Barrow in Furness Flog It!

Where am I today? Well, I'm in the ruins of Furness Abbey,

one of the richest and most powerful Cistercian monasteries in the country.

It's on the outskirts of the town it shares its name with, Barrow-in-Furness.

Welcome to Flog It!, from Cumbria.

These magnificent ruins are what's left of a once very imposing abbey.

It was built on land here in 1127,

granted by King Stephen, using local red sandstone, as you can see.

Wonderful to touch the history.

And because of the monks' incredible knowledge of

agriculture and architecture, the power and the wealth of the abbey just grew and grew.

They even had land holdings as far away as Ireland and the Isle of Man.

But closer to home, they protected their business interests

by focusing on trade with iron ore and wool from the Island of Walney.

As well as Walney Island, the monks also came here to Piel Island,

which is just across the water from their main abbey at Barrow.

And they built this castle to defend their trading routes.

Later on in the show, I'll be coming back here to find out a little bit more about the history of this

island and how such a small place has come to have its very own king, but right now, let's go over to

the valuation day and see if we can find some right royal treasures.

Today we're in St Bernard's Catholic High School in Barrow,

and this massive crowd look like they're ready to go straight back to the classroom.

And who better to educate them than our two experts, the wonderful David Barby and Anita Manning!

Well, it's now 9:30, it's time to get the doors open and see who goes straight to the top of the class...

-or in detention!

-CHEERING

Our experts have had a good rummage through all the bags and boxes,

and it looks as if Anita could score an A with her first item.

Alison, welcome to Flog It!.

It's lovely to have you along, and to bring this lovely item.

Can you tell me, where did you get it?

Well, it came from my father, and I would imagine that it came from the

time when my father was working as a bank manager in the City of London.

And I think, from what I've found out today, really,

more than anything else, that this silversmith...

Stuart Devlin.

Stuart Devlin, that's right. I'd never heard of him before.

He was one of the most prestigious silversmiths in the latter part of the 20th century.

-That's amazing.

-Came from Australia.

-I heard that.

-But workshops in London.

Yes. Well, I think...

I understand that he studied in London

and then went back to Australia,

and then in the mid-60s he wanted to set up on his own

and I presume that he asked my father for a loan.

-And presumably my father gave him a loan.

-Well, that was wonderful.

And of course, those were the days when your bank manager, you knew who

he was, he would help you, he would give you advice

on your business and help you along the rocky road.

I don't think my father would have been an easy person

to get a loan out of, quite honestly,

so I think he must have been impressed by this young man.

Well, let's have a look at it. I mean, it is a splendid piece and it is in its original case.

-Yes.

-I mean, it has a wonderful 20th century look about it, you know?

-We are looking at the '60s, '70s, that type of modernist design.

-Yes.

We have our hallmarks here, with the dates and...

I would imagine it will be around about '65, '66?

It must be, because if he was just setting up.

And we have this wonderful twisted handle with the gilt...

-almost like trellis work.

-Yeah.

And it's very pleasing to the eye, and it's beautifully made.

But with a fairly modern item like this, Alison,

it's difficult to be absolutely accurate.

And I'm really just taking a kind of stab in the dark, here.

But my feeling is that perhaps

between 120 and 180 is where we should

pitch the estimate.

-We'll know on the day, we'll find the right price.

-Yes.

120 to 180,

and I think with a firm reserve of 120.

-Yes.

-If it doesn't make 120...

Well, I'm looking at it with new eyes now,

so if it doesn't sell, I shall bring it home again.

But I hope it will, I hope someone will get it who appreciates it.

I've enjoyed looking at it,

I've enjoyed handling it and I'm sure it will do very well.

-So thank you for bringing it along.

-Thank you very much as well.

Tim, it's absolutely ginormous.

I've never seen such a large piece of Carlton ware before.

Does it belong to you or Diana?

No, It was given to a coffee morning that we help at,

kindly donated.

Rather like one of these...

-Tables, second-hand tables?

-Very much so.

We thought it might be worth something a little more,

-so we didn't want to sell it on the coffee morning.

-How astute of you, really.

-And how many people would have done that?

-Who knows?

-Who knows?

-Did the other piece come from...?

-From the same place, yes.

-They are so diverse, aren't they?

-Yeah.

Let's look at this one first.

-I think it's lovely.

-Yeah.

I like Carlton ware, because you've got the major designers of the '20s,

you've got the sort of Moorcroft pieces,

you've got Clarice Cliff,

and I think Carlton ware should somewhere be at the top.

The factory started in 1897, and Carlton ware was one of the product names.

And they developed, I suppose, more in the 1920s and '30s,

with very striking designs in what was a style called Art Deco.

So this is in the Art Deco style.

The whole concept of putting it on a black ground is typical of the 1920s.

-Inside, you have this wonderful green sort of lustre.

-Yeah.

You see that on Maling ware that was made up at Newcastle.

But I think this inside here is lovely.

The whole thing is beautiful. Are there any features that you've noticed?

There's a feature...

just here, silver, and also on the base there

is a label as well on the base, which I didn't know what that was.

Right, OK. That little silver mark there is not part of the design.

-That's the remnants of the Carlton ware label that was glued on.

-Right.

Now that tells me - and looking inside, cos there's no flower debris

inside or staining - that this has never been used as a flower vase.

-Right.

-It's probably been used to look at

as a work of art, but that's about it.

If I turn it upside down...

Oh, I can see the mark on the bottom.

First of all we have the transfer mark, which is Carlton ware,

and then the other one, which is...

Deansgate, and it looks like... would it be

Raywards, Manchester?

Was that a store?

I don't know. I know Deansgate, Manchester, but I don't know Wards.

That was the place to shop, wasn't it?

So there's the retail label and, again, it's not been washed off.

And we also have the Carlton ware label,

which hasn't been washed off. So it's in pristine condition.

And I think it's the size which is so important.

Something as large as this,

I'm sure somebody is going to pay £350 to £500.

-Oh, right. Good.

-What about this poor little piece of pottery?

What can you tell me about this? Nothing, we know nothing about it.

It's a Staffordshire flat figure, that's as much as we know.

With this, this is cottage art. Cottage art

of the mid-19th century. Made in Staffordshire,

and it's remarkable that you said a flat back.

Well, of course, the back is always flat.

You'd never see the back if it was on a mantelpiece,

so there's no need to decorate it.

So this figure here represents Sebastopol during the Crimean War.

You can't see it,

but there's a label right at the very front

which has an impressed mark, and if you get it in the right light

you can see Sebastopol.

There we have two soldiers either side of a gateway, Sebastopol.

And there we have a French flag at the side there.

Nice little piece of Staffordshire.

-After all that, it's only worth 60, £70.

-Oh!

-But I think we'll put a reserve of £50 on it.

-Yeah.

-OK? Would you be happy?

-That's great.

-That's good.

Just bear in mind

when they go up for auction, you might come out

-with about £400 to £500 to donate to the charity.

-Yeah.

Do you think the nuns will be happy?

I think they'll be very happy, yeah. Very happy.

Bob, Melissa, do you know what you've got here?

Well, it's a lion.

It's a naked lady riding a lion, isn't it?

-It's a bit of Parian ware.

-Yeah.

-A Victorian invention. This was made

at the Minton factory, and it was modelled by a guy called John Bell.

The reason it's called Parian is because it's named after

the purifying white marble that came from the island of Paros in Greece.

That's where it's quarried.

But this isn't white marble.

This is a hard paste porcelain.

And this dates to around about 1860, 1870.

That's about the time that my great-great-grandfather moved to Houghton.

-Has this been in the family a long time?

-I imagine so.

I remember it when I was a child, I was four, late '50s, early '60s,

-and it was on my grandparents' dresser. With two ladies as well.

-Oh, really?

-Which have disappeared, so I think my dad sold them at the boot sale.

-Parian figures as well?

-I think so.

And it is actually beautiful, and it's a good decorative height.

It's not too small, it's not too big, it will go anywhere in the house.

And that's what it was designed for back in the 1860s.

And it was a way of introducing the naked female figure into the household.

-She does look very cold.

-She does look very cold, doesn't she?

I can sit here and comfortably say we've seen a lot of Parian ware

on the show before, and it does vary from 150

all the way to £600 or £700. Let's give this a fair chance.

I'm gonna stick my neck out and say £200 to £300.

OK?

-Can we put a reserve on this at £170?

-OK.

-Protect it, make sure it sells

nothing under 170, because otherwise it means that buyers weren't there on the day.

-Right.

-Keep it, put it in another auction room on another day.

-Yeah.

If I kept it and it was on the mantelpiece, something would happen,

it would get broken. Four children about, so...

I'm very clumsy.

Well, I think she's beautiful, and it's so beautifully modelled.

-It's going to find a new home.

-It is realistic, innit? Very.

Jean, this is a wonderful object, an absolutely delightful thing.

Tell me, where did you get it?

Well, it came from my mother's home in Norway.

It was in my grandparents' home there, and then when they died, my mother got it.

And then she's always had it while she's been having her own house. It's something I always remember.

Yes. Did you visit your grandmother's house in Norway?

No, it was burned down before...

I see, I see. But you have brought us along a photograph...

-Yes.

-..of the interior of your grandmother's house, and it's showing this wonderful bowl.

-Yes, on the back, there.

-I think it's marvellous.

Well, let's have a look at it, Jean.

It comes from possibly Austria or Germany.

It's in the style of WMF, with this decorative white metal.

But we had a wee look earlier on underneath,

we're not going to do it now, and it wasn't WMF, but it's in the style of.

Right.

It has these wonderful sweeping handles,

and a marvellous border here which has an Edwardian feel about it.

And underneath we have...

an Art Nouveau motif. We have a wee bit of a mixture

of styles here, not detracting from the object at all.

Inside, we have this glass liner

which has been cut on the top in this fan shape.

Again, the Art Nouveau period -

they would use that type of motif then.

The bowl was probably used for fruit.

Right, I was always wondering what it was.

I feel that we should put the estimate perhaps 100 to 150.

Now, would you be happy to let it go at that?

Yes, yes.

We will put a reserve of £100 on it,

it means we will not sell it below that.

-We have no discretion on it.

-Right.

-I'm hoping for more,

because I personally think

-it's a lovely, lovely thing.

-Yes, right...

-Let's hope it flies at the auction.

-Thank you.

We've had a fabulous morning so far.

Right now it's time for our first trip to the Kendal auction rooms, so while we make our way over there,

here's a quick recap just to jog your memory, of our experts' choices.

And hopefully they're all A+.

Alison inherited this paper knife made by a prestigious silversmith,

and Anita thinks it should go to the top of the class.

It's very pleasing to the eye and it's beautifully made.

Diane and Tim rescued this Carlton ware vase

and Staffordshire flat back from a bric-a-brac table

to raise more money for charity.

I was delighted with Bob and Mel's Minton Parian ware.

It's been in the family a long time

and they're worried that it will get damaged.

If I kept it and it was on the mantelpiece, something would happen,

-it would get broken. Four children about, so...

-I'm very clumsy.

And, finally, Jean's majestic fruit bowl. It used to grace

her grandmother's sideboard, but it's time to find it a new home.

And this is where we're selling all our lots today,

the Kendal Auction Rooms in Kendal.

It's a very busy morning so, with a bit of luck,

there will be some eager bidding to raise the roof on all our lots.

We have three auctioneers working hard our lots today - Kevin Kendal,

David Brookes and David Hunter. First up,

Kevin is selling Alison's paper knife,

and Alison has brought along her husband for moral support.

Right, this knife, a little bit special.

-Yes.

-We've upped the reserve...

-Yes.

..from 120 to £150. You've done a bit more research?

Well, I've found out that Stuart Devlin is still around and I've been in touch with him.

He didn't actually give it to my father, but it must have come from the Goldsmiths Company, I think.

-OK.

-And as Anita said, he designed the first lot of Australian decimal coins.

He is an Australian by birth.

So hopefully with this information and if the auctioneer knows this

and everybody's aware in the sale, it will put the value up. He is a sought-after artist?

He's one of the most prestigious silversmiths of the latter half of the 20th century.

-This might find its way back to Australia.

-I doubt it.

Silver parcel gilt paper knife. A very stylish piece, Stuart Devlin,

and I will start the bidding with me at £140.

-Yeah.

-Good, good.

140 bid now. 140 bid.

50, where? 150.

160. 170. 180?

180 now. 180 on commission.

We are selling away this time, then, at 180...

-Yes! We've done it.

-That was good.

-£180.

-I'm happy with that.

-That is exactly the right auction price for it.

-Yes.

Yes. I'm pleased that it did that.

Going under the hammer now we've got some real quality.

We've got a Staffordshire piece and a wonderful piece of Carlton ware.

It's not a little bit, it's a MASSIVE piece.

We have the items but, unfortunately we don't have the owners.

They can't make it today. So good luck to Tim and Diane.

David's gonna get on the phone when we've sold both of these. Here's the first lot.

Victorian Staffordshire flat back, the fort.

That's attractive enough.

50 for this, please? 50?

Start me 40, then, somewhere? £40?

No? £40?

Not as popular as they used to be, I'm afraid. £40, anywhere?

-No?

-Not one bid in the room. Oh.

-OK, here's the second...

-You can phone them!

Ok. Here's the Carlton ware, top end, £500.

The Carlton ware vase,

that's a nice large lump, there. Rather attractive.

And I have commission interest,

so I'm gonna have to start bidding with me at £340, lot 615.

-With me at £340?

-That's just sold it, really.

With the commissions I'm going in straight at £340, here to be sold.

340.

-Oh, good.

-360, is that?

-Yes.

-360.

380, now, with me?

-Yes.

-380. That's a 400?

-Yes.

I have 405 commission.

With me at £405, it's going, make no mistake.

Yes, the hammer's gone down.

We got the second one away, and that was mid estimate,

-so that was well done, David.

-That's good.

Now, this next lot is so unusual, I've not seen anything like it.

I kind of like it because it's so different. It's a fruit bowl

shaped like a boat and it belongs to June,

-and we're looking for 150-odd pounds?

-We're hoping so.

-Top end.

It's a nice thing.

I don't know how the bidders of Kendal are going to take to this,

-cos it's quite striking in design, isn't it?

-It is very exciting.

-I think it's a little bit exotic.

-Yeah.

-I love it.

Yeah, it's definitely got the Scandinavian kind of look about it, hasn't it?

When you think about designers like Georg Jensen,

you think, "Yes, different, but there's quality there."

Fingers crossed. Let's see what it does.

Art Nouveau pewter. Rather nice fruit bowl.

£100, anywhere? £80, I'm bid, thank you very much. 80.

85. 90. 95. 100.

Commission's out. 100 in the room, now.

In the room at £100. Any advance? To my right

-In the room at £100. 110.

-Great.

-Ah, yes!

-120.

In the room at £120. It's going in the room at £120.

-He's sold it.

-That's probably about the right price for it.

-Yeah, we did it, we did it.

-Great, it's sold!

Right, it's my turn to be the expert.

We've got some Parian ware, it's Minton, it belongs to Bob and Mel, who's just here. Hello!

-How've you been since the last time I saw you?

-Fine.

School holidays now. Enjoying it?

It's really fun, cos in the school holidays it's like...

-there's loads of things to do.

-Yeah.

Well, we've got £200 to £300 on this, Bob.

We've got a reserve of 170.

I hope I don't let you both down, do you know that?

I think we have to put our fingers together. Let's cross our fingers. OK, Mel? Oh, Mel's already done it.

Rather attractive piece of Minton Parian ware, Una and the Lion.

I have commission bids, so I'm going to have to start this one

between the two and go at £320.

-Oh, yes!

-£320.

-Straight in at the top end.

With me at 320. 340, anywhere?

At £320, now. With the commission at 320.

Straight in at £320, Mel!

So what's the money going towards?

-We'll recarpet my dad's house.

-Will you?

So he's doing his house up, is he, really?

Are you gonna get any money as well?

School holidays. What would you like to do, if you could?

-I'd like to go to London.

-You'd like to go to London, would you?

Ooh, do you really wanna go there?

-You get stuck in traffic.

-I want to go sightseeing.

-Sightseeing.

-See everything.

-Dad'll take you one day, won't you?

-At least she's not shopping.

-At least you're not shopping!

Today I'm off to somewhere very special, Piel Island.

You can see it just over there on the brow, there, on the horizon.

Now, I believe the King of Piel himself is coming to pick me up, so I'm very honoured.

And, in fact, there he is now in that four-wheel-drive.

I don't know how often the king or the queen get over to the shops, so

I've brought them a basket full of food, a nice packed lunch we can all enjoy today.

I'm keen to find out more about the island, and who better to tell me than this chap,

Steve Chattaway, who's the current landlord of the Ship Inn pub of Piel Island,

-which means you are the current king, Steve.

-I am.

Now, should I call you Your Highness or Steve?

-Steve's fine.

-I think that's better, don't you?

-Definitely.

-Look what I brought.

-Thank you very much.

-This is courtesy of us, from Flog It!

-Makes a change from making my own bread.

How often do you make this trip across to the mainland?

It depends how busy the island is and how many stores we go through, how much beer we sell,

but two or three times a week, usually.

And are these sands dangerous?

-It's very tidal here, isn't it?

-They can be dangerous.

I wouldn't recommend anybody going across without local knowledge or taking advice first.

-So can we jump in?

-Course we can. Climb aboard.

Piel Island is located just off the Furness Peninsula, a stone's throw away from Barrow-in-Furness.

There is evidence of human habitation on the island going back at least 3,000 years,

and it was probably visited by the Celts and later the Romans during their conquest of Britain.

The island boasts a castle, Piel Castle, which was built around 1327

by the monks that resided at Furness Abbey in Barrow,

and it was mainly used as a fortified warehouse for the storage of grain and wool.

There is also an inn on Piel Island called The Ship, and although its origins are obscure,

it is thought to date back at least 300 years.

Welcome to Piel Island.

Oh, thank you very much. Innit lovely?!

So what brought you over to the island?

-Oh, it's... We've been coming over since we were kids...

-Yeah.

Just can't keep away from the place.

Cos we sail too, so we used to come over every weekend with the yacht

when the kids were little, it was fantastic.

-You applied for the job of landlord of the pub?

-Yes. Yeah, we did.

-And how many people applied for that?

-There was 300 applicants,

from all over the world, from Russia, Poland, America.

Everybody fancied being a king. PAUL LAUGHS

We were fortunate enough to be selected by the local council.

And obviously, with the pub, you inherit the title.

How does that work and why does that work?

In 1487 a chap called Lambert Simnel invaded with 3,000 mercenaries.

-Yeah.

-With the intention of taking over the throne from Henry V.

But what happened was, basically they got trounced at Stoke Field,

Lambert Simnel was only a young boy at the time and finished up his time serving in the king's household.

Ever since then, it's become a tradition that the landlord of the pub becomes the King of Piel Island.

So we have a crown and we have a sword and a throne.

So how long have you been landlord and king?

We had a coronation last year on September the 13th.

We've actually had the licence for about three years, but we've only been trading for two.

-Are you enjoying it so far?

-Oh, it's absolutely fantastic.

Absolutely fantastic. And it's quirky as well, being a king.

What are your...sort of, royal duties?

What do you have to do?

The royal duties, basically you have to appoint knights.

Services to the Crown, basically to the Crown and the island and the community.

It's sort of like a reward, which is quite a big celebration and party.

Any other duties?

Well, you're entitled to the virtue of any maiden on the island.

But there's not many of them around!

What does your wife think of that?

You can ask her if you like, she's here.

Come on in, Sheila. We're only jesting, aren't we really?

-Well, yes.

-What role do you have to do, as the queen?

I live in Steve's shadow, really.

I do all the background work and Steve is the face of the island.

You're the king and queen of the island.

Can I have a tour of your kingdom?

-Of course you can.

-Show me round, come on then.

Tell me the little bit more about the history of the pub.

The pub goes back to about the 17th century...

It originally, as far we can gather, it was a chandler's

and then evolved into a pub, and then a guesthouse and hotel.

How do the visitors get to the island?

They can walk across the sands is one way. We do guided walks and things.

Alternatively, they can get the ferry from Roa Island. There's a little 12 person ferry.

Or if you've got your own boat, you can sail here.

The Ship Inn is currently being refurbished.

When it re-opens, it's going to provide accommodation.

Conditions on the island are basic.

There's no mains electricity.

Instead, the generator is relied upon.

This doesn't stop the hordes of campers who come to Piel when the weather is good.

-I can see the ruins of the castle there. Shall we take a look?

-Yeah.

One of the major attractions on the island is Piel Castle, which is the most breathtaking of ruins.

Absolutely incredible!

-Isn't it?

-It's beautiful.

What does the castle date back to?

It dates back to the 12th century.

It was built by the Cistercians at Furness Abbey.

It was built as a warehouse and as a secure stronghold originally, because of the export of wool.

Can you imagine the Abbots at the time, were like the local mafia?

There was some serious money changing hands.

-They had to build something like this.

-You don't expect to see this when you get to the island, do you?

No. It's a really well-built Castle.

It's not been a cheap and nasty affair.

It's a top of the range Castle.

This is the bailey here, isn't it?

That's correct. We came through the gate house. This was actually where I was crowned King of Piel.

There was about 2,500 people on this inner bailey, sat on the walls and things.

-It was absolutely fantastic.

-What a ceremony.

What a view!

It's awesome, isn't it?

This is where we come every evening, we sit and see the sunsets and have a gin and tonic,

when everybody has gone home and it's nice and peaceful.

And you think, "Yes, it's worth it."

This is why we live here, yeah.

It may feel like a bleak outpost of the British Isles, but Piel has a unique charm all of its own.

I can just imagine what it's like on a sunny day.

Thank you so much for showing me around. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I'm going to come back and have a pint when the pub is open.

-Please do.

-You're not sending me back the same way though, are you?

No, you've got the illustrious John, who's going to take you off.

-The Piel ferry.

-That Piel ferry, yes.

-I'll give it a go. Cheerio.

-Bye.

-Bye.

Good to see you, John.

I've got my brolly, because I feel it's going to pour down with rain.

It's back to the valuation day at St Bernard's Catholic High School.

David has found an item which has caught his eye.

Clive, who owns this?

Don't know.

It must be yours? Is this a big boy's plaything?

Well, it is to some extent.

-it's been given to us for the locomotive 612 Princess Elizabeth, to sell for money towards that.

-Right.

So you're supporting a real engine?

That's correct.

-And is it on the rails?

-It's on the rails, yes.

We need 123 new small tubes to be replaced before it goes back.

-How much is that going to cost?

-£8,000.

-You're not going to raise £8,000 from this.

-No, that's true.

This has been given to you?

Yes, by one of our members.

-To be sold and then the proceeds goes to support the Princess Elizabeth?

-That's correct.

OK, I follow that.

Now, I find this particularly interesting.

It could be a Bassett-Lowke from Northampton.

Is there any relationship to this from where it came?

Our member who gave it to us lives near Northampton, he lives at Quinton.

He believes it's a Bassett-Lowke.

We've not established whether it is or not.

This, if it came from Northampton, where they were manufactured initially,

I think could possibly be quite correct, it's Bassett-Lowke.

Probably not made by that company, but under licence, maybe to

Carette or Bing, well, the two were together.

Carette and Bing - a German company.

I think their partnership was from 1919 to about 1933.

This falls into line with this particular engine.

It's the 2178, what did they call it?

-The Tilbury tank.

-The Tilbury tank.

This Tilbury tank is of that period, about 1931 or 1933, is it not?

Somewhere around that area, yes.

This is a very high quality steam-driven engine.

Josh, there are all these levers on it. What are they for?

This might be for the throttle.

That's to make it go faster?

-I think.

-OK.

And I think this could the to release the steam?

That's the escape valve there, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Gosh, you know a lot about engines.

Have you been on a real live engine?

Yes.

-Really? Inside the carriage or on the platform?

-In the carriage.

In the carriage, my word!

I look at the actual enamel on it, and there's a huge section of enamel from here and here.

I think it needs to undergo a little bit of restoration, particularly the paintwork here.

This, I think will go

somewhere in the region...

I hope, of about £500-800.

If I really squeeze my fingers tight, it might go over £1,000.

-What do you think about that, Josh?

-Very good.

-Where will the money go to?

-It'll go to this locomotive.

That's the Princess Elizabeth.

Well, I hope we can raise a lot of money for that, don't you?

-Yes.

-I think it's very good indeed.

Are we going to put a reserve on it, Clive?

-Yes, we'd like to put a reserve on it.

-What are we going to put on it?

-450?

-I think that's very sensible.

At least it guarantees it sells.

OK. I hope it'll go for 1000.

-Alan, welcome to Flog It!

-Thank you, very much.

Does this little girl have a name?

I don't think so. I've never heard the name, but you never know.

I don't recall my mother ever saying it had one.

-So it belonged your mum?

-Yes.

Tell me how it came to you.

She received it...

She was born in 1919 and she got it as a birthday present when she was four or five.

It wasn't new then. I always remember her telling me that.

When she died, 15 years ago,

I took it home with me, and it's been locked in a cupboard ever since.

Poor wee soul!

-I keep looking at it every now and again.

-Feeling guilty?

Thinking maybe it should go.

Today, I thought, the time has come.

The thing about it, Alan, is when it's sold it'll go to a collector,

-who will get pleasure from it, which is a bit better than locking her in the cupboard.

-You're right.

She's a German doll, from the factory of Heubach.

I'd think she was pre-First World War.

I think you're right in saying she wasn't new when your mum got her.

That's right, that's what she said.

So, turn of the century.

She has a bisque face.

She has a sweet expression.

Her eyes open and close, she's lovely blue eyes, just like yourself!

Thank you, very much.

A composition body, jointed arms and jointed legs in good condition.

Something has happened to her wee pinkie?

-Yes, I've got it in my pocket.

-Have you?

I don't know when it came off, actually.

When we found it today when I was bringing it, there it was,

just lying by the side of it. We brought that as well.

We'll Sellotape it on to the hand, so whoever buys it knows that they can organise the restoration.

It's not a big job.

I'd say that she's in very good condition.

Her hair, this is the original wig.

She's got a lovely wee tartan bonnet on. I don't think that's original!

She always said it wasn't.

If we look at the back...

we can see that we have the Heubach,

back stamp, here on the bisque head.

I think, a very nice item and an interesting little doll.

I think she needs a new home.

You're right.

-Shall we take it to auction?

-Yes, please.

We'll put her into auction with an estimate of 100 to £150.

We'll put a reserve of £80.

-Let's hope that we gave this little girl, with no name, a lovely new home.

-Thank you.

Thank you for bringing her in.

-Wendy?

-Yes.

This picture of a pigeon, Young Theft.

-Where does the name come from?

-I don't know.

That was the year I was born, 1937, when it won that race.

My word, so your father had two things to celebrate.

His winning pigeon and then the birth of you.

Well, I don't know whether that was anything to celebrate!

It's a nice thought, isn't it?

I love this picture by Andrew Beer.

-He was a prolific artist of this type of livestock, wasn't he?

-Yes.

Most of his pictures were of pigeons.

We only found that out last night, on Google, my husband went on.

We had never heard of him.

Look at this! He's quite a well known artist amongst pigeon fanciers.

-What's so interesting is that breeding pigeons now is back in favour.

-Is it?

This one, I understand from a prior conversation, also was used for active war service?

Several of my father's pigeons were.

Commandeered, rather like cars?

-Yes.

-So the poor little devils were taken all the way to France?

Then had to fly back with messages.

-Was your father there to take the messages off?

-No, a general came.

A general came.

-It was such secret information!

-Yes.

And is there nobody in the family that wants this?

No, definitely not.

-There are no pigeon fanciers?

-No.

I think if this comes up for sale, we're looking at the art sales index

just to check whether in fact Andrew Beer has sold at auction before and he has.

He makes very good prices.

I think it needs it darn good clean.

-It does, yes.

-Particularly, here,

where there's obviously paint dabs from ceiling decoration

-or wall decoration.

-I think it's probably my father that did that.

From painting the ceiling? So it splashed onto the picture as well.

I can imagine there being a line all the way round the picture!

You put a new frame on it?

-Yes.

-You must've thought a lot of it.

I did. Well, it was falling to bits.

Have you kept the old frame?

No, it was absolutely broken.

-Was it a gilt frame?

-No, it was just a wooden frame.

Just an ordinary wooden frame.

-Although this is a nice frame, I don't think it's appropriate frame for the period.

-No.

It may well be that anybody who acquires this is going to put it into a more appropriate frame.

A more rustic style frame, which would go for the sort of romanticism of the hobby.

Price...

-250 upwards, to 500.

-Right.

I think this needs cleaning and a little bit of restoration.

-We should keep the reserve to £250.

-Right.

-Wendy, let's hope we get a good price on Daddy's pigeon.

-Thank you.

It's now time for our final trip to the auction room and we're selling the Tilbury Tank train.

Her two guardians, Clive and Josh, will spend the proceeds on the upkeep of a much larger model.

This German doll came from Alan's mother, but and Alan has locked her away unloved in a cupboard.

-She needs a new home.

-You're right.

Wendy is selling her inherited picture of a pigeon by Andrew Beer.

She obviously isn't a pigeon fancier like her father.

The first item under the hammer is Alan's doll.

The auctioneer David Hunter is on the rostrum.

Alan, I can't wait to see what the German doll does.

We're looking at around £150 top end for this.

-It was your mum's.

-Yes.

It's in great condition considering she's had it since she was five.

It stands alone in the auction room.

There are no other dolls here.

I was a wee bit worried about that, but I've estimated quite low.

We have a reserve of £80 on it.

If it doesn't get it, try it in another sale.

We'll keep our fingers crossed. We've internet bidding, and we have a busy sale here, so...

-And there are a lot of doll collectors out there.

-Yes.

The 19th-century bisque-head German doll, impressed A and W, Dusseldorf.

Start me on commission at £80.

£80 on commission, at 80. 85, 90.

Five, 100. £100 still with me on commission, £100.

£100, looking for 10 anywhere?

£100 on commission, any further?

At £100.

Good, it's gone. We needed that.

I was a bit scared, frightened actually.

That's a good result.

-I'm pleased with that.

-There's a bit of commission to pay, don't forget.

Yeah. But, as long as somebody has given it a home.

It'll be loved and looked after again.

And you're fed up playing with it!

-Yeah.

-Well, it was in the cupboard, wasn't it?

Just couldn't quite get in the cupboard with it...

Next up to go under the hammer is a painting of a pigeon.

Let's hope it flies away, shall we?

-I hope so.

-We've got a valuation of £250-500 on this, David.

He's a well recorded artist and that's within the margin of the prices he's realised at auction.

Why are you selling, anyway?

I've offered it to my three children, and I said, "Would you put it on the wall if I gave it to you,"

but they don't want it.

All that history about the pigeon being used...

in the First or Second World War?

The Second World War, yes, yes.

It used to carry messages about from France.

Young Theft, the pigeon study.

Start me at 200, somebody will?

£200 bid, 200 bid now, 200.

I'll take 20, 220. 240, 240.

250, then. 260, 260. At 260.

He sold it, didn't he. £260.

-That's good.

-Just got it away.

That's all right, isn't it?

At the end of the day, it's a good result, it was within estimate.

But we always like to try and get you the top end.

It would be nice if it went further, but that's great.

Next up, the model locomotive.

All the proceeds of this sale are going towards a charity

to restore the steam locomotive the Princess Elizabeth.

We've got Clive and his grandson Joshua here.

-Who has ridden on the steam plate, haven't you?

-Yes.

-And you're a train fanatic?

-Yes.

-You love all sorts of locomotives and trains, don't you?

-Yes.

Such a lovely hobby. And there's lots of railway memorabilia today.

All the collectors are here, and things are flying out of the room.

Let's hope, fingers crossed, we get the top end of David's estimate.

Tilbury 442 tank loco,

in the burgundy livery.

I've one, two commission bids,

so I have to start the bidding with me at £400.

-£400 on commission,

-Good start.

400, looking for a 50s anywhere.

450 in the room, at 450.

500 on commission, 500.

550, 600.

650, 700. 750, 800. 850, 900.

£900!

950, £1,000.

Up to 1000!

£1,100, that takes all the commission out, at £1,100.

£1,200 on the floor, 13, thank you.

1300, 1300 on the first line.

Is there any further interest at £1,300?

Yes! £1300!

1,300!

Josh, clever Grandad bringing that!

What a wonderful moment, David.

-I'm so delighted for you.

-Thank you.

Thank you, and let's hope that locomotive is up and running

and in pristine condition, so you can go and ride on it again.

Sadly we've run out of time here.

I hope you've enjoyed today's show.

I know this young lad has, Joshua, his first auction and may he come back for many more.

There are plenty more surprises on Flog It!, so keep watching.

Until next time, it's cheerio from all of us.

For more information about Flog It,

including how the programme was made,

visit the website at bbc.co.uk

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

E-mail [email protected]