Whitby Flog It!

Today we're in North-east England, in the Yorkshire seaside town of Whitby,

a haven for holidaymakers since Victorian times.

So let's Flog It!

For centuries the easiest access into Whitby was by sea.

Countless ships have arrived here, slipping into sheltered waters between the pier ends.

The harbour is still a busy working environment today,

a small but vibrant fishing fleet and a host of yachts and pleasure craft

fill up the upper harbour, just above the bridge.

Whilst Whitby has been famous for its fishing,

it's also been known notable for its whale catching,

which was first introduced here in 1752.

It became the most important part of Whitby's fishing industry

for around about 80 years.

A whale arch was first erected here in 1963 and later replaced

in 2002 by this one, which is the jaw bone of a bowhead whale.

It's here to honour and celebrate the lives of the very brave men

who trawled the cold, hard Arctic waters.

And later on in the programme, I'll be coming here to Bowes Museum

in County Durham to find out more about how theatrical display techniques

are helping costumes and textiles take centre stage.

And hoping to reel in their own catch of the day, are our experts, Mr Phillip Serrell and Kate Bateman.

They're looking for some jaw-dropping items, brought along today.

They'll pick the best ones out and put them into auction later on in the show.

Who's it going to be? Well, just wait and see.

There's a healthy queue gathering now outside Whitby Pavilion,

so I think it's time to get the doors open, it's 9.30, and get the show on the road.

The hall is filling up fast, so it's time to get on with the valuations

and it looks like Kate has spotted a great painting.

Judy, you've brought in this fantastic little painting of two dogs.

What do you know about it?

Just that it's two dogs and I gather it's probably,

if it's genuine, it's quite a famous artist.

There is a signature down the bottom here, which is G. Armfield,

which is for George Armfield.

And the good news for you is, it is a real one.

There are copies of his work around, but this has got everything about it that tells us it's right.

The age of it, the fact that it's got a little bit of dirt on the canvas, the fact that it's so nicely painted.

And this is his signature down the bottom.

So, it's a good find. Why are you thinking of selling it?

-Because it's just sitting in a box.

-You don't hang it?

-No.

-Oh, OK.

Fair enough. Do you not like terriers particularly?

-I'm allergic to dogs.

-Well, I hope you're not allergic to the painting.

-No.

-It's quite a sweet thing.

For people that collect them, he's very known for this kind of dog, hunting, kind of shooting pictures.

He always has these little dogs, usually catching rats or chasing mice in barns, or whatever.

These, I think, are West Highland terriers, but dog lovers will correct me on that.

Looking at this hole, I'm guessing there's a rabbit just gone down it or something.

He's quite saleable and it's a nice small picture,

it's not enormous, so it's easy to find a place for it on a wall.

But he does do a lot, he's pretty prolific, and there are lots of his work around.

So, I'm going to be quite conservative in an estimate.

I would probably say between £600 and £800 for auction.

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

That seems reasonable, yes.

What's the least that you'd want to sell it for if you're going to put a reserve on it?

If you say 600 to 800, probably 600 then.

A reserve of 6. OK, that's probably a good place to start.

You could give the auctioneer a little discretion, so maybe put 600 with discretion,

so he might let it go at 580 if he thinks that would get the sale.

But hopefully, it should do it.

-As a say, it's a really commercial piece. So...

-That's good news.

-You won't be sad to see it go?

-No.

People are still arriving with a variety of local treasures

and one of those is Guy, who has some special jewellery.

You've got a very good eye.

And you've got a good eye for design,

because these two items, because that's just really a pair of earrings

and this is a brooch, they scream out the name of a man...

..who is right up there, stylistically.

My guess is that these are probably about 25 or 30 years old?

Correct, that's true. I bought them new that sort of time ago.

Go on, tell everybody who they're by.

-Georg Jensen.

-Georg Jensen, yes.

They're Danish, they're silver.

But what interests me...is that those are incredibly fashionable today.

What made you choose them?

They're just perfectly designed in my book

and I had already got a couple of his other pieces.

Can I ask you a really rude question? What did you pay for them?

-Roughly.

-Just over 100, as far as I can remember,

but I wouldn't be absolutely certain about it.

Well, the way I look at this is our earrings are broken,

not too much of a job to fix them, but our earrings are broken.

And I'm going to recommend that we offer them as one lot, a pair of earrings and our brooch.

And I'm going to put an estimate on them of £100 to £150.

Which, in a way, you could turn around and say, well it's not much of an investment really,

but I don't look at it that way.

I look at it in the way that you've had a free pair of earrings and a brooch for 25 or 30 years...

-They've given me a lot of pleasure.

-They've given enormous pleasure,

and you'll get your money back. I think that's terrific.

I think there's going to be a big demand for these and it wouldn't surprise me,

when we get to the auction, for the auctioneer possibly to say, I've got a telephone bidder.

Possibly to say, I've got bids on the book and for us standing there with

Paul between us, that's just what we want to hear.

I think an estimate of 100 to 150, a reserve of £80, I've got no doubt

they're going to sell and they could even show you a bit of profit.

Are you happy with that?

Very happy, yes.

Robert and Susan, welcome to Flog It!

You're a husband-and-wife team, I assume?

-34 years.

-Right, OK. It sounds like a prison sentence,

but I don't mean it like that!

You've brought in this fantastic collection of militaria.

-Tell me about them.

-This is my grandfather, George Siney.

-This chap here?

-And his family. That's Margaret, his wife.

And little Meg, my Auntie Margaret.

And Jerry, my Uncle Jerry.

He was born in a British fort in County Donegal, in Ireland.

He lied about his age.

He said he was 18 and he was 16 and went off to the Boer War.

So, the first medal there is from the Boer War campaigns

and that same medal's actually on this a photograph of Uncle Jerry on the rocking horse.

This is this actual medal here.

So basically, he was in the Army, went to the Boer War campaign

and this is the South African medal.

Then you've got all these bars for the different campaigns he was in.

So he had a lot of active service before he was then drawn into the First World War.

This is quite an unusual one because we usually get the 14, 15 star.

This is just the 14 star and bar, known as the star and bar.

This was for people that were already in the Army,

not the new recruits that were literally cannon fodder.

But this was somebody that was a hardened, hardened Army person.

This is quite a nice group and what's great is, you've got all the rest of the information surrounding it.

You've got this, a Christmas tin given to all the soldiers in the First World War by Queen Mary.

You've got postcards and this is just a few of them.

You've got a lot more that I've seen as well.

A fantastically embroidered cushion here and a whole load of cap badges as well.

There's over 40 of them.

Then I realised, of course, that you don't give your cap badge away.

It was obviously those who didn't survive.

I did spend some time researching.

This was all done over 30 years ago, long before there was anything like

the internet to find out exactly the research behind them.

But, of course, most of the regiments don't exist anymore.

A lot were combined and amalgamated and, yes, a lot of them are quite unusual.

And you've got, what, Over 40 cap badges?

So, it begs a question, this is such a great lump of family history, why are you selling it?

We have no children.

Even if we had, we think it would be another 30 years in an attic.

It's hard to display, isn't it?

Despite being a lot of your family history.

What is nice about military collections when they come up for sale is that it goes to

really passionate collectors, who will do more research, find out more about them.

It is nice to have more than just the bare medals.

Auction estimate, even a conservative estimate, would be £200 - £300.

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

-Yes.

-Yes.

-You should set a reserve just below that, so maybe a 180 reserve, estimate of 2-300.

-OK.

Alan, that's a smart titfer, isn't it?

-Not bad, is it?

-Is that your trademark?

-It could be.

-How long have you had this?

Years and years. I lived down in Canterbury for a while, just after I came out of the army.

My father said I might as well have it.

It's been in our family for a long time.

-Well, it's a little mahogany case, isn't it?

-Yes.

And if we open it up...

..inside, this is the exciting bit for me.

I think that's absolutely lovely.

-Really?

-So, we've got ourselves a little compass.

I would say that it's probably second half of the 19th century.

Very occasionally you will find a maker's name on this paper plate inside.

Or occasionally around the rim.

I can't see any name there.

What I love about this is, as you close it like that...

It locks.

The lid here hits that pin, which lifts up

the compass pointer and it just locks it, doesn't it?

So, then, you can carry it around, and whatever you do with it,

it doesn't start swinging round.

-No, it finds true North.

-It finds true North, doesn't it?

-Why do you want to sell this?

-It's no good to me.

You don't do much seafaring these days?

-I don't, no.

-And no-one else in the family wants this?

-I've never asked them.

-They're not going to get the opportunity?

-No.

Not now they're not. So, in terms of value...

I think we can put a £60-£90 estimate on it,

and we'll reserve it, a fixed reserve at 50.

Occasionally, if these have a maker's stencil around there,

they can make between £100 or £200.

But I think that lack will just hold it back a little bit. Are you happy with that?

-Indeed, yes, thank you.

-Yes?

-Yes.

Right now, we've netted our first antiques to take off to auction.

So, while we make our way over there, here's a quick run-down of all the items coming with us.

Judy is not a great dog fan,

so she's decided to let her George Armfield painting go to auction.

-Do you not like terriers particularly?

-I'm allergic to dogs.

-I hope you're not allergic to the painting!

-No.

Guy is selling Georg Jensen silver jewellery,

a brooch and some slightly damaged earrings.

Robert and Susan are selling a collection of militaria

that once belonged to Robert's grandfather.

They feel that now is the time to let it go.

-It would just be another 30 years in an attic.

-Yes.

Lastly, Alan's compass is pointing in the right direction of the sale room.

Given to him by his father, he wants it to go to a brand new home.

Today, we're at Thomas Watson Auctioneers in Darlington.

And the all-important man wielding the gavel is Peter Robinson.

Before the auction gets under way, I just want to catch up with him

and ask him about what he thinks of one of our items.

Well, if you love dogs, you're going to love this.

It's an oil painting by George Armfield. It belongs to Judy.

It was her mother's, been in a box a long time.

And Kate, our expert, has put £600-£800 on this,

with a bit of discretion at 600.

It is a bit punchy.

Yes. We've actually spoken to Judy about this picture,

she kindly contacted us.

-And we have revised expectations.

-Did you think it was too much money?

A little strong, I did think.

If she walked into the saleroom, what would you put on this?

Well, if she walked into the saleroom, I might be tempted to probably say 4 to 6,

-but we've actually settled at 5 to 7.

-OK.

But with discretion on the reserve, so we can sell it at 450 upwards.

-And I think we will because it's cute. Armfield is very well known as a dog painter.

-Yes.

-And it's a good, small example of his work.

-It's a nice thing, isn't it?

-It is nice.

-Any interest?

-We've local interest.

We're in a good area for country pursuits, if you like.

Well, let's hope we get around £700, because Judy will be happy and so will Kate as well.

We'll see what happens.

That's coming up later, but first to do battle in the saleroom

are Robert and Susan with their collection of militaria.

Now, I know since the valuation day, you've added another medal.

Is this a hard thing for you to sell? What do you think, Susan?

Well, the items were left to Robert.

We actually took them on some 20 or 30 years ago.

And I started looking at the campaign medals then and did try to identify most of them.

No internet, this was all done from books.

But we realised what a fantastic life he'd had, both running away

before he was 16 and all the way through the First World War.

-We just feel that...

-A collector should have these now, really?

-Yes.

Also, because he was in the Royal Army Medical Corps,

he was obviously dealing with patients and people died,

and he's got 40-odd cap badges from different regiments,

and most of those regiments don't exist anymore.

-Heartbreaking. A lot were amalgamated.

-They're are highly collectible.

I hope this goes for a lot of money because he was a very brave man.

Lot 90, this interesting military collection.

There we are. George Thomas Siney, lot 90.

Interest here, opening at 150.

At 150 bid, at 150.

160, 170, 180, 190,

200, 210, at 210 bid.

220, 230, 240, 250...

-Well done.

-260 with me, 270, the bid's 260 with me.

At 270 upstairs in the balcony. At £270, it's in the room now, at £270.

It's upstairs on the balcony at £270, all finished?

-£270, that's a good price.

-Mid-estimate, pretty good.

-Thank you very much.

-Well done. It's going to a good home.

I think that will go to a collector.

Next up, some 20th century modern. It's a hot market right now.

We've earrings and a brooch by Georg Jensen. They belong to Guy.

And we're looking, hopefully, to double your £100 investment?

That's what I'd love to see.

I really would. And I think Philip agrees, but Georg Jensen, top name.

I admire people like Guy that bought these things new,

and out of all the things that you could have bought for that sort of money, however many years ago,

you appreciated what they were and had the foresight and forethought.

I think that's brilliant. I respect that.

Well sought-after designer, really up there. Good luck.

Lot number 240.

Georg Jensen this time.

The pin brooch this time.

And the earrings as well, in a similar design.

Lot number 240. 50 bid.

At 50 bid, 60, 70, 80, at £80?

Gentleman on my left, at £80.

-We're in.

-At £80. 90, 100, sir?

At £100, 110, madam? 120, sir?

130? 120 the lady shakes her head.

Gentleman's bid, £120 on my left, a bid of £120. Selling at 120.

Gone. And we've got your money back.

As Phillip said, you've enjoyed it and you've got free use,

and we've got your money back. Thanks so much.

Let's hope we're going in the right direction with our next lot.

It's the compass in a mahogany case, and it belongs to Alan.

And we've got a valuation of £60-£90 on this, put on by our expert, Philip.

-It's good to see you again.

-Nice to see you.

Philip and I were just saying, we really like the jacket.

I can't sell you both it!

I've got a feeling it might just be a little bit tight on me.

That's not funny!

No, it's not. It's not, is it?

You said to me, you've had this around 50 years?

Around 1950, so that's, what? 59 years, isn't it?

Yes, a long time, isn't it? Why are you getting rid of it now?

-It's no use to me.

-No use.

Apparently, it was used at the Battle of Trafalgar.

-Really?

-According to an auctioneer.

I went to have it valued at Carlton Towers and he said it could have been used at the Battle of Trafalgar.

-Wow.

-That was 1805.

-200-odd years old, isn't it?

-Yes, yes.

Scientific instruments, they do well in auction rooms, there's a lot of collectors out there.

And that's just a cool little thing, isn't it?

I'm not sure it was at the Battle of Trafalgar, mind.

It might have been battling round Trafalgar Square.

It could have done.

Lot 270, the little mahogany, square compass this time.

It's being shown to you by Colin, the mahogany cased compass.

And 30 bid. At £30, 40 bid for the compass, £40 bid.

At £40 for the compass, at £50 on my right now.

At £50 bid for the compass. 60 anywhere?

At £50, the bid's on my right, to the gentleman.

At £50 for the compass. 60, the lady. 70, sir?

65. £70. £75?

£70, the lady has it in the balcony at £70 for the lot, now.

Selling upstairs at £70.

The hammer's gone down. That's good, sold it at £70, Alan.

That will come in handy, won't it?

-It's my birthday next week.

-Is it?

Are we allowed to ask how old you are?

-78.

-Well, you don't look it.

-I feel it!

-That's all that sea air down in Whitby.

-That's what it is.

-That's definitely what it is.

-Have a great birthday.

-I will indeed.

78. Well done.

Judy is not a great dog lover but I think someone is going to love this painting.

I'm a big dog fan and you are as well.

I like this a lot. Had a quick chat to the auctioneer

and I know he has called you up and has reduced the valuation slightly.

£500-£700 for this now.

5-7, 6-8...

-It doesn't really matter, does it?

-You say potato...

As long as we get that £700 mark, we're all right.

It might scrape through at five.

But I've sold this artist for a lot more.

It depends on the market on the day.

Condition's great, everything's right about it, you've had lots of joy out of it, haven't you?

It's been sitting in a cupboard for 10 years.

No! Why hasn't it been on the wall?

That's giving her joy, putting it in the cupboard!

-You're not that allergic!

-It was my mum's.

Didn't you want it on the wall?

-No.

-Didn't suit the house?

-No.

375, the George Armfield, showing there, oil painting.

Lot 375.

At £300 to start the bidding.

£300. At £300, and 20, 350...

There's someone on the phone over there, look.

380, 400, 420,

450, 480.

480, bid's on the telephone.

500, 520.

At £500, upstairs, your bid? £500. Lady upstairs on the balcony.

520, 550, 580, at 550, at 550, still upstairs on the balcony at £550,

selling then on the balcony at £550.

Yes, did it. At £550. Happy?

Good call to lower the reserve then.

What are you going to do with all that money?

There's 15% commission to pay here.

Well, it was Mum's picture and, just before she died,

we had a girly holiday in the south of France

so we think my sister and I may go back

-and have another holiday and raise a toast to her.

-Lovely.

We are doing pretty well so far, but coming up later, Philip has difficulty dating an item.

Who's older? You or this?

I think that's older than me.

There's plenty more action to come from the auction room later on in the show but right now,

while I'm here, I'm going to visit one of the big local attractions.

The Bowes Museum here in Barnard Castle is a striking piece of architecture.

Believe it or not, it was the first building in the country

to be designed in metric and is built in the style of a French chateau.

It's a real delight and it took 13 years to complete.

It is magnificent. Not only is it impressive from the outside,

but inside, it houses an extraordinary collection of artefacts

gathered from all around the world.

The story of the museum is extremely interesting.

It was created by the visionary and enterprising John and Josephine Bowes.

Together they built up the greatest private collection

of fine and decorative art in the north of England.

Opened in 1892, the Bowes Museum has an eclectic collection.

It is an ever-evolving one and is partly due to the legacy

left behind by its founders, John and Josephine.

John Bowes was the illegitimate but fully acknowledged son of the 10th Earl of Strathmore.

A successful businessman, he travelled to Paris in 1847 to explore his interest in the arts.

It was here he bought a theatre and met the Parisian actress,

Josephine Coffin-Chevalier, whom he married in 1852.

Josephine was interested in a wide range of art forms

including paintings, ceramics, furniture and textiles.

Soon the couple began to develop their idea of creating a world-class museum

back in John's ancestral home of Teesdale, in order to introduce the wider world of art

to the local people.

The museum's textile and fashion collection is one of the foremost in the country,

and that's all down to the founders, John and Josephine,

as they were pioneers of collecting textiles back in the 19th century.

Today, as the museum prepares for the launch of a new gallery,

their theatrical interests are so ever-present in the new staging designs being used to display items.

The exhibition will be in a contemporary gallery on the first floor,

which is where I caught up with Joanna Hashagen, keeper of textiles

and the inspiration behind these new display ideas.

There's basically the Founders' Collection,

John and Josephine Bowes, in the forefront of collecting textiles in the 19th century.

And they collected more furnishing textiles,

a fantastic collection of tapestries, most of which have to be conserved before we can show them.

But we want to show them in a new way, that's the point.

We want to really get people to see and to understand the sort of beauty and the grandeur

and just the way some of these things have survived

and the stories behind how they've survived and what they can tell us.

-Everyone can learn so much.

-Yes, hopefully.

Talk me through the sense of theatre that you're going to create here.

Well, I think I've always felt that we've always got this problem of having to do quite

low light levels for conservation because fabrics fade.

But it's quite nice that it's all dark. You don't know what's going to happen next.

No and we discovered that when we did a lace exhibition

which was well received by the public.

We were really nervous that we were showing them lots of lace but in this very dark area and just

spotlighting the lace but it worked and people thought that theatrical sense came over.

-What's happening here?

-James is a paper conservator,

and he's cleaning this box which we decided to include in the displays

because it's telling yet another story in that very special embroideries and scraps of silk that

were saved by nuns from the Order of the Poor Clares that were actually imprisoned in the French Revolution

and then escaped to England but brought a lot of these scraps, because they used these scraps

of mainly dress fabrics to make vestments, and they really did value them.

And so they've kept right up to 2007, when they donated their collection of vestments to us.

I can see now why there's so many grids.

All of those little horizontal sections are going to have drawers in.

Yes, boxes, acid-free boxes.

You're looking up in the heavens while talking to me, is there something going on up there?

There is, and I've got this rather wonderful remote-control system, so we do that...

-WHIRRING

-What's happening?

And down comes one of these bars which will eventually have a quilt attached to it.

This is like the theatre, isn't it? You'll get first-night nerves!

It's absolutely like that, the run-up, and it's the most exciting thing,

and a lot of people who I work with have come from the theatre, funnily enough, and they love...

It's the same sense of drama, waiting for the first night.

With the new exhibition due to open in 2010, there is still a great deal

of work going on behind the scenes to ensure all the items are displayed at their very best.

Around the walls of the gallery will be projected images

of costume replicas, giving the exhibition a dramatic feel.

The changing face of fashion through the ages will be innovatively portrayed,

and I want to see how one of the permanent exhibits will look when it's in its new glass home.

It looks very good. Very impressed with all of this.

So how are the dresses being displayed here?

We're putting them on special acrylic torsos that we've had specially made.

-These mannequins.

-Yes, they are, but they're absolutely minimal,

and we're cutting each down to the shape of the neck of the dress,

-so in effect you're not going to see them.

-So it's as if the clothes are just floating.

Yes, yes, and then you can see inside, so you might see the label.

-Which is great.

-Or a beautiful coloured lining or the construction of the dress.

-So you get to learn something.

-You do.

-This looks interesting, I like the green colour.

-Yes, this is one of the new synthetic dyes that were being developed in the...

-1850s?

Yes, 1850s, that's right, 1860s.

It would have been absolutely outre to suddenly appear

in a colour like that that nobody had ever seen before.

The condition is just superb.

It is, isn't it?

And the silk sheen, and it's got all this extra trimming on it,

which by the time this was made in the late 1860s,

the sewing machine had come into its own,

so people could get carried away with trimmings and everything...

And overdo things.

Isn't it lovely to be able to walk around?

You can actually see it from each facet and dimension. This is not like a museum.

This is like the catwalk, this is like shopping in Bond Street, seeing all these cubes.

-It's like shop windows!

-It is precisely what we wanted to do.

We wanted to give people the best shopping experience,

but looking at historic objects in a new way, an exciting way,

and not have anything else getting in the way

and just so you could actually concentrate on the beauty and the interest and whatever took your eye.

The Bowes Museum continues to acquire objects and works of art to this day,

whether through gift or by purchase,

and I'm sure if John and Josephine were still alive,

they'd be extremely proud of the constant, ongoing involvement to their highly original museum.

Back now to our valuation day in Whitby, and it looks like

our bright-as-a-button expert Kate has found something she likes.

-Hello, Barbara.

-Hello.

-Now, you've brought in this very intriguing little box here.

-Yes.

-I thought maybe it was going to be a watch, but when we open it up,

we've got a fantastic set of buttons.

-What do you know about them?

-Nothing, really.

I'd forgotten all about them, they were in the china cabinet.

-Right.

-And my grandson said to me the other day, he was looking, he said, "What's that, Grandma?"

And I said, "It's buttons."

So when I saw in the Whitby Gazette that you were coming today,

I thought I'd bring them.

OK. Well, to tell you a bit more about them, looking at it,

they are hallmarked, and the hallmark is for Chester 1902.

-Oh.

-Which means they are right at the end of the Art Nouveau period.

-Yes.

-They're really attractive things.

-They're nice.

-And this is the original box.

-Yes.

They don't look like they've ever been used. Any idea on the price?

No, I've no idea, but it will be going to a good cause, anyway.

-What's that?

-It's the Whitby Talking Newspaper For The Blind.

-Oh, right.

Yes. We do a recording every month,

and we have maybe about nine or ten people that read out

a certain amount from the Whitby Gazette

and all the different papers, and I do a bit as well.

Right. Now, I think probably price-wise,

there are six buttons, silver's not quite as expensive as gold at the moment,

but it's got to be at least £10 a button, I would think,

so I think if you put an estimate of £60-100 in the auction

and then a reserve of £50, and then if they don't reach 50, they won't sell,

but at least then you've protected yourself.

You keep them or give them to your grandchildren or something.

But you're happy to give them a go in the sale? Yes. Brilliant.

Bill and Jean, this is a long way from home, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Native American folk art, really.

Well, in fact it's a war club, very much like a tomahawk.

And how did you come by it?

I was given it, probably 40 odd years ago, from a friend of ours, Bob Hussey, down in Norfolk.

OK.

And that's as much as I know.

So this is 19th century, I think this is around sort of 1830s, 1850s.

It's got the age and it's got the feel of something like that, and it's genuine, not just ceremonial.

-It looks it.

-It could do some damage as well.

I love the way it's dressed with this lovely leather strap work.

This is dressed for war, this is dressed for power, it's very symbolic.

And the fact that it's covered in leather on the sleeve means it's going to give you good grip,

because when you're on horseback and you're sweating and hot,

you need to have good grip or this is going to fall out of your hand.

There aren't many of these around,

and I think its best market is possibly in the States.

Well, it would be nice to think it did go back, because we had it just in a cupboard.

-Well, that's the power of the internet.

-Yes, yes.

Because everybody can find this.

And there will be collectors out there all over the world that would love to own something like this,

but I think we have to put this into auction

with a realistic come-and-get-me value of around £100-200.

-Yes.

-If you're happy with that.

-Yes.

-Yes, that's fine.

-Yeah?

If we can put a reserve of say 100 on it.

Put a reserve of 100 on it, give it a valuation 100-200

see what happens, because believe me, there are collectors that will know the provenance of this.

Oh, yes, it would be interesting to see what it is.

It will, won't it? It'll fight its last battle in the auction room.

Now then, young man, how are you?

-I'm all right, thank you, not so bad for a young 'un.

-How old are you, Ken?

-92.

-92?!

-92.

-I don't believe you.

-I was born on the 5th of the 5th 1916.

1916? How did that come into your possession?

Well, it belonged to my grandfather.

-He had a pub.

-Did he live to be a good old age as well?

-Yes.

-How old was he?

Er, I think he was...

-I think he were 89 when he died.

-It must be in your genes.

-It must be.

So this was your granddad's?

-Yeah.

-And how did he come by it, do you think?

-Well, he had a pub

and people used to bring things into his pub if they were tight for money.

-So this was currency?

-If they wanted a drink they used to bring him something,

"Give us a couple of drinks on that".

And that's how he got things and I think that's how he got that.

Who's older, you or this?

I think that's older than me.

-Do you?

-Aye.

-Right, Ken, this is ironstone china.

-Yeah.

-It's produced by Elsmore and Forster.

-Yeah.

They were from the mid-1850s through to 1870s.

I love it because it's got almost like a scrapbook.

-We've got zebra, frog, there's a dog, cat, cockerel...

-Yeah.

I just love it, I really do. Two big, striking clowns on the front.

-We used to put it down on the floor, it used to get knocked over and rolled about.

-What this?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Poor thing! I think it's lovely.

-So we know what it is now, don't we?

-I do, yeah.

-We know how old you are and we know how old this is.

It was offered to me sister and she didn't want it.

I said, "I'll have it".

I brought it home and it's been knocked about from pillar to post with me.

-So it's never been loved?

-No, no.

Have you ever been offered any money for it?

-Once.

-Once!

About 20 years ago, I was at home and a fellow came in.

He says, "I like that jug". He says, "Do you want to sell it?"

I said, "Why, what do you want?" He says,

"I'll give you a fiver for it".

I nearly took £5 off him.

Do you know, I think I've got six in my pocket.

I said, "No, I think I'll keep it".

Well, I'll tell you what I think.

I think that's really lovely.

-I think we can put an auction estimate of £150 to £250.

-Yeah.

-We could put a fixed reserve of £120.

-Yeah.

I think if you have a really good day at the saleroom,

it wouldn't surprise me if it topped 250 because I think it's lovely.

-Yeah.

-It's been a joy to meet you. I hope it goes and makes 300 quid.

-Well done you, Ken.

-Anyway, it's nice to see you.

-You too.

-To talk to you about it.

So for the final time today, we head back to the auction room,

and see three more items go under the hammer.

Boxed and never used, Barbara is hoping

her Art Nouveau silver buttons will find a new home.

Bill and Jean want to sell this authentic war club.

It's not just ceremonial, this was probably used.

It could do some damage as well.

And, finally, Ken's ironstone china jug,

given to his grandfather in exchange for drinks in a pub.

Will it measure up in the saleroom?

Back at the auction room for the last time today, Barbara's buttons are up next.

Yes, there are some silver buttons.

They belong to Barbara but she can't be with us today but we do have Kate

that put the valuation on. Hopefully we'll get that top end, around £90 to £100?

You'd hope so, over a tenner a button.

You've got to, they're boxed, in great condition

and, I think, they're quite stylish.

They'd look great on you if you had the right jacket.

If you swapped them for just some ordinary buttons,

on a jacket, it would really spruce it up.

Exactly, we need some textile dealers here now

who are going to bid each other up and we'll get that top end.

Ready for it? Here we go.

Lot number 225,

the Edwardian silver buttons this time.

The portrait of a lady, Chester 1902 and a cased set. At 30 bid.

At £30, 40, 50, 60.

-At £60 bid.

-Someone in the door.

-At £60 bid for the silver buttons.

At £60... At £60.

Are we all finished now for the cased set of silver buttons?

Being sold at £60, all finished then at £60.

Well, they're gone anyway and I think Barbara will be pleased.

They were sitting in a cupboard.

It was short and sweet, wasn't it?

One bid, one bid and we're in.

Next up, the tribal war club belongs to Bill and Jean.

-We've got Jean here but, sadly, no Bill.

-He's too busy.

-Too busy.

He's a builder and he's working away.

Hey, being married to a builder you must have your house in an immaculate condition?

No, no chance, I'm always last on the list.

Are you? That's always typical, isn't it?

-I get it done eventually.

-Yeah.

-I just have to wait.

-And a proper job, as well.

-Oh, yes.

-He's a good boy, isn't he?

-Oh, yes.

Anyway, I've got a value of £100 to £200 on the war club.

-I know you've done a little bit of research and you've upped the reserve another £50.

-Yes.

Well, hopefully, hopefully, we're going to smash that top end.

315 is the 19th century tomahawk war club.

This time in quite original condition. 315...

Open the bidding, £100.

Say £100 to start, at £100.

The tomahawk at £100.

At £100... 110 now?

At £100, 110 bid. 120, 130, 140,

150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200.

At £200. At £200.

Are we all finished now at £200?

Selling at £200, all done? At 200.

The hammer's gone down, top end of the estimate.

-That was good, wasn't it?

-Thank you very much.

That's OK. What are you going to put the money towards, Jean?

Probably treat the grandchildren.

-Have a day out somewhere?

-Yes, we'll do something.

-Where's the ideal day out?

Well, we took my grandson fishing for the first time last Friday.

-Off the coast of Whitby?

-Pickering.

-Pickering.

There's a farm there and he caught three fish. He was so proud.

-Was he?

-It's the first time he's been fishing with Bill.

-Back to Pickering?

-Yes, we'll take him there.

This next lot if fantastic and it's owned by a super chap.

Ken's right next to me.

You thought I was going to say Phil then, didn't you?

-Hoping!

-He's a super chap as well.

We're a bit under dressed, aren't we?

Ken's putting us to shame here.

I got a bit dressed up to come here.

Oh, bless you, Ken, it's lovely to see you again.

I love the ironstone jug. Philip's put 150 to 250 on this.

Will you miss this though, surely?

Why are you selling it now? It's got lots of memories.

Well, I've got two daughters, I can't chop it in two.

-You can't really.

-I thought I might as well have a bit of money.

-Right.

-A bit of money!

It is in fantastic condition.

Ken's looked after this and I'm sure it will go to the top end of the estimate.

It's good proportions, beautifully decorated with lots of animals. It's going to find a good home.

It's going under the hammer now.

Lot number 30

is the jug this time, lot number 30.

Again, interest in this lot, a nice example of this Grimaldi jug.

Opening at 170, 170.

At 170, 170... All done at 170?

180, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230,

240, 250, 260, 270, 280, 290.

290 with me the bid.

-At 290. 300, 310, 320.

-Wow!

320, 330, 340?

350, 360?

370, 380?

370, then, the bid's with me now. At £370. Are we all finished at 370?

All finished, then? At 370, all done.

Wow! £370.

-What's your daughters' names?

-Wendy.

-Wendy's over here.

And the other daughter's Pat, she's not here.

Wendy and Pat, well, look, Dad's done you proud.

There's a lot of money to divide up and I hope you enjoy it and have a great day. Look after him.

-Thanks very much.

-Thank you!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

Email [email protected]