Melksham Flog It!

Here in Wiltshire, we have some wonderful wooden ale casks,

made by this chap here, England's last master cooper.

But all this could soon be a thing of the past and we'll be finding out

later on in the show, but for now let's Flog It!

in the market town of Melksham.

Situated in the county of Wiltshire, Melksham is a small market town.

Its prosperity was founded on agriculture

and the woollen cloth making industry.

Today the townsfolk are weaving a path to the assembly hall,

carrying a variety of bags and boxes.

The crowds here are anxious to discover whether their antiques

can be flogged at auction and turned into cash.

Joining me here are our two experts, Mr Philip Serrell and David Barby,

and we're keen to see what gems might lie in the queue.

Well, it's now 9.30. I think it's time to get this massive queue

inside the assembly hall, don't you?

-Yes!

-And see what we can uncover.

So with the doors of the assembly hall thrown open

the crowds pour inside, and it looks like

Philip has spotted a great item from his Melksham treasure trove.

Jo, it's a cold day, isn't it?

-Oh, it's been freezing today, yeah.

-Absolutely. This is yours?

-It belonged to my mother, well, my mother and father.

-Yeah.

Not entirely sure when they got it or whether it was a present or...

Yeah. But do you like it?

I love it. I do love it, but...

-Why have you brought it along today to Flog It!?

-Well, we've

-inherited a lot of things since my mum passed away...

-Yeah.

-And we can't keep everything.

-Yep.

And although it's absolutely gorgeous, it's very difficult

to display, being a plate.

Right. Any why do you think I should get excited about this?

-Well, it's Lalique.

-Yeah.

-And the iridescence on it is absolutely gorgeous.

-Yeah.

And the pattern, so...

-Well, all of these designs were sort of themed upon water.

-Yeah.

And his marks, if I can just hold it up, you can see his

signature just there, R Lalique, and that's a stencilled mark.

Sometimes it's moulded so it's in relief and sometimes it's in script

as a signature. He died in 1945 and I would think that this

particular plate would date to about 1925 or there or thereabouts.

-Really? That early?

-Yeah.

I think to display these properly, rather than put them down like that

you should actually mount them up and perhaps have a light...

-Absolutely.

-..shining through them.

This opalescence or iridescence,

if you feel the back, it's different levels and layers.

Yes, it's quite tactile, isn't it?

It is, but this milky colour at the back here, the thickness of the glass

-as it cools...

-Mmm.

-..clearly the thin bits cool a lot quicker than the fat bits.

-Yeah.

And that's what makes these milkier and it causes this iridescence.

So it's nothing actually in the glass?

-No, it's just the speed at which it cools.

-Right.

-OK?

So you've got here a plate by Rene Lalique, 1925, what is it worth?

Well, we really didn't have any idea.

We obviously saw the Lalique stamp so knew that you know...

-It's worth something, yes.

-Yeah.

I think that you should put an estimate on this of £120 to £180.

-Mm-hm.

-And I think that it could go and sell, and sell quite well,

but I think you need to put a fixed reserve on it of £90. Clearly, if it

-doesn't make £90, and you should have it back.

-Yeah.

I think it'll do fine, particularly if we can illustrate it

-in the catalogues or on the web. How does that sound?

-Lovely.

-Sounds great.

-Good. What are you going to spend the money on?

Well, maybe a bit of a family get together in memory of my mum.

-Oh, that's nice.

-Yeah, that would be nice.

-That's nice.

Ivy. That's a lovely name. Where did it come from?

Oh, I'm named after my mother.

Right. This is fantastic.

In fact, it's rather an appropriate name, isn't it, to call it fantastic,

-because it's part of the fantasy range of Clarice Cliff.

-Yes.

I suppose most viewers to Flog It!

and similar programmes have seen Clarice Cliff before and

know the history of this girl from Staffordshire who had the ability to

interpret the art deco style

into this format

and make it commercially appealing to young couples of the 1920s and '30s.

And it was comparatively inexpensive.

-Yes.

-There's a whole range of pottery that she designed and

in the 1920s and '30s it would brighten up

-those rather dark interiors.

-Yes.

-Have you ever used this little preserve pot?

-I'm afraid not.

I was under the understanding

it was a mustard pot, but it's rather large for mustard, isn't it?

It is indeed, and I think they always say that the mustard manufacturers

-made their money from what was left behind.

-Quite.

No, this was a breakfast preserve pot,

so it would have had homemade marmalade.

The design is fantasy landscape and cottage, and there we have

the cottage actually incorporated into this wonderful landscape.

Of all the patterns that Clarice Cliff produced, I think this is

probably the most desirable.

-Good.

-The fantasy landscape always comes as a shock

because of the colours that she's used in the trees and the bushes.

-Purples and orange together...

-Yes.

Blues and oranges together.

They're the sort of colours

-you wouldn't wear all together.

-Definitely not.

No. So why are you selling this? Does it not have any sentiment at all?

No, not really. I have two grown up sons

and that's not really their taste,

so it might as well go.

Right. The only problem that I can see is this little thing here,

which is a minute chip, and really to get the top end of the market which

will be about 180, it will have to be absolutely perfect.

-Yes.

-So I'm going to give you a margin of 120 to 180.

-Right.

And we'll reserve it at 100.

-That'll be fine.

-Is that agreeable?

-Yes.

-Will you replace it

with a cut crystal one or something like that?

I don't know. It might just go into our holiday fund.

-I think that's the safer option, quite honestly.

-Thank you.

Thank you very much for bringing it along, and I shall

be at the auction there with you.

Hopefully, there'll be loads of Clarice Cliff collectors.

I hope so. Thank you.

Chris, I'm a big shell collector.

-I spotted that nautilus from over there.

-Oh, right.

But I don't have shells with incredible penwork like that.

-Tell me how you got it.

-Well, it's been in

the family for four generations now.

Major James Carruthers Best acquired it during his travels.

-In the mid-1800s.

-Exactly, yeah.

But look at the detail on it

and look what it attributes to, the Great Western and SS Great Britain.

-That's right. Which is very local for Bristol.

-Yes.

I think you've got something very rare.

Do you know, a nautilus shell that size would

have had to have lived to about 100 years old to grow that big?

-Really.

-If you put that into a good maritime sale, you might

-get £400 to £500 for that.

-Wow. OK.

-Bet, how are you?

-Very well.

-Couple of old dogs these are, aren't they?

-Yeah, aren't they?

-You don't like them.

-No, I don't.

-Why?

Um, they're just not me.

I don't like antique things, really.

Clearly, you didn't buy them. Are they inherited?

No, my mother in law.

-Then before her, her mum or whatever.

-I should think so.

They're great things because I can remember,

we're of a certain age, aren't we? These would either

have sat like that on a mantelpiece, wouldn't they?

-With a clock in the middle.

-Yes.

Or they would have been in the fireplace.

And that proves that they are all yesterday's antiques.

I think these are lovely, but they are yesterday's antiques.

But I think the colouring's

-lovely, they've got a sweet face... you don't like the face?

-Not really.

-Is there anything you do like about them?

-Um...

-You don't like...

-Depends on what price they are, really, you know.

You're a Wiltshire lass, you are. It's all down to pounds, shillings and pence!

You're right, I am Wiltshire, yes.

Well, I think they're quite nice, I think they're decorative,

I also think they've come down in value.

Perhaps ten years ago, they might have cost you £80 to £120.

I think that today you should estimate these at £50 to £80,

put a fixed reserve on them of £40, and they'll sell.

And you might have a very pleasant

-surprise. So if they go and make 60 quid...

-Yes.

What are you going to spend it on?

Well, it's a little help towards going

to see my son, who's in New Zealand.

-Really?

-Yeah. He's been over there nearly four years now so...

Won't get you as far as Heathrow, that!

-THEY LAUGH Pay the car park...

-Get me a taxi

-the other side, mightn't it?

-So these would go towards the trip.

Yeah, they want me to go over and see them, and they've been

there nearly four years now. But I've always been frightened of flying.

If it was down to me, I'd get

your son to come over here and keep the dogs, I think.

-So shall we sell them?

-Yes.

Well, let's hope they do really well for you and get you on that plane.

Right. Thank you very much.

Stan, these are quite extraordinary plates.

They're commemorative plates from the South African war campaign,

the Boer War. Where did you get them from?

Well, as far as I can remember, Mother had always had them.

-Where Mother got them from, I just don't know.

-Did you have any family

-that was in active service during the Boer War?

-As far as I know, no.

No. So I wonder why she hung these on the wall.

Was she keen on sort of heroes or royal family or memorabilia?

Well, she always bought plates and hung on the wall, she liked

-plates on the wall for some reason.

-Because these go right back

to the latter part of the 19th early part of the 20th century,

the Boer War, because these plates represent personalities

involved in the campaign. In particular, Baden Powell,

and this general here with all his badges.

And what I find interesting is the way that this was done,

by using a photograph, and the depth of colouring.

So the deeper the cut in the clay,

or the impression, filled with a coloured glaze, it was darker.

So the areas that they required to be dark, like shadow,

would be deeper cut, as you can see here.

If I turn them over, there's no mark on the back at all who actually

produced them, but if you look there, there and there,

those are called stilt marks,

little sort of pieces of clay that would take the plate

above the ground, so when it was glazed,

it wouldn't stick to the floor of the kiln.

Now, who's actually going to buy these plates?

Well, you might get the Boy Scout brigade.

-Yeah.

-They are interested in buying anything connected

to Boy Scouts, Baden Powell, or you might find a market for

militaria, because both of them were involved in South Africa campaign.

Or you might find somebody that

just wants to buy commemorative ware, and if you go round to antique fairs

you will find dealers selling nothing but commemorative ware, and if these

were for sale at a retail level, they'd be between £60 and £80 each.

But you've got to allow the dealer a profit margin,

so he might buy at auction somewhere between £25 and £30 each.

So when this pair goes up, we're looking at between £50 and £60.

Now I'm going to suggest to you at that sort of level

-that we let them run in the saleroom...

-Yeah.

And they'll find their own level.

-That's not an awful lot of money, is it, really?

-No.

Dare I ask, at that little amount, what will you do with it?

We're giving it to the cats' home.

-A cats' home. Have you got cats of your own?

-Yes.

-How many?

-Two now.

Two. Well, let's hope we can make £100 on this going to the cats' home.

Stan, thank you for bringing it along.

I find them particularly fascinating and I hope we'll get a good price.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you very much.

So before we head off to the auction with our first batch of today's

valuations, here's a brief reminder of what we're taking with us.

Passed on to her by

her parents, Jo's decided to let her unwanted Lalique plate head straight

to the saleroom, knowing that a famous name commands a good price.

We obviously saw the Lalique stamp, so knew...

-It's worth something.

-Yeah.

One of my favourites on this programme, Clarice Cliff, and Ivy

is hoping her piece of fantasy ware will sell for a fantasy price.

Sadly not an antique lover like us, Bet wants to find a new home for her

pair of Staffordshire dogs that once belonged to her mother in law.

-You don't like the face?

-Not really.

-Is there anything

-you do like about them?

-Depends what price they are, really,

you know.

And finally, Stan has a pair of Boer War commemorative plates

that are about to do battle in the saleroom.

Today's items are heading to auction at Henry Aldridge & Son in Devizes,

just east of Melksham.

Father and son Alan and Andrew Aldridge are on the rostrum

today and are the men with the all-important gavel in their hands.

We've got some real quality for you now.

It's the top name in glass, Rene Lalique, and it's a wonderful plate.

-It belongs to Jo.

-That's right.

-What I want to know is,

why are you selling this? It's gorgeous.

They're difficult to display though, aren't they?

And it's a bit vulnerable being glass,

so somebody else will want it and will know how to display it properly.

-Great name.

-Lalique glass, it's the one to have, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Fingers crossed?

-Yes.

-You're having a party

-with the money, aren't you?

-I don't know about a party,

-but it'd go towards some drink at a party, wouldn't it?

-Why is that?

Well, my mother passed away last year and it was her plate,

so it'll go towards something for the family.

-The family.

-Yeah.

-Good idea.

-Fingers crossed, Jo.

-Yeah.

-This is it.

The Rene Lalique piece of art glass.

Very pretty little piece, this.

Very simple, very nice piece.

Right, 50, I've got. 50, I've got 60, 60.

70, 80, 90, 100.

110? 100, 110 seated,

120, 130?

120. 130 anywhere else, quickly?

130, 140...

-Ooh, come on.

-150?

What about 145?

145, 150, 155?

150, 150 on my left.

Any more? At 150.

£150, that is great.

-Yeah.

-Now it's down to have a good party?

-Absolutely, yes.

-That's wonderful. Thank you both very much.

-Enjoy.

-Thank you.

-I expect our invites will be in the post, Paul.

Hopefully.

Well, this next lot is the perfect recipe for success.

It's a dish we're serving up. In fact, it's two commemorative plates,

David, with no reserve, which is why they're going to be a success.

-Stanley, did David talk you into no reserve on these? Oh, did he?

-Yeah.

Oh. Well, we've got £50 to £60.

-Two wonderful plates.

-Yes.

You're selling them to raise money for the cats' home.

-Yes.

-You're a cat lover?

-Yes.

Well, you picked the right expert, didn't you? This guy knows

his porcelain, he knows his plates, he knows his pussycats.

-We've had that conversation. That took most of the interview, didn't it?

-Did it?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-For the next lot, Alan's son Andrew takes to the rostrum.

Late 19th, early 20th century treacle glazed Boer War

commemorative plates depicting military gentlemen.

£60?

50? 40? 30?

Oh, dear, we started right up at the top, didn't we?

25 anywhere else? 25, 30. £30 anywhere else?

-It's jammed here, isn't it?

-£30 anywhere else?

-Oh, come on!

25 to my left. 30 anywhere else?

Fair warning, £25 to my left.

-Oh.

-£25.

A wee bit disappointed there.

Well, the money is going to a good cause.

It's going to the cats' home, where in Bath?

-Not quite enough.

-Not quite enough.

Well, that's the problem with no reserves.

I would have thought it would find its own level.

Very difficult.

Flatware for you.

Ivy, we're just a couple of lots away

from selling your little Clarice Cliff preserve pot.

There's some other Clarice today. I don't want to put the dampeners on

the thing, but the Clarice hasn't been selling well, David, has it?

No. I'm just wondering whether there's a wobble in the market.

It's a bit disconcerting, isn't it?

-We've got a protective reserve on this, though, haven't we?

-Yes.

And hopefully we're looking for around £160.

-Yes. Yes.

-It's a nice unusual thing, it's a good shape.

-That's true, that's true.

-302.

Clarice. Now, bright colours, in the autumn pattern, good pattern,

I'll start on my bottom bid again, 20 quid.

Right, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100.

120, 110, 120...

Getting closer.

110. 120, 130?

120. 130, 140...

-We're going to sell this.

-150. 140.

At £140, is there 150?

Shan't dwell on it. At 140.

-Are we selling?

-Am I done at 140?

-Yeah, sold it.

-Yes, I am.

-That's OK.

It's fine. Yes, it's fine.

That's OK. Clarice did the business for us.

-Today.

-Today.

-THEY LAUGH

It was a struggle.

It never lets us down, but we've had a few glitches today...

-Shhhhh...

-At least I won't have to take it home.

-No. No.

Well, it's all gone to the dogs, hasn't it? Let's hope this £80,

the top end of Philip's estimate,

-goes to this pair of Staffordshire dogs. Belongs to Betty.

-Yes.

I love Staffordshire pottery.

I think it's good, honest country pottery.

Needs to be on a lovely oak dresser.

-Yeah.

-Why are you flogging the dogs?

They've been stuck in the back of me dresser,

in the cupboard in the kitchen.

OK, let's hope they get £60 to £80 plus a bit more, Philip?

That'd be good, that'd be good.

248, pretty little pair of liver dogs.

Nice size,

nice condition. Let's have a hundred to start me? 80 get me away, then?

-50? Thank you, 50 I've got.

-£50.

-Great.

-50, I've got 60. 60, 70, 80, 90.

At £80, make no mistake.

90, 100, 110, 110, 120, at 110.

At 110 and done.

110. That was short and sweet, wasn't it?

-That was good, wasn't it?

-Yes.

-Happy with that? I think that's good.

-Yeah.

-That is good. Thank you.

-110 quid.

-Less some commission.

-Yeah.

Well, we're doing pretty well so far, but coming up,

Philip and I give Pauline a hard time

about selling her Staffordshire tankard.

You know, Pauline's local and I understand why she wants

to sell it, but I really hope it doesn't sell.

But first, I'm off on my travels across Wiltshire.

Here in Devizes, the art of brewing dates back to 1885.

Now, whilst the production process

has changed over the years, the art of barrel making hasn't.

These wooden casks have been made by hand since Roman times.

However, the ancient craft of cooperage is almost dying out.

Although there are still coopers in Scotland and France,

in England only one master cooper remains.

He works here at the town's Wadsworth Brewery and his name

is Alistair Simms, and he's been plying his craft for 30 years.

So how long does it take to make a cask?

If you make them from scratch, it takes about,

for a nine gallon size, about three hours.

If you're remaking, about two, two and a half hours.

Probably make 20, 30 a year, something like that,

to keep the stocks up. There's about 700 casks in trade all the time.

Constantly in trade.

-So I guess it's more about repairing them, is it?

-It is repairing,

and we also do remaking, which is cutting the larger casks down.

We predominantly use 108 gallons, which we're

-buying in from the whisky trade.

-Right. They're these big, big ones?

Yeah. 52 inches tall, which as you say has been spending up to

20 years around the whisky industry, probably up to another 110 years.

-Yeah.

-So they're 136 years old.

We know that we'll get another 80 years out of it. So it's recycling.

We give them a service every three months, so they come in and out

of trade and when you look at them, they're like your kids.

You often see them being filled with beer and think "I'll have to catch that one when it comes back,

-"it looks tired."

-Historically, barrels were used

for the transportation and storage of items.

Shaped with a curve, or a bilge, the design meant that the barrel

could be spun easily to control the direction.

Great workshop. It's like being transported back in time.

I want to do something, I want to get hands on. What am I going to do?

I'll show you where you're going to start.

This is called dressing out, and this is levelling the insides of the cask.

Just up against there, and against your knee,

and I'll give you an apron in a minute.

-OK, What, what...

-And it works on pushing down here.

-That's all tar, is it? Can I have a go with that?

-You can. Hang on.

Before we do, we'd better give you a piece of health and safety equipment,

-you'd better wear an apron.

-Cor, it's a big leather apron, isn't it?

Yeah, that's nice buffalo hide.

You just pop your knees against there

-so it just rests on the top of your knees.

-Yeah.

OK. Just try that.

I love that smell.

Removing the tar inside this barrel really takes a great deal of effort.

Yeah, I can see what it does now.

It makes those seams really tight and level.

-It does.

-Keeps you fit.

No, I can't do that.

-Yeah, you've got it now.

-Got it now, yeah.

-And the next job, you want to...

-Hang on, let's have a rest.

-What do you mean, have a rest?!

-Right.

Next job. And now onto the next part of the levelling off process.

Loosen your wrist up.

-How did I do?

-Not bad for the first time.

-Not that bad.

-I just love working with wood.

-It's good stuff to work with, isn't it?

-Yeah, and even

walking over the offcuts and shavings,

-when you crunch them...

-Yeah.

-And the aromas come up.

And after all that hard work, time to put my feet up.

Well, I'd like to say that's the one I made earlier, but it's not.

Why is the art of coopering dying out?

-Dying out? It's dead.

-Is it?

-Yeah.

-It's not.

You're alive and functioning, keeping the flag flying.

There's only four of us in the country now, working.

-Not many, is it?

-No.

-In the trade's heyday, how many were there, do you think?

In the trade's heyday in 1900, Bass in Burton

had 400 coopers working for 'em, and that was just one brewery.

Do you think one of the nails in the coffin was the introduction

of the alloy casks, you know, the metal ones?

It was the biggest nail.

We were first introduced to that in the Second World War,

-when the American government brought it over for their troops.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-Because...

-Way back then.

Yeah, because when the pilots landed a plane, they rushed

a cask of beer out so the crew in the bomber could have a drink.

Well, imagine putting a wooden cask on the back of a Willis jeep,

what the beer would be like by the time it got to the plane.

-So how do you become a cooper?

-Well, I started at 16

and by the time I was 20 and a half, I became

what they call, gone from an apprentice

-to a journeyman cooper.

-Yeah.

But you are a master cooper now, so how do you get to the next level?

A master cooper is a journeyman that's had an apprentice that's successfully come out of his time.

You come out with a proper, old-fashioned

-trussing in ceremony.

-What does that mean?

It means that you've got to make a hogs head 54 gallon cask

and then it's put in a steam bell and when it comes out,

when they're actually bending it, they chuck the apprentice

inside it and it's bent with the apprentice inside,

and then when the last hoop goes on they chuck in stale ale, stale yeast,

hops, soot out of the boiler, shavings off the cooperage floor.

They tip the cask over, take it for a trundle round the cooperage...

-You inside still?

-You inside still. THEY LAUGH

Back now to the assembly hall in Melksham for more valuations.

People keep turning up throughout the day with a great range of items,

and it looks like David has his eyes on a very colourful plate.

-Pat, you're a local celebrity, aren't you?

-A local celebrity? No.

Well, thousands of people see you in your professional capacity.

Well, I don't know about thousands.

Hundreds, maybe.

-And what is that?

-I'm a registrar of births, deaths and marriages.

That's right. How many ceremonies do you do per week?

-Marriage ceremonies?

-Yes.

-I don't know.

It's difficult to say. A few hundred in the season.

-Well, it must be a lovely job to see so much happiness.

-It is, actually.

Well, we see them in and we see them out and we marry them in the middle.

Well, I hope we're going to make somebody happy with the purchase

of this when it comes up for sale.

Pat, I think this is a lovely plate and I want to know why

you're wanting to get rid of it.

It is quite lovely but it was passed on to me from an elderly lady

in the village that I live and it has been on the wall,

it's not been in a cupboard anywhere,

but I would really like to put it towards buying a painting.

-I think that's a good idea. What? A view? Landscape?

-I don't know yet.

I just want something that's... I'll know when I see it.

-Something you can escape into.

-Yes.

-Yes, very nice.

-Where do you think this was made?

-I thought maybe from the Middle East.

It has that feel about it.

-The colours.

-Now, that's a very, very clever observation of yours.

-Very clever. Because the design has that sort of Persian element.

-Yeah.

And when I looked at this from a distance, I thought,

-"My goodness me, it's sort of William De Morgan".

-Yes.

Then you look closer and you think, "Hmm, is this tube lining?"

-Can you see?

-Yes.

-OK.

-It is.

Because it's the enamelling, isn't it?

That's right. You call this tube lining.

-Oh, I see.

-And this was such a feature of Staffordshire pottery.

-Oh.

-And in particular, the latter part of the 19th to the 20th century,

this tube lining became very fashionable.

-If you think in terms of Moorcroft...

-Yes.

-That was all tube lining.

Yes, it is, isn't it?

The reason why we can't put a name on to it, firstly, there's no...

-Name on the back.

-At all, to tell you who made this.

-No.

-But I think this could be experimental.

There were so many companies in Staffordshire that were rather

envious of Moorcroft's success, particularly with his tube lining.

-I see.

-And there were so many companies

that started producing wares in a similar manner.

There was one called Morris Ware which copied Moorcroft

very successfully, but I think this could be a prototype from a factory

in Staffordshire who wanted to produce something on the same lines.

-Same lines.

-But discovered it was so expensive.

-Yeah.

-So this may never have gone into full production.

And I love the colour tones and the colour balances.

And what is so clever, all this sort of tube lining creates little

reservoirs, little dams, so when it was fired the actual coloured glazes

did not run into one another. Now, we've got to talk about

how much this is going to realise at auction.

-I'd love it to go for about £500, £600.

-Oh, so would I.

-But there's no name on it.

-No.

I don't think it detracts from the design and style of the plate,

I love it, I shall be very envious of the person who buys it,

but I think we've got to be sensible about the price.

-I think it's going to go somewhere in the region of 150 to 200.

-Oh.

But we've got to encourage people to buy,

so I think we should tuck it under the £100 at 90. What do you think?

-A little bit more, maybe.

-Hundred?

-Yes, OK.

-Done.

So we'll put the reserve at £100.

-Right.

-And I'm sure it's going to go considerably higher.

-So do I.

-Thank you very much for bringing it along.

-Thank you, David.

I've seen these before on the show.

I've seen them in breweries as well

when we've been filming. How did you come by these?

-I bought both of them at various times in antique shops.

-Did you?

Ex-brewer, I was interested in collecting.

Ah, that's why you wanted these.

-These measure the strength of the alcohol, don't they?

-Yes.

And how much did you pay for these?

I paid 125 for one of them...

-Yes?

-And the other one was less, but I can't remember how much it was.

You paid about the right price. I'm sure if we put these into

auction, if you ever wanted to sell them, and I'm sure you don't...

No, not at the moment.

We'll get around about £120 to £150 for each of them.

-Oh, that's OK, yes.

-They're brilliant, aren't they?

It would be nice if there was Devizes on the box somewhere,

-but alas, there isn't, is there?

-No.

Nevertheless, it's a wonderful piece of,

I think this is how they say it, breweryalia.

-Is that right?

-Sounds good.

Brewerynalia, maybe. No, it's breweryalia. Oh, what is it?

Write in and tell me.

Pauline, I think this is really lovely. It's Staffordshire,

and the nice thing about it is, I would probably date it around 1858.

-Always helps when it's got a date, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

But there's lots going on everywhere. We've got this clipper ship

on the front here and that would have been lovely if it was named,

and then on this side we've got this man with a horse-drawn

plough which normally has the sort of text "God speed the plough"

underneath. I mean, there's so much going on because if you turn it over,

inside, look, we've got this spaniel and he's seated underneath a tree,

and we've got all this busy line going on around here, and underneath

we've got this racehorse and he's almost standing underneath

these palm trees in an oasis with pyramids in the background.

I think it's wonderful.

I really, really love it because there's so much history.

And for me, the real joy of it is this here, because this is

Robert Elderage, Througham.

-This Robert Elderage, he's a relative of yours?

-Yeah.

That's my father's mother's father.

So Robert Elderage was your great grandfather.

-Yeah. Yeah.

-What do we know about Robert Elderage?

-Farm worker. That's all we know.

-Just a farm worker?

-Yeah. Yeah.

So this has been in your family since 1858.

Pauline, and you want to sell it?

Yeah, because, um,

you know, after me, I mean, there's no-one to hand it down to,

and I mean, what's going to happen to it? You know.

I understand your sentiment, but I think it's sad

-there's no-one else for you to give it to.

-Yeah.

But for me, that's the crown jewels.

I think it's just wonderful.

I'm almost tempted to buy it meself, but I can't.

Because it's not worth a great deal of money.

-No. How much do you think?

-How much?

How much? I think that at auction

it might make, it might make between £50 and £100.

-Well, that's more than I thought.

-Are you pleased with that?

-Yeah.

Yeah? We'll put it in auction with a 50 to 80 estimate,

reserve it at £40 for you.

You know, but for me, if that was

Robert Serrell, Worcestershire, 1858, that's worth £1,000 to me.

-Do you know what I mean?

-Yeah, yeah.

-Because it's so specific to you.

-Yeah.

-God bless you for bringing it.

Well done, you, Pauline.

Jean, of all the silver items that have come through the door today,

these are the most exciting.

-And why on earth do you want to part with them?

-They're my brother's.

And he doesn't like them?

No. He doesn't want them.

These are by one of the most famous makers of the 20th century.

-Good grief.

-Georg Jensen,

silversmith, and these were

sold from his New Bond Street address in London.

-The design is called Cactus.

-Cactus.

-Because when you look at this design

it looks like a cactus plant, you know, one of the succulents,

and the actual silversmith that produced these is Gundorph Albertus,

and he produced these around about 1932.

Think in terms of the period.

These are all part and parcel of that exciting

movement between the two world wars, which we call the art deco.

-The value of these, have you any idea?

-Not a clue. Not a clue.

Because I don't think they've ever been used.

I don't think they have either. I've never known them be used.

There's no wear or tear or scratches or anything,

they're in perfect condition. And this does help

with regard to the price.

Plus it's got its original box.

-Mmm-hmm.

-Now, I would like to see them do £120 to £150.

-Mmm-hmm.

If not a wee bit more, because they are Georg Jensen.

We need to put a reserve on these.

-Uh-huh.

-And I'm going to suggest the reserve is round about £100.

-Right.

-Fixed.

-Fine, yeah.

Now, you're selling these on behalf of your brother.

-Yes.

-Will he agree to that figure?

Yes, I have rung him, actually.

-He just wants to get rid of them, does he?

-Yeah, yes, yes, yeah.

What's he going to do with £100?

Give half to me, I hope.

Yes, you've been waiting some time, haven't you?

I'm just wondering if he had them as a christening present.

-When was he born?

-'33.

How interesting. So that adds a certain...

-Yeah.

-..poignancy to that, doesn't it?

-That's right, yeah.

-Yes. And do you think you still want to sell them?

-We shall do our very best for them.

-OK. Thank you very much.

And here's a quick reminder of the wonderful items heading off

to auction for the last time today.

Register of births, marriages and deaths, Pat wants someone

to register their interest in this fabulous Staffordshire-produced

Moorcroft-style plate.

David certainly likes it.

I love it.

I love this piece.

Another piece of Staffordshire, this tankard once belonged to Pauline's

great, great grandfather, farm worker Robert Elderage.

Pauline wants to sell it, but Philip reckons it's a little gem.

For me, that's the crown jewels.

I think it's just wonderful.

This collection of Georg Jensen silver spoons were given to Jean's

brother for his christening.

Now they want to scoop up some cash and split the earnings.

We're going to stir things up right now, Jean.

We've got your silver spoons all boxed up.

-I'm hopeful.

-They were your brother's christening present.

Yes. My brother lives with us.

-He wants me to...

-Flog 'em.

-Flog 'em.

-Because he needs the money.

-Yeah.

-Well, hopefully we'll get the top end of David's estimate plus

a bit more, because silver is the thing to invest in right now.

-It's making good money.

-Particularly leading 20th century artists

and designers. Georg Jensen. If somebody asks you the major designer

of silver during the 1930s, '40s,

you'd immediately think of Georg Jensen.

-Yes.

-Such a definitive style.

Coffee spoons, a case set.

I think these are absolutely beautiful, the design is lovely.

One will start me then. One I do.

-One I've got. 110.

-Good.

120, 130, 140...

It's the name, it's the name, isn't it?

170, 180,

190, 200.

I'll take 195, it's 190 with me.

At 190. At 190. Is there 195?

At £190,

all done?

-Yes.

-Lovely.

Quality always stands.

-Yes.

-Oh, that was good.

Yes. Very pleased.

-You must be ever so happy with that.

-Yes. I think he will be.

I bet he will be. Is he getting all the money...

-Oh, no.

-Or will you get a bit for doing the work?

-I think we'll split it in half.

-Will you?

-Yes.

-That's very generous of him.

-Oh, yeah.

-He lives with us anyway.

-OK.

Well, here's something for you arts and crafts lovers. It's a bit of

tube line pottery. It belongs to Pat and not for much longer, I gather.

It is a stylish piece.

It is stunning. It really is stunning.

Can I push you, David? What will it go for on a really good day?

It might do three to four.

-We'll see.

-OK.

-I hate making predictions like that.

There's not a lot here, a lot of ceramics.

No, there's not a lot in that style. No, no.

Next, I have another nice plate.

An unsigned majolica plate.

80 to get me away. 50, then.

Come on, it's only money, and you can't take it with you.

50?

40, then.

-30?

-Oh, come on, this is ridiculous!

God bless you, my dear.

£30, I've got.

At 30, I've got, 40 will it be? 50?

I want to put my hand up.

50? 50? 60, 70.

At 60 with me.

At £60. Not quite enough as well, I want a little bit more.

-Yes, please.

-70. 80? £70.

-I can't believe that this is struggling.

-No.

-I can't believe it.

At £70, is there 80?

At £70, all done.

Ladies and gentlemen, not quite enough on that.

No. Thank goodness there's a reserve on that.

-Yes.

-Yes. I'm quite pleased.

-It's just not the right day today, that's all.

-No.

You were right, it stands out alone.

It's not enough other things here to bring the collectors.

-It looked very lonely, didn't it?

-Yes, it did.

Well, that's a good expression.

It needs to go into a sale where there's a lot of arts and crafts.

I'll just take it and put it back in the room.

I think so. Do you know, Pat said to me, Pat said she's

bought many times in auction, but she's never sold anything.

-I know.

-And I think you're never meant to sell anything.

-That's right. That may be right.

-I think you're a good buyer.

-Choose the colour schemes

in your house very carefully to go with the plate.

-It does, actually.

-We gave it our best shot.

-Thank you.

-Yes. Thank you.

That was disappointing, but let's hope we have

better luck with our last lot.

Oh, Pauline, shame on you.

Great great grandfather's tankard, 50 to 80.

Why are you selling it?

Well, there's no-one to hand it down to, so it's a shame,

what's going to happen to it?

Oh, it's lovely, it really is a nice bit of pottery, isn't it, Philip?

Well, Pauline's lovely and I understand why she wants to sell it but I really hope it doesn't sell.

-I wish we'd put a £400 reserve on it now.

-Yes.

The Staffy tankard, this one, I think, is the bee's knees.

Again, I don't think I've ever seen a more heavily decorated mug.

I rate this thing £100, come on.

80, start me.

80, I'm straight in. At 80 I've got.

80, I've got 90, 100, 110,

120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170...

This is very good.

-I think actually, it's a superb price for it.

-We haven't stopped yet.

10, 220, at 210 on the pillar.

220, fresh blood.

230, 240, 250, 260,

270, 280, 290, 300,

310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360.

At 350 on the pillar. At 350.

At 350, am I done? I am indeed.

£350.

The hammer's gone down on grandpop's mug.

-I don't believe it.

-I know why you sold it now.

-HE LAUGHS

-Wow, what a lot of money.

That was bought by the trade as well. I know that guy.

That flew through my estimate, but I'm pleased

because it's one of those things, I'd rather you didn't

-sell it or it go and make a load of money.

-Yeah.

-And it made a load of money...

-Exactly.

Just really makes it worthwhile.

And what will you put that money towards?

-I guess you haven't had time to think.

-No.

Because you were thinking it'd get £80, weren't you?

I thought perhaps £100 at the most, so that's...great.

Well, spend it wisely anyway and maybe buy something and plant it

-up in, you know, honour of great great grandpops.

-Yes.

Well, that's it, it's all over for our owners. We've had a great

day here in Devizes, so all credit to our experts.

If you've got any antiques and collectables you want

to flog, we want to see you.

You can find details in your local press, because we're coming to your town very soon.

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

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