Luton

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0:00:03 > 0:00:07It hosts the largest one-day carnival in Europe

0:00:07 > 0:00:11and England spin bowler Monty Panesar was born right here.

0:00:11 > 0:00:16- Yes, today Flog It comes from... Where are we?- LUTON!

0:00:54 > 0:00:58One of the biggest employers in the area is Luton Airport.

0:00:58 > 0:01:01We're right on the flight path!

0:01:01 > 0:01:04The airport was built in 1938.

0:01:04 > 0:01:09It became a very important manufacturing site for the Percival Aircraft Company,

0:01:09 > 0:01:16building aircraft for civil and military use, including the Mosquito fighter bomber.

0:01:16 > 0:01:20It's a lovely little plane, nicknamed the Wooden Wonder.

0:01:20 > 0:01:25Today the airport has flights to over 85 destinations worldwide.

0:01:25 > 0:01:30Our destination today is there - the Vauxhall Recreation Centre.

0:01:30 > 0:01:34Our two high-flying experts are Anita Manning and Mark Stacey.

0:01:36 > 0:01:42With a crowd this size, there's sure to be a great selection of collectables for Mark and Anita.

0:01:45 > 0:01:48A nice truncheon we have here.

0:01:48 > 0:01:52- Can you give us the background? - Well, I bought it.

0:01:52 > 0:01:58I got it in '43 or '44 when they had Wings For Victory week at the village.

0:01:58 > 0:02:02The local postmistress, two old dears of well over 60,

0:02:02 > 0:02:06put this in and also some Irish linen drawers.

0:02:06 > 0:02:10- They hadn't been worn, mind you! - Well, I hope not!

0:02:10 > 0:02:15I bought this and the local bicycle man, he bought the drawers.

0:02:15 > 0:02:20Everybody said, "What have you bought those for?!" To make handkerchiefs!

0:02:20 > 0:02:24He was blowing his nose on that old lady's drawers for years!

0:02:24 > 0:02:27- Getting back to this...- Wonderful.

0:02:27 > 0:02:33- What did you pay? - 10 shillings.- Which is quite a lot of money then.- It was.

0:02:33 > 0:02:40Let's have a little look. We've got a very nice George IV example. Quite an early truncheon.

0:02:40 > 0:02:44Painted in a nice rich, old green. We've got the royal crown.

0:02:44 > 0:02:49- And the name here of the village. - Pulloxhill.- Pulloxhill.

0:02:49 > 0:02:55I think it IS a policeman's. Early policemen didn't have warrant cards on them,

0:02:55 > 0:03:03so they often carried these not only to cosh people, but as a way of arresting people.

0:03:03 > 0:03:08It conferred a badge of status or respect for them.

0:03:08 > 0:03:13- Have you ever considered the value? - Well, no. Must be 12 bob, at least!

0:03:13 > 0:03:17I think so. We can probably add a few bob to that, actually.

0:03:17 > 0:03:21A sensible estimate on it is something like £100-£150.

0:03:21 > 0:03:23Oh, well. Very good.

0:03:23 > 0:03:27- Time for it to go to a collector. - Yes, it's time for us all to go!

0:03:32 > 0:03:35Jenny, I'm dying to open this box.

0:03:35 > 0:03:37What have we here?

0:03:37 > 0:03:40Oh, yes. You can't beat an emerald.

0:03:40 > 0:03:46Let's have a look at it. It's beautiful. Where did you get it?

0:03:46 > 0:03:50My father bought it in India in the last war.

0:03:50 > 0:03:53This is a divine little ring.

0:03:53 > 0:03:57It's set in 18-carat gold, which denotes its quality.

0:03:57 > 0:04:03- Yeah.- It was made in the 1920s. It's an Art Deco design.

0:04:03 > 0:04:07We have these wonderful little step diamonds here.

0:04:07 > 0:04:14We have three, two and one. And that's showing that wonderful geometric pattern,

0:04:14 > 0:04:16which is from that period.

0:04:16 > 0:04:23In the centre, we have a mixed-cut emerald. Emeralds are usually square-cut,

0:04:23 > 0:04:26with the sides cut off,

0:04:26 > 0:04:29which we call a Chamford edge.

0:04:29 > 0:04:33This was because an emerald was such a brittle stone,

0:04:33 > 0:04:37so they would slice off the edges so it wouldn't split.

0:04:37 > 0:04:38Have you had it valued?

0:04:38 > 0:04:42I took it to a jeweller's a long time ago, probably 30 or 40 years ago.

0:04:42 > 0:04:46They gave me the impression it wasn't worth an awful lot.

0:04:46 > 0:04:51The stone is in not first class, but good condition.

0:04:51 > 0:04:55And certainly because of the stones, nice emerald,

0:04:55 > 0:04:57nice step-cut diamonds,

0:04:57 > 0:05:03good period, very stylish, I would say it is a desirable little item.

0:05:03 > 0:05:08Your jeweller said it wasn't worth an awful lot. I'd put it at £100-£200.

0:05:08 > 0:05:12- Would you be happy to sell it at that price?- Yes.

0:05:12 > 0:05:18I feel that it is certainly worth that price. So, Jenny, let's put it to auction.

0:05:18 > 0:05:22- I'll see you in Cambridge. - I look forward to it!

0:05:27 > 0:05:30What a charming little bear.

0:05:30 > 0:05:35A little salt cellar. So beautifully, realistically modelled.

0:05:35 > 0:05:38His little face and lovely eyes.

0:05:38 > 0:05:41- This is cast in silver from a mould.- Yes.

0:05:41 > 0:05:43Has he a name?

0:05:43 > 0:05:47- No. It's always been packed away. - I like this salt in his mouth.

0:05:47 > 0:05:52There would have been a pepperette as well at one stage.

0:05:52 > 0:05:55It's in two parts because you've got to fill it up.

0:05:55 > 0:06:00- Would salt have gone in there? - I know, it's not tarnished.

0:06:00 > 0:06:03- I don't think it was ever used.- Yes.

0:06:03 > 0:06:08- And is it English? - Yes. I can tell you that now.

0:06:08 > 0:06:15All our experts use a little guide book like this with the history of hallmarks

0:06:15 > 0:06:18- and the assay offices.- Right, yes.

0:06:18 > 0:06:24So what we do is we pick up a piece of the silver.

0:06:24 > 0:06:32It's got a little leopard's head there. If you look in here, it's the assay offices in London.

0:06:32 > 0:06:37- Right.- It's got a lion walking to the left with one foot raised.

0:06:37 > 0:06:39- That means sterling silver.- Right.

0:06:39 > 0:06:42It's got a capital D in a shield.

0:06:42 > 0:06:48If you look down here and look at the right shield and the right typeface for the D,

0:06:48 > 0:06:53there's the date - 1879. And there's even maker's initials.

0:06:53 > 0:06:57WT. I've looked WT up and they're not in this book.

0:06:57 > 0:07:01- So I can't trace the maker.- No.

0:07:01 > 0:07:03But he was an artist.

0:07:03 > 0:07:09- Look at the way it's chased. - I've never really noticed that until you pointed it out.

0:07:09 > 0:07:12His little paws are hanging out.

0:07:13 > 0:07:16- Bears are very collectable.- Yes.

0:07:16 > 0:07:20- What do you think this is worth? - 80?- Well, on a good day,

0:07:20 > 0:07:24- if two people fight for this, £350-£400.- Never!

0:07:25 > 0:07:27Never.

0:07:27 > 0:07:30- Yeah.- Oh...I can't believe it.- Yeah.

0:07:32 > 0:07:39- Still want to sell it?- Yes! - Let's put it into auction with an estimate of £250-£350.

0:07:39 > 0:07:44- Right.- But I know that this will sell at the top end. He's a honey.

0:07:44 > 0:07:48- Thank you. - Thank you! He's gorgeous.

0:07:53 > 0:07:56- This is a rather fun cat.- It is.

0:07:56 > 0:08:01- Where does he come from?- My mother did cleaning for a lady in the '40s.

0:08:01 > 0:08:05She was moving away from Ealing where she lived.

0:08:05 > 0:08:09As a going away present, she told my mother to choose something.

0:08:09 > 0:08:13- So I picked out the cat. - What appealed to you?

0:08:13 > 0:08:18- The smile.- Yes, it's quite a wicked smile.- It is, yes.

0:08:18 > 0:08:24- That would appeal to a small boy. So you picked it out... - Just for that.

0:08:24 > 0:08:30- Why have you brought it today? - Well, I noticed it had got Clarice Cliff on the bottom.

0:08:30 > 0:08:35I've never seen a Clarice Cliff animal in any of the shows.

0:08:35 > 0:08:37That's very true, actually.

0:08:37 > 0:08:40It's quite late. Late 1930s.

0:08:40 > 0:08:44It wasn't particularly old when you picked it out.

0:08:44 > 0:08:49- About 1947, I should think. - Just a great novelty.- It is.

0:08:49 > 0:08:53Clarice Cliff did do a series of stylised cats,

0:08:53 > 0:09:01which were after Louis Wain-type paintings, but they were almost robotic-looking, very square.

0:09:01 > 0:09:06Those are very sought after. This is quite realistic.

0:09:06 > 0:09:12We've got the mark underneath and a number as well.

0:09:12 > 0:09:18- It's difficult to value. Have you thought about price?- Not really, no.

0:09:18 > 0:09:23- Why have you decided to sell it now? - It's just standing, gathering dust.

0:09:23 > 0:09:30- It doesn't fit in with the other things we collect - poodles. - Real ones?- We've had real ones.

0:09:30 > 0:09:36So the cat doesn't fit in. We're afraid there might be a fight between them.

0:09:36 > 0:09:40I'm going to put a realistic estimate to you.

0:09:40 > 0:09:44I think for this we ought to look at maybe £150.

0:09:44 > 0:09:50- So maybe an estimate of £100-£150, with a £100 reserve.- Yes.

0:09:50 > 0:09:54- You're happy to flog it?- I am, yes. - I'll see you at the auction.

0:09:54 > 0:09:57- OK.- Let's hope it purrs away.

0:09:58 > 0:10:01Well, that's the end of our valuations, and before we see

0:10:01 > 0:10:04how our quirky items do at auction, I'm off to investigate

0:10:04 > 0:10:06a wartime mystery.

0:10:17 > 0:10:21I'm here in Bletchley Park, just outside Milton Keynes,

0:10:21 > 0:10:27to find out how the British code breakers, who were based right here during the war,

0:10:27 > 0:10:35were able to break the legendary Enigma cipher, the main German cipher machine used during WWII.

0:10:35 > 0:10:43I'm about to meet a man who has all the answers - Peter Wescombe of the Bletchley Park Trust.

0:10:43 > 0:10:45Why was Bletchley Park chosen?

0:10:45 > 0:10:53- It was in a very convenient position. MI5 wanted somewhere in the country for the code breakers.- Quiet, secret.

0:10:53 > 0:10:58It was. And they were specialists. They wanted mathematicians.

0:10:58 > 0:11:06With Enigma, it needs mathematicians to break it. Before Beeching got his hot and stickies on it,

0:11:06 > 0:11:11- there was a railway line from Cambridge.- The academics!

0:11:11 > 0:11:18And when you look at Bletchley Park from the point of view of getting information to London,

0:11:18 > 0:11:25the A5 is no more than three miles away from us. You can go down to Marble Arch and, if the A5 is bombed,

0:11:25 > 0:11:29you've got a railway line going into Euston.

0:11:29 > 0:11:32The all-important question - the Enigma machine.

0:11:32 > 0:11:37- Why don't we go inside?- OK. - I've got one on display for you.

0:11:43 > 0:11:48Here we are, Peter. We're certainly looking at history.

0:11:48 > 0:11:52Tell me about the machine. How does it actually work?

0:11:52 > 0:11:56This is a German WWII naval three-rotor Enigma machine.

0:11:56 > 0:12:02Used by the German surface fleets and used by the U-boats until 1st February, 1942.

0:12:02 > 0:12:07It is, in fact, a very simple machine in its looks, but, in fact,

0:12:07 > 0:12:12it has 150 million million million possible combinations.

0:12:12 > 0:12:16That's incredible. How many machines are there?

0:12:16 > 0:12:22It was used by the whole of the German armed forces and the Gestapo, the railways, all sorts of people.

0:12:22 > 0:12:26There were probably 20,000 or 30,000 around at the height of the war.

0:12:26 > 0:12:30How does it actually work? If you can explain that simply!

0:12:30 > 0:12:35- It works off 6 volts, so you can run it off a battery.- It's portable.

0:12:35 > 0:12:41- Very portable. If you look, it has a QWERTY keyboard on the front. - Very much like a typewriter.

0:12:41 > 0:12:45Below that, you have this scramble of wires.

0:12:45 > 0:12:49That's called a stecker. That's a crossover.

0:12:49 > 0:12:54The output from that keyboard is then crossed over, scrambled.

0:12:54 > 0:13:00- Mm-hm.- The output from the key you press down goes through the rotors at the top

0:13:00 > 0:13:04and they rotate so each letter is differently scrambled.

0:13:04 > 0:13:10Then the current goes through to the end rotor, back through them,

0:13:10 > 0:13:14back down to the scrambler and that turns up a letter

0:13:14 > 0:13:19which is then lit up on top. That's your encrypted letter.

0:13:19 > 0:13:22- That's the one you write down.- Yes.

0:13:22 > 0:13:24Gosh!

0:13:24 > 0:13:26Simple, isn't it(?)

0:13:26 > 0:13:33I'm pleased you explained that! What was the defining moment in breaking the cipher?

0:13:33 > 0:13:40The German army had developed this from a machine that was invented for banking purposes.

0:13:40 > 0:13:45The German army took it up to develop a portable cipher machine.

0:13:45 > 0:13:50It was 1932 they started doing test transmissions,

0:13:50 > 0:13:56sending it with this. The Poles intercepted them and they were concerned.

0:13:56 > 0:14:00They had the Danzig Corridor, separating Germany from Prussia.

0:14:00 > 0:14:05The Poles knew they wanted it back, so they kept an eye on them.

0:14:05 > 0:14:09They set down three young lads to break into this machine.

0:14:09 > 0:14:13And they did. They did a brilliant piece of code breaking.

0:14:13 > 0:14:20They broke into it in 1932. The Poles told us in 1939 that they had broken it.

0:14:20 > 0:14:28Then it was brought back to Bletchley Park and we broke into Enigma here for the first time in 1940.

0:14:28 > 0:14:32- Right.- There are weaknesses in it. - Yeah, what are its weaknesses?

0:14:32 > 0:14:39The main one is always the operator. Codes and ciphers are as boring as painting the Forth Bridge.

0:14:39 > 0:14:46And operators got bored, so they took shortcuts and that, of course, lets you in.

0:14:46 > 0:14:51The other thing with Enigma is that it never encrypts the letter as itself.

0:14:51 > 0:14:56You can press letter A until the cows come home. It never encrypts as A.

0:14:56 > 0:15:04That means that every encrypting means all the encrypted letters do not relate directly

0:15:04 > 0:15:08to the letter put in. A is never A, B is never B.

0:15:08 > 0:15:12And that was the other way they got into it.

0:15:12 > 0:15:18- But the Germans were changing the codes every 24 hours. - They were changing the key.

0:15:18 > 0:15:24That only lasted until midnight when you got another set to break before midnight.

0:15:24 > 0:15:30Breaking each daily key quickly was essential to use the information effectively.

0:15:30 > 0:15:34By hand, this was taking two weeks to break one day's key.

0:15:34 > 0:15:39Alan Turing and Gordon Welchman discussed the possibilities

0:15:39 > 0:15:45of improving a Polish device for breaking it more quickly. The Poles called this "bomba".

0:15:45 > 0:15:51Turing and Welchman realised that if they could develop a machine to check thousands of combinations

0:15:51 > 0:15:58against the suspected plain language text, they could find some part of the daily key.

0:15:59 > 0:16:05People think you have one setting for all the Enigma machines. That's not right.

0:16:05 > 0:16:12Let's take the U-boats. U-boats Atlantic had a cipher net, U-boats Mediterranean, Baltic,

0:16:12 > 0:16:18and U-boats in the Pacific. All their Enigma keys changed every night at midnight.

0:16:18 > 0:16:23So every night you had to break it to decrypt their messages.

0:16:23 > 0:16:26- How many people worked here on it? - Thousands.

0:16:26 > 0:16:30There were more girls obtaining the messages than any other job.

0:16:30 > 0:16:33They were very good accountants.

0:16:33 > 0:16:35The reason they had the ladies was

0:16:35 > 0:16:42that the men like to think they're better, but when it comes to actual concentration

0:16:42 > 0:16:46- for a prolonged period of time... - The women have the edge.

0:16:46 > 0:16:50That's why they were chosen. They'd sit for 5 and 6 hours

0:16:50 > 0:16:58and concentrate on finding these day after day, month after month. They were quite brilliant at it.

0:16:58 > 0:17:02Peter, thank you so much and bringing this wonderful machine,

0:17:02 > 0:17:07- which is not allowed to leave your sight.- Nope!- It's very precious.

0:17:07 > 0:17:11If you want to run off with 28lbs of machine, help yourself!

0:17:18 > 0:17:22We've come to Cheffins in Cambridgeshire to sell today's items,

0:17:22 > 0:17:24but first, let's have a reminder of what they are.

0:17:26 > 0:17:30And it seems we've got people with a great eye

0:17:30 > 0:17:33at the valuation day, because Peter only paid 10 shillings

0:17:33 > 0:17:35for his policeman's truncheon.

0:17:35 > 0:17:40If Anita was allowed, she would buy this Art Deco emerald ring!

0:17:40 > 0:17:45While we've seen lots of Clarice Cliff, this cat is unusual.

0:17:48 > 0:17:52And even though this silver bear salt cellar has lost its companion,

0:17:52 > 0:17:55I'm sure it will attract the collectors.

0:17:55 > 0:17:59This is what today's auctioneer thinks of my little find.

0:18:01 > 0:18:04- I absolutely love this little bear. - Nice, isn't it?

0:18:04 > 0:18:08He stole my heart. I can't believe Margaret is selling him.

0:18:08 > 0:18:13- I put £250-£350 on him. - Yeah, it is a nice piece.

0:18:13 > 0:18:17- Nice quality, good crisp marks. - Nice chasing.- Nice chasing.

0:18:17 > 0:18:19With the detail on the eyes.

0:18:19 > 0:18:25- The eyes are gorgeous! - It's little details like that. - "Come and buy me!"

0:18:25 > 0:18:27"Come and buy me" face.

0:18:27 > 0:18:34We've had a good look at him and the valuation is spot-on. It might even make a little more.

0:18:34 > 0:18:38- Yeah, should do.- The only downside is...- Go on!- There's always one!

0:18:38 > 0:18:42- Yes.- This was one of a pair. Without a doubt.

0:18:42 > 0:18:47- We said that.- That's the only thing the buyers might say.

0:18:47 > 0:18:51- Somebody will have the pepper bear. - Exactly. You can never tell.

0:18:51 > 0:18:56- And it's just a nice decorative piece.- I'm not really into silver,

0:18:56 > 0:19:01but I've done a few valuations in the past on little bears

0:19:01 > 0:19:06and also little owls. The owls and bears are so collectable,

0:19:06 > 0:19:14they tend not to sell to silver dealers. These sell to collectors as well as silver dealers.

0:19:14 > 0:19:20- It's almost an object of virtue dealer.- And the decorator. - Not the purist silver dealer.

0:19:20 > 0:19:25I think it'll do well. We've got interest on the phones.

0:19:25 > 0:19:27- Good luck with this, Will.- Thanks.

0:19:27 > 0:19:30So let's see what the bidders think of that salt cellar.

0:19:30 > 0:19:38And now for my favourite lot of the sale - the cute bear. I'll have a tear in my eye saying goodbye.

0:19:38 > 0:19:42I'm pretty sure at £250-£350 that he is going to sell.

0:19:42 > 0:19:48You were having a chat to somebody before you came over to me and he said, "I'll buy that."

0:19:48 > 0:19:52- He's interested.- I think there's going to be a lot of interest.

0:19:52 > 0:19:57- He was a silver dealer.- Yes. He's retired now, but he was.

0:19:57 > 0:20:02And his son's got a shop. The bear could end up in London!

0:20:02 > 0:20:08- He's doing his travels! I had a chat to the auctioneer. - Yes?- He agrees with the value.

0:20:08 > 0:20:12Plus a little bit more. Fingers crossed!

0:20:12 > 0:20:17This rather nice, well-admired small silver bear salt for you.

0:20:17 > 0:20:20Nice, crisp marks. Super quality.

0:20:20 > 0:20:23I've got to start this at £200.

0:20:23 > 0:20:27- 220. 240. - This is a good start.- At 260.

0:20:27 > 0:20:29My bidders are out.

0:20:29 > 0:20:31At 280. 300.

0:20:31 > 0:20:33320. 340.

0:20:33 > 0:20:35360. 380.

0:20:35 > 0:20:37400. 420.

0:20:37 > 0:20:40440. 460.

0:20:40 > 0:20:44Yes or no? At 460. Coming to you now.

0:20:44 > 0:20:47At 460 in the room. The hammer's up... 480.

0:20:47 > 0:20:51- Yes! Yes!- 500. - Someone in at the end.

0:20:51 > 0:20:55550. Thank you very much. At 550 on the telephone now.

0:20:55 > 0:20:58Are you out? At 550 I shall sell it.

0:20:58 > 0:21:02You're all out at £550? Sold!

0:21:02 > 0:21:06- Yes! What do you think of that? £550.- Marvellous.

0:21:06 > 0:21:12- For such a tiny little thing! - But he was so beautiful and so collectable.

0:21:12 > 0:21:18- What are you going to put the money towards?- I'll take the family for a meal, then my grandson shall have it.

0:21:18 > 0:21:23- The money?- In his account. - In his account. How old is he?

0:21:23 > 0:21:25- 15 months.- And what's his name?

0:21:25 > 0:21:30- Tyler.- Tyler.- Our only little grandchild.- You must be so proud.

0:21:30 > 0:21:35Tyler, well, that's a big deposit in his little account.

0:21:35 > 0:21:37When he goes to university!

0:21:39 > 0:21:42I'm bid 260, 280.

0:21:42 > 0:21:44All out elsewhere, I shall sell it.

0:21:45 > 0:21:51Next up, the policeman's truncheon, owned by Peter. We've got a valuation of £100-£150.

0:21:51 > 0:21:56- You're not an ex-policeman.- No. - How did you acquire this?

0:21:56 > 0:22:01We bought it in about 1943 at the Battle of Britain week.

0:22:01 > 0:22:03They had a sale in the village.

0:22:03 > 0:22:09The postmistress, her great-grandfather was the village policeman in the Napoleonic Wars.

0:22:09 > 0:22:14- And we got it for 10 shillings. - That was a great bargain.

0:22:14 > 0:22:20The trouble with these is - I've had a number of truncheons over the years -

0:22:20 > 0:22:27if it happens to be slightly rarer than the valuer recognises, and two people want it,

0:22:27 > 0:22:33- they can fly away.- Yeah. - Other ones should make £100 and barely struggle to make £80.

0:22:33 > 0:22:38- I think we're on a winner. - It's got the original paintwork.

0:22:38 > 0:22:44- And it's police memorabilia. - I don't think we're going to plod on this one.

0:22:44 > 0:22:46Oh.

0:22:46 > 0:22:50Police truncheon. "Pulloxhill" it's inscribed.

0:22:50 > 0:22:52Nicely decorated. Interest here.

0:22:52 > 0:22:5650. 60. 70 bid. At £70 I'm bid here now.

0:22:56 > 0:22:59I'm bid 70 here now.

0:22:59 > 0:23:02- Oh, come on!- 80 can I say?

0:23:02 > 0:23:04£80 away. 80. I've got 5.

0:23:04 > 0:23:06- 90 can I say?- Oh, come on...

0:23:06 > 0:23:0990 away, thank you.

0:23:09 > 0:23:14- At £90 in the room now.- He's selling. - It's a discretionary reserve.

0:23:14 > 0:23:19- £90 in the room.- He's sold it. - For 90. That's a shame.

0:23:19 > 0:23:23- Just. We did it! - We did it. Sold for the reserve.

0:23:23 > 0:23:29- But it would have been nice to get 100, 110.- It should have. What will you put that towards?

0:23:29 > 0:23:34- I'm going to go and buy ten big tins of... I can't mention it.- You can!

0:23:34 > 0:23:39Ten big tins of Quality Street and eat the lot!

0:23:40 > 0:23:43- Can you save me the purple ones? - Oh, yes.

0:23:49 > 0:23:53Next up, something for the ladies or the jewellery dealers.

0:23:53 > 0:23:58It belongs to Jennifer. An 18-carat gold ring in the Art Deco style.

0:23:58 > 0:24:03It's absolutely lovely. We've got £100-£200 on this. Sad to see it go?

0:24:03 > 0:24:07- Well...- You don't wear it? - Not in years.

0:24:07 > 0:24:12- I know who would wear it - Anita. - I thought it was beautiful.

0:24:12 > 0:24:17I tried it on, fell in love with it. Unfortunately, I can't buy it!

0:24:17 > 0:24:20But someone will, right here, right now.

0:24:20 > 0:24:26Emerald 18-carat gold ring. I've got interest here starting...

0:24:26 > 0:24:29I'm bid 70. 80. 90. I'm bid 100 here.

0:24:29 > 0:24:33At £100. At 110. 20.

0:24:33 > 0:24:35130. 140.

0:24:35 > 0:24:40150. You're in at 150. My bidders are out at 150.

0:24:40 > 0:24:43160. Fresh blood. 170.

0:24:43 > 0:24:46- Commission bid there. - At 170. 180. 190.

0:24:46 > 0:24:49Round it up now. 200. At 220.

0:24:49 > 0:24:54- 220 I'm bid. 240? - This is more like it now.

0:24:54 > 0:24:56230. 240, 240.

0:24:56 > 0:25:03Don't lose it now. 250, 250. No, don't shake it. At 250.

0:25:03 > 0:25:07Try me again. At 250. The hammer's up. Fair warning.

0:25:07 > 0:25:10At 250. All done?

0:25:10 > 0:25:14- Hammer's gone down. - Did you enjoy that?- £250.

0:25:14 > 0:25:19Wasn't that stressful? I thought it was only going to go for 100.

0:25:19 > 0:25:23It found its true value. What will you put that towards?

0:25:23 > 0:25:28- My husband wants a dinner out. - He can have several out for that!

0:25:28 > 0:25:32- Ohh. Treat yourself as well. - I've already been on holiday.

0:25:32 > 0:25:38- Where have you been?- Cornwall. - Oh, you've been down to Cornwall! Yeah!

0:25:38 > 0:25:4025, 35...

0:25:40 > 0:25:42Who else is in?

0:25:44 > 0:25:51It wouldn't be Flog It without Clarice Cliff. This is one for the collectors, but it's not purr-fect.

0:25:51 > 0:25:55It belongs to Robert. Hi, Robert. Good to see you again.

0:25:55 > 0:25:59- Who have you brought along? - My wife, Sylvia.- Sylvia, hello.

0:25:59 > 0:26:03- I love this pussy cat. Do you? - Not really. I'm a doggie person.

0:26:03 > 0:26:08I'm a doggie person, but I think this is going to fly,

0:26:08 > 0:26:10despite the little chip.

0:26:10 > 0:26:16We've got £150 to £200, £300 on it. Here's our expert who valued it.

0:26:16 > 0:26:22I had a chat to Will just before the auction started. He said it could double the top end.

0:26:22 > 0:26:27I vowed I wouldn't do any more Clarice Cliff. We do so much of it.

0:26:27 > 0:26:31- But sometimes you've got to do these quirky pieces.- Yeah.

0:26:31 > 0:26:37This is something we haven't had before. It's slightly psychotic,

0:26:37 > 0:26:44- but in a charming way. Don't you think?- Yes!- I wouldn't want it as a pet! It'd rip your arm off.

0:26:44 > 0:26:49Well, let's find out right now. It's going under the hammer.

0:26:49 > 0:26:54The unusual Clarice Cliff cat with the bizarre stamp to it.

0:26:54 > 0:26:57Where will you start me?

0:26:57 > 0:27:01I've got conflicting bids here. We'll bypass the estimate. 180. 190.

0:27:01 > 0:27:03200. 220. 240.

0:27:03 > 0:27:07260. 280. 300. My bidder's out.

0:27:07 > 0:27:11At £300 now. At 300. I am bid 300.

0:27:11 > 0:27:15You're out on the phone. At 300...and 20. 340.

0:27:15 > 0:27:20At 340 now. 360. 380. At 380.

0:27:20 > 0:27:23The bid is at 380. 400. And 20. At 420.

0:27:23 > 0:27:28440. And 60. At 460 in front. 480.

0:27:28 > 0:27:30500, thank you. At 500.

0:27:30 > 0:27:33And 50 now. 550. 600.

0:27:33 > 0:27:36- The bid is in at 600. - That's good.

0:27:36 > 0:27:42- At 650. 700. At 700. - I'm shaking. Are you?- Yes.

0:27:42 > 0:27:46At 700 I'm bid now. In the room. Are you all out?

0:27:46 > 0:27:52- I shall sell it at 700. Sold! - They didn't just like it, they loved it!

0:27:52 > 0:27:56£700! What are you going to do with that?

0:27:56 > 0:28:00We're going to Florida in a couple of weeks' time.

0:28:00 > 0:28:04- That'll pay our Disney tickets. - Aww.

0:28:04 > 0:28:10- What a wonderful...! How exciting was that?- Lovely!- Marvellous! - Your first auction?

0:28:10 > 0:28:15- Yes.- Coming back for more?- I'll see if I have any more in the loft!

0:28:15 > 0:28:19Got auction fever now. Thanks for coming in. Mark, thank you.

0:28:19 > 0:28:24- It was a "come and buy me".- It was. - We've thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

0:28:24 > 0:28:31I hope you enjoyed the show. Plenty more surprises to come. Until the next time, cheerio.

0:28:44 > 0:28:48Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd - 2007

0:28:48 > 0:28:52Email us at subtitling@bbc.co.uk