0:00:02 > 0:00:04You've caught me out, naughty but nice.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07These chips are fantastic but there's one thing missing... that's more like it.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11I've come to a picturesque market town which owes its name to salt.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15Welcome to Flog It from Nantwich in Cheshire.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39The actual name Nantwich gives away its long association with the salt
0:00:39 > 0:00:43industry, for the suffix of the town, "wich", means brine town.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54The salt industry in the town started as long ago as the Roman
0:00:54 > 0:00:58period and it thrived for centuries until sadly the last salt house
0:00:58 > 0:01:01in Nantwich closed in 1858.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10However, its legacy still lives on in the area - it's because of salt production
0:01:10 > 0:01:17that other industries have sprung up that rely on salt such as tanning and the making of Cheshire cheese.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25Well, perhaps our experts will find something related
0:01:25 > 0:01:29to the local industries here, I'm outside the Nantwich Civic Hall and who have we got?
0:01:29 > 0:01:33The wonderful Kate Bliss and the equally charming Will Axon and it is
0:01:33 > 0:01:38now 9.30, time to get the doors open and get this massive queue inside.
0:01:38 > 0:01:45The valuation day is filling up quickly and there are hundreds of people waiting to be seen.
0:01:46 > 0:01:53Later in the programme, I will be taking a trip around the world, from Egypt to China.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56For now it looks like Kate's got something
0:01:56 > 0:01:59that's come from a little closer to home.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01This is a really interesting watercolour,
0:02:01 > 0:02:06- is this something you've had on the wall?- I've not had it long, only had it few weeks.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08I bought it off the internet.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12- So is that something that you like to do, buy and sell a bit?- I do, yeah.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17What can you tell me about the artist? We've got a clear signature here, do you know anything about him?
0:02:17 > 0:02:21- J Horner?- Yes.- I don't know what dates he dates from,
0:02:21 > 0:02:23but I think this particular one was painted in Norfolk.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25Why do you think it's Norfolk?
0:02:25 > 0:02:27Apart from it looks quite flat.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Exactly, yes. Probably one of the reasons.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31Well, you could well be right.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34- J Horner, signed down here, was actually John Horner.- Right.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38And he was really active in his work
0:02:38 > 0:02:43sort of about 1876 through to 1890, and the thing I like about this one
0:02:43 > 0:02:50is the accuracy of the detail, and it's almost architectural really in the detail that we've got here.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53If we look on the buildings here, on the barn and on the farmhouse,
0:02:53 > 0:02:57you can almost see the individual tiles on the roof, can't you?
0:02:57 > 0:03:03- But what's really fun is this little tableau that's going on down here with the two fishermen.- Right.
0:03:03 > 0:03:09Again, the detail is really precise, you can see the creases in his trousers and the light
0:03:09 > 0:03:15reflecting off the water on to his face, which really gives it a really crisp finish, doesn't it?
0:03:15 > 0:03:20Now the market, which I'm sure you know if you buy and sell a little bit doing pictures, the market for
0:03:20 > 0:03:25watercolours particularly of this sort of period isn't that buoyant at the moment.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29- No.- But I have to say this is a particularly accomplished work
0:03:29 > 0:03:33and I think, even so, this should sell quite well.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36I'm going to put a conservative auction estimate of 200 to 300 on it
0:03:36 > 0:03:39because I think it is really well executed.
0:03:39 > 0:03:44- Would you like to put a reserve on that?- If I possibly could, yeah, probably 200 or so.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48That's fair, lower end of the estimate and hopefully get quite a bit more than that.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51That's great. I mean, if doesn't sell, I'll keep it anyway.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55- Well, that's a great attitude. - Thank you.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Well, Peggy, John, hello there.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02- How are you?- I'm very well, and yourself?
0:04:02 > 0:04:04I'm well, thank you.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Now look at this, what can you tell me about it?
0:04:07 > 0:04:11It's a cigarette case which I bought about 30 years ago...
0:04:11 > 0:04:15And did you buy it from a jeweller's perhaps or a dealer, to keep your roll-ups in?
0:04:15 > 0:04:19No, I bought it off a bloke that was hard up.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Oh, dear. So he needed a bit of cash.
0:04:21 > 0:04:26- Yeah.- He offered it to you, and do you think you paid a good price for it, £90?
0:04:26 > 0:04:29Well, I think so on today's prices, yes.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32I mean it's a good example here, for example that
0:04:32 > 0:04:36not everything to do with antiques and auctions is all about fine art
0:04:36 > 0:04:42and something that's been crafted or created from scratch, sometimes, I'm afraid, it's all about just...
0:04:42 > 0:04:45I'm gonna say it... scrap value,
0:04:45 > 0:04:47especially when it comes to gold.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51So what I've done, I've brought along my scales here, have you got any idea
0:04:51 > 0:04:53of what you think it's worth, how much it weighs?
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Roughly about three ounces.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Three ounces, well that's a decent weight, isn't it?
0:04:58 > 0:05:01It almost doesn't feel like three ounces.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04- No.- Let's pop it on the scales here, you said around three ounces, we've
0:05:04 > 0:05:10got 3.28 ounces, so you weren't far off there, John. I think you knew what you were buying, didn't you?
0:05:10 > 0:05:15So now we know how much the cigarette case weighs, we've got to work out or
0:05:15 > 0:05:20- find out what carat gold it is, any ideas?- Nine carat.
0:05:20 > 0:05:25Well, if we have a look inside here, similar to the silver hallmarking,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28you can just see it there, the 9 carat gold mark.
0:05:28 > 0:05:34Here you've got the maker's mark, which is the Goldsmith and Silversmith Co. Ltd, of London.
0:05:34 > 0:05:39- Right.- Nice quality really, it would've been an expensive item when it was bought.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43- So have you any idea what 9-carat gold's at at the moment? - No, I haven't a clue.
0:05:43 > 0:05:49Well, as we're filming, it's at about £220 an ounce, times by three,
0:05:49 > 0:05:55that makes over £600 in scrap value.
0:05:55 > 0:06:02I don't think we should put it in the auction at that £600 level, I think that might
0:06:02 > 0:06:03put people off.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08What we want is for people... 300 to 500, I mean if you've
0:06:08 > 0:06:10got that, if we reserved it at that 300 mark.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13That's fine, smashing. Thank you.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Well, I shouldn't really call an elegant basket like this a good
0:06:24 > 0:06:27lump of silver, but there's quite a bit of silver in that.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29- It is heavy, yes. - Is this a family piece?
0:06:29 > 0:06:35- It was given to my father as a gift from two spinster clients.- Right.
0:06:35 > 0:06:42And their house was opposite my school, so I used to wave at them every day as I left school.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45So I don't know whether I persuaded them to
0:06:45 > 0:06:48give him the gift of whether it was because he was such a good manager.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51Well, that's a nice story. So you've had it ever since, have you?
0:06:51 > 0:06:57Yes, 45 years, and I have polished it every fortnight since then.
0:06:57 > 0:07:02- Have you really?- My biggest worry is am I polishing away the centre?
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Right. Well, let's have a little look at that because, it's a lovely shape
0:07:06 > 0:07:10first of all, isn't it, a beautiful sort of oval shape
0:07:10 > 0:07:18echoed in the handle here, and it's got lovely reeded borders around the outside, again on the handle as well,
0:07:18 > 0:07:25and what's known as gadrooning around the centre of the basket, and this is reminiscent of
0:07:25 > 0:07:31a much earlier Georgian style, if you like, in the neo-classical style.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34However, it's not 18th century in date because if
0:07:34 > 0:07:38we look at the side here, you can see the silver hallmark, it's marked from
0:07:38 > 0:07:45Sheffield and 1897, so it's right towards the end of Victoria's reign, but a good bit of silver.
0:07:45 > 0:07:51- Now you say you've been polishing it every fortnight for some 40-odd years?- 45 years, yes.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55I think the actual reeding and gadrooning is still in nice
0:07:55 > 0:08:00condition, and the handle here also, but what has happened is the base has
0:08:00 > 0:08:07been pushed down slightly, which may have been done with vigorous polishing over the years, and so you
0:08:07 > 0:08:14can just see the outline of where the pedestal is attached on the base and you can see that little oval there.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18- Yes, that was my worry. - So a good lump of silver but why do you want to sell it?
0:08:18 > 0:08:23I'm downsizing, I will have nowhere to display it, and I
0:08:23 > 0:08:27- think my polishing days are over.- I think you've had enough of polishing.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29I've had enough of polishing.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32I would say even though it's got quite a bit of silver in it,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36we're probably looking at around £150 to £200 mark.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41- Does that sound reasonable? - It's lower than I'd hoped.
0:08:41 > 0:08:42What sort of figure were you...
0:08:42 > 0:08:44I was thinking perhaps 200 to 300.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Right, OK.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50We could try it at that if you like but I think if we said 150 to 200,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53it might get buyers interested and encourage them.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56If you would like to put a reserve of 200, we can try that for you.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59- Yes, please.- You'd like that?- Yes.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03OK, well let's do that. Let's put a reserve of 200 and see how we get on.
0:09:03 > 0:09:08I think you've certainly got a chance, but I think at 150 you might just entice people in perhaps
0:09:08 > 0:09:12a little bit better, but it's your basket,
0:09:12 > 0:09:17- I hope it goes really well. - And if it doesn't, I will go back to polishing.
0:09:17 > 0:09:18Thank you very much.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23Well, Leslie, they say small is beautiful and personally I'd subscribe to that
0:09:23 > 0:09:27because, you know, not being a six-footer, but what have you brought in here for us to look at today?
0:09:27 > 0:09:32I've brought a piece of Moorcroft, I believe it's MacIntyre.
0:09:32 > 0:09:37That's right. Well, you've in one sentence basically told us all we need to know.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40You've got the name Moorcroft and the name MacIntyre,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43because what you've got here is indeed a MacIntyre vase...
0:09:43 > 0:09:48the company MacIntyre, of which William Moorcroft headed up their art pottery department.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52Now we all know Moorcroft nowadays, of course, he's a well-known name,
0:09:52 > 0:09:55we've seen plenty of Moorcroft on Flog It and it always sells well.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00Now this, we're taking a step further back in time, shall we say, to when William
0:10:00 > 0:10:05Moorcroft was experimenting with this tube lining, which you can see here.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Generally, when pieces are made in miniature, they tend to be
0:10:08 > 0:10:11- more valuable than the large pieces. - Right.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14Is this something that you've bought, do you collect this?
0:10:14 > 0:10:20No, I actually found this at a bric-a-brac sale in Llangollen in Wales.
0:10:20 > 0:10:21Dare I ask what you paid for it?
0:10:21 > 0:10:25- Ten pence. - Get off... 10p?- Ten pence.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29- You didn't do that, did you? - Unfortunately that was already on.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Cos unfortunately it has got a small chip on the rim.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34I think if it had been perfect,
0:10:34 > 0:10:39your 10p investment would have been a very good investment because that does detract from it.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41But even so,
0:10:41 > 0:10:43I think you've done very well here.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46It's in this typical blue
0:10:46 > 0:10:50of the MacIntyre, the Florian range is the range, but the actual pattern
0:10:50 > 0:10:54- we've got here is called Honesty, because I think you did a little bit of research, didn't you?- Yes.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57- You took it to the museum? - The Moorcroft Museum itself, yes.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59I know them well, yes.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03- They told me it was about 1903. - I mean 10p, what can we say it's worth now?
0:11:03 > 0:11:08It's nicely marked, it's signed underneath, like I say, a precursor
0:11:08 > 0:11:14of this tube line decoration which Moorcroft made into such a household technique, shall we say.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19- I would put it in the auction at about £150 to £250, how do you feel about that?- That's lovely.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21Brilliant, I think that's great.
0:11:21 > 0:11:26- So we'll see you on the day, £150 and reserved it at that?- Erm...
0:11:26 > 0:11:31- yes, we'll go with that.- Reserve it, bit of discretion for the auctioneer, we don't want to struggle.
0:11:31 > 0:11:37- I'm confident that it's going to do that, if not more. Brilliant, see you then.- Thank you very much.- Well done.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Malcolm, I've had the pleasure
0:11:46 > 0:11:49- of valuing one of these before on Flog It!- Yes?
0:11:49 > 0:11:52I think so has Philip Serrell as well.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54- We both like our boy's toys.- Yes.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57But this is a classic little Schuco car,
0:11:57 > 0:12:01typical of tin-plate German toys from the early 1900s.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04- But this one has got a gear-shift stick.- Yes.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07And you know, as well, how that works, don't you?
0:12:07 > 0:12:09- Do you want to wind him up?- OK.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12What's the story? How long have you had the cars?
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Erm, about 65 years.
0:12:14 > 0:12:20- Yeah.- They came to me as presents... - Really?- ..in about 1941, '42.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23- And it's something you're thinking of selling?- Yes.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26Why? They've been with you most of your life.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28They've been with me for many years
0:12:28 > 0:12:33but my children are not interested in them, children or grandchildren.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37- You've never played with that one, have you?- I have but not too often.
0:12:37 > 0:12:38Not as much as this one!
0:12:38 > 0:12:43- What have you been doing to that one?- That's been in a few crashes.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47- Have you got the other front wheels? - No, no. It's a bit sad, really.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Go on, let this one go. Let's watch it work.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53- It's incredible.- Yes.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55And it's gone into reverse?
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Hey presto. Look at that.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59- And it's got articulated steering. - Yes.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03You can turn the steering wheel. Look at that. Reversing into my pen.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06- Handbrake on.- Handbrake on.
0:13:06 > 0:13:07Beautiful.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10Normally, it's a litho transfer print for the colour.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14- This is spray-painted on, which is quite nice.- That's right.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18If I turn this over...
0:13:18 > 0:13:23you can see the litho print saying Schuco.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26It's in such good condition, this little car
0:13:26 > 0:13:31- and that's all credit to you... Well... ..for not bashing it about.- Yes.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Any idea of value?
0:13:34 > 0:13:39Erm, probably about £100 or thereabouts - 120.
0:13:39 > 0:13:40Yes. Definitely.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43- And I'm hoping that's the low end. - Oh, good.
0:13:43 > 0:13:48- I'd like to put this into auction with an estimate of £100-200.- Right.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52This little one will sell in the same lot as this.
0:13:52 > 0:13:53That's... That's the value.
0:13:53 > 0:13:58- Here is, hopefully, £180 on a good day.- Very nice.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01- OK. This one, we'll throw in.- Yes.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04If a collector has a lot of these Schuco cars,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07he'll use this one to break up and use the spares.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09OK. That's fine.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13- Well, let's put them into auction, then, at £100-200.- Thank you.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17It's time to go to the auction now at Firth.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30This is Biddulph Grange Garden in the heart of Staffordshire,
0:14:30 > 0:14:32and if you pause for just a moment and listen...
0:14:32 > 0:14:36you can hear the sound of silence, albeit a bit of birdsong.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38It's so beautiful and peaceful here.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42It's not only just a place to come and relax, but taking a trip
0:14:42 > 0:14:48around these gardens is like touring the world because it's packed full of beautiful and exotic plants.
0:14:48 > 0:14:54When this place was conceived back in the 1840s, it went totally against the popular Victorian trend
0:14:54 > 0:14:57of broad expanses of grass and water.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02Instead, by contrast, Biddulph Grange Garden broke new ground by employing natural
0:15:02 > 0:15:10screens such as yew trees, hedges, and walls, to create informal groups of separate gardens, each with
0:15:10 > 0:15:18their own distinctive character and mini-microclimate, many reflecting faraway worlds like China and Egypt.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21Visitors were encouraged to navigate their way through
0:15:21 > 0:15:25the garden rather than have it revealed to them all at once.
0:15:25 > 0:15:30The conception of this rather unusual garden was principally the work of three people,
0:15:30 > 0:15:35James Bateman and his wife Maria, and their good friend Edward Cooke.
0:15:35 > 0:15:40James Bateman was born in 1811 into a wealthy family that made their money from coalmining.
0:15:40 > 0:15:46From a very young age, James was fascinated by orchids, which became the passion of his life.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52In 1838, James married Maria Egerton-Warburton.
0:15:52 > 0:15:57Now, Maria had rather unusual gardening tastes for the period because she loved
0:15:57 > 0:16:03herbaceous plants, as well as having a big passion for lilies, which she was well known for.
0:16:03 > 0:16:09The Batemans moved here to Biddulph Grange in 1840, and with the help, a lot of help, from Edward Cooke,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12they set about creating Biddulph Grange Garden.
0:16:12 > 0:16:18Over the next 20 years, they brought together shrubs such as skimmia reevesiana...
0:16:19 > 0:16:22..bamboo, and varieties of rhododendrons
0:16:22 > 0:16:28from the Himalayas and China, plus a variety of trees from abroad including the monkey puzzle tree
0:16:28 > 0:16:32from Chile and other extraordinary elements from all around the world.
0:16:36 > 0:16:41Another fascinating influence on the design of this garden was arguably religion.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45You see, James Bateman was a millenarian, he believed
0:16:45 > 0:16:51in the second coming of Christ, so when you start your tour, it's that influence you experience first.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54And to help us understand this, I've come to have a chat with Paul Baker,
0:16:54 > 0:16:59who's the National Trust Property Manager here at Biddulph.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02There you are, Paul. Thank you so much for showing me around today.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06- It's a pleasure. - Does the tour start here for everybody that visits the gardens?
0:17:06 > 0:17:08Do they come through this gallery?
0:17:08 > 0:17:10Sadly not any more, but they would have done when
0:17:10 > 0:17:14James Bateman had his garden open to the public in the 19th century.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17So they would have come in through his geological
0:17:17 > 0:17:20gallery, which is where we are now, and they'd have been able to see his
0:17:20 > 0:17:25display of fossils and geological specimens which were on the wall to our left here.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27How does the rest of it fit in with this?
0:17:27 > 0:17:31Well, very interestingly, he believed that a second coming
0:17:31 > 0:17:36was due, almost imminently, and all the existing plants and so on
0:17:36 > 0:17:38would be swept away and have to be collected all over again.
0:17:38 > 0:17:45He also believed certain plants had a very specific role and appeared at specific times in the creation story.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49So ferns, which we have quite a lot of in the garden itself now, appeared
0:17:49 > 0:17:54quite early because they took the longest time to get turned into coal.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58The other great passion he had was orchids, and he believed those only
0:17:58 > 0:18:04arrived on the scene when Mankind arrived because they were there to beautify the world for Mankind.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07So they wouldn't appear until we get to the end of the gallery.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09That's absolutely incredible.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Look at that, it's a little bit of Egypt, surely?
0:18:19 > 0:18:24Yes. It's been transformed into Egypt, here we are, the Egyptian court.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Perfect symmetry everywhere.
0:18:27 > 0:18:33Who was the creative genius, the driving force? Because I know Edward Cooke was a painter.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Was he the visionary or was James really?
0:18:36 > 0:18:40A lot of the actual design work we believe was Edward Cooke, cos although he's
0:18:40 > 0:18:45better known as a painter today, he was also well known as landscape designer in Victorian England.
0:18:45 > 0:18:50- Yeah.- And Bateman did acknowledge how much debt he owed to Cooke in the design of the garden.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52- Can I look in?- Yes, go ahead.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00And out into the sunlight.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04And into Cheshire in the blink of an eye, if you look behind.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07Oh, yes. Look at that, 1856.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10The initials James and Maria Bateman above the window.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13That's so cute, isn't it? And as quick as that.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16- Well, let's go and see some more. - Yes, we're now in the pinetum,
0:19:16 > 0:19:21and just coming up on the left here, we've got some monkey puzzle trees.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28So where are we now?
0:19:28 > 0:19:32- Just coming into the China section of the garden.- So is this symbolic of the Great Wall?
0:19:32 > 0:19:35It is, and if you look down to your right...
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Ah, what a treat.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41- Now that is a visual impact, isn't it, seeing that?- Absolutely.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43That little temple in the lake.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47- It's all based on willow pattern plates, the iconography you see on a willow pattern plate.- Yes.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51So you have the temple, that bridge with the zig-zag fence.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53- Can we go and have a look? - Yes, of course.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57It looks so inviting. Well, I can see lots of bamboos planted.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01Right. There's quite a wide variety of plants from China, we
0:20:01 > 0:20:05have some acers, actually from Japan, they're the very deep purple variety.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08Oh, gosh. Come autumn, they'll be worth seeing.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10They are spectacular in the autumn.
0:20:10 > 0:20:15We've also got probably the oldest surviving golden larch in
0:20:15 > 0:20:21England growing here, that was also brought back by Robert Fortune from one of his many travels out in China.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25- What a visionary. - Oh, he was, and he was also the man who smuggled all the tea plants
0:20:25 > 0:20:31out of China into India as well, when he was employed for a while by the British East India Company.
0:20:31 > 0:20:37So when you have a cup of tea today, it's obviously due to Robert Fortune in large part.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41A complete, leisurely tour of Biddulph would take a few hours.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44There are many other areas which I haven't had time to explore today
0:20:44 > 0:20:48such as the Glen, which was based on the Scottish rock formations,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52and the Italian garden, which was a popular choice of garden during the era.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56And it's amazing to think that over 160 years after the first conception
0:20:56 > 0:21:01of Biddulph Garden, it remains here today for everybody to enjoy.
0:21:05 > 0:21:10Let's have a quick reminder of all the items that are going under the hammer.
0:21:10 > 0:21:16The watercolour by John Horner could be a real hit but if not, Paul the owner has a back-up plan.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18I mean if it doesn't sell, I'll keep it anyway.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22John bought his cigarette case 30 years ago for just £90
0:21:22 > 0:21:25and today, Will thinks it's worth its weight in gold.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30For the past 45 years, Jill has lovingly polished
0:21:30 > 0:21:34her silver basket and now it's time to see if it will sell.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37And if it doesn't, I will go back to polishing.
0:21:37 > 0:21:42And when it came to the Moorcroft vase, Will was impressed by Leslie's eye for a bargain.
0:21:42 > 0:21:47- Dare I ask what you paid for it? - 10 pence.- Get off! 10p!
0:21:47 > 0:21:51We're also selling Malcolm's two Schuco cars
0:21:51 > 0:21:52which he's had for 65 years.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55Will we get a lucky bidder to drive them away?
0:21:56 > 0:22:01Well, you've seen all our items and now it's time to put our experts' valuations to the test,
0:22:01 > 0:22:02and we're going to do it right here
0:22:02 > 0:22:07at Adam Partridge Auctioneers and Valuers at North Rode outside Congleton.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09The sale is just about to start.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12It's absolutely packed in there, so let's get inside.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30Next up, we've got a cracking bit of Victorian silver, a little basket,
0:22:30 > 0:22:34and Jill's selling it because you're so fed up with polishing it.
0:22:34 > 0:22:3645 years of polishing.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38You'll wear it away, won't you?
0:22:38 > 0:22:41- You didn't polish it every day though.- Every fortnight.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45- Anyway, you want to sell it, don't you, now?- Yes.
0:22:45 > 0:22:51- And I know Kate said 150 to 200. - That's right.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55And you're angling for that, and I know that you were sort of having a haggle.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57- Bit of a haggle. - You were hoping for 200.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00- Yes.- You're hoping for Kate's top end.- Yes.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03- So now you've actually said, "right, we want £200".- Yes.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Let's hope we can get a bit more so we're all happy.
0:23:06 > 0:23:12Yeah. So the reserve is actually 200 now, which is fine, but my feeling is that realistically at auction, it's
0:23:12 > 0:23:14- sort of between the two really. - We'll wait and see.- Yeah.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Good luck, anyway, both of you.
0:23:16 > 0:23:21And it's Sheffield 1897, another basket here and I'm bid 160.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24- 170? 170... 180, 190?- Yes, yes.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26190, your bid, take 200.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28At 190... 200, 210...
0:23:28 > 0:23:30- 220.- We've sold it.- 230?
0:23:30 > 0:23:32There you go, that's great.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36220 in the crowd here, 220... any more this one now? 220...
0:23:36 > 0:23:38all done? At 220... thank you.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41- Great. Well, done. - Thank you very much.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Well done, Kate. What are you going to put the money towards?
0:23:44 > 0:23:48We've got 15% commission to pay on this, don't forget, Adam's got to earn his wages.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52Well, this was an experience, so I'm going to use for another experience.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56- What's that?- Perhaps lunch on the Orient Express or tea at the Ritz.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00- Classy. - Ooh.- Very nice, I like your style.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02- Enjoy it.- Thank you very much.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06£50, £50 is bid. 50 I have, 55 now?
0:24:06 > 0:24:09It's now my turn to be the expert
0:24:09 > 0:24:11and next up it's those two lovely Schuco cars.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13One is in incredible condition.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17They belong to Malcolm. We've got the cars here but we don't have Malcolm.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20He's cruising the Caribbean but we've got his daughter here, Elizabeth.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24- Hello.- You can remember these as a little girl, can't you?
0:24:24 > 0:24:28I can. I can the remember the little red car, yes.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30I had to put it back in the box afterwards.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33I don't blame Dad for making you do that, as well.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36- That was his pride and joy, wasn't it?- Yes, he loved his cars.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40- Do say hello, won't you, and let him know how it's gone.- I will.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42- It's going under the hammer now.- OK.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46The Schuco 4001 Examico clockwork car
0:24:46 > 0:24:50and a Schuco Studio red tinplate racing car, racing number 9.
0:24:50 > 0:24:51Two Schucos in the lot, there.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Let's try £100 for the two Schucos. 100?
0:24:54 > 0:24:56100? 80?
0:24:56 > 0:24:5860 bid. £60. Take 5 now.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01At 60. At £60. I have 5.
0:25:01 > 0:25:0370 bid. At £70. 5?
0:25:03 > 0:25:0680 now. 80 bid. 5, then? 85.
0:25:06 > 0:25:0890 bid? 85 we have.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11- 85 is the bid. Is there 90? - We're close.
0:25:11 > 0:25:12At £85... 90. In the room at 90.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15At £90. Is there 5 now?
0:25:15 > 0:25:18We're selling at 90 in the room. All done at 90?
0:25:18 > 0:25:22- He's used discretion, the 10%. - That's fine.- That's OK.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25- We just about got them away. - Yeah. Brilliant.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28- He'll be happy, he'll be happy. - He will be happy.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Except when I spend his money.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32Oh, well don't tell him that, will you?
0:25:32 > 0:25:35- And say hi from us, won't you? - I will do. Thank you.- Thank you.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42- Peggy and John, it's good to see you.- And you.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45- Have you been looking forward to this?- I have, very much.
0:25:45 > 0:25:50We're just about to put under the hammer this gold cigarette case, and there's an awful lot of weight here.
0:25:50 > 0:25:55You're looking at £300 to £500, you've got a fixed reserve at £300.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58- Yes.- It's worth top estimate scrap. - Yeah, exactly.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01- So I'm looking to break that top estimate.- Right, here we go.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05Around 93 whopping grams we made that,
0:26:05 > 0:26:10and commission interest here has to start us at 600 straight in.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12- Told you! Straight in at £600. - 600 bid.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Are you all done at 600? Not very exciting, is it?
0:26:15 > 0:26:18600 bid, at 600... 620, 640...
0:26:18 > 0:26:22660, 640 still with me, 640 are you all done on this?
0:26:22 > 0:26:24640.
0:26:24 > 0:26:30£640, 15% commission to pay here. What will you put the money towards?
0:26:30 > 0:26:35It's either going to be a piece of Swarovski or a large flat screen TV.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38- Ooh.- You like your glass then?
0:26:38 > 0:26:41- I do, and he loves his football. - He loves his footie.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52Next up, we've got a lovely little watercolour with a value of £200 to £300, and it was brought in by Paul,
0:26:52 > 0:26:57who is playing the game, because you got this on the internet a few weeks ago, didn't you?
0:26:57 > 0:26:59- I did.- For £80?- For £80.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02- Hopefully we're doubling your money plus, right now.- Hopefully.
0:27:02 > 0:27:03So you've got a keen eye.
0:27:03 > 0:27:08- I like to think so, yeah. - Do you do a lot of this?- A little bit, but not a great deal.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10- And you've had much success?- Erm...
0:27:10 > 0:27:12well, a little bit.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14Kate, a bit of competition.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16- You've been giving me tips. - Has he?- Yeah.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18So we've got a value of 200 to 300.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21We have. The watercolour market is unpredictable, as I'm
0:27:21 > 0:27:27sure Paul knows, so it's either going to do really well or we're going to miss the boat, so one or the other.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30- We'll soon find out. - We're going to find out. Here we go.
0:27:30 > 0:27:35J Horner, watercolour fishing scene, start me £200 please.
0:27:35 > 0:27:36150?
0:27:36 > 0:27:39£100?
0:27:39 > 0:27:42I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass that one.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46- Didn't sail for you.- No.- A punt, a bit of a gamble.- It was, yeah.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48I quite like it, I'd sooner take it home anyway.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51Put it back on the wall. OK, thank you very much.
0:27:51 > 0:27:56That's a shame. Give it a while, stick it in a dark corner, fish it
0:27:56 > 0:27:59- out again, because I think the right person just wasn't here.- I will do.
0:27:59 > 0:28:04He's got a good track record, that artist, so I think in a different sale you might have some luck.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07Smashing. Thank you.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15Well, it is all out there if you bother to open your eyes and go and have a look.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19- And that's exactly what Leslie did when you were in Wales.- Yes.
0:28:19 > 0:28:24- 10p this next lot cost at a bric-a-brac sale.- In Llangollen.
0:28:24 > 0:28:30It's a bit of Moorcroft and we valued it at £150 to £250.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32Not a bad return on 10 pence.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35Small is beautiful, but condition is everything with
0:28:35 > 0:28:37ceramics, so we've kept the valuation down.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41If it was perfect, it would be in the high hundreds, but it's still going to do well.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45- Yes.- Well, let's hope it does that 250, we're gonna find out right now.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49There we are, the Honesty pattern there on a roughened surface there.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52- I'm bid 160 to start, is there 170? - Sold straightaway.- 160 bid, at 160.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55Any more now on this one? At 160...
0:28:55 > 0:28:57All done... 170... 180, 190...
0:28:57 > 0:29:00200, 210... 220, 230... 240.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02There's a bidder in the room.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05- And there's a bidder in the room. - 320... 340, 360... 380,
0:29:05 > 0:29:08400, 420, 440... 420, am I bid one more if you want?
0:29:08 > 0:29:11420... at 420, your bid now 440, we're in the room.
0:29:11 > 0:29:17At 440 I'm selling this one, are we all done? At £440.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20Thanks very much.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22- Thank you!- Excellent.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24£440!
0:29:24 > 0:29:28That is just incredible!
0:29:28 > 0:29:29£420.
0:29:29 > 0:29:33That'll divide up nicely, though, there's a lot of children.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36- Yes.- We blew the top end away, which is what you like.- Yeah.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38Yeah. Leslie, thank you so much for bringing that in.
0:29:52 > 0:29:58To find out more about Moorcroft, I've come to the heart of the British pottery industry.
0:29:58 > 0:30:04This area is so synonymous with the trade that it is traditionally referred to as the Potteries.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06You may know it as Stoke-on-Trent.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11Today, Staffordshire boasts some 350 potteries.
0:30:11 > 0:30:18Renowned names like Clarice Cliff, Royal Doulton and Moorcroft with its exquisitely vibrant style
0:30:18 > 0:30:23were all born and based here, producing everything from the little egg cup
0:30:23 > 0:30:25to the most expensive bowls and vases.
0:30:25 > 0:30:31They may be all the rage today, but the industry has been around for centuries.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35Pottery was established in the West Midlands in the early 1700s,
0:30:35 > 0:30:41but it wasn't until 1897 that the world was introduced to a style legend.
0:30:41 > 0:30:46William Moorcroft caught the attention of a local pot manufacturer, James Macintyre & Co.
0:30:46 > 0:30:51And that moment marked the official birth of an artistic genius.
0:30:51 > 0:30:57Young William Moorcroft already had a reputation as a gifted painter, even though just a recent graduate,
0:30:57 > 0:31:01and he started working for Macintyre's as a lead designer.
0:31:01 > 0:31:06With his vibrant, colourful designs inspired by nature, he soon captured the market
0:31:06 > 0:31:12and he even boldly placed his signature on the bottom of every Macintyre pot.
0:31:12 > 0:31:17He was a visionary designer and revolutionary in his approach to ceramic art.
0:31:17 > 0:31:22Demand for William's work soon exceeded any other designer in the firm.
0:31:22 > 0:31:28In 1912, aided by money from Liberty of London, Moorcroft left Macintyre's employment,
0:31:28 > 0:31:32taking with him 12 members of staff to start his factory.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36They marched 500 metres from the old premises to Moorcroft's factory,
0:31:36 > 0:31:39taking with them sketches, designs, pot moulds and tools.
0:31:39 > 0:31:44A new age of ceramics had dawned and the iconic Moorcroft was born.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48'Today, Moorcroft is a much loved, worldwide brand. Its delicate,
0:31:48 > 0:31:54'but intricate detail delights thousands upon thousands, and it's been a bit of a regular on Flog It.'
0:31:54 > 0:31:58- How about 150, 250? - Yeah.- Yeah. Definitely.
0:31:58 > 0:32:03- They're not worth that.- OK. - They're worth 300 to 500. - You are kidding?- No.
0:32:03 > 0:32:08'It doesn't often disappoint us when it comes to selling on at auction.'
0:32:08 > 0:32:12- At 2,050. - That is a great Flog It moment.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14£2,050!
0:32:14 > 0:32:17'So to find out why it's so sought after,
0:32:17 > 0:32:22'I've come to the Moorcroft Visitor Centre to meet MD Elise Adams
0:32:22 > 0:32:26'and take a look at their stunning collection.'
0:32:27 > 0:32:32What an incredible room! Moorcroft is vying for my attention everywhere.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35I'm surrounded! What is this room called?
0:32:35 > 0:32:41This is the Moorcroft Museum, part of the Moorcroft Heritage Visitor Centre here in Stoke-on-Trent.
0:32:41 > 0:32:47- How long have you been working here? - I've been at Moorcroft for 12 years and slowly worked my way up.
0:32:47 > 0:32:52Being a living art pottery, there's always something new happening.
0:32:52 > 0:32:57- We've got a few pulled out from the cabinets. - I've started with some early pieces.
0:32:57 > 0:33:03This is where William started when he worked at Macintyre's, a local firm that was founded in the 1830s.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07He started with pieces like this. This is Aurelian Ware.
0:33:07 > 0:33:13- It's flat to touch. It's not like the pieces of Moorcroft which have the...- Tube liners.- That's right.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17- Where did he get his inspiration? - Very much from his environment.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21A lot of British flowers, things that he would see day-to-day.
0:33:21 > 0:33:25Then these pieces lead on to other pieces that come forward.
0:33:25 > 0:33:31But he was very clever at this stage because, although he was working for Macintyre,
0:33:31 > 0:33:37- he was signing all his wares "Moorcroft". How did he get away with that?- He was very canny.
0:33:37 > 0:33:41Macintyre's don't seem to have objected.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45Pieces like this, it's got the Macintyre backstamp on it,
0:33:45 > 0:33:48but then clearly in green is William's signature.
0:33:48 > 0:33:54He's branding his own name, he's setting himself up for when he's going to go it alone,
0:33:54 > 0:33:59so people are knowing these pieces as Moorcroft when in fact they're Macintyre's.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02What's distinctive about this piece?
0:34:02 > 0:34:08It's the very first range that William designs when he moves to this new factory in 1913.
0:34:08 > 0:34:14This follows in 1914 and it's called Persian Ware. The shape was inspired by Middle Eastern culture.
0:34:14 > 0:34:20William starts to work with Liberty & Co in London and they buy pieces of Macintyre Ware.
0:34:20 > 0:34:25He then designs specific ranges exclusively for them such as this powder-blue ware
0:34:25 > 0:34:28which they used in their Liberty tea rooms.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30- Flambe.- Flambe, wonderful.
0:34:30 > 0:34:35- From blue to red. - This was his technique, wasn't it? It was his little invention.
0:34:35 > 0:34:39This was something he held very close to his heart.
0:34:39 > 0:34:44He only passed the recipe on to his son Walter on his death bed in 1945.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48He didn't let anyone else fire or load the kilns.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50What period are we looking at now?
0:34:50 > 0:34:54We're coming forward a little bit in time here to more contemporary pieces
0:34:54 > 0:34:58and pieces by William's son Walter who takes over the factory in 1945.
0:34:58 > 0:35:03But we do start to get away a little bit from what Moorcroft is all about.
0:35:03 > 0:35:08There's very little tube lining on the pieces which is the opposite to what William had devised.
0:35:08 > 0:35:14Let's talk about the new designers. Do they have to have a good archive knowledge of previous designs?
0:35:14 > 0:35:17They do, but they're very careful to always be moving forward.
0:35:17 > 0:35:24But the process of Moorcroft has changed very little. It's tube-lined, painted and dipped by hand.
0:35:24 > 0:35:29So, from that point of view, in 112 years, very little has changed.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32That's great to see some animals.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36It's by Kerry Goodwin, one of the newest members of the design studio.
0:35:36 > 0:35:42She works here on our factory and is here today, so if you would like to meet her and have a look round,
0:35:42 > 0:35:46- we can see how this kind of piece is made.- That'll be interesting.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49The first stage of the process is mould-making.
0:35:49 > 0:35:54The craftsman hand-makes each mould with plaster of Paris.
0:36:00 > 0:36:07Next, the piece is cast. The mould is filled with liquid clay and then emptied, leaving a wet shell.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11When the clay has dried, the mould is removed, revealing the shape.
0:36:11 > 0:36:15The vase is then placed in a damp room overnight to harden.
0:36:15 > 0:36:22The dried vase needs to be smoothed. It's mounted on a lathe and any seams removed by hand.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24That's precision work.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28Excess flakes of clay are removed with a sponge, dipped in water
0:36:28 > 0:36:32and those familiar stamps are then pressed into the base.
0:36:32 > 0:36:38The pattern is inked on to a clear sheet of paper with a special ink mixed at the factory,
0:36:38 > 0:36:43then the wet design is pressed on to the pot with the tube liners to follow.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48Once the pattern has been pressed on to the pot,
0:36:48 > 0:36:51the famous Moorcroft tube lining can begin.
0:36:51 > 0:36:56They follow the pattern precisely, laying it on to the pot.
0:36:56 > 0:37:02It's a good job my work is being overseen by the designer who created this piece, Kelly Goodwin.
0:37:02 > 0:37:08My hands are so thick and clumsy, I'm worried that I might break off what's already been done.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11That's hard. That's very difficult.
0:37:11 > 0:37:16- It's not going, it's not running. - You're doing quite well.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20Come the final glaze, that will be very vibrant like this, won't it?
0:37:20 > 0:37:25Yes, the glaze is the main part because the colour soaks into the pot itself.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29Once you put the glaze on, it turns into precious jewels.
0:37:29 > 0:37:34- All the colours come through. - The whole thing just comes to life.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38- Do you want to finish this?- It would take me two days, not three hours.
0:37:38 > 0:37:43- Can you finish it off for me? - Yeah, I'll finish it off and send it through the kiln.
0:37:43 > 0:37:44Thank you so much.
0:37:44 > 0:37:50And thank everybody here because they've shown me the secrets behind Moorcroft. It's alive and kicking!
0:37:53 > 0:37:57It's time to head back to the valuation day at Nantwich Civic Hall.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01There's no let-up for our experts and with plenty of people still arriving,
0:38:01 > 0:38:04who knows what we'll unearth?
0:38:04 > 0:38:06Richard, you've brought quite a selection of jewellery.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10You don't look like the man who wears a brooch or perhaps
0:38:10 > 0:38:12a gold bangle, so tell me where have these come from?
0:38:12 > 0:38:16Well, they belonged to my sister, who worked in an antique shop
0:38:16 > 0:38:19and she collected quite a lot of quirky things, really.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23- And they've been in a drawer ever since.- Let's have a look.
0:38:23 > 0:38:29We've obviously got here two watches as well as this, I think, rather impressive mourning brooch.
0:38:29 > 0:38:30Obviously.
0:38:30 > 0:38:35If I turn it over, we can see on the back we've got a rather nice inscription, haven't we?
0:38:35 > 0:38:38- Yes.- In memory of...
0:38:38 > 0:38:43- and then the name there, "Esquire", and that's 1861.- Yes.
0:38:43 > 0:38:49Then if we move on to this rather nice little bangle wristwatch, for want of a better word.
0:38:49 > 0:38:57You've got this rather stylish rectangular face, which is typical of that sort of
0:38:57 > 0:39:02Art Deco period when rectangular watches really came into their own.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06If we look on the back, we can see that it's cased in 18-carat gold.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10And then if we move on further still really into the Deco
0:39:10 > 0:39:13period, we've got this rather fine...
0:39:13 > 0:39:16I would call it a cocktail watch.
0:39:16 > 0:39:21Have you ever had an idea of value, I mean, did your sister ever sort of let on to what she paid for these?
0:39:21 > 0:39:25- Not a clue.- I suppose the mourning brooch here, I would have thought
0:39:25 > 0:39:30you'll probably be looking at 30 to 50, 40 to 60 perhaps on that.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33Then if we move on to the little
0:39:33 > 0:39:38brooch glass cocktail watch with the paste settings, I would say on that,
0:39:38 > 0:39:43you're probably looking at maybe similar sort of money, maybe 40 to 60, something like that.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46Then if we come to the little wristwatch there,
0:39:46 > 0:39:52you should be looking at about 120 to 150 mark for the wristwatch.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55So if we tot it all up, where does that take us...
0:39:55 > 0:40:02sort of 120, 150, so it's going to be between the 150 to 200 mark. What do you think about that?
0:40:02 > 0:40:05If we estimated at 150 to 250, would you be happy to see them go at that?
0:40:05 > 0:40:07I certainly would, yes.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09Are we reserving at the bottom figure?
0:40:09 > 0:40:13- No, I would like to get shot really. - Get shot?- Yeah.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17- Let them make what they make. I like your approach. - Thank you very much.- Well done.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27David, this is a staggering collection of Aboriginal art here
0:40:27 > 0:40:29in beautiful Nantwich in Cheshire.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33- Indeed it is, that's right.- Most of this is from Darwin, isn't it?
0:40:33 > 0:40:37That's right, Northern Territories of Australia, yes, and a bit in Queensland.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39How did it get to Nantwich?
0:40:39 > 0:40:43Well, it got to Nantwich because I was working for the Department of
0:40:43 > 0:40:48Defence in Australia and I was posted into Darwin, and
0:40:48 > 0:40:56had the opportunity to travel around the missions and Melville Island, where some of these come from.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59Aboriginal art is fetching such good money right now.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03Not only are the Australians buying it back, it's their social history.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07They want to fill their museums with this wonderful, sort of almost
0:41:07 > 0:41:11mosaic work, which is painted with pigments from the earth,
0:41:11 > 0:41:13different coloured clays.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15- Absolutely, and on bark. - On gum tree bark.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17You got these in the '50s.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21Yes, well '59, '62, that period.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23This is so striking, look at this.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26Yes, and this is a very,
0:41:26 > 0:41:28in a sense, religious symbol.
0:41:28 > 0:41:33You see it in all Aboriginal art from wherever the tribes, you get this circle,
0:41:33 > 0:41:37the circle of life, I think is a simple way of putting it.
0:41:37 > 0:41:43And this one's signed on the back, it's called Ghost Women, and it's by Wandi-Wandi who's 50-years-old.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45Yes. Right.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49- Let's look at the three items on the table, start with the didgeridoo. - Yes.
0:41:49 > 0:41:54Again, that's a genuine piece in the sense of how they made these.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58- This hole was eaten out by ants. - Insects.
0:41:58 > 0:42:03White ants, and then they cut off a piece and they decorate it.
0:42:03 > 0:42:08- No doubt these were all ceremonial rather than everyday use.- They look ceremonial, actually.
0:42:08 > 0:42:12Why are you thinking of selling these, though, today?
0:42:12 > 0:42:17Well, I only live in a very small house and I collect, and you move on.
0:42:17 > 0:42:22And I still have got six other pieces of this to remind me of
0:42:22 > 0:42:25- those times.- Are you interested in art or just Aboriginal?
0:42:25 > 0:42:28Not particularly, I'm into Moorcroft now.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31- I know it's a dirty word but I've got 250 pieces of it.- Have you?
0:42:31 > 0:42:33Oh, yes, it's only down the road.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36Crikey! Well, I'm pleased you brought this in rather than Moorcroft.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40We've not seen things like this before and it excites me. Right.
0:42:40 > 0:42:45Let's get to the valuation, the business end of the conversation. I think
0:42:45 > 0:42:47they should go into auction as a collection.
0:42:47 > 0:42:52If someone wants to buy this beautiful piece, they're going to want that one and that one.
0:42:52 > 0:42:58- There's a lot of Darwin's social history here and it should stay together.- Indeed, indeed.
0:42:58 > 0:43:02I'd like to put a value of £300 to £500 on the whole lot.
0:43:02 > 0:43:07If we have a lot of excitement pre the sale, Adam can use his discretion and split them up.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10- Absolutely.- But this is where it gets exciting.
0:43:10 > 0:43:14Whatever you do, don't go away. Let's watch this lot go under the hammer.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24Well, Roy, I love what you've brought in to Flog It today.
0:43:24 > 0:43:28- A Hornby train, a clockwork train. - Yes.
0:43:28 > 0:43:32Now, it looks in remarkable condition, bearing in mind its age.
0:43:32 > 0:43:34Has it not been played with or...?
0:43:34 > 0:43:38Not been played with since my dad left it to me and I don't think he played with it much.
0:43:38 > 0:43:40- So it was your father's?- It was.
0:43:40 > 0:43:46- So this is going to date from around that sort of... The late '20s.- I think so, yeah.
0:43:46 > 0:43:53- It's possibly early '30s. I think you've done some research, haven't you?- Yes. It was 1929.
0:43:53 > 0:43:58Frank Hornby, he brought out this range of toys
0:43:58 > 0:44:01under the banner of Hornby
0:44:01 > 0:44:04as British toys for British boys.
0:44:04 > 0:44:10And we can see that here you've got two rather nice carriages,
0:44:10 > 0:44:13each named - Arcadia with the crest, here.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16- They look like first-class carriages.- They do, yeah.
0:44:16 > 0:44:21- And then you've got this LMS, I suppose it's a...- Horsebox.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23- A horsebox, something like that. - Yeah.
0:44:23 > 0:44:27- And then this little working crane. - A rig, yeah.
0:44:27 > 0:44:31What's nice about them, though, is you've got this original transfer printing
0:44:31 > 0:44:34and the original paintwork to the carriages.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37- Passed down to you from your father.- Yeah.
0:44:37 > 0:44:40No grandchildren? No children you could pass it on to?
0:44:40 > 0:44:46- I've got one son and he's never shown any interest.- He might when you tell him what it's worth.
0:44:46 > 0:44:49- He might take an interest.- He's had it. It's going to the lounge fund.
0:44:49 > 0:44:53- The lounge fund?- Yes. - Nice comfy chair?- New ceiling.
0:44:53 > 0:44:57- New ceiling?- And decorating. - Serious work, then.- It is.
0:44:57 > 0:45:02Well, I think, you know, estimate wise, let's see if we can get close to your new ceiling.
0:45:02 > 0:45:06I would think... I mean, there are some chips and some slight losses.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09It has been played with but the basics are there.
0:45:09 > 0:45:12I would say you're looking at £200-300.
0:45:12 > 0:45:14- I don't know how you feel about that?- Yeah, fine, fine.
0:45:14 > 0:45:18You're happy with that? Shall we reserve it at that bottom figure?
0:45:18 > 0:45:20Yeah, I think so. 200, yeah.
0:45:20 > 0:45:24So let's say 200 with discretion, 10% either way for the auctioneer.
0:45:24 > 0:45:27So he'll sell it at £180, that sort of level.
0:45:27 > 0:45:31- But I'm confident that on the day, we should get more.- More for it.
0:45:31 > 0:45:33- Thanks.- See you on the day.- We will.
0:45:39 > 0:45:44- This is a lovely little, what I would call, apprentice piece, chest of drawers.- Yes.
0:45:44 > 0:45:46Is it a family piece?
0:45:46 > 0:45:50It is, yes. It came from my paternal grandfather's when he passed away
0:45:50 > 0:45:54in 1938, and he migrated from
0:45:54 > 0:46:01Cornwall in 1860 to Nantwich, when the local malting works down the road was in its full production.
0:46:01 > 0:46:04So it's quite feasible it came with him from Cornwall.
0:46:04 > 0:46:11- Right. And do you remember this as a boy then?- Yes, I remember it because it came with a big sea chest, yes.
0:46:11 > 0:46:13Why have you brought it today?
0:46:13 > 0:46:18To get it valued and exactly to see what it is, more than anything.
0:46:18 > 0:46:23OK. Well, it's quite intriguing, I think, because we've got quite a lot of different materials here.
0:46:23 > 0:46:28I think this was made by a carpenter who was making chests of drawers as
0:46:28 > 0:46:35a living, he was making pieces of furniture, and he may well have made this little piece to take round
0:46:35 > 0:46:41and show prospective clients, to see what sort of piece they would like him to make for them.
0:46:41 > 0:46:46Because what we've got here is a very plain pine carcass.
0:46:46 > 0:46:49- Oh, yes, very simple. - A very affordable softwood.
0:46:49 > 0:46:53But then on the front we've got veneers of different woods, and at the top here,
0:46:53 > 0:46:59these two little drawers have got amboyna, a really exotic rich wood.
0:46:59 > 0:47:04If we put that one back and look further down, we've got a polished oak veneer,
0:47:04 > 0:47:07hen further down a different wood again, the third drawer
0:47:07 > 0:47:11down, and I think that's probably beech, looking at the flecking in it.
0:47:11 > 0:47:17It's certainly not oak. And then the last long drawer at the bottom there we've got an oak veneer again.
0:47:17 > 0:47:21So I think the cabinetmaker would have taken this little piece along
0:47:21 > 0:47:24to prospective clients, and shown it to him and said,
0:47:24 > 0:47:30I can make it for you with an amboyna veneer or an oak veneer, and showed him the different examples.
0:47:30 > 0:47:34And I think they would probably be different price bandings
0:47:34 > 0:47:40accordingly because amboyna would be a very expensive and perhaps the oak and beech less expensive.
0:47:40 > 0:47:46- Yes.- And it's standing on these lovely little turned feet, which are rather sweet.
0:47:46 > 0:47:50Those little feet together with the moulding on the top makes me think
0:47:50 > 0:47:54- that it's around 1860, 1870, so late Victorian in date.- Very good.
0:47:54 > 0:47:57So what about value, have you any idea, sir?
0:47:57 > 0:47:59No idea whatsoever.
0:47:59 > 0:48:03OK. Well, I think if we put this into an auction for you shortly,
0:48:03 > 0:48:06I think we'd be looking at anything between £100 and £200.
0:48:06 > 0:48:13- Very good.- So I think a fair auction estimate would be 100 to 150, we'll put a reserve of around £100 for you
0:48:13 > 0:48:16so it doesn't go for less than that, and I think you might well find some
0:48:16 > 0:48:20collectors really bidding against each other to win this little piece.
0:48:20 > 0:48:23- Very good.- Thank you very much for bringing it along.
0:48:23 > 0:48:25Thank you for explaining to me.
0:48:25 > 0:48:30Jeffrey's apprentice piece joins the other items we're taking to auction,
0:48:30 > 0:48:36but before we see if they sell well, let's have a chat with Adam about the collection of Aboriginal art.
0:48:36 > 0:48:39I'm such a big fan of ethnic art, and when David came into
0:48:39 > 0:48:44- the valuation day, I threw myself at this Aboriginal art. - I can imagine it. Yeah.
0:48:44 > 0:48:46It was too much to take in, really!
0:48:46 > 0:48:50I put £300 to £500 on the whole lot and I said
0:48:50 > 0:48:53likely Adam will have a closer look and then decide to split them.
0:48:53 > 0:48:55- A sensible estimate.- Good.
0:48:55 > 0:49:00We've split them into lots as I think these are the strongest, and I've done these three first.
0:49:00 > 0:49:03Hopefully those will make the 300, and then we can...
0:49:03 > 0:49:05- Whatever's left will make up the difference.- Yeah.
0:49:05 > 0:49:12I would love these three panels to double our estimate, that's what I'm secretly hoping for, and they all go
0:49:12 > 0:49:19back to Australia so they can be viewed by young Australians as part of their social heritage.
0:49:19 > 0:49:22Absolutely right. I really hope they do very well.
0:49:22 > 0:49:26- We've had 30 or 40 emails on them. - They're going back to Australia.
0:49:26 > 0:49:29- They are.- How much money? We're going to find out.
0:49:29 > 0:49:34Adam's just about to get on the rostrum so whatever you do, don't go away.
0:49:34 > 0:49:37Other items we're selling alongside the Aboriginal art are
0:49:37 > 0:49:41a collection of two elegant watches and a mourning brooch,
0:49:41 > 0:49:44their owner Richard is taking a real gamble with this lot.
0:49:44 > 0:49:46Are we reserving at the bottom figure?
0:49:46 > 0:49:48No, I would like to get shot of it.
0:49:48 > 0:49:51Roy's Hornby train set has been languishing unloved
0:49:51 > 0:49:54in the attic, but now it's heading off for a new destination.
0:49:57 > 0:50:00And having travelled all the way from Cornwall to Nantwich,
0:50:00 > 0:50:05where will Jeffrey's chest of drawers end up after the auction?
0:50:05 > 0:50:08Your bid 220... I'll take 230.
0:50:08 > 0:50:13This next item is a classic example of something that's been left in the loft for 25 years,
0:50:13 > 0:50:14untouched and boxed.
0:50:14 > 0:50:16It belongs to Roy, it's a Hornby train set.
0:50:16 > 0:50:20- A typical kind of attic thing, isn't it?- It is, yeah.
0:50:20 > 0:50:23It's great. If you've stopped playing with it or you don't want to use it,
0:50:23 > 0:50:27store it away, it doesn't take up much space, put it in the attic.
0:50:27 > 0:50:2825 years later...
0:50:28 > 0:50:32- We moved it three attics. - Three attics?- Yes!
0:50:32 > 0:50:36Well, 25 years later, it's worth, hopefully, £300, maybe more.
0:50:36 > 0:50:38- We've put 200-300 on it, haven't we? - Yeah.
0:50:38 > 0:50:41I think the carriages are sort of where the value is.
0:50:41 > 0:50:43Nice that it's in its box.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46Anyway, it's going under the hammer, Roy. Good luck.
0:50:46 > 0:50:49A good Hornby train set, this one and I'll sure you'll agree
0:50:49 > 0:50:51and I've got a range of bids again.
0:50:51 > 0:50:54And I suppose that means I can start at £280 bid.
0:50:54 > 0:50:58- 290 now, please.- Fingers crossed. - 290, 300, 320.
0:50:58 > 0:51:02- Straight in at £280.- ..380, 400, 420, 440,
0:51:02 > 0:51:05460, 480, 500 and 20. 520 in the room.
0:51:05 > 0:51:08520. Can I see 540 now?
0:51:08 > 0:51:11At 520. At 520, I like it.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14At 520, we're all done and selling at 520.
0:51:15 > 0:51:17That's absolutely fantastic.
0:51:17 > 0:51:19Don't forget, there's 15% commission to pay here.
0:51:19 > 0:51:23That's more money than we all thought. What are you going to spend it on?
0:51:23 > 0:51:26- Hopefully, my new ceiling, Paul. - How about that?
0:51:26 > 0:51:29- That'll get that, a plasterboard ceiling and a bit of emulsion. - It should.
0:51:29 > 0:51:32You could say, we've hit the roof. I like it. Very good.
0:51:32 > 0:51:35- Or gone through the roof. - Gone through the roof.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44One of my favourite pieces in this sale, a small apprentice
0:51:44 > 0:51:47piece, it's a chest of drawers, showing off a young man's skill.
0:51:47 > 0:51:50And it belongs to Jeffrey and it was his grandpop's.
0:51:50 > 0:51:54Now your grandpop had great skills, he was an apprentice, but not in woodwork.
0:51:54 > 0:51:56No, definitely not, no.
0:51:56 > 0:52:00It's a family trade cos you've all been in the welding business, haven't you?
0:52:00 > 0:52:04All been in the heavy engineering, the local works at Crewe, yes.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06But there's history in that chest of drawers.
0:52:06 > 0:52:11- Oh, there is, yes. - And I think at 100 to 150, Jeffrey's going to say goodbye to it.
0:52:11 > 0:52:16I hope so, it's just a little bit different having that range of veneers on the front there to show
0:52:16 > 0:52:19- off what he could make. - Good luck, Jeffrey,
0:52:19 > 0:52:22Kate. The little chest of drawers are going under the hammer
0:52:22 > 0:52:25right now, let's hope Adam can get the top end of the estimate.
0:52:25 > 0:52:28It's the apprentice-made miniature chest, 19th-century with
0:52:28 > 0:52:32specimen veneered drawers, amboyna and oak and various timbers there.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35I can start with a bid of £100... take 10, £100 is bid...
0:52:35 > 0:52:37is there 10 for the miniature chest?
0:52:37 > 0:52:40At £100... any more? Come on, it's worth a bit more.
0:52:40 > 0:52:43At £100. Are you all done? At £100 for the miniature chest.
0:52:43 > 0:52:45It's gone, though.
0:52:45 > 0:52:47At £100... you're all finished then at £100?
0:52:47 > 0:52:51Short and sweet at £100, we sell then.
0:52:51 > 0:52:55It's gone straight in and straight out. £100, Jeffrey.
0:52:55 > 0:52:57- Right.- We sold it.
0:52:57 > 0:52:59- Yes, it went.- It did.
0:52:59 > 0:53:02There is commission to pay, it's 15%, but hopefully there's enough
0:53:02 > 0:53:06money left for to treat your wife to supper or something like that.
0:53:06 > 0:53:10Yes, I always pass the money on to my wife.
0:53:10 > 0:53:13- Always pass the money on to the wife.- Sensible man.
0:53:14 > 0:53:20£50... 50 is bid, take five, at 50 I have... 55 now? 55.
0:53:20 > 0:53:22Richard, you're playing with fire.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25There's no reserve on this lot and it's a mixed lot.
0:53:25 > 0:53:30There's a silver watch, a gold watch, some pearls. What's going on, no reserve?
0:53:30 > 0:53:34What happens if we only get a £20 bid in the auction room?
0:53:34 > 0:53:39Oh, don't say that. No, I'm confident, and today gold and silver's been selling well.
0:53:39 > 0:53:42Well, surely this package, these three things put together,
0:53:42 > 0:53:45we've got to be looking at around £200 or £150.
0:53:45 > 0:53:48Yeah, I think we said sort of round £150, didn't we?
0:53:48 > 0:53:50- 150 you quoted.- That's right, yes.
0:53:50 > 0:53:53How did you let him get away with no reserve?
0:53:53 > 0:53:57- Well, he's just got this smiling face.- Yeah, I can turn it on.
0:53:57 > 0:53:58Charmer, isn't he?
0:53:58 > 0:54:01But things like these find their level, you know?
0:54:01 > 0:54:05It's going to sell for what it's worth, fingers crossed, otherwise I am in trouble.
0:54:05 > 0:54:07- Personally I've no idea. - No, nor have I.
0:54:09 > 0:54:12Me neither. I'll tell you one way to find out.
0:54:12 > 0:54:15We are going to find out right now.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18Let's hope Adam works some magic. Good luck both of you.
0:54:18 > 0:54:21Which is a Victorian 9-carat gold mourning brooch,
0:54:21 > 0:54:25an Art Deco 18-carat gold lady's wristwatch,
0:54:25 > 0:54:29and an Art Deco marquisette lapel cocktail watch, what do we say for these?
0:54:29 > 0:54:31Couple of hundred?
0:54:31 > 0:54:34£100 bid... 10 now, at £100...
0:54:34 > 0:54:36Come on, some bidding, I want 110...
0:54:36 > 0:54:40120, 130... 140, 150... 160, 170...
0:54:40 > 0:54:43160 bid... 170, 170... 180, 190...
0:54:43 > 0:54:48200, 210... 220, 210 the bid.
0:54:48 > 0:54:51At 210 now, 210... any more, are you all done?
0:54:51 > 0:54:56At 210. All finished at 210, hammer's up, 210.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00Phew, well done.
0:55:00 > 0:55:04- Both of you took a gamble, it paid off.- It is.
0:55:04 > 0:55:08I'm as pleased as you are that that made mid-estimate on what we said.
0:55:08 > 0:55:09She'd be pleased if she was here.
0:55:09 > 0:55:12- Brilliant.- Yes, good. You were, really.- Brave man.
0:55:19 > 0:55:22I've been looking forward to this, the Aboriginal art.
0:55:22 > 0:55:25- We've got a packed house here. - We certainly have.
0:55:25 > 0:55:31But I'd like to think there's a few phone lines booked from Australia, lots of internet interest.
0:55:31 > 0:55:35I talked to Adam prior to the sale, he has split
0:55:35 > 0:55:40the whole lot up now, selling them separately. Good luck, here we go.
0:55:40 > 0:55:42Lot no. 80 is the first one,
0:55:42 > 0:55:46the bark panel painted with natural earth pigments by Wandi-Wandi.
0:55:46 > 0:55:51120 I have... at 120 here, is there 130 now anywhere? At 120...
0:55:51 > 0:55:56130 on this phone, is there 140... 140, 150...
0:55:56 > 0:56:00160, 170, 180.
0:56:00 > 0:56:03This is a good sign, this is a good sign.
0:56:03 > 0:56:05170 on this phone here...
0:56:05 > 0:56:07all done now 170, we sell at 170.
0:56:07 > 0:56:12It's £170, that's the first item, here we go with the second lot.
0:56:12 > 0:56:17- Goana and snakes hunting by Wally Puru.- Another phone line.
0:56:17 > 0:56:20- Um-hm.- Hopefully that's Darwin at the other end.
0:56:20 > 0:56:22At 180, all done now.
0:56:22 > 0:56:24- £180.- Oh, lovely, isn't that nice.
0:56:24 > 0:56:27- Third one to go. - There we are, the last one, 210.
0:56:27 > 0:56:29Fantastic.
0:56:29 > 0:56:31220? At 210 with Sue's phone...
0:56:31 > 0:56:36At 210, are you all done on this one now? 210.
0:56:36 > 0:56:38And the hammer down on 210.
0:56:38 > 0:56:40180 on the phone here, 180 for the killing stick.
0:56:40 > 0:56:44180, all done at £180.
0:56:44 > 0:56:50There's the fourth lot, £180. This is great.
0:56:50 > 0:56:56130, 140. 150, 160...
0:56:56 > 0:56:59170, 170 on this phone. Same buyer.
0:56:59 > 0:57:03That's £170 for the didgeridoo, this is fantastic.
0:57:03 > 0:57:05We've sold everything so far, this is the last lot.
0:57:05 > 0:57:08And the final one is the wooden spear in the form of a snake,
0:57:08 > 0:57:10There we are there, 300...
0:57:10 > 0:57:16320, 400 on the spear.
0:57:16 > 0:57:20500, 560, 580.
0:57:20 > 0:57:22- That's incredible.- Yes.
0:57:22 > 0:57:24- 600...- £600!
0:57:24 > 0:57:28620... 640, yeah?
0:57:28 > 0:57:32620 with Sue's phone, £620...
0:57:32 > 0:57:34- Anyone in the room want a go now? At 620... - LAUGHTER
0:57:34 > 0:57:39All done now at 620, we sell this lot 620.
0:57:39 > 0:57:43Yes! Well, the hammer's gone down, £620.
0:57:43 > 0:57:47- We've sold all of those lots, David. - APPLAUSE
0:57:47 > 0:57:49How fabulous is that?
0:57:49 > 0:57:54- That got a round of applause. A grand total of £1,530.- Wow.
0:57:54 > 0:57:58- What are you going to do with that? - It's going to be divided into two.
0:57:58 > 0:58:01One is to WaterAid and the other is
0:58:01 > 0:58:04- to the Salvation Army.- All the money is going to two charities?
0:58:04 > 0:58:06- Half each. - That's very generous of you, David.
0:58:06 > 0:58:08No, not at all. It's all your work.
0:58:08 > 0:58:11- Thank you so much for bringing this in.- My pleasure.
0:58:11 > 0:58:15If you've got something like that at home, we want to see you at one of our valuation days.
0:58:15 > 0:58:20Check the details in your local press, because we're coming to a place near you soon.
0:58:20 > 0:58:22From Cheshire and Adam Partridge's Auction Rooms
0:58:22 > 0:58:25- it's goodbye from David and myself. - Bye-bye.
0:58:34 > 0:58:37Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd