Belfast Flog It!


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Today's programme comes from a city which is the birthplace of writer, CS Lewis.

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It's also home to many famous musicians, such as Van Morrison.

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Even the world's best footballer was born here, George Best.

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Welcome to Flog It! Welcome to Belfast.

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Belfast is renowned for shipbuilding.

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The world's most famous ship, Titanic, was built here

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by Harland and Wolff, once the world's largest shipyard.

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These yards played a vital role in Britain's war effort during the 1940s.

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The famous twin cranes, Goliath and Samson, still dominate the city's skyline.

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Belfast is now enjoying a massive process of renewal.

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It's a stylish, modern city with superb facilities

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and delightful citizens,

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of which hundreds of them have been queuing outside the town hall here today waiting patiently

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to meet our experts to have their treasures valued.

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They all want to ask that very important question. What's it worth?

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Today, they're in the capable hands of Anita Manning

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and David Barby.

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Jo, let's have a look in here.

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Ah...

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Being a Scot, and coming from Glasgow, I should know all about whisky.

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What we have is Irish whiskey here.

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It was distilled by Bushmills, who are one of the oldest licensed distillers in the world.

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-It is a famous, old whiskey.

-Absolutely.

-Are you a whiskey drinker?

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-I'm afraid not.

-Why did you buy this?

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I didn't buy it, actually. I won it in a raffle in a charity auction.

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Were you never tempted?

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Never tempted. Not my tipple, I'm afraid.

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-What's your tipple?

-I like white wine.

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Oh, yes.

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This is called Bushmills Millennium Malt.

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It was made in 1975, especially for celebrations in the millennium.

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-That's correct.

-The cask number of bottles was 300.

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-It's what we would call a limited edition.

-Yes.

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If we look on the label, we can see "selected for UTV", which would be Ulster Television.

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That's correct.

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This would have perhaps been donated by Ulster Television to your charity.

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Yes, for the auction to raise funds.

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Pricewise, how much is a bottle of Bushmills? How much would you pay?

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I think you'd probably pay £20 to £25.

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I think we have to pitch our estimate not too high above that.

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It will find its own level.

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If we put it maybe £40 to £50, would you feel happy enough at that?

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Yes, I think someone else can get some pleasure out of it.

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If you sell it, you can buy yourself a good few bottles of white wine with that.

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-That would be very nice.

-Let's go for it.

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-Let's put the estimate maybe £40 to £50, with a reserve of £35.

-OK.

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-See you on the day, Jo.

-Absolutely.

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-Sober?

-Absolutely.

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Jackie, I like good, solid furniture.

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You can't mistake this for anything else, can you?

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It is a solid piece or furniture, dating from the middle of the Victorian period.

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Around about the Exhibition time, 1851.

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Where did it come from?

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It came from my grandmother's house.

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It had been in the attic for quite a number of years.

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Did it stand on a sort of

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chest of drawers that would look similar?

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Well, in her house there was quite a lot of furniture which would have been dark, old, heavy furniture.

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Maybe originally it had sat on that, but she died three years ago.

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-Nothing is left of the other furniture?

-It went when the house was cleared out.

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-The whole lot went?

-A lot of stuff went, but she had mentioned a few things we needed to take out of it.

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So we had taken this out of it and kept it.

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This is just part and parcel of a huge bedroom suite that would have had a triple wardrobe, wash stand,

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dressing-table, dressing mirror, maybe a set of chairs, bedstead, side cabinets.

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This piece, middle of the 19th century, Exhibition period

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and I would think at auction there is still an element of demand.

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Whereas heavy mahogany furniture, dark furniture, also known as brown furniture, is no longer de rigeur.

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There's very few people that want it.

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I think this as a mirror, OK, there'll be a demand.

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If this goes up for sale,

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it will sell for something in the region of £140 to £160.

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You are not going to replace it with anything of quality similar to this.

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If you get rid of it, you get rid of it.

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It's a bit big for our house now.

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I can see this in a modern home, a minimalistic home

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on a piece of furniture, in a bathroom or cloakroom.

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We can see the whole family reflected in the mirror.

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Are they going to the auction?

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Yes, I would imagine they would be.

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-Giving you moral support.

-Yes, absolutely.

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-I look forward to seeing all of you.

-Thank you.

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This owl is absolutely adorable.

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I think I love him more because his eyes are missing.

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Yes. It's very cute.

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He is, isn't he? How did you come by him?

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-I bought him from a bring-and-buy sale many years ago.

-How much

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-did you pay?

-A few pounds, I'm not sure.

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-Like a fiver.

-Probably, yeah.

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It was about 15 to 20 years ago.

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-You know he's a pepperette, don't you?

-I do.

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I'm calling him a he because I think he's a wise old owl.

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I know why his glass eyes are missing.

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Really, the sockets of his eyes, you use to turn and take the lid off.

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They've been over-used and eventually the little eyes have fallen out.

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Looking inside, it's been nicely wash gilded.

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There's a gilding wash just there.

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That's to stop the salt or pepper from corroding the silver.

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I think he's really, really beautiful.

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He's hallmarked, on the back,

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but the mark is a little bit indistinguishable.

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The good thing about sterling silver is any accompanying piece always has to have a hallmark as well.

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You know they belong together.

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On the rim, just there,

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I managed to find one.

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I've looked there and I can see that

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it's got the leopard's head for London. We know its London silver.

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We've also got

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the little Q, that tells us, 1859.

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It's lovely. A shame about the eyes.

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-I know.

-I think they can be replaced. It's like teddy bear eyes.

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The glass eyes always go missing.

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-It was a good investment.

-Was it?

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It was. What do you think it's worth today?

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I haven't a clue.

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It's only tiny, maybe £50 or £60.

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Well, I'd like to say to you let's put it into auction with a value of £80 to £120.

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Right.

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A fixed reserve of £80. Don't sell it for any less.

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I think this could do the top end, even with the missing eyes.

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-I don't think that's a problem. Put him under the hammer and see what he does.

-OK.

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Angela, what's this guy's name?

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Leo.

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How long have you had him?

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I've had him since about 1951, in or around that time.

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So you've had him for nearly 50 years?

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-Yes.

-As you know, Angela, it's a Steiff lion.

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We can tell that factory

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by the little button on the ear.

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They are still making quality toys, quality teddies, animals and so on.

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-This one from about the 1950s.

-Yes.

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-Did you just fall in love with him at the time?

-Absolutely.

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Whereabouts did you buy him?

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It was Montreal.

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A friend bought it for me.

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And he's come across the Atlantic?

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-He has, indeed.

-He's lovely.

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He has the most gorgeous mane.

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It's lovely. He's got highlights.

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-I wish I did.

-Slightly squinty eyes. A wee bit of...

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damage on the tail, here. He has been in the wars, did you know that?

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I didn't know till I came down today.

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Somebody's had a bite out of him.

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That might make a wee bit of difference.

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Apart from that, he's a lovely soul.

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Value.

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What do you think? Have you had anyone value it before?

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I did have it valued once for £200.

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For £200.

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-About ten years ago.

-Yeah.

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I feel,

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Angela, I would like to pull the estimate down a little bit to give it a chance at auction.

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I would like to estimate between £150 and £250.

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-Would you feel happy at that?

-I would, indeed.

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We'll put it in and hope we've just hit it at the right spot.

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-Yeah.

-Angela, he's been with you for a long time.

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Why are you selling him?

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-I've nobody behind me that I want to give it to, really.

-Right.

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What you would like is for him to have another...

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-..a good, good home.

-A good, good home. For that pussycat.

-Yeah.

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We're about halfway through the day and we still have hundreds of people to see. We've got our work cut out.

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Now we're gonna put our valuations to the test. It's our first visit to the auction room.

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While we make our way over to John Ross's auction house,

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here's a quick reminder of all the items we're taking with us.

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It's not to Jo's taste, but Anita thinks her commemorative bottle of whiskey may have a certain appeal.

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This dressing-table mirror is on the large side for Jackie and the family.

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Nevertheless, it's a quality item.

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Susan's little silver owl pepper pot may be missing its eyes,

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but I think a wise buyer just may sniff out a bargain.

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Finally, Angela's Steiff lion.

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It's a bit baggy around the seams,

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but I'm sure he's gonna attract a lot of attention.

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Right now it's time to up the tempo, this is where the excitement starts.

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We've come for our first visit to the auction room which is Ross's of Belfast.

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Let's catch up with the man with the gavel and all the local knowledge, Daniel Clarke,

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see what he says about our valuations.

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Definitely a lot of local interest with this lot. That's all I can say.

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Bushmills Irish single malt whiskey. It belongs to Jo.

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She won it in a charity auction and we valued this at £40 to £50.

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Quite honestly, I think it's really hard to value things like this, unless you taste it.

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What do you think?

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-Well, the seal is still intact, so nobody has had a swig at it as yet.

-I can't fiddle it!

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Bushmills, the oldest distillery in the world.

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It's Irish. You CAN buy it in the shops at about £95.

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Not terribly old yet.

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I think probably the estimate is fairly right.

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Is this your tipple?

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Not really, for me.

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I do like this, I must admit.

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Either that or dandelion and burdock.

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We've got something now that has loads of local interest.

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I think it will appeal to everybody.

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It's a single malt, Irish whiskey. It belongs to Jo.

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Not for much longer, we got a value of £40 to £60 and it was put on by our expert, Anita.

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-You won this, didn't you, in a charity auction?

-Yes.

-It cost nothing, it's a good investment.

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It's worth at least 90 quid. It's going under the hammer now. Good luck.

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Lot 561, the Bushmills Millennium malt whiskey.

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Shall we say £50 for the Bushmills?

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With the porter at 50.

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At £50. 5. 60. 5. 70.

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-Yes.

-I knew it wouldn't let me down.

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£80. The porter's bid at 80 for the whiskey.

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That's a good result.

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£80, I'm selling now. At £80...

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-Yes.

-There we are.

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80 quid. The auctioneer and I

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were musing over this bottle before the auction started,

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saying the valuation was OK.

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We thought, really, to do a proper valuation you've got to taste it.

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-Did you?

-No, we couldn't let Jo down.

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What are you gonna do with the £80?

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Anita suggested I might like to buy some of what I really like to drink, white wine.

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-There you go. You can get a couple of cases.

-I think so, yes.

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Right now we've got that lovely dressing-table mirror coming up for grabs at £140 to £160.

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I've been joined by Jackie.

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But, where is little Ben?

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There he is.

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Are you OK? Are you gonna say anything?

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I think he's really, really shy today.

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I like his little school uniform. Lock View.

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-Good luck with the mirror.

-Thank you.

-It's quality, a lovely lump of mahogany.

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Here's David, who put the price on it.

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I understand that the Irish dealers buy brown furniture in England,

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where it doesn't sell, and bring it to Ireland where there's a market for it.

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-I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

-So am I.

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Let's hope it's a true reflection of the price. £140-160.

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Victorian mahogany, dressing-table mirror on a platform base.

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Could we say £100? £80, please.

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80, I'm bid. 90. £90, I'm bid. £100.

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£100. At £100 I'm bid now for the mirror at 100.

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At £100, 110, £110 under the rostrum at 110,

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at £110, are we all done at £110?

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At £110 I have, you're all out at 110, all finished, at £110.

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£110 - I'm pretty sure he's used his discretion.

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We had a reserve of £125.

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You got 110. Just shy. Nevertheless, it's a good result.

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£110, sold for.

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Is he going to have the money?

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Ben? How are you going to spend £110?

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What's Mummy going to do with it?

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-I wonder.

-It's going to be split between Jamie and Ben.

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You've got another son? Two boys?

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Lovely. Thank you for coming in.

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-OK, thank you.

-Phew, just!

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Angela, good to see you again.

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Angela brought in that lovely Steiff lion with a value of £150-£250, eh?

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-What do we think? A big growl.

-Grrr!

-Oh, easy, tiger! Easy, tiger!

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And here's another little tiger. You put the valuation on.

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We normally see lots of Steiff teddy bears on the show, and they sell so well.

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But I think the lion could be quite unique.

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It will add to any teddy bear collection.

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It has a wonderful expression on its face.

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I fell in love with it.

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Why do you want to part with this lovely little lion?

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I'm going to Canada next year.

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Putting a few bob together? I don't blame you. What part of Canada are you going to?

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I lived in Montreal.

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-So, you're going back to visit friends? Any relatives out there?

-My brother in Toronto.

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-Oh...It's a long way.

-Yes, yes.

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We'll get you there, hopefully. Half the air fare, at least.

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Let's hope we get the top end. It's going under the hammer now.

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Lot 76. A Steiff lion, on view there with the porter,

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£100, please, 80,

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60 I'm for the Steiff lion. 70.

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At £70 for the Steiff lion, 80.

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-At 90, 100, 110...

-We're getting there, getting there...

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Here at £120, against you, madam, at 120.

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130, new bidder.

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£130.

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-Come on!

-130, on my right.

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At £130, last call, sir, at 130. 140.

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At £140, with you, sir, we have £140,

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at £140...

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-Yes!

-£140.

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-Thank you so much.

-It's a little towards the air fare.

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It will get you to Canada.

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-Thank you so much.

-Hook up with everybody you know there. All your family and friends.

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-Thank you for very, very much.

-Well cone.

-It was close.

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Right now, it's my turn to be the expert.

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I'm joined by Susan. We've got that lovely silver owl pepper pot, about to go under the hammer.

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I hope we get the top end of the valuation. I'm looking at the 150s, fingers crossed.

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He's got no eyes, but he just needs a little bit of TLC.

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-Yes, definitely.

-Susan's brought her mum along for moral support.

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-What's her name?

-Rita.

-Rita, hello! Fingers crossed for Susan.

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-It's going under the hammer. Are you going to treat Mum, later?

-Definitely.

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-Mum's being treated for lunch.

-Lunch to start with.

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-Lunch to start with!

-It depends how much we get. If it sells!

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It's going under the hammer right now.

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£100, please, for the pepper pot.

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£50, anyone? 50, 60, 70, 80, 90...

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-That was our reserve, wasn't it?

-120, 130, 140.

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Gentleman here at 140. 150, new bidder. 160, 170...

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-He's gonna bid on it.

-180, new bidder.

-I said we should get 180.

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-200.

-Ooh, brilliant.

-£200. 220, at £220.

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240, new bidder. At 260, 270...

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-Oh, this is fantastic.

-I can't believe it.

-£270.

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-280.

-I said owls are really collectible.

-The lady's bid at £280.

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Back of the room at £280.

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-You, madam, at 280..

-Fantastic.

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-At 290.

-Oh!

-290.

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He's soaring high now!

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We have £290, madam.

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-I'm selling now at 290... Lady's bid, 300.

-300!

-£300.

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I'm shivering. I'm tingling.

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-£300, I'm selling now...

-This is great. This is absolutely fabulous.

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-Yeah! 300 quid!

-I can't believe it!

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-Thank you very much.

-. What are you going to put £300 towards?

0:19:320:19:35

I don't know - a good night out.

0:19:350:19:36

Mum! That's what you're going to put it towards!

0:19:360:19:39

A good night out and lots of lunches.

0:19:390:19:41

Thank you so much for coming.

0:19:410:19:43

They absolutely adored that.

0:19:430:19:44

Owls are so collectible. What a wonderful moment.

0:19:440:19:47

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you.

0:19:470:19:49

I've always been a big fan, a huge fan, of traditional Irish music.

0:19:570:20:01

It's exciting, it's romantic, and it's bewitching.

0:20:010:20:04

You can't help but tap your foot

0:20:040:20:06

along to the pulse of that heartbeat.

0:20:060:20:09

And an instrument that's very much central to traditional Irish music is the Irish frame drum,

0:20:090:20:14

it's called the bodhran, and its name means "roaring sound" or "deafening."

0:20:140:20:19

So you can't exactly miss it.

0:20:190:20:21

And a man who knows a thing or two about the bodhran is Eamonn Maguire.

0:20:220:20:26

So I've come for a lesson in the art of drum-making.

0:20:260:20:29

I love your workshop. It looks like organised chaos in here.

0:20:320:20:35

My type of place! Tell me, the bodhran, is it pronounced boh-ran?

0:20:350:20:39

-B-0, sort of "boar"?

-It depends on what part of the country you're in.

0:20:390:20:43

-OK.

-Up here, they call it a bo-ron.

0:20:430:20:45

-Bo-ron?

-Yeah.

-Now, where did the interest start with you? I know you're a keen player.

0:20:450:20:50

Well, about 40 years ago, you wouldn't have been able to buy a drum up here, a bodhran.

0:20:500:20:56

-Were they all made down south?

-That's it. There was only, maybe, two makers in the south at the time.

0:20:560:21:01

One was the Furey brothers. Their father made them, Ted.

0:21:010:21:04

And another boy, Charlie Burns, made them in Tipperary.

0:21:040:21:07

I decided to make one for myself, because I couldn't get one.

0:21:070:21:11

-Because you couldn't get your hands on one.

-I'd worked at curing skins for...ever.

0:21:110:21:15

My brothers used to go out hunting and I cured rabbit skins and hare skins, made Davy Crockett hats.

0:21:150:21:22

So I had a good idea how to cure a skin.

0:21:220:21:25

I got a goatskin and cured it, made a drum, somebody heard it and asked me to make them one.

0:21:250:21:30

Made them one, somebody else said, "Another drum,"

0:21:300:21:33

so I just finished up starting a wee business up out of it.

0:21:330:21:36

Talk me through the process of making a drum. How long does it take you?

0:21:360:21:40

I have to buy sheets of this ply, split it up into sections.

0:21:400:21:46

The right depth. That's the standard depth, then?

0:21:460:21:48

-Well...

-Different sounds, different depths?

-I make two different depths and two different sizes.

0:21:480:21:54

I make a 14-inch and a 16-inch.

0:21:540:21:56

-Years ago, most people would have played on an 18-inch drum.

-That's big, isn't it?

0:21:560:22:01

-I've seen pictures of The Chieftains, Massive, big drum.

-That's right.

0:22:010:22:05

I made Kevin Conneff two drums - that's the fella who plays with The Chieftains.

0:22:050:22:09

-But, in recent years they've shrunk..

-Purely because of travel?

0:22:090:22:13

You can pack stuff into it and put it in a travel case and take it away with you.

0:22:130:22:17

It fits in the overhead locker.

0:22:170:22:18

That's important! Yes, that's important.

0:22:180:22:21

So, you've got the plywood around the jig, and you've got two scarf joints. You've glued them up.

0:22:210:22:26

What happens next?

0:22:260:22:27

You take a skin...

0:22:270:22:30

What's this, is this goatskin?

0:22:300:22:32

It's been cured in lime.

0:22:320:22:34

You cure this in a big barrel of lime for ten days.

0:22:340:22:39

-That's quite a thick skin, isn't it?

-Yep. And then you mark it out into a circle. Cut that circle.

0:22:390:22:44

Then that has to be steeped again in water, just to soften.

0:22:440:22:49

I'll show you just what I mean.

0:22:490:22:51

So you leave a bit of excess, so you can fold it over.

0:22:510:22:55

Yes.

0:22:550:22:56

Here's a skin, there.

0:22:560:22:58

My word, that's really supple, now.

0:22:580:23:01

-Oh, aye.

-Is this hard to get hold of, this goatskin?

0:23:010:23:04

Not really. There's quite a few places in the north, where there's wild goats.

0:23:040:23:08

And they have to be culled every so often.

0:23:080:23:11

And I'm in touch with most of the guys who do the culling.

0:23:110:23:15

When they're culling,

0:23:150:23:17

I go up and skin the goats for them.

0:23:170:23:20

Oh.

0:23:200:23:22

And this is the rim we done earlier.

0:23:220:23:24

This is a 16-inch.

0:23:240:23:26

When I'm putting on a skin, normally, I would peg out where the backbone is,

0:23:260:23:32

and have it running down the centre of the drum,

0:23:320:23:35

so that it leaves the softest pieces for playing on, the playing surface.

0:23:350:23:40

And just tack the four corners...

0:23:400:23:44

and there's no real strain that needs to be put on it now.

0:23:440:23:48

So all the way around, tack it up.

0:23:540:23:56

All there is left to do after I've put the skin on

0:23:580:24:01

is to stud it up.

0:24:010:24:04

Usually... There's one here.

0:24:040:24:06

Yes, because it looks quite crude, like that, doesn't it? With staples all the way round.

0:24:060:24:11

Normally, I would leave these staples in until the skin's dry,

0:24:110:24:15

then I put a uniform line of staples in

0:24:150:24:18

and then finish it off with a piece of leather, studded round it.

0:24:180:24:22

-Hide the staples.

-Yeah.

0:24:220:24:23

-And as that dries out, that starts to tighten.

-That tightens up.

0:24:230:24:27

But this is tuneable drum, with tuning pegs inside.

0:24:270:24:30

Oh yes, little lugs.

0:24:300:24:31

Yes, and they're just tuned with an Allen key, so it allows for

0:24:310:24:36

a good bit of tightening, or loosening up - whatever you need to do.

0:24:360:24:40

But with this style here...

0:24:400:24:43

this is unique to us.

0:24:430:24:44

I was going to ask that, because most of these handles

0:24:440:24:47

are running right across the drum, but yours just finish halfway.

0:24:470:24:50

That's a wee thing that I developed, from playing with my fingers.

0:24:500:24:55

Just using your fingers to dampen the skin.

0:24:550:24:57

Dampen the skin, change the tones.

0:24:570:24:59

Yes, it changes the tone, doesn't it? Listen.

0:25:010:25:03

You need to do that with a drum with the skin tied on...

0:25:040:25:07

Well, that's the difficult bit.

0:25:070:25:10

Incredible drum rolls, just with one hand.

0:25:200:25:23

If you play close to the skin, close to the side here...

0:25:240:25:29

That's great.

0:25:360:25:38

That's really, really good.

0:25:380:25:40

Let's have a quick lesson before I go.

0:25:400:25:43

Just hold the stick.

0:25:430:25:45

-The other way round, Paul.

-OK.

-Right?

0:25:450:25:49

-Quite a loose....

-Up and down. You just take it up and down.

0:25:490:25:53

PLAY SAME RHYTHM

0:25:550:25:58

There you are.

0:26:010:26:03

-Thank you very much!

-No bother.

0:26:210:26:24

-I'm useless.

-We'll sign you up now!

0:26:240:26:26

Thank you very much.

0:26:260:26:28

Back at the valuation day, David's discovered a piece of local craftsmanship.

0:26:350:26:41

Tim, can I ask why you're parting with this quite delightful piece of Belleek porcelain?

0:26:410:26:49

It was given to me several years ago by my mother.

0:26:490:26:54

She had it given to her by her late sister,

0:26:540:26:58

possibly 35, 40 years ago.

0:26:580:27:01

And the whole thing is now turning circle,

0:27:010:27:04

and I know my mother and father are planning to put in a bathroom,

0:27:040:27:09

and any money that this may realise could go towards that.

0:27:090:27:13

And they're not aware of it.

0:27:130:27:15

I think that's a very nice idea.

0:27:150:27:17

This is what is termed as at cabaret set.

0:27:170:27:21

In other words, a tray.

0:27:210:27:24

In the middle, here, would be a teapot, and then you'd be accommodating on these lily pads

0:27:240:27:30

things like a sucriere - a covered sugar box -

0:27:300:27:34

milk jug, and then four cups and saucers.

0:27:340:27:38

Now, with Belleek porcelain, you divide it into various categories depending on the mark.

0:27:380:27:44

You have impressed marks and the early mark, which doesn't include Ireland,

0:27:440:27:50

and you call that first period.

0:27:500:27:52

After 1891, second period.

0:27:520:27:55

This is second period, because if we have a look at the mark,

0:27:550:28:00

it includes the country of origin, Ireland.

0:28:000:28:04

Now, this came about because of an act that went through the American Senate,

0:28:040:28:09

and they said that any object imported

0:28:090:28:12

had to have the place of origin, and it has to be printed in English.

0:28:120:28:16

This is why you get, "Made in Czechoslovakia," "Made in France," "Made in Germany," "Made in Ireland."

0:28:160:28:21

So that all came about because of that American act. 1891.

0:28:210:28:25

It affected the whole of the world.

0:28:250:28:27

What I find intriguing is that the factory established in 1857,

0:28:270:28:32

and the factory is associated closely with County Fermanagh

0:28:320:28:35

because of deposits of an ingredient in porcelain manufacture, which was called feldspar rock.

0:28:350:28:43

They imported the clay from Cornwall, and then used this rock, which is ground down to a very fine powder,

0:28:440:28:50

mixed together, and they had true porcelain.

0:28:500:28:53

By using the same sort of ingredients, feldspar, for the glaze, it gave it an iridescent quality.

0:28:530:28:59

This is the beauty of Belleek porcelain.

0:28:590:29:03

Now we come to putting a price on this object.

0:29:030:29:06

Have you any idea of how much it's worth, in your own head?

0:29:060:29:09

I've had a...

0:29:090:29:11

Not recently, but fairly recent valuation on the plate, of £650.

0:29:110:29:17

Oh!

0:29:170:29:18

-£650?

-Yes.

0:29:180:29:20

Well, that's far more than I would have placed on it.

0:29:200:29:23

In my own mind, I might have thought 250-350,

0:29:250:29:30

and hope to get more.

0:29:300:29:33

But if you were to say, "I want it to go for auction. I will put 650 on it."

0:29:330:29:37

I will go by your decision.

0:29:370:29:40

I would like to send it to auction.

0:29:400:29:43

-Right.

-And I would like to put a reserve of 650 on it.

0:29:430:29:49

I'd like to see how it does.

0:29:490:29:51

So, if we put a reserve of £650 as your wishes,

0:29:510:29:56

the auction house would then have to put an estimate

0:29:560:30:00

that's £650 to £750 - that sort of price range.

0:30:000:30:06

It might just frighten people away.

0:30:060:30:09

£650 has been priced by a dealer or an auction house?

0:30:090:30:12

A dealer.

0:30:120:30:14

A dealer. Well, Tim,

0:30:140:30:16

I hope that I'm proved wrong.

0:30:160:30:19

I hope so too, and I hope that the people at the auction will do the plate justice.

0:30:190:30:25

Rita, thank you for coming along to Flog It! and welcome.

0:30:330:30:37

This is an interesting thing here.

0:30:370:30:40

Let's open it and have a wee look and see what it does.

0:30:400:30:44

This is what I would call a Victorian home entertainment centre.

0:30:440:30:51

Tell me where you got it, Rita.

0:30:510:30:53

I bought a house. These two old people lived in it and had died.

0:30:530:30:57

And their son sold the house to me, and he took what he wanted and told me to dump the rest.

0:30:570:31:04

So when we saw this, I had no interest in it but my husband kept it.

0:31:040:31:08

And it was kept and never taken off the shelf.

0:31:080:31:12

That's where it's been up until today.

0:31:120:31:14

-Did your husband know what it was?

-No, he thought it had something to do with being a doctor.

0:31:140:31:19

Well, it's a Victorian stereoscope.

0:31:190:31:23

And every home would have something like this, and they would buy cards

0:31:230:31:28

which would show you perhaps the great exhibitions,

0:31:280:31:32

or scenes in Japan, scenes of India,

0:31:320:31:36

so that people were able to see foreign lands at that time.

0:31:360:31:40

Unfortunately we don't have any of the slides or the cards.

0:31:400:31:43

If you had, you would have probably worked it out that it wasn't a medical instrument!

0:31:430:31:50

And it was a piece of home entertainment.

0:31:500:31:52

Now, on the front here, we have two eye pieces.

0:31:520:31:57

These would be used when we were viewing the cards which were specially manufactured for this.

0:31:570:32:03

And this big lens here would be used as a magnifying glass for photographs.

0:32:030:32:08

So, interesting that it has dual purpose in that regard.

0:32:080:32:14

-What year would you say it was?

-It would be the late 1800s anyway.

0:32:140:32:18

Now, they used these in the early 1900s.

0:32:180:32:21

In fact, they were still being made up until the beginning of the First World War.

0:32:210:32:26

But with that ebonised decoration, I would say that it would be the late 1800s.

0:32:260:32:32

Anywhere from 1880, 1890 upwards.

0:32:320:32:36

So, price-wise, I would estimate it in the region of say, £20-30.

0:32:360:32:43

We could put it into auction with that estimate.

0:32:430:32:46

It might go a wee bit further because it's an interesting thing.

0:32:460:32:50

But it's not a fine thing.

0:32:500:32:53

-Shall we go for it at that estimate, Rita?

-Yes. All right.

0:32:530:32:57

I'll see you at the auction and we'll have some fun.

0:32:570:33:00

-Yes, thank you very much.

-Nice to meet you.

0:33:000:33:03

What a wonderful cavalcade of early 20thC life is contained in these three albums.

0:33:110:33:18

Where do they come from, all these postcards?

0:33:180:33:21

Well, the collection I inherited from my aunt who was born in 1905.

0:33:210:33:26

Her husband was born in 1903 and obviously collected them as a small boy.

0:33:260:33:30

There are some from the shipping ones, where relatives of theirs were emigrating to Canada,

0:33:300:33:36

1911, 1912, 1913, that sort of thing.

0:33:360:33:39

-Just prior to WWI.

-Yes.

0:33:390:33:43

Just having a quick look through, there are a lovely selection.

0:33:430:33:47

And the typical holiday ones like this one from Blackpool.

0:33:470:33:51

And it has, "Our dirty darling at Blackpool", which is wonderful.

0:33:510:33:55

And there's another one here which made me smile.

0:33:550:33:59

It's, "Happy New Year, hoping you'll turn over a new leaf."

0:33:590:34:03

And right in the middle of the leaf is a bottle of Guinness.

0:34:030:34:07

-Well, you are in Ireland, aren't you?

-Absolutely. It's such fun.

0:34:070:34:10

Then you've got this collection of liners, trawlers and other vessels.

0:34:100:34:16

What I like is you've got these lovely symbols - hands across the sea. They really are good.

0:34:160:34:22

There's also some scenes from WWI.

0:34:220:34:26

In particular, the artist, Bruce Bairnsfather.

0:34:260:34:30

So there we have these humorous scenes of Tommy in the most appalling circumstances,

0:34:300:34:36

but with that element of British humour coming through which I thought was so good.

0:34:360:34:40

You've also got a lot referring to views of Ireland.

0:34:400:34:43

You've got Lisburn here. You've got other scenes as well.

0:34:430:34:47

A lovely collection, and they are untouched.

0:34:470:34:50

This is how a dealer or collector likes to buy them, untouched.

0:34:500:34:54

Now, price. I think these are going to make a very good price.

0:34:540:34:58

The last collection of albums comparable to this made over £350.

0:34:580:35:03

There are one or two which have the corners rubbed or bent, and some with creases.

0:35:030:35:08

That affect the value terrifically.

0:35:080:35:10

So I think we've got to look in the region of about £280-350, that sort of price range.

0:35:100:35:16

We'll put the reserve,

0:35:160:35:18

let's stick our neck out and say 280, bearing in mind you have to pay a commission.

0:35:180:35:25

-Yes.

-Will there be no regret in parting with your family history?

0:35:250:35:30

No, no. Not at all.

0:35:300:35:33

Strictly speaking, it's not my family, it's my aunt's in-laws.

0:35:330:35:37

It doesn't have any great emotion from my point of view, just curiosity value.

0:35:370:35:41

-Nobody to pass it on to?

-Nobody to pass it on to, and when I fall under the proverbial bus,

0:35:410:35:46

someone will have to clear my house and get rid of them so I might as well do it for them.

0:35:460:35:50

-Could I leave you my address, please, for future contact?

-Well, yes, by all means!

0:35:500:35:55

Tim has high hopes for his Belleek plate

0:36:010:36:04

although David isn't so sure.

0:36:040:36:06

Anita described this Victorian stereoscope as a home entertainment system.

0:36:060:36:11

Not of huge value, but of some interest.

0:36:110:36:13

And finally David was fascinated by John's collection of postcards

0:36:130:36:17

which has been in his family since before the Great War.

0:36:170:36:21

Daniel, you must see a great deal of Belleek - it's just made up the road, isn't it?

0:36:270:36:32

This belongs to Tim. It's been in his family for quite a time.

0:36:320:36:36

He wants £650-750 as a valuation.

0:36:360:36:41

David, our expert, was a bit reluctant to put that on it.

0:36:410:36:45

But Tim has been offered that sort of money from the antiques trade

0:36:450:36:49

so that's what he wants from the auction room. It's punchy, isn't it?

0:36:490:36:53

I think it's strong.

0:36:530:36:55

-What's going for it is it's really reasonably early, second period.

-Yes.

0:36:550:36:59

But is not a crouching Venus with all her fingers and toes.

0:36:590:37:03

It's a relatively ordinary piece. There's a lot of Belleek in Northern Ireland.

0:37:030:37:10

It's collectors that are buying it and it's probably not one of the more collectible pieces.

0:37:100:37:16

-So I would have seen the price round £200-300.

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

0:37:160:37:21

-I think so.

-I think you've got to be a wizard to work some magic to sell it for £700. Maybe you can do it!

0:37:210:37:27

I hope you can.

0:37:270:37:29

We're keeping everything crossed as Tim's Belleek plate is first up.

0:37:290:37:34

Now, the valuation, I've got to bring our expert David Barbie, everybody's favourite, in on this.

0:37:350:37:40

I wish you wouldn't say that.

0:37:400:37:42

You were slightly swayed by Tim because you really put the valuation on of £650-750

0:37:420:37:47

-because you've had an offer from...

-A local dealer

0:37:470:37:51

and it was just to verify his price that I came along in the first place.

0:37:510:37:56

-Right.

-I must confess, Tim was rather shocked at my initial low valuation.

0:37:560:38:01

-I did not think it was worth £700.

-Not in auction anyway.

0:38:010:38:05

-Not at auction.

-We had a chat with the auctioneer and he agreed with what you've just said.

0:38:050:38:10

-So, fingers crossed, whoever was prepared to pay you that sort of money for it is in the room.

-Right.

0:38:100:38:17

-OK.

-What will we say for the early Belleek plate?

0:38:170:38:21

A couple of hundred pounds for the early Belleek?

0:38:210:38:23

£200, please, anywhere?

0:38:230:38:26

100. I'm bid £100 for the early Belleek, at £100.

0:38:260:38:29

At £100. 120.

0:38:290:38:32

150. At £150 for the early Belleek, at £150.

0:38:320:38:38

180, thank you.

0:38:380:38:39

190.

0:38:400:38:42

210.

0:38:420:38:44

-210, I'm bid. 220.

-This is better.

-Against you.

0:38:440:38:48

220. 230.

0:38:480:38:51

240. 250.

0:38:510:38:52

-A little climb coming on.

-260.

0:38:520:38:55

At 260 I'm bid now. At £260...

0:38:550:38:58

At 260 I'm bid.

0:38:580:39:00

No. Right, OK. Does that offer, it's not gonna sell,

0:39:000:39:06

does that offer still stand with the private deal?

0:39:060:39:11

-Can you ring them up and say, I'll accept your offer?

-Yes.

0:39:110:39:15

Yeah? I think you should do that pretty quickly, before he checks in with the auction house.

0:39:150:39:20

-Thank you very much.

-Tim, thank you. I'm sorry you were not successful.

0:39:200:39:24

Well, hopefully another time.

0:39:240:39:27

I have just been joined by Rita and we've got the home entertainment system,

0:39:310:39:36

the Victorian stereoscope. I love it.

0:39:360:39:38

Not a lot of money, £20-40, hopefully a little bit more.

0:39:380:39:42

Rita's saying, please don't show if it doesn't sell. But we're going to.

0:39:420:39:46

Anita, you put the valuation on. I think it's a "come and buy me",

0:39:460:39:50

-I think it could do a little better.

-It's such a nice little thing.

0:39:500:39:53

It's a little after-dinner conversational entertainment, to look at these things.

0:39:530:39:59

Much better than looking at the telly!

0:39:590:40:02

Ooh!

0:40:020:40:03

-Apart from Flog It! of course.

-Victorian stereoscope with slides.

0:40:030:40:07

There we have it, £20, £10 please.

0:40:070:40:10

10, I'm bid, 15. 20.

0:40:100:40:12

At 25.

0:40:120:40:13

30. At £30.

0:40:130:40:15

The bid's under the rostrum at 30. With you, sir, at £30.

0:40:150:40:19

£30, I am bid now. At £30.

0:40:190:40:22

Five. At 40.

0:40:220:40:24

At five. At 50.

0:40:240:40:26

-This is good.

-At five. At 60.

0:40:260:40:29

At five. At 70.

0:40:290:40:31

At five. At £75, I am bid at the back of the room. At 75.

0:40:310:40:36

At £75, I am selling now at £75.

0:40:360:40:40

-Yes. Hammer's gone down. That was a good result, Anita.

-Excellent.

-I am happy for you.

0:40:400:40:46

-Thank you very much.

-That's OK.

0:40:460:40:48

We've got a fantastic set of albums, lots of photographs.

0:40:580:41:01

They belong to John. We've got a value of £280-350.

0:41:010:41:05

There is a great deal of social history in these albums.

0:41:050:41:09

What I like also is the fact they are in their original albums.

0:41:090:41:12

So many people put them into these plastic sleeves, which are OK, but you don't get the sense of history.

0:41:120:41:18

No, you don't. Happy with the valuation?

0:41:180:41:20

Yes - I'm hoping for the upper end.

0:41:200:41:22

I'm hoping for the upper end. I think this will surprise us.

0:41:220:41:26

-Fingers crossed.

-Have you got prior knowledge?

0:41:260:41:28

No, I can assure you, I haven't, but I'd like to see this do 400-500.

0:41:280:41:33

That sort of figure. It's going under the hammer now. Good luck.

0:41:330:41:37

Three postcard albums, approximately 400 postcards.

0:41:370:41:42

Nice lot, can we say £300?

0:41:420:41:44

I'll take 200 to open. £200 anywhere?

0:41:440:41:47

With the porter at £200. At 200. 220.

0:41:470:41:51

250. 280.

0:41:510:41:53

300. 320, new bidder.

0:41:530:41:55

-350.

-The porter is still in there.

0:41:550:41:58

380. £400. 420.

0:41:580:42:00

450. 480.

0:42:010:42:03

At 480, it's back with the porter at 480. New bidder at 500. 520.

0:42:030:42:09

550.

0:42:090:42:11

-550. 580.

-Brilliant.

0:42:110:42:13

580, I'm bid. £600.

0:42:130:42:16

At 620.

0:42:160:42:17

At 620, it's back with the porter at 620. 650.

0:42:170:42:22

-This really is good.

-At £680.

0:42:220:42:25

I am bid 700.

0:42:250:42:27

At £700. With the porter at 720.

0:42:270:42:29

I think this creates a record for postcards.

0:42:290:42:31

Yes, we can dine out on this one.

0:42:310:42:33

£780 with the porter. At 780, any more?

0:42:330:42:37

At £780. Last call.

0:42:370:42:39

At £780...

0:42:390:42:41

Yes! What a result. £780, John.

0:42:410:42:46

-I'm so delighted you brought them along to Flog It!

-Well, I'm delighted with the result.

0:42:460:42:51

I thought on a good day, they might go for £450-500.

0:42:510:42:55

There's a lesson to be learned -

0:42:550:42:57

if you've got any photographs albums with lots of old postcards,

0:42:570:43:01

please hang on to them because they are worth a fortune.

0:43:010:43:04

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

0:43:080:43:11

and everybody has gone home happy, especially John.

0:43:110:43:14

It was lovely to see that big grin on his face with that staggering £780 for the photograph albums.

0:43:140:43:20

That made his day. I hope we've made your day as well.

0:43:200:43:23

Sadly that's it from Belfast so, until the next time, it's cheerio.

0:43:230:43:27

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0:43:540:43:57

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0:43:570:44:00

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