Oldham Flog It!

Like many Lancashire towns, Oldham was all about textile and production in the 19th century.

At the height of the industrial revolution, there were a whopping 360 mills here,

making it the centre of cotton-spinning in the entire world.

It doesn't have quite the same international status today but maybe we can put it back on the map.

Just look at this big crowd who have turned out with their treasures and trophies for us to value,

and Anita Manning and Kate Bliss are already hard at work.

Well, it's all quiet inside the Queen Elizabeth Hall right now,

but any moment the doors are gonna be open

and our crowd will flood through - I can hear them coming right now.

Here they come. There's lots of excitement and anticipation

as the first few reach the Flog It! blue tablecloths.

I feel we're gonna be in for a very busy day.

Sheila, this is a very interesting little brooch.

I think it's absolutely gorgeous.

In fact I think it might just suit my jacket!

Absolutely. It looks lovely, yes.

Can you tell me anything about it?

-Where did you get it?

-I actually got it in an adjacent town's car boot sale, within the last 12 months.

It was just lying there on the stall.

Apparently there had been a lot of really good stuff

They said, "You've missed it all."

That was just there, it was £4.

£4. That's not a lot of money.

-Indeed, no.

-Well, do you know where it comes from?

No. I thought at first it might be Russian...

-Because of the enamel work?

-Yes.

-I can see where you're coming from.

And then I looked at what's on the box and I thought, "That's not Russian", so... a bit puzzled.

It's Scandinavian. It's Norwegian, and if we look on the back

we can see the initials for Marius Hammer.

We have an "M" and a little hammer and we have the mark "930",

which is the silver mark.

It's slightly better than sterling silver.

The Norwegians and Swedish were wonderful with the enamelled work

and this is representing that type of work. Have you ever worn it?

-No, it's a little bit too big for me, really...

-It's a wee bit fanciful.

And it's a little bit ostentatious.

-So a little fanciful for today's taste?

-Yes.

But at the same time it would be of interest to the collector

and it is a collector who would buy this type of thing.

What sort of date would it be?

Well, it's early 20th century, up to maybe '20s or '30s,

so the estimate I would put on it,

considering that it's a very finely crafted piece...

We have a maker's name,

it's in the original box, and that type of thing is popular just now.

Taking all these factors into account,

I would estimate it 80-120.

-Now, would you be happy to sell it at that price?

-Yes.

I'd never wear it. I'd never wear it.

So it was quite a good investment for £4!

It certainly was, wasn't it?

Well, shall we put a reserve on it?

I think so, just to protect it.

We'll put a reserve of £80, the lower estimate,

and I'm sure it will do very well.

I find that enamelled and cloisonne works are doing very well just now.

-Kevin, I've been itching to have a go with this all day!

-Right.

Tell me, was this yours when you were a little boy?

Yes. My parents bought it for me when I was...

in the '60s, probably, when I was about 12 years old.

James Bond was around at the time and I liked James Bond, of course,

and I liked cars, because I was a kid and so, yes.

This must have been quite some present when you were 12 years old.

It is the ultimate, isn't it?

Corgis came out in 1956, I think, released by Mettoy

and became really very popular with young boys particularly, because of their moving parts.

You could open the windows, they had things you could do with them,

so of course they released a range relating to TV programmes and films.

The DB5, 007's vehicle, in gold, was really quite something.

-It was.

-So, talk me through all these moving bits

because wasn't this really was the ultimate car?

Right. I'll put the old glasses on... the age...

You press the little exhaust pipes at the back

and the bulletproof screen pops up

then you press this little button here

-and the machine guns and...

-At the front.

-..look, they've come out.

And then very carefully you press this one, and I'll just put my hand over because...

-Oh, there he goes!

-The roof pops up and a man comes out and there he is.

-That's brilliant.

-There's your little bits.

-And he would fly out if we let him, wouldn't he?

He would. If you want to scrabble on the floor, you can make him fly out.

But the downside for collectors with all these moving parts

-was that things went missing so easily.

-Yeah.

And this little ejector man, not very big, would often fly out

-and get lost and that would be the end of that.

-That's right.

But you have kept him, here he is, and...this is also the really exciting bit,

we've got top secret-documents underneath, haven't we, because in the box we should have...

the...

instructions, and here we go.

You've kept them. There they are. Look at that!

They look as if they've hardly been touched, inside there.

And inside there is a spare little man.

I can feel him. There he is.

Excellent. So it's just as it should be. So, what about value?

I mean, as a collector yourself, do you have any idea?

Not really, no, because I haven't got too many old toys

and you can't get accurate valuations if you go around to some of the dealers

because they want them for themselves.

Well, I'm gonna be conservative.

I think is going to go well in our fine art sale for you,

but I'm going to say roughly between £70 and £100.

I think if two people really want it for their collection,

it could make more than that, but that sort of estimate is gonna tempt the buyers and it should do well.

-It's quite a few quid more than my mum and dad paid!

-I bet it is!

Barbara, it's a great example of a field telescope.

Tell me, what are you doing owning a wonderful scientific instrument like this?

It's my father-in-law's. It were fetched back from the War...

-Oh, really? He used it in the war?

-Well, he must have, yes, I think so.

Gosh. He must have thought a lot of it to carry it all the way back,

-because a lot of these just got left by the wayside.

-Yes.

-Where did he see action?

Well, he was all over, but I believe he came down at Norway...

-He was shot down, was he?

-Yes, and the Norwegian people looked after him,

and then he came home after.

It's a boy's toy, isn't it, really?

-Yes.

-And it actually does work, because I can just see there,

I can check out the exit sign and it is crystal clear. Have you used this?

Oh, yes, we have used it a few times, but it's that heavy...

-It is heavy, isn't it?

-Yes, it's hard to use.

-If you're looking...

-I'll use your shoulder as a tripod!

Do you really want to sell this?

-Yes.

-Because there's a nice story, though.

Oh, yes, but the children don't want it and it's just a shame being stuck in the cupboard really,

so you know that's why I've fetched it along.

-Are you not gonna stargaze any more?

-No, no, no.

Or check out the neighbours and see what's... a bit of curtain-twitching...!

-"What's going on over there?"!

-No, no, no.

OK. Value-wise,

the good news for you is it's signed, "Dallmeyer, London, 1915."

The bad news is this...

-One stress fracture in the brass. Can you see that?

-Yes.

-It's about an inch long.

-Yes.

-That's a shame.

That devalues it, because people that collect scientific instruments are purists, believe me.

Everything has to be accurate. They're very, very fussy collectors.

I'd like to put it into auction with the typical auctioneer's cliche, 80-120. It's gonna sell for that.

I was rather hoping this would do around the £160 mark cos it's a great London maker,

-but unfortunately...

-That little chip.

-That stress in the brass...

But I reckon we stand a chance of getting 80-120.

-Right. That's fine.

-I really do. I like it, and it's usable.

It's great.

-Hello, Lois.

-Hello.

I've pounced on you this morning

because I'm a bit of a sucker for baby plates,

and you've got a really charming example with a matching little mug.

Where did these come from?

It came from my aunt.

When my son was born he was quite ill

and my aunt was telling an old man that she looked after about him

-and he gave her this cup and plate from my son.

-What a lovely present!

So, have you ever used them?

No, no. It's just been wrapped up and put in the loft.

Right. Well, do you know anything about the design?

No, just that people do collect the Mabel Lucie Attwells, that's all.

That's right. Well, that's the name that we look for, actually,

one of the names we look for, with baby plates and related wares.

You're right, they've become quite collectable.

In recent years, a whole market has opened up

and there are two things that make them commercial.

Firstly the manufacturer of the porcelain or pottery,

and secondly the design.

Now let's just have a look at the factory,

and if we turn this over we can see we've got the name "Shelley" on the bottom here,

so we know it's a very well-known British manufacturer.

Shelley was well-known for producing a whole range of utilitarian wares,

-and we can feel that this plate, as most are, is very heavy, isn't it?

-Yes.

It was made to last with toddlers throwing things around the place.

This is pottery, but if we look at the matching mug,

we can see this is quite fine, and it's made of porcelain.

If I run my hands...hold it up to the light you can see my fingers through it

and that's actually quite fine china, but let's look at the design,

cos that's the other thing that makes these commercial.

What do you think of it?

It's really cute, and the little saying on it is really...

It's lovely, isn't it? Very often we have nursery rhymes illustrated

but here we have a little verse...

Isn't that sweet? It's charming for any child, and what we've got here

is a design that is probably taken from a children's book

because Mabel Lucie Attwell was known

in her time as a fantastic children's illustrator of books,

and her designs were taken from the books and applied to children's wares being made at the time,

and this probably has come from one of her annuals or one of her books.

Well, one thing about your example, both the bowl here and the mug,

I don't think, Lois, I've seen an example in such amazing condition.

So often they were used and became, if they weren't chipped or cracked,

then the transfer printing was scratched,

and this is just as-new, and the little mug as well,

so that is going to be really important for collectors and will help it, price-wise.

I would put them obviously in the same lot, they're matching items,

and probably a conservative value at auction, I would say, £30-£50.

-Yes.

-Does that sound good?

-That sounds good.

-Excellent. Well, I would hope that we get a very good price for you.

-Yes, thank you.

We've seen all kinds of goodies at the tables today

and now it's time to whisk some items off to the saleroom.

This stylish Norwegian brooch was going for a song at a car-boot sale,

and could prove a real gem for Sheila.

Kate's sure the James Bond car with all its gadgets will be licensed to thrill in the sale room.

I see no ships

but I hope a sharp-eyed dealer will spot this telescope

with so much history attached to it,

and can we tempt a doting parent to splash out

on this Mabel Lucie Attwell plate and mug?

Let's find out.

We've certainly got a roomful of bidders here at the Calder Valley Auction Rooms just outside Halifax

-and let's hope they're all here to spend some money... Aren't you?

-Yeah!

And our man on the rostrum today is auctioneer Ian Peace.

Something that's just come out of the loft is Lois's little baby plate and mug,

the Shelley, the little set, and someone that should know about baby plates and mugs is Kate here.

Your little girl must be going through the terrible twos right now, is she?

Almost, almost! She's got attitude, I think.

-Ooh! And another one on the way!

-I know!

-Fancy buying this one, then?

-I wish I was allowed to! It is really...

I had forgotten what super condition this is in.

That's the one thing you don't see very often with baby plates.

Surely it's got to do more than £30-£50? Kate, come on, let's pray for £60, £70.

I would hope it would get top estimate, anyway, fingers crossed.

Lot number ten, this Shelley Mabel Lucie Attwell baby's plate and mug,

very nice. £30 shall we say, 30, 20, 20 I'm bid, I'll go fives.

At 20, at 20, and 25, 25, 30, and 5, 40 and 5, 50 and 5, 60.

At £60. Any further bids at £60?

-Not bad. Come on!

-At £60... at £60 and 5, at 65, 70 and 5, 80...

That's more like it, isn't it?

£80. Are we done? £80.

-Well done!

-You were right!

Well, done, but condition, condition, condition...

that's what it's all about. So, £80.

That's not bad, is it? What are you gonna spend that on, then?

Probably a meal out with my son.

-Is he here today?

-Yes, he is.

I can see why. You're dressed perfectly for a meal out.

A slap-up lunch somewhere. Great result there.

I didn't think it would do that much, I have to say. It's a great result.

Yeah, it's brilliant, that.

-Thanks very much.

-They're here to buy.

Right now it's my turn and next up it's the four-draw telescope.

Barbara, I've got my eye on you, and this lot! Hopefully they'll bid on this.

I'm feeling a little bit nervous, though.

Condition is against it, as we said on the day,

but we've got a discretion of £60 and I'm sure it's gonna find a home.

It's got to! It's real quality...

he said!

Brass and leather four-draw fold telescope, a London maker.

Do I get an opening bid of £50?

40 anywhere, £40 for the telescope?

40 I have there. £40. £40 and 5, at £45, at £50, £55.

Anybody else now at £55?

It's a named telescope, a London maker, at £55.

Any further bids at 55?

Are we all done at £55? Going to sell at 55.

Are there any further advances?

At £55 then...

He did sell it. Yeah, £60 discretion we had, so he's used it. We just,

just got that away!

That was close, that was really close!

-Well, it sold!

-We were one pound in our limit for our 10% discretion on £60.

-I'm sorry it didn't get the top end but we got it away, didn't we?

-Yes.

-Just...

Right, are we connected? 5, 30, 40 and 5, 50 and 5.

Anyone fancy an Aston Martin DB5?

You gotta be right here right now for this one.

It belongs to Kevin, not for much longer.

We've got a valuation of £70-£100. Why are you flogging this?

Nobody to leave it to. Maybe it should be somebody else's memory now.

Yeah. A collector will buy this one, and pay top money for it.

It's one owner, very low mileage!

757, a boxed Corgi toy, James Bond Aston Martin DB5.

It's got its instructions, its driver, it's all there.

What am I bid for 757, ladies and gentlemen?

Open me at £50, £50, 40 then, 40 I'm bid.

-Thank you. £40.

-Oh, gosh! Come on!

And 5, 50 and 5, 55, 60, and 5.

At £65, 70 at £70. Anybody else?

75, sir, 80 and 5, 90 and 5, 100.

£100 I'm bid. Anybody else?

£100. It's all there. At £100.

At £100 front row...

-Gosh, Kate, you were right!

-The market has changed.

Well, yeah, but I do think someone's got a bargain.

-I do too, yeah.

-I really do.

Never mind. I mean, for a car like that, in that sort of condition

needs a specialist toy sale, then you've got a worldwide market, but you're right, 100 quid.

Well, it's a couple more diecasts!

Sheila, hopefully we'll make you lots of money right now...

-A million!

-It's a packed room. I don't know about that!

This is a 20th-century brooch, it's definitely worth £80-£120.

-How much did you pay for it?

-I paid four, I think.

Well done!

Where are these car-boot sales?

Well, I think it was a lady not really knowing what she was selling, you know,

because I'd missed most of the stuff at the stall and that had been left behind.

A lot of people don't know the value of 20th-century modern, and it's really making big money right now.

Are you an every-sort-of-weekend car booter, or just sort of a fair-weather one?

A fair-weather one.

-You've gotta be hard as nails, haven't you, to get up very early in the morning?

-Yeah.

-Do you do boot sales at all?

-No, no.

-They see you coming, don't they? They wouldn't sell to Anita!

-I'm too busy standing at a rostrum!

731, a cased silver and enamel brooch by Maris Hammer,

with filigree jots. There we are,

original case. What am I bid for this?

Shall we say 100, 80, 50, £50?

50 I'm bid there, £50, 60, and 70, at 80, 90,

100 and 10, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180.

£180 I'm bid.

At £180 on my left there, at £180. Are we all done?

180...

Yes! £180! You see!

A lot of people don't know the value of 20th-century modern.

-It's like darts! 180!

-You didn't think it would sell?

Oh, I didn't, did I?

Oh, ye of little faith!

Right now it's time for a trip down memory lane,

to a police station in the heart of Manchester where time has stood still.

These cells and courtroom have seen plenty of action in the past 100 years

and they're about to see a bit more action right now, with a character you just might recognise.

MUSIC: Theme from "Dixon Of Dock Green".

Working the beat, you know, is very funny sometimes,

and my inspector only recently he arrested a man

who was a very dodgy character.

Listen, there's some misunderstanding.

-We can work this out.

-You've had your say.

It's my turn now. Sergeant, Policewoman 1 and I

were on three beat outside the Queen Elizabeth Hall when I saw this man acting suspiciously.

-I wasn't acting suspiciously.

-No, let me get my say in.

He's got a sack, he's got items in here which are valuable, and when I questioned him about them,

-he said, "People have given them to me".

-I've heard a lot of fairy tales

-in my career, but that is a load of rubbish.

-It's not.

People giving you their ancient antiques. How much is that worth?

Well, the pair, possibly around £200-£300.

They're not gonna give you stuff like that.

Well, they trust me! I'm with the BBC.

Well, I don't trust you. What's your name?

Don't laugh at me!

Stand up straight as well, leaning all over the counter.

Listen, it's been a long day.

-Yes, it has for me, too.

-People are waiting for me...

-And it's gonna be a long night for you now.

-Why? What do you mean by that?

You're gonna stay in the cells until the morning, then it's straight to court.

-No, you've got this all wrong, I tell you.

-Put him in cell number 1, please.

Listen, listen, this is a complete mistake!

-..to the officer.

-This is not right.

You've got this all wrong...

This is Flog It!, not Dixon Of Dock Green. Let me use the phone...

-HE SIGHS

-Let me out!

'If you can't stand the suspense,

'you can find out what happens when I come up before the beak

'a little later on, but what I'm really doing here at the Greater Manchester Police Museum

'is finding out more about crime and punishment in the city since this station was built in 1879.

'Back then, there was a great deal of poverty in Manchester.

'The main crimes at the time were theft, fighting and being drunk and disorderly.

'In that year, a staggering 23,000 people were arrested or summonsed

'by Manchester Police, almost 5% of the city's population.

'So the police were kept pretty busy,

'but now I'm going to get my own back on my arresting officer

'and interrogate Dennis Wood who joined the force here in 1950.'

So, paint the picture. What was it like back then when you first started?

Well, it hadn't changed much from very early Victorian times in that we were all on beats

walking about small areas with lots of policemen all over the place.

All the criminals used to complain there were too many of us

and they couldn't get round the corner without being knocked off.

But what about back in Victorian England in the 1870s, what was going on then?

If you think about this station and its position in 1879,

over my shoulder here were warehouses and office blocks and banks,

in other words all the things you would find in a highly commercial city like Manchester.

For about two miles as a belt around the city

were hovels of houses, only one up and one down when some of them had 20 souls living in them.

Most of them were thieves and prostitutes and certainly drunkards

and this place became a bastion between that and a warring tribe

who every day used to come across into this city, stealing and boozing

and there was a lot of pickpocketing going on in those days.

Lots of businessmen were about and they tended to wear gold guard watches in their waistcoat

and the women were very adept at coming behind them and lifting those out, and off they went with them.

There were gangs about, of course, just as there are today.

They didn't have guns, but they used to garrotte people.

They used to pass a rope around their throat from behind

and squeeze until the person gave up all his valuables, so it was just, in a way,

as precarious to be out at night in the city in those days,

in the early days of the police station, as it is today.

Well, we're absolutely surrounded by so much police memorabilia, and it is so collectable nowadays.

Talk me through some of the items that would have been used during Victorian England,

right up to the time when you left the services.

Yes, well these items were used right through Victorian times

-and in my service, probably till about 1970, or later.

-The truncheon hasn't changed much.

That was the truncheon, or the staff, or the lie detector as they used to call it,

and that went down a long pocket in the trousers, right to the bottom, down there.

-It just left that strap in view.

-And you would have used this, yes?

Well, yes, if required, but the only thing is, if you use it,

you've only got one hand free, but if it was a serious matter where somebody was threatening...

With a knife or something...

Then I would let my thumb drip down into the leather strap there, and out it would come

and it would all be wrapped up so that nobody could take it off me,

because there was always that danger that somebody might.

-Quick off the draw, that!

-Oh, yes!

-Had a lot of practice?

-Like a Wild West sheriff.

So that was the truncheon.

Then everybody had a whistle and if you were in any trouble...

-of course in the absence of radios, then you would blow that...

-WAVERING WHISTLE

..much louder, and officers on the adjoining beat would hear and allegedly come rushing to your help,

but very often they would peep round the corner, see the situation and sneak off into the dark somewhere.

They wouldn't, would they(?) They'd run to your aid!

-Lots of handcuffs.

-Handcuffs weren't used by police officers on their beats.

They were quite good and strong

but really only for use when you already had somebody in custody.

If you only had that, and you captured a burglar and he was struggling to get away...

You couldn't get those on him.

No, you'd have to ask him if he wouldn't mind waiting.

So what would you do if you caught a burglar quickly?

Well, if you needed to at all, you had these things, with snaps,

and those went onto the man's wrist and you were able to twist his arm right up behind his head.

And those two little fellows were digging into a mass of nerves and little bones.

-Well, it's a good job I wasn't marched in with that on.

-Yes!

'All rise.'

This is Paul Martin, who was found in possession of a collection of antiques, your Worship.

Thank you, Mr Davenport.

Mr Martin, would you like to tell the court what you propose to do with this collection of antiques?

Yes, your Honour.

It was my intention to flog it.

Well, it turns out in the end that Mr Martin was in fact genuine,

and he was selling antiques on behalf of other people.

It only goes to show

that you can never judge a book by its cover.

Good evening, all.

Well, I think I just about got away with that one!

Now let's see how things are going back at the valuation day.

Gary, this is a very sweet little item.

Now when I was outside and I passed you in the queue, what did you say to me?

I told you I wasn't getting down on one knee when I showed it you!

Well, I'm very glad that you did show it to me. I like it a lot.

What we have here

is a little Victorian mourning ring.

It's in 18-carat gold, so it's a high-carat gold

and we have some very beautiful enamel work round the band with gold lettering, "In memory of..."

and we if we look at the inside we can see the hallmarks for 18-carat gold.

As well as the hallmark, we have an inscription which tells us a little more about it.

Now this ring is in memory of Tim Smith

and this type of thing was worn by, say, widows or whatever

and behind this little glass panel at the front here we have a little piece of hair.

Tell me, where did you get it?

I bought it off the Internet for a present for my wife.

Aah! How much did you pay for it?

-About £50.

-Aha.

And did your wife like it?

No. She said it was a bit creepy because it had the man's hair in it!

Well, this is very interesting.

-I think that £50 is a very small price to pay for something of that quality...

-Oh, yeah?

If you had to buy the equivalent quality in 18-carat gold today,

you'd be paying a lot of money.

But the thing is, people are slightly worried about the mourning aspect of it.

Now, in Victorian times, after the death of Queen Victoria's husband, Albert,

mourning became very fashionable and they're highly collectable just now.

-I'd like to put it into auction, say between £50 and £80.

-Yeah.

We may make your money back, but I think if you really do want to get rid of it,

I'd like to get the reserve down to about £40-£45.

-Yeah, that would be fine.

-Would that it be OK?

-So, your wife doesn't like it?

-No.

She's told you to get rid of it?

-Yep.

-You've brought it to me...

-Yeah.

-And we're gonna flog it!

Freda, I love little leather cases and leather boxes.

-You never quite know what you're going to find inside. What have we here?

-Two miniatures...

-a lady and a man.

-Let's have a little look.

Let's open them up...

and see. Ah, yes. Well, they certainly look like a pair,

they're mounted in matching Moroccan leather cases, beautifully.

Where do they come from?

Well, We bought them off David Dickinson at Dickinson's Galleries in Manchester.

Did you really? My husband did.

He bought them as a present for me because I like miniatures,

-so we've had them 25 years at least, I should say.

-Gosh.

Have you got a collection of miniatures?

-These are the only two.

-But he knew you particularly liked them?

-Yeah.

I like anything really small...

I particularly like miniatures, but I've just got the two.

Let's have a closer look.

We can tell quite a bit about costume, the lady particularly.

It really is quite flamboyant, I would say quite Bohemian...

-Yeah, quite sort of...

-Theatrical...

-Sort of oriental?

-Yes, almost.

It has got that sort of oriental influence, hasn't it? Certainly the Paisley design shawl.

They look to me to be certainly early 19th-century in date.

If you look at these lovely pendant earrings,

they would suggest almost Regency period, early 19th century,

-and it's almost got a Turkish look about it, hasn't it?

-Definitely.

That headgear and really rich materials and colours used...

-They're lovely colours.

-That blue is particularly nice.

-It is.

Let's look at the gentleman, the pair to her, if you like.

-He's quite conservative in comparison...

-Yes.

..in his blue velvet jacket.

But the face, again, is really nicely painted,

the detail of his mouth and his complexion,

beautifully done and set off against this lovely plum-coloured velvet.

Can you remember what your husband paid for them all that time ago?

I've actually got the receipt, but unfortunately forgot to bring it.

-Right.

-I know they were £75 each..

-Right...

-..then, you know.

That's quite a lot of money 25 years ago.

Well, I didn't realise until...

a couple of days ago that that's what he paid for them,

because he gave me the receipt, which I hadn't seen before.

-Well, I can't tell you that they've gone up hugely...

-No, no...

..in value over that time, but the market for miniatures is still very buoyant

and these are certainly commercial,

particularly our theatrical lady here.

-I would like to think that you ought to get £200-£300 at auction for the pair.

-Lovely.

They ought to make £100 each.

-I'm gonna be cautious and put an estimate of £150-£250 on them.

-Yes.

-That will draw the buyers, if you're happy with that...

-Yes, I am.

I certainly think they should make £200...

-That would be nice.

-If you're happy, we could put a reserve at £150...

-Yes, please.

So you won't lose any money, certainly, that's a safety net.

-I won't lose anything... they were a present!

-No, exactly!

Marian, I am always delighted

to have some Royal Worcester on Flog It!

I think that it's a wonderful factory, started in the 1720s,

always made the best of porcelain,

noted for its skilled craftsmanship

and these little figures are a wonderful example of that.

Do YOU like them, Marian?

Not particularly.

I know they're...

in their own way they're nice, but they're not my style.

-Where did you get them?

-They were a gift, a thank-you.

How long have you had them?

Seven years, about seven to eight years I've had them, and I've never had them on show.

I called them John and Mary

and then I wrapped them up in a towel and put them in a suitcase.

Poor wee John and Mary!

Let's have a look at them a wee bit closer.

Now we have a boy and girl figure here.

If we look, the underneath of the figure will tell us quite a lot.

We see the Worcester mark here, and this little "A"

tells us that these figures were made in 1890.

This set of figures here...1388...

tells us that this was the pattern number

and we have the registration mark on the bottom so we've got quite a lot of information on the base.

And the other good thing, we have the modeller's signature on these,

and he was Hadley, one of the better-known Worcester modellers.

The style is...

it's in the style of Kate Greenaway and the effect is a blush ivory.

So we have got quite a lot here in these two little figures.

I would estimate them in the region of £300-£500.

Would you be happy to sell them at that?

-Yeah, yeah, I would, yeah.

-Well, let's get them along to the auction.

I'm sure they'll be very well fancied.

I hope my estimate is very conservative and they will do much better.

We'll put a reserve of £300 on them just to protect them, but I'm sure they will sail away at that.

We're off to the saleroom again, and looking for joy,

not tears, when Gary's mourning ring goes under the hammer.

Let's hope it's more popular with the bidders than it was with his wife!

Small is beautiful, but we're hoping for big things

from the charming miniatures brought in by Freda,

and finally, the Royal Worcester figures

which have a quaint, old-fashioned charm

and are still very popular with collectors.

-Poor old Gary! He went out to buy his wife a ring, as a surprise, didn't you?

-Yep.

£50 it cost you.

A Victorian mourning ring, which is just about to go under the hammer.

You took it home to your wife as a lovely surprise and she went,

-"Gary, I'm not wearing that!" Isn't that awful!

-I know!

We get such a tough time for not surprising our wives

and treating them, and when you do, what happens?

You just get told off.

"Flog it", she said, "flog it", so hopefully we've got to get £50 back.

It is so cheap, Paul, but this is a ring that will probably become

part of a collection rather than wearing...

People are a wee bit wary of wearing what...mourning rings!

-What you'd like to say is "dead people's rings"!

-Yes, but I mean it is a bargain for £50

because it's 18-carat gold, and it's in mint condition.

562, the Victorian hallmarked 18-carat gold mourning ring.

What am I bid on this? £50, 40, 30 to open?

20, thank you. £20 and 5, and 25, 30, £30 and 5,

at £35, at 35, and 40 here and 5. At 45 over there, at £45.

Any further bids? 50, well done.

-Yeah.

-And 5....

At £55 at the back of the room.

£55. Are you done?

-Yes, we did it. £55.

-Good, good, good.

Less a bit of commission, that does give you your money back.

You know what they say, don't you?

It's the thought that counts!

-Oh, yeah!

-Did you remind her?

-I kept quiet.

-What's her name?

-Caroline.

-Caroline! Ohhh!

-I kept quiet.

-What are you gonna do with this money now?

-Give it to the boss at home.

-Give it to the boss!

This is a cracking lot. It belongs to Freda, and not for much longer.

Two lovely little miniatures, painted on ivory.

Let's hope we get the top end, sort of £200, I'd like to see. They're quality, Kate.

They are quality. I hope we'll get there.

I think it's the lady that's really going to attract buyers, yeah.

Ladies always do. You don't like portraits of gentlemen.

We've got the pair of 19th-century oval watercolour miniatures,

portraits of a young lady and gentleman in leather cases,

very clean. 705 is the lot.

Right, shall we say £100 to open the bidding? 100.

£100, thank you, £100, 110, 120, 130, 140 there, 140, 150, at £150.

At 150, the gentleman in the back there. £150.

Any further bids? At £150 they are in market

and selling at £150 then, first and last time...

We've done it! We've done it, just.

-150.

-Yeah.

Brave punt. That was a good move.

Good valuation as well, but you wanted to sell them, didn't you?

-Well, I did, yeah. I did.

-You did...

-I just, you know, for the fun of it, really.

-So you're happy, aren't you?

-Yeah.

What will you spend £150 on, less commission?

I might get a little bit of jewellery, something I can look at.

I've been waiting for this moment for a good month now. I bet you have, as well.

Two Royal Worcester figures. We've got £300-£500.

Is that the right figure? Well, we're gonna find out.

I had a chat to Ian before the sale.

He didn't want to stick his neck on the block, you know?

He said, "I don't know if there's been much interest." He was playing it quite cagey.

I've seen them on the show before, lots of times, haven't we?

Condition, fantastic.

Well, everything is going for these little figures.

Well, not all that little... they're a fair size.

-They're a good size.

-Principal maker of Worcester, Kate Greenaway style...

people love that type of thing. I think they should do well.

Pair of Royal Worcester porcelain figures, boy and girl.

549. Very pretty. What am I bid on these? Open me at 300.

200 then. £200 I am bid there, £200. At £200, at 200...

At 210, 220, 230, 240, 250.

At £250, 260, 270...

Come on, come on, come on. We need 300...

At 290. At £300, 310,

320, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370, 380, 390, 400, and 10.

£410 over there. At £410.

Any further advances?

At £410 then, they're going...

-Yes!

-Fantastic! Spot-on estimate, Anita.

-Thank you, Paul.

-Right in the middle there. £410.

Yes. That's wonderful.

-That's brilliant, isn't it?

-Are you happy?

-I am, yeah. Thank you.

Well, thank you so much for coming in, and treat yourself, like Anita said.

-Treat yourself, pamper yourself.

-You deserve it!

-I do!

Well, that's it...

it's all over, the auction is finished, the room's emptying.

This lot are the lucky ones,

paying for all the items they've just purchased.

We've had a fun day here in West Yorkshire and I hope you've enjoyed watching today's show,

so until the next time, it's cheerio.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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