Oxford 10 Flog It!


Oxford 10

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I'm sure you'll all know the delightful story of the little girl

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who tumbled down a rabbit hole into Wonderland.

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What may surprise you is that Alice and all the other bizarre characters

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were born right here in the imagination of a mathematics lecturer.

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Today we're in the university city of Oxford. Yes, this is Flog It! And oh, dear, oh, dear, I'm late!

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I'm heading for the marvellous Sheldonian Theatre.

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Well, I have made it just in time.

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Everybody's now safely seated inside.

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It's time for me to join our experts

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and delve through all of these bags and boxes that this wonderful crowd have brought in

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and who knows what wonderful mysteries we might uncover?

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'Later in the show, I get the chance to play the drums...'

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Wow.

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'.. and get some technical instruction

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'on a most unusual instrument.'

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Do you blow hard or medium?

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No, no, no. Blowing a raspberry. That's the deal.

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BLOWS A RASPBERRY, INSTRUMENT MAKES NO SOUND

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The two experts spearheading the team here in Oxford are...

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Tracy Martin, who works as a valuer at an auction house in Essex.

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She specialises in 20th-century antiques and collectibles.

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Boys' toys, they love them. They're all buying them back, the men.

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They all want their childhood revisited.

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-They didn't really grow up, half of them, did they?

-They haven't!

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She's joined by our old favourite, Charlie Ross, who takes a more traditional line.

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-Bring it back in 100 years' time. I'll still be here.

-I'll do that!

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He has gained his wide knowledge through the tried-and-tested route of being an auctioneer.

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-You've brought a child for me to value?

-Yes.

-I'm good at that, I have a grandchild now.

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Charlie's first up with Diana, and she's brought in a trio of nice-looking rings.

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Diana, it's nice to see you here, and you're visiting Oxford today?

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-Yes.

-Where are you from?

-We're from Sussex.

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So you've loaded up your rings, brought them along here -

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where did they start life, as far as you're concerned?

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My mother gave them to me.

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I don't think she'd ever worn them.

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They don't look very worn, it looks like

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the ruby cluster ring has been worn,

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it's a little bit worn, but they're in pretty good condition.

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Yes and I know that my father had given them to her.

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-Right.

-So they emanated from his side of the family.

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Did they? Yes. Well, they date from early 20th century.

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-Right.

-So they're virtually 100 years old.

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-Right.

-They're all 18-carat gold, so good-quality gold.

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Doing perhaps the worst first, this ruby and diamond cluster is a synthetic ruby, so it's not

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-a real one, although it's a big whopper...

-That would've been nice.

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I know, it would.

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But nevertheless, a very delicate setting

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and cast and chased shoulders, these are the shoulders here.

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So, a huge amount of work's gone into these.

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The next one we have is diamond and rubies, proper rubies, diamonds,

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-alternately inset, again into an 18-carat shank.

-Right.

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And here, we have here the cultured pearls, you can see cultured pearls,

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they're all uniform size.

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-I see, yes.

-With tiny little chip diamonds into the corner.

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-They're very ornate, but not everybody's cup of tea.

-Right.

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-Do you wear them?

-No, unfortunately I can't get them on my fingers.

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-No.

-I might think about it, but they're not really me.

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-Have you thought of making them bigger?

-I did on one occasion, but I thought, "No."

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They're quite dated in style and I think they're not going to be the easiest things to sell.

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They're fabulous quality, but, to be honest, the average person today

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has a ring made for them quite often, or there's more of a tendency towards

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a straightforward diamond ring, single-stone, three-stone diamond ring,

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rather than clusters of stones.

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What about value? You've got them heavily insured, presumably?

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Oh, yes(!) THEY LAUGH

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Come on, have a guess.

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I was sort of thinking perhaps, I don't know, 200, 250,

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something like that.

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I think a bit more. I'm not sure about the synthetic one,

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-but they'd average out at over £100 each and I'd like to see an estimate of 300 to 500.

-OK, that's good.

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300 to 500 with a discretionary reserve at the bottom end,

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so we reserve them at 300, if the top bid the auctioneer gets is 280,

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then you might as well sell them. I mean, you're expecting 250 to 300,

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but I think we'll be pretty safe at £300.

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-If we do well, you can have a few more days in Oxford.

-That would be great. I'll enjoy it.

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Well, we all would, it's a fantastic place to visit.

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Next, a Victorian desk stand caught my eye,

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belonging to Bruce and Joan.

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It might just be the thing that someone is looking for.

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Is it yours?

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-Yes, it is.

-How long have you had that?

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It's been, well with me for over 30 years.

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Where is it at home, Joan? What do you do with it?

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-It's in the broom cupboard.

-In the where?

-In the broom cupboard.

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-On a shelf, hopefully.

-No, on the floor.

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Is it really? Poor thing, poor thing.

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You obviously don't really want to keep it then,

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-if it's in the broom cupboard.

-No.

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Obviously, this little lid comes off.

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To facilitate the ease of that, there would've been a little acorn

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screwed into there that you could lift this lid off with,

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but unfortunately that's missing,

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because that's where you'd keep your nibbed pens. I'd say it's around about 1860, 1880.

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It's not the sort of Gothic revival Puginesque-type Victorian

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you'd expect on these big over-the-top office desks. They're the ones that fetch good money.

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This is very much plainer than that.

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It's typical of the Victorian period,

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it's still over-the-top again.

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But I guess this wouldn't be used by an academic but more likely

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a clerk or an accountant, somebody like that.

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Somebody that did a lot of bookwork,

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because look at the size of the wells, they are big, aren't they?

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All mounted in brass. I like the fact that it's not polished,

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so I'm pleased it's been in the broom cupboard

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and that's quite nice, that's all wheel-cut, can you see that?

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That's called a hobnail pattern,

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-like you get on the bottom of hobnail shoes.

-Oh, right.

-Yes?

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But it's all there, isn't it? The wells are lovely,

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it just needs a good clean. It's made of oak. I'd like it to do £80-£120 if we put it into auction.

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I've a feeling it needs a better starting point, though,

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and I think if I can get the valuation down to around about £60 to £100...

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A reserve of 60? And hopefully we'll get £120, if two people really want this.

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I'd like to think so.

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And they fight over it in the saleroom.

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-You know what they say, the pen's mightier than the sword, don't they?

-They do.

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-Let's give it a crack, shall we?

-OK.

-Yes, please.

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An exquisite-looking decorative Oriental bottle

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has grabbed Tracy's attention. But what's it for?

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What a beautiful little snuff bottle, Mark.

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Obviously Oriental. Beautifully hand-painted.

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Do you collect Oriental, or is it something that's been passed down?

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I had no idea what it was originally. We were landscaping the garden

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and we came across a couple of bits and pieces and broken bottles and this was in there.

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This was in your garden?

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Completely filthy, covered in mud. Couldn't believe it at the time.

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Oh, what a discovery!

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I gave it a clean, but never thought anything more of it.

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We had no idea what it was, so we tried to look it up.

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I thought maybe perfume or anything, I didn't know what it was for.

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You're very much along the right lines, really.

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It's a little snuff bottle here.

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Oriental, Chinese, beautifully hand-painted.

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On the dragon, because we have a dragon here in this wonderful blue,

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he's got five claws.

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We know that because he's got five claws,

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he's an Imperial dragon.

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He's not any old ordinary, boring dragon.

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He's a special dragon, because he's got five claws.

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On the top here, if we just lift that out,

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what we have is the little snuffer.

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-This is ivory, dyed ivory.

-Dyed ivory.

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And here, we have this wonderful workmanship here.

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It's probably bronze, I would've thought

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it would be bronze because it's such a good-quality piece of porcelain.

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He looks a little bit like a frog, doesn't he? Actually, he's a lion.

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So a beautiful, beautiful piece. Have you got any idea how old it is,

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-or have you done any research?

-I looked at the mark on the bottom.

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-Right.

-The mark on the bottom, when I looked up the different dynasties, it worked out at about 1820 to 1850,

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but, I can't pronounce it, "du gwan", or something like that.

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You're pretty much spot-on, Mark, to be honest. It's very much early Victorian period.

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I'm not very good, I'm from Essex, you see.

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This is my problem, pronunciations are not my good things, so "dong-wong" sounds about right!

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Oriental is so hot at the moment.

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Anything from snuff bottles

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to big, wonderful Satsuma vases,

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really, really hot market.

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I would be comfortable with putting a reserve of about £100 on this.

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So, 100 to 150. Because the Oriental market is pretty hot at the moment,

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I'm pretty sure that should do a little bit more.

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Top-end estimate, maybe even exceed that,

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but obviously it's down to you and if you're really happy with that...

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No, no, here's hoping.

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Hopefully we'll get loads of Oriental collectors

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desperate to own the thing that YOU dug out of the ground.

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It's always a delight to meet so many charming and interesting people

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at our valuation days,

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and it seems that everyone has got a good story to tell.

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Charlie is up next with Janet,

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and he's enjoying a little bit of guesswork.

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-Sometimes you can judge the contents by the box.

-Right.

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And I'm beginning to think this is not a leather box,

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it's leatherette or something,

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so I'm expecting a bit of silver plate or something.

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I hope I'm wrong.

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Oh, I am wrong!

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-What wonderful colours!

-They are. Beautiful colours.

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Fabulous colours. I think even from here they're silver.

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Bean-topped coffee spoons. Where did these come from?

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-From an aunt and uncle of mine. I inherited it when they died.

-Yes.

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My uncle always used to buy beautiful things for his wife.

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I always thought they came from abroad, but I'm not sure.

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Well, we'll have a look at one, but they're English.

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I'm certain they're English. The case looks English,

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and I'm expecting to see an English hallmark on there.

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You can tell they're coffee spoons. Why?

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-The shape, no?

-Well, partly the shape.

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-They've got a bean top.

-Aah.

-You see?

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-There's a bean.

-Yes, the coffee bean.

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And in fact, even if you look at the top of that one there,

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-you can see the line making it a coffee bean.

-Yes.

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-Isn't that interesting?

-Yes.

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They're silver and enamelled. I'm expecting them to be 1920s,

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-1930s period.

-Right.

-They're in fabulous condition.

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The only thing that's slightly disappointing

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is the bean top themselves. I'd like to see a bit of ivory...

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or possibly a bit of mother of pearl, whereas if you

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look at the sort of crazing on those,

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-they are merely composition...

-Hmm.

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..which I think lets down the rest of them.

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-Because the bowls are fabulous. These shells...

-The colours.

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The shell motif bowls are fabulous.

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I'm going to pick one up and pray,

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-cos if they're EPNS they're worth about three quid.

-Oh, dear.

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-They won't be because they're enamelled. They are silver.

-Good.

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-And they're Birmingham.

-Birmingham?

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Made in Birmingham.

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And they're on a P.

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-Now, a P appears on the Birmingham in 1914 and 1939.

-Right.

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-The start of two wars, which is easy enough to remember.

-Yes.

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Now, looking at the case, I think they're probably

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the earlier of the two. Now, that sounds a bit vague, but actually

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because they're not Victorian or earlier,

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it's not going to make much difference in terms of value.

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Now, sadly, I'm going to really disappoint you now, I think,

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-by saying that they're worth less than £50.

-Really?

-Yeah.

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Surprisingly not that rare.

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-Right.

-Are you happy to sell them if I say that?

-Yes, that's fine.

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-Thank you.

-You are? You don't want to see them again.

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We will put a reserve on them.

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I think an estimate of £30-50 with a fixed reserve at 30.

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I think if two people really like them...

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then there is an up side. But there's not an up side

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-into hundreds of pounds, sadly.

-No. OK.

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-All right?

-Thank you very much.

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Thank you very much for bringing them along.

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The Ashmolean was the first public museum in Britain,

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and it's still one of the greatest.

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Now, we're here filming on a Monday,

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so it's closed to the public, but we've got special permission to film

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in one of my favourite haunts.

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Now, they've recently spent millions refurbishing this museum,

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but the area we're filming in today hasn't changed since the 1950s -

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the Print Room.

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It's called the Print Room,

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but actually it houses one of Britain's greatest

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collections of European prints

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and drawings dating from the 15th century right up to the present day.

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The collection had a great start in life.

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In the early days in the 1840s, it acquired through public subscription

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50 Raphael and 50 Michelangelo drawings, absolute originals,

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from the celebrated collection of the artist Sir Thomas Lawrence.

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I've got to say... they are heavenly.

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I'm this close to the greatest works of art

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I have ever seen in my life - in fact, in history.

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These are chalk studies showing composition, light and shade,

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muscle tones...

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It's just incredible. You can learn so much from coming here.

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If you want to see Raphaels and Michaelangelos,

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you do have to book a special appointment,

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otherwise there's 25,000 other drawings and prints here

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from artists such as Rembrandt right through to Stanley Spencer,

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and I've taken the opportunity today to come and talk to John Whitely,

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who's the senior curator here,

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about his love and passion for drawing, and why it's so important.

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John, you've always loved drawings. You're very passionate about them.

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What is it for you? What makes you gravitate towards these?

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Drawings are very unlike paintings.

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They tell us something about the intimate thoughts

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of the artist as he's preparing a work of art.

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The paintings of the artist executed on the basis of these drawings

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tend to be very finished statements.

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They're for the public, they're for posterity,

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and they don't give away as much as a drawing does.

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No, these aren't so polished, are they?

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They're not so polished, but they're also full of the kind of

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thoughts that an artist has as he's moving towards the finished image.

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This helps us to explore the innermost

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thoughts of the artist as he's preparing his composition.

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You've selected three here from this vast collection.

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Show me what you're looking into,

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what you can learn from each artist and what he's trying to do.

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The drawing of the jockey by Degas shows the back

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drawn in a certain position, and then the buttocks are pulled forward.

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He changes his mind about where the leg goes and draws it over the leg.

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It gives us an idea of how the artist is using his black chalk with

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a kind of rage as he draws the leg in one place

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-and then the jockey moves and he draws it in another place.

-At speed.

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At great speed, although it must be said that although this drawing

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appears to be a drawing done on the racecourse, it certainly isn't.

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It must have been a professional model,

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or possibly a jockey whom the artist brought back to the studio.

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He poses for the artist in order to give this impression

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of spontaneity, which then the artist will translate into the painting.

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Incredible.

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Let's look at the Turner.

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Tell me what you see and what you can learn about Turner there.

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The Turner is a very different work of art from the Degas

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because it's a finished statement.

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It's a watercolour by an artist who has done

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this as a work of art in its own right, and he would've

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expected a collector or a friend to acquire this watercolour from him.

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Or he did it for his own pleasure. That's quite possible.

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An image that he wanted to take back from Venice which would record

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for him the impression of light and colour on the Venetian lagoon.

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It doesn't look finished, of course, because it's so impressionistic,

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and the colour is laid on in thin washes that gives a sense of air

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and atmosphere, of weather and time of day,

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to this view of buildings.

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And that's the real subject of this picture.

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He didn't go to Venice to paint Venice.

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He went to Venice to capture an effect of Venetian light.

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It's beautiful, isn't it? It's absolutely beautiful.

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Let's look at Leonardo.

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Oh, well, Leonardo lies at the very beginning of the Italian renaissance,

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the early renaissance in the 15th century central Italy,

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when drawing came into its own as an important method of preparing

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a work of art.

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He's using it as a way of thinking aloud,

0:18:240:18:26

and when I said that a drawing is fascinating

0:18:260:18:29

because it allows us to enter into the silent thoughts of the artist,

0:18:290:18:33

this is a particularly good case in point.

0:18:330:18:36

In this case he's not working from nature,

0:18:360:18:38

but he's drawing up something that he's inventing.

0:18:380:18:41

But it's owing to the years of close study of the natural world

0:18:410:18:46

that enables him to draw like this from his imagination.

0:18:460:18:49

John, thank you so much for your time.

0:18:500:18:52

Can I just borrow you for a second more to select a few drawings

0:18:520:18:55

from some of my favourite artists

0:18:550:18:56

so I can sit down and do what most people do when they come to visit?

0:18:560:18:59

Yes, by all means.

0:18:590:19:01

We'll take out boxes of Samuel Palmer and Burne-Jones,

0:19:010:19:04

and you can sit as a member of the public does,

0:19:040:19:06

don the white gloves and look at them to your heart's content.

0:19:060:19:09

This is what I've been waiting for.

0:19:330:19:34

He's got to be my favourite artist - Edward Burne-Jones.

0:19:340:19:38

One of the Pre-Raphaelites. This is just superb.

0:19:380:19:42

Wonderful purple ground with a... almost like a gold leaf image

0:19:420:19:46

of this beautiful woman.

0:19:460:19:48

But his work is just full of passion and mythology and...

0:19:480:19:52

..romance.

0:19:530:19:54

He came to Oxford, I think, in the 1850s to study religion

0:19:540:19:57

and had some art lessons by Rossetti.

0:19:570:19:59

He became one of the four founding members

0:19:590:20:01

of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

0:20:010:20:04

It's a small study of a beautiful angelic lady.

0:20:040:20:07

I didn't like this when I first saw this.

0:20:070:20:09

I picked this up and I thought...

0:20:090:20:11

"Not sure."

0:20:110:20:13

But actually the more you look at this,

0:20:130:20:15

the more beautiful this woman becomes.

0:20:150:20:18

The burnt siennas and umbers and...

0:20:180:20:21

lovely muddy browns.

0:20:210:20:24

This is so good because anybody can come here,

0:20:240:20:27

work their way through these volumes, be so close to your heroes.

0:20:270:20:32

Right, I'm going to move on to some Samuel Palmer now.

0:20:320:20:34

Gosh, I could spend all day here.

0:20:370:20:39

This is quite interesting because this is, you could say,

0:20:390:20:43

mixed medium, really.

0:20:430:20:44

It's pencil, watercolour, pen and ink, and a white grounding.

0:20:440:20:48

It's a very, very clever technique.

0:20:480:20:51

It's a self portrait, and he's about 19 years old.

0:20:510:20:53

Done when he was living in London.

0:20:550:20:58

This is a few years later when they moved down to Shoreham, the family

0:20:580:21:01

moved down to Shoreham to escape the smoke and the smog of the city.

0:21:010:21:06

There's a childlike quality in his composition.

0:21:060:21:09

It's almost as if it's a book illustration.

0:21:100:21:13

Everything is happy about that little picture.

0:21:130:21:15

The little bunny rabbit hopping along,

0:21:150:21:17

but you don't really see trees growing like that.

0:21:170:21:20

It's just wonderful.

0:21:200:21:22

In fact, it's really nice looking at artists' works

0:21:330:21:37

where they've just done it for themselves,

0:21:370:21:39

it's not a commission and they don't really care how it's finished.

0:21:390:21:42

Sometimes they look better unfinished.

0:21:420:21:44

It makes you use your imagination more.

0:21:460:21:48

Over to Watcombe Manor saleroom in Watlington just outside Oxford,

0:22:030:22:07

where Jones & Jacob fine art auctioneers

0:22:070:22:09

will be selling our lots.

0:22:090:22:12

There will be two auctioneers on the rostrum today -

0:22:130:22:16

first Francis Ogley and then the owner, Simon Jones.

0:22:160:22:19

I'm going to take the opportunity to speak to Simon to see what he thinks of the Oriental bottle.

0:22:190:22:25

I like this. I like it a lot. It was dug up from the garden.

0:22:250:22:29

-Believe it or not.

-Unusual to find in a British garden.

0:22:290:22:34

Mid-19th century Chinese, a bit of blue and white.

0:22:340:22:37

We've got 100 to £150 on this.

0:22:370:22:39

-Yes. You'll have no trouble at all.

-Really?

-Yes, because it's a little bit earlier.

0:22:390:22:43

What would you put it at?

0:22:430:22:45

I think that's Qianlong, and I think it's late 18th century,

0:22:450:22:50

early 19th century, rather than mid-19th century.

0:22:500:22:52

I like the Imperial dragon. I think that's a wonderful image,

0:22:520:22:56

-that's where my money goes.

-The five claws says it all.

0:22:560:23:00

You're getting quite excited, but you're not giving much away.

0:23:000:23:03

No, auctioneers never give anything away.

0:23:030:23:05

No, you can't! You should be a politician.

0:23:050:23:08

No, I don't want to be one of those!

0:23:080:23:10

-So we're in the right ballpark figure.

-You're OK, you're OK.

0:23:100:23:13

Yes. But hopefully it should fly away. Let's watch this one later on.

0:23:130:23:17

That's what it's all about, the magic of the saleroom.

0:23:170:23:20

Before the auction starts,

0:23:200:23:21

let's take another look at what we've put up for sale.

0:23:210:23:25

We start with Diana's three handsome rings. They look splendid together,

0:23:250:23:29

so they won't go unseen.

0:23:290:23:31

Then I picked out the Victorian desk stand. It's not the most ornate one that I've come across,

0:23:330:23:37

but there's no point in it just sitting in a broom cupboard.

0:23:370:23:41

In stylish mood, Charlie picked out

0:23:410:23:43

the elegant boxed silver coffee spoons belonging to Janet.

0:23:430:23:46

And Mark's amazing find, the Chinese snuff bottle.

0:23:470:23:51

It didn't cost him anything, so he should get a good return.

0:23:510:23:55

Now for Diana's three splendid rings,

0:23:570:24:00

with all those rubies, diamonds and pearls.

0:24:000:24:04

-A lot of money riding on this one, could it be the jewel in the "Flog It!" crown?

-Hopefully.

0:24:040:24:09

Three rings. Ooh, Charlie!

0:24:090:24:11

Will we get that 500-plus?

0:24:110:24:14

-300-500. Don't get too excited!

-I know, but can we get 500-plus?

0:24:140:24:18

There's one particularly good ring,

0:24:180:24:20

one with the synthetic stone which looks good but isn't valuable,

0:24:200:24:23

and the pearl ring, which is quite pleasant.

0:24:230:24:25

I think it was the best way of selling them. Put 'em all together.

0:24:250:24:29

We're going to find out, cos this is quite exciting.

0:24:290:24:31

I think this is a lot of money. £500, I would like.

0:24:310:24:35

You always would!

0:24:350:24:37

The 18-carat ring set, nine rubies and diamonds.

0:24:390:24:43

As described there. £300?

0:24:430:24:46

250, sell me.

0:24:460:24:48

-250, 260.

-Come on.

0:24:480:24:51

260, 270.

0:24:510:24:52

280. 290. 300. At £300.

0:24:520:24:56

In the room at 300. Selling at 300. All done at 300?

0:24:580:25:02

Some more, please.

0:25:020:25:04

£100 a ring.

0:25:040:25:05

Well, they've gone.

0:25:070:25:09

Smile, Diana.

0:25:090:25:11

Not as much as I'd like, but...

0:25:110:25:12

-BOTH:

-No.

0:25:120:25:14

Charlie was right though, they were within estimate.

0:25:140:25:17

-Yeah.

-Don't be too cross with me, Diana.

-I'll try not to be.

0:25:170:25:20

Sorry about that.

0:25:200:25:22

It just goes to show, auction houses are brilliant places to buy jewellery.

0:25:240:25:29

Next, it's my expertise under scrutiny.

0:25:290:25:31

OK, it's my turn to be the expert.

0:25:340:25:35

Remember that lovely Victorian desk stand inkwell?

0:25:350:25:38

Well, it's out of the broom cupboard and into the auction room.

0:25:380:25:42

Bruce, at the valuation day, you had your wife with you, Joan, didn't you?

0:25:420:25:46

-She can't make it today, but your daughter Susan can. Hello.

-Hi.

0:25:460:25:50

He's flogging your family inheritance, isn't he?

0:25:500:25:52

OK, it's not a lot of money, is it, really, but, it's a nice-looking thing.

0:25:520:25:57

-It is, yes.

-You just need a whopping great big desk in a big house.

0:25:570:26:01

-Old Victorian house.

-Yes, a great big vicarage, then it will look absolutely stunning.

0:26:010:26:06

You never know what happens in an auction.

0:26:060:26:09

We're going to find out, because ultimately it's down to

0:26:090:26:11

this packed saleroom of bidders to put their hands up. Here we go.

0:26:110:26:15

Lot 214, the inkstand, with a nice lift-out tray.

0:26:160:26:21

60, £70 for this?

0:26:210:26:23

50 then, start me.

0:26:230:26:24

50, I'm bid. 55 anywhere?

0:26:260:26:29

55. 60.

0:26:290:26:30

£65 now, at £65. All done at £65?

0:26:300:26:34

Spot on, wasn't it, really? Straight in again. Very quick.

0:26:360:26:39

What you expected, wasn't it, Dad?

0:26:390:26:41

-Yeah.

-Yes, I'm happy with that.

0:26:410:26:43

Yes, we're happy.

0:26:430:26:46

So, out for lunch now?

0:26:460:26:47

I should think so.

0:26:470:26:49

I think you can stretch to that, can't you?

0:26:490:26:52

You can't twist his arm for that, surely?

0:26:520:26:54

Of course he's going to take her out for lunch.

0:26:550:26:59

Next, Janet's coffee spoons.

0:26:590:27:02

These aren't a lot of money, are they, really? They're nothing.

0:27:020:27:05

-Not really.

-£30-50.

0:27:050:27:06

I thought, "Charlie, what's going on here?"

0:27:060:27:08

-But that is the value, isn't it?

-Who wants them?

0:27:080:27:11

I'd be a bit worried about damaging them.

0:27:110:27:12

-You'd forever worry about chipping the enamel, would you?

-That's right.

0:27:120:27:16

-Yeah. You never used them, obviously, did you?

-No, not at all.

0:27:160:27:18

They were always kept in the box.

0:27:180:27:20

Let's hope they go to a good home and we get the top end.

0:27:200:27:24

The harlequin set of coffee spoons, enamel backs

0:27:240:27:27

and ivory-coloured bean finials.

0:27:270:27:30

£30?

0:27:300:27:32

20, start me. £20. 20. 22 anywhere?

0:27:340:27:37

22. 25. 28. 30.

0:27:370:27:41

At £30. In the room at 30.

0:27:410:27:43

Come on. A bit more, please.

0:27:430:27:45

All done at £30. Selling at 30.

0:27:450:27:47

-30 they've gone.

-Oh, well.

0:27:470:27:50

It's so interesting, isn't it, cos that's quality but...

0:27:500:27:53

You'd like to think they'd be worth £30 a spoon, wouldn't you?

0:27:530:27:56

-It was within your estimate, though.

-It was.

0:27:560:27:58

-I mean, I'm afraid the estimate was right.

-Hmm.

0:27:580:28:01

Exactly. I hope they've gone to someone who really enjoys them.

0:28:020:28:05

Next, one of those marvellous stories,

0:28:050:28:08

Mark's Chinese snuff bottle.

0:28:080:28:11

Quite unbelievable and it's in perfect condition, and you loved it.

0:28:110:28:14

Absolutely love it and I've put a really conservative estimate on it,

0:28:140:28:18

because oriental is such a minefield.

0:28:180:28:21

It could really fly.

0:28:210:28:23

The only thing I've ever dug up in my back garden is

0:28:230:28:25

old broken bottles and snails, but this is quite incredible.

0:28:250:28:28

It's amazing what you hear on "Flog It!" with owners

0:28:280:28:31

bringing in all these treasures in, literally dug up.

0:28:310:28:33

What was it doing there?

0:28:330:28:36

Who knows? But we're going to find out what it makes right now.

0:28:360:28:39

A snuff bottle, stained ivory stopper.

0:28:410:28:43

Lovely thing, this. £100, start me for it?

0:28:430:28:46

180, I'm bid. 190?

0:28:480:28:51

£180, then. With Alan at £180.

0:28:510:28:55

All done at 180, all finished?

0:28:560:29:00

Well done. You were spot-on, actually.

0:29:000:29:02

Sorry it didn't fly, fly.

0:29:020:29:04

But nevertheless, that's a good result.

0:29:040:29:07

-Yes. Well done, Mark.

-Thank you very much.

0:29:070:29:09

Get digging. Find some more treasure.

0:29:090:29:13

And if you find another treasure, remember to bring it into us.

0:29:150:29:19

Later, we see an extraordinary bit of auction room drama.

0:29:190:29:22

£70!

0:29:220:29:25

That's incredible, isn't it?

0:29:250:29:27

-4,000.

-I wonder when it's going to stop?

0:29:270:29:29

-5,000.

-Don't you just love auction rooms?

0:29:290:29:32

While I'm in Oxford, I've taken the opportunity to visit just part

0:29:390:29:43

of this magnificent university, and as I come from a musical background and play the drums

0:29:430:29:47

and a bit of piano and guitar, I've chosen the Faculty of Music.

0:29:470:29:51

I'm drawn here, not just because I'm passionate about music,

0:29:510:29:54

but because I believe they've got one of the greatest collections ever assembled of musical instruments

0:29:540:29:59

on planet Earth, and some of them date back centuries.

0:29:590:30:03

It's called the Bate Collection, after Phillip Bate,

0:30:030:30:06

who was the musical director at the BBC for many years.

0:30:060:30:09

He left his collection of over 300 early woodwind instruments

0:30:090:30:15

to the Faculty of Music in 1963

0:30:150:30:17

so the students could appreciate the sound of the original instruments.

0:30:170:30:22

That turned out to be just the beginning, because it encouraged

0:30:220:30:25

other collectors who shared his enthusiasm to follow suit.

0:30:250:30:30

This amazing collection is still growing today.

0:30:300:30:33

I'm here to meet its current curator, the enthusiastic Mr Andrew Lamb.

0:30:330:30:38

I don't know where to look. How many instruments are there?

0:30:380:30:42

-Well, getting on for 2,000 now.

-Gosh.

0:30:420:30:44

I've got to say, the collection here doesn't have a stuffy feel like some museums do have.

0:30:440:30:49

-Is that down to you and your passion and enthusiasm?

-Well...

0:30:490:30:52

partly me, I'm just carrying on a long tradition.

0:30:520:30:55

The original curator, Anthony Baines, set the ball rolling.

0:30:550:30:59

Those of us who've stepped into his shoes,

0:30:590:31:02

we've got a class act to follow.

0:31:020:31:04

-I bet there's never a dull moment.

-Absolutely not.

0:31:040:31:06

Have you played most of these instruments?

0:31:060:31:08

I have to say, no.

0:31:080:31:10

But what I have to do is learn to play them well enough to be able to demonstrate them.

0:31:100:31:16

The ones that are playable, I can get a couple of notes out.

0:31:160:31:20

-OK. What are you holding there?

-This is a lovely instrument,

0:31:200:31:24

it's probably my favourite instrument in the collection.

0:31:240:31:27

Most people will be familiar with it - it's a recorder.

0:31:270:31:30

But this is a recorder that was made at a time when these instruments were

0:31:300:31:35

orchestral instruments in their own right.

0:31:350:31:37

The thing about this is that it's in perfect proportion.

0:31:370:31:41

It's in the golden section.

0:31:410:31:43

We look at it and we kind of think, well, that's a very satisfying shape.

0:31:430:31:48

And we're fooled into thinking it's a simple instrument

0:31:480:31:51

but it's not, it's very successful.

0:31:510:31:53

So much so that they have not improved on the design in 300 years.

0:31:530:31:56

-Is that a maple or is it an English boxwood?

-It's in boxwood.

0:31:560:32:01

-Go on, go on, play.

-Here we go.

0:32:010:32:03

I'll see what I can do here.

0:32:030:32:05

HE PLAYS A TUNE

0:32:050:32:06

-Very warm tone.

-It is, it is.

0:32:150:32:17

If you're a professional recorder player nowadays,

0:32:170:32:20

the chances are you'll have a copy of THIS instrument.

0:32:200:32:23

You're very lucky, aren't you? Wow.

0:32:230:32:26

Did that ever catch on, a glass flute?

0:32:260:32:29

Well, it's funny you should ask that.

0:32:290:32:31

They're still making them.

0:32:310:32:33

It's very much a French idea.

0:32:330:32:35

There's a perception somehow that the material

0:32:350:32:39

that the instrument is made of has a profound effect on the tonal quality.

0:32:390:32:43

I don't think it has as profound an effect as people would like to think.

0:32:430:32:47

I don't let people play these ones because the horror potential is just too high, frankly.

0:32:470:32:52

-We won't get that one out, then.

-No, no.

0:32:520:32:54

I'm looking forward to having a play myself on something.

0:32:540:32:57

Something quite rare. What can I play?

0:32:570:33:00

Well, you can't have a go on this,

0:33:000:33:02

but I've got something lined up for you. Come with me.

0:33:020:33:05

Hard to know what to choose, isn't it?

0:33:050:33:07

None of these. I've got something very special lined up.

0:33:070:33:10

No wonder you were laughing.

0:33:180:33:20

-That's a serpent, isn't it?

-It certainly is.

-Incredible.

0:33:200:33:24

I've seen them before, obviously, in pictures and museums, but I've never held or played one.

0:33:240:33:28

-This is your chance.

-It's covered in leather.

-That's right.

0:33:280:33:31

What they've done with these ones is they've glued the wood together

0:33:310:33:35

in sections and bound them in copper wire and then they put the leather over the top.

0:33:350:33:39

That's what you've got here.

0:33:390:33:41

What date are we talking about?

0:33:410:33:43

This one, we actually know all about it.

0:33:430:33:45

It was used at the Battle of Waterloo, dated 1815.

0:33:450:33:49

It was made by an English maker called Thomas Key & Sons.

0:33:490:33:51

It was used by a musician from the Royal Welch Fusiliers

0:33:510:33:56

called Richard Bentinck.

0:33:560:33:58

-Gosh, what provenance.

-I know, we know all about it.

0:33:580:34:01

Play it, please, play it. Does it sound like a tuba?

0:34:010:34:04

-Not really.

-French horn?

0:34:040:34:06

-To be fair, it's got...got a tone all of its own.

-Go on, then.

0:34:060:34:10

Right, here we go.

0:34:100:34:11

DEEP, BREATHY TONE

0:34:110:34:15

Oh, brilliant.

0:34:220:34:24

That suits you.

0:34:240:34:26

-That's me, is it?

-That's very you, yes.

0:34:260:34:28

-Now it's your turn.

-Do I need gloves?

0:34:280:34:32

No, you can handle this one, it's quite reasonable.

0:34:320:34:34

Do you blow hard, or sort of medium?

0:34:340:34:37

No, no, no, it's kind of blowing a raspberry, that's the deal.

0:34:370:34:41

I'm sure if you were good on this, you would get the subtleties out of it.

0:34:520:34:55

Funny you should say that, I've heard professional serpent players and I can't say I've noticed.

0:34:550:35:01

It could sound like somebody in pain. Screaming away!

0:35:010:35:06

What a beautiful instrument.

0:35:060:35:07

They are beautiful, they're very cuddleable.

0:35:070:35:09

Can I have a play on one of the drums?

0:35:090:35:11

Yes, all right, then. Why ever not?

0:35:110:35:14

We've got another instrument from Waterloo.

0:35:140:35:16

-OK, let's form a duet, then.

-I'll just put this away.

0:35:160:35:19

This particular instrument is our most recent acquisition.

0:35:260:35:30

We did a lot of fundraising to acquire it and we think it's

0:35:300:35:33

the instrument that was played by Joseph Haydn

0:35:330:35:36

when he came to Oxford to receive his honorary doctoral award.

0:35:360:35:39

Wow. So when does this date back to?

0:35:390:35:42

This is about 1792, this instrument.

0:35:420:35:45

It's a harpsichord and it really is, in many ways, the last flick

0:35:450:35:49

of the dinosaur's tail before everybody moved on to playing pianos.

0:35:490:35:54

-Double bank of keys?

-Absolutely, what they called a double manual.

0:35:540:35:57

-It's got a number of other features.

-These open up, don't they?

0:35:570:36:00

Yes, I'll just show you, here we go, just a minute.

0:36:000:36:03

-Ah.

-There we go, look at that, that's what they call

0:36:050:36:08

-a Venetian swell.

-How does that help the vibrating note more?

0:36:080:36:13

Well, what you did, very, very simple, you get it to play louder.

0:36:130:36:17

-That's all it is?

-Absolutely all it is.

0:36:180:36:21

HE PLAYS MUSIC

0:36:210:36:23

So, this is from Waterloo?

0:36:310:36:33

Yes, we think so. We don't know which regiment, but it's certainly the right period.

0:36:330:36:37

It's certainly the right style.

0:36:370:36:40

Wonderful drum.

0:36:400:36:42

The condition is superb, isn't it?

0:36:420:36:43

-It is indeed.

-Let's see what it sounds like... Dum, dum dum...

0:36:430:36:47

Wow. Can you hear the overtone there? The way it resonates.

0:36:570:36:59

Can you imagine a marching row of let's say 15 or 12?

0:36:590:37:03

The power and the volume!

0:37:030:37:05

Absolutely, that is a real war sound, isn't it?

0:37:050:37:08

Thank you so much, thank you so much, that's made my day.

0:37:080:37:11

Playing a drum from the Battle of Waterloo! What a sound!

0:37:110:37:15

What an unbelievable experience, I'm so chuffed to have come here today.

0:37:170:37:21

If you're passionate about music, you must visit this place because

0:37:210:37:24

it is the complete encyclopaedia of musical instruments that have evolved over the centuries.

0:37:240:37:29

You don't just get to study tuning techniques, you get to

0:37:290:37:32

PLAY the things as well, and that's so important.

0:37:320:37:34

Today I've played a serpent and a drum from the Battle of Waterloo.

0:37:340:37:38

What a date in history, and it's all here and it's free.

0:37:380:37:41

Now it's time to find out what other treasures

0:37:480:37:50

the crowd in the Sheldonian have in store for our experts.

0:37:500:37:54

Charlie's found something which seems to be an unusual size.

0:37:540:37:58

-Denise, a grandfather clock.

-Yep.

-But a bit smaller than the usual grandfather clocks.

0:38:000:38:05

-It's a miniature one.

-It certainly is.

0:38:050:38:07

How did you get hold of it?

0:38:070:38:08

My great-uncle Joe gave it to me when he was 94.

0:38:080:38:13

-What a kind man.

-Yep.

0:38:130:38:15

He bought it in about 1930 from Stanton St John vicarage.

0:38:150:38:19

Did you always like it? Is that why you give it to you?

0:38:190:38:22

Yeah, as a child I always cleaned it and dusted it.

0:38:220:38:26

It would be fascinating for a child because it would be the right size

0:38:260:38:31

-for a grandfather clock if you were very small.

-Yeah, that's true.

0:38:310:38:34

It's an interesting combination.

0:38:340:38:35

There's no doubt that the case is English

0:38:350:38:39

and the movement is French.

0:38:390:38:41

And the date of this is very much late-Victorian,

0:38:410:38:44

almost into the Edwardian times. So we're looking at 1880, 1890.

0:38:440:38:50

Its case is made of rosewood -

0:38:500:38:53

a lovely, high-quality, dense wood -

0:38:530:38:56

and it's inlaid with satinwood, which you can see.

0:38:560:39:00

These fans, the very light wood here.

0:39:000:39:02

And the green wood, which you can see, is olive wood.

0:39:020:39:06

Lovely. You have a wonderful broken pediment on the top,

0:39:060:39:10

and it's very much modelled on a longcase clock,

0:39:100:39:14

other than it would be unusual to see such slender pillars down a clock of that period

0:39:140:39:20

if it were a full grandfather clock.

0:39:200:39:22

An enamel dial we have here,

0:39:220:39:25

with very intricate brass filigree work in the middle of it.

0:39:250:39:29

And then we're going to turn it round and have a look at the movement.

0:39:290:39:33

And when I said a platform movement, this is the platform,

0:39:350:39:39

screwed to the back of the clock here.

0:39:390:39:41

The great thing about a platform movement,

0:39:410:39:43

if it were a full-size longcase clock, you would have a pendulum.

0:39:430:39:47

It would be stopping and you'd have to adjust it all the time.

0:39:470:39:50

A carriage clock movement, that clock will work if you lay it flat,

0:39:500:39:54

turn it upside down, turn it on its side...

0:39:540:39:58

Hence carriage clocks - you could rattle along in your carriage

0:39:580:40:02

and it would always carry on going.

0:40:020:40:03

And I think the movement was made in France, imported into this country

0:40:030:40:07

and then put into an English case.

0:40:070:40:10

And beautifully done. And it's really in super condition, although I noticed when I wound it up

0:40:100:40:15

that the hands went, "Whizzzz!" And we had to wait for it to stop.

0:40:150:40:20

-Has it always been like that?

-No, it hasn't.

0:40:200:40:23

It wasn't me that did it, was it?

0:40:230:40:25

No, it wasn't. I did take it somewhere but they didn't make a good job of it.

0:40:250:40:31

Ever had it valued?

0:40:310:40:33

Well, I did for insurance purposes.

0:40:330:40:35

Did you? Well, that's quite interesting.

0:40:350:40:37

And for insurance purposes?

0:40:370:40:38

They said £1,200.

0:40:380:40:40

-HE GASPS

-Crumbs! How long ago was that?

0:40:400:40:43

That was in 1999.

0:40:430:40:45

Did they charge you for that valuation?

0:40:450:40:47

-Yeah, but that came along with the repair as well.

-Did it?

0:40:470:40:51

It shouldn't be for me to say this,

0:40:510:40:54

but quite often you get people that repair things and they say,

0:40:540:40:57

"I'll give you an insurance valuation," and it's quite inflated.

0:40:570:41:00

It may not come as a surprise, or it may do,

0:41:000:41:02

-that's a hugely inflated insurance.

-Yes.

0:41:020:41:05

I think it's fabulous but I think it's worth, to sell, £200 to £300.

0:41:050:41:09

-Right.

-Still want to sell it?

-Yes.

0:41:090:41:12

You're very, very understanding and good.

0:41:120:41:15

I hope that somebody that really likes it might tickle it above £300,

0:41:150:41:19

but I think we've got to realise it's not going to make £500 or £600.

0:41:190:41:22

-Yeah.

-Thank you for bringing it along.

-Thank you.

0:41:220:41:25

What a fascinating item.

0:41:270:41:28

And it's true that insurance valuations do tend to be high.

0:41:280:41:32

Next up, a little glamour from the 1920s.

0:41:320:41:35

I've just been joined by Hilary who's got, well,

0:41:360:41:38

some Rene Lalique, that's probably one of the top names in glass,

0:41:380:41:41

-isn't it?

-I think so, yes.

-How did you come by this?

0:41:410:41:43

It was given to me by my parents.

0:41:430:41:45

It was handed down and I think it belonged to my uncle.

0:41:450:41:49

Wonderful opalescence, isn't there, to Rene Lalique. You can see that.

0:41:490:41:52

-It's quite thick.

-It's beautiful, isn't it? Beautiful.

0:41:520:41:54

It's signed there, look, Rene Lalique,

0:41:540:41:57

which means this was made before he died.

0:41:570:41:59

Vessels that were made afterwards were just signed Lalique.

0:41:590:42:02

This pattern was around in the early 1920s,

0:42:020:42:06

I think up to about 1930,

0:42:060:42:08

-so you can actually date it to around that period.

-Oh, right.

0:42:080:42:11

-Where has it been in the house?

-It's just been wrapped up.

0:42:110:42:15

Yes, wrapped up, and then I brought it out about a year ago

0:42:150:42:19

and I just had it on a shelf.

0:42:190:42:21

-Admiring it.

-Admiring it.

-It's a lovely thing.

0:42:220:42:25

I've done some price comparables

0:42:250:42:28

-and these bowls sell from around £200-300.

-Oh, right. Yes.

0:42:280:42:32

-So we've got a book price for this, £200-300.

-I see.

0:42:320:42:36

Only problem being...

0:42:360:42:38

-..that. Can you see?

-Yes.

-A little bit of damage.

0:42:400:42:42

That can be sorted out, but it might cost £80 to do it.

0:42:420:42:46

So that will affect the price,

0:42:460:42:47

and I'm scared to put two to three on this.

0:42:470:42:49

I'd like to go one to two with a reserve at one to get things

0:42:490:42:53

started, cos I still feel it might do £150. Are you happy with that?

0:42:530:42:57

Not really, no, I would've hoped it would go for a little bit more

0:42:570:43:02

than that and have a reserve of 140.

0:43:020:43:06

OK, look. £140.

0:43:060:43:08

Let's call the valuation 140-200.

0:43:080:43:11

-Fixed reserve at 140.

-OK.

-But I'm rather hoping for the top end.

0:43:110:43:14

If there's two people in the saleroom that are going to buy

0:43:140:43:17

their own restoration work, they're capable of doing this, or they know

0:43:170:43:20

a friend that can do it, they won't be put off or frightened by it.

0:43:200:43:23

-Oh, good.

-Cos it is a £200-300 bowl.

-Yes.

-But it's just that chip.

0:43:230:43:27

People are so fussy nowadays. You know who you are.

0:43:270:43:31

Fingers crossed for Hilary we get it away.

0:43:320:43:36

Next, Tracy has found something familiar.

0:43:360:43:39

Well, I think it's Clarice Cliff.

0:43:390:43:41

I think you're probably right. But lovely, lovely pieces.

0:43:410:43:45

Are they something that you've inherited

0:43:450:43:48

or you've bought or you've collected?

0:43:480:43:51

I bought these in a jumble sale.

0:43:510:43:53

-Right.

-Over 30 years ago.

0:43:530:43:56

OK. Can I ask you, did you pay much money for any of these items?

0:43:560:44:00

This was 10p and these were five.

0:44:000:44:05

-Pence?

-Pence.

-So you didn't pay a lot of money at all, really.

0:44:050:44:09

-No.

-Have you had them on display at home?

0:44:090:44:12

Have you got pleasure out of them?

0:44:120:44:13

My children used to play with them and they used to use these as Daleks.

0:44:130:44:18

-Oh, really?

-As the mother ship in one of the Dalek movies.

-I love it!

0:44:180:44:22

That's fantastic!

0:44:220:44:24

Well, Wendy, because they've been used as Daleks,

0:44:250:44:29

they've obviously been knocked about a bit,

0:44:290:44:31

and we have got some damage here.

0:44:310:44:34

Both these ends have been knocked off.

0:44:340:44:36

So I'm wondering if they were exterminating each other.

0:44:360:44:39

They could have been.

0:44:390:44:42

On this little tiny conical shape, we've got a chip here, as well.

0:44:420:44:46

But I will say this particular pattern is the crocus pattern,

0:44:460:44:50

and it's one of the most common.

0:44:500:44:52

But this is a really lovely little size, which is great.

0:44:520:44:56

-But what I love best is this.

-Do you?!

-I do, I love it.

0:44:560:45:00

It's just so unusual.

0:45:000:45:02

It's a Stamford shape,

0:45:020:45:04

quite simplistic, really. We've got the typical Art Deco clean line.

0:45:040:45:10

And if we just sort of turn it upside down,

0:45:100:45:13

there we have the wonderful "Bizarre by Clarice Cliff" mark.

0:45:130:45:17

Pop that back. And that was 10p, you said?

0:45:170:45:20

-So that was quite expensive, that one, wasn't it?

-It was expensive. I had to think about that(!)

0:45:200:45:26

-I think it makes a great mother ship.

-Yes.

-It's a whole new meaning on the word "ceramic".

0:45:260:45:31

Because of the damage, really, the money's going to be in this one, to be honest.

0:45:310:45:37

I'm thinking a pre-sale estimate of £100 to £150.

0:45:370:45:43

-Now, bearing in mind you only spent 25p on the lot...

-Yes.

-..I don't think that's a bad return.

0:45:430:45:49

No, I think that's a fair price.

0:45:490:45:51

And the children have had the great pleasure of playing Daleks.

0:45:510:45:55

-They have.

-It's going to fly away at auction.

-Yes!

0:45:550:45:59

£100 to £150 seems good value for that little collection.

0:45:590:46:03

I always like meeting people at our valuation days and being introduced to the children.

0:46:030:46:10

Your mum's just handed the phone, so she's having a good time.

0:46:100:46:14

And I hope you're behaving well at home.

0:46:140:46:16

HE LAUGHS

0:46:160:46:18

OK, bye-bye.

0:46:180:46:20

Thank you!

0:46:200:46:22

Charlie and Nigel are looking at a mysterious box.

0:46:220:46:26

-Have you used the contents at all?

-No, my father bought it second-hand

0:46:260:46:30

in Portsmouth when I was a youngster, about eight years old.

0:46:300:46:33

And he worked for the city architect's department.

0:46:330:46:36

He may have used it early on in

0:46:360:46:38

his career, but I suspect not later.

0:46:380:46:40

-So we're going to find architectural instruments?

-Yes, sorry, I should have told you.

0:46:400:46:44

No, that's fine. So we open up there.

0:46:440:46:46

Gosh! It's absolutely complete, isn't it?

0:46:460:46:50

-It's extraordinary, isn't it?

-Amazing!

0:46:500:46:53

What a meticulous person he must have been.

0:46:530:46:55

If I'd owned something like this, half of them would be missing.

0:46:550:46:58

I wish I had been as meticulous as my father.

0:46:580:47:00

What really interested me here, have you noticed this writing here?

0:47:000:47:04

Well, I hadn't actually paid much attention to it.

0:47:040:47:07

-French.

-Yeah, now I look at it.

0:47:070:47:08

And then some initials.

0:47:120:47:13

So we've certainly got a French box here.

0:47:130:47:16

-Surely.

-Rosewood. The French in the 19th century used a lot of rosewood,

0:47:160:47:19

loved rosewood, as indeed the English did, but I think the French

0:47:190:47:23

even more so, which obviously relates to the instruments in so much as the box was made in France.

0:47:230:47:30

But "lines" and "circles" -

0:47:300:47:34

I can say that these instruments were made in England.

0:47:340:47:37

I think that's a fair conclusion.

0:47:370:47:38

That would ring true, wouldn't it, with high-quality steel?

0:47:380:47:42

-I would agree.

-As an engineer you would agree with that.

-I certainly would.

0:47:420:47:46

So I think then shipped out to France, where they put it in

0:47:460:47:50

the box and presumably retailed in France, I would have thought.

0:47:500:47:54

But alas, alack, despite the cost of making something

0:47:540:47:57

like that, I would suggest that the value of the box probably

0:47:570:48:01

exceeds the value of the contents.

0:48:010:48:03

I think that's quite possible.

0:48:030:48:06

I would think that I would hope for, say, something about £50,

0:48:060:48:09

perhaps a bit better

0:48:090:48:10

-if possible, on a good day, maybe.

-I think I'm looking at

0:48:100:48:13

an estimate of 40 to 60.

0:48:130:48:15

I think you're pretty spot-on.

0:48:150:48:17

I think the box is worth £30. These ought to be worth

0:48:170:48:20

a couple of hundred pounds.

0:48:200:48:22

It's no good me saying that that's what they're going to make.

0:48:220:48:25

I think 40 to £60 is a sensible estimate, with a reserve at the

0:48:250:48:31

bottom end and a little bit of discretion

0:48:310:48:33

so that we don't give them away.

0:48:330:48:35

Still got the key.

0:48:350:48:36

-Yes.

-And it locks perfectly well?

0:48:360:48:38

It does. It's a little counterintuitive, though.

0:48:380:48:41

To lock it, let's see, I think you turn anticlockwise.

0:48:410:48:45

Anticlockwise. French, you see.

0:48:450:48:47

Well, it's the other side of the road, isn't it?

0:48:470:48:50

Well, that may not be the French view of it!

0:48:500:48:53

There's just time to have another glimpse of what our experts have picked out to take off to auction.

0:48:530:48:59

Charlie's right, I'm sure. Denise's miniature grandfather clock would appeal to children and adults alike.

0:48:590:49:05

I couldn't ignore the earlier Lalique bowl -

0:49:060:49:09

even with the chip it should generate plenty of interest.

0:49:090:49:12

Wendy's Clarice Cliff has a little Dalek damage,

0:49:140:49:17

but I expect it will still do very well.

0:49:170:49:21

Nigel's late 19th century rosewood box with architectural

0:49:210:49:24

instruments would cost a fortune to make today,

0:49:240:49:28

so the buyer will get a real bargain.

0:49:280:49:31

It's up first, so let's see who wants it.

0:49:330:49:36

They're going to go to a good home because we've got £40-£60 on these,

0:49:360:49:41

and it's absolutely nothing for a complete set, is it? That's true.

0:49:410:49:44

This is the right time to invest in antiques on things like this

0:49:440:49:47

because it's something not many people want and the price is so low.

0:49:470:49:51

People nowadays wouldn't use them, of course, would they?

0:49:510:49:54

They've been overtaken, as you say, by computers.

0:49:540:49:57

Let's hope there are some draftsmen or architects here.

0:49:570:50:01

Lot 136 is a set of drawing instruments

0:50:020:50:05

in a rosewood and brass case.

0:50:050:50:07

There we go, lovely set there.

0:50:070:50:09

40 to £50 for it.

0:50:090:50:10

40 I'm bid. 42.

0:50:100:50:13

42, 44, 46, 48,

0:50:130:50:16

50, 50, 55, 60?

0:50:160:50:19

£55. 60 anywhere?

0:50:190:50:21

For £55 beside me.

0:50:220:50:24

60, 65, 70?

0:50:240:50:26

-They do like it.

-£65, then.

0:50:260:50:28

Still beside me at £65.

0:50:280:50:29

All done at 65.

0:50:290:50:31

£65. I'm pleased.

0:50:310:50:34

-Thank you very much indeed.

-A pleasure.

0:50:340:50:36

That's absolute quality, absolute quality.

0:50:360:50:39

Those are the kind of things you should really be investing in

0:50:390:50:42

because £65 is absolutely nothing for that, is it, Nigel?

0:50:420:50:46

Next, that beautiful coquille bowl by Rene Lalique.

0:50:470:50:50

-It's a nice piece, apart from the little chip, as we said.

-I know.

0:50:520:50:54

-That is holding it back.

-That's the trouble.

0:50:540:50:57

But right now, it is down to this lot out here.

0:50:570:50:59

It is absolutely packed in the saleroom.

0:50:590:51:01

-Surely, somebody wants some Rene Lalique.

-I hope so.

0:51:010:51:05

We are going to find out right now.

0:51:050:51:07

Lot 7 is the coquille shallow opalescent bowl. Here we go.

0:51:090:51:13

And what can we say for that?

0:51:130:51:15

A couple of hundred pounds to start me for it?

0:51:150:51:17

140 I am bid, 150? 160.

0:51:190:51:21

At 150 then, 150 all done at 150.

0:51:210:51:25

Pat now at 160.

0:51:250:51:27

160...the bidding. 170?

0:51:290:51:32

180, 190, 200...

0:51:330:51:36

Climbing, they like it!

0:51:360:51:37

200, 210, 220...

0:51:370:51:40

220, then. 220, all done at 220,

0:51:420:51:45

all finished and done at 220.

0:51:450:51:47

By the door at 220.

0:51:470:51:49

-£220!

-Wow!

-That's good. Come on, that is OK.

0:51:490:51:53

It was damaged and don't forget

0:51:530:51:55

it was only a seven-and-a-half-inch bowl.

0:51:550:51:57

-Yes, so that is good.

-Happy?

-Yes, I'm happy.

-That was a bit of fun.

0:51:570:52:01

Thank you so much for coming along.

0:52:010:52:03

If you have anything like that and you want to sell it, bring it along to one of our valuation days.

0:52:030:52:08

And you can pick up details from the BBC website or from your local press.

0:52:080:52:11

Next I want to show you something very rare and interesting that's coming up later on in the auction.

0:52:140:52:20

Simon the auctioneer has given me a tip-off about a lot that is coming up in the sale. And this is it.

0:52:200:52:25

It's a tiny little early 19th-century Japanese cloisonne vase.

0:52:250:52:30

It came in through a probate sale. Somebody had died in the estate.

0:52:300:52:34

The rest of the family don't particularly want to own it.

0:52:340:52:37

They know it's worth possibly a few hundred pounds.

0:52:370:52:40

That's what they're thinking. Simon has just informed me

0:52:400:52:43

it could be worth around £4,000, so we're going to watch this one later on in the show.

0:52:430:52:49

But look at the exquisite detail, because that is all enamel work.

0:52:490:52:53

Can you see all the little flowers and the petals?

0:52:530:52:56

That's little tiny wires that have been put onto

0:52:560:52:59

the vessel to stop the coloured glass from running.

0:52:590:53:04

It's exquisite. The detail is superb.

0:53:040:53:07

That's what you're buying, really. It's a little ornament.

0:53:070:53:10

It's lot number 144.

0:53:100:53:11

If you've got something like this and you're thinking of selling it, don't just sell it to

0:53:110:53:16

the first person, take advice from the professionals, because it could be worth several thousand pounds.

0:53:160:53:21

Back to our lots, and Denise's little grandfather clock is up next.

0:53:240:53:29

£200 to £300 is riding on this.

0:53:290:53:32

You've seen this as a little girl and you really liked it.

0:53:320:53:35

It's been handed down through the family and now you're selling.

0:53:350:53:39

Yep. Well, I've got two boys and I can't...

0:53:390:53:42

You can't split that up, can you, I guess?

0:53:420:53:44

-But it's got to go. A nice thing.

-Fabulous quality.

0:53:440:53:46

A really, really nice thing.

0:53:460:53:48

My uncle only had the best.

0:53:480:53:51

-Had an eye for detail.

-Yeah, definitely.

0:53:510:53:54

Let's hope this packed saleroom knows what to look for. Good luck.

0:53:540:53:58

A miniature longcase clock in the inlaid case there.

0:53:590:54:02

A couple of hundred pounds for it. 190 I'm bid.

0:54:020:54:06

200 anywhere before I go to the phones?

0:54:060:54:08

Coming to you now, Pat, at 200.

0:54:080:54:09

We're in at 200.

0:54:090:54:11

200, 210, 220,

0:54:110:54:14

230, 240,

0:54:140:54:16

250, 260.

0:54:160:54:18

They like it, they like it.

0:54:180:54:20

Coming to you now, 270, 270,

0:54:200:54:23

280, 290.

0:54:230:54:25

290 at the back, 300, 310,

0:54:270:54:30

320, 330,

0:54:300:54:33

340?

0:54:330:54:35

330, then. Right at the back of the room at £330. All done at 330.

0:54:350:54:40

Yes, top end of the estimate and a bit more - £330.

0:54:400:54:43

-That's not bad.

-You're happy, aren't you?

0:54:430:54:45

I think Uncle would be pleased with that.

0:54:450:54:48

His actual words were, "Flog it."

0:54:480:54:51

So I think he'd be very pleased.

0:54:510:54:53

-I think the boys will as well, won't they?

-Yeah.

0:54:530:54:56

Good result. Next, what I consider to be a classic "Flog It!" story.

0:54:570:55:03

Right now, we're hoping to turn 15p into maybe £150, who knows, £200

0:55:040:55:10

because Clarice Cliff never lets us down.

0:55:100:55:13

-Hello, Wendy.

-Hello.

0:55:130:55:14

Now, a lovely story, this, isn't it?

0:55:140:55:17

This is brilliant.

0:55:170:55:19

30-odd years ago you bought this

0:55:190:55:21

-four-piece set of Clarice Cliff?

-Yes.

0:55:210:55:23

You've had great fun playing Daleks.

0:55:230:55:25

-Yes, my children did.

-Why are you selling today, anyway?

0:55:250:55:28

Well, my son and daughter are older, they don't play Daleks any more. They're grown up.

0:55:280:55:33

You can never grow out of Doctor Who, though, can you, really?

0:55:340:55:37

No, they're still avid watchers, yes.

0:55:370:55:40

Well, good luck, anyway.

0:55:400:55:41

The Clarice Cliff Stamford tureen and cover

0:55:420:55:45

and three condiment covers. £100 to start me for it.

0:55:450:55:48

350's better. 350 I'm bid, 360?

0:55:480:55:52

£350!

0:55:520:55:54

That got them whistling in church. 350.

0:55:540:55:56

-Am I hearing right?

-360 now, OK.

0:55:560:55:59

-360, 370.

-370, Wendy.

0:55:590:56:03

370, 380.

0:56:030:56:06

-Oh, they love it, don't they?

-Yes!

0:56:060:56:09

370 then, with Alan. At £370.

0:56:090:56:11

All done at 370. With Alan.

0:56:110:56:14

-£370!

-Yes!

0:56:140:56:17

That's incredible, isn't it? With all that damage as well.

0:56:170:56:20

It just goes to show it doesn't put people off buying Clarice Cliff, does it?

0:56:200:56:24

Or were they Dr Who fanatics?

0:56:240:56:26

Hey, what are you going to spend the money on?

0:56:270:56:30

-Well...

-Don't forget there's 15% commission.

0:56:300:56:32

Yes. Share it between my grandchildren and a rescued greyhound called Mr Blue...

0:56:320:56:37

-Oh, lovely.

-..that my son's got.

0:56:370:56:39

-How smashing.

-I'm so pleased.

0:56:390:56:43

-Mr Blue!

-Mr Blue. He's fabulous.

0:56:430:56:46

It's always nice to hear the money's going to a good cause.

0:56:480:56:51

Now I'm sure you're curious to find out what happened to the little

0:56:510:56:54

cloisonne vase that I showed you earlier on in the programme.

0:56:540:56:58

It just happened to be made by Namikawa Yasuyuki around 1880,

0:56:580:57:03

the top maker at the dawn of the golden age of cloisonne.

0:57:030:57:08

This is exceptional, so keep watching.

0:57:080:57:10

-5,000.

-£5,000 is now being offered.

0:57:100:57:13

-5,100.

-5,100.

0:57:130:57:14

6,000. 7,000.

0:57:140:57:17

8,000.

0:57:170:57:18

£8,000?!

0:57:180:57:20

Don't you just love auction rooms?

0:57:200:57:22

-I'm tingling now.

-8,900. 9,000.

0:57:220:57:26

10,000.

0:57:260:57:28

Ooh! £10,000.

0:57:280:57:29

11,000.

0:57:290:57:31

And it's all gone deadly quiet.

0:57:310:57:32

12,000.

0:57:320:57:34

£12,000.

0:57:340:57:36

13,000. 14,000.

0:57:360:57:38

14,200, 14,400.

0:57:380:57:40

-£14,000.

-14,200.

0:57:400:57:41

-14,400.

-Absolutely incredible.

0:57:410:57:43

14,600.

0:57:430:57:44

14,800. 15,000?

0:57:440:57:47

14,800, then. At 14,800, all done.

0:57:470:57:51

Here we go, the hammer's going down.

0:57:510:57:53

£14,800.

0:57:530:57:56

APPLAUSE

0:57:560:57:58

Lucky owners. That is the excitement of the auction room.

0:57:580:58:01

If you've got something like that, bring it along to one of our valuation days.

0:58:010:58:05

We would love to sell that for you.

0:58:050:58:07

You can check the details on our BBC website.

0:58:070:58:09

Just log on to bbc.co.uk/lifestyle.

0:58:090:58:12

Click F for "Flog It!", follow the links, and hopefully there'll be

0:58:120:58:15

a valuation day venue very near you soon. We'd love to see you.

0:58:150:58:18

Bring along your unwanted antiques.

0:58:180:58:21

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