0:00:07 > 0:00:09This is Rectory Hill and it's full of this - flint.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13That's because we're in the Chilterns, where this has been mined for millennia.
0:00:13 > 0:00:18Down there, that's the valley of Amersham, which has a fascinating history all of its own,
0:00:18 > 0:00:22from the burning of martyrs at the stake to the arrival of Metro-land.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25More about that later on in the programme because right now,
0:00:25 > 0:00:28it's time for a valuation or two. Welcome to "Flog It!"
0:00:49 > 0:00:53Today's show comes to you from Bedfordshire,
0:00:53 > 0:00:57through which run the Chiltern Hills.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59This windswept ridge provided the ideal
0:00:59 > 0:01:03conditions for a group of powerless flight enthusiasts,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07who, back in 1929, formed the British Gliding Association.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17They started launching themselves by elastic
0:01:17 > 0:01:21rope into the prevailing winds, off steep sections of the hills.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23This attracted huge crowds in the 1930s.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Even the Prince of Wales went along.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35Later on, we'll be finding out a bit more about the history
0:01:35 > 0:01:38of gliding in the area, but first, it's time to hit the ground
0:01:38 > 0:01:44running, nearby at Wrest Park - our valuation day venue.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Wrest Park is an exceptional French-style 19th-century
0:01:55 > 0:01:59chateau, set within outstanding grounds here in Bedfordshire.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02Now, combine that with the hundreds of people who have turned
0:02:02 > 0:02:05up from the Home Counties and beyond, laden with antiques and
0:02:05 > 0:02:10collectibles, then I'm sure we're going to be in for a marvellous day.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12- Wouldn't you all agree? - ALL: Yes!
0:02:17 > 0:02:21And down in the queue, already racing to put her coloured stickers
0:02:21 > 0:02:26- on people with her favourite items, is expert Anita Manning.- So stylish.
0:02:26 > 0:02:31It is, isn't it? My great-great-aunt used to wear it every day.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35And hot on her tail is expert Christina Trevanion.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39- THEY LAUGH - Come over here a wee minute. - Those dulcet tones!
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Or is it the other way round?
0:02:42 > 0:02:44- No, green sticker. - Oh, green sticker.
0:02:44 > 0:02:45LAUGHTER
0:02:45 > 0:02:47- Isn't it gorgeous? - That is fantastic.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50You and I on a Friday night, in Glasgow.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54- I thought you might be the kind of girl that would go to cocktail parties.- Really?
0:02:54 > 0:02:58- You're baby-sitting your babies on a Friday night! - LAUGHTER
0:02:58 > 0:03:01We can't all be out on the town, Anita!
0:03:01 > 0:03:04But at least we can live the high life today,
0:03:04 > 0:03:07here in the glamorous surroundings of Wrest Park.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11With the sun shining and the temperature rising,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14it's time to get these good folks seated.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Whilst the sun hats are doffed and the parasols get an airing,
0:03:17 > 0:03:21let's take a quick peek at what's coming up in today's show.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23This is an interesting collection.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27While Christina brings to life the spirit of trench humour...
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Keep your 'ead still or I'll have your blinkin' ear off!
0:03:30 > 0:03:34..Anita's enthusiasm almost backfires on her.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37You've made me begin to like the thing now!
0:03:37 > 0:03:41I think I might have sold that wee pot back to you.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45But will our sellers be glad they did make it to the auction?
0:03:45 > 0:03:48- Come on!- Thank you. - That's a good result.
0:03:48 > 0:03:49THEY LAUGH
0:03:49 > 0:03:52You'll just have to wait and see.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58The grounds here at Wrest Park contain one of the few
0:03:58 > 0:04:01remaining formal gardens from the very early part of the 18th century,
0:04:01 > 0:04:06and they provide a wonderful backdrop to our valuation day.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09And who knows? Amongst this incredible crowd of people,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12we might find some items as old as these gardens.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15We've just got to get searching. So, without further ado,
0:04:15 > 0:04:20let's hand the proceedings over to our experts at the tables.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Irene, you have brought us
0:04:23 > 0:04:29today a 19th-century housekeeper's badge of office.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33It's a chatelaine, but can you tell me - where did you get it?
0:04:33 > 0:04:38Well, my grandmother gave it to me and it belonged to her grandmother.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Did you know what it was when your grandmother gave it to you?
0:04:41 > 0:04:43No, I didn't.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Did you think - is that a fancy necklace or a piece of jewellery?
0:04:46 > 0:04:49I wasn't sure what it was.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52Well, a chatelaine is something the housekeeper would wear on her
0:04:52 > 0:04:58belt, with the little tools and the bits and pieces that she might need.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03And if we look at this one, we can see a little pin holder,
0:05:03 > 0:05:09we see a needle holder here, and we see a thimble holder here.
0:05:09 > 0:05:15What I like about this one is the little aide-memoire to remind her...
0:05:15 > 0:05:20It's a little notebook, where she would wrote little notes to
0:05:20 > 0:05:24herself to remind her to buy broccoli or whatever.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27And a little pencil holder there.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Now, it's quite a lovely thing
0:05:29 > 0:05:33and I've seen these in many different materials.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37The ones which have the most value are made of silver.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42And this one is not made of silver. It's made of a white metal.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46When you received it as a gift, Irene, what did you do with it?
0:05:46 > 0:05:52Well, I just kept it and looked at it occasionally, but in the end,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54I put it in a box and that was it.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57You can't wear it as a piece of jewellery
0:05:57 > 0:06:00and I don't suppose you go round your house needing
0:06:00 > 0:06:04a wee aide-memoire to tell you to darn the curtains!
0:06:04 > 0:06:10- So, Irene, value. Do you have any idea?- No, I have no idea.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13Because it's made of a base metal,
0:06:13 > 0:06:17I would like to keep the estimate right down low on that.
0:06:17 > 0:06:23I'm sure that's the best tactics for this item.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27I would put it in at maybe £40 to £60.
0:06:27 > 0:06:33- Would you be happy to put it in at that price?- Yes, I would.
0:06:33 > 0:06:38Well, let's hope that the bidders like it as much as I do.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44I'm sure there will be interest in this piece of social history.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48And nearby, overlooked by Wrest's impressive collection of statues,
0:06:48 > 0:06:52is another personal ornament of an entirely different type.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56So, Richard, we are
0:06:56 > 0:06:59surrounded by these amazing sculptures in this beautiful
0:06:59 > 0:07:02garden and we've almost got like a little miniature sculpture
0:07:02 > 0:07:05- going on down here. - I know.- Isn't it fabulous?
0:07:05 > 0:07:08- It's superbly sculptured, that one. - It really is.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11And it's quite sort of different to the jewellery that
0:07:11 > 0:07:14I normally see, which is usually very traditional, quite sort
0:07:14 > 0:07:16of Victorian jewellery and all that sort of thing,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20- but this is by a chap called Germano Alfonsi, is it not?- It is.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23- Who was an Italian jeweller. - Very well known, apparently.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26- In the middle of the 20th century, is that right?- It is.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28So, how have you come across it?
0:07:28 > 0:07:32Well, I was on holiday near Naples and we went shopping one day
0:07:32 > 0:07:35- and I'd always wanted a crucifix. - Right.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38And I saw that in the jeweller's and I fell in love with it.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42- Oh, really? Well, it is really just beautifully done, isn't it?- It is.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Usually, a crucifix, when you see it, it's just a plain cross with
0:07:45 > 0:07:50- Christ on it, but that one is so well modelled.- It really is.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53And it's an excellent weight, as well. And a lovely chain.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56The thing for me is sort of wonderfully gritty in its basic-ness.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59- You can see every grain of wood on there, can't you?- You can.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01And it is really quite splendid.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04- The chain itself has obviously been handmade.- Yep.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08And is incredibly detailed, and what's even better for us
0:08:08 > 0:08:11is that we've got a little signature on here, which is
0:08:11 > 0:08:13- actually signed Germano. - That's right.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16I don't know a huge amount about Germano,
0:08:16 > 0:08:20but I know he did design for stars of stage and screen, did he not?
0:08:20 > 0:08:23He did indeed. Yes. Very famous people.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26He designed for Sinatra, Sophia Loren, the Kennedys.
0:08:26 > 0:08:32- And a few Popes, I think, as well. - A few Popes, as well.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36So his client list really was the ultimate rich and famous, really.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38- He was.- And have you ever worn it? - Oh, yes.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43- I used to wear it quite regularly when I was a little younger.- Right.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45But it doesn't really suit my age.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49- So, is it time, possibly, to make it go to pastures new?- It is, yes.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52I would like to see someone appreciate it
0:08:52 > 0:08:54and wear it more than I've worn it.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58It's really the best that we can expect in that it's 18 carat gold.
0:08:58 > 0:08:59- It is, solid gold.- Solid gold.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03And it has got a serious amount of weight to it.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05So, at auction, I would expect it to fetch
0:09:05 > 0:09:09somewhere in the region of about £800 to £1,200.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12- That would be very good.- Would that be all right?- It would indeed.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16- So, if we set the reserve at £800... - That sounds fine.
0:09:16 > 0:09:17..with an estimate of 800 to 1,200
0:09:17 > 0:09:20- and we'll pray for some divine intervention.- Yeah!
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Don't worry, Christina.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26With that weight of gold, I don't think you'll need it.
0:09:26 > 0:09:32# I can see for miles and miles and miles... #
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Now, earlier on in the show, we heard how this area -
0:09:37 > 0:09:41and in particular the Chilterns - were involved in the early
0:09:41 > 0:09:44days of the sport of gliding and getting it off the ground.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Well, I'm pleased to say I've been joined by two gliding
0:09:47 > 0:09:51aficionados, Adrian and Peter. Pleased to meet you both.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55- You're going to tell me a little bit more about the heritage of gliding in this area.- Yeah.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58You've got lots of photographs. Where are we going to start?
0:09:58 > 0:10:02Let's start with the London Gliding Club, which started in 1930,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05formed by a group of very enthusiastic pilots.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08They didn't have anywhere to fly at that time.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11They explored the south east of the country, came up here
0:10:11 > 0:10:16and set off in 1930 from Ivinghoe Beacon, which is in the Chilterns.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20- Yeah.- And this is a lovely picture of the early '30s.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24In those days, they weren't using winch launches, they weren't using
0:10:24 > 0:10:28aeroplanes, they were using people power to get the glider into the air.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Look at the crowds of people.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33Well, it must have been quite a spectacle in its day.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37- Even royalty came to watch it because it was so spectacular.- Did they?
0:10:37 > 0:10:39So, what is it that's so special about this area?
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Are there certain thermals or something?
0:10:42 > 0:10:46We do tend to get more thermals in the centre of the country,
0:10:46 > 0:10:50but, of course, that wasn't recognised at that time. That developed later,
0:10:50 > 0:10:55when people started really travelling long distances in these gliders.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59Before that, it was really the undulations in the hills.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02It was the fact that the downs faced the prevailing winds...
0:11:02 > 0:11:04- So they could lift.- Exactly.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08Were there any mishaps in those early days of gliding?
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Looking at some of these gliders, they're quite primitive.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14Gliders crashing at the time were not uncommon.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17And the repairman was reputed to be able to make an estimate of
0:11:17 > 0:11:21the amount of damage and the cost of repair from the sound of the crash.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25- That's fantastic, isn't it?- Yeah. - Tell me the story about this one.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- Who is that? She looks familiar. - She is. That's Amy Johnson.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33Oh, she was responsible for the first female flight across the Atlantic, wasn't she?
0:11:33 > 0:11:35She did several long-distance flights.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38She was staying at a local health farm and got bored.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41She was a friend of one of the members of the club,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Doc Slater, who was a very famous glider pilot at the time
0:11:44 > 0:11:46and probably went flying with him.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49This is fascinating history, and thank you so much for sharing
0:11:49 > 0:11:52your passion with us, because it's all about this heritage here.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54- We love it here. Yeah.- We do.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58Another lady with a sense of adventure is Anita Manning,
0:11:58 > 0:12:02and she's sat down with mother and daughter Binny and Adele.
0:12:02 > 0:12:07Girls, you've brought me in a little piece of oriental.
0:12:07 > 0:12:12Now, oriental is very hot in today's market.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Tell me, how did you come by this one?
0:12:15 > 0:12:17It's come through the generations.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21A great-uncle of mine was in the merchant navy
0:12:21 > 0:12:26and every time he came home, he always brought something with him.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29- And it's come to you. - It came to me, yes.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33So, it's come through all these generations
0:12:33 > 0:12:38- and there's Adele there, your daughter.- She doesn't want it.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42And you've brought it in to "Flog It!" What's happened?
0:12:42 > 0:12:45We picked it out to bring it, but I was a bit dubious about it
0:12:45 > 0:12:48because I didn't think it was in very good condition,
0:12:48 > 0:12:51but I could see a Chinese mark on the bottom, so I thought...
0:12:51 > 0:12:55Maybe that's a way of getting rid of it!
0:12:55 > 0:12:59- Yes!- I mean, it's not something that I would particularly care to keep.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02I think it's quite pretty in its way,
0:13:02 > 0:13:04but it's not something that I would choose to keep.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08I've just had it standing around in a cupboard -
0:13:08 > 0:13:11I suppose sentiment more than anything.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15- It's not a statement piece, is it? - No, I don't like it.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Let's have a wee look at it.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20It is Chinese and we look on the bottom here,
0:13:20 > 0:13:23we can see a Chinese red seal mark.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27It's pretending to be an earlier one, but it is 19th century.
0:13:27 > 0:13:33The pot itself is decorated with this scene of agricultural workers,
0:13:33 > 0:13:38but what they look like are happy gardeners.
0:13:38 > 0:13:43And they're harvesting melons. And we have...
0:13:43 > 0:13:46They're beautifully hand-painted and decorated.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50And they are decorated in the Famille Rose palette, where we
0:13:50 > 0:13:55have these pinks and greens and this was a very popular colour
0:13:55 > 0:13:59palette that was used in the 19th century.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01We have little bronze handles here,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04we have some damage on the lid.
0:14:04 > 0:14:11When we turn it round to the back, it starts to become, for me,
0:14:11 > 0:14:14very interesting.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16You have these birds here which I don't recognise.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19They have swallows' tails, but they are black,
0:14:19 > 0:14:23so they may be an imaginary or a mythical bird.
0:14:23 > 0:14:29And we have this wonderful abstract design here, which is based on
0:14:29 > 0:14:36these crescents or semicircles, but for me, that is a very modern image.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39That's the first time I've noticed...
0:14:39 > 0:14:41- I've never looked at it before. - No. I haven't before.
0:14:41 > 0:14:46- It's painted, not transferred. - It's painted, hand-painted, yeah.
0:14:46 > 0:14:51There are objects in our life that we look at every day and, because
0:14:51 > 0:14:55they're so familiar to us, we don't really start thinking about them.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58You've made me begin to like the thing(!)
0:14:58 > 0:15:00THEY LAUGH
0:15:00 > 0:15:01They say they want selling.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05I think I may have nearly sold that wee pot back to you.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07Never mind, it's going to auction, girls.
0:15:07 > 0:15:12I know it's very, very difficult to estimate accurately what this
0:15:12 > 0:15:14little pot will get.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18I think that if we put it in £30-£50,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21this pot will find its own level,
0:15:21 > 0:15:26but are you happy to take a chance on it and put it in at that price?
0:15:26 > 0:15:30- Yes, I'm quite happy, yes.- It will be interesting to see how it does.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33- Very interesting. - It will be interesting.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42- Kevin, what on earth are you wearing?- It's a shirt that a friend
0:15:42 > 0:15:46did for me, made out of all tickets from some early punk rock gigs.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48- Have you still got the tickets? - A lot of the tickets, yeah.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51- Cos those'll be worth quite a bit of money now, won't they? - I'm sure they will, yeah.
0:15:51 > 0:15:56- Anyway, you've not come to me with tickets.- No, I haven't.- You've come to me with a barometer.- I have.
0:15:56 > 0:15:57Tell me about this. Where's it come from?
0:15:57 > 0:16:00Well, it was a present from my gran.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03I believe originally it was part of a pair, there was a clock as well.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07- Right.- It's a silver case, and apart from that
0:16:07 > 0:16:10- I don't really know anything about it at all.- OK.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12Let's have a little closer look at it.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15So we've got a lovely hallmark on the bottom here, which tells us...
0:16:15 > 0:16:19We've got the lion passant there, which is the standard for sterling silver.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22We've got the date letter Y and the town assay office for Birmingham.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Cos the anchor was Birmingham. Now, Y tells us...
0:16:25 > 0:16:291899 was Z, so 1898 must be Y.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32And LE, which is the maker's mark for Lawrence Emanuel.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37OK? So we know that that is a sterling silver covered case.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40Let's open it up and see what happens inside.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44So we've got this lovely, what we call a Goliath travelling...
0:16:44 > 0:16:47Basically a pocket watch. This is actually a barometer, in this case,
0:16:47 > 0:16:50- but you do get Goliath watches as well.- That's right, yeah.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54And at the moment, it's between rain and change, so I'm a little bit concerned. We'd better be quick.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56- I think it might be raining tonight, yeah.- Do you think?
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Oh, my goodness, Kevin. OK, we'd better be very quick.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03So really, your main value is not so much in the barometer,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06but it's in the case. They do appear on the market quite regularly,
0:17:06 > 0:17:08it's not a particularly rare thing.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11But having said that, they are quite sought after
0:17:11 > 0:17:13- when they do appear on the market.- Good.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17- I mean, what are your expectations? - I thought perhaps about £100.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19- OK.- Something along those lines.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23That sounds sort of slightly top end, as far as I'm concerned.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27- I think probably £60 to £100, with a firm reserve at 60.- Yes.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30- What are your thoughts?- Yes. Yeah. - Yeah? Are you happy at that?
0:17:30 > 0:17:34- Cos I don't use it or anything, and it's been up in the loft for quite a few years.- What do you mean?
0:17:34 > 0:17:36You could put your barometer in your top pocket.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38- How could you not use that? - Be ideal, wouldn't it?
0:17:38 > 0:17:42It will tell you your personal weather forecast. Like having Carol Kirkwood in your pocket.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46- I mean, it's been in the loft for probably 20 years now.- Oh, has it?
0:17:46 > 0:17:48- It has, yeah.- Fair enough. Well, I'll tell you what,
0:17:48 > 0:17:52- let's find somebody who will appreciate it and love it. - That's right, yeah. That's it.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55And hopefully it will be fair and very dry on the day of the auction.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58- Let's hope so.- Let's hope so. Thanks so much for bringing it in. - Thank you.
0:17:58 > 0:18:03Before we head off to auction, I'm going to explore a local landmark.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12Woburn Abbey, built on the site of an old monastic religious house,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15has been home to the Dukes of Bedford
0:18:15 > 0:18:17for nearly 400 years.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20Now, back in the 18th century,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22a necessary part of the education of any Duke
0:18:22 > 0:18:25would be the grand tour of Europe -
0:18:25 > 0:18:27something of a rite of passage
0:18:27 > 0:18:30for young male members of the aristocracy.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33To experience and study foreign cultures,
0:18:33 > 0:18:37which often meant travelling around Europe for two to three years.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42And the main highlight of the grand tour was Venice,
0:18:42 > 0:18:46a magnificent city floating on the Adriatic.
0:18:46 > 0:18:47To the 18th-century visitors,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Venice was a place of wonder.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53With a never-ending carnival season,
0:18:53 > 0:18:55countless theatres and casinos,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Venice was the city of pleasure.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01And one visitors wished to remember.
0:19:06 > 0:19:07It was into this world
0:19:07 > 0:19:09and the desire for souvenirs
0:19:09 > 0:19:13that Canaletto emerged in the 1720s.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15The son of a theatrical scene painter,
0:19:15 > 0:19:18he turned his back on the family business
0:19:18 > 0:19:22to concentrate on the artform of veduta, or view painting,
0:19:22 > 0:19:26recording the daily life of the city and its people.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32Showing his genius early on, Canaletto quickly found success.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35His brilliance brought him to the attention
0:19:35 > 0:19:38of travelling foreign visitors, especially the English.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42When Lord John Russell, the future fourth Duke of Bedford,
0:19:42 > 0:19:46arrived in Venice towards the end of his grand tour in 1731,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48he had a meeting with Canaletto's agent.
0:19:48 > 0:19:53This meeting led to one of Canaletto's greatest commissions.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59The Duke purchased a staggering 24 pictures -
0:19:59 > 0:20:04the only grand tourist to buy this number of paintings from Canaletto.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06Transported back to Britain by ship,
0:20:06 > 0:20:08they eventually went on display here
0:20:08 > 0:20:10at the Duke's family seat at Woburn,
0:20:10 > 0:20:14where they remain in the same family ownership to this day.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20Joining me to enjoy this unique collection
0:20:20 > 0:20:23is the chief curator of London's Dulwich Picture Gallery,
0:20:23 > 0:20:25Dr Xavier Bray,
0:20:25 > 0:20:29who has spent the last 20 years working with old master paintings.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35Xavier, this Canaletto dominates the room, doesn't it?
0:20:35 > 0:20:37It's a spectacular carnival of Ascension.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39Now, we know the Duke went to Venice
0:20:39 > 0:20:41to witness this grand civic event.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45It really is like theatre on water, isn't it?
0:20:45 > 0:20:47It is. A lot of these English tourists
0:20:47 > 0:20:50went to Venice especially to witness these great celebrations.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52So, what exactly happens?
0:20:52 > 0:20:53It's a religious festival.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55It's the ascension of the Lord,
0:20:55 > 0:20:59when Jesus goes up to heaven 40 days after Easter.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02But the Venetians like to mix a bit of fiesta with it.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06What they do is that they have this wonderful ornate boat...
0:21:06 > 0:21:08The gilded one in the centre of the picture?
0:21:08 > 0:21:09Yeah, which is called the Bucintoro.
0:21:09 > 0:21:14There is a big sort of pomp as the Doge and Senate climb onto it.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16The thing that I really notice, on the right-hand corner,
0:21:16 > 0:21:17is that lady there with the fan
0:21:17 > 0:21:21laying down in her boat just enjoying the event.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23This is what's so great about Canaletto.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26He's got a fiesta, a big celebration,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28but at the same time he livens it up with anecdotes.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Then you've got a man with another lady with a beautiful parasol
0:21:31 > 0:21:34and you just get these wonderful, fluid shadows.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38So, he's very much about sensations, texture and light effects.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41When you look at Canaletto's work, what do you look at?
0:21:41 > 0:21:44What makes a good Canaletto? Why was he so good?
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Canaletto was really good draughtsman,
0:21:47 > 0:21:49so he would do a lot of preparatory drawings.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51What he is very good at is doing architecture,
0:21:51 > 0:21:52getting the perspectives right.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55He's also very clever. He combines different viewpoints.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58And the more you look at it, the more you find details, anecdotes...
0:21:58 > 0:22:00He really brings it all to life.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02And that's what I think makes him so different to any other
0:22:02 > 0:22:05view painters at the time - it's full of life.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07So this is an excellent way,
0:22:07 > 0:22:11for the Duke to buy into what was happening in the day.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14This is buying into the culture of Venice?
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Yeah, a bit like postcards, but painted postcards,
0:22:17 > 0:22:22which will allow him to relive his experience in Venice
0:22:22 > 0:22:25when he's back in London or here at Woburn Abbey.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29So, a purchase to remind him of his experiences on his travels,
0:22:29 > 0:22:32which can also be said of A Regatta On The Grand Canal,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35which shows the one-oared light gondola race.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37One of the largest paintings,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40it's a fascinating example of Canaletto
0:22:40 > 0:22:42at his most decorative.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49So, what do we know about Canaletto the man?
0:22:49 > 0:22:51Well, we actually don't know that much about what he was like,
0:22:51 > 0:22:55in terms of character, but he was incredibly productive.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57He was very successful in the 1730s.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59He comes to England for 10 years,
0:22:59 > 0:23:03lives in Soho, and works for British aristocrats.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06King George III wants his works later on
0:23:06 > 0:23:08and buys a whole collection of Canalettos.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13Even Catherine the Great from Russia is dying to buy his work.
0:23:13 > 0:23:18Canaletto today is a big name. He sells for very big prices.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21In fact, a well preserved Canaletto in excellent condition
0:23:21 > 0:23:26is worth between £3-£5 million at auction today.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31There are 24 Canalettos in the collection here.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34If you had the chance of taking one home,
0:23:34 > 0:23:36which one would you like to live with?
0:23:36 > 0:23:38It would have to be this one here,
0:23:38 > 0:23:40because it's...
0:23:40 > 0:23:42What Canaletto normally paints is a grand Canal -
0:23:42 > 0:23:44the main stage of Venice -
0:23:44 > 0:23:47but he also does the backstage.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50And this is the kind of view that you would really
0:23:50 > 0:23:52have to go off the main itinerary.
0:23:52 > 0:23:53This is off the canal.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57You can see the square looks as if it's just been flooded
0:23:57 > 0:24:01and the water has gone, but it's left a bit of a green tinge,
0:24:01 > 0:24:03which is probably the algae or something like that.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05But it's the fact that you've got the shops,
0:24:05 > 0:24:07the laundry hanging out of the windows.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10This is the backstage of Venice - the darker side.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13An aspect of Venice that only somebody like the Duke of Bedford
0:24:13 > 0:24:17would have appreciated and wanted Canaletto to depict for him.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23And I gather this is the current Duke's favourite?
0:24:23 > 0:24:24It is. It's a good choice.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26It shows the Arsenale,
0:24:26 > 0:24:30the Arsenal where the shipbuilding of Venice happened.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35It's a symbolic view of the power of Venice at the time.
0:24:35 > 0:24:36The fact that they dominated the seas,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38particularly the Mediterranean.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40So, it's a clever choice.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44And it's also one of Canaletto's most beautiful views.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46He enjoyed a very successful career.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48He achieved a lot in his lifetime.
0:24:48 > 0:24:49Was he a wealthy man?
0:24:49 > 0:24:51We don't think he was. We don't know.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53But he lived in a very tiny apartment.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56He probably wanted to avoid paying tax,
0:24:56 > 0:24:59so declared himself poor in a state of bankruptcy.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01- He never got married. - And he never got married.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04He was very much on his own, so he didn't have any children.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07I think he was somebody who was dedicated to his art.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09He was dedicated to painting Venice.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12I think he found solace through what he painted
0:25:12 > 0:25:16rather than monetary terms that he could turn into a palazzo
0:25:16 > 0:25:18and have musicians play where he has painted,
0:25:18 > 0:25:20which is what other painters did do.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22He was, I think, more interested in painting
0:25:22 > 0:25:24rather than living in style.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26So, he is a great artist who lived for his work?
0:25:26 > 0:25:28Very much so, yeah.
0:25:29 > 0:25:30In retrospect,
0:25:30 > 0:25:32Canaletto was very fortunate
0:25:32 > 0:25:34to be able to live for his work.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36In 1797,
0:25:36 > 0:25:37a few years after his death,
0:25:37 > 0:25:41Napoleon had the head of his French army surround Venice.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43And the Grand Council surrendered.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50The Bucintoro, the shining symbol of Venetian government,
0:25:50 > 0:25:52was commandeered by the French
0:25:52 > 0:25:53and stripped of its gold
0:25:53 > 0:25:55before they sent it up in flames.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00With war raging across Europe,
0:26:00 > 0:26:01the tradition of the Grand Tour
0:26:01 > 0:26:03came to an abrupt end.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08And without its chief source of patronage,
0:26:08 > 0:26:10veduta painting in Venice died away.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Canaletto came into his prime just in time
0:26:16 > 0:26:20to capture the last golden days of the Venetian Republic
0:26:20 > 0:26:23in all its pomp and circumstance.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25And the fourth Duke of Bedford had the courage
0:26:25 > 0:26:27and, let's face it, the cash
0:26:27 > 0:26:31to make such a brave and timely commission.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33And because these three elements came together at once,
0:26:33 > 0:26:37this unique collection here at Woburn exists.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40And these beautifully crafted pictures
0:26:40 > 0:26:43have gone on to inspire generations of artists,
0:26:43 > 0:26:47art lovers and writers for nearly 300 years.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57We've got our first four items, now we're taking them off to the sale.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59So, we've got Irene's chatelaine,
0:26:59 > 0:27:03a housekeeper's must-have accessory in the 19th century.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09We've got Kevin's late-Victorian travelling barometer.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12It's a good-looking piece, so it should do well.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17And our third item is this rather sweet Chinese teapot.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21Let's hope we get a good result for Binny and Adele in the sale room.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Then there's Richard's heavily worked gold cross and chain,
0:27:24 > 0:27:27designed by jeweller-to-the-stars, Germano Alfonsi.
0:27:32 > 0:27:37If you head south west from Wrest Park, you'll come to Tring.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40Situated at a low point in the Chiltern Hills, known as the Tring
0:27:40 > 0:27:45Gap, this area has been used as a crossing point since ancient times.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50Now a small market town, it's home to our auction house,
0:27:50 > 0:27:54where auctioneer Stephen Hearn is already up on the rostrum.
0:27:54 > 0:27:5620, I had. 60 and 70.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00At £280, I'm selling. Thank you.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Remember, if you are buying or selling at auction, there is
0:28:03 > 0:28:06commission to pay. That's how they earn their living here.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10Today, if you're selling something, it's 15% plus VAT,
0:28:10 > 0:28:12so factor that in, because when the hammer goes down,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15they will deduct 15% plus VAT.
0:28:15 > 0:28:1750 at the back, and five?
0:28:17 > 0:28:21First up, it's time to see how our Chinese teapot fares.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27- Who owns this teapot, then?- I do. - It's yours?- Yes.- Have you used it?
0:28:27 > 0:28:30- No.- It's nice, though, isn't it? I do like it.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33We know it's been in your family for what, 60, 80 years,
0:28:33 > 0:28:37- something like that, so we know it's right?- Longer than that.
0:28:37 > 0:28:38Longer than that.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41Trying to find something Chinese, 19th century,
0:28:41 > 0:28:44is a hard thing to find because they're so good at copying things.
0:28:44 > 0:28:45That's right.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48Well, this is genuine and it's going under the hammer right now.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51- Here we go. - What about that one?
0:28:51 > 0:28:53I think we ought to be looking somewhere round about £40 for it.
0:28:53 > 0:28:5840 or 30, we have 20, do we? Yes, we have two, we have five.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01There's a chap bidding there, Binny, just there.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05At 45, it's down here. Madam, would you like one more? No?
0:29:05 > 0:29:07It's going then. I sell at £45.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09£45.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12You were right, weren't you?
0:29:12 > 0:29:14Nice thing, though, so thank you for bringing it in.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16It's been a pleasure to meet you.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18Don't disappear and put the kettle on. Watch this next lot.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20It could fly.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24Well done, Anita. Spot on with your estimate there.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27Sell at £150.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29Going under the hammer right now, we've got
0:29:29 > 0:29:33an 18-carat gold pendant and chain in the form of a crucifix,
0:29:33 > 0:29:35belonging to Richard, who, sadly, cannot be with us,
0:29:35 > 0:29:37but we do have his daughter, Charlotte.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41- Now, Dad's on holiday. Where's he gone?- Somewhere in Norway, I think.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43- Hopefully not buying any more jewellery.- Let's hope not.
0:29:43 > 0:29:48This is 800-1,200 we're looking for right now. Here we go.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52There we are, the crucifix pendant and chain, 18 carat.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55What about that one? 900 for it. 500.
0:29:55 > 0:29:5720, 50, 80, 600.
0:29:57 > 0:30:0020, 50, 80, 700.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03720, 50, 80, 800.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07- Brilliant.- We've done it. - There you go. Phew!
0:30:07 > 0:30:10I sell at £840, then. Thank you.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13- You've got to ring him up and tell him.- I will.- Phew!
0:30:13 > 0:30:16- That will make his holiday.- Tell him he can't spend it.- Absolutely!- Yes.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18Glass of Champagne tonight.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24Well, some extra spending money on holiday never goes amiss.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26Well, the pressure's certainly rising in here,
0:30:26 > 0:30:29and right now we're going under the hammer, we've got
0:30:29 > 0:30:31a Victorian travelling barometer belonging to Kevin,
0:30:31 > 0:30:35who's with me right now, again, in the most magnificent shirt.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38- I like that. Public Image Ltd.- Thank you.- There were a great band,
0:30:38 > 0:30:41- weren't they?- They still are. - Are they still together? - They're still going, yeah.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44- Fronted by John Lyndon?- John Lydon, yeah.- Lydon. It's Lydon, isn't it?
0:30:44 > 0:30:47- Crikey. Johnny Rotten, wasn't it, of the Sex Pistols?- That's the one.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49Anyway, why are you selling the barometer?
0:30:49 > 0:30:52It was a present that my gran gave me.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54She gave me a load of bits and pieces, but to be honest with you,
0:30:54 > 0:30:56it's been in the loft for years and years and years.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59- So I thought I might get something for it.- In the loft!
0:30:59 > 0:31:01Well, it's going under the hammer right now.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03Let's find out how it does.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05What about that one, £100 for it.
0:31:05 > 0:31:0780, I am bid 90, 100 we have.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10Here we go. £100 straight away.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12120. 130. 140.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15140. 150, is it, yes or no, sir?
0:31:15 > 0:31:17Think about it. 140.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19150, you're in now.
0:31:19 > 0:31:20150, then.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24I sell at £150, thank you, sir.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27- Yes, sold!- Fantastic!- I do miss the gavel sells.- I know, me too!
0:31:27 > 0:31:30- It's a lot more than I thought it would get.- £150.- Brilliant.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33- Yeah, very good.- That's fantastic. Congratulations.- Thank you.- Wow.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37- I can see another shirt coming along, can't you?- I can as well. THEY LAUGH
0:31:37 > 0:31:41And why not? I think you've got a good thing going there, Kevin.
0:31:43 > 0:31:44Going under the hammer right now,
0:31:44 > 0:31:46we've got a tool belt for a DIY enthusiast.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49No, I'm just kidding, but it could be, couldn't it?
0:31:49 > 0:31:53It's a chatelaine. It's got all the little things that you need.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55Obviously, the lady of the house would wear this, wouldn't she?
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Irene, it's great to see you again.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00I think this is good value for money. I know it's continental.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02- It's French, isn't it?- Yes.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06It's not hallmark silver, but you get a lot for your money.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08And it was the sort of badge of office of the lady.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12- It would clank as she walked through her halls.- Good luck.- Thank you.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16Hopefully we can send you home really happy. Ready? This is it.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18Here we go.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22There it is. All the tools there.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25What about this one? Shall we say £50 to start this one? 50?
0:32:25 > 0:32:2830, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55,
0:32:28 > 0:32:3160, 65, 70, 75, 80.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33- £80.- Yes!
0:32:33 > 0:32:3585, 90, sir.
0:32:35 > 0:32:3790, I'm bid. 95.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39100, we've got it.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41No? £100, then, I'm selling.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43It's going. Thank you.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46It's a good result and we climbed, didn't we?
0:32:46 > 0:32:48- We did.- We did it.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52We certainly did, and that's a great result to round up our first
0:32:52 > 0:32:55visit to the sale room.
0:32:55 > 0:32:59There you are, three lots down, but, more importantly, three happy owners
0:32:59 > 0:33:01and that's what it's all about.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03Now, just a few miles south of this auction room,
0:33:03 > 0:33:06there's a place called Amersham, tucked into the Chiltern Hills.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09It's a fascinating market town that tells
0:33:09 > 0:33:12the story of the changing faces of rural life.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23Sitting pretty in the valley of the River Misbourne, Amersham has
0:33:23 > 0:33:26witnessed many extraordinary times in England's history.
0:33:29 > 0:33:30But, in the beginning,
0:33:30 > 0:33:34it started out simply as an agricultural community,
0:33:34 > 0:33:35with the river - now just a stream -
0:33:35 > 0:33:39once powering three mills grinding corn.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43One of the key features which sets early Amersham
0:33:43 > 0:33:47apart from other market towns has to be the number of its maltsters -
0:33:47 > 0:33:50an integral part of brewing beer.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52The River Misbourne was incredibly clean
0:33:52 > 0:33:56and it was ideal for the process of making beer
0:33:56 > 0:33:58and, considering there were very few breweries
0:33:58 > 0:34:02outside of London in the 18th century, the presence of an ancient
0:34:02 > 0:34:07one here says a great deal about the enterprise of its inhabitants.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13But it wasn't just beer that was fermenting in the town.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19Amersham was also a hotbed of religious fervour and unrest.
0:34:19 > 0:34:23The dissenters were part of a group called the Lollards.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26They denounced the wealth of the Roman Catholic church
0:34:26 > 0:34:30and they wanted the freedom to worship in their own way.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32In the early 1500s, during the reign of Henry VIII,
0:34:32 > 0:34:36the Bishop of Lincoln started an enquiry into religious
0:34:36 > 0:34:40dissent in Amersham and the courts were held to try them as heretics.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53The Lollards' main demand was to read the Bible in English
0:34:53 > 0:34:58rather than in Latin and, in a spot over there, for their beliefs,
0:34:58 > 0:35:02they were led up this hill and burnt at the stake.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05From up here, high above Amersham, the flames
0:35:05 > 0:35:09and the smoke could be seen by everyone, acting as a warning,
0:35:09 > 0:35:12and even the daughters of one of the martyrs
0:35:12 > 0:35:15was forced to light the fire herself.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23Fortunately, for the people of Amersham,
0:35:23 > 0:35:25more peaceful times ensued.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28The traditional trades continued and, in particular,
0:35:28 > 0:35:30the brewing of beer.
0:35:32 > 0:35:37This was in great demand because, from the 1600s,
0:35:37 > 0:35:40Amersham became the first overnight stop for stagecoaches
0:35:40 > 0:35:44travelling out from London to the Midlands.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47Lots of inns catered for the travellers,
0:35:47 > 0:35:51a great many of which remain today.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53And up and down the high street, you can
0:35:53 > 0:35:56still spot numerous archways for coaches.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05In the 1700s, as the roads improved, more affluent people
0:36:05 > 0:36:09moved into the town - doctors, lawyers, and even a wig-maker -
0:36:09 > 0:36:11and they were keen to spend their money to show off their wealth
0:36:11 > 0:36:15and update their houses, keeping up with the trends and the fashions.
0:36:15 > 0:36:20They updated their Tudor buildings with brick fronts and sash windows.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22There's a great example, if you follow me down this alley,
0:36:22 > 0:36:25you can just see here the original Tudor building with
0:36:25 > 0:36:29all its wonderful oak construction, but if you look here you can
0:36:29 > 0:36:34see this Georgian facade has been grafted on to the Tudor building.
0:36:34 > 0:36:38The result - some rather interesting architecture.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51In essence, though,
0:36:51 > 0:36:54Amersham continued as a market town with a weekly cattle market.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01As the roads got better, travellers made longer journeys in one day.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06The local inn still provided a temporary halt for refreshment,
0:37:06 > 0:37:09supplied, of course, by the local brewery.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16However, all this came to an end with the arrival of the railway.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22For many years, Amersham's main landowner, the Tyrwhitt-Drakes,
0:37:22 > 0:37:26opposed the railway being built in the town for fear it would
0:37:26 > 0:37:30ruin their view from their seat at Shardeloes Manor.
0:37:30 > 0:37:35They eventually relented, but forced the construction to be out of sight,
0:37:35 > 0:37:37high on the nearby hillside,
0:37:37 > 0:37:41which delayed the coming of the railway by 50 years.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49In 1892, the station finally opened.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52New Amersham or Amersham on the Hill came into being,
0:37:52 > 0:37:57well away from the old town, which is back down there.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01Soon, houses and shops began to appear around the initially
0:38:01 > 0:38:04isolated station, and, by the 1920s,
0:38:04 > 0:38:08Amersham on the Hill was a thriving town.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12This rapid growth, which continued into the '30s, was driven forward by
0:38:12 > 0:38:17local architects and builders and by an entirely new concept -
0:38:17 > 0:38:19Metro-land.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26The creation of the Metropolitan Railway, Metro-land's new
0:38:26 > 0:38:30housing developments built all along the side of the track,
0:38:30 > 0:38:34were designed to encourage Londoners to move out of the city,
0:38:34 > 0:38:36yet use the railway to commute,
0:38:36 > 0:38:39and a whole range of advertising brochures were designed to
0:38:39 > 0:38:43sell to Londoners the notion of getting back to nature, the
0:38:43 > 0:38:49idyllic countryside, all within an easy journey to and fro to the city.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52# With a thousand little stars
0:38:52 > 0:38:55# We can decorate the ceiling. #
0:38:55 > 0:38:59A whole new style of housing came to be associated with the railway and
0:38:59 > 0:39:04Met houses were built all around the stations on the Metropolitan line,
0:39:04 > 0:39:07including Amersham, in typical Met style.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19This 1930s building bonanza even inspired
0:39:19 > 0:39:22Poet Laureate John Betjeman and, in 1973,
0:39:22 > 0:39:26he made a programme for the BBC called Metro-Land.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32'Steam took us onwards, through the ripening fields
0:39:32 > 0:39:35'ripe for development,
0:39:35 > 0:39:40'through Amersham to Aylesbury and the Vale.
0:39:40 > 0:39:45'In those wet fields, the railway didn't pay.
0:39:45 > 0:39:49'The Metro stops at Amersham today.'
0:39:49 > 0:39:52For a while, of course, trade in the old town declined as the
0:39:52 > 0:39:57population up on the hill grew, but, ironically, because the lords of the
0:39:57 > 0:40:00manor got their way with their view,
0:40:00 > 0:40:05those ideals the Metro-land brochure sold to the Londoners - the streams,
0:40:05 > 0:40:08the meadows and the characterful cottages - well,
0:40:08 > 0:40:10they've all survived here in Old Amersham
0:40:10 > 0:40:15because Metro-land didn't arrive, and now its charm
0:40:15 > 0:40:18and tranquillity attract new visitors seeking that country dream
0:40:18 > 0:40:22and, of course, the perfect pint, which, rest assured,
0:40:22 > 0:40:25can still be found here in abundance.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31Cheers. Cheers.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40Welcome back to Wrest Park in Bedfordshire.
0:40:40 > 0:40:44The crowds are still flocking in, bringing with them some fascinating
0:40:44 > 0:40:47antiques and collectables, not least Christina's next item.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54Colin, this is an interesting collection you've brought for me.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56Oh, thank you.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59We've got postcards of the Great War in here and we've selected a few.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02- There's a lot in here, aren't there? - There's about 95 altogether, I think.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04Roughly 95, OK.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06They are particularly poignant because they are, as far as
0:41:06 > 0:41:10I can see, all of them very much related to the First World War.
0:41:10 > 0:41:11Yes, they are.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15Not only have you been quite selective in choosing certain
0:41:15 > 0:41:16areas to collect,
0:41:16 > 0:41:20but you've also branched out into some really quite interesting ones.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24We've got representations of portraits, we've got regiments,
0:41:24 > 0:41:27- fairly funny examples... - Comic ones, yeah.
0:41:27 > 0:41:28The most, I think,
0:41:28 > 0:41:32- interesting one is a print by Bruce Bairnsfather...- That's correct.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34..who was an artist during the First World War.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37I've seen quite a lot of these prints, not only on postcards,
0:41:37 > 0:41:39but they also did them on china,
0:41:39 > 0:41:42so I've seen plates and all sorts of things by him, as well.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44This one, I think is wonderful.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46"Coiffure In The Trenches" -
0:41:46 > 0:41:49"Keep your 'ead still, or I'll 'ave yer blinkin' ear off!"
0:41:49 > 0:41:52Yeah, very important, I think.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54- Not particularly a coiffure.- No.
0:41:54 > 0:41:59But to find comedy in a situation that must have been so awful...
0:41:59 > 0:42:02- Yeah, black humour, really. - Exactly, yes.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04What is it that sort of attracted you to them?
0:42:04 > 0:42:07I've always had an interest in the First World War.
0:42:07 > 0:42:11It's just fascinating to me. It covers all subjects.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14- That's it, really.- And what can you tell me about this one?
0:42:14 > 0:42:16This one, for me, is quite interesting.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18- This is signed E Cavell, which is Edith Cavell.- That's right.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21She was a lady who went out to France as a nurse
0:42:21 > 0:42:26and she tried to get some of our chaps back to this country.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29She was found out and the Germans actually executed her as a spy,
0:42:29 > 0:42:31which she wasn't.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34She just wanted to get the chaps home again and help them back
0:42:34 > 0:42:36and she was actually shot, yeah.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39It's really very poignant, because the caption on here says,
0:42:39 > 0:42:44"I have seen death so often that it is not strange or painful to me.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46"I am glad to die for my country."
0:42:46 > 0:42:49- Yeah, very courageous lady. - Incredibly courageous lady.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51- That's right.- That is really something, isn't it?
0:42:51 > 0:42:54And obviously her in much more peaceful circumstances.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58- Yes, that's right.- So, incredibly interesting collection.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01- I think at auction I would sell it as one.- Right.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05So I'm going to put a global figure of between £60-£100
0:43:05 > 0:43:09- on the collection...- OK. - ..and with a reserve of £60.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11Right, OK.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13I would think that they would go for more.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16I'm sure that we will get within, hopefully, above that estimate
0:43:16 > 0:43:19and I think it certainly provides a fascinating
0:43:19 > 0:43:23snapshot into an incredibly important era of our own history.
0:43:28 > 0:43:30Back down in the sunshine of the valuation area,
0:43:30 > 0:43:34one of our experts is taking this hot weather in her stride.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39Davina, give me a flutter.
0:43:39 > 0:43:41That is perfect.
0:43:41 > 0:43:45Well, it's a very warm day today
0:43:45 > 0:43:48and these fans are perfect for keeping us cool,
0:43:48 > 0:43:51but for me, the main use of a fan
0:43:51 > 0:43:53- is to flirt. - DAVINA LAUGHS
0:43:53 > 0:43:55Very much.
0:43:55 > 0:43:56Welcome to Flog It!
0:43:56 > 0:44:00Tell me, how did you come by these?
0:44:00 > 0:44:02I saw one fan and I fell in love
0:44:02 > 0:44:04with just the prettiness,
0:44:04 > 0:44:06the femininity of it.
0:44:06 > 0:44:08That started it.
0:44:08 > 0:44:09So, for about 10 years,
0:44:09 > 0:44:12we went to antique fairs and bought fans.
0:44:12 > 0:44:14But then we downsized
0:44:14 > 0:44:17and put it in a cupboard for 22 years.
0:44:17 > 0:44:21Tell me, Davina, what's your favourite one?
0:44:21 > 0:44:22I think I've got two.
0:44:22 > 0:44:25There's this one, because of the mirror,
0:44:25 > 0:44:27and this one here,
0:44:27 > 0:44:30because it's lovely when it's shut and open.
0:44:30 > 0:44:34So, what we've got here is a sort of stepped building,
0:44:34 > 0:44:38- almost like the Chrysler building in America.- Yes.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40And when we open it...
0:44:43 > 0:44:47These sticks are made of bone
0:44:47 > 0:44:51and we have this lovely organdie here
0:44:51 > 0:44:54with little sequins and little pieces of embroidery.
0:44:54 > 0:44:57This is a 19th-century fan
0:44:57 > 0:45:00and you have more in your collection,
0:45:00 > 0:45:03but we have mainly 19th-century
0:45:03 > 0:45:06examples here.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09The one with the mirrors is silver overlay,
0:45:09 > 0:45:12so we have this detail here
0:45:12 > 0:45:17and again a hand-painted interior scene.
0:45:17 > 0:45:22And, of course, an ostrich feather fan
0:45:22 > 0:45:26is always froufrou and fabulous.
0:45:26 > 0:45:29So, it's a great wee collection.
0:45:29 > 0:45:31Price on them...
0:45:31 > 0:45:35I wouldn't say there are any here of high-value.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38I would like to put them into auction
0:45:38 > 0:45:41with a very conservative estimate...
0:45:43 > 0:45:46..of between £100 and £200.
0:45:46 > 0:45:50£100 and £200 is probably your best estimate to give.
0:45:50 > 0:45:52- Would you be happy with that? - Absolutely.
0:45:52 > 0:45:54I want a reserve, obviously.
0:45:54 > 0:45:57- We'll put a reserve of £100...- Yes.
0:45:57 > 0:46:00- ..and I'll see you at the auction. - You will.
0:46:00 > 0:46:03And, with any luck, there might be a couple of good-looking blokes
0:46:03 > 0:46:06that we can flirt with.
0:46:06 > 0:46:07Let's hope so.
0:46:09 > 0:46:11Let's hope we have a good result at auction.
0:46:13 > 0:46:16Elizabeth, these are absolutely wonderful fun!
0:46:16 > 0:46:18- And welcome to "Flog It!". - Thank you.
0:46:18 > 0:46:24Tell me, are these your toys or are they a child's toys?
0:46:24 > 0:46:28No, the were my toys which I bought as an adult.
0:46:28 > 0:46:30An irresponsible adult.
0:46:30 > 0:46:34- How long have you had them? - About 20 years, I would think, yes.
0:46:34 > 0:46:36What drew you to these?
0:46:36 > 0:46:40We watched the hunt go out when we lived in the country in Lincolnshire.
0:46:40 > 0:46:45And it was a tremendous spectacle, just such an English thing, really -
0:46:45 > 0:46:49the tradition. But I just saw it and I couldn't resist it.
0:46:49 > 0:46:53- Not everyone approves of hunting. - No, of course not.
0:46:53 > 0:46:57- Is it something you follow? - No, not at all. Not at all.
0:46:57 > 0:46:59I was glad when it was banned.
0:46:59 > 0:47:03But it's just part of our history and our heritage.
0:47:03 > 0:47:05What we have are really the best.
0:47:05 > 0:47:11They're Britains lead figures, started by William Britain
0:47:11 > 0:47:14- in about 1893.- I didn't realise.
0:47:14 > 0:47:16He started making these figures
0:47:16 > 0:47:19and so on in lead and it was a hollow casting.
0:47:19 > 0:47:23Previous to that, lead figures were solid.
0:47:23 > 0:47:25- Oh, right. - But these ones were hollow.
0:47:25 > 0:47:28And they're very, very popular.
0:47:28 > 0:47:32The most common thing that was made were the soldiers.
0:47:32 > 0:47:37And little boys of the late 19th and early 20th century would
0:47:37 > 0:47:42have their battalions of soldiers and battles and so on.
0:47:42 > 0:47:48But Britains have been making this type of hollow lead casting toy
0:47:48 > 0:47:50for a long, long time.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53Did you pay a lot of money for them at the time?
0:47:53 > 0:47:56Must have been at least £200.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59- You've paid retail price for them, Elizabeth.- Right.
0:47:59 > 0:48:04- I would like to put the them in at, say, 60-100.- OK.
0:48:04 > 0:48:06- Would that the all right? - Yes, that would be fine.
0:48:06 > 0:48:10- We know you paid much more, but it was retail price.- Yes.
0:48:10 > 0:48:12That was indulgence.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16Thank you again for bringing them along,
0:48:16 > 0:48:19- we've had great fun. - Thank you very much.
0:48:29 > 0:48:31There's just time for one more valuation,
0:48:31 > 0:48:35so let's catch up with the ever charming Christina Trevanion.
0:48:37 > 0:48:42Carol, I think you are the most glamorous granny I've ever met.
0:48:42 > 0:48:46- Oh, I'll come again, thank you very much!- You are! Four grandchildren...
0:48:46 > 0:48:50- Yes.- ..and you've brought a bit of bling to my table, which I love,
0:48:50 > 0:48:54- really fantastic.- I like it, too. - Tell me a little bit about it.
0:48:54 > 0:48:57I really thought it was Grandma's.
0:48:57 > 0:48:59But it might be a little bit later than that,
0:48:59 > 0:49:02it might have been my mother's. I don't ever remember her wearing it.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05- So it's a bit of an enigma ring, really, isn't it?- Yes.
0:49:05 > 0:49:07- It's a mystery ring. - It's a mystery, yes, it is.
0:49:07 > 0:49:11We'll have a good look at it. It's certainly very beautiful, isn't it?
0:49:11 > 0:49:14We've got a few chips in what we call the girdle,
0:49:14 > 0:49:16which is the widest part of the stone.
0:49:16 > 0:49:18I love the fact that round the setting you've got this
0:49:18 > 0:49:21really lovely little heart-shaped carving.
0:49:21 > 0:49:24- This is what we call the gallery here.- Sweet, aren't they?
0:49:24 > 0:49:27Very sweet. Very possibly given as a love token.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30And we've got this quite unusual band here which is actually
0:49:30 > 0:49:32three different types of colour gold.
0:49:32 > 0:49:35And if we look at the hoop inside, it tells us pretty much everything
0:49:35 > 0:49:39we need to know, and I'd expect to find an 18 carat gold hallmark.
0:49:39 > 0:49:42And then we've got a nice hallmark that tells us it is
0:49:42 > 0:49:47- a London piece from 1994.- Right. - So relatively modern, really.
0:49:47 > 0:49:50- Relatively new.- Maybe it was a love token, do you think?
0:49:50 > 0:49:54- Oh, I don't know!- Ooh! - Something she never told me about!
0:49:54 > 0:49:56If only it could talk!
0:49:56 > 0:49:57You never know.
0:49:57 > 0:50:01I really like it, and I've had a quick measure of the stone.
0:50:01 > 0:50:04- It measures just shy of a carat. - Oh, right.
0:50:04 > 0:50:07Do you have any sort of expectations of value for it?
0:50:07 > 0:50:10I don't really have any idea of the value at all.
0:50:10 > 0:50:15At auction, I would expect it to fetch somewhere in the region of about £300-500.
0:50:15 > 0:50:18- Oh, that's nice.- Is that all right? - Yes, that's nice.
0:50:18 > 0:50:22I think maybe a reserve of 280, just to give us a little bit of leeway.
0:50:22 > 0:50:24And I think it should sell well for you.
0:50:24 > 0:50:26Thank you so much, and we'll look forward to the auction.
0:50:26 > 0:50:28That's lovely, thank you very much.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37The sun came out today and so did the people of Bedfordshire.
0:50:37 > 0:50:39And you didn't let us down, did you?
0:50:39 > 0:50:41You brought in some wonderful treasures.
0:50:41 > 0:50:44We've heard some fascinating stories and tales
0:50:44 > 0:50:47and that's what it's all about, this social history behind the item.
0:50:47 > 0:50:51But right now it's time to say goodbye to Wrest Park,
0:50:51 > 0:50:53our magnificent host location for today,
0:50:53 > 0:50:56as we go over to the auction room for the very last time
0:50:56 > 0:50:59to put those final valuations to the test.
0:50:59 > 0:51:02And here's a quick recap of the items going under the hammer.
0:51:08 > 0:51:12There's Colin's postcards with nearly 100 in the collection,
0:51:12 > 0:51:14many from the First World War.
0:51:14 > 0:51:16I think these will interest the bidders.
0:51:18 > 0:51:21Then we've got Elizabeth's set of early 20th-century Britains.
0:51:21 > 0:51:24Today, this subject matter is somewhat more controversial
0:51:24 > 0:51:29than when they were made. Will this affect the price? We'll find out.
0:51:30 > 0:51:34And what about this collection of mostly 19th century fans?
0:51:34 > 0:51:38As Anita put it, it's very frou-frou and fabulous.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41And the last item is the diamond and solitaire ring.
0:51:41 > 0:51:43It's a mystery to Carol where it came from,
0:51:43 > 0:51:46but we know where it's going - to the auction, with us.
0:51:48 > 0:51:50MUSIC: You Really Got Me by The Kinks
0:51:52 > 0:51:55Back at Tring Market Auctions the atmosphere is building
0:51:55 > 0:51:58and the temperature gauge is going through the roof.
0:51:58 > 0:52:01£650. Thank you.
0:52:01 > 0:52:04But auctioneer Stephen Hearn is keeping his cool
0:52:04 > 0:52:06as our next lot goes under the hammer.
0:52:08 > 0:52:12This item certainly sparkles, I'm sure it's going to light up the saleroom.
0:52:12 > 0:52:14It's a diamond ring belonging to Carol.
0:52:14 > 0:52:15And we're looking at £300-500.
0:52:15 > 0:52:18Originally you were going to spend the money on...?
0:52:18 > 0:52:21I was going to buy a coffee-maker for my new kitchen...
0:52:21 > 0:52:23- Oh, brilliant!- But, no -
0:52:23 > 0:52:27- I've just learned I'm going to be a grandma again.- Aw!
0:52:27 > 0:52:30- So now it's going as a present for the new baby.- That's fantastic.
0:52:30 > 0:52:33- That's great.- Congratulations! - Yes, congratulations.- Thank you.
0:52:33 > 0:52:36Let's put it to the test, shall we? Here we go, it's going under the hammer.
0:52:36 > 0:52:42Nice little stone in there, what about 300 for it? 250? 200 bid.
0:52:42 > 0:52:44210, 220 I have.
0:52:44 > 0:52:46- Come on!- 240, 250. You're in.
0:52:46 > 0:52:48260, and 70.
0:52:48 > 0:52:51He's got a commission bid on the book, look.
0:52:51 > 0:52:53280, 290? No?
0:52:53 > 0:52:55At £280 and I'm selling down.
0:52:55 > 0:52:57280.
0:52:57 > 0:52:58£280, thank you.
0:52:58 > 0:53:00Sold! £280.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03- On reserve.- Right on the reserve.
0:53:03 > 0:53:06It just goes to show that size isn't everything,
0:53:06 > 0:53:08it has to be the quality, as well.
0:53:10 > 0:53:12Yes, you're right, Christina -
0:53:12 > 0:53:15it's about colour, cut, clarity and size.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23On this show we're always talking about our great British heritage,
0:53:23 > 0:53:26whether it's industrial, whether its architectural
0:53:26 > 0:53:28or those lost traditional skills and methods.
0:53:28 > 0:53:31But what about toys? Yes, they've got a heritage
0:53:31 > 0:53:34and I like to think it all started with this next lot.
0:53:34 > 0:53:37Britains figures, William Britain, back in the 1800s.
0:53:37 > 0:53:41And, Elizabeth, thank you for bringing in such a wonderful set.
0:53:41 > 0:53:42- Thank you.- It really is.
0:53:42 > 0:53:45And it does sum up Edwardian England, doesn't it?
0:53:45 > 0:53:46All those outdoor pursuits.
0:53:46 > 0:53:48And the good thing is when you're playing a game like that,
0:53:48 > 0:53:52- you can let the fox escape all the time.- Absolutely...
0:53:52 > 0:53:55The hounds never catch it up. But look, good luck with this.
0:53:55 > 0:53:57I don't think it's a great deal of money,
0:53:57 > 0:54:01I would love to see it double the estimate if possible.
0:54:01 > 0:54:02I'd like it to go to a good home.
0:54:02 > 0:54:04- Fingers crossed.- Fingers crossed.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07Let the chase begin, here we go.
0:54:07 > 0:54:12What do we say for this one to kick it off? What about £50 for it? 40?
0:54:12 > 0:54:15Yes, we've got two hands going up in the room.
0:54:15 > 0:54:1890, £100 I am bid for it, then. £100...
0:54:19 > 0:54:21Come on, 100, come on, come on.
0:54:21 > 0:54:23100, then, I'm going to sell.
0:54:23 > 0:54:27It's going and I shall sell for £100.
0:54:27 > 0:54:29- Brilliant! That's a good result. - Good, good, good.
0:54:29 > 0:54:32And you've had some fun with them. You've had a lot of years with them.
0:54:32 > 0:54:34- I know you lost a bit of money, but...- No, no.
0:54:34 > 0:54:37- You can't really put a price on that fun, can you?- No.
0:54:37 > 0:54:39Now, on this hot day at the auction
0:54:39 > 0:54:41something is telling me Davina's lot
0:54:41 > 0:54:43might do quite well.
0:54:43 > 0:54:46So, our auctioneer Stephen has slightly upped the estimate.
0:54:48 > 0:54:51- We had a reserve at the valuation day of £100.- That's right.
0:54:51 > 0:54:55Stephen the auctioneer has raised that to £150.
0:54:55 > 0:54:57So, good luck. We're going under the hammer right now.
0:54:57 > 0:55:01Where do we start? 100, 80, 90, 100...
0:55:01 > 0:55:0410, 20, 30, 40...
0:55:04 > 0:55:09140, 150, 60, 70 for Madam, 80...
0:55:09 > 0:55:12Madam has them then. I'm going to sell them.
0:55:12 > 0:55:13They're going down at 180.
0:55:13 > 0:55:15If there is no further bid, then they're yours
0:55:15 > 0:55:18for £180, then...
0:55:18 > 0:55:20Well done. Spot on, Anita.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23We didn't really need to raise it, did we? But there you go.
0:55:23 > 0:55:25Safety. Err on the side of caution.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28- Thank you very much.- £180. - Lovely. Thank you.- Thank you.
0:55:28 > 0:55:32And following that great result is our last lot of the day.
0:55:32 > 0:55:34Thank you.
0:55:34 > 0:55:37Going under the hammer right now, we have a collection of roughly
0:55:37 > 0:55:4095 World War I postcards collected by Colin.
0:55:40 > 0:55:43Since you've been collecting you should be have become a little
0:55:43 > 0:55:47bit of an authority by now. You know what ones are the good cards there.
0:55:47 > 0:55:49Yes, I suppose you do after a while.
0:55:49 > 0:55:52You do get to know the best ones, yeah.
0:55:52 > 0:55:54Right, it's going under the hammer, let's put it to the test.
0:55:56 > 0:56:00Lot 345, where do we go? Are we going to get 80, 100 for them?
0:56:00 > 0:56:0250 for them?
0:56:02 > 0:56:0460, 70, 80, 90, 100?
0:56:04 > 0:56:06Ten, 20.
0:56:06 > 0:56:08- 120!- Fantastic.- Blimey.
0:56:08 > 0:56:10£120, I'm going to sell them, then.
0:56:10 > 0:56:11- 130.- Ooh!
0:56:11 > 0:56:12140.
0:56:12 > 0:56:14150, 160?
0:56:16 > 0:56:17170, Sir?
0:56:17 > 0:56:19170. 80?
0:56:21 > 0:56:23At 170 behind you, then, I'm going to...
0:56:23 > 0:56:24170... 180.
0:56:24 > 0:56:26180!
0:56:26 > 0:56:27At £180.
0:56:27 > 0:56:29190, sir?
0:56:29 > 0:56:31At the back at 190?
0:56:31 > 0:56:33Yes, 190.
0:56:33 > 0:56:35- Sounds like 200, doesn't it?- Yes!
0:56:35 > 0:56:37- 200, we've done it.- £200.
0:56:37 > 0:56:40At £200, thank you.
0:56:40 > 0:56:42£200, sold!
0:56:42 > 0:56:45Stephen on the rostrum is doing a brilliant job.
0:56:45 > 0:56:48He's got that really friendly approach, "Come on, one more."
0:56:48 > 0:56:51- £200, you broke even. - Yeah, that'll go towards a holiday.
0:56:51 > 0:56:53- Going towards a holiday, where are you going?- Cornwall.
0:56:53 > 0:56:56- CORNISH ACCENT: - Proper job, hey! Proper job.
0:56:56 > 0:56:58- Say hello to everyone for me, won't you?- I will, don't worry.
0:56:58 > 0:57:01Quite a few of them pasties, see how we get on.
0:57:03 > 0:57:05Cornish pasties, yum!
0:57:05 > 0:57:08I can't think of a better way to spend the money, Colin.
0:57:10 > 0:57:13There you are, that's it, it's all over for our owners.
0:57:13 > 0:57:15As you can see, the sale is still going on, the auctioneer,
0:57:15 > 0:57:18Stephen Hearn, on the rostrum, still working hard.
0:57:18 > 0:57:21But he's weaved his magic today and he's done us proud.
0:57:21 > 0:57:24We've got some happy owners, and that's what it's all about.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27If you've got something to sell, we want to flog it for you.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30But until then, from Tring, it's goodbye from all of us.