0:00:07 > 0:00:09This is Rectory Hill and it's full of this - flint.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13That's because we're in the Chilterns, where this has been mined for millennia.
0:00:13 > 0:00:18Down there, that's the valley of Amersham, which has a fascinating history all of its own,
0:00:18 > 0:00:22from the burning of martyrs at the stake to the arrival of Metro-land.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25More about that later on in the programme because right now,
0:00:25 > 0:00:28it's time for a valuation or two. Welcome to "Flog It!"
0:00:49 > 0:00:53Today's show comes to you from Bedfordshire,
0:00:53 > 0:00:57through which run the Chiltern Hills.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59This windswept ridge provided the ideal
0:00:59 > 0:01:03conditions for a group of powerless flight enthusiasts,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07who, back in 1929, formed the British Gliding Association.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17They started launching themselves by elastic
0:01:17 > 0:01:21rope into the prevailing winds, off steep sections of the hills.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23This attracted huge crowds in the 1930s.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26Even the Prince of Wales went along.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28# When they lay me down to die
0:01:28 > 0:01:32# Going up to the spirit in the sky... #
0:01:32 > 0:01:35Later on, we'll be finding out a bit more about the history
0:01:35 > 0:01:38of gliding in the area, but first, it's time to hit the ground
0:01:38 > 0:01:44running, nearby at Wrest Park - our valuation day venue.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46# I'm gonna go to the place that's the best. #
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Wrest Park is an exceptional French-style 19th-century
0:01:55 > 0:01:59chateau, set within outstanding grounds here in Bedfordshire.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02Now, combine that with the hundreds of people who have turned
0:02:02 > 0:02:05up from the Home Counties and beyond, laden with antiques and
0:02:05 > 0:02:10collectibles, then I'm sure we're going to be in for a marvellous day.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12- Wouldn't you all agree? - ALL: Yes!
0:02:17 > 0:02:21And down in the queue, already racing to put her coloured stickers
0:02:21 > 0:02:26- on people with her favourite items, is expert Anita Manning.- So stylish.
0:02:26 > 0:02:31It is, isn't it? My great-great-aunt used to wear it every day.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35And hot on her tail is expert Christina Trevanion.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39- THEY LAUGH - Come over here a wee minute. - Those dulcet tones!
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Or is it the other way round?
0:02:42 > 0:02:44- No, green sticker. - Oh, green sticker.
0:02:44 > 0:02:45LAUGHTER
0:02:45 > 0:02:47- Isn't it gorgeous? - That is fantastic.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50You and I on a Friday night, in Glasgow.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54- I thought you might be the kind of girl that would go to cocktail parties.- Really?
0:02:54 > 0:02:58- You're baby-sitting your babies on a Friday night! - LAUGHTER
0:02:58 > 0:03:01We can't all be out on the town, Anita!
0:03:01 > 0:03:04But at least we can live the high life today,
0:03:04 > 0:03:07here in the glamorous surroundings of Wrest Park.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11With the sun shining and the temperature rising,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14it's time to get these good folks seated.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Whilst the sun hats are doffed and the parasols get an airing,
0:03:17 > 0:03:21let's take a quick peek at what's coming up in today's show.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23This is an interesting collection.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27While Christina brings to life the spirit of trench humour...
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Keep your 'ead still or I'll have your blinkin' ear off!
0:03:30 > 0:03:34..Anita's enthusiasm almost backfires on her.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37You've made me begin to like the thing now!
0:03:37 > 0:03:41I think I might have sold that wee pot back to you.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45But will our sellers be glad they did make it to the auction?
0:03:45 > 0:03:48- Come on!- Thank you. - That's a good result.
0:03:48 > 0:03:49THEY LAUGH
0:03:49 > 0:03:52You'll just have to wait and see.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58The grounds here at Wrest Park contain one of the few
0:03:58 > 0:04:01remaining formal gardens from the very early part of the 18th century,
0:04:01 > 0:04:06and they provide a wonderful backdrop to our valuation day.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09And who knows? Amongst this incredible crowd of people,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12we might find some items as old as these gardens.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15We've just got to get searching. So, without further ado,
0:04:15 > 0:04:20let's hand the proceedings over to our experts at the tables.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Irene, you have brought us
0:04:23 > 0:04:29today a 19th-century housekeeper's badge of office.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33It's a chatelaine, but can you tell me - where did you get it?
0:04:33 > 0:04:38Well, my grandmother gave it to me and it belonged to her grandmother.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Did you know what it was when your grandmother gave it to you?
0:04:41 > 0:04:43No, I didn't.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Did you think - is that a fancy necklace or a piece of jewellery?
0:04:46 > 0:04:49I wasn't sure what it was.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52Well, a chatelaine is something the housekeeper would wear on her
0:04:52 > 0:04:58belt, with the little tools and the bits and pieces that she might need.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03And if we look at this one, we can see a little pin holder,
0:05:03 > 0:05:09we see a needle holder here, and we see a thimble holder here.
0:05:09 > 0:05:15What I like about this one is the little aide-memoire to remind her...
0:05:15 > 0:05:20It's a little notebook, where she would wrote little notes to
0:05:20 > 0:05:24herself to remind her to buy broccoli or whatever.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27And a little pencil holder there.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Now, it's quite a lovely thing
0:05:29 > 0:05:33and I've seen these in many different materials.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37The ones which have the most value are made of silver.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42And this one is not made of silver. It's made of a white metal.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46When you received it as a gift, Irene, what did you do with it?
0:05:46 > 0:05:52Well, I just kept it and looked at it occasionally, but in the end,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54I put it in a box and that was it.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57You can't wear it as a piece of jewellery
0:05:57 > 0:06:00and I don't suppose you go round your house needing
0:06:00 > 0:06:04a wee aide-memoire to tell you to darn the curtains!
0:06:04 > 0:06:10- So, Irene, value. Do you have any idea?- No, I have no idea.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13Because it's made of a base metal,
0:06:13 > 0:06:17I would like to keep the estimate right down low on that.
0:06:17 > 0:06:23I'm sure that's the best tactics for this item.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27I would put it in at maybe £40 to £60.
0:06:27 > 0:06:33- Would you be happy to put it in at that price?- Yes, I would.
0:06:33 > 0:06:38Well, let's hope that the bidders like it as much as I do.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44I'm sure there will be interest in this piece of social history.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48And nearby, overlooked by Wrest's impressive collection of statues,
0:06:48 > 0:06:52is another personal ornament of an entirely different type.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56So, Richard, we are
0:06:56 > 0:06:59surrounded by these amazing sculptures in this beautiful
0:06:59 > 0:07:02garden and we've almost got like a little miniature sculpture
0:07:02 > 0:07:05- going on down here. - I know.- Isn't it fabulous?
0:07:05 > 0:07:08- It's superbly sculptured, that one. - It really is.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11And it's quite sort of different to the jewellery that
0:07:11 > 0:07:14I normally see, which is usually very traditional, quite sort
0:07:14 > 0:07:16of Victorian jewellery and all that sort of thing,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20- but this is by a chap called Germano Alfonsi, is it not?- It is.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23- Who was an Italian jeweller. - Very well known, apparently.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26- In the middle of the 20th century, is that right?- It is.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28So, how have you come across it?
0:07:28 > 0:07:32Well, I was on holiday near Naples and we went shopping one day
0:07:32 > 0:07:35- and I'd always wanted a crucifix. - Right.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38And I saw that in the jeweller's and I fell in love with it.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42- Oh, really? Well, it is really just beautifully done, isn't it?- It is.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Usually, a crucifix, when you see it, it's just a plain cross with
0:07:45 > 0:07:50- Christ on it, but that one is so well modelled.- It really is.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53And it's an excellent weight, as well. And a lovely chain.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56The thing for me is sort of wonderfully gritty in its basic-ness.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59- You can see every grain of wood on there, can't you?- You can.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01And it is really quite splendid.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04- The chain itself has obviously been handmade.- Yep.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08And is incredibly detailed, and what's even better for us
0:08:08 > 0:08:11is that we've got a little signature on here, which is
0:08:11 > 0:08:13- actually signed Germano. - That's right.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16I don't know a huge amount about Germano,
0:08:16 > 0:08:20but I know he did design for stars of stage and screen, did he not?
0:08:20 > 0:08:23He did indeed. Yes. Very famous people.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26He designed for Sinatra, Sophia Loren, the Kennedys.
0:08:26 > 0:08:32- And a few Popes, I think, as well. - A few Popes, as well.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36So his client list really was the ultimate rich and famous, really.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38- He was.- And have you ever worn it? - Oh, yes.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43- I used to wear it quite regularly when I was a little younger.- Right.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45But it doesn't really suit my age.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49- So, is it time, possibly, to make it go to pastures new?- It is, yes.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52I would like to see someone appreciate it
0:08:52 > 0:08:54and wear it more than I've worn it.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58It's really the best that we can expect in that it's 18 carat gold.
0:08:58 > 0:08:59- It is, solid gold.- Solid gold.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03And it has got a serious amount of weight to it.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05So, at auction, I would expect it to fetch
0:09:05 > 0:09:09somewhere in the region of about £800 to £1,200.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12- That would be very good.- Would that be all right?- It would indeed.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16- So, if we set the reserve at £800... - That sounds fine.
0:09:16 > 0:09:17..with an estimate of 800 to 1,200
0:09:17 > 0:09:20- and we'll pray for some divine intervention.- Yeah!
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Don't worry, Christina.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26With that weight of gold, I don't think you'll need it.
0:09:26 > 0:09:32# I can see for miles and miles and miles... #
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Now, earlier on in the show, we heard how this area -
0:09:37 > 0:09:41and in particular the Chilterns - were involved in the early
0:09:41 > 0:09:44days of the sport of gliding and getting it off the ground.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Well, I'm pleased to say I've been joined by two gliding
0:09:47 > 0:09:51aficionados, Adrian and Peter. Pleased to meet you both.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55- You're going to tell me a little bit more about the heritage of gliding in this area.- Yeah.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58You've got lots of photographs. Where are we going to start?
0:09:58 > 0:10:02Let's start with the London Gliding Club, which started in 1930,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05formed by a group of very enthusiastic pilots.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08They didn't have anywhere to fly at that time.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11They explored the south east of the country, came up here
0:10:11 > 0:10:16and set off in 1930 from Ivinghoe Beacon, which is in the Chilterns.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20- Yeah.- And this is a lovely picture of the early '30s.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24In those days, they weren't using winch launches, they weren't using
0:10:24 > 0:10:28aeroplanes, they were using people power to get the glider into the air.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Look at the crowds of people.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33Well, it must have been quite a spectacle in its day.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37- Even royalty came to watch it because it was so spectacular.- Did they?
0:10:37 > 0:10:39So, what is it that's so special about this area?
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Are there certain thermals or something?
0:10:42 > 0:10:46We do tend to get more thermals in the centre of the country,
0:10:46 > 0:10:50but, of course, that wasn't recognised at that time. That developed later,
0:10:50 > 0:10:55when people started really travelling long distances in these gliders.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59Before that, it was really the undulations in the hills.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02It was the fact that the downs faced the prevailing winds...
0:11:02 > 0:11:04- So they could lift.- Exactly.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08Were there any mishaps in those early days of gliding?
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Looking at some of these gliders, they're quite primitive.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14Gliders crashing at the time were not uncommon.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17And the repairman was reputed to be able to make an estimate of
0:11:17 > 0:11:21the amount of damage and the cost of repair from the sound of the crash.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25- That's fantastic, isn't it?- Yeah. - Tell me the story about this one.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- Who is that? She looks familiar. - She is. That's Amy Johnson.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33Oh, she was responsible for the first female flight across the Atlantic, wasn't she?
0:11:33 > 0:11:35She did several long-distance flights.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38She was staying at a local health farm and got bored.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41She was a friend of one of the members of the club,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Doc Slater, who was a very famous glider pilot at the time
0:11:44 > 0:11:46and probably went flying with him.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49This is fascinating history, and thank you so much for sharing
0:11:49 > 0:11:52your passion with us, because it's all about this heritage here.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54- We love it here. Yeah.- We do.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59# Ain't no mountain high enough... #
0:11:59 > 0:12:02It's great to see the interest in their local history
0:12:02 > 0:12:04and to find out about those brave men
0:12:04 > 0:12:09and women who took such risks for the thrill of powerless flight.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12LAUGHTER
0:12:12 > 0:12:16Another lady with a sense of adventure is Anita Manning,
0:12:16 > 0:12:20and she's sat down with mother and daughter Binny and Adele.
0:12:20 > 0:12:26Girls, you've brought me in a little piece of oriental.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30Now, oriental is very hot in today's market.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33Tell me, how did you come by this one?
0:12:33 > 0:12:35It's come through the generations.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39A great-uncle of mine was in the merchant navy
0:12:39 > 0:12:44and every time he came home, he always brought something with him.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47- And it's come to you. - It came to me, yes.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51So, it's come through all these generations
0:12:51 > 0:12:56- and there's Adele there, your daughter.- She doesn't want it.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00And you've brought it in to "Flog It!" What's happened?
0:13:00 > 0:13:03We picked it out to bring it, but I was a bit dubious about it
0:13:03 > 0:13:06because I didn't think it was in very good condition,
0:13:06 > 0:13:09but I could see a Chinese mark on the bottom, so I thought...
0:13:09 > 0:13:13Maybe that's a way of getting rid of it!
0:13:13 > 0:13:17- Yes!- I mean, it's not something that I would particularly care to keep.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20I think it's quite pretty in its way,
0:13:20 > 0:13:22but it's not something that I would choose to keep.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26I've just had it standing around in a cupboard -
0:13:26 > 0:13:29I suppose sentiment more than anything.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33- It's not a statement piece, is it? - No, I don't like it.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35Let's have a wee look at it.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38It is Chinese and we look on the bottom here,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41we can see a Chinese red seal mark.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45It's pretending to be an earlier one, but it is 19th century.
0:13:45 > 0:13:51The pot itself is decorated with this scene of agricultural workers,
0:13:51 > 0:13:56but what they look like are happy gardeners.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01And they're harvesting melons. And we have...
0:14:01 > 0:14:04They're beautifully hand-painted and decorated.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08And they are decorated in the Famille Rose palette, where we
0:14:08 > 0:14:13have these pinks and greens and this was a very popular colour
0:14:13 > 0:14:17palette that was used in the 19th century.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19We have little bronze handles here,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22we have some damage on the lid.
0:14:22 > 0:14:29When we turn it round to the back, it starts to become, for me,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32very interesting.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35You have these birds here which I don't recognise.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37They have swallows' tails, but they are black,
0:14:37 > 0:14:41so they may be an imaginary or a mythical bird.
0:14:41 > 0:14:47And we have this wonderful abstract design here, which is based on
0:14:47 > 0:14:54these crescents or semicircles, but for me, that is a very modern image.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57That's the first time I've noticed...
0:14:57 > 0:14:59- I've never looked at it before. - No. I haven't before.
0:14:59 > 0:15:04- It's painted, not transferred. - It's painted, hand-painted, yeah.
0:15:04 > 0:15:09There are objects in our life that we look at every day and, because
0:15:09 > 0:15:13they're so familiar to us, we don't really start thinking about them.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16You've made me begin to like the thing(!)
0:15:16 > 0:15:18THEY LAUGH
0:15:18 > 0:15:19They say they want selling.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23I think I may have nearly sold that wee pot back to you.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Never mind, it's going to auction, girls.
0:15:25 > 0:15:30I know it's very, very difficult to estimate accurately what this
0:15:30 > 0:15:32little pot will get.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37I think that if we put it in £30-£50,
0:15:37 > 0:15:39this pot will find its own level,
0:15:39 > 0:15:44but are you happy to take a chance on it and put it in at that price?
0:15:44 > 0:15:48- Yes, I'm quite happy, yes.- It will be interesting to see how it does.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51- Very interesting. - It will be interesting.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57Well, we're all having a good time, aren't we?
0:15:57 > 0:15:59THEY CHEER
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Yes, and we've been working flat out. It's nonstop here.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05Our experts have found their first three items to take off to auction.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07It's not easy being an expert, is it?
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Who would want to put a value on an antique?
0:16:09 > 0:16:12Not me, either, especially when it comes to auction time and
0:16:12 > 0:16:17that's where we're going right now, to put those values to the test.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20Here's a quick memory jog, just in case you've forgotten
0:16:20 > 0:16:22the items we're putting under the hammer.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26MUSIC: ABC by The Jackson 5
0:16:27 > 0:16:29So, we've got Irene's chatelaine,
0:16:29 > 0:16:33a housekeeper's must-have accessory in the 19th century.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38Then there's Richard's heavily worked gold cross and chain,
0:16:38 > 0:16:41designed by jeweller-to-the-stars, Germano Alfonsi.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47And our third item is this rather sweet Chinese teapot.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51Let's hope we get a good result for Binny and Adele in the sale room.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01If you head south west from Wrest Park, you'll come to Tring.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05Situated at a low point in the Chiltern Hills, known as the Tring
0:17:05 > 0:17:09Gap, this area has been used as a crossing point since ancient times.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Now a small market town, it's home to our auction house,
0:17:14 > 0:17:18where auctioneer Stephen Hearn is already up on the rostrum.
0:17:18 > 0:17:2120, I had. 60 and 70.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24At £280, I'm selling. Thank you.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28Remember, if you are buying or selling at auction, there is
0:17:28 > 0:17:30commission to pay. That's how they earn their living here.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34Today, if you're selling something, it's 15% plus VAT,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37so factor that in, because when the hammer goes down,
0:17:37 > 0:17:40they will deduct 15% plus VAT.
0:17:40 > 0:17:4250 at the back, and five?
0:17:42 > 0:17:45First up, it's time to see how our Chinese teapot fares.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52- Who owns this teapot, then?- I do. - It's yours?- Yes.- Have you used it?
0:17:52 > 0:17:55- No.- It's nice, though, isn't it? I do like it.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58We know it's been in your family for what, 60, 80 years,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01- something like that, so we know it's right?- Longer than that.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03Longer than that.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05Trying to find something Chinese, 19th century,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08is a hard thing to find because they're so good at copying things.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10That's right.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Well, this is genuine and it's going under the hammer right now.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15- Here we go. - What about that one?
0:18:15 > 0:18:18I think we ought to be looking somewhere round about £40 for it.
0:18:18 > 0:18:2240 or 30, we have 20, do we? Yes, we have two, we have five.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25There's a chap bidding there, Binny, just there.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29At 45, it's down here. Madam, would you like one more? No?
0:18:29 > 0:18:32It's going then. I sell at £45.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34£45.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36You were right, weren't you?
0:18:36 > 0:18:38Nice thing, though, so thank you for bringing it in.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40It's been a pleasure to meet you.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Don't disappear and put the kettle on. Watch this next lot.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45It could fly.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Well done, Anita. Spot on with your estimate there.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52Sell at £150.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54Going under the hammer right now, we've got
0:18:54 > 0:18:57an 18-carat gold pendant and chain in the form of a crucifix,
0:18:57 > 0:18:59belonging to Richard, who, sadly, cannot be with us,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02but we do have his daughter, Charlotte.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05- Now, Dad's on holiday. Where's he gone?- Somewhere in Norway, I think.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08- Hopefully not buying any more jewellery.- Let's hope not.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12This is 800-1,200 we're looking for right now. Here we go.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16There we are, the crucifix pendant and chain, 18 carat.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20What about that one? 900 for it. 500.
0:19:20 > 0:19:2220, 50, 80, 600.
0:19:22 > 0:19:2420, 50, 80, 700.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28720, 50, 80, 800.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31- Brilliant.- We've done it. - There you go. Phew!
0:19:31 > 0:19:35I sell at £840, then. Thank you.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37- You've got to ring him up and tell him.- I will.- Phew!
0:19:37 > 0:19:40- That will make his holiday.- Tell him he can't spend it.- Absolutely!- Yes.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Glass of Champagne tonight.
0:19:45 > 0:19:50Well, some extra spending money on holiday never goes amiss.
0:19:50 > 0:19:51Going under the hammer right now,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54we've got a tool belt for a DIY enthusiast.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57No, I'm just kidding, but it could be, couldn't it?
0:19:57 > 0:20:00It's a chatelaine. It's got all the little things that you need.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Obviously, the lady of the house would wear this, wouldn't she?
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Irene, it's great to see you again.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07I think this is good value for money. I know it's continental.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10- It's French, isn't it?- Yes.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13It's not hallmark silver, but you get a lot for your money.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16And it was the sort of badge of office of the lady.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20- It would clank as she walked through her halls.- Good luck.- Thank you.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Hopefully we can send you home really happy. Ready? This is it.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25Here we go.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29There it is. All the tools there.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33What about this one? Shall we say £50 to start this one? 50?
0:20:33 > 0:20:3530, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55,
0:20:35 > 0:20:3860, 65, 70, 75, 80.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41- £80.- Yes!
0:20:41 > 0:20:4285, 90, sir.
0:20:42 > 0:20:4490, I'm bid. 95.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46100, we've got it.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48No? £100, then, I'm selling.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51It's going. Thank you.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53It's a good result and we climbed, didn't we?
0:20:53 > 0:20:56- We did.- We did it.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59We certainly did, and that's a great result to round up our first
0:20:59 > 0:21:02visit to the sale room.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06There you are, three lots down, but, more importantly, three happy owners
0:21:06 > 0:21:08and that's what it's all about.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10Now, just a few miles south of this auction room,
0:21:10 > 0:21:14there's a place called Amersham, tucked into the Chiltern Hills.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16It's a fascinating market town that tells
0:21:16 > 0:21:19the story of the changing faces of rural life.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30Sitting pretty in the valley of the River Misbourne, Amersham has
0:21:30 > 0:21:33witnessed many extraordinary times in England's history.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38But, in the beginning,
0:21:38 > 0:21:41it started out simply as an agricultural community,
0:21:41 > 0:21:43with the river - now just a stream -
0:21:43 > 0:21:46once powering three mills grinding corn.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50One of the key features which sets early Amersham
0:21:50 > 0:21:55apart from other market towns has to be the number of its maulsters -
0:21:55 > 0:21:58an integral part of brewing beer.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00The River Misbourne was incredibly clean
0:22:00 > 0:22:03and it was ideal for the process of making beer
0:22:03 > 0:22:06and, considering there were very few breweries
0:22:06 > 0:22:09outside of London in the 18th century, the presence of an ancient
0:22:09 > 0:22:14one here says a great deal about the enterprise of its inhabitants.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21But it wasn't just beer that was fermenting in the town.
0:22:22 > 0:22:27Amersham was also a hotbed of religious fervour and unrest.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30The dissenters were part of a group called the Lollards.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33They denounced the wealth of the Roman Catholic church
0:22:33 > 0:22:37and they wanted the freedom to worship in their own way.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40In the early 1500s, during the reign of Henry VIII,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43the Bishop of Lincoln started an enquiry into religious
0:22:43 > 0:22:48dissent in Amersham and the courts were held to try them as heretics.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00The Lollards' main demand was to read the Bible in English
0:23:00 > 0:23:05rather than in Latin and, in a spot over there, for their beliefs,
0:23:05 > 0:23:09they were led up this hill and burnt at the stake.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12From up here, high above Amersham, the flames
0:23:12 > 0:23:16and the smoke could be seen by everyone, acting as a warning,
0:23:16 > 0:23:19and even the daughters of one of the martyrs
0:23:19 > 0:23:22was forced to light the fire herself.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Fortunately, for the people of Amersham,
0:23:30 > 0:23:32more peaceful times ensued.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35The traditional trades continued and, in particular,
0:23:35 > 0:23:37the brewing of beer.
0:23:39 > 0:23:44This was in great demand because, from the 1600s,
0:23:44 > 0:23:48Amersham became the first overnight stop for stagecoaches
0:23:48 > 0:23:51travelling out from London to the Midlands.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55Lots of inns catered for the travellers,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58a great many of which remain today.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00And up and down the high street, you can
0:24:00 > 0:24:03still spot numerous archways for coaches.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12In the 1700s, as the roads improved, more affluent people
0:24:12 > 0:24:16moved into the town - doctors, lawyers, and even a wig-maker -
0:24:16 > 0:24:19and they were keen to spend their money to show off their wealth
0:24:19 > 0:24:22and update their houses, keeping up with the trends and the fashions.
0:24:22 > 0:24:27They updated their Tudor buildings with brick fronts and sash windows.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29There's a great example, if you follow me down this alley,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32you can just see here the original Tudor building with
0:24:32 > 0:24:36all its wonderful oak construction, but if you look here you can
0:24:36 > 0:24:42see this Georgian facade has been grafted on to the Tudor building.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45The result - some rather interesting architecture.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58In essence, though,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02Amersham continued as a market town with a weekly cattle market.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08As the roads got better, travellers made longer journeys in one day.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13The local inn still provided a temporary halt for refreshment,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16supplied, of course, by the local brewery.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23However, all this came to an end with the arrival of the railway.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29For many years, Amersham's main landowner, the Tyrwhitt-Drakes,
0:25:29 > 0:25:33opposed the railway being built in the town for fear it would
0:25:33 > 0:25:37ruin their view from their seat at Shardeloes Manor.
0:25:37 > 0:25:42They eventually relented, but forced the construction to be out of sight,
0:25:42 > 0:25:44high on the nearby hillside,
0:25:44 > 0:25:48which delayed the coming of the railway by 50 years.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56In 1892, the station finally opened.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00New Amersham or Amersham on the Hill came into being,
0:26:00 > 0:26:04well away from the old town, which is back down there.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08Soon, houses and shops began to appear around the initially
0:26:08 > 0:26:11isolated station, and, by the 1920s,
0:26:11 > 0:26:15Amersham on the Hill was a thriving town.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19This rapid growth, which continued into the '30s, was driven forward by
0:26:19 > 0:26:24local architects and builders and by an entirely new concept -
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Metro-land.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33The creation of the Metropolitan Railway, Metro-land's new
0:26:33 > 0:26:37housing developments built all along the side of the track,
0:26:37 > 0:26:41were designed to encourage Londoners to move out of the city,
0:26:41 > 0:26:43yet use the railway to commute,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46and a whole range of advertising brochures were designed to
0:26:46 > 0:26:51sell to Londoners the notion of getting back to nature, the
0:26:51 > 0:26:56idyllic countryside, all within an easy journey to and fro to the city.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59# With a thousand little stars
0:26:59 > 0:27:02# We can decorate the ceiling. #
0:27:02 > 0:27:07A whole new style of housing came to be associated with the railway and
0:27:07 > 0:27:11Met houses were built all around the stations on the Metropolitan line,
0:27:11 > 0:27:14including Amersham, in typical Met style.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19# We can paint the house with laughter
0:27:19 > 0:27:23# When we build a little home. #
0:27:23 > 0:27:26This 1930s building bonanza even inspired
0:27:26 > 0:27:30Poet Laureate John Betjeman and, in 1973,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33he made a programme for the BBC called Metro-Land.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39'Steam took us onwards, through the ripening fields
0:27:39 > 0:27:43'ripe for development,
0:27:43 > 0:27:47'through Amersham to Aylesbury and the Vale.
0:27:47 > 0:27:52'In those wet fields, the railway didn't pay.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56'The Metro stops at Amersham today.'
0:27:57 > 0:28:02'You paid a deposit and eventually we hope you had your own house
0:28:02 > 0:28:07'with its garage and front garden and back garden.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12'Variety created in each facade of the houses
0:28:12 > 0:28:14'and in the colouring of the trees.
0:28:14 > 0:28:20'In fact, the country had come to the suburbs.
0:28:20 > 0:28:25'Roses are blooming in Metro-land, just as they do in the brochure.'
0:28:26 > 0:28:30And how right he was.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34# Grab your coat and get your hat
0:28:34 > 0:28:37# Leave your worry on the doorstep
0:28:37 > 0:28:43# Just direct your feet to the sunny side of the street. #
0:28:44 > 0:28:48For a while, of course, trade in the old town declined as the
0:28:48 > 0:28:53population up on the hill grew, but, ironically, because the lords of the
0:28:53 > 0:28:56manor got their way with their view,
0:28:56 > 0:29:01those ideals the Metro-land brochure sold to the Londoners - the streams,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04the meadows and the characterful cottages - well,
0:29:04 > 0:29:06they've all survived here in Old Amersham
0:29:06 > 0:29:10because Metro-land didn't arrive, and now its charm
0:29:10 > 0:29:14and tranquillity attract new visitors seeking that country dream
0:29:14 > 0:29:18and, of course, the perfect pint, which, rest assured,
0:29:18 > 0:29:21can still be found here in abundance.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27Cheers. Cheers.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36Welcome back to Wrest Park in Bedfordshire.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39The crowds are still flocking in, bringing with them some fascinating
0:29:39 > 0:29:43antiques and collectables, not least Christina's next item.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50Colin, this is an interesting collection you've brought for me.
0:29:50 > 0:29:51Oh, thank you.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54We've got postcards of the Great War in here and we've selected a few.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57- There's a lot in here, aren't there? - There's about 95 altogether, I think.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00Roughly 95, OK.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02They are particularly poignant because they are, as far as
0:30:02 > 0:30:06I can see, all of them very much related to the First World War.
0:30:06 > 0:30:07Yes, they are.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10Not only have you been quite selective in choosing certain
0:30:10 > 0:30:12areas to collect,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15but you've also branched out into some really quite interesting ones.
0:30:15 > 0:30:20We've got representations of portraits, we've got regiments,
0:30:20 > 0:30:23- fairly funny examples... - Comic ones, yeah.
0:30:23 > 0:30:24The most, I think,
0:30:24 > 0:30:28- interesting one is a print by Bruce Bairnsfather...- That's correct.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30..who was an artist during the First World War.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32I've seen quite a lot of these prints, not only on postcards,
0:30:32 > 0:30:34but they also did them on china,
0:30:34 > 0:30:38so I've seen plates and all sorts of things by him, as well.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40This one, I think is wonderful.
0:30:40 > 0:30:41"Coiffure In The Trenches" -
0:30:41 > 0:30:44"Keep your 'ead still, or I'll 'ave yer blinkin' ear off!"
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Yeah, very important, I think.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50- Not particularly a coiffure.- No.
0:30:50 > 0:30:55But to find comedy in a situation that must have been so awful...
0:30:55 > 0:30:58- Yeah, black humour, really. - Exactly, yes.
0:30:58 > 0:31:00What is it that sort of attracted you to them?
0:31:00 > 0:31:03I've always had an interest in the First World War.
0:31:03 > 0:31:07It's just fascinating to me. It covers all subjects.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10- That's it, really.- And what can you tell me about this one?
0:31:10 > 0:31:11This one, for me, is quite interesting.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14- This is signed E Cavell, which is Edith Cavell.- That's right.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17She was a lady who went out to France as a nurse
0:31:17 > 0:31:21and she tried to get some of our chaps back to this country.
0:31:21 > 0:31:25She was found out and the Germans actually executed her as a spy,
0:31:25 > 0:31:27which she wasn't.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30She just wanted to get the chaps home again and help them back
0:31:30 > 0:31:32and she was actually shot, yeah.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35It's really very poignant, because the caption on here says,
0:31:35 > 0:31:40"I have seen death so often that it is not strange or painful to me.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42"I am glad to die for my country."
0:31:42 > 0:31:45- Yeah, very courageous lady. - Incredibly courageous lady.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47- That's right.- That is really something, isn't it?
0:31:47 > 0:31:50And obviously her in much more peaceful circumstances.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53- Yes, that's right.- So, incredibly interesting collection.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56- I think at auction I would sell it as one.- Right.
0:31:56 > 0:32:01So I'm going to put a global figure of between £60-£100
0:32:01 > 0:32:05- on the collection...- OK. - ..and with a reserve of £60.
0:32:05 > 0:32:06Right, OK.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08I would think that they would go for more.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12I'm sure that we will get within, hopefully, above that estimate
0:32:12 > 0:32:15and I think it certainly provides a fascinating
0:32:15 > 0:32:19snapshot into an incredibly important era of our own history.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24I think there would be a lot of interest in Colin's collection,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27especially for this postcard of Edith Cavell,
0:32:27 > 0:32:30the British matron of the Red Cross Hospital in Brussels.
0:32:30 > 0:32:35Cavell saved the life of soldiers from all sides without distinction.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38During the First World War,
0:32:38 > 0:32:43she helped over 200 Allied soldiers escape to freedom.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45In 1915, she was arrested
0:32:45 > 0:32:50and her execution received worldwide condemnation.
0:32:50 > 0:32:55This memorial in London is one of many erected after her death.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57With such history attached to his collection, it would
0:32:57 > 0:33:02be fascinating to see how Colin's postcards fare at the auction.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08Elizabeth, these are absolutely wonderful fun!
0:33:08 > 0:33:10- And welcome to "Flog It!". - Thank you.
0:33:10 > 0:33:16Tell me, are these your toys or are they a child's toys?
0:33:16 > 0:33:20No, the were my toys which I bought as an adult.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22An irresponsible adult.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26- How long have you had them? - About 20 years, I would think, yes.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28What drew you to these?
0:33:28 > 0:33:32We watched the hunt go out when we lived in the country in Lincolnshire.
0:33:32 > 0:33:37And it was a tremendous spectacle, just such an English thing, really -
0:33:37 > 0:33:41the tradition. But I just saw it and I couldn't resist it.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45- Not everyone approves of hunting. - No, of course not.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49- Is it something you follow? - No, not at all. Not at all.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51I was glad when it was banned.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55But it's just part of our history and our heritage.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57What we have are really the best.
0:33:57 > 0:34:03They're Britains lead figures, started by William Britain
0:34:03 > 0:34:06- in about 1893.- I didn't realise.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08He started making these figures
0:34:08 > 0:34:11and so on in lead and it was a hollow casting.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15Previous to that, lead figures were solid.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17- Oh, right. - But these ones were hollow.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19And they're very, very popular.
0:34:19 > 0:34:24The most common thing that was made were the soldiers.
0:34:24 > 0:34:29And little boys of the late 19th and early 20th century would
0:34:29 > 0:34:34have their battalions of soldiers and battles and so on.
0:34:34 > 0:34:40But Britains have been making this type of hollow lead casting toy
0:34:40 > 0:34:42for a long, long time.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45Did you pay a lot of money for them at the time?
0:34:45 > 0:34:47Must have been at least £200.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51- You've paid retail price for them, Elizabeth.- Right.
0:34:51 > 0:34:56- I would like to put the them in at, say, 60-100.- OK.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58- Would that the all right? - Yes, that would be fine.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02- We know you paid much more, but it was retail price.- Yes.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04That was indulgence.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08Thank you again for bringing them along,
0:35:08 > 0:35:11- we've had great fun. - Thank you very much.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14# I'm the fox you've been waiting for
0:35:14 > 0:35:17# Hello Daddy, hello Mom
0:35:17 > 0:35:19# I'm your ch-ch-ch-ch
0:35:19 > 0:35:21# Cherry bomb! #
0:35:21 > 0:35:23There's just time for one more valuation,
0:35:23 > 0:35:27so let's catch up with the ever charming Christina Trevanion.
0:35:29 > 0:35:34Carol, I think you are the most glamorous granny I've ever met.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38- Oh, I'll come again, thank you very much!- You are! Four grandchildren...
0:35:38 > 0:35:42- Yes.- ..and you've brought a bit of bling to my table, which I love,
0:35:42 > 0:35:46- really fantastic.- I like it, too. - Tell me a little bit about it.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49I really thought it was Grandma's.
0:35:49 > 0:35:50But it might be a little bit later than that,
0:35:50 > 0:35:54it might have been my mother's. I don't ever remember her wearing it.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57- So it's a bit of an enigma ring, really, isn't it?- Yes.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59- It's a mystery ring. - It's a mystery, yes, it is.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03We'll have a good look at it. It's certainly very beautiful, isn't it?
0:36:03 > 0:36:06We've got a few chips in what we call the girdle,
0:36:06 > 0:36:08which is the widest part of the stone.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10I love the fact that round the setting you've got this
0:36:10 > 0:36:13really lovely little heart-shaped carving.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16- This is what we call the gallery here.- Sweet, aren't they?
0:36:16 > 0:36:18Very sweet. Very possibly given as a love token.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22And we've got this quite unusual band here which is actually
0:36:22 > 0:36:24three different types of colour gold.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27And if we look at the hoop inside, it tells us pretty much everything
0:36:27 > 0:36:31we need to know, and I'd expect to find an 18 carat gold hallmark.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34And then we've got a nice hallmark that tells us it is
0:36:34 > 0:36:39- a London piece from 1994.- Right. - So relatively modern, really.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42- Relatively new.- Maybe it was a love token, do you think?
0:36:42 > 0:36:46- Oh, I don't know!- Ooh! - Something she never told me about!
0:36:46 > 0:36:48If only it could talk!
0:36:48 > 0:36:49You never know.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53I really like it, and I've had a quick measure of the stone.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56- It measures just shy of a carat. - Oh, right.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59Do you have any sort of expectations of value for it?
0:36:59 > 0:37:02I don't really have any idea of the value at all.
0:37:02 > 0:37:07At auction, I would expect it to fetch somewhere in the region of about £300-500.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10- Oh, that's nice.- Is that all right? - Yes, that's nice.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14I think maybe a reserve of 280, just to give us a little bit of leeway.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16And I think it should sell well for you.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18Thank you so much, and we'll look forward to the auction.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20That's lovely, thank you very much.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23MUSIC: O-o-h Child by Five Stairsteps
0:37:26 > 0:37:29The sun came out today and so did the people of Bedfordshire.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31And you didn't let us down, did you?
0:37:31 > 0:37:33You brought in some wonderful treasures.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35We've heard some fascinating stories and tales
0:37:35 > 0:37:39and that's what it's all about, this social history behind the item.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43But right now it's time to say goodbye to Wrest Park,
0:37:43 > 0:37:45our magnificent host location for today,
0:37:45 > 0:37:48as we go over to the auction room for the very last time
0:37:48 > 0:37:51to put those final valuations to the test.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54And here's a quick recap of the items going under the hammer.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04There's Colin's postcards with nearly 100 in the collection,
0:38:04 > 0:38:06many from the First World War.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08I think these will interest the bidders.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13Then we've got Elizabeth's set of early 20th-century Britains.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16Today, this subject matter is somewhat more controversial
0:38:16 > 0:38:20than when they were made. Will this affect the price? We'll find out.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26And the last item is the diamond and solitaire ring.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28It's a mystery to Carol where it came from,
0:38:28 > 0:38:31but we know where it's going - to the auction, with us.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36MUSIC: You Really Got Me by The Kinks
0:38:37 > 0:38:40Back at Tring Market Auctions the atmosphere is building
0:38:40 > 0:38:43and the temperature gauge is going through the roof.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46£650. Thank you.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49But auctioneer Stephen Hearn is keeping his cool
0:38:49 > 0:38:51as our next lot goes under the hammer.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57This item certainly sparkles, I'm sure it's going to light up the saleroom.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59It's a diamond ring belonging to Carol.
0:38:59 > 0:39:00And we're looking at £300-500.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03Originally you were going to spend the money on...?
0:39:03 > 0:39:06I was going to buy a coffee-maker for my new kitchen...
0:39:06 > 0:39:08- Oh, brilliant!- But, no -
0:39:08 > 0:39:12- I've just learned I'm going to be a grandma again.- Aw!
0:39:12 > 0:39:15- So now it's going as a present for the new baby.- That's fantastic.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18- That's great.- Congratulations! - Yes, congratulations.- Thank you.
0:39:18 > 0:39:22Let's put it to the test, shall we? Here we go, it's going under the hammer.
0:39:22 > 0:39:27Nice little stone in there, what about 300 for it? 250? 200 bid.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29210, 220 I have.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31- Come on!- 240, 250. You're in.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33260, and 70.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36He's got a commission bid on the book, look.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38280, 290? No?
0:39:38 > 0:39:40At £280 and I'm selling down.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42280.
0:39:42 > 0:39:43£280, thank you.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45Sold! £280.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48- On reserve.- Right on the reserve.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51It just goes to show that size isn't everything,
0:39:51 > 0:39:53it has to be the quality, as well.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57Yes, you're right, Christina -
0:39:57 > 0:40:00it's about colour, cut, clarity and size.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02MUSIC: Boom Boom by The Yardbirds
0:40:05 > 0:40:09On this show we're always talking about our great British heritage,
0:40:09 > 0:40:11whether it's industrial, whether its architectural
0:40:11 > 0:40:14or those lost traditional skills and methods.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16But what about toys? Yes, they've got a heritage
0:40:16 > 0:40:19and I like to think it all started with this next lot.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22Britains figures, William Britain, back in the 1800s.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26And, Elizabeth, thank you for bringing in such a wonderful set.
0:40:26 > 0:40:27- Thank you.- It really is.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30And it does sum up Edwardian England, doesn't it?
0:40:30 > 0:40:31All those outdoor pursuits.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33And the good thing is when you're playing a game like that,
0:40:33 > 0:40:37- you can let the fox escape all the time.- Absolutely...
0:40:37 > 0:40:40The hounds never catch it up. But look, good luck with this.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42I don't think it's a great deal of money,
0:40:42 > 0:40:46I would love to see it double the estimate if possible.
0:40:46 > 0:40:47I'd like it to go to a good home.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50- Fingers crossed.- Fingers crossed.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52Let the chase begin, here we go.
0:40:52 > 0:40:57What do we say for this one to kick it off? What about £50 for it? 40?
0:40:57 > 0:41:00Yes, we've got two hands going up in the room.
0:41:00 > 0:41:0390, £100 I am bid for it, then. £100...
0:41:04 > 0:41:06Come on, 100, come on, come on.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08100, then, I'm going to sell.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12It's going and I shall sell for £100.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14- Brilliant! That's a good result. - Good, good, good.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17And you've had some fun with them. You've had a lot of years with them.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19- I know you lost a bit of money, but...- No, no.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22- You can't really put a price on that fun, can you?- No.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24MUSIC: Hooked On A Feeling by Blue Swede
0:41:24 > 0:41:29And following that great result is our last lot of the day.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31Thank you.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33Going under the hammer right now, we have a collection of roughly
0:41:33 > 0:41:3795 World War I postcards collected by Colin.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40Since you've been collecting you should be have become a little
0:41:40 > 0:41:44bit of an authority by now. You know what ones are the good cards there.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46Yes, I suppose you do after a while.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48You do get to know the best ones, yeah.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51Right, it's going under the hammer, let's put it to the test.
0:41:53 > 0:41:57Lot 345, where do we go? Are we going to get 80, 100 for them?
0:41:57 > 0:41:5850 for them?
0:41:58 > 0:42:0160, 70, 80, 90, 100?
0:42:01 > 0:42:02Ten, 20.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04- 120!- Fantastic.- Blimey.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07£120, I'm going to sell them, then.
0:42:07 > 0:42:08- 130.- Ooh!
0:42:08 > 0:42:09140.
0:42:09 > 0:42:10150, 160?
0:42:12 > 0:42:14170, Sir?
0:42:14 > 0:42:15170. 80?
0:42:17 > 0:42:19At 170 behind you, then, I'm going to...
0:42:19 > 0:42:21170... 180.
0:42:21 > 0:42:22180!
0:42:22 > 0:42:24At £180.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26190, sir?
0:42:26 > 0:42:28At the back at 190?
0:42:28 > 0:42:29Yes, 190.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31- Sounds like 200, doesn't it?- Yes!
0:42:31 > 0:42:34- 200, we've done it.- £200.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37At £200, thank you.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39£200, sold!
0:42:39 > 0:42:41Stephen on the rostrum is doing a brilliant job.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44He's got that really friendly approach, "Come on, one more."
0:42:44 > 0:42:47- £200, you broke even. - Yeah, that'll go towards a holiday.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50- Going towards a holiday, where are you going?- Cornwall.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52- CORNISH ACCENT: - Proper job, hey! Proper job.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55- Say hello to everyone for me, won't you?- I will, don't worry.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Quite a few of them pasties, see how we get on.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00MUSIC: Fooled Around And Fell In Love by Elvin Bishop
0:43:00 > 0:43:02Cornish pasties, yum!
0:43:02 > 0:43:05I can't think of a better way to spend the money, Colin.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12There you are, that's it, it's all over for our owners.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15As you can see, the sale is still going on, the auctioneer,
0:43:15 > 0:43:17Stephen Hearn, on the rostrum, still working hard.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20But he's weaved his magic today and he's done us proud.
0:43:20 > 0:43:23We've got some happy owners, and that's what it's all about.
0:43:23 > 0:43:26If you've got something to sell, we want to flog it for you.
0:43:26 > 0:43:29But until then, from Tring, it's goodbye from all of us.