Whitby 27 Flog It!

Today we've headed out to the stunning Yorkshire coastline famous for its fishing heritage.

Welcome to Flog It from Whitby.

Whitby is split into two by a swing bridge dividing the town into east and west.

All over the town are dotted fishermen's cottages,

narrow cobbled streets and lanes which date back to medieval days.

Boasting a beautiful harbour, it's a great place to visit.

Explorer and navigator Captain James Cook

began his training as a seaman here in Whitby

and it was also here that his famous ship HM Endeavour was built.

Cook made three major voyages to the Pacific and en route accurately charted coastlines

and several islands for the very first time on European maps.

Later in the show, it's full steam ahead as I take a trip

on this magnificent railway across the North Yorkshire Moors.

TOOTS HORN

And on their own voyage of discovery today are our two experts, Mr Philip Serrell and Kate Bateman.

They'll look at all items brought along, picking out the best and selling them in auction later on.

Hopefully, there's going to be one or two big surprises.

We've got a healthy crowd outside Whitby Pavilion.

It's time to get them inside because they've got to ask that important question, "What's it worth?"

What will you do when you find out? Flog it!

With everyone inside, it's time to start our valuations

and it looks like Kate has found a rather nice jug with a nautical interest.

Trevor, you've brought a bit of maritime history.

Not that I know anything about maritime history, but yeah.

Right. What do you know about it?

It originally belonged to my grandparents and it was passed down to my father

and it was just stuck in a wall unit for a long time.

My mother wanted to get rid of it, but my father wouldn't let her.

He was a wise man, but you got it?

Yeah, cos she doesn't want it. My father's passed away now.

-She's booted it out of the house and you've got it?

-I've got it, yeah.

What have we got? It's basically an English Pearlware transfer-printed jug.

And it's made to commemorate, as we see on here, Horatio Lord Nelson, Vice-Admiral of the White,

and basically it's all his naval victories, really.

He was at Copenhagen and Trafalgar.

And it's got, "England expects every man to do his duty", which is his sort of catchphrase.

And this is probably about 1810,

so just made to commemorate after his famous battle, I presume, at Trafalgar.

So it's quite rare and the condition, surprisingly for something that old, is pretty good.

There's a little hairline crack here.

This is an irregularity in the glaze, rather than actual damage.

And a few little nibbles on the rim, but actually it's really good.

So what do you think it's worth?

A few years ago, I did have somebody give me a rough estimate on it

and said that it might be worth between £300 and £400. What it's worth now, I'm not sure.

-Your mum would disagree, I suspect.

-It's worth about two and six to her probably!

It's probably about the right kind of figure.

I'm happy to put an estimate for an auction at 300 to 400.

I'd probably put a reserve a little bit lower, maybe at 250, to reflect those little bits of nibbles,

but it's becoming rarer and rarer to find one in good condition, so it might do even better.

We'll put a 300 to 400 estimate, 250 reserve, and fingers crossed.

-England expects it will sell.

-I hope so.

-Mandy, how are you?

-Fine, thank you.

This is clearly an Archibald Thorburn.

If this was an original Thorburn oil painting, we'd be looking at tens of thousands of pounds.

An original Thorburn watercolour might be anywhere between £5,000 and £15,000.

And we can see that this is dated "1930",

and a Thorburn print from the '30s signed in pencil by him down here,

that in itself can be worth anywhere between £200 and £400,

-but you and I both know this is not of the period, is it?

-No.

This has been produced by a gallery who specialise in selling sporting works by artists like Thorburn

and this would have been produced probably in the mid-1970s.

One of the reasons why I love it is that I love the Yorkshire Dales,

I love the Yorkshire Moors, you've got this grouse scene.

For anybody who has not been up on the moors and seen and heard the grouse, it's really captivating.

So I love it for that reason. Why did you buy this? What sparked off that Thorburn interest for you?

When I was at school, the art teacher had a book on Thorburn's animals

and I was fascinated by the pictures in that.

I saw this in a saleroom a lot of years later and it caught my attention.

-Captivated from schooldays?

-Yes.

I think that you should estimate this at sort of £50 to £80,

that sort of region, and...

If the saleroom get this online, on the internet, it could well do very well.

But I think it's £50 to £80.

-And I'd put a fixed reserve on it of £40.

-Right.

-You bought it how long ago, two years ago?

-Yeah.

Here's the acid test. What did you pay for it?

-About £48.

-You paid about £48?

I can't remember if that was plus or including the commission.

I think we can put at least 50 to 80 on it.

My only doubt, and I do have a doubt,

my only doubt about it is that it's really almost just a photographic reproduction.

It's very, very late. It's mid-1970s and those things are going to hang against it.

-Are you happy with that?

-Yes, I'm fine with that, thank you.

How's that for scary? Guy, it's absolutely lovely. How did you come by this?

It had been sitting in the porch

of my 15th century cottage for many generations.

-When I sold the cottage...

-It came with you.

-It came with me. I couldn't bear to leave him.

-Do you know much about it?

-Very little. It's just been part of the family.

-It's made of oak.

It's not 15th or 16th century. It's Victorian. It's Gothic Revival.

This was always meant to be inside.

I'm pleased that it's survived the weathering from your porch for a long time,

-because the elements could have got at it, so it was under a bit of cover.

-Oh, yes.

And I think the gargoyles would have looked down on you just like this one would have done.

This is more like a wall boss

and it would have been mounted to the wall this way on,

-looking down on you as you passed under.

-That's it.

Isn't that wonderful? It's chip-carved.

It's very much like the carving you see on a lot of Black Forest work.

It's quite crudely done, but at the same time, it's that crudeness that gives it its texture.

-There's a little bit of damage to the ears.

-There is.

-But you can live with that.

And there's a tiny bit of woodworm on the breast.

Have you any idea of value?

Not really. I would imagine it's quite a hard thing to value, but I really don't know.

Well...

Let's put it into auction with a guide of around £120 to £200 and see what happens.

-Let's put a fixed reserve at £120 if you're happy with that.

-Yeah.

I'd like to see it do around the 250 mark, but we've got to try and tempt people in,

to give them the incentive that they're picking up a bargain.

-Let them get caught bidding against other rivals and, all of a sudden, you've got £250. Happy?

-Very happy.

-OK, let's sell it.

-That's fine.

Oh, yes.

And my mother wouldn't tell me anything about it.

-I'm not surprised.

-She said one day when you're old enough,

I'll tell you what it's all about.

-Gordon, do you know what it's called?

-No, I know nothing about it at all.

Right. Clearly it's a walking cane, and that's a Stanhope, OK?

-Right.

-And a Stanhope is like a really small lens

that's fitted into there.

And I think Stanhope was a manufacturer of lenses.

They're normally in little ivory pens, pencils, knives...

Not seen one in a walking cane before.

Normally you'd have a view of Whitby, or a view of Scarborough.

In this instance... I'm just going to check this out.

Well, for the benefit of the viewers at home,

-she's about, what, 5'8"?

-That's about right.

-Long, cascading brunette hair.

-Yes.

Erm...

-Basically, she's got nothing on.

-That's right.

And she's... Actually, I'm just going to check this out again.

She's a very shapely girl, isn't she?

No wonder your grandmother wouldn't let you see this.

-I think it's a real good bit of fun.

-It is.

I should think it's probably...1890-1900?

-Yes.

-I think it's interesting actually,

because there we've got a cane that's, like, worth a fiver.

-Yes.

-And then we put a Stanhope in there, and if the Stanhope has got a view of Whitby

or a view of Scarborough, it might be worth £20.

But, you know, it's a sad indictment of us old blokes, really.

Put a naked girl in there and all of a sudden everybody wants to buy it.

-I think at auction, you can put a very conservative estimate on it of £40-£60.

-Right.

Fixed reserve of £40, and I think if you have a real good result,

-it could go and make £100-£150.

-Fine.

-Are you happy?

-I'm certainly happy.

Purely for research, I just need to check it out one more time.

Hellfire!

Lilian, welcome to Flog It. You've got two different bits of pottery.

What can you tell me about them?

Well, I had them both given 28 year ago.

-Right.

-They've been on top of the wardrobe, never been used.

-So you're not a big fan?

-No.

-Do you know about the makers of them?

-Yes.

-Moorcroft.

-Yeah.

-Clarice Cliff.

You know your stuff. You just don't like 'em.

-I wouldn't say I don't like them, but I have things I like better.

-Right, OK.

This is a really nice one. This is the one I like best of the two.

Again Moorcroft marks on the bottom, "WM" initials.

It's really quite unusual, like a deep red flambe kind of glaze,

and sort of autumn leaves and berries on that one.

-The condition is really good.

-Yes.

This one is Clarice Cliff. We've got the mark on the bottom, Bizarre, and the shape number.

It's not one of her most funky ones. I think the design is called Rodanthe.

This is in the blue and green. They do it in other colours as well like brown and pink.

It's not the coolest of designs with little houses or interesting stuff, so it's quite a late piece.

The ribbed pieces do less well than the others, but the condition is really good.

You've brought them both in. Usually, I'd split them up into two separate lots.

But because you want to get rid of them both, you might as well put them together in one lot.

It's a classic dealer's lot. Both of them are really saleable pieces.

-Any idea what you want to get for it? If I said £50, would you sell them?

-No.

-No?

-No, no, no.

OK. What about 150?

-Doubtful.

-OK.

-Maybe, maybe.

-I think they're worth probably about £100 each.

This one maybe a bit more, this one maybe a bit less,

so if you put the two together and put a £200 to £250 estimate on it,

but maybe a reserve of 150 or 180...

-180, I should say.

-So just below low estimate. That's got a good chance.

If they don't sell, you could maybe ask the auctioneer at a second sale to split them up.

-But I think they've got a good chance together. Are you ready to try them in the sale?

-Yes.

-Thanks very much.

-Thank you.

Who's the older?

So that's our first batch of valuations.

The crowds are still coming in and there's plenty more to come later on.

In Victorian times, the remote fishing port of Whitby came to be known

as the photographer's Mecca and this was due to one man, Frank Meadow Sutcliffe.

He was born in Yorkshire in 1853,

just 14 years after the advent of photography, and as a young man

he embraced this new art form to become one of the most prolific photographers of his time.

It was here in his beloved Whitby and the surrounding areas

that Sutcliffe used his skill to document a way of life,

which was changing rapidly under the pace of industrialisation,

and the subjects of his study were local farmhands and fisherman.

Strangely enough, Whitby today hasn't really changed that much

from the time Sutcliffe was looking through his lens.

I've come to meet Mike Shaw from the Sutcliffe Gallery,

who's talking to me about Sutcliffe's photographs, methods

and the place he carved himself in the history of photography.

Mike, thank you for meeting up with me and showing me around Whitby on such a beautiful day.

You're welcome. It's fantastic, it couldn't be better.

What brought Sutcliffe to Whitby in the first place?

Well, Frank Sutcliffe was born near Leeds from an artistic background.

-Frank Sutcliffe's father was a talented watercolour artist.

-Yes.

And the Sutcliffe family holidayed in Whitby when Frank was young, for quite a number of years,

and they moved to Whitby when Frank was 17.

-So they all loved it here, it was a calling anyway.

-That's right.

Sadly the year after they moved here, Sutcliffe's father died on the cliffs with pneumonia, painting.

So Frank was thrust to the head of the family as breadwinner,

and he chose photography as his career.

He opened a portrait studio in a disused jet workshop, actually, and never looked back.

He was probably one of the only photographers in Whitby,

taking photographs for the tourists.

-Yes.

-The well-off people, he made his living from that,

-but his passion was documenting the people of Whitby and the real town.

-The social history side.

That's right, which in those days was very unusual, it set him apart from other photographers.

Real characters, real expressions.

I guess maybe he got that from his father being an artist, did he?

Yeah, and probably his sense of composition as well,

which is something that you can't necessarily learn, it's in you.

So were they staged or were they spontaneous?

They have a spontaneous look to them,

-but they didn't have that luxury that we have of taking a candid photograph.

-Yes.

So he had to get people to pose, arrange them, and get them in general

not to look at the camera, which again was an unusual technique really because Victorian photography

is people looking straight at the camera.

Almost ghostlike, never smiling or anything, it's straight there, isn't it?

That's right, yes.

It's a sign really that he had a good rapport with his subjects.

He must have got to know them quite well for busy working people

to stop what they're doing and be arranged maybe a quarter of an hour, half an hour, into a group.

The exposures were for maybe a second or two seconds,

so that it wasn't a massive exposure time but still long enough that if anybody moved, they blurred.

Photography was a very different world compared to nowadays.

Very basic equipment, and yet technically very complex

-to accomplish a perfect photograph, really.

-Yes.

You had to be a technician, a chemist, almost.

He would be working on a tripod,

whereas now we just hold a camera.

-It's just point and shoot, isn't it, really?

-That's right.

In his early days, he would take out the darkroom with him

to process his glass negatives as soon as he'd taken the photograph, so it's just a different world.

-It is, isn't it? He certainly earned his money.

-Yes.

Was he well off at that stage?

With his becoming famous with his exhibition work,

he made a name for himself and people who were holidaying would flock

to have their photograph to have their photograph taken by him.

-So he would be the David Bailey of the day?

-That's right, exactly.

Incredible. So what were the social conditions like back then for a working person?

When you take a look at Frank Sutcliffe's photographs, you can tell that it was a physically hard life.

Lots of work, but probably compared to nowadays it was a more contented life, more neighbourly,

-and you could go out and not lock your door and things like that.

-Yes.

-A nicer place to live, probably.

Yes. You're painting a nice picture. I wish we could all go back in time,

-don't you?

-Probably not, not knowing what we know now, no.

Let's talk about some of his other subject matter.

He was really busy in the summer, so the majority of his photographs are actually taken in winter.

So there's some lovely snow scenes as well, rough seas,

ones of boats with children, and also when he goes out

into the country, farming scenes,

ploughing, and just some lovely rural landscapes that he's taken.

There are so many facets to his work, it's not just like a one-trick pony.

No. It's documenting social history, which is the brilliant thing.

-Yes. Even in their own day when they were contemporary photographs, they were acknowledged as fantastic.

-Yes.

-Nowadays they've got that added bonus of being social documents as well.

-Exactly, historical.

-That's right.

-He was a true artist and a pioneer in his day -

how does he fit into the history of photography moving forward?

Well, he did see a lot of changes in photography.

Obviously when he first started, he was coating his negatives

with the wet chemicals first of all and then moved on to dry plates.

Then really when he was thinking about retiring from photography,

Kodak brought out the Box Brownie, which was a hand-held camera,

and Kodak asked a few prominent photographers

of the day to endorse their new camera and gave Frank Sutcliffe

a camera and some film to try out.

The results from those, which we have, are OK but they don't quite have the same quality

from his glass plate work where I think he had to think more about the results that he was producing.

-But he certainly earned his place in history.

-Absolutely. He was well respected in photographic history

and just general history of this country, really.

We're making our way to auction. Here's a reminder of all the items coming with us.

This Pearlware Nelson commemorative jug once belonged to Trevor's grandfather,

but no-one in the family has liked it.

My mother wanted to get rid of it, but my father wouldn't let her.

A great fan of the artist Archibald Thorburn, Mandy has decided to sell her grouse print,

hoping someone will hunt it out in the saleroom.

Will Guy's Victorian wooden carving, found in the porch of his old cottage,

carve out a good price at auction?

Gordon's Stanhope has a saucy secret.

She's about, what, 5'8", long, cascading brunette hair.

-Yes.

-Basically she's got nothing on.

That's right.

Let's hope she will also attract the bidders.

And two classic Flog It favourites - Moorcroft and Clarice Cliff.

They've sat on Lillian's wardrobe for nearly 30 years, but she's decided to let them go.

I wouldn't say I don't like them, but I have things I like better.

This is where it gets exciting. We're going to put our experts' valuations to the test.

Somebody today will go home with a lot of money.

That's all down to Thomas Watson Auctioneers here in Darlington, County Durham,

so let's get inside and find out.

And in a packed auction house today,

the all-important man wielding the gavel is auctioneer Peter Robinson.

First up is Mandy with her Archibald Thorburn print.

-I hope we get the top end for this Thorburn print.

-It would be very nice.

-It's lovely.

-All the money is going towards...?

-Camera equipment.

-You're a bit of an amateur photographer?

-I am.

-I've managed to win third prize in a national magazine.

-Have you?

-Yes.

-Fantastic.

-Last year.

-Do you do landscapes and portraits or just anything?

-Landscape, wildlife and macro-photography.

-Is that why you've got the Thorburn, is it, because it's wildlife?

-Yes, wildlife, yes.

-Great book illustrator. What have we got, £50 to £80 on this?

-Fixed reserve, 40.

-OK.

-A reprint of an early original, but we're in the right country to sell it.

-Exactly.

-Let's hope we get the top end.

-It would be nice.

390, showing here,

the Archibald Thorburn, very nice limited edition print

from a London Tryon Gallery.

Lot number 390. £50?

30 bid. At £30.

At £30 for the Thorburn print. At £30.

At £30. 40 bid. At £40.

Are we all finished then at £40?

Being sold at £40. Here to be sold at £40. All finished then at £40...?

-It's gone. £40, Mandy, that's OK.

-It saves me carrying it home.

-It's a few pounds less than you paid for it.

-Yeah.

-That's a gamble you take.

-It is, yeah. Good luck with the photography.

-Thank you.

Something for the boys! It's a walking cane

and it has a cheeky little picture, a Stanhope, of a lady inside.

Gordon's had lots of fun with this, I would imagine!

-Yes.

-£40-£60, it's a snip at that sort of price.

It keeps a dinner party going!

Why are you selling? It's such a good laugh.

I'm downsizing, and I have that much rubbish.

-This came over from Canada?

-Yes, and my mother never would show me it.

I was nearly 20 when she said, "One of these days I will actually show you what it is."

But unfortunately she died, and it was only by chance

-that I actually saw the pinhole and I looked through it.

-And?

And I looked through it again.

-And?

-I looked through it again and again!

I couldn't believe my eyes. It was only by accident I found it.

Lovely talking point, get any dinner party going.

-Here we go.

-Stanhope cane, this time a wooden cane with a small

peephole photographic image, at £30 to start. At £30, 40.

50, 60. At £60 bid, at £60.

All done at £60, 70 anywhere?

At £60, it's near me, gentleman's bid at £60.

-Oh, come on, a bit more.

-Selling now at £60.

-It's gone.

You'll note it was a gentleman's bid and not a lady's bid!

-Who bought it?!

-Shout his name out. THEY LAUGH

# We know what you're doing! #

Next under the hammer we've got some Moorcroft and Clarice Cliff.

Should the lots have been split? I don't know.

They belong to Lilian, but she can't be here today. We do have Kate, our expert.

The auctioneer didn't split them, so I think he agrees with you.

Stick them in as one lot, a "come and buy me" maybe?

You don't often get people collecting both. It's a risky strategy, but it might work.

-If you're starting a collection of good ceramics, it's a great place to start. £100 each?

-That's not bad.

-The Moorcroft is yummy.

-I think the Moorcroft is good.

-It's lovely, mellow colours. It's beautiful.

150 is the... Two lots in the lot here,

the Moorcroft and the Clarice Cliff,

two good examples of the two respective factories,

but being sold together for a collector.

Opening at £100. At £100 for the two together.

-120. 140. 160.

-This is good.

-180.

200. 220. 240?

-No sweat!

-240. 260. 280?

260 in the balcony. 280.

300? 280 downstairs on my left now. 300.

320. 340. 360.

380. 400. 420. 440?

-420!

-At £420.

The bid's in the balcony at £420. Being sold now at £420.

Are we all finished at 420?

Fantastic! That's what you get when you put two good names together.

-"Should they have been split? I don't know."

-We'll never know.

-I'm very happy with that and Lilian will be as well.

-She'll be thrilled.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

Next up, Guy's wooden carving.

It's been viewed, it's been handled, caressed.

And enjoyed. I think it's going to find a new home today. That's for sure.

-I would hope so.

-So do I.

Lot number 345, unusual lot,

the lion carving, obviously 18th century or early 19th century.

But a nice carving. Lot 345.

At £70.

At £70. 80 bid.

At £80. At £80. 90. 100.

120. 140? At 120 on my right, the bid. At £120.

Come on, a bit more!

The bid's on my right, gentleman's bid of £120.

Being sold at 120...

It's gone right on the bottom end of the estimate, but it's gone.

I don't think there was anybody here to bid against him, but nevertheless, I'm happy with that.

It is a cracking lot, Trevor, and it's about to go under the hammer.

We're talking about the Pearlware jug. You're not a big fan of it?

It was stuck in a wall cabinet for years and my mother hated it

and said, "Can we put it in a boot sale or dump it?"

It's got to go in a fine art antiques sale.

My father for years said, "Just hang on to it. It's Nelson, it could be worth something."

And it is. If it hadn't got the crack, what would it be worth?

Condition is really important, so it would add a couple of hundred pounds on to whatever it makes today.

-Yeah.

-But they are rare survivors, so it's in pretty good condition for what it is.

-Not many people would have kept them. Your dad was clever.

-He was.

-Let's hope we get the top end of the valuation.

-I hope so.

-This is it.

Lot 120, the Pearlware Nelson, blue-and-white printed jug.

In nice order, this lot. Lot number 120.

At 150. At 150.

At 150. At 150. 180 I'm bid.

180. 200. 220.

250. 280. 300?

280 in the balcony. At 280 I'm bid in the balcony.

-At £280. Being sold here at £280...

-Spot-on.

300. 320. 350.

-This is good.

-350. 380. 400?

380. Still in the balcony at £380.

Being sold now at £380. Are we all finished at £380?

All done?

That was brilliant, the last flurry just there!

-I thought it was stopping at 250.

-So did I.

-It was good.

-£380!

-That's good.

-All credit to you for hanging on to that.

-My mother's got to take the credit for that.

-It's a really nice item.

-A "Victory"!

-It's a victory.

-Sorry, couldn't resist.

We're doing pretty well so far. Coming up later, all will be revealed.

-Can I have a look inside?

-Yes, you may.

-I was hoping that might be the case!

We'll be selling more items later on in the show,

but now I'm heading out on my travels to Whitby railway station.

The station here in Whitby is the end of the line for the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

It's a 24-mile stretch of track which runs from here to Pickering

and it's one of the most beautiful railways in the country as it cuts right through the national park.

It's a wonderful way to see the moorland, so today I'll let the train take the strain.

The people of Whitby needed a railway

to transport goods like coal and timber from the harbour out to towns inland

and bring produce back to the ships at port.

The Whitby to Pickering railway took more than five years to build

and was opened with great celebration on May 26th 1836,

although for nearly ten years, the trains back then used to be pulled by horses.

The railway has seen many changes over the years.

Now this is a fully operational heritage railway with big, powerful steam engines, charming carriages

and delightful period stations.

And, of course, ever-changing scenery. But it hasn't always been like that.

'Joining me in the Western Saloon carriage is Philip Benham,

'manager of the railway.'

So tell me a little bit more about this incredible line.

One of the first railways built in Britain, it started up in 1835 and it was horse-drawn.

It was designed by George Stephenson who is known as the "Father of Railways".

-It was a horse-drawn railway from Whitby to Pickering through the North York Moors.

-How long did that take?

A long time. It also involved going up a rope-hauled incline through the village of Goathland,

so it was quite rough and ready.

-How did it progress?

-It became a very important railway.

You could get trains from London to Whitby up to the 1960s and it helped develop Whitby as a holiday resort.

The Beeching Plan came along. Tell me more about that and Dr Beeching.

Dr Richard Beeching was appointed Chairman of British Railways in the early 1960s

and his remit was to make the railways pay.

He came up with this reshaping plan that would close large parts of the network,

mainly branch lines, but also busier routes, including the line to Whitby.

-What happened after the Beeching Plan?

-The closure was very controversial.

Within a couple of years, a group formed to try to re-open the railway.

The founder Tom Salmon is still a supporter of the railway to this day

and he and a number of people in the community started a society to see if they could get the railway re-opened,

initially just between Grosmont and Goathland, about three miles,

but in the end, through the help of North Riding County Council and the new national park in the Moors,

the line was opened through to Pickering in one go by the Duchess of Kent.

1st of May 1973 was the official re-opening train and it's gone from strength to strength since then.

-It's wonderful and extremely popular.

-It's very popular.

We carry over 300,000 passengers a year which is a lot of people.

It's run largely by volunteers. A few people like me get paid.

But it was started by volunteers and that's the unique essence of a line like this.

It's the people who own it who run it and they have great love for the railway and everything on it.

The stations along the line are themed from different periods.

Pulling into Grosmont station is like stepping back into the 1950s.

I'm here to catch up with the driver.

-Jerry, how long have you been driving trains?

-About ten years on this railway.

And about...

about eight or nine years on BR.

-How old is the engine?

-About 1925. They worked on the Somerset and Dorset.

They were built for that railway.

They were built at Darlington and they worked on the Somerset and Dorset.

What speed can she do?

We can do about 35 flat out,

maybe 40, but up here, 25.

Do you want to push the regulator a bit more? Push it up a little bit more.

That's it, that's it. That's it.

-Do you want to put a bit on?

-I'll put a bit on.

Don't throw my shovel in! LAUGHTER

A little bit more.

Cor, that's so hot! That's really, really hot, isn't it?

3,000 degrees.

3,000 degrees?

Does it get through a lot of coal?

About a ton, a ton and a half.

-Just from Pickering to Whitby, a ton and a half?

-Grosmont to Pickering and back here again.

-I think this has got to be the best scenery in the world.

-I were born up here.

-You were born here?

-Esk Valley, yes. I'm back home.

-You're back home.

TOOTS HORN

The next stop on the journey is Goathland.

This is the most recent station on the railway

and was built as accommodation for the stationmaster and his family.

This charming station has somewhat of a celebrity status.

It's also been known as Aidensfield in ITV's Heartbeat

and as the spectacular Hogsmeade in the first Harry Potter film.

Sadly, this is where my trip ends.

The train is going onward now to Pickering, but I've got to get back to Whitby.

It's been an incredible day out.

If you're ever up here on holiday, climb aboard and experience the golden age of steam!

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant!

Big step!

Back now to our valuation day in Whitby and it looks like someone has beamed Philip into space!

-Doreen, how are you?

-All right, thank you.

-Aren't you a bit old for this sort of thing?

-Yes, I am.

-Second childhood.

-I haven't got out of my first yet!

Let's have a look at it. On the front we've got a "non-fall moon rocket".

-"Made in Japan."

-Mm-hm.

What can you tell me about it?

I bought it in about 1960.

And I had my son with us then. He was only six.

-He'll be pleased. You've just told everybody how old he is!

-I know.

He will be, yes. So I asked him if he liked it and he said yes, so I went in and I bought it.

-How much did you pay for it? Do you remember that?

-I think it was about 42 shilling.

-42 shilling is...

-£2, isn't it?

£2.10 or... It's £2.10, isn't it?

-Yes.

-This is lovely. Does it work?

-Yes. It won't drop off the table, but everybody goes like that in case it does.

-Does it not?

-No.

-Are you sure?

-Yes, yes.

-Let's give it a go, shall we?

-Right.

There's the driver. Are you ready for this?

-Are you sure it won't go off the edge?

-No.

-Whoa...

-Are you sure about this?

-Yes.

-I don't believe you. Doreen!

Get ready to catch it.

Oh, my life!

This is making me... I'm not doing this any more. This is silly. You're giving me ulcers, you are!

So your son never played it?

-He did play with it, but not very much.

-Not very roughly either.

No, he took good care of it.

I think...

that we can put an estimate on it of £50 to £80.

-Never?

-Yeah.

-Can you?

-Yeah. Is that all right?

-Yeah, fine.

We'll put an estimate on it of £50 to £80 and we'll put a reserve on it of £50 with 10% discretion,

so if the auctioneer gets to 40, 45, it'll be all right for it to go.

-Are you happy with that?

-Yes.

Maureen, it's great to see you. And I wish I lived in this area because just driving

-from Pickering this morning, it's stunning, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Do you know what you've got here?

-Not really, no.

It's been lying around the house.

-Was it your parents'?

-No, my in-laws'.

Your in-laws, OK. What do you think it's for?

-I thought probably it was for wool or string.

-I can see

where you're coming from because you could put a ball of string in there and have the thread coming out,

and cut it off at the right lengths, but do you know...

it is in fact a tea caddy.

-Oh.

-It's from the Georgian period, the Hanover period.

You have to be careful when you say the Georgian period because there were three King Georges.

This is George III so we're looking at the late 1700s right up to 1820,

George III period, and it is a pear wood, fruitwood, tea caddy,

-shaped like a pear.

-Oh, I see, yes.

Lots of caddies appeared in different shapes and sizes,

you could have larger ones, you could have smaller single cube ones.

Tea was very popular to drink, it became fashionable with royalty and

the well-to-do in the late 1600s. It was a valuable commodity.

Poor people couldn't afford to drink tea, hence it was kept under lock and key.

These caddies had

little locks on so the servants couldn't pilfer the tea.

Oh, I see, yes.

This is stunning though, and it basically is a single blend tea.

You could either have green tea or black tea, and if you look inside you can

see there are traces of tinfoil.

-Uh-huh.

-That lined this little caddy, it kept the tea fresh.

And that's really nice, you see, the traces of that just tells me that it's so right.

That's got its original hinge, its original lock and escutcheon, and

that's more than likely silver but it's blackened off over the years.

It would have had a tiny little stalk coming out of there,

just put in afterwards,

but it's absolutely stunning, it's a lovely shape.

The collectors really go for these.

-Oh, good.

-Have you any idea of the value?

No, not really. £30?

£30, right, OK.

Well, the only thing that lets it down, the stalk's missing,

that can be sorted out, and the colour can be brought back.

I'm going to say to you...

You think this is worth £30?

Well, on a very good day in auction,

you might get £500.

-Never.

-Yes.

-Gosh.

Yes, even without the work.

I'd like to put this into auction with a value of £300-£500,

have the reserve at £300,

but on a good day in this condition, that's going to do £500.

-Gosh, that's really...

-Better than a string box, isn't it?

-Yes, absolutely.

Barney and Laura, you've brought in this bizarre piece of silver plate. What do you know about it?

-It's a cocktail shaker, I think. It was my nan's.

-She hasn't told you the history of it?

-She has, but I haven't listened.

-Barney doesn't listen.

-You're boyfriend and girlfriend?

-Yeah.

-Has she told you?

-Yes.

-There we go.

-It was given to her as a present off an old friend.

She's just had it sat in a cupboard and never used it or anything.

-Not every weekend making gin slings and stuff?

-No.

-That's a bit sad.

-You're more of a lager drinker, I guess?

-Yeah. Not cocktails.

Let's have a look. It's got "A & Co" on the bottom which is a good sign

because it's Asprey & Co who are royal jewellers and silversmiths and make very good quality items.

As you say, it's a cocktail shaker, so if we open it up,

this is where you put your ice and gin and bitter lemon, stick the lid on,

then this bit unscrews.

What you've got in here is a cork and that should pull out,

but this one is a bit stuck.

You'd give it a shake and there'll be a strainer in here, you'd pour it out and that's your gin sling.

You're not tempted to keep it and have a bit of a cocktail at home?

-Not really. I don't think we use it now.

-That's why she's getting rid of it. She's never used it.

They're not very practical. It's a kind of Roaring Twenties... It's very sort of Jeeves and Wooster.

You can see Bertie Wooster having one of these.

So there's not a huge market for it and because the cork's stuck, it's a bit difficult to sell.

Price-wise, even though it's not silver, it's silver plate, it's still quite collectable

and between £50 and £80 at auction would be about right.

There are issues of condition, so you'd put a lower estimate, maybe a 40 reserve and a 50 to 80 estimate.

Is that the sort of thing you'd go for?

-Yeah.

-That's fine, yeah.

-You should listen to your grandma more, see what else she's got in the cupboard!

-But we'll send it to sell and see how it goes.

-Yeah.

I'm trying to think up a bad pun on cocktails and bells, but I'm going to resist the temptation.

-So let's send it to sale and see how it goes. Thanks very much.

-Thanks.

-Coleen and Cliff, how are you both?

-Fine.

-You've brought me an envelope.

-I have, yes.

-Can I have a look inside?

-You may.

Do you know, I was hoping that might be the case.

I'm a huge Stones fan.

-This is the original line-up.

-It is.

We've got Charlie Watts in his Star Trek uniform,

Bill Wyman, who, I have to say, still looks years older than everybody else on that postcard,

Brian Jones, who sadly died in the late '60s in a swimming pool, didn't he?

Then the real wild child, Mr Jagger.

-And then Keith Richards. So have you got this signed?

-Yes.

Look at that. That's brilliant. I just think... They are iconic.

-When does this date... What's the postmark on here?

-1964, I think.

The first issue is, how do you know they were genuine?

Because authenticity is absolutely everything.

And secondly, The Beatles, for example, were well known

for their roadie to sign their signatures

and also for them to sign one another's signatures.

And I think The Stones signed one another's signatures.

So the first issue is, are they all genuine?

And the second issue is, have you got five Rolling Stones on there

and not Mick Jagger doing three of them?

-How did you come by it?

-I used to work with Charlie Watts's mother.

-Charlie Watts's mum?

-Yes. In 1964.

That was before they were famous and that's when she gave the pictures to me.

So, I think, what we've got to do is this.

We've got to catalogue this.

We'll ask the auctioneers to check the provenance. Not the provenance, but the authenticity of these.

But what we'll ask the auctioneers to do is to say in the catalogue

that it's a signed photograph of The Rolling Stones -

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts and Brian Jones,

and that the photograph was given to you by Charlie Watts' mother.

It really is important that we put that in the catalogue and on the internet

because, with this envelope, it will give the buyer more confidence that they are absolutely genuine.

I'm going to be really mean here.

I'm going to suggest that you put a £200 to £400 estimate on it.

I think, if you strike lucky,

it wouldn't surprise me if they made three to five times that.

If you're really lucky, they could make £600 to £900,

perhaps even £1,000.

But you need to put them at a sensible estimate

and the fact that it'll be on the internet and properly advertised, that'll flush the buyers out.

If I was allowed to bid, I'd be one of them.

So for the final time today,

let's see what we're taking off to auction.

Belonging to her son in the 1960s,

Doreen is taking his Moon Rocket toy to the dizzy heights of the saleroom.

Coleen and Cliff want her autographs of The Rolling Stones to top the bidding charts.

And finally my favourite item of the day, Maureen's pear-shaped pearwood tea caddy,

which I think should do well over my top end of the estimate of £300-£500.

And finally, Barney's grandmother has let him sell this rather nice cocktail shaker

as cocktails leave him unshaken.

-You're more of a lager drinker, I guess?

-Yeah. Not cocktails.

But before the cocktail shaker goes under the hammer, first up on the auction launch pad - Doreen.

The sky's the limit for this one, Doreen, the little Moon Rocket,

-bought in the 1960s for only two pounds and ten pence.

-Right.

-We've got a valuation of £50 to £80 put on by Philip, our expert here.

-Yes, good.

-So, lots of fun you had at the valuation day.

-Yes, we did.

It went whizzing round the table and kept coming back. It frightened me to death.

-You had to keep on your toes.

-You had to keep me on my toes all the time!

Lots of people have been musing over this. It's still got its original box.

-It's a lot of fun.

-It's great.

It's a nice-looking toy and it is a lot of fun.

Hopefully, somebody else is going to have a lot of fun with it.

Yes, it would be nice. I hope somebody enjoys it as much as we did.

It's ready to go and it's going right now under the hammer.

Lot number 60, the '60s Moon Rocket this time.

-Nice lot in its original box.

-Let's hope it takes off!

I have interest here. 40. At £40 to start.

50 bid. At £50. 60. 70. 80.

90. 100? At £90 with me, the bid.

100 now. At the back of the room at £100.

Not a bad return on 42 shillings!

All finished now at £100...

-Spot-on! Well done, Philip. £100!

-Good.

-Unbelievable, isn't it?

-It proved to be a really good investment.

-It is, but it wasn't an investment when you bought it. It was just a toy.

-It was just a toy.

-You had the foresight to keep it and look after it. Well done, you!

-I always thought it was special.

I've just been joined by Barney and Laura.

This is the silver-plate cocktail shaker in the form of a bell.

Let's hope it rings in some changes. £50 to £80 we're hoping for. What do you think of it?

-It's quite different.

-You're being polite - "quite different".

I had a chat to Peter the auctioneer and he said, "I wouldn't want it in my house."

I wouldn't either, but there's plenty of people out there that would love this.

It's slightly kitsch, it's a bit over the top, but a great maker's name.

Asprey. I'd have this in my house.

If I were allowed to bid, this would be coming home with me.

-Do you love cocktails?

-I don't mind them.

Here we go. It's going under the hammer.

Lot 180, the cocktail shaker.

The Asprey's bell-shaped cocktail shaker here.

At £30 to start. At £30. At £30.

-Unusual lot.

-Come on!

-Asprey's cocktail shaker.

40 bid. 5. 50.

5? At £50. On my right, the gentleman's bid at £50.

On my right at £50. 55 anywhere?

At £50. Being sold at £50 for the lot. Are we all finished?

The bid's on my right at £50, all done.

-That's good, £50.

-A drinker?

-I was getting worried.

-I thought maybe they all like their pints up here, but a few people like their cocktails.

-The odd Mai Tai.

Well done. Hopefully, you can go home now and tell Nan, can't you?

-Yes.

-She'll be pleased. What will she do with the money?

-Take us out for a meal, I think.

-And have a cocktail, presumably.

-In the spirit of the whole thing.

-In spirit!

Unintentional pun there.

Moving on swiftly, as they say, a rolling stone gathers no moss, and there's a clue to what's next.

We've been joined by Cliff and Coleen with the wonderful signed photograph

-of my favourite rock band, and Philip's, I think.

-Absolutely right.

-That is just so evocative. They were the bad boys of rock.

-Yeah.

But hopefully, hopefully, this should shoot through the roof.

-Good.

-Do you think so?

-Well sought after.

If people think it's right, it'll just...

It could stagger you.

Let's hope it's a big hit here. It's going under the hammer right now.

The Rolling Stones postcard photograph this time.

Let's start at £100. At £100.

At £100. 120 bid.

At 120 bid. At 120 bid.

140. 160.

180. 200.

220. 240.

260? 240 in the balcony.

260. 280. 300.

320. 340? 340.

360. 380. 400.

420. 440.

460. 480?

Yeah? 500. 520.

520 in the balcony.

At £520. The bid's in the balcony at £520.

Selling in the balcony at £520...

£520 - it was a smash hit!

-£520.

-Very good.

-That is brilliant, isn't it?

-That is a Honky Tonk Woman, isn't it?

-That's a Honky Tonk... Yeah.

-I think we got the Satisfaction.

-How many more can we do?

-You've got to be happy with that.

-Very happy.

You've got commission to pay here, that's 15%, but what will you put the money towards?

-I hadn't thought of this yet.

-Put it in the bank, save it for a rainy day.

-We'll go for a nice meal somewhere to celebrate.

-That'll be a very nice meal. I'm really pleased with that.

It's never too late to go and see The Rolling Stones. I don't think they'll ever give up.

-No.

-They'll be touring well into their 80s.

-You might just be able to afford two tickets with that!

OK, it's my turn to be the expert now, and it's that gorgeous pearwood tea caddy

and it belongs to Maureen here, and she's brought her husband along.

-Hi, Tony, is it?

-Hello. That's correct.

-This was your mum's, wasn't it?

-That's right, yes, it was.

So when Maureen got home from the valuation day, she said, "They've taken in the tea caddy."

-She actually rang us on the mobile phone before she even got home anyway.

-Very excited.

£300-£500 we're looking at on an average day if this was

in great condition, it needs a bit of TLC, but it'd be up there in the £800-£1,200 bracket, it's that good.

-We'll see, with the defects, isn't it?

-Have a chat to the auctioneer,

he agrees with the valuation and he said there's been lots of interest, so that's good.

-Fingers crossed. Good on your mum, she had a good eye.

-Yes.

-Excellent, yes.

-Here we go.

300, here we are, the pear-shaped

tea caddy this time, lot number 300, and open the bidding at £300.

-Straight in.

-At £300...

350, at £300... 350 bid, £400...

£450, £500...

£550, at £550 dead ahead, at 550...

At 550. 600. 650, 700... 750.

800...

850, 900...

and 50, 1,000...

and 50, 1,100...

and 50, 1,200...

-and 50.

-They like it.

-1,300.

-They like it.

-And 50...

-1,400.

-Two got stuck in, they're bidding against each other.

And 50, 1,500...

and 50, 1,600...

..and 50, 1,700...

and 50, 1,800...

..and 50, 1,900...

You're out?

1,900...and 50, 2,000.

-That's a lot of money.

-2,100...

2,200, 2,300... 2,400,

2,300 in front of me now, at 2,300. It's in the room at 2,300, all done.

-£2,300! Put it there.

-Amazing.

-Yes.

-Two people really wanted that,

that's all I can say, and they bid each other right to the bitter end.

Yes, I never imagined that.

Oh, gosh. Well, look, there's 15% commission to pay today.

-But

-don't that's a lot of money to be going home with.

-Very nice, isn't it?

-Absolutely.

-That's going to come in handy, isn't it?

-Yes.

-We haven't decided what for yet.

You're shaking. I think Maureen's had the best day of her life here in the auction room in Darlington.

-Thank you very much.

-Good job she started out on a day out with her sister in Whitby, that's all it was.

-Yes.

-Thank you so much for coming in.

-Thank you.

And thank you for watching. We've had a cracking day, I hope you've enjoyed the show.

There's plenty more surprises to come next time on Flog It.

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