Coventry

0:00:02 > 0:00:08Today, Flog It has been sent to Coventry. Now, we're all familiar with the phrase, "Sent to Coventry",

0:00:08 > 0:00:11meaning to ostracise, but where does it come from?

0:00:51 > 0:00:55The origin of the phrase, "Sent to Coventry", isn't known for sure.

0:00:55 > 0:01:00But it is thought to originate from the time of the English Civil War.

0:01:00 > 0:01:06During the conflict, captured Royalists were sent to Coventry to be imprisoned

0:01:06 > 0:01:10where the Parliamentarian population refused to speak with them.

0:01:10 > 0:01:17Well, this crowd seem friendlier now. We've got the doors open. We're getting everybody inside.

0:01:25 > 0:01:32Today we're very privileged to be based in what has to be Coventry's most iconic and renowned building,

0:01:32 > 0:01:35the incredible Coventry Cathedral.

0:01:39 > 0:01:45Completing the Flog It team sheet today are Michael Baggott and Will Axon.

0:01:45 > 0:01:47And first up, it's over to Michael.

0:01:47 > 0:01:53June, what a curious collection of different objects we have on the table today.

0:01:53 > 0:02:01- Where did you get them from?- They used to belong to my mother, who was in business in Coventry from 1929.

0:02:01 > 0:02:08- Oh.- And she died 30 years ago, sadly. And these are just some of the few things I've got left now.

0:02:08 > 0:02:10What business was your mother in?

0:02:10 > 0:02:15She was in new and second-hand furniture and china and glass.

0:02:15 > 0:02:21And also crocheted tablecloths. And she went to lots of auction sales.

0:02:21 > 0:02:25- So all sorts, really?- Yes. - Well, she had a wonderful eye.

0:02:25 > 0:02:31Let's start with this fellow here. And his use becomes apparent when we turn him round.

0:02:31 > 0:02:35He's obviously a nutcracker. It's a type you see in the 19th century.

0:02:35 > 0:02:39The wood... I've been thinking about this. I'm sure it's a fruit wood.

0:02:39 > 0:02:44- Yes.- It may well be apple or pear. And fruit wood's very close grained,

0:02:44 > 0:02:51- so it doesn't, even though it's got a few cracks, split when you use it and apply pressure.- I see.

0:02:51 > 0:02:54And I think that's supposed to be Punch.

0:02:54 > 0:02:59- Oh, is it?- Or a Punch-like figure in his little tricorne hat.

0:02:59 > 0:03:02- They term that as a frilled ruff.- Yes.

0:03:02 > 0:03:05And it's a very amusing thing.

0:03:05 > 0:03:10- And it would have been carved in about 1850, 1860.- My goodness!

0:03:10 > 0:03:13They're quite collectable things and still useful.

0:03:13 > 0:03:18Then we've got a tortoiseshell box. And if we open it up - fantastic.

0:03:18 > 0:03:22You've got a little travelling scent bottle set.

0:03:22 > 0:03:26Beautiful hand-blown, faceted, glass vials.

0:03:26 > 0:03:30In date I think that's around about...

0:03:30 > 0:03:35- It's English. And it's about 1765, 1770.- Oh, wow!

0:03:35 > 0:03:41It's a very early little travelling case. Normally they are a little bit more elaborate than this.

0:03:41 > 0:03:48You can get silver inlay. But it's still a lovely early thing. And this is a little papier mache snuff box.

0:03:48 > 0:03:54- And again that's got some great age to it. It's about 1810, 1820, when these things were fashionable.- Yes.

0:03:54 > 0:04:00What's really interesting though is that you get all sorts of printed and applied scenes.

0:04:00 > 0:04:02This is a named view of Gibraltar.

0:04:02 > 0:04:07So even though the box itself is a little bit nibbled and distressed,

0:04:07 > 0:04:09having that is really nice.

0:04:09 > 0:04:17- Any idea then of the individual values?- Well, Michael, I did think about £50 for the nutcracker.

0:04:17 > 0:04:22- Right.- Maybe 60 for that one... - Right.- The perfume.

0:04:22 > 0:04:27And the other one, well, again, I didn't think it was very good at all.

0:04:27 > 0:04:34I can feel myself reaching for my wallet as you speak. The nutcracker, these things are still under-rated.

0:04:34 > 0:04:37But they are lovely, hand-carved treen.

0:04:37 > 0:04:42- That's got to be £70 to £100 of anybody's money.- Wonderful.

0:04:42 > 0:04:46- This little set, that's £100 to £150.- Amazing.

0:04:46 > 0:04:52- I think that that is a makeweight. - Yes.- So I think we should put them in a lot together at auction

0:04:52 > 0:04:57as they're interesting individually and they'll complement one another.

0:04:57 > 0:05:04And if we put £200 to £300 on them as an estimate and put a reserve a little below that at 170.

0:05:04 > 0:05:10- Yes.- And we hope that there are three fanatics for those items there and it does really well.

0:05:10 > 0:05:14- But thank you so much for bringing them in.- My pleasure.- Thank you.

0:05:25 > 0:05:32Kathleen, good morning. What can you tell me about this infantry helmet you've brought in today?

0:05:32 > 0:05:36Not a lot. At some stage, my mother-in-law had a German lodger

0:05:36 > 0:05:40and it's just come from her house when we cleared it out.

0:05:40 > 0:05:44Well, the German lodger connection is interesting for me

0:05:44 > 0:05:50because you may remember that propaganda image of the German soldier in the Second World War.

0:05:50 > 0:05:56They were nearly always wearing these helmets or Pickelhaube, as they're known.

0:05:56 > 0:06:02And then the spike on top, which actually through the years has got shorter and shorter.

0:06:02 > 0:06:08When they first came out in the mid-19th century, these tended to be a lot taller.

0:06:08 > 0:06:13And occasionally you would also have plumes of horse hair on the top.

0:06:13 > 0:06:18They weren't originally invented for or designed by the Germans.

0:06:18 > 0:06:24They were, in the mid-19th century, designed by the King of Prussia.

0:06:24 > 0:06:30I notice from the badge at the front as well... On first inspection, it looked like the Prussian eagle.

0:06:30 > 0:06:37- But on closer inspection, it's actually a griffin...- Oh. - ..with a shield and holding a sword.

0:06:37 > 0:06:42The badge at the front usually gives you some idea of where they're from.

0:06:42 > 0:06:46It's usually the emblem of the city they're from.

0:06:46 > 0:06:52- Now, any ideas? Have you come across that emblem before?- No.- Well, luckily, I did a bit of research.

0:06:52 > 0:06:59And it's of Baden in Germany, which again ties in nicely with this mysterious,

0:06:59 > 0:07:01- shall I say, German lodger.- Yes.

0:07:01 > 0:07:07- What can you tell me about him? - Nothing.- And your mother-in-law had him as a lodger?- Apparently.

0:07:07 > 0:07:13Maybe he ran off without paying the rent and he thought this would cover it.

0:07:13 > 0:07:19- Have you any idea of what its value is?- Someone once offered me £10 for it.- That sounds a little bit mean.

0:07:19 > 0:07:25- I thought that it was mean cos I'd seen them on programmes before. - I would say, looking at it,

0:07:25 > 0:07:31we've got issues with condition. You've got shrinkage cracking to the leather cover.

0:07:31 > 0:07:35You've lost a chin-strap. And taking all that into consideration,

0:07:35 > 0:07:40I would say... Now, you say you were offered £10 for it at some stage.

0:07:40 > 0:07:47- I think you could probably put a nought on that.- Good.- I would think it's worth about £100.- That's great.

0:07:47 > 0:07:54- So can we straddle that £100 with an 80-120...- The usual.- ..estimate? You've seen this programme before!

0:07:54 > 0:08:01- So 80 to 120. And let's reserve it at that bottom figure. Can we give the auctioneer some discretion?- Yes.

0:08:01 > 0:08:06- But hopefully we won't need it. But I shall see you there.- Lovely.

0:08:12 > 0:08:18Kathleen, it's so nice to see a good, honest set of chairs ready to go to the kitchen.

0:08:18 > 0:08:22- They're lovely. A set of six.- Yes. - We often get the odd chair.

0:08:22 > 0:08:25Or we get a pair of hall chairs.

0:08:25 > 0:08:31But this is a good set of six chairs. So what's the story? Where did they come from?

0:08:31 > 0:08:38- My auntie bought them for my mum and dad when they got married. That's 101 years ago.- 101 years!- Yes.

0:08:38 > 0:08:42- So these have been in the family for 101 years?- Yes, for 101 years.- Gosh.

0:08:42 > 0:08:49- So you used these in the kitchen as a little girl?- I did.- Sat on all of them probably?- Yes, all the time.

0:08:49 > 0:08:55This one's had a little bit of a bash up there. It's been cut. But it's very, very smooth.

0:08:55 > 0:09:01- It's sort of worn.- Yes, my mum did that.- What did your mum do? What happened?

0:09:01 > 0:09:06- I think I was 15 months and I put my head through it. - You got your head stuck in there?

0:09:06 > 0:09:12- Were you playing games?- I must've been. So she had to hold my head down and got a knife and just...

0:09:12 > 0:09:18- Skimmed a bit off there?- Yes.- What a lovely story. They are fantastic.

0:09:18 > 0:09:22They're sort of circa 1820, 1830. All the seats are made of elm,

0:09:22 > 0:09:28which is a great wood. Look at the grain. It's so ambiguous. It never runs in one direction.

0:09:28 > 0:09:35And it's called the wood that never sleeps, so it's always moving. When you sit on them, it gives with you.

0:09:35 > 0:09:41- That's right.- They're normally called a blade-back. You can see they're sort of shaped like a blade there.

0:09:41 > 0:09:48And they were made as practical kitchen chairs when every family in the country, in the early 1800s,

0:09:48 > 0:09:55- had practical functional chairs like this.- That's right.- They were made in their thousands.- Yes.

0:09:55 > 0:10:02- Have you any idea of the value? - Not at all.- Well, you see lots of these in auction rooms

0:10:02 > 0:10:08and they fetch around about £15 a chair, £20 a chair.

0:10:08 > 0:10:12But with a set of six, I think there's a premium on that.

0:10:12 > 0:10:17- And I think we could get over £200 for a set of six.- That's not bad.

0:10:17 > 0:10:22- We'll put a reserve of £150 on. - Right.- I think it's a great set.

0:10:22 > 0:10:26And somebody's going to inherit your love that you gave these.

0:10:26 > 0:10:32It's a shame to have them and not use them, you know. None of the family want them.

0:10:32 > 0:10:37That's sad. I think there's another 100 years left in them.

0:10:37 > 0:10:39I'd like to think so. Yes.

0:10:44 > 0:10:50Valerie, thank you for bringing this lovely gentleman's watch in. May I ask where you got it from?

0:10:50 > 0:10:55It belonged to my father's father, so that's my grandfather.

0:10:55 > 0:11:03- It's been in the family quite some time. Do you know roughly when it was made?- I know nothing about it.

0:11:03 > 0:11:09From the outside, I'd say it's not an English watch. It's likely to be French or Swiss.

0:11:09 > 0:11:13But we'll have a little look, pop it open. That's very nice.

0:11:13 > 0:11:18You've got a lovely gold dial with black Arabic numerals to it.

0:11:18 > 0:11:23And we've got some marks there which tell me that the case is Swiss.

0:11:23 > 0:11:30And it's 14-carat gold. If we close that up, the back's similarly beautifully engraved with flowers

0:11:30 > 0:11:34and scrolls on this machine-turned ground. Quite exquisite.

0:11:34 > 0:11:37And we've got the dust cover there

0:11:37 > 0:11:41which says it's "15 Rubis",

0:11:41 > 0:11:4315 jewelled movements.

0:11:43 > 0:11:49And that's probably going to be quite standard. And there's the standard Swiss cylinder movement.

0:11:49 > 0:11:54- It's lovely and thin. It was made for elegance.- Yes.

0:11:54 > 0:12:01But really if you see how thin that dust cover is, it's more for show than substance.

0:12:01 > 0:12:06It would've been made around 1890, anywhere up to about 1910.

0:12:06 > 0:12:13And it's that typical, showy, Swiss gold engraving that they did terribly well.

0:12:13 > 0:12:18And why have you decided to part with it now?

0:12:18 > 0:12:22It's to de-clutter. I never look at it. I never use it.

0:12:22 > 0:12:26- And so it's...- It might as well go to somebody who'll appreciate it.

0:12:26 > 0:12:31Unfortunately, I've given this a little shake and there's no ticking.

0:12:31 > 0:12:36So it's not in working order which will make a slight difference to the value.

0:12:36 > 0:12:40- But any idea of what it's worth? - No idea.

0:12:40 > 0:12:46In running order, it would be about £120 to £180.

0:12:46 > 0:12:52But you've got to take into account someone's going to have to overhaul the movement and do repairs to it.

0:12:52 > 0:12:59So I think at auction we should be putting that in at 80 to 120. We'll put a fixed reserve of £80 on it.

0:12:59 > 0:13:06And hopefully a watch repairer will fall in love with the case and not mind about the movement.

0:13:06 > 0:13:10- But are you happy to put that into auction?- Yes, I am. Yes.

0:13:10 > 0:13:17- So we'll pop it into the sale for you and hope it does really well.- I hope so.- Thanks for bringing it in.

0:13:17 > 0:13:23We'll be back for more valuations later. Now let's see what our first lots will make at auction.

0:13:23 > 0:13:29And here's a reminder of what we're taking. First was June with a trio of trinkets for Michael to value.

0:13:29 > 0:13:35Will they combine to create a great price? Kathleen brought in a German helmet which Will took a look at.

0:13:35 > 0:13:40It's not in mint condition. But these items are very collectable.

0:13:40 > 0:13:47Next up was another Kathleen, whose set of six chairs have been in the family for 101 years.

0:13:47 > 0:13:53But it's time for them to move on to a new owner. And finally it was back to Michael

0:13:53 > 0:13:59who looked at Valerie's gold watch, Swiss, beautifully decorated, guaranteed to go, you'd think.

0:13:59 > 0:14:03But nothing's certain in the saleroom.

0:14:03 > 0:14:08Today's auction is in Bigwood. Not that big wood, but this Bigwood.

0:14:08 > 0:14:13Bigwood Fine Art Auctioneers is in Tiddington, just outside Stratford-upon-Avon.

0:14:14 > 0:14:19The big names here are auctioneers Chris Ironmonger and Stephen Kaye.

0:14:19 > 0:14:26The sale is about to begin, so time to find out if Michael and Will's valuations strike the right note.

0:14:26 > 0:14:33You certainly wouldn't want to sit down on this lot if somebody left it on a chair, would you, Kathleen?

0:14:33 > 0:14:39- God, it would hurt.- Comedy moment. - We've got a German Pickelhaube helmet with a big spike on the top.

0:14:39 > 0:14:45- Yes, it was just a bit misshapen, I think.- Yes.- It had a bit of cracking on that leather cover.

0:14:45 > 0:14:50- The chin-strap was missing.- Yes. - So how did you come by this anyway?

0:14:50 > 0:14:55I thought that my mother-in-law used to have a German lodger.

0:14:55 > 0:15:02- But my friend who's here says he doesn't remember it.- The mystery deepens about this German lodger.

0:15:02 > 0:15:07We go to Lot 415, which is the Pickelhaube helmet.

0:15:07 > 0:15:13- I've got some bids here on the book. I can start here at £80.- That's OK.

0:15:13 > 0:15:1895. 100. And 10. 120. 130. 140. 150.

0:15:18 > 0:15:20160. 170. 180.

0:15:20 > 0:15:23190. I'm out. Anybody give me 200?

0:15:23 > 0:15:26All done at 190.

0:15:26 > 0:15:30- Yes! The hammer's gone down. £190. - Good.- Well, result!

0:15:30 > 0:15:35- Bit of a "come and buy me".- A little bit. It was just the condition.

0:15:35 > 0:15:41- But it was nice and original.- It's a lovely thing. Don't forget there's commission to pay.- Of course, yes.

0:15:41 > 0:15:43There's a bit of spending money.

0:15:43 > 0:15:49- Yes.- Unless the German lodger's watching and asks you for his cash back.- He's got a point.

0:15:54 > 0:16:00Good luck. Valerie's little gold watch is just about to go under the hammer. It's Swiss, 14-carat.

0:16:00 > 0:16:07- Sounds good, Michael. - Where can you buy a Swiss, 14-carat gold pocket watch for £80?

0:16:07 > 0:16:12- Well, you can't. But hopefully we'll sell it for 200.- I hope so.

0:16:12 > 0:16:18Good luck. Hopefully, we'll get the top end of the estimate. It's going under the hammer right now.

0:16:18 > 0:16:22Lot number 100 is the gentleman's hunter cased pocket watch.

0:16:22 > 0:16:26And I can start here on the book at £75.

0:16:26 > 0:16:28Good, we're in, in the room.

0:16:28 > 0:16:3190. 5. 100. And 10.

0:16:31 > 0:16:34- 120.- (120!)- 130. 140. 150?

0:16:34 > 0:16:39- 140 with the gentleman at the back. - That's more like it.- That's good.

0:16:39 > 0:16:43- All done at 140.- Yes! £140.

0:16:43 > 0:16:48- That's a good result.- That's brilliant.- Well done, Michael.

0:16:48 > 0:16:54- Thank you.- Well, you're happy. The chap that bought it is smiling. So it's a win-win situation.

0:16:54 > 0:16:58- Valerie's shopping later, so she'll be happy as well. Good luck.- Thanks.

0:16:58 > 0:17:02I've got 40 here. 45. 50. 55, madam? 55. 60.

0:17:02 > 0:17:09We've got Kathleen's six chairs just about to go under the hammer. I hope we get you top money today.

0:17:09 > 0:17:13They're just about to go under the hammer. This is it now. Good luck.

0:17:13 > 0:17:19Lot 535 - six late 19th, early 20th-century Windsor kitchen chairs.

0:17:19 > 0:17:23Good solid little chairs there. And I'm bid £100. 110. 120.

0:17:23 > 0:17:26130. Is it 140?

0:17:26 > 0:17:28140. 150, if you like?

0:17:28 > 0:17:32For a set of six, they're no money at all at 140. Do you want 150 now?

0:17:32 > 0:17:36At £140. Are you all sure? All done.

0:17:37 > 0:17:42- I don't know if he's sold. - No. 150 was...

0:17:42 > 0:17:48- 150 was the reserve, wasn't it? - I don't want to take them back. - Oh, dear.

0:17:48 > 0:17:52I think we might have to find the underbidder

0:17:52 > 0:17:56and see if the auctioneer can let them go to him at 140.

0:17:56 > 0:18:02'Afterwards Kathleen decided to put the chairs back into Bigwood's next auction

0:18:02 > 0:18:04'with a slightly reduced reserve.'

0:18:04 > 0:18:10- June, £200 to £300 riding on a nice little lot, isn't it?- Oh, it's so interesting.- A bit of treen.

0:18:10 > 0:18:17- And a bit of this and that. - It's the most fascinating little lot.- A collector will love these.

0:18:17 > 0:18:23- Absolutely.- You'll just muse over them. There's lots of fascinating stories. Your mum had a good eye.

0:18:23 > 0:18:29- She certainly did. - Anyway, we're going to flog them. They're going under the hammer now.

0:18:29 > 0:18:33335 is a late Georgian, early Victorian perfume bottle set

0:18:33 > 0:18:38and also the German nutcracker and seal box. 100 for this?

0:18:38 > 0:18:40Get me started at 100? I'm bid 80.

0:18:40 > 0:18:42It's a bit of a low start there.

0:18:42 > 0:18:45110. 120. 120. 130. 140.

0:18:45 > 0:18:49- 150. 160.- It's getting faster.- 170.

0:18:49 > 0:18:53180, is it? It's 170 in the far corner. At 170.

0:18:53 > 0:18:58At 170, I'm going to sell it. Make no mistake. In the far corner at 170.

0:18:58 > 0:19:03- Yes. He's sold it.- He sold it.- Just under that.- Yes, just under that.

0:19:03 > 0:19:10- And someone will really enjoy that lot as well.- A very tactile lot.- The nutcrackers in it were fantastic.

0:19:10 > 0:19:14- They were.- I wanted to get them. I couldn't. But just to polish them.

0:19:14 > 0:19:21- Because once you put a bit of wax on them, they'll just spring to life. - Thank you for bringing them in.

0:19:21 > 0:19:28- Thank you for looking after me.- Aw. - Thank you, Michael.- You couldn't be the only one to get a kiss, Paul.

0:19:28 > 0:19:35Before we go back to Coventry, I'll take a trip to a picturesque village just down the road in the Cotswolds.

0:19:35 > 0:19:39It's home to a museum I've been wanting to visit for a long time.

0:19:49 > 0:19:53These are the original drawings of one of the most important

0:19:53 > 0:20:00and influential designers of the 20th century. He was a very passionate and talented draughtsman.

0:20:00 > 0:20:06And he had a profound impact on the development of modern furniture and how we relate to design today.

0:20:06 > 0:20:08And his name was Sir Gordon Russell.

0:20:08 > 0:20:15This was his original workshop. It's now a wonderful museum dedicated to his lifetime achievements.

0:20:15 > 0:20:22And it houses the most fabulous collection of furniture designed and championed by him.

0:20:28 > 0:20:33Gordon Russell's furniture and designs tell the story of his life.

0:20:33 > 0:20:38A life that went through distinct and often contrasting phases.

0:20:38 > 0:20:43But throughout his life, he focused on one common goal

0:20:43 > 0:20:47and that was to design, conceive and construct well-made furniture.

0:20:47 > 0:20:54In his own words, "decent furniture for ordinary people". And that would become his mantra.

0:20:56 > 0:21:03To understand Russell's work, we need to travel back to his childhood,

0:21:03 > 0:21:07and how a family move would influence the rest of his life.

0:21:07 > 0:21:11The museum's here in the village of Broadway in the Cotswolds.

0:21:11 > 0:21:17And it was to this very building that the Russell family moved when Gordon was a 12-year-old boy.

0:21:17 > 0:21:22Russell became a weekly boarder at Chipping Campden School.

0:21:22 > 0:21:28And it was there that he got fascinated by local craftsmen and what they made.

0:21:28 > 0:21:33He got a first-hand experience of an artistic and social movement, Arts and Crafts.

0:21:33 > 0:21:38The Arts and Crafts Movement originated towards the end of the 19th century.

0:21:38 > 0:21:43Its focus was on hand crafts and it celebrated the workmanship of design and production.

0:21:43 > 0:21:49It was about simplicity and honesty, taking pleasure from construction as much as the end product.

0:21:49 > 0:21:55The Movement opposed mass production, machine manufacturing and industrialisation.

0:21:55 > 0:22:01When Russell was growing up in the Cotswolds, it was the very centre of the Arts and Crafts Movement.

0:22:01 > 0:22:06This was to have a profound influence on Russell's entire life's work.

0:22:06 > 0:22:10This has got to be my favourite piece in the museum.

0:22:10 > 0:22:15It was designed by Gordon Russell in 1924 and it's known as the Paris Cabinet

0:22:15 > 0:22:19because it won an award in 1925 at the Paris International Design Fair.

0:22:19 > 0:22:24He really was at the top of his genre and this is so unashamedly Arts and Crafts.

0:22:24 > 0:22:27And he's not frightened to show it.

0:22:27 > 0:22:30It's very subtle as well and quite masculine.

0:22:30 > 0:22:36What I want to point out to you are some of the woods he's used and the construction,

0:22:36 > 0:22:38the way he's put it together,

0:22:38 > 0:22:44because if you look here, you can see some very fine hand-cut dovetails.

0:22:44 > 0:22:48That is called a closed dovetail, a stopped dovetail, if you like,

0:22:48 > 0:22:53and it stops itself from coming through the face side of this piece of walnut

0:22:53 > 0:22:59because it's not the done thing to see the end grain coming through on a face side,

0:22:59 > 0:23:03but what I really love is... he's done it here, look at that!

0:23:03 > 0:23:08He's put the construction right through the architecturally important piece.

0:23:08 > 0:23:14That's so Arts and Crafts. They're not ashamed to show how this is put together. Each joint is hand-cut.

0:23:14 > 0:23:18It's unbelievable. This inlay is stunning as well.

0:23:18 > 0:23:21That's all hand-cut by chisel and inlaid in.

0:23:21 > 0:23:25You've got ebonies, boxwoods, yew woods. It's very decorative.

0:23:25 > 0:23:31And here is the original stencil that Gordon Russell drew to give to the cabinet-maker

0:23:31 > 0:23:34to use as a template for the inlay.

0:23:34 > 0:23:40He's copied it absolutely beautifully. The more you look at this, the more detail you can see.

0:23:40 > 0:23:44On the stand, you see these lovely octagonal legs.

0:23:44 > 0:23:48Look at these bog oak-inlaid chevrons moving all around the leg.

0:23:48 > 0:23:51That really is a joy to behold, that piece.

0:23:51 > 0:23:57Although Russell was heavily influenced by the ethos of the Arts and Crafts Movement,

0:23:57 > 0:24:03he was also realistic about the cost of his designs and how it limited their mass appeal.

0:24:03 > 0:24:07He wanted everybody to enjoy his furniture and his design.

0:24:10 > 0:24:15The only way to achieve this was to adopt machine-led production,

0:24:15 > 0:24:19something that wholly opposed his Arts and Crafts roots.

0:24:19 > 0:24:21But it didn't deter him though.

0:24:21 > 0:24:28Russell believed that the machine could be tamed and taught manners and work in harmony with Man.

0:24:28 > 0:24:32By the late 1920s, Russell was beginning to realise his dream

0:24:32 > 0:24:36and was in the most productive design phase of his life.

0:24:36 > 0:24:40However, a downturn in the global economy threatened the business.

0:24:40 > 0:24:43A chance phone call would change his fortunes for ever.

0:24:43 > 0:24:47It was from an Irish radio engineer called Frank Murphy.

0:24:47 > 0:24:52Murphy wanted well-made, modern-looking, precisely designed bodies for his new radios

0:24:52 > 0:24:55and Gordon Russell responded immediately.

0:24:55 > 0:24:59Here are a few of the designs. Look at these lovely radios!

0:24:59 > 0:25:06It's no wonder they were an instant success and they moved the company into a new phase of prosperity.

0:25:07 > 0:25:12The radios showed that there was a market for modern, well-built furnishings.

0:25:12 > 0:25:17It also proved to the company that they could successfully engineer in wood,

0:25:17 > 0:25:20producing items for the mass market,

0:25:20 > 0:25:24whilst preserving the design principles the firm was built on.

0:25:26 > 0:25:29Just as the company was expanding,

0:25:29 > 0:25:35Gordon Russell stepped back from its management and suddenly and completely stopped designing.

0:25:35 > 0:25:40He was approaching his 50s and I guess he saw his professional life drawing to a close,

0:25:40 > 0:25:46but little did he know that events on a global scale were about to set his life off on a different course.

0:25:49 > 0:25:54'This is London. You will now hear a statement by the Prime Minister.

0:25:54 > 0:26:00'I have to tell you now this country is at war with Germany.'

0:26:00 > 0:26:07With the outbreak of World War Two, there was a sudden and profound need for general use furniture.

0:26:07 > 0:26:14Many people's possessions were being destroyed and there wasn't the raw materials or technical ability

0:26:14 > 0:26:16to continue general production.

0:26:16 > 0:26:22What was needed was simple, functional, well-built furniture that could be mass-produced.

0:26:22 > 0:26:25To his surprise, Russell was asked to join the team

0:26:25 > 0:26:29overseeing the design and manufacture of utility furniture.

0:26:29 > 0:26:32It was a vital part of the war effort,

0:26:32 > 0:26:36but also a perfect opportunity to continue his lifetime crusade

0:26:36 > 0:26:40to produce decent furniture for ordinary people.

0:26:40 > 0:26:46And here's an example, a classic piece of Second World War utility furniture.

0:26:46 > 0:26:52Granted, it doesn't look as pretty as the other pieces, but it's practical, it's very functional.

0:26:52 > 0:26:56If I look at the construction, machine-cut dovetail,

0:26:56 > 0:26:58so definitely built to last.

0:26:58 > 0:27:01It is austere, but it's got an understated beauty.

0:27:01 > 0:27:08Russell's role working on utility furniture led to other management positions in the design community.

0:27:08 > 0:27:12However, as the decades passed, Russell was to retreat

0:27:12 > 0:27:16from public life back to his beloved Cotswolds.

0:27:18 > 0:27:22At the ripe old age of 84, Gordon Russell's life came full circle.

0:27:22 > 0:27:26He started to put pen to paper and design again.

0:27:26 > 0:27:30Even though he hadn't drafted a single thing for the last 50 years,

0:27:30 > 0:27:34he still had a far-reaching impact on the design world,

0:27:34 > 0:27:36a profound influence.

0:27:36 > 0:27:40But in his heyday, he just threw himself into the things he loved

0:27:40 > 0:27:44and what inspired him most was the Arts and Crafts Movement.

0:27:44 > 0:27:52This little yew wood occasional table is one of the last things he designed and it was done in 1979.

0:27:52 > 0:27:55Sadly, three years later, he died.

0:27:56 > 0:28:01But what a wonderful legacy he's left! Incredible.

0:28:35 > 0:28:41Welcome back to the valuation day at Coventry Cathedral. Still people are pouring in.

0:28:41 > 0:28:47Everyone who comes to one of our events is guaranteed a valuation, so we should be here for a while.

0:28:47 > 0:28:54Tracy, I don't often get to see a lot of furniture on Flog It because it's not very portable,

0:28:54 > 0:28:58but for me it's a nice change because I specialise in furniture.

0:28:58 > 0:29:04- Where has this come from?- It's my grandma's and it sat in her hallway for as many years as I can remember.

0:29:04 > 0:29:08Has she got any other bits that are similar dotted around the house?

0:29:08 > 0:29:10No, this is the only piece.

0:29:10 > 0:29:14Originally, it would have been part of a salon suite, as we call it,

0:29:14 > 0:29:20so there would have been a couple of single chairs, a couple of armchairs and this settee.

0:29:20 > 0:29:23- Any idea of how old it is?- No.

0:29:23 > 0:29:27I would think you're looking at late 19th century, early Edwardian.

0:29:27 > 0:29:30- Of its type, it's actually a nice one.- Yeah.

0:29:30 > 0:29:34There's a nice bit of carving on the back here.

0:29:34 > 0:29:37We've got these acanthus scrolls that are carved in.

0:29:37 > 0:29:41It shows a bit of quality in the manufacture, shall we say?

0:29:41 > 0:29:45Have you ever been tempted to put it into your home?

0:29:45 > 0:29:50No, never. It's quite sad cos it's just sat there all these years. Nothing's been done with it.

0:29:50 > 0:29:55That's the trouble with these. How do they fit into the modern home?

0:29:55 > 0:29:58They're not exactly primary seating any more.

0:29:58 > 0:30:02You're not gonna put one of these in your sitting room or TV room

0:30:02 > 0:30:07and chuck out the comfy three-seater sofa that you can really relax in,

0:30:07 > 0:30:11so they're a little bit formal and upright for today's living.

0:30:11 > 0:30:14Have you thought about how much it's worth?

0:30:14 > 0:30:18No, it's just sat there. I haven't given it a thought at all.

0:30:18 > 0:30:20It's not gonna be hugely valuable,

0:30:20 > 0:30:25but of its type, it's got just enough detail that just helps lift it up from the norm.

0:30:25 > 0:30:30We've got a little moulding along the edge, then these acanthus-leaf carvings here,

0:30:30 > 0:30:35which again was that sort of Georgian revival of the scrolling acanthus.

0:30:35 > 0:30:40And that's nicely echoed again in the arm supports.

0:30:40 > 0:30:43So it's got just enough that...

0:30:43 > 0:30:48It's obviously taken someone a little bit more effort to make this example

0:30:48 > 0:30:52than one that's just thrown together without any carving and so on.

0:30:52 > 0:30:57So, value-wise, I'm thinking of about 100, that sort of level, 150.

0:30:57 > 0:31:01- Would you be happy with that sort of money?- Yeah, I'd have thought so.

0:31:01 > 0:31:05- You want a reserve of 100?- OK.- You want it back if it doesn't sell?- No.

0:31:05 > 0:31:11- No reserve then?- No, put a reserve on it.- You want a reserve on it, but you don't want it back!

0:31:11 > 0:31:16- We'll put £100 on it with discretion. How's that?- Definitely.

0:31:16 > 0:31:21- Hopefully, on the day, we'll get it away and someone else can enjoy it. - I hope so.

0:31:21 > 0:31:23- Shall we see if it's comfy?- Yeah.

0:31:25 > 0:31:29- It's not bad, actually.- It's not too bad.- I could get used to this.

0:31:37 > 0:31:39- Linda...- Hi.

0:31:39 > 0:31:45I don't think I've ever seen a dog with such a surprised expression before. What have you done to him?

0:31:45 > 0:31:50- It must've been all the tugging around as a child.- So he was yours as a little girl?- Hmm.

0:31:50 > 0:31:54- Did he follow you everywhere? - He did when I was learning to walk.

0:31:54 > 0:32:00- It was more my own dog.- Where has he been living the past few years?

0:32:00 > 0:32:06- The past few years, he's been in my mum's cupboard.- Oh, dear. It's no place for a lad like that.

0:32:06 > 0:32:10- No.- Even with that... Oh, dear me. ..with that expression.

0:32:10 > 0:32:17- Do you know when and where he was made?- I think Germany. When I was a child, my father was in the forces.

0:32:17 > 0:32:23And my mother bought him. She tried to buy me a dog... a frame to teach me to walk,

0:32:23 > 0:32:29but in Germany at the time, they didn't have any, so she bought me this for Christmas instead.

0:32:29 > 0:32:33So it was the Alsatian or the German shepherd on wheels?

0:32:33 > 0:32:39- That's it.- You have to look in the ears of these things, especially when you say "Germany".

0:32:39 > 0:32:42And sure enough, we've got the little Steiff button.

0:32:42 > 0:32:48If you need reaffirming that it's all genuine, all of the wheels are marked "Steiff" as well.

0:32:48 > 0:32:54And I think it was probably new or slightly second-hand when you had it.

0:32:54 > 0:33:00It's certainly a dog that would have been produced from 1950 up until the late '60s.

0:33:00 > 0:33:04- It's a bit of fun. This ring does something, doesn't it?- It barks.

0:33:04 > 0:33:07- Let's give it a go. - FAINT BARKING SOUND

0:33:07 > 0:33:11- It wouldn't be terribly good as a security dog.- Not really.

0:33:11 > 0:33:14If you heard that, you'd be encouraged, not put off.

0:33:14 > 0:33:20- The all-important buttoned ear has had a little bit of restoration done to it.- Yes.

0:33:20 > 0:33:27- Because it's actually on the wrong way round. Any idea of what it's worth?- I haven't at all, no.

0:33:27 > 0:33:30It's not a fortune, unfortunately.

0:33:30 > 0:33:34Had it been 50 years earlier, it might have been a small fortune.

0:33:34 > 0:33:39- But as it is now, I think at auction, it's £50 to £100.- Yeah.

0:33:39 > 0:33:45And hopefully, somebody will be looking for a little dog to teach their little one to walk

0:33:45 > 0:33:50- and it will find a good home. Are you happy to sell him now? - Yes, I'm ready.

0:33:50 > 0:33:53Get him out of the cupboard, give him a new lease of life?

0:33:53 > 0:33:57Let's hope he doesn't bark too loudly and put everybody off!

0:33:57 > 0:34:00- Thanks for bringing him in. - Thank you.

0:34:05 > 0:34:10Christine, what a menagerie you've brought in for us today!

0:34:10 > 0:34:16Has this come out of a love of all things animal or are you particularly interested in Beswick?

0:34:16 > 0:34:22- Well, we've just got interested in collecting them over the years, you know.- Yes.

0:34:22 > 0:34:28- Have you bought most of these from fairs or sales?- No, from Coventry shops, like, you know.- OK.

0:34:28 > 0:34:34We've seen a lot of Beswick on the programme, Flog It. There's only so much you can say about it.

0:34:34 > 0:34:40- It was established sort of late 19th century. - Yes.- That's right.

0:34:40 > 0:34:45Really as a reaction towards the Doulton and Worcester figures

0:34:45 > 0:34:51that were at the top end of the market, shall we say, the Doulton and Worcester figures.

0:34:51 > 0:34:56These were mass-produced. These were produced in large numbers,

0:34:56 > 0:34:59though some models were limited and rarer than others.

0:34:59 > 0:35:05- Rarer, yes.- Exactly. As special editions or such like and they can command good prices even today.

0:35:05 > 0:35:11I've had a quick look over what you've brought in and I'm not pretending to be a Beswick expert.

0:35:11 > 0:35:16It's not really my field, but a lot of these I have seen before.

0:35:16 > 0:35:21You've got the bird figures which we've seen before, the foxes are quite common.

0:35:21 > 0:35:25The dogs again are quite a popular series of Beswick.

0:35:25 > 0:35:28They are so popular.

0:35:28 > 0:35:32- This chap here's not Beswick, but he's sneaked in.- Which one? - The little poodle.

0:35:32 > 0:35:35But why not keep him with the others?

0:35:35 > 0:35:39Then these are rather later, these more matt finishes.

0:35:39 > 0:35:43The market for Beswick is not as strong as it has been.

0:35:43 > 0:35:46I would suggest, just totting it up in my head...

0:35:46 > 0:35:51- I don't want to go over the top on the valuation.- Oh, no.

0:35:51 > 0:35:55- You've decided to sell.- Yes.- Let's put a sensible figure on them.

0:35:55 > 0:35:59I'm thinking of putting a figure on these, as a group, as one lot.

0:35:59 > 0:36:03- The more in the lot, the more interest it's gonna generate.- Yes.

0:36:03 > 0:36:07I'm thinking of putting £200 on for the lot.

0:36:07 > 0:36:11- That may not sound a lot.- I think they'd be worth more than that.

0:36:11 > 0:36:15I hope I'm wrong and someone watching is screaming at the TV,

0:36:15 > 0:36:19saying, "That's a rare example, it's worth £100 on its own!"

0:36:19 > 0:36:25I hope that's true. Let's reserve them at 200 to make sure they don't make any less.

0:36:25 > 0:36:31- No, otherwise it wouldn't be worth selling them.- We'll put 200 fixed reserve on them.

0:36:31 > 0:36:36- Hopefully, the money will go towards collecting something else now?- No, towards a new carpet.

0:36:36 > 0:36:40- What's happened to the old one? - It's worn out.

0:36:40 > 0:36:44- Worn out?- Yes.- At least we know it's going for a good cause.

0:36:44 > 0:36:50We're going for a new carpet for Christine and we're using the Beswick to raise the cash.

0:36:50 > 0:36:56- £200 minimum, but we hope for more. - Yes.- We'll see you on the day, Christine.- Thank you very much.

0:36:56 > 0:36:59That's all from Coventry's splendid cathedral.

0:36:59 > 0:37:03Here's a reminder of what's going under the hammer at the auction.

0:37:03 > 0:37:09Will and Tracy might be getting comfy on her Edwardian-style sofa, but will the price put her at ease?

0:37:09 > 0:37:13Linda's dog's bark might be about as harmless as its bite,

0:37:13 > 0:37:17but that Steiff name alone should warrant some interest.

0:37:17 > 0:37:23And finally, Will took a look at Christine's Beswick zoo - quality and quantity!

0:37:23 > 0:37:27Let's hope someone has an ark on stand-by to take this lot home.

0:37:28 > 0:37:32Things are moving along nicely. You could say so far, so good.

0:37:32 > 0:37:36- I could say that again - sofa, so good! Tracy...- Hiya.

0:37:36 > 0:37:42- The Edwardian...?- I like it.- Do you like my gag?- Yes, Paul.- Took me a long time to think of that!

0:37:42 > 0:37:46We've got £100 to £150, it's Edwardian-looking...

0:37:46 > 0:37:52It's a cracking little seat. If you want a good seat to sit on for £150, that's a bargain.

0:37:52 > 0:37:58We find them in the bedroom, end of the bed, somewhere to throw your clothes at the end of the day...

0:37:58 > 0:38:02- I chuck mine on the floor.- So do I. - I'm from the same school as you two!

0:38:02 > 0:38:06- Good luck. Here's the sofa going under the hammer.- Thank you.

0:38:06 > 0:38:10Lot 520 is a Victorian, Edwardian mahogany parlour settee.

0:38:10 > 0:38:13- I can start this off at £100 with a bid on the book.- Yes!

0:38:13 > 0:38:15That's good, straight in!

0:38:15 > 0:38:18110. I'm clear. 120 anywhere else?

0:38:18 > 0:38:21At 110. 120. 130. 140, sir?

0:38:21 > 0:38:25- 140? 130...- It's the room against the commission bidder.

0:38:25 > 0:38:28130, I'm gonna sell it. Last chance at 130...

0:38:29 > 0:38:33- Great. Good. Mid-estimate. Are you happy with that?- Very happy.

0:38:33 > 0:38:39- What will you do with 130 quid? Bit of commission to pay.- It'll all go towards Grandma's care.

0:38:39 > 0:38:43- Gran's gone into care?- Yeah. - So, to look after her?- Yeah.

0:38:43 > 0:38:48- What's her name?- Barbara. - Barbara, I hope you're watching this, and good luck.

0:38:48 > 0:38:52- Good luck to you as well.- Thank you. I was pleased with that.- Me too.

0:38:55 > 0:39:00Right now it's time to find out... # How much is that doggie in the saleroom? #

0:39:00 > 0:39:04- It belongs to Linda and he's a good pedigree, isn't he?- Oh, he is.

0:39:04 > 0:39:10Will you be sad to say goodbye because you've used this little doggie as a walking aid?

0:39:10 > 0:39:15I did. He was lovely to grow up with, but he's been in a cupboard for 30-odd years.

0:39:15 > 0:39:21- A bit of daylight might do him a bit of good.- As breeds go, he is "best in show".- He's charming.

0:39:21 > 0:39:26- Top name.- Top name. The bark almost went on valuation day, but we got it back.

0:39:26 > 0:39:32We did a bit of resuscitation and for £50, it's a piece of Steiff, isn't it?

0:39:32 > 0:39:35- Yeah. Hopefully for 100.- I hope so.

0:39:35 > 0:39:40Lot 470, this is a pull-along Steiff dog.

0:39:40 > 0:39:4250 quid for the dog?

0:39:42 > 0:39:46Thank you. Anybody give me another fiver? Thank you. And 60?

0:39:46 > 0:39:50- And 5.- Yes!- And 70? 65 at the very, very back.

0:39:50 > 0:39:53Anybody give me 70? Are we all done...?

0:39:53 > 0:39:56- £65.- Super.- Yes.

0:39:56 > 0:39:58- That's mid-estimate.- Yeah.

0:39:58 > 0:40:04- And hopefully, it's gonna go to someone who is gonna learn to walk with it.- Exactly.

0:40:04 > 0:40:08- It would be lovely.- The ideal finish. - It would be lovely.- It would.

0:40:12 > 0:40:15Next up, we have a Beswick zoo for sale.

0:40:15 > 0:40:20Not quite, but it is 31 animals which have been split into a dozen or so lots.

0:40:20 > 0:40:24They belong to Christine. Let's find out what it's all about.

0:40:24 > 0:40:27OK, were you a big collector?

0:40:27 > 0:40:32- Well, my husband started collecting them.- He started you off.

0:40:32 > 0:40:37- You bought one or two every year and built up a collection? - That's right, yes.

0:40:37 > 0:40:41- Why are you selling now?- I want a new carpet for my living room.

0:40:41 > 0:40:46That's a fair exchange. I'd swap my Beswick for a carpet!

0:40:46 > 0:40:49I'd swap my Beswick for a rug!

0:40:50 > 0:40:53Let's hope it doesn't get pulled under our feet today.

0:40:53 > 0:41:00- They have been divided up into lots of different lots. Some figures are more collectable than others.- Yes.

0:41:00 > 0:41:03At the valuation day, we put it all together as one lot,

0:41:03 > 0:41:09but the auctioneer knows his market and decided to split it up into smaller lots.

0:41:09 > 0:41:14- Let's start off with the first lot. It's a Dalmatian followed by a fox. Ready?- Yes.- Let's go.

0:41:14 > 0:41:1715, madam? 15. 20?

0:41:17 > 0:41:2015, lady's bid. I'm gonna sell at £15...

0:41:20 > 0:41:23- Good start, 15.- 25 with me. 28.

0:41:23 > 0:41:26Any advance on £30?

0:41:26 > 0:41:29That's £30. The next is a collection of animals.

0:41:29 > 0:41:34And 307, some more Beswick - the mouse, the donkey, etcetera.

0:41:34 > 0:41:37I've got 35 on my right. At £35, I'm gonna sell it.

0:41:37 > 0:41:42- £35...- Yes! And now we've got an eagle. Let's watch this one fly!

0:41:42 > 0:41:45Starting at 30 on the book. 5 in the room?

0:41:45 > 0:41:4835. At 35. It's yours, sir.

0:41:48 > 0:41:52309, we've got the Spirit of Fire this time, the grey horse.

0:41:52 > 0:41:56I've got 30 here. 32. 34. Any advance on 34...?

0:41:56 > 0:41:59- Now the horse, the palomino. - The palomino.

0:41:59 > 0:42:0255. 60. 65. 67. Any advance on 67...?

0:42:02 > 0:42:06Yes! We've got some birds.

0:42:06 > 0:42:10With me on the book at 50. 60. 60. And I'm clear.

0:42:10 > 0:42:1360. 70 now? At £60...

0:42:13 > 0:42:17- That's good. - I meant to bring a toby jug!

0:42:17 > 0:42:21The kestrel, the song thrush and an owl. 70 with you, sir.

0:42:21 > 0:42:25- 5, anywhere? £70, thank you. - We're in the money!

0:42:25 > 0:42:27We've got the stag family.

0:42:27 > 0:42:3066. 68. 70.

0:42:30 > 0:42:33£70. The lady's bid at 70...

0:42:33 > 0:42:38- So far, so good. We've got a woodpecker, a kingfisher.- Yes.

0:42:38 > 0:42:4385. 90? 85 it is. By the door here at £85.

0:42:43 > 0:42:45Going at 85. All finished and done...?

0:42:45 > 0:42:49That's the last lot gone. That's brilliant.

0:42:49 > 0:42:52- We've sold absolutely everything. - Smashing, yes.

0:42:52 > 0:42:58- The collectors were really here today.- Yeah.- I make that a total of...- I make it £501.

0:42:58 > 0:43:02- Just over 500 quid. That's fantastic.- Smashing.

0:43:02 > 0:43:09- That's a quality carpet.- Lovely, yes.- Thank you so much for bringing them all in.- Well done.- Thank you.

0:43:12 > 0:43:18Sadly, we're coming to the end of another show, but what a fantastic day we've had here!

0:43:18 > 0:43:22Everybody has gone home happy and all credit to our experts.

0:43:22 > 0:43:28We've had a wonderful time at Coventry Cathedral and at Bigwoods we've been well looked after.

0:43:28 > 0:43:33I can't wait to come back. I hope you've enjoyed today's show. Until next time, cheerio.

0:43:52 > 0:43:56Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd 2009

0:43:56 > 0:43:59Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk