Barnsley Flog It!

-Today, we've come up north, and you can tell.

-CHEERING

What a brilliant atmosphere!

I'm amongst straightforward talking people, because their town motto is,

"Judge us by our actions."

And today, Flog It! has come to...

-ready? Barnsley!

-ALL: Barnsley!

Well, Barnsley's coat of arms... and here it is -

look, right there - together with its motto,

celebrates local traditional industries,

such as coal mining and glass-making,

but sadly, they're not around today.

But there still is a good sense of civic pride,

which should serve us well.

We're here at the Metrodome.

And I've a feeling our experts - Philip Serrell

and Mr Michael Baggott - are going to be judged

by their actions when we get to the sale room.

So, let's hope they get their valuations right.

So, Barry, enjoy a drink?

-Oh, yeah.

-Oh, yeah.

-Oh, yeah.

What...port, sherry and claret?

All in one glass, yeah.

-Where'd you get these from?

-Car boot sale.

How much did you pay for them?

-£6.

-You're a man of generosity, aren't you?

-Yeah.

He wanted eight actually, but...

-And you beat him down?

-Yes, aye.

-How'd you do that?

-That's the Yorkshire man in me.

Do you have Horlicks to make you sleep at night?

-Like that advert.

-Don't need it.

-You don't need it?

I've a wife.

Did you buy them because you thought they were cheap or because they were nice?

-I liked them.

-You liked them?

-Yeah.

Plus, I knew they were a give-away at £6.

Well, they were at eight as well. Where do you think they were made?

I'd imagine Staffordshire.

I think so. There's something written on the back of this one

that could well be Copeland.

-They're certainly English. What date do you reckon?

-1850s?

Spot on. Absolutely spot on, and I think they're great.

They would have been used... probably in a wine merchants.

Possibly even in a big country house, in the wine cellar.

They would have been hanging on the barrels.

And you can just see the remains here, and it is very, very faded.

It would have had... who the shipper was, the year,

which vineyard it came from.

And these would have been annexed to each barrel.

And I think they're really, really collectable. I think...

-that we can put £40-£60 estimate on them all day long.

-Yeah.

I think we can reserve them at £30.

-I think that's a real come-buy-me estimate.

-It should be.

It's a real come-buy-me estimate. And if you have a bit of luck,

they might just go and make £100.

-Yeah, yeah.

-So you'd be pleased with that?

Definitely, yeah. I've a wife and eight kids, so I need some money.

-Eight?!

-Aye.

-Don't need to ask what your hobby is, then.

I tell you one thing... Don't you get home and get confused

-as to what the difference between port, sherry and claret is?

-No.

Valerie, you don't often see things like this, do you?

No, you don't.

Can you tell me where you got it from?

Well, my father-in-law, who's been dead about ten year,

he were a big gardener.

And he had allotment, which is built on now.

And he were digging to put some potatoes in,

and he struck something. And he thinks, "Is it a rock?"

and he's digging around this rock, and it were that,

that come out of ground.

And when he got it home, somebody told him to clean it

with water with lemon in.

And that's the result, and it's not been touched since.

It's been put in a hut and passed from pillar to post. Nobody wanted it.

And I heard Flog It! were coming,

and I said, "I know what I'm going to do."

-Now is the time...

-And here we are.

..to get the allotment vase out and see what it is.

And see what it is.

Right. Well, as you rightly say, it is half a vase.

This is all beautiful cast bronze.

Yeah.

That's a bit of cast iron from the hardware shop,

that someone's put it on.

-It's what I would say was a homemade repair...a restoration.

-Yes.

Any ideas of how old it is?

Well, I've been told its Grecian.

In our mind, we're thinking it's at least 150 years old.

You're not far off.

If it were Grecian, absolutely a Grecian vase,

-it would be 4,000 years old. What this is, is Greek revival.

-Yeah.

And we started to get it in this country and on the continent

in about 1810, 1820.

More so in France, and the revival - the Classical revival at this time -

is rather chunky and hefty and less delicate.

-So we've got these very thick, chunky handles.

-Yeah.

And those, to me, are absolutely 1820, 1830.

Apart from saying that it's either English or French, I can't be any more specific than that.

Because what would have had a foundry mark on,

would have been the base.

Which is now probably...

-Still in allotment.

-Still in the allotment.

Or under houses.

What it is, as it stands, is half a good vase.

So - value, value...

What's a sack of potatoes now?

-Cos that would have been the alternative.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I think we can pop that into auction,

-and it's going to take somebody's eye at maybe £40.

-Yeah.

-So, if we put that on as the reserve...

-Yeah.

-..at an estimate of £40-£60 and see where it goes.

-Yeah.

Who knows? Someone might have dug the foot up a few years later,

and they go, "At last!"

Splendid. Well, we'll put it into the auction and keep our fingers crossed.

Hello, I had to sit next to you, because I've seen plenty of these.

-We've talked about them on Flog It! before. What's your name?

-Narina.

-Sorry? Na...

-Narina.

-Where's that from?

-It's a South African name.

Oh, how beautiful! Narina, very nice.

I've never heard that before. There's always a first on "Flog It!"

Right, look at this little tiny symphonium.

How long have you had this?

We found it in my mother-in-law's house when she passed...

Well, when she passed away.

Gosh, look at this. It's a portable CD player of the day, isn't it?

-Apparently.

-18...what, 1880s? 1890?

Isn't it lovely? A table-top one.

You can take it on a picnic, that's what it was all about.

-Does it still work?

-Yes.

-Go on, wind it up.

All you do is pull this.

SYMPHONIUM PLAYS

-Yes.

-How much faster you go...

Yeah. Well, it is clockwork. That just winds it up, doesn't it?

And each disc plays a single tune. So you could buy discs

on these little thin sheets of steel of your favourite tune.

It is! It's just like buying a little record, isn't it?

These are highly collectable. Very, very collectable.

Do you know that?

-I had heard, yes.

-The mechanics are perfect.

The box is a bit tatty, but it does say symphonium on it.

Do you know what? I think, if you put that into auction,

you're going to get around about... I'd say, £200-£300.

Hmm, very nice.

-Is that all right?

-Yes.

-Why do you want to sell it, though?

I don't think the children will want it when we've gone.

We've all sorts in the house. We've got...

Something like this, kids won't want.

But if you were to put it in the back of the wardrobe...

-Where it's been for a long time.

-..for safe keeps...yeah,

for another 40-odd years, they might learn to appreciate it.

-Ooh...

-Daughter?

-Who am I talking to here?

Your daughter? I never knew that.

You didn't tell me that. Can we flog your inheritance?

Yes, if anyone wants it.

-What's your name?

-Lindsey.

-Lindsey. Now, do you like this?

Probably just the history of it.

-Would you like to keep it?

-No, no.

Would you, would you not? We're going to get a sale, are we?

-No, I think she should sell it.

-Shall we flog it?

-Yes.

Would you like to flog it? Let's do it then.

Let's put this into auction with a value of £200-£300,

-a fixed reserve of £170.

-OK.

-OK.

It's a deal. Put it there.

Eric, you brought along a bar tariff, which is good for me, hey?

"Lindrick Gold Club, Ryder Cup, September to October, 1957."

Do you know the first thing that interests me on here?

-It's the prize of booze.

-Yeah, it's lovely, i'nt it?

-Seen this here?

A bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne - 35 shillings.

-What's that, £1.75?

-Yes.

A double whiskey, five shillings - 25 pence.

So presumably, there's something on the back of here, is there, that's...

There is. There's the signatures

of most of both teams for the Ryder Cup that year.

-Are you a golfer?

-No, not at all.

Why have you got this, then?

It was given to me by my father.

He was a wine waiter, I believe, or something of that nature, with a company called Porter Rights.

I think they provided the wines

and spirits for that particular event.

And working there, he had the foresight

to get the signatures of the teams.

The names that I recognise on here...

-Peter Alliss clearly is a great golf commentator.

-Yes.

Christy O'Connor...

Some great names here. Do you know why

-it was at Lindrick Golf Club?

-No, I'm not a golfer,

-so I wouldn't know that.

-Sir Stuart Goodwin

was a very wealthy Yorkshire industrialist,

and he financed the Ryder Cup team in 1957, to the tune of £10,000.

-That's like millions of pounds he's given them, in today's terms.

-It is.

-It's a lot of money for that.

-So he sponsored the British...

which was the British then, not Europe, as it is now...

He sponsored the British Ryder Cup team

to play against the United States, and he chose the venue.

Being a Yorkshire man, he chose Lindrick Golf Club. And Great Britain won that year,

-didn't they?

-I believe so, yes.

I think it's a really lovely thing.

You want to know what it's worth, don't you?

-That would be nice, yes, please.

-Valuation's a strange thing.

If you've got three of these,

and that one makes a fiver, and that one makes a fiver,

there's a very fair chance that that one's worth a fiver. It's comparison.

I've never seen anything like this at all.

So I'm really flying a bit blind here. I...

-I think we can put an estimate on this of £100-£200. OK?

-OK.

OK, with a fixed reserve of £100...you know,

I think, with some of these names on there,

and the story behind it, and the fact that we're in Yorkshire to sell it.

I think all of that adds together, you know,

and I would hope that it would do very, very well.

Let's just hope that they pitch up at the auction and start bidding for it.

-You happy with that?

-Very happy. Thank you.

-Good man.

Well, that was really interesting, and do you know what?

I can't wait to see what it goes for.

In fact, I don't have to wait any longer.

It's now time to flog it!

'With a wife and eight kids to support,

'let's hope Barry makes the top end of the estimate

'for his wine cellar labels.

'Imagine digging up this bronze vase.

'It's not an antiquity, but it should make more than a bag of spuds

'when it goes under the hammer.

'Another unwanted treasure... Someone at auction must want this symphonium.

'It's such an entertaining item.

'And finally, Eric's signed bar tariff is unique.

'Therefore, any collector of golf memorabilia should snap this one up.'

Well, now it's time for our experts to be judged by their actions,

here at ELR Auction Rooms in the heart of Sheffield.

And the man holding court today, with the gavel, is auctioneer Robert Lee.

But before the sale gets under way,

let's ask him to judge one of our items.

110, 120, 130, 140,

150, 160.

Sold, commission.

This belongs to Eric, and it's a bar tariff,

but it's been signed by the Ryder Cup Team,

for the golf tournament here in Lindrick,

-which is not far away from here.

-Just down the road, yeah, not far from Worksop.

And Eric's father was a wine waiter.

-So he was in the right place at the right time.

-That's true.

And he's got all the signatures.

We've got a valuation of £100-£200, for this little card.

I think it certainly should be doing 150, £200, no problem.

I'm not a golfer, so I wouldn't know any golf names,

apart from Tiger Woods, cos he's always on the telly at the moment.

But I'm sure... I'm sure

that will get the top end, as you say.

-I'd have thought so.

-Golf memorabilia is big business.

They spend a fortune on playing golf.

Golfing history, if you can have a little bit of it...

-That's true.

-..it's worth having.

-Yeah.

'And first to go under the hammer is Valerie's bronze vase.'

Your husband dug this up, didn't he? Or was it the father-in-law?

-Father-in-law.

-In a patch of potatoes.

I think that's a classic find.

Well, it's the cheapest way to acquire antiques, isn't it?

-Dig 'em up.

-Yeah.

Will we get the top end?

I don't know. I mean, it's a speculative thing,

because we've got half of it,

and the base is a replacement.

But I think it's perfect if somebody wants it for their garden.

How long have you had this?

-30 years since.

-Where's it been, then?

In a hut, in garage...

chucked out, fetched back.

-So this really is time to get rid of, isn't it?

-Yeah, yeah.

Well, let's hope we get you the top end of Michael's estimate. Good luck.

Early 19th century, Greek revival bronze urn.

£100 for it? It has all gone quiet.

£50 for it? Let's start at the bottom.

We've got 30, can we see 32?

Can we see £32 in the room?

Any interest?

32, 35, 38, 40,

42, is it? Looking for 45. New bidder, 48?

45 on the phones.

-Telephone bidding. I didn't expect that.

-No.

-Anybody for 48?

All done at 45?

Sold.

-Yes!

-Brilliant. Well done, Michael, spot on.

That is a cracking bit of garden art, actually,

if you wanted to stick it outside.

Yes, I just hope the poor chap on the phone can pick it up.

Cos the postage on it... It weighs a ton!

Going to cost you £300.

-Yeah, it does, yeah.

-Well, you got rid of.

That's the best thing, isn't it?

Mum's 80 in February, so it'll do for a do...a birthday do.

Ah, wonderful. A birthday do.

-Yeah.

-Proper knees-up for Mum, who's 80 years old.

-80, yeah.

And her boyfriend as well, 80.

-Narina and Lindsey, good luck.

-Thank you.

Let's make some music, let's get those discs spinning.

We've got that lovely little symphonium -

small size one, £200-£300.

I haven't had a chat to the auctioneer.

So that's kind of a good sign really,

cos he agrees with my valuation.

Otherwise, if I'd undervalued it, he'd have said, "Paul..."

..bring me aside and said, "I think you got it a bit wrong."

In which case, I'd tell you now. But he said nothing.

So fingers crossed, it's on the money, two-three.

-We're going to find out.

-Good.

Late 19th-century German symphonium, together with the discs.

Don't forget them. Forced to start the bidding at £200.

-We've sold it...

-200 is the opening bid. I'll go 210,

in the room. Let's have 210, discs included.

With me at 200 only.

All done at 200?

Bang, hammer's gone down. What happened was,

he had a commission bid, left on the book

-by somebody that couldn't be in the auction room.

-Right.

An absent bid, basically.

Unfortunately, there was nobody in the room to bid against that guy.

He may have left more than 200, in which case someone in the room would have bid him up.

-But nevertheless, it's sold.

-That's brilliant, yeah.

-£200.

-What are you going to do with that?

-A little bit for the grandchildren,

and a little bit for me and my husband.

We've just moved house, so there's things we're still doing there, so...

-What about a little bit this way?

-Which way?

-All of it this way.

Well, no, grandchildren.

Ah...

-Got it now.

-She's had enough.

She's had enough.

Right, here's a one-off for you. How do you put a price on this one?

Well, someone did, and it was our expert, Philip.

£100-£200, I quite agree with it, it belongs to Eric, and your father...

he was in the right place at the right time, wasn't he?

-He was, yes.

-He was a wine waiter.

I think there'll be a lot of local interest on this.

It's been properly catalogued.

It's been advertised, and it's on the internet.

Those things will ensure that it finds its level.

If you hadn't had all those things, perhaps ten or 15 years ago,

then you're gambling. I don't see that as being the case.

-It might make hundreds of pounds, but we'll find out.

-We're going to.

Golfing memorabilia is big business. We've seen it before on the show.

-Eric, good luck.

-Thank you.

-Good luck.

-Thanks very much.

Lot number 578. 1957 Ryder Cup bar menu from Lindrick Golf Club,

bearing 20 signatures including the team captains,

Peter Alliss, Tommy Bolt, Peter Mills and others.

The bidding has started at £100.

Let's have 110. Let's have 110 for it, let's have 110.

110, 120, 130.

Anybody for 140? I'm out, and I'm too soon to be out.

Must be 140 elsewhere.

Feel like I'm giving this away. Anybody else for 140? 140, 150.

Anybody else for 150?

All done at 140? Hammer's dropping.

You're right. I mean, estimate... great, great valuation.

I tell you what I think, Paul,

if you don't know the value of something when you're unsure,

you put it to auction.

That will tell you what the value is, and we've just witnessed that.

It's properly advertised. Everybody's seen it who wants it,

-and it's made what's it worth.

-Yes.

-Fine.

-Happy with that?

Very happy with that, yes. No problem at all.

OK. What will you put that money towards?

It's a trip towards...

-It's a trip to Nepal for my son, Andrew.

-Oh, fantastic.

His school sponsors a children's school in Nepal,

and they do a three-week trip there,

so that'll go towards his trip there. That'll be towards that.

Ah, trip of a lifetime.

Tell him to take a camera.

We could be in for a little surprise now.

Just been joined by Barry - I have Philip, our valuer.

£40-£60 on these five wine labels...

-which you picked up for, how much? Remind us all.

-£6.

£6 for the lot.

-A poorly octopus...£6.

-I think... Yes... I think, you know...

We could do £150, if there's two buyers that like these right now.

I think if you get two people who are interested in, sort of, wine memorabilia and the like,

-I think... Let's just hope we have some spirited bidding.

-Yes.

And I think each little label could be worth £30-£40 each.

-So, add that up...

-400.

-Ching, ching.

-I think they'll do £100.

-Hopefully, hopefully.

There's a good crowd here, a good crowd of people here.

-So they'll make what they're worth.

-Yup. I'm hoping for 150.

-You know what Philip wants, let's find out.

-We know what I want.

Yeah, more the better.

Let's find out what this lot want. We've got a packed auction room.

Let's see some hands go up in the air.

Three earthenware wine cellar labels,

together with two circular numbered bin discs.

Some nice 19th-century pottery.

Other people like them,

-there's lots of interest on the commissions.

-Great.

-I'm forced to start them at 140.

-Oh!

-Get in there.

I'll take 150, from somebody in the room. 150, is it?

-Come on.

-With me at 140, 150.

I'm out. Looking for 160?

150 at the top. Still cheap.

Finally, at 150. Have we finished?

Yes, hammer's gone down. £150.

-You were right.

-Well, you've got...

great eyes for spotting a bargain at a car boot sale.

I went to Specsavers.

Over the years, both the great and the good have been immortalised in bronze.

And, traditionally,

figurative sculpture can look serious and austere.

But the man who produced this piece is producing works in a rather different vein.

# Bring me sunshine

# In your smile

# Bring me laughter

# All the while... #

Barnsley-born artist Graham Ibbeson has a great sense of humour

and certainly looks on the funnier side of life.

So I've come here to find out

what makes the man behind these comic sculptures really tick.

# To each brand new bright tomorrow

# Make me happy

# Through the years

# Never bring me

# Any tears... #

Graham, it's so good to meet the man behind the sculpture.

I've seen your work

quite a few times, when we've been filming "Flog It!"

Once in Northampton, one in Perth

and there was one other, which is, of course, this guy, outside Rugby School.

William Webb Ellis, yeah, yeah. Big lad.

Where did it all start? You are a trained artist, aren't you?

I went to art school and I was basically good at drawing.

And this old Polish tutor got me to kind of, make sculpture.

He saw my drawings and just said they looked very three-dimensional.

And he steered me that way.

-What about other sculptors that have inspired you as a young lad?

-None.

-None?

-I was kind of inspired by comic books. I come from...

My work's almost like illustration.

So, I like the DC Thompson,

Dandy and Beano, Bamford seaside postcards. All that stuff.

So I come from a different angle.

I mean, I really don't know what fine art's about.

-I'd rather people go into a gallery and titter.

-Yes.

-Rather than go in the gallery and...

-"Oh, what's that all about?"

Yeah, so deep. But my work is accessible.

-Yes.

-Because of who sees it.

You know, a kid in the street, or some kind of intellectual.

Everybody can enjoy it, on different levels.

What came first, the comedy or the serious ones?

Well, I had to learn my craft to abuse it. It's a bit like Les Dawson.

Les Dawson looks like he plays the piano badly.

But he is a kind of virtuoso piano player.

So, I had to learn my craft before I can actually take it...

-Yeah, diversify.

-..diversify and make caricatures.

One of the little bronzes outside caught my eye. It's the little Buddha with goggles on.

I come from a kind of council house estate.

You know, my dad were a Barnsley miner. Come here, you little...

And I liked the idea of a guardian angel.

So, I made a guardian Buddha, angel, little god.

But he's got an industrial screw on his head,

he's got goggles, he's got medals from his past deeds.

And I've called it The Head Of The Little Barnsley Buddha.

You know, like, "Come here, you little Buddha."

So, there's all that gag, but it's quite serious.

I've used a kind of traditional material,

I've used bronze, I've used, kind of other, other elements.

But it's still a gag.

They really do make you laugh. You just have to stop and admire them.

But when you find out, their titles that you've given them, it's...

You just fall over with laughter.

It's part of the fun of making it.

It's part of the enjoyment of seeing the work.

Seeing the title. I did a girl screaming at a crab

but she doesn't know that she's got a crab hanging from her backside.

You know, she's at the seaside in Bridlington.

I wanted to call it, Girl With Crabs, and my wife said, "You...!"

So, I called it North Sea Nippers.

So, I've got Down To Earth as well, which is a little angel, kind of,

that's got a, kind of, supermarket carrier bag and a little case

and she's been really bad up there,

so Him up there, or Her up there, has sent her back down.

So, she's got the bottom lip. So, it's just Down to Earth.

So, it leads people in, the title's funny.

And I like the innocence of kids. In a way, I'm kind of a naive optimist.

Graham's positive, light-hearted approach to his work is clearly evident.

He even draws inspiration from his own childhood innocence.

There's one called The Grimethorpe Flyer.

Basically, it's a kid with cardboard wings,

Fair Isle jumper, long shorts, S belt.

It's me as a child, trying to escape the village of Grimethorpe.

So, that's very important to me.

Another piece, that's a bit of a departure for me, it's Big Mother.

What it is, is a mincing machine that I've adapted to the shape of a woman.

There's a handle and little babies come popping out.

I had a show in Austria. And this Austrian woman accused...

You know, didn't like the sculpture,

she was heavily pregnant, and I asked her why.

She says well, you know, like, "It's ridiculing pregnant women."

I said, "It's kind of making the men redundant. Don't you like that?"

She says, "Oh, I like that element but it's probably a man who's turning the handle."

In addition to his small quirky pieces, over the years,

Graham has been commissioned to produce various public sculptures,

of famous people. One of the best known,

and possibly most loved, is that of Eric Morecombe.

The original takes pride of place in Morecombe Bay.

It was fifteen years after Eric's death that the sculpture was unveiled.

But I'd been involved for six years.

So, I had to come up with a pose of Eric doing the Sunshine dance.

What I do is try to get the spirit of the man.

When Eric's widow came down here to look at it, I'd been six years.

And this were the one moment I was dreading.

She saw Eric... my sculpture of Eric...

and she says, "That's Eric, Graham."

"Go and get the kettle on."

And I tell you, I just... Unbelievable!

The image is just so right, it's so perfect.

Well, I mean...

The thing is I do all these people that are dead

and my sculpture's about life.

It is really about life.

Are you going to do a living person soon?

Yeah, I am doing Dickie Bird, actually.

He's almost a caricature of himself. So, it's very much like my work,

what I'm doing with the cricket jumpers round and everything else.

So, it's going to be an affectionate portrait.

And he's alive, so I can measure him.

-You can get him here.

-I have to be quick, he's 75.

Let's just talk about William Webb Ellis, for a moment.

Imagine you get the commission. What goes through your mind first?

Do you do a sketch or do you do a small study?

Well, this is the kind of maquette.

It's what we call a maquette, which is a three dimensional sketch.

It hasn't got to be seen as a replica.

You know, this is not exactly what the sculpture is going to look like.

It's to work out the pose.

-Just a study really.

-It's basically a quick study.

So, from the time you had the idea, and produced the little maquette,

to when you finished that, how long did that take?

Well, not all that long. Maybe two month to make the figure.

I mean, it sounds a long time but...

It's a lot of work though, isn't it?

It's a lot of work, and you've got clients coming up and looking.

It changed several times.

If you're doing a running figure, how do you capture that?

You've got to move it around and make it work for you.

Are you very critical of your work?

Any artist worth their salt should be.

It's a curse and a gift.

I cannot put the modelling tools down.

Don't! Please, don't stop!

You're giving so many thousands out there so much joy and happiness.

-Oh, thanks.

-You are bringing them sunshine. Thank you very much.

Back at the valuation day, Philip has found a couple of ladies

who also have something to smile about.

-Judith and Doris, how are you both, all right?

-Fine, thanks.

-Fine, thank you.

-Local girls?

-Yup.

-We are.

-Barnsley lasses?

-That's right.

Why have two Barnsley lasses

got a watercolour from Surrey, and a watercolour from Hampshire?

Because they're my sister in law's.

-So, you brought them here for her today?

-Yes, we have.

Unfortunately she's disabled, so she can't get herself.

They've been handed down

from her grandmother, to her mother, and eventually to her.

So, Janet, your sister-in-law, doesn't like these?

-Oh, she loves them.

-She loves them.

She loves them? So, why is she selling them?

Her mother was an antiques dealer. And she's had to go into a home.

Unfortunately, Janet's inherited rather a lot of the antiques.

-So, basically, something's got to go.

-Something's got to go.

-Oh, yes, oh, yes.

-Do you like them?

-I do. I think they're pretty.

They're a bit out of grace and favour at the moment.

Yes, all right. Had the sky been a little bit different, more blue,

-I think it would have been...

-More blue?

-Yes.

Do you think that's because that's the way it's been painted?

No, I think it's because it's faded. It's been in the sun.

Can't tell you much, Doris, can I, eh? I think you're spot on.

And if you just have a look at this one here, look.

And that looks as though it's been in the damp.

Do you want to come and sit here?

HE CHUCKLES

You're spot on. This has been in the damp.

There's nothing much you can do about that, other than repainting it.

It's affected the paper, you know,

we've got these sort of autumnal themes here, and the clouds are

-almost the same colour as the trees, aren't they?

-Yeah, uh-huh.

It's a real shame, because they're lovely pictures.

You've got this shepherd and shepherdess.

It's signed here by the artist, Fred Hines.

Fred Hines was a Victorian artist, who was quite active from about 1875,

through to the first, sort of, ten, 20 years of the 20th century.

And a well recorded artist. But the problem you've got...

-It's quite simple to value something in good order, right?

-Yeah.

But when you've got to start valuing something in bad order, right?

And really, I mean, that does just hit you, doesn't it?

Yeah, it does spoil, yes.

So, what you've got to do is you've got to pitch them

at a price that is almost, "Come and buy me."

That makes them attractive to someone in the sale room.

I think that you should estimate them at between £100-£200 for the two.

I think you should put a fixed reserve on the two at £80, all right?

On that basis, do you think Janet would be happy to sell them?

-Yes.

-Well, yes, they do want to get them out of the way.

I mean, we've sort of crammed everything in every nook and cranny we could, haven't we?

Let's just hope that the estimate that I put on them,

really does, sort of captivate a bit of interest.

Somebody might say, "Yes, they are pretty, I like them and I'll buy."

Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope they do well.

I'd love them to do well for you.

I've seen these before.

It's majolica, it's from Stoke on Trent, from the potteries.

Caroline, tell me about it?

As far as we know, it's come down through the family.

My grandmother's aunt, originally, we think, bought it new

and passed it down through the family.

-Really? So, you've inherited this?

-Yes.

-Have you any kids?

I have. One daughter, but being a single parent...

-OK, yeah, it's got to go. You need the money.

-Unfortunately, yes.

-Yeah. Do you like it?

-I don't like it at all, unfortunately.

It makes it easier to sell if you don't like it, doesn't it?

I can appreciate the works of it, but it wouldn't suit my house.

-Me neither.

-It's a strawberry dish, or a strawberry bowl.

-This one dates to around about 1870, 1880.

-Really?

Yeah, late Victorian piece,

and so fashionable as a centre piece during the day.

It's so typical of majolica.

It's got that lovely high lustre glaze to it

and those wonderful bright vivid hues of,

as you can see, blues, greens and pinks.

But, the key to the value...

George Jones always initialled his wares.

What he modelled, he initialled, with a G and a J.

Which he would have signed, right up until 1873.

Now, unfortunately, that's not on the base.

-Nevertheless, it still would be catalogued as George Jones.

-Right.

-If you could trace those numbers, do you see those serial numbers?

-Yes.

That will tell you exactly what month and what year this was made,

and possibly, who by.

-But I'm pretty sure our auctioneer in Sheffield is going to catalogue that as George Jones majolica.

-Yup.

Purely because of the detail in the carving, the undercuts, the way the birds...

You can see right through the wing, through the tails,

through the legs and underneath the strawberry leaf.

It's a lovely example of a strawberry bowl.

Value wise, can I... I'm going to upset you now, Caroline.

-No, don't.

-Because this has peaked. It peaked a couple of years ago.

If it was absolutely in mint condition, in its heyday, couple of years ago... £3,000.

SHE LAUGHS

But I can point out the damage, look, there's some damage on the foot there.

And look at the wing tips, you see that?

There's only one wing that's survived.

I think, because of the damage, and the lack of interest in majolica at the moment,

we'd be quite safe to say £500-£800.

-Still, in that condition?

-Yeah, surprising, isn't it?

Goodness me, yeah, very. That would be fantastic.

-Really, really good.

-And the money's going to come in very, very handy.

-Very useful, very useful.

Tricia, thank you for bringing this beautiful little ring in.

I mean, it is little. Is it something that you have ever worn?

-I've only put it on my small finger a couple of times, because it is so small.

-It's tiny, isn't it?

-Tis.

So, where did it come from?

It was passed down to me through my mother's side, by one of her aunts.

-Right, right.

-I think it was her engagement ring,

but I'm not sure how old it is, or how much it's worth.

No, well, she must have had the smallest hands in the world.

Well, if we have a look at it,

under the lens...

There is a faint mark on it, which is probably going to be nine or 18 carat.

But that's worn away and there's a little bit of engraving,

which is NK and the date 25.

Which is probably part of an inscription, but unfortunately the rest has worn away.

But the nice thing about it are these three lovely diamonds.

And it's a typical ring that you will find anywhere from about 1910, up to about 1920, 1925.

Where you have five and three stones. It was fashionable for the period.

And even though the ring itself is very small, the diamonds are quite sizeable.

You've got about a quarter of a carat on these two small stones, and the central one's just over.

So, you've got about three quarters of a carat of diamonds.

So, that's quite nice. Have you ever had it valued before?

-No? Well, it's a family thing...

-I've had it in a drawer for 30 years.

Well, you know, the small size, isn't it?

There's not a lot you can do with it. Hopefully, if it goes to auction,

someone will size it and it will fit on a larger finger.

But that's always a tricky and expensive process to do.

Good thing is that diamonds are really popular at the moment.

And people don't seem to be able to get enough of it.

I think it's bling, is what they call it.

They have a thing for bling, and this certainly is.

-At auction, I think we'd put it in at £400-£600.

-Right.

And we'd probably have a shade of discretion on the reserve, but not a great deal. Probably sort of 10%.

It should do really well because it's flavour of the month at the moment.

If you're happy to put it into auction, we'll do that.

But why have you decided to sell it now?

Well, my daughter's moved to Australia, and I'd love to go and visit her.

She's moved out there, so it would go towards that.

-Which would be more use than sitting in a drawer.

-Yes.

Well, I hope we'll get you part of the way to Australia,

-if not all the way to Australia. Thank you so much for bringing it in.

-Thank you.

Well, it's time to pay another visit to the auction room.

Will the signed watercolours be let down by the fact that they're not local scenes?

Majolica's not really my thing, but I can certainly appreciate the quality of this piece.

I've a feeling it's going to do great things at the sale.

And finally, another true quality item.

Tricia's diamond ring is a real gem, with an estimate of £400-£600.

Something for all you fine art lovers.

Two watercolours, it's Hampshire and Surrey, brought in by Judith and Doris here.

And, I've got to say, Doris, you look stunning.

-Thank you.

-You really do. It's good to see you again.

-Getting excited?

-No, it doesn't do.

Oh, it doesn't do, does it?

-I like that.

-It doesn't do.

-Oh, it doesn't do.

Have to blame Philip. He's roped you in on this.

£100-£200. I like them.

I really like them. They're a long way from home. I wish we were down in Surrey.

You'd make a bit more money. Art travels well, so fingers crossed.

Fred Hines, a pair, signed, quality.

£200 for the pair.

200.

The bidding has started at 60, we'll start at the bottom.

65, 70, 5, 80, 5, must be 90 elsewhere?

Must be 90. 90, 5, 100.

110, 120, 130, 140?

130 central bidder.

Anybody else for 140?

Anybody else for 140? Get your bids in quick. All done at 130.

Bid now or lose them.

Yes! £130, Judith, that is fantastic.

Whose were they, by the way?

-Well, my sister in law's.

-OK.

Unfortunately she's wheelchair-bound.

So, we brought them to the auction for her.

-Ah, and what's her name?

-Janet.

Janet. Well, Janet, I hope you're watching right now.

There's £130 coming your way.

Right now, something for the ladies. We've got a diamond ring.

It belongs to Tricia - hopefully for not much longer.

But we do need £400-£600. But you rate this, so...

I rate it. It's a nice ring.

If you had to buy it in a shop, it would be £700-£800.

It's good value for somebody and we have got discretion on the reserve.

-So, hopefully, we'll do it.

-Tricia, why are you selling this?

-Are you wearing diamonds right now? You are.

-I am, yes.

It's just not my style.

It was a great-aunt's, so I didn't...

-It's not really what I would wear.

-OK, not a sad moment, then?

-No.

-No, just get rid.

-Yes.

Lot number 250.

The three-stone diamond ring,

brilliant cut stones in a claw setting. £300 is your start price.

£300, I've got starters.

Anybody fancy 320? 320 I'm looking for.

Lovely ring, 320.

You can alter the size.

320, 340, 360...

360 is it?

345 but I've got to go 350. It's going to be 360 now.

Got to be 360, it's on reserve.

With me at 350. All done with me at 350.

Any more interest anywhere?

All done at 350.

Not quite sold, that one. If you want to see me after...

Oh! What are you going to do?

-Oh, I'll just take it back and...

-Try another day?

-Definitely.

The person in the room seemed really interested around our reserve figure.

-And just wouldn't go the £10 more. So, possibly...

-The auctioneer.

-The auctioneer can do something with him.

-OK.

He might come to the auctioneer and say, could you sell it to me for 345?

-And it's as good as selling it for 360.

-Exactly, yes.

If he's not interested, don't re-enter it into another sale here.

-No.

-Because it's done the rounds. People would have seen it.

Hang onto it for six months, put it in a different saleroom.

This is what's up next.

And it's made the front page of the catalogue, Caroline.

The George Jones majolica strawberry dish.

-I'm feeling a bit nervous, aren't you?

-Very.

Starting to wobble, but this is what auctions are all about.

If you've never experienced an auction, you've got to go for the thrill.

-Now, we've got £500-£800 on this.

-Yes.

-Condition's against it. But some people might not be put off.

The 19th century majolica strawberry dish, by George Jones.

Be aware of the condition but it's still a beauty.

Major interest on the commissions force me to start this lot at £820.

It's got to do four figures now, hasn't it? Come on.

Anybody fancy 850? 850?

850, 880, 900,

920, 950...

I'm out. Anybody else for 980?

980 I'm looking for.

950 on the phone.

All done at 950?

Isn't that a good sound?

Oh, God!

£950.

-Wow.

-You shaking?

-Yeah.

-So am I, actually.

-It's a nice feeling, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-It's a nice feeling.

-Shocked!

-Who are you with here? Got some moral support?

-Yes, my dad and my step mum.

-Where are they, over there?

-Yeah, over there.

-Waving like mad. Well, they'll look after you.

-Thank you.

What are you going to put £950 towards?

Oh, a holiday for my daughter and then the rest in the bank, I think.

-Sensible.

-Yes.

-Sensible.

-Thank you so much.

-Oh, that's OK.

Thank you. That's what it's all about.

I hope you've enjoyed watching today's show.

We thoroughly enjoyed it. If you have anything to flog,

bring it along to a valuation day and we'll see you on Flog It!

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