Dorset 21 Flog It!

This is our valuation day venue,

the spectacular estate of Lulworth Castle, deep in the heart

of Dorset, home to the Weld family for more than 350 years.

Now, while fortune has smiled down on many owners

of grand country estates, the Welds have had their fair share

of misfortune, from persecution to the destruction of their own home,

and to find out how the family survived all of that, stay watching.

Welcome to "Flog It!".

This is the Weld family seat of Lulworth Castle,

stretching across 12,000 acres,

but unlike some, the Weld family fortune

wasn't bestowed by the Crown.

Like a 16th-century Dick Whittington, Humphrey Weld

worked his way up from grocer to Lord Mayor of London,

and a knighthood.

However, there were stormy times ahead for the family,

as we'll be finding out later on in the show.

The storm clouds have gathered for our valuation day, but that

hasn't deterred our hardy crowds, who have arrived in force.

We've brought everybody inside

to see our experts. They're here

to ask that all-important question, "What's it worth?"

If they're happy with that valuation,

-what are you going to do?

-ALL: Flog it!

Surviving the day is on our experts' minds, too.

Well, I know what he's got, look.

Catherine Southon's found a three-course meal.

How long are you staying for?

While Mark Stacey's gone for the more liquid lunch.

Oh, is that for me? Oh, thank you so much.

And with so much cutlery there, there could be a food fight.

-How old is it?

-Well, I don't know.

-No idea.

-It's probably, sort of, '50s, isn't it?

Well, it says, "Our cutlery is dishwasher proof".

-It's not '50s, then, more like '80s.

-I think it's a little bit later, Catherine, but I'm here to help.

-Thank you.

-So if you need any assistance, just give me a shout.

But I'm sure they'll be best friends by dessert.

On the show today, we've got a feast of wonderful objects

that have survived the years.

Mark's put in his place over one of the classics.

-£60.

-No, come on.

-Bit more.

-Don't play around with me.

-Don't play around with you.

Catherine's got a menu with a difference from the 1970s.

"Dogs are not allowed in restaurant cars."

Just in case you bring your dog along.

And a trip down memory lane for Mark.

Infamy! Infamy! They've all got it in for me.

But which item will get the bidders carried away

when it goes under the hammer?

£2,200, we'll sell...

Well, enter into this grand castle

and you will find an unexpected space.

Built in the Jacobean times, as beautiful as it is,

it is now a complete empty shell, as you can see.

Just the very fabric of the building left. As to why?

Well, we'll let you know later on in the programme, but right now, it's

time for our experts to find their first item to take off to auction.

And Mark's got a classic on his table,

but first, he's getting the important stuff out of the way.

-Shirley, how lovely to meet you.

-It's nice to meet you.

I gather, a little birdie tells me, you had a birthday this week.

-Yes, I did.

-Are you going to share it with us?

I don't know whether I should.

Whisper it to me.

-80.

-80 years young?

-Yes.

-Well, you're looking remarkably well on it.

-Thank you.

And thank you for braving the weather

and the temperature today to bring us in a "Flog It!" favourite.

Yes, it is, isn't it?

A piece of CC - Clarice Cliff.

-Yes.

-Now, where's the teapot?

-Got no idea...no idea at all.

-You've never had the teapot?

-No.

-Because it is what we call a little bachelor set.

So this would have been for a single person to have...

-Wouldn't have got much out of that.

-You wouldn't,

-but the teapot would have given you probably one cup of tea.

-Mm.

There would have been a cup, as well, if you wanted it,

in this pattern. But it's so typical, I mean,

you see this, and there's only one designer you can think of, isn't it?

-Yes, that's right.

-Where did you get it from?

-It was my mother-in-law's.

-And you inherited it?

-Yes.

-And do you like it?

Yes, I think it's quite nice.

-But it's very collectable for people who like the Art Deco movement.

-Yes.

We're looking at the jazz age, the mid-1920s, you know,

-everything is changing.

-Mm.

-Modern art is coming in, and you

get these fantastic modern shapes being produced by Clarice Cliff.

And then, very brightly, some people say gaudily decorated,

but I think they're lovely.

I think those bright enamels are really rather exciting to look at.

Yes, I like them. What is that design?

-It's just known as Orange Tree.

-Right.

Strangely enough, I think it might be because the trees are orange.

But we have got a full mark underneath.

Now, sometimes we'll see,

or more often we'll see the word "Bizarre by Clarice Cliff."

-This is "Fantasque"...

-Mm.

..which is another range that Clarice Cliff produced.

And this one is fully marked on both pieces.

-And how old?

-I would have said mid-'20s.

Sort of, 1925 to 1930.

So they're right, bang on,

-for the period for the collectors of this type of thing.

-Right.

Now, money, how much is an old cream jug and sugar bowl worth?

-Got no idea.

-£50?

-Bit more.

-Bit more? £60.

No, come on.

-Bit more.

-Don't play around with me.

-Don't play around with you.

-You've got to get straight to the chase, don't you?

-Yes.

-Well, I think we should put 100 to 150 on them.

-Right.

-With £100 reserve.

-Yes.

-Would you be happy with that?

-Yes.

And what we hope for is somebody's got the teapot out there

-and wants to match the sets up.

-Yeah, could be.

-And they might bid a bit more.

-Mm.

-It's not bad for an old cream jug and sugar bowl, is it?

-No.

-Shall we let a collector have them?

-Yes.

Lovely, well, we'll have a cup of tea to celebrate after,

but not in a Clarice Cliff teapot.

-No, all right.

-See you at the auction.

-You will.

I'll put the kettle on, in the hope that Mark's valuation is

spot-on and will earn him a cup of tea with Shirley.

Now, Catherine's found a very special object

and she has a modest proposal for Peter.

Normally, Peter, at "Flog It!", the way this works is

you would come along, sit down, and I would tell you a little bit

about the item, and then we'd work out an estimate.

But I feel, today, we're going to swap places

and you are going to teach me about this, because I'm afraid

this is not something that I know very much about.

So, over to you.

Well, during the last war, my father spent

a lot of time in North Africa, particularly around Tobruk,

and there was an occasion when the Tiger tanks

that the German Army used were causing a lot of trouble

-to the British Army.

-Hm.

So it was decided to fit out eight or nine Hurricanes

with special engines and rockets

-to try and remove this threat to the British Army.

-Mm-hm.

But sadly, one of those aircraft, very soon after taking off, crashed.

-The pilot escaped uninjured...

-Hm.

..but the aircraft crashed between the German and British lines.

At this time, fighting ceased for a short period.

The Germans and the British met in the middle of the desert

-and salvaged some of the parts from the aircraft...

-Mm-hm.

..and my father acquired the plate from the result of that.

And this is what we've got here today.

This is what we have here today.

This would have been in the pilot's cockpit, and it would be to the right

of him. It would give him details of the air and the oil pressure,

which has, in fact, been altered to take account of the warmer climates.

-Yeah, that's interesting.

-It was a Merlin engine, a Merlin 20.

I can see that, so that's the name of the actual engine

-that this plate was on.

-Yes, that's right.

Is that right? That's fascinating, it really is.

I mean, if you saw something like that, you'd just discard it,

and probably put it in the skip, but once you actually sit and really

-look at it, it's a fantastic piece of social history, isn't it?

-Yes,

-if it could talk...

-If it could talk...

I mean, that is wonderful, isn't it?

It's just, value on something like this,

I mean, it could really get people very excited, I think.

And why is it now that you want to sell it?

I've had it for long enough and somebody else ought to enjoy it.

Yeah, I mean, people really do collect this sort of ephemera,

-don't they?

-Yes.

-Aviation memorabilia in particular...

-Yeah.

..but you've also got that crossover, haven't you?

You've got people who are interested in aeronautica,

but you've also got people who are interested in

-World War I and World War II ephemera...

-Mm.

..so I think that something like this could do rather well.

-Right.

-With...at auction, I think.

-Can we say £60-£80?

-Yes.

-With 50 reserve.

-Yes.

-Or even 40 reserve?

-Shall we say 40 reserve?

-40, 40, 40.

-Let's put 60-80, 40 reserve, and just see what happens.

-Yes.

-Let's hope it takes off.

-Sounds good.

-Very good.

-Thanks very much, Peter.

-Thank you very much.

-Thanks for

teaching me so much, that's interesting. Very interesting.

Peter's engine plaque is an incredible testament to the

brilliant engineers who made these planes,

and the pilots who flew them.

The Hurricane played a vital role

in defeating the Germans during the Battle of Britain in 1940.

But how many of us have heard about the part it played

in the deserts of North Africa?

From 1940 to 1942, the Hurricane was

the most advanced British fighter aircraft in North Africa,

as the Allied forces successfully held off the Germans

from taking the vital oil reserves of the area,

and ultimately leading to Allied victory.

It's amazing how such a small piece can help tell such a big story.

-It's a lighter.

-Oh, is it?

That's made from an old shell.

-HE LAUGHS

-That's really cute, isn't it?

-It's a bit chunky, you wouldn't want it in your pocket, would you?

-No.

Now, Mark's met up with a couple

he's had something to do with before.

Stefan, Anna, it's lovely to see you again.

-It's lovely to see you too.

-Nice to see you too.

-How long ago was it, six years?

-Six years ago, yes.

With those lovely little devils, which you hated.

I remember those little devils well. They weren't to Anna's taste.

I think we should put them in at £300.

-Would you be happy for us to do that?

-Yes.

-I am.

You're quite determined, Anna, aren't you?

But it didn't put the buyers off.

Selling, then, at £950, on the telephone, we go.

This time, of course, you've brought in something a lot more,

-sort of, well, sophisticated, even.

-Oh...

Isn't that beautiful?

Now, is this a family member, Stefan?

Not really... it's my grandfather's first wife.

-OK.

-And it's quite a sad story,

because she died a few days after giving birth to a little boy...

-Oh, gosh.

-..in India, in about 1910.

And her name is Mildred Greenwall.

-Oh, wow.

-From quite a well-to-do family,

and my grandfather was a parson,

naturally, not earning a huge amount of money.

And so, they agreed to them marrying on the condition that he,

his income, was equivalent to hers, and the only way that he could

do that was to become a padre in the Indian Army.

-So they went out to India.

-Gosh.

-And unfortunately...

-She died.

..at her childbirth, she died.

I mean, she was a very beautiful woman,

and this might have been painted, I suppose, at that time,

-because there's a lock of hair in the back.

-Yup.

-Had a little look earlier on.

-That's right.

Which is, obviously, a sentimental thing

when somebody passes on. I mean, she's beautifully painted on ivory.

-These look...

-Is it on ivory?

-I think so, on a very thin sliver of ivory.

-It is, hm, hm...

And quite a controversial subject, obviously, but this,

-it does predate the CITES laws of 1947.

-Mm, mm.

-Clearly, it's 1908, 1910, or something like that.

-Yeah.

-So, we're safe to sell it as an antique object...

-Yeah.

..with what looks like diamonds.

-It'd be lovely if they WERE diamonds.

-I know.

-Yes, we were hoping.

-We were hoping.

But sadly we've tested them and they are paste,

but very good quality antique paste,

and it's in a silver-gilt mount, as well.

And just a beautiful reminder, really,

of someone who was very beautiful herself.

Taking aside the information, it's important that we have it,

because we can write that down and pass it on to the auction house.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-So they can put it in the catalogue description, because

collectors of these sort of things do like to know who the sitters are.

-Yeah.

-We know...

-So what is it worth, do you think?

-No idea.

-No idea.

Well, I think myself, we should comfortably put it in at, sort of,

-say, £300-£500.

-Oh.

-Very good.

-Something like that.

I mean, I think if it can't get that sort of figure,

maybe put the reserve slightly lower, if you're happy with that.

If we have a £250 fixed reserve,

-but let's put the estimate at 300-500...

-Right.

..to show that we believe it should be worth more than that.

And I look forward to seeing it at the auction and...

-We shall look forward to it.

-Yeah.

-It'll go to a good home, I think.

-I'm sure.

Let's hope Mark is right and this lovely locket,

with such good provenance, does really well at auction.

Now, this may look like a fortified building,

but it's never seen any battles.

It was built in the 17th century as a hunting lodge

in the medieval style, harking back to the age of chivalry.

Great place to have a party and entertain your friends,

but right now, we're going to have a party all of our own,

as we go over to auction for the very first time.

Anything can happen, don't go away,

there could be one or two big surprises.

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

We have Shirley's lovely duo of Clarice Cliff, in search of

a teapot-owning collector.

And there's a scrap of a Hurricane's engine

that's a true survivor of World War II,

belonging to Peter.

And there's also

a portrait of Stefan's relative,

who died prematurely, but whose memory endures

through his beautiful painting.

But can it beat the success of his last visit to "Flog It!"?

Dorset has 72 castles, and you can see two of them at Sherborne,

the beautiful town where our auction is being held today.

Sir Walter Raleigh, no less, bought the first Castle,

now a folly, but realising he'd bought

a wreck he couldn't afford to do up,

he promptly settled for building a new one,

at a far reduced cost, which you can visit today.

For our sale today, we've come to Charterhouse Auction Rooms,

and we're hoping for the highest prices

from auctioneer Richard Brommell.

Let's go inside, and hopefully the room will be packed full of bidders.

200, and 20, 240.

260, 280.

Selling at 280...

Just a quick reminder, if you're buying or selling at auction,

there is commission to pay. It varies from saleroom to saleroom.

Here, today, at Charterhouse,

it's 15% plus VAT,

so factor that into the hammer price, but also

deduct that from the hammer price if you're selling something,

because it does add up.

First, it's that incredibly evocative piece of World War II

aeroplane memorabilia, from the battles over North Africa.

I think this is a fantastic piece of aviation history.

It belongs to Peter, who's just joined me.

We have our expert Catherine here.

It's a little plate from a Hawker Hurricane.

Now, they say the Battle of Britain was won by

the Supermarine Spitfire, but really,

the Hurricane played just as big a part in that, didn't it?

It really did, and...

And I think, you know, for spending 60-odd quid in our auction room, to

-go home with a little plate from that Hawker Hurricane...

-I know.

..would be something to treasure, wouldn't it?

-And you've treasured this for a long time.

-Yes, I have.

So, why have you decided to sell it now?

-Well, I'm having a big clear-out at home.

-Oh, are you?

Anything brass, needs polishing, that goes first!

So, will we get the top end for this? I hope so.

-It should be worth that, come on.

-Should be, shouldn't it?

-Let's keep our fingers crossed.

-Come on, ready? Here we go, this is it.

And I'm straight in, at £20 is bid, now. At £20, I have now.

At £20, at £20 I have, and 5.

And 25, 30, 5, 40, 5.

£45, I have.

The seat in the very front row, £45, I have bid.

It's at £45 I have now, selling away, are you all sure?

Fair warning, it sells at 45.

-Wow.

-I'm glad someone's bought that.

-Yeah, so am I.

-Yeah, I'm glad it's gone.

-So am I, nice little thing.

-That's good.

And they should get it mounted up and put on the wall.

I think they probably will.

No more polishing for Peter,

and someone has a real piece of history, there - for a snip.

Onto the painted locket,

that so beautifully conveys the sad story of the sitter.

I think this is beautiful.

-I think you could be going home with lots of money.

-Keep fingers crossed.

-I think it's absolutely amazing.

-Yes, it is.

The quality of the painting.

Quality, quality, quality.

-And we always say, quality always...

-Sells.

It does, but for how much?

We'll find out.

Let the bidders decide. This is it.

And I'm straight in, at £150 is bid now.

Hit me at 150, 160, 170, 180, 190.

200, 220, 240, 260, 280.

At 280, I have now. £280 is bid.

Lady's bid on my right-hand side, at £280.

The internet, you're out. It's on my right.

Selling here at £280. Selling for 280.

-Well, it's gone. I was expecting a lot more.

-Yeah.

-That was real quality.

-I thought we might have done over 300.

Yeah, yeah, look, it's gone, OK? It's gone. You're happy with that.

-I'm happy, I'm happy.

-I think someone got a good deal, there, but hey-ho.

You know, it's gone.

-Yup.

-Phew.

Stefan didn't quite hit the jackpot this time, but the buyer should

certainly be pleased, with such an exquisite portrait.

We love a bit of Clarice Cliff on the show,

but will this piece live up to its reputation?

We've got a bachelor set.

-Well, not quite, have we?

-No teapot, I'm afraid.

-No teapot.

-Just the cream jug and sugar bowl, but a great pattern.

-Mm-hm.

-A really strong pattern.

Why did you decide to bring it in to sell?

Fed up with it, now?

Like everyone else, you know, you have things for a long time

and then you just decide to get rid of them.

I'm hoping this'll do at least 100.

-You never know, someone might have the teapot...

-Lovely, if...

-It makes the set up.

-Yeah.

-Good for a dealer.

-Yes, it's a good trade lot.

Let's find out what the bidders think

and hand the proceedings over to our auctioneer Richard.

The lovely little Clarice Cliff

Orange Trees and House patterned milk jug

with a matching sugar bowl as well, and I've got a lot of bids here.

-I'm straight in here at £200.

-Oh...

-Someone's got the teapot!

-At 200, 220, 240, 260, 280, 300.

At £300, I have now.

At £300 I have bid now, at 300.

At 300, 320, 340.

At £340, I have bid now. At 340.

340. Didn't take long to get there.

-No, it didn't, did it?

-No.

Last chance, fair warning, I sell it at £340, at 340.

And that hammer's gone down. That was exciting, Shirley.

-That was a good sale.

-It was, wasn't it?

-Yeah, happy with that?

-I am.

I think you could go shopping with that. Buy something for yourself.

-Don't you?

-I don't know about that.

I'll think about that on the way home.

'Go ahead, Shirley, treat yourself!

'And now you and Mark can enjoy that nice cup of tea he promised.'

At 170, it's bid at £170, 170.

Now, our valuation day venue, Lulworth Castle, has been

in the Weld family since the 17th century,

but their time there has been quite precarious.

Theirs literally is a story of survival against all the odds.

Now, while we're here in the area filming, I had the opportunity to go

behind the facade of Lulworth Castle to delve into their family album.

And what a family album it is.

Up there, that's Sir Humphrey Weld,

self-made man and esteemed London official,

followed by Humphrey II, his grandson,

who acquired the Lulworth estate in 1641.

The castle became the family seat,

a grand statement of the family's status - or so it seemed.

After Henry VIII's Reformation of the English Church,

when he broke away from Rome, things became tough for Catholics.

It was illegal for them to practise and the punishments were severe.

They faced heavy taxation and lost public office.

Anti-Catholic feeling was high, and any blatant show of faith

could lead to persecution or even worse, death.

Now, there was just one problem for the Welds - they were Catholics.

In other words, they were flouting the new religious laws.

It was to prove a dangerous position to take.

Humphrey lost his official positions,

and the financial repercussions left him bankrupt.

It was to be a familiar story for generations to come.

Despite these impositions,

the committed Weld family continued to worship secretly

in their own home, something that was fraught with danger,

and over there is a reminder of what was at stake.

This is known as recusant silver, the word "recusant" referring to

Roman Catholics who refused to attend an Anglican service.

Now, this is a chalice, a chalice with a difference.

It's a portable chalice, and I can show you why,

because it actually splits into three separate parts.

I can unscrew the bowl here, reason being,

this could be hidden inside a priest's cassock,

quite secretly, and then, once he felt safe enough,

it could be assembled

and then filled with wine.

Interestingly enough, on an item of silver of this quality,

you'd expect to see an assay mark and maker's initials,

but there's absolutely nothing.

I'd imagine the silversmith refused to identify himself

by stamping his initials in this,

through fear of being persecuted.

And there you are, look at that, a remarkable survivor

and a wonderful piece of history.

GREGORIAN CHANT PLAYS

With Catholicism outlawed, the Weld family lay low for 100 years,

but by the late 1700s, there was a softening of feeling towards

Catholics, and George III brought an easing of sanctions.

King George III visited the Weld family on several occasions,

whilst en route to Weymouth,

and on one particular visit, he gave the family his agreement

that they could build a mausoleum and furnish it as they pleased.

This is what they came up with. In other words,

it was a tacit acknowledgement by the King that they could

use this as a place of worship.

And what an amazing place it is,

a fine Palladian-style chapel,

perfectly symmetrical, complete with an altar

from one of the finest Russian architects of the time.

In 1789, George III visited the completed chapel.

The Welds finally had the approval

they had been seeking for so long.

Just two years later,

an act was passed to allow Catholics to worship freely,

making this the first freestanding Roman Catholic chapel in England

since the Reformation.

It might have seemed like a new beginning for the Welds.

By 1929, 140 years later,

the castle was the home of Herbert Weld,

and decked out in the latest interior designs of the day.

He was facing the same financial struggle that many

owners of grand country estates encountered shortly after

the First World War, but things were to get a whole lot worse.

At 9:30 on the 29th of August, the alarm was raised, as fire broke out,

probably caused by faulty wiring, and rapidly spread.

This amazing footage, caught at the time, shows the force of the fire

as it rampaged quickly through the building.

Different fire crews from the surrounding area rushed to

get here, and at first, they had the fire under control,

but they weren't the only ones on the scene.

Now, look at this, this is just one of many newspaper articles

printed at the time about the fire, and inside, it says

men from the Tank Corps School at Lulworth,

Roman Catholic priests, girl guides, farm labourers

and even schoolchildren helped with the salvage.

And soon, quickly, the lawns of the castle became strewn with

valuable pieces of furniture, pictures and books.

And Herbert Weld, looking on,

must have felt a slight sense of relief,

knowing that his place, and its contents, were about to be saved.

But things took a turn for the worse.

The height of the castle made it hard to access.

The towers acted like chimneys, drawing the fire upwards,

and fatally, the water supply ran out.

For 50 years, the castle remained a ruined shell,

until, in 1983, the Welds proved their staying power yet again,

joining forces with English Heritage,

to make the castle safe.

But what became of the contents?

Well, most of the recovered pieces were lost, due, really,

to a poorly drafted will, but the family are buying back works of art.

There's one piece I'd like to show you.

I'm absolutely in love with this. It's the original 17th-century door

to the original 17th-century hunting lodge.

And here we are, look.

And I like the way it's been hung to the wall,

so you can actually move it around like this.

It almost becomes a piece of sculpture,

but it's incredibly tactile, and it is full of history.

Just think of the people who'd have walked through this door

throughout its lifetime. And here it is, look,

it's a wonderful symbol of the Weld family's survival

through religious persecution and crisis,

and I'm sure, as one door closes for them, many more will open.

And here we are, back at our valuation day,

inside the castle that miraculously withstood the flames.

As the current owners of Lulworth Castle,

Wilfrid and Sally Weld, sadly can't be here,

they've asked their gardener Matt

to bring along a piece that survived their turbulent family history.

-Hi.

-What have you got on your lap?

Well, this is a leather-covered tabernacle.

It was originally in a private chapel of Hanwell Castle,

owned by George Berkeley,

who later went on to marry the owner of the estate here,

Wilfrid Weld's aunt Joan.

And when George sadly passed away, Aunt Joan sold Hanwell Castle.

-Right.

-And consequently, this came down here

and it's been here ever since.

So, what are they hoping to do with this?

Do they want to sell it or do they want a valuation, or what?

They want it to go somewhere where it's going to be appreciated

and, yeah, they want to sell it.

I mean, looking at it, you can tell by the grain straight away,

it's a pine carcass.

There's nothing wrong with that,

but it hasn't been built by a cabinet-maker.

It is crude. It's rather elementary.

It's been put together by somebody that's, let's say,

good with their hands, a DIY person, not a professional cabinet-maker.

That is the sad thing about it.

-And it's late 19th-century.

-Ah, right.

Hasn't got a great deal of age, but interestingly enough, the person

who has done the torque leather-work is a professional leather-worker.

Yeah, Mr Weld seems to think it might have

originated from Spain or Italy.

Now, that was going to be my next assumption.

-It's not English, it is continental.

-Right.

And being a tabernacle box, you would straight away say,

-yes, Spain or Italy...

-Uh-huh.

-..for the Roman Catholic Church.

But I do love the trailing grapevine, and fruit.

-I love that foliate work. I mean, it puts a smile on my face.

-Good.

And-and-and, I think if I like it, somebody else is going to like it.

-I think, if we put it into auction with a value of £100-£150.

-Oh, OK.

Fixed reserve at £100, I think you'll...

I think that's possibly more than they were expecting.

Well, then, that's good, we're singing from the same hymn sheet.

-That's OK, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Whatever happens, we'll get it away,

but it won't be enough to get you a new sit-on lawnmower.

OK...that's OK.

Onto Catherine's next find,

and when is a tatty piece of paper not just a piece of paper?

She can tell us.

Michael, this is a great piece that you've brought in.

I love things like this. This is right up my street.

So, we've got a menu, which has come from a train travelling down

from Waterloo to Southampton, but this is no ordinary menu, is it?

Tell me more.

No, what it is...my dad worked on the trains in the early '70s,

and the Man United team were playing Southampton,

and he got all their signatures, yeah.

So, whilst he was serving them, or probably after, he ran round,

-and got them all to sign the menu.

-Yeah, that's right, yeah.

He passed it around and they said, "No problem," and they all signed it.

-Wonderful, he must have been so proud of that.

-Yes, yeah.

-Did he know they were going to be on there?

-I don't think so, no.

-So it was a real shock.

-Yeah.

And very lucky to be in the right, sort of, carriage at the right time.

-Yes, yeah.

-What a story to come home and tell the family

at the time, I should think that was pretty amazing.

-Yeah.

-Is he a big football fan?

-Yeah, he's a Bournemouth fan.

-Ah, so not a Man United supporter.

-No.

But nevertheless, to get the signatures...

Now, I'm no football expert, but I can see straight away,

one of the signatures that is probably going to make this

-is Georgie Best, signed down there.

-Yeah.

And also, Bobby Charlton up here.

Does your father remember anything about them?

Yeah, he remembered them,

and the manager made sure he was happy with being tipped and stuff.

-They tipped him a bit.

-Oh, did they? Oh, good.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah,

they looked after him. And you know,

it was quite a thing, you know, to serve them all and...

-to meet the whole team.

-Absolutely, it must be so memorable,

after doing commuters on a daily basis

and then all of a sudden, to have the football team.

I'd love to see what they were having for breakfast,

-so shall we have a quick look?

-Yeah.

This is so typical, isn't it, of the '70s?

We've got "Choice of chilled fruit juices or cornflakes."

Well, that's not terribly exciting.

And then we've got, "Bacon, fried egg and chipolata,

"or grilled bacon and chipolatas,

"or grilled chipolatas and fried egg."

So, not a huge variation there.

But I love this right at the bottom, here, we've got,

"Dogs are not allowed in restaurant cars."

Just in case you bring your dog along.

What worries me slightly is the more important signatures,

like Georgie Best, are a little bit faded, this one more in particular.

That's the one that is really the most crucial

and it's not in the best condition. It is a little bit faded.

-So that will slightly affect the value.

-Yeah.

-But I'm going to put £80-£120 on this.

-Yes.

-But who knows?

With the internet, this could really go places.

-It really could, cos it's a great piece.

-Oh, good.

So why are you selling it now?

Well, my dad is raising money for a little charity in Bournemouth.

Right, OK. Well, let's hope we can raise a significant

amount of money for your charity.

-Thank you so much for bringing it along, Michael.

-Thanks.

-Good to meet you. Thank you.

-Thank you.

# Glory, glory, Man United

# Glory, glory, Man United... #

While the crowds are having fun, I'm off to explore.

# As the reds go marching on, on, on. #

Now, there is something I want to show you,

because I am fascinated by architecture.

What we have here is a castle that hasn't been restored

to its former glory, but it's been made safe

using minimum amount of modern technology to make it safe.

Look, new steel columns.

New green oak RSJs, but if you look up there, right at the top,

Victorian plasterwork. Below it, where that stair-line is,

lathe and plasterwork, put in by the Georgians and that has survived.

Look at it, look at the burnt ends, there.

And right up there, that's a Jacobean window.

So what we have here is 350 years of fascinating history, all exposed.

It's not dressed up and decorated, it's not pretentious,

it's left in the raw.

And if you love architectural detail, this is a must.

And now, back to our valuation tables,

and Mark is on very safe territory with his next find,

and it's one that is guaranteed to put a smile on all our faces.

-Now, it's Simon and Simon, is that right?

-That's right, yes.

Well, I can't get that wrong, can I? Or maybe I can. I love Carry Ons.

-Who is the Carry On fan?

-That's me, I'm afraid.

-Is it?

I love it, don't you?

-Yeah, just fantastic. I loved them as a boy, the schoolboy humour.

-Me too.

-And now it's nostalgia, so...

-Well, we used to titter, didn't we?

Cos the, you know, cos we'd just started to learn what some of these

expressions meant, and they were rather fun.

Who was your favourite, did you have a favourite?

Not really. Obviously, people like Kenneth Williams.

-When I was a boy, Kenneth Williams, cos he was so outrageous.

-Absolutely.

But I've been lucky enough to meet a few of them since,

so that's changed my mind a bit.

These are just fantastic.

I know we all have our favourite lines, as well, from them,

don't we, a bit? Which we can't go into in detail, here, but I'm sure,

"Oh, matron," and all that sort of thing comes out, doesn't it?

And they went on for years, didn't they?

-The longest-running film series.

-20-odd years, yeah.

I mean, which is incredible.

And, of course, I'm like a lot of other people,

if I see them on repeat on some of the channels, I'm glued.

And I know what the lines are. You know, I know,

"Infamy! Infamy! They've all got it in for me."

I mean, I know these lines, you know?

-And yet we still laugh at them, don't we?

-Yeah, it's still funny.

You've got a random selection here,

but these two are the most important ones, aren't they? The framed ones.

Yes, they're by an artist called Tom Chantrell.

-Very famous in the '60s.

-Popular poster artist, wasn't he?

-Pop artist, really.

-And these are great, actually.

And they're...if you look, they're a lot more, in some ways,

sort of, pop-art-y than the other ones.

These are just caricatures, almost, aren't they? With the funny faces.

-Whereas this is much more...

-As the films went on, yeah,

it all became more caricature, as did the artwork.

But Simon, are you a great fan of this and collecting them?

I am, I enjoy Carry On but perhaps not

so much the poster art, though I do enjoy the films.

Well, you obviously love them, but why are you selling them?

Work probably takes us abroad,

so it's maybe time to move them on.

-Yeah.

-Abroad? Well, there was a film, Carry On Abroad.

-There was.

So, you're carrying on abroad, are you?

Wonderful, I think that's great fun.

I mean, I think we've decided that these ones are more,

sort of, general and range moderately in price.

So, maybe, as a group lot, at sort of £400-£500,

-something like that.

-OK.

But these two, sort of, more pop-art-y ones by a known designer,

-I think carry a little bit more cash.

-Mm.

And they're already framed,

you can put them straight up on the wall.

So, I'm hoping, with a fair wind behind them, that, you know,

-we can get 2,000-2,500 for those.

-That would be good.

Let's put them in and we can all go on "Carry On Flog It!".

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

What a carry-on. Well, let's hope for a lot of enthusiastic

Carry On fans in the saleroom.

Now, before we leave Lulworth Castle for the very last time today,

there's something I want to show you.

It is this, an old telescope which survived the fire.

Sadly, it's not in working condition,

but the Welds were great navigators,

great sailors, so, it could have possibly belonged to one of them.

It's a remarkable symbol of the family's

survival over the generations. It's a great relic.

Now, if you make the effort to come and climb the stairs

of this tower here at the castle,

and you want to look out there, you won't be disappointed,

because there is a modern one here that you can use.

Make the effort, it's worth it, because the view is spectacular.

Right, now, it's time to say goodbye to Lulworth Castle

as we head over to auction for the very last time today,

and here's a quick recap of the three items we're taking with us.

There's the religious tabernacle that's been in the Weld family

for generations.

Will Michael find a Manchester United fan to buy his menu,

signed by some of our football greats, so he can

donate the proceeds to a good cause?

And there are the two Simons' iconic film posters, going in as two lots.

But will the posters by the artist Chantrell

cause a right old carry-on in the saleroom?

First, it's time for the Weld family Italianate tabernacle,

brought along today by Mr Weld.

We had a fantastic valuation day.

-Good, good, I'm very pleased.

-It was just the best.

-So sorry to have missed it...

-Well, we had a big turnout, anyway.

..but I had to take my wife to France for her birthday.

It was expensive, yes.

Obviously, you can remember this little leather-covered box,

-can't you?

-Yes, it was left to me by my aunt,

who was 20 years older than my father, and was also my godmother.

And did you use the cupboard at all?

Oh, not really, no. My wife was...

she kept her gin in it, but...

A gin cupboard, I like that!

Well, look, it's...for me it's like an item of folk art, you know?

It's got everything going for it, let's see if we can find a buyer,

right here, right now. It's going under the hammer.

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

-Here we are.

Little cabinet here,

and I'm straight in at 50,

60, 70, 80, 90.

At £90, I have, now.

-He's out on the book, come on, come on.

-£90, at 90.

Last chance, fair warning.

The bid is with me at 90, at 90...

Not quite there, it's a couple of pounds short.

-Yeah.

-So, it didn't reach the reserve, so we've protected it.

So, it's going home,

or you can have a chat to the auctioneer

and re-enter it into another sale if you want to.

-Yeah, I'll probably do that, yeah.

-OK.

And Mr Weld agreed to sell that after all,

with the proceeds going to a good local cause.

Well, I hope those Manchester United fans out there

are sitting up straight for our next lot -

the signed menu by two footballing greats,

George Best and Bobby Charlton.

And Michael's brought along his dad to explain why

he decided to sell the autographs.

You've obviously hung onto these for a long time now.

Yeah, my dad's had them for, well, 45 years, isn't it?

-I think, yeah, 40 or 50.

-Yeah.

So why did you decide to bring them in to the valuation day?

-Well...

-Well, we're big fans of your show, partly,

and partly, well, my dad can tell you.

We were going to try and raise...

Unfortunately, I lost a son, back, sorry...

-About 18 months ago, and we've got a fund.

-Right.

So we're hoping that'll go to the fund.

-Well, good luck.

-That will be great...that's lovely.

Well, we need some football fans in the audience, don't we, right now?

-We do. It's a brilliant...

-Cos these are big names.

-Big names.

Fingers crossed we get the top money, Michael. Here it is.

And I'm straight in here at £60, I have bid.

With me at £60, I have. With the bid at £60 and away now.

-Come on.

-60, 70.

At £70 and away now.

Legends, these are legend names.

£70 and away, here, going away.

And selling at £70, at 70...

We had a bit of discretion at 70. I would have liked a bit more on that.

-Oh, yes.

-Those names, ah...

Well, they have gone. Thank you for sharing the memories with us

and it's, you know, it's a little bit of money for the cause, there.

-Lovely.

-Every little helps.

-It does, doesn't?

And thank you, guys, for coming in.

Well, I'm glad Michael and his father sold the football autographs

and can put the proceeds towards the fund in memory of his son.

It's the moment we've all been waiting for.

Will Simon and Simon carry on laughing

when their fabulously kitsch posters go under the hammer?

OK, look, we've got all of these posters.

-Now, I know you've separated...

-We have.

-..into two lots.

So, the first lot going under the hammer,

we're looking for around four, maybe £500,

-hopefully a bit more.

-That's right.

-OK?

There are some folds and some, sort of, Sellotape repairs.

And they're the more, regular ones, I think,

-aren't they?

-And there's eight of those.

-And eight of those.

OK, so that's the first lot.

-The second lot, it's all down to the artist.

-It is.

-So we've now got £2,000-£2,500 on just those two.

-Yes.

-Fingers crossed.

-A lot riding on that.

-Big money.

It's a big difference between those and the rest.

Yeah, but I'm happy to take them home again.

Well, I think they'll look great on anyone's wall,

-as a collage running along like that.

-I would love them.

-Movie history. Well, look, good luck, guys.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Here's the first lot going under the hammer, now. This is it.

A lot of bids, here. I'm straight in here at £400. I have bid at 400.

-Oh, well, that's a sale.

-That's it.

-At £400, I have now.

At £400, 420, 450.

At 450, against the internet.

At 450, at 450, it's on commission at 450.

-That's good, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-At 500, with me, at 500.

-These were the ones we thought would struggle.

-Yeah.

-Against the internet, £500, it's at 520.

-Internet's back in again at 520.

-Carry On Internet.

With me, at £550, your last chance, I sell at £550.

At 550...

-Brilliant, hammer's gone down.

-That's not bad, is it?

-Good result.

-Yeah.

-That's the top of what we wanted, isn't it?

That's very good,

-I'm very happy with that.

-Yeah, OK.

-This is the next one, now.

-OK, the big one.

-Carry On Cowboy poster.

-This is the big pair.

Another, Carry On Cabby, here.

There we are, there's Pistol Pete.

Lot number 954, and I'm straight in at...

-£980 is bid.

-Will they hit it, though?

1,000, 1,100, 1,200, 1,300.

-Right, it's rising.

-1,400, 1,500, 1,600.

1,700, 1,800, 1,900. At 1,900.

At £1,900 and away, now.

At £1,900. Anyone else for that? Be quick.

2,000 is bid, thank you. At £2,000, I have.

-We've got it.

-We've done it.

-On the internet, 2,200 is bid.

-That's 2,200 on the internet.

-Yes.

£2,200, last chance, fair warning,

I sell, at £2,200, we sell...

Job done. Hey, you've got to be pleased with that, guys?

-Yeah, totally.

-We're pleased.

-Yeah?

Sad as well, but thrilled.

-The bad news is, there's commission to pay.

-Yeah, well...

Everyone has to pay that, that's how they pay for the building,

-isn't it, really, and their wages?

-Absolutely.

It's 15% plus VAT, so...

-You can enjoy yourselves with that, can't you?

-Absolutely.

-Thank you.

That's a great way to end today's show, as well.

-Thank you, Mark. Thank you Simons!

-Thank you.

Join us again for more auctions in the future,

it is Carry On Auctioneering, for us.

See you soon.