Monmouth Flog It!

People have been crossing the Monnow River in the Wye Valley for the last past 800 years

using this bridge, and now it's our turn.

Welcome to Flog It! from Monmouth in Wales.

And he's running!

Monnow Bridge, with its impressive gate tower,

is the only surviving mediaeval bridge of its kind in Britain.

Each century has left its mark,

adapting and expanding the bridge and the tower,

so it could serve as a toll house, guard room and even a dwelling.

Today this bridge provides a busy toll-free thoroughfare

connecting the outlying areas to Monmouth's centre,

and that's where we need to be.

And later I'll be travelling out and about to the nearby Forest of Dean

where creatures can be conjured up in all shapes and sizes.

As you can see, the local people of Monmouth have turned out in force

at today's venue, Monmouth Comprehensive School.

We've got a massive queue, so let's get them inside.

And already delving into the antiques and collectables

are today's experts, Charlie Ross and Mark Stacey,

so, as the crowds flood in, let's jump to the front of the queue

where Mark is ready to pull the strings.

-Hello, Gordon. Hello, Barbara.

-Hello.

-Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you.

-You've brought, obviously, a violin in to show us.

-Yes.

Now, tell us a little bit about it.

When our daughter was at primary school she wanted to learn to play

and a neighbour said she had a violin which we could have,

so that's how we came by it.

-It was in a bit of disrepair, so we had to have reglued.

-Right.

But then my daughter had it and played it for a number of years

and then later on, a younger brother took it on.

-Oh, right.

-Yes.

-So, it's had a good bit of family use?

-Oh, yes.

-Yes.

-Yes.

Can you remember what you paid for it with your neighbour?

-I think it was £10.

-£10.

-£10, gosh. And then a little bit to have it reglued.

-Yes, yes.

-And you got the bow with it as well at the same time.

-Yes, yes, it came with that.

-The nice thing with this, of course, it's signed in the case.

-Yes, yes.

"Stent, 1915",

and a little number four on the left hand bottom of the label,

-so it could be his fourth violin, you never know.

-That's right, yes.

Obviously, you know, we've got the signature

and I think it's always nice to look all over the instrument.

-You get this lovely grain at the back.

-It's beautiful.

And I particularly like the fact, it's nice quality,

because he's done these etched lines really all round the outline there.

I don't know if you've noticed there the black inlay or markings there.

-But it's quite nicely balanced, isn't it?

-Yes, yes.

It's of typical construction of course,

except for this rather nice little finial at the end there,

-which looks a bit like a melon, doesn't it?

-Yes, yes.

-Or a tomato.

-Someone suggested it might be a pomegranate.

It could be a pomegranate actually,

with that sort of seed bit there, it could well be.

-But I like it. I love the fact that you, almost recycled it, really, didn't you?

-Yes.

-The neighbour was about to throw it out.

-Yes.

You recycled it and then your daughter and son had great pleasure out of using it for all those years.

-That's right.

-Where has it lived recently?

-Well, in the loft.

-Oh, dear.

-Yes.

-Stuck up in the loft.

-That's why it's come along to you.

-Come to us today.

-And hopefully we'll strike the right note on it.

-Yes.

In terms of value, it's nice you've got the bow.

-I couldn't see any signatures on the bow.

-No, no.

-But bows are worth a little bit of money in their own right.

-Yes.

I would suggest it may be around 200 to 300 in today's market,

-but put the reserve at 200.

-Yes.

-Right.

With a bit of discretion with the auctioneer, but who knows?

It might go way above that.

-It will be quite exciting, I should think.

-Yes, it will.

-It will be interesting.

-Have you been to auctions before?

-No.

-No, we haven't.

-It'll be your first time?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-We must try it, mustn't we?

-Yes, we must.

-Fantastic.

-Ralph and Anna, that's father and daughter?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-This is extremely ostentatious, probably the most ostentatious thing

that we will see on Flog It! today, I think.

-Before I go into the details of it, where have you had it?

-In the loft.

So it's been in the loft, but where did it come from before that?

It's an aunt, an old aunt has died, yes.

Yeah. Your great aunt. Can you remember it being handed down?

-I remember it on her mantelpiece. It was always there.

-Right.

-Yeah.

It went from her mantelpiece into your loft?

-I think it did!

-HE CHUCKLES

I think it spent about a week on our sideboard and then it went.

Do you know where it was made?

-France, I believe.

-France is correct.

Do you know from what it's made?

-Not really. It looks like marble and...

-Right.

Starting from the top, it's based on a classical bronze figure but sadly,

we won't take the dome off because I don't need to now, it's spelter.

So it's a low-grade metal compound

which has been...

gold painted by somebody.

This is 1890 or thereabouts it was made.

I had a peep into the back of the clock.

The clock's made by Japy Freres, Paris clockmakers,

so you are absolutely right, French.

Now sadly the base is not marble.

-Isn't it?

-No. It would be nice if it were.

This is alabaster.

-Oh.

-Much softer, cheaper... looks more or less the same,

and then it's under this splendidly modelled glass dome.

Sadly someone's dropped the dome.

-Yes.

-I take it that wasn't done today?

-No comment.

-No comments.

No comments? Am I going to see which one of you is going redder?

That's all we're prepared to say.

No-one's prepared to say, but we remember it happening.

Coming onto the valuation I'm afraid things like this, over the top Victoriana,

which is what I would describe it as, is still on a downward spiral.

People of your generation don't like this

-as much as your great aunt would have done.

-No.

I'd love to have been talking about £200-400,

and I'm talking about less than £100 now.

Probably £50 worth.

Sadly the dome can't really be repaired so it's of no value,

so I think we've got to be estimating £50 to £100

and we don't want it to go back in the loft, do we?

-No.

-No.

-So we'll sell it without reserve.

-That's fine.

-A golden Flog It! moment.

-Flog it.

And my neck will be on the block.

Jane, it's lovely to meet you.

What I want to know is why is this little piggy going off to market?

Well, he's at home and he's living in a chest of drawers

and it doesn't seem fair. And I think...

-Why's he in a chest of drawers?

-I've put him up for safekeeping.

-Oh, I see.

I bought him with lots of other bits and pieces...

-How long ago?

-And I liked him. About 20 years ago now.

-OK.

-I liked him. I liked his little eyes.

-He's got...

-Character.

-He's got the cutest little eyes!

-Yeah.

Do you know anything about him?

-It's German.

-Yeah.

-That's about all.

-That's about all you know.

-Yeah.

-And he still works.

-Yes.

-Do you want to wind him up?

-OK.

Go on, wind him up, let's watch him play before we talk about him.

-That's great, isn't it? You can hear the rhythm.

-Yes, yeah.

It's a two-bar phrase, isn't it? Listen.

Oh, he's stopped. We were trying to play in unison, march together!

We were all marching off to the sale room!

He is beautiful. He really is.

I'm going to pick him up and have a quick look.

I'll take the key out. The thing to look for...

-A typical tin plate toy, you can tell by his feet.

-Right.

You can see that. This is sort of pressed die-cast metal.

There's the giveaway sign. It says there "Made in Germany".

-Right.

-Made in Germany and there, that's what you're looking for.

-In there, it's very, very hard to see, that says Schuco.

-Right.

Now that's a German toy manufacturer that was founded in 1912

by Heinrich Mueller and Heinrich Schreyer.

OK? And they were very, very successful tinplate toymakers

and they exported to this country and predominantly really to America

right up until the Second World War.

Aww.

Now, I can tell you he has a valuation of around £40 to £60.

-Right.

-One sold recently for £40.

-Right.

-In about the same condition.

-So, that's a good guide price.

-Yes.

He is part of a trio.

-Now, there's a fiddle-playing pig who's covered in felt.

-Oh, right!

-And a flautist who's covered in felt.

-Right.

-Now, if you've got the trio together they're worth £200 to £300.

-Right.

I'm hoping someone in the saleroom might have the fiddle player

and they'll pay a lot more than £40 or £50 for him,

because they'll want a little duo.

-So, let's give him a value of £40 to £60.

-Right.

-With a reserve of 40.

-Lovely.

-Are we happy with that?

-I'm happy with that.

-Sure?

-Yes.

Let's wind him up one more time

-and march out with him, shall we?

-OK.

-Go on, then.

There we go.

It's slowing down now!

Zana, he is super. I love him.

When you brought him along, did you know anything about him?

-I knew a little, that he was an Austrian bronze.

-Yeah.

And obviously I tipped him up and checked on the name.

-Had a look, yes.

-He's just been in the family.

I suspect when you tipped it up, you saw the name Geschuetz.

-That's right, yes.

-Manufactured. Where did he come from?

-He was Grandma's.

-Right.

And he sat on her sideboard in the parlour,

but there was another little boy that had his head in his hands

and they both were looking at the little pot,

-which I'm not quite sure...

-At the pot?

-Yes.

And I'm not quite sure quite what was brewing in the pot.

-What do you think?

-I don't know.

Something a little wicked or perhaps coffee.

-Coffee, I think.

-Coffee.

-Don't get too excited.

-OK. Right.

-I think the pot's too big

-and it's traditional Moroccan or whatever shape...

-Yes.

-Or even Middle Eastern shape for a coffee pot.

-Right.

-So, I think we can say coffee...

-Coffee.

-Quite safely.

-Nothing more risque than that.

-Right.

And you're right, it is Austrian. Date?

-Late 19th century.

-Yeah.

-Late 19th century. It's about 1890.

-Right.

Cold cast bronze and hence its weight. It's very heavy.

-Yes, it is heavy, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-I'm just going to check underneath.

-Right.

-There we are, it's clear, isn't it?

-Yes. Austrian Geschuetz.

The paintwork is in such good condition.

-It's quite good, isn't it?

-Quite often these have been...

-They've gone out of fashion, been put in boxes with other ones and the paintwork chips.

-Yes.

And if you lose the paint, frankly, you lose a huge amount of the value.

You can repaint it, but you'd never replicate that patination.

No, I understand that.

There's a little bit off the hat, off the fez, but the rest of it is splendid.

-And I love the modelling of the logs.

-The coals.

-The coals.

-Little coals or something.

-The coals and the logs.

I think it's wonderful. Value.

When you were standing in the queue today,

did you think, "Ah, that's worth X, Y, Z?"

-Well, I would have thought over 100.

-Yes.

-But other than that...

Certainly over 100.

-I would put a conservative estimate of 150 to 200 on it.

-Right.

-Yeah.

-I'd like to see it top 200, actually.

-It would be nice.

-It's one of the nicest ones I have seen.

-It would be nice.

We'll put a reserve on it of 150?

-That's fine.

-Happy with that?

-Yes.

-With perhaps a little discretion.

I don't think I'd be disappointed if the auctioneer used his discretion,

which would be a tenner or so either way, because I think there will be...

-Hopefully, there'll be some fierce competition.

-Yes.

-He's lovely. He'll find a new home.

-Yes.

Thank you very much for bringing him along.

We'll see if whoever buys it can find a little companion for him.

That would be nice.

-Hello, Ruth.

-Hello, Mark.

-Nice to meet you.

Very nice to meet you.

You've brought a lovely collection of silver in.

Most of it is a family collection?

These four items here were family, part of our family collection of silver.

-And the two napkin rings I bought them fairly recently.

-Where...

-Online.

Oh, you're an internet shopper, are you?

-I'm afraid so.

-It's compulsive.

-It is.

-You want to be careful.

Well, looking at the collection we've got really some very usual things,

but they're nice in their own individual right.

We've got a little continental pillbox,

a little silver matchbox holder,

a little silver bookmark in the form of a trowel

and, as you mentioned, the latest of your purchases,

the pair of Mappin & Webb napkin rings,

which are relatively modern, but a lovely shape

-and have got a good heavy weight.

-Very, very heavy weight.

-But the nicest piece I think is this little box here.

-Yes.

Immediately, you can see it's continental,

because the shape of the piece of furniture it's meant to be imitating, or copying as such,

is a continental piece, probably Dutch.

-So, I would call it an armoire.

-Yes.

Although it's got a little funny saying on the back,

-which I think you've translated.

-Yes, we have.

My friend, Bea, who came along with me today,

she pointed out this means, "This is a new cabinet.

"It is mine, don't take it!" Or something along those lines.

I think it's wonderful. It's a little jokey novelty.

And I think with the type of marks, the style of it,

-I think we're looking at around about 1900.

-Yes.

-Give or take 10 years either way.

-Right, right.

I think it's quite a charming piece

-and that is the sort of thing which would appeal to a box collector.

-Yes.

If I was putting it in for sale,

I think I would put them in as a little group.

-Right.

-But leave the description with the box

and I think as a little collection

-we're probably looking at around about the £150 mark.

-Right.

-Something like that.

-OK.

And I would suggest putting the estimate straddling that,

so maybe £120 to £180 with a reserve of 120.

-OK.

-Wonderful.

Well, I'm very, very happy to have put that in for sale for you

and I hope we get you a lot of money and we'll see you at the auction.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Look at that. That's what we love to see, a very busy valuation day.

We've now found our first items to take off to auction,

so we'll leave you with a quick reminder of what we're flogging.

Gordon and Barbara's daughter no longer plays this violin,

so it's out of the loft and hopefully into new hands.

And Jane's hoping her little piggy will make some noise at auction.

Charlie is pretty impressed with Ralph and Anna's clock,

despite the mysterious damage.

-Sadly, someone's dropped the dome.

-Yes.

-I take it that wasn't done today.

-No comment about that.

-No comment?

But will it fetch his £50-100 estimate?

Will Ruth's online purchase pull in a profit

when she combines the silver napkin rings with her family pieces?

And I'm confident Zana's grandmother's bronze

is by Austrian sculptor Franz Bergman.

Right, now's the time to up the tempo.

For today's sale

we've come south to the Athenaeum Auction Rooms here in Cardiff.

Now, I wonder if our experts are going to be on the money.

And we'll soon find out because hammering out the prices

on the rostrum today is auctioneer Ryan Beech.

Ruth's collection of silver is up next.

We've got £120 put on this in value.

It's a good nucleus for somebody to start a collection.

It is and it's a good trade off as well, in fairness,

-which we discussed on the day, but I love that...

-The armoire.

-Dash box.

It's so sweet. Because we led with that

and then we put the other little bits in

-just to make it a bit more exciting and tempting, really.

-Yeah.

-I'd have kept that one bit, I think.

-Yeah.

-It's too late now.

-That's the only bit I would like to keep.

Lot 284 is the Dutch, small Dutch white metal box

and other silver items here. Lot 284.

£75 I have to start. At £75.

At 80. Five. 90. Five.

100. And ten.

120. It takes me out at 120.

The gentleman standing at 120 now. At £120.

Standing at 120. At £120.

-Are we all done, then?

-No bids.

-At £120?

-Thank you.

-You've got to be happy with that.

Yeah, very happy, yes.

I'm going to put it towards something else.

I've started to collect something different now.

We've just been joined by Ralph and his daughter Anna

-and time is definitely up for the old French clock.

-It is.

There is no reserve on this, which we agreed, didn't we, on the day...

Quite right, too.

If it didn't sell, what were you going to do with this?

Drop it in the dustbin on the way out.

-Is Dad always like this?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

It's a 19th-century French gilt spelter alabaster mantle clock.

-Start me at £50 for this lot, please. £50 I have, thank you.

-Yes.

Five, I'll take. At 50, at £50, the gentleman standing at 50, 55,

60, 65, 70, 75, 80, at £80 the gentleman standing.

At 80 now, 85, 90, 95, 100, and ten,

120, 130, 140, 150.

At 150, front row at 150 now, at £150 are we all done, then?

-Result.

-Hammer's gone down.

They seduced me in Paris.

Ever so pleased for you. I told you, didn't I, somebody else's junk is somebody else's treasure.

Well, that's really good, so who's getting all the dosh?

-Well, me, I think.

-This one's decided.

It has been decided, yes.

Time for the little piggy to go off to market today.

It's that clockwork tin pig which belongs to Jane.

We've got £40 to £60 on this. It's a cute little thing and it does work.

Ryan didn't mention it at all,

-so hopefully he agrees with the valuation...

-Right.

And it's going to sell.

But I know if it doesn't sell, you're not too bothered.

No, no, it can come home with me. I'd be quite happy.

The Schuco automaton in the form of a pig.

£15 I have to start. At £15.

At £15. And 18. 20.

22. 25. 28. 30.

32. 35. 40. It takes me out at 40.

45. 50.

55. 60. 65.

70. 75. At 75.

The gentleman standing at 75 now.

At £75. Are we all done, then, at £75?

-Oh, well done. Lovely.

-Yeah, that was good, wasn't it?

-It deserved that.

-Yes.

-It was worth it.

It was absolutely charming.

Next up, a short musical interlude. It's the violin.

It belongs to Barbara and Gordon and we've got £200 to £300 on this.

It's cased. It's a cracking example, actually.

I love the headstock, so unusual, and the condition is very good.

-Mark, you've put two to three on this.

-Yes.

And I... I didn't mention anything to the auctioneer,

he hasn't said anything, hopefully he agrees with our valuation.

-I hope so. It's not my usual subject.

-It's not.

I'm a bit blind on this, I'm afraid.

-I might have hit a bum note.

-Ooh!

Well, I... I think we'll get the top end, surely we've got to.

-I hope so.

-That's what I'm hoping.

-So, have you done any more research on it?

-Yes, yes.

We asked the neighbours who sold it to us

and they're telling us that it belonged to a Burt Gutsell,

who was known as Bertini,

and was leader of the ballroom orchestra in Blackpool

during the '20s and '30s.

That's a really nice piece of history.

In the '20s, when it was all happening.

Let's hope we get the top end, and hit the right note.

It's going under the hammer now.

Lot number 535 is a violin.

Lot number 535.

Numerous commission bids here. Start me straight in at...

It's gone quiet.

£230. 230 I have.

-Well, we've sold it.

-£230.

At £230. 240.

250. 260. 270.

-280. 290.

-Fantastic!

300. 310.

At £310. 320, Mike?

£320. Yes, please.

320. 330 with me.

No? OK.

At £330. Back with me at £330. Are we all out then at £330?

-Yes!

-Brilliant!

-That wasn't bad, was it?

-You could say we've ended on a crescendo.

-Brilliant!

Barbara, Gordon, wow!

Yeah, we're very surprised.

You've got to pay the commission. What are you going to do with £300?

-Well, we'll split it up between our three children.

-Yes, yeah.

-It will divide up easily, then.

-Yes.

-It will.

Great result.

I think we hit the right note.

-It wasn't a bum note, Mark.

-That was excellent.

When we talk about investing in antiques we talk about quality, condition and a good maker's name.

This has got the lot. It's a little Austrian cold painted bronze.

It belongs to Zana, not for much longer,

-and the name Bergman will just definitely sell this.

-Great.

It's a cracking little thing. Charlie, our expert, you fell in love with this.

I did. I think it's fabulous

and the paintwork's pretty good on it, which is good.

I think probably the estimate is a little conservative.

I think it is a little bit.

I had a chat to Ryan the auctioneer before the sale.

A wonderful Bergman bronze.

This has got "come and buy me" written all over it at 150 to 200.

It certainly has. I can see it doubling that.

The quality of it is superb.

Look at the folds of the tunic, the detailing of the face and hands.

It's a lovely quality piece.

I think probably 300 to 400 would be a sensible estimate.

Let's find out what the bidders in Cardiff think of this little Bergman piece. Here we go.

Lot number 577 is the Franz Bergman bronze here, lot 577.

Numerous commission bids here again. Start me straight in at £210.

210 I have to start.

220. 230.

240. It takes me out at 240.

At £240. 250.

260. 270. 280.

-290. 300.

-Brilliant.

-310.

-Oh, my Lord! 320. 330.

-Three to four.

340. 350. 360.

At £360. Back of the room at 360.

Are we all done, then, at 360?

-Sold! £360.

-That's good, isn't it?

-Yeah, we're happy with the three to four.

-Yes. Great.

You've got to be over the moon with that?

I'm going to buy a Belcher chain to put on a locket of Gran's.

Oh, lovely.

Cos it was her grandma's and over the years it's worn,

so I'll put a new chain on it.

That's a nice thing to remember her by.

So it's handed down through oldest daughters, so...

-Then you can pass that on again.

-That's right.

That's the end of our first visit to the auction room today.

We are coming back later on in the show,

but before I go back to the valuation day in Monmouth

I'm going to take a short detour...

to this impressive canopy, 42 square miles of woodland that makes up the Forest of Dean.

This ancient forest was for many centuries owned by the reigning king

or queen of England with the trees being used for fuelling industry.

Since the 1970s this enchanting forest

has been run by the Forestry Commission for leisure and tourism.

Today this enchanting forest has become a great source of inspiration

for many local artists, including the man I'm meeting today.

Clayton Ryder is a sculptor, but he's got more than just artistic interest in the Forest of Dean.

You could say it's in his blood.

-Clayton, it's lovely to meet you.

-Hiya, Paul. It's nice to meet you.

-I think your work is fantastic.

-Thank you very much.

-You're a talented man.

-Thank you very much, you're very kind.

Before we talk about all these, can we take a pew here?

And I just want to know a little bit about your background because I believe you are a true forester.

-I am, yeah. I was born within the hundred of St Briavel's.

-What's that?

That's an old mining term that meant that anybody born within the hundred of St Briavel's

-could work a year and a day down a pit and claim free miners' rates.

-What do you mean by that?

Them mines that are run by foresters born and bred still drawing coal from the forest

and that's the only way that coal is drawn now, through the free mines.

So, obviously your parents were in the mining community.

They were, yeah. On both sides of my family.

My mother's side and my father's side have both...

-Right.

-I went into engineering, following more of my father's side of history, if you like.

-Yeah.

And after working many years as an engineer of redundancies here and there

sort of made me make a decision.

I'd seen these chaps doing the carvings at fairs and shows all around.

So, you make that transition from engineering into...carving.

-Yeah.

-In wood.

-Yeah.

-So, you're obviously very good with your hands, then.

-I don't mind a bit of work with me hands.

We're here at the Heritage Centre at the Forest of Dean, so how did you get involved with this?

Well, I saw a job opportunity come up at the Dean Leisure Centre as a maintenance man.

-Yeah.

-I applied and got this job.

I've been here now for... This is my fourth year.

So, I work five days of the week as the site manager here and then on weekends we get on with the carving.

-And you certainly have become a big attraction, haven't you?

-Yeah, yeah.

People from all over the country come here to see you work.

-They do, yeah. They do.

-Well, I want to talk about your technique

because I know you don't use traditional carving tools

like hammers and chisels and gougers, do you?

No, not at all. I just use a chainsaw.

-Just literally a chainsaw?

-Yeah, nothing else.

Everything I do is chainsaw started and chainsaw finished.

And you... Did you start all those years ago with a chainsaw or did you actually do it traditionally?

No, I've never been traditionally trained. I'm self taught. It's just the chainsaw, me and a bit of wood.

So what's the biggest thing you've ever carved? What was it?

That was a dragon and it was 22 feet long.

-Wow!

-About four feet across, 22 feet long out of copper beech.

-And where's that now?

-That's in the Forest of Dean.

-Oh, is it?

-Yeah. It's in a private residence.

It came down in the garden and I carved it where it fell.

I've got to say, on the show we see a lot of carvings of

-20th century Black Forest bears, you know the ones, so high?

-Yeah.

Behind you we've got a Forest of Dean carving of a bear, which is full size virtually!

-Yeah.

-How long did that take?

-It took about 12 hours.

-About 12 hours working on it.

-It's no wonder you use a chainsaw!

-Well, that's it.

I can get the finish that I require and the timber requires with a chainsaw.

The finish you've got is typical of the chip carving we see on the Black Forest work.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Are we going to get a demonstration?

-You are, yeah.

-Is it going to be loud?

-It'll be loud for them that's close!

-What will you carve? What are you going to do?

-I'm not going to tell you. I'm going to surprise you.

-Oh, OK. Am I sitting on it or are you sitting on it?

-No, it's over there.

-How long do you need?

-It should be done in a couple of hours.

A couple of hours. OK, all right, then.

In the 1960s, chainsaw dealers in America competed to promote their products

at forestry expos and state fairs, so they carved simple sculptural shapes.

What started as a gimmick lead to a movement of artists who experimented with chainsaw carving.

While Clayton gets on with his carving, I went to have a look

at another important role he plays here in keeping an ancient tradition alive.

For approximately 2,500 years, since the Celts settled within its boundaries, the valuable minerals

of iron ore, coal and stone that lie beneath this forest floor have been extensively mined.

To produce iron you need one important ingredient.

It's charcoal and it's been produced in this forest since 450 BC

and with Clayton's help it still goes on today.

Clayton organises three burns a year at the Heritage Centre.

He carefully stacks lengths of wood over a pit.

This is covered with turf or soil.

Charcoal embers are dropped into the central hole and the stack burns for four days.

When the smoke pouring out of the vents changes from white to blue the burn is complete.

Well, I can still hear the chainsaw.

I wonder how Clayton is getting on.

Well, I know I'm a bit early, but I heard the chainsaw stop, so let's see if Clayton's finished.

-Masking it! Hiya, mate.

-All right, buddy?

-Yeah.

That was quick.

-Aye, quick enough.

-And that is fantastic.

Isn't that amazing?

-So quick!

-Just over an hour.

A wonderful bird of prey.

I love the beak! God, could you imagine just going wrong at the last minute and knocking the beak off?

Where did you start on that? Just talk me through the process of getting a block

and then getting that from a solid block.

I worked out where his back was going to be,

-so it's just a straight cut down the back.

-Yeah.

Tilt the head slightly so then it's two... Two cuts to get either side of the head.

-So you've shaped the head that way.

-Yeah.

-Then cut in for the breast?

Yeah. Shape the wings in, cut the feathers in.

-Feet last?

-Yeah. Easy as that.

As easy as that! I think it's brilliant.

These could be the next collectables of the future.

We'll see these turning up on Flog It! in 20 years.

-That would be nice, wouldn't it?

-Do you do many private commissions or is a lot of this charity work?

It's mostly charity work because I work for the museum.

Anything we can raise goes towards the charity of the museum, because the museum, being a charity,

-we raise what we can for it.

-Yeah, and they're doing such a cracking job here.

-Yeah, yeah.

-It's a pleasure to meet you.

-And you, mate.

-You're very talented man.

-Thank you very much.

The people here at the Dean Heritage Centre are working tremendously hard

to celebrate and preserve this forest's rich history

and the continued use of fallen trees like these by people like Clayton

to make works of art bring that long history bang up to date.

Out of the woods and back at the valuation tables

is true forester Jean and she's brought in

an interesting collection that caught Charlie's eye.

Jean, lovely to see you. Where have these medals been hiding?

They have been in a wardrobe for about 30 years in a box.

Oh, have they? And you've had them all that time?

-Yeah.

-And what made you pull them out today?

-I decided I'd have to declutter a little bit, yeah.

Can you tell me anything about them?

I know very little except they belonged to my late husband's father.

-You're late husband's father.

-Who was in the navy.

-Who was in the navy.

Well, hence this wonderful volume entitled

World Cruises Of The British Special Service Squadron, '23 to '24.

And these important warships

that took part in the war subsequently, in the '39 - '45 war

went on a world cruise and this shows where they went and which the ships were.

Right, the ships Hood, Repulse, Delhi,

Danae, Dragon, Dauntless,

HMAS Adelaide, Australian ship, and that's where they went all round the world.

Now, the first one I think's interesting, the Hood,

very, very famous ship which had a very, very famous and tragic ending.

Now, did you say...

-I believe he served on it.

-He served on the Hood?

-I believe he did, yeah.

-He survived the war?

-Yeah.

He obviously wasn't on the Hood in, I don't know whether it was 1940 or '41

because the Hood and the Repulse were sent out to get the Bismarck.

I don't know if you've ever seen the film Sink The Bismarck!

-Yes, I have, yes.

-Kenneth More at his best.

And the Hood, which was the pride of the British fleet,

engaged the Bismarck

and one shell...

I mean, it's just extraordinary, one shell from the Bismarck

hit the Hood, went down the funnel and went into the magazine.

-Right.

-And blew the whole ship up.

And there were four survivors.

Four survivors, so he obviously wasn't on that day, thank God.

But that's the trip they did.

There is HMS Hood, battle cruiser, big ship.

Eight 15-inch guns, nothing compared with the Bismarck, sadly,

but a big ship and an important ship.

Then if we just flick through to here, here's one of the places.

They went to New Zealand.

There are some wonderful Maori pictures here.

It was a sort of PR exercise, really,

for Britain and the Royal Navy to go round the world.

-It's a history of the world in one album, really.

-That's right.

And in super condition.

Coming on to the medals, they're all General Service.

-They're not medals for valour.

-No.

The nearest we've got to that is the long service medal, naval medal.

Beautiful medal. Beautifully produced. These are general service medals.

The Atlantic, he obviously served in the Atlantic,

and you got a medal if you served in the Atlantic.

Served in Italy, the Italy Star

and that's the general '39, '45 star,

and that is the General Service Medal, so they tell a story...

-A story.

-Of somebody that was through the war.

-Do you've any idea what it might be worth?

-Not really, no.

-I've no idea.

-The medal here, the long service medal, is worth

£20, £30.

These are worth a few pounds each, a few pounds for this.

I think £50 to £100 would be a sensible valuation...

-OK.

-..with a reserve at the bottom end and I think there'll be sufficient interest hopefully

-to knock it up towards the top end.

-OK, thank you.

-Hello, Don.

-Hello there.

Now, I don't think we've had one of these on Flog It! before.

This is a silver-castle-topped card case. Have you had it long?

I bought it very early '60s.

-Oh, right.

-I bought one piece of silver each month as savings,

and four years after I'd bought this, the dealer rang me up

and offered me four, five times what I'd paid for it.

-Good Lord!

-And I thought, "Oh, I've struck gold!"

and I slung it in the drawer and thought no more about it.

-And what did you pay for it?

-£96.

Gosh. That was quite a lot of money back then, wasn't it, actually?

Well, it was. It was to us. You know, £96 was like a month's wages.

-To a struggling farmer.

-That's it, you've got it.

Well, it's very interesting. I mean, these are quite well-known pieces.

-I mean, they made a lot of them in the early Victorian period.

-Yeah, yeah.

And there are several makers of them and the value, it very much lies in the rarity of the subject.

-Yes.

-Well, I think this one actually is Winchester Cathedral.

-Oh, that's interesting. I did think it was Canterbury.

-No, I don't... I don't think it's Canterbury.

-But...

-Oh, that's interesting.

You've got the best maker.

This is made by Nathaniel Mills, who was a specialist maker of small silver objects

-in the early part of the 19th century and he was based in Birmingham.

-Oh, Birmingham.

So, we've got, you know, the right maker,

we've got an interesting item in the fact that it's Winchester

and the date letter is for 1843, so it's early Victorian.

Oh, good.

But we do have a slight problem.

We have this sort of nasty dent in the back here. But that's not too bad.

Somebody will be able to slip something in there.

A good silversmith would push that one out.

Yes, I would have thought so. So, to value.

Ideally, I think, we would put something like 1,000 to 1,500

on this, but you're a canny Welsh farmer, aren't you?

Well, struggle isn't the word these days.

-So, you've forced me up.

-I know.

And we're going to agree to put a £1,200 to £1,500 estimate on it.

-Well, there you go.

-With a 1,200 reserve.

-That sounds about right.

-I think it's got a chance.

-Yeah, yeah, well... Be nice.

We'll see you at the auction and let's hope we're toasting your success.

-Let's hope Mother Luck shines on us.

-Absolutely.

-That would be good. Thank you.

Bronwyn, first of all, happy birthday to you!

-Thank you very much.

-Celebrating you birthday with a trip to Flog It!

-That's right, yes.

-And then anything planned?

-Lunch after.

-Lunch.

-Yes, with the family.

-With the family.

-Yes.

-How many family members?

-16.

-16?!

-Oh, crikey! We'd better get a move on, then!

-Yes, please.

-Have you ever worn this?

-No.

-You don't like it, do you?

-No, I don't.

-I can tell.

-No, I don't like it.

-How long have you had it for?

-Oh, I should think about 20 years now, but it was my aunt's.

-Right.

And when she died, it was given to me.

Right. So, it's been sitting in a box somewhere, presumably?

-Yes, actually in the teapot, yeah.

-Right.

-Yes.

-Do you know how old it is?

-No idea.

Right.

It's first half of the 20th century.

1920s, 1930s, I think.

-Do you know where it comes from?

-No, no, I know nothing at all about it.

Well, looking at all those stones

I think probably what is now Sri Lanka, what was Ceylon.

-Oh, right, yes.

-All these stones are

readily available there.

From the left here - and forgive me if I forget, I'm not a gemmologist -

-but we have got a citrine.

-Right.

-Then a garnet.

-Yes.

-Then a smoky quartz.

-Oh, right.

Then really a rather splendid sapphire, big, deep cut sapphire.

They cut it quite deeply so as to draw as much colour as possible.

-Oh, right.

-Yeah.

Then we've got a cabochon amethyst.

By cabochon, not cut, it's rounded.

It's in the form really of a bead.

-Yes.

-Amethyst.

Then we've got the zircon.

-Right.

-And then, although it's a slightly different colour,

-we've got another garnet at the end.

-Oh, right.

Garnets come in different shades of orangey red.

So, it's a nice

collection of stones.

It's set in silver.

Sadly, not gold or platinum.

-No.

-So it's...

It's not as precious as it might be, so we can't attach much value to the actual bracelet itself.

-Have you had it insured?

-No.

-No.

No, I didn't think it was worth anything.

-You didn't think it was worth anything. Did you think it was a bit of costume jewellery?

-Yes.

So, you thought that was worth £10, I suppose.

-I didn't think it was worth anything at all.

-Anything at all!

-No.

-So, it will come as a pleasant surprise to be told that it's worth £100 to £150.

-Lovely, yes.

And I would suggest a discretionary reserve at the bottom end of the estimate.

-Right.

-So, we'll put 100 to 150.

If we have... Give the auctioneer a little bit of discretion, which means

basically if he gets bid perhaps £90 and that's the last bid, sell it.

-Yes.

-You're happy with that?

-Yes, thank you very much.

Well, we'll see if we can turn it into some serious birthday money.

Right, Debs, are you ready to tee off?

I certainly am, and that was a good pun.

-Well, I had to, really, didn't I?

-You did.

It's by a great factory - Royal Doulton, of course.

-How long have you had it?

-About 30 years now.

It was given to me by my granddad.

He had it just stuck away in the cupboard

and he decided to get rid of some things and asked me if I'd like it.

So, I didn't want to upset him - it's not really my cup of tea -

but I accepted it and it's been in the cupboard ever since.

Well, I think you've been fair to him - you've had it for 30 year.

-You obviously don't like it. It's quite a masculine thing, golf, isn't it?

-Yeah.

If we have a look at the Doulton mark underneath,

we can see the lion surmounting a crown.

And then the Royal Doulton made in England mark.

-This would date it to around about 1902 to 1932.

-Oh, right.

What I like about it is that this is from the Royal Doulton series ware,

which refers to these types of colours - the browns and greens - autumnal colours.

Normally, you get things like Charles Dickens characters

or summer flowers and that sort of thing.

If this jug had been like that, we'd be looking at maybe £30 or £40.

-Right.

-But we've got the golfing collection.

Not only do we have these lovely figures

which are playing in 17th-century style costume on the front,

but if we look at the back of it as well,

we can see that we've got this lovely little group huddled around playing.

-I really think it's rather charming.

-Yes.

Having said all that, are we going to get a good price for it,

or will it just be par for the course? SHE TUTS

Well, I hope we get a hole in one.

I'll do the birdies, all right?

Now, I think we can safely put £100-150 on it,

put a reserve of 100 - we don't want to sell it for nothing.

-You know what I mean?

-Yeah.

-And we can go from there.

-You happy with that?

-Yes.

-And who knows, if we get two collectors...

Golfing still surprises in the saleroom and it might just lift it up a bit.

-Hope so.

-Lovely. Thank you so much for bringing it in.

-That's OK, you're welcome

I've taken a short journey out here to the beautiful, stunning Welsh countryside,

a place that's inspired artists and poets alike.

But today I've come to find out how this simple landscape

could have inspired one local lady to change the face of fashion.

Laura Ashley and her business-minded husband, Bernard,

hit the high streets of London with their Welsh-made ladies fashions in the 1970s.

How would a capital, still swinging from the '60s,

react to clothes inspired by a rose-tinted view of country life?

# Sugar and spice and all things nice... #

The look was wholesome, harking back to Edwardian and Victorian period.

High collars, lace, ribbon, floral prints and long hems.

Creative clothes that were pretty, conservative and definitely feminine.

Amazingly, young ladies all over the country packed away their kinky boots and mini skirts

and covered themselves up in Laura Ashley designs.

By the 1970s the Laura Ashley empire had firmly established a place in the world of fashion.

This young woman tapped into people's desires to escape the urban grind and retreat to the country.

She offered a range of clothes and homewares inspired by this stunning landscape,

so why move house when you can create your own country idyll in your urban home?

And it's all thanks to Laura Ashley.

I've come to this country retreat to meet a lady who can give me

an insight into the life of Laura Ashley - biographer Anne Sebba.

So why was country life in Wales so influential in Laura's life?

Laura was born in Wales, but luckily so, because her mother knew that Wales was terribly important...

-Right.

-..and Bessey Mountney took her to this colliery worker's cottage at Dowlais Top

just outside Merthyr Tydfil and that's where Laura was born in the front room.

Of course, that didn't remain in Laura's mind because she went back to live in London,

but she continued to come for holidays to Wales.

She was put on the train with her sister and the guard looked after them,

and it was these holidays in Wales that made a really deep impression on Laura.

So the sorts of things she remembered

was the way that the women would bring in buckets of water and buckets of coal

and they'd be constantly blacking the stoop,

and it was the Victorian attitudes within the house that Laura remembered.

Laura met and fell for Bernard Ashley and, after a long courtship,

they were married and set up home in London.

Laura was determined to be a devoted housewife.

This meant that any job she undertook could not interrupt her domestic chores.

Laura, while she was trying to get pregnant, went off in one of her lunch breaks

to the Victoria & Albert Museum,

saw a patchwork exhibition with all these wonderful little tiny Victorian prints

made into a brilliant patchwork quilt and thought, "I want to do this,

"this is something that I can do at home," went off to try and buy the prints, couldn't find them anywhere,

so said to Bernard, "Why don't we print them ourselves?"

And they were restricted to tiny squares because that was all they had room on the kitchen table for

so the first products they made were table mats, which Laura would hem herself,

or little square napkins, and Laura herself took them off to John Lewis and she got...

-I was going to say how did she start to sell them? John Lewis?

-Absolutely.

-The big break.

She took the bus one day, she was already pregnant, took the bus to John Lewis,

was terribly nervous waiting to see the buyer,

and their first order was almost as much as they could cope with.

She waited up all night hemming the squares in order to complete a repeat order

for the buyer at John Lewis, and that's how they got going.

As production started to grow, so did the Ashley family

and, with young children in tow, they moved to a bigger premises.

The countryside was calling so, after a period in Kent, the family and the business headed to Wales,

settling in the town of Carno and opening a factory in the town's disused railway station.

What made it different was that the local community was so involved in it.

Some of them had actually physically helped build the extension.

They worked on the farm, perhaps, during the day

and they'd helped him after work to build the extension so they all felt they had a stake in this factory.

One of the main reasons that Laura really felt a family atmosphere in the factory was so important

is because she didn't really believe that women who were mothers should have a full-time job.

So she got round that in a number of ways.

She would insist that Friday afternoons was free time for all the mothers and they went home.

Friday afternoon was definitely a time to be with your children.

As far as she herself was concerned, and by this time she had four children, so Laura got round it

by saying that actually the factory was Laura Ashley, that is, herself.

It was an extension of the family.

-So it was a way of her being able to have a full-time job...

-Yes, yes.

..without contravening this very deep-seated philosophy

that mothers should not work away from their home.

She believed that domesticity was absolutely crucial.

By the mid '60s, Laura was ready to expand fully into the area of fashion design.

With strong views on how she thought woman wanted to be dressed,

Laura launched her range of ladies' fashions and her first high street shop in South Kensington, London.

The floral dresses carrying the label "Made In Wales" flew off the racks.

-So why were her dresses such a big success?

-All sorts of reasons.

Don't forget we're in the '60s.

Laura absolutely hated hotpants and miniskirts, she thought they were ghastly

so she reacted against that to an extent and she genuinely believed

that for a woman to wear high necks and conceal was actually much sexier

and that, you know, men liked to imagine what was underneath rather than revealing all...

-Yes.

-So it was time when no country wedding in England

was complete without a smattering and a sprinkling of Laura Ashley dresses.

They were very countrified, but also very theatrical and romantic.

Laura began to travel to Europe and came up with ranges of matching wallpapers, homewares and fabrics.

Thousands of urban homes became rural retreats without the aid of an interior designer.

Stores popped up across the UK and Europe, shortly followed

by flagship stores in San Francisco, Australia and Japan.

Laura Ashley had truly gone global.

The company hit troubled times in the 1980s.

It went public and, with it, that crucial family bond was lost forever.

And tragically in 1985, shortly after Laura's 60th birthday

she returned home to Wales, fell down a flight of stairs and was fatally wounded.

Now, how different the company may have been if Laura had lived on, we will never know,

but one thing is for sure, the people of Wales, the country that inspired and supported her work,

will always hold Laura Ashley close to their hearts.

# ..Amen. #

Let me remind you who's off to auction and what items they're pinning their hopes on.

Jean's nautical collection is rich in historical value.

-It's a history of the world in one album, really.

-That's right.

But will it translate into cash?

Don has high hopes for the card case. Despite only costing £96,

he's pushed Mark to a healthy £1,200 to £1,500 estimate.

Debs inherited a jug from her granddad, but it's not to her taste.

So, will it go a "fairway" at auction?

-I hope we get a hole in one.

-Ha!

-And Bronwyn.

Celebrating your birthday with a trip to Flog It!

That's right, yes.

Will her bracelet bring happy tidings at the auction?

So, it's back to Cardiff where Ryan is raring to go.

Next under the hammer is Debbie's Royal Doulton golfing design little jug.

We're going to get this away,

cos the golfing side of it will help this shift.

-I hope so.

-They're big collectors, aren't they, Mark?

-Very big collectors.

-Doulton are well known for producing these sort of things.

-£100-150.

It should do that. I hope I've been a bit mean, it should nudge the middle to upper estimate,

but you just don't know these days.

-I hope so.

-Do you play golf?

-No.

-No. I've never played.

Can't hit a stationary ball. I can hit a moving ball, like tennis or football,

but not a little ball on the floor.

I can't see the point of it, quite honestly.

No, I'm sorry, I can't. I tried it once and I didn't like it.

|I think there'll be a lot of golfers watching.

"Oh, you don't know what you're on about!",

but hopefully, the golfers here will be buying this Doulton jug.

Absolutely.

Lot 402 is a Royal Doulton jug decorated with a golfer and caddy.

Lot 402. Numerous commission bids here, put me straight in at £110.

-Oh, well that's good.

-£110. Do I see 120 anywhere?

At £110, are we all done, then, at the maiden bid of £110?

-Well, that was short and sweet.

-Oh, well.

-Straight in, straight out, 110.

-It's gone, Debs.

-It's gone, so I hope it's gone to a good home.

-Next up, Jean's photograph album of the warships and the medals.

-That's right.

Have you been looking forward to this?

-I have, very much so.

-Got your lucky earrings on...

-I certainly have!

-You told me earlier.

-Yes.

-You put £50 on this, but I'm hoping it'll double that.

-It might do.

-50 to 100 we'll say.

-Yeah.

You just no longer look at these and...

No, it's been in the wardrobe.

-You just might as well get rid of them.

-Might as well get rid of them.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Well, look, good luck.

-I hope so, anyway.

-You look so smart. Thank you.

From the Forest of Dean, look at this!

A group of World War II medals together with the book,

the World Cruise Of British Special Service Squadron, lot 150.

Good luck, Jean. This is it.

Commission bids. Start me at £50. 50 I have.

-Oh, straight in!

-Oh, yes.

-60. Five. 70. Five. 80.

Five. 90. Five.

-95.

-100. And 10. At 110.

The gentleman standing at 110.

Now at £110. Standing at 110. 120.

130. 140.

Oh, there's a bit of a fight on for it.

At £150. The gentleman standing at 150, now. At £150.

Are we all out in the room at 150?

-That's more like it. Yes!

-I'm pleased.

-£150.

-That's good.

That's brilliant, isn't it?

That's good, isn't it?

-The earrings... The earrings worked!

-The earrings did it!

-Didn't they?

We've heard this name on the show before now, Nathaniel Mills.

He's a Birmingham silversmith, but we haven't seen his maker's mark

on something so exquisite before as this.

It's a castle top card case and it belongs to Don, who's right here.

-Well...

-He's getting rather excited because you're not going to own this much longer.

Well, it's a nice piece.

We don't mind if it stays here or goes home with me, but...

This isn't going home with you!

-Well, we'll see.

-This is going to fly out the sale room.

-You paid how much this?

-£96.

OK. Well, we've got an estimate of £1,200 to £1,500 with a fixed reserve at £1,200

because you don't want it to go for a penny less because you've been offered 1,000, haven't you?

That's correct.

-Lot number 330 is an early Victorian...

-Good luck.

..silver castle top card case by Nathaniel Mills. Lot number 330.

-Love it, love it, love it.

-At £780 I have to start. £780.

At £780. 800 is there anywhere?

800. And 20. 850. 880. 900. And 20.

950. 980. 1,000. And 50.

-At 1,050. Back with me at 1,050.

-Oh!

-I don't think it's going to sell here.

-At 1,050. At £1,050.

Are we all done, then, at £1,050?

-It's not going.

-No, I don't think it will.

I shouldn't have opened my big mouth, should I?

But, I tell you what, you protected it with a reserve of £1,200,

so whatever I said it's not going to sell if the bidders aren't going to put their hand up.

-Well...

-But I'm pleased.

Do you know that I'm pleased? Because it is worth more than £1,200.

-Well...

-I don't think the right people were here.

No, I mean, to be honest, I think on the day we did have a big discussion about this and an ideal estimate

I think would have been 800 to 1,200. But, you know, if you like it so much, you've got to protect it.

-Yes.

-Well, it's a very pretty piece.

-Yes, it is.

-Yeah.

We're only a few lots away.

Bronwyn's little Sri Lankan multi-gem bracelet.

So, will we get the top end?

-Middle end.

-Middle.

-125.

Oh, really! OK!

Let's find out, OK? Hopefully, we'll get the top end.

-This is it.

-Seven-stone bracelet set with semiprecious stones here.

£65 I have to start. £65.

At £65. And 70 is there anywhere?

At 65. 70. Five. 80. Five.

-The lady over there's bidding on this.

-100.

It takes me out at 100. At 110. 120.

-130. 140.

-Oh!

150. 160.

-170. 180.

-Nice.

-This is more like it!

-200. 210.

220. 230. 240.

250. 260.

-270. 280.

-Oh, they love it.

290. 300. 310.

320.

330. 340.

-Oh, crumbs!

-350. 360.

370. 380.

-And were still going!

-390. 400.

At £400.

With the lady at 400 now. At £400.

-Oh, gosh!

-£400.

Bang, that hammer's gone down.

-Wonderful.

-£400!

Shoot the valuer!

Well, I don't know, Charlie, it's a hard thing to put a price on.

-Yeah, yeah. It was very pretty.

-Gosh.

But I didn't think it was £400 worth.

No. I thought it was costume jewellery!

Gosh! There's commission to pay here.

-Yes.

-Deduct that.

-Yes.

-It's around 16%, plus the VAT, that's lots of spending money.

-It is lovely, isn't it?

-Yeah. What are you going to do with it?

Well, my husband told me to buy some jewellery that I liked!

-Buy some jewellery you liked!

-Yeah.

Well, that's it. The auction's over. Everybody's gone home.

You could say our work is now done. And what a cracking day we've had here.

I hope you've enjoyed today's show. So, until the next time, it's cheerio from Cardiff.

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