0:00:02 > 0:00:08Today, Flog It has been sent to Coventry. Now, we're all familiar with the phrase, "Sent to Coventry",
0:00:08 > 0:00:11meaning to ostracise, but where does it come from?
0:00:51 > 0:00:55The origin of the phrase, "Sent to Coventry", isn't known for sure.
0:00:55 > 0:01:00But it is thought to originate from the time of the English Civil War.
0:01:00 > 0:01:06During the conflict, captured Royalists were sent to Coventry to be imprisoned
0:01:06 > 0:01:10where the Parliamentarian population refused to speak with them.
0:01:10 > 0:01:17Well, this crowd seem friendlier now. We've got the doors open. We're getting everybody inside.
0:01:25 > 0:01:32Today we're very privileged to be based in what has to be Coventry's most iconic and renowned building,
0:01:32 > 0:01:35the incredible Coventry Cathedral.
0:01:39 > 0:01:45Completing the Flog It team sheet today are Michael Baggott and Will Axon.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47And first up, it's over to Michael.
0:01:47 > 0:01:53June, what a curious collection of different objects we have on the table today.
0:01:53 > 0:02:01- Where did you get them from?- They used to belong to my mother, who was in business in Coventry from 1929.
0:02:01 > 0:02:08- Oh.- And she died 30 years ago, sadly. And these are just some of the few things I've got left now.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10What business was your mother in?
0:02:10 > 0:02:15She was in new and second-hand furniture and china and glass.
0:02:15 > 0:02:21And also crocheted tablecloths. And she went to lots of auction sales.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25- So all sorts, really?- Yes. - Well, she had a wonderful eye.
0:02:25 > 0:02:31Let's start with this fellow here. And his use becomes apparent when we turn him round.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35He's obviously a nutcracker. It's a type you see in the 19th century.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39The wood... I've been thinking about this. I'm sure it's a fruit wood.
0:02:39 > 0:02:44- Yes.- It may well be apple or pear. And fruit wood's very close grained,
0:02:44 > 0:02:51- so it doesn't, even though it's got a few cracks, split when you use it and apply pressure.- I see.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54And I think that's supposed to be Punch.
0:02:54 > 0:02:59- Oh, is it?- Or a Punch-like figure in his little tricorne hat.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02- They term that as a frilled ruff.- Yes.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05And it's a very amusing thing.
0:03:05 > 0:03:10- And it would have been carved in about 1850, 1860.- My goodness!
0:03:10 > 0:03:13They're quite collectable things and still useful.
0:03:13 > 0:03:18Then we've got a tortoiseshell box. And if we open it up - fantastic.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22You've got a little travelling scent bottle set.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26Beautiful hand-blown, faceted, glass vials.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30In date I think that's around about...
0:03:30 > 0:03:35- It's English. And it's about 1765, 1770.- Oh, wow!
0:03:35 > 0:03:41It's a very early little travelling case. Normally they are a little bit more elaborate than this.
0:03:41 > 0:03:48You can get silver inlay. But it's still a lovely early thing. And this is a little papier mache snuff box.
0:03:48 > 0:03:54- And again that's got some great age to it. It's about 1810, 1820, when these things were fashionable.- Yes.
0:03:54 > 0:04:00What's really interesting though is that you get all sorts of printed and applied scenes.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02This is a named view of Gibraltar.
0:04:02 > 0:04:07So even though the box itself is a little bit nibbled and distressed,
0:04:07 > 0:04:09having that is really nice.
0:04:09 > 0:04:17- Any idea then of the individual values?- Well, Michael, I did think about £50 for the nutcracker.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22- Right.- Maybe 60 for that one... - Right.- The perfume.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27And the other one, well, again, I didn't think it was very good at all.
0:04:27 > 0:04:34I can feel myself reaching for my wallet as you speak. The nutcracker, these things are still under-rated.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37But they are lovely, hand-carved treen.
0:04:37 > 0:04:42- That's got to be £70 to £100 of anybody's money.- Wonderful.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46- This little set, that's £100 to £150.- Amazing.
0:04:46 > 0:04:52- I think that that is a makeweight. - Yes.- So I think we should put them in a lot together at auction
0:04:52 > 0:04:57as they're interesting individually and they'll complement one another.
0:04:57 > 0:05:04And if we put £200 to £300 on them as an estimate and put a reserve a little below that at 170.
0:05:04 > 0:05:10- Yes.- And we hope that there are three fanatics for those items there and it does really well.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14- But thank you so much for bringing them in.- My pleasure.- Thank you.
0:05:25 > 0:05:32Kathleen, good morning. What can you tell me about this infantry helmet you've brought in today?
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Not a lot. At some stage, my mother-in-law had a German lodger
0:05:36 > 0:05:40and it's just come from her house when we cleared it out.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44Well, the German lodger connection is interesting for me
0:05:44 > 0:05:50because you may remember that propaganda image of the German soldier in the Second World War.
0:05:50 > 0:05:56They were nearly always wearing these helmets or Pickelhaube, as they're known.
0:05:56 > 0:06:02And then the spike on top, which actually through the years has got shorter and shorter.
0:06:02 > 0:06:08When they first came out in the mid-19th century, these tended to be a lot taller.
0:06:08 > 0:06:13And occasionally you would also have plumes of horse hair on the top.
0:06:13 > 0:06:18They weren't originally invented for or designed by the Germans.
0:06:18 > 0:06:24They were, in the mid-19th century, designed by the King of Prussia.
0:06:24 > 0:06:30I notice from the badge at the front as well... On first inspection, it looked like the Prussian eagle.
0:06:30 > 0:06:37- But on closer inspection, it's actually a griffin...- Oh. - ..with a shield and holding a sword.
0:06:37 > 0:06:42The badge at the front usually gives you some idea of where they're from.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46It's usually the emblem of the city they're from.
0:06:46 > 0:06:52- Now, any ideas? Have you come across that emblem before?- No.- Well, luckily, I did a bit of research.
0:06:52 > 0:06:59And it's of Baden in Germany, which again ties in nicely with this mysterious,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01- shall I say, German lodger.- Yes.
0:07:01 > 0:07:07- What can you tell me about him? - Nothing.- And your mother-in-law had him as a lodger?- Apparently.
0:07:07 > 0:07:13Maybe he ran off without paying the rent and he thought this would cover it.
0:07:13 > 0:07:19- Have you any idea of what its value is?- Someone once offered me £10 for it.- That sounds a little bit mean.
0:07:19 > 0:07:25- I thought that it was mean cos I'd seen them on programmes before. - I would say, looking at it,
0:07:25 > 0:07:31we've got issues with condition. You've got shrinkage cracking to the leather cover.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35You've lost a chin-strap. And taking all that into consideration,
0:07:35 > 0:07:40I would say... Now, you say you were offered £10 for it at some stage.
0:07:40 > 0:07:47- I think you could probably put a nought on that.- Good.- I would think it's worth about £100.- That's great.
0:07:47 > 0:07:54- So can we straddle that £100 with an 80-120...- The usual.- ..estimate? You've seen this programme before!
0:07:54 > 0:08:01- So 80 to 120. And let's reserve it at that bottom figure. Can we give the auctioneer some discretion?- Yes.
0:08:01 > 0:08:06- But hopefully we won't need it. But I shall see you there.- Lovely.
0:08:12 > 0:08:18Kathleen, it's so nice to see a good, honest set of chairs ready to go to the kitchen.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22- They're lovely. A set of six.- Yes. - We often get the odd chair.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25Or we get a pair of hall chairs.
0:08:25 > 0:08:31But this is a good set of six chairs. So what's the story? Where did they come from?
0:08:31 > 0:08:38- My auntie bought them for my mum and dad when they got married. That's 101 years ago.- 101 years!- Yes.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42- So these have been in the family for 101 years?- Yes, for 101 years.- Gosh.
0:08:42 > 0:08:49- So you used these in the kitchen as a little girl?- I did.- Sat on all of them probably?- Yes, all the time.
0:08:49 > 0:08:55This one's had a little bit of a bash up there. It's been cut. But it's very, very smooth.
0:08:55 > 0:09:01- It's sort of worn.- Yes, my mum did that.- What did your mum do? What happened?
0:09:01 > 0:09:06- I think I was 15 months and I put my head through it. - You got your head stuck in there?
0:09:06 > 0:09:12- Were you playing games?- I must've been. So she had to hold my head down and got a knife and just...
0:09:12 > 0:09:18- Skimmed a bit off there?- Yes.- What a lovely story. They are fantastic.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22They're sort of circa 1820, 1830. All the seats are made of elm,
0:09:22 > 0:09:28which is a great wood. Look at the grain. It's so ambiguous. It never runs in one direction.
0:09:28 > 0:09:35And it's called the wood that never sleeps, so it's always moving. When you sit on them, it gives with you.
0:09:35 > 0:09:41- That's right.- They're normally called a blade-back. You can see they're sort of shaped like a blade there.
0:09:41 > 0:09:48And they were made as practical kitchen chairs when every family in the country, in the early 1800s,
0:09:48 > 0:09:55- had practical functional chairs like this.- That's right.- They were made in their thousands.- Yes.
0:09:55 > 0:10:02- Have you any idea of the value? - Not at all.- Well, you see lots of these in auction rooms
0:10:02 > 0:10:08and they fetch around about £15 a chair, £20 a chair.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12But with a set of six, I think there's a premium on that.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17- And I think we could get over £200 for a set of six.- That's not bad.
0:10:17 > 0:10:22- We'll put a reserve of £150 on. - Right.- I think it's a great set.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26And somebody's going to inherit your love that you gave these.
0:10:26 > 0:10:32It's a shame to have them and not use them, you know. None of the family want them.
0:10:32 > 0:10:37That's sad. I think there's another 100 years left in them.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39I'd like to think so. Yes.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50- Well, Nic, thanks for coming in today.- OK.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54And when I found out that we were going to do the valuation day in Coventry,
0:10:54 > 0:10:57one of the things I thought we might get a chance of seeing
0:10:57 > 0:11:00were some Stevengraphs and you've brought one in for us,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03- together with another. - It's a good job I did then!
0:11:03 > 0:11:06- What can you tell me about these? - They're just family pieces.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08They were inherited.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11- Originally they belonged to my great-grandmother.- Right.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15It was in a book of old Coventry and that's where we found them.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19They were in the book. And that was passed to my granddad
0:11:19 > 0:11:21and when he died, they passed the book along again...
0:11:21 > 0:11:25- So it's come down the family. - So it's travelled down. They're family pieces.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28So the Stevens factory
0:11:28 > 0:11:32was originally one of the Coventry silk ribbon manufacturers.
0:11:32 > 0:11:33Oh, right.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36So, really, when we say a Stevengraph, that's what we mean.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38- We mean a silk woven picture.- OK.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42We've got a nice touch here in that we've got St Michael's Church,
0:11:42 > 0:11:46- which is outside of the window to my left.- That's right, yeah.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Not looking quite as grand as it does there
0:11:48 > 0:11:52but nonetheless, you can still recognise the spire, can't you?
0:11:52 > 0:11:55And above that we've got this chap, Rev Widdrington
0:11:55 > 0:11:58and he was the vicar of St Michael's, Coventry.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02- So lovely sort of local touch to those.- OK.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Now, you say they've come down through your family.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08- Not something you're interested in keeping?- Not really.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10We don't collect anything like that as a family
0:12:10 > 0:12:13and we just thought we'd like to pass them on
0:12:13 > 0:12:18and if anybody's interested in that kind of thing or they collect it, it'll come in handy.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20Well, they are collected.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Because there were so many different subject matters and designs,
0:12:23 > 0:12:25there's a lot there for people to collect,
0:12:25 > 0:12:30- so people tend to like that.- That's the collectable factor.- Exactly.
0:12:30 > 0:12:35- So have you had any idea of value? - Not at all.- Have you seen similar items sold?- No, never.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38- Well, they're not hugely valuable. - No, no.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43I think we're going to estimate them, I would think, at £30-£50.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45- All right.- How do you feel about that?- Fine.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49- And would you be happy to go without reserve?- Yes.- You would? - That's fine.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53Well, that suits me. We've got a guaranteed sale, shall we say.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57You've decided to sell them, so they're definitely going to go.
0:12:57 > 0:13:0030 to 50. If they don't make the 30, I might have to make it up myself,
0:13:00 > 0:13:04but I'm confident that we'll get them away for you.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06- That'd be brilliant. Thank you. - Thanks, Nic.
0:13:10 > 0:13:16Valerie, thank you for bringing this lovely gentleman's watch in. May I ask where you got it from?
0:13:16 > 0:13:21It belonged to my father's father, so that's my grandfather.
0:13:21 > 0:13:29- It's been in the family quite some time. Do you know roughly when it was made?- I know nothing about it.
0:13:29 > 0:13:35From the outside, I'd say it's not an English watch. It's likely to be French or Swiss.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39But we'll have a little look, pop it open. That's very nice.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44You've got a lovely gold dial with black Arabic numerals to it.
0:13:44 > 0:13:49And we've got some marks there which tell me that the case is Swiss.
0:13:49 > 0:13:56And it's 14-carat gold. If we close that up, the back's similarly beautifully engraved with flowers
0:13:56 > 0:14:00and scrolls on this machine-turned ground. Quite exquisite.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03And we've got the dust cover there
0:14:03 > 0:14:07which says it's "15 Rubis",
0:14:07 > 0:14:0915 jewelled movements.
0:14:09 > 0:14:15And that's probably going to be quite standard. And there's the standard Swiss cylinder movement.
0:14:15 > 0:14:20- It's lovely and thin. It was made for elegance.- Yes.
0:14:20 > 0:14:27But really if you see how thin that dust cover is, it's more for show than substance.
0:14:27 > 0:14:32It would've been made around 1890, anywhere up to about 1910.
0:14:32 > 0:14:39And it's that typical, showy, Swiss gold engraving that they did terribly well.
0:14:39 > 0:14:44And why have you decided to part with it now?
0:14:44 > 0:14:48It's to de-clutter. I never look at it. I never use it.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52- And so it's...- It might as well go to somebody who'll appreciate it.
0:14:52 > 0:14:57Unfortunately, I've given this a little shake and there's no ticking.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02So it's not in working order which will make a slight difference to the value.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06- But any idea of what it's worth? - No idea.
0:15:06 > 0:15:12In running order, it would be about £120 to £180.
0:15:12 > 0:15:18But you've got to take into account someone's going to have to overhaul the movement and do repairs to it.
0:15:18 > 0:15:25So I think at auction we should be putting that in at 80 to 120. We'll put a fixed reserve of £80 on it.
0:15:25 > 0:15:32And hopefully a watch repairer will fall in love with the case and not mind about the movement.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36- But are you happy to put that into auction?- Yes, I am. Yes.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40So we'll pop it into the sale for you and hope it does really well.
0:15:40 > 0:15:41I hope so.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05Earlier on, we saw Coventry cathedral packed with hundreds of people,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08antiques everywhere, with all of our cameras and lights.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11But I couldn't resist coming back in a quieter moment,
0:16:11 > 0:16:13just to absorb the atmosphere
0:16:13 > 0:16:16and reflect on a lot of the architectural detail.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20For me, it's one of the most successful and inspirational builds
0:16:20 > 0:16:21of its age.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25It captured the mood of the public at one of the most important times
0:16:25 > 0:16:26in British architecture.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30And to understand why, we've got to start outside.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48These are the skeletal remains of the original St Michael's Cathedral,
0:16:48 > 0:16:52which was built during the late 14th and early 15th century.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55It was destroyed during the Coventry blitz
0:16:55 > 0:16:57on November 14th 1940.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04Tens of thousands of other buildings were damaged or destroyed in Coventry
0:17:04 > 0:17:06the same night
0:17:06 > 0:17:08and over 500 people lost their lives.
0:17:08 > 0:17:13The ruined cathedral at once became a very potent symbol
0:17:13 > 0:17:15of the devastation of war.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18The scars caused by aerial bombing
0:17:18 > 0:17:20were clearly visible in many other cities too,
0:17:20 > 0:17:22and the nation mourned.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24But these feelings of despair soon gave way
0:17:24 > 0:17:27to a strong sense of determination
0:17:27 > 0:17:32and the very next day the decision to rebuild the cathedral was made.
0:17:32 > 0:17:37It was most important and monumental of all the postwar buildings
0:17:37 > 0:17:40and it came to represent the hopes and aspirations
0:17:40 > 0:17:42of a war-torn population.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46At the time, the minister for works said,
0:17:46 > 0:17:49"We cannot tell how many people are waiting in this country
0:17:49 > 0:17:51"and abroad for this church to rise
0:17:51 > 0:17:56"and prove that English traditions live again after the blitz."
0:17:57 > 0:18:02200 architects drew up plans and after months of deliberation,
0:18:02 > 0:18:04the winning submission was chosen.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Basil Spence's design drew him into the media spotlight
0:18:08 > 0:18:10and he became a household name,
0:18:10 > 0:18:12which was unprecedented for an architect.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21But his design came in for a lot of criticism.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23The traditionalists found it too modern
0:18:23 > 0:18:26and the modernists thought it wasn't modern enough.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28Ironically, it is probably this middle ground
0:18:28 > 0:18:31that made this building such a huge success.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35The work took under seven years to complete
0:18:35 > 0:18:38and Her Majesty the Queen attended the consecration
0:18:38 > 0:18:41on 25th May 1962.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46Everybody flocked to see what was dubbed Britain's first space-age cathedral.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50And walking in here today through these glass doors,
0:18:50 > 0:18:54I can only imagine what the public must've felt
0:18:54 > 0:18:56when they were presented with this.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59What a stunning vista. It's so overwhelming.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03These windows were decorated by the artist John Hutton,
0:19:03 > 0:19:07beautifully etched with images of saints and angels.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Quite stunning.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12But it's that glass wall that you look through
0:19:12 > 0:19:16that gives you an uninterrupted view of the ruins of the old cathedral.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20And radically, Spence left them there in their entirety
0:19:20 > 0:19:23as a constant reminder of the destruction of war.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31It also offers a powerful connection between old and new,
0:19:31 > 0:19:34traditional and modern,
0:19:34 > 0:19:37a sentiment Spence has continued throughout the building.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43The great thing about the design is, wherever you are in the cathedral,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46your view of the altar is never spoiled.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49One of the other key features of the cathedral
0:19:49 > 0:19:53is the use of that most traditional of materials, stained glass.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56In these and other works of art in the building,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Spence gathered together the foremost artists of the time,
0:19:59 > 0:20:02including John Piper and Graham Sutherland.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06It's a real celebration of British arts and crafts from that period.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11To this day, it remains an important place of pilgrimage
0:20:11 > 0:20:15while continuing to be at the spiritual heart of the community.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Lay canon Heather Wallace is with me
0:20:17 > 0:20:19to explain why she thinks it's such a special place.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22- Heather, thank you for talking to us today.- Thank you.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25When was your first connection with the cathedral?
0:20:25 > 0:20:29I came to the area in '58, so the building was going up,
0:20:29 > 0:20:31the staff were being appointed.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33There was a lot of controversy.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36Some people thought it was right, some thought it was wrong,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39- but I think it's all right, it's worked.- It's done a good job.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42- I think he's done a tremendous job. - It has worked.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45- There's a wonderful atmosphere, a warmth in here.- Mm.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49- What do you think everybody's impression is as they walk in? - If I take a party around,
0:20:49 > 0:20:53I ask them to be quiet and to feel the silence, feel the size.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56And of course they're moved by the ruins very much.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Yeah, there's a nice dichotomy.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01You come down the steps out of the sadness, if you like,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04into the hope, which is very important.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07That really does work for me, seeing that, seeing the ruins.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10- Yes, yes. - It's quite a poignant reminder.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14There was a lot of argument about whether they should keep the ruins
0:21:14 > 0:21:17but Basil Spence came up with this idea and it was the right one,
0:21:17 > 0:21:22to have the whole cathedral, part of it ruined and part of it new.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25And we've had people from all over the world come
0:21:25 > 0:21:29and really come to terms with the fact of their own problems with the war
0:21:29 > 0:21:32and you realise that there is always an answer to war,
0:21:32 > 0:21:34there's always an answer to pain
0:21:34 > 0:21:38and you can come in and you can feel that there's hope, really,
0:21:38 > 0:21:41and this is what the new cathedral is, it's hope for the future.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44- Lots of special memories for you? - Lots of special memories.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47We had a Songs Of Praise with Dresden
0:21:47 > 0:21:48and it was out in the ruins
0:21:48 > 0:21:50and it was a very powerful Songs Of Praise
0:21:50 > 0:21:53when you realise that they were then in East Germany
0:21:53 > 0:21:57and the bombing of Dresden and the bombing of Coventry is very much linked
0:21:57 > 0:21:59and we are very close to Dresden.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03The 50th anniversary of the bombing, when we had the Queen Mother
0:22:03 > 0:22:05and the President of West Germany.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09And the codename for the bombing was Moonlight Sonata,
0:22:09 > 0:22:11this is what the Germans used as a codename.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Our organist played the Moonlight Sonata
0:22:14 > 0:22:18and we had autumn leaves falling onto the altar...
0:22:18 > 0:22:21- Oh, beautiful.- ..one for every person who had died in the bombings.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25So, yeah, lots of memories and lots of happy times, too. Yeah.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30MUSIC: "Moonlight Sonata" by Beethoven
0:22:57 > 0:22:59Let's see what our first lots will make at auction.
0:22:59 > 0:23:06And here's a reminder of what we're taking. First was June with a trio of trinkets for Michael to value.
0:23:06 > 0:23:12Will they combine to create a great price? Kathleen brought in a German helmet which Will took a look at.
0:23:12 > 0:23:17It's not in mint condition. But these items are very collectable.
0:23:17 > 0:23:23Next up was another Kathleen, whose set of six chairs have been in the family for 101 years.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27But it's time for them to move on to a new owner.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30The Stevengraphs might not be Nic's thing
0:23:30 > 0:23:34but Will thinks the Midlands connection will help them fly.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37And finally, it was back to Michael
0:23:37 > 0:23:42who looked at Valerie's gold watch, Swiss, beautifully decorated, guaranteed to go, you'd think.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46But nothing's certain in the saleroom.
0:23:46 > 0:23:51Today's auction is in Bigwood. Not that big wood, but this Bigwood.
0:23:51 > 0:23:56Bigwood Fine Art Auctioneers is in Tiddington, just outside Stratford-upon-Avon.
0:23:57 > 0:24:02The big names here are auctioneers Chris Ironmonger and Stephen Kaye.
0:24:02 > 0:24:10The sale is about to begin, so time to find out if Michael and Will's valuations strike the right note.
0:24:10 > 0:24:16You certainly wouldn't want to sit down on this lot if somebody left it on a chair, would you, Kathleen?
0:24:16 > 0:24:23- God, it would hurt.- Comedy moment. - We've got a German Pickelhaube helmet with a big spike on the top.
0:24:23 > 0:24:29- Yes, it was just a bit misshapen, I think.- Yes.- It had a bit of cracking on that leather cover.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33- The chin-strap was missing.- Yes. - So how did you come by this anyway?
0:24:33 > 0:24:38I thought that my mother-in-law used to have a German lodger.
0:24:38 > 0:24:45- But my friend who's here says he doesn't remember it.- The mystery deepens about this German lodger.
0:24:45 > 0:24:51We go to Lot 415, which is the Pickelhaube helmet.
0:24:51 > 0:24:57- I've got some bids here on the book. I can start here at £80.- That's OK.
0:24:57 > 0:25:0195. 100. And 10. 120. 130. 140. 150.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03160. 170. 180.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07190. I'm out. Anybody give me 200?
0:25:07 > 0:25:09All done at 190.
0:25:09 > 0:25:14- Yes! The hammer's gone down. £190. - Good.- Well, result!
0:25:14 > 0:25:18- Bit of a "come and buy me".- A little bit. It was just the condition.
0:25:18 > 0:25:25- But it was nice and original.- It's a lovely thing. Don't forget there's commission to pay.- Of course, yes.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27There's a bit of spending money.
0:25:27 > 0:25:33- Yes.- Unless the German lodger's watching and asks you for his cash back.- He's got a point.
0:25:38 > 0:25:44Good luck. Valerie's little gold watch is just about to go under the hammer. It's Swiss, 14-carat.
0:25:44 > 0:25:50- Sounds good, Michael. - Where can you buy a Swiss, 14-carat gold pocket watch for £80?
0:25:50 > 0:25:55- Well, you can't. But hopefully we'll sell it for 200.- I hope so.
0:25:55 > 0:26:01Good luck. Hopefully, we'll get the top end of the estimate. It's going under the hammer right now.
0:26:01 > 0:26:06Lot number 100 is the gentleman's hunter cased pocket watch.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09And I can start here on the book at £75.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Good, we're in, in the room.
0:26:11 > 0:26:1590. 5. 100. And 10.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18- 120.- (120!)- 130. 140. 150?
0:26:18 > 0:26:22- 140 with the gentleman at the back. - That's more like it.- That's good.
0:26:22 > 0:26:27- All done at 140.- Yes! £140.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31- That's a good result.- That's brilliant.- Well done, Michael.
0:26:31 > 0:26:37- Thank you.- Well, you're happy. The chap that bought it is smiling. So it's a win-win situation.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41- Valerie's shopping later, so she'll be happy as well. Good luck.- Thanks.
0:26:41 > 0:26:46I've got 40 here. 45. 50. 55, madam? 55. 60.
0:26:46 > 0:26:51We've got some local interest. The Coventry silks are about to go under the hammer.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54They belong to Nic who unfortunately can't be here
0:26:54 > 0:26:57but we've got our expert, Will - he's put a no reserve on this.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59Another no reserve. Good job Nic's not here.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02They could go for a fiver and she won't tell you off.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04No, I'm confident in these.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07As you say, local interest, with the Coventry connection.
0:27:07 > 0:27:12- £50?- We've put £30-£50. They've got to be worth 30, they could make 50.- Yes.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16Lot number 485 are the two Stevengraphs,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19regarding the city of Oxford and Coventry.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23- Erm, I've got some bids here on the book.- Oh, great.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25- That always helps. - And I can start at £35.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27I'll take 40 from anybody else.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30I'm on the book at 35. Anyone else?
0:27:30 > 0:27:33All done at £35...
0:27:33 > 0:27:36GAVEL BANGS I'm pleased with that.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40- That's what they're worth.- Yeah. We'll get on the phone to Nic.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43And 20 and 2... I'm out.
0:27:44 > 0:27:51We've got Kathleen's six chairs just about to go under the hammer. I hope we get you top money today.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55They're just about to go under the hammer. This is it now. Good luck.
0:27:55 > 0:28:01Lot 535 - six late 19th, early 20th-century Windsor kitchen chairs.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05Good solid little chairs there. And I'm bid £100. 110. 120.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08130. Is it 140?
0:28:08 > 0:28:10140. 150, if you like?
0:28:10 > 0:28:14For a set of six, they're no money at all at 140. Do you want 150 now?
0:28:14 > 0:28:18At £140. Are you all sure? All done.
0:28:19 > 0:28:24- I don't know if he's sold. - No. 150 was...
0:28:24 > 0:28:30- 150 was the reserve, wasn't it? - I don't want to take them back. - Oh, dear.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34I think we might have to find the underbidder
0:28:34 > 0:28:38and see if the auctioneer can let them go to him at 140.
0:28:38 > 0:28:44'Afterwards Kathleen decided to put the chairs back into Bigwood's next auction
0:28:44 > 0:28:46'with a slightly reduced reserve.'
0:28:46 > 0:28:52- June, £200 to £300 riding on a nice little lot, isn't it?- Oh, it's so interesting.- A bit of treen.
0:28:52 > 0:28:59- And a bit of this and that. - It's the most fascinating little lot.- A collector will love these.
0:28:59 > 0:29:05- Absolutely.- You'll just muse over them. There's lots of fascinating stories. Your mum had a good eye.
0:29:05 > 0:29:11- She certainly did. - Anyway, we're going to flog them. They're going under the hammer now.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15335 is a late Georgian, early Victorian perfume bottle set
0:29:15 > 0:29:20and also the German nutcracker and seal box. 100 for this?
0:29:20 > 0:29:22Get me started at 100? I'm bid 80.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24It's a bit of a low start there.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27110. 120. 120. 130. 140.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31- 150. 160.- It's getting faster.- 170.
0:29:31 > 0:29:35180, is it? It's 170 in the far corner. At 170.
0:29:35 > 0:29:40At 170, I'm going to sell it. Make no mistake. In the far corner at 170.
0:29:40 > 0:29:45- Yes. He's sold it.- He sold it.- Just under that.- Yes, just under that.
0:29:45 > 0:29:52- And someone will really enjoy that lot as well.- A very tactile lot.- The nutcrackers in it were fantastic.
0:29:52 > 0:29:56- They were.- I wanted to get them. I couldn't. But just to polish them.
0:29:56 > 0:30:03- Because once you put a bit of wax on them, they'll just spring to life. - Thank you for bringing them in.
0:30:03 > 0:30:10- Thank you for looking after me.- Aw. - Thank you, Michael.- You couldn't be the only one to get a kiss, Paul.
0:30:10 > 0:30:17Before we go back to Coventry, I'll take a trip to a picturesque village just down the road in the Cotswolds.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21It's home to a museum I've been wanting to visit for a long time.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35These are the original drawings of one of the most important
0:30:35 > 0:30:41and influential designers of the 20th century. He was a very passionate and talented draughtsman.
0:30:41 > 0:30:48And he had a profound impact on the development of modern furniture and how we relate to design today.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50And his name was Sir Gordon Russell.
0:30:50 > 0:30:57This was his original workshop. It's now a wonderful museum dedicated to his lifetime achievements.
0:30:57 > 0:31:04And it houses the most fabulous collection of furniture designed and championed by him.
0:31:10 > 0:31:15Gordon Russell's furniture and designs tell the story of his life.
0:31:15 > 0:31:20A life that went through distinct and often contrasting phases.
0:31:20 > 0:31:25But throughout his life, he focused on one common goal
0:31:25 > 0:31:29and that was to design, conceive and construct well-made furniture.
0:31:29 > 0:31:36In his own words, "decent furniture for ordinary people". And that would become his mantra.
0:31:38 > 0:31:44To understand Russell's work, we need to travel back to his childhood,
0:31:44 > 0:31:49and how a family move would influence the rest of his life.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53The museum's here in the village of Broadway in the Cotswolds.
0:31:53 > 0:31:59And it was to this very building that the Russell family moved when Gordon was a 12-year-old boy.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03Russell became a weekly boarder at Chipping Campden School.
0:32:03 > 0:32:10And it was there that he got fascinated by local craftsmen and what they made.
0:32:10 > 0:32:15He got a first-hand experience of an artistic and social movement, Arts and Crafts.
0:32:15 > 0:32:20The Arts and Crafts Movement originated towards the end of the 19th century.
0:32:20 > 0:32:25Its focus was on hand crafts and it celebrated the workmanship of design and production.
0:32:25 > 0:32:31It was about simplicity and honesty, taking pleasure from construction as much as the end product.
0:32:31 > 0:32:37The Movement opposed mass production, machine manufacturing and industrialisation.
0:32:37 > 0:32:43When Russell was growing up in the Cotswolds, it was the very centre of the Arts and Crafts Movement.
0:32:43 > 0:32:48This was to have a profound influence on Russell's entire life's work.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52This has got to be my favourite piece in the museum.
0:32:52 > 0:32:58And here is the original stencil that Gordon Russell drew to give to the cabinet-maker
0:32:58 > 0:33:01to use as a template for the inlay.
0:33:01 > 0:33:07He's copied it absolutely beautifully. The more you look at this, the more detail you can see.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11On the stand, you see these lovely octagonal legs.
0:33:11 > 0:33:15Look at these bog oak-inlaid chevrons moving all around the leg.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18That really is a joy to behold, that piece.
0:33:18 > 0:33:24Although Russell was heavily influenced by the ethos of the Arts and Crafts Movement,
0:33:24 > 0:33:30he was also realistic about the cost of his designs and how it limited their mass appeal.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34He wanted everybody to enjoy his furniture and his design.
0:33:37 > 0:33:42The only way to achieve this was to adopt machine-led production,
0:33:42 > 0:33:46something that wholly opposed his Arts and Crafts roots.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48But it didn't deter him though.
0:33:48 > 0:33:55Russell believed that the machine could be tamed and taught manners and work in harmony with Man.
0:33:55 > 0:33:59By the late 1920s, Russell was beginning to realise his dream
0:33:59 > 0:34:03and was in the most productive design phase of his life.
0:34:03 > 0:34:07However, a downturn in the global economy threatened the business.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10A chance phone call would change his fortunes for ever.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14It was from an Irish radio engineer called Frank Murphy.
0:34:14 > 0:34:19Murphy wanted well-made, modern-looking, precisely designed bodies for his new radios
0:34:19 > 0:34:22and Gordon Russell responded immediately.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26Here are a few of the designs. Look at these lovely radios!
0:34:26 > 0:34:33It's no wonder they were an instant success and they moved the company into a new phase of prosperity.
0:34:34 > 0:34:39The radios showed that there was a market for modern, well-built furnishings.
0:34:39 > 0:34:44It also proved to the company that they could successfully engineer in wood,
0:34:44 > 0:34:47producing items for the mass market,
0:34:47 > 0:34:51whilst preserving the design principles the firm was built on.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56Just as the company was expanding,
0:34:56 > 0:35:02Gordon Russell stepped back from its management and suddenly and completely stopped designing.
0:35:02 > 0:35:07He was approaching his 50s and I guess he saw his professional life drawing to a close,
0:35:07 > 0:35:13but little did he know that events on a global scale were about to set his life off on a different course.
0:35:16 > 0:35:21'This is London. You will now hear a statement by the Prime Minister.
0:35:21 > 0:35:27'I have to tell you now this country is at war with Germany.'
0:35:27 > 0:35:34With the outbreak of World War Two, there was a sudden and profound need for general use furniture.
0:35:34 > 0:35:41Many people's possessions were being destroyed and there wasn't the raw materials or technical ability
0:35:41 > 0:35:43to continue general production.
0:35:43 > 0:35:49What was needed was simple, functional, well-built furniture that could be mass-produced.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52To his surprise, Russell was asked to join the team
0:35:52 > 0:35:56overseeing the design and manufacture of utility furniture.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59It was a vital part of the war effort,
0:35:59 > 0:36:03but also a perfect opportunity to continue his lifetime crusade
0:36:03 > 0:36:07to produce decent furniture for ordinary people.
0:36:07 > 0:36:13Russell's role working on utility furniture led to other management positions in the design community.
0:36:13 > 0:36:18However, as the decades passed, Russell was to retreat
0:36:18 > 0:36:22from public life back to his beloved Cotswolds.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28At the ripe old age of 84, Gordon Russell's life came full circle.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31He started to put pen to paper and design again.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35Even though he hadn't drafted a single thing for the last 50 years,
0:36:35 > 0:36:39he still had a far-reaching impact on the design world,
0:36:39 > 0:36:41a profound influence.
0:36:41 > 0:36:46But in his heyday, he just threw himself into the things he loved
0:36:46 > 0:36:50and what inspired him most was the Arts and Crafts Movement.
0:36:50 > 0:36:57This little yew wood occasional table is one of the last things he designed and it was done in 1979.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00Sadly, three years later, he died.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06But what a wonderful legacy he's left! Incredible.
0:37:40 > 0:37:46Welcome back to the valuation day at Coventry Cathedral. Still people are pouring in.
0:37:46 > 0:37:53Everyone who comes to one of our events is guaranteed a valuation, so we should be here for a while.
0:37:53 > 0:37:59Tracy, I don't often get to see a lot of furniture on Flog It because it's not very portable,
0:37:59 > 0:38:03but for me it's a nice change because I specialise in furniture.
0:38:03 > 0:38:09- Where has this come from?- It's my grandma's and it sat in her hallway for as many years as I can remember.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13Has she got any other bits that are similar dotted around the house?
0:38:13 > 0:38:15No, this is the only piece.
0:38:15 > 0:38:19Originally, it would have been part of a salon suite, as we call it,
0:38:19 > 0:38:25so there would have been a couple of single chairs, a couple of armchairs and this settee.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28- Any idea of how old it is?- No.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32I would think you're looking at late 19th century, early Edwardian.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35- Of its type, it's actually a nice one.- Yeah.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39There's a nice bit of carving on the back here.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42We've got these acanthus scrolls that are carved in.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46It shows a bit of quality in the manufacture, shall we say?
0:38:46 > 0:38:50Have you ever been tempted to put it into your home?
0:38:50 > 0:38:55No, never. It's quite sad cos it's just sat there all these years. Nothing's been done with it.
0:38:55 > 0:39:00That's the trouble with these. How do they fit into the modern home?
0:39:00 > 0:39:03They're not exactly primary seating any more.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07You're not gonna put one of these in your sitting room or TV room
0:39:07 > 0:39:12and chuck out the comfy three-seater sofa that you can really relax in,
0:39:12 > 0:39:16so they're a little bit formal and upright for today's living.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19Have you thought about how much it's worth?
0:39:19 > 0:39:23No, it's just sat there. I haven't given it a thought at all.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25It's not gonna be hugely valuable,
0:39:25 > 0:39:30but of its type, it's got just enough detail that just helps lift it up from the norm.
0:39:30 > 0:39:35We've got a little moulding along the edge, then these acanthus-leaf carvings here,
0:39:35 > 0:39:40which again was that sort of Georgian revival of the scrolling acanthus.
0:39:40 > 0:39:45And that's nicely echoed again in the arm supports.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48So it's got just enough that...
0:39:48 > 0:39:53It's obviously taken someone a little bit more effort to make this example
0:39:53 > 0:39:57than one that's just thrown together without any carving and so on.
0:39:57 > 0:40:02So, value-wise, I'm thinking of about 100, that sort of level, 150.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06- Would you be happy with that sort of money?- Yeah, I'd have thought so.
0:40:06 > 0:40:10- You want a reserve of 100?- OK.- You want it back if it doesn't sell?- No.
0:40:10 > 0:40:16- No reserve then?- No, put a reserve on it.- You want a reserve on it, but you don't want it back!
0:40:16 > 0:40:21- We'll put £100 on it with discretion. How's that?- Definitely.
0:40:21 > 0:40:26- Hopefully, on the day, we'll get it away and someone else can enjoy it. - I hope so.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28- Shall we see if it's comfy?- Yeah.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34- It's not bad, actually.- It's not too bad.- I could get used to this.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44- Linda...- Hi.
0:40:44 > 0:40:50I don't think I've ever seen a dog with such a surprised expression before. What have you done to him?
0:40:50 > 0:40:55- It must've been all the tugging around as a child.- So he was yours as a little girl?- Hmm.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59- Did he follow you everywhere? - He did when I was learning to walk.
0:40:59 > 0:41:05- It was more my own dog.- Where has he been living the past few years?
0:41:05 > 0:41:11- The past few years, he's been in my mum's cupboard.- Oh, dear. It's no place for a lad like that.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15- No.- Even with that... Oh, dear me. ..with that expression.
0:41:15 > 0:41:22- Do you know when and where he was made?- I think Germany. When I was a child, my father was in the forces.
0:41:22 > 0:41:28And my mother bought him. She tried to buy me a dog... a frame to teach me to walk,
0:41:28 > 0:41:34but in Germany at the time, they didn't have any, so she bought me this for Christmas instead.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38So it was the Alsatian or the German shepherd on wheels?
0:41:38 > 0:41:44- That's it.- You have to look in the ears of these things, especially when you say "Germany".
0:41:44 > 0:41:47And sure enough, we've got the little Steiff button.
0:41:47 > 0:41:53If you need reaffirming that it's all genuine, all of the wheels are marked "Steiff" as well.
0:41:53 > 0:41:59And I think it was probably new or slightly second-hand when you had it.
0:41:59 > 0:42:05It's certainly a dog that would have been produced from 1950 up until the late '60s.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09- It's a bit of fun. This ring does something, doesn't it?- It barks.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12- Let's give it a go. - FAINT BARKING SOUND
0:42:12 > 0:42:16- It wouldn't be terribly good as a security dog.- Not really.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19If you heard that, you'd be encouraged, not put off.
0:42:19 > 0:42:25- The all-important buttoned ear has had a little bit of restoration done to it.- Yes.
0:42:25 > 0:42:32- Because it's actually on the wrong way round. Any idea of what it's worth?- I haven't at all, no.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35It's not a fortune, unfortunately.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39Had it been 50 years earlier, it might have been a small fortune.
0:42:39 > 0:42:44- But as it is now, I think at auction, it's £50 to £100.- Yeah.
0:42:44 > 0:42:50And hopefully, somebody will be looking for a little dog to teach their little one to walk
0:42:50 > 0:42:55- and it will find a good home. Are you happy to sell him now? - Yes, I'm ready.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Get him out of the cupboard, give him a new lease of life?
0:42:58 > 0:43:02Let's hope he doesn't bark too loudly and put everybody off!
0:43:02 > 0:43:05- Thanks for bringing him in. - Thank you.
0:43:10 > 0:43:15Christine, what a menagerie you've brought in for us today!
0:43:15 > 0:43:21Has this come out of a love of all things animal or are you particularly interested in Beswick?
0:43:21 > 0:43:27- Well, we've just got interested in collecting them over the years, you know.- Yes.
0:43:27 > 0:43:33- Have you bought most of these from fairs or sales?- No, from Coventry shops, like, you know.- OK.
0:43:33 > 0:43:39We've seen a lot of Beswick on the programme, Flog It. There's only so much you can say about it.
0:43:39 > 0:43:45- It was established sort of late 19th century.- Yes.- That's right.
0:43:45 > 0:43:50Really as a reaction towards the Doulton and Worcester figures
0:43:50 > 0:43:56that were at the top end of the market, shall we say, the Doulton and Worcester figures.
0:43:56 > 0:44:01These were mass-produced. These were produced in large numbers,
0:44:01 > 0:44:04though some models were limited and rarer than others.
0:44:04 > 0:44:10- Rarer, yes.- Exactly. As special editions or such like and they can command good prices even today.
0:44:10 > 0:44:16I've had a quick look over what you've brought in and I'm not pretending to be a Beswick expert.
0:44:16 > 0:44:21It's not really my field, but a lot of these I have seen before.
0:44:21 > 0:44:26You've got the bird figures which we've seen before, the foxes are quite common.
0:44:26 > 0:44:30The dogs again are quite a popular series of Beswick.
0:44:30 > 0:44:33They are so popular.
0:44:33 > 0:44:37- This chap here's not Beswick, but he's sneaked in.- Which one? - The little poodle.
0:44:37 > 0:44:40But why not keep him with the others?
0:44:40 > 0:44:44Then these are rather later, these more matt finishes.
0:44:44 > 0:44:48The market for Beswick is not as strong as it has been.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51I would suggest, just totting it up in my head...
0:44:51 > 0:44:56- I don't want to go over the top on the valuation.- Oh, no.
0:44:56 > 0:45:00- You've decided to sell.- Yes.- Let's put a sensible figure on them.
0:45:00 > 0:45:04I'm thinking of putting a figure on these, as a group, as one lot.
0:45:04 > 0:45:08- The more in the lot, the more interest it's gonna generate.- Yes.
0:45:08 > 0:45:12I'm thinking of putting £200 on for the lot.
0:45:12 > 0:45:16- That may not sound a lot.- I think they'd be worth more than that.
0:45:16 > 0:45:20I hope I'm wrong and someone watching is screaming at the TV,
0:45:20 > 0:45:24saying, "That's a rare example, it's worth £100 on its own!"
0:45:24 > 0:45:30I hope that's true. Let's reserve them at 200 to make sure they don't make any less.
0:45:30 > 0:45:36- No, otherwise it wouldn't be worth selling them.- We'll put 200 fixed reserve on them.
0:45:36 > 0:45:41- Hopefully, the money will go towards collecting something else now?- No, towards a new carpet.
0:45:41 > 0:45:45- What's happened to the old one? - It's worn out.
0:45:45 > 0:45:49- Worn out?- Yes.- At least we know it's going for a good cause.
0:45:49 > 0:45:55We're going for a new carpet for Christine and we're using the Beswick to raise the cash.
0:45:55 > 0:45:57- £200 minimum, but we hope for more.- Yes.
0:45:57 > 0:46:00- We'll see you on the day, Christine. - Thank you very much.
0:46:04 > 0:46:08Karen, you've made my day today
0:46:08 > 0:46:10bringing this little collection along.
0:46:10 > 0:46:13Can you tell me where they've originally come from?
0:46:13 > 0:46:17They came to me via my father and from his father.
0:46:17 > 0:46:22- Right.- Acquired before 1918, which is when my grandfather died.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25Well, I'd say your grandfather had quite a good eye
0:46:25 > 0:46:26when he was buying these.
0:46:26 > 0:46:30- As you might know, most of these are ivory.- Yes.
0:46:30 > 0:46:33- They're actually all from Japan. - Right.
0:46:33 > 0:46:36And the earliest one is this one here
0:46:36 > 0:46:38and funnily enough, he isn't ivory.
0:46:38 > 0:46:41He's bone.
0:46:41 > 0:46:45And you can tell that because you've got that very coarse, open grain.
0:46:45 > 0:46:49And that is a netsuke. If you were a Japanese gentleman,
0:46:49 > 0:46:52- you wore a robe with no pockets... - Yes.
0:46:52 > 0:46:56- ..and a wide sash round your waist.- Yes.
0:46:56 > 0:47:00So everything you needed was carried in a series of small pouches
0:47:00 > 0:47:03and they're secured by a cord that goes through the sash
0:47:03 > 0:47:07and then to stop it slipping down, you have a toggle or a netsuke.
0:47:07 > 0:47:12After about 1870, Japanese dress was banned,
0:47:12 > 0:47:16so the netsuke carvers thought, "What are we going to do for a living?"
0:47:16 > 0:47:18And they moved on to little carvings like this.
0:47:18 > 0:47:21- Technically, this is still a netsuke.- Right.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24It's got two carved holes for the cord
0:47:24 > 0:47:27but they're just a vestige of what it used to be.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30It's really a little three-dimensional carving.
0:47:30 > 0:47:33We've got a little turtle or a little devil
0:47:33 > 0:47:36being caught under a cabbage leaf
0:47:36 > 0:47:39and it's beautifully and sensitively carved.
0:47:39 > 0:47:41That's a lovely thing. Going on from that,
0:47:41 > 0:47:44this is really super quality.
0:47:44 > 0:47:48And that's a little chap cutting the divisions in a comb.
0:47:48 > 0:47:51- He's a comb maker. We're left with these four...- Right.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54..which are little okimono, little carvings,
0:47:54 > 0:47:56but they're of less good quality.
0:47:56 > 0:48:00And I would imagine that we would put all of those together
0:48:00 > 0:48:02in one lot at auction
0:48:02 > 0:48:04whilst we treat these as separate entities.
0:48:04 > 0:48:08- OK.- So we would say £80-£120 for those,
0:48:08 > 0:48:11- with a fixed reserve of £80.- Right.
0:48:11 > 0:48:15These are a little more speculative and would be individual lots.
0:48:15 > 0:48:20This, because it's bone, even though it's early, £60-£100
0:48:20 > 0:48:22with a £60 reserve.
0:48:22 > 0:48:24It could do a little bit better.
0:48:24 > 0:48:26These two are the stars for me.
0:48:26 > 0:48:34- The oni grasping the little turtle under the leaf, £150-£250...- Right.
0:48:34 > 0:48:37- with a fixed reserve of £150.- OK.
0:48:37 > 0:48:39And this little comb maker,
0:48:39 > 0:48:43even though he's got a slightly broken comb, again...
0:48:43 > 0:48:46Actually, £200-£300 for him,
0:48:46 > 0:48:49with a fixed reserve of £200 because he's so delightful.
0:48:49 > 0:48:52Well, I think.. I normally say I hope these do well at auction,
0:48:52 > 0:48:54I'm sure they will do well at auction
0:48:54 > 0:48:57- and we'll be there to see how well they go.- Fine.
0:48:57 > 0:48:59- Thank you for bringing them in. - It's a pleasure.
0:48:59 > 0:49:02That's all from Coventry's splendid cathedral.
0:49:02 > 0:49:06Here's a reminder of what's going under the hammer at the auction.
0:49:06 > 0:49:12Will and Tracy might be getting comfy on her Edwardian-style sofa, but will the price put her at ease?
0:49:12 > 0:49:16Linda's dog's bark might be about as harmless as its bite,
0:49:16 > 0:49:20but that Steiff name alone should warrant some interest.
0:49:23 > 0:49:26Michael's convinced Karen's Japanese carvings
0:49:26 > 0:49:28will race out of the auction room.
0:49:28 > 0:49:33And finally, Will took a look at Christine's Beswick zoo - quality and quantity!
0:49:33 > 0:49:39Let's hope someone has an ark on stand-by to take this lot home.
0:49:39 > 0:49:43Things are moving along nicely. You could say so far, so good.
0:49:43 > 0:49:47- I could say that again - sofa, so good! Tracy...- Hiya.
0:49:47 > 0:49:53- The Edwardian...?- I like it.- Do you like my gag?- Yes, Paul.- Took me a long time to think of that!
0:49:53 > 0:49:57We've got £100 to £150, it's Edwardian-looking...
0:49:57 > 0:50:02It's a cracking little seat. If you want a good seat to sit on for £150, that's a bargain.
0:50:02 > 0:50:09We find them in the bedroom, end of the bed, somewhere to throw your clothes at the end of the day...
0:50:09 > 0:50:13- I chuck mine on the floor.- So do I. - I'm from the same school as you two!
0:50:13 > 0:50:16- Good luck. Here's the sofa going under the hammer.- Thank you.
0:50:16 > 0:50:20Lot 520 is a Victorian, Edwardian mahogany parlour settee.
0:50:20 > 0:50:23- I can start this off at £100 with a bid on the book.- Yes!
0:50:23 > 0:50:25That's good, straight in!
0:50:25 > 0:50:28110. I'm clear. 120 anywhere else?
0:50:28 > 0:50:31At 110. 120. 130. 140, sir?
0:50:31 > 0:50:35- 140? 130...- It's the room against the commission bidder.
0:50:35 > 0:50:38130, I'm gonna sell it. Last chance at 130...
0:50:39 > 0:50:43- Great. Good. Mid-estimate. Are you happy with that?- Very happy.
0:50:43 > 0:50:49- What will you do with 130 quid? Bit of commission to pay.- It'll all go towards Grandma's care.
0:50:49 > 0:50:53- Gran's gone into care?- Yeah. - So, to look after her?- Yeah.
0:50:53 > 0:50:58- What's her name?- Barbara. - Barbara, I hope you're watching this, and good luck.
0:50:58 > 0:51:02- Good luck to you as well.- Thank you. I was pleased with that.- Me too.
0:51:05 > 0:51:10Right now it's time to find out... # How much is that doggie in the saleroom? #
0:51:10 > 0:51:14- It belongs to Linda and he's a good pedigree, isn't he?- Oh, he is.
0:51:14 > 0:51:20Will you be sad to say goodbye because you've used this little doggie as a walking aid?
0:51:20 > 0:51:25I did. He was lovely to grow up with, but he's been in a cupboard for 30-odd years.
0:51:25 > 0:51:31- A bit of daylight might do him a bit of good.- As breeds go, he is "best in show".- He's charming.
0:51:31 > 0:51:36- Top name.- Top name. The bark almost went on valuation day, but we got it back.
0:51:36 > 0:51:42We did a bit of resuscitation and for £50, it's a piece of Steiff, isn't it?
0:51:42 > 0:51:45- Yeah. Hopefully for 100.- I hope so.
0:51:45 > 0:51:50Lot 470, this is a pull-along Steiff dog.
0:51:50 > 0:51:5250 quid for the dog?
0:51:52 > 0:51:56Thank you. Anybody give me another fiver? Thank you. And 60?
0:51:56 > 0:52:00- And 5.- Yes!- And 70? 65 at the very, very back.
0:52:00 > 0:52:03Anybody give me 70? Are we all done...?
0:52:03 > 0:52:06- £65.- Super.- Yes.
0:52:06 > 0:52:08- That's mid-estimate.- Yeah.
0:52:08 > 0:52:14- And hopefully, it's gonna go to someone who is gonna learn to walk with it.- Exactly.
0:52:14 > 0:52:18- It would be lovely.- The ideal finish. - It would be lovely.- It would.
0:52:22 > 0:52:25Next up, we have a Beswick zoo for sale.
0:52:25 > 0:52:30Not quite, but it is 31 animals which have been split into a dozen or so lots.
0:52:30 > 0:52:34They belong to Christine. Let's find out what it's all about.
0:52:34 > 0:52:37OK, were you a big collector?
0:52:37 > 0:52:42- Well, my husband started collecting them.- He started you off.
0:52:42 > 0:52:47- You bought one or two every year and built up a collection? - That's right, yes.
0:52:47 > 0:52:51- Why are you selling now?- I want a new carpet for my living room.
0:52:51 > 0:52:56That's a fair exchange. I'd swap my Beswick for a carpet!
0:52:56 > 0:52:59I'd swap my Beswick for a rug!
0:53:00 > 0:53:03Let's hope it doesn't get pulled under our feet today.
0:53:03 > 0:53:10- They have been divided up into lots of different lots. Some figures are more collectable than others.- Yes.
0:53:10 > 0:53:13At the valuation day, we put it all together as one lot,
0:53:13 > 0:53:19but the auctioneer knows his market and decided to split it up into smaller lots.
0:53:19 > 0:53:24- Let's start off with the first lot. It's a Dalmatian followed by a fox. Ready?- Yes.- Let's go.
0:53:24 > 0:53:2715, madam? 15. 20?
0:53:27 > 0:53:3015, lady's bid. I'm gonna sell at £15...
0:53:30 > 0:53:33- Good start, 15.- 25 with me. 28.
0:53:33 > 0:53:36Any advance on £30?
0:53:36 > 0:53:39That's £30. The next is a collection of animals.
0:53:39 > 0:53:44And 307, some more Beswick - the mouse, the donkey, etcetera.
0:53:44 > 0:53:47I've got 35 on my right. At £35, I'm gonna sell it.
0:53:47 > 0:53:52- £35...- Yes! And now we've got an eagle. Let's watch this one fly!
0:53:52 > 0:53:55Starting at 30 on the book. 5 in the room?
0:53:55 > 0:53:5835. At 35. It's yours, sir.
0:53:58 > 0:54:02309, we've got the Spirit of Fire this time, the grey horse.
0:54:02 > 0:54:06I've got 30 here. 32. 34. Any advance on 34...?
0:54:06 > 0:54:09- Now the horse, the palomino. - The palomino.
0:54:09 > 0:54:1255. 60. 65. 67. Any advance on 67...?
0:54:12 > 0:54:16Yes! We've got some birds.
0:54:16 > 0:54:20With me on the book at 50. 60. 60. And I'm clear.
0:54:20 > 0:54:2360. 70 now? At £60...
0:54:23 > 0:54:27- That's good. - I meant to bring a toby jug!
0:54:27 > 0:54:31The kestrel, the song thrush and an owl. 70 with you, sir.
0:54:31 > 0:54:35- 5, anywhere? £70, thank you. - We're in the money!
0:54:35 > 0:54:37We've got the stag family.
0:54:37 > 0:54:4066. 68. 70.
0:54:40 > 0:54:43£70. The lady's bid at 70...
0:54:43 > 0:54:48- So far, so good. We've got a woodpecker, a kingfisher.- Yes.
0:54:48 > 0:54:5385. 90? 85 it is. By the door here at £85.
0:54:53 > 0:54:55Going at 85. All finished and done...?
0:54:55 > 0:54:59That's the last lot gone. That's brilliant.
0:54:59 > 0:55:02- We've sold absolutely everything. - Smashing, yes.
0:55:02 > 0:55:08- The collectors were really here today.- Yeah.- I make that a total of...- I make it £501.
0:55:08 > 0:55:12- Just over 500 quid. That's fantastic.- Smashing.
0:55:12 > 0:55:14- That's a quality carpet. - Lovely, yes.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17- Thank you so much for bringing them all in.- Well done.- Thank you.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28Next up, Karen's netsuke. It is a touch of the Orient.
0:55:28 > 0:55:30Lovely Japanese carvings.
0:55:30 > 0:55:34- The detail is superb on some of these, you've got to agree.- I do.
0:55:34 > 0:55:36You must've looked at them and mused over them.
0:55:36 > 0:55:40- Unfortunately, they've always been hidden away.- In a box.
0:55:40 > 0:55:44- They've never been on show. - You've split them into four lots.
0:55:44 > 0:55:47- Talk us quickly through those. - The little monkey bone netsuke,
0:55:47 > 0:55:49which you can tell because it's flecked,
0:55:49 > 0:55:54that's the most esoteric of the four and that might struggle.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57But the other three are fine, Japanese ivory carvings.
0:55:57 > 0:56:00I had a chat to the auctioneer before the sale started
0:56:00 > 0:56:03and we both loved the carpenter, the guy with the saw.
0:56:03 > 0:56:06- Yes, the comb maker.- Oh! - He's making combs.
0:56:06 > 0:56:09And lot 365 is the carved bone netsuke,
0:56:09 > 0:56:12fashioned as a seated monkey wearing an overcoat.
0:56:12 > 0:56:1440, I'm bid, 40 and 5. 50, is it?
0:56:14 > 0:56:1750 and 5, do I hear? 60.
0:56:17 > 0:56:20And 5. On this phone now, at 60. I'm going to sell it to them.
0:56:20 > 0:56:21All done?
0:56:21 > 0:56:24The first's one sold for 60. Here's the second.
0:56:24 > 0:56:2620th-century Japanese ivory okimono,
0:56:26 > 0:56:29the man with the body of a monkey and three seated figures.
0:56:29 > 0:56:32Who's got 50 for this? 50.
0:56:32 > 0:56:3450, 60, 70. 80?
0:56:34 > 0:56:3770, over there. At 70. Back of the room at 70.
0:56:37 > 0:56:39- Here, 80.- 80 on that phone.
0:56:39 > 0:56:4380. Would you like 90? At 80. On this telephone at £80.
0:56:43 > 0:56:45Last chance. I'm going to sell it at 80.
0:56:45 > 0:56:47- The bid's up here. - GAVEL BANGS
0:56:47 > 0:56:50- Yes.- Just made it.- Here's the third.
0:56:50 > 0:56:54Lot 367, an ivory Japanese carved okimono, an artisan,
0:56:54 > 0:56:57a seated worker with his saw on a block.
0:56:57 > 0:57:00150? 150, I'm bid. 160, is it?
0:57:00 > 0:57:04At £150. At 160. 160, 170. 180?
0:57:04 > 0:57:06180, 190. 190, 200?
0:57:06 > 0:57:09At £190. Are we all finished?
0:57:09 > 0:57:11Are you sure?
0:57:11 > 0:57:15- GAVEL BANGS - Yes!- Fourth and final one.
0:57:15 > 0:57:17A little monster pulling a turtle.
0:57:17 > 0:57:20Who's going to start me at £100? Straight off at 100. 110.
0:57:20 > 0:57:24120? 120. 130, now.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27- Come on, come on.- £130, there.
0:57:27 > 0:57:29- 130, 140?- 140? Yes.
0:57:29 > 0:57:32140, 150? 150. 160?
0:57:32 > 0:57:33- Yes.- 160. 170?
0:57:33 > 0:57:36- 180?- Yes. - 180. Will you go 200, madam?
0:57:36 > 0:57:38- 200. 220?- Yes.- 220.
0:57:38 > 0:57:40240? 240.
0:57:40 > 0:57:44- 260?- 260? Yes.- 260.
0:57:44 > 0:57:46280? 280. 300?
0:57:46 > 0:57:49- Yes.- 300. 320? 320.
0:57:49 > 0:57:51- 340 on the top phone?- Yes.- 340. 360?
0:57:51 > 0:57:56340. On the top phone at 340. Any further advance on 340?
0:57:56 > 0:57:57GAVEL BANGS
0:57:57 > 0:58:01- Oh, brilliant!- A fantastic result. - Thank you.- I tell you, Karen,
0:58:01 > 0:58:05- you've got £670.- Brilliant. - That is fantastic.
0:58:05 > 0:58:08- Quality always sells. - Yes, that's the mantra.
0:58:08 > 0:58:10Remember that. Quality always sells.
0:58:10 > 0:58:13What a fantastic day we've had at Bigwood's auction rooms.
0:58:13 > 0:58:16I think that was the final act from Stratford-upon-Avon,
0:58:16 > 0:58:19so from all of us here, it's cheerio until the next time.
0:58:42 > 0:58:46Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd