Tavistock Flog It!

Today's programme is coming from the sunny south-west.

Welcome to Flog It! from glorious Devon.

We're at the historic Pannier Market in the heart of Tavistock today

and all these Devonians are really keen to find out

what all of their items are worth,

so let's find out who's first at the tables.

And scrutinising your family treasures today

are Charlie Ross and Philip Sewell.

First up is Philip,

who has been charmed by an unusual piece of bronze.

-Bill, how are you doing?

-Fine.

-Where have you come with our little chap? Where's he come from?

Well, it's very hard to say.

It belongs to my... or belonged to my mother and father.

Yes.

And I've certainly known it for 60 odd years.

Don't like it?

I think it's...unusual.

I didn't ask that. I said, do you like it?

Well, yes, he's fun.

What prompted you to consider selling it?

Because I've never seen anything quite like it before.

Well, it's in the style of a man called Bergman.

It's what we call a cold painted bronze

and I think it sort of dates from the turn of the last century,

and he did a lot of these subjects,

Arabic subjects, Eastern subjects, men with carpets, You see quite a lot of these.

If you can imagine an oil painting, the hardest thing to paint are hands and feet.

I imagine that must transcend into modelling,

cos if you look here, I think his hands are a bit out of proportion to the rest of his body.

If you turn it over on the back, we can't see any mark for Bergman,

but I think it's definitely in his style.

You know, it's got his stamp to it.

The other interesting thing is you sell these prayer mats at auction

and this is an example of exactly what a prayer mat does and it's exactly what it looks like.

In terms of value, they're quite collectable.

There's a fair demand at the moment for these sort of Eastern topics and subjects

and I would think at auction, we can put a sensible estimate of one to two hundred pounds on it.

-Certainly a reserve of no less than £100.

-Yes.

-If you have a little luck, it might top that top estimate. How does that sound?

-Well, that sounds fine.

Yeah? I'm really glad your curiosity got the better of you.

Mimi and Alan, an interesting mix here.

Perhaps we'll deal with the boxes first because they amuse me and they might amuse the viewers.

-OK.

-In so much as they've got BBC stickers all over them,

-and they are sound recordings from programmes.

-Yeah, sound effects.

I can only imagine they've been stolen. Where did you get them from?

It wasn't me.

-I bought a box load of records from an auction...

-Yeah.

-..a few years ago and they caught my eye because I like quirky things and I thought that was quirky.

-Yeah.

-Have you listened to any of them?

-I haven't. I don't have a 78 player.

But there was one particular one that took my eye there

-which is sound recordings used on Murder On The Nile.

-Yeah.

And I'm just particularly amused by a selection here.

"Arabic noises.

"Anchor chains.

"Ships paddles.

"Rifle shots.

"Beat of Tom-Toms and singing."

-I'd love to hear them.

-I can imagine the person there actually making the sounds.

And "Jackal." Anyway, someone's going to really enjoy those.

Perhaps the BBC will buy them back in case they do the programme again.

Leaving those on one side, you've got a tremendous collection of slides here,

actually magic lantern slides, dating I would think from Edwardian times.

-Late Victorian, Edwardian times. 1900, 1910.

-OK.

-They are, looking at the boxes here, French.

-Mmm hmm.

And they are all sorts of different subjects.

How did you get them?

-Again, a box lot at an auction.

-Right.

I was after some magic lantern slides that were of Snow White.

-Yeah?

-And they happened to be in this box lot along with the Snow White magic lantern slides.

-I see.

-So you kept the Snow White.

-Yes.

-And have you got a magic lantern?

-No.

-So you just hold them up to the light do you?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-What's your particular love with Snow White?

-Well, it's to do with sort of early animation stuff.

-Yeah?

Walt Disney did Snow White and Mimi happened to see these and knowing about my interest in animation,

she got these and she gave me the Snow White things, but we still had these.

-Right.

-And some of these perhaps relate to newspaper cartoon characters,

-because in the early years of the century, right up until the 1920s...

-Yeah.

..every newspaper had these things to encourage the children, who would then say to their parents,

-"Please can we have the Daily Whatever to get hold of the cartoon strip."

-Yeah, yeah. Interesting.

And I think this is probably one such slide, showing rabbits in various poses.

-There's one particularly interesting one here which is quite obviously First World War battle ships.

-Mmm.

I think you alluded to the fact it might be the Battle of Jutland.

-Yes.

-Or something like that. There is just great ones.

There's sort of children's cartoons here.

The chap riding a pig and a girl on a bicycle and two chaps having a scrap.

Value. I think those are fantastic fun,

but of no significant value.

If the auctioneers are going to publish an estimate, £50 to £80, something like that.

-Mmm.

-Yeah.

-Sell without reserve?

-I'm happy with that.

-Happy?

-Yeah.

-Then we'll have fun on auction time.

-The great thing, these are going to go to somebody with a projector who's going to love them.

-Yes.

Phyllis and Lavinia, you're not sisters are you?

-No.

-Sisters-in-law?

-That's right.

-Yes. So how come you jointly own all of this Majolica?

Well, they were left to my mother and we split them between us.

So you have one urn with base each.

-Yes.

-And one small plaque each.

-That's right.

So you've both agreed to sell here today then?

-You want to put them into auction.

-We would like to, yes.

So why do you want to get rid of your half?

-Because my children absolutely hate them.

-They hate it?

Yes, they do and I'm not very keen.

-And what about you?

-The same.

-Same?

-Yes.

Which one's yours, Phyllis?

-Um, that one.

-This one.

-And this one, yes.

There's a little bit of damage on the lizard's tail here.

Yes, there is. Not made a very good job of it really.

No, but at least it's obvious.

-You're not trying to deceive anybody so that can be done professionally and well hidden.

-Yes.

But they are cracking, aren't they?

Well, they are so typical of Majolica.

-That's what you expect to see.

-Yes.

It's an earthenware vessel

coloured with so many bright interesting glazes of naturalistic form all over the jug.

You've sort of got pond weed and all kind of algae and moss,

which is a great habitat for all of these wonderful creatures, frogs and lizards, newts, bugs.

But just look at those handles.

The modelling is so naturalistic, it's so lifelike.

-And they've even got the lizard's sort of skin. Can you see?

-Yes.

They've got little tiny scales put on there.

When the clay was wet they've pushed bits of cloth on there

-and picked up the undulations of the thread.

-Yes.

-Just to get that texture of scales.

-How did they actually do this? Is it shredded?

-No, it's just...

-it's rolled out pieces of clay, and then chopped with a knife, tiny little pieces.

-Is it really?

But it's the modelling in the creatures that is so lovely.

I'm going to have a look at the backs a minute. You can see "Portugal"...

-Yes.

-..stamped on the back. Now, this indicates to me that it's around 1900, 1910.

-Right.

Because the earlier ones weren't stamped Portugal.

Right, let's talk about value.

I'd like to split the two lots. I think the two plaques will sell separately in one lot.

-Right.

-With a valuation of two to three hundred pounds.

-Mmm-hmm.

-But I can see them doing the 300 quite easily.

-Yeah.

-And the two jugs I'd like to put in the sale with a valuation of £300 to £500

-and I'm hoping they'll easily do the 500.

-Yes, that's fine.

-We'll put a fixed reserve of £300 for the pair.

-Yeah.

-Are you happy with that?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-And a fixed reserve of £200 for the little plaques.

-Right. Yes.

It's a striking collection, absolutely striking, and let's hope they're kept together.

A wonderful mixture here. Before we come on to the slides, which we will talk about,

I love the microscope.

I have never seen a microscope that is actually formed as part of the box it comes in.

Normally, you take it out, put it together and it free stands on the table.

On this, the base is formed by the box, isn't it?

-Has it got a name on it?

-Yes. Dunn of Edinburgh.

-And it's got some slides with it.

-Yes, and various lenses as well.

Oh, different lenses. How did you get hold of it?

It's been in the family as long as I can remember.

-My mother used to go to auction sales and houses clearances.

-Oh, right!

-Ever tried using it?

-I have. It does work, but it's very fiddly.

I'm sure it is. The slides are beautiful. They're actually ivory-mounted.

-And specimens of...I don't know.

-I think there's flies' legs and flies' wings.

A bit of everything, really.

These are fabulous. The real problem is the condition of them.

They're magic lantern slides, but they're early 19th century.

Most of the ones we see are 1880, 1890.

I think you can put these back another 50 years, nearer 1800 than 1900.

We've got all sorts of cartoons. I've pulled out three examples,

one of which is mechanical and I'm sure you've seen this, but wind the handle,

and it gives the most wonderful patterns.

And here...we've got a boxing fight.

The trouble is that the arms are fixed at an angle to the body!

It's quite difficult to land a blow.

Whether it looks better with a light projecting it onto the wall

and they become life-sized, it'll be a lot more fun.

-Yes.

-And another one we've pulled out here is or are some caricatures.

The thing about these early magic lantern slides is they're hand-painted.

And you can feel, if you run your hand along the back, the texture of the paint.

And it's smooth on the other side.

But they are from a Punch and Judy show

and I think great, great fun and something people will collect.

Unfortunately, we've got some bad condition ones and that happens more with these

than with transfer-printed ones.

If we put the whole lot together, you're looking at £100-£200 worth, which is not bad.

-Would that be satisfactory for you to sell?

-Yes.

-And put a reserve of £80 on.

-That'll be fine.

-I think we should put a reserve on.

It would be shame to see them blown away for £20 or £30. It's not going to be earth-changing!

Then you could go on a world cruise, but it won't quite do that for you. Thank you for bringing them.

They're fascinating, and early.

-How are you doing?

-Fine, thank you.

-Yes.

-Terry, this is your powder compact?

Not my powder compact, Philip, no.

It was my grandmother's on my father's side.

-That is a huge relief.

-That is with me as well.

-Yeah, but this is now yours?

-It is.

-And why do you want to sell this?

-I no longer use it.

I used it for a while, but then I went onto the compressed powder.

Compressed powder. You'll appreciate I don't use make up that much.

Well, not in public, clearly.

-Why do you both want to sell it?

-Well, it's just sitting indoors doing nothing.

It was passed to the daughter. She wouldn't have any use for it or even appreciate it.

-Really?

-Not now. Which is a shame.

-I think it's lovely.

-It is, yeah.

And the thing about it is, you know, that is just pure its time isn't it?

-Yes.

-It's pure Deco.

-Let's just have a look. It's Mappin & Webb.

-Yeah.

-You know, one of the best names there is.

Marked for 1936. Enamelled.

You've got a lovely little compact mirror in here.

-The only problems with it is, you know a lot of people think that porcelain's really fragile.

-Mmm.

-But things that are enamelled are really fragile as well.

-They are.

-And this has been perhaps dropped.

-Dropped.

-In someone's bag.

-Yeah.

-Or dropped on a table and we've got a chip to the enamel there and another there.

-That one is not that bad because when it's...

-You don't notice that.

..closed the clasp covers it, but that nonetheless is going to detract a little bit from its value.

I think these are going to become quite collectable

-and this is where antiques are great value for money because you imagine going to Mappin & Webb today...

-Yes.

..and buying a silver enamel compact.

-How many hundreds of pounds would that cost you?

-Yes, yeah.

-Thousands.

I think this is probably £40 to £60.

-Mmm-hmm. Yeah.

-We'll put a fixed reserve on it of £30 for you.

-Yeah.

That's what it's worth, but I think whoever gets that at auction will have a real good buy.

-You happy with that?

-Yes.

-Very happy with that.

-Let's hope it does well.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

Now, we're going to travel over hill and dale to Buckfastleigh,

a sleepy village that boasts a museum with a difference.

Today on Flog It!, we're off down the pub.

If you think you're in for a tipple in this watering hole, you haven't got a ghost of a chance.

Intrigued? Let's go inside this weird and wonderful watering hole and find out why, shall we?

Welcome to The Valiant Soldier in Buckfastleigh, South Devon, the pub that never called time.

Ever since the last pint was pulled here in 1965, time has stood still.

The brewery decided the pub was no longer viable, so publicans Mark and Alice downed tea towels

for the last time and locked the doors forever.

Alice continued to live here without changing a thing until 1996.

Now open as a museum, you can step in here and drink in five decades of social history.

Now The Valiant Soldier is not so much a tavern, more of a time warp. Look at it!

We've got whiskies and gins. There's an old price list.

Now what does it say? Draught beer, one shilling and five pence. That's about 5p.

At that rate, the drinks are on me! There's a till full of old coppers, threepenny bits, sixpences.

Over there is a darts game. Looks like it was in progress and suddenly stopped.

The only thing that's missing are the locals. Where are the regulars?

Mark and Alice Roberts took on the tenancy of The Valiant Soldier in January, 1938.

During WWII, the place was packed, including American GIs in the run up to D-Day,

and the interior never really changed.

It was only when Alice was moved into a home that some light could be shone on the secrets of her pub.

She clearly didn't throw anything away. She hoarded things.

And up here in this attic room I can point a few things out.

There's some old newspapers,

a box that says "Stiff and Starch" with a gas mask popping out of it,

lots of crockery and china, stuffed badgers,

a brass bed stead, headboard and toe board, a Union Jack on the wall.

Incredible, really. So much stuff. All clutter, really.

40 years ago, it was just commonplace things,

but to a youngster today, half of this wouldn't mean a thing.

Alice Roberts' sitting room looks like she's just popped downstairs to make a cup of tea.

The radio is still on, a newspaper on the table, slippers by the chair.

It's easy to feel as if we're just intruding on her everyday life.

This is Alice's bedroom. All her clothes are laid out for her.

Maybe she's gone to take a bath and will be back in a moment.

The locals say that this place is haunted and this room, in particular, has a cold feel.

I think I'm in the need of human company.

Thankfully, downstairs some locals have arrived to keep me company

and fill me in on the good old days. And the beers are on me!

-Hi, guys. Mind if I join you?

-No, come and sit down.

-A couple of locals to talk to. Pleased to meet you.

-John.

-And another John.

-OK!

-Both born and bred in the village?

-Yes.

-What was Alice like? Can you remember?

Always rolling around, collecting wood and stuff.

She'd pass the time of day with you, but she was a bit of a recluse.

-When her husband died, did she just shut the pub?

-No, I don't know what really happened.

-I think the brewery said enough was enough.

-Right.

But she stayed here. It was an old ale house.

-A proper inn.

-That's right. The ladies used to have to go in the lounge.

-They weren't allowed in the bar.

-Not very gentlemanly.

-That's how it used to be.

-This pub was thriving during the war when the Yanks were here.

-Can you remember them?

-Oh, yeah.

But after they left, it just died a death.

It was like a ghost town when the Americans left.

-I bet those GIs invited some local girls in.

-I bet they did!

They'll be in the lounge.

Here we go. The lounge, also known as the snug.

Hello, ladies. Do you mind me joining you?

-I've just been having a chat to John and John.

-I was in the same class as one of them!

-What are your names? I'm Paul.

-I'm Pat.

-I'm Marjorie.

-Hello.

I want to know all about Alice and the snug here.

There used to be a cinema down here.

And when we were young, we used to go to the pictures.

On the way home, we'd come in here for a drink. A gin and orange.

-You came in here?

-He'd go in there for a drink and then he would come in here after a while.

You could have a kiss and cuddle. You weren't allowed to at home!

-My mum wouldn't let us.

-Does this bring back lots of memories?

-It does.

-Dance days.

-Dance days.

-With the dances.

We used to come down at half time from the town hall

-and there were all the American troops.

-Did you go out with a GI?

No, I was too young, but I used to get well supplied with sweets and chewing gum.

We done very well with them.

-Tell me about Alice. Can you remember her behind the bar?

-It was mostly Mark.

-She was in the kitchen.

-Yeah.

-Was it sad when it shut down?

-It was for the locals. One of the main local pubs.

-Lost your snug.

-They say it's haunted.

-If we don't see you again, a ghost got you!

-OK(!) Cheerio! Thank you very much.

-Bye!

-Bye!

We've got to bid a fond farewell to The Valiant Soldier,

a pub that can't offer you any booze, but can give you fond memories of drinking days of yore

and conjure up a few spirits!

We were hoping for a good start to the day and oh, boy, have we found one?

Philip and Charlie have been working flat out, we've got some cracking items and I don't know about you,

but I can't wait to find out how these do when they go to auction.

I think Philip is right on the money with this unusual piece.

Even if it's not a Bergman, it'll create a lot of interest.

Out of the archive and into the saleroom again for Myral and Alan's ancient vinyl records.

And equally elderly are the slides.

Let's hope the bidders are there.

I know Lavinia and Phyllis thought these pieces of Majolica were hideous,

but I think they're unique and wonderful. I wonder what reception they'll get in the saleroom.

Terence and Ann's compact by Mappin & Webb is a name to conjure with

and it's why I have a feeling it might do rather well.

It's quite unusual to find a portable microscope in its own box

and these slides are hand-painted. If the collectors are out in force, Derek and Ruth should do well.

And we're hoping for the very best prices here today

at Eldreds Auction Rooms just outside of Plymouth.

And on the rostrum today is auctioneer Anthony Eldred.

-We don't know if it is Bergman. We had a good look.

-Yeah.

-It's the quality though.

It's a great cold painted bronze and it's worth every penny of that one to two hundred.

-Yes.

-Might be Bergman's son, you never know, but it is that quality

and I think this could do £250-350. That's what I'm hoping, fingers crossed.

I think that it will make its money.

-Yeah.

-And the real thing is, that's the flavour of the month, that's what people want to buy.

-Yes.

-The days of the copper warming pan are long gone.

-Yes, exactly.

-That's what they want.

-It's going under the hammer. Let's hope this astral carpet flies across Dartmoor.

Our next lot - 143.

It's a cold painted bronze figure of an Arab kneeling on a prayer mat.

There is it, and several bidders.

I am bid £120 against you all in the room at 120.

Come on, a bit more than that.

140, 150,

160, 170, 180.

At £180, still against you all.

190, 200. At £200.

Are you done then at £200?

Yes. £200. Top end of the estimate.

-Very good.

-You'll take that won't you, Bill?

-Yes.

What are you going to put that towards?

-I've got nine grandchildren.

-Gosh.

-And two christenings coming up.

Wow.

Next up, the magic lantern slides.

We've got Alan, but unfortunately the wife, Mimi, where is she?

-She's missing.

-Well, yes, she took off.

She's in the States. She's visiting her parents.

OK. I know you're a big fan of animation and this was a present to you, wasn't it?

Yes. It was a surprise for me and she...

It did surprise me as well!

Why do you want to sell them?

Because I've got the best ones. She saved the one or two for me and these are what's left.

Yeah. What are we looking at? £50 to £80? Not a great deal of money.

No. Hopefully, they'll make 80, and goodness knows about the records, the BBC records.

-Yes, the recordings.

-I'm not even sure we're allowed to sell them.

We're going to find out.

Next is lot 207. It's some BBC 78rpm records of sound effects

and some magic lantern slides.

There they are and £20 bid for those. Against you all at 20.

5, 30, 5, 40, 5, 48, 50.

At £50 at the very back. At £50.

At 50 then. Are you all done at £50?

Sell at 50. Quite sure at £50?

-Yes. Spot on. £50.

-About right.

-Well, well done.

-Happy?

-Yes. Yes.

-£50.

-Yes.

It's now Ann and Terry's turn to flog their item off and it's a lovely silver compact.

Great name, Mappin & Webb. We're looking at £40 to £60 on this.

-Right.

-It was your mother's.

-My grandmother's.

-Your grandmother's.

Handed down through the family and I've just spotted a little flag on the lapel there.

-Kernow. That's the flag of Cornwall, isn't it?

-Spot on.

Got to do a proper job now.

I feel quite the foreigner here.

-It's nice. A good name.

-We'll do well.

-I think they'll sell it.

-Let's hope we get that £60. Good luck, you two.

-Thank you.

It's going under the hammer now.

Next is lot 452.

It's a Deco-style compact, there it is, and I'm bid £30 for it.

Against you at 32, if you want it.

At 32, 5, 8, 40. 2, 5, 8. At £48.

At 48 then. 50 if you want it.

-Fresh bidding at two. 55, 58.

-That's good.

And 60 now. And two.

65, 68.

At £68 then, all done.

-Good.

-Good.

-I've got to say, well done, Philip.

-That's a good valuation. That's lunch out for you two.

-Well done.

-My pleasure.

-Thank you very much.

-This magic lantern was your mother's.

-The slides were, yes.

I think she probably bought them as a job lot and I don't think she bought them intentionally.

-Well, let's hope we get that magic £200.

-There are some wonderful images there.

-And a couple of mechanical ones. There's a boxing one.

-A bit of fun.

And a kaleidoscopic one, which is rather fun. It should do all right.

They've ended up back in a general auction! What goes around comes around! It's going right now.

Next is Lot 124. It's 12 magic lantern slides.

There they are.

And a little brass microscope. All in one lot, several bidders.

I'm bid...£120.

Oh, we'll get that 200.

150. 160. 170. 180.

190. 200. And 20. 240.

-What? Ooh!

-260. 300.

-We must have missed something.

-340.

At £340 here.

At 340. Take 10?

All done then at £340? Quite sure at 340?

-£340!

-Lovely. Proper job.

-Proper job! That's what they say.

That's a fantastic result. You'd have settled for 100 quid.

-Well, yes.

-We had 80 quid discretion!

-I wouldn't have minded 80!

Lavinia and Phyllis, it's great to see you again and I've got to say don't they look absolutely splendid.

We've got the Palissyware just about to go under the hammer.

We've split it into two lots.

-Yes.

-And first up is the two little ewers, the wine ewers on separate bases. OK?

So what's going through your minds? Any regrets?

-No. None at all.

-Get rid.

-Just glad to get rid of them.

OK, OK. Let's just hope we get top end, shall we? It's going under the hammer now.

On next lot - 248.

This is a pair of Palissy style Portuguese lid ewers. There they are.

Several bids for them. I am bid £380.

-Against you all at £380. £380.

-Straight in.

390, 400.

And 10. 420, 430, 440,

450, 460, 470, 480, 490, 500.

-And 10, 520, 530 there.

-Ah, how brilliant.

540. At £540, fresh bidding.

At £540 then. Quite sure at 540.

-Yes.

-That's lovely.

One lot down, one more to go. We've got £540 so far.

Here's the second.

Next is lot 254.

It's two Palissy Portuguese dishes again.

And a lot of bids again.

-I'm bid £230. Against you all at 230.

-Right, we're in.

Five if you want them. 35 and 240, 250, 260, 270.

At 270 then, in front of me. At £270.

Are you all done then at £270?

That was short and sweet.

I was a bit frightened for a moment, but we got £270.

So that's not bad. That's nearly the top end of the estimate.

Let's add those together and I make that, what is it, £810.

-Very good.

-Not bad, is it?

-No, it's very exciting.

-Happy?

-Yes, very happy.

-Yes.

-You've got to be!

-Glad to get rid of them.

If you think celebrities are just a modern TV invention, then think again.

I'm in Endsleigh Gardens near Tavistock in Devon.

I'm surrounded by the creation of one of England's trendiest landscape gardeners from almost 200 years ago.

The sixth Duke of Bedford built this marvellous home here in the early 19th Century

and he commissioned architect Sir Jeffrey Wyattville to lay out the surrounding gardens.

The problem was, Sir Jeffrey wasn't really up to the job.

Enter Humphry Repton, self-taught landscape gardener and the darling of the landed aristocracy.

His fashionable picturesque style graced stately homes throughout the country

and the duke now summoned him to sprinkle some horticultural magic over Ainsley.

Repton was only too happy to oblige.

Although Humphry Repton had suffered a carriage accident, he wasn't put off his latest commission.

He'd arrive on site in a wheelchair and set about his work.

Being a practical man, he soon discovered that Wyattville's layout

was a bit too dangerous and rugged for the Duke of Bedford's children to play in.

So Repton went to work.

One of the main problems was the steep drop between the house and the river,

so he fenced it off and created a beautiful terrace.

The icing on the cake was this little gem in the corner which was one of Repton's trademarks.

This shell grotto is the reward

that the adults and children alike got when they reached the end of the terrace. What a surprise.

It's built of stone and granite, but it's been clad in seashells, crystals and minerals alike.

Highly exotic for the day and it's also a not-so-subtle reminder

that your hosts are far richer and more worldly travelled than you are.

Another Humphry Repton trademark was his famous red book,

so-called because they were bound in a Moroccan red leather,

each made for a particular client, this one for the Duke of Bedford.

And it is the original brochure for the before and after shot.

If you look at this, you can see what it looked like with Wyattville's designs.

Very precarious and quite dangerous for children to play on that terrace

and you turn this leaf and it shows you what it looks like

with Humphry Repton's design,

a wonderful safe terrace, a promenade to walk along.

And each picture is a work of art within itself.

And packaging his work like this to give to the client certainly was good for business.

Humphry Repton's tastes were for something more eventful,

more rustic, a style called picturesque.

This meant making the most of the natural setting.

For example, by redirecting streams like this,

so they cascaded down the hillside, creating an informal rural idyll.

However, Endsleigh House gardens over the years gradually fell into disrepair

and it is only fairly recently that they have been restored to their former glory.

So what's it like to do the gardening in a place like this?

-Let's find out from head gardener Simon Wood. Hi, Simon.

-Hello.

-Thanks for talking to us.

-That's OK.

-We're in the rock garden, aren't we?

-We are.

-What was it like before you got your hands on this?

-Very overgrown.

Everything was still here, you just couldn't see it.

So what makes this unmistakably a Repton garden?

What do you look for in Humphry Repton's designs?

Repton tended to look at the wider landscape

and use the natural beauty that's abundant here.

Incredible. And how do you get the water to sort of this level?

-Is it sort of pumped up?

-No, no. Everything is naturally fed through gravity.

-It's taken off the main stream.

-Yeah.

-It runs into various sediment tanks

and is then channelled throughout the garden into various features that we see today.

-Well, let's wander down there and take a look.

-Certainly.

Gosh, look at this. When you think of most rockeries, Simon,

they're normally about knee high, but this is absolutely massive!

-It must have taken a lot of guys back then in Humphry Repton's team to manhandle these.

-A huge amount.

-They were all brought in by block and tackle, horse and cart.

-Local stone?

Local, but also imported from around the world.

-Yeah.

-So a huge amount of work involved in getting them here.

-Yeah.

Oh, there is light at the end of the tunnel, Simon.

-And look at the view you get greeted with. My word.

-It's beautiful.

-It's absolutely stunning!

-It really is beautiful.

-What's that building there with the thatched roof?

-The dairy. The old dairy.

'This has never been a working dairy, it was simply constructed

'to fit in with Repton's vision of an informal garden.

'Repton even suggested that a peasant dwelling

'be built on an island in the grounds,

'so that a wisp of smoke from its chimney could animate the scene.

'Nothing was too much for the Duke of Bedford.

'Every morning, when he was in residence, a servant would row over to the island,

'open up the empty cottage and simply light a fire, all for the Duke's delight.'

I'm beginning to understand what Humphry Repton was all about now.

I'm just surrounded by it.

-Well, exactly. I mean, behind us, you can see a perfect example - plenty of moving water.

-Mm-hm.

Here at Endsleigh, we've got lovely steep valley sides,

-plenty of bedrock, it was all about the natural feel.

-I like the scale of the buildings.

-Like little follies, especially the cottages.

-All designed to be viewed and they worked,

but it was just making everything so picturesque.

Endsleigh's been described as the most complete example of picturesque-style planting.

And it was Repton's last major undertaking.

-I'd like to think all he'd learned throughout his...

-Is here.

-..working career was used here at Endsleigh.

-Yeah, he saved the best for last.

-That's it.

Isn't it wonderful that these superb gardens

have now been reinstated to their former glory?

Endsleigh House is a fantastic hotel, so you can come here at your leisure

and enjoy these tranquil surroundings, but for us, it's straight back to the valuation day.

-Maria, how are you?

-I'm fine, thank you.

-Who's this? Not granny?

-No, Granny's frame.

-Let's have a look at it. That is absolutely lovely.

-I think it's beautiful, yes.

-Tell me about this lady.

-It's my paternal grandmother.

She lived to be about 98

and before that, about 5 or 7 years before that, she had her leg off, amputated

-because she had gangrene.

-Oh, dear.

And her hair was so wiry that my father, her son, he used to make model boats

-and he used to use her hair as the rigging.

-Really?

So this is a silver and tortoiseshell photograph frame.

If you just look on the side here, we've got the hallmarks for 1920.

Assayed in London,

and the maker's mark on the side is CAR and C.

If you looked up in the appropriate books, you could find out who produced this.

-It's a glorious thing. Why do you want to sell it?

-I'm getting older. Bits and pieces have to go somewhere.

-They'll only fight over it, so sell it!

-What do you think Granny's frame is worth?

Again, I really don't know the values of them.

I think we could put an estimate on this in auction of £300-£500.

-And I think a fixed reserve of £250.

-Yes, right.

-I think it will do really well.

-Happy with that?

-Yes, fine.

-One thing first. We can't send Granny to the saleroom, can we?

-So I'm going to take out Granny for you.

-Never sell your grandmother.

-Never sell granny.

-Rule number one.

-Never sell her short.

-Let's just take that out. There's Granny for you.

-Thank you.

Hang on to Granny.

-Do you know? It's lost a bit of its attraction now.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-It will still do well.

Shirley, beautiful plates, lovely decoration.

Where did you get them from?

-Um, they were given to me as a Christmas present about ten years ago.

-Right.

-They were in a display cabinet.

-Yes.

And when I moved house, I didn't have room for the display cabinet.

-Right.

-So the plates came out and I don't really want them any more.

There is no point in having this if you can't look at them.

-That's true, yeah.

-Do you know who they're made by?

-Cauldon.

-Cauldon. And I thought they'd be Coalport or Worcester,

some really top quality manufacturer.

Cauldon is good, but I would say they're sort of the top of league division two.

-Now these are hand painted, these floral scenes.

-Right, yeah.

And if you look, there's a signature.

They're all painted by a man called Pope - S Pope.

-Well, I've never actually noticed that before.

-Have you not?

-No.

-No.

-So each plate has a value on its own.

-OK.

-Not just the fact that you have a collection.

-And very much obviously done for display purposes.

-Right.

-You would never dream of putting cod and chips on these.

-No.

There's another fascinating thing on the back which you may have looked at and may not have done.

I'll turn mine over, um, and Cauldon, England there,

but have you noticed another name on the back?

Not that I took any notice of it, no.

Marvellous name - Bailey, Banks and Biddle -

sounds like an old firm of London solicitors, but it's not.

-Bailey, Banks and Biddle Company, Philadelphia.

-Oh, really?

So these were made on commission for a company in Philadelphia,

exported to Philadelphia and sold there,

then subsequently found their way back to England.

What about age?

-I haven't got a clue. Not a clue.

-No. No.

This Cauldon mark would date them from...

1895 to 1920, so let's for the sake of argument call them 1910.

-OK.

-Edwardian.

-Yeah, yeah.

Um, the only thing I would say against them is they are old-fashioned scenes.

-Oh, I agree, yes.

-You know, floral decoration like this is,

although these perhaps aren't quite Victorian, very much have a Victorian flavour.

-Uh-huh.

-And we are steering away from the very, very ornate.

-Mm-hm.

-Have you ever had them insured?

-No.

-No.

-No.

-Have you got a clue about value?

-No.

-No clue?

-Not at all.

I think they're worth between...

-150 to 250, that sort of order.

-Oh, really?

-We ought to put a reserve price on.

-Yeah.

-We shouldn't give them away.

-No. So what reserve would you put on it?

-I think I would say to the auctioneer £150.

-OK.

Bit of discretion. If he got within a pitch and a putt of that, let them go.

-Yes.

-Happy with that?

-I am.

-Jackie, how are you doing?

-I'm fine, thank you.

-Are you a local lass?

-No. I moved here from Oxford.

-From Oxford?

-Yes.

-Did you buy this down here or bring it with you?

I brought it with me. I bought it at Didcot Railway Station.

-Oh, right. When?

-30 years ago. There's a museum at the...

There used to be a museum at the train station and that's where I bought it.

-They reproduce a lot of these signs.

-Yes, but they didn't so much then.

I don't think they were quite so sought after.

No. And this is published by British Railways western region.

-I think this is absolutely lovely.

-So do I. I still like it.

-So...

Let's talk nitty gritty here.

-This is a British Railways poster.

-Mmm.

-Pretty sure it's an original.

"Teignmouth is Devon", so it's promoting the Devon countryside.

-Travelling by train.

-Yeah.

-We've got the artist's name here, but I can't quite work that out.

-I've never been able to read that.

And we've got this wonderful scene here of the girl bathers,

of the promenade being lit up.

We've got these wonderful cliffs on the background and I think...

-The colour of the sea.

-It's just brilliant. Why did you buy it?

-It's just a lovely scene.

-Why do you want to sell it now?

Well, I've had it for 30 years and I just think really it's time for a change.

These things are very, very sought after.

I think this is a great subject, we're in Devon,

-it's going to be sold in Devon, um, I can't think of a better place to sell it.

-No, that's right.

-I think we need to put an estimate on it of £100-£200.

-Right.

And we'll put a fixed reserve of £100 on it.

-And I would just hope that it does really, really well.

-OK.

John, Hillary, lovely to see you

and I am so enthusiastic about this fabulous collection of postcards.

The historical content, the condition,

the numbers and the story behind them. John, enlighten us.

My father's elder brother...

-Yeah?

-..who was born in 1888...

-Yeah?

-..joined the Royal Navy, and while he was

serving on board HMS Lord Raglan must have visited Newfoundland.

Um, he bought them and sent them home to his parents.

Right. I think we've only found one that's actually written in.

-That's right.

-So whether he put them in envelopes or whether he took them back,

kept them and then took them when he got home.

-But he had a tragic end, I believe?

-Yes, he was, um...

The Lord Raglan was torpedoed.

-Torpedoed?

-Yes, in the Bosphorus.

-Right.

-And he was killed in 1918.

1918? And he was born in 1888.

-Yes.

-So he died at 30.

-That's right.

So he really collected these. We can date these postcards, can't we?

-Yes.

-Pretty accurately.

Most of these are probably bought between, let us say, 1910 and 1914.

And incidentally, by way of proof, I suppose,

the one we've found that has got writing on it is dated I think 1910.

-That's it.

-From Newfoundland.

And it's quite poignant to read the story.

And Swan to Mrs Swan. Are you a Swan?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-"Dear mother and father, just to let you know

"that I am getting on all right and I hope you are all the same at home.

"This is a very nice postcard.

"You will see Willy, that's Willy, between two..."

It says coad fish, C-O-A-D.

I thought that means cod fish, but they don't make cod that size.

-I shouldn't think so.

-Maybe then. They've all been caught.

You'd have fish and chips for the rest of your life! Amazing.

And the fish either side of him.

"All from your loving son."

And that's, gosh, eight years before he died.

As a matter of interest, we've got people there,

girls from the West Indies, there's somebody I see,

the St Lucian belle and the founders of Newfoundland.

We've got some North American Indians here.

Bear's Tooth, he looks a severe sort of chap.

You wouldn't want to come across him, would you?

Be instantly scalped.

What made you bring them along to Flog It! today?

-I did.

-Oh, you did?

-Yes. Well, I suggested it, put it that way.

-Yeah. Well, you wanted it turned into some money?

-No, I just...

-Mainly because I get them out about every five years and have a revision of them.

-Yes. Yes.

-How many have we got here?

-Well, there's 80...

-Six albums.

-Yes.

And there's 80 per album.

80 per album and they're full. That's 480 cards.

Well, I tell you, I think the collection's worth £400-£600,

and we'll put a reserve of 400.

And if the top bid is 390, well, so be it.

You can take them home again and have your look every five years.

But I'm pretty confident they'll do well.

And before we go off to auction, let's remind ourselves of what we're selling.

I'm relieved that Maria has decided not to sell her grandmother

along with this beautiful silver and tortoiseshell photo frame.

Shirley's Edwardian hand-painted plates have travelled from America.

I hope they get a big reception in the auction rooms.

Jackie's found a bit of a bargain with her railway poster.

Given its local interest, this should steam away with a good price in the auction.

John and Hillary's impressive collection of postcards

is a fascinating record of social history from the early 1900s and deserves a more regular airing.

Next up, Maria's silver and tortoiseshell photo frame. Real quality. It's got to do £500!

-It's absolute quality.

-I only do quality.

-And you look quality as well.

-A quality lady. This will sell.

-Let's find out right now.

Next is Lot 420. An Edwardian tortoiseshell and silver photograph frame.

I'm bid £210. Against you all. 210. 220. 230.

240. 250. 260.

At 270 now. 280.

-290. 300.

-Great.

-At 320, then. 330.

-Yes! Someone on the phone.

-360. 370.

-They're really keen.

-380. 390.

400. And 20. 440. 460.

480. 500.

And 20. 540.

560. 580. 600. And 20.

640.

660. 680.

700. And 50.

At £750. 800 now.

-And 50. 900.

-Yes!

-And 50.

At £950, then. Bidding's on the telephone at £950.

Last chance. At £950 here.

Quite sure, then, at 950?

Bash! £950! Quality, quality, quality, all the way through!

Maria, thank you so much for bringing such a stunning item in. Philip, you loved it.

-Yeah, nice thing.

-What are you going to do with £950?

I don't know what I'll do with all of it, but my mother was brought up in Dr Barnardo's homes

and my youngest sister is trying to get the records plus photographs, so they'll have to pay for it.

-Something will go...

-Towards that. Some archive research.

-Well done.

-A stunning item. That's quality.

-When you think about it, six plates, but it's six pieces of art, isn't it?

-That's right.

They are all hand painted by Pope, made for a company in Philadelphia.

-Yeah.

-Which is quite unusual.

-Mmm.

We've got £150 to £250 on these. If they were something different like Coalport, what would they be like?

If they were Coalport, I think they'd be more £500, I really do. Five or six hundred pounds.

-Well, we're going to find out what they're worth. I think you're right.

-Oh, these are them now?

Yeah, they're going under the hammer right now. This is it.

Next, lot 436.

Six Cauldon porcelain plates,

each one differently painted. There they are.

£110 I'm bid for them, against you all at 110.

-At 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 70, 180.

-Oh.

-Wow.

At 180 now. All done then at £180 I'll sell them.

-Yes.

-That's it.

-Blink and you'll miss that.

-Gosh.

-He ran that up really quickly!

-That was very quick.

-£180, so you were spot on.

-Yeah.

-Well, I'm pleased with that.

-Happy with that?

-Yes, I am.

Jackie, that poster inspired many people to come down here on holiday.

-I'm sure it did.

-It's got the look and I know why Philip fell in love with it.

It really is, it just sums up that period, doesn't it?

What I want to know is, why do you want to flog this?

I've had it for 30 years, so I've enjoyed it for a long while really.

-I thought it was time for it to go somewhere else.

-Been on the wall? Yes.

I know whose wall it'd like to go on. Philip, you're not allowed to buy.

-It's a really nice thing and that railway memorabilia is collectable from two points of view.

-Yes.

One from that, one from the Art Deco period, and I think it'll go really well.

-Well, you originally said at the valuation day £100-£200.

-Yeah.

-You've had a chat to Anthony.

-Yes.

-You've upped the ante.

-I'm afraid so.

-He told us before the sale started, we've got a valuation now of £200-£300.

-But I don't blame you, nor does he.

-I think it'll make its money.

-It's got to.

-It'll make its money.

-I thought so.

-It'll steam ahead for that £300. It's got to!

-It's quite unusual.

-Yes, yes.

-It was the steam ahead I was wincing at.

Next is lot 16.

It's a British Railways advertising poster.

There it is, a good local one, Teignmouth in Devon.

A lot of bids again. I'm bid £220.

-Straight in.

-Straight in at 220.

-At £220. 30 if you want it.

At 220 then. 230, 240.

-This is good.

-250, 260, 270, 280, 290, 300.

Can't see you now. At £300 by the door then, at £300. Quite sure then?

At £300, I'll sell it.

-We're on the right tracks there.

-Oh, you are awful, Paul.

-£300.

That is, that's...

I've got to tell you this. We were looking at it before the sale started

-and Charlie Ross came along and said that man in it's modelled on me.

-Yeah, he was wrong.

Hillary and John, what a collection.

We've got six albums with 480 postcards. Lots of social history.

-You've had these for 25 years? You get them out every five years to look at them.

-That's it.

-John does.

-Thank goodness you got them out to bring them to the valuation day.

-They caught your eye, Charlie.

-Yes.

-So much social history in them.

-The condition on the Newfoundland ones is pretty spectacular.

-Virtually mint condition.

-And I think you're bang on with £400-£600.

-Yeah.

I really do. I really do. And I'd like to see the 600-plus mark.

-Well, we would like to, but...

-LAUGHTER

-More the merrier.

-Why are you getting rid of them?

-Because he only gets the albums out every five years?

-I think so.

The thing is, he has so many things that he doesn't want to get rid of.

-He's like a magpie.

-Oh, definitely.

-He's not Mr Swan, he's a magpie.

Definitely. I'm the opposite.

-Well, good luck, OK.

-Thank you.

-Going under the hammer now.

Next is lot 74.

It's a collection of approximately 480 postcards.

Topographical, Newfoundland, all sorts there.

America, Australia. Several bids.

-I'm bid £410 for them.

-Oh, straight in.

-Well, that's a good start.

-420, 430, 440, 450, 460, 470, 480.

-This is more like it.

-490, 500.

Lots of interest. There's three or four people after this.

530, 540, 550, 560, 570,

-580, 590, 600. And 20.

-Oh.

£620 seated. 640 now.

660, 670, 680, 690 now.

700. And 20.

740 seated here.

At £740, then. Quite sure at 740?

-GAVEL BANGS

-Crack. That is a sold sound. £740.

-I just can't believe it.

-Hillary, what's going through your mind?

-Pretty good.

-I really don't know!

Tell him to get rid of the rest of the stuff he's got.

We have coins, he has coins. Ah, not coins, medals as well.

-What are you going to put that money towards?

-Well...

-Future holidays.

-Yeah, I don't blame you.

-Yes.

I don't blame you. If you've got any postcards like that lying around

just bring them in, because we'll value them, we'll flog them.

-Yeah.

-I'm going back into your garage after the sale.

Sadly, we've run out of time from Eldreds in Plymouth.

So until the next time, plenty more surprises to come on Flog It!

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