0:00:05 > 0:00:07Today, I am in Ayrshire, in Scotland,
0:00:07 > 0:00:11and this is the gorgeous 18th-century Dumfries House.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15It was one of the first commissions for 26-year-old Robert Adam,
0:00:15 > 0:00:18who later became one of Britain's most renowned architects.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22Today, however, it is its interior content which is considered
0:00:22 > 0:00:25even more important than its architecture.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Later on the programme, we will be finding out why.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29Welcome to Flog It!
0:00:58 > 0:01:03What is remarkable about the 250-year-old Dumfries House
0:01:03 > 0:01:06is all of its original furnishings have survived
0:01:06 > 0:01:09and they are in incredibly good condition,
0:01:09 > 0:01:13which is extremely rare for a stately home of this age
0:01:13 > 0:01:15to have its contents intact.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Throughout the centuries, the house has been passed down
0:01:19 > 0:01:23through a family who are as illustrious as its interiors.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26But in 2007, its last owner, Johnny Dumfries,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29could not longer afford the astronomical upkeep.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32This forced the family to make some tough decisions.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35They called in a top firm of auctioneers,
0:01:35 > 0:01:39as the future of Dumfries House hung in the balance.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41This small, unassuming lot card -
0:01:41 > 0:01:43look at that, Christie's, number 118 -
0:01:43 > 0:01:46is a very powerful reminder of how close
0:01:46 > 0:01:50this house and its contents were to being sold off.
0:01:50 > 0:01:51At the eleventh hour,
0:01:51 > 0:01:55the Prince of Wales, with a powerful consortium, challenged that.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58They bought it and they saved this house and all of its treasures
0:01:58 > 0:02:01for the nation, for all of us, to enjoy.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04And the Prince of Wales went one step further,
0:02:04 > 0:02:08establishing a trust which undertook a multi-million pound conservation
0:02:08 > 0:02:13and regeneration project in the house and on the surrounding estate.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17Later, I will be finding out more about the history of
0:02:17 > 0:02:18this amazing stately home.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22But first, we head south to take a look back
0:02:22 > 0:02:26at some of the valuation days we visited across the country.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32We journey to the 18th-century Palladian-style Ragley Hall
0:02:32 > 0:02:34in Warwickshire, where, in the Great Hall,
0:02:34 > 0:02:39Christina Trevanion found an item worthy of the sumptuous setting.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41Look at this. All that glitters is gold on my table.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43It is wonderful!
0:02:44 > 0:02:47You turned up in your droves to the Milestones Museum
0:02:47 > 0:02:49in Basingstoke, Hampshire,
0:02:49 > 0:02:54to have your items valued on the recreated historic cobbled streets.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57And we flew high at the RAF Museum at Hendon, in London,
0:02:57 > 0:03:01where our experts looked at your items amongst the historic
0:03:01 > 0:03:03and ground-breaking aircraft
0:03:03 > 0:03:06and Michael Baggott booked a flight to the Orient.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10You have got the obligatory depiction of Mount Fuji
0:03:10 > 0:03:12in the distance.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16And finally, we voyage to Falmouth, where we held our valuation day
0:03:16 > 0:03:19at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21And below the display of hanging flotilla,
0:03:21 > 0:03:26Caroline Hawley stumbled across a story with a royal connection.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30- My father's brother was a Harley Street eye specialist...- Right.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34..and he treated some members of the Belgian royal family.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37And back here at Dumfries House, I will be finding out why
0:03:37 > 0:03:41this bookcase is one of the most valuable pieces in the world.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44And I will give you a clue - it is all about who made it.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50But first, let's look at some of your valuables.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53When we visited the historic streets of the Milestones Museum
0:03:53 > 0:03:57in Basingstoke, James Lewis found a pair of items that
0:03:57 > 0:03:59took us back to the age of steam.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03I always thought it was Florence who was the Lady with the Lamp.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06But today we have got Carol, the Lady with TWO Lamps!
0:04:06 > 0:04:08The lady with... Yeah, right!
0:04:08 > 0:04:10So, railway, obviously.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13BR - British Rail - with an E in brackets for Eastern.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16- Oh, right. - And Melton on this one.- Yes.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18I thought it was Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire,
0:04:18 > 0:04:21but I think it is more likely to be Melton in Suffolk.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23I thought it was the name of the engine that it came off.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26- Oh, it could be. Good thinking.- Yes.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28So, tell me, what do you know about them
0:04:28 > 0:04:30and how did you come to have them in the family?
0:04:30 > 0:04:35- I went to the Watercress Line at Alresford about 20 years ago.- OK.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37They were restoring engines, steam trains.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39And they had a shed at the back
0:04:39 > 0:04:42- and they were selling off items to raise money for their funds.- OK.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45So, I bought them. I think they were about £20 or £30 each.
0:04:45 > 0:04:46But I just liked them.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49I had a thatched cottage and I thought they'd go well in there.
0:04:49 > 0:04:50Yeah. Absolutely.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53- This is the more recent one. - Oh, is it? Right, OK.
0:04:53 > 0:04:58- This is dating to about 1950, 1955, something like that.- Really?
0:04:58 > 0:05:02And if we turn the lamp round, just have a look here,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05I think it is great the way that you just swing the handle
0:05:05 > 0:05:07and the cover automatically opens up.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09- Yeah, it is brilliant. - A super design.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12On the plaque here it says,
0:05:12 > 0:05:19"Lamp Manufacturing & Railway Supplies Ltd, London, Welch Patent."
0:05:19 > 0:05:23This one, slightly earlier. I think this is a stationmaster's lamp.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27- Oh, right.- And Melton station in Suffolk closed in 1955.- Right.
0:05:27 > 0:05:32Then the burner inside - look - is Sherwoods of Birmingham.
0:05:32 > 0:05:37That Sherwoods patent lamp was used from 1948
0:05:37 > 0:05:39all the way through to the late '50s.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42But we've got a station name that closed in '55,
0:05:42 > 0:05:47- so it is going to be about 1950 or so, the date for the lamp.- Right.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50- Looks a lot earlier than that. - It certainly does.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52I thought it must be Victorian or something.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56So, in terms of value, this one is worth £30-£50,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58this one is worth £40-£60.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02- Right.- If we said £60-£100 for the two.- Yes, yes.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04- And a firm reserve of £60. - That's fine.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06- If we didn't make that, you'd have them back.- That's fine.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09- They've got to be worth that, haven't they?- Oh, I think so!
0:06:09 > 0:06:10- Where would you get another one? - Exactly.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12- Put them online, they'll sell. - OK. Thank you.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14- "Online", get it? - Online, yes, I did.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16- GROANS:- Oh! Well done.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20Lamps were used on the railways and at stations
0:06:20 > 0:06:22when it started to get dark.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24They had a variety of functions,
0:06:24 > 0:06:27like providing signals on locomotives and rolling stock.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29A white lamp would be used at the front of the train
0:06:29 > 0:06:31and a red one at the rear.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35But most commonly, they were used as hand lamps by staff
0:06:35 > 0:06:38to light the way for passengers and signal to other workers.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42But we must now leave the world of the railway behind us
0:06:42 > 0:06:44and take to the skies.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48At the RAF Museum at Hendon in London, Michael Baggott did just that
0:06:48 > 0:06:52when he prepared for takeoff in possession of fragile cargo.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Gerry, thank you so much.
0:06:56 > 0:07:01I spotted you in the queue with one of these lovely pair of vases.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03What do you know about them?
0:07:03 > 0:07:06They belonged to my late mother-in-law.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09We believe that she inherited them from her mother-in-law
0:07:09 > 0:07:12and we think they've been in the family since around
0:07:12 > 0:07:14the turn of the 20th century.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18That would be absolutely right for the date of them.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23What we're looking at are a pair of Japanese earthenware vases
0:07:23 > 0:07:27and they are generically called Satsuma ware.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31It starts to be produced in around 1850, 1860
0:07:31 > 0:07:36and it is typified by this very light, cream-coloured body
0:07:36 > 0:07:38that crazes amazingly,
0:07:38 > 0:07:43so you've got this sort of paving network of fine cracks.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47But then it continues to be produced into the Edwardian period,
0:07:47 > 0:07:52when a lot of couples were going to Japan for their honeymoon.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55And they would bring back souvenirs.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59The large makers would have factories
0:07:59 > 0:08:02producing wares for export.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05And then they would have home studios
0:08:05 > 0:08:09and that is very much where the artisan work took place.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Now, you look at these and they're actually...
0:08:12 > 0:08:15..very detailed and quite breathtaking.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18You have got the birds and the flowers.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22You have got the obligatory depiction of Mount Fuji
0:08:22 > 0:08:23in the distance.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26And you have got lots of naturalistic scenes.
0:08:26 > 0:08:31But amazingly, these are the pieces made in the factory!
0:08:31 > 0:08:33- These are the lower class wares. - Yeah.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37If we had a studio piece to compare it with,
0:08:37 > 0:08:42you would find that you would have the same sort of design and detail
0:08:42 > 0:08:44but it would be on a far more condensed scale.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Any idea of what the value might be?
0:08:47 > 0:08:50We had a valuation a number of years ago,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53- which came out at about £150.- Right.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57- They should be around £150 on a good day.- Yep.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00I would be more comfortable if we went for, I'm afraid,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03our auctioneer's chestnuts, which is £80-£120.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06- Fine.- I hate to do it, but I think we will do that,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09put a fixed reserve of £80 on them.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11But why have you decided to part with them now?
0:09:11 > 0:09:14Well, we inherited them from my mother-in-law
0:09:14 > 0:09:17and the house that we were living in at that time,
0:09:17 > 0:09:18they suited very well
0:09:18 > 0:09:22and then we moved and they don't suit where we are living so well.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25And of course, the other thing is that as you get older,
0:09:25 > 0:09:29you need far more care, looking after these sorts of things.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32So, we thought probably best to sell them
0:09:32 > 0:09:35whilst they are still in relatively good condition.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Don't want to drop or chip one and then have to sell it.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39Absolutely not, no.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42- Well, thank you so much for bringing them in.- Thank you very much.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44I think they will do very well on the day.
0:09:44 > 0:09:45- Thank you very much indeed. - Thank you.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Unlike Gerry's factory-produced vases,
0:09:48 > 0:09:52back at Dumfries House in Scotland, I have found an extraordinary item
0:09:52 > 0:09:54which is handcrafted instead.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56And it is right above my head.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59It is this incredible chandelier!
0:09:59 > 0:10:03It is an eight-arm branch which sits into this central receiver.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07But look closely - you can see this double air twist inside in blue.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09That is incredible. But when you look up,
0:10:09 > 0:10:13it really sets off this deep plaster relief ceiling.
0:10:13 > 0:10:14It casts shadows all over it.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18I love that. It is so right for this room.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Now, this chandelier dates to 1760.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25It was made in Murano, a small glass-making island off of Venice.
0:10:25 > 0:10:30But it wasn't installed until 1907, when it was wired for electricity.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32So, here we have the earls keeping up with the times
0:10:32 > 0:10:34and installing the mod cons.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36They made other changes to the utilities as well.
0:10:36 > 0:10:41In 1817, right up to 1826, the house was replumbed
0:10:41 > 0:10:44and it had flushing loos - closets were installed.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47In 1867, they even built a Turkish bath.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Sadly, that didn't survive
0:10:49 > 0:10:53but it was one of the first to be built in the country.
0:10:53 > 0:10:58But thankfully, the furnishings, the fixtures have survived
0:10:58 > 0:11:01and that is down to the generations of families that have lived here
0:11:01 > 0:11:05and have embraced what they've got and they've hung on to it
0:11:05 > 0:11:06so we can enjoy it.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11And over about at our valuation day at the equally gorgeous
0:11:11 > 0:11:1418th-century Ragley Hall in Warwickshire,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Christina Trevanion found a striking bracelet
0:11:17 > 0:11:20that had also been in a family for generations.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22Michael, I love this. Look at this.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25All that glitters is gold on my table. It is wonderful!
0:11:25 > 0:11:27- It really is, yes. Thank you. - Where has this come from?
0:11:27 > 0:11:29It is actually my mother's, my late mothers.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32- She died, unfortunately, at the end of August.- I'm sorry.
0:11:32 > 0:11:33And so, I inherited it.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36It is something that has been in the family for, I guess,
0:11:36 > 0:11:38approximately 50 years.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41It was bought as a chain on its own
0:11:41 > 0:11:44- and then, gradually over the years, we've just added onto it.- Yeah.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46Which is the one that is most poignant for you?
0:11:46 > 0:11:47Which is the one that you like?
0:11:47 > 0:11:52- I think this one here, which is the steering wheel.- Ah, yes.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55My mum didn't pass her driving test till she was in her late 30s.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57- Oh, wow.- And how she passed first time, we never knew.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59- Oh, really? - SHE LAUGHS
0:11:59 > 0:12:02- Was she not a good driver? - I don't think so, anyway.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04You wouldn't get into the car with Mum?
0:12:05 > 0:12:06Oh, splendid.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Not only have we got the nine-carat gold chain,
0:12:08 > 0:12:10but we have also got, which is quite important,
0:12:10 > 0:12:13a 22-carat gold wedding band there.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15- That is my grandmother's. - That is Granny's wedding ring?
0:12:15 > 0:12:17- My grandmother's wedding ring, yes. - That was Mum's mum?
0:12:17 > 0:12:19- Yep, that's correct.- Wonderful.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22And then we have also got a full sovereign here.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Sovereigns have the portrait of the monarch on the back of them.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29And we've got a Queen Victoria, a Jubilee head, which is dated...
0:12:29 > 0:12:31What is it dated there? 1888.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33- Right.- So, a nice Victorian one there.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37And also a half sovereign over here, which is dated 1908,
0:12:37 > 0:12:39- so that will be an Edward VII one. - Right, OK.- OK.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42- Obviously, that helps really boost the gold content in there.- Right.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45We have got a little bit of damage going on here, haven't we?
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Did Mum wear it a lot?
0:12:47 > 0:12:49Really only for special occasions.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52A lot of people say to me they're quite a pain to wear
0:12:52 > 0:12:54cos they are really quite dangly, aren't they?
0:12:54 > 0:12:57- They get caught in jumpers and things.- They are indeed.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00I mean, she used to wear it over her clothing, as you rightly said,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03- because if you put it underneath... - It would catch on everything.
0:13:03 > 0:13:04All the time. Yes, absolutely.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07That doesn't surprise me, bless her. She wasn't alone, don't worry.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09- THEY LAUGH - Nonetheless, it is still
0:13:09 > 0:13:11really quite a valuable thing.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13- We would want to sell it as one. - Yes.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17And we would want to offer it with an estimate of sort of £600-£800.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Blimey!
0:13:19 > 0:13:21- Is that all right? - Crikey. It is, yeah.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24- HE LAUGHS - Are you OK?- Yes, yes!
0:13:24 > 0:13:27- It is a bonus, isn't it?- Fantastic. - Absolutely, yeah.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29Gold price obviously does fluctuate daily.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32The valuation is very much dependent on that.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35But I think at the moment, if we say £600-£800
0:13:35 > 0:13:38with a firm reserve of £600, would you be happy with that?
0:13:38 > 0:13:43Yes, yes. It is something that if I didn't, it would sit in a cupboard.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46- Yeah.- And I want the family to get enjoyment.- Right.
0:13:46 > 0:13:47And that is what I want to happen.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49So, how will the family get enjoyment of this money?
0:13:49 > 0:13:51- Got a property in Spain.- Oh, lovely.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53- It was my mum's old house. - Oh, fantastic.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55It is a villa and so, we would invest back into the villa
0:13:55 > 0:13:58and then all the family can benefit from it.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01- That's what my mother would want. - Fantastic.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03Well, we will transfer it into a holiday fund for the villa.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Thank you so much for bringing it in.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07- It's been a real pleasure to see. - OK.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09- Best of luck. - Thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13And that is it for our first batch of items as now it's time to find out
0:14:13 > 0:14:17if they made our owners very happy when they went under the hammer.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20- 230...- Remember, whenever you are buying or selling at auction,
0:14:20 > 0:14:23there is always commission and VAT to pay.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Gerry's Satsuma vases were lower-class factory-produced wares,
0:14:30 > 0:14:32but their decoration was
0:14:32 > 0:14:33incredibly detailed
0:14:33 > 0:14:34and I thought they were
0:14:34 > 0:14:35rather exquisite.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39This gold charm bracelet
0:14:39 > 0:14:40had wonderful memories
0:14:40 > 0:14:41from Michael's mother
0:14:41 > 0:14:42and grandmother.
0:14:44 > 0:14:45And Carol's lamps bore
0:14:45 > 0:14:47the names of bygone stations
0:14:47 > 0:14:49and harked back to another era.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54They were the first items to leave our auction luggage,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57as we took the pair to Andrew Smith & Son near Winchester.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00And Andrew Smith was on the rostrum.
0:15:00 > 0:15:01£50.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04Well, this next lot is bound to light up the saleroom.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08We have two railway lamps - I love these - from the 1950s.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10- Carol, it is great to see you. Who's this?- My husband, Michael.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13- Michael.- Hello, nice to meet you. - Were these yours?
0:15:13 > 0:15:16- I used to use them before we got electric at home. - THEY LAUGH
0:15:16 > 0:15:18- So, you don't mind selling them? - No, no.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20There's a lot of people that collect this kind of stuff.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23- Specialist auctions as well, isn't there?- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26And there's internet sites, there's all sorts of groups
0:15:26 > 0:15:28that meet together, railway enthusiasts.
0:15:28 > 0:15:29- They love this kind of thing.- Yeah.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Let's find out what the bidders think. Good luck, both of you.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37The Welch Patent railway lamp. Start with £60. £60.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39Do I have 50 here? £50 to start.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41£50, surely.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43£50 we have, thank you. And 5.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46At £50, 55, 60.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49And 5. It is 60 on the net.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51Is there a 5? At £60, then.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55We are selling at £60 and selling on the net, if you're all done.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59- Well done. James was spot-on. - Thanks, James.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02And hopefully to a good collector.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04- Yes, somebody who will love them. - They will. They will.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08- Because they have the look. It is nostalgia, isn't it?- It is.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11Next, we headed to Chiswick Auctions in London,
0:16:11 > 0:16:15where Gerry's pair of Satsuma vases went under the hammer.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18On the rostrum was auctioneer William Rouse.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Sadly, Gerry cannot be with us, he's away skiing,
0:16:22 > 0:16:23but we have his daughter Sophie.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26- Great to see you. Thanks for standing in.- My pleasure.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28It is the Satsuma vases your family inherited.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31- Yes, it is.- So, he's flogging off your inheritance before you get it.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33I know. As long as I get some money, I don't mind.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35- Do you like these things?- I do.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- I remember them in my grandma's house.- Could you live with them?
0:16:38 > 0:16:41They don't really go with my house style, but they are nice vases.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43- Good things, aren't they?- Yes.
0:16:43 > 0:16:4519th-century, they should sell, shouldn't they?
0:16:45 > 0:16:48They are big for their money. I mean, you get a lot of vase.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51- Quite showy.- Yeah. We'll see. - OK, good luck.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53- OK, thank you.- Ready for this? - Yes.- Here we go.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57577 is a pair of late 19th-century Satsuma pottery vases.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59What are they worth? £50?
0:16:59 > 0:17:0250 is bid, 55, 60, 5,
0:17:02 > 0:17:0770, 5, 80, 5, 90, 5,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09100.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13No? £100. 110 on the internet now.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15120, 130 here.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17At 130 on the internet.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20135 I am bid.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22- An extra fiver.- 140.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26You're out. At 140 we go, 140.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29That is actually a really good result for those.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32- Very pleased. Maybe that market is on the turn now.- Yeah.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34- But they were a good decorator's lot anyway.- Yes.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Good decorator's lot. You get a lot for your money.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39- OK.- Thank you for bringing them in. - OK, it was a pleasure.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42And I hope Gerry was happy with that result too.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Finally, we headed north to Stratford-upon-Avon to sell
0:17:46 > 0:17:51Michael's gold charm bracelet at Bigwood Fine Art Auctioneers.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Stephen Kaye was on the rostrum.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55Good luck, Michael. It is the moment of truth.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58What is the price of gold today? We will find out. It does change a lot.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01But this won't be sold for melt, will it? Definitely not.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03No, you've got some sovereigns on there, some half sovereigns.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06- Lovely little charms. - Yes, indeed.- Yes, exactly.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08- OK, good luck. Here we go, it is going under the hammer.- Best of luck.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11Lot number 120 is the hollow curb link bracelet
0:18:11 > 0:18:14with all those interesting charms on it.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16I have got some bids here on the book
0:18:16 > 0:18:19and I can start here at £600.
0:18:19 > 0:18:20Anybody else interested?
0:18:20 > 0:18:23- Gosh.- I have got £600, I'm going to sell it.- Come on.
0:18:23 > 0:18:24So, anybody give me 610?
0:18:26 > 0:18:28- Sold.- Very pleased. - Thank you for bringing it in.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Thank you for helping me. Thank you very much indeed.
0:18:31 > 0:18:32- It was a close one!- Yeah!
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
0:18:34 > 0:18:36What a fantastic result for Michael.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39And what a great result for all of our owners so far.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42We will be returning to the auctions later on.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52Back at Dumfries House,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54I'm indulging in one of my greatest passions -
0:18:54 > 0:18:57the finest antique furniture created by Thomas Chippendale,
0:18:57 > 0:18:59the Shakespeare of furniture makers.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04Now, I know I have mentioned Thomas Chippendale on the show before,
0:19:04 > 0:19:09but he is incredibly important in the history of British furniture making.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12In no small part because he is the first cabinet-maker to publish a book
0:19:12 > 0:19:17on his designs - The Gentleman And Cabinet-Maker's Director.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20The first edition of the book had 161 engravings
0:19:20 > 0:19:24of fashionable furniture designs which patrons could choose from,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27and it acted as a patent book for those designs.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32And it is impossible to visit Dumfries House without
0:19:32 > 0:19:35immersing yourself in their vast Chippendale collection.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46When furnishing the newly-built Dumfries House,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49the 5th Earl of Dumfries gave the relatively unknown
0:19:49 > 0:19:52Thomas Chippendale his first major order.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56Consequently, this stately home boasts the largest collection
0:19:56 > 0:20:00of early Chippendale you will find anywhere in the world.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06Chippendale's work is also known for its graceful design.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10His furniture is characterised by solidity without heaviness.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13His early pieces, like these here at Dumfries House,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16were in the rococo style, which was symbolised by curves,
0:20:16 > 0:20:20ornate carving and featured the use of gold.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22What may surprise you about Chippendale -
0:20:22 > 0:20:25he wasn't just responsible for the so-called brown furniture.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29He also designed and supplied the fire screen there,
0:20:29 > 0:20:34the wonderful rococo pelmets up there - the matching three pelmets -
0:20:34 > 0:20:37the pair of chinoiserie pier glasses,
0:20:37 > 0:20:42not to mention attention to detail - these curtain tiebacks.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44So, you can see what I am getting at here.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48He had control of all of the interior design.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53He made sure things sat in harmony and they worked really well together.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00'To find out more about Chippendale's relationship with Dumfries House,
0:21:00 > 0:21:02'I'm meeting curator Charlotte Rostek.'
0:21:02 > 0:21:06How did the 5th Earl come across Chippendale in the first place?
0:21:06 > 0:21:10- Was it through the book? - Well, he didn't have a book himself,
0:21:10 > 0:21:14but the book was possibly talk of the day in Scotland in particular.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17One interesting fact is that the subscribers list
0:21:17 > 0:21:22to the original edition - the 1754 book - 25% were linked
0:21:22 > 0:21:25- to The Royal and Ancient Golf Course in St Andrews.- Ah.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27- And that's a very interesting thing, I think.- Yes.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30Just imagine those gentlemen playing golf at the weekend
0:21:30 > 0:21:33and referring to this wonderful new pattern book
0:21:33 > 0:21:36which had just come out and they were discussing it.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40But also Chippendale had a Scottish business partner, James Rannie.
0:21:40 > 0:21:41Perhaps a lesser-known fact -
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Rannie came from Leith and he invested into the book.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48He made the publication of this pattern book possible
0:21:48 > 0:21:52and he also made it possible for Chippendale to set up his workshop.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54This has to be my favourite piece in the collection
0:21:54 > 0:21:56because I think it's understated,
0:21:56 > 0:21:59it's a proper gentleman's piece, it's a work piece.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01And the best thing is, I think, that, actually,
0:22:01 > 0:22:03it relates directly to the design.
0:22:03 > 0:22:04And, of course, you had options.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06- You could have the drawers on both sides...- Sure.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08..and then this on the other two sides.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10It's not to be taken completely literally.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12- It's brilliant.- Absolutely amazing.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14I can understand how this piece was picked out for this room.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16- It sits beautifully.- Yeah.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18How did he choose other pieces for the other rooms?
0:22:18 > 0:22:20So, the Chippendale furniture,
0:22:20 > 0:22:23which he must have seen in the workshop in London,
0:22:23 > 0:22:26it was bought from stock that was all there.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28Dumfries House was built in the 1750s
0:22:28 > 0:22:33at a time when the rococo style was very much in vogue in Britain.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35The house is Palladian,
0:22:35 > 0:22:37- but there are these wonderful plaster ceilings.- Sure.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39The rococo plaster ceilings. Beautiful.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41So, the Chippendale furniture
0:22:41 > 0:22:43must have immediately struck a chord stylistically
0:22:43 > 0:22:45because it's playful, it's naturalistic,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48- it has that rococo exuberance. - Yeah, it does.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50And I literally think he could not resist
0:22:50 > 0:22:53and he bought over 50 pieces straight off.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56This type of furniture also has a showy note.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58- There's a bit of showmanship here. - Sure.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01The house, when you think about the public rooms in particular,
0:23:01 > 0:23:02it's all about parading.
0:23:02 > 0:23:07You're parading your wealth, your choice pieces, your taste
0:23:07 > 0:23:09- and everybody is incredibly impressed...- Yeah.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11- ..with who you are and what you have.- Yeah.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13I think we should promenade, don't you?
0:23:13 > 0:23:15- Let's go on a tour. - What a good idea. Let's go.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20The pink dining room is the one room which is furnished today
0:23:20 > 0:23:23almost exactly how the 5th Earl of Dumfries
0:23:23 > 0:23:25originally decorated it.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29And it contains some stunning examples of Chippendale's work,
0:23:29 > 0:23:31such as the ornate girandoles,
0:23:31 > 0:23:33which were wall-mounted candlestick holders.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37They're probably the most flamboyant pieces.
0:23:37 > 0:23:38I love them. They're my favourites.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41Yeah, it's not about the mercury plate glass there, is it?
0:23:41 > 0:23:44- It's about the rococo frame.- It is.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46It's just sheer exuberance and playfulness.
0:23:46 > 0:23:47The wine cooler?
0:23:47 > 0:23:51Yeah, the wine cooler is actually part of the second order
0:23:51 > 0:23:53that Lord Dumfries got from Chippendale.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56And if you look at it with its fluted and tapering leg,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59- we've already moved away from the rococo style.- Mm-hm.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02- This is the beginning of the neoclassic style.- Yeah.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04- And that just throws into relief the rococo collection...- Sure.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06..and just how short-lived that style was
0:24:06 > 0:24:08and how precious the body of furniture is
0:24:08 > 0:24:10that we have here from Chippendale.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12Chippendale's furniture was made in the centre of London
0:24:12 > 0:24:15in St Martin's Lane. That's close to the dock,
0:24:15 > 0:24:16so I'd imagine it would be shipped up here.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19- Shipped up, yes.- Yes. - Chippendale took great care
0:24:19 > 0:24:21and we've got a wonderful letter surviving.
0:24:21 > 0:24:22I can show you that here.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25- These are copies of the letter? - This is a copy of the letter, yes.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28So, it's directly addressed to Lord Dumfries.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32"The contents of each case, with proper directions,
0:24:32 > 0:24:36"are given to a person who goes to put up the furniture."
0:24:36 > 0:24:38So, he's going to be a very helpful bloke
0:24:38 > 0:24:41and he's going to help you set it all up in situ here.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Sure. And unpack very, very carefully.
0:24:43 > 0:24:44Unpack very carefully.
0:24:44 > 0:24:45But it's a wonderful service
0:24:45 > 0:24:48and perhaps rather better service than we are accustomed to today.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50- Than you get today.- Yeah.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53What's so wonderful about the furniture you have here -
0:24:53 > 0:24:55it's got great provenance. It has the letters,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58it has the receipts and the bills, you know.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01- We have indeed.- That's incredible. - The archives are incredible.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05And literally, the six-part Chippendale and Rannie bill
0:25:05 > 0:25:06lists every single piece
0:25:06 > 0:25:09of the 50 pieces of furniture that we have here.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12So, you can identify every single one of the elbow chairs,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14- the bed, the bookcase - you name it.- Yeah.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16And here, we've got the girandoles
0:25:16 > 0:25:20and they are listed on the bill - 24 pounds and ten shillings.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23- Bargain.- They're an absolute steal.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28Finally, I've left the best until last -
0:25:28 > 0:25:31the piece de resistance of Chippendale's collection...
0:25:32 > 0:25:34..this breathtaking bookcase.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Well, it's a bookcase in name, but I tell you what,
0:25:38 > 0:25:40it is multifunctional because it's a display case.
0:25:40 > 0:25:45This would have housed the finest porcelain, books and wigs.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48And believe it or not, there's a clothes-press in here.
0:25:48 > 0:25:54Now, this had a presale offer back in 2007
0:25:54 > 0:25:57of £12 million.
0:25:57 > 0:25:58That was offered to Christie's.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01It's believed, if it did go under the hammer,
0:26:01 > 0:26:06it would have realised somewhere in the region of £20 million.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09It has to be one of the world's most expensive pieces of furniture.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12No expense has been spared here.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15There's wonderful, wonderful variegated hues
0:26:15 > 0:26:17when you look at the marquetry.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20Now, that is an incredible job within itself.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22There's half a dozen different trades here
0:26:22 > 0:26:26all working to create one dynamic piece.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29It's the most beautiful carving carved out of solid pieces of wood.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31Look at that. Hand-blown glass.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35All hand-flattened as well. Beautifully glazed.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37And even the casting details of the handles.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39There's not one fault with this.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42And I tell you what, it's as good today as it was
0:26:42 > 0:26:45when it was first delivered to Dumfries House.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48Watch this. Listen to the drawers. Look at that.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50DRAWER OPENS QUIETLY
0:26:50 > 0:26:53How about that for a drawer that runs so truly?
0:26:55 > 0:26:58No squeaking or wobbling there.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02That's why that's one of the world's most expensive pieces of furniture.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11Now we continue our tour of the country
0:27:11 > 0:27:15as we return to Basingstoke, to the Milestones Museum,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18which was full of vintage vehicles from around Hampshire,
0:27:18 > 0:27:22including a bus which Nick Davies commandeered.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24Well, Anne, here we are on this open top bus
0:27:24 > 0:27:26with a lovely piece of silver in front of us.
0:27:26 > 0:27:27I feel like we've won the FA Cup.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30We should have crowds of people down there screaming at us.
0:27:30 > 0:27:31It's a beautiful piece.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Tell me, where did you get it from and how long have you had it?
0:27:34 > 0:27:37Well, I've had it about 30 years
0:27:37 > 0:27:40- and it was originally my grandparents'...- Right.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43..who handed it down to my parents - my father -
0:27:43 > 0:27:45and my father handed it down to me.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48- Lovely. A solid history.- Yes.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51Now, it looks very clean. Have you been busy?
0:27:51 > 0:27:54I've been very busy, yes. I thought it might take quite a while to do,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57so I thought I'd start on Monday and work through the week on it.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00- It looks immaculate.- Yes. - You've worked very hard.- Yes.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03It's an epergne, which is French for the word saving.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07So, generally, they held baskets of sweetmeats round the table
0:28:07 > 0:28:10to save someone getting up and going to fetch them.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12They adapted them for candles and flowers
0:28:12 > 0:28:15and this is obviously flowers with four trumpet vases in it.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18And it's by a company called Josiah Williams of London.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21You've got the London hallmark there, which is 1901.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23You've got the leopard's head and the date letter there
0:28:23 > 0:28:25and the maker's mark as well, so full hallmarks.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27Where was it before you cleaned it?
0:28:27 > 0:28:31- It was on my sideboard for many years...- Right.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33..and then it went up in the loft and it's been up in the loft
0:28:33 > 0:28:35for about the past, ooh, four, five years.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37- Something like that. - Four, five years?- Yes.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40- Up there feeling sorry for itself? - Feeling sorry for itself.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42So, how come you want to sell it now?
0:28:42 > 0:28:45Well, I'm selling it because I have two children.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48It's not the sort of piece
0:28:48 > 0:28:51that I think fits in with their lifestyle
0:28:51 > 0:28:54- and it is quite a commitment to keep it clean.- Yes.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57- So, it seems the right thing to do. - I mean, you're right.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59The filigree work is just beautiful.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02It's all cut out and pierced work and it is difficult to clean.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05But it's also in great condition because often,
0:29:05 > 0:29:07while people clean these, they get the cloths caught.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09I tend to use a little old toothbrush
0:29:09 > 0:29:11just with soft bristles to get in between rather than the cloth
0:29:11 > 0:29:14where you might pull some of the silverwork out.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16But beautiful. Beautiful. Great condition.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18Value, then, I suppose, are we?
0:29:18 > 0:29:21Well, I would be interested to know how much it is.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24- I would put it in auction at £400-£600.- Oh, right.- OK?
0:29:24 > 0:29:27- Are you happy with that?- Yes, I am. - Excellent. Excellent.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29They're not as popular as they were.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32The way people dine and eat is a little bit less formal now
0:29:32 > 0:29:35and I think these have taken a little bit of a hit, to be fair.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37But it's such a nice example.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39I'm sure it'll be fine on the day in the saleroom.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41- Will there be a reserve on it? - I think so.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43I think we'll put a reserve of £400.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46A little bit of discretion, but let's be fairly tight on it.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48- Is that OK with you? - That sounds good, yes. Lovely.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50Fingers crossed we'll have a good day.
0:29:50 > 0:29:51- Oh, thank you.- That's a pleasure.
0:29:51 > 0:29:56Later in the show, we'll find out if Nick's valuation was on the money.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00But first, we're revisiting the RAF Museum in Hendon,
0:30:00 > 0:30:02where Michael Baggott found a marvellous chair
0:30:02 > 0:30:04which belonged to Smruti.
0:30:04 > 0:30:09Paul must be green with envy that I've got my hands on this first.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11How did you come by it?
0:30:11 > 0:30:17I purchased it in 2004 from an elderly lady of age 90.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20- She was downsizing.- Oh, marvellous.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23So, had she had it for years and years?
0:30:23 > 0:30:27She used to own an antiques shop in Northampton.
0:30:27 > 0:30:28Oh, how wonderful.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31So, what appealed to you about the chair?
0:30:31 > 0:30:33Well, my mother wasn't keeping good health
0:30:33 > 0:30:35and she always complained.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38She sat next to the radiator and she was always asking,
0:30:38 > 0:30:42"Do you have anything?" so she can warm her back.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44And then I saw this and I thought, "This is ideal."
0:30:44 > 0:30:48- There's nothing more comfortable... - Exactly.- ..than an antique chair.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51- Exactly. - Let's look at the style of it first.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54We've got this wonderful scroll arm to it.
0:30:54 > 0:31:00If we turn it to the side, got that lovely sweptback sabre leg
0:31:00 > 0:31:03and that very much comes in in about 1805
0:31:03 > 0:31:07and continues throughout the 19th century on chairs.
0:31:07 > 0:31:08And if we turn it back round,
0:31:08 > 0:31:12the thing you're immediately struck by
0:31:12 > 0:31:17on this wonderful mahogany carcass is all this superb marquetry inlay.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19It's very much in the Dutch taste.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21At the beginning of the 19th century,
0:31:21 > 0:31:24there's a revival of all this marquetry
0:31:24 > 0:31:29and this is just a wonderful example of a purely early-19th-century shape
0:31:29 > 0:31:33with purely late-17th-century decoration on it.
0:31:33 > 0:31:38If we look closely, there are a couple of faults.
0:31:38 > 0:31:43We've had little breaks to the arms, which have been pegged at the back
0:31:43 > 0:31:45and we've had a little break there.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49But I think the problem with pieces of furniture like this
0:31:49 > 0:31:52if they're a little damaged is that people over-restore them
0:31:52 > 0:31:56and in doing that, they try and make it all look original,
0:31:56 > 0:32:00but they strip away all this delicious surface patination.
0:32:00 > 0:32:06That's only occurred by 180, 200 years of people handling it.
0:32:06 > 0:32:12Very good 19th-century furniture is very affordable at the moment.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14And there's something wrong with people
0:32:14 > 0:32:16because they go to shops and buy it new
0:32:16 > 0:32:19and they don't go to auctions where they should go.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23Can I ask you, back in 2004, what did you pay for it?
0:32:23 > 0:32:25£150.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28Well, back then, that was extremely good
0:32:28 > 0:32:30'cause it was more popular then.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32Really, at auction...
0:32:33 > 0:32:36..even though it's a single, sort of not part of a set,
0:32:36 > 0:32:39we should be looking at about £200-£300
0:32:39 > 0:32:41- with a fixed reserve of 200.- Good.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45But why now, after more than ten years,
0:32:45 > 0:32:47have you decided to part with it?
0:32:47 > 0:32:50Well, it is sitting in my sitting room doing nothing...
0:32:50 > 0:32:52- Yes.- ..and I don't want it to go to waste.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55Somebody else can use it wisely.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57Well, it's a marvellous thing to boot.
0:32:57 > 0:32:58We'll put it into the auction
0:32:58 > 0:33:01and let's hope we get towards the top end of that
0:33:01 > 0:33:04- because it deserves to make that sort of money.- I hope so.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07- Thank you so much for bringing it in.- Thank you.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12A gorgeous piece of furniture with a wonderful patina.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23The interiors here at Dumfries House scream opulence.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25Just look at this richly decorated room
0:33:25 > 0:33:27with its wonderful touches of gold gilt.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29At our valuation day in Falmouth,
0:33:29 > 0:33:32something equally sumptuous caught Caroline Hawley's eye.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41Jenny, this is lovely.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43Now, tell me what you know about it
0:33:43 > 0:33:46and how you have come to be the lucky lady that owns this
0:33:46 > 0:33:48- and not me. - JENNY LAUGHS
0:33:48 > 0:33:52Well, this belonged to my aunt who was also my godmother
0:33:52 > 0:33:57and she was very close to me and she gave this to me before she died.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01- How long have you had it? - Since the 1980s.- How lovely.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04And is there any connection with France, Belgium?
0:34:04 > 0:34:07Well, her husband, who was my father's brother,
0:34:07 > 0:34:10- was a Harley Street eye specialist...- Right.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13..and he treated some members of the Belgian royal family,
0:34:13 > 0:34:16so they spent a lot of time in Brussels.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18And what date would that be?
0:34:18 > 0:34:21Probably before or after the Second World War.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23- Right.- Around that time, yes.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26What interests me about this, apart from everything,
0:34:26 > 0:34:30- is I think it hails from probably France.- Yes.
0:34:30 > 0:34:35It's Art Nouveau in style. 1890, 1905.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37- Ah, yes, could be. - That sort of period.- Yes.
0:34:37 > 0:34:42Now, this enamelling here is known as plique-a-jour -
0:34:42 > 0:34:44letting the light through.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48And if I pick it up, it's like stained glass.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52- Can you see how the light would shine through?- Yes.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56And that is really unusual. Very pretty.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59If you can imagine how beautiful this would look
0:34:59 > 0:35:02with some sunlight behind it when you're wearing it,
0:35:02 > 0:35:05- when you're getting into the sort of almost flapper era.- Yes.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07- Absolutely gorgeous.- Yes.
0:35:07 > 0:35:11It's got a little bit of damage, which we can see here perfectly,
0:35:11 > 0:35:15- but nothing to write home about. - Only the chain.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19And then finishing with this lovely piece of carved jade at the bottom.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23- And it's so evocative of a bygone age.- Yes.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26- Have you worn it ever, Jenny? - No, I really haven't, no.
0:35:26 > 0:35:27But I look at it quite often
0:35:27 > 0:35:31and I just think that the detail is so lovely. Yeah.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34- And on a plain dress or blouse such as you're wearing...- Yes.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36- ..that'd look stunning, wouldn't it?- Yes.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39Which brings me to value.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43Now, I would think an estimate of £200-£300.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46- That much?- Yes, I would. - Ooh, that's excellent.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49- And that's allowing for that tiny bit of damage...- Yes.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51..which isn't going to cost a fortune to put right.
0:35:51 > 0:35:52No, I wouldn't think so.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55Would you like a reserve on it to protect it?
0:35:55 > 0:35:58- I think that's a good idea, don't you? Yes.- Yes, I do.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01I mean, what if we put a fixed reserve of 180?
0:36:01 > 0:36:04- That would be good, yes.- Would you be happy with that?- Very happy.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06I think somebody would be more than happy to buy that.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09- Thank you very much. - Oh, well, thank you for bringing it.
0:36:09 > 0:36:13- It's made my day.- Good. I'm pleased. - Wonderful.- Thank you.- Thanks, Jenny.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16And it made my day too. A gorgeous piece.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22Before we see how our second lots fare at auction,
0:36:22 > 0:36:25there's something very special here at Dumfries House
0:36:25 > 0:36:27that I want to show you and it's this.
0:36:27 > 0:36:28It's called the grand orrery
0:36:28 > 0:36:32and it's thought there's less than 100 of these still in existence.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35It's a form of a planetarium -
0:36:35 > 0:36:37a mechanical model of the solar system.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40And if I turn this handle, look at that.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42You can see the sun moving rather slowly.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45You can see the earth revolving.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48And you can see the moon revolving around the earth as well.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52Now, this model dates to 1759,
0:36:52 > 0:36:55so if you look over here, Saturn -
0:36:55 > 0:36:58that's the farthest known planet at the time.
0:36:58 > 0:37:03Uranus and Neptune hadn't been discovered back then.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06What's interesting as well - if you look at the globe,
0:37:06 > 0:37:08you can see there's no Antarctica.
0:37:08 > 0:37:09That's not been charted.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11And nor South Australia.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15So, this is pre-Captain Cook as well.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18This would have been the height of entertainment
0:37:18 > 0:37:22for an incredibly rich person back in the 18th century.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26They would have all mused over this with great delight -
0:37:26 > 0:37:30mathematicians, scholars, astronomers.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32And it works beautifully, but it didn't always.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36The trust were keen to get this working again and you can see why.
0:37:37 > 0:37:38The man who undertook the work
0:37:38 > 0:37:42was the early technology restorer Michael Bennett-Levy.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45It took him five weeks to clean every single part
0:37:45 > 0:37:47to make it work beautifully.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51And in order not to get every piece muddled up,
0:37:51 > 0:37:55he separated them and put them in different Tupperware boxes
0:37:55 > 0:37:57so he knew exactly where they'd come from.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03He has done a brilliant job and I'm going to have one more go.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08Let's hope the bidders were as taken with our owners' objects
0:38:08 > 0:38:10as I was with that grand orrery.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13So, the items we took to auction were...
0:38:15 > 0:38:17..Smruti's 19th-century chair,
0:38:17 > 0:38:19which was beautifully designed
0:38:19 > 0:38:20with a wonderful patina
0:38:20 > 0:38:23and it was built for comfort.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25There was Jenny's enamelled Art Nouveau necklace,
0:38:25 > 0:38:27which was crying out to be worn.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33And finally, we hoped Anne's hours of polishing would pay off
0:38:33 > 0:38:36when we headed back to Andrew Smith & Son near Winchester
0:38:36 > 0:38:38to sell her silver epergne.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44On the rostrum was Nick Jarrett.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50Well, I think our next lot deserves to be in a stately home.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52It is of that quality.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55- It's that wonderful silver epergne and it belongs to Anne...- It does.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57- ..who's looking rather stately as well.- Oh, thank you.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59Hey, maybe you've got that stately home, have you?
0:38:59 > 0:39:01Well, no, not really.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03I mean, it's got the look. I like it.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05- I think this is a trade lot. - Probably.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08- I think a dealer will buy this because he knows his market.- Yes.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10He knows the person he's going to sell that to
0:39:10 > 0:39:13and that will look fantastic in their house.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16- I hope they enjoy it. - Good luck.- Thank you.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19He said, "That's where it's going." We don't know. It's an auction.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21Anything can happen. You know the game.
0:39:21 > 0:39:22Let's put it to the test.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25Lot 130 is this silver epergne here.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27Good one to start. Williams & Co.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31Now, I'm going to start you here to clear all bids at 280.
0:39:31 > 0:39:32300 now.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36And 20. 350. 380. 400 now.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39At £400. And on the steps at 420, is it?
0:39:39 > 0:39:43At £400. Nobody else in? Any more? At 400, that'll be done.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46- It's gone.- It's gone. - Hammer's gone down.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49- It found its value very quickly and you were spot-on.- Spot-on.
0:39:49 > 0:39:50- Yeah, good. - It was quality.- Yes.- Quality.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52- You've said goodbye to it now. - I have now, yes.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54What will you replace that with?
0:39:54 > 0:39:56- Will you buy something for the house?- No idea.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58You're going to treat yourself, aren't you?
0:39:58 > 0:39:59Staying in the south of England,
0:39:59 > 0:40:02we revisited Chiswick Auctions in London,
0:40:02 > 0:40:05where we hoped William Rouse could work his magic
0:40:05 > 0:40:08on Smruti's 19th-century chair.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10Do you know what? We need a sit-down,
0:40:10 > 0:40:11but sadly, we can't sit on this chair.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14This is just about to go under the hammer. I like this.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16- It's beautiful, but...- Stunning.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18..it's on the cusp, isn't it, of taste at the moment?
0:40:18 > 0:40:20- Yes.- So, we'll see. - Good luck with this.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22We're going to find out what the bidders think right now.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26672 is a Dutch marquetry chair. Start me at 150 for it.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29For the chair, 150. 160. 170.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31With me at 170 for the Dutch chair.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34180, I'll take elsewhere.
0:40:34 > 0:40:39- At £170.- Come on. A bit more. - 170 it is with me, then.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41At 170. Is that the best?
0:40:41 > 0:40:44- 170. - GAVEL BANGS
0:40:44 > 0:40:46- It didn't sell, Smruti. - That's fine.- I'm ever so sorry.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49Look, it gets to go home with you and it's a lovely thing.
0:40:49 > 0:40:50It's great quality.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53And if you wanted someone to make you that chair today,
0:40:53 > 0:40:56- you'd be talking thousands. - It'd be £2,000.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59- So, to let it go for £150... - Is senseless.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01- ..is maybe the wrong thing to do.- Yeah.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03Hang onto it. It's a nice chair.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07Ah. Hopefully, Smruti wasn't too disappointed.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10There is always a different saleroom on another day.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15Right, time for our last stop on today's show.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17We headed back to my home county of Cornwall
0:41:17 > 0:41:20to Jefferys Auctions in Lostwithiel.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24Jenny's stunning silver jade and enamel necklace was up for sale
0:41:24 > 0:41:27and auctioneer Ian Morris was wielding the gavel.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31- Jenny, everybody loved your necklace at the valuation day.- Oh, good.
0:41:31 > 0:41:32That Art Nouveau look.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35- Did you ever wear it? - I didn't actually wear it.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37I think if I'd had it when I was younger, I would have done.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40- Mm.- But I absolutely love it. It's so different.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43- It epitomises that sort of Art Nouveau period.- Yes. Yes.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45Lovely quality.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49I'm surprised that it's only £200, sort of at the lower end.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52Well, I'm hoping it's going to exceed.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55- We're going to find out right now. - Yes.- Good luck, everyone.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57Fingers crossed. This is where it gets exciting.
0:41:57 > 0:42:01Lot 513. It's a jade pendant. I have three bids on the books.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04I've got to start at £200.
0:42:04 > 0:42:09£200, I'm bid. At £200. At 220. 230. 240.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12260. 280. 280, the bid is with you.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16I'm out of the book. 300. 320. 340.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19- 360.- This is more like it.- 400. 420.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24420, lady's bid. 440. 460.
0:42:24 > 0:42:28- 480. 500.- This is really good. - 540 there.
0:42:28 > 0:42:29At 540. 560 now?
0:42:29 > 0:42:31At £540.
0:42:32 > 0:42:34- Quality, that's what we like to see. - Oh, thank you so much.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37- And you know what we say, don't you? Quality always sells.- Yes.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39Jenny, thank you for bringing that in.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41- Thank you for helping me sell it. - A gem.- Yeah.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49Well, sadly, that's it for today, but I tell you what,
0:42:49 > 0:42:53I've had a great time exploring some of the riches of Dumfries House.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56And you've shown us some of your treasures from across the country
0:42:56 > 0:42:58and we've had some great results too
0:42:58 > 0:43:01and that's what it's all about, especially Jenny's necklace.
0:43:01 > 0:43:02I'm so pleased for her.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05I hope you've enjoyed the show. Join us again soon for many more.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07But until then, it's goodbye.