Powderham Castle 48 Flog It!

I'm on top of Powderham Castle in Devon, and it was built in a

commanding position for a very good reason.

Overlooking the Exe estuary,

you could see potential invaders for miles around and mount a defence.

Also, you could keep a watchful eye over the estate below.

And today, we can keep a watchful eye over all the antiques and

collectables arriving for our valuation day.

Welcome to "Flog It!".

The castle is set in 3,500 acres, with a deer park that runs down to

the River Exe, with three miles of foreshore, which include moorings.

Despite its fortification, this is very much a family home.

The Courtenay family have been in residence for the last 600 years

and it's one that welcomes visitors.

So we're here to make the most of the day and it looks like the

"Flog It!" crowd is making itself comfortable.

Well, they won't be waiting much longer because there's plenty to do

inside the building.

This massive crowd are eager to get in there.

Our experts are eager to show off their knowledge.

They want to wax lyrical.

Shall we test their knowledge?

What's the question you want to ask them?

-ALL:

-What's it worth?

Stay tuned and you'll find out.

Keen to answer that question is auctioneer Will Axon.

Oh, it's a bit early for that, sir!

And joining him is Mark Stacey.

I love the frog.

I, I like him a lot, actually.

So, it's time to lead our queue to the entrance and on to the

dining hall and the sumptuous rooms beyond.

As they settle in and unpack, our experts gear up.

Here's a preview of what is coming up in today's show.

Will finds his sea legs.

Well, I tell you what, Betty, land ahoy!

A leather case has Mark excited.

Let's open the item.

It's always nice when you see leather cases or boxes,

it's rather intriguing to see what's in there.

A clock by a Devon maker ticks all the boxes at the auction house.

You're in the money.

And we are taking to the high seas

to explore Devon's maritime heritage.

And from here, you can see why Plymouth has a global reputation and

is a port with a future.

And all that's for later.

This balcony was designed to enhance the medieval feel of the building.

And in days gone by, musicians would have sat up here,

entertaining the diners below, just down there.

And it's a great vantage point for me because I can see everybody

arriving with their antiques and collectables.

So, now that everybody's safely seated, it's time to make a start.

Are you ready, everyone?

-ALL:

-Yes.

And it's Will who's first off the mark and the items on his table

could have come straight from a tall ship.

Betty, tell me - who had the sea legs in your family

and have you inherited them?

Well, I hope so.

But not with sailing boats.

-No?

-But I'm hoping to go on one near Christmas.

A cruise ship, is it?

No, it's...

-The...

-Wow, one of the tall ships?

-Yes.

-Amazing. So you'll be scrabbling up that mast to the crow's nest,

-will you?

-Yes. I don't think!

-Attached by a rope.

-LAUGHTER

Well, listen, I love what you've brought in today.

We've got a couple of...

Sawfish rostrums.

Exactly right.

We've got to stress that these are 19th-century examples, aren't they?

-Yes.

-I've got a telescope here which, again,

I'm loving the sort of maritime connection there.

And this is the Mizpah.

The Mizpah, yes.

And what's the relevance of that ship to these items?

It belonged to my great-grandfather.

-No!

-Yes.

The telescope was Great-Grandfather's,

so it was on the ship.

And they used to take, apparently, the wife,

and gradually up to, I think, about eight children.

Really? Well, those long old journeys, there's not much to do.

No, somebody must have been fishing!

Yes, exactly, because as you say, these are sawfish rostrums.

And they are strange creatures, aren't they?

Almost mythical in the way that they look.

Amazing. We used to sword fight with them as children.

You're joking... Well, I was going to ask you.

-There's a few... One of these needs to go and see the dentist.

-It does. Yes.

-You never got hit by one, though, did you?

-Well, I don't think so.

Now, the telescope I like.

I'm just going to have a look to see if there's a maker's...

There is a maker's name there.

Blackford & Imray of London.

Day or night, as you say.

Well, I tell you what, Betty, land ahoy!

Look at that! Well, it does work.

-Oh, good.

-And I love the fact you've got this magazine with the actual

picture of the ship on.

It all ties in really nicely.

Now, what about value?

Well, I have no idea of the value.

OK. Listen, I think the telescope is what we would call a working model.

It's not going to be the finest engineered piece in the world that the

collectors are going to go crazy for.

The magazine, it's really just an aside.

Yeah, what's interesting is the provenance between the ship, there,

that's illustrated. And then the sawfish rostrums,

to make good money, they tend to have to be the very large ones,

which become more of a focus point,

a bit of an interior designer's piece.

So, we should probably look at each piece,

50, 100, 150,

how does that sound to you?

-Sounds fine.

-Yeah?

-Yes.

-Well, listen, can I be cheeky and say let's put that 150 as the

top end of my estimate?

-Yes, that's fine.

-And we'll estimate them at 100-150.

Do you want a reserve on them or are you happy for them to go?

Well, I suppose there ought to be a reserve, but I have no idea.

Do you want me to give them an even better chance of selling and say

-£80 reserve?

-Yeah, that's fine.

-Are you sure?

-Yes.

-Thank you for bringing those in.

-Thank you very much.

-And, well, set sail to the auction.

-Right.

-Aye-aye, captain.

Yes. See you there.

In the music room, Mark's also

uncovered a gem with a maritime connection.

David, you've brought a rather intriguing item to show us today.

Before we reveal it, can you tell us a little bit of the history of this?

I'm not sure of the history of it, when it was being used.

But it came into my father's hands back in the 1960s, I believe.

1960s? OK.

And I inherited it from him when, in 1980, when he died.

So you don't know whether he purchased it or someone gave it to him?

No, I don't have any clue to that.

And there doesn't seem to be any family connection.

Right, OK. Well, let's open the item.

It's always nice when you see leather cases or boxes.

It's rather intriguing to see what's in here.

When we open it up, we find a little compass.

And it's intriguing because it looks like a military compass to me.

And actually, when you look at the leather box,

it does say Captain H Joyce Phillips, RM,

which I presume is Royal Marines.

-I would think so.

-On the back, it has the word "patents, 1915".

So, obviously, it fits in with that Great War period.

But the company themselves were quite prolific makers.

They were based in London, in Clerkenwell.

And they used to retail through the firm on the front of the case,

which is JH Steward of the Strand.

Normally, when things have a military connection,

when they've been bought specifically for military purposes,

they are stamped with what is known as a little crow's foot.

This doesn't have that on there but it does have the military case.

So it's got that historical connection.

We do have a few problems, don't we, I think.

It's been dropped at some point or something.

I would imagine so, because it is probably inaccurate now.

Yeah, so it's just really a sort of collector's item rather than a

-usable compass, I think.

-Yes.

The quality of the manufacture, you just don't get that these days,

-do you?

-It's very well-made.

Very well-made. With this sort of blackened case and the brass work

showing. Now, I think there will be some interest at auction.

I don't think it's going to make a huge amount.

-I understand.

-You know, it's a bit of fun, really.

If we put it in for, say, £30 to £50, and no reserve, is that all right?

I'm very happy with the auctioneer's discretion.

That's wonderful. And will you be able to find your way to the

-auctions or do you need a compass?

-No, I don't need a compass.

I know the A38, thank you.

-See you at the sale.

-Right.

I've slipped away from the hustle and bustle of the valuation day

to show you the china room. It may be small but what a collection.

And I love the fact that it's painted in Wedgwood blue.

Now, the story goes, one of the ladies in the Courtenay family

came down to the kitchen one evening to prepare the supper menus,

and she caught the servants using the best bone china.

Now, of course, it all had to be taken off them and put in a safe

position, hence this room was created.

And the great thing about this collection is it's all catalogued,

identified and dated during the

early part of the 20th century by Venetia, the Countess of Devon,

and Queen Victoria's granddaughter, Princess Marie-Louise,

who spent time here in Devon during her summer holidays.

Many of the pieces are considered desirable, exotic and expensive.

Back to Will now. And he's making me jealous.

Well, Belinda, I'm just having a look round, in case Paul's watching.

To be honest, if he sees me valuing these, he's only going to get upset,

isn't he? Because we all know he loves a bit of Troika,

which is exactly what you've brought in.

These are fantastic pieces.

-Where have you got them from?

-We bought them at auction.

You say "we", who's that?

-My husband and I.

-I mean,

did you always like this sort of Modernist decoration?

Were you always quite forward-thinking in your tastes,

-you and your husband?

-I like them.

My husband preferred them, to be honest.

-You like them, he loved them.

-Yeah.

So, what drew you to them?

-Because they're not everyone's cup of tea, are they?

-Abstract design.

That's what you like. See, that's what I was...

-Anything abstract.

-Really?

-Like your good self.

Oh, thank you very much.

I've been called many things but never abstract.

Well, Troika, as we know on this programme,

set up 1963 by Benny Sirota,

amongst others.

Why I mention Benny Sirota is because this one is by him - was designed by him,

wasn't it? They call them what, the Thames Fish Plaque, is it?

The Thames Fish Plaque With Outer Buildings.

Interesting, isn't it? Real sort of of the time, very cutting-edge,

forward-thinking.

Then, this one, I think, is called the...

-Calculator.

-Well, for obvious reasons.

That would be one calculator, wouldn't it,

to pull that out of your pocket?

-Would you carry it?

-No, I wouldn't.

-No, neither would I.

-I'd only end up breaking it.

You say you bought them from auction.

How long ago? Was it fairly recently?

-15 years ago.

-15 years ago.

-Do you remember what you paid for them?

-Yes.

-Oh, dear.

-Go on, then.

-£1,778.

£1,700?!

HE GROANS

Well, listen, I think, you know, at the end of the day,

it's down to what the collectors are prepared to pay nowadays,

aren't they? I'm afraid I'm going to be a bit more realistic in my

estimate. I think probably on the calculator plaque,

around the £400-£600 mark.

Fix a reserve at 400.

On the Sirota piece, because of the connection with him,

one of the founder members,

I would say 600-800 on that.

I think offer them as two separate lots.

But if you add the two estimates together,

you're looking at around maybe 1,000, 1,500.

On a good day, we might go some way towards getting your money back,

which would be a bonus, wouldn't it?

-It certainly would.

-Belinda, it's been a pleasure.

Thank you very much for calling me abstract, I think.

Yeah, but you are, so...

You know?

-That's a nice end to your day.

-I'm not having this...

No, no, no.

Well, the first library here is certainly providing great inspiration for

our hard-working team.

Just look at the amount of books here!

It's considered there are around 10,000 of them at Powderham Castle,

which reflects the status of the Courtenay family.

The more books you had, the more wealth you had,

and the better-read you were.

Well, our experts have certainly been putting their knowledge to the test.

They found their first three items to take off to the saleroom.

This is where it gets exciting.

Don't go away. Anything could happen.

We're going to leave you with a quick rundown of all the items we're

taking with us.

Straight from a ship, a telescope and a swordfish rostra.

The military compass with a Marine stamp.

And not one but two Troika plaques, a calculator design...

..and the River Thames scene.

We're heading south-west to Plymouth,

a city with an impressive maritime heritage.

We'll be exploring this later, but for now,

we're dropping anchor as we pay our first visit to the saleroom.

On the rostrum today is Anthony Eldred.

And first under the gavel is the military compass.

Well, the waiting's nearly over with, David.

-Are you ready for it?

-I think so.

Let's hope our next lot points in the right direction.

I'm not talking about north, south, east or west,

I'm talking about that way - it goes skywards.

The roof's the limit on this one.

-Well...

-Well!

I'm bigging it up.

-You are bigging it up.

-Surely, it's got to be worth more than £30.

Well, I don't think it's working properly, but it's a

nice relic of what it is.

There are lots of people who like scientific instruments.

That's why we put a bit of fun estimate in.

And a slight maritime connection - Royal Marines.

-Absolutely.

-So, we're in the right place.

-Ready for this?

-I'm ready when you are.

Let's do it. Let's put it under the hammer. Here we go.

Next is lot 163,

which is the little brass and black enamel prismatic compass.

I'm bid £38 for it.

It's a phone line coming in.

Five, eight, 50.

At £50 here, on my left.

At £50.

Standing against the wall.

-Come on.

-Sell it for £50.

-£50.

-That's all right, isn't it?

-That's good.

-A lot better than 30. Yeah.

-I'm very pleased with that.

-Top end.

-So am I.

-I'm glad it might go to a good home.

I'm sure it will. There are lots of collectors...

Somebody who'll enjoy.

I'm a fan of our next lot, but is my passion going to be shared?

Belinda, thank you for bringing in some Troika.

-You know, it's one of my favourites, it really is.

-You're welcome.

It sums up that rugged Cornish coastline.

I'm a big fan of Benny Sirota and the team that put Troika together,

as we know. We've got two plaques, we've split them into two lots.

We've got the River Thames fish plaque.

-Interesting.

-Interesting.

I've not seen one of these come up for sale for a long, long time.

And we have possibly your favourite plaque.

The calculator one. I'd prefer that, myself.

The abstract-ness of it.

But right now we're going to try with the Thames plaque.

-OK.

-Originally,

Will put a value of £600 to £800 on the Troika with the River Thames design.

But Anthony and Belinda had a discussion.

It's now been reduced to 400 to 600.

This is it. Here we go. Let's see if we can get that £600 mark.

Next lot is the Troika pottery River Thames fish plaque.

There it is. £350 for that.

-At 350.

-350.

-£350.

At 370. 380. 390. 400.

And ten. At £410.

420.

At 420 now.

-Bidder in the room.

-430, then.

In the room. At 430.

Last chance, then, at 430.

That's 430 for the first lot.

We just got that away, didn't we?

Fingers crossed we get a bit more for the second.

-Fingers crossed.

-This is it.

Here we go. Let's see if we can get that £600 mark.

Here's another Troika pottery plaque.

A calculator pattern this time.

£350 for it.

At 350. At £350 against you all.

At 350.

Against you all. Including the internet.

-At 360. 370. 380. 390.

-The internet's coming now.

-One more.

-400.

At £400 here.

Online. At £400.

Are you all done, then, at £400?

-Last chance.

-That's surprising, isn't it?

£400, I'll sell it.

£400. We just got that away.

-Oh, never mind!

-Wow!

-Never mind.

-Not to worry.

-You'd think we'd get top money for it down here,

wouldn't you? You really would.

There was bidding online. Obviously, it had been spotted.

Sometimes you've just got to accept that maybe they've found their market value.

Of course. They're gone now.

Hopefully gone to a good home.

I do hope it has.

Now the items from the high seas.

Going under the hammer right now is some maritime memorabilia

belonging to Betty. And we like this story.

Originally taken in as one lot by our expert, Will,

we've separated the single-draw telescope, early 19th century,

and the swordfish rostra.

It's a shame about the damaged teeth.

The natural history buffs are real purists and they like things to be

perfect, as it sort of should be, in a way.

Wait till she tells you why they've got teeth missing!

We had a lot of fun sword-fighting with them as children.

-Sword-fighting, can you believe it?

-As kids.

-Yes.

-What fun!

-We were the third generation to do it, I think.

Do you know what, that is fun really, isn't it?

Until you get hit by one.

They're sharp. What about Great-Granddad's telescope?

-Why are you selling that?

-It's been in the drawer for about 125 years.

Definitely sees no ships in there.

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

-Yes.

-Going under the hammer right now.

This is it. Here's the first of the lots.

The single-draw brass telescope.

By Blackford & Imray in London.

Several bids. I'm bid exactly £60 for it.

Two bidders. 65. 70. Five. 80.

Five. At £85 now.

-At £85 on the left here.

-Wow.

You all finished at £85?

Done, then?

-£85.

-Wow.

Good result. Good result.

Right, the swordfish rostra.

Here we go.

There they are.

I'm bid several bids.

Again, they're all about the same.

I'm bid £65.

-That's better.

-70.

I'm bid 80. Five.

-At £85. 90.

-That's good.

-They're going to stay together.

-110.

120. 130. 130 here.

Another fiver, if you like. At £130.

Quite finished, then, at £130?

That was a great result, considering the damage.

-That's amazing!

-That's brilliant, isn't it?

-It is.

-Thank you for bringing them in and looking after them and being

-such a fun character.

-Looking after them?

You were. In a way.

So, £215 for those two lots.

Not bad at all. And the age of the rostra, which predates 1947,

means they could be sold at auction.

So, three lots down and three more to come later on in the programme.

But before we return to Powderham Castle to find some more treasures

to put under the hammer, I've been exploring Plymouth's impressive

maritime history. Along its 30-mile stretch of coastline,

it boasts a fishing port, a naval dockyard and, of course,

we can't forget the famous Elizabethan sailor,

Sir Francis Drake.

Plymouth, home to the largest naval base in Western Europe.

Fishing boats have landed their catch at these quays for centuries.

The harbours launched early navigators,

who built Plymouth's reputation as one of the greatest maritime cities

in the world.

Despite modernisation,

there's a great story to be told about its seafaring past.

Before the Blitz, which devastated much of old Plymouth during

the Second World War, many of the streets in the Barbican looked like this one.

The city prospered during the Elizabethan period,

thanks to the exploits of sea captains, merchants,

fishermen and privateers, who armed their ships

to fight Britain's enemies.

In fact, business was so brisk,

this new street was developed to house those

whose livelihoods were based around the harbour.

This is the Elizabethan House and it's one of just a handful of Tudor

properties that survived the bombing raids of the German air force during

the Second World War.

The mayor, back in 1584, called for these new homes to be built.

He came from a family of merchants and was a close friend of

Sir Francis Drake. The Devon-born navigator was one of the most famous seamen in the

Elizabethan era. It would be here in houses like this that captains and

merchants would plot the safest and the most profitable trade routes.

Just a stone's throw from the merchants' houses are the Mayflower Steps,

named after the vessel which took the Pilgrim Fathers to North America,

to begin a new life in 1620.

So, Plymouth has a long and illustrious claim on the maritime map.

But what has made it such a launchpad of global navigation?

I'm taking to the water with historian Dr Harry Bennett to find out.

So, what made Plymouth so capable of seafaring endeavours?

Plymouth Sound is one of the best natural anchorages you could possibly

hope for. It's a wonderful, wide expanse.

Problem is, in storms, it gets a little bit hairy.

So what happens in the early 19th century

is they build the Plymouth Breakwater.

It takes them decades to do that but as soon as you've got the

Plymouth Breakwater, it then provides you with protection from the Westerlies and

south-westerlies in particular...

Plymouth Sound is just the ideal anchorage.

It's a great naval port, a great place to call in out of the storms.

It makes Plymouth a central location for the projection of British sea power.

So, this must have been ideal for the Royal Navy.

How was that developing at the time?

During the 1500s, following the Armada,

there's a realisation that Britain's relations with France and Spain are

increasingly problematic.

So, in the 1600s,

it's actually decided it's necessary to build a dockyard somewhere in the

west to enable the Crown to actually cope with the threat from France and Spain.

What is the evidence of that legacy?

Throughout Plymouth Sound,

we can see fortifications everywhere, from the Tudor period to

literally the period of the Cold War, and right up to today.

Plymouth has got so much maritime heritage.

Some of it is being redeveloped for civilian purposes because, of course,

as the military have downsized, it's left a legacy of military buildings,

which are now being used.

The Royal William Yard is a classic example of the way in which military

buildings and infrastructure can be reused.

So that maritime identity, that maritime heritage,

is absolutely vital to Plymouth's sense of itself

and its place in the future.

If you look over there...

-Yeah.

-You'll see the hole in the wall there.

-I can, yeah.

The tunnel there. That was used for loading and unloading cattle,

which will be driven into the Royal William Yard,

where they would be processed to be turned into salt beef.

-Gosh!

-And then they'd come back the other way,

to be loaded on the Royal Navy ships to serve as provisions anywhere around the world.

Sure. You've got to feed the guys.

Absolutely! And it's a big enterprise by the 19th century.

It's a big navy.

And this is a stunning legacy to the days when Plymouth supplied

Royal Navy ships on an industrial scale.

The very impressive Royal William Yard.

It really says it all about Plymouth's maritime status.

And I love the architecture, I love that big clock up there,

which regulated and dominated the lives of the people who worked here.

Look at this! This is the Royal William Victualling Yard,

a self-contained food and drink manufacturing complex.

It was completed in the mid-1830s.

The 16-acres included a mill, bakery, brewery, and a slaughterhouse,

capable of dealing with 100 animals each day.

A workshop for making wooden storage barrels, and homes for officers.

The large basin could accommodate up to six vessels.

Now we know the name Samuel Pepys, famous for his diaries,

writing about life in the 17th century.

But he also did a lot to improve the Royal Navy,

working his way up to become Secretary to the Admiralty in 1673.

And he described the English sailor as loving his belly above anything else.

For the Navy, success in war and peace depended, to a huge degree,

on a good supply of food and drink.

So, this kind of facility was absolutely vital.

The Royal William Yard proved its worth throughout the 19th century.

But gradually, its role changed.

Instead of making pots and pans,

the buildings were increasingly used as storehouses.

The yard boosted its staff during the First and Second World Wars and

luckily survived the Blitz in 1941.

In 1992, the Royal Navy left.

Since then the yard has been redeveloped.

Cattle are no longer brought in through the sea wall and the barrel makers

are long gone. The Royal William Yard is finding a new role.

Where the ships once loaded, there is now a marina.

The yard is a lasting legacy to Plymouth's maritime heritage.

And where that big clock once dominated workers' lives,

there's now time to reflect and ponder over what was once a

vital powerhouse in Plymouth's naval influence.

Welcome back to Powderham Castle, where everything is shipshape.

And Captain Mark is at the valuation table.

Heather, where did you get such a beautiful clock?

Well, I inherited it from my mum

but she inherited it from her mum and dad.

Gosh, that's going back a bit, isn't it?

We've tried all sorts on the internet to try and find out more about it,

but we can't find out anything.

And if we look underneath here, we can see the trademark,

and Watcombe Pottery mark.

When I first saw it, I thought it was actually some sort of granite,

or marble. Because I like what they've done with the pottery.

They've decorated it to simulate a marble, or granite of some sort.

It looks like it's actually been carved rather than produced in a mould.

Then they've painted these wonderful flowers all by hand -

and all over the back as well.

The factory was founded in about 1869.

They employed an artistic director by the name of Charles Brooks,

who brought the factory up.

It's a very well-known factory.

Right throughout the West Country, we've had interest in pottery,

from Devon right down to Cornwall.

I think most people would know Watcombe as producing those sort of

holiday souvenirs. You know, with the little flowers and cottages,

and funny little sayings on it.

-We see a lot of those.

-We've got a few of those.

Have you? Those aren't terribly valuable.

Not like your clock!

I love these cherubs on the side.

They look really happy, don't they?

-Yes.

-The whole thing sits very comfortably.

Is it in fashion today?

-Not really.

-Well,

I don't think the Victorian period is in fashion but I think this might

buck the trend a little.

Because it's Watcombe and because it's an unusual piece by Watcombe,

this could well have been made for the London market and overseas market.

I think there'll be collectors around the world who might like it.

-Oh, right.

-You've got a key, as well, which is nice.

Does the clock work?

It did work.

Whether it's been over...

That'll be a no, then.

Not at the moment.

LAUGHTER

I think, hopefully,

it will be a minor piece of work that needs to be done to the movement, but I can

see people bidding on this,

so I'd like to try an estimate on it of around £200 to £300.

-Lovely!

-You like that?

-Yes.

We'll put a reserve of 200.

-Lovely!

-I think there might be collectors.

It's quite an important piece of Watcombe ware, I think,

and I really like it.

Well, time will tell.

It's off to auction, I think, isn't it?

Yes, yes.

-Thank you, Heather.

-Thank you, Mark.

In the grand dining room, Will's uncovered a collection dating back years.

Well, Jean, I must admit,

cigarette cards aren't my speciality or passion of mine but I must say

I've got to be impressed by your collection here.

Cos as well as what we have on the table,

you've also brought a bag full of little albums.

They're all completely full, aren't they?

-Yes.

-Tell me, have you spent your life collecting these, or...?

Not me. My husband's cousin collected those.

The ones in this album here?

Yes. And all the rest, my husband collected.

If you imagine that each one of these cards is a packet of

cigarettes, was he a smoker?

No, not at all. He never smoked at all.

He never smoked at all but collected the cigarette cards.

Well, he must have had a lot of friends that did.

I think he must have done, yes.

Well, in those days, it was the done thing, wasn't it?

Did you share his passion for cigarette cards?

Did he leaf through them of an evening?

No, no. He collected all of those before we were married.

-Oh! Did he?

-Yes.

-And then he had better things to do.

-Probably.

-Ha-ha!

-He had another distraction in his life.

-That's right.

You came along.

Well, he's held on to them...

He held on to them all that time.

I've picked a few out here that are my favourites.

Here we've got some Chinese...

characters in traditional costume, carrying out traditional roles.

Here we've got a farmer.

Here we've got... I think that's someone who's been a bit naughty.

He's in the Chinese version of stocks.

This chap with his sword looks like he's a very important,

perhaps imperial bodyguard.

Again, all of these beautifully created, beautifully printed.

Moving on to something completely different,

we've got these sailors and seamen, all with their various titles.

We've got a captain, a surgeon.

There we are, a bosun as well, with his whistle.

These as well. Of course, you know,

everyone likes a motorbike and an aeroplane.

Look at that! Miss England, off she goes.

And some battleships

as well as some of the liners as well, some well-known ones here,

I'm sure. The market is quite strong for this sort of thing at the moment.

-Oh, right.

-Do you have any idea of value?

No idea at all.

No. Well, I'm going to offer the collection as a whole.

I think 100 to 150.

Bearing in mind the album is included,

would you be happy with £50 as a reserve?

No, I think a little more.

-A little bit more. How about 70?

-Uh-hm.

Yes, I think that'll be fine.

As long as you're happy with the reserve at £70,

I'll fix the reserve at £70.

Hopefully, this collection is going to find a new lease of life,

a new home, and perhaps it will be leafed through every evening from

-now on.

-Lovely.

-Jean, it's been a pleasure talking to you.

-Thank you for coming along.

-Thank you.

Now, a mysterious object's been brought in and I want to try and

work out what it is.

What do you think this is?

Have a look at that.

It's heavy.

Who do you think used that and what was it used for?

I would say a carpenter.

-Yes. Chair maker.

-You've got the right action.

We all got that right action.

One of our experts said, possibly, it's a shipwright's tool,

for maybe sort of drawing, like a draw knife on the keel,

the side of the hull - because there's a blade there and a blade there.

-Can you feel that?

-Yes.

-Is it a tanner's tool?

Yes, yes, it is.

It's a tanner's tool. It's a fleshing knife.

So, you would put the hide over a log and you would draw this and you

would draw it and you'd keep turning it and then it could be called leather.

That's what it is. This dates to around 1860, 1870.

This is something from bygone days when everything was made by hand.

It's a lovely thing. So, there you go.

You got it. Congratulations!

There you go. You get a handshake.

Join the team.

In the music room, Mark's discovered something that would have kept

sailors busy on long voyages.

Tony, now I'm not an expert in these, but I think this might be a cribbage board.

-Correct.

-I mean, it's beautifully made, that's the first thing.

I don't think I've ever seen a double one.

Do you think that's for keeping your cards...

It could easily be, I think. Yes.

..you know? Can you tell me where you got it from?

In a mixed lot in an auction.

I paid something like £7, £10.

£7! It looks handmade to me.

-Yes.

-I think the way whoever's turned this brass work,

it's beautifully done. And I like it.

I like cribbage boards.

-They're very collectable. Do you collect them?

-I do, indeed.

-Yes.

-Do you?

-One of probably 250.

Are you mad?

Other people do think so.

200? Where do you keep them all?

In my bedroom, in a display cabinet.

They were made out of every conceivable material.

You know, you get 17th-century, 18th-century, 19th-century ones...

There's no end to a cribbage board.

I think the biggest price made is something like £20,000.

Good Lord. I hope you're not imagining...?

I'll get that out of the way straight away.

No. The interesting thing I like about this is, if we turn it over,

we've got some scratched writing underneath.

I can't quite make it out.

-Have you?

-Yeah.

I think it's Endecott.

RN. Royal Navy.

-And he's a deep-sea diver.

-Indeed.

And apparently, somewhere in Scotland.

-Inveraray, Scotland.

-Yeah.

He dived 300 feet.

In 1931.

So, do you think he made this as a

-ceremonial...

-No doubt.

-..thing?

"You know, I've got to commemorate this."

It's made of naval material.

-It is, isn't it?

-Brass and copper.

I think it's wonderful.

But how much is it worth?

I would have thought between 40 and 60.

Do you know, I can't believe this.

If all clients were like you.

That's what I was thinking. 40-60. 50-70, maybe.

It's an interesting enough piece.

Good collecting fields.

Not only people who collect cribbage boards but also people who collect

marine items, or maritime history.

And even people who collect things to do with divers.

So, we've got quite an interesting collecting group there.

I suppose we ought to think about a reserve.

What's the highest score we can have in crib?

I think it's 31.

A bit of an odd number for reserve, isn't it?

-What do you think?

-I think 25.

Let's put 25 on it, shall we?

I think it might surpass that.

In fact, I know it will surpass that.

It must do. Lovely, Tony. Thank you for bringing it in.

And I look forward to seeing you at the auction.

Thank you very much indeed.

This is where it gets exciting.

Don't go away. We could have that big one we're promising.

Anything can happen, you know that, in an auction.

Have you had a good time, everyone?

-Yes!

-Well, that's the main thing.

Without you, we could not make the show work.

Right, we're going to leave you with a quick reminder of all the items

we're taken with us.

There's an ornate clock from local makers Watcombe.

The varied collection of cigarette cards.

And the cribbage board with Royal Naval connections.

As we return to the saleroom,

it's all eyes on the auctioneer as our item that once belonged to a

deep-sea diver tests the market.

Why are you selling this one?

Well, I looked at the collection and I thought this is different.

I knew you were coming to Plymouth with its naval base.

So, this had a naval interest so I just thought it might sell well down here.

Good correlation, good link.

We like that. I haven't got a clue how to play cribbage.

I haven't...

No. No idea at all.

But I can see the fascination in collecting because they are

made out of every conceivable material.

At the valuation day, we had an estimate of 40-70.

And now we have a valuation of 30-50 with a reserve of £30.

So, we need to get £30.

It's got to do that, hasn't it?

We're going to find out right now.

Bronze and brass cribbage board.

There it is.

£20 bid for that. At £20?

£20. Two if you want it.

Two, five, eight, 30.

Two. £32.

Take five, at £32.

35 online.

38.

At £38.

In the room now.

All finished at 38?

Last chance at £38.

38, the hammer's going...

Well, there we are. It's over the reserve, isn't it?

Will there be another cribbage board coming now, with that sort of money?

-I think there could well be.

-LAUGHTER

Well, look, I hope you get lucky, OK.

I really do.

I'm sure he will.

And fingers crossed now for our next lot.

Going under the hammer right now we have that wonderful collection of

cigarette cards belonging to Jean.

We have our expert, Will, right here.

Sadly, Jean can't be with us today, but she is such a big "Flog It!" fan.

You know, she came all the way from Kent to Powderham Castle.

She was on holiday at the time. She tied it in with that, really.

-To come and see us.

-Good idea.

It's a long way to come to the auction.

It's too far. So, thumbs up.

We wish you all the best with this lot.

Here we go. Putting it to the test.

It's going under the hammer.

Here's a little collection of tea cards, and footballers,

and all sorts in that lot.

Quite a lot of it. Several bids but I'm bid £55.

At 55. 60, if you want them. At £55.

Against you all in the room. At £55, then.

-They're struggling here, Paul.

-At 55.

-They struggled.

-Not a sniff of a bid.

No, right. You're the expert.

I think you know what is needed now.

To get on the phone and talk to Jean.

I will. Well, actually, I'm not far from her.

-Maybe I could take them back with me.

-That's a good idea.

-Drop them in.

-And apologise.

-Yes!

LAUGHTER

What a shame. Jean, look out, Will's on his way.

Hopefully, our fortunes will turn

with the next lot, which should appeal to the local market.

Well, that's it. Time's up. No, it's not the end of the show.

Don't go and disappear and make a cup of tea.

Stay watching. We could have a big surprise.

Time is up for Heather's gorgeous Victorian clock.

Which has been mounted in Watcombe pottery.

South Devon clay and it's beautiful.

-So over the top, isn't it?

-It's completely Victoriana.

Weird. Yeah.

Cherubs, crocuses. Lovely. And it's unusual.

-I've never seen one.

-No.

So, we've put 200 to 300 on it.

And it's a stab in the dark, really.

See if it's going to fly.

And if it is going to sell, it is going to sell here down in the West Country where it belongs.

Let's face it.

We're going to give it a go for you.

Ready? Here we go.

Lot 267 is a Watcombe, South Devon. Glazed terracotta mantel clock,

unusual thing. And two bids.

-Great!

-I'm bid £220 for it.

Always so good. 220.

£220.

I'm bid 220, 230 now online.

At £230.

240.

There's some chap in the room...

260. 270. 280.

-This is good.

-290. 300.

And ten. 320.

330. 340. 350. 360.

-Yes, he is here.

-370.

380.

In the room at £380.

-380.

-At 380. 390.

Fresh bidding. 400.

410. 420. 430.

440. 450.

-You're in the money.

-460.

470. 480.

490. 500. And ten. 520.

It's going very well.

530. 540. 550.

560. 570. 580.

590. 600. 620.

630. 640. 650.

Oh, my God!

670. 680.

690. 700.

At £700.

Seated. I'll sell it at 700.

Heather! £700.

Brilliant!

Well, we didn't really do anything.

He did.

He found me...

-at the castle.

-Well, no, you turned up.

It was all about you turning up. We've all learned something here.

You see, we've not seen one for sale before and that's exactly what

they're worth. If you've got something like that,

we want to flog it for you. Heather, enjoyed it?

Yes, I have. Absolutely fabulous.

Can't speak.

And I hope you have as well.

Sadly, that's all the time we have but what a way to end.

And what a surprise. And we don't stop learning, that's the joy of this programme.

And hopefully, you carry on learning.

Join us again for many more surprises but, sadly, from Plymouth,

we have run out of time. It's goodbye.