0:00:06 > 0:00:09I'm on top of Powderham Castle in Devon, and it was built in a
0:00:09 > 0:00:12commanding position for a very good reason.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Overlooking the Exe estuary,
0:00:14 > 0:00:18you could see potential invaders for miles around and mount a defence.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21Also, you could keep a watchful eye over the estate below.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24And today, we can keep a watchful eye over all the antiques and
0:00:24 > 0:00:28collectables arriving for our valuation day.
0:00:28 > 0:00:29Welcome to "Flog It!".
0:00:51 > 0:00:57The castle is set in 3,500 acres, with a deer park that runs down to
0:00:57 > 0:01:01the River Exe, with three miles of foreshore, which include moorings.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05Despite its fortification, this is very much a family home.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09The Courtenay family have been in residence for the last 600 years
0:01:09 > 0:01:11and it's one that welcomes visitors.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16So we're here to make the most of the day and it looks like the
0:01:16 > 0:01:18"Flog It!" crowd is making itself comfortable.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Well, they won't be waiting much longer because there's plenty to do
0:01:24 > 0:01:25inside the building.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27This massive crowd are eager to get in there.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30Our experts are eager to show off their knowledge.
0:01:30 > 0:01:31They want to wax lyrical.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Shall we test their knowledge?
0:01:33 > 0:01:35What's the question you want to ask them?
0:01:35 > 0:01:36- ALL:- What's it worth?
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Stay tuned and you'll find out.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Keen to answer that question is auctioneer Will Axon.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Oh, it's a bit early for that, sir!
0:01:46 > 0:01:49And joining him is Mark Stacey.
0:01:49 > 0:01:50I love the frog.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53I, I like him a lot, actually.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57So, it's time to lead our queue to the entrance and on to the
0:01:57 > 0:02:00dining hall and the sumptuous rooms beyond.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03As they settle in and unpack, our experts gear up.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Here's a preview of what is coming up in today's show.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10Will finds his sea legs.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Well, I tell you what, Betty, land ahoy!
0:02:15 > 0:02:17A leather case has Mark excited.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19Let's open the item.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22It's always nice when you see leather cases or boxes,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25it's rather intriguing to see what's in there.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29A clock by a Devon maker ticks all the boxes at the auction house.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31You're in the money.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34And we are taking to the high seas
0:02:34 > 0:02:37to explore Devon's maritime heritage.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40And from here, you can see why Plymouth has a global reputation and
0:02:40 > 0:02:42is a port with a future.
0:02:44 > 0:02:45And all that's for later.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51This balcony was designed to enhance the medieval feel of the building.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54And in days gone by, musicians would have sat up here,
0:02:54 > 0:02:58entertaining the diners below, just down there.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01And it's a great vantage point for me because I can see everybody
0:03:01 > 0:03:03arriving with their antiques and collectables.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07So, now that everybody's safely seated, it's time to make a start.
0:03:07 > 0:03:08Are you ready, everyone?
0:03:08 > 0:03:11- ALL:- Yes.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14And it's Will who's first off the mark and the items on his table
0:03:14 > 0:03:17could have come straight from a tall ship.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21Betty, tell me - who had the sea legs in your family
0:03:21 > 0:03:22and have you inherited them?
0:03:22 > 0:03:24Well, I hope so.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26But not with sailing boats.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30- No?- But I'm hoping to go on one near Christmas.
0:03:30 > 0:03:31A cruise ship, is it?
0:03:31 > 0:03:33No, it's...
0:03:33 > 0:03:35- The...- Wow, one of the tall ships?
0:03:35 > 0:03:39- Yes.- Amazing. So you'll be scrabbling up that mast to the crow's nest,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41- will you?- Yes. I don't think!
0:03:41 > 0:03:44- Attached by a rope. - LAUGHTER
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Well, listen, I love what you've brought in today.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49We've got a couple of...
0:03:49 > 0:03:50Sawfish rostrums.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Exactly right.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56We've got to stress that these are 19th-century examples, aren't they?
0:03:56 > 0:03:58- Yes.- I've got a telescope here which, again,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02I'm loving the sort of maritime connection there.
0:04:02 > 0:04:03And this is the Mizpah.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05The Mizpah, yes.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07And what's the relevance of that ship to these items?
0:04:07 > 0:04:09It belonged to my great-grandfather.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11- No!- Yes.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14The telescope was Great-Grandfather's,
0:04:14 > 0:04:16so it was on the ship.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20And they used to take, apparently, the wife,
0:04:20 > 0:04:24and gradually up to, I think, about eight children.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28Really? Well, those long old journeys, there's not much to do.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30No, somebody must have been fishing!
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Yes, exactly, because as you say, these are sawfish rostrums.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36And they are strange creatures, aren't they?
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Almost mythical in the way that they look.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42Amazing. We used to sword fight with them as children.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44You're joking... Well, I was going to ask you.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48- There's a few... One of these needs to go and see the dentist.- It does. Yes.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51- You never got hit by one, though, did you?- Well, I don't think so.
0:04:51 > 0:04:52Now, the telescope I like.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55I'm just going to have a look to see if there's a maker's...
0:04:55 > 0:04:58There is a maker's name there.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01Blackford & Imray of London.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03Day or night, as you say.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Well, I tell you what, Betty, land ahoy!
0:05:09 > 0:05:11Look at that! Well, it does work.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15- Oh, good.- And I love the fact you've got this magazine with the actual
0:05:15 > 0:05:17picture of the ship on.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19It all ties in really nicely.
0:05:19 > 0:05:20Now, what about value?
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Well, I have no idea of the value.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27OK. Listen, I think the telescope is what we would call a working model.
0:05:27 > 0:05:32It's not going to be the finest engineered piece in the world that the
0:05:32 > 0:05:35collectors are going to go crazy for.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38The magazine, it's really just an aside.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42Yeah, what's interesting is the provenance between the ship, there,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45that's illustrated. And then the sawfish rostrums,
0:05:45 > 0:05:49to make good money, they tend to have to be the very large ones,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52which become more of a focus point,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55a bit of an interior designer's piece.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58So, we should probably look at each piece,
0:05:58 > 0:06:0150, 100, 150,
0:06:01 > 0:06:02how does that sound to you?
0:06:02 > 0:06:04- Sounds fine.- Yeah?
0:06:04 > 0:06:08- Yes.- Well, listen, can I be cheeky and say let's put that 150 as the
0:06:08 > 0:06:09top end of my estimate?
0:06:09 > 0:06:12- Yes, that's fine.- And we'll estimate them at 100-150.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Do you want a reserve on them or are you happy for them to go?
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Well, I suppose there ought to be a reserve, but I have no idea.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24Do you want me to give them an even better chance of selling and say
0:06:24 > 0:06:26- £80 reserve?- Yeah, that's fine. - Are you sure?- Yes.
0:06:26 > 0:06:31- Thank you for bringing those in. - Thank you very much.- And, well, set sail to the auction.
0:06:31 > 0:06:32- Right.- Aye-aye, captain.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34Yes. See you there.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39In the music room, Mark's also
0:06:39 > 0:06:41uncovered a gem with a maritime connection.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47David, you've brought a rather intriguing item to show us today.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50Before we reveal it, can you tell us a little bit of the history of this?
0:06:50 > 0:06:54I'm not sure of the history of it, when it was being used.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58But it came into my father's hands back in the 1960s, I believe.
0:06:58 > 0:06:591960s? OK.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03And I inherited it from him when, in 1980, when he died.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07So you don't know whether he purchased it or someone gave it to him?
0:07:07 > 0:07:09No, I don't have any clue to that.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11And there doesn't seem to be any family connection.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Right, OK. Well, let's open the item.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15It's always nice when you see leather cases or boxes.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18It's rather intriguing to see what's in here.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21When we open it up, we find a little compass.
0:07:22 > 0:07:27And it's intriguing because it looks like a military compass to me.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29And actually, when you look at the leather box,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32it does say Captain H Joyce Phillips, RM,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35which I presume is Royal Marines.
0:07:35 > 0:07:40- I would think so.- On the back, it has the word "patents, 1915".
0:07:40 > 0:07:44So, obviously, it fits in with that Great War period.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47But the company themselves were quite prolific makers.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50They were based in London, in Clerkenwell.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53And they used to retail through the firm on the front of the case,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56which is JH Steward of the Strand.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Normally, when things have a military connection,
0:08:00 > 0:08:04when they've been bought specifically for military purposes,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07they are stamped with what is known as a little crow's foot.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11This doesn't have that on there but it does have the military case.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14So it's got that historical connection.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16We do have a few problems, don't we, I think.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19It's been dropped at some point or something.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23I would imagine so, because it is probably inaccurate now.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27Yeah, so it's just really a sort of collector's item rather than a
0:08:27 > 0:08:28- usable compass, I think.- Yes.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31The quality of the manufacture, you just don't get that these days,
0:08:31 > 0:08:33- do you?- It's very well-made.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36Very well-made. With this sort of blackened case and the brass work
0:08:36 > 0:08:40showing. Now, I think there will be some interest at auction.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42I don't think it's going to make a huge amount.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44- I understand.- You know, it's a bit of fun, really.
0:08:44 > 0:08:50If we put it in for, say, £30 to £50, and no reserve, is that all right?
0:08:50 > 0:08:53I'm very happy with the auctioneer's discretion.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56That's wonderful. And will you be able to find your way to the
0:08:56 > 0:09:00- auctions or do you need a compass? - No, I don't need a compass.
0:09:00 > 0:09:01I know the A38, thank you.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04- See you at the sale. - Right.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14I've slipped away from the hustle and bustle of the valuation day
0:09:14 > 0:09:17to show you the china room. It may be small but what a collection.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20And I love the fact that it's painted in Wedgwood blue.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24Now, the story goes, one of the ladies in the Courtenay family
0:09:24 > 0:09:27came down to the kitchen one evening to prepare the supper menus,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30and she caught the servants using the best bone china.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Now, of course, it all had to be taken off them and put in a safe
0:09:33 > 0:09:35position, hence this room was created.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39And the great thing about this collection is it's all catalogued,
0:09:39 > 0:09:41identified and dated during the
0:09:41 > 0:09:45early part of the 20th century by Venetia, the Countess of Devon,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48and Queen Victoria's granddaughter, Princess Marie-Louise,
0:09:48 > 0:09:52who spent time here in Devon during her summer holidays.
0:09:52 > 0:09:57Many of the pieces are considered desirable, exotic and expensive.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Back to Will now. And he's making me jealous.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08Well, Belinda, I'm just having a look round, in case Paul's watching.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11To be honest, if he sees me valuing these, he's only going to get upset,
0:10:11 > 0:10:14isn't he? Because we all know he loves a bit of Troika,
0:10:14 > 0:10:16which is exactly what you've brought in.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19These are fantastic pieces.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22- Where have you got them from?- We bought them at auction.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24You say "we", who's that?
0:10:24 > 0:10:26- My husband and I.- I mean,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29did you always like this sort of Modernist decoration?
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Were you always quite forward-thinking in your tastes,
0:10:31 > 0:10:33- you and your husband?- I like them.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36My husband preferred them, to be honest.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38- You like them, he loved them.- Yeah.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40So, what drew you to them?
0:10:40 > 0:10:43- Because they're not everyone's cup of tea, are they?- Abstract design.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45That's what you like. See, that's what I was...
0:10:45 > 0:10:48- Anything abstract. - Really?- Like your good self.
0:10:48 > 0:10:49Oh, thank you very much.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54I've been called many things but never abstract.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Well, Troika, as we know on this programme,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59set up 1963 by Benny Sirota,
0:10:59 > 0:11:01amongst others.
0:11:01 > 0:11:06Why I mention Benny Sirota is because this one is by him - was designed by him,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09wasn't it? They call them what, the Thames Fish Plaque, is it?
0:11:09 > 0:11:12The Thames Fish Plaque With Outer Buildings.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Interesting, isn't it? Real sort of of the time, very cutting-edge,
0:11:15 > 0:11:17forward-thinking.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19Then, this one, I think, is called the...
0:11:19 > 0:11:21- Calculator. - Well, for obvious reasons.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23That would be one calculator, wouldn't it,
0:11:23 > 0:11:25to pull that out of your pocket?
0:11:25 > 0:11:27- Would you carry it?- No, I wouldn't.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29- No, neither would I.- I'd only end up breaking it.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31You say you bought them from auction.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33How long ago? Was it fairly recently?
0:11:33 > 0:11:36- 15 years ago.- 15 years ago.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39- Do you remember what you paid for them?- Yes.- Oh, dear.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43- Go on, then.- £1,778.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45£1,700?!
0:11:45 > 0:11:46HE GROANS
0:11:46 > 0:11:49Well, listen, I think, you know, at the end of the day,
0:11:49 > 0:11:52it's down to what the collectors are prepared to pay nowadays,
0:11:52 > 0:11:57aren't they? I'm afraid I'm going to be a bit more realistic in my
0:11:57 > 0:12:02estimate. I think probably on the calculator plaque,
0:12:02 > 0:12:05around the £400-£600 mark.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07Fix a reserve at 400.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12On the Sirota piece, because of the connection with him,
0:12:12 > 0:12:15one of the founder members,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18I would say 600-800 on that.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20I think offer them as two separate lots.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22But if you add the two estimates together,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25you're looking at around maybe 1,000, 1,500.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28On a good day, we might go some way towards getting your money back,
0:12:28 > 0:12:30which would be a bonus, wouldn't it?
0:12:30 > 0:12:32- It certainly would.- Belinda, it's been a pleasure.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Thank you very much for calling me abstract, I think.
0:12:36 > 0:12:37Yeah, but you are, so...
0:12:37 > 0:12:39You know?
0:12:39 > 0:12:42- That's a nice end to your day. - I'm not having this...
0:12:42 > 0:12:44No, no, no.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53Well, the first library here is certainly providing great inspiration for
0:12:53 > 0:12:54our hard-working team.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Just look at the amount of books here!
0:12:57 > 0:13:00It's considered there are around 10,000 of them at Powderham Castle,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03which reflects the status of the Courtenay family.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05The more books you had, the more wealth you had,
0:13:05 > 0:13:07and the better-read you were.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11Well, our experts have certainly been putting their knowledge to the test.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13They found their first three items to take off to the saleroom.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15This is where it gets exciting.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Don't go away. Anything could happen.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20We're going to leave you with a quick rundown of all the items we're
0:13:20 > 0:13:21taking with us.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26Straight from a ship, a telescope and a swordfish rostra.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31The military compass with a Marine stamp.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38And not one but two Troika plaques, a calculator design...
0:13:40 > 0:13:41..and the River Thames scene.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50We're heading south-west to Plymouth,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53a city with an impressive maritime heritage.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56We'll be exploring this later, but for now,
0:13:56 > 0:14:01we're dropping anchor as we pay our first visit to the saleroom.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03On the rostrum today is Anthony Eldred.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11And first under the gavel is the military compass.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Well, the waiting's nearly over with, David.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17- Are you ready for it?- I think so.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19Let's hope our next lot points in the right direction.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21I'm not talking about north, south, east or west,
0:14:21 > 0:14:24I'm talking about that way - it goes skywards.
0:14:24 > 0:14:25The roof's the limit on this one.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27- Well...- Well!
0:14:27 > 0:14:28I'm bigging it up.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31- You are bigging it up.- Surely, it's got to be worth more than £30.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Well, I don't think it's working properly, but it's a
0:14:34 > 0:14:36nice relic of what it is.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39There are lots of people who like scientific instruments.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42That's why we put a bit of fun estimate in.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44And a slight maritime connection - Royal Marines.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47- Absolutely.- So, we're in the right place.
0:14:47 > 0:14:48- Ready for this?- I'm ready when you are.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Let's do it. Let's put it under the hammer. Here we go.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53Next is lot 163,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56which is the little brass and black enamel prismatic compass.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59I'm bid £38 for it.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01It's a phone line coming in.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03Five, eight, 50.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05At £50 here, on my left.
0:15:05 > 0:15:06At £50.
0:15:06 > 0:15:07Standing against the wall.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11- Come on.- Sell it for £50.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13- £50.- That's all right, isn't it? - That's good.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16- A lot better than 30. Yeah. - I'm very pleased with that.- Top end.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19- So am I.- I'm glad it might go to a good home.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21I'm sure it will. There are lots of collectors...
0:15:21 > 0:15:23Somebody who'll enjoy.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27I'm a fan of our next lot, but is my passion going to be shared?
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Belinda, thank you for bringing in some Troika.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33- You know, it's one of my favourites, it really is.- You're welcome.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35It sums up that rugged Cornish coastline.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38I'm a big fan of Benny Sirota and the team that put Troika together,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41as we know. We've got two plaques, we've split them into two lots.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43We've got the River Thames fish plaque.
0:15:43 > 0:15:44- Interesting.- Interesting.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47I've not seen one of these come up for sale for a long, long time.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50And we have possibly your favourite plaque.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53The calculator one. I'd prefer that, myself.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56The abstract-ness of it.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59But right now we're going to try with the Thames plaque.
0:15:59 > 0:16:00- OK.- Originally,
0:16:00 > 0:16:04Will put a value of £600 to £800 on the Troika with the River Thames design.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07But Anthony and Belinda had a discussion.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10It's now been reduced to 400 to 600.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14This is it. Here we go. Let's see if we can get that £600 mark.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18Next lot is the Troika pottery River Thames fish plaque.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21There it is. £350 for that.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24- At 350.- 350.- £350.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29At 370. 380. 390. 400.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32And ten. At £410.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34420.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36At 420 now.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38- Bidder in the room.- 430, then.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40In the room. At 430.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42Last chance, then, at 430.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46That's 430 for the first lot.
0:16:46 > 0:16:47We just got that away, didn't we?
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Fingers crossed we get a bit more for the second.
0:16:50 > 0:16:51- Fingers crossed.- This is it.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55Here we go. Let's see if we can get that £600 mark.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Here's another Troika pottery plaque.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01A calculator pattern this time.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03£350 for it.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07At 350. At £350 against you all.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09At 350.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Against you all. Including the internet.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15- At 360. 370. 380. 390. - The internet's coming now.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17- One more.- 400.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19At £400 here.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22Online. At £400.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Are you all done, then, at £400?
0:17:24 > 0:17:26- Last chance. - That's surprising, isn't it?
0:17:26 > 0:17:27£400, I'll sell it.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32£400. We just got that away.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34- Oh, never mind!- Wow!- Never mind.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37- Not to worry.- You'd think we'd get top money for it down here,
0:17:37 > 0:17:38wouldn't you? You really would.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41There was bidding online. Obviously, it had been spotted.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45Sometimes you've just got to accept that maybe they've found their market value.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47Of course. They're gone now.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Hopefully gone to a good home.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51I do hope it has.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Now the items from the high seas.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56Going under the hammer right now is some maritime memorabilia
0:17:56 > 0:17:59belonging to Betty. And we like this story.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02Originally taken in as one lot by our expert, Will,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05we've separated the single-draw telescope, early 19th century,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08and the swordfish rostra.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10It's a shame about the damaged teeth.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14The natural history buffs are real purists and they like things to be
0:18:14 > 0:18:17perfect, as it sort of should be, in a way.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Wait till she tells you why they've got teeth missing!
0:18:20 > 0:18:23We had a lot of fun sword-fighting with them as children.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26- Sword-fighting, can you believe it? - As kids.- Yes.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29- What fun!- We were the third generation to do it, I think.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31Do you know what, that is fun really, isn't it?
0:18:31 > 0:18:33Until you get hit by one.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36They're sharp. What about Great-Granddad's telescope?
0:18:36 > 0:18:41- Why are you selling that?- It's been in the drawer for about 125 years.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43Definitely sees no ships in there.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46LAUGHTER OK, let's find out what the bidders think, shall we?
0:18:46 > 0:18:48- Yes.- Going under the hammer right now.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50This is it. Here's the first of the lots.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55The single-draw brass telescope.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58By Blackford & Imray in London.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Several bids. I'm bid exactly £60 for it.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04Two bidders. 65. 70. Five. 80.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06Five. At £85 now.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09- At £85 on the left here. - Wow.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11You all finished at £85?
0:19:11 > 0:19:12Done, then?
0:19:14 > 0:19:16- £85.- Wow.
0:19:16 > 0:19:17Good result. Good result.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Right, the swordfish rostra.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21Here we go.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23There they are.
0:19:23 > 0:19:24I'm bid several bids.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Again, they're all about the same.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29I'm bid £65.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31- That's better.- 70.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33I'm bid 80. Five.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36- At £85. 90.- That's good.
0:19:36 > 0:19:37- They're going to stay together.- 110.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41120. 130. 130 here.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44Another fiver, if you like. At £130.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47Quite finished, then, at £130?
0:19:49 > 0:19:52That was a great result, considering the damage.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54- That's amazing!- That's brilliant, isn't it?
0:19:54 > 0:19:56- It is.- Thank you for bringing them in and looking after them and being
0:19:56 > 0:19:59- such a fun character.- Looking after them?
0:19:59 > 0:20:01You were. In a way.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04So, £215 for those two lots.
0:20:04 > 0:20:09Not bad at all. And the age of the rostra, which predates 1947,
0:20:09 > 0:20:11means they could be sold at auction.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16So, three lots down and three more to come later on in the programme.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20But before we return to Powderham Castle to find some more treasures
0:20:20 > 0:20:23to put under the hammer, I've been exploring Plymouth's impressive
0:20:23 > 0:20:26maritime history. Along its 30-mile stretch of coastline,
0:20:26 > 0:20:30it boasts a fishing port, a naval dockyard and, of course,
0:20:30 > 0:20:32we can't forget the famous Elizabethan sailor,
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Sir Francis Drake.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42Plymouth, home to the largest naval base in Western Europe.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49Fishing boats have landed their catch at these quays for centuries.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51The harbours launched early navigators,
0:20:51 > 0:20:55who built Plymouth's reputation as one of the greatest maritime cities
0:20:55 > 0:20:57in the world.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00Despite modernisation,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04there's a great story to be told about its seafaring past.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09Before the Blitz, which devastated much of old Plymouth during
0:21:09 > 0:21:13the Second World War, many of the streets in the Barbican looked like this one.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16The city prospered during the Elizabethan period,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19thanks to the exploits of sea captains, merchants,
0:21:19 > 0:21:22fishermen and privateers, who armed their ships
0:21:22 > 0:21:23to fight Britain's enemies.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25In fact, business was so brisk,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28this new street was developed to house those
0:21:28 > 0:21:32whose livelihoods were based around the harbour.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36This is the Elizabethan House and it's one of just a handful of Tudor
0:21:36 > 0:21:39properties that survived the bombing raids of the German air force during
0:21:39 > 0:21:41the Second World War.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50The mayor, back in 1584, called for these new homes to be built.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54He came from a family of merchants and was a close friend of
0:21:54 > 0:21:58Sir Francis Drake. The Devon-born navigator was one of the most famous seamen in the
0:21:58 > 0:22:02Elizabethan era. It would be here in houses like this that captains and
0:22:02 > 0:22:07merchants would plot the safest and the most profitable trade routes.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18Just a stone's throw from the merchants' houses are the Mayflower Steps,
0:22:18 > 0:22:22named after the vessel which took the Pilgrim Fathers to North America,
0:22:22 > 0:22:26to begin a new life in 1620.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30So, Plymouth has a long and illustrious claim on the maritime map.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33But what has made it such a launchpad of global navigation?
0:22:35 > 0:22:39I'm taking to the water with historian Dr Harry Bennett to find out.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46So, what made Plymouth so capable of seafaring endeavours?
0:22:46 > 0:22:50Plymouth Sound is one of the best natural anchorages you could possibly
0:22:50 > 0:22:53hope for. It's a wonderful, wide expanse.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56Problem is, in storms, it gets a little bit hairy.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59So what happens in the early 19th century
0:22:59 > 0:23:01is they build the Plymouth Breakwater.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04It takes them decades to do that but as soon as you've got the
0:23:04 > 0:23:08Plymouth Breakwater, it then provides you with protection from the Westerlies and
0:23:08 > 0:23:10south-westerlies in particular...
0:23:10 > 0:23:12Plymouth Sound is just the ideal anchorage.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16It's a great naval port, a great place to call in out of the storms.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20It makes Plymouth a central location for the projection of British sea power.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23So, this must have been ideal for the Royal Navy.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25How was that developing at the time?
0:23:25 > 0:23:28During the 1500s, following the Armada,
0:23:28 > 0:23:31there's a realisation that Britain's relations with France and Spain are
0:23:31 > 0:23:33increasingly problematic.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35So, in the 1600s,
0:23:35 > 0:23:38it's actually decided it's necessary to build a dockyard somewhere in the
0:23:38 > 0:23:42west to enable the Crown to actually cope with the threat from France and Spain.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45What is the evidence of that legacy?
0:23:45 > 0:23:47Throughout Plymouth Sound,
0:23:47 > 0:23:51we can see fortifications everywhere, from the Tudor period to
0:23:51 > 0:23:54literally the period of the Cold War, and right up to today.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56Plymouth has got so much maritime heritage.
0:23:56 > 0:24:01Some of it is being redeveloped for civilian purposes because, of course,
0:24:01 > 0:24:05as the military have downsized, it's left a legacy of military buildings,
0:24:05 > 0:24:07which are now being used.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10The Royal William Yard is a classic example of the way in which military
0:24:10 > 0:24:13buildings and infrastructure can be reused.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16So that maritime identity, that maritime heritage,
0:24:16 > 0:24:19is absolutely vital to Plymouth's sense of itself
0:24:19 > 0:24:21and its place in the future.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24If you look over there...
0:24:24 > 0:24:26- Yeah.- You'll see the hole in the wall there.- I can, yeah.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30The tunnel there. That was used for loading and unloading cattle,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33which will be driven into the Royal William Yard,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36where they would be processed to be turned into salt beef.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40- Gosh!- And then they'd come back the other way,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43to be loaded on the Royal Navy ships to serve as provisions anywhere around the world.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45Sure. You've got to feed the guys.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Absolutely! And it's a big enterprise by the 19th century.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50It's a big navy.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59And this is a stunning legacy to the days when Plymouth supplied
0:24:59 > 0:25:02Royal Navy ships on an industrial scale.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05The very impressive Royal William Yard.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08It really says it all about Plymouth's maritime status.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11And I love the architecture, I love that big clock up there,
0:25:11 > 0:25:16which regulated and dominated the lives of the people who worked here.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Look at this! This is the Royal William Victualling Yard,
0:25:20 > 0:25:24a self-contained food and drink manufacturing complex.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26It was completed in the mid-1830s.
0:25:26 > 0:25:31The 16-acres included a mill, bakery, brewery, and a slaughterhouse,
0:25:31 > 0:25:35capable of dealing with 100 animals each day.
0:25:35 > 0:25:40A workshop for making wooden storage barrels, and homes for officers.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44The large basin could accommodate up to six vessels.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Now we know the name Samuel Pepys, famous for his diaries,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49writing about life in the 17th century.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53But he also did a lot to improve the Royal Navy,
0:25:53 > 0:25:58working his way up to become Secretary to the Admiralty in 1673.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02And he described the English sailor as loving his belly above anything else.
0:26:02 > 0:26:08For the Navy, success in war and peace depended, to a huge degree,
0:26:08 > 0:26:10on a good supply of food and drink.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14So, this kind of facility was absolutely vital.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19The Royal William Yard proved its worth throughout the 19th century.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21But gradually, its role changed.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23Instead of making pots and pans,
0:26:23 > 0:26:27the buildings were increasingly used as storehouses.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31The yard boosted its staff during the First and Second World Wars and
0:26:31 > 0:26:34luckily survived the Blitz in 1941.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37In 1992, the Royal Navy left.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Since then the yard has been redeveloped.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44Cattle are no longer brought in through the sea wall and the barrel makers
0:26:44 > 0:26:47are long gone. The Royal William Yard is finding a new role.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00Where the ships once loaded, there is now a marina.
0:27:00 > 0:27:05The yard is a lasting legacy to Plymouth's maritime heritage.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08And where that big clock once dominated workers' lives,
0:27:08 > 0:27:13there's now time to reflect and ponder over what was once a
0:27:13 > 0:27:16vital powerhouse in Plymouth's naval influence.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32Welcome back to Powderham Castle, where everything is shipshape.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34And Captain Mark is at the valuation table.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39Heather, where did you get such a beautiful clock?
0:27:39 > 0:27:41Well, I inherited it from my mum
0:27:41 > 0:27:44but she inherited it from her mum and dad.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47Gosh, that's going back a bit, isn't it?
0:27:47 > 0:27:51We've tried all sorts on the internet to try and find out more about it,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53but we can't find out anything.
0:27:53 > 0:27:58And if we look underneath here, we can see the trademark,
0:27:58 > 0:28:00and Watcombe Pottery mark.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03When I first saw it, I thought it was actually some sort of granite,
0:28:03 > 0:28:07or marble. Because I like what they've done with the pottery.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12They've decorated it to simulate a marble, or granite of some sort.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16It looks like it's actually been carved rather than produced in a mould.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20Then they've painted these wonderful flowers all by hand -
0:28:20 > 0:28:22and all over the back as well.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24The factory was founded in about 1869.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28They employed an artistic director by the name of Charles Brooks,
0:28:28 > 0:28:30who brought the factory up.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32It's a very well-known factory.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35Right throughout the West Country, we've had interest in pottery,
0:28:35 > 0:28:37from Devon right down to Cornwall.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41I think most people would know Watcombe as producing those sort of
0:28:41 > 0:28:45holiday souvenirs. You know, with the little flowers and cottages,
0:28:45 > 0:28:47and funny little sayings on it.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50- We see a lot of those.- We've got a few of those.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52Have you? Those aren't terribly valuable.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54Not like your clock!
0:28:54 > 0:28:57I love these cherubs on the side.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59They look really happy, don't they?
0:28:59 > 0:29:03- Yes.- The whole thing sits very comfortably.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05Is it in fashion today?
0:29:05 > 0:29:06- Not really.- Well,
0:29:06 > 0:29:10I don't think the Victorian period is in fashion but I think this might
0:29:10 > 0:29:12buck the trend a little.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16Because it's Watcombe and because it's an unusual piece by Watcombe,
0:29:16 > 0:29:20this could well have been made for the London market and overseas market.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23I think there'll be collectors around the world who might like it.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26- Oh, right.- You've got a key, as well, which is nice.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28Does the clock work?
0:29:28 > 0:29:29It did work.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31Whether it's been over...
0:29:31 > 0:29:33That'll be a no, then.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Not at the moment.
0:29:35 > 0:29:36LAUGHTER
0:29:36 > 0:29:38I think, hopefully,
0:29:38 > 0:29:43it will be a minor piece of work that needs to be done to the movement, but I can
0:29:43 > 0:29:44see people bidding on this,
0:29:44 > 0:29:49so I'd like to try an estimate on it of around £200 to £300.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51- Lovely!- You like that?- Yes.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53We'll put a reserve of 200.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55- Lovely!- I think there might be collectors.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58It's quite an important piece of Watcombe ware, I think,
0:29:58 > 0:30:00and I really like it.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02Well, time will tell.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04It's off to auction, I think, isn't it?
0:30:04 > 0:30:06Yes, yes.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08- Thank you, Heather.- Thank you, Mark.
0:30:09 > 0:30:14In the grand dining room, Will's uncovered a collection dating back years.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17Well, Jean, I must admit,
0:30:17 > 0:30:21cigarette cards aren't my speciality or passion of mine but I must say
0:30:21 > 0:30:24I've got to be impressed by your collection here.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26Cos as well as what we have on the table,
0:30:26 > 0:30:28you've also brought a bag full of little albums.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30They're all completely full, aren't they?
0:30:30 > 0:30:34- Yes.- Tell me, have you spent your life collecting these, or...?
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Not me. My husband's cousin collected those.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39The ones in this album here?
0:30:39 > 0:30:42Yes. And all the rest, my husband collected.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45If you imagine that each one of these cards is a packet of
0:30:45 > 0:30:46cigarettes, was he a smoker?
0:30:46 > 0:30:48No, not at all. He never smoked at all.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51He never smoked at all but collected the cigarette cards.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53Well, he must have had a lot of friends that did.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55I think he must have done, yes.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58Well, in those days, it was the done thing, wasn't it?
0:30:58 > 0:31:00Did you share his passion for cigarette cards?
0:31:00 > 0:31:03Did he leaf through them of an evening?
0:31:03 > 0:31:06No, no. He collected all of those before we were married.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09- Oh! Did he?- Yes.- And then he had better things to do.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11- Probably.- Ha-ha!
0:31:11 > 0:31:13- He had another distraction in his life.- That's right.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15You came along.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17Well, he's held on to them...
0:31:17 > 0:31:20He held on to them all that time.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23I've picked a few out here that are my favourites.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26Here we've got some Chinese...
0:31:26 > 0:31:30characters in traditional costume, carrying out traditional roles.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32Here we've got a farmer.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35Here we've got... I think that's someone who's been a bit naughty.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38He's in the Chinese version of stocks.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41This chap with his sword looks like he's a very important,
0:31:41 > 0:31:44perhaps imperial bodyguard.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48Again, all of these beautifully created, beautifully printed.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Moving on to something completely different,
0:31:51 > 0:31:55we've got these sailors and seamen, all with their various titles.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57We've got a captain, a surgeon.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00There we are, a bosun as well, with his whistle.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02These as well. Of course, you know,
0:32:02 > 0:32:05everyone likes a motorbike and an aeroplane.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07Look at that! Miss England, off she goes.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09And some battleships
0:32:09 > 0:32:13as well as some of the liners as well, some well-known ones here,
0:32:13 > 0:32:17I'm sure. The market is quite strong for this sort of thing at the moment.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19- Oh, right.- Do you have any idea of value?
0:32:19 > 0:32:21No idea at all.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24No. Well, I'm going to offer the collection as a whole.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27I think 100 to 150.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30Bearing in mind the album is included,
0:32:30 > 0:32:32would you be happy with £50 as a reserve?
0:32:32 > 0:32:34No, I think a little more.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37- A little bit more. How about 70? - Uh-hm.
0:32:37 > 0:32:38Yes, I think that'll be fine.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41As long as you're happy with the reserve at £70,
0:32:41 > 0:32:43I'll fix the reserve at £70.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45Hopefully, this collection is going to find a new lease of life,
0:32:45 > 0:32:49a new home, and perhaps it will be leafed through every evening from
0:32:49 > 0:32:52- now on.- Lovely.- Jean, it's been a pleasure talking to you.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55- Thank you for coming along.- Thank you.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58Now, a mysterious object's been brought in and I want to try and
0:32:58 > 0:33:00work out what it is.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03What do you think this is?
0:33:04 > 0:33:06Have a look at that.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08It's heavy.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11Who do you think used that and what was it used for?
0:33:11 > 0:33:12I would say a carpenter.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16- Yes. Chair maker.- You've got the right action.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18We all got that right action.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21One of our experts said, possibly, it's a shipwright's tool,
0:33:21 > 0:33:25for maybe sort of drawing, like a draw knife on the keel,
0:33:25 > 0:33:28the side of the hull - because there's a blade there and a blade there.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31- Can you feel that?- Yes.- Is it a tanner's tool?
0:33:31 > 0:33:33Yes, yes, it is.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36It's a tanner's tool. It's a fleshing knife.
0:33:36 > 0:33:41So, you would put the hide over a log and you would draw this and you
0:33:41 > 0:33:45would draw it and you'd keep turning it and then it could be called leather.
0:33:45 > 0:33:50That's what it is. This dates to around 1860, 1870.
0:33:50 > 0:33:54This is something from bygone days when everything was made by hand.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56It's a lovely thing. So, there you go.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58You got it. Congratulations!
0:33:58 > 0:34:01There you go. You get a handshake.
0:34:01 > 0:34:02Join the team.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07In the music room, Mark's discovered something that would have kept
0:34:07 > 0:34:09sailors busy on long voyages.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15Tony, now I'm not an expert in these, but I think this might be a cribbage board.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19- Correct.- I mean, it's beautifully made, that's the first thing.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21I don't think I've ever seen a double one.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23Do you think that's for keeping your cards...
0:34:23 > 0:34:24It could easily be, I think. Yes.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27..you know? Can you tell me where you got it from?
0:34:27 > 0:34:29In a mixed lot in an auction.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31I paid something like £7, £10.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34£7! It looks handmade to me.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38- Yes.- I think the way whoever's turned this brass work,
0:34:38 > 0:34:41it's beautifully done. And I like it.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43I like cribbage boards.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46- They're very collectable. Do you collect them?- I do, indeed.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48- Yes.- Do you?- One of probably 250.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50Are you mad?
0:34:51 > 0:34:53Other people do think so.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56200? Where do you keep them all?
0:34:56 > 0:34:59In my bedroom, in a display cabinet.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03They were made out of every conceivable material.
0:35:03 > 0:35:09You know, you get 17th-century, 18th-century, 19th-century ones...
0:35:09 > 0:35:11There's no end to a cribbage board.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14I think the biggest price made is something like £20,000.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18Good Lord. I hope you're not imagining...?
0:35:19 > 0:35:21I'll get that out of the way straight away.
0:35:21 > 0:35:25No. The interesting thing I like about this is, if we turn it over,
0:35:25 > 0:35:27we've got some scratched writing underneath.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29I can't quite make it out.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31- Have you?- Yeah.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33I think it's Endecott.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35RN. Royal Navy.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38- And he's a deep-sea diver.- Indeed.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41And apparently, somewhere in Scotland.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43- Inveraray, Scotland.- Yeah.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47He dived 300 feet.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49In 1931.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52So, do you think he made this as a
0:35:52 > 0:35:54- ceremonial...- No doubt.- ..thing?
0:35:54 > 0:35:56"You know, I've got to commemorate this."
0:35:56 > 0:35:58It's made of naval material.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00- It is, isn't it?- Brass and copper.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02I think it's wonderful.
0:36:02 > 0:36:03But how much is it worth?
0:36:03 > 0:36:06I would have thought between 40 and 60.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08Do you know, I can't believe this.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10If all clients were like you.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13That's what I was thinking. 40-60. 50-70, maybe.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16It's an interesting enough piece.
0:36:16 > 0:36:17Good collecting fields.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20Not only people who collect cribbage boards but also people who collect
0:36:20 > 0:36:23marine items, or maritime history.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26And even people who collect things to do with divers.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29So, we've got quite an interesting collecting group there.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31I suppose we ought to think about a reserve.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33What's the highest score we can have in crib?
0:36:33 > 0:36:35I think it's 31.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37A bit of an odd number for reserve, isn't it?
0:36:37 > 0:36:39- What do you think?- I think 25.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41Let's put 25 on it, shall we?
0:36:41 > 0:36:43I think it might surpass that.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45In fact, I know it will surpass that.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48It must do. Lovely, Tony. Thank you for bringing it in.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50And I look forward to seeing you at the auction.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52Thank you very much indeed.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58This is where it gets exciting.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01Don't go away. We could have that big one we're promising.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03Anything can happen, you know that, in an auction.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05Have you had a good time, everyone?
0:37:05 > 0:37:06- Yes!- Well, that's the main thing.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09Without you, we could not make the show work.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Right, we're going to leave you with a quick reminder of all the items
0:37:12 > 0:37:14we're taken with us.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17There's an ornate clock from local makers Watcombe.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22The varied collection of cigarette cards.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27And the cribbage board with Royal Naval connections.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31As we return to the saleroom,
0:37:31 > 0:37:35it's all eyes on the auctioneer as our item that once belonged to a
0:37:35 > 0:37:38deep-sea diver tests the market.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40Why are you selling this one?
0:37:40 > 0:37:43Well, I looked at the collection and I thought this is different.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46I knew you were coming to Plymouth with its naval base.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50So, this had a naval interest so I just thought it might sell well down here.
0:37:50 > 0:37:51Good correlation, good link.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55We like that. I haven't got a clue how to play cribbage.
0:37:55 > 0:37:56I haven't...
0:37:56 > 0:37:58No. No idea at all.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02But I can see the fascination in collecting because they are
0:38:02 > 0:38:04made out of every conceivable material.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08At the valuation day, we had an estimate of 40-70.
0:38:08 > 0:38:13And now we have a valuation of 30-50 with a reserve of £30.
0:38:13 > 0:38:15So, we need to get £30.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18It's got to do that, hasn't it?
0:38:18 > 0:38:20We're going to find out right now.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22Bronze and brass cribbage board.
0:38:24 > 0:38:25There it is.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27£20 bid for that. At £20?
0:38:27 > 0:38:29£20. Two if you want it.
0:38:29 > 0:38:30Two, five, eight, 30.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33Two. £32.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35Take five, at £32.
0:38:35 > 0:38:3735 online.
0:38:37 > 0:38:3838.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41At £38.
0:38:41 > 0:38:42In the room now.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44All finished at 38?
0:38:44 > 0:38:47Last chance at £38.
0:38:47 > 0:38:4938, the hammer's going...
0:38:49 > 0:38:52Well, there we are. It's over the reserve, isn't it?
0:38:52 > 0:38:55Will there be another cribbage board coming now, with that sort of money?
0:38:55 > 0:38:59- I think there could well be. - LAUGHTER
0:38:59 > 0:39:01Well, look, I hope you get lucky, OK.
0:39:01 > 0:39:02I really do.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05I'm sure he will.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07And fingers crossed now for our next lot.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12Going under the hammer right now we have that wonderful collection of
0:39:12 > 0:39:14cigarette cards belonging to Jean.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16We have our expert, Will, right here.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19Sadly, Jean can't be with us today, but she is such a big "Flog It!" fan.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23You know, she came all the way from Kent to Powderham Castle.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26She was on holiday at the time. She tied it in with that, really.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28- To come and see us.- Good idea.
0:39:28 > 0:39:29It's a long way to come to the auction.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31It's too far. So, thumbs up.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34We wish you all the best with this lot.
0:39:34 > 0:39:35Here we go. Putting it to the test.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38It's going under the hammer.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41Here's a little collection of tea cards, and footballers,
0:39:41 > 0:39:43and all sorts in that lot.
0:39:43 > 0:39:47Quite a lot of it. Several bids but I'm bid £55.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50At 55. 60, if you want them. At £55.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53Against you all in the room. At £55, then.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56- They're struggling here, Paul. - At 55.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01- They struggled.- Not a sniff of a bid.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04No, right. You're the expert.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06I think you know what is needed now.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08To get on the phone and talk to Jean.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10I will. Well, actually, I'm not far from her.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13- Maybe I could take them back with me.- That's a good idea.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16- Drop them in.- And apologise. - Yes!
0:40:16 > 0:40:17LAUGHTER
0:40:17 > 0:40:21What a shame. Jean, look out, Will's on his way.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23Hopefully, our fortunes will turn
0:40:23 > 0:40:26with the next lot, which should appeal to the local market.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29Well, that's it. Time's up. No, it's not the end of the show.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31Don't go and disappear and make a cup of tea.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33Stay watching. We could have a big surprise.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36Time is up for Heather's gorgeous Victorian clock.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38Which has been mounted in Watcombe pottery.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40South Devon clay and it's beautiful.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43- So over the top, isn't it? - It's completely Victoriana.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46Weird. Yeah.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48Cherubs, crocuses. Lovely. And it's unusual.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50- I've never seen one.- No.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52So, we've put 200 to 300 on it.
0:40:52 > 0:40:53And it's a stab in the dark, really.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55See if it's going to fly.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59And if it is going to sell, it is going to sell here down in the West Country where it belongs.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01Let's face it.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03We're going to give it a go for you.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05Ready? Here we go.
0:41:05 > 0:41:11Lot 267 is a Watcombe, South Devon. Glazed terracotta mantel clock,
0:41:11 > 0:41:14unusual thing. And two bids.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16- Great!- I'm bid £220 for it.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18Always so good. 220.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20£220.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23I'm bid 220, 230 now online.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25At £230.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27240.
0:41:27 > 0:41:29There's some chap in the room...
0:41:29 > 0:41:33260. 270. 280.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36- This is good.- 290. 300.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38And ten. 320.
0:41:38 > 0:41:43330. 340. 350. 360.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45- Yes, he is here.- 370.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48380.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50In the room at £380.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54- 380.- At 380. 390.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57Fresh bidding. 400.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00410. 420. 430.
0:42:00 > 0:42:01440. 450.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03- You're in the money.- 460.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05470. 480.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09490. 500. And ten. 520.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11It's going very well.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14530. 540. 550.
0:42:14 > 0:42:18560. 570. 580.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22590. 600. 620.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25630. 640. 650.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27Oh, my God!
0:42:27 > 0:42:30670. 680.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33690. 700.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35At £700.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37Seated. I'll sell it at 700.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41Heather! £700.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43Brilliant!
0:42:43 > 0:42:46Well, we didn't really do anything.
0:42:46 > 0:42:47He did.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49He found me...
0:42:49 > 0:42:51- at the castle.- Well, no, you turned up.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54It was all about you turning up. We've all learned something here.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57You see, we've not seen one for sale before and that's exactly what
0:42:57 > 0:43:00they're worth. If you've got something like that,
0:43:00 > 0:43:02we want to flog it for you. Heather, enjoyed it?
0:43:02 > 0:43:04Yes, I have. Absolutely fabulous.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06Can't speak.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08And I hope you have as well.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11Sadly, that's all the time we have but what a way to end.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14And what a surprise. And we don't stop learning, that's the joy of this programme.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17And hopefully, you carry on learning.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19Join us again for many more surprises but, sadly, from Plymouth,
0:43:19 > 0:43:22we have run out of time. It's goodbye.