Liverpool Flog It!


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Today, we're in one of the most thrilling and vibrant cities in the North-West,

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famous for its creativity, comedy and culture.

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"Flog It!" is in Liverpool.

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MUSIC: "Live And Let Die" by Paul McCartney and Wings

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As a city, Liverpool is diverse, energetic and exciting.

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Situated by the River Mersey, the docks are central to Liverpool's history,

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with the best-known being the Albert Dock,

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the largest single collection of Grade I listed buildings in the UK.

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The city's role as a major port in the British Empire means that many of its finest buildings

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were built as headquarters

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for the shipping firms and insurance companies.

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The Pier Head is perhaps

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one of the most famous iconic images on the city's skyline

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and it's dominated by

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the Royal Liver, the Cunard, and the Port of Liverpool buildings.

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Together, there's over a century of heritage between them

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and they're still fully functioning.

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They're known locally as the Three Graces.

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Later on in the programme, we'll be looking at

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Liverpool's fascinating maritime history, but for now,

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it's anchors aweigh and let's get on with the show.

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And gracing us with their presence today are our two experts,

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the fabulous Mark Stacey and the gorgeous Kate Bateman.

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Today's venue is St George's Hall, right in the centre of the city,

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and, by George, do we have a fabulous queue here,

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on a gorgeous sunny day.

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I can't wait to find out what's in those bags and boxes,

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so let's get the doors open and get "Flog It!" going.

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So, as the crowds rush in to this great hall, let's see what Kate

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has uncovered from this Liverpudlian treasure trove.

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Tony, you've bought in this vase. What do you know about it?

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All I can tell you is that I bought it from a jumble sale,

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approximately about 25 years ago, so when I was about eight.

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A jumble sale. What did you pay for it?

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I paid less than £1 for it. No more than £1.

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It's quite a weird thing for a small boy of eight or so to buy.

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-What attracted you to it?

-I've no recollection of buying it.

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I just know at that time, I bought a lot of things,

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spent most of my pocket money on junk.

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-On junk.

-On junk.

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-This is an item of junk.

-Yeah.

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OK. Do you know anything else about it?

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-I know it's Troika. I know it comes from Cornwall.

-Right.

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I know it's featured a lot on Flog It!

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It is a favourite of our Paul Martin.

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I have to say, I disagree with him on this.

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I am not a big fan of Troika.

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It just doesn't float my boat,

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but you obviously liked it.

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I don't particularly like it, actually.

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I have no feelings about it, at all, actually.

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-Ambiguous on the whole subject of Troika.

-Yeah.

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And, obviously, it's graffito decorated,

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so, scratched into the wet clay before it's fired

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and you've got all these different

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sort of highly-painted geometric designs. Quite funky.

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All different on each side.

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Pricewise, £60 to £90 is a fairly normal estimate

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for something of this size.

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And the condition's good.

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It's obviously quite a mark-up from £1.

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-Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah.

-So quite a good investment.

-Yes.

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-I want to know what else you've bought.

-I'll have a look.

-Have a rummage.

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-Is that the kind of figure you'd be happy with?

-Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah.

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-Reserve-wise, what's the least that you'd take for it?

-Maybe about £40.

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What will you do with the money?

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I'm going to spend some of the money on the garden

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and also, I'm going to treat my mum to a bunch of flowers

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because she thinks I gave it her many years ago but I don't remember.

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-You're not going to be tempted to buy more junk, are you?

-Absolutely.

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-You'll be at the next car boot, out there with

-£1. Yes.

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-You've clearly got a good eye.

-Thank you.

-Shall we give it a go at the sale?

-Yeah. Absolutely.

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-Thanks for bringing it in.

-Thanks very much.

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Now it's time for something of a change - a lovely pocket watch.

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Catherine, you've brought this lovely item in. Tell me about it.

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This was my late father's.

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He was an avid watch collector -

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marine chronometers, anything.

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Anything scientific or with a mechanical movement.

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Yes, but it had to be working.

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If it didn't work, he didn't want it.

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-Or he spent a lot of money doing it up, I suppose.

-To restore it, he spent £400

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and nearly two years of a man's time to restore the watch.

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He wanted to see it working.

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-Well, he was quite determined, cos £400 is quite a lot of money and that was some time ago.

-1979.

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-Good Lord. Unfortunately, of course, we can't add that on to the value of the watch...

-No.

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It doesn't work like that.

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What I can tell you about it is,

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it's by a very good maker, Joseph Martinez,

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and it's going to date to the, sort of, second half of the 18th century,

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so it's a nice George III period piece.

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The case is engraved with this lovely design here.

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The face has got a few cracks in the enamel but it's a very typical face for this maker.

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What I like, also, about it... If we close it up and have a look at it...

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the glass here is bevelled and faceted

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so when you actually look,

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you get a sort of almost like an insect's eye view of the face

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and it's very nice.

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-And of course, it repeats.

-Right.

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So when you press it like that... WATCH CHIMES

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Now, what that will tell you when it chimes like that,

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it'll give you the how many quarter pasts...

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quarter past, half past, quarter to,

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-and then the last two are the last hour.

-Oh, right.

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So you know that it's, you know, the time is coming up or has just gone.

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That's the first time I've actually heard it.

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-Oh, really? You've never been tempted to squeeze the top?

-No. No.

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Well, the thing with these, of course, is,

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the gentleman would put this by the side at night on a watch stand,

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so when he woke up, he maybe didn't want to light his candle,

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so he'd press that and it would give you an approximation of the time.

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What I would say to you, as well, with this,

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this is the central bit of the pocket watch.

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It would have been enclosed in an outer case...

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either a full case to make it a full hunter,

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or a glass open face to make it a half-hunter.

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So, you are missing that bit.

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Now, value.

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£400-600 would be my suggestion to you,

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with a reserve of 400.

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And, hopefully, it'll knock up a bit on that. How do you feel about that?

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I'd just like the watch if it went to somebody who'd appreciate it.

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Well, it's certainly going to go to either a specialist dealer

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or a specialist collector.

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One way or other, it's going to go to somebody who's going to appreciate it slightly more than sitting...

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-..In a drawer.

-..for 30 years.

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-I look forward to seeing you at the auction and let's hope it chimes the right note at the sale.

-Thank you.

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Wendy, this is a fabulous postcard album.

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Yeah. It's very musty.

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I know. It's...

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-It's got that smell.

-Yeah.

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Fresh to the trade, they say.

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I think the collectors are going to like this

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because it's not been through the auction rooms or an antique shop before.

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-Never. No.

-No, which is great.

-And if you read, originally, it came from an old friend of ours.

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-Her name was Mabel and she lived in 150 Great Homer St, Liverpool, which doesn't exist any more.

-Oh, really.

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-It's all been bombed down now, pulled down.

-This is the beauty of postcards like this from the early 1900s.

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-It captures social history which has been lost.

-Yeah.

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-And that's why individual images are so highly sought after...

-I see.

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..because these buildings don't exist.

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Well, whoever put this album together has obviously travelled to all the right destinations,

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-sort of, towards the end of the 1800s, early 1900s.

-Yes.

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So, they're topographic scenes you expect to find in a lovely album.

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They've toured all of North Wales, look.

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Going through Snowdonia, Betws-y-Coed,

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-We've got Colwyn Bay.

-That must have been the old original pier.

-Yes. That's not there now.

-No.

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You see what a wonderful document it is of past civic history, can't you?

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You can see why the collectors want things like this.

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Oh, look at that one of Southport.

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-Isn't it beautiful?

-Now that really does sum up the 1920s.

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Yeah. It's lovely, isn't it?

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and I think this should do somewhere in the region of sort of high 300s.

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That's what I'm hoping.

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Can we put this into auction with a value of £225 to sort of £325...

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-with a reserve on at 225?

-Yes.

-Can we do that?

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-Yes. That's fine.

-Fingers crossed.

-Yeah.

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-Fingers crossed we get that top end.

-OK. Thank you very much.

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Now, you've brought a lovely little item in to show us, Jean. Have you had it a long time?

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Quite a while. It's come out of our garage, because my husband

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is a watchmaker, retired, but has all his bits and pieces in the garage.

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So, out of the box that came, and I quite like it.

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Well, I think we need to have a little look at it, because it's actually quite an interesting object.

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First of all, it's two-pronged.

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-We've got this rather nice little eagle's head here in gold...

-Yeah.

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-With this little seal here, and then the item going through it is an actual clock winder...

-Winder.

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Which is wonderful, actually, and you could just imagine it on a Victorian gentleman's watch chain.

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Pocket watch on a chain, yes.

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His pocket watch. And what a wonderful thing to have on, your own seal.

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And it would seal letters, I think, would it?

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Yes, it would. It's quite small.

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Normally, the seals for letters are quite big, as you can imagine big envelopes, but this is, yeah...

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It's only initials, so it's not from a titled family or anything like that...

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-Right.

-..where you've got a family crest.

-Yeah.

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So would it be quite old, then?

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-I think so. I think we're certainly looking at the 19th century.

-Yeah.

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And looking at the shape of the shield here and the

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type of decoration, I would have thought we're probably looking at...

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-maybe the last quarter of the 19th century, so maybe 1870, 1880, something like that.

-Yes.

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And why have you brought it in today?

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Well, it hasn't got any sentimental value, because it's obviously not

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really ours, but it's come to us, so it doesn't mean anything to me.

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-Oh, well, that's it, so I can say anything I like...

-Yes, you can.

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-And you'll say yes, wonderful.

-I won't get upset.

-Fantastic.

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-I don't think we're looking a huge amount of money.

-No.

-But it is a collector's object.

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-Yes.

-And I think with these, sort of, things, it's best to put a rather modest estimate on them

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and then just let the market place itself wherever it wants.

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-Yes.

-If you know what I mean.

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-So, I would suggest, sort of, £40 to £60.

-Right.

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-Now, what about a reserve? Do you want to put a reserve on it?

-Well, do you think we should?

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Well, we don't want to give it away for £10, do we?

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-No.

-So shall we put a reserve of 30?

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-Right.

-Just to give it a bit of protection.

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-Yes, that's fine.

-Wonderful.

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-Well, let's hope we wind up a good price at the auction.

-Right. OK.

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-Andy.

-Hi.

-Welcome to Flog It! You've brought me these two Doulton figurines in.

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-They're a study of contrasts.

-They are.

-I think it's fair to say.

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-I know which one's my favourite.

-Is it this one, by any chance?

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-Definitely.

-Yeah. You've got two very different styles

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from the same factory,

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so you've got the Flower Seller's Children, here,

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which is quite an early piece.

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Lovely colours. Probably early 1930s.

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And then you've got Old Father Thames here.

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He looks fairly ancient, but in terms of a model, he's not very old.

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-No.

-Probably a 1980s. Some people like this one.

-Yeah.

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I think what you've got is much more collectable on the terms of this one.

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We always moan about condition on these things.

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I'm going to play devil's advocate here and have a whinge. A few bits missing.

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A few little chips and cracks and things on the flowers, which you expect. They all fall off.

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It's in pretty good condition other than that, though.

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-No heads off.

-No.

-Fingers are fine.

-No.

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It's a nice piece. Why would you be selling it?

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I want to take the daughter and the wife down to Great Yarmouth

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to see two good friends of ours who run a hotel down there.

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-And fed up of dusting it.

-Well, I don't mind looking at this one.

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I just want this one to go, you know.

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This is a strange piece. I mean, it's not going to be everybody's cup of tea.

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In terms of pricing,

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I think the best thing to do is put them in two separate lots

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-because they'll appeal to two different kinds of people.

-Right.

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And this one is the lower figure.

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-Maybe an estimate of £40-50 on him.

-OK.

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-And this one's slightly more collectable, so £100-150.

-Right.

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Would you want to set some reserves on them?

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-On this one. I wouldn't like to see it go for less than 100.

-OK.

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So put a fixed reserve of 100, cos if it doesn't make that,

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-you can always have it back.

-Of course.

-Brilliant.

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-Well, I'll see you at the auction.

-OK. Yeah.

-Fingers crossed it will go.

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# From Liverpool to Bristol

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# A-rovin' I went

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# But a stay in that country Well, it was my intent

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# For drinking strong whisky Like other damn fools

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# So, not need transported back to Liverpool... #

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The docks have always been central to Liverpool's rich history

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and the most famous of them all being the Albert Dock here,

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which Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, gave his name to.

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Its heyday was the second half of the 19th century,

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but within a fairly short period of time, it became obsolete, spiralling into decay and disuse.

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Once considered a blot on the landscape, some 30 years later,

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it's now become the jewel in the crown of Liverpool's rejuvenation.

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It's now a global tourist attraction...

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with museums, restaurants,

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bars, luxury apartments and offices to visit. So, let's go back in time.

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How did it all begin?

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Until the early part of the 18th century,

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vessels used to unload upon open quaysides,

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but they were at the mercy of thieves and smugglers.

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Ships' contents were taken to around 200 bonded warehouses

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scattered all over Liverpool

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and, consequently, the government found it very difficult to impose customs taxes.

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When St Katherine's Dock opened in London, in 1828,

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it was the first enclosed dock with quayside warehouses.

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Ultimately, a much better port system to control tax evasion.

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The Albert Dock was based upon this pioneering design.

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I've come to Liverpool's Maritime Museum to meet Stephen Guy

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to find out more about this amazing dock.

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Who was behind the design and when was it built?

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Jesse Hartley... he was...an engineer.

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He had no experience, really, of port engineering,

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but he created this role which he fulfilled in Liverpool,

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and he designed and built this dock

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and, of course, it worked tremendously well.

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-Yeah.

-But, really, if you were going to choose a place to put a port, Liverpool isn't it.

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The engineers had to overcome these problems with the tides and with the docks,

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and he created the template for dock engineering throughout the world.

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By February 1845, the dock was ready to receive its first ships,

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but it was only on July 30, 1846 that Prince Albert formally opened the docks.

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It was truly a grand occasion.

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It was the first state visit by a member of the British royal family to Liverpool

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and it was a time to celebrate. After all, Liverpool had arguably the world's first

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fully-enclosed fireproof and theft-proof system of dock warehouses.

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When you look around you,

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everything you can see, apart from the modern frontages etc,

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is original Victorian engineering at its very best.

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-It really is.

-It's incredible because this is the largest group of Grade 1 listed buildings in Britain.

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It's amazing and it's all done by hand.

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You know, look at all those bricks, all laid by hand, all that cast iron,

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granite, sandstone, and it's a great place to be.

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-It is. It feels good, doesn't it?

-It does. Yeah.

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Now, is that part of the original mechanical loading system?

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Previously, it was blokes hauling ropes.

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-Pulleys and tackles.

-Push and pull, push and pull, labour intensive.

-So that really did speed things up.

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The machine changed. I mean, this was the Industrial Revolution, you know.

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This was a major change, and so, obviously, you could shift cargos so much quicker.

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What were they unloading?

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All sorts of things were brought in from all over the world.

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-It must have been colourful and vibrant and the smells would have been wonderful.

-It was.

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In Victorian times, the smells of the spices,

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the smell of the cotton, the smell of the rum, the tobacco.

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Everything was incredible and the characters, of course, they would have been all round here.

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-Yeah.

-You know, tremendous characters, including Jesse Hartley, was a great character himself.

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You can imagine him shouting, "Get on with this," you know.

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-He was the ultimate foreman and he either altered or built every dock in Liverpool...

-It's incredible.

0:17:390:17:46

..during his time. He was a colossus.

0:17:460:17:49

And I guess it employed, in its heyday,

0:17:490:17:52

thousands and thousands of people.

0:17:520:17:54

This area down here would have been total noise,

0:17:540:17:56

-the clanking of machinery.

-A hive of activity.

0:17:560:17:59

Total hive of activity.

0:17:590:18:01

# As I walked out one morning fair down by the Liverpool docks

0:18:010:18:06

# Heave away, me Johnny Heave away! #

0:18:060:18:09

Although the dock prospered hugely, slowly the demands of ships began to change.

0:18:110:18:17

Consequently, a downturn in the life of the Albert Dock was almost inevitable.

0:18:170:18:21

Why did the docks go out of favour? What was their demise?

0:18:240:18:27

Well, you can make all the great plans for a dock, but, really, what happened was the ships got bigger.

0:18:270:18:33

Right. OK. And I guess access is quite tight here.

0:18:330:18:36

Well, you look at the lock gates.

0:18:360:18:39

-Yes.

-They weren't able to predict how big ships were going to go.

0:18:390:18:43

They couldn't predict the leviathans of the sea which were coming,

0:18:430:18:46

but a simple thing like the lock gates not being big enough

0:18:460:18:49

really sounded the end for this dock as a major dock in the town.

0:18:490:18:55

What happened in the 20th century, then?

0:18:550:18:58

Throughout the '70s, this was a very, very bad area.

0:18:580:19:02

Nothing was happening here and the dock board crashed. It went bust.

0:19:020:19:06

-It went bankrupt. And at about that time, there was an accident here, where a ship rammed the gates.

-Here?

0:19:060:19:13

Yeah. Rammed the gates to the Canning Dock and because of the state of the dock board at that time,

0:19:130:19:18

there was no repairs done.

0:19:180:19:20

So what happened was, this area became tidal.

0:19:200:19:24

All the tide came in and it silted up, so if you'd look behind you here,

0:19:240:19:29

you know, 30 years ago, it was just a mass of silt.

0:19:290:19:33

I mean, the Piermaster's House over there, the warehouse round the back there, they were ruined.

0:19:330:19:39

It was a very sad time for Liverpool.

0:19:390:19:43

But it was Michael Heseltine who spearheaded turning around the fortunes of the Albert Dock.

0:19:430:19:48

In the early 1980s, the newly-elected Conservative government

0:19:480:19:52

appointed him Environment Secretary, and under his guidance, the Merseyside Development Corporation

0:19:520:19:58

was set up to take over the responsibility of regenerating and redeveloping Liverpool South Dock.

0:19:580:20:05

Thank goodness it's been preserved, cos this is Liverpool's social history, isn't it?

0:20:050:20:10

It's all here. It's a world history.

0:20:100:20:12

-These buildings are really quite symbolic of that.

-Yeah.

0:20:120:20:17

And so the transformation slowly began to take place.

0:20:180:20:23

With new plans for leisure usage, the docks had a new lease of life.

0:20:230:20:29

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, this place has now become a huge tourist attraction,

0:20:290:20:34

giving you a sense of connection to the past to Liverpool's glorious maritime days,

0:20:340:20:39

but also offering the city inspiration for the future.

0:20:390:20:43

Let's get the excitement going.

0:20:500:20:52

We're going to make our way over to the auction room in Mold

0:20:520:20:55

and leave you with a rundown just to jog your memory of the items that are going under the hammer.

0:20:550:20:59

Kate's not a fan of Troika,

0:21:010:21:03

but having paid the price of just one English pound, how will Tony's vase fare under the hammer?

0:21:030:21:10

It is a favourite of our Paul Martin.

0:21:100:21:12

I have to say I disagree with him on this. I am not a big fan of Troika.

0:21:120:21:16

Catherine wants her father's pocket watch to go to a good home.

0:21:160:21:20

How much will she pocket at auction?

0:21:200:21:23

-You press it like that.

-That's the first time I've actually heard it.

-Oh, really?

0:21:230:21:27

Will Wendy's album of just over 250 postcards gain a stamp of approval?

0:21:270:21:32

-It's very musty.

-I know. It's got that smell.

0:21:320:21:38

Fresh to the trade, they say.

0:21:380:21:40

Boxed up for years,

0:21:400:21:41

Jean won't be missing her watch key and seal either.

0:21:410:21:44

-It doesn't mean anything to me.

-Ah, well that's it.

0:21:440:21:47

-So now I can say anything I like and you'll say, "Yes, wonderful."

-I won't get upset.

0:21:470:21:51

And Andy is expecting a decent figure for his Royal Doulton figurines,

0:21:510:21:55

but will he get it?

0:21:550:21:57

This is where we're putting all our experts' valuations to the test,

0:22:050:22:09

in Dodds Auction Rooms, in the heart of Mold.

0:22:090:22:11

There's an air of excitement and anticipation, all the ingredients you need for a classic auction.

0:22:110:22:15

Who knows what's going to happen, but we're going to find out.

0:22:150:22:18

'And the man with the all-important gavel in his hand today is auctioneer Anthony Parry.

0:22:180:22:23

'First up, Tony's £1 piece of Troika.'

0:22:230:22:28

£60-90. Kate here doesn't really like Troika, do you?

0:22:280:22:32

If I said here's 50 quid, would you go out and spend it on Troika?

0:22:320:22:35

-Not a chance.

-Not a chance.

-Not a chance. No.

0:22:350:22:38

In fact, there must be insanity in your family cos you're mad to buy something like that. Honestly.

0:22:380:22:43

No. I think Troika is really lovely.

0:22:430:22:46

-It's a matter of taste though, isn't it?

-Well, exactly.

0:22:460:22:48

-And lots of people like it.

-I think it's quite ugly.

0:22:480:22:51

-I'm not really a fan of Troika.

-A man after my own heart.

0:22:510:22:54

-You're outnumbered.

-I know.

0:22:540:22:56

I'm flying the flag here.

0:22:560:22:58

So we're going to find out what the bidders in Mold think.

0:22:580:23:01

It's going under the hammer right now. Fingers crossed.

0:23:010:23:04

Right. Nice little Troika vase.

0:23:040:23:06

30. 40. 50. 60. £60. 60.

0:23:060:23:11

-60. 60. 70. 80. £80.

-Oh, wow.

0:23:110:23:17

80. Going to have 90? No. £80. 80.

0:23:170:23:20

80. Anybody else? £80.

0:23:200:23:22

85. 85. 85. 90. Five, is there?

0:23:220:23:28

90. All done at £90, then?

0:23:280:23:30

We've finished at £90?

0:23:300:23:32

Well done. Well done for you.

0:23:330:23:36

-I had a really nice time.

-What next? You can spot the next thing.

0:23:360:23:39

-I'm going to root through the rest of my drawers and see what I've got.

-Brilliant.

0:23:390:23:42

160. 160.

0:23:450:23:48

And next under the hammer we've got a silver-cased verge pocket watch belonging to Catherine and Peter.

0:23:480:23:54

We've got a value of 400-600 put on by our expert, Mark Stacey.

0:23:540:23:57

This is real quality, and was it your father...?

0:23:570:24:01

My father bought it. Yes.

0:24:010:24:03

And since then, the watch has just been kept in a little green box in a cupboard.

0:24:030:24:09

Well, that's one of its virtues, really, the fact that you've looked after it. It's not been damaged.

0:24:090:24:13

It's still working. It's in mint condition.

0:24:130:24:16

-This is true.

-And it's superb.

-It's lovely. It's a very good maker.

0:24:160:24:19

-We've looked it up. It's, sort of, mid-to-late 18th century.

-Exactly.

0:24:190:24:22

-So we've put a sensible estimate on it and we protected it with a reserve.

-Good.

0:24:220:24:26

-So, fingers crossed.

-Something for the purists.

0:24:260:24:28

It's definitely the oldest thing in the sale. Let's hope the bidders fall in love with this. Here we go.

0:24:280:24:33

We've got a very nice Verge pocket watch here to start off with.

0:24:330:24:37

200, I'm bid. £200.

0:24:370:24:39

200. 225. 250. 275. 300.

0:24:390:24:43

£300, up there. 300. 300. 25 is it?

0:24:430:24:48

All done at 300? 325. 350. 375. 375.

0:24:480:24:54

-375. 375. 400.

-Yes. We've got four.

-400.

0:24:540:24:59

400. Take ten up here, if you want.

0:24:590:25:02

£400 is there. All done at £400?

0:25:020:25:05

Missed no-one?

0:25:050:25:07

We just did it - £400.

0:25:070:25:09

-That's a good result.

-Yes.

-It's a good result.

0:25:090:25:13

Right. It's my turn to be the expert today and I've been joined by Wendy, who's looking absolutely fabulous.

0:25:200:25:25

-You really do. Love the scarf.

-Thank you very much.

0:25:250:25:28

-Bit of Marilyn Monroe and some other film stars there.

-Yeah. Ava Gardner.

0:25:280:25:31

-Talking about photographs, we've got lots of photographs and postcards, really...

-Yeah.

0:25:310:25:35

..just about to go under the hammer with your album.

0:25:350:25:37

-And I think there's about 240 odd in total.

-Yeah.

0:25:370:25:41

We've got a value of £225-325.

0:25:410:25:45

Let's hope we can find a new home today. Here we go, Wendy.

0:25:450:25:48

It's going under the hammer.

0:25:480:25:50

Lot 100 now. Lot 100 is the album of 264 photographs.

0:25:500:25:55

-What shall we say for that? Nice album.

-Come on.

0:25:550:25:58

50, I'm bid. £50. 50. 60. 70.

0:25:580:26:01

80. 90. 100. And ten. 120. 130. 140.

0:26:010:26:07

150. 150. 150. 160 is it?

0:26:070:26:12

150, not much money, that isn't. 150. 150.

0:26:120:26:16

All done at £150, then?

0:26:160:26:18

We finished?

0:26:180:26:20

It's worth a lot more than that.

0:26:200:26:22

I'm pleased we put a reserve on, that's for sure.

0:26:220:26:25

They're easily worth over £200.

0:26:250:26:27

So I think the best thing you can do is - no-one in the room wants them today -

0:26:270:26:31

take them home, keep them at home for three or four months,

0:26:310:26:34

and if you decide to sell them, then put them in maybe to a different sale.

0:26:340:26:39

-You can definitely come back here, if you want.

-Yeah.

0:26:390:26:42

Watching other valuers value these postcards and I've done them myself and they've been fetching £300-400,

0:26:420:26:48

so there's no reason why those ones shouldn't.

0:26:480:26:51

Well, I've just been joined by Andy and Kate, our expert here.

0:26:570:27:01

We've got two Doulton figures to go under the hammer.

0:27:010:27:03

We're splitting the lots. The first one is the flower seller.

0:27:030:27:06

-Yes.

-Very collectable. We've got £120-150.

-Yeah.

0:27:060:27:11

We've upped it slight from that 100.

0:27:110:27:14

-I think that was the wife, wasn't it?

-It was the wife.

0:27:140:27:16

-Saying, "Come on, we want a bit more than that."

-She must be obeyed.

0:27:160:27:19

-Right. Yeah.

-Don't blame you there.

0:27:190:27:21

And the other one for £40-50.

0:27:210:27:23

Less popular. Hardly any colour, just a bit of gilding on that one.

0:27:230:27:27

-This one's Old Father Thames.

-Yeah.

0:27:270:27:29

Yeah. Hopefully, we've got the collectors here. It's a great name.

0:27:290:27:33

Let's just hope the price is right.

0:27:330:27:34

-Well, we'll see.

-We will... right now. Here we go.

0:27:340:27:38

We come onto the Royal Doulton section now.

0:27:380:27:40

165, the flower seller's children.

0:27:400:27:44

A nice one there. 50. Thank you. £50. 55.

0:27:440:27:48

-60. Five. 70. Five.

-Started low.

0:27:480:27:52

75. 75. This is not much money. 80.

0:27:520:27:55

Five.

0:27:550:27:57

90. Five.

0:27:570:27:59

95.

0:27:590:28:01

£95. 95. Who's following it up? 100.

0:28:010:28:04

And five.

0:28:040:28:06

And ten. 115. 120.

0:28:060:28:10

-This is good. Well done. We've sold it.

-120. And five, is it?

0:28:100:28:13

120. 120's close to me.

0:28:130:28:16

120. Are we missing anybody?

0:28:160:28:19

-120, it's gone.

-Brilliant. First one down. Here's the next one.

0:28:190:28:24

165A. Old Father Thames.

0:28:240:28:26

There he is.

0:28:260:28:28

20. £20. 20. Two. 24.

0:28:280:28:31

£24. 24. 24. Where's six?

0:28:310:28:35

24. 26. 28. Have one more, Michael.

0:28:350:28:39

30. £30. 30. 30. 30. I'm very grateful to you for that.

0:28:390:28:44

£30. 30. Two, is there?

0:28:440:28:47

All done at £30, then?

0:28:470:28:50

-That's not bad, is it?

-No.

-£150.

0:28:500:28:52

-So I think the wife will be really happy.

-Yeah. I hope she is.

0:28:520:28:55

Jean, let's hope we get the top end of Mark's estimate,

0:28:590:29:02

which is £40 to £60 for this lovely watch seal and fob. I think it's cracking.

0:29:020:29:06

It is gold, but it's not hallmarked.

0:29:060:29:09

-Yes. Well, we couldn't find the hallmark on it, but it's very pretty. I love the eagle's head.

-Yes.

0:29:090:29:13

-Yes. Gorgeous. It's quality.

-It's a lovely little object.

-It's only tiny, though.

0:29:130:29:17

-I know, I know, but it's lovely actually and I'm sure it's going to find a new home right now.

-Right.

0:29:170:29:22

-It's the kind of thing that the collectors always want.

-Absolutely.

0:29:220:29:25

It's not a lot of money to part with for something so different. You're not going to see this every day.

0:29:250:29:30

Particularly if you're a watch collector or a specialist watch dealer.

0:29:300:29:33

-You like this sort of thing to add to another quality item or to put on a nice fob chain, you know.

-Yeah.

0:29:330:29:38

-And some of the best things come in the smallest packages. We know this, don't we?

-Exactly.

0:29:380:29:43

Well, we're going to find out anyway what the bidders of Mold think of this lovely small package.

0:29:430:29:48

It's going under the hammer right now.

0:29:480:29:52

401, a very nice watch key.

0:29:520:29:54

What shall we say for that? £20, thank you. £20,

0:29:540:29:57

20, 5, 30, 5, 40, £40.

0:29:570:30:01

40, 40,

0:30:010:30:02

5, is it? £40. 40, 5, 7.50, 50...

0:30:020:30:09

-That's good.

-Yes.

0:30:090:30:10

£50. Over here at £50. Are we done at 50?

0:30:100:30:15

-Made estimate. That's good, isn't it?

-Not bad.

-That's very nice.

0:30:150:30:18

£50. It's going to come in useful.

0:30:180:30:20

-Yes.

-A little bit of commission - it's 15%.

-Right.

0:30:200:30:23

-You'll be able to treat yourself.

-It's not the money - it's being with you.

0:30:230:30:26

-Oh, well, that's nice. Can't put a price on that!

-No.

0:30:260:30:30

Coming up, we go from minor to major, with Royal Doulton.

0:30:350:30:39

It cost a fortune to post,

0:30:390:30:41

but can Tam find an over-the-top price for his vase from down under?

0:30:410:30:46

-It must have cost you a fortune to have it shipped over.

-Just over £300.

-Good Lord.

0:30:460:30:51

But right now, I fancy a bit of fresh air,

0:30:510:30:53

so I'm going to do some sightseeing on the waterfront in Liverpool.

0:30:530:30:58

Standing here on Liverpool's iconic waterfront are the Royal Liver,

0:31:040:31:10

the Cunard and the Port of Liverpool buildings.

0:31:100:31:13

Now, known collectively, they're the Three Graces, but I'm not here today to see these historic buildings -

0:31:130:31:18

what I'm here for is that one, that's caught my eye, that ultra-modern one.

0:31:180:31:22

Now, as of yet, it's unfinished, but it's soon going to play a key role in the city's history.

0:31:220:31:28

The Museum of Liverpool is a landmark modern design,

0:31:280:31:32

built here at the Pier Head in the heart of the city's old docks district.

0:31:320:31:36

It's based on a striking geometrical pattern and will eventually house a collection of 6,000 items,

0:31:360:31:43

telling the city's history from its origins

0:31:430:31:46

as a small tidal inlet to European Capital of Culture and beyond.

0:31:460:31:51

As you can see, it's a work in progress, but when it's opened,

0:31:510:31:54

there'll be 8,000 square metres of exhibition space on three floors.

0:31:540:31:59

The museum will focus on four themed areas - port city, creative city, people's city and global city -

0:31:590:32:06

all reflecting different aspects of Liverpool's history

0:32:060:32:09

and including many exhibits which have never been on display before.

0:32:090:32:13

Part of this building's genius is its complex steel frame, which forms the structure's core.

0:32:180:32:24

This cutting-edge design means the museum's largest exhibition areas

0:32:240:32:27

are free from columns and pillars and so maximise the gallery space.

0:32:270:32:32

I've come to meet Martin Hemmings, buildings operation manager

0:32:320:32:35

for the National Museums Liverpool, who is overseeing the build.

0:32:350:32:39

It's a stunning building, there is so much light here.

0:32:390:32:43

What are the highlights of the design for you?

0:32:430:32:45

I think particularly the spiral staircase in the middle of the building.

0:32:450:32:48

We can't see it in all its glory today.

0:32:480:32:52

It's a superb self-supporting staircase from the ground up to second floor.

0:32:520:32:56

It seems to float in the air, there's no columns or support,

0:32:560:33:01

and it does look magnificent with the roof light over the top and the natural light coming through.

0:33:010:33:05

You've got these wonderful architectural scoops of daylight coming in from all over the place.

0:33:050:33:09

Yes, yeah, and that's very unusual

0:33:090:33:11

for a museum to have such large glazed areas,

0:33:110:33:14

particularly on the upper galleries with the big gable windows.

0:33:140:33:17

The views are just fantastic.

0:33:170:33:19

They are. They're striking, really.

0:33:190:33:21

The whole form of the building, it's very much of this age,

0:33:210:33:24

but very much in keeping with the Three Graces, we think,

0:33:240:33:27

and there's a real good balance and scale to the whole thing.

0:33:270:33:31

Are you allowed to talk about costs? Are they quite frightening?

0:33:310:33:34

We had a community group along a couple of months ago,

0:33:340:33:36

and one of the little lads asked me how much it was going to cost,

0:33:360:33:40

and when I said 65 to 70 million...

0:33:400:33:42

there was this audible gasp from the mothers and fathers and teachers,

0:33:420:33:46

and I pointed out it was about the same as a couple of Premiership footballers, in reality.

0:33:460:33:50

So I asked him whether

0:33:500:33:52

he'd rather have a couple of footballers in his football team

0:33:520:33:55

or this place to come and see for the next 100 years

0:33:550:33:58

absolutely free for him and his children and their children, and he chose here.

0:33:580:34:02

I don't blame him.

0:34:020:34:04

This is special, and I think people know it.

0:34:040:34:07

It must be fantastic to have a purpose-built space.

0:34:120:34:15

It can give you a lot of freedom to work with.

0:34:150:34:18

-Yeah, very much so, for the designers.

-Yeah.

0:34:180:34:20

Bearing in mind this is the largest new museum that's been built in the country for over 100 years.

0:34:200:34:26

-Is it really?

-Yeah.

0:34:260:34:27

It's enabled us to bring some key objects out of storage that have never been on display.

0:34:270:34:31

So you do know some key items that have already been...

0:34:310:34:35

Yeah, many of them. For example, here we're overlooking the Port City Gallery,

0:34:350:34:40

and the recess in the balustrade at the side there will be taking a very special railway coach.

0:34:400:34:45

And here it is. Just look at this - isn't it marvellous?

0:34:530:34:57

An original carriage from the Liverpool Overhead Railway.

0:34:570:35:00

Now, I'm lucky enough to be in the museum's workshop,

0:35:000:35:03

getting a sneak preview, as this is being restored,

0:35:030:35:06

ready for display in the Port City Gallery.

0:35:060:35:08

The Liverpool Overhead Railway was the world's first elevated electric railway line.

0:35:110:35:16

Known as the Docker's Umbrella,

0:35:160:35:18

it is still remembered by many Liverpudlians

0:35:180:35:21

as one of the city's lost icons.

0:35:210:35:23

And I'm sure it's going to be a runaway success.

0:35:280:35:30

And here to tell me a little bit more about it

0:35:300:35:32

is Sharon Brown from the Port City Gallery. Hello, pleased to meet you.

0:35:320:35:36

-Hello.

-And thank you for talking to us today.

-No problem.

0:35:360:35:39

Now, you're in charge of the Port City Gallery

0:35:390:35:41

and, I guess, in choosing the exhibits.

0:35:410:35:43

Was that a hard decision?

0:35:430:35:45

It's not really a hard decision

0:35:450:35:47

when you've got such fantastic collection to work with.

0:35:470:35:50

-Well, you've got to leave something out?

-Well, you do have to leave some things out unfortunately, yes.

0:35:500:35:55

But the nature of some of the objects which is the Overhead Railway coach,

0:35:550:35:59

they're a dead cert, really, there's no way you could leave them out.

0:35:590:36:02

The Port City Gallery is all about the growth of Liverpool as a port city.

0:36:020:36:07

It's a fascinating story, and I think even local people will be surprised

0:36:070:36:11

at what we've managed to get into the gallery.

0:36:110:36:14

How many items are going to be there, all told?

0:36:140:36:16

-Gosh, hundreds and hundreds.

-Hundreds.

0:36:160:36:18

-We still haven't reached the final number yet... So it's going to go up.

-So why is this coach so important?

0:36:180:36:23

This is the only surviving motor coach from the Overhead Railway that ran along the docks in Liverpool.

0:36:230:36:30

-It ran from 1893 to 1956, so still within living memory.

-Yes.

0:36:300:36:36

There's a lot of people

0:36:360:36:37

that still have great affection for the Overhead Railway,

0:36:370:36:40

not just as a railway, but as a piece of the landscape as well.

0:36:400:36:43

And there was one lady who came in

0:36:430:36:45

and she was really interesting.

0:36:450:36:48

She'd worked as a ticket collector on the railway,

0:36:480:36:50

but she'd also met her husband during the course of her work.

0:36:500:36:54

He was a messenger boy for the Mersey Dock and Harbour Company,

0:36:540:36:57

so he used to ride up and down the docks on the Overhead Railway.

0:36:570:37:00

He liked the look of her and asked her out, and she wasn't sure.

0:37:000:37:03

-They ended up being married for a very long time. A nice happy ending.

-That's fantastic.

0:37:030:37:07

-So a personal story...

-Yes.

0:37:070:37:10

And also information about how the railway operated from her.

0:37:100:37:13

Are there any other items here that are going to go on display?

0:37:130:37:16

Yes, there are, and if you look just out the window behind you,

0:37:160:37:20

you'll see a Lion locomotive.

0:37:200:37:23

'Lion was an early locomotive

0:37:230:37:25

'which ran on the Liverpool to Manchester railway. Opened in 1830,'

0:37:250:37:29

this railway was vital to Liverpool's growth and prosperity as it provided cheaper faster transport

0:37:290:37:36

of raw materials and finished goods

0:37:360:37:38

between the city's ports and the mills of Manchester.

0:37:380:37:42

-So why did you choose this locomotive?

-The Lion is really the star object

0:37:420:37:47

in the whole of the Port City Gallery, it's a really important locomotive.

0:37:470:37:51

It was built in 1838 by Todd Kitson & Laird in Leeds to run on the Liverpool to Manchester railway.

0:37:510:37:57

-It was the first ever timetabled railway for passengers...

-Really?

0:37:570:38:01

..and freight, and it was incorporated under an Act of Parliament,

0:38:010:38:06

so it was a really big thing and it set the precedent for railways

0:38:060:38:09

-really around the world.

-Must have done. So she's had a colourful life, hasn't she?

0:38:090:38:13

-She's had a really colourful life.

-Oh, good old girl.

0:38:130:38:18

She had a film career, as well.

0:38:180:38:20

-Has she?

-She's actually been in three films - Victoria The Great, The Lady With The Lamp,

0:38:200:38:25

but most famously in 1952, the Titfield Thunderbolt,

0:38:250:38:28

the Ealing comedy.

0:38:280:38:30

So she got a new audience and a new band of fans through that market.

0:38:300:38:35

-A new lease of life.

-Yeah.

0:38:350:38:37

'What a treat to get a look behind the scenes

0:38:370:38:39

'and see some of the work that goes into creating a new museum.

0:38:390:38:42

'There's still a lot more to do before the exhibits can take their place in the galleries,

0:38:420:38:46

'not least, finishing the building work!'

0:38:460:38:49

Now, once this magnificent building has been completed,

0:38:490:38:53

it's going to stand proud alongside its famous neighbours here,

0:38:530:38:57

and who knows, maybe, just, one day,

0:38:570:38:58

it might be known as the Fourth Grace.

0:38:580:39:02

And now it's back to St George's Hall,

0:39:110:39:14

and Kate's found a little pot with a big name.

0:39:140:39:18

-Judith, hello and welcome to Flog It!

-Hiya, Kate.

-You've brought along this vase. Tell me a bit about it.

0:39:180:39:23

I had it given to me about 30 years ago via my aunt

0:39:230:39:30

-and apart from that, it's sat in the cupboard ever since.

-Do you like it?

0:39:300:39:34

Yes and no. I like it, but it doesn't go with my home. I like crystal and things like that, so...

0:39:340:39:39

Right. Well, there are lots of collectors for Moorcroft obviously,

0:39:390:39:42

-and if we look on the bottom, it will tell us a bit more about it.

-Mm-hm.

0:39:420:39:45

Obviously you've got the WM signature and the potters to the late Queen Mary, which allows us to date it

0:39:450:39:52

-to Walter Moorcroft, as opposed to the earlier William Moorcroft.

-Right.

0:39:520:39:55

-And about the 1950s.

-Mm-hm.

0:39:550:39:58

Now, the pattern is Anemone, so it's quite a well-known pattern, but it's usually in a different colourway.

0:39:580:40:04

-You usually have a blue background and then sort of pink flowers and green leaves.

-Mm-hm.

0:40:040:40:08

This is quite an unusual, almost like autumn colours.

0:40:080:40:11

-Yeah, yeah.

-Mushy green and brown, red, it's quite attractive.

0:40:110:40:16

It is nice. It looks better with the lights, to be fair, but when it's in a dark room,

0:40:160:40:21

-it looked really dark.

-It doesn't float your boat?

-It doesn't. No not at all.

0:40:210:40:25

So any ideas, price-wise, what you think it would be?

0:40:250:40:28

Don't know. Around 250, 300.

0:40:280:40:32

A reserve of at least 225.

0:40:320:40:33

Right. OK, well, I was going to say a little bit lower.

0:40:330:40:36

I was going to say between £200 and £300, but you don't want to sell it for any less than you're happy with.

0:40:360:40:42

-No, not really.

-So it's a bit of speculative one.

0:40:420:40:45

-What we'll do is put a reserve at 225...

-Mm-hm.

0:40:450:40:48

-..an estimate of 250 to 300...

-OK.

-..and see if we can get it away at the auction.

-Right. Fine.

0:40:480:40:52

-Would you be happy with that?

-That's fine.

-All right.

0:40:520:40:56

So it may or may not go. It's a bit of an iffy one this one...

0:40:560:40:58

If it does, it does - if it doesn't, it'll go home.

0:40:580:41:01

That is the way to think about it. Brilliant.

0:41:010:41:03

-What a lovely group of silver and you've brought lots of pieces in to show us which is fantastic.

-Yes.

0:41:090:41:14

But we've chosen this little group as a mixed lot

0:41:140:41:17

-because they're all of a type, aren't they?

-They are. Yeah.

0:41:170:41:20

The designs are not the same, but very similar.

0:41:200:41:24

Well, a lot of them are quite lightweight silver.

0:41:240:41:27

This is actually quite a good weight, this little bonbon basket, I suppose.

0:41:270:41:31

You know, you'd use it at the end of a table, in a bygone era really,

0:41:310:41:34

when you had maids to do all the silver cleaning for you.

0:41:340:41:37

This one is hallmarked for London, 1895.

0:41:370:41:40

And then this little dish is Chester, 1901, I think, isn't it?

0:41:400:41:43

So they're all from that sort of general late-19th century, early-20th century period.

0:41:430:41:48

And we've got a little mustard pot and two pepperettes there.

0:41:480:41:52

-We've decided to put them in as a group lot and you're happy with that, aren't you?

-Yes.

0:41:520:41:55

Now, they're a nice little group of pieces. Where did you get them from, Michelle?

0:41:550:42:00

-I bought them off the internet.

-Off the internet.

-Yeah.

0:42:000:42:02

Are you a dabbler on there? Do you like it?

0:42:020:42:04

Well, I had hoped to be a dabbler, but it's not working out.

0:42:040:42:09

Oh, dear. I'm sorry to hear that. You need an awful lot of money you know, these days, to be a dabbler.

0:42:090:42:14

-I found that out.

-What did you pay for the group? Can you remember?

0:42:140:42:19

-Probably about £120-130.

-Well, that's not too bad.

0:42:190:42:23

I mean, I think I would probably suggest putting them in at 100-150,

0:42:230:42:27

with a reserve of 100. And then, hopefully, they'll drive a little bit towards the upper estimate.

0:42:270:42:33

So you're happy with that then? You're happy if we put £100-150 on it?

0:42:330:42:36

That would be fine. Yeah.

0:42:360:42:39

-And why have you decided to sell them with us now?

-I just need the money.

-You need the cash.

0:42:390:42:43

-Well, we all do at this credit crunch time, don't we?

-We do.

0:42:430:42:46

I wish I had some things to flog.

0:42:460:42:47

Mike, you've bought in this wonderful painting.

0:42:550:42:59

-What can you tell me about it?

-Well, it belonged to my father.

-Yeah.

0:42:590:43:03

It hung over his mantelpiece for about 40 years and I've inherited it essentially. Yes.

0:43:030:43:08

Right. There is a little bit of background about this history.

0:43:080:43:12

It's a fairly well-known painting.

0:43:120:43:14

It's a copy of a Rubens, which has got a very long-winded title,

0:43:140:43:18

Night Scene With An Old Lady With A Basket And A Candle. As you can see, you can tell she's uplit

0:43:180:43:23

as if she's got a candle out of shot here and she's uplit by the light of the candle.

0:43:230:43:27

It's a very beautifully painted thing. If you've not hung it, do you not like it?

0:43:270:43:31

Well, some people say it's a bit spooky.

0:43:310:43:34

My father was fond of it, but if I can get a fishing rod and reel out of it, I'd rather catch a trout.

0:43:340:43:40

Right. OK. Obviously, we all go on about the subject matter.

0:43:400:43:44

This was part of a larger painting that has a young child in the same picture,

0:43:440:43:48

and that's a nice contrast between young girl and old crone.

0:43:480:43:53

But it's still a beautifully painted thing.

0:43:530:43:55

If you look at how well it's done, it's not signed so we don't know who did it

0:43:550:43:58

and it's certainly a copy, a late-18th, early-19th century copy of the original Rubens.

0:43:580:44:02

They've left quite a lot of thick paint, which is known as impasto, here on her forehead you can see.

0:44:020:44:06

And the uplighting's wonderful.

0:44:060:44:09

And all of this darkness is called chiaroscuro which is shadow.

0:44:090:44:12

It's a really dramatic painting.

0:44:120:44:15

I don't think it's spooky. I think it's lovely.

0:44:150:44:18

The original sold at auction recently for £2.4 million.

0:44:180:44:22

-Wow.

-I would love to say, "Here it is, another one."

-I'd love you to say it, too.

0:44:220:44:27

This painting, actually, this particular one is a known copy

0:44:270:44:30

so it has been catalogued as a known copy of this original.

0:44:300:44:34

And I think a cautious estimate would be £700-900.

0:44:340:44:40

-I mean, would you be happy with that or what do you think?

-Well, it'll find its own value, I guess.

0:44:400:44:45

I think what you're saying is probably right and I'd be happy to go with that.

0:44:450:44:49

So maybe if we put a reserve of 700,

0:44:490:44:52

we can put a guide price of maybe straddling the £1,000,

0:44:520:44:55

so maybe 800 to 1,200 as the guide price in the catalogue.

0:44:550:44:59

-And then hope it makes about the £1,000 mark.

-Yeah. Smashing.

0:44:590:45:02

-Hopefully a new fishing reel for you.

-Hope so.

-Or two.

0:45:020:45:06

-Hello, Tam.

-Hello, Mark.

-Now, who's this charming young lady with you?

-That's my daughter, Keeley.

0:45:130:45:17

-Hello, Keeley.

-Hello.

0:45:170:45:19

-And what do you think of Dad's huge pot?

-Horrible.

-Horrible?!

-Yeah.

0:45:190:45:23

-You don't like it at all. Does it give you nightmares?

-No. It's just the horrible colours.

0:45:230:45:27

-The youngsters don't appreciate these things, do they?

-No.

0:45:270:45:30

-But it is a real corker, isn't it?

-It's an absolute beauty.

0:45:300:45:33

I've never seen a Doulton vase of this size

0:45:330:45:36

by, of course, the famous Hannah Barlow and Frank Butler.

0:45:360:45:39

That's correct.

0:45:390:45:40

I mean, an amazing combination.

0:45:400:45:43

I think we ought to look at it straightaway, really,

0:45:430:45:45

the quality of it.

0:45:450:45:46

We've got a very typical frieze in the centre

0:45:460:45:49

of the horses and the cattle.

0:45:490:45:51

And then it's flanked either side, top and bottom,

0:45:510:45:54

by this wonderful glazing on the top of it,

0:45:540:45:56

the green and the blues, by Frank Butler.

0:45:560:45:58

Again, a top-notch Doulton designer, so you've got, really,

0:45:580:46:01

two leading names.

0:46:010:46:03

I haven't even had the courage to try and pick it up,

0:46:030:46:05

but I'm sure it's marked underneath - Doulton.

0:46:050:46:08

And I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't made for some sort of ceramic exhibition somewhere.

0:46:080:46:13

Now, tell me, where did you get this pot from?

0:46:130:46:16

Actually, I bought it online from an auction in Australia.

0:46:160:46:19

-It must have cost you a fortune to have it shipped over.

-It cost just over £300 for shipping.

0:46:190:46:25

-Good Lord.

-Yeah.

-Now, we've got to think about price.

0:46:250:46:28

-We know Keeley wouldn't give her pocket money for it.

-No.

-But I'm sure she'll be happy to know the value.

0:46:280:46:34

-I would suggest maybe putting it in at a £2,000 to 3,000 estimate, with a 2,000 fixed reserve.

-That's fine.

0:46:340:46:40

But five or six years ago,

0:46:400:46:42

-we probably would have been saying £3,000 to 5,000.

-Without doubt.

0:46:420:46:46

But that's the nature of the beast, isn't it? Are you happy with that?

0:46:460:46:50

Yeah. That's fine. That's fine.

0:46:500:46:52

I think I almost saw a smile with Keeley then

0:46:520:46:54

when she heard the 2,000 figure.

0:46:540:46:56

-Do you like it more now that it's worth that much money, Keeley?

-Yeah.

0:46:560:47:00

Thank you very much for bringing it in, Tam.

0:47:000:47:04

Ranging from small to large, here's a quick reminder of all the items heading off to auction.

0:47:040:47:10

Michelle hopes she can polish off a decent profit on her silver collection.

0:47:100:47:16

-Why have you decided to sell all of this now?

-I just need the money.

0:47:160:47:19

-Well, we all do in this credit crunch time, don't we?

-We do.

0:47:190:47:22

I wish I had some things to flog.

0:47:220:47:24

Crystal-loving Judith just doesn't really like her dark-coloured Moorcroft vase.

0:47:240:47:29

It looks better with the lights, to be fair, but when it's in a dark room it looks really dark.

0:47:290:47:34

-It doesn't float your boat?

-It doesn't. No, not at all.

0:47:340:47:37

Can Tam find a giant price for his giant vase?

0:47:370:47:42

We know Keeley wouldn't give her pocket money for it, but I'm sure she'll be happy to know the value.

0:47:420:47:46

And, finally, will Mark's dark, Ruben-style painting brighten up the saleroom?

0:47:460:47:52

And before it goes under the hammer,

0:47:550:47:57

I've found a few minutes to sit down with Anthony to get his opinion.

0:47:570:48:03

-Now, would you like this on your wall at home?

-At home?

0:48:030:48:07

-Not in the saleroom.

-Not in the saleroom.

0:48:070:48:09

No. I wouldn't like it at home. It's a very dull-looking picture.

0:48:090:48:13

I find a lot of Rubens are quite sort of spooky.

0:48:130:48:15

This is after Rubens, obviously.

0:48:150:48:17

-Yes.

-It's A Night Scene With An Old Lady Holding A Basket And A Candle.

0:48:170:48:21

It belongs to Michael. He doesn't like it. He keeps it in bubblewrap.

0:48:210:48:25

-Oh, right.

-So he wants to sell it to buy a fishing rod and a reel.

0:48:250:48:28

Oh, I think we might manage that, a fishing rod and a reel out of it.

0:48:280:48:32

-But you haven't heard the valuation.

-Oh, right.

-OK. 800 to 1,200.

0:48:320:48:35

-There has been a fair bit of interest in it.

-Has there?

0:48:350:48:37

-Yeah. We've had international interest in it, as well.

-Good.

0:48:370:48:42

-So, hopefully, it'll make money.

-Fingers crossed. Could we double the top end?

0:48:420:48:45

Oh, don't be greedy.

0:48:450:48:48

Whenever we say invest in antiques, we say invest in a good name, and quality and condition,

0:48:570:49:01

and this lot does have the lot. A Moorcroft vase of bulbous form.

0:49:010:49:05

-It belongs to Judith...

-Yes, indeed.

0:49:050:49:07

-..and we've got £250 to £300 on this.

-Indeed. Yes.

0:49:070:49:10

Fingers crossed we'll get a bit more.

0:49:100:49:13

-Well, we'd like a bit more, but we shall see.

-It's a lovely thing.

0:49:130:49:16

It's nice form and lovely colours, autumny colours, so that's quite rare for Moorcroft. I quite like it.

0:49:160:49:20

And I agree with you on the valuation and I'm pretty sure we're going to sell this.

0:49:200:49:24

So there's a lot of bidders here, it's a packed saleroom.

0:49:240:49:26

-It is a packed saleroom.

-You can't move, can you?

0:49:260:49:28

There's no chance to view now, but hopefully they're going to buy this lot.

0:49:280:49:32

We're going to find out right now.

0:49:320:49:33

Anemone design.

0:49:330:49:36

100 I'm bid.

0:49:360:49:38

£100, 100 and 10, 120,

0:49:380:49:41

130, 140, 150.

0:49:410:49:44

150, 160, 170, 180...

0:49:440:49:48

It's OK though, cos it's going in the right direction - upwards.

0:49:480:49:52

..180, 180, 190, 200, 210, 210.

0:49:520:49:57

-Go on!

-210, 210, 220,

0:49:570:50:00

-220.

-5? Yes.

-Keep going.

0:50:000:50:02

Five in the doorway. 220's in the room.

0:50:020:50:05

Are you all done at £220, then? It's in the room. 220.

0:50:050:50:09

-£220 - just.

-Just.

0:50:090:50:12

-That was close.

-It was.

0:50:120:50:14

-Would have been nice more, but never mind.

-Yeah, but it'll come in handy.

-I'm sure it will.

0:50:140:50:18

Well, it's a shame we had to rely on the auctioneer's discretion.

0:50:180:50:22

Let's hope we don't need it for our next lot.

0:50:220:50:26

Fingers crossed, Michelle. We're going to find out and so are you,

0:50:270:50:30

because all the silver collection is just about to go under the hammer.

0:50:300:50:34

We're selling it because...

0:50:340:50:37

-got to pay some bills, haven't you?

-Got to pay a lot of bills.

0:50:370:50:39

Fact of life, we've all got them and we all have to pay them, Mark.

0:50:390:50:43

-We do.

-We've got a top end of the estimate at £150.

0:50:430:50:46

And there's a lot of silver here, bonbon dish, all sorts of things, mustard pot.

0:50:460:50:50

Nice little mixed lot, actually. Should appeal to the trade buyers,

0:50:500:50:53

-cos there's a lot there, or private collectors who want to furnish their little silver cabinets with it.

-Yeah.

0:50:530:50:59

All different assay offices so there's something for everybody.

0:50:590:51:02

And I know they've been wrapped up at home ready to go for a long time.

0:51:020:51:05

-Yeah.

-Let's hope this is the day, shall we?

0:51:050:51:09

Good luck, both of you. Here we go.

0:51:090:51:11

36. A mixed collection here.

0:51:110:51:13

A mixed collection of silver, a swing-handle basket.

0:51:130:51:16

Three ounces. London hallmark.

0:51:160:51:18

Bonbon dish. Chester, 1901.

0:51:180:51:20

A pair of pepperettes. Birmingham...

0:51:200:51:23

-It's a long list

-It is.

-He's getting out of breath describing it.

0:51:230:51:27

Sheffield, 1889. Five items.

0:51:270:51:31

-Have you got them all, Mike?

-Yes.

-Right. What shall we say for those?

0:51:310:51:34

50. Thank you. £50 the lot. 50.

0:51:340:51:36

5. 60. 5. 70. 5. 75. 80.

0:51:360:51:41

5. 85. 90. 5.

0:51:410:51:43

-100. 5. 110. 115.

-Oh, good.

0:51:430:51:48

-120. 120. 120. 120. 120. 120.

-A bit more.

-Five, is it?

0:51:480:51:54

All done at 120 then? Are we finished at 120? And they're gone.

0:51:540:51:58

-120. That's not bad.

-It made estimate.

0:51:580:52:02

-It's going towards those bills, that's for sure.

-Absolutely.

-I'm happy.

-You're happy?

-I'm relieved.

0:52:020:52:08

It's after Rubens, it's a wonderful oil on canvas and I know you love this.

0:52:150:52:19

-Yes.

-And I know you want to sell it.

0:52:190:52:22

-I do.

-And I think, I just think, we've got a new home for it somewhere here in Wales.

0:52:220:52:27

I had a chat to Anthony, the auctioneer, before the sale started.

0:52:270:52:30

Well, he said he's had quite a bit of interest.

0:52:300:52:33

There's been a lot of viewings.

0:52:330:52:35

-If you could just find a signature in the bottom-right, that would be quite helpful.

-Just a bit.

-No,

0:52:350:52:39

-it's beautifully painted and I love it.

-Why do you want to sell it?

0:52:390:52:42

-Well, it's a legacy from my father and it's got to be split three ways.

-OK.

-It's got to go.

0:52:420:52:47

It's an easy way of dividing up the value then, isn't it, really?

0:52:470:52:50

-Quite.

-It's hard to value unless it goes into an auction like this where everyone has the chance to buy it.

0:52:500:52:56

I think the talking's over with, don't you? We can't really say any more about it.

0:52:560:53:00

We all love it and we're going to find out what the bidders here in Mold think of it. Here we go.

0:53:000:53:04

It's going under the hammer.

0:53:040:53:06

After Peter Paul Rubens, I wish it was Peter Paul Rubens.

0:53:060:53:10

The study of the old lady. Part of

0:53:100:53:12

A Night Scene Of The Old Lady Holding The Basket And The Candle.

0:53:120:53:17

The original was sold, as we've got in the catalogue, for 2.4 million,

0:53:170:53:23

in 2004. So there's a chance for you all now to have a Rubens.

0:53:230:53:28

What shall we say for it?

0:53:280:53:30

We won't ask you for 100,000 to start.

0:53:300:53:34

500. Thank you. £500. 500.

0:53:340:53:37

£500. 500. 500. 550. 550. 550. 550.

0:53:370:53:44

600. £600. 600.

0:53:440:53:48

£600. 600. 600. And 50.

0:53:480:53:52

650. 650. 650. 650.

0:53:520:53:57

£650. 650. 650. Where's 700?

0:53:570:54:02

£650 then. All done at £650?

0:54:020:54:05

-Not enough, is it?

-No.

-Are we finished at 650?

0:54:050:54:09

I'm really surprised.

0:54:090:54:11

-So am I.

-Oh, dear.

-Oh, dear.

0:54:110:54:14

-Oh, well.

-What a shame.

-You're taking it home.

0:54:140:54:17

There was somebody on the phone, wasn't there, as well, but they didn't want to be pushed?

0:54:170:54:21

-That was the highest bid on the phone - 650.

-Was it to the phone?

0:54:210:54:24

Yeah. Yeah. If someone was in the room pushing that,

0:54:240:54:27

the phone bidder may have gone 750, 800, which would have just sold it.

0:54:270:54:31

-Yeah.

-Which just goes to show, you can't get it right all the time.

0:54:310:54:34

-No. That was so close.

-It was.

0:54:340:54:36

What I would do if I was you is have a word with the auctioneer after the sale...

0:54:360:54:41

-he'll have the phone number of the phone bidder.

-Right.

0:54:410:54:44

They might be able to see if he's prepared to go that one bid extra to get it to the reserve.

0:54:440:54:48

-Yeah.

-It's worth trying.

-It is.

-Ask him. Yeah.

-Yeah.

0:54:480:54:51

-Ask him cos it's so close.

-Yeah.

0:54:510:54:54

Are you over at 55?

0:54:570:54:59

We're looking for £2,000-3,000, for the Royal Doulton.

0:55:010:55:04

It's made by Hannah Barlow.

0:55:040:55:06

It's absolutely gorgeous. It belongs to Tam. Why are you selling this, Tam?

0:55:060:55:10

It's just that it's a big, massive lump and I just really haven't got room for it.

0:55:100:55:14

I've had it about 2½ years now and I think it's just time to sell it and move on to something else.

0:55:140:55:20

-It is big, isn't it?

-It's huge.

0:55:200:55:21

-Where's it been at home then?

-Stuck in the corner, basically.

0:55:210:55:25

-Stuck in the corner.

-Yeah.

-What, on the floor?

-On the floor.

-On the floor.

-On the floor.

0:55:250:55:28

-Not a good way to display something like that. No.

-No.

0:55:280:55:32

But it is kind of the wrong size, isn't it, really?

0:55:320:55:34

That's the only thing it's got its downsides on.

0:55:340:55:37

If you were a collector at a very big house and you had a big jardiniere stand to put it on or something,

0:55:370:55:42

-in the corner of the room, and you really wanted to appreciate it, that's fantastic.

-Yes.

0:55:420:55:46

But I love the combination of the Frank Butler border and the Hannah Barlow and I agree with you,

0:55:460:55:52

I think it's an exhibition piece, but it's fingers crossed because it's a specialist market.

0:55:520:55:57

Which means it could be a lot rarer.

0:55:570:55:59

-It's a one-off.

-Yes.

-How can you do your price comparables? You can't.

0:55:590:56:03

That's what auctions are all about. This is what makes this so exciting.

0:56:030:56:06

Right now, it's going under the hammer.

0:56:060:56:08

-We're going to find its real value. Good luck, both of you.

-Thank you.

0:56:080:56:12

181. Are you showing it? You're not even picking it up. 181.

0:56:120:56:17

We've got this heavy jardiniere, the Hannah Barlow decorated one.

0:56:170:56:20

Doulton Lambeth, 1885.

0:56:200:56:24

Never seen one that size before. £500. 500. 500. 600.

0:56:240:56:30

700. 800. 900.

0:56:300:56:33

1,000. 1,100. 1,200.

0:56:330:56:36

£1,200 there. 1,200. 1,200.

0:56:360:56:40

-We're a long way off.

-Yeah. We are, a bit.

0:56:400:56:43

13. 50. 14. 50. 15. 50. 16.

0:56:430:56:48

50. 17. 50. 18. 50. 19. 50.

0:56:480:56:55

Yes.

0:56:550:56:57

One more.

0:56:570:56:58

1,975, was it, to you?

0:56:580:57:01

Go on. 1,975. 1,975. 1,975.

0:57:010:57:08

-Great year.

-Are you going to fill it up for me? No. 1,975. It's going.

0:57:080:57:12

At 1,975...

0:57:120:57:15

Yes. We've done it.

0:57:150:57:17

I think the auctioneer's going to make up the extra £25

0:57:170:57:20

because it was fixed at £2,000,

0:57:200:57:22

but what a great result.

0:57:220:57:23

I'm pleased with that, cos I didn't have high hopes, in fairness.

0:57:230:57:27

-I thought it was the wrong sale.

-You were getting the wobbles this morning, I could see that.

0:57:270:57:32

I had the cobbles this morning, I can tell you.

0:57:320:57:34

Your reputation was on the line.

0:57:340:57:36

Oh, it's been on the line for some years.

0:57:360:57:40

Naughty boy.

0:57:400:57:42

Look, that's great, isn't it? What are you going to do with the money?

0:57:420:57:45

I'll reinvest it into something nice, another piece of pottery, probably.

0:57:450:57:49

-Something smaller.

-Yeah. Definitely. Something lighter.

-Yes. Yeah.

0:57:490:57:53

We've had a brilliant day here in Mold

0:57:590:58:02

It's not been a 100% sales success, but that's what makes auctions so unpredictable.

0:58:020:58:07

It keeps them exciting. And I think our owners have gone home having enjoyed themselves,

0:58:070:58:11

and I hope you've enjoyed watching the show today.

0:58:110:58:14

So until the next time, it's cheerio.

0:58:140:58:16

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