0:00:03 > 0:00:05This is Tory.
0:00:05 > 0:00:06It's a stunningly beautiful spot
0:00:06 > 0:00:09overlooking Bradford on Avon, in Wiltshire.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13And later on in the programme, I'll be going down there, in the tiny,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16narrow streets, discovering some hidden historic gems.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20But first, we need to do some valuations in a rather more
0:00:20 > 0:00:21well known place.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23Welcome to "Flog It!"
0:00:47 > 0:00:51Set within 900 acres of Capability Brown landscaped gardens,
0:00:51 > 0:00:54our valuation day venue today is Longleat,
0:00:54 > 0:00:57famous the world over for its stunning stately home
0:00:57 > 0:01:00and ground-breaking safari park.
0:01:03 > 0:01:09In 1541, the site was purchased from Henry VIII £53.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12And ever since, Longleat has been the home of the Thynne family.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19Some 14 generations later, the current owner, the Seventh Marquess
0:01:19 > 0:01:24of Bath, continues to reside in the private apartments in the house.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31For one day only, Lord Bath is sharing his magnificent house
0:01:31 > 0:01:34with us as a backdrop for our valuation day.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37And I feel sure we are going to find some wonderful treasures here,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40worthy of such a historic setting.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42But before we get started, there is
0:01:42 > 0:01:45one question on everybody's lips, which is...
0:01:45 > 0:01:47ALL: What's it worth?
0:01:49 > 0:01:53In the queue, are some noble peers of the antiques world -
0:01:53 > 0:01:56- the Honourable Michael Baggott... - Oh, that's marvellous.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00..and squire about town, David Fletcher.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02- How many of those have you got? - I've got the pair of them.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04- The pair of them.- 60 years old.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10And it seems, David has kindly set Michael up.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13- That's not York silver, I don't suppose, is it?- It isn't.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16I know, I've written a book about these things.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18I knew you had, Michael.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22Of course, there are plenty of other books on York silver, too.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26Now, it is time to get everybody settled in.
0:02:27 > 0:02:32Although it is still early, the temperature here is already rising.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36But it is not just the weather that is putting us
0:02:36 > 0:02:41under pressure today because we've got some highly cherished objects.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44- Was it a wonderful surprise? - I sat and held it all evening.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48And it can be very difficult to let them go.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52- With a reserve of £400 on it. - Yes.- Good!
0:02:53 > 0:02:56But sometimes those brave decisions...
0:02:56 > 0:02:59I can come straight in at 2,500.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01..really pay off.
0:03:01 > 0:03:02Woo!
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Find out later how it climbs.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12There will be valuations taking place in the house
0:03:12 > 0:03:14and in the grounds today.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17But how about we start in the topiary garden with a rather
0:03:17 > 0:03:19beautiful Wedgwood lustre bowl?
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Where did it come from?
0:03:22 > 0:03:25It came from an antiques fair in Brockenhurst, in New Forest.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28And we bought it about six, seven months ago.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31That's not a long time ago. So, who did it appeal to?
0:03:31 > 0:03:32You, Hillary?
0:03:32 > 0:03:36He liked it and I went and bought it when he sort of wasn't looking.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38- Oh!- As a surprise.- A surprise!
0:03:38 > 0:03:42- I didn't see this till I got home. - And was it not a wonderful surprise?
0:03:42 > 0:03:44I sat and held it all evening.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Right.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Now, that poses a question immediately,
0:03:48 > 0:03:50why have you brought it along?
0:03:50 > 0:03:52We keep changing our antiques, so...
0:03:52 > 0:03:56Oh, so it's sell this and then Hillary will
0:03:56 > 0:03:59go around the fairs again and surprise you with something else.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01- We like antiques, so... - That's marvellous.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04- Well, it is marked underneath. - Yeah.- Which is always a great help.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07And we've got that marvellous name, Wedgwood.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12But what is more typical are these wonderful, lustre glazes -
0:04:12 > 0:04:15midnight blue and this vibrant orange.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17And if we look inside, we've got
0:04:17 > 0:04:21this beautiful repeated border of cranes, all highlighted in guilt.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25A slightly darker red running around, which is most effective.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28And it is the colours that we associate with
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Wedgwood lustrewares.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35- The famous name, of course, is Daisy Makeig-Jones...- Yeah.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37..that did the Fairyland lustres.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40But what probably isn't as appreciated is that they also
0:04:40 > 0:04:44did a range of wares that didn't feature fairies,
0:04:44 > 0:04:47that have animals and exotic birds on them.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51And these are lustres, but we can't call them Fairyland lustres.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55The good thing is, these are exactly the same quality.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58To my eye, they are as beautiful.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01We've got all of these, I think, kingfishers
0:05:01 > 0:05:06and other birds running around, all highlighted in gild,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08and then all the different lustre colours.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11I mean, incredibly beautiful thing.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14How much did it cost seven months ago at the antiques fair?
0:05:14 > 0:05:18- What did you have to pay?- They said £50, but I bought it for 40.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21- Oh, you beat them down!- Yeah.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23I think you did a very good job.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Now, there is one problem, isn't there?
0:05:26 > 0:05:28Yes, I knew that when we got it.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31- There is a hairline crack with a little flea bite.- Yeah.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33You would look for a long time to spot that.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36So to my mind, it doesn't detract a great deal from it.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38But if you are a collector, it matters.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40So, it does affect the price.
0:05:40 > 0:05:41Um...
0:05:41 > 0:05:45I think £80 to £120, just because of the old chestnut,
0:05:45 > 0:05:48but it is a worth about that money in its damaged state.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50Perfect,
0:05:50 > 0:05:51300 to 500,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54- £400 to £600. So, you know...- Yeah.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58- You've got an eye for quality there, David.- Yeah.- But let's be cautious.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00You paid 40. Let's put a reserve of £60 on it.
0:06:00 > 0:06:01That would be OK.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04So you're not going to lose money whatever happens.
0:06:04 > 0:06:05And hopefully, you can be around
0:06:05 > 0:06:08an antiques fair with the proceeds and find something else...
0:06:08 > 0:06:10- I'll replace it. - ..as wonderful.- Yeah.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13Then bring that back to "Flog It!" and make a profit.
0:06:13 > 0:06:14We'll see you every year.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18And why not? Sounds like a great plan to me.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21There is a real holiday atmosphere here today,
0:06:21 > 0:06:25as our experts bring all kinds of treasures out into the sunshine.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27And whilst they are kept busy,
0:06:27 > 0:06:30how about we take a look inside the grandeur of Longleat House,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33where David has been presented with a suitcase to inspect,
0:06:33 > 0:06:35rather like at Customs.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Right, let's open it and have a look.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44We'll have a good old rummage, shall we? What have we got first?
0:06:44 > 0:06:46This is a top.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50It is sort of lined here with what looks like a bit of jet to me.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Probably from Whitby, I shouldn't wonder.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55And this looks to me as if it dates from about 1890
0:06:55 > 0:06:57- towards the end of the 19th century. - Yes.
0:06:57 > 0:07:02- It belonged to my great-great-grandmother.- Right.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05She was born sort of roundabout 1826.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09- Passed away, I think, 1899.- OK.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12- Was a widow when she died.- OK.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15So these might have been the clothes she wore to commemorate
0:07:15 > 0:07:18- the fact that she had been widowed. - I think so, yes.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21- Very, very black, aren't they?- Yes.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23That's the jacket.
0:07:23 > 0:07:28Then we have a skirt that is part of the same costume, the same design.
0:07:28 > 0:07:29That has a velvet panel.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33That's been set into the back, presumably, of the skirt,
0:07:33 > 0:07:34hasn't it?
0:07:34 > 0:07:38And again, this amazing beadwork.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41And what do we have here? We have a photograph.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43This is a photo of my great-great-grandmother.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46This looks as though it might have been taken when she was,
0:07:46 > 0:07:47what, in her 50s?
0:07:47 > 0:07:51So probably in the 1870s, perhaps before she was widowed
0:07:51 > 0:07:54and before she acquired these black costumes.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56So that puts all this into context,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59which makes it even more interesting, I think, really.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03A very informal, rather jazzy straw boater almost,
0:08:03 > 0:08:04with an ostrich feather.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Much more light-hearted, much less formal.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11- Next we have this parasol. And this was hers as well?- Yes.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15I won't put it up because I'm a bit superstitious about putting
0:08:15 > 0:08:17umbrellas up indoors,
0:08:17 > 0:08:21but it has an ivory handle and was manufactured
0:08:21 > 0:08:23by Sangster's, I see.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26- And it is called a park parasol. - Wow.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29So that was for promenading in the park, I daresay.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32- It is a suitcase full of social history, isn't it, really?- Yes.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35It is the history of your family expressed in the clothes they wore.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38And we get down... I won't go down any further,
0:08:38 > 0:08:40but we start to get amongst the whiteware. Gloves...
0:08:40 > 0:08:43Good heavens, all sorts of things in here.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46I would've thought we've probably got...
0:08:46 > 0:08:49I don't know, £60 or £70 worth in here.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52£100 with a bit of luck and a following wind.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55- And put a reserve of £50 on? - Right.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58- Just so they don't get given away. - Yes, yes, I wouldn't like that.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01I think it is important to protect them.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Absolutely, that is what reserves are for.
0:09:06 > 0:09:11Now, one of Longleat's first visitors was Elizabeth I in 1574.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15And like her, we couldn't leave the majesty of Longleat House
0:09:15 > 0:09:18without exploring a bit further.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22This is the state drawing room,
0:09:22 > 0:09:26designed as a sitting for the Fourth Marquess' Italian pictures.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32The windows are kept shuttered to protect some of the most important
0:09:32 > 0:09:36artefacts in Longleat's collection.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39And at the end of the room, are a set of double doors.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Now, this is the other side of those doors, as you can see, right here.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45And they were built for one reason only.
0:09:45 > 0:09:50In 1663, King Charles II and his wife, Queen Catherine,
0:09:50 > 0:09:52came to visit, with their entire court.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54So they were built so the King
0:09:54 > 0:09:58and Queen could view all of the visitors below in the Great Hall.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Now, it seems like a lot of work
0:10:00 > 0:10:02because they only stayed for one night,
0:10:02 > 0:10:06but when you consider this whole house was rebuilt to impress
0:10:06 > 0:10:10Queen Elizabeth I, it wasn't too much to ask.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16And speaking of too much to ask, it always amazes me and delights me
0:10:16 > 0:10:21the length people will go to bring items to our valuation days.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Whether they be large, heavy or, in Chris and Sally's case,
0:10:26 > 0:10:30rather unwieldy objects.
0:10:30 > 0:10:31What can I say?
0:10:31 > 0:10:35Thank you for struggling in with this enormous piece of...
0:10:35 > 0:10:37I suppose most people would consider it scrap.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Uh, yes.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42- Is that how you both feel about it? - I'm afraid so, yes.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45It was given to me by a colleague who bought the whole sign.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48He wanted the one finger that pointed towards Frome.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51He knew I lived on the road that pointed towards Devizes,
0:10:51 > 0:10:53and he presented it to me.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56And it has just sat beside the house for the last 20 years.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59- And do you love it? - No, I dislike it.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01And it is like Chris says, it has stayed by the side
0:11:01 > 0:11:04of the house all these years, gathering weeds around it.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06And every now and then, we have to get rid of the weeds.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09I'm sure there's somebody out there who will love it.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12- It has accrued character over the time that you've had it.- Yeah.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15When you were given it, did you have any idea of when it was made?
0:11:15 > 0:11:17No idea at all.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21Now... I've been pondering over this and I keep getting flashbacks to
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Will Hay in Ask A Policeman, and the signs are very similar to this.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28We'd be sort of 1930, 1935.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33But then, it is a style that persisted. So...
0:11:33 > 0:11:36It could be 1950, at a push.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38- Yeah.- But it is certainly...
0:11:38 > 0:11:41I think it is certainly that early period of motoring.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45- And how apt for today. - That's what we thought.- You know?
0:11:45 > 0:11:48- I've come down that road today. - That's right.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50- We virtually live on it. - You live on it, I've driven down it.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52I mean, you can't get more local than this.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55That's the nice thing, this will go to a local sale room.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57That's what we thought.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00I think 20 years ago, your friend was rather forward-looking,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03cos people didn't buy things like this 20 years ago.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05- They weren't fashionable. They were scrap.- Yes.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07That's what you would do with them.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Now, there is this whole vogue,
0:12:09 > 0:12:13- which I don't wholeheartedly agree with, of shabby chic.- Yep, aha.- Yes.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16And you can almost see this in a beautifully turned out
0:12:16 > 0:12:19- apartment as a feature.- Yeah.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21I think the only thing against it,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24it doesn't have any functional purpose.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28- No.- Unless you fill in that and in use it as a plant pot.- Yes.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32- But that is a big plant pot for a very small plant.- Yep.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36- Um... Any ideas of value? - Absolutely not at all.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Um, I can honestly say, I don't have a clue either.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41- It is a guesstimate, not an estimate.- Yeah.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47- £50 to £100.- Gosh!- Probably... Yep, that's more...
0:12:47 > 0:12:52£50 reserve, and if two people battle it out to £200,
0:12:52 > 0:12:56in this climate, where odd things make odd amounts of money,
0:12:56 > 0:12:58- it wouldn't surprise me at all. - That's fine.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01- You'd be very glad to be rid of it? - BOTH: Yes.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04Otherwise it is going to sit behind the house for the next 40 years.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06- Shall we put the reserve at £40? - Yes, I think so.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Let's put it in at £40.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10I don't want to carry it home, to be honest.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14No! I think it was quite a Herculean task to carry it to "Flog It!".
0:13:14 > 0:13:18Thanks again, Chris and Sally, for bringing it along.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Well, it's it has been a morning of surprises and discoveries.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27Our experts have now found three fantastic items, so it is time
0:13:27 > 0:13:30to put those valuations to the test in the sale room.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32And here's a quick recap, just to jog your memory,
0:13:32 > 0:13:36of all the items going under the hammer.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Beautifully decorated with hummingbirds and kingfishers,
0:13:39 > 0:13:43will the Wedgwood lustre bowl fly in the sale room?
0:13:43 > 0:13:47Correctly displayed, Doreen's collection of 19th century
0:13:47 > 0:13:51costumes and paraphernalia should attract the eye of the bidders.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54And I'm sure our sign won't lose its way, even if
0:13:54 > 0:13:56it was a guesstimate by Michael.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04Northeast of Longleat is the town of Devizes.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09One of its landmarks is Wadworth Brewery, founded in 1875.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Their famous Shire horses still make daily deliveries in the town,
0:14:14 > 0:14:18and I even gave them a hand myself back in 2009.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25Another family-run business in the town is Henry Aldridge & Son,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27our auction house for today.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Whatever you do, don't go away, this could get very, very exciting.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35But do remember, if you are thinking of selling something or
0:14:35 > 0:14:38buying in auction, there is commission to pay.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40Here, it is 18%, and that includes the VAT
0:14:40 > 0:14:43and all the other little, hidden extra costs.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46But factor that sum into your costs, won't you? Because it does add up.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48Right, let's get on with the sale.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53There is a good crowd in the sale room,
0:14:53 > 0:14:55with Alan, our auctioneer, already reeling in the bids.
0:14:55 > 0:14:56And there is no time to lose.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00First up, it's that brightly coloured lustre bowl.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07- You spotted it, you bought it. - Without him knowing.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10£40, I think that was a good buy. Why are you selling it?
0:15:10 > 0:15:13You only bought it recently. Are you just trying the market?
0:15:13 > 0:15:17I'm into clocks, and I want a nice clock, so...
0:15:17 > 0:15:21- I'll put the money there.- OK. Sensible.- And a day out.- OK.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25Well, let's find out with the bidders thing, shall we? Here we go.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Wedgwood lustre hummingbirds.
0:15:29 > 0:15:30Anyone want to pinch hit at 60?
0:15:30 > 0:15:3250?
0:15:32 > 0:15:35- I'll take 40.- Come on!
0:15:35 > 0:15:3725.
0:15:37 > 0:15:3930.
0:15:39 > 0:15:4135.
0:15:41 > 0:15:4240.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45At 35, the young lady at the front.
0:15:45 > 0:15:4840 anywhere else? So cheap it's frightening.
0:15:48 > 0:15:5040. Five?
0:15:52 > 0:15:5347.
0:15:53 > 0:15:5450.
0:15:56 > 0:15:5852.
0:15:58 > 0:15:5955.
0:15:59 > 0:16:04- 57.- It's climbing, isn't it?
0:16:04 > 0:16:0562.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08At £60, at £60.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10At £60... Am I done?
0:16:10 > 0:16:12- That's a profit.- Yep.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15That was more difficult than climbing up the sheer face
0:16:15 > 0:16:16- of Everest, wasn't it?- It was.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19- Oh, dear! - But we got there in the end.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Next up, Doreen's costume,
0:16:23 > 0:16:27on which there has been a change of plan to maximize their potential.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30Originally valued as one lot,
0:16:30 > 0:16:35we have now split them into three, each has a value of £25 to £35.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37They won't be bought to be worn,
0:16:37 > 0:16:39but what a fascinating insight into the way people lived.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42- This is social history, isn't it? - Of course it is.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44It wasn't so long ago, and people dressed like that.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46That is what is all about, really.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48Let's find out what the bidders think.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50It is going under the hammer now.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53A lady's mourning gown.
0:16:53 > 0:16:5620, I've got. 20, I've got. 30. 40.
0:16:56 > 0:16:5950. 60. 70.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02- £At 60 in the middle.- Good start.
0:17:02 > 0:17:03I shan't dwell.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05It is yours at 60, my love.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Done, £60. First one.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Here's the second one.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Cotton skirt, blouse...
0:17:11 > 0:17:13It goes on and on and on.
0:17:13 > 0:17:1545. 50.
0:17:15 > 0:17:1755. At £50. At £50.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Is there five? I shan't dwell.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21At £50, am I all going?
0:17:21 > 0:17:23That's good. One more to go.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25Hopefully, around that figure is well.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27You have the lady's straw bonnet,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30a lovely Victorian parasol...
0:17:30 > 0:17:33Oh, Brian, you do look sweet.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35You do.
0:17:35 > 0:17:3725, I've got. 30. Five. 40.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Five. 50. Five. 60.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42At £60. 65?
0:17:42 > 0:17:46At £60 at the back of the room. At £60, is there 65?
0:17:46 > 0:17:47I shan't dwell.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49- At £60...- Another 60.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52- That's good, isn't it? 60, 50 and 60.- Yes, yes.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54That is a fantastic result.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56- I'm pleased.- Well above estimate.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58And I'm glad the auctioneer split them up,
0:17:58 > 0:17:59he did the right thing for us there.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03- Yes.- £170. Commission to pay, everybody has to pay that,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06but otherwise, that is a good day out for you, isn't it?
0:18:06 > 0:18:10- It certainly is.- Thank you. - Thank you, Paul. Thank you, David.
0:18:10 > 0:18:11Thank you.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14Well, we are really motoring along here, which means we are now
0:18:14 > 0:18:18heading in the right direction for our next lot.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20- It has got lots of character.- Yes.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23And people like quirky, unusual things.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26And good grief, we are in the right place to sell it, aren't we?
0:18:26 > 0:18:28- Oh, we are. Yes, we are. - We don't want to take it home.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31- No, I bet you don't. It is a bit heavy, isn't it?- A bit.- Yeah.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34And you have kind of a fallen out of love with it, I can see that.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36- But at least you didn't repaint it. - No.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39- I mean, that was the worst thing you could do.- Right.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Cos I've seen plenty of these repainted and they just look
0:18:41 > 0:18:42like reproductions.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46But at least this one looks like it is a little bit of folk art now.
0:18:46 > 0:18:47It looks tattered, but it is going
0:18:47 > 0:18:49to look good in someone's home. Here we go.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52I've a letter from Wiltshire Council, says,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55"Can we have our sign back, please?"
0:18:55 > 0:18:5740, I've got. 40, I've got. 50.
0:18:57 > 0:18:5960. 70.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01- They're fighting over it.- 90.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04- Good.- I don't believe it.- At £90. - It's brilliant.- £90.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06100.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08110. 120.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10130. At 120.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14At £120, am I all done?
0:19:14 > 0:19:15Fantastic!
0:19:15 > 0:19:18I mean, you couldn't make that for £120, though, could you?
0:19:18 > 0:19:20With the amount of metal there.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22- I think that is a great result. - Yeah.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25It just goes to show, something of local interest always sells well.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- We are in the right market for. - We are, I just worry
0:19:28 > 0:19:31if we're going to start a crime wave for Wiltshire road signs.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33- Yeah, but it's the old ones. - It's the old ones, yeah.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36- And legally obtained.- Yes.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39Well done, you two, for hanging onto that for such a long time.
0:19:39 > 0:19:40Thank you.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46Well, that is the end of our first visit to the sale room,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48some happy owners.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50Now, just down the road from here, due west a few miles,
0:19:50 > 0:19:53you get to the town of Bradford on Avon.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56It is overlooked by millions of tourists who flock to its larger
0:19:56 > 0:20:00and more famous neighbour, the World Heritage City of Bath.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03But I think they're missing out, because in Bradford on Avon,
0:20:03 > 0:20:07you can discover 800 years of history within just a few streets.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09If you know where to look.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Set in a valley with the winding river at its base,
0:20:19 > 0:20:24Bradford on Avon got its name from the broad ford across the Avon.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28And this crossing points is still at the heart of the town today.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Replacing the earlier ford, this stone bridge was
0:20:33 > 0:20:35built in the 13th and 14th century by the Normans.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37On the south side of it, you can
0:20:37 > 0:20:40see the two pointed arches with the wonderful ribbing going
0:20:40 > 0:20:43through the tunnel - wonderful Gothic architectural features.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47The original bridge, this bridge actually, did not have parapets,
0:20:47 > 0:20:51so many people crossing over the water ended up falling in it.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54Luckily, it was widened in the 18th century.
0:20:54 > 0:20:59And today, it still remains busy as it is the town's only road
0:20:59 > 0:21:02bridge across the Avon - a task it has been performing
0:21:02 > 0:21:04for more then 700 years.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12Now, if you're wondering what that little stone building is on the
0:21:12 > 0:21:14bridge just there, well, here's the key for it,
0:21:14 > 0:21:16so let's go and investigate.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Originally a chapel intended to give travellers an opportunity to
0:21:24 > 0:21:29pray for a safe journey, it later became a prison,
0:21:29 > 0:21:33where local drunks and troublemakers were left overnight to cool off.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Well, you wouldn't want to be slung in here, would you?
0:21:42 > 0:21:46Look, there's the original cast-iron bedstead that the prisoners
0:21:46 > 0:21:49would have been shackled to - you can see where the rings are -
0:21:49 > 0:21:52with just enough slack to come over here,
0:21:52 > 0:21:54to do the business.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57And I would not want to be downstream of that.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07Looking down on the river, are an abundance of mellow stone buildings,
0:22:07 > 0:22:11giving the impression of a pretty sleepy Wiltshire town.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16But nothing could be further from the truth.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20The Bradford on Avon you see today was shaped by industry,
0:22:20 > 0:22:24a manufacturing town from the 16th century onwards.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Bradford on Avon developed as a centre for the wool industry,
0:22:27 > 0:22:29which kept it busy for hundreds of years.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42Most of the buildings on this hillside are rows of 17th
0:22:42 > 0:22:47and 18th century terraced houses, once home to spinners and weavers.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51Everyone worked from home. It was a cottage industry.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53And the majority of dwellings, like this, were always
0:22:53 > 0:22:57built on the side of a hill to allow maximum sunlight
0:22:57 > 0:22:58to come flooding in.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Now, if you look closely, on the top floor, you can
0:23:00 > 0:23:02see the windows are wider up there.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04That is where the looms were situated.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07The more sunlight, the more hours you got in.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14Now, in the 1700s, you could earn quite a decent wage as a hand
0:23:14 > 0:23:16loom weaver, but nothing nearly as much
0:23:16 > 0:23:18as the merchants who sold the cloth.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21They were known as clothiers and they were the middlemen
0:23:21 > 0:23:25between the weavers they employed and the tailors they sold to.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28Daniel Defoe, who visited Bradford on Avon in the early
0:23:28 > 0:23:32part of the 18th century commented, "It was no extraordinary
0:23:32 > 0:23:36"thing to have clothiers worth £10,0000 to £40,000 a man."
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Now, that is the equivalent
0:23:38 > 0:23:40of around one to five million pounds today.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44And the evidence of their wealth can be seen all over Bradford on Avon.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47That house was once owned by a clothier.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53And it was the clothiers who were best placed to take
0:23:53 > 0:23:57advantage of the changes the turning of the 19th century brought.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07Thanks to such inventions as the spinning jenny, the Industrial
0:24:07 > 0:24:11Revolution brought mechanisation to textile manufacturing.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Wool weaving moved into purpose-built mills,
0:24:14 > 0:24:16which used water to power the looms.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22The clothiers became factory owners,
0:24:22 > 0:24:26but the power looms replaced the work of many handloom weavers,
0:24:26 > 0:24:30and the large gains in productivity with cost cutting machinery
0:24:30 > 0:24:32meant those who had opted for factory employment
0:24:32 > 0:24:34were on breadline wages.
0:24:39 > 0:24:40Looking at that super view,
0:24:40 > 0:24:42walking past this pretty row of houses,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45which were built for the cloth workers,
0:24:45 > 0:24:49it is hard to comprehend that during the mid-19th century, this area
0:24:49 > 0:24:52was one of the worst industrial slums in Wiltshire.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Many of these houses were split into two,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02with one two-roomed house entered from the front here
0:25:02 > 0:25:04and the other two-roomed house above,
0:25:04 > 0:25:05entered from the street behind,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08with often around ten people living in each of them.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10It was terribly overcrowded.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12There was no mains water.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Water was gathered from a well below and carried up this steep hill.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20And of course, drainage was an open cesspit, which often overflowed.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24It's hard to imagine, with this place being so beautiful today.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34The truth of the matter was that by the early 19th century,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37cloth manufacturing in Bradford was in decline.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40The larger industrial centres in Yorkshire are were producing
0:25:40 > 0:25:42cheaper, more affordable cloth.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45And eventually, the wool trade died away in the South
0:25:45 > 0:25:47and the mills closed down.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52In the 1800s, the outlook was bleak.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55But salvation came from an unexpected quarter.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59In 1848, Stephen Moulton, a good friend of Charles Goodyear,
0:25:59 > 0:26:03set up a rubber factory right here, and Bradford on Avon became
0:26:03 > 0:26:07the birthplace of the rubber industry in this country.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09Large mills were taken over
0:26:09 > 0:26:13and the rubber plant became the main employer in the area for decades,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16manufacturing everything from tyres to wiper blades.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19Millions and millions of rubber washers were made.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22And this, in turn, led to another revolution
0:26:22 > 0:26:25here in Bradford on Avon - a transport revolution,
0:26:25 > 0:26:30which was started in the 1960s, and it's still going strong today.
0:26:31 > 0:26:32Dr Alex Moulton,
0:26:32 > 0:26:36the great-grandson of the rubber pioneer, joined the family company
0:26:36 > 0:26:39after the Second World War and went on to design
0:26:39 > 0:26:43the rubber suspension system for the new Mini car.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45And judging from this footage...
0:26:45 > 0:26:48TYRE SCREECHING
0:26:48 > 0:26:50..I think he did a pretty good job.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55He then took the same principles in rubber suspension
0:26:55 > 0:26:58and applied them to bicycles.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03In 1962, the first Moulton bicycle was born,
0:27:03 > 0:27:07smashing the myth that small wheels meant slow wheels.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11This new take on the classic bicycle became an icon of the swinging
0:27:11 > 0:27:16'60s, seen as a minibike to go with miniskirts and Mini cars.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22The bicycle building factory was started in Bradford on Avon,
0:27:22 > 0:27:25and they are still being made here today.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30And they have kindly lent me one of their bicycles
0:27:30 > 0:27:32so I can make the most of the of the Kennet
0:27:32 > 0:27:36and Avon cycle route, which goes right through Bradford on Avon.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41And having walked and peddled my way around the town, it is
0:27:41 > 0:27:45clear to see that not only is the history of Bradford on Avon
0:27:45 > 0:27:48preserved in its beautiful architecture, but also, I'm glad
0:27:48 > 0:27:52to say, it's manufacturing legacy looks to have a safe future, too.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Welcome back to Longleat, where scores of people are still
0:28:03 > 0:28:07arriving, bring along their precious possessions to receive a valuation.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13Now, earlier we talked about the wonderful Shire horses
0:28:13 > 0:28:16and the draymen who still deliver barrels of beer,
0:28:16 > 0:28:19and it's a profession the owner of these Staffordshire figurines
0:28:19 > 0:28:20knows all about.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25Ted, what can you tell me about them?
0:28:25 > 0:28:26The only thing I know about them,
0:28:26 > 0:28:31that I was given them back in '62, from a chap called Charlie Barnes.
0:28:31 > 0:28:32- He were my driver.- Was he?
0:28:32 > 0:28:35- And what did you do? You unloaded barrels?- Barrels, yeah.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39I loaded 'em up in the morning. Load 'em up, sent 'em off.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42- Put up the empties. - So you were drayman.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46- That's it, I were a drayman. 35 years.- Really?
0:28:46 > 0:28:49And did you down a pint or two during the course of the day?
0:28:49 > 0:28:53Oh, yeah. Wednesdays was the worst day, I used to drink ten to 12 pints.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57- But other days, you'd get six, eight pints a day.- Really?
0:28:57 > 0:29:01- I never put no weight on, no matter what I done.- I can see that!
0:29:01 > 0:29:03It was all that humping those barrels about.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06- Yeah, that's what it was. - It kept you fit.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10- Now, these would have been made in about 1880, 1890.- Yeah.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12- In Staffordshire.- Yeah.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15They're not marked, they could have been made in any
0:29:15 > 0:29:17one of a huge number of kilns
0:29:17 > 0:29:19- that were making this sort of thing. - Oh, yeah.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23And people decorated their cottages with these.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27They're humble objects, really. They were made for the mass market.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29And I think we can tell, really,
0:29:29 > 0:29:33- by virtue of the fact they are so slim, front to back.- Yeah.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Do you like them?
0:29:35 > 0:29:38- I don't, no.- So, you won't be sorry to see them go?- No.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42- They've been wrapped up ever since I had 'em.- OK.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44- Never had them out once?- No.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47They've always been wrapped up cos I was frightened I might drop 'em.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51OK. They depict a really rather bizarre sort of subject -
0:29:51 > 0:29:55these girls wearing plumed hats
0:29:55 > 0:29:56sitting on sheep.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59Well, I mean, where does that come from?
0:29:59 > 0:30:03With these sort of rather strange reddy-brown markings.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07They look, in some senses, more like spaniels than they do sheep.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11And then surrounding the girls and the sheep, in each case,
0:30:11 > 0:30:13is this fruiting vine.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16So it is a mixture of iconography which comes from all
0:30:16 > 0:30:18- sorts of backgrounds.- I see.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22Now, we need to think about what they are worth.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25- I really don't want to raise your hopes too high.- I ain't worried.
0:30:25 > 0:30:29- You're not worried, good.- What you say, I'll be happy with.- All right.
0:30:29 > 0:30:30Well, that's very accommodating.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34Um, I reckon these will make somewhere around about £30.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36- Yeah, that'd be all right. - Good. You're a star.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40- And I think we should sell them without a reserve.- Yeah, that's OK.
0:30:40 > 0:30:45What I get with them, I take the young lady for a beer after I finish.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47- For a pint or two of Bass. - Yeah, that's it.- Good for you.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51- But only a pint or two.- Oh, yeah. I can have two and give her a Shandy.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53THEY LAUGH
0:30:53 > 0:30:55Let's head over to Michael now,
0:30:55 > 0:30:58whose table is weighed down by a set of three family Bibles.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04They're superb, old-looking books.
0:31:04 > 0:31:08If we have a look inside,
0:31:08 > 0:31:12that's always promising. We've got a lovely period bookplate.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14And that would be for the original owner.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16And that's because when they were made,
0:31:16 > 0:31:19they were expensive books and you needed a mark of ownership.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21So, is that your family crest?
0:31:21 > 0:31:24- Have they been in your family for generations?- I would like
0:31:24 > 0:31:26- to claim it, yes, but no.- No.
0:31:26 > 0:31:31- So, how did you come by them? - My mum's neighbour passed away,
0:31:31 > 0:31:33so her daughter was going to throw them in the skip.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35- So she saved them from the skip. - She saved them from the skip.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39- And then we was over at my mum's one day...- Eight years later.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43And she was going to throw them away, so we rescued them again.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46And the only reason she didn't was because she couldn't lift them
0:31:46 > 0:31:48to chuck them in the bin.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Thank goodness for a nice, heavy volume!
0:31:51 > 0:31:53It's very nice, actually.
0:31:53 > 0:31:59We've got an inscription here - William Vigor, 1767.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03And if we look at the front piece there...
0:32:03 > 0:32:07There we go, the Christian's Family Bible - the Old and New Testaments.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10And there is the date of publication - 1767.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14So Mr Vigor, whoever he was, obviously bought them
0:32:14 > 0:32:16absolutely brand-new.
0:32:16 > 0:32:20The bindings would have been in absolutely full calf,
0:32:20 > 0:32:22full tooled in gild, the most expensive bindings.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25And one factor is, if we leaf through this, it is
0:32:25 > 0:32:28always expensive to put illustrations into a book.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31It is much easier just to do the plain text.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34The artist has to engrave it, it has to be done separately.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36And there are lots of illustrations in this book,
0:32:36 > 0:32:39lots of lovely engravings. This one,
0:32:39 > 0:32:43we've got the tribute money from Matthew.
0:32:43 > 0:32:44And each one, funnily enough,
0:32:44 > 0:32:48is inscribed or dedicated to a different bishop.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51Which is a nice touch, with the bishop's arms there.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54And then if we turn over, we've got one more there.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58And we've got the Wise Men's offering.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01I wonder how much they'd offer for these?
0:33:01 > 0:33:04Have you decided to sell them so you don't get tempted to put them in the
0:33:04 > 0:33:07- skip as well?- No, we don't want them to get damaged anymore.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09No, they're quite damaged now.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12We just don't like people leafing through them, to be quite honest.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14- Condition is an issue.- Yeah.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18Because to restore these books would be more money than
0:33:18 > 0:33:21they would be worth once they were restored.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24- Yeah.- People do collect Bibles, particularly in America.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28I think that's where these will probably have the best market.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31And somewhat depressingly, were they in pristine condition,
0:33:31 > 0:33:35we might be looking at many hundreds of pounds.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37Because it is a nice early edition.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40I think, with all of this damage and staining,
0:33:40 > 0:33:43we have got to be realistic and say £50 to £100,
0:33:43 > 0:33:46and hope that from there,
0:33:46 > 0:33:48two or three book collectors think,
0:33:48 > 0:33:50"Well, we'll go on a little from that."
0:33:50 > 0:33:54- Yeah.- But that's the way to pitch them to get the best price for them.
0:33:54 > 0:33:58- So, if you are happy, we'll put them into the auction for you.- Yeah.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00The auctioneer will put them on the Internet
0:34:00 > 0:34:01and the world will see them.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04That is quite a big market to sell to.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07And we'll see if we can catch ourselves a bidder.
0:34:09 > 0:34:14Meanwhile, I've been catching up with some members of the crowd.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16It really is a family affair here today at Longleat,
0:34:16 > 0:34:18because this is Lucy, a member of our production team,
0:34:18 > 0:34:20who works really hard on "Flog It!",
0:34:20 > 0:34:24but her mum and her aunt and uncle have come along to have a valuation.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26- Haven't you?- Yes.- What have you got?
0:34:26 > 0:34:29I've got a ring I bought at an antique shop in Brighton,
0:34:29 > 0:34:32so I thought I'd just bring it along to have it valued today.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36They say it is old, but whether it is or no, I don't know.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40And I was also left a ring, which I would like to get valued as well.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43Oh, that is beautiful! Hey, Lucy, have you got your eyes on that one?
0:34:43 > 0:34:46Three sparklers. Look at that.
0:34:46 > 0:34:51There is an old price on the box of £220, but it wasn't long
0:34:51 > 0:34:54before John, one of our jewellery experts, brought them up to date.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58Um, it being in a platinum mount as well,
0:34:58 > 0:35:00you are probably looking at auction
0:35:00 > 0:35:04something in the region of about 1,800 to 2,000.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06Oh, right!
0:35:06 > 0:35:09- But I'd give you that price for. - Yeah(!)
0:35:10 > 0:35:14A lovely heirloom to keep hold of. Now, let's head over to David.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18Here we are, in the lee of this great family house
0:35:18 > 0:35:21that has been handed down from generation to generation.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24And, Jane, we're looking at an object that belongs to you,
0:35:24 > 0:35:27which also has been handed down from generation to generation.
0:35:27 > 0:35:33- What can you tell me about it?- Well, it came from my great aunt's family.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36It was just found, eventually, when we cleared the home.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40I've no idea who used it or why they would have had it,
0:35:40 > 0:35:44- I just thought it was a very beautiful thing.- I love it.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48And it is quite an important thing, by Longines.
0:35:48 > 0:35:53And it has this little secondary dial in the middle,
0:35:53 > 0:35:55which is adjustable.
0:35:55 > 0:36:00And if you were to line up the knot there,
0:36:00 > 0:36:02on the 12,
0:36:02 > 0:36:06you can record the passage of time
0:36:06 > 0:36:11elapsed by tracking the appropriate hand.
0:36:11 > 0:36:16Um, it has an additional importance in as much as this particular
0:36:16 > 0:36:20type of movement was invented by man called Weem - W-E-E-M -
0:36:20 > 0:36:22who was an American airman.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24- Mm-hm.- And he specialised
0:36:24 > 0:36:27in developing navigational aids like this.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31So, it would have been used by an aviator.
0:36:31 > 0:36:36What I love about it is it's almost in original condition.
0:36:36 > 0:36:41The case is silver, continental, with import marks for 1929.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45The leather is original and, look,
0:36:45 > 0:36:47- even the buckle has a silver hallmark.- Yes.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50- So the buckle is hallmarked, wow! - It's a wonderful quality, isn't it?
0:36:50 > 0:36:52Amazing, absolutely amazing.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55You've decided to sell it, and I am very thrilled that you have,
0:36:55 > 0:36:59because I think this is really going to do quite well.
0:36:59 > 0:37:05Um... My view is that we should estimate it at £400 to £600.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09Now, watches that are very similar to this have made considerably
0:37:09 > 0:37:12more than that in the past 12 months,
0:37:12 > 0:37:14and I am optimistic it will do better than that,
0:37:14 > 0:37:16but I think that that is a sensible estimate.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18But we don't want to estimate it too high
0:37:18 > 0:37:21- and we want people to know that it is for sale.- Lovely, thanks.
0:37:21 > 0:37:25So, can we go ahead on that basis - 400 to 600 as the estimate
0:37:25 > 0:37:27and place a reserve of £400 on it?
0:37:29 > 0:37:31- Yes.- Good!
0:37:31 > 0:37:34A reluctant yes, but I think you'll have a nice surprise,
0:37:34 > 0:37:35I really do.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41Well, we'll have to wait and see, but not for much longer.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44We've certainly had a marvellous day here at Longleat House.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47Valuations have been going on left, right and centre, all over
0:37:47 > 0:37:50the place, keeping our experts very, very busy.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53But they have now made their final choice of items to
0:37:53 > 0:37:56take off to the Devizes auction room, so here is a quick
0:37:56 > 0:37:59recap of all the items that are going under the hammer.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03There is Ted's Staffordshire figurines,
0:38:03 > 0:38:06a gift from his wagon driver back in 1962,
0:38:06 > 0:38:09and wrapped up ever since.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12These illustrated family Bibles were saved from the skip,
0:38:12 > 0:38:15not once but twice, so let's hope they find a new home.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18And I think David's estimate on Jane's aviator watch
0:38:18 > 0:38:20is a real come-and-buy-me!
0:38:20 > 0:38:23Definitely one to watch, if you excuse the pun.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32So, it is back to the hubbub of the Devizes auction house,
0:38:32 > 0:38:33where the sale is in full swing.
0:38:35 > 0:38:36Are you bidding, sir?
0:38:36 > 0:38:40So, let's get cracking with Ted's Staffordshire figurines.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44Why didn't you have them on display?
0:38:44 > 0:38:48Well, I didn't want to damage them! Cos I thought they'd chip...
0:38:48 > 0:38:52That's pottery meant to be enjoyed by the masses, it was mass-produced.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55It is Staffordshire, but it was affordable.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57It was honest and there was no pretence about it.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00I think we should get around, hopefully, £40 to £60 for this.
0:39:00 > 0:39:01Well, I hope so, Paul.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03They're not selling as well as they were.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05We're going to find out what the bidders think right now.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07It is down to them to decide.
0:39:07 > 0:39:1275 is the pair flat backs.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14£35, £40?
0:39:14 > 0:39:17- Yeah, that's a good starting figure. - £30 to start me?
0:39:17 > 0:39:2020, I've got. 25. £20 on the maiden bid.
0:39:20 > 0:39:2220. 25. 25.
0:39:22 > 0:39:2530. 35.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27It's so low...
0:39:27 > 0:39:30Is there five? At £30...
0:39:30 > 0:39:32- £30.- I'm pleased.- Happy?
0:39:32 > 0:39:35- Yeah, good. Thank you very much, gentlemen.- Job done.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41Going under the hammer right now, a set of three family Bibles,
0:39:41 > 0:39:43dating back to the late 1700s,
0:39:43 > 0:39:45belonging to Kim, who is right next to me.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47Good luck with these.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49I know this kind of thing is really, really hard to sell.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52- I expect Michael has explained that at the valuation day.- Yeah.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54But I think, because of the age...
0:39:54 > 0:39:56The quality, the market in America...
0:39:56 > 0:39:59I mean, they are more valuable when they are signed by the author,
0:39:59 > 0:40:02but these aren't, but we'll see what we can do.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06But I think they are good, you know. They are the best I've seen.
0:40:06 > 0:40:11If you polish them up, they look very tasty on a bookshelf.
0:40:11 > 0:40:1220, get me away?
0:40:12 > 0:40:1620, I've got. They're all three of them, remember. 20, I've got. 30.
0:40:16 > 0:40:1840. 50. 60.
0:40:18 > 0:40:23- 70? At £60.- They're gone.- Yeah.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25- At £60...- Sold.- Yeah.
0:40:25 > 0:40:26Miracles do happen.
0:40:29 > 0:40:30That was quite nice.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33- I'm pleased they've gone. - Yeah.- Tricky thing to sell.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36Well done, you've been hanging onto them for such a long time.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38And now for our final lot of the day -
0:40:38 > 0:40:40that rather special aviator's watch.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Let's see if it gives Jane that nice surprise David promised
0:40:43 > 0:40:45her at Longleat.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50Well, what we want to know is where has it been all this time?
0:40:50 > 0:40:54- I did have it by my bed for a little while.- So at least you could see it.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58- So I could use it and listen to it. - It has got quite a large dial,
0:40:58 > 0:41:00so it'd be quite a practical clock to have.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03It has, and I think it is very beautiful. I love the figures on it.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05- But anyway...- You're going to miss this, aren't you?
0:41:05 > 0:41:08I am going to miss it a little bit. But there we go, it's sensible.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11Too late to change your mind. Thank heavens.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16A very lovely little pilot's watch.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19It looks like there is a phone line.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21- Can you see that?- Oh, yes.
0:41:24 > 0:41:25Various bids on the book,
0:41:25 > 0:41:29and I think I can come straight in at...
0:41:29 > 0:41:312,500.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35- Woo!- At 2,500. At 2,600.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37At 2,600.
0:41:37 > 0:41:392,700.
0:41:39 > 0:41:412,700.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44- I'm shocked!- I am.- Speechless?
0:41:44 > 0:41:463,000 with me, Doug. 3,100 with you.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49No? At 3,000 with me.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52Right. 3,100.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55Phone line's come in now.
0:41:55 > 0:41:563,300.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00- This is bonkers!- 3,400
0:42:00 > 0:42:033,500. 3,600.
0:42:03 > 0:42:053,650?
0:42:05 > 0:42:07- I am going to get the Mickey taken out.- You are.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09All my mates, they'll all be ringing me up, saying,
0:42:09 > 0:42:10"You got that wrong, David."
0:42:10 > 0:42:133,800? 3,800.
0:42:13 > 0:42:153,900?
0:42:15 > 0:42:193,900 on this phone. Is there 4,000? Are you back?
0:42:19 > 0:42:22I've got a grandfather clock that needs mending, and I thought a
0:42:22 > 0:42:27few hundred pounds might do that, but... I can do a bit more now.
0:42:27 > 0:42:304,100. 4,050.
0:42:30 > 0:42:324,100.
0:42:33 > 0:42:344,150?
0:42:39 > 0:42:42At the back, 4,100.
0:42:42 > 0:42:43Are we ready?
0:42:43 > 0:42:44And we're away...
0:42:44 > 0:42:46- Done.- 4,100.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49The hammer has gone down, it is a big sold sound.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52I am over the moon for you. I really am.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54So pleased I didn't value that one.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57Hey, but that's auctions for you, that's the way it goes.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01- Now, you have got a long case clock to restore and repair.- Yes.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05So, I'm really good, I'm really glad about that.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08And lots of spending money to treat the rest of the family members,
0:43:08 > 0:43:12yeah? That is a great return. And I hope you've enjoyed the show.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15Sadly, we've run out of time here in Devizes, in Wiltshire,
0:43:15 > 0:43:17but what a wonderful way to end.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20Do join us again in the future for many more surprises.