Stroud Flog It!

Today we're in what's been described as the most ethically minded town in Britain, Stroud in Gloucestershire.

This place scores highly on the green credentials front,

making it the ideal host for Flog It!

Situated below the Cotswolds, Stroud is a thriving centre.

With the first Green Party controlled council in England, it's very eco-friendly.

I've got great hopes for today's show.

The people of Stroud have turned out in their droves,

here at the Subscription Rooms, all laden with antiques

and collectables, hoping to recycle their family heirlooms into cash.

And helping them do their bit for the environment and their pockets

are our two experts, Kate Bliss and James Lewis.

And later on, I'll go back in time to the Gloucestershire village that inspired the work of Laurie Lee,

one of Britain's great literary heroes and author of Cider With Rosie.

And without further ado, let's get on with our first valuation.

Kate is helping unravel the mystery of a stunning silver box.

Now, this is a really smart box, isn't it?

-Yes.

-But I suspect, looking at the presentation inscription,

it has a bit of a story behind it?

Yes, it does, Kate. It belonged to my mother

who used to work at Joseph Lucas Ltd, in Birmingham,

who were very famous for making car batteries.

-Right.

-And that's their logo on the top.

Oh, right! That's actually their logo, that little sort of rampant lion?

-Yes, the lion, yes.

-Right.

They were given to anybody who had completed 40 years continuous service,

and although she completed 40 years service there,

there was a break, when she had me. So, I'm to blame for the fact

-that she wasn't allowed to have one of these boxes.

-Oh, I see!

And she was very upset about this. The inscription is from Mr A Wilkes.

That's right. I'm having a little look at it.

It says, "Presented to A Wilkes in grateful appreciation

"of 40 years loyal service, by the Directors of Joseph Lucas Limited."

And it's dated 1969.

-Yes.

-So who was A Wilkes, then?

-Well, that's the mystery, because...

I knew Mum had been given it by Mr Wilkes, but she always said to me,

"Keep it in the cupboard and don't let anybody know I've got it."

Now, why Mr Wilkes was quite happy to give up his box...

-Yes?

-..to give to my mother, I don't really know!

I don't know who Mr Wilkes is, and my mum died at the end of last year,

-so I thought it would be rather nice to give it back to the family of Mr A Wilkes.

-What a lovely idea.

And I've tried to trace him on the internet, and there's been absolutely nothing...

-no replies at all.

-So you've come to a dead end?

Nobody knows who he is.

He probably, in all reality, is dead by now.

But I hoped that maybe his relatives would contact me, somehow...

-Yes.

-..and I could have given it back to them.

-But no.

-So why have you brought it to show me today?

-Well, I'd like to know how much it's worth. It is hallmarked silver.

-Yes.

At the same time, I would assume quite a lot of them were made.

-They look quite well-made, don't they?

-Absolutely!

I would guess, and again I'm only guessing, that originally

it was a cigarette box and has been converted to a jewellery box.

I think you're absolutely right. Because we've got this rather nice black felt lining,

very suitable for jewellery. And this lovely cedar-wood lining

would suggest it was originally made for cigars or cigarettes.

But the quality of the workmanship here is absolutely lovely, isn't it?

Because we've got engine-turning, a beautifully crafted little logo, or crest,

and then this lovely, chased floral-leafage raised border

all the way round. And four little bracket feet.

The hallmark of the silver is 1968, in fact,

so it's not an antique piece of silver.

For that reason, the value is going to have a limit,

because it's relatively modern in silver terms.

So is this something that you would like to sell?

Well, yes, I would, because I don't know who Mr Wilkes is.

So, in all honesty, it doesn't really mean anything to me.

In terms of value, I think we need to put an estimate, at auction,

-of £100 to £150.

-Really?

-Mmm, does that surprise you?

-Yes, it does!

-Does it really?

-Yes!

What were you thinking it might be worth?

-Maybe 50.

-Really?

-Yes!

Well, I would say, for a relatively modern silver box,

you would probably be right - if it wasn't for such super quality.

And you've got a lovely, very usable box here today,

so I can see somebody paying easily £100 for it.

I think it's a lovely thing.

Richard, I have to say, I love Chinese porcelain.

I'm a bit of a nut when it comes to oriental works of art.

You very, very rarely get to see it on Flog It! How did you come to have this?

I bought this about eight months back, at an auction in Cheltenham.

I bought it, because I've currently been collecting Chinese porcelain

and before I came out today, I thought I'd bring it along

and see what you had to say about it.

OK. Do you know much about it?

-It's made around about 1900s.

-1890, 1920.

Yeah, around about that period, and it's a good, I wouldn't say copy,

but it's a good piece reflecting 18th-century Chinese vases at that point.

-Brilliant! Probably made for the export market.

-Yeah, definitely.

Of course, in 1900, 1920 is when the trade links

between the UK and China were almost at its highest.

And the Europeans had massive swathes of property

along the front at Shanghai and they were exporting these vases

in vast numbers, all over Europe.

And of course, it might have a Qianlong mark,

but it isn't - as we would expect it to be - a fake.

-No, no.

-It was in homage, wasn't it?

-That's right, yeah.

So it's paying respect to the earlier decorators

and the earlier designs. However...

today, if you find something with a Qianlong mark,

it was made for a totally different reason.

And the Chinese, they are faking everything.

They are the best fakers in the world!

They're faking European porcelain, they're faking Chinese porcelain,

they're faking bronzes, and the quality of it is just amazing.

But this is 100 years old. And although it was made to look like

something earlier than it is, it still has a great market today.

Yeah, I believe it's got a good value to it, yeah.

The thing that I love about it

are these panels on the front and reverse.

And the quality of the painting is fantastic.

And that is as good as any 18th-century piece.

-It's as good as you're going to get.

-Yeah. If we turn it round...

..another panel with another dog. And the gilding's lovely as well, isn't it?

It's a really subtle, lovely colour.

It's got a good look about it and it will appeal to the decorators as well as the collectors.

So if you only bought it a few months ago, why sell it?

I'm trying to keep to earlier stuff and when I bought it,

it was the best thing there, pretty much, and I thought, "I'm going to buy that."

My collection's sorted of thinned into an area where this doesn't sit,

so that's why I'm going to... Flog It!

The Chinese market is as buoyant as any, so this sort of piece

is now going up in value, and I think will do well.

What did you pay for it?

-I paid around 250 for it.

-OK.

I think that's all right.

-I think that's the lower end of what it should be worth.

-Yeah, hopefully.

Would you be happy with 250 to 350?

-If you put a 250 reserve on it, I'd be happy with that.

-Yep, me too.

Let's stick it through, see what it does,

and as long as there are other bits of Chinese porcelain in the auction, I think it will do well.

Doug, I'm a big fan of Paul Nash.

-Yep.

-Tell me how you came by this Shell poster?

Well, many years ago, late 1970s,

we were on holiday with some ruralists, Graham Ovenden and so on.

Do you know, I have filmed Graham and his wife Annie down at their farm in Devon.

-Well, it's a fantastic place.

-Yes.

-He built it himself.

We were on the beach one day with our kids, his children,

and he brought a friend along, and this friend went into the sea.

A bit daft, because it's a very dangerous coastline.

Anyway, my wife looked out and said, "This guy's in trouble, he's drowning!"

So we clambered over the rocks, the tide was coming in, and we had one chance to grab him.

Graham lent over the rocks, I held onto his legs,

and he grabbed this guy by the hair, and we both pulled him out.

-Wow! You saved his life?

-Yeah, absolutely, yeah. He was OK.

So later he said, "I know, Douglas, you're a great fan of Paul Nash,"

and he said, "I've got something for you here," and it was this.

-He gave you that?

-Yeah, fantastic.

-You've had that ever since?

-Since 1970 - whatever it was - late '70s.

-Are you an artist yourself?

I do paint and draw, I take photographs, I interview artists, I do all sorts of things.

What can I say? Paul Nash, he was a war artist in the First World War

and he worked for the Air Ministry in the Second World War.

He was a great advocate of British modernism

and he really pioneered the sort of surrealist thing in the 1920s.

Pushed it to the forefront.

Yep. He was a terrific artist. He was involved with the surrealists,

then he sort of departed from that.

-Yeah.

-But his landscapes, his graphic work, which this is part of, a lithograph,

-is tremendous.

-And the condition is very good.

There's a little water damage there. But this is late '30s.

Yes, 1937.

-1937, yeah. It's rather a large furnishing piece, yeah.

-Yup.

-I can see this in a big studio.

-Right.

Or a gallery. Not necessarily on the sitting room wall.

That's why we're selling, because our sitting room wall is too small!

But there are people with large houses. Large walls!

And we'll find them!

Have you done any homework yourself?

-On this?

-Yeah.

-Yeah. We've looked at it.

We think, possibly...

1,000, 1,500, something like that.

If we put this into auction, I'd like to put it into auction

with the figures that you've just said, really.

£1,000 to £1,500.

-Right.

-Can we put a reserve of 1,000 with a little bit of discretion?

-Yes, we can do that.

-Are you happy with that?

-I am.

What I want to use the money for is to buy smaller Paul Nash things...

-Oh, that's nice.

-..to add to my collection.

You're letting this go for a smaller version?

-Yep.

-I don't blame you, I don't blame you.

-Well, look, fingers crossed we'll find a buyer.

-OK, thank you very much.

And we're hearing all the time about people not doing formal dining,

and this is the sort of thing

that, at formal dining's height in the 19th century,

people would have bought. You know what they are?

-Open salt cellars.

-Cellars.

In the 19th century, 18th century and right the way back

to the Elizabethan period, salt wasn't put in a little shaker,

it was put in an open salt, like this.

And the tradition for salt cellars goes right the way back

hundreds of years, where your position in society

was actually denoted by where you sat, in accordance to the salt.

If you were above the salt, you were far more important than if you were below the salt, a long way down.

Salt was incredibly, incredibly expensive in those days.

How did you come by them, where do they live, why do you have them?

They were a present to me about 30 years ago, and I've never used them,

they've always been stored.

So, I feel that they've really got to go, you know?

We've got a combination of silver plate and porcelain,

and if we take one out and have a little look,

these detach quite easily.

They're like miniature bowls in their own right.

-They're lovely, aren't they?

-Super. Turn them over,

clear mark underneath there, and that's the mark for Royal Worcester.

And that's the capital letter "T"

and that's the date letter for 1882. So, there we are, easy to date.

The pattern in the centre there, do you recognise it?

-Willow pattern?

-Willow pattern, exactly.

It's the most well-known pattern of all blue and white.

And, of course, this harks right back to the 18th century

when Worcester was making lots of this blue and white porcelain.

It's inspired by the Chinese porcelain that was being imported in the 18th century.

Having said that formal dining is dying, I think the only person

that is going to buy these is probably going to be a dealer

who will sell them to somebody who will give them to somebody else

as a present! Then straight back into the sideboard and never used again.

Any idea what they might be worth?

I have no idea, no idea.

We've said how unfashionable they are.

But at the same time, they are pretty, they are over 100 years old.

They are in their original fitted box, and I think they're quite sweet.

-So, I'm going to put an estimate of £50 to £80 on them.

-Mm-hm.

-Is that OK?

-That's fine.

-I think we need to protect them with a reserve.

-Yeah.

£50 as a reserve. If they don't make that, you can have them back.

Let's take them along and see how we do.

That's brilliant, lovely!

Well, we've been working flat-out and we've found our first batch of antiques to take off to auction.

While we make our way over to Cirencester, here's a quick recap of what James and Kate have found.

I tried to trace him on the internet, and there's been absolutely nothing.

Unable to find Mr Wilkes, the original owner

of the silver box, Jill wants to turn her curiosity into cash.

Will Chinese porcelain collector Richard

make a handsome profit from his early 20th-century piece?

Douglas seems confident in finding a suitable new home for his much-loved Paul Nash poster.

Our sitting room's too small, but there are people with larger houses.

-Yes, there are, and we'll find them!

-And large walls!

And Anne is hoping to find a sprinkling of cash in exchange for her salts.

Well, I think it's about time we found

some new owners for our antiques and raise some cash along the way.

We're staying local for today's sale and we're the guests

of Moore Allen & Innocent,

just a few miles east of Stroud, in Cirencester.

And getting ready on the rostrum before the sale starts is auctioneer Philip Allwood.

So, first under the hammer, will the crowds go potty over Anne's salts, valued between £50 and £80?

-There's a lot of value here for not a lot of money.

-They're good, they're in good order.

Not as sought-after as they once were. People don't use them. But a lovely gift!

It's gorgeous. Why have you decided to sell them after such a long time?

-You think they're very, very pretty. I do.

-I think they're very pretty,

-but things have got to go.

-Have they? Why? Why do they have to go?

-I'm filling up the house!

-Are you a bit of a magpie, bit of a hoarder?

-You're de-cluttering?

-I am, yes.

OK, OK. Well, let's see if we can get the top end, about £60.

Lot number 150 is the set of four

Royal Worcester open salts in the case there, nice little lot there.

-Who will start me?

-Come on!

Start me at 50. At £50 I'm bid there, at 50...

-Straight in.

-55, 60, 5, 70, sir?

70, 5, 80 then, new blood, 5,

90, 5, 100. 110, 120, 130, 140...

-Wow, they love them!

-At 140, 150 with me, 160?

160 in the room and the book's out. At 160.

170 now. At 160...

-My goodness!

-Anne is in the money!

-That was so good!

-Wasn't that good?!

-I didn't expect that!

Fantastic result.

-Thank you.

-Quality, great name as well, and the condition...

everything was right about it.

Jill, I love things like this that have had a life, have had lots of use. It's a silver box.

-It is now a jewellery box converted from a cigar/cigarette box, which is great, really, isn't it?

-Yes.

-And it was Mum's?

-Yes, it was.

We've got £100 to £150 put on by Kate.

-Why have you decided to sell now?

-Because, in actual fact,

it was given to her by somebody else,

and that person's name is engraved on it.

Right, so there's not a lot of sentimental value?

-Not really, no.

-OK. I can understand that.

Mid 20th-century silver rectangular cigarette box, there.

Good-looking piece.

What will you give me for that? Start me at 100. 50 to get on.

At £50, a bid there. At 55, 60, I've got to go 70, 5 if you like, 5.

80, 5 and the book's out at 85.

90 now. At £85, on my left here, selling at 85. 90 anywhere?

At 85...

-Sold it.

-Yes.

-£85.

-85.

-Just got it away, Jill!

-Yes.

-A slightly disappointing price, but I think the thing is,

although it's a beautiful quality thing, that presentation inscription

which is so personal, would put some people off.

-Yes, it would.

-That's the thing.

Well, I've just been joined by Richard and our expert,

James, and going under the hammer is a Chinese porcelain vase with a value of £250 to £350.

We're going to put this one to the test, because I know, Richard,

you bought this in auction not long ago, about six/eight months ago?

-That's right, yeah.

-And you paid?

-250 for it, or round about, yeah.

-Right, OK.

Do you think you paid top end?

Um...I'm not sure. The Chinese stuff, it can go up and down, and I'm not really sure.

We'll just have to see how it goes.

I don't think you paid too much at all. I think this has got wonderful quality painting,

got a real look about it. It's a good size as well.

No reason why this shouldn't make top estimate.

Lot number 140 is the Chinese Famille Rose vase.

Should be 300 or 400 really. Start me at 2.

Well, I can start you here at...

190 I have. At 190, 200,

210, 220, 230.

At 230 with me.

240 if you like, now.

-At 240.

-Come on!

-250 to me.

250 on the phone. 260 now. At £250.

At 250. Are you all sure? At 250.

The hammer has gone down, £250.

We had a phone bidder. I don't think anybody in the room was pushing that phone bidder.

That's the problem, yeah.

I bet the phone bidder would have paid a little bit more.

-Anyway, we fixed the reserve at 250, we got 250.

-Yeah.

-You got your money back.

-Yeah.

-You've had a play with the market.

-That's right.

I'm always willing to take a punt on anything, in any sale room, so it's just one of those things.

-Obviously, I've lost a little money, because I paid 250 and I've got commission to pay.

-Yes.

But I'm not too disappointed.

Well, next up we've got that wonderful Shell poster by Paul Nash.

-It's iconic, it's not expensive, really £1,000 to £1,500.

-No, I don't think so.

And Douglas here has just said, "I'm so pleased, I've made the front cover!"

-On the front cover of anything...

-You've got the cover of the catalogue...

-Autographs later!

OK, this has been viewed heavily on the internet.

I had a chat with Philip Allwood, our auctioneer, doing a fantastic job up there.

-He is!

-We're having a great day.

-He's confident it's going to sell, as well.

-Good, OK.

And 312 is the Paul Nash.

There we go, the Kimmeridge Folly, Dorset print by Paul Nash,

and we've got interest in this, and I can start you at 860.

On the book here at 860. 880 now.

At 860, good-looking piece at 860.

At 880, thank you. 900.

At 900 with me, at 900, 920 now.

920.

940. At 940. 960 if you like, 960...

-Getting there.

-980.

1,000. And 50 now. At 1,000.

On the phone at 1,000 and 50 anywhere?

Are you sure now? At 1,000.

Well, he sold it at 1,000.

-We got it at the bottom end.

-Yeah.

-We're happy, aren't we?

Fine. Absolutely fine.

-Yeah.

-I'm very pleased, very pleased.

You can go off now and do some Nash research and go shopping.

I can. And also, I don't have to carry it home, which is very good!

Coming up later, the lady who is hoping to go on a shopping spree, but not for antiques...

-You want to go shopping, I gather?

-I do.

-For clothes...?

-Yes.

-Or anything?

-Scarves, earrings, handbags, shoes, everything!

Not far from Stroud lies the little Gloucestershire village of Slad.

It's small and easy to miss, but buried here is one of Britain's great literary heroes.

In the village churchyard lies Laurie Lee, writer of the well-known autobiography Cider With Rosie.

It's the memoirs of his childhood whilst growing up in this wonderful rural community in the 1920s.

And central to the novel is a young village girl called Rosie, who he drinks cider with

underneath a hay wagon, and eventually ends up encountering one of his first romantic experiences.

So successful was the novel that it went on to sell

6 million copies, eventually being adapted for television and radio.

There was something so compelling about the story that captured the reader's imagination.

It all started here in 1917, when Laurie Lee was just three years old.

And the opening paragraph from the book reads like this.

I was sat down from the carrier's cart at the age of three,

and there, with a sense of bewilderment and terror,

my life in the village began.

The June grass, amongst which I stood, was taller than I was, and I wept.

I had never been so close to grass before.

Having enjoyed his childhood here, Laurie left for London at the age of 19.

Whilst away, he wrote the first of what would become three autobiographies.

Some of the buildings that still remain in the village make an appearance in Cider With Rosie,

like the old schoolhouse here, which is now a private home. But somehow you can just imagine

the screams of laughter that would have once broken the countryside silence.

Laurie's own thoughts on his former school

were captured in a documentary he made for the BBC in 1960.

'I had to look in at the village school.

'It's where all of us went in those days.

'The present crop are far prettier and tidier. Yet, behind their round, well-nourished faces,

'I felt I could see the ghosts of several of those sharp urchins I had known in my own day.'

Another famous landmark in the book is this pub, the Woolpack.

In his later years, Laurie spent many a happy time here and he is well-remembered by Barbara Hooper,

who shares lots of memories with him. And shortly after he died, she wrote his biography.

Barbara has agreed to tell me a little more about Laurie - naturally, over a glass of cider.

He was a lovely man. People took to him immediately.

He was very warm, gregarious and made you feel very comfortable with him.

He was a great tease. You never knew whether to believe what he said.

He was an educated man, well, he spoke like an educated man.

He loved art, he loved music, he liked the finer things in life.

Educated, self-educated rather.

He was very talented as a musician, as a photographer,

as a writer, obviously, and artist.

-He sketched too.

-Was he a Lothario?

Was he a real ladies' man or was that just, sort of, speculation?

His eyes would light up when a pretty woman came into the room.

He never missed that and whenever he met them, he would be very...

very much attracted to any good-looking woman that he met.

Yeah. What about Rosie, was she fictitious?

He said to me, when we were talking here in this very pub,

"Oh, she was a compound of several people,"

and elsewhere I read that he said, "She was someone, she was anyone, she was no-one."

-Oh, really! So it's hard to believe what then, really?

-Mmm.

A number of people have laid claim to having been the original Rosie.

Some half a dozen turned up at an event in the Subscription Rooms in Stroud.

When somebody on the stage said, "Are there any people here

"who think they might have been Rosie?", six people stood up!

But I think she was indeed... After all, he was writing this book 40 years after the events he describes,

and so I think it was a number of little schoolgirls he remembered.

I held the jar to my mouth and rolled my eyes sideways, like a beast at a waterhole.

"Go on," said Rosie.

I took a deep breath. Never to be forgotten, that first long, secret drink of golden fire,

juice of those valleys and at that time, wine of wild orchards,

of russet summer, of plump red apples,

and Rosie's burning cheeks, never to be forgotten or ever tasted again.

What was the magic of Cider With Rosie?

I think it was nostalgia.

It struck a chord with people, either because they said

it reminded them of their childhood in the '20s and '30s. The round of village life,

the carol-singing at Christmas, the harvest supper, the fete.

Or because they didn't know what rural poverty was like.

Very few people had written about growing up in an extremely poor

part of the country, as Gloucestershire was at that time.

Selling 6 million copies of his book, I mean, that's quite an accolade, isn't it, really?

Did the success ever go to his head?

I would say not. He always said that it sold well initially,

because it was Christmas and there was nothing else to buy but bath salts!

I don't think it went to his head, no. And here at home, I think

he remained very much the Laurie that they'd known when he was young.

As well as the school and pub, another centrepiece of Cider With Rosie is this house.

Whilst his father remained in London after the First World War,

this is where he moved to with his mother, from Stroud.

It's one of the most read-about cottages in Gloucestershire

and it was here that Lee spent 16 years of his life.

'Here it was, the place where I was brought up, together with six rowdy

'brothers and sisters, just the same except for a new tiled roof.

'Of course I felt I'd never left it. I kept expecting my mother to lean out of a window

'and brandish a saucepan at me, but it was a good place to be.

'It was once a beer house. It got flooded whenever it rained, it had no gas or electricity,

'we cooked on wood fires and went to bed by the lights of candles.

'It had thick, snug walls, rooks in the chimneys,

'frogs in the cellars, mushrooms on the ceiling, and all for 3/6d a week.

'It was there we all grew till we ran away or got married.

'None of us live there now.'

Sadly, Laurie died in 1997, aged 83, and he lies here

in the valley that he loved, and at his own request,

between the church and the pub, you can see down there, that he often frequented and adored.

But his books do live on for us to enjoy and they remain powerfully evocative.

Back to our valuation day in Stroud, and Kate has found something she's taken a real fancy to.

John, you've brought in this lovely bowl today.

Has this come from Stroud itself?

Yes, it has, just very, recently in fact.

It's such a wonderful colour, and when I first saw it,

I just literally fell in love with it and just had to buy it.

So where did you buy it from, tell me?

-Just from the local charity shop recently.

-A charity shop?

-Yes.

-Somebody brought this in as a donation?

-Yes, that's correct, yes.

-How much did you pay for it in your charity shop?

-Only £10.

Just £10? Right, but you like it, you say, because of the colour.

Yes, I do. And just the decoration, which is so lovely.

This type of pottery, because it IS pottery,

looks very Chinese, because of the blue painted decoration.

It's very inspired by the oriental, but similarly, you may be forgiven for thinking that it was Dutch.

-Because it looks very much like the Dutch Delftware...

-Right.

And that is because of its materials. And what we've got here is not porcelain,

but pottery or earthenware. And on top of that earthenware

is a lead glaze and it gives it that look used by the Delft potters.

But I have to tell you,

this isn't Delft and it isn't Chinese either.

-It's very English...

-Oh!

And it was made in Staffordshire. But it was made in Staffordshire quite a long time ago,

because I would date this bowl from about 1775, 1780.

-Really? That old!

-So we've got a late Georgian,

18th-century pottery bowl here. And for all of that, it's actually in lovely condition, isn't it?

Unfortunately, it has a hairline crack.

It does. I've noticed the crack down the side here,

which is a shame, and you can probably hear that if you ring it.

But the thing about lead-glazed pottery

is that it's very difficult to restore and also very easily chipped,

because the lead glaze sits on top of the earthenware.

And we haven't got any chips, which is lovely.

But I just love it because of that lovely warm,

yellowy colour, as you say. And you can see the colour of the glaze

perhaps best around the foot trim here. And it's got this lovely buttery,

yellowy colour around here. And that gives it its name, because it's known as Creamware.

The factory could be early Wedgwood, but a lot of the Staffordshire potteries

were producing it. And, of course, very English.

What about value, John, after all of that?

Taking into account this crack down the side, you paid £10?

That's correct. I was hoping maybe £50, £80.

Mm-hm. Well, I'm going to put a conservative auction estimate of 60 to 90 on it.

But I think a lover of Creamware, like me, might pay up to

perhaps 100, 120, something like that, despite the crack.

I think it's the sort of ware that you can get addicted to.

Perhaps somebody's emotions might take them over, and they'd forget about that crack.

-A Lovely piece.

-Yes.

-You've got a pretty good eye!

A pair, I hope!

Malcolm, imagine, in the 19th century, you and your wife

were going to the opera or the theatre or a wonderful party on a Saturday evening.

And your wife wanted to be a little bit dressed up.

The last thing she would want is a pair of great big spectacles on her nose.

So what she would carry to this party is this.

The name is...lorgnette,

and they would just be raised to the eyes like that.

-You've seen them in the old Charles Dickens movies...

-Yeah.

And I always think that they characterise...

a lady to a certain period.

These clearly don't belong to you!

-Oh, no!

-They're not something that you're going to wear, it doesn't go with your attire!

-I can't imagine you going out on a Saturday night with these!

-Well, I could do!

But tell me, why do you have them?

I'm not sure where I bought them.

I'm almost certain it was down in Newton Abbott on the racecourse in the antiques fair there, now.

And what I give for them, I really don't know.

-A long time ago?

-About 20 odd years ago.

Oh, really, so a fair time.

-They've been stood in our cabinet and they haven't even been open since we bought them.

-Really?

These are made from tortoiseshell, and tortoiseshell isn't from a tortoise, it's from a sea turtle.

And it has this wonderful colour that unfortunately, in the 19th century and the 18th century,

it almost caused the decimation of the population of the sea turtles.

Today, it is totally banned. You're not allowed to buy new tortoiseshell

and you mustn't buy new tortoiseshell.

This was made over 100 years ago.

Probably around 1870 to 1890.

And what we have is that the front and the back are tortoiseshell,

and in the centre, what we have is brass.

We have silver and we have gold in the centre and whenever we've got this little gold stars,

it's called "pique work".

And this was greatly fashionable in needle cases,

card boxes and various other little notepads and aides-memoire, all around this period.

-So this lady who owned this would probably have had an entire set, all in the same decoration.

-Oh, I see.

But it would have been worn around her neck, so that during the party it would hang down there.

It's a great object and, you know, these things are collected today.

It'll either be somebody who collects tortoiseshell pique work

or somebody who collects lorgnettes.

I had a pair of these in auction not too long ago,

and they made just over £150.

So if we put an auction estimate of 100 to 150, put a reserve of 90...

-OK.

-..I think they stand a very good chance of selling well. Shall we take them along?

-Fair enough.

-Let's take them along and see how we do.

-We can do that.

Now, I think these are rather sweet.

Lovely to have the pair of pepperettes. Obviously one would be pepper

and probably the other one would be salt. Where have they come from?

We found them in the back of an aunt's cupboard when she died.

-Right.

-We know very little about them, no history,

so a bolt out of the blue, really. Didn't know they were there.

-Were they with any other silver?

-No, they were just alone in a box.

Poor little chicks! That's what I think they are.

This one is feeding, and this one is sitting here rather squatly. But they look very little birds anyway,

don't they? Or little chicks. But they date way back to the early 20th century.

They're, in fact, Edward VII in date...1906.

-OK.

-They are English silver, you're absolutely right.

They're both hallmarked, this one on its bottom just here, you can see quite clearly,

and the maker's initials there... WH...and again on this one.

So we know that they are meant to be a pair.

Exactly the same hallmark here, the same date, 1906, and the same maker's initials, WH.

It's great that they've come through all those years and stayed together.

-Yeah.

-As a pair. And they're beautifully crafted, particularly on this one sitting down.

You can see his feathers are beautifully done here, and in pretty good condition, I would say.

The lids fit on nicely, no bad tears or dents there.

Lovely little things. So, do you like them?

-No, not really.

-No?

-I'm not one for clutter and ornaments, so I'm quite happy to let them go.

-Are you? You just want to get rid of them, really?

-I want some money!

You want some money, she says, her eyes lighting up!

So, what do you think they might be worth at auction?

-I think they're quite rare and also, like you said, to find them in a pair.

-Yes.

We've no idea. We'd probably like to get about £100, so...

Well, I think you're right. They are quite unusual.

I think your £100 is quite conservative,

but I'd like really to put a conservative estimate of 100 to 150.

I think on a good day you could double your money and get 200 for them.

-£100 each doesn't seem out of the question to me.

-OK.

But I think if we say 100 to 150 with a fixed reserve of 100,

so they're certainly not going to go for less than that,

I think will entice the buyers in, and you might get a nice surprise.

-Lovely, thank you.

-Great.

Over at the auction house, the silver birds have caught Philip's magpie eyes.

I think they're just a bit of fun, aren't they?

-They're in good condition, they're...

-Collectable.

Very collectable, but one of those things a bit like

good quality furniture, really. It's something that's usable,

practical, and at the same time, well-made.

And complete. Sometimes you just get the pepper or the salt pot.

And quite often they're damaged, you've got the feet with bits missing and that sort of thing.

-These are in pretty good order.

-What are you going to tell me, it's going to do a lot more than £200?

Well, we've put an estimate of 100 to 150 on there, but...

I wouldn't be at all surprised if it made well at the upper end of that estimate and a bit more.

-Highly collectable stuff.

-250? 280?

Well, let's get to 200 and see where we go from there, shall we?

OK. I'm leaving it up to you. You're on the rostrum in a moment.

Watch this, because I'll tell you what, if we do get that top end,

-Alison is going to be really chuffed.

-Ah, yes.

Also up for auction today...

-It's actually in lovely condition.

-It does has a hairline crack.

Despite the damage, will the bidders be bowled over by John's Creamware?

And finally, Malcolm wants to focus on flogging his lunettes.

First up, it's the Creamware.

Well, the pressure really is on right now, because this next lot,

all the proceeds are going to a local charity.

And John is donating the money IF we sell this Creamware bowl, and it's a lovely little item, John.

We've got £60 to £80 on this, fixed reserve at 50.

-There's a little, tiny hairline crack, but you only paid £10 for this?

-Correct.

-Fantastic!

-A local find.

Have you found many more items?

-Yes, over the years.

-Over the years? Are they going to go under the hammer eventually?

-Probably, yes.

-You liked this?

Do you know, Creamware is one of my personal favourites, and you can't guarantee much at auction.

-But I think you can guarantee that this will make more than you paid for it.

-Yeah.

If it wasn't damaged, you'd be talking a couple of hundred pounds.

It's a wonderful bowl, anyway.

Lot 100, which is the Creamware fruit bowl.

The money for this is going to the Cotswold Care Hospice,

so you can do your bit for charity here today. Start me at 50?

£30 to get on.

20, then.

-Gosh!

-Nice little Creamware, £20, a bid there at 20, 5, thank you.

30, 5, 40, 5.

At £45, a good little piece at 45.

50 now, then. At 50, then. Looks cheap at £50.

Are you all done now, then? At 50.

-The hammer's gone down. He sold it right on the reserve.

-Well done.

Mind you, it's a lot more than £10, and the money is going to charity.

-I think it's a good result.

-A good result! John, thank you so much.

Well, keep your eye on this next lot, because they are a set of lunettes.

We have the item. Unfortunately, Malcolm can't make it,

but we've got our wonderful expert here, Mr James Lewis.

-£100 to £150.

-Mm-hm.

Malcolm got these quite a few years ago and he paid 40 quid for them, so...

-there's a bit of profit there.

-Let's hope.

OK, lot number 264 now, the pique work

and tortoiseshell lunettes.

As good a pair of these as you want to see,

if you'll forgive the pun.

I can start you here at a mere £60.

At 60, about half the money, I would say. At £60, I'm bid 5, anyone now?

At 65. 70...

-Good!

-5. 80. At £80 with me, 5 now.

Selling them, make no mistake at £80, 5 anywhere?

At £80, are you all sure?

Yes! Well, we've sold them.

We had a reserve of 90, but he's used discretion.

We just got them away.

Well done, Malcolm, you've got to get on the phone.

Next, those two little birds. We've got the silver salt and pepper pots

belonging to Ali, I don't think for much longer, at £100 to £150.

Ali wants to sell these. You don't like them and you want to go shopping.

-I do!

-What, for clothes or...?

-Yes!

-Anything!

Scarves, earrings, handbags, shoes, everything, belts, make-up!

-I think Kate should come with you, then!

-Oh, yes! I won't take much...persuading.

-I think there's some good shops in Cirencester as well.

-There are, not bad.

-Not bad at all.

Right, we need top dollar, don't we? I had a chat to Philip before the sale.

We both mused over these, and I know you loved them on the day, and we see a lot of them.

Sometimes one is missing, but you've got the complete set.

Great fun, great condition and silver is selling well, so we should do the top end.

-Plus a little bit more, hopefully £50 or £60 more. That's what I think. Happy?

-Yeah.

And lot number 254

is the Edwardian silver pepperettes in the form of birds.

There we go, pretty little lot. Start me.

Should be a couple of hundred, really. Start me at 100.

-Come on!

-I can start you on the book at 85...

-They're all sitting on their hands!

-85, 90, 5, 100.

At 100, 110 if you like. 110.

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

-This is more like it!

-Oh, my God!

190, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240...

-Good!

-..250, 260, 270, 280, 290.

At 290. 300, sir?

300.

At 310.

-At 310 on my left now...

-Fantastic!

At £310. 320 if you like, sir. At 310...

-Those little birdies flew! £310, Ali!

-Fantastic, great!

Shopping! Shopping! Ching! Ching!

I think it's because you have got the two. Philip's right,

-you don't often see the pair together. It makes a big difference.

-Excellent.

Go on, Ali, we won't keep you any longer...

-Go off shopping. There you go, go on!

-Thank you.

And look at the antique shops while you're in Cheltenham.

What can I say? Shopping, shopping, shopping!

If you've got any antiques you want to sell, well, bring them to us, we want to see them.

Check details in the press, because we're coming to an area near you very soon. From Kate and myself

here in Cirencester, we've run out of time, see you next time. Bye-bye.

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