0:00:02 > 0:00:07Today, "Flog It!" has travelled to a Worcestershire town famous for its carpet production.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Indeed, this product is so world famous
0:00:09 > 0:00:12one of its legendary clients is the Eiffel Tower.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16So, where are we? Well, Kidderminster, of course.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43Kidderminster became first known as a wool-making town
0:00:43 > 0:00:46back in 1334, and it was known for its Kidderminster stuff,
0:00:46 > 0:00:48which is a kind of heavy cloth
0:00:48 > 0:00:50used for wall hangings and furniture upholstery.
0:00:50 > 0:00:55But when William Brinton opened his first factory here in the town in 1785,
0:00:55 > 0:00:57the production of carpet-making soon took over
0:00:57 > 0:00:59the manufacturing of woollen goods.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03The industry from that date to this is so connected to the area,
0:01:03 > 0:01:08that the free local paper, first published in the 19th century,
0:01:08 > 0:01:12was named after the shuttles used on the carpet looms.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14Today, we're at Kidderminster Town Hall.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16We've got a queue already lined up
0:01:16 > 0:01:19and here are our experts, Mr Philip Serrell and Kate Bliss.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22There's no time for reading the paper, you've got to get foraging.
0:01:22 > 0:01:28Well, it is now 9.30. I think it's time to get the doors open and get the show on the road, don't you?
0:01:28 > 0:01:29Let's Flog It!
0:01:32 > 0:01:35While Phil and Kate start to look for treasures,
0:01:35 > 0:01:39here's a little look at what's coming up on today's programme.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44There's a serious lack of love for some of our owners' items.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47- Do you like them, love them, loathe them?- Loathe them.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49They're not my thing at all.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51I felt I ought to give it to him and then I thought,
0:01:51 > 0:01:53"It's not really his taste."
0:01:53 > 0:01:56- Right. Not quite his style?- No. No.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59But will the bidders agree when we take them off to auction?
0:01:59 > 0:02:01Yes. The hammer's gone down.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03- I think your dad knew what he was doing.- Wow.
0:02:03 > 0:02:08And back at the town hall, Philip has found his first valuation.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10- Robert, how are you? - Fine, thank you.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12- You've brought some old dogs along.- Yes.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16- How did you come by these? - My wife's uncle collected them.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19- Yeah.- He was a photographer with the cruise liners.- Yeah.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23And he used to pick up these in different parts of the world.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25And we found these in a box.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27I think they're lovely.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30They're very reminiscent of those, sort of,
0:02:30 > 0:02:31Black Forest and Bavarian bears...
0:02:31 > 0:02:38You know? You get these bears, that size, holding little Vesta cases, holding a little matchbox...
0:02:38 > 0:02:42even up to almost the life-size examples that support a hall stand,
0:02:42 > 0:02:44- they can be worth thousands of pounds.- Yeah.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47We've got a bit of damage. We've got a three-legged dog,
0:02:47 > 0:02:51cos he's lost his right front leg and a tambourine.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53- Right.- This little chap here...
0:02:53 > 0:02:56he's lost his right tambourine.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59- I guess that might have been a drum at some point.- On the top, yes. Yes.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02I love the one on the skis.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04- I think that's brilliant.- Yes.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06And that's almost got a bit of a Jack Russell look,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09- this mandolin player. - That's right. Yeah.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12I think these are probably from the Black Forest area.
0:03:12 > 0:03:13Rather than 19th century,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16- I think they're probably early 20th century.- Right.
0:03:16 > 0:03:21And I don't think that they're perhaps yet as collectable
0:03:21 > 0:03:24as the Black Forest bears but I think they're great fun.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27- Yes.- And I think they're going to have a bit of demand, these.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29How many have we got? One, two,
0:03:29 > 0:03:30three, four, five, six, seven,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33- eight, nine, ten, eleven.- Yes.- OK.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36In terms of value, I think we've got to put what we call
0:03:36 > 0:03:40- a come-and-buy-me estimate on these. - Right.- OK.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44And that's an estimate to really entice people to get interested.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46And I think we can put £30-£50 on them.
0:03:46 > 0:03:51- Right.- I think we can put a £30 fixed reserve on them.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55- Right. Right. - And it wouldn't surprise me
0:03:55 > 0:04:00if they went and made between £150 and £200.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03- It wouldn't surprise me. - It wouldn't surprise you. No.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06- Do you like them?- I do. - Why are you selling them?
0:04:06 > 0:04:12We've got so much of this sort of thing at home and we came from
0:04:12 > 0:04:18Devon on a five double-bedroom house to a two-bedroom town house now.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21So we've got so much stored away in the attic and loft,
0:04:21 > 0:04:25everywhere, that we decided to start clearing stuff out.
0:04:25 > 0:04:26So that's why they're here.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28- This is the start.- This is the start!
0:04:28 > 0:04:32Well, let's hope it's a really good start for you, Robert.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34Let's hope it's a really good start.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40Chris, tell me about this lovely little figure.
0:04:40 > 0:04:46- It was given to me as a present when my son was born. And he's now 31.- OK.
0:04:46 > 0:04:52So it's been sitting in a cupboard for 31 years.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55And I felt I ought to give it to him and then I thought,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58- "It's not really his taste." - Right. Not quite his style?
0:04:58 > 0:05:02No. So when I saw "Flog It!" was on, I thought, "Right, I'll bring it."
0:05:02 > 0:05:05- You've brought it to the right place.- Good.
0:05:05 > 0:05:06What can you tell me about it?
0:05:06 > 0:05:09All I know is, it's Royal Worcester.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13And I think it's FD... Freda Doughty?
0:05:13 > 0:05:15That's absolutely right. Yes.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18- You've looked on the bottom, I think.- Yes.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22Cos inside here, we have the Worcester mark
0:05:22 > 0:05:24and underneath, it's titled October.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26Why is that, do you think?
0:05:26 > 0:05:31- Logically, it's months of the year, something like that.- That's right.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35- And he was born 1st October. - Good choice then.- Absolutely.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40Well, you're right, also, about the modeller because she is titled here.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42- F Doughty.- OK.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44At the Royal Worcester factory,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48there were two main modellers of figures and they were sisters.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50- Oh, really? - One was called Dorothy Doughty
0:05:50 > 0:05:54and she is very well-known for modelling birds.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58- Her sister, Freda, concentrated on children.- Yeah.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01And she, I think, modelled children beautifully.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03And she produced these little figurines
0:06:03 > 0:06:06- in a number of different series. - Yeah.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10- Some were titled with the months of the year, just like yours.- Yeah.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12She did the days of the week...
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Figurines representing countries...
0:06:15 > 0:06:18- Yeah.- Different series. And this is exactly what we've got here,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21signifying October, with squirrels.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25- Seasonal little boy running around, there.- With the squirrels.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30So perhaps not suitable for your son today.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32- No.- But there are plenty of collectors
0:06:32 > 0:06:34- that it would be suitable for. - Oh, really?
0:06:34 > 0:06:39And selling it on its own, without the rest of the series, is absolutely fine
0:06:39 > 0:06:44because there will be a number of collectors who perhaps have this one missing from their set.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47- Got you.- We hope so, anyway. Hope they're at the auction.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49- Yeah. Brilliant. - So what about value today?
0:06:49 > 0:06:51I've got no idea.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Well, they're a fairly standard price, I have to say, at auction,
0:06:54 > 0:06:58- as long as they're in perfect condition, and yours certainly appears to be.- Yeah.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00So I would say between £30 and £50.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04Brilliant. Would you put a reserve on this or something?
0:07:04 > 0:07:07I would. Yes. Just in case the right person isn't there on the day,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09I would suggest a reserve of £30.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12- OK. Yeah.- Does that sound good? - That sounds fine. Absolutely.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15So who will the proceeds go to... you or your son?
0:07:15 > 0:07:17It'll have to go to my son.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21And seeing as I'm saying it on television, I'll have to do it.
0:07:28 > 0:07:29- Lesley, how are you?- Very well.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33- Are you a Kidderminster lass? - Yes - born here, now live in Stourport.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36- I was born in Kidderminster. - Yeah. I didn't know that.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39- Yeah. Well, there's a reason why I've chosen this.- Yeah.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42I don't pretend to be a glass specialist,
0:07:42 > 0:07:43but Will at Fieldings,
0:07:43 > 0:07:46he's got more about glass than most people know.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48I can tell you what I think it is.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50How long have you had it?
0:07:50 > 0:07:54It's been in the family since I was born.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58It was my granny's present from my granddad when they got engaged.
0:07:58 > 0:08:03- When would that have been?- Well, I don't know when she got engaged but she died in 1971, aged 87.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05So it would have been about 1910...
0:08:05 > 0:08:08- 1910, 1920. - It's got to be somewhere around...
0:08:08 > 0:08:10Let me tell you what I think it is.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14I think this is a really sweet little opaline glass basket
0:08:14 > 0:08:19on the inside, with this sort of multicoloured dash on the outside,
0:08:19 > 0:08:22with gilt here. Um, it's Victorian.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26I would say that it's sort of probably about 1880,
0:08:26 > 0:08:281890, there or thereabouts.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31I think this is British.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33OK. I think it's possibly English.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36- Right.- We've got Kidderminster.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41- And the next great glass port of call is Stourbridge.- Right. Yeah.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43OK. And that's 15 miles up the road.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46- Yes.- So it's not beyond the wit of man
0:08:46 > 0:08:49- for this to have come from one of the Stourbridge factories.- Right.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52- OK.- Possibly Richardsons, who knows.
0:08:52 > 0:08:58- Yeah.- But the auction sale room is in Stourbridge and Will will know.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01I just think it's a sweet little bit of 19th-century decorative...
0:09:01 > 0:09:03You could almost imagine this
0:09:03 > 0:09:06with the aspidistra in the corner of the room, can't you?
0:09:06 > 0:09:10- That's right. Yes.- I just think it typifies that period,
0:09:10 > 0:09:11that sort of late-Victorian era.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14In terms of value, I'm going to be really mean,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18OK? I'm going to put £30-£50 as an estimate on it.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20- Right.- And a £20 reserve.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23But I think that it's going to the best place that it can.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Yeah. That's great, then.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28- All right?- Yeah. That's fine. Yes. - Good stuff.- Thank you ever so much.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36What a wonderful venue we have today. I'm so proud to be here.
0:09:36 > 0:09:37But we've only got this for one day.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41The Who played out there, The Rolling Stones, Donovan.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43And of course, we do have...
0:09:43 > 0:09:45George. Take it away.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53THEY CLAP IN TIME
0:09:55 > 0:09:58That's enough, George. Well done. Well done, mate.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00We'll come back to that later on,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03but right now, we've found our first items to take off to auction.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07Here's quick reminder in case you've forgotten what they are.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09We'll see you at the auction house.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Robert is downsizing so his 11 wooden dogs
0:10:12 > 0:10:16are going under the hammer with Philip's estimate of £30-£50.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20Another £30-£50 valuation was put on the Worcester figurine
0:10:20 > 0:10:24that Chris was given when her son was born 31 years ago.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27It's not really to his taste but he could have a decent cash gift
0:10:27 > 0:10:30from his mum if it hits the high valuation.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32And what are the chances of this?
0:10:32 > 0:10:36Another £30-£50 valuation was given for the glass vase
0:10:36 > 0:10:40that's been in Lesley's family since before she was born.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48I'm keen to see if Philip is on the nose with his valuation,
0:10:48 > 0:10:49so I'm going to have a quick chat
0:10:49 > 0:10:52with our man on the rostrum today, Nick Davies.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Nick, I know absolutely nothing about glass
0:10:54 > 0:10:57and I know this is the best place to bring it to,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59and Will has got a great reputation with glass.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02This belongs to Lesley, and Philip's put around £30-£50 on it.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05It dates, as you know, to the early 1900s,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08and it's got a lovely tortoiseshell finish and...
0:11:08 > 0:11:11it's absolutely immaculate. You'd think it'd been made yesterday.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Well, that's the bonus with glass.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15It's notoriously impossible to repair,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18so the condition's paramount with anything like this.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22And you're right, we're in Stourbridge, right in the heart of the glass industry -
0:11:22 > 0:11:26what's left of it - and this type of thing's typical of that period.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30It's not an unusual piece, but it's a nice, tidy example of its period.
0:11:30 > 0:11:321880 to about 1910.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36- They started life with the dregs of what was left in the factory. - Leftovers.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38- Yeah.- Yeah. - End of the day, it was called.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41- End of the day glass.- It was a bit like the weights, wasn't it?
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Exactly the same. And the workers started making things
0:11:44 > 0:11:47and selling them in pubs and places like that.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49This is nice cos it's got a little bit of a fall in it
0:11:49 > 0:11:52so you get that gold lustre under the tortoiseshell.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56But they sold so well that they actually started making them proper in the factories.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59So it's something we see quite a bit of,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02but for that sort of price, it shouldn't be a problem.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05And the good news is, that's going to find a home locally again.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08I'd like to think so. We get a good following for glass round here.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12It might go a couple of miles down the road, probably where it was born.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Yeah. And we're right on the money. No big surprises.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17It's about right. It's where it should be.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20Let's see if Nick and Phil have got the price right
0:12:20 > 0:12:23as the glass basket goes under the hammer.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26Fingers crossed. There should be a lot of local interest with this one
0:12:26 > 0:12:29- and I think Philip's spot on with the valuation.- Am I?
0:12:29 > 0:12:31Yes, cos I had a chat to Nick earlier
0:12:31 > 0:12:33- and he agreed with the value. - Oh, right.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35- Yeah.- Good.- So that's good.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37I really like this.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40I love the tortoiseshell finish but I think what puts me off
0:12:40 > 0:12:42- is that sort of wavy edge. - Crimped border.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45- Yeah. Not keen on that. - It's a bit pretty, isn't it?
0:12:45 > 0:12:49Bit too pretty, but hopefully it's going to find a new home right now. Here we go.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51Where can we start this one?
0:12:51 > 0:12:54£30 for it. Nice good example of Stourbridge glass. £30 for it.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Anybody coming in at 30? 25 to move it, then.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59No interest at 25. 25...
0:12:59 > 0:13:00Thank you. 28 anywhere else?
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Cheap for a piece of Stourbridge glass, isn't it?
0:13:03 > 0:13:0630 anywhere else? At £28, gentleman's bid.
0:13:06 > 0:13:0928 - all sure and done?
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Just at the lower end. I guess a lot of people
0:13:12 > 0:13:13might have a lot of this stuff.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15It was made out of all the waste glass.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17You knew that, didn't you?
0:13:17 > 0:13:19- No.- Yes. All the leftovers.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22I read about the aventurine bit where it was the mistake made,
0:13:22 > 0:13:25they tipped fleck stuff into the molten glass.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27That's right, little bits of metal.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30I think, for a bit of 19th-century Stourbridge glass, that is...
0:13:30 > 0:13:33I mean, they'll have done their job getting the money for it,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36- but I just think the market's not that dear for those, is it?- No.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40Maybe it's a great thing to invest in now because a lot of people don't value it.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42Have to start saving up, Paul.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44Not that much money either!
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Going under the hammer now is a bit of Royal Worcester.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57It's an October figure and it belongs to Chris -
0:13:57 > 0:14:00- October because her little lad was born in October.- Absolutely.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04So have you got any other kids? Got an April or a November?
0:14:04 > 0:14:06- No. Just the October. - And how old is he now?
0:14:06 > 0:14:08- He's 31.- He's a big boy now, then.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10- Certainly is. - It's going under the hammer.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Let's see what this lot thinks, shall we? Here we go.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16Royal Worcester figure. Where can we start this one?
0:14:16 > 0:14:17£30. 30 for October.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19Come on. Come on. 30 quid.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22- That's nothing. - 32 anywhere else in the room?
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Seems cheap. 32. 35.
0:14:25 > 0:14:2838, seated. 38. 40.
0:14:28 > 0:14:3142. 45.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34So it's no. Thank you. £42. 45 anywhere else?
0:14:34 > 0:14:37- Big estimate there. - £42 for October. Are we all done?
0:14:37 > 0:14:38- Yes.- Well done.- Good.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40- Mid-estimate.- Right. - That's a good price.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43- £42.- It's certainly good. - That's a treat for him.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45- Does he come home much?- Oh, yeah.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48Has he still got lots of stuff at home? Has he still got a bedroom?
0:14:48 > 0:14:51- He's got an attic full. - I have, actually, at home.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54- We might be seeing you again then perhaps.- Absolutely.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01Right. Next up, I could say, "Who let the dogs out?"
0:15:01 > 0:15:03Well, it was Robert, because there's 11 of them.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05They're 20th-century Black Forest.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07- I love chip carving. - Yeah. They are nice.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10Philip's put a valuation of £20-£40 on.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13That's a cheeky little valuation for not a lot.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15They'll do all right. They'll do all right.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Here we go. Good luck, Robert.
0:15:17 > 0:15:22Black Forest carved figures of dogs playing instruments
0:15:22 > 0:15:24and skiing. There we go. Get it all here.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26These are fun.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28- I think these will do well.- Yeah.
0:15:28 > 0:15:3125 or not. Thank you. 28 anywhere else? 28. 30. 32. 32.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35It's with you now, sir. 35 anywhere else? At 32, standing in the crowd.
0:15:35 > 0:15:3735 right in the distance.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Testing my eyes again. 35. 38.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43And 40. And 2. 45. 48.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46And 50. And 5. 60. 5. 70.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49That's nice.
0:15:49 > 0:15:5265 in the crowd with the glasses. 65. 70. He's back again at 70.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56And five, shakes his head. 70 with the cap in the distance.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58At £70. Are we sure and done at 70 now?
0:15:58 > 0:16:01Yes. Hammer's gone down, £70, for a dog orchestra.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04That put a smile on our face, Robert. Thank you so much
0:16:04 > 0:16:06for bringing them in. They were fun.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09- Yes. Yeah.- And hopefully, they've gone to a good home.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13That concludes our first visit to Fieldings.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15We are coming back later on in the show
0:16:15 > 0:16:19so fingers crossed for one or two big surprises from this sale room.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Look at it. It's packed full of history from all over the world.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26But right now, I'm going to show you a very important piece of British history
0:16:26 > 0:16:28that's tucked away just down the road.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41Here, at Moseley Old Hall, behind the internal Tudor oak panelling,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44lie a number of secret hiding places.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46These were originally built to conceal priests,
0:16:46 > 0:16:48who were being persecuted at the time.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51One of these hiding places helped shape history.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53It was the Battle of Worcester, 1651.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56The very last battle of the English Civil War
0:16:56 > 0:16:58and Cromwell's army had defeated the Royalists.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01King Charles II needed a place to hide from Cromwell's men.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03When the King arrived at the house,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06he was offered dry clothes, food and a proper bed.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10He was hidden in the priest hole for two days whilst planning the route for his escape.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13The King spent the night underneath these floorboards,
0:17:13 > 0:17:17the priest spent the night on top, so if Cromwell's troops came round
0:17:17 > 0:17:18and found the priest,
0:17:18 > 0:17:21they would have thought they'd got a great result.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Unknown to them, but the King was underneath.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26But the good thing was, nobody was found.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30On his restoration to the throne in 1660,
0:17:30 > 0:17:32not forgetting the help he'd had,
0:17:32 > 0:17:36King Charles gave Thomas Whitgreave, the owner of the house,
0:17:36 > 0:17:37an annuity of £200 a year -
0:17:37 > 0:17:40a very large sum of money in those days.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44This old place in the history books ultimately led to the survival
0:17:44 > 0:17:47of the hall and the interest of one gentleman - William Wiggin.
0:17:47 > 0:17:53William purchased the hall in 1939 but after he died in 1962,
0:17:53 > 0:17:56his family sold the building to the National Trust
0:17:56 > 0:17:59for just one pound so they could continue the restoration work.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03However, Moseley Old Hall isn't the only legacy William has left us.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06His family were the first to introduce and make
0:18:06 > 0:18:09stainless-steel items, in the world.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16I'm here with Nigel Wiggin, who's the grandson of William,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19and I've got to say, your grandfather was quite a chap.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23Yes. He did his contribution, but he was basically an industrialist,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26- developing Old Hall stainless-steel tableware.- Yeah.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28There's a lot here in front of me.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30I'm just seeing the sign Old Hall.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Have you named the stainless steel after the house we're in?
0:18:33 > 0:18:39No. It's a fortunate coincidence that the Old Hall name
0:18:39 > 0:18:44originally came from an old Salvation Army mission hall,
0:18:44 > 0:18:49that we moved the business into in 1901.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53William's father and his eldest son, both called James,
0:18:53 > 0:18:57started J and J Wiggin, a blacksmith business, in 1853.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01They made mostly belt buckles and stirrups for the horse-drawn community,
0:19:01 > 0:19:02but after the First World War,
0:19:02 > 0:19:06William decided to diversify and move the company forward.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08He'd heard about Staybrite Steel.
0:19:08 > 0:19:13It was a complete new material that didn't rust -
0:19:13 > 0:19:16prior to that, all steel had rusted.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18He bought some Staybrite from Sheffield
0:19:18 > 0:19:23- and we started making bathroom fittings.- Did it take off?
0:19:23 > 0:19:25- It did.- Big time?- It did. Yes.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28It got us a very good hold in the market place
0:19:28 > 0:19:31and that is the earliest product that I've got,
0:19:31 > 0:19:34made out of stainless steel, or Staybrite.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38The real start of tableware is 19...
0:19:38 > 0:19:40- Teapots, I guess.- Teapots.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42- Everyone wants a cup of tea, don't they?- Yes.
0:19:42 > 0:19:47And the person who realised that was my grandmother.
0:19:47 > 0:19:511928 was their silver wedding.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53This is William and Nellie.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57And they were given a lot of silverware for their silver wedding.
0:19:57 > 0:20:02And my grandmother suggested to my grandfather
0:20:02 > 0:20:06that he might like to give her a hand with the cleaning.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09And the response to that was...
0:20:09 > 0:20:15"No, I don't feel as though that's something that is a man's job."
0:20:15 > 0:20:17And as a result of that,
0:20:17 > 0:20:22my grandmother came up with the amazing idea...
0:20:22 > 0:20:27"Why don't you make some silverware out of Staybrite?"
0:20:27 > 0:20:32And that started the world's stainless-steel tableware industry.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Nobody else had thought of it.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37The toast rack was the very first item that we did make.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40- And you've got that here, haven't you?- We've got it here.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42- Which one is it? - It's this one here...
0:20:42 > 0:20:47- OK.- which is as far as we are aware, the world's very first item
0:20:47 > 0:20:51of stainless steel tableware - this little toast rack.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53This started the whole industry off.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57To begin with, the public associated steel with construction
0:20:57 > 0:20:58rather than tableware,
0:20:58 > 0:21:01so the first sales were nothing to write home about,
0:21:01 > 0:21:02until the 1930s,
0:21:02 > 0:21:06when Old Hall undertook a huge advertising campaign.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09Nellie, once again, made a massive contribution
0:21:09 > 0:21:10with another bright idea.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13And she said, "You must make a teapot...",
0:21:13 > 0:21:17- which again we've got on the table in front of us.- And it's that one there.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20It's this one here. That is 1930.
0:21:20 > 0:21:25I suspect about that, though, was that we couldn't make a teapot.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29It's such a difficult metal to work with and a grandmother came up with
0:21:29 > 0:21:34an idea which is based on this shape here.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38And the answer is, you bend it round like that.
0:21:38 > 0:21:39And there's your spout.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41It needs a disc in the bottom.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44It needs a handle on. But that is how we...
0:21:44 > 0:21:46A single piece of metal, basically?
0:21:46 > 0:21:49..A single piece of metal and that is exactly how that is made.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Do you know what they say, which is totally right?
0:21:52 > 0:21:57- Behind every good man there's a good woman. She was the brains behind you!- She was on the ball. Yes.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00The company grew from strength to strength
0:22:00 > 0:22:02until the Second World War started,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06when the factory was turned over to ammunition production.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08But then, when the war was over,
0:22:08 > 0:22:11in the 1950s the Old Hall brand took off again.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Up to then, the Wiggin family had designed
0:22:14 > 0:22:19everything themselves, but we were not designers. We were engineers.
0:22:19 > 0:22:231955, we took on board
0:22:23 > 0:22:26a student from the Royal College of Art called Robert Welch.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29Now, he was studying to be a silversmith,
0:22:29 > 0:22:33but his thesis, in fact, he chose for design in stainless steel.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36And he contacted us for help.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38When he got his degree, we asked him if he'd like to be
0:22:38 > 0:22:42- our consultant designer. - And he started designing for you.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45- And he started designing... - Is this his work?
0:22:45 > 0:22:49This is so recognisable as different to the Wiggin design.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53- Yes. It's so obvious.- This is Robert Welch design. This is '64.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55I've got to say, this is fabulous.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58Well, it is the most collectable item.
0:22:58 > 0:23:04I think, when we closed down in 1984, we'd made about 1,500 of these.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07- So there aren't many around. - That's a collectable, then.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09That is undoubtedly collectable.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12All our 200 members in the Old Hall Club
0:23:12 > 0:23:15would really love to have one of these tea sets.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17Only perhaps 20 of them have got one.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20You mentioned the Old Hall Club, you've got members,
0:23:20 > 0:23:24- what's this all about?- This is the Old Hall Collectors Club...- OK.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29..which, for my sins, I am running. 200 members.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32Mostly in the UK but all over the world.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Mostly...
0:23:35 > 0:23:37the wedding present of the '60 people,
0:23:37 > 0:23:40cos Old Hall was the wedding present of the '60s.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43I mean, I think that's an accolade, you know,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46the wedding present of the '60s. It meant every couple had one.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48- You can't go wrong there.- No. No.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51No. It was on everybody's wedding present list
0:23:51 > 0:23:54and depending on how lucky you were, was to what you got.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57What was the demise? What happened?
0:23:57 > 0:24:00Cheap, imported stainless-steel tableware...
0:24:00 > 0:24:03foreign...foreign.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07Nothing like Old Hall in terms of quality.
0:24:07 > 0:24:13But about a third of the price. We started having to shrink and shrink.
0:24:13 > 0:24:21By the time 1984 came, our 500 employees had shrunk to 65
0:24:21 > 0:24:27and we couldn't carry on operating, so we had to close the works in 1984.
0:24:27 > 0:24:28Which was a sad day for you.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31The worst day of my life, Paul, there's no doubt.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35Well, at least you've got the club to sort of fall back on now.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38- Exactly.- Your passion carries through to all those members
0:24:38 > 0:24:43- and you're still out looking, you're still out buying this stuff. - It's popping up at car boots.
0:24:43 > 0:24:44It's popping up at charity shops,
0:24:44 > 0:24:48collectors fairs, which cost you a bit more expense.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50If that popped up at, say, a collectors' fair,
0:24:50 > 0:24:52what would you pay for that, that set?
0:24:52 > 0:24:55They pop up so infrequently...£250.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57- It's a lot of money, isn't it?- £250.
0:24:57 > 0:25:02Nigel, thank you so much for sharing your life story with me,
0:25:02 > 0:25:05- and it's a great family you belong to.- It's a pleasure, Paul. Thank you.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14Welcome back to the Town Hall in Kidderminster and, as you can see,
0:25:14 > 0:25:19it's still jam-packed full of people, which means hundreds of antiques still to look at.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21Let's catch up with our experts.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24- Brian, how are you? - I'm very well, thanks.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26- Are you a Kidderminster man?- No.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28I'm a London guy, but I live in Kidderminster now.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31And what about these? Where do they come from?
0:25:31 > 0:25:33Well, they've come from my dad's mother.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35And she was a London lady.
0:25:35 > 0:25:36She was born in Mitcham.
0:25:36 > 0:25:42- And she was a bride, a mother and a widow, in one year.- Really?
0:25:42 > 0:25:45- She lost her first husband in the First World War.- Oh, that's sad.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49- But my father was the second husband. - So when would she have bought these?
0:25:49 > 0:25:52She bought them in 1908, something like that.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54Do you like them, love them, loathe them?
0:25:54 > 0:25:57- Loathe them.- You loathe them. Really?
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Yes. They're not my thing at all.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01I'm not really into antiques.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04One of the things that interests me about things
0:26:04 > 0:26:07that people get left, that get handed down to the next generation...
0:26:07 > 0:26:12- There's this big thing, the vases, they're in the wardrobe, they'll be yours one day.- I know.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15And this sort of asset, this family heirloom,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18- can become a huge liability, can't it?- Absolutely.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20But somebody will appreciate them
0:26:20 > 0:26:22and I'm sure my mother would want that.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25This type of decoration, this stoneware,
0:26:25 > 0:26:28it screams out at you that it's Doulton.
0:26:28 > 0:26:33- I mean, they started... Slaters started making these in 1871.- Right.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36And it's interesting that you referred to the First World War
0:26:36 > 0:26:41- and that your grandmother's first husband bought these in 1908 to 1910.- I think so.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43Cos they're Slaters Doulton.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46And interestingly, the mark on them would have dated from
0:26:46 > 0:26:50about 1886 through to 1914, the beginning of the First World War.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54- That's about right, then.- So that's the back end of the period.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57And this design on here is done by when the clay is wet,
0:26:57 > 0:26:59there's lace put on there and pressed in.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01Oh, right.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04And then the lace is pulled off and it gives you this
0:27:04 > 0:27:10- wonderful body on here, which is then decorated and fired.- Right.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12And in terms of value, it isn't huge.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16- I think these could have been worth more, ten or 15 years ago.- Right.
0:27:16 > 0:27:22- I would put an auction estimate on these of £60-£90.- Right.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25I'd put a fixed reserve on them of £50, which is nothing.
0:27:25 > 0:27:30- You have a real good day, they might make you 150.- Oh, that's fine.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33But I think that you've got to put what we call
0:27:33 > 0:27:35- a come-and-buy-me estimate on them...- Right.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37because they're not fashionable.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40- That doesn't surprise me. - They're just not fashionable
0:27:40 > 0:27:44- How will you wrestle with your mum's conscience? - I won't worry about that.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47I'm sure she will be pleased that somebody finds them attractive
0:27:47 > 0:27:50and what we planned to do is give something
0:27:50 > 0:27:52to the grandchildren, for the future.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55So my mum will at least give something to her great-grandchildren.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57- She'll rest happy then.- She will.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00- Let's hope they do really well for you.- Thank you very much indeed.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08June, you've got three very different
0:28:08 > 0:28:09silver-looking pieces here.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12- Have they all come from the same place?- No. No.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14We inherited that from my uncle.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18- Right.- And these came from an old lady that we used to look after.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22- When she died, we had them.- So why have you brought these along today?
0:28:22 > 0:28:24We just haven't got room.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27They're just stuck in the cabinet and might as well sell them.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31- Not something that you use every day?- No. They're rather nice,
0:28:31 > 0:28:33but we don't use these.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35What do you like about them?
0:28:35 > 0:28:37That one's very pretty, I think.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39- Yeah.- And I like the line of that.
0:28:39 > 0:28:40- It's just smart.- It is.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Well, I think you've hit the nail on the head. It is a smart piece.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46Let's start with this one.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50Nice clean lines. And if I look at it closely,
0:28:50 > 0:28:54you can see the hallmark quite clearly on the side here.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57This dates it exactly to 1919.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00So we can tell that it's George V period.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03But it is of an earlier Georgian style
0:29:03 > 0:29:06which often was replicated in the George V period.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10And I particularly like these lovely scroll-cast handles.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12Do you know what it was used for?
0:29:12 > 0:29:15Well, we were led to believe it might be a sugar bowl,
0:29:15 > 0:29:19- but I really don't know. - Well, I can see exactly why you might think that.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22It does have the look of a sugar bowl about it,
0:29:22 > 0:29:26- but I think this is more of a presentation piece.- Really.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28And the blank sides lend themselves
0:29:28 > 0:29:31- to perhaps a presentation inscription.- Yes.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33And there's quite a bit of silver in there.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36It's quite a heavy piece which you wouldn't necessarily find
0:29:36 > 0:29:38in a sugar bowl as much.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42So that's what I think that is. Now, this is something quite different.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45There's a lot going on. We've got engraving.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49We've got embossing... You see these clusters of fruit and flowers,
0:29:49 > 0:29:52stand proud on the side of the piece?
0:29:52 > 0:29:54Now, what do you think this was used for?
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Well, we thought it was a spice-shaker,
0:29:57 > 0:29:59or a sugar-shaker, I'm not sure.
0:29:59 > 0:30:04That's right. You're absolutely right. Used to sprinkle the sugar.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06And this isn't English.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10- No?- The decoration is very much in the English style,
0:30:10 > 0:30:13but if we look closely, there's no English hallmark.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17What we've got instead is a mark just here...
0:30:17 > 0:30:18- do you see that?- Oh, yes.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21- in a different-shaped cartouche. - Yes.
0:30:21 > 0:30:23That tells me that it's Dutch.
0:30:23 > 0:30:28- Right.- But in date, it's around 1900, perhaps slightly earlier.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32So completely different from your standard George V trophy piece.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34Yeah.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36What about this? This came from a different place.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39- That came from my uncle. - Do you know what it's used for?
0:30:39 > 0:30:40It's a wine coaster, isn't it?
0:30:40 > 0:30:44It is a wine coaster or a bottle coaster, as some people call them.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48With this lovely mahogany turned wooden base there.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51I would say this dates probably from the Edwardian period,
0:30:51 > 0:30:53certainly early 20th century.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55And this is different again.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59Although it looks like silver, it's silver-plate.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01And I think this is really a smart piece.
0:31:01 > 0:31:06- Yes. So do I.- You've got the fruiting vine standing proud
0:31:06 > 0:31:09all the way around the edge, and it's in super condition.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11Where have you kept this?
0:31:11 > 0:31:14Oh, kept it in a box since I inherited it,
0:31:14 > 0:31:16but I don't know where Uncle kept it.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18- And have you polished it much?- No.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20No. Only polished it to bring it.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24Well, I have to say that's a good thing because with silver-plate,
0:31:24 > 0:31:26too much polishing will wear the silver away.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28I don't think Uncle polished it much.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30- Not in danger of that.- No. No. No.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34Although silver-plate isn't selling particularly well,
0:31:34 > 0:31:35although it depends on the piece.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37This is one of the more commercial items.
0:31:37 > 0:31:41And I think at auction you could estimate this
0:31:41 > 0:31:43quite safely at £30-£50.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47- It's quite a commercial piece. - People still use them, don't they?
0:31:47 > 0:31:49Yes. They do. Absolutely. Yeah.
0:31:49 > 0:31:50- I've got one at home that I use. - Yes.
0:31:50 > 0:31:55These two pieces I think would go well together in a separate lot.
0:31:55 > 0:32:00And I think if we said an estimate of 100-150 for the two...
0:32:00 > 0:32:02and perhaps a reserve of 80,
0:32:02 > 0:32:05which means that they wouldn't sell below that.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08- Does that sound OK to you?- Yes. OK.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11You couldn't put the reserve at 100?
0:32:11 > 0:32:13Put the reserve at 100? I think you could.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15They ought to fetch that.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18What about splitting the difference and saying 90?
0:32:18 > 0:32:20- All right.- Well, a reserve of 90 then.- Lovely.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23And that one, I think it should make £30... certainly.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25- Oh, hope so. Yes.- Excellent.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28- Well, thank you for bringing them along.- It's a pleasure.
0:32:36 > 0:32:37Do you know what time it is?
0:32:37 > 0:32:38No idea at all.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42- I'm always late wherever I go.- Well, you shouldn't be with this lot.
0:32:42 > 0:32:43Where have they all come from?
0:32:43 > 0:32:46They're part of my father's collection.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49- Part?- Yes, he's still got some others but we brought along
0:32:49 > 0:32:53what we thought were the most valuable or interesting ones today.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56Well, I've had a bit of a look through them,
0:32:56 > 0:32:58and it's interesting how these things fluctuate,
0:32:58 > 0:33:01but in my view, the most valuable single one
0:33:01 > 0:33:03- is probably this one here.- Right.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05You know why that is, don't you?
0:33:05 > 0:33:07- Gold content?- Absolutely right.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09It's 18-carat gold.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12And at the moment, gold prices are through the roof, so whilst
0:33:12 > 0:33:16it's quite battered, the gold content in there I would guess...
0:33:16 > 0:33:21- That's going to make you £120 just on scrap gold.- Right.
0:33:21 > 0:33:25And perhaps a year, 18 months, ago, that might have been £30 or £40.
0:33:25 > 0:33:30So the value of these things have gone up in their gold content.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32This one fascinates me, because do you know
0:33:32 > 0:33:36- what that type of pocket watch is called?- Half Hunter.- Why?
0:33:36 > 0:33:39Cos you can see part of the year display with the cast closed.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43Absolutely right. A Full Hunter is where
0:33:43 > 0:33:47the case is closed on both sides.
0:33:47 > 0:33:52- Right.- And a Half Hunter has this little subsidiary bull's-eye here,
0:33:52 > 0:33:55with the numbers around the outside, so you can see the time.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57I mean, I think these are lovely.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59You know what this is called?
0:33:59 > 0:34:02- An Albert. - Why is it called an Albert?- No idea.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05- Prince Albert.- Right.
0:34:05 > 0:34:06He always wore a chain
0:34:06 > 0:34:09and this would have gone through the waistcoat.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12And your pocket watch would have fitted on there.
0:34:12 > 0:34:16- Yes.- And then you'd drop your pocket watch in your waistcoat.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19What's interesting with this one - it's gold coloured.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22I want the auctioneers to do a check on that. If that's gold,
0:34:22 > 0:34:28- that in itself could be worth £100-£200.- Right. Yeah.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31How long has it taken your dad to buy these things?
0:34:31 > 0:34:34Well, he'd been collecting them since he was a child.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37He started getting enthusiastic about collecting again
0:34:37 > 0:34:42about 20 years ago and adding sort of like one every month or so.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45Did he ever spend a lot of money on anything?
0:34:45 > 0:34:51Not as far as I know. I mean, I don't think he ever came back and said, "Oh, this has cost me £200."
0:34:51 > 0:34:52I think he was always...
0:34:52 > 0:34:54- Always five and tens.- Yeah.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58I think 40 was probably about as near as he ever paid.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02I think his £5 and £10 have stood him in good stead.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04I think...
0:35:04 > 0:35:07as a collection, it's probably going to make at auction
0:35:07 > 0:35:10between £300 and £500, possibly a little bit more.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13- Right. - Given that's the broad parameter...
0:35:13 > 0:35:16I'd like to suggest that we ask the auctioneers to lot it up
0:35:16 > 0:35:18as they see fit and sort the reserves out
0:35:18 > 0:35:21that fall into that guideline. How does that sound?
0:35:21 > 0:35:23- Yes.- Are you happy with that?
0:35:23 > 0:35:26- Yeah. That's fine.- More importantly, what will Dad think?
0:35:26 > 0:35:27I think he'd be pleased with it,
0:35:27 > 0:35:30- cos he did leave them all to the grandchildren.- Yeah.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34And with 15 grandchildren, it's very difficult to sort of like say, "Well,
0:35:34 > 0:35:37"you have this one, you have that one."
0:35:37 > 0:35:39- 15 grandchildren.- That's right. Yes.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42- How many children did he have? - Four.- Four.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46No need to ask what your hobby is, is there?
0:35:46 > 0:35:48Let's get those watches and our other items
0:35:48 > 0:35:51over to the auction room in Stourbridge.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54And here's a quick recap of what's going under the hammer.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58Brian's hoping that the pair of Doulton vases
0:35:58 > 0:36:00that his mother loved so much,
0:36:00 > 0:36:04but he loathes, will go to someone who appreciates them
0:36:04 > 0:36:05as much as she did.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08Joan's silver sugar-shaker and trophy
0:36:08 > 0:36:11have been put into the auction with an estimate of £100-£150.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14And you get two for the price of one with Joan.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18She's also brought in this bottle coaster to our valuation day,
0:36:18 > 0:36:22which has gone into the auction with an estimate of £30-£50.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25Now, I think this could be a very interesting lot.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28Philip initially valued this collection of watches
0:36:28 > 0:36:31at £300-£500, but he's left it up to the auctioneers
0:36:31 > 0:36:35to divide them up and set reserves as they see fit.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39So, I'm keen to find out if this is something auctioneer Nick Davies
0:36:39 > 0:36:41thought it was best to do,
0:36:41 > 0:36:45or leave the watches in one big lucky-dip lot.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47Nick, can I sell you a watch?
0:36:47 > 0:36:49THEY LAUGH
0:36:49 > 0:36:50Yeah.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53This collection belongs to David,
0:36:53 > 0:36:57and Philip's put a valuation of £300-£500 on this.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00A good mix. I mean, some great examples in there.
0:37:00 > 0:37:01I think there's the odd Verge.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03There's an 18-carat gold one in there.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07- I saw that. Collection of keys. - Some keys.- 50 quid alone there.
0:37:07 > 0:37:08Yeah. Keys are fine.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11Yeah. I mean, what do you want, a starter collection?
0:37:11 > 0:37:15It's a very good starter collection, actually, isn't it?
0:37:15 > 0:37:18The valuation of £300 shouldn't be a problem at all.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21OK. £500 we're looking at the top end. I think it could do that.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24I think somewhere in that region wouldn't surprise me.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26I don't think it will be a problem at all.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28Did you think, when these arrived,
0:37:28 > 0:37:30about splitting them up, dividing the lot up?
0:37:30 > 0:37:33It did cross my mind, but my argument was,
0:37:33 > 0:37:36you could split them up into groups of five, maybe?
0:37:36 > 0:37:38You're still going to have bad ones and good ones.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41Also, probably the same people are going to buy them anyway.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44- Right.- So let's really give them something to go at,
0:37:44 > 0:37:45let's have a fight over it.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48I'd agree with you. I would really agree with you.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51Makes a change for me to do something right.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55We'll find out later if the bidders are going to fight over
0:37:55 > 0:37:56the collection of watches.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59But first, it's one of our other lots.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02Well, fingers crossed, Brian, they should go, because it's a pair.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06Can you remember what we're selling? Yes. It's the Royal Doulton vases.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08We've got a value of around £50-£80,
0:38:08 > 0:38:11but I think they might just do £100.
0:38:11 > 0:38:12- Let's hope so.- I think,
0:38:12 > 0:38:16a little bit of foresight, a little bit of money, you would go round the
0:38:16 > 0:38:20country buying up vases like this because in five, ten years' time,
0:38:20 > 0:38:21they've got to be worth more.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23- Yeah.- Really got to be.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25Cracking condition. It's not up to us any more.
0:38:25 > 0:38:30We can talk till we're blue in the face, but it's down to this lot, this packed sale room...
0:38:30 > 0:38:33they'll decide for us. Here we go, Brian. Good luck.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36A late pair of 19th-century Royal Doulton pedestal vases.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39- They're a fine chinaware example. The man's telling me...- 60.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41£60 straight off on a commission.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43- With Will at 60. Do I see 5? - Straight in.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46At £60, the maiden bid on commission. And 5. And 70.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48And 5. And 80.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50You're out. 75 there. 80 nearest me.
0:38:50 > 0:38:5280. 85 behind.
0:38:52 > 0:38:5485. And 90. And 5. 100.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56We got that amount.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59So it's no. Thank you. £100 nearest me. At £100.
0:38:59 > 0:39:0110 anywhere else, I'll open it up.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03For £100 for the vases. All done.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05That's more like it, isn't it?
0:39:05 > 0:39:07- 100 quid. - Really pleased with that.- Well done.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09Well done. Don't forget,
0:39:09 > 0:39:11there's commission to pay, 17%.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13- Yeah.- That's fine. That's fine. OK.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17- Anything else you're going to pull out and sell?- Next time round.
0:39:23 > 0:39:28It's now Joan's turn to have all her items put under the hammer and put to the test.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31We've got some silver coming up in two lots.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35It's a great time to sell silver, that's the thing, cos precious metals are up.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37So fingers crossed, these should do well.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Yes, the value really is in the lovely little sugar-shaker.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44- But we'll see what they make of it. - Yeah.- Yeah. Good luck.- Thank you.
0:39:44 > 0:39:45Time to wave goodbye,
0:39:45 > 0:39:47cos it's definitely going to sell. Here it is.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50Moves on to the interesting Dutch silver caster,
0:39:50 > 0:39:53together with a little twin-handled trophy.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56- And I can open at £85. On a commission at 85.- 85.
0:39:56 > 0:40:0090. And 5. You're out. £90 then. 95 anywhere else.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03- £90 then it'll be.- Come on.
0:40:03 > 0:40:07- And the trophy at £90. All done.- I want more than that.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09- He sold it, though. - It just got there.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11Just did it. Here's the second one.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14Bottle coaster. Great condition. Really clean.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16£30 straight off on a commission.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19Do I see 32 anywhere else? 32. 35.
0:40:19 > 0:40:2438. And 40. 2. 45. So it's no. 42, gentleman standing in the room.
0:40:24 > 0:40:2645 anywhere else?
0:40:26 > 0:40:29At £42. Are we all sure and done?
0:40:29 > 0:40:32- Sold as well. I liked that as well. That's a useful thing.- Yeah.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35Actually, that's quite indicative of the market, showing those
0:40:35 > 0:40:39three items, because it's the bottle coaster that's the most commercial.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43- That's the one piece that people will use today and that's what sold best.- Yeah.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46But at least we got rid of them all for you.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48- Yes, which is what you needed.- Yes.
0:40:56 > 0:41:00Well, time is definitely up. No. Don't run to the kitchen and put the kettle on.
0:41:00 > 0:41:04Time is up for David's collection of watches. There's a lot of them.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07We've got £300-£500 resting on this, put on by our expert Philip.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09- And these were Dad's.- That's right.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13There's a lot there. I had a chat to our auctioneer just before the sale started.
0:41:13 > 0:41:19He agreed with you, Philip, and he said he didn't want to split them up because it's too difficult to.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22There's some good ones and some bad ones. And the bad ones will struggle.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26So you have to put them with the good ones and it'll devalue them. So, job lot.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30They'll go to a watch repairer, a horologist or a collector.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33And there are a couple of crackers there and I like the keys as well.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36- Yes. I think it's a nice collection altogether.- That's right.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39Hopefully, it will appeal to someone and do well.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Yeah. Fingers crossed. We're going to find out.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46Last lot of pocket watches and fobs and keys and you name it.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48There's an 18-carat gold one and all sorts of pieces.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51- Lots of bids and lots of excitement. - That's good.
0:41:51 > 0:41:57- We open at lot estimate of £530. - Straight in.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59Straight in at the top end. 530.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01550. 560. 570.
0:42:01 > 0:42:02Bidding in the room over there.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05590. 600. 620, madam. 640.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08660. 680. 700.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11720. 740. 760. 780.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13Time goes quickly, doesn't it?
0:42:13 > 0:42:15820. 840. 860.
0:42:15 > 0:42:21880. 900. 920. 940. 960. 980.
0:42:21 > 0:42:251,000. And 50. 1,100. And 50.
0:42:25 > 0:42:271,200. And 50.
0:42:27 > 0:42:311,000. And 50. 1,400. And 50.
0:42:31 > 0:42:341,500. 1,600, may I go?
0:42:34 > 0:42:37It's so quick to get there. Time flies.
0:42:37 > 0:42:391,800.
0:42:39 > 0:42:40- Anywhere else?- Yes.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42- 1,800 is back.- 1,800.
0:42:42 > 0:42:442,000, sir.
0:42:44 > 0:42:471,900 we're at. 2,000 anywhere else?
0:42:47 > 0:42:49- At £1,900 for the collection of watches.- 1,900.
0:42:49 > 0:42:511,900. Are we all sure and done?
0:42:53 > 0:42:56- Yes. The hammer's gone down.- I think your dad knew what he was doing.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59Wow. Yes. Well, he started collecting as a boy, didn't he?
0:42:59 > 0:43:01How many brothers and sisters have you got?
0:43:01 > 0:43:03- Three sisters.- Three sisters.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05- Yes.- OK. So that's going four ways.
0:43:05 > 0:43:10And then there's 15 altogether, the division, cos of the grandchildren.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12Right. OK.
0:43:12 > 0:43:14I'm pleased we got nearly two grand.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17Hey, you must be so pleased with that.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20You must be over the moon. Thank you for bringing that in.
0:43:20 > 0:43:21What a wonderful moment to end on.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24If you've got anything like that, we want to see it.
0:43:24 > 0:43:26Bring it along to one of our valuation days.
0:43:26 > 0:43:30Sadly, we have run out of time from Stourbridge, so until the next time,
0:43:30 > 0:43:33where there's plenty more surprises to come on "Flog It!", cheerio.
0:43:45 > 0:43:49Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:49 > 0:43:52E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk