Harrogate Flog It!

Before World War I, people flocked here to Harrogate

to enjoy the famous spa waters,

but today, however, they're flocking in in their droves

to enjoy a little bit of Flog It!

Harrogate's past as a spa town

of international repute is still very much in evidence.

Here we have the entrance to the Royal Pump Rooms,

which houses the strongest sulphur well in Europe

which is renowned for its medicinal purposes.

Today's valuation comes from another building of that era -

the marvellous Cairn Hotel.

There's a big queue and experts James Lewis and Thomas Clark

are inspecting the items people have brought.

It looks like James has already found something very interesting.

Mary, Albert, whenever we see one of these

we know either you or somebody in your past

is something to do with medicine. Correct?

Yes.

Is this a family thing or have you bought it?

Albert bought it for me just after we were married 40 years ago

as a birthday present, because we're both medical, so...

-Pharmacists, doctors?

-I'm a pharmacy technician, he's a doctor.

Brilliant.

What we're looking at here is an apothecary cabinet.

It's the sort of thing... in the 19th century.

Some people say they were for travelling doctors

or pharmacists who go around

and do their best for the local community

for the odd payment here and there.

Another theory, which, I have to say, is something

that I agree with, is that these were a family medical cabinet

-to be used at home.

-Oh, right.

-So I don't think

everybody who used these were doctors and pharmacists.

If we look at this one, take the drawer open...

This one has got ointment jars,

it's got a little burner.

-That's dated.

-Yes.

-1901.

-Yes.

-So...

this would've been something that would've evolved

and been used over a period of time. This cabinet

-isn't 1901. It's 1820 to 1850.

-Goodness.

-It's a wonderful thing.

40 years ago, do you remember what you paid for it? You won't say?

I think it was in the region of £20.

Yeah, that's not bad.

-No.

-The market for this sort of thing

is good, but then we need to look at the originality.

Now, all these bottles are slightly different.

-Yes.

-At least a lot of them are. That one doesn't match that one.

That one.

And that didn't start life in there, either.

So, that as a whole...it's been substantially altered,

but it's a good thing. What do you think it's worth?

-£100, £150?

-No idea at all.

Has it kept pace with inflation? That's the thing.

It has kept pace with inflation.

I think it'll do more than £100, £150. I hope it will do double that.

I think £200-300.

It's nice to give the auctioneer that little bit of freedom.

If we put £180 as a reserve,

leave them with some discretion then they can flow then.

The more people we get interested in the beginning,

the more people we'll get bidding at the end,

so £180 reserve, 10% discretion on that. Don't forget, you've got

-your auctioneer's fees to pay as well.

-Yes.

-That normally

adds up to about 15% by the time you've got the VAT and insurance.

-I think it'll do very well.

-Excellent.

-Thank you. Thank you.

This has had a bit of a journey today. You had a fall, didn't you?

-Yes.

-Are you all right now?

-I'm OK, thank you.

-You've brought this Royal Worcester.

-Yes.

-With a painted pheasant on.

It's painted by Stinton, which is great.

-Tell me about it.

-Well, it was...

It belonged to my great aunt.

When she died, the whole family, various representatives

went and picked what they would like to have

and my mother saw this and fell in love with it and brought it home.

And when your mother...

Well, my mother died about eight years ago now

but she was 101.

101?! That's amazing.

So I inherited it.

And do you like it?

I think it's very nice, but because of the thought

of £200 sitting on your shelf and me knocking it off. I'm accident prone.

Do you think it's worth £200?

-So I was told.

-Oh.

I thought the money would do the church more good than me.

That's what you're gonna do with the money. What church is that?

Meanwood church in Leeds.

Well, it probably is worth about £200,

but probably worth a bit more now.

If we keep that figure at £200-300, I think that's really sensible.

-And we fix the reserve around about that...

-Yes.

But let's first... It's a nice hand-painted Stinton

vase by Royal Worcester. It's actually 1938

-with this mark "Made in England".

-Ah!

It's unusual because it's pheasants as well rather than cows.

The church'll get the money. What, do they need a new roof?

-Do they need to pay for their...

-No, they have a building project

to make it suitable for disabled people getting in,

so it's cost them a vast amount of money.

-They still have 25,000 to raise.

-Really?

So, it'll help. It'll be a drop in the ocean, but um...

-Still, every penny helps.

-Yes.

Let's put it up for auction, £200-300 as I've said,

-reserve at £200 and let's see what happens.

-Yes.

-OK?

-Yes.

-Thank you for coming.

-Right.

David and Susie, thank you so much for bringing in furniture.

It's my passion. So, tell me its history, and why is it here?

Well, I bought it in a junk shop

about 20, 25 years ago

and I always liked the piece.

-Er...

-You took it home

-to Susie...

-Yes.

-Sadly, Susie doesn't like it.

-No, it's not a piece that's...

Where is it in the house? In the hall, or the sitting room?

We're not using it at the moment.

We recently moved, so we haven't found a place for it.

It's like a modern director's chair. Our director should be in it

with his name on the back. As you can see, it folds up,

so it stops all right.

Mind you, it is some lump.

It's a typical Italian Renaissance chair.

These chairs were found in cathedrals and churches, a high seat of learning, very important,

known as X frame chairs. Now this has got a mixture of styles.

A lot of classical design into one. That's what they were good at.

I can actually go through some of the classical detail.

It was made by a joiner. The joiners worked

in close harmony with wood carvers

and you can date English furniture purely by its decoration,

its running ornamentation. This is typical of an 18th century piece of furniture.

These bosses are typical of a 19th century piece of furniture.

These lovely red rose and oak-leaf inlaid bosses

are typical of an 18th century piece of furniture.

Looking at the bottom, it is typical of Victorian,

especially with these big bold, lion claw feet.

It's not Italian Renaissance, it's not English Renaissance,

it is of an Italian design

and it's absolutely delightful.

If you could put some turkey work back on here, it'd have the look.

It's a very difficult thing to value, because

if we put it in to auction, we've got to put an estimate on it

which will encourage all the interior designers and dealers.

I'd like to put it into auction with a value on it of £250.

I pray this gets around £500, £600, £700

but we've got to put it in at £250.

I'll be really, really upset if it goes for that,

but you want to see it go so we've got to price it to go.

It's time for it to go. Time to find it a new home.

Everyone who comes to a valuation day gets an expert opinion

and it keeps our specialists busy

and there are always some lovely surprises,

just like the pieces James has just found.

-Christine, aren't these fun?

-Yes.

-Are you a baker?

-No.

-Why have you got them?

-They actually belong to my father.

He'd been given them by an elderly neighbour

-who he used to pop in and see to make sure she was all right.

-Why does he want to sell them?

They've been stuck in a cupboard

and I think he's been tidying up a bit.

-Not much point having them in a cupboard.

-No. No.

These are great. They don't look a lot, do they?

They're by the Wade factory. These were produced between 1953 and 1958.

There's not a lot to say about them.

Whenever we look at Wade, there's a book,

you can look it up, it's got a reference number

which tells you when it was made, who designed it,

all about it, what set it was from and how much it's worth.

-You don't need to be a rocket scientist to value these.

-No.

These are from a set of three - butcher, baker and candlestick maker.

You've got two bakers, you're missing the others,

but they're a good set and they're a rare set.

Only made for five years. The collector's market is buoyant for them.

A good pair like that, I think they're gonna make £100, £150.

Oh.

Is that good? You're looking pleased.

-Yeah. Yeah.

-Super.

The thing is for something that was made 50 years ago,

cheaply made as well...

These weren't expensive when they were done, it's been a fantastic investment.

Really good things.

I'm 100% confident they will go.

-All right?

-Fine.

-Let's see what happens.

-Yeah.

It's time to up the tempo and put our experts' valuations to the test.

Have they got it right? We're gonna find out in a moment.

Fingers crossed, we'll get the top end of their valuations.

While we make our way of the auction room, here's what we're flogging.

James thinks Albert and Mary's apothecary set

is just the medicine and may fetch £200-300.

Dorothy's selling her vase, decorated with pheasants,

to raise money for her church. Will the buyers be game?

And I loved David and Susie's splendid Victorian bishop's chair.

Let's pray I got my estimate right

and finally, Christine's Wade baker figures

are collector's items, but will they make the bread she's looking for?

This is where all the excitement starts. It's auction time.

For our sale, we've left Harrogate and come to the market town Milton.

Let's catch up with today's auctioneer, Andrew McMillan, of Boulton and Cooper

and see what he says about our experts' valuations.

This is my favourite lot of the sale. I absolutely love this.

I fell in love with it when David and Susie brought this in.

X-framed chair, Victorian. It's got everything going for it.

I think it's got the lot. They paid £7.50 for this

about 20-odd years ago. It's a good investment.

-We'll see.

-Oh, dear, he's a bit pessimistic! Come on, Andrew.

Surely you love this?! Look at it!

-I don't actually.

-You don't?

-I'm not that keen.

-Why?

-But that doesn't matter, what I think.

It's what the people here think. I just think for a late-Victorian copy of a sort of Medieval chair...

-at £250 it might be struggling a bit.

-Really?

-I do. Yeah.

-A 15th or 16th-century chair...

-Oh, well...

-..that would sell for a lot more than 250 quid.

-I should think so.

-I think this is fine, I really do.

-OK.

-I'll go with you.

-I wouldn't be worried if I was you. When you stand back

and you look at the architectural importance of it all

..it's got the look.

OK, then. If you say so.

Right now we're hoping for some great chemistry because we've got the apothecary chest

which belongs to Albert and Mary. Good luck with this.

-£200 to £300. Why do you want to sell it?

-Time for a change.

-Time for a change?

-Yes.

-Fed up with dusting it?

-Yes. Yes.

-OK, well, good luck with this.

-James, we've seen them before. They always make good money.

-Yes.

-This is a little bit damaged.

-Yeah, a little bit but it's a good colour, it's a good size. Yeah, it's nice.

-I'd be happy with it at that money.

-I'd be happy at two to three. Hopefully it'll do 350.

If it does that, it's done well. Let's hope it does do well.

This is it. Fingers crossed. Going under the hammer now.

There it is, all fitted out. 465.

£100 for it.

100 I'm bid. Do I hear 10?

£100. And 10 there.

120. 130. 140.

150? 150. 160. 170.

180. 190? 190.

200. 210. 220.

230? 230. 240.

250? 250. 260. 270?

260 with Jamie. At 260. Do I hear 270?

260. Any more now?

260 is going. All done at £260, then?

-Fantastic. Mid-estimate. Well done.

-Brilliant.

-£260.

-Pleased.

-Lots of memories there.

-Yes. Yes.

-It must be a little bit of a sad moment.

-It is, yes.

It's not something that we use. You can't use something like that.

It'll be turned into an antique of the future.

-What are you going to do with £260 less a bit of commission?

-Moorcroft.

-You're going to buy some Moorcroft?

-You collect Moorcroft?

-Mm-hm.

-Yes.

-How many pieces have you got?

-I think we've got nine very old Florian pieces.

-Oh, wonderful.

Oh, happy shopping.

Are you ready for this, Dorothy? Oh, Dorothy's feeling a little bit scared. Blink and you'll miss it.

This is the most exciting part of the show.

We've got your Royal Worcester. A bit of Stinton. I think this is a safe bet at £300.

-This'll be a surprise for the church.

-Yes.

-Let's hope we get that £300 plus, Thomas.

-Yes.

-It's going under the hammer right now. Good luck, Dorothy.

Lot 60, the Worcester vase. The Stinton vase there.

Shall we say a couple of hundred? One, if you'd like to start me.

Thank you, 100 bid. 110 anywhere?

£100 here. 110.

120. 130? 130.

140? 140. 150. 160?

150. Bidding at 150. 160. 170.

180? 180. 190. 200?

-They like it.

-200. 210?

200 at the back. 210 there. 220? Are you there, sir?

It's slowly creeping up.

210 is on the right. Do I hear 220?

210. 220. 230?

230. 240? 230. Still on the right at 230. Anyone else now?

230 then it's going. All done at £230, then?

-Yes! That's it. It's sold. The hammer's down.

-Good.

-£230. Spot on.

-In the middle.

-In the middle.

-That's good, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-They'll be well made up with that, won't they?

-I hope so.

They will. They will. That's a wonderful gesture.

It's my turn to be the expert

and I've just been joined by David and Susie and who's this?

-Ariel.

-Ariel. You've had a day off school to come to the auction.

-And a day off school means a day off what else?

-Homework.

Homework. Yes!

-What's your favourite subject?

-Art.

Are you going to be an artist when you grow up or maybe a supermodel?

-Maybe.

-Maybe. Yes.

Oh, well, good luck. Good luck.

-And good luck to you two.

-Thanks.

-I'm hoping for the top end. I love this chair.

A good decorator's piece.

Unfortunately, this is the bad news -

you know what I'm going to say -

I had a chat to the auctioneer earlier

and he didn't really agree with my price.

He said it might struggle.

-Oh, right.

-I'm pleased we've protected it with a reserve.

-Yes.

It's not going to go for nothing.

If it doesn't sell, you've got to take this home

-and fall in love with it.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-OK?

And you've got to sit on it and enjoy it.

-We will.

-But I think it will sell. It's got to sell.

That's a "come and buy me" for something like that.

I want to see these, Ariel. Fingers crossed. here we go. Come on.

-That's it. I need all the help I can get.

-Even the chair's crossed.

Even the chair's crossed!

Lot 600 - the oak chair. There it is on my left.

Shall we say a couple of hundred for it? At 100 I'm bid. At £100. And 10?

100 then for the oak chair. At 110.

120. 130? 130.

140. 150? 140 the bidding now. 140. Do I hear 150? At £140.

Anyone 150? Quickly. 140.

Anywhere else? 140. Away we go at £140 then.

Didn't sell it.

Mmm...

No-one wanted it.

-So we'll take it home.

-Yes.

-I'm so sorry.

-It's all right.

-Not to worry. I'm pleased we had a reserve.

Exactly. That's what it's all about. Nobody got it for nothing.

Hang on to it. It's worth it. If you do decide to sell it,

-there's another auction on another day.

-That's right.

I would take it to a dealer personally and let the dealer sell it to your commission.

-Let him display it properly in the window.

-OK.

-He'll have the passion for it.

-He'll be able to sell it.

-Yeah. OK.

-I'm very sorry.

-OK.

-It's what others think.

That's auctions for you. That is auctions for you.

Right now I've been joined by Christine and here she is and about to sell those little figures,

the bakers. I expect James has come out with all the jokes -

we knead lots of dough for this.

-Will we get that 150? £200, perhaps?

-They've got a chance.

-I put 100 to 120 on them. It might make 150. if they do 200? Fantastic.

-Brilliant.

They are very collectable. There's lots of people that collect Wade.

These are from the '50s. Are they yours? Did you buy them as a girl?

No, no, they're actually my father's.

-So he collected them?

-Yes. Well, he had been given them by a neighbour.

-He can't be here today because he's looking after my mum. She's not well is our mum.

-Ah...

-So I brought them along and...

-OK. Let's see if we can get you £200, shall we? Dad'll be so pleased.

It's going under the hammer now.

120 now. The bakers. A pair of them there. £100 for them.

100 I'm bid. 110.

The bid was £100. And 10.

120? 120. 130. 140? 140.

-150. 160? 160. 170?

-Yes.

-160 with Jamie. At 160. 170. 180?

180. 190. At 180.

Here at 180. Any more? Quickly.

At £180. Anyone 190, surely? At 180 then, they're going.

All done at £180 then?

Yes. £180. Great valuation, James.

-That is brilliant, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Happy with that?

-Yes.

-What's Dad going to do with that do you think?

-He's going to put it towards a little holiday for himself

-which he really deserves because with looking after Mum she takes a lot to look after.

-Yeah.

-I don't know where he's going but I'll make sure he goes.

-OK. Brilliant. Thank you for coming.

What a good result. Wade is so collectable and there is a big market for it.

I think the main reason is because you can buy a book, you look it up

-and it tells you when it was made, description of it, and what it's worth.

-Yes.

People have confidence in that. The amateur collector can get to an auction and really go for it

having looked it up in the book. And that's the sort of thing that's making good money. We did well.

You can collect the series and, over a period of time -

investing £100 here, £200 there - it becomes a really good investment.

-And it's fun! It's not stodgy. It's a bit of fun.

-And you get to learn a lot.

-Yes.

There you go. Get out there and get collecting and get buying.

York is full of the most delightful Georgian architecture

but the place I'm just about to show you has got to, possibly, be its finest example.

It plays a very important part in the city's cultural and architectural heritage.

And it stands as it was when it was first built in 1760, although it's been through many incarnations.

Fairfax House was originally bought by Viscount John Fairfax.

He spent £8,000 on having it refurbished.

That's more than £2 million if you were to write the cheque today.

The house eventually passed through several families before becoming a cinema and a nightclub.

Miraculously many of its original features survived despite this transformation.

Its fortunes changed in May 1980, when Noel Terry of Terry's chocolate

bequeathed his collection of 18th-century English furniture to a charitable trust.

This was widely recognised as the best private collection in the country

and, eventually, fell into the hands of the York Civic Trust.

And the need for a suitable venue to display the collection gave rise to the idea

of restoring Fairfax House to its former glory. Let's go and have a look at it.

And here to show me around is the museum director Peter Brown.

-Peter.

-Welcome.

-Thank you for taking time out to talk to us this morning.

-It's a pleasure.

I can't believe THIS used to be an old cinema.

I know. It's difficult to imagine but...

Peter, when you came through here was there a box office here?

-It was all boxed in here with shuttering...

-OK.

-..and nightclub colours on the walls -

blues and reds.

A Victorian floor here

and, basically, centuries of paint.

But, funnily enough, the paint preserved it.

How many layers were there?

-Seventeen.

-Seventeen layers of paint. My word!

-And then we had teams of, um, young lads...

-Yes.

-..scraping the paint off the ceilings.

We've worked it out. It was 20,000 man-hours just to clean the ceilings alone.

My word!

The rooms that lead off of this hall my eyes are vying for attention.

I don't know whether to go that way, this way or that way. Which do you think?

-I think we should go through here.

-After you.

-Thank you.

Oh, gosh, look at this.

It certainly does have the wow factor!

How did you know this was a dining room when it was in such a dilapidated state?

-It could have been a drawing room.

-Yes, but once we started to get the paint off the ceilings,

we started to reveal all these wonderful symbols.

The lady in the middle, for example, is Avondantia with her cornucopia,

-there are wine glasses...

-"Of the plenty".

-Absolutely.

-So you're meant to dine here.

Music above her head.

-Wine glasses.

-Looking at the cornice,

it looks really austere, it looks out of place with the stucco work, all this lovely rococo going on.

It's fine, the swags, the ribbons. But why is that so sort of bland?

It's called the Doric Albano, and these little guttae look a bit

like champagne corks. It's where we get the word "gutter" from.

That's a lovely story! I never knew that's where the term "guttering" came from.

-It's certainly a talking point.

-You think these ceilings are good,

-you haven't seen the ones on the great staircase.

-This way?

-That way!

-An amazing staircase with wonderful balustrades.

-Gorgeous!

But how about THAT for a window?

-It's stunning!

-It's probably the best Venetian window you'll see in the country.

We also have to look at the rest of the staircase ceiling, and the brackets on the walls.

-Lots of symbolism here - can you decipher it?

-I've spent some time

looking at it, and the medallions there are pregnant with imagery

which relate not only to the Roman Catholic faith,

as Fairfax was a Catholic,

but also, perhaps dangerously, to the Jacobite cause.

Peter, the house is an architectural delight, and it certainly is worth looking around,

but you know my main passion... is furniture. Do you mind if I go back downstairs

-as I spotted a few choice pieces while I was looking round, and be nosy?

-Be our guest.

-Thank you!

I've got to show you this. We've seen bureau bookcases on the show before,

but never like this. It's a double-dome bookcase.

You can see why by virtue of the shape of the upper section.

This is English,

its construction is of mahogany but it's been veneered throughout -

every face surface with walnut - very fashionable in its day.

And this dates back to about 1710. Let me show you this, OK?

Just pull these lopers out here - it's got a lovely kneehole desk section -

this is the fall front, which drops down here,

so you can sit here and write away.

It is mighty fine, isn't it, but it gets better - if I open these doors

very carefully, and it's a real honour to be able to touch something like this,

it is possibly one of the finest pieces of furniture I've seen in my life,

and if we start at the top, up here,

each one of these pulls out. There's voids there so you can hide things in them.

At the base of the columns there are also secret compartments,

where a gentleman may hide his will, ladies could hide love letters,

in fact, there's a white £1 note

stashed away in there.

But the best secret compartment of all, and it's not obvious, this one,

is this section here, as there's a void at the back so you could hide lots of things behind there.

And you just pull the whole section out like that.

Isn't that brilliant? I absolutely love it.

And I would love to own it!

To understand and appreciate antiques at their very best,

you have to see them in their correct surroundings, and for me, Fairfax House has it all -

it contains the best collection of antique furniture I've ever seen.

Right now, it's time to return back to the valuation day and I wonder what's been collected there?

-Susan, thank you for bringing in this Charlotte Rhead vase.

-OK!

-How did you come by it?

-It started out in life as my grandma's,

then to my mother, then to my father, and he passed away,

and so my brother and myself, we don't really want it,

so we'd like to sell it, and share the proceeds and buy something else with the money.

-When people force things upon you, it's awfully cruel!

-It is!

-Like other people's furniture!

You can end up with a house full of stuff you don't want!

This is the case, yes.

I think you're doing the right thing. We know it's Charlotte Rhead,

as it's on the bottom, Crown Ducal.

It's got that script mark for Crown Ducal,

-which means it's a 1930s pot.

-Right.

-But we can tell it's 1930s

-just by the decoration!

-OK.

Can you remember, at your grandma's, or your mum's,

-did it have flowers in?

-Umbrellas.

-Umbrellas! No way!

-Yes, it used to be on the floor with umbrellas in.

I can't believe it. You must have had a very calm house.

-Very mild-mannered...

-I just remember, as a little girl,

umbrellas in it.

This is a rather impressive vase,

and I'm quite interested that it's a ribbed body - that's good news.

People like that. It gives it its right age, etc, right style.

Cos the '30s deco wasn't so angular as the '20s deco. So it's all a bit more rounded.

I think we'll get between £100 and £200 for you.

-Right!

-How does that grab you?

-Fine, yes!

-Yeah?

-Yeah!

-Brilliant.

And so as regards to reserve,

-I'd put a discretionary reserve in at £90.

-OK.

God, it's gotta be worth that. It's a lovely thing!

-All right?

-Yes, that's fine. Thank you!

Jackie, Simon. Do you know what it is, and what it's used for?

-No.

-No.

-So how come you've got it?

It was left in the house, but it was in the garage.

It's been there for what, 10 years.

-That's the house you bought?

-Yes.

-And you found it, did you?

-Yeah, just at the back of the garage.

-Not a bad little find.

Well, obviously someone was concerned about the atmospheric pressure in their garage.

Either that, or they just stored it there. That's what it's for.

Barographs started being used around the mid-19th century, around 1850.

They were invented by a chap called Lucien Vidie.

He invented the barograph around 1850, but this one was probably made around 1920, 1925.

And these were used to record atmospheric pressure - you go into museums and art galleries,

you often find there'll be one of these

stuck in the corner to ensure the paintings are in the right conditions.

If we lift the lid, there we have a lovely maker's mark there,

Negretti and Zambra of London.

And they were one of the best makers

of scientific instruments. And if you've got a barograph,

there's no better maker.

It's had its problems, though.

A little bit of damage here and there, but at the end of the day,

there's nothing there that can't be put right. The way it would work

is that the little coil in there has got air in it,

and the air is removed from the cylinder and causes a pressure.

As the atmospheric pressure changes, that moves the needle,

that goes up and down here, and the cylinder is clockwork, so this turns,

and you'd have a paper label on the outside with a graph,

and you can alter the speed of this rotating, so you can have one rotation per day,

or one rotation per week, or even one rotation per month.

It will record the atmospheric pressure of the day and of the time.

-Um, what estimate...? What do you think?

-I've no idea.

-Sell it for £20?

-Well, maybe a bit more - £25?

25? Hmm! You'd be very silly to sell it for 25.

Yeah, it's worth about 150.

-Lovely!

-Not bad for a find in the garage!

-No!

So we need to protect it with a reserve. What shall we say? £150?

-Yeah, lovely!

-Don't let it go at any less. If it goes for less, save it for another sale.

-So 150-200 estimate, 150 reserve.

-Thank you!

-Great!

Thank you very much for coming today,

and, um, bringing this album of postcards.

Tell me, how did you come about them?

They've been in the family a long time,

and, um, Mum had them at her house, and I just cleared her house out,

-so I've got them.

-What's amazing is the condition of the album,

to begin with - it's super. Lovely.

Lovely condition. Normally, you see these albums and they're tatty,

and this is a lovely Art-Nouveau style here with the flowers, etc.

Um, what's even more interesting is what's inside.

The album is awash with postcards and photographs,

from the 1900s, 1910, 1920.

Some pre-war ones. This is a lovely one we found, as well.

The Bridlington Excelsior Prize Silver Band - there they all are,

with their prize, there.

-Fantastic, isn't it?

-Yes!

-It's a really lovely local postcard album,

picture postcards, with people in it as well. It's fantastic.

-This is a lovely one, isn't it?

-Yeah!

-It's got East Ward,

the elections here, 1903 - November 2.

-That's an important date for you!

-Yes, that's my birthday!

And Hill Henry, was that a relation?

Um, could be... Hill is the family name.

Really? Why did you bring it in today?

Um, I thought with it being local,

-there's some of Harrogate and Pannal in there.

-And was it something you were thinking about selling?

Yes, I think I would like to, yes.

I would like to put an estimate on it of about £300-£500.

Wow! Right.

-Happy with that?

-Yes!

It's just a fantastic album. So at £300-£500,

if we have a reserve at £300,

-how does that grab you?

-Sounds all right.

If it falls on the reserve and we sell for £300,

what will you do with the money?

I don't really know! I might put it to a holiday!

-Yeah. Or buy something else to remember the family by?

-Yes!

-We'll have to wait and see, and see what happens, but it's a lovely album, and thank you.

-Thank you.

Once used as an umbrella stand, will Susan's Charlotte Rhead vase be left high and dry,

with a reserve of £90?

Jackie and Simon found this barograph in the garage ten years ago -

will it weather the prediction of fetching £150? Pressure's on!

And finally, Janet's magnificent postcard collection

is in great condition - let's hope the buyers think it's worth something to write home about.

Janet's photo collection, we've got a valuation of £300-£500 on this.

But, there's a limited amount of local interest here,

because it spans everything, Durham, Windsor Castle,

topographic scenes, all of the UK, really.

There are a few local ones, some York ones but not that many, which is a shame.

I think as so often with these things, they sell best in their own area,

so if you had an album of Yorkshire cards, they'd sell like mad.

But when you get a mixed album like this, not so easy to sell.

-This'll be a struggle at £300.

-I agree with you, Paul.

I think we are gonna struggle.

You could buy these cards individually for 10p, 20p, 30p.

It's the WWI cards, the silk ones that fetch around £7 each,

-then you know you can equate quantity.

-That's right.

We might be on a sticky wicket with this one.

All I can say is good luck.

Fingers crossed we will get that, because the money is going towards a holiday, we can't disappoint Janet.

-Pressure's on.

-Thanks!

Next up, we've got Susan and the umbrella stand.

No, just kidding, it's the Charlotte Rhead vase, the lovely ribbed vase.

We're looking at £100-£200.

I'm surprised it's not damaged since you've been putting umbrellas and sticks in it!

It's a few years since sticks went in, though.

What made you put it on the floor for that?

It was my grandma. It used to be at the end of the sideboard

with umbrellas in when I was very little.

-Placed delicately in.

-Thrown in.

I can't believe that.

They must have been placed. If you'd thrown them, krrr - smash!

-Honest to God!

-What have you done with the umbrellas and sticks?

I don't know where they went!

They could have been antiques!

Yes, exactly.

But I gather you're going to put the money towards antiques.

Yeah, don't know what.

You never know, you might find something here. Lots of silver here.

OK, good luck anyway. This is it.

It's going under the hammer.

160, Charlotte Rhead vase, £50 for it,

50 bid, 60, opening bid at £50,

60 I'm bid, 70, 70, 80,

-80, 90, 90, 100...

-Come on...

-110, 120...

110, the bidding here at 110.

120, 130, 120 upstairs.

Do I hear 130 now?

£120, anyone else quickly.

-120, that is going at 120.

-HE BANGS GAVEL

-£120.

-Thank you very much.

There you go, you can divide that up,

and go antiques shopping.

Right, the pressure is on, Jackie,

which is fitting as we're flogging a barograph.

-Good London maker. £150-£250. Happy with the valuation?

-Yes.

Spot on with our James and he knows cos he specialises in scientific things as well.

It's been in the garage, did you not think about bring it into the house?

No, cos I never thought anything about it.

-So this is a big bonus really?

-It is if we manage to do it.

-Jackie's just thinking of £200 right now, if I said £200 or the barograph...

-200.

-We'll get that, won't we?

-Should do.

-Any day of the week.

-It's a great maker,

um...it's got a few faults, but it's the name.

And it's a good thing. It'll do it.

It's just about to go under the hammer, good luck, Jackie.

Lot 454, the barograph,

£200 for it. £100 quickly. 100 I'm bid.

Do I hear 10 anywhere? £100. 110, 120,

130, 130...

-140, 150...

-It's away.

160, 170,

170, 180, 190,

180, do I hear 190?

£180. Anyone, 190 now?

At 180, then it's going.

£180 then.

Hammer's gone down.

Top end, spot on.

Our next lot is the postcard album. Now will it be return to sender?

I've been joined by Janet. We've got a valuation of £300-£400.

Yes.

Now we had a chat to the auctioneer earlier.

It is a general collection. It's not concentrated on one area,

so the auctioneer felt that it may struggle.

Cos the value is in the social history of the local community. It's a little bit scattered.

Yes, cos you've got sort of er...coal mine and you've got voting cards

and maybe if you priced it up,

-it probably would be £300 to a postcard dealer.

-Yes.

This is gonna be a tricky one but I think we should just get it away.

And lot 509,

the postcard album. Quite a lot of them there,

lot 509, couple of hundred for it,

£200 I'm bid, 210 now,

£200, for opening bid, 220, 230, 240,

-250...

-Ooh I say!

270, 280, 270 the bidding,

280, 290, 300,

-310, 300 upstairs...

-Fantastic, it's gone, it's sold.

..330, 330, 340, 350,

350, 360, 370,

-370, 380...

-They love it. They've found something they really love.

..410, 410,

420, 430, 430,

440, 450...

Not bad.

Fantastic. I was so wrong because I agreed with the auctioneer as well.

I thought it would struggle.

500, 510...

510, 520, 530...

530, 540, 550...

550, 560, 570...

570, 580, 590...

Wow.

590, 600, 610...

Absolutely fantastic!

..630.

They've found something that's very collectable.

There were some quite good things...

670...

670, 680, 690.

690, 700, 710...

It's still going on!

700 upstairs.

£700, any more?

-It's going then at £700.

-HE BANGS GAVEL

It's gone bang! £700.

If you've got any old photographs or postcards at home,

don't throw them. Bring them to an auction room and get them valued!

Sold! Janet, £700.

Unbelievable.

You'd have settled for that 400, wouldn't you?

You'd have settled for the three with me playing it down a bit.

What are you going to do?

Go on a holiday or I might buy myself a picture to remember Flog It!

I think you could do both.

Thank you so much for coming.

Lots of memories, it's sad to say goodbye but as you say, you've got lots of photographs at home.

£700, I don't believe it, Thomas.

They found something of value in that album.

I mean obviously there were so many different subjects.

Maybe two guys saw different cards which appealed to them.

Amazing, isn't it?

How about that? What a lovely moment that was.

I hope you've enjoyed the show, we've certainly enjoyed ourselves.

So join us next time on Flog It! for many more surprises.

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