Weston-super-Mare Flog It!


Weston-super-Mare

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This seaside town was just a tiny village of 100 people

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back in the early part of the 19th century,

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but it soon grew into a popular Victorian seaside destination.

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It now boasts a population of 70,000 people.

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So, where are we?

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Well, Flog It! today comes from Weston-super-Mare.

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Behind me is the Grand Pier in Weston-super-Mare,

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the heart and soul of the seafront.

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Later on in the programme, I shall be returning here

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to find out how the Grand Pier

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used to look like this.

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Now, sadly, it looks like that, but hopefully, it will rise like a phoenix from the ashes.

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But right now, I've got this massive great big queue to contend with

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outside the Winter Gardens and they're all laden with antiques and collectables,

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hoping they're going to be one of the lucky ones chosen for the Flog It! auction,

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-where they'll earn a small fortune. Are you ready for this?

-Yes!

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There are hundreds of people here at the Winter Gardens today, waiting for valuations.

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And eager to find a gem are experts Anita Manning...

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-And a wee hanky.

-..and Michael Baggott.

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They couldn't be any cheaper.

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Well, everybody's now safely seated inside, they're all happy,

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it's a packed house and it looks like Michael has already spotted something.

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Let's take a closer look at what he's looking at.

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Marianne, thank you for bringing this lovely brooch along today.

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-My pleasure.

-I'm surprised you're not tempted to wear it.

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It's a bit dated and heavy for my choice.

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Yes. Where does it come from?

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It comes from my mother-in-law.

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-Oh, my word.

-And when she died, it was given to me

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-and, um...

-Did you wear it at all?

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No, I haven't. I haven't. I tried to begin with, but it's just not me.

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If there was one word to describe this brooch it would be "Victorian".

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-Yes.

-Possibly not in the most flattering sense.

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It's typical of jewellery that's made towards the 1860, 1880 period.

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-Right.

-They tend to be manufactured in Birmingham.

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It is unmarked,

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-but it's certainly low-carat gold.

-Right.

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It's probably nine carat, that's then dipped in an acid bath and with nine carat gold, there's a

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high copper content and if you dip it in acid, it eats away all the copper on the surface and leaves pure gold.

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-Oh, right.

-So it has the appearance of a higher carat of gold.

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-Right.

-The Victorians were nothing if not ingenious.

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That's quite clever, isn't it?

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It was probably made in Birmingham and all these little separate scrolls

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-that look so finely hand-chased were done in a huge machine.

-Really?

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-A large fly press and kerchunk, kerchunk.

-Even that far back?

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Even that far back. Oh, the fly press goes back to the early 17th century.

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-Good heavens.

-And all these little pieces would have been

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soldered together and they've had a plain piece of gold

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set to the back and it's set in the centre with a citrine,

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which is a lovely faceted stone,

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a lovely colour of stone as well, and very popular at that date.

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-Any idea what it might be worth?

-No.

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I would imagine at auction that's between £70 and £100 pounds.

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-Right.

-And, you know, you would protect it with a reserve of £70,

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because I don't think you'd want to sell it for any less.

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-I'd prefer not to.

-No.

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-It would be criminal to sell it for any less, really.

-Right.

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Hopefully, it will sparkle in the auction.

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-We'll give it a go.

-Thank you.

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-Thank you for bringing it.

-Thank you.

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That's just fabulous.

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I've been doing a bit of digging around myself.

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You never know what's been gathering dust in people's attics.

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What have you got?

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-Old photographs.

-Is it cigarette cards?

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-Yeah.

-Senior Service Cigarette Album. Did you collect them?

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-My mother did.

-Your mother did.

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You've got a table. What have you got?

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Hey, look at that! Is it the same cards?

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No, I don't think so.

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-Do you two know each other?

-No, we've never seen each other.

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I bought these at a charity auction 20 years ago.

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You've got quite a few in there as well. And you've got quite a few.

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Britain from the air.

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Look at that. Well, the bad news is the value's just gone down,

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if there's lots about!

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As I keep searching for that rare beauty,

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Anita looks like she's found something

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that's captured her imagination.

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Bill, why are you selling these pots?

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These two pots have been in the house... We bought the house - Mary,

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my wife, and I - we bought the house from her father and there were

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various bits and pieces in the house

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and these two pots were amongst the pieces that were there.

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When Mary saw the advert that this was on here,

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she decided to go up in the loft and get down her pieces of Royal Doulton.

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She said they're better going to someone that's going

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to make use of them, rather than be up in the loft.

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Well, they've probably been there since the 1920s or 1930s,

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-because that's when these pots date from.

-Really?

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Yeah. I mean, Doulton is a factory which always produced

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good-quality porcelain and stoneware

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and these pots are a part of that wonderful Doulton tradition.

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If we look at them, we can see that they are transfer printed

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and not hand-painted, so you would have had a transfer here.

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Nice pair.

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Good condition.

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Not bad period.

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I would put an estimate of...60 to £80,

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-that's £30 apiece.

-Right.

-£30 apiece.

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But just to give us that safety net, we, perhaps, should put, say,

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-£50 reserve on them.

-Sell them as a pair?

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We'll sell both of them together. Uh-huh.

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-A pair is always better than two single ones.

-Right.

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Do you think you would be happy with that price?

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-My wife had quoted to me that she would be happy with that sort of a price.

-Is she the boss?

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She's the boss regarding these two.

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-Yeah.

-Most of the time, actually.

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That's absolutely fine. Great.

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-Thank you for coming to Flog It!

-Thank you very much.

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Brian, you've made me smile. I'm in love with this two-gallon measure.

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Did you have any connections with the brewery?

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None at all, but I did actually go at the time when they were retiring,

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about 1968, and I bought it from one of the partners.

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-Did you get both measuring jugs?

-No, no. This is from my wife's side of the family.

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It has always been used as a vase but I think it's some sort of grain measure.

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It is a grain or hop measure, yes.

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I never realised that they did hallmarked wood.

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Yes. You can see just there.

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-There's the mark of King George.

-Yes.

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-You see the crown and a G?

-Yes.

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And it's got..."Bedford"...

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-..on the bottom hoop.

-I don't know what the significance of "Bedford" is.

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-I think it came from Bedford.

-Ah.

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The civic Bedford, not the Duke of Bedford.

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It's been coopered very well in these lovely bands. Very nice.

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Any idea of value on that?

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Not really.

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It's been with us so long, we don't really think of it in those terms.

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Well, it's been your vase, hasn't it?

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I think, because it has got the crown stamped in

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and the G and we've got these lovely, heavy, coopered rings,

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I'm hoping that'll realise about £100 to £120 at auction.

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Right. I'd be quite happy with that.

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-But it's this one, now this is your one.

-Yes.

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You managed to buy this off the guy

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from the firm in Birmingham when it was shutting down.

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-Yes.

-And is that the chap?

-Yes.

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Edward James, and on the day I bought it,

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this Edward James was in the premises and he said it was a two-gallon jug

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and he wanted £2 for each gallon so it cost £4.

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It cost you £4. Isn't that lovely?

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Proportionately and architecturally, that stands really, really well.

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And I think your

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£2 a gallon

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could today translate into

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£100 a gallon.

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That would be rather nice.

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I think we could get £200 for this.

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-I'm quite happy to see someone else enjoy it.

-OK.

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Rodney, welcome to Flog It!

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and thank you for bringing along this nice little group here.

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-Thank you, Anita.

-Tell me, where did you get them?

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Well, from my father and then obviously from his father.

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It was my grandfather they belonged to in the first place.

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They've just been in a drawer for many years and they're just there.

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My children don't want them, so we thought we'd bring them along

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and see if they were worth anything.

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Well, thank you for bringing them along.

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Let's have a closer look.

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The first thing is this Victorian watch chain,

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or Albert.

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Secondly,

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we have the silver pocket watch and, thirdly,

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a nice little pair of nine-carat gold cuff links.

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Now, the thing that draws me first is the watch chain here

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and I've had a wee look at that. Each of the links

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is hallmarked, so it's a gold chain.

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And we have this little fob here,

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with the carnelian stone in it, so it's a nice little lot.

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Your pocket watch is not really compatible with the chain.

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The chain is a gold chain, nine-carat gold, the watch is silver

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and it's hallmarked.

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If we open it from the back, we will see the silver hallmark there.

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We have a little lion mark.

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This would maybe have been your grandfather's everyday watch

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and he would have had a gold watch to go with that

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-for high days and holidays.

-Right.

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With this little lot is cuff links. Again, they are

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hallmarked in nine-carat gold

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and I would imagine that they would come from probably the 1930s.

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This little area of machined pattern here

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has a wee Art Deco look about it.

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Yes.

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Now, Rodney, I would put this wee lot together.

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-Yes.

-It makes it interesting to have three parts of it

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and I would estimate it in the region of 150-250.

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Would you be happy to put it into auction at that?

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Yes, very much. Yes. Yes.

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The gold is high just now so it's a good time to sell gold.

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We'll put a firm reserve of 150 on it.

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Oh, right.

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If we sell it, what are you going to do with the money?

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We'll split it between our two grandchildren.

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-Ah.

-Tyler and Emily.

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And what age are they?

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-Tyler's seven and Emily's one.

-Thank you for bringing them along.

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Thank you, Anita. Thank you.

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Some interesting items, so here's what we're taking to auction.

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Marianne will be glad to see her inherited brooch sell.

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It's a bit dated and heavy for my choice.

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Bill and his wife inherited this pair of Royal Doulton bowls

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with their house, but now it's time to find them a new home.

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My two choices were Brian's measuring jugs,

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one made from wood and the other from copper.

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When he bought the copper jug from a brewery,

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Brian paid just a few pounds.

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And I think your £2 a gallon

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could today translate into £100 a gallon.

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'Let's hope I'm proved right.'

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And Rodney inherited his collection from his grandfather

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and wants to pass the money down to his grandchildren.

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So let's find out if the kids will be in for a real treat or not.

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We've popped up the road to the village of Kenn,

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just outside the seaside town of Clevedon, for today's sale

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and this is where all the action is taking place - the Clevedon Salerooms.

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And I think it's just about to start so let's get inside.

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And today's auctioneer is Marc Burridge, so let's hope he can bring home some good prices.

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The first of our lots

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is Marianne's Victorian brooch and Michael put an estimate of 70 to £100 on it.

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It's a real fashion thing, brooches.

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They are, yes.

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They are. And we have found in the past on Flog It!

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that they either fly away or they're really hard to sell.

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Or they struggle. I mean, today, I don't think I've seen anybody wearing a brooch.

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-No.

-So they can be difficult things.

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What you want, because yours was in such a lovely condition, is a collector.

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-Whether it goes today is, as you say, Paul, they sometimes fly...

-It's a fashion accessory thing.

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-..sometimes they're left flat.

-Well, look...

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We've got a packed saleroom. 50% of the occupants are women, fingers crossed.

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OK, Marianne, it's going under the hammer now.

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Lot 620, Victorian, citrine-set brooch.

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Nicely-engraved decoration there.

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Lot 620, what can we say? 50 with me and 5.

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5 and 60 and 5 and 70 and 5 and 80...

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Good. We've sold it.

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80, 80, 80 with you. 80, 80, 80 with you.

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At £75, the bid's in the room, selling on £75 then.

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Yes. It's good.

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The brooch-wearers or the collectors were here.

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It could be a brooch-wearing collector but I haven't seen one.

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-That was a good result.

-Yes.

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There's commission to pay with it but there's a bit of spending money for you.

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I'm just relieved it's gone!

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Oh, this next lot's nice.

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Great name, great size, two jardinieres, Royal Doulton.

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They belong to William and we need all the money to go towards a special holiday.

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Why are you selling these two lovely jardinieres?

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They belong to my wife, actually, but...

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-She doesn't like them?

-They've been in the loft.

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She never ever... Since we moved in, they've been in the loft

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and it's just the fact that when we saw you were down here, we came down.

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Good chance to get on telly, as well.

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Yes, so we brought them down.

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-Is she here today?

-She is but she won't come on the television.

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Well, she's giving you moral support anyway.

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-These are very nice.

-Oh, they're so sweet.

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-Charming.

-You get a lot of value for your money, really.

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Yes, well, you have two of them, a pair.

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-Yeah.

-Which is always good. They're functional items, good factory and idyllic little rural scenes.

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-Very charming.

-Good value for money as well.

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Right, they're going under the hammer now.

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Lot 320, a pair of Royal Doulton series jardinieres.

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£50 I'm starting.

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And 5. Who's got 60?

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5, 70, 5, 80, 5, 90, 5, 100, now 10.

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In the room on £100.

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And 10? And 10? And 10?

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That's more like it.

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And 10? Are you all done on £100? Selling on 100 then.

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-Yes.

-Oh, it's good to round it up at the very end.

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-Yes, yes.

-£100. Put that into the kitty.

-Yeah.

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Can you...? Where is she? Where is your wife?

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Yes, she's just there, grinning.

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There is commission but that's something towards that trip.

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Yes, oh, quite. We were expecting... No, it's very good.

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Right, now it's my turn to be the expert

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and I'm joined by Brian and we've got two wonderful measuring jugs with great history as well.

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It's nice to have that connection.

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They've both been used in their time.

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Yes, yes. I particularly like the little walnut one.

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I think that's cute and it's so tactile.

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I haven't seen a lot of interest on the copper one but I'm sure it'll sell itself.

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We've revised the estimate slightly, we've brought

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the estimate slightly down, lower, and hopefully, fingers crossed,

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these are going to sell well.

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Oh, I hope so.

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And lot 40 there is the hardwood dry measuring jug.

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Here we go, Brian, this is our lot.

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Lot number 40. Interest here.

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At 35, £40 on the book, 45 on the book...

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50 on the book with me,

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5, 5, 5 now, 55, 55, 55,

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55, 55 in the room,

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60 on the book, 5 with you, 5 bid, 70 on the book...

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-It's a struggle, isn't it?

-At £70. Anyone else, 5?

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All done at £70 then.

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£70 and he sold it.

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Just. I know we had a reserve of 80

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and I think he's used his own discretion there.

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He might make the difference up but it's gone at £70

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-I don't mind.

-And you don't mind.

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No. I'm happy that someone else has got it.

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That was right on our lower end of the estimate.

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Oh, well, one down, one more to go.

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Let's hope we have a bit of luck.

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Many thanks. Lot 60 is a two-gallon measure there,

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from the cellars of James Ltd

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in Birmingham, with a souvenir brochure from the same company.

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Lot 60, what can we say there?

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70, 80, £90 with me, give me 100.

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100, 100, thank you, 10 with me.

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-Selling at 110 with me, give me 20, will you?

-Come on, please.

0:18:480:18:52

120, will you? 120, will you? All done then at £110.

0:18:520:18:56

Commission buyer.

0:18:560:18:58

Yes, we've just sold that one.

0:18:580:19:00

Gosh, things are close today.

0:19:000:19:02

£110, which makes a total, with the two lots, of £180

0:19:020:19:05

and all the money's going to the charity...

0:19:050:19:08

-Send A Cow...

-To Africa. Brian, thank you so much for coming in.

0:19:080:19:12

Thank you very much. Very enjoyable.

0:19:120:19:15

Rodney, these were your grandfather's...

0:19:210:19:23

-Yes.

-We're looking at £150-£250.

0:19:230:19:26

-That's right.

-And the trade are here today so things are selling well.

0:19:260:19:30

The gold's selling. Fingers crossed.

0:19:300:19:32

-Yes, fingers crossed.

-Because the scrap value's right up there now.

0:19:320:19:35

Everybody seems to be putting their money into gold rather than into the banks.

0:19:350:19:39

Yeah. Credit crunch.

0:19:390:19:41

Exactly. Well, let's find out what sort of credit crunch

0:19:410:19:44

is going on here in Clevedon, shall we? This is it.

0:19:440:19:47

Lot 640, it's in the catalogue there,

0:19:470:19:50

it's the gold Albert with the fob et cetera.

0:19:500:19:54

They're all in the catalogue there, what can we say?

0:19:540:19:57

200 I'm bid, now 10.

0:19:570:19:59

210, 20, 30.

0:19:590:20:02

-Straight in at the top.

-Yes.

0:20:020:20:04

-250, 60, 70. 270, 270, 270...

-Excellent.

0:20:040:20:08

270, 80, 90.

0:20:080:20:09

300. 320.

0:20:090:20:13

Yeah. 310, now 20.

0:20:130:20:17

320. It's in the room at £310 then.

0:20:170:20:22

That was a good result, £310.

0:20:220:20:24

There's commission to pay here

0:20:240:20:26

but what are you going to spend the money on?

0:20:260:20:28

Well, it's going to be split between my grandchildren.

0:20:280:20:31

Yes, it was a family thing.

0:20:310:20:34

But now it will be split between three grandchildren.

0:20:340:20:36

When we were thinking of selling it, it was only two.

0:20:360:20:39

So now there's a third one from last Saturday, so that's round about £100 each, I suppose.

0:20:390:20:45

That was a brilliant result for Rodney and his grandchildren,

0:20:450:20:48

but don't go away, as there are plenty more surprising results

0:20:480:20:52

when we return later to the auction rooms.

0:20:520:20:55

Not in my wildest dreams. That's wonderful.

0:20:550:20:58

Well, that's the excitement of auctions, you never know what's going to happen.

0:20:580:21:03

Well, I've left the auction behind for a little while and I've popped out to indulge in a wonderfully

0:21:060:21:12

nostalgic experience, one that very nearly died out.

0:21:120:21:15

Welcome to the Curzon Community Cinema here in the heart of Clevedon.

0:21:150:21:20

Now this is one of the oldest continually running cinemas still operating in the world.

0:21:200:21:25

But in 1995, it nearly disappeared and it was due to follow in the path of so many other doomed

0:21:250:21:31

independent cinemas if it hadn't have been for the people for Clevedon.

0:21:310:21:35

The Curzon had a special place in the hearts of so many of the people in the community that

0:21:370:21:42

a large group of them got together to save the cinema.

0:21:420:21:46

Hence in 1996, it became the Curzon Community Cinema.

0:21:460:21:50

In doing so, it's guaranteed a cinema is on this site for

0:21:500:21:54

many more years to come so I think I should cough up my £5.50. Hi, there.

0:21:540:21:59

Hello, thank you. Bye.

0:21:590:22:01

Thank you.

0:22:010:22:03

Where's my ticket?

0:22:030:22:05

-Thanks very much.

-Thank you.

0:22:050:22:09

Well, I wasn't expecting this! It's fantastic!

0:22:150:22:19

It's like a throwback to the 1920s.

0:22:240:22:27

It has all the trappings of a traditional picture house.

0:22:270:22:31

Well, I've got my popcorn and my traditional cinema ticket.

0:22:400:22:43

We've got these incredible 1920s surroundings.

0:22:430:22:46

I'm starting to see what the people in Clevedon saw in this little gem and why they wanted to save it.

0:22:460:22:52

The first cinema building erected on this site was named The Picture House

0:22:570:23:01

and it was the brainchild of Victor Cox, a local sculptor and monumental stone mason.

0:23:010:23:07

The grand opening of The Picture House took place on 20th April, 1912,

0:23:070:23:12

at 7.00pm and the cinema was packed to capacity with many people being turned away.

0:23:120:23:17

Since its opening night about 100 years ago, The Picture House has gone through many reincarnations

0:23:170:23:23

but the most crucial moment in its history came in 1995,

0:23:230:23:28

when as a cinema, it was on the verge of closure.

0:23:280:23:31

Gareth, it's a pleasure to meet you.

0:23:310:23:34

You're the Director of the Curzon Community Cinema here in the heart

0:23:340:23:37

of Clevedon and I'm so pleased they saved this place.

0:23:370:23:41

Why do you think it was so important to keep the cinema open?

0:23:410:23:44

Well, I think a venue like this can provide a real focal point, not just for a community but

0:23:440:23:49

also because it's a link to the whole heritage of cinema and to the picture houses from the golden age

0:23:490:23:56

of cinemas in the '20s and '30s. So we have people in Clevedon

0:23:560:24:00

who have been coming here for decades and have now been able to introduce their children and even grandchildren

0:24:000:24:07

to go into a traditional cinema in their home town.

0:24:070:24:10

How did the people of the community go about saving the cinema?

0:24:100:24:14

Well, when they heard that the company who owned the building had

0:24:140:24:18

gone into receivership, John Webber and a group of like-minded people basically formed a registered charity

0:24:180:24:25

with the aim of buying the building and keeping it running as a cinema for the benefit of the community.

0:24:250:24:30

So there was a great deal of publicity in the local press,

0:24:300:24:35

there were public meetings held here in the cinema, which had people spilling out of the doors.

0:24:350:24:41

A lot of people put money in to try and raise the money to keep it going as a going concern.

0:24:410:24:47

One of the things that first struck me when I came in was the relaxed experience.

0:24:470:24:51

Is that a policy that you want to maintain?

0:24:510:24:54

We certainly try to keep a friendly atmosphere and to give people a warm welcome,

0:24:540:24:59

whereas I think a lot of the bigger cinemas have this...

0:24:590:25:04

People have this feeling that they're slightly impersonal places, whereas we try very hard

0:25:040:25:10

to make this a kind of unique place to visit, one that's very much at the heart of the community.

0:25:100:25:15

And it's a trip into nostalgia as well, isn't it?

0:25:150:25:18

You've got the old cinema tickets, you've got the organ, you've got...

0:25:180:25:21

just awesome embossed walls.

0:25:210:25:24

They look like Moroccan red leather! I know they're not!

0:25:240:25:27

Most of the auditorium that we're sitting in now

0:25:270:25:31

dates back to 1920, although there has been a cinema on this site since 1912,

0:25:310:25:35

so we're nearly 100 years old.

0:25:350:25:37

But I mean, the embossed metal panels are a big part of the reason why we gained listed building status.

0:25:370:25:44

What I'd love to do is have a wander around.

0:25:440:25:46

I know there's some interesting things up there but at least show me the projection booth and backstage.

0:25:460:25:52

-Can I do that?

-Yeah, of course.

0:25:520:25:53

-I'll follow you.

-All right.

0:25:530:25:55

Here we are in the projection room, the nerve centre.

0:26:050:26:08

I guess this is the most important room in the cinema, really.

0:26:080:26:11

It is, yes. For anyone wanting to watch a film, it certainly would be.

0:26:110:26:15

-So the pressure's on the projectionist?

-Absolutely.

-How does the film arrive?

0:26:150:26:20

Well, we have two main projectors here.

0:26:200:26:22

I mean, we have one which is your 35mm projector,

0:26:220:26:25

which is essentially how film has basically been shown for

0:26:250:26:29

the last 100 odd years and on a 35 mm traditional print, it comes in a big box like this.

0:26:290:26:34

-So a courier drops this off?

-A courier drops this off.

0:26:340:26:37

And it costs a lot of money, that, I would imagine!

0:26:370:26:40

It comes in up to six to eight separate reels.

0:26:400:26:44

So that's the standard 35mm format.

0:26:440:26:46

There is an option now, isn't there?

0:26:460:26:48

There is. We do also have here a digital projector and the film

0:26:480:26:52

comes in a rather different format for this. I've just got one here.

0:26:520:26:57

This is kind of state of the art kit now, isn't it?

0:26:570:26:59

It is yes, so I mean this is Che Part Two, which we ran last week.

0:26:590:27:04

So this is the whole movie in that little case.

0:27:040:27:06

The whole movie in this little case and it comes on a hard drive,

0:27:060:27:09

so what happens is, we put this into the server on the digital projector,

0:27:090:27:14

we download the film and then we can show it on the digi-projector as many times as we've got the licence for.

0:27:140:27:19

So it's a lot cleaner, a lot simpler and easier to use?

0:27:190:27:23

It doesn't have the wear and tear that you can get on 35mm prints and it is a lot easier to operate.

0:27:230:27:30

It's so simple, even I can do it!

0:27:300:27:33

There's some other treats here, I know. I know there's definitely a balcony.

0:27:330:27:38

-I'd love to see that.

-There is a balcony but we're going to go

0:27:380:27:41

from something that is very modern to something that's a little bit older.

0:27:410:27:45

Well, here we are in the auditorium, up in the gods, so to speak.

0:27:480:27:53

Why is that false ceiling still there, or why did they put it there in the first place?

0:27:530:27:57

Well, they put it in there in the early '70s and at the time,

0:27:570:28:01

it was really a perfectly sensible economic decision, unfortunately.

0:28:010:28:05

So, out of sight, out of mind!

0:28:050:28:07

Well, I mean it was at an era when cinema attendances were just dropping through the floor.

0:28:070:28:11

I mean, it's a really big space to heat as you can imagine, so at the time it just made sense that it was

0:28:110:28:16

easier to run the cinema without the balcony in operation, unfortunately.

0:28:160:28:20

This is great up here! What a space!

0:28:200:28:23

-It is!

-Look at that!

0:28:230:28:25

That ceiling!

0:28:250:28:27

It looks like you've got space for about, what 100 seats, a bit more, maybe?

0:28:270:28:31

A little bit more I think, certainly at the time.

0:28:310:28:35

You could fill these!

0:28:350:28:36

With the right film, we could absolutely fill it, yes.

0:28:360:28:39

Would you contemplate sort of having

0:28:390:28:42

luxury seats up here, wider ones or something like that?

0:28:420:28:45

I think, yes. I think we quite possibly would.

0:28:450:28:48

I mean, I do sometimes meet older people in Clevedon,

0:28:480:28:51

who reminisce about sitting up here when they were kids.

0:28:510:28:54

But the fabric of the building is here, it's intact and it can be achieved.

0:28:540:28:58

The roof above the ceiling is about 80 years old now

0:28:580:29:03

and it is leaking in several places, so we are working on

0:29:030:29:07

a fund-raising drive to patch up the worst of the leaks.

0:29:070:29:11

The first priority has to be to make sure the fabric of the building is

0:29:110:29:14

safe and sound for the next three generations.

0:29:140:29:17

You're doing a fantastic job, you and your team.

0:29:170:29:20

Thank you for sharing a bit of time with me and showing me around.

0:29:200:29:23

My pleasure.

0:29:230:29:24

This cinema obviously holds a very special place in the hearts of

0:29:310:29:34

the people of Clevedon and after visiting the Curzon Community Cinema today, I understand why.

0:29:340:29:42

It's great to see an old picture house like this going from strength

0:29:420:29:46

to strength, run by the very people that depend on it.

0:29:460:29:51

And there's still a full house back at the Winter Gardens and Anita has

0:30:010:30:05

found a piece of Poole Pottery nearly as tall as her!

0:30:050:30:08

Jane, I always love to see Poole Pottery on Flog It,

0:30:100:30:15

it's one of my favourites.

0:30:150:30:17

Now, tell me, does this belong to you?

0:30:170:30:19

No, actually, it belongs to my parents.

0:30:190:30:22

They bought it in about, I think, 1969.

0:30:220:30:26

My brothers and I were deemed old enough and responsible enough

0:30:260:30:29

to be left on our own and they went on their first holiday on their own,

0:30:290:30:32

from having children, and they went to Weymouth and they went to Poole Pottery.

0:30:320:30:36

-And they brought this back?

-Yeah.

0:30:360:30:38

Did you behave yourself when they were away?

0:30:380:30:40

I did, but my brothers didn't.

0:30:400:30:42

So it belongs to your mum and dad?

0:30:420:30:44

-Yes.

-Do they know that you've got this vase here today?

0:30:440:30:47

My father said it was OK. Checked with Mum, and they said it's OK.

0:30:470:30:50

Excellent, excellent. This vase is similar to the design

0:30:500:30:57

on the earlier pieces from the 1930s

0:30:570:31:00

and it also has the embossed mark on it, which the earlier pieces had.

0:31:000:31:06

Can you see the embossed mark here, but the later pieces like this

0:31:060:31:12

had a less heavy pattern and perhaps slightly muted colours.

0:31:120:31:19

I love them, I think that Poole

0:31:190:31:23

has painterly qualities, artistic qualities and design qualities.

0:31:230:31:29

It's always made a wonderful product and it is still doing so today.

0:31:290:31:35

Price-wise, Poole has gone off a little bit

0:31:360:31:40

in the last couple of years. 1930s stuff was very popular

0:31:400:31:45

and doing very well, but it's come down a wee bitty, a wee bitty.

0:31:450:31:49

I would put an estimate of £30 to £50.

0:31:490:31:53

Jane, we both like this vase, but tell me, why are you selling it?

0:31:530:31:59

Well, my daughter and I knew that Flog It

0:31:590:32:01

was coming to Weston-super-Mare, we live in North Devon.

0:32:010:32:04

I don't have anything that's worth anything and I knew my parents had this, and we wanted to come

0:32:040:32:09

to Flog It, we love Flog It and so here we are.

0:32:090:32:11

And here you are part of the Flog It experience.

0:32:110:32:13

-Indeed, indeed.

-Which is wonderful fun, wonderful fun.

0:32:130:32:17

It is a great day, we've had a great day.

0:32:170:32:20

Ian, I'm a little shame-faced with my - I shall cover it up -

0:32:270:32:32

my horrible battery-operated digital watch

0:32:320:32:35

cos you've brought in this stunner.

0:32:350:32:37

-Yes.

-Can you tell me, where did you get it from?

0:32:370:32:39

Well, it was left to my wife in some effects.

0:32:390:32:43

-Oh, right.

-And I have been wearing it occasionally.

0:32:430:32:46

It is a beautiful timepiece but the one disadvantage

0:32:460:32:50

is having to wind it and inevitably, of course,

0:32:500:32:53

you forget and it can make you late for appointments.

0:32:530:32:56

Which is not good, is it? It's not good.

0:32:560:32:58

Well, you are going to have to be more disciplined in your winding

0:32:580:33:02

or get a battery-operated one.

0:33:020:33:04

I have resorted to one, that's why I'm offering it today.

0:33:040:33:07

-I'm afraid we do. It's shocking, isn't it?

-Yes.

0:33:070:33:10

I would be tempted to wear this on a daily basis, were it mine. It's a stunning watch.

0:33:100:33:15

Have you any idea when or where it was made?

0:33:150:33:18

Well, I've seen from the sign inside

0:33:180:33:21

-that it was from Universal of Geneva.

-Right.

0:33:210:33:24

And about ten years ago, I looked up their website

0:33:240:33:29

and found this model in a catalogue of about 1937.

0:33:290:33:34

It was pictured there.

0:33:340:33:36

Well, that's tremendously useful and the joy of this,

0:33:360:33:39

because I love watches that do things,

0:33:390:33:42

and you can tell immediately by those two lugs

0:33:420:33:45

that it's not an ordinary watch.

0:33:450:33:47

So if we press the first one and we watch this black enamelled hand here,

0:33:470:33:52

one would imagine that your horse was running down the track

0:33:520:33:55

and you were waiting to see how long it would do a furlong

0:33:550:33:58

and then it's past the post and stop,

0:33:580:34:01

and then you've got the reading.

0:34:010:34:03

-And then, of course, this second button, after you've pressed it, is to reset...

-Yeah.

0:34:030:34:07

And I think that's tremendous fun.

0:34:070:34:09

-I hate to use the expression "boy's toy" but it does fall into that category.

-Yes.

0:34:090:34:14

Why have you decided to part with it now?

0:34:140:34:17

Well, I think for the reasons I mentioned. It's, um...

0:34:170:34:20

You do have the disadvantage of having to remember to wind it up regularly, so I've reverted

0:34:200:34:28

to the modern option, with batteries and what have you.

0:34:280:34:31

Well, I think it's a stunning watch.

0:34:310:34:34

Any idea of the value?

0:34:340:34:37

I don't know. 150? 250?

0:34:370:34:41

I think you're in the right ballpark but I think you're being conservative. Which is good news.

0:34:410:34:47

I think we should pop that into the sale.

0:34:470:34:50

-I think the saleroom estimate should be 250 to £350.

-OK.

0:34:500:34:55

-After all, it is a multi-functional, 18-carat gold, gent's Swiss wristwatch.

-It is, yes.

0:34:550:35:00

And when you say that, it doesn't sound a lot of money for it.

0:35:000:35:04

I think if we give the auctioneer a small amount of discretion

0:35:040:35:08

and put the reserve fixed at £230.

0:35:080:35:10

Yes, I'd be very happy with that.

0:35:100:35:12

I think there should be people fighting over it in the saleroom.

0:35:120:35:16

Let's hope so.

0:35:160:35:17

Ann, what a charming little cottage scene we have here.

0:35:220:35:26

Can you tell me, where did you get it?

0:35:260:35:29

I looked after an elderly lady, she was about 90, 93 or something,

0:35:290:35:34

and she left it to me when she died.

0:35:340:35:37

-That's very nice. Have you had it on the wall?

-Yes, I have.

0:35:370:35:40

What's it doing in here today, then?

0:35:400:35:42

Well, we're changing to a... Downsizing our house.

0:35:420:35:49

-Yes.

-It doesn't go with the decor now.

0:35:490:35:51

When I look at a picture,

0:35:510:35:55

the front of it first of all,

0:35:550:35:57

but I always look at the back

0:35:570:35:59

because very often the back of a picture

0:35:590:36:02

can tell us a lot more about it.

0:36:020:36:05

And here we see that we have a subject -

0:36:050:36:08

a mill cottage at Dinasmowdy, North Wales.

0:36:080:36:14

That's giving us a little help in trying to identify it.

0:36:140:36:20

If you look at the picture as an item on its own,

0:36:200:36:25

we can see some distress in the canvas here.

0:36:250:36:30

The paint has separated from the canvas

0:36:300:36:33

but the scene has a lot of charm.

0:36:330:36:36

Ann, I would estimate this picture between 150 and 250.

0:36:360:36:40

Would you be happy to sell it at that?

0:36:400:36:43

My husband wanted to sell it at no lower than 200.

0:36:450:36:49

Uh-huh. He wants a reserve of 200?

0:36:490:36:51

-Yes.

-Well, I think we should give it a punt, we should give it a try.

0:36:510:36:56

-Lovely.

-We shall see what happens.

0:36:560:36:58

Thank you, Anita.

0:36:580:36:59

Peter, thank you for bringing along

0:37:060:37:08

these two marvellous, interesting items.

0:37:080:37:11

Before I tell you about them, can you tell me where you got them?

0:37:110:37:14

I was working in Dublin about 30 years ago

0:37:140:37:17

and there was an antiques shop in the suburbs

0:37:170:37:21

and we were passing by, and we bought them.

0:37:210:37:24

A difficult question when anyone's bought from an antiques shop -

0:37:240:37:27

were they expensive things?

0:37:270:37:28

No. I can vaguely remember that the bottle was 30 punts,

0:37:280:37:33

-which, I think, was about £25 at the time.

-Oh, marvellous.

0:37:330:37:37

And that was less, but I can't remember what the actual amount was.

0:37:370:37:41

My wife liked the scent bottle

0:37:410:37:43

and that just looked an interesting item.

0:37:430:37:46

So, really, you bought them for the best reasons?

0:37:460:37:49

-Yeah.

-Which is not a maker's mark or anything?

-No.

0:37:490:37:52

-You just liked the object.

-Indeed. Well, let's look at this first.

0:37:520:37:56

This is an English, silver-mounted

0:37:560:37:58

toilet bottle, or scent flask,

0:37:580:38:00

and you get them in various sizes like this.

0:38:000:38:03

You can have a round one, sort of this large, with silver casing on it.

0:38:030:38:07

What's interesting is if we open it up...

0:38:070:38:10

What a long stopper!

0:38:120:38:14

That's the longest one I've seen.

0:38:140:38:16

That's quite impressive.

0:38:160:38:18

So that, to a scent-bottle collector, is a very nice feature

0:38:180:38:23

because you can imagine how tremendously fragile that is,

0:38:230:38:27

and how easily it's chipped, broken or simply misplaced.

0:38:270:38:32

We've got a set of hallmarks here and we've got the maker's mark,

0:38:320:38:35

which is J, G and S, which is John Gloster & Sons.

0:38:350:38:40

We've got the Birmingham anchor and the date letter for 1913.

0:38:400:38:44

This, to my mind, is actually the better of the two pieces,

0:38:440:38:48

even though it cost you slightly less.

0:38:480:38:50

I mean, it's... Anyone can see it's a gorgeous magnifier

0:38:500:38:53

and it's the sort of thing you would have found

0:38:530:38:56

on a very wealthy gentleman's desk,

0:38:560:38:58

-possibly to peruse the paper if his eyesight was failing...

-Yes.

0:38:580:39:03

..or to admire objets d'art.

0:39:030:39:05

Now there are some marks here on the handle.

0:39:050:39:10

Well, this is a tricky area

0:39:100:39:12

-because it's French.

-Oh.

0:39:120:39:14

Now if I tell you there is one standard reference work

0:39:140:39:18

on English hallmarks,

0:39:180:39:20

-one big book you can buy that has most of the hallmarks in it...

-Yes.

0:39:200:39:25

I've got 25 books on French hallmarks and I'm still going...

0:39:250:39:30

-Right.

-Stylistically, it dates

0:39:300:39:34

anywhere from 1870 up to 1900 and it's marvellous quality.

0:39:340:39:40

-So now we really get down to the thorny question of price.

-Yes.

0:39:400:39:45

That, because the engraving's so crisp

0:39:450:39:49

and it's got that very unusual internal stopper,

0:39:490:39:52

even though that's worn, that's £40-£60 all day long.

0:39:520:39:58

That's a very intriguing thing.

0:39:580:40:01

I'll say, for the purposes of today,

0:40:010:40:03

it's £60-£100 but it wouldn't surprise me

0:40:030:40:06

if you went into a posh Bond Street shop and it was a couple of hundred.

0:40:060:40:11

Because the quality's that good.

0:40:110:40:13

-Yeah.

-So I think we should put these together

0:40:130:40:16

because they're both charming and interesting items.

0:40:160:40:18

Put an estimate of £100-£150 and maybe put a reserve

0:40:180:40:22

of sort of £90 on them, just to protect them.

0:40:220:40:24

-Yes, that's fine.

-If you're happy, we'll place them into the sale.

0:40:240:40:28

But why have you decided to part with them?

0:40:280:40:30

Well, we've had them for 30-plus years.

0:40:300:40:33

They're moved around, backwards and forwards, on a little table

0:40:330:40:38

and we looked at them and we thought, "Well, it's time."

0:40:380:40:43

Time. Time to go.

0:40:430:40:45

-Yes.

-Time to go before the stopper gets damaged.

-Exactly, yes.

0:40:450:40:48

Thank you for bringing them in

0:40:480:40:50

and I hope they do really well at the sale.

0:40:500:40:52

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

0:40:520:40:53

Before we see our next batch of antiques go off to auction,

0:41:150:41:18

I've popped out from the Winter Gardens

0:41:180:41:20

to take a look at this remarkable Edwardian structure, the Grand Pier,

0:41:200:41:25

which had a long and fascinating history of entertainment

0:41:250:41:28

here in Weston-super-Mare. But just take a look at this.

0:41:280:41:32

This was where the pavilion once stood.

0:41:320:41:35

On July 28th in 2008, masses of people looked on in horror

0:41:370:41:42

as an electrical fault reduced this pavilion to ashes

0:41:420:41:45

in just over an hour.

0:41:450:41:47

But it wasn't the first tragedy to hit this iconic structure.

0:41:590:42:04

The first Grand Pier opened in 1904

0:42:050:42:07

and a fabulous pavilion stood at the end.

0:42:070:42:10

With a tower in each corner, it was a visually-enticing building.

0:42:100:42:15

Weston's Grand Pier was one of the last great pleasure pavilions

0:42:150:42:18

to be constructed at the end of a frantic period of pier building

0:42:180:42:22

across Britain's seaside resorts.

0:42:220:42:25

When it opened, it boasted a fabulous 2,000-seater theatre

0:42:250:42:29

which hosted entertainments from opera and ballet,

0:42:290:42:33

right up to boxing matches.

0:42:330:42:34

The pier also boasted its own bandstand and visitors enjoyed

0:42:340:42:38

promenading and even roller-skating up the boardwalk.

0:42:380:42:42

But tragedy struck Weston's cherished Grand Pier in 1930.

0:42:470:42:51

It was completely destroyed by fire.

0:42:510:42:54

But it wasn't the end of it, though. Three years later, it rose again,

0:42:540:42:58

only to be destroyed by a second fire some 70 years later.

0:42:580:43:02

So what will happen to the next pier

0:43:020:43:05

and will Weston ever be the same without a Grand Pier?

0:43:050:43:08

Well, I've come to talk to a chap called Mike Davies,

0:43:080:43:11

who's got piers in his blood.

0:43:110:43:13

Mike is a member of the National Pier Society

0:43:130:43:16

and is a local Weston-super-Mare boy.

0:43:160:43:19

So you must have lots of childhood memories of this pier,

0:43:190:43:22

the Grand Pier?

0:43:220:43:23

Yes, and most of them, funnily enough, are underneath the pier,

0:43:230:43:27

as I used to go underneath to see if I could find any coins

0:43:270:43:30

that had fallen through the cracks.

0:43:300:43:32

I don't blame you. Did you earn much?

0:43:320:43:34

No, not a lot but it was a bit of fun in the school holidays, you know.

0:43:340:43:38

Yes. This structure has been with you all your life, lots of memories.

0:43:380:43:41

Very much so. You drive past it every day and it's now...

0:43:410:43:44

It's terrible to see.

0:43:440:43:45

-It's now looking like this.

-Yes.

0:43:450:43:47

Let's just talk about the history of the pier -

0:43:490:43:52

what did this mean for the Victorians and the Edwardians?

0:43:520:43:55

Well, it was basically the fact you could walk on water,

0:43:550:43:58

this was the most important thing.

0:43:580:44:00

People, the Victorians, used to love promenading.

0:44:000:44:03

Yes, very much so.

0:44:030:44:05

And if they could walk on the pier,

0:44:050:44:08

as I say, walking on the water was fantastic,

0:44:080:44:10

and just taking the sea air as well,

0:44:100:44:13

that was what Weston was renowned for.

0:44:130:44:16

After the 1930 fire, talk me through the latest of the pavilions,

0:44:170:44:21

the one that's just burnt down.

0:44:210:44:23

Well, that one had four towers, like the one that burned down,

0:44:230:44:26

but it was a real, total amusement arcade.

0:44:260:44:31

We had, um...

0:44:310:44:32

-Ghost trains, dodgem cars.

-The ghost trains.

0:44:320:44:35

Yeah, What The Butler Saw - it was a bit risque.

0:44:350:44:37

It was all that kind of thing, it was just pure entertainment.

0:44:370:44:42

And it was great for the town.

0:44:420:44:45

The most recent fire on the Grand Pier, in 2008, was an inferno

0:44:460:44:51

which destroyed the pavilion in little more than an hour.

0:44:510:44:54

I find it truly amazing that any artefacts have survived the fire

0:44:540:44:58

at all but Mike Davis and I are off to visit the North Somerset Museum

0:44:580:45:02

in Weston-super-Mare where they are currently holding an exhibition about the fire.

0:45:020:45:06

Looking at all the charred remains, the heat must have been intense.

0:45:150:45:19

It was. It was 1,000 degrees, according to the firemen,

0:45:190:45:21

and I mean, nothing can survive that.

0:45:210:45:23

No. It's no wonder it went up so quickly.

0:45:230:45:26

Yeah, well, it was a wooden building, let's face it.

0:45:260:45:28

It was wood and it had a lot of white plastic on it

0:45:280:45:31

which goes whoosh when it gets to a certain temperature.

0:45:310:45:34

They couldn't do anything to save it, unfortunately.

0:45:340:45:36

The day that the fire happened,

0:45:480:45:50

I said that as far as I was concerned,

0:45:500:45:53

it had taken the super out of Weston-super-Mare

0:45:530:45:55

and I don't think that'll come back until we get another pier.

0:45:550:45:59

When you drive along the seafront, it's not right.

0:45:590:46:01

No, it isn't. You're so used to passing what's been an iconic symbol

0:46:010:46:05

slap-bang in the middle of the seafront

0:46:050:46:07

and all of a sudden it's not there.

0:46:070:46:09

What effect has this had on the local economy?

0:46:090:46:12

The effect has been quite devastating.

0:46:120:46:16

So many people came to Weston.

0:46:160:46:19

Not just the kids to play on the go-karts

0:46:190:46:21

and a spell on the slot machines,

0:46:210:46:23

but you'd get Mum and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa... .

0:46:230:46:25

It's the memories, they come back to relive them.

0:46:250:46:28

Yeah. Also, everybody likes walking up and down the pier.

0:46:280:46:31

It's walking on water, which is what it's all about.

0:46:310:46:34

-Well, it's clearly important that the Grand Pier gets rebuilt.

-Definitely.

0:46:360:46:40

I know it's going to happen.

0:46:400:46:42

Tell me about the planning process and how the plans were accepted.

0:46:420:46:47

The planning process, as far as I'm aware, everything is going through.

0:46:470:46:51

We should see the pier opened by 2010.

0:46:510:46:55

And what about the design itself?

0:46:550:46:57

How was it picked? Because I know there was a committee,

0:46:570:47:00

all the people of Weston had their say.

0:47:000:47:02

Yeah, there was a show at the Winter Gardens,

0:47:020:47:04

the same place where the "Flog It!" programme was being filmed,

0:47:040:47:09

and they had a shortlist of six and this one was the one

0:47:090:47:13

that was chosen by the general public and the owners.

0:47:130:47:16

-It had the most votes.

-Yes.

0:47:160:47:19

One of the most important factors

0:47:190:47:20

is the fact that we're keeping the four pillars.

0:47:200:47:23

The pier that burned down in 1930, that had four towers. The one that's

0:47:230:47:28

just gone had four towers and the new one's got four towers.

0:47:280:47:31

It's going to be a larger building but it's going to be great.

0:47:310:47:36

Did you vote for that one?

0:47:360:47:37

-Yes. That was the one.

-It's a winner.

-Yes, it is, definitely.

0:47:370:47:41

Well, it's really encouraging to see the proposed plans of the new Grand Pier.

0:47:540:47:58

They're taking the very best of the old designs

0:47:580:48:01

and marrying it with new architectural elements.

0:48:010:48:04

I can't wait for Weston's pier to be restored to its former glory

0:48:040:48:07

so I can come back in the near future and have another visit.

0:48:070:48:10

It's time for our final visit to the auction room and here's what we're selling.

0:48:200:48:25

Peter's scent bottle and magnifying glass

0:48:250:48:29

will be going under the hammer.

0:48:290:48:31

Ann is downsizing, so her Victorian painting has to go.

0:48:310:48:34

Also, Jane's parents have had their Poole Pottery vase since 1969,

0:48:360:48:40

but now it's off to auction, so Jane can enjoy the Flog It experience.

0:48:400:48:45

Ian feels it's time to sell his watch

0:48:450:48:47

and update to something a bit more modern.

0:48:470:48:50

The one disadvantage is having to wind it

0:48:500:48:52

and inevitably, of course, you forget.

0:48:520:48:55

Let's head to the Clevedon Auction Rooms.

0:48:580:49:02

Before the sale gets underway, let's go inside

0:49:020:49:06

and have a quick chat with today's auctioneer.

0:49:060:49:10

What does Marc Burridge think of Ian's wristwatch?

0:49:100:49:13

You could say time is definitely up for Ian's wristwatch.

0:49:150:49:18

Cracking thing, it really is. Swiss movement, 18-carat gold.

0:49:180:49:22

It was left to his wife,

0:49:220:49:24

and they don't wear it, it's a bit too precious,

0:49:240:49:28

and we've got a value of £250 to £350 on this.

0:49:280:49:33

What more can I say, really? It's very desirable, a lot of interest

0:49:330:49:36

in vintage watches in auctions now and they're selling very well.

0:49:360:49:40

The kind of thing you'd like to wear?

0:49:400:49:42

I would certainly be quite pleased to wear that one.

0:49:420:49:45

-At £250?

-At £250, yes.

0:49:450:49:47

Is that what you think?

0:49:470:49:49

I think this is going to do much better.

0:49:490:49:52

-What do you think?

-I see this making £500, £600, maybe £700.

0:49:520:49:56

It's a good collectable watch, a good maker, in working order.

0:49:560:50:01

-Yeah, it keeps good time as well.

-Yeah.

0:50:010:50:03

Watch this watch fly, that's all I can say.

0:50:030:50:06

I can't wait for you to do your stuff,

0:50:060:50:08

-and hopefully, we'll get that £700.

-Yeah.

0:50:080:50:11

Wise words from a seasoned auctioneer there.

0:50:110:50:13

Exciting stuff. Let's get straight on to the action, shall we?

0:50:130:50:18

Well, Jane, the reason you bought the Poole Pottery along is because you wanted to be on Flog It.

0:50:250:50:30

-We did.

-You've made it.

-Yes, I have, I have.

0:50:300:50:33

And now we've just got to find out whether you'll get the £30 or the £50. I hope it's the top end.

0:50:330:50:38

-So do I, cos I've already spent it.

-Have you? On what?

-On what?

0:50:380:50:41

-I bought the chair I was sitting on.

-You haven't, have you?

-Have.

0:50:410:50:45

Beautiful Edwardian folding chair and the lady that was selling it

0:50:450:50:48

actually came up and said, "I've sold that and it was really loved,"

0:50:480:50:51

-and we'll really love it.

-How much did you pay for it?

0:50:510:50:54

-£35.

-Brilliant!

0:50:540:50:56

And I've also bought a cheese dome and I paid £18 for that.

0:50:560:50:59

-Right, the pressure's on.

-So I think I've already spent it. Absolutely!

0:50:590:51:03

Lot 400, the large Poole Pottery vase.

0:51:030:51:07

Monogrammed for Alan White.

0:51:080:51:10

-I'm starving, darling.

-Yeah, are you?

0:51:100:51:12

How can you think of food at a moment like this?

0:51:120:51:14

What can we say, give me £30 to start then.

0:51:140:51:17

Nice large Poole vase there, £30. £25 I have, I'll take 8 now, 8,

0:51:170:51:23

and 30 here, 30 and 5, 5, 5, 35, 35, 5, 5, at £30 only in the room.

0:51:230:51:29

-We've done it!

-I've paid for the chair!

-35 anyone else?

0:51:290:51:32

Are you all done at £30? And I'm selling, make no mistake on the 30.

0:51:320:51:37

-The hammer's gone down.

-Done it!

0:51:370:51:38

-That's a fair exchange.

-Yes, absolutely.

0:51:380:51:40

Poole Pottery for an Edwardian chair.

0:51:400:51:42

And two wonderful days out, absolutely wonderful days out. Thank you so much.

0:51:420:51:46

Thanks for being such a great sport, Jane.

0:51:460:51:48

-And thank you, Anita.

-You were wonderful.

-Thank you very much.

0:51:480:51:51

Useful things, though, magnifying glasses.

0:51:590:52:02

Absolutely. That's where the value of this lot lies

0:52:020:52:04

cos it's a wonderful desk accessory.

0:52:040:52:06

-Yes.

-I think the glass needs slightly polishing.

0:52:060:52:09

-But that's easy to sort.

-But the quality's there.

0:52:090:52:12

And it's French silver as well, which is a higher standard than ours

0:52:120:52:15

and it's something people don't tend to go for at sales

0:52:150:52:18

but hopefully they will. Hopefully...

0:52:180:52:21

Peter, we could be looking at the top end of the estimate.

0:52:210:52:24

Will we get that sort of 120, 130...?

0:52:240:52:27

I'd be really disappointed if we didn't.

0:52:270:52:29

-Yeah.

-Because I could...

0:52:290:52:31

I think the magnifying glass alone is £100.

0:52:310:52:34

Put your fingers in your ears.

0:52:340:52:35

If it was in a gallery in London and the glass was done,

0:52:350:52:39

I wouldn't expect to see it go for less than maybe 250.

0:52:390:52:42

-So work needs to be done on this.

-But it's quality, isn't it?

0:52:420:52:46

And you've got that wonderful scent bottle as well.

0:52:460:52:48

-It should fly.

-Hopefully.

0:52:480:52:50

Lot 300,

0:52:500:52:52

it's a French silver-frame magnifying glass there.

0:52:520:52:56

70, 80, 90... Difficult here. Two bids at £120. Bid twice.

0:52:560:53:03

Who's got 130? 130.

0:53:030:53:08

120 bid twice, 130, 130.

0:53:080:53:12

And 5, I've taken a fiver from the book.

0:53:120:53:16

125, who's got 130?

0:53:160:53:18

Selling on £125 now.

0:53:180:53:20

Sold it, he's sold it.

0:53:200:53:22

A very quiet hammer, but crack, that's gone.

0:53:220:53:25

-£125.

-That's the top end.

0:53:250:53:27

You'd have been disappointed if it had gone for less.

0:53:270:53:30

Obviously, at least two people thought it was worth 120!

0:53:300:53:33

Something now for fine art lovers.

0:53:390:53:41

I like this. It's a little mill scene, North Wales, oil on canvas,

0:53:410:53:46

and it belongs to Ann, and I think for not much longer.

0:53:460:53:50

We've got a valuation of £200-£250. It caught Anita's eyes.

0:53:500:53:54

Yes, and it's by Jacobi

0:53:540:53:57

and this scene is very typical of what he was doing.

0:53:570:54:00

It's of North Wales, but I think it will have a market in this saleroom and in this area.

0:54:000:54:06

It's an idyllic rural scene.

0:54:060:54:09

It's English, romantic, a lot of artistic licence because maybe all the flowers

0:54:090:54:14

weren't on the cottage, but let's see what the bidders of the West Country think.

0:54:140:54:18

It's going under the hammer now, this is it.

0:54:180:54:21

120. Oil on canvas by M Jacobi.

0:54:210:54:26

Welsh scene there, what can we say?

0:54:260:54:28

Signed and titled, everything you should need.

0:54:280:54:30

What can you say for that one? Give me £100 here, thank you.

0:54:300:54:34

110, 120 I need.

0:54:340:54:35

120, 120, 120, 120, 130, 140...

0:54:350:54:42

-We're off.

-140, 50, 60. 160 now.

0:54:420:54:46

160, 70, 80.

0:54:460:54:48

180, 180, 180 in the room, 190 now.

0:54:480:54:52

190. Anyone else?

0:54:520:54:54

-It's sold, it's sold.

-Yeah, yeah.

0:54:540:54:57

200 sat down. And 10.

0:54:570:54:59

210, 210, 220.

0:54:590:55:01

220, 230.

0:55:010:55:04

230, 230. The bid remains sat down at £220 then.

0:55:040:55:09

Hammer's gone then.

0:55:100:55:12

-It was sticky for a moment there, wasn't it?

-Yes.

0:55:120:55:15

It's a bit of a roller-coaster ride today.

0:55:150:55:18

-Happy with that?

-Yes, yes.

0:55:180:55:20

Yeah. What are you going to put the money towards?

0:55:200:55:22

It's going into a holiday pot.

0:55:220:55:24

-Oh, are you?

-Yes.

-Where are you saving up to go to, do you know?

0:55:240:55:27

-We're going to Florida.

-Lovely.

0:55:270:55:30

Ian, time's nearly up for your watch. It's just about to go under the hammer,

0:55:360:55:40

in fact, in a couple of lots' time.

0:55:400:55:42

We've got quite excited about this

0:55:420:55:44

because we've got an initial valuation of £250 to £350 put on by Michael.

0:55:440:55:49

We had a chat to the auctioneer before the sale started.

0:55:490:55:52

He's agreed with your valuation and he's not changed it in the catalogue but he did say...

0:55:520:55:57

He thinks it's a come-hither estimate.

0:55:570:55:59

Yeah, he did say it could do £600.

0:55:590:56:01

Well, I've done a bit of research after the valuation day

0:56:010:56:04

and I've seen them make £400, £500, £600

0:56:040:56:06

so I agree with him, but it's no harm to put these things in low.

0:56:060:56:10

-Yes.

-And let the market decide.

0:56:100:56:13

-But I don't think it'll make £1,000.

-No.

-I could be wrong.

0:56:130:56:16

Lot 680,

0:56:160:56:17

it's a gent's compact Universal 18-carat gold wristwatch.

0:56:170:56:23

A handsome wristwatch there. What can we say?

0:56:240:56:27

Starting with me at 400, 450, 500, 550 on the book...

0:56:270:56:32

Started well on the top end.

0:56:320:56:34

600, 650, 700,

0:56:340:56:36

750, 850, 900, 950, 1,000, will you?

0:56:360:56:43

-It's on the book at £950.

-Wonderful!

0:56:430:56:46

Any advance? I'll take 980.

0:56:460:56:48

With me then, selling at £950, commission buyer.

0:56:480:56:54

That's what they thought of it. £950, Ian.

0:56:540:56:58

That's beyond my wildest dreams. That's wonderful.

0:56:580:57:01

That is brilliant. When I said they don't make £1,000,

0:57:010:57:03

it was quite close to it, wasn't it?

0:57:030:57:05

I was technically right!

0:57:050:57:07

But I'm so pleased. It deserved to make every penny of that.

0:57:070:57:11

Oh, gosh, that was a wonderful, classic moment, wasn't it?

0:57:110:57:15

We're all going, "Come on, come on!"

0:57:150:57:16

There is commission to pay.

0:57:160:57:18

What are you going to spend that on? £900 or so.

0:57:180:57:21

It will go into the holiday pot.

0:57:210:57:23

Where are you thinking of?

0:57:230:57:25

Well, I like to do bird watching,

0:57:250:57:26

so I'll possibly go over to Norfolk

0:57:260:57:28

or I might have a walking holiday in Italy or something like that.

0:57:280:57:32

But I'll use it to my enjoyment.

0:57:320:57:34

Yes. It's one of the nicest things we've ever had on this show

0:57:340:57:37

and thank you, Ian, for coming in.

0:57:370:57:39

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

0:57:390:57:41

We've enjoyed being here down in Clevedon.

0:57:410:57:44

If you've got anything like that,

0:57:440:57:46

we'd love to see you at our valuation days.

0:57:460:57:48

Check the details in your local press because we're coming to an area near you very soon.

0:57:480:57:52

So from Clevedon, from all of us here, cheerio.

0:57:520:57:55

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

0:58:130:58:16

E-mail [email protected]

0:58:160:58:19

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