Margam Country Park 54 Flog It!

Today, "Flog It!" comes from Margam Country Park

in South Wales, a place that has experienced the highs and lows

of fame and fortune over the centuries.

More about that later on in the programme.

Plus, I get to visit the home of my personal idol,

arguably one of the most famous and infamous actors of the 20th century.

Welcome to "Flog It!"

Margam Country Park near Port Talbot

is home to an impressive Tudor Gothic revival castle.

It sits on a hill, overlooking beautiful parkland

and is the backdrop to our valuation day.

It was created by CRM Talbot,

who inherited this estate in the 19th century

and was referred to as the richest commoner in Britain.

This magical castle with its elaborate turrets,

pinnacles and soaring chimney cost over £2 million to build

in today's money,

but sometimes fame and fortune can be transient things

and don't always ensure happiness.

But more of that later.

Our valuation day is taking place

right in front of this magnificent Georgian orangery.

This splendid architectural delight

is the longest of its kind in Britain,

and today, I'm hoping for some

record-breaking antiques and collectibles.

I wonder what's in store for our experts, but more importantly...

-ALL:

-What's it worth?

Our experts are the very glamorous Catherine Southon...

I thought that was actually your baby. Oh, my goodness.

That's quite frightening.

..and someone you would have to describe as priceless - Mark Stacey.

Gosh. They're rather fun, aren't they?

-Yeah.

-It reminds me of Paul Martin because he's such a wise old bird.

-Oh.

-HE LAUGHS

-Do you know what?

-There's a pair of them.

-Yeah.

-That's so you.

-They're so...

-That's so kitsch, isn't it?

-It really is.

-They are.

-Well spotted.

-Thank you, Paul.

They're already trying to outwit each other to find the best pieces.

That's amazing.

-MARK:

-Is it?

What do you know about art?

But they will have to be quick,

as I'm keen to see what is going to come

through our doors today.

Our production team is getting everyone organised,

and we've a fine posse of cameramen

waiting to capture everything that happens,

so here's a quick glimpse of what's coming up later.

Mark meets someone with an eye for a bargain.

-2.99.

-2.99.

'There is a surprise at the auction.'

-We're expecting.

-I'm quite shocked.

-It was.

-You are shocked.

'And I'm visiting the birthplace of my hero -

'a Welshman who took Hollywood by storm.'

Who knows what we're going to uncover today?

But there's only one way to find out.

Let's get straight over to Mark Stacey's table

and take a closer look at what he's spotted.

-Haley.

-How are you?

-I'm very well. How are you?

-Nice to be here.

It's nice to meet you, and it's even nicer, dare I say,

to meet your bowl.

Oh, lovely. I'm glad you like it.

Now, tell us the story about this bowl, Haley.

Well, I went to a charity shop at Christmas

cos I needed my Christmas baubles to go inside it.

-Your Christmas baubles.

-I did.

And I wanted something silver, so I went into a charity shop

and I found this bowl and it already had a bit of glitter in it,

so I thought, "That's ideal."

And how much did you pay for this bauble-holding tray?

-2.99.

-£2.99.

-Yes.

-You had a bargain, didn't you?

-I did.

Because I must admit, when you look at it just like this,

-it looks rather uninteresting, really.

-It does.

And it looks a bit battered, doesn't it?

Yeah, but when you lift it up you can see actually

the bowl itself is wood.

-Yeah.

-Wonderful years of patina on there.

-Right.

But when we turn it upside down, look at that decoration.

Yeah, it's lovely, isn't it?

All this is hand-done, so you've got the writhing dragons...

-Yeah.

-..and then you've got this wonderful mask here.

-Yes.

And at first, I thought, "It's a really difficult thing to place,"

cos my first thoughts were Chinese.

-Yeah.

-Then I thought, "Well, could it be Indian?"

cos it looks like Indian silver work.

But then I don't associate dragons with India,

-I associate them with China.

-Chinese, yeah.

And I think this is a mask of a deity,

maybe longevity or good health or good wealth.

-Good luck for me.

-And good luck.

-And this is all silver.

-Oh, right.

-I wondered.

-This is Chinese silver.

-And it's all handmade?

-All hand-done.

-Right.

And it is really a wonderful piece.

-2.99.

-2.99.

I think we should put that bowl into auction battered...

-Yeah.

-..at 200 to 300...

-Really?

-..with a 200 reserve.

What do you think about that?

That would be great. Thank you very much.

Where was this charity shop again?

Down in Cardiff.

THEY LAUGH

What a great find.

Haley obviously has a good eye,

but Catherine has come across a collection of items

with a fascinating story to tell.

Angela, what I love about "Flog It!"

is seeing beautiful objects but also finding out about a story,

and here we have an exceptional story.

Tell me a little bit about it.

Well, Arthur, or Great Uncle Arthur, was my grandmother's brother.

He liked to do the pools,

and on 24 October 1938 he actually won,

which it says in the telegram here.

He received a telegram first,

which said they were very pleased to inform him

that he had a first dividend.

But he didn't know at this point how much he'd actually won.

-No, he didn't.

-No.

He didn't.

And a couple of days later the letter arrived

saying exactly how much he had won.

Which was £879,

-which doesn't seem a great amount of money to us...

-No.

-..but then it was a huge amount of money.

-Enormous.

And if we put that in today's money, we are looking at about £54,000...

-Yeah.

-..which was huge.

-Huge, yes.

-So, tell me a little bit about your uncle.

-He was a very kind man.

My dad had died when I was two years old,

so he was always very, very kind to me,

and one Christmas, out of the blue,

he came out with a watch that he had bought me.

-He loved watches.

-And this is him here, is it?

-That's it, yes.

-And is this your...?

-That's my grandmother.

Grandmother as well. Oh, he looks a jolly nice man there.

So, he bought these with just a fraction of the money.

What do you think he did with the rest?

He put it in the suitcase under the bed

because he didn't trust the banks.

-Did he?

-Yes.

-Oh, my goodness.

So, you say that he liked watches,

and he's bought this rather smart pair-cased pocket watch

of William IV,

so we're talking about 1830, that sort of date.

Unfortunately, the dial is quite badly smashed.

-It's been dropped, which is a real shame.

-Mm.

Rather nice little pair of cufflinks.

Around 1920s, maybe 1930s. That sort of date.

And what about the ring? Do you know anything about the ring?

That ring amazes me because when I first saw it,

-I remember seeing it on my uncle's hand.

-Mm.

-It's so different.

-It is, isn't that?

I didn't know if it was worth a lot of money or no money.

Well, this looks like you've got little garnets or something,

perhaps semiprecious stones,

but it's a nice nine-carat gold shank

and interesting that you've got the sort of snake heads,

-or serpent heads, sort of intertwined.

-Yes.

There's not a huge amount of value here,

but I think the story as a whole

will really hopefully interest buyers.

I would put an estimate on of about £80 to £120 for the lot,

with perhaps a reserve of about £70, just to protect it.

But I hope that it does make a small fortune.

-Well, I hope so.

-And hopefully will do him proud.

Yes. Thank you.

Uncle Arthur sounds like a great character. What a brilliant story.

While the experts continue their search for items,

I've made my way up the hill to take a closer look at the castle.

CRM Talbot was a landowner and industrialist

and he wanted to make a statement with this building.

It took ten years to complete,

and he packed it with beautiful furniture, paintings, chandeliers,

books and objects.

Sadly, today the house is an empty shell,

but there is one feature that gives a sense

of its former grandeur.

The interior of the house is literally dominated

with this central staircase tower.

It's powerful. It's very, very impressive.

I've not seen anything like this in my life before.

These cluster columns are hand-cut from local stone on the estate,

and it really gives you an idea of the impression that Talbot

was trying to create with his home.

But his vision for the future of the castle

and estate changed dramatically in 1876 when Theodore,

his son and heir, fell from his horse while hunting.

He died a few months later, leaving his father grief-stricken.

Talbot's unmarried daughter, Emily, inherited the estate,

but after her death it was passed on to her nephew.

But in 1941, everything was sold off

and the castle was never lived in again.

Today, it's an empty shell.

It's now a dramatic backdrop for film crews and television series

such as Dr Who, and I have to say, looking around,

it's the perfect place for a Time Lord.

While I've been exploring,

Mark has lost no time in meeting up with the lady

he met in the queue earlier on.

Carol, you brought in a wonderful pair of candle sconces.

I love them. How long have you had them?

I've had them now 21 years,

but my husband had them a long time before that.

Oh. Are they hanging on the wall in pride of place?

-No, always been in the case...

-No.

-..after my husband died in 2003.

-So, you haven't had them on the wall?

-No.

-You don't like them?

-They're too heavy.

-Too heavy.

You know, to put... We only live in a flat.

-They're quite big.

-Yeah.

-You need a nice big...

-Big room.

-..entrance or something for them.

And yet he kept them.

He only had a little place, but he had them on the wall.

I think they're wonderful. I don't think they're terribly old.

They probably date to the sort of 1930s, 1950s or something.

That's not the point of something like this.

These are incredibly decorative, and it's lovely to have a pair.

And people collect owls.

My mother always used to tell me birds are...

-Unlucky.

-..unlucky.

-Well, some birds...

-That's my mother, see.

-No, no, she's right.

Some people do think birds are unlucky,

particularly things like peacocks,

but I think wise old owls are quite lucky.

-Unusual, aren't they?

-Very unusual.

Very quirky and you'll go a long way to find another pair of these.

I'd love to own them, but I can't.

-No.

-So, you've decided it's time for them to...

Yeah, well...

If he's looking down, he'd be happy to know that they've gone to a home.

I think they'll go to a very good home,

and there'll be several people who'll want to buy them.

Might surprise you, actually.

I'm going to be conservative because I want them to fly,

so I think if we put £100, £150 on them for the pair...

-Fine, yes.

-..and I wouldn't be surprised

if they get above the top estimate, you know,

and then you can buy something that you enjoy.

-I'll buy something in memory of

-him then. Absolutely.

-Something you can look at and enjoy.

-Yeah.

-Thank you so much for bringing them in, Carol.

-Thank you.

Those owls really are impressive.

Mark has given them a "come and buy me" estimate,

so they really could fly.

Well, it looks like our experts have found some fabulous lots there

and I can't wait to put those valuations to the test

in the auction room, but before we do that,

I want to tell you about another auction that took place here

on the estate.

In 1941, Christie's of London were invited with instructions

to sell the castle and its contents.

Now, what I have here are copies of the original catalogues.

Now, everything sold - thousands of lots - except for one.

So, here it is.

Look, inside the orangery, a life-size marble statue

of an obscure Roman emperor, Lucius Verus,

in all of his glory, and over 70 years later, he is still here.

Let's hope we have good luck in our auction.

We definitely don't want any "no sales" today.

And here's a quick run-down

of all the items that are going under the hammer.

Haley's Oriental bowl is a bit battered,

but it's beautifully decorated.

There's the collection of items brought in by Angela

belonging to her great uncle Arthur.

And Mark loved this pair of unusual owl candle sconces.

We've travelled to the Welsh capital, Cardiff,

for our auction today.

Its early fortunes were based on the world-famous port

during the Industrial Revolution,

but today, it's as famous for its remarkable modern architecture,

with buildings like the National Assembly of Wales

and the Wales Millennium Centre.

Well, the sun is shining. I've got a good feeling about today.

I think it's going to be a good day.

We could have one or two big surprises.

We're putting our valuations for the test right here

at Rogers Jones & Company -

one of the oldest auction rooms in Wales

and it's a family-run business.

We're going inside to catch up with our owners,

and let's get on with the action.

The room is full of browsers.

Even our experts are taking a look at what's on offer.

Don't forget today's commission, which is 15% plus VAT.

Well, this is what it's all about - a room full of bidders and fine art.

It doesn't get much better than this.

I tell you what, are you here to buy? Look, look.

If you are, you need one of these - a registration card.

Now, our lots are just about to go under the hammer.

I'm going to get in place and catch up with our first owner

as we hand the proceedings over to Ben Rogers Jones.

First up, it's the intricate silver bowl

found in a charity shop for 2.99.

-Haley, it's good to see you.

-Nice to see you.

Right now we're bringing a touch of the Orient to South Wales

with this wonderful little Chinese bowl.

-It's beautiful, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Paul, it's one of those things.

You know when you touch something, you get a feeling for it?

And you don't know why,

but it's just such an interesting, beautiful quality.

And the wear on the silver...

It's got that rub, hasn't it? There's something about it.

-Did you ever use this?

-I did.

-What did you put in it?

-I put my Christmas baubles in it.

-Your baubles in it.

-What would you put in it?

-Bonbons, fondant fancies.

There you go. He's using his imagination now.

Right, OK, let's put your valuation to the test, shall we? This is it.

Good luck.

Tibetan burr-wood bowl with a silver lining

embossed with circling dragon, clouds, etc.

-Starts with me at £120. 120.

-Come on.

-Is there 30?

At 120. 130 in Denmark. 140.

-Denmark.

-150. 160.

170. 180. 190.

-It's still going up online.

-190, it's in Denmark.

-Is there 200?

-Denmark.

-Denmark.

-200 in Denmark.

-Denmark.

-£200. Are you coming back? At 200.

-Oh, come on.

-£200. All done, ladies and gentlemen, at £200.

-Oh, well.

And here we go. £200.

-You've got to be happy.

-Yes, I am. Very happy, thanks.

If you can do that with every charity shop find

-you came across, you'd be laughing.

-I know.

-It brought you good luck, didn't it?

-Yes, it did.

-Yeah, it did, actually.

-Yeah, it did. Thank you very much.

What a great start to our auction.

Haley has turned her £2.99 into an impressive £200.

Next up is the collection of items brought in by Angela.

Right now we're putting Great Uncle Arthur's pocket watch,

his ring and cufflinks under the hammer.

It's a mixed lot. We're selling it in one lot.

They belong to Angela,

and Great Uncle Arthur had a story to tell.

-He only went and won the football pools, didn't he?

-That's right.

Then he went out and bought this pocket watch,

which is lovely, isn't it?

Fingers crossed this is going to sell.

It's not a lot of money, and it's going under the hammer right now.

A little lot here with a silver pocket watch,

nine-carat yellow gold ring

and a pair of bright-cut nine-carat yellow gold cufflinks.

-It's a proper old lot, isn't it?

-It is.

At £100. At 100. Is there ten? At £100 with me.

110. 120 online. 120.

Is there 30? At 120. At 120 now. Is everybody done?

I'm out. It's online. Here we go now.

Wrapping it up.

That is it, isn't it? Straight in, straight out, top end.

Well done. And well done you.

-I think he'd be proud, wouldn't he?

-He would.

-Great Uncle Arthur.

-Thank you, Catherine.

-Thank you.

It's got a nice ring to it, hasn't it? Great Uncle Arthur.

What a good price, and an even better story.

That's what I love about "Flog It!"

But now it's the turn of that striking pair of candle sconces.

They look really impressive hanging on the wall at the saleroom.

Carol, I love this next lot.

We've got the pair of owls going under the hammer.

The candle sconces, they are fantastic.

-And I know you fell in love with them.

-I think they're adorable.

And having a pair as well, Paul.

-You've got £100 of these.

-Oh, it's nothing.

It's absolutely nothing. Can we please have £300?

That's what I would love to think, wouldn't you?

I'd love them to make that, Paul.

Good luck. Ready, everyone? Let's watch this. Here we go.

These lovely owl sconces.

-Oh.

-A hoot.

-I bet you said that.

-Oh, they are a hoot.

Straight in I go at £80. At £80. Is there 90? At 90.

I'm jumping to 400.

THEY LAUGH Hey, did you hear that?

-Eh?

-400.

-Never.

-400, yes.

Where's 20 now? At 400. At £400.

-Can't believe it.

-Yeah.

-Is there 20?

Have you all done? This is 400 online, the bid.

At £400. Everybody done?

-£400.

-Mark said it.

-Straight in.

-You said it.

-What did he say?

Why didn't he say 400 at the valuation?

No, he said they'd fly off the handle, didn't you?

-Straight away.

-They would at £100 starting blocks.

-Well, you've got to ease them in, Paul.

-Just believe it.

He'd be wishing you two all the best,

looking down and seeing those owls going to a home.

-If it wasn't for you coming here...

-Thank you for bringing them.

..they would've always been in the box.

Yeah, well, thank you for bringing them, as Mark said.

Without people like you, without you, we wouldn't have a show.

If you've got something like that, we would love to flog it.

Mark was delighted to find an item like that,

but one bidder was even more determined

to get them for their own wall.

Well, there you are.

Our first three lots done and dusted under the hammer.

We are coming back here later on in the programme, so don't go away.

Before we find some more antiques,

there's something I want to show you.

Port Talbot and the surrounding area boasts many famous sons.

One of them is a particular hero of mine

and a few days ago, I got to visit the home of one of the world's

most famous actors who was born just a stone's throw from the town.

Richard Burton was a man with a magnetic charm

who lived a jet set lifestyle.

He became famous as Hollywood's most highly-paid actor

and infamous for his weakness for alcohol and women.

But his roots lie in a humble village in South Wales,

more used to producing coal miners than movie stars - Pontrhydyfen.

I have loved Richard Burton as an actor

ever since I can remember.

It's that distinctive voice, it was like velvet.

The characterful face and the intelligence.

For me, it was the complete package.

No other actor could ever get anywhere near him.

And I've never been here before to Pontrhydyfen,

so coming here is really special

because I want to know how he got from here

to becoming a world-famous star and what this place meant to him.

I've turned to the BBC archives

to see what Richard Burton himself had to say.

I really don't know what to say about my race.

I'm so proud of them and I love the Welsh with a passion

that's almost idolatrous,

but particularly the South Welsh are the people I know best

and particularly the mining class.

His story began here.

He was born Richard Jenkins and he was born in this house

on 10 November in 1925.

He was the 12th child of Dic and Edith Jenkins.

Sadly, when he was two years old,

his mother died shortly after giving birth to her 13th child.

He went to live with his sister, who was known as Cis.

I still think of her as a mumma

because I don't remember any other mumma.

I stayed with her for the next 11 to 12 years.

His family struggled for money

and Richard was determined to change his life.

He found a mentor at secondary school,

drama teacher Philip Burton,

and declared his intention to become an actor.

His voice was dreadful at the time and his speech,

he spoke Welsh at home.

He spoke Welsh at home

and he spoke English with a very strong Welsh accent.

So, he said to me, "Change them."

Philip Burton gave Richard elocution lessons

to hone the voice that was to become world-famous.

I was submitted to the most ferocious discipline

because I did my schoolwork during the day,

and at 4 o'clock, I then started with Burton.

That generally went on till ten.

That student room became a room of terror.

But the hard work paid off.

Richard changed his name to Richard Burton

in honour of his teacher and guardian.

Armed with that voice, great looks and his acting talent,

he was spotted by Hollywood.

His marriage to Elizabeth Taylor seals his superstardom,

but he didn't forget his roots.

He used his new-found wealth to take care of his family,

using his first big pay cheque to buy a house

for each of his siblings.

It's not my profits. I give it away.

Give it to my family.

The fact that I was able to take care

of a certain amount of people has given me some pleasure,

the fact that I had the power to do it.

As a child, Richard Burton always used to come to this street

to visit his sister Hilda,

and later on in life when he was a huge star, he always returned.

I've come here today to meet Hilda's daughter Sian,

who still lives here.

Hopefully she's in. She's got to be in.

-She knows I'm coming. Hello.

-Hi, Paul.

How lovely to meet you.

-Come on in out of the rain.

-OK.

I just noticed this photograph is taken in this very room.

There's Richard leaning against the fireplace like most blokes do.

You've given the fireplace a bit of a makeover.

A little bit of a Sian makeover.

That's it, darling. And that's my mother there.

Uncle Rich, of course.

And Cis and Elfed then took Uncle Rich in as a two-year-old.

Yeah. How important was his family and his need to provide for them?

Oh, I think it was the most important thing

because they'd gone through such poverty, really, growing up

that when he had money

he didn't want them to go without anything in life.

-Gosh, he's got such a kind nature.

-Yeah.

-Such a kind nature.

Something very special happened to you when you were 13.

Tell me about that.

Well, I don't know if my mother would call it special,

but I was a very a naughty girl.

And a teen and 20 club opened in Port Talbot

and I spent most of my school days there rather than in school,

so I was caught mitching.

And then Uncle Rich phoned, and he was in London with Elizabeth.

And mother said, "I can't deal with this child any more.

"You're going to have to do something with her."

So, he said, "Put her on a train. Send her up to London."

So, my punishment was going to London,

being met at Paddington Station by Gaston, the chauffeur,

and taking me to The Dorchester Hotel,

going up to the terraced suite and then going to meet Elizabeth,

you know, for the first time.

That's not punishment, is it?

Not at all. I loved it. But I did start going to school after that.

THEY LAUGH

What did this place mean to him?

Why did he keep coming back throughout his life?

He did feel a lot of hiraeth, we call it in Welsh -

a longing for Wales -

and he used to love just coming into the house and then

he'd sort of relax and say, "Oh, now we're speaking Welsh," you know.

-Yes.

-And then with all the family, we only spoke in Welsh with him.

Burton returned to the village to visit his siblings,

but also his father, known as Dic Bach,

a miner less likely to be found at home than in the local pub.

Richard's father was known as a hard drinker.

This pub, The Miners Arms, well,

this place was like a second home to him.

He was always in here.

But Richard also had his own drinking issues.

And there was period in his life

where he nearly took things too far

when his elder brother Ifor sadly fell and broke his neck

whilst staying at Burton's home in Switzerland.

Later, he died as a result of his injuries.

Richard was devastated and the drinking escalated.

He revealed how serious his drinking became

after his brother's death on the Michael Parkinson show.

Well, there was a second or two, I think,

perhaps about a year ago,

when I didn't fancy much staying alive.

Really?

You contemplated suicide?

-Oh, no.

-LAUGHTER

No.

No, I wouldn't kill myself in the ordinary sense of the word.

I wouldn't take pills or drugs or anything really in that sense,

but you can, of course, drink yourself to death.

-Mm.

-And that's really rather pleasant.

LAUGHTER

It's better than falling on a sword.

There was an awful guilt in Uncle Rich. Ifor was the one.

He always looked up to Ifor.

Ifor was always the better rugby player.

His physique was fantastic and he was really like a father-figure.

Burton lived the glamorous life of an international superstar,

travelling all over the world,

constantly photographed and scrutinised,

yet he always returned to the village.

No matter how much his life changed, this place didn't.

But why did he love it so much?

Quoting James Joyce, he once said,

"Every man is searching for the place he belongs to."

It is in my case the place where I came from, which is Pontrhydyfen.

Richard Burton died in 1984 at the age of 58

of a cerebral haemorrhage.

He was buried at his home in Switzerland,

but his friends and family,

including his new wife, Sally Burton,

held a memorial service to pay tribute to him

in the place he loved so much.

He's remembered here in the graveyard

of Jerusalem Chapel.

And here is the Jenkins family gravestone.

His mother and father are buried here.

It's in quite an amazing and poignant spot,

overlooking all of the village.

It's a wonderful resting place,

and it's quite a poignant moment for me as well to see this.

There's an inscription on it and it's written in Welsh,

and it reads "Seren Cymru a'r byd,"

which translates to star of Wales, star of the world.

That was such a special and moving visit for me,

but now it's time to see what's been happening back at our valuation day.

There are crowds of people still waiting

to have their items valued,

but it looks like Catherine has found a famous name of her own.

So, we have Yvonne and Jan, and you're good friends?

-Yes, we've been friends for almost 40 years.

-Right.

Now, the item that you've brought along today,

who does it belong to?

-It belongs to me.

-It belongs to Yvonne.

-Yes.

We've brought Lady Penelope's car.

This is amazing. I love this car.

I love the Fab 1 on the front, the numberplate,

and little Parker sitting at the front.

Tell me where you got it from.

I saved up my pocket money to get this car and I travelled

all the way down from the Rhondda Valley to Cardiff

to buy it, and I was very excited.

-So, you actually remember that day.

-I do remember it, yes.

I actually remember the shop, because the price is on the box.

-You've got the price on there. How much?

-15 shillings and 11 pence.

Pre-decimalisation.

But it doesn't look like you've ever played with it.

No, I just didn't open the box.

I must've had a distraction with some other toy

that was popular at the time.

-Thunderbirds probably had finished on the TV.

-By the time you got home.

-By the time I got home.

-From Cardiff.

-From Cardiff.

And I just didn't open the box.

Because this is in perfect condition.

This is every collector's dream. I mean, it's absolutely mint.

-And what's brilliant about it is you've got the missiles.

-Oh, yes.

-The missiles.

-The three missiles which fire.

There's a rocket that fits here.

The rocket that fits in the radiator grille just here,

and on the back, there are two missiles that go into the exhausts.

Did you have one of these?

-No, I wasn't as fortunate.

-Aw.

-I know.

I would've ruined it, probably.

-She would've. She would've.

-Yes.

Right, let's talk about value.

I think people will get very excited about this.

I'm going to put an auction estimate of 80 to 120.

I'm going to put a fixed reserve on of £70,

-if that's all right with you.

-That's fine.

I don't think I'll buy a Rolls-Royce out of it.

No, I don't think you will buy a Rolls-Royce.

-So, will we see you at the auction?

-You won't see me, you'll see Jan.

I'm unfortunately on holiday. I'm walking the Somme battlefield.

-Oh, right. OK.

-So, I won't be around, but Jan will...

Yeah, I'm the stand-in.

-..will be my replacement.

-Jan will be the stand-in.

-She will look after it.

-Yeah, and run away with the money.

-And run away with the money.

-Yes.

Mates rates.

-Right, well, hopefully we'll do very well.

-Thank you.

-I'll see you at the auction.

-Thank you, Catherine.

-Enjoy your holiday.

-Wonderful. Thank you very much.

MUSIC: Thunderbirds theme

How amazing to see that car in such perfect condition.

I think the collectors will love it.

But Mark has found something that has gone in and out of fashion.

John, you've brought a very colourful

and interesting piece of pottery in.

How long have you had it?

We think something like 20 to 25 years.

And what first attracted you to it?

I always liked the maiolica.

I always wanted to have one of these.

-You called it maiolica.

-Yeah. Maiolica, majolica.

-It is majolica, yes.

-OK, majolica.

It's copying maiolica, which is continental,

but this is very typically English majolica.

-Yeah.

-You've got that very bold design, very bold colours,

and it's a very typical game pie dish.

You know all this, of course.

We can see of the lid here

it's very nicely modelled with the mallard duck,

the hare and the pigeon, and I love, of course,

this very typical turquoise blue

which you find on particularly Minton majolica.

-And you have the liner. It is a bit damaged.

-Yeah.

But you have the liner which they used to take out

and you'd make your casserole or whatever in there,

cook it in the oven

and you would serve it at the table in this wonderful game pie dish.

Again, a lovely turquoise background.

And if we look underneath,

we can clearly see the mark for Minton's there.

This is a fairly standard pattern with the dead game on the top.

-So, you've had this sitting in your home.

-Yeah.

And why have you brought it along today?

It's been sitting under the bed for quite a while.

-Under the bed?

-Yeah, in a box.

I'm not sure it's the right thing to keep under the bed.

-Isn't that a chamber pot?

-We changed...

-No, not one of those either.

-HE LAUGHS

I mean, the sad thing about these, like a lot of traditional antiques,

the market for majolica has shifted a little bit over 20-odd years.

This particular model, if you estimated it for auction,

you would need to be realistic.

-Yeah.

-And I think an estimate today would be around £200 to £300...

-Yeah.

-..with a reserve of 200.

-Fine.

Wonderful. Let's see what happens at the auction, shall we?

-Right, yeah.

-Thank you, John.

-Thank you.

The crowds are still eagerly waiting their turn in the sunshine.

I love seeing what they've brought in,

but I couldn't quite believe what turned up today.

Well, you never know who you're going to meet

and what they're going to show you at a "Flog It!" valuation day.

Now, this is Rachel. Great to see you, Rachel.

I'm a big Richard Burton fan.

You've got something you want to show me, haven't you?

This is my gran's hymn book from chapel,

and it was hers in Pontrhydyfen,

which is just up the valley from here.

This is my father then. It passed on to him.

Now it's mine, but it was signed by Richard Burton in Welsh,

so it says, "From Richard,"

but his nickname was Jinks cos Richard Jenkins was his real name.

Ooh, right, yeah.

And my gran and Richard used to go to youth club together,

cos they lived very close to each other, in Cwmafan.

So, he was friends with your gran.

Yeah, she had her first kiss with him on a bus stop.

-Really?

-And she didn't tell me much more than that.

So, I can try and find out some more.

So, she was one of Richard Burton's first girlfriends.

-I'm not sure if one kiss qualifies as girlfriend, but maybe.

-OK.

That's incredible, isn't it?

Obviously, I don't think I'd sell it.

-No. That's a treasured possession. You must never sell that.

-No.

-You couldn't put a price on it.

-No.

-I just thought I'd bring it to show today.

-Good on your gran.

I know. Thank you.

Well, that was such a treat for me,

and I'm so glad that Rachel is going to hang onto it

for future generations,

but we still have to find our final item of the day,

and I think Catherine has come across

one of the finest names in porcelain.

-Carol, welcome to "Flog It!"

-Thank you.

Welcome to the beautiful surroundings of the park,

and this is a beautiful vase that you've brought.

Where did you get this Royal Worcester?

It was handed down to me by my grandparents,

and it's been in our family for probably 50 years,

I would imagine, at least.

-Cos actually it's a potpourri vase.

-Right. I see.

That's what it would've been used for initially.

-Do you know anything about this vase?

-Nothing at all, No.

Because the first thing that strikes me is the lid.

It's the same sort of colour - that blush ivory -

that you often find with Worcester pieces,

Royal Worcester pieces,

but it just doesn't sort of fit right.

-I see.

-And the reason being, this is actually a replaced lid.

-Right.

So, I think possibly, initially you might have had another flat lid

inside here with the holes in

and then perhaps another lid on the top...

-I say, yes.

-..as it was a potpourri vase.

-Right.

But what I love - really love -

about these Worcester vases is how they are so beautifully painted.

Yes.

And this is painted by one of the main names,

and it's one of the names that you go for when you're buying Worcester.

-He's a sought-after name, and this is Harry Stinton.

-Ah, right.

-And there he's signed on the bottom there.

-I see.

-H Stinton.

-Right.

Now, turning this over,

you can see a nice, clear Worcester mark.

Do you have any idea of the date of this?

No idea at all, I'm afraid.

Right. This one has a star in the middle.

Now, they introduced the star in 1916,

-and then after that they would put a dot for every year.

-Right.

This has got a number of dots after that,

which would take it up to 1925, so that's when it dates from.

Now, if this were perfect, which I'm afraid it's not...

-Right.

-..we'd be looking at about £400 to £600.

-Right.

-But I think we'd probably be looking at more like 200 to 300.

-I see.

-How does that sound to you, Carol?

-Yes, that's fine.

-Are you happy for it to go?

-Yes, yes.

-OK, thank you.

-We'll put the lid back on.

-Right.

-And I will do my best for you.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-Thank you so much, Carol.

-Thanks very much.

-Beautiful vase.

Well, there you are. You've just seen them.

Our experts have now found their final items to take off to auction.

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

We're going to let the bidders decide in just a moment,

which means it's time to say farewell to Margam Park,

our magnificent host location.

And thank you to the hundreds of people who have turned up.

-Have you enjoyed yourselves, everyone? ALL:

-Yeah!

Yes. What a day it's been.

I'll tell you what, it's just starting to rain

but it hasn't dampened our spirits.

Right now we're going straight over to the auction room,

and here's a quick rundown of all the items

going under the hammer.

The wonderful pink Lady Penelope Rolls-Royce.

I think the bidders are going to fight over that.

John's colourful majolica pie dish.

And the Harry Stinton decoration on this Royal Worcester vase

is bound to attract attention.

We're back at Rogers Jones & Sons in Cardiff

and Ben is holding the fort on the rostrum, so let's crack on.

Right, this next lot has special memories for me.

I had one of these cars -

the pink Rolls-Royce with Lady Penelope and Parker.

And you know what? I've still got it.

I don't have the box and all the bits are missing

and it's scratched and battered to hell because I played with it.

-Well, this one hasn't been played with...

-No, it's perfect.

-..at all.

-Oh, it's mint. Look, Jan, good luck.

-Yeah. Fingers crossed.

You can get on the phone to Yvonne because this is definitely selling.

It's a proper collector's item for us boys,

and it's going under the hammer.

Remarkable condition for the Dinky Toy Lady Penelope FAB 1,

still with the propellers.

I lost those on the first day of Christmas.

I've got 60 to start.

Is there five? £60. Five. 65. 70 in Ireland.

-80 now. £80.

-Yes.

-£80. 90 now. 100 bid.

£100. Where's ten now?

£100. Still with the propellers. £100. Is there ten?

Come on. It's got its box. She's bidding.

-At 100 online. 110 in the room.

-Yes.

-110 in the room.

-Yes.

Come back online. 110. 120.

130.

140.

140. 140. 140.

-Yes.

-What a great bit of nostalgia. This is lovely. I love it.

-150. Is there 60?

-Yes!

160.

Don't regret it tomorrow. 170. 170. Is there 80?

At 170. Standing bid. Online, you're out. 170. 170.

180.

180. Is there 90?

At 180 online. Is everybody done?

£180, here it goes.

180. Ooh, yes!

-I'm delighted.

-She'll be so thrilled.

Absolutely great toy. Really is.

-And of course, Thunderbirds is back on telly.

-Yeah.

-It is, isn't it? She's in Calais.

-She's in Calais.

-You get on the phone and tell her, 180!

-Tell her to have a drink.

It looks like Yvonne did the right thing by keeping the car in its box,

unlike me.

Next, it's the turquoise-coloured majolica pie dish.

It's been used in the past, but that shouldn't affect the price.

Going under the hammer right now we have a Minton game dish.

This one belongs to you, John. Great to see you again.

It's all there, isn't it?

You've got the lining. Everything is there. £200 to £300.

-You've had this about 20-odd years.

-Oh, yes. Many years.

-Used it? Enjoyed it?

-Oh, yes. Yes.

-I thought we should get this away quite easily.

-Yeah, 200 to 300.

-It's lovely quality.

-Good luck with that.

-Thanks.

It's going under the hammer right now. This is it.

Wonderful Minton majolica game pie dish in very, very nice condition.

Straight in on this one at £250.

-Yes. Straight in.

-Good.

-At 260. 270.

280. 290. At 290. Is there 300?

At £290. All done? Are you coming in on the phone?

300. 320. Is there 40? At £320.

340, and I'm out at 340.

On the telephone at £340. Anybody new?

At 340.

Fair warning.

£340.

Not as buoyant as ten, 14 years ago, but nevertheless, top money.

-Good price for this market.

-Yes, yes.

-Happy with that.

-You've got to be happy with that.

-Fine with that.

-Thank you for bringing that in.

-Thank you.

-Thank you for being so game, John.

-Thank you.

Game, indeed.

The majolica did better than expected,

so it just goes to show there are collectors still out there.

Now it's the turn of the lovely Royal Worcester vase

with that beautiful hand-painted decoration.

Going under the hammer right now,

a great name in porcelain, Royal Worcester.

It belongs to Carol, and not for much longer.

This dates to around what, 1925? Decorated by Stinton.

-The name.

-Why are you selling it?

Oh, well, it was just in a cupboard, really. And, you know, nobody...

-Not on display, then?

-No, not really.

-We forgot about it, so...

-Aw. It's more...

It's more than a bit of pottery, isn't it? It's a work of art.

It's all hand-painted.

Absolutely. To have that name as well, the Stinton name.

If you're going to have a bit of Worcester, have the Stinton name.

Right. Let's put it to the test.

It's going under the hammer. This is it.

-A lot of interest in this.

-A lot of interest.

It's Stinton. It's the name, isn't it?

-Straight in at £520.

-Yes!

At 520. Is there 40? 540. 550.

I've got to go to 600.

600. 650 in Canada. 650. Is there 700?

-700 on the phone.

-All over the world, they are admiring this.

750 in Canada.

-800 on the phone.

-Wow.

-850 in Canada.

-Wow.

-Gosh, this is great.

-900 on the phone.

-It was "Come on, buy me," wasn't it?

I was just about to say that. I think it was a "Come on, buy me."

950.

Anybody coming in? 1,000.

1,000.

-1,100.

-Oh!

This is wonderful.

12.

On the telephone.

Canada, you're out at 1,200. At £1,200.

Is everybody done? It's on the telephone.

Last call.

£1,200, Carol.

That is easily a £1,000 more than what you were expecting.

-I'm quite shocked.

-It was, actually.

-You are shocked.

I think it was cos the lid,

we weren't that sure of whether it was original.

But look, it doesn't really matter. What a lot of money!

-We don't care.

-Wonderful.

-Yes.

-Wonderful.

-Fantastic.

-What are you going to do with that?

-Put it towards a holiday.

-Oh, good for you.

-Can I come?

-Oh, definitely. Definitely, yes.

Everyone's going on holiday.

Well, sadly, it's time for us to say goodbye here from Wales.

We've had a marvellous time. I hope you've enjoyed the show.

Join us again for many more surprises to come,

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

-Bye!

-Yes.