0:00:03 > 0:00:07Still buzzing from its richly deserved success as the former
0:00:07 > 0:00:10European capital of culture, welcome to Flog It!
0:00:10 > 0:00:12from the city of Liverpool.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Liverpool is more than just a place with a big reputation.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48In 2004, it was designated a world heritage city,
0:00:48 > 0:00:51placing its city's waterfront alongside Stonehenge and
0:00:51 > 0:00:56the Great Wall Of China as one of the world's most important places.
0:00:59 > 0:01:04With its success in football, the arts and music, Liverpool is universally admired.
0:01:04 > 0:01:09The only English city outside London with a collection of national museums and galleries.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13It also has more listed buildings than any other, outside the capital.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17And one of those fine listed buildings is this one,
0:01:17 > 0:01:23St George's Hall, with these magnificent fluted columns, rising up to the heavens.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28It also houses the third largest organ in the country and later,
0:01:28 > 0:01:32I'll be finding out how it gets from this...to this.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41Up until 25 years ago, it was home to the crown and civil law courts
0:01:41 > 0:01:45and a lot of people do say it's possibly the only building
0:01:45 > 0:01:50where you can get tried for murder, have a ball or attend a concert,
0:01:50 > 0:01:51all under one roof.
0:01:51 > 0:01:56And on top of that, it's also doubling up as today's Flog It! venue.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Talking of multitasking, here are today's experts, Kate Bateman
0:02:01 > 0:02:05and Mark Stacey, eager to see what's in all those bags and boxes.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08Well, they don't have to wait any longer because it's 9.30, it's time
0:02:08 > 0:02:12to get the doors open and get this wonderful Liverpudlian queue inside.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15CHEERING
0:02:17 > 0:02:21So as the crowd gathers in the magnificent Great Hall, Mark is keen
0:02:21 > 0:02:23to make a start with an Art Deco lamp.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29- Ruth, Margaret, hello.- Hello.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33Now, you've brought a rather risque lady in to show us, haven't you?
0:02:33 > 0:02:35- Looks like it.- Yes.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Has this been in your house, or are you going to tell us
0:02:38 > 0:02:42- where you got it from?- No. It's been donated to our charity.
0:02:42 > 0:02:47- Oh, right.- We're here on behalf of an animal rescue based in Merseyside.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50- Right.- Animals In Need.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55We have very loyal supporters and they donated this for us to sell
0:02:55 > 0:02:59- but we're often unaware of the value of them.- What we've really got here
0:02:59 > 0:03:03is a rather nice piece and unfortunately, it's not bronze.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07- No.- And when we look at this type of Art Deco figure,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10we really want bronze and ivory and marble.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14What we've actually got is spelter and alabaster.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18And this is a spelter body which has then been coated
0:03:18 > 0:03:22in the sort of bronzed finish. Having said that, it is period.
0:03:22 > 0:03:27I mean, it is from the 1920s and she's actually quite well done.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31There's a lot of detail in the face here and in the hair.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35And, of course, the bonus is that she is not wearing anything,
0:03:35 > 0:03:37- or very little.- Right.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39Cos that's what collectors of this type of figure like.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42The more you show, the higher the value.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45- Right.- It's like life generally, I'm sure.- We'll remember that.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49- And of course, she's missing the globe lamp, here.- Yes.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53But I think she's rather nice. Now, how much is she worth?
0:03:53 > 0:03:55If it had been bronze, it would have been worth
0:03:55 > 0:03:58quite a lot of money. It's still worth some money,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02and I would probably suggest something around £80-£100.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05- Lovely.- Right. Yes.- And maybe put it with a reserve at 50 or 60,
0:04:05 > 0:04:09something like that. How would you feel about that?
0:04:09 > 0:04:12- Yes. That sounds fine.- Yes. - Are you happy to put it in?- Yes.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15She's a bit dirty.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20You might think that. I couldn't possibly comment, Margaret.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32Whenever we come to a valuation day in different regions,
0:04:32 > 0:04:36we're always looking for something that little bit special that belongs
0:04:36 > 0:04:39to the area and I think I've found something here, today.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43It belongs to Carole. It certainly belongs to the hearts of Liverpool,
0:04:43 > 0:04:45- doesn't it?- Yes. I think so. - It does. How lucky are you?
0:04:45 > 0:04:48- I know.- The Fab Four, all on one piece of paper.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51- All signed by the band.- Yes.
0:04:51 > 0:04:52Now, it says...
0:04:52 > 0:04:55"To Carol from the Beatles."
0:04:55 > 0:04:59And it says, "George Harrison." So, obviously, George wrote that.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01- Yes, he did. Yes. - Did you get these autographs?
0:05:01 > 0:05:03No. A friend of mine who I used to work with.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06She was a friend of the Beatles, her and her husband.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09And I think they spent quite a lot of time with them.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12And you said to your friend... "Go on, get me their autographs."
0:05:12 > 0:05:16I did. And she came in on the Monday morning with it.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18Obviously, she got them all to sign
0:05:18 > 0:05:21there and then on that day with the same black pen.
0:05:21 > 0:05:26It got to the stage when they were world superstars, they were probably
0:05:26 > 0:05:30quite fed up of people badgering them for autographs, and I do know
0:05:30 > 0:05:33on certain occasions, the roadies, who looked after the equipment,
0:05:33 > 0:05:37would take something from the young girls waiting backstage, take their
0:05:37 > 0:05:40notebook and pencil, run into the dressing room and instead of
0:05:40 > 0:05:43actually getting one of the guys to sign it, they'd scribble it down
0:05:43 > 0:05:45- themselves and run back out.- Yes.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48That's how there's lots of fakes around, with people thinking...
0:05:48 > 0:05:51"I actually got it, I was there outside and someone went in and got
0:05:51 > 0:05:55- "it for me."- Yes.- They're the ones that you've got to look out for.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57- I think this is genuine. - I think it is, as well,
0:05:57 > 0:06:02- because there's no reason to fake something in 1963.- No.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04So, that's the real McCoy.
0:06:04 > 0:06:09What does devalue yours is the fact that it's signed "to Carol".
0:06:09 > 0:06:12- I know. Personalised. Yeah. - You never know.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15A Carol might like to buy them but it's got to be Carol without an "e".
0:06:15 > 0:06:17And I'm very adamant about my "e".
0:06:17 > 0:06:20- You're a Carole with an "e", aren't you?- Yeah.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23- So George got that wrong, didn't he? - He did, unfortunately. Yeah.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27Value. This is the all-important question, what you want to know,
0:06:27 > 0:06:29- isn't it, really?- I'd like to.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32OK. I think we'll put a fixed reserve on this.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35This is not going to be given away. Fixed reserve of £2,000.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39- Right.- And a value of two to three. - Lovely.- See what happens.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43- Lovely. Thank you very much. Yes. - I hope this is going to be
0:06:43 > 0:06:45pick of the pops and a smash hit later on,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48- when we get to the auction.- OK.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00- Oh, dear, Sue. It wouldn't be the same without Troika, would it?- No.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04I think we've relaunched the factory so many times over the years, haven't we?
0:07:04 > 0:07:10- I'm sure.- I think all us experts are really fed up with Troika
0:07:10 > 0:07:12- But it keeps surprising us. - It keeps selling.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16We keep getting interesting shapes in and you've brought yet another
0:07:16 > 0:07:19version of one of their sort of slab-type vases.
0:07:19 > 0:07:24This time with quite nice decoration again. The horseshoe design and the
0:07:24 > 0:07:29sparse blocks of colour, with this typical sgraffito decoration to it.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33Tell me, I bet it's been in pride of place in your china cabinet?
0:07:33 > 0:07:37- No. It hasn't.- Where's it been? - It's been in my downstairs loo.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39Well, downstairs cloakroom, but it is a loo.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41And what's it doing in your downstairs toilet?
0:07:41 > 0:07:46- It has some flowers in it.- Good. You haven't put the loo brush... - No. No.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49It was after one of your programmes that my friend said...
0:07:49 > 0:07:51"I'm sure that vase in your toilet is Troika,"
0:07:51 > 0:07:55so we got it out and looked at it. It was, and I thought next time
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Flog It! ever comes to Liverpool, I'm bringing it.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02Quite right, too. And that's why I said yes, I'll film that with Sue.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06I thought if she's rescued it from her toilet, then it deserves to be
0:08:06 > 0:08:09- on the show.- Yes. Yes.- But where did you get it from, originally?
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Originally, it belonged to my late brother who collected everything,
0:08:13 > 0:08:17and I don't like it but I thought, "Well, it was his and I'll keep it." I've got much nicer
0:08:17 > 0:08:21things which I do display in very prominent positions. But this has
0:08:21 > 0:08:27- been in the downstairs loo until today.- Poor Troika in that case!
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Now, in terms of value, I think an estimate of maybe 100 to 150.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34- That's very good. Excellent! - With maybe an £80 reserve?- Good.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38- Happy with that? Very happy. - Hopefully, there are two collectors
0:08:38 > 0:08:41who will want it and we'll will push it up to the £100 mark.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44It'll be lovely for the family to know that something of his
0:08:44 > 0:08:47actually got an auction on Flog It! which I'm sure he would have loved.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50It's amazing, all sorts of generations like Flog It!
0:08:50 > 0:08:53They get hooked on it. The combination of seeing
0:08:53 > 0:08:56- the value and then seeing it go in an auction.- Yes.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00- It's wonderful.- Yes.- It's lovely to see all the different reactions.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04- And they'll start collecting, themselves, I hope.- Probably Troika.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15Peter, welcome to Flog It!
0:09:15 > 0:09:19You've bought in these five tiles. What do you know about them?
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Well, they were on a hat stand or hall stand.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26Given to me by a Jewish lady, and like the fool I am,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29I threw the whole stand away and just kept those, you see.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32- So they appeal to you. You couldn't throw these away?- No. No.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36Do you know much about them? Do you know the age of them?
0:09:36 > 0:09:41Somebody said the artist was 1843, MS. I thought it was Marks & Spencer!
0:09:41 > 0:09:44It's an artist called Moya Smith, who designed for the Minton factory.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47- And the hall stand must have been the same age?- Yeah.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51You're talking early Victorian, so it was probably an oak hall stand,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54but that's long gone. So what we're left with is these tiles.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57You can see where they were put in the piece of furniture.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00You've taken them out. They're not brilliant condition.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04You have a few little nicks and problems with the glaze on them,
0:10:04 > 0:10:08but they're very attractive, and stylistically quite collectable.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Moya Smith did lots of these biblical scenes
0:10:11 > 0:10:14and this is what you've got here. You've got Adam and Eve being
0:10:14 > 0:10:18- thrown out of the Garden of Eden. - Abraham...- Abraham offering his son.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22In terms of value, because they're taken out of a piece of furniture,
0:10:22 > 0:10:26they're not particularly saleable but should make between £40 and £50 at auction.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29Would you want to put them into a sale for that figure?
0:10:29 > 0:10:32- Yes, fine by me.- Would you want to put any kind of a reserve on them?
0:10:32 > 0:10:35- No. Just let them go.- No reserve means they might just make £10.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38If that's all, are you happy with that?
0:10:38 > 0:10:41- Take a chance.- It should make between 40 and 50.- I think they'll go cos
0:10:41 > 0:10:45- they're so nice.- We'll hope somebody likes them as much as you do.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48- All right, thank you very much. - You're welcome.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Well, we've been working flat out all morning and I don't
0:10:58 > 0:11:01know about you, but I think we've found some real gems.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04So right now, let's put those values to the test.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07We're going to make our way over to the auction room in Mold.
0:11:07 > 0:11:12We'll leave you with a quick recap of all the items that are going under the hammer.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Ruth and Margaret are keen to see
0:11:15 > 0:11:18what their naked Art Deco lamp base will reveal in the saleroom.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21- She's a bit dirty. - You might think that,
0:11:21 > 0:11:23I couldn't possibly comment, Margaret.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28Will Sue's Troika leave her flush with success?
0:11:28 > 0:11:31I bet it's been in pride of place in your china cabinet.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35- No. It hasn't.- Where's it been? - It's been in my downstairs loo.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37Can Peter's Minton ceramics produce enough
0:11:37 > 0:11:39for a night on the tiles?
0:11:41 > 0:11:43And finally, Carole is hoping that her
0:11:43 > 0:11:47autographs from the Fab Four will top the bidding charts.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51- How lucky are you!- I know.- The Fab Four, all on one piece of paper,
0:11:51 > 0:11:53- all signed by the band.- Yes.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03And now for my favourite part of the show.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05This is where it gets exciting.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08We're going to up the tempo so whatever you do, don't go away.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12It's now auction time. We've come to Dodds, in the heart of Mold,
0:12:12 > 0:12:16to put our valuations to the test. Fingers crossed, we're on the money.
0:12:17 > 0:12:23Auctioneer Anthony Parry is raring to go. First up, Sue's Troika vase.
0:12:23 > 0:12:2585. 90.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29I love Troika but I'm from Cornwall, really, and this is decorated by
0:12:29 > 0:12:34Ann Lewis, so it's a nice piece. But if it wasn't for Hilary here,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37who's just joined us, you wouldn't be here, would you?
0:12:37 > 0:12:41No. Not at all. You said, "That vase in your downstairs loo is a Troika,"
0:12:41 > 0:12:45and I said, "Is it?" We picked it up, looked at the bottom and yes, it was a Troika.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48I'm glad they didn't keep the toilet brush in it!
0:12:48 > 0:12:51No. No. We didn't. We did keep flowers in it.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54It's the right shape, actually!
0:12:55 > 0:12:58- But it is a lovely one, it's nice and crisp.- Yes.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Fingers crossed, it's going to travel well and the people
0:13:00 > 0:13:04of Mold will love this... and put it to many uses.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06It's going under the hammer now.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10251. A rectangular vase.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12A Troika one. 50, thank you. 50.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16Five. 60. Five. 70. Five. Thank you.
0:13:16 > 0:13:2180. £80. 80. Five. 90.
0:13:21 > 0:13:26Five. 100. 10. 120. 130.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30130. All done at... Five.
0:13:30 > 0:13:35140. 140. 140. Five, is there?
0:13:35 > 0:13:37All done at 140, then?
0:13:37 > 0:13:40- £140!- That's marvellous. Thank you very much.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42It doesn't let us down, does it?
0:13:42 > 0:13:43Good spot, Hilary, as well.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46- The money's going to the grandchildren.- That's lovely.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50- You'll have to buy Hilary a drink. - Yes.- A coffee.- Buy her lunch.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00- Good luck, Peter.- Thank you. - We're just about to put the five
0:14:00 > 0:14:04- Minton tiles under the hammer. We did have a valuation of...30 to? - 40 to 50.- £40 to £50,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07- but you've changed the reserve. - Right.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10We had no reserve. It was a come and buy me.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14- But now you want to a fixed reserve of 25, or is it £30?- £30.- £30. OK.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17So we're not giving these away. If they don't sell, I think you
0:14:17 > 0:14:20should take them home and utilise them, build them into something,
0:14:20 > 0:14:23cos they were originally in a hall stand which I know
0:14:23 > 0:14:25- you pulled apart, didn't you? - That's right.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29- I'll have to buy a hall stand now.- Or set them into a frame or something?
0:14:29 > 0:14:32- Have some faith. They might sell. Come on.- I think they will sell.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35Let's see what the bidders of Mold think.
0:14:35 > 0:14:41148. Five glazed earthenware tiles. Biblical scenes. Adam and Eve.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43Abraham. Joseph.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46All sorts of people in the Bible.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48A £10 note. Ten. 12. 14.
0:14:48 > 0:14:5016. That's nice clear bidding. 18.
0:14:50 > 0:14:5520. 22. 24. 26. 28. 30.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57There's two people in the room.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00- Yeah.- 30. 32. 34.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03Are you bidding, Ian? 36. 38. 40.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06Two. 44. 46. 48.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08They love them.
0:15:08 > 0:15:1150. Five. 60. Five. 70.
0:15:11 > 0:15:1670. £70. 70. Missed anybody?
0:15:16 > 0:15:1875. A fresh bidder. 80.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20- 85.- Great.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24- His hand goes down.- 85.- Oh, back up.
0:15:24 > 0:15:2690. 90. Another five?
0:15:26 > 0:15:28Sure? 90's over here, then.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31£90. All done at 90?
0:15:31 > 0:15:35That's what we like to see. Over the top end of the estimate.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38- A good result. Thank you so much for bringing them in.- Thank you.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42- Didn't matter about the hall stand in the end?- Ye of little faith!
0:15:51 > 0:15:54Margaret and Ruth have been working flat out for many
0:15:54 > 0:15:58years now for the animals charity, haven't you? It's Animals In Need?
0:15:58 > 0:16:02- That's right. Yes.- All the money for this sort of bronzish-looking lamp,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05it's not bronze but it's spelter, of a near-naked female.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08Hopefully it's going to fetch lots of money for the animals and
0:16:08 > 0:16:11I guess you're both animal lovers. I bet you've got cats, haven't you?
0:16:11 > 0:16:14- Oh, don't even talk about it. - Why, how many cats have you got?
0:16:14 > 0:16:18- I wouldn't like to say. - Really.- We've got quite a few.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20- They're coming and going all the time.- How many?
0:16:20 > 0:16:26Three figures. Nearly 100, 150. Yes, we have.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28And this is in the charity in North Liverpool?
0:16:28 > 0:16:30It is in Melling. Yes.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34There's over 100 cats here that need homes.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38- And dogs. Over 200 animals are on the site. Yes.- Good for you.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42Good for you, both of you, and I'm so pleased and proud and honoured
0:16:42 > 0:16:45- to try and raise some money to help. - OK. Thank you very much.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47Pressure's on, Mark Stacey.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Look, it is what it is. It's an Art Deco figurine lamp.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54It's not got its lovely globe shade, unfortunately, but she is revealing
0:16:54 > 0:16:59enough, I think, to tempt the bidders, here on a cold day in Mold.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05- And it's a really good-looking object.- It's very nice.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08We've set the reserve very low at £50 because we wanted to get
0:17:08 > 0:17:11something that was kindly donated to the charity,
0:17:11 > 0:17:13so anything over 50 will be a bonus, really.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16It looks the part and the decorators will absolutely love this.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20Let's hope they're here, today, right now. Here we go. Good luck, everybody.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24133. An electric table lamp of a gilded spelter figure
0:17:24 > 0:17:27of a near-naked female. Right.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31And the proceeds for this are going to Animals In Need. Right.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34What shall we say for the lamp?
0:17:34 > 0:17:3520, I'm bid. £20. 20.
0:17:35 > 0:17:3920. Five. 30. Five.
0:17:39 > 0:17:4240. Thank you, Mr Ellis. 40. 45.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44Have another one.
0:17:44 > 0:17:4750. 55. It's going to charity. 50.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50£50. 50. And five, is it?
0:17:50 > 0:17:5452. 52. Here he is, here. 52.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57At 53. 53.
0:17:57 > 0:18:0054.
0:18:00 > 0:18:01No. Definitely no. 54.
0:18:01 > 0:18:0554. All done at £54, then?
0:18:05 > 0:18:09- At £54.- It should have been more. - It all helps.- It's something.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12- It's all meant to help.- It all helps.- It really will.- It does.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Let me give you £50 as well towards that. OK?
0:18:15 > 0:18:21- I'll write a cheque for £50. - Lovely.- I was rather hoping for 100. - Yes. I was, actually.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26Coming up later, has Carole got a smash hit on her hands?
0:18:26 > 0:18:28Right. What shall we say for them?
0:18:28 > 0:18:31We're coming back here to meet up with Anthony Parry later on,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34so fingers crossed, many more surprises, but right now,
0:18:34 > 0:18:38I'm going back to that very impressive building in Liverpool's
0:18:38 > 0:18:41St George's Hall, and it's going to be a lot quieter because
0:18:41 > 0:18:44it's not the valuation day. I've got a little surprise for you.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52ORGAN MUSIC
0:19:07 > 0:19:09That is so loud.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11It is such a full sound.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14- It is, indeed. Yes.- Ian Tracey, now, you are the Liverpool City organist.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18- Yes.- You're the best person to tell me about this amazing instrument
0:19:18 > 0:19:21- and its association with this building.- Yes.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24The organ was put here as the great sort of feature of the building,
0:19:24 > 0:19:28which was really built to house a music festival which went on
0:19:28 > 0:19:30every three years, not even every year.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33And the organ was central to that because thousands of schoolchildren
0:19:33 > 0:19:36would sing to the organ accompaniment and Mr Best, who was
0:19:36 > 0:19:40the first city organist, had a series of organ recitals here for a week,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42which one finds from the city archives,
0:19:42 > 0:19:46that were with packed audiences each time. He would literally play
0:19:46 > 0:19:51all the great orchestral repertoires, single-handedly, on this instrument,
0:19:51 > 0:19:53so he was just a one-man band.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57- It is colossal!- It is. It occupies the whole north end
0:19:57 > 0:20:01- of the hall.- How many pipes are there?- 7,737 pipes.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05No two the same. They're all different and all handcrafted.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08So what makes a Henry Willis organ so special?
0:20:08 > 0:20:12There's an opulence in the sound, I think. And we have,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15at the Anglican cathedral, the largest organ in the country
0:20:15 > 0:20:18also Willis, and the second largest organ in the country,
0:20:18 > 0:20:22at the Albert Hall in London, is also Willis. The city, obviously,
0:20:22 > 0:20:27was quite opulent in those days and had plenty of money so we have two of the greatest in this one city.
0:20:29 > 0:20:34Henry Willis & Sons were regarded as the leading organ builders of the Victorian age.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38A time when civic and religious commitment led to the building
0:20:38 > 0:20:42of many town halls, palaces, cathedrals and churches.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45These days, the firm occupies a location in the centre of Liverpool
0:20:45 > 0:20:52and the order books still remain full as the company continues to handle commissions worldwide.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56Henry Willis is a family business, dating back to 1845.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00Founded by Henry Willis, it went on to be run by three generations
0:21:00 > 0:21:05of Henry's until 1997, when David Wyld took over the business.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09How do you go about making one of the pipes?
0:21:09 > 0:21:14Everything's done by hand, entirely by hand. We start off with
0:21:14 > 0:21:19ingots of tin and lead. That's then cast into sheet on a stone bench.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22The metal then has to be scraped.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27And that does actually improve the way that the pipes speaks
0:21:27 > 0:21:30cos it means that the waveform up the inside of the pipe,
0:21:30 > 0:21:33is not going to be interrupted by the surface of the metal.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37That's what I was trying to get at, if it was bouncing around.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39- That's on the inside.- OK.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42We go from this to the rolling up of the body.
0:21:42 > 0:21:48- So this is a set gauge, that you can work and form around. - We have a set of steel mandrels.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52These are ground steel mandrels. They're Victorian. They have always
0:21:52 > 0:21:55been in the firm, as far as we're aware.
0:21:55 > 0:22:00And we still have the original burnishers that actually go with the mandrels.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03We start off just by forming it to the mandrel.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06It's quite soft. There's a lot of lead content in that.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10Lot of lead in that. That's about 40% tin so there's actually quite a lot
0:22:10 > 0:22:12- more lead than tin in that.- Yeah.
0:22:12 > 0:22:17And then we take a burnisher and we can actually just smooth it out.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19- So you just draw it along. - Just draw it along and that
0:22:19 > 0:22:21will actually form the shape.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24So here we are, Paul. This is where we do the soldering.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Before we can actually solder it, we have to size the edges
0:22:27 > 0:22:30- which we paint on. - And that's to keep it clean?- Yeah.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34It also stops the solder going where you don't want it to go.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38- Are you going to start soldering now?- Yes. So we take the iron
0:22:38 > 0:22:41and we start by putting a tack on the joint.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45- Right. Just to keep it together like a little stitch.- Yeah.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52- You'd be good at plumbing at home. - I'm not good at plumbing at home.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55That was very clever, very good. Then we start filling in.
0:22:59 > 0:23:00- Perfect.- A seam.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02That's very clever.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06We then go on to the next stage. Here's one I prepared earlier
0:23:06 > 0:23:09where this is the foot of the pipe, the new pipe.
0:23:09 > 0:23:14And the next thing is then, obviously, to solder on the body to the foot.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18At this point, the metal hand would actually open a slot in the mouth to
0:23:18 > 0:23:24make the mouth so that when it goes to the voicing shop from the metal shop, the voicer can actually get
0:23:24 > 0:23:28the end of the knife in to cut the pipe up because we have to cut
0:23:28 > 0:23:30the mouth up in order to make it speak.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33We're getting there, aren't we? It's getting quite exciting.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41So we're now in the voicing room. Show me how you make this speak.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44This is a pipe we're going to voice and we would start by
0:23:44 > 0:23:48marking where we're going to cut up the mouth to make the mouth higher.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51- You've put these two little phalanges on.- Those are called ears.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53- OK.- It actually strengthens the pipe, there.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58- Cos you're weakening it by cutting the mouth.- Yeah. This is the voicing
0:23:58 > 0:24:01knife which is quite short and therefore quite strong.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05It's very stiff. We put this in the chuck,
0:24:05 > 0:24:07And we start just cutting away.
0:24:11 > 0:24:12HE SOUNDS A NOTE
0:24:12 > 0:24:16So do you know, at this stage, exactly what note that's going to be?
0:24:16 > 0:24:19Yes, because when they come out of the metal shop, they would actually
0:24:19 > 0:24:24be stamped with the note on them. And then, at the voicing stage, here,
0:24:24 > 0:24:27we cut them to length to a predetermined rod.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30- Right. So it's the length that gives you the note.- Yes.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32HE SOUNDS A NOTE
0:24:32 > 0:24:35- Perfect.- Not yet.- Not yet? - Now we have to move over
0:24:35 > 0:24:40- to the voicing machine.- It sounded a good note to me.- It's fairly good.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42HE PLAYS THE SAME NOTE
0:24:43 > 0:24:44Are you happy with that note now?
0:24:44 > 0:24:48I'm happy with that in the context of it being a single note.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52If that were a complete stop, we'd now have to work on each note
0:24:52 > 0:24:55next to every other note and make sure that the blend is right
0:24:55 > 0:24:59- and the graduation of the tone is correct.- Right.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03The rest of the tonal finishing will be done once it's in the organ.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05I'll leave you to do that. That's a lot of work.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08- Thank you so much for showing me around.- It's been a pleasure.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11It's been a real eye-opener for me and it's been going for
0:25:11 > 0:25:14- centuries and long may it continue, as well. What a tradition. - Thank you very much.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33Over at the auction house, the Beatles autographs
0:25:33 > 0:25:36have left Anthony quite nostalgic.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39OK. Well, were you a Beatles fan or a Rolling Stones fan?
0:25:39 > 0:25:42- A Beatles fan and I remember them coming to Mold...- Do you?- Yes.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46- Did they play here in Mold? - They played here in Mold.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49- I was a big Beatles fan, as well. - Yes.- Really was. Yeah.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Carole came into the valuation day and she showed me this
0:25:52 > 0:25:54- and I just went, "Wow!"- Yeah.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57All four signatures I've put £2,000-3,000 on this.
0:25:57 > 0:26:03Yeah. I would err on the lower side. I've sold them before at £2,000.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05We've got phone lines booked on it as well.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09If there's two or three phone lines booked and they're all prepared
0:26:09 > 0:26:11to pay the lower end, they might just...
0:26:11 > 0:26:14- They might just creep up. - Nudge each other up.- We'll try.
0:26:14 > 0:26:15I'll try and nudge them along a bit.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18You're going to do your best. I can't wait for this.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20Whatever you do, don't go away.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23The Beatles are just about to go under the hammer.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32I've just been joined by Carole and hopefully
0:26:32 > 0:26:34- we're going to be top of the pops in a moment.- We are.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37The Beatles signatures are just about to go under the hammer.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39We're looking for £2,000-3,000.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Love them, and I know you're a big Beatles fan.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44- Hopefully, all the collectors are here.- Hope so.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46- Good luck, Carole.- Thank you.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50232. Who remembers them coming to Mold?
0:26:50 > 0:26:54- Heard about it. - No. You're too young, you are.
0:26:55 > 0:27:02Right. Carole went to Llandudno where they appeared in the Odeon.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06Right. What shall we say for them? Who's going to start me off?
0:27:07 > 0:27:10Deadly silence. £1,000. Thank you. £1,000.
0:27:10 > 0:27:171,100. 1,200. 1,300. 1,400.
0:27:17 > 0:27:191,500. 1,500. Pardon?
0:27:19 > 0:27:22- What did you say?- £2,000.- £2,000.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Cor, nice job.
0:27:25 > 0:27:31Do you want your knee rubbing? 2,000. £2,000. 2,000. 2,100. 2,100.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35- 2,100. Are you coming back?- 2,200.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38- Brilliant.- 2,200. 2,300.
0:27:38 > 0:27:402,400. 2,400.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43- 2,400.- Are you shaking?
0:27:43 > 0:27:46- Yeah.- 2,400. 2,450.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48What about your client? 2,500.
0:27:48 > 0:27:502,500.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52And 50, anywhere?
0:27:52 > 0:27:552,500. Is that all there's to be?
0:27:55 > 0:27:58All done at 2,500, then?
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Yes. Fantastic. You were right, weren't you?
0:28:02 > 0:28:05£2,500 for the Beatles autographs.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09- What a fantastic day we've had here. - Thank you very much.- Oh, the journey
0:28:09 > 0:28:12just goes on for you, doesn't it? Now you can spend lots of money.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16- I know.- Thank goodness you saved it and kept it safe, though.- Yeah.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19- That's what it's all about, isn't it, really?- Yeah.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22- If we'd known then, what we know now. - Yes.- Really. Yeah.
0:28:22 > 0:28:27Hang on to anything that's valuable for at least 30 or 40 years
0:28:27 > 0:28:30and who knows, you know, you could get £2,500 as well.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32Sadly, we've come to the end of our show today.
0:28:32 > 0:28:37We've had a fantastic time here in Mold. All our owners have gone home happy, all credit to our experts.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41We're coming to a town near you soon so look out for details
0:28:41 > 0:28:44in your local press but for now, from Carole and myself, cheerio from Mold.
0:28:44 > 0:28:48- Brilliant.- Thank you. - Absolutely brilliant.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd