Nantwich Flog It!


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Today, Flog It! comes from the medieval market town of Nantwich in Cheshire

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and I'm surrounded by timber-framed buildings.

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But this market town is internationally renowned for something else.

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And it's this - cheese.

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There's an international cheese festival held here in Nantwich every year.

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-Which one shall I try?

-Try this one, Paul, it's from Cheshire.

-All right.

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Mm. That's good. Help yourself.

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The Nantwich International Cheese Festival attracts thousands of visitors each year

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and is well over 100 years old.

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I'm hoping to find something around that age as well

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but I'm talking about antiques, of course.

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It looks like I've come to the right place.

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Just look at this massive queue,

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people laden with antiques and collectables,

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hoping they'll be chosen to go off to auction.

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We're outside the Nantwich Civic Hall.

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In fact, the queue snakes all around the building.

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I think it's time to open the doors, don't you?

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Let's get down to business.

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The hall is filling up quickly and the people of Nantwich have turned out in force.

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Here to help in search of treasures today are our experts,

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Kate Bliss and Will Axon.

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And it looks like Will has already found something of interest.

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Well, Maurice, you've brought in something that's right up my street.

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It's a delightful portrait miniature, pencil drawing.

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-Is this a relation of yours?

-It's not a relation of mine.

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It's a relation of a friend of mine,

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who gave the portrait and the daguerreotype to him in 1980.

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The lady married this gentleman.

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Right, so that's the connection between the two.

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And this gentleman was an admiral in the Royal Navy

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at around about the time of Nelson.

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-So, just to get it straight, this young lady in this portrait...

-Yes.

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-..is the wife of this gentleman.

-Yes.

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-So he was an admiral in the Royal Navy, obviously very well to-do.

-Mm-hm.

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Would have, perhaps, I suspect, commissioned this portrait miniature,

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-maybe to take on the ship with him.

-Probably, yes.

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-It's beautifully drawn.

-Yes.

-The detail is lovely.

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But if we look down here at the bottom, it says, "Miss Wa"

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-and it stops.

-It's a mystery.

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If we look closely at her face,

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when I first saw it, I thought perhaps she had a rather large patch on her nose,

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a beauty spot or perhaps a mole

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-but I had look under my glass, that's actually a drop of ink.

-Ah.

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And I suspect this is going to be late 18th century.

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-Generally, they're from around 1800, that's where they date from.

-Yes.

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Yes. Just five years before Trafalgar.

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Well, exactly, yes.

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-And this daguerreotype, have you got the original?

-My father has.

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-Your father has.

-Yes.

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So this is a copy that you have

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to keep with the portrait to keep the story going.

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I mean, value wise, have you any idea?

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-Well, we've been told about £100.

-I don't disagree with that.

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£100. I think reserve it at £100

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and I think on the day, with a bit of a write-up

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and a bit of history behind the catalogue description,

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I'm sure we'll get it away.

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Well, it's always great to see diamonds on Flog It!

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and this is a really neat little ring, isn't it?

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-Has it always been yours?

-No, it was my mother's.

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-Right.

-And it's been lying in the drawer since she died.

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-Right.

-And so I decided that it could go.

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-So was it actually an engagement ring?

-It was but not when she got engaged.

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It was bought, I think, in the late '70s, around '80

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and she didn't have an engagement ring, so she bought it at a later date when they could afford it.

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-Well, that's very sensible. How interesting.

-Yes.

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Well, diamonds are forever, as they say,

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and they have become a symbol, if you like, of eternal love,

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so they're used often for engagement rings.

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But also, they are the hardest substance on earth as well,

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made of carbon

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and in a piece of jewellery, they are a very good stone to choose

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-for a piece you wear every day because they simply don't wear.

-Right.

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This is a brilliant-cut stone, which refers to the way it's been faceted.

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And it sits quite low in the claw setting here,

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which you can see from the side.

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-I would say the ring dates from about the 1920s.

-Yes.

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The stone is what we call illusion set

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because the white metal completely surrounds the stone

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and actually makes it look much bigger than it actually is.

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The white metal reflects into the stone,

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giving it an illusory size, if you like.

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So diamonds are actually valued according to four major things.

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The cut, as we've talked about,

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-the colour of the stone, the whiteness...

-Yes.

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the clarity and, of course, the carats, the weight of the stone.

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And taking into account all those factors and the setting of the ring,

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I would say, at auction, a little ring like that would fetch between £200-300.

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-That sounds OK.

-Does that sound reasonable?

-That's all right with me, yes.

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-Well, I suggest that we put a reserve at the lower estimate, at £200.

-Yes.

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I would hope that we'd certainly get mid-estimate for you, if not a bit more.

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Very nice.

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OK. Thank you.

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Well, Roy, I love what you've brought in to Flog It! today.

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-A Hornby train, a clockwork train.

-Yes.

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Now, it looks in remarkable condition, bearing in mind its age.

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Has it not been played with or...?

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Not been played with since my dad left it to me and I don't think he played with it much.

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-So it was your father's?

-It was.

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-So this is going to date from around that sort of... The late '20s.

-I think so, yeah.

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-It's possibly early '30s. I think you've done some research, haven't you?

-Yes. It was 1929.

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Frank Hornby, he brought out this range of toys

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under the banner of Hornby

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as British toys for British boys.

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And we can see that here you've got two rather nice carriages,

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each named - Arcadia with the crest, here.

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-They look like first-class carriages.

-They do, yeah.

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-And then you've got this LMS, I suppose it's a...

-Horsebox.

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-A horsebox, something like that.

-Yeah.

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-And then this little working crane.

-A rig, yeah.

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What's nice about them, though, is you've got this original transfer printing

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and the original paintwork to the carriages.

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-Passed down to you from your father.

-Yeah.

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No grandchildren? No children you could pass it on to?

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-I've got one son and he's never shown any interest.

-He might when you tell him what it's worth.

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-He might take an interest.

-He's had it. It's going to the lounge fund.

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-The lounge fund?

-Yes.

-Nice comfy chair?

-New ceiling.

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-New ceiling?

-And decorating.

-Serious work, then.

-It is.

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Well, I think, you know, estimate wise, let's see if we can get close to your new ceiling.

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I would think... I mean, there are some chips and some slight losses.

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It has been played with but the basics are there.

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I would say you're looking at £200-300.

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-I don't know how you feel about that?

-Yeah, fine, fine.

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You're happy with that? Shall we reserve it at that bottom figure?

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Yeah, I think so. 200, yeah.

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So let's say 200 with discretion, 10% either way for the auctioneer.

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So he'll sell it at £180, that sort of level.

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-But I'm confident that on the day, we should get more.

-More for it.

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-Thanks.

-See you on the day.

-We will.

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Well, this is quite a romantic little figurine.

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Tell me all about it.

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We bought it a couple of years ago at an auction in Chichester.

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And er... we moved, we relocated up here

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and it doesn't quite fit in with our decor now.

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-It's ended up in the garage in a cardboard box.

-Oh, dear!

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So we thought we'd get rid of it.

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Do you know what this kind of china is called?

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-Er...

-Parian.

-Parian.

-Parian, that's exactly right.

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It's called Parian ware. It's actually named after a Greek island, the island of Paros

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and the name Parian comes from the white marble

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that was quarried on the island of Paros.

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The detail, as you'd expect in Parian ware, is lovely.

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You can see the flowers in her hair, the lace edging to her dress

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and here, the detail of the feather in his hat.

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Tip it up and we've got a factory mark on the base

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and there we have the Royal Worcester mark.

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Dating from the 1870s, I would put this anywhere between 1870 and 1880.

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Now... that's all the good news.

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-The bad news is we've got a little bit of damage here.

-I'm afraid so.

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In her very elegant long fingers, we've got one finger missing.

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-What can you tell me about that?

-Well, here it is.

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Ah!

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It was perfect this morning when we packed it away to come here

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but when we unpacked it, her little finger was missing, I'm afraid.

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-Oh, dear.

-Sorry about that.

-It happened on the way here?

-It did, yes.

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I have to say, looking at her hand, you say it was perfect before

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but I can tell, looking at her fingers,

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that actually, there's been some restoration here

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and I think that little finger which came off on the way here

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-has actually been off before.

-That makes us feel a lot better.

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It's been restored, so don't feel so badly about it.

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-Actually, the more that you look at it, you notice that his feathers have been restored...

-OK.

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..and his sword has been broken here

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-and also on the very tip at the end down here.

-Right, OK.

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So just where you would expect, at the most vulnerable places -

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-feathers, fingers, anything that's sticking out, if you like - there's some damage.

-Yes.

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If it hadn't been restored, if it was in perfect condition,

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we would be looking at several hundred pounds.

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But in the condition that it is in today,

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with the restoration and with the finger, obviously, that's come off,

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I would say at auction... I'm going to be realistic

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-and say it could be anywhere between £50 and £100.

-Right.

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-Is that in the region you were looking for?

-That's fine.

-Yes, we'll let it go at that.

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Let's say 50 to 100. Would you like to put a reserve on it

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or are you happy simply just to let it go through?

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-Well, let's say 50. It's only reasonable.

-I think that's sensible for a good Parian figure like that.

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And it's a lovely romantic subject, isn't it?

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Well, let's say a reserve of 50 and hope that we get towards £100.

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-Absolutely.

-Thank you very much.

-Not at all.

-That's great.

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That's the end of our first lot of valuations

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and later, I'll be finding out how a famous local authoress

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caused a stir with one of her novels.

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There were those who were deeply shocked

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and some members of the congregation of the Unitarian church in Manchester burnt it.

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But first, let's have a quick reminder of all the items we're taking off to auction.

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Now, will the bidders sniff out Maurice's miniature portrait

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of a lady with an ink spot on her nose?

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Barbara has fallen out of love with her diamond ring

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but I think it'll make a new conquest.

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Well, diamonds are forever, as they say,

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and they have become a symbol, if you like, of eternal love.

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Roy's Hornby train set has been languishing unloved in the attic

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but now it's heading off for a new destination.

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And, oh dear! What has happened to Sue and Nicholas's Parian ware?

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It was perfect this morning when we packed it away to come here

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but when we unpacked it, her little finger was missing, I'm afraid.

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Will the damage affect its pulling power?

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Well, let's find out as we head off to auction.

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And this is where we're selling all our items today, in a packed auction room

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at North Rode, just outside Congleton.

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On the rostrum we've got our Flog It! favourite.

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He's just set himself up in business here - Adam Partridge.

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As you can see, the sale's underway, so why don't we get on with it?

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420, I'm bid. One more if you want.

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420. At 420. Have you all bid now?

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440, we're in the room. At 440. Selling. This one away. All done?

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Well, they say diamonds are a girl's best friend.

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We've got Barbara here, she's selling her diamond ring.

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£200-300. I hope there's plenty of females left here bidding.

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The diamond is illusion set, as we talked about,

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which makes the diamond look a little bit bigger.

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It's quite a classic setting, so I think it's still quite a commercial piece today.

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A good trade lot, as well. Fingers crossed, here we go.

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1920s, illusion-set diamond solitaire ring.

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There it is there, £200.

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£200. 130, I'm bid. At 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190.

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-200. 210?

-You've sold it.

-£200, lady's bid.

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At 200. Are you all done now? At £200. Shall we sell this at £200?

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We just did it. We got it away at £200.

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-That's very good.

-It was close.

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I'll take 500. I'll take 20 now.

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At 500, I'm bid.

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Next up is a lovely miniature. It's an 18th century pencil drawing

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and it belongs to yacht surveyor Maurice here,

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-who looks absolutely dapper.

-Thank you very much.

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-Where did you get this jacket from?

-It was a present, actually.

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Tell me about the drawing. We've got £100 on this. Can we do any more?

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Hopefully. I've had a look at the sale and there's a few other miniatures in the sale,

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which always helps, when you're selling amongst other pieces.

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It's a lovely little drawing, it's gorgeous, and it's unfinished and quirky.

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-Why are you selling this?

-It actually belongs to my father.

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He was given it. He...

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It's sitting in a drawer, he doesn't like it, actually.

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It doesn't have any family connections.

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-My father would like to buy some more antiques.

-OK.

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-Well, let's send it on its journey.

-Mm.

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Let's hope we get more than £100. Good luck. Here we go. It's going under the hammer now.

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Margareta Waddington.

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Here we are and I'm bid £100. Take 10.

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100 is bid on this one. At £100. Is there 10 now?

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110, 120... No, 120, here.

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-120. Any more now on this one?

-Let's see some hands going up.

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Are you all done? I'm selling. 140. On-line at 140 now.

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140. We've got an on-line bidder at 140.

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-I'm out and we're all done.

-On-line bidder.

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On-line here at £140.

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-Yes!

-Excellent.

-£140.

-Excellent, absolutely. Wonderful.

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Wonderful.

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Hopefully... What will your dad invest in? What do you think he'll buy?

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Well, first of all, I think we want to buy all our friends in the Black Horse a drink.

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-OK.

-And if there's any money left, I think a piece of glass. He loves glass.

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-He likes early glass, does he?

-Yes.

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-And also...

-Snuff boxes, things like that?

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-That's quite affordable at 100.

-Old cameras, he's very interested in.

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-So...

-Mm.

-An eclectic mix.

-Absolutely.

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45 bid. 50 now. 45 seated down here. 45. Any more now?

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We've had Parian ware on the show before and it has made good money, so fingers crossed.

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-I know there's a bit of damage...

-Yes.

-..but I think you'll make a profit.

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-Sue, you got this for £65, wasn't it, in auction.

-That's right.

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-Down in Chichester.

-Yes.

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You've both now relocated up to Cheshire. Do you like it here?

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-Yes, we do, yes.

-Oh...

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-Sunny Cheshire, you see.

-Sunny Cheshire.

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Good luck. I think the damage may put some people off

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but I can see this doing over £100 quite easily.

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Well, I don't know. I hope you're right but I think...

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A lot of it's been restored

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and the restoration hasn't been done particularly well,

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so that might put people off

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-and it's all on the vulnerable bits.

-Fingers and...

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Well, now's the moment of reckoning, isn't it?

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-I've given Adam a wide berth.

-Have you? We'll see what we can do.

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The Parian ware figure, the Worcester one, there.

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That's £50, surely?

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£50 to start me there for the Parian figure group.

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£50 to start me on that, please.

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50 I'm bid. 5, now? At 50. £50 and 5 anywhere?

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At 55. And 60?

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65. 70?

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65. Front row, now. 65. Any more, now?

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Are you all finished and done at £65?

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-GAVEL BANGS

-Thank you.

-Sold it.

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-It's gone.

-Yeah! That's good.

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-You were right.

-It's the damage, it's a bit of a killer but it's a lovely group, so...

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-Well done.

-I'm pleased with that.

-We'll be all right.

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-That's lunch.

-That's what we said.

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-We said we'd go for lunch.

-Lunch in Cheshire.

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£50. 50's bid, take 5.

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At 50, I have. 55, now? 55?

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This next item is a classic example of something that's been left in the loft for 25 years,

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untouched and boxed.

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It belongs to Roy, it's a Hornby train set.

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-A typical kind of attic thing, isn't it?

-It is, yeah.

0:17:380:17:41

It's great. If you've stopped playing with it or you don't want to use it,

0:17:410:17:45

store it away, it doesn't take up much space, put it in the attic.

0:17:450:17:48

25 years later...

0:17:480:17:50

-We moved it three attics.

-Three attics?

-Yes!

0:17:500:17:53

Well, 25 years later, it's worth, hopefully, £300, maybe more.

0:17:530:17:58

-We've put 200-300 on it, haven't we?

-Yeah.

0:17:580:18:00

I think the carriages are sort of where the value is.

0:18:000:18:03

Nice that it's in its box.

0:18:030:18:04

Anyway, it's going under the hammer, Roy. Good luck.

0:18:040:18:07

A good Hornby train set, this one and I'll sure you'll agree

0:18:070:18:10

and I've got a range of bids again.

0:18:100:18:12

And I suppose that means I can start at £280 bid.

0:18:120:18:16

-290 now, please.

-Fingers crossed.

-290, 300, 320.

0:18:160:18:20

-Straight in at £280.

-..380, 400, 420, 440,

0:18:200:18:23

460, 480, 500 and 20. 520 in the room.

0:18:230:18:26

520. Can I see 540 now?

0:18:260:18:29

At 520. At 520, I like it.

0:18:290:18:32

At 520, we're all done and selling at 520.

0:18:320:18:35

That's absolutely fantastic.

0:18:360:18:38

Don't forget, there's 15% commission to pay here.

0:18:380:18:41

That's more money than we all thought. What are you going to spend it on?

0:18:410:18:44

-Hopefully, my new ceiling, Paul.

-How about that?

0:18:440:18:47

-That'll get that, a plasterboard ceiling and a bit of emulsion.

-It should.

0:18:470:18:51

-You could say, we've hit the roof.

-I like it. Very good.

0:18:510:18:54

-Or gone through the roof.

-Gone through the roof.

0:18:540:18:57

And later on at the auction,

0:18:580:18:59

it looks as though somebody could be in for a very nice surprise.

0:18:590:19:02

I really hope it makes 1,000 plus

0:19:040:19:06

and it should hit the 1,000 mark.

0:19:060:19:08

Where it goes from there, we'll find out soon.

0:19:080:19:10

Well, that's the auction action over for the first part of the show

0:19:130:19:17

but we are coming back here later on in the programme.

0:19:170:19:19

But you can't come to this part of Britain

0:19:190:19:22

without exploring one of our great literary figures

0:19:220:19:24

and that's where I'm off to now,

0:19:240:19:26

to Knutsford, which isn't far from here,

0:19:260:19:28

to unearth the story of a rather incredible woman.

0:19:280:19:32

Today, Knutsford is a busy, modern, bustling town,

0:19:390:19:42

which has many upmarket bars, restaurants and shops.

0:19:420:19:46

However, it still retains much of the charm and architectural features

0:19:460:19:50

it boasted nearly 200 years ago,

0:19:500:19:52

when it was home to the town's favourite daughter.

0:19:520:19:55

I am, of course, talking about Elizabeth Gaskell,

0:19:580:20:01

the Victorian authoress,

0:20:010:20:02

a contemporary of Charles Dickens

0:20:020:20:04

and a great friend and biographer of Charlotte Bronte.

0:20:040:20:08

Her works have survived to give us hours of reading pleasure.

0:20:080:20:12

It's clear that the people of Knutsford had a soft spot for Elizabeth Gaskell

0:20:120:20:16

because her name has been immortalised in stone

0:20:160:20:19

in this tower, which was built in 1907

0:20:190:20:22

and it's aptly name the Gaskell Memorial Tower.

0:20:220:20:25

Mrs Gaskell was born Elizabeth Stevenson

0:20:260:20:30

on 29th September 1810 in Chelsea, London.

0:20:300:20:33

She was the daughter of William Stevenson,

0:20:330:20:36

a Unitarian minister, and his wife Elizabeth,

0:20:360:20:38

whose father farmed at Sandlebridge, near Knutsford.

0:20:380:20:42

Tragedy struck young Elizabeth's life at the tender age of 13 months,

0:20:420:20:46

when her mother died.

0:20:460:20:48

Her father was left bewildered and unable to cope

0:20:480:20:51

and so young Elizabeth was sent to live with her mother's sister,

0:20:510:20:54

Mrs Hannah Lumb, in the town of Knutsford.

0:20:540:20:57

Aunt Hannah was like a mother to Elizabeth

0:21:050:21:08

and they both lived here very happily in this very impressive town house.

0:21:080:21:12

Just look at this. What an architectural delight.

0:21:120:21:15

And back then it was called the Heath

0:21:150:21:18

but it's since been renamed Heathwaite House.

0:21:180:21:20

Look over there - the aspect.

0:21:200:21:22

Well, that hasn't changed that much, really.

0:21:220:21:25

The cars on the road wouldn't be there

0:21:250:21:27

but that would've been one vast tract of grassland

0:21:270:21:30

and to find out more about Elizabeth in the early years,

0:21:300:21:33

I've come to talk to one of the Gaskell biographers,

0:21:330:21:36

Shirley Foster.

0:21:360:21:38

Shirley is a senior lecturer at the University of Sheffield

0:21:380:21:41

and has written extensively on the subject of Mrs Gaskell.

0:21:410:21:45

Shirley, thank you very much for meeting up with me today

0:21:470:21:50

and talking about Elizabeth, here in the garden she grew up in,

0:21:500:21:54

which is lovely, isn't it?

0:21:540:21:55

What sort of childhood did she have here, growing up?

0:21:550:21:59

Well, as you know, she came here from London

0:21:590:22:01

and she was orphaned - well, virtually orphaned.

0:22:010:22:04

Her father remarried and she was brought up by Aunt Lumb

0:22:040:22:08

-and I think she had a very warm and...

-Embracing.

0:22:080:22:11

Embracing. Family around and, obviously, other families close by.

0:22:110:22:15

I think she really enjoyed it.

0:22:150:22:17

-Did she have a good education?

-She did indeed,

0:22:170:22:20

which was rare or unusual in the period.

0:22:200:22:23

She went to a good girls' boarding school in Warwickshire

0:22:230:22:26

-and she had a good literary background and music and...

-Ah!

0:22:260:22:31

That was going to be my next question.

0:22:310:22:33

What inspired her to become a writer?

0:22:330:22:36

Well, I think partly because she read so much.

0:22:360:22:39

In Manchester library, they have what's called her commonplace book

0:22:390:22:43

and she copied out folk songs and stories and things.

0:22:430:22:46

-Was this is a teenager? 12, 13, 14?

-As a teenager.

0:22:460:22:49

She was about, sort of, 13, 14, 15

0:22:490:22:54

and then between 16 and 19, she did visit back in London.

0:22:540:22:57

But we do know that when she was at school,

0:22:570:23:00

-she went to visit a house called Clopton Hall...

-Where's that?

-In Warwickshire.

0:23:000:23:04

It was a school visit. And she wrote about it and it was published later, in 1840,

0:23:040:23:09

and it's a great account.

0:23:090:23:11

It's full of lovely, grisly detail about a girl who's buried alive.

0:23:110:23:15

-She had a great imagination.

-She had a great eye for good stories.

0:23:150:23:18

Well, the people of Knutsford, in the past, embraced her, they've taken her to heart.

0:23:180:23:23

How does Knutsford feature in a lot of her work?

0:23:230:23:26

It's the background to quite a few stories - obviously, Cranford.

0:23:260:23:30

-That's the big one.

-That's the big one.

0:23:300:23:32

But also it's Duncombe in Mr Harrison's Confessions,

0:23:320:23:36

which is a novella.

0:23:360:23:38

It is Hollingford in Wives And Daughters.

0:23:380:23:40

It also appears in a short story called The Squire's Story,

0:23:400:23:45

-which is about a highwayman who lived next door.

-Really?

0:23:450:23:48

And she has some lovely stories about Cranford old ladies, you know,

0:23:480:23:53

and obviously she had a real ear for picking up gossip

0:23:530:23:56

and details, little details, that were going to be interesting.

0:23:560:24:00

What do you think of Cranford? Because you're very close to Gaskell.

0:24:000:24:04

I enjoy it very much

0:24:040:24:05

and I think it did bring out the way in which it's a light touch

0:24:050:24:09

but it's a serious book, it deals with some serious issues

0:24:090:24:13

but it's got a lovely light touch.

0:24:130:24:15

-It's stood the test of time.

-It has.

0:24:150:24:17

-It's not just a sort of dated, old-fashioned story.

-No, not at all.

0:24:170:24:22

I think you really do sympathise with the people. She's done it very well.

0:24:220:24:26

-It's a classic.

-It is a classic, absolutely.

0:24:260:24:28

In her adult life, Elizabeth devoted much of her time to helping the poor.

0:24:280:24:33

She married a Unitarian minister and moved to Manchester,

0:24:330:24:36

a city worlds apart from the quaint, sleepy town of Knutsford.

0:24:360:24:40

Her early upbringing and religious beliefs

0:24:410:24:44

equipped her with the compassion she needed to take on this new role.

0:24:440:24:48

And this is where Elizabeth worshipped as a young child, when she grew up in Knutsford.

0:24:490:24:54

It's the Brook Street Unitarian Chapel.

0:24:540:24:56

Shall we go inside? After you, Shirley.

0:24:560:24:59

What were the particular beliefs and doctrines of the Unitarians,

0:25:030:25:07

compared to other Christian denominations of the day?

0:25:070:25:11

Well, apart from the fact that they didn't believe in the divinity of Christ,

0:25:110:25:15

it was a religion of what you might call rational benevolence.

0:25:150:25:18

They believed in the essential goodness of everybody

0:25:180:25:21

and the potential for everybody to be good

0:25:210:25:23

and also rejected the idea of damnation.

0:25:230:25:26

How did religion shape her novels?

0:25:260:25:28

Well, you find it, I think, in an emphasis on love,

0:25:280:25:33

compassion, again, and forgiveness.

0:25:330:25:35

In several novels, characters work out their own salvation

0:25:350:25:38

-and that includes learning to forgive other people...

-Mmm.

0:25:380:25:41

..and forgiving themselves, too.

0:25:410:25:43

-She was compassionate towards the poor...

-Yes.

-..in life,

0:25:430:25:47

but also in her novels, especially in Ruth, the fallen woman.

0:25:470:25:51

It is a novel about a young girl who is seduced, becomes pregnant

0:25:510:25:54

but then is allowed to be redeemed by her own good life.

0:25:540:25:58

But what was shocking was that people felt it was something that shouldn't be written about.

0:25:580:26:03

It was something that they all knew about

0:26:030:26:05

but they didn't want brought out into the open.

0:26:050:26:08

And, of course, by doing that, she was doing a very brave thing.

0:26:080:26:11

-It was very progressive, really.

-It was. It was very radical.

0:26:110:26:15

And how was that reviewed by the critics of the day

0:26:150:26:20

and also the readers?

0:26:200:26:21

Yes, well, I mean, some readers really responded well

0:26:210:26:25

and people like Charles Dickens, I think it's important to note,

0:26:250:26:29

did think very highly of it because he much respected what she'd done.

0:26:290:26:32

But there were those who were deeply shocked

0:26:320:26:35

and some members of the congregation of the Unitarian church in Manchester burnt it

0:26:350:26:39

and a famous instance is a librarian who took it off the shelves

0:26:390:26:44

because it was not fit for family reading.

0:26:440:26:47

So that was one of the things. It's very hard to understand today.

0:26:470:26:51

On the 12th November 1865, at her retirement home in Hampshire,

0:26:520:26:58

Elizabeth Gaskell suddenly died in mid sentence.

0:26:580:27:00

It later transpires she died of heart failure.

0:27:000:27:03

Elizabeth was only 55 at the time.

0:27:030:27:06

Her body was brought back here to Knutsford,

0:27:060:27:08

to the town she loved in her formative years

0:27:080:27:12

and she often wrote about in her more gentle novels.

0:27:120:27:15

Elizabeth would have never thought that she'd end up

0:27:150:27:19

being one of the most highly regarded Victorian novelists

0:27:190:27:22

and some 150 years after her death,

0:27:220:27:25

people are still enjoying reading and looking at her works.

0:27:250:27:30

And back at Nantwich, it's still all go at the valuation day

0:27:380:27:42

and Will has spotted an item that's caught his imagination.

0:27:420:27:45

-Sue, hello, there.

-Hello.

0:27:460:27:48

You've brought in something today quite unusual, something I've never seen before,

0:27:480:27:52

this Burton Union System model, for want of a better word.

0:27:520:27:57

-What can you tell me about this?

-It's from the Swan Inn at Whinbury.

0:27:570:28:00

The landlord, when he retired, Malcolm Groom, asked me what I'd like when he left and I picked that.

0:28:000:28:05

I had my own pub and it went on the wall there.

0:28:050:28:08

Sadly, five years ago, I came out of the trade

0:28:080:28:11

and it's been in my loft ever since.

0:28:110:28:13

This would've been something from the brewery.

0:28:130:28:16

-Marston's, in this instance...

-Yes.

0:28:160:28:18

..would've presented it to a landlord,

0:28:180:28:22

who would display it in the pub as almost like a promotional piece...

0:28:220:28:26

-Yes.

-..for this Burton Union System, which I've never heard of.

0:28:260:28:29

Luckily for me, it's all here in black and white, shall we say.

0:28:290:28:33

It's seems to be the way

0:28:330:28:36

that these are mounted on this cross trough

0:28:360:28:39

and a top trough

0:28:390:28:41

means that they can ferment a lot more barrels than normal.

0:28:410:28:44

-Yes.

-I think that seems to be the gist of it.

0:28:440:28:47

It's a difficult thing to value.

0:28:470:28:49

Have you ever thought of what it would be worth?

0:28:490:28:51

Not really because it deserves to be on a wall somewhere, not in a loft.

0:28:510:28:56

I don't think we're going to be able to come in too strong, estimate wise.

0:28:560:29:00

I think, you know, the market will decide where to settle, value wise,

0:29:000:29:05

but I would think, you know, certainly with its nice glass case,

0:29:050:29:09

it's got to be worth around the £50 mark.

0:29:090:29:11

I mean, if you were happy to let me put it in at £40-60 as an estimate,

0:29:110:29:16

I think it'll generate interest.

0:29:160:29:19

I think people who collect this type of thing, unless they've been to your pub,

0:29:190:29:23

-won't have seen another one.

-No.

0:29:230:29:25

So hopefully that'll generate interest.

0:29:250:29:28

-How do you feel about that?

-That's fine. I just want to see it on a wall somewhere.

0:29:280:29:32

-What about reserve figures?

-I'd like £50 for it, I must admit.

0:29:320:29:36

You've put me in a tricky spot. The reserve can't be higher than the bottom estimate.

0:29:360:29:41

-Can I go for £40, then?

-You can. But that's an interesting point.

0:29:410:29:44

The estimate, the reserve, they have to...

0:29:440:29:48

The reserve can't be higher than the bottom estimate,

0:29:480:29:50

as a matter of law,

0:29:500:29:52

because you're advertising that something can be bought for between 40 and 60,

0:29:520:29:56

whereas in fact it can't.

0:29:560:29:58

-So it's an interesting point to remember at auction.

-Yes.

0:29:580:30:01

-We'll reserve it at £40 so we can put that £40-60 estimate on it.

-Thank you.

0:30:010:30:05

And hopefully there's a few Pedigree bitter drinkers

0:30:050:30:08

at the saleroom on the day and we'll get it away.

0:30:080:30:11

-OK, thank you very much.

-No problem.

0:30:110:30:13

Malcolm, I've had the pleasure

0:30:200:30:23

-of valuing one of these before on Flog It!

-Yes?

0:30:230:30:26

I think so has Philip Serrell as well.

0:30:260:30:29

-We both like our boy's toys.

-Yes.

0:30:290:30:31

But this is a classic little Schuco car,

0:30:310:30:34

typical of tin-plate German toys from the early 1900s.

0:30:340:30:38

-But this one has got a gear-shift stick.

-Yes.

0:30:380:30:41

And you know, as well, how that works, don't you?

0:30:410:30:44

-Do you want to wind him up?

-OK.

0:30:440:30:46

What's the story? How long have you had the cars?

0:30:460:30:49

Erm, about 65 years.

0:30:490:30:51

-Yeah.

-They came to me as presents...

-Really?

-..in about 1941, '42.

0:30:510:30:57

-And it's something you're thinking of selling?

-Yes.

0:30:570:31:00

Why? They've been with you most of your life.

0:31:000:31:03

They've been with me for many years

0:31:030:31:04

but my children are not interested in them, children or grandchildren.

0:31:040:31:10

-You've never played with that one, have you?

-I have but not too often.

0:31:100:31:14

Not as much as this one!

0:31:140:31:15

-What have you been doing to that one?

-That's been in a few crashes.

0:31:150:31:20

-Have you got the other front wheels?

-No, no. It's a bit sad, really.

0:31:200:31:23

Go on, let this one go. Let's watch it work.

0:31:230:31:27

-It's incredible.

-Yes.

0:31:280:31:30

And it's gone into reverse?

0:31:300:31:32

Hey presto. Look at that.

0:31:320:31:34

-And it's got articulated steering.

-Yes.

0:31:340:31:36

You can turn the steering wheel. Look at that. Reversing into my pen.

0:31:360:31:40

-Handbrake on.

-Handbrake on.

0:31:400:31:43

Beautiful.

0:31:430:31:44

Normally, it's a litho transfer print for the colour.

0:31:440:31:47

-This is spray-painted on, which is quite nice.

-That's right.

0:31:470:31:51

If I turn this over...

0:31:510:31:55

you can see the litho print saying Schuco.

0:31:550:31:59

It's in such good condition, this little car

0:32:000:32:03

-and that's all credit to you...

-Well...

-..for not bashing it about.

-Yes.

0:32:030:32:08

Any idea of value?

0:32:090:32:11

Erm, probably about £100 or thereabouts - 120.

0:32:110:32:15

Yes. Definitely.

0:32:150:32:17

-And I'm hoping that's the low end.

-Oh, good.

0:32:170:32:20

-I'd like to put this into auction with an estimate of £100-200.

-Right.

0:32:200:32:25

This little one will sell in the same lot as this.

0:32:250:32:29

That's... That's the value.

0:32:290:32:30

-Here is, hopefully, £180 on a good day.

-Very nice.

0:32:300:32:35

-OK. This one, we'll throw in.

-Yes.

0:32:350:32:38

If a collector has a lot of these Schuco cars,

0:32:380:32:41

he'll use this one to break up and use the spares.

0:32:410:32:44

OK. That's fine.

0:32:440:32:46

-Well, let's put them into auction, then, at £100-200.

-Thank you.

0:32:460:32:49

Thank you.

0:32:490:32:50

This is a really exciting find for me.

0:32:540:32:57

-It may be small but it's beautifully made, isn't it?

-Yes.

0:32:570:33:00

Now, in 21st century terms, this would be called a matchbox.

0:33:000:33:04

But when it was made in the 19th century,

0:33:040:33:06

it was known as a vesta case, when matches were called vestas

0:33:060:33:11

and this was a little box made to keep them.

0:33:110:33:14

I'm very envious that it belongs to you.

0:33:140:33:17

Tell me, how did you come by it?

0:33:170:33:19

Well, it's been in the family for quite a while

0:33:190:33:22

and I've inherited, really.

0:33:220:33:23

This is how it comes to be in my possession at the moment.

0:33:230:33:27

I don't know an awful lot about it

0:33:270:33:29

but we just wondered if maybe it was something quite valuable.

0:33:290:33:34

-So we brought it along here for valuation today.

-OK, lovely.

0:33:340:33:38

It's a little vesta case, made for matches

0:33:380:33:41

and these boxes were made out of metal or more elaborately, of silver.

0:33:410:33:46

And you see them in novelty shapes

0:33:460:33:49

and sometimes, even more collectable, enamelled.

0:33:490:33:53

This one not only is a novelty shape but it's also enamelled

0:33:530:33:57

and it's also by a very sought-after maker.

0:33:570:34:01

-Right.

-Let's talk about the maker first.

0:34:010:34:03

-Because it's hallmarked on the inside just here.

-Yes.

0:34:030:34:07

And you can see that it is silver, with that hallmark.

0:34:070:34:10

-It's dated to 1886, so it's Victorian.

-Right.

0:34:100:34:15

And the little initials SM there stand for Sampson Mordan,

0:34:150:34:18

who is a very sought-after silversmith -

0:34:180:34:21

whose work, I should say, is very sought-after - of the late 19th century.

0:34:210:34:25

If we close it up, you can see that the box itself forms this lovely sentry box shape

0:34:250:34:32

and on the front here, perhaps the most exciting bit,

0:34:320:34:36

is this beautiful enamel work of the guardsman,

0:34:360:34:39

standing there in his sentry box wearing his bearskin.

0:34:390:34:44

And the detail is absolutely exquisite.

0:34:440:34:47

So what are we going to say about value?

0:34:470:34:49

Well, I haven't seen another one like it.

0:34:490:34:51

The quality is superb, and the detail of the enamelling.

0:34:510:34:55

There is a tiny, tiny bit of damage just to the corner of the enamel

0:34:550:34:59

but it really is small.

0:34:590:35:00

Otherwise, it's in super condition.

0:35:000:35:02

Lovely that the lid still snaps shut and the hinge is all intact.

0:35:020:35:06

I'm going to be conservative and say, at auction...

0:35:070:35:12

a very realistic estimate would be £200-300.

0:35:130:35:17

But I wouldn't be at all surprised if two people fell in love with this.

0:35:170:35:21

So my suggestion would be to put a reserve at the £200 mark,

0:35:210:35:25

-an estimate of £200-300 and keep our fingers crossed.

-Right.

0:35:250:35:29

I haven't seen another one like it. It's a super, super thing.

0:35:290:35:32

Thank you very much.

0:35:320:35:34

Before we see our lots go under the hammer,

0:35:360:35:38

Adam has some thoughts to share on Wyn's vesta case.

0:35:380:35:42

-I really like this item.

-There is damage to the enamel.

0:35:420:35:44

Yeah, there is.

0:35:440:35:46

-There's a big premium on novelty silver, isn't there?

-It's extremely popular,

0:35:460:35:50

the little pin cushions and things like that.

0:35:500:35:53

And really, I expect this to make an awful lot more.

0:35:530:35:56

With the benefit of further research, we've put 500 to 1,000,

0:35:560:35:59

-which is a wide estimate...

-That's very wide.

0:35:590:36:02

And I'm... I'd be absolutely astounded if it made less than £1,000.

0:36:020:36:07

-If that was in perfect condition...

-It's 2,000.

-2,000.

0:36:070:36:10

Yeah. Best part of.

0:36:100:36:11

Why is that so much money?

0:36:110:36:13

It's extremely desirable novelty silver

0:36:130:36:15

-and I suppose the military connection...

-Puts the value up.

0:36:150:36:19

..is also a secondary interest, so it has cross appeal.

0:36:190:36:23

I really hope it makes 1,000 plus

0:36:230:36:25

and I'm sure it'll hit the 1,000 mark.

0:36:250:36:27

Where it goes from there, we'll find out soon.

0:36:270:36:30

Attention, please!

0:36:300:36:32

Watch this go under the hammer

0:36:320:36:34

and let's hope it does over the four figures.

0:36:340:36:36

I really hope it does. I think it will.

0:36:360:36:38

-Lovely.

-Take it away.

0:36:380:36:40

Adam wasn't alone in getting excited about the vesta case.

0:36:410:36:44

I haven't seen another one like it. It's a super, super thing.

0:36:440:36:48

We are also selling Malcolm's two Schuco cars,

0:36:490:36:52

which he's had for 65 years.

0:36:520:36:54

Will we get a lucky bidder to drive them away?

0:36:540:36:57

Ex-pub landlady Sue feels strongly about what happens

0:36:580:37:01

to her brewery promotional item.

0:37:010:37:03

It deserves to be on a wall somewhere, not in a loft.

0:37:030:37:06

Well, let's find out if it'll sell.

0:37:070:37:09

220. Are you all done?

0:37:090:37:10

Next up we've got some pub memorabilia

0:37:110:37:13

and at the rate pubs are shutting down, Sue,

0:37:130:37:15

I think this could be quite valuable.

0:37:150:37:17

We've only got £40-60 on this.

0:37:170:37:20

I've never seen anything like it. The value is a stab in the dark.

0:37:200:37:24

It's got to be worth 40-60, I think we said,

0:37:240:37:27

and I think to the right person, it's probably worth that.

0:37:270:37:30

-It was something that trade gave to freehouses.

-That's right.

0:37:300:37:33

So anything like that can be limited as to how much is on the market,

0:37:330:37:37

-because it wasn't given to the public.

-Yeah.

0:37:370:37:40

-So that could help it.

-Bit of a rarity, then.

0:37:400:37:42

-Hopefully.

-Hopefully.

-Fingers crossed.

0:37:420:37:45

We're going to find out now. It's now down to this packed saleroom.

0:37:450:37:50

Let's see what they think.

0:37:500:37:51

There's the brewery display case. Who'll give us £40, there?

0:37:510:37:54

£40? Surely £40, bit of fun, bit of interest.

0:37:540:37:57

40. Start me at 20, let's get on.

0:37:570:37:59

£20, 20 bid. 25.

0:37:590:38:02

30, 35.

0:38:020:38:04

40, 45.

0:38:040:38:06

40 in here, 40 towards the back. 45? Are you bidding?

0:38:060:38:09

-No? You're out already?

-They're not interested.

0:38:090:38:12

45? At £40 then, we sell at £40. Where will you find another?

0:38:120:38:16

-40.

-Well done.

-Sold at 40.

-Well, you were right, Will.

0:38:160:38:19

-You said 40-60.

-Bit of a guestimate.

-We got it away. You happy?

0:38:190:38:23

-I am. It's going on somebody's wall.

-It's better than in the loft.

0:38:230:38:27

That's right, yeah. Thank you.

0:38:270:38:29

£50. 50's bid. Take five.

0:38:290:38:31

At 50, I have. 55, now. 55.

0:38:310:38:34

It's now my turn to be the expert

0:38:340:38:36

and next up it's those two lovely Schuco cars.

0:38:360:38:38

One is in incredible condition.

0:38:380:38:40

They belong to Malcolm. We've got the cars here but we don't have Malcolm.

0:38:400:38:44

He's cruising the Caribbean but we've got his daughter here, Elizabeth.

0:38:440:38:48

-Hello.

-You can remember these as a little girl, can't you?

0:38:480:38:52

I can. I can the remember the little red car, yes.

0:38:520:38:55

I had to put it back in the box afterwards.

0:38:550:38:57

I don't blame Dad for making you do that, as well.

0:38:570:39:00

-That was his pride and joy, wasn't it?

-Yes, he loved his cars.

0:39:000:39:04

-Do say hello, won't you, and let him know how it's gone.

-I will.

0:39:040:39:07

-It's going under the hammer now.

-OK.

0:39:070:39:09

The Schuco 4001 Examico clockwork car

0:39:090:39:13

and a Schuco Studio red tinplate racing car, racing number 9.

0:39:130:39:17

Two Schucos in the lot, there.

0:39:170:39:19

Let's try £100 for the two Schucos. 100?

0:39:190:39:21

100? 80?

0:39:210:39:24

60 bid. £60. Take 5 now.

0:39:240:39:26

At 60. At £60. I have 5.

0:39:260:39:28

70 bid. At £70. 5?

0:39:280:39:31

80 now. 80 bid. 5, then? 85.

0:39:310:39:33

90 bid? 85 we have.

0:39:330:39:36

-85 is the bid. Is there 90?

-We're close.

0:39:360:39:38

At £85... 90. In the room at 90.

0:39:380:39:40

At £90. Is there 5 now?

0:39:400:39:42

We're selling at 90 in the room. All done at 90?

0:39:420:39:45

-He's used discretion, the 10%.

-That's fine.

-That's OK.

0:39:450:39:49

-We just about got them away.

-Yeah. Brilliant.

0:39:490:39:52

-He'll be happy, he'll be happy.

-He will be happy.

0:39:520:39:55

Except when I spend his money.

0:39:550:39:57

Oh, well don't tell him that, will you?

0:39:570:39:59

-And say hi from us, won't you?

-I will do. Thank you.

-Thank you.

0:39:590:40:02

£80. At 80. £80. At 80. Expertly valued. 85.

0:40:030:40:07

90, 95.

0:40:070:40:09

This next little item is pure quality.

0:40:090:40:12

It belongs to Wyn and it's been in his family, well, for how long?

0:40:120:40:16

-Well, quite a number of years.

-How many, do you think?

0:40:160:40:19

-I would say probably the best part...

-Since the First World War.

0:40:190:40:23

-Sorry?

-Since the First World War.

-Yes, since the First World War.

0:40:230:40:27

It's a silver vesta case.

0:40:270:40:29

It's a novelty with a sentry on guard in his little box

0:40:290:40:33

and it is just stunning.

0:40:330:40:35

I know you loved it as well.

0:40:350:40:37

Initially it was sort of 200-300.

0:40:370:40:39

-I know you've come back.

-Yes.

-You've revised the value, you talked to Adam.

0:40:390:40:45

I have to say, it was the nicest thing I saw on the valuation day.

0:40:450:40:48

Not only that but it's the nicest thing I've seen for a very long time.

0:40:480:40:52

I'm very interested in silver and it really is a little cracker.

0:40:520:40:56

Adam said when I had a chat to him

0:40:560:40:58

that the revised estimate is 500-1,000.

0:40:580:41:01

Right, so it's even better.

0:41:010:41:03

But he actually did say it's going to do well over the £1,000 mark

0:41:030:41:07

and it could be close to two, even with a bit of damage.

0:41:070:41:10

-Goodness gracious.

-This is what we've been waiting for.

0:41:100:41:13

This is what auctions are about. How exciting is this?

0:41:130:41:16

Don't go away. Here we go. It's going under the hammer.

0:41:160:41:19

What a lovely item, I think my favourite item in the whole sale.

0:41:190:41:22

This little Victorian sentry box, the silver and enamel vesta case

0:41:220:41:26

in the form of a sentry box.

0:41:260:41:28

Enamelled with a standing sentry of the Grenadier Guards

0:41:280:41:31

by Sampson Mordan, London 1886.

0:41:310:41:34

I can start straight in with a bid of £1,000. I'll take 50.

0:41:340:41:37

-We're already at 1,000.

-50, now?

0:41:370:41:39

At 1,000. Is there 50 anywhere? At 1,000. 50?

0:41:390:41:42

1,100. And 50?

0:41:420:41:44

-1,250.

-1,250 did you say? OK.

0:41:450:41:47

1,250. I'm out, now. 1,250's on the phone, is there 1,300?

0:41:470:41:51

1,300. And 50?

0:41:510:41:52

And 50?

0:41:520:41:54

1,400. 1,450.

0:41:540:41:57

1,500. 1,550.

0:41:570:41:59

1,600? 1,550 on the phone, now. 1,550.

0:41:590:42:03

Are you all done on this one? At 1,550. Any further now?

0:42:030:42:07

1,600. 1,650?

0:42:070:42:09

1,700?

0:42:100:42:11

They like it! They love it.

0:42:110:42:13

£1,650 for this lovely little vesta case. It's gonna be sold now.

0:42:130:42:18

At £1,650.

0:42:180:42:19

1,650. Cor!

0:42:190:42:22

-How about that, Wyn?

-Wonderful, wonderful.

0:42:220:42:25

-That's a lot of money, isn't it?

-It is. There's 15% commission to pay

0:42:250:42:30

-but, you know...

-Yes, yes.

0:42:300:42:31

Yes, I realise that, yes.

0:42:310:42:34

-You can go shopping now.

-Yes.

0:42:340:42:35

What were you going to spend £500 or £600 on?

0:42:350:42:38

500 or 600, I'm sure I would've put it towards a holiday.

0:42:380:42:43

Er, both of us could've shared it, my partner and myself.

0:42:430:42:47

Well, you can still have the holiday and have £1,000 in the bank.

0:42:470:42:52

-Yes, yes.

-Can't you?

-Yes, yes.

0:42:520:42:54

-It's been a great experience.

-Thank you for bringing it in.

0:42:540:42:57

-I know it made Kate's day at the valuation.

-Yes, I know.

0:42:570:43:01

-Little cracker.

-Something you'd love to own.

-Absolutely! Yeah.

0:43:010:43:05

50 I have. At 55 now? 55.

0:43:050:43:08

60, 65...

0:43:080:43:10

Well, that's it. It's all over. Another day in the saleroom

0:43:100:43:13

and some wonderful Flog It! moments.

0:43:130:43:15

We've made a lot of people happy today

0:43:150:43:17

and I hope you've enjoyed watching.

0:43:170:43:19

So until the next time, from Cheshire, cheerio.

0:43:190:43:22

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0:43:440:43:46

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0:43:460:43:48

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