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It's so bracing! | 0:00:05 | 0:00:07 | |
Now, you might just recognise that as the classic catchphrase | 0:00:07 | 0:00:10 | |
for the largest seaside resort town on the Lincolnshire coast. | 0:00:10 | 0:00:13 | |
It's been a popular holiday destination for well over 100 years. | 0:00:13 | 0:00:17 | |
Where else could we be but Skegness? | 0:00:17 | 0:00:19 | |
Skegness is a great place. | 0:00:51 | 0:00:53 | |
There's so much to do here. | 0:00:53 | 0:00:56 | |
It's got a fabulous, award-winning beach, but if you don't want to | 0:00:56 | 0:00:59 | |
paddle in the sea, you can entertain yourself on the pier, walk along the | 0:00:59 | 0:01:03 | |
promenade or play some crazy golf. | 0:01:03 | 0:01:05 | |
Or just make the most of the great attractions | 0:01:05 | 0:01:08 | |
by enjoying all the fun of the fair. | 0:01:08 | 0:01:10 | |
But all of these good people, hundreds of them here, have turned | 0:01:13 | 0:01:16 | |
their backs on that to queue up outside the Embassy Theatre on the | 0:01:16 | 0:01:19 | |
Grand Parade to be entertained in a roller-coaster ride of excitement, | 0:01:19 | 0:01:24 | |
ending in the auction room with our very own stars of the summer season, | 0:01:24 | 0:01:27 | |
experts Elizabeth Talbot and David Barby, who are going to be asking that all important question... | 0:01:27 | 0:01:32 | |
ALL: What's it worth? | 0:01:32 | 0:01:34 | |
Well, we're going to find out. | 0:01:34 | 0:01:36 | |
It could be one of our experts! | 0:01:39 | 0:01:42 | |
You always get postcards at a seaside resort, | 0:01:42 | 0:01:46 | |
and Elizabeth has cleverly found us some to start the day with. | 0:01:46 | 0:01:50 | |
David, lovely to see you. I'm intrigued by this collection of albums that you've brought in. | 0:01:50 | 0:01:55 | |
What can you tell me about them? | 0:01:55 | 0:01:57 | |
Well, when my father died 30 years or more ago, my mother | 0:01:57 | 0:02:01 | |
asked me to dispose of some of his clothing, which was in a cupboard. | 0:02:01 | 0:02:06 | |
She said, take everything in that cupboard | 0:02:06 | 0:02:09 | |
and just get rid of it, give it to charity or something. | 0:02:09 | 0:02:12 | |
And at the bottom of the cupboard, after I got the clothes out, I found these albums, | 0:02:12 | 0:02:15 | |
which I thought, oh, gosh, what fun, you know? | 0:02:15 | 0:02:19 | |
And I just put them away in a cupboard in my house and | 0:02:19 | 0:02:22 | |
there they've stayed until I saw that this programme | 0:02:22 | 0:02:25 | |
was coming to our local town. | 0:02:25 | 0:02:27 | |
I thought, oh, my photo albums! | 0:02:27 | 0:02:29 | |
I wonder what they'll think of them, and apparently they've caused a bit of excitement! | 0:02:29 | 0:02:33 | |
-We think a lot of them. We think they're lovely. -Yes. | 0:02:33 | 0:02:36 | |
Within the three albums, there's a very varied and eclectic mix. | 0:02:36 | 0:02:41 | |
We have some humorous, we have some local, we have some quite serious | 0:02:41 | 0:02:45 | |
and we have some very collectibles. | 0:02:45 | 0:02:48 | |
-So, lots and lots of strands there to talk about. -Yes. -First of all, the albums themselves help | 0:02:48 | 0:02:53 | |
date the collection to Edwardian, primarily Edwardian and a little | 0:02:53 | 0:02:58 | |
bit after, so early 1900s through. | 0:02:58 | 0:03:00 | |
So, that's a lovely period of postcard production and collecting. | 0:03:00 | 0:03:05 | |
The cover of this album is very typical. Very art nouveau in design. | 0:03:05 | 0:03:11 | |
I particularly rest upon these pages, which illustrate some | 0:03:11 | 0:03:16 | |
early tourist views of Skegness, which is appropriate for today. | 0:03:16 | 0:03:20 | |
-Yes. -There are some early photographs of Skegness, including their luxury | 0:03:20 | 0:03:24 | |
hotel camp at Skegness, which is quite interesting. | 0:03:24 | 0:03:27 | |
-And the early photographs are... -Yes, I used to work at Butlins, too. | 0:03:27 | 0:03:31 | |
-Oh, did you? -Yes. When I came to Skegness 22 years ago, I came | 0:03:31 | 0:03:35 | |
to become the press officer for Butlins. | 0:03:35 | 0:03:37 | |
Well! Another coincidence. So, you must have been interested to see these from your own knowledge | 0:03:37 | 0:03:42 | |
-of the sites and everything. -Absolutely amazing. -How amazing. And also, at the front we have | 0:03:42 | 0:03:47 | |
some more humorous, sort of early 20th-century humour from Skegness. | 0:03:47 | 0:03:51 | |
-Yes. -But along with all these, which are nice and local and relevant | 0:03:51 | 0:03:56 | |
for today, I notice you have some very significant military-related ones. | 0:03:56 | 0:04:01 | |
Some shipping scenes. | 0:04:01 | 0:04:03 | |
And lots of strong themes which will inspire collectors to get quite excited about what you've here. | 0:04:03 | 0:04:11 | |
Now, have you any perception of what you have here in terms of value, or is it just interest value do you? | 0:04:11 | 0:04:17 | |
-No idea. No idea. -Well, I think that it if you look at them as a collection of three albums | 0:04:17 | 0:04:22 | |
all together, realistically, I would think they should make between £120 and £180 quite comfortably. | 0:04:22 | 0:04:28 | |
-Yes. -But I do suggest that we place a reserve, a protective reserve, of £120 fixed, so that they don't | 0:04:28 | 0:04:35 | |
-sell for less. -Yes, I wouldn't like them to go for less. -So, I shall meet you there on the big day! | 0:04:35 | 0:04:41 | |
-Yes, thank you very much! I look forward to it. -Thank you for bringing such wonderful items. | 0:04:41 | 0:04:45 | |
Tony, this brings back a lot of happy memories for me because we have a similar box to this at home. | 0:04:49 | 0:04:57 | |
Now, I suppose we ought to open it up to show people what it actually is! But this is a lovely | 0:04:57 | 0:05:04 | |
Victorian musical box. | 0:05:04 | 0:05:07 | |
It's equivalent to a gramophone, | 0:05:07 | 0:05:11 | |
the radio, the DVD player of today, | 0:05:11 | 0:05:15 | |
because this was the entertainment of the late 19th century. | 0:05:15 | 0:05:19 | |
So, where did it come from? | 0:05:19 | 0:05:21 | |
Well, all I can tell you about it is the fact that | 0:05:21 | 0:05:26 | |
my grandfather, he used to work on the docks at Boston, and I don't know | 0:05:26 | 0:05:30 | |
whether or where he really got it from. | 0:05:30 | 0:05:32 | |
When he died in 1955, he was 83, | 0:05:32 | 0:05:38 | |
and it was just passed down to me. And him and my grandmother used to, I presume, | 0:05:38 | 0:05:42 | |
used to play it, but where it came from I can't tell you, I'm sorry! | 0:05:42 | 0:05:46 | |
Well, I think it's lovely and when you listen to it... | 0:05:46 | 0:05:49 | |
Let's have a play. | 0:05:49 | 0:05:51 | |
Because the inside | 0:05:51 | 0:05:53 | |
has a lovely mechanism, doesn't it? | 0:05:53 | 0:05:55 | |
Yeah. | 0:05:55 | 0:05:57 | |
PRETTY TUNE PLAYS | 0:05:59 | 0:06:02 | |
Because the actual hammers have butterflies mounted on them, so you've got this movement | 0:06:03 | 0:06:08 | |
of the insects going backwards and forwards. | 0:06:08 | 0:06:12 | |
Yes. | 0:06:12 | 0:06:14 | |
What's so important with these boxes is that all the teeth | 0:06:14 | 0:06:19 | |
are intact, because that's so expensive to replicate. | 0:06:19 | 0:06:24 | |
And the other thing is on the cylinder, these little spikes that are raised to touch the teeth, | 0:06:24 | 0:06:31 | |
all those have to be in an upright position, otherwise the object wouldn't work. | 0:06:31 | 0:06:37 | |
-Correct, yes. -Now, if we look at this | 0:06:37 | 0:06:39 | |
lithographic plate, which has printed in English the various | 0:06:39 | 0:06:43 | |
tunes, we can actually date it, because one is here, number seven, Soldiers Of The Queen. | 0:06:43 | 0:06:50 | |
And there's another composition here, | 0:06:50 | 0:06:53 | |
A Runaway Girl, by Monckton. | 0:06:53 | 0:06:55 | |
And Monckton was a great sort of entrepreneur of the musical stage in the late Victorian period. | 0:06:55 | 0:07:01 | |
-Oh, yes? -So, we can take this towards the end of the 19th century. | 0:07:01 | 0:07:05 | |
-About 1885, 1890, that sort of period. -Oh, good! | 0:07:05 | 0:07:07 | |
It's a lovely box and the very fact that it plays is brilliant. | 0:07:07 | 0:07:13 | |
A little attention required to the top. This is a transfer design. | 0:07:13 | 0:07:16 | |
There are some scratches here and there. | 0:07:16 | 0:07:19 | |
I would imagine that has been shoved under a chest, | 0:07:19 | 0:07:22 | |
under a sideboard and things have been put on the top there and sort of worn away the varnish. | 0:07:22 | 0:07:27 | |
-Yeah, yeah. -But it's a nice piece. | 0:07:27 | 0:07:29 | |
I had it wrapped up in my wardrobe with a cloth over it, you see, | 0:07:29 | 0:07:32 | |
so I presume the majority of that was done before it got to me. | 0:07:32 | 0:07:36 | |
-So, it's never seen the light of day for years, has it? -Not much. -OK. | 0:07:36 | 0:07:40 | |
Right, these sell at auction anything from about £650 up to £1,000. | 0:07:40 | 0:07:45 | |
I can see this going round about £700 to £800. Now, would you be happy at that figure? | 0:07:45 | 0:07:50 | |
Yes. Yes, certainly. | 0:07:50 | 0:07:52 | |
-So, if we put a reserve of 650 on it fixed... -Yes. -You'd be happy. | 0:07:52 | 0:07:56 | |
Well, I'd be quite happy, yes. | 0:07:56 | 0:07:58 | |
-OK, well, Tony, let's go ahead and hope the auctioneer can call your tune! -I hope so as well! | 0:07:58 | 0:08:03 | |
Thank you very much indeed. | 0:08:03 | 0:08:05 | |
Lynn, this looks great fun. | 0:08:11 | 0:08:13 | |
I can't wait to put the key into the litter zebra and wind him up. | 0:08:13 | 0:08:16 | |
-He does work, doesn't he? -Yes, he does. -Tell me a little about his history. | 0:08:16 | 0:08:21 | |
Right, I bought it round about ten years ago and I actually bought it from a car-boot sale. | 0:08:21 | 0:08:27 | |
-Oh, did you? -Yes. -Because I know definitely this is 1950s. -Right. | 0:08:27 | 0:08:32 | |
This is a classic Japanese clockwork toy, typical 1950s. | 0:08:32 | 0:08:36 | |
It's kind of the end of the golden period for them, | 0:08:36 | 0:08:39 | |
because by the 1960s it was all battery-operated toys. | 0:08:39 | 0:08:41 | |
And that's when started seeing all the robots. This is actually fantastic. | 0:08:41 | 0:08:45 | |
-I've not seen a little clockwork zebra before. -Right. | 0:08:45 | 0:08:49 | |
-And I've got to say, considering you got this in a car-boot sale? -Yeah. -It's in immaculate condition. | 0:08:49 | 0:08:55 | |
It's never, ever been played with, has it? | 0:08:55 | 0:08:57 | |
-It doesn't look like it. -In fact, the ears are so new they're still bent over from being in the box. -Yes. | 0:08:57 | 0:09:01 | |
The box is a little bit tatty, but, nevertheless, it's its original box and there's a lot of value | 0:09:01 | 0:09:06 | |
-in the box, as you know if you watch Flog It. -Yes, I do. | 0:09:06 | 0:09:09 | |
-How much did you pay for this? -£2. | 0:09:09 | 0:09:12 | |
I bet you thought, oh, yes! That's made my day. | 0:09:12 | 0:09:16 | |
I thought it was worth £2. | 0:09:16 | 0:09:18 | |
-You know that was to cheap, don't you really, for what it was? -Yes. -So, can I have a go? -Yes! | 0:09:18 | 0:09:22 | |
-Can I have permission? -Yes, you can. | 0:09:22 | 0:09:25 | |
I'm going to break it now! | 0:09:25 | 0:09:28 | |
Right, OK, here goes. | 0:09:28 | 0:09:30 | |
I won't over-wind this. I'll just do two or three times, shall I? I'll just put him down. | 0:09:30 | 0:09:34 | |
That's cracking, isn't it? | 0:09:36 | 0:09:39 | |
And the little zebra just goes around in a circle. | 0:09:39 | 0:09:42 | |
-It's definitely different. -I think it's brilliant! It's absolutely brilliant. | 0:09:42 | 0:09:46 | |
-What do you think it's worth? -I don't know. | 0:09:46 | 0:09:49 | |
Well, you'll be chomping at the bit to put this one into auction, | 0:09:49 | 0:09:52 | |
-because I think we're going to get £50 to £80. -Do you really? -Yeah. | 0:09:52 | 0:09:56 | |
-I didn't think it was worth as much as that. No. You've shocked me. -Yeah, I really do. | 0:09:56 | 0:10:01 | |
I think it's that rare and that unusual and it's in museum condition, apart from the box. | 0:10:01 | 0:10:06 | |
That's the thing I like about it. The condition of it. It doesn't look as though it has been played with. | 0:10:06 | 0:10:10 | |
-Don't give it away though. -No. -We want to sell it, don't we? -Yes. | 0:10:10 | 0:10:14 | |
-But let's put a fixed reserve of £30 just in case nobody is interested. -OK. -Let's flog it! -Yes! | 0:10:14 | 0:10:19 | |
Margaret, I think this is very, very obviously a couple of pieces | 0:10:25 | 0:10:29 | |
of Troika which we're now all familiar with, I think. | 0:10:29 | 0:10:32 | |
-Yes. -But you have a story behind these two? | 0:10:32 | 0:10:35 | |
Yes, well, I bought these for my mother in law in sort of 1971, '72. | 0:10:35 | 0:10:41 | |
And she absolutely loved it. | 0:10:41 | 0:10:44 | |
But unfortunately she died in 1976, so they came back to me again. | 0:10:44 | 0:10:49 | |
So, they have been in the attic ever since. | 0:10:49 | 0:10:55 | |
So, it's time to move them on. | 0:10:55 | 0:10:58 | |
-So, you bought them as a gift, but you don't like it. -No. -What do you know about that Troika factory? | 0:10:58 | 0:11:03 | |
I don't know anything other than what I've heard on television. | 0:11:03 | 0:11:06 | |
Troika was established in 1963 by three men, hence the name Troika, | 0:11:06 | 0:11:13 | |
and they specialised in this rustic, as you say, very rustic | 0:11:13 | 0:11:17 | |
moulded body, which was purposefully made to emulate concrete. | 0:11:17 | 0:11:24 | |
Now everything in the '60s and '70s was concrete. | 0:11:24 | 0:11:27 | |
It was very fashionable, both in architecture and in other things. | 0:11:27 | 0:11:31 | |
-In 1970, they moved to Newlyn. -Oh, right. | 0:11:31 | 0:11:35 | |
-And then in 1983, it closed. -They didn't have a very long... -No, they didn't. | 0:11:35 | 0:11:40 | |
-Only 20 years, so you were buying really in their mid period. -Yeah. | 0:11:40 | 0:11:45 | |
We look at the mark on the bottom, which is where they marked them. | 0:11:45 | 0:11:48 | |
Troika, Cornwall, and with the artist's monogram on the bottom there as well. | 0:11:48 | 0:11:54 | |
Of the two, I quite like the lamp. | 0:11:54 | 0:11:56 | |
I think it's a nice usable size. | 0:11:56 | 0:12:00 | |
It's practical, but it's a clever design. | 0:12:00 | 0:12:03 | |
-The vase is probably classed more of a regularly seen item. -Yes, it is, yeah. | 0:12:03 | 0:12:10 | |
I think that, realistically, the vase would sell for around about | 0:12:10 | 0:12:16 | |
£40 to £60, and the lamp should be in the region of about £70 to £90. | 0:12:16 | 0:12:21 | |
-Yes, that's fine. -So, combining the two separate valuations, if we put a total estimate of £110 to £150, | 0:12:21 | 0:12:29 | |
-with a reserve of £100 on them. -Yes, that's good. -You'd be comfortable with that? -That's fine. -Wonderful. | 0:12:29 | 0:12:34 | |
Time for a quick look at what's heading off to the auction room. | 0:12:35 | 0:12:39 | |
It's always nice to start with something local, like David's lovely postcard collection. | 0:12:39 | 0:12:45 | |
Full of social history, Tony's Victorian music box still plays a lively tune. | 0:12:46 | 0:12:52 | |
This 1950s clockwork zebra should make money for Lynn, as she only paid £2 for it. | 0:12:54 | 0:13:01 | |
Margaret is not keen on Troika, but plenty of people are, so I don't | 0:13:01 | 0:13:04 | |
think this vase and the lamp base will be going back into the attic. | 0:13:04 | 0:13:09 | |
For today's sale, we've left the Lincolnshire | 0:13:10 | 0:13:13 | |
coastline of Skegness and travelled inland to Grantham, to Golding Young | 0:13:13 | 0:13:17 | |
Auction Rooms, and on the rostrum, the man with all the local knowledge is auctioneer Colin Young. | 0:13:17 | 0:13:22 | |
We've got some Troika up for sale and it belongs to Margaret. | 0:13:32 | 0:13:36 | |
-Are you a Troika fan, then? -No. -No, that's why you're flogging them. -Well, it belonged to my... | 0:13:36 | 0:13:40 | |
-I -bought it actually for my mother- in-law, but unfortunately she died in '76 and it came back to me. | 0:13:40 | 0:13:47 | |
We love Troika. I love Troika. It's good 20th-century studio pottery. | 0:13:47 | 0:13:52 | |
-I'm growing to like it, but I do light the lamp. I could live with that. -You could live with that. | 0:13:52 | 0:13:57 | |
-I could, yeah. -What do you going to buy with that? | 0:13:57 | 0:14:00 | |
-I was going to share it between my grandchildren. -How many have you got? -Three, and a great-grandson. | 0:14:00 | 0:14:05 | |
Wow! Well, you'll be busy then, won't you? | 0:14:05 | 0:14:08 | |
Lot number 310 is the Troika wheel table lamp, | 0:14:08 | 0:14:12 | |
and we also have the Troika coffin vase. There we go. | 0:14:12 | 0:14:16 | |
Very nicely named, of course(!) Who's going to start me at £100? | 0:14:16 | 0:14:20 | |
100? 100? 80 to go then. | 0:14:20 | 0:14:22 | |
Always very popular, Troika. | 0:14:22 | 0:14:23 | |
50? £50? | 0:14:23 | 0:14:26 | |
-Not in Grantham! -Oh, this is cheap for Troika. | 0:14:26 | 0:14:29 | |
At 50 bid. 60 surely? 60. 70. | 0:14:29 | 0:14:31 | |
80. 90. 100. 110. | 0:14:31 | 0:14:34 | |
120? 110 bid. Any more now? At 110. We're on the market at 110. | 0:14:34 | 0:14:38 | |
I'll take 15 as the last call. 15. | 0:14:38 | 0:14:40 | |
120 on the internet. | 0:14:40 | 0:14:42 | |
125. 130 do I see? | 0:14:42 | 0:14:45 | |
130? 130 there. 135. 140? 140. | 0:14:45 | 0:14:51 | |
145. 150? 150. 155. 160. | 0:14:51 | 0:14:54 | |
155 bid. 160 do I see? | 0:14:54 | 0:14:57 | |
The internet's out. Selling at 155. | 0:14:57 | 0:15:00 | |
-Yes! -The hammer's gone down. | 0:15:00 | 0:15:03 | |
Colin's done a proper job for us, hasn't he? He did really well. | 0:15:03 | 0:15:07 | |
-He did, very well. -£155. | 0:15:07 | 0:15:10 | |
I thought it was sort if settling down a bit and people were buying too much now. | 0:15:10 | 0:15:14 | |
Oh, there's always another bid to tease out! You ask Elizabeth, she gets on the rostrum a lot. | 0:15:14 | 0:15:18 | |
-Yes, I know! -You've got to work that crowd! | 0:15:18 | 0:15:20 | |
Still nervous on this side and watching what's happening. My goodness! | 0:15:20 | 0:15:23 | |
Right, let's make some sweet music because it's Tony's 19th- century music box. It's wonderful. | 0:15:28 | 0:15:33 | |
It's got all the airs. It's working. | 0:15:33 | 0:15:35 | |
We know what David said at the valuation day, £700 to £800. | 0:15:35 | 0:15:38 | |
Quite precise! Because, you know, sometimes you've got a £400 to £800, but I like that. | 0:15:38 | 0:15:44 | |
That's a proper valuation, not an estimate and we've seen plenty on the show before, | 0:15:44 | 0:15:48 | |
and they've all done well for us. This is your lot. Good luck! | 0:15:48 | 0:15:51 | |
Thank you! | 0:15:51 | 0:15:53 | |
A 19th-century Swiss musical box this time, playing ten airs. | 0:15:53 | 0:15:56 | |
What shall we say for this one? Who's going to start me at 700 for it? 700? | 0:15:56 | 0:16:00 | |
Five, then. Surely five. Who's going to put me in? Five? | 0:16:00 | 0:16:03 | |
Four, if we must. 400. Thank you. £400 bid. At 400. | 0:16:03 | 0:16:06 | |
50 now, do I see? £400 bid, 50 now surely? | 0:16:06 | 0:16:09 | |
At £400 bid. 50 anywhere else now? 450? | 0:16:09 | 0:16:12 | |
500. And 50 now. | 0:16:12 | 0:16:15 | |
-We're going up. -We've got a bid on the books. -Yeah. | 0:16:15 | 0:16:17 | |
600 surely? 600? We're petering out now at 600 bid. | 0:16:17 | 0:16:20 | |
50? One more? At 600, are we all done and finished at 600? | 0:16:20 | 0:16:24 | |
I'm afraid I have to withdraw this one. | 0:16:24 | 0:16:26 | |
If you have a word with us, we may be able to negotiate a sale. | 0:16:26 | 0:16:29 | |
I was toying with dropping it to six before. But I thought... | 0:16:29 | 0:16:33 | |
-Ah! -Oh, well. | 0:16:33 | 0:16:35 | |
Really, when we where at Skegness, I said, | 0:16:35 | 0:16:37 | |
when I was going out, I said, I think I ought to have said to David | 0:16:37 | 0:16:41 | |
-just knock it down to six, but we thought... -A little bit late. | 0:16:41 | 0:16:46 | |
-It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter now. -Well, have a word with Colin afterwards. -I will do. | 0:16:46 | 0:16:50 | |
406. | 0:16:58 | 0:16:59 | |
Remember that lovely clockwork toy, that zebra? | 0:16:59 | 0:17:02 | |
It's my valuation and it's just about to go under the hammer, and it belongs to Lynn. | 0:17:02 | 0:17:06 | |
-It's good to see you again. -Hello. | 0:17:06 | 0:17:08 | |
-I think we'll sell it. -Yeah, I think so. -£30, fixed reserve, we're not giving this away. -No. | 0:17:08 | 0:17:13 | |
It's worth a bit more. It's worth double, isn't it? | 0:17:13 | 0:17:15 | |
-I think so. -And we had a bit of fun with it. It's a lovely little zebra. | 0:17:15 | 0:17:18 | |
-All the money is going to your son, is it? -Yes. -You're going to treat him. -I am. | 0:17:18 | 0:17:22 | |
-OK, OK. Well, let's find out what the bidders of Grantham think, shall we? -Yes. | 0:17:22 | 0:17:26 | |
They will love this. It's going under the hammer. | 0:17:26 | 0:17:29 | |
A "made in China" tin-plate clockwork jumping zebra. | 0:17:29 | 0:17:33 | |
A fabulous little lot. Quite fun, isn't it? | 0:17:33 | 0:17:35 | |
Who's going to start me at £30 for it? 30? £30? £20? | 0:17:35 | 0:17:39 | |
Well, who wants to start me at five? Five bid. Eight anywhere else now? | 0:17:39 | 0:17:43 | |
-Oh, come on! -10 bid. 12 bid. 15? 15. 18. | 0:17:43 | 0:17:45 | |
20. At £20 I'm bid. Two, do I see? Two? Two, bid. Five now. Five. 25. | 0:17:45 | 0:17:49 | |
28. 30. At 30 bid. 32 now. | 0:17:49 | 0:17:51 | |
-£30 bid. At £30. -Mmm... | 0:17:51 | 0:17:54 | |
32 now, do I see? At £30, second row. | 0:17:54 | 0:17:56 | |
At 30 bid. Any more now? At £30. | 0:17:56 | 0:17:59 | |
Well done, Colin. He pushed that one. | 0:17:59 | 0:18:02 | |
Unfortunately, we didn't get middle estimate. | 0:18:02 | 0:18:04 | |
No, but that's not bad, is it? | 0:18:04 | 0:18:06 | |
-It's gone. -Yeah. -It's still not bad. That's a very good result. -I think it is. I think it is really. | 0:18:06 | 0:18:10 | |
Well, next up we've some memorabilia, some social history of Skegness. | 0:18:14 | 0:18:18 | |
Some early photographs that belong to David. | 0:18:18 | 0:18:20 | |
These are so sought after, and you thought that as well. | 0:18:20 | 0:18:23 | |
-It's the social history always sells well. -Absolutely. | 0:18:23 | 0:18:26 | |
A good mixture of all sorts, including some militaria, | 0:18:26 | 0:18:28 | |
so it's a lovely original album in a proper collection. | 0:18:28 | 0:18:32 | |
Yeah, £120, £180. | 0:18:32 | 0:18:34 | |
-There's even Butlins in Skegness there! -Yes, indeed! -Yes, so we've got it all. | 0:18:34 | 0:18:38 | |
Hopefully, it's going to find a good home. | 0:18:38 | 0:18:40 | |
Lot Number 355 is a collection of early 20th-century postcards | 0:18:40 | 0:18:44 | |
contained in three albums. | 0:18:44 | 0:18:46 | |
Nice spread lot. Who's going to start me at £100? | 0:18:46 | 0:18:48 | |
100? 80 to go then. 80. | 0:18:48 | 0:18:51 | |
-Yeah, come on. -50 surely? £50. Who's going to be first in? 50. | 0:18:51 | 0:18:54 | |
Five. 60. Five. 70. Five. Bid 80. | 0:18:54 | 0:18:56 | |
And five. And 90. And five. 100. | 0:18:56 | 0:18:59 | |
110. 120 on the book. | 0:18:59 | 0:19:01 | |
130 in the room. 140. | 0:19:01 | 0:19:03 | |
-Yes! -150. 160. 170? | 0:19:03 | 0:19:05 | |
170. 180. 190? 190. 200. 220. | 0:19:05 | 0:19:09 | |
240. 260. 280. 300... | 0:19:09 | 0:19:12 | |
He's got a commission bid on the book. He keeps looking down. | 0:19:12 | 0:19:15 | |
At 400 bid. I'll go to the phones. Do we have an extra bid? | 0:19:15 | 0:19:18 | |
We do, 420 on the phone. 440. | 0:19:18 | 0:19:21 | |
460 now. 460? 460. 480. | 0:19:21 | 0:19:24 | |
500 now, say. 500 bid surely? | 0:19:24 | 0:19:26 | |
Thank you. 550 now? I'll take 20. | 0:19:26 | 0:19:28 | |
Let's keep the progress rolling. | 0:19:28 | 0:19:30 | |
520. 540 now. 540 bid. 540. | 0:19:30 | 0:19:33 | |
560. 580 now? 580 bid? | 0:19:33 | 0:19:37 | |
580. 600 surely? No? | 0:19:37 | 0:19:38 | |
At 580 it's on the telephone then. | 0:19:38 | 0:19:40 | |
Do we've any more bids? At 580. | 0:19:40 | 0:19:42 | |
-580. -We're done and finished, on the telephones at £580. | 0:19:42 | 0:19:47 | |
£580. The hammer's gone like that and it's sold. | 0:19:47 | 0:19:50 | |
-Absolutely amazing! -We see it time and time again. | 0:19:50 | 0:19:52 | |
So much money in social history. | 0:19:52 | 0:19:54 | |
-If you've got a collection like that, we want to see it. Unbelievable. -Unbelievable. | 0:19:54 | 0:19:58 | |
-A lot of money there. There's a bit of commission to pay. -Yes. -What will you put that towards? | 0:19:58 | 0:20:03 | |
-Any idea? What's going through your mind? -I'm taken by surprise by the amount it's fetched! | 0:20:03 | 0:20:08 | |
I shall have to give it serious consideration in a quieter moment! LAUGHTER | 0:20:08 | 0:20:12 | |
Lot with you, at 45. | 0:20:12 | 0:20:14 | |
Well, how about that? So far so good. We've had some cracking results. | 0:20:18 | 0:20:22 | |
We are coming back later on in the show to the auction room, but right now I'm going to take a break | 0:20:22 | 0:20:26 | |
and I need some bracing sea air, and David, with those postcards, has just given me a very good idea. | 0:20:26 | 0:20:33 | |
That is absolutely wonderful! How could I possibly come to the bracing Lincolnshire coastline | 0:20:38 | 0:20:43 | |
without visiting one of the big names in British holiday seaside entertainment? | 0:20:43 | 0:20:48 | |
And in my opinion, it's up there with fish and chips, Brighton Rock and Blackpool Tower. | 0:20:48 | 0:20:54 | |
Hello, everyone! This is Beryl, your Radio Butlin announcer, wishing you a very good morning. | 0:20:54 | 0:21:01 | |
It's Billy Butlin's first ever holiday camp in Skegness. | 0:21:01 | 0:21:05 | |
Billy opened the holiday camp in 1936 and this chalet, which is now | 0:21:05 | 0:21:11 | |
a Grade II-listed building, is all that is left | 0:21:11 | 0:21:14 | |
of what those visitors would have enjoyed in the early days. | 0:21:14 | 0:21:18 | |
There was one electric light bulb. | 0:21:18 | 0:21:19 | |
A cold tap and hand basin in the corner, and no heating! | 0:21:19 | 0:21:23 | |
So, you can see, | 0:21:23 | 0:21:25 | |
it was all pretty basic. | 0:21:25 | 0:21:28 | |
But it didn't seem to matter, because what Billy provided was a week's holiday for a week's pay. | 0:21:28 | 0:21:35 | |
'The time is now 7.30, | 0:21:35 | 0:21:38 | |
'and breakfast for all our first sitting campers will be available at 8.15.' | 0:21:38 | 0:21:45 | |
People may scoff at knobbly knees competitions and the regimentations of camps, | 0:21:47 | 0:21:51 | |
but it gave ordinary families the chance to get away, meet new friends and have some great fun. | 0:21:51 | 0:21:58 | |
Right, I'm off to find Chris Barron and have a chat with him. | 0:21:58 | 0:22:02 | |
He's the resort director, and I'm going to find out a little bit more about the man who started | 0:22:02 | 0:22:07 | |
this fantastic holiday empire. | 0:22:07 | 0:22:09 | |
How did Billy come up with the idea? | 0:22:13 | 0:22:15 | |
I think what he had done is when he was in Skegness, he saw how the old bed and breakfast used | 0:22:15 | 0:22:20 | |
to work, and the mum and dad and the two kids being kicked out at 9 the morning | 0:22:20 | 0:22:25 | |
and being told they couldn't come back till 6 at night. | 0:22:25 | 0:22:28 | |
He had the recollections of his days in Canada when he was a youth when he used to see these old-style camps, | 0:22:28 | 0:22:33 | |
which were made up of tents, and he had the dream of being able to do this. | 0:22:33 | 0:22:37 | |
So he put the two ideas together. | 0:22:37 | 0:22:39 | |
-What was he doing, for a living? -He had, just before then, he'd been into fairgrounds. | 0:22:39 | 0:22:43 | |
He was always a showman. He'd done the stalls and stuff. | 0:22:43 | 0:22:46 | |
He'd come up to Skegness because he'd heard two guys | 0:22:46 | 0:22:48 | |
in a pub in London saying what a great season they'd had and how much money they were making. | 0:22:48 | 0:22:53 | |
Then he got the break on the seafront when he saw these dodgem cars. | 0:22:53 | 0:22:56 | |
And again it was an exceptionally brave decision to commit to take the concession | 0:22:56 | 0:23:00 | |
for these from America for the whole of Europe and Britain. | 0:23:00 | 0:23:04 | |
So, again, he made lots of money bringing dodgem cars in, | 0:23:04 | 0:23:07 | |
and that give him the base to sort of crystallise his dream. | 0:23:07 | 0:23:11 | |
So, he bought the turnip field that was here in 1935 | 0:23:11 | 0:23:15 | |
and started out building Butlins as we know it today. | 0:23:15 | 0:23:19 | |
-That's incredible. -And the plan for the 1936 chalet | 0:23:19 | 0:23:22 | |
that you saw over there was drawn on a cigarette packet! | 0:23:22 | 0:23:25 | |
Something that we wouldn't get away with now! | 0:23:25 | 0:23:28 | |
It opened in Easter '36 and it was literally last minute. | 0:23:28 | 0:23:32 | |
People would turn up to their chalet and the door wasn't there. | 0:23:32 | 0:23:36 | |
By the time they got back to say the door wasn't there, it would have been put on. It was all very tight. | 0:23:36 | 0:23:41 | |
It sounds like he was a very good businessman. | 0:23:41 | 0:23:43 | |
He was. He always knew how to spot an opportunity, but he also knew how to sell himself. | 0:23:43 | 0:23:48 | |
In '36 he borrowed lots of money to build this place and things were running late, | 0:23:48 | 0:23:52 | |
his creditors were getting concerned, so he had the inspirational idea | 0:23:52 | 0:23:56 | |
of what he'll do is just hire a Rolls Royce for the day. | 0:23:56 | 0:23:59 | |
No way could he afford one! | 0:23:59 | 0:24:00 | |
He went round his creditors, reassured them. | 0:24:00 | 0:24:02 | |
They saw this in the car park and then they were very comfortable and it gave him a breathing space. | 0:24:02 | 0:24:07 | |
He also knew, when there was an opportunity, to make the most of it. | 0:24:07 | 0:24:11 | |
Just after the war, all of a sudden people were saying, workers deserve holiday pay, | 0:24:11 | 0:24:15 | |
which they'd never had before. | 0:24:15 | 0:24:17 | |
So he invited all the MPs down to Clacton to give them a presentation to say why it was so important | 0:24:17 | 0:24:23 | |
that these people should have a week's holiday pay, | 0:24:23 | 0:24:26 | |
ignoring the fact that Billy was the only person in the country who was in place to capitalise on that! | 0:24:26 | 0:24:31 | |
-But at least he lobbied for it, didn't he? -Yeah! And again, it made him a people's champion. | 0:24:31 | 0:24:36 | |
But it also then gave him his slogan, which was "A week's holiday for a week's pay", | 0:24:36 | 0:24:40 | |
which is still probably the case today. | 0:24:40 | 0:24:42 | |
What was a holiday camp is now a holiday resort, | 0:24:42 | 0:24:46 | |
with New England style chalets, | 0:24:46 | 0:24:49 | |
a sumptuous health spa, | 0:24:49 | 0:24:52 | |
water slides and swimming pools and a variety of great evening entertainment. | 0:24:52 | 0:24:56 | |
It has changed tremendously. | 0:24:58 | 0:25:00 | |
Entertainments are still absolutely key to it, but there has been massive investments in accommodation. | 0:25:00 | 0:25:06 | |
We now have to have a holiday resort for the 21st century, | 0:25:06 | 0:25:09 | |
and television is now key to people's lives, so what we try and do is bring television to life. | 0:25:09 | 0:25:14 | |
So, entertainment will include things like stars from the X Factor, or Britain's Got Talent, | 0:25:14 | 0:25:18 | |
but it'll also include bringing things that people won't see at home. | 0:25:18 | 0:25:22 | |
So whether it will be the Colombian Circus, or acts from Moscow. | 0:25:22 | 0:25:25 | |
Also, the first time your five-year-old sees Bob The Builder or Angelina Ballerina, | 0:25:25 | 0:25:31 | |
-you just can't capture that smile. -No, you can't. | 0:25:31 | 0:25:33 | |
You want to provide an environment that people probably aren't getting anywhere else. | 0:25:33 | 0:25:38 | |
Bring the world to Skegness! | 0:25:38 | 0:25:39 | |
But one thing that is still recognisable is the famous Red Coat | 0:25:39 | 0:25:44 | |
and I'm not leaving here without meeting one. | 0:25:44 | 0:25:47 | |
Chris, hi! Pleased to meet you. | 0:25:54 | 0:25:56 | |
I'm going to steal him away from you, ladies, OK, and have a quick chat with him. | 0:25:56 | 0:26:00 | |
See you later! | 0:26:00 | 0:26:02 | |
Where did the idea of the Red Coat come from? | 0:26:02 | 0:26:05 | |
The Red Coat? Well, it comes back to when Billy Butlin... He was Canadian, | 0:26:05 | 0:26:09 | |
and I think he got the idea from the Canadian Mountie. | 0:26:09 | 0:26:11 | |
He wanted a bright coloured red coat to make a statement | 0:26:11 | 0:26:14 | |
and to show everyone that we're here to entertain you and have a good time. | 0:26:14 | 0:26:18 | |
What's the best thing about being a Red Coat? | 0:26:18 | 0:26:20 | |
For me, there's no better buzz than when you're making people smile and laugh on stage to 2,000 people. | 0:26:20 | 0:26:26 | |
You're up there, you're making their holiday. | 0:26:26 | 0:26:28 | |
You're having a great time and you're making sure they're enjoying themselves. | 0:26:28 | 0:26:33 | |
-That's the best buzz for me. -Chris, thank you very much. I'll let you get back on. -Yeah, I'd better go! | 0:26:33 | 0:26:38 | |
Well, Butlins has been updated in so many different ways since those early days, | 0:26:41 | 0:26:46 | |
but the brilliant thing is the tradition of a great British seaside holiday, | 0:26:46 | 0:26:50 | |
packed full of fun and tremendous value is still well and truly alive. | 0:26:50 | 0:26:55 | |
Time to get back to our very own version of seaside entertainment with a rather excited David. | 0:27:02 | 0:27:08 | |
William, this is an extraordinarily beautiful figure. | 0:27:10 | 0:27:14 | |
Lovely, lovely quality porcelain. | 0:27:14 | 0:27:17 | |
Where did it come from? | 0:27:17 | 0:27:18 | |
My wife's uncle - I called him uncle. | 0:27:18 | 0:27:20 | |
He travelled the world with a film company from London. | 0:27:20 | 0:27:23 | |
On his journeys, with his friend, who was the wardrobe man, | 0:27:23 | 0:27:27 | |
he was the caterer, they picked things up like this. | 0:27:27 | 0:27:31 | |
When he went senile, me and my wife looked after him and he left me that | 0:27:31 | 0:27:35 | |
before he died, then he left me a lot more stuff after he died. | 0:27:35 | 0:27:39 | |
So that's where it came from, | 0:27:39 | 0:27:41 | |
somewhere on his journeys around the world. | 0:27:41 | 0:27:44 | |
-Or possibly somewhere in this country. -It could be. | 0:27:44 | 0:27:47 | |
This is an English piece of porcelain. Worcester. | 0:27:47 | 0:27:49 | |
-The very best you could have bought. -Oh, right. | 0:27:49 | 0:27:52 | |
This dates from the end of the 19th century, | 0:27:52 | 0:27:56 | |
tucked just into the 20th century. | 0:27:56 | 0:27:58 | |
It's known as the Eastern water carrier. | 0:27:58 | 0:28:01 | |
It's a lovely figure. | 0:28:03 | 0:28:05 | |
There's a special technique of decorating these figures with gold, | 0:28:05 | 0:28:10 | |
which they blew onto the surface. | 0:28:10 | 0:28:13 | |
It gave the effect of bronzing. | 0:28:13 | 0:28:15 | |
-Oh, right. -The mark underneath says "Worcester shot enamels". | 0:28:15 | 0:28:21 | |
-I've seen that. -So this was sprayed onto the surface. | 0:28:21 | 0:28:24 | |
The cap is interesting. | 0:28:24 | 0:28:26 | |
When I had a look at this, I thought it was a second, because that is bubbled. | 0:28:26 | 0:28:32 | |
But what you've got to bear in mind is, | 0:28:32 | 0:28:35 | |
in the kiln, it depends where this was placed. | 0:28:35 | 0:28:39 | |
If it was placed fairly high up in the kiln, the heat rises. | 0:28:39 | 0:28:43 | |
It could have had a reaction in the second firing when they were securing the gilt. | 0:28:43 | 0:28:48 | |
That's what might have happened. | 0:28:48 | 0:28:51 | |
That it reacted on that particular section of colouring. | 0:28:51 | 0:28:55 | |
So, why are you wanting to part with this? | 0:28:55 | 0:28:59 | |
Well, I never liked it. My wife doesn't like it. | 0:28:59 | 0:29:02 | |
It's been sat up on a pine corner cupboard for years and years | 0:29:02 | 0:29:06 | |
and we have to get it down and dust it. | 0:29:06 | 0:29:08 | |
I think this is a terrific figure. | 0:29:08 | 0:29:11 | |
At auction, it should realise £600 to £800, but... | 0:29:11 | 0:29:17 | |
but...there's something wrong with it and you know what it is. | 0:29:17 | 0:29:21 | |
-What's that? -A well's missing. | 0:29:21 | 0:29:24 | |
I think it was a large basin and he's pouring water into the basin. | 0:29:24 | 0:29:28 | |
-That's right. -What I find extraordinary is you've got | 0:29:28 | 0:29:31 | |
this circular aperture which would have | 0:29:31 | 0:29:34 | |
secured the basin, which was modelled separately, | 0:29:34 | 0:29:37 | |
but it still looks perfectly OK, | 0:29:37 | 0:29:39 | |
as though he's pouring water into a hole. | 0:29:39 | 0:29:42 | |
Into a hole, that's right. | 0:29:42 | 0:29:44 | |
But that does affect the value. | 0:29:44 | 0:29:47 | |
-So instead of the £600 to £800, we might be only looking at around £100 to £150. -That's all right. | 0:29:47 | 0:29:54 | |
If it only realises, let's say, | 0:29:54 | 0:29:56 | |
worst scenario, £80, what are you going to do with that money? | 0:29:56 | 0:30:01 | |
It's not an awful lot. | 0:30:01 | 0:30:03 | |
My wife asked me that and I said, | 0:30:03 | 0:30:04 | |
"When the money comes, if it comes and it's OK, just take it and | 0:30:04 | 0:30:08 | |
"get your hair done, get a new frock and do whatever you want with it." | 0:30:08 | 0:30:11 | |
What a nice idea. | 0:30:11 | 0:30:13 | |
She's a lovely lady. | 0:30:13 | 0:30:15 | |
That's a lovely gesture. | 0:30:15 | 0:30:17 | |
-I hope we make 200. -I do! | 0:30:17 | 0:30:21 | |
-Hello, Ailsa. -Hello, there. -I think this is stunning. | 0:30:26 | 0:30:30 | |
I think this is lovely. | 0:30:30 | 0:30:32 | |
-It's obviously some piece of fine jewellery that you're actually contemplating selling. -I am. | 0:30:32 | 0:30:38 | |
Tell me the story of it and the history of it. | 0:30:38 | 0:30:41 | |
It was handed down to me from my mother. | 0:30:41 | 0:30:45 | |
An aunt left my mother it. | 0:30:45 | 0:30:48 | |
So you remember it from a child? | 0:30:48 | 0:30:51 | |
-Yes. -Have you ever worn it? Have you had an occasion to wear it? | 0:30:51 | 0:30:54 | |
-I've worn it once. -When was that? | 0:30:54 | 0:30:56 | |
When I was...perhaps 24, 25 and went to a ball. | 0:30:56 | 0:31:01 | |
Oh, stunning. Felt like Cinderella, I should think? | 0:31:01 | 0:31:04 | |
I felt the bee's knees. | 0:31:04 | 0:31:06 | |
-But you've also got it squirrelled away somewhere? -It never sees daylight. | 0:31:06 | 0:31:10 | |
It's a shame. I say that, but if we have a closer look at it, | 0:31:10 | 0:31:16 | |
I think that, ironically, has been to its advantage. What we have | 0:31:16 | 0:31:20 | |
here is a late 19th century | 0:31:20 | 0:31:22 | |
necklace, which dates at, I think, from about 1880. | 0:31:22 | 0:31:25 | |
Stylistically, that's when I would place it. | 0:31:25 | 0:31:28 | |
So it's about 120-130 years old. | 0:31:28 | 0:31:31 | |
It comprises six hand-carved ivory panels. | 0:31:31 | 0:31:36 | |
Ivory is a natural substance which is very prone to reacting | 0:31:36 | 0:31:41 | |
to its environment and its surroundings. | 0:31:41 | 0:31:44 | |
Also, it absorbs impurities in the atmosphere. | 0:31:44 | 0:31:48 | |
So over time, | 0:31:48 | 0:31:49 | |
as it ages, ivory tends to go quite yellow or a very deep cream colour. | 0:31:49 | 0:31:53 | |
This looks almost as fresh and as crisp and clean as it did | 0:31:53 | 0:31:56 | |
when it was first crafted. | 0:31:56 | 0:31:58 | |
It's been wrapped away and hidden, but we take it out in the 21st | 0:31:58 | 0:32:01 | |
century and it really couldn't look any better. | 0:32:01 | 0:32:05 | |
The box, a lovely fine ivory box that goes with it, | 0:32:05 | 0:32:07 | |
and I think it's been with it since it was first made, | 0:32:07 | 0:32:10 | |
is actually in quite a sorry state. It's protected the contents, | 0:32:10 | 0:32:14 | |
but do you know why it might be looking so sad? | 0:32:14 | 0:32:16 | |
Yes, I think so. | 0:32:16 | 0:32:18 | |
It belonged to my aunt and I do know, as a child, | 0:32:18 | 0:32:21 | |
that she kept it under the mattress and slept on it. | 0:32:21 | 0:32:26 | |
Ah, so its compression from a sleeper above | 0:32:26 | 0:32:29 | |
-that's caused the damage. -Obviously! | 0:32:29 | 0:32:31 | |
Now, you're contemplating... selling it. | 0:32:31 | 0:32:36 | |
-Yes. -There's always a question mark over the sale of ivory. | 0:32:36 | 0:32:40 | |
It's a very sensitive and important issue. | 0:32:40 | 0:32:42 | |
What I'd make clear here is that this is a late-19th-century piece, | 0:32:42 | 0:32:46 | |
so the legitimacy of this as examples of ivory, | 0:32:46 | 0:32:51 | |
and even the ivory box, is quite pertinent to sell. | 0:32:51 | 0:32:53 | |
If it were after 1920, it would be a very different story | 0:32:53 | 0:32:58 | |
and it wouldn't be something that could be commercially traded. | 0:32:58 | 0:33:02 | |
But absolutely fine on this one. | 0:33:02 | 0:33:04 | |
-You can rest easy on that. -Lovely. | 0:33:04 | 0:33:06 | |
I think it's wise for you to try it with an estimate of £800 to £1,000. | 0:33:06 | 0:33:12 | |
Very nice. | 0:33:12 | 0:33:14 | |
And I do recommend you reserve. It should have a reserve on it. | 0:33:14 | 0:33:18 | |
It is a serious piece of jewellery which merits that. | 0:33:18 | 0:33:22 | |
If it doesn't make that, I would hang on to it. | 0:33:22 | 0:33:25 | |
-Yes. -Well, I think you and I should go to the auction, | 0:33:25 | 0:33:28 | |
offer it there and the proof will be in the pudding, won't it? | 0:33:28 | 0:33:33 | |
Dawn, if anybody posed a question to me, "what should you collect?" | 0:33:38 | 0:33:44 | |
Right. | 0:33:44 | 0:33:46 | |
These are the objects I would advise anybody to collect | 0:33:46 | 0:33:49 | |
-if they had spare cash. -Oh, right! | 0:33:49 | 0:33:50 | |
Although they date from the earlier part of the 20th century, | 0:33:50 | 0:33:55 | |
they are so much of today's style. | 0:33:55 | 0:33:58 | |
Where did they come from? | 0:33:58 | 0:33:59 | |
Originally, I think they would either have been Grandma's, | 0:33:59 | 0:34:04 | |
if not Grandma's, then Mother's, most certainly. | 0:34:04 | 0:34:07 | |
Both my parents passed away recently, so we've been clearing out. | 0:34:07 | 0:34:13 | |
We found them in the shed. | 0:34:13 | 0:34:14 | |
You found them in the shed? | 0:34:14 | 0:34:17 | |
In the shed, yes. So I'm quite amazed they've survived, really. | 0:34:17 | 0:34:22 | |
So am I! I want to know why you're selling them. | 0:34:22 | 0:34:28 | |
-I'm a bit clumsy and I'd rather have ornaments that bounce. -Oh, right. | 0:34:28 | 0:34:32 | |
Right. I can understand that. | 0:34:32 | 0:34:35 | |
These are exquisite. | 0:34:35 | 0:34:37 | |
-You know what they are? -Yes. | 0:34:37 | 0:34:39 | |
They're Ruskin Pottery. | 0:34:39 | 0:34:41 | |
William Howson Taylor, together with his father, | 0:34:41 | 0:34:44 | |
who was called Edward, set up a factory in Smethwick, | 0:34:44 | 0:34:47 | |
very close to where I live in Warwickshire. | 0:34:47 | 0:34:49 | |
That was in 1898. | 0:34:49 | 0:34:52 | |
The factory eventually closed in 1935. | 0:34:52 | 0:34:55 | |
But they were renowned worldwide for their exquisite pottery, | 0:34:55 | 0:35:01 | |
which was based on Chinese originals. | 0:35:01 | 0:35:04 | |
In particular, the glazes. | 0:35:04 | 0:35:06 | |
They produced a huge range of glazes, including flambe, | 0:35:06 | 0:35:12 | |
which is a lovely glowing red, | 0:35:12 | 0:35:15 | |
and these, which come under the category of snake green. | 0:35:15 | 0:35:18 | |
There's a mark on the bottom which is oval and it says | 0:35:20 | 0:35:25 | |
"West Smethwick" on the bottom | 0:35:25 | 0:35:27 | |
and also there's a date - 1905. | 0:35:27 | 0:35:31 | |
That's very early. | 0:35:31 | 0:35:33 | |
That's very early in the catalogue of production, | 0:35:33 | 0:35:36 | |
they established the factory only a few years before. | 0:35:36 | 0:35:39 | |
But these are absolutely exquisite. | 0:35:39 | 0:35:41 | |
The design itself is based on a Chinese bottle, | 0:35:41 | 0:35:45 | |
with this wide shoulder, but a very narrow neck. | 0:35:45 | 0:35:49 | |
-Put your finger in that hole. -Yeah, I thought they were... | 0:35:49 | 0:35:53 | |
-And then that one. -Slightly different, aren't they? | 0:35:53 | 0:35:56 | |
Exactly. That's an indication that every single piece was hand-thrown. | 0:35:56 | 0:36:01 | |
That means every piece is also unique. | 0:36:01 | 0:36:05 | |
Now, think in terms of price. | 0:36:05 | 0:36:09 | |
These are sought-after pottery items. | 0:36:09 | 0:36:13 | |
I would estimate these somewhere between £400 and £600 for the pair. | 0:36:13 | 0:36:21 | |
-Oh, really? -But they could do more, so don't be too shocked. | 0:36:21 | 0:36:25 | |
Oh, lovely. | 0:36:25 | 0:36:27 | |
-Thank you. -I think we'll put a reserve of about 380 on them. | 0:36:27 | 0:36:31 | |
-Is that agreeable? -Yes, I think so. | 0:36:31 | 0:36:33 | |
We'll put them up for sale. | 0:36:33 | 0:36:36 | |
Lovely. Thank you. | 0:36:36 | 0:36:38 | |
Now for a last look at what our experts have chosen. | 0:36:38 | 0:36:42 | |
William wants to treat his wife and I think this lovely Worcester figure | 0:36:42 | 0:36:45 | |
should provide the means. | 0:36:45 | 0:36:47 | |
Elizabeth picked out this exquisite ivory and gold necklace. | 0:36:47 | 0:36:51 | |
Time for it see the light of day and shine in the sale room. | 0:36:51 | 0:36:54 | |
Finally, rescued from the shed, | 0:36:54 | 0:36:56 | |
these hand-thrown snake-green Ruskin vases really are an exciting find. | 0:36:56 | 0:37:02 | |
Next up is William's Worcester figure, with a valuation of £100 to £150. | 0:37:09 | 0:37:13 | |
All the money is going on a makeover for your wife. | 0:37:13 | 0:37:17 | |
I think that's so sweet. But were you under orders? | 0:37:17 | 0:37:20 | |
-Yes. -She said, "I don't like it, flog it!" | 0:37:20 | 0:37:22 | |
"I want a new dress, hairdo." | 0:37:22 | 0:37:25 | |
-She's got her purse ready. -The works. Spa treatment... | 0:37:25 | 0:37:29 | |
I think that's really nice. | 0:37:29 | 0:37:31 | |
I really do. Good for you. | 0:37:31 | 0:37:33 | |
You'll be in her good books. | 0:37:33 | 0:37:35 | |
Let's hope we get that top end, David. | 0:37:35 | 0:37:37 | |
For that sort of makeover, we've got to look for about 200. | 0:37:37 | 0:37:41 | |
If not more. | 0:37:41 | 0:37:42 | |
There's just one problem. I think you know about that, Paul. | 0:37:42 | 0:37:46 | |
-No, I don't. -There's a missing element on the figure. | 0:37:46 | 0:37:48 | |
We've got the water carrier tipping a pitcher into what? | 0:37:48 | 0:37:52 | |
It looks like a hole, but there should be a basin there. | 0:37:52 | 0:37:55 | |
You know how fussy collectors are. | 0:37:55 | 0:37:57 | |
But the decoration is brilliant. | 0:37:57 | 0:37:59 | |
There is no damage. | 0:37:59 | 0:38:00 | |
-Good luck. -Thanks. -Here we go. It's going under the hammer. | 0:38:00 | 0:38:03 | |
Royal Worcester Cairo-ware figure. | 0:38:03 | 0:38:06 | |
This is a male water carrier. Who's gonna start me at 150 for it? | 0:38:06 | 0:38:10 | |
150? 100 to go then, surely? 100? | 0:38:10 | 0:38:12 | |
-80 if we must. 80, who's going to be first in? -Come on, come on. | 0:38:12 | 0:38:15 | |
50 then, surely. £50? 50? | 0:38:15 | 0:38:18 | |
-30? 30, thank you. -This is Worcester. This is Worcester! | 0:38:18 | 0:38:22 | |
Bid 40. Do I see 40? | 0:38:22 | 0:38:24 | |
Bid 50? 5. 60. | 0:38:24 | 0:38:27 | |
65. 70? £70? Do I see 70? | 0:38:27 | 0:38:29 | |
£70 bid. Five now surely. | 0:38:29 | 0:38:31 | |
75. 80? 80 bid. £80. Five, do I see? | 0:38:31 | 0:38:35 | |
£80 bid. Five anywhere? At £80. | 0:38:35 | 0:38:36 | |
Any more bids? No. At £80 bid, we're done, we're finished. | 0:38:36 | 0:38:39 | |
We're on the market at £80. | 0:38:39 | 0:38:41 | |
-It's gone though. £80. -That's the hairdo. | 0:38:41 | 0:38:43 | |
That's it, that's the hairdo, yeah. | 0:38:43 | 0:38:45 | |
I'm happy with that. Yeah, very good. | 0:38:45 | 0:38:48 | |
-Ailsa, are you feeling nervous? -Terrified. | 0:38:52 | 0:38:56 | |
Don't worry, don't worry. | 0:38:56 | 0:38:57 | |
You wear it well. You'd never guess. | 0:38:57 | 0:38:59 | |
There's £800 to £1,000 riding on this wonderful necklace. | 0:38:59 | 0:39:03 | |
It really is a consumate work of art. | 0:39:03 | 0:39:05 | |
It's somebody at the top of their genre. | 0:39:05 | 0:39:07 | |
-You see a lot of bad carvings in ivory. -But the sad thing is it's all anonymous. | 0:39:07 | 0:39:11 | |
There's no signature or anything. | 0:39:11 | 0:39:13 | |
You can't attribute to anybody. But it's lovely. | 0:39:13 | 0:39:16 | |
19th century Cantonese ivory and gold necklace. | 0:39:16 | 0:39:18 | |
Fantastic little lot. Lot 65. What shall we say? | 0:39:18 | 0:39:21 | |
Who's going to start me at the bottom estimate? 800 for it? 800? | 0:39:21 | 0:39:25 | |
Six? | 0:39:25 | 0:39:26 | |
Five? Four? | 0:39:26 | 0:39:28 | |
-Wrong direction! -Thank you, 400 bid. | 0:39:30 | 0:39:32 | |
At 400. 420, do I see? | 0:39:32 | 0:39:34 | |
At 400 bid, 420 anywhere else now? | 0:39:34 | 0:39:35 | |
At 400 bid. 420 there. 420. 440. | 0:39:35 | 0:39:38 | |
460. 480. | 0:39:38 | 0:39:40 | |
500. 550. 600. 650. 700 now. | 0:39:40 | 0:39:44 | |
650, my bid's here. At 650. | 0:39:44 | 0:39:46 | |
Seven now surely? Seven, do I see? | 0:39:46 | 0:39:48 | |
At 650. Is there seven anywhere else now? | 0:39:48 | 0:39:51 | |
At 650. Seven now surely? Seven? At 700. 750, do I see now? | 0:39:51 | 0:39:54 | |
At 700, any more bids? All done and finished at 700? | 0:39:54 | 0:39:59 | |
I'm afraid I have to withdraw that lot. | 0:39:59 | 0:40:00 | |
-You've still got it. -Just a bit short. | 0:40:00 | 0:40:04 | |
I think you're meant to keep this. It's been in the family a long time. | 0:40:04 | 0:40:08 | |
I'm quite happy to keep it. | 0:40:08 | 0:40:09 | |
-I really am. -Back under the bed! Put it back under the bed. | 0:40:09 | 0:40:13 | |
Dawn has got to pay the bills. | 0:40:22 | 0:40:24 | |
-So many have come in. -That's right. -We need the money desperately. | 0:40:24 | 0:40:28 | |
That's why we're flogging the Ruskin vases. Wonderful pair. | 0:40:28 | 0:40:31 | |
They are nice. Lovely colour. | 0:40:31 | 0:40:33 | |
David gravitated towards them. | 0:40:33 | 0:40:36 | |
Of all the things I've ever wanted at a sale, it is these vases. | 0:40:36 | 0:40:41 | |
Snake green. I love the term "snake green". | 0:40:41 | 0:40:44 | |
-Lovely glazes. -Were you happy with 4-6? | 0:40:44 | 0:40:47 | |
-Yes. -That will cover the bills? | 0:40:47 | 0:40:49 | |
It will help. It won't cover them, but it'll help. | 0:40:49 | 0:40:52 | |
Well, on a good day... | 0:40:52 | 0:40:53 | |
I don't want to get your hopes up. | 0:40:53 | 0:40:56 | |
But on a good day, with two people actually bidding and | 0:40:56 | 0:40:59 | |
-loving these and wanting them, could do four figures. -Yeah. -Could do. | 0:40:59 | 0:41:03 | |
-We have a triptych of telephone bidders now. -Lovely. | 0:41:03 | 0:41:08 | |
The most exquisite pair of Ruskin vases I think I've ever seen. | 0:41:08 | 0:41:11 | |
What shall we say for these? Start me at bottom estimate. £400? | 0:41:11 | 0:41:15 | |
400, who's first in? | 0:41:15 | 0:41:16 | |
400? | 0:41:16 | 0:41:18 | |
Deathly silence. What do I know then? | 0:41:18 | 0:41:21 | |
£400? 300? | 0:41:21 | 0:41:24 | |
300 bid. At 300. Let's go 20 now. | 0:41:24 | 0:41:27 | |
At 300. 320. 340. 360. | 0:41:27 | 0:41:29 | |
380. 400. 420. | 0:41:29 | 0:41:31 | |
440. 460. At 460. 480. | 0:41:31 | 0:41:35 | |
-500. 550. 600. -Oh, excellent. | 0:41:35 | 0:41:37 | |
700. 750. 800. 850 now. At 800 bid. | 0:41:37 | 0:41:40 | |
850. Who's joining in next? | 0:41:40 | 0:41:42 | |
At 800 bid, any more now? | 0:41:42 | 0:41:43 | |
At 800. 50, do I see? 850 on that phone there. | 0:41:43 | 0:41:47 | |
900. 950, do I see? 950 bid. | 0:41:47 | 0:41:50 | |
1,000. 1,100? | 0:41:50 | 0:41:52 | |
-Oh, yes! -1,100? 1,100 bid. | 0:41:52 | 0:41:55 | |
I have 1,200. 1,300 now? | 0:41:55 | 0:41:57 | |
1,300 over there. At 13. | 0:41:57 | 0:41:59 | |
14 anywhere else now? 1,300 on that phone. | 0:41:59 | 0:42:03 | |
Anybody else joining in? At 1,300. | 0:42:03 | 0:42:05 | |
1,400. Thank you, 1,400. | 0:42:05 | 0:42:07 | |
1,500 now? 1,500. 1,600? | 0:42:07 | 0:42:10 | |
-Brilliant. -1,600 bid. | 0:42:11 | 0:42:12 | |
1,700 over here? 1,700? | 0:42:12 | 0:42:15 | |
1,700. 1,800 now? | 0:42:15 | 0:42:16 | |
1,800, it's Mr Squire's client at 1,800. Any more now? | 0:42:16 | 0:42:22 | |
50 is the last call. | 0:42:22 | 0:42:23 | |
1,850 in the room. At 1,850. 1,900 now. 1,900 bid, do I have? | 0:42:23 | 0:42:27 | |
Oh, my gosh, that's wonderful. | 0:42:27 | 0:42:30 | |
At the back of the room then, selling at £1,850. | 0:42:30 | 0:42:34 | |
-So pleased. -Well done. -Really well. Brilliant. -Pay those bills. | 0:42:34 | 0:42:37 | |
-Always deserved four figures, didn't it? -Yes. -It really did. | 0:42:39 | 0:42:42 | |
I'm really pleased about that. | 0:42:42 | 0:42:44 | |
I didn't want to take them home, | 0:42:44 | 0:42:46 | |
because I was worried they would get broken. | 0:42:46 | 0:42:48 | |
No way would you take them home at £400 to £600. That was... | 0:42:48 | 0:42:52 | |
A come-and-get-me figure! | 0:42:52 | 0:42:54 | |
We had a chat and we said, "It will do four figures," | 0:42:54 | 0:42:57 | |
but we didn't want to get your hopes up. | 0:42:57 | 0:43:00 | |
To get that sort of figure - nearly £2,000, is fantastic. | 0:43:00 | 0:43:04 | |
Will that cover the bills? | 0:43:04 | 0:43:06 | |
It will be a big help. It won't cover them all, but it is a big help. | 0:43:06 | 0:43:09 | |
It really is. | 0:43:09 | 0:43:11 | |
If you've enjoyed the show, please keep watching. | 0:43:15 | 0:43:18 | |
There's going to be plenty more surprises like this in the future. | 0:43:18 | 0:43:22 | |
Until then, cheerio. | 0:43:22 | 0:43:23 | |
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd | 0:43:48 | 0:43:51 | |
E-mail [email protected] | 0:43:51 | 0:43:55 |