Stockport Flog It!

This magnificent staircase earned its designer a knighthood for excellence in architecture.

We won't get a knighthood, but we are looking for excellence in antiques in Flog It!

Our venue today is Stockport Town Hall, which was designed by Alfred Brumwell Thomas in the early 1900s.

Yes, the columns are made from magnificent Italian marble.

It's an entrance that bristles with opulence and civic pride.

The new main entrance is situated in another part of the building. This, the original entrance,

which is VERY splendid, is reserved for Royal visits, civic events,

weddings and other special occasions, such as Flog It!

We have, as ever, a queue of people outside, all wanting to know...

How much?!

Making that valuation for us today are our very own knights of antiques

Nigel Smith and Thomas Plant.

They'll be picking out items that need to win the bidders' favour at auction.

I would NEVER have thought that!

-How exciting was that?

-She didn't think it would sell.

It's time to let the queue in and see who's first at the table.

Thank you for bringing along this charming bear.

-Have you come a long way?

-Bramhall.

The posh bit. Ooh!

What can you tell me about the bear?

I was given it when I was about six.

Went to some friends' house with my mother and father

and they had a large one in the hall which frightened me.

-Oh, yes.

-And this was the... And I liked that.

And when I was leaving, they gave it to me.

A fantastic thing. The larger ones are very, very expensive things.

Neil, how do you feel about your mother selling this heirloom?

Well, I've never been attached to it and I didn't think it was that old.

I always thought it was picked up from a holiday in Austria or Germany.

Well, it might well have been, but 100 or so years ago.

They tend to be called Black Forest ware.

I think it's carved out of limewood. He's got nice little inset bead eyes and some sort of varnish over him.

He's not in too bad condition. These things are very collectable.

That big bear you remember in the hallway could be worth several thousand pounds now.

-A little piece like this is still of interest to collectors. Why do you want to sell him now?

-As you see,

I've knocked him over, his toe's got knocked. I'm not as steady as I was,

so I'm frightened of him getting broken.

I think a collector would pay a reasonable amount for this.

I would think the proverbial quote of 80 to 120 applies here. Cos I think it's gonna be

worth around the £100 mark.

-Really?

-Would you be happy to sell it for that sort of money?

-Oh, yes.

-He's lovely, though. He's nice.

-Do you want to put a reserve on him?

-Do you think I should do?

I would think a reserve of £80.

-Then if it makes 150, we're all happy.

-Oh, lovely, yes. Very.

Stuart, tell me about your Merit steam engine.

It's been in the dark, in a cupboard for many years and it's much better going to someone that can enjoy it.

Whose was it?

I can't say one way or the other. I suspect it was bought for me, but it might be from my late father.

-Did you get it going?

-It has been going, many years ago.

What I like about it is it's a steam engine in its original box.

This is in lovely condition.

We've got the instruction manual here and helpful hints, etc.

Merit produced many things. Just on the underside here,

we've got what else they did. "If you want the very best ask for Merit precision quality products.

"Electric motors, dynamos,

"induction coils, Morse keys, buzzers..."

They produced a lot of other things. The steam engine,

you put paraffin in the spirit burner,

heated the water in the cylinder...

which produced the steam to power the piston.

You could put a belt round this and attach it to another object.

I notice that, on the back here, "Our range includes..."

a model fan, a model circular saw - I can see that getting past health and safety(!) -

or a grinder. Obviously kids or your jobbing model maker

would have enjoyed making his miniature items

using his miniature steam engine. There will be collectors for this item.

The valuation's not earth shattering.

-We'll probably get between £50-80 at auction.

-Sounds good.

-Better than a poke in the eye, isn't it?

-Better than what I had in mind..

-Really?

-Yeah.

-Well, we can always talk it down!

Whilst Thomas works up a head of steam, it's Brenda's painting that's got ME all fired up.

Well, tell me all about Byron. How did you come by him?

Byron was hung on me mum's wall for a long, long time.

She always used to point to it and say, "That's very valuable." We didn't take much notice.

It's beautifully executed, oil on canvas. What I'd like to do

is just turn him over...

and just move some of these panel pins and take this out.

Personally, I feel the modern frame lets this oil down.

I don't think there's much value in this frame, possibly £20 or £30 at the very, very most.

Let's take a closer look at Lord Byron. Poet, dandy and flirt!

He died so young, didn't he? I think he was 36 when he died.

Born in 1788, died 1824.

There's no damage to the canvas at all and it's not been relined.

-That's a very good sign. Collectors and dealers love that.

-Right.

And it hasn't been cut down. For a moment, I thought it had been cut down from a larger portrait.

You can see where the canvas ends, you can see where the paint ends.

-Just look at the quality...

-It is very... Yes.

Lovely muted hues. I love the waistcoat, the shirt.

Especially the way the linen in the necktie, those folds.

But look at the skin pigments.

It's going thin slightly. You can see the canvas wearing through,

but it's got that shabby-chic, faded-elegant look.

That is worthy of the Royal Academy. That's that good.

But it's not signed. That's why I thought it might have been cut down

and why I got it out of that horrible frame.

You really don't like that frame!

I think if we put him into auction,

we put it into auction without the frame. You keep the frame...

-Do you know what I'd do with that frame?

-Dump it?

-No, I wouldn't.

Go down to your local glass shop and ask them to cut a piece of mirror to put in there

-and use that as a mirror.

-In the hall.

-In the hall or in the loo.

Yeah.

And put this into auction like this. Value?

-£200-300. I'm pretty sure we'll get the top end.

-That's wonderful.

-I want to stick it in auction, if you don't mind.

-We'll go for that.

Thank you for bringing it in.

Tell me about this little plate of yours.

It was left to me by my grandmother.

Passed it on to my parents.

What are your thoughts on it?

Well, I was surprised to hear that it was of value because, clearly, it's only a cheaply pressed thing.

Not hand painted or anything.

You're right. What you do see with Victorian Royal commemorative china is a lot of her diamond jubilee.

Loads of plates, "the sun never sets on the Empire", all that stuff.

But really this 1837 and the coronation of 1838,

you don't see much of it. It's much earlier.

There's the pretty Victoria there, nice-looking image.

The proportions are good with the plate. We don't really know who it's made by. It's very thin pottery.

Probably made in Staffordshire. Many factories would have made things like this. The value, I would say,

-if we put it in at £100-200, I think it could do quite well.

-Excellent.

-You happy with that?

-Yes, indeed.

What's the reason behind selling it, after your grandma having it, your mum and dad having it?

It is of more value than I would have expected.

Whilst I'm not desperate for money,

my lads play guitar, it might give them some studio time.

Quite a good way to give him some cash really.

Otherwise they might just drop it on the floor.

In the antiques world, we're always keeping a keen eye out for pairs.

It puts the value up and they always look so good together. Just ask these two, they're twins.

Nigel's heard about pairs too and has made Kath fetch her mum for doubles all round.

Doreen and Kath, thanks for coming along. Did your daughter go and fetch you?

This is your object, really.

-It is.

-What can you tell me about it?

Just the history I know. It belonged to my father-in-law.

He was an air-raid warden in the war

and some big hotel was bombed and he found it in the debris.

Your daughter told me something about your current use for this.

I put all me bills that I've paid behind it.

When I've paid them, I put them behind Romul and Remus in the dining room.

It's quite worn on the top. He gets fingered quite a lot.

Not by me. He hasn't been fingered much since I've had him.

A little bit of shine on the top of his ears. It's the sort of thing

you would have bought in the late 19th century.

It's what we tend to call a Grand Tour item.

You can bet this was bought in Rome when somebody went to Italy. It's been bought as a keepsake.

It's the she-wolf and Romulus and Remus, adopted by the wolf

and then eventually discovered by a shepherd who took them in.

-They went on to overthrow their uncle and found modern Rome.

-Oh, right, I never knew.

This image is used as the official badge of Rome.

It's on a rouge marble base, or porphyry it's sometimes called.

And it's rather nice.

-Very unusual.

-It's very unusual. Any idea what it might be worth?

-None at all.

-I don't think me Grandad Blogg knew it was worth anything.

Grandad who, sorry?

-Blogg.

-Blogg?

-His first name wasn't Joe, was it?

-No, it was Fred.

Great name.

-Why do you want to sell it now?

-Well, I didn't really. My daughter brought some other stuff down...

She grabbed it off your mantelpiece?

She rung me up and said to bring Romul and Remus down. So I drove down and passed it in to her.

-I think we'll get between £100-150 for it.

-Lovely.

I would suggest putting a reserve of 80. Are you happy with that?

-Yes.

-Fine.

-Happy to see it go? Not gonna miss it?

-No.

-What are you gonna put your bills behind?

-I'll have to find something else! Never thought of that!

Our experts have selected their first batch of antiques to send off to the auction room.

Joyce's bear keeps getting knocked over

so she's decided it's time to sell.

Steaming across the valuation day

was Stuart's toy worth between £50-80.

Jeff's plate has been passed down from his grandmother

but his sons want some costly studio time, so Granny's plate has to go.

We were honoured today to have a visit from Rome's founders Romulus and Remus.

Nigel thinks they should make £100-150

whilst Doreen's after a new billholder.

My favourite was definitely this portrait

of Lord Byron, famous for being mad, bad and dangerous to know.

It's well worth £200 of anybody's money.

Our auction today is in Altrincham and this is the Old Market Tavern,

a listed building and formerly a mail coaching inn.

The stagecoach from Manchester to Chester passed through here on a daily basis

back in Victorian England delivering the mail and newspapers.

Back then, the cover price for a newspaper was sixpence. That equates to £10 in today's money -

a heck of a lot of money for a newspaper.

It's time to find out if our owners' lots are expensive at today's rates.

What does auctioneer Patrick Cheyne think?

Patrick, for me, this is the star of the show. I picked this,

fell in love with it. It's the sort of thing I would love to have.

It belongs to Brenda. Sort of around 1815, believed to Lord Byron.

It's been in the family a long time. Brenda's agreed to part with it and I'm hoping £200-300, and a bit more.

I think you're absolutely right. It's a very charming picture.

It looks as if it should be Lord Byron, but I have to be very careful

so I put, "believed to be Lord Byron". I've got some interest in it from a curator of a museum.

So we'll keep our fingers crossed that it will do very well.

-This could be the big one.

-I hope so.

I can't wait, but which lot is first today?

It's time to say goodbye to that little Black Forest bear at £80-120.

It belongs to Joyce here. You're here with your son Neil.

-Are you sad to see this little bear go?

-Oh, I am.

I have a table he used to sit on and, er...it looks a little bit bare without my bear.

-Do you want to take him home?

-Yes.

-You do? It's a bit late. You can't do that unless you buy it back!

-I think he's going to do well.

-I hope so.

-They're so collectable.

-I should have held out for the daddy bear, shouldn't I?

-He's the baby bear, isn't he?

-Hopefully, baby bear is going to get top money.

-Yes. If it was mine, I couldn't bear to part with him!

Lot number 90, the carved wood Black Forest bear. Rather nice this one.

Say £50 to start me on this one.

£50 is bid. 55, anyone?

I've just realised he looks quite cute.

70. 75. 80. 85. 90.

95. 100. 110. 120.

130.

At 130. Right in the corner.

At £130. Anybody missed at 130?

At 130 it's going. All done at 130.

-Nearly right, wasn't I?

-130 quid!

-Thank you very much, Nigel. Thank you, Paul.

-Enjoy it.

-Oh, yes.

This next deserves a little bit of merit. It's the steam engine at £60-80.

It belongs to Stuart. You've had this since you were a nipper.

Are you feeling a bit guilty about flogging it today? Come on!

-Maybe a little. But it's been tucked away for so long...

-In a dark cupboard!

-It's a lovely little thing, Thomas.

-I always wanted one as a kid.

I saw friends with these and I was slightly jealous.

It's definitely a lot for the boys, so I'm sure this one is gonna go.

Let's watch it steam away.

Lot number 68 is a Merit Model Major 1550 twin cylinder steam engine

and original box complete with instructions.

£20 to start me on this one? £20 is bid. At 22 now.

24. 26. 28.

30. 32. 34. 36. 38.

At £38... 40 in a new place.

At £40. 42 against you.

44. 46. 48. 50. £50.

At £50, right in the corner. All done at 50. Going at £50.

Stuart, looking in your eyes, I can see all those childhood memories

-evaporating out the door!

-They've gone.

-For 50 quid?

-Yes.

-You're gonna take the money.

-I'm off!

This is the moment I've been waiting for. It's the oil on canvas of Lord Byron. £200-300.

And it belongs to Brenda who is grandmother of the year, I reckon! How many grandkids have you got?

-Ten.

-Ten? How many sons and daughters have you got?

-Three sons and a daughter.

-Aww.

So you've got lots of people to treat if you flog this!

-IF we flog this.

-I said to you at the valuation day that I love it.

The auctioneer loved it. We had a chat with him.

-Really?

-He said there's been some interest from museums.

-Really?

I think if two people push each other, we could be looking at 400. That's what I secretly want. OK?

-I hope I won't let you down.

-Don't worry.

-It's beautiful.

-It is.

Lot 381 brings us on to an unframed oil on canvas,

half-length portrait of a gentleman believed to be Lord Byron.

I'm bid £50 on this. May I say 55? 55. 60.

65. 70. 75.

80. 85. 90. 95. 100.

110. 120.

130. 140.

-150. 155. 160.

-Come on. They started so low.

-175.

At £175. 180 now.

185.

190. 195.

At 195. 200 anywhere?

At 195. Is there 200 anywhere?

All done at 195. Anybody want to bid 200?

It's there for buying.

-It didn't reach the fixed reserve.

-Oh, no.

-I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry. I built this up.

I can see it's worth £200-300. It's worth the top end of 300.

-I don't want to take less than 200.

-Exactly! Don't, don't.

There's another auction room and there's another day. I insist that sells for nothing less than £200.

-OK?

-Yeah.

-I'm so sorry.

-Not your fault.

-It was the wrong day here.

-Yeah.

-There's nothing wrong with the picture, or the valuation.

-I know.

This is a good little lot -

the commemorative plate. Value £100-200.

We're hoping it's gonna be a big hit cos the money is going towards, hopefully, making a big hit.

-Your sons want some studio time.

-They're both good players of guitar and they've got stuff to record.

-Does Dad play?

-Oh, yes. I've emptied plenty of pubs and clubs in my time.

-Are you gonna be playing on this big hit?

-If I'm invited, but I suspect not.

I wish them well! I really do. I love it when kids get involved in music.

-Thomas, there's a good cause here.

-Let's hope they do well.

Lot 131 is a rare, small, commemorative child's plate.

May I say £50 for it? £50 is bid. 55.

60. 65.

70. 75. 80.

85. 90. At £90.

Is there 95 anywhere?

Come on.

95 in the room now.

100. 110. 120. At 120.

All done at 120? At £120.

He's put the hammer down. £120.

-Excellent.

-That's not bad. Hopefully get a few hours in the studio.

-Knock out a demo and hopefully it'll be a smash hit.

-Excellent.

We've got a lovely bronze of a she-wolf now, belonging to Doreen and Kath. It was your father's.

-Father-in-law's.

-Have we got our figures right at £100-150?

-I think it's about right.

-Should be. It's a nice little thing.

-Whether it's in the right sale or not...

-We'll find out.

Good luck. This is it.

A bronze figure of the she-wolf with Romulus and Remus there.

Rather nice this, on a marble style base. I'm bid £50 on this.

May I say 55? 55.

60. 65. 70.

75. Thank you. £80 here. 85. 90.

95. 100. 110 in the room. At 110 it's in the room.

120 now.

130. 140. 150.

-160. 170. 180. 190.

-(I don't believe it.)

-INAUDIBLE

-240.

At 240. Right in the corner at 240. All done at 240?

Nobody missed at 240?

-Ooh, I get a kiss out of that!

-£240!

I can't believe it! Thank you so much!

Thanks. I can't believe it. She didn't think it'd sell.

-I didn't think it would sell, Paul.

-Nigel was positive.

-He was. He was.

What are you gonna do with £240, less a bit of commission?

-Oh, I don't know.

-She's gonna treat us all, she said.

-I think we'll go for a meal after the show.

Patrick Cheyne and his wife have been running this auction house for the last 17 years.

There's over 3 million registered businesses in the UK

and three-quarters of them are family run.

By the time the family business reaches the third or fourth generation,

the business is normally run by somebody else.

That's what makes this brewery that I'm off to visit so special.

In the early 1900s, there were 6,500 breweries in Britain.

Within a century, nearly all had disappeared.

Robinson's of Stockport is one of the few independent family breweries still in existence.

It's now run by eight members of the fifth and sixth generation.

In 1838, Ian Robinson bought the Unicorn pub. This no longer exists

but, ever since, the unicorn has been the company symbol.

The family have done really well.

Robinson's now own nearly 400 pubs.

And this is where the beer is allowed to ferment.

This largest vessel holds a staggering 86,000 pints.

But brewing beer is quite a simple process.

You take a really good malt, crush it, add water, you leave it to stand and then drain it out.

You reboil it, adding some hops, add your yeast to help it ferment and - hey presto! - you've got beer.

What I want to know, in the Robinson's case, what about that extra ingredient - the family?

Oliver Robinson is the commercial director of Robinson's

and a member of the sixth generation of the family.

How is the business so successful? It's family run and most families fall out with each other.

The two key points are that the families still own 100% of the shares in the business.

You have to be in the bloodline of my great-great-grandmother Emma Robinson or be a spouse of to own shares.

But key to that is actually working in the business and running the business day to day.

Frederick Robinson died suddenly in 1890, which left his widow Emma to run the business.

She launched the company on the stock market and raised enough money to buy another seven pubs.

Obviously, the First World War and the Second World War must have affected the business.

There was a reduction in labour as the men had to go off to war. We then employed women to come and work here.

There was a shortage at times of some of the raw materials.

In fact, beer production during the war increased.

Although Robinson's flourished during the war, it was afterwards

that the future of the business was firmly established

under the leadership of another far-sighted family member.

Let's talk about the last three generations.

They say that if a family business passes to the fourth generation, it's going to be in safe hands.

Luckily, it passed to my grandfather Sir John Robinson.

He made some very shrewd acquisitions.

What about the plans for the future?

The future's bright. There are many plans for the future.

I have three sons. I hope that they're going to come here and join the seventh generation

and their children will be the eighth generation. They love coming here, they love a sip of beer!

I don't think there's anything wrong with that. They've got an acquired taste, as I did. I grew up with that.

-So, basically, a chip off the old block.

-I think they are!

So Robinson's is definitely in the blood, but they're not the only people with a taste for it!

The brewery produces a staggering 130,000 pints of beer a day

and has recently won two major awards for its brew.

Although happy to embrace modern technology, one of the main reasons Robinson's is so successful

is they continue to abide by traditional beer-making techniques.

They don't need a computer. To tell me more about it is Chris Hellin, the master brewer here.

-It sounds a bit like an art form.

-Very much so.

Obviously, it's supported by science and technology

but we're very much a hands-on brewery.

The secret to it is that we use natural ingredients. We keep things simple

and we try to maintain tradition.

The industry is evolving, things have changed slightly.

Over the years, the process has changed very, very slightly, but not to any great extent.

The main differences relate to the raw materials that are used in brewing these days.

I have here a handbook that, um,

the head brewer meticulously recorded all the details of his brews back in 1900.

It's interesting when we look at it to see that we actually produced twice as many barrels of beer

from the same quantity of malt that they used in 1900.

So I think that the farming techniques and the malting techniques have progressed significantly.

But what about choice selection in hops?

Do you go for the bitterness for the taste and the wonderful aroma?

Certain hops are responsible for giving both bitterness and hop aroma.

It's the art of the brewer to blend those hops together to bring out the best in the beer.

-Down to you, then.

-Partly.

They say the proof of the beer is in the drinking.

This is called Old Tom and, believe me, it's the cat's whiskers!

It's won the brewing industry's International Gold Medal for 2005.

Good health to you all and back to the valuation day to catch up with our experts and owners.

-Hello.

-Very nice to see you.

-Thank you.

You've struggled in with this big, circular object made of oak.

-Do you know the name for it?

-Lazy Susan.

-Lazy Susan.

-Have you ever used it?

-No.

-Why not?

-I don't like the look of it.

-You don't like the look...

How did you come by it?

My late husband was a contracts manager, refurbishing large Victorian houses in Liverpool.

-Right.

-And it was an elderly couple moving to a smaller property.

They said that he was so kind to them and they gave him that.

I said, "I don't like it, put it in the dustbin."

-But you didn't.

-We didn't.

-Where's it been since?

-In the loft.

-For 20 years.

-20 years.

I think it's a wonderful thing.

It's made of English oak.

-You know what it's for?

-Yes.

It goes on a dining table, you put your condiments on this...

It's a version of those things you have in Chinese restaurants.

Pass the pickle tray.

It's beautifully carved.

A super structure underneath.

There we are.

That's the works of it.

It revolves on this little carousel.

It's all original.

Even the original paper labels on it. Nice bit of dirt.

-We like a bit of dirt.

-I've never cleaned it.

Like a bit of natural dirt.

It's carved with oak leaves all the way round. Oak leaves and acorns.

-It's a beautiful thing.

-How old would you say...?

-Late Victorian.

About 1880, 1890.

-I just think it's a wonderful thing.

-Yes.

If it was mine, I'd use it. For my Indian takeaway on a Friday night.

Put a little doily on.

Why have you decided to sell it now after having it in the loft for 20 years?

Because I am going on holiday to Cambodia with my friend.

-I thought the money would go towards that!

-No pressure there!

How much does it cost to go to Cambodia?

Well, the flight's 500.

Well, that's a bit ambitious.

It'll go towards it.

-In a good sale, this ought to be worth £200-300. Would you be happy with that?

-Definitely.

Certainly put a reserve on it. I would say a reserve of £180.

-Good.

-A fixed reserve of 180. They're ever so popular.

And if they come up for sale, they do very well.

Tell me about your wonderful collection.

I started collecting back in the 1960s in the junk shops of Stockport.

I've always had a fascination for glass.

I started with paperweights on the old Stockport market.

So these you've bought from the '60s to the present day...?

No, I stopped in about the '80s, I would say with the glass rolling pins.

There was just too many going up on the wall!

Out of all of these 13 here, which one's your favourite?

-I must admit the Bristol Blue.

-Tell me why.

-It's such a beautiful glass.

Bristol Blue has that brilliant, violet blue colour to it. I think that's rather lovely.

-What about the Nailsea one? Don't you like that?

-Oh, yes.

-The problem is they're reproducing these now.

-But this is original.

The reproduction ones are so much thicker, the swags in them.

But this is so fine.

-Tell me about the one with the threepenny bit in it.

-That was bought at a junk shop in Stockport.

I saw it, nosing in at bottles, digging for a paperweight.

When I saw the threepenny bit in it, I thought it was old as well. It's got...

-Is it George's head on the back?

-George V, isn't it?

-It's a very heavy one.

-Yes, that would have been used in the kitchen.

I don't think they were ever for any great use. How much did you pay for these?

Between about £5 and then...

for the better ones, about 25 each.

-The Bristol Blue I think I went to about £18.

-You did really well. Why do you want to sell them?

Simply because I've gone into so many fields...

I went into Bunnykins. Why I fluctuated from the glass, I don't know.

If I was to sell these for you, we'd like to sell them as a collection, to keep them as a collection.

I would have thought an estimate of between £300 and 500.

-Right.

-How does that grab you?

-Not too bad!

As regards to reserve, I would suggest 300.

This one here, I think is worth £70-90 on its own.

The Bristol Blue glass is 60-80.

-I think the others will just add in and make a good lot.

-Right.

-Laura.

-Hiya.

-Thanks for bringing these wonderful vases.

-Who was the lad that was carrying one?

-That was me cousin.

-But he's too shy to come on camera.

-He only had one vase

-and we sent him home for the other one.

-He went all the way back to Leigh.

What can you tell me about them?

I don't really know much about them. Me dad's auntie died a few years ago and she left them to him.

-So they're your dad's.

-Yeah.

-Tell me why you're selling them now.

I'm getting married next year so whatever we make on them is going towards the cost of the wedding.

Let's hope we get a good price.

What we've got here is a pair of late 19th-century Japanese vases.

It's called Satsuma ware.

Satsuma was a province in Japan where a lot of this earthenware was shipped from.

These are made purely for the western market, the export market.

These sort of things either tend to be very early - late 17th, early 18th century -

or late 19th century. These are from the late 19th century, round about 1880, 1890, something like that.

On the front here, they're very, very delicately decorated

with these Japanese figures in landscapes with pagodas.

We turn them round and there are more Japanese courtesans and this lovely pendant wisteria.

The ground is blue cobalt

and there are these lovely Japanese motifs in gilding all the way round.

And these mon, these circular devices.

Look at the bottom. There's actually a signature there. I don't know what that means. Can't read that.

But that little device there, the circle with the cross in it

it's called the Satsuma mon and that's the badge of Satsuma.

They're lovely things. On the downside,

-they've got some wear to the gilding. Who was responsible for cleaning them?

-Me dad's auntie?

She's polished these and she's worn away a little bit of the gilding on the neck and shoulders.

-Now, how much are we going to make you for your wedding?

-A lot I hope.

-What do you call a lot?

-I don't know. £500?

-On a good day with the wind behind it, it might make 500.

That'd be a brave estimate. I think put £400-600m as an estimate.

We need to put a reserve on them because they're going into a local sale. I would put a reserve of 400

with discretion. On a bad day, they'd go for as little as 360-370.

-Yeah.

-What's the money going towards? A dress?

-I've already got my dress.

-It's hopefully going to a chocolate fountain.

-What's a chocolate fountain?

It's chocolate what flows down and you have the fruits what you put into it and cover them with chocolate.

It's for the end of the buffet at night.

-Don't get chocolate down your nice white dress.

-OK!

That's nice. Looks like a Staffordshire figure.

It's got a date on here, 1792, which tells us it's towards the end of the 18th century, the Georgian period.

I don't think that's the Georgian we know. That's George down the pub...

about 1992!

Nice fake, nice try!

Tell me about your watch.

It came to me from my father. I believe it was my grandfather's.

I don't know any more about it than that.

-And here you are thinking about selling it.

-Yes.

-It's a family heirloom.

-It is rather, but it's stuck in a drawer.

Maybe if somebody could appreciate it...

-Then you could sell it and buy another family heirloom.

-Maybe!

It's a pair-cased watch. One...two.

They're both silver and, um...it's just for extra protection this case.

It's quite a thick case, isn't it?

Cos there's a lot of movement going on inside here. If I open it,

lift up the glass, the dome glass,

there's a little lever just here, a button, and you press that

-and you lift it up and we've got the movement here.

-It's beautiful.

Eldon is the maker, from London. I've certainly seen watches from this maker.

He is a well-known manufacturer.

What's nice about it is the dial is in perfect condition.

Normally, we see these and they've got a chip on them or the dial is cracked.

-Have you had any work done?

-No.

-It's in remarkably good condition. The gold hands look nice.

To all intents and purposes, it's in lovely condition.

Have you ever thought about its date?

No. Other than what is on the back of the paperwork behind there.

These are interesting. You've got this paperwork from the watchmakers

and watch manufacturers and jewellers.

If you look on the back of the paperwork, it's got the cost.

-Here we are. Who's that?

-I don't know who that is.

August 1900 and it was 2/6.

So 1900 is when it was repaired, but that was 77 years after it was probably made.

1833 is the date for the case.

-Wow.

-The movement would probably be around that. 1833, maybe 4.

Isn't that amazing?

So in pair-case terms, it's a bit late.

However, it's in lovely condition.

Now, I'm gonna say a conservative valuation of about...

-£100-200 at auction.

-Good lord!

-Really?

-I didn't realise it would be that much.

-If it was an earlier 1800

pair-cased pocket watch,

-it would be 200-300.

-Good lord.

But as it's a bit later, 1833,

-I would say £100-200.

-That's fabulous.

Well, that's the end of our valuation day.

Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope we make our owners a healthy profit in the auction room.

Right now it's time for me to visit a famous local house that's also known for its staircase.

This is it. It has rather a grand name to match its grand status.

It's called the Cage Newel Jacobean Staircase

and it was installed in 1618 and it's a very rare survivor indeed.

The most important thing about this staircase is it's got four internal newel posts.

These would have been joined together at one stage, but they've been cut through at a later date

as furniture got larger and they had to get it up the stairs.

The newel post holds the handrail in place and the stringer, which is this section here.

It's the stringer which holds the risings and the goings,

normally known as the treads, which help us walk up the stairs.

The intricate carving on the balustrade forms patterns known as strapwork.

This was very fashionable in the early 1600s and this is a very fine example,

an indication of wealth and status of the family living here.

The work is so unusual that the staircase even gives its name to the house.

I suppose you're wondering why the wood is two different shades?

That's because in 1995, Staircase House suffered a massive fire.

The upper parts of the staircase were completely burnt away

but, with the aid of photographs, it was restored to its former glory.

The lighter timber you can see is the restored part of the staircase.

Staircase House was opened to the general public in August 2005

after ten years of restoration work, costing nearly £4 million.

This building began life as a cruck framed house in the 15th century

and has been added to and developed over the years.

I've ended up in the linen room of all places. I've come here to meet Frank Galvin

who's overseen all the restoration work here.

Tell us about the linen room.

A fine linen was produced in Stockport called Stockport Cloth

and then in the 18th century, Stockport was very important for fine silk as well.

So the household linens were very important in any household

and, after the hard work of pressing the linen, they would be put into the linen press here.

-It was quite a feature of most households.

-That's a lovely example.

It's a great museum and I believe it's a new concept in museum design.

Yes, we've avoided the usual signs "do not sit here", "do not touch".

In fact we invite people to interact with the museum, to touch the objects

and to sit on the bed and feel the fabrics. That's an important feature.

What's been the code of conduct in the restoration policy here?

We decided NOT to turn the house back to any one period.

We wanted to show people a whole span in the history of the house. It's been occupied for over 500 years

and we wanted to show that full span of history so we've got rooms from every period.

-You going to take me on a tour?

-Yes.

Would you like to sit here? A comfy seat.

Oh, it is comfy.

You've kitted it out in 19th-century furniture, but in the Regency style.

-What's the significance of this room?

-The house has two important rooms.

The dining room which we decorated in the blue colour, the Georgian period,

and this room which we decorated in the Regency period.

During the Regency, there was a major event here in Stockport.

It was about the time of the Peterloo riots in Manchester, there was a lot of political unrest,

and here in Stockport, Constable Birch was shot by a silk weaver by the name of Jacob McGhinness.

So, imagine people in this room during the Regency, discussing these terrible events.

-Shall we move on a few generations?

-Yes.

SIREN WAILS

This looks like a typical Second World War bedroom.

Yes, we set out the room as it was at the time of the Manchester blitz, 23rd-24th December 1940.

There was many people killed, 700 killed altogether.

Thousands were injured and 100,000 homes were destroyed. A very significant event.

We've imagined the occupant of this room, the young lady writing to her sweetheart in the trenches.

-I love the way you've kitted it out. It really does put you back in the period.

-It has all the features,

including the dressing table, the nylons and all the other artefacts.

-What does the house mean to the people of Stockport?

-It's very important.

It's a famous building, in the town centre, steeped in history and it seems to draw you into that history.

Well, it's certainly taken me back.

Thank you very much.

Time for me to get back to the auction room to catch up with our owners and experts

for our next batch of antiques to go under the hammer. Fingers crossed.

Lazy Susan has been very lazy indeed

lounging in the attic for 20 years.

Tess has decided to sell up and holiday in Cambodia.

Another family heirloom is Carol's pocket watch

which, despite fine workmanship, is only worth between £100-200.

From Japan with love.

Laura didn't know much about these vases,

but Nigel provided information and a value of £400-600.

Finally, Evelyn's rolled out her glassware for Flog It!

Thomas is a keen glass collector himself.

They should fetch between £300-500.

Evelyn's collection of glass rolling pins.

She started collecting these in the '60s, she's given up now and is selling them all. 13 in total.

You've selected some nice ones here. We've got a valuation of £300-500

-with a fixed reserve at 3.

-As you say, you've got two nice ones here.

This is a very nice one, a Nailsea one. But these are really the only two really nice ones.

Some of them are clear glass so £300-500 does sound rather a lot.

I would prefer a 200 reserve on them. However, we must see how we go.

It looks like you've got your work cut out. I suggest you give them lots of encouragement.

Well, we'll try our best.

And the best is what's required as Evelyn's rolling pins are up next. Thomas still likes the look of them.

-You have some really quite peachy ones in there.

-The Nailsea one's rather nice and the Bristol Blue.

Peachy. That's a nice term for it, Thomas. Peachy.

-They're going under the hammer. Good luck.

-Thank you.

Lot 30 brings us to a collection of 19th century and later rolling pins.

May I say £50 to start me?

£50 is bid. At £50.

-55. 60. 65.

-Somebody's interested.

75. 80. 85. 90. 95. 100.

-But we've got to get to £300.

-That's quite a lot.

We'll wait and see.

160? 160. 180. 200. 220.

240. 260. 280. 290 here.

At 290. At £290. At £290. 300 now.

-Done it.

-In the room at £300. All done at 300? They're going.

320 anywhere?

-300 quid.

-Thank you.

Good though. Well done.

Really good.

-They cost me about £90 to buy the lot.

-Did it?

-In the '60s, though.

-Through to the '80s.

-You're selling these

-and putting more money into your other collecting love, the French paperweights.

-Yes, mainly.

I think that's a better investment.

I think French paperweights are really nice. Or any paperweight.

A touch of the Orient comes to Altrincham right now. We've got two Japanese Satsuma vases.

-They belong to Laura. In fact, they were Dad's. Hi, Tony.

-Hi.

-How did you get hold of these?

-Me Auntie Winnie died and left them to me Auntie Elsie

who passed them on to me. I didn't know what to do with them, so I put them up for auction.

-£400-600. That's a cracking valuation. That should get that.

-Hopefully. Fingers crossed.

-Is this your first auction?

-Yeah.

-What do you think?

-It is exciting.

-Hopefully, they'll meet the reserve.

-They'll do that. Trust me. I think Nigel is bang on on this one.

I hope so. There's a bit of wear to the gilding, but they're very good things.

Lot 144, pair of late-19th century, hexagonal-shape, Satsuma-ware vases.

Rather nice these.

I'm bid £100 for them. May I say 110? 120.

130. 140. 150. 160.

170. 180. 190. 200. 220.

240. 260. 280. 300. 320.

340. 360. 380. 390.

£400.

At £400 on the telephone.

Is there 420 anywhere? Selling at £400 on the telephone.

All done then at £400.

Nobody missed at 400?

-He's put the hammer down. 400. You'll take that, won't you?

-Yeah.

-How many more months till you get married?

-June next year.

-Are you excited?

-Oh, definitely.

-Who's the lucky fellow? What's his name?

-Andrew.

-Well, congratulations.

I've been waiting for this lovely watch to go under the hammer.

It belongs to Carol. It's been in your family for three generations

and you're going to pass it on to somebody else.

It's just so beautiful! You cannot buy

-quality craftsmanship like that for under £200 nowadays!

-It's superbly made.

All these pair-cased pocket watches are beautiful.

-Is this a sad moment or an exciting one?

-An exciting moment.

-Have you done any auctions before?

-Yes. I bid for, um... What was it?

..a piece of furniture for my son. And I got it. A writing desk.

-Are you buying anything today?

-Don't think so.

Just going to go home with the money. Good luck.

269, William IV pair-cased silver pocket watch. Rather nice this one.

Bid £30 on this one.

35. 40. 45.

50. 55. 60.

65. 70. 75. 80.

85. 85. 90 here. 92. 100?

100. It's in the room. At 110 now.

120. 130.

At 130. All done at 130?

Going at £130. It's yours.

-I'm quite pleased with that.

-What are you going to do with that £130?

Probably put it for some spends for a holiday in the south of France.

Thank you very much. I wish I'd bought that watch, Thomas.

-I know, but you can't.

-I know, I know, I know!

If you love dinner parties, then this lot is for you.

It's a lazy Susan. It belongs to Tess, but not for much longer at £200-300.

-You need a big table to put it on.

-A very big table.

-It belongs in a grand country house.

-Great for Friday night takeaways.

-Chicken vindaloo coming round.

-That's really good!

A contemporary use for it. I really like it.

-Happy with the valuation?

-It's worth that and more.

Lot 436 is a large, circular, oak, lazy Susan.

Rather nice with carved leaf and acorn borders and a floral frieze.

£200 is bid.

-Yes. Well, we've sold it.

-260. 280.

300. 320. 340.

360. 380. 400.

420. At 420 here.

At 420 here. All done then at £420?

Yes! The hammer's gone down! 420 quid!

I would never have thought that.

Isn't Nigel clever?

-What are you gonna do with 420 quid?

-Put it towards a holiday in Cambodia.

-Lovely. Nigel, what a staggering result.

-Yeah. Nice thing, though.

I rated that, to be honest.

-Would you have given 400...?

-I'd have given 200-300 for it!

What a wonderful Flog It moment.

If you've got anything you want to flog, bring it along to one of our valuation days.

You could be standing in an auction room just like this.

The auction's still going on, but it's all over for our owners.

The star of the day had to be Tess with her lazy Susan.

Valued at £200-300 and selling for a staggering £420. It really did spin out the room today.

Hope you enjoyed the show. See you next time on Flog It!

For more information about Flog It, including how the programme was made,

visit the website at bbc.co.uk/lifestyle