Chiddingstone Castle 37 Flog It!

Today, Flog It! comes from Kent,

a county that has more historic houses and castles

than any other in the UK.

And we've been given the grounds of one of the finest.

Chiddingstone Castle,

where we're hoping to find extraordinary antiques

and colourful characters.

Well, it's a glorious, sunny day here

and the Flog It! flag is flying,

so it's time to let the games begin.

And welcome to...

ALL: Flog It!

Chiddingstone Castle can trace its roots back to the 1500s,

when the first timber-framed building occupied the site.

Since then, it's undergone several transformations,

and now sits proudly as a Gothic-inspired castle.

It's steeped in history,

and it's a perfect location for a valuation day in the sun.

Well, our visitors have turned up nice and early today

to get their antiques and collectables valued.

And don't forget, the lucky ones will be going off to auction,

where hopefully, it'll be game, set and match,

as those items go under the hammer.

Competing to find the best items of the day

are veterans of Flog It! Thomas Plant...

Isn't that pretty? You know, isn't it funny,

the way people hide the greatest gems underneath?

..and Adam Partridge.

I'm having a great morning already.

I've only seen a couple of people, and we're hitting gold every time.

They have been walking the Flog It! queues for ten years,

and have a near-psychic ability to spot the gold.

So, Adam, what are you looking at, delving into an album box?

-I've found something that might be of interest.

-That is very rare!

-I don't even need to open it to know.

-It's extremely rare.

I just don't know how they do it(!)

The people of Kent have brought us an array of items, some inherited,

some bought, but all with a story to tell and a value to reveal.

On today's show, there's disbelief at the valuation tables...

-Really?

-Yeah. That was a good "really"?

-Yeah!

..surprises at the auction room...

Five.

Top split!

Yes, good.

..and I end up at a Kent location

where you wouldn't expect to find antiques.

-I feel like you're...

-That's it, keep going.

..disappearing down a plughole! It's like you're in a vortex!

Well, I don't envy the chap who has to mow the lawn here.

There's 35 acres of it.

And everyone seems to be enjoying this setting.

But right now, it's time to catch up with expert Thomas Plant.

-Welcome.

-Thank you very much.

And you've brought along a very attractive piece of jewellery.

-I'm pleased you think so.

-No, I like it.

First of all, it's by Georg Jensen -

or George Jenson -

the Danish silversmith and jeweller.

What do you know about it?

Well, it was given to me by my father-in-law many, many,

-many, many years ago. I've never worn it.

-Really?

Talk me through the gift from your father-in-law.

-Is he Danish?

-No. He sadly passed away quite a long time ago,

but what he couldn't have known is that my grandchildren are Danish.

-Are they?

-Yes.

-Well, he would never know that, would he?

-No.

So was this when you were married, or when you were just getting married?

-Yes, newly married.

-Newly married.

And yes, this was probably a Christmas present.

It's so long ago that I'm ashamed to say I don't really remember.

It won't be that long ago!

But anyway, it's quite an interesting gift,

because you look at Georg Jensen, and you perceive it to be quite a...

It's quite a high-end piece of jewellery,

even though it's only silver.

This piece here is called Moonlight.

-It's one of his earliest designs.

-Oh!

-It's still in production today.

-It's still being made.

-Right! That same design?

That same design, but they do inset it with jewellery,

with stones, and amethysts and moonstones and garnets

to make it come alive a bit more.

This piece in itself dates from 1959,

-so long, long time before you were married.

-Yeah, yes!

-It was second-hand when he gave it to you.

-Right. That's fine.

Well, absolutely. We are in the second-hand market. My business is.

But what I find intriguing is,

I want the back story of how he came about it,

why he gave it to you,

and I've seen it's never been worn, because you've not even cleaned it.

-No.

-Have you?

-No.

That looks rather handsome.

The whole idea about Danish and Scandinavian design

is taking our influence from nature.

-That's exactly what you've got there, isn't it?

-Yes.

With the budding flowers, etc.

-The fact that you've never worn it, is that why you've brought it?

-Yes.

I mean, I've had it probably 40 years.

-I think it's lovely, but I don't wear brooches.

-Well, value.

-I've bigged it up quite a lot, haven't I?

-It's fine.

-What do you think it's worth?

-Maybe £50.

-Oh, no, it's worth more than that.

-Oh, right.

It's probably worth about 80 to 120.

-And I know that's an auctioneer's estimate.

-Yes.

But it's definitely worth that.

Excellent, excellent. That's lovely.

And I think there's no question

you should definitely put a reserve on it.

-Of?

-£70.

-That's fine.

-It's got to be,

because these always sell between that figure,

and I'd like it to go up a little bit.

Will you buy a piece of jewellery you will wear?

-No.

-Why not?

-Well, I don't really wear jewellery.

-OK.

-It'll probably go to going to Denmark, see the grandchildren.

-OK.

-They're super-stylish, these Danes, aren't they?

-Oh, wonderful.

-They're super-stylish.

-Yes, yes.

-We could learn a few things.

-We could, we could.

Isn't it great when an item from the past

helps complete a circle in the present?

# Always take the weather with you

# Everywhere you go

# Always take the weather

# The weather with you. #

Alison, thank you for bringing something along

a little more unusual than we see on the...

regular items that we see on the programme.

These lovely Chinese gouache paintings on leaves.

How did you come by these?

They belonged to my grandmother,

-and I think she gave them to me in the early '70s.

-Right.

I can't remember exactly when, but it was before she died.

You have childhood memories of them?

I certainly do, yes. And I think I've got photographs of them

-in my grandmother's house when my mother was young.

-How nice!

I'm not totally sure, but I think I remember seeing them.

How do you think your grandmother came by them?

-Did she travel to the Far East?

-No, no, I'm sure she didn't.

I've no idea where she got them from.

-It would be interesting to know, wouldn't it?

-It would be.

But typically, these things were produced

at the end of the 19th century,

and often produced for export to the west,

and sometimes brought back by merchant seamen, etc,

or shipped over for export.

They're very nicely executed, aren't they?

Each unsigned, but very nicely done.

They've survived incredibly well,

considering they're over 100 years old.

What's made you come along to bring them to Flog It! today,

then, Alison, because you quite like them, don't you?

I do, I love them, but I didn't decide to come till last night,

and I thought, "What shall I bring?"

And I've inherited a lot of stuff over the years,

and, as with a lot of people, we're going to have to move

-to a smaller house at some stage, so it's a good time to start.

-I see.

We do see them from time to time,

and sometimes you see the leaf painting. You also see them on...

Rice paper is another popular medium,

or material to be painted on.

But these are most pleasant,

and they have a value usually of around...

well, 40-60,

40-60, 70-100.

-So, sort of £150-£200, I'd have thought.

-Mm-hm.

Is that something that you'd be...?

Well, if it goes to a good home, and it leaves a little space,

not for something else, but just a little space, it's a good idea.

Well, I think so. And there is a strong interest

in all things Chinese at the moment. It's very much in fashion.

I think we should place a reserve on them, so that they're not undersold.

I would suggest that figure should be about £120,

just as a caution rather than as a target.

-Does that sound all right?

-That sounds fine, yes.

-Good.

Thank you for bringing them, Alison.

I look forward to seeing them coming under the hammer,

because they're a tricky thing to predict today,

but I'd like to think they'll make a bit more than what we've suggested.

Gouache painting uses a paint similar to watercolour

to create this striking opaque picture.

But will the bidders take an interest?

Find out in a few minutes.

# That's the way, uh-huh, uh-huh

-# I like it

-Uh-huh, uh-huh

# That's the way, uh-huh, uh-huh... #

Well, you can't beat a Flog It! valuation day

when the weather's like this.

-Are you having a good time, everyone?

-ALL: Yes!

-Yes!

Now, hopefully, you're all Flog It! fans,

otherwise you would not be here today.

Let's find the biggest Flog It! fan, shall we?

Who has been watching the show for, let's say, two or three years?

-Most of you, surely!

-VARIOUS: Yes!

Who's been watching the show for... Five years?

-Yes!

-Gosh, the same amount of hands.

-Who's been watching the show for ten years?

-Yes!

No, I don't believe it!

HE LAUGHS

We're actually in our 13th year,

so you've been with us for the whole course of our history.

That's absolutely fabulous.

# And it's time to feel good! #

Well, time flies when you're having fun,

and it's time that is on Thomas' mind.

He's found a quiet spot to listen to

the mechanics of Roberta's beautiful pocket watch.

"Time and tide waits for no man."

And we have a very nice watch here.

Absolutely beautiful.

-Where's it come from?

-Thank you. I wish I knew.

We just found it with all sorts of bits and pieces

-that came from both families.

-Just found it?

And I don't know whose it is.

I mean, it must have been one family or the other, but we don't know.

So, it's quite a nice find, really, isn't it?

I don't know anything about watches, so I presumed it was gold,

-but I really don't know.

-It is gold. It is 18-carat gold.

-It is a full hunter. Full hunter means it's covered on both sides.

-OK.

And the maker is clearly on there.

Henri Hoffman. Lovely.

An absolutely delightful thing to have.

And I can't believe you don't know who owns it, or where it's from.

It's from Switzerland. It dates from the early part of the 20th century.

Might be slightly later in the 19th, but in super quality.

The only thing it's suffered is this rubbing on the case.

Presumably from being in a pocket...?

Yes, being in a pocket. The hands are really pretty.

You've got this lovely, lovely movement here. Can you see that?

-And it's working.

-It is! That's amazing.

-Ticking away.

-Isn't it beautiful?

-Yeah.

-Really great.

What's it worth? Well, considering you didn't know you had it,

it's a really nice little gem.

Because it is 18-carat gold, there is a gold value to it,

but watches, pocket watches especially,

-are becoming more and more collectable.

-Are they?

-Yes, our friends in the Far East are buying them.

-OK.

Therefore, the prices are slightly going up.

I mean, the gold value is there anyway.

It's worth at least £300-£500.

-Right.

-So I think that we use that as a good starting figure.

-How does that grab you?

-I know nothing about them,

-so anything is good.

-You're very honest to say that!

"I know nothing about it."

But it is lovely, it's cased,

and if I had £300, I'd certainly think that's a great investment.

Are we going to put a reserve on at?

That's a good question. Shall we put a reserve?

-What do you think?

-I think we should. 280.

-OK.

-Fix it at 280.

-OK.

I mean, it's going to make that anyway, but we'll fix it at 280.

-Could we fix it at 300? Or is that pushing our luck?

-We can.

No, not at all. If you want to go for 300, we'll go for £300.

OK. Let's do that.

-Let's do that. Fix it at 300.

-OK.

-Because I think it's worth every single penny.

-OK!

-Thank you for coming.

-Thank you. Thank you very much.

Well, our Flog It! visitors have been showing their treasures

to our experts, who have been suitably impressed.

So it's time for our first visit to the auction room.

Let's put those values to the test. Don't go away.

Anything could happen.

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

Quality Danish design, and it's never been worn.

It's sure to sell.

But for how much?

And will the unusual design of these paintings put the bidders off,

or have them flocking to the auction room?

And time's up for Roberta's pocket watch.

Will it make the £300 reserve?

Our auction today is across the lush Kent countryside

and over the county border to Surrey,

where Ewbank's auction house is our host.

There are salerooms like this all over the country,

and there's probably one near you,

so go along and find yourself a quirky bargain,

or a special piece of history.

And right now, the Flog It! lots are up,

and Tim Duggan is the man on the rostrum.

It's not sold until his hammer goes down.

Well, I've just been joined by Alison and our expert Adam,

and going under the hammer right now,

something I have never seen on the show,

and we've done nearly 1,000 shows. Paintings on Oriental leaves.

You don't know where these came from, do you? Someone in the family?

From my grandmother, but I don't know where she got them.

-When she got them?

-No.

-And where have they been?

They've been all over the world, as far as I'm aware.

Kenya, Ireland, England several times,

Spain, and then back to England.

They're well-travelled, aren't they?

We're going to put it to the test right now. Here we go. Good luck.

And how do you see this? £100 for it?

100 is bid. 100 is bid now. 110 now.

110, I've got now. Look for 120 anywhere?

At 110. Don't stop me now.

At 110, all and done, then, at 110.

Not sold.

-Oh!

-Oh, no. You're taking them home,

-and you're going to enjoy them.

-Yeah.

I'm sure they're worth what we estimated them at,

but perhaps today wasn't their day,

-and they might belong in a more specialist Oriental sale.

-Yeah.

Always protect your investment with a reserve.

-It's the sensible thing.

-Yeah.

There are no guarantees at auction,

but there's always another time,

and now, an horologist's dream.

I tell you what, it's just about to hot up in here,

because it's going to get exciting, because I think this is quality,

and it's working, so it won't put the bidders off.

-And in the original box.

-Yeah.

Fingers crossed we can send you home with lots of money.

-I hope so, yeah.

-OK?

-Yeah.

OK. This is it. It's going under the hammer.

And a lot of interest, and we go in at £200 now. £200 now.

200, 220, 240, 260,

280, 300.

320, 340...

Got a commission bid.

360, 380.

With you, sir, at £380 now.

Looking for 400 anywhere?

At £380 in the room, we are.

-380!

-All done, then?

Selling, then, at £380.

-Roberta, that's sold!

-Excellent! That's exciting!

-It's good, isn't it?

-Brilliant.

-Are you happy with that?

-Very happy.

-Good.

Look, there is commission to pay. It's 18%. That includes VAT.

It's a bit of money to spend. Hopefully you can enjoy it.

Yeah, I will. Brilliant. Thank you.

Pocket watches are gaining in popularity,

so if you have one tucked away, maybe now is the time to sell.

Next, Maureen's Danish brooch by...

How do you say the name again?

Do you know what, I always say "George Jenson",

cos I'm not one for accents.

-What do you say?

-"Yorg".

-You do?

-Georg.

-Georg. Yeah.

-HE LAUGHS

Well, look, it's going under the hammer right now. This is it.

Interest we have, and I go in at £50 online now.

55 now. 60.

65 now. 70, I need online.

-There's a phone bid.

-80 online.

85. 90.

95. 100.

-110, 120 online.

-This is the beauty of the internet.

110, I have. 120 online now.

120 online. It's your bid now.

Online now. Do I have 130 anywhere?

At 120, then, it's online we go...

-130 now. 130.

-Top split!

Looking for 140 anywhere? At 130, online we go, then.

Selling, then, online at 130.

-Bang! The hammer's gone down.

-Excellent!

-Well done, you.

-Well, well done, you!

It always sells, it always sells.

£160 in the doorway now.

Selling, then. In the doorway we go, then. Selling, then, at 360.

Well, there you are. Three lots done and dusted, under the hammer.

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

Right now, we're hurtling back across the border to Kent,

to visit one Britain's best loved racetracks,

where I put pedal to metal down at Brands Hatch.

Two and a half miles of track.

Cars driving wildly at hundreds of miles an hour.

Sponsorship deals worth millions,

and an international audience of billions.

This is Brands Hatch,

a Formula One racetrack for 22 years.

Loved by all the driving greats from Stirling Moss to Graham Hill.

But how did this world-renowned track come about,

and why here in Kent?

Well, it all started with an overgrown field,

and the humble bicycle.

In 1926, a group of cyclists were riding past on bikes like this,

led by a local man, Ron Argent.

Now, Ron noticed that the field's natural contours acted like

something of an amphitheatre,

and he thought this would be the ideal racetrack,

with these banks acting as natural viewing platforms.

At the time, the area was owned by Brands Hatch Farm,

so the cyclists approached the owners to see if they could use it

as a racetrack and, thanks to the farmer saying yes,

Brands Hatch was born.

HE RINGS BICYCLE BELL

The first ever race was in 1926,

and it was between cyclists and the cross-country runners.

Nobody knows quite why the contest was between man and machine.

The runners won the day,

and the event put the wheels in motion for more wheels in motion.

Before long, the circuit developed into a three-quarter-mile track

in the valley, attracting even more two-wheelers -

this time, the motorised kind.

Local groups of motorcyclists got together,

and they had their first meet here in March of 1932.

50cc Nortons and Triumphs raced on the dusty, noisy track.

Within two decades, the circuit was tarmacked,

and races attracted 30,000 spectators.

And this was just the beginning.

By the 1950s, the track started filling up with cars like this,

a 1953 Staride Formula 3,

the first car ever to race at Brands Hatch.

It was the forerunner to the Formula 1 car,

and this particular one raced here at Brands Hatch in 1953.

Its present owner Xavier brought it back to Brands Hatch to race again,

61 years later, after its first outing.

-Hello.

-Hi, hello. Good to see you.

-And you. And what a machine.

-Brilliant, isn't it?

-Yes!

Now, I know you've never been a professional racing car driver,

so how did you end up owning a Formula 3 car like this?

Very easy story, really, Paul. I decided to retire early.

I've always loved motorsport, so what do you do when you retire?

You buy a racing car. It's almost as easy as that.

You've never grown up, really.

-It's boys and their toys, isn't it?

-Absolutely right.

-So, what inspired you to buy this particular car, then?

-I'll show you.

This...

-A model of it?

-A model of it.

When I was a teenager, 13, 14, I used to make model kits,

and one of the ones I made was of a Formula 3 racing car.

And ever since then, I've really, really loved that type of car.

So when I retired, saved a bit of money, buy a car.

-So you know the history of this car?

-Absolutely.

It raced here first in April 1953,

then stayed racing around various circuits in the UK,

and was eventually exported to California in 1959,

then came back on the historic race scene in the States,

and then, eventually, I bought the car at the end of 2010.

-And that's where you found it?

-Absolutely right.

-OK.

Let's just get a bit technical, very, very quickly, OK?

-Maximum speed?

-Gearing... 110, 115, depending on the circuit.

That's quite fast!

It's quick enough when you're about three inches off the ground!

Yeah, you're very, very low, aren't you? You are low.

And what sort of cylinder is the engine? It's got Norton.

-Is that a bike engine?

-It's a Manx Norton... it's only 500cc.

-That's nothing, is it?

-Absolutely nothing.

What does your good lady wife think of all this?

Well, without Angie, I couldn't go racing,

because Angie's the person that starts the car.

How do you start this car, then?

-Well...

-I mean, you don't stick a key in the ignition.

I'm afraid you have to jack it up, you have to spin the back wheels

to get the car going, and then you fire it up.

So, jack the back of the car up,

then third gear, then, demon starter comes along.

This is only part of it, because it needs someone to work it.

OK, Angie!

OK?

-ENGINE REVS

-Whoo!

You can feel the whole room vibrate!

Xavier is just one of many people whose lives have been

touched by Brands Hatch, and it's brought Formula 1

into the homes for many millions of people.

In 1986, Brands Hatch held its final Grand Prix.

115,000 people came here to witness this historic event,

and the passionate crowd would have been on their feet

here in the grandstand, over there on the south bank,

and all around the edges.

The atmosphere would have been electrifying,

as Nigel Mansell won the race with a 5.5-second lead.

Grands Prix are no longer held here,

but Brands Hatch is still a hive of activity, and today,

it's my turn to experience the buzz of the racetrack.

Nigel Mansell, eat your heart out!

-Hi, Paul. I'm Peter.

-Pleased to meet you.

I'm your instructor here at Brands.

Let's show you where this circuit goes.

I'm looking forward to this! You're a brave man!

THEY LAUGH

Oh, well. Here goes.

Wish me luck!

MUSIC: Cars by Gary Numan

And up to third gear.

-Can I go for it?

-Accelerate down the hill, yeah.

-Wow!

-You can feel the contours.

-You can.

It's a very undulating circuit, Brands Hatch.

-It's a real driver's circuit.

-Fantastic!

Then we're braking for Graham Hill Bend.

Graham Hill Bend, wow.

Named after one of the classic British racing drivers all time.

Straighten the front wheel slightly. That's good. That's good.

-Here comes this main straight.

-Oh!

-Power on, power on!

-Ohhh!

Superb! PAUL LAUGHS

Very well done.

-I feel giddy.

-Climb up the hill.

Braking.

Good.

Well done, sir.

PAUL LAUGHS

Ohhh!

That was fantastic! That was scary.

That was the Real McCoy.

Gosh!

Brilliant. Whoo!

From the roar of the racetrack to the tranquil Chiddingstone Castle,

where I can't help thinking

something looks very different today.

Normally, when you see this many umbrellas,

it's because it's raining, but it's a glorious sunny day,

so we do need some sort of sunshade,

and right now, we're going to be catching up with Adam Partridge,

who's shedding some light on something special.

-Jenny, what a beautiful day here in Kent.

-It's gorgeous, isn't it?

-Don't get much better than that, does it?

-No, no. A lovely setting.

-Locations and everything else.

-Beautiful.

And I was attracted to your postcard albums for a number of reasons.

Firstly, also, because there are going to be some local ones in here.

-Yes, there's a lot of local ones.

-Very good.

But before we open up the albums,

because there's a lot of flicking through to do there,

can you tell me a bit about them and how you came to own them yourself?

Yeah. They belonged to my great-aunt, who started collecting them...

I think the earliest postcard is about 1906.

-And what was your great-aunt's name?

-Aunt Fanny.

-Aunt Fanny!

-There we are. That's a good traditional name.

-Yeah.

And so, please tell me more. Aunt Fanny collected these?

Yes, and her sisters used to travel a bit,

and send her postcards wherever they went, and her friends.

So she collected them all,

and then she passed it on to her daughter,

and her daughter started collecting them,

but unfortunately, most of the family died of TB.

-Oh, gosh.

-And their daughter died of TB as well.

-So I think the last one is about 1925.

-Oh, dear!

-That's a sad ending, isn't it?

-Sad, yes.

And what happened to Aunt Fanny in the end?

Aunt Fanny lived till she was in her 90s.

-Oh, well, there's a positive, isn't it?

-That is.

Very good. Anyway, we'll have a look through them.

There we go. We're straight into Kent.

Ramsgate, Chatham,

Ramsgate, Margate,

Dover.

So we've got loads and loads of local views,

which were quite common to see.

And I've marked out one which is a little more interesting,

actually, which is here, this submarine A5 going full speed.

That's a more rare one,

and that's something that's going to appeal to the collector.

That will be worth a few pounds,

whereas these are going to be worth pence, really.

Then we've got another album here,

so we've got a mixture in this album,

including greetings and more topographical...

An area of collecting particularly, and it appeals to me as well,

-are the humorous ones.

-Mm-hm.

I like this one. It's rather cute, isn't it?

Little kiddie in the tub.

"I hope she won't whistle God Save The King,

"or I'll have to stand up."

-So it's fun, isn't it?

-It is fun.

-Just a bit of gentle humour.

And right next to it, you got another area of collection, cats.

People like cats. And here's a cat on the telephone.

-Again, rather amusing.

-Yeah.

And let's have a quick look at this final one.

-Isn't that lovely, just the inside cover?

-It is lovely.

I mean, that's a real sort of Art Nouveau-derived design,

-isn't it?

-It is nice.

-This one here...

Well, we're onto Titanic and shipping and memorial, aren't we?

Cos these are the words for Nearer, My God, To Thee,

which was famously played by Wallace Hartley,

the band leader of the Titanic, and his band,

as the ship was going down.

-That's right.

-So it's quite a poignant one, there.

When was this sent? You could spend hours...

-1912, look.

-1912, yeah.

-So it actually...

-Yeah.

-Doesn't mention the ship.

-No, it doesn't.

But all the same, quite a poignant reminder of the day, isn't it?

-Yes, quite sad.

-So, in these three albums, you know,

there's not a huge amount of value, but there's a great amount of

interest in social history terms, and things like that.

Price-wise, have you got any idea what you think?

I really haven't got a clue, no.

Well, I think 200-300 would be...

-Really?!

-Yeah. That was a good "really"?

Yeah! Yeah, definitely.

I was thinking of going lower. I didn't think you'd like it.

But kind of £50-£80 an album,

based on the fact that they're mainly views, which are low value.

-Yes.

-But I would say 200-300, and maybe just tuck in

reserve a bit lower, about 150, maybe, to stop them going for less.

OK, that's fine. Yes. That's absolutely fine.

I think they'll sell for that.

-They might make a bit more.

-Oh, good.

# There's no combination of words I could put on the back of a postcard

# No song that I could sing but I could try for your heart

# Tell you one thing we're better together... #

The Flog It! folk are a calm and gentle sort,

which is more than can be said for this formidable group.

Heavyweight boxer Henry Cooper

with heavyweight gangsters the Krays.

-George.

-Yes.

-You don't sound like you're from these parts.

-I'm not, I'm from the East End.

-You're from the East End?

-A proper East Ender?

-I'm a proper East Ender.

What brings you down to these parts?

-Well, I've lived in Kent now for the last 50 years.

-Have you?

-Yeah.

THEY LAUGH

-So you've been a Kent person more than a Cockney?

-Definitely.

But you were still born there.

I was born there, I was bred there, and I still love the East End.

Brilliant, brilliant.

-And tell me, you brought along some interesting photographs...

-Yeah.

-..of what looks like a boxing night.

-Yes.

What it is, it's mostly of the Kray twins,

and their brother Charlie.

That's Charlie Kray, Reggie Kray,

Henry Cooper, and Ronnie Kray.

You didn't know the Krays, did you?

You'd obviously heard of them growing up?

-Oh, I've met them a few times.

-Have you?

-Yeah.

How did you meet them?

Well, we used to...

When I was in my teens,

there used to be little sort of disco clubs around the East End,

and many a time, the Krays, the two brothers used to walk in,

have a little dance, and chat with the fellas and that.

-But they were... Well, to me, they seemed nice fellas.

-Yeah?

But in their own little circle, we know what happened, don't we?

Well, yes, absolutely. It's extraordinary.

And the celebrity of criminality...

-It's been publicised heavily, in films, documentaries...

-Yeah.

..and auction houses do sell a lot of Kray memorabilia, actually,

from the twins here.

There's a big group of people here, and you can see the twins here,

-and anyone you recognise there?

-Yeah, that's Terry Spinks, the boxer.

-The little guy there?

-Oh, yeah, he was a brilliant boxer, Terry.

-Was he?

-Yeah, brilliant, Terry Spinks. This fella here,

-I used to go to school with.

-Really? This chap there?

Yes, this chap there, Harry Abrahams,

I went to school with him. He's a nice fella.

So how did you get these photographs?

Well, I've had them about 25, 30 years now.

And a friend of mine had them,

and we were just looking through them one day.

I said, oh, I'd like to keep them.

He said, "You can have them if you want them. I don't want them."

-Really?

-And he just gave them to me.

-Well, they are...

They're quite candid shots as well.

I quite like the fact that you've got... Here's an example.

You've got the Kray twins here,

sort of one sort of leaning in to make sure he's in the photograph,

but the cameraman has photographed them through the boxing ring.

-That's right.

-So you've got the rope in the middle of it all.

-Yeah, that's right.

-It's all quite odd, isn't it?

-Yeah.

As you can see, they were very smart fellas.

Well, I think these are marvellous photographs,

and underneath here, you've got a Matt Busby,

one of Manchester United's most famous managers,

but also the one who took them through the Munich air disaster.

-That's right.

-So... A real hero.

Well, I'll tell you how that came about.

My son, Tony, unfortunately, he's not with us no more.

-We lost him about 16 years ago.

-Oh, I'm sorry.

My father-in-law - my wife's dad -

he worked for the Mirror Group newspapers,

and Sir Matt Busby came in there one day.

I said, "Do you think I could get a signature for my son?

"He plays football, and likes football."

So he said, "Certainly," and he just wrote that.

-"To Tony, best wishes, Matt Busby."

-Yeah.

It's such a treasured thing, really.

-You sure you want to sell these things?

-Well...

-You don't want to give them away.

-I don't want to give them away, no.

-I think there's two lots, though.

-Yeah.

I think the Kray photographs are candid, they're exciting,

interesting. The provenance is...

You're an East Ender, they've come straight from the horse's mouth,

-so to speak.

-Right.

I think they're worth at least 60-100, maybe even £80-£100.

So let's meet in the middle.

-Let's say £70-£100, with a reserve of round about £50.

-Yeah.

-So we won't give them away.

-Yeah.

So, on to the valuation of the Matt Busby signed piece of paper.

I think...

-The estimate would be between 40 and £60.

-Right, yeah.

-I'd reserve it at at least £30.

-OK.

-You happy with that?

Yeah, I'm happy with that.

So, a pleasure to see them, and to meet you as well.

-Oh, thank you very much!

-Thank you.

They might not be worth a fortune,

but those photos are fresh to the market

and could be very rare.

We've had a few surprises here already but, for one man,

today's trip to Flog It! was a trip in itself.

People have travelled from far and wide today, and I know

we have a couple here from Bristol,

and for one of them, it's their birthday.

It's a chap called Jules,

and his wife Anna has been leaving clues all over the house

as to where she is taking him today,

and she's brought him along to Flog It!

-Pleased to meet you, Jules. Happy birthday!

-Thank you very much.

And you, and you. So, how old are you today? Are we allowed to know?

I am 43 years young. PAUL LAUGHS

Well, you don't look it! And you're a big Flog It! fan?

Indeed, yeah. I love it, absolutely.

And what is it you like about the show?

Well, for me, it has to be all these little trinkets

and the stories that go behind it, and then working out whether there is

a real value, and then often, if there's not a value,

it's a personal value. And being here today is just...

-And seeing how the programme works.

-Yeah, yeah.

And how it all knits together.

Right, well, good luck, anyway.

Jules here has come all the way from Bristol.

He's a big Flog It! fan, and it's his birthday.

Three cheers for Jules. Hip, hip...

-ALL: Hooray!

-Hip, hip...

-ALL: Hooray!

-Hip, hip...

ALL: Hooray!

Well done, Jules.

PAUL LAUGHS Thank you!

A birthday treat in the shape of a Flog It! valuation day.

How unique!

And what better way to celebrate than with a bottle of the finest?

Trust Adam to seek it out.

-Don.

-Pleased to meet you, Adam.

-Pleased to meet you, too.

I was going for the bottle, but I'll take the handshake.

I've got some cups here. Let's crack it open. It's a lovely, sunny day.

-Yeah... I don't think so.

-Oh. Let's have a look.

A bottle of Armagnac, 1914?

Armagnac, from the Armagnac region of France, 1914.

It says it all on there. 65 proof,

and sold by Averys of Bristol.

A very famous firm, Averys of Bristol, founded in 1793.

So, I don't want to be rude here, Don,

because clearly you haven't had this since 1914.

-How did you come to get it?

-Right.

I took part in the Armed Forces Day, down at Woking.

There was a raffle on for Help For Heroes,

-and I happened to win this bottle in the raffle.

-Wow!

You won it in a raffle! Now, you're an ex-serviceman yourself.

-Ex-Royal Marine?

-Ex-Royal Marine, yeah.

Very good. And you've had an interesting life, haven't you?

I've had an interesting life, doing government security.

-Government security?

-Yes.

-Can you say any more? Is the rest of it...?

-I won't say any more!

-THEY LAUGH

-Cos you sign that little form.

-Oh, do you?

-Yes.

-That's very interesting, Don.

Seeing I'm not a brandy drinker,

I don't want anything of the proceeds.

-It's all going to charity.

-Brilliant.

Well, what a great reason to sell it.

Now, we've had a little look into it,

and it's quite a hard thing to value, really.

We've all seen some bottles of wines and brandies make huge sums of money,

but sadly, there's very little to compare this with

on the market at the moment, so we've had to take a bit of a guess,

and the guess that we've taken is £100-£150.

Well, it's not bad, really, is it?

And do you know what? I bet it's still very drinkable.

-It's got to be someone who wants it.

-It has, hasn't it?

So, we're going to put it in the auction at £100-£150.

Do we want a reserve on it, or do we let it make what it makes?

-Let it make what it makes.

-I think so.

And hopefully, it'll make more than 100 quid for your charity.

Well, it would be any named charity, but it would be for a youth charity.

A youth charity. Even better.

Maybe we'll talk about that further on the sale day.

When we know exactly what we've got, we'll know how to split it.

-Exactly. And let's go for a third handshake.

-OK, Adam.

-Thanks, Don. Thanks for coming.

-Thank you.

-We'll see you soon.

# Keep on the sunny side

# Always on the sunny side

# Keep on the sunny side of life. #

Well, there you are. The perfect English summer's day,

and the perfect Flog It! valuation day,

with a magnificent host location, Chiddingstone Castle,

and a wonderful crowd of people. Had a good time, everyone?

-ALL: Yes!

-Yes! That's what it's all about.

And we've found some fascinating items.

Can you guess which one will make the most in the auction room?

Well, we're just about to find out. As we make our way over there,

here's a quick recap of what we're taking.

With over 900 postcards in this lot, it's a collector's dream.

Will the auction be worth writing home about?

The Krays, Henry Cooper and Matt Busby.

All big names, but will they fetch big money?

And a 100-year-old bottle of brandy.

Definitely not available at your local supermarket.

To find out which of these lots wins the day,

it's back to the saleroom.

We all done, then? At £70.

Well, let's hope this next lot hits the back of the net

and scores a great goal.

It is Sir Matt Busby's autograph, and it belongs to George.

-Were you a Manchester United fan?

-No.

-No. Just a football fan?

-I'm a football fan, yeah.

-A football fan. Who do you support?

-Tottenham Hotspur.

-Tottenham Hotspur. You're a Londoner!

And there you go. It should sell. This is it.

We've got Matt Busby, there, the autograph, there,

signed in blue pen.

How do you see it? £40 for it?

20, if you like.

20 bid. 20 bid. 25.

30 now. 35, bid.

With you at 35 there. Looking for 40.

Looking for 40. At 35, then, in the jacket we go, then, at £35.

-Sold, £35.

-Well done.

Next, those fantastic photos.

-And the Krays are quite collectable, aren't they?

-Well, yeah.

The celebrity of the criminal has become

-a collectable subject in its own right.

-Yeah.

-Good luck, both of you.

-OK.

Good luck. Here we go. This is it.

Got the six black and white photographs there.

The Krays, including Henry Cooper as well.

£50 for these. £50 for them?

30 if you like.

30 bid. 35, 40, 45,

50, 5.

-60, 5.

-Selling. Good.

70, 5.

We're in estimate now.

80, 5.

85, 90, 5.

95, 100.

At £95, close in at £95, then.

Right in front we go, then.

Selling, then, to the lady in front at £95.

-£95. We've done it, George! Done it!

-Yes, that's right.

-That's a good result.

-That's a brilliant result.

-Spot-on estimate.

-I didn't know what they were going to make.

-I have to say, it was a guess.

-Yeah.

-It was a well-educated one.

Well done, Thomas.

Well, it could be cheers all round if our next lot sells.

It's the Averys bottle of brandy.

And I've just been joined by Donald, who looks extremely smart.

-I love this. And who's your mate?

-My mate is Chas.

We've been comrades since 1961, and we still go out together now.

So, were you both in the Royal Marines?

We were both in the Royal Marines.

-We served with the Third Commando Brigade all over the world.

-Wow.

And you never thought of cracking open this bottle of brandy, then?

No, thank you. A bottle of rum, maybe!

-That's it. There's a proper Royal Marine!

-LAUGHTER

-We've got no reserve on this bottle.

-That's right.

-None, it says.

-No reserve.

-Well, we'll see. The market will speak.

It's going under the hammer now. This is it.

Do I see £100 for it? 50, I've got bid online now.

50 bid now, 55 now, 60, I've got now.

Want 65, please, online.

And 70 online now.

75 now. Looking for 80.

80 bid. 85. At 90 online.

95. 100, I need.

-100.

-110.

120. 110 in the room now. £110.

Right in front we go, then.

Selling, then, at £110.

£110. Within estimate.

-That's good.

-Yeah.

-Happy, boys?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

The bottle of brandy has found a new home.

Whether it's kept in a cellar or emptied straight into a glass,

it's a great result for Donald and Chas.

And our last lot of the day is brimming with local history.

Going under the hammer right now, we have three postcard albums,

containing a collection of around 900 postcards.

-Jennifer, someone was busy. Great-aunt?

-Great-aunt, yes.

-And we have a value of around £200-£300 put on by Adam.

-Yeah.

I think, I think these things capture social history

and they're hard to put a price on. And we could have a surprise.

-We could have, couldn't we? With 900 cards!

-That's a lot.

I'm sure they'll be a few that will be rarer and more valuable,

but then, the majority are rather common-looking ones.

But they're also quite nice,

-because they were local, weren't they?

-Yes.

-Yes.

Lost items of social history,

landmarks that don't exist any more, and buildings.

We're putting it to the test right now. We could have a surprise.

-This is it.

-A lot of interest in this lot.

Yes! Good.

Lot of interest. We go in at £100 now.

110, 120, 130.

140, 150 now.

160. 170 now,

180, 190, 200.

I'll go in fifties. 250,

300, 350, 400.

450, 500 now.

At £500. 550 on the phone?

-< 550?

-550, sir.

550. 600 now. 650?

-650.

-Be quick.

-Yes, please.

-650.

700, 750, I need, please.

Whoo!

800, I've got. 850 now. I need 900.

-900.

-900 on the phone, quickly.

-900, Jennifer!

-A pound apiece.

950 now, we've got online. £1,000.

-Please.

-A bit more now.

A thousand pounds!

1,050, I'll take. 1,050.

1,100, please. On the phone.

(I feel sick!)

The bids are all out, then.

Selling, then, to the phone, at £1,100.

Yes! Hammer's gone down, £1,100.

My goodness! I can't believe it.

-Wow!

-I really can't believe that.

-Something to write home about, eh?

-Yes! How about that?

What a wonderful way to end today's show.

I knew they had something about them, I really did.

What are you going to put that money towards? Do you know yet?

It's going towards my holiday.

-Where are you going?

-Tenerife.

Tenerife! Good for you.

-Any idea it was going to go for so much money?

-No, no idea at all.

-You'd have been happy with the 2-300?

-I would have been, yeah!

-But that's nice.

-That's auctions for you!

You never know what's going to happen in an auction room,

and that's the way to end the show today, with one big surprise,

a very happy Jennifer.

But until the next time, join us again. Bye-bye.