Ragley Hall 15 Flog It!

CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYS

This splendid Palladian house was designed by Dr Robert Hooke in 1680.

Now, he was no ordinary man.

Not only did he help Sir Christopher Wren

rebuild London after the Great Fire,

but he also had a hand in designing the dome of St Paul's Cathedral.

Now, it doesn't get much better than that, does it?

Welcome to Flog It!, from Ragley Hall in Warwickshire.

This historic house, built in blue lias stone and roofed

in Cornish slate, was completed in 1780.

The impressive iconic portico, added by James Wyatt,

was the first in Warwickshire.

He also took a hand in designing some of the beautiful rooms inside.

But it was James Gibbs who was responsible for the fabulous

rococo stucco work in the Great Hall.

On the ceiling, Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, is the centrepiece.

Let's hope we have some guidance from her today.

So, where better than this historic backdrop

for our experts to wax lyrical about

all the antiques and collectables they are just

about to see, but more importantly, give us their valuations.

All of these good folk have come from Warwickshire

and beyond laden, with their antiques and collectables,

and there is only one question on their lips, which is...

-CROWD:

-What's it worth?!

Brilliant! Stay tuned and you will find out.

And already settling in to these aristocratic surroundings

is a distinguished gentleman of the saleroom, Will Axon.

You haven't just taken that off His Lordship's car, have you?

No, we've left the car in the garage.

Oh, have you? I like it! Very nice.

-I think you've got it upside down.

-Have I?

-You have now!

-HE LAUGHS

And a prince of the antiques world, auctioneer Charlie Ross.

Probably a bit too high for a milking chair.

When you're milking, you've got to be down there.

-I am a world expert.

-SHE LAUGHS

Whereas your spinning, you are a bit higher up.

Well, we can't keep people waiting and this grand old house

has plenty of space to accommodate our eager crowd.

On the show today, we delve deep into history.

One of our experts brushes with the ceremonial,

but ends up looking a right Charlie.

Whoever had this had a very small head, didn't he?

I mean, to be honest, I'd have felt a bit of a twerp

standing to attention in this.

We travel to Edgehill, to find out

more about one of Warwickshire's famous battles.

What you would have seen would have been your immediate neighbours

fighting, struggling for their lives in all the smoke.

What would you have heard?

Well, I suppose you would have heard screams of pain, deafening noises.

And I'm overwhelmed by the sheer scale of things.

The biggest teapot I've ever seen in my life, there.

All that's coming up later on in the show.

Well, everyone is now safely seated in the Great Hall

and there is a wonderful air of anticipation and excitement.

Who is going to go off to auction and go home with lots of money?

That is what we are going to do right now, make a start.

This is the first person going off to the saleroom,

and it is a valuation with Charlie Ross.

And he is currently in the Red Saloon with Raymond.

-This is a busby.

-Yep.

-It belongs to the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

-Yep.

You were never a serving member of Her Majesty's Forces, were you?

-No, only in the TA.

-In the TA.

It is a wonderful, wonderful object. It is not particularly old, is it?

-No, it is between '70 and '72.

-Right.

-So, not 70 years old.

-No.

-1970.

-Yeah.

So, we're looking at 40, 50 years old.

At the front, of course, we have got the badge,

which you can explain to us.

That is the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers' badge.

-And here we have got...?

-That is a hackle.

-That is the hackle.

A lot of people say, you know, feathers and this, that and the

other when you've got the one on your beret, but that's a hackle.

May we just lift it up here? Because there's something quite interesting.

-Now, I see on here a little tag.

-That's right.

That is the sealed whatsit from the MOD, to say that

-that's original, it is not a repro.

-Not a repro or a fake.

-So, that is a vital thing.

-Yeah.

-Now, who would have worn this? Somebody in a band?

-Yeah, bandsmen.

-Bandsmen.

-Nobody else wore them bar bandsmen.

-Right.

They're purely ceremonial, aren't they?

They're just ceremonial.

-You would never have gone off to war wearing it, would you?

-No.

Whoever had this had a very small head, didn't he?

I mean, to be honest, I'd have felt a bit of this twerp

standing to attention in this.

Plus, if you wore that into battle, you'd have your head shot off.

You certainly would.

-You wouldn't want to peer out of a trench wearing this, would you?

-No.

I think it is a wonderfully tactile object.

Well, the value.

Get it in at the right money and they fall over each other for it.

I'd say...170 - what I paid for it.

I think we need a little bit more flexibility, don't we?

-You do want to sell it, don't you?

-Yeah.

-We'll put it in at one and a half.

-Righto.

-One and a half, to make you laugh.

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, that's fine.

That gives us enough flexibility, doesn't it?

-Okey-dokey.

-£150.

-Fixed.

-Fixed?

-Yeah.

-As in bayonets?

-Yeah.

-Fixed bayonets?

-HE CHUCKLES

-Fixed reserves?

-That's it!

I was going to say, can we use just a little bit of discretion? But no.

-No, no.

-£150. I think it is worth that.

And if it doesn't make that, then you'll take it back home.

-I'll still keep it, yeah.

-But it is brilliant to see it.

-Thank you very much. Keep my fingers crossed.

-Thanks very much.

Cheers, Charlie. Much appreciated, ta.

That will probably be a one-off,

and I don't expect we will see another one like it.

Now, over to Wendy,

who has a couple of items that are giving Will "paws" for thought.

Wendy, you didn't expect to be on this table, did you, with me?

I didn't, no. I just thought I'd come for a valuation.

Were they something that you've had since a little girl

-or have you inherited them?

-No, no.

-They were my husband's.

-Yeah.

-They were his uncles'.

-Right, OK.

And they were young boys around the turn of the century,

-1900 to 1910, I suppose.

-OK.

And then they were given to my husband,

-who then gave them to my son.

-Oh, right.

-And my son is now 38 and...

-He has just stopped sleeping with them.

Well, he is not interested in them and I don't think his wife is,

so we may as well do something with them.

Well, the big name in bears...

You're obviously aware of the name Steiff.

-Yes.

-The well-known bear makers - German.

Was there an idea that this might have been a Steiff at some point?

Well, we did wonder. When my son first had him, he did have a growl,

but that has disappeared.

Yeah, the growlers do perish, unfortunately.

One or two times too many and they do perish.

The thing to look out for for a Steiff bear is the shape.

There are certain things that they have this pronounced snout,

so it becomes a, sort of...

And it is quite pointy, the snout of a Steiff bear.

They have long arms, as well,

where the, sort of, the pads are quite long for the arms.

-They almost look a bit sort of monkey-like almost, the arms.

-Yes.

They usually have a hump on their back.

So, you've got the start of that here, but I don't think it is

-prominent enough to make me think it is a Steiff.

-Right.

And, of course, you have the button in the ear.

Now, there is a problem here, isn't there?

Because from where I am sitting, he looks fine,

but from where you're sitting, there is no ear, is there, your side?

-No, it's gone.

-I mean, I talk about damage

because we're going to have to think about condition.

What's happened over the years is he's been played with,

cuddled, rolled about with, you know, the mohair has come away,

it has perished.

-So, he is down to his bare skin, the poor chap, isn't he?

-Yes, he is.

And then I noticed the pads as well. The pads on the feet and the arms,

they look to have been replaced at some stage.

-They have been, by my mother-in-law.

-Oh, were they?

-Yes.

-I mean, she has done a reasonably good job, actually.

-Yes, she has.

We move on to the Panda, who, again, is unmarked,

so no idea who possibly made him.

But again, a little bit unusual, being a panda.

We're used to seeing the mohair bears,

not so used to seeing the pandas.

-Am I right in thinking that they were on their way to the tip?

-Yes.

-HE GASPS

-Outrageous.

-I'm having a clear-out.

So, I feel like I've done my good deed of the day.

-I've rescued them from almost certain death.

-You have.

Well, listen, we've got to talk about value at some stage.

I am going to prepare you - it is not going to be a fortune.

Estimate-wise, I'm thinking £20 to £40 for the two.

-How does that sound?

-Yes, I'd be happy with that.

-Yeah?

-Yes.

Considering you were going to chuck them,

I'm suggesting that we have no reserve,

we take a bit of a gamble and let them make what they make on the day.

-That sounds good to me.

-You happy with that?

-I'm very happy with that.

-Brilliant.

-Well, listen, they're going to find a new home.

-Aw. All right, then.

And well-deserved, too.

And now for something really extraordinary.

Well, we have all had pen pals in our lives, at some stage,

but this is a pen pal with a totally different story that is quite

unique, and it belongs to Nick. So, tell me about it.

Paul, this is a Mr Chamberlain, who lived in Wales

and he wrote to Adolf Hitler in 1936 asking for his signature.

And I don't know really whether he was called Mr Chamberlain,

but I think it is a great example of the British sense of humour.

Even then, we were seeing through

all the goose-stepping and everything.

And what is amazing is Adolf Hitler wrote back again.

So, here is the letter. It is dated 15th of August, 1936, and he writes,

"My best wishes, Mr Chamberlain."

He thanks very much for his correspondence but says,

"Unfortunately, the Fuhrer doesn't do personalised autographs",

but wishes him all the best.

And it has been signed by his adjutant.

So, they took it very seriously.

Definitely so. I like that a lot.

To keep that, to keep it safe, frame it, have a small bordered frame,

maybe an ebonised frame, a pencil round frame, not too big

so it doesn't detract from the text and put it on the wall.

Because when you look at that,

that's going to put a smile on your face.

It is. It's a real piece of history. Thanks very much, I'll do that.

-Well, thank you.

-Thank you.

HE CHUCKLES Sorry, we don't do autographs.

Over to Will now, who has found some fantastic wood carvings.

Michael, you haven't left your canoe outside, have you?

Cos I'm loving this paddle you've brought me.

Tell me, are you a collector of tribal art?

No, not really, no.

I just saw them in a very small auction house

in South Cumbria a few years ago.

-Right.

-I thought... I appreciated the carving on them.

-Yes.

-My son lives in Wellington, New Zealand...

-Ah.

-..and I thought they might be Polynesian, that one.

Did you ask your son's opinion? What did he think?

Well, I sent photographs as an e-mail attachment to my son.

I said, "Please go to the Maori Museum in Wellington

-"and ask them about them."

-Yes.

-And he didn't.

-Sons, eh? Who needs 'em!

-I got fed up with this, so I wrote directly to the museum...

-Yes.

..enclosing the pictures again.

I said, "If my son does bother to come round,

"tell him that they're the long-last paddle

"given to Captain Cook by the chief of the Cook Islands."

-Really?

-They did!

When he eventually went,

they went through this little charade with him.

So he, all of a sudden, thought that his dad

isn't as mad as he thought and he had actually discovered

-a long-lost treasure, but it was a wind-up!

-Yeah.

Did they manage to tell him anything about them?

-I've got a little note from them, if you want to see it?

-Have you?

That always helps. We like a little note.

Let me have a look at that.

"The paddle in the images - Austral Islands in east Polynesia.

"The intricately carved paddles were made in the 19th century..."

I would agree with that. "..in large numbers.

"Ceremonial or trading situations

"and wonderful examples of wood carving."

Wow, that's amazing. That's actually quite a nice little note

to maybe keep with them. Let me give you that back.

They've said the Austral Islands, which is great,

we've pinpointed it, but you haven't just brought along the one piece -

you've also brought this along, as well.

I think this one is early 20th century.

Once you get into the 20th century,

the collectors start to lose a little bit of interest -

more people are travelling

and more pieces like this are bought as a souvenir.

In my mind, I think most of the value out of these two

-is going to be in the ceremonial paddle.

-Yes.

It's got this wonderful, intricate what we would call chip carving.

It's, literally, chips of wood being taken out,

to create this all-over geometric pattern.

Significance to each individual tribe.

Then, here on the pommel, what I think is rather nice

is that we've got what I would call these little tikis,

little sort of charms, to ward off evil spirits.

-You mention you saw them in an auction house.

-Yes.

-So, you've had to put your hand in the air to buy them.

-Yes.

Can I ask you what sort of money you had to pay?

I paid, I think, 410 for the pair.

-Right.

-No telephone bidding, no internet.

-No internet connection.

Nothing like that, it's just sort of bric-a-brac, really.

I have seen these make £1,000,

a little bit more,

-so let's straddle that £1,000 mark.

-Yes.

I'd like to put them in at £800-£1,200.

I think most of the value is going to be carried by this paddle,

the chip-carved.

Let's keep them together.

You bought them together, it seems a shame to split them up

and who knows?

It might be making its way all the way round

to the other side of the world, once we've sold it.

Michael, I look forward to seeing you at the auction

and I think we could have a little flyer here.

Well, with the internet, the world is our oyster.

Time to catch up with Charlie again.

He is now in the splendour of the formal dining room.

Who knows where he'll pop up next?

Rather like this splendid house with its splendid contents,

we've got a lot of history here.

And quite a bit of it very, very sad.

And we will come onto that,

but I am quite intrigued to know how you've ended up with these.

-Well, my brother-in-law used to go to a lot of auction sales.

-Yes.

And at the end of the auction sales,

-they used to sell job lots in big boxes.

-Yep.

And these two were in one of the big boxes

-that he'd bought in the auction.

-Yeah.

And he said to my husband, "You can have these,

-"you'll be interested in these."

-Yep.

So, my husband said, "Oh, yes, that's nice."

And then put them in the loft.

Well, it is no good having things in the loft, is it?

On the other hand, the loft does have its advantages.

-It does mean that they haven't been broken or damaged.

-That's right.

-We have got the two ships here, Lusitania and Mauritania.

-Yes.

-They were sister ships. They were launched in 1906.

-Yes.

-Now, the Lusitania was sunk in 1915.

-Yes.

And was a civilian passenger ship.

-And yet it was torpedoed.

-Yes.

It went down so quickly that very, very few

of the lifeboats were launched. Just terrible.

The Mauritania survived the war

and I think it was, ultimately, scrapped in about 1934, 1936.

So, what we have got here, plain sheets of glass

-with a transfer print reverse on the back.

-On the back.

And that is how they are done. And then what actually gives them

a new dimension is that they've inserted into the print some little

-pieces of mother-of-pearl, which you can see here.

-Yes.

-Doesn't it give it an extra dimension?

-It does, doesn't it?

It absolutely shines at you.

They have got these rather splendid,

worn, Edwardian fabric frames round them.

They were done for a specific purpose

and that was to raise money for the Lusitania relief fund.

Oh.

Now, what about value? Any ideas?

Well, actually, we just thought you'd say, "Nothing,

"just put them in the bin!"

There's no great quality to the frames or, indeed,

the transfer printing, but they are real history and they are a pair,

and I certainly think that the pair are worth between £100 and £200.

That would be really nice.

I am going to suggest a reserve of £75 as an absolute stop-gap.

-Stop-gap.

-Happy with that?

-Yes, we're very happy.

-As long as they go to someone who really, really wants them.

-Yes.

And you never know, they might even go to a museum.

Yes, that would be good.

Those paintings are real mementos of a moment in history.

Before we head off to auction,

there is something I would like to show you.

Only ten miles south of Stratford-upon-Avon

is Compton Verney, a fine classical house.

Since March 2004, it has been an art gallery.

Some of the exhibits are antiquities and some are Baroque.

It's also the place to find the best collection of British

folk art on permanent display anywhere in the country.

Folk art is a term used to describe a wide variety of objects,

from paintings to quilts, carvings, toys, trade signs, tools...

furniture. And most of these things have been made by untrained artists.

But not all. These pieces have been inspired by everyday life.

And there's a growing interest

in their delightful non-academic freshness.

Jeff McMillan, an American artist living in London,

was asked by the Tate to co-curate a touring folk art exhibition

featuring works from all over the country.

And here is a taste of it.

I love the use of colour. You've got blue in this section, yellow,

and it just changes everywhere you go.

How did you go about, sort of, putting it into sections?

What was your thought behind that?

Well, each room, each section is basically kind of themed,

so there's themes to do with either the sea or the land or maybe to do

with sort of signage, or the idea of text in work as opposed to

things that are just visually arresting objects.

Was it a difficult project? There's a lot here.

It was difficult. There was a lot of work to do.

-But it was also hugely enjoyable.

-Sure.

And to be introduced to all these incredible objects was a real treat.

I think folk art, really, it's all about where it's been over

the last few years, isn't it? The last century.

It's been touched, it's been used, it's been loved.

-Yeah, it's not precious objects.

-No.

They are often things that have been kept in a family,

for instance, and then given over to the local museum.

And then, those things, kind of, sit in a drawer

and then, sometimes, see the light of day,

which is what happens here, in this case.

We are surrounded by ships' figureheads.

So let's have a look at these two. I mean, they look to me 19th century.

He's got a Victorian haircut with sideburns.

They're both from the 1840s, these two.

Both great sort of dynamic figures.

-They're almost quite cartoonish.

-Prince Albert was all the fashion.

-Yes, yes.

-That's had a recent coat of paint, hasn't it?

-Yes.

There's an idea that, at a time, a lot of the ships' figureheads

would have been painted white, perhaps, originally.

Cos when you imagine a boat at sea, they'd have to be conditioned

and painted fairly regularly to keep them from deteriorating.

-Sure, yeah.

-You know, and rotting. But what you see now...

And it's interesting when you see a whole roomful of these, is that the

most recent version of paint is probably not the original, at all.

And it's one of the great things about folk art, I think.

It's not necessarily about the authenticity from the beginning.

Cos maybe things have been repaired over the years.

-It's been loved.

-It's been loved and it's been changed. And that's OK.

There's a lot of work that's gone into that carving.

Look at the way her coat is sort of flowing backwards in the wind.

She's interesting because she was originally from

a carving family called the Hellyers.

And they were carving since the 16th century.

And they had a long tradition of carving some 200,

300 different figures for different Royal Navy boats over the years.

-Gosh.

-The idea of carving for wooden boats had a great history.

And then, at the advent of steam engines and...

-And the steel hull, the iron.

-..the steel hull,

-then of course these became redundant.

-Obsolete.

What a lot of these carvers ended up doing is going into a whole

new industry, which was carousel and fairground work.

It's not a classical sculpture, is it?

-Of a goddess, of a woman.

-It's not.

-It's crude.

-It is, but it's very dynamic. I love her with her torch.

It's a bit like the Statue of Liberty or something.

Yeah, it's lovely.

-Anyway, look, I've been drawn by the yellow wall.

-Hm.

So, let's go down there and have a look.

-Oh, tell me about this.

-Oh, this is great, the Bellamy quilt.

It's a courtship quilt that was created in 1890, '91 by a couple.

And I think it was kept by their daughter until 1980,

and then it was given to the Norwich Castle Museum,

which is where we found it. The textiles curator,

Ruth Battersby Tooke, brought this out and said,

"I don't know if you've ever seen anything like this,

"or if this is what you want in your show."

We were completely bowled over.

If I hadn't seen that date,

I wouldn't have thought that's Victorian.

-I'd have thought that's contemporary.

-It looks it.

-Yeah.

And part of it is because it's in such great condition.

It's so vibrant. The colours are amazing.

And I think it'd never really seen the light of day.

It's quite interesting to think about the idea of a courtship quilt.

They're getting to know each other.

It's a great way to spend time, to sort of embroider things.

It looks like there are two different hands at work.

There's a very accomplished hand, which does the things

like the flowers and the centrepiece,

which is a very elaborate sort of cartoon.

But then there's also quite sort of crude things,

like a very simple face or quite a crude foot, for instance.

So, it definitely looks like there's two hands at work there.

There's a lot going on.

There's a lot. What I like is I think it almost represents things

that they would see around them, including things from the town.

I'm noticing here lots of objects here that

I see on your trade sign wall.

I see you got a teapot on the quilt, but there's a magnificent...

The biggest teapot I've ever seen in my life there.

Where did that one come from?

Again, from the Norwich Museum. It's a fantastic teapot.

It's just this great thing, a great sculptural object.

It happens to say The Teapot on it,

and it's one of the only words on the whole wall,

everything else being just identifiable in silhouette,

-but it's got, you know, a fantastic shape.

-That's nice as well.

-A locksmith's.

-Yeah, a great locksmith sign from here

-in Compton Verney. I love it. I love the green surface of it.

-Yeah.

And I love the fact that you've given the exhibition

-space around the items.

-They're little sculptures, aren't they?

I think they need to be appreciated that way.

They would've hung outside of shops, maybe protruded over the pavement.

-It's a shame we don't have this kind of branding still.

-It is.

I know, how great would it be to go to the mall and have a display

of all these great things rather than backlit signs?

I love the top hat. I've got to say, congratulations.

It's a great learning curve for anybody that's interested

in folk art and it puts a smile on your face, as well.

Well done, Jeff.

And, of course, many of the items in the exhibition will remain

at Compton Verney,

as they belong to its permanent collection, like this

piece of sailor's woolwork, which is a particular favourite of mine.

I love the three-masted schooner.

Sunbeam, built in 1874. But look at the detail.

Look at the rolling hills, as well.

This was done by a sailor whilst at sea, when he had nothing else to do.

This was done as a tribute to the vessel.

And I think it's really stood the test of time. It's beautiful.

And if you are fascinated or interested in folk art,

then this is definitely the place for you to come and visit.

And now, a quick reminder of what's going off to auction.

Raymond's busby hat is truly splendid,

so I think we should have lots of interest.

And people love bears, so I don't think there's any doubt

that these two will have a new home soon.

The two carved paddles made their way here

from the other side of the world.

And who knows? After the auction, they may be making a return trip.

And the paintings of the Mauritania and the Lusitania on glass

are a little bit special, so fingers crossed.

For our auction today, we're heading across Warwickshire

to the village of Tiddington, just south of Stratford-upon-Avon.

We have come to a small and perfectly-formed

old red brick Victorian schoolhouse,

which is now the bustling home of Bigwood Fine Art Auctioneers.

Our lots will be in the capable hands of auctioneers Stephen Kaye

and Christopher Ironmonger.

We are setting off with Michael's carved wooden paddles.

Right, are you ready for this? We have what is known as

ethnographica coming on the show, meaning tribal art and artefacts.

We've got two paddles belonging to Michael,

-with a whopping great price of £800-£1,200.

-Mmm.

Now, we have seen these things fly. Definitely South Seas, Polynesian,

anything like that - big money. Anything African - small money.

I don't know why, but that is the way of the world.

Very hard thing to value. We'll find out what they're worth right now.

South Sea island carved, timber paddle

and a double-ended paddle, as well.

Who is going to start me on this?

£1,400 is an opening bid.

Great!

15, now. At 1,400, are we done?

All finished?

-Brilliant!

-That's not bad, is it?

-That's really good!

That is really good.

I think it was the Polynesian... It was the South Seas paddle

that everybody wanted. It was rounded, it was lovely.

Listen, Michael, you had done your research and so on.

-You've been proved right, so well done, sir.

-Thank you.

Well, that was short and sweet!

What next?

About turn! Raymond's lot is now on parade.

Everybody ready? Attention, en garde,

this is it, this is your lot. HE CHUCKLES

We are talking about the busby hat.

It is going under the hammer right now.

The busby hat bearing the crest and plume,

chinstrap and interior paper label.

And I can start this at £100.

That's not enough. Come on.

110, 120, 130,

140, 150. 160?

150, the lady nearest, the glasses on the head, at 150.

-At £150, we're going to sell.

-Come on.

-At 150.

Do I hear 160 now? Surely!

At 150, it is going to go. Are we done?

-All right, Charlie.

-Well, I think Raymond was right.

-I'm fine.

-You're happy with that?

-Yeah.

I know there's commission to pay, but you've had a bit of fun with it.

-Yes.

-You didn't lose too much money?

-No, no.

-No.

It is gone. Job done.

That is a lucky find for someone.

The next lot can only be described as lovable.

-Wendy, it may be time to say goodbye to your best mates.

-I know.

Those bears, those pre-war mohair bears.

I love the one with the missing ear.

-Oh, dear. I wouldn't want to sell him.

-Wouldn't you?

-No! No.

These things were made to be loved,

that's why it's nice to see them in this condition.

Someone else will love him. We're going to find out who right now.

Golden plush straw-filled teddy bear and a panda bear.

There we go. Who has got £20 for these?

Two handsome little gentlemen there. £20?

Ten to get me going, then. Come on, they've got to be...

-15 on the net. 15 on the net we've got.

-Oh, 15 bid.

15, 20? At £15 only.

They are going to go at 15. Is it £20?

At £15. You disappoint me. At £20 now?

At £15, they are going to be sold.

-£15! No reserve, he's gone!

-Oh, that is fine.

-Aw!

-Listen,

it's not going to get you a return ticket to Peru

-with another famous bear.

-Maybe a ticket to Paddington.

-Exactly. But look...

-Station.

-I'm happy with that, it's fine.

-As long as they have gone to a nice home, that's fine.

-Exactly.

-Aww.

And I am sure that they have.

Now, for the pair of prints.

Nautical memorabilia going under the hammer.

This is big business. We have seen it before.

Reverse prints on glass, two wonderful, great ships.

Lovely stories, as well. Great history.

Roma, why are you selling these?

Well, because they've just been in the loft for...

-They've not been on the wall?

-No, no!

I'd have put them on the wall for safekeeping.

They've been in the loft for about 50 years.

-We're going to put it to the test. Ready, Roma?

-Yes.

-And I love that name, Roma. That is a great name.

-Thank you.

Here we go. They are going under the hammer.

Pair of period coloured prints of Cunard liners, the Lusitania

and the Mauritania. Highlighted with mother-of-pearl, canvas covered.

£60 to get me started.

£60. £50.

50, I am bid. At 50. The bid is there at 50.

At 50. Do I hear 60 now? 60, madam?

60, 70, 80.

80 in the centre of the room. At 80. 90?

-We're selling.

-At 80, centre of the room. Is that 90 at the back?

At £80, the bid is with the lady at £80.

-And it will be sold at 80.

-Squeaking away.

Make no mistake, £80.

Sailed away. THEY LAUGH

So, it's gone. That's good.

Well done. Well done, both of you.

I think those are going to be really treasured by someone.

-I'll take five from anyone else.

-Well, there you are.

We are coming back here later on in the programme,

hopefully, fingers crossed, for that big surprise I keep promising you.

But the great thing about being in an auction room

is we are surrounded by history, little windows into the past.

And right now, it is time for me to take a trip back in time.

In the middle of the 17th century, Britain was in the early stages

of a great rebellion, which resulted,

for the first and only time in British history,

in the country cutting off its king's head.

The conflict between the King and his Parliament, which placed

the country in such great turmoil,

became known as the English Civil War.

It was right here on the fateful morning of 23rd October 1642,

that King Charles I stood looking down on those fields there.

This is where his Royalist troops, the Cavaliers,

came face-to-face with the Parliamentarian force,

the Roundheads, led by the Earl of Essex,

in the Battle of Edgehill.

Due to his unpopularity with both the people and Parliament,

the King had fled to the North from London, where he had raised an army.

That army was now marching for the capital.

Meanwhile, Essex's force was attempting to head them off.

Extraordinary as it may seem, with lack of intelligence

and poor communications,

each of these huge armies had no idea where the other side was.

It was only by pure chance that they met up here in Warwickshire.

So, how did Britain get to the point

where the King was fighting his own Parliament?

To find the answer, I have travelled just seven miles down the road from

Edgehill to this delightful ancient moated manor house,

Broughton Castle.

This was the home of William Fiennes, a Puritan,

pro-Parliament leader,

opposed to Charles's more Catholic beliefs and dictatorial behaviour.

The causes of the English Civil War were complex.

The King's continual disagreement with Parliament over taxes,

the Protestants' fear of a return to Catholicism

and the desire to move away from the old feudal system

were all major factors.

But it was the King's pretensions

and his arrogant attitude that was key.

Charles believed in the divine right of kings,

which asserted that monarchs derived their authority straight from God.

As far back as 1215, the Magna Carta had established that the King

was no more above the law than his subjects.

And yet, Charles I continued to behave autocratically,

dissolving Parliament on a whim, if they did not agree to pass laws

introducing new taxes, to raise more money for his coffers.

So, where does William Fiennes and Broughton Castle

fit into this picture of England in turmoil?

Well, the politically-minded William played host to

several of the most important meetings of the rebel leadership.

It is said that they all gathered here in the tower.

Now, we know that William was away in London at the time of the battle,

but his regiment and all of his four sons fought

the Royalists at Edgehill, and it is said that a number of the regiment

slept up here, in these attic rooms, the night before the battle.

So, what actually happened on that memorable day?

Well, for that, we need to return to Edgehill

and the site of the battle to talk to historian Julian Humphrys.

I tell you what, it is quite overcast and misty.

It is very atmospheric!

And there's some sounds going off in the background!

Are the Roundheads still here?

I know this looks like the perfect day for a battle,

but what was the weather like on that particular day?

-Was it like this?

-No, it was crisp and clear.

-So, it was bright?

It was, but of course, it wouldn't have stayed clear for very long,

because the moment people started to shoot their muskets,

you got smoke everywhere.

'Fire!'

You would have seen about 30,000 men,

which was an extraordinary number of people together at that time.

It was like a small town travelling around.

The Royalists coming down from the high ground...

-So, they were up there?

-..the Parliamentarians

over towards Kineton.

Infantry in the centre, with muskets and pikes, cavalry on the wings.

The two armies came together.

The Royalists, who had superior cavalry, swept

the Parliamentarian cavalry away off the battlefield almost immediately.

Now, if all had gone to plan then,

the Royalists would have stopped,

they would have turned inwards and enveloped

the Parliamentarian infantry,

who were left on their own in the centre. But they didn't do that.

"Tally-ho, chaps!" They charged off because, very temptingly,

back towards the village of Kineton

was the Parliamentarian baggage train, full of stuff.

-And that's what they were interested in.

-Yes.

Don't forget, they're quite short of stuff, anyway,

so if they could nick a few things, it would help.

In a chess analogy, it was a queen for a queen.

They'd gone, so it was left with just the infantry in the centre.

But the Parliamentarian infantry got the upper hand

and they actually pushed the Royalists back.

But the Royalists were saved by two things -

one was the advent of night,

because the battle went right on till the end of the day

and, secondly, the return of the Royalist cavalry.

So, the result - a draw.

What would you have seen - if you could see -

what would you have smelled and what would you have heard?

What would you have seen, I think, would have just been

your immediate neighbours, fighting, struggling for their lives

in all the smoke. What would you have heard?

Well, I suppose you would have heard screams of pain, deafening noises.

So, an unhealthy, smelly, scary place.

And the smell of blood, as well.

-These were all amateurs, really.

-Sure. In their first major conflict.

-Absolutely.

-Armed conflict.

-Yeah.

1,500 people were killed here, which was a lot of people at that time.

And it shocked people throughout England.

They were really shocked by this.

It would be enough to really turn you, wouldn't it?

And want some sort of... Well, I guess some sort of result out of it

all to make you carry on believing in the cause.

I think the big tragedy was that it wasn't decisive.

People thought at the time perhaps it would all be over by Christmas.

-Exactly, no more fighting.

-But, no, it was indecisive,

-so the war dragged on for years as a result of that.

-Yeah.

Because of the indecisive nature of the battle, it tipped the country

into civil war, and around 10% of England's population were killed.

The Parliamentarians realised they couldn't win a war

without professional soldiers,

so they set up and started to train the New Model Army.

And from that day onwards, we have always had professional soldiers.

More importantly, though, eventually the Royalists finally lost the war.

Charles I was beheaded in 1649.

Eventually, the monarchy was restored to the throne with his son,

Charles II, but it never really had the same power.

From that day onwards, the country embarked on that difficult pathway

that has resulted in the democracy we have today.

Back to Ragley Hall, which I think I am right in saying

was on the King's side in the Civil War.

We are in the Great Hall, which is still bustling with activity -

happily, in a well-ordered and peaceful way.

Time to tune in to Will.

RADIO STATIC

Sylvia, it is not often that I use the words funky and radio

in the same sentence, but in this instance, wow.

-What a looker!

-Yeah, it's lovely.

-Where has this come from?

Tell me, is this something you have had from new?

-Yes, it was from new.

-Wow.

Dad bought it about 65 years ago.

-Have you ever seen such a thing?

-No.

-A round radio.

-But it has been quite a talking point over the years.

-Has it?

Have you got it on display? Does it work?

No, not now. I don't know whether it works, I'm not sure.

Well, I am not brave enough to plug it in, I'm afraid.

-No, the wire looks a bit dodgy to me.

-I know, exactly.

-So, it would need to be rewired...

-That is it, yes.

..by whoever wants to use it.

You have got this wonderful sort of textured speaker cover.

And I love the way that they have continued the circular theme...

-That's it.

-..with the actual dial itself going around the edge.

-Yeah.

-The knobs here, the on and off, of course, and volume.

-And then, of course, here to actually tune it in.

-That's it.

And here you have got the EKCO Radio mark.

When this was designed, produced, it was really cutting edge,

-wasn't it?

-That's it, yes.

Bakelite was a material that was

-allowing the manufacturer to form into shapes.

-That's it.

The could mix colours, they could change the colours.

Because you know these came in a variety of colours, don't you?

That's right, yes. Yes, I did know.

Did you know they came in green? Like a really bright lime green.

-Yes.

-I think they came in white, from memory.

Certainly, obviously, the brown.

Was it the focal point of the evening?

Well, we hadn't got television, you see, so we used to have

the radio on a lot. And as soon as I came from school, it went on for,

you know, all the programmes. There used to be

a Saturday Night Theatre or something, it was called. Yeah.

You were literally sat down...

-And it was your equivalent of the television.

-That's it.

-It would have been a new product, just out.

-Yes.

Your father thought, "I've got to keep up with the Joneses here

-"and get my Bakelite radio."

-That's it.

-What do you think it is worth now?

-I've no idea, to be honest.

I could see this at auction at around a couple of hundred pounds.

-What do you think to that?

-Yeah, very nice.

-Yeah?

-Yes.

It is a bit of a high estimate to risk having no reserve,

so why don't we tuck the reserve in

just under the bottom estimate, at 150?

-Yes, that would be fine.

-Just to protect it.

-But I am pretty sure that is going to find a new home.

-Yes.

It has been a pleasure meeting you and hearing your stories.

It's been a pleasure meeting you.

-It's been good fun meeting you.

-Yes.

-SHE CHUCKLES

Of course, radios were just one of many products made of Bakelite.

This early plastic was first developed in New York in 1907.

During the Depression,

it sold more than any other commercial product in America.

Bakelite's cheerful colours and affordability meant it was loved

across the world for decades, until finally replaced

by more modern plastics.

It was known as "the material of a thousand uses",

this coffin being one of them,

which must be the last word in Bakelite.

Now over to Charlie, who has found a quiet spot in the library.

-Kath, did you ski here today?

-SHE LAUGHS

-No. I drove.

-You drove?

Well, I must say, you really have dressed for the occasion.

-It is fantastic.

-I thought I was going to be cold.

-You look wonderful.

-Thank you.

-Wonderful.

-And you've brought a funny old pot along.

-I have, yes.

Yes. Where did you find that?

-On the kitchen shelf.

-SHE CHUCKLES

-How long has it been there?

-20 years.

-20 years. What is it?

-It is a tea caddy.

It is a tea caddy! Correct.

-Do you know where this comes from?

-No, I don't.

-I am going to give you a little clue.

-OK.

You're going to pick it up and you're going to look at the front.

-Yes. Windmill.

-What is on the front?

-A windmill.

-Where do you think it comes from?

-Holland.

Correct! Absolutely marvellous.

-Every object has a clue in it, doesn't it?

-Yes!

And how old is it?

18th century?

-Very good.

-Yes.

-It is 18th century.

Now, it either had a lid, tin-glazed lid over the top,

Or actually, they weren't all made with that.

Could have just had a cork stopper.

And it is very simply decorated.

It is not like buying a piece of fine English Worcester porcelain

that has been decorated wonderfully by a specific hand.

This is very loosely decorated.

But nevertheless, charming because of it. It has got a bit of damage.

-You can see where the glazing has been knocked at the corners.

-Yes.

But I don't mind that.

That is part of the age, part of the history of it.

-It has got no, as far as I can see, serious cracks.

-No.

I think that is a charming little object.

There's collectors of delftware, which is what it is.

Holland, so we are appealing to delft collectors.

We are also appealing to tea caddy collectors.

So, we are getting into two different spheres there.

We are doubling our chances of finding someone that will

want to buy it.

Value. What about it? Give us a clue.

-20 to 30?

-20 to 30. Well, I have got £20, I'll give you £20 now for it.

-How is that? Would you take that?

-No.

No. Very sensible. I think you are more...

-£100-plus, probably.

-Wow!

-Yeah, I know, I know.

-I am going to suggest that we put a reserve of £50 on it.

-OK.

-All right?

-Yep.

-And I think if they probably estimate it at 80 to 100, 80 to 120,

I think there should be plenty of interest in it.

-Good.

-A couple of bidders.

-Lovely.

-And who knows?

-SHE CHUCKLES

-Hopefully.

What a delightful thing and it's not a lot of money.

And now, over to Will.

Well, Pat, I feel a little bit like the opening of Pandora's box here.

I think there should be a glow lighting our faces as we do so.

But let's open up this... what hopefully contains...

Oh, my word. Look at that. It is a piece of Royal Worcester, of course.

A Royal Worcester coffee set,

together with the silver gilt spoons, which is a lovely touch.

Beautifully painted, isn't it?

-Yeah, they're lovely. That is what I like about it.

-Stunning quality.

And these scenes of Highland cattle have been

painted by one of the Stinton brothers.

The Stintons were a family that were employed by Worcester to paint their

designs on their porcelain and, to be honest, I think they're probably

rated as one of the best porcelain painters that there has been.

-Do you know who these ones are by?

-Is it Jas?

-Harry.

-Oh, Harry, that one.

-These are Harry Stinton.

His speciality was the Highland cattle.

-It dates from around 1937.

-Oh, right.

1930s. If that is not enough, what is this here?

-Harrods!

-Harrods, yeah.

-Retailed by Harrods.

I mean, that is a word synonymous with quality, luxury.

Why are you selling it?

Well, we have downsized and I've got nowhere to display it.

It is just shut away and it's a shame.

It needs to be on display, doesn't it?

It needs to be shown off. It needs to shine.

I mean, in my mind, I am thinking this is £1,000, all day long.

Yeah, yeah.

-Is that a sort of figure you would be happy with?

-Well, yeah.

-You'd be happy at £1,000?

-Yeah.

If we use that as the bottom estimate,

-we would have an estimate of 1,000 to 1,500.

-Yeah.

-Are you sure you want to go down this route?

-Well, yeah.

Yeah. Go on, Pat. Don't worry.

We're going to have to put a reserve on it.

-It shouldn't go for less than £1,000.

-Oh, no, no.

I don't think so. Do you agree?

-I would rather keep it, if it was less than that.

-Yeah.

Let's reserve it at £1,000, fixed reserve.

And, well, I think...say bye-bye.

-Say bye-bye!

-Oh, shame.

-THEY CHUCKLE

Listen, we're going to keep it safe for you.

And you can take pleasure in knowing that whoever buys it, wants it.

-That's right.

-And will love it as much as you did.

-Yeah.

Do you know, it's made me a bit thirsty.

-I think I will go and get a coffee. But in a plastic cup.

-I know, yeah.

Not the done thing.

What a cracking set of Royal Worcester.

Back now to Charlie.

Phil, I feel a bit of a Beau Brummell,

a bit of a man about town, with this stick. It is absolutely splendid.

-Where did you get it from?

-Well, I got it out of a skip.

-You got it what?

-Out of a skip.

A lady I was working for, she decided to use the skip

at the weekend and threw stuff away, and that was in it.

-Do you think she knew what she was throwing away?

-I...

Well, I don't know, but I did ask.

-Did you?

-Yes.

-I mean, it's not just a bamboo walking stick, is it?

No, it's a measuring stick for horses.

It is a horse-measuring stick.

And not only that, it's a particularly good quality one.

It's got a silver mount on here. Are you a horse measurer?

-No.

-Do you know how to measure a horse?

-Yes, by hands.

-Yeah.

-How big is a hand?

-Four inches.

-Very knowledgeable.

Well, what we do here, we just slip that up,

and that is how you measure your horse.

You put the base of the stick on the ground.

You have here a spirit level.

Which is set into the brass stick here. Have you tried dating it?

-I did try dating it.

-Yeah? What have you got?

-I got 1910.

Jolly good effort. It's 1908, made in London. Bamboo, as we've said.

And then, if it pulls out,

I'm hoping to find a maker's name on here somewhere.

-I think it's here.

-Oh, well spotted.

Swaine & Adeney. They obviously specialised in these objects.

And you measure a horse to where?

-To its withers.

-To its withers.

You know all about this. Now, where is your wither?

Well, I think it's where the head comes down and joins the back.

I think that's right.

I think they say it's where the front of the saddle should be

-when you saddle up.

-Right.

-Shall we measure you?

-Yes,

-go on, then. If you'll just turn slightly that way.

-Where is your withers?

-HE LAUGHS

That's what everybody asks.

I'm not the first person to ask you where your withers are.

I think your withers are about there.

Are we agreed that's where the withers are? Marvellous.

We're unanimous about your withers, which is good news.

-And so I've got you here at 14-1.

-Oh, very good.

And as it were, I shall saddle you up and ride off.

THEY LAUGH

I think that's a great, great object.

-What do you think someone would pay for something like that?

-£70?

I think they'd pay more than that.

I think that could make between £100 and £150.

In fact...

-I'd be pleased at that.

-Shall we put a reserve at £80?

-Yes.

And estimate it at 100 to 150. I think it's splendid.

I won't be able to go on a cruise, though, will I, with it?

-Well, you could go on a very short cruise on the Thames.

-Oh.

But not much longer than that. Thank you so much for bringing along

-a really interesting piece of social history. Thank you.

-Thank you.

Well, that's it. Our work is done here at Ragley Hall.

Our experts have now found their final items

to take off to the auction room,

so sadly, we have to say goodbye to this magnificent venue,

as we head over to Bigwoods for the very last time.

And hopefully, fingers crossed, we've got that big surprise.

Here's a recap of all the items that are going under the hammer.

The Bakelite radio is right on trend, so it should do the business.

The delft tea caddy is a proper antique,

which gives you a glimpse into what life was like in another age.

And the silver-topped bamboo walking stick doubles up

as a horse-measuring stick, so that should certainly get

the bidders raising their hands!

And the coffee set is top notch, but Worcester has lost its value

recently, so it will be interesting to see what it makes.

Back at the auction house, we have a stylish start.

Anybody give me 310? 310, 320...

Sylvia, let's hope the whole nation is tuned in to your Bakelite radio.

-It is online, it is on the net.

-Yeah.

-The whole world can buy this right now.

-Oh, good.

-I like this.

At one stage, everybody in the country owned a bit of Bakelite,

it was that popular.

It was such a talking point that you grew to like it.

Let's hope this one is a talking point.

-It is going under the hammer right now. Here we go.

-Here we go.

The EKCO electric receiver.

Anybody like to start me at, say, 150?

The machine is starting at 180.

-180.

-Went straight in.

I have got 220 here, 230 in the room.

Let it finish. I can see you.

This is the internet bidders all bidding against each other,

so he is just letting it settle online.

Let this thing finish what it's playing at.

260. 280?

300, and 20, 340, 360,

380, 400, and 20,

440, 460, 480,

-500.

-This is fabulous.

-I know!

-480 with you, sir.

Is this finished? I think it has. 480, with the gentleman.

Are we all done?

-£480, sold in the room. How about that?

-Oh...

-Oh, that's a result!

-Are you pleased with that? Yeah.

-Oh!

I was hoping for around the £400 mark,

-because I've seen them make that before.

-I did...

That was a good result. We hit the right frequencies there,

-that's for sure. Happy?

-Oh, thank you ever so much.

-Oh, bless you.

-Thank you.

-Enjoy the money, won't you?

Excellent. That did better than expected.

What next?

Were you a horsey man?

No, I wasn't. But people have borrowed it to measure their horses.

Oh, I like this. The condition is fantastic.

-We measured Philip with this.

-Did you?

-Yes.

-How many hands?

I had a bit of a problem finding his withers, that was the problem.

Look, I think it's quality.

It's hallmarked London, isn't it? 1904. It's in perfect condition.

And I think we should do the top end plus. Happy with that?

-Very happy.

-Right, let's hope we don't fall at the first. Here we go.

The horse-measuring walking stick, very useful things.

There's a number of bids here on the book.

And I can start at £120.

I'll take 130 from anybody else.

I'll go 140. 150. 160. 170.

180. 190. Make it 200?

I'm out. Anybody else? At £200 with Christian. Anybody else interested?

Selling at £200...

-Yes.

-Brilliant.

-He's a very good valuer, isn't it?

-He is.

No, it's just that they're so rare, those things, you know?

And they don't come on the market that often.

There are people out there that love their horses that would want

-to own that.

-And use it.

-And use it, yes.

It'll get me further down the Thames than what you thought.

It will. It won't quite get you to the Bahamas.

What are you doing, then?

Well, I was hoping to go to a world cruise, but...

We don't think we will do that.

Hey, you set your sights well, didn't you?

There's nothing wrong with being ambitious.

Now, for Charlie's final choice.

It's time for a cup of tea, with Kathleen's little tea canister.

I love it! I love it and I don't mind that there's a lid missing

and it is a bit chipped. It is great 18th-century delft,

and that is what it is all about.

Could be Dutch, could be London. Not quite sure.

But the market will determine that.

-It is such an academic subject.

-Yes. Why are you selling it?

Because I didn't think it had any value whatsoever.

-Oh, it has got such charm!

-Yes.

It looks like it has had a useful, used life, and I love that

because that is its social history.

For me, it is not necessarily about the maker, it is about the user

and the period of time that it has been loved and cherished

and handed down through the generations.

-That's what you can't put a price on. Good luck, Kathleen.

-Thank you.

Here we go. This is a lovely thing.

Not a lot of money, but a cracking bit of history. This is it.

The 18th-century English tin-glazed earthenware,

possibly Bow, tea canister there.

Who has got, I don't know, £50 for it?

30 to start. 30 I am bid.

30, five, 40, five, 50, is it?

At £45 only. At 45. 50, surely?

At 45. Are you all done at 45? You all finished?

-45!

-Oh, dear.

-Well, it wasn't Bow, was it?

-No. It was Dutch.

-The reserve was 50.

-Yes, the reserve was 50.

-One bid short.

Love it! Give it some love. Oh, go on. It is a nice thing.

Well, I do love it now, but...I didn't before.

Well, it didn't sell, but I don't think Kathleen minds taking it home.

Over to Will now, who has found our final item of the day.

All boxed and ready to go and hand-decorated by Harry Stinton.

It doesn't get much better than that -

the expert in the Highland cow.

Patricia, what a lovely set

-of Royal Worcester.

-They are nice, aren't they?

Especially if you like drinking coffee. Did you have a little...?

-No, I didn't!

-I tell you what,

it looks like no-one has ever touched them.

-They are cracking quality, aren't they? Mint condition.

-Mint!

In the box there, as they were bought.

-As good as the day they were made.

-Oh, lovely.

It doesn't get much better than that for collectors. It really doesn't.

-Why are you selling these?

-We're downsizing.

We've got nowhere to display them any more now,

-so it is a shame, really.

-We're going to put them to the test.

-They are going under the hammer right now.

-Not literally.

No. This is where it gets exciting. What are they going to make?

-Let's hope they sell. Here we go.

-Keep your fingers crossed.

We are onto Harry Stinton now.

This is very nice Royal Worcester porcelain tea set for Harrods.

Birmingham 1939 is the date of the hallmarks there.

In a nice presentation box. I have got multiple bids on the book,

which means I am going to start straight off at £1,600.

-Yes!

-£1,600, straight in.

At 1,600. Do I hear 1,800? 17 at the back of the room.

I have got 1,800 here.

19, sir. 19.

I've got to go 21 here. 22, sir. 22, and I'm out and you're in.

2,200 at the back of the room. 23? 23.

-24, sir?

-Good price.

-£2,300 on the telephone.

At £2,300. Last chance and done.

It is going to be sold at 2,300 on the telephone. Are we done?

Yes! On the phone, £2,300. That was a good day out, Patricia.

-Yes, it was very good.

-That was great.

-The market decided.

-Do something else with it!

-Yes.

And do you know what? That ends our show beautifully today.

We've run out of time here.

It was the last lot in the sale and what a day it has been.

I hope you have enjoyed it.

Join us again for many more surprises, but until then,

-it is goodbye from Tricia, Will and myself.

-Goodbye.