0:00:07 > 0:00:09Today, I am in Ayrshire, in Scotland,
0:00:09 > 0:00:12and this is the gorgeous, 18th-century Dumfries House.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16It was one of the first commissions for 26-year-old Robert Adam,
0:00:16 > 0:00:20who later became one of Britain's most renowned architects.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23Today, however, it is its interior content which is considered
0:00:23 > 0:00:26even more important than its architecture.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29Later on the programme, we will be finding out why.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31Welcome to Flog It!
0:01:00 > 0:01:04What is remarkable about the 250-year-old Dumfries House
0:01:04 > 0:01:07is all of its original furnishings have survived
0:01:07 > 0:01:11and they are in incredibly-good condition,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14which is extremely rare for a stately home of this age
0:01:14 > 0:01:16to have its contents intact.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Throughout the centuries, the house has been passed down
0:01:20 > 0:01:24through a family who are as illustrious as its interiors.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28But in 2007, its last owner, Johnny Dumfries,
0:01:28 > 0:01:31could not longer afford the astronomical upkeep.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34This forced the family to make some tough decisions.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36They called in a top firm of auctioneers,
0:01:36 > 0:01:40as the future of Dumfries House hung in the balance.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42This small, unassuming lot card -
0:01:42 > 0:01:45look at that, Christie's, number 118 -
0:01:45 > 0:01:47is a very powerful reminder of how close
0:01:47 > 0:01:51this house and its contents were to being sold off.
0:01:51 > 0:01:52At the eleventh hour,
0:01:52 > 0:01:57the Prince of Wales, with a powerful consortium, challenged that.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00They bought it and they saved this house and all of its treasures
0:02:00 > 0:02:03for the nation, for all of us, to enjoy.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05And the Prince of Wales went one step further,
0:02:05 > 0:02:10establishing a trust which undertook a multi-million pound conservation
0:02:10 > 0:02:15and regeneration project in the house and on the surrounding estate.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Later, I will be finding out more about the history of
0:02:18 > 0:02:20this amazing stately home.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24But first, we head south, to take a look back
0:02:24 > 0:02:26at some of the valuation days
0:02:26 > 0:02:27we visited across the country.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33We journey to the 18th-century Palladian-style Ragley Hall
0:02:33 > 0:02:35in Warwickshire, where, in the Great Hall,
0:02:35 > 0:02:40Christina Trevanion found an item worthy of the sumptuous setting.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Look at this. All that glitters is gold on my table.
0:02:43 > 0:02:44It is wonderful!
0:02:45 > 0:02:48You turned up in your droves to the Milestones Museum
0:02:48 > 0:02:50in Basingstoke, Hampshire,
0:02:50 > 0:02:55to have your items valued on the recreated historic cobbled streets.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59And we flew high at the RAF Museum at Hendon, in London,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02where our experts looked at your items amongst the historic
0:03:02 > 0:03:05and ground-breaking aircraft.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08And Michael Baggott booked a flight to the Orient.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11You have got the obligatory depiction of Mount Fuji
0:03:11 > 0:03:13in the distance.
0:03:13 > 0:03:18And finally, we voyage to Falmouth, where we held our valuation day
0:03:18 > 0:03:20at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22And below the display of hanging flotilla,
0:03:22 > 0:03:27Caroline Hawley stumbled across a story with a royal connection.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31My father's brother was a Harley Street eye specialist... Right.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35..and he treated some members of the Belgian royal family.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38And back here at Dumfries House, I will be finding out why
0:03:38 > 0:03:42this bookcase is one of the most valuable pieces in the world.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46And I will give you a clue - it is all about who made it.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51But our first port of call for today's show is the National
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Maritime Museum in Cornwall, based in Falmouth,
0:03:54 > 0:03:58where against a backdrop of beautiful boats, Caroline Hawley
0:03:58 > 0:03:59found an intriguing box.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Shall we see what's inside? Oh, definitely.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08Wow! This was given to me by an elderly lady, who was a friend
0:04:08 > 0:04:10of the family, back in the 1960s.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13And you have had it ever since? I've had it ever since, but I have
0:04:13 > 0:04:15never used it and just had it in a display cabinet.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19It is made by Coalport. Yes. A very good maker.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23And if we look at the mark here - "Coalport, England",
0:04:23 > 0:04:26which tells us that it's after 1891. Right.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30And I would put it into the beginning of the 20th century.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35So, if we have a look at these. The little coffee cans are gorgeous.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39Coalport, again. And here's the mark here.
0:04:39 > 0:04:44"W H", for Walker Hall, which is on the box, as well.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Cos very often, the retailer is different to the maker.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50We have got "Walker Hall, Sheffield"
0:04:50 > 0:04:54and the mark tells me it's 1912... Right. ..which is exactly as
0:04:54 > 0:04:58it should be. It's great. Original box.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01It looks in fantastic condition. Doesn't look like it's been used.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05No. There is only one bit of sadness, the little hairline here.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08And how that has happened, I don't know, because they look
0:05:08 > 0:05:11in mint condition. And that does make a difference. Yes.
0:05:11 > 0:05:16It's a lovely set of coffee cans, but not going to be worth
0:05:16 > 0:05:21a fortune. No. I mean, possible ?100-?200... Right.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25..if you're lucky. Right. So, would you be happy to put it
0:05:25 > 0:05:29in to auction with a ?100-?200 estimate?
0:05:29 > 0:05:33Yes, cos I don't use it and I know my children aren't going to use it.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36And we can protect it with a reserve. A reserve, yes. Absolutely.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39I think there's every chance that will go at 100... OK.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43..because you've got the make, you've got the silver, the quality.
0:05:43 > 0:05:48Right, 100, it is. OK. And all the best with it! OK.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Thanks for bringing it along. Thank you. A pleasure. Thank you.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55A stunning set from a time when coffee was drunk
0:05:55 > 0:05:57with a sense of occasion,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00rather than on the hoof in a takeaway cup.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04When we visited the historic streets of the Milestones Museum
0:06:04 > 0:06:07in Basingstoke, James Lewis found a pair of items
0:06:07 > 0:06:10that took us back to the age of steam.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13I always thought it was Florence who was the Lady with the Lamp.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16But today we have got Carol, the Lady with two Lamps!
0:06:16 > 0:06:18The lady with... Yeah, right!
0:06:18 > 0:06:20So, railway, obviously.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24BR - British Rail - with an E in brackets, for Eastern.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26Oh, right. And Melton on this one. Yes.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28I thought it was Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31but I think it is more likely to be Melton in Suffolk.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33I thought it was the name of the engine that it came off.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Oh, it could be. Good thinking. Yes.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38So, tell me, what do you know about them
0:06:38 > 0:06:40and how did you come to have them in the family?
0:06:40 > 0:06:45I went to the Watercress Line at Alresford about 20 years ago. OK.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47They were restoring engines, steam trains.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49And they had a shed at the back
0:06:49 > 0:06:52and they were selling off items to raise money for their funds. OK.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55So, I bought them. I think they were about ?20 or ?30 each.
0:06:55 > 0:06:56But I just liked them.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59I had a thatched cottage and I thought they'd go well in there.
0:06:59 > 0:07:00Yeah. Absolutely.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03This is the more recent one. Oh, is it? Right, OK.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08This is dating to about 1950, 1955, something like that. Really?
0:07:08 > 0:07:12And if we turn the lamp round, just have a look here,
0:07:12 > 0:07:15I think it is great the way that you just swing the handle
0:07:15 > 0:07:17and the cover automatically opens up.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Yeah, it is brilliant. A super design.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22On the plaque here it says,
0:07:22 > 0:07:29"Lamp Manufacturing Railway Supplies Ltd, London, Welch Patent."
0:07:29 > 0:07:33This one, slightly earlier. I think this is a stationmaster's lamp.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37Oh, right. And Melton Station in Suffolk closed in 1955. Right.
0:07:37 > 0:07:42Then the burner inside - look - is Sherwoods of Birmingham.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47That Sherwoods patent lamp was used from 1948
0:07:47 > 0:07:49all the way through to the late '50s.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52But we've got a station name that closed in '55,
0:07:52 > 0:07:57so it is going to be about 1950 or so, the date for the lamp. Right.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Looks a lot earlier than that. It certainly does.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02I thought it must be Victorian or something.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06So, in terms of value, this one is worth ?30-?50,
0:08:06 > 0:08:08this one is worth ?40-?60.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12Right. If we said ?60-?100 for the two. Yes, yes.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14And a firm reserve of ?60. That's fine.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16If we didn't make that, you'd have them back. That's fine.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19They've got to be worth that, haven't they? Oh, I think so!
0:08:19 > 0:08:20Where would you get another one? Exactly.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22Put them online, they'll sell. OK. Thank you.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25"Online", get it? Online, yes, I did.
0:08:25 > 0:08:26GROANS: Oh! Well done.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30Lamps were used on the railways and at stations
0:08:30 > 0:08:32when it started to get dark.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34They had a variety of functions,
0:08:34 > 0:08:37like providing signals on locomotives and rolling stock.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40A white lamp would be used at the front of the train
0:08:40 > 0:08:42and a red one at the rear.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45But most commonly, they were used as hand lamps by staff
0:08:45 > 0:08:49to light the way for passengers and signal to other workers.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53But we must now leave the world of the railway behind us
0:08:53 > 0:08:54and take to the skies.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56At the RAF Museum at Hendon in London,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58Michael Baggott did just that,
0:08:58 > 0:09:03when he prepared for takeoff in possession of fragile cargo.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Gerry, thank you so much.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11I spotted you in the queue with one of these lovely pair of vases.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13What do you know about them?
0:09:13 > 0:09:16They belonged to my late mother-in-law.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19We believe that she inherited them from her mother-in-law
0:09:19 > 0:09:23and we think they've been in the family since around
0:09:23 > 0:09:25the turn of the 20th century.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28That would be absolutely right for the date of them.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33What we're looking at are a pair of Japanese earthenware vases
0:09:33 > 0:09:37and they are generically called Satsuma ware.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41It starts to be produced in around 1850, 1860
0:09:41 > 0:09:46and it is typified by this very light, cream-coloured body
0:09:46 > 0:09:49that crazes amazingly,
0:09:49 > 0:09:53so you've got this sort of paving network of fine cracks.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57But then it continues to be produced into the Edwardian period,
0:09:57 > 0:10:02when a lot of couples were going to Japan for their honeymoon.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05And they would bring back souvenirs.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09The large makers would have factories
0:10:09 > 0:10:12producing wares for export.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15And then they would have home studios
0:10:15 > 0:10:19and that is very much where the artisan work took place.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21Now, you look at these and they're actually...
0:10:22 > 0:10:25..very detailed and quite breathtaking.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28You have got the birds and the flowers.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32You have got the obligatory depiction of Mount Fuji
0:10:32 > 0:10:33in the distance.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37And you have got lots of naturalistic scenes.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41But amazingly, these are the pieces made in the factory!
0:10:41 > 0:10:43These are the lower-class wares. Yeah.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47If we had a studio piece to compare it with,
0:10:47 > 0:10:52you would find that you would have the same sort of design and detail
0:10:52 > 0:10:54but it would be on a far more condensed scale.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Any idea of what the value might be?
0:10:57 > 0:11:00We had a valuation a number of years ago,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03which came out at about ?150. Right.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07They should be around ?150 on a good day. Yep.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10I would be more comfortable if we went for, I'm afraid,
0:11:10 > 0:11:13our auctioneer's chestnuts, which is ?80-?120.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16Fine. I hate to do it, but I think we will do that,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19put a fixed reserve of ?80 on them.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21But why have you decided to part with them now?
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Well, we inherited them from my mother-in-law
0:11:25 > 0:11:27and the house that we were living in at that time,
0:11:27 > 0:11:28they suited very well,
0:11:28 > 0:11:32and then we moved and they don't suit where we are living so well.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35And of course, the other thing is that, as you get older,
0:11:35 > 0:11:39you need far more care, looking after these sorts of things.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42So, we thought probably best to sell them
0:11:42 > 0:11:45whilst they are still in relatively-good condition.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Don't want to drop or chip one and then have to sell it.
0:11:48 > 0:11:49Absolutely not, no.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Well, thank you so much for bringing them in. Thank you very much.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54I think they will do very well on the day.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56Thank you very much, indeed. Thank you.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02And over at our valuation day at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire,
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Christina Trevanion found a striking bracelet
0:12:05 > 0:12:09that had also been in a family for generations.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11Michael, I love this. Look at this.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13All that glitters is gold on my table. It is wonderful!
0:12:13 > 0:12:16It really is, yes. Thank you. Where has this come from?
0:12:16 > 0:12:18It is actually my mother's, my late mothers.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20She died, unfortunately, at the end of August. I'm sorry.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22And so, I inherited it.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25It is something that has been in the family for, I guess,
0:12:25 > 0:12:27approximately 50 years.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29It was bought as a chain on its own
0:12:29 > 0:12:32and then, gradually, over the years, we've just added onto it. Yeah.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Which is the one that is most poignant for you?
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Which is the one that you like?
0:12:36 > 0:12:40I think this one here, which is the steering wheel. Ah, yes.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43My mum didn't pass her driving test till she was in her late 30s.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Oh, wow. And how she passed first time, we never knew.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48Oh, really? SHE LAUGHS
0:12:48 > 0:12:50Was she not a good driver? I don't think so, anyway.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52You wouldn't get into the car with Mum?!
0:12:53 > 0:12:54How splendid!
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Not only have we got the nine-carat gold chain,
0:12:57 > 0:12:59but we have also got, which is quite important,
0:12:59 > 0:13:01a 22-carat gold wedding band there.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04That is my grandmother's. That is Granny's wedding ring?
0:13:04 > 0:13:06My grandmother's wedding ring, yes. That was Mum's mum?
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Yep, that's correct. Wonderful.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11And then we have also got a full sovereign here.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Sovereigns have the portrait of the monarch on the back of them.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18And we've got a Queen Victoria, a Jubilee head, which is dated...
0:13:18 > 0:13:19What is it dated there? 1888.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22Right. So, a nice Victorian one there.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25And also a half sovereign over here, which is dated 1908,
0:13:25 > 0:13:28so that will be an Edward VII one. Right, OK. OK.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31Obviously, that helps really boost the gold content in there. Right.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34We have got a little bit of damage going on here, haven't we?
0:13:34 > 0:13:35Did Mum wear it a lot?
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Really only for special occasions.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40A lot of people say to me they're quite a pain to wear,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42cos they are really quite dangly, aren't they?
0:13:42 > 0:13:45They get caught in jumpers and things. They are, indeed.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48I mean, she used to wear it over her clothing, as you rightly said,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51because if you put it underneath... It would catch on everything.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53All the time. Yes, absolutely.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56That doesn't surprise me, bless her. She wasn't alone, don't worry.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58THEY LAUGH Nonetheless, it is still
0:13:58 > 0:14:00really quite a valuable thing.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02We would want to sell it as one. Yes.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06And we would want to offer it with an estimate of sort of ?600-?800.
0:14:06 > 0:14:07Blimey!
0:14:07 > 0:14:09Is that all right? Crikey. It is, yeah!
0:14:09 > 0:14:12HE LAUGHS Are you OK? Yes, yes!
0:14:12 > 0:14:16It is a bonus, isn't it? Fantastic. Absolutely, yeah.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18Gold price obviously does fluctuate daily.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20The valuation is very much dependent on that.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24But I think at the moment, if we say ?600-?800
0:14:24 > 0:14:27with a firm reserve of ?600, would you be happy with that?
0:14:27 > 0:14:31Yes, yes. It is something that if I didn't, it would sit in a cupboard.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Yeah. And I want the family to get enjoyment. Right.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36And that is what I want to happen.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38So, how will the family get enjoyment of this money?
0:14:38 > 0:14:41We have got a property in Spain. Oh, lovely. It was my mum's old house. Oh, fantastic.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44It is a villa and so, we would invest back into the villa
0:14:44 > 0:14:47and then all the family can benefit from it.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49That's what my mother would want. Fantastic.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52Well, we will transfer it into a holiday fund for the villa.
0:14:52 > 0:14:53Thank you so much for bringing it in.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55It's been a real pleasure to see. OK.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58Best of luck. Thank you very much. Thank you.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01That sounds like the one to watch.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04Before we head off to auction,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06there is something I would like to show you.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20There is something very heartening about
0:15:20 > 0:15:24these grand country houses that have recently been saved
0:15:24 > 0:15:27for the nation to enjoy. Now, the type of restoration work
0:15:27 > 0:15:30that is done here at Dumfries House has made everything look shiny
0:15:30 > 0:15:34and new, if you like. It is full of colour and vitality,
0:15:34 > 0:15:38giving the public a taste of what things would have looked like
0:15:38 > 0:15:41back in Georgian times. Now, not far from here,
0:15:41 > 0:15:4430 miles away in Glasgow, there is another house
0:15:44 > 0:15:47that has been saved for the nation. But this one offers something
0:15:47 > 0:15:48very different.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01And this is it. A work in progress, if you like.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04Quite a contrast from the flawless Dumfries House.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08These walls tell a story of a different type of conservation.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10But where are we and what's it all about?
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Well, to understand that, we need to start at the beginning.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26This is Holmwood, a unique villa designed by the famous architect,
0:16:26 > 0:16:28Alexander "Greek" Thomson,
0:16:28 > 0:16:32who started his architectural training in 1834,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35at the incredibly young age of 12.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37He was nicknamed Greek
0:16:37 > 0:16:40because he was an exponent of the Greek Revival Movement,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44which drew inspiration from the principles of ancient Greek design,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47like harmony, symmetry, proportion and balance.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Greek villas usually are symmetrical,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53but here, you can see Thomson has definitely broken the rules.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55This is asymmetrical.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58But if you look beyond the impressive footprint of this
0:16:58 > 0:17:02building, you can still see the Greek influence
0:17:02 > 0:17:04cut into all the masonry work.
0:17:13 > 0:17:14Holmwood has had numerous owners
0:17:14 > 0:17:17and it's been used for many different functions
0:17:17 > 0:17:19since it was built for businessmen James Cooper
0:17:19 > 0:17:22back in 1857-58.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25For instance, from the late 1950s onwards,
0:17:25 > 0:17:29it was run as a school, by the Sisters Of Our Lady Of The Missions.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33But, in 1994, the house
0:17:33 > 0:17:35and the grounds were threatened with redevelopment.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38Naturally, this caused widespread concern,
0:17:38 > 0:17:43especially amongst the newly-founded Alexander Thomson Society.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45Luckily enough, Glasgow City Council stepped in.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47They refused the planning permission
0:17:47 > 0:17:51and the National Trust for Scotland were able to acquire the house.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56Although the trust were keen to preserve the unique exterior
0:17:56 > 0:18:00of Holmwood House, it was the inside that held a real fascination.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03Unusually, for an architect of the time, Thomson exerted
0:18:03 > 0:18:07the same control over the interior design as he did over the exterior,
0:18:07 > 0:18:11again, drawing on the classical Greek style.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Underneath these layers, Thomson left
0:18:13 > 0:18:15extraordinary decorative schemes,
0:18:15 > 0:18:17which the National Trust for Scotland
0:18:17 > 0:18:20is still uncovering and restoring ten years on.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24I'm meeting conservator Suzi Reid to find out more.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26What an iconic building! It's playful.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28It's whimsical and it's full of colour.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30It's so different to other properties
0:18:30 > 0:18:32that are open to the public.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Why do you think it was important that this house was saved?
0:18:35 > 0:18:39It's widely believed to be one of the most elaborate residential
0:18:39 > 0:18:44villas and it's an architectural wonder by Alexander "Greek" Thomson.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48Charles Rennie Mackintosh tends to get a little bit more of the kudos,
0:18:48 > 0:18:50but architecturally,
0:18:50 > 0:18:52many people think "Greek" Thomson was superior.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55And you've been working on this piece for a long time, haven't you?
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Yeah. Well, when we took the property on in '94,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01all the walls were covered in white wallpaper and white paint.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04This section here, down the side of the fireplace,
0:19:04 > 0:19:07is an area that's been worked on several times,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10and opened up, to be able to see the full extent of the pattern there.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14This is painted directly onto the wall, is it, with a stencil? Yes.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16It's part stencil, and it's part freehand.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19It's really, really difficult to take it back.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22The reason we only got this far in the first stage, is because
0:19:22 > 0:19:25we felt that we were doing damage to the underlying resin layer.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28But our specialist wall-painting conservators that we employ
0:19:28 > 0:19:31to do the work were very, very careful.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34And it took them about two weeks to reveal this section of wall here.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37We purposefully made the decision here, as well,
0:19:37 > 0:19:40to leave these overlying layers of paint on.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Just different layers of history, really. Yes.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45So that the public could see the evolution of the decoration
0:19:45 > 0:19:47that happened throughout the history of the property.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50Peeling back the layers of time. Absolutely.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52But I love the fact it's full of colour now.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55We believe that the design around this room, particularly,
0:19:55 > 0:19:57was placed so that you actually appreciated it most
0:19:57 > 0:20:00when people were sat at the dining table. It's at the right eye level.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Yes. So, it's all very low down.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04And what about the frieze you see running around the room?
0:20:04 > 0:20:07This is the Iliad Frieze, which is a paper
0:20:07 > 0:20:10representation of Homer's poem.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12When the trust acquired the property,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14it was covered in wallpaper and white paint,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17so the specialist paper conservator that was brought in to do
0:20:17 > 0:20:19this work, very, very meticulously removed all the
0:20:19 > 0:20:23residues of those layers, and was able to reveal the frieze.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26And it's in excellent condition. It is, isn't it?
0:20:26 > 0:20:28Well, look, I'm ready for a tour of the house.
0:20:28 > 0:20:29Shall we go and look at another room?
0:20:29 > 0:20:32Why don't we go and see the parlour? OK. After you.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45What a fabulous ceiling! Gosh!
0:20:45 > 0:20:48This is an architect having fun with his work.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Yet, it feels like a practical room, as well.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52Yeah. Well, when it was originally built, the front of the
0:20:52 > 0:20:55building faced out onto Cathcart Castle, which no longer exists.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57But, obviously, with this big bay window,
0:20:57 > 0:20:59you'd get the full view of the grounds and the castle
0:20:59 > 0:21:02across the river. It's a good viewing platform, isn't it? Yes.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05And I understand that this space was designed for a work table,
0:21:05 > 0:21:07for ladies to sit in the window.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09Really? That was the remit, was it? Yes.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12The best resource the Trust has had to help them
0:21:12 > 0:21:15with the conservation work at Holmwood, is a book called
0:21:15 > 0:21:20The Villa And Cottage Architecture, published in 1868,
0:21:20 > 0:21:22around a decade after the house was built.
0:21:22 > 0:21:27The book contains illustrated plates and descriptions of the interiors.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32We have the main view of the property from the exterior there
0:21:32 > 0:21:34and then we have some of the original designs,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37and this is for the parlour that we're standing in now.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39And so you can see this section here.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42This is the ceiling above us, in the window. Isn't that fabulous?
0:21:42 > 0:21:45What wonderful line drawings! Yeah. They're beautiful.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47So, this has helped with the conservation?
0:21:47 > 0:21:49This has given us a really good starting point.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52It allows us to have a better idea of what we might be looking
0:21:52 > 0:21:54for underneath all the paint layers
0:21:54 > 0:21:56that have been applied over the years.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59I mean, this, really, to me, brings the whole thing alive.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Just seeing this now, it makes it so obvious
0:22:01 > 0:22:03what he was trying to do.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07It really helps us to understand how the rooms might have been used.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Restoration work has also been undertaken in the stairwell,
0:22:11 > 0:22:16where a strip of the original, decorative scheme has been revealed.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Thomson has outdone himself here.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21The impressive cupola above the stairs echoes the bay window
0:22:21 > 0:22:24in the parlour and the banister and the newel posts
0:22:24 > 0:22:27have been carved with a Greek-inspired pattern.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31And this is the drawing room.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34So, you can see there's an awful lot going on in this room.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37You can see a section of wall pattern above the dado rail
0:22:37 > 0:22:40has been revealed, so you have to try and imagine what this
0:22:40 > 0:22:43whole room would have looked like with that all the way round.
0:22:43 > 0:22:44There's the stars on the ceiling.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48We think it's possible that the 3-D stars might have been added later.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50And that they originally were just painted on.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Probably gilt, as well. Yeah.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55But if you could just imagine just how rich this room would have been
0:22:55 > 0:22:57with all of the decoration all the way round.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00What does the future hold in conservation here?
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Well, again, we've still got so much research that needs to be done.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05It's just a very slow progress.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08We need to make sure that we're not damaging anything that's here
0:23:08 > 0:23:11and we're interpreting it as well as we can,
0:23:11 > 0:23:13to allow the public to really understand it.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16It's debatable whether we will reveal any more, cos it is
0:23:16 > 0:23:19quite risky for the underlying layers... Yeah.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22..but we could perhaps come up with different ways of interpreting it,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25so it's more understandable. Sure. Good luck with that.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30Visitors certainly get a different experience when they visit Holmwood,
0:23:30 > 0:23:32as they have to try
0:23:32 > 0:23:35and imagine exactly how the house would have looked when it was
0:23:35 > 0:23:40built to Alexander "Greek" Thomson's original specifications.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42I'm so glad it survived.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44I think it's a marvel.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53It's time to leave Scotland now, as we see how our items fared
0:23:53 > 0:23:54at auction.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58230... Remember, whenever you are buying or selling at auction,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01there is always commission and VAT to pay.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08Gerry's Satsuma vases were lower-class, factory-produced wares,
0:24:08 > 0:24:09but their decoration was
0:24:09 > 0:24:11incredibly detailed
0:24:11 > 0:24:12and I thought they were
0:24:12 > 0:24:13rather exquisite.
0:24:15 > 0:24:16This gold charm bracelet
0:24:16 > 0:24:17had wonderful memories
0:24:17 > 0:24:19from Michael's mother
0:24:19 > 0:24:20and grandmother.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23And Carol's lamps bore
0:24:23 > 0:24:24the names of bygone stations
0:24:24 > 0:24:26and harked back to another era.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29And finally, it was time for tea -
0:24:29 > 0:24:31well, coffee, anyway -
0:24:31 > 0:24:32as Arlene's early 20th-Century
0:24:32 > 0:24:34Coalport coffee set
0:24:34 > 0:24:35went up for sale.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42We took it to Jefferys Auctions in Lostwithiel, Cornwall,
0:24:42 > 0:24:44where auctioneer Ian Morris was on the rostrum.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Well, going under the hammer right now,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51we have a boxed Art Deco coffee set belonging to Arlene,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54who sadly cannot be with us. She is on holiday.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57I hope you are enjoying it right now. But we do have Caroline,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00our expert, and we are looking at ?100-200. It's Coalport.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04Yeah. Very fashionable, in its day. Silver mounted. I think it's going
0:25:04 > 0:25:08to get the money. So do I. It's boxed, it's ready to go. Absolutely.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11Let's hope we get nearer that 200. Yeah, I hope so. OK, this is it.
0:25:11 > 0:25:16Bids on the books mean I have got to start at ?160.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18That's it. Yes! We are going to get it.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20170 now? At 160. Both bids with me.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23At ?160, I'm bid.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25170? All bids with me. No-one challenging in the room.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27Selling, at ?160...
0:25:29 > 0:25:30Yes, the hammer's gone down. ?160.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32Almost the top end. Fantastic.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35She'll be pleased with that. She'll be very pleased with that, yes!
0:25:36 > 0:25:39After spending her holiday money, she'll come back and pick up
0:25:39 > 0:25:41a cheque. Yeah! That's what it's all about.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43What a great start for our first lot.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49Next, to Andrew Smith Son near Winchester.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52And Andrew Smith was on the rostrum.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55Well, this next lot is bound to light up the saleroom.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58We have two railway lamps - I love these - from the 1950s.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Carol, it is great to see you. Who's this? My husband, Michael.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Michael. Hello, nice to meet you. Were these yours?
0:26:04 > 0:26:07I used to use them before we got electric at home. THEY LAUGH
0:26:07 > 0:26:08So, you don't mind selling them? No, no.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11There's a lot of people that collect this kind of stuff.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Specialist auctions, as well, isn't there? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16And there's internet sites, there's all sorts of groups
0:26:16 > 0:26:18that meet together, railway enthusiasts.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20They love this kind of thing. Yeah.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23Let's find out what the bidders think. Good luck, both of you.
0:26:23 > 0:26:28The Welch Patent railway lamp. Start with ?60. ?60.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30Do I have 50 here? ?50 to start.
0:26:30 > 0:26:31?50, surely.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34?50 we have, thank you. And 5.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36At ?50, 55, 60.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40And 5. It is 60 on the net.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42Is there a 5? At ?60, then.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46We are selling at ?60 and selling on the net, if you're all done.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50Well done. James was spot-on. Thanks, James.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52And hopefully to a good collector.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55Yes, somebody who will love them. They will. They will.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58Because they have the look. It is nostalgia, isn't it? It is.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02Next, we headed to Chiswick Auctions in London,
0:27:02 > 0:27:06where Gerry's pair of Satsuma vases went under the hammer.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09On the rostrum was auctioneer William Rouse.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Sadly, Gerry cannot be with us, he's away skiing,
0:27:12 > 0:27:14but we have his daughter Sophie.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16Great to see you. Thanks for standing in. My pleasure.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19It is the Satsuma vases your family inherited.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Yes, it is. So, he's flogging off your inheritance before you get it.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24I know. As long as I get some money, I don't mind.
0:27:24 > 0:27:25Do you like these things? I do.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29I remember them in my grandma's house. Could you live with them?
0:27:29 > 0:27:32They don't really go with my house style, but they are nice vases.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Good things, aren't they? Yes.
0:27:34 > 0:27:3619th-century, they should sell, shouldn't they?
0:27:36 > 0:27:38They are big for their money. I mean, you get a lot of vase.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Quite showy. Yeah. We'll see. OK, good luck.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43OK, thank you. Ready for this? Yes. Here we go.
0:27:43 > 0:27:48577 is a pair of late 19th-century Satsuma pottery vases.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50What are they worth? ?50?
0:27:50 > 0:27:5350 is bid, 55, 60, 5,
0:27:53 > 0:27:5870, 5, 80, 5, 90, 5,
0:27:58 > 0:27:59100.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03No? ?100. 110 on the internet now.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06120, 130 here.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08At 130 on the internet.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11135 I am bid.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13An extra fiver. 140.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17You're out. At 140 we go, 140.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20That is actually a really good result for those.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Very pleased. Maybe that market is on the turn now. Yeah.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24But they were a good decorator's lot, anyway. Yes.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27Good decorator's lot. You get a lot for your money.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30OK. Thank you for bringing them in. OK, it was a pleasure.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33And I hope Gerry was happy with that result, too.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37Finally, we headed north, to Stratford-upon-Avon to sell
0:28:37 > 0:28:42Michael's gold charm bracelet at Bigwood Fine Art Auctioneers.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44Stephen Kaye was on the rostrum.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46Good luck, Michael. It is the moment of truth.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49What is the price of gold today? We will find out. It does change a lot.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51But this won't be sold for melt, will it? Definitely not.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54No, you've got some sovereigns on there, some half sovereigns.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56Lovely little charms. Yes, indeed. Yes, exactly.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59OK, good luck. It is going under the hammer. Best of luck.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02Lot number 120 is the hollow curb link bracelet
0:29:02 > 0:29:04with all those interesting charms on it.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07I have got some bids here on the book
0:29:07 > 0:29:09and I can start here at ?600.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11Anybody else interested?
0:29:11 > 0:29:13Gosh. I have got ?600, I'm going to sell it. Come on.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15So, anybody give me 610?
0:29:17 > 0:29:19Sold. Very pleased. Thank you for bringing it in.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21Thank you for helping me. Thank you very much, indeed.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23It was a close one! Yeah!
0:29:23 > 0:29:25Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
0:29:25 > 0:29:27What a fantastic result for Michael.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30And what a great result for all of our owners so far.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32We will be returning to the auctions later on.
0:29:41 > 0:29:42Back at Dumfries House,
0:29:42 > 0:29:44I'm indulging in one of my greatest passions -
0:29:44 > 0:29:48the finest antique furniture created by Thomas Chippendale,
0:29:48 > 0:29:50the Shakespeare of furniture makers.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55Now, I know I have mentioned Thomas Chippendale on the show before,
0:29:55 > 0:29:59but he is incredibly important in the history of British furniture making,
0:29:59 > 0:30:03in no small part because he is the first cabinet-maker to publish
0:30:03 > 0:30:04a book on his designs -
0:30:04 > 0:30:07The Gentleman And The Cabinet-Maker's Director.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11The first edition of the book had 161 engravings
0:30:11 > 0:30:15of fashionable furniture designs, which patrons could choose from,
0:30:15 > 0:30:18and it acted as a patent book for those designs.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22And it is impossible to visit Dumfries House without
0:30:22 > 0:30:26immersing yourself in their vast Chippendale collection.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37When furnishing the newly-built Dumfries House,
0:30:37 > 0:30:39the 5th Earl of Dumfries gave the relatively unknown
0:30:39 > 0:30:43Thomas Chippendale his first major order.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47Consequently, this stately home boasts the largest collection
0:30:47 > 0:30:50of early Chippendale you will find anywhere in the world.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56Chippendale's work is also known for its graceful design.
0:30:56 > 0:31:01His furniture is characterised by solidity without heaviness.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04His early pieces, like these here at Dumfries House,
0:31:04 > 0:31:07were in the rococo style, which was symbolised by curves,
0:31:07 > 0:31:11ornate carving and featured the use of gold.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13What may surprise you about Chippendale -
0:31:13 > 0:31:16he wasn't just responsible for the so-called brown furniture.
0:31:16 > 0:31:20He also designed and supplied the fire screen there,
0:31:20 > 0:31:24the wonderful rococo pelmets up there - the matching three pelmets -
0:31:24 > 0:31:27the pair of chinoiserie pier glasses,
0:31:27 > 0:31:33not to mention attention to detail - these curtain tiebacks.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35So, you can see what I am getting at here.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38He had control of all of the interior design.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41He made sure things sat in harmony
0:31:41 > 0:31:44and they worked really well together.
0:31:47 > 0:31:51To find out more about Chippendale's relationship with Dumfries House,
0:31:51 > 0:31:53I'm meeting curator Charlotte Rostek.
0:31:53 > 0:31:57How did the 5th Earl come across Chippendale in the first place?
0:31:57 > 0:32:01Was it through the book? Well, he didn't have a book himself,
0:32:01 > 0:32:04but the book was possibly talk of the day in Scotland, in particular.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07One interesting fact is that the subscribers list
0:32:07 > 0:32:12to the original edition - the 1754 book - 25% were linked
0:32:12 > 0:32:15to The Royal and Ancient Golf Course in St Andrews. Ah.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18And that's a very interesting thing, I think. Yes.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21Just imagine those gentlemen playing golf at the weekend
0:32:21 > 0:32:24and referring to this wonderful new pattern book
0:32:24 > 0:32:26which had just come out and they were discussing it.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30But also Chippendale had a Scottish business partner, James Rannie.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32Perhaps a lesser-known fact,
0:32:32 > 0:32:36Rannie came from Leith and he invested into the book.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38He made the publication of this pattern book possible
0:32:38 > 0:32:42and he also made it possible for Chippendale to set up his workshop.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45This has to be my favourite piece in the collection,
0:32:45 > 0:32:46because I think it's understated,
0:32:46 > 0:32:49it's a proper gentleman's piece, it's a work piece.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52And the best thing is, I think, that, actually,
0:32:52 > 0:32:53it relates directly to the design.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55And, of course, you had options.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57You could have the drawers on both sides... Sure.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59..and then this on the other two sides.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01It's not to be taken completely literally.
0:33:01 > 0:33:02It's brilliant. Absolutely amazing.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05I can understand how this piece was picked out for this room.
0:33:05 > 0:33:06It sits beautifully. Yeah.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09How did he choose other pieces for the other rooms?
0:33:09 > 0:33:10So, the Chippendale furniture,
0:33:10 > 0:33:14which he must have seen in the workshop in London,
0:33:14 > 0:33:16it was bought from stock that was all there.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19Dumfries House was built in the 1750s
0:33:19 > 0:33:24at a time when the rococo style was very much in vogue in Britain.
0:33:24 > 0:33:25The house is Palladian,
0:33:25 > 0:33:28but there are these wonderful plaster ceilings. Sure.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30The rococo plaster ceilings. Beautiful.
0:33:30 > 0:33:31So, the Chippendale furniture
0:33:31 > 0:33:34must have immediately struck a chord stylistically,
0:33:34 > 0:33:36because it's playful, it's naturalistic,
0:33:36 > 0:33:38it has that rococo exuberance. Yeah, it does.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41And I literally think he could not resist
0:33:41 > 0:33:44and he bought over 50 pieces straight off.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47This type of furniture also has a showy note.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49There's a bit of showmanship here. Sure.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52The house, when you think about the public rooms in particular,
0:33:52 > 0:33:53it's all about parading.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57You're parading your wealth, your choice pieces, your taste
0:33:57 > 0:34:00and everybody is incredibly impressed... Yeah.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02..with who you are and what you have. Yeah.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04I think we should promenade, don't you?
0:34:04 > 0:34:06Let's go on a tour. What a good idea. Let's go.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10The pink dining room is the one room which is furnished today
0:34:10 > 0:34:13almost exactly how the 5th Earl of Dumfries
0:34:13 > 0:34:16originally decorated it.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19And it contains some stunning examples of Chippendale's work,
0:34:19 > 0:34:21such as the ornate girandoles,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24which were wall-mounted candlestick holders.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27They're probably the most flamboyant pieces.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29I love them. They're my favourites.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32Yeah, it's not about the mercury plate glass there, is it?
0:34:32 > 0:34:34It's about the rococo frame. It is.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37It's just sheer exuberance and playfulness.
0:34:37 > 0:34:38The wine cooler?
0:34:38 > 0:34:41Yeah, the wine cooler is actually part of the second order
0:34:41 > 0:34:44that Lord Dumfries got from Chippendale.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47And if you look at it with its fluted and tapering leg,
0:34:47 > 0:34:49we've already moved away from the rococo style. Mm-hm.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52This is the beginning of the neoclassic style. Yeah.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55And that just throws into relief the rococo collection... Sure.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57..and just how short-lived that style was
0:34:57 > 0:34:59and how precious the body of furniture is
0:34:59 > 0:35:01that we have here from Chippendale.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03Chippendale's furniture was made in the centre of London
0:35:03 > 0:35:05in St Martin's Lane. That's close to the dock,
0:35:05 > 0:35:07so I'd imagine it would be shipped up here.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10Shipped up, yes. Yes. Chippendale took great care
0:35:10 > 0:35:12and we've got a wonderful letter surviving.
0:35:12 > 0:35:13I can show you that here.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16These are copies of the letter? This is a copy of the letter, yes.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18So, it's directly addressed to Lord Dumfries.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22"The contents of each case, with proper directions,
0:35:22 > 0:35:27"are given to a person who goes to put up the furniture."
0:35:27 > 0:35:29So, he's going to be a very helpful bloke
0:35:29 > 0:35:31and he's going to help you set it all up in situ here.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33Sure. And unpack very, very carefully.
0:35:33 > 0:35:34Unpack very carefully.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36But it's a wonderful service
0:35:36 > 0:35:39and perhaps rather better service than we are accustomed to today.
0:35:39 > 0:35:40Than you get today. Yeah.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43What's so wonderful about the furniture you have here -
0:35:43 > 0:35:46it's got great provenance. It has the letters,
0:35:46 > 0:35:48it has the receipts and the bills, you know.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51We have indeed. That's incredible. The archives are incredible.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55And literally, the six-part Chippendale and Rannie bill
0:35:55 > 0:35:57lists every single piece
0:35:57 > 0:36:00of the 50 pieces of furniture that we have here.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03So, you can identify every single one of the elbow chairs,
0:36:03 > 0:36:05the bed, the bookcase - you name it. Yeah.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07And here, we've got the girandoles
0:36:07 > 0:36:11and they are listed on the bill - 24 pounds and ten shillings.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13Bargain. They're an absolute steal.
0:36:16 > 0:36:18Finally, I've left the best until last -
0:36:18 > 0:36:21the piece de resistance of Chippendale's collection...
0:36:23 > 0:36:24..this breathtaking bookcase.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28Well, it's a bookcase in name, but I tell you what,
0:36:28 > 0:36:31it is multifunctional because it's a display case.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35This would have housed the finest porcelain, books and wigs.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39And believe it or not, there's a clothes-press in here.
0:36:39 > 0:36:45Now, this had a presale offer back in 2007
0:36:45 > 0:36:47of ?12 million.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49That was offered to Christie's.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51It's believed, if it did go under the hammer,
0:36:51 > 0:36:56it would have realised somewhere in the region of ?20 million.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00It has to be one of the world's most expensive pieces of furniture.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03No expense has been spared here.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06There's wonderful, wonderful variegated hues
0:37:06 > 0:37:07when you look at the marquetry.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11Now, that is an incredible job within itself.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13There's half a dozen different trades here
0:37:13 > 0:37:16all working to create one dynamic piece.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20It's the most beautiful carving carved out of solid pieces of wood.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22Look at that. Hand-blown glass.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25All hand-flattened as well. Beautifully glazed.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28And even the casting details of the handles.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30There's not one fault with this.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33And I tell you what, it's as good today as it was
0:37:33 > 0:37:35when it was first delivered to Dumfries House.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38Watch this. Listen to the drawers. Look at that.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41DRAWER OPENS QUIETLY
0:37:41 > 0:37:44How about that for a drawer that runs so truly?
0:37:46 > 0:37:48No squeaking or wobbling there.
0:37:48 > 0:37:53That's why that's one of the world's most expensive pieces of furniture.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02Now we continue our tour of the country
0:38:02 > 0:38:05as we return to Basingstoke, to the Milestones Museum,
0:38:05 > 0:38:09which was full of vintage vehicles from around Hampshire,
0:38:09 > 0:38:12including a bus which Nick Davies commandeered.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14Well, Anne, here we are on this open top bus
0:38:14 > 0:38:16with a lovely piece of silver in front of us.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18I feel like we've won the FA Cup.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21We should have crowds of people down there screaming at us.
0:38:21 > 0:38:22It's a beautiful piece.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25Tell me, where did you get it from and how long have you had it?
0:38:25 > 0:38:27Well, I've had it about 30 years
0:38:27 > 0:38:30and it was originally my grandparents'... Right.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34..who handed it down to my parents - my father -
0:38:34 > 0:38:36and my father handed it down to me.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38Lovely. A solid history. Yes.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41Now, it looks very clean. Have you been busy?
0:38:41 > 0:38:44I've been very busy, yes. I thought it might take quite a while to do,
0:38:44 > 0:38:48so I thought I'd start on Monday and work through the week on it.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51It looks immaculate. Yes. You've worked very hard. Yes.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54It's an epergne, which is French for the word saving.
0:38:54 > 0:38:58So, generally, they held baskets of sweetmeats round the table
0:38:58 > 0:39:00to save someone getting up and going to fetch them.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03They adapted them for candles and flowers
0:39:03 > 0:39:06and this is obviously flowers with four trumpet vases in it.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09And it's by a company called Josiah Williams of London.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11You've got the London hallmark there, which is 1901.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14You've got the leopard's head and the date letter there
0:39:14 > 0:39:16and the maker's mark as well, so full hallmarks.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18Where was it before you cleaned it?
0:39:18 > 0:39:21It was on my sideboard for many years... Right.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24..and then it went up in the loft and it's been up in the loft
0:39:24 > 0:39:26for about the past, ooh, four, five years.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28Something like that. Four, five years? Yes.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31Up there feeling sorry for itself? Feeling sorry for itself.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33So, how come you want to sell it now?
0:39:33 > 0:39:36Well, I'm selling it because I have two children.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38It's not the sort of piece
0:39:38 > 0:39:42that I think fits in with their lifestyle
0:39:42 > 0:39:45and it is quite a commitment to keep it clean. Yes.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48So, it seems the right thing to do. I mean, you're right.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50The filigree work is just beautiful.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53It's all cut out and pierced work and it is difficult to clean.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55But it's also in great condition because often,
0:39:55 > 0:39:58while people clean these, they get the cloths caught.
0:39:58 > 0:39:59I tend to use a little old toothbrush
0:39:59 > 0:40:02just with soft bristles to get in between rather than the cloth
0:40:02 > 0:40:04where you might pull some of the silverwork out.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07But beautiful. Beautiful. Great condition.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09Value, then, I suppose, are we?
0:40:09 > 0:40:11Well, I would be interested to know how much it is.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15I would put it in auction at ?400-?600. Oh, right. OK?
0:40:15 > 0:40:18Are you happy with that? Yes, I am. Excellent. Excellent.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20They're not as popular as they were.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23The way people dine and eat is a little bit less formal now
0:40:23 > 0:40:26and I think these have taken a little bit of a hit, to be fair.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28But it's such a nice example.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30I'm sure it'll be fine on the day in the saleroom.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32Will there be a reserve on it? I think so.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34I think we'll put a reserve of ?400.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36A little bit of discretion, but let's be fairly tight on it.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38Is that OK with you? That sounds good, yes. Lovely.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40Fingers crossed we'll have a good day.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42Oh, thank you. That's a pleasure.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44Later in the show, we'll find out
0:40:44 > 0:40:46if Nick's valuation was on the money.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50But first, we're revisiting the RAF Museum in Hendon,
0:40:50 > 0:40:53where Michael Baggott found a marvellous chair
0:40:53 > 0:40:55which belonged to Smruti.
0:40:55 > 0:41:00Paul must be green with envy that I've got my hands on this first.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02How did you come by it?
0:41:02 > 0:41:08I purchased it in 2004 from an elderly lady of age 90.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10She was downsizing. Oh, marvellous.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13So, had she had it for years and years?
0:41:13 > 0:41:17She used to own an antiques shop in Northampton.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19Oh, how wonderful.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22So, what appealed to you about the chair?
0:41:22 > 0:41:24Well, my mother wasn't keeping good health
0:41:24 > 0:41:26and she always complained.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29She sat next to the radiator and she was always asking,
0:41:29 > 0:41:32"Do you have anything?" so she can warm her back.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35And then I saw this and I thought, "This is ideal."
0:41:35 > 0:41:39There's nothing more comfortable... Exactly. ..than an antique chair.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41Exactly. Let's look at the style of it first.
0:41:41 > 0:41:45We've got this wonderful scroll arm to it.
0:41:45 > 0:41:50If we turn it to the side, got that lovely sweptback sabre leg
0:41:50 > 0:41:54and that very much comes in in about 1805
0:41:54 > 0:41:57and continues throughout the 19th century on chairs.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59And if we turn it back round,
0:41:59 > 0:42:02the thing you're immediately struck by
0:42:02 > 0:42:08on this wonderful mahogany carcass is all this superb marquetry inlay.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10It's very much in the Dutch taste.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12At the beginning of the 19th century,
0:42:12 > 0:42:15there's a revival of all this marquetry
0:42:15 > 0:42:20and this is just a wonderful example of a purely early-19th-century shape
0:42:20 > 0:42:24with purely late-17th-century decoration on it.
0:42:24 > 0:42:29If we look closely, there are a couple of faults.
0:42:29 > 0:42:34We've had little breaks to the arms, which have been pegged at the back
0:42:34 > 0:42:36and we've had a little break there.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39But I think the problem with pieces of furniture like this
0:42:39 > 0:42:43if they're a little damaged is that people over-restore them
0:42:43 > 0:42:46and in doing that, they try and make it all look original,
0:42:46 > 0:42:50but they strip away all this delicious surface patination.
0:42:50 > 0:42:57That's only occurred by 180, 200 years of people handling it.
0:42:57 > 0:43:03Very good 19th-century furniture is very affordable at the moment.
0:43:03 > 0:43:04And there's something wrong with people
0:43:04 > 0:43:07because they go to shops and buy it new
0:43:07 > 0:43:10and they don't go to auctions where they should go.
0:43:10 > 0:43:14Can I ask you, back in 2004, what did you pay for it?
0:43:14 > 0:43:16?150.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18Well, back then, that was extremely good
0:43:18 > 0:43:21cos it was more popular then.
0:43:21 > 0:43:22Really, at auction...
0:43:24 > 0:43:27..even though it's a single, sort of not part of a set,
0:43:27 > 0:43:30we should be looking at about ?200-?300
0:43:30 > 0:43:32with a fixed reserve of 200. Good.
0:43:32 > 0:43:35But why now, after more than ten years,
0:43:35 > 0:43:37have you decided to part with it?
0:43:37 > 0:43:40Well, it is sitting in my sitting room doing nothing...
0:43:40 > 0:43:43Yes. ..and I don't want it to go to waste.
0:43:43 > 0:43:45Somebody else can use it wisely.
0:43:45 > 0:43:47Well, it's a marvellous thing to boot.
0:43:47 > 0:43:49We'll put it into the auction
0:43:49 > 0:43:51and let's hope we get towards the top end of that
0:43:51 > 0:43:55because it deserves to make that sort of money. I hope so.
0:43:55 > 0:43:57Thank you so much for bringing it in. Thank you.
0:43:59 > 0:44:02A gorgeous piece of furniture with a wonderful patina.
0:44:10 > 0:44:13The interiors here at Dumfries House scream opulence.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15Just look at this richly-decorated room,
0:44:15 > 0:44:17with its wonderful touches of gold gilt.
0:44:17 > 0:44:19At our valuation day in Falmouth,
0:44:19 > 0:44:23something equally sumptuous caught Caroline Hawley's eye.
0:44:29 > 0:44:31Jenny, this is lovely.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34Now, tell me what you know about it
0:44:34 > 0:44:37and how you have come to be the lucky lady that owns this
0:44:37 > 0:44:39and not me. JENNY LAUGHS
0:44:39 > 0:44:42Well, this belonged to my aunt who was also my godmother
0:44:42 > 0:44:48and she was very close to me and she gave this to me before she died.
0:44:48 > 0:44:52How long have you had it? Since the 1980s. How lovely.
0:44:52 > 0:44:55And is there any connection with France, Belgium?
0:44:55 > 0:44:58Well, her husband, who was my father's brother,
0:44:58 > 0:45:00was a Harley Street eye specialist... Right.
0:45:00 > 0:45:04..and he treated some members of the Belgian royal family,
0:45:04 > 0:45:07so they spent a lot of time in Brussels.
0:45:07 > 0:45:08And what date would that be?
0:45:08 > 0:45:12Probably before or after the Second World War.
0:45:12 > 0:45:14Right. Around that time, yes.
0:45:14 > 0:45:17What interests me about this, apart from everything,
0:45:17 > 0:45:21is I think it hails from probably France. Yes.
0:45:21 > 0:45:26It's Art Nouveau in style. 1890, 1905.
0:45:26 > 0:45:28Ah, yes, could be. That sort of period. Yes.
0:45:28 > 0:45:33Now, this enamelling here is known as plique-a-jour -
0:45:33 > 0:45:35letting the light through.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38And if I pick it up, it's like stained glass.
0:45:38 > 0:45:43Can you see how the light would shine through? Yes.
0:45:43 > 0:45:46And that is really unusual. Very pretty.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49If you can imagine how beautiful this would look
0:45:49 > 0:45:53with some sunlight behind it when you're wearing it,
0:45:53 > 0:45:56when you're getting into the sort of almost flapper era. Yes.
0:45:56 > 0:45:57Absolutely gorgeous. Yes.
0:45:57 > 0:46:02It's got a little bit of damage, which we can see here perfectly,
0:46:02 > 0:46:05but nothing to write home about. Only the chain.
0:46:05 > 0:46:10And then finishing with this lovely piece of carved jade at the bottom.
0:46:10 > 0:46:14And it's so evocative of a bygone age. Yes.
0:46:14 > 0:46:16Have you worn it ever, Jenny? No, I really haven't, no.
0:46:16 > 0:46:18But I look at it quite often
0:46:18 > 0:46:21and I just think that the detail is so lovely. Yeah.
0:46:21 > 0:46:25And on a plain dress or blouse such as you're wearing... Yes.
0:46:25 > 0:46:27..that'd look stunning, wouldn't it? Yes.
0:46:27 > 0:46:29Which brings me to value.
0:46:29 > 0:46:34Now, I would think an estimate of ?200-?300.
0:46:34 > 0:46:37That much? Yes, I would. Ooh, that's excellent.
0:46:37 > 0:46:40And that's allowing for that tiny bit of damage... Yes.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42..which isn't going to cost a fortune to put right.
0:46:42 > 0:46:43No, I wouldn't think so.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46Would you like a reserve on it to protect it?
0:46:46 > 0:46:48I think that's a good idea, don't you? Yes. Yes, I do.
0:46:48 > 0:46:51I mean, what if we put a fixed reserve of 180?
0:46:51 > 0:46:54That would be good, yes. Would you be happy with that? Very happy.
0:46:54 > 0:46:57I think somebody would be more than happy to buy that.
0:46:57 > 0:46:59Thank you very much. Oh, well, thank you for bringing it.
0:46:59 > 0:47:03It's made my day. Good. I'm pleased. Wonderful. Thank you. Thanks, Jenny.
0:47:04 > 0:47:06And it made my day, too. A gorgeous piece.
0:47:08 > 0:47:12Next up, we return to Milestones Museum in Basingstoke,
0:47:12 > 0:47:14where some antique dolls
0:47:14 > 0:47:16captured Elizabeth Talbot's interest.
0:47:16 > 0:47:19So, Pamela and Frank, you have brought your extended family
0:47:19 > 0:47:22with you today. What can you tell me about these young ladies?
0:47:22 > 0:47:26These were my mother's dolls. My mother was born in 1904,
0:47:26 > 0:47:29in Bloemfontein, South Africa. She was an army daughter.
0:47:29 > 0:47:34They went to Egypt in 1912 and then to the North-West Frontier
0:47:34 > 0:47:39with the 21st Lancers in about 1914-15,
0:47:39 > 0:47:41which was when the photo was taken.
0:47:41 > 0:47:43Ah, yes. That's a delightful photograph,
0:47:43 > 0:47:46showing your mother holding her precious doll.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49That is charming to have so much direct history. So, who owns
0:47:49 > 0:47:51them now? They were passed to yourself, were they?
0:47:51 > 0:47:55They were passed to me and I passed them on to our daughter... Right.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58..who doesn't like them. Think they look rather morbid
0:47:58 > 0:47:59and frightening.
0:47:59 > 0:48:02And they haven't been out of the box since.
0:48:02 > 0:48:05Have they not? No. So, they've been hidden away and so on.
0:48:05 > 0:48:08So, the beneficiary of the sale will be your daughter? Yes.
0:48:08 > 0:48:11And perhaps our granddaughters, as well. Ah! Another generation
0:48:11 > 0:48:13to benefit. How lovely.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16Do you, or your daughter, know anything about them as dolls?
0:48:16 > 0:48:19I think they have got marks on the back of their heads. Yes.
0:48:19 > 0:48:23I presume they are German, I would think. All three are made
0:48:23 > 0:48:27in Germany. In each case, you have a bisque or porcelain head
0:48:27 > 0:48:30and then you have a body which is jointed, with limbs, but that is
0:48:30 > 0:48:33made out of almost like a plaster of Paris.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36It's a different substance. In most cases, a collector would say
0:48:36 > 0:48:38the majority of the value is contained in the head.
0:48:38 > 0:48:41Obviously, it's nice to have the whole doll, but if the head is
0:48:41 > 0:48:44damaged, that is where you lose value quite quickly.
0:48:44 > 0:48:46The fact that these have been so well looked after has meant they
0:48:46 > 0:48:51have survived very well, latterly. So, the costumes, which are also
0:48:51 > 0:48:53very fragile, have survived better than they might have
0:48:53 > 0:48:57out in the light and the wigs, also. The hair is also in reasonably
0:48:57 > 0:49:01good condition. This one here has closing eyes and an open mouth.
0:49:01 > 0:49:05They all have different expressions. And the different models have
0:49:05 > 0:49:09different markings on the back. Some of them are rarer than others.
0:49:09 > 0:49:13But then, the points can be scored, if you like, by how well
0:49:13 > 0:49:15they are painted. So, if the eyebrows are nicely painted,
0:49:15 > 0:49:18if the detail of the mouth and the cheeks is well coloured.
0:49:18 > 0:49:20A collector will pay more or less depending on whether they feel
0:49:20 > 0:49:23it is a good example of a happy doll, a nice friendly face,
0:49:23 > 0:49:26or whether it is a little bit more scowly or grumpy or whatever.
0:49:26 > 0:49:30I think, realistically, the total value would be between
0:49:30 > 0:49:33?200-?300... Oh! ..for the three of them. That's all right.
0:49:33 > 0:49:35Are you pleased with that? Very. Yes. Oh, good.
0:49:35 > 0:49:37I said ?100, we'd be happy!
0:49:37 > 0:49:40I presume your daughter would appreciate a reserve being placed
0:49:40 > 0:49:43on them? Yes. So, if we put ?200, the lower end of the estimate,
0:49:43 > 0:49:46but leave a little bit of discretion, to allow the auctioneer,
0:49:46 > 0:49:49if it got close, to within 10%, they can sell, but otherwise,
0:49:49 > 0:49:52they would be protected. I just think the magic of them being
0:49:52 > 0:49:56in the box. I don't know whether they can have a copy, maybe,
0:49:56 > 0:49:59of the photograph, just go give it a bit of provenance to it
0:49:59 > 0:50:02will just add charm to the lot.
0:50:02 > 0:50:05Wonderful. Well, thank you so much. I'm sure they will find
0:50:05 > 0:50:08a new owner who will love them dearly. Thank you very much.
0:50:09 > 0:50:14Bisque-headed dolls often divide collectors. Some find them scary,
0:50:14 > 0:50:16whilst others admire their unique beauty.
0:50:18 > 0:50:22Time for our final visit to the auction, with our last lot of items.
0:50:22 > 0:50:24Here's a reminder of what they were.
0:50:27 > 0:50:29Smruti's 19th-century chair,
0:50:29 > 0:50:30which was beautifully designed
0:50:30 > 0:50:32with a wonderful patina
0:50:32 > 0:50:34and it was built for comfort.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37There was Jenny's enamelled Art Nouveau necklace,
0:50:37 > 0:50:38which was crying out to be worn.
0:50:40 > 0:50:44They were showered with affection by Franks's mother,
0:50:44 > 0:50:45but the three bisque-headed dolls
0:50:45 > 0:50:47had to find a loving new owner.
0:50:49 > 0:50:53And finally, we hoped Anne's hours of polishing would pay off
0:50:53 > 0:50:56when we headed back to Andrew Smith Son near Winchester
0:50:56 > 0:50:58to sell her silver epergne.
0:51:02 > 0:51:04On the rostrum was Nick Jarrett.
0:51:06 > 0:51:10Well, I think our next lot deserves to be in a stately home.
0:51:10 > 0:51:11It is of that quality.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14It's that wonderful silver epergne and it belongs to Anne... It does.
0:51:14 > 0:51:17..who's looking rather stately as well. Oh, thank you.
0:51:17 > 0:51:19Hey, maybe you've got that stately home, have you?
0:51:19 > 0:51:20Well, no, not really.
0:51:20 > 0:51:22I mean, it's got the look. I like it.
0:51:22 > 0:51:24I think this is a trade lot. Probably.
0:51:24 > 0:51:27I think a dealer will buy this because he knows his market. Yes.
0:51:27 > 0:51:30He knows the person he's going to sell that to
0:51:30 > 0:51:32and that will look fantastic in their house.
0:51:32 > 0:51:35I hope they enjoy it. Good luck. Thank you.
0:51:35 > 0:51:38He said, "That's where it's going." We don't know. It's an auction.
0:51:38 > 0:51:40Anything can happen. You know the game.
0:51:40 > 0:51:42Let's put it to the test.
0:51:42 > 0:51:44Lot 130 is this silver epergne here.
0:51:44 > 0:51:46Good one to start. Williams Co.
0:51:46 > 0:51:50Now, I'm going to start you here to clear all bids at 280.
0:51:50 > 0:51:52300 now.
0:51:52 > 0:51:55And 20. 350. 380. 400 now.
0:51:55 > 0:51:58At ?400. And on the steps at 420, is it?
0:51:58 > 0:52:02At ?400. Nobody else in? Any more? At 400, that'll be done.
0:52:03 > 0:52:05It's gone. It's gone. Hammer's gone down.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08It found its value very quickly and you were spot-on. Spot-on.
0:52:08 > 0:52:10Yeah, good. It was quality. Yes. Quality.
0:52:10 > 0:52:12You've said goodbye to it now. I have now, yes.
0:52:12 > 0:52:13What will you replace that with?
0:52:13 > 0:52:15Will you buy something for the house? No idea.
0:52:15 > 0:52:17You're going to treat yourself, aren't you?
0:52:17 > 0:52:19Staying in the south of England,
0:52:19 > 0:52:22we revisited Chiswick Auctions in London,
0:52:22 > 0:52:25where we hoped William Rouse could work his magic
0:52:25 > 0:52:27on Smruti's 19th-century chair.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29Do you know what? We need a sit-down,
0:52:29 > 0:52:31but sadly, we can't sit on this chair.
0:52:31 > 0:52:33This is just about to go under the hammer. I like this.
0:52:33 > 0:52:35It's beautiful, but... Stunning.
0:52:35 > 0:52:37..it's on the cusp, isn't it, of taste at the moment?
0:52:37 > 0:52:39Yes. So, we'll see. Good luck with this.
0:52:39 > 0:52:41We're going to find out what the bidders think right now.
0:52:41 > 0:52:45672 is a Dutch marquetry chair. Start me at 150 for it.
0:52:45 > 0:52:48For the chair, 150. 160. 170.
0:52:48 > 0:52:51With me at 170 for the Dutch chair.
0:52:51 > 0:52:54180, I'll take elsewhere.
0:52:54 > 0:52:58At ?170. Come on. A bit more. 170 it is with me, then.
0:52:58 > 0:53:00At 170. Is that the best?
0:53:00 > 0:53:03170. GAVEL BANGS
0:53:03 > 0:53:06It didn't sell, Smruti. That's fine. I'm ever so sorry.
0:53:06 > 0:53:08Look, it gets to go home with you and it's a lovely thing.
0:53:08 > 0:53:09It's great quality.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12And if you wanted someone to make you that chair today,
0:53:12 > 0:53:15you'd be talking thousands. It'd be ?2,000.
0:53:15 > 0:53:19So, to let it go for ?150... Is senseless.
0:53:19 > 0:53:21..is maybe the wrong thing to do. Yeah.
0:53:21 > 0:53:23Hang onto it. It's a nice chair.
0:53:24 > 0:53:27Ah. Hopefully, Smruti wasn't too disappointed.
0:53:27 > 0:53:29There is always a different saleroom on another day.
0:53:31 > 0:53:35Next up, let's see how those three bisque-headed dolls did.
0:53:35 > 0:53:38We returned to Andrew Smith Son near Winchester,
0:53:38 > 0:53:41to sell them. Nick Jarrett was wielding the gavel.
0:53:41 > 0:53:43Good luck, Pam and Frank. We are about to put those
0:53:43 > 0:53:46bisque-headed dolls under the hammer. There's three of them.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49Good German name. They are quality, quality, quality.
0:53:49 > 0:53:53Why are you selling these? They belonged to Frank's mum
0:53:53 > 0:53:55and we gave them to our daughter. And she doesn't like them?
0:53:55 > 0:53:58She doesn't like the look of them, at all. I don't like the look
0:53:58 > 0:54:00of them. I am not trying to put anyone off buying them
0:54:00 > 0:54:04or collecting them. But dolls have always freaked me out,
0:54:04 > 0:54:07especially the ones that have the mouth and the eyes that, sort of,
0:54:07 > 0:54:10like that. But there are lots of collectors out there. There are.
0:54:10 > 0:54:13People either love them or hate them, so... Anyway, good luck.
0:54:13 > 0:54:16Thank you. These will go. Here we go.
0:54:16 > 0:54:17I have several bids on here.
0:54:17 > 0:54:20I have to start you at
0:54:20 > 0:54:23?380. Straight in!
0:54:23 > 0:54:25Nearly double. 400, can I say? 400, on the phone. 420.
0:54:25 > 0:54:28450? PAMELA: Sue will be pleased!
0:54:28 > 0:54:30480, 500.
0:54:33 > 0:54:34And 20. 550.
0:54:34 > 0:54:36580. 600.
0:54:37 > 0:54:39And 20. 650.
0:54:39 > 0:54:42680. 700. And 20.
0:54:42 > 0:54:45These are pretty special. There's something special about one of them!
0:54:45 > 0:54:47780. 800.
0:54:47 > 0:54:48And 20. 850.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50880, 900.
0:54:50 > 0:54:53Good gracious! We have sold these bisque-headed dolls, but not for
0:54:53 > 0:54:55sort of money. 980.
0:54:55 > 0:54:57?1,000? ?1,050.
0:54:57 > 0:55:01?1,100. On the phone, ?1,100. ?1,150, can I say anywhere?
0:55:01 > 0:55:031,150.
0:55:03 > 0:55:04Not bad!
0:55:06 > 0:55:10?1,200. 1,250, last chance on the net. I have ?1,200.
0:55:10 > 0:55:11Any more? At 1,200, then.
0:55:14 > 0:55:15I still don't like them!
0:55:18 > 0:55:20Who gets the money? Our daughter. Daughter.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23Yeah, cos you gave them to her. Yes. Her grandma would have been pleased
0:55:23 > 0:55:26with that. Of course, yes. There was something about one of them.
0:55:26 > 0:55:29Something about one of them. Or all three of them.
0:55:29 > 0:55:31I don't know what. As you said, it was those eyes!
0:55:36 > 0:55:39Right, time for our last stop on today's show.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42We headed back to my home county of Cornwall
0:55:42 > 0:55:44to Jeffreys Auctions in Lostwithiel.
0:55:44 > 0:55:48Jenny's stunning silver jade and enamel necklace was up for sale
0:55:48 > 0:55:51and auctioneer Ian Morris was wielding the gavel.
0:55:52 > 0:55:55Jenny, everybody loved your necklace at the valuation day. Oh, good.
0:55:55 > 0:55:56That Art Nouveau look.
0:55:56 > 0:55:59Did you ever wear it? I didn't actually wear it.
0:55:59 > 0:56:01I think if I'd had it when I was younger, I would have done.
0:56:01 > 0:56:04Mm. But I absolutely love it. It's so different.
0:56:04 > 0:56:08It epitomises that sort of Art Nouveau period. Yes. Yes.
0:56:08 > 0:56:09Lovely quality.
0:56:09 > 0:56:13I'm surprised that it's only ?200, sort of at the lower end.
0:56:13 > 0:56:16Well, I'm hoping it's going to exceed.
0:56:16 > 0:56:19We're going to find out right now. Yes. Good luck, everyone.
0:56:19 > 0:56:21Fingers crossed. This is where it gets exciting.
0:56:21 > 0:56:25Lot 513. It's a jade pendant. I have three bids on the books.
0:56:25 > 0:56:28I've got to start at ?200.
0:56:28 > 0:56:33?200, I'm bid. At ?200. At 220. 230. 240.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36260. 280. 280, the bid is with you.
0:56:36 > 0:56:41I'm out of the book. 300. 320. 340.
0:56:41 > 0:56:44360. This is more like it. 400. 420.
0:56:45 > 0:56:48420, lady's bid. 440. 460.
0:56:48 > 0:56:52480. 500. This is really good. 540 there.
0:56:52 > 0:56:53At 540. 560 now?
0:56:53 > 0:56:55At ?540.
0:56:56 > 0:56:59Quality, that's what we like to see. Oh, thank you so much.
0:56:59 > 0:57:01And you know what we say, don't you? Quality always sells. Yes.
0:57:01 > 0:57:03Jenny, thank you for bringing that in.
0:57:03 > 0:57:05Thank you for helping me sell it. A gem. Yeah.
0:57:11 > 0:57:13Well, sadly, that's it for today, but I tell you what,
0:57:13 > 0:57:17I've had a great time exploring some of the riches of Dumfries House.
0:57:17 > 0:57:20And you've shown us some of your treasures from across the country.
0:57:20 > 0:57:23And we've had some great results, too, and that's what it's all about,
0:57:23 > 0:57:25especially Jenny's necklace.
0:57:25 > 0:57:27I'm so pleased for her.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30I hope you've enjoyed the show. Join us again soon for many more.
0:57:30 > 0:57:32But until then, it's goodbye.