Malvern Flog It!

Well, I'm not going to tell you where we are today.

I'm going to let some of the good people here,

who've been waiting patiently in the queue, inform you.

-So, where are we?

-Malvern in Worcestershire!

-And what are you here to do?

-Flog it!

It is 9.30, I think it's time to get the doors open

-and get the show on the road, don't you?

-Yes!

-Come on then.

Our venue is tucked just under the beautiful Malvern Hills.

This is the spa town famous for Malvern water

which was first bottled nearly 400 years ago.

It became a popular resort in Victorian times

as people came here for the famous water cure.

Today, this lot are queueing outside the Malvern Theatre complex

for a Flog It! cure.

Yes, this is the programme where we take your unwanted antiques

and collectables and turn them into cash.

-Very nice. Everyone knows the Meissen sign.

-Don't they just?

Leading our team of experts today, well, we have the young ones.

Adam Partridge runs his own auction house.

He started in the antiques business when he was just 17 years old.

A very interesting object.

He's sold everything from cars to houses.

He once spotted a £10,000 vase on Flog It!

In Royal Mint condition!

Yes, mint condition. That's it.

Kate Bateman nearly became a professional ballet dancer,

but realised her future was more auction house than opera house

and set up business with her father.

I don't think you're going to appreciate the ducks really.

Not at all. Not at all.

Well, I wonder who will be topping the bill in today's show.

Somebody here in this queue is going to go home with a lot of money.

Who was it going to be? Stay tuned and you'll find out.

When I say a lot of money, I mean thousands.

£1,000 I have. And 50.

1,150, 1,250.

-Will we get 2,000?

-And done.

Also on the show today,

Adam's all fumble with this toy from yesteryear.

That's going to go on for a while, isn't it?

-It's going to go on for a while.

-Shall I stop it? OK!

Kate's hoping Susan's coffee pot is worth a few beans.

What would you buy if we sold it for that kind of money?

Probably put it towards a holiday.

You could go somewhere they grow coffee in remembrance of your pot.

That's true.

Sounds good to me so let's get on with the valuations.

Adam is already getting stuck in.

He is with Josephine who's no stranger

to the Malvern Theatre's complex.

I believe you were here late last night as well, then?

Yes, yes, 11 o'clock.

-Were you? Goodness me, what were you doing?

-Dancing.

-We go dancing about four or five times a week.

-Do you?

-Yes.

-Keeps you fit, doesn't it?

-Very.

You've got a delightful little Royal Worcester cabinet cup here.

-Yes.

-Isn't it pretty?

-It is lovely.

-And what area were you working in?

First of all, I started in the factory

and then I went into the shop.

-So, you've brought along this lovely little example today...

-That's right.

-..which I presume you got while you were there, did you?

-Yes, I did.

-Do you remember when that was?

-In the '70s.

OK. And did you used to get a staff discount?

Oh, yes! Very good discount.

It must have been around £70.

-Quite a lot still!

-Yes.

Yes, it was a lot of money in those times - then.

-Still a fair amount now, isn't it?

-Yes.

Beautiful painting though, isn't it?

-The cup's painted inside...

-Absolutely first-class.

-And all around the outside.

-It is beautiful.

It's 22-carat gold.

You have the modern Royal Worcester mark on the bottom. 22 carat.

You are selling it to me, aren't you? You're still in sales!

Yes, yes!

-You've got a signature on there as well.

-That's right. Yes.

-That's the signature of...

-The painter.

-The painter called Nutt, his surname. His first name was?

-Terry.

Terry. Terry Nutt, very talented to be able to paint like that.

Very clever. Very, very talented.

Just to give you, I've got very small hands

-but look out tiny that cup is compared to my finger.

-I know.

-To be able to paint like that, so precisely.

-Fantastic.

In the Royal Worcester tradition,

with the fruits on the typical mossy background

that they've always done, it's quite a skill, isn't it?

And it really tings, you know?

Yeah. Ding!

-Put a pen on it.

-Get a pen on it. You do it.

BRIGHT RINGING SOUND

Wow, that's really good.

PLAYS A DIFFERENT NOTE

-You can play a tune on china, you really can.

-That's lovely.

-If you'd got a load of them, we could.

-Yes.

Isn't it going to be hard for you to part with this?

Yes, in a way, in a way

but I don't mind selling it now.

I've got a plate, I've got so many beautiful things at home

and they are... A lot of it is shut away.

It is a job to fit everything in, isn't it?

-Because I've only got one corner unit.

-Right.

Of course, all the best things as well go on there.

Well, your £70 is obviously going to have increased in value.

-Yes.

-I think it'll probably...

Well, let's hope it makes 150 or £200 plus. I would hope so.

I hope so, I hope so.

I think we should put a reserve on it

-because I would hate to have you disappointed.

-Oh, yes.

-I wouldn't let it go under £100.

-Yes, I think that sensible.

No, I wouldn't let it go under £100. No way.

-We'll put an estimate of 120-180 to get them encouraged about it.

-Yes.

I'm hoping I'm going to get the price right.

I am sure our auctioneers will because they handle

so much fruit-painted Worcester.

I know it's extremely popular.

Let's hope that all the Worcester collectors are there.

That's right, I hope so.

-It's been lovely talking to you.

-Thank you very, very much.

-A pleasure. I'll see you at the auction.

-Yes, you will.

Kate's with Susan and a 100-year-old relic from the days of fine dining.

You brought in this rather handsome coffee pot.

What can you tell me about it?

I really can only say that it was my mother's.

I can remember it as long as I've been around.

She had the teapot to go with it but I don't know what happened to that.

No! So you're left with the coffee pot. Ever used it?

-No, no.

-Just sits there in a cupboard.

-That's right.

-Sits in a glass cabinet.

-OK.

Well, it's rather nice.

I mean if we look at it round the other side,

we've got here some hallmarks and the maker's name

which tells me that it's Sheffield assay office.

-Yes, yes.

-1902.

-Right.

And then R&B which is for Roberts and Belk,

who are quite a good Sheffield maker.

It's, in style, copying the Georgian silver,

so you've got this plain top, half reeded bottom

and then these ebonised handles.

It's a really attractive piece.

I suppose if you don't use it, you want to sell it.

Well, that's right, I'm sort of getting to the age

that I'm going to have to declutter

and the children, it's not the sort of thing that

they really want any more, is it?

-It's not very practical.

-No.

-I mean, you can use them.

You know, silver has gone up recently but it's still, I think,

really underpriced, compared to gold and other things.

Any idea price-wise what you think it would make?

Possibly 120, 130?

-Is that based on...things you've seen similar selling?

-Yes.

Right, if we pick it up it's fairly...

-It's got a good weight to it and it is solid silver.

-It is.

Apart from the handles, you've got the ebonised wood

which is adding a bit of weight but it's probably 15 or 20 ounces

and silver's high at the moment anyway.

The condition's pretty good.

What's also nice is there's no inscription on the front

so it's not dedicated to somebody

which always makes it harder to sell,

especially when it's got initials or something.

So, it is a really nice thing

and I think silver collectors will be happy to have it.

Obviously, if it was an earlier properly Georgian peace

we'd be tripling or quadrupling the price,

but I think your estimate is not far off actually.

You should be a valuer!

What we think is probably a reserve of 120

and maybe a slightly higher estimate just for the auction,

so 150 to 200 as an estimate for the auction catalogue.

-Is that something you'd be happy with?

-Yes. Yes.

-I think it will do all right.

-Right.

Let's hope it goes in the sale and somebody can pour themselves

a cup of coffee out of it and see it go.

Now, I'm going back another 100 years

with this early 1800s corkscrew belonging to Christabel.

-Do you know much about this? Have you ever used it?

-No!

-I wish we had a bottle of wine here!

-I'm a teetotaller!

-I'm teetotal, I've never had a drink in my life!

-Haven't you really?

Only tea and coffee!

Can you see, look, there's an applied armorial there,

-can you see that?

-Yes, I can.

That says Thomason, so we've got the maker's name.

This is a Royal warrant which is issued to him.

So he was a maker for royalty.

And he was granted the patent in 1802

to make this particular type of corkscrew

and it was quite unique in its day

and it was the forerunner to many corkscrews after.

And I can show you why

because when you draw the handle out, you can see it's got a male

-and a female thread which runs in the opposite direction.

-Yeah! Yeah!

The male and the female thread.

-You wind that down into the cork

-Yeah.

And then you...pull.

Now, the handle is made of mahogany.

-It's a very simple turning, you can see that.

-Yes, yes.

I have seen these handles with, let's say,

some flat and reel turning.

Yes, more elaborate.

-Slightly more elaborate and I have seen them in ivory. OK?

-Yes.

So this is a basic handle on this particular model.

Now, this I would date at around about 1815 to 1820.

Now, this is quite interesting, look at this.

-How good's your eyesight?

-Not very!

If you can see, it just says there in Latin, "non plus ultra".

Yes, which means?

"No more beyond."

OK? So, he was quite confident, Thomason,

that when he designed this it was going to be the best.

You could not better this.

-So, no more beyond, that was his motto.

-Yes, yes.

And, I guess, when you got to the bottom of the bottle,

-no more beyond that!

-Nobody worried anyway!

-But isn't that lovely?

-Yeah.

Value-wise, I know one sold recently,

exactly the same model, for £65,

so let's put an auction estimate on of £60-£90 with a reserve at 60.

That's fine.

-Happy with that?

-Yes, very happy.

-Will I see you in the auction room?

Yes, you will, yeah.

I'll put something glamorous on so you can say,

like you always do, "Oh, you look nice."

THEY LAUGH

We see a lot of childhood toys on Flog It!

and this next one is the real tops.

Adam's with John, who's brought in his grandfather's spinning top,

carved from a kukui nut.

-Fantastic, isn't it?

-Yeah.

That's going to go on for a while, isn't it?

It's going to go on for a while, yes.

It's absolutely dead upright, that's pretty good.

OK.

-There we are.

-Almost!

-So, you've had this from Grandad, have you?

-Yeah.

-And you played with it as a child?

-I played with it as a child

and then when he died back in the '70s, he left it in his will to me.

Did he ever tell you anything about it?

Nothing at all, no, it was just there, we just played with it.

It was the first thing I asked for when I arrived on a Sunday morning.

Well, I think it's a charming little thing.

I just wonder what makes you want to sell it.

Well, it's now been in the attic for, oh...

about 20 years. It's just been in a box out of the way.

No-one else in the family would want it?

I've got four boys, ten grandchildren, so...

-It makes an argument, doesn't it?

-What do you do with it?

-I wanted it! I wanted it!

-Exactly.

-So, it's going to come to auction.

-Yeah, I think so.

Well, it's a lovely little piece.

It's a good, solid material, isn't it?

It's just a pleasing object, there's something really lovely about it.

It's very tactile.

-Well, have you got any ideas what it might be worth?

-No idea at all.

No, I thought I'd leave that up to the experts.

I know, it's a tricky one. It is a tricky one.

I'm usually on the cautious side, it's a 19th-century

kukui nut spinning top.

I'd say £50-£80 estimate,

-but I think it'll make more than that, actually.

-Do you think?

-Yeah.

-Right, OK.

-How does that sound to you?

-That sounds pretty good.

It'll go towards something, I'm sure.

-I wouldn't be surprised if it did a bit more than that.

-Really?

Cos it's a lovely object and novelty things, you know,

it's a curio for a cabinet.

It's got a lot of appeal to it.

I think where we're going

-the auctioneer's going to like that, as well.

-Is he?

-Yeah, he's into his little bits of things like this.

-Oh, good.

Put a reserve in at £40,

but if it doesn't make £40 I think, you know,

-you'll be underselling it.

-Right.

-We don't want that to happen.

-No.

That's why we're here, to protect your interest, to make sure

nothing's given away, you don't want it going for a tenner, do you?

-That would be upsetting.

-It would be upsetting.

More for you than for me,

but I wouldn't like to see it go for a tenner, either.

I think that's lovely, thank you for bringing it in.

No, thank you. Thank you very much.

We've got our first four items. Now we're taking them off to be sold

at Philip Serrell's Auctioneers and Valuers.

Well, this is what I love to see,

an auction room packed full of people, and I hope all this lot

are going to put their hands up and bid on our lots.

Before the action starts, we're going to leave you with a quick

rundown of all the items going under the hammer.

Adam's in a spin with John's top.

It belonged to his grandfather but now it's got to go.

Christabel's corkscrew is a class item,

so should command a decent price.

This 1902 coffee pot belongs to Susan, but she's never used it.

Josephine used to work at the Royal Worcester factory

and really knows her stuff.

She can even get a tune out of this hand-painted cabinet cup.

DING-DING

It might be tiny, but our larger-than-life auctioneer,

Philip Serrell, loves Royal Worcester,

and he's an expert on the subject.

-It's time for tea, hope you're not thirsty!

-Not with that, no, no!

It's good, though, isn't it? Royal Worcester, little cabinet piece.

Yes, this is all hand-painted, totally hand-painted.

It's incredible, really, isn't it? You're buying a work of art.

It is, and what makes it harder is, to paint an apple

inside that sort of shaping, sloping side is really awesome.

The factory's shut, it's not in Worcester any more.

-Which is sad, isn't it?

-This is interesting

because it's quite late, it's painted by Terry Nutt.

This stuff, they started to paint it in the '20s and '30s,

but in my eye and my taste, the earlier stuff I prefer,

it makes more money.

Well, we're looking at £120-£180 on this.

A little miniature coffee cup and saucer like this, retail,

would cost you - I haven't got the exact figure -

but I would guess that cup and saucer would cost between £300 and £600.

If you bought it new, retail. So, actually,

if it makes £150 it's jolly good value for money.

Very good value for money, yes. Come and buy them at auction.

And there's a huge army of collectors.

They'll be here to buy it, they'll be on the phone to buy it,

-there'll be commissioned on the book to buy it.

-Brilliant.

And it'll sell.

So, let's find out if he's right.

Josephine's Royal Worcester cup and saucer

is our first item under the hammer.

Why are you selling this? Because the artwork is stunning.

It is, it is absolutely lovely.

It is so tiny, surely you've got a space for that?

Well, I've had to reduce in size, I'm in a flat now.

-Well, that's perfect for a flat isn't it?

-Yes, I know.

Good luck, anyway.

We've all had fun talking about this and looking at it.

And you've probably got your own opinion of what it will go for,

but let's hope it's the high end of Adam's estimate. Good luck.

Start me off, someone bid me £100 to start.

80 I'm bid, at 80. 90, 90 bid.

100 on the telephone, at 100 bid.

We've got a phone now.

110, 120...

No, thank you.

What?! At £110 only.

At 110.

120 on the net.

At £120 on the net, 130 on the net.

Within the estimate at the moment.

130, 140.

At £140, 150.

Is there any more at all?

At £150, and I sell then.

Spot on.

-£150.

-I'm so pleased.

-Well, I'm pleased for you, as well.

-Thank you very much.

-I'm glad to hear that, it's a pleasure.

-It's been lovely, I've enjoyed every minute.

-Good, good.

Well, I hope this next lot goes with a...

-Pop!

-THEY LAUGH

-You know what Oscar Wilde said, don't you?

-No?

"Drinking is a mug's game. The bigger the mug, the better!"

-Hey, look, I've got good hopes for this.

-OK.

-There's a few other corkscrews in the sale today.

-Yes, I did notice.

-And they are not as good.

-Good.

So, I'm feeling really positive,

I just hope it does a little bit more than £110.

-It doesn't matter.

-It's going to go. Here we are.

228 is the corkscrew.

£70 bid, at 70,

£70 only for the corkscrew.

It's 70, it's £70 bid.

At 80, 80 bid.

At £80 only.

Nine on the telephone?

90 I'm bid on the telephone.

We have a phone line, that's great news.

£90 on the telephone, at 90,

is there any more?

At £90 only, is there any more at all?

At £90, on the telephone...

-He's selling.

-Great.

I sell at 90, and done.

-Good.

-Top end of the estimate. It did go with a pop, didn't it?

Going under the hammer right now we have an Edwardian silver

teapot in a neoclassical style.

We've got that, but unfortunately we don't have Susan, its owner.

But we do have Gladys! Who is Susan's best friend, aren't you?

-I am.

-So, how long have you been mates then?

-About 15 years.

-And you live close by?

-I live in Worcester, Susan's in Bournville.

And you've obviously seen this coffee pot,

-haven't you, in the house?

-No, I haven't.

-Though, you haven't? No.

-You might want to buy it! You should have a quick look on the screen when it comes up.

-Yes.

-It's a nice bit of silver.

-Is it?

-I really like this, Kate, it's good quality.

-It's...

It's a classic thing, so it's a lovely thing,

but the fact you haven't seen it just shows how

-it was never on display and not really appreciated.

-No.

-No...

But she did polish it up, it's going under the hammer now, good luck.

Lot number 387 is the Edwardian silver coffee pot.

Nice lot, this, there we are. Bid me for that.

-Put them in the bidding, start me off.

-Oh, it looks so good.

And I'm bid £50 for that, at 50,

60, 70, 80, 90...

90 bid, at 90,

100, 110, 120, thank you.

-Good.

-At 120 bid, at 120.

-At 120.

-Fast and furious.

Is there any more, it's being sold.

There's the bid. At £120, at 120,

120, any more at all?

At £120, 30 anywhere?

At 120, there's the bid.

At £120 and I sell then...

-Excellent.

-..at £120 and done. Thank you.

-That was quick.

-Very good.

-£120.

That is heavily contested, it was very quick.

-Well done, you going to get on the phone and tell her?

-I will.

Brilliant. Thanks very much.

Well, that's the kind of phone call that would make your day.

Let's see if we can make it three in a row.

Here's John with that spinning top.

Valued by Adam at £50-£80.

-Why do want to sell it?

-Well, I've got ten grandchildren.

-Oh, crikey.

-They all want to come on holiday with us, so it's going into the holiday...

-You can't divide it...

-No, I can't. So, it's going to the holiday fund and...

-Best thing to do.

-We'll see what happens.

-Lots of memories.

-Lots of memories.

-Nice memories.

-Yes.

-It's so tactile.

-Lovely.

-It's beautiful, isn't it?

-Right up your street.

-Yes, it is, yeah.

I'd like to see this do way over the top end, but you just don't know.

-Three figures, 100 quid plus.

-Yeah, or 120-130.

-Would be nice.

-Would be nice, wouldn't it?

-Would be good.

-What did we put? 50 to 80?

-Yes.

A nice, sensible estimate. Come and buy me.

We'll just need all these hands going up, three or four at once.

-We're going to find out right now.

-OK.

Lot 290, it's the nut and bone spinning top.

40 bid, £40 only,

40, 50, 60, 70, 80.

80 bid. I've got to take 90 here.

100, madam?

100 bid.

We've got it. We've got 100.

We've cracked it(!)

At £100 only.

100, 110, 110, 20 now, ma'am?

120, 120, 120, the internet's out.

-130.

-Oh, this is brilliant.

At 130, 40 is it?

It's only money.

Philip's enjoying selling this. He's doing us proud, actually.

At £130 on the net,

-at £130.

-130...

£130 and done. Thank you.

Yes. Under the hammer.

There are so many treen collectors out there

and I know a lot of them would love

-this as part of their collection.

-Yup. OK.

That was well over estimate and a great little item.

We'll be back at auction later on in the programme.

I'm a musician and I love playing music and listening to it,

but is a musical instrument a good investment?

VIOLIN PLAYS

The highest value instrument has to be the violin.

In 2006, Christie's New York sold a Stradivarius for over £2 million.

Italian Antonio Stradivari really set the standard for violin-making

300 years ago with his beautiful instruments.

And it's by his craftsmanship

that all the violins made since are compared.

To be a good instrument and a great investment,

it doesn't have to be a Stradivarius -

even newly-made violins will eventually go up in value.

Now, believe it or not,

there's a violin-maker here in the Jinney Ring Craft Centre

just outside Bromsgrove that's turning out

the most wonderful instruments

and his name is Bill Piper, so let's go and meet the man.

Bill started playing the violin as a lad,

and at the age of 16 became an apprentice repairer.

Now, with over 40 years of experience,

his instruments sell for £2,500-£3,000 each.

-Hello, Bill.

-Hello.

-Lovely little workshop, isn't it?

-How you doing? Yeah, it's fine.

What have I caught you working on?

That looks like the back of a cello, not a violin.

Well, that's correct, yeah. Well, at the stage I've got to,

I've contoured the side, as you can see.

-This is maple, isn't it?

-It is maple.

Now, I'm just turning it over and doing the thicknessing...

So, this is the same process as a violin, basically?

-Exactly the same except, of course, the cello is bigger.

-Yeah.

It's lovely working with wood

and feeling the fresh shavings when they hit the floor

and then smelling the aroma. There's just something about it.

-It's the workshop, isn't it?

-Yeah.

The aroma of the workshop. I know what you mean.

Where do you start? You start with a template, you draw that shape out,

and the way you're getting the contour in that

-is by hollowing it out with that tiny plane?

-That's right.

These planes are peculiar to violin-makers.

-So, the tools haven't really changed over the last 300 years?

-No.

Stradivari would have a plane very similar to this.

-It may not have been metal, it may have been wood.

-It would've been wood.

-That's incredible. Can I have a go at that?

-Yes.

Be careful, because the blade is very sharp.

-And you're going across the grain?

-That's right.

And just...

Yeah, very good.

I've done a lot of woodwork in my time,

and it's quite a nice, smooth action.

-How long will that take to dish out like that?

-Probably about a day.

-And then, obviously, the face side.

-Yes. That took me a day.

Are you passing these skills on to anybody?

Yes, I've taught other people to make instruments.

-I used to teach at a college in Wolverhampton.

-Yes.

During that time, I certainly taught over 100 people.

-I did it for 13 years.

-That's really good.

So, there is a lot of talent out there and, hopefully,

-one day, their instruments will be a good investment as well.

-Indeed.

Bill, thank you so much. I'm going to shake your hand, hand of the master,

-and I know you're really busy, so I'll let you carry on.

-OK.

-It's been a pleasure meeting you.

-And you, Paul.

That was absolutely fabulous.

It's wonderful to see skilled artisans like Bill working away

with their hands, producing something of such good quality,

and the great thing is, it's a trade that's not dying out.

At our Malvern valuation day, we have got a great crowd,

and I love getting a sneak preview of what people have brought in.

If I just push the foot here, just there...

Isn't that great?!

Thank you.

More fun later on inside, I think.

-See you at the blue tablecloths.

-Thank you.

And still to come on today's Flog It! - a familiar city landscape,

but will Big Ben ring true with the bidders?

So, this could be your inheritance? I think that scene is a classic.

Everybody can identify with that, and that's what's going to sell it.

-Thank goodness you've hung on to this.

-I'm glad I did.

-And didn't throw it out.

And feast your eyes on this collection -

Jill's gold coins are probably worth a mint.

-Any idea of price?

-I've no idea, no.

-If I said I'd give you 100 quid for them, would you take it?

-No.

You're fairly canny with that.

And first up, our expert Adam Partridge just can't avoid trouble.

-Good morning, June.

-Good morning.

-Welcome to Flog It!

-Thank you.

Where did you get this from?

A friend of my mum and dad's passed away about 15-16 years ago,

had no-one else to leave it to, so I finished up with it.

-And you like it?

-Yes, it's been over my bed for the last 11 years.

-Traditionally, the dragon is a protector.

-Yes.

-A powerful symbol in Chinese culture.

-Yes.

Obviously, in European culture, the dragon's an aggressive beast,

-isn't it?

-That's right.

But in Chinese culture, it's a symbol of power, protection,

-success and control, and that sort of thing.

-Yes.

Now, a lot of people may think this is a painting,

-but no, it's not, of course. It's a tapestry.

-Yes.

-And you've got the dragon in gold thread.

-Yes.

Which is really quite intricate,

-and there's an awful lot of work in that, isn't there?

-Yes, there is, a lot of work.

I wonder how many hundreds of hours that would have taken.

-I dread to think.

-Do you do any tapestry?

-I hate sewing.

-Do you?

-Yes, I can't sew a button on.

-Can't do anything?

-No. She says.

-You and me alike.

-Exactly. There's lots of things I can do, but that's not one of them.

-It's a curious shape, as well, isn't it?

-It is. Very curious.

What do you make of the shape?

-I think we had it upside down, to be quite truthful.

-Did you?

-Yes.

I just wonder... It looks like it might be part of a larger work.

Yes, it could be.

Because you've got this business here that could be carrying on.

-Maybe you could be another one, or even one of four.

-Exactly.

I think it was probably a fragment that was brought back

and framed up in that curious shape, which I think works rather well.

-It does.

-Quite eye-catching.

-It is.

-So, value-wise...

-Is there any value to it?

-There is some.

-There is?

-It's fairly limited.

-It is?

-Fairly limited, I'd have thought.

-I think if we get over 100, we're doing well.

-Yes. I thought over 100.

I hope it makes over 100, but I'd be tempted to put the estimate

-slightly lower than that, at 70 to 100.

-That's too low.

-Is it too low?

-Yeah.

-Right. You want 100 minimum?

-Yeah.

-June, I like a lady that knows what she wants.

-I do.

-Very good.

Well, we'll try it. We'll try it

-and put 100 to 150.

-Yes.

-We'll put 100 reserve.

-Yes.

-If it doesn't make 100, you'll have to have it back.

-That's right.

And I can always put it on the net.

That's swearing. Don't tell us that.

-Put it in a real auction!

-I'm sorry.

-No, it's all right.

You must do with it what you wish,

-but I think 100 is a sensible reserve.

-Yeah.

-Let's hope it sells very well.

-Let's hope so.

-Thanks for coming.

-Thank you.

Now, see what's crossing my palm - a walnut curved with tiny faces.

-How long have you had this?

-10, 12 years.

-A gorgeous little walnut.

-Yes.

-With Asian faces carved on it. What's it worth? Do you know?

-I know what I paid for it.

-What did you pay for it?

-I paid £4.50 on a boat in China.

-Wow.

-Again, on a boat.

-What were you doing on a boat in China?

-Having lunch.

THEY LAUGH

Such intricate detail, and from one tiny little thing to another.

Not Kate, but this bronze monk belonging to Jean.

-He's a lovely little thing. How long have you had him?

-50 years.

-And did you inherit it?

-No, I bought him when I was quite young

at an antique shop on Poole quay.

What you know about him?

Not a great deal, apart from the fact that he's a little monk,

and I've discovered today that he was a Vesta case monk.

I had what he was possibly an inkwell,

-but he hasn't got any kind of a liner.

-We'll have a look. He tips up?

-He does, he opens.

-Yeah, you're right.

You could have had a glass liner for an inkwell, but I think you're right with a Vesta case,

because if you turn him round, you've got a roughened area here,

which would be for striking the matches.

And also, he looks like he should have something in his hand,

so maybe you could put a match there, ready for lighting.

-I can tell you a bit more about him.

-Good.

Unfortunately, he's not signed, but just looking at him,

he's made of bronze, so it's like a patinated bronze.

There is no maker's mark anywhere, or foundry mark,

so we don't know who made him exactly,

but he's probably Continental,

French, most likely, and late 19th century.

I'm not quite sure what kind of monk he is, what order he's from,

but he's got his book, he's got his little rosary beads

and things down here.

Any idea, price-wise, what you think he's worth?

Well, since I've had him 50 years, I would hope about £50.

-A pound a year?

-Yes.

-That might work. OK.

Well, I think you might be a little on the low side, even with that.

I think, at auction, you'd probably estimate him

at maybe £100 to £150, because he's quite a fun little item.

If he were signed and we could know who the maker was,

-he'd probably be a bit more than that.

-I had no idea.

Put the reserve at 80, put the estimate at 100 to 150.

I think he should make it. I think he's quite a fun thing.

I had no idea that he might be worth so much.

-Somebody out there is looking for a mad monk!

-Yes.

I've got my eye on this engraving of Westminster Bridge,

brought in by Christina and her mum, Janet.

Tell me the story - how did you come by this, Janet?

This was in front of a fireplace at the house that we were going to

move into when I was getting married, and there was a girlie picture

stuck to it, and this fell from behind her.

"Oh, that's nice, we'll have that framed."

We had it framed and kept it ever since.

-And have you had this on the wall?

-Yes.

-I'm going to take a closer look.

-It hung on the wall in my lounge.

-And I bet it looked good on your wall?

-It did, actually.

Why did you take it off the wall?

-I put something else there.

-Why, because you got fed up with it?

Yes, it's been the all these years and I thought, "Let's put something else there."

-What you think of this, Christina?

-I don't like it.

-You don't like it?

-No.

-I do.

I like it as well. It's quite moody.

-It's a copper engraving.

-Is it?

And it's been signed by the artist, Frederick Arthur Farrell.

-He had a short innings, you know?

-Did he, really?

-Yes, he did.

He was born in 1882 and he died in 1935,

and I would imagine

this was possibly done when he was flourishing in the 1920s,

looking at the traffic going over Westminster Bridge.

There's a feel-good factor after the First World War,

and it's London at its busiest.

The tide's high, the tugs are moving through and, of course,

there's Big Ben, famous clock there, made by Dent.

But that's lovely, isn't it?

But it's the moodiness of copper, because it's a very soft metal.

The more print run you take from it, the softer,

the more impressionistic it gets. Because the metal is so soft,

you don't get that clarity, like you do with a steel engraving.

That's lovely.

And this is an affordable way of buying into Farrell's work.

It really is.

So, the etching is in very, very good condition.

What you think this is worth?

I have no idea whatsoever.

I think, on a very good day, it might push £250 to £300.

Oh, very good.

But I'd like to get it into auction

with a fighting chance of getting that figure at £150 to £250,

with a reserve fixed at 150.

-Yes, that's fine.

-Happy with that?

-Yes.

And I think that scene is a classic.

Everybody can identify with that, and that's what's going to sell it.

-Thank goodness you've hung on to this.

-Yes. I'm glad I did.

And didn't throw it out.

Time's running out, but it looks like Kate Bateman has the jackpot

with a set of four 22-carat gold coins belonging to Jill.

-What you know about them?

-Not a lot.

-My dad bought them and when he died, he left them to me.

-Right.

-And I just want to sell them.

-They've just sat in a cupboard or...?

-Under the bed.

-You've never thought of selling them before now?

-I haven't, no.

-Just brought them along to a Flog It! valuation day.

-Yes.

-OK. At the moment, gold is very high and, actually,

if we look at them, we can see that each one has a certificate.

They're obviously made to commemorate Winston Churchill

so if we've a look at them, turn it over, we've got

his catchphrases, some of his best-known sayings here -

"We shall never surrender" and "Our aim is victory".

Usually, when we get commemorative coins,

they're silver or silver gilt, so silver covered with gold.

These are actually solid 22-carat gold, which is a good start,

and each one is a limited edition of 2,000.

Yours are various numbers, so he's bought different ones in this series.

They're not a consecutive-numbered set. They got some weight to them.

-Any idea of price?

-I've no idea, no.

-OK.

Well, if I said I'll give you 100 quid for them, would you take it?

-No, I wouldn't.

-You fairly canny with that. OK.

With gold being so high, they've got a certain amount of value,

purely from the weight of them, irrespective of them being coins,

so with the weight, they're going to be worth about £1,000 for the four.

-£250 each. Does that surprise you?

-It does, really. Yes, it does.

What would you do with the money?

I've got four daughters. Give it to them.

-There are four coins - do they not want one each?

-I don't think so, no.

I think they'd rather have the money.

They're not very girlie things, are they?

-It's not like they're rings or jewellery.

-No.

I think I'd rather have money and buy a pair of shoes.

Well, I think from a gold point of view, they're saleable.

And also, from a collectable coin point of view, they are saleable.

So, for an auction estimate, I'd probably put between £1,200 and £1,500 on them.

Lovely, yes.

Reserve, as I said, we should set it at about £1,000.

-Would you be happy with that?

-I would indeed. Thank you.

-So, even if you got £1,000, it's easy to split four ways.

-It is.

Let's hope we get something a multiple of four that's going to work.

They look like they're going to fly, unlike this chap.

Oh, I like the owls!

Wise old bird.

Wise, but not wanted for auction.

We've got our four items. Now, we're taking them off to the sale.

We're selling our items

at Philip Serrell's Valuers and Auctioneers in Malvern,

but before the next session of bidding starts,

I've been nosing around a bit.

There's so much to see. I can spend hours browsing in an auction room.

Now, this takes me back to my childhood,

because I used to go fly-fishing with my father an awful lot in Somerset.

I had a good collection flies as well.

Fishing memorabilia is big business,

and it's possibly the biggest sport in the world.

So many people go freshwater coarse fishing or sea fishing

than any other sport combined, and it's a wonderful relaxing pastime.

I know a lot of women are shaking their heads,

disagreeing with me now, but it is mega business.

There are so many fishermen worldwide. Look at this.

Some old boy has sat in a little room

and made all these wet nymph flies up, and there's

a selection on each page, different flies, certain things to look for.

Made in the manner of little grubs or moths.

This particular one here, with a large bobble at the top,

that's known as a bead head fly.

You can catch trout with that. These are wet nymphs.

These are all trout flies.

The wallet would have been picked up separately

and then you'd have collected the flies over a period of time when you could afford them.

It depends what you were fishing for, really, under certain conditions.

You had to have a fly for almost every day of the week.

Absolutely lovely.

And it's contained in a wonderful leather wallet. Look at this.

Moroccan leather. It's all hand-tooled as well.

There's 100-odd flies in here. Gosh.

I think that's a cracking little lot.

It's catalogued at just £40 to £60.

I think it'll make double that. We'll find out later.

Well, let's hope auctioneer Philip Serrell

can REEL in the bidders on our items.

First up, June's tapestry.

I absolutely love this. I agree with Adam's valuation.

-£150 - spot on.

-Thank you.

-But it's one of those things that,

as you say, can either fly or get stuck mid-estimate.

-But, hey, you're selling this. You've had this a long time.

-Yes.

But you need to get some money together for a new carpet.

-Yes, exactly.

-Sitting room? Bedroom?

-Bedroom.

-The bedroom. OK.

-Are you going to redecorate as well?

-Yes.

-Hopefully, if there's a bit more money left.

-That's right.

-Didn't the tapestry hang above the bed?

-Yes, it did.

So, the tapestry has gone, the bedroom is being redone.

-Well, that's a good exchange. That's a fair swap, isn't it?

-Yes.

Let's see what the bidders think, shall we? Here we go.

Lot number 280 is the really good-quality tapestry picture.

He's being enthusiastic about as well.

-That's unusual, isn't it?

-Yes, but it's a proper a lot, isn't it?

-Philip likes early pieces.

-Go on, Phil.

Good quality. I bid £50 for this. At 50. 50 bid.

Take five? And five. And 60? 60 bid.

65. 70. Five, 80.

80 bid. And five.

85. At £85 only. One more?

At 85. 90. And five. 95.

95. Can I say 100, anywhere?

-At £95...

-He's going to sell.

-At £95... 100 is it?

At £95...

-100 anywhere at all?

-Let it go.

-At £95. Any more?

-Let it go.

No, I'm sorry, I haven't done that.

Oh, why didn't he let it go?

-Because he didn't have a bit of discretion, did he?

-Oh, how stupid!

I'll tell you what - we'll have a word with Philip afterwards,

-and if you can find that bidder, let it go at £95.

-Yeah, let it go.

-That was close enough, wasn't it, June?

-Exactly! Yes.

-You'll get the underlay.

-Yes.

It's £10 a metre - how big's the bedroom?!

It's quite a big bedroom.

-You're very au fait with the cost of underlay, Paul.

-I am.

I got another business on the side! Hey, I'll come round and do it!

I don't want to have to hang about.

This is quite unusual, Phil. It's a bit of a curio, really.

We have been calling it a bronze Vesta case, but I'm not so sure.

Kate's put a value of £100 to £150 on this.

I wouldn't argue with her value.

I think it'll do 100 to 150 all day long.

It might do a bit more, but what it is I don't know.

He's clearly meant to be holding something.

The other thing is, if you open him up, if you had a match that

-went on the way down there, they would be very long matches.

-Yes, they would.

The only place that you'd strike it on might be just down there,

but I can see that that's ever happened.

So I'm not convinced it's a Vesta.

I wonder whether it may have been an inkwell,

but then that would be in the way of it.

-Or perhaps it's just a novelty monk.

-Could be!

Will the bidders be intrigued enough to have a go?

Jean, good luck. I think this is a nice lot, I really do.

-I had a chat to Philip about this and, Kate, he loved it.

-Did he?

Absolutely loved it. We're not quite sure it's a Vesta case.

It's a novelty... It's a mystery monk, isn't it, really?

-Let's face it.

-Yes.

-You paid about a fiver for this a long time ago.

-Yes.

-Why are you selling it now?

-I just came for the interest, to the Flog It! valuation.

-He's cute.

-And then everybody got interested in it.

-We certainly did, didn't we?

We'll find out what this lot think now. Ready?

This is the scary bit,

this is the scary bit, but here we go. Good luck.

Lot number 357 is the novelty Vesta case.

Well, is it a Vesta case? I'm not sure, really,

but you can't dispute it's a bronze monk.

There we go. Bid me for it, someone.

Bid me £100 to start?

50 I'm bid for the monk. At 50. 50 bid. 50.

50 bid. At 50. 60. 70. 70 bid.

At 70. At 70. 80. 90.

-One more? 100. 110.

-That's good.

-He's got a book he keeps referring to it.

-120. 120.

There's someone on the phone.

At £150 on the phone. At £150.

Is there any more? At £150 only.

150. Is there any more at all?

At £150 on the telephone.

Any more?

At £150 and done at 150...and done!

-That was a good investment.

-Yes, yes.

-Have you got anything else like that that you bought ages ago?

-No, no.

A good result for the mystery monk and money in Jean's pocket.

Remember the fishing flies I showed you earlier? The wet flies and dry flies?

They're just about to go under the hammer.

I love that leather wallet they're contained in.

Let's see if this lot fall hook, line and sinker for it, shall we?

-Philip's just about to REEL them in. Here we go.

-I start at £130 bid.

-Yeah, look at that, straight in, 130.

-140.

150. 160.

At £160 only. 160.

Is there any more? At £160 and I sell then at 160...and done!

Good result. Great result, in fact. Ever so pleased.

The auction seems to be hotting up, so fingers crossed for Janet

and Christina and their copper etching.

I love this, and it's in good company as well,

-because look behind. Copper plates.

-Yes.

-Yours is the end result of that.

Obviously, that's the image printed off on paper.

We've got £150 to £250 on this, so we're hoping for the top end,

because it's been signed by the artist. He's approved the etching

so he worked closely with the master engraver and said, "Yes, that's OK."

-I'm hoping it's going to do the top estimate.

-I hope it will.

-Have you been feeling rather nervous about this?

-Well, yes and no.

-We'll wait and see.

-Am I in trouble if it doesn't sell?

-No, I'll forgive you.

-Will you? Please, please. Put it on the wall.

-Take it home if it doesn't sell.

-I will.

-But hopefully it will.

And look - it's a room packed full of bidders and hopefully...

They're bidding for me.

Putting their hands up and bidding on your lot.

Because right now it's going under the hammer. This is it. Good luck.

Lot number 162, the Fred G Farrell.

Black and white etching of a view of Westminster. That's lovely.

Bid me for that. Start me off. Wherever you want to be.

Bid me £100 to start me. 100.

50 I'm bid. At 50. At £50 only. At 50. 60.

70. 70 bid. 80. 90. 100. 110. 120.

130. 140. 150. It's your bid, sir. At 150 bid.

Bid seated at 150. Any more?

At £150 only. Any more at all?

At £150. Seated. It's your bid, sir.

At £150. One more, may I?

At £150 and I sell then at £150.

-It's gone.

-It's gone.

-Just!

-Write the reserve as well. But I'm ever so pleased.

-So am I.

There is commission to pay, don't forget,

-but hopefully that's a nice meal out for both of you.

-It will be, yes.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you as well. Thank you for trusting me!

I was close.

-Yes, you were.

-I was, wasn't I?

It might be close, but a sale is a sale.

Now for the moment I've been waiting for - Jill's four gold coins.

Kate valued them at £1,200 to £1,500,

with a reserve of £1,000.

Well, somebody could be in the money

and she's standing right next to me now. It's not Kate, it's Jill!

Four 22-carat gold coins.

I know, since you've done the valuation, which is

-about six weeks ago, the gold market has really shot up.

-Yes.

-So, fingers crossed.

-It's a good time for gold-selling.

It's a great time. Yes. Why are you selling all your gold?

Everybody is investing in it.

Your money is not worth a penny in the bank right now!

-You can't do a lot with a coin.

-You can't.

-You can save it for another ten years.

-No.

-All right, OK.

I've been outvoted. This is Flog It! and we've got to sell things,

so let's get on with the show, shall we?

They're going under the hammer right now.

At the last moment, Jill's decided to increase the reserve to £2,000

because she wasn't happy with the original valuation,

and that does rack up the tension.

Will they make the new figure?

What will you bid me for that lot?

£1,000 I have. And 50. 1,150. 1,250.

1,350. 1,450. 1,550.

1,600. 1,700. 1,800. Any more?

£1,800. At 1,800. At £1,800?

1,900 on the net. 1,900.

-2,000.

-Yes.

At £2,000. One anywhere?

At £2,000. There's the bid.

At £2,000. Any more at all? At £2,000...and done!

-You've got to be so pleased with that, surely?!

-Lovely.

£2,000! There is commission to pay, don't forget, it's 17%,

-but wow. At least you know where the money's going.

-I do indeed.

-I can't believe it.

-That's a great result.

That's a good price, isn't it?

It was worth the wait from the valuation day to the action

-because the gold prices did shoot up.

-It did us a favour.

It can work the other way, but that's auctions for you.