Compilation 30 Flog It!

CAR HORN HONKS

We start today's show in Beaulieu in Hampshire.

Not only famous for its splendid palace house,

but the National Motor Museum and of course

the ruins of Beaulieu Abbey.

I'll be taking you on a tour of some of the fascinating sights here,

later on in the programme.

But first, it's a tour of the country as we set out to find

some of the most interesting items and exciting valuations that

we've discovered recently but have been waiting until now to show you.

Welcome to Flog It!

We have travelled across the country in search of exceptional stories

and objects to take to auction, and we haven't been disappointed.

Our journey has taken us to Lulworth Castle in Dorset,

originally a 17th-century hunting lodge.

Wrest Park, a Grade I listed house in Bedfordshire.

Chiddingstone Castle in Kent, which can be traced back to Tudor times,

and finally to Gloucester and its wonderful cathedral.

Until today's show, Michael Baggott thought he'd heard it all.

What are your plans for the money?

I want to finish my tattoo, which is a full Tibetan sleeve.

Oh, my word! That's a first for Flog It!

And at Wrest Park, David Harper doesn't think

he's ever heard anything like it!

Unfortunately, our house hasn't got walls.

What, you've got no walls at all in your house?

LAUGHTER No, no, we live in a tent.

The ceilings aren't high enough to house anything like this.

But will it be a different story at the auction?

19!

HAMMER BANGS

The wonderful 13th-century Beaulieu Estate.

Like our show, it offers a delightfully diverse range

of artwork, quirky collectables and insights into our national history.

From the splendour of the architecture of the Palace House,

to the vast array of classic cars and bikes parked up in the museum.

And from the spectacular beauty of the Abbey,

to the stories and the history that lurk within.

There really is far too much on display here

to explore in just one visit.

But later on in the programme, I'll try

and give you a fascinating insight into the life-changing

challenges that faced the monks who lived here at Beaulieu.

All that's to come, but first though,

some classic valuations that reflect a rather more recent history.

Our journey begins in Kent, at Chiddingstone Castle,

where Thomas Plant is talking to Rodney and Katie.

-Who owns this little dish, pin tray?

-Well, we both do. But I found it.

Right, tell me the story.

I collect kitchenalia, copper, mainly,

and I went to a local auction and I saw two boxes of copper

and I liked the look of some of them

and there was also some brass in there, so I bid on it.

And at the bottom of one of the boxes, was this.

-How much did these two bits of kitchenalia cost you?

-£35.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-And what did you do with it all?

I have cleaned up most of it,

-and some of it I might take to a boot fair.

-Yeah.

But this, I had a look at it and I thought, it's very heavy,

-it must be bronze.

-Uh-huh.

And I saw only one signature at the time and then

-when I was just cleaning it a bit on the side, I saw...

-Barbedienne.

..Barbedienne, yeah.

-Basically, I went on the internet...

-Yes, on the internet...

And then I looked at Levillain on there

-and basically it's a fellow who was a sculptor...

-Yes.

..and his works were being done basically by Barbedienne,

who was the founder, and it was all round about the 1830s, 1840s.

So, all of a sudden, it just opened up. This could be quite interesting.

It certainly is interesting, yes.

Barbedienne was a founder who specialised in taking

the classical sculptures, bronzes, marbles, and reducing them in size

to maquettes which, dare I say it, ordinary folk like ourselves

could then afford and buy and have as decorative objects.

-Right.

-That was his speciality, as a founder.

Obviously, there's only so much you can do of that

-before people's tastes and fashion change.

-Uh-hmm.

In steps a modern sculptor and they form a relationship together.

-So you have a double whammy, don't you?

-You do.

-So that's quite interesting.

-Very much so.

And then did you then go on other sites and look at prices realised?

-HE LAUGHS

-I suppose we did...

I had a brief look at a couple of things,

but obviously they were quite big bronzes at the time

and suddenly you're then going into thousands...

-To thousands of pounds.

-Yeah.

-Absolutely thousands of pounds...

-Yeah.

-And we couldn't really find anything this small, actually.

-No, no.

-Which is actually quite nice actually, isn't it?

-Yeah, yeah.

So, what's it worth?

Well, I would probably hazard a guess at maybe £30-£50.

-So what you paid originally for the whole box?

-For the... Yes.

-So you're already in profit.

-Yes, I've got my money back.

THEY LAUGH

-I think I would double that.

-That's fantastic.

I think £60-£80 with regarding reserves,

you don't want to give it away.

-So I think £60-£80, with a discretionary reserve.

-Right, that's OK.

-So, say £50.

-That's fine.

-Is that fine?

-Yes.

-That sounds absolutely fine.

-Is fair, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Yeah, I think so.

-So you're going to come along to the auction?

-Definitely.

-Yeah, definitely.

-I look forward to seeing you there.

-Right.

That is a classic story.

Discovering a little gem like that at the bottom of a boxed lot.

Now we travel north of London to Wrest Park in Bedfordshire,

where Anita Manning has found a cat!

But I don't think it's a local.

# Walk like an Egyptian... #

-Sue, welcome to Flog It!

-Thank you.

Now, it's absolutely wonderful to have you here

and you've brought along two interesting items.

Do you have any question that you would like to ask me?

Well, it was because of the show that you were involved in,

Flog It: Trade Secrets, you were talking about amber,

and it was from that programme that made me wonder if this is amber.

So I thought I would come along today to see. Yeah, I was curious.

So, this is a wonderful, decorative object.

Tell me, when did you buy it and why?

I bought it about 25-30 years ago when I was over in Egypt, in Luxor,

and they were selling gifts to tourists.

And I saw this cat sitting in the corner on the floor,

and I thought, oh, there's something rather beautiful about this cat

and I did have eight cats of my own at the time and I quite like cats.

-So this was your ninth cat!

-It was indeed, yes.

-All right.

So the question is, is this real amber.

Now, you bought it 30 years ago and you bought it in a tourist area...

-Yes.

-..so the likelihood of it being amber are very, very low.

And true amber comes from the resin of

old pine trees over 350 million years old.

So it's very, very rare.

But we do have different types or lookalikes of amber.

OK, let's look at it.

We have these spangles... Now, in amber,

there were different shades of light which would come through the amber.

So, that's copying that.

Also in amber, there is often the inclusion of pieces of insects

which have been trapped in the resin of the tree and to have an insect,

or a piece of an insect, in a piece of amber makes it more valuable.

Now, when we look underneath here, we can see a beastie there,

it's a fly, and we see the whole fly.

Now, if a creature had been caught in this sticky resin,

it wouldn't just lie there and say, OK, I'm going to die,

-it would struggle.

-OK, yes.

So, when we see a full insect, we start to think,

-no, there's something wrong there.

-THEY CHUCKLE

So, these little indications are telling me that it's not amber.

-This cat here is made of a celluloid or a plastic.

-OK.

-So, not real amber.

-Uh-huh.

Now, interestingly enough, you have brought along another item,

which is allied in some way to the cat.

But this is an earlier item, probably from the Art Deco period.

Can you tell me where this came from?

It belonged to my uncle.

He was in the army, positioned in Hong Kong.

And my aunt was also staying with him.

And then just before the fall of Hong Kong, 25th of December, 1941,

my aunt was put onto the last boat being evacuated to Australia,

and my uncle gave this to my aunt for safekeepings.

Now, if we look at it, it's a mahjong set, an Oriental game.

And if we look at these little counters...

This side here is decorated with the little symbols

which are used in the game.

-But this yellow here is meant to look like amber...

-Uh-huh.

..but it is a celluloid or a plastic copy of that.

And on the other side, we have a celluloid copy of jade.

-So in some way, the two items are allied.

-Yes.

They are made to look like something which is a very precious substance,

-but in actual fact is a copy.

-Yes.

-But still interesting.

If we were going to auction, I would like to put these two items together.

Put together in one lot, we would put an estimate of perhaps £70-£100.

-OK.

-And would you be happy with that estimate?

-Yes, I'm happy.

We'll put a fixed reserve on it, because I know that

if that goes back home with you, you won't be too upset.

-I'll be just as happy, yes.

-OK.

-Thank you very much.

Both those items have travelled from far-flung places.

And now it's time for us to travel to the Dorset coast

and to Lulworth Castle, where Mark Stacey has found cause to celebrate.

-Hello, Jenny, hello, Mike.

-Hi, all right.

I understand that it's a special day today?

Yes, our 43rd wedding anniversary and my birthday.

-I won't put a number on it...

-Are you sure? Nobody's watching.

-CHUCKLES: 64!

-64.

See, that's like 40 with auctioneer's commission and VAT!

-That's the one!

-Yes, that's it!

Listen, you've brought in something that really put a smile on

my face this morning.

Not hugely valuable, but I think it's absolutely charming.

It's a little ormolu figure of a cherubic child.

Ormolu being bronze and gilded.

And it's clearly off a little box or a clock or something else,

but it's beautifully made... He's got a lovely cheeky face, hasn't he?

-Yes.

-With his golden locks of hair...

And he's holding a little letter or something in his hand.

And I think it's probably going to date to

the mid-to-late 19th century.

-Right, really?

-And it's just a real bit of fun.

-BOTH: Yes.

And if I had him, I would find a little piece of marble,

-so that he could sit on there and be a lovely little paperweight.

-Yes.

You know, you could turn him back into a practical object.

-Where on earth did you get this figure from?

-Well, it was...

We deal with a lot of bric-a-brac and we do bazaars and things,

and then an elderly lady gave me the box and it was

in the bottom and I rather took to it and put it in the kitchen drawer.

So every time you clean the kitchen drawer out, I have to pick it up

and look at it and I just thought I'd like to know about it.

It's a whimsical item, it's a bit of fun, and I think there's lots of...

-Tactile, isn't it?

-Oh, it's very tactile!

And there's lots of people out there, like me,

who like these silly little objects and I think that it should sell.

-Sell, yeah...

-I mean, realistically, I think we're probably looking

-£30 or £40.

-Oh, yes!

-A little throwaway thing.

-We didn't expect much.

-And I think we should put it in without reserve,

-have a bit of fun.

-Yes, that'd be a bit of fun.

-Fine, yeah.

And I'm sure there's going to be a couple of people out there who

think, "I really must have that".

And maybe if it does work, it'll be a nice belated birthday present

-for you, an anniversary present!

-Yes, and we'll

take our friends out who brought us here today for a surprise.

-What a wonderful idea.

-SHE LAUGHS

Will you be sad to see him go from the kitchen drawer?

-I think so, yes. Because he's been in there four years!

-Yeah, yeah.

But he's too handsome to be locked away in a drawer.

Yes, he's lovely, he is, he is, that's it.

Well, we'll see you at the auction, all right? Have a giggle.

-Yes, lovely, looking forward to it. Thank you very much.

-See you there.

It's funny how we fall in love with little things like that.

I hope the bidders do, too.

We'll soon be finding out which items make the best

impression at auction, but right here at Beaulieu,

one of the most impressive collections has to be

the artwork here in the portrait gallery.

And this particular character, well, he is my favourite.

That's Ralph, the first Duke of Montagu, who was described by

the writer Jonathan Swift as, "Arrant a knave as anyone in his time."

Not only did he seek voluntary exile in France for political reasons,

but upon his return, he gained the favour of the new

King of England, William III, then he promptly declared himself

the Emperor of China in order to marry a rich, widowed duchess

who refused to marry anyone unless he was royalty!

Well, I think that takes some confidence,

and I think it's safe to say that Ralph was quite convincing there,

and the duchess was obviously bonkers!

Well, let's hope we have some equally colourful

sales in the auction room.

And here's a quick recap of all the items we're taking with us.

Katie bought this bronze tray as part of a job lot,

so fingers crossed.

The cat and the mahjong set may not be made of amber,

but they are still collectable.

And this gilded cherub needs to fetch a good price.

Jenny and Mike have an anniversary and a birthday celebration to pay for.

Remember of course, with every auction there is commission to pay,

whether you're buying or selling,

and there's VAT to add on top of that.

And these rates vary from saleroom to saleroom,

so make sure you find out in advance, do your sums.

And now, let's see how our first item fares.

Our first stop is near Guildford in Surrey,

where auctioneer Tim Duggan is selling the bronze tray

at Ewbank Auctions.

-Katie and Rodney, good luck.

-Thank you.

This is where your Flog It! journey ends today,

in the auction room with that hammer going down

because it will on this!

A lovely little bronze dish, a little, tiny tray -

not a lot of money though. Why is it so cheap?

Well... Cos it's very small.

-But it's very nice.

-It is very nice and it's a little proper antique.

Yes, so why are you selling this?

It's not really something that I personally collect.

-OK, and you're into kitchenalia?

-I am, yes.

Yeah, and there's a few things here in the sale.

-I'd like someone else to have it who'd appreciate is a bit more.

-OK.

We're going to put it to the test right now. It's going under the hammer, this is it.

This is the French gilt bronze small tray, nice little quality item,

this one there. How do you see it, £50 for it...

30 if you like, 30, bid now, 30, bid now...

35, now, 40, bid now, 45, now...

50, bid now, 55...

60, and 5, 70, and 5...

80, bid now, 80, bid now...

Looking for 85 now, looking for 85...

At £80, are we all done, then?

Selling then at £80...

-£80, I knew it was worth a lot more than you said.

-Well...

-I did, didn't I?

-You did.

-Yes, you did say that.

-Yes, I said it was a bit cheap.

-I'm very pleased.

-Yeah... But look, well done.

-Thank you.

-Thank you for bringing it.

-Thank you.

If you've got anything like that, we would like to flog it for you.

Bring it in to one of our valuation days.

That was fun and a good result.

On to Sherborne in Dorset and to Charterhouse Auctioneers,

where Richard Bromell is on the rostrum for us.

Jenny and Mike, good luck. Fingers crossed.

We've got this little cherub going under the hammer.

Not a lot of money. We can't work out where it's come from, really,

-but we love curios like this.

-I adore it.

-You do?

-I think it might be earlier than we think.

-OK.

I think it might be early 19th or mid-19th century.

Could we be in for a pleasant surprise?

-I hope so, there's no reserve...

-No reserve, no, there isn't.

-..so we'll have a bit of fun.

-It's going to go.

Let's find out what the bidders think. It's going under the hammer right now.

Pretty little ormolu putto, here it goes. Only the one at 6cm high.

£20 it away now and £20, it's away...

Going to go at 20, anyone at all at 20...

£20 is bid, thank you, at £20 I have now...

20 I have, I'll take 5 now...

Come on, it's worth a bit more than that.

The main bid at £20, are you all sure?

Fair warning, it goes at 20...

-The hammer went down, it's gone.

-We're rich!

You didn't get that surprise. You're rich(!)

Hey, do you want the bad news?

There's 15% plus VAT commission to pay on that.

Well, I thought it was rather charming.

I would have liked to have paid £30 or £40 at least for it.

Look, it's going to have another life, isn't it?

-It's going to be enjoyed.

-It is, it is.

-That's the main thing.

-Yes, lovely.

-Thank you for bringing it in.

-That's fine.

Sometimes it's the taking part that matters.

Now, over to Tring Market Auctions,

where Stephen Hearn is selling the rather fine cat,

and mahjong set belonging to Susan.

Now, I know we had a fixed reserve at the valuation of £70

but I know you've had a chat to the auctioneer

-and you've upped it to £90.

-I have.

-I felt more comfortable with 90 than 70.

-OK.

In the end, we want you to be happy.

Yeah, and I feel very comfortable with that.

Yes, well, let's keep our fingers crossed.

Well, look, if it doesn't sell, I know you're going to be happy

-to take this item home.

-I am, very happy to take it home

-so, as you say...

-We've got a win-win situation.

But we'd like to get top money, I mean, that's what it's all about.

-It is.

-This is going under the hammer right now.

The mahjong Bakelite playing pieces together with the cat, there it is.

How do we go on this cat?

50, 60, 70...

80, going, 90...

Two of you, 100 bid, 110...

20...

That lady's keen in the red jacket, look -

she's not putting her bidding paddle down.

Yes or no?

At 120, 130, and 40...

And 50 now...

Look, they're pushing her now. She's still there,

she's still there in the red jacket...

£140, then, you get the mahjong pieces and a cat...

140, then, madam, yours at £140...

Bought it.

-Thank you so much.

-I am delighted...

-It's love!

-..surprised but delighted.

-So am I.

Style won once again.

-I think it did, yes, it did...

-And she obviously wanted it

-so that's so special.

-Yes.

Excellent result -

that's what it's all about.

We'll return to the auction rooms later on in the show

but now, let's take a step back in time.

In the year 1204,

stone and other building materials were brought up this river

to build an abbey church

on land gifted to the Cistercian monks by the king.

Now, this king was King John, who hadn't led the holiest of lives.

Maybe he was worried about eternal damnation

but he visited this abbey frequently and he named it Bellus Locus Regis,

which translates to, "The Beautiful Place Of The King,"

better known to us today as the estate of Royal Beaulieu.

A deal had been made that, in order to repay his generosity,

the Cistercian monks - known above all other religious orders

for their poverty, chastity and obedience to God -

would pray for the somewhat tarnished soul of King John.

Although prayer was the core activity here,

plenty of other duties were performed

but all of them were seen by the monks as an extension of prayer.

They generated an enormous amount of income by working the land,

rearing sheep and selling wool.

It took 100 years to complete the complex around the abbey church

and it seems quite ironic today that 300 years after work began,

this river was used to transport those very rocks back again

to be used on other building projects around the country

by the orders of another king.

So, why did this happen and who was the other king?

Well, this was a king who was desperate to have a male heir,

a king, despite being married for 20 years, had not produced one.

This was an extravagant king whose coffers were being bled dry

because he was paying for costly coastal defences

and fighting expensive wars with the French and the Spanish.

This was King Henry VIII,

a king who was to change the course of English history -

firstly, by breaking with the Pope in Rome

and then making himself the supreme head of the Church Of England.

This enabled Henry to have his long-standing marriage

to Catherine of Aragon declared null and void

and marry a young Anne Boleyn - the second of his six wives.

Shortly after this,

he proceeded with the Dissolution Of The Monasteries,

which changed the face of England forever.

In 1536, there were over 800 monasteries, nunneries and friaries.

Combined, they owned a third of the land in the country.

In 1540, four years later, there were none.

Henry VIII and the people around him were considerably wealthier.

During those four years, Henry used Thomas Cromwell,

a clever legal adviser, to act as his agent

and the opportunist plan took shape.

The religious houses were becoming increasingly ungodly,

which made them unpopular with ordinary people

so Thomas took advantage of this and with a piecemeal approach,

began by shutting down the smaller establishments

who had the worst reputations.

He then moved on to the richer more powerful ones, like Beaulieu Abbey.

Where he could, Cromwell negotiated payoffs

but if his offers were declined, he resorted to force.

The abbot here formally surrendered the Abbey to the Crown in 1538

and for that, he received an annual pension of £66

in contrast to the brothers who received between £4 and £6.

This is all that's left of the Abbey Church,

the spiritual centre of the precinct here at Beaulieu.

It really is just a ghost of a former building,

the first to be knocked down upon Henry's orders in 1539.

What are we left with?

Well, hardly a stone upon a stone.

It really is just a field with the imprint of its former huge building.

The stone went down the river by order of the king

and was used to build defensive castles

on the Solent at Hurst, Calshot and Cowes.

What did Henry VIII do with the ruined abbey and estate,

which was one of the richest pickings of the disillusion?

He refilled his empty coffers by selling it to a powerful friend,

Sir Thomas Wriothesley, whose descendants still live here today.

I'm going to meet one of them, Ralph Montagu.

So, what happened to Beaulieu after the Dissolution Of The Monasteries?

Well, a lot of the abbey was of course destroyed

but some significant bits were left and this is one such part.

It was the great gatehouse to the abbey

where the monks received their guest

and it made quite a good hunting lodge

for the lay owners after the dissolution

and then, much later, my great-grandfather extended it

and made it into the family home that it is today

and made this room, which was a big open hall originally,

into this magnificent drawing room.

It is a stunning room, it's got a good feel about it.

Tell me a little bit about the stained-glass windows,

-the armorials.

-Well, this is Victorian,

this is part of the conversion that was done at that time

and these are the shields of benefactors

and other significant figures connected with the Abbey -

most notably perhaps, Thomas Stephens, the last abbot at Beaulieu

who actually was required, shall we say, to surrender the Abbey

to the Crown and he is remembered there.

He was one of the more cooperative ones because some of the abbots

in the North were literally hung, drawn and quartered -

not a very nice ending.

It's lovely when the sun shines through, getting the coloured light.

Above, we've got this lovely ribbed vaulting

which, although it's heavily restored,

is definitely based on what would have been here in monastic days.

Sure, yes.

It's perhaps hard for us to imagine what life would have been like

back in England in the 16th century

and what impact this huge establishment would have had

in the medieval world.

This was a place where the poor could seek alms,

where the sick could be treated

and where fugitives, both high and low in status, could seek a sanctuary.

The sound of bells that would ring out during the day and night,

calling the monks to prayer,

would have been a familiar soundtrack to life

for the people in the villages and the fields beyond these walls.

Back at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire,

our valuation day is still at full tilt, as is David Harper.

Well, Diane, look at us,

on a beautiful summer's day in the South of England,

admiring a pair of Scottish Highland scenes. Aren't they gorgeous?

-Yes, I love them...but can't wear them, so to speak.

-Yeah.

-Because our house is too small.

-Right, OK.

So, what they are, we've got Scottish Highland scenes.

And you can see, can't you,

-that this is, like, a continuation of the scene?

-Yes.

And very, very trendy, circa 1900.

What's the background story?

Well, when my father's eldest sister died, we had to clear the house out,

and up the chimney when we were clearing out, we found these.

And we had house clearance people in,

and they offered the family £5 for those.

Did they? Now, when was that?

That would have been the late '70s

but my father said at the time,

"No, you're not having those for £5."

So, I believe he put the £5 into the estate and took them home.

But, unfortunately, our house hasn't got walls tall enough.

What, you've got no walls at all, in your house?

No, no, we live in a tent.

No, but, the ceilings aren't high enough to house anything like this.

So, when my mother passed away, I inherited them

but they've been in the attic ever since.

That's the worst place in the world they could be, in an attic.

-They've got to be on show, haven't they?

-Yes.

And you're right, you do need height in a room.

Ideally, a Scottish castle. Hasn't your husband bought you one, yet?

No, well, I'm working on it.

-Right, well, you need to change your husband. Is that him, there?

-Yeah.

-LAUGHTER

-You're history.

Yeah.

Hello, I'm Ken.

Painted by Henry Cooper.

Now, Henry Cooper was a 19th and early 20th-century artist.

-Mm-hmm.

-Just because there's age connected here,

doesn't necessarily mean they're worth lots of money,

because this was a period when there were lots of jobbing artists

creating, maybe, hundreds a year.

So, there are lots of his paintings around.

But let's look at the quality of the painting.

I think, this is a good example, here,

with the Highland cattle, there.

The quality isn't absolutely brilliant.

Let's have a look at the condition.

So, we always look, with anything in this business,

the back of something can tell you as much about the front.

Because, often the painting can be restored really well

on the top side, and you can't tell, but you'll see a patch on the back.

No patching. I've had a look at that one, no patching either.

Frame's probably original.

Nice, original clout nails holding the canvas in place.

So, it hasn't been re-stretched or repaired. So, in good order.

Now, then, what about value, Diane? What do you feel?

Well, going back four to six years, I can't remember...

When we went to Bonhams, with a view to having them put in an auction,

we discussed it with them,

and they said about 700, I think.

And I was a bit shocked because years before,

when we'd been to Sotheby's, we were told, then,

to hang on to them, to the beginning of the year 2,000.

They would then become antiques and worth a lot more.

So, what do you reckon?

-Well, the market's changed, I've got to tell you.

-Yes.

In the mid-90s, I think we could have sold them for 1,500.

Market has changed dramatically and they've really, really dipped now.

And I think today, their value should be, in auction,

300-500, a come-and-get-me kind of estimate.

And they might surprise. How would you feel about that?

Yes, I think I would like a reserve put on them.

-What would the reserve need to be?

-Well, I would like 400.

Four, OK, well, we can do that but we'd need to, you know,

re-look at the estimate and estimates them at four to six,

with a reserve at four.

-Shall we do it?

-Yes, please.

-Marvellous.

-Yes.

-Lovely, Diane.

-Thank you.

-OK, thank you.

-Will we see you there, Ken, at the auction?

-Oh, I think so, yes.

-Good man.

What's the point of paintings sitting out of sight in an attic?

If you have anything like that,

bring them into one of our valuation days.

Our tour now continues, at Lulworth Castle in Dorset,

where a colourful item has caught Catherine Southon's eye.

Stefan, lovely to meet you. Welcome to Flog It!

Thank you, nice to meet you, too.

Wonderful collection of spoons, here. Well, two sets of spoons.

Now, when you see these, and probably,

when the viewers see these at home, they'll be thinking,

"These are incredible."

And, indeed, they are beautiful, and what lovely colours they are.

But there's this huge cloud which is hanging over them,

and it begins with the word D.

-And that's damage.

-Hmm.

-And that is a problem.

These are lovely, enamel, little coffee spoons.

I'm going to look at one of them individually.

I'm going to look at this set, first of all.

This was retailed by the Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Company,

and these would date from around 1930.

Let's have a look at this one, first of all,

because this is where the D-word starts.

-Can you see that?

-Mmm.

Big bit of damage on some lovely blue enamel, there.

It's so sad, because these are so elegant and so pretty,

and I love the blue colours, and the reds, and the whites.

-Very British, this is.

-Hmm, very patriotic.

-Absolutely.

Now, I'm just going to have a quick look at these, cos it'll be

nice to date them. And they are 1936,

and they were made by the Adie Brothers,

for the retailers Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Company.

These have come down through the family, have they?

-They must have been a wedding present...for my mother.

-Right, OK.

I think she got married in about 1938.

-1938, right. So, that-that works.

-Yeah.

-Was she particularly patriotic?

-Oh, yes.

-Was she?

-Ah, well, they've chosen the colours well, haven't they?

-Very definitely.

It's just such a shame, and the more I look at them,

the more damage I see.

-STEFAN LAUGHS

-In perfect condition,

we'd be looking at about £100 for these,

-but they're not quite going to be up to that.

-No.

-But I'll come back to that a bit later.

-Right.

These little spoons here, these are Danish,

by the well-known Danish factory Tostrup. But what beautiful colour.

-I think those are lovely.

-Really exquisite, aren't they?

Again, these are all enamel, and they're on gilt silver.

And, in perfect condition, again, you'd be looking at 100,

£150 for these.

But, I can see, there's a tiny bit of damage on each and every one.

Rough washing-up.

Is that what it is? Did you wash them up?

-No.

-Do I tell you off?

I've never used them. I've never seen them being used.

So, it all comes down to price.

£100 in perfect condition, £100-£150 in perfect condition.

This goes right down, I'm afraid,

and you'd be really looking for the two at around £50-£80.

Ooh...

-Maybe 60-80.

-Because of the damage.

Shall we say to 60-80, it sounds a bit better, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

-Shall we put a £60 reserve on?

-Please.

-OK, let's say £60-£80, with a 60 reserve. Happy with that?

-Yes.

Let's close them and forget about the damage,

and we're going to make good money at auction.

-Thank you so much, Stefan, it was lovely to meet you.

-And you, too.

Catherine is putting a brave face on it - let's hope she's right.

Off to the magnificent Cathedral in Gloucester,

where Michael Baggott is enjoying a collection of prints.

Claire, thank you very much for bringing in

-what looks like the contents of an art gallery.

-Naturally.

Wonderful selection of prints, here.

You've done a little bit of research on these,

-and this artist, haven't you?

-Yeah.

So, can you tell me what you know about them?

Well, I know that William Nicholson was a prolific illustrator,

book designer, and he worked on Peter Pan's set, for example,

but he did a compassionate portrait of the Queen at her Diamond Jubilee.

and did Victorian characters.

So, we've got a host here,

-of Victorian characters by this artist William Nicholson.

-Yeah.

-And I think he was born in about 1872.

-That's right.

-And died in about 1949.

-Absolutely.

So, he's working almost at the height

of the Art Nouveau, Arts and Crafts periods.

That's when he's a young man,

full of energy, executing these commissions.

And you've got, with this wonderful portrait of Sarah Bernhardt,

that feel of English Art Nouveau.

It's a bit more restrained than on the Continent

and you've just got that very figural,

-almost a mushroom-type, a growth...

-Yeah.

-..if you like, rather than a real human figure.

-Yeah.

And that's carried through, I mean, we've got there, Whistler...

-Yeah.

-..who I imagine would be tremendously flattered by that,

-as a, almost a caricature, aren't they?

-Yeah.

-They're less portraits, more caricatures.

-Yeah.

We've got the Prince of Wales, there,

looking rather stern and respectable.

Was that a bit of "Flog It!" day damage?

-That was my fault on the way, yeah.

-Oh!

-Sorry.

It's all right, it's not a Chinese vase worth £1,000,000.

You don't have to worry.

And, as you say, we've got this rather touching

portrait of Queen Victoria.

And there, the royalty and the power has been stripped away,

and we've got, basically,

-a very nice little old lady walking her dog.

-Yeah.

So, there is some thought behind it.

Are these something you've collected, or...?

No, they've been handed down the paternal line,

directly from, I think, my great-grandfather.

-Certainly my grandfather.

-Oh.

In the '30s, he was a vicar locally, in the '30s,

through the war, and he handed them onto my father when he died.

-And my father had nine children.

-Oh.

So, we've decided that it's very difficult to split up a collection.

-Well, I mean, that's very sensible of you all.

-Yeah.

Because the value of these, is as a collection. We actually

-haven't got the full set here.

-No.

But we're at some way towards it.

I mean, in terms of value, have you given that much thought, or...?

I've guessed about 300, possibly, on a good day.

-I'm a little bit more cautious, but then, I always am.

-OK.

Let's say, as an incomplete set, £200-£300, as a start,

and hope that we do over the £300 mark.

-Let's put a fixed reserve of £200.

-Absolutely.

We don't want to give them away. And you're happy to sell them?

Absolutely, yeah.

Now, if they go and make a superb sum,

what are your plans for the money?

From a purely selfish point of view, I want to finish my tattoo,

which is a full Tibetan sleeve.

Oh, my word.

That's a first for Flog It! We'll get you an armful, hopefully.

Thank you, and then I can go down the other side.

Marvellous. Claire, thank you so much for bringing them in.

-Thank you, thank you.

-Thank you.

From one type of decoration to another, we're back at Beaulieu.

Now, there's just enough time for me to show you this magnificent room.

It is the upper drawing room

but it's the detail on the wall, the decoration,

that I'd like to point out to you.

There's an alternating pattern running all around,

and you can see it. It's an eagle,

and then there's a bishop's crosier bisecting a crown.

That's the armorial bearings of Beaulieu Abbey.

Now, that was applied with a gold leaf in 1870

but it's been painstakingly restored by the staff here, in 1990.

And I think they have done a tremendous job.

Right, are you ready for some more auction action? Good.

Well, before we head over there, here's a quick recap of all

the items that are going under the hammer.

It's always good to have a pair, and these two Scottish scenes

are pleasing to the eye, so they're in with a good chance.

These two sets of spoons with their coloured enamels

are highly decorative.

It will all depend on the bidders overlooking the damage.

And the collection of prints are rather stylish,

but will they appeal to today's market?

Charterhouse Auctioneers in Dorset

is where our first sale is being held.

Auctioneer Richard Bromell is on the rostrum,

selling the attractive silver spoons.

Well, I've just been joined by Stefan and our expert Catherine.

They do say, you know,

some people are born with a silver spoon in their mouth.

Was Stefan born with six? I don't know.

You have lots of boxes of spoons -

what are you doing with all these spoons?

They've been sitting in a drawer for years and years.

Just coffee sets. Is it something

you wanted to collect or family inheritance?

-No, family inheritance.

-And you never use them?

-No.

The enamel ones are quite nice, sort of, red, white and blue.

-Yes, but they're not perfect.

-They're not, no.

Totally understand if they don't sell.

We might struggle on these, purely, purely because of the damage.

It's going under the hammer now.

Set of six silver-gilt enamel teaspoons, another set as well,

little bit of damage. They're very pretty little sets.

And I'm straight in at £50, I'll have a bid now at 50, 60,

-£60 on my right.

-That's good. That's awesome.

-£60 I have.

Two sets of teaspoons at 60, 70 on the internet.

At £70 on the internet bid. It gets it selling online at 70.

-That's good.

-Good, thank you so much.

-£70.

-Excellent, good.

-Done it.

-Yeah.

-Job done. I like it.

-See, we proved you wrong.

-Yeah,

-mind you, there's not a lot of money for two boxes, is it?

-No, it's not.

You know, let's face it, 35 quid a box.

-Quite a bargain, that.

-I know, if you look at it like that, they have.

They've gone, they've gone. This is what this show's all about.

It's called "Flog It!" - we want to sell your things,

so bring it in, and we'll do the business.

Well done, Catherine. Everyone is pleased with that.

Now, 145 miles north, at Tring Market Auctions

where Stephen Hearn is selling our lots.

Going under the hammer, something for all you fine art lovers -

two oil paintings by Henry Cooper.

And not the boxer, this is the 19th-century artist.

Be worth more, probably, wouldn't it?

Diane, why are you selling these?

Well, years ago, when my auntie died,

who was the eldest sister of my father's,

they had to clear the house out

and up the chimney, were these two Henry Cooper oils.

We inherited them, and they've been up in the attic ever since.

And you don't like them?

Our house hasn't got ceilings tall enough to house them.

They're, kind of, furnishing pictures, in a way, aren't they?

Yeah, and we know, don't we? That that they're slightly off the boil.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-They really are, they've dived in value.

-So you said, yes.

Do you know? I can't believe they

were shoved up a chimney to stop draughts.

Well, look, I think they do have a value, I really do.

-Quite right.

-Yeah.

-You know, so let's put it to the test.

There we are, looking at Highland cattle, a pair of them.

Where do we go, 500 for them?

500, where? About four.

250? 260, 280?

-280.

-Come on, come on.

-290.

300. One more, at 320.

-Ah...

-50?

Is it? Yes or no, sir?

-Go on.

-At £350,

at 350...

Not quite there.

They're going home. I think they are worth £400.

I think you should re-enter them into another sale.

-Yeah.

-I mean, we nearly got it.

They raised about what they're worth,

but doesn't it show how, what a bargain they are, actually?

-Yes, yeah, yeah.

-Cos they could have been £1,500, 15 years ago.

Yeah, yeah.

Another day, another saleroom.

-Another dollar.

-Another dollar.

-Hope so.

-All right.

MUSIC: I Need A Dollar by Aloe Blacc

Well, that was pretty close. They almost went.

Our journey concludes in the Cotswolds,

just outside Cirencester, at Moore, Allen and Innocent,

with auctioneer Philip Allwood, who is wielding the gavel.

Going under the hammer right now,

we have a Victorian print collection which has to be sold,

because Claire has... how many other brothers and sisters?

-Eight brothers and sisters.

-Eight brothers and sisters.

They can't fight over them, it has to be sold as a complete collection.

We're not going to split this up.

-You know, I think that's the best way to do this.

-Yeah.

And then, if any members of the family wanted them,

they could come along to the auction and bid.

Totally agree with you, there.

-So, what are you going to spend your share on?

-Erm...

What have you been up to since we last saw you at the valuation?

-I've had my whole sleeve tattooed. Do you want to see?

-Yes, please.

-Oh, my word.

-Gosh, that must have taken hours.

-I just need to finish this bit.

-It's fantastic artwork.

Wow, I can't take my eyes off it.

A bit of pressure there. Get that completed, get the money for that.

Oh, my word.

-Some prints for some more printing, in a way.

-Exactly.

Right, let's see what we can do for you.

The William Nicholson woodblock prints, Lord Roberts, it's Bismarck,

and the rest, there. Good little lot there.

Should be £300 or £400, start me. Start me at two?

At £200 there, a bid there at 200. At 200, 220, now.

-We're in.

-We're in.

-240, 260,

-280.

-Oh, wow, I'm quite surprised.

At 280, 300.

At 300, 320 now.

At 300, 320, now.

Can I say it? 300 I have.

At 300, 320 on the phone.

At 320, 340.

At 340, 360 now.

360, 380. At 380.

400, now.

At 380, 400, 420.

-That's my elbow paid for.

-At 420, 440, now.

440 on the phone.

At 440, 460, now.

At 440, on the left here, at 440 on the phone, now. At 440.

460 in the room, if you like?

At £440. The other phone, no?

At 440, you all sure?

-Well, look, the good news is...

-How much was it?

-£440.

You can get your arm finished.

-Yeah, and carry on.

-And you said it wasn't painful

-but I do have some painful news for you, Claire.

-Yeah?

There is commission to pay. 18% plus VAT.

-Everyone has to pay it, unfortunately.

-That's...oh, OK.

-That's OK.

-That's the painful bit, but, hey...

-But still...

That's the most painful bit over and done with, there.

We've been to some fabulous locations,

which have provided us with a diverse collection of items.

And some have given us some real surprises in the saleroom.

-Thank you.

-It's love!

-I am delighted...

-surprised, but delighted.

-So am I.

Style won, once again.

So join us again soon for more auction drama on Flog It!