0:00:02 > 0:00:06I'm in a small town with a lot of attitude, like the president of its football club, Elton John.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10It's a small town with a massive heart and a huge, big queue.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12Today I'm in Watford.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52Elton John's been associated with Watford FC for more than 30 years
0:00:52 > 0:00:55and there's still a great bond between him and the town,
0:00:55 > 0:00:58but we've got our own Rocket Man, expert Mark Stacey,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01and the beautiful Candle In The Wind, Catherine Southon,
0:01:01 > 0:01:05who'll help me sort through this massive queue today.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08We really have our work cut out, so let's get on with it.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10# Like a lusty flower
0:01:10 > 0:01:14# Running through the grass for hours
0:01:14 > 0:01:18# Rolling through the hay, oh
0:01:18 > 0:01:20# Like a puppy
0:01:20 > 0:01:23# Like a puppy child... #
0:01:26 > 0:01:29- Good morning, Bertie. - Good morning, sir.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33Now, I love this claret jug. Can you fill us in on the history of it?
0:01:33 > 0:01:37Well, I had it left by a very dear friend of mine
0:01:37 > 0:01:39who died a few years ago,
0:01:39 > 0:01:44and I think it had been in the family for quite a number of years.
0:01:44 > 0:01:50When I received it, it was pretty well blackened - you could hardly realise what it looked like.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54But I worked on it hard, and that is the result of what you see today.
0:01:54 > 0:01:59So you spent a lot of time polishing all this silver up to get the detail out.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03Yes, I'm very interested in all this kind of thing and...
0:02:03 > 0:02:05Are you a claret drinker yourself?
0:02:05 > 0:02:08- Reasonably.- You like a drop of claret?- Yes, I do.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Well, it is lovely, and I think if we look at the piece,
0:02:11 > 0:02:18we've got this lovely cut-glass base with these rather nice little sort of panels of birds and flowers.
0:02:18 > 0:02:23- I see.- That's the first indication that it's very Victorian.- Hm.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25We've got a hallmark here,
0:02:25 > 0:02:29which shows that all these pieces on here are silver,
0:02:29 > 0:02:33and the hallmark is for London, 1883.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36- 1883.- So it's well over 120 years old.- Yes.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38What I like, if we look closely, Bertie,
0:02:38 > 0:02:43we've got these lovely little panels here with the diamond band there,
0:02:43 > 0:02:47and a space here to put your initials or family crest on
0:02:47 > 0:02:52and this rather nice metalwork handle here with the nice scroll.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56And as we turn it around, when we come to the lip of the jug,
0:02:56 > 0:03:02we've got this rather nice mask head going across the top there.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07And it's a lovely-looking piece. And what made you come and see us today?
0:03:07 > 0:03:12I've been watching your shows, and I was rather interested, and then I heard somebody
0:03:12 > 0:03:17- telling me that it was coming to Watford, so...I thought about bringing it along.- Fantastic.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20I'm glad you did, because it is a very commercial piece.
0:03:20 > 0:03:26If we were putting this into auction, I think we'd put it in with a sensible estimate
0:03:26 > 0:03:31of something like...£600-£800 with a £600 reserve
0:03:31 > 0:03:35and let those claret drinkers out there have a bit of a fight for it.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38And we'd certainly make between those two figures
0:03:38 > 0:03:41- and maybe even a little bit more on a good day.- Yes.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Now, would you be happy for us to do that?
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Yes, I think I would, yes, because I'm 84 now...
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Gosh, you don't look it, Bertie.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53My years are coming to an end, and I'm not married,
0:03:53 > 0:03:57so I've got no-one to leave it to, really, only my brother,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00but, um...I don't think he would be interested
0:04:00 > 0:04:02in the claret side of it quite so much.
0:04:02 > 0:04:07- Thank you for leaving it with us. I look forward to seeing you at the auction.- Yes.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Let's hope we'll raise a glass afterwards and toast the success.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13- Good idea, I'll take you up on that.- Thank you, Bertie.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21Lourdes, this is fabulous, absolutely beautiful,
0:04:21 > 0:04:23it really jumped out at me in the crowd.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26So where did you get this beautiful vase?
0:04:26 > 0:04:29I inherited this about 11 years ago from a friend of mine.
0:04:29 > 0:04:36- Right, lucky you.- Yes.- Now, when I first saw you, you said, "This is a piece of Moorcroft that I've got,"
0:04:36 > 0:04:38but it is actually Morrisware.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42Now, the reason we know that, if we just turn it over...
0:04:42 > 0:04:46we can see on the bottom, it's actually stamped here Morrisware,
0:04:46 > 0:04:50which is a type of style that was done by Hancock and Sons.
0:04:50 > 0:04:55Now, Hancock and Sons were founded in the late 19th century,
0:04:55 > 0:05:01but this particular piece would date to probably early 20th century, so sort of 1910, something like that.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05If you can see there, that's the signature of the designer,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08which was George Cartlidge.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11It is a really beautiful piece, I just love the colours.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Wonderful stylised tulip design.
0:05:14 > 0:05:19It's very much in keeping with Arts and Crafts, and William Morris.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23- Why do you want to sell this lovely item?- I don't want to break it
0:05:23 > 0:05:25because I'm going away to settle down.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28- Where are you going to? - I'm going to Sri Lanka.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32- Not something you want to take with you?- No.- It can break very easily.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Have you any idea how much it's worth?
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Well, maybe £300.
0:05:36 > 0:05:42I would say I'd probably put an estimate on of about £300-400, but I really hope
0:05:42 > 0:05:46there's a lot of people like me in the crowd at the auction
0:05:46 > 0:05:49that go mad for it and it makes a lot more. You want to sell it?
0:05:49 > 0:05:55- I do, yes.- So I think we should probably put a reserve on of about 250, how does that sound to you?- OK.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57- All right?- Yes.- Let's put 250 on.
0:05:57 > 0:06:02- I hope they illustrate it in the catalogue, and I really hope it runs away.- OK.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03- Good luck.- Thank you.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14Grant and Sarah, thanks for bringing the piece of furniture in today.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18It's made my day, anyway. It's very important to you, this piece.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20- It's been in your family a long time? - Yes, it has.
0:06:20 > 0:06:27It...got given to my nan, and then my nan passed down to my dad, and my dad gave it to me and Grant.
0:06:27 > 0:06:32It was for our house, but we don't have a house yet, so hopefully the money will go towards the wedding.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35- So that's gonna get you down the aisle?- Yeah.
0:06:35 > 0:06:40I've heard a lot of reasons why people want to get rid of antiques. That must be the best.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42It's an occasional tea table, did you know?
0:06:42 > 0:06:44No, we thought it was a card table.
0:06:44 > 0:06:49Very much like a card table, but a card table would have baize inside as you open this the leaf up,
0:06:49 > 0:06:53which I can show you now, because it's got a lovely gate-leg action.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57The two back legs swing back, and if I open this up,
0:06:57 > 0:07:02you can see...now you've got an occasional tea table for four people.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07It's a really functional, practical piece of kit. It would have been built for...
0:07:07 > 0:07:10let's say the town houses, where space was slightly smaller
0:07:10 > 0:07:14and you needed to bring something out when you had a few guests in.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Right, the construction of the table.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20The legs are all turned in solid Cuban mahogany.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24And they're beautifully turned with this decorative spiral,
0:07:24 > 0:07:29but the construction of the table is made out of a softwood. It's a pitch pine.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33So all the mahogany you see, all the satinwood and all the ebony,
0:07:33 > 0:07:35which is here, is just a veneer
0:07:35 > 0:07:39which has been glued to the softwood, which is very common,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42because pitch pine was plentiful, and it's a cheap wood.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45This has all been imported, the hardwoods.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49It's quite expensive, so rather than use it in the solid form,
0:07:49 > 0:07:53they cut it down and used it in very fine sheets, in a veneer form.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57And here we've got ebony, here you have a satinwood,
0:07:57 > 0:07:59and here you have two mahogany leaves.
0:07:59 > 0:08:04I mean, it is, in fact, a very tidy and practical piece of kit.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06- OK, value.- Yeah.
0:08:06 > 0:08:11Well...I think this should sell for around about £500-600.
0:08:11 > 0:08:17Brilliant. We're raising money for the church. It'll cost us about £600 to pay for the church,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19so if we sell the table, job done.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23If somebody only bids £550, would you be willing to take that?
0:08:23 > 0:08:26- I think we'd be willing to take that.- Yeah?
0:08:26 > 0:08:31- OK, we'll put a fixed reserve of £550 on this.- OK, then.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34- Hopefully we'll get the £700 mark. - Brilliant!
0:08:38 > 0:08:40It's freezing!
0:08:42 > 0:08:46Sue, thank you for bringing along this rather attractive meat dish.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47Where did you get it from?
0:08:47 > 0:08:52My aunt died last year, and we had to clear out her bungalow,
0:08:52 > 0:08:56and we found it hidden away in the back of the loft.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59We thought it was slightly unusual, so we thought
0:08:59 > 0:09:02- we'd bring it here. - What did you think was unusual?
0:09:02 > 0:09:05- Well, the fact that it had got a rather deep dip there.- Right.
0:09:05 > 0:09:10It's called a well and tree dish, rather than just meat dish,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13because we've got this little well and all these indentations
0:09:13 > 0:09:17which is where your juices would run down from the meat
0:09:17 > 0:09:20and then all collect in this well at the bottom.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24Making me feel a bit hungry, just thinking about that!
0:09:24 > 0:09:25It's a very typical pattern.
0:09:25 > 0:09:32It's a copy of a Spode pattern called the Italian pattern, which they did in around 1818,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34but I think this is probably later.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37It's gonna be circa 1830, something like that.
0:09:37 > 0:09:42- Quite old.- It is quite attractive, with these wonderful blues here.
0:09:42 > 0:09:47The Spode would have been a lot paler, but this is a lot deeper,
0:09:47 > 0:09:51the colours here are a lot deeper. Probably made in Staffordshire.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55But it is an attractive piece. It needs to be hung on a wall.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58- It's got the things on it. - Not to be put in the back of a loft.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01It's rather too big for me, I think.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03It doesn't go with a modern house, I felt.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08- So you've never used it for your Sunday roast?- No, no, no.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Why are you wanting to sell something like this?
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Well, it's part of an inheritance several of us have got to share,
0:10:15 > 0:10:18so we'll sell it and share the money out, I think.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22- Have you any idea how much it would be worth at auction?- Not a clue.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24It's not going to be a huge amount of money.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27It is a very common pattern.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30I would say it would be worth something in the region of £60-80,
0:10:30 > 0:10:36- with a reserve of 50, and if it makes more, then we'll be happy. - Yeah, that's brilliant.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48This type of traditional pottery is still popular with the bidders,
0:10:48 > 0:10:54so let's get it straight off to the auction room, along with the more modern Morrisware vase,
0:10:54 > 0:10:58Bertie's claret jug and the stunning tea table,
0:10:58 > 0:11:02which should set wedding bells ringing for Sarah and Grant.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10Doing the honours today at Tring Market Auctions is auctioneer
0:11:10 > 0:11:14Stephen Hearn, and I can't wait to find out what he's got to say.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19This is an interesting lot. It belongs to Lourdes.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24A bit of Morrisware, early 20th century, sort of 1910, somewhere around there.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28£300-400, and it's in really good condition.
0:11:28 > 0:11:29Yes, it's a great example.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33Good piece of Hancock and Son, becoming even more popular.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36- It's been popular for a number of years.- It is lovely.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40- It is a lovely piece.- Is that the sort of thing you'd like to own?
0:11:40 > 0:11:42I would, yes, I think it is.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46- It's big and bold.- And that's what everyone wants nowadays.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51- That's what they're looking for, and not only here - it's a big seller in the States.- Is it?
0:11:51 > 0:11:56- Could you see this going to America? - I certainly could, yes. - Is that a grin on your face?
0:11:56 > 0:12:01- Does that mean there's interest from the States? - There is interest from all over.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04- So we've got global warming!- Global warming on the very big piece.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08So what do you think, then?
0:12:08 > 0:12:10- Double estimate.- Double?
0:12:10 > 0:12:12Six to eight.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16- And that's going overseas.- I think there's a fair chance it will, yes.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18He's being bold about something, very bold.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Who says we never dress up on Flog It?
0:12:25 > 0:12:28Just look at Bertie, look at that!
0:12:28 > 0:12:31That is fantastic, you put me to shame.
0:12:31 > 0:12:36- Doesn't he look smart?- Incredibly smart, and he did on valuation day as well, you know, Paul.
0:12:36 > 0:12:41- You need to smarten yourself up a bit.- I know, I'm a bit scruffy, ragged around the edges.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43What a claret jug, though.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45It is a nice one, isn't it?
0:12:45 > 0:12:49Why are you flogging it? It's too good to... It's too good to flog.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52I'm 84 now, I'm a bachelor.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56I haven't got any children, so I've got no-one to leave it to.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Now, one of my researchers told me you were in a movie.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02Oh, yes, I was, but how did you know that?
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Ah, see, our BBC researchers, they're good at their job.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08- What was the movie? - In Which We Serve.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10And who was in that?
0:13:10 > 0:13:12- John Mills...- John Mills, wow.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14- Noel Coward.- Noel Coward?
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Yes, Noel Coward.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20- He's mixing with all the big stars, aren't you?- Only the best, you know.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Did you get an Oscar?
0:13:23 > 0:13:28Oh, and I was dressed up as a German officer and things like that,
0:13:28 > 0:13:31but I think I said one word, and that was, "Fire the gun,"
0:13:31 > 0:13:34or something, but that was about all.
0:13:34 > 0:13:35Wonderful, what an experience.
0:13:35 > 0:13:41- Yeah, rather nice. - You've loved this claret jug, cos you've polished it a lot.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Yes, I've got feelings for it.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47I think this is going to do the top end plus - it's quality.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51It's very good quality, and I would love it to do the top end.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55I would love it to make about 1,000, actually, but, you know, we'll see.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59What about this one? Victorian and etched 1883.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Are we going to start at £500 for it?
0:14:01 > 0:14:04500? 400? Yes, at 400, we are there.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07400 I am bid, then. 450 I'm bid, at 450.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10500, at 500 bid.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12At 500...and 50, at 550.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16At 550... At 550, 600 we're bid.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19At 600 we're bid now. At 650 bid, at 650...
0:14:19 > 0:14:22At 650...and seven now.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24At seven bid for it. At 750, is it?
0:14:24 > 0:14:28At 750... At 750 I'm bid, 750.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30780 now, 780.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33- Good, steady...- 780.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36At 780... At 780...
0:14:36 > 0:14:38Surely one more... 800, there you go.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40At 800 I'm bid for it now.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42I'm feeling nervous for Bertie.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46820, I'm bid, 820... And 50?
0:14:46 > 0:14:47Are you finished?
0:14:47 > 0:14:50At 820, you're all out down here?
0:14:50 > 0:14:54I'm selling away from you. It's sold, then. I'm selling for £820.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58- Happy?- Yes, very happy.- Oh, lovely.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00I hope somebody appreciates it.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02- I'm pretty sure they will.- Yes.
0:15:02 > 0:15:03- I'm pretty sure they will.- Yes.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07- It's been loved by you, and it'll be loved by them as well.- Thank you.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15Sue's Staffordshire meat dish is under the hammer now.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18This was retrieved from the corner of a very dark loft.
0:15:18 > 0:15:23- Absolutely.- How long had it been stuffed up there?- Forever, I think!
0:15:23 > 0:15:27- It's a whopper, isn't it? - It is, you'd need a large piece of meat on there.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31A hell of a big bit. We're looking for £60-80, I think we're gonna get that.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Hmm, it might be a bit difficult, but you should be all right.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38- Oh, Catherine, come on, think positive!- I know, I know.
0:15:38 > 0:15:43- We don't want to put it back in the loft.- Definitely not. - It's going under the hammer.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46Now we've got this little Italian pattern meat dish with the well.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49I think we ought to get £70 for it.
0:15:49 > 0:15:5150, then, to start? Shall we do 30?
0:15:51 > 0:15:54- We're happy with that. - ..40 I'm bid, then.
0:15:54 > 0:15:5745, your turn at 50.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00- Blue and white has taken a bit of a duck right now.- Has it?
0:16:00 > 0:16:03At 70 we're bid, at £70...
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Are we stopping? At £70...
0:16:06 > 0:16:08- Well, that's good.- No more?
0:16:08 > 0:16:11At 70, then, I'm selling, for £70.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13Fantastic, the hammer's gone down.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17- He started at 70, and we've ended on 70, mid-estimate.- Very good.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19What's that 70 quid going towards?
0:16:19 > 0:16:24I've got to share it with the family, so it'll be a curry, I think.
0:16:30 > 0:16:35Sarah and Grant have been looking forward to this moment for the last four weeks.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37It's now auction time.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39- Feeling a bit nervous?- Very.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41Yeah, so am I, I put the valuation on this.
0:16:41 > 0:16:47It's a lovely bit of brown furniture, as we call it in the trade, but it's a gorgeous Scottish occasional table.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50- We need this money for the wedding. - Pay for the church.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53- £600 will pay for the church, won't it?- Yes, it will.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55Let's hope we can get a bit more.
0:16:55 > 0:16:56It's going under the hammer now.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Cross-banded mahogany fold-over card table,
0:16:59 > 0:17:01possibly Scottish table, and a nice one too.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05What about 600 for it? 600, 500, 300 bid for it.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09At 300 we're bid for that little table, at 300 we're bid for it.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11At 320 I'm bid for it, 350 bid?
0:17:11 > 0:17:14380 bid, yes, at 380. 400? At 400 bid...
0:17:14 > 0:17:16Oh, come on, I'm so nervous.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19At 450 bid for it. Yes? 480 I'm bid for it. 500?
0:17:19 > 0:17:21500 I'm bid for it.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23520 we've got bid for it.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27At 550, and 80 is it? No more?
0:17:27 > 0:17:32- At 550, then... At £550. - HAMMER
0:17:32 > 0:17:36- Oh...so close. We did it, didn't we? - Well, it's gone.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38It's gone. Not the top end,
0:17:38 > 0:17:40but we've sold it. That will help.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42That will help immensely.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45- Good luck on the big day and congratulations.- Thank you.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56Forget Moorcroft, you should buy this one. If you're not in the room right now, it's too late.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00We're flogging a little bit of Morrisware that belongs to Lourdes.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03I had a word with the auctioneer earlier.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06He thinks this might be the little surprise of the whole day.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09We've got £300-400 on this, haven't we?
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Which will come in very useful if you're moving to Sri Lanka.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14Why are you going to Sri Lanka?
0:18:14 > 0:18:20- To settle down there.- Yeah? Had enough of...- Had enough of UK. - Had enough of Tring!- Yes.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22- Really?- Yes.- What do you do here?
0:18:22 > 0:18:24- I work as a nurse. - You work as a nurse.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Will you retire in Sri Lanka?
0:18:26 > 0:18:28- Yes, definitely. - And what part of Sri Lanka?
0:18:28 > 0:18:32- Colombo.- Colombo, the capital? - Yes.- Oh, I envy you!
0:18:32 > 0:18:35- Thank you.- And I wish you all the best with this bit of Morrisware.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38It is lovely, a beautiful design, I really hope it does well.
0:18:38 > 0:18:44It needs two people to bid this up to that sort of money, and we're going to find out right now.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46Fingers crossed!
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Good piece this is, very popular at the present time.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51There you are, where do we go on this one?
0:18:51 > 0:18:55Are we going to get towards for £500 for it? 500, 200...
0:18:55 > 0:18:56Starting at 200, are we?
0:18:56 > 0:19:01And there's a phone line that I can see next to the auctioneer's rostrum.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05- Oh, right, OK.- At 280 I'm bid for it, 300 we're bid.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09- At 320, I have it at 350. At 350... - Up, up, up.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12380 I'm bid, at 380.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14400 I'm bid, at 420.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17- 450, 480...- He's got a strong bidder on the phone.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19500 I'm bid, then.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23At 500 bid, at 520... 550 bid.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26580, is it? At 580...
0:19:26 > 0:19:28- 600 we're bid now. - Wonderful, it's wonderful.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31It's like ping-pong, backwards and forwards.
0:19:31 > 0:19:32This is getting exciting, I love it.
0:19:32 > 0:19:37At 620... At 650, give them time, no?
0:19:37 > 0:19:40- At 650...- 650.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42680 I've got it, at 680 it's left.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44He's missing a bid over here.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46- Come on!- At £700.
0:19:46 > 0:19:51- I want it to go faster! - At 720, surely? At 720 I'm bid.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53- 720!- At 740.
0:19:53 > 0:19:59750. 780. At 780 on the right, £780.
0:19:59 > 0:20:00I'm selling. In the room at 780.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04- It's going for £780. - That's fantastic.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08- Well done.- £780! I think that's between your estimate and his!
0:20:08 > 0:20:11- Yeah!- So we'll settle for that.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14- Well done!- A lot more than you were expecting!- Yes.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17- Definitely.- What's the first thing you'll do when you get there?
0:20:17 > 0:20:19- Spend it!- Spend it!
0:20:25 > 0:20:30I'm leaving Hertfordshire and travelling into London itself.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34One of my favourite parts is the East End.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37It's always been a vibrant place of great cultural diversity.
0:20:37 > 0:20:42That's still true today. But another East-End custom has stood the test of time -
0:20:42 > 0:20:45and that's boxing!
0:20:45 > 0:20:50There's a great tradition of Cockney kids using the ring to make their fame if not the fortune.
0:20:50 > 0:20:55It goes back to the days of England's bare-knuckle boxing champs,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58like Jack Broughton and Daniel Mendoza in the early 1700s.
0:20:58 > 0:21:03Then, bouts lasted several hours and the winner was the last man standing.
0:21:03 > 0:21:09It became obvious that these fighters needed more protection during these brutal prize fights.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12More rules were needed and mufflers were introduced
0:21:12 > 0:21:16as a forerunner to the boxing glove, to protect the fighter's hands.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19So take it away, go on!
0:21:19 > 0:21:21MUSIC: "Eye Of The Tiger" by Survivor
0:21:21 > 0:21:27300 years later, the art of boxing is still being taught to youngsters in the East End,
0:21:27 > 0:21:31instilling discipline and offering them a sense of purpose and inspiration.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35I'm here in England's most famous boxing club.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39It's the Repton Boxing Club in the heart of the East End.
0:21:39 > 0:21:44It was founded in 1884 for underprivileged boys to develop their boxing skills.
0:21:44 > 0:21:49Since then, it's bred many champions, among them, world welterweight champion John H Stacy
0:21:49 > 0:21:52and gold Olympic medallist Audley Harrison.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55But the East End doesn't only produce great boxers.
0:21:55 > 0:22:02In the 1930s, it also produced England's most successful boxing promoter - Jack Solomons.
0:22:02 > 0:22:08And that chap is very well known to Chas Taylor who, when he's not driving black cabs around London,
0:22:08 > 0:22:10is busy collecting boxing memorabilia.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14- Hi, Chas.- Hi.- So what can you tell me about Jack Solomons?
0:22:14 > 0:22:16Well, Jack Solomons came from the East End.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19He was a fishmonger but he loved boxing.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23And he became Britain's premier boxing promoter.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25He was the main man, without any shadow of doubt.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29What I want to know is, what's in the box that says "Jack Solomons" on it?
0:22:29 > 0:22:33Well, nothing's in the box at the moment, but that was Jack Solomons' glove box.
0:22:33 > 0:22:39And that was part of boxing history before TV took over boxing and kind of spoiled it.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42And a lot of people have ideas!
0:22:42 > 0:22:44The tradition was at title fights,
0:22:44 > 0:22:47the gloves were carried out to a fanfare of trumpets
0:22:47 > 0:22:51and the gloves were in the box that was carried into the ring
0:22:51 > 0:22:54and the two different trainers would come up,
0:22:54 > 0:22:56select the gloves, and then they would take them
0:22:56 > 0:23:00and take them back and glove the fighters up in the ring.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03And the atmosphere was building up in the arena as the boxers
0:23:03 > 0:23:05were putting their gloves on and lacing them up.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07And that was the atmosphere then.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10- You can feel the tension now, you describing it!- That's how it was.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14And so many British title fights and world title fights,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17the gloves were carried out in that box.
0:23:17 > 0:23:22- Sugar Ray Robinson and Randolph Turpin's gloves were carried out in that box.- Wow!
0:23:22 > 0:23:24It's a battered old box, but it's got history to it.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27- And it's probably one of your top pieces, I would imagine?- Yes.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30What else have you got here? Lots of programmes and books.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34First, tell me about the belts, because they've caught my eye.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36- They're early English middleweight belts.- OK.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Middleweight championship belts.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42The first one there was won by a man called Ted White.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47He was the British middleweight champion in about 1884.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49And this other one was also for
0:23:49 > 0:23:52the British middleweight championship in the 1880s,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55won by a very good boxer from Birmingham
0:23:55 > 0:23:58called Anthony Diamond - Tony Diamond.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01- These are pretty rare, aren't they? - Extremely rare, yes.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04If I had to win one of them, I'd like to win the early-Victorian one.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08- That's very ornate, isn't it?- It is, isn't it? It's all solid silver.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11- Gosh!- Fantastic.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Tell me, have the gloves changed much throughout history?
0:24:14 > 0:24:19Oh yeah, they've had to change. If you look at these early gloves,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23I mean, there's nothing of them, compared with today's gloves.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25These had horsehair in them.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28And this pair of gloves was worn by Bruce Woodcock
0:24:28 > 0:24:32when he fought Tammy Mauriello in Madison Square Garden.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34- When was that?- 1946.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37Gosh, a bit before my time, that one!
0:24:37 > 0:24:40I know Henry Cooper and Muhammad Ali and Joe Bugner!
0:24:40 > 0:24:45- Whose gloves are these? - That pair of gloves, they were worn by Bruce Woodcock as well
0:24:45 > 0:24:50when he fought for Jack Solomons' version of the Heavyweight Championship of the World.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52- When he fought Lee Savold. - And here's the programme!
0:24:52 > 0:24:55That's the programme. In 1948.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Joe Louis retired and so Jack Solomons said,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02"That's all right, I'll promote a heavyweight championship myself".
0:25:02 > 0:25:05And he had Bruce Woodcock fighting the American Lee Savold.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09- Bruce lost, unfortunately.- Are these programmes collectible?
0:25:09 > 0:25:12- Very collectible, yeah. - Just like football programmes?
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Oh yeah, yeah. Probably more so.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18When you collect, you just collect everything.
0:25:18 > 0:25:24- Even, that is a book of matches from Jack Dempsey's restaurant.- Oh!
0:25:24 > 0:25:26- In New York?- Yes.- But what's this?
0:25:26 > 0:25:31- The shoe polish there?- This is a tin of white shoe polish with Muhammad Ali promoting it!
0:25:31 > 0:25:36This is very valuable now. These go for about £100 a tin!
0:25:36 > 0:25:37- Really?- ..For one of these.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41I was waiting to get his autograph one day outside a hotel in London.
0:25:41 > 0:25:46I took two books down for him to sign and I waited outside this hotel for three hours.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50And he finally came out, Muhammad, and I politely went up to him
0:25:50 > 0:25:54and said, "Would you mind signing these two books for me, please?"
0:25:54 > 0:25:59He signed them both and then I said, "I'm a big fan of yours," I said,
0:25:59 > 0:26:02"I've just got this tin of shoe polish..."
0:26:02 > 0:26:05He looked at it and smiled with that glint in his eye, you know?
0:26:05 > 0:26:08And cos this was a white tin he went,
0:26:08 > 0:26:14"You know," he said, "I got paid twice as much to promote that white tin of polish
0:26:14 > 0:26:16"as I did for the black!"
0:26:16 > 0:26:19And everybody around him was laughing, you know?
0:26:19 > 0:26:23Is this getting harder to collect as the years go by?
0:26:23 > 0:26:28Yes. There's more people collecting and we're all trying to get it.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32But it makes it exciting and interesting and you meet a lot of friends through doing it.
0:26:32 > 0:26:38And you swap stuff and you boast about what you've just found, obviously!
0:26:38 > 0:26:43- Have you got a houseful now? - I've got a house full! Absolutely!
0:26:43 > 0:26:48Thanks very much for showing us just a small part of the collection.
0:26:55 > 0:27:02Back at the valuation day, our experts have been busy hunting down some more fascinating collectibles.
0:27:02 > 0:27:03- Hi, Suzanne.- Hello!
0:27:03 > 0:27:08What a wonderfully Gothic object you brought in. Where did you get it from?
0:27:08 > 0:27:11I inherited it in 2001 when my mother passed away.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13It was in a tea chest wrapped in newspaper
0:27:13 > 0:27:16with other objects that I remembered from my childhood.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20But I have no recollection of this at all.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23We think that it may have been my grandmother who bought it.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26She used to go to sales, large country house sales,
0:27:26 > 0:27:29after the Second World War and pick up curiosities.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31And perhaps it was something that she bought.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34What happened to all these objects you inherited?
0:27:34 > 0:27:39Well, the ones that I was sentimentally attached to, I've kept and they are at home on display.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42But the majority of them went into Bonhams in 2002 and we got rid of them.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44And did you try this at that time?
0:27:44 > 0:27:47We did, and we didn't get a single bid on it!
0:27:47 > 0:27:50- Nobody was interested in it! - Nobody at all?
0:27:50 > 0:27:53I wonder why? What sort of estimate was on it at the time?
0:27:53 > 0:27:55- I think it was 500.- About 500?
0:27:55 > 0:27:57That might be the reason why.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59It's a very interesting object.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Its German, in actual fact.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06It's actually by quite a well known designer called Berthold Muller,
0:28:06 > 0:28:10who specialised in these sort of novelty items of silver,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13often copying things from the Renaissance,
0:28:13 > 0:28:16miniature versions of Renaissance pieces of art.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18When we look at this piece,
0:28:18 > 0:28:23we can actually see that the top comes off and slides off like that.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25And the wings actually open.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29- And it's really quite a sort of Gothic monstrosity, isn't it?- Mm.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32Here we've got a full series of German hallmarks,
0:28:32 > 0:28:36as well as an import mark for Chester around about 1906.
0:28:36 > 0:28:37Oh, right!
0:28:37 > 0:28:42- So it's 100 years old!- Although, I think it was probably made 20 or 30 years earlier than that.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44- So maybe 1880, something like that. - Right.
0:28:44 > 0:28:49You've got this sort of half-bird, half-creature.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51A sort of griffin's head here, serpent's tale,
0:28:51 > 0:28:55sort of phoenix body and then this classical beauty on the top.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58So I suppose you could keep anything you want in it
0:28:58 > 0:29:01or it is just a decorative cabinet piece, I suppose.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03There are collectors for this sort of thing.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05And if I was putting it into sale today,
0:29:05 > 0:29:10I would probably suggest something around the £300 to 400 mark.
0:29:10 > 0:29:11And put the reserve at the low end
0:29:11 > 0:29:14- with a bit of discretion for the auctioneer.- OK.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18- And let's just see if it flies on the day.- OK. OK.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22And if we got a good price for it, what would you do with the cash?
0:29:22 > 0:29:26We're making a retirement move to Wales within the next few months,
0:29:26 > 0:29:28so something for the new house.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31Wonderful! I look forward to seeing you at the auction.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33Let's hope we don't scare the bidders away with it!
0:29:33 > 0:29:34I hope not! Thank you.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42So tell me about these?
0:29:42 > 0:29:44Where did they come from?
0:29:44 > 0:29:49An aunt of mine had them. She died and left them to my mother
0:29:49 > 0:29:51who died and left them to my brother.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55And then my brother died and left them to me!
0:29:55 > 0:29:59I understand why you want to get rid of them pretty quickly!
0:30:00 > 0:30:03- That's right.- I think they're cursed, don't you?- I do!
0:30:03 > 0:30:04Oh dear!
0:30:08 > 0:30:12Now who's this lovely little pussy that you brought along today?
0:30:12 > 0:30:15- My pussycat!- Your pussycat. Where does he come from?
0:30:15 > 0:30:17He came from my Aunty Alice.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20- You were given him when you were...?- Two years old.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24- It looks like he's been very well played with.- He has, yes.- Or she? Is it a he or she?- Oh, he's a he.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27- He's definitely a he?- He's definitely a he.- What's his name?
0:30:27 > 0:30:29He hasn't really got a name.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31- He's just my cat. - And he's been really loved?
0:30:31 > 0:30:33- Yes.- And played with.- That's right.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35D'you know anything about him?
0:30:35 > 0:30:38- Not really, no. - You knew who he is by?
0:30:38 > 0:30:40- The maker?- He's Steiff, yes.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42We know that he's by Steiff
0:30:42 > 0:30:44because he's got the infamous button in the ear.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48We see lots of teddy bears coming on the market and of course,
0:30:48 > 0:30:50they did make other sort of cuddly toys.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52I haven't seen a cat before.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55And then when you move his tail of course...
0:30:55 > 0:30:57his head moves as well.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01Oh look! He's a little moving cat!
0:31:01 > 0:31:03Oh, he's lovely! What a sweet little pussycat!
0:31:03 > 0:31:05When did you actually receive him?
0:31:05 > 0:31:08- 1933, actually.- 1933.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11- So it was probably new when your aunt bought it.- Oh it was, yes.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14- She wouldn't...- She wouldn't have bought you a second-hand cat.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16Oh no. She was very particular.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18D'you know anything about Margaret Steiff,
0:31:18 > 0:31:20- the maker of these bears?- No.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24Margaret Steiff began producing bears from the early 1900s.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27And in 1903 we see the very early cuddly toys
0:31:27 > 0:31:29with a button in the ear.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31But they had a little elephant symbol,
0:31:31 > 0:31:34a little elephant emblem rather than the name Steiff.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38Then later on, she began to actually put the name Steiff on the button.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41This actually does have the name Steiff,
0:31:41 > 0:31:43so we know of course that it's later.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47Another clue is that these eyes here are actually glass.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50So that dates it to post-First World War.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53Because the very early ones have the black boot button eyes.
0:31:53 > 0:31:57- Now do you have any ideas on value for this?- Not a clue. Not a clue,
0:31:57 > 0:31:59being it's a cat, you know.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02This is in quite poor condition.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06But I think we should probably put around £100 to £150.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09But I really hope he makes a lot more than that.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11I mean, Steiff is a fantastic name.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13It's recognised all around the world.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15If it's illustrated in the catalogue
0:32:15 > 0:32:18and a lot of people see it, let's hope it does more than that.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21- But we should ask... - It's unusual.- He is unusual.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25- You love him, don't you? - I do!- Why are you selling him? - Well, there you are.
0:32:25 > 0:32:31- The children are not interested in him so, you know, he might go to a much better home.- He might well.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34I hope he does. I hope he's loved as much as you love him.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40- Hi, Robin.- Hello, Mark.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44I love this! I'm having a real sort of Gothic day today, actually.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47And this is another sort of Gothic-inspired piece, really.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49Give us the history of it.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53Well, I bought it at a charity auction about three years ago.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56I've loved it from day one, but my wife absolutely hates it!
0:32:56 > 0:32:59So I've decided, you've come to town, I'll get rid of it.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02So tell me why you were attracted to it?
0:33:02 > 0:33:04I just fell in love with it.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07It's unusual and I've never seen a piece of Doulton
0:33:07 > 0:33:10- with a handle like that on it! - No, quite right!
0:33:10 > 0:33:15I mean, when you see pieces like this, the first person you think of
0:33:15 > 0:33:18is Mark Marshall who was a designer for Doulton
0:33:18 > 0:33:21who did a lot of these grotesque animals as handles,
0:33:21 > 0:33:24big serpents going around the vases, that sort of thing.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26There were other designers who did similar work,
0:33:26 > 0:33:29but he's the main protagonist for this type of ware.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31We've looked at the marks.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34The marks underneath don't correspond to any one we know.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37It's worth looking just at the body.
0:33:37 > 0:33:42We've got this nice sort of ovoid body. And these sort of cherubs.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45And I've never seen them looking so butch!
0:33:45 > 0:33:47They must go to the gym every day!
0:33:47 > 0:33:49But it's a very, very interesting piece.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53Made probably around about 1880, something like that,
0:33:53 > 0:33:55give or take 10 years.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57Are you interested in selling it?
0:33:57 > 0:33:58Oh yes. I will sell it.
0:33:58 > 0:34:04And if we got a good price for it, would you put the money towards another collectible?
0:34:04 > 0:34:07No. I've just bought a new fishing rod, and I need a new reel.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09Something very practical for you?
0:34:09 > 0:34:12- Yes.- So you paid £210 for it.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14You paid about the right price, I think.
0:34:14 > 0:34:20I would say, if we were putting it in for auction, 250 to 350.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23But it will be with this note of caution -
0:34:23 > 0:34:27if two people really want this, then it could go a lot higher.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31I wouldn't be surprised if there was a lot of competition,
0:34:31 > 0:34:33that it didn't make £400 or £500.
0:34:33 > 0:34:37That would be lovely. You'd get a very expensive reel for that, I should imagine!
0:34:37 > 0:34:40I look forward to seeing you at the auction.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43And let's hope there's a few more Goths out there!
0:34:48 > 0:34:52Mark's certainly been attracted to the Gothic items today,
0:34:52 > 0:34:55with the Doulton jug and the odd German box catching his eye.
0:34:55 > 0:35:00And I'm sure some lucky bidder will pounce on the adorable Steiff cat.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07So now it's time to get straight back to the auction room in Tring.
0:35:07 > 0:35:11Now, I want to give you a few tips on buying an oak coffer.
0:35:11 > 0:35:16This is a very good example because it stands high off the ground.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19It's built on styled legs. Now originally,
0:35:19 > 0:35:23in the 18th century, this would have sat on a very damp stone floor.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27The legs would rot, they get cut down over a period of time and evened up.
0:35:27 > 0:35:31But this is an excellent example. It stands really high off the ground.
0:35:31 > 0:35:32Tip number two -
0:35:32 > 0:35:35lift the lid up and examine the hinges.
0:35:35 > 0:35:40This has got split-pin hinges which literally go through the back frame and through the lid
0:35:40 > 0:35:44and the pin opens up and you separate it like a staple to hold it fast.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47Tip number three - they would always have a candle box.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Here is the little box.
0:35:49 > 0:35:55You keep your candles in there and it's the tallow from the wax which repels all the moths.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58Because this would have been a blanket chest, full of linen,
0:35:58 > 0:36:00and the moths would love to eat that.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03And lastly, it's not been over-polished.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05This is its original patina.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09It's got a lovely sort of dry look to it that will take a good polish.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11And the patina will just shine.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13It's from the 18th century. It's English.
0:36:13 > 0:36:18And if you can pick this up for 500 quid, that is a fantastic investment.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27Robin, you brought some quality in today.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30A bit of Royal Doulton - it never lets us down on Flog It!
0:36:30 > 0:36:34We're looking at 250 to 350. I love what you are selling this for.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37You want to put the money towards some fishing equipment?
0:36:37 > 0:36:41- I certainly do! - I think that's a very good exchange, Mark Stacey, don't you?!
0:36:41 > 0:36:43I'm a fisherman, he's a fisherman...
0:36:43 > 0:36:45He's a Royal Doulton lover!
0:36:45 > 0:36:48I don't... I'm not into fish, Paul!
0:36:48 > 0:36:50I don't go fishing at all.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52Well, you're missing out! Where do you fish?
0:36:52 > 0:36:57- The Tawe in Carmarthenshire. - Biggest fish you've caught?
0:36:57 > 0:36:59- 12 pounds seven. - I bet that put up a fight!
0:36:59 > 0:37:01It certainly did! On a trout rod.
0:37:01 > 0:37:05Wow! Let's hope we get top money for you today, 350 plus.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07It's a great name. It's in good condition.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11And there is a band of dedicated collectors here, so I'm hopeful.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13Will it get the top end today?
0:37:13 > 0:37:16I hope so, Paul. It should do. It's a good piece.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18Fingers crossed! This is it.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22Now we've got 2012, this Doulton Lambeth ewer.
0:37:22 > 0:37:23Got the Dragon handles with it.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27And that very unusual cherub decoration to it.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29Where do we go on this one? Are we going to get 250 for it?
0:37:29 > 0:37:33200 then? 150? 150 I'm bid, am I?
0:37:33 > 0:37:36150 has got it. Thank you. 150 I'm bid, then. 150 bid.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38160. 180. 200 I'm bid.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40220 I'm bid. At 220. And 50 is in.
0:37:40 > 0:37:45At 250 now. At 250 I'm bid. At 250.
0:37:45 > 0:37:46At 250's bid.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49At 250. 80 now? No more.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51250 then. You're out front.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53Sold and done. Right then, going.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56I'm selling. For 280. At 280.
0:37:56 > 0:37:58At 280.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00- 300.- Right at the very end!
0:38:00 > 0:38:04- 300.- The phone's come in. - At 300 then, yes or no? No?
0:38:04 > 0:38:07I'm selling then at £300.
0:38:07 > 0:38:09That put up a fight, didn't it?!
0:38:09 > 0:38:12Not as much as a 12 pound salmon, but it will get the reel.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14Yes, it certainly will.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17- Well done, Mark.- I'm pleased, right in the middle of the estimate.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19Very, very good. Well done.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21They took the bait!
0:38:25 > 0:38:31Bert and Betty are now in place to see what, your childhood memories just flutter away!
0:38:31 > 0:38:33I've got to give you a tough time over this.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37You've had this Steiff pussycat since you were two years old.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41- That's right.- Why are you flogging it?- I've grown out of it!
0:38:41 > 0:38:44I know you've grown out of it! But that is your childhood memories!
0:38:44 > 0:38:48It's been with you all your life. It's probably the one item
0:38:48 > 0:38:51- that you've had longer than anything. - It is.- Yes, it is.
0:38:51 > 0:38:52- You're right.- And now it's going!
0:38:52 > 0:38:55- You know more about me than I do! - What d'you think, Betty?
0:38:55 > 0:38:59- I think he can get rid of it! - You've given him permission?
0:38:59 > 0:39:03Yes, this is it. If it had been perhaps a lady's cat.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05But a man thinks, well,
0:39:05 > 0:39:08- get rid of it.- The thing is, have we got the estimate right?
0:39:08 > 0:39:10Is it purr-fect?!
0:39:10 > 0:39:12- Oh no!- They get worse!
0:39:12 > 0:39:16They do, don't they? Let's hope we get the top end - £150 to 200.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19It's going under the hammer now!
0:39:19 > 0:39:22We have a Steiff soft toy cat, 1930.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24There you are, 1689, the soft cat.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26These are always desirable.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28There we go, what about £100 for it?
0:39:28 > 0:39:31- Yes, £100 straight in. - We've done it.- Straight in.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34120. 130. And 40.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37- And 50. 160.- It's really going up!
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Great make. I mean, it's as good as you are going to get.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42It's going to go mad, isn't it?
0:39:42 > 0:39:46220 I've got now. At 220...
0:39:46 > 0:39:47At 230.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50He wants a very good home. £240.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52It is a lovely cat.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56- 250.- He's on the phone. - 260 I've got, 270.
0:39:56 > 0:40:00Is it going to be £280? You've got plenty of room for it...
0:40:00 > 0:40:02Yes, £280!
0:40:02 > 0:40:05£290 to bid. At £280, one more?
0:40:05 > 0:40:07No? At £280, then.
0:40:07 > 0:40:08Yes, you have a new cat.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11At £280, then.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15- Perfect!- Oh, that's really good.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19- £50 we thought!- You thought you were going to get 50 quid?
0:40:19 > 0:40:21Aw, what a lovely surprise!
0:40:21 > 0:40:23That's fantastic, I'm so pleased.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26I'm pleased it made a good result. There are a lot of memories there.
0:40:26 > 0:40:31- Yes, well...- 280 quid, there's a bit of commission but what are you going to spend that on?
0:40:31 > 0:40:34New set of bowls. Green bowls.
0:40:34 > 0:40:35- Oh, you go bowling, do you?- Yes.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37- You both bowl?- Yes.
0:40:37 > 0:40:42- Aww...- So I might get a set as well! - Good, I hope you do!
0:40:46 > 0:40:48I've been looking forward to this, Suzanne. Have you?
0:40:48 > 0:40:52- Yes, quite excited about it. - Now is the moment.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54We got some German silver going under the hammer,
0:40:54 > 0:40:57with a valuation of £300 to £400, put on by Mark Stacey.
0:40:57 > 0:41:01I had a look at this earlier, it reminds me of the roadrunner.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04It could be a Victorian version of the roadrunner. Beep beep!
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- Sort of!- Couldn't it? Sort of?- It's a bit odd.
0:41:07 > 0:41:08It is a very odd thing.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11Very Gothic. But I like it, I think it's got a charm.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15I like it, it's quirky and that's why it's hard to value, I think.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19I know it's been in auction before, it failed to get the £500 mark.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21Mark's put £300 to £400 on it.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25Let's hope we get that because she's moving to Wales, my favourite part of the world!
0:41:25 > 0:41:30- Yes, that's right. - What part of Wales are you going to? - Near Carmarthen.- Oh, how pretty.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32- Let's get you there. This is it.- OK.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34There it is, nice interesting piece.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36A good Victorian talking piece.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38What about this? Where're we going to go?
0:41:38 > 0:41:40£400 for it. Nice little interesting piece.
0:41:40 > 0:41:41£400? £300?
0:41:41 > 0:41:45- Yes! At £300, thank you.- £300 there.
0:41:45 > 0:41:46Yes! It's good! Yes.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48300 I'm bid. 350 I'm bid.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50They're bidding next to you.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53...£400, higher bid? £420 I'm bid for it.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55- At £450, yes, £450...- Gosh!- £480...
0:41:55 > 0:41:59- Terrific.- At £480, £500 is bid...
0:41:59 > 0:42:01- It's done its £500.- Absolutely.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03Oh, that's wonderful! It's terrific!
0:42:03 > 0:42:07- ..£550. £580. - Look, someone's on the phone.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09- Yes, I can see.- ..£620 now, no?
0:42:09 > 0:42:11- £620, I've got it.- Oh, gracious!
0:42:11 > 0:42:15You lose it. At £620, then.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18At £680, gonna be £700 bid.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21£720 bid.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23- Oh, another one!- At £750...
0:42:23 > 0:42:26They are fighting over this.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28At £780.
0:42:28 > 0:42:32- Yes! £780!- Absolutely fantastic!
0:42:32 > 0:42:34I'm over the world! It's terrific!
0:42:34 > 0:42:36Oh, I'm ever so pleased.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38Did you see how quick that hammer went down on the last bid?
0:42:38 > 0:42:42- Doosh!- Straight down. - It just goes to show, doesn't it?
0:42:42 > 0:42:44Couldn't get £500 a year or two ago.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47That's right. And now we got £780. That's terrific!
0:42:47 > 0:42:51- That'll help towards the move.- It will, buy something nice with that.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53- Plant something up in the garden maybe.- Absolutely.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Watch it grow. Think of Flog It!
0:42:55 > 0:42:57- Absolutely.- Terrific, thank you.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05What a marvellous day we've had here at the Tring auction rooms.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07Lots of high flyers.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10My personal favourite had to be the Steiff pussycat,
0:43:10 > 0:43:15he was so worn out and tatty but he reached the purr-fect figure of £280.
0:43:15 > 0:43:16Burt was very happy to sell him.
0:43:16 > 0:43:19Personally, I would have kept him for the rest of my life.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22Join me for lots more surprises next time on Flog It!
0:43:22 > 0:43:27For more information about Flog It, including how the programme was made,
0:43:27 > 0:43:30visit the website at bbc.co.uk/lifestyle
0:43:39 > 0:43:42Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd 2007
0:43:42 > 0:43:44E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk