0:00:03 > 0:00:07Today I feel like I've come back home because we're in Cornwall, good old Kernow,
0:00:07 > 0:00:09and how about this for a fabulous location?
0:00:09 > 0:00:14This Grade I-listed church is known as St Petroc's Church and it's here in Bodmin.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18And just look at this fantastic queue, which means we're here to Flog It!
0:00:18 > 0:00:19ALL: Yeah!
0:00:41 > 0:00:43So why is this church called St Petroc's?
0:00:43 > 0:00:47Well, he is the official patron saint of Cornwall and he's credited
0:00:47 > 0:00:53with all kinds of miracles including ridding the county of their last dragon. He's definitely got my vote!
0:00:53 > 0:00:57St Petroc is also supposed to have turned water into nectar.
0:00:57 > 0:01:04Sadly our own antiques dragons Mark Stacey and Catherine Southon don't have such powers,
0:01:04 > 0:01:07but we're relying on their sharp eyes, instincts and knowledge
0:01:07 > 0:01:11to pick up the best pieces to take off to auction
0:01:11 > 0:01:14where hopefully we'll have some of our own minor miracles.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17Well, it is now 9.30 by my watch.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20It's time to get the doors open and get the show on the road.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Let's go inside and Flog It. Yeah!
0:01:22 > 0:01:27And as our owners pull up a pew, we're praying for some rich pickings.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30In fact, Mark has already found something of a mini marvel,
0:01:30 > 0:01:33a rare piece from the Cornish pottery Troika.
0:01:35 > 0:01:36- Hello, Pam.- Hello, Mark.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40Now, come on, tell us, what's your love affair with Troika?
0:01:40 > 0:01:44Oh, back in the 70s I had a gift shop in Mevagissey,
0:01:44 > 0:01:50and I used to sell Troika and lots of other different Cornish potteries,
0:01:50 > 0:01:56and at the moment it's been on my wall in the kitchen for about 10 years,
0:01:56 > 0:02:00and I keep looking at it and decided, well...
0:02:00 > 0:02:02- Enough is enough.- Yeah, that's it.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06And what sort of prices did you used to sell it for back in the 70s?
0:02:06 > 0:02:09Ah, well, it was quite expensive then.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12- I suppose a small piece would sell for about £3.99.- Gosh, yes.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15And some of the big pieces would be about £20, £30.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Which was a lot of money, actually, 40 years ago, wasn't it?
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Yeah, it was. It sold very well then.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25A lot of people say to me, Pam, why Troika? It's quite simple, isn't it?
0:02:25 > 0:02:30It was founded by three friends, Benny Sirota, Leslie Illsley and Jan Thomson,
0:02:30 > 0:02:34and it's the Russian word for a three horsed vehicle or a three wheeled vehicle.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37It's quite a rare shape.
0:02:37 > 0:02:42- It's not the usual vase or ornament you see, being a wall pocket like this.- That's right, yes.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45I mean, did you ever sell these in the shop?
0:02:45 > 0:02:52Well, you used to have the standard vases, ashtrays, the lamps,
0:02:52 > 0:02:56but there was always one or two pieces which you didn't sell a lot of,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59but you had to have them as a centrepiece.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03This used to go in the centre, and I used to have dried grasses coming out of it.
0:03:03 > 0:03:08- Oh, wonderful.- And people would see it and think, well, that would fit on that wall quite nice, you know?
0:03:08 > 0:03:11- And they'd come in and be frightened by the price.- Yes.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14But then they'd buy a smaller piece. It's a marketing ploy. Very clever!
0:03:14 > 0:03:17But it had to be a particular piece for a particular spot, you know?
0:03:17 > 0:03:19- Yes.- And this used to...
0:03:19 > 0:03:24Completely different for a vase hanging on the wall rather than just standing on a table.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26On the table or on the sideboard.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29I mean, I think it is tricky because the Troika market...
0:03:29 > 0:03:33Like the Whitefriars market I think it has probably peaked a bit at the moment,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37but of course when rarities come on the market there are still collectors out there,
0:03:37 > 0:03:41and I certainly haven't seen one of these come up for sale.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44I've talked today with some of the other experts here
0:03:44 > 0:03:47and we've come up with a figure of around about £800 to £1,200.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Does that fit in with what you think?
0:03:49 > 0:03:53I would have thought about the thousand, so that's in the middle isn't it? So...
0:03:53 > 0:03:56It is a bit. I think if we put it in at 800 to 1,200 with an 800 reserve.
0:03:56 > 0:04:01- Yeah.- Well, if you're happy with that, Pam, I'm absolutely convinced
0:04:01 > 0:04:04if we're going to get the best price it's going to be here in Cornwall.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12- Howard, welcome to Flog It. - Thank you.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14Thank you very much for coming along today.
0:04:14 > 0:04:19Now, this is a rather impressive glass jug you've brought here with a nice bit of weight to it.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22- Tell me, where did you get this from?- It was from my aunt.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25Some 40 years ago she gave to us as a wedding present, I believe.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Oh, did she? Right, so it's... But she's had it before then?
0:04:28 > 0:04:32- Oh, yes, she had a long time before then, yeah. - Right, OK, but she gave it to you.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34- Yes.- And you no longer use it?
0:04:34 > 0:04:36- Well, we've never used it.- Oh, right.
0:04:36 > 0:04:37- It's just too heavy.- It is, actually.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40You try and pour your juice or something out there, I mean...
0:04:40 > 0:04:43If you filled it up with wine or whatever you'd never lift it.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Why did you bring it along today?
0:04:45 > 0:04:49Purely by accident. I was working here doing a few jobs and behind the shop and that...
0:04:49 > 0:04:51- You work at the church?- Yeah. - Fantastic.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55- Doing odds of things. - Fantastic place to work.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57And I was watching you lot all working and I thought, oh.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59My wife said go and get the jug, so here it is.
0:04:59 > 0:05:04- So you nipped back home and thought, why not?- Get the jug, yeah.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Well, thank you very much for nipping back home and bringing this
0:05:07 > 0:05:10because I think you've brought along a rather nice thing.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12- Have you any idea of date on this? - No idea at all.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16Well, this pattern here makes me think it's Georgian,
0:05:16 > 0:05:20but then coming down here this pattern around here,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23these arch patterns, make me think that it's more Victorian,
0:05:23 > 0:05:26- so I'd probably date it to around 1860s, that period.- Right.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29So your aunt must have had it in her family for quite some time.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33Probably, yes. They did collect bits and pieces.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35What I like about it is it's got a little bit, you can see there,
0:05:35 > 0:05:38it's got a few numbers etched there
0:05:38 > 0:05:40which looks like an inventory number,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43something like that, so it's nice to have that little added extra.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47Looking through it and feeling through it there does seem to be a little bit of damage there,
0:05:47 > 0:05:52there's a nasty chip. Is that something that's happened whilst you've had it or...
0:05:52 > 0:05:54I don't think so because it's as it is, really.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56- It is as it is.- Yeah.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58Do you have any idea of how much it's worth?
0:05:58 > 0:05:59Not really, no.
0:05:59 > 0:06:06- I think it would probably be worth about £60 to £80 at auction and put a £40 reserve on that.- OK.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08Would you be happy to sell at that?
0:06:08 > 0:06:10- Yeah.- Shall we put it in £60 to £80?
0:06:10 > 0:06:12- Please do.- Let it go.- Thank you.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23This is what I love doing, dipping in and out of the queue, finding all the little items
0:06:23 > 0:06:27before the experts do and, of course, meeting a few local characters. Hello.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30- Hello, Paul.- Can I ask you what you've brought in today?
0:06:30 > 0:06:35- Yes, it's some artefacts from a Civil War blockade runner that sunk off Lundy Island.- Really?
0:06:35 > 0:06:37- Yes.- And how did you come by these?
0:06:37 > 0:06:41Well, a friend of mine used to run a salvage company and he was after
0:06:41 > 0:06:44looking for a wreck of the Robert which is sunk off Lundy Island
0:06:44 > 0:06:47and while searching for that he found the wreck of the Iona,
0:06:47 > 0:06:50which was almost alongside it, a pure fluke.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52- Wow. And do you dive yourself?- Yes.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54I guess it's something you do being a Cornish lad.
0:06:54 > 0:06:59You either surf or you dive or you have a fishing boat because we are surrounded by water here
0:06:59 > 0:07:04and it's really nice to have a few artefacts from let's say the bottom of the ocean!
0:07:04 > 0:07:07- 1864.- This is lovely, isn't it?
0:07:07 > 0:07:11Captain's inkwell, desk well in pewter,
0:07:11 > 0:07:13and its little glass flask as well.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16Wow. Good luck!
0:07:19 > 0:07:24Next Mark's found a set of four bowls that were produced to advertise porridge.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27- Leslie, do you know why I like doing Flog It?- Why?
0:07:27 > 0:07:31Because you just never know what's going to turn up...
0:07:31 > 0:07:35- You don't.- You know? We all want, you know, bits of silver, the Troika
0:07:35 > 0:07:39and the Clarice Cliff, and then out of the blue something like this turns up
0:07:39 > 0:07:44that you brought with you today with the most fabulous story, which we'll get into in a minute.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Now, how have you kept them so well?
0:07:47 > 0:07:50- I just kept them in the box. That's...- And they were your...
0:07:50 > 0:07:53- They were my gran's.- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:07:53 > 0:07:58And then they went to my auntie, then from my auntie, who passed away,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01to my cousin, from my cousin to me.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03What I particularly like is the box.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06- Yeah.- You've got obviously the standard merchandising there,
0:08:06 > 0:08:10but I love the fact that all this old-fashioned writing, "deliver at once".
0:08:10 > 0:08:14- You know, carriage paid for. And the Dartford line here.- Yeah.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16Which now of course is the...
0:08:16 > 0:08:18- The Channel Tunnel. - The Channel Tunnel line.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20And the bowls themselves look...
0:08:20 > 0:08:23- They're mint condition, really. - Absolutely untouched.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25There's no maker's mark or anything on them.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27- No, just a cross on the bottom. - Just a cross.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29- That's really a potter's mark. - Oh, I see.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31- They're transfer printed...- Yeah.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35- And they're coloured over so the actual quality of them is not brilliant.- Oh.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38But that wasn't enough information,
0:08:38 > 0:08:45we have a letter here dated 1984 from Quaker Oats explaining how this came about.
0:08:45 > 0:08:52Effectively in 1906 they, on their packaging, gave presentational tokens.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57You collected 35 tokens, sent them off and you got four bowls in the post.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00There's quite a lot of these still existing,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03- not in this original condition.- No.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07And they offered in 1984 £30 to have them for their reference collection.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09Well, they want them for their own museum.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12- That's right.- Yeah. - Which I think is wonderful.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15When you think of what we save up for today from packaging,
0:09:15 > 0:09:19- it's mobile phones or cheap little plastic toys, you know?- Oh, I know.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Which of course everybody's going to keep in their original boxes,
0:09:22 > 0:09:26but they won't be worth anything, because everybody will keep them.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30The whole reason there's any interest in this at all is because of the packaging.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32And why have you brought them along today?
0:09:32 > 0:09:38Well, they're underneath my bed and I thought, well, why should I just leave them? Why not...
0:09:38 > 0:09:41Somebody might want them.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43Of course, now the tricky part, Leslie.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46- Yes.- What on earth do we put on them as an estimate?
0:09:46 > 0:09:47Oh, thousands, I would think!
0:09:47 > 0:09:50- What, of Turkish lira?- Yes.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52I just don't know where to start because...
0:09:52 > 0:09:54we've got so many people who might like them.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58We've got people who collect early advertising work.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02I think they're probably worth £20 a bowl,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05and if you add on another £20 for the packaging that's £100 to £150.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08- Yeah.- But it might make more, I just don't know.- Yeah.
0:10:08 > 0:10:13- Would you be happy to put them in with a reserve at 100?- Yeah.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15Because I just don't know. I might be completely wrong.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18- Fair enough.- I look forward to seeing you at the auction.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22- And let's hope we get our just oats. - Thank you very much.
0:10:27 > 0:10:28- Anne, welcome to Flog It.- Thank you.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Thank you very much for coming along today
0:10:31 > 0:10:34and bringing along this delightful silver fruit basket.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Can you tell me where you got it from?
0:10:37 > 0:10:41- It belonged to my late husband's family.- Right.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43That's really all I can tell you about it, you know?
0:10:43 > 0:10:47- It's been in the family a long time. - So something that you've had...
0:10:47 > 0:10:48Had in your home for a while?
0:10:48 > 0:10:52Yes, but not liking cleaning any more, it's been in the loft for a long time.
0:10:52 > 0:10:57- I know, they're a bit of a pain to clean. But you've had lots of fruit in it?- Yeah, I have had.
0:10:57 > 0:10:58- It's been well used?- It was.
0:10:58 > 0:11:03My mother-in-law used to use it quite a lot when she was alive,
0:11:03 > 0:11:11but when it came to me I'm afraid it got put in the loft and I didn't use it.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14- Not quite your taste?- No. Well, yes, I do like it, but it was just...
0:11:14 > 0:11:16It's very difficult to clean.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Yes. Right. Well, let's just have a little look at it.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21I do like this lovely pierced...
0:11:21 > 0:11:26The pierced decoration, the wonderful scroll patterns here,
0:11:26 > 0:11:31and we can see here the flower buds just coming out here in this lovely flower pattern.
0:11:31 > 0:11:37What I like about it is this decoration is actually echoed on the handle really beautifully.
0:11:37 > 0:11:43- And we've got the initials JH here. Who's JH?- She was Jane Horton, that was my late husband's grandmother.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45Right, OK. So we're going back quite...
0:11:45 > 0:11:48- Going back quite a way, yes. - Quite a few generations here.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51- Yeah.- It probably does date it to around I would say 1890s.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Where's the hallmark?
0:11:53 > 0:11:55It's on the edge somewhere, it goes in with the flowers.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58- Can we see the hallmark? Ah, there we are.- Yeah.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02Yeah. Ah, right, so London and the letter A.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06So that dates it to 1896. 1896.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09- Gosh, older than I thought, yes. - So that works in quite well.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11But it really is a lovely piece.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Now, have you any idea of value of this?
0:12:14 > 0:12:17Not really, no, you know?
0:12:17 > 0:12:22I had it valued about seven years ago, you know, but I think it was overvalued then, really.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26- Right.- They said about 400, but I don't, you know...- 400.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28I think that it was overvalued.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31I think you're right. I think you're right on that.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34£400 is really too high for something like this.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39If I could put this in auction I would really like to see this with a value of about £200 to £300.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42- That's fine.- Is that OK to you?
0:12:42 > 0:12:45- Yeah, fine, yes.- With a 180 reserve, how does that sound to you?
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Can we say 200 reserve? No?
0:12:47 > 0:12:50No problem. We'll say £200.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53- A fixed reserve then of £200. - That would be fine.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55200 to 300. So, you're a bit reluctant to let it go then.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Well, it looks so nice now, doesn't it, now it's clean!
0:12:58 > 0:13:02- Are you having second thoughts? - Yeah.- So you have cleaned it to bring it along?
0:13:02 > 0:13:03Yes. Oh, yes, definitely.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05- I'll see you at the auction.- OK.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13And this is where our antiques have ended up.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16Jefferys Auction Rooms And Valuers in Lostwithiel.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19It's about this time of the day, just before the sale gets underway,
0:13:19 > 0:13:24that our owners are going to feel really nervous or very excited, so I'm going to catch up with them
0:13:24 > 0:13:28and while I do that here's a quick recap of all the items that are going under the hammer.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32Howard's never used this glass vase because it's too heavy, but I'm sure
0:13:32 > 0:13:36someone will be more than happy to take it off his hands.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Leslie's Quaker Oats bowls are in mint condition,
0:13:39 > 0:13:43but Mark felt his expectations were still a little optimistic.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45What on earth do we put on them as an estimate?
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Oh, thousands I would think!
0:13:47 > 0:13:50- What of Turkish lira?- Yes!
0:13:50 > 0:13:55Will Anne's hard work polishing up her silver fruit basket pay off?
0:13:55 > 0:13:59And Pam had a flourishing business selling Troika in her shop back in
0:13:59 > 0:14:04the 1970s, but will this rare wall plaque fare well in today's market?
0:14:04 > 0:14:08I'm absolutely convinced if we're going to get the best price,
0:14:08 > 0:14:10it's going to be here in Cornwall.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Well, it won't be long before we find out whether Mark's right,
0:14:13 > 0:14:19but I thought I'd run it by a man who knows the local market inside out, today's auctioneer Ian Morris.
0:14:19 > 0:14:24Well, we couldn't come to Cornwall without seeing a little bit of Troika could we, let's face it?
0:14:24 > 0:14:26Ian, I'm so pleased it's popped up.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29We do see it all over the country, it does travel well,
0:14:29 > 0:14:33and it's been selling so well for us right up until the last couple of years,
0:14:33 > 0:14:38where I think it's reached its peak now and maybe the prices are starting to drop.
0:14:38 > 0:14:44This belongs to Pam. Now, I know she bought this in the early part of the 1970s from the Troika factory,
0:14:44 > 0:14:48and we've put a valuation of it £800 to £1,200 on this.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51It's a very unusual piece and the wall pocket vase
0:14:51 > 0:14:55is one of the few things that don't come up very often at all.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59However, as you say, Troika probably in the last couple of years
0:14:59 > 0:15:05has reached a peak and I've found probably the top-end pieces probably have come down a bit in price.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08The collectors aren't out there say to push on the higher price items.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12Have the overcooked this at £800 to £1,200?
0:15:12 > 0:15:15I think you could have. Certainly if it came in through the door,
0:15:15 > 0:15:19I'd be looking at, say, £400 to £600, maybe £500 to £700,
0:15:19 > 0:15:20but 800 to 1,200...
0:15:20 > 0:15:23Yeah, but that's like an auctioneer's trick in a way,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26you get things in low so it gets people excited.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28I hope people do get excited about this.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31I think it's really rare. It's the first one I've seen in the flesh.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35I've seen them obviously documented in books and catalogues, but...
0:15:35 > 0:15:38It's the first one I've handled as well, so who knows?
0:15:38 > 0:15:42- You never know.- I could be wrong. - This is what auctions are all about. OK, this is why we're here.
0:15:42 > 0:15:47This is going to be exciting, just keep watching because we'll find out exactly what this does.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52Well, we'll just have to wait and see because right now first up are Howard's porridge bowls.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57I absolutely loved this next lot. It puts a smile on my face.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00Four Quaker Oats bowls with their original package.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03They belong to Leslie, who's standing right next to me,
0:16:03 > 0:16:06and they've been in your family for a long time, grans, aunts.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08- Over 100 years.- Why have you decided to sell them now?
0:16:08 > 0:16:11- I've decided to feed my wife. She's getting a bit thin!- Cheeky.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13I'll take her out for a meal.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16You are cheeky, aren't you? And you don't sound Cornish either.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19- No, Kentish.- Kentish. So when did you come to Cornwall?
0:16:19 > 0:16:21- Three years ago.- Yeah? Retired now?
0:16:21 > 0:16:23- Yeah.- Good move?- Yeah.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27- This is your lot.- We have a set of four Quaker advertising bowls.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31Very interesting. It's the 1906 box, or circa round there.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Original letter as well. A letter from 1984 to say that they would...
0:16:34 > 0:16:36Quaker would buy them back at £30.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40Let's see how they get on now at £80. £80? £50 I've got here.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42- At £50. The bids with me.- Come on.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44At £50. 60. 70.
0:16:44 > 0:16:4780. 90. At £90 the bids with me.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Is it 100 anywhere? At £90. 100. At £100 on the phone.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51At £100. 110 now.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53At £100. 110 or not? Are we done?
0:16:53 > 0:16:56On the phone at £100.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59- The hammer's gone down. That's OK. - We're happy with that.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01Yeah, fine. Yeah, that's fine.
0:17:01 > 0:17:02A nice bit of social history there.
0:17:02 > 0:17:07- Yeah.- Really is.- Yeah.- So, that's a slap-up meal for you and your wife.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10Oh, yeah. I chop a bit of toast.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14You're going to be in trouble when she sees this, you know that?
0:17:22 > 0:17:25I've just been joined by Howard and we've got a crystal glass jug.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28- It's quite big, isn't it? - It's very heavy.
0:17:28 > 0:17:29I can see why you want to get rid of this.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31It's not practical, is it?
0:17:31 > 0:17:34- No, not really.- I know, Catherine, you said that, as well.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38Well, I mean, it's a nice piece, but I mean you can't really use it, can you?
0:17:38 > 0:17:40It's decorative and that's all.
0:17:40 > 0:17:41It's not really functional, is it?
0:17:41 > 0:17:46- But let's not talk down too much because we need to sell this, we need to find a buyer.- Oh, right.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49- And we've got a £40 reserve, so it's bound to go for that.- I think so.
0:17:49 > 0:17:50It's bound to go for more than that.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53- Hope.- Hope. Yeah, fingers crossed, we're going to find out. This is it.
0:17:53 > 0:17:58OK, on we go, lot 96 there, Georgian heavy cut glass hexagonal water jug.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00£40 away? £30 away? £20 I'm bid.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03- Come on.- At £20. At £20. I'll take 5 to get on. At £20 I'm bid.
0:18:03 > 0:18:0625. 28. £30? £30. 32.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08- Come on.- 35. 38.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10- We've done it. - £40. £40. At £40 I'm out.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12At £40 right there. At £40 I'm bid.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Two or not? We're done at the £40.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17- Just. We're happy, aren't we?- Yes.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Because Howard didn't want to take that home, did you?
0:18:20 > 0:18:23- It's too heavy...- No, is too heavy. - To put on the bus.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25The put back underneath the kitchen sink.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Well, yeah, in a cupboard.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37This is fabulous because we've got Troika on the show.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40We can't come to Cornwall without seeing some Troika.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43- Now, I know you were selling this in the 70s.- Yes.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47My mum and dad moved down here in the early part of the 70s.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51I was brought up in Cornwall and I know they may have bought some from you possibly.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55More than likely because Troika used to be sold in one area at a time,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58and if they came to Mevagissey I was the only person selling it, so...
0:18:58 > 0:19:01- And mum and dad were always around there.- Yes.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04I had a chat to Ian, the auctioneer, earlier.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07He said he thinks it's a little top-heavy.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11- If you walked into the saleroom with it he would have put possibly 500 to 700 on.- OK.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13It might struggle, but you never know.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17This is an auction, people get carried away, two people want something
0:19:17 > 0:19:18and they'll push that price up.
0:19:18 > 0:19:19This is it.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22The rare Troika pottery wall pocket vase there.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24Possibly the work of Louise Jinks.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26What do you say for that very quickly?
0:19:26 > 0:19:28I've got a bit of interest on the books and I'll start at £300.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30At £300 I'm bid. At £300. 320 now.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34At 300. 320. 350. 380.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36400. 420. 450.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39At 450. At 450. 480 now. At 450.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42At 450. 480 now. At 450 I'm bid.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44At 450. 480 or not?
0:19:44 > 0:19:48- Are we done at £450?- Not quite, no.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51He was right, I think, Paul.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54It would have got at five to seven with discretion.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56- I think it would have done. - It's going home.
0:19:56 > 0:19:57It's going back on the wall.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01- Aww.- Well, you were having second thoughts, weren't you?
0:20:01 > 0:20:05- Oh, yes, I was now. Well, I haven't put anything up there, so it'll go back.- You were tempting fate.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08- Yeah, thank you very much. - Oh, that's OK. We tried.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Right, next up, fingers crossed we get the top end of the estimate.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20£200 to £300 is riding on this wonderful silver fruit bowl, but unfortunately Anne, the owner,
0:20:20 > 0:20:23can't be with us today, but we do have Catherine.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25- You do. Well... - It's useful, let's big it up.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27It is. A nice little bit of silver.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30- Yes.- Functional. It's got a purpose. - Silver's up in value.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33- It's over £9 an ounce scrap value. - Really? As much as...- Yes, yes.
0:20:33 > 0:20:38And quite a lot of the silver dealers I think are here, so we should be all right.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42Also this is a useful piece of silver because you can actually practically use it.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46- You can put fruit in it.- In the middle of your dining room table. - Yes. Here we go.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49A silver fruit basket with a pierced flora and foliate decoration
0:20:49 > 0:20:51with swing handle on a circular stemmed support.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53What do you say to the fruit basket there?
0:20:53 > 0:20:56£200 to start? 150 away please.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59150 I am bid. At 150. 160. 170.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01170? 170. 180. 190.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04- 190. 200. 210.- Yes.- 210. 210.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06220. 210 at the back there. 220.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08220. 230. 230. 240. 240.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11250. 250. 260. 260. 270.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13- Good.- At 260 seated. At 260.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15- Yes, 270. 270.- Yes.- 280.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18- Brilliant.- That's good. - 280. 280. 290. 290. 300.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21300. 320? At 300 seated.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23At 300. Going at £300.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Yeah, it's good to get the top end, isn't it? Well done.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29- Fantastic.- But that was something so practical.- Absolutely.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32And there was a lot of silver. Are you giving her a call?
0:21:32 > 0:21:35I think we will. We've got to go and give her the good news.
0:21:35 > 0:21:3780? 80. 85.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Well, so far so good.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44That concludes our first visit to the auction room today.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47We are coming back later on in the programme so stay tuned,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50because hopefully there'll be one or two surprises,
0:21:50 > 0:21:55but after all that excitement I'm going to treat myself to a bit of Cornish hospitality.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08Well, this is more like it, isn't it?
0:22:08 > 0:22:11When you're in this part of the world what could be better than a cream tea?
0:22:11 > 0:22:15Soft scones, strawberry jam, clotted cream
0:22:15 > 0:22:19and of course a cup of the nation's favourite tipple.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23Now, what makes this the ultimate cream tea is the fact that everything you see
0:22:23 > 0:22:27right here in front of me has been produced locally,
0:22:27 > 0:22:29and I'm even talking about the tea.
0:22:29 > 0:22:34Unbelievably, the tea leaves were grown right here in Cornwall...
0:22:34 > 0:22:38A million miles from its roots which were far, far away.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48The tea plant, camellia sinensis, originates in south east Asia,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52and legend has it that some 4,500 years ago the Chinese emperor
0:22:52 > 0:22:56was one day sitting underneath a wild tea plant tree boiling up some water,
0:22:56 > 0:23:01when accidentally some leaves from the tea plant just fluttered down into the water,
0:23:01 > 0:23:05and he was so intrigued by the aroma that he took a sip.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11It wasn't until 1661 that the practice of drinking tea made it as far as England,
0:23:11 > 0:23:17and that's thanks to the marriage of King Charles II to Catherine of Braganza.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21She brought the custom with her from her native Portugal.
0:23:21 > 0:23:26But whilst the British took to tea like ducks to water, it was never planted here.
0:23:26 > 0:23:32Instead it was grown in far off parts of the British Empire, like India and Ceylon.
0:23:32 > 0:23:37Tea became associated with Britishness, but also colonialism.
0:23:37 > 0:23:42By the Second World War tea had become such a British institution
0:23:42 > 0:23:47that Winston Churchill declared it as important as ammunition to the war effort.
0:23:47 > 0:23:52Afraid that rations would run out he made plans to grow it here, but never went ahead with them.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56In fact, nobody had ever attempted to grow tea commercially in Britain before
0:23:56 > 0:24:01until the owners of the huge Tregothnan estate near Truro came along
0:24:01 > 0:24:05and decided to create the UK's first tea plantation,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08and it all started here in this walled garden.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16And Jonathan Jones is the director of gardens here. It's great to meet you.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18Thanks so much for talking to me today.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21This is absolutely miraculous, isn't it? A tea plantation in Cornwall!
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Putting the English into English tea.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26It is quite eccentric, I've got to say.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28- Whose idea was this? - It grew out of the soil.
0:24:28 > 0:24:33- The family have always been passionate about new cultivars and species coming into the UK...- Yeah.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37- This is just one more camellia. - You talk about the family, who owns the estate here?
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Lord Falmouth and the Honourable Evelyn Boscawen have, since 1335,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43been cultivating the garden and the estate.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Why has nobody ever attempted to grow tea commercially in the UK before?
0:24:46 > 0:24:50Umm, interesting. But it's never really been in short supply, has it?
0:24:50 > 0:24:56- Tea's always been widely available coming in from the old Empire, if you like.- And it's very affordable.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59Most people would assume the climate's not right.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03It's not right for high-volume tea like we buy from Kenya and India,
0:25:03 > 0:25:07but great for high-quality tea, more like Darjeeling style...
0:25:07 > 0:25:10- Sure.- Suited to... You know, these climate conditions.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14And what about the pH formula in the soil, does that have to be pretty good?
0:25:14 > 0:25:16Really important. It has to be very low pH.
0:25:16 > 0:25:21In fact, this is the old walled garden which was producing vegetables for the last 200 years.
0:25:21 > 0:25:26Now the underlying pH is really acid, but because of all the liming for the veggies,
0:25:26 > 0:25:29it became a little bit too high, so we've had to bring back down again.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31Does this shelter help the tea at all?
0:25:31 > 0:25:36It does, and this was the first site chosen on the estate for tea because it is such a sheltered microclimate.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40- And the walls all face south-south-east.- And you're in a dip in the valley here.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Obviously we're out of season. When is the season for plucking?
0:25:43 > 0:25:48Well, generally we find over the last 10 years about April through to October,
0:25:48 > 0:25:51but we have even plucked tea in December, which is off season.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55- What are you looking for? - Top two leaves in the bud.- Yeah. - That's these chaps here.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59- And the hairier the better. If you've nice hairy tips...- Why is that?
0:25:59 > 0:26:01- That's a good sign.- Why?
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Because it's a sign of good quality, good cultivar of tea anyway.
0:26:04 > 0:26:05And you simply snap them off.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09Not using your nails, just simply pulling them off like that.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12- Quite crudely.- Quite crude, but you've to get quite quick.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14That's very slow! THEY LAUGH
0:26:14 > 0:26:18How much tea will you actually get from this little plantation?
0:26:18 > 0:26:22There's a few hundred bushes here and if each one gave you a kilo or so,
0:26:22 > 0:26:26- probably 300 kilos, something like that.- That's not bad, is it?- Not bad.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29Could somebody at home plant up one of these?
0:26:29 > 0:26:33Yes, in fact we sell tea bushes like this all over the UK,
0:26:33 > 0:26:35up as far as Aberdeen and Wales, all over the place.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37How many bushes are there here in total?
0:26:37 > 0:26:43- Oh, about 30,000 probably... Have been planted over the last 10 years or so.- That's a lot, isn't it?
0:26:43 > 0:26:48Do you know what, though? I think talking about tea, I think we should turn this into a cuppa, don't you?
0:26:48 > 0:26:50Good idea.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02- So how long will it take to dry these out now? - Well, the first step...
0:27:02 > 0:27:05You can't just dry it because you'd end up with dried camellia leaves
0:27:05 > 0:27:09that didn't taste a lot of tea, so we give this a little while
0:27:09 > 0:27:12- just to soften and basically go rubbery and withered.- Yeah.
0:27:12 > 0:27:17Once that's happened you can pick them up and they're starting to turn rubbery now.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20- You can feel these bigger leaves. - Yeah, you can, can't you?
0:27:20 > 0:27:23- If you then take them between your hand and roll them.- Right.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25This is called the rolling process.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27Very small scale obviously for a few cups of tea.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29- And then... - Are you pushing quite hard?- Yeah.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33You need to rupture those cells and the harder the better, really.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36And then put them back on here for a little while to...
0:27:36 > 0:27:40- I've gone too hard. - No, that's good. That's very good.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44And then you need to wait a while for the oxidation process to happen.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46- Yeah.- And then you've got tea.
0:27:46 > 0:27:52This is the stages for black tea. For green tea it doesn't really need to oxidise, I guess, does it?
0:27:52 > 0:27:57Yes. If you want to skip a phase of oxidation you go straight to drying, that gives you green tea.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01- Exactly.- People don't realise but all the different teas come from the same leaf,
0:28:01 > 0:28:02it's just how you process it.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04So, the proof's in the pudding, isn't it?
0:28:04 > 0:28:09The next stage drying, which is a bit like watching paint dry, I'm afraid. You have to wait.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12This is what they call orthodox black tea.
0:28:12 > 0:28:17- OK. It's brittle now it's dry. - Very brittle and it will make tea, but it takes about 36 hours from bush
0:28:17 > 0:28:20to cup, so even with a good fire it's still quite a slow process.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24- Yeah. We've got one that we prepared earlier, so to speak.- Here we are.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26- Hand-rolled.- Hand-rolled tea.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29- Into Truro.- It's been infused for a few minutes there.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33Ah, do you know, green tea and Earl Grey is my tipple, though? So here we go. Cheers.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39- God, that's delicious. - It's quite sweet, isn't it?
0:28:39 > 0:28:41Yes, it is. It is. It's very sweet, actually.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46Do you know, you can't beat that, drinking tea
0:28:46 > 0:28:49grown in Truro out of china clay mug from St Austell.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53To tell you the truth, I never knew tea was grown in Cornwall.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02Well, it's now time to get back to work because people are still
0:29:02 > 0:29:06filing into our valuation day at Bodmin, where Catherine has found a tiny little kettle.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12Roy, welcome to Flog It. Thank you for coming along today.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15Tell me a little bit about it, where did you get it from?
0:29:15 > 0:29:19Right, it belonged to my wife's mother, and when she died,
0:29:19 > 0:29:25my wife had a few bits and pieces left to her and that was one of them and it's been sitting around at home
0:29:25 > 0:29:29in different places and we thought, right, well, Flog It's here,
0:29:29 > 0:29:31so let's see if we can flog it, you know?
0:29:31 > 0:29:33And see if we can flog it, I like it.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37Now I am amazed by the condition of this. Let's just have a little look at this.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41First of all we've got a lot of piece of treen, first and foremost.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44Looks possibly like it's made from rosewood.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46It's actually a pincushion.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49- Oh, right.- A pincushion which is in the form of a kettle.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53But what I think is amazing is that this has kept intact and it hasn't
0:29:53 > 0:29:57- broken off because it's so thin, so delicate.- Delicate, isn't it? Yeah.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00You can see here this little bit of velvet, slightly worn,
0:30:00 > 0:30:03but you can see there where it's got the little pricks from the pins.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06Oh, yeah, I hadn't noticed that before.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08And the ivory handle along the top.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10I rather like it. A nice little novelty piece.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13Obviously something that you don't use in your family.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16- No, it's just been sitting in a cabinet.- Something that you like?
0:30:16 > 0:30:21I quite like it. I mean, it's an unusual looking little thing.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24I quite like it, but on the other hand,
0:30:24 > 0:30:28we need the money to get a laptop for my wife, so it had to go.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32It's got to go. I'm so pleased that this has been preserved and kept in
0:30:32 > 0:30:36a cabinet away from little child's fingers because it's something that
0:30:36 > 0:30:42a little child could easily pick up and play with and make her little dollies a cup of tea or something.
0:30:42 > 0:30:48Now moving on to this second item here, this looks to me like a little boxwood, perhaps a tourist piece.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50I can see here that it's got
0:30:50 > 0:30:54Hastings, a little transfer of Hastings on the side.
0:30:54 > 0:30:59- Yeah.- I mean, it's a needle case, it's not something that's in fantastic condition,
0:30:59 > 0:31:04but it links rather nicely with this other item and I would probably sell the two together.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07Have you any idea of value on these?
0:31:07 > 0:31:09Not a clue.
0:31:09 > 0:31:15This is really the star item and this is something that I would just link in with that.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17Value-wise, how does £60 to £80 sound?
0:31:17 > 0:31:20- It sounds good to me.- You'd be happy with that?- Yeah, that's fine.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24I'd suggest probably putting a reserve on of £50, a fixed reserve.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26That is a superb piece of treen.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28- A lovely piece of rosewood. - Pretty, isn't it?
0:31:28 > 0:31:31- Well, I'll see you at the auction. - Lovely.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34I hope that it makes top estimate and let's keep our fingers crossed.
0:31:34 > 0:31:36- Thanks very much.- Thanks, Roy.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44- Hello, Karen.- Hello, Mark.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47Now, you've brought a nice little oriental pot in to show us.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49- What do you know about it?- Yes.
0:31:49 > 0:31:56Well, not a great deal. A friend of mine told me it was a Cantonese pot years ago, but she wasn't exactly
0:31:56 > 0:32:02an expert herself, but I got it 25 years ago from my auntie who died.
0:32:02 > 0:32:07But she kept everything forever, so I don't know how old it is even.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10OK, OK. Well, you're quite right, it is Cantonese.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14It's... We generally refer to this type of ware as famille rose.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18That's because of the little delicate pink colours you can see in the design.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21- Yes.- It's Cantonese because all of this type of ware was
0:32:21 > 0:32:27exported from the port at Canton, so it's all known as Cantonese ware.
0:32:27 > 0:32:34This is late 19th century, 1890, 1900, maybe just over the century.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36It was produced for a long period of time.
0:32:36 > 0:32:40By this stage they were producing a lot of export ware to fill Victorian houses
0:32:40 > 0:32:47- and that could have just been a little vase for short-stemmed flowers.- I see.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49But whatever it is, it's very typical of design.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53What I quite like about it, which is slightly unusual,
0:32:53 > 0:32:57is that the figures are raised up so the body is moulded and then painted...
0:32:57 > 0:33:03- Yes.- With the figures, and then you've got these wonderful typical borders
0:33:03 > 0:33:05of flowers and leaves and butterflies,
0:33:05 > 0:33:09and there's a lot going on there in a very small piece, isn't it?
0:33:09 > 0:33:13It is. It's what makes it so pretty, lots of little detail, isn't it?
0:33:13 > 0:33:18That's right. Well, you've had a while now, Karen, why have you decided to flog it today?
0:33:18 > 0:33:23Well, I moved house about a year ago and where I've got this,
0:33:23 > 0:33:27I can see that one day it could go flying and then that will be the end of it,
0:33:27 > 0:33:31and it is a pretty pot, so I may as well sell it while it's still in one piece.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35In terms of the value, do you have any ideas on what you think it might be worth?
0:33:35 > 0:33:39Not really, but I was once offered £70 for it,
0:33:39 > 0:33:42which I declined because the person I was with said it wasn't enough.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45OK. Was that recently or was it a number of years ago?
0:33:45 > 0:33:50- About three years ago.- Right, so it's a fair while ago really, isn't it?
0:33:50 > 0:33:55- Yes.- I mean, in my opinion it is a nice little piece, it should do quite well.
0:33:55 > 0:34:02I would really have put the estimate at something like 60 to 100, so 70 is... Is in amongst there, really.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05And obviously with a reserve of 60. Would you be happy to do that?
0:34:05 > 0:34:08- Yes, I would.- And it'll be a fun day out anyway, won't it?
0:34:08 > 0:34:10Well, it would, wouldn't it?
0:34:19 > 0:34:21Anthea, I'm getting rather excited
0:34:21 > 0:34:26because I think underneath this canvas case there is a leather case.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28- Yes.- One of great virtue and expense.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30Are we ready?
0:34:30 > 0:34:32Look at that, crocodile skin.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34- Lovely, isn't it? - And it's in mint condition.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37Absolutely mint condition. Who's AD, the initials?
0:34:37 > 0:34:40That's a lady called Amalia Demetriadi.
0:34:40 > 0:34:41And did you know her?
0:34:41 > 0:34:48- Yes.- OK.- Her father was leader of the Chamber Of Commerce back in the 19...
0:34:48 > 0:34:49Early 1900s.
0:34:49 > 0:34:55She didn't have any children and she very kindly gave me this.
0:34:55 > 0:35:01- Did she?- Yes.- This thing would have been around in the 1920s.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03The age of the motor car, the golden age.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06- Yes.- Cars were first introduced in the early 1900s.- Yes.
0:35:06 > 0:35:11Out went the canvas baskets, out went the wicker baskets because everything was horse-drawn then.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13In came the leather travel ware.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16You had to be quite wealthy to have something like this.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18I'm sure you did, yes.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22Well, let's have a look inside and see the fitted interior. Here we go.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25- Isn't it gorgeous?- It is.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28Brushes, clothes brushes, hairbrushes.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31Here is a tiny little wallet.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34Oh, no, it's a clock. It's a travelling clock.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38- That really I think makes it, that clock.- Wow!
0:35:38 > 0:35:40This is nice.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42Yes.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44Little manicure set with a pen knife.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47And a sewing... A little sewing kit.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49I suspect the tweezers are missing.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52I would think so, yes.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56- What's this one? - That's a writing case.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58Oh, my gosh, look at this.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02And it's all stamped Finnegan's of Manchester and Liverpool and London.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05- Yes.- And that's obviously the maker's name.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08- Yes.- There is another maker's label there.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10- Finnegan's of London.- Yes.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13And looking here at the silver hallmarks,
0:36:13 > 0:36:17there's a leopard head which tells us it's London and there's an O, OK?
0:36:17 > 0:36:21And a little lion passant which tells up it's sterling silver.
0:36:21 > 0:36:25The O is the date letter for 1929.
0:36:25 > 0:36:26- My word.- And...- Little hand mirror.
0:36:26 > 0:36:30- There's a secret, as well.- That whole thing lifts off, doesn't it?
0:36:30 > 0:36:31That lifts off.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37- Ah, look at that! This is where... - If you go in here...
0:36:37 > 0:36:39- The diamond necklace goes.- Well...
0:36:39 > 0:36:42- Oh, come on, is there one?- One would think. Oh, I wish there was.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46Oh, look at it. It's exquisite. Absolutely exquisite.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50- It's all silk lined.- Unfortunately, there are no diamonds in there.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52Oh, there's no diamond necklace.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58Well, it's faultless. It's absolutely faultless, it really is.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01It's a shame we don't have things like this today.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03Why do you want to sell this?
0:37:03 > 0:37:05How do you display something like this?
0:37:05 > 0:37:07- It's very difficult, isn't it?- Yes.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10It's been in its canvas case for a long time,
0:37:10 > 0:37:12which is the right thing to do, the leather hasn't faded,
0:37:12 > 0:37:16but what do you do, you're right, how do you display it at home?
0:37:16 > 0:37:20I think if you want to sell this we should put this into auction...
0:37:20 > 0:37:23- And give it a price tag of around £250 to £350.- Yes.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26- I'd like to see it do 400...- Yeah.
0:37:26 > 0:37:27On a good day.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31- There are collectors for this particular type of item...- Yeah.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35And some interior designers that will know how to display properly,
0:37:35 > 0:37:38possibly for props, you know, in a shop window.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40- Yes.- Fixed reserve at 250. - Yeah, OK. Thank you.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44Oh, I'm very excited about this. Very excited!
0:37:44 > 0:37:46'Well, it's crunch time again as we're off to auction
0:37:46 > 0:37:51'with our last set of items, and here's a reminder of what we've got.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54'Karen is hoping to sell this Cantonese brush pot
0:37:54 > 0:37:56'whilst it's still in one piece.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59'Will these novelty treen items earn Roy enough money
0:37:59 > 0:38:01'to buy his wife a laptop?
0:38:01 > 0:38:02'And last but not least,
0:38:02 > 0:38:07'Anthea had to prise this beautiful suitcase out of my hands!'
0:38:07 > 0:38:09Oh, look at it, it's exquisite!
0:38:09 > 0:38:10Absolutely exquisite!
0:38:10 > 0:38:14'Hopefully someone else in this packed auction room will love it as much as I do.'
0:38:14 > 0:38:17'Well, it's now time for our first item to go under the hammer
0:38:17 > 0:38:21'and first to be put out of their misery is Roy.'
0:38:21 > 0:38:23Roy, why are you selling these bits of treen?
0:38:23 > 0:38:27- Well, my wife is into photography and she needs a laptop.- She needs...
0:38:27 > 0:38:29Oh, right, to download on... Right.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32Download the stuff on to a laptop and take with her.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35We're talking about those wonderful two pieces of treen, the little
0:38:35 > 0:38:40pincushion like a kettle, and the other item is really lovely as well.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42Yeah, it's a nice little bit of treen.
0:38:42 > 0:38:43- I'm a big treen fan. - Yeah, I noticed!
0:38:43 > 0:38:45And I know there's lots of collectors out there.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49They're tactile. It's something you can pick up and you don't want to put down.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51And they know they've been viewed heavily.
0:38:51 > 0:38:56I looked and people were touching them and holding them and falling in love with them.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58So £60 to £80, hopefully we can turn them into 100.
0:38:58 > 0:38:59I like to hear it, yeah.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01I hope we do you justice.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04- This is it.- Lots 447, there. Two pieces of treen.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07A needlework case showing a Victorian countryside scene
0:39:07 > 0:39:09and one other piece there, lot 447.
0:39:09 > 0:39:15- Can I say £50 away? £30 to start me. £30. £40. 50? 50. 60.- Now we're in.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18- Sold.- 70. 80? 80. 90? 90. 100?
0:39:18 > 0:39:20At £90 in the middle.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22- At £90 I'm bid. Take five? - Come on, round it up.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25- Oh, that's good. - Five or not? We're done at the £90.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28- Oh, well, we sold it, £90. - Smashing, yeah.- Brilliant.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31- That's good news.- Yeah, smashing. Thank you, my darling.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33- Well, done as well. - Thank you, my friend.- Thank you.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43Right now a touch of the Orient is coming to the West Country.
0:39:43 > 0:39:47We've got at famille rose little brush pot, it belongs to Karen.
0:39:47 > 0:39:48£60 to £100 is riding on this.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50The saleroom's jam-packed, isn't it?
0:39:50 > 0:39:52- It is. - I'm pleased you made it in time.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54It's absolutely heaving, isn't it?
0:39:54 > 0:39:55- Feeling nervous?- Yes.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58I've think our expert Mark Stacey is. Are you confident?
0:39:58 > 0:40:02Of course I'm confident, Paul. It's like little Beijing in here it's so crowded!
0:40:02 > 0:40:05But if it's going to do well, it's going to do well here.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07We're going to find out right now. This is your lot.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11- Good luck.- Mid 19th century Canton cylindrical brush pot there.
0:40:11 > 0:40:12Lot 25.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14Can I say £50 away? £30 away?
0:40:14 > 0:40:18- Oh, come on.- £30 I'm bid. At £30. 35. £40. 45. Is it 50?
0:40:18 > 0:40:21At £45. 50 now. £50. 55. £60?
0:40:21 > 0:40:26- £60. At £60. The bid's in the middle. At £60.- We're selling.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28Are we all done at £60?
0:40:28 > 0:40:30Yes, we've just done it. £60.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33- Only just.- Only just, Paul.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36I was hoping for the top end there.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38I was hoping for 80 to 100, really, but...
0:40:38 > 0:40:41- It would have been nice.- It would have been nice, but are you happy?
0:40:41 > 0:40:47Yes, I am. But it... And it's good really because it saves it going back sitting on that wobbly shelf.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49You were frightened of breaking it, weren't you?
0:40:49 > 0:40:52- I was because it's a pretty little pot and...- Yeah, it's gorgeous.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54It's gone to a collector and it'll be enjoyed.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57- That's lovely. - That's the best thing.
0:40:57 > 0:40:58£100 there then.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05This is the moment I've been waiting for.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09You remember that wonderful crocodile leather skinned suitcase?
0:41:09 > 0:41:11It's just about to go under the hammer
0:41:11 > 0:41:14and I've been joined by Anthea and it is absolutely stunning.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17Ian the auctioneer, I had a quick chat with him before the sale started.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21He fell in love with it too and he said it's caused a lot of interest.
0:41:21 > 0:41:22- Oh, good.- A lot of commotion.- Yes.
0:41:22 > 0:41:27Remember what we said back and evaluation day, we said, you know, on a good day 400, didn't we?
0:41:27 > 0:41:30- Yes.- Let's, let's put a cheeky little £350 teaser on this...- Yes.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34- And see what happens.- Yeah. - So how are you feeling about this?
0:41:34 > 0:41:36I don't know, really. It's quite exciting.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39It is, isn't it? Well, this is what auctions are all about.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41This is why they're so exciting.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Could be going home with a lot of money. Here we go.
0:41:44 > 0:41:48Lot 366 there is the fine crocodile travelling case by Finnegan there
0:41:48 > 0:41:50with all the nicely original fittings.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53What do you say for that very quickly? Can I say £300 to start?
0:41:53 > 0:41:55300 I've got with me. At £300. 320.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57350. 380?
0:41:57 > 0:41:59380 with two. 400. 420?
0:41:59 > 0:42:02420. 450. 480. 500. 520.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05- This is good.- 540. 560. 580. 600.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09600 right there. 620. 650? 650. 680.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11- They love it, don't they?- 700. 720.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13750. 780.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17- 800!- 800. 820. 850. 880. 900.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20At £900 in the middle there. 920.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22At £900 I'm bid.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25At £900. 920 or not? At £900.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27£900!
0:42:27 > 0:42:29I can't believe that!
0:42:29 > 0:42:30£900!
0:42:30 > 0:42:33How fabulous is that? That is what auctions are all about.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36When you get three or four people wanting something.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40I'm gobsmacked. I don't know... I don't know what to say.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42- £900! I'm tingling.- So am I.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44- Had a good day?- Yeah. Very good.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46We jolly well have. What a surprise.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48Goodness me. I can't believe that.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50I really can't believe that.
0:42:50 > 0:42:55I mean, I've seen them go for 400 to 500,
0:42:55 > 0:42:58- but that is amazing. - What will you put the money towards?
0:42:58 > 0:43:00Well, we're going on holiday in a fortnight, so...
0:43:00 > 0:43:03Oh, it's paid for that, hasn't it? Where are you going?
0:43:03 > 0:43:05- Lanzarote.- Oh, well, there you go.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07For the sunshine.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09We've had so much rain down here.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11Have a great time. Well, it's not pouring now, is it?
0:43:11 > 0:43:13- The sun is shining.- Thank you.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16I hope you've enjoyed watching the show. We've thoroughly enjoyed being
0:43:16 > 0:43:19down here in Cornwall and we can't wait to come back.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22But until the next time there's plenty more surprises to come.
0:43:41 > 0:43:43Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:43 > 0:43:45E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk