Isle of Wight Flog It!

Just look at this. We all laugh at boys and their toys, don't we?

But this is one man's lifelong passion for collecting model railways

and it's all here in his backyard, which measures 30 feet by 18 feet.

More of that later on in the show, but right now it's full steam ahead

to the Isle of Wight to meet more collectors who are passionate and want to Flog It!

The Isle of Wight is a haven for people who are mad about boats.

It's known for its stunning coastline.

The Needles, its most famous landmark,

juts dramatically from the sea and the lighthouse has been warning captains of their danger since 1859.

And it's to Cowes that we sail today, where the crowds are starting to build.

Surveying the line for those hidden treasures today, our experts Kate Bateman and Will Axon.

A cup of tea and a biscuit.

But right now it's time to get the doors of the Cowes Yacht Haven

well and truly open.

-Ready to go inside?

-Yes!

Yes! Come on, then!

Whilst the crowd settle, here's a sneak preview of what's coming up later in the show.

Why do you want to sell this?

-Well, I lost my teeth last New Year...

-Oh, yes!

And I've got to get some new ones.

And to start us off, Kate has found a mysterious medal from a fashion giant at her table.

So, Lindsey, you've brought this medal along, what do you know about it?

Unfortunately not a lot.

It was given to me by my father in the early '80s.

I believe the recipient was known to him.

He was an auctioneer and valuer and maybe he was involved in her estate when she died.

-So this is this Mrs Alison Settle?

-Alison Settle, yes.

-Right.

And she was an editor of Vogue in the 1920s...

-Excellent.

-..and obviously was well thought of by Christian Dior.

I think it was a thank you for her interest in Christian Dior fashion and presumably...

Her patronage! Maybe she dressed head to toe in Dior.

-Absolutely, yes.

-And what we've got is a little silver medallion here.

I'll just take it out and have a look.

It's got a picture of Christian Dior on the...

On the back here and, here we go, on the front

-we've got the dates, so 1947 to 1967, obviously the 20th anniversary of the House Of Christian Dior.

-Yes.

What's lovely is that you've got this letter on it. It's brilliant.

-Yes.

-We talk about provenance and needing the background information about a piece.

Yes, well, I didn't find it...

until I had the medal in my possession for a couple of years.

-I didn't realise it was tucked underneath...

-It was hidden behind the thing? Ah.

-It was folded up and hidden behind.

-A good find!

-Yes.

I love the fact that it says "In spite of the overwhelming week of collections

"you find some time to write to me about them", so obviously high fashion and drama going on!

-Absolutely.

-It's an unusual thing.

-It is.

-I haven't sold anything like it and

I doubt we'll find anything really close to it online and selling, but it's quite hard to price.

Obviously it means something to you personally.

It does, but I've had it for 25 years and I've shown it to friends of mine

who are interested in fashion and I think that it's probably time to move it on.

I'm sure somebody would love to have it.

I think somebody with a fashion background or anything like that.

Even a collector or a museum would love to have it, maybe even Dior, themselves, back again.

-Yes, you never know.

-Any idea what price you're hoping to get?

I don't think it's worth a great deal because it's the interest rather than the value.

-Absolutely.

-I suppose...

-£30 or... I'm really more interested that it should go for its interest's sake...

-To a good home.

..rather than for the value.

So maybe put it around the £50 mark.

-Yeah.

-Sort of estimate maybe 40 to 60.

-That would be fine.

Put a reserve of, say, £30...

-Yes.

-You don't want to give it away.

-No.

-You'd be gutted to sell it for a tenner.

-That would be sad.

-So, OK, and we'll do that, and a reserve of 30.

-I'm very happy with that.

-Good.

-OK.

-I'll see you at the auction.

-I shall be there.

-Alex.

-Yes.

-Hello there.

-Hello.

-I'm Will. Thank you for coming along today and bringing on a small selection of studio pottery.

-That's right.

-What can you tell me about it? Do you collect it?

We do, we collect all sorts of things like this and I particularly like all this stuff here.

-So you're aware of the marks to the base of most of these?

-I think so.

If I turn this one up first, we've got the L impressed mark there,

so that's from the Leach family, headed up by Bernard Leach, probably the most famous studio potter...

-Yes, yes.

-..from England and the British Isles.

When you think of the Leach factory you think of two places, don't you?

-You think of St Ives...

-Yes.

-..where the factory was based and set up.

-Yes.

-And you also think of Japan...

-That's true, yes.

-..which is where Bernard Leach, who was born in Hong Kong...

-Oh, was he?

-He was born in Hong Kong.

-Shortly after his birth he was taken to Japan...

-Yes.

And that's where he had this great relationship with Shoji Hamada, who was a Japanese potter.

-Right, I've heard of him.

-And it's from him that he learned all these techniques

of the Japanese art pottery, the slab techniques, the glazes, the shapes.

You say you've bought them, you've collected them. Have you been buying them from shops or auctions

or just where you see them?

I got this in a charity shop.

-OK.

-And I only paid 40p for it.

-Well done! Good. Because you spotted the mark?

-I did see the mark but I...

First of all I saw the shape of it and I really liked it, and then I thought, I'll have a quick look

and see what it was and then I just couldn't believe it, so I bought it.

You've done well. We love to hear stories like that on Flog It!

-So that's your cheapest buy.

-Yes, that's right.

-Which one's your most expensive?

-I can't remember. I think they were all round about £30, £40...

-OK.

-The rest of them anyway.

-OK, which is a sort of retail figure, so...

-Yeah.

If we translate that to the saleroom,

-you're probably looking at still that sort of figure each.

-OK.

-It's unfortunate that none of them are by Bernard himself. You'd be putting a nought on the end.

-Sorry!

-Yes, he is, shall we say, the granddaddy of British studio pottery.

-Yeah.

I would say if we could think of £30 to £40 each again, we're looking at around that £150 mark...

-Yes.

-..for the group.

-Yes.

-Would you be happy at that sort of figure?

-I would.

-Yeah?

-I would, yes.

-What about reserve? Are we going to put a reserve on them

or are you going to let them make what they make? I'm happy to reserve them at... Shall we put 100 on them?

-Say that, yes.

-As a reserve.

-OK, that would be lovely.

-Fixed reserve of £100 to give us a bit of...

-Leeway.

Leeway, exactly, for the auctioneer on the day.

-That's fine.

-We'll see you at the auction.

-I'll look forward to that, thank you very much.

-Great.

-Lovely.

Well, that's a couple of good finds from Kate and Will, and, having scoured around myself,

I've now persuaded Trevor to let me take a closer look at his mysterious wooden box.

Trevor, what can you tell me about this?

I can't tell you too much about it.

-Where did you get this level?

-Where did I get it?

-Yeah.

-I bought it at a boot sale about 25 years ago.

-On the island?

-On the island.

-And how much did you pay for it?

-About £2.50.

-Is that all?

-That's all.

Mind you, it was 20 years ago, I suppose.

-Yes. Yeah, it was a long time.

-Yeah.

But I... I bought it for work.

-What do you do for a living, then?

-I used to be a roofer.

-Right, OK.

-So I bought this, to use up on the roof.

-To find the angles.

-Yeah, but...

It's a little too precise, isn't it?

Yeah, too much for me. I couldn't... Couldn't use it so I put it up in the loft.

I think you've picked up a bargain, I really do.

It is for a carpenter, but it's for a cabinet maker that would have worked onboard ship.

-Yes.

-You can see that was hanging up in a workshop somewhere just with this little hole here.

-The second-fix cabinetmaker would take this onboard vessel...

-Right.

..with the pieces of furniture he's made in the workshop to fit in the cabins.

Now, when he comes to fit the furniture, awkward sized cabins,

different ribs, different stations and bulkheads protruding in.

To find the angles he would use this, he would then set his level to find the horizontal.

Once he's got that gauge he can turn this around and then he knows,

working off that same station line which he's found, let's say a 45 degree angle,

he knows where the horizontal is.

That's very interesting because I knew none of that.

That is such a precise gauge and tool, it really is.

I've not seen one like this.

Well, it's the only one I've ever seen.

-It's a quality item, it really is.

-Good, that's nice to know.

I'm quite excited because there are a lot of people that collect levels and spirit levels and gauges.

I never knew that.

-Yeah, there's a big collectors' club and I think they're going to want to own it.

-That's nice to know.

It's a nice Victorian piece, circa 1880, 1890s, towards the end of the Victorian period.

-I didn't think it was that early.

-Yeah. Why do you want to sell this?

Well, I lost my teeth last New Year...

-Oh, yes!

-And I've got to get some new ones.

-So you're going to pay for the teeth.

So it'll go towards it, yes, yeah.

Any idea what it's worth?

I have no idea whatsoever what it's worth.

I'd like to put this into auction with a valuation of £100 to £150.

-That would be very nice.

-And hopefully it'll get to the top end.

-If you pardon the pun, it is going to find its own level around there.

-Be nice, be very nice.

We'll put a fixed reserve at £100, shall we?

-Yeah, fine, thank you.

-OK.

-Thank you very much.

My pleasure. Thank you so much for bringing it in, Trevor.

It's been my pleasure to bring it in here.

Well, it's nice to be able to inform folk about an item they know nothing about,

Then again, we're always happy to see a few old favourites.

-Hello, Hugh.

-Hi.

-Thank you for coming along today.

Being on the Isle of Wight

I expected to perhaps see some seafaring vessels,

but you've brought along some landlocked examples in these Hornby Dublo train set.

-Indeed.

-How have you come by this? Is this something that was played with by you?

Yes, it was...

It goes back to the mid '50s, childhood toys bought as Christmas presents, birthday presents

and I played regularly with them until, probably, my early teens.

-I thought you were going to say last week there...

-No, no, no!

-Where have they been since then? Tucked away in the loft?

-In several lofts in all the house moves, yes.

-Because we've got a small selection on the table here in front of us.

-We have.

-But you came with quite a variety of pieces including a lot of track.

-Yes, indeed.

Hornby, of course, is a name that everyone's familiar with.

-Sure.

-It was started back sort of in the 1920s.

-Yeah.

These were good quality die-cast models realistic to scale,

there were no corners cut, shall we say?

These were proper models and it just so happened that they were made for playing with.

Have you any idea what it is worth, have you had a thought?

Have you had it valued in the past?

I have never had it valued, no.

I mean, I've... I've looked on the internet from time to time and see obviously some...

-Some items selling individually.

-Yes, yes.

Yes. I'd like to think it was probably sort of in the low hundreds, the value.

Well, yeah. I think you're in the right sort of ballpark figure.

-I can certainly see it, especially as you've got a decent quantity of it.

-Yeah.

My suggestion would be £200 to £300, perhaps, as an auction estimate.

-OK, sounds good.

-I think it could stand making a little bit more.

Why are you selling them? To raise funds for another investment?

Yes, it's...

-I'm a supporter and volunteer of the Ellen MacArthur Trust...

-Wonderful.

..and I'd like to split between the trust

and I also have a little daughter called Ellen, of course.

-Oh, do you?

-Yes.

-Named after Ellen?

-After Ellen MacArthur.

-Really?

-Indeed, yeah.

-She's based on the island now, is she?

-She lives on the island.

-It sounds like a very worthwhile cause.

-It is.

So I think if we estimate at £200 to £300, and reserve it at 150...

-Right.

-Then I think hopefully we'll be able to get some money on the day

-and that's going to go towards a great cause.

-Yes.

Well, that's it, we're now ready to make our first trip to Shanklin for today's auction.

While we make our way there, we'll leave you with a reminder

of all the items that are going under the hammer.

Will the fashionistas be out in force to bid on Lindsay's medal?

It celebrates the 20th anniversary of the House Of Christian Dior

and Kate valued it at an affordable £40 to £60.

We've also got Alex's collection of Leach studio pottery.

She's got a keen eye.

-I got this in a charity shop.

-OK.

And I only paid 40p for it.

She'll make a nice profit if she can reach Will's £150 to £250 valuation.

Trevor is yet to use his Victorian marine level and I don't think he's wasted his £2.50!

I think it's a quality item.

My valuation is £100 to £150 and that should make him smile.

And, finally, Hugh's Hornby train set.

He played with it as a young lad, in the 1950s, but it's been ignored since his teens.

I think Will is on track with his £200 to £300 valuation.

For today's auction we've headed south on a bright and breezy day to Island Auctioneers here in Shanklin.

But, before the sale gets underway, I wanted to chat to today's auctioneer, Warren Riches,

about that 1950s train set.

Warren, I bet you had a train set like this, didn't you?

-I did.

-I did, as well.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Everyone had the Hornby.

-They did.

This belongs to Hugh. He was a lot more careful than I was

-playing with trains. I never kept the boxes.

-No.

-Did you?

-No.

The first thing to get thrown out.

I think that's 30% of the value now, a good box.

It is, yeah. You can even sell the boxes without the innards now.

We've put a value of £200 to £300...

-Right.

-..on the lot...

-Yeah.

..with the track and the station. What do you think?

I think it's a good lot. Condition is good, the boxes are good,

there's a lot of it so I think it should sell for the top end.

-We're on the right track.

-We are.

Well, that's good news for Hugh's charity, but right now we're starting off in style -

Parisian style!

First up it's Lindsey's limited edition Dior medal.

We've got £40 to £60 on this.

Yeah. it's really hard to value because it's almost a one off.

There are so few made and I can't see who quite will buy it,

but I'm sure somebody out there will love it.

I just hope that somebody with a real passion for...

-A passion for fashion!

-For fashion, yes.

-Oh, a passion for fashion.

-That's what we like.

-There's lots of women out there with that.

Not too far away from here!

Yes, probably, yes.

What do you do with it other than look at it as I have

many, many times since I've had it for the last 20 years or so?

Let's find out. This is a great starting point. Let's see what it sells for. Here we go.

A Christian Dior silver commemorative medal

in the presentation case with the maker's mark to it.

A nice little lot. Someone start me at £20.

-Yeah, go on.

-20 with Tim. Two can I say?

20 here. Two anywhere? 22. 24. 26.

28. And 30. And two.

30 there. Two anywhere? 30 there.

Two in a new place. 32. 34. 36. 38.

And 40. 42.

-It's sold.

-44? It's 42, then.

In the centre at 42. All done at 42?

It sold, £42. That's OK. It was within estimate, wasn't it?

And Kate was saying, well, how do you put a value on it,

but you nailed it perfectly.

-Well...

-You did.

-Tres bien!

-Well done. Thank you very much.

-Thanks for bringing it in.

-No, that's lovely. Thank you.

-It's a lovely thing to talk about, isn't it?

-Very interesting, yes.

-I've had great fun with it. Hopefully somebody else will.

-Exactly.

-Yes.

Well, I hope the bidders go potty about this next lot because, going under the hammer,

we've got some studio pottery brought in by Alex.

Will and I fell in love with these little Leach possessions, didn't we? They're gorgeous.

Unfortunately, not Bernard Leach, not the name synonymous with fantastic studio pottery,

but, nevertheless, part of the dynasty.

-We've got £150 to £250.

-Hopefully.

Well, you bought really well.

I did actually, yes. I was really pleased with that.

-Why are you selling these, though?

-I've got so many things indoors anyway.

I do like collecting other things and I've seen something here that I like.

-What? What have you seen?

-I'm not telling you!

-Oh, come on, we won't...

-A really nice Poole pot, an old one.

-A bit of Poole pottery.

-Sort of an early one, anyway.

-Yes.

-So I'd quite like that.

-Have a go for it.

-Yeah, I will.

Right now, let's get down to business. They're going under the hammer now.

Five pieces of studio pottery from the Leach studio,

all with impressed marks to the base.

A nice collector's piece. 70 anywhere?

70. And five. And 80.

And five. And 90. And five. And 100.

And 110. 120. 130. 140.

150? 140 then. In the room at 140.

Are we all done at £140?

And selling at 140. All done at 140.

-£140, Alex.

-Oh, lovely. Oh, I'm pleased.

-He just got them away, didn't he?

-I know, just about.

I didn't mind taking them home because I love them, but it's nice they've gone to a new home.

And hopefully the money now is going to go towards that bit of Poole pottery.

-My piece of Poole pottery.

-We'll keep an eye on you. We'll watch...

-We'll look after you.

-That's lovely, thank you.

-Well done, Will.

-Lovely, really enjoyed it.

Great result for Alex. Next up it's my old friend Trevor.

Right, it's my turn to be the expert now.

Next up, the Victorian spirit level and all the proceeds from the sale of this one

are going to literally put a big smile on Trevor's face.

Trevor, it's great to see you again.

-And you've brought the wife along! What's your name?

-Elaine.

-Elaine.

-He's a bit nervous today.

-He's very nervous, yes.

-It's his first auction.

-Yes.

-What do you think?

-Yeah, it's all right, isn't it?

-Hopefully they're all here buying your spirit level.

-I hope so.

-That was a good find, wasn't it, Elaine?

-It was.

-The only reason I brought it was because Elaine told me to bring it.

-Really?

-I did, yes.

-Well, good for you.

-Because I said it was quirky and he should bring it.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-I like what he's spending the money on.

-Yeah.

-That's a first on Flog It!, isn't it?

-I hope so.

I just hope we sell it. I don't want to let you down.

Late 19th century mahogany and brass marine level.

Nice calibrated brass scale there.

-I can start you at 70.

-In at 70. Five anywhere?

75. 80. Five. 90. Five.

-We're going to sell it, we're going to do it!

-100.

110. 120. 130. 140. 150?

140 here. 150 anywhere?

150. 160. 170?

170. 180?

180, yes. 190? 180, then. It's 180.

190, he's back in. 200.

210, only? One more?

210. 220? 210 then.

It's in the corner at £210. We're selling at 210, all done.

Yes! It's all smiles over here!

-£210!

-That's great!

Less commission, obviously, but that's fantastic, isn't it?

-And I'll get my teeth!

-Well, it's a good start, isn't it, yeah.

-How about that?

-Thank you very much.

-That smile will be beautiful.

-Trevor's as pleased as punch. Now, I'm really intrigued to see how those Hornby pieces do.

It's certainly turning into a family event here in Shanklin.

I've just been joined by Hugh and his daughter Ellen and we're about to sell the Hornby train set,

which I had the exact model, and I had a chat to the auctioneer before the sale started and so did he.

We've got £200 to £300, Will.

That's right, yeah. Reserve at 150, so there's a lot there for your money.

-There's a lot of kit.

-Good condition and the money's going towards a good cause,

-as you've mentioned at the valuation day, Hugh. It's all getting split.

-Ellen MacArthur charity.

-It is, yes.

And you share the same name, don't you, Ellen?

Well, she'll share a little bit if we make any money.

-I'm sure you will.

-It's a great cause and it helps kids get out and sail, which is what it's all about.

-Indeed.

-Yeah. Good luck.

Good luck, wish daddy good luck, won't you? Here we go.

It's going under the hammer now. Bless!

That's better, we got a smile!

Large collection of Hornby 00 train and accessories, over 30 pieces.

Lots and lots of interest. Two commissions. £330.

We're straight in at 330 on two commissions. 330. 340 anywhere?

330 commission. 340 can I say? 340, phone.

350? 350. 360. 370. 380?

380. 390.

400?

-It's 390 here. 390.

-You'll be going home via the toy shop!

390. All done at 390 and selling.

Very good. Very good result! £390.

Half of it's going towards you.

Good luck with the Ellen MacArthur charity because it's such a fantastic cause.

Get out there and get sailing!

That is such a good result and the money is going to a very worthy cause.

Hugh may have decided to sell up his Hornby collection,

but I'm going to visit a man who's made model railways a hobby for life.

Mention Hornby and most people in the street are more than likely to know what you're going on about

because the name and the product is so popular, and I bet, up and down the country,

there's thousands of houses that have given over their attics, garages and spare bedrooms

to provide the setting for tiny station guards to operate these miniature signals.

Hornby is one of the celebrated names in miniature railways,

designed by Frank Hornby of Meccano and Dinky toy fame.

They first came onto the market in 1920 as construction kits.

Later they were sold ready-assembled and shot to prominence in those little red boxes.

I've always been fascinated by miniature railways and how this hobby has gripped old and young

in equal measures and inspired many collectors.

Now, I'm not much of a train spotter, but when I see Hornby train sets at weekend fairs

and auction rooms all over the country it does put a smile on my face.

What is it about these diminutive carriages that reduce grown men

to sitting cross legged in their attics?

One train enthusiast who's taken his boyhood passion into adulthood is collector Alan Leavy.

And where better to set up his tracks than in the back garden of his London house?

This is absolutely marvellous, Alan!

I like this whole set up being alfresco, especially at this elevated height

you can really enjoy it,

but why didn't you decide to put this in the attic or the shed like most railway enthusiasts?

It just gives you more freedom and when you invite people it's much nicer

-to take them in the garden rather than up in a loft.

-It is more fun, let's face it, yes.

I love how you've planted things around, growing in and out of the track, it's great.

Any problems with leaves on the line?

Yes, they have to be cleared off and all this lot's come down so far

and so every year, we'll have that problem.

-We're all hands to the deck and that's it.

-What about the elements?

Are you slightly worried about snow and rain?

No. No, I mean the system goes back to the turn of the century.

Occasionally you might have to wipe over some of the tracks, whatever the weather is, you can run.

Have you got some of your earliest locomotives and carriages?

Yes, 80, 90 years old. They still run and I have those and we can run them at any stage,

but, like anything else, like vintage cars, you know, you don't want to overdo it.

-So there's a timetable all year round, basically?

-I'm not into timetables, no.

-It's whatever is out...

-When the mood takes you.

Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.

So what gauge system is this?

This is gauge 0, which was very popular from the turn of the century up to the Second World War.

-Yeah.

-It's twice the size of the popular model railway that most kids get.

A lot of collectors would prefer to keep these inside and especially in boxes and keep them intact.

I can understand people not wanting to run a 90-year-old locomotive

where one chip or two chips off it will probably reduce the price by 25%.

I like your attitude because you're still a true boy at heart,

you want to use and play with these. That's what they were designed for.

Absolutely, totally. When you get things at auction which are in their original boxes

and the original paper and the original receipt, it's an absolute miracle they've survived.

-We do see a lot on the road when we're filming and some are in museum condition.

-I know, I know.

What drew you to collecting model railways?

I think it was the lack of having them when I was a child.

-Yeah.

-I was always interested in steam trains. I first saw the sea on a steam train journey

and when I was able to, in my mid 20s, I started collecting one or two.

Yeah.

It might seem like a simple pleasure, but for many the fascination of model trains

and the business of playing with them isn't just a case of getting the toys out,

it's a walk down memory lane.

During the 1930s the steam locomotive experienced something of a golden era

romanticised in countless black-and-white movies.

Train platforms were fog bound and fashionable young lovers waited to board mysterious carriages.

During the Second World War young evacuees were sent to the country,

perhaps travelling by train for the very first time.

It set in motion feelings of trepidation and excitement

that wouldn't diminish with the passing of time.

It's the nostalgia that accompanies these train sets that still delights countless collectors today.

What do some of your colleagues and friends think of this passion?

-Do you worry that they may think you're slightly...nerdy?

-No, I don't worry about what they think.

-You've had it all before.

-Yes, they think I'm barmy and very few of them share it.

I've met a whole new group of people who are...

There's the local postman who's interested.

It's all gravitated towards you now you've got this outside.

-Absolutely.

-People can see it in this built-up area.

-Oh, absolutely. In Central London this is unique.

Yeah. What does your wife think of your passion?

I think it's like...

-something that has grown around her...

-Yeah.

-And she's gradually...

She's had to give up this little garden that we've had for this, but now I think the fact that she can...

-She's embracing it!

-She can see the railway from her kitchen window. What a lucky girl she is!

She's in love with the railway by a process of osmosis, really, by default!

-Very accepting of it, yes.

-You're a lucky man, aren't you?

-Yeah.

-What does this particular collection mean to you?

Well, I think this railway means the realisation of a dream of a boy who didn't even have a circle of track...

to lay down and now one's master of one's universe!

Universe or otherwise, it's nice to see a collection being used and enjoyed.

Whoa!

It's time to go back to our valuation room at Cowes Yacht Haven

and Kate's straight in with a colourful collection.

-Marilyn...

-Yeah?

It's time for tea or coffee. What have you brought us?

-I take it as coffee.

-Right, because of the shape of the pot?

-Yeah.

What do you know about it?

I only know it was my mum and dad's.

Whether they'd had it for a wedding present...

-Right.

-..I do not know.

Well, the date of it is about 1930s, so would that fit in with their...?

No, they got married in 1940.

-Well, basically, the maker is Wilkinson.

-Yeah.

The design is this transfer printed and hand-painted cowslip, but the shape is screaming Clarice Cliff.

And sadly none of these pieces are marked Clarice Cliff,

-but she worked for the Wilkinson factory...

-Yeah.

And all these, this is called the Biarritz shape, is one of the shapes that she got given as blanks

and told to go crazy and obviously came up with all her designs.

So, it's a Clarice Cliff shape...

-Yeah.

-..and it's a Clarice Cliff factory, but it's not got Clarice Cliff design on it.

But it's still really collectable for that reason and really good fun.

Any idea, pricewise, what you think it's worth?

Well, I was looking for somewhere about £100?

£100-ish.

Well, we've got quite a few pieces

and we've got five saucers, four cups, milk and sugar and the coffee pot.

-Yeah.

-A few little nicks, you know, chips that I can see.

-Yeah, yeah.

But, overall, pretty good condition.

I think you're probably about right with your valuation.

It's going to straddle the £100 mark.

I would probably put it between 80 and 120...

-Yes, yes.

-..because of those little bits of damage and maybe a reserve just below that of £70.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Would you be happy with that?

-Yes, yes, I would, yeah.

-So...

-I want, you know... I want it to go anyway.

Why are you selling it? You just don't use it?

I don't use it and I've got no-one...

If anything happens to me, I've got no-one to leave it to.

Right. What would you do with the money if it went?

I would like a new hall carpet.

-Oh, right!

-Either that or it's new... Some more clothes!

-Oh, go for the clothes!

-I think I will.

OK, I think they would be a really good thing to put to the sale.

I hope somebody would have it, you know?

Really look after it, you know?

-But thank you very much.

-Fingers crossed.

Well, Richard, I wouldn't want to have to arm wrestle you because as I understand it

you've carried this down to us today, haven't you?

-I have.

-We can't really convey it to the viewers, but this weighs a ton!

When I tried to lift it from the table I thought someone had bolted it down.

Where have you come by such an unusual piece?

I bought it at auction some 36 years ago.

And for 33 years it's hung on my wall and looked very nice

and been a good talking point, but now it's past its sell-by date.

Let's think about what it's made of, the material. I mean, it's so heavy

I would imagine it's going to be some sort of iron or alloy,

but looking at the colours it looks to have quite a high copper content in the alloy, as well

and we've got a bit verdigree behind it, as well, which gives that away.

-Yeah.

-And also behind it, I'm not going to move it, I'm going to leave it as it is

because, like I've said, it's quite a substantial weight, we've got the foundry mark.

It's Booth and Brooks Ltd, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-And they're based in Essex.

Now, have you connections to Essex at all, is that where it came from?

Where was the saleroom you bought it?

Five miles away in Newport.

Oh, really? So on the island itself.

So it hasn't gone far.

-Detail wise it's...really quite something, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Are there any favourite parts that you particularly like on it?

Well, every time you look at it you find something new and the bit that I always used to like

was the little bit down here which is the dog...

-OK.

-Which was identical to our...

-Was it?

-..dog.

-OK, so that sort of struck a chord with you.

-Yeah.

I think it's fascinating. I think it's really a sort of masterclass in casting, isn't it?

Thinking of value, how much did you pay for it?

-£13.

-£13.

-Can I put that a different way?

-Yes.

-Two days' wages.

Two days' wages.

Bearing in mind that it's this high-Victorian neo-Renaissance shall we call it,

where they've taken elements of different parts of the Renaissance

and amalgamated them together in typical Victorian style.

I mean, it's completely over the top and really epitomises what the Victorians were all about, in a way.

I think it's got interest in that whole historical area

as well as being purely aesthetic,

so, I would think, valuewise, £200 to £300. Is that a fair investment that you've made, do you think?

-Naturally, one would like more, but I'll...

-Yes.

But I'll more than be happy to accept 200 to 300, providing the reserve was two.

OK, I'm happy to do that. But I'm confident that it's going to catch someone's eye, as it caught yours.

200 to 300 it is, fixed at 200.

-Done.

-We'll see you on the day.

-You will.

-Good.

-Thank you.

-Well done.

Oh!

Well, I think Richard will be quite happy not to have to drag that piece of Victoriana home.

Now it looks like Kate has found something weighty on her table.

-So, Patrick...

-Yes.

-You've brought in a classical lady artistically draped over some kind of big cat here.

-I have, yes, yeah.

How did you end up with her?

Originally it was my grandmother's.

-She owned an antique shop in Canterbury...

-Right.

..which was the Penny Theatre, and she obviously passed it on to my mother

and when my mother passed away she passed it on to me.

-And do you like it?

-I do like it, yes, yeah.

-You like it up to a certain point at which you would sell it?

-Well, I've got two daughters.

-Right.

-They've both got children and they like it, but they're scared that it will get damaged.

-She is in very good condition.

-She is.

-What she is is Minton and she's Parian ware,

which is this unglazed porcelain, also known as blanc de Chine, so Chinese white.

-Right.

-And the date letter on the underneath, which I've had a quick look at, is 1858.

-Right.

-So classic mid-Victorian. Obviously quite an unusual pose.

It's got a feel of almost Egyptian about it, but also classical, so sort of Egyptian, Greek.

All her fingers and toes are in good condition, and that's one of the things we see a lot on Parian ware,

it's very delicate, but even her ribbons and toes and everything's perfect, so that's a good sign.

-Yeah.

-Do you like her?

I remember it from when I was a little boy on the piano, so...

-Right.

-Yeah.

-And pricewise, do you have any idea what you would like to sell it for or...?

-I don't. Not really, no.

-Not really.

I think she's probably the low hundreds, so if we were putting a price for auction estimate

-I would probably put £150 to £200 on her.

-Right.

Obviously she's over 100 years old and she's in very good condition,

but they're not the most popular of things at the moment in terms of subject matter.

-Right.

-So is that the kind of figure you'd want to sell her for?

-That's fine.

Now, you would normally put a reserve on an item if you don't want it to sell below a certain point.

-What were you thinking?

-150, something like that?

-You'd want a 150 reserve. Would you give the auctioneer any discretion?

-Yes, yeah.

-So maybe if you put the reserve at 140, but a discretionary reserve.

-Right, OK.

-And an estimate of 150 to 200.

-Yeah, yeah.

OK. Well, let's see if we can get her away at the auction.

-OK, then.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

And it's now time to return to the auction and here's what we're taking with us.

Marilyn's 1930s tea or coffee set was made by the Wilkinson factory.

Will the associations with that famous name help this set on its way?

Will spotted this unusual wall plaque.

It's going back to auction after 36 years.

Richard forked out £13 for it, which was two days' wages back then!

Will any bidders do the same?

And last, but not least, will we get a roaring success with Patrick's Parian ware Minton figure

dating back to 1858?

It's now time to head back to the Island Auction Rooms.

I've managed to persuade auctioneer Warren Riches to cast his expert eye over another of our items.

What do you think of this? It belongs to Richard.

He brought it along and Will, our expert, has put £200 to £300 on this.

It's a cast-alloy mixed-metal wall plaque, a Bacchanalian scene, sort of a bit of sort of classicalism.

We've got a value of £200 to £300 on this.

Fingers crossed, it's going to sell, but I would be slightly more dubious and put £100 to £200 on this.

Well, I'm with you on that one, Paul.

I think it's a good interior piece, you know, it'll hang well and grace the room, but ultimately...

the age and the material used, I would have put it, if it had walked in the door, 80 to 120.

-As low as that?

-Yeah, that's what I would have put on it.

It is interesting, but it's one of those things that's so hard to put a value on,

and at the end of the day it's going to have to find its own level, isn't it?

If two or three people get interested in it, we may find a home.

What you're trying to say is it just might struggle, aren't you?

I am, indeed.

Do you know what, a good auctioneer will do the business for it!

-I'll try my best.

-Yeah, fingers crossed.

-Yeah.

Well, the auction room is packed to the gunwales, so let's see what the bidders make of our first lot.

Well, right now it's time for tea, but don't rush and put the kettle on

because we're selling Marilyn's tea set.

It's going under the hammer right now with a value of £80 to £120 and it's Staffordshire. It's lovely.

-Tea sets are fetching good money at the moment.

-This just makes you smile, you know?

It's a really happy thing. I think the collectors will like it. It's a great shape.

-Pretty patterns.

-Yeah.

-I don't like it.

You don't like it! That's why it's here to sell.

That's right. That's why I want to sell it.

We just hope there's half a dozen people in the room that want this and are going to bid like mad.

We're going to find out now. Good luck, Marilyn, and you, Kate. Here it is.

Art deco Royal Staffordshire pottery tea set.

Clarice Cliff factory. Someone start me at 50.

-40.

-40 here. Two can I say? 42. 44.

-Oh, come on!

-46. 48. And 50.

And five. And 60.

And five. And 70.

And five. Five, phone.

-We're so close!

-75. And 80. And five.

And 90. And five.

And 100?

No, it's 95 on the phone. 100 anywhere?

Selling to the phone bidder at 95.

-Yes! You can rest assured you don't have to take it home!

-Oh, lovely.

And you got £95, less commission.

-Yeah.

-That's good, isn't it?

-It is.

-That's a positive thing.

-I'm pleased, got rid of it!

The most perfect start! Now, let's hope someone in this room

is looking for something a bit different to put on their wall.

We've got £200 to £300 on this.

-A gift.

-It's a... You bought this a long time ago, didn't you?

-I did, 35 years ago.

-For 13 odd pounds?

£13 at my one and only auction.

-Really, was it?

-Yeah.

-You didn't go back since?

-No, never.

We've got a fixed reserve of 200 and I know you don't want to let it go for any less than that.

It's punchy. If you want something that is typically Victorian,

you've got the industrial side that it's cast alloy,

-you've got these neo-Renaissance figures.

-Bacchanalian thing going on...

It's a real mishmash, which is typically Victorian.

It's got a maker's mark on the back.

It's good quality, it's really well cast, so let's give it a go at 200 to 300.

-That's all we can do, really, for you.

-Yeah.

We're going to see if it finds its own level within that margin, so to speak.

So, it's going under the hammer now.

The decorative cast-metal wall plaque

depicting naked men and females.

£100 here. 100. 110 can I say?

100 with the clerk. 100. All done at 100?

110. 120. 130.

-Oh, that's just picked up.

-140. 150?

140. With Tim at 140.

Are we all done at 140?

No more bids at 140?

I'm afraid that one's a no sale.

A bit punchy, wasn't it?

-Sorry about that, Richard.

-That's OK.

But you protected it with the reserve, so, you know, it can go home.

-You're going to enjoy it.

-Yeah.

-You've just got to find another wall for it in that new house!

-I have, correct!

-Make sure it's reinforced, it's got some weight to it!

-It has, yeah.

Well, that's the luck of the auction room.

Kate valued the next item with a reserve of £150.

Now I'm hoping it will create a bit of interest amongst those Victoriana devotees.

Well, next up is Patrick who's selling one of his family heirlooms.

It's that lovely Minton figure, but it was grandmother's.

-That's right, yes. Yeah, going back to Canterbury she owned The Penny Theatre antique shop.

-Wow!

Is there a sentimental attachment here, cos it is a nice thing?

It's a nice thing, yes, but then again I'm scared of getting broken

-because with six grandchildren when they come around it's a bit...

-Yeah.

The daughters didn't want it.

-The kids don't want it.

-The kids don't want it.

-You can't split it six ways, can you?

No, well, not really. No, not six ways, no.

-We've got £150 to £200.

-Yeah.

-We should do that top end, shouldn't we?

-You'd hope so.

The condition is brilliant, which is what you ask for for a collectable, so, yeah.

We were debating if it was a lion or a tiger, but the auction room settled on panther.

It's a mythological beast, it doesn't matter!

-Who cares?

-It's a matter of opinion, really, isn't it?

-I think whoever buys it is going to call it something different!

-Oh, God.

-That's true!

Fingers crossed they're going to buy it and it's going under the hammer right now.

Ariadne on panther.

That's got a date for 1845.

-A nice piece of Parian ware, 314. Someone start me at 100.

-Yes.

£100 here. 110 anywhere? £100 here.

110 can I say? 110. 120. 130.

140. 150. 160?

160. 170. 180. 190? 190.

-Yeah.

-200. 210. 220.

230. 240. 250.

-They absolutely love it.

-250, yes.

260. 270? 270. 280. 290.

300, come on! 300, come on!

-300. 310.

-Yes.

-Yeah!

320. 330? 330. 340. 350.

There's two people and they've got stuck in now.

They do want to let it go.

380. 390.

400. 410. 420. 430.

440. 450.

460. 470.

470!

460 then. It's in the room.

It's a really rare panther!

470, new bidder. 480.

-No more? Not one more?

-Oh, come on.

-No?

-470.

-470 then.

-470!

It's on the left hand side in the room at 470. New bidder at 470.

And selling at 470.

£470.

-Excellent.

-That's a lot better than the 150 at the lower end!

Gosh, you've got to be over the moon with that!

I am, yeah. Very much so, yeah. Yeah, very much so.

Well, I know you've got to divide up with a lot of kids.

We have!

At least it'll be a good proportion each now.

-It's a purr-fect result!

-Exactly, and that's the end to a perfect day here on the Isle of Wight.

We've all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I hope you've enjoyed watching.

Join us again soon for many more surprises on Flog It!, but for now, it's cheerio.

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