Ragley Hall 16 Flog It!

To my eyes, this beautiful,

magnificent 17th-century house is a work of art.

It's an absolute gem and it's built in the Palladian style,

after the Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, who tried to

recreate the style, the proportions and the symmetry of ancient Rome.

Friends and countrymen, we come to you not from Rome today

but from Ragley Hall in Warwickshire.

Welcome to Flog It!

Ragley Hall is a fine house, saved from destruction

in the 20th century by Hugh, Eighth Marquess of Hertford,

the father of the current marquess.

The burden of inheritance tax nearly spelled the end of this

magnificent house.

However, in 1958,

the marquess took the step of opening his home to the public

and introduced all sorts of inventive income-generating

attractions to bring in visitors - like waterskiing on the lake.

That's what I call showmanship.

The marquess really knew how to make a splash.

What a fantastic crowd we have here today,

all waiting expectantly for the doors to open, hoping

they're going to be one of the lucky ones to go to auction later on.

Thankfully, no waterskiing needed here today.

Hundreds of people have turned up

from all over Warwickshire and beyond,

laden with antiques and collectables.

And the great thing about this show is they don't know

what's in those bags and boxes -

it's up for our experts to tell them.

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

ALL: What's it worth?

Stay tuned and you'll find out.

And who better to provide that information

than our two erudite experts?

Christina Trevanion...

Oh, hello, look at that! That's beautiful!

..and Will Axon.

I think you've got to trust the man holding the razor, haven't you?

It's a bit nippy out here and there's no reason to hang about.

So it's time to get these good folks settled inside.

While they all find their way through the house to the Great Hall,

let's take a quick look at what's coming up on today's show.

As ever, Christina is on the lookout for a star item.

Where is the Faberge egg to go in it?

-Well, that would be good.

-That would be lovely. Yes.

Will has a celestial find which has down-to-earth origins.

Where did you buy it? A specialist dealer or a book store?

One of those things you hear time and time again,

but you don't believe it - it was in a boot sale.

-No! I don't believe it.

-Yes.

And I find a labour of love

which has created a corner of heaven at Ragley Hall.

Do you know, I'm lost for words.

The Great Hall here at Ragley is a feast of baroque plasterwork.

Just look at it - it's quite awesome.

This technique is known as stucco

and it's a plaster mixture of lime, gypsum and marble dust,

all mixed up together.

And it's perfect for fine, detailed work.

The ancient Romans developed it to decorate their ceilings

and it's been widely used in grand country houses like this ever since.

And it does provide the perfect backdrop

for our valuations today.

And who knows, we might find something as old

as this Venetian torchere,

which dates back to 1756.

If it's out there, our experts will find it.

Christina has already spotted some superb silver.

Philip and Susan, thank you so much for bringing this in.

It's a really rather beautiful little cup, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Where did it come from?

I bought it in Chipping Camden from a church fete 44 years ago.

Half a crown.

-No!

-In old money.

Did you think twice about buying it?

No, I just liked it. I thought it was lovely.

Susan, did Philip buy this before you got married?

-He did.

-And he was allowed to keep it?

He certainly was, because I thought it was a beautiful piece.

I love the colours of it.

They really are, aren't they? They are beautiful.

It's like a little stained-glass window in itself.

It's just fabulous.

And the work is what we call cloisonne work,

as you probably know,

where you put this wonderful sort of molten material

into this wire-work detail.

It's incredibly intricate. It really is stunning.

I would suggest this was probably originally used as an egg cup.

Very big eggs.

Very big eggs. Or potentially as a salt.

The reason I say salt is we've got this gilded interior,

so it obviously wouldn't have corroded it.

It is a piece of Russian silver.

I'd expect to see a really good set of marks on the bottom cos

the Russians were very good - like the British, when you

think of the British hallmark -

were very good at marking their wares.

Let's have a little look and see what we can see.

OK, great.

We've got the George and the Dragon town mark there for Moscow.

So we know it was certainly marked in Moscow.

We've got the 91 zolotnik mark there,

which is a mark for silver fineness.

So we know it's of fine silver.

We've also got a great date there for 1874, which is fantastic.

And that will be contemporary obviously with the piece.

It was certainly registered in 1874.

And then we've got the maker's mark there, which is

a chap called Viktor Vasilyevich Savinsky.

And I didn't know that off the top of my head, sadly.

-Very well said.

-But great marks.

And it really certainly helps to

have those enable to attribute the piece.

The thing that really slightly bugs me about this is the damage on it.

Yes, I realise that.

I think it has certainly seen a few good parties, hasn't it?

Collectors of cloisonne

and small Russian works really want to see things in perfect condition.

It's a slightly limited market because it is an egg cup,

or because it's a salt.

But nonetheless, at auction, I would hope it would fetch

somewhere in the region of maybe £80 to £120.

How would you feel about that?

-That's your famous answer, isn't it, £80 to £100?

-80 to 120.

THEY LAUGH

Yes, I think... It's a good auctioneer's estimate.

-I'd be happy with that.

-80 to 120.

Would you like to put a reserve on it?

I'll go by your advice.

OK, I would suggest a reserve of £80, with discretion,

should we need it.

The only thing I have left to ask you was...

Where is the Faberge egg to go in it?

-Well, that would be good.

-That would be lovely. Yes.

-If only we knew.

-If only we knew.

Now that's wishful thinking.

Will also has a very good find. Two rare watercolours.

Derek, tell me, are you a collector of Royal Worcester?

Absolutely not. I know very little about it.

Really? So how come you've got these in your possession?

When my mother died about ten years ago,

we were clearing the house, and they just turned up in a drawer.

-I didn't even know she possessed them.

-Really?

-It's amazing what you find in houses when you clear them.

-No idea.

Did you like them when you saw them or did you think,

-"What's this old tat?"

-No, I love them.

But again, cliche I suppose, what do I do with them?

Yeah, there is that element.

I mean, in my mind, they are crying out

to maybe be framed and hung on the wall.

Actually, I absolutely agree with you,

but they are a bit small for my taste.

-And if I put them on a wall...

-Yes, they are a bit small.

I mean, the Stintons...

I don't know if you've done any research on these,

but the Stintons were a family who were all employed by Royal Worcester

to paint on their porcelain.

So on the vases, saucers, plates, that sort of thing.

Whole tea sets decorated by them.

They're the pieces that command a premium.

But at the end of the day, the Stintons were artists.

-Absolutely.

-They had to practise.

They probably painted for their own interest as well,

just to develop their own skills.

They know their subject well, shall we say.

And that's why, you know, you can believe that those two ducks

-are taking flight.

-Absolutely.

And you can believe the way that pheasant is just protecting

the female pheasant there, who's just sheltering slightly.

He's got it dead right. We're not far from Royal Worcester.

-Just up the road.

-20-odd miles.

-Exactly.

So I was hoping that we would get a piece of Royal Worcester.

-But I wasn't expecting to get watercolours on card.

-Close.

When would you say they were painted?

He hasn't dated them, but I would have thought

they are going to be from 1890, sort of, maybe up to 1920, 1930.

They've probably spent 100 years together - why separate them?

Exactly right. You are quite right.

I think they are probably worth between £50 and £100 each.

So add those together. I was no good at maths.

But £100 to £200 would be a sensible estimate.

Sounds reasonable.

You know, at the end of the day, you want them to sell.

So let's put them in with that estimate.

Reserve-wise, you know, I'd say tuck it in just

under the bottom estimate.

-Say £80.

-That's fair.

I'm pretty sure that, excuse the pun,

these are going to fly at the auction.

I love them! They are two little masterpieces.

Talking of masterpieces, I'm taking you off

to the green drawing room to see something special,

brought in today by Evie, which she has no intention of selling.

Evie, I absolutely love this! Thank you for bringing it in today.

I tell you what, we've picked the right room to get this.

-Beautiful.

-It's a Walter Langley. The Newlyn School. Now look.

Do you think the owner of the house should own something like this?

It fits this room perfectly, doesn't it?

-It's beautiful, isn't it?

-Can you see that?

-Lovely.

-Isn't that lovely! It actually gives me

a good opportunity to quickly look at the back.

-It's never been reframed.

-No.

-It's got its original label.

In Pensive Mood by Walter Langley.

He is my favourite watercolour artist.

It's an inherited piece from my mother-in-law

and she inherited it from her uncle.

-And the uncle did some work for Walter Langley.

-Really?!

And the painting was payment for the work.

-Gosh! They were obviously in Cornwall, were they?

-Yes.

Yes, it was some photography work. But I don't know what it was.

-What lovely provenance!

-Yes.

-Is there anything in writing?

-No. No.

-It's a nice story, though.

-Nice, yes.

If you put this into auction today, I think an auctioneer would be

quite crafty and catalogue this as 8,000 to 12,000.

-He knows he could sell it at 8,000.

-Yeah.

-At the lower end.

But you might be lucky.

It would look great on anybody's wall, wouldn't she?

Evie, I think it's lovely.

I wouldn't sell that if it was mine.

Over to Christina now,

who is talking to someone who does want to sell.

Helen, this looks quite exciting.

Where on earth did you get this little delight from?

I actually got it from an uncle of mine

who died about five or six years ago.

-Right. So you've kept it since then?

-Yes.

And do you like it?

I do like it. I've never used it.

And I don't think that my uncle used it.

That would explain why it's in quite such good condition.

So often you find these that have been used

and you've got chips around the rim here or around the base.

Or the bee has come off.

-Yeah.

-So it's in great condition.

Obviously, these things were made for a purpose

and that purpose was that it was a honeypot or a preserve pot.

Most appropriately honey because

it's in the shape of this wonderful bee skep.

And just to check, I am absolutely sure you are absolutely right,

but let me just check.

-There we go.

-There she is.

-Splendid. There's her name.

That wonderful Clarice Cliff mark on the base there.

And it's in that typical Clarice Cliff colour palette,

with these wonderful crocuses - orange, purple and blue.

They just shout Clarice Cliff, don't they?

She was so famous for that crocus pattern.

She was a fantastic woman, really.

She started out as an apprentice to the Wilkinson Pottery in 1924

and it quickly became quite apparent

that she was an incredibly talented potter and painter.

And in 1927, she moved to the Newport Pottery,

which is this one here, "Newport Pottery Company, England."

And she was given her own workshop.

The fact that we've got this wonderful hand-painted section here,

which is still in good condition.

-So it is hand-painted?

-Yeah, absolutely.

-Wow.

-We've also got hand-painting to the bee as well.

-Yeah.

What do you think it's worth?

I haven't got the faintest idea. I really don't know.

At auction, I would say probably in the region of £80 to £120.

Something like that. How would you feel about that?

Oh... SHE LAUGHS

-Surprised.

-Really?

-Really, yes.

-In a good way or a bad way?

-In a good way.

-Good! Phew! You terrified me.

THEY LAUGH No, definitely. Wow.

I would suggest 80 to 120 with a reserve of 60 or £70.

How would you feel about that?

-Quite happy.

-Reserve at 60 or 70?

-I'll go for 70, then.

-Go for 70. If we say 70 firm.

-Yes.

-With an estimate of £80 to £120.

-Yes.

-Are you happy with that?

-I am.

-Great, splendid.

-Very happy.

It's a lovely thing. Thank you so much for bringing it in.

It might turn out to be a different sort of honeypot.

You never know. You never know.

THEY LAUGH

I hope so. Clarice Cliff usually sells well.

Over to Will, now, who's made a flamboyant choice.

Well, Gabrielle, please tell me that the rest of your house

is decked out in a similar style to your clock garniture.

-I just wish it was!

-Really?

Unfortunately, no - I've got quite a modern house,

so this is totally out of character with the house.

Clock in the centre, garniture either side,

very much late 19th century

with its architectural centrepiece

and these wonderful ormolu mounts, which is gilded bronze.

It just smacks of quality. Where have you come by it?

It was inherited from my grandmother on my dad's side and when she died.

This actually languished in my stepmother's stables

for quite a few years.

-In the stables?

-Yes.

And as my sister and I never inherited anything

when my grandma died, we said, "Oh, we'd like to have that."

So that was how it came to us.

Right, OK - well, that's nice.

And so it's been given pride of place in your home, has it?

No - it's kind of gone backwards and forwards between our houses

and literally stayed in storage.

Let's just have a closer look.

Here, we've got the central dial,

white enamel, painted with these floral garlands -

pretty little dial, isn't it?

You'd be surprised how many dials we see that have been damaged,

because if you just knock them, the enamelling is very fragile,

it'll star crack.

It may even chip off.

-So it's nice that that is in good condition.

-Ah.

Having said that, I did notice there is a little bit of damage up here.

-There is, yeah.

-Did that happen in the stables?

No - I don't know when that happened, to be honest.

-Not on your watch.

-Not on my watch.

-Let's blame your sister!

-That might be a good idea.

A lot of clock collectors are very fussy about the movements -

that's what sells a clock.

-Right.

-Have you had a look inside? Have you tried to see who's made it?

Yeah, it's, um...Japy Freres?

Well done, yes, exactly right. Japy Freres.

They were a French firm founded in the early 19th century,

a father and his three sons.

-They are a well-respected clockmaker for this type of clock.

-Right.

Have you had a thought of value?

What's it worth to you and your sister?

We did look online and we saw that, you know, really top-notch ones

in great condition went up to £1,500,

which got us a bit excited.

-Yeah.

-But, you know, looking at it,

I did think it's probably going to be less than 500 in the way it is.

We're always telling people on this programme,

you don't want to overcook something by putting too high a value on it.

I think we'd be doing your sister a favour as well if we sold it,

because I bet you two have had enough of playing tennis with it,

backwards and forwards.

Yeah. And she would like the money as well,

to go and visit our dad in Florida.

Oh, he's gone for the sunshine?

But as far as value goes, you mentioned under £500.

I think you're probably right, to be fair,

and I'd like to pitch the estimate

at, say, £300-£500.

-Yeah.

-How does that sound to you?

-I think that's about right.

-Yeah.

I don't think we want it to go for any less than 300.

OK - well, that's fair enough.

At the end of the day, it's your item.

Let's fix the reserve at £300

and who knows - hopefully, it might be two tickets to Florida.

-You never know.

-You never know.

-Wouldn't that be nice?

Well, that would be a good use of the money.

Before we head off to auction,

there is something I would like to show you.

Ragley Hall is one of the earliest of England's great Palladian houses.

It's a feast of the finest workmanship.

The baroque plasterwork in the Great Hall

was designed by James Gibbs.

And James Wyatt's decoration graces a number of the state rooms.

While several great craftsmen

have left their imprint on this rather fabulous building,

there's one name in particular that stands out for me.

He's responsible for this matching pair of swags

that you see above the door.

There's one here, and one over the other door, in the library.

It says, "Believed to be by Grinling Gibbons."

Well, I've seen enough of his work

at Hampton Court Palace, at Petworth House

and at St Paul's Cathedral to actually say,

well, look, in my opinion, they are 100% right.

This is what Gibbons was famous for.

These wonderful, naturalistic swags and droplets - it's superb.

And he really does breathe life into wood.

Gibbons, who was born and trained in the Netherlands,

arrived in London soon after the Great Fire in 1666.

He brought with him his outstanding craftsmanship,

flavoured with the new Continental baroque style.

And for a man of his talents, there was plenty of work around,

helping to rebuild the city over the next seven years.

This guy was so prolific,

everybody in power that had money wanted him.

Including Charles II, for whom he did so much work

that he became known as "the King's Carver".

Though he also worked in marble, stone and bronze,

it is chiefly for his outstanding virtuoso woodcarving

that he is remembered.

From Petworth House to the choir of St Paul's Cathedral,

his work ranks amongst the best decorative carving of his day,

and his influence is still alive in the 21st century,

as woodcarver and restorer Charlie Oldham,

who is a modern apostle of Gibbons, demonstrates.

You're working in a lime wood, which is great to carve with,

because it's light, yet it's very strong.

Yeah - in a way, it's a very bland wood,

but it's perfect for carving cos the grain doesn't detract

and you can do very fine little detail on it.

Do you draw everything that you're going to carve

-actual size, sort of, to scale?

-Yeah.

Drawing really is the key.

I mean, I think that's probably what put Gibbons ahead

of everybody else as well.

A good draughtsman.

Fantastic draughtsman, yeah, yeah.

The lines going through the ornament,

they all tie in and flow beautifully.

So, you've got your template drawn out on a piece of paper.

You transfer that over on to this flat piece of lime wood,

and then you're starting to give it a definition.

-Yeah.

-You've not shaded that in, have you?

I can see that - all you're doing is you're being creative,

you're creating those shadows.

Here, we are working very shallowly.

We're just tucking one thing under the other.

You have to have an understanding of the flower to be able to do that.

-Yes, yes.

-Don't you, really? I couldn't do that.

-Well, do you want to have a go?

-I'd love to have a go.

-OK, yeah.

-You talk me through what I have to do.

-Right, OK.

And the tools.

So we go here, you dig the heel of the tool in.

Yeah - that's very clever, if you can stay on the line!

PAUL LAUGHS

-I'll try on that one, shall I?

-Yeah.

I'm not going very deep, cos I'm frightened of mucking it up.

You don't need to go deep on that. That's good.

Draw them out with pencil. Pencils are a very useful tool.

There we are - so, we're just giving an idea of the petals, there,

and we can follow that with the tool.

I'll watch you do one, very carefully, and then...

Tuck one bit under another one.

-There you go.

-Gosh, hell of a lot of work, isn't it?

-When you look at the garlands in the library...

-It is...

-How long do you think that took him?

-It's very difficult to estimate,

but when you're actually carving,

time actually goes frighteningly quickly.

-Yeah, that looks good.

-Does it? It's a bit deep, I think.

Shall I just pare that down, there?

Oh, look, it's taking me back in time.

LAUGHTER

Back to the late 1600s, becoming part of history.

It's not very good, it's rubbish.

-That's all right.

-Is it?

Yeah, we'll just tuck this next one under.

Do you know what? It looks easy.

I think that's one of the things about Gibbons.

-He did make things look easy.

-Oh...

You've actually worked on conservation pieces, haven't you?

Where was that?

Yes, Gibbons-style work in Redland Chapel in Bristol.

Yeah, it's quite daunting, the first pieces I did

were central pieces of the altar panel,

so I had to model those and then carve them in wood.

-Wow.

-Then got into the foliage and the flower-work

and then, eventually, carving whole sections

to replace ones which had been lost over the end.

You've got some samples of your work that you've brought in.

Let's have a quick look at a couple of them.

-Mm-hm.

-I like the picture frame.

Oh, thanks, yeah - that's one I did after I'd done the Redland Chapel,

I felt quite fluid with the stuff, so I thought I'd design a frame.

So it's got all the same elements that we had there.

That's beautiful. How long did that take to do?

-Well, that's about three weeks' work.

-Really?

-It does take a while.

-Labour-intensive, isn't it?

It certainly is, yeah, yeah.

And I realised just from having that little go how difficult it is.

It is really hard to do.

You've got some drawings here and, obviously, these are

your working drawings for things you've got to carve, yes?

-Am I right?

-That's right, yeah - so this is a flower,

-But based on an acanthus leaf.

-Yeah.

Acanthus leaves are great fun,

because you can twist them round to anything.

Exactly, yes, yeah.

And it's a good example of a repeated pattern

you see throughout the 18th century, don't you?

On columns and around doors and pediments.

Yeah, absolutely.

-Look, thank you so much for giving a little lesson.

-Right.

-Thoroughly enjoyed it.

-Thank you.

Grinling Gibbons certainly sets the benchmark

as far as woodcarving goes,

and I think it's easy to imagine Charlie's work

coming from the same workshop.

Right now, we are going off to auction for the first time.

You've just seen what our experts have found.

You've probably got your favourites. I've got mine.

But right now, it is literally down to the bidders.

We are in the hands of the auctioneer.

Let's get over to Bigwood's and get the sale underway.

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

The Russian silver cup is a beauty so it should shine at auction.

If I collected Royal Worcester, I know I'd want these beautiful

watercolours by one of our top artists.

This ornate clock garniture deserves to be displayed

on a fine mantelpiece.

So, hopefully, this is its chance.

And this little Clarice Cliff honeypot is charming

and should appeal to the collectors and the non-collectors alike.

If you head ten miles or so east from Ragley,

you will come to Shakespeare's birthplace -

Stratford-upon-Avon.

Just on the outskirts, in an old Victorian schoolhouse,

is Bigwood Fine Art Auctioneers.

Inside the busy auction house, excitement is mounting.

Taking the sales today, we have two auctioneers on the rostrum -

Christopher Ironmonger and Stephen Kaye.

And we have something very familiar to kick us off.

-Well done, Helen.

-Thank you.

Without you, we wouldn't have our cliche today.

-THEY LAUGH

-You know what I'm talking about.

Just to jog your memory, it's that honeypot. Yes, it's Clarice Cliff.

-You've got to have a bit of Clarice Cliff.

-You have, haven't you?

-You have, yes, you have.

-Definitely.

-OK, so why are you selling?

I like it, I like the little honeypot, but I've never used it.

It's sitting in a cupboard, so I thought, "Well,

"I'm quite happy to sell it."

Cute little thing. And I know it will find a buyer.

-And it's so... It just screams Clarice Cliff.

-Yes.

-The crocuses.

It's just so archetypal of what people want from her.

It doesn't do anything for me, but I know it does for this lot out there.

We are going to put it to the test.

Clarice Cliff now. 1930s crocus pattern honeypot.

£80 bid. Down here at 80.

90 now. At £80 for the honeypot. At 80.

90, do I hear?

At 80 at the front of the room.

90 on the net. 100?

90 on the net. At 90. Is it 100 now?

At 90 on the net. It's going to sell at 90. Is it 100 now?

At £90. It's going to be sold if you are done and finished.

BANGS GAVEL

-SINGSONG:

-Clarice never lets us down.

-No.

-She doesn't, does she?

-No.

-God bless her.

-Lovely.

-Fantastic, well done.

-There you go.

-I am pleased.

-Well done, you.

Clarice Cliff is just one of those names that always sells.

And now for another reliable name.

-Derek, fingers crossed and good luck.

-Absolutely.

Everybody loves Stinton's work. Especially on Royal Worcester.

But here, you get a chance to buy on card as works of fine art, Will.

-I think these will do quite well.

-Let's hope so.

Very affordable. Why are you selling them?

I've no interest, really. I still appreciate the work,

but they've just been lying in a drawer.

Right, let's find out what the bidders think, shall we?

We are going under the hammer right now.

James Stinton - Cock And Hen Pheasant In A Landscape Habitat.

And the companion, Mallard Taking Flight.

They are little watercolours. They are signed. On card there.

I've got an opening bid of 80 on the book. At £80.

-I bet we'll get there.

-Do I hear 90 now?

At £80. I thought these would cause a bit more interest.

At 90 on the net.

At 100 on the book.

I've got 100 commission.

120 on the net? At 110 on the net.

110 on the net. At 110.

110 on the net.

I'm out and the net is in.

120 is in.

At £110. They are going to go at 110. Are we done?

Hammer has gone down at 110. Good auctioneering.

It's not dear, is it, if you wanted to own a bit of artwork...

-That's it.

-..by one of the best-known artists in the world?

No, and I'm sure that if you are a collector

of Royal Worcester, you'd want to own those.

It's another aside to the porcelain. It all makes sense.

-It's just bulks out a collection, doesn't it?

-Exactly.

That was a lucky find for someone.

And now for something with a definite presence.

Going under the hammer right now, something for your mantelpiece -

something very showy indeed, a clock garniture,

belonging to Gabrielle - great to see you again.

-And who's this?

-I'm Lisa.

-The sister?

-Yes.

-So you're going to split the money.

-Yes, we are.

-Right, OK.

-Did either of you want to own it?

-No, not really.

It doesn't suit a modern interior, a small house. It's too big.

-It is.

-A great-looking trio, though, and it's complete, so...

-300-500, not a lot of money for a lot of lot.

-Really.

-Will it sell?

-I think so - I mean, these type of things now

are appealing to the decorators' market, you know?

People may not want a clock on the mantelpiece,

-But they want something to dress the mantelpiece.

-Exactly.

These are perfect for that.

It's got to be the right setting,

-but you need a tall mantel over that fire.

-Exactly.

We'll find out what the bidders think right now.

Early 20-century French white marble and ormolu clock garniture.

What about £300 for it?

Seems like a low start to me, but 250, surely?

-Come on.

-250, I'm bid. 250.

-260, now.

-Yes!

£250. 260. 280. 300?

-300. 320...

-He's going home with it, I bet.

360. 380? 380.

400? 380, for the gentleman on my right.

£380.

Is it 400 anywhere else? Going to sell it at £380.

Final warning, finished at 380. Are we done?

BANGS GAVEL

Yes, hammer's gone down. We are happy, aren't we? £380.

-Brilliant result.

-Brilliant.

-Thank you for bringing it in.

-Thank you very much.

That's what we like!

And now we have something rather eggs-quisite.

Philip and Susan, good luck.

I know it's not a lot of money, but it's a nice little item.

We are talking about the little Russian silver egg cup.

If you like to go to work on an egg,

-you need something like this, don't you?

-Definitely.

Do you think it will be acquired by a Russian?

I don't know. I don't know. I tell you what,

if it's that one missing one from a set -

it does come from a set -

you might find a little bit of interest.

-Let's hope so.

-This is what auctions are all about, isn't it?

I'm slightly worried now for bringing it up!

Thanks for that, Paul.

The yolk will be on me. Ready? It's going under the hammer.

The Russian egg cup with the blue enamel.

I've got some bids here on the book.

I can start at £85.

-Straight in.

-Splendid! Fantastic.

90. Five. 100. And ten. 120. 130.

Oooh!

150. 160.

I'm going 165. Make it 170.

I'm out. Anybody else?

All done at £170?

£170. Yes!

-I tell you what, no messing around there.

-That's fantastic! Well done.

-Thank you.

-Way over the top.

-Are you happy?

-Yes, I am.

Perhaps someone has the rest of the set after all.

That concludes our first visit to the saleroom today. So far, so good.

Three happy owners.

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

Can you remember earlier on I was telling you about Hugh,

the waterskiing Eighth Marquess of Hertford, who saved Ragley Hall?

Earlier in the week, while we were filming in the area,

I had a chance to look at another of his ideas to bring in the crowds.

This one is quite spectacular.

As a boy, Hugh inherited Ragley from his uncle

after a long period of neglect.

Because of his age, it was held in trust for him.

But the hall was in a sorry state

and Hugh didn't have the money to put things right.

Some might have seen it as a poisoned chalice.

But he fell in love with the house.

I've always regarded real life as being Ragley.

School, Army, business,

anything else was merely a tiresome interruption to real life.

I always adored it.

It was touch and go financially, but Hugh was outraged

when the trustees proposed pulling it down.

I really was horrified,

so I did what I'd been told was the rudest thing you could possibly do.

I sent all my trustees postcards in pencil,

saying I hoped the subject of the demolition of Ragley would

never again be mentioned.

Nowadays, it seems extraordinary to think this fine Palladian house

could have been reduced to rubble.

But it was thanks to Hugh's steely determination

and his vision that disaster was averted.

He obtained grants to help restore the roof

and opened the house to the public to raise more money,

trying all sorts of imaginative ways to attract the crowds,

including the famous waterskiing display on the lake.

MUSIC: Hit And Miss by The John Barry Seven Plus Four

We got going and built a ski jump.

I fell in the first 17 times I went over.

And we put a flaming hoop over it, with straw, covered in tar,

you know. Set fire to it and jumped through that.

Thousands of people came.

And it really was a huge success.

Because at that time, 1960, nobody, or very few people, had ever seen

waterskiing, unless they had been to the south of France or somewhere.

It was a new thing.

And Birmingham flocked in vast numbers

and cheered every time I fell in, which was quite often.

And I remember there was one day...

..after a Whit Monday bank holiday,

when we'd actually had 7,000 people watching the water skiing.

I was driving down to the bank that evening with a little

clerk from the estate office who came as my sort of escort,

to be safe,

and as I was driving, I was juggling these leather bags full of money.

And I said, "Do you realise that we have taken enough money in one day

"to buy a new motor car?"

And, gloomy little man, he said,

"Yes, or Your Lordship could reduce the overdraft."

Of course I bought the car. I bought a wonderful Daimler Dart.

Despite that moment of extravagance,

the marquess achieved his ambition of passing

the house on to his son, who lives at Ragley today with his own family.

The existence of this beautiful, this magnificent interior,

which showcases some of the greatest craftsmanship from the 17th and 18th

centuries, is largely down to his hard work and his resourcefulness.

So it's hardly surprising, really, that he wanted to

leave his mark on his ancestral home.

And it was the flamboyant marquess's idea to add another

money-spinning attraction -

an enormous mural that covers the entire south staircase.

Work started on it in 1969.

Called The Temptation,

it tells the gospel story of the Devil offering Christ the world

and all its riches if Christ would fall down and worship him.

Alongside this biblical story, it shows contemporary

images of Hugh's family, the pets and a menagerie of tropical animals.

The artist who created this masterpiece is Graham Rust.

It's a real privilege to meet you. You are a genius.

-Thank you. No. Not at all.

-An absolute genius.

Do you know, I'm lost for words.

That's the Devil tempting Christ, isn't it,

-with all the riches of the world?

-Yes.

The Devil was saying, "Christ, all this could be yours."

Which meant that we could more or less put anything that one wanted to.

-You got the green light, really.

-Yes.

THEY LAUGH

Had you tackled anything on this scale before?

No, not at all.

I'd only really had a couple of mural commissions before.

-Minute in comparison.

-Single walls compared to this.

I mean, look, the ceilings are adorned here. The balconies.

Everything. Did you have any help doing this?

-No, I didn't.

-This is all your hand.

-Yes.

What we established was that I would be here for one week per month

-to work.

-For how many years?

-Which suited...

Well, it was originally going to be five years

and it turned out to be 14.

So you became part of the family, really, didn't you, for a few years?

Yes, indeed. It was like a second home to me.

And a lovely home at that.

Do you know, the dog looks real.

When I walked to the foot of the staircase, I thought the dog

was real.

-A dog biscuit sort of balanced there to give the illusion.

-To tease.

To tease. It's exactly that.

The greatest compliment ever

was when I was working on those portraits,

we had a scaffold rail all the way along in front.

And I stepped back at one point and lost my balance

and I grabbed my own balustrade, which, of course, was painted.

PAUL LAUGHS

Nearly lost my grip. Fortunately, I didn't.

-You are all right. You are all in one piece.

-Still here.

Can we have a tour upstairs? Because it's starting to hurt my neck.

Let's get higher up.

Well, you should try painting a ceiling if it hurts your neck!

I've counted 31 portraits.

Their four children, their godparents

and very immediate family,

like Lady Buchanan-Jardine.

She refused to be included in this unless I painted a UFO.

So we put it in.

But it does rather attract a raised eyebrow here and there.

What does this mural tell us about Hugh?

He made an enormous contribution to the house,

Ragley, and the estate.

And I think, partly, that was because of the threat when he was

a child of losing it that bound him even more tightly to the place.

And this was his gift to us.

I think he...

I think he was pleased with it in the end.

Well, Hugh certainly picked the right man for the job.

Back in the Great Hall, the valuation day is still at full tilt.

And Will has come across a real enthusiast.

Ian, tell me,

have you come at this book as a book man or a star man?

-Star boy, really.

-Really?

So your interest in the stars has been with you

-since you were a small lad?

-Yes, since secondary school, really.

I had a maths teacher that looked very much like Einstein.

-What a fine look for a maths teacher.

-It was.

And he was totally dedicated to astronomy.

And he just captured me from a very early age.

From then on, it's been my hobby.

Yeah, so that's a passion that has stayed with you right up

-until today?

-Right up until today, tonight, yes.

If the weather is fine, I shall be out there.

-Really?

-That's right.

It is one of those things that I've always been fascinated with

because what you brought along today is this catalogue of Reynolds's

Coloured Diagrams. Hand-coloured diagrams.

Physical maps, scientific and historical charts and illustrations

and so on. I mean, I'm just going to have a

look at one or two of these sheets because rather than them

being a bound book, they are actually loose leaves, aren't they?

-They are.

-And we've got one here. The phases of the moon.

This is a transparent diagram.

So if I hold this up to the light, you can

probably see crescent moon, first quarter. Full moon. Last quarter.

And there, in all its glory is, of course, the sun.

All beautifully presented and in good condition as well.

Where did you buy it from? A specialist dealer or bookstore?

It was one of those things you hear time and time again

-and you don't believe it, it was a boot sale.

-No! I don't believe it.

Yes. One of the boots had a collection of astronomical books,

mostly modern, that I picked up.

And underneath it, this was there as well.

Brilliant. How much was it at the boot?

It came as a package. Five books for a pound.

Five books for a pound? That is the deal of the century.

I think you've done very well there.

Your good luck to be a keen-eyed spotter

and drawn in by the astronomical books in the first place.

Chart of the heavens shewing - interesting spelling of showing -

"shewing the stars visible on any night throughout the year".

-That's quite a bit of kit, isn't it?

-It is. It's not too bad at all.

There is the Great Bear there.

Yes, the Ursa Major, I can stretch to seeing that.

-And that helps you pinpoint the North Star as well.

-That's right.

And then you go star hopping, as we used to in the good old days.

So once you've got the North Star,

you know where everything else is in relation to it?

You pick out the major constellations

and then you can find your way round the sky that way.

That's amazing. Yes, the spine is a little bit tatty.

We've got some staining to the boards.

I mean, would you be happy for it to go at £60 to £80 as an estimate?

-Seems reasonable.

-What about a reserve?

-Is there a price under which you wouldn't sell it?

-Um...

-Perhaps the lower estimate, really. 60.

-Shall we reserve it at £60?

-That's great.

-Yeah, because, at the end of the day,

if it doesn't sell, you can take it home

and you can boast to all your friends about how little it

cost you and what a useful bit of kit it is.

Certainly for someone who is gazing up at the stars.

What a fascinating book. I could spend hours looking at that.

Nearby, Christina has come across a charming collection.

What a wonderful little menagerie you've brought to my table.

I feel like I've got a zoo in front of me here. They are wonderful.

How did you come by them?

I had them from my mother and I think she had them from her parents.

Do you know where they got them from?

-No, I'm afraid I don't.

-Family legend hasn't travelled down?

-Family legend, that's right.

-What a shame.

They are, especially this one over here,

just the most exquisite quality.

And I really, really hope when I turn them

upside down I'll see that magic little mark that I'm hoping to see,

which is by a chap called Franz Bergmann, cos

he really was the master creator of what we call cold-painted bronzes.

Let's have a little look, see what we can see.

Oh, brilliant. There it is. Fantastic.

They got the typical Bergmann mark -

this wonderful shield-shaped cartouche on the bottom here.

And that just doesn't surprise me at all.

The quality that has gone on in this piece here is just stunning.

You can see all the individual teeth.

-And he's got some serious weight to him, hasn't he?

-Yes.

-Jolly heavy.

Bergmann was working in Vienna.

He was a second-generation foundry owner.

And he specialised in not only animals but nudes as well.

But mainly in these miniature animals.

And he really is very, very collectable now

because he was such good quality.

We call them cold-painted because they basically weren't fired.

They were painted with dust

so that's why they are cold-painted rather than fired.

-I see.

-And the little Squirrel Nutkin over here.

Have we got a mark on him?

No, we haven't, sadly. No mark on him.

So nobody has owned up to making him.

But again, the detail in that is quite lovely. I wouldn't have been

surprised to have seen a Bergmann mark on him.

They all date to about the 1900 period.

Out of the three, which is your favourite?

-Squirrel Nutkin.

-Squirrel Nutkin. He is your favourite.

He's lovely, isn't he? And a red squirrel as well,

which we don't see much of in this country any more.

At auction, I think we'd probably be looking at putting them as one lot.

Putting the three in together as a lot

rather than splitting them up separately.

And I think your Bergmann piece there will be the star of the lot.

I think, at auction, as lovely little collector's items,

I think we'd probably be looking at a collective

value for the three of maybe £100 to £200.

-Yes.

-How would you feel about that?

-That sounds all right.

-Does that sound all right?

-Would you be happy to sell them for that?

-Yes.

So if we said 100 to 200, what about a reserve?

Would you want to put a reserve on them?

Yes, I think I should put a bit of a reserve on.

-A bit of a reserve on.

-Yes.

-I would suggest a discretionary reserve at £100.

-Yes.

Which usually means about 10%, effectively.

So if we said an estimate of £100 to £200 with a discretionary

-reserve at 100.

-Yes.

-Will you be sorry to see them go, Jill?

Um, well, in a way, but...

The young people don't like these nice things, do you know?

-But I think collectors really will love him.

-They should do.

Hopefully he will roar away for you and make you lots of money.

Thank you so much for bringing him in.

-It's been a real pleasure to see them.

-Nice to meet you.

Yes, you too.

What a charming owner.

Christina's next choice comes with a good tale attached to it.

This is a rather wonderful creepy-crawly piece, isn't it?

Yeah, it's lovely.

Where did it come from?

It's got a funny story, really.

My brother-in-law was doing a house clearance

-and he invited me over to have a look at a few bits and bobs.

-Hmm.

We looked in the garden and found this.

It was covered in mud and earth,

and caught my eye. I started dusting it off

-and that was what was underneath.

-Oh, my goodness.

You've obviously got a fantastic eye for quality.

You pick it up and it's got some serious weight to it,

which is always a good sign.

And this wonderful grasshopper here.

That is incredibly complicated to make.

And then the piece de resistance for me,

if we look at his bottom,

and on the bottom, wonderful little mark there for Baccarat.

Now, have you heard of Baccarat before?

I hadn't. Obviously, I did the same as you, turned it over,

saw that and then researched Baccarat,

and then found out... I think it's French, is it?

That's right. You really associate them with a range of paperweights

they produced in the mid-19th century.

They still produce them today and they are very, very collectable.

Now, this little chap is quite unusual.

I find it phenomenal that somebody would have used him

-as a plant pot, though.

-Yes.

I suppose quite appropriate,

because you've got this grasshopper here and the flowers,

and maybe they were thinking, "Well, the floral theme,

-"we'll continue with that."

-Yeah.

But why on earth you'd put him in the garden, I do not know.

-A lucky find for you.

-Yeah.

-Definitely.

-Baccarat made the grasshopper vase

between 1890 and 1920.

Because it's quite angular,

it points me slightly towards the later end of that period,

but then you've got echoes of the Victorian period

with the grasshopper, which is very symbolic,

and this wonderful scrolling foliage, which again

-is very typical of that Victorian period.

-Right.

I just think he's a gorgeous thing,

but I do think, having spent however many years

in the garden has taken its toll quite extensively, hasn't it?

We have got a chip on the front here,

we've also got chips on the corners,

and unfortunately, we have got a chip on the top

which has got a spreading hairline crack down the side.

It's a very difficult thing to put a value on,

because glass collectors do want things

-in absolutely perfect condition.

-Yeah.

So, in perfect condition,

they can make up to a couple of hundred pounds.

Unfortunately, it just goes to show how much damage

really does affect a value,

but I love the fact that you got him out of a garden,

and I would really love to see what the market wants to pay for him,

so how would you feel about putting him in to auction at £30 to £50?

-Yeah, that's fine.

-Would that be all right?

-Yeah.

Would you like to put a reserve on him, or shall we see what happens?

We could put a reserve of 30 on, if you like.

-Say 30 with some discretion, should we need it?

-Yeah.

And promise me that you will go and spend whatever he makes

-on another antique.

-Definitely. I will.

-Good. Brilliant.

-Thanks so much for bringing it in.

-You're welcome.

It may have some chips but it's better than digging up a potato.

Over to Will, who has found our last item of the day. And it's a corker.

Penny, you must have some muscles in your arms

because you've lugged these from home, have you?

-With the help of my husband, yes.

-Right, I was going to say,

because they are not what they first seem, are they?

-They are obviously pictures, but they are not paints.

-No.

Tell me, what do you know about them?

My mother thought they were from Holland.

That's what I was told anyway.

I'm not really sure. I've always just wondered what they were.

In my mind, there is no doubt that these are Italian.

-Oh.

-Yes. These have been produced for some time in Italy,

right back to the time of the Grand Tour, where the

great of English aristocracy,

perhaps even someone who lived in a house like this,

would have travelled to Italy to expand their knowledge,

to learn more about the arts

and to appreciate beauty through sculpture, plaster casts and so on,

and to buy souvenirs to bring back with them to furnish

homes like this that we have the privilege of being in today.

And they are made of stone.

They are inlaid sections of stone made up to make a picture.

The pieces of marble, stone, other minerals that they use,

they are actually cut to shape.

-You can imagine them almost like a jigsaw puzzle, can't you?

-Yes.

Each piece produced separately

and then brought together to produce this image.

These are probably most likely to come from Florence, which is an area

of Italy that was well known for producing what we call pietra dura.

Pietra dura literally means hard stone.

It basically says what it does on the tin.

What's happened to them, Penny? Do you think they fell off the wall?

I think that's what happened, yes. Yes.

Because they have got some weight to them, haven't they?

-They are very heavy.

-They are. Which is why I asked about...

You had a bit of a workout getting them to us today.

But what I'm pleased to say is that it hasn't actually damaged

the stone panels themselves.

I think we're looking, for each picture, around the £50 mark.

How does that sound?

Yes. Yes. Yes, well, it would be nice to get more but...

-It's always nice to get more.

-We will have to see.

-But you've got to pitch these things realistically.

-Yes.

-Let's put an estimate on of, say, £150 to £250.

-Yes.

What is the minimum you wouldn't want them to sell under?

-100 or so.

-Shall we say 100? It's a nice round number. £100.

-Yes.

I think they are not going to struggle at auction.

I think they are worth £50 each.

-They are interesting.

-They are interesting. They are different.

They are decorative. And I think that on the day, there is going to

be an interior designer out there who has got their eye on these

and just think they are going to look

perfect in a scheme for my lakeside Italian villa.

-Imagine that.

-Very nice.

I might even offer to deliver them.

Let's remind ourselves what we're taking off to auction.

Let's hope the heavenly book about the stars gives us

a meteoric result.

This next lot with the Bergmann tiger is one for the collectors.

Following a spell in the garden,

I think it may well be time for the grasshopper vase to take off.

In Italian, "pietra dura" means hard stone.

With these pictures, it's not going to mean hard luck.

We are back at the auction rooms and the atmosphere is building.

All eyes are on Christopher Ironmonger,

who is selling our highly informative first lot.

This next lot was bought for one pound in a boot sale.

Let's hope, when it goes under the hammer, it goes out of orbit,

because it's the astrological book belonging to Ian. And I like this.

It's full of charts and maps, it's all hand drawn.

The fact that it was bought at a boot fair, you know,

I live for things like that.

Get up early, get up the boot fair, find something,

get it cheap, get it sold and make a tidy profit.

Let's find out what this lot thinks. It's going under the hammer.

This is it.

This is rather interesting.

Astronomical diagrams.

I've got an opening bid on the net of £60.

-OK.

-70 now? At £60 on the net, it's going to go.

At £60. 70 surely?

-I thought this would fly. 70. 80 net.

-There is no-one in the room.

90 now. You don't come across these very often.

And it is in lovely condition.

Diagrams inside. Very interesting.

At £80 on the net.

Going to be selling it at 80.

Final warning at 80. Are we done?

Well done, £80. That was a great buy.

It is click and buy now in the saleroom.

Most people are buying online.

-Good for you.

-Thank you very much.

Job done and it's off to a new home.

And now we need a really good result for our next owner.

We are on a mission. Fingers crossed.

I'm with Jill and Christina.

We are raising money for the air ambulance, a great charity.

We are selling three cold-painted bronzes,

made with that lost wax method.

One of them is definitely a Bergmann.

One possibly might be. Now, tell me a bit more about the air ambulance.

Why are you raising money for them?

-Because they took me from my home to the hospital in Oxford.

-Did they?

-Yes.

-Were you stranded or stuck or...?

-I had an acute heart attack.

-Bless you.

But thanks to them, I'm still here.

-Right, OK, we need to raise money.

-Don't we just.

-We are on a mission.

-Best of luck, Jill.

-Let's find out what the bidders think.

They are going under the hammer now.

In the manner of Bergmann,

a suite of three gold patinated bronze animal figures.

-I've got an opening bid here at £80.

-Come on.

-£90.

100. 110.

110. 120.

-Splendid.

-Lady bid at 110.

I'm going to sell at 110.

120. 130.

140. 150.

-This is better.

-You've got a bidding war.

190. 200.

220? 240?

220 at the table. At 220.

They are going to be sold.

At £220... Lady's bid at 220.

-Yes, £220.

-That was very good.

-That's brilliant. Yes.

That's what we wanted.

The air ambulance does such a marvellous job.

What next?

Well, if you like your glass, you'll be familiar with Baccarat,

and we've got a choice item right now, belonging to Danny.

-The grasshopper vase found in a garden.

-That's right.

-I can't believe that.

-I know.

-It was a lucky find.

-It's not in mint condition, is it?

-No.

It has suffered from its time in the garden...in the compost heap.

-But the grasshopper loved it!

-I bet it did, exactly.

Where he belongs.

Let's hope it's not compost, if you know what I mean!

We're going to put this to the test.

Rectangular cast and moulded glass vase,

fashioned as a grasshopper,

-got 30 on the net straight off.

-Fantastic. Sold!

-30. 40 surely?

At £30. I'll take 5.

I'll take 5 if you like.

I'm going to sell it at £30.

Seems a cheap buy at £30. Is it 5?

It's going to be sold on the net at £30...

There you go, £30, sold.

-That's a bonus, isn't it, really?

-It is, yeah.

-Let's go and do a bit more garden-hunting.

-That's right!

-Brilliant. Well done.

-Thank you.

Not bad for a garden find.

Now we have those fabulous stone pictures made from Italian marble.

Good luck, Penny. You know what we are talking about.

There's three of them and they are set in stone.

It's Italian pietra dura, drawn literally in stone. Lovely pictures.

-Yeah, quality.

-I know there is a little bit of damage, but so what?

I mean, you know, it sums up for me the Grand Tour.

-It sums up everything like that.

-That's exactly right.

Why are you selling them, Penny?

I inherited them from my mother and we've got loads of things.

-Have you?

-They don't really fit into the colour scheme that we have.

-OK.

-But I appreciate that they are...

-Yeah, they are quality.

-There is a weight to them. There is an honesty about them.

-Exactly.

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

-It gets exciting. Let's see what happens.

A suite of three probably Italian

late-19th-century pietra dura

wall hangings.

Straight in at 460 then. 460.

480. 500.

SHE GIGGLES

550. 600. 550 seated.

The centre of the room at 550.

-Gosh!

-600 on the net.

650 in the room.

650 in the room.

700 on the net.

700 on the net.

750 in the room. 750.

800 net.

150. 850 room.

850 in the room it is.

This is why auctions are so great.

900 on the net. 1,000, sir?

1,000 in the room. £1,000 in the room.

I've got £1,000 in the room and it's selling.

1,100 if you want to carry on now.

1,100 they've gone.

-Penny, listen to this.

-£1,100. On the net at £1,100.

Is it 12 now?

Are you sure? You've tried hard.

Wonderful, wonderful.

At £1,100, are we done and finished?

The hammer has gone down.

Everyone is happy! £1,100. You see, quality, quality, quality.

They deserve to make that sort of money.

-And you've got near enough £1,000 to spend.

-Wonderful!

-That's a great result.

-Great result.

And where do you think you want to go on holiday next year?

-We planned it.

-Italy!

-Italy.

-There you go.

-Lake Como or something like that.

-Exactly.

You could buy some more, bring them back with you, pay for the holiday.

THEY LAUGH

And what a way to end today's show.

I promised you a big surprise, didn't I?

Well, we delivered. How about that?

Quality always sells. A proper antique.

If you've got something like that, we'll flog it! See you soon.

Bye-bye.