Weymouth Flog It!

Sun, sea, sand and bathers just charging in the water there.

What more could you ask for?

Weymouth is reputed to have the highest sunshine record in England, and today, it's got Flog It!

Weymouth is called England's Bay of Naples,

because of its stunning coastline, cliffs

and its golden sands.

But there's no time for lazing on the beach.

Our experts Susan Orange and Mark Stacey have got treasures to dig up.

Everybody's been searching attics and cellars,

looking for unwanted antiques to be valued here today.

Our experts are getting a sneak preview before the doors open.

Oh, that's nice, isn't it?

-Oh, that's rather pretty, is that yours?

-Yes.

Not of huge value because it's not an antique.

It's under £100 but very decorative and very pretty.

Our chosen lots will be going under the hammer here, at Duke's auction room in Dorchester,

where hopefully there will be a few surprises for our owners.

-£15.

-Come on!

260, 280.

-All done?

-Yes!

Is that it now?

He didn't sell it.

60...

-That's amazing.

-Well....

Everyone's pouring into the pavilion so, without further ado, Mark's getting down to business.

Keith, what an interesting biscuit barrel.

Tell me, how did you come across it?

I was at a jumble sale in Wolverhampton about 15 years ago,

saw it there on the table, asked the lady how much it was.

She gave me the price and I bought it.

What attracted you to it?

Well, when I saw it I knew that it was Art Nouveau from the style,

and obviously about 100 years old, and for the price they mentioned I thought I couldn't go wrong.

-And what was the price there?

-It was 10p.

10p is not a lot of money to invest on a lovely object

which is very stylistically influenced by the Art Nouveau period.

And it's not an English one, it's not a Liberty's design piece.

It's a continental factory, Urania.

But the style is still there.

It's just a little bit more Germanic -

the style is a little bit more formal.

I particularly like the decoration with the trees

and these very high pointed handles.

And the lid, I like that sort of undulating feel.

It's got a very organic feel about it, hasn't it?

Now, do you know what it's made of?

Well, I thought possibly spelter.

Right, well, I can understand why you think that. It's actually pewter.

And a lot of pewter was used in the Art Nouveau period.

Now you paid 10p which is a nonsense, even 15 years ago.

Have you ever wondered what sort of figure it would be?

Well, I thought maybe the £30 bracket, somewhere around that.

Well I think it's a little bit more, at least I would like it to be more.

I think it if we put this into auction,

we should put £80 to £120 on it.

-Oh, right.

-There is a little bit of wear here and there,

but I think it would certainly do that and should attract the right collectors in for that price

because it's a very nice object.

But if you've had it for 15 years, why have you decided to sell it now?

When in Wolverhampton, we lived in a vicarage - it fitted in with the decor.

We moved to a modern house, and it just doesn't fit in, and my wife absolutely hates it.

She thinks it's an urn for ashes.

Well, it could be. I'm saying biscuit barrel, but who knows, you know,

if anybody out there wants to use it for an alternative reason, and they want to pay more money,

they're welcome to do that.

But I think we'll call it a biscuit barrel, don't you?

And if we get a good price for it, what do you think you might do with the money.

Well, I think as my wife has had to put up with it for this length of time, a nice slap-up meal.

Oh, wonderful, wonderful.

Audrey, I'm pleased that you've brought along this little box

and it's no ordinary box, is it?

No, slightly more than an ordinary box, if you take the top off.

-It's actually a nutmeg grater.

-You see some remains of the nutmeg, don't you?

I don't think I ought to smell.

It looks rusty, but it's not.

Yes. It's a dear little box.

If we just look at it a bit more closely, the inlay on the top is known as Tunbridge Ware,

because it was made in Tunbridge and Tunbridge Wells.

Tunbridge Ware has been made from the 17th century but they needed to make it more commercial

and make more things. Tunbridge Ware after about 1820

became the most typical sort with sticks from Tunbridge.

And lots of different coloured sticks of wood were cut out, stuck together,

and then they were put on a piece of cardboard and sliced through.

And then laid in these different inlays in mosaic patterns.

So they could get quite intricate.

-They are, aren't they.

-Yes.

They were able to mass produce it. So you get lots and lots of things, you know -

glove boxes and tea caddies, card cases, cigarette cases.

But you know, it's very collectable.

So what's nice about this is you have the Tunbridge Ware on the top,

and then the nutmeg grater.

-Now if you turn it upside down, you'll find it opens again.

-Ah.

And that's where you keep your nutmeg.

Ah, yes, of course, you put that in there.

And nutmeg, of course, was an important spice

for flavouring and for preserving food.

Why are you thinking of selling it?

I'm at the time of life

-where I want to cut down on all the stuff I have.

-Yes.

-If anyone is a collector, I'm sure they'll be happy to have this.

-Yes.

Well, I think it would certainly be worth putting in the auction.

And if we put an estimate of £60 to £100

and hope it would sell well within that.

Well I hope every collector of Tunbridge Ware in the country

-would put in a little bid for it.

-Well, that's it.

-Liz, you've brought a wonderful piece of Clarice Cliff, do you like it?

-No.

-Well, that's blunt! Why not?

-I don't know, it's the colours, it's too bright. I prefer glassware.

-Oh, do you? It's a bit too garish for your taste, is it?

-Yes.

What have you been doing to get scratches in there?

I stood a plant in it.

Oh, the old trick of putting a plant in it.

You haven't done too much damage. There's a little wear.

But I think if I get straight on to the pattern.

It's called the melons pattern, and it's the general version

with this very bright, vivid orange border

and these sort of stylised geometric fruits.

And it's a lovely octagonal shape.

But it was made, I suppose, about 1930-1931,

at the height, or the beginning of the Art Deco period.

And, actually, underneath we'll see that it's hand-painted

Fantasque, which is one the ranges of Clarice Cliff,

by Clarice Cliff, made at the Wilkinson pottery.

The design is bold, imaginative.

The enamel colours are still in very good condition.

But what's the history of it with you?

It was an old lady that gave it to me

and I don't think she thought it was valuable.

And a friend came to visit and he offered me £10 for it,

so I hope he's watching now!

Are you sure he's a friend?

And he said, " I should take care of that if I was you, because it's Clarice Cliff."

So I took the plant out and polished it up and put it in the cabinet.

I think it's worth a bit more than that.

I think, bearing in mind that bowls are not the most commercial pieces -

people prefer jugs or plates because they are more easy to display -

but the pattern on this is delicious.

I think if we put it in with an estimate of something like

£250 to £350,

we're going to attract a lot of interest.

-Would you be happy with that?

-Yes, I think so, yes.

-It's a bit more than £10.

-Yes.

If we get a good price for you, I hope that we can toast our success

in a nice lead-crystal glass or something. We'll have a large gin and tonic

-after the sale.

-We will.

Joan, this is a really delightful basket.

It looks in such lovely condition, doesn't it?

-Yes.

-So, where did you get it from?

I bought it in an antiques shop in Park Street, which is in Weymouth. It's no longer there.

-How long ago was that?

-I think it must have been about 20 years ago.

-Do you remember what you paid for it?

-No, I bought it with some Chinese rice bowls.

I haven't the faintest idea what I paid for it.

-What attracted you to it?

-I just thought the colours were lovely.

Yes, it's so nicely decorated, isn't it?

-I thought it was rather prettier than a mixture of flowers.

-Yes.

The colours really were excellent, I thought.

Yes, the fruit - the blackberries have been beautifully done,

and the leaves all in different colours,

and the different greens and the flowers.

-They're almost very true-to-life, aren't they?

-Yes.

When I first saw it, the glaze - this iridescent glaze -

is very much like Belleek, you know, the Irish factory.

I thought, "Ooh!" When I turn it over, I can see it is actually Crown Staffordshire.

So, it's an English basket.

The mark tells us it's around 1906.

-Yes.

-That sort of thing which seems to date it quite nicely.

What's remarkable is - the condition. How have you kept it so well?

-It was like it when I bought it.

-How have you cleaned it?

-I have never cleaned it.

I just wash it occasionally.

It's in a cabinet, so it's hardly been touched.

So, can I ask, why are you thinking of selling it?

I really have a shower room which I've not completed. It was a coal house.

There's a lavatory and a shower room between house and garden.

I'm a keen gardener and I would like to have it insulated

so that when I come in from the garden in winter, I can use it.

-Yes, it's cold otherwise.

-It's restricted to summer use only.

-Yes. Had you considered its value at all?

-No.

-No, you've no idea.

-No.

I think, what we'll do is we'll put it in and try an estimate of £100 to £150.

I think it should do well.

It should do the top end of that.

Joy, you've brought a wonderful little intriguing object in to show us.

Before we have a look at detail, let's get a bit of the family history.

This item was given to me by my grandfather when I was about ten years old.

I really don't know where he got it from.

Obviously, I've looked after it all that time.

-I don't want to be rude but that was a little while ago!

-Er, yes.

-Yes, OK.

-He didn't give you the history of it.

-No, not at the time. When you're 10, you don't think to ask.

To me, then, it was a novelty thing to play with.

It's remarkable that the pieces have survived.

It's stayed wrapped up in tissue paper.

Perfect! Does it have any sentimental attachment to you now?

No, I'd be quite happy to see it go.

I think it's a real collector's piece.

-It's continental, I think. It's not English.

-Is it?

It's made somewhere in Europe.

It's what we call an articulated piece.

-It moves. Actually, the movement is similar to fish.

-Fish, yeah.

We've got very sort of little...

naive detailing on the fins here.

And we've got some nice, naive decoration on the face with two little gem-set eyes.

Then, when we open it up, we can see three little sections.

We've taken the pieces out but we've got a little tooth pick,

an ear cleaner there,

a little pair of scissors there and a little penknife.

-Yeah.

-I would put the date - looking at the naivety of it -

into the first half of the 19th century.

-Oh, right!

-It's quite an old piece. It's a really intriguing item.

It's for a collector.

Someone who collects these little necessaires or etuis, as we call them.

If we got a good price for it, have you thought of another way that you would remember your grandfather by?

I could do. I could possibly think of something nice to buy.

That would be a good idea actually. Something that I would display.

Have you ever thought of a value?

No, I haven't.

I think if we were putting it into auction,

-I would hope to see it making about £150.

-Oh, right!

I think, if you asked me sensibly,

I think we should put an estimate of £100 to £150 on it.

But I can see two people...

-Wanting it.

-Yeah, I can. Hopefully, at that estimate, it'll swim away.

Right now, we're halfway through our day and it's time to put those valuations to the test.

Just how good are our experts? We'll find out.

Before we go to the auction room, here's a run-down of the items that going under the hammer.

Keith's wife thinks this lot would be perfect

for bringing home the Ashes.

But she's in for a real treat if the biscuit barrel sells.

Will Audrey's Tunbridge Ware nutmeg grater spice up the auction?

Susan certainly thinks it will attract lots of attention.

Lizzie's friend offered her just £10 for this Clarice Cliff bowl.

Mark is hopeful it will do a lot better than that.

Joan's delicate lattice basket is in remarkable condition.

Let's hope the bidders agree.

And lastly, Joy's fish etui is pretty and practical too.

With a bit of luck, it'll catch the eye of the collectors.

Dorchester has its roots in Roman times.

They built up a town here in AD 43 - that's a long time ago.

These vintage cars aren't that old

but I bet they've travelled a few Roman roads in their time.

This one's a little Austin and this one is a Morris Traveller.

This brings back lots of wonderful memories for me.

I had one of these 20 years ago.

It was my very first car. It was a lovely, creamy-white one.

It just goes to show what classics are on sale in today's auction.

While everybody's enjoy a burger and cup of tea,

I'm going inside to catch up with auctioneer Gary Batt

to see what he thinks about our classic models.

I love this little articulated fish. I think he's really cute.

Now, it belongs to Joy and probably for not much longer.

I can see this really doing well.

Mark has put an estimate of £100 to £150 on it.

Have a look at the tools inside.

One of them looks like a little spoon. Mark said,

-"That is for cleaning your ear."

-I think it's this spoon. It isn't coming out easily.

I don't know where cleaning your ear comes into sewing really.

No. I think the sharp end is the bit you'd use for needlework.

The little indentation at the other end is just decorative.

-Yes, a finial.

-Yeah, a finial.

It is a really lovely object.

It's small. It's top quality.

As you say, it's silver, garnet-set eyes.

I think the estimate is quite cautious.

These small sewing accessories are very popular.

People really love these little objets d'art.

I would say this, because it's a fish and because it's a desirable shape as well -

and it's amusing - it would make more than £200, could make £300.

-Really, as much as that?

-I think so, yes.

I think Joy will be pleased with the results of selling this.

30. 30.

5. 5. 40. 5.

No, at 40. At the back, in the doorway, £40.

Well, we can't go wrong, can we? We're just about to flog Lizzie's Clarice Cliff.

Let's hope we give you a big surprise on this one. Let's hope it does a lot more than the 350.

-Hmm?

-I hope so.

-Can it though, Mark?

Can it? Clarice Cliff does do the business.

It does do the business for us. It is a nice pattern.

I think this even shows that in a general sale, they've actually catalogued this properly.

You don't need a lot of fancy description.

-You've all the facts - Clarice Cliff, Fantasque, melon pattern.

-Yes.

-That's all you need.

The Clarice Cliff bizarre Fantasque fruit bowl.

Decorated with the melon pattern here.

At £200?

100 to get going.

100 is bid. In tens I'll take. £100. 10, Clarice Cliff.

110. 120. 130. 140.

-Here we go!

-150. 160. 170. 180 standing. 190.

200. And 20. 240.

260. 280. 300.

-Brilliant!

-And 20. And 20.

Going at £300... I sell.

-Hammer's gone down. £300.

-Good.

-Better than a tenner.

-Certainly is.

Right now, we're going to try to grind out a result of £60 to £100 for Audrey's little nutmeg grater.

-You've upped the reserve, haven't you?

-I have.

-It was £60 to £100.

You've put £80 on this.

Well, a thing of beauty is a joy forever and I'd be quite happy to keep it.

Well, I'm with you on that actually. Treen is so collectible. But it should do the top end.

We'll find out now - it's going under the hammer. Good luck!

Lot 31 - a pretty early-Victorian Tunbridge Ware nutmeg grater.

Nice little bit of kitchenalia.

What for this? Can I have £50 to start it?

50 bid. 5. 60. 5.

70? Any advance on 70?

Selling at 70. It goes. Done at £70?

He's put the hammer down but he's put it down on 70

because nobody was bidding any higher.

-Well, as I said...

-You know what it means? It didn't sell.

-And I don't really mind.

240. 260.

280.

300. 40? 40.

Next up, Joy's little articulated fish - the etui -

which valued at £100 to £150 by Mark Stacey.

Should be a good catch, according to our auctioneer. We had a chat to him earlier. Oh!

Ooh! And he said £300 at least for something like that.

-It's good quality and very collectable.

-Good Lord!

-That is a surprise.

-It is, isn't it? That would be a good catch if someone got it at 100 to 150 quid.

Let's hope it isn't the one that got away. He's building it up. Get somebody on a hook and reel it in.

Lot 283 is this very attractive little white metal -

probably silver - etui in the form of an articulated fish.

Start me at £50 to get on with it. 50 is bid. 60 is got.

70 bid. 80.

90. 100 seated. And 10.

120. 130.

140. 150.

At £140. Near me at 140. 150.

160. 170?

At £160, then?

We're quite clear at 160. 170 bid?

180, sir? 190. Fill it up.

Going at £180.

-He's sold it. £180. Mark was right.

-Sorry.

-Spot on, really.

-Spot on.

35.

360?

At 360.

Up for grabs right now, a gorgeous little lattice basket made by Crown Staffordshire.

And it belongs to you, Joan. Why are you flogging this?

I bought it myself. I wouldn't sell something that somebody gave me.

-Right. Susan...?

-Joan's kept it in lovely condition.

-It's perfect.

It's so delicate. All the flowers - you haven't knocked any off.

-I'm amazed!

-I had a lovely Belleek one.

I'm afraid that came to disaster when I gave it to my daughter.

It's going under the hammer right now. Good luck!

A very pretty, Crown Staffordshire pierced and floral-encrusted basket.

Who'll start me with this, please?

A pretty piece at £50.

£50 is bid. I'll take £60 if I can.

Any advance on 50? 50. 50. 60?

Thank you, madam. 60. Any advance on 60? 70, you will, at the back. 80.

At 70. 80. 80 bid. 90?

£80 now. 90, anyone like?

90? Going then, at £80, all done.

He didn't sell it.

-That's fine.

-Is that OK?

-Absolutely.

It reached £80 in the room.

-Absolutely.

-You'd rather take it home.

-Yes.

I don't blame you - a bit of quality.

Here's something to digest - the Art Nouveau biscuit barrel brought by Keith.

We've got a reserve of £80. A valuation of 80 to 120.

-You've altered the reserve, haven't you?

-I have.

-What is it down to now?

-I've dropped it down to 50.

-Are you worried?

I was worried it might not sell.

You don't want to take it home. He doesn't want it any more.

Oh, crumbs! Why is that?

My wife hates it!

-I quite like it.

-You've got to keep her pleased, haven't you?

-I have indeed, yes.

You've done some research on this. What have you found out?

It was designed by a German by the name of Friedrich Adler.

It was produced in 1903.

-Sadly, Friedrich Adler was killed in Auschwitz...

-Mm-hm.

..because he was a member of the Jewish faith.

That's about it, really.

-Keith's becoming an expert, Mark.

-He is, isn't he?

-Mark's worried now.

Displayed here is this pewter,

Art Nouveau biscuit barrel and cover.

Good pewter lot, typical of its period.

Can you start me off with this lot at £30?

£30 to start. 30 is bid.

35 I'll take, if you will.

At £35. 40 anywhere now, then?

At £35. And 40, if you will. 40. 40.

5. 50.

At £50. Any advance on 50?

Going at £50 near me.

Well, it's gone for 50 quid.

-It's a good job you did that.

-Yes.

He got the valuation right, Mark.

Well...

15. 20, anywhere now then? £15. 20.

Thomas Hardy is one of the all-time greats of British literature

with books like Tess of D'Urbervilles and Far From The Madding Crowd to his name.

And he's always been one of my favourites.

So, while I'm here, I'm going to find out a little bit more about him

and the local countryside which inspired him to write so much.

Hardy was born in this cottage, just outside Dorchester, in 1840.

He lived here and grew up here with his family of stonemasons and builders.

In his novels, he liked to describe real settings as the scenes for the plots.

In Under The Greenwood Tree, published in 1872, the cottage was described like this.

-WOMAN:

-"It was a long, low cottage with a hipped roof of thatch.

"Having dormer windows breaking up into the eaves.

"A chimney standing in the middle of the ridge and another at each end.

"The window shutters were not yet closed and the fire

"and the candlelight within, radiated forth upon the thick bushes."

After leaving school, Hardy became an apprentice to an architect

and spent five years working and living in London

but his real passion was writing.

So, he returned to Dorset to try to get his books published.

Towns, villages and buildings throughout the county are all recognisable from Hardy's novels.

In the Mayor Of Casterbridge, Casterbridge is a thinly disguised Dorchester.

The story centres around Michael Henchard, who sells his wife and his daughter when he gets drunk.

18 years later, they return to the town to find out

that he's become the mayor

and he's presiding over dinner here in the King's Arms.

"A spacious bow window projected into the street over the main portico

"and from the open sashes came the babble of voices,

"the jingle of glasses and the drawing of corks."

And this appears as the mayor's house.

Michael Henchard decides to make up for his past bad behaviour by courting and remarrying his wife.

He brought her and their daughter to live here.

If you want to know what happens in the end, you'll have to read the book.

I've come to Dorset County Museum

to see some of Hardy's treasured possessions

and talk to museum director Judy Lindsay.

Hardy didn't come from a very wealthy background, did he?

No, he didn't. He was born to a labouring family in the village of Bockhampton.

Although he describes his cottage as seven bedroomed and rambling, it was still very much a labourer's cottage.

When did he start to write novels?

Thomas Hardy published his first novel in 1871.

He had written one previously - The Poor Man And The Lady - but had failed to find a publisher for that.

His first novel was Desperate Remedies.

He followed that up, however, with a much more popular novel -

and the one which really brought him public acclaim - Under The Greenwood Tree.

Looking around, I notice musical instruments. We've a cello there and violins. There's one.

Did he actually play the violin?

He started to play the violin, aged only eight.

He played with the Stinsford Band which was a church band.

It was very much a family tradition to do that.

His father, grandfather and uncle all played in the string band.

-This was his violin.

-May I hold this?

-Yes, you may.

-Wow, Hardy's violin! You really couldn't put a value on something like that.

In antiques, we talk about provenance and its history, which adds to the value.

-I don't think it gets much better than this, does it?

-No.

We're very lucky in that all of the items

-in our Thomas Hardy collection come with excellent provenance.

-Yeah.

Tell me a little bit about the pens.

Thomas Hardy was self-conscious enough to label some of the pens that he wrote with

so that we would know which pens he used to write which novels and poems.

So, this one is labelled "Jude".

I can see - he's scratched it into the bone handle.

It was also used to write some poetry.

This one is labelled "Tess", as in Tess Of The D'Urbervilles.

And this one is "The Dynasts" - which was his epic poem about the Napoleonic Wars.

Wow, thoughtful chap, passing on his legacy there and then, really.

Very much so.

-You mentioned his manuscripts. Can we have a look at them?

-Of course.

-You'll have to put your white gloves on to do that. I'll move the violin.

-Thank you.

-Just to there.

So, this is the manuscript of the Mayor Of Casterbridge.

And this is a bound copy of the original manuscript.

-So, it's extremely precious.

-Wow!

One of the things I think is particularly lovely is that inside the cover,

it says "Presented by Thomas Hardy", distinctively in his own signature.

There's also a note here saying, "Hand it on to the museum."

Gosh, how exciting! Can you turn the page, please?

Yes.

When you research Thomas Hardy,

you become so familiar with the handwriting -

it's absolutely distinctive.

Yeah. Was he happily married? Did he have children?

Thomas Hardy married twice.

His first wife was Emma Lavinia Gifford.

He met her in Cornwall when working on a church restoration project when he was still an architect.

She died and he married Florence Dugdale in 1914.

Unfortunately, there were no children from either marriage.

-Thomas Hardy died without issue.

-Was he buried in Dorset?

Sort of. Partly.

When Thomas Hardy died, his family were very keen that he would be buried here.

His heart was actually taken from his body and interred with his first wife, Emma,

at the church in Stinsford which is very close to Bockhampton where Hardy grew up.

The rest of his body was cremated and the ashes were interred in Westminster Abbey in Poets' Corner,

which is particularly fitting because many people see Thomas Hardy as a novelist.

Those who know his work better are aware that Thomas Hardy saw himself first and foremost as a poet.

Phew, what a complicated ending!

Indeed. A bit like one of his novels.

-Thank you very much.

-That's a pleasure.

It's time to start a brand new chapter and join our experts back at the valuation day.

-Hello, Benita.

-Hello.

-I must say, that's a lovely name.

-Thank you very much.

-There must be a bit of Spanish in there somewhere.

-Ooh, maybe.

-I think so.

-You've two interesting pottery figures in to show us.

-Yes.

Before we have a look at them, I know there's a nice family story to this.

-Will you share that with me, please?

-Yes.

My uncle, many years ago, used to work at Carter's Pottery.

He used to bring home the odd ornament for my auntie.

When my uncle died, my auntie said to me,

"I think you ought to have these figurines, you know."

I just kept them in the box in the attic.

-That's where they've been, right up until recently.

-Why is that?

Why have they been kept in a box?

I think mainly because there's not a lot of colour to them.

-You like things that are more decorative.

-Yes.

Of course, part of the reason why they're this colour is because,

when they were made in the '20s and '30s,

there was a particular vogue for the sort of matt finish in one colour.

The Carter factory specialised in this type of figures.

What else have you found out about the figures in your own research?

Well, we did look through catalogues

and we've tried very hard to pin them down.

We've got nowhere with them.

We can't trace them anywhere.

-They seem to be unrecorded figures.

-I think so.

As your late uncle worked for the factory,

they might have been some prototypes or something like that,

which would be very interesting.

-I think we've got to mention, of course, now that the Carter Stabler Adams factory...

-Yes.

..became the Poole factory, which everybody knows.

And these are marked, in actual fact, underneath, Poole, England.

But they are very typical of that 1920s, 1930s period. Again, even the figures are very typical.

You've got a flower seller and a sort of busker really,

playing his accordion with a little dog here, holding the hat out as the begging bowl,

which are rather charming and sweet really.

There needs to be a little more research.

We've agreed, I think, to put them in at £600 to £800

and ask the auction house to do some more research.

We're selling them, of course, in Dorchester which is local to Poole.

-Very local.

-So, you'll attract the local market.

If they illustrate them in the catalogue and mention them on the internet,

-you're then going to pull in that wider collecting field as well.

-Yes.

I think they're charming. I like them because they're simple.

If you look at a lot of Poole from the '20s and '30s, it's very much like this.

You have leaping stag bookends that are all matt finish in one colour.

Even those now fetch 300 or 400 a pair.

So, if these are a prototype,

we could be looking at a very exciting find indeed.

-You could make Flog It! history for Poole.

-Wouldn't that be lovely!

-It would be lovely, wouldn't it?

-Yes.

Val and Geoff, I see you've brought along your glasses.

Do you have a collection of them?

I have several - about 20 or 30 of them in actual fact - not a great collection.

-Do you have them on display?

-Yes, most of them are.

They're not exactly on display but they're certainly on show, one way or another.

These are stuck in a cupboard, doing nothing because they don't fit in with the decor of the place.

-So, you've been collecting them from a number of years?

-Yes, about 30.

1970s.

-Ah!

-It's quite a long time.

Why did you start collecting glasses, particularly?

I went to an antiques fair one day and decided to buy one and that was it.

-That was the first one I'd ever bought. That little one there.

-This one?

-Yes.

Yes. Well, this is nice, isn't it?

It looks, datewise about 1740 with the plain stem here.

The air twist would be about 1750s, 1760

and the cotton twist slightly later, maybe up to 1770.

It's quite nice. You've got the sort of run of them.

These two are the ogee bowls - the shape of the bowl here.

And this is a trumpet bowl, which is fairly self-explanatory.

And you'd probably drink maybe cordial out of the smaller ones

and then ale out of the trumpet one here,

which, of course, was a strong drink and not like the pint glasses we get today.

Have you any idea of value?

Not really, no.

It's a long time since I bought any glasses

so we hadn't any cause for finding what the value is at all,

-in actual fact.

-OK.

If we could put a reserve, as a lot of the three, at 220,

and then they can have an estimate of 220 - 250.

I think it might encourage more people in.

I'd hope it would make well towards the top end.

If we put too high a reserve, it may put people off - if you're happy about that.

It sounds all right to me in actual fact. I'll be guided by you.

OK, that's great. We'll give them a go and I'm sure they'll do well.

Mary, you've brought a very interesting pair of bracelets in to show us.

Where did they come from?

They're actually my daughter's.

Her dad gave her... He moved house.

They were in a box and he just said, "Oh, jewellery - a daughter."

See if you want them for anything.

So, they came home and they got stuck in a cupboard - that was it.

When she left home - she married and left home - they got left with me.

She wasn't really interested in them.

You don't know where he got them from. Are they family pieces?

No. I think he found them when he moved house or moved into a house or something like that.

They just appeared magically from somewhere.

They're quite an interesting pair of bracelets. They're 19th century.

If we just have a look at this one... They're a pair.

We've got a cameo in the centre which would have been carved in Italy, maybe around the Naples area.

On this particular cameo, we've got Cupid and Psyche -

well-known classical figures.

Then, they're set in this sort of gilt metal bracelet with enamelled panels, which is probably Swiss.

-Right.

-Which of course, Italy and Switzerland, they share borders, etc,

and Europe was always trading with each other.

So it's actually quite a nice thing.

Made probably in the mid-19th century, 1850 onwards, that sort of period.

-And the other one is very similar indeed with a different carved cameo in there.

-Yeah.

Your daughter's never worn them?

Oh no. No. I mean...they...

I just rung her and said about them and she said, "Oh, mum, just do it."

-Get something I can wear.

-Yeah.

There would be a commercial aspect to them.

People collect this sort of jewellery.

They're not terribly practical to wear. In those days, they didn't have wristwatches.

So you could wear bracelets on both wrists.

I would have thought, if we are putting them into auction,

we'd be looking maybe at an estimate of £150 to £200 for the pair,

with a reserve of 150 with 10% discretion.

-Would your daughter go for that?

-She'd love that.

-Wonderful.

-You'll be happy to put them in?

-Yes, she's happy with that.

-Fantastic! You'll come to the auction?

-I will.

-Let's see who we can attract.

-Lovely.

-Thanks.

-Smashing. Thank you.

You two look alike. Are you sisters?

Yes.

And this is a bit of a wow factor, isn't it?

-Yes.

-So, how did you come by it?

I was left it nine years ago.

-Oh, right!

-By a friend of mine.

She'd bought it on her way back from Tanganyika

and she'd bought it on a boat from one of the sultans of Zanzibar to bring home to give to her father.

Oh, wow! That's a nice story, isn't it?

I'm not sure 100%, whether it's ivory or bone - the inlay.

It doesn't sort of make a huge amount of difference but it's been very nicely done, hasn't it?

The sort of circle in the middle here and all the foliage and leaves all around it.

-And the decoration continues all round the box, doesn't it?

-Yes.

You've got a little bit of inlay missing here.

And then, round the box, you've got brass bindings, just to protect all the corners.

-That's kind of done its job, hasn't it?

-Yes.

I'd have said it was a sort of 19th-century box, maybe 1890s, something like that.

It's kind of got that feel.

If we open it up...

it's very nice inside here, isn't it?

You've got the pin pieces here, the red silk there and the mirror in the middle.

And all the little sections - the little lift out tray here.

And this roll-top. That's unusual, isn't it?

-Yes, that rolls back to...

-Oh, right!

That's clever - a secret drawer.

-That's nice.

-What do you think the box was used for?

I thought it was a workbox because you've got here, pins and things like that.

But that could have been hat pins because you've the mirror there and sections you could put jewellery in.

It's similar to a workbox, jewellery box and all the compartments.

So most probably jewellery.

So, is it something you display at home?

Yes, I've had sewing things in it.

-So, you keep it as a workbox?

-Yes.

Had you considered what it might be worth?

No, sorry. No idea.

I think we could put it in with an estimate of, sort of,

-120, 150, something like that.

-Really?

As much as that?

-Would you be happy?

-Yeah.

-OK. So, shall we give it a whirl for you?

-Yes, please.

Originally, there were two towns here - Weymouth on that side on the water and Melcom Regis on this.

You can imagine, can't you, plenty of disputes going on over trading at the time

until Queen Elizabeth stepped in and granted a charter amalgamating the towns in 1571.

But, I'm not going quite that far today.

I'm only going across the other side.

Believe it or not, a ferry has operated on these waters since the 16th century.

Originally, the ferry boats were pulled across by ropes.

Today, I've got Bob who's going to row me across.

I'm also going to have a chat to Derek, who knows all about the port

because he's worked on the waters all his life.

So, when did you start working in the port?

I've been involved for the last 45 years.

My first job here, I worked for a local contractor - Joe Basso.

I did that for a few years and then I came and I worked for the Lifeboat Institution.

I completed 35 years in 2002.

-That's a long service, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-So, what was the harbour like back then? It wasn't like this.

-Bustling. This is quiet now.

There was always one or two

what they call fruit boats come in, tomato boats, every day.

-All sorts of cargo.

-All sorts of cargo. There was timber and all sorts of cargo.

It's a rich man's playground now, isn't it?

It's more of a yachting type harbour.

-You've been in the lifeboat service...

-That's correct.

-..and you're a brave man.

I know that Bob who's rowing us to the lifeboat was one of your crewmen, wasn't he?

Tell us some of the rescues you got involved in.

One - I suppose the highlight of my career and, I'm sure, Bob's -

was when we rescued five from a catamaran called Sunbeam Tracer.

on the night of the hurricane in October 16th 1987.

Um, I was very privileged then to have a medal involved

and it was presented by Princess Alexander in London.

Well, you're both very, very brave men and you did get a medal and we've got it here. Look at this.

Take a look at that.

-You must be very proud of this.

-I'm very proud of that.

Well, Bob and Derek, you're both heroes.

This medal is a fantastic tribute - something for your kids to be proud of for the rest of their lives -

nautical memorabilia to inherit. Talking of maritime memorabilia

there's a shop just on the other side of the harbour. Let's go there and find out a bit more.

INSTRUMENTAL SEA SHANTY PLAYS

Well, here we are! It doesn't get much better than this, does it?

You'd think this was a ship's cabin but no - I'm in a nautical antiques centre. It really is chock-a-block.

It's full of nautical memorabilia!

There are different areas of collecting within nautical memorabilia -

you've one for the academic, you've got one for the decorator.

For the academic - cannonballs. It's obvious really, isn't it?

These date back to the 18th century. Five pounds in weight.

These would be shot from a cannon and shot into he broadside of another man-of-war

putting a hole in its hull.

But those holes could be plugged quite easily.

If one hit you on the head, well, you wouldn't know anything about it, would you?

In order to do more damage you used something like this.

This is called a bar shot.

This would be fired from the cannon. If this hit the ship on a broadside as it was turning in the air

it would make a whacking great big hole which you couldn't plug.

It would also get caught in the rigging which would slow the vessel down.

And, lastly, I wonder if you've seen one of these?

It's another cannonball - it's called chain shot.

What happens is, as that leaves the cannon, it splits in half...

opens up and swings around in the air at hundreds of miles an hour

and actually gets caught in some of the ship's rigging, or rips the sails apart.

That will slow the vessel down.

You could then come alongside and board it and, hopefully, capture it.

Something like that would set you back about £200 to £300.

A standard cannonball from the 18th century, like that,

£50 to £60. There's quite a lot of those about.

And one of these? Well, they're a little bit rarer.

That's probably £100 to £200 but that's something for the academic.

They look great on a table top. My advice is to go down the decorator's route

because then it's practical, it cheers you up

and you can create a nautical theme at home.

If I was doing a bathroom the first thing I'd go for would be a ship's pulleys - the block and tackle.

You can pick them up for around about £50.

This one's of elm and dates form the 18th century. The pulley's inside.

The rigging would pass through there.

They're made of Lignum vitae a hard wood from South America - incredibly oily so it self-lubricates,

so these blocks and tackles will never jam up which is quite essential if you're at sea.

Well, that's a good starting point. For the walls you need a ship's bulkhead clock,

maybe some models and maybe a little bit more decoration, so let's have a look.

INSTRUMENTAL SEA SHANTY PLAYS

OK, that's the shelving and the deck sorted out in the bathroom. Now for the walls,

and the most obvious thing to do is decorate them with ships' flags, or fishing nets,

or even lobster pots and fishnet floats like these. We see a lot of these around.

There's port and starboard lights, or there's some converted gimbal lights.

These are designed for when the ship rocks and rolls around at sea.

The light actually stays still. Here's a good example. Look.

And that'll set you back around £50. The ones that are converted to electricity? About £80.

But for my wall I'd go for a clock.

A bulkhead clock like this...

There's a little range here in brass. They start from around £100

to £200. But this one here is rather a specialist clock.

It's made by Astral Smith and it was supplied to the Royal Navy in the Second World War.

It's an eight-day wind-up clock and it's made of brass - extremely good quality.

But the brass has been painted, as supplied to the Royal Navy, in its original black enamel paint.

This would be to dull it down

so it wouldn't shimmer away at night or day to attract the enemy.

You wouldn't want to do that, would you?

If you look really closely at the dial,

something very interesting is going on here.

The little dial in the centre is for the hours.

The outer ring, well, that's got the minutes on it

cos midshipmen would have to keep a handwritten log of all the ship's engine movements.

At every vital point and turn, it would be logged to the exact minute.

So he would look up as he was charting and he could see it from a distance. That's very, very handy.

One of these, if you can find one, will set you back about £300.

And, to top the look off, how about a couple of pond yachts or some ships' models.

We've got a few here. This one is quite cute.

This one starts at around about £35 or, you could go upmarket,

for some lovely pond yachts in full sail, or a dinghy like this one.

That will give you a look for 200 quid. Do you know, I could spend hours in here.

Right now, I've got to weigh anchor and cast-off and head straight back to the auction room.

But, before we do that, let's have a quick recap of all the items that are going to go under the hammer.

Anita's uncle brought these home from the factory.

Mark hopes they're rare and not run of the mill.

Beryl and Geoff's glasses didn't go with their collection -

are they the toast of the sale room?

Is Mary's daughter in the money?

Will Cupid's arrow finds its mark with these cameo bracelets?

And there's a touch of the exotic about this little inlaid wooden box

which Susan is confident can do really well.

Gary, something you should be familiar with - Poole Pottery - maybe not these figures.

These were brought in by Benita.

Mark Stacey, our expert, got extremely excited on the day.

Two wonderful figures and he's put £600 to £800 on them.

We don't know much about them, but are they rare?

Well, that's a fundamental question which, equally, we're not entirely sure about, to be entirely honest.

We sell a lot of Poole Pottery in here because we're not far away from Poole.

We get a lot of standard Poole.

We ourselves have never seen objects similar to this.

We've been able to do some research but haven't been able to get an absolutely finite answer

so, they are a bit speculative which really is what makes them quite interesting.

-We think they're probably quite early from the production of the Poole factory.

-What - sort of 1910?

1910, 1915, 1920 and possibly designed by Phoebe Stabler,

who was one of the founders of the Poole Pottery with Carter, Stabler and Adams.

They've come from a mould. There must be more about.

-They're not that finite, are they?

-No, they aren't.

It depends, I suppose, how popular that production was.

The ones we have seen were similar to this but with a coloured glaze to them.

These are plain - not quite as desirable.

I like them. They're quite naive. Will they do the £600 to £800 mark?

Well, if it was me, I think we'd be more likely to get near 400,

but you never know, you're not entirely sure.

You wouldn't fall of the rostrum if they made 600.

A typical, cautious auctioneer. You've to go on the rostrum. I hope they get the top end.

I'd like to see it. It's a case of suck it and see. Let's let the bidders decide.

20. 5. 5. 20.

5. That's it.

£600 to £800 riding on this one. They belong to Benita, hopefully for not much longer.

It's the two Poole figures. They've got the look but have they got the price right? We had a chat.

I'll bring Mark in on this - our expert.

-We had a chat to the auctioneer before the sale.

-Right.

He said he's not come across anything like it before.

He's seen them glazed in colour but not left plain like that.

-He would have been cautious and put a sort of maybe £300 to £400 on them.

-Right.

He's playing the market here. He's going to let that bidder decide.

It's what auctions are about. It's where tension creeps in.

-I think we'll see some today.

-There might be.

-Mr Stacey.

-There's a bit of tension here, I can tell you.

-There is.

Now, we're on to lot 252,

these unusual Poole Pottery white glazed figures.

And who will start me with this lot? We've got £200 to start me.

I'll take 220 in the room. At £200.

220, anyone?

At 200. And 20.

240.

260.

280.

300. At £300. Any advance on 300?

20, anyone like?

320 on the telephone. 340.

360. 380.

400? 400. And 20. 440?

At £420. 440, anyone like?

440. All done? I sell.

GAVEL THUDS

The hammer's gone down at 440, which means he didn't sell them, did he?

-He didn't sell.

-You've a reserve of 600.

Yes.

Well, I'm surprised. I'm very surprised.

They're 1924 and as far as we know, there's no others like it.

You can't do comparables, can you?

I think also, maybe what you should do, as we say before, Paul, for something as specialist as them,

is really find an auctioneer's that have a specialist decorative arts sale and get a little bit...

-dig a bit deeper in the provenance of it.

-Yes.

Well, that's a disappointment for Benita. Let's hope Beryl and Geoff's glasses will do better.

Something for the purist here, these really are. I love them.

The oldest thing in the sale.

I think they're priced to sell. We've got 220 to 250.

They should do more than that.

I'm hoping they do a lot more than that. 100 quid a glass, at least.

That's what I'm hoping for. Can we get that sort of money for them?

I hope so. They're worth that.

They're worth the top end of the estimate.

What's concerned me a little bit is there's not much glass of that kind in the sale.

-But buyers will find it - they'll always find quality.

-Let's hope.

-Hopefully.

-Let's hope they find them. Good luck. This is it.

An interesting lot.

English 18th-century wine glasses.

Three of these. Who will start me with these - at £100 for the three?

£100 for the three. 100 is bid.

And 10 I'll take. 100.

And 10, thank you, sir. 110 at the back. 110. 120 now, then?

110. 120. 120.

130. 140. 150.

160. 170.

180. 190.

200. In tens, I'll take.

210, sir? At £200. 210.

220. 220. Any advance on 220?

230, well done, sir. 240.

250. It's not my money.

250?

-Oh, come on.

-At £240, the bid's against you, sir. Are you sure?

If you're sure. At £240.

I'm selling. Out and clear, I sell.

That's not bad - that's top end of your estimate, actually.

-Happy with that?

-Ooh, yes.

-Yeah?

-Yes.

-What's that money going towards?

More glasses? Yeah, more glasses.

180. 190.

200.

And 20. Going round the room.

No, at 40 at the back.

We've got two lovely, 19th-century early ones - bracelets going under the hammer.

£150 to £200 is our estimate. They belong to Mary.

In fact, they belong to your daughter, don't they?

-They do.

-So she should be here flogging them.

She only came back from Cyprus yesterday on holiday

and so I've got to let her know what happens at the end of this.

Will it get it? Will it get the top end?

I don't know whether it's more of a specialist thing.

-Yes.

-Fingers crossed.

-What did you think of the valuation? Were you happy?

-Very. Shocked.

Very shocked. Well, happy, yes.

They were just in a box of old jewellery.

It's nice to get the pair of them.

Early 19th century, they would have had one on each wrist because they didn't have wristwatches.

Gilt metal and probably Swiss. The quality's very good.

The cameos are Italian of course.

-But they're nice, I like them.

-Unusual.

-Let's find out what the bidders of Dorset think.

-Great.

-It's going under the hammer.

Very attractive,

19th-century cameo, enamel and gilt metal bracelets - a pair of these.

OK, who will start me with this lot? £100 if you will, to get on.

£100 is bid, thank you. And 10.

120 at the back.

130 seated. 140.

150. 160.

-170. 180. 190.

-Getting there.

200. And 20. 240?

At £220. And with me at 220.

Any advance on 220?

-Come on, tease them!

-£220 then. 230.

240.

250. 260.

270 on the side.

At £260, sticking to it.

At £260, I'm selling now, all clear and done.

Yes. £260. We'll take that and you'll take that as well.

Brilliant.

I think your daughter will. Does that goes to her or a bit to you?

Well, we'll hand it over but we'll look pitiful, sort of thing.

What a great result! Sisters Sally and June are up next, hoping to sell their 19th-century inlaid box.

I wouldn't be parting with this

but at £120 to £150 I reckon this is going to go because it's quality. I love it.

Why are you flogging it - because it's yours, isn't it?

Yes, it is. Well, I don't want it and my children don't want it. So...

What about you, come on?

-No, I don't really want it. It's hers.

-It's hers, is it?

-Hers to sell.

-Let's see if we can get top money for it, shall we?

-I hope so.

It's a lovely box - a bit of a wow factor, isn't it?

The condition's good. There is a bit of inlay missing but it's unusual.

It's got the touch, it's got the rub and it's got the age, so that's quite nice.

-It's going under the hammer...

-Fingers crossed.

-..now.

This Anglo-Indian inlaid bone or ivory dressing box.

Very smart thing.

OK, who'll start me off with this lot? At £100 to start it.

100 is bid. 110, anyone say?

100. 10. 120. 130.

140. 150.

At £140 then. 150, anyone? 150.

160. 170.

180. 190.

200. And 20?

At £200. And 20, anyone say?

-200.

-It's worth every penny.

220 commission. 240.

260. 280.

300. And 20.

340. 360. 380. 400.

At £380 commission. At 380.

400, anyone say? 400. And 20.

440. 460.

Against you at the back. 460 on the book.

Commission bid on the book, against the room? I sell, all done.

GAVEL BANGS

Fantastic! £460.

-Amazing.

-Well...

you didn't think you'd get that, did you? Hmm?

-No.

-What a lovely moment!

What's going through your mind? I mean about the money. What would you do with that?

Well, we're going to have a weekend away - me and my sister and our husbands.

-Where are you thinking of going?

-We're going away in a caravan just for a nice, restful weekend.

-Ah! Do you ever squabble, you two, at all because you spend so much time together?

-No.

-Not at all?

We're like a couple of book ends.

Well, enjoy it, won't you?

-It's a lot of money. That's a good surprise.

-Yeah.

-Thank you.

260. 280.

300. 20.

Well, the auction's still going on behind me but it's definitely all over for our owners.

All I can say, from Duke's in Dorchester, it's been a mixed bag.

What did sell sold extremely well and what didn't,

it wasn't all bad because our owners wanted to take their items home.

The star of today's show had to be Sally and June's colonial box, selling for a staggering £460.

I hope you've enjoyed the show. See you next time on Flog It!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd - 2005.

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