Bangor Flog It!


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Welcome to Flog It!, the show that values antiques and collectables

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then puts them under the hammer at auction.

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We're in the far northwest corner of Wales, in the city of Bangor.

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'The BBC has a long association with Bangor.

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'As bombs dropped on London during the Second World War,

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'BBC Light Entertainment moved here.

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'Popular radio programmes from the '40s such as It's That Man Again

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'were broadcast live from the County Theatre, now Penrhyn Hall.'

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Ladies and gentlemen, ITMA!

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'ITMA, as it was known, was listened to by up to half the population -

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'about 20 million people - the most popular comedy show on radio.

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'It provided essential relief from the horrors of the Second World War.'

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We're keeping up the tradition of providing entertainment from Bangor.

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Flog It! has come to town.

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'We have a show full of surprises.

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'Pamela and Glyn bring in an item which is not what it seems.'

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I thought it was a candlestick until we looked at it.

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There's a hole in the top and a hole on the side.

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'Mark sounds confident about Derek's sextant.'

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It's a specialist collecting area.

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Anything to do with marine items are quite keenly sought after...

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'I'm excited about Alwyn's painting.'

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He's very well sought after. You're looking at about £4,000 to £6,000.

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'But is it a fake?'

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David Cox's works are highly forged.

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'Find out later what happens at auction.

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'Leading our team of valuers are Mark Stacey and Adam Partridge.

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'Mark grew up in Wales and should feel at home in Bangor.'

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-You really are a charmer.

-I try to be!

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'After a lifetime in the business,

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'Adam is regarded as a safe pair of hands - well, usually.

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'Right, on to our first item, and a colourful number

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'brought in by Pamela and Glyn has Mark's attention.'

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-What a wonderful decorative object.

-Thank you.

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-Why have you brought it in?

-We thought we might sell it.

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Is it something you bought or inherited?

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-We bought it at an auction.

-Where did you buy it?

-Anglesey.

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-That was about five years ago.

-Gosh. And what did you pay for it?

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I'm afraid we can't remember.

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£20 or something?

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We have a book where we've written things down but can't find it.

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It's in your secret place. I hide something in a secret place and can't remember where.

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It's quite an interesting object.

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It was made by Minton's Art Pottery towards the end of the 19th century,

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when Minton's opened up studios to budding artists

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to produce avant-garde designs.

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This is very much modelled on the German movement called secessionism.

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You get these angular shapes and stylised designs.

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Here we've got poppies with the seeds in there.

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You've got these wonderful colours, drip glazes.

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What's unusual is we see a lot of vases and jardinieres,

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but I don't come across candlesticks often.

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What is puzzling me with this

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is I thought it was a candlestick until we've looked at it.

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We realise there's a hole in the top and a hole on the side.

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It's made in the manufacture cos the glaze is dripped into it.

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The only reason I can think that's there

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is for conversion into electricity,

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to make it a little bedside lamp.

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It makes it more unusual and I love that decorative shape of it.

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When we turn it over, we can see the lovely Minton No 1.

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I'm intrigued.

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You bought it at auction. Were you going to collect things like this or was it an impulse buy?

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We were looking at things to collect and maybe sell on.

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It's difficult. You buy things that you like and then you don't stop.

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-And sometimes you've overpaid for things that you like.

-Quite.

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-What do you think it's worth today?

-I've absolutely no idea. Have you?

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About 70 to 80, maybe?

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I would be tempted to put a bit higher on it.

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I would put an estimate of 100 to 150 on it.

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It's such a nice, unusual shape.

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I think a collector would really like this

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as an example for their collection.

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So I think we put 100 to 150 on it, with 100 discretionary reserve.

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Then let's see what it makes on the day.

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-Are you happy with that?

-Yes. Very good.

-Fine, thank you.

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'Pamela and Glyn did well to buy a quality item by a known maker.

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'It can be hard for the untrained eye to tell a genuine antique from a reproduction.

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'There's no doubting the provenance of a box brought in by Ann and Steve.'

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-Hiya, Steve. I'm Adam.

-We see you on telly.

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-Do you? You watch it?

-Yeah.

-And whose is the box?

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It belonged to me mum.

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We've not done anything with it. It's just been in the loft.

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-Where did your mum get it?

-It's connected with Formby Hall.

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-The big house on Merseyside?

-Yeah.

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-Your mum lived at Formby Hall?

-She worked there with my gran and my grandfather.

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Butler, cook and maid.

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It's a sign of an age gone by.

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It is. Upstairs And Downstairs.

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-Obviously, you want to get rid of it. Do you like it, Ann?

-Not really.

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-I would never use it.

-That's the thing.

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It's something a collector would buy because people like boxes.

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It's Victorian, made from walnut. It's a travelling vanity case.

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It's fitted with these little bottles with silver plated tops.

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With an initial on. Intertwined FJ.

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-FJ. That's, er...

-Formby?

-John Formby.

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-He must have given this away.

-As far as I know, to me granny.

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Sometimes you see them in silver mounts. They're quite valuable.

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A nice feature is that spring-loaded side drawer.

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Pop! Nice quality.

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And the secret drawer comes out there.

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-Doesn't look like it's been used.

-Doesn't look heavily used.

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I'll shut the lid, have a look at the top.

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FJ with the mother-of-pearl on top,

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a mother-of-pearl escutcheon and the key, which is quite unusual.

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-I don't think it works.

-Don't you?

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It's a bit stiff but it works.

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You're a bit down on this, Ann. You don't like it, do you?

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-What do you think someone would give for it?

-You're the auctioneer.

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-Well...

-50?

-Yeah, good.

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She didn't need me. 50 is a good prediction.

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50 to 80, I'd put estimate. And at what price would you like it back?

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-Do you want to let it go whatever it makes or...?

-Not below 50.

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No.

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If it made £100 would you tell him to spend it on something specific?

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Um, I think the house needs doing up badly.

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-Our bedroom needs papering.

-Does it? Are you listening?

-I'm listening.

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-Anything else need doing?

-A lot.

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Let's hope it does a few quid!

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Boxes are always popular.

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I think we're pretty safe with 50 to 80.

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-Thanks for coming.

-Thanks very much.

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'No love lost there! Ann can't wait to see the back of her box.

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'Carol and Rodney have more respect for their painting.'

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What a fantastic horsey picture. Any history to it?

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Not especially. I bought it about 45 years ago.

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-In Bond Street.

-What did you like about it?

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-Are you particularly into horses?

-No.

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Some horses don't look right in pictures.

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This one seems to look natural.

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This is very much a correct study of a horse.

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Wonderful muscular tones. The light and shade are very good.

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-Almost like a photograph of its day.

-A nice background, too.

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I love that summer's day with the blue sky.

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He looks very stately there, very regal.

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It's by quite a well known artist,

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BC Norton - Benjamin Cam Norton - and dated 1866.

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He specialised in animal subjects, particularly equestrian subjects.

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This is a prime example of his work.

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You've had it for 45 years. Why have you decided to sell it?

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-Well...

-Old age, probably.

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Were you going to say something?

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It's sat on the bedroom wall for so many years.

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-First thing we see when we get up.

-You'll have to redecorate.

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Find something to go in its place. No, we take it down, sometimes.

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-It's time for it to go.

-Have you thought about value?

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-It's a nice painting, a Victorian painting.

-Yes.

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We thought that maybe it would fetch towards 1,000.

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-We would put a valuation of 700.

-I think you've hit it on the mark.

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I would be happy to put 700 to 1,000 on it with a 700 reserve.

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The market does fluctuate and artists go in and out of fashion.

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I think because of the quality, somebody's going to have a nibble.

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If we put that estimate on, who knows? We might even get to £1,000.

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This is a very pleasant subject.

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Now, Adam has spotted a nice collection brought in by Gillian.

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-Now, were these yours?

-Yes, they were.

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So, they aren't that old, really.

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-No, very nice of you.

-I presume you didn't play with them.

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I did. I put them back in their boxes after I played with them.

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Well, that's very diligent.

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I still put everything back in its box. I still do.

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A good thing, nice and neat and tidy.

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I don't have a very tidy home, but I like things inside things.

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-I like things stored, you know?

-Right.

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-In boxes.

-Yes, you like a bit of order and correctness.

-I like boxes.

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I often think when I see toys in their original boxes that they didn't get played with.

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This one's the tattiest because I played with that one the most because that's a car that we had.

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-Is that a Morris Marina?

-No, it's a Cortina, I think. Isn't it?

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We had that at the time so I would have that one.

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So, you've got your Dinky Cortina there, you've got a McLaren there,

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the racing type, you've got your Spectrum Patrol Car which I think is quite a nice one there.

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-And, of course, you've got your boxed helicopter, the Sea King helicopter.

-With the lunar module.

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-The Apollo module.

-That dates itself, doesn't it?

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The Apollo module. And it's still got the winch.

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-They're in very nice condition, aren't they?

-Yes.

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So, can you give us an indication of what sort of year you got these?

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It would be in the '60s some time, I would think.

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-Early '60s.

-That's right.

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I presume you've got no need for them now?

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No, I don't think so. I think I'm a bit old to play with them now.

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-No family, so...

-Where were they before you brought them down today?

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They were in storage at Mum's. They were in an old record case at Mum's.

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-She'll be glad of more space.

-Yeah.

-They're not going to make a great deal.

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No, but they'll make more than Mum would by throwing them in the bin.

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-Oh, yes.

-Which is what she wants to do.

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She's a thrower.

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-And you're the opposite?

-Yes.

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-A thrower meets a hoarder.

-Yes.

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-I'm going to estimate £30-£50 on the lot.

-Right.

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I think we let them make their own price.

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-Yep.

-Is that all right?

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-Yes, that's fine.

-People always like Dinkys.

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-Yes.

-And they always make what they should.

-That's fine.

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-We'll leave it to that, then.

-Lovely.

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-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

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'Just over a mile from the valuation day is the Menai suspension bridge,

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'built by Thomas Telford in the 19th century.

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'It was, at the time, the longest suspension bridge in the world.

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'Telford is considered to be "the man who built Britain".

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He revolutionised Britain's transport network, building roads,

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'canals and, most famously, bridges.

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'The bridge across the Menai Strait was his greatest achievement.'

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The Menai Strait is a stretch which Lord Nelson described as one of the most treacherous in the world.

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He said, "If you can sail these waters you can sail anywhere."

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If you wanted to sail to Dublin, you had to cross the Menai Strait.

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The Menai Strait is the treacherous stretch of water

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that separates Anglesey from Wales.

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For thousands of years, crossing it was a matter of life and death.

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This narrow stretch of tidal water is 15 miles long.

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The problem is powerful currents race in from both ends at different times,

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creating strong whirlpools and exceptionally powerful tides.

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The location of the bridge is also one of the most dangerous areas.

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Even as late as 1953, it was claiming some pretty big prizes.

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HMS Conway ran aground as it tried to pass.

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It remained on the rocks for over six years.

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About 30 foot in that direction...

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We dare not get closer cos there's a big rock down there.

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That's known as the Platters, where HMS Conway ran aground.

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And the tugs, well, they just couldn't pull her off.

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Building a bridge across such dangerous waters seemed impossible.

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In 1815, one man thought he could do it - Thomas Telford.

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It was the biggest engineering project of the age.

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Although Telford oversaw every detail of construction,

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not even he knew if it would stay up once it was built.

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Construction on the bridge began in 1819

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and it took seven years to complete.

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When it opened in 1826, Thomas Telford was nearly 70 years old.

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But this bridge, together with the improvements to the road to London,

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meant that the journey time from Holyhead was cut down from 41 hours

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to just 27 hours.

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It also eliminated, well, the risk of drowning.

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'Almost 200 years later, the bridge is still standing.

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'As a testament to its incredible strength,

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'it's perfectly capable of handling even today's heavy traffic.

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'Civil engineer Bob Damond is a trustee of the Menai Bridge Community Heritage Trust.

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'I've come to find out more about Thomas Telford's achievement.'

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You can see how strong the currents are.

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It varies across the width because of the shape and the depth.

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Had there been attempts to build a bridge?

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Tacitus referred to problems the Romans had crossing the strait.

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Edward I built a pontoon bridge by lashing boats together.

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-Back in the 13th century?

-Yes. And the Welsh set fire to the boats at this end so that didn't work.

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Various engineers had done designs

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but there hadn't been an attempt to build one

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-until Telford started the suspension bridge.

-It is absolutely superb.

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A lot of people said you couldn't span that width

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without supporting it in the middle.

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The big problem was that not only

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was it by far the biggest span of a suspension bridge at that time,

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the Admiralty insisted on a 100-foot clearance above high water.

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Sailing ships had tall masts.

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So they had to find a way of getting the chains across a gap of 579 feet

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and 100 feet above the water.

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They did that with ropes and pulleys and 150 men winding two capstans to lift something like 24 tons.

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The first chain they did in an hour and 37 minutes.

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Which is about a 24-tons lift.

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They had to do that 16 times for the 16 chains in the original bridge.

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Gosh!

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When the first chain was in, two men walked across to the other side.

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When Telford heard, he was annoyed because of the safety aspect.

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There must have been a wonderful celebration when this opened.

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It was in the middle of the night when the first coach went through.

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It was a bad night, a bit like this, and not many people hung around.

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But the next day thousands of people crossed.

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They had to pay a penny to walk across. More to take a horse.

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-Some of them crossed and re-crossed.

-It was so enjoyable! An experience!

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It really is, when you look at this, the work of a genius, isn't it?

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A ground-breaking bridge, and it set the mark

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of suspension bridges being the best way to cross large spans.

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'Telford made much of the Industrial Revolution possible.

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'The world around us couldn't have been built

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'were it not for the singular vision of just one man.

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'The Menai bridge still stands as Telford's crowning achievement.

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'We've got our first four items, now we're taking them to the sale,

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'which is at Rogers Jones and Co in Colwyn Bay.

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'Auctioneer David Rogers Jones isn't so sure about the horse painting.'

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Lovely little oil. Belongs to Carol and Rodney.

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Mark put a valuation of £700 to £1,000 on this horse.

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-What do you think?

-It is good quality.

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It's super quality. I do have a theory about this type of painting.

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When you've got a horse painting that isn't painted

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by a famous horse portraitist,

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it's a bit like a personal painting of your Aunt Edna.

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-It's personal...

-It's your horse.

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That's right.

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Who else wants to buy a picture of your horse?

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That's what's holding me back.

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It's not a thing I'd put on my wall. It's not loose enough.

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Yes. It's going back to the personal portrait thing.

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If you liken it to a portrait of Aunt Edna,

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-it's a bit "sat" and...

-Lifeless.

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Lifeless, yeah. A bit posed.

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My gut feeling is it might struggle.

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-I see where the valuation's coming from, Paul.

-The quality.

-Absolutely.

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I'm just a bit worried about the narrow market.

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'We'll be keeping our fingers crossed anyway.

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'Anything can happen in the auction.

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'Also under the hammer, Pamela and Glyn's Minton candlestick holder

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'and Ann and Steve's unloved travelling box.

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'Finally, Gillian's childhood collection of Dinky toys.

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'First up, it's the box.

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'I hope the bidders don't feel the same way about it as Ann and Steve.'

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-Why are you selling the travelling box?

-Well, it's been...

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-Been in the loft for years.

-Flog It was in town. Bring it along?

0:21:130:21:17

-Yeah.

-Declutter, basically.

0:21:170:21:20

-We've got loads!

-You've got loads up there, have you?

-Yeah.

0:21:200:21:25

-Everyone has.

-The tip of the iceberg.

0:21:250:21:28

Let's find out what the bidders think.

0:21:280:21:32

AUCTIONEER: The lady's walnut travelling box.

0:21:320:21:36

Seven containers, white metal tops, et cetera.

0:21:360:21:40

Bid me. What do you say? 120?

0:21:400:21:42

100?

0:21:450:21:47

80? 60, I'm bid. At 60. 60 bid.

0:21:510:21:55

70. 80.

0:21:550:21:57

80 bid. 90. 100.

0:21:570:22:00

Against you, sir. 10.

0:22:000:22:02

And 20. 120. 130.

0:22:020:22:05

130 in the room. At £130. Is there 40?

0:22:050:22:10

Everybody done at £130?

0:22:100:22:15

Anybody coming in? 130 in the saleroom. Final call.

0:22:150:22:19

-£130 for the vanity case. A good result.

-Yeah.

0:22:210:22:24

Well done.

0:22:240:22:26

'Somebody in the saleroom liked it more than Ann and Steve.

0:22:260:22:31

'Next, Carol and Rodney's painting. Are the bidders in the room?'

0:22:310:22:36

Great to see you again.

0:22:360:22:38

We're putting Mark's valuation of £700 to £1,000 to the test.

0:22:380:22:43

It's a nice image. You got this in Bond Street 45 years ago.

0:22:430:22:47

Expensive place to buy. Hopefully, we'll get your money back.

0:22:470:22:52

Whether or not it suits the Welsh market, we'll find out.

0:22:520:22:56

I hope so. It is rather charming.

0:22:560:22:59

They have got some nice paintings from a private estate, so who knows?

0:22:590:23:03

Art is selling really well today. It's flying out the door.

0:23:030:23:08

Fingers crossed, the dealers are here. Here we go now.

0:23:080:23:11

AUCTIONEER: Lot 102.

0:23:110:23:13

The very nice oil on board BC Norton thoroughbred horse by a gate.

0:23:130:23:19

Lovely painting. Superb quality.

0:23:190:23:22

Bid me £1,000.

0:23:220:23:24

Start me at 800.

0:23:240:23:28

As you say. 400 I'm bid. At £400.

0:23:280:23:31

450 on the book. 500. 550? 550?

0:23:310:23:36

550 bid. At 550.

0:23:360:23:39

600 anywhere? At 550. 550.

0:23:390:23:43

Everybody done? 600.

0:23:430:23:46

Against us both at 600.

0:23:460:23:48

650. 650. Is there level money?

0:23:480:23:53

£650.

0:23:530:23:55

Coming in? At 650.

0:23:550:23:57

I'll take 700 quickly. At 650.

0:23:570:24:00

Everybody done? Final call at £650.

0:24:000:24:05

What are you going to do? We leave that there, I'm sorry, at 650.

0:24:050:24:10

-That didn't sell.

-That's all right.

-One bid away.

-We were.

0:24:100:24:14

-One of those things.

-Sorry about that.

0:24:140:24:18

-Go back on the bedroom wall.

-Another auction on another day.

0:24:180:24:22

Maybe a sporting sale where there's a more horsey type...

0:24:220:24:26

-An equestrian sale.

-Exactly.

-Newmarket.

-In the shires.

0:24:260:24:30

They might not be "shire" of bidding!

0:24:310:24:35

'Carol and Rodney's horse didn't bolt.

0:24:350:24:37

'At least that firm reserve protected it from going for less.

0:24:370:24:41

'Next, Pamela and Glyn's Minton candlestick holder.'

0:24:410:24:46

I've been joined by Pamela and Glyn in the nick of time.

0:24:460:24:50

Your lot is just about to go under the hammer.

0:24:500:24:53

I like this a lot. It's got style.

0:24:530:24:58

We like things from all periods and this is a distinctive pattern.

0:24:580:25:03

-I've never seen a candlestick like this.

-Nor have I.

0:25:030:25:08

-It should make £80 all day long.

-But on a good day 120? 130?

0:25:080:25:12

Absolutely. The decorative arts are still quite strong.

0:25:120:25:16

Fingers crossed, that's what we're going to get.

0:25:160:25:20

It's going under the hammer right now.

0:25:200:25:23

AUCTIONEER: Very nice Minton secessionist candle holder bowl.

0:25:240:25:29

Bid me. £100?

0:25:290:25:32

Very nice piece. Classic Minton. Just what you want. 70 to start.

0:25:340:25:39

£70 I'm bid. 70 on the book. 80 anywhere?

0:25:390:25:42

At 70. £70. 70. Is there 80?

0:25:420:25:46

At 70. 80. 80 online. 90 bid...

0:25:460:25:51

-90 bid. Come on. A bit more.

-..Everybody done? 100.

0:25:510:25:55

£100. Lot 132 at £100.

0:25:550:26:00

Anybody in the room? You're all out. The bid is live. £100. Ten anybody?

0:26:000:26:06

Final call. Ten. 110. Another live one...

0:26:060:26:10

-There's a battle on the internet.

-That's good.

0:26:100:26:13

..120? 120 bid.

0:26:130:26:16

120. 30 now? At 120.

0:26:160:26:19

All done? Anyone else coming in? 120.

0:26:190:26:22

Final, final call. All done now?

0:26:220:26:25

We'll take that! 120 is better than 80! I hope you paid less than 120.

0:26:250:26:30

-Yes. Something like 60.

-Oh, well done.

0:26:300:26:34

Even after commission, a jolly healthy profit.

0:26:340:26:38

Don't forget there's commission.

0:26:380:26:41

Now it's Gillian's box-set toy collection.

0:26:430:26:45

Boys and their toys. But in this case, it's girls. It's Gillian's!

0:26:450:26:50

-And they're boxed.

-Yes.

0:26:500:26:52

You obviously said, "Dad, buy me some cars."

0:26:520:26:54

I loved cars, yes.

0:26:540:26:56

I couldn't decide whether I was a boy or a girl, I think!

0:26:560:26:58

I liked boys' toys as well as girls'.

0:26:580:27:01

They are very collectable, especially with the boxes, that's sometimes 30% of the value.

0:27:010:27:05

-I'd always put them back in the boxes.

-What a diligent girl she was.

0:27:050:27:09

I used to take mine out of the box and chuck the box.

0:27:090:27:11

Yeah, well, I don't even know if I've got any.

0:27:110:27:14

I still put things back in boxes, I'm terrible for it.

0:27:140:27:16

-Look, we've pitched for around about £40-50.

-30-50 estimate.

0:27:160:27:21

-It might make a bit more than that.

-They should do.

0:27:210:27:23

-What's your prediction? 60?

-Yes, £60.

0:27:230:27:26

Hopefully a little bit more, but 60 is a good starting point.

0:27:260:27:29

It depends how many toy collectors there are here, because there's not many toys here.

0:27:290:27:34

-No.

-There's one other lot, so it won't encourage...

0:27:340:27:37

-That's the danger.

-Yes. It won't encourage too many collectors to come here.

0:27:370:27:41

-But it is online.

-Yep.

-And everything gets found, it seems.

0:27:410:27:45

Let's find out what the bidders think, shall we?

0:27:450:27:47

Here we go, this is it.

0:27:470:27:50

Three boxed Dinky cars. McLaren patrol car, Dinky 164.

0:27:500:27:54

Nice, and there's a Sea King helicopter as well.

0:27:540:27:57

467, a nice selection. £100?

0:27:570:28:00

100? Give me 80.

0:28:030:28:06

50?

0:28:090:28:10

50 I am bid at 50. 50 bid.

0:28:140:28:17

-At 50.

-Straight in, 50, good.

0:28:170:28:19

50 bid, 60 anywhere?

0:28:190:28:22

At 50, 50 bid. Is there 60?

0:28:220:28:26

£50 only.

0:28:260:28:28

Online, the bid. At £50.

0:28:280:28:31

Is there 60? At £50 only.

0:28:310:28:33

I think that's about their money.

0:28:330:28:35

I haven't got a reserve, but it's a poor price. 60 bid.

0:28:350:28:38

60, have another go.

0:28:380:28:40

At 60, £60. Is there 70? 70 bid. 80.

0:28:400:28:46

80 bid. 80. And again now.

0:28:460:28:49

£80. 90?

0:28:490:28:52

-Yes.

-90 I'm bid.

0:28:520:28:53

It's a little bit better.

0:28:530:28:56

He's teasing the bids out of these people online.

0:28:560:28:59

Level money would be nice. At £90 only.

0:28:590:29:03

Online. 90 is online. Can you give me 100?

0:29:060:29:09

Yes. £100.

0:29:090:29:12

The collectors are sitting at home, pushing a few buttons.

0:29:120:29:14

I can imagine the toy collectors.

0:29:140:29:16

Surrounded by toys around the computer.

0:29:160:29:19

-£100 online.

-And 10.

0:29:190:29:21

110, 110 bid.

0:29:210:29:24

And again?

0:29:240:29:27

£110, final call.

0:29:270:29:29

110.

0:29:290:29:32

-Gillian, happy?

-I'm very happy cos I forgot I'd got them

0:29:320:29:36

and I nearly didn't get them out at the valuation day.

0:29:360:29:39

And we got the top end of the estimate.

0:29:390:29:41

-We did, we got over, £110 was good.

-Very good.

-Thank you very much.

0:29:410:29:45

What a fantastic result for Gillian.

0:29:460:29:48

Wales is known as the land of the song.

0:29:580:30:00

Male voice choirs boom out across the valleys, and music is considered

0:30:000:30:04

to be the cement of the Welsh identity.

0:30:040:30:06

All through history music has been of huge importance to the Welsh.

0:30:060:30:10

In fact, back in medieval times, music was so important

0:30:170:30:20

that musicians, or bards, occupied a privileged position in Welsh society.

0:30:200:30:26

They used poetry and music to celebrate victory in battle, or to

0:30:260:30:29

add expression to national or religious sentiments.

0:30:290:30:33

They had a high status in life.

0:30:330:30:35

You could say they had a good gig because they didn't pay any

0:30:350:30:38

taxes, and they were also exempt from military service.

0:30:380:30:41

The Welsh bards generally played one of three instruments -

0:30:450:30:48

The harp, the pipe and a third which not many people have heard of.

0:30:480:30:52

It's called the crwth.

0:30:520:30:53

The earliest known reference to a crwth goes back around to the 11th century.

0:30:560:31:01

And that was played throughout Europe, but it survived the longest

0:31:010:31:04

in Wales, going right through to the 19th century.

0:31:040:31:08

However, once the versatile and more powerful fiddle came along,

0:31:120:31:15

the crwth was increasingly seen as old-fashioned.

0:31:150:31:17

By the end of the 18th century, nobody was playing it.

0:31:170:31:21

So complete was the abandonment of the instrument, that only three are known to have survived.

0:31:210:31:27

And those, thank goodness, are in various Welsh museums.

0:31:270:31:31

But a resurgence of interest in traditional Welsh folk music has

0:31:330:31:36

inspired a few musicians to try and unravel the mysteries of the crwth, using modern reproductions.

0:31:360:31:42

And I've come to meet one of them, Cass Meurig, who released the

0:31:420:31:45

world's first CD of crwth music in 2004.

0:31:450:31:49

Lovely. There was so much going on there, so many subtleties.

0:32:010:32:04

If you weren't looking, it sounded like three or four people playing.

0:32:040:32:08

It's got a lot of volume to it.

0:32:080:32:10

Well, you have to be quite loud, because in the Middle Ages, you didn't have amplification.

0:32:100:32:14

And they would have played for dancing as well as for listening.

0:32:140:32:18

And probably accompanied singers.

0:32:180:32:19

How many people are playing this today, do you think, in Wales?

0:32:190:32:23

Well, there are crwth players and crwth owners.

0:32:230:32:26

OK!

0:32:260:32:28

There are probably at least 20 people in Wales that own a crwth.

0:32:290:32:32

There are lots of people in America that own crwths, because they e-mail me quite a lot.

0:32:320:32:37

-It's very popular in the States?

-Well, it's not popular, but there

0:32:370:32:40

are a handful of nutters that are having a go at it!

0:32:400:32:44

And there are probably about three of us that really take it seriously.

0:32:440:32:48

Of whom, two of us do it professionally, I suppose, so not very many.

0:32:480:32:53

It's a wonderful tradition. Show me how you achieve some of those sounds.

0:32:530:32:58

They've actually got names, the strings, in Welsh.

0:32:580:33:00

These are the crasdannau, or the sharp string.

0:33:000:33:04

These are the cyweirdannau, or the key string. And these are the llorfdannau,

0:33:040:33:10

or the crowd string. The one that makes the racket.

0:33:100:33:13

Wow. There's a straight bridge there, unlike a violin or a cello. Why is that straight?

0:33:130:33:17

So that you can play six strings at once.

0:33:170:33:20

-All at once?

-That's the really unusual feature of the crwth.

0:33:200:33:23

-Just play two strings for me and then play six. Let's hear the difference.

-Well, here's one.

0:33:230:33:27

Here's two.

0:33:290:33:31

And here's all six.

0:33:310:33:32

Before taking up the crwth, Cass was an accomplished fiddle player,

0:33:370:33:40

but it still took five hard years to master this medieval instrument.

0:33:400:33:44

That's because the techniques of crwth playing, and the music,

0:33:440:33:47

were not written down, but passed orally from one musician to the next.

0:33:470:33:51

But one thing we can be sure about is that the repertoire for the crwth was very distinctive.

0:33:510:33:57

The crwth only plays crwth music, you can't persuade it really to play anything it doesn't want to play.

0:34:000:34:05

It has a certain range, it has a certain range of noises it makes.

0:34:050:34:09

It has a certain range of things it's happy to do.

0:34:090:34:11

So I think, as a fiddle player, that's the first thing you have to learn, forget

0:34:110:34:15

all the things you would like to do on it, and learn what the crwth would like you to do.

0:34:150:34:19

That's lovely. It really is.

0:34:190:34:22

You can see they've used a lot of wood in the construction.

0:34:220:34:25

This was all one piece of sycamore originally. And it's actually hollowed out of that one piece.

0:34:250:34:30

There's quite a wastage of wood.

0:34:300:34:32

-Yes, there is.

-Beautifully shaped at the back.

0:34:320:34:34

And then a spruce belly laid on top, and a holly fingerboard.

0:34:340:34:38

There's a poem in Welsh describes the crwth, and one line of it is...

0:34:380:34:42

SHE SPEAKS WELSH

0:34:420:34:44

..which means that its neck is like an old man that's bent forward.

0:34:440:34:49

Which is a great description.

0:34:490:34:50

Are many people in Wales curious about this?

0:34:500:34:53

Do they come up to you and talk to you about this?

0:34:530:34:55

Yes. A lot of people are actually aware of the crwth.

0:34:550:34:58

It's got a certain iconic status, in the same way that the harp has, in the history of Welsh music making.

0:34:580:35:05

And people are still aware of the word crwth, and that it was part of Welsh history, really.

0:35:050:35:11

So, a lot of people have been quite intrigued by it.

0:35:110:35:14

And they're usually quite surprised by what it sounds like.

0:35:140:35:18

Because they look at it, I suppose, and expect it to sound a bit like a violin.

0:35:180:35:22

It doesn't. It belongs to a medieval sound-world that's quite unfamiliar to people now.

0:35:220:35:27

Cass, thank you for talking to me today and

0:35:270:35:29

enlightening me on something which I never knew anything about.

0:35:290:35:32

It's a wonderful instrument and I guess the best way to hear it

0:35:320:35:35

is with your fellow musicians, who are getting ready down there.

0:35:350:35:39

-Do you want to join them and play us out?

-Thank you.

0:35:390:35:42

MUSIC PLAYS

0:35:420:35:48

Hearing instruments like the crwth brings the past alive.

0:35:540:35:57

And without the passion and commitment of people like Cass,

0:35:570:36:00

their haunting medieval sound would be lost for ever.

0:36:000:36:03

At our valuation day at Bangor University, people are still queuing, hoping to hear the

0:36:140:36:18

music of the sale room and the bang of the gavel when their items go to auction.

0:36:180:36:22

Cerys has brought in a delicate little necklace for Mark to look at.

0:36:220:36:26

Where did you get such a charming necklace?

0:36:260:36:29

I inherited it from my grandmother.

0:36:290:36:30

I think before that it came from my great-aunt.

0:36:300:36:33

-So, yes, that goes back a little while.

-Quite a long time.

0:36:330:36:36

A hundred years or so. Have you worn it yourself? Do you like wearing it?

0:36:360:36:40

I wore it once for my wedding day. And that's about it.

0:36:400:36:43

It's quite delicate, isn't it? It's not a robust piece of jewellery.

0:36:430:36:47

-Because I've got long hair, it just gets tangled up.

-Exactly.

0:36:470:36:50

There's one thing that tells us

0:36:500:36:51

immediately where it comes from and what style it comes from.

0:36:510:36:55

And that's the Art Nouveau period.

0:36:550:36:57

Because you've got these very naturalistic swirls here.

0:36:570:37:01

And the use of the stones, the semi-precious stone of peridot, which actually is a

0:37:010:37:06

charming colour, that tells us it's going to be made round about 1905.

0:37:060:37:11

You've got to think, at that period, Edwardian ladies wore very fitted clothes.

0:37:110:37:16

They were very slim, they were still quite corseted so the necklaces hang

0:37:160:37:20

very well on these high-waisted shirts they wore.

0:37:200:37:24

The other interesting thing about this colour combination, Cerys, is that green and white,

0:37:240:37:29

when worn in the Edwardian period by ladies, is subliminal for the Suffragette Movement.

0:37:290:37:34

They wore green-and-white and purple-and-white.

0:37:340:37:37

So, it could be a hidden message in there. Votes for women.

0:37:370:37:41

And it's 15-carat gold which again is a very Victorian standard of gold.

0:37:410:37:45

We don't get it these days.

0:37:450:37:47

We have nine then we jump immediately up to 18 carat.

0:37:470:37:51

So most of these that I see are nine-carat gold which is actually quite a low grade of gold, really.

0:37:510:37:55

But the 15 just makes it slightly mellower.

0:37:550:37:59

So you've had it all these years.

0:37:590:38:01

Why have you decided to sell it today?

0:38:010:38:03

I knew Flog It! was coming to Bangor.

0:38:030:38:04

-Fantastic.

-I've got no-one to leave it to because there are no female relatives in the family at all.

0:38:040:38:10

-So I thought, well...

-Bring it along, see what it's worth.

0:38:100:38:13

Did you have any high expectations?

0:38:130:38:15

No, because I was always told it was rolled gold, it wasn't real gold at all.

0:38:150:38:19

Oh, so it's nice to find out it's actually 15 carat?

0:38:190:38:22

Yes. I think my mother would be quite shocked because she's always told me,

0:38:220:38:25

oh, it's just a piece of costume jewellery.

0:38:250:38:28

It obviously does have a value.

0:38:280:38:30

And I think it'll appeal to people who like the Art Nouveau

0:38:300:38:33

period as much as it will to somebody who specialises in dealing in antique jewellery.

0:38:330:38:38

I would probably say a sensible estimate is round about £150-200.

0:38:380:38:43

-That's nice.

-Would you be happy with that?

0:38:430:38:45

-Very happy with that.

-And we'll put the reserve on it.

0:38:450:38:48

I do think we ought to reserve it rather than let it go for £50.

0:38:480:38:51

At 150, with 10% discretion on the day.

0:38:510:38:55

-But, hopefully, we might get 200 plus.

-Smashing.

0:38:550:38:58

-Does that please you?

-Very much so.

-You're happy to flog it?

0:38:580:39:01

-For a piece of costume jewellery.

-A piece of rolled gold jewellery.

0:39:010:39:05

Well, we'll see you at the auction and let's hope it sparkles as much as it does here.

0:39:050:39:08

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

-That just goes to show,

0:39:080:39:11

if you've got a piece of old costume jewellery you're not sure of,

0:39:110:39:15

it might pay to get it checked out.

0:39:150:39:17

Now Adam has spotted a nice collection brought in by Patricia.

0:39:170:39:21

I remember a lady came in many years ago and brought in a gold thimble.

0:39:210:39:26

I said, "Why are you selling it?" And she said, "I'm downsizing."

0:39:260:39:32

-Don't tell me you're downsizing.

-No.

-You'd have to be moving to Lilliput!

0:39:320:39:37

So, firstly, where did you get them from?

0:39:370:39:40

-From my aunt, who was a seamstress.

-That explains the quantity.

0:39:400:39:46

Do you know much about your aunt?

0:39:460:39:48

Yes. We all lived together, my family, for years and years.

0:39:480:39:53

-Did you pick up any skills in that department?

-Unfortunately not.

0:39:530:39:58

-You've never had occasion to use these?

-No.

0:39:580:40:01

I've divided them a little bit.

0:40:010:40:04

People are probably wondering what this is.

0:40:040:40:07

This one here is an advertising thimble for Dr Lovelace's soap.

0:40:070:40:12

-"Use Dr Lovelace's soap." Have you heard of Dr Lovelace's soap?

-No.

0:40:120:40:17

Here we have a Victorian bar of soap, the real soap.

0:40:170:40:21

-And it still smells.

-Still smells like coal tar.

0:40:210:40:26

We won't be including that in the auction. You can take that home.

0:40:260:40:30

An advertising one.

0:40:300:40:32

Four of these ones we'd call white metal. They're not stamped silver.

0:40:320:40:37

The silver ones here. Not the best material. It's too soft.

0:40:370:40:43

A man called Charles Horner invented a method

0:40:430:40:46

where he made a steel thimble and coated it in silver.

0:40:460:40:50

You could still have the posh silver thimble!

0:40:500:40:54

One of these is by Charles Horner.

0:40:540:40:57

He was a famous hat pin maker.

0:40:570:41:00

His thimbles are slightly more collected. I think it's that one.

0:41:000:41:05

A Chester hallmark as well. That's probably your most collectable.

0:41:050:41:11

Apart from this little one which is delightful in its own little case,

0:41:110:41:16

velvet covered embroidered case, and what a pretty thimble!

0:41:160:41:20

It's Continental silver. All that enamelling round the side.

0:41:200:41:25

Sadly, enamelling's very vulnerable and you've got a little chip.

0:41:250:41:30

I would think, value wise, these are about £10 each.

0:41:300:41:35

-Really?

-So that's 40 there.

0:41:350:41:39

Then maybe another 20 for all of those.

0:41:390:41:43

-£60 to £100.

-Sounds good.

0:41:430:41:46

-Put a reserve at 60?

-Yes.

-Fix it at 60, I think.

0:41:460:41:49

-Hopefully, we'll have a good result.

-Definitely flog it!

-Excellent.

0:41:490:41:55

'Patricia's thimbles should sell well.

0:41:550:41:58

'A painting I spotted brought in by Alwyn may not sell at all.'

0:41:580:42:03

It's a pleasure to meet you. Alwyn Jones, you've got to be Welsh.

0:42:030:42:08

-Yes.

-What part of Wales are you from?

-From Anglesey.

0:42:080:42:11

From the village with a very long name of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgoge ychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

0:42:110:42:17

I have been there. I think you live in the most wonderful part of the world.

0:42:170:42:23

-So, how did you come by this?

-It was given to me ten years ago.

0:42:230:42:29

By a friend who had lost her mother.

0:42:290:42:33

Unfortunately, my wife is not very keen on it.

0:42:330:42:37

So we decided to maybe sell it and buy another painting we both like.

0:42:370:42:43

-Have you researched David Cox?

-My wife looked it up on the internet.

0:42:430:42:48

She found that he's done many paintings of Highland scenes

0:42:480:42:52

and some in north Wales.

0:42:520:42:55

David Cox is a renowned English landscape artist.

0:42:550:42:58

He was born in Birmingham in 1783, I think, off the top of my head, and died in 1859.

0:42:580:43:05

This is a Scottish Highland scene.

0:43:050:43:07

I've done some comparables, looked him up on our art index guides,

0:43:070:43:12

what works have sold for in this medium on paper this size.

0:43:120:43:16

He's very well sought after.

0:43:160:43:18

You're looking in the region of £4,000 to £6,000.

0:43:180:43:23

Looking at this image, I don't think,

0:43:230:43:26

speaking from my heart, I don't think...it's that good

0:43:260:43:33

if it's by David Cox.

0:43:330:43:35

-I see. Yeah.

-I have seen some of his works.

0:43:350:43:38

For me, the photographic representation is a lot better

0:43:380:43:43

-than what's going on here.

-I see.

0:43:430:43:46

This is a tad too loose for him.

0:43:460:43:50

My gut feeling tells me it's a copy.

0:43:500:43:55

-OK.

-What you probably don't know is David Cox works are highly forged.

0:43:550:44:01

It's really difficult to tell if this is a copy.

0:44:010:44:05

We can put this into auction with a guide of £3,000 to £4,000,

0:44:050:44:09

if it is David Cox, because there is some foxing.

0:44:090:44:12

-There is some damage. If it's a copy...

-Yeah.

0:44:120:44:16

-Much less.

-£200 to £300.

0:44:160:44:20

Yeah.

0:44:200:44:22

OK.

0:44:220:44:24

Um... Well...

0:44:240:44:26

-If it's £200 to £300, I'd keep it.

-Course you would.

0:44:260:44:30

The best thing to do here is get a second opinion from the auctioneer.

0:44:300:44:36

They can do a lot of research, have some picture specialists come in.

0:44:360:44:40

We'll let the auctioneer decide this.

0:44:400:44:44

My gut feeling is it's not right but I want it to be right for you, you want £3,000 to £4,000.

0:44:440:44:51

-If possible.

-We'll put it into auction with what you think it is.

0:44:510:44:56

We'll let the auctioneer say it might be a copy.

0:44:560:45:00

In which case, you can withdraw it.

0:45:000:45:02

-We'll let him do the hard work.

-OK.

-I'm sorry if I've let you down.

-No!

0:45:020:45:08

'The auction will be the place we'll find out the true value.

0:45:080:45:13

'More of that later.

0:45:130:45:15

'Next, Derek's brought in an early example of satellite navigation.'

0:45:170:45:23

We've got a wonderful precision engineered piece of equipment here.

0:45:230:45:27

-Give us a bit of the background.

-The instrument, which is a sextant,

0:45:270:45:32

was given to me 50 years ago by an old sea captain from Anglesey.

0:45:320:45:37

-Oh.

-He used it all his working life, but now GPS superseded sextants!

0:45:370:45:43

Press a button, it tells you where you are so it's of no practical use.

0:45:430:45:48

It's just in the back of the cupboard.

0:45:480:45:51

Those GPS systems are nothing as beautiful as this.

0:45:510:45:55

-Talk us through how it works.

-To find out where you are, latitude,

0:45:550:45:59

you look through any of these telescopes, depending on conditions,

0:45:590:46:04

which fits in there.

0:46:040:46:06

You sight on the sun and you sight on the horizon.

0:46:060:46:10

You adjust this lever here,

0:46:100:46:13

so the sun is in the mirror,

0:46:130:46:16

and it brings the sun down so it's just touching the horizon.

0:46:160:46:20

If you do it at midday, by a series of calculations, you can work out

0:46:200:46:25

-how far you are between the North and South Pole.

-Good Lord!

0:46:250:46:30

-How old do you think it is?

-I would say 1850, 1860.

0:46:300:46:34

I think it might even be a bit earlier,

0:46:340:46:37

with that turned mahogany handle, which has that lovely texture.

0:46:370:46:41

Hundreds of people with greasy hands being on it

0:46:410:46:45

has given it a lovely mellow colour.

0:46:450:46:48

We've got a maker's name, James Morton, Sunderland & South Shields.

0:46:480:46:52

Nice to have a maker's name. I can't find any record of James Morton.

0:46:520:46:59

Anything from London tends to be more valuable.

0:46:590:47:02

Or the bigger cities. So you've had it at home.

0:47:020:47:05

-You haven't used it?

-I haven't used it at all.

0:47:050:47:09

Why have you decided to sell it?

0:47:090:47:12

It would be nice if it could go to somebody who appreciated it.

0:47:120:47:17

It's a very specialist collecting area.

0:47:170:47:20

Anything to do with marine items are quite keenly sought after.

0:47:200:47:25

This is actually a very nice piece.

0:47:250:47:28

-This is in very good condition.

-Yes.

0:47:280:47:31

It's perfect auction room condition. You haven't over-cleaned it.

0:47:310:47:36

It's got a lot of nice feelings about it.

0:47:360:47:39

We've got to think about an estimate.

0:47:390:47:42

-Yes.

-Now, my feeling is around 200 to 300.

0:47:420:47:46

-What's your feeling?

-I wouldn't like to see it go for less than 300.

0:47:460:47:51

It's not impossible.

0:47:510:47:53

I think if it's catalogued properly, two or three people

0:47:530:47:57

need to raise their hands a couple of times and we'll get up there.

0:47:570:48:01

-So I'm willing to give it a try. An estimate of 300 to 400, a reserve at 300.

-That would be fair.

0:48:010:48:08

-A fixed reserve at 300.

-On your head be it.

0:48:080:48:11

If I don't get 300 I get the sextant back.

0:48:110:48:15

That's our last set of items ready to take off to auction.

0:48:150:48:18

Here's what is going under the hammer.

0:48:180:48:20

Patricia's collection of thimbles and Derek's quality sextant.

0:48:200:48:24

The lovely painting I spotted.

0:48:240:48:27

And finally, the beautiful gold necklace Cerys thought was

0:48:280:48:32

a piece of costume jewellery.

0:48:320:48:34

And it is Cerys' necklace which is first under the hammer.

0:48:340:48:37

This has been in the family for about three generations?

0:48:390:48:42

-A long time.

-A long, long, long time?!

0:48:420:48:45

-Why are you selling this?

-Well, I've got no-one to leave it to.

0:48:450:48:48

I'm the last of the female line of our family.

0:48:480:48:50

There's only boys, and they don't want it.

0:48:500:48:53

It's very dressy, very.

0:48:530:48:55

And so nice, being 15 carats.

0:48:550:48:57

I wore it when I got married, something old. It's had its day.

0:48:570:49:00

That's nice. Something special.

0:49:000:49:01

We've got £150 to 200 on this.

0:49:010:49:04

Let's hope we get the top end. It's going under the hammer now.

0:49:040:49:07

Very, very nice, 15-carat gold,

0:49:070:49:10

Art Nouveau peridot and sea-pearl scroll pendant

0:49:100:49:14

with a fine, fine necklace.

0:49:140:49:17

376, bid me 150.

0:49:170:49:20

150. 120 I am bid. 120. Lot 376.

0:49:210:49:27

-120. 30, 40, 50, 60.

-We've sold it.

0:49:270:49:31

70, 80.

0:49:310:49:34

-They love it, they love it.

-My bid, 190. 190 in the room.

0:49:340:49:38

At 190.

0:49:380:49:40

Final call at 190. 200 I'll take.

0:49:400:49:43

190. Everybody done at £190? Anybody else coming in?

0:49:430:49:49

At £190.

0:49:490:49:52

All done at 190.

0:49:520:49:54

-£190!

-That's a result, isn't it?!

0:49:560:49:57

Very good. You've got to be happy with that?

0:49:570:50:00

I am very pleased with it.

0:50:000:50:01

-Top end of the estimate.

-Yep.

-What a fabulous result.

0:50:010:50:04

A spot-on valuation by our expert.

0:50:040:50:06

They say small is beautiful.

0:50:060:50:08

Let's see if small is worth a lot of money!

0:50:080:50:12

We're joined by Patricia and we've got 11 thimbles going under the hammer with a value of £60 to £100.

0:50:120:50:19

I'd love to get that top end.

0:50:190:50:21

I know you like your small things. Why are you selling the thimbles?

0:50:210:50:26

They belonged to my aunt and they've been in a tiny drawer in a tiny cupboard. Nobody sees them.

0:50:260:50:33

-I put you down as having a vitrine with all your little silver things.

-I do have lots of things on show.

0:50:330:50:40

-But you've decided you want to sell the thimbles.

-Yes.

0:50:400:50:45

Adam, you put £60 to £100 on them. A great valuation.

0:50:450:50:49

-I'd like to see the top end.

-£5 or £10 each isn't much.

-Nothing! No.

0:50:490:50:55

I just hope... There's a lot of ladies here.

0:50:550:50:59

I find there's a lot of interest in sewing collectables.

0:50:590:51:03

Needle cases, thimbles, small silvers.

0:51:030:51:06

Investing in your social history, a nice talking point to have on display rather than in the drawer!

0:51:060:51:13

-Good luck.

-Hidden away.

-It's going under the hammer.

0:51:130:51:17

AUCTIONEER: Lovely little lot here, lot 364.

0:51:170:51:22

No fewer than 11 silver and other sewing thimbles.

0:51:220:51:27

There's one in a leather case and one in a fabric case.

0:51:270:51:31

Lovely little parcel. £80?

0:51:310:51:33

Silver thimbles. Come on. I usually sell these at 15 each...

0:51:330:51:38

It's all down to the bidders in the room.

0:51:380:51:41

I'm bid at 50. 50 bid, lot 364.

0:51:410:51:44

At 50. 50 bid. 60 anybody?

0:51:440:51:47

-At 50. 60...

-Got 60.

0:51:470:51:50

..70. £70. Out right at the back, sir?

0:51:500:51:53

Five if it helps you. At 70. 70 bid.

0:51:530:51:57

£70 only.

0:51:570:52:00

Five at the back, if you like.

0:52:000:52:03

Five I'll take. Everybody done? At £70.

0:52:030:52:06

Five if you wish. 75.

0:52:060:52:08

75. 80. 80 I'm bid...

0:52:080:52:11

Fresh legs! Someone's just come in.

0:52:110:52:13

..At £80 only. Everybody done? Final call at 80.

0:52:130:52:18

-That's a sold sound. Well done, Adam.

-Mid estimate.

0:52:190:52:23

-Happy.

-Happy with that?

-Yes. Very happy.

0:52:230:52:27

'A great result for Patricia, and now it's Derek's turn.

0:52:270:52:31

'His sextant is in mint condition. I hope the right people are here.'

0:52:310:52:36

I've been joined by Derek and the next item is this wonderful sextant.

0:52:360:52:41

You'd expect to see it here in Colwyn Bay, right by the sea.

0:52:410:52:45

Maritime memorabilia does fetch good money. We're in the right place.

0:52:450:52:51

We're looking for £300 to £400, by our expert Mark.

0:52:510:52:54

-Why are you selling it?

-It's been superseded by GPS!

0:52:540:52:58

I suppose it has, in a way!

0:52:580:53:00

It might as well go to somebody who'll appreciate it.

0:53:000:53:04

-I love the engineering quality.

-So do I.

0:53:040:53:09

Let's find out what the bidders think.

0:53:090:53:11

AUCTIONEER: 447, the ship's sextant

0:53:110:53:14

by James Morton, Sunderland & South Shields.

0:53:140:53:18

Cased. Bid me. Start me at 350.

0:53:180:53:22

300?

0:53:230:53:25

The cased sextant by a Sunderland & South Shields maker. Bid me.

0:53:250:53:31

250?

0:53:310:53:34

I'm bid at 150. 150 bid.

0:53:340:53:38

At 150. 180? 180 bid.

0:53:380:53:40

-200? 200 bid...

-We're climbing. A little bit more.

0:53:400:53:45

..240. Is there 60? At 240.

0:53:450:53:48

240 bid. Everybody done?

0:53:480:53:50

260. 280?

0:53:500:53:53

280 bid. 280. 280. And again now.

0:53:530:53:57

At 280. 300. 300 bid.

0:53:570:54:00

-And again...

-Getting there.

0:54:000:54:03

..How many on there? At £300.

0:54:030:54:06

Online at £300. Everybody done?

0:54:060:54:09

All finished? At £300 and going.

0:54:090:54:13

-That was close.

-I thought we'd sink without trace.

0:54:140:54:18

-Well done.

-We came back.

-£300.

0:54:180:54:21

'What a relief. It looks like quality shone through.

0:54:210:54:25

'Auctioneer David Rogers Jones has looked at Alwyn's painting,

0:54:270:54:31

'which may or may not be genuine, and he's got some interesting news.'

0:54:310:54:36

If it was an early piece of oak, I'd be really confident!

0:54:360:54:41

I just don't know.

0:54:410:54:43

I think, Paul, that it's got many of David Cox senior's attributes.

0:54:430:54:48

-OK.

-The figures and the animals smack Cox for me.

0:54:480:54:53

What about the sky?

0:54:530:54:55

Well, yeah. One always looks for "Cox clouds".

0:54:550:54:58

-But it isn't in the best condition.

-No. It's got foxing.

0:54:580:55:02

A lot of foxing and, I think, if you eliminated the foxing,

0:55:020:55:07

I think, probably, the clouds would come out.

0:55:070:55:10

-What was your gut feeling?

-That it was OK.

-Good.

0:55:100:55:14

I like the figures. I like the animals.

0:55:140:55:17

It has the Cox windswept feel that his paintings have.

0:55:170:55:22

My gut feeling was it may be a fake.

0:55:220:55:24

It's disappointing to tell the owner and now it's the real McCoy,

0:55:240:55:29

will this do £3,000 to £4,000?

0:55:290:55:31

The people we've sent images to are good in the field of Cox.

0:55:310:55:37

-Yeah.

-And they seem to be fairly happy.

0:55:370:55:40

-They're interested?

-I think they're interested so I'm fairly hopeful.

0:55:400:55:45

Now it's time for the moment of truth.

0:55:450:55:48

Will Alwyn's painting sink or swim? It's up to the bidders to decide.

0:55:480:55:53

I had a chat with the auctioneer before the sale. He said it's right.

0:55:530:55:58

-Good. I'm pleased.

-I'm pleased it's that way, not the other way.

0:55:580:56:02

I'm so pleased I didn't say, "Yes! His works sell for thousands!"

0:56:020:56:08

And get here on the day and find out it's a copy.

0:56:080:56:12

So that's good news. We've still got £3,000 to £4,000.

0:56:120:56:16

He agreed with the valuation, because of the foxing.

0:56:160:56:21

It's now down to this lot. Let's find out what happens.

0:56:210:56:25

AUCTIONEER: David Cox. Expansive landscape.

0:56:250:56:29

Five Scottish figures, two on horseback, tending a herd of cattle.

0:56:290:56:35

Well signed and I think it's got the features of David Cox.

0:56:350:56:38

The men, the animals, it's got the lot.

0:56:380:56:41

OK, there's a bit of restoration to be done.

0:56:410:56:45

That can be done easily.

0:56:450:56:47

You've got a really good painting and it's a good big'un! Bid me.

0:56:470:56:51

Two and a half thou to start?

0:56:510:56:55

2,500?

0:56:550:56:58

2,000?

0:56:580:57:01

1,800 I'm bid. At £1,800.

0:57:010:57:03

-At £1,800...

-We're in.

0:57:030:57:06

..at 1,800. £2,000.

0:57:060:57:11

2,200. 2,200.

0:57:110:57:13

2,400. 2,400...

0:57:130:57:15

We've got a phone bid. This is great.

0:57:150:57:19

..2,600.

0:57:190:57:22

2,800.

0:57:220:57:25

£2,800, David Cox. Are you coming in, Mike?

0:57:250:57:29

£2,800.

0:57:290:57:31

Bid's here on the telephone. At £2,800.

0:57:310:57:37

3,000, I'd like. I'll open the gate at 2,900, if you want to.

0:57:370:57:42

£2,800 final call.

0:57:420:57:45

On the telephone. Everybody done?

0:57:460:57:49

£2,800 all done?

0:57:490:57:51

He's sold it. £2,800. That's fabulous!

0:57:510:57:56

-It is.

-Congratulations.

-Really pleased. Thank you.

0:57:560:58:00

'The auctioneer used discretion and sold for just under the reserve.

0:58:000:58:04

'Alwyn is over the moon.'

0:58:040:58:08

I told you there would be one or two surprises! Sadly, we've run out of time in Colwyn Bay.

0:58:080:58:14

There'll be many more surprises to come on Flog It but, for now, cheerio.

0:58:140:58:20

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