...predators.

Several things eat oysters, especially when they're young.

Changes in the water,

the quality of the water. A combination of all of those things.

There were wild oyster beds all around the British Isles.

A lot of those beds now are just nonexistent

and have been probably for nearly 100 years.

Obviously, you have been in business all your working lives,

but, I mean, this family business goes back generations, doesn't it?

-Yeah, I am the seventh, Bram's the eighth.

-Yeah.

Hopefully, there'll be a ninth.

Yeah, there will be a ninth, he's in training.

This is time-consuming work.

And when they are fishing, the boat will often be at sea for eight hours

a day and may return with a catch of only 100 kilos of shellfish.

And they need at least 150 kilos just to break even.

What we've got here are rock oysters, and you can tell

-they are cos they look like rocks, I guess.

-That's right.

Native oysters are sort of rounder and smoother.

Yep, that's correct.

So basically, what we are doing now is just separating oysters

-that have got stuck together.

-That's correct.

Do you separate them because it would stunt their growth

if they're stuck together?

It will stunt their growth, make them grow a funny shape.

And quite honestly, if you left them too late,

-you wouldn't manage to part them into single oysters.

-Really?

I don't think I'm strong enough.

It is jolly enjoyable on a day like this,

-but obviously, you're out in all weathers.

-Yes, in the middle of...

And this gets rather difficult if it is pouring with rain and cold.

And cold. The rain is not really a problem. The cold...

The problem when you become an old man like me.

-How old are you now? If you don't mind me asking.

-68.

-And you are still working every single day.

-Yeah.

When do you think you'll retire? Will you ever retire?

-My boy says never.

-Never.

-Well, Bram needs a hand, doesn't he? Let's face it.

-Yep.

For a few more years, anyway.

-The trouble is I won't do what he tells me, so...

-Is he in charge now?

He's in charge of the boat, yeah.

-So, this is your stretch of water?

-It is, we own this bit of seabed.

-How much of this seabed do you own?

-We've got seven acres here.

Seven acres, that is a large area, isn't it? That really is.

-And are there marker buoys showing where...?

-We've got

-marker buoys and we've got withes - sticks that mark what we've got.

-OK.

-So, I guess, we've got to get these back in the water?

-Yep.

OK, so just literally straight in?

Well, slowly, don't go too quickly or else they'll end up in a heap.

If you just...

I see, cos you don't want them to land on top of each other.

No, you want them spread out.

So they are down there now for how many years?

-Probably three or four, I would say.

-Three or four years.

-Can I do to this one?

-Yes, you can do that one, but be careful.

-Don't go with it.

-No.

-Welcome to your new home, guys.

-Yep.

Where will these end up once they have been picked up?

Where will they be sold to?

Well, a lot of them we sell into London,

because London is nearby, 60 miles, and a big sender.

And we've got our own stall up there as well.

Other than that, round the country, Middle East, Far East.

-All over Europe?

-A little bit, not so much at the moment, but...

There you go, guys.

The last one.

There we are, that is the work done for today, but Richard

and Bram will be back doing exactly the same thing tomorrow.

I've had a marvellous time here helping these guys out.

It couldn't be any better.

And I think it is wonderful that generation after

generation of the same family are keeping a local traditional

industry well and truly alive.

And long may it continue.

Welcome back to our valuation day here at Layer Marney Tower.

And as you can see, we still have hundreds of people

waiting to see our experts, so fingers crossed we are

going to find some real gems right here, right now.

So let's join up with our experts and take a look at our next item.

You have brought a lovely historical piece in today, Jill.

-What can you tell me about your cribbage board?

-Not a lot, really.

This was left with my mother's things, and we inherited it.

And we were afraid that when anything happened to us,

the children would just throw it away, they wouldn't be interested.

-Just disregard it as "that old thing".

-Yes, yes.

At first glance, it looks a very sort of plain

and straightforward piece of engine-cut brass.

Cribbage boards have an interesting history.

They were believed to be invented by a British soldier and poet

called Sir John Suckling in the 17th century, so quite a long time ago.

Um, and it was sort of a game, where you put in your little pegs, or

even sort of pared down matchsticks, and keep score along the board.

But obviously, you can score dominoes or card games with it.

And it was adopted particularly on board ship

and by military personnel.

It is an easy to carry along game and you can sort of have

lots of that, whiling away at boring hours in trenches, etc,

and whilst on board ship, playing with your colleagues.

Yours is late, it is a 20th-century piece of brass,

which intrinsic, isn't worth a lot, it's not that unusual.

But what makes yours special is the engraving right in the middle.

And it is...

Now, can you, via your mother, tell me anything about that?

No, nothing at all.

Is there any family connection to the ship or anything?

-Not as far as I know, no.

-OK.

Well, certainly, to my knowledge,

there have been several HMS Excellents

through the years, over the centuries,

and it has always been associated with being a training ship.

Gunners would use it to practise their shooting

skills from on board ship.

And that was really what it was known as being.

What it is is a little pocket...

It's a slice of history there, ready for somebody to tap into.

And in the current market, military and naval

and British history is very much at the fore of people's consciences.

A very popular field for collecting.

So, it is a very modest piece,

but actually it is quite a heart-warming piece, too.

In terms of value, unless further research throws up

a huge discrepancy, I think the value

is actually going to be quite modest.

I would think roundabout

-sort of £30 to £50 at auction would be realistic.

-That's fine.

-Does that sound all right?

-Yes.

And we'll put a reserve on, if you would like one?

-Yes.

-A reserve? Lower end of the estimate, at £30.

That would be fine.

We'll fix it at 30, and then you've got peace of mind.

-And we'll see what the response is to it.

-Thank you.

-Thank you for bringing it in.

-Thank you very much.

If only that cribbage board could talk, the stories it could tell.

We've taken a step away from the valuations,

which are taking place outside, in the glorious sunshine,

to the shade of the great barn, a cooler part of the building,

in fact, the oldest part of the estate here.

And I've just been joined by Iris.

And thank you so much for bringing in a Kenneth Halliwell collage,

dated 1966.

Now, I had the good fortune of filming with "Flog It!"

recently about a playwright from Leicester called Joe Orton,

who was Halliwell's live-in partner. And of course, Joe Orton,

you know, one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century,

tackled subjects which so many people were frightened to

talk about on stage - What The Butler Saw, Loot, plays like that.

Still very, very popular today.

Now, while Orton's career was taking off, unfortunately...

-Halliwell's was declining.

-Halliwell's was declining, yes.

What can you tell me about this and how did you come by it?

We used to own a second-hand record shop in Ilford.

And my partner and I went round to an elderly lady.

And she had this above the mantelpiece.

And I was quite fascinated by it, but I wasn't sure what it was.

I went to look and I noticed it was Halliwell, and I questioned her.

And she said that a neighbour was a friend of Joe Orton's

-and Kenneth Halliwell's.

-Right, OK.

So I asked if she would be interested in selling it,

because she seemed to need some money at the time.

And she said, yes, she would be interested.

-And I made her an offer and she accepted.

-Right.

-And have you had it on a wall ever since, enjoying this?

-No.

-I took it home and...

-Where has it been?

I considered putting it on the wall,

but I thought it was a bit depressing.

And I've got a cousin in Devon who said to me,

"Do not put it on the wall because it is bad karma."

-Really?

-So it never ever went on the wall.

What do you think is depressing about it? I...

Structurally, I think it is very, very good.

There are the eyes that stare at you.

And I think the stairway doesn't lead anywhere.

No, I don't think it's supposed to, really, is it?

I think Halliwell felt his life...

Was slightly trapped and he was going around in circles.

And there was an exhibition, I think.

Well, Orton's career really peaked in 1966, he persuaded Halliwell

to have an exhibition on the King's Road of all his collages.

This possibly would have been one of them.

It's dated '66, it could have been for that exhibition.

Possibly.

-But sadly, none of his work sold.

-No.

And a year later, in '67,

he killed Orton and then committed suicide...

-That's right.

-..in his flat, in Islington, in North London.

-In Noel Road.

-Yes, yeah.

I think he's a man with exceptional talent, actually,

-and I think he's been overlooked.

-Yes.

-I really do.

And I think there's a considerable amount of value here

because of its rarity and its story and its provenance.

My gut feeling is if you put this into auction with

an estimate of around £800 to £1,200, I think it will sell.

Yes.

What's the least amount of money you would let this go for?

Well, I think a reserve of 1,000 would be correct.

OK.

If we pitch that at 800 to 1,200 with a reserve at 800,

would you be happy?

I think...I think tucking it slightly under the £1,000 mark

gives it a chance to get that £1,000.

-Yes, yes, I agree.

-Yeah?

I'm confident it will get that.

I think there will be a lot of interest

because it's been a long time since one of these has gone on the market.

-Yes.

-And this is a particularly good one.

-Hm. That'd be great.

-Yeah.

That's a really exciting picture to see

and definitely one to watch at the auction.

Now, back out in the sunshine,

where Elizabeth has a table full of bright Staffordshire ware.

Well, Lynn, if all, you've come dressed for the wedding.

-You look beautiful.

-Thank you.

But you've actually taken your accessorizing to another level

because you have brought along this amazing set to match your outfits.

It wasn't planned, it just happened, honestly.

A lot of hard work went into that, it's very beautiful.

Well, thank you for coming along and bringing a coffee set with you.

And do you know much about it?

Not too much, just that I think it's probably 1930s

and it came from a maiden aunt of my husband's.

I noticed that it had Shelley on the bottom.

And it is just very, very pretty.

And, Yvonne, you know this set as well?

I don't know the set, but I do know Auntie Dot,

and she was a lovely, gentle lady,

very quiet and just a lady, really.

But Lynn was very kind. She knows I was desperate to get on the show.

So she found this treasure to bring.

So you are both getting something out of the day today.

-Yes, definitely, definitely.

-Good!

The Shelley which I suppose we all think of is the bright

-and colourful, avant-garde pieces.

-The different handles, yes.

Which were running parallel with the Art Deco period

that was so strong in the design world at that stage.

Now, what you have here is a service which is...

-I know you know the name of the flowers.

-Anemones.

Well, this is actually the Anemone pattern.

And the name of the shape of both the cups

and the coffee pot is the Vincent shape.

Seeing it here on this beautiful day, the sunshine coming down.

-On the lovely blue cloth.

-It just seems...

I mean, it's in lovely condition and it's very English and it just...

It is very happy, a happy service.

Having seen it all spread out now, can you bear to part with it?

Yes, I can. Yes.

I think we're looking at round about £100 to £150

within total.

-Does that sort of still suit you?

-Yeah, I haven't...

Up until I was going to bring it, I wondered if it would only be

sort of worth about £60, something like that, so that's...

It should be worth more than that.

And I think if it doesn't reach £100, I would certainly not

-worry about hanging onto it for a little while longer.

-OK.

-Another visit to "Flog It!".

-Yes, another visit, yay!

-So if we put it through... If you are happy to sell it at that.

-Yes.

A £100, £150 estimate.

We'll set a reserve on it of 100,

so you've got peace of mind on the day.

And we'll see what we do on the day. Does that suit you?

That would be absolutely wonderful, thank you.

Thank you so much for bringing it in

-and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.

-I'm sure we will,

-thank you.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

I wonder if we are going to see them both at the auction.

Well, there you are, our experts have now made their final

choices of items to take off to auction.

And I think there could be one or two surprises there.

So sadly, it is time to say goodbye to our magnificent host

location, Layer Marney Tower.

Right now, we've got some unfinished business to do in the saleroom.

And here is a quick recap of all the items we are taking with us.

This cribbage board with its inscription really is

a little piece of history.

And I'm looking forward to seeing how this Kenneth Halliwell

collage does in the saleroom.

It's pretty, it's Shelley and it's not a lot of money,

so we will be saying goodbye to Lynn's coffee set.

We are heading back to Rayleigh, in Essex,

where our sale is taking place.

Let's now find out what auctioneer Paul Stacey

makes of the Halliwell collage.

I love this. I really do. If I could own this, I'd love to buy it.

It belongs to Iris. It is, as you know, a Kenneth Halliwell collage.

And I had the fortune of finding out about Kenneth Halliwell

and his partner, Joe Orton, when I did a piece for "Flog It!"

about six months ago.

And I went to the museum in Islington,

where there's a large collection of his work.

I never thought I would see an original come on the market

in my life, so for me, this is a great "Flog It!" find.

It's...it's a very rare thing, with so much history behind it.

It is a definite winner, there is no doubt about that at all.

-How many phone lines have you got booked?

-Three at the moment.

-Great.

And I think there is... You know, potentially there could be

other buyers that also just come just purely to buy this,

because it is such a unique thing.

Halliwell did without a doubt live on the edge anyway.

Um... And everything else.

I think the whole thing is fantastic, very, very interesting.

-Unique thing. It's going to do very, very well.

-Yeah.

Good luck with that. Well, I don't need to say good luck, really,

it is going to sell itself.

-It's going to be good, yeah.

-Just wait for the surprise.

Whatever you do, don't go away, this could get very interesting.

Stay tuned.

But before we find out how it does, we have a couple of other items

to go under the hammer.

Our next item isn't a great deal of money,

but it is a great deal of fun

and you can get a great deal of use out of it if you play games,

especially cribbage. Because it was made, wasn't it, Jill,

-as a cribbage board?

-Yes, that's right.

-It is machine polished.

-It is a nice piece of brass.

-Yep.

-But you can score with other games.

I use them for dominoes and things like that, lots of family fun.

And not a lot of money, so hopefully,

-someone is going to buy this and put it to use. Here we go.

-Hope so.

It's going under the hammer now.

Moving now to 560.

We have a brass peg cribbage board with the inscription

HMS Excellent, 1916.

Commission bids, I have, straight in at...

-Commission bid!

-Yes!

-£38 is bid. It's a commission bid with me at 38.

Any advances now? 38 is bid,

40 we are looking for. 40, thank you, sir.

Back of the room at £40. 42.

One more takes it if you want it, sir. 45 now.

Back of the room at £45 and selling. Are we all done?

-Yes!

-That was all right.

-It was good, wasn't it?

-Thank you very much.

-Someone... Well done.

-Someone is going to put that to use.

-Yes. Thank you.

That is an excellent start.

Let's hope it's a sign of things to come.

Next, we have something that does not quite fit the mould.

OK, normally on the show, we are selling Shelley tea sets,

but right now we are selling a Shelley coffee set.

It is going under the hammer and it belongs to Lynn,

who's right next to me. Hello. And I know you are here with Yvonne.

-You are best friends?

-We are.

-You are both at the valuation day.

I think it is a first for us on the Shelley coffee set.

-Is it really?

-We have had hundreds of tea sets.

It is a quite modern issue, but it has such a bright and vibrant

pattern and lovely tradition, and it is a Vincent shape, so hopefully...

-And it should draw in the bidders.

-I hope so.

-OK. And it is complete.

Let's find out what they think.

It's going under the hammer right now.

Good luck, girls. This is it.

We come now to a decorative Shelley patterned coffee set, as catalogued.

Where are we going to be? Let's get going at £90.

£90 straight in. £90 is bid.

Thank you. 95 anywhere?

95. 100. 110. 120.

120 on the commissions. 130 anywhere?

Coming in, madam? 130, thank you. 140 is against you. 140. 150.

160 is with me. Against you at £160 now.

It is my commission bid against you in the room.

I am selling on the commissions at £160.

Hammer is going down.

-There you are, it's gone. Sold.

-That's great.

-That's brilliant.

-That is brilliant.

-We are happy, you're happy. Great valuation.

So, you've experienced the valuation day.

They saw the whole process go through.

-You have now witnessed the auction.

-Yes.

-Wonderful.

-And you are going home happy?

-We are, very happy.

We've had wonderful days out.

And it made a little over the top estimate for them.

Well, it has been a long wait, but it is my turn to be the expert.

Yes, we are talking about the Halliwell collage.

Iris has just joined me in this packed saleroom.

-I tell you what, it is getting hotter by the minute.

-It is.

Especially as our lot is going under the hammer.

-What is going through your mind right now?

-I'm just nervous.

Are you? I'm nervous for you as well.

Look, I know it is going to sell.

I've got in contact with the museum in Islington.

And I know there are three phone lines booked.

I had a chat to the auctioneer on the preview day

and he is very excited about it.

-He has had lots and lots of interest.

-That's really good.

-So...

Iris, I think you could be doing a little dancing.

You are in the money. Well, are you ready for this, Iris?

-I certainly am.

-So am I.

Let's hand the proceedings over to the auctioneer

and find out exactly what the bidders, what the phone lines

and what the internet thinks.

Let's get some big money. Here we go.

We have the rare, framed 1960s original

collage by Kenneth Halliwell.

Shall we say about 500 to start?

500 anywhere? 500 I have got straight in, thank you.

600. 650.

700. 750. 800. 850.

900. 950.

1,000. 1,100.

At £1,100 now. Gentleman standing at 1,100.

-At 1,100...

-It could be going in the room, it could be going in the room.

1,100.

1,200. Against you.

1,300. 1,400.

-1,500.

-We've got a phone line now.

We've got a phone line coming in. This is getting exciting.

1,600.

1,800.

1,900.

2,000.

2,200.

2,400.

2,600.

-What is going through your mind right now?

-It's amazing.

At 2,600, for the last time, are we all done and selling?

27. 28 I'll take, sir.

2,800.

From the museum, with the 2,800.

For the last time and selling at 2,800...

Your sale, well done.

Thank you.

£2,800 for Iris!

Oh! What is going through your mind?

-It's brilliant.

-Yeah?

-Brilliant.

Oh, how exciting was that? I told you there was going to be

a surprise. We have Mark joining us now from the museum.

I interviewed Mark a few months ago. This is Mark from the museum

in Islington. Come in. You were the lucky buyer.

-Phew! It was close, wasn't it?

-It was close, we were a bit worried.

-You got to your threshold nearly, didn't you?

-Very near.

-An extra hundred. How about that?

-Well, I'm delighted.

-This is the lady who has owned it for the last two years.

-Oh, really?

Thank you very much, Iris. I appreciate it for the museum.

And the good news is, everybody can go and see it.

You can go to Islington, you can see the museum there.

We've been there on "Flog It!", it is well worth it.

And, Iris, thank you so much for looking after it.

-And enjoy that money, won't you?

-I will.

I hope you've enjoyed today's show.

Please join us again for many more surprises.

But right now, from Essex, it doesn't get any better than this.

Goodbye.