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This is St Petroc's Church in Cornwall and it's one of the largest churches in the county. | 0:00:05 | 0:00:09 | |
It's a Grade I listed building and it's big enough to fit the entire Flog It crew inside and | 0:00:09 | 0:00:14 | |
this massive crowd that have come to ask that all important question, which is... | 0:00:14 | 0:00:18 | |
ALL: What's it worth? | 0:00:18 | 0:00:20 | |
-And when you've found out, what are you going to do? -Flog it! | 0:00:20 | 0:00:23 | |
Largely rebuilt in the 15th century, this church has its own treasure tale. | 0:00:44 | 0:00:49 | |
The relics of St Petroc were hidden during the Reformation and | 0:00:49 | 0:00:52 | |
they were only rediscovered here | 0:00:52 | 0:00:54 | |
over the porch of this parish church four centuries later. | 0:00:54 | 0:00:58 | |
That's quite incredible! | 0:00:58 | 0:01:00 | |
Our booty is likely to be much more modest and probably not as well hidden, | 0:01:00 | 0:01:04 | |
but on hand are experts Catherine Southon and Mark Stacey and we're hoping their eagle eyes | 0:01:04 | 0:01:09 | |
will uncover at least some surprises for us and our owners. | 0:01:09 | 0:01:14 | |
Well, it is now 9.30, it's time to open the doors and get this massive crowd inside. | 0:01:17 | 0:01:21 | |
As everyone takes to their seats, | 0:01:22 | 0:01:24 | |
all that hunting in the queue has paid off. | 0:01:24 | 0:01:26 | |
Mark has managed to find something | 0:01:26 | 0:01:28 | |
that looks perfectly at home in these surroundings. | 0:01:28 | 0:01:31 | |
-Hello, Margaret. -Hello, Mark. | 0:01:33 | 0:01:34 | |
Well, we're in a church, a wonderful church here in Bodmin. | 0:01:34 | 0:01:37 | |
-It is. -And you've brought in something very appropriate. | 0:01:37 | 0:01:40 | |
Now, tell me where you got it from? | 0:01:40 | 0:01:42 | |
Well, it's been in our family for as long as I can remember, | 0:01:42 | 0:01:45 | |
but I think my grandmother, who was Portuguese but born in India... | 0:01:45 | 0:01:50 | |
-Oh, right. -..must have brought it over when she came. | 0:01:50 | 0:01:53 | |
-Right. -And it's just been there and when I moved into my own home, my mother said did I want it, so... | 0:01:53 | 0:01:59 | |
Well, it was quite interesting because as soon as I saw it | 0:01:59 | 0:02:03 | |
I thought it was a continental version of Mary, | 0:02:03 | 0:02:05 | |
-or as she is now wearing the crown Mary Queen of Heaven. -Yeah. | 0:02:05 | 0:02:09 | |
I think it's a very Catholic-type figure. | 0:02:09 | 0:02:11 | |
You think of southern Europe for these type of figures where people are a lot more religious | 0:02:11 | 0:02:17 | |
and have a lot more shrines at home than we did in the United Kingdom. | 0:02:17 | 0:02:20 | |
And you've had it for how long now? | 0:02:20 | 0:02:22 | |
Well, getting on for 60 years I should say. | 0:02:22 | 0:02:26 | |
Well, I think it's probably 19th century, it's going back | 0:02:26 | 0:02:29 | |
to the 19th century, which I think is quite interesting. | 0:02:29 | 0:02:32 | |
These little religious artefacts can be quite collectable. | 0:02:32 | 0:02:35 | |
There is a little bit of damage on the circular base, but I think we've got this nice little gilt metal. | 0:02:35 | 0:02:40 | |
I don't think it's gold. | 0:02:40 | 0:02:41 | |
-No, nor do I. -I think it's gilt-based metal. -Yeah. | 0:02:41 | 0:02:44 | |
But she is beautifully carved through and I think somebody who's a specialist in this type of wares | 0:02:44 | 0:02:50 | |
would quite like it, either a collector or a specialist dealer and that's why I've chosen it. | 0:02:50 | 0:02:55 | |
-Plus, of course, it's quite nice to have something which fits in with the location so well. -Yes, yes. | 0:02:55 | 0:03:01 | |
You've obviously had it a fair while. | 0:03:01 | 0:03:04 | |
Why have you decided to sell it with us today? | 0:03:04 | 0:03:07 | |
Well, we've always liked Flog It and when we saw it was in the area we thought, "What can I bring?" and | 0:03:07 | 0:03:12 | |
I've always been a bit interested in, you know, | 0:03:12 | 0:03:15 | |
its origins and I thought, "Well, let's see what they say, really." | 0:03:15 | 0:03:18 | |
Well, I think if we were putting it into auction, I would say maybe around £100 to £150. | 0:03:18 | 0:03:23 | |
I'm amazed at that, I really am. | 0:03:23 | 0:03:25 | |
-Really? -I am, yes. | 0:03:25 | 0:03:27 | |
-Well, we'll put the reserve at £100, with a 10% discretion, if that's OK with you? -Yeah, yeah. | 0:03:27 | 0:03:32 | |
I would hope that if two people liked it, we should get between the 100 and 150. | 0:03:32 | 0:03:36 | |
-I am amazed. -But we'll guarantee it with a reserve of 90. | 0:03:36 | 0:03:39 | |
-Fine. -So if it doesn't sell for that then you can take it back home and live with it. | 0:03:39 | 0:03:44 | |
-Yes. -But I really hope it does well. | 0:03:44 | 0:03:45 | |
-Yeah. Thank you very much. -We've showed the vicar and he quite liked it. | 0:03:45 | 0:03:49 | |
-He did like it. He even took a picture of it. -Oh, did he? -Yes, he did! | 0:03:49 | 0:03:53 | |
That could be divine intervention. | 0:03:53 | 0:03:55 | |
Maybe, who knows? | 0:03:55 | 0:03:57 | |
Angela, welcome to Flog It. | 0:04:08 | 0:04:10 | |
I love Teddy bears, so thank you very much for bringing along this beautiful example. | 0:04:10 | 0:04:15 | |
Tell me about him. | 0:04:15 | 0:04:16 | |
-Where did you get from? -Well actually, he belonged to my husband. | 0:04:16 | 0:04:20 | |
I think he had it for his sort of second or third birthday, something like that. | 0:04:20 | 0:04:24 | |
-Fantastic, so he went everywhere with him? -Yes. | 0:04:24 | 0:04:27 | |
-When he travelled, Teddy came too. -Yes. | 0:04:27 | 0:04:29 | |
And he looks like he has been well loved. I can see here a little... | 0:04:29 | 0:04:33 | |
-A little bit of wear here. -Yes. | 0:04:33 | 0:04:35 | |
Tell me, do you know anything about the history of the bear? | 0:04:35 | 0:04:38 | |
No, apart from the fact that I was told that he was a Farnell. | 0:04:38 | 0:04:44 | |
-Farnell. -Yes. -Right. | 0:04:44 | 0:04:45 | |
Well, I think he could well be a Farnell bear. | 0:04:45 | 0:04:49 | |
-Unfortunately, there's no label or anything to tell us that. -He had a label. | 0:04:49 | 0:04:53 | |
Ah yes, I can see, yeah. So it is quite possible | 0:04:53 | 0:04:56 | |
the label was here and it may have well have said Farnell. | 0:04:56 | 0:05:00 | |
Farnell were making bears from 1908 right up until the '60s. | 0:05:00 | 0:05:05 | |
Now this bear, I would probably date to about 1930s, so when was your husband born? | 0:05:05 | 0:05:10 | |
-1935. -So, 1935. So that sort of ties in quite nicely. So, 1930s. | 0:05:10 | 0:05:15 | |
As I say, they were making from 1908 and Farnell was known | 0:05:15 | 0:05:20 | |
as the English Steiff, Steiff being the German make. | 0:05:20 | 0:05:24 | |
Farnell often adopted quite a lot of the Steiff characteristics, | 0:05:24 | 0:05:28 | |
this lovely pronounced snout here and the lovely nicely sewn nose. | 0:05:28 | 0:05:34 | |
He certainly is pre-war, 1930s, because pre-war bears often had these longer limbs. | 0:05:34 | 0:05:40 | |
After the war, we seen much shorter limbs and they start to get the sort of... | 0:05:40 | 0:05:44 | |
They lose the pronounced snout and they get the sort of flatter nose. | 0:05:44 | 0:05:49 | |
You can see here as well the lovely glass eyes. | 0:05:49 | 0:05:52 | |
I mean, the fact that he is very well travelled, I think he is actually in quite good condition. | 0:05:52 | 0:05:58 | |
-Quite often we see that these have been very well worn and sometimes they've been restitched. -Yes. | 0:05:58 | 0:06:04 | |
But he seems to have all his original stitching and | 0:06:04 | 0:06:07 | |
it's that lovely colour, this lovely blonde colour which people often go for. | 0:06:07 | 0:06:12 | |
I've also noticed here he's got the lovely centre seam which is another feature | 0:06:12 | 0:06:17 | |
that we find with the Steiff bears. | 0:06:17 | 0:06:20 | |
I would probably like to say value wise, he... | 0:06:20 | 0:06:24 | |
I mean, bears unfortunately aren't making as good prices as they used to in, say, the '90s, | 0:06:24 | 0:06:29 | |
but value wise, I would probably like to see him still fetch between £100 to £150. | 0:06:29 | 0:06:34 | |
-How does that sound? -Yeah, that would be fine. Yes. | 0:06:34 | 0:06:38 | |
I would like to see us put a reserve on of £90. | 0:06:38 | 0:06:41 | |
-Yeah. -I don't think he should go for any less than that. | 0:06:41 | 0:06:44 | |
He's a lovely bear in great condition. We'll see what happens at the auction. | 0:06:44 | 0:06:48 | |
-Fingers crossed. -Thank you, Angela. It's been lovely to meet you. -Thank you very much. | 0:06:48 | 0:06:53 | |
Pat, thank you for popping in today. | 0:07:02 | 0:07:04 | |
And what do you think of our location? | 0:07:04 | 0:07:07 | |
-It is the largest parish church in... -It's the largest parish church in Cornwall. Yeah. | 0:07:07 | 0:07:11 | |
-So you're local to Bodmin? -I live in Bodmin. | 0:07:11 | 0:07:13 | |
-How long have you been in Cornwall? -Since 1964. | 0:07:13 | 0:07:17 | |
-Is your house full of lovely things like this? -I just like old things. | 0:07:17 | 0:07:21 | |
I don't mind if they're lovely or not, or expensive or not. | 0:07:21 | 0:07:24 | |
As long as they're old. This is a lovely little sampler. It's absolutely divine. | 0:07:24 | 0:07:28 | |
What's the history to you? | 0:07:28 | 0:07:30 | |
Well, all I can tell you is I've known it all my life. | 0:07:30 | 0:07:33 | |
It was in my family home where I grew up, but the origin before that, I honestly don't know. | 0:07:33 | 0:07:39 | |
Galloway sounds a Scottish name. | 0:07:39 | 0:07:41 | |
It does. It's not a Cornish one. | 0:07:41 | 0:07:43 | |
-My mother was Scottish, so I think maybe it came... -Somewhere along the lines. -Yes, some old cousin. | 0:07:43 | 0:07:48 | |
It's by Elizabeth Galloway and it was done in 1814. It's a shame that she hasn't put aged 11 or aged 13. | 0:07:48 | 0:07:54 | |
-I know. -And this was a wonderful skill that was taught to young girls of the day. | 0:07:54 | 0:08:00 | |
The discipline in getting these stitches so right is an art form. | 0:08:00 | 0:08:04 | |
And this was taught to young girls by the seamstress of the house to teach needlework skills, | 0:08:04 | 0:08:11 | |
discipline and a way of educating and learning. | 0:08:11 | 0:08:14 | |
And to think that an eight to ten-year-old could sit down and do all this cross stitching and | 0:08:14 | 0:08:20 | |
get that in such a perfect straight line. | 0:08:20 | 0:08:23 | |
It's lost some of its chromatic hue. | 0:08:23 | 0:08:25 | |
-It's been in the sun somewhere, hasn't it? -Well, yes. | 0:08:25 | 0:08:28 | |
Not with me. I've had it back to the window always, but when it's as old as that, I suppose over the years... | 0:08:28 | 0:08:33 | |
It's faded a bit, but otherwise it's fantastic. | 0:08:33 | 0:08:36 | |
It's got its house for symmetry. It's got its two trees. | 0:08:36 | 0:08:39 | |
Also, looking here, there's the initials... | 0:08:39 | 0:08:41 | |
I can't make out what that is but it's something G, and that one's AG, so that must be Elizabeth's parents. | 0:08:41 | 0:08:47 | |
Parents, I would think so. I'd think so. | 0:08:47 | 0:08:50 | |
-I have seen some that have come up in auction that were done by boys. -Really? | 0:08:50 | 0:08:54 | |
They're extremely rare and when they do, | 0:08:54 | 0:08:56 | |
they fetch an awful lot of money, they're up in the thousands. | 0:08:56 | 0:08:59 | |
We can, we can sew, but we're just a bit lazy. | 0:08:59 | 0:09:02 | |
-Yes. -I think our fingers are too fat. | 0:09:02 | 0:09:04 | |
But that's fantastic. | 0:09:04 | 0:09:05 | |
There's a couple of holes in there. | 0:09:05 | 0:09:08 | |
-Yeah. -There's one or two up there I've just noticed. | 0:09:08 | 0:09:11 | |
-Yeah, I had noticed those. -Also just there, look. -Oh, yes. | 0:09:11 | 0:09:15 | |
There's two there. | 0:09:15 | 0:09:16 | |
But I've got to say, looking at the back... | 0:09:16 | 0:09:19 | |
Is it in a dreadful condition? | 0:09:19 | 0:09:20 | |
-It's... No, this is what the collectors like. -Yeah. | 0:09:20 | 0:09:23 | |
A lot of textile dealers and interior designers and decorators will love this. | 0:09:23 | 0:09:27 | |
-They'll look at the back and they'll say, "That's never been touched or renewed." -That's true. | 0:09:27 | 0:09:32 | |
-No. -"That's just come from the wall of the house where it's sat for the last 100 years", | 0:09:32 | 0:09:37 | |
and that's what people will be buying into, the social history of this. | 0:09:37 | 0:09:41 | |
Especially if their name is Galloway or they know someone named Galloway, that's going to put the price up. | 0:09:41 | 0:09:46 | |
I think we could put this into the sale with a value of £250 to £350 | 0:09:46 | 0:09:50 | |
-and I'd like to see it do that top end. Fixed reserve at £250. -Yes. | 0:09:50 | 0:09:56 | |
-And hopefully we'll get 350 plus. -That will be very nice indeed. | 0:09:56 | 0:10:00 | |
-I can't wait to see you at the auction. -No, I can't wait to see you either. | 0:10:00 | 0:10:04 | |
-Roy. -Hi. -Welcome to Flog It. -Nice to meet you. | 0:10:12 | 0:10:15 | |
And thank you for bringing along these three beautiful tortoiseshell boxes. | 0:10:15 | 0:10:19 | |
-Tell me a little bit about them. Where did you get them from? -They came from my wife's mother | 0:10:19 | 0:10:24 | |
and I think they came from her mother. | 0:10:24 | 0:10:25 | |
But it seems a shame that we never really have anywhere to put them to display them that well, you know... | 0:10:25 | 0:10:31 | |
-So your wife remembered them as a child? -Yeah, yeah. | 0:10:31 | 0:10:34 | |
See them in a glass cabinet, you know? Was not allowed to touch, you know? | 0:10:34 | 0:10:38 | |
Oh, absolutely. Well, I'm glad she didn't touch, because they are in absolutely perfect condition. | 0:10:38 | 0:10:43 | |
Let's just have a look at them. | 0:10:43 | 0:10:45 | |
First of all, we've got two lovely snuff boxes. | 0:10:45 | 0:10:48 | |
This one obviously slightly larger. | 0:10:48 | 0:10:50 | |
Gentleman would have put their snuff in here, taken... | 0:10:50 | 0:10:52 | |
Perhaps put it in their pocket, taken it out, take a little bit of snuff. | 0:10:52 | 0:10:58 | |
What I like about this is the colour of the tortoiseshell. | 0:10:58 | 0:11:01 | |
-It's beautiful, isn't it? -It's that really beautiful colour here and it looks to be in pristine condition. | 0:11:01 | 0:11:07 | |
This obviously splits and cracks so easily, but in really lovely, lovely order. | 0:11:07 | 0:11:12 | |
And we've got four beautiful turned ivory finials here. | 0:11:12 | 0:11:16 | |
-And this one, I love the shape of this first of all. -It's gorgeous, isn't it? | 0:11:16 | 0:11:21 | |
Oh, it's absolutely lovely. | 0:11:21 | 0:11:23 | |
Let's open this up. | 0:11:23 | 0:11:24 | |
And we can see a little thimble holder. | 0:11:24 | 0:11:27 | |
-Wonderful. -Beautiful. | 0:11:27 | 0:11:29 | |
-So we've got ivory all around the edge there. I mean, date wise I'd say about 1830s on this. -Right. | 0:11:29 | 0:11:36 | |
-So that probably coincides with your family. -Yeah. -Why is it...? | 0:11:36 | 0:11:40 | |
Why do you want to sell these? | 0:11:40 | 0:11:43 | |
Well, it seems a shame to be just tucked away. | 0:11:43 | 0:11:45 | |
I think somebody would appreciate them, you know, that collects that type of thing before they get to | 0:11:45 | 0:11:51 | |
-the point of central heating getting at them or something like that. -Absolutely. | 0:11:51 | 0:11:55 | |
It is a material that does crack, it does damage quite easily. | 0:11:55 | 0:11:58 | |
Collectors will go for these because they are in superb condition and | 0:11:58 | 0:12:01 | |
the three of them work so nicely together. | 0:12:01 | 0:12:03 | |
Have you any idea on value of these? | 0:12:03 | 0:12:06 | |
I would have thought over £100, maybe two, but, I don't know. It depends. | 0:12:07 | 0:12:12 | |
And I know they are collectable and they are in good, you know, very good condition. | 0:12:12 | 0:12:17 | |
Mint condition, I would say. In perfect condition. | 0:12:17 | 0:12:19 | |
What I would do is put the three together because they do work together rather nicely, | 0:12:19 | 0:12:24 | |
probably put an estimate on of about 150 to 250. | 0:12:24 | 0:12:27 | |
I think we should fix the reserve at 150 because I wouldn't like to see these go any lower than that... | 0:12:27 | 0:12:32 | |
-No. I wouldn't either. -But I would hope they would make more towards the top end of that because | 0:12:32 | 0:12:37 | |
they are some of the best snuff boxes I've seen for a long time. | 0:12:37 | 0:12:40 | |
-Lovely. -And I... I love this! | 0:12:40 | 0:12:42 | |
People are going to go crazy for this. It's superb. | 0:12:42 | 0:12:45 | |
-I hope, I hope. -I hope so, too, and I would like to see them make top estimate. | 0:12:45 | 0:12:49 | |
-Super. -So 150, 250. | 0:12:49 | 0:12:51 | |
-Smashing. Deal. -Are we going to flog them? -Absolutely. -Deal. -Great. -Thanks, Roy. | 0:12:51 | 0:12:55 | |
-Hello, Jan. -Hello, Mark. | 0:13:02 | 0:13:03 | |
I must say, all the women in Cornwall are so glamorously dressed here today. | 0:13:03 | 0:13:07 | |
-Oh, thank you! -Come out in your best outfits to see us! | 0:13:07 | 0:13:10 | |
-Oh, yes. -Wonderful. -Best bib and tucker. | 0:13:10 | 0:13:12 | |
And they've brought some wonderful objects and this is another cracking item, so tell me a bit about it. | 0:13:12 | 0:13:18 | |
It belonged to my late husband's family and, as far as I know, | 0:13:18 | 0:13:24 | |
-it was at one time a pair. -Yes. | 0:13:24 | 0:13:27 | |
But with the large Victorian families, they got separated. | 0:13:27 | 0:13:31 | |
Absolutely. | 0:13:31 | 0:13:33 | |
-Do you like it? -I do like it up, but I'm going on holiday next year. | 0:13:33 | 0:13:38 | |
-Are you? -To China. -Oh! | 0:13:38 | 0:13:39 | |
So I would like a little bit of pocket money. | 0:13:39 | 0:13:43 | |
You haven't got room in a suitcase for a small one, have you? | 0:13:43 | 0:13:46 | |
-Maybe. -Well, if it makes enough money. | 0:13:46 | 0:13:48 | |
-That's right. -I'll tell you a little bit about it because you don't know that much... | 0:13:48 | 0:13:53 | |
-No, no, I don't. -Apart from it's a blue and white vase. -Yes. | 0:13:53 | 0:13:56 | |
It's from a period in English history that we called the aesthetic period. | 0:13:56 | 0:14:00 | |
It's towards the end of the 19th century and we've got influences of | 0:14:00 | 0:14:05 | |
Japan and the Orient here, and we've also got influences of the aesthetic period | 0:14:05 | 0:14:09 | |
-that it incorporated, people like Oscar Wilde, you know, it was that great time of change. -Yes, yes. | 0:14:09 | 0:14:15 | |
Of course, on this side we have these wonderful flowering Prunus, | 0:14:15 | 0:14:19 | |
and that lovely sort of circular willow pattern which looks like a little plate that's stuck on there. | 0:14:19 | 0:14:24 | |
But as we turn it around we see the other side, | 0:14:24 | 0:14:26 | |
again, has got flowering branches, but with these wonderful sort of circular | 0:14:26 | 0:14:31 | |
designs that we call mons, and then you've got this lovely gilt and blue design here and these weird legs. | 0:14:31 | 0:14:36 | |
And this shape, this sort of flattened circular form, is known as a moon flask shape. | 0:14:36 | 0:14:41 | |
In terms of date, as I say, it's right about 1870 I suppose, something like that. | 0:14:41 | 0:14:47 | |
-There's no marks on it as far as we can see... -No, no. | 0:14:47 | 0:14:50 | |
So it's very difficult to pin it down to a factory. | 0:14:50 | 0:14:53 | |
My best guess is between two factories, Doulton or Minton, and | 0:14:53 | 0:14:58 | |
if it was either of those then, you know, they are important factories. | 0:14:58 | 0:15:01 | |
And I like... The quality is there. | 0:15:01 | 0:15:04 | |
-Yes. -You know, the detailing here's wonderful and these lovely little feet it stands on. -Yeah. | 0:15:04 | 0:15:09 | |
I'm not quite sure with the feet because they look as if | 0:15:09 | 0:15:11 | |
-they want to walk off in opposite directions... -Yes. -Don't they? | 0:15:11 | 0:15:14 | |
Now, having said all that, | 0:15:14 | 0:15:17 | |
-what's it worth? -What is it worth? -What are you hoping for? | 0:15:17 | 0:15:20 | |
Well, round about £200 would be very nice. | 0:15:20 | 0:15:24 | |
You are greedy, aren't you? | 0:15:24 | 0:15:26 | |
-You want money for your holiday. -Oh, I do, I do. | 0:15:26 | 0:15:29 | |
I want to tweak it a little bit lower than that. | 0:15:29 | 0:15:32 | |
-I would like to say an estimate of between £150 and £250. -Yes. | 0:15:32 | 0:15:36 | |
-So it which straddles your 200. -Yes. | 0:15:36 | 0:15:37 | |
-With a reserve of 150. -Yes. | 0:15:37 | 0:15:39 | |
-Are you happy for us to do that? -Yes, that's fine. | 0:15:39 | 0:15:42 | |
-We'll put a fixed reserve of 150. -Yes. | 0:15:42 | 0:15:44 | |
Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure to meet you... | 0:15:44 | 0:15:46 | |
-Thank you very much. -And I look forward to seeing you at the auction. -Yes, OK. Lovely, thank you. | 0:15:46 | 0:15:51 | |
The rugged landscape of Cornwall is steeped in tradition, folklore and history | 0:15:55 | 0:16:01 | |
and through the ages, the people have fiercely clung on to their identity and culture. | 0:16:01 | 0:16:06 | |
While some of the long-established industries like mining and fishing are in decline | 0:16:07 | 0:16:11 | |
and the language has virtually disappeared, | 0:16:11 | 0:16:14 | |
there is one traditional pastime that still clings on - Cornish wrestling. | 0:16:14 | 0:16:19 | |
Wrestling is one of the oldest of the martial arts. | 0:16:23 | 0:16:26 | |
Cornish wrestling has its origins far back in time. | 0:16:26 | 0:16:30 | |
It's thought that one of the first wrestling matches here goes back to the days of myths and legends. | 0:16:33 | 0:16:38 | |
Around the year 1,000 BC, Corinaeus, the first chief of Cornwall, defeated a giant named Gog Magog | 0:16:38 | 0:16:45 | |
by throwing him into the sea from Plymouth Hoe. | 0:16:45 | 0:16:48 | |
Wrestling was thought to have derived from hand-to-hand combat | 0:16:51 | 0:16:54 | |
during battle when soldiers got so close together they couldn't use their weapons, | 0:16:54 | 0:16:59 | |
and outside of warfare, soldiers would practise this type of fighting as part of their training. | 0:16:59 | 0:17:04 | |
As testament to the tough nature of the sport, it's traditionally played on grass in all weathers. | 0:17:04 | 0:17:09 | |
Three referees, called sticklers, oversee the contest and keep scores. | 0:17:09 | 0:17:14 | |
Cornish wrestlers had a fierce reputation. | 0:17:17 | 0:17:20 | |
At the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, they led the English army into battle, | 0:17:20 | 0:17:24 | |
and right up until the 19th century, wrestling has been the most popular sport | 0:17:24 | 0:17:28 | |
here in the county, with tens of thousands of people coming to see the wrestlers fight in competitions | 0:17:28 | 0:17:33 | |
and the champions back then would have been household names. | 0:17:33 | 0:17:36 | |
The heyday of Cornish wrestling has sadly gone now, | 0:17:36 | 0:17:40 | |
but it does continue to flourish in a small part of the county, | 0:17:40 | 0:17:45 | |
just a few miles from Bodmin in St Columb. | 0:17:45 | 0:17:47 | |
Historian Gerry Cawley is a retired heavyweight Cornish wrestling champion | 0:17:47 | 0:17:51 | |
and I've come to a historic site in Bodmin to find out what's keeping the sport alive today. | 0:17:51 | 0:17:57 | |
Firstly, Jerry, I've got to ask you - what is the significance of this spot? | 0:17:57 | 0:18:02 | |
Well, this particular site is the area that's been used for the ancient wrestling ring for Bodmin. | 0:18:02 | 0:18:08 | |
We know it's not far from here they had meetings in Saxon times, but for many hundreds of years, | 0:18:08 | 0:18:14 | |
this is the site of the Bodmin wrestling ring. | 0:18:14 | 0:18:18 | |
How has it survived all these years? | 0:18:18 | 0:18:20 | |
Is it a testament to the sort of Cornish character? | 0:18:20 | 0:18:23 | |
Well, in times gone by it was an integral part of Cornish life. | 0:18:23 | 0:18:28 | |
-When the... Before the other modern sports, there was just purely hurling and Cornish wrestling. -Yeah. | 0:18:28 | 0:18:33 | |
And Cornish wrestling being the most popular and the national sport for Cornwall. | 0:18:33 | 0:18:39 | |
Talk me through a typical bout. I mean, how different is it, | 0:18:39 | 0:18:41 | |
let's say, to the wrestling that we see on TV? | 0:18:41 | 0:18:44 | |
Well, there's no choreography. | 0:18:44 | 0:18:47 | |
-OK. -It's real man-to-man wrestling. | 0:18:47 | 0:18:49 | |
The contestants, they strive to pick up the man and throw him cleanly on to his back. | 0:18:49 | 0:18:54 | |
To better understand the subtleties of Cornish wrestling, I need to get to grips with the rules, literally. | 0:18:54 | 0:19:00 | |
The object of the sport is to throw your opponent so he lands flat on his back. | 0:19:00 | 0:19:04 | |
-That's his two shoulders and his two hips at the rear, not on the sides, but completely at the rear. -OK. | 0:19:04 | 0:19:09 | |
-So like a book landing flat on a table. -Yeah. | 0:19:09 | 0:19:13 | |
When that occurs, that's a knockout throw and that's what the wrestlers are striving for. | 0:19:13 | 0:19:17 | |
If nobody obtains a back during the bout, there's a simple points system. | 0:19:17 | 0:19:22 | |
A point for a pin, so if you get thrown on one shoulder... | 0:19:22 | 0:19:25 | |
-OK, yeah. -That's one point and so forth. | 0:19:25 | 0:19:27 | |
You call that a pin, that a pin. | 0:19:27 | 0:19:29 | |
Yes. You always shake hands between each hold. | 0:19:29 | 0:19:31 | |
Whenever they fall or break they shake hands before they restart. | 0:19:31 | 0:19:35 | |
There's a front crook gone in. | 0:19:35 | 0:19:37 | |
-OK, I can see that. -Crook... Crook the leg up with... | 0:19:37 | 0:19:39 | |
Bolt the toe around and pull his man in under use the... A strongman's throw there, under heave. | 0:19:39 | 0:19:44 | |
That's... That's completely down like a book, isn't it? | 0:19:44 | 0:19:47 | |
Yes, you completely put him head over heels, that's a bit of a strongman's lift. | 0:19:47 | 0:19:50 | |
If you're not aware you can quickly get snatched by the ropes and be over | 0:19:50 | 0:19:55 | |
-his head and heels before you know... -That was a nice move. | 0:19:55 | 0:19:58 | |
He used his legs to sort of take the other guy off balance, so you can do that, can you? | 0:19:58 | 0:20:01 | |
Yes, because you can't grab a man below the waist. | 0:20:01 | 0:20:04 | |
It's easy to get a man down if you can grab his legs. So... Oh! | 0:20:04 | 0:20:07 | |
There's a telly bag heave gone in there. | 0:20:07 | 0:20:09 | |
-A telly bag heave? -A telly bag. | 0:20:09 | 0:20:11 | |
Just like... One collar, one sleeve and just like lifting a... potato sack off the wagon. | 0:20:11 | 0:20:15 | |
You could imagine this going on for four hours, couldn't you, because no-one could get somebody else | 0:20:15 | 0:20:19 | |
-on their back? -There we've got a sprag on. That's a countermove. | 0:20:19 | 0:20:23 | |
One wrestler has been lifted, another one sprags the legs so he can't do anything with them. | 0:20:23 | 0:20:27 | |
The lifter ultimately gets tired and has to replace the man down and | 0:20:27 | 0:20:31 | |
the man in front is in the better position then because he's sat in his lap. | 0:20:31 | 0:20:35 | |
I would have a go, but I'm just, you know, they're the wrong weight. | 0:20:35 | 0:20:40 | |
Out of this class, purely by weight. | 0:20:40 | 0:20:43 | |
Yeah, I think so! | 0:20:43 | 0:20:45 | |
Good on you guys for doing this, it's freezing cold up here. | 0:20:45 | 0:20:48 | |
Yeah, a bit chilly, but it makes you feel alive. | 0:20:48 | 0:20:50 | |
Cornish wrestling has a history of golden eras, ebbing and flowing | 0:20:50 | 0:20:54 | |
between the sport of kings and falling back into a rural sport. | 0:20:54 | 0:20:58 | |
The two World Wars had a devastating effect on Cornish wrestling. | 0:20:58 | 0:21:02 | |
The sport is largely handed down from generation to generation and so the impact of the loss of | 0:21:02 | 0:21:08 | |
virtually a whole generation of fighting men was profound. | 0:21:08 | 0:21:11 | |
More recently, an explosion of interest in other forms of martial arts | 0:21:11 | 0:21:14 | |
has meant that youngsters now have a much greater choice of sport to follow. | 0:21:14 | 0:21:19 | |
Why is it so important now, especially for you, to keep this sport going? | 0:21:21 | 0:21:24 | |
-What's it all about for you? -Well, it's come... | 0:21:24 | 0:21:27 | |
Come too far now to let it stop. | 0:21:27 | 0:21:29 | |
-I wouldn't like to be part of a generation that sees it die out... -Yeah. | 0:21:29 | 0:21:32 | |
Because it's been going so long and each man has laid hands on the next man to teach him how to do it. | 0:21:32 | 0:21:39 | |
So there is that living link, that unbroken chain throughout the millennium. | 0:21:39 | 0:21:42 | |
So what's happening today, what are you doing to ensure this? | 0:21:42 | 0:21:46 | |
Well, presently the wrestling association has got a couple of clubs in the county and we've traditionally | 0:21:46 | 0:21:52 | |
not had a set-up for training because it was traditionally handed down within families, but now we | 0:21:52 | 0:21:59 | |
realise that in the modern times, we need to teach the youngsters to ensure survival in a more modern way. | 0:21:59 | 0:22:07 | |
It seems the key to the survival of this most rugged of sports lies in the passion inherited | 0:22:09 | 0:22:14 | |
through the generations, | 0:22:14 | 0:22:16 | |
and I'm sure that somehow, the sport will be around for many years to come. | 0:22:16 | 0:22:21 | |
So now we have our first items to sell off at auction. | 0:22:31 | 0:22:34 | |
First up, the 19th century statue of the Virgin Mary, | 0:22:34 | 0:22:37 | |
brought in by Margaret, who was surprised by Mark's high valuation. | 0:22:37 | 0:22:41 | |
Angela's husband's Teddy and much loved toy by the looks of all those wear and tear marks. | 0:22:44 | 0:22:49 | |
This beautiful sampler that has hung on Pat's wall from as far back as she can remember. | 0:22:51 | 0:22:56 | |
Jan is going to China and wants to sell her moon vase to get some pocket money for the trip. | 0:22:59 | 0:23:03 | |
And last, Roy's collection of tortoiseshell boxes that are in absolutely pristine condition. | 0:23:05 | 0:23:11 | |
I think we've found some real gems this morning, don't you? | 0:23:12 | 0:23:16 | |
And there could be one or two surprises, so watch out! | 0:23:16 | 0:23:19 | |
Right now, it's time to put those valuations to the test. | 0:23:19 | 0:23:21 | |
Let's make our way across to the saleroom. | 0:23:21 | 0:23:24 | |
And this is where our items are to be sold, | 0:23:24 | 0:23:27 | |
Jefferys Auction Rooms | 0:23:27 | 0:23:28 | |
down the road in the pretty town of Lostwithiel. | 0:23:28 | 0:23:31 | |
And it's a jampacked saleroom, | 0:23:31 | 0:23:33 | |
so auctioneer Ian Morris is in for a busy day. | 0:23:33 | 0:23:35 | |
Let's hope they're all here to bid on our items. | 0:23:35 | 0:23:38 | |
And first to find out is Angela with Teddy. | 0:23:38 | 0:23:41 | |
Now I wonder, will there be tears on this next lot because Ted is going | 0:23:44 | 0:23:48 | |
under the hammer and he belongs to Angela. | 0:23:48 | 0:23:51 | |
Oh, you've had Ted for, well, how many years? Since 1938? | 0:23:51 | 0:23:55 | |
-Well, it was my husband's. -It was your husband's. | 0:23:55 | 0:23:58 | |
Well, me, I've only known Teddy since 1959. | 0:23:58 | 0:24:01 | |
-That's still a long time. -Yeah. -50 odd years. -Yeah. | 0:24:01 | 0:24:04 | |
Did Ted have a name? | 0:24:04 | 0:24:06 | |
-No, he was just Ted. -Ted, oh. -Yeah. -He is a lovely little bear, actually. | 0:24:06 | 0:24:10 | |
We've got 100 to £150 on him, a fixed reserve at 90, so he's not going cheap. | 0:24:10 | 0:24:14 | |
-And I noticed you brought in some photographs of Ted... -Yes. | 0:24:14 | 0:24:17 | |
-..back in 1938. -Yes. -Wow, look at this! | 0:24:17 | 0:24:20 | |
That's lovely, isn't it? With his original owner on the third birthday. | 0:24:20 | 0:24:25 | |
Well, look, good luck, OK? Ted's going under the hammer now. | 0:24:25 | 0:24:29 | |
-Here we go. -It's the attractive beige Teddy bear there. | 0:24:29 | 0:24:32 | |
What shall I say? I've got three bids on the book, so... | 0:24:32 | 0:24:34 | |
-Oh, that's good! -That's with me at £100. | 0:24:34 | 0:24:37 | |
At £100 for Teddy. 110. 120. 130. | 0:24:37 | 0:24:40 | |
140. 150. | 0:24:40 | 0:24:41 | |
160 and the bid is with me. | 0:24:41 | 0:24:44 | |
At 160. 170 now. At 160. 170 or not? | 0:24:44 | 0:24:47 | |
-Done at £160. -Yes, we've done it! | 0:24:47 | 0:24:49 | |
-£160. -Yes. | 0:24:49 | 0:24:52 | |
-The top end of the estimate. Well done. -I'm very pleased with that. | 0:24:52 | 0:24:56 | |
At £40 now I'm bid. 45. £50. | 0:24:56 | 0:24:59 | |
55. £60. | 0:24:59 | 0:25:01 | |
65. At £65. | 0:25:01 | 0:25:04 | |
Good to see you again, Margaret. How far have you come today? | 0:25:04 | 0:25:06 | |
Just Wadebridge, up the road. | 0:25:06 | 0:25:08 | |
Oh, that's not bad, is it? We're just about to sell a statue of Mary. | 0:25:08 | 0:25:11 | |
-It's an ivory figure, possibly continental. -I think so. | 0:25:11 | 0:25:14 | |
Yes. And we're looking at £100 to £150. This is it. | 0:25:14 | 0:25:18 | |
This is it. | 0:25:18 | 0:25:19 | |
It's the ivory statue of Our Lady. | 0:25:19 | 0:25:21 | |
Can I say £100? £50 I'm bid. | 0:25:21 | 0:25:24 | |
At 50. Five. 60. Five. 70? | 0:25:24 | 0:25:27 | |
70. Five. 80. Five. 90. | 0:25:27 | 0:25:32 | |
-Yes! -Just. | 0:25:32 | 0:25:33 | |
We've got the... 90 is the reserve. | 0:25:33 | 0:25:35 | |
-Yes. -I'll take five or not. Are we done? Then £90. | 0:25:35 | 0:25:38 | |
-The hammer's gone down. Just did it! -On the reserve. -Yes. Happy? | 0:25:38 | 0:25:41 | |
-That went well, yeah. -Better than a tenner, isn't it? | 0:25:41 | 0:25:44 | |
Well... Amazed. I'm amazed to be honest. | 0:25:44 | 0:25:46 | |
45. £50. 55. £60. 65. | 0:25:48 | 0:25:51 | |
£70. 75. 75. The bid's at the back. | 0:25:51 | 0:25:54 | |
At £75. 80 or not? At 75. 80 or not? | 0:25:54 | 0:25:58 | |
Are we done? At 75. | 0:25:58 | 0:25:59 | |
It's my turn to be the expert and I've just been joined by Pat and | 0:25:59 | 0:26:03 | |
hopefully you're going home with lots of money. | 0:26:03 | 0:26:05 | |
Well, it would be nice. | 0:26:05 | 0:26:06 | |
I'd like to think on a good day in a packed saleroom, we could double the estimate on this sampler. | 0:26:06 | 0:26:11 | |
-That would be very, very nice. -Here we go. | 0:26:11 | 0:26:13 | |
The fine Georgian colour dye needlework sampler at £200. Lot 751. | 0:26:13 | 0:26:17 | |
At £200 I'm bid. At 200. | 0:26:17 | 0:26:19 | |
-210. 220. 230. 240. -It's not much. | 0:26:19 | 0:26:21 | |
250. 260. At 260. The bid's with me. 270 with two of you at the back. | 0:26:21 | 0:26:26 | |
280. 290. 300. At 310? | 0:26:26 | 0:26:29 | |
At £300 the bid's with me. 310 on the phone? At £300. | 0:26:29 | 0:26:32 | |
310. At 310 in the back there. | 0:26:32 | 0:26:34 | |
At 310. My bid's out. | 0:26:34 | 0:26:35 | |
Are we all done at £310? | 0:26:35 | 0:26:38 | |
Mid estimate. 310. | 0:26:38 | 0:26:41 | |
-It's OK though, isn't it? -It's all right. -It's OK. It could have been worse. | 0:26:41 | 0:26:45 | |
It ought to have been more. | 0:26:45 | 0:26:46 | |
-Yeah, I know, -Never mind. | 0:26:46 | 0:26:48 | |
-But it could have been a lot less! -Oh, it could! It could not have sold at all. | 0:26:48 | 0:26:51 | |
No, no. So there's commission to pay, don't forget. | 0:26:51 | 0:26:54 | |
-I realise that. -What are you going to do with your money? | 0:26:54 | 0:26:57 | |
-It's going to the Cats Protection League. -Oh, brilliant. | 0:26:57 | 0:27:00 | |
-My mum supports that, as well. -Oh, good. | 0:27:00 | 0:27:02 | |
-That's where it's going. -Thank you so much for coming in. -Thank you. -Brilliant. | 0:27:02 | 0:27:05 | |
You're selling this because you want to go to China. | 0:27:11 | 0:27:14 | |
Yes, I would like a trip to China, yes, and a bit of spending money... | 0:27:14 | 0:27:18 | |
-Yeah. -Would be very nice. -Well, we've got £150 to £250 put on by our expert, Mark. | 0:27:18 | 0:27:23 | |
-Absolutely. -It's very you, isn't it? -It's so me. -Very sort of Oscar Wilde. | 0:27:23 | 0:27:26 | |
-Very me. Oscar... Very flamboyant. -Yes. -Wonderful quality. | 0:27:26 | 0:27:30 | |
-I always like quality. -Yes. | 0:27:30 | 0:27:32 | |
-It's not marked. It could possibly be... -Minton. | 0:27:32 | 0:27:34 | |
-Minton. It's certainly one of those good factories because the quality is without doubt. -Yes. | 0:27:34 | 0:27:39 | |
It's got the look, you know? We always talk about the look, don't we? | 0:27:39 | 0:27:42 | |
-It's got the look. -And I think at 150 to 200 it's got the look, | 0:27:42 | 0:27:45 | |
it'll satisfy the buyers and it'll give Jan a Chinese takeaway or two. | 0:27:45 | 0:27:48 | |
And Jan's got the look, as well. | 0:27:48 | 0:27:50 | |
Let's hope the bidders put their hands up for this. We're going to find out right now. | 0:27:50 | 0:27:53 | |
-Good luck, Jan. -Thank you. -Here we go. | 0:27:53 | 0:27:55 | |
Lot 74 there is the nice Doulton style, aesthetic designed, | 0:27:55 | 0:27:58 | |
gilt willow patterned moon flask there. | 0:27:58 | 0:28:00 | |
£100, the bid's with me. | 0:28:00 | 0:28:02 | |
At £100 is bid. I'll take 110 to get on. At £100. | 0:28:02 | 0:28:05 | |
At £100. 110 now. At 110. 120. 130. | 0:28:05 | 0:28:09 | |
140. 150. 150 in the front row. At 150. At 150. 160 or not? | 0:28:09 | 0:28:13 | |
Are we done at £150? | 0:28:13 | 0:28:16 | |
-Lower end. It did sell. -Excellent. -You're pleased - excellent! | 0:28:16 | 0:28:20 | |
I'm pleased I didn't have to take it home with me. | 0:28:20 | 0:28:22 | |
-You were worried about that. -I was, yes. | 0:28:22 | 0:28:24 | |
There's commission to pay, but there's a bit of money | 0:28:24 | 0:28:27 | |
-towards this big trip now, the trip of a lifetime. -Yes. | 0:28:27 | 0:28:29 | |
-I think that's lovely, don't you? -Have a great trip. -Thank you very much. | 0:28:29 | 0:28:33 | |
80. 85. 90. At £90 to the left. | 0:28:34 | 0:28:38 | |
At £90. I'll take five or not. | 0:28:38 | 0:28:39 | |
At £90. Five or not? Are we done? At £90. | 0:28:39 | 0:28:43 | |
Next, we've got some tortoiseshell under the hammer. | 0:28:43 | 0:28:45 | |
Two snuff boxes and a thimble holder belonging to Roy. | 0:28:45 | 0:28:48 | |
We've got a group valuation of 150 to 250, put on by Catherine. | 0:28:48 | 0:28:52 | |
Love the detail, love the quality, nice and bright. | 0:28:52 | 0:28:56 | |
Why are you flogging these, Roy, because I would call these a keeper? | 0:28:56 | 0:28:59 | |
-And I think you would. -They don't take up much space, do they? | 0:28:59 | 0:29:02 | |
-No, I was going to, but I've got a camper van... -Right. -..and the driveshaft fell apart. -OK. | 0:29:02 | 0:29:08 | |
So, I'd rather be on holiday, than... | 0:29:08 | 0:29:09 | |
-Than looking at... -Looking at those! | 0:29:09 | 0:29:11 | |
-Looking at snuff boxes! -Fair enough! | 0:29:11 | 0:29:13 | |
Well, they are absolutely exquisite and I know that collectors will love them. | 0:29:13 | 0:29:17 | |
And here we go, Roy. Yeah, good luck. | 0:29:17 | 0:29:20 | |
Three tortoiseshell boxes. | 0:29:20 | 0:29:21 | |
Can I say £100, right in, quickly? | 0:29:21 | 0:29:23 | |
£100, I've got. At £100. 110. 120. | 0:29:23 | 0:29:25 | |
-130. -Come on! -140? 140. | 0:29:25 | 0:29:28 | |
150. 160? | 0:29:28 | 0:29:29 | |
-160. 170. 180? -Well, they've gone. | 0:29:29 | 0:29:31 | |
180. 190? 190. 200. | 0:29:31 | 0:29:32 | |
-Yay! -190 to my left. 200? 200. 210? | 0:29:32 | 0:29:35 | |
210. 220? | 0:29:35 | 0:29:36 | |
-220. -Lovely. -230? 230. 240? 240. | 0:29:36 | 0:29:39 | |
-This is good. -250? | 0:29:39 | 0:29:40 | |
250. 260? 260. 270. | 0:29:40 | 0:29:42 | |
-280. 290? 290. 300? 300. -They love these, don't they? -Yes! | 0:29:42 | 0:29:47 | |
320, there, then. At 320 I'm bid. 340 or not? | 0:29:47 | 0:29:50 | |
Are we done? At £320. | 0:29:50 | 0:29:52 | |
-Brilliant result. -Well done! -£320. | 0:29:52 | 0:29:54 | |
-Fantastic! -That will get the driveshaft? | 0:29:54 | 0:29:57 | |
-Absolutely. -And the labour? | 0:29:57 | 0:29:59 | |
-And the labour. -There you go, you're up and running. | 0:29:59 | 0:30:01 | |
And a whisky afterwards! | 0:30:01 | 0:30:03 | |
Is it 80? 80. 85. | 0:30:04 | 0:30:06 | |
That's the end of our first visit to the auction room today. | 0:30:12 | 0:30:15 | |
We had some sales, but no big surprises. | 0:30:15 | 0:30:17 | |
We are coming back later on, but before I go back to Bodmin to join up with our experts, | 0:30:17 | 0:30:21 | |
I'm going to check out a local craftsman, who is key to keeping | 0:30:21 | 0:30:25 | |
one of the county's oldest sporting traditions alive. | 0:30:25 | 0:30:27 | |
This small silver ball weighs about a pound and is about the size of a cricket ball. | 0:30:32 | 0:30:37 | |
Without it, the ancient game of Cornish hurling wouldn't happen. | 0:30:37 | 0:30:40 | |
It was made in this workshop and I'll talk to the man | 0:30:40 | 0:30:43 | |
who makes them, but first, I want to find out more | 0:30:43 | 0:30:46 | |
about this unique tradition. | 0:30:46 | 0:30:48 | |
Well, this is St Columb Major. | 0:31:00 | 0:31:01 | |
It may look like a quiet old Cornish town, | 0:31:01 | 0:31:03 | |
but twice a year, the windows and doors of all the shops and | 0:31:03 | 0:31:06 | |
the houses in the street get boarded over and the traffic comes to a grinding halt, | 0:31:06 | 0:31:12 | |
because an ancient battle takes place - one that's been fought since before records began. | 0:31:12 | 0:31:18 | |
TV COMMENTARY: Cornwall's beauty queen tossed the ball to the crowd. | 0:31:18 | 0:31:22 | |
It is made of apple wood. | 0:31:22 | 0:31:23 | |
Those who live within the town and those living on its outskirts. | 0:31:23 | 0:31:28 | |
Every Shrove Tuesday and the following Saturday week, | 0:31:33 | 0:31:36 | |
the whole town is given over to the sport of Cornish hurling. | 0:31:36 | 0:31:39 | |
Until the 19th century, the game was common all over Cornwall, | 0:31:39 | 0:31:42 | |
but this became the only place still brave enough to play it in its roughest and most traditional form. | 0:31:42 | 0:31:49 | |
Townsmen and countrymen are pitted against each other in a battle to win control over the silver ball. | 0:31:54 | 0:31:59 | |
There are no written rules, there are no referees and it can get really messy at times, | 0:31:59 | 0:32:04 | |
as keen hurler Colin Roberts is just about to explain. | 0:32:04 | 0:32:08 | |
Thanks for talking to us. | 0:32:08 | 0:32:10 | |
HE SPEAKS CORNISH | 0:32:10 | 0:32:13 | |
-Gosh! -That's to say, welcome to the historic town of St Columb. | 0:32:16 | 0:32:19 | |
-Yes, in Cornish. -Wow, you speak good Cornish. | 0:32:19 | 0:32:22 | |
A lot speak better than me and there's a lot more | 0:32:22 | 0:32:25 | |
eminent hurlers that have won the ball, | 0:32:25 | 0:32:27 | |
but they've asked me to do this and I'm very pleased to show your viewers a bit about St Columb. | 0:32:27 | 0:32:32 | |
-What's it all about and where does it start? -It's about that. | 0:32:32 | 0:32:35 | |
That's the silver ball. You see the motto on there, | 0:32:35 | 0:32:38 | |
"Town and country do your best, for in this parish I must rest." | 0:32:38 | 0:32:41 | |
-So, where does it all start? -Right here, in the Market Square. | 0:32:41 | 0:32:45 | |
The ball is called up over there, by the winner of the previous hurl. | 0:32:45 | 0:32:48 | |
At 4.30pm, it's thrown from the steps and that's the start of the game. | 0:32:48 | 0:32:52 | |
-Yeah. -And it starts with a very big scrum. | 0:32:52 | 0:32:54 | |
-There will be hundreds of hurlers here. -Just piling in? | 0:32:54 | 0:32:57 | |
Yeah, and then when that ball gets released it gets hurled | 0:32:57 | 0:33:00 | |
-up and down the town. -And you all chase it? | 0:33:00 | 0:33:02 | |
Oh, yes, and you pass it between your teammates, | 0:33:02 | 0:33:06 | |
with a view to either, eventually getting it to one of the goals. | 0:33:06 | 0:33:09 | |
The town goal's a mile that way. The country's, a mile down that way. | 0:33:09 | 0:33:13 | |
Both involve a steep hill at the end. | 0:33:13 | 0:33:15 | |
-Ha-ha! -Or it gets hurled | 0:33:15 | 0:33:18 | |
outside the town and gets taken outside the parish boundary, | 0:33:18 | 0:33:21 | |
which is between two a half and five miles, depending on your direction. | 0:33:21 | 0:33:25 | |
And if I was running to pick it up and someone was behind me - | 0:33:25 | 0:33:28 | |
let's say I was a townsman and they were countrymen - | 0:33:28 | 0:33:30 | |
-would they tackle me to get it off me? -Yes. -Is there body contact? | 0:33:30 | 0:33:34 | |
-That's exactly what would happen. -It's quite rough? -It can be. | 0:33:34 | 0:33:37 | |
That's why they board the windows and doors of the shops? | 0:33:37 | 0:33:40 | |
You don't want us to go through a window, which you would easily. | 0:33:40 | 0:33:43 | |
Is there an even number of townsmen and countrymen? | 0:33:43 | 0:33:46 | |
-No. -Just who turns up? | 0:33:46 | 0:33:47 | |
-Whoever turns up. -Do they wear kit to identify each other? -No. | 0:33:47 | 0:33:50 | |
-We just know who they are. -Ha-ha-ha! | 0:33:50 | 0:33:52 | |
I love it! Oh, I love it! Oh, crikey. | 0:33:52 | 0:33:56 | |
I'm going to come and watch one year, really. | 0:33:56 | 0:33:58 | |
Brilliant. We'd welcome you here. | 0:33:58 | 0:34:00 | |
I guess you have to stand out of the action, do you? | 0:34:00 | 0:34:02 | |
It would be like a raging bull moving up the High Street? | 0:34:02 | 0:34:05 | |
It's odd. We wouldn't recognise which team you were on, would we? | 0:34:05 | 0:34:09 | |
-No, but I wouldn't want to play! No, I'll sort of stay at the back. -That would be all right, yeah. | 0:34:09 | 0:34:13 | |
Ready? | 0:34:13 | 0:34:14 | |
ALL: Yeah! | 0:34:14 | 0:34:16 | |
'The earliest written record of the sport was in 1602, but it's thought to have derived | 0:34:18 | 0:34:23 | |
'from an old pagan fertility rite, in which a silver ball was cast up in honour of the sun. | 0:34:23 | 0:34:28 | |
'It was with the coming of Christianity that it's believed Cornish hurling became a game.' | 0:34:28 | 0:34:33 | |
-What does this game mean to the town? -Everything to St Columb. | 0:34:35 | 0:34:38 | |
Cornwall is itself a distinctive Celtic nation, we're very proud. | 0:34:38 | 0:34:42 | |
St Columb is right in the middle of it and this means everything to us | 0:34:42 | 0:34:45 | |
-and it'll never, ever stop in this town. -Sounds good. | 0:34:45 | 0:34:48 | |
This is St Columb. | 0:34:48 | 0:34:50 | |
The all-important ball is crafted here in the workshop | 0:34:53 | 0:34:55 | |
of part time funeral director, Colin Rescorla. | 0:34:55 | 0:34:58 | |
How long have you been making the balls? | 0:35:02 | 0:35:04 | |
I've been making the ball since the early '90s. | 0:35:04 | 0:35:07 | |
So, tell me, how are they made, then? | 0:35:07 | 0:35:09 | |
-This is apple. -Right. -Apple's a beautiful timber to turn. | 0:35:09 | 0:35:12 | |
-Yeah, not a lot of knots. -Not a lot of knots. | 0:35:12 | 0:35:15 | |
It is tough, it won't split, it holds nails and screws well. | 0:35:15 | 0:35:18 | |
-Yeah. -And that is the reason. | 0:35:18 | 0:35:21 | |
-And it'll take all the shock? -It takes it. | 0:35:21 | 0:35:23 | |
It's not always covered with this sort of silver. | 0:35:23 | 0:35:26 | |
-It could be covered with a thinner silver... -Yeah. -..like that. | 0:35:26 | 0:35:31 | |
-And that's the ball of 1906. -Gosh, that was an old one. | 0:35:31 | 0:35:34 | |
And you can see there just how thin the silver is. | 0:35:34 | 0:35:38 | |
It's made in two? The silver's hand-beaten | 0:35:38 | 0:35:40 | |
-by hammer... -Yeah. -..in two sections. | 0:35:40 | 0:35:43 | |
-In two sections. -And then you obviously hide the join with this ribbing or band? | 0:35:43 | 0:35:47 | |
-Is that right? -Yes. -I would imagine in days gone by... | 0:35:47 | 0:35:50 | |
Would a carpenter have made the ball for you? | 0:35:50 | 0:35:53 | |
-The plumber? -The wheelwright. | 0:35:53 | 0:35:54 | |
The wheelwright, in fact, made the ball, because he had the lathe. | 0:35:54 | 0:35:58 | |
He made the wood bit and the silversmith or watch jeweller, | 0:35:58 | 0:36:02 | |
he then beat the silver to put it around. | 0:36:02 | 0:36:04 | |
-Yeah, and the plumber... -And the plumber... | 0:36:04 | 0:36:07 | |
-Put on with a soldering? -Yeah. | 0:36:07 | 0:36:08 | |
Would put it together and solder it together. | 0:36:08 | 0:36:11 | |
-But now it's just you. -It's just me. | 0:36:11 | 0:36:14 | |
I think you're doing a brilliant job, do you know that? | 0:36:14 | 0:36:17 | |
-And I think the quality of your work is fantastic. -I enjoy it. | 0:36:17 | 0:36:21 | |
This is the ball for next Shrove Tuesday | 0:36:21 | 0:36:23 | |
and I've made the two halves, | 0:36:23 | 0:36:27 | |
I've put the band on. | 0:36:27 | 0:36:29 | |
-A slight change in tradition, now. What I've done... -No screw holes. | 0:36:29 | 0:36:33 | |
No screw holes, but I've made special silver screws out of silver wire, | 0:36:33 | 0:36:38 | |
-which I've screwed in tight. -Yeah. Then you cut off? | 0:36:38 | 0:36:41 | |
I shall cut it off. | 0:36:41 | 0:36:44 | |
Cut it off. | 0:36:44 | 0:36:46 | |
Rivet that one over, to form a head. | 0:36:46 | 0:36:51 | |
-Ah, like a Cornish boatbuilder would do? -It's exactly the same skill. | 0:36:51 | 0:36:56 | |
On that copper rove, turn it over and hammer. | 0:36:56 | 0:36:59 | |
It's exactly the... It's exactly the same skill. | 0:36:59 | 0:37:01 | |
All I have to do now is a couple of hours polishing on this one. | 0:37:01 | 0:37:05 | |
And how long would one ball take you to make? | 0:37:05 | 0:37:07 | |
-This is about 20 hours, from the time... -A lot of work, isn't it? | 0:37:07 | 0:37:11 | |
From the time the silver drops through the door, | 0:37:11 | 0:37:14 | |
there's about 20 hours work to get it up to the state where it can be hurled. | 0:37:14 | 0:37:18 | |
-I can see you are passionate about this. -I enjoy it. | 0:37:18 | 0:37:21 | |
And the sons are going to take over? | 0:37:21 | 0:37:23 | |
-Oh, yes, the youngest boy. -Yeah. Good for you. | 0:37:23 | 0:37:26 | |
Isn't that lovely? | 0:37:26 | 0:37:27 | |
-A bit of history going on, in your back garden! -Yes, proud of it. | 0:37:27 | 0:37:30 | |
You must be a very proud Cornishman. And I'm proud to meet you, as well! | 0:37:30 | 0:37:33 | |
-Thank you so much for talking to me about this. -You're welcome. | 0:37:33 | 0:37:36 | |
You've opened my eyes. I never knew this existed. | 0:37:36 | 0:37:38 | |
When you spend a bit of time here, | 0:37:41 | 0:37:43 | |
you can understand how important it is to keep this tradition well and truly alive, | 0:37:43 | 0:37:47 | |
not just for the people, but for the town itself. | 0:37:47 | 0:37:50 | |
And looking at the skill of the craftsmanship here, | 0:37:50 | 0:37:53 | |
you know it's going to be in safe hands for many years to come. | 0:37:53 | 0:37:56 | |
We're holding our valuation day in the heart of Cornwall, | 0:38:06 | 0:38:08 | |
at the incredible St Petroc's Church in Bodmin. | 0:38:08 | 0:38:11 | |
And there's still plenty more treasures left to unwrap. | 0:38:11 | 0:38:14 | |
Mark is delighted to have spotted this painting, by a celebrated local artist. | 0:38:14 | 0:38:19 | |
-Hello, Cecilia. -Hello. | 0:38:19 | 0:38:21 | |
-Now, you can't come to Cornwall and not find a piece of Troika or a Fred Yates, I think. -Perhaps not. | 0:38:21 | 0:38:28 | |
Now, tell us a little bit about it. Why have you got it? | 0:38:28 | 0:38:31 | |
Well, I knew Fred and he spent about, | 0:38:31 | 0:38:35 | |
I think, perhaps, ten years in Fowey, where I live. | 0:38:35 | 0:38:38 | |
And I didn't acquire the painting from Fred. I saw this at an auction | 0:38:38 | 0:38:44 | |
-about 30 years ago, perhaps, and it was for sale for £10. -No! | 0:38:44 | 0:38:48 | |
I knew Fred sold his pictures for about £50 in those days. | 0:38:48 | 0:38:51 | |
I liked his paintings, so I bought it. | 0:38:51 | 0:38:53 | |
And I recognised the view, it's near where I live. | 0:38:53 | 0:38:57 | |
-So you snapped it up for a tenner? -I did. -Well done. | 0:38:57 | 0:39:00 | |
I mean, he's a funny artist, isn't he, because this is, | 0:39:00 | 0:39:03 | |
I think, an early work, as the colours are quite muted. | 0:39:03 | 0:39:06 | |
-Yes. -I mean, I've seen a lot of his later work, | 0:39:06 | 0:39:08 | |
where the colours are really bright and vibrant and garish in some ways. | 0:39:08 | 0:39:12 | |
His watercolours are very, very bright. | 0:39:12 | 0:39:14 | |
So, they can... And they make quite a lot of money, those ones. | 0:39:14 | 0:39:18 | |
I mean, we have got a few problems. | 0:39:18 | 0:39:19 | |
It probably needs a good clean and an overhaul. | 0:39:19 | 0:39:22 | |
-There's a few weak patches, here and there. -OK. -But having said that, | 0:39:22 | 0:39:25 | |
-it's a nice big size. -Yes. | 0:39:25 | 0:39:27 | |
It's typical of his rather heavy brushstroke style, isn't it? | 0:39:27 | 0:39:31 | |
Yes, I saw him paint. He would put loads on it. | 0:39:31 | 0:39:34 | |
I don't know how much paint he got through. | 0:39:34 | 0:39:36 | |
And then he'd paint with anything. | 0:39:36 | 0:39:38 | |
-He'd get a stick to make indentations. -The little lines and... -Yes, yes. | 0:39:38 | 0:39:42 | |
It's a good view and, of course, we're selling it locally, | 0:39:42 | 0:39:45 | |
so that should also enhance its appeal, I think. | 0:39:45 | 0:39:48 | |
-I mean, Fred Yates was born in 1922, he died in 2008. -He did. | 0:39:48 | 0:39:53 | |
Of course, you know, sad though that is, it does reflect possibly an extra | 0:39:53 | 0:39:57 | |
-value to paintings, because no more are going to be produced. -Exactly. | 0:39:57 | 0:40:01 | |
I've been looking at these and the paintings vary, honestly, | 0:40:01 | 0:40:04 | |
from a few hundred pounds up to, you know, several thousand pounds. | 0:40:04 | 0:40:08 | |
I think with this one, because it's not one of the vibrant ones, | 0:40:08 | 0:40:13 | |
because it's got a little bit of weakness, | 0:40:13 | 0:40:16 | |
-I would like to be cautious with it, you know? -Mm-hm. | 0:40:16 | 0:40:19 | |
-I would probably suggest something like £800 to £1,200. -OK. | 0:40:19 | 0:40:24 | |
Now, it wouldn't surprise me if it went over the £1,000 on the day, | 0:40:24 | 0:40:28 | |
but I think if we just show people that it's there to be sold... | 0:40:28 | 0:40:31 | |
-Are you happy for us to do that? -OK. | 0:40:31 | 0:40:33 | |
What sort of reserve would you like on it? | 0:40:33 | 0:40:36 | |
-Shall I put £1,000 on it? -Well, you... | 0:40:36 | 0:40:38 | |
Normally, if you're putting an est... a painting in at £800-£1200, | 0:40:38 | 0:40:42 | |
-the reserve has to be the low end of the estimate. -Does it? | 0:40:42 | 0:40:45 | |
-So, it has to be around 800. -Mmm. | 0:40:45 | 0:40:47 | |
If you want to put 1,000, then we'd put an estimate of 1,000 to 1,500, but I would... | 0:40:47 | 0:40:53 | |
I honestly would caution it a little bit. | 0:40:53 | 0:40:57 | |
I think it would attract people, at eight to 12. | 0:40:57 | 0:40:59 | |
Yes, on the other hand, you know, he's... | 0:40:59 | 0:41:03 | |
He's quite a a renowned artist now | 0:41:03 | 0:41:05 | |
-and I'd rather keep it, than not get £1,000 for it. -Right. | 0:41:05 | 0:41:09 | |
-Shall we put the reserve at 900, then? -Yes. Shall we comprise? | 0:41:09 | 0:41:12 | |
-We'll compromise. -We'll meet halfway. -Exactly. -Absolutely. | 0:41:12 | 0:41:16 | |
That's a good target. Let's put... | 0:41:16 | 0:41:18 | |
Well, let's put the estimate at 1,000 to 1,500 | 0:41:18 | 0:41:20 | |
-and then we'll put the reserve at 900. -OK. | 0:41:20 | 0:41:22 | |
But, hopefully, you know, on the day we should get | 0:41:22 | 0:41:26 | |
-around 1,200, or more, for it. -Well, it does depend, I know. | 0:41:26 | 0:41:29 | |
A good chance - a nice, honest painting. | 0:41:29 | 0:41:31 | |
-OK, then. -You're happy with that? -Let's go for it. Yes. | 0:41:31 | 0:41:35 | |
-Good morning. -Good morning. | 0:41:46 | 0:41:48 | |
-Anthea, thank you for coming along to Flog It. -That's a pleasure. | 0:41:48 | 0:41:51 | |
What have you got in your pouch? | 0:41:51 | 0:41:53 | |
I have got a little American compact. | 0:41:53 | 0:41:58 | |
That is absolutely beautiful. | 0:41:58 | 0:42:00 | |
I love it. I love the shape. | 0:42:00 | 0:42:03 | |
-Now, I have seen something similar to this before. -Yeah. | 0:42:03 | 0:42:07 | |
Because I think they made these with the sort of lace glove on, as well. | 0:42:07 | 0:42:10 | |
-I did see those on the internet with the lace gloves. -Exactly. | 0:42:10 | 0:42:13 | |
This is lovely, with the red nail varnish. | 0:42:13 | 0:42:16 | |
-It is, yes. -How pretty is that? | 0:42:16 | 0:42:18 | |
-Very elegant, isn't it? -It is. -Very 1940s. -It is, yes. | 0:42:18 | 0:42:22 | |
Let's just have a look inside. | 0:42:22 | 0:42:24 | |
Has it got the original powder, because that's quite important? | 0:42:24 | 0:42:28 | |
-It has, yes. -Wonderful. | 0:42:28 | 0:42:30 | |
Ah, and the name there - Veloute. | 0:42:30 | 0:42:32 | |
-So you've got the little sort of netting and gauze here... -Yes... | 0:42:32 | 0:42:36 | |
They had loose powder in those days. | 0:42:36 | 0:42:38 | |
-Is it something you've ever used? -No, no. -Don't wear powder? | 0:42:38 | 0:42:42 | |
-Well, not really, no. -Nobody really carries powder compacts these days, | 0:42:42 | 0:42:47 | |
-but in the... -Yet they're lovely things. -Absolutely. | 0:42:47 | 0:42:50 | |
In the 1940s, this was such an essential piece to have in the lady's handbag. | 0:42:50 | 0:42:54 | |
I'm just thinking about this and wondering if this is the original... | 0:42:54 | 0:42:58 | |
-I don't know whether it's original... -The puff. | 0:42:58 | 0:43:00 | |
-I mean, it's the perfect shape, but the fact that it doesn't sort of fit. -The bits fluff out, don't they? | 0:43:00 | 0:43:08 | |
-I mean, they do, they sort of overlap slightly. -Yes. | 0:43:08 | 0:43:11 | |
I'm wondering if that is the original. | 0:43:11 | 0:43:12 | |
This is all in lovely condition, as well. | 0:43:12 | 0:43:15 | |
-A slight chip there... -Yes. -..to the nail varnish | 0:43:15 | 0:43:18 | |
and a little bit of wear there. | 0:43:18 | 0:43:19 | |
-Yeah. -But overall, really in very nice condition. | 0:43:19 | 0:43:22 | |
-For something 60 years old... -We can expect that, can't we? -You know. -Well, 60 years plus. | 0:43:22 | 0:43:27 | |
It could be 60 years plus, couldn't it? | 0:43:27 | 0:43:29 | |
I would say, probably, early 1940s. | 0:43:29 | 0:43:32 | |
-Yes. -So, as it's not something that you would use, how did you actually come about this? | 0:43:32 | 0:43:37 | |
-It was given to me by a family friend. -Right, OK. | 0:43:37 | 0:43:41 | |
-And somebody who used it themselves? -Yes. Yes. | 0:43:41 | 0:43:44 | |
They would have used it, definitely. | 0:43:44 | 0:43:47 | |
-Now, compacts are collectable. -Yes. | 0:43:47 | 0:43:49 | |
People like to have a novelty piece, | 0:43:49 | 0:43:52 | |
-something slightly unusual and certainly that has the novelty value. -Yes. | 0:43:52 | 0:43:56 | |
I would probably like to say, conservatively, | 0:43:56 | 0:44:00 | |
-I'd put an estimate on of around £80 to £120 on this. -Yes. | 0:44:00 | 0:44:04 | |
-I'd probably suggest putting a reserve on of about £70. -Yes. | 0:44:04 | 0:44:08 | |
But I could see collectors going for something like this | 0:44:08 | 0:44:11 | |
and would hope that it would make about £100. | 0:44:11 | 0:44:13 | |
-Oh, that would be lovely. -Are you happy to flog it? -Yes. -Let's flog it. | 0:44:13 | 0:44:17 | |
It's a busy day and I've been having a dig around, too. | 0:44:17 | 0:44:21 | |
An unusual piece of militaria brought in by Prue has caught my eye. | 0:44:21 | 0:44:26 | |
Prue, it's great to see you | 0:44:26 | 0:44:28 | |
and thank you so much for bringing in a little bit of militaria because | 0:44:28 | 0:44:32 | |
it really is a boy's toy | 0:44:32 | 0:44:34 | |
and I'm quite privileged to be holding this and talking about this. How did you come by this? | 0:44:34 | 0:44:38 | |
My father brought it home with him | 0:44:38 | 0:44:41 | |
at the end of the Second World War. | 0:44:41 | 0:44:44 | |
He was a gunnery captain in the war | 0:44:44 | 0:44:46 | |
and he came home with a few items, and that's the last of the items. | 0:44:46 | 0:44:52 | |
So it's been in the family for a little while? | 0:44:52 | 0:44:55 | |
-Yes. -You don't... -Longer than me! | 0:44:55 | 0:44:57 | |
-You know it's a percussion cap pistol? -Yes. | 0:44:57 | 0:45:01 | |
It's not... | 0:45:01 | 0:45:02 | |
let's say a fanciful duelling pistol, unfortunately. | 0:45:02 | 0:45:07 | |
It's a working serviceman's pistol. | 0:45:07 | 0:45:11 | |
I'm looking at a marking here. | 0:45:11 | 0:45:12 | |
-Can you see Mutzig here? -Yes. -De Mutzig. | 0:45:12 | 0:45:15 | |
That's a region in the north east of France and it's a military region and there's a lot of small factories | 0:45:15 | 0:45:20 | |
around there that made arms and they made lots of weapons. | 0:45:20 | 0:45:25 | |
And this is a standard military issue and it's sort of our Regency period. | 0:45:25 | 0:45:29 | |
It's sort of around about 1810 to 1820. | 0:45:29 | 0:45:32 | |
I'd love to think | 0:45:32 | 0:45:34 | |
it was used at the Battle of Waterloo, sort of circa 1815. | 0:45:34 | 0:45:37 | |
There's a possibility, we're in the right regions... | 0:45:37 | 0:45:42 | |
Aren't we, really, let's face it? | 0:45:42 | 0:45:44 | |
-I imagine so. -It's a holster pistol, basically. | 0:45:44 | 0:45:47 | |
There's its belt clip. It's a crude pistol. | 0:45:47 | 0:45:50 | |
Yeah. | 0:45:50 | 0:45:52 | |
Nevertheless, it could do a lot of damage. | 0:45:52 | 0:45:56 | |
Look at the bore there, that really is quite frightening to think a ball would come flying out of there. | 0:45:56 | 0:46:02 | |
You'd ram the ball in with your gunpowder, put the powder in, | 0:46:02 | 0:46:05 | |
ram the ball in, there is your ramrod, and once that's sealed, | 0:46:05 | 0:46:11 | |
there is your little entry for your percussion cap which would send | 0:46:11 | 0:46:15 | |
the spark from the cap straight into the powder | 0:46:15 | 0:46:18 | |
and shoot that bullet out with such velocity. | 0:46:18 | 0:46:21 | |
I'll put my finger on the trigger. We'll point it at the table! It's in perfect working condition. | 0:46:21 | 0:46:26 | |
I like the little sight on the barrel. | 0:46:26 | 0:46:28 | |
That's not really necessary cos you're not going to shoot great distances with this. | 0:46:28 | 0:46:32 | |
It doesn't have to be that accurate, it really doesn't. | 0:46:32 | 0:46:35 | |
Any idea of value? | 0:46:35 | 0:46:38 | |
Not really, no. | 0:46:38 | 0:46:40 | |
I think it stands a chance of getting around £200 to £300. | 0:46:40 | 0:46:44 | |
-OK. -And I'd like to put it into auction with that kind of estimate | 0:46:44 | 0:46:47 | |
with a reserve at 200, if you're happy with that? | 0:46:47 | 0:46:51 | |
If it was a... If it was a flintlock we'd be looking at £400 to £600. | 0:46:53 | 0:46:58 | |
If the reserve is definitely 200, yes. | 0:46:58 | 0:47:02 | |
-Happy with that? -Yes. | 0:47:02 | 0:47:04 | |
-Sure? -Yes. | 0:47:04 | 0:47:06 | |
I'd like to see it do the top end, I really would. | 0:47:06 | 0:47:09 | |
So would I. | 0:47:09 | 0:47:11 | |
Hello, Christine. | 0:47:19 | 0:47:20 | |
-Good afternoon. -I'm charmed to meet you. | 0:47:20 | 0:47:22 | |
And you've brought a lovely, charming little object in. | 0:47:22 | 0:47:25 | |
Has it been in your family long? | 0:47:25 | 0:47:28 | |
No, I've had it for about 26 years, hidden away in a cupboard. | 0:47:28 | 0:47:31 | |
It was left to me by an elderly friend and I haven't thought any | 0:47:31 | 0:47:37 | |
more about it until recently and wondered if there was any value. | 0:47:37 | 0:47:40 | |
So, you saw that we were coming here today and you thought you'd | 0:47:40 | 0:47:43 | |
-wander in with a few items and let us have a look? -That's right. | 0:47:43 | 0:47:47 | |
Wonderful. I'm so glad you did, because actually it's quite an exciting little carriage timepiece. | 0:47:47 | 0:47:52 | |
-Is it? -Yes, it's got a very typical French movement, | 0:47:52 | 0:47:55 | |
but it's encased in this wonderful exuberant case, | 0:47:55 | 0:48:00 | |
-which is hallmarked silver... -It is silver? -..for London 1915. | 0:48:00 | 0:48:03 | |
-Right. -And you... | 0:48:03 | 0:48:05 | |
Can you imagine at the time we were just starting the Great War? | 0:48:05 | 0:48:08 | |
-Yes. -1914. But still, in the fashionable houses of London | 0:48:08 | 0:48:12 | |
and the rest of the country, when you went to stay with friends, | 0:48:12 | 0:48:16 | |
you packed up your own little bedroom timepieces. | 0:48:16 | 0:48:20 | |
-Ladies would have these to take with them... -Oh, right. | 0:48:20 | 0:48:23 | |
And they would have them in their rooms, so you'd take the possessions with you. | 0:48:23 | 0:48:27 | |
I love that we've got all these scrolls here and little | 0:48:27 | 0:48:30 | |
-floral swags and things. -It's pretty, isn't it? | 0:48:30 | 0:48:33 | |
It's a beautiful little thing. Raised on these lovely little feet. | 0:48:33 | 0:48:36 | |
-There's a little dent here or there, but I think, you know, considering it's nearly 100 years old... -Quite. | 0:48:36 | 0:48:43 | |
I think we can forgive that. I've got a few dents and I'm nowhere near 100 yet. | 0:48:43 | 0:48:47 | |
I love these little things and they're very popular at auction now. | 0:48:47 | 0:48:50 | |
I mean, sometimes they're very plain or sometimes you can have them with enamelling on them. | 0:48:50 | 0:48:54 | |
It's very much a Victorian style, before the Art Deco period, | 0:48:54 | 0:48:59 | |
-when things became a lot more angular. -Right. | 0:48:59 | 0:49:01 | |
And we're just after the Art Nouveaux period, where things were much more organic. | 0:49:01 | 0:49:05 | |
But I'm loving it. What do you think the value might be? | 0:49:05 | 0:49:09 | |
No idea, really. | 0:49:09 | 0:49:11 | |
I think if we put it into auction, say at £120 to £180. | 0:49:11 | 0:49:17 | |
-Right. -And maybe put the reserve at 100, but I think it'll probably make a bit more than that. | 0:49:17 | 0:49:22 | |
-Would you be happy if we did that? -Yes, fine. | 0:49:22 | 0:49:24 | |
If we got a good price, would you do anything in particular with the money? | 0:49:24 | 0:49:28 | |
Yes, I would give it to ShelterBox. | 0:49:28 | 0:49:30 | |
-To? -ShelterBox? Which is a charity that was set up in Helston | 0:49:30 | 0:49:33 | |
by the Rotary Club and these ShelterBoxes go all over the world, | 0:49:33 | 0:49:37 | |
-where there have been terrible disasters... -Oh, wonderful. | 0:49:37 | 0:49:40 | |
-It holds everything that would help a family in distress... -Oh, wonderful. | 0:49:40 | 0:49:45 | |
-..that have lost their homes. -What a lovely idea. | 0:49:45 | 0:49:47 | |
-I hope that it makes good money. -We'll keep our fingers crossed. | 0:49:47 | 0:49:50 | |
-Lovely to meet you, Christine. Thank you so much. -Thank you. | 0:49:50 | 0:49:54 | |
So, there we have it, our remaining three lots for auction. | 0:49:54 | 0:49:59 | |
Cecilia spotted a great bargain, when she snapped up this Fred Yates painting at auction. | 0:49:59 | 0:50:04 | |
But will she get the kind of return she's hoping for? | 0:50:04 | 0:50:07 | |
And Prue is hoping her pistol will make a big noise at auction. | 0:50:09 | 0:50:12 | |
This unusual American compact, given to Anthea by a family friend. | 0:50:15 | 0:50:19 | |
And, finally, Christine's elegant little timepiece. | 0:50:22 | 0:50:25 | |
We've brought our items here, to Jefferys Auctions in Lostwithiel. | 0:50:27 | 0:50:31 | |
It's a small, but popular, auction room and today is no exception. It's heaving! | 0:50:31 | 0:50:35 | |
But before the sale got underway, I was able to have a chat | 0:50:35 | 0:50:39 | |
with auctioneer, Ian Morris, about Cecilia's painting. | 0:50:39 | 0:50:42 | |
Fred Yates. You're a Cornishman, you've got to like this, | 0:50:44 | 0:50:48 | |
because Fred was a local boy. Sadly, he's passed away now. | 0:50:48 | 0:50:51 | |
We've got a valuation of £1,000 to £1,500 on this, with a fixed reserve of 900. | 0:50:51 | 0:50:56 | |
That, if it came to the saleroom, is the kind of area I would like it to be in. | 0:50:57 | 0:51:02 | |
-Now, unfortunately, I spoke to Cecilia since... -Yeah. | 0:51:02 | 0:51:06 | |
-Maybe wished not to sell it and... -She's put the reserve up? | 0:51:06 | 0:51:12 | |
-Put the reserve up. -To what? -To £2,200. -Cor! | 0:51:12 | 0:51:16 | |
-That's a lot. That's a big jump, isn't it? -Yeah. | 0:51:16 | 0:51:19 | |
She lives in Fowey, it's a Fowey scene. It would be hard to replace. | 0:51:19 | 0:51:22 | |
Erm...I think, because it's a local view, because it's a local artist, | 0:51:22 | 0:51:26 | |
we've got an outside chance, but it will take a lot of selling. | 0:51:26 | 0:51:30 | |
It sounds like it's going to struggle, doesn't it, really? | 0:51:30 | 0:51:33 | |
-2,200... -Yeah. -..is a lot of money. It's a lot of money. | 0:51:33 | 0:51:36 | |
It is. Since his demise, obviously, | 0:51:36 | 0:51:38 | |
his work has increased steadily and | 0:51:38 | 0:51:41 | |
we see a number of his works now making 1,500 to 2,500. Let's hope it's a good day. | 0:51:41 | 0:51:46 | |
I hope so. You never know, there could be a lot of local interest in it, something somebody wants. | 0:51:46 | 0:51:51 | |
Somebody like Cecilia may have that view. | 0:51:51 | 0:51:53 | |
Fowey is a good area and there is money around and if people would like the view and like the artist | 0:51:53 | 0:51:58 | |
it would probably be no problem to them. | 0:51:58 | 0:52:00 | |
-OK. Good luck. -I think I'll need it for that one! | 0:52:00 | 0:52:03 | |
Well, we'll find out whether she was right later, but now it's time to auction off our first lot. | 0:52:05 | 0:52:10 | |
However, there is a little problem. | 0:52:10 | 0:52:12 | |
I'm getting a bit worried, because next up we've got Christine. | 0:52:14 | 0:52:17 | |
Her little Edwardian travelling clock is going, | 0:52:17 | 0:52:21 | |
but unless she walks in right now, she's going to miss this. | 0:52:21 | 0:52:24 | |
We do have Mark Stacey, our expert, here who's put a value of what, about 150 to 180 on this? | 0:52:24 | 0:52:29 | |
Absolutely. A pretty little thing. | 0:52:29 | 0:52:31 | |
It's a shame she's not here. I'm sure it's going to make that estimate, if not a little bit more, | 0:52:31 | 0:52:36 | |
because it's a nice, honest little object. | 0:52:36 | 0:52:38 | |
A lot of silver here, so fingers crossed, | 0:52:38 | 0:52:40 | |
this is going to fly out of the room. | 0:52:40 | 0:52:42 | |
Lot 702, there. It's the silver-cased clock | 0:52:42 | 0:52:44 | |
with foliate decoration. | 0:52:44 | 0:52:46 | |
Can I say £100 away? £100? £80 away? | 0:52:46 | 0:52:49 | |
£50, I'm bid. At 50. 60. 70. | 0:52:49 | 0:52:52 | |
-At £70, I'm bid. -Come on, it should be a bit more than that! | 0:52:52 | 0:52:54 | |
-At £70. -Come on. -At 80. 90. | 0:52:54 | 0:52:56 | |
Is it 100? At £100, the bid's to my left. 110. | 0:52:56 | 0:52:59 | |
110. 120. 130. | 0:52:59 | 0:53:02 | |
140. At 140, there. | 0:53:02 | 0:53:04 | |
-Oh, that's all right, 140. -£140. | 0:53:04 | 0:53:06 | |
Mid-estimate, well done. Christine will be pleased. | 0:53:06 | 0:53:10 | |
Just when we thought we'd have to break the news to her by phone... | 0:53:13 | 0:53:16 | |
Christine. | 0:53:16 | 0:53:18 | |
-Hello. -Here she is. Where were you? You've missed your lot. | 0:53:18 | 0:53:21 | |
Oh, I was a little bit late. | 0:53:21 | 0:53:23 | |
I went up to the daughter's, just to have a rest. | 0:53:23 | 0:53:25 | |
-Does she live up the road? -Yes, not far away. | 0:53:25 | 0:53:28 | |
-Do you want the good news? -Yes, please. | 0:53:28 | 0:53:30 | |
-Go on, tell her, Mark. -£140. | 0:53:30 | 0:53:32 | |
Oh, that's very good. And that's going to ShelterBox, as well. | 0:53:32 | 0:53:34 | |
Wonderful. | 0:53:34 | 0:53:36 | |
At 340. 360? 360's bid. | 0:53:37 | 0:53:39 | |
It's my turn to be the expert now and I'm in the firing line | 0:53:41 | 0:53:44 | |
because up next we've got the percussion cap pistol. Early 19th century one. | 0:53:44 | 0:53:48 | |
It belongs to Prue and, hopefully, for not much longer. | 0:53:48 | 0:53:52 | |
Now, I know we said at the valuation day around £200 to £300. | 0:53:52 | 0:53:55 | |
That's what I'd like to see. | 0:53:55 | 0:53:57 | |
We've got a reserve of £200 and I know you've had a chat | 0:53:57 | 0:54:00 | |
to the auctioneer and you've dropped the reserve back a bit to 150. | 0:54:00 | 0:54:04 | |
I'm still hoping for the 200 to 300. | 0:54:04 | 0:54:06 | |
-So am I. -That's what I want. | 0:54:06 | 0:54:09 | |
I'm afraid it does stand alone. I've looked in the saleroom today, there are no other weapons or militaria. | 0:54:09 | 0:54:17 | |
So, fingers crossed it's been spotted, that's all I can say. | 0:54:17 | 0:54:20 | |
Lot 285, there. | 0:54:20 | 0:54:22 | |
It's the early 19th century percussion large-bore pistol. | 0:54:22 | 0:54:25 | |
I have four bids on this and I've got to start it at £280. | 0:54:25 | 0:54:28 | |
-There you go. -Great! Wonderful! -At 280. 280. | 0:54:28 | 0:54:31 | |
300 now? At 280. At 280. 300 or not? | 0:54:31 | 0:54:34 | |
At 280. 300 or not? | 0:54:34 | 0:54:36 | |
300 there. 320. 340. 340 with you. | 0:54:36 | 0:54:38 | |
I'm now out. At 340. 360? 360. 380? | 0:54:38 | 0:54:43 | |
380. 400. 420? 420. 440? 440. 460? | 0:54:43 | 0:54:48 | |
At 440. 460 or not. At £440. | 0:54:48 | 0:54:49 | |
At £440. | 0:54:49 | 0:54:52 | |
Brilliant! Well done. | 0:54:52 | 0:54:54 | |
-That's OK. -Thank you very much indeed. -I was a bit... | 0:54:54 | 0:54:56 | |
-I was a bit disappointed when you said it would only do 150, the auctioneer said. -So was I. | 0:54:56 | 0:55:02 | |
But, you know, on a good day... On a good day that would make good money because the condition is exceptional | 0:55:02 | 0:55:08 | |
and three or four people thought that. | 0:55:08 | 0:55:09 | |
-Well, it certainly went with a bang rather than a dead squid! -Damp squib! | 0:55:09 | 0:55:13 | |
75. At 75. The bid's at the back there. | 0:55:13 | 0:55:16 | |
At 75. 80 now? At £75. | 0:55:16 | 0:55:19 | |
Right now, something for the girls. It's the lovely American compact. | 0:55:19 | 0:55:23 | |
It belongs to Anthea and I know you zoomed in on this at the valuation day. | 0:55:23 | 0:55:27 | |
I did, I did. It is right up my street. | 0:55:27 | 0:55:28 | |
You'd like to own that. | 0:55:28 | 0:55:30 | |
How long have you had the compact? | 0:55:30 | 0:55:32 | |
Probably about 15 years or so. | 0:55:32 | 0:55:34 | |
And where's it been? Just... | 0:55:34 | 0:55:36 | |
-In a drawer. -In a drawer. | 0:55:36 | 0:55:38 | |
-Criminal! -It is, isn't it? -I know. -It is, yes. | 0:55:38 | 0:55:40 | |
-But then that's why it's in that lovely condition. -It is, yes. | 0:55:40 | 0:55:43 | |
It's going to go today, isn't it? It's a real collectable. Here we go. | 0:55:43 | 0:55:47 | |
The USA compact there in the form of a lady's hand. | 0:55:47 | 0:55:49 | |
-Can I say £80 away? £50 away? -Come on, where are the ladies? | 0:55:49 | 0:55:52 | |
At £40 I'm bid. | 0:55:52 | 0:55:53 | |
I'll take five to get on. At £40 I'm bid. 45. £50. 55. | 0:55:53 | 0:55:56 | |
£60. 65. £70. At £70 seated. | 0:55:56 | 0:55:59 | |
At £70 the bid. I'll take five. | 0:55:59 | 0:56:01 | |
-Oh, come on, a bit more. -At £70 then seated. At £70. | 0:56:01 | 0:56:04 | |
-Oh, well, it made its money, reserve. -Yeah. | 0:56:04 | 0:56:07 | |
-Just on the reserve. -Yeah. | 0:56:07 | 0:56:09 | |
I thought it'd make more cos of the condition, but... | 0:56:09 | 0:56:11 | |
-Yeah. -There you go. | 0:56:11 | 0:56:13 | |
-You never know. -It's gone. -It's gone. | 0:56:13 | 0:56:15 | |
-It's out of the drawer and it's gone. -Yes. | 0:56:15 | 0:56:18 | |
660. 680. | 0:56:19 | 0:56:21 | |
700. 720. 750. 780. 800. | 0:56:21 | 0:56:25 | |
820. 850. 880. 900. | 0:56:25 | 0:56:28 | |
At £900. | 0:56:28 | 0:56:29 | |
One of my favourite artists, Fred Yates, that's on the bill now | 0:56:29 | 0:56:33 | |
and lots of local Cornish interest I would imagine, Cecilia. | 0:56:33 | 0:56:36 | |
-Yes. -Now, we had a valuation put on by Mark, our expert, of about 1,000 to 1,500. | 0:56:36 | 0:56:41 | |
-That's right, Paul. -That's right, isn't it? | 0:56:41 | 0:56:43 | |
-But I know since the valuation day you've had a chat to Ian, the auctioneer. -I have. | 0:56:43 | 0:56:47 | |
-You rang him up... -Yes. | 0:56:47 | 0:56:48 | |
-And you've now put... -Two and a half. | 0:56:48 | 0:56:51 | |
-..the reserve up... -Yes. -..to 2,200. -2,200, yes. | 0:56:51 | 0:56:55 | |
Right, did you think we undervalued it slightly? | 0:56:55 | 0:56:58 | |
-I did. -Hopefully, you can prove us wrong and we can go home with our... | 0:56:58 | 0:57:01 | |
I'm not unhappy to take it home. | 0:57:01 | 0:57:02 | |
I gathered that. You've protected it with a fixed reserve. | 0:57:02 | 0:57:05 | |
We need 2,200 right now before this painting leaves the room. | 0:57:05 | 0:57:10 | |
Let's find out who wants it, shall we? | 0:57:10 | 0:57:11 | |
Fred Yates, signed oil on canvas there. | 0:57:11 | 0:57:14 | |
Can I say £1,000 to start? | 0:57:14 | 0:57:15 | |
At £1,000. I'll take 1,100 now. At £1,000. At 1,000. | 0:57:15 | 0:57:19 | |
1,100. 1,200. 1,300. | 0:57:19 | 0:57:21 | |
1,400. 1,500. | 0:57:21 | 0:57:23 | |
1,600. 1,600 with me. | 0:57:23 | 0:57:25 | |
At 1,600. 17 now. At 1,600. | 0:57:25 | 0:57:27 | |
1,700. At 1,700. At 1,700. | 0:57:27 | 0:57:29 | |
My bid's out on the book at 1,700. 1,800. | 0:57:29 | 0:57:33 | |
At 1,800. 1,900. 2,000? | 0:57:33 | 0:57:34 | |
2,000. | 0:57:34 | 0:57:36 | |
At 21. 22? 22. 23? At £2,200. | 0:57:36 | 0:57:40 | |
You were right! | 0:57:40 | 0:57:41 | |
At 2,200. 23 or not? | 0:57:41 | 0:57:43 | |
-Cecilia! -£2,200. | 0:57:43 | 0:57:45 | |
2,200 you were right. | 0:57:45 | 0:57:47 | |
Lots of local interest, that's what it's all about, isn't it? | 0:57:47 | 0:57:51 | |
Well, there we are. You see... | 0:57:51 | 0:57:52 | |
-Mr Meanie! -No! -No, I was with you, I agreed with you. | 0:57:52 | 0:57:55 | |
But also I think we would have got that anyway... | 0:57:55 | 0:57:57 | |
-Yes, of course. -With an estimate of 1,000 to 1,500. | 0:57:57 | 0:58:00 | |
-Yeah. -But I do understand from the vendor's point of view you have to satisfy your own... | 0:58:00 | 0:58:04 | |
-Interest and your curiosity. -Absolutely. -Protect your goods. -Absolutely. | 0:58:04 | 0:58:08 | |
That's what it's all about and you've done that! | 0:58:08 | 0:58:10 | |
There's commission to pay, but what will you put the money towards? | 0:58:10 | 0:58:13 | |
I'll probably go and have a good time. Monte Carlo, perhaps? | 0:58:13 | 0:58:17 | |
-Would you? -Maybe I'll make lots of money! -Oh, wow! We've had a great time here. | 0:58:17 | 0:58:22 | |
I hope you've enjoyed watching the show, as well. | 0:58:22 | 0:58:24 | |
Sadly, this is it from Lostwithiel in Cornwall. | 0:58:24 | 0:58:27 | |
Until the next time, see you soon. | 0:58:27 | 0:58:29 | |
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd | 0:58:47 | 0:58:50 |