Bowes Museum 24 Flog It!

The Bowes Museum, which is hosting our valuation day,

was purpose-built as a public art gallery in the late 19th century

for John Bowes and his wife, Josephine.

They had met and fallen in love in Paris,

where Josephine was an actress.

The building, in the grand French style of the First Empire,

sits within landscape gardens.

Its contents are priceless,

consisting of unique Napoleonic relics, splendid picture galleries,

a collection of porcelain - one of the finest in the world -

and indeed, a wonderful and rare collection

of art objects of every kind.

And those aren't the only treasures on display here,

because look at this -

hundreds of people have turned up from all over County Durham,

laden with their own antiques and collectibles,

their very own treasures for our experts to see

and delve deep into these bags to reveal those wonderful stories,

and, of course, they want to put our experts' knowledge to the test,

and there's one question they all want to ask. Which is...

-ALL:

-What's it worth?

Stay tuned and you'll find out.

Well-informed auctioneer Paul Laidlaw should know the answer.

-Madam?

-Yes?

I'm a really nosy guy, I see bags and I think treasure.

I assume there is the Holy Grail in every single one.

And today he has teamed up with the dependable Elizabeth Talbot,

also excellent at picking out a gem.

I like this one and, as a Yorkshire lass, I quite like this one.

This is rather fetching, I'd have said.

You can sell it to me all day long.

So it's time to lead our queue through the museum

to the 19th-century picture gallery,

where our valuations will be taking place.

And here is a sneak preview of what is coming up on today's show.

Which of these rarely-seen items surprise us at auction?

Will it be this weird and wonderful coconut?

-I'd fight you in the streets for that.

-Yes.

Or will these early racing prints beat it to the post?

These are very famous and well-known, well-respected images.

So people are very fond of this series of pictures.

We've got a full house here today, so there's plenty to look at,

so let's get started. It's straight over to our experts' tables.

Catherine, tell me about them. Where do these hail from?

Well, I inherited them. They've been in the family for...

They must've been in a cupboard for 100 years.

These are uncommon. They're strange!

Yes, and this one, if you twirl it around, it makes music.

-Can we? Does it?

-Yes, yes!

Yes!

-BALLERINA MUSIC PLAYS

-Oh, my word!

-Yeah.

Yeah, I get it and I see the mechanism.

There are teeth on the end of that handle.

-It's striking a comb....

-Yes.

-..on the inside of her drum-like body there.

-Uh-huh.

And I've got to say,

-is that a whistle on the end of the handle?

-Oh, I don't know!

-Oh, if it is I...

-That's what it looks like to me.

-Yes!

Now, what can I tell you about her?

I concur on age

because we are certainly into the tail end of the 19th century.

Right, right.

I've referred to bisque-headed dolls previously,

and I can tell you that this is an early composition.

-A plastic, OK?

-Mm-hm, mm-hm.

-This is quite modern technology in its day.

-Right.

Arguably less expensive than a porcelain head.

However, there are refinements.

She's got glass eyes, an open mouth and teeth,

and those are high-end features on any doll of this time.

She is refined, and she was not inexpensive.

Now, I mean, so if this is a... Can you trace this to an ancestor?

Um, possibly.

-It's a guess that... It's my guess, it's probably German.

-Right.

Er, because my great-great-grandfather

was a businessman who exported, er,

textile machinery to Germany and had a factory there as well

and I suspect he brought it back for his, er...

children or his granddaughter.

Now her friend... Well, if this little girl is a rich girl,

on the other hand, I think we're looking

at the other end of the social spectrum here.

Er, a black lady in her original dress,

and it looks like what she'd be wearing

if she was West African or West Indian,

with the head wrap,

but a Victorian printed textile band decorating the dress

and she is made of...

-she's fabric-stuffed.

-Uh-huh.

Yeah, but, look, little black glass bead eyes

and the wee pursed lips stitched on.

I think she's utterly charming

and I'll wager she is as rare a survivor as her upmarket friend,

because I suspect she wasn't overly expensive...

-100-odd years ago.

-Yeah.

What do they do for you? Do you like them?

Absolutely nothing.

I could see £100-£200 in these.

That's not a lot of money and you're getting, in my opinion...

-rare dolls.

-Yes.

-Are they definitely going?

-Yes.

-Yeah?

Because I have no use for them or no desire to keep them.

-I'd say, if you get north of 80...

-Mm-hm.

-..we're in business.

-OK.

-But I'm hoping for £1-200.

-Really? Mm-hm.

-Sound OK?

-Yeah, yeah.

-Catherine, it looks like we're in business.

And bye-bye, the dolls.

I really hope Paul is right with his valuation.

Well, I've slipped away from the activities of the picture galleries

to show you the passion of John Bowes,

one of the co-founders of this magnificent museum,

the Bowes Museum.

He had a love for horse racing, the sport of the kings,

as popular in Victorian times as it is today.

His passion started as a young boy, but, as a grown man,

he bred horses at nearby Streatlam Stud,

with the help of trainer John Scott,

and there's a little portrait there of John Scott.

Well, together, they went on to win the Derby,

the most famous, richest, prestigious race in the country,

and it was the first time in history that a horse from the North

had won a big race down South, and that took place in 1835,

and the winner was this horse here, Mundig,

and it was a thrilling encounter - Mundig won just by a head.

It was that close.

Together, the two Johns went on to win the Derby four times.

It was a wonderful horse racing achievement,

and it's only been equalled or bettered by four other owners.

Let's now catch up with our experts

and, hopefully, they're looking at a winner.

And Elizabeth looks like she might have found a good bet.

Doris, it's lovely to see you.

Thank you so much for coming in with your pictures.

Now, you have a set of four.

-Yes.

-This is a sample, one of four that you've brought in.

-Yes.

Tell me about your engravings.

Well, as far as I know, um,

the second edition of the first steeplechase in history.

I know it's the second because you have

the shadows of the horses in that - the first edition doesn't.

Mm-hm.

And how have you acquired them? Are they things you've inherited?

They came down through my second husband's father,

-who trained horses in, um, India, in the British Army in India.

-Right.

And I think that, sometime or another,

he was presented with them, but, when they came to me,

they were just in a box full of junk, if I can put it that way.

-Politely.

-So I thought they were unusual, and I-I had them framed.

You had them framed very sympathetically.

-I like the choice of mounting and, er, frame.

-Yeah.

This is them outside the barracks, it's behind the barracks in Ipswich.

I mean, it's a very famous series of pictures

-which tell a progressive story.

-Yeah.

And, um, these engravings were done by a man called J Harris,

after the original paintings by Alken,

and he's a famous painter in his own right.

And in the equestrian field, these are very famous and well-known,

well-respected images that people are very fond of,

of this series of pictures.

Obviously, I'm particularly biased

because, working and living in Suffolk as I do,

the fact you've got the one from Ipswich here is very appropriate.

Lovely, busy scenes.

-Hand-coloured engravings.

-Mhm.

You know what I'm going to point out though, don't you?

-The condition of all four is not great.

-Oh, yes, yes, I realise that.

And that will knock the value in commercial terms, unfortunately.

And the brown markings,

it will look like some sort of smoke puffing up through the clouds,

is actually deterioration of the paper, which is known as foxing.

It can be rectified or halted these days, there is...

Yeah, I thought, possibly, that was...

Yeah, there is, there are methods of conservation now,

where they can halt the progress of that deterioration of the paper,

stabilise it, remove a lot of the staining,

um, and then the pictures look a bit brighter,

but it will affect the price

that somebody's prepared to pay for them in this condition,

-as you might expect.

-Yeah.

Unless you get two or three people who are wanting the same thing.

Well, let's hope for that, shall we? Fingers crossed.

But we'll be realistic in terms of, as they stand.

So, the value of these is, if we're selling them now in the market,

I think it's going to be around about sort of £20-£30 apiece.

I think, realistically.

So, if we put, um, an estimate of sort of, I don't know,

-£80-£120 on the set, would you be happy with that?

-Yes.

And your reserve, would you just want to let them find their feet?

-Let them find their feet.

-Find their feet, are you sure?

-Mhm.

We'll try them at auction, £80-£120, the set.

-Thank you for bringing them in.

-No, no...

Look forward to seeing you at the auction. Thank you very much, Doris.

I might get a new dress.

Back to Paul, who has found something right up my street.

Enid...

..what are you doing, bringing me a bugbear?

-Well...

-Does that mean anything to you?

-No, it doesn't, not at all.

-Well, we'll go into that later.

I am nutty about your nut.

Where did you get that?

Er, my sister gave it to me, 30-odd years ago, she was a district nurse

and one of her old ladies gave it to her as a memento and a thank you,

and my sister doesn't particularly like quirky things,

she gave it to me,

and it's been in my lounge ever since.

Did it come with any story? Was there an explanation?

No, nothing, nothing about it at all.

-Just a bizarre, carved... well, coconut.

-Yes.

-This much anyone would know.

-Yes, yes.

Yes, it's a coconut.

-And we could call this scrimshanked, I dare say.

-Yes.

You know, you know, scrimshawed...

-sailor work, let's say.

-Yes.

-Tusks and so on.

-These are the Royal arms, of course.

-Yes.

We've got the Imperial crown, and this is a Georgian crown,

and we've got our lion and our unicorn.

So in a sense, we're thinking,

"OK, is it official in some way?"

-Right, yes.

-"What's the story?"

It says David Stewart...

-..10th, Roman numeral...

-Yes.

-..10th band, Jamaica...

-Yes.

..1793.

Well, that's exactly where we'd expect this to come from,

..and I said "bugbear" at the off. Well...

that little chap there...

-Yes.

-..the little grotesque mask, is a bugbear.

-Is it?

-He's like a wee haggis, isn't he?

-Never known.

It's a generic flask.

Oh, is it?

-It had a plug.

-Oh, right!

-A turned, wooden...

-Yes?

-..bung.

-Yes?

-It was never really practical.

-No?

-It's to give it a function.

-Yes?

A bugbear's a mythical creature,

-and this is a Caribbean islands little craft.

-Is it?

-Carving these coconut husks.

-Right.

-It wasn't done by David Stewart.

-No?

David Stewart would have thrown, I doubt a guinea,

-but a penny or whatever...

-Yes?

..at a local artisan and said, "Can you personalize it for me?"

-Oh, right.

-As a little souvenir...

-Yes, yes?

..to bring back home.

Yes, what a story.

-Isn't it, just?

-Yes, what a story, yes.

-He was over there for a reason in 1793.

-Yes?

Now this much I know from my history.

10th, when you see 10th, that's almost certainly his regiment.

-Is it?

-And this will, he will be a military man.

-Oh, right.

At this time, there was a slave rising...

-Was there?

-..in Jamaica...

-Yes.

-..and we would, of course,

send troops out there to quell that uprising.

-I see, yes.

-Horrible aspect of Empire.

-Yes, yes.

Now, I've looked this up a little bit.

-He comes up straight away.

-Oh, does he?

He is recorded in official lists

-of the movement of officers and so on.

-Amazing!

If he's in the Indies in 1793,

-if he was a young man at 20...

-Yes?

..at 40, he could've been fighting Napoleon, could he not?

-Oh, yes.

-What became of this man?

-Yes, yes, yes.

All day long,

that's worth £200-£400.

Right, yes.

-Not a stratospheric sum.

-No.

-That's a lot of money for a coconut.

-It is, it is, yes.

If we get somebody hankering after material to the 10th Regiment...

-Yes?

-..well, if it was my cup of tea,

-I'd fight you in the streets for it.

-Yes, I know.

So, um, it's got real potential,

but I can assure you, we'd be pretty unlucky not to see

-£200-£400 for that under the hammer.

-Right, OK.

Off to the auction. Bye-bye, bugbear.

I never knew what it was called.

Never knew. That's lovely.

Well, there you are, our experts have now found their final items

to take off to auction,

so it's time to say goodbye to the magnificent Bowes Museum,

and I think I'm speaking for all of us here,

that we've had a great day, haven't we?

We've all learned something about art and history

and that's the main thing, that's the positive,

but right now we've got some unfinished business to do

in the auction room. While we make our way over there,

here's a quick rundown of all the items that are going...

under the hammer.

These two dolls are not my taste, but I recognise they are unusual

and they are therefore likely to appeal to the collectors.

Although not currently in great condition,

these prints feature the first steeplechase race,

which should give them broad appeal.

It may only be a coconut,

but the carving on it transports us back to the 18th century.

It is a unique piece.

We are heading west across the Yorkshire Dales

to the South Lakeland district of Cumbria

to the home of Eighteen Eighteen Auctioneers.

The saleroom looks encouragingly busy and on the rostrum today,

we have the benefit of David Brookes.

Catherine, it's good to see you again and good luck today.

Going under the hammer right now, we have those two dolls, 19th century,

-one's French, one's African.

-Yes.

I think there's a connection between both of them -

the African one could be Mozambiquey, something like that.

It's got that French connection. I personally find dolls spooky,

but I know there's a lot of collectors out there.

-That one's particularly...

-Very much!

THEY LAUGH

Not for me, but, as I said, there's a lot of collectors out there.

Fingers crossed they're here.

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

The vintage jester and also the other doll in the lot there.

-Start me at 50.

-They've got a fixed reserve of 80.

-Any interest in £50?

Thank you, £50 in the doorway. £50 we have bid at the back.

-No.

-No.

-55 on the internet. Bidding 60. 65.

-Come on!

-£70 in the doorway.

No further interest? £70. It's against you at 75.

-Do you want to bid 80? Thank you, £80.

-Oh, we've got it.

-Good!

-80 and we will now sell at the £80...

Good auctioneering, good auctioneering.

That was close, wasn't it?

-Right on that fixed reserve of £80.

-Brilliant!

HE SHARPLY EXHALES They've gone!

But they made it, which is the main thing.

Right now, we're going to turn our attentions

to the sport of kings, the steeplechase,

and we have some wonderful engravings.

A centrefold belonging to Doris, who's right next to me.

Now, you're here by yourself today, aren't you?

Give us a whole rundown on your family. Sons, daughters?

Four sons, three daughters, ten grandchildren,

and they're all busy today.

So you're by yourself! That's not fair, is it?

You got yourself here and you're going to get yourself home.

-Right...

-Yes?

-Famous engravings, really.

It's just lovely to have the four, they're nice and original

and, er, I think they should find a ready market,

because it is, as you say, a very popular subject.

-We do like that kind of sporting theme, so, fingers crossed.

-OK.

We're in fine fettle, let's do it. Here we go.

Four 19th-century engravings, The First Steeplechase On Record.

£100?

£80, start me, then, please, at £80 somewhere?

Four of them, remember, not one. Start me at 60 them.

£60 for it, it's like a steeplechase. £60...

60, 60, 60.

Are we going to fall at the first fence, at £60?

Oh, please don't fall at the first fence.

In the hall at £60.

Out in Internet land at £50...

-No?

-No...

No, were not going to sell them. There's no interest.

Ah, I said we're in fine fettle.

We're not, are we? GAVEL BANGS

Oh, dear! I'm so sorry, Doris.

I'm so sorry.

Ooh, we've all got long faces, like sad horses.

After the auction, Doris agreed with the auction house

to resubmit her prints to a future sale.

So fingers crossed.

Going under the hammer right now,

possibly my favourite lot of the whole day,

it's the oldest in the saleroom as well,

it's dated, it's Jamaica at 1793.

It belongs to Enid, and it's that wonderful carved coconut.

I was really jealous when you spotted this, because I love it!

-It's real history.

-Let's hope, yeah?

I think this is going to go to a collector, right here, right now.

Here we go.

The 18th-century carved coconut.

I rather like this piece myself, actually,

but I've got to start the bidding with the commission here at £120.

-The auctioneer said he liked it as well.

-Oh, good.

Get to you on the internet.

130, 140 with me.

-You're bidding 150, 160...

-Oh, come on, come on!

-170, 180.

-He's got a bid on the book, look.

-190.

-Commission bid.

-200.

220 in the room.

220 in the room, 240, thank you.

260, 280.

300, I'll come back to you, David.

320...

No? 320 on one phone.

-Are you bidding, on the other phone?

-Come on. Yes, of course you are.

-It's going to do 400, come on, it's got to.

-You bidding, on the phone?

Make your mind up time, 360, thank you.

380, 400.

420.

-This is more like it, isn't it, Enid?

-Absolutely.

-440...

440 against the internet.

We're going to the other phone at 460.

-Yes. Good man.

-Nice!

480.

500, I've taken, in the room.

In the room with 500, I'll take 50s.

500 in the room.

550. Make no mistake at £550 and going...

£550, Enid. GAVEL BANGS

The bidders weren't shy on that coconut, were they?

-That was very good, yes.

-Wow!

-Yes.

-Happy?

-So pleased.

-He's happy. I'm really happy.

-Yes, yes, so am I.

-Yeah.

-What a day and what a great way to end today's show.

-I know, yes.

What are you going to spend all the money on?

Oh, I don't know, I haven't thought yet.

You don't know yet, haven't thought about that, too excited.

Sadly, that's all of the time we have for today,

but I told you there's going to be one big surprise.

We thoroughly enjoyed being in Kendal,

and join us soon for many more surprises in the saleroom,

but, until then, it's goodbye from all of us.