Nottingham 9 Flog It!

This is the great drawing room of Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire,

once home to the poet Lord Byron.

It was saved for the nation by two families, who transformed it from

a ruinous wreck into the spectacular estate that we all see today.

Later on in the programme, we'll be finding out

how they left their mark. Welcome to "Flog It!"

Southwell Minster in Nottinghamshire

is admired for its soaring beauty and elegant arches, but this minster

is also special, because it's a place where spirituality and art meet.

It's bursting with creative touches,

from medieval carvings to modern sculpture.

We'll be seeing some of the divine inspiration that has made

Southwell Minster so special later on in the programme.

But right now, let's see

if we can inspire this magnificent crowd to sell their antiques

because all they need is a favourable valuation from our experts.

-And what are you going to do?

-Flog it!

Our experts, Michael Baggott and Mark Stacey, are keen to find the

best of art and design amongst the bags and boxes.

Oh, I love her.

They're already fighting over the treasures lining up for their scrutiny.

We'll put you down as a maybe.

Never mind, you're all right.

So, on the show today, creative inspiration spanning 300 years.

-From the handmade...

-You know, they just used very basic

tools and equipment to make these. It's amazing, really, that it's survived.

..to the heaven-sent.

There's something I must show you, because it's my favourite piece of sculpture here in the minster.

And some great sales thrown in for good measure.

That is a fantastic result. Your first auction and a big sale.

# Gloria

# Gloria Gloria... #

The first thing that hits you

when you cross the threshold of the minster is this magnificent statue

up there, shining down on this wonderful crowd.

It's known as Christus Rex and it's by the British modern sculptor

Peter Ball. Peter Ball is famous worldwide

for creating over 300 statues like this one in places of worship.

But I think this one's rather special.

It's made of elm, copper-plated gold leaf,

and as it shimmers down here, lighting up this room, let's hope it can shed some

light on our valuation tables, and let's catch up with Mark Stacey.

I know he has just spotted a real treasure.

Brenda, I couldn't think of a more appropriate thing to come into a

valuation day this year than a piece of trench art from the Great War.

Now, what is the history of it?

My grandfather's colleague made it in the trenches and

unfortunately he got injured.

-As he lay dying, he gave it to my grandfather.

-Oh, God.

-It's a bit sad.

-It's very sad, isn't it?

And your grandfather's obviously passed it down to your father.

-Yes, and he's passed it to me.

-That's amazing, isn't it?

Absolutely amazing, because when you think... It was a horrible war.

I mean, all wars are horrible, but that one particularly with

those poor young men, trapped in the trenches for month,

after month, after month.

And of course, in amongst the intermittent firing

and fighting there were long periods of time

-I suppose where...

-They had to find something to do.

When you pick it up, Brenda, you can see it's sort of a shell case, isn't it?

And then these little strips here

are probably another shell case, aren't they, which have been flattened out.

And I noticed that the wheels are made out of buttons.

Tunic buttons from his regiment.

There was at one time a little propeller on the front, but that's...

They just used very basic tools and equipment to make these. It's amazing, really that...

-They could manage to do it in the trenches.

-Exactly.

And that it survived.

Why have you brought it in today?

Well, it's just in the loft, wrapped up, and I'd like somebody who could

appreciate it to have it more.

-Somebody who would restore it and add it to their collection.

-Yes.

Well, there's a great interest in this type of thing,

but it's so interesting to see a biplane, because of course,

-planes were quite a new thing then.

-That's right.

We take them for granted these days, don't we, flying across the Atlantic,

but at the time they were rarities.

It's got a real sentimental look to me.

-Crudely done, but very emotional, really, isn't it?

-Yes.

I love it, actually. I think there'd be a lot of collectors who love it.

In terms of value I think we've got to be realistic,

and I would have probably put an estimate of something like £150

to £250 on it, with £150 reserve. Would you be happy with that?

-Yes, that's fine.

-Well, I look forward to seeing you at the auction

and thank you so much for bringing it in.

Thank you.

I'm sure the collectors will love this little aeroplane.

It's an extraordinary work of artistic expression

that emerged out of such a tragic experience.

Meanwhile, Michael's in his element with a table of silver that

has a fascinating provenance.

Hugh, Marilyn, thank you so much for coming along today

and bringing this little cache of Russian treasure.

How did you come to own these?

They came to me from my father, who lived in Russia for a time,

and my grandfather was manager of a mill there.

They had to leave rather abruptly because the Revolution,

and obviously some things like this came back with them.

That's marvellous. What's actually very nice about these three pieces

is they cover the three techniques you're most likely to see

-on Russian silver.

-Right, right.

So we've got...chasing, which is basically the manipulation through

hammering and pushing and modelling of a scene on a cigarette case.

We've got...cloisonne enamel,

so you've got all these overlaid wires.

-They're all individually twisted and soldered on.

-Amazing.

And when that's done, they're individually filled with

colours of enamel and fired until it's built up to a level.

It's a very labour-intensive technique.

The last technique we've got is the wonderful use of niello, which

is a black, sulphurous inlay, which when you apply it to the silver...

it's almost like drawing a picture,

and that's a very nice decoration on a spoon.

In terms of date and places of manufacture,

the vesta case will be Moscow about 1880-1890.

The spoon...1870-1880.

And those we'd put together in a lot.

The real star of the show is the cigarette case.

The Russians were desperately fond, firstly of smoking,

-and secondly of presenting cases as gifts.

-Right.

We've got the wonderful scene of a troika being pulled by horses

through the snow, and on the back we've got this wonderful,

elaborate Cyrillic style, but European initial

and we've got the inscription,

-"First prize, Easter Handicap, Thornton Woollen Mills 1909."

-Yeah.

Wonderful. It's like a potted history of Russian silver.

-Yeah, absolutely, yeah.

-It's great.

I think these we're very comfortable at putting...

£200-£300 on the spoon and vesta case and a fixed reserve of £200.

I don't see a problem with that at all.

The case is the more valuable item and I think we would put £400-£600,

because we're absolutely certain of its provenance and its authenticity.

I think we'd probably put a reserve of £380 on that, fixed.

We'll put them into the sale, we've got our fixed reserves,

-let's hope we do very much better than that as well on the day.

-We hope so.

Thank you both very much for bringing them in.

Three techniques for the price of one on those pieces that

evoke the old Russian Empire. That should find a keen buyer.

The lovely thing about Southwell Minster is that they have brought

such an eclectic mix of art and sculpture into the space.

But I'm here to look at something really special - two works of art,

the first by one of our best-loved artists, J M W Turner,

and one by his contemporary, and friend, the painter, Thomas Girtin.

This is a pen and wash study by Turner, and it's thought to be

one of the earliest known examples of the cathedral.

It was done in around about 1793, when Turner visited.

He must have enjoyed his stay, and he had the pleasure in

drafting up this wonderful image of the minster.

Now, interestingly enough, Turner's great friend Girtin also painted

the minster, and this is a Girtin image.

Slightly more colourful and slightly more detailed, and this was done

around about the same time, 1793, and Turner actually admitted that

if Girtin hadn't died prematurely and went on to live a lot longer,

he probably would have out-painted Turner.

This beautiful painting shows just why Turner admired Girtin so much.

Girtin died at the age of just 27, but had he survived, it's possible

he could have become a painter to rival his great friend.

How fitting, therefore, that the minster have brought them back together.

Turner was in his early artistic years when he drew that picture,

and Mark's next object is by an equally youthful band

that was trying to make it musically when this came out.

-Hello, James.

-Hello, Mark.

Now, you've brought this Rolling Stones album, and I understand it's

quite an early album, is that right?

-Yes. It would be first album they did.

-Very young faces there.

-Absolutely.

-They all look very innocent there, don't they?

-Well, yes... Not for long.

It's an interesting story, isn't it, because you got it through a family member.

Yes, my stepfather I believe shared a flat with a gentleman who was

a jobbing artist, he did covers of albums and books and he

happened to be speaking to somebody in a studio somewhere and The Stones

came in with this album, and all signed it and gave it to him.

Obviously it wasn't of any great interest to him,

because he went back to their flat and threw it in the bin

and my step-father pulled it back out of the bin and kept it.

I'm guessing here in the...mid-'60s there were a lot of budding

pop groups, and I suppose nobody realised who were going to become

the huge hitters, if you like -

The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, other bands.

It is interesting, though, because this was their first album.

It says there 1964.

Incidentally, that was the year I was born...1964.

So that's a tie-in. You can see these songs were not written by them at all...

Route 66, I Just Want To Make Love To You.

So these are all sort of cover versions, aren't they?

They've obviously got a bit of self-publicity there,

-maybe you can read some of that, James.

-OK, um, thanks...

-And how right they were!

-Yeah... Yeah, I'm sure they did at the time.

There is, as you say, the signature of Mick Jagger.

-It's done in pencil, so it's slightly faded.

-It has done, yeah.

It's not too keen on being in bright lights.

Neither am I. There's other signatures on here.

Of course, the interesting thing is had it not been signed at all by

The Rolling Stones, even with the faded signature, I can't imagine

the album would be worth half as much as it would with the signature.

It's all-important, isn't it?

The other key thing, of course, is that it's framed. We can't take it out of the frame at the moment,

-but there is a record inside, isn't there?

-It's the original

record in the sleeve, yeah.

So I think that's important for the auctioneer to put in the catalogue description -

it's not just the album cover,

it's the record that goes with it which is quite important.

I have to be honest, James, I'm not a big expert in rock memorabilia,

but I think it will have interest.

My gut feeling is around £200-£300 with a fixed reserve of £200.

-Would you be happy do give it a go for that?

-Yeah.

-Are you sure?

-Wonderful, well, let's give it a try.

-Thanks, Mark.

And maybe we'll make happy music at the auction when it flies past.

-Hopefully.

-Fingers crossed.

-Brilliant.

Well, I'd like to think this album rock and rolls

into the hands of fan at our auction.

# I've got them moooves like Jagger. #

Before we go off to auction, there's something I really must show you,

because it's my favourite piece of sculpture here in the minster.

And here it is - I think it's rather tactile.

It's so simple, it speaks volumes to me.

He's known as Ecce Homo - behold, the man -

and he's by the artist and sculptor Peter Ball, who was responsible

for the piece we saw earlier, Christus Rex, above the knave.

I think this is stunning.

But the masterpiece about it is that it's been fashioned

out of an old railway sleeper.

And if you look closely, you can actually see all the rough marks.

You can see the oak splitting here and all the old

bolt holes through it and the way it's been chipped and worn.

It's incredibly tactile,

and it's been put here for you to enjoy,

for you to actually touch and put some more patina on it, because

that's what sculpture's all about, to be viewed and to be touched.

Well, right now it's off to auction and let's hope these

three items will prove to be sleepers as well.

Let's hope we can triple their value. And here's a quick recap of all the items we're taking with us.

We have Brenda's astonishing piece of World War I art

that survived the trenches.

There's Hugh's Russian haul of silver,

saved during the Russian Revolution.

And will The Rolling Stones classic, rescued from a bin,

attract the bidders at auction?

We're moving up the road to Nottingham for our auction today,

where creativity is in the city's bones. For 150 years,

Nottingham was synonymous with the lace-making industry.

Today, the lace-making quarter, known as the Lace Market,

has transformed into a hub for boutiques and shops.

And our auction house today, Mellors and Kirk,

is also a hub of excitement as the sale is just about to start.

So let's go inside and catch up with auctioneer Nigel Kirk,

who's on the rostrum today.

And today, the seller's commission set by the auction house

is 15%, plus VAT.

So, let's get under way with our first lot,

the incredibly special biplane.

It's a bit of trench art and it's incredibly hard to value

because you can't do comparables. It belongs to Brenda - hi there!

I love what you're wearing, it's lovely and bright. And who's with you?

-It's my husband, Dave.

-Dave, pleased to meet you.

Well, I'll tell you what, this little plane does actually put

a smile on your face, doesn't it?

It's a very rare item, Paul, and I love the way they've used

little regimental buttons for the wheels.

It is a one-off, as you say, Paul, and any collector of militaria and First World War memorabilia

would love to add this, I'm sure, to their collection.

Fingers crossed we get this away. Here we go.

A brass, iron and copper model of a biplane.

£50 I am bid for this. 50, 60 anywhere? 60, 70.

80...£80! 90 for it?

90...100...and 10.

120? 110 and 120.

130. 140?

At £130... 140. 150.

160... At 150... At £150 in the room and selling...

160. 170, madam?

No. At £160, I shall sell.

Sold at £160. That was OK.

-That was all right, wasn't it?

-Yes.

And it looks like it's gone to a collector, which is a nice thing.

Hopefully they will enjoy it, yes.

Thanks for bringing that in, because, really, at the end of the day

it's all about the story and what we're reminded of. So thank you.

What a pleasure to see such a poignant memento to World War I.

That deserved every single penny.

Now time for Hugh's collection of silver that dates from just

before the Russian Revolution, and it's going in as two lots.

I've just been joined by Hugh and Marilyn, and under the hammer

right now we are putting their Russian silver cigarette case.

It is absolutely stunning, this is.

You brought it to the right man as well.

The most important thing about this is it's genuine, we've got

a trail of provenance going back in your family.

To the Baltic, which I think is fantastic.

-Top end or lower end?

-Happy with the reserve, Paul.

Happy with the reserve! OK, we're going to put it to the test.

Here we go. Good luck, both of you.

Russian silver cigarette case, Moscow 1908-1909.

-Sounds really exotic, doesn't it?

-It does.

At £250 for this lot, I am bid.

250. 280...

280... 300 on commission.

-320, 350...

-Come on, we've got to return the 380.

-400.

-Yes!

And 20.

450...480.

It's going in the room, all right. Nothing online.

No Russian oligarchs.

£500.

Top end, well done.

-We got that. £500. Happy with that, aren't you?

-Yeah, yeah.

And next, that delightfully worked vesta case and spoon.

And £180 for this lot is asked and bid.

180, 190, 200...220.

At 220 I am bid.

£220. 250 for them?

250. 280. 280 before you.

300, do I see? At £280 my bid...

Collectors and dealers always like a couple of things in the lot.

£350 from Russia.

From Russia... What do I know? What do I know?

Selling at £350.

-Bid from Russia.

-Maybe the postage is cheap because they're small.

It's gone back to where it belongs. That is brilliant, isn't it?

-From here in Nottingham, that's going all the way back to Russia.

-Amazing.

It looks like this will be going back to Russia with love.

Quite a haul for Hugh, with a total of £850.

And for our third lot,

will The Rolling Stones attract the auction crowds?

Well, I've just been joined by James, our next owner, and our expert, Mark Stacey.

We're talking about The Rolling Stones album,

signed by the boys themselves. My favourite band.

I'd be keeping this if I was you. I'd have that on the wall.

-I did.

-You did.

Yeah, I did for a while, but Mick Jagger signed it in pencil,

it started fading and I panicked, so I took it off the wall.

Yeah, OK, so it's a good time to part with it.

We're going to put that value to the test, Mark.

-Well, we know pop and rock memorabilia is very popular.

-We do.

Here we go.

And £150, I'm bid, 150.

At £150.

160, 170, 180, 190

200, at £200 bid.

220, 250, 250,

250, I'm bid.

280, 280, 300.

320, 350,

380, 400.

420.

£400, against you, online.

£400, fair warning.

Well, that's a good result, £400. I'm happy, are you happy?

-Yeah, I think that's fair enough.

-That's not bad, is it?

-Considering the condition there.

-Yeah, it was a bit tatty.

And you got it for nothing.

Well, that helps, yeah.

One satisfied customer

and now someone else can preserve that bit of rock'n'roll history.

Well, that's it, that's the end of our first visit to the sale today.

We are coming back later on, so don't go away.

Now, not far from here is a stately home called Newstead Abbey,

lived in by the same family for nearly 300 years,

but they did leave it in a bit of a dilapidated state.

But luckily for the house, and the nation,

the next two families who came along to buy it realised it had

something special, it was worth saving,

but it needed a great deal of tender, loving care.

I went to Newstead Abbey to find out more.

Newstead Abbey. Today, one of the great stately homes of England.

Rooms overspilling with splendid furnishings.

Intricately decorated with oak carvings.

Family portraits peering down at you.

Everything you'd want in a stately home but there was a time

when this place fell far short of the term stately.

It was down to two visionary families to rescue this place

but first, I want to find out why it fell into such a parlous state.

Like any good soap opera, the Byron family had their ups and downs

over their 300 years here, counting bad debt,

insanity and even manslaughter amongst the family sagas.

So, by the time the poet Lord Byron inherited the house,

Newstead was what one friend described as an extensive ruin.

By the age of 21, Byron had moved in with small means

but a whole host of his buddies.

He treated Newstead as his bachelor pad,

maintaining a few rooms for himself whilst leaving other rooms for his caprices.

In fact, this room, the great hall, he used as...

-GUNSHOT

-..pistol practice.

And this room was empty but he still put it to good use,

for fencing and boxing practice,

like any red-blooded 18th-century Lord would do.

But it was an expensive place to run.

While he may have been adept with words, he was not good with money.

In 1818, Byron was forced to sell the house to his great long-time friend Thomas Wildman.

Wildman immediately realised that the massive purchase cost of 94,500

wasn't just buying him a house, it was buying him something far greater,

a duty to preserve and protect the Byron legacy.

There's something I want to show you in this cabinet.

It's a letter from Byron to Wildman written in 1818 and in it,

Byron gives him his blessing. It really is quite touching.

It reads something like this, the extract from the bottom,

"I trust that Newstead will, being yours,

"remain so and that it may see you as happy as I am very sure that you will make your dependence."

So, you can see, he really is letting go

and he's saying, "Come on, love this house like I have."

That really is quite sweet.

With a big thumbs up from Byron, Wildman spent a small fortune

on a makeover that transformed the house.

Now, I love little documents of social history which give us a window into the past

and we normally see it on bits of paper and photographs but

surprisingly, here, you've got it on beautifully decorated serve plates.

This is gorgeous.

These are images of Newstead Abbey just prior,

two or three years before Wildman got his hands on the property.

Of course, once he did

Wildman demolished this staircase that you can see there.

But the Wildmans did an awful lot to this house to turn it

into what we see today, a proper family, a comfortable family home.

But these plates were painted by Wildman's sister, Maria,

who was a talented amateur porcelain painter in her day

and it's because of her we've got this document of the past.

Wildman had put his stamp on this place while being faithful

to Byron's wishes and the Byron fans flocked here to see where

the great poet had lived and loved.

When Wildman died, it could so easily have

fallen into the hands of someone who had no interest in the Byron legacy.

Now, by luck or by good fortune, the next family to arrive in 1861

were keen to celebrate Byron here at Newstead.

Now, that is a portrait of William Webb, a wealthy landowner.

His wife, Emilia, was keen to keep the Byron tours going

here at the house, so keen she even took the tours around herself.

Leading her children to tease her, that she was Byron's caretaker.

She methodically carried on Wildman's buying spree,

collecting back Byron's personal effects, furniture and pictures.

The cabinets here in the library are filled with Byron's things.

Most of them Byron left here but the Wildmans

and the Webbs have added to it,

returning things to their rightful place, which is absolutely marvellous.

We've been given special permission to open these cabinet doors,

just so you can get a better look.

You can tell they haven't been open for a long time, that's an old door creaking.

But look, Byron's boxing gloves, he was a keen fighter.

He followed the sport, he was a good fighter as well.

There's a dog collar belonging to one of Byron's dogs,

beautifully inscribed "Hon Lord Byron".

Best thing I like though, is this section of tree which has been cut down.

Look, it's got "Byron". He carved that in with quite a crude knife.

Byron and Augusta, his half-sister, on 20th September 1814.

Isn't that lovely?

Here it is, look, in the cabinet, which I'm just about to shut.

Isn't that nice?

By the 1870s, Byron's Newstead was really on the map and was said to be

on the top ten list of Victorian favourite country houses to visit.

But, like the Wildmans, the family put their own personal stamp on the house too.

One of the many treasures that the Webb family introduced

to this house was this incredible Florentine centre table.

It dates back to the 18th century.

Now, you may be forgiven for thinking that this top is

just decoration that's painted on but it's not.

I've not seen work like this in my life before.

This is known as pietra dura, which means painting and drawing in stone.

It is literally set in stone. This image is there forever.

Each individual piece, each individual colour,

is a different piece of marble or semi-precious stone mined from the quarries in Italy.

This is a specimen top table and it is incredibly rare and incredibly expensive.

This is done by a master of the genre, a chap called Zocchi,

in his studios in Florence.

It's dizzying and it's really, really incredible.

And this is one of their greatest legacies, the Japanese room,

created by daughter Geraldine. Sort of circa late 1890.

She brought these wooden panels back with her and on them,

they depict scenes of pine trees, oak trees and cranes,

all very symbolic to Japanese culture.

I think it's absolutely incredible.

And I love these painted images above as well.

This is gold leaf on paper. Look at the cranes! Isn't that fabulous?

This is a touch of the Orient, coming to Nottinghamshire.

Much of the house today is as both families left it

and it's now in the safe hands of Nottingham City Council.

What is so amazing about the Wildmans and the Webbs

is they felt a real sense of duty to preserve this place, Newstead,

not just for their generation to pay homage to Byron but for future generations

so people like us could come here and enjoy it too.

Welcome back to our valuation day here at Southwell Minster.

It's now time to catch up with our experts.

It's lights, camera, action as we look for more antiques to take off to auction.

Dawn, where on earth did you get this lovely Cartier watch from?

Well, when my father died,

I know there were a lot of things in the loft.

So, me and my sister went up and had a look in the loft

and that's where we found it. Didn't know where he got it.

-In a box, or...

-No, just like that.

-Just like that, gosh.

-And you don't know where he got it from?

-No idea at all.

-Wow.

Well, it's a very interesting watch,

it's by a very well-known watchmaker who's called Cartier.

Oh, yeah.

And this particular model is called a Roadster and we know that

because it's titled on the back - Cartier Roadster.

So, you found it when?

Erm, just before Christmas.

-Oh, right, so quite recently.

-Yeah, yeah.

And you haven't done anything with him, you thought

-you'd bring it along today.

-Yes, that's right, yes.

-Wonderful, I'm glad you did.

-Oh, right, thank you.

Of course, what we're all looking for is the gold versions from the 1930s.

All right, yeah.

This is a stainless steel model from the 1950s, probably.

But the movement will be very top quality.

They're also known for their stylish designs and gentlemen these days

like these chunky, good-looking watches and this fits that bill.

-All right, yeah.

-It's a great shape.

-Have you ever thought of the value?

-No, I haven't. Not at all.

Well, I would suggest putting it in at £800-1,200 with a £700 reserve.

-Yep.

-Now, are you and your sister happy with that?

-Yes.

-Nobody wants it in the family?

-No.

You can put it towards something you want.

That's it. Holiday or something.

-Oh, it sounds lovely, doesn't it? Can I come with you?

-Yeah, you can.

Come in my suitcase.

I'm not sure Mark will fit.

Now, Michael has come across something we don't see every day on "Flog It!".

Jackie, thank you for bringing this wonderful knife in.

-I almost pounced on you in the queue, didn't I?

-You certainly did.

It's just everything that I absolutely love.

What can you tell me about it? Where does it come from?

I've no idea. My father used to go into junk shops

and just pick up little items and that's where he's picked it up.

-Junk shops.

-Yes, in the olden days.

I need a time machine to go back to the time when you could buy

-things like this in junk shops.

-I would say it would be '60s.

'60s, yep.

The first thing, without even picking it up,

-is the shape of that blade.

-Yes.

-Now, have you thought about how old it might be?

-Erm, 17-something?

-17-something. Close, 16-something.

-Oh, wow.

It's a late Charles II, William III knife and what you get is,

you get this little swept back scimitar to it and that would be

for when you had a dish with your salt on the edge of the plate.

-Right.

-Now, you wouldn't, like we do today, go in all hands blazing.

You would take your knife

-and take the salt off the edge like that and sprinkle it.

-Oh, right.

-So, that had a specific purpose.

-Yes.

The handle, it's what we call a cannon handle,

which is late 17th century.

But it's slightly better than just a plain cannon because, if you look here,

you've got all this foliate decoration and that's been applied.

That's what we call cut-card work.

So, another piece of silver's been cut out

into that foliate shape and that's been soldered on.

That's made it thicker and it's brought all the decoration

out in relief and you've got a little baluster turning.

-It's just a beautiful, beautiful thing.

-Yes.

I mean, originally you would've had a set of either

this fork and spoon in a little travelling case

and you'd have those about your person when you went to dine,

-or if you were slightly wealthier you might have a set of 6 or 12 of these.

-Oh, wow.

I love it. It's absolutely the sort of thing that, you know,

-if I could, I would have that. I mean, it's just wonderful.

-Yes.

-The sad thing is it doesn't have a maker's mark.

-No.

Any...well, I say any idea of value.

It's not wildly valuable for its age and its quality.

Erm, but I think we would put that into auction happily at £100-150.

Right. That's excellent, yes.

And we'd put a reserve a little bit lower than that, maybe £90.

-Yes, yes.

-Are you happy to sell it?

-Absolutely, yes.

-Your cutlery drawer at home won't be bare?

-It won't be bare, no.

This is not the Sunday carving knife or anything like that?

It isn't, no.

-But thank you so much for bringing it in.

-Yes.

-It's made my day.

-It's the nicest knife we've ever had on a "Flog It!".

-Oh, fantastic!

-Now all we need is the nicest spoon to go with it.

-Yes.

-Thanks so much for bringing it in.

-Thank you, Michael. Thank you.

And Michael has seen a fair few, so, praise indeed.

Now, Mark seems impressed with our last item.

Mary, what a grand mantle clock you've brought in to show us.

Has it got much history in your family?

Yes, it's been in my family

and on the mantelpiece in the drawing room for over 70 years.

-And it belonged to your parents?

-Yes.

Well, it's quite an interesting piece.

-First thing to notice, of course, it's missing a dome.

-Of course, yes.

We have tried to get a dome for it in the past

-but we've never been fortunate.

-No, it's quite a large one actually.

-It's got to really come right up.

-Yes.

-And it's so typically from one country, France.

-Yes.

It's such a French-looking object and it's late 19th century,

around about 1890, that sort of date.

And it's very typically French, with these,

what we generally refer to as Sevres style panels.

These panels wouldn't have been produced in Sevres,

they would've been produced in one of the other Paris factories.

And then, various scenes.

This one, we've got a gallant and his companion here.

-Then, you've got some trophies and scrolls at the bottom.

-Yes.

The metal, I think, is probably bronze, which has been gilded,

which sometimes is referred to as ormolu.

-Ormolu, yes. I realise that, yes.

-And it's a great looking thing.

You've got the little Cupid as well, looking down,

holding his flame of love there.

And you've got nice little heads here, which are swans heads.

It's all very romanticised, isn't it?

It is, it's a very romantic clock.

We're missing two other pieces.

This would have been part of a clock garniture.

So, it would have had two vases that stood, or urns,

that stood either side of it. But it's a charming looking object.

The Chinese find these items rather appealing now because they're

terribly European and they're very...

How can I say it politely?

-They're quite blingy to look at, you know what I mean?

-Yes.

There's a lot going on and you get a lot for your money, really.

-Yes, it's very decorative.

-Very, very decorative, actually.

-Have you ever had it valued before?

-No.

Well, I think we've got to be cautious.

I think a few years ago these were making, you know, £500, £600, £700.

I think it's a bit less than that now.

I think if we were being sensible, we would probably put,

-sort of, £200-300 on there.

-Oh, really?

But it might well make a bit more than that.

Would you put it in for sale at that?

-Yes, because it has to go.

-You're downsizing, are you?

Well, I've got all my mother's possessions and this is starting.

-Oh, this is the start of the process.

-This is the start, yes.

And so, I was hoping for more than that but if that is what it is

in this day and age, that's all you can get, isn't it?

-That's right. It's like everything we sell.

-You have to be realistic.

I mean, whether we're selling houses or cars,

-it's worth what that market is at the time.

-At the time, yes.

Thank you so much for bringing it in.

It's been a pleasure and I shall be sorry to see the space

-but it has to go.

-Has to go. You have to get through those other boxes.

Yes. Thank you.

Well, Mary's loss will be someone else's gain with this dramatic piece.

Well, there you are, that's it.

Our experts have now made their final choice.

We've found our last three items to take off to auction.

So, it's time to say goodbye to Southwell Minster

and this magnificent crowd.

Look at this, a sea of faces,

as we head off to the sale room for the last time.

And here's a quite recap of what we're taking with us.

Dawn's classic watch might afford her that holiday abroad she's been hoping for.

There's the intricately decorated 17th century knife of Jackie's, found in a junk shop.

But will the lack of maker's mark keep the collectors at bay?

And the Sevres-style clock that puts the ornate in ornament.

We're back at the saleroom for our final three lots.

Getting into gear right now.

One of the first sports watches to go under the hammer.

It belongs to Dawn, it's a Cartier. Great name.

-Bit of a bloke's toy, this. It really is, isn't it?

-Very nice thing.

I said to Mark, "What sort of watch are you wearing?"

Because I like big, chunky watches. Come on, Mark, show us.

-I'm not wearing a watch.

-So I said, "How do you tell the time?"

-Listen to this.

-I use my mobile phone.

-It's true, a lot of people use it. It's there, isn't it?

-It is.

And it's more accurate than a watch. Fingers crossed we get £800-1,200.

Yes, it's a nice-looking thing and as you say, the name is good.

We're going to find out right now because this is our lot. Good luck.

This is where it gets exciting, anything could happen.

Here we go.

The Cartier Stainless Steel Roadster large wristwatch.

I'm feeling quite nervous.

-Me too, I'm not sure about it actually.

-Nor am I.

Is bid at 500. And 50. 600. 650. 700. 700, I am bid.

Well, we've got the reserve.

-750 over here.

-Oh, we're over the reserve now.

-800. 850. 900.

That's it, that's good. We're there.

-1,100. 1,200?

-Oh, spot on, Mark.

-At £1,100, the bid is on my left.

Selling at £1,100.

The hammer's gone down!

-Good valuation.

-Thank you.

-I did get a bit worried.

-There was a sticky start, wasn't there?

-It was, it was.

-Is this your first auction?

-It is.

You can see what we say when we say it's a bit of a roller coaster ride of emotions.

One minute, you're up there enjoying it all, next minute,

-you think, actually, I'm not. This isn't going to sell.

-We got there.

How about that? Your first auction and a big sale.

-I'm pleased with that.

-Well done, well done.

Well, vintage watches are very collectible.

So, look in your attic for old watches.

Dust them off and bring them in.

Now, let's go back over 300 years for something made with just as much finesse.

Going under the hammer right now, the oldest thing in the sale today.

Not just amongst our lots but in the entire sale.

A bit of William & Mary.

A wonderful knife, and it belongs to Jackie. Lovely thing.

I love William & Mary. I love that. That is the golden age of furniture for me.

It's all about the legs, isn't it?

-Well, with us, it's all about the handles.

-Yeah, Mr Cutlery Man here.

I just saw the end of that handle and knew immediately,

-cannon handled, stiff-leaf engraved, wonderful thing.

-Well, let's find out what the bidders think.

It's going under the hammer right now, this is it. Good luck.

William III silver hafted knife.

£50 asked for it. 50. 50, I am bid at £50. 50 only.

60 for it. 60. 70. 80.

80 for you? £70. £70?

£70, that's nothing!

It didn't sell.

I'm pleased it didn't sell at £70, that's real history.

Well, I've had the knives and forks in the past

and they've happily made £400-500.

-Right.

-That's bonkers, isn't it? You can get a bit of 1960s moulded Whitefriars glass

which sells for £100, £200 and no-one wants a William & Mary knife.

-It is very specialist.

-Yes, it is.

-And it's out of context, here, today.

-Right.

But they're on the internet, people could find these things.

They could if they're looking. I would've.

If I'd have been here, I'd have been tapping away,

-I'd have been tapping away at £150. But, another day.

-Yes.

You know that's quality and you know that's got a lot of age to it.

-That's a proper antique.

-It is.

-Yep. Good luck.

And we were so pleased just to have seen it.

And on another day, another sale for Jackie, it might do well.

Now, it's time for our final lot.

Going under the hammer right now, Mary's French mantle clock

and Mark Stacey is our expert.

-Since the valuation day, I mean, that's a showy piece.

-Oh, it is.

-You brought that from home. You must have missed that over the last four weeks.

-I have.

It's really been part of my life.

-Yeah, there's a big hole to fill now.

-Yes, yes.

-What's in its place?

-I put a lustre.

-Oh, right, OK.

-So, it was very nice to fill it up with a clear lustre.

-OK.

Well, look, good luck with that and good luck, Mark.

£200-300, that's what we want. It's going under the hammer right now.

French ormolu mantle clock insert

with Sevres style, porcelain panels and £120 I'm bid.

120, for this clock. 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190.

-200, 220, 250.

-We're in.

-280, 300.

320? £300 in the doorway.

-£300!

-320 for it now. 320 online.

-320 online.

-380, 400, 420, 420, 450.

480, 500, 550, 550, 550, 600.

That's £600. 650, 700, 750.

-Oh, Mary!

-That's wonderful.

-You don't miss it now.

-No.

-£700!

-£700!

-I can tell my sister now.

-Hey, hey...

£750, I sell online.

Yes! £750!

That is a fantastic result. Mary, you've got to be happy.

-Yes, extremely happy.

-She's missed it as well.

-I don't mind the space on the mantelpiece now.

Not now you've got the money.

It's incredibly hard to value. It's not an exact science, putting a value on an antique, is it?

-It's not. I thought they were out of fashion.

-What a surprise.

That's what auctions are all about

and I hope you've enjoyed today's show.

-What a way to end as well, we've thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

-Yes.

See you next time in another saleroom in another town.

Until then, it's goodbye from all of us here in Nottingham.