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We've set our valuation tables up | 0:00:05 | 0:00:07 | |
inside the stunning, the magnificent St Albans Cathedral and Abbey | 0:00:07 | 0:00:11 | |
in the city that shares the same name, | 0:00:11 | 0:00:14 | |
in the county of Hertfordshire. | 0:00:14 | 0:00:15 | |
This church was named after a local man, | 0:00:15 | 0:00:17 | |
a brave man called Alban, who sacrificed himself | 0:00:17 | 0:00:20 | |
to save a Christian priest over 1,700 years ago, | 0:00:20 | 0:00:24 | |
and from that day onwards, people have been coming here to worship. | 0:00:24 | 0:00:27 | |
It's the oldest place of Christian worship in the country. | 0:00:27 | 0:00:30 | |
Now, we can only hope that somebody here in this magnificent queue | 0:00:30 | 0:00:33 | |
has brought along an antique that dates as far back as that. | 0:00:33 | 0:00:36 | |
Well, we live in hope, don't we? Welcome to Flog It!. | 0:00:36 | 0:00:40 | |
St Albans Cathedral and Abbey stands on the site | 0:01:00 | 0:01:03 | |
where Alban gave his life towards the end of the third century AD. | 0:01:03 | 0:01:08 | |
Inside, the cathedral houses a medieval shrine in his honour, | 0:01:08 | 0:01:12 | |
and pilgrims still come to worship and pray by it today. | 0:01:12 | 0:01:16 | |
The building itself has evolved over the centuries, | 0:01:17 | 0:01:20 | |
which is reflected in its mix of architectural styles, | 0:01:20 | 0:01:23 | |
from the Saxon period to the Normans, | 0:01:23 | 0:01:26 | |
through to its great Victorian restoration, | 0:01:26 | 0:01:29 | |
and the building of a 20th-century chapterhouse. | 0:01:29 | 0:01:32 | |
Well, this happy crowd seem eager to get inside to learn more | 0:01:35 | 0:01:38 | |
about the history of this magnificent building, | 0:01:38 | 0:01:41 | |
and, of course, to meet up with our experts, to pick their brains, | 0:01:41 | 0:01:44 | |
to ask that all-important question, which is...? | 0:01:44 | 0:01:47 | |
-ALL: -What's it worth? -And if you're happy with the valuation, | 0:01:47 | 0:01:50 | |
-what are you going to do? ALL: -Flog it! | 0:01:50 | 0:01:52 | |
Right, let's get inside. Come on, follow me, everyone. | 0:01:52 | 0:01:55 | |
Our experts are already hard at work, | 0:01:57 | 0:01:59 | |
and we haven't even got through the cathedral doors yet, | 0:01:59 | 0:02:02 | |
but James Lewis is already imparting his wisdom. | 0:02:02 | 0:02:06 | |
-Lovely shape, isn't it? -It is. -Yeah. | 0:02:06 | 0:02:10 | |
China is doing very well at the moment. Very well. | 0:02:10 | 0:02:14 | |
And it looks as though Claire Rawle may have spotted her first item. | 0:02:14 | 0:02:17 | |
That's quite an unusual cribbage board marker, isn't it, | 0:02:17 | 0:02:20 | |
with the little soldiers in it? | 0:02:20 | 0:02:21 | |
Don't think it's terribly old, is it? | 0:02:21 | 0:02:23 | |
It's quite nice, though, isn't it? It's quite fun. | 0:02:23 | 0:02:26 | |
So, is it round one to Claire, or is James still a contender? | 0:02:26 | 0:02:30 | |
Hello, James. What have you got there? | 0:02:30 | 0:02:32 | |
It's a boxing programme, Anglo-American. | 0:02:32 | 0:02:34 | |
-Oh, wow. -All signed. -OK. Boxing, hey? | 0:02:34 | 0:02:36 | |
-Is this going to turn into a fight, do you think? -It already has. | 0:02:36 | 0:02:39 | |
-HE LAUGHS -Oh, OK. -Do you want to find your own lot? Go on. | 0:02:39 | 0:02:42 | |
Yeah, all right, I'll go up here, shall I? | 0:02:42 | 0:02:44 | |
Whilst everyone pours into the breathtaking nave | 0:02:46 | 0:02:49 | |
of St Albans Cathedral and Abbey and makes themselves comfortable, | 0:02:49 | 0:02:54 | |
let's take a look at what's coming up later. | 0:02:54 | 0:02:57 | |
James comes across an unusual picture... | 0:02:57 | 0:03:00 | |
-Sand pictures. -Are they sand pictures? -Yeah. | 0:03:00 | 0:03:04 | |
Just feel that. | 0:03:04 | 0:03:06 | |
Oh, yes! | 0:03:06 | 0:03:08 | |
..and one owner gets some great news. | 0:03:08 | 0:03:11 | |
-Were you surprised at the valuation? -Extremely. | 0:03:11 | 0:03:14 | |
I thought they might have been about £100, or something. | 0:03:14 | 0:03:17 | |
Something along those lines. | 0:03:17 | 0:03:20 | |
And I'll be paying a visit here to Knebworth House, | 0:03:20 | 0:03:22 | |
a magnificent Grade II Tudor stately mansion, | 0:03:22 | 0:03:26 | |
probably best known for hosting its rock concerts. | 0:03:26 | 0:03:29 | |
I'm here to uncover a little-known story | 0:03:29 | 0:03:31 | |
about one of its bravest inhabitants, | 0:03:31 | 0:03:33 | |
Lady Constance Lytton, | 0:03:33 | 0:03:35 | |
who put her own wellbeing aside to stand up for her beliefs. | 0:03:35 | 0:03:38 | |
But before that, fortune is smiling on our crowd today | 0:03:42 | 0:03:45 | |
because they get to queue | 0:03:45 | 0:03:47 | |
here in the nave of St Albans Cathedral and Abbey, | 0:03:47 | 0:03:50 | |
and this nave is spectacular, isn't it? It's 85m in length, | 0:03:50 | 0:03:55 | |
it's the longest nave in the country, | 0:03:55 | 0:03:57 | |
and that is some view. | 0:03:57 | 0:03:59 | |
I'm in awe of this building. Not just its history, | 0:03:59 | 0:04:02 | |
not just the tales of bravery I hear, | 0:04:02 | 0:04:05 | |
but also looking at the images - | 0:04:05 | 0:04:07 | |
the wall paintings telling a story of Jesus's sacrifice, | 0:04:07 | 0:04:10 | |
many images of the Crucifixion | 0:04:10 | 0:04:12 | |
on all of these wonderful Gothic columns. | 0:04:12 | 0:04:16 | |
James Lewis gets our valuations off to a great start | 0:04:16 | 0:04:19 | |
with a tale of derring-do. | 0:04:19 | 0:04:21 | |
Alison, I have to say, you don't strike me as being a pipe smoker. | 0:04:23 | 0:04:26 | |
Let's have a look. Give it a go. | 0:04:26 | 0:04:28 | |
-HE LAUGHS -No, it's not you, is it? -No. | 0:04:30 | 0:04:33 | |
-Why have you got a pipe? -It belonged to my grandfather. -OK. | 0:04:33 | 0:04:36 | |
He was a pipe smoker and he had a collection of pipes. | 0:04:36 | 0:04:40 | |
-So, only one left in the family? -Well, yes. | 0:04:40 | 0:04:44 | |
-Nothing as carved as this. Just ordinary pipes, but... -Yeah. | 0:04:44 | 0:04:48 | |
-Why did he have this, do you know? -No idea. No, no. -OK. | 0:04:48 | 0:04:52 | |
-Do you know who he is? -No, I've no idea. | 0:04:52 | 0:04:54 | |
Well, it looks like an explorer. | 0:04:54 | 0:04:58 | |
That sort of woollen wrap around his head and the big goggles. | 0:04:58 | 0:05:01 | |
This guy, I think, is a chap called Frank Wild. | 0:05:01 | 0:05:04 | |
Now, Frank Wild was a great explorer. | 0:05:04 | 0:05:07 | |
He went on some of the biggest expeditions in British history. | 0:05:07 | 0:05:10 | |
The first one was on board Discovery with Scott in 1901 - | 0:05:10 | 0:05:14 | |
Scott's first Antarctic expedition. | 0:05:14 | 0:05:17 | |
Then he went with Shackleton in 1908. | 0:05:17 | 0:05:19 | |
-Luckily for him, he didn't go with Scott in 1912. -Right. | 0:05:19 | 0:05:23 | |
Otherwise, he may well have never returned. | 0:05:23 | 0:05:26 | |
But what he did do was go back on the trans-Antarctic journey in 1914, | 0:05:26 | 0:05:30 | |
and that was, of course, the expedition where | 0:05:30 | 0:05:34 | |
the ship was caught in the ice and they were out there for two years. | 0:05:34 | 0:05:38 | |
-Total disaster, but he made it back. -Right. | 0:05:38 | 0:05:40 | |
-So, that's who we think he is. -Mm. | 0:05:40 | 0:05:43 | |
I've done a bit of research. What do you think to him? | 0:05:43 | 0:05:47 | |
-Wow. -That's Frank Wild. -Wow. | 0:05:47 | 0:05:49 | |
Yeah, he had a beard rather than a moustache. | 0:05:50 | 0:05:53 | |
I guess, if they're going to do an image of him, | 0:05:53 | 0:05:56 | |
-they would have him wearing all the kit... -Smartened up, yes. | 0:05:56 | 0:05:59 | |
-..but they would smarten him up. -Yes, yes. | 0:05:59 | 0:06:01 | |
I think that's probably why we're looking at that. | 0:06:01 | 0:06:03 | |
-But I think that image is uncanny. I think it's got to be him. -Yes. | 0:06:03 | 0:06:08 | |
I've never seen a pipe like it. | 0:06:08 | 0:06:10 | |
In terms of value, if I said £40 to £60, | 0:06:10 | 0:06:13 | |
-would you be happy with that? -Mm, a little bit more. | 0:06:13 | 0:06:16 | |
-HE CHUCKLES -OK. | 0:06:16 | 0:06:18 | |
-Well, what are you thinking? -50 to 80? -Yeah? | 0:06:18 | 0:06:21 | |
-With a reserve of 50. -Are you happy with that? -Yes, that's fine. | 0:06:21 | 0:06:25 | |
-Do you know, I wouldn't be surprised if it made £100. -Right. | 0:06:25 | 0:06:30 | |
But then again, I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't sell at all. | 0:06:30 | 0:06:33 | |
-HE LAUGHS -It's one of those things that, | 0:06:33 | 0:06:35 | |
-in the right sale... -Yes. -..I think it would do very well. | 0:06:35 | 0:06:40 | |
-Let's take it along and see if it's the right sale. -OK. -Fingers crossed. | 0:06:40 | 0:06:44 | |
What a wonderful story. | 0:06:45 | 0:06:47 | |
Now, remember those charming games that Claire spotted in the queue? | 0:06:47 | 0:06:50 | |
It's time to take a closer look. | 0:06:50 | 0:06:53 | |
Richard and Barbara, it's lovely to see you today | 0:06:55 | 0:06:57 | |
in this magnificent, holy place. | 0:06:57 | 0:07:00 | |
And what have you brought in? Gambling items of vice! | 0:07:00 | 0:07:04 | |
My goodness, I hope we're not struck down in here. | 0:07:04 | 0:07:06 | |
Cribbage marker boards and some dominoes. | 0:07:06 | 0:07:08 | |
So, you tell me a bit about them. How did you get hold of them? | 0:07:08 | 0:07:11 | |
We got them in a car-boot. | 0:07:11 | 0:07:13 | |
We sometimes go to car-boots just to have a look around. | 0:07:13 | 0:07:16 | |
And we like quirky things, and it's just caught our eye. | 0:07:16 | 0:07:20 | |
So, how long ago did you find these? | 0:07:20 | 0:07:22 | |
About three-and-a-half, four years ago. | 0:07:22 | 0:07:24 | |
-What did you pay for them? -£20. -Oh, OK. Reasonable. Well done. | 0:07:24 | 0:07:28 | |
And do you play crib or dominoes? Have you used them at all? | 0:07:28 | 0:07:31 | |
-We do, sometimes, yeah. -Oh, OK. So, you understand crib, do you? | 0:07:31 | 0:07:34 | |
-Not crib, but dominoes. -Yes, I can do the dominoes! | 0:07:34 | 0:07:37 | |
-So, you've decided now you're going to part with them, or...? -Yeah. | 0:07:37 | 0:07:41 | |
-Yeah, yeah? -We've redecorated. -OK. | 0:07:41 | 0:07:43 | |
They don't really fit in with the decor any more, so... | 0:07:43 | 0:07:46 | |
-Oh, dear! -I know, everybody says it, but it's time, perhaps, | 0:07:46 | 0:07:48 | |
to move them on to somebody who really will enjoy them. | 0:07:48 | 0:07:51 | |
They've been cast off. They are very collectable. | 0:07:51 | 0:07:53 | |
Cribbage, as a game, has been around since the early 1600s. | 0:07:53 | 0:07:55 | |
It's an old game. Dominoes was more a sort of 18th-century game. | 0:07:55 | 0:07:59 | |
So, both games, actually, have been around for centuries, | 0:07:59 | 0:08:01 | |
and very, very widely played still today. | 0:08:01 | 0:08:04 | |
But these don't date, actually, from quite that early. | 0:08:04 | 0:08:07 | |
You're looking at, I think, a set that was probably made in the '70s, | 0:08:07 | 0:08:10 | |
late '70s, that sort of period. | 0:08:10 | 0:08:12 | |
The dominoes are made out of a type of plastic. | 0:08:12 | 0:08:15 | |
But what I really like are the little military figures... | 0:08:15 | 0:08:18 | |
-Quirky. -..because they are painted die-cast... -Yes. | 0:08:18 | 0:08:21 | |
-Right. -..like the Britain soldiers. | 0:08:21 | 0:08:23 | |
And I think they probably were made to be used with this set. | 0:08:23 | 0:08:26 | |
And, of course, these little chaps are the markers. | 0:08:26 | 0:08:28 | |
With crib, you have to move them up and down the board, don't you? | 0:08:28 | 0:08:31 | |
That's right, yes. | 0:08:31 | 0:08:32 | |
And then the person that gets back to the beginning is the winner. | 0:08:32 | 0:08:35 | |
So, I think they are actually quite collectable items. | 0:08:35 | 0:08:38 | |
But how about you, Barbara? | 0:08:38 | 0:08:40 | |
What do you think they might be worth? | 0:08:40 | 0:08:42 | |
I think we were thinking somewhere about £40 to £60, | 0:08:42 | 0:08:45 | |
-maybe, for them, hopefully. -OK, OK. | 0:08:45 | 0:08:47 | |
-Well, that seems quite sensible. -Yeah, yeah. | 0:08:47 | 0:08:49 | |
It's not a million miles away from what I was thinking. | 0:08:49 | 0:08:52 | |
I was pitching it a little bit lower - | 0:08:52 | 0:08:53 | |
maybe sort of 30 to 50. | 0:08:53 | 0:08:55 | |
Would you want to put a reserve on them to protect them on the day, | 0:08:55 | 0:08:58 | |
-do you think, perhaps? -I don't think so, no. | 0:08:58 | 0:09:00 | |
If someone will buy them at a reasonable price, | 0:09:00 | 0:09:03 | |
-and they'll go to someone who'll enjoy them. -Yeah, | 0:09:03 | 0:09:05 | |
they will go to a collector. That's very sensible of you | 0:09:05 | 0:09:08 | |
because I think they'll find their own price on the day at the auction. | 0:09:08 | 0:09:11 | |
I mean, that's what auctions are all about. | 0:09:11 | 0:09:13 | |
So, if we go forward with that estimate, | 0:09:13 | 0:09:14 | |
but perhaps leave them without a reserve? | 0:09:14 | 0:09:17 | |
-That's fine, yeah. -Excellent. It's been a pleasure seeing them, | 0:09:17 | 0:09:19 | |
and I look forward to seeing you at the auction. | 0:09:19 | 0:09:22 | |
Now, James has found a decorative piece that is just as pleasing. | 0:09:23 | 0:09:27 | |
We are here in this magnificent building, | 0:09:27 | 0:09:31 | |
surrounded by some of the earliest sculptures in stone, | 0:09:31 | 0:09:35 | |
with wonderful carving everywhere, | 0:09:35 | 0:09:37 | |
and you've brought your own little bit of wonderful carving, | 0:09:37 | 0:09:40 | |
and I love it! | 0:09:40 | 0:09:42 | |
-There's one thing about this, Rosemary. -Mm-hm? | 0:09:42 | 0:09:44 | |
The combination of bronze and white marble | 0:09:44 | 0:09:48 | |
that tells us a particular date. | 0:09:48 | 0:09:50 | |
-Any ideas? -I thought it was late 19th century. | 0:09:50 | 0:09:55 | |
-I think it's slightly later than that. -Is it? Oh, right. | 0:09:55 | 0:09:58 | |
Looking at her, the way her hair is, her features, I think she's 1920s. | 0:09:58 | 0:10:03 | |
Oh, right. Fair enough, yeah. | 0:10:03 | 0:10:05 | |
When I see marble and bronze together, | 0:10:05 | 0:10:08 | |
I think it's a wonderful, wonderful combination. | 0:10:08 | 0:10:10 | |
This came from my grandmother. | 0:10:10 | 0:10:12 | |
-When I was a little girl, I absolutely loved her... -Right. | 0:10:12 | 0:10:15 | |
..cos I thought she had such a pretty face and lovely hair, | 0:10:15 | 0:10:17 | |
and she was very tactile. | 0:10:17 | 0:10:19 | |
-When she died, it was left to me. -Oh! -Yeah. | 0:10:19 | 0:10:23 | |
So, she knew you loved her, at that time? | 0:10:23 | 0:10:25 | |
Yeah, absolutely. Very, very pretty. Very, very pretty little woman. | 0:10:25 | 0:10:28 | |
Have you had a good look over her for a mark, a signature? | 0:10:28 | 0:10:31 | |
Yeah, I can't find any marks or anything on her at all. | 0:10:31 | 0:10:35 | |
-How long have you had her? -1963. | 0:10:35 | 0:10:38 | |
Ah. Well, there's a signature. | 0:10:38 | 0:10:39 | |
-Good grief! -HE CHUCKLES | 0:10:42 | 0:10:44 | |
And it says G Merlin, | 0:10:44 | 0:10:47 | |
and he's signed it on the marble base, | 0:10:47 | 0:10:50 | |
which was something that was very fashionable | 0:10:50 | 0:10:52 | |
in the 1920s and '30s, especially in France. | 0:10:52 | 0:10:56 | |
And it's an artist that does come up in the salerooms occasionally, | 0:10:56 | 0:11:01 | |
but comes up in various forms and various sizes. | 0:11:01 | 0:11:05 | |
Whenever you're looking at a female form from this period, | 0:11:05 | 0:11:08 | |
bearing in mind the '20s was quite a risque time, | 0:11:08 | 0:11:11 | |
they were making lots of nudes and nude dancers, scantily clad, | 0:11:11 | 0:11:17 | |
the odd bit of material here and there, | 0:11:17 | 0:11:20 | |
hardly concealing anything. | 0:11:20 | 0:11:23 | |
Those, as I'm sure you can imagine, are the most popular of all of them. | 0:11:23 | 0:11:27 | |
So, as soon as you've got a bronze and marble combination like this, | 0:11:27 | 0:11:32 | |
where she's almost pensive, | 0:11:32 | 0:11:35 | |
and, as you say, could almost have been 19th century... | 0:11:35 | 0:11:39 | |
-Yeah. -..in her pose, | 0:11:39 | 0:11:41 | |
-then they're not worth such a lot. -Oh, right. | 0:11:41 | 0:11:43 | |
So, the same artist can command different prices. | 0:11:43 | 0:11:46 | |
And in terms of valuation, these figures, these busts make, | 0:11:46 | 0:11:51 | |
week in, week out, £200 to £300, something like that. | 0:11:51 | 0:11:55 | |
Occasionally, they sort of fall at 150, | 0:11:55 | 0:11:58 | |
-but I wouldn't want to see her make that. -OK. | 0:11:58 | 0:12:00 | |
-So, if we said £180 firm reserve... -Right. -..would you be happy? | 0:12:00 | 0:12:05 | |
-Absolutely, yes. -Sure? -Yeah, positive. -Great, let's do it. | 0:12:05 | 0:12:08 | |
Yeah, that's great. Lovely. Thank you very much. | 0:12:08 | 0:12:11 | |
A Flog It! valuation day is a great experience. | 0:12:11 | 0:12:14 | |
Why not come along and find out what your items are worth? | 0:12:14 | 0:12:17 | |
Now, it's over to Claire's table. | 0:12:17 | 0:12:19 | |
Well, Alan, we're in this ancient historical site | 0:12:19 | 0:12:23 | |
and what do you bring in? Science fiction! | 0:12:23 | 0:12:26 | |
-Wonderful! So, were these yours? -They were my son's. | 0:12:26 | 0:12:29 | |
-Right. -And they come from... In the '70s, I bought them. | 0:12:29 | 0:12:32 | |
-Does he know you're here? -He does now. -Oh, OK. | 0:12:32 | 0:12:35 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:12:35 | 0:12:37 | |
-Have you got a lot more of these at home? -Yes, a loft full. | 0:12:37 | 0:12:40 | |
Oh, right, OK. I have a sneaking suspicion, though, | 0:12:40 | 0:12:43 | |
-you actually quite like them yourself. -I do, actually. | 0:12:43 | 0:12:47 | |
The thing is, with toys, they're a very nostalgic thing, | 0:12:47 | 0:12:50 | |
so people tend to buy into things they remember playing with. | 0:12:50 | 0:12:54 | |
It does also make you feel rather old | 0:12:54 | 0:12:56 | |
when suddenly toys you played with | 0:12:56 | 0:12:58 | |
become collectors' items, I can tell you. | 0:12:58 | 0:13:01 | |
Now, with robots, they really started making robots in the '50s, | 0:13:01 | 0:13:05 | |
so it's the '50s ones that make far more, whereas you say this is 1970s. | 0:13:05 | 0:13:09 | |
-Yes. -He's Japanese made, which a lot of them were. -Yeah. | 0:13:09 | 0:13:14 | |
-Battery operated, and he does work. -Yes. | 0:13:14 | 0:13:17 | |
-So he wanders forward. Quite fun. Ooh, I say, he's flashing. -Yes. | 0:13:20 | 0:13:24 | |
But the nice thing is, you have the box. | 0:13:24 | 0:13:26 | |
-Now, the box - not looking too good. -No. | 0:13:26 | 0:13:29 | |
-But you've got the box and it's complete. -Yes. | 0:13:29 | 0:13:33 | |
There are people that collect robots and people that love Doctor Who. | 0:13:33 | 0:13:36 | |
So, here we have Doctor Who game, | 0:13:36 | 0:13:39 | |
and you obviously looked after it well because, hey presto, | 0:13:39 | 0:13:42 | |
-it's pretty well complete, isn't it? -Oh, yes, it is, yes. | 0:13:42 | 0:13:46 | |
So, we have our silver Daleks and our gold Daleks, | 0:13:46 | 0:13:49 | |
-all with plungers attached. -Yes. -OK. | 0:13:49 | 0:13:53 | |
No bits missing, presumably all the counters and things. | 0:13:53 | 0:13:56 | |
And I assume that you just parade them round the... | 0:13:56 | 0:13:58 | |
-Yes, you go round there. -..round the track. | 0:13:58 | 0:14:00 | |
And Doctor Who has been such a cult show for so long. | 0:14:00 | 0:14:03 | |
I mean, I remember watching it when I was quite small, a long time ago. | 0:14:03 | 0:14:07 | |
So, there is a big collecting market for Doctor Who | 0:14:07 | 0:14:10 | |
so, again, a very collectible item. | 0:14:10 | 0:14:12 | |
-You've obviously decided to sell them. -I have. | 0:14:12 | 0:14:16 | |
-I think we need to talk value. -Please. -OK, so the robot. | 0:14:16 | 0:14:20 | |
He's a little bit later, so he's not going to be hundreds of pounds. | 0:14:20 | 0:14:23 | |
-I think £60 to £80, £50 reserve. -Mm-hm. -Is that good? | 0:14:23 | 0:14:28 | |
-Yes, that's fine. -Excellent. | 0:14:28 | 0:14:30 | |
However, Daleks, I think this is actually quite unusual. | 0:14:30 | 0:14:33 | |
I haven't seen this game before and I certainly haven't seen | 0:14:33 | 0:14:36 | |
anything so complete as this and, again, it's Doctor Who. | 0:14:36 | 0:14:40 | |
-I think this will be a bit more. -Oh, right. | 0:14:40 | 0:14:42 | |
-I think it's going to be £80 to £120. -Good God. | 0:14:42 | 0:14:44 | |
And I'd put a £70 reserve on it. Is that good? | 0:14:44 | 0:14:47 | |
-That's fine, yes. -Excellent. Right, well, I can't resist it. | 0:14:47 | 0:14:50 | |
-Shall I set him going again? -Go on. | 0:14:50 | 0:14:52 | |
-He gets a bit excited. -He does, yes. -Argh! | 0:14:52 | 0:14:55 | |
SHE LAUGHS | 0:14:55 | 0:14:57 | |
I'm glad you're having fun, Claire! | 0:14:57 | 0:14:59 | |
Before we head off the auction, | 0:14:59 | 0:15:01 | |
there's something I'd like to show you. | 0:15:01 | 0:15:04 | |
The ancient Romans improved the quality of life for many Britons | 0:15:14 | 0:15:17 | |
by introducing luxuries and comforts, such as central heating, | 0:15:17 | 0:15:20 | |
but they also brought lively entertainment too, | 0:15:20 | 0:15:23 | |
in places such as this theatre. | 0:15:23 | 0:15:26 | |
Verulamium's Roman theatre, | 0:15:28 | 0:15:30 | |
the remains of which are in St Albans today, | 0:15:30 | 0:15:33 | |
was built around 140 AD and is unique in Britain, | 0:15:33 | 0:15:37 | |
as it's the only one of its kind to have a stage. | 0:15:37 | 0:15:40 | |
All others are amphitheatres. | 0:15:40 | 0:15:43 | |
Roman performers strutting around the stage would have worn masks | 0:15:45 | 0:15:48 | |
very much like this one. However, that's not an ancient Roman mask. | 0:15:48 | 0:15:53 | |
It is Romanesque in style, | 0:15:53 | 0:15:54 | |
but it's a modern creation made by a local theatre company, | 0:15:54 | 0:15:57 | |
here in St Albans, called Trestle, who have adopted | 0:15:57 | 0:16:01 | |
the ancient practice of mask-wearing into their performance. | 0:16:01 | 0:16:04 | |
They've made it their own, they've made it unique. | 0:16:04 | 0:16:07 | |
Trestle is over 30 years old. | 0:16:13 | 0:16:15 | |
It was formed in 1981 as a touring theatre company | 0:16:15 | 0:16:19 | |
who worked with masks and other forms of physical theatre. | 0:16:19 | 0:16:23 | |
Nearly 20 years later, they gave up their nomadic existence | 0:16:27 | 0:16:30 | |
when they moved into this converted hospital chapel in St Albans, | 0:16:30 | 0:16:34 | |
which they named the Trestle Arts Base. | 0:16:34 | 0:16:36 | |
Trestle are one of the first touring theatre companies | 0:16:36 | 0:16:39 | |
to create their own home, and they've been here ever since. | 0:16:39 | 0:16:42 | |
I'm meeting artistic director Emily Gray | 0:16:49 | 0:16:51 | |
to find out more about the company | 0:16:51 | 0:16:53 | |
and, hopefully, get my hands on some of their extraordinary masks. | 0:16:53 | 0:16:58 | |
So, tell me, how do you incorporate | 0:16:59 | 0:17:01 | |
the ancient performance of mask-using in your work? | 0:17:01 | 0:17:04 | |
Masks were obviously used right back at the beginning of theatre, | 0:17:04 | 0:17:06 | |
so the Greeks used masks. They used them to seem bigger than life, | 0:17:06 | 0:17:10 | |
-so people could play gods, men could play women. -Sure. | 0:17:10 | 0:17:14 | |
Massive amphitheatres, you could see the characters. | 0:17:14 | 0:17:17 | |
Then the Romans used them. They took them from the Greeks | 0:17:17 | 0:17:21 | |
and they started making much more stock characters of masks, | 0:17:21 | 0:17:24 | |
so you'd start to recognise the hero character or the villain | 0:17:24 | 0:17:29 | |
and that then developed into the 16th-century commedia dell'arte. | 0:17:29 | 0:17:32 | |
-Sure. -So, the half-mask characters, | 0:17:32 | 0:17:34 | |
and they became terribly popular across Europe. | 0:17:34 | 0:17:37 | |
When we use our masks, | 0:17:37 | 0:17:38 | |
they're also very, very strong characters that come in. | 0:17:38 | 0:17:41 | |
And the whole idea of the performance is, it's very immediate. | 0:17:41 | 0:17:44 | |
It's about engaging your audience. There's no fourth wall there. | 0:17:44 | 0:17:47 | |
It's the audience and the masks, | 0:17:47 | 0:17:48 | |
so it's all about eyeballing that audience, improvising with them. | 0:17:48 | 0:17:53 | |
I like this chap. He's a mohican, sort of, a punk. Look at that. | 0:17:53 | 0:17:58 | |
-This is Maurice the Mohican. Get his mohican to stand up properly. -Ah! | 0:17:58 | 0:18:03 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:18:03 | 0:18:04 | |
And he is one of our oldest masks, so he's from the early '80s, | 0:18:04 | 0:18:08 | |
-of course the era of punk. -He's brilliant. -He's brilliant. | 0:18:08 | 0:18:11 | |
He was in a show called Hanging Around, | 0:18:11 | 0:18:14 | |
which took place on a park bench | 0:18:14 | 0:18:15 | |
and it had your punk and your Boy Scout and your mod. | 0:18:15 | 0:18:19 | |
It was very '80s. | 0:18:19 | 0:18:21 | |
These masks here are from the older shows | 0:18:21 | 0:18:24 | |
and from the performances, where there's huge detail | 0:18:24 | 0:18:27 | |
in the character in these. | 0:18:27 | 0:18:29 | |
These ones are more for our educational work. | 0:18:29 | 0:18:31 | |
There are eight of these masks, the basic masks, | 0:18:31 | 0:18:34 | |
-and they're very clear expressions, almost cartoon. -They are. | 0:18:34 | 0:18:37 | |
We all know that this guy is happy. | 0:18:37 | 0:18:39 | |
And then you get the slightly more complicated set, | 0:18:39 | 0:18:41 | |
the intermediate ones, who have a bit more going on in them, | 0:18:41 | 0:18:44 | |
-a bit more expression in there. -There's a worried look there. -Yes. | 0:18:44 | 0:18:48 | |
Then we get to the advanced masks, | 0:18:48 | 0:18:50 | |
so these are more like the show masks. | 0:18:50 | 0:18:52 | |
-That's a bit more getting towards a human face. -I can see that, yeah. | 0:18:52 | 0:18:56 | |
The most recent ones we've created are actually these ones. | 0:18:56 | 0:18:59 | |
-These ones talk to you, you see. Ha-ha! -Oh, yes! | 0:18:59 | 0:19:02 | |
So, that's a devil, that's the devil mask. | 0:19:02 | 0:19:05 | |
I'm pleased you did that, not me. | 0:19:05 | 0:19:08 | |
For years, we didn't speak as a company, you see. | 0:19:08 | 0:19:10 | |
-It was completely mimed, then? -Yeah, completely. No sound. | 0:19:10 | 0:19:14 | |
Which meant we could travel anywhere and people understood us | 0:19:14 | 0:19:17 | |
anywhere we went. There was no basis in language. | 0:19:17 | 0:19:19 | |
But with these half masks, we can look at Shakespearean archetypes, | 0:19:19 | 0:19:23 | |
we look at the Greeks, we can do storytelling more, | 0:19:23 | 0:19:26 | |
so these are very fun | 0:19:26 | 0:19:28 | |
-cos they obviously bring in the voice. -They do. | 0:19:28 | 0:19:31 | |
Alongside Trestle's professional performances | 0:19:32 | 0:19:35 | |
and their educational work, the company also makes sets of masks | 0:19:35 | 0:19:39 | |
from their studio in the Trestle Arts Base, | 0:19:39 | 0:19:41 | |
which are then sold all over the world. | 0:19:41 | 0:19:44 | |
Joseph, who works in the studio, is showing me how they are made. | 0:19:44 | 0:19:48 | |
We take this resin mould and we put it in the vacuum former. | 0:19:51 | 0:19:56 | |
So that gets lowered in. Then we take a piece of plastic... | 0:19:58 | 0:20:01 | |
..heat it up... | 0:20:04 | 0:20:06 | |
PAUL LAUGHS | 0:20:10 | 0:20:13 | |
-Then give it a knock on the head so... -Sure. -..the mould falls out. | 0:20:14 | 0:20:18 | |
And then we'll go over here and cut it out. | 0:20:18 | 0:20:20 | |
So we do the eye holes and then the elastic holes | 0:20:27 | 0:20:30 | |
and then that's it done for this... | 0:20:30 | 0:20:34 | |
-And then you get creative. -Mm-hm. -Come on, let's do it. -OK. | 0:20:34 | 0:20:37 | |
Talk me through what happens next. | 0:20:39 | 0:20:41 | |
What we do next is cut these out | 0:20:41 | 0:20:44 | |
cos they've not really got a good shape at the moment. | 0:20:44 | 0:20:47 | |
That's very quick. | 0:20:47 | 0:20:49 | |
-That's taken off all the rough edges there. -Who do you sell these to? | 0:20:50 | 0:20:53 | |
We primarily sell to schools and drama groups and things like that. | 0:20:53 | 0:20:57 | |
-All over the world. -All over the world, yeah. | 0:20:57 | 0:20:59 | |
We send internationally as well as the UK. | 0:20:59 | 0:21:02 | |
-And how many of these do you make a day, then? -A day? | 0:21:02 | 0:21:04 | |
-The record's probably about 100 masks in a day. -I'm very impressed. | 0:21:04 | 0:21:08 | |
-Right, I want to decorate one. Can I decorate one? -Sure. | 0:21:08 | 0:21:11 | |
OK, this is the mischievous mask in the basic set | 0:21:11 | 0:21:14 | |
-and this is what it will look like when it's finished. -OK. | 0:21:14 | 0:21:18 | |
A bit more blue. | 0:21:21 | 0:21:23 | |
-How's that? -It looks good. -Is that all right? -Yeah, it looks good. | 0:21:27 | 0:21:30 | |
It's nearly there, isn't it? | 0:21:30 | 0:21:32 | |
The only thing now we need to do | 0:21:32 | 0:21:34 | |
is put some elastic on it and it's ready to go. | 0:21:34 | 0:21:37 | |
Right, here's my mask. It's nearly dry. | 0:21:37 | 0:21:41 | |
I think, before I leave here, | 0:21:41 | 0:21:43 | |
I should give it a test drive, don't you? | 0:21:43 | 0:21:45 | |
And Emily has kindly agreed to run through one of her workshops. | 0:21:45 | 0:21:49 | |
So now it's time to dim those lights. | 0:21:49 | 0:21:52 | |
I'm going to pop this on you. | 0:21:54 | 0:21:56 | |
You're going to look at me, not look at the audience yet. | 0:21:56 | 0:21:59 | |
Here's your hat. Here we go. | 0:21:59 | 0:22:01 | |
Great. Round I go. And let's see you. Hello! | 0:22:01 | 0:22:06 | |
Ha-ha! Are you going to say hello to everybody? | 0:22:06 | 0:22:08 | |
Look at all your audience here. There we go. | 0:22:08 | 0:22:11 | |
How are you feeling today? Show me in your body how you're feeling. | 0:22:11 | 0:22:14 | |
Oh, look who's here. Look who's here. | 0:22:14 | 0:22:17 | |
Um, so you have been very naughty, haven't you? I know. | 0:22:18 | 0:22:22 | |
You've really upset her. Are you going to say sorry? | 0:22:22 | 0:22:25 | |
Oh, look, he's going to say sorry to you. Is that...? | 0:22:25 | 0:22:28 | |
Do you believe him? No. | 0:22:30 | 0:22:32 | |
You need to apologise, show us that you're really, really sorry. | 0:22:32 | 0:22:35 | |
And I want to see you being really true to... | 0:22:35 | 0:22:39 | |
Oh, are you going to have a hug? Oh. Oh, how lovely. | 0:22:39 | 0:22:44 | |
They could be together. Happy? Good. Oh, you're excited now. | 0:22:44 | 0:22:49 | |
Really happy! Really happy, great, great. | 0:22:49 | 0:22:52 | |
Let's see you together in a final pose. | 0:22:52 | 0:22:54 | |
Looking happy together! | 0:22:54 | 0:22:56 | |
Oh, careful of him. Careful there. There we go. Hoorah! Well done. | 0:22:56 | 0:23:01 | |
We've had a brilliant day so far. | 0:23:09 | 0:23:11 | |
I've got my favourites, you've probably got yours. | 0:23:11 | 0:23:14 | |
Let's find out what the bidders think. | 0:23:14 | 0:23:15 | |
While we make our way over to the saleroom, | 0:23:15 | 0:23:17 | |
here's a quick recap, just to jog your memory, | 0:23:17 | 0:23:19 | |
of all the items we're taking with us. | 0:23:19 | 0:23:22 | |
James believed that Alison's wooden pipe | 0:23:24 | 0:23:27 | |
may have been fashioned on the intrepid polar explorer Frank Wild, | 0:23:27 | 0:23:30 | |
but what will the bidders make of it? | 0:23:30 | 0:23:33 | |
Will the domino and cribbage sets, with their die-cast soldiers, | 0:23:33 | 0:23:37 | |
march away at the auction room? | 0:23:37 | 0:23:39 | |
Rosemary's always loved her 1920s marble and bronze bust, | 0:23:40 | 0:23:45 | |
but now it's time for this pretty lady to find a new home. | 0:23:45 | 0:23:49 | |
Dragged out of the attic, Alan's 1970s robot and Daleks board game | 0:23:51 | 0:23:56 | |
are sure to exterminate some bids in the saleroom. | 0:23:56 | 0:23:59 | |
We are staying in Hertfordshire for our sale, | 0:24:03 | 0:24:06 | |
but are relocating to the small town of Tring, | 0:24:06 | 0:24:08 | |
which borders the Chiltern Hills. | 0:24:08 | 0:24:10 | |
As well as attracting visitors | 0:24:10 | 0:24:12 | |
who want to explore the nearby countryside, | 0:24:12 | 0:24:14 | |
this pretty market town has another draw - | 0:24:14 | 0:24:17 | |
the beautiful Victorian Tring Natural History Museum. | 0:24:17 | 0:24:21 | |
Hopefully, the bidders will find our lots as enticing | 0:24:23 | 0:24:26 | |
as the nearby attractions, | 0:24:26 | 0:24:27 | |
as we head over to Tring Market Auctions, | 0:24:27 | 0:24:30 | |
where Stephen Hearn is on the rostrum. | 0:24:30 | 0:24:33 | |
Remember, whether you're buying or selling, at every auction, | 0:24:33 | 0:24:36 | |
there is always commission and VAT to pay. Here, sellers pay | 0:24:36 | 0:24:40 | |
between 10% and 15%. First under the hammer | 0:24:40 | 0:24:45 | |
is the 1920s bust. | 0:24:45 | 0:24:47 | |
Rosemary, good luck. I love Rosemary's lot. It's so pretty. | 0:24:47 | 0:24:50 | |
It's a combination of marble and bronze. | 0:24:50 | 0:24:52 | |
It's a beautiful, beautiful little bust. | 0:24:52 | 0:24:54 | |
Now, will we get that £200 to £300, and why are you selling it? | 0:24:54 | 0:24:58 | |
I'm selling it because, if it sells, | 0:24:58 | 0:25:02 | |
I'd like to put money towards an antique cat. | 0:25:02 | 0:25:06 | |
-An antique cat? -I like cats. I collect cats. | 0:25:06 | 0:25:09 | |
Ooh, a bronze cat? Something like that? | 0:25:09 | 0:25:10 | |
Possibly. Depending. | 0:25:10 | 0:25:12 | |
-Do you have real cats, as well? -Oh, I have real cats. | 0:25:12 | 0:25:14 | |
-You're a cat lover? -Oh, yes. -Oh! Well, good luck. -Thank you. | 0:25:14 | 0:25:18 | |
-Good luck. -Thank you! -It's going under the hammer now. | 0:25:18 | 0:25:21 | |
That's a bit different, that one, isn't it? It's a rather nice one. | 0:25:23 | 0:25:26 | |
Inscribed by Merlin. There it is. | 0:25:26 | 0:25:29 | |
Alabaster, probably 1920s, something like that. | 0:25:29 | 0:25:32 | |
A couple of hundred pounds for it? 200 for it? 150 for it? Yes. Surely! | 0:25:32 | 0:25:37 | |
Yes? 60? 70? | 0:25:37 | 0:25:39 | |
80? 90 now. | 0:25:39 | 0:25:42 | |
Yes? 190, we've got. | 0:25:42 | 0:25:44 | |
Are we going to be...? That's 200, we're bid now. | 0:25:44 | 0:25:46 | |
200, thank you. 210, yes or no? 210, I have. | 0:25:46 | 0:25:51 | |
220, is it? At 220. | 0:25:51 | 0:25:53 | |
-Getting there. Crawling. -Come on, Rosemary. -And 30? | 0:25:53 | 0:25:56 | |
And 40? Is it 240? | 0:25:56 | 0:25:59 | |
And 50 now. Is it going to be 60? | 0:26:00 | 0:26:04 | |
Sure? 250 has it, then. | 0:26:04 | 0:26:06 | |
-Brilliant, brilliant! -Good. -And you are out. £250, then. | 0:26:06 | 0:26:12 | |
-Yes! £250. -Brilliant. -Mid-estimate. | 0:26:12 | 0:26:15 | |
Do you know, that was beautiful, wasn't it? It was quality. | 0:26:15 | 0:26:17 | |
-And as we always say on the show, quality always sells. -Mm. | 0:26:17 | 0:26:22 | |
Well done, you. | 0:26:22 | 0:26:23 | |
That result should go a good way towards an antique cat for Rosemary. | 0:26:23 | 0:26:28 | |
Next, let's see if we can make a decent profit | 0:26:28 | 0:26:31 | |
for Richard and Barbara on their cribbage and domino games, | 0:26:31 | 0:26:34 | |
which they bought for £20 at a car-boot sale. | 0:26:34 | 0:26:38 | |
Fingers crossed we get these away top end of the estimate. | 0:26:38 | 0:26:40 | |
You see, the thing is, there's no reserve. | 0:26:40 | 0:26:42 | |
I know they're going to sell, | 0:26:42 | 0:26:43 | |
but I really like to see things with reserves, | 0:26:43 | 0:26:46 | |
and I know it's an auctioneer thing. | 0:26:46 | 0:26:47 | |
-You're confident, though, aren't you? -Yes, yeah. | 0:26:47 | 0:26:49 | |
Well, they're just quirky items, unusual. | 0:26:49 | 0:26:51 | |
-If you like playing games, it's great, isn't it? -Yeah. | 0:26:51 | 0:26:54 | |
We're walking a tightrope here. You know that, don't you? | 0:26:54 | 0:26:57 | |
Let's hope we get to the other side. | 0:26:57 | 0:26:58 | |
Here we go. It's going under the hammer now. | 0:26:58 | 0:27:00 | |
Right, now we've got a domino stand. Rather nice, those. | 0:27:01 | 0:27:05 | |
And a cribbage board with the guardsmen. | 0:27:05 | 0:27:08 | |
Are we going to get 60 for it? | 0:27:08 | 0:27:09 | |
Or 50? Or 40? | 0:27:09 | 0:27:11 | |
-We've got 40 for it. -Yes! | 0:27:11 | 0:27:14 | |
-40? Excellent! -Have we got 50? Yes? | 0:27:14 | 0:27:17 | |
-50? I've got 50. And five now, then. -Great. | 0:27:17 | 0:27:21 | |
If there's no more, then, at £50, then it's going. The room's out. | 0:27:21 | 0:27:25 | |
It's going down and I shall sell it for the £50, then. | 0:27:25 | 0:27:28 | |
Thank you very much. | 0:27:28 | 0:27:29 | |
-£50. Brilliant. Well done. -That's great. -We got the top end. | 0:27:29 | 0:27:33 | |
Who was worried about no reserve? THEY LAUGH | 0:27:33 | 0:27:36 | |
What a great profit on a car-boot bargain. | 0:27:36 | 0:27:39 | |
Finally, remember that pipe | 0:27:39 | 0:27:41 | |
which James thought might be the explorer Frank Wild? | 0:27:41 | 0:27:44 | |
Well, it's time for it to go under the hammer. | 0:27:44 | 0:27:47 | |
-It was your grandad's or your dad's? -Yes, Grandad's. | 0:27:47 | 0:27:50 | |
-It was Grandad's. He collected pipes, didn't he? -Yes. | 0:27:50 | 0:27:52 | |
-You don't want it any more? You're decluttering? -Yes. -OK. | 0:27:52 | 0:27:54 | |
Anyway, look, good luck, both of you. | 0:27:54 | 0:27:56 | |
This is going under the hammer now. | 0:27:56 | 0:27:57 | |
A pipe, the wooden bowl carved as an explorer. | 0:27:59 | 0:28:03 | |
Is he one of the Arctic explorers? There you are. | 0:28:03 | 0:28:06 | |
Are we going to get to £100 for it, or £50? | 0:28:06 | 0:28:09 | |
Yes, we'll get to 50, won't we? | 0:28:09 | 0:28:11 | |
Yes. 50, I'm bid, then. | 0:28:11 | 0:28:13 | |
And five for you? And 60? And five? And 70? | 0:28:13 | 0:28:17 | |
And five? At £80, we're bid. 85? 90? Five? 100? | 0:28:17 | 0:28:22 | |
£100, then. 100, I'm bid. | 0:28:22 | 0:28:24 | |
-Well, this is good. -Yes. -110? And 20? | 0:28:24 | 0:28:27 | |
110's got it, then. | 0:28:27 | 0:28:29 | |
£110. Thank you. | 0:28:29 | 0:28:32 | |
-Yes! Hammer's gone down 110. -Yeah. | 0:28:32 | 0:28:34 | |
-I was thinking around 70 to 80. -I think that's a great price for it. | 0:28:34 | 0:28:36 | |
-100 - top price, top price. -Very good, yes. | 0:28:36 | 0:28:38 | |
Right, our next lot - well, we've got two lots coming up - | 0:28:41 | 0:28:44 | |
will suit all you modern-day collectable enthusiasts. | 0:28:44 | 0:28:47 | |
It's 20th-century modern. We've got a robot, 1970s robot, | 0:28:47 | 0:28:50 | |
and a Daleks board game belonging to Alan, who can't be with us. | 0:28:50 | 0:28:53 | |
Grandad's not here, but we've got the grandchildren, | 0:28:53 | 0:28:56 | |
Anya and Ashley. | 0:28:56 | 0:28:57 | |
-Yes. -OK, I'd be playing with this robot, if I was you. | 0:28:57 | 0:28:59 | |
I'd be thinking, "Grandad, I want that robot for later on in life," | 0:28:59 | 0:29:02 | |
-because that will look great... -No... | 0:29:02 | 0:29:05 | |
-Didn't want a robot? -No, I don't want a robot. | 0:29:05 | 0:29:07 | |
I'd go for the robot and not the Daleks game. What about you? | 0:29:07 | 0:29:10 | |
Definitely Daleks. I'm a massive Whovian. | 0:29:10 | 0:29:13 | |
Right, it's going under the hammer right now. | 0:29:13 | 0:29:15 | |
We're going to find out what everyone thinks of the robot. | 0:29:15 | 0:29:17 | |
Here we go. | 0:29:17 | 0:29:19 | |
A battery-operated super robot. | 0:29:20 | 0:29:22 | |
How about that? £100 for him? 100? | 0:29:22 | 0:29:24 | |
Or 50? Yes. 60. 70. 80. | 0:29:24 | 0:29:28 | |
Let's go like a robot. | 0:29:28 | 0:29:30 | |
90. 100. And 10. And 20. | 0:29:30 | 0:29:32 | |
-Wow. -30. | 0:29:32 | 0:29:34 | |
130 for him, then. He's going for £130. | 0:29:34 | 0:29:37 | |
GAVEL BANGS | 0:29:37 | 0:29:39 | |
-That went quickly. -Yes! | 0:29:39 | 0:29:41 | |
One down, one to go. If this one doesn't sell, I will exterminate. | 0:29:41 | 0:29:45 | |
There you are. War of the Daleks. | 0:29:47 | 0:29:49 | |
40 perhaps? 30 perhaps? | 0:29:49 | 0:29:52 | |
Yes! 30 I'm bid for the Daleks. At 30 we're bid now. | 0:29:52 | 0:29:55 | |
Are you going to be 5, sir? | 0:29:55 | 0:29:57 | |
And 40. And 5. We close at £45. 50 perhaps? | 0:29:57 | 0:30:02 | |
No? At £45, then. | 0:30:02 | 0:30:05 | |
-Ah! No Doctor Who fans here. -I thought it would have done more. | 0:30:05 | 0:30:08 | |
But you said you'd like that one. | 0:30:08 | 0:30:11 | |
Yeah, I wish I'd brought money with me now. | 0:30:11 | 0:30:14 | |
But, hey, you can take it home with you. | 0:30:14 | 0:30:16 | |
Thank you anyway for standing in for him. | 0:30:16 | 0:30:18 | |
Well, there you are. | 0:30:20 | 0:30:21 | |
We're coming back here later on in the show, so don't go away. | 0:30:21 | 0:30:24 | |
We could have that big surprise. | 0:30:24 | 0:30:26 | |
But before I head back to the valuation day, | 0:30:26 | 0:30:28 | |
while we're here in the area, | 0:30:28 | 0:30:30 | |
I took a trip to the beautiful Knebworth House, | 0:30:30 | 0:30:32 | |
which is about 20 miles from here. | 0:30:32 | 0:30:34 | |
Knebworth House is an architectural masterpiece. | 0:30:44 | 0:30:46 | |
It dates from the Tudor period, | 0:30:46 | 0:30:48 | |
though you'd be forgiven for thinking it was built much later, | 0:30:48 | 0:30:51 | |
as the original 16th-century red brick | 0:30:51 | 0:30:54 | |
was concealed beneath turrets, domes, gargoyles | 0:30:54 | 0:30:57 | |
and stained glass in the 19th century, | 0:30:57 | 0:31:00 | |
which turned this stately home into a Gothic Victorian fantasy. | 0:31:00 | 0:31:05 | |
But however fascinating the architecture is, | 0:31:10 | 0:31:13 | |
Knebworth is best known | 0:31:13 | 0:31:14 | |
as one of the country's premier concert venues. | 0:31:14 | 0:31:17 | |
Over 100 major artists have played here | 0:31:17 | 0:31:20 | |
since the estate threw open its gates in 1974, | 0:31:20 | 0:31:25 | |
with kings and queens of pop and rock topping the bill, | 0:31:25 | 0:31:28 | |
such as the Rolling Stones, Ella Fitzgerald and Queen. | 0:31:28 | 0:31:32 | |
But I'm not here to admire this architectural treat | 0:31:32 | 0:31:36 | |
or delve into Knebworth's past rock history. | 0:31:36 | 0:31:39 | |
I'm here to learn more about a story of one of its past residents. | 0:31:39 | 0:31:42 | |
In the early part of the 20th century, | 0:31:42 | 0:31:44 | |
Lady Constance Lytton put her own health at risk | 0:31:44 | 0:31:47 | |
to stand up for what she passionately believed in - | 0:31:47 | 0:31:50 | |
the right for women to vote. | 0:31:50 | 0:31:52 | |
During the second part of the 19th century, | 0:31:55 | 0:31:58 | |
women in the United Kingdom began campaigning for women's suffrage, | 0:31:58 | 0:32:02 | |
the right of women to stand for electoral office and to vote. | 0:32:02 | 0:32:07 | |
Lady Constance Lytton, who spent her formative years here | 0:32:07 | 0:32:10 | |
in the sumptuous surroundings of Knebworth House, | 0:32:10 | 0:32:13 | |
played a vital role in the movement. | 0:32:13 | 0:32:16 | |
To find out more, I'm meeting Clare Fleck, | 0:32:16 | 0:32:18 | |
who has been Knebworth's trusted archivist for over 20 years. | 0:32:18 | 0:32:22 | |
What type of person was Lady Constance? | 0:32:22 | 0:32:26 | |
Well, she was born into an aristocratic family, | 0:32:26 | 0:32:28 | |
so very privileged lifestyle. | 0:32:28 | 0:32:30 | |
And some of the things she'd done would have been quite conventional | 0:32:30 | 0:32:33 | |
for a young lady, such as her watercolours. | 0:32:33 | 0:32:35 | |
She did watercolour art. | 0:32:35 | 0:32:37 | |
She was also very musical. She was a sensitive soul, very shy. | 0:32:37 | 0:32:41 | |
Didn't like the public aspects of her upbringing. | 0:32:41 | 0:32:44 | |
She played the piano beautifully, | 0:32:44 | 0:32:46 | |
would loved to have been a professional pianist. | 0:32:46 | 0:32:48 | |
There's some lovely cartoons by her brother-in-law, | 0:32:48 | 0:32:52 | |
Edwin Lutyens, of her playing the piano here. | 0:32:52 | 0:32:54 | |
And she loved doing ordinary things. | 0:32:54 | 0:32:56 | |
She liked to do what she calls in her diaries "house-maiding". | 0:32:56 | 0:33:01 | |
She loved cleaning, she loved flower-arranging, | 0:33:01 | 0:33:03 | |
doing the accounts, mending hats, mending her clothes. | 0:33:03 | 0:33:07 | |
She was a very practical person. | 0:33:07 | 0:33:09 | |
She didn't like the posh side of life. | 0:33:09 | 0:33:11 | |
How did Lady Constance get involved in the suffragette movement? | 0:33:11 | 0:33:15 | |
In 1908, she met the suffragettes | 0:33:15 | 0:33:19 | |
through helping with the girls' club that she was helping to run | 0:33:19 | 0:33:22 | |
with a little inheritance of her own, | 0:33:22 | 0:33:25 | |
and she was invited to go with them to a seaside house for a holiday. | 0:33:25 | 0:33:28 | |
There were two strong suffragettes there who suggested she join them. | 0:33:28 | 0:33:33 | |
But she didn't just willy-nilly say, "Yes, that's for me." | 0:33:33 | 0:33:37 | |
She went away, she read the literature | 0:33:37 | 0:33:39 | |
and made a conscious decision that, yes, this was a very valid cause | 0:33:39 | 0:33:42 | |
and that she would join the suffragettes. | 0:33:42 | 0:33:45 | |
There were two different lines of attack | 0:33:45 | 0:33:47 | |
in the fight for votes for women. | 0:33:47 | 0:33:49 | |
The first was represented by the National Union of Women's Suffrage, | 0:33:49 | 0:33:53 | |
which used only peaceful means of protest, | 0:33:53 | 0:33:56 | |
whereas the Women's Social and Political Union | 0:33:56 | 0:33:59 | |
used militant and sometimes even violent means | 0:33:59 | 0:34:03 | |
to get its message across. | 0:34:03 | 0:34:05 | |
So, she decided to join the cause, | 0:34:05 | 0:34:07 | |
but it was a while before she actually signed up | 0:34:07 | 0:34:09 | |
to the Women's Social and Political Union, | 0:34:09 | 0:34:11 | |
which was the militant side of the cause. | 0:34:11 | 0:34:13 | |
Con decided that the militant way was the way she could make her mark. | 0:34:13 | 0:34:17 | |
But she was never violent in a serious way. | 0:34:17 | 0:34:21 | |
She'd throw stones at a car or break a window - | 0:34:21 | 0:34:23 | |
minor violence just to attract attention | 0:34:23 | 0:34:25 | |
-and ultimately get arrested. -And she did. -She did. | 0:34:25 | 0:34:28 | |
The first demonstration she went on took her by surprise | 0:34:28 | 0:34:31 | |
cos it was a very violent business. | 0:34:31 | 0:34:33 | |
She was pushed and shoved and squeezed by the police, | 0:34:33 | 0:34:36 | |
and she was not strong herself. | 0:34:36 | 0:34:38 | |
She had a weak heart and never had strong health, | 0:34:38 | 0:34:41 | |
so it was really a traumatic experience for her, | 0:34:41 | 0:34:43 | |
but this is what she wanted. | 0:34:43 | 0:34:45 | |
She wanted to be involved with the ordinary suffragettes. | 0:34:45 | 0:34:47 | |
-Did she spend time in prison? -Oh, certainly. | 0:34:47 | 0:34:50 | |
Altogether, she had four imprisonments. | 0:34:50 | 0:34:52 | |
The first time, in 1910, she went to Holloway | 0:34:52 | 0:34:54 | |
and she wasn't treated as an ordinary suffragette. | 0:34:54 | 0:34:57 | |
-She was Lady Constance Lytton... -Yeah. | 0:34:57 | 0:34:59 | |
..so she had preferential treatment, her health was checked, | 0:34:59 | 0:35:02 | |
so her heart - her weak heart - was identified, | 0:35:02 | 0:35:05 | |
and she was put on the hospital wing, which she didn't want. | 0:35:05 | 0:35:08 | |
She had two imprisonments like that, | 0:35:08 | 0:35:09 | |
and for her third occasion, she took drastic action. | 0:35:09 | 0:35:12 | |
She went well away from London, | 0:35:12 | 0:35:14 | |
disguised herself as a working seamstress, as Jane Warton. | 0:35:14 | 0:35:17 | |
She even rejoined the WSPU as Jane Warton. | 0:35:17 | 0:35:21 | |
So, when she was arrested there, | 0:35:21 | 0:35:23 | |
-Jane Warton's health wasn't checked. -Mm. | 0:35:23 | 0:35:25 | |
She was an ordinary prisoner, a third-degree prisoner, | 0:35:25 | 0:35:28 | |
and went on the ordinary wing. So, when she went on hunger strike, | 0:35:28 | 0:35:32 | |
she was then brutally force-fed, as the suffragettes were. | 0:35:32 | 0:35:36 | |
That's what she wanted, but it was a brutal process. | 0:35:36 | 0:35:39 | |
She had ill-health afterwards, but went on working for the cause. | 0:35:39 | 0:35:42 | |
She worked in the headquarters of WSPU, went on lecturing. | 0:35:42 | 0:35:45 | |
Even though she felt she was a very poor speaker, | 0:35:45 | 0:35:48 | |
she really inspired people through her lectures and talks. | 0:35:48 | 0:35:51 | |
So, how did Constance's story end? | 0:35:51 | 0:35:53 | |
Did she know that she made a big contribution and a big difference? | 0:35:53 | 0:35:58 | |
I think she appreciated her part because she wrote a book, | 0:35:58 | 0:36:01 | |
a very moving book called Prison & Prisoners. | 0:36:01 | 0:36:03 | |
We've got a copy, which is an account of, it says here, | 0:36:03 | 0:36:07 | |
"Some personal experiences by Lady Constance Lytton | 0:36:07 | 0:36:10 | |
"and Jane Warton, spinster." | 0:36:10 | 0:36:12 | |
-She's got both sides. -Absolutely. -Yeah. | 0:36:12 | 0:36:14 | |
It's the story of her part in the "votes for women" cause, | 0:36:14 | 0:36:18 | |
her prison experiences. It also tells us a lot about her. | 0:36:18 | 0:36:21 | |
The book, which was very popular - | 0:36:21 | 0:36:23 | |
the first 2,000 edition was sold out within a week, | 0:36:23 | 0:36:26 | |
and it was published internationally... | 0:36:26 | 0:36:28 | |
And, again, it shows us not just prison conditions. | 0:36:28 | 0:36:31 | |
She can see the best side of anything. | 0:36:31 | 0:36:33 | |
Well, she died relatively young, in her 50s. | 0:36:33 | 0:36:36 | |
Yes, she was only 53, and I'm sure that the fight that she took part in | 0:36:36 | 0:36:41 | |
contributed to her ill-health and her early death. | 0:36:41 | 0:36:43 | |
Was she alive to see women get the vote? | 0:36:43 | 0:36:46 | |
To some extent. She died in 1923. | 0:36:46 | 0:36:49 | |
In 1918, women over the age of 30 had got the vote, | 0:36:49 | 0:36:52 | |
-so she did see that. -Yes, yeah. | 0:36:52 | 0:36:53 | |
In fact, in her book, there's a very touching piece | 0:36:53 | 0:36:56 | |
written in her own hand, and she says, | 0:36:56 | 0:36:58 | |
"February 1918. By the Representation of the People Act, | 0:36:58 | 0:37:02 | |
"about six million women of 30 years of age | 0:37:02 | 0:37:04 | |
-"obtained the parliamentary vote." -That's brilliant. | 0:37:04 | 0:37:07 | |
But full suffrage didn't come to women till 1928, | 0:37:07 | 0:37:09 | |
and, of course, she'd been dead five years by then. | 0:37:09 | 0:37:11 | |
A sad story, but a wonderful story and a wonderful woman. | 0:37:11 | 0:37:14 | |
The casket holding Lady Constance's ashes | 0:37:16 | 0:37:19 | |
rests here in this mausoleum on the Knebworth family estate. | 0:37:19 | 0:37:23 | |
And from everything that I've learned about Constance today, | 0:37:23 | 0:37:26 | |
I think the epitaph written here is rather apt. | 0:37:26 | 0:37:29 | |
Just listen to this. "A celestial sense of humour, | 0:37:29 | 0:37:32 | |
"boundless sympathy, a rare musical talent. | 0:37:32 | 0:37:36 | |
"She devoted the later years of her life | 0:37:36 | 0:37:38 | |
"to the political enfranchisement of women | 0:37:38 | 0:37:40 | |
"and sacrificed her health and her talents | 0:37:40 | 0:37:43 | |
"in helping to bring victory to this cause." | 0:37:43 | 0:37:47 | |
Today, Constance is still remembered | 0:37:48 | 0:37:51 | |
because every year, in March, on International Women's Day, | 0:37:51 | 0:37:54 | |
a group of women make the journey here | 0:37:54 | 0:37:56 | |
to pay tribute to Constance's bravery | 0:37:56 | 0:37:59 | |
and contribution towards the suffragette movement. | 0:37:59 | 0:38:02 | |
Back at St Albans Cathedral and Abbey, | 0:38:08 | 0:38:10 | |
our valuation day is still in full swing | 0:38:10 | 0:38:12 | |
with hundreds of people queueing to see our experts. | 0:38:12 | 0:38:16 | |
And we're not finished with the suffragette theme just yet, | 0:38:17 | 0:38:21 | |
as Claire has come across a pair of mementos from the cause. | 0:38:21 | 0:38:25 | |
Helen, I love these. | 0:38:27 | 0:38:29 | |
Now, we've actually seen a lot of religious figures here today, | 0:38:29 | 0:38:33 | |
but these are from a totally different movement, aren't they? | 0:38:33 | 0:38:36 | |
-Oh, yes. -So, tell me a bit about them, | 0:38:36 | 0:38:39 | |
-what you know about them. -Well, all I know is that | 0:38:39 | 0:38:43 | |
my mother-in-law gave them to me about 15 years ago. | 0:38:43 | 0:38:48 | |
I can't say that I really like them | 0:38:48 | 0:38:50 | |
cos they're not particularly attractive, | 0:38:50 | 0:38:53 | |
and I can't find a use for them, | 0:38:53 | 0:38:55 | |
but I do know that they are meant to be suffragettes. | 0:38:55 | 0:38:59 | |
They're actually hallmarked Chester 1908, | 0:38:59 | 0:39:03 | |
which is not long after Emmeline Pankhurst founded | 0:39:03 | 0:39:05 | |
the suffragette movement in 1903. | 0:39:05 | 0:39:08 | |
So, very, very much of the period. | 0:39:08 | 0:39:10 | |
They're made by a very interesting firm | 0:39:10 | 0:39:12 | |
called Saunders and Shepherd, | 0:39:12 | 0:39:14 | |
who actually originally mounted mourning jewellery. | 0:39:14 | 0:39:17 | |
-Whitby. The old Whitby jet. -Oh, yeah, yeah. | 0:39:17 | 0:39:19 | |
-And they're little novelty salt and pepper shakers... -Yeah. | 0:39:19 | 0:39:23 | |
..in the form of two suffragette ladies. | 0:39:23 | 0:39:25 | |
-They're made of silver. -Yeah. -Solid silver. | 0:39:25 | 0:39:28 | |
And then you've got like little panels front and back, | 0:39:28 | 0:39:30 | |
wearing the poke bonnets, | 0:39:30 | 0:39:32 | |
and the little holes are made in the back of the bonnets | 0:39:32 | 0:39:35 | |
for the salt and pepper to be shaken from. | 0:39:35 | 0:39:37 | |
-And then you've got some rather unattractive faces in there. -Yes. | 0:39:37 | 0:39:40 | |
Yes. Very simple arms and rather shapeless figures, as well. | 0:39:40 | 0:39:43 | |
Suffragettes, at that time, were depicted in illustrations, | 0:39:43 | 0:39:47 | |
postcards, anything, as rather ugly, manly women. | 0:39:47 | 0:39:52 | |
Not the sort of feminine, attractive woman | 0:39:52 | 0:39:54 | |
that would look after her home and her husband | 0:39:54 | 0:39:56 | |
and not be bothered about things like voting. | 0:39:56 | 0:39:59 | |
You know, they were depicted as ugly. They were ridiculed. | 0:39:59 | 0:40:02 | |
They had to go through all that. | 0:40:02 | 0:40:03 | |
And the boards, front and back, | 0:40:03 | 0:40:05 | |
actually did have lettering on them, which you can just see. | 0:40:05 | 0:40:09 | |
-But you know what it says, don't you? -Yes. -Yes. | 0:40:09 | 0:40:11 | |
The salt has "votes for women" written on, | 0:40:11 | 0:40:16 | |
and the pepper has "I can make it hot for you". | 0:40:16 | 0:40:20 | |
-I mean, obviously, you've got the pepper making it hot. -Yes. | 0:40:20 | 0:40:23 | |
But also, it's a reflection on their feeling, | 0:40:23 | 0:40:26 | |
"Yes, we can make it hot for you. We'll make it difficult for you. | 0:40:26 | 0:40:29 | |
"We'll make you give us the vote." Because it was a huge struggle. | 0:40:29 | 0:40:33 | |
So, these ladies represent something | 0:40:33 | 0:40:35 | |
-that was amazingly important, really, in history. -Yeah. | 0:40:35 | 0:40:38 | |
However, we need to talk about value. | 0:40:38 | 0:40:41 | |
They are very collectable. | 0:40:41 | 0:40:43 | |
They're novelty condiments and there are people who collect them, | 0:40:43 | 0:40:46 | |
but it's the fact they're suffragettes | 0:40:46 | 0:40:47 | |
-that's going to give them their value. -Yeah. | 0:40:47 | 0:40:49 | |
I think, easily, we should estimate them | 0:40:49 | 0:40:52 | |
at 1,000 to 1,500 because the singles will make 700 or 800. | 0:40:52 | 0:40:58 | |
-Fair. -I think that's a very conservative estimate, | 0:40:58 | 0:41:00 | |
if you're happy with that. | 0:41:00 | 0:41:01 | |
And I would certainly put £1,000 reserve on them, | 0:41:01 | 0:41:04 | |
-perhaps with a bit of discretion. -OK. | 0:41:04 | 0:41:06 | |
-It's so unusual to find the pair. -Yeah. | 0:41:06 | 0:41:08 | |
And they're in good condition | 0:41:08 | 0:41:10 | |
and they're just so beautifully collectable, | 0:41:10 | 0:41:13 | |
-I really, really think. So, do you think that's good? -I do. | 0:41:13 | 0:41:17 | |
-Worth getting them out of the box for? -I'm surprised. | 0:41:17 | 0:41:19 | |
-Are you? -Very surprised, yes. -Oh, OK. | 0:41:19 | 0:41:20 | |
Well, that's always nice when it works that way. | 0:41:20 | 0:41:23 | |
-Well, let's hope they do something. -I'm sure they will. | 0:41:23 | 0:41:26 | |
Over on James's table, it looks as though he's in for a surprise too. | 0:41:26 | 0:41:30 | |
-Now, Lesley, this is a real first for me on Flog It!. -Is it, James? | 0:41:31 | 0:41:34 | |
Because what generally happens is, | 0:41:34 | 0:41:36 | |
I go out in the lines first thing in the morning | 0:41:36 | 0:41:38 | |
and we look at everyone queueing outside | 0:41:38 | 0:41:40 | |
-and we delve into people's bags. And I saw you in the queue... -Yes. | 0:41:40 | 0:41:43 | |
-..but I didn't see this. -No. -I have no idea what's in this. | 0:41:43 | 0:41:48 | |
"Miss Clarissa Crancher, June 1844." | 0:41:48 | 0:41:52 | |
Wow! | 0:41:52 | 0:41:53 | |
-Oh, look at these. Sand pictures. -Are they sand pictures? -Yeah. | 0:41:53 | 0:41:58 | |
Just feel that. | 0:41:58 | 0:42:01 | |
Oh, yes! | 0:42:01 | 0:42:02 | |
Now, this would have been so fashionable at its time. | 0:42:02 | 0:42:06 | |
What is this? "Shanklin Chine." | 0:42:06 | 0:42:09 | |
"Bonchurch Church." | 0:42:09 | 0:42:11 | |
OK, now, sand pictures were made fashionable | 0:42:11 | 0:42:15 | |
by a chap called Zobel, who would paint these massive pictures of, | 0:42:15 | 0:42:19 | |
a lot of the time, farm scenes, cattle, out of sand. | 0:42:19 | 0:42:22 | |
It's literally, as we did when we were kids, | 0:42:22 | 0:42:25 | |
get a piece of paper, put some glue on it | 0:42:25 | 0:42:27 | |
and sprinkle some coloured sand on. | 0:42:27 | 0:42:29 | |
-And that's exactly the way they did these. -Ah. | 0:42:29 | 0:42:31 | |
-Aren't they brilliant? -Mm. -Right, OK. | 0:42:31 | 0:42:34 | |
There was a huge fashion for these scrapbooks | 0:42:34 | 0:42:37 | |
from the late 18th century. | 0:42:37 | 0:42:42 | |
-Tell me, what's the family history? -None. | 0:42:42 | 0:42:45 | |
-My mother bought it at a boot sale. -Really? -Yes, about 20 years ago. | 0:42:45 | 0:42:50 | |
And this, she would have loved it. | 0:42:50 | 0:42:52 | |
She did love it and, you know, it was right up her street. | 0:42:52 | 0:42:56 | |
One of the interesting things about these | 0:42:56 | 0:42:58 | |
is that we look at them today with a very different eye, | 0:42:58 | 0:43:02 | |
and we look at that and think, "Oh, isn't that amazing? | 0:43:02 | 0:43:05 | |
"What a wonderful hand." | 0:43:05 | 0:43:07 | |
But, of course, in the 18th century and the 19th century, | 0:43:07 | 0:43:10 | |
almost every member of the middle classes was taught how to paint... | 0:43:10 | 0:43:14 | |
-Oh, right. -..and how to sing... -Oh. -..and how to draw. | 0:43:14 | 0:43:17 | |
It wasn't till the 1920s and '30s, when we had radio, | 0:43:17 | 0:43:21 | |
that that sort of skill was lost. | 0:43:21 | 0:43:23 | |
And, of course, today, it's the computer game and telly, | 0:43:23 | 0:43:27 | |
-so we haven't got very many skills left at all. -No, I'm afraid not. | 0:43:27 | 0:43:30 | |
-Not in this way, anyway. -No. | 0:43:30 | 0:43:32 | |
-Any idea of value? -None at all. None at all. | 0:43:32 | 0:43:36 | |
A lot of these are split up and sold as individual objects, | 0:43:36 | 0:43:41 | |
individual sand pictures. | 0:43:41 | 0:43:43 | |
But I have to say, in the last sort of ten years, | 0:43:43 | 0:43:45 | |
there's been a change and an appreciation of this | 0:43:45 | 0:43:48 | |
as an actual object, so I'm hoping that somebody will buy this | 0:43:48 | 0:43:52 | |
and actually love it for what it is. In terms of valuation, | 0:43:52 | 0:43:56 | |
I think there's a lot in there that's really nicely done. | 0:43:56 | 0:43:59 | |
There are quite a lot of also-rans, as well. | 0:43:59 | 0:44:02 | |
So, I think, let's concentrate on the good, | 0:44:04 | 0:44:06 | |
and I think, if we add those up, | 0:44:06 | 0:44:08 | |
I think that's going to be worth an estimate of 100 to 150. | 0:44:08 | 0:44:13 | |
May well make 200. | 0:44:13 | 0:44:15 | |
But I think, if we put a reserve on it, | 0:44:15 | 0:44:17 | |
-the reserve is going to be £100. -That's fine. | 0:44:17 | 0:44:19 | |
-That's what I'd recommend, if that's OK with you. -Absolutely fine. | 0:44:19 | 0:44:22 | |
-Lovely. -Yes, very pleased with that. -Thank you. -Thank you, James. | 0:44:22 | 0:44:24 | |
Here's another interesting item with Claire. | 0:44:24 | 0:44:28 | |
-Well, Fran, Martinware - it's not everyone's cup of tea, is it? -No. | 0:44:29 | 0:44:34 | |
-But I think this is actually quite pretty. -I love it. | 0:44:34 | 0:44:36 | |
And I do have to correct myself - it's not actually a teapot. | 0:44:36 | 0:44:39 | |
-I think it's a coffee pot. -Right. -However... | 0:44:39 | 0:44:41 | |
-So, are you a collector of it? -No, we're not. | 0:44:41 | 0:44:43 | |
We collect Lambeth - Doulton Lambeth. | 0:44:43 | 0:44:46 | |
But my husband bought me this about 20, 30 years ago | 0:44:46 | 0:44:49 | |
because it was very pretty, because it's lovely, | 0:44:49 | 0:44:51 | |
-because it's got birds on it. -Ah. | 0:44:51 | 0:44:53 | |
-So, you're a bird person, are you? -A bird lover, yes. -Oh, right. | 0:44:53 | 0:44:56 | |
And, actually, the colour of the glaze isn't that dissimilar, is it? | 0:44:56 | 0:44:59 | |
-No, it's quite soft. -Yes, yes. It's quite a nice piece. | 0:44:59 | 0:45:03 | |
Do you know much about the Martin Brothers? | 0:45:03 | 0:45:05 | |
I don't know anything about them at all, | 0:45:05 | 0:45:07 | |
-except that there were lots of them. -There were four. | 0:45:07 | 0:45:09 | |
-Very eccentric. -Yes? Ooh! -Extraordinary potters, really, | 0:45:09 | 0:45:13 | |
and working at a time where art studio pottery | 0:45:13 | 0:45:15 | |
was really quite in vogue. | 0:45:15 | 0:45:17 | |
Although this is a fairly conservative item for them | 0:45:17 | 0:45:21 | |
because they're better known, perhaps, | 0:45:21 | 0:45:24 | |
in the world of sort of exciting antiques, | 0:45:24 | 0:45:26 | |
-for the big wally birds. -Big, chunky birds. -Huge birds, | 0:45:26 | 0:45:29 | |
great beaks, which actually were supposed to be caricatures | 0:45:29 | 0:45:32 | |
of prominent people at the time, | 0:45:32 | 0:45:34 | |
although it's not always easy to discern who they are. | 0:45:34 | 0:45:36 | |
-So, it's made by Martin Brothers. -Yes. | 0:45:36 | 0:45:38 | |
You can tell that from decoration, but actually, | 0:45:38 | 0:45:40 | |
it's very clearly marked underneath. | 0:45:40 | 0:45:42 | |
-They always incised the base in the clay when it was still wet. -Right. | 0:45:42 | 0:45:47 | |
So, we have a lovely signature there of W Martin, | 0:45:47 | 0:45:50 | |
and also the date - very clearly dated, actually - | 0:45:50 | 0:45:53 | |
28th April '82, | 0:45:53 | 0:45:55 | |
-so there's no doubt about when it was made. -Yes. | 0:45:55 | 0:45:57 | |
Yeah, very, very nicely marked. | 0:45:57 | 0:46:00 | |
-Worked in salt-glaze stoneware. -Right. -Stoneware is - | 0:46:00 | 0:46:03 | |
well, as you know, if you collect the Doulton Lambeth | 0:46:03 | 0:46:05 | |
-because that's the same - it's very hard, isn't it? -Yes. | 0:46:05 | 0:46:07 | |
And then they throw salt into the kiln | 0:46:07 | 0:46:09 | |
to give you this sort of overall, | 0:46:09 | 0:46:11 | |
almost like a luminescent effect on the glaze. | 0:46:11 | 0:46:13 | |
-It's very beautiful. -It's nice, actually, isn't it? I do like it. | 0:46:13 | 0:46:17 | |
-Now, the important thing, always, with pottery, is condition. -Yes. | 0:46:17 | 0:46:21 | |
And, sadly, this does have a hairline crack in the base, | 0:46:21 | 0:46:26 | |
which, if anybody collecting... The first thing they ask you | 0:46:26 | 0:46:28 | |
when they want to buy a piece of pottery, "What condition is it in? | 0:46:28 | 0:46:31 | |
"Has it got any chips or cracks?" | 0:46:31 | 0:46:32 | |
So, the minute you mention a hairline crack, | 0:46:32 | 0:46:34 | |
they'll be a little bit, "Hmm, OK." | 0:46:34 | 0:46:35 | |
Perhaps not quite so excited about it. | 0:46:35 | 0:46:37 | |
But having said that, you don't see that many pieces on the market. | 0:46:37 | 0:46:40 | |
They weren't that prolific. | 0:46:40 | 0:46:42 | |
They really were quite an extraordinary bunch. | 0:46:42 | 0:46:44 | |
-So, we need to speak a bit about value. -Yes. | 0:46:44 | 0:46:47 | |
It's always difficult with something with a hairline crack. | 0:46:47 | 0:46:50 | |
I have sold items before that have been damaged | 0:46:50 | 0:46:52 | |
and they've done extremely well, | 0:46:52 | 0:46:54 | |
but I always err on the side of caution | 0:46:54 | 0:46:55 | |
and just try and keep the estimate sensible. | 0:46:55 | 0:46:59 | |
-I'd estimate it about 150 to 250. -Ah. | 0:46:59 | 0:47:02 | |
-Does that sound good? -That sounds lovely. No, that sounds good. | 0:47:02 | 0:47:05 | |
I think, perhaps, we pitch the reserve just under the 150, | 0:47:05 | 0:47:08 | |
or maybe 130. Fix the reserve at that? Is that all right for you? | 0:47:08 | 0:47:12 | |
-No, that's fine. -That's excellent. | 0:47:12 | 0:47:14 | |
I shall look forward to seeing you. Thank you very much indeed. | 0:47:14 | 0:47:18 | |
Next up is James, who has come across a great little collection. | 0:47:18 | 0:47:21 | |
Probably the most common thing that is said to auctioneers | 0:47:24 | 0:47:27 | |
and valuers up and down the country is, | 0:47:27 | 0:47:30 | |
"It's got to be worth something, it's old." | 0:47:30 | 0:47:34 | |
And I have to say, the two things don't always go hand in hand. | 0:47:34 | 0:47:39 | |
You can have something very modern, like a Banksy sketch, | 0:47:39 | 0:47:42 | |
that can be worth hundreds of thousands, | 0:47:42 | 0:47:45 | |
and then you can have something that's thousands of years old | 0:47:45 | 0:47:48 | |
-and worth very little. -OK. | 0:47:48 | 0:47:51 | |
You've something here, Annie, that is incredibly early, | 0:47:51 | 0:47:55 | |
but the question is, what's it worth? What do you know about these? | 0:47:55 | 0:48:00 | |
All I know is that these three bottom coins are all Roman. | 0:48:00 | 0:48:04 | |
They belonged to my second cousin, as did the other two, | 0:48:04 | 0:48:09 | |
and I inherited them all when he died. | 0:48:09 | 0:48:12 | |
I found them amongst his things. | 0:48:12 | 0:48:14 | |
Somebody told me that the Roman ones were pre-invasion | 0:48:14 | 0:48:18 | |
which, if that's true, I find quite interesting. | 0:48:18 | 0:48:22 | |
The oldest is the one that I've never seen before and it's that one. | 0:48:22 | 0:48:26 | |
-A-ha. -So, that one there is Augustus and Agrippa. | 0:48:26 | 0:48:31 | |
Now, this was struck after 10 AD. | 0:48:31 | 0:48:35 | |
Let's turn it over. | 0:48:35 | 0:48:37 | |
-Have you worked out what it is on the back? -No. | 0:48:37 | 0:48:40 | |
That is a crocodile standing in front of a tree. | 0:48:40 | 0:48:44 | |
These are more common in Britain. Maximians. This one and this one. | 0:48:45 | 0:48:51 | |
They would be 286 AD to 305 AD. | 0:48:51 | 0:48:57 | |
Both are beautiful castings, really lovely condition. | 0:48:57 | 0:49:02 | |
Next one, Elizabeth I. | 0:49:02 | 0:49:05 | |
-It's 1,300 years later than these. -Yes. | 0:49:05 | 0:49:11 | |
Solid silver and it's what we call a struck groat, | 0:49:11 | 0:49:14 | |
so it's just been banged, OK. | 0:49:14 | 0:49:17 | |
And then above her, we have this one, and that's a George III coin, | 0:49:17 | 0:49:22 | |
1797, known as cartwheel because of the thickness of the coin. | 0:49:22 | 0:49:28 | |
So, value. We've got £10 there, | 0:49:28 | 0:49:32 | |
bit less there. | 0:49:32 | 0:49:34 | |
£15 there, | 0:49:34 | 0:49:36 | |
£50 to £70 there | 0:49:36 | 0:49:39 | |
and £6 to £10 there. | 0:49:39 | 0:49:41 | |
All right? So, in terms of an action lot, | 0:49:41 | 0:49:44 | |
I'd put them all together | 0:49:44 | 0:49:46 | |
and I would put £70 to £100 on as an estimate. | 0:49:46 | 0:49:49 | |
Are you happy to sell the lot, cos I know that you were saying | 0:49:49 | 0:49:52 | |
that there was one there that had a bit of sentimental value, | 0:49:52 | 0:49:56 | |
so would you like to just take the one? | 0:49:56 | 0:50:00 | |
-Yes, I'm sorry to mess you up. -Go on. -I'm going to keep that one. | 0:50:01 | 0:50:05 | |
Can I ask why that one? | 0:50:05 | 0:50:07 | |
Because when I was clearing all of my cousin's stuff, | 0:50:07 | 0:50:10 | |
I'd got a huge drawer and I just picked up the drawer | 0:50:10 | 0:50:14 | |
and stood it up vertically and I heard the ch-ch-ch-ch, | 0:50:14 | 0:50:18 | |
and it was this that had fallen down the inside of the drawer. | 0:50:18 | 0:50:22 | |
I remember it from 14 years ago when I was doing it, | 0:50:22 | 0:50:25 | |
so I just want to keep it, really. | 0:50:25 | 0:50:28 | |
I think, for the sake of £10, it's worth keeping it | 0:50:28 | 0:50:31 | |
but, having said that, I still think we should keep the same estimate - | 0:50:31 | 0:50:36 | |
£70 to £100, with a £50 fixed reserve, OK? | 0:50:36 | 0:50:40 | |
And I'm sure they'll do well and, hopefully, | 0:50:40 | 0:50:43 | |
these little coins will make you a few more pennies | 0:50:43 | 0:50:46 | |
to buy something else. | 0:50:46 | 0:50:47 | |
I can't believe how low the estimate is for those coins, | 0:50:47 | 0:50:50 | |
as they're steeped in history. | 0:50:50 | 0:50:52 | |
Well, there you are, that's it. Our work is nearly done here. | 0:50:54 | 0:50:57 | |
Our experts have now found their final items to take off to auction, | 0:50:57 | 0:51:01 | |
so we have to say goodbye to St Albans Cathedral and Abbey. | 0:51:01 | 0:51:04 | |
But I tell you what, | 0:51:04 | 0:51:06 | |
-it's not easy putting a value on an antique, is it? ALL: -No! -No. | 0:51:06 | 0:51:09 | |
-Our experts are pretty good, aren't they? ALL: -Yes! | 0:51:09 | 0:51:12 | |
But anything can happen in an auction room, and you know that. | 0:51:12 | 0:51:15 | |
Right now, we're going to put those valuations to the test. | 0:51:15 | 0:51:18 | |
Here's a quick recap of all the items | 0:51:18 | 0:51:20 | |
that are coming with us off to auction. | 0:51:20 | 0:51:22 | |
Helen isn't very fond of her suffragette salt and pepper pots, | 0:51:24 | 0:51:27 | |
so will be happy to see them sell. | 0:51:27 | 0:51:29 | |
The Victorian scrapbook is crammed full of different illustrations, | 0:51:33 | 0:51:36 | |
including those interesting sand pictures. | 0:51:36 | 0:51:39 | |
Let's hope the hairline crack | 0:51:42 | 0:51:44 | |
on Fran's Martinware coffee pot doesn't deter the bidders. | 0:51:44 | 0:51:48 | |
Finally, the age of Annie's coin collection spans an impressive | 0:51:51 | 0:51:55 | |
1,300 years. Fingers crossed all that history | 0:51:55 | 0:51:58 | |
will attract the bidders. | 0:51:58 | 0:52:00 | |
We're back at the saleroom in Tring, | 0:52:06 | 0:52:08 | |
where auctioneer Stephen Hearn is still hard at work. | 0:52:08 | 0:52:10 | |
First up, it's that Martinware coffee pot. | 0:52:10 | 0:52:14 | |
Fran, I want to say good luck, but at the same time, | 0:52:14 | 0:52:18 | |
I want to say I don't want you to sell it. | 0:52:18 | 0:52:20 | |
-Why, why, why are you selling this? -Because my husband said | 0:52:20 | 0:52:23 | |
he would like us to come and do something like this. | 0:52:23 | 0:52:25 | |
-On Flog It!? -On Flog It!, and do you know, he's just done something. | 0:52:25 | 0:52:28 | |
-Oh, you could have found something else! -I know, I know. | 0:52:28 | 0:52:30 | |
This is it. It's going under the hammer. | 0:52:30 | 0:52:33 | |
200, I have. 210 for you, sir? | 0:52:33 | 0:52:35 | |
220? 230? 240, I have. | 0:52:35 | 0:52:39 | |
-250? -Let's get 350. -60? | 0:52:39 | 0:52:41 | |
270? 280? 300, he said. No? | 0:52:42 | 0:52:47 | |
At £300. At 310. 320 now. 330? | 0:52:47 | 0:52:52 | |
Don't often get a piece. It's going down. | 0:52:52 | 0:52:55 | |
I sell for £350, then. | 0:52:55 | 0:52:58 | |
-You got top money - £350. -Wonderful. | 0:52:58 | 0:53:00 | |
-It's a good result. -Yes. -Thanks for being such a brilliant sport. | 0:53:00 | 0:53:03 | |
-Thank you very much. -Because quality, quality, quality. | 0:53:03 | 0:53:05 | |
-Martin Brothers - great London makers. -Yeah. | 0:53:05 | 0:53:08 | |
Next, let's hope the collectors are in the saleroom | 0:53:08 | 0:53:11 | |
for that jam-packed sketch book. | 0:53:11 | 0:53:13 | |
-Leslie, it's great to see you again. -Thank you very much. | 0:53:14 | 0:53:17 | |
I love the little sketchbook. | 0:53:17 | 0:53:18 | |
We're just about to sell Leslie's little sketchbook. | 0:53:18 | 0:53:20 | |
-Leather bound, it's got some wonderful watercolours in it. -Yeah. | 0:53:20 | 0:53:23 | |
-Oh, it's fabulous, isn't it? -It really is delightful. | 0:53:23 | 0:53:25 | |
-And Mum got this? -From a boot sale, yes. | 0:53:25 | 0:53:27 | |
-About 20-odd years ago? -20-odd years ago. -Great. | 0:53:27 | 0:53:30 | |
OK, fingers crossed we get that top end. | 0:53:30 | 0:53:32 | |
This is going under the hammer right now. | 0:53:32 | 0:53:34 | |
There it is. 150. | 0:53:35 | 0:53:37 | |
Make it 60? 70? 80 now? | 0:53:37 | 0:53:41 | |
At £70. Are you going to be 80? | 0:53:41 | 0:53:43 | |
90? 100? £100. | 0:53:43 | 0:53:47 | |
Surely one more, sir. No? | 0:53:47 | 0:53:49 | |
Madam's going to have it, then. I shall sell away from you. | 0:53:49 | 0:53:52 | |
It's going for £100, then. | 0:53:52 | 0:53:55 | |
-Sold. -Great. -Well done. Well done. We're all happy. | 0:53:55 | 0:53:58 | |
-Yes, that's good. Yeah, yeah. -Lovely. -Phew! | 0:53:58 | 0:54:00 | |
-Job done, James. -Good. Well done. -THEY LAUGH | 0:54:00 | 0:54:03 | |
It's time to find out if the Roman enthusiasts are in the room. | 0:54:03 | 0:54:08 | |
Right now, we're going to flip. Will it be heads or tails? | 0:54:08 | 0:54:10 | |
Because we've got that coin belonging to Annie. | 0:54:10 | 0:54:13 | |
There's about four coins here going under the hammer. | 0:54:13 | 0:54:15 | |
-Why are you selling the coins? -Because I don't display them | 0:54:15 | 0:54:18 | |
and I don't really know the history of them, | 0:54:18 | 0:54:20 | |
so I thought it was time to let them go. | 0:54:20 | 0:54:22 | |
Surely it's got to be a couple of hundred pounds. | 0:54:22 | 0:54:24 | |
They're going under the hammer right now. | 0:54:24 | 0:54:26 | |
If you're not here, you can't buy them, so hard luck. Here we go. | 0:54:26 | 0:54:30 | |
There you are. There's three Roman, I believe, | 0:54:32 | 0:54:35 | |
and one Elizabethan shilling. What about those? | 0:54:35 | 0:54:37 | |
Ought to be £100 for those. | 0:54:37 | 0:54:39 | |
50, 60, 70, 80, 90. | 0:54:39 | 0:54:41 | |
100 now, surely? 100, I have. | 0:54:41 | 0:54:44 | |
And 10 for you, sir? | 0:54:44 | 0:54:46 | |
110. And 20 perhaps? | 0:54:46 | 0:54:48 | |
Yes. And 30? No more? | 0:54:48 | 0:54:50 | |
120 then, I'm selling. You're out. It's going. | 0:54:50 | 0:54:54 | |
Yes, it is. You can have another 10. | 0:54:54 | 0:54:56 | |
Ah, 130, there you go, see. | 0:54:56 | 0:54:58 | |
At 130. I'm awfully sorry. 40? | 0:54:58 | 0:55:01 | |
No? At 130, then. | 0:55:01 | 0:55:03 | |
-I'm selling at £130. -GAVEL BANGS | 0:55:03 | 0:55:06 | |
-Brilliant! Better than 70 quid, wasn't it? -Yes. | 0:55:06 | 0:55:08 | |
Still, not a lot of money for a lot of history. | 0:55:08 | 0:55:11 | |
-And you've been the proud custodian of these. -Indeed, yes. | 0:55:11 | 0:55:15 | |
How fascinating! That's real history in your hand. If only it could talk. | 0:55:15 | 0:55:20 | |
Now for our final lot of the day, | 0:55:21 | 0:55:23 | |
and it's Helen's suffragette salt and pepper pots. | 0:55:23 | 0:55:26 | |
Great to see you again, and what a find at the valuation day. | 0:55:26 | 0:55:30 | |
You spotted them. You zoomed straight in. | 0:55:30 | 0:55:32 | |
-Were you surprised at the valuation? -Extremely. | 0:55:32 | 0:55:35 | |
I thought they might have been about £100, or something. | 0:55:35 | 0:55:38 | |
-Something along those lines. -Gosh. | 0:55:38 | 0:55:40 | |
-That must have been a big surprise. -It was. | 0:55:40 | 0:55:42 | |
Hopefully, we'll get that £1,500. Hopefully, get a bit more. | 0:55:42 | 0:55:44 | |
-Yeah, hope so. It's quite scarce to find a pair. -Yes. | 0:55:44 | 0:55:46 | |
They often come up singly. Well, not even that often, | 0:55:46 | 0:55:49 | |
-but you see them singly. -Good luck. | 0:55:49 | 0:55:50 | |
-This is exciting, isn't it? -It is. -This should be our star lot. | 0:55:50 | 0:55:53 | |
This is the big one we've been waiting for! | 0:55:53 | 0:55:55 | |
It's going under the hammer right now. | 0:55:55 | 0:55:57 | |
Suffragette peppers. | 0:55:58 | 0:56:00 | |
They're the right date. I am bid £700 for them. | 0:56:00 | 0:56:04 | |
720 I have. 750 is bid for it. | 0:56:04 | 0:56:07 | |
780? £800? | 0:56:07 | 0:56:10 | |
820, we've got. 820. | 0:56:10 | 0:56:13 | |
850? 880? | 0:56:13 | 0:56:16 | |
900, we've got. At £900. | 0:56:16 | 0:56:19 | |
920? 950, is it? | 0:56:19 | 0:56:21 | |
980? At 980, they're going to be sold. | 0:56:21 | 0:56:25 | |
At 980, then, they're going to be sold. | 0:56:25 | 0:56:27 | |
They go down at £980. | 0:56:27 | 0:56:31 | |
-Oh! -Oh! It wasn't bad, was it? -But I tell you what, | 0:56:31 | 0:56:33 | |
-it's better than 150, isn't it? -It is. It is. | 0:56:33 | 0:56:36 | |
-HE LAUGHS -Yeah, yeah, yeah. | 0:56:36 | 0:56:38 | |
-They were rare. -They were. It would have been nice to see the 1,000, | 0:56:38 | 0:56:41 | |
-but that's not a bad price, is it? -No. -That's pretty good. | 0:56:41 | 0:56:43 | |
-That's not a bad price. -It's fine. | 0:56:43 | 0:56:45 | |
-Thank you so much for bringing them in. -Oh, you're welcome. | 0:56:45 | 0:56:47 | |
Well, there you are. That's it. It's all over for our owners. | 0:56:51 | 0:56:53 | |
We've had a marvellous time here. | 0:56:53 | 0:56:55 | |
And if you'd like to join the show, we'd love to see you. | 0:56:55 | 0:56:58 | |
Check out our up-and-coming dates and venues on our BBC website | 0:56:58 | 0:57:01 | |
or our Facebook page, or check the details in your local press. | 0:57:01 | 0:57:03 | |
Come on, dust them down, bring them in, | 0:57:03 | 0:57:05 | |
we'll flog them in another auction room. | 0:57:05 | 0:57:07 | |
But until then, it's goodbye from Hertfordshire. | 0:57:07 | 0:57:10 |