Monmouth Flog It!

The monarch who inspired one of William Shakespeare's

most famous plays was born within these castle walls.

Flog It! has arrived in Monmouth, the birthplace of Henry V.

These ruins used to be the home of young Harry

who was later crowned Henry V.

He established himself as a formidable soldier at the tender age

of 16 years old when he led his father's forces to victory at the Battle of Shrewsbury.

A reputation that would live on through the character he inspired in William Shakespeare's play.

"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.

"Or close the walls up with our English dead."

And stepping into the breach at today's venue, Monmouth Comprehensive School,

are our two brave experts, Charlie Ross and Mark Stacey.

They're hoping to value some items with military precision.

Later, I'll be exploring the beautiful countryside of Wales,

an inspirational landscape that played a major role in the success of Laura Ashley's designs.

But first, as the crowds flood in to our Welsh location, local boy Mark

thinks he's already onto a winner with this impressive prize.

Pam, what a wonderful trophy you brought in to show us!

Gorgeous. It was given to me by my uncle who has since died,

but he was a famous steeplechaser himself, and this was given to him

by somebody else to encourage him... to do well with his steeplechasing.

-So it was a nice present to help him on his way?

-That's right, yes.

Keep his optimism and enthusiasm up.

His wife is frightened to have it in the house on her own and she said,

"Well, it's been willed to you. Would you like it now and either change it into some money

"rather than have the worry of it getting lost?" before she dies.

-What a sensible thing to do...

-She's a lady of 90 and, you know...

Let's have a look at it now. It's a very typical Victorian piece.

-It's pretty.

-You've got this sort of pedestal section,

the cover surmounted by a figure of victory.

You've got the description here which says it was won by AJ Philpotts...

-That's right.

-..and his mare Undaunted.

-That's correct.

-And it's dated April 1898.

-It's a long time ago.

-A long time ago, over a hundred years, which is nice.

-Yeah.

Now the hallmark fits in exactly with the date of the prize...

-Right.

-It's 1898.

It's hallmarked in Sheffield by James Deakin and Sons.

Right, OK. Was he quite a famous silversmith, then?

-He's well known, but quite prolific. He made a wide range of items.

-OK.

-Sheffield was one of our main bases.

-Right.

And then as we turn it around, Pam,

we can see on the back here we have this wonderful sort of

-engraving of a horse and jockey.

-Beautiful. It is lovely.

Now somebody at some stage has dropped this,

-which is why we've got dents on the base...

-Right, yeah.

..and why we've also got a little bit of damage to the arm here.

-OK.

-Of the lady. That is going to affect the value

because somebody who buys it will have to restore that.

-I see, OK.

-They'll have to spend a bit of money knocking that out, straightening it up a bit.

But it's such a lovely piece.

It is, but I've got to point these things out because it does affect the value.

-I realise that, yeah. OK.

-In terms of putting that into auction...

I would probably suggest something like 300 to 500,

but I think we've got a tailored reserve

a little bit below that.

-OK.

-I think we should put a third reserve of £250 on it.

-And it won't sell for a penny below that...

-Mm-hm.

But I think also putting that estimate on it will hopefully excite some extra bidding.

And we might get in quite a horse race over it.

-That would be nice!

-With any luck.

-That would be nice.

-I look forward to seeing you at the auction.

-Thank you.

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

-Yes.

-Yes.

-This is extremely ostentatious, probably the most ostentatious thing

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

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

-In the loft.

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

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

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

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

-Right.

-Yeah.

It went from her mantelpiece into your loft?

-I think it did!

-HE CHUCKLES

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

Do you know where it was made?

-France, I believe.

-France is correct.

Do you know from what it's made?

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

-Right.

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

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

So it's a low-grade metal compound

which has been...

gold painted by somebody.

This is 1890 or thereabouts it was made.

I had a peep into the back of the clock.

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

so you are absolutely right, French.

Now sadly the base is not marble.

-Isn't it?

-No. It would be nice if it were.

This is alabaster.

-Oh.

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

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

Sadly someone's dropped the dome.

-Yes.

-I take it that wasn't done today?

-No comment.

-No comments.

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

That's all we're prepared to say.

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

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

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

People of your generation don't like this

-as much as your great aunt would have done.

-No.

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

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

Probably £50 worth.

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

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

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

-No.

-No.

-So we'll sell it without reserve.

-That's fine.

-A golden Flog It! moment.

-Flog it.

And my neck will be on the block.

So the first two items have bounced back from hitting the floor,

but luckily the next old favourite seems to have had an easier life.

-Hello, John. Hello, Sam.

-Hello, Mark.

-Father and daughter?

-Yeah.

-That's true.

I feel a bit like Bruce Forsyth in The Generation Game saying, "That's father and daughter now..."

We don't need any introduction here. It's good old Clarice Cliff.

It wouldn't be a Flog It! without Clarice Cliff. But tell me...

-..how many pieces?

-Well, we picked these up in a bazar like a jumble sale in a church hall.

-No.

-Yes, many years ago.

-What did you pay for them?

-Nothing.

-Nothing?

-Nothing at all.

-Do you remember this, Sam?

Yeah, I remember it really well. I was seven at the time

and I was with my mum on the day.

I was sat on the stage waiting for my mum,

and then my mum finished and she spotted it.

I picked it up and showed her the big plate, I remember.

Then my mum liked it, she spoke to the woman and she said to take it.

I packed it up in a bag she gave me and that was it, job done!

And why then, after such a wonderful story, have you decided to bring it along to us today?

Well, it's just... It's put in the cabinet now and we're both retired

so it's time for somebody else to have the joy of it, I think.

Let's just have a little look because we don't, you know,

everybody knows Clarice Cliff, we've done it a lot, these are very typical of her range in the 1930s.

We've got a very common pattern here, the crocus pattern,

but on quite a nice shaped dish.

We've then got a nice design here, again the dishes are great shapes.

-This is the wind chime pattern, I think, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-I think so.

-Something like that.

Then we've got these two really bizarre pattern ones which I love,

these bright oranges and bright geometric designs.

The rest are in good condition. There's a bit of flaking to some of the enamel...

-Yeah.

-..if one is being particularly picky about it.

I don't think any of them are particularly rare patterns.

But, you know, as a little group I would say maybe, couple of hundred pounds.

-You do? Well, then.

-Really?

-As much as that.

-If we estimate at say £150 to £250 to give the auctioneer that oomph, as it were...

-Yeah.

-Would you be happy with that?

-That's wonderful. That's wonderful.

-Yeah.

-We're very happy with that.

-I'm delighted you're happy...

I'm glad I fetched it now!

-We wouldn't make a show if you didn't.

-No, it would not!

Jane, it's good to see you. I know you're under a bit of pressure.

-Yes.

-In two hours you've to be at work.

-I've got to be at work.

-Oh, look, we won't hang around then, OK?

-No.

-You spotted this, it's a sugar caster...

-Yes.

-In a charity shop?

-Yes, and I'm feeling quite guilty about it.

Tell me why.

I went into a local charity shop...

-Yeah.

-..and it was there for sale and I said, "Could I have a look?" and I had a quick look at it.

-It was a bit dirty...

-You thought...

-I thought it was silver plate.

-EPNS, yeah.

-And £5, I thought, "I've got to buy it, I like things that are pretty."

-How much?

-£5.

HE MOUTHS

-And I got home and I cleaned it up...

-No wonder you're feeling guilty.

Yes. I cleaned it up and I thought, "Oh, this is silver," and I've got no idea of the age,

but I knew it was a silver mark come what not.

Good for you, girl, that's what I like to hear!

Gosh. Well, I can tell you a bit about it.

Just looking at its shape, it's very architectural.

-Typical early 1900s.

-Yes.

But it's got that 18th-century look about it, with an octagonal balustrade shape.

Typical of a piece of silver...

-both have to be hallmarked.

-Yes.

You'd be in trouble if that wasn't, it might not belong to that piece.

And looking at these two sets of hallmarks,

you can see you've got the lion passant

which tells us it's sterling silver. The next mark is a leopard's head.

-That one there tells us it was made in London.

-Right.

And this capital S tells me exactly, it was made in 1933.

-OK?

-Right.

-So it's quite easy to build a little bit of history up.

-Yes, yep.

-Because everything in silver is so well documented

and you've got a maker's name on there, as well - Mappin & Webb.

-I haven't cleaned the bottom very well.

-It doesn't matter. You shouldn't really clean silver.

The more you clean it, the more you will devalue it because you're taking out the hallmarks.

Mappin & Webb, very good silversmith.

They were Mappin Brothers

right up until the early 20th century when they formed a partnership with Mappin & Webb.

-Right.

-It's a name of quality, it really is.

-Yeah.

You've done really well. There's one thing I want to point out

in the piercing, you see this decoration?

-Yeah.

-And you see there's a little flower up there?

-Right.

-Can you see that?

-Yeah.

And if I turn it around to you now...

-it's slightly gone wrong there.

-Yeah.

That's where it will devalue it slightly because people are fussy.

-All right for £5, though.

-Yes, no wonder you feel guilty!

Do you want to know what it's worth?

-That all-important question...

-Oh, yes!

-Which we all want to know.

I think we could put this into auction with a valuation of £60 to £80.

-Right.

-OK? Let's have a little bit of discretion on the 60,

which means the auctioneer can sell it for 10% less.

-Yes, right.

-So the worst it's going to be is £54.

-Lovely.

-A good little day's shopping, don't you?

Yes, lovely, thank you.

So Jane's guilty pleasure completes our handsome collection heading off to auction.

Charlie is pretty impressed with Ralph and Anna's clock, despite the mysterious damage.

Sadly someone's dropped the dome.

-Yes.

-I take it that wasn't done today?

-No comment about that.

-No, no comment.

-No comment?

But will it fetch his £50 to £100 estimate?

Mark is confident Pam's silver trophy is an odds-on favourite, but will he be right?

And will his £150 to £200 estimate for John and Sam's Clarice Cliff be on the money?

Not bad, not bad.

And this is where we're putting our experts' valuations to the test,

at the Anthemion auction rooms here in Cardiff.

And the man who will be looking for those important bidders is today's auctioneer, Ryan Beech.

You could say we are under starters orders.

I've just been joined by Pam. We've got that wonderful Victorian championship silver cup.

-£300 to £500...

-Well, let's wait and see.

..is riding on it!

-I like it, I like it.

-Or jumping on it. Steeplechaser...

-Maybe, yes.

-I think it's exquisite, I really do.

I love the chasing, I love the horse, it's so beautifully done.

If there's anybody out there who's interested in racing memorabilia...

That's got to be the thing.

Lot number 299 is the late Victorian silver trophy cup here.

Lot 299. £140 I have to start.

-150, 60, 170, 80, 190, 200, 210, 220...

-He's got a bid on the books.

230, 240, 250 takes me out. At £250, I've got an offer standing at 250.

260, 270, 280, 290, 300, 310...

-That's more like it.

-320, 330...

-My heart dropped then.

-340,

350, 360, 370, 380, 390...

-Two people are fighting this out.

-Yes.

-410, 420, 430, 440...

It's exciting, exciting.

-Good, isn't it?

-470, 480, 500. At £500...

-It passed the 500 hurdle.

-At £500, are we all done, then, at £500?

-Wow. What do you think?

-That's what we like, top of the estimate.

-Well done. Are you happy with that? Absolutely.

-He's a good man.

-Absolutely.

-£500!

-I know!

-So exciting, I'm ever so pleased for you.

Well, this next lot only cost a fiver in a charity shop.

Brings back the memories? Yes.

Belongs to Jane, it's the silver sugar sifter and we've got 50, 60, hopefully £70 riding on this.

-Lovely.

-But you can spot a bargain.

-Yes.

-You certainly can spot a bargain, and the good news is silver is selling so well here today.

There's lots of silver items and it's fetching top dollar.

-So I'm selling at the right time?

-Oh, you certainly are, yes.

Lot 315 is a George V silver sugar sifter here, by Mappin & Webb.

£20 I have to start, £20.

At £20 and five, 30, five, 40, five, at 45, 50, five, takes me out.

-60, at 60...

-Come on, a bit more.

65, 70, five,

80, five.

-At 85, lady seated at 85 now.

-Top end.

-Ooh.

-At 85 pound then, are we all done at 85 pound? 90, fresh bidder.

-Ooh.

-Fresh bidder.

95, 100.

At £100, are we all done, then, at £100?

-Great, great.

-Marvellous round figure.

-Oh.

-How about that?

-That really took me by surprise,

but like you said, silver's selling well today.

I was hoping for around £80, but silver is really selling well here today.

I think there's lots of dealers and it's very competitive.

If you can get something into a saleroom like this

when it's hot to trot you can make a bit more money.

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

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

-It is.

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

Quite right, too.

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

Drop it in the dustbin on the way out.

-Is Dad always like this?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

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

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

-Yes.

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

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

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

120, 130, 140, 150.

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

-Result.

-Hammer's gone down.

They seduced me in Paris.

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

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

-Well, me, I think.

-This one's decided.

It has been decided, yes.

I've just been joined in the nick of time by Sam and John,

father and daughter, who would like to put the Clarice Cliff under the hammer.

We've got five items, great pattern, you were attracted to this...

-Yes, I was.

-..and you got it for nothing

because nobody else wanted to buy it at the fair.

It was just stuck on the stage, and nobody else wanted it and...

And you were attracted to it, so well done for spotting it.

Mark, our expert, has put a value of £150 upwards on this.

-I said it's bright and breezy and it's never let us down in the past, eh?

-No, it hasn't.

-Lot 342 is a Clarice Cliff windbell pattern plates here...

-This is it.

Lot 342.

Numerous commission bids.

Crossing bids, in fact, which start me straight in at £260.

Crossing bids put me straight in at 260. 270 takes me out. At 270.

At £270 the gentleman standing, at 270. A £270, 280, 290,

300, 310,

320, 330,

340, 350, 360.

At 360 on the one telephone, at 360.

-Telephone bidders, do you see what I mean?

-370.

-At £370, are we all done at 370? 380 back in.

-Wow.

380 back in on the phone. 390 Julian?

390 if you're interested.

390. 400?

At £390 on the telephone, at £390...

-£390.

-Are you sure this time?

At £390 on the telephone.

Are we all done, then, at 390?

-Well.

-Well, well.

-I love that wallop.

-I don't know what they see in it.

-Absolutely unbelievable.

£390. And you got it all for nothing.

-I never thought it would get that far.

-Yeah. I should look for more, shouldn't I?

I think you should, definitely.

So the auction was a success for Sam and she's off on a Clarice Cliff hunt.

We'll be back in the auction room later, where a misunderstanding with a young lady

-catches Charlie by surprise.

-I'm a bit nervous now.

Before we head back to the valuation tables in Monmouth,

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

a place that's inspired artists and poets alike.

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

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

Laura Ashley and her business-minded husband, Bernard,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Creative clothes that were pretty, conservative and definitely feminine.

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

and covered themselves up in Laura Ashley designs.

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

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

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

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

And it's all thanks to Laura Ashley.

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

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

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

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

-Right.

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

just outside Myrthyr Tydvl and that's where Laura was born in the front room.

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

but she continued to come for holidays to Wales.

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

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

So the sorts of things she remembered

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

and they'd be constantly blacking the stoop,

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

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

they were married and set up home in London.

Laura was determined to be a devoted housewife.

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

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

to the Victoria and Albert museum,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Absolutely.

-The big break.

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

was terribly nervous waiting to see the buyer,

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

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

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

As production started to grow, so did the Ashley family

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

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

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

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

Some of them had actually physically helped build the extension.

They worked on the farm, perhaps, during the day

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

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

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

So she got round that in a number of ways.

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

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

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

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

It was an extension of the family.

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

-Yes, yes.

..without contravening this very deep-seated philosophy

that mothers should not work away from their home.

She believed that domesticity was absolutely crucial.

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

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

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

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

-So why were her dresses such a big success?

-All sorts of reasons.

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

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

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

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

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

-Yes.

-So it was time when no country wedding in England

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

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

The '70s was a time of change.

Greater sexual and political freedom meant women's roles were being redefined and yet, in contrast...

Laura was still attracted to a rose-tinted view of the Victorian and Edwardian periods.

Did Laura lead the traditional life she wanted to promote?

Very interesting.

She worked very hard to try and lead a much more rural life than in fact was possible

since she was head of a multi-million empire by the end.

She was always good at making the man feel that he was the one doing the important things.

So, for example, when she went on a plane she would take her needlework with her

and pretend to do her needlework so that Bernard could feel that he was the one doing all the man stuff,

-because she believed that women wanted domesticity and that's reflected in her dresses...

-Yes.

..and not to go into an office and look smart.

That was the antithesis of what Laura cared about in her design philosophy.

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

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

Stores popped up across the UK and Europe, shortly followed

by flagship stores in San Francisco, Australia and Japan.

Laura Ashley had truly gone global.

The company hit troubled times in the 1980s.

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

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

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

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

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

will always hold Laura Ashley close to their hearts.

# ..Amen. #

Back up in Monmouth and there are still plenty of bags to rummage through,

and Charlie has looked beyond the big and the bulky.

Diane, small is beautiful. This is lovely.

Where has she been hiding?

In a box in the attic.

-Everything I've seen today has come from a box in the attic!

-Yes.

Is that because you don't like it or because it would gather dust?

-No, just haven't got no room for it, you know.

-Right. Right.

And how did you get hold of her?

It's my partner's mum's and she bought it in a charity shop for 50p.

50p? And she gave it to you as a present?

No, no. It's still hers.

-It's still hers.

-But because she can't display it then she thinks it should go to a new home.

Right. Do you know what it is or who made it?

-I know it's Doulton, but that's about it.

-That's right. It's made by Royal Doulton,

A figure, sometimes people call them figurines, but really it's a figure.

I can tell from the colouring that this is not a current figure, not a modern figure.

The colours are much more garish, much brighter today.

This, I would think, is going to be dating pre-war because of those lovely soft tones

in which case it should have a number, HN, from a man called Harry Noake

who worked for the Doulton factory. Oh, really lovely crisp marks.

Royal Doulton...

"Little child so rare and sweet,"

it's got a registration number, 776714.

-That is 1931, I haven't just learnt all the registrations, I had a quick look.

-Oh, right.

And it has, "Potted by Doulton and company" written on the bottom

and an HN number, as indeed we thought it would have,

1541, I think that's right. And it doesn't appear to have any damage,

and that's the best 50p's worth I've seen in a long time!

-Yes.

-So did she have a clue as to what it might be worth?

No, I don't think she did, no.

-Will you have a guess?

-About £100?

It's worth more than 100, I think. I think a very...

a wideish estimate at £100 to £200 would be pretty good.

-So I think we'll take it off to auction, you're happy with that?

-Yes.

Estimate 100 to 200.

-She'll be happy with that.

-She will.

-You're sure?

-Yes.

-Delighted?

-Definitely.

-We'll put a reserve of 100...

-OK.

-..with auctioneer's discretion,

and I would like to see it go on towards 200, I really would.

I think it's quite a rare figure.

-Cath, you've brought a gem in to show us, haven't you?

-Yes, I have.

Tell me, do you wear this brooch?

-No.

-No?

-No.

-Not your sort of thing at all?

-No.

-How long have you had it?

-About 20 years.

-So in 20 years, you haven't worn it once?

-No.

They're out of fashion at the moment, aren't they?

-People like the really chunky ones, but...

-I think so, yes.

But this is a very delicate piece and it's very typically

from the Victorian period, towards the end of the 19th century.

We've actually got some Cabershone garnets.

That means the garnets have been polished into a stone rather than cut into a stone,

but then they've been cut into and inset into the garnets

-have been these delightful stars set with diamonds.

-Right.

The whole thing is set in gold. When you look at the back,

this has maybe come from a larger piece.

-Right.

-Maybe from a large drop necklace or something like that,

and it's been converted, many years ago, into a little brooch.

-Right.

-But, having said that, it's a really charming little object and I'm sure somebody would like it.

-Yes.

-So you've had it for 20 years, why have you decided to come in and flog it today?

Well, it really hasn't got any sentimental value for me and I chose it as part of an inheritance.

-Oh, right.

-And I don't really know anything about it.

I didn't know it was diamonds. Are they actually set into the stone?

Will there be a hole in the stone for them to be in?

Yes, it would be carved in,

and then a little bit of silver's been put in

-because diamonds reflect better from a white metal...

-Right.

..than from a yellow metal. And then they are set in gold,

quite a high carat and you've got a nice little rope-twist design around the outside of the design, as well.

Well, I suppose we have to think about value, don't we?

Er, I would say, ideally, one would hope it got around about £150.

-Right.

-But I think we've just got to value it slightly cautiously.

-OK.

-I think we've got to put maybe £100 to £150 on it...

-Right.

-..with a reserve of £100.

-Right, yes.

-Is that all right with you?

-Yes, I'm happy with that.

Well, I'm so pleased you brought this lovely little gem in to see us

and I look forward to it twinkling in the sale room.

I hope it does.

You've been standing in the queue

holding this very, very heavy box for rather a long time.

It must be something of a relief to get here.

-Yes, yes, it was.

-And where did it come from?

It used to belong to my grandmother.

-Right.

-And it was handed to my mother when she died in about 1970-ish.

-My mother handed it on to my daughter...

-Yeah.

So it's the fourth generation in the family.

Your daughter's instructed you to bring it along?

-To sell it?

-Yes. She's getting married next year, it would be useful towards the honeymoon.

Does it come with any story?

Not that I'm aware of. I don't know anything about it, where it's from,

what age it is, anything.

All I know is it must be something like 110 years old.

-That's pretty accurate. It's late 19th century.

-Right.

-But where does it come from?

-I don't know.

-To put you out of your misery, it's Indian.

-Oh, right.

-Do you know what it's made of?

-No.

-It's very black.

-I thought initially it was probably ebony...

-Right.

But I think I can see a bit of flecking in there, I think it's a wood called Coromandel,

-hence its weight...

-Right.

-Unbelievably heavy.

-Fair enough.

-Almost the weight of stone, rather than wood.

-Right.

-We'll open it up.

Wow. Look at that fantastic workmanship.

It is coromandel. If we look at the back here, you can see the brown flecks running through it

-rather like rosewood.

-Right.

-If you know the wood rosewood.

-Right.

Now it's got the most wonderful ivory inlay.

When I say wonderful, it's not, let's say, Japanese quality,

the quality isn't brilliant, it's rising up in a few places, but nevertheless it is interesting,

and then it has different woods, specimen woods laid into it.

There's some, probably, tiger wood in there, there's some rosewood, I think

and mostly ivory and then coloured with these floral patterns.

-Good Lord, there's not something like this in every one is there?

-No.

No, that was actually given to me some 40 odd years ago.

-You know what that is, don't you?

-That's a vester, yes.

Yes, a vester for matches and striking along the bottom.

We haven't come to look at this, we're looking at the box.

If we lift this up, there should be a compartment in the bottom.

Oh, my gosh, it's full, isn't it?

-Er...

-I don't know anything about them.

-You don't?

-Nope.

There's a note inside them which we could probably have a look at.

"Dear Rosa." Does that ring a bell?

-There was an Aunt Rosa, yes.

-An Aunt Rosa?

-My mother's Aunt Rosa.

"First pair of boots.

-"Too small for her little feet."

-Oh.

-And that's dated 1873.

Wonderful. Well, coming back to the box,

did your daughter say, "Take it away, Dad, if it's worth more than ten quid, sell it"? Or 500 quid or...

No, she just said take it and sell it, I've got no use for it.

-Right.

-And I suggested it might be worth in excess of a hundred.

-That's a pretty good valuation.

-Oh.

-I think it's worth about £100.

-Really?

-How does that sound?

-Reasonable.

-Were you hoping for more?

Well, always!

It's not my money.

-But that would be all right, would it?

-Yes.

I would suggest putting a reserve in just below the psychological £100 barrier.

-Right.

-Perhaps £75?

-Yes, OK.

-Would you be happy with that?

-Yes, my daughter would be very happy.

-Yeah.

So will granny's sewing box of tricks pull in the cash needed for Michael's daughter?

It will be joined at auction by two little gems.

Firstly Catherine's brooch that, after 20 years, is dying to be worn.

-So in 20 years, you haven't worn it once?

-No.

And the pretty little Doulton figure that Charlie valued at £100 to £200.

But, over in Cardiff, auctioneer Ryan Beech is keen to show me something Charlie didn't spot.

She's a lovely figure, a rare figure.

I don't know whether it was picked up at the valuation day, but she has been restored.

-so if she sells it will be around that lower end I think.

-Where's the restoration?

It's difficult to say because they've done a very good job.

You can see it's been sprayed quite extensively and you can see different colour tones there.

I can see different skin pigments, but isn't that something that would have been in the glaze anyway?

No. If you look at the base, you'll see it's much higher gloss finish.

When you look at the body of the piece...

-She's matted.

-..she's quite matt. That's part of the process where they spray to blend the colours in.

-That alerted to you to the restoration?

-Yes.

-Have you seen a perfect one of these?

-I haven't sold a perfect one of them, no.

-If this was perfect...

-I think we'd probably be looking at £300 or £400.

-Yeah, so we've got the value right.

I think so. The trouble with Doulton figures or with any pieces,

restoration really does put a lot of people off

unless it's one you want to complete your collection and it doesn't matter.

Well, we're all about to find out if this little lady will entice a collector.

But first, how will Charlie react to the news?

I'm a bit nervous now.

No. If it was in perfect condition he said it would be three to four.

-Right.

-So we got the value right.

OK, yeah, but some people simply won't collect things with damage.

Or they won't notice this, maybe.

It just goes to show you've got to look so carefully.

Really inspect things and spend a good hour looking at something before you buy it.

-It sounds boring, but if you're not sure you can always ask someone.

-But, for 50p, it didn't matter.

-No.

-Didn't matter at all, did it?

Lot number 357 is a Royal Doulton figure,

a little child so rare and sweet.

£95 I have to start, commission bidder here straight in at £95,

95 I have and 100 I'll take.

100, and ten, 120 takes me out, at 120 on my right, 120.

At £120 on my right, at 120 now.

At £120 are we all done, then?

-At £120.

-Yes, we've done it.

£120 even with the damage.

Considering we hadn't spotted the damage, that's a result.

-Very good.

-A great bargain for 50p, as well.

-Yes, it was. Very good.

Could this next lot be the star of the show?

It's Catherine's Victorian diamond brooch with a value of £100 to £150 riding on this.

Brooches, people say, aren't popular, but I think they are making a comeback.

Some of them are. The youngsters like the sort of blingy...

-Yes.

-The abstract ones so things like George Jenson jewellery

is very much in vogue with youngsters.

-This is terribly Victorian...

-I know.

The whole style of it. If you're not wearing it this is the perfect place to recycle, isn't it?

We're going to find out right now.

Lot number 108, it's a Victorian brooch set with Cabershone rubies.

Commission bids here start me straight in at £100.

100 I have and ten I will take, at 100. At £100, and ten anywhere?

110, 120, 130.

Takes me out at 130 gentleman seated, at 130 now.

At £130 seated, at 130 are we all done, then? At £130.

-Short and sweet, that was.

-Brilliant.

-Mid estimate. Very happy with it.

-Yes, spot on.

-Brilliant.

-Spot on.

-Happy?

-I'm very happy. I didn't think it would sell.

-Oh, wow.

-So very happy.

Next up the embroidery box with a value of £100 to £150.

-Belongs to Michael and he's brought his daughter, Heidi, along. Hello there.

-Hiya.

-I love the hair.

What does Dad think?

I had a shock when I saw it.

Cracking embroidery box, lovely pair of shoes. Did you see them?

I love those. They are the first thing I go to when I look at it.

I would have kept those and sold the rest.

But then I think a lot of the value's in those.

-Yeah.

-Really I do. This took your fancy, didn't it?

It did. The shoes are 1873...

-Yeah.

-With a little note...

-I saw the note.

-I think, about who owned the shoes in the first place.

I think they're beautiful. But the box is good quality, too.

-Yes. Hopefully we'll get the top end. We'll find out now.

-I hope so.

Thanks for joining us, brightening up the show with all that colour.

This is it going under the hammer now.

Lot 516 is an Indian floral carved workbox here. Lot 516.

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

Come on.

£160. 160 I have to start, 170, 180,

190, 200, 210, 220, 230...

-Good Lord. Heidi, it's because you're here.

-270, 280.

-Incredible.

290, 300, 310 takes me out.

At £310, back of the room at 310, £310, 320?

320, 330, 340, 350.

Oh, they like this.

360, 370,

380, 390, 400, 410...

Tell me, what did we miss?

I know nothing.

£410, the back of the room, £410.

At £410, are we all done, then, at £410?

-Gosh, how exciting was that?

-Oh, my word.

-That will go a long way towards your honeymoon spending.

-Yeah.

-I can eat now!

-What is the money going to go towards, by the way?

Don't forget there's commission to pay.

-We're getting married in three months.

-Congratulations.

Going on honeymoon to America. That's going to go to paying for the things we want to do.

-Oh. Incredible result. What's the fiance's name?

-Carl.

He is going to be so surprised. I bet you can't wait to call him.

Brilliant result, brilliant result.

-Thank you so much for coming in.

-Thanks, Flog It!

-It's a pleasure.

Well, that's it, the auction's over, everybody's gone home.

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

I hope you've enjoyed today's show.

So, until the next time, it's cheerio from Cardiff.

For more information about Flog It, including how the programme was made,

visit the website at bbc.co.uk

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