Ely Flog It!

# Let all the world In every corner sing... #

There's heavenly music in the air. Today, we're the guests

of the magnificent Ely Cathedral, in Cambridgeshire.

What a fantastic turnout we've got here today.

Historically, the nave was used as a meeting place

for local people so it's quite fitting that today

scores have turned up for our valuation day.

Welcome to Flog It!

For 900 years,

Ely Cathedral has stood out proud from the surrounding marshlands.

And today, it's a rallying point for us.

HANDBELL CHIMES

OYEZ!

OYEZ!

Being summoned for duty are our saintly antiques experts,

Elizabeth Talbot, and the wicked valuer, Charlie Ross.

Bring out your wares for valuation and sale.

It's about to rain so I think we should get everybody inside,

safely at the blue tablecloth, and hope we can find some real gems.

They've been queuing for a while now so let's shake off the rain

and get those bags unpacked.

Coming up, I'll be going behind the scenes

at this beautiful building. Also, small is beautiful,

especially when it's worth a fortune and costs almost nothing.

-How much did you pay for this in your yard sale?

-Pound.

-A pound?

-Yeah.

-You see, it is all out there.

You've just got to be lucky on the day.

And that's not even today's star item.

Hold on to your seat as everyone gets excited at the auction.

Any number you like, madam, as big as you like.

Now I'm shaking. Rupert, this is fantastic.

Are you all out down here?

But before that, the calm of the evaluation and his charm.

Quality, quality, and more quality.

Donald and Janet... Janet, does this belong to you?

-Yes. It does. Yes.

-How did you get it?

-I bought it a good many years ago, about 30 years ago.

-Did you?

-Yes.

Did you buy it to use, or just because you like looking at it?

I just like looking at it. They were so decorative.

-Beautifully carved, the workmanship.

-Do you do needlework yourself?

-I did, years ago.

-Did you?

-Yes.

-Yeah. Apprentice.

-Apprentice dressmaker, years ago.

-Oh, really?

It served my purpose when I had twin girls.

-Right. Did you buy it in a shop?

-Yes. I did. Yes.

-Can you remember which shop?

-I think it was down Magdalene Street

-the shop I bought it from.

-How interesting.

-Been gone years.

-Do you remember what you paid for it?

-I can't remember.

-I paid about £30-odd. That was a lot of money in those days.

-Yeah.

It's called a necessaire, i.e., every woman should have one,

it is necessary to have one, to repair anything that might

be damaged, in terms of clothing. This would be for instant repairs.

If you went to a ball or something, and you were a smart lady,

and you thought, "Blimey, my hem's gone." Out with your necessaire.

Sometimes they were on little chains and you kept them about your person.

This would have been kept in a handbag.

-The case is made of?

-Ivory.

-Correct. And I've had a quick look.

They're not silver, or silver gilt, but they are gilt metal.

And because you've kept it so beautifully,

the gilding is still on there, which is wonderful.

If it had been used much, the gilding would have rubbed off,

-and it would have lost some of its value.

-I kept it shut.

The other thing that I particularly like, and makes it so rare,

is the fact that it's all there.

-Yes.

-Needle. Scissors. Thimble. And needle case, I think, there.

I would put that at 1860 or 1870. So, Donald, why is it being sold?

We want to buy our granddaughter's wedding dress.

-It'll go towards the wedding dress?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-So valuation,

what would you like it to be worth?

-Well over £100.

-Over 100?

I don't think you're unrealistic, there, because you said it cost £30.

-And that was a lot of money when you bought it.

-Yes.

-I would like to estimate it at £100-£150.

-Yeah.

I would like to put a fixed reserve of £100 on it.

And I'd dearly like to see it make 150 or £160.

-Lovely. Yes.

-Thank you very much. It's lovely to see you both.

Thank you very much. Thank you. Yes.

June, you've brought a couple of pieces

-of Noritake porcelain for me today.

-Yes.

-What can you tell me about it?

I've had it quite a long time. I've enjoyed it. It's time to go.

-Where did you acquire these? Do you remember?

-A reclamation person.

You had them both together or did they come at separate times?

-I think separately.

-I don't know how much you know

about the Noritake factory, but it was opened in Japan in 1904,

and it very quickly became THE leading factory in the early 20th century in Japan,

making very fine quality porcelain for the Western export market.

So they looked, very cleverly, to the 18th-century Chinese strategy,

which was to adopt Western shapes

and then apply Western decoration and style to them,

so that it would be lapped up by either the travellers or the people

-buying in the high-quality shops back in Britain and elsewhere.

-Yeah.

But what you have achieved here are two quite distinct pieces, aren't they?

-Different. Yes.

-Do you have a favourite?

-I like the plate as the better of the two.

-Yeah.

-That is a higher quality item, was intended to be a better piece.

-Yes.

Interestingly, one of the factories that they copied or were influenced by mostly, was Royal Worcester.

And I think, if you can see in the colours and the subject matter here,

it's very much a Worcester theme

with this very rich gilding, which again, Worcester specialised in

-in the late 19th, early 20th century.

-Yeah.

In contrast, this one is also hand painted, little vase,

which is a little bit more, sort of, predictable in shape.

But that scene and the colours they've chosen to use

is almost Mediterranean and it's got the freshness about it,

a sort of warmer climate. The two pieces are in lovely condition.

So they're lovely examples of their time.

-Do you have any hopes or thoughts about value achievable?

-No idea.

No. I think in the current market, the value at auction should be between £40 and £60.

And most of that 40 to 60 will be actually by this piece which I think is particularly nice.

We'll keep the two together to make it worth your while putting together in auction.

-Yeah.

-Would you like a reserve?

-Oh, definitely.

-Yes, reserve.

So if we put the bottom estimate of £40 with auctioneer's discretion.

-Yes. That's right.

-They'll be looked after and we'll see how we do.

Yeah. That's fine. Thank you for bringing them in. OK.

I'll see you at the auction.

-Ron, I don't think boxes come in much better condition than this.

-No.

-It's absolutely wonderful. Do you know what wood it is?

-Not at all.

-It's walnut.

-Is it really?

-Yup.

-Do you know what this funny stuff is that's inlaid?

-Not at all.

-It's brass!

-Oh, right!

-Well, I'm going to open it up.

-You know what it is, don't you?

-Yes.

It's a writing slope and it's Victorian.

It's 1860, 1870.

There it is in all its glory.

-Do you know, it's got its original leather on?

-Really?

-I think so.

And I think it's got its original inkwells.

Pens went in here. We'll just pull an inkwell out.

Just want to see if they've got silver tops.

No, they're silver-plated tops.

-But beautiful cut glass.

-Hm.

And the condition is astonishing, for 120, 130-years-old.

So why are you selling it?

Well, it's been in the cupboard for two years and never come out, so...

-So, how long have you had it?

-About three years.

-So where did you get it?

-From an auction.

-Why did you buy it?

-On a whim.

-So my wife said.

-You were just sitting in a sale room?

And I just thought, "That's a good price" and put a bid in.

I won't ask you what the price is yet, but I will do later on.

-Have you looked in here?

-Yes.

If I pull this up...

CLUNKING

Hey, presto! It's on a spring, this panel comes out,

-and there are the secret drawers.

-They're the ones.

-It's a great design, isn't it.

-Wonderful.

I'm afraid that's as good as it gets.

That's the good news.

Bad news, I think people have finally realised, after 40-50 years of collecting these things,

that they are completely useless, or more or less. Now...

You bought it...

Ta-da!

-Three years ago?

-Yup.

-At auction?

-At auction.

Go on then.

-£75.

-£75. What do you think's happened to this in three years?

About the same, I would think?

Ho-ho! Not many things have stayed the same over three years!

-I reckon you bought this, well worth the money.

-Really?

And I think it's worth now, what you paid for it then.

-So, I'm going to put an estimate of £60-£100.

-Mm-hmm.

-Fix a reserve at £60.

-Mm-hmm.

If it doesn't make more than 60, it's only a small loss.

If it makes 100, it's a profit. And you can say to your wife what a sound investment it was,

-wish I'd bought three more.

-Exactly.

Sheila, I love Austrian cold painted bronzes.

Since I've been doing Flog It! for the last eight years,

I've actually learnt a lot and fallen in love with them,

and I think you've got a little gem here. Tell me how you came by this?

-A yard sale.

-Really.

-Yes. Yeah.

And how much did you pay for this in your yard sale?

-£1.

-£1.

-Yeah.

-£1.

You see, it is all out there. You've just got to be lucky on the day.

I want to go to a yard sale now and buy something like this for £1.

And what have you done with this in the last year?

I've just had it sitting on the shelf.

But there's a little surprise, isn't there...

because it's a little desk inkwell, still with the glass vessel inside.

-Is that the original?

-Yes, it is. Yeah. This is a little bear

by the stump of an oak tree with oak leaves and little acorns. Look.

That's what I liked. Yeah.

-And from the little acorn, the mighty oak grew.

-Yes. Lovely.

Gorgeous, gorgeous little bear.

-Do you watch Flog It! regularly?

-Yes. Every day.

-Have you seen us talking about cold painted bronzes?

-Yeah.

In particular, a modeller called Franz Bergman,

who was probably the best of all the Venetian artists and sculptors.

Used the lost wax method, which means these were modelled in wax

-and then cast in bronze, but it's the best way to capture realistic detail.

-Yes. Lovely.

Franz Bergman flourished in the early 1900s and, looking at that, it looks like it is a Bergman.

-But he normally has this sort of urn shape with a B inside.

-Yeah.

And we'll just have to look underneath to see that.

But I'm going to go with a Bergman.

It's definitely Austrian and it's definitely that period because the quality is so good.

-Right. You want to know how much...

-Yes, please.

..we're going to put this into auction for, and what you might go home with.

-If we put this into auction with a value of £150-£250, would you be happy?

-Definitely. Yeah.

How about £250-£350?

-That'd be better.

-That's a lot better, isn't it.

Now you're getting excited.

Right. OK. Well, I think on a good day, £350-£450.

-You're going to be jumping through hoops, aren't you?

-Definitely. Yeah.

But I'd like to put it into auction with a fixed reserve of £250,

-with the value at 250-350.

-Yes.

-Entice the bidders in.

There's a lot there for your money.

And I bet it goes over that 350 mark.

Oh, lovely. That's a surprise.

£1! Well, there you go. Hey, get out to those yard sales.

We're going to follow you around now.

Well, our experts have found their first batch of items, so we're off to the saleroom.

This is where it gets exciting. It's my favourite part of the show.

Somebody could be going home with a lot of money. Who's it going to be?

And what's it worth? Well, stay tuned and you'll find out.

Here's a quick rundown of all the items coming with us to auction.

Once upon a time, every lady had a necessaire,

but now Janet's is quite rare because it's a complete set.

What would you like it to be worth?

Well over £100.

Over 100. I don't think you're unrealistic, there.

And the realistic value for June's Noritake porcelain pieces?

Well, we're hoping for £40-£60.

Ron is hoping to get back his £75 spent

on this 19th-century writing slope,

bought on a whim.

And if the bidders agree with my instinct, that Sheila's inkwell

is a Franz Bergman bronze, it should roar away at the auction.

Today, we're just over the border in the historic town of Stamford,

in Lincolnshire, at Batemans Auctioneers.

Well, this is what it's all about, a jam-packed auction room

and hopefully, all these bidders are going to put their hands up and buy our lots.

Well, that's the theory, anyway. On the rostrum is auctioneer, David Palmer.

So I'm going to get myself into place

because, coming up, will be our first lot.

Janet and Donald, it's great to catch up with you again.

What a fabulous item you brought in to the valuation day.

We're talking about the necessaire, that gorgeous little sewing kit in the ivory case.

And they're rare to be so complete, aren't they?

There's always something missing. You got this quite a long time ago.

I did. Over 30 years ago.

Well, we're going to get you your money back, you know that.

You bet your life, there.

-30 quid you paid, did you?

-Yes.

-Something like that.

It had to go, cos my girls are not interested in needlework, at all.

Are they having some money from this? Are you going to treat them?

Well, my granddaughter's getting married so it might buy a button or two for her wedding dress.

-Or a hat for you, hat for you.

-Yeah.

-Well, all the talking's over with.

It's now down to the bidders. OK. Here we go.

-It's going under the hammer now. Good luck, both of you.

-Right.

The continental cased sewing thing.

Pretty little lot, that. Very nice.

Straight in. £50 for it. 50, I'm bid.

-50. Five. 60.

-Couple of ladies down the front, look.

75. 80. 85. 90. 95. 100, now.

At 100. 110. 120. 130. 140.

150. 160. 170. 180. 190. 200. 210.

-220. 230. 240.

-This chap hasn't put his hand out.

He's just standing there with his hands in the air.

270. 280. 290. 290, I sell down here.

Done, then. With the lady at 290.

300. 300, I've got in the room. 310.

Back here at 310. I sell with the lady, at £310.

You are out. 320.

-330. Here in the room, at £330.

-This is good, isn't it?

You are out. Bid now, or I sell.

-340. With the internet at £340.

-Going to a rich home.

-Yes.

350. With the lady at 350.

At £350. It goes, then, at 350.

Is that a bid? Here at 350.

Janet, fantastic. £350. Well, there is commission to pay.

Obviously you've got to do that in any auction room.

-But that's going towards the wedding...

-Yes.

The wedding dress, and hopefully, come on, a new hat for you, maybe.

-I've already got one.

-You've got the hat? OK. Shoes.

-You've got to treat yourself.

-Yes. The hat I got, but nothing else.

You can't go to a wedding in just a hat!

At 35, the lady at 35.

Well, things are going along quite well, I think.

So let's add to it, shall we?

Right now, we've got some hand painted Noritake porcelain going under the hammer.

It belongs to June, here. Why are you selling the Noritake?

I'm frightened of it because if it tips forward, because I have it on a stand, it's going to break.

-Oh, dear. Elizabeth.

-And I've got two Jack Russell puppies.

I can understand why you're selling them now.

I think these are good value for money at £40-£60.

They're quite unusual examples and again, quite a contrast of Noritake styles of painting.

-But, it's a bit of a difficult market, at the moment.

-Is it?

Sometimes it's going up, sometimes it's as flat as a pancake.

I want to be realistic and fair, so hope we do achieve a sale, that's the important thing.

-Yeah. But they are quality.

-Yeah. And in good order, very good order, at the moment. Yes.

-And we mustn't let those Jack Russells get to them, must we?

-No.

-They've got to go.

Anyway, they're going right now under the hammer. This is it. Good luck.

Small Noritake porcelain vase.

And the little dish, there.

Fun little lot. £10 to start. Nice and low. Tenner. Tenner bid.

Ten. 12. 15.

15. 18. 20. Two.

At 25. 28. At 28 now.

The lady's out. At 28. Take 30 now.

Finished and done at 28. Is that it?

No. It's not selling.

I wonder why they didn't like it.

I don't know but I wouldn't have dropped it any lower than that.

I think that was very fair.

As I say, the market is erratic at the moment,

it's probably a bit flat but it is very sort of yo-yoish.

So it's worth hanging on and not giving up at that sort of level and try it again, I think.

OK. Another auction room on another day.

-Just keep it away from those Jack Russells.

-In a cabinet.

-Naughty boys. What are their names?

-Smudge and Fudge.

-Smudge and Fudge.

Well, there you go. Sound like trouble.

Going under the hammer right now is the walnut writing slope

with a fitted mahogany interior with a value of £60-£100.

There's a lot riding on this and all will be revealed.

It belongs to Ron who's putting it under the hammer,

-and you've brought...

-My grandson, Ryan.

-Ryan, how do you do?

-OK.

-Do you love antiques or football?

-Yeah.

-Both?

-What's your favourite football team then?

-Liverpool.

-Liverpool, ooh!

The money is going towards young Ryan's present for Christmas.

-Xbox 360.

-He wants an Xbox 360.

-Right, we need 100 quid or so.

-Yes, we do, Paul.

-That's what we want.

Do you know, on a good day, two people falling in love with this,

it could get 120, I don't know.

-Ryan, this is the excitement of the auction room. Are you ready for this?

-Yeah.

Here we go, it's going under the hammer now. Good luck, both of you.

Lot 180 is the large writing slope.

What shall we put in at to start? 60, 65?

70, 75?

-80, 85?

-It's gone.

90, new money, 95?

100, 110?

110, 120, 130,

130, 140,

-160.

-160? I'll take your 70, sir. 170, 180.

-180.

-I was right.

200!

-200's a world record!

-200 here, seller seated at 200.

You're out of the bank at £200.

-Fantastic.

-Net, you can come in if you want.

At 200, I sell seated at 210.

210, up there, 220?

220? You sure?

220, seated? 230, if you want.

She said yes!

£250!

-They jumped the bid by £40.

-I'll sell down here at 250.

The seated bidder, he wants that box! At £250...

-£250! You got your Xbox.

-Yay!

-£250.

-How good is that, Ron?

-Fantastic.

It's quality. It's all there, it's complete.

The condition was great as well.

You're all out down here?

Remember the cold painted bronze, that lovely little bear, that naturalistic setting, the inkwell?

Well, it's going under the hammer.

It belongs to Sheila, and I tell you what, not for much longer.

-I think this is priced to sell.

-You do? Oh, good.

-And you picked this up for next to nothing, didn't you?

-Yes. Yeah.

-Who have you got with you?

-My brother, Arthur.

-Arthur.

-Hi there, Paul.

Your sister has got a great pair of eyes for spotting things, that's all I can say.

I'm hoping this'll do the top end and I know it's going to

find a bidder here because things are flying out the room.

-They're not sitting on their hands, are they?

-No. No.

The painted bronze inkwell.

I feel I need to put a lucky waistcoat on for this one.

I reckon this one's worn out all its charm.

So we need a lucky waistcoat to make this make lots of money.

There we are, the bear and the tree stump. Straight in. 100 for that.

100, I'm bid. At 100 now. 110. 120.

At 120. 130. 140. 150. 160. 170.

180. 190. 200. At 200. 210.

220. 230. 240. 250. 260. 270. 280.

-290. 300. 320.

-Flying away, now.

380. 400. 420. 450. 480. 500.

500, now.

At £500. 520. 550. At 550.

580, I'll take. 600 I'm bid.

See, I told you it was lucky.

-At 600. Down here on the phone, now.

-Sheila, you've got the gift.

At 600, it goes on the phone, then.

-At 600.

-Yes. £600. That's fantastic.

Give us a hug.

-600 quid.

-Thank you.

Well, well spotted, you, that's all I can say. Tensions were building.

We hit the roof there, didn't we?

-Unexpected, wasn't it?

-I know. You said 250.

Well, we kind of, you know, we knew it had a bit of class to it.

-I didn't know it was that much.

-It did say 250-350, didn't it? Yeah.

-Yeah.

-It's good.

They loved it. Two or three people really wanted it.

-Yeah.

-Simple as that.

At 190. 200 now.

'We're back at the auction later when rumours that this silver was made for a tsar, cause a stir.'

-Has there been any interest from Russia?

-Yeah, there has.

In fact, all over the place, cos obviously, collectors of silver like Faberge

and there's not that much Faberge to go round, so this is one of the next best things.

-Any phone lines booked?

-I think we've got a couple.

'Before that, we're going to change the pace a little

'because I think I can hear the voice of an angel.'

HE SINGS

When Ely Cathedral is not playing host to Flog It!,

it is, of course, a place of worship,

and a place of music. And both have a fascinating and enduring history

which is well worth exploring.

The new head chorister, Alex Tune, may only be just 12 years old,

but the choir has a history dating back nearly 500 years.

Choristers are chosen from all over the region

but to fulfil the tough rehearsal schedules,

they have to board at a nearby school.

And the man who can explain how it all works is Canon James Garrard,

head of music and precentor here at Ely.

Jim, thank you for talking to me today.

Absolutely beautiful voice.

How are the choirboys chosen?

They apply and they're auditioned and sometimes

we have plenty of candidates wanting a place in our choir.

Yeah. What about the impact on their lives with the schedule?

It's totally overwhelming and these days I suppose it's surprising to people.

They have to board in the King's School next door, here.

They are being worked six days a week and they're rehearsing

at eight in the morning, even on Saturdays, so it's a huge commitment.

How many hours a day are they putting in, roughly?

They are putting in a full day at school.

They are rehearsing every day in term time.

They are preparing for Evensong. And that doesn't finish until 6.15

and then there's a small matter of homework and food and bed.

-That's dedication, isn't it?

-Indeed.

HE SINGS

Tell me about the history of the choir.

There's always been a choir here because when the cathedral was first a monastery, before the Reformation,

the young monks were those singing the services with the old.

And since the Reformation, since it's been a cathedral proper,

there's always been an establishment, a choir, boys and men,

to sing the services every day of morning and evening prayer.

And they're very committed to it. Indeed, now, in the last few years,

there's also been a girls' choir who are also boarders at the nearby school.

Right. Do you go off on tours and things like that?

The boys, and we hope also the girls will tour, but the boys have toured

America, Canada, round Europe in recent years with great success.

One of the lovely things, at the moment, is that some of the places

we visited on tour, send their choirs to come and sing with us.

Aw, that's wonderful, isn't it?

It's great for the summer, too, and it means that our musical tradition

continues all the way through the year.

The sound of the choir in full voice must be so uplifting because the acoustics are brilliant, as well.

It's absolutely fantastic.

There he is. There's the young man himself. Here's Alex.

-Alex, let me shake your hand. What a beautiful voice.

-Thank you.

How long have you been singing?

I've been singing since I was eight, and I love to do it, so I'll just continue doing it up to year eight.

I know you put in a lot of hours, you're very dedicated.

-Does it leave any other time to see your mates or get on the PlayStation or on your bike?

-Yeah.

-I do do singing because I enjoy it.

-Yeah.

But I still have time to see my friends, play around, play football and stuff like that.

-Who's your favourite football team?

-My favourite football team is Hull City.

-Really?

-Yeah.

Did your dad make you say that?

-Yeah.

-Alex, thank you so much.

-Keep up the good work, as well.

-Thank you. I will.

Well, 500 years of the choir is one thing,

but the building itself is much, much older.

It took an astonishing 106 years to build and was completed in 1189.

But disaster struck in 1322 when the central stone bell tower collapsed, crashing down into the nave.

It must have been devastating but they took it as a sign.

From the ruins, they created an incredible piece of architecture in its place.

And this is it. Ely's staggering octagonal tower.

Now this is unusual for two reasons.

Firstly, because of its shape and, secondly, like no other tower built,

this one is made entirely of wood.

Eight huge oak trees act as its main support.

And if you look up there, you can see all those stained glass windows

where they create this wonderful lantern-like effect.

'And if you take the cathedral tour, you can get an even closer look.'

And here is one of the mighty oaks that I was talking about.

When this was felled in 1322, it was a mature tree.

Each length is 63 feet long, and that was some 300 years old before it was cut down.

That forms the backbone, the superstructure of the lantern

and then the whole thing is suspended by these beams,

and there's 16 of them, which go right around the perimeter.

And you're not going to find anything harder

and more unyielding than English oak.

Thank goodness, too.

Well, that is just so inspiring.

This ornate artwork was done during the Victorian restoration of the cathedral.

The theme is Psalm 150, angels praising the Lord.

The stained glass was also installed in 1863.

Before that, it would have just been plain.

It's a kaleidoscope of colour.

It's breathtaking, absolutely breathtaking.

It's just the most wonderful viewing platform.

The cathedral's ancient structure and the changes it's undergone

show this is a living, breathing testament

to those who first built it, and those who've worked on it,

and also, those who've worshipped in it over many centuries.

And the story of this incredible building goes on.

Only last year, during restoration work,

builders discovered this love letter addressed to Miss Sarah Peacock,

an 18-year-old local servant girl.

And it's actually dated here, 16th November 1740.

It's signed from one William Simpson, who was a local man,

who left the area to become an apprentice watchmaker in London.

"My dear life, your absence gives me the greatest uneasiness in this life.

"To think that I must so soon part with you, my dear soul,

"who, and only you, are the object of my passion."

He was asking Sarah to join him there.

"I hope you will, if possible, be at London ere long,

"whereby I may have the pleasure of your sweet company,

"which I assure you, without flattery,

"I prefer beyond anything in this life."

The letter was found under floorboards.

Sarah probably hid it there and took it out secretly at night to read it.

What an incredible discovery.

It really brings together the life of the cathedral

and the people who lived and worshipped here over the past 900 years.

And I wonder if William ever did get together with Sarah.

Let's head back inside now, where there's still a good crowd unpacking

yet more treasures, and Charlie is trying out our next item.

David and Ann, shall we dance?

-We shall.

-Put the music on.

-Right.

I love your phonograph. How long have you had it?

-About 55 years.

-55 years.

Yeah. Well, in the family. It was my father's originally.

-You inherited it, did you?

-From Father. Yeah.

Do you remember it being played as a child?

Oh, yes. I played with it.

Really. And how did he get it?

Well, he built lightweight touring bicycles.

-Yeah.

-And he built this particular man one.

It was £7, 15 shillings and sixpence.

-Yeah.

-Went home to get the money.

-His wife wouldn't let him have the money.

-What?

No. Said it's a waste of money buying a bicycle.

He brought this phonograph and asked Father if he'd have this in lieu

of the bicycle till he could save the money, then he would come up,

pay Dad, and take his phonograph home.

-He never came back.

-He never came back.

-No. Never came back for it.

So you've still got the phonograph. And you know who made it, don't you?

-Yeah. Edison.

-Edison. It's the Edison Gem which was his, sort of, standard model, if you like.

-It was.

-First patented in about 1900.

-Yeah.

-And this, I would think, dates from about 1910.

-Yeah.

What I really like about it...

not only, obviously, is the carrying case here

but that is the original sound box, or trumpet,

and nobody's fiddled with it.

The absolutely marvellous quirky thing I like about this

is the original cord that held it up from the stanchion,

I see someone has replaced with a chain

which looks distinctly like a gold watch chain, to me.

-Are you guilty of that?

-I'm fully guilty.

Well, may I say congratulations.

You've considerably added to the value of it.

I tied an old bit of wire on there last night and the wife said

you cannot take that to Flog It! with a bit of wire...get a chain.

The Do It Yourself shop was closed.

So I thought... "Chain, ah, a watch chain."

I mean, the actual pocket watch, I haven't got.

-No.

-So it didn't matter.

-I think that's charming.

How many cylinders have you got?

-We've got...

-Ten.

About nine or ten four-minute cylinders.

Yes. Could we have a quick go?

-The three I've got left are all chipped and scratched.

-Yeah.

PLAYS A RECORDING

Harry Lauder.

-He's being rude. Can you put him off?

-Yeah.

We can't have him on Flog It!

-I thought it was going to be a national Scottish ballad.

-No.

-I'm sorry.

-You naughty man, David. How much do you think it's worth?

£200 or £300.

£200-£300. Do you know, I think it would have been 200-300 a few years ago, possibly a bit more.

I think it's now 150 to 200. Well, that would do fine.

-Will that do for you?

-Yeah. No problem...

150-200, with a reserve at 150. We'll tell the auctioneers.

I'm sure it'll do well.

Thank you very much indeed for bringing it along, David.

-No problem.

-Jolly nice to see you.

-Thank you.

-So, father, Graham, and daughter, Kate.

-That's right.

-Who owns this beautiful charm bracelet?

-I do.

-You do.

-You're the lucky lady.

-It's been passed down to me now.

-What, from yourself?

-From my mother.

-Right.

And prior to that, it was my dad's cousin on his side of the family.

Right. OK. But it's reached you. And do you like it?

It's not my sort of thing that I'd wear, my taste.

-So you're thinking of selling it?

-Yeah.

Well, charm bracelets are all very varied by definition and they're amassed by people,

usually gifted little charms or by travelling around,

sometimes they're souvenirs from around the world, around the country.

Do you know any stories behind any of the charms?

Not really. I know that when they used to go travelling,

they used to add the charms to the bracelet, as they went abroad.

It does explain why there is a mixture of English gold

and items that bear continental and foreign gold hallmarks. That would explain

-if they bought something in this country and travelling, as well.

-Yeah.

And do you remember any of your relatives wearing it?

Was it a feature of your boyhood, jingling in your ear, at all, or anything?

My father's cousins used to wear it, one of the cousins,

all the time, really, when they were going out anywhere, you know.

-Yes.

-Yeah. So that did get quite a bit of use, but not now.

These things go in and out of fashion.

I do notice there's a wonderful selection of items here,

from the very sort of straightforward little pig there,

who's just trotting along,

to a very charming little gypsy caravan which I think is very sweet.

I notice one or two items have got a tiny bit of damage.

The little lantern there looks as though it's seen better days.

But, there are some very sweet things.

There's a little staved pail there. A little sort of Swiss chalet.

-So you're thinking of selling it?

-Yeah.

Do you have hopes and aspirations as to how much it might fetch?

-Have you kind of got any thoughts?

-Not really, have we.

-Not really. No.

-We have an idea.

-We've got a rough idea.

Go on, then. Tell me.

I was hoping we'd get probably 500 for it, but I don't know.

What you might like and what I think the market would support

-is different, I think that's a bit high.

-Right.

Gold is selling well at the moment,

but you've got to bear in mind that if you put a £500 bottom figure, it makes it sound expensive to people

-and a bit off-putting, if you make it £500-£600.

-OK.

So, if you're comfortable, I suggest £350-£500 estimate. Reserve of £350.

I may be proved slightly wrong, but I think it's more realistic, that sort of figure.

-Yeah. OK.

-What are you going to spend the money on?

-I have to save it.

Oh, good girl.

I promised that if I was going to sell it, I'd save the money.

-And perhaps reinvest in something else to treasure.

-Something a bit different.

Even I feel better, looking at this curiosity,

which has certainly grabbed my attention.

What do you think this is? Anybody know? No?

No? It belonged to a craftsman and it is NOT an eyebrow tweezer!

PAUL LAUGHS

Definitely not an eyebrow tweezer!

Tony, you've brought something of local interest, and this would be used by a saddler,

as a vice.

Let's say, you could put one of the reins through there, where a few inches of stitching had come undone,

-cos that leather's always moving.

-That's right.

-Tighten this,

grip it fast...

And then you could stitch away.

Would that be made by the bloke himself or the local carpenter?

This would've been made by a local carpenter.

I'd say this is circa 1800-1820.

It's a very early one.

I want to know how you came across that. Are you in the equine business?

Not at all. I bought it at a car boot sale with a saddle stand.

-Right.

-And they didn't cost an awful lot of money. I paid £55 for the two pieces.

I think you did rather well, Tony.

I think a realistic auction guideline would be about £30-£50.

-Isn't it lovely, though?

-Absolutely beautiful that is.

-Gorgeous.

-Rupert, there must be a story behind all this cutlery.

-Yes. There is.

My family had it since 1912.

-Right.

-It was given to my mother in 1916 on the date of her birth.

-So I do know that there's some family history, to say the least.

-Fantastic.

So, for example, how many of each have we got? This is very important.

-Well, we've got 12 of each of the spoons.

-Have you? Yeah.

And 12 of each of the forks.

-Fantastic.

-And 12 of each of the knives.

-Both sets of knives?

-Both sets of knives.

May I congratulate you on having such a complete service.

-Thank you very much.

-Where has it been for the last few years?

In a drawer, upstairs, in my bedroom.

-Well, we've got a name on it here, haven't we. Joseph Marchak.

-Yes.

And what can you tell me about that?

Well, I didn't know a lot about him until I heard that you were coming down,

then I did a little research and I gather that he was known as the Cartier of Kiev.

I love that expression. He was the Cartier of Kiev.

And I'm told, also, that Marchak made cutlery for the tsar.

-Oh, right. Yeah.

-He was the business.

Yes. So he was high class.

Yeah. High class. Also, they do have a monogram on there.

-Yes.

-Now, is that a family one?

That, actually, is from, I believe, my great-grandfather, again.

-This looks a pretty frightening tool.

-I wondered what that was for.

-I think that's a cake fork.

-Oh, that's cake.

For cutting the cake and for serving it.

-And this one here? For caviar?

-What a marvellous question.

Caviar. You'd have to be joking.

-I think that one, possibly, for caviar.

-Yeah.

You'd have to be a multi-billionaire to use that one for caviar, that end one.

-I just wondered about that.

-Have you thought about a value?

Well, no, I mean, you know, I came in hoping to raise as much...

What are you raising money for?

Well, I'm actually raising it to help my mother with a stairlift

and new bathroom because she's getting elderly now.

-Is she?

-It would be rather nice to sort something out for her.

Well, if this is in a drawer and you're not using it.

-Exactly.

-It might as well go towards a stairlift.

-That's right.

-What I'm going to do here, they're going off to Batemans to be auctioned.

-Yes.

And I've had a chat with a colleague

and we think £800-£1,200 is a sensible estimate.

But to be absolutely certain, I'm going to ring up Kate Bateman

and ask her to do a little bit more research

-so that we don't get it wrong.

-Right.

There is a chance we've undervalued.

So at the moment, it's 800-1,200. Reserve, 800, with discretion.

-OK.

-How does that seem?

That's fine. I was hoping it would be on the lower side

so if a couple of people are interested, they might push it up a bit.

-Steam up a bit.

-Yeah.

Well, it shouldn't be a problem. Thank you very much.

-Thank you for bringing such an interesting piece of history along.

-Thank you very much.

We're heading back to Batemans Auctioneers in Stamford now,

to sell those items.

Right now I'm off to find out how one local fish

has wriggled its way into the very lifeblood of this region.

It's even slithered into the name.

Ely means the Isle Of Eels and was so named because of the city's trade in this little writher.

Many monarchs from Saxon times onwards have tickled their taste buds with this local delicacy.

A valuable commodity, eels have earned the nickname "Fenman's gold".

Every Cambridgeshire village paid taxes in this aquatic animal

and much of the stonework of Ely Cathedral, our valuation day location, was paid for in eels.

This may seem quaint to modern sensibilities,

but these fish were literally worth as much as gold in their day.

Someone who knows all about eels and how to catch them is Cambridgeshire man Peter Carter.

His family have a long tradition of trapping eels

and Peter still uses traditional methods and materials.

-Peter?

-Hi, are you all right? Sit down here, then.

-Good to meet you. I've come to have a chat with you.

Gosh, a lovely place you've got. I've caught you in the middle of making an eel trap, I guess, yeah?

Yeah, or an eel hive as they're known by their proper name.

Hive means something made of basketry.

-You're making this out of willow.

-Yeah, split willow.

That's what this is. It's a fast-growing willow.

-And you just split that with a penknife?

-No, no.

You use a little tool, a little tool like that.

It splits into three. The way it works...

You just drive it right down the shaft.

-Yeah.

-Look at that.

How clever is that?

It's a tool that hasn't changed for centuries, it does the job so well.

That's incredible, isn't it?

So quick. Why do you use willow for eel traps, then?

-Because on the Fen there's so much willow tree.

-And it's there.

-It's there, yeah.

So how does an eel trap work?

Well, you can see I've just made the first of the chairs,

-chair is an old Fen word meaning a narrow gap, and if you look in there they've got the spikes.

-Yeah.

So the eel can squeeze in, he'll push these apart, but can't return to come back again.

-So they're trapped.

-Then there's a second set further down.

How long will it take you to make this trap?

It takes about three hours to make a trap.

You're very good with your hands. Who taught you?

It's an old family trade that's been passed down generations, well, 500 years that we know of.

And every family had their own design.

There were slight differences, but they all work the same way.

-Is it easy to do?

-It's not too bad.

Do you want to have a go? You're welcome to have a go if you want.

-Oh, I've got to, really. I can't just sit here and watch, can I?

-There you go.

Turn the trap so that when you're going round the outside it's always the one nearest to you.

-So, like that.

-That's it.

-Of course, yeah, under and over, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Under and over.

-So, were these eels caught just for eating?

-No, they used to use the skins a lot for making clothing,

footwear, because they couldn't afford silver and gold and, well, eel was their gold. They used to...

-I've come to the end there.

-They used to

dry the skins out and cut them, plait them and make wedding rings.

Even today they still make clothing out of eel skin.

-Do they?

-Yeah. You can get shoes and things like that made of it.

-Tough old things, aren't they?

Very, very strong leather when it dries, yeah. Very strong.

And this is a tradition that hasn't changed for 200, 300 years?

-Well, I was told by an archaeologist that they haven't changed for 5,000 years.

-Wow!

-If something works why change it?

-Exactly.

Look at that. That's one that's finished, is it, there?

-Yeah.

-Can I have a look?

-So, do you try and make two or three on the go all at once?

-Yes, yeah.

-It stops the boredom, then.

-It would get boring, wouldn't it?

-Yeah.

That's incredible. Fantastic use of local resources and that's what it's all about, really.

Well, I'll leave you to set some traps and I'm going to catch up with you later.

OK, see you later.

Peter usually sets his traps in the evening.

Bait may be live worms, fish or dead animals.

Eels are a bloodthirsty fish and love nothing more than a good bit of roadkill.

The eel season lasts from March until October.

Well, we're filming this coming towards the end of the eel season,

so it's going to be touch and go whether we catch any.

And I can hear Peter coming now in his little boat, so I'm going to climb aboard,

have a chat to him and see what he's got.

Perfect day for this, Peter.

-Beautiful, isn't it?

-Yeah, and we've got the water to ourselves, as well.

So, eels have quite an incredible life history.

Yeah, they start off in the Sargasso Sea, which is about 4,000 miles away near New Mexico,

and they start off as tiny little flatfish, they look like little willow leaves,

and they drift across on the currents in their millions

and when they get here they come up round the coastline.

They'll then come up on to the Fen.

They'll live here 20, 30 years, nobody really knows,

and then they make the six year trip back again where they lay their eggs and die. They're fantastic.

And what sort of life span is that?

They think 20 years, but there were two eels caught at Wisbech which were over six foot in length

and weighed in at 28 pounds and they reckon there must have been on the Fen a good 80 years to get that big.

The first trap is just here.

-Ah.

-Now you can see it.

-I can see it now.

-So, we just go beyond it.

-So, you put this one in last night?

-Yeah.

-Shall I grab this?

-Here she comes.

-There you go.

No, nothing. Shall we try another one, then?

Yeah, let's try another one.

-No.

-Got anything?

-No, nothing in there.

The traps are very quiet today.

No luck again.

It looks as though we're not going to have any luck today,

so we've gone back to a trap where one was caught earlier.

-Is there one in there?

-We've got one in here.

I think you can see him right at the bottom.

Oh, yeah, I can. Yes, I can. That's quite big, isn't it?

It's a nice-sized one. Not one of the biggest.

And how much is one eel worth, then?

-Oh, it's all done on weight.

-It's just in weight, is it?

-Yeah, it's about £4.50 a pound for eels.

What about eel stocks, are they declining?

Massively, especially since the '80s.

-Why's that?

-Several reasons.

On the Fen especially, we noticed, when they changed the sluice gates,

-they took the wooden one's out...

-Yes.

-..which used to let the little elvers through, and put metal in.

-Which is kind of watertight in a way.

-Yeah. And because eels couldn't get through any more...

-Oh, gosh.

What sort of decline was there in stocks?

They say about 95%.

Ooh, that's a lot, isn't it?

-It is, yeah.

-That would affect your livelihood a lot.

Oh, it's made a big difference.

Some days we don't get anything in the traps now, where years gone by

you couldn't pull a trap out with them being full of eels.

Happily, new ramps are being installed to allow the elvers through.

That's surely good news, as this ancient industry is an important part of the character of the Fens

and it would be tragic indeed to imagine Ely without its eels.

We've returned for the auction.

Fingers crossed for all our lots today.

Here's a quick reminder of them.

This phonograph is in excellent condition, and David's DIY repair,

with its gold watch chain, is a bonus.

I tied an old bit of wire on there last night

and the wife said you cannot take that to Flog It! with a bit of wire,

-get a chain.

-Well, may I say congratulations.

You've considerably added to the value of it.

Kate says this gold charm bracelet is not her style.

Dad Graham's happy to donate the proceeds to her bank account.

And we've got Rupert's collection of silver cutlery.

Further investigations suggest it might have belonged to a member of the Russian royal family.

There's no way to prove its provenance

but auction valuer, Kate Bateman, has had interest.

Kate, this silver caused a real stir at the valuation day.

Charlie fell in love with it.

It belongs to Rupert and it's been in his family since 1912.

His great-great-grandfather bought it in Russia.

And I know Rupert's quite excited about this.

The scrap value, alone, has got to be £1,200, surely.

You would think so. And it's a lovely story if we can prove the background of it.

I mean, it's got tantalising clues.

There is this Russian emigres selling off the family silver.

It would be lovely to think that it is part of that Romanov dynasty

and this KP is really exciting because it could be somebody called Konstantinovich,

whose penname, as a writer, was KP, if you translate it from the Cyrillic.

-You've obviously done a lot of research here, Kate.

-We have.

Marchek is still going, so we contacted them

and they got quite interested and said there's no record of this

but they fled the revolution themselves, and moved to Paris,

so they lost quite a lot of their records.

It's solid silver. It was made for somebody who had some money

and who was fairly influential and liked to show off their wealth.

Whether or not that was somebody connected to the royal family is very hard to prove.

What have you raised the estimate to now?

We've changed it slightly so we've put it from £800 to £1,500 as a fixed reserve,

because it's worth that for silver, silver's going up at the moment anyway, like gold.

If it catches somebody's imagination...

hopefully, two Russians that really want their silver back again.

-I was about to ask you, has there been interest from Russia?

-Yeah, there has.

All over the place because the collectors of silver like Faberge

and there's not that much to go round, so this is one of the next best things.

-Any phone lines booked?

-I think we've got a couple.

-I can't wait to watch these go under the hammer.

-I have no idea.

It's all down to you, Kate. Well, that's what auctions are about.

That's why they're so perfect, really. You don't know what's going to happen.

But stay tuned and you can find out.

First up, it's that 100-year-old phonograph.

I've just been joined by Ann and David in the nick of time.

It's packed in here. You can't actually get through the door any more.

Hopefully, we're going to be in for a good result.

-Going under the hammer right now is the Edison gramophone with original rolls and the horn.

-Yes.

And that's great, as well, because it makes it complete. Why do you want to sell it, though?

I don't particularly want to now, but it's too late.

Charlie's twisted your arm. He's our expert. That's a sign of a good auctioneer.

-I've got quite a few reptiles and orchids.

-Have you?

-And with the electric costs, it's a large building.

-Right.

So we need to get some money for the electricity, don't we, basically.

Hopefully, we'll hit that £200 target because it is complete.

And you must have been so over the moon when you saw it, completely original.

I was. I was surprised. I think for every 20 phonographs you see, only one's got a horn, probably every 50.

-Yeah. Yeah.

-And the great thing is, the horn needs holding up

and what he's done, he's found an 18-carat gold watch chain to hold it up with.

And that's still there, isn't it?

That's probably going to add £20, £30...

Sounds like a come and buy me. It's going under the hammer. Good luck.

An Edison Gem phonograph with all the bits and pieces to it.

Interesting little lot, this. Start at £100. Straight in. 100.

100, I'm bid. 100. 110. 120.

130. 140. 150. 160. 170.

180. 190. 200. 210. 220. 230.

240. 250. 260. 270. 280. 290. 300.

-Fantastic. Fantastic.

-320. 330.

We're making sweet music, now.

350. 360. 370. At 370.

You in on the phones?

At 370. 380. Back at 380.

At £380. I sell at the very back.

We had a rhythm going there.

-Wonderful stuff.

-You're all out down here.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-Thank you.

-That's superb.

-Yes.

-Thank you very much.

-It's a pleasure.

Ann, there is commission to pay, don't forget, you two.

That's how they earn their wages, here.

-There's still collection there.

-Yes.

-That's incredible, isn't it.

-It is. Wonderful.

-Reptiles will be happy.

They certainly will. They'll be too hot.

200 to start. At 200 now.

-Graham and Kate, it's great to see you again.

-Thank you.

Going under the hammer right now we've got a charm bracelet.

It's a mixture of things going on there. It's been in the family a long time. Why are you selling this?

Well, it was my mother's and when she passed away, it was given to Kate.

She's not very keen on it, to be honest with you.

It's not very fashionable.

-You wouldn't want to wear it.

-No.

-It is a collectable.

There's a lot of people out there that collect these charms.

Obviously, your mum did over the years.

-Yeah.

-And it's a lovely little collection.

Hopefully, we'll get that sort of high 300.

-I'm hoping so.

-Maybe £400.

-Even since the valuation day, the market for gold has continued to strengthen.

-Shot up.

I've got to hope that we do very well on this.

Good news, isn't it? It's the right time to sell precious metals.

-I'm sure it is.

-As Elizabeth said, gold and silver is right up there.

Charm bracelet. Gold one. Showing there. 300. 320. 350. 380.

380. 400. 420. 450.

This side of 450. 480.

500. 520. I have 520, in the doorway.

At £520. Sell in the doorway, then. Done at 520.

-That was quick. That was short and sweet.

-That was good.

-£520. Who's getting all the money?

-I am.

-Kate.

-What are you going to do with it?

-Put it towards a new car.

-Well...

-Saving up.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Good for you. Good for you.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

-Thank you for coming in.

-That was a great result.

-Yes. I was really pleased with that. Excellent all round.

At last, that collection of silver

and Rupert's now so sure of the Russian royal connection,

he's taking the risk of raising the reserve to £3,000.

Well, this is the one we've all been waiting for.

I've just been joined by Rupert and Charlie, our expert. It's the Russian silver.

There's a lot of it. It's going under the hammer.

Charlie originally put £800-£1,200 on this.

Why do you want to sell this now at this stage?

Well, really, it's for my mother's benefit because, now she's in her 90s,

I want to make her life more comfortable at home so I want to get a few things sorted out there.

-Good for you. OK. Well, that's a good start, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-It's a good start.

Charlie, you've done lots of homework and research. Tell us what you've come up with.

-The more research I do, the less I know.

-Well, yes.

-That's the trouble.

-That's the name of the game, isn't it, though?

It is Marchek.

Possibly it's retail by Marchek rather than made by Marchek,

so it's very easy to get too excited about this lot.

And it's not a complete set either, is it?

-No, but it's pretty well close to it.

-OK.

-I mean, it's not far away.

No. And we've got a new reserve now of £3,000, which is fixed.

-Yeah.

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

And we're hoping for three to four in the room, somewhere around there.

-Praying.

-Praying. Well, you never know, do you?

Hey, you never know. This is auction, you know.

Anything can happen in an auction. You're about to find out.

I have a phone bid on this. It's the Russian silver cutlery service.

Very interesting service, this.

Got a nice little story to it, as described in the catalogue.

Let's start at £1,000.

Straight in. 1,100, here.

At 1,100. 1,200.

1,300. 1,400.

-Good. Go on. Go on.

-16. 17.

-Halfway.

18. 19. 2,000? 2,000. 2,100.

2,200. 2,300. 2,400.

2,500. 2,600. 2,700.

-Nearly there.

-2,800. 2,900.

-3,000.

-We've done it.

3,000 now. The bid's seated on the phone. At £3,000. 3,100.

-3,200. 3,300.

-This is good.

3,400. 3,500. 3,600.

3,600 on the phone. 3,600.

It goes on the phone, then. You're bidding 3,700.

-New money. At 3,700.

-Oh, great.

3,800. 3,900.

-This is great.

-4,000.

4,100. 4,200.

-Rupert, how are you feeling?

-Better now.

-Better now. Yeah.

4,400. 4,500. 4,600.

4,700. 4,800.

4,900. 5,000.

-My valuation was wrong.

-5,100.

5,200. 5,300. 5,400.

-6,000.

-At £6,000.

6,100. Any number you like, madam. As big as you like.

6,100.

-6,500.

-6,500.

6,600 if you want, on the phone.

6,500, it's in the room.

6,600. Down here at 6,600.

At 6,600... Oh, come on, you're being really bold.

Don't lose it now. 6,600.

6,700.

6,800.

These were the real McCoy.

-7,000.

-7,000.

7,100. At 7,100 down here.

£7,100. Now, I'm shaking.

Rupert, this is fantastic.

7,150. 7,200.

7,200.

-At 7,200. You sure you're finished?

-Yeah.

Cracking result.

One last chance to think about it, madam.

At £7,200 on the phone. Done at 7,200.

7,500.

Unbelievable. 7,500. Rupert.

At 7,500. 7,600.

Down here at 7,600.

This is what auctions are all about...when it goes like this.

You just can't beat it. Incredible tension.

7,700.

Goes then at £7,600.

Yes. £7,600.

Thank you very much, indeed. Thank you.

Put it there. Put it there. Well done.

Well done. Charlie.

We said there was going to be a few surprises.

I hope you enjoyed that.

Well, there's nothing more we can say, is there?

That's what auctions are all about. When it goes like that, it's the best thing in the world.

I hope you've enjoyed today's show.

Rupert, you've got a lot of money there. Enjoy it, won't you?

-My mother will.

-She will. Look after her.

See you very soon for plenty more surprises on Flog It!

Goodbye from Stamford.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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