0:00:31 > 0:00:35Today, Flog It! comes from the beautiful, ancient city of York,
0:00:35 > 0:00:37once the Roman capital of England,
0:00:37 > 0:00:41and now it boasts the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe.
0:00:43 > 0:00:48This is a city that is literally bursting at the seams with a rich and fascinating history.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50The city walls are the longest in England,
0:00:50 > 0:00:53at about two miles in length.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56York, together with Gloucester,
0:00:56 > 0:00:58is the oldest surviving dukedom in Britain.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00And the title, the Duke of York,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03was created in the 14th century by Richard II.
0:01:03 > 0:01:04And to this very day,
0:01:04 > 0:01:08the title is handed down to the sovereign's second son.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10I always wondered what Prince Andrew did!
0:01:14 > 0:01:18Well, the only hand-me-downs we're going to find here today
0:01:18 > 0:01:20will be those forgotten family treasures
0:01:20 > 0:01:23that have been dusted down and sorted out by our two experts,
0:01:23 > 0:01:25Michael Baggott and Mark Stacey.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28And let's hope they make a big hit in the auction room.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35David, you've brought a bit of a cane in today.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Do you know what happened to the rest of it?
0:01:37 > 0:01:39I've no idea at all, I'm afraid.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43I only remember it in my grandfather's drawer going back
0:01:43 > 0:01:4460 years, 50 years now.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48- Right, right.- Erm, and I was allowed to play with that, along with three
0:01:48 > 0:01:52brass monkeys, which disappeared. I've no idea what happened to those.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56But you held on to this. Did your grandfather use it as a walking cane?
0:01:56 > 0:01:59No, I've always remembered it exactly as it is now,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02apart from the fact that it didn't have the eyes in, it has now.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05It originally had red eyes, which somehow got lost,
0:02:05 > 0:02:08and my grandfather put the eyes in that are there now.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13Ah, right. Well, I mean, it's a lovely little cane handle,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16and it's carved out of ivory. I was going to say that the eyes
0:02:16 > 0:02:19have been put in later, but you know that. That's not a shock.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Probably, if they were a red stone, because this is well carved,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25they were probably little cabochon garnets.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28It was probably a semi-precious stone that went in.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Unfortunately, they're glued in at this date,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33and this was carved in about...
0:02:33 > 0:02:37it's quite early actually, about 1820, up to 1840.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41So, of course, after 100 years, the glue dries out, the eyes fall out,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43and your grandfather's there with the tube of glue
0:02:43 > 0:02:47and a couple of very sparkly diamante-effect stones
0:02:47 > 0:02:49that sort of, might detract from it a little.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52I think a collector would have those replaced,
0:02:52 > 0:02:54but it's lovely to have them.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56It's terribly nice that it's a dog.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59- Yes.- I'm not entirely sure what dog it is.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03I mean, I think it's probably something like a bull mastiff.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06They were a very popular hound at the turn of the 19th century,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09and obviously, someone had a bull mastiff and they had this carved up
0:03:09 > 0:03:12for their cane when they went walkabouts.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16It's never had any tremendous value in your family?
0:03:16 > 0:03:19- Only sort of aesthetic value. - Right, right.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22It's very tactile, it's nice to sort of run your hand over it.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26And that's why... I mean, with a piece of ivory, you want to see colour and wear.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28And this has gone a lovely golden colour,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31because it's been handled for 100 years, and the natural grease
0:03:31 > 0:03:35and oils from your fingers sort of penetrate it and discolour it,
0:03:35 > 0:03:37which I think is quite attractive.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40There are lots of collectors of walking canes
0:03:40 > 0:03:43and walking cane ephemera.
0:03:43 > 0:03:48It's a pity we don't have the stick that it was mounted on, which would have probably been bone.
0:03:48 > 0:03:49The whole thing would've been white,
0:03:49 > 0:03:53it would've had an ivory effect, but cheaper to make it out of bone.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57Still, the head, as it is, is probably worth in the region of about
0:03:57 > 0:04:00£70-100, which isn't bad for the tip of a cane.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02It isn't, no.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06- So would you be happy to pop it into auction for that?- Yes, I would.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09- We'll pop it into the auction and hope it does well.- Excellent.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22- Hello, Gordon.- Hello, Mark.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24It's lovely to see a piece of local pottery here
0:04:24 > 0:04:29- from the Brameld factory, a Yorkshire pottery.- Yep.- You're a Yorkshire man.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31I am truly Yorkshire.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34A true Yorkshire man. Why were you attracted to the Brameld factory?
0:04:34 > 0:04:37- Well, my mother was called Brameld...- Ah.
0:04:37 > 0:04:42..and it turns out that I'm related to the proprietors of the,
0:04:42 > 0:04:46well, it's a Rockingham piece, Rockingham factory.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49Bramelds were the proprietors of the Rockingham factory.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52- So you're the great-great-great something?- That's me.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55Well, if we look at this particular piece,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58a very nice dessert dish, I suppose, for a dessert service.
0:04:58 > 0:05:04- That's right, yes.- And in the early part of the century, this sort of leaf decoration was very popular.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06And this one is very crisply moulded,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09and with this little basket weave in the middle.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14And what I particularly like is this back, which is so well done,
0:05:14 > 0:05:16so well made, and the feel of it is very good, isn't it?
0:05:16 > 0:05:20- A lovely piece, yeah. - Have you got a large collection?
0:05:20 > 0:05:24I've got a large collection of Rockingham pieces.
0:05:24 > 0:05:30- I've another piece like this, but mainly, I've got the Brameld blue pottery.- Yes, blue and white.
0:05:30 > 0:05:31The blue and whites, yeah.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35Give us a resume of the factory, from what you've found out about it.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40Well, the factory was situated on the Earl Fitzwilliam estate
0:05:40 > 0:05:44and it was part of the Leeds factory really,
0:05:44 > 0:05:49but the Leeds factory decided to wind down the production at Swinton, in South Yorkshire,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52where this was made, and so the Bramelds took over
0:05:52 > 0:05:55the proprietorship of the Rockingham factory.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59They changed the name to Rockingham when Earl Fitzwilliam put money into the factory.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03And of course, they produced some wonderful rococo wares.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07- Oh, they did. They started making porcelain in...- That's right.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11Sorry, 1826. They closed in 1842.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14That's right, it was a relatively short-lived factory.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17- Yes, that's right. - As you say, from 1826-1842.
0:06:17 > 0:06:22A very collectible factory now, particularly here in Yorkshire, of course.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25It's a fascinating story and it's really nice to see this piece here.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29I guess you're selling it because you've already got a double?
0:06:29 > 0:06:32- I have, yeah.- I think if we were putting this into a local sale,
0:06:32 > 0:06:34which it is, in Ilkley,
0:06:34 > 0:06:38we would put an estimate of maybe £100-150 on it.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40- That's good. - Would that be all right with you?
0:06:40 > 0:06:45- Yes.- And then we'll put the reserve at about 100, with a bit of discretion for the auctioneer.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47Let's hope on the day,
0:06:47 > 0:06:51we'll get a good result and some good collectors in to buy.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54- And a bit of publicity for the Rockingham factory.- Absolutely.
0:06:54 > 0:06:55All publicity is good publicity.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Beverley and Owen, hi there.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04We've seen a lot of miniatures on the show before,
0:07:04 > 0:07:06but not miniatures painted on buttons.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Now, what's the story behind these?
0:07:08 > 0:07:14Well, we volunteer for a local cancer support charity
0:07:14 > 0:07:16in a village called Dunnington, just outside York,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19and these have been handed in to the shop.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22We're looking to sell them in auction to try and get the best price we can.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25So you two act as the sort of experts for the charity shop?
0:07:25 > 0:07:29- Well...- You sift through everything. - We sift through things.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32Sift through things, experts may be a very loose term!
0:07:32 > 0:07:35I wouldn't call us experts! We're good at sifting.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39- Do some research on it and then flog on their behalf.- Yep, absolutely.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Have you done much research on these little buttons?
0:07:42 > 0:07:44We have done a little bit of work.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48- I've taken them to a few of the big auction houses...- Which ones?
0:07:48 > 0:07:52I've been to Sotheby's, Christie's and Bonhams in the UK.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55I'm lucky enough to travel, so it's been to Christie's in New York.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59These little buttons have flown all the way across the Atlantic to New York!
0:07:59 > 0:08:03- They've also been to the Victoria and Albert.- What were you doing there?
0:08:03 > 0:08:04I work for an IT consultancy,
0:08:04 > 0:08:08so we deal with a lot of the big banks in London and New York.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11- So I travel quite often. - And what did they say?
0:08:11 > 0:08:14They all liked them. They hadn't seen them before.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17They said they were quite nicely painted.
0:08:17 > 0:08:18They're beautifully painted.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21I think they're painted by a professional artist,
0:08:21 > 0:08:25maybe almost a theatrical or scenic artist,
0:08:25 > 0:08:29because they've got that look, there's a slight chocolate box,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31- doll's house look to them.- Yeah.
0:08:31 > 0:08:36I think these are one-offs, obviously painted on the back of a penny,
0:08:36 > 0:08:41and the pennies are all dated around about 1870, 1860, at the latest 1890.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44- I think the paintings are later than the date of the penny.- Sure.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48I reckon these are 1910 or 20, does that correlate with...?
0:08:48 > 0:08:49That correlates.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52I took them into the Victoria and Albert...
0:08:52 > 0:08:55- Gosh, they've been around. - They have been around.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57And based on the wear on the pennies,
0:08:57 > 0:09:02they suggested, probably turn of the century, around 1900, 1910.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04That's exactly what I think.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08It'll be hard to sell these. There are people that collect buttons.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10Yeah, there are.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13Any ideas? I mean, it really is speculative.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15Personally, I think they're great.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17They are little works of art.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20I'd like to see them maybe mounted, architecturally sort of
0:09:20 > 0:09:23three above three and framed, they'd look fantastic.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26- But then you wouldn't realise they were buttons.- No.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29You want to hold them, you want to sort of caress them and feel them.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31- And turn them round. - Yeah, flip them over.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35I don't know how you'd display these, or mount them,
0:09:35 > 0:09:36or what you'd do with them.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38- I think they'll go to a textiles dealer.- Yep.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42And I think the price...
0:09:42 > 0:09:45£150-180. Somewhere around there.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47Yeah, yeah. Well, that's good.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49- We just didn't know.- I think...
0:09:49 > 0:09:53if they'd have stayed here and they'd have gone into a jumble sale,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56I'd have been lucky if I'd seen £2 for them.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58So anything we get above that is great.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02Yeah. Could we put a sort of a valuation,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05an auctioneer's estimate of £120-160?
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Just to...yeah.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10To get people attracted into them, yes, that'd be great.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13- Do we need a reserve? - No.- Because these have to sell.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16We don't need a reserve for them. Anything we can get is a bonus,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19so they can go with no reserve.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21Thanks very much. Let's do it then, shall we?
0:10:21 > 0:10:23- Let's hope we get around that figure.- That'd be excellent.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26- If two people want them, then we're going to.- Great.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Frances, thank you for bringing in this wonderful,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37stylish sugar and cream set. Where did you get it from?
0:10:37 > 0:10:41I'm afraid I bought it on an antiques stall in York market.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43- Did you? Was that a long time ago? - Yes.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46About 20 or 30 years ago.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Was the set very expensive back then,
0:10:48 > 0:10:50can you remember what you gave for it?
0:10:50 > 0:10:54I think it would be about £4.50, something like that. I think.
0:10:54 > 0:10:59£4.50. How reckless of you to spend so much money on a set!
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Well, I think Art Nouveau collectors everywhere are crying
0:11:02 > 0:11:05and sobbing silently when you say £4.50.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09It's such a stylish set that it lifts it up from the ordinary.
0:11:09 > 0:11:14It should be WMF - Wurttembergische Metallwarenfabrik.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17But I have been over it with a fine-tooth comb
0:11:17 > 0:11:20- and there is not a WMF mark anywhere to be seen.- No.
0:11:20 > 0:11:25What there are on the base is very simply stamped EPNS,
0:11:25 > 0:11:30and one over zero, and those are English marks, American marks,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32and you also find them on the Continent.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34You do find them on WMF,
0:11:34 > 0:11:37but I find it extraordinary that they wouldn't have marked it.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40But it's good enough, that's the thing.
0:11:40 > 0:11:41I mean, it's only silver plate,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44but the interiors of both pieces are gilded.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46- Yes, I like that about them. - And you've got this...
0:11:46 > 0:11:48And it does clean up nicely.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50You have polished it beautifully for today.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54I don't polish it very often, but it does come up, I think, nicely.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56It's lovely.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59And you've got this very European idea of Art Nouveau,
0:11:59 > 0:12:03which mingles with Vienna Secessionist movement.
0:12:03 > 0:12:04So this is very angular.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08An English piece, you might expect florid curls and what have you.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12- But what lifts it above the ordinary are these fantastic handles.- Yes.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15The handles are absolutely wonderful.
0:12:15 > 0:12:20And you've got an almost Charles Rennie Mackintosh device there,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23you see that on some of his designs on the back of some of his chairs,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26that very elongated and sort of Celtic knot.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29- Yes.- So that's lovely.- Good.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32- And it's originally, as I say, a sugar-and-cream set.- Yes, yes.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36You wouldn't have a teapot, because you couldn't fit it on the tray.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39You'd have it when you had strawberries, or something like that,
0:12:39 > 0:12:43a little sifter spoon to go over them. But it's great.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47I mean, it's a great shame it doesn't have a WMF mark on it,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50because that would make it worth a fair bit of money.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54- But you're still going to see a good return on your £4.50!- Good.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59I think we can pop that into auction for between £40 and £60 pounds.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01- Lovely.- Put a £40 fixed reserve.
0:13:01 > 0:13:07And hopefully, if two people who buy WMF regularly see that
0:13:07 > 0:13:11and get carried away, we might touch £100, on a good day.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13Depends on the day.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15Indeed. But you're happy to pop them into the auction?
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Yes, yes.
0:13:17 > 0:13:22It's not my favourite piece, I'm sorry, but I just don't like this.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25The best feature, Frances, the best feature!
0:13:25 > 0:13:27So that's why you've had enough of them?
0:13:27 > 0:13:29Yes, I've had enough of them.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32Let's hope they're somebody else's cup of tea!
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Before we head off to the auction,
0:13:34 > 0:13:36I'm going to spend a bit more time with Michael.
0:13:36 > 0:13:41He's a silver specialist and he's told me of a unique collection that's just nearby.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45So, Michael, we're here at York Minster, what has York Minster got to do with silver?
0:13:45 > 0:13:48You wouldn't know from the outside, but it houses
0:13:48 > 0:13:52- one of the finest collections of York silver in the country.- Really?
0:13:52 > 0:13:55Yes. And that was put together by William Lee,
0:13:55 > 0:13:57who was an antiques dealer in York.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00What sort of period's this we're talking about?
0:14:00 > 0:14:051944, Lee reads a piece in The Times
0:14:05 > 0:14:09that a York teapot's coming up for sale in London, during the Blitz.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12He gets to London about six o'clock,
0:14:12 > 0:14:16and then walks round Blitz London for three hours till the sale starts...
0:14:16 > 0:14:18A brave man!
0:14:18 > 0:14:20- ..dodging the doodle bugs.- Yes.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24And when the teapot comes up - it's one of the first lots in the sale -
0:14:24 > 0:14:28he creeps into the room, hangs around in the back, bids,
0:14:28 > 0:14:34buys it for the record price of any Queen antique pot up to that point,
0:14:34 > 0:14:35and that's what starts him off.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39- And is that piece here?- It is. - It is?- We can go and see it now.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41Well, let's go and have a look.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52We're surrounded by lovely pieces of silver.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54- You can't wait to get your hands on them!- Absolutely.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56We've seen York silver on the show before,
0:14:56 > 0:14:59we know it was a thriving centre for silversmiths,
0:14:59 > 0:15:01because there was an Assay Office here,
0:15:01 > 0:15:04and we know the impression mark, a shield with five lions.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07Five little lions in a cross, which is the city arms.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11So there was a good industry for silversmiths here at one time.
0:15:11 > 0:15:12When did it all start?
0:15:12 > 0:15:16The first recorded incidence we've got of a town mark being used,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19the touch of the town, is 1410-11.
0:15:19 > 0:15:24Unfortunately, we don't have anything that survives from that early date.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27Unless anybody digs something up, we're not going to find anything.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31But we have got the earliest recorded impression.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34So this is the oldest piece of York silver in the country?
0:15:34 > 0:15:35- In the world.- Fantastic!
0:15:35 > 0:15:39And it's this modest little spoon.
0:15:39 > 0:15:40It's got the very early town mark,
0:15:40 > 0:15:44which isn't that cross with the five lions, the city coat of arms.
0:15:44 > 0:15:50- This is half a fleur-de-lys and half a leopard's head.- London mark.
0:15:50 > 0:15:51So they'd adopted half of that.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53That's just struck in the bowl.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56Of course, we don't have a date letter system.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00- It's before the date letter system. - When did that start to come in?
0:16:00 > 0:16:04- Probably 1559.- And that was an A? - That would have been an A,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07but we haven't found any of those still existent.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11- And that's purely for York, not for London or Edinburgh? - That's just for York.
0:16:11 > 0:16:16The earliest one we know of is 1560-61, which is a capital B,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19which is also in the Lee collection.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21That's not bad going, is it?
0:16:21 > 0:16:24He knew what to buy, there's no doubt about that!
0:16:24 > 0:16:27What would you expect to pay for a spoon like that?
0:16:27 > 0:16:29That's priceless, isn't it?
0:16:29 > 0:16:33You'd probably never come across another one. If you did...
0:16:33 > 0:16:36- Name your price.- You could indeed. - We have another spoon there.
0:16:36 > 0:16:41Absolutely. 120, 130 years later, York comes into its own.
0:16:41 > 0:16:46We get, arguably, the most important provincial silversmith in the country
0:16:46 > 0:16:51working in York, John Plummer. Unfortunately, we don't have something here,
0:16:51 > 0:16:55but we've got something by one of his contemporaries, Thomas Mangy.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58It's what we call a disc end spoon, technically,
0:16:58 > 0:17:02but they're also called death's head spoons or memento mori.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04If you have a look what's engraved,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07there's a skull and a motto that I'm covering up.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09- What does that say?- "Live to die."
0:17:09 > 0:17:14"Live to die," and "Die to live." So they're very cheery things.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16It's a sort of like a 17th century biker.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18It's a bit full on and puritanical.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22- If you see a spoon like that... - Buy it.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26You're 99% certain that it's York without even looking at the marks.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29That's a good way of identifying a bit of York silver.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32It is, if you ever see one.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35- Do you come across them regularly? - I've come across one.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38- In your life?- Yes, in 30-odd years.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41So they're obviously abundant(!) This is number two.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43Here's the teapot we were talking about earlier.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47This is the start of the Lee collection, what set him off.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51The question is, would you brave the Blitz to go and buy it?
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Probably not, no I wouldn't.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57It's a bit of a plain Jane. Queen Anne silver is very plain anyway.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59It's supposed to be decorated with armorials.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01There's no engraving.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04This hasn't been engraved. A London one might be.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08You might have small applied card work by the handles.
0:18:08 > 0:18:09It looks very contemporary.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13That's simply the style of the silver at the time, very plain.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Queen Anne - not a lot of it about now.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18What should we be looking for in York silver?
0:18:18 > 0:18:21You probably won't find any early pieces.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23If you do, people will know what they've got
0:18:23 > 0:18:26and they'll be many thousands of pounds.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28What you stand a chance of finding
0:18:28 > 0:18:30is stuff from the later period of the Assay Office.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32Let's look at that. Let's move on.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36- This bowl.- That's lovely. - It's rather splendid.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39It's got a very early example of the town mark,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41which of course is the leopard in the cross,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45and we've got the IHIP stamp for Hampston and Prince.
0:18:45 > 0:18:50- So, if you see that on a piece of silver...- You know it's York silver.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54That's the way to tell because not many pieces do bear a town mark.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56It's only the larger pieces of hollowware.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00- You've got to do your homework when trying to identify York silver. - Absolutely.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02What are the key points to look for?
0:19:02 > 0:19:08In about 1776, they started to introduce stud-marking
0:19:08 > 0:19:12in London, which is all the marks struck at once in a single punch.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16Throughout the history of the York office, right up until it closes,
0:19:16 > 0:19:18every mark is individually stamped.
0:19:18 > 0:19:19Whilst they'll try to line them up
0:19:19 > 0:19:22in a straight line, they don't always do it.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24So, if the hallmarks are a bit higgledy-piggledy,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27you can start to get excited. You can't be definite.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29What happened to the industry?
0:19:29 > 0:19:32What was its demise and when did it close down?
0:19:32 > 0:19:36It doesn't shut, it doesn't close, it just peters out.
0:19:36 > 0:19:41By about 1858-59, you've got the last maker, Robert Hazelgrove.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44The only thing known by him was a button, currently,
0:19:44 > 0:19:47and it peters out and that's the end of the York Assay Office.
0:19:47 > 0:19:48What we all want to know is,
0:19:48 > 0:19:52where can we buy it from, if we want to start collecting York silver?
0:19:52 > 0:19:57Go to specialist dealers, first off. Have a look, see what they've got.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00It's going to be a bit pricey, but you'll get used to it.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04- Then, what I like to do...- Always buy the best you can afford as well.
0:20:04 > 0:20:09Absolutely, or do what I do - be really cheap, go round antique fairs,
0:20:09 > 0:20:12trawl through boxes of teaspoons and if you find a York one,
0:20:12 > 0:20:16you'll probably pay £5 for it, and it's worth 30.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20As far as larger items go, the sky's the limit.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24- Recently, I saw a coffee pot that was £22,000.- That's a lot of money.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26- Michael, thank you very much. - Pleasure.
0:20:32 > 0:20:37It's auction time, and we've four very different items going under the hammer.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41Michael reckons David's cane handle might just go walkies out of the sale room,
0:20:41 > 0:20:46whilst Mark's pretty sure there'll be a bidder green with envy for Gordon's dish.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51Have Debbie and Owen and the buttons got it all sewn up for today's sale?
0:20:51 > 0:20:54And will Frances's stylish cream and sugar set
0:20:54 > 0:20:57sweeten somebody's appetite?
0:20:57 > 0:21:00For today's auction, we're in the wonderful Yorkshire Moors,
0:21:00 > 0:21:03home to the Victoria Salerooms at Hartley's Auctioneers and Valuers,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06in the heart of Ilkley. Andrew Hartley is our auctioneer,
0:21:06 > 0:21:11and I'm interested to hear what he's got to say about those pennies.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13This one is a real curio.
0:21:13 > 0:21:14It's quite a novelty item.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18Edwardian pennies, and they're all hand-painted in oils,
0:21:18 > 0:21:21little miniature portraits, and they belong to Owen and Beverley.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24They want to sell them because the money is going back
0:21:24 > 0:21:27to the charity shop where they were found.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30I've done a valuation of £120-160.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33- Yeah, I've done two things.- OK.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37First of all, I've brought the estimate down again, as I do.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41- Auctioneers tend to do this. - I know, it's a come and buy me.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45But also, it's charity. We're not gonna charge commission on this.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49We want to get the best we can, gross as well as net.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52- They are unusual, aren't they? - They're very unusual.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55Some gifted amateur, enthusiast, whatever word you like to say,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58has set about those pennies and taken a hacksaw
0:21:58 > 0:22:04and all sorts of things to them and painted out these lovely little
0:22:04 > 0:22:06paintings of children, very beautifully done,
0:22:06 > 0:22:09but very much on a sort of amateur basis,
0:22:09 > 0:22:12which means it's impossible to value, which is fine,
0:22:12 > 0:22:13but there are six of them.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16If you divide six into 60, that's only £10 each.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19- It's got to be worth more than that. - It has.- I know we'll sell them.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23- Could well sell them reasonably well.- That's what we want to hear.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26In charge of the silver section in today's auction
0:22:26 > 0:22:29is Andrew's daughter, Daisy.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32Something for Art Nouveau lovers. It's a sugar and cream set.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Unfortunately, Frances, the owner, cannot be with us right now,
0:22:35 > 0:22:37so it's over to Michael, the expert.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39We're looking at £40-50?
0:22:39 > 0:22:41- Yes, we'll have to root for her. - We will.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44Unfortunately, the plate hasn't been going at all today,
0:22:44 > 0:22:47so we'll have to buck the trend to get these away.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50- They've got the loveliest handles I've ever seen.- Beautiful.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Buy them for the handles and put them on something else.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56Exactly! We're gonna find out what the silver dealers think.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00- I know it's only plate, but fingers crossed.- Absolutely.- Good luck.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Lot 506, sugar and cream set.
0:23:03 > 0:23:04This is in the Art Nouveau style.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08I've got to start the bidding at £40. 45 anywhere?
0:23:08 > 0:23:1145, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15£80 anywhere? £80 anywhere else, ladies and gentlemen?
0:23:15 > 0:23:17- Going for £75.- Lovely handles.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20Lovely handles! That's what they wanted!
0:23:20 > 0:23:22- What a great result!- Brilliant.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24I wish Frances could have seen that.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31Here's something to get to grips with - a cane handle.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34I think it's a bull mastiff.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36As far as I know it's a bull mastiff.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38I'll stick my head out and say that it is.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41You dog lovers out there are probably criticising us.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44I'm a dog lover, but I think that is a bull mastiff.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47It belongs to David. Hi. I see your daughter's here.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49- What's her name?- Julia.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51What are you gonna put the money towards for Julia?
0:23:51 > 0:23:53Julia's going to Italy with the Guides
0:23:53 > 0:23:56- for an international jamboree. - Right. Great fun!
0:23:56 > 0:23:59She's convinced me she needs more spending money.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Will we get top spending money?
0:24:01 > 0:24:04- What are we hoping for, £100? - £70-100.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07You'd have to be barking mad not to buy it for £70. It's wonderful!
0:24:07 > 0:24:10All you've got to do is find a period cane, put the two together
0:24:10 > 0:24:14and there's a profit for someone there, so hopefully they'll see that
0:24:14 > 0:24:17and chase it up to the £100 mark.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Lot 355, an ivory cane handle, a bull mastiff's head.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24- I'm starting at £70. Do we have 75? - We're straight in at the bottom end.
0:24:24 > 0:24:2780, 85, 90, 95, 100, 110.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30120 is it now? Anybody else at 120?
0:24:30 > 0:24:32You'll finish at 110. Going...
0:24:32 > 0:24:34Yes! £110.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38- Dog lovers will turn out all the time.- It was beautiful though.
0:24:38 > 0:24:43- Superb. The dog lovers were out in force today.- Congratulations, David.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46I hope your daughter has a great time with the Girl Guides.
0:24:46 > 0:24:47Thank you.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53Serving up for you right now a lovely dessert dish,
0:24:53 > 0:24:57owned by Gordon, who's literally selling the family treasures.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01Your great-great-great-grandfather worked at the Rockingham factory,
0:25:01 > 0:25:03where this was made, and you collect Rockingham,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06but now you've decided to flog your collection.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08No, only some of it.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12- Just some of it. And you bought this one on eBay?- I did.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15- You didn't inherit any of the collection?- Unfortunately not.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18- That's a shame.- I've had to buy them over the years.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21How much did Gordon pay for it?
0:25:21 > 0:25:24- £95.- £95 on eBay!
0:25:24 > 0:25:28Right, we've got our work cut out. Hopefully we'll get the £100.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Hopefully get 150. This is it. Good luck, Gordon.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33The Rockingham porcelain dessert dish, a Brameld mark.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36I'm starting at 55. Do I hear 60?
0:25:36 > 0:25:4260, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46100 anywhere? Anybody else at 100? 95 on my seats.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49You're all done at 95? All done. I'm finished.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51- He sold out.- He did, for 95.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54- You got your money back. - That's what it was worth.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56Exactly!
0:25:56 > 0:25:58What are you gonna do with 95 quid -
0:25:58 > 0:26:00less commission, so you've lost a tad really.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03And the cost of me stopping here overnight.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06That's the world cruise I've planned!
0:26:11 > 0:26:13I've just been joined by Owen and Beverley.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17We've got those pennies. Let's hope they're pennies from heaven.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20I love them. I put a valuation of around £120.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22We came to that decision, didn't we?
0:26:22 > 0:26:25I had a chat with the auctioneer and he said they might struggle
0:26:25 > 0:26:29at that sort of price, so he's reduced my estimate
0:26:29 > 0:26:31to £60-90.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34- If we get his top end and my low end...- We're there or thereabouts.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38He's waivered the commission, so all the money goes back to the charity.
0:26:38 > 0:26:39Great.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42All we can say is, fingers crossed!
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Let's hope we come up heads with these ones.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48374 is this very curious set of six coat buttons,
0:26:48 > 0:26:51made of brass mounted around copper pennies.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53I have to start the bidding at 120.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55Do we hear 130 in the room?
0:26:55 > 0:26:57Anybody else at 130?
0:26:57 > 0:27:01130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190,
0:27:01 > 0:27:05200, 220, 240, 260, 280, 300, 320,
0:27:05 > 0:27:09340, 360, 380, 400, 420, 440, 460,
0:27:09 > 0:27:14480, 500, 520, 540, 560, 580...
0:27:14 > 0:27:17- Brilliant!- Oh, fantastic! I'm shaking.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21700 is it anywhere? You're finished at £680?
0:27:21 > 0:27:23It's going this time. All done.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26£680!
0:27:26 > 0:27:27Absolutely fantastic.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31- I'm boiling hot. I'm actually tingling.- That's great.
0:27:31 > 0:27:36That makes a big difference to the charity, for York Against Cancer,
0:27:36 > 0:27:40- all for their work, so that's great. - Pennies from heaven!
0:27:43 > 0:27:47That's the auction over with for our owners, and the highlight for me
0:27:47 > 0:27:49had to be Owen and Beverley's set of buttons.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52The penny dropped for me at the valuation day when I saw them,
0:27:52 > 0:27:55and it was such an interesting story I had to take them on,
0:27:55 > 0:27:57but it was impossible to value.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00They actually sold for a staggering £680,
0:28:00 > 0:28:02and all the money is going to charity.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06That's it from Hartley's Auction Room in Ilkley. See you next time.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09For more information about Flog It, including how the programme was made,
0:28:09 > 0:28:12visit the website at bbc.co.uk.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:30 > 0:28:33E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk