0:00:02 > 0:00:05This is Sandon Hall, just a few miles south of Stoke,
0:00:05 > 0:00:10once the famous capital of Britain's world-class pottery industry.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13So, today, "Flog It!" has the Staffordshire stamp of approval.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15Welcome to the show.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43Sandon Hall is a grand imposing mansion in the Jacobean style.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45But it's not as old as it looks.
0:00:45 > 0:00:50It was built in 1852 after the previous hall burnt down
0:00:50 > 0:00:53when a blowtorch was left on the roof.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55So, if it wasn't the fire that gave the exterior
0:00:55 > 0:00:59its chargrilled effect, what did?
0:00:59 > 0:01:02The blackened stonework of Sandon Hall is down to the smoke
0:01:02 > 0:01:05and the soot billowing out from the thousands of kilns
0:01:05 > 0:01:08from the nearby Stoke potteries in years gone by.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12It's not just pottery Staffordshire is famous for.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15For many years, it was the country's capital of shoe-making.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20And stepping out in their fancy footwear today
0:01:20 > 0:01:21are experts Christina Trevanion...
0:01:21 > 0:01:24- I love that. Are you thinking of selling that?- No.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27- Have you ever had a good cup of tea from it?- Er, no.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31- ..and Charles Hanson.- Wow, it's like a treasure map, isn't it?- Yes.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35- I found your dentist.- Oh, goodness me! Goodness me! Oh, my goodness me.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38- There's an improvement there somewhere.- There we go, there we go.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Later in the show,
0:01:40 > 0:01:44a family story breathes life into some homespun relics.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48- He brought them home for my mother. - Oh.- And this little girl...
0:01:48 > 0:01:51- Just gorgeous, isn't she? - ..has real hair.- Yeah.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Charles comes face to face with a true Moorcroft original.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59You're no relation, are you, to the great man William?
0:01:59 > 0:02:02- I am, I'm his son.- And there are surprises in the auction room.
0:02:02 > 0:02:03You're William Moorcroft's son!
0:02:05 > 0:02:08Oh, brilliant. There you go. Straightaway.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12And I visit nearby Shugborough Hall
0:02:12 > 0:02:16to hear about a dramatic voyage round the world.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19It's a terrifying story
0:02:19 > 0:02:22of endurance and survival against all odds.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29Well, everyone's now safely seated inside this magnificent house
0:02:29 > 0:02:30and, as you can see,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33we have literally taken over the whole of the ground floor.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36We need to find some treasures of our own to take off to auction,
0:02:36 > 0:02:40so let's make a start and it's straight over to Christina's table.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43Sister Marie, this is really rather beautiful,
0:02:43 > 0:02:45this item that you've brought in to me today.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Can you tell me a bit about it, where it's come from?
0:02:48 > 0:02:52- Well, I think it was my dad's 21st birthday present.- Oh!
0:02:52 > 0:02:55- Probably in the 1920s. - Oh, fantastic.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57And we just always had it at home
0:02:57 > 0:03:00and it was in a drawer upstairs in the dressing table
0:03:00 > 0:03:04and when we were children, we'd get it out and we'd play with it
0:03:04 > 0:03:08and the watch - it did have a watch with it - as far as I can remember,
0:03:08 > 0:03:11- it never went, so this is all that remains of it.- Oh, really?
0:03:11 > 0:03:14- So, where's the watch gone? - I've no idea.- Oh.- No idea.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17We're displaying it like a necklace here, on this stand here.
0:03:17 > 0:03:18But you're absolutely right -
0:03:18 > 0:03:21- originally, it would have been made for a watch.- Yes.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23It's what we call a watch albert
0:03:23 > 0:03:25and this is a particularly nice example
0:03:25 > 0:03:27cos it's what we call a double watch albert,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30so rather than just having one strand that you'd attach
0:03:30 > 0:03:32to your waistcoat, using this little T-bar here
0:03:32 > 0:03:35and then the clip here would have the watch,
0:03:35 > 0:03:37it's got two, so you'd wear it in the centre
0:03:37 > 0:03:39and then two loops either side,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42so you'd have probably your vesta case on one side
0:03:42 > 0:03:45- to hold your matches and your watch on the other.- Right.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47So, it's a particularly nice example
0:03:47 > 0:03:49- because it's what we call a double watch albert.- I didn't know that.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52And ladies use them today as necklaces,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55so the thing that I love about this particular piece is,
0:03:55 > 0:03:59if we look at each of these what we call curb link chains -
0:03:59 > 0:04:01that's the shape of the curb -
0:04:01 > 0:04:04every single one, every single one is hallmarked.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07- Whoa.- And they are just miniscule.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Can you imagine being the assayer that had to do that -
0:04:10 > 0:04:14- stamp every single link with this wonderful mark?- My goodness.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18And the date mark that's on it is for Chester, 1923.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20That would be about right for my dad.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23- Does that tie in with dad's 21st birthday present?- Yes.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26- Oh, fantastic. So, it's all adding up, isn't it? It's wonderful.- Yes.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29But what you might not realise is that this little fob
0:04:29 > 0:04:31- at the bottom here...- Yes.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34- ..and this albert didn't start life together.- Oh, did they not?
0:04:34 > 0:04:38They were poles apart. This was assayed in Birmingham
0:04:38 > 0:04:43- in 19...I think 21.- Yes.- And this was assayed in Chester in 1923.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46- Right.- So it might have been that he was given this maybe slightly later
0:04:46 > 0:04:50or maybe as a separate gift. But they didn't start life together.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53- Right.- And, again, that's in nine-carat gold.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56It's got a lovely maker's mark for Joseph Gloster & Sons
0:04:56 > 0:04:59and he made a lot of these little medallions and fobs.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01- So would you wear it today? - No! I couldn't.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05I'm a religious sister, so I can't wear that kind of jewellery.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08So, is this something that you're thinking you might want to sell?
0:05:08 > 0:05:11- Yes, please.- OK. So, I've had a bit of a weigh of it.- Yes.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14The fact that it's Chester and it's a nice early one really do add
0:05:14 > 0:05:18to that value but we do have to use the weight as a basis to go off.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20And the weight would indicate a value
0:05:20 > 0:05:23- of between £200 and £300 at auction. - Mmm-hmm.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26- How do you feel about that? - Go ahead, please.
0:05:26 > 0:05:27- Would that be all right?- Mmm-hmm.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30So, if we enter it into auction at £200 to £300,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32perhaps with a reserve of £200,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35cos it shouldn't go for any less than that, really.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37- It's definitely worth at least £200. - Yes.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39The money actually will be going to a charity
0:05:39 > 0:05:43because we've got lots of sisters out in Peru and Nicaragua.
0:05:43 > 0:05:48- Oh, fantastic.- I've been there.- Oh, wow!- Yes, I have.- You pioneer, you.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51And also, Zimbabwe and I've been to Zimbabwe, too,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54mainly working with children out there, just playing with them
0:05:54 > 0:05:57because they just needed somebody just to be with them.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59It sounds like the money will be going to a fantastic cause.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02- A very good cause.- I'm so pleased.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Let's hope we get lots of money on auction day.
0:06:05 > 0:06:06Gold never goes out of fashion
0:06:06 > 0:06:09and neither, for that matter, does silver.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12Now, tell me, whose is it?
0:06:13 > 0:06:15- Mine.- Nick, what?
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Well, we're married, so I suppose it's both of ours, isn't it?
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Who found it? Is it a family heirloom?
0:06:20 > 0:06:23No, I found it on my travels, a sort of bric-a-brac shop, I think it was.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26- Really? In a bric-a-brac shop? - A few years ago.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29- I think I paid about £25 for it. - Wonderful.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32- And tell me, Kim, do you like it?- No.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36- Are we talking about this or...about my husband?- About the object.- No.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38- Really?- No.- Really?
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Because what we've got here is a punch ladle
0:06:41 > 0:06:45and if you were a Georgian dandy or a Georgian gent,
0:06:45 > 0:06:49living in, I'm sure, a house like Sandon, back in that period,
0:06:49 > 0:06:54of the age of George III, the 1780s, 1790s,
0:06:54 > 0:06:59this ladle may have been on your table to serve punch with.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02What is really interesting is, first and foremost,
0:07:02 > 0:07:08it has that exotic whalebone handle that's been twisted and worked.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12There's no hallmarks but we know, even without testing,
0:07:12 > 0:07:14it will be silver, because the quality
0:07:14 > 0:07:17and the look of the period was often,
0:07:17 > 0:07:22one would place a coin and inset it into the base.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24Why would they put a coin in there?
0:07:24 > 0:07:27For luck, for charm, for interest
0:07:27 > 0:07:31and, whilst this ladle dates to around 1785,
0:07:31 > 0:07:36this actual coin on the inside is King James II.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40- It's a groat. Now, test your history, Kim.- Don't.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44- When was King James II on the throne?- 1600 and something.
0:07:44 > 0:07:50- 1680, Kim.- You're right.- 1680? - He only ruled for four years.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53He was on the throne from 1685
0:07:53 > 0:07:58to the Glorious, what we call the Revolution, of William III of 1689.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02And what's quite nice is the coin within has a value too
0:08:02 > 0:08:07and this is a groat, or a fourpence, which, perhaps, in that time,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10would have bought you an ale and maybe a bag of nuts as well.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14- Not bad! - In that context of that period.
0:08:14 > 0:08:19This was made perhaps ten years before the French Revolution.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23It was made when mad King George III was king of England.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27It has such history and that's why I love it. What a great find!
0:08:27 > 0:08:30- You had a great eye.- Good.- Yeah.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34- Is it something you're thinking of flogging today?- Mmm.- Really?- Mmm.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37- What's it worth?- A fiver.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39- Really?- No, I don't know. - Hopefully, an absolute fortune!
0:08:39 > 0:08:42I think your investment's been very good.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45I think you bought really well because I would like to put it
0:08:45 > 0:08:50into a sale with a guide price of between £50 and £80.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53So, we're going to double up, Nick, on what you paid for it.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57A reserve at £50, with discretion, so if we get a bid of £45,
0:08:57 > 0:09:00with 10% discretion, we have your blessing to sell it.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03It's in good condition. I'm hoping it will do quite well.
0:09:03 > 0:09:04- OK, great.- Excellent.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09Fabulous craftsmanship and a unique item.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13There's not many of us who haven't seen the stage production
0:09:13 > 0:09:15or the movie of War Horse.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18It's an emotional story about a young boy called Albert
0:09:18 > 0:09:21and his intense relationship with his horse, Joey,
0:09:21 > 0:09:24which was requisitioned to fight during the First World War.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30This is Christ Church, Sandon Hall's war horse.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33He belonged to the 6th Earl and, together,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36they fought in and survived the First World War.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41Caroline Sandon, the current Countess of Harrowby,
0:09:41 > 0:09:42knows all about him.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48Christ Church means so much to me because the horses, I don't know...
0:09:48 > 0:09:52Now they are being celebrated but, at the time, they gave so much
0:09:52 > 0:09:56and I don't know if you know, but at the end of the First World War,
0:09:56 > 0:09:58- a lot of them were left in France and shot.- Yes, they were.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00And to me, it's a complete tragedy,
0:10:00 > 0:10:02so I'd love to tell you a bit about him.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06- This is a good story, though, isn't it?- This has got a happy ending.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09He was a front liner, on the front line, seeing action all the time.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11All the time, every day, for four years.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14He was actually caught in no-man's-land
0:10:14 > 0:10:16- at least three or four times.- Gosh!
0:10:16 > 0:10:18I know, and the fact is you can see he's not a thoroughbred,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21thank goodness, because he was very stoic.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24When horses were scattering, as you can imagine,
0:10:24 > 0:10:28in the turmoil and the carnage, he stood stock still and sort of said,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31- "Come and get me," you know. - Saved his life, didn't he?
0:10:31 > 0:10:34- He saved his life a thousand times. - And he survived that Great War.
0:10:34 > 0:10:41He survived. Conroy's grandfather paid a farmer in France to keep him
0:10:41 > 0:10:44and said, "I will not shoot my horse.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46"I'm going back to England, please look after him."
0:10:46 > 0:10:49He got back to England and in 1919,
0:10:49 > 0:10:52he couldn't bear being without Christ Church.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54He went to France, he found him in a field,
0:10:54 > 0:10:58starving to death, I might add. He then chartered a boat,
0:10:58 > 0:11:02and brought him back and Christ Church lived for many more years.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06- And in the end, he had an obituary in the Times.- Did he?
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Yeah, the only horse, as far as I know, apart from Red Rum,
0:11:09 > 0:11:13who had an obituary in the Times. So, it's quite marvellous.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16- And he pulled these long faces, of which you can see one there.- Yes.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18- He looks a grumpy so-and-so. - He does.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20But he just adored his master
0:11:20 > 0:11:24and he wouldn't do anything for anyone else except Lord Harrowby.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27- I'm pleased you've told me that. - It's marvellous, isn't it?
0:11:27 > 0:11:29I think it's rather fitting that he's here.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31I think he's quite magnificent.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34Continuing the theme,
0:11:34 > 0:11:38Christina hears another story of bravery from Trish.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42- These were my granddad's...- Mmm-hmm. - ..from the First World War.- Mmm-hmm.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46- These three here were made by a prisoner of war or him.- Right, OK.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49- And it does say, "Prisoner" on the spoon.- Isn't that fascinating?
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Those were his medals from the First World War.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55- So these are grandfather's?- Yes. - Great, OK.- William Sewell.- OK.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58And this is the box that the medals came home in.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01First World War medals are always named, so we can always tell,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04which is interesting, who received them and what rank they were,
0:12:04 > 0:12:06- what number they were, etc.- Yes.
0:12:06 > 0:12:11And if we look around this one here, we've got "Middlesex Regiment"
0:12:11 > 0:12:15or "Midd' X R", which is Middlesex Regiment.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17And what I think is particularly lovely -
0:12:17 > 0:12:21obviously, we can track him down - but it's got Middlesex Regiment
0:12:21 > 0:12:24on the top of this really sweet little pokerwork box.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27This is what we call "pokerwork" because the embellishments
0:12:27 > 0:12:30were done with a red-hot poker to make it easier to mould.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32So that wouldn't be a prisoner of war then?
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Not necessarily. That could have been done later.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36It may have been but it's very, very fine,
0:12:36 > 0:12:40so I'd say that he maybe made it to put his medals in.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43- Was HE a prisoner of war? - Yes, he was a prisoner of war.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45So, did he make these items?
0:12:45 > 0:12:48I'm not sure whether he actually made all of the items
0:12:48 > 0:12:52- or whether another prisoner of war with him made the items...- OK.
0:12:52 > 0:12:53..for him, for my mother.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56- And they traded them or something like that, potentially.- Yeah.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00- He brought them home for my mother. - Oh.- And this little girl...
0:13:00 > 0:13:02That dolly is just gorgeous.
0:13:02 > 0:13:07- ..has real hair made of leather with lead shoes.- Oh, wonderful!
0:13:07 > 0:13:10And I was given this when I was very tiny. I've been playing with that...
0:13:10 > 0:13:13- Well, not now, but... - But that's pretty special
0:13:13 > 0:13:16cos when poor old grandfather was sitting in his prisoner of war camp,
0:13:16 > 0:13:19he was obviously whiling away the hours making items
0:13:19 > 0:13:21and thinking about his daughter...
0:13:21 > 0:13:23- Yes.- ..which is really sweet, isn't it?
0:13:23 > 0:13:26This, to me, is the one that stands out a bit.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29I don't really know what that's for. It's rather lovely, isn't it?
0:13:29 > 0:13:32- It's a lot of work gone into it. - Yes, and it's a little purse.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36And it was complete when I first received it.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39I don't know how it's got broken over the years
0:13:39 > 0:13:40- and there was two of them.- Ah.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43So I guess another one was given to another member of the family.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46This one I think is wonderful.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49We've got "Turkish prisoner" on the spoon
0:13:49 > 0:13:51- and it's a folding spoon, isn't it? - It is.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53So, he would have put this in his pocket
0:13:53 > 0:13:55- and used it in the prisoner of war camp.- Yes.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59And I do think, to have that is really quite wonderful.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01But we have to think commercially
0:14:01 > 0:14:03- and we have to think what would they fetch.- Yes.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06If we look at any of these items here in isolation,
0:14:06 > 0:14:10there's not a huge amount of value here, to be perfectly honest,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13but as a collection of your grandfather's
0:14:13 > 0:14:15and with that story behind it,
0:14:15 > 0:14:17that is lovely and that makes it, for me.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19It's so important to have that provenance
0:14:19 > 0:14:22- because that, by itself, would just be a little doll.- Yes.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25That folding spoon, by itself, is just a folding spoon.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27It's not going to be of that sort of gravitas
0:14:27 > 0:14:30- that you've just explained, with the story to it.- Right.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33So, I think we should be looking at £60 to £100.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37What's your thoughts about offering them at £60 to £100?
0:14:37 > 0:14:42- I didn't know their value. I was hoping for around £80.- OK.
0:14:42 > 0:14:47- But I won't put a reserve on it. - You just want it to go?- Yes.- OK.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49I want them to go to someone who'll appreciate them,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52- rather than be under the bed. - Is that where they are?
0:14:52 > 0:14:55- Under the bed in a suitcase. - Oh, my goodness!
0:14:55 > 0:14:57Well, I think they WOULD go to somebody who appreciated them
0:14:57 > 0:15:01and especially because we're in the centenary years of World War I...
0:15:01 > 0:15:04- Yes.- ..there is certainly going to be that interest.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Well, you've just seen them -
0:15:09 > 0:15:11three wonderful items to take off to auction.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15I've got my favourites, you've probably got yours but, right now,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18we're going to put those valuations to the test in front of the bidders.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20Anything can happen.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22This is where it gets exciting and we're going to leave you
0:15:22 > 0:15:25with a quick rundown of all the items we're taking with us.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Sister Marie's solid gold watch chain
0:15:29 > 0:15:32and fob will make a unique necklace.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35This pretty punch ladle is a shining example
0:15:35 > 0:15:38of 18th-century craftsmanship
0:15:38 > 0:15:41and I love the added touch of the coin in the bowl.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44And finally, this modest collection of items revealed
0:15:44 > 0:15:49the poignant story of one man's experience of war.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57For our sale today,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59we've headed west to the Roman market town of Shrewsbury,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02a place with an illustrious history and, fingers crossed,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05we can make some history of our very own today,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07here at Halls auction rooms.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09I'm going inside to catch up with our owners
0:16:09 > 0:16:11because I know they're feeling nervous right now.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14You sit back and enjoy this because anything could happen.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21On the rostrum is Jeremy Lamond
0:16:21 > 0:16:25and the commission today is 19% plus VAT.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30Right now, it's time for our first item - Sister Marie's watch chain.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35It's great to see you again and who've you brought along with you?
0:16:35 > 0:16:37- Sister Therese.- Oh, hello.
0:16:37 > 0:16:42- Now, you've been out in Africa for a long, long time.- I have, yes.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45And the proceeds of this gold albert chain are going to...?
0:16:45 > 0:16:49- To the mission work of the Sisters. - And some of that will go to Africa?
0:16:49 > 0:16:53- I should think so, yes.- OK. - I hope so!- Good luck, both of you.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56- Gold prices have gone up since the valuation day.- They have, yes.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59We initially had £200 to £300 on this, now we're looking
0:16:59 > 0:17:02at a fixed reserve of £300, we're looking for £300 to £500.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Looking at the weight of the albert, it should fetch that,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07so keeping everything crossed for you, ladies.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10- Happy, everyone?- Yes.- Lovely.- Right.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14230 is the Edwardian nine-carat gold watch chain with T-bar
0:17:14 > 0:17:18and Maltese cross-formed fob. Chester hallmark.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21I'm bid £280.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23At 280. 280. 290.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26300. At £300 now.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30- At £300. Selling at 300. - AUCTIONEER BANGS GAVEL
0:17:30 > 0:17:34- Yes, £300!- It sold for £300. That's great!- That's good, isn't it?
0:17:34 > 0:17:37Well done, girls - all three of you.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39- Congratulations, that's wonderful. - Ah.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43A superior result there for the Sisters.
0:17:44 > 0:17:49And next up is Nick and Kim's exquisite 18th-century punch ladle.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52I used to buy stuff like this. You never use it and you think...
0:17:52 > 0:17:54You go to a bric-a-brac shop and you think,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57"That's so undervalued, I want to buy it, it's full of history,
0:17:57 > 0:17:59it's beautifully made, I'm going to buy it."
0:17:59 > 0:18:02And you get it home and you don't know what to do with it.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04- Was that the case? - It was just a quality item.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07- And you can't let it go, can you? - I can't help myself.- No, nor can I.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10You have to caress these things, hold them, then you feel history.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12- So interesting, so revealing.- Yeah.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14Fingers crossed, we can double your money right now.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18- That's what we're aiming for, isn't it?- I've every confidence, Charles.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20- Thank you very much.- I haven't!
0:18:20 > 0:18:21THEY LAUGH
0:18:21 > 0:18:25Lot 35, the white metal whalebone handle toddy ladle,
0:18:25 > 0:18:27inset with a James II fourpence.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30At 25. £35. At 35.
0:18:30 > 0:18:3340, where? At £35. At 35.
0:18:33 > 0:18:3540. 5. At £45.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39- 50, where? At £45, are we all finished?- One more.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41- At £45. Last chance. 50 on the internet.- Yes!
0:18:41 > 0:18:45- Bottom estimate, bottom estimate. - At £50.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48- Selling then at £50. - AUCTIONEER BANGS GAVEL
0:18:48 > 0:18:52£50. You've doubled your money. I think that's a really good result.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56- Don't forget there is commission to pay, sadly.- That's bad.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59That's bad. But we all have to pay that, don't we?
0:18:59 > 0:19:04A small but healthy profit for Nick to invest in more antiques.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07And now it's Trish's World War I memorabilia.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09So, why are you selling these?
0:19:09 > 0:19:11- They've been in the family a long time.- Yes.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14They've also been under the bed in a suitcase for a long time.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18- Oh, I didn't know that. That's where they've been, right?- Yes.- Hiding.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21Gosh, hiding. Well, I'm not surprised you're selling.
0:19:21 > 0:19:22It's a very hard thing to value.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25We've had prisoner of war memorabilia on the show before
0:19:25 > 0:19:26and we've had many surprises,
0:19:26 > 0:19:28- especially with the Turkish beadwork.- Mmm.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31We could get a surprise but I don't want to big your hopes up
0:19:31 > 0:19:34- because it is a hard thing. - It is. We put £60 to £100 on it.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36- Yes.- And we had no reserve on it. - That's right.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39- And now there is a reserve. You've had a chat to the auction room?- Yes.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41You now want a £70 reserve, so that's now fixed at £70.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43- We've got to make £70.- Yes.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46The collection of war memorabilia. 1914, '18.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49At £40 now. At 40. 5.
0:19:49 > 0:19:5250. 5. 60. 5.
0:19:52 > 0:19:5570. £75, new place.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58At £75. 80, where? At £75.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01- And I'm selling it at £75. - AUCTIONEER BANGS GAVEL
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Hammer's gone down at 75. Well done, Christina. Good valuation.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07- Well done. Brilliant. - Thank you for bringing those in.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09- You're welcome. - It was a fascinating story.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Well, that's our first three lots under the hammer.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17Time for a break and a change of scenery
0:20:17 > 0:20:20and Staffordshire is such a beautiful county.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Shugborough Hall, the ancestral home of the Anson family,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26is set in a vast estate of beautifully landscaped grounds
0:20:26 > 0:20:29and it's a fitting backdrop to the incredible career
0:20:29 > 0:20:32of one of its 18th-century sons.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40Mucking about with boats rates pretty highly
0:20:40 > 0:20:42on my list of things to do.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45I just love it - something I've probably got in common
0:20:45 > 0:20:47with a young boy who grew up here
0:20:47 > 0:20:50and probably played at this very spot.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54He grew up to sail real ships across real oceans.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57In fact, he became only the second Englishman
0:20:57 > 0:20:59to circumnavigate the world.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06His name is George Anson and he grew up here at Shugborough.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09He was born in 1697.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11It was his elder brother Thomas
0:21:11 > 0:21:14who would inherit the family title and estates,
0:21:14 > 0:21:18so like all second sons, George had to seek other employment.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23So he joined the Royal Navy at the age of 14,
0:21:23 > 0:21:25quickly working his way up the ranks
0:21:25 > 0:21:28to his first command, at the young age of 22,
0:21:28 > 0:21:30on a ship called the Weasel.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33Fortunately, this dreadful name for a vessel
0:21:33 > 0:21:35didn't affect the rest of his career.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Eventually, he became First Lord of the Admiralty.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41But it was his epic voyage around the world in 1740
0:21:41 > 0:21:43for which he is most remembered.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52At the time of Anson's voyage around the world in 1740,
0:21:52 > 0:21:57Britain was engaged in a brutal and bloodthirsty war at sea with Spain.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59The aim was to weaken Spain's dominance
0:21:59 > 0:22:01over the trading markets of South America
0:22:01 > 0:22:05and, in doing so, give us greater access to its natural resources,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08its precious metals, particularly silver.
0:22:13 > 0:22:18The fleet that set sail from England under Anson's command
0:22:18 > 0:22:23consisted of six warships, led by his flagship, HMS Centurion,
0:22:23 > 0:22:28a formidable fighting ship capable of heavy-duty firepower.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33But this was no ordinary military campaign.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37Anson's orders, delivered to him on behalf of King George II,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39included instructions for a secret mission -
0:22:39 > 0:22:43to attack a Spanish treasure ship, laden with Peruvian silver,
0:22:43 > 0:22:46as it made its way across the Pacific from Acapulco.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50But between them and those spoils of war
0:22:50 > 0:22:54lay the tempestuous seas of Cape Horn...
0:22:56 > 0:23:01..notorious for foul weather, violent gales and thunderous waves.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Battered by relentless storms,
0:23:07 > 0:23:10two of Anson's ships turned back to England.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Their captains were later to face charges for desertion.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15A third ship was washed up onto the rocks
0:23:15 > 0:23:17off an island off the coast of Chile.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21When Anson finally reached China, he was left with one vessel,
0:23:21 > 0:23:24the Centurion, and a handful of men,
0:23:24 > 0:23:26some of whom, it was noted, had turned mad.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30Returning to England under these disastrous circumstances
0:23:30 > 0:23:33would have certainly marked the end of his naval career.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Now, whether Anson's next decision was one of pure genius
0:23:40 > 0:23:43or sheer desperation, it's impossible to tell,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46but he decides to have one last attempt
0:23:46 > 0:23:48at catching up with the Spanish treasure ship
0:23:48 > 0:23:52as it was crossing the Pacific from Acapulco to Manila.
0:23:52 > 0:23:57Despite being in a patched-up ship with a crew of just over 200 men,
0:23:57 > 0:23:59half the size of a normal crew,
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Anson had the self-belief and the determination
0:24:02 > 0:24:06to command his crew to capture the Spanish vessel.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12As shown in this painting, Anson advanced on the enemy
0:24:12 > 0:24:15and, at extremely close quarters,
0:24:15 > 0:24:18engaged the Spanish ship in fierce combat.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Someone with first-hand experience of battle at sea
0:24:23 > 0:24:26is Rear Admiral Christopher Layman.
0:24:26 > 0:24:31With 35 years in the Royal Navy, he is also an expert on Anson's voyage.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36So, talk me through what happened when these ships finally engaged.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38The chief difference between the two
0:24:38 > 0:24:41was that he was tremendously undermanned.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43- He only had 200 men on board.- Mmm.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46And he should have had double that number, really,
0:24:46 > 0:24:50so he couldn't man all the guns but he made the most of it.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53And his tactics were brilliant.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56There was no question of firing a proper broadside,
0:24:56 > 0:24:59which is firing all the guns off together.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03So, instead of a gunners crew allocated to each gun,
0:25:03 > 0:25:07they had roving gangs that went from gun to gun.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11- Relay, like a tag team.- In a relay. - CANON SHOT
0:25:11 > 0:25:13It was desperate. They had to do it that way.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Desperate, fighting for their lives,
0:25:15 > 0:25:18but they were also fighting for a fortune,
0:25:18 > 0:25:23because they all knew this was the Spanish treasure galleon.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26He'd been training for this for a month, you know.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29He'd been tacking up and down at the point here,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32where he was expecting the galleon to arrive.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35- Around the Philippines? - That's right.
0:25:35 > 0:25:40And he got 30 of his best marksmen and put them in the tops,
0:25:40 > 0:25:44trained them every day, firing at targets,
0:25:44 > 0:25:47- rewarding the ones who were most accurate.- Yeah.
0:25:47 > 0:25:53And, of course, they did tremendous damage, in the rigging, firing down.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55Picking off people.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58Picking off people and, first of all, I imagine,
0:25:58 > 0:26:02accounting for the marksmen in the other ship, in the other rigging.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05- Yes.- At least, that's the order I would do things.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08- Get them out first, then get the officers...- That's right.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10- ..then get the guys firing the canons.- Exactly.
0:26:10 > 0:26:16And, of course, while the musketeers were doing their work from the tops,
0:26:16 > 0:26:19the heavy guns were hammering the ship.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22- Right along the bow.- That's right.
0:26:23 > 0:26:28- Very effective tactics and...- With one of those.- With one of these.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32And, to be at the business end of that when it arrives
0:26:32 > 0:26:35- is not a good place to be.- You wouldn't know about it, would you?
0:26:35 > 0:26:38That would go through the port side and out the starboard, wouldn't it?
0:26:38 > 0:26:39It might well do that.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43And if you knew nothing about it, you were one of the lucky ones.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47- The others who were wounded...- Gosh. - ..mostly by splinters, probably...
0:26:47 > 0:26:48Yes, cos that would ricochet.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52Huge splinters come from ship's side
0:26:52 > 0:26:55and give nasty wound to anybody in the way.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59CANON SHOTS
0:27:04 > 0:27:08Very effective tactics, worked very well.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11She surrendered with all the treasure intact.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14And each crewman, I gather, gets a part of that reward.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17He certainly does. A huge prize...
0:27:17 > 0:27:20- Is it?- ..which would set him up for life.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Capturing the Spanish ship sealed Anson's reputation
0:27:26 > 0:27:30as a great military commander when he returned to England.
0:27:34 > 0:27:39It took a staggering 32 wagons to transport the chests of treasure,
0:27:39 > 0:27:41containing mostly gold and sliver coins,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44to the Tower of London, with an estimated worth,
0:27:44 > 0:27:47in today's money, of £15 million.
0:27:47 > 0:27:52The Spanish treasure ship was the greatest prize ever captured at sea.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57Not only had Anson delivered the gold
0:27:57 > 0:28:00the King of England asked him to fight for
0:28:00 > 0:28:03but, in doing so, he circumnavigated the globe,
0:28:03 > 0:28:05ensuring his fame as well as his wealth.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21Welcome back to our magnificent valuation day venue, Sandon Hall.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24As you can see, there are still hundreds of people here.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27We need to find some more antiques to take off to auction,
0:28:27 > 0:28:29so we're going to make a start right now,
0:28:29 > 0:28:31as we catch up with Charles Hanson.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33One of my great loves, Elaine, as a young man,
0:28:33 > 0:28:36which really got me into the whole psyche of antiques
0:28:36 > 0:28:41and asking that question, "If it could talk, what could it tell us?",
0:28:41 > 0:28:43was using my metal detector,
0:28:43 > 0:28:48- digging up metal which I had no idea what it was.- Yeah, very exciting.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52If I'd found these in the soil, I may have thought,
0:28:52 > 0:28:55"Well, it could be part of a tractor.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58"Maybe it could be part of a horseshoe."
0:28:58 > 0:29:02But, of course, these objects have a pedigree
0:29:02 > 0:29:06and provenance which is so important.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09If I put on a bit of a twang and became a pirate,
0:29:09 > 0:29:15what might romanticise people is, of course, they are pieces of eight.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19- Yes.- Real treasure, real booty. - Yes, very exciting.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21In 1707,
0:29:21 > 0:29:27that great 96-gun vessel HMS Association sunk off Sicily
0:29:27 > 0:29:32and lost at sea were all of these pieces of eight
0:29:32 > 0:29:35and last century, unearthed in that great London saleroom...
0:29:35 > 0:29:38My boyfriend bought them as a gift -
0:29:38 > 0:29:40one for my father and one for myself,
0:29:40 > 0:29:42- and from the original sale in 1969. - Wonderful.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46And we can go back to 1707
0:29:46 > 0:29:51when piracy was prolific on the high seas and, at that time,
0:29:51 > 0:29:55pieces of eight were really the world's first currency,
0:29:55 > 0:30:00which could be exchanged between continents and also countries.
0:30:00 > 0:30:06And these are very well-worn, very far removed from looking like coins.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09But when it comes to treasure, this really is treasure
0:30:09 > 0:30:12and I love them, I really do.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14- So, you've got the two.- Yes.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16I can see one casing is in good condition,
0:30:16 > 0:30:20- which is yours, I presume.- Oh... - What happened?- I can't lie.- No.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22My father was more experienced than myself
0:30:22 > 0:30:25and he kept his very well and I was foolish
0:30:25 > 0:30:28and didn't keep mine in such good condition.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31It's had some damp-proofing, you've taped it all up, but really,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34although when it comes to toys, boxes are so important,
0:30:34 > 0:30:37but with these sleeves, they're not so important
0:30:37 > 0:30:40because they are still evidence as to what they represent.
0:30:40 > 0:30:45But what IS the most important is these two wonderful pieces of eight.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48I think they're worth, today, at auction...
0:30:48 > 0:30:52Got to be careful because if they were in really great condition,
0:30:52 > 0:30:57they'd have been £1,000 - if they were really clean and legible.
0:30:57 > 0:31:02So, I would hope we could, perhaps, put them into the sale
0:31:02 > 0:31:06perhaps with a guide price of between £200 and £300
0:31:06 > 0:31:08- for the two together.- OK.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12And perhaps put a fixed reserve on of £150.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14Yes, I think I'd like a reserve,
0:31:14 > 0:31:17just because of its being so exciting.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21- Aye aye, Captain. Walk the plank. - Jim lad.- That's it - Jim lad.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23They call me Pirate Hanson, yeah.
0:31:23 > 0:31:28Swashbuckling tales of shipwreck and sunken treasure,
0:31:28 > 0:31:31conjured up by those tiny nuggets of ocean plunder.
0:31:31 > 0:31:36And now Christina's stepped outside for her next item.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40Alison, the thing I love about this mug is how much fun
0:31:40 > 0:31:42- these guys look like they're having. - They do, don't they?
0:31:42 > 0:31:46It's just fab, isn't it? They're having a proper party on here.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48You've got some chap falling off a log.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50He's obviously had a few too many, hasn't he?
0:31:50 > 0:31:52Some chappie riding a horse over here,
0:31:52 > 0:31:55who looks like he's telling everyone what they should be doing.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58- It's just a wonderful village scene, isn't it?- Yes.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00- From 1903.- Mmm-hmm.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03- Where did it come from? - Well, that's a very good question.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07- My grandfather picked it up at some random auction or other.- Mmm.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10And it's been in the family as far back as I can remember
0:32:10 > 0:32:13and it's eventually come down to me.
0:32:13 > 0:32:18- And you've inherited it and now it's here today.- It is, indeed.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21Well, when I first saw this, I have to confess I thought,
0:32:21 > 0:32:23"Hmm, that looks Continental,"
0:32:23 > 0:32:26because this sort of quite high embossed work here
0:32:26 > 0:32:30with the background work there is often Continental
0:32:30 > 0:32:32and in the early 20th century,
0:32:32 > 0:32:35a lot was imported from Holland and the low countries
0:32:35 > 0:32:38and we do see it in this country and it was reassayed.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41- It was imported into this country and reassayed.- OK.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43I've had a really good look, because often,
0:32:43 > 0:32:46when it was reassayed when it was an import,
0:32:46 > 0:32:50they would stamp it F for "Foreign", which isn't very inventive, really.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54- No, but it's obvious.- That's what they did, exactly, and we like that.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57If we look at the mark, I would expect to see that magic foreign F.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59And if we look, we've got GNRH,
0:32:59 > 0:33:02those initials in that shield shape there,
0:33:02 > 0:33:04which is for George Nathan & Ridley Hayes.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06We've got the lion passant for sterling silver,
0:33:06 > 0:33:09three little wheat sheaves, which is the town mark for Chester.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12And that, funnily enough, was also my school badge,
0:33:12 > 0:33:14those wheat sheaves for Chester.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17And then we've got the date letter, which is a curly, curly C,
0:33:17 > 0:33:19which is for 1903.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21- So, no F.- No F.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24So, it must have been a British piece of silver,
0:33:24 > 0:33:25which really surprises me.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28It's a little mug and probably would have been used
0:33:28 > 0:33:30as a Christening mug or a presentation mug.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34The only thing that concerns me is we've got a bit of a dent here,
0:33:34 > 0:33:36which is slightly worrying,
0:33:36 > 0:33:39and you can also see on the high points,
0:33:39 > 0:33:41it has been cleaned quite vigorously
0:33:41 > 0:33:43and the silver has actually worn away.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45- That'll have been my gran. - Oh, really?
0:33:45 > 0:33:49- Was she a good sliver cleaner?- Yes. - She gave it plenty of welly?- Yes.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53But I wouldn't hesitate to put £50 to £100 on that at auction.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56- I think it's a great thing. Would you be happy with that?- Yes.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59- Happy to flog it for that?- Yes. - And would you like a reserve on it?
0:33:59 > 0:34:02- I would.- What you like your reserve to be?- Um...
0:34:03 > 0:34:07- Would £50 be realistic? - I think £50 reserve is realistic.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10I think if we put an estimate of £50 to £100,
0:34:10 > 0:34:11maybe a discretionary reserve of £50,
0:34:11 > 0:34:13- just in case we should need it. - Mmm-hmm.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16But I think it's a lovely thing and I wish I went to a few more parties
0:34:16 > 0:34:19- that look like they were as much fun as that.- Absolutely.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23Christina, you need to get out more!
0:34:23 > 0:34:27And that brings us to our final item and a rather starstruck Charles.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31Mr Moorcroft, good to see you.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34You have an air of authority about you.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36You're no relation, are you,
0:34:36 > 0:34:39to the great name of Moorcroft of the potteries,
0:34:39 > 0:34:43- going back to the great man William? - I am, I'm his son.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47- You're not!- I am.- You're William Moorcroft's son? Goodness me!
0:34:47 > 0:34:51So, that whole history which I thrive on, that's your father?
0:34:51 > 0:34:53- Yes.- I can't believe it!
0:34:53 > 0:34:56He started it and got it going and made his name at it
0:34:56 > 0:34:58and then, when he died,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01- my half-brother Walter took over... - I can't believe it!
0:35:01 > 0:35:05- And I joined him in '62 until I retired in 2003.- Wonderful.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08Amazing! But, of course, away from Moorcroft,
0:35:08 > 0:35:10which we ought to be talking about,
0:35:10 > 0:35:12and I could talk all day to you, John, of course,
0:35:12 > 0:35:16the next best thing, I think, for two men, are boys' toys.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18- Yes.- Yes. And you've brought in...
0:35:18 > 0:35:21And, again, I'm trying to put the toys into context, in terms of date.
0:35:21 > 0:35:26Looking at you and perhaps father who, of course, is a bit too old
0:35:26 > 0:35:29for these to have been the great man William's,
0:35:29 > 0:35:31I'm guessing they were yours.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35These were mine, bought by me from new, from Bassett-Lowke,
0:35:35 > 0:35:38who had a shop in Holborn in London at the time, in the early '50s.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41Quite right. And, John, talk me through...
0:35:41 > 0:35:44Because what I love about these toys is
0:35:44 > 0:35:45they are in remarkably good condition.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49- You were clearly a very careful child.- I looked after them.
0:35:49 > 0:35:54I inherited certain of my trains from friends and older people
0:35:54 > 0:35:56and they were fairly battered when I got them
0:35:56 > 0:36:00but, having bought these new, you tend to look after them,
0:36:00 > 0:36:02keep them oiled and keep them in good condition,
0:36:02 > 0:36:06- and even with the boxes.- Yeah. And what have we got here, John?
0:36:06 > 0:36:12The engine is a 446 in the early British Railways colours.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16Prince Charles is the name of the engine and the two coaches -
0:36:16 > 0:36:19the one on the box here is the first-class coach
0:36:19 > 0:36:22and the other one is third-class
0:36:22 > 0:36:25with the guards van portion underneath.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29Yes, and when we look back, historically,
0:36:29 > 0:36:31at the golden age of tin-plate toys,
0:36:31 > 0:36:35of early Hornby, of early Bassett-Lowke...
0:36:35 > 0:36:39Bassett-Lowke - they began in Northamptonshire in 1948,
0:36:39 > 0:36:42so these were fairly new to the market,
0:36:42 > 0:36:46maybe five or six years later when you, as a young boy...
0:36:46 > 0:36:50I'd have been about 14, 15, a teenager, yes.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52Well, you're doing very well, sir.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54THEY LAUGH
0:36:54 > 0:36:57A wonderful collection and we've got the boxes.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00The condition is particularly good
0:37:00 > 0:37:03and this market, as ever, ever so buoyant
0:37:03 > 0:37:06and in the auction, I would like to put them to a sale
0:37:06 > 0:37:10with a guide price of between £200 and £300.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12That would be fine.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15And I propose, to keep them safe and well,
0:37:15 > 0:37:20- we perhaps put a reserve at £200 with 10% discretion.- Yes.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23Would that be to your approval? May we flog it, Mr Moorcroft?
0:37:23 > 0:37:26- You may.- May I shake your hand, sir, and say, going, going, gone?
0:37:26 > 0:37:28- Thanks very much. - Thank you.- Pleasure.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34When I heard that the son of one of Britain's greatest ceramicists
0:37:34 > 0:37:37had come to our "Flog It!" valuation day,
0:37:37 > 0:37:40I couldn't let him go without saying hello.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43What's the secret of Moorcroft's popularity?
0:37:43 > 0:37:47I think because it's based on natural designs, natural shapes
0:37:47 > 0:37:51and it's got colours which are from natural ochres
0:37:51 > 0:37:53of the world, of the earth.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55And because they're natural,
0:37:55 > 0:37:58they don't get dated with the test of time.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01It has that William Morris ethos, doesn't it?
0:38:01 > 0:38:02That's what it's all about.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06Yes, well, Morris and Moorcroft were both believers
0:38:06 > 0:38:10in the same sort of thing - natural flowers, natural...
0:38:10 > 0:38:13- Harmonising with nature, inspired by nature.- Yes.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16And the other big thing is its hand-work
0:38:16 > 0:38:20and people appreciate something which has got craftsmanship in.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22So much today is mass-produced
0:38:22 > 0:38:26and doesn't have any sort of great originality about it,
0:38:26 > 0:38:29but every piece of Moorcroft, because it's individually made,
0:38:29 > 0:38:31is an original piece by itself.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34Each one of your little pieces is a document of social history
0:38:34 > 0:38:36- within itself.- Absolutely, yes.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39- Thank you very much for talking to me today.- Not at all.
0:38:43 > 0:38:47Sadly, it's time to say goodbye to this magnificent host location.
0:38:47 > 0:38:51Please, if you're in the area, drop in. It's well worth a visit.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53But right now, we're dropping in on the auction room
0:38:53 > 0:38:55for the very last time
0:38:55 > 0:38:58and here's a list of the treasures we're taking with us.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00Elaine's pieces of eight are survivors
0:39:00 > 0:39:04of an incredible true tale of shipwreck and treasure.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08The scene on this pretty silver Christening mug
0:39:08 > 0:39:11put Christina in the mood to party.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13And their link with a British pottery dynasty
0:39:13 > 0:39:15added to Charles' excitement
0:39:15 > 0:39:18about these beautiful Bassett-Lowke trains.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24First, it's Elaine's sunken treasure.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26Why do you want to sell those?
0:39:26 > 0:39:29Well, they're just sort of sitting there, you know, not doing anything,
0:39:29 > 0:39:33and "Flog It!" was coming to town. Could I resist you? Not really.
0:39:33 > 0:39:34I think it's the first time ever
0:39:34 > 0:39:37- we've had pieces of eight on the show.- It's that romance,
0:39:37 > 0:39:39pieces of eight, and here they are.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43- Is that how you say it? "Pieces of eight?"- Long John Silver.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45- Two pieces of eight...- Hold tight.
0:39:45 > 0:39:52..from Sotheby's HMS Association auction, 1969. Ha-ha!
0:39:52 > 0:39:54There they are, at £120.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56Two pieces of eight at 120.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58130. 140.
0:39:58 > 0:39:59At £140 now.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02At £140. All finished then?
0:40:02 > 0:40:04Come on, one more.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08- Uh-oh, I'm walking the plank. - You ARE walking the plank, Charles.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11- I'm sinking fast.- Not today for those, I'm afraid. Lot 56...
0:40:13 > 0:40:18- Oh!- We didn't sell. We were one bid away.- One bid away.- I'm sorry!
0:40:18 > 0:40:22- So close, Charles. I'm sorry, Captain.- Well, my son's over there.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25- He'll inherit them.- Hey, that's even better, isn't it?- Thumbs up, yeah.
0:40:25 > 0:40:26Keep them in the family.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30Next, it's Alison's silver Christening mug.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33- It was your grandfather's, wasn't it?- Yes.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35Was he ever Christened with it? Was it a present?
0:40:35 > 0:40:38No, it was something he picked up at an auction.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40He loved the auction scene, did he? Do you like auctions?
0:40:40 > 0:40:43- This is the first one I've ever been to.- Is it really?- Ah!
0:40:43 > 0:40:46- Oh, my goodness.- Have you got your eye on anything at all?
0:40:46 > 0:40:48Er, no. No, I daren't.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50Keep your hands down or you might buy something.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52That's why they're behind my back!
0:40:52 > 0:40:55Silver Christening mug, Chester, 1903. There it is.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57Start the bidding here at £50.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59Oh, brilliant. There we go, straightaway.
0:40:59 > 0:41:0155, where? At £50.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05To a commission at £50. At £50 to a commission bid.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07- Come on, a bit more.- At £50.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10At £50. All finished then at £50. Selling...
0:41:10 > 0:41:135 - just in time, at £55. At 55...
0:41:13 > 0:41:15AUCTIONEER BANGS GAVEL Done.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18- OK.- £55.- £55 - just a little bit over bottom estimate.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20- Yes, somebody will enjoy it. - Yes, let's hope so.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23Well, it wasn't doing anything in your cabinet, was it?
0:41:23 > 0:41:24It certainly wasn't.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28And finally today,
0:41:28 > 0:41:31it's John Moorcroft's boyhood train collection.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35He's brought along his wife, Gill, who's even more excited than we are.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37I've been urging him to sell these for 54 years.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40- Did you send him out the door then, did you?- Yes.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43You said, "Get to that "Flog It!" valuation day, go and see Charles.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46- Yeah.- Hey-ho, here we are. OK, where have they been all this time?
0:41:46 > 0:41:49They've been in the garage for the last 20 years.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51Do you know what, you must have a dry garage
0:41:51 > 0:41:54because the condition's very good and the boxes are good as well.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57- They're not damp and rusty, so... - Well looked after.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59Well looked after and how they should be.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01We need to get these off to a collector. OK, ready?
0:42:01 > 0:42:03We're going to put them to the test. Here we go.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07The Bassett-Lowke scale model "O" gauge train, 440 locomotive,
0:42:07 > 0:42:12Prince Charles, number 62078, with tender in dark blue, BR livery.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14What about those? At 120. 130.
0:42:14 > 0:42:18£130 now. At 130, Bassett-Lowke.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21- At 130.- Come on!- 140. 150.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24150. At 160. 170.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26At £170 now. At 180.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29190. At 190.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31- 200. 210.- Just.- We're in.
0:42:31 > 0:42:32- We're in.- We're choo-chooing.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35220. 230. £230 now.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37At 240. 250.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39250. 260.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42270. At £270 now, in the room.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44280. 290.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47£290. £300.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50320. 320, the bid is in the room.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53340, internet. 360.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55£360 now. At 360.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57At 360. 380.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00On the net, 400. The bid is in the room at £400.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03- That's brilliant.- Good.- At £400, are we all finished then?
0:43:03 > 0:43:05- At 400. - AUCTIONEER BANGS GAVEL
0:43:05 > 0:43:07- The hammer's gone down.- Yes! - We're chuffed.
0:43:07 > 0:43:11- And I haven't got to take them home! - £400. We got the top end.- We did.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13I'm so pleased you pushed him out the door.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15THEY LAUGH
0:43:15 > 0:43:18- That's one way to £400. - What a way to end today's show.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21Sadly, we've run out of time in Shrewsbury but I told you
0:43:21 > 0:43:24there'd be a surprise and we had a lovely little one at the end.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27Join us again soon for many more but, until then, it's goodbye.