Blackburn Flog It!

Today Flog It has come north to Lancashire to a boom town of the Industrial Revolution,

where cotton became king. Welcome to Blackburn.

Textiles have been manufactured in Blackburn since the 13th century.

First it was woollen linen, but by the 1700s it was cotton.

And with it Blackburn grew from a small market town to become a cotton-weaving world capital.

Later in the programme I'll discover how an inspired group of working-class poets and songwriters

saw both the good and the bad sides of this heritage.

The pipes of an organ all vary in tone.

The sound must be several, but the music is one.

In the good times, Blackburn's cotton industry also led to a building boom in the town,

including in 1905, King George's Hall, our location for today's valuations.

And hoping to weave their magic today are Michael Baggott and Adam Partridge.

I think it's time to get the doors open, get this massive crowd inside and see what these two have spotted.

And once inside, Adam has spotted a man who is a good spotter himself.

-Morning, Steve.

-Morning.

-How are you?

-Fine, thank you.

-You're a bargain hunter.

-I try to be.

-You have a companion who goes with you.

-My 7-year-old granddaughter.

-Did she spot this one?

-No, but she's spotted others in the past.

-This is a car boot find.

-It is, yes.

I find that amazing because anybody knows about Clarice Cliff.

Everybody knows about it.

Even if you don't know anything about antiques, if you say, "Tell me about antiques,"

they say, "Clarice Cliff!"

-Yet you still found that. Tell me where you got it.

-Local car boot sale. Sunday morning, 10.

-So that's been out for three hours, probably.

-Correct, yes.

-How much was it?

-It was £1 cash.

No!

And we've been banging on about Clarice Cliff for 10 years or more.

Well, that's amazing. It's not your most valuable piece, but is clearly worth more than £1.

This is a piece of 1930s Clarice Cliff pottery. It's that painted geometric design

from the Bizarre range.

Don't really have to tell the viewer too much about Clarice Cliff.

The whole world knows about it, apart from that person at the car boot and the hundreds who walked by.

That must have been waiting for you. Had your name written all over it. What do you think it will make?

-£50? £100?

-Right. I think you're right. I was thinking £50-£80.

Put it in at a realistic level and let them fight over it.

-£50 is 50 times your money.

-That's right.

-Less commission.

Steve, thanks very much for coming. I look forward to the auction. Over 100 quid'll be a great result.

Thanks.

Ann, Alison, thank you for bringing in this wonderful mirror. Who does it belong to?

It belonged to my mother, who died a few months ago. It's part of the estate that we're selling off.

Then we can share it out.

You either love it or hate it. Do you know what style it is?

Is it Art Nouveau or Art Deco?

You're very close. You were just one away.

It's Arts and Crafts. That movement comes in about 1870

and goes through to about 1900, 1910, when this mirror dates from.

It's typified by this beaten finish.

Now this looks as if it was all wrought delicately by hand and hammer.

Actually, they had machines to do it!

They made the shape and put it under the hammering machine.

That's basically told by the fact that it isn't uneven.

It's a very even planishing. What would have been hand-made

are these little panels. You see these on absolutely loads of Arts and Crafts mirrors.

They're called Ruskin pottery.

It was really a cheap alternative to using semi-precious stones.

And you could get different colours, glazes and sizes. Whatever you required for your mirror.

And it's really untouched. So it was your mother's.

-Did she particularly go for this sort of thing?

-No, they had all sorts of antiques.

-Loved antiques. Always at auctions.

-A vast amount of things.

-Always out buying whatever took their fancy.

-Yes.

-It's the best way to do it.

-They didn't specialise. Whatever they thought was beautiful.

So one day they thought, "We'll have that."

Any idea of the value of it?

No, some years ago a lady did offer my mother £400,

-but I don't know...

-Crikey.

-That was what my mum said to me.

-That must have been a very committed collector.

-Right.

-She probably has been.

I think what we really need to do is pitch this, let's say, £120-£200.

-Let's put a fixed reserve of £120 on it.

-Yes, I want a reserve on it.

And let's hope... Let's hope that lady isn't committed and she'll be at the auction!

Renee and Harry, thank you for coming in and bringing in a piece of regional furniture.

This is a lovely Macclesfield chair, dating from the late 18th century.

-I expect you've sat on it for quite a long time.

-Yes. A few people have sat on it.

-It's a good bit of kit, isn't it, Harry?

-Yeah.

-This will last another couple of hundred years.

I'm nearly as old as that chair!

-How old are you, Harry?

-Guess.

72.

72?! I wish I was.

-How old are you?

-I wish I was.

-82?

-93.

-93?!

-Yeah.

-Are you really 93? What did you used to do for a living?

-Antiques.

-Did you?

-Antique furniture.

-You were in the trade. You know what I'm talking about.

I dealt a lot in Portobello.

-He has the gift of the gab!

-He has, too!

-So why do you want to sell this?

-To be quite honest, I'm so afraid of it getting damaged.

-Where I had it before, people used to sit on it.

-Yeah.

-And I'd go, "Oh, that chair..."

-If you lean back a little bit...

-I don't want it to get damaged. So I took it upstairs.

-There is a little bit of damage.

-I know that.

-I'll just point out a couple.

I'll start with the fact that it has been what we call re-toed.

-That would have come right down to there.

-Yes.

-In the 18th century.

But over the next 100 years, it's worn so much that somebody has glued a block on here.

-The Victorians have done that. It wasn't done recently.

-No.

-But it has taken a lot of wear and tear.

-Yeah.

Also, looking at the top rail,

-can you see?

-A little crack.

-It's got a nasty split in it which has been screwed.

-Together.

-I see that.

-It's screwed twice.

-Yeah, yeah.

-So, unfortunately, it has devalued it.

-I noticed. It's obvious.

-What I love about this

is this one rail has had so many people's feet on it

it's completely worn flat in sections.

This is a flattened bobbin turning, like a bobbin in a loom.

-Yes, yes.

-In the mills.

-I see.

I think if we get this into auction, we should put £100-£200 on it with a reserve at £100.

-OK.

-If you say so, yes.

-Can I expect to see you at the auction?

-We can try.

-If I'm still alive by then!

-Don't forget.

-It's only a month.

-We're only a few weeks away.

Marie, thank you for bringing this wonderful silver box in. Silver's always my favourite thing.

-What can you tell me about it?

-Em, it was my dad's.

And he got it from his cousin who came from Shipley in Yorkshire.

It was left to him, to me.

The cigarettes era... out of fashion.

-Aren't they just?

-I have three grandchildren. I can't give it to one

so they'd be quite happy for the money.

-Was your father's cousin a well-travelled man? Did he go around?

-I really don't know.

If this was his, at one time there's a possibility he crossed the Channel, went into Europe

and went north. If we have a look at the marks on this,

often if these are Russian cases, which it looks like,

-they're marked inside here.

-Right.

And if we have a look there, we've got a little crown. 813 standard mark.

And a little date mark.

-Off the top of my head, that I think is going to be Finnish.

-Right.

So it's a Finnish or Norwegian box and it's going to date to 1905.

-Right.

-Which is a good early date for a box like that.

The good news and the bad news. The good news is it looks like Faberge.

It's very much this style that was employed and a couple of Faberge's work masters came from Finland.

So there is a connection there. We have this wonderful rayed surface,

which goes all round the box to the back and even encompasses the sides.

It's all set off by this low-carat gold thumbpiece.

And it's inset with a little sapphire. So it's all there.

As you say, though, smoking is completely out. Even if you did smoke, cigarettes won't fit that!

-It is small, isn't it? They were made for cigarettes before the filter.

-That's right, yeah.

Still, it's a box collector's delight so I'm sure anyone

-with an interest in continental silver, continental boxes, would want to own that.

-Right.

-Any idea of the value?

-Not really. It's just been in the safe with other things...

-Other bits and pieces. Not a fortune.

-Right.

Not the £8,000-£12,000 it would be if it was a Faberge one,

-but £150...

-That's fine.

-..£250.

A fixed reserve of £150. That's £50 per grandchild!

-It's got to split three ways!

-More than I thought.

Well, we've now found our first batch of items to put under the hammer.

You could say we're now up and running. While we make our way to the auction room,

here's a quick reminder of all the items going under the hammer. Or the "bear" essentials.

It wasn't so much a growl as a gasp of disbelief for Adam as he hears what Steve paid for this.

-Tell me, how much was it?

-£1 cash.

-No!

And Michael was also shocked when he heard what was offered

for Ann and Alison's Arts and Crafts mirror.

Some years ago a lady did offer my mother £400, but I don't know...

That's a very committed collector.

£120-£200 is Michael's estimate.

I'm hoping Renee and Harry's Macclesfield ladder-back chair will climb up to £100-£200.

Any money Marie makes for her unusual cigarette box will be split between her three grandchildren.

We'll soon find out what the bidders make of all our owners' items

as I cross into Yorkshire.

Our auction is housed in a former mill for spinning cotton waste

and it's now recycling antiques.

Auctioneer Ian Peace is today's Master of Ceremonies. First up is the copper mirror.

I've been joined by Ann and Alison. We're just about to put that mirror under the hammer.

We've got Michael Baggott here.

-Is this a true reflection on the value - £120-£200?

-It's beautiful and in the perfect place.

-It's got the look.

-It might fly away.

Fingers crossed for the top end.

The next lot, 323, is the Arts and Crafts period

oval copper bevelled mirror.

Turquoise stones. What am I bid?

80? 60, thank you. £60.

70. At 80. £80.

At 80. And 90.

-£90.

-Come on, we're nearly there.

At £90. 95 there.

100. And 5.

-At 105. Are we all done?

-No!

-110.

-In the fifth row at 110. All done?

-Ohhh...

-And 15 here. 120.

Anybody else now? 120.

At £120. Are we all done at 120, then?

All credit to that man on the rostrum.

He worked some magic. That really was struggling.

-I nearly bid myself!

-I was like that!

My turn to be the expert now. Some wonderful regional furniture. It dates back to the 18th century.

It's that gorgeous chair. And it belongs to this lovely couple, Renee and Harry.

-You all right?

-Thank you.

-It's great to see you.

-You really put a smile on my face on the valuation day.

-I'm always looking at your photo!

-What's he been up to? Getting up to mischief?

-Always!

-Always up to mischief.

-We keep a strict eye on him.

-..Making love, he said!

-Right! Enough of that now.

-Oh...

-We'll talk about that later.

Here we go. We're looking for £100-£200.

The antique Macclesfield ladder-backchair with rush seat. There we are.

100, may I say? 80? 60, thank you.

£60. 70. 80. Are we all done at £80?

At £80, then. We're not quite there at £80.

It's so useful and nobody's appreciating it today.

Everyone was sitting on their hands. And that's a nice example.

-Can I take that back today?

-Yes.

-Do I have to wait to the end?

-We'll get it in the car for you.

Whilst we help Renee and Harry, let's hope the bidders' hands go up for Marie's Faberge lookalike.

Coming up now is a Finnish cigarette case. It's valued at £150-£250 and it belongs to Marie.

-How did you come by this?

-I got it from my dad. I don't know where he got it from.

-Was he a smoker?

-No.

-Never used it at all?

-No.

-It's in perfect condition.

-Pristine. And it's copying a Russian case.

-Maybe some Russian buyers will get excited.

-They've got the big money!

-Absolutely.

Let's hope we get the top end, £250.

Art Deco silver oblong box.

Right. Who will open me with £100 for this? 100?

80? 70? Thanks. 80.

90. 100. And 10.

110. 120. 130.

140. 145.

The lady in the red coat is keen.

155. Thank you. At 160. And 5.

170. And 5.

180. And 5.

£185 bid. At £185, all settled?

185.

-Brilliant.

-Brilliant.

-Well done, Michael.

Happy with that, aren't we?

-HEAVY ACCENT:

-I know my Finnish silver, Paul!

Michael certainly does know his Finnish silver! Next is the extraordinary car boot bargain,

the £1 Clarice Cliff vase.

Steve, it's great to see you again. You've brought your wife, Carol.

He's got great eyes, hasn't he? My word! This is about to make a lot of money, I think.

It was bought for £1. Can we get £50-£80? Fingers crossed.

It's on the internet. All the Clarice Cliff hunters out there. Going under the hammer now.

The small Clarice Cliff Bizarre bud vase. 362.

Being shown.

Open this at £50? £50?

£50. 60, do I see? 60 over there.

70 on commission. 80. 90.

100. And 10. 120.

130 on the phone. Anybody else now...? 140.

150. 160.

170. 180.

£180 in the room. At £180...

Yes! £180! And that was bought for £1. Good on you.

-Coming up later is a bronze nude that catches Adam's eye.

-Yeah!

-She's very striking.

-Very tactile.

-I do notice some areas have been rubbed more than others!

The early part of the 19th century was a period of enormous industrial development in Britain.

It was the age of the factory, the era of the machine, child labour, strikes and factory reform.

The workers here in Lancashire felt the full force of these changes because cotton was king.

Due to the damp conditions here, it really took off. So mills like this

at Helmshaw quickly became the main source of employment.

The rise of the cotton industry brought prosperity. However, when the raw material dried up,

along came suffering, hardship and starvation.

Imagine living through this period of intense change. One group of men did and they documented

all aspects of life through poetry. They were the Blackburn Poets.

They were led by a chap called William Billington. Most of their work was written in local dialect.

Billington was the elder statesman of the Blackburn Poets and also a working-class hero,

advising trade unions and writing poetry. Many of the Blackburn Poets chose to write in dialect

because it was their natural voice.

The Lancashire dialect is derived from the Celtic language and is very similar to Welsh.

To hear more about the Blackburn Poets, I've come to talk to local dialect historian Sid Calderbank.

Thank you for meeting me today.

-I guess coming from a poor background, Billington was illiterate?

-Well, as you know, Paul,

most children in Victorian Lancashire had a very scant formal education.

It lasted no further than nine years of age and then they got a job in a factory for their 10th birthday.

But he was a regular at the local Catholic Sunday school

and it was there he was taught to read and write. Later on, as a teenager living in Blackburn,

after a long day in t'mill, he would find his way to the Blackburn Mechanics Institute.

There he met other literary men.

-And he became the leader of the Blackburn Poets.

-Yes, he did.

Once he'd saved up enough money, he left the cotton and took over a beer house

on the corner of Nabb Lane.

And there he nurtured this large group of local poets and authors

who'd gather of an evening to swap rhymes over a jug of ale.

And in Billington's poem Where Have All The Blackburn Poets Gone?

he lists 24 of his friends and, whilst celebrating their works,

he tries to inspire the younger ones to get up and sing, to continue the art,

even though they may feel that they're not quite good enough.

Some are dead, some have fled

Some have ceased to sing on

But the most of the poets of Blackburn are gone

Don't hide in a napkin your talent, like West, Nor scruple to sing, lest you should not sing best

The steps to the heavens that glitter up yon Each rests on one lower

And all upon one

Go and lay out your money in trade or in trust

Machines when left idle will ruin and rust

Reckon all reasons, the pro and the con

For singing we've many For silence we've none.

In fine, may the bards of this smoky old town

By their confluent gleams add a glow to its crown

Like stars in one sky let them mingle their blaze of light

Not envy each other its tints or perfumes

The pipes of an organ all vary in tone

The sound must be several But the music is one.

Tell me a little bit more about the others.

Let's talk about John Thomas Baron.

Born in 1856, here in Blackburn.

And apprenticed as a fitter and turner in Dickinson's Bank Tap Foundry.

It was there that he began to write. Poetry.

In 1876, age 20, he submitted his first poem to the Blackburn Times.

A Comfortable Smoke it were called.

The editor liked it, printed it, and asked him for more.

And thus began an association that would eventually result

in one poem a week, every week,

for 35 years.

That's prolific! That's very prolific!

Now you're a man of many talents and you're going to sing for us the Shurat Weaver's Song,

but before you start, can you explain what it's about?

Well, this is particularly appropriate to where we are today

in a 19th-century cotton mill.

In 1860 in Lancashire, there were 2,000 cotton mills.

In them, they had 21.5 million spinning spindles,

300,000 looms,

500,000 workers.

The great port of Liverpool took in 3.5 million bales of American cotton.

The problem was

in 1861 when the American Civil War broke out, Lincoln ordered a blockade of the southern ports

to starve the Confederates of imports of arms and exports of cotton.

And Lancashire's cotton supply stopped.

And all these hundreds of thousands of workers were thrown out onto the streets

with no social safety net to catch them. And they starved.

And so the frustration of the weavers turned to anger.

This song contains some references to that anger and frustration and also some odd dialect words

which you might not have come across. Like popped, which is the early version of pawned.

And Owd Scrat, which is one of many Victorian euphemisms for the Devil.

# We're warkin lads frae Lankysheer An' gradely daycent fooak

# We'n hunted weyvin far an' near An' couldn't ged a strook

# We'n sowd booath table, clock an' cheer, an' popt booath shoon an' hat

# An' borne wod mortal men can bear Affoor we'd weyve Surat!

# It's just like rowlin' stooans up t'broo or twisting rooaps o' sand

# Yo piece y'or twist id comes i' two Like cobwebs in your hand

# Aw've wark'd an' woven all my days Now I'm as wayk as a cat

# Cos after o as aw can do Aw'm konkurd bi t'Surat! #

That was fantastic. Very poignant and from a time of great hardship.

Yes, it was sold all over Blackburn.

And it was picked up by the out of work weavers

and sung on the streets,

there being more perceived dignity in busking

rather than begging.

-14,000 copies of that song...

-Wow.

-..were sold.

This is when people had hardly any money to spend anywhere. It was that popular.

-So Billington was a hero to all these people.

-A local hero.

Don't forget that he was a weaver. He was one of them.

And he wrote their own story in their own language.

# I used to think as Deeoth had such a dark and dismal face

# Now I fancy t'cemetery as quite a pleasant place

# Cos sin' we took our Bill to bury I've often wish'd Owd Scrat

# Ud get a bag-o'-tricks an' lorry To hell wi' o t'Surat! #

Back at St George's Hall in Blackburn, Adam's found a piece of work by another Lancashire artist.

Rodney and Joan, I'm really pleased to see this today that you've brought along

because before I came up here I wanted to see some northern art.

And here we've got it. A piece by James Lawrence Isherwood of Wigan.

-James, yes.

-Everyone called him Lawrence.

-Yeah, they did.

-How did you come to own the Isherwood?

-We bought it in the '70s.

-OK.

-We went to Southport one day and he had an exhibition on there.

-And we picked this one because we're interested in sailing.

-OK.

-It's the boating lake at Southport.

-Did you get to meet the artist?

-Oh, yes. We bought it from him.

-Directly from him? What was he like?

-Bit of an eccentric.

-Very.

-I believe so. I've sold over 100 of these over the years,

not only in the north-west.

-You just realise how prolific he was.

-Yes.

-He'd paint until he had a vanload.

-That's right.

-Then he'd sell them.

-On the East Lancs, in lay-bys.

-Really?

-Yes.

-And when he was short of money.

-I think there was one incident where he was in court for speeding

-and he offered to pay the fine with a painting. The judge wouldn't barter.

-He might wish he had now!

A lot of interesting stories about Isherwood.

And I've seen many of them.

So can I ask you, first of all, why have you decided to sell it?

I don't think we appreciate it any more. Somebody, a collector, might appreciate it more.

-It's lost its magic for you?

-Yes.

-Right. Like I say, there do seem to be a lot of them out there,

but they are very popular. Isherwood's topical. There's a book about him.

-Now you bought it in the 1970s.

-'75.

-'75.

-Do you remember what it cost?

-Yes, because he asked £40 for it.

I offered him 30 and he accepted.

He took what he could get. Nowadays, have you got any idea what it's worth?

-Well, we had it roughly valued about six years ago.

-Right.

On an antiques programme, the Antiques Roadshow.

-Right.

-It came to Wigan.

-OK.

-And the chap there said he thought £400 or £500.

I think £400-£600 is right.

-Yeah.

-And it may do a bit more because it's a lovely example.

-The reserve should probably be £400.

-Right.

-If it doesn't make £400, you can try some other day

-or hang on to it. Does that sound all right?

-Very reasonable, yeah.

I could talk about this for ages. Lovely to see it.

-Louise!

-Hello!

-Thank you for bringing this panel in. Where's the rest of it?!

-If only I knew!

-Where is it from?

-About a month ago, my oldest brother died.

-Right.

And, um...

He had a number of things which he'd been given from somebody he knew, a very old man,

who collected all kinds of things, beautiful things.

I presume that this came from there.

-It was in a cupboard and I'd never seen it before.

-Oh, wow.

-So it was quite a surprise.

-Yes.

Sadly, if we turn it over first of all, we'll get the bad points out of the way first.

-A modern bit of ply.

-Yeah.

-Which has been laid onto

because at some stage that's cracked clear in half.

Probably this is a panel either from a table cabinet

-or, more likely, a panel from a chest.

-Yes.

-Any idea of how old it is?

-I would say it's quite old.

-I would say perhaps 100, 200 years, but I don't really know.

-That's fair enough.

All of this decoration, all this fabulous quality inlay,

we've got very delicate, light scrolls.

And decoration like this first appears in about 1550

when they're excavating in Rome Nero's palace.

As they're digging down and uncovering the rooms, they see this fine classical ornament,

with all these grotesques and figures. And then it comes into European art and disseminates

on porcelain, furniture, silver.

And it continues for about 50, 60 years.

I think this panel is as early as 1580, 1600.

It's a late Elizabethan panel.

If it were English! This leads us on to the next thing.

There's a lot of woodworm holes.

And there's probably a lot of woodworm holes because it comes from a German,

possibly a South German piece of furniture which would have been laid, all the wonderful veneers,

onto a pine base.

And pine is particularly susceptible to woodworm.

But even when it happened, someone thought this panel was of sufficient quality to keep.

It's a very difficult thing to value because they're fragments.

-Yes.

-Certainly if you had a 1580s marquetry chest like this,

you'd be talking £7,000, £8,000, £10,000. Maybe a little bit more than that.

What you get for one panel out of it is the question.

I think we should put it in to auction and put a broad estimate

of £200-£400 on it.

Fix the reserve at £200 because I think, really, at that, for something so old...

-And so beautiful.

-So beautiful. The quality of this. Each little segment of this is hand-sawn.

-Thank you so much for bringing along probably the oldest thing I'll see today.

-That's nice.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

-So you're Dorothy.

-I'm Dorothy.

-Who's this fella?

-This is Derek, my husband.

-Hello, Derek.

-Hi.

-How long have you been married?

-45 years.

-Have you got nicknames?

-No!

-He sometimes calls me Dolly!

-Dolly?

-He sometimes calls me Dolly.

-And have you got a name for her?

-No, I just think she's lovely.

Well, I do, I do.

-Yeah. She's very striking.

-Very tactile, isn't she?

-Some areas have been rubbed more than others!

-My son!

-Is it your son's piece?

-Yes, it is.

-Where did he get it from?

-A car boot.

-Did he really?

-How long ago?

-A couple of years.

-And how much for?

-£25.

-£25.

-Yeah.

-Goodness me. It's probably worth that in weight alone.

-It is! I've carried it!

It's a big bronze figure of this reclining maiden.

-She's rather nice, isn't she?

-Yes.

-She's not signed anywhere, is she?

-Not that we know of.

-I don't know if she's a great age.

-Does age make all that difference?

A name makes a difference and age will. I haven't seen reproductions of this figure, though, so...

She's certainly 20th century, but to be more specific than that is going to be quite tricky.

-Why has he decided to sell it now?

-I think he might have gone off females!

He's out fishing now. That's why he's not here.

Right, he's out fishing. So he's gone from females to fish.

Does he have a high expectation? Does he think it's worth an awful lot?

He did think it was worth... that it was worth in the region of £500 or something like that.

Well, it's certainly worth more than he paid for it, but £500 would be really going some.

-You never know with an auction. All it takes is two people to fall in love with it.

-Yeah.

You never know. But I'd be more conservative and suggest £100-£200.

We'll put a reserve of £100. It must be... SHE must be worth £100.

-Mm, lovely. Thank you very much.

-It's a pleasure. See you at the auction.

You will, yes.

We're now heading back for a return visit to the Calder Valley Auctioneers.

It's time for our remaining arty lots to go under the hammer.

Rodney and Joan have enjoyed, but are now tired of their Isherwood,

so it's time for it to sail into the sunset.

Louise's panel also paints a pretty picture and Michael confirms that it's very old.

I think this panel is as early as 1580, 1600.

And, finally, Dorothy and Derek have struggled in with their son's statue, our second car boot find.

And maybe Dorothy will be carrying off some loot in exchange after the auction.

We'll have to wait and see.

Talking of carrying things...

I've spotted something. It's this 19th-century tin oval tray.

It's beautiful. If I pick this up I can show you this. Look at that.

You're not just buying a tray. You're buying an oil painting. That's beautifully painted by hand.

This is circa 1820, 1830. It's a hunting scene.

It's not that PC. I don't particularly like it, but it's beautifully executed

and price guided at £40-£60.

If this was in the Home Counties, in the Shires, hunting territory,

I think this would be catalogued at £200-£300,

even in its present condition, which is pretty good for its age.

There's a bit of wear here and the gilding's lost its colour.

In perfect condition, it's £500-£700. I want to follow this through later in the sale.

I've a feeling this could do a couple of hundred pounds easily.

It may even go to £300.

Value is what we're here to determine and it's the Isherwood that's up first.

I think this is a real stunner. Adam valued this at £400-£600.

We've got everything except for Rodney, who should be right here. He can't be with us today.

-He couldn't make it, so let's do our best for him.

-He did tell me he couldn't come,

but I said it doesn't matter!

Lot 595. The Lawrence James Isherwood, 1917-1988.

I'd like to open this at £200. 220.

240 in the room. 240. 260?

260. 280. 300.

And 20. 340. 360.

380. 400, the lady in the room.

£400. 420. 440 in the room.

At 460. 480 in the room.

£500. At £500, a shake of the head. £500 then on the phone.

Top bid at £500.

Well done, Adam. Mid-estimate.

-£500. Rodney will be pleased.

-I hope so.

Louise is off to Cyprus in a couple of weeks so we need top money for this lovely wooden panel.

Michael's put £200-£400 on it. We had a chat with the auctioneer.

We both liked it, but I think it's rather folksy and naive and done by an apprentice or an amateur.

-But put it in a triple ebony-moulded frame...

-Then you've got the look.

-A thousand dollars.

-And Louise looks a thousand dollars.

-You do. I love what you're wearing.

-Thank you.

-Fingers crossed.

This is it. Good luck.

337 is the marquetry panel. 80 I have here.

£80. 90. £100.

Any advance on £100? Are we all done?

Not on the market at £100.

-Aww, it didn't sell.

-It's slightly too specialised.

-Yes.

-For here today. I do think it's that early.

If it went into a specialist furniture sale,

-with works of art...

-Period furniture.

-..people will see that with a different eye...

-Yeah.

-..than they have here today.

-I might just keep it.

-Frame it!

-Why not? I think that's a good idea. Frame it. Frame it.

-I'll just keep it.

So as Louise now happily carries her plaque home, it's my turn to hunt down some bidders.

Remember that tray we looked at? The oval 19th-century one?

-Let's watch this.

-The hunting scene. That's an interesting piece.

50 in the doorway. £50. 60. 70.

-It's worth an awful lot more.

-100. 110. 120.

-130.

-More like it now.

150. 60. 170.

-Catalogued at £40-£60.

-190. 200.

210. 220. 230.

240. 250. 260.

270. 280. 290.

-That's better, isn't it?

-And 10. 320.

330. 340.

-Great.

-350. 360.

370. £370.

£370 in the room. Going for 370.

Fantastic. That takes it to about £420 with commission.

That's a good price. No one got that cheap.

But our next item was definitely bought on the cheap!

Hopefully, you'll be on the phone to your son later on saying that £25 has been turned into

-the top end of Adam's estimate, £200. Fingers crossed. Do you like it?

-Love it.

It's well modelled, looks great. Good luck. Here we go, this is it.

The bronze model of a nude girl with sabre.

I'm opening this at £100 on a commission bid. 110. 120.

-130. 140.

-Brilliant.

-150. 160. 170.

170. 180. 190. 200.

And 10. 220.

230. 240, sir. 240.

250. 260. 270.

280. 290. 300.

And 10. 320. 330.

340. 350.

-360.

-This is great.

-370. 380. 390.

400. And 10. 420. 430.

440. 450. 460. 470.

I can't believe that.

At £480. Have you all done? At 480, then.

Brilliant. Absolutely fantastic.

£25 purchase at a car boot.

-You've got to get on the phone!

-I will!

Sadly, we're coming to the end of another show.

It's all over for our owners. We've had a bit of a mixed day,

but that's auctions for you. You win some, you lose some.

If you've got anything you want to sell, we would love to see you.

Come to one of our valuation days and you could be on the show. Until the next time, cheerio.

Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd - 2010

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