Basingstoke 4 Flog It!


Basingstoke 4

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The natural world -

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it's been a source of inspiration for many sculptors, right down

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to their creations of tiny but fragile creepy-crawlies.

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I've been given the delicate job of helping to carve the antennae

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of a butterfly, whose wingspan measures 15ft from tip to tip.

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Find out later in the programme what this has to do with

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some of our great British carvers and whether or not I make the grade.

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Welcome to "Flog It!".

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And this is where we are today, in the heart of Hampshire,

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amongst vintage vehicles and recreated shopping streets.

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I've been joined by hundreds of happy people

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here at Milestones Museum in Basingstoke,

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who are being serenaded by a folk singer "Flog It!" style.

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# There's a programme on the telly

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# Been on it every day

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# Goes chasing round a country

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# Different place to stray

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# Only 40 minutes to clear your stuff away

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# That's the fun of "Flog It!"

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# What's it worth, they say

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-ALL:

-# That's the fun of "Flog It!"

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# What's it worth, they say. #

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Stay tuned and you'll find out.

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Our crowds are arriving in droves here, at the Milestones Museum,

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where they've recreated some of the businesses that

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thrived here in Hampshire from the 18th century onwards.

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And already pounding the streets, looking for the best items to flog

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are experts Elizabeth Talbot and James Lewis.

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-A lovely colour, isn't it? Quite a talking point.

-Yeah.

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THEY LAUGH

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And they both recognise a good bit of bling when they see it.

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Whoa. That's your scale, isn't it, James? My goodness me.

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That's a night out in Derby, isn't it?

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I'm sure it is.

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And it's a show packed with the surprising and the mysterious,

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as James has discovered.

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I had no idea what it was.

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Elizabeth has come across a rare wartime object.

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One could not ask for anything better.

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-So, all very exciting to see all this.

-Excellent.

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And James has identified

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an Oriental vase that could go into four figures.

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The gilding would have been as gold as you could possibly imagine.

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But which one will ring up the highest price at auction?

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We're in the money!

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As the crowds pack this wonderful venue, time to go over to

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James for his first item, and what a start to the show.

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He's come across an object that has puzzled most of us.

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But our off-screen expert, Sophie, has been doing some research.

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Sophie came up with, I think, a genius idea.

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-Tell me more.

-THEY CHUCKLE

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I just want to drag you down to it first.

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I want you to tell me - where did it come from,

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how did you come to find it,

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and what do you think it might be?

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-I found it at a car boot.

-What? Oh, no!

-Yes.

-No!

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A dealer, what I would call a dealer's stall

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in a box of rubbish.

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It fascinated me when I saw it and, you know, the grime,

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the baked-on grime and, you know, clearly the age of the wood.

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-What did you pay for it?

-£3.

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-LAUGHS:

-No!

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-And how long have you had it?

-Within the last six months I got it.

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People are speculative, they don't really know what it is.

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-I mean, initially, you think it is a club.

-Yeah.

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But then the holes at the end are telling me it's not a club,

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and if it were a club,

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why would you want to be using that nice carving to get damaged?

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Well, let's start to work it through.

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Without question, as you've already said, hand-carved.

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It has the most wonderful patination.

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And patination only comes through handling and feel and use.

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The hat is what period?

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In my opinion, it's 17th century, but I'm no expert.

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That's just from me looking on the net at that style of hat.

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The hairstyle, again, that long hair is typical of that period.

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And what sort of person would have had that sort of hat?

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Erm... A sailor.

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OK.

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I think that is possibly...

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..a late-17th-, early-18th-century false leg.

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-Wow.

-JAMES LAUGHS

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-Did they carve them... Was it...?

-No idea.

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-No?

-We've never seen one, any of us.

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-It's Sophie that has come up with it.

-Yeah.

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And I think she is a genius.

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-Sounds good to me.

-Well, I think it's brilliant. And I love it.

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And what is it worth? I have absolutely no idea whatsoever.

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-What would I sell it for?

-More than £3, hopefully.

-I think 300.

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-Be lovely.

-Reserve?

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300 quid?

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-A bit lower.

-200.

-I'd be happy if it sold for 100.

-£100, then.

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-I love it. Well done, you.

-Thank you.

-£3.

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That's the kind of "Flog It!" first that makes our day.

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Now I can't wait to see what the bidders will make of it.

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Now, Elizabeth's first item is by a designer well known to

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"Flog It!" viewers, although the pattern is anything but familiar.

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-Hello, Ruth.

-Hello.

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Well, as well as I like your wonderful pink jumper,

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I also like your wonderful jug.

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What do you know about your jug that we can't already

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guess by looking at it?

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Not a lot. It was not bought by family.

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My sister-in-law, about 13 years ago, moved into a flat.

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And sitting on the draining board was this article with some

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washing up mops.

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-Oh, really?

-Yeah.

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And when she died, we cleared her flat out,

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and believe it or not, it's Clarice Cliff.

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-Nobody realised that until afterwards?

-No.

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And did she continue to use it with the washing up brushes and things?

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-Probably she did.

-Right.

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I mean, it's interesting, Clarice Cliff,

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if it isn't liked, it's often sort of degraded

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-or put down to doing something that is quite a menial task.

-Yeah.

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Until somebody looks at it again and realises.

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So, now you know it is Clarice Cliff,

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you're looking to sell it?

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Do you not want to keep it in the family and sort of say,

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"I have a piece of Clarice Cliff?"

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-Do you not like it?

-No, I don't. And the chil...

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-I've got two daughters...

-None of them like it?

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Well, one daughter has three German shepherds.

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Oh, that wouldn't last very long then, would it?

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The reason I stopped you to talk about this was because,

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although I've seen a lot of Clarice Cliff in my time,

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this pattern is not a very common pattern, and therefore it's quite

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nice to see a slightly different version that we can talk about.

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And it's called the Cabbage Flower pattern, which was produced in 1934.

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-Oh, yeah. A year after I was born. So I was one year old.

-Oh, really?

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-Yeah.

-Oh, look at that. I think you are wearing better than the jug.

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Me too.

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There's a bit of damage to it here.

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Well, my husband said, "You are not taking that thing."

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He said, "It's got chips all over it."

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Well, you can tell that nothing went wrong with your item here.

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Yeah. Absolutely.

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It seems to me, cos it's got quite a Deco style and shape to it.

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The handle is quite conventional, but this panelled kind of baluster

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shape is very much of the 19...sort of late 1920s, early '30s.

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And so in 1934, when this was being painted, it would

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-have been high to fashion.

-Yeah.

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It's not the rarest, but it's unusual. A nice shape.

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The fact is, damage will just keep kind of restraints

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-on what people pay.

-Yeah.

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I think that that will probably fetch roundabout £80 to £120.

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-Yeah.

-I think that's a fair estimation.

-Yeah.

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-Would you be happy to sell it at that?

-Rather.

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Rather. Oh, said it with gusto.

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And shall we put a reserve on it for you? Do you want it with a reserve?

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-No.

-No?

-No, no reserve.

-It should probably mark quite comfortably.

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-Yeah.

-Well, listen, thank you very much for bringing this in.

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-It's had a very interesting life.

-Yes.

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-Let's give it a new chapter at the auction and see.

-That's right.

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I'm sure there must be someone there that collects Clarice Cliff.

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I'm sure there will.

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Of that we can be certain.

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It's a well-known phrase that a craftsman is

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only as good as his tools,

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and I've come across something that definitely proves the point.

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Look at that! Isn't that lovely?

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-Where did you get that?

-It's my father's. He used to use it.

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-Was he a carpenter?

-No, he's a cabinet-maker.

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Oh, well, there you go. That's a very fine smoothing plane, isn't it?

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Do you know what this is worth?

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I had an estimate about four months ago,

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and they said between £600 to £800.

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You know what? I was going to say that.

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So, it not only has great monetary value, this,

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-but also sentimental value.

-Yes.

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Do you know what? You shouldn't sell this.

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I mean, I'd gladly put this into auction for you if you want me to.

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Well, what should he do? What should he do, folks?

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£600 to £800!

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Flog it! Oh, look, the pressure is on now.

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Anyway, that's lovely and I love that.

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Thank you very much. Thank you.

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Well, I'm pleased to say that one is a keeper today.

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But it's given me a taste for carving, and later on in the show,

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I'll be getting my hands on some equally wonderful woodworking tools.

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And now for his next item, James has found a furry friend.

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-OK, Tim, who is this?

-A bear, my sister-in-law's bear.

-A bear?

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-Yeah, a bear.

-Does he not have a name?

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No, I haven't given him a name, no.

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No, she was given it as a gift from a lady that she looked after.

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-And did that lady give him a name?

-Not that we know of, no.

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You poor bear!

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But he can't go for the rest of his days without a name,

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-so I think we need to christen him.

-OK.

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-I don't know, something like Paul? Or Martin?

-No, Paul.

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-Paul.

-Yeah.

-Paul the bear.

-Yeah.

-Hello, Paul.

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This old bear is a bit of a character.

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-But do you know what to look for for an early bear?

-No idea.

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OK. First thing, boot button eyes.

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Second thing, a hump on the back just below his head.

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-Third thing, very long arms.

-Right.

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If his arms come down to the side of him,

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-longer than his bottom, then he's an early bear.

-Right.

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Then you look at things like the stitched-over snout.

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This snout has been re-stitched at some stage and, of course,

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his pads aren't original either.

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Right.

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-But he's what we call a mohair bear.

-Mm-hm.

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And if he was to go and have a professional clean,

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he'd be a lot fluffier, have a lot more life in him.

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So, how long has he been with you?

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Erm, my sister-in-law's had him three or four years.

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-Just had him in a cupboard, like.

-In a cupboard?

-Yep.

-Aw, poor bear.

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-OK, date... About 1910, 1920, that sort of period.

-Right, OK.

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Value...

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-She wants to sell him, I guess.

-Yeah.

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-The market for bears isn't as strong as it once was.

-OK.

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But the market is still good.

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I still think he's worth... £300 to £500.

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-Gah!

-Something like that.

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-Really?

-But he needs a bit of work.

-Yeah.

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So, I think to...

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Take that into consideration.

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-Let's put £200 to £300 on him.

-Right.

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-Let's put 150 as a firm reserve.

-Yeah.

-And let's see how he does.

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-Sounds good.

-All right?

-That's great, yeah.

-Good.

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And it looks like Paul's also got a few friends.

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This is just one of the shops here

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whose contents have been pieced together by volunteers.

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And it's not just the window displays that echo the past.

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And the old street signs

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and the shop signs that you can see above the windows have been

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painstakingly recreated from old photographs

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by two local sign writers.

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Now, that really is a dying art. It's a great skill.

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And I think they've done a terrific job.

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But right now, we're going to test the skills of our experts.

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You've just seen their first items.

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I've got my favourites, you've probably got yours.

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Let's see what the bidders think, shall we?

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Here is a quick recap of all the items

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that are going under the hammer.

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There's Gary's extraordinarily late-17th-century carved peg leg

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that stumped James.

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Bought for only £3, will it go through the roof at auction?

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And will Ruth's slightly damaged Clarice Cliff vase

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with that unusual cabbage design

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appeal to the bidders?

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And could we be in for a big surprise when Tim's

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early-20th-century bear, now named Paul,

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goes under the hammer?

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Our sale today is in Winchester,

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which has quite a history of stunning art,

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dating back as far as the 12th century,

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like this incredibly rare and beautiful illuminated Bible,

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which is now housed at Winchester Cathedral.

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Today, you can see examples of arts and crafts across the town,

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from traditional to ultramodern, but always thought-provoking.

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This is the moment I've been waiting for.

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It's auction time,

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courtesy of Andrew Smith & Son just outside of Winchester.

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This is where we put our experts' valuations to the test.

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Anything can happen. I hope they are on the money.

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Let's go inside and catch up with our owners.

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And don't forget, you have to pay a commission,

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which here is 18%, including VAT.

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Today, we have two auctioneers,

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Andrew Smith and Nick Jared,

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wielding the gavel.

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And first up is that Clarice Cliff vase

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with the Cabbage Flower pattern.

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-Ruth, good luck.

-Thank you.

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-See, Ruth didn't let the show down, did she?

-Bit of Clarice Cliff.

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Clarice Cliff, yes.

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It wouldn't be "Flog It!" without Clarice Cliff, would it?

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There will be people out there that will like this.

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-That's the main thing.

-Oh, this is it.

-Yes.

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A few months ago on telly, I did see a plate...with the same pattern.

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-Really?

-Yes.

-On one of our shows?

-It must have been, it must have been.

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-She never watches anything else.

-No.

-Oh, bless you.

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-You can learn a lot, can't you?

-Of course you can.

-I'm always learning.

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That's part of the joy of it, absolutely.

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-Look, your lot is coming up now, ready for this?

-Is it? Oh, good.

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Here we go.

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Here is the Clarice Cliff bizarre jug. Cabbage Flower pattern.

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Start me at £80. £80

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Good Clarice Cliff jug for £80. £80.

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Try 60. £60, surely. £60.

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40, then, to get it going. £40, surely. Try 30.

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£30. 20. £20, surely. A Clarice Cliff jug for £20.

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-Nobody wants it.

-Yes, yes! We have it.

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£20 on the net, and starting at £20.

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-Is there two in the room? At £20, any more? At £20.

-Oh, no.

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At £20. 25, is there seven?

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At £25, we will sell. Make no mistake. At £25.

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27 we have now. Make it 30. At £27.

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30 we have. £30.

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Oh, it's gone to 30.

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32. At £30, then.

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For the last time at £30.

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Well, that was a journey, wasn't it? THEY LAUGH

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30 quid.

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I'll tell you what, though...

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-Best rid of.

-Yeah.

-THEY LAUGH

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-Somebody will love that and enjoy it.

-Of course.

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-And they won't stick a mop in it either.

-Oh, no.

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Well, they could put a mop into it.

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Clarice Cliff is a path well trodden,

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and this one was damaged, which might explain that result.

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But Ruth seems happy to flog it on, and that is what counts.

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Next up is the slightly dogged turn-of-the-century bear

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named after me.

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He's not a Steiff, but I've got all the right attributes -

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the long arms, the hump back, paddy paw.

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The right stuffing.

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For me, he's got those characteristics that you

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fall in love with and you say,

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"I can't leave him here. I've got to take him home."

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-He's got a great face, doesn't he?

-See, I needed you home, I really do.

0:16:040:16:08

This could be the next Paddington Bear, couldn't it?

0:16:080:16:10

Anyway, look, it's going under the hammer right now.

0:16:100:16:12

I have to start you here at £100.

0:16:120:16:17

110 can I say now?

0:16:170:16:18

£100, and ten is it?

0:16:180:16:20

Surely.

0:16:200:16:21

-£100. 110, yes?

-130.

-We've got 130 on the net now. 140 I have. 150.

0:16:210:16:28

-150.

-150 then. At £150, and on the net at 150.

0:16:280:16:32

-160 can I say anywhere else?

-170.

-170.

0:16:320:16:35

It's still going on, on the net. At 170.

0:16:350:16:38

-180.

-180. 190. 200.

0:16:380:16:41

It's all on the net. Shout if I've missed you here.

0:16:430:16:45

At £190, and on the net at £190, all done.

0:16:450:16:49

At £190, have you done, last chance.

0:16:490:16:52

-Great.

-That was a good result, 190. Spot on, James.

0:16:530:16:57

Sister-in-law said, "I'd be happy with £50," so she's done all right.

0:16:570:17:00

Everyone loves the bear, don't they?

0:17:000:17:03

Brilliant.

0:17:030:17:05

And now it is time for Gary's early prosthetic leg,

0:17:050:17:08

possibly made for a pirate or a sailor.

0:17:080:17:11

We can only speculate.

0:17:110:17:13

-Gary, good luck.

-Thank you.

0:17:130:17:14

I've been waiting for this one cos this is absolutely fabulous.

0:17:140:17:18

Any pirates out there, you will want this.

0:17:180:17:20

You'll want to own it, if you know what I mean.

0:17:200:17:22

Long John Silver, it's a peg leg.

0:17:220:17:24

We're going to take three quid right now and hopefully into £300.

0:17:240:17:27

-I mean, what an unusual thing.

-It's brilliant.

-Have you ever seen one?

0:17:270:17:30

No, I haven't. I think this is a first.

0:17:300:17:33

Yeah, and it's great.

0:17:330:17:34

It's a piece of folk art as well.

0:17:340:17:36

Whittled away by someone on deck, you know, with a marlin knife.

0:17:360:17:39

-Amazing.

-You know, with hours to spare at sea. I mean, it's unique.

0:17:390:17:43

It's a one-off, and hopefully we're going to get a one-off price for it.

0:17:430:17:46

We're going to find out now.

0:17:460:17:48

The peg leg, there it is, with its, erm, funny face.

0:17:480:17:53

I've been told I have to do a pirate voice, but I'm not sure I can. Arr.

0:17:530:17:57

There, that's it. Start me at £50 for it, surely.

0:17:570:18:01

50. 50. No?

0:18:010:18:04

-Are to be £50 a peg leg.

-Yep.

-How often do you get these at £50? 55.

0:18:040:18:09

60.

0:18:090:18:10

I've got 65.

0:18:100:18:11

-Got 65. 70, five.

-Oh, it's going to be a slow climb up to 300.

-80, five.

0:18:110:18:17

-Yep.

-90. Five.

0:18:170:18:20

110?

0:18:200:18:21

-110, I have on the net, at 110.

-130.

-Oh, it's going on at 130.

0:18:220:18:27

I have now 140. £130. If I've missed you in the room, shout.

0:18:270:18:31

140 on the phone. 150?

0:18:310:18:33

-150.

-160.

0:18:350:18:37

170.

0:18:370:18:39

-Yep.

-180.

0:18:390:18:41

190.

0:18:420:18:43

200.

0:18:440:18:46

And 20.

0:18:460:18:47

240. Yes, 240. 260.

0:18:490:18:52

-280.

-That's amazing.

0:18:530:18:55

300.

0:18:560:18:58

At £280, are we all done at 280?

0:18:580:19:01

Finished at 280, then. Last chance.

0:19:010:19:03

-That was great.

-Oh, arr!

0:19:040:19:07

£280.

0:19:070:19:09

-Well done, Gary. Thank you for bringing that in.

-Thank you.

0:19:100:19:13

That was a lovely find.

0:19:130:19:14

-Just goes to show what's out there at the car boot.

-Doesn't it just.

0:19:140:19:17

What a great object.

0:19:170:19:18

Might be a "Flog It!" first, but it might be a "Flog It!" last as well.

0:19:180:19:22

Never going to see another peg leg. No, never.

0:19:220:19:25

But a great result for such a brilliant carved curio.

0:19:250:19:29

The ancient art of wood carving has strong traditions in Britain.

0:19:350:19:39

Not only were they created by the medieval craftsmen who

0:19:390:19:43

decorated our churches,

0:19:430:19:44

but by master sculptors like the great 17th-century artist

0:19:440:19:49

Grinling Gibbons.

0:19:490:19:50

He brought an extraordinary realism to his interpretation

0:19:500:19:54

of the natural world that had never been seen before.

0:19:540:19:59

I met Hampshire artist Alex Jones who has continued

0:19:590:20:02

the tradition with a contemporary flourish.

0:20:020:20:05

He likes to bring his audience close to the kind of nature

0:20:050:20:09

some of us are usually at pains to avoid.

0:20:090:20:12

You know, I am a bit of an arachnophobe,

0:20:120:20:14

especially big hairy ones. HE LAUGHS

0:20:140:20:17

But I love the enormity of scale.

0:20:170:20:19

Why so big?

0:20:190:20:20

Because basically, I think we need beasts around us

0:20:200:20:23

and things like that.

0:20:230:20:25

And the way to change someone's perception of something is to

0:20:250:20:27

make it big and exciting and, yeah,

0:20:270:20:29

it just changes the way you look at stuff.

0:20:290:20:32

And also, we are used to seeing, like, squirrels and rabbits

0:20:320:20:34

and things like that, sort of easily palatable.

0:20:340:20:37

I want to make something that is a bit more edgy.

0:20:370:20:39

And because wood is so beautiful,

0:20:390:20:41

I came up with the idea that, what happens if you carve something

0:20:410:20:44

that if people thought of as really revolting and horrible but had

0:20:440:20:47

the beauty of the traditional woods and things like that?

0:20:470:20:49

So you start to fall in love with it.

0:20:490:20:51

Exactly. You end up with a paradox. You end up with a push and a pull.

0:20:510:20:54

You get pushed away by the subject matter

0:20:540:20:56

and then you could pulled in by the material and things like that.

0:20:560:20:59

-And that's the energy that interests me.

-Yes.

0:20:590:21:01

And what woods have you used there?

0:21:010:21:03

Basically what we've got here is some good old English oak.

0:21:030:21:06

All the lighter bits are made in oak.

0:21:060:21:08

And then inlaid is black walnut, or American walnut.

0:21:080:21:11

It's one of the things that pulls people in.

0:21:110:21:14

If you use natural woods and their colours, then people come in closer.

0:21:140:21:17

-As soon as they hear it paint or stain...

-Or dye.

0:21:170:21:20

..you're sort of distancing people, aren't you?

0:21:200:21:22

-I'll always try and use natural woods.

-Yeah.

0:21:220:21:24

Then for the final touch, the eyes are done in ebony.

0:21:240:21:27

They are from the keys I collect from pianos and stuff like that.

0:21:270:21:31

Right.

0:21:310:21:32

Very resourceful.

0:21:320:21:33

You also have to show it as people see the real spider, which is

0:21:330:21:36

when it's in your bath on the wall, you see it from above.

0:21:360:21:39

And that's the shot, that's the bit that freaks people out

0:21:390:21:41

when they see it like that and it's suddenly bigger.

0:21:410:21:44

-Yeah, it's a lot bigger.

-Yeah.

0:21:440:21:45

You wouldn't want to come across the blight of that, would you?

0:21:450:21:48

No, definitely not.

0:21:480:21:49

And it's not just creepy-crawlies he carves

0:21:500:21:53

but plant life like this dandelion.

0:21:530:21:55

That's lime, isn't it?

0:21:560:21:57

-I recognise that.

-That's right, yes. That's lime.

0:21:570:22:00

The dandelion is all about weeds and things,

0:22:000:22:02

cos the client who commissioned it used to love his garden.

0:22:020:22:05

And I love the idea of taking some of the weeds that he spent

0:22:050:22:08

his whole time pulling up and making a seven-foot-one that he couldn't.

0:22:080:22:12

So, to make it into something exotic and exciting.

0:22:120:22:15

And with this guy here, I actually had a house spider.

0:22:150:22:18

I had him as a pet for a couple of months and he was called Stanley.

0:22:180:22:21

And literally, when I did the last bit of carving, he died.

0:22:210:22:25

-One of those big harvest spiders, so he's enormous.

-Yes.

0:22:250:22:28

So I almost feel a part of him maybe still inhabits the sculpture.

0:22:280:22:32

'Alex's method is to observe nature in the wild,

0:22:330:22:36

'but he has been known to wrangle the odd creature,

0:22:360:22:39

'which can lead to unsettling situations at home.'

0:22:390:22:42

I have carved a scorpion.

0:22:430:22:45

Actually got hold of an Imperial scorpion for a few years,

0:22:450:22:48

which was actually one of the most boring pets.

0:22:480:22:51

But the one thing it did do was frighten the baby-sitter

0:22:510:22:54

by clanking around the cage every night, so that was worth it.

0:22:540:22:57

Alex's work is usually commissioned

0:22:580:23:00

and can range in price from £1,000 upwards.

0:23:000:23:04

But they do take up months of effort to complete.

0:23:040:23:07

His workshop is in his home, which is crawling with the creatures

0:23:090:23:12

and plants he has recreated in wood.

0:23:120:23:14

OWL HOOTS

0:23:140:23:16

Along with a few real ones.

0:23:160:23:18

But it's at the back of the house where

0:23:200:23:22

they emerge from the raw materials, including his latest commission.

0:23:220:23:26

Butterfly wings.

0:23:280:23:30

Yes. This is one of the wings of a very,

0:23:300:23:34

very large butterfly that was commissioned

0:23:340:23:36

by Lords Hill Academy

0:23:360:23:38

in Southampton to be made with the children.

0:23:380:23:40

And they wanted something that symbolised peace and regrowth.

0:23:400:23:44

And also the whole symbolisation of butterflies is ideas growing.

0:23:440:23:49

-Sure.

-The actual structure, so it's a little bit like making...

0:23:490:23:52

-The skeletal structure of the wing is oak.

-Yes.

0:23:520:23:55

-Solid oak.

-It's like making a spitfire. These bend the wing.

0:23:550:23:57

Because the last thing you want is just a flat wing.

0:23:570:24:00

And that's bending some very thin ply and then on the ply, a little

0:24:000:24:04

bit like making a roof, is different veneers, scales of veneers.

0:24:040:24:08

Oh, yes.

0:24:080:24:09

And, of course, the butterflies are based on real butterflies.

0:24:090:24:13

I've been looking very closely at dead

0:24:130:24:15

and living ones cos I want the details to really ring true.

0:24:150:24:19

And I've been told there's some finishing touches to do,

0:24:190:24:22

-which hopefully you might let me have a little go.

-Absolutely.

0:24:220:24:25

-I need an expert carver like yourself...

-Oh, no, no, no.

0:24:250:24:28

..to come and work on the antenna.

0:24:280:24:30

We are carving the antennae, so shall we go through to the studio?

0:24:300:24:33

Yeah, come on.

0:24:330:24:34

'This butterfly has been crystallising for two years

0:24:350:24:38

'with incredible care and attention from Alex,

0:24:380:24:41

'so I can't afford to get this wrong.'

0:24:410:24:43

Well, there's the body of the butterfly. It's growing.

0:24:460:24:49

It's getting bigger.

0:24:490:24:50

One last remaining wing there and one of the antennae.

0:24:500:24:54

-Now, this is the bit I'm going to be working on.

-Absolutely.

0:24:540:24:57

OK, so, come on, talk me through it.

0:24:570:24:59

First of all, you got the lines here.

0:24:590:25:01

You quickly got the segmented antenna.

0:25:010:25:02

What we need to do is make a stopping point into the wood,

0:25:020:25:06

-so whenever we carve into it...

-It's going to stop on that point.

0:25:060:25:09

Exactly. And it's not going to run away. So...

0:25:090:25:13

And then we take the next chisel, pared-down.

0:25:130:25:16

-There, do you want to have a go?

-Do you trust me?

0:25:160:25:19

I do, implicitly. Shouldn't I?

0:25:190:25:21

There's a lot of work that's gone into this so far, isn't there?

0:25:210:25:23

But maybe it'll just end up very short antennae, don't know.

0:25:230:25:26

-We'll see what happens.

-Are you ready for this?

0:25:260:25:28

-Yes, go for it.

-Here goes.

0:25:280:25:29

That's good. That's really good.

0:25:320:25:34

I don't hit as hard as you cos I'm not so confident.

0:25:340:25:37

And then what I should...

0:25:370:25:38

I should stop now on that and then go for the V

0:25:380:25:42

and take that round and I think you're getting there with the depth,

0:25:420:25:45

actually, there on that one.

0:25:450:25:47

That's perfect. That's really good.

0:25:470:25:49

-Good, sharp tools.

-I'm glad you think so, yes.

0:25:490:25:51

Without a sharp tool, it makes it a little harder.

0:25:510:25:54

Yes, go for it. Yes, yes.

0:25:540:25:56

I'm enjoying this.

0:25:570:25:59

I could be out in the studio all night long doing this.

0:25:590:26:02

Well, I'll come back later, if that's all right.

0:26:020:26:04

I'll go and have my tea and come back.

0:26:040:26:06

I think it might go horribly wrong.

0:26:060:26:07

But I've thoroughly enjoyed being a little part of this antenna.

0:26:070:26:10

Fantastic.

0:26:100:26:11

What an inspiring man who's definitely passed on the bug.

0:26:110:26:15

Just take a look at the finished version of this elegant butterfly.

0:26:150:26:19

Assisted by yours truly.

0:26:190:26:21

Welcome back to Milestones Museum -

0:26:310:26:33

our wonderful, magnificent valuation day venue.

0:26:330:26:37

Now, before we join up with our on-screen experts,

0:26:370:26:39

I want to show you our holding bay with our off-screen experts.

0:26:390:26:43

They do all the hard work before our on-screen experts hit the scene.

0:26:430:26:47

Anyway, let's get straight over to Elizabeth Talbot for her first item.

0:26:470:26:51

-Julia, thank you for bringing your lovely casket in.

-That's OK.

0:26:540:26:57

Now, I'm attached to it because I just like the design and the shape,

0:26:570:27:00

but you tell me what you know of it first.

0:27:000:27:02

It's come from my mother's house

0:27:020:27:03

-and I think she...it must have been her parents'.

-Right.

0:27:030:27:06

-It belonged to her parents.

-So, you remembered it all your life,

0:27:060:27:09

you can remember it being part of your life?

0:27:090:27:11

-I've never seen it before.

-Oh, really?

-No.

0:27:110:27:14

We cleared the house out and there it was. And I've never seen it.

0:27:140:27:17

-It was in a room upstairs.

-Well, it's a lovely thing to see.

0:27:170:27:20

I mean, in terms of, first of all, its age, I think it would

0:27:200:27:23

probably date from anywhere between 1890 to possibly 1910.

0:27:230:27:27

-It's very much late 19th to early 20th century.

-Right.

0:27:270:27:29

-Would that fit in with the family?

-Yes, it would.

0:27:290:27:33

The reason I think it's that sort of era is that it's very

0:27:330:27:36

influenced by the late Art Nouveau period.

0:27:360:27:38

The decoration is a very flowing, very fluid,

0:27:380:27:42

naturalistic kind of design, which is

0:27:420:27:44

very reflective of the Art Nouveau motifs that we see.

0:27:440:27:47

Right.

0:27:470:27:48

It's an interesting combination of several different skills here.

0:27:480:27:51

We have decoration, which is applied by pen and ink,

0:27:510:27:54

and then the outline, which is all hand-drawn, it's all freehand.

0:27:540:27:58

The decoration is then stained using different colours to

0:27:580:28:01

absorb into the wood.

0:28:010:28:03

And in its day, it would have been far more vibrant.

0:28:030:28:05

I think at the ends, you can see

0:28:050:28:06

that the sun hasn't faded it so much.

0:28:060:28:09

The greens would have been a really strong backdrop to the

0:28:090:28:12

honeysuckle, which I believe would have had far more of a pink and

0:28:120:28:15

possibly gold and yellow coloration to it to make it stand out.

0:28:150:28:19

And then the feet employ another craft,

0:28:200:28:24

and that's a form of poker work where

0:28:240:28:27

they would heat little metal rods and incise the wood to give

0:28:270:28:30

both the texture, the sort of dimpled effect,

0:28:300:28:33

and also use the colouration of the singed wood to give

0:28:330:28:36

-the browns almost a wicker effect on the feet.

-Yes.

0:28:360:28:39

So, in terms of the shape, which baffles me a bit.

0:28:390:28:42

Do you know any more about the history of it

0:28:420:28:44

as to where it came from?

0:28:440:28:45

Absolutely none, except that if it came from my grandparents,

0:28:450:28:49

-then it might have come from Switzerland or Germany.

-Ah, right.

0:28:490:28:53

Ah. I think of the two, Switzerland probably sounds more likely.

0:28:530:28:57

I think it's got the elegance

0:28:570:28:58

and the style is probably more Swiss than German.

0:28:580:29:01

-Right.

-So that is interesting.

-Mm-hm.

0:29:010:29:04

Now, in terms of it, what it is,

0:29:040:29:05

it's a little box, casket with a lock.

0:29:050:29:08

Yeah.

0:29:080:29:10

It could, therefore, be for precious jewels or something,

0:29:100:29:13

but then equally in the 19th century and in the days

0:29:130:29:17

when boxes were very commonplace, you could have locked

0:29:170:29:20

away your stationary, your nice writing paper, etc, in it.

0:29:200:29:24

So, a little bit of damage, little bit of fading as we've said.

0:29:240:29:28

Any idea of value?

0:29:280:29:29

-Absolutely none.

-No?

-No, not a clue.

0:29:290:29:32

Value-wise, I'd be disappointed

0:29:320:29:34

if it didn't make sort of £40 to £60.

0:29:340:29:36

Right. OK.

0:29:360:29:37

-Would you be happy to sell at that sort of level?

-Mm, yes, that's fine.

0:29:370:29:40

-Would you like a reserve on it or just let it...?

-Erm, no.

-Let it go?

0:29:400:29:43

I think just let it go for whatever.

0:29:430:29:45

It'll carry a 40 to 60 estimate then.

0:29:450:29:46

-Thank you for bringing it in.

-OK, thank you.

0:29:460:29:49

As our crowds wait for their valuations, we are

0:29:510:29:53

all lucky to be serenaded again by our folk singer for the day,

0:29:530:29:57

Rob Mills, with his own composition written especially for us.

0:29:570:30:02

# Can I just remind you

0:30:020:30:04

# Don't give stuff away

0:30:040:30:06

# Let the experts see it

0:30:060:30:09

# Let them have their say

0:30:090:30:11

# They'll have their suggestions

0:30:110:30:13

# What the folks will pay

0:30:130:30:15

# The auctioneer will flog it

0:30:150:30:18

-ALL:

-# What's it worth, they say... #

0:30:180:30:21

Well, they look happy,

0:30:210:30:22

so let's leave them to enjoy themselves while we find James,

0:30:220:30:26

who's unearthed two objects

0:30:260:30:28

that seem to have made him all lyrical too.

0:30:280:30:31

Graham, there is something about bronze for me that is

0:30:310:30:36

almost primeval.

0:30:360:30:38

I think man's relationship with bronze goes back

0:30:380:30:42

so far that there's something so tactile about it.

0:30:420:30:47

-Yeah.

-With these two, the quality is very different,

0:30:470:30:52

although its history and the periods are probably not so different.

0:30:520:30:55

Are these family pieces?

0:30:550:30:57

They are. They were acquired by my uncle, who died in Holland,

0:30:570:31:02

and I think he might have either bought them

0:31:020:31:04

in Holland or brought it over from Indonesia or that area.

0:31:040:31:07

-Oh, OK.

-He was quite high ranking in the Dutch army,

0:31:070:31:11

or East India army, at the time.

0:31:110:31:13

-Right, OK.

-Just before the Second World War.

0:31:130:31:16

-So he was an official?

-Yes.

0:31:160:31:18

Because what we've got in front of us are two very different things.

0:31:180:31:22

-Let me just start with this.

-Yeah.

0:31:220:31:24

Which, I'm going to be quite disparaging about...

0:31:240:31:27

That's all right.

0:31:270:31:28

That sums it up, as far as I'm concerned.

0:31:280:31:31

Yes, it's bronze and it's got its roots in the Far East Chinese.

0:31:310:31:36

The casting is crude, the colour is poor,

0:31:360:31:39

it's got great big lumps all over it, and basically, I hate it.

0:31:390:31:43

But then we come to this one.

0:31:440:31:46

Which, I know you've done it before, but just humour me

0:31:460:31:49

and pick them both up at the same time, if you would.

0:31:490:31:52

This, the difference in weight is incredible, isn't it?

0:31:520:31:55

Light and tinny, and this one is fabulous.

0:31:550:31:58

The gilding would have been bright,

0:31:580:32:01

would have been as gold as you could possibly imagine when it was done.

0:32:010:32:05

It's turned yellow, it's become a soft, honey colour, which is

0:32:050:32:10

what happens to it over years of use, of oxidisation with

0:32:100:32:15

the atmosphere, and that is something that you just cannot fake.

0:32:150:32:18

-How old is it, do you think?

-18th century.

-18th century, OK.

0:32:180:32:22

I love it.

0:32:220:32:23

That one...

0:32:250:32:26

-20 quid.

-OK.

0:32:270:32:29

And that one...

0:32:300:32:31

Oh, blimey. At the moment, what I'd like to put on it...

0:32:330:32:37

..subject to further research...

0:32:390:32:42

£6,000 to £10,000.

0:32:450:32:47

Don't believe it.

0:32:480:32:49

-Really?

-£6,000 to £10,000.

-Amazing.

0:32:490:32:51

I never thought it was worth that much, by a long way.

0:32:510:32:54

When it comes to a reserve,

0:32:540:32:56

I do not even want to go there yet with you, if that's OK.

0:32:560:33:00

What I'd like to do is research it, do a bit of digging,

0:33:000:33:03

see where we go.

0:33:030:33:05

Lovely.

0:33:050:33:06

We'll see if we can discover some more information on that bronze

0:33:060:33:10

and get every penny of that cracking valuation for Graham.

0:33:100:33:14

James, though, isn't the only one to find something really special.

0:33:140:33:18

Mark, good morning.

0:33:190:33:20

Thank you very much for bringing this wonderful, wonderful figure in.

0:33:200:33:23

I'd like you to tell me all you can about it.

0:33:230:33:25

Well, it was a piece that my mother bought some years ago.

0:33:250:33:29

-She used to collect antiques and do some antique shows.

-Mm-hm.

0:33:290:33:34

And this, along with The Evacuees,

0:33:340:33:37

was a piece that she particularly liked.

0:33:370:33:40

I'm not sure where she got it from, but I know it was in her

0:33:400:33:43

display cabinet in the lounge for many years.

0:33:430:33:47

And, sadly, my mother passed away 2.5 years ago, just

0:33:470:33:51

over 2.5 years ago, and this was one of the items

0:33:510:33:53

that was bequeathed to me.

0:33:530:33:55

But it doesn't fit in with my style, with our decor at home.

0:33:550:33:58

-It's been in a box.

-Right.

0:33:580:34:00

And I think it's too nice to be in a box

0:34:000:34:02

and I think my mother would rather someone else enjoy it.

0:34:020:34:05

OK.

0:34:050:34:06

Well, this is made by the factory of Royal Worcester,

0:34:060:34:09

which obviously is well known to most people.

0:34:090:34:11

It was modelled by a lady called Eileen Soper.

0:34:110:34:14

And Eileen was an artist primarily known for etchings.

0:34:140:34:18

-Oh, right.

-She was a child prodigy.

0:34:180:34:20

She actually was the youngest person to ever be

0:34:200:34:23

-enrolled in the Royal Academy at the age of 15, just 15 years old.

-Gosh.

0:34:230:34:27

She illustrated, of all things,

0:34:270:34:28

Enid Blyton's The Famous Five books at one point.

0:34:280:34:30

-Oh, wow.

-So she was very well known for her...

0:34:300:34:33

-Oh, I can see the sort of...

-Yep, it's very...

-Very stylised.

0:34:330:34:35

Absolutely. Very typical of that period.

0:34:350:34:37

This series, which was produced by Royal Worcester

0:34:370:34:40

between 1941 in 1942, was a war-themed series.

0:34:400:34:44

And actually, there were eight figures

0:34:440:34:47

originally designed for the set.

0:34:470:34:49

In actual fact, only seven were ever produced

0:34:490:34:52

because the eighth was thought to be too distressing.

0:34:520:34:55

They actually never put that into production.

0:34:550:34:58

So, Take Cover, which in itself, from the expression and the sort of

0:34:580:35:02

-body language is quite poignant, isn't it?

-Yes, definitely.

0:35:020:35:05

But, as a series and as models, they are very rare.

0:35:050:35:09

Very unusual to come across one, and you say you have two in the family?

0:35:090:35:12

-Yes, yes, we do.

-Your sister has the other one?

0:35:120:35:14

Yes, she has The Evacuees.

0:35:140:35:16

Well, not only that, but if they are both in this excellent

0:35:160:35:19

condition, one could not ask for anything better.

0:35:190:35:21

So it is all very exciting to see all this.

0:35:210:35:24

I think, realistically,

0:35:240:35:26

if it were offered for auction this year with an estimate

0:35:260:35:29

of between £600 and £800, I think that would not be out of the way.

0:35:290:35:35

That would be lovely.

0:35:350:35:36

-You'd be happy with that?

-Yes.

0:35:360:35:38

-That would be a nice fitting circle of it, I do believe.

-OK.

0:35:380:35:43

Obviously for such a rarity, we would put a reserve on it for you.

0:35:430:35:47

Lovely.

0:35:470:35:48

Erm... And if we put £600 on it, but perhaps with auctioneers discretion.

0:35:480:35:52

Yeah, I wouldn't want it to go for less than that.

0:35:520:35:55

-I think that sounds very fair.

-OK.

-Thank you.

0:35:550:35:57

Thank you so much for bringing it along. It's lovely.

0:35:570:35:59

Things should bode very well for that rare figure.

0:35:590:36:03

Back in 2011, the entire set of seven sold for £7,200

0:36:030:36:09

at Bonhams, the auctioneers.

0:36:090:36:11

So, let's see if Elizabeth's valuation is on the money.

0:36:110:36:15

If you'd like to take part in "Flog It!",

0:36:150:36:17

this is where your journey starts, a valuation day just like this one

0:36:170:36:21

at Milestones Museum in Basingstoke.

0:36:210:36:24

Details of up-and-coming dates and venues

0:36:240:36:26

you can find on our BBC website.

0:36:260:36:28

Just log onto...

0:36:280:36:29

Follow the links, all the information will be there.

0:36:310:36:34

We would love to see you,

0:36:340:36:35

so come on, dust them down and bring them in and let's flog them.

0:36:350:36:39

Now let's remind ourselves of the three final items

0:36:390:36:42

that we are taking off to auction.

0:36:420:36:45

There's Julia's wooden casket

0:36:450:36:46

with the interesting poker work.

0:36:460:36:48

Graham's two bronzes,

0:36:500:36:51

as different as chalk and cheese,

0:36:510:36:54

with vastly different prices to match.

0:36:540:36:56

And Mark's poignant Royal Worcester figures.

0:36:590:37:02

Will their rarity cause a storm

0:37:020:37:04

when they go under the hammer?

0:37:040:37:06

Back at the sale room, there's a healthy number of bidders.

0:37:080:37:11

Nick is on the rostrum

0:37:110:37:13

and first up is that late-19th-century wooden box.

0:37:130:37:17

Julia, good luck.

0:37:170:37:18

This is where we find out what is it worth, your little casket.

0:37:180:37:21

I love it. I love the painting. Good quality.

0:37:210:37:24

-I'm pretty sure it's Swiss, I agree with you.

-Oh, that's nice.

0:37:240:37:26

-It's got a pitched roof on it. I love it.

-It's lovely quality.

0:37:260:37:30

Combination of poker work and staining,

0:37:300:37:32

and the pen and ink work on it is just lovely. A bit faded now, but...

0:37:320:37:35

-I think that it's joy, though.

-Yes.

0:37:350:37:37

I'd rather see lived in slightly, yeah, with a bit of personality.

0:37:370:37:40

-Well, look, good luck.

-Thank you.

0:37:400:37:42

Let's find out what the bidders think.

0:37:420:37:43

The Continental Art Nouveau casket.

0:37:430:37:45

This is a lovely bit of wood.

0:37:450:37:48

I have to start you here to clear

0:37:480:37:49

all bids at £45.

0:37:490:37:52

Straight in.

0:37:520:37:54

And five, 60. At £60, in the room, at 60.

0:37:540:37:57

Gentleman's bid at £60. I'm out.

0:37:570:37:59

At 60, you? 65. 70. And five.

0:37:590:38:03

-It's a decorator's piece, isn't it?

-Yes, yes.

0:38:030:38:05

At 70 in the room. 75, do you mean? 75. 80. And five.

0:38:050:38:09

It's 80 in the room, gentleman's bid at 80.

0:38:090:38:12

Five, we're going to say on the net. Have to be quick. At £80, then.

0:38:120:38:15

-£80, great result.

-At £80.

0:38:150:38:18

Hammer has gone down, £80. That'll make a great present for someone.

0:38:180:38:22

Yes, it will. Yes.

0:38:220:38:23

Next, it's Mark's Royal Worcester figure group called Take Cover,

0:38:250:38:29

which is part of a set of seven pieces with a war theme.

0:38:290:38:33

-£600 to £800. It's quite poignant looking at them, isn't it?

-Yeah.

0:38:330:38:37

Sort of...

0:38:370:38:38

Taking shelter, it's kind of a hard thing to understand for us,

0:38:380:38:42

-you know?

-Yes.

0:38:420:38:43

But it captures quite a lot of the essence of what was

0:38:430:38:46

happening at that time during the war.

0:38:460:38:48

Yeah, and I love the fact that there is a correlation with

0:38:480:38:50

the Enid Blyton books.

0:38:500:38:52

When you look at your Royal Worcester,

0:38:520:38:54

-you can actually see the Enid Blyton characters.

-They come to life, yes.

0:38:540:38:57

Yeah, it kind of brings it home for me, that part of it, anyway.

0:38:570:39:00

Let's find out what the bidders think. Here we go.

0:39:000:39:02

The rare Royal Worcester figural group.

0:39:020:39:05

This is from the wartime series Take Cover. Start me at £600.

0:39:050:39:10

£600. £500, then, to start me. £500, surely.

0:39:100:39:15

£500, thank you. And 20. At £500, any more? All done at £500?

0:39:150:39:21

Sadly less...

0:39:210:39:23

Well, I'm afraid we are tantalisingly close,

0:39:250:39:29

but I just can't let it go at that level.

0:39:290:39:30

-Sorry about that.

-That's a shame.

-Sorry.

-Thank you anyway.

0:39:300:39:33

That's all right. We had fun trying, didn't we?

0:39:330:39:36

What a shame, but I do agree with Elizabeth - it's a

0:39:360:39:38

pleasure to see such a thought-provoking object.

0:39:380:39:42

And I'm sure it will do well in the future

0:39:420:39:44

if Mark still wants to sell it.

0:39:440:39:47

Time for our last lot of the day now, it's those two bronzes.

0:39:470:39:51

The smaller, estimated by James at a massive £6,000 to £10,000.

0:39:510:39:56

But auctioneer Andrew Smith thinks that figure is a bit too steep.

0:39:560:40:00

The Oriental market is just so hard to predict.

0:40:010:40:04

I think every expert has been proved wrong on at least one occasion.

0:40:040:40:08

We just felt that the estimate it came in with was, although

0:40:080:40:12

certainly in the range we'd hope to get at auction, but if it went

0:40:120:40:16

in with that sort of guide, it may just kill off some of the interest.

0:40:160:40:20

So, we prefer to see it in

0:40:200:40:23

with just shaded down a bit, just to get as many buyers in as we can.

0:40:230:40:27

I'm pretty confident it's going to sell in the sale.

0:40:270:40:31

There has been a lot of good interest in it.

0:40:310:40:34

So, with a revised estimate of £4,000 to £6,000 and a reserve

0:40:340:40:38

of £4,000 to kick-start the interest,

0:40:380:40:41

let's see what happens with it.

0:40:410:40:42

Having found all that out, are you regretting selling it?

0:40:440:40:47

Do you think, "Actually, I should've kept it"?

0:40:470:40:49

Erm...

0:40:490:40:50

I have got a few other little smaller things at home which

0:40:500:40:53

would go to the children. I thought because it's worth so much money...

0:40:530:40:56

The money's going to come in handy.

0:40:560:40:57

-I think it could come in handy at this stage, yes.

-OK, OK.

0:40:570:41:00

Well, we're going to start with the first one.

0:41:000:41:03

I could say the tatty one.

0:41:030:41:04

-We're not worried about this one, are we?

-Not particularly, no.

0:41:040:41:07

It's one up from a baked bean can, this thing.

0:41:070:41:09

Here we go. It's going under the hammer.

0:41:100:41:12

The auction house have upped the valuation

0:41:120:41:14

on the cheaper bronze vase to £40 to £60

0:41:140:41:17

because they think it's from Thailand.

0:41:170:41:19

Start me at £40. £40. £40.

0:41:200:41:24

-£40. £40. Come on, come on.

-Get it going.

0:41:240:41:26

£30, surely. £30. 20, if you like. £20.

0:41:260:41:31

£20. Start me at ten, then. At £10 anywhere? £10, surely. £5.

0:41:310:41:37

Five? Well done at the front. As I said, at £5.

0:41:370:41:40

Ten on the net, even better. 12.

0:41:400:41:42

Worth going another one?

0:41:420:41:44

12, well done. 15, sir. 17. Go on.

0:41:440:41:49

-No, no, no.

-This is a struggle, isn't it?

-It is a struggle.

0:41:490:41:51

In the room at 17, it's your last chance.

0:41:510:41:54

Last time.

0:41:540:41:55

Sold it.

0:41:550:41:56

Sold it, right. And now for the one we've been waiting for.

0:41:560:42:01

Chinese bronze vase, the 18th-century vase.

0:42:010:42:04

-Oh, I'm shaking. I'm nervous for you.

-So am I.

-Oh, Graham, good luck.

0:42:040:42:08

Start me at £4,000. £4,000.

0:42:090:42:12

£4,000.

0:42:120:42:14

-4,000 we have. Thank you.

-It's got in at 4,000.

0:42:140:42:17

-We are up to £7,000 on the net already.

-Straight out. Come on.

0:42:190:42:23

-Gosh, that was a quick jump, wasn't it?

-Yeah, four to seven.

0:42:230:42:26

At £7,000, selling on the net.

0:42:260:42:28

If you are all done at £7,000... You sure?

0:42:300:42:34

£7,000 then, for the very last time...

0:42:340:42:36

-You're in the money! Hey, did you know...?

-Thank you very much.

0:42:390:42:42

It jumped from four, someone online went seven.

0:42:420:42:45

It was like, wow, seven grand.

0:42:450:42:47

-I can't believe it. Amazing.

-Yeah?

0:42:470:42:50

What's the first thing going through your mind?

0:42:500:42:52

I don't know, I just can't believe it.

0:42:520:42:54

I think I shall have to treat the family, certainly.

0:42:540:42:57

I think you will, won't you? THEY LAUGH

0:42:570:42:59

-Yeah.

-What a way to end the show.

0:42:590:43:01

We've had a marvellous time and I hope you've enjoyed it.

0:43:010:43:03

See you next time for many more surprises.

0:43:030:43:06

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