Norfolk 18 Flog It!

MUSIC: Sadeness (Part I) by Enigma

For our valuation day today, we're at the glorious

12th-century Norwich Cathedral, where our crowds are gathering

laden with treasures, so there should be plenty of competition

amongst our experts.

In fact, it's already started. This is a medieval game of marbles

cut out of stone by the young novice monks,

and we'll be finding out more about that later on in the programme,

but for now it's welcome to "Flog It!".

This fabulous cathedral built by the monks is one of the many

impressive structures that define the Norfolk landscape.

And there are other examples too, like the mines at Grime's Graves

left by the Stone Age toolmakers and the huge lakes

created 1,000 years ago by people digging for peat,

now known as the Broads.

Later on in the show, I'll be finding out

about some of the inventive and surprising ways

in which the ordinary people of Norfolk

have left their mark on Norwich Cathedral,

but first, what's in store for our "Flog It!" hopefuls?

Hopefully one or two of you are going home with a small fortune.

Laden with antiques and collectables,

they're here to ask our experts that all-important question, which is...

-ALL:

-What's it worth?

Our experts are quickly laying claim to a good few objects

and David Fletcher's already found an intriguing treasure...

-That's an amazing thing, isn't it?

-Yes.

I'll have to do some homework on that.

Oh, look, that's pretty, isn't it?

-..while Kate Bateman is digging for gold.

-I've got a wristwatch.

-Cartier, please, be Cartier!

-No, it's not.

But will she strike lucky?

I know what Kate's thinking. Kate's thinking, "I hope that's gold."

-Please be solid gold.

-This is solid silver with gold...

-Gold plate?

Ah, well, Kate, you can still dream.

And later on, David finds the object of his desire

even if it is a toy one...

I love it. It represents a stylish age.

..Kate's found a little box that packs a big punch at the auction...

SHE GASPS

GAVEL BANGS

..and I get a glimpse of something

I didn't expect to see in a place of worship.

Our crowds are heading into the glorious nave,

which would have been the place of worship

for the Benedictine monks more than 500 years ago.

As they settle into their seats,

let's go over to David for his first object.

-Hello, Barbara.

-Hello.

-And thanks for bringing this along today.

Now, I associate model cars like this with men.

Boys' toys and all that. Is this yours

or did you inherit it from a man?

-Yes, I inherited it from a man, our Uncle Tom.

-Uncle Tom, right.

-Yes, yes.

-And Uncle Tom must have made this himself.

-I would have thought so.

-It is described as being a Ubilda.

That's the brand name that this particular type of toy is given.

So your Uncle Tom would have sat down and assembled it himself

-but, of course, it came in this box.

-Yes.

So we have the original box, which is fantastic.

-When was your Uncle Tom born?

-Well, I think about 1910.

Well, that's interesting because this very stylish motor car

-is dated on the number plate...

-Yes!

-..1947.

-CV for Chad Valley, 1947 for the date.

-Right, right.

-So, he was in his 30s when he made this.

-Yes.

These boyhood interests linger into middle age

-or early middle age, don't they?

-Right.

-I love it.

It represents a stylish age, doesn't it?

An elegant motor car and it has a fairly significant appeal, really.

-Right.

-Chad Valley, of course, started in the early 19th century.

They were established in Birmingham and they were a printing firm.

-Right.

-They didn't make toys at all until the 1920s

but you can see that they would have used their printing skills

-to decorate an item like this.

-Absolutely.

And they continued making model cars until after the war,

and they were awarded a Royal Charter in, I think, 1938

-and we can see that.

-Yes.

-So, there's quite a bit

of history in this, really.

-I think it's fantastic. The box is in good condition.

-Oh, right.

-The car itself is just a little bit tatty.

-It is slightly, yes.

I mean, you've never played with it, obviously.

Not really. I've just looked at it with interest.

-Have you got children?

-Yes, but I don't think

they're particularly interested.

-No, they're too busy.

-How old are they now?

-30 and 40.

-Oh, right, OK.

So, even though your Uncle Tom evidently built it when he was 37,

-your children are not going to be interested?

-No, no.

-I think this has a significant value, not a huge value.

-No. Right.

-And I would expect it to make between £80 and £120.

-Really? Yes.

-A little bit more on a good day.

-Right, right.

-How does that sound to you?

-That sounds marvellous, yes.

OK, well, if we could go ahead on that basis, I'll see you

again at the sale and I hope we have a good result with it.

-Yes. It'd be lovely.

-I'm optimistic we will.

I agree with David.

There's got to be a toy car lover out there

who'll want to take it for a test drive.

From the vaulted roof to the cloisters,

this cathedral is one of the least altered Norman buildings in Europe.

And so I'm sneaking away from the action

to look at one exceptional feature.

I'm high above the crowds right now in the Ante-Reliquary Chapel.

There's something I want to show you.

It's traces of vibrant colour, which you can see here

in these images of the apostles.

They're all over the ceilings here and they date back to 1272.

Much of the upper parts of the cathedral

would have been decorated in this manner.

The apostles' clothing shows that the painters

would have known about the fashions

at the Royal Court in London, far away.

And by reflecting them here they wanted to show

that the Norfolk people were just as powerful

as their London counterparts and, with that, it's onwards and upwards

with our own movers and shakers.

Over to Kate, who seems delighted with a charming trio of objects

brought in by Elizabeth.

What can you tell me about them?

My husband used to love going to auctions

and that's all I can tell you.

They've all come from different auction rooms.

They're all Continental

so he's not gone for anything English at all, here.

And you've got a range of techniques, as well.

So, you've got here... This little pillbox is really sweet.

Now, that's transfer printed so the brown is transfer printed

and then there's a little bit of hand colouring on the top.

Yeah, that was what I figured.

If you open it up, it's got silver mounts and then gilt interior,

which is really nice inside, and I think...

Yes, there's some little Continental hallmarks, there, which makes sense.

-Oh, that's interesting. I never knew that.

-Ah! Teeny tiny ones down there.

And on the bottom you got Roman ruins,

which is very classical, there.

And then, going to this one... This is enamelled.

So, faience, or Faenza, which is basically

a really, really thin layer of glass, effectively,

bonded onto a metallic base and then gilt metal mounts.

Nothing on the bottom that would have helped me.

-No.

-A name would have been useful.

This has also got little transfer-printed

and hand-painted scenes and it's very Rococo and very girlie.

Now, I have also noticed, here, it's probably been broken.

It looks like there's a little bit of colour change here

with the paint and it looks like it's been broken, re-glued

and then over-painted, so a restoration job

has been done at some point.

And there's a few little dinks and stuff.

-And then, this is really lovely. Do you like this one?

-Yes, I do.

-I have seen them in a shop in Rome...

-Ah!

..when my husband and I went to Rome many, many moons ago.

It's the only place I've ever, ever seen them.

It is for export for the tourist market but quite a while ago.

-You're talking at least 100 to 150 years ago.

-Mm.

And it's really nice quality.

Again, you've got the gilt metal, so this,

when it was new, would have been really bright gilded and it has

dulled a little but I like that. And the quality of the casting

is fantastic. If you look at it... Every single feather is really crisp

and then, you've got fully hand-painted scenes, here.

So, you've got classical lovers, a little love letter

going on here in the middle, a story, little cherubs in the sky,

and, of course, a clock with a glass

or a domed rock crystal, maybe, thing here.

So, it's a really nice group and I'm quite impressed

that he's pulled it all together

-from different places. That shows a great collector's eye.

-Yes.

-So, you're not tempted to keep them?

-My husband's been dead for 35 years.

-Oh, gosh.

-I've got no children of my own

-so there's not much point in keeping them to go to the tip.

-Oh!

-So I may as well have a bit of money in my pocket.

-Go to the races!

Blow it all on shoes!

Well, I think we'll probably be able to get you a pair of shoes

out of this. They are really nice so maybe 250-350,

which, if you think about it, is only £80 apiece for each item.

Put a 220 reserve.

That gives the auctioneer a bit of discretion below the low estimate.

But we'll put a firm 220 reserve. 250-350.

I think they'll sell. I have high hopes.

I think those are really nice things.

Well, let's hope you're right and 350 will...

That's either one expensive pair of shoes or four cheap pairs of shoes.

Well, ladies, let's just hope we get plenty

for that lovely trio of items.

It's always wonderful to have a spin around our valuation day venue

to see the array of things you bring in for us.

And Lorraine has brought me something that's right up my street.

You know that old saying, "He was born with a silver spoon..."

Do you know what? I'd rather be born with a sycamore one.

Yes, this one right here,

the one that belongs to Lorraine, and not for much longer.

Thank you for bringing this in and letting me hold

such a little treasure. Just look at this, and it's dated 1671.

I think this is one of the oldest things we've got on the show today

that we've found in the cathedral and I love it.

I absolutely love it. Tell me a bit about yourself first.

Are you born and bred in Norwich?

No, I was brought up in Hull, in Yorkshire,

but I've been in Norwich since the early '70s.

And what do you think of the cathedral?

-Oh, I think it's wonderful.

-Oh, it's stunning, isn't it?

What a backdrop for our valuation.

I think this is an English piece and it's been executed by

a master craftsman. You know it's made of sycamore but it's charming.

It's got some incise carving, almost architectural capital.

-Can you see that?

-Yeah, that's what I thought.

It's a column, it's a strong column

and there's this hand at the end grasping a Bible.

It's definitely a christening spoon and the initials inscribed, IB,

I guess that's the little baby's name.

And on the back, look,

1671.

How did you come by this?

My late cousin gave it to me about five or six years ago

because he knew that I liked old things.

-What have you done with it?

-Well, although I like old things,

I don't particularly like wooden things, so really it just lives

in a drawer, so I thought it should get a wider audience.

It's a shame about the little, tiny hairline crack,

which is... If I just do this, you can see it's just a split,

there in the bowl.

That's such a shame because I think that would be worth

-around £400-£500 without any damages.

-Do you?

-Yes, I do.

I think an easy valuation of £200-£300 is a bit

of a come-and-buy-me. The damage may hold it back.

If we could put a reserve of £150 on this because of that split,

-would you be happy?

-Yes. Yeah, that's fine.

-And I think we could be in for a big surprise.

-Oh!

-So, thank you so much.

-Oh, I'm just so pleased to know more about it.

'Well, I can't wait for that to go under the hammer.

What's wonderful about Norwich Cathedral is that

while there are plenty of remnants from the past,

the clergy have also installed some delightful modern pieces

and they're in the most unexpected places.

Before we shoot off to put those valuations to the test,

there's something I want to show you.

Now, you know we've seen a lot of cathedrals on "Flog It!"

over the last 14 years and we've seen a lot of misericords,

but there's one here with a bit of a difference.

Now, a misericord is a little perch that monks would use

and it's normally so high off the ground so they could sit there

so it looks as if they're standing.

It just takes the weight off their feet

because they'd have to stand for hours on end.

So, if I lift this lid up, you can see the little perch here.

Now, that's what you lean against to take the weight off your feet.

Look, footballers. Are they medieval footballers, you're probably asking.

No, of course they're not. As part of the millennium,

the clergy commissioned something a little bit different

and these are Norwich City footballers,

and there is their emblem, look, the badge of the Canaries.

This was commissioned by a local artist.

I hope he becomes very successful and also our next batch of owners.

Let's hope they get top money in the saleroom.

Here's a quick recap of what we're taking to auction.

There's the model car built by Barbara's Uncle Tom

that should bring the toy collectors racing for the finish line...

..and Elizabeth's delightful trio of Continental pieces,

which may be swapped for a rather expensive fashion accessory,

and Lorraine's early christening spoon that's won my heart

and should win the bidders' hearts, too.

For our auction we're heading over to the Norfolk town of Diss.

Set in this agricultural area,

it's not surprising that they're selling everything

from garden furniture to old farming equipment

on this gloriously sunny day.

But I'm interested in what's happening inside,

where Ed Smith and Robert Kinsella are taking to the rostrum.

And, don't forget, at this saleroom commission is 15%, including VAT.

The first of our lots is the collection of Continental ceramics

owned by Elizabeth.

Why are you selling these now, Elizabeth?

Because I live in a very small bungalow

-and I'm getting old and... I'll have some money.

-You're decluttering?

-You'd rather have the money?

-Yes.

-Bills to pay.

-It's a fact of life, isn't it?

-No, a holiday to pay for.

-Oh, right.

Where's your dream trip, then? Where would you like to go?

I would like to go right the way across America on a Greyhound bus.

You might get from New York to Philadelphia on this, maybe.

-Knowing my luck.

-The clock is the best bit in this lot.

I love the clock and I think that's what's going to sell it

-cos it's lovely.

-Well, hopefully.

-OK, look, good luck.

-But every penny helps on that trip.

-Well, yes.

'And first on the rostrum is auctioneer Ed.'

So, it's three pieces there you get.

On this one I'm starting at 170. 170 I have. Is there 80?

-They are pretty pieces, here...

-Come on.

-..180, 190, 200...

-Oh, here we go. Yes!

-..220 I have.

Is their 40? 240, 260, 280, 300,

320, 340, 360. 360 it is.

Is there 80? It's with commission here at £360 now. Where is the 80?

We're selling for £360. Are we all done?

-GAVEL BANGS

-Yes! £360.

-360!

-That's going to help out, isn't it?

-Yes, it is.

It's more than I expected.

I can see you in a convertible, in a Chevy, Thelma and Louise.

-Light blue!

-Take a girlfriend. Take a girlfriend.

Elizabeth will hopefully be driving in something more sporty

than our next lot.

If you build it, we will flog it.

Well, I certainly hope so with Barbara's little kit car.

-It was Uncle Tom's, in fact, wasn't it?

-Yes.

But dates from the early '40s and I think this has got to be

one of the first little model kit cars you'd put together.

I know it's had "played condition" written all over it

but I think it's really, really good with this box.

It's a great thing and, Paul, the instructions were so complicated.

I don't know if you've ever tried to make anything like this.

Yeah, it's hard.

I couldn't have done it. I wonder if kids could do it today.

-Uncle Tom did it, that's for sure.

-He did. Yes, we worked it out,

he was 37 when he did it.

That's right. So, he wasn't a lad, was he?

No, he wasn't.

81, then.

I start straight in just below guide at 65. 65 I have.

Who wants 70?

-75, 85...

-Done it.

-Sold.

..it is here at £95.

Now, 100, 110,

110 I still have. 110 I have.

They shake their head at 110 now. Is there 20?

I'm selling at £110. Are we done?

-GAVEL BANGS Wonderful.

-Good.

-Yeah.

Excellent. Well done and thank you for bringing that in

cos that was a cracking little thing - a proper boy's toy.

Oh, absolutely. Wonderful.

'It's now time for the lot I've been waiting for,

'Lorraine's carved sycamore christening spoon dating to 1671.'

I love this spoon. It's a shame about the little crack in the bowl

but hopefully the collectors will overlook that.

We need a top bidder here right now.

'And now it's Robert on the rostrum.'

I've got good interest in this one. I do start in at 130. Take 140.

At 140, 150, 160, 170.

170 bid, here. I've lost you, back. We're at £170 now.

180, 190,

200, 220, 240...

There's someone in the room. There's no-one online, unfortunately.

-Oh, yeah, there is somebody.

-..going online at 260 bid.

Is there 280? It's £260, the bid online.

280 again. Still going.

-300.

-Come on, come on.

With 300 online then. We're still going. 340 back in then,

online at 340. Is there 60 anywhere?

360 is the bid.

380. 400 with you?

Online at £400, then.

We're 420 now. We're 420 on the spoon.

At £420 the bid online.

At 420, fair warning, it will sell then at 420.

-GAVEL BANGS

-Good result, wasn't it?

-Amazing.

Damage held it back.

-A lovely thing, though. An absolute real survivor. A real survivor.

-Yes.

-1671.

-And thank you.

-You're welcome.

-Thank you for looking after it, as well.

-Thank you.

I love treen and that piece was really special.

Judging from that result, I'm certain it's gone to a good home.

Well, that's our first three lots done and dusted under the hammer.

So far, so good.

Now, while we were filming at Norwich Cathedral,

I had the opportunity to film there without the crowds

and I found something that casts a fascinating light

on the medieval mind.

When we visit a cathedral like Norwich, we're used to seeing

the sculptures and the stained glass that were expressions of the clergy.

It's often hard in great places of worship to feel

you really hear the voice of the people, let alone the common man,

but they did have their say. In fact, they left their mark.

In order to see it, you need one of these.

As your eye passes over the walls of the cathedral,

you'll certainly see the normal wear and tear

of a 900-year-old building. But that's not all.

Now, if you get into all the recesses

and up close to the stonework, something remarkable happens.

Look, watch this. You have to shine a light onto it.

All of a sudden, all of these scratches and cuts into the stone

become little images. This is early graffiti.

Look! This one's of a little house and it's actually dated 1634.

And it's all over the cathedral, it's everywhere.

They weren't put here by the monks but by the churchgoers themselves.

To find out more about these fascinating images,

I've met up with archaeologist Matthew Champion,

who has looked at graffiti in churches all over Britain

and is currently studying the ones here.

So, why are you conducting a study here?

Basically because it's absolutely full of early inscriptions

and no-one's ever looked at them before

so this is an entirely new resource,

an entirely new corpus of medieval material that no-one's looked at.

-Fresh to you.

-Absolutely.

-What's the average age group?

The age of the graffiti... The earliest we've got dates back

to about the 12th century, so near the beginning

of the cathedral's building, and the most modern...

-I suppose, well, probably about last month.

-Oh, really?

-You've come across those?

-Absolutely.

-So recent.

-What was the purpose?

-Well, in some cases

it is literally that - leaving their mark on the wall

but in other cases, particularly in places like Norwich Cathedral,

it's a prayer, it's devotional.

They are quite literally prayers made solid in stone.

With well over 5,000 pieces of graffiti here,

we're going to pick out a few that tell us more

about those early churchgoers.

Oh, yes. Look at that. I can see it.

-It's the bow of a ship and I can see the mast and the sails.

-Absolutely.

Why would someone scratch a sailing vessel on a wall?

What we've got here is something that dates back to at least

the 15th century and it's fairly typical of the trading vessels

you would have seen coming all the way up the river here to Norwich.

So, I suspect that this is actually devotional in nature

-and it's probably done by one of the local merchants.

-Right, OK.

And if you look down here... If you follow this line all the way down...

-Right at the end, there...

-Look, I can see an anchor.

-Absolutely.

We find these all over the place.

Originally we thought they were just by the coast

but now we're finding them many, many miles inland

and we're pretty convinced that a lot of these are prayers.

Whether they are a prayer for a safe voyage yet to come

or thanksgiving for a safe voyage already undertaken,

-we don't know.

-Powerful stuff.

-Powerful stuff.

So, what place did prayer have in the life of the common man?

Faith and prayer in the Middle Ages was absolutely crucial

to the ordinary man in the street.

It was a matter, literally, of eternal life or death.

It was...whether to get on the wrong side of a rather cross

and avenging God or to keep on His side.

They were concerned not so much about everyday life

but about their eternal destiny

so acts of generosity, acts of piety, the way you behaved

really had an influence on what was going to happen for ever.

It just wasn't seafaring families that sought

the blessing of the church.

Even the rich local merchants came here to seek their blessing

through their own graffiti.

Essentially, a merchant's mark is kind of like

the logo of the Middle Ages. It would have been used

by a medieval merchant as his particular symbol.

-It's branding.

-It is branding, absolutely.

What we see here though is quite unusual.

We see clusters of these all around the cathedral.

So, in this area we've got this cluster of lots of different

merchant marks in here and they all suggest that this

-was an area of particular spiritual significance.

-This particular spot?

Somewhere round here.

Now, during the Middle Ages, merchants and their guilds

supported things like alters and their own chantry chapels

and things like that,

-so they were paying for this area of the cathedral.

-Yes.

It really was a mixture of religion and the merchant classes.

Did the church mind all of this going on?

I think, the evidence we've got so far is that these

seem to have been accepted and acceptable.

The church could have wiped these out at any time.

It didn't. It left them here so it does rather suggest

-it wasn't a problem.

-'Far from it.'

As this artist impression shows,

churches were painted in bright colours so the graffiti would have

stood out for all to see and even the monks were at it,

scratching out games in the cloisters

and doodling musical phrases for their chants.

But the graffiti here also had a more sombre purpose.

Evil, as a force, was very much a feature of life in the Middle Ages

because ill-health, things going wrong, bad luck,

all could be attributed to some evil force.

We get these just about everywhere that you find

medieval graffiti inscriptions.

Churches all over the country, from Scotland all the way down to Dorset.

What's that all about? It's not Celtic, is it?

No. These are what we call witch marks or ritual protection marks,

and they are very specifically designed to ward off evil.

The medieval church was a very different church

from the one we know today.

Evil was all around them and these

really are that front line in their defence against the devil.

And that wards off devils and witches?

Devils, witches and just the evil eye.

Wow, you are a graffiti detective, aren't you? It's very interesting.

That's just the day job.

Blessings and curses were very much real things, tangible almost.

You wanted blessings, you wanted to accumulate blessings for your life,

your prosperity, your family, your health...

But the opposite of that, of course, was the curse.

And those curses were felt to be very real

and somebody who thought they'd been cursed would feel very, very upset

and do all they could to counteract that.

Look at this. Now, this is a medieval curse.

This relates to an old Norwich family, the Kaynffords.

It's written upside down and back to front so that tells us

it's a medieval curse. You can see it here, look.

We've got K-A-Y-N,

double F in Kaynfford, O-R-D.

Kaynfford. This family have upset somebody

so they've scratched it there in the wall. "There, that's a curse.

"That will teach you." I wonder if they got their comeuppance.

As you look at these irregular grooves in the stonework,

you can really feel the presence of the common man over 900 years.

This has to be my favourite piece of graffiti in the whole cathedral.

Look at this, it was done in the 1580s

and it's a gentleman in his Sunday best!

Look, you can see his beard, he's got a thick beard.

His eyes have been really quite deeply gouged into the stone.

He's got a hat on, he's got a doublet, here, look,

buttons all the way down the breast front,

and here on his thighs you can see his hose billowing out.

This is wonderful. This is a gesture of sheer self-expression.

This is a chap proud of his new clothes.

Time to leave the graffiti behind now as we head back

to the main valuation tables, where David's found a box.

But what was in it?

-Hello, Phil.

-Hello.

-Do you know what the box was made for?

Well, presumably fairly small things. I couldn't tell you exactly what.

-Well, this is a glove box.

-OK.

It would have been made in about 1870, 1880, and it gives us

an indication of how important gloves were because it's lockable.

So, you put your gloves in there, locked the box

and put it on your sideboard. Now, you didn't hide it away

and of course you would advertise to people that you owned nice things,

in this case gloves, and then you contained them in a nice box.

It's all part of that Victorian thing about conspicuous consumption.

It was made in Tonbridge in Kent. Do you know that part of the world?

I was originally from Tonbridge. My parents bought it

as a memento of Tonbridge at the time they retired.

OK. Well, objects like this would have been exported

around the world and they are very collectable.

The way these things were made, in theory, was very simple

but in practice was actually quite complicated, really.

And the craftsmen would have assembled

a conglomeration of small sticks

arranged in a pattern, which they would then slice rather like salami.

So, you would find this particular piece of decoration is not unique.

There will be other boxes which have the same decoration.

It's not the best I've seen, and I don't mean to be rude about it,

but you do get some wonderful examples with buildings and castles,

cathedrals, and so on, on them and they are the most saleable,

but in its favour this box is in good condition

and it is a useful size.

Why do you want to sell it?

Well, I'm moving from a house to a bungalow

and there's lots of stuff which I don't have space for any more.

And you haven't got any nice gloves

-that you might have kept in it?

-No, I think hands my size,

nice gloves would look really silly, I think.

Well, that's a very interesting point. They are small, aren't they?

People's hands were smaller.

The market for these things comes and goes a bit.

It's not quite as strong now as it was ten years ago, I have to say.

-Nevertheless, I would expect this to make between £80 and £120.

-Really?

-OK.

-Is that OK by you?

-Yep, absolutely.

-Good.

Would you like a reserve put on it?

If you recommend one, then I'll follow your advice.

Well, every auctioneer likes to sell things without reserve

-so let's go for a no reserve sale in this instance.

-OK.

-It will make its money. I'm sure of that.

-Good.

Now, Kate's looking enamoured with her next item.

So, Catherine, you brought this fantastic little pendant in.

What can you tell me about it?

-I just liked it and I bought it at a Scouts' jumble sale.

-Boy Scouts?

-Boy Scouts' jumble sale.

-How long ago?

-About 30 years.

-OK.

Do you remember what you paid?

-About £2.

-£2?

Actually, that was quite a lot of money back then.

Well, I gave them money because my two sons were in the Scouts

-and one son now is a Scout leader.

-Is he?

-I tell you what, I am a Scout leader for my son's Boy Scouts.

-Are you?

It's not a good uniform but this thing is fabulous.

-So you've never worn it?

-No, never wore it.

-Right.

What it is, you've got this fabulous heart that's made of citrine,

so it's a type of quartz, and that's below.

It's really smooth, so it's like cabochon, it's called.

It's polished to a really high shine and then this is unmarked gold.

So, there's no markings but it's probably going to be Continental,

maybe 15 or 18-carat gold

-and then you've got little seed pearls, here.

-Yes.

They're natural freshwater pearls and then you've got

a little tiny emerald and a couple of the tiny rubies

all the way round the outside.

It's gorgeous. The quality is lovely.

-I mean, for £2 that's pretty impressive.

-Yes.

I never find things like that for £2. It's intriguing.

It's not the most fashionable of designs, it's quite fancy.

It's not going to be to everybody's taste

but I think it's about 1910, 1920s, something like that.

-Yes.

-It's quite good fun.

-Any idea price-wise what you think...?

-No.

-No?

-No.

Well, I'd like to see it, if it's going in auction,

maybe 80-120, something like that.

I think there will be collectors out there for it

and it's just such a gorgeous piece, it's really unusual.

We'd normally put a reserve just below the low estimate,

so if we put 80-120 estimate, we'd probably put a £60 reserve,

-so it wouldn't be sold for less than that.

-Would you be happy with that?

-Yes, I would.

Oh, OK. Well, should we flog it?

-Yes, flog it.

-Fingers crossed it's going to sail away.

Yeah. Thank you very much.

While the valuations are going on, I've stepped away

to find out more about an incredible local woman.

Edith Cavell became famous as the nurse who helped British soldiers

to escape from behind enemy lines during World War I.

Sadly, she was shot by a German firing squad

but she's remembered to this day for her bravery.

What's less well known is that she came from

the Norfolk village of Swardeston, where her father was a vicar

and she was a keen local painter as historian Nick Miller can tell us.

I never realised Edith was such a good artist.

In her youth she produced stuff like this.

It's incredibly mature for somebody to paint that in their youth.

I think it's very well executed. She's very talented.

Well, she sold pictures like this one to raise money

-for a Sunday school in the village.

-Gosh.

Fundraising at such an early age.

-I know. Amazing commitment.

-An absolutely incredible lady.

The connection with Norfolk continued after her death

and at her father's family's request she was buried right here

at Norwich Cathedral.

For me, part of her real importance is the fact that she's here,

in the cathedral and that is because she's a very fine Christian woman.

She was raised in a Victorian vicarage

but this faith of hers really is the answer as to

why did she put her neck on the line for all those months.

Nine months she was literally living in fear of her life.

Why did she do it? Because her Christian faith drove her to that.

So it's very fitting that she's buried here

in this marvellous cathedral.

I'm with you all the way on that.

It's exactly the right place for her

and we are deeply proud of her as Norfolk people.

Back inside, our experts have been going apace,

meeting more of the people of Norfolk

with their antiques and collectables,

and Kate has come across something pretty special.

Well, Anne and Paul, you've brought a ravishing little box in today.

Well, it was my mother's and she was given it to her by a lady

-who she worked for.

-Ah, OK. What, as a gift?

-Yeah, she just gave it to her as a present.

-Wow. OK.

-But you don't know any more about it?

-No.

Did you try and look up the hallmark, cos it is silver?

-Yes, I did look up the hallmark, yes.

-And what did you come up with?

-It said Birmingham...

-Yep.

-..and the WHH...

-That's the maker's mark.

Now, that's a bit of a mystery and I'll be honest,

I don't know who WHH is, so without knowing the artist,

so to speak, the date, which we know from the hallmarks, is 1898

and that puts it right in the middle of Art Nouveau period.

It's fabulous. Do you like it?

-Yes, I liked it.

-You like it?

I think... The little lady, I think she's lovely,

but I don't like the feet.

-You don't like the feet?

-No.

-She is lovely. The detail is lovely.

You can see the way the hair is individually painted

with individual little single hairs. And one way of also looking at

the good quality is how well the hands are done,

and then the little cheeks and the eyes and the features

-are lovely on her.

-Yes.

-So, it's quite nice.

You've got a name, here, Volney, which again I'm not sure.

That's probably Continental so it's quite likely that the roundel

was made in the Continent and then was united with an English box

-and put together.

-Oh, I see.

-But it's a gorgeous thing.

Then you've got all these lovely raised...

-I think they're poppies on the top.

-Oh, are they?

Well, think so. And they've got these brilliant legs.

Look, these great big scrolling legs.

Really cool. I've never seen that design quite like that on anything.

I think it's brilliant.

I think price-wise you're talking...

maybe £400-£500.

Maybe upwards of that. It's difficult to say exactly

without more research but is that the kind of figure you'd be happy to sell it for?

-Yes, I think so, yes.

-If we put a reserve at 400

and a 400-500 estimate and hope they do a bit more research

at the saleroom and give it a go.

-Lovely.

-OK.

-Great. OK. Well, thank you for bringing it in.

'Let's see what the saleroom can unearth about the maker

'of that very elegant box.'

Before we head off to auction for the last time,

I want to show you how people are still weaving their interpretations

of faith into the very fabric of this building.

These stained glass windows were installed in 2014

by the renowned Scottish artist John McLean.

They're dedicated to the Holy Trinity.

'The windows were conceived as a celebration of God.

'The nine colours are dissected by vertical beams

'that point heavenwards to reflect the cathedral's dedication

'to the mystery of the Trinity.'

What a fitting end to our day here at Norwich Cathedral,

an architectural splendour shaped by the hands of many people

over 900 years.

We're off to auction now and here's a quick recap

of what we're taking with us.

Phil is selling an old Victorian glove box,

but will it appeal to a modern buyer?

There's Catherine's citrine pendant bought at a Scout jumble sale.

But will the bidders be prepared, as the motto goes,

when it comes up for sale?

And there's Anne and Paul's mystery Art Nouveau box,

with the elegant lady on top. Will it get an elegant price at auction?

Back at the saleroom, we're about to learn the fate

of the Tunbridge Ware glove box owned by Phil.

We've seen Tunbridge Ware on the show before and it's quality,

isn't it? I love that micro-mosaic work.

-I think the valuation is spot on.

-I hope so, Paul.

I must say, this sort of thing doesn't sell

quite as well as it did, as we all know.

No, it was incredibly popular, especially if it was

late 18th-century, the Burrows family.

-They set this whole thing up.

-This is relatively late.

Nevertheless, it's a good example of what Tunbridge Ware is all about.

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

-Yes. Good luck.

-Thank you.

-We're going to put it to the test right now.

It's going under the hammer.

Right, lot 101.

This is pretty and on this one it's below guide by starting at £50.

50 I have. 5, 60, 65 I have.

Where's 70? That is Tunbridge Ware...

-There's no reserve.

-Is there 70?

We will be selling at the £65. Are we all done?

-GAVEL BANGS

-It's gone. That was short and sweet.

-One bid, £65.

-OK.

-That's OK, isn't it? You were happy with that?

-There was no reserve.

-I'm glad you agreed not to put a reserve on that

because we're here to sell things, at the end of the day, aren't we?

-And we sold it so that's always what we want.

-Fantastic. Thank you.

'Our next lot is Catherine's heart-shaped citrine pendant

'bought for £2 at a Boy Scouts' jumble sale.'

-It's a semiprecious stone, isn't it, citrine?

-It's lovely. It's really pretty.

I would buy this myself cos I think this is pretty.

I understand you put the value on this but why is a semiprecious stone

like that worth so little? Cos it's so beautiful.

It's semiprecious so there's quite a lot of it around.

It's not an unusual rock. It's not like a pink diamond or something.

So, there's a lot of it around but it's a beautifully crafted thing.

-It's got those tiny little inset pearls.

-It's beautiful.

-OK, let's find out what the bidders think, shall we?

-Yes.

-Ready?

-Ready for this?

-I promise to do my best.

You are a Boy Scout, aren't you?

-A Boy Scout leader, for my boys, yes.

-Yes.

Yes, I should have said that, a Boy Scout leader.

-I'm not actually a Boy Scout.

-Right, OK. Good luck, both of you.

Here we go.

A lovely, pretty piece, this.

Bids are in and they'll start me top end at 120. I'll take 130.

120 is the bid now. Is there 130?

140, 150, 160, 170,

180, 190, 200,

-220, 240,

-SHE GASPS

-260, 280...

-280!

-300, 320...

With £320 the bid. As you see it, there.

At £320. Fair warning, it will sell at 320.

-GAVEL BANGS

-The hammer has gone down.

-Lovely.

-£320.

-It was a cautious estimate.

-Of course it was, yes.

-Yes.

-Thank you.

Hey, you're happy, aren't you?

-Yes, I am.

-And I'm happy and so is Kate.

-That's the main thing, isn't it?

-Yes.

'Onto our final item - the Art Nouveau box

'hallmarked WHH, Birmingham.

'Auctioneer Ed has been finding out more about it.

'The WHH stands for the reputed silversmith

'William Hair Haseler, who created silverware in the Art Nouveau style.

'He worked with a top designer, Archibald Knox,

'for the famous London department store Liberty.'

It's the name of the maker who is important on this one

and the style of it. There are links with Liberty

and also therefore there's links with Archibald Knox.

Basically, Haseler used to produce a lot of Archibald Knox designs.

That in itself is enough to basically make it do well.

'So, let's see if the link to Liberty will help

'Anne and Paul's little box sail away.'

It sits proud, it says, "Look at me, I'm so important."

And I think it is.

Look, fingers crossed, I think you've pitched this right

but I hope it doubles that. I hope it doubles your top end.

Every auctioneer hopes it doubles top end.

-Of course they do, but that's what it's all about.

-It's a lovely thing.

It is brilliant and it's going under the hammer now.

It's the William Hair Haseler silver box. Arts and Crafts

and Nouveau form, and the enamel portrait, there.

-And interest here does start me straight in at £400.

-Oh, good.

I'll take 20. £400 is bid on the box.

420, 440, 460, 480, 500,

550, 600 bid. I'm out. 600 bid. Is there 50 now? 650...

650 at the back. 700...

-Keep going.

-..750, 800, 850...

900, 950, 1,000,

1,100, 1,200,

1,300,

-1,400, 1,500...

-Oh, my gosh.

-No!

We're in the room at £1,500. Is there 1,600 anywhere else?

The net's quiet. We're at £1,500. Is there any advance?

-GAVEL BANGS

-£1,500.

-Wow!

-Told you.

-Look, that was special.

-Oh, my God.

-That was special. What a surprise for you two.

-Yes.

-You'd have taken 500 quid, wouldn't you?

-Yes.

-Yes.

I should have offered you 500 at the valuation day and had it. Darn it!

-Look, thank you so much for bringing that in.

-Thank you.

-It's a lot of money.

There is 15% commission including the VAT to pay on that

-but you're going home with a lot of money.

-Brilliant.

-How much was it?

-£1,500 on the hammer.

-I can't believe it.

-That's auctions for you.

-My heart was going.

-That was so exciting!

That's auctions for you. What a wonderful "Flog It!" moment

and what a way to end today's show coming from Norfolk.

We've had a wonderful time at the cathedral

and we've topped it off here in Diss with £1,500 for Anne and Paul.

I hope you enjoyed the show. See you again soon for many more surprises.