Herne Bay 29 Flog It!

The sea, the sand, plenty of sunshine! But more importantly,

plenty of people all here laden with antiques

to have them valued by our experts,

and today we're in this magnificent building, the Kings Hall

in Herne Bay on the Kent coastline. And you're watching "Flog It!".

Look at this! We've got a massive crowd gathering outside our venue,

this magnificent building, the Kings Hall in Herne Bay

on the Kent coastline.

This venue has been used for music recitals, parties,

and even wrestling. But we don't want any fighting today, do we?

Because this is "Flog It!",

the show where we put your unwanted antiques into auction,

and today somebody's going to go home with an awful lot of money.

Hello, there! How are you?

Show and tell! Get them out!

Today's experts, Kate Bateman and Mark Stacey,

are already looking for the most exciting items.

How weird is that?

They're lovely.

Kate once stepped out as a ballet dancer.

These days she's poised as an auction-house owner.

EPNS stands for electro-plated nickel silver,

so sadly not solid silver.

-You're not going to be selling the family silver today.

-No.

Hello. How are you?

Mark Stacey grew up in Wales,

and started collecting silver in his teens.

He's now an independent valuer with a taste for Art Nouveau.

It's a lovely piece. We'll tell you more inside.

I've got a piece that's got a signature on the bottom.

Well, let's have a quick look, because I like signatures on bottoms.

THEY LAUGH

-There you go.

-Thank you very much.

-Bless you. Good luck!

Coming up - a little bit of the Wild West rides into town.

He was issued with it by the Pinkerton Detective Agency.

-Really?

-Yes, for his own protection carrying money.

And that was in the 1890s.

We find out that one woman's rubbish is another's treasure.

-That got the boundary, didn't it?

-Yes! I must go and find some more.

-Have you got any more?

-Not cricket, but I've got some more rubbish!

And a charity-shop find knocks us all for six.

-What are you hoping for?

-I have no idea.

-I didn't think it was worth anything.

-Really?

Oh! I knew it had quality, but not that much.

Find out later just how much quality this little pot has.

Oh! You caught me unwrapping man's best friend here,

covered in bubble wrap. As you can see, it's a full house,

and everybody is now safely seated inside.

It's about time we got on with the valuations.

-Everybody wants to know...

-ALL: What's it worth?

And we're going to find out.

Kate is the first expert at the blue tablecloth.

Let's go and join her and see what she's found.

Isabel, you've brought quite an interesting sporting collection.

-What do we know about it?

-Well, first of all, it's not mine.

It's my late husband's, and I found it in the loft.

-Did you know he had it up there?

-I knew vaguely

-that there was a lot of what I might have called rubbish.

-Right.

-I knew not to throw them out.

-He's collected a fantastic collection

of cricket memorabilia, I suppose you would call it.

You've got signatures, mainly late 1940s, so post-war.

He obviously has cut out some of them.

-Yes.

-Which, for a collector...

-Isn't as good. No.

In this book, you've got all the different counties,

and he's got complete sets of quite a few of them.

Look at this, on a Surrey headed paper.

-That's beautiful!

-That's really nice. What's this one?

That's a West Indies touring team, but I'm not sure of the date.

As you can see, they've come over on a cargo ship,

and they must have all been sitting on the deck

-signing pieces of paper.

-Brilliant!

And again, we've got a West Indies fully signed team photo here.

New Zealand team, 1949.

And again, a South African team.

-I'm not a cricketer myself, obviously...

-No, neither am I!

So most of these names are not leaping out at me,

but I'm sure the collectors will still get interested in them.

They're of a good age, as well, and condition-wise, brilliant.

-So they were up in the loft.

-They were in the loft.

How much do you think they might be worth?

-To me, nothing.

-Right.

But to a cricketer or a cricket fan,

-who knows?

-Like your husband.

Yes! Yes, they were very precious to him.

As a mixed collection, you've probably got an estimate for auction

-of somewhere between £100 and £150.

-That sounds brilliant.

-You'd be happy with that?

-Yes, yes.

Probably reserve it just below that. £80 reserve.

-Give the auctioneer a bit of discretion, so if it gets to 75, let it go.

-Yes.

I'm sure there will be names in here that are very collectible.

The auction house can find out some of the more collectible names,

make sure they're listed in the catalogue,

and they'll contact some collectors, or if it goes up on the internet,

they'll be flagged up as worth collecting,

and that will get your buyers in.

-Hopefully we'll find out the more interesting people and get you a good result.

-Thank you!

Kate's done her best to put a fair valuation on that collection,

but you just can never tell with this kind of lot.

Now, here's something we rarely see on "Flog It!".

Ted's brought in an antique gun.

Firearm laws don't apply to old weapons like this,

as you can't get ammunition for it. It's clearly a collectable.

-Can you tell us what it is?

-It's a Smith & Wesson.

It's a .310-calibre Rimfire.

-It's what is also called a lockup.

-Explain that.

-Can you show us what that is?

-Yes, certainly. Colts had a patent

-that they locked down the barrel.

-Oh, right. OK.

To load it, you'd lock it down and put the bullets in.

So Smith & Wesson had to think up another idea,

and they designed what's called the lockup,

-so it works in the opposite direction.

-Oh, wow!

-And then you'd load it there.

-What you do is, you cock the gun,

take out the barrel. You then push out the old cartridges

with that piece, reload,

put it back in again, lock it up,

and it's got a hidden trigger, so it's safe in somebody's pocket.

-So you don't blow your leg off.

-Exactly, yeah.

It wasn't a holstered gun. It was carried in the pocket.

-It's quite a light weight. It's not a heavy gun.

-No.

It appealed to me for several reasons,

first of all because it's a really good, collectable firearm.

There's lots of collectors for them. But also it's in fabulous condition.

-I used to shoot at the pistol club in Herne Bay.

-Oh, right. OK.

Looking at it, I'm quite certain it's never been fired.

By looking down the barrel, you can see how clean it is.

-If you look up at the light with it, it's never been fired at all.

-No.

And the wear on it is minimal.

But also you've got all this wonderful blueing to the metal.

There's not even a scratch on there, is there?

And the lovely turned handle.

-So, how long have you owned it?

-About 18 years now.

-And where did you get it from?

-I had a very good friend.

He was ex-Navy, same as I was. And when he left the Navy after the war,

he became a bookmaker, a London bookmaker.

And he got friendly with another bookmaker

who was quite older than him.

He asked him if he would like this when this bookmaker was retiring,

and he said that he was issued with it

-by the Pinkerton Detective Agency.

-Really?

-Yes,

for his own protection carrying money. And that was in the 1890s.

-Gosh!

-Yeah.

-There's no reason why it shouldn't have happened,

but with all these stories, you need a good provenance to show that.

You've had it for all these years. Why have you decided now to sell it?

Having reached the great old age of 77...

They won't throw it in the box after me, will they?

But the thing is that there are collectors out there,

younger people who like to collect,

and it seems such a shame to go to waste.

I agree with you. They're specialist dealers and collectors

who want this. I think a sensible estimate is £300 to £500.

-Is that something you'd be happy with?

-Oh, yes.

-It's better than being in the safe.

-Of course it is.

We'll put a reserve of 300, because it's not worth giving these away.

-It's a good, collectable item.

-It is a mint-condition item.

I think it's fantastic. I'm really pleased to have met you.

-Thank you for telling us all about it.

-Thank you, Mark.

Whoever buys this won't need a firearms licence,

because it's obviously an antique.

Just look at this a moment. Do you two know each other?

-Not at all.

-How random is this?

This lady has brought in the kettle,

this young lad's brought in the biscuit barrel.

Tea and biscuits, anybody? Refreshments are here!

And I just might have found something to satisfy anyone

with a real sweet tooth.

It certainly stands well, Mike. Thank you for bringing this in.

It's a piece of sterling silver. Anybody know what this is?

-Sugar shaker?

-Sorry?

-Sugar shaker.

A sugar shaker?

-A sugar castor! Yeah.

-Castor.

Well done. You got it, though, didn't you, really?

-So, how did you come by this?

-I bought it in Portobello Road.

Did you? That's my old stomping ground.

-How long ago was that?

-It was about 30 years ago.

I would've been there then. I had my own little pitch.

-How much did you pay for it?

-£48.

-OK.

Well, there's the assay marks. There's the leopard's head there.

-Does anybody know that assay mark?

-London.

-Do you know where that is?

Yeah, London. And the letter U, which is quite clear there.

-1895.

-That's 1895.

And there's the maker's initials, look - WRC.

Now, I can't find any WRCs in my book, unfortunately.

There's a WRS, late Victorian, but he was a spoon maker.

I would say you paid...

..the right money for that, and it's what the trade wants right now.

It's good, it's clean, there's no dents in it.

The finial is slightly bent to one side, but that can be sorted out.

And it stands well. It looks good. It's got a good height.

It's not flatware, which is quite boring.

-It looks good in my cabinet.

-Why is it here today,

-and not in your cabinet?

-I've had it quite a few years now,

and I've, er, really liked looking at it.

It's given me a lot of pleasure, and it's time to pass it on to somebody else who'll appreciate it too.

I would say, if an auctioneer wanted to catalogue this,

he'd put this into the saleroom at a valuation of £75 to £100.

-How do you feel about that?

-That's OK. Happy with that. Yeah.

-Well, let's flog it.

-Yeah. Flog it.

Next up, Mark has seen something he fancies, but Frances is not so sure.

What a lovely piece of Victoriana you've brought in.

-Now, you love it, don't you?

-Oh, yes(!) No!

THEY LAUGH

-Do you, though?

-No, no.

-Why not?

It's just not my sort of thing.

-You think it's quite ugly, don't you?

-Yes.

You see, I love it because we've got here a wonderful,

what we call a relief-moulded mould.

Basically, it's been made in two halves in a mould

and then put together

but it's to commemorate the death of Prince Albert in 1861

and this was a very traumatic part of British history.

Remember, Victoria went into mourning for the rest of her life.

-Yes.

-She was absolutely devastated by the loss of her husband,

and I just love the imagery.

We've got a wonderful portrait of Albert there,

and then the whole jug is covered

with royal pomp and ceremony.

You've got crowns, symbols,

you've got the royal crest on the back here,

you've got all the medallions. Just fantastic.

It's not got a maker's mark, as far as I can see.

It could be several makers but it is really a lovely lot,

and you haven't washed it or anything, have you?

-No.

-That's exactly what we need for auction.

We want to keep it untouched.

-It's just come from a house.

-Yes.

I love it. Now, does that make any difference to you?

-Do you like it any more?

-No.

-No, you still don't like it?

You're determined to flog it?

-Yes.

-Wonderful, because we wouldn't have a show otherwise.

-No!

But I adore it. Where did you get it from?

Well, my husband was given it by his mother

and it came from his father's mother.

-So it's been in the family for quite a long time.

-Yes.

And does hubby know you brought it along today?

Only last night, I said, "Shall I take this?"

-And he was quite happy?

-He said yes.

-If you go home without it,

-it's not going to cause a family dispute.

-No.

-Oh, good, because we don't want that.

-No.

But I adore it.

I have to tell you the sad thing that ten years ago,

this probably would have been worth a bit more money.

I think in today's market

we are probably looking at an estimate of...

£60 to £80.

I hope it would make a bit more than that, if we put a reserve of 50.

Would that be all right with you?

-Yes.

-But I just noticed looking at the handle,

the top of the crown there has got a little bit missing.

-I didn't notice.

-No, I didn't notice

until I suddenly look at it at this eye level.

I don't think it will affect the value

but maybe if we just put the reserve at discretion,

-so within 10% rather than fixed, is that all right?

-Yes.

-That's all right.

-Wonderful.

Well, I think it's charming

and I very much look forward to seeing it at the auction,

and I really hope other people appreciate it as much as I do.

-Oh, good.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

This is Manston Airfield in Kent.

As you can see, there are planes behind me here.

They take off daily carrying passengers and cargo across Europe

and onwards to Africa, but during the years of the Second World War,

there was only one destination and that was a short ten-minute hop

across the English Channel to France

because this airstrip played a vital role in Britain's air defences.

In 1940 the threat of German invasion hung over the country

and airfields across the south-east were put into service

as urgently needed RAF bases.

The Battle of Britain had begun

and much of it was fought in the skies above Kent.

Manston was home to hundreds of Spitfires.

The young pilots were on constant alert to intercept bombers

and the people of Kent even raised enough money

to sponsor their own squadron.

Unfortunately, none of those Kent planes survived,

but you can still see a real Spitfire here at Manston Airfield

in the Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum.

This one saw active service at home

and across Northern Holland and Germany.

Although it will never fly again, it's been faithfully restored.

Imagine sitting in there as a young pilot

chasing the Messerschmitt 109s through the clouds,

and when I say young, the pilots were young.

20 years was about the average age.

Skilful, brave men, and if you've ever wondered

what a Rolls-Royce V12 Merlin engine sounds like,

I've got a real treat for you.

I've come to meet the pilot of one of the few Spitfires still flying,

which is named in honour of the men and their aircraft

who once flew out of Manston.

Some guys go fishing for a hobby or they have classic cars

but Peter here flies Spitfires.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Pleased to meet you.

And what a beauty, what a design icon.

I envy you! What's it like to fly?

-It's an absolute delight to fly. It really is.

-Is it?

Yeah, and it's an absolute privilege

to be able to have access to a Spitfire to fly.

-Even as a schoolboy, you made Airfix models, I guess. I did.

-Oh, yes.

-I loved them, I loved making them. I've still got some!

-That's right.

This is the real thing. How did you come across this?

Well, I did a little bit of research and found that there were a few

-that had been recovered from South Africa in a scrapyard.

-Really?

In a very dilapidated state, to say the least,

but it was a starting point.

How did they end up there? Do you know? Did you find out?

Yes, at the end of the war

a number of Spitfires were sold to the South African Air Force

in around about 1946, 1947.

I believe that they operated them right up until the late '50s

and then they were scrapped from there.

-Was this a complete rustbucket, then?

-Um...

I suppose that's one way of describing it, to be honest.

PAUL LAUGHS

-How many years did it take to restore?

-Eight years.

-Did it?

Eight years of scouring the world looking for spare parts.

What was the hardest thing you had to find for this?

-To be honest, airframe parts, the bits you can actually see.

-Fuselage?

Yeah, fuselage and wing components.

Engines are still not too much of a problem

and propeller blades, ironically, are made

and they are made in Germany.

-Are they? Really?

-They are.

Spitfires were not just fighters.

Many were equalled with bombs

and used as ground attack aircraft against road and rail targets.

Some were based on board aircraft carriers

and others were used for photo reconnaissance.

In all, 22,500 were built

and they became the iconic image of Britain's victory in the war.

But by the late 1940s, with the war over,

most were quickly taken out of service and scrapped.

In the early 1950s, the RAF retired its last Spitfire.

Within a few short years, only a handful were still flying.

But thanks to enthusiasts around the world,

70 years after their greatest hour,

there are believed to be around 50 flying today.

20 of them are here in the UK.

You've done a terrific job.

-Wonderful job.

-It just looks right, doesn't it, as an aeroplane?

-Yeah.

There's just something about it.

They always say, if it looks right, then it flies right,

and I think that's definitely the case with the Spitfire.

-And it's capable of speeds of up to what? 350 mph?

-Yes, yes.

-It's not particularly comfortable at high speeds.

-No, I bet it's not.

There's very few comforts in the cockpit, so you need to fly it

really for pleasure and the preservation of the aircraft.

So what's the future of this?

Well, we want to make sure that its future is secure.

At the moment we do various events with the aircraft,

not necessarily airshows,

off-airfield events, weddings,

private parties, and they all make contributions

and it does help to cover some of the running costs

because they are really...

-Horrendous, I bet.

-They are, yeah.

We've got a website running for the aircraft

-and so that's our advertising.

-OK.

-Really that's our future.

-We just type in "Spitfire", do we, and we find it?

-Absolutely. Sure.

-Oh, thank you so much for letting me look around this.

-My pleasure.

I'm going to watch you take off and enjoy the moment.

Just look at that. The Spirit of Kent, that's nostalgia in the sky.

It's such a shame that it's just

a short-range single-seater fighter plane because if it had two seats

I'd be hitching a lift and it would be fly away Peter, fly away Paul.

And now for my favourite part of the show.

Let's head straight to the auction and see what the bidders think.

And here's a reminder of what we're taking.

We have Isabel's cricket memorabilia.

It's been in the loft for ages, but she's sure it's worth a few bob.

Michael's silver sugar castor is over 100 years old,

and that's the same age as our third item,

Ted's Smith & Wesson revolver. It's an unusual piece,

with a great story.

And that china jug,

which was made to commemorate the death of Prince Albert in 1861.

For our auction today, we've moved a few miles inland to Canterbury.

A quick tip, just before the sale starts.

Buy a catalogue, read all the information in it,

and check the small print, because there is a buyer's and seller's premium to pay.

So factor that in! When the hammer goes down, make sure you can afford a little extra.

Our auctioneer today is Cliona Kilroy.

And first under the hammer is Isabel's cricket collection.

-This is one for the boys, isn't it?

-It is!

Let's bring Kate in, because it's a girlie thing as well, cricket,

-let's face it, if you like...

-Um, no.

I don't know much about it, just enough to know it should sell at this price.

-£100 to £200 we've got on this.

-Yeah.

-Cricket memorabilia is big business. It really is.

-Yeah.

-This is going to go for six,

-straightaway. Promise?

-Yes, definitely!

-Might be a duck. You never know.

No, it won't. It won't be a no-bowl. This is it here.

Three cricket photographs autographed by the various teams

as in the catalogue, and a selection of other autographed photographs.

-Commission interest. We start at...

-90.

-£90.

-Oh!

-90 I'm bid. I'm looking for £100.

100 I'm bid. 110. 120. 130.

140. 150.

-160?

-Oh, that's great!

160. 170. 180. 190.

200? Anybody at 200?

-This is good.

-On my right, still at £190 now.

Any further offer? Any further bid? Anything online?

If not, I'm selling at £190. The bid is on my right at 190.

You're back in at 200. 210.

220. 220 anywhere?

Still on my right at £210. And selling at 210...

-Yes! £210!

-Thank you!

-Hammer's gone down at 210.

-Thank you very much!

-That got the boundary, didn't it?

-Yes! I must go and find some more!

-Have you got any more?

Not cricket, but I've got some more rubbish!

Oh, you have some rubbish. If you've got any rubbish like that,

-we want to see it.

-That's the kind of rubbish we love. Bring it in.

I'll bring it!

I love it when one person's hobby

proves popular with other collectors.

Our next item is Michael's silver sugar castor,

which he bought 30 years ago at my old stomping ground,

the Portobello Road.

Unfortunately its owner Michael cannot be with us today,

so it's just me holding the fort. Here we go.

Let's find out what this lot think. Let's hope the bidders are here.

Lot number 437 is the late-Victorian silver sugar castor.

Lot 437. Who'll start me at, er, £50?

50? Any interest at £50, lot 437, the sugar castor?

50 I'm bid. Who's in at 60 now?

60 for someone? 60 I have.

-Yes. Chap down the front.

-Anybody at 80?

Bid is at the front of the room here at £70 now. Anybody else bidding?

Right at the front at £70, then. If we're all done I will sell.

Well, that's it. It's gone. It just sold for £70.

Straight in, straight out. Blink and you'll miss it.

I think Michael will be pleased with that. He bought it for,

if my memory serves me well, £40 in the Portobello Road quite a few years ago. That's a winner.

A lovely item, on its way to a new home.

Next up, it's the commemorative jug brought in by Frances.

-I know this was your husband's jug, wasn't it?

-Yes.

-Is he here today?

-Is he going to wave it goodbye? Where is he?

-He's over there.

-There he is, waving at you. Good luck.

-It was his grandmother's

and she took in lodgers,

-so I think they used it as a payment.

-Oh, did they?

-A part payment, that's a way to pay the bills.

-It's not bad, is it?

-I like bartering like that.

-Yes, it's not bad.

I love these sort of things, these moulded jugs. They're wonderful.

This is so indicative of the royal family and all those coats of arms.

-Wonderful quality.

-I guess the greatest monument to Prince Albert

would be the Albert Hall, wouldn't it? What a wonderful building

with a lovely monument around it.

-A bit too big to...

-Too big to bring in to film!

Yes, if you've got anything like that, we want to see you!

Bring it to one of our evaluation days. Look, good luck.

And good luck. Here we go, it's going under the hammer.

Lot number 101 is the 19th-century Parian ware jug

to commemorate the death of Prince Albert. Lot 101.

Who'll start me at £50?

Thank you, 50 I'm bid.

Who's in at 60 now?

60 for someone? Thank you. 60? 70.

80.

90. 100.

It's doing well!

110. 120.

130? 140.

No? Any interest at 140 in the room?

140. 150. 160.

Somebody on the phone.

Anyone at 160? Right at the front here at £150,

I'm looking for 160.

If not, I'll sell at £150, then...

Yes, the hammer's gone down. We'll take that, won't we?

He's laughing his head off, your husband over there.

-What a good result.

-A very good result

because there was a tiny bit of damage.

There was a little bit of the crown missing that we found at the end.

-All the collectors were here today.

-Yes.

Frances might not have liked it, but two of the bidders did,

and that's all you need to get a good price.

And now we're ready for Ted's 1890s Smith & Wesson revolver.

The auctioneers are happy to sell, as it's clearly 100 years old,

and you can't buy ammunition for it.

-Remind me, why are you selling this?

-You can't take it with you.

Well, you can't take anything with you, can you?

I used to do a lot of shooting at one time, but, you know,

-I sort of packed it up.

-Is there no-one you wanted to pass it on to?

-No. Kids aren't interested these days.

-Not really, are they?

You don't want it lying round the house.

No. It's really for a collector, because, as you say,

the condition is fantastic, all the blueing on the barrel...

-It's just what you want.

-I want to see some phone lines booked here,

and I want to see some internet bidding,

-because hopefully this will just fly away.

-Hope so.

Let's find out, shall we? Ted, this is it.

The Smith & Wesson lockup-patent five-shot-calibre revolver.

Good thing, this. Several bids. Starting at £360.

I'm looking for 380. Bid is on the book at £360

and I'm looking for 380. Who's in at £380?

Anybody in at 380?

380. 400. And 20.

-440. 460.

-This is good.

480. 500.

No? It's at £480 on my right now. Any further offer?

Any further bid in the room? If not I'll sell at £480.

The bid is on my right at 480. If we're all done at 480...

-Top end of the estimate.

-We're happy with that.

-Very.

-Are you, Ted?

-Yeah, not half!

-Good.

-THEY LAUGH

-There's commission to pay, don't forget.

-Of course.

-Enjoy the rest of the day.

-Thank you.

-And the money.

A cheque will be going off to help the old soldiers.

-Is that what you're doing?

-Some of it.

-Help The Heroes?

-I shall send them a cheque.

Ted's revolver was in mint condition and had never been fired,

so the collectors were prepared to pay top money for it.

That concludes our first visit to the sale today.

We are coming back here later, and I guarantee one big surprise,

so whatever you do, don't go away. But while we were in the area,

I took the opportunity to explore some of the local history.

Take a look at this!

For hundreds of years, sailing barges were a familiar sight

-along the Kent coastline.

-Up topsail!

Take it right up.

Forwards, as well.

One, the Cambria, was still plying her trade

well into the '70s, the only remaining commercial cargo vessel

in the UK purely working under sail.

A flat-bottomed, leeboarded, spritsailed barge she is.

Built at the turn of the century,

the Cambria still knows no other power than the wind.

But this romantic age was slowly ending.

As modern ships took over the work,

the Cambria was retired from working life, and left to rot in mud.

Well, here on the quayside in Faversham,

the old girl is being brought back to life.

Underneath all these temporary canvasses and covers,

the sailing barge Cambria lives again,

and the shipwrights are working on her right now,

so come aboard and take a look.

In 1996, a group of enthusiasts took over ownership of the Cambria,

and formed a charitable trust.

William Collard is the project manager.

What a wonderful vessel! It's an honour to be on the deck with you,

and I can't wait to see this finished,

-because it is a huge vessel, isn't it?

-Yes, it is,

and everything around us, as you see, is chunky...

-Big scale.

-Big stuff.

-Where did you come across her?

Well, I first came across her in the 1970s

when she was down in Sittingbourne in a very bad state.

She had been taken out of trade,

and a group of enthusiasts were getting together

to try and restore her. Unfortunately there was no funding,

so she slowly deteriorated. She was moved around

from place to place, but really just only patched up.

You've been part of this for a long time.

I joined the Cambria Trust in 1996,

when the vessel was sinking on every tide.

The big breakthrough came in 2007.

The Trust was given a £1 million lottery grant.

Now they could begin the enormous task of completely rebuilding her

from the bottom upwards.

A great percentage of this vessel had rotten timbers in it,

didn't it? They've all been replaced now.

She was really falling apart, especially on the one side.

You could put your hand through the side.

We couldn't really recover any of the timber.

It was beyond re-using. Many places it was rotten,

and in many places it was split and broken.

An example of that is that knee here, this oak knee.

This is slightly perished now, but a good hundred years old.

Yes, indeed. It would've been lovely if we could've used things like this,

but it's just beyond practical use, really.

But the original floor was as good as the day it was put in,

and has formed a base for us to work from.

And it'll probably be just as good in another hundred years.

We would hope so.

The Cambria was a coasting barge.

She worked along the south and east coasts of England,

and across the Channel to France.

What do you carry in this barge mainly, usually?

Well, like all barges, we carry anything from manure to maize.

We're a sort of a tramp ship, really. We pick up anything.

I was on a barge once that had a freight of chicken coops.

Five chicken coops high on the deck, we were.

The Cambria had been built in Kent in 1906,

so it's incredible that, 60 years later,

she was still competing with the larger, more modern cargo ships.

Remember, she had no engine, and relied on the winds

and the skills of her master to take the cargoes up and down the Thames.

What's going to be her place in the future?

What will you do with her?

The big hold area that you've seen down below

-we're converting into a classroom.

-OK.

And the idea is, we've picked a number of ports,

and we're going to take the vessel to the ports.

We're starting in Kent, but then we hope to go into Essex and London.

-Oh, smashing!

-And we're going to get 20 to 30 schoolchildren aboard,

and teach them about the history of the Thames,

the kind of cargoes these vessels took,

and see all about the restoration of a really old wooden vessel.

And the project is already offering opportunities to young people.

They've even taken on three apprentices

to work on the restoration,

under the supervision of master shipwright Tim Goldsack.

Tim, can I stop you there? Hello, mate.

-Pleased to meet you.

-Hi.

-Gosh, what a big vessel, isn't it?

It's only when you're down here you can see the immense size of it.

How long does each one of those planks take you

-to cut to shape and put in?

-From start to finish,

each one takes approximately two days,

and there's something in the region of 150 planks on the vessel.

Gosh! So there's a lot of work gone into this hull.

There certainly is, yeah. Quite a few hours.

And obviously you're caulking it with bitumen and tar?

Yeah, that's right. These vessels are constructed

with two layers of planking, and between the layers

it has what are called set-work, which is a layer of felt

-and a layer of tar.

-Do you heat the tar up and mix with horse manure?

Yes. It's hot tar mixed with horse manure,

which is a traditional binding agent,

and that helps to give it its watertight integrity.

And you're trying to use traditional methods all the time?

Yeah. All the skills we use are the same that were used

when they were originally built, the only difference being

that we have modern materials and modern glues, etc.

I know these would have been pegged and dowled with trennels,

-tree nails, wouldn't they?

-Exactly, yeah.

Traditionally they were built with trennels.

These days we used galvanised iron spikes to put everything together.

Good luck with it.

Good luck with it. I'm sure she's going to be watertight!

THEY LAUGH

It certainly is coming together. A few licks of paint,

but under full sail she'll look fabulous,

and I can't wait for that day.

That's all down to the guys here and their hard work,

because this sailing barge, Cambria, is now recognised

as one of our most important sailing vessels. This is a piece of maritime history right here,

and I'm touching it. Instead of being consigned to the mud

for another 100 years, she's going to be afloat for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.

And long may it last!

At our valuation day in the Kings Hall, Herne Bay,

there are still hundreds of eager people

waiting to have their items valued.

The room is packed inside there, and the queue is spilling out still

along the seafront. This is where it all starts.

If you want to take part in a show, come along to a valuation day

with your unwanted antiques and collectables,

because we would love to see you.

To find details of upcoming dates and venues, just log on to...

If you don't have a computer, check your local press,

because we are coming to an area, fingers crossed, near you soon.

On with our valuations, and it's over to Mark Stacey.

He's with Carol, who looks like she's cashing in her savings!

-You've brought a little bit of bling in to show us.

-I have.

Now, where did you get all these gold sovereigns?

I bought them off a dealer

in London, down a lane called Cheshire Street,

and my children were very young,

and I was doing market work,

and my way of saving was, I used to buy one a week,

and gradually I built them up,

and I bought the mounts at £1.25...

Gosh, this must be going back 40 years or more!

It is going back 40 years or more! And gradually I had it made into a bracelet.

The George IV coin I bought round about the same era,

but to be truthful, I've no idea at all what I paid for it.

-Probably a tenner or something.

-Something like that.

-Not much.

-A couple of quid for the mount, cos it's slightly bigger.

No, I had the mount made much later. It cost me £100.

Gosh! Really? Wow.

-And I presume the mounts are nine-carat gold...

-They are.

-..rather than the 22-carat gold of the coins.

-That's right. Nine.

If I pick it up, we've got a bun- head for the young Victoria's head

on those, and then this one, we've got a young Queen Elizabeth head.

That's right.

Then we go on again, of course,

to another young Queen Victoria's head.

-Then we've got a mid-period head, haven't we?

-Yes.

And then we go back on to another young Victoria's head.

Another one, yes.

And then, of course, as you say, you've got a George IV gold £2 coin.

The sad thing with these sort of things, Carol,

there's no sentimentality about them.

-Unless they're a rare coin...

-That's right.

-..or a rare date,

the dealers will weigh them and say, "That's the gold price."

So I've had a quick tot-up,

and I mean, as a sensible estimate,

we're looking at £800 to £1,200.

-Right.

-So we're looking at a reserve of about 800 quid.

-Yes.

-How do you feel about that?

There'd have to be a reserve of that, yes.

What I'm looking at, really, I would like £1,200.

It would be lovely to get that. I can give you a valuation today,

but by the time the auction comes up in a few weeks' time,

-the gold might have dropped a lot.

-Exactly.

-Or it might have risen.

What we've got to pray for is that the market will be higher

when we come to the auction. So I think what you've got to do

in your own mind is say, "Right, I'm happy to get the 800 reserve,

-and I'll pay a bit of commission on that and that's them." How do you feel about that?

-I feel fine.

-Are you happy with that?

-I am happy.

If you do get a reasonable price you're happy with,

any plans? Are you going to go off to Barbados?

-I shall have a few holidays.

-Will you?

-I'm going to enjoy it.

-Fantastic. Enjoy it while you're young enough to.

-I will.

Well, that lot should add up to a decent holiday!

Now to Kate Bateman. She's with Hugo and his grandson Stanley,

and they've brought in two old characters.

What can you tell me about them?

Well, I've had them for 50 years.

I got them off my father when he passed on,

-and he got them off his father...

-Right.

..which would be my grandfather,

and which would take us back to the turn of the century.

Victorian, late Victorian.

I presume you've had these in your house, if you inherited them.

Yes. They've been hanging in my bedroom for 30 years.

-30 years!

-Yes.

Are you not tempted to keep them in the family, then,

and pass them on to your grandson here?

He doesn't want it. He wants me to enjoy myself.

-Not at all? Oh!

-No.

-Do you like them?

-Are you a doggy person?

-Oh, yes. I had five dogs.

Are these looking like either of your dogs?

No. I had an English bull terrier and four ordinary bull terriers.

OK. I don't know quite what breeds we've got here,

but they're rather nice. They are late Victorian.

They're both monogrammed. You've got here RC on this one,

and I think FC, or CF, on this one.

Now, we haven't been able to look up who the artists are,

and if we can trace them down to a specific artist,

it may affect the valuation upwards. Of the two,

I think this one's the slightly better painting,

and he's got quite a sweet face.

He's got that kind of hang-dog expression.

Looks like he hasn't had his dinner and he really wants to go home.

This one's odder. He looks quite startled.

I would offer them as a pair, though,

rather than as individual ones.

I would have said a fairly low estimate, from my point of view,

would be £100 to £200 for the pair, so between £50 and £100 each,

which I know is quite a wide estimate,

but it will rely on somebody falling in love with the dog

or specifically wanting dog paintings.

-Is that the kind of figure you'd be happy with?

-Yeah. Yeah.

OK. Well, if we put an estimate of £100 to £200,

would you want a reserve of £100, to stop it going for less than that?

-Oh, yeah.

-I'd be happy with that.

-To protect it,

so if the bidding didn't reach £100, it wouldn't be sold.

I think somebody will fall in love with them, a dog lover,

-and I think they're great fun, so let's put them in the sale and see how they go.

-Thank you.

After 30 years on Hugo's wall,

those two deserve to find a new home, and I'm sure they will.

It's been such a busy day, and our experts have been working flat-out,

but there's still time for me to get around the queue and sniff out something special.

-Can I be nosy? What's your name?

-It's old books. Claire.

You never know. You never know.

There could be something really, really valuable in there.

-There could be, couldn't there?

-And Beatrix Potter books.

-I think they're first editions.

-You think they're first editions?

If they are, you're sitting on a small fortune!

-Do you know that?

-That would be nice, wouldn't it?

-THEY LAUGH

-Have you shown them to anybody?

-No.

I've been on the internet doing searches and things.

-Sadly they're not first edition.

-Oh.

-Which is a shame.

They're 1960s. But they're in good condition, and very collectable.

That would've been too good to be true, wouldn't it?

Here on "Flog It!" we're always turning up little treasures,

and Mark has found a small piece of glass that might turn out to be something big.

-Hello, Olive.

-Hello.

Sometimes they say the best things come in small packages, don't they?

-Yeah.

-I'm talking about this lovely little vase you brought in.

-Tell me about it.

-I bought it in a charity shop.

-No!

-Yes.

-When?

-I know I bought it after my mother died, and that was '97.

-How much did you pay for it?

-50 pence, I think it was. Yeah.

And you were just attracted by the colour, I guess?

-It was the poppies.

-Yes.

Because my grandmother loved poppies,

and she always used to wear the California Poppy perfume,

so I saw the poppies and I thought, "Ahh!"

Gosh! I think it's absolutely delicious.

-Thank you.

-It's an absolutely wonderful little object.

It's just a little small vase,

and you've got the little rim here,

which is decorated in coloured enamels and gilt.

And as you turn the item around, it's got an iridescent background.

It has that slight oily-on-water look to it.

And then you've got these lovely trailing poppies.

This one is nice and open, and then you've got another little one

just about to come out, then this one is almost finished.

It's seeded, really. And it screams quality.

-Mmm.

-But quality that isn't English.

-Right.

-It's French.

-Mm-hm.

What did you think it said underneath here?

-I thought it said "Dawn Nancy".

-Well, it's actually "Daum",

and it's got the mark there with a Cross of Lorraine

and "Nancy". Now, this was made

probably around about...1900, 1910.

Really? Oh!

And it's sort of Art Nouveau-ish,

and there are three factories in France at that time

which really strike out for glass - that's Daum,

Galle, of course, which also produced this type of cameo glass,

and Lalique, and it just is lovely.

There's a slight problem or two here.

There's a couple of little fleabites around the inner rim.

I mean, they are terribly small, but they're there,

-and we have to take account of them.

-Right. OK.

But I think it's a charming little thing. What are you hoping for?

I have no idea. I didn't think it was worth anything.

-Really?

-Mm.

-Well, I think, if we put this in at £50 to £80...

-Ooh!

..hopefully, even with the little fleabites,

if two people like it, it could well go over 100.

-Lovely!

-But I just think it's a charming little object.

Are you happy to put it in at that? And we'll put a 50 reserve on it,

-with discretion, if that's OK.

-Thank you. Yes.

But I do absolutely adore it. I could easily walk home with this.

I think it's absolutely wonderful.

-You're not having it.

-I know! The auction's getting it!

I think Mark's playing it very safe there!

Daum Nancy glass is very collectable at the moment.

Up now we have Irene, who's brought in an ornate piece of Victoriana.

Thanks for coming in. You've brought this rather impressive centrepiece.

Yes, it's lovely, isn't it?

What do you know about it?

Not a lot, really. It used to belong to an elderly neighbour of mine

-who left it to me in her will.

-Oh.

I've had it about 30 years.

-What do you do with it?

-I keep fruit in it on my table.

OK, but you brought it along today,

-so you must be thinking about selling it, presumably.

-Yes.

-OK.

It doesn't really go in the house

-and my sons wouldn't want it.

-OK.

So I thought it's just something less for them to have to clear out.

-Oh, it's quite a girlie piece, I have to say.

-It is.

I suppose you'd feel quite grand

taking your peaches and apples out of that. I quite like it

-but it is a bit over the top, I suppose.

-It is, yes.

It's basically Victorian and the good thing about the Victorians was,

they put registered marks on everything,

so if we have a look at the bottom,

this will tell us not just the year but actually the day

and the month it was made as well.

So on the bottom here there is a registered mark

and that tells us the class at the top, which is class one,

-which would be silver plate and glassware.

-Yes.

-Basically this code means the 3rd of May 1862.

-I didn't know that.

So we can date it fairly precisely

and then it's got the name here,

obviously, Elkington, who are the makers, a fairly good and well known

-prolific maker of silver plate.

-I did know that.

So that's pretty good. That makes my job a lot easier

-by telling me the exact date.

-Yes.

When it was made. And then you've got the cut glass bit on the top.

The design of it is really cool and it's got lots of intricate detail.

You've got these little bits here. These are anthemiums, this design.

You've got a guioche pattern down the legs,

you have little flower heads here,

little lion's-paw feet.

-There's a lot going on design-wise.

-Yes.

-But it's quite pleasing.

It's a very nice bowl shape. I quite like it.

-Yes, these unscrew, these bits.

-Why?

-And take off.

-Do they? Why on earth would they unscrew?

-Well, cleaning, I imagine.

-I guess.

There's no kind of design reason why they would unscrew.

-You're not missing any parts?

-Oh, no.

-It's silver plated.

You can see a bit's rubbed off here on the silver plate down to a brass.

-That takes off.

-Yeah, it would come off to clean.

I suppose they're quite popular at the moment.

It's a really nice decorative piece,

so kind of an interior designer's piece.

-But silver plate is not as high as it was.

-No.

-So maybe, estimate-wise, 100 to 150 for auction?

-Yes, that's fine.

-You'll be OK with that?

-Yes, that would be lovely.

Reserve would normally be just below, so maybe reserve it at £90.

-Right.

-£100 to £150 estimate.

-Yes.

What would you do with it?

What will you put your fruit in if you sell it?

Oh, I've got plenty of other things!

-Something else, and you'd spend the money some other way?

-Oh, yes.

-Brilliant. OK, well, are you happy to put it into a sale?

-Yes.

Let's give it a go and see if we can find somebody else

-that wants to buy it?

-Yeah, that would be lovely.

-OK, great.

-Thank you.

-Thanks for bringing it in.

-Thank you.

It's time for us to make our final trip to the auction house,

and here's a quick reminder of what we're taking with us.

We've got Carol's gold coins that she's saved over the years,

Irene's Elkington cut-glass bowl

with silver plate, valued at £100 to £150.

We have those two dog paintings brought in by Hugo,

and the tiny Daum Nancy glass which Olive bought for just 50 pence,

and Mark's valued it at 100 times that.

First up, Carol's gold coins,

and the auctioneer has split them into two lots.

The George IV £2 coin is now valued at £150 to £200.

But first it's the bracelet of sovereigns,

now valued at £800 to £1,200 on its own.

If you're going to have a gold bracelet, have one like this,

-because it's worth an awful lot of money, isn't it?

-It is that!

Wow! I know on the day you valued the bracelet with the £2 gold coin.

-That's right.

-We've since had them split by the auctioneer,

so selling the two lots separately,

though we've still got £800 to £1,200 on the bracelet

-and hopefully a couple of hundred on the coin.

-That would be nice.

-This has been a lot of collecting!

-I've done a lot more than that.

-What, all gold?

-Yes.

-No!

-And sold a lot.

-Oh, and sold a lot.

Did you enjoy wearing the bracelet at all?

That was one I wore all the time. I had another one...

-Oh!

-..with 36 sovereigns.

-That's major bling!

-That's major bling.

That's proper, isn't it? Hey, that's showing off!

-That got showed off, as you say.

-That was showing off!

-Yeah.

So, you've decided to have a clear-out of all the gold?

-I have.

-It's a good time to sell.

-That's why I'm doing it.

You're not daft, are you? Precious metals are up right now.

We're in a recession, and people invest in silver and gold.

Yes. The safe options.

So, we got two lots. One's following the other.

Let's start with £300 to £1,200, fingers crossed for the top end. It's the bracelet. Here we go!

554 is the nine-carat gold bracelet set with six sovereigns,

as per catalogue, 57.9 grams. Lot 554.

-Who will start me at £500?

-Wait.

-Sorry.

-There's commission interest. Start £1,000.

-Starting at £1,000.

-Straight in at £1,000!

-I'm looking for 1,050.

Any bid at 1,050, in the room or online?

It's a commission bid of £1,000. Any further offer? If not, I'm...

1,050. 1,100.

1,150.

No? Bid is on my right at £1,100 now.

Any further offer?

1,150. 1,150.

1,200. Anybody for 1,200? It's now in the room at 1,150.

And selling...

-Yes! Top end. So far, so good.

-I'm so excited!

And there's the £2 coin. Let's see if we can get the top end here.

Lot number 559 is the George IV £2 coin.

Lot 559. Who'll start me at £100? 100. 100 I'm bid.

110. 120. 130. 140.

150. 160. 170.

180. 190. 200. And ten. 220.

230. 240. 250.

260. 270. 280.

290. 300. 320?

Anybody at 320?

Any interest at 320? On my right at £300 now.

Are we all done at £300?

-Yes! £300!

-That's not bad, was it?

-That's incredible, isn't it?

-Wasn't it?

-What's that? £1,450?

-Absolutely!

-Oh, I'm so pleased!

-Oh, I'm ever so pleased!

-Thank you all very, very much!

-It's a great time to sell gold.

If you've got anything like that, bring it to a valuation day,

and it could be you in the auction room next time. Well done, Carol.

£1,450! A good day for gold, and a great day for Carol.

Next up, that pair of dog paintings belonging to Hugo and Stanley.

Well, Hugo and Stanley, we're just about to let the dogs out.

This is our next lot, £100 to £200. Really nice oils.

One of them, I'm not sure what breed it is,

-but the other is a Newfoundland.

-It's a bitzer -

bits of this and bits of that. It's a bit of a mix.

They are quite sweet. They are lovely.

One's better painted than the other, but they're going as a pair.

But the dog lovers will love them! That's the main thing.

And hopefully we've got a room full of them.

-This could be your inheritance he's flogging.

-I'm hoping so.

-THEY LAUGH

-Let's see how we do.

It's down to the bidders now. It's going under the hammer.

Pair of oil paintings, the heads of the dogs there.

Various bids. We're starting at £130, and I'm looking for 140.

There's a dog lover, look. Very keen, waving away.

200. And ten.

220.

230. 240.

250. 260.

270. Anybody at 270?

In the room at £260 now. Any further offer?

If not, I'm selling at £260. The bid is standing at 260.

-Brilliant! That was good.

-Fantastic!

-The dog lovers were here.

-Yeah.

-I thought they were really nice.

They'd suit anybody's wall. Proper country little scene, that.

I'm just going off to buy a nice pair of shoes.

Is that what you're going to do? Oh, well done. Look after him!

-I will.

-Look after him. The dog lovers were certainly here today.

What well behaved pooches! They made well over the top estimate.

Next up, the Elkington bowl.

And it belongs to Irene. My word, you've changed a lot, Irene.

-Oh, yes!

-Where is she?

-She's in Canada at the moment, on holiday.

-What's she doing there?

-She's having a holiday.

-Oh, is she?

-In Newfoundland.

-And you're her son.

-Yes.

-What's your name?

-Alan.

Alan, right. Can you remember this bowl as a nipper in the house,

-looking at it?

-Yeah, I remember it in the house.

I can remember the lady that gave it to my mum, who we got it from.

-I used to mow her lawn.

-Oh, did you?

-When I was a young boy.

Aw! Well, your mum's obviously looked after this for a long time

and I guess it's time for it to go.

-Yeah.

-And let's hope we get that top end of £150

because I know you like this.

I would buy this. I think this is really pretty and I think, maybe

it's a bit of a girlie lot for you,

but I think as a decorator's piece, it's great.

Hopefully there's somebody here that will bid in the room for it.

We'll find out right now. This is it. Good luck.

Lot number 453 is the Victorian cut glass

and plated mounted comport by Elkington & Co. Lot 453.

Who'll start me at £50?

50 I'm bid. Who's in at 60 now?

Any interest at 60? Bid is right at the front here at £50 now.

Who's in at 60? 60 I have. 70.

-80. 90.

-This is more like it.

And ten. 120. Who's in at 120?

-Right at the front at £120 now...

-I was a bit worried.

-Anybody at 120?

Any further bid? It's in the room at £110 now and selling at 110...

Yes, hammer's gone down. It was dicey for one moment, wasn't it?

-I thought we were stuck at 50 there.

-So did I.

That's auctions for you, isn't it? Lots of tension.

-Happy with that?

-I'm sure she will be, yeah.

Will you be able to tell her, ring her up? Has she got a mobile?

She'll be home in a couple of days anyway. So I'll give her the message.

A solid mid-estimate sale for a girlie item.

And now we have my favourite item of the day,

that delicate French glass vase belonging to Olive.

And I've a feeling Mark's estimate could be rather mean!

Now, that lovely little French vase with a poppy on it,

-which is just incredible, isn't it? That caught your eye...

-Yes.

-How much did you pay for it?

-50p!

-SHE LAUGHS

-You see, it is out there, isn't it?

-And I think we can recycle this 50p into easily £100.

-No!

That's my gut feeling. It just stands out so well.

-Absolutely.

-It could do twice your top end.

£180?

Well, it could do, Paul. A tiny little thing.

You could overlook it, but it just screams quality.

-I saw it from a distance and just -

-Zoomed in.

I saw you. Wings! You were like that.

-You gave me quite a fright.

-Did I? I've been told that before.

When he comes charging towards you. Why are you selling it, though?

Because it is beautiful! This should be on your dressing table.

My daughter recently won a make-over and a photo shoot,

and she took me with her, because you get every photo,

but then you have to pay for any more that you want,

so she said, "Come with me so I don't buy any."

-So I went, and I bought two myself!

-HE LAUGHS

-Oh, OK.

-If it sells, I will put it...

-OK.

-Oh, wonderful.

We can't talk about it any more because it's going under the hammer,

and it's down to this packed saleroom in Canterbury. Good luck!

-This is it.

-Thank you.

181, moving into the glassware.

It's the Daum Nancy cranberry-tinted glass vase.

-Several bids. We start at...

-340.

-£340.

I knew it had quality, but not that much!

360. 360. 380.

-400.

-Can you hold me up, please?

-I'll prop you up. Don't worry.

-460. Anybody at 460?

-460!

460. 480?

500.

520.

-That was a cunning buy, wasn't it?

-What were the chances?

-540.

560.

580.

600.

-Oh, my God!

-620.

640?

-Hang on in there!

-640. 660.

680?

No? The bid is at £660, with Tina.

680? Do you want to come in?

Any interest at 680, in the room or anywhere else?

If not I'll sell at £660. The bidder's on the phone.

At 660. If we're all done at 660...

Yes! £660!

Ooh!

-Olive!

-It's only this...

-I know, I know!

But small is beautiful! That poppy was just divine, wasn't it?

-I have good taste.

-You have very good taste!

-I had a sneaky suspicion about this.

-You did.

I had that feeling. You know when you pick things up,

you think, "Yes, that's a little sleeper"?

What a wonderful way to end today's show here in Canterbury, with a wonderful moment like that!

You're going to live that moment for a long time, aren't you?

-£660!

-My glasses have steamed up!

THEY LAUGH

That poppy design clearly had a lot of sentimental value for Olive,

and it's earned her more than 1,000 times the 50 pence she paid for it.

Just goes to show, always buy things you love!

What a fantastic day we've had here!

Everything's sold, and a lot of it at the top end of the estimate,

and we were clearly overwhelmed by the sale of Olive's glass vase.

That's definitely one to remember.