0:00:07 > 0:00:10Today, we packed our bags and loaded up the car
0:00:10 > 0:00:12and, in that great British tradition,
0:00:12 > 0:00:14we've headed off to the seaside
0:00:14 > 0:00:17for a day of fun and sun, here at Weston-super-Mare.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21Welcome to Flog It! CHEERING
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Our valuation day venue is the iconic Grand Pier
0:00:46 > 0:00:48in Weston-super-Mare,
0:00:48 > 0:00:53which has seen several incarnations in its 111-year history.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Initially built as a promenading pier,
0:00:56 > 0:01:01it has been destroyed by fire once, in 1930, and then again, in 2008.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Each time, it was rebuilt as a pleasure pier.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Completed in an impressive eight months,
0:01:07 > 0:01:09it was opened in June, 1904,
0:01:09 > 0:01:13and charged an entrance fee of two old pence.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15But there's no charge for our owners today,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18who are all hoping to make a small fortune at auction,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21if they're one of the lucky ones to get picked.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Hundreds of people have turned up, laden with bags and boxes,
0:01:24 > 0:01:27full of all sorts of antiques and collectibles, and they're all here
0:01:27 > 0:01:31to see our experts to ask that all-important question, which is...
0:01:31 > 0:01:35- ALL:- What's it worth? - Stay tuned and you'll find out.
0:01:35 > 0:01:40And rummaging through the bags and boxes today are Jonathan Pratt.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Minton vase. Nice, big and impressive. Condition looks good.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47Just like his fellow expert, Thomas Plant.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52And it looks like Thomas has spied something else in the crowds.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54Where's he gone? There he is.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56- JP, what have you got there?- Ah...
0:01:56 > 0:02:00- Oh, a nice bit of jewellery, isn't it?- Yeah.- Have you been here before?
0:02:00 > 0:02:03- Never been here before.- Never? - No, have you?- I am a local boy.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06- Are you really?- I am a local boy. I used to come with my grandmother...
0:02:06 > 0:02:10- With your knitted shorts on. - Knitted shorts, ice creams.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13- You have the upper hand. - I don't have the upper hand
0:02:13 > 0:02:14because I'm full of emotion.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18It's already a day of memories and that's just Thomas!
0:02:18 > 0:02:22Let's hope he's able to control his emotions.
0:02:22 > 0:02:23As the crowds take their seats,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26here's a sneak preview of what's to come.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29- It's lights, camera, action, isn't it?- Something like that, yeah.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33But nothing's black and white. Will it be snapped up by the bidders?
0:02:35 > 0:02:38I'll be finding out more about the seaside pier
0:02:38 > 0:02:43and its chequered history. It's sad to see it like that, it really is.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45But it wasn't always like that.
0:02:45 > 0:02:50And one of our items doubles its reserve at auction but which one?
0:02:51 > 0:02:57- It's still going.- 380 bid. 400 bid. - Get in there! Yes!
0:03:04 > 0:03:07As you can see, we're surrounded by entertainment machines.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09There's penny slot machines everywhere.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12There's even a ghost train over there and looking at this lot,
0:03:12 > 0:03:14I think we could be in for a jolly good ride today.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17- Are you going to have fun? ALL:- Yes! - That's what it's all about!
0:03:17 > 0:03:19We're going to join up with our experts
0:03:19 > 0:03:22to see what we can find to take off to auction.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Right, Philip. What have you got here?
0:03:30 > 0:03:33- It's a nice little cake stand, isn't it?- It's a lovely cake stand.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36It's not a mirror. I've seen them hanging on walls as mirrors before.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39- There's a lot of this type of cake stands.- Yeah.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41But this one's got a bit more age.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Before we talk about it a bit more, why have you got a cake stand?
0:03:44 > 0:03:46- It was passed down to me from my father.- OK.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50He was in the baking trade in his early days
0:03:50 > 0:03:52and he used to do it in his spare time,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55- make wedding cakes and christening cakes.- So it was his hobby?- Yeah.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58So, how many years ago are we talking about for this?
0:03:58 > 0:04:01- Well, he died in 1968. - Right, so he was baking as a hobby
0:04:01 > 0:04:03in the '50s and '60s.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07- Yeah, absolutely brilliant he was. - It's exactly what it's for.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10It's to show off and it has to be quite an impressive cake
0:04:10 > 0:04:12to be shown off by. You stand it on the mirror
0:04:12 > 0:04:14- and you have your tiers above. - Three or four tiers.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17If your dad was baking, what was your mum doing?
0:04:17 > 0:04:20She was obviously making cakes as well.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23- So it was a bit of a family thing. - Yeah.- He'd decorate, she'd make.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25- That's right.- That's a nice story. - Yeah.- I like that.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29Often, the age is hidden anyway by the plating process.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32You've got, obviously, the mirror here,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35and I like this stippled effect, where it's starting to pull away
0:04:35 > 0:04:37and it gives it the vintage age because, otherwise,
0:04:37 > 0:04:40with a new mirror in it, it could have been made yesterday.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44- Yeah, that's why I've left it as it was.- Yeah.
0:04:44 > 0:04:50- And if we flip it over... - Heavy, isn't it?- It is, yeah.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54- Good solid ball feet.- Yeah.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58Mark here is J D & S and EP on the end.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01The EP is for electroplate, the JD is James Dixon & Sons.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04They made silver and silver-plated wares
0:05:04 > 0:05:07and it all ties in because the quality of these feet
0:05:07 > 0:05:09and the whole plating is very, very good.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12- And that's a nice little extra touch.- Good.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16On the whole, we've got something which is very useful,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19- well-made...- Yeah.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23I've never seen one plated so well as that.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26The plating's really important. It's a simple process.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29It's just metal in a vat of silver nitrate solution.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31But it depends on how long they leave it in there.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34The extra cost would be more silver and then you leave it
0:05:34 > 0:05:37in there longer as the silver thickens up, so you're right.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40And, certainly, with polishing, and this would need to be cleaned,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43you'd start to see the nickel reveal through areas,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46and it's not doing that at all, so it's a pretty smart thing.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48- Have you thought about the value at all?- Um, not really.
0:05:48 > 0:05:53As I say, I've had it covered up in the loft for several years
0:05:53 > 0:05:54and as this came along,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57I thought I'd bring it along and get it valued.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59- I think between £60 and £100.- Yeah.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04- Are you happy with that?- Yeah. - And let's put a £55 reserve.
0:06:04 > 0:06:09Just one bid below the £60 and you can gently coax people in.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11- The whole thing is, like...- Yeah. - Once you've got them on there,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14you reel them in and they pay a little bit more.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16- Next stop is the auction.- Good.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25There's a good start from Jonathan.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27Let's see what Thomas has got under his bonnet.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Lucy, thank you very much for bringing in your lovely inkwell.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38- Thank you.- Tell me about it. - I don't really know a lot.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40What do you mean you don't really know a lot?
0:06:40 > 0:06:44- Where did you get it from?- It's from my mother.- From your mother?- Yeah.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48- Where do you think SHE got it from? - No idea.- Really?- Yeah.
0:06:48 > 0:06:53- Why did you bring it here today?- I just wanted to know about it really.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57- It's quite nice being a double inkwell, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01So you could have blue and red or red and black in either one.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03How old do you think it is?
0:07:04 > 0:07:06- Quite old, I expect.- Quite old!
0:07:07 > 0:07:11I think it's older than you and it's older than me. It's 1921.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14- Oh, right, as old as that? - That's when this was made.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16It's got the hallmarks here on the back
0:07:16 > 0:07:21- and on the front there, for Birmingham, 1921.- Right.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23It's an oval base, so it's really very art deco,
0:07:23 > 0:07:28with these bold curves and shapes, with these lovely little circles,
0:07:28 > 0:07:34and in really great materials - the silver and then the onyx.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36It's that, sort of, age of opulence,
0:07:36 > 0:07:40the age of using all the great materials we had
0:07:40 > 0:07:42and sparing nothing.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45For your humble inkwell, it's immense quality.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48What I think is lovely are these fabulous lids.
0:07:48 > 0:07:53The way they snap back up is great.
0:07:53 > 0:07:59- So, you can imagine, then, writing letters was so important.- Yeah.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03Email is now our preferred choice of communication
0:08:03 > 0:08:08but the actual art of handwriting is now really lost.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11- Yeah, it's a shame, really. - It is a shame, isn't it?
0:08:11 > 0:08:13Whereas, if you had something like this on your desk
0:08:13 > 0:08:16and a quill pen or a dip pen,
0:08:16 > 0:08:21you'd think, "Oh, I think I might start writing letters again
0:08:21 > 0:08:23"to my friends and family."
0:08:23 > 0:08:28- Have you ever used it?- No.- No?- No. - Where's it been in your house?
0:08:28 > 0:08:32- In the cabinet.- In the cabinet? - Yeah.- Not on display?
0:08:32 > 0:08:37Well, it is a display cabinet but there's far too much in there.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39THEY LAUGH
0:08:39 > 0:08:44So, what's it worth? Well, I think it's worth £60 to £100.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48The bottom estimate being £60, shall we reserve it at £50?
0:08:50 > 0:08:51- £55, please.- £55?
0:08:53 > 0:08:59A tough cookie, aren't you?! £55. I agree, let's do it.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Put it £60 to £100, with a reserve of £55.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05I think it's a sweet thing and if it doesn't make that, I'll eat my hat.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11- I'd like to see that. - I bet you would. It's a big one.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16We'd ALL like to see that, Thomas! I can't wait for the auction.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19If you want to take part in "Flog It!",
0:09:19 > 0:09:21this is where your journey starts -
0:09:21 > 0:09:25a valuation day very much like this one on Weston pier.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Details of up-and-coming dates and venues,
0:09:28 > 0:09:29you can find on our BBC website.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33If you don't have a computer, check the details in your local press
0:09:33 > 0:09:37because, fingers crossed, we're coming to an area near you soon.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39So, dust them down, bring them in and we'll flog them.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43But first, Jonathan's found another treat.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47- So, Madeline, good morning. - Good morning.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51You've brought this wonderful thing. We saw it in the queue. I love it.
0:09:51 > 0:09:56- How did you get it?- It was my mum's. - Uh-huh.- She died 20 years ago.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59Do you know what it was for? Was it just a gift?
0:09:59 > 0:10:03- Her original engagement ring wore through on the cluster.- OK.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08And my father bought it for her to replace her original one.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11- What a very lovely husband.- Yeah.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13It's a sapphire and diamond cluster ring,
0:10:13 > 0:10:16so you've got the circular sapphire in the middle
0:10:16 > 0:10:18and then you've got a surround
0:10:18 > 0:10:21of two, four, six, eight, ten diamonds.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23We can measure those stones, so I know that, in total,
0:10:23 > 0:10:27- we've got about 0.8 of a carat of diamonds there.- Right.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30It's set in white gold with the claws
0:10:30 > 0:10:33- and then 18-carat gold around the band.- Right.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37Quite a traditional style, which is good.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41- The hallmark on it is 1968. - Oh, yeah.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43I've looked at the main stone, the sapphire,
0:10:43 > 0:10:45and looking at it with the light behind it,
0:10:45 > 0:10:48you can see nice signs of its natural origin,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51which is really good, cos you can make a sapphire in a laboratory.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53Yeah? I didn't realise that.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56It's aluminium oxide, it's simple as that,
0:10:56 > 0:11:00and they use a bit of titanium and vanadium, and you get a sapphire.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03It's got a nice colour.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06- The crux of this conversation is value.- Right.
0:11:06 > 0:11:12- What are you hoping for? - About £600 to £800.- Right, OK, OK.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14We would say £400 to £600.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17We might even say £500 to £700 and I think, at that level,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20- you're going to get people interested.- Yeah.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23- There's a fashion now for the sapphire and diamond cluster.- Yes.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25People know the retail value and cost of these
0:11:25 > 0:11:28and, hopefully, there'll be an element of that
0:11:28 > 0:11:30- which will push it on.- Yeah. - But if you're happy,
0:11:30 > 0:11:34I'd like you put it in at £500 to £700 with a £500 reserve.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36- OK, that's fine.- Brilliant.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39- And then we'll let the auctioneer work his magic.- Yeah, hopefully.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42- Fantastic.- I want to give some money to my granddaughter.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46- She got a first in psychology at university.- She got a first?
0:11:46 > 0:11:51Yeah, and she's worked for two years but she wants to go back
0:11:51 > 0:11:54- and do a masters or a PhD. - So you want to help fund it.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57I would like to help her out with it.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00Well, we'll stand at the back of the room and we'll be egging them on
0:12:00 > 0:12:04- to try and get some more money. - OK, yeah. OK.- Brilliant.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13There you are. Our experts have been working flat out.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16We have now found our first items to take off to auction.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19I've got my favourites, you've probably got yours
0:12:19 > 0:12:21but, right now, we're going to let the bidders decide.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Let's put those values to the test in the saleroom
0:12:24 > 0:12:27and here's a quick recap of what's going "kah" under the hammer.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30Will Thomas be eating his hat
0:12:30 > 0:12:33when Lucy's inkwell goes under the hammer?
0:12:33 > 0:12:36Madeline's hoping her diamond and sapphire ring
0:12:36 > 0:12:39will help fund her granddaughter's studies.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44Philip's cake stand reminds him of his father baking wedding
0:12:44 > 0:12:48and birthday cakes, but will he be celebrating at the auction?
0:12:48 > 0:12:51We're heading 11 miles up the road
0:12:51 > 0:12:54to the beautiful seaside town of Clevedon,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57home to the country's only functioning Grade I listed pier
0:12:57 > 0:13:00and the world's oldest working purpose-built cinema
0:13:00 > 0:13:04and, of course, today's auction venue, Clevedon Salerooms.
0:13:04 > 0:13:09- On the rostrum is Marc Burridge. - 60. 60 bid.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11And remember, there's always commission to pay.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13It varies from room to room.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17Here, today, it's 15% plus VAT.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Going under the hammer right now,
0:13:19 > 0:13:21we have Madeline's diamond and sapphire ring.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24It's a bit of a cluster. It is actually, isn't it?
0:13:24 > 0:13:27- It is a big ring. - Did you enjoy wearing it?
0:13:27 > 0:13:29- I've only worn it a few times.- Ooh. - It was my mother's.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33- Why only a few times? - It's a bit big.- Bit showy.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35- Is this right on the money? - It's about right.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38- Sapphire and diamond clusters are very classical.- Yeah.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41It's helped along by Princess Catherine, whose engagement ring
0:13:41 > 0:13:43was a sapphire and diamond cluster, so it's fashionable.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46- It never goes out of fashion. - So this could be a close one.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49But you never know, auctions are full of surprises, aren't they?
0:13:49 > 0:13:50I'd love to be surprised.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52If I've got to take it home, I've got to take it home.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54Exactly. Nothing's set in stone, is it?
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Let's hope it sparkles and lights the saleroom up. Ready for this?
0:13:57 > 0:13:59- Yeah.- Here we go.
0:13:59 > 0:14:04Lot number 490 is an 18-carat gold ring with a circular sapphire.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08Nice ring there and I have interest on the book again here.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10- Interest. Come on. - Not wasting time. 450.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13- 460. 470. 480.- Straight in.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16- 490. 500.- It's gone.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20510 I'll take, anyone in the room? 510 bid.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22520? 520?
0:14:22 > 0:14:26In the room and selling, then, at £510.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28HE BANGS GAVEL
0:14:28 > 0:14:31- There we are.- Just about the reserve.- Absolutely right.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33- Well done, you.- Thank you.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37That's great. Just the start we wanted.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Now, we're all on tenterhooks for Thomas and his hat.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43We're certainly doing battle, here in the saleroom,
0:14:43 > 0:14:44but now, we're going to find out
0:14:44 > 0:14:46if the pen is mightier than the sword,
0:14:46 > 0:14:48because we've got a double inkwell going under the hammer.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51I love this. It's got the deco look and it belongs to Lucy.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55Absolutely adore it and so does this chap next to me.
0:14:55 > 0:14:56- I absolutely adore it. - It's very you.
0:14:56 > 0:15:01Mmm, and I did say if it didn't sell for £55, I'd eat my hat.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05- So, it's here.- He's got a Paddington Bear hat, look.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09- Has he got a marmalade sandwich in there?- No marmalade sandwiches!
0:15:09 > 0:15:11THEY LAUGH
0:15:11 > 0:15:16- I love this! Why are you selling it? - Well, it's only in a cupboard.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18It's just in a cupboard. It's beautiful.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21And they've got this little sprung hinge to them.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23- They're really quite cool. - It's going under the hammer.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26I want to see this double this man's estimate. Here we go.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29The onyx inkstand there.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32I'm bid 50. 5. 60 I'm bid.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35And 5. 70 here. 75.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37- I don't have to eat the hat!- No.
0:15:37 > 0:15:4075 in the room. Now 80? 80? 80?
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Your bid, sir, at 75. Move me one at 80?
0:15:43 > 0:15:47- All done then. Selling at 75. - HE BANGS GAVEL
0:15:47 > 0:15:49Yes, £75. It's gone.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52That's a good start, Lucy, isn't it, for the clear-out?
0:15:52 > 0:15:54It gave us great delight talking about it
0:15:54 > 0:15:57and even though Thomas didn't eat his hat, you know.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01- I'm pleased he didn't have to cos I wanted this to sell.- Absolutely.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06Thomas knows his stuff, so I knew his hat would be safe.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Going under the hammer right now, we have Philip's cake stand.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12- In fact, your wedding cake was on this, wasn't it?- It was on there.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15I wonder what THAT would be worth right now if we flogged that.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17But we've got a silver-plated cake stand.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20- It's all the rage, with the Bake Off, isn't it?- All the rage, yes.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24What wedding cake doesn't look best presented on something like that?
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Good luck with this because I like this a lot
0:16:26 > 0:16:29and I think you'll find a new home for this very quickly.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33- I hope so anyway.- There aren't that many around, as classical as this?
0:16:33 > 0:16:35No, you can see the age and the quality of that one.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37Here we go. Let's put it to the test.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40Lot 75. Silver-plated cake stand
0:16:40 > 0:16:43on the ball feet. Three bids with me.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46- Three bids.- I'm starting at 55, 65,
0:16:46 > 0:16:4975, 85,
0:16:49 > 0:16:5295, 100, will you?
0:16:52 > 0:16:54100, will you?
0:16:54 > 0:16:56100, will you? All done then?
0:16:56 > 0:16:58At £95.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00HE BANGS GAVEL
0:17:00 > 0:17:02- Hammer's gone down.- Ooh.- Fantastic.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Straight in and straight out. See, that was in demand.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09Quality and what do we always say? Quality always sells.
0:17:09 > 0:17:10I hope you enjoyed that as well.
0:17:11 > 0:17:1470, 70, 70. 5.
0:17:14 > 0:17:1780, sir. 5. 90.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21There you are. That's our first lots done and dusted, under the hammer.
0:17:21 > 0:17:22So far, so good.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25Before we head back to the pier at Weston-super-Mare
0:17:25 > 0:17:27to find some more antiques to put to the test,
0:17:27 > 0:17:29I've been finding out a bit more
0:17:29 > 0:17:32about the origin and the history of our venue.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40Even on a dull, murky day,
0:17:40 > 0:17:42there's something special about the seaside.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44The sea mist shrouding the coast
0:17:44 > 0:17:47just adds to that magical atmosphere.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52When you think of the seaside, you immediately conjure up images
0:17:52 > 0:17:55of children playing in the sand, building sandcastles,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58sticks of rock, fish and chips, a ride on a donkey -
0:17:58 > 0:18:00there's one just back there -
0:18:00 > 0:18:02and, of course, the pier, for me,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06the most iconic symbol of any British seaside town.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08And we all love to have a walk on the pier.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10Now, here in the Southwest,
0:18:10 > 0:18:13on this stretch of coastline of North Somerset,
0:18:13 > 0:18:16there's three piers within the space of 12 miles.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Each one of them, in their own way, tells a fascinating story
0:18:19 > 0:18:24of great British engineering and the seaside holiday in its heyday.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27The first pier to be built along this stretch
0:18:27 > 0:18:31of the North Somerset coast was Birnbeck in 1867.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34It's Weston-super-Mare's first pier.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Following closely on its heels, and just 11 miles away,
0:18:37 > 0:18:41Clevedon Pier opened on Easter Monday in 1869,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45making Weston-super-Mare's Grand Pier the last to be built.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48The story of these three piers tells the rise and the fall
0:18:48 > 0:18:51of the British seaside pier.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55The flurry of pier-building along Britain's coastlines was due,
0:18:55 > 0:18:59in part, to some significant social and economic changes of the time.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02Holidays were once the preserve of the upper classes.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04They could afford to travel anywhere,
0:19:04 > 0:19:06but for the working classes,
0:19:06 > 0:19:08that happened in the middle of the 19th century,
0:19:08 > 0:19:11with the coming together of the railway network,
0:19:11 > 0:19:13enabling cheaper travel.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17Combine that with the Factories Act of 1850
0:19:17 > 0:19:19and the Bank Holidays Act of 1871,
0:19:19 > 0:19:23giving workers the right to time off, all of a sudden,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26there was a brand-new captive holiday market.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40And the seaside was definitely the place to go.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44The Victorians believed that having a dip in the cold, salty water
0:19:44 > 0:19:47and breathing in the invigorating fresh air
0:19:47 > 0:19:50had restorative, health-giving qualities.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53This, in turn, gave rise to the golden age of pier-building,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56as seaside towns up and down the country
0:19:56 > 0:19:59capitalised on this new wave of tourism.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Piers began popping up all over the country.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Around 80 were built between 1854 and 1904.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12It was the first golden age of the seaside resort.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15The Southwest was quick to make its mark.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Birnbeck was the first of the three piers
0:20:18 > 0:20:22to be built along this coastline and it's unique among piers,
0:20:22 > 0:20:26as it's the only one to link the mainland to an island.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29Building Birnbeck was an engineering challenge.
0:20:29 > 0:20:3315 groups of wrought and cast-iron columns were floated
0:20:33 > 0:20:37across from Newport and screwed together into the sea bed.
0:20:37 > 0:20:43This 1,040-foot pier was opened to a fanfare in 1867,
0:20:43 > 0:20:45with the day being declared a Bank Holiday.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49Paddle steamers brought day trippers across the Bristol Channel
0:20:49 > 0:20:52to enjoy the delights of the pier,
0:20:52 > 0:20:55which included fairground rides, cafes and a water chute.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59It's really hard to imagine now, when you look at Birnbeck,
0:20:59 > 0:21:02that it was once a successful and thriving business.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05To find out more about its illustrious history
0:21:05 > 0:21:07and how it fell into such a state of disrepair,
0:21:07 > 0:21:11I've come to meet up with historian John Crockford-Hawley
0:21:11 > 0:21:13to find out more.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22- Hi.- Hello.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25John, it's in a sorry old state now, looking at it today,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27- but it wasn't always like that. - No, indeed.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31In its heyday, it would be nothing to have six ships waiting
0:21:31 > 0:21:35to unload passengers and 15,000 people a day on the pier.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38- 15,000 people a day!- Yeah.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41- That's incredible! - It was THE place to come.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43- It was big business. - Huge business, yes.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45So, what happened to it, once the Grand Pier was built?
0:21:45 > 0:21:47What was the competition like?
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Its livelihood was there as long as the paddle steamers came in.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54- Right, and that's to offload and onload passengers.- Yeah.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56That's how it made its money.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59It was partly that and the amusement arcades,
0:21:59 > 0:22:02until the Grand Pier opened, and that was the competition.
0:22:02 > 0:22:07This place really began to decline as a pier of entertainment.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11What sort of purpose did this one serve during the Second World War?
0:22:11 > 0:22:15It was taken over by the Ministry of Miscellaneous Weapons Development.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17I've never heard of that before.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19They were known as the Wheezers and Dodgers.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23These great academics came down, chucking things into the sea
0:22:23 > 0:22:26- and counting how many times they bounced.- The bouncing bomb, I guess.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29From where the bouncing bomb came. It was given a ship's designation,
0:22:29 > 0:22:33so when the Germans announced, one day, they had sunk HMS Birnbeck,
0:22:33 > 0:22:37everyone went, "Yes? Pull the other one!"
0:22:37 > 0:22:42It's still here! So, what was its demise? What turned its fate around?
0:22:42 > 0:22:43The change in tourism.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45The English were going to Spain for their holidays.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47The Severn Bridge opened,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50which meant people could come to Weston-super-Mare by car
0:22:50 > 0:22:51and, to make matters worse,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54Wales began to allow people to drink on a Sunday.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56So, they didn't come over from Wales to have a pint.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58Paddle steamer would come on a Sunday,
0:22:58 > 0:23:00people would have a drink here, then go back to Wales.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03The stories of Cwm Rhondda being heard in mid-Channel,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06as the last ship went home, is legend.
0:23:07 > 0:23:13- All that changed.- Ah. It's sad to see it like that, it really is.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16- Yeah.- What's your opinion on what's going to happen to it?
0:23:16 > 0:23:20Well, if nothing is done, she's going to fall into the sea.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22- You can see that. - And that'll be the end of her.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26But it's owned by a businessman who wants to get planning permission
0:23:26 > 0:23:29to build flats on there and flats on the landward side.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31And there's the big issue.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34Do you allow it to be destroyed, visually,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37for its economic future or do you say,
0:23:37 > 0:23:40"Goodbye, old girl, off you go into the sea"?
0:23:44 > 0:23:48Sad as it is to see Birnbeck Pier today, it's worth saying that,
0:23:48 > 0:23:52without it, it's highly unlikely this pier would have been built.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56By the end of the 19 century, Birnbeck, over there,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59was making so much money that the great and the good
0:23:59 > 0:24:01of Weston-super-Mare just there, looked out across the water
0:24:01 > 0:24:04and thought, "Yeah, we want some of that."
0:24:04 > 0:24:07So, plans were drawn up and finances put in place
0:24:07 > 0:24:08to build a brand-new pier,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11smack bang right in the middle of town.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13The Grand Pier opened in 1904,
0:24:13 > 0:24:16a relative latecomer, really, to the game.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19It was quite an undertaking,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23constructed of more than 4,000 tons of ironwork
0:24:23 > 0:24:26and over a quarter of a mile of decking.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28But, in order to attract visitors,
0:24:28 > 0:24:30it went down a different route from its neighbour.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32What made it special
0:24:32 > 0:24:36was the 2,000-seater Pavilion Theatre and bandstand,
0:24:36 > 0:24:40offering the crowds an alternative type of entertainment.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44But things weren't plain sailing for the Grand Pier.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47Tidal problems meant steamers couldn't dock there.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51However, the Grand Pier's location did prove to be an advantage
0:24:51 > 0:24:55over its neighbour, as it was right in the heart of Weston.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00In the end, it was the Grand Pier that flourished,
0:25:00 > 0:25:04becoming a successful purpose-built pleasure pier in the 1930s,
0:25:04 > 0:25:08moving with the times. Its success was mirrored by Birnbeck's decline.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11While the Grand Pier went from strength to strength
0:25:11 > 0:25:13in the following decades,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16the Birnbeck fell into a greater state of disrepair,
0:25:16 > 0:25:20finally closing to the general public in 1994.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25But out of the three piers along this 11-mile stretch
0:25:25 > 0:25:27of North Somerset coastline,
0:25:27 > 0:25:31my favourite has to be the graceful elegance of Clevedon Pier.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33Unlike its neighbours, Birnbeck and the Grand Pier,
0:25:33 > 0:25:36it wasn't a place of entertainment,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39but rather a functional landing jetty.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43It provided a new, fast route to Wales by steamer.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46Before the pier, travelling to Wales by train
0:25:46 > 0:25:48meant a much longer journey.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50New transport links hastened
0:25:50 > 0:25:53the pier's demise as a commuter route
0:25:53 > 0:25:56but, luckily, it was able to capitalise on holiday-makers
0:25:56 > 0:25:58with paddle steamer day trips.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Fast forward 100 years or so,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04and Clevedon remains very much a tourist attraction
0:26:04 > 0:26:06at the centre of the town.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12This small stretch of North Somerset coastline sums up the fate
0:26:12 > 0:26:15of this great British icon. Here we have Clevedon Pier.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17It's gone down the heritage route.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19And then you have the Grand Pier at Weston,
0:26:19 > 0:26:21a hugely successful business model,
0:26:21 > 0:26:25offering millions of visitors seaside fun and entertainment.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27And then, its neighbour, Birnbeck,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30that sadly lost out in the ebb and flow of history
0:26:30 > 0:26:33and its fate looks very much uncertain.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47Welcome back to our host location, the Grand Pier at Weston-super-Mare.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Let's get down on the ground floor to the valuation tables
0:26:50 > 0:26:52and catch up with our experts
0:26:52 > 0:26:56to see what other treasures we can find to take off to auction.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59- Hi, Lynette.- Hiya.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02You don't sound like you're from North Somerset, do you?
0:27:02 > 0:27:07- No, I'm from Wales.- And you've brought this Hohner accordion.- Yes.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11Tell me about it. How did you come to own it?
0:27:11 > 0:27:15It's my uncle's and he left it to me when he died.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19And I've had it for about 20 years.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22- And what have you done with it in those 20 years?- Nothing.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25- It's been in the box. - It's been in the box?- Yeah.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27- Cos it's got the original case, hasn't it?- Yeah.
0:27:27 > 0:27:32- And do you remember your uncle playing it?- Yes, a little bit.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36- They look very complicated, don't they?- Yeah.- It's made by Hohner.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39- Do you know anything about Hohner? - I know it's German, that's all.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43Yeah, Matthias Hohner was very, very well-known
0:27:43 > 0:27:46for making harmonicas
0:27:46 > 0:27:48and him and his wife and his assistant set up,
0:27:48 > 0:27:50in the mid-19th century, in Germany,
0:27:50 > 0:27:54and in the first year, they made, like, 650 of them -
0:27:54 > 0:27:57just the three of them, making these harmonicas.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59It created a huge business.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01I don't know anybody who plays the harmonica now
0:28:01 > 0:28:03but we see them quite a lot at auction.
0:28:03 > 0:28:08He also made accordions. This is in remarkable condition.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11- You said you remembered your uncle playing it.- Yes.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15- Has anybody else played it since? - No.- No.
0:28:15 > 0:28:21I'm not going to play it because it will make a racket. I have no idea.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24But all I know, it's got it on here, a "Double-Ray"
0:28:24 > 0:28:26and it's also got this name here, Black Dot,
0:28:26 > 0:28:31and I'm presuming, because this here, there's a black dot here.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Greater minds and greater musicians than me
0:28:33 > 0:28:36- will tell you what that black dot does.- Yeah.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39This is unusual, having the eight keys here.
0:28:39 > 0:28:44Normally they have 12 and these are the bass keys, I know that.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46So this is in great condition.
0:28:46 > 0:28:52When it comes to value, I think a wide estimate. £60 to £100.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57- I would like to reserve this at £60. - OK.- Are you happy with that?
0:28:57 > 0:29:01- Yeah.- I think that's sensible. We've also got the bill of sale.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05- Do you think this is your uncle buying it? Is this his name?- Yes.
0:29:05 > 0:29:10- 1941.- Yes.- Midway through the Second World War.- That's right.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13Do you think he entertained the troops with it?
0:29:13 > 0:29:19- Oh, no, I don't think so.- No? Was he in a protected position at work?
0:29:19 > 0:29:22- Well, he was in the mines. - Well, he was protected.- Yeah.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24- They couldn't fight, could they? - Yeah.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27- That must have been quite a big thing, really.- Yeah.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30You probably wanted to go and support your country,
0:29:30 > 0:29:35- but you had to be working... In the coal mines?- Coal mines, yes.
0:29:35 > 0:29:40- Gosh, so he would have played this in the coal mine social club.- Yeah.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44I think that's a really interesting story.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47- I look forward to seeing you at the auction.- Right.- £60 to £100.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51- Fix the reserve at £60 and we'll go from there.- OK, then.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53- Thank you.- Thank you very much.
0:29:53 > 0:29:57The accordion has been entertaining people for centuries,
0:29:57 > 0:30:01believed to have been invented in Berlin in the 1800s.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04The accordion is affectionately known as the squeeze-box,
0:30:04 > 0:30:08often associated with French cafes and travelling bands.
0:30:08 > 0:30:13In 1844, a polka dance craze swept through Paris and weeks later,
0:30:13 > 0:30:17it spread to London, confirming the popularity of the accordion
0:30:17 > 0:30:21as the best accompaniment to this bohemian dance.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24It remains a favourite with folk musicians the world over,
0:30:24 > 0:30:26as it is louder than other instruments
0:30:26 > 0:30:30and can be heard over the stomping of feet.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34And from musical memories
0:30:34 > 0:30:37to magical moments of excitement from today's venue.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40I'm leaving the pavilion and experts, for a moment,
0:30:40 > 0:30:43to meet a woman for whom the Grand Pier is so special,
0:30:43 > 0:30:47that she made sure she was one of the first people
0:30:47 > 0:30:50on the newly reopened pier in 2010.
0:30:50 > 0:30:55- Hi, Saffron.- Hi.- Thanks for coming on the pier and talking to me today.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58What is your fascination with the Grand?
0:30:58 > 0:31:01Well, my family's been visiting Weston-super-Mare
0:31:01 > 0:31:04and the Grand Pier ever since the early 1940s, actually.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07My father used to come here as a boy.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10- They used to stay here in a bed and breakfast.- Yeah.
0:31:10 > 0:31:15- And this is a picture of my father. - Oh, gosh, how sweet.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18And, obviously you were on the beach as a young girl.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20Yes, this is me. We would spend the day on the beach
0:31:20 > 0:31:23and then it would always end with a trip to the pier,
0:31:23 > 0:31:24which we were so excited about.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27One of my favourite things we used to look out for
0:31:27 > 0:31:29was a 50p on the floor.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31There was one stuck to the floorboards as a joke
0:31:31 > 0:31:35and we used to stand by and watch everybody going,
0:31:35 > 0:31:39"Ooh, a 50 pence, let's pick it up," and then they couldn't, you know.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42We'd just stand there, laughing at people. It was great fun.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46No doubt someone did scoop it up one day.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49They probably brought a chisel along and thought, "I'm having that!"
0:31:49 > 0:31:52Yeah, I expect so. I think my favourite ride,
0:31:52 > 0:31:55at the time, was the ghost train, although I don't know why
0:31:55 > 0:31:58because it scared me to death. I didn't actually see what was in it
0:31:58 > 0:32:02because I covered my face with my hands for the entire journey.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06But it's the thing I remember most about the pier, the ghost train.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09Walking up the boardwalk was like walking on a rainbow
0:32:09 > 0:32:13with a great big pot of gold at the end, it was so exciting.
0:32:13 > 0:32:14Lots of happy memories.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17Yes, it's part of my history, my family history.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21Back in the pavilion and everyone's having fun,
0:32:21 > 0:32:23but our experts are still hard at work.
0:32:25 > 0:32:30Jonathan's got his hands on a piece of Tony and Mary's family silver.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32This wonderful little purse you've brought along.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34It was gift. 25th anniversary.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37It was an anniversary present, OK. And who bought it?
0:32:37 > 0:32:40It was a great friend who taught Mary
0:32:40 > 0:32:45- a great deal about antiques and the beauty of them.- OK.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48This is while I was working, designing and making furniture.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51- So, cabinet maker is your trade? - My trade, yes.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54Whilst you were doing that, Mary was learning about antiques.
0:32:54 > 0:32:59- Is silver your favourite thing? - One of them. Shares is another.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03- You'll invest this in shares? - Might do.- Might do.- OK.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06That's if the grandkids don't get there first.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08Well, it's a very nice thing
0:33:08 > 0:33:10and I'm guessing a quick twist at the top, like that....
0:33:10 > 0:33:15- Isn't that beautiful?- It is. - It springs open. All silver.
0:33:15 > 0:33:20So, you've got...a Birmingham mark, 1912, sterling standard.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23- The maker's mark's a little bit worn.- Yeah.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26But the other marks are crisp and you've got a registered mark too,
0:33:26 > 0:33:28which is like a patent mark on there.
0:33:28 > 0:33:29- Yeah.- So, it's got all those things.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32It's a good design, made of solid silver,
0:33:32 > 0:33:34but this is worth more than that,
0:33:34 > 0:33:36- it's worth more than the silver value.- It is, really.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38Why do you want to get rid of it?
0:33:39 > 0:33:44- We've downsized, love.- We've downsized and this is stored away.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46I think it's a really nice thing.
0:33:46 > 0:33:51It's 1912, it's pre-war, so it's the end of that classical era.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54I rather like it, I think it's beautifully made.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57I think we should be able to get £100 to £150 for it.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01- What do you think, Mary? - Not as much as I thought.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04If you get £150, I think you're doing rather well,
0:34:04 > 0:34:07but if you want to protect it at £100, or just below,
0:34:07 > 0:34:11- would be rather good. - Well, we'll go by your expertise.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15- OK.- I think a minimum £90, wasn't it?
0:34:15 > 0:34:18- Yeah.- Are you happy with that?- Yes. - That's what we call discretion.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22A reserve of £90, no less than that. We'll make more than that.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26- I think you will.- I think so, yeah. - We'll see, but it's a nice thing,
0:34:26 > 0:34:30it's just right for the auction and I'm sure we'll do well with it.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33I'm glad to hear it. Thank you very, very much. Thank you.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36Mary's hoping her beautiful 1920s purse
0:34:36 > 0:34:38will pay bigger dividends at auction.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41They're a tough crowd, here in Weston-super-Mare.
0:34:41 > 0:34:46Let's hope Thomas doesn't hit a negative note with his next item.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49- It's lights, camera, action, isn't it?- Something like that, yeah.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51- It's Lindsay, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54How did you come by this Speed Graphic camera?
0:34:54 > 0:34:5930 years ago, when my husband was in Hackney, in London,
0:34:59 > 0:35:01it was in a building they rented
0:35:01 > 0:35:05and they were told to clear out after the business closed down.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09There were two cameras - a modern one from the 1980s,
0:35:09 > 0:35:12which they used to do a lot of filming, and this one.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14He had a choice of one or the other.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17Which one do you think was the better investment?
0:35:17 > 0:35:20I think this one was the investment. The other would not be worth it.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23- They're very heavy.- Oh, really? Was he a photographer himself?
0:35:23 > 0:35:25He was a photographer in the RAF.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29- Your husband?- Yeah. Late husband.- Oh, I'm sorry.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33And I suppose it was just there and it came home.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36We've put it in two or three lofts, as we've moved,
0:35:36 > 0:35:41and just about to downsize after five children and it's not needed.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45- And you thought, "Ooh."- Yeah, I need to sell it, get rid of it.- Wow.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47So, the Speed Graphic camera.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51These were commonly used by the press in the 1940s, 1950s,
0:35:51 > 0:35:55and you've got a bit of harping back to the earlier days,
0:35:55 > 0:35:56with the mahogany tripods.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00I love the bellows here and the five by four at the back...
0:36:00 > 0:36:03- Yeah, at the back.- ..for the plates.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05But you've also got these bits here.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08- These are the cases which they go into.- Yeah, the film goes inside.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12The film goes inside and you've got this wonderful Air Ministry lens.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15- I know.- The wide-angle Ross Air Ministry lens.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17- That's got to be worth at least £40 on its own.- Easy.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20Then you've got the camera to look at as well.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22- Yeah, it's a good decorator's piece. - Exactly!
0:36:22 > 0:36:27We sell a lot of cameras and they are very popular these days.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29- People are going back to film.- Yep.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32And they like them as decorator's pieces. It looks fabulous.
0:36:32 > 0:36:36- All these years...- I know. - ..you've had it in the loft.- Yeah.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38- And you're happy to sell it? - Happy to sell it.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42Shall we put a blanket figure of £100 on the whole thing?
0:36:42 > 0:36:46- Mmm, probably a bit more. - What do you want?- About £200.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49I think £200 might be a bit punchy.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52- I think you might be pushing your luck there.- We'll see.
0:36:52 > 0:36:53Yeah, we'll see.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56I don't particularly want to bring it home, put it that way.
0:36:56 > 0:37:01- So, shall we say £120 to £180?- Yeah. - Reserve it at £120?- Yeah.
0:37:01 > 0:37:05- And see where we end up?- Definitely. - Cos there's a lot here, isn't there?
0:37:05 > 0:37:08- Yeah, and it's American, and they've got more money than us.- Well...
0:37:08 > 0:37:12This might not go to the Americans. It might stay here.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15- OK, we'll do that then.- OK. - We'll see you at the auction.
0:37:15 > 0:37:20- Thank you very much.- Let's hope it gets great exposure.- Very good!
0:37:20 > 0:37:22THOMAS LAUGHS
0:37:23 > 0:37:28From the very start, it's been a day of reminiscing and memories...
0:37:28 > 0:37:29- I am a local boy!- Are you really?
0:37:29 > 0:37:32I am a local boy. I used to come with my grandmother.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34..and romantic stories.
0:37:34 > 0:37:39My father bought it for her to replace her original one.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42And it's not surprising, as piers are not only places
0:37:42 > 0:37:46of fun and excitement, but they're also nostalgic settings,
0:37:46 > 0:37:50from Saffron's childhood delight to her parents' romance.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53Her dad took this photograph of her mum on the pier
0:37:53 > 0:37:56while they were courting in the 1960s.
0:37:56 > 0:37:58There's just something about seaside piers,
0:37:58 > 0:38:02whether it's the grace and beauty bringing out the romantic in us,
0:38:02 > 0:38:06or the magical fun, evoking childhood memories.
0:38:08 > 0:38:13Sadly, it's time to say goodbye to the Grand Pier in Weston-super-Mare.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16Our experts have found their final items to go under the hammer,
0:38:16 > 0:38:18so we have to say goodbye.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20But I'll see you in the auction rooms
0:38:20 > 0:38:23and here's a quick recap of our experts' final choices.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26I'm going to hit the road to the Clevedon Salerooms.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34Will it be sweet music at the auction with Lynette's accordion?
0:38:36 > 0:38:38Jonathan's valued Tony and Mary's silver purse
0:38:38 > 0:38:42but Mary thinks it will go for more. Who will be right?
0:38:43 > 0:38:46Lindsay's camera and tripod is a stylish bit of kit
0:38:46 > 0:38:49but will the bidders agree and snap it up?
0:38:50 > 0:38:53So, time for our last visit to the auction room.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57Let's hope it's full, as Lynette has come all the way from South Wales.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59Years ago, you could have got the ferry
0:38:59 > 0:39:01- and got dropped off at the pier. - Yeah.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04We're just about to sell the accordion.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06We talk about provenance on the show.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08This has got its original bill of sale.
0:39:08 > 0:39:12- 1941, £6, which was a lot of money back then!- It was, wasn't it?- Yeah.
0:39:12 > 0:39:16- And it's in amazing condition.- Yeah. Did you ever play it?- No.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20- Who played it then?- My uncle.- Not for me. Drumming or guitar for me.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23- You are a musician, aren't you? - Yeah.- You've got it in you.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25I tell you what - there's a few musical instruments here,
0:39:25 > 0:39:27so you're in good company.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29Let's do it. Here we go, Lynette.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32Black Dot accordion. There it goes, with its case.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37- I have interest again, on the book.- Ooh, interest.- At 55.
0:39:37 > 0:39:4165, will you? 65? 65 in the room.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45- We want more, don't we?- Yeah. - It's in good nick.
0:39:45 > 0:39:4980, 80, 80 now? 80, 80, 80, anyone else?
0:39:49 > 0:39:53- All done then. Selling at £75. - HE BANGS GAVEL
0:39:53 > 0:39:56- That's good.- Yeah. - We're happy, we're smiling.
0:39:56 > 0:39:57- I think that's a result. - I do as well.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01Thomas hit just the right note to bring a smile to Lynette's face.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05Let's hope Jonathan doesn't disappoint Tony and Mary.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08Good to see you both again. How've you been since the valuation day?
0:40:08 > 0:40:11- Not too bad at all, thank you. - Enjoying yourselves?- Yes, thank you.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Remind me why you're selling the silver purse.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16- We thought it was time to. - Bit of a clear-out.- Yes.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19Cos I know you are silver collectors, aren't you? Or you were.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21- That's right. - It's not a bad time to be selling.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24The silver price has gone up but novelty still sells,
0:40:24 > 0:40:28it's good quality, so it's got the right attributes to do really well.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30- OK. Let's put it under the hammer. Ready for this?- Yes.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32This is what we've been waiting for. Here we go.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36The silver visiting card case there, in the form of an evening purse,
0:40:36 > 0:40:40with the suspension chain. Birmingham, 1912.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Interest here again. 70 here.
0:40:43 > 0:40:4575. 80.
0:40:45 > 0:40:4785 and 90.
0:40:47 > 0:40:5090 in the room. And 5.
0:40:50 > 0:40:5195. And 100, sir.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54Now 10. 110. 120.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57- 130?- Hit the reserve.- 140.
0:40:57 > 0:41:02150? Bidder's in the room. And selling, on £140 now.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04HE BANGS GAVEL Hammer's gone down.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08- Tony, £140. - Brilliant.- Mary's smiling.
0:41:08 > 0:41:13- Just under the top estimate.- Yes. - We know we've done well.
0:41:13 > 0:41:14THEY LAUGH
0:41:14 > 0:41:17Fingers crossed, we'll score a hat-trick
0:41:17 > 0:41:20and make Lindsay just as happy.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22In the frame right now, we have a camera,
0:41:22 > 0:41:24tripod and some lenses, belonging to Lindsay.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28- I'm going to join you here.- OK. - We've got our expert, Thomas, here,
0:41:28 > 0:41:31- who loves camera sales, by the way. - Yes, I know, he was cooing over it.
0:41:31 > 0:41:36- Becoming a bit of a camera expert, is our Thomas.- I'm not really.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39- Anyway, this is really good kit, isn't it?- Yeah, it's lovely.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Are you decluttering or raising money?
0:41:42 > 0:41:45- No, we're decluttering cos I'm moving.- You're moving.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47This is a cracking lot. Fingers crossed.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49It's had a lot of exposure in the catalogue, on the net,
0:41:49 > 0:41:52and we're going to sell this at the top end of Thomas's estimate.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55- I hope there's some snappy bidders. - It's going under the hammer.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59Vintage camera there. And I have 85 here.
0:41:59 > 0:42:0290 now. 90, thank you. 100.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04- 110.- You've sold it. - 120, back of the room.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07130. 140.
0:42:07 > 0:42:08150. 160?
0:42:08 > 0:42:13- £150 then, nearest me. - Get in there! Yes!
0:42:13 > 0:42:16- 160. 170. 180.- Ooh.- Great!
0:42:16 > 0:42:18190. 200. 210.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20210. 220.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22230. 240? 240.
0:42:22 > 0:42:27250? No? 250, anyone else? 240 in the room.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31Looking at me then and selling, make no mistake.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34- All done at 240. - HE BANGS GAVEL
0:42:34 > 0:42:36That's superb, isn't it?
0:42:36 > 0:42:38£240 and that hammer's gone down. Crack!
0:42:38 > 0:42:40THUD Ooh!
0:42:40 > 0:42:43THEY LAUGH
0:42:43 > 0:42:45- It wasn't me.- It wasn't me.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48It wasn't me either, it was the hammer.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50I really didn't break anything, honest!
0:42:50 > 0:42:55But what a cracking final lot and a great way to round off the day.
0:42:55 > 0:43:00As you can see, the sale is just about to come to an end.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03We have had a fabulous day, here in Weston-super-Mare.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06All credit to our experts. They were on the money.
0:43:06 > 0:43:07I hope you've enjoyed the show.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10See you again soon for more surprises from auction rooms
0:43:10 > 0:43:13all around the country, but until then, it's goodbye.