Bangor Flog It!


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Today, Flog It! comes from one of the most beautiful parts of the world.

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We're in North Wales, and just look at that for a backdrop.

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Now we're off to Bangor to find some antiques and, boy, have we got a show for you!

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The university plays an important role in the history and the identity of this marvellous city.

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It was built in 1884 with funding by local quarrymen who volunteered

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some of their wages to provide a better form of higher education.

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Today, we're at the university's Pritchard Jones Hall where this massive crowd of people

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are all eager for knowledge and of course the answer to one very important question, which is?

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ALL: What's it worth?

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Coming up, the jet-set attitude to selling at auction.

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-Will I see you both at the auction room?

-Unfortunately, no.

-Why?

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-My sister will be in Rome.

-Spending the money in advance, then!

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And we get a glimpse of how the other half lives in Mark's house.

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We don't eat the same as we used to, Paul.

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We now have much more informal dinner parties, swigging glasses of wine.

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-Champagne and oysters in Mark's house, isn't it?

-Well, you know...

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The two experts leading the team here today in Bangor are Welshman Mark Stacey...

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He's delighted to be back in his home country.

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He has a great love of antiques and always makes the most of the fun.

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Quite colourful. Do you have it up on the wall?

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-No, we don't.

-No, I don't blame you!

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He's joined by Adam Partridge who not only uses his broad knowledge to pick the right items,

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but also has a sympathetic ear for the unusual stories we come across.

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-Oh, that's nice, isn't it?

-It's lovely, isn't it?

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Adam kicks off with a couple whose names are easy to remember.

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-Paul and my wife Pauline.

-Paul and Pauline. That's a good start already, isn't it?

-Corny but true!

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It's easy to remember anyway.

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I was instantly attracted to this on a number of levels.

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-It's a wonderful shape, that streamlined shape.

-Very sporty.

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I can imagine a cad driving it.

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Absolutely. Are you a motoring enthusiast?

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My goodness, yes. Since I was probably about three, I should think, I've been very lucky with cars.

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I've had everything from a Mini to a Rolls-Royce.

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Have you? And what do you make of all this, Pauline?

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Well, he's very fortunate because he married a petrol-head wife as well.

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-Oh, really?

-Yes.

-Excellent. So you share that passion?

-We do.

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We've got hundreds of model cars and Dinkies.

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But one of the reasons I brought it in today was I've never seen anything made out of Bakelite.

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-You've never seen one of these before?

-No.

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Well, that's really fortunate because I have.

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In fact, I sold one in my auction room about three or four months ago.

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-Oh, brilliant.

-So I know quite a bit about it which is quite unusual.

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-Well, you're the expert!

-Firstly, where did you get this one from?

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Is it something you bought recently?

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-Absolutely not. It was a birthday present from my parents when I was about three.

-Right.

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There's a tiny hole in the front...

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I'm trying to do my maths here.

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-In the '40s?

-About 1948, I think.

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I used to pull it round the garden on a piece of string,

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but my parents were very poor and one of the reasons I brought it in today,

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I'm wondering whether it could be new in 1948 or whether it pre-dates that.

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I think it pre-dates that.

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-So have you any idea?

-It looks 1930s.

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Typically 1930s. It's got that real Deco streamlined shape of the 1930s.

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It's a wonderful shape, yes.

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And on the back you've got the mark of Codeg, C-O-D-E-G.

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-Now, is that British or not?

-It is. It stands for Cowan De Groot and Co,

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which they shortened into Codeg and they were a British toy firm.

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In fact, they still are retailers of toys now, I believe,

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they're still in the toy business. They're not called Codeg now.

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They're back to Cowan De Groot as they used to be, but that's why it's called a Codeg car.

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Made of brown Bakelite. They also did a cream model as well, which would've been pretty swish.

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It's very Poirot too. You could see him in it.

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That's right, yeah. So you want to know what the one I had made?

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-Indeed I do.

-And me!

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The one I had was damaged.

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We only estimated 20-40 because of the damage, but it made 95.

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-It's obviously worth £50-£80.

-There is a piece missing, though.

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I have a dim recollection there might've been a Perspex windscreen.

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The windscreen's missing, so I think we go with a 50-80 estimate.

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-How does that sound?

-That sounds absolutely fine.

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-Is that all right?

-Yes.

-And a reserve of 50?

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-Yes.

-You don't want it to be under-sold. That'd be heart-breaking.

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Yes, because you've kept it all those years.

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Now, of course, it's not a massive sum of money, £100.

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It's probably not even enough to fill up your Rolls-Royce, is it?

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-Not these days.

-So I shan't be asking what you're going to do with the money.

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-Well, my wife always treated me, so I'll treat her and put it towards a weekend in Paris.

-Excellent.

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What a fun thing, and for Bakelite, it's in pretty good condition.

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My find next - a fabulous Art Nouveau rose bowl owned by two sisters.

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-Now, let me get the names right. Christine and Sandra?

-Correct.

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-And you look like sisters as well, don't you? You dress still like sisters.

-Oh, yes.

-So whose is this?

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This belonged to our great uncle, who was the canon of Bangor Cathedral.

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-Really?

-Yes.

-When?

-In the late 1950s, early 1960s.

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And was this a leaving present of some sort, do you think?

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It probably was, yes. We don't know who it was given by.

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We have thought about keeping it, but I don't think we'd do it justice.

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What do you do with it? It's like the World Cup! We are the champions!

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-We'd need somewhere to display it.

-It's WMF. You know it's WMF?

-Yes.

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The company was formed in 1880 in Berlin in Germany, and it was a merger of two existing companies.

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By the 1900s, they were the leading manufacturers and exporters of metal ware,

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-and sold all over the world. And the company's still going strong today.

-Is it really?

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Yeah. If it doesn't say WMF, it normally has a little ostrich. That's still the same thing.

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Albert Mayer is the top designer to look out for.

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When you mention WMF to people, you think of the Art Nouveau images of the sort of naked female form...

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you know, gorgeous women with flowing hair in lovely poses.

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They're the ones that fetch big money and...

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a lot of them are made in silver.

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Unfortunately, the down side is this one is silver-plate, and you can see that just there - EPNS.

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That's electro-plated nickel silver, OK? So it's unfortunately not solid silver. It's just a silver plate.

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It's got its original glass liner as well.

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That's good because you can get reproduction liners made to put back

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-because the glass just broke, it was so fragile.

-Yes, of course.

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Secretly, my heart is tell me it's going to do around £300,

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but my gut feeling is it might wobble at around £250.

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-Right.

-£200.

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And I'd love to put it into auction with a valuation of £150-£250, if that's all right with you.

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-That would be fine, yes.

-And we'll put a reserve of £150.

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-Brilliant.

-Will I see you both at the auction room?

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-Unfortunately, no.

-Why?

-My sister will be in Rome.

-Oh, very nice!

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Spending the money in advance, then!

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Well, we really are going to need the top end, then.

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Next, Mark meets Valerie who's brought in a little family heirloom.

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We've got a little bit of a savoury item coming up, haven't we, Val?

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-Yes.

-This lovely cruet set.

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What are you doing with such a grand-looking object?

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It was my father's, possibly my grandmother's, and when my father died, I kind of took it on.

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You took it on. You've got a bit of a Scottish accent there.

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-I have, yes.

-And we see that there's a Dundee name there as well,

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-so it's all indicating that it might be Scottish, actually.

-Oh, good.

-So is it something you use regularly?

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No, I'm afraid not. I'm more the kind of plastic tub of salt and the mustard jar.

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-You can wash it up easily without all the polishing.

-Absolutely, yes.

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It's really rather nice. We've got two little pepperettes,

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two little table salts, and then the little mustard with the spoons.

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So you've had it quite a long time?

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It was my dad's and I've had it for ten years, since he died.

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Living in a cupboard?

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-Living in a cupboard, unfortunately.

-It's a shame, isn't it?

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It used to get put out, the mustard pot, when I was a child. I remember seeing that, but not the whole set.

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Well, in fact, it is hallmarked, each piece of silver,

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-but it's not Scottish.

-Oh.

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-It's hallmarked in Birmingham.

-Right, OK.

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-1902, so it's Edwardian.

-Nice, nice.

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Just over 100 years old, and it's very much in that Edwardian style.

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It's sort of reminiscing, reviving if you like, the sort of

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Georgian period where you had very neo-classical shapes with little festoons and things like that,

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and this is very typical of a style which would have been sort of 1790.

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-Right.

-But this is 1902.

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If we were putting this into auction,

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I would probably say somewhere around about the £100 mark.

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-80-120.

-Yes, yes.

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-With a reserve of £80.

-Right.

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-I would probably say fixed reserve, so we don't sell it under £80.

-Yes.

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You've had it for ten years. It's been in your family before that. Why have you decided to flog it today?

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My father was quite grand and would have quite liked to have seen it being used, and I never use it

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-so it seems silly...

-Time for it to go.

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Yes, someone else can maybe enjoy it and actually put it on a nice table.

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Absolutely. Well, I think it will appeal to a private buyer cos it's all there in its case,

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which is always very nice, but also it will appeal to a trade buyer.

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Someone who specialises in buying and selling silver,

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so let's put it into the sale and we'll see you at the auction, and fingers crossed.

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Quite right. No point leaving something so nice in a cupboard.

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Time to remind ourselves what's on the way to the sale room.

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Adam picked out the Bakelite car because he recently sold one in his own auction house.

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I chose the beautiful Art Nouveau rose bowl.

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Shame it's plate, not silver, but then it has got its original liner.

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And Valerie's cruet set caught Mark's eye,

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so let's hope it does the same in the sale room and the bidders like it.

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The auction house is Rogers-Jones and Co, Auctioneers and Valuers, just along the coast in Colwyn Bay,

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and we have owner David Rogers-Jones himself selling all of our lots.

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First up, it's the Pauls -

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me, Paul and Pauline - and their Bakelite car.

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Now, I've just read in my notes, this was your birthday present when you were three years old.

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Oh, you can't sell something like that! ..Would you sell that?

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I'm very sentimental so probably not.

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No, nor would I. I really wouldn't.

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My mum would go absolutely mad.

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I've got that many cars all over the house and in the loft,

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but this was unusual and I thought it might appeal to you.

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-It did. I love it.

-A gorgeous shape.

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Here we go. Good luck, you two.

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Paul, Paul and Pauline!

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-How about that?

-I feel a bit out of place.

-You do, don't you?

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-A Bakelite Codeg open-tourer sports car.

-It's got the look.

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Doesn't need taxing, doesn't need insurance, and it don't need petrol.

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It starts with me at £80. At 80 I'm bid. Bid's on the book here.

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At 80, 80 bid. A typical piece of that period, Bakelite, wonderful.

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-85, 90...

-Show us your money!

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£90. 95. 100 with me. At £100.

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Five again. Five. 110, 110, 110 bid.

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My bid on the book. At £110, coming back?

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At £110, all done?

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Well done, auctioneer.

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Paul really enjoyed himself then!

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Teasing the extra money out of the bidders, yes.

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I promised her a treat so I'll have to do it now, won't I?

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-What's it going to be?

-Paris.

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Ooh, very nice, very nice.

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-But we shall probably buy another model car there!

-I don't blame you.

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That's a good start. It sold over the estimate. Everyone's happy with that.

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Now I'm going to be tested with the German rose bowl, but where are the sisters?

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-So where is Mum?

-She's gone to surprise my aunt.

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-It's her birthday and they've gone to Rome.

-Does your aunt live in Rome?

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She doesn't. She's just gone for a few days to celebrate.

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And your mum's gone out and tagged along?

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Yep, she's gone to surprise her. She didn't know anything about it.

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Well, she's missing this golden moment, isn't she?

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-Hey, what do you think of this? I think it's stunning.

-It's lovely.

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Let's hope we get the top end, shall we? Good luck. Then you can get on the phone and tell her.

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Very, very nice WMF electro-plated with a glass liner.

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£320? £250?

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Oh, he's pitched it high.

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£200? £200?

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-100 I'm bid. £100. WMF.

-Come on.

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At 100, 120, 120, is there 40?

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At 120, 40 anywhere? At £120, I'll take 40 quickly.

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At 120...everybody done? We need 150, don't we? £120. Cheap bit of WMF.

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At 120, everybody done?

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At £120. Miss on that, I'm afraid, at 120.

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I'm so sorry, that's going home.

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Oh, dear. Never mind.

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My grandmother would be pleased.

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-Maybe it's meant to stay in the family.

-Maybe it is, yes.

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-Well, you've got kids. Maybe they're meant to have it.

-That's it, yeah.

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-Never mind.

-Look, we tried our best.

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He was calling for 140.

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He would've probably sold at 140, used a bit of discretion,

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but I'm pleased we protected it with a reserve

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-because it's worth more than that.

-It is, yeah. Never mind.

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Get on the phone to your mum.

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Actually, no, tell her when she comes back from Rome!

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Well, for now, it's staying in the family.

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Well, so far, so good, which brings us to our next lot, and it's been in the cupboard for about ten years.

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Can you guess what I'm talking about? Well, probably not

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because most of our lots have been kept in cupboards for ten years!

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It's the five-piece cruet set. Never, ever thought of using it?

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Well, I'm not really posh enough to have a silver cruet set with miniature teaspoons.

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You know, it's lovely but it's not something I would really use.

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No, it's got all the bells and whistles.

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-It's a showy piece.

-It is nice. It's a showy piece.

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Yeah, and you'd think it would worth an awful lot more than 80-120, but I guess nobody wants them.

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No, we don't eat the same as we used to, Paul.

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We now have much more informal dinner parties

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where we sit around the table with our friends, swigging wine...

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Champagne and oysters in Mark's house, isn't it?

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I wouldn't like to comment, but I do live near the sea!

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348, the cased, five-piece silver cruet set with spoons,

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Bristol-blue glass liners, Birmingham 1902.

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Rather nice, £100?

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100. 100 I'm bid. Thank you, sir.

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-Ooh, 100 bid.

-20 anywhere?

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At 100, 100 bid, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160...

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Oh, wow, this is brilliant.

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180, 190... 190 bid, out at the back also.

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This could be going to a local hotel or something, couldn't it?

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Anybody else coming in? At 190... 190, all done?

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What a surprise. There's us playing it down, saying no-one wants them!

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Well, there's a lot of grand houses here.

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There's a lot of posh, big Victorian houses.

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A lot of guest houses and a lot of hotels here, so that's the market for it.

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Maybe they'll get us round for dinner.

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That's more like it. We like to see people go home happy.

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When we return later, Mark recognises the telltale sign of a Flog It! devotee.

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I know it's silver cos it's got the little lion on.

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-That's right. You've been watching Flog It!

-Yes!

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Beautiful Gwydyr Castle. One of the finest Tudor houses in Wales.

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Nestling in the glorious vale of Conwy in the foothills of Snowdonia,

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it is a true delight, a fantastically romantic place.

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Just the sort of house that I absolutely love.

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A house like this just echoes of the past. The walls permeate history.

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You can't help yourself. You want to touch them and soak it all up.

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It was once a fortified house.

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The castle was the ancestral home of the powerful Wynn baronets,

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a significant family in North Wales throughout the Tudor and Stuart period.

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The house has evolved over the centuries, but it's full of character and charm and atmosphere -

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all the perfect ingredients for a fairy tale.

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This modern-day fairy tale started in 1994 when a young couple,

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Judy Corbett and Peter Welford, followed their dreams.

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Throwing caution to the wind, they bought Gwydyr with the money

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they raised from the sale of an inherited cottage and a bank loan.

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It was totally dilapidated at the time, a crumbling ruin with a wild, overgrown garden.

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With the help of the Welsh Historic Monuments Agency,

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they started what will probably end up being their lifetime's work - its restoration.

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A restoration project this size is a huge undertaking. In fact, it's a mammoth undertaking.

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But Peter and Judy are totally focused and committed.

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They love architecture, they love history, and with that combination, they've succeeded so far.

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It's a beautiful, beautiful castle.

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I'm going inside to catch up with Judy to find out all about it.

0:18:390:18:42

I've got to say, I'm full of admiration for you both. What was it like when you first came here?

0:18:460:18:52

Um, it was pretty derelict, yeah.

0:18:520:18:53

Roofless in parts, horses and chickens living in here...

0:18:530:18:56

-Really? In this particular room?

-Yes! It was really quite bad,

0:18:560:19:01

and obviously there was no plumbing or wiring to speak of.

0:19:010:19:05

There's one particular tale I know you haven't mentioned yet,

0:19:050:19:08

and that's how you did a bit of detective work on your dining room.

0:19:080:19:12

Yes, that's been a very interesting journey for us, really. It began just after we moved into the house.

0:19:120:19:19

A neighbour turned up with a sale catalogue... The sale of the contents of the castle from 1921.

0:19:190:19:26

Basically, it transpired that William Randolph Hearst,

0:19:260:19:31

who you'll know as Citizen Kane in the famous film, had bought two rooms at the sale here in 1921.

0:19:310:19:37

The rooms had been destined for San Simeon in California, the castle he was building for himself there.

0:19:370:19:42

We started doing some detective work and gradually traced the room

0:19:420:19:46

to the Metropolitan Museum in New York, and that is where we found it.

0:19:460:19:51

Was it on display or was it just in storage?

0:19:510:19:53

No, it was actually still in its packing crates from 1921.

0:19:530:19:57

-So he'd never done anything with it?

-Never done anything with it.

0:19:570:19:59

So were they pleased to sell it back to you, then?

0:19:590:20:01

Well, it took us two years to negotiate with them,

0:20:010:20:04

and we went over to New York to see the room, in fact, and went to this extraordinary warehouse.

0:20:040:20:09

There in the middle of it was our panelled room, and they literally

0:20:090:20:13

just gave us a hammer and chisel and said, "Go ahead and open the crate."

0:20:130:20:16

And the most astonishing thing was, when we started opening the crates and saw this amazing room,

0:20:160:20:21

it still smelled of Gwydyr after all those years, 75 years.

0:20:210:20:25

Oh, well, only you know what that smell is, really.

0:20:250:20:28

-Yeah, well, it moved us enormously just to have that piece of...

-Did you have a tear in your eye?

-I did.

0:20:280:20:33

-Can I have a look? Do you mind?

-Absolutely, yes. Follow me.

0:20:330:20:36

Gosh, here we are.

0:20:450:20:48

Wow! I love the carvings, I love the trailing ivy.

0:20:480:20:51

When was that carved? When was this made?

0:20:510:20:54

The panelling was made for this space in about 1640 for Sir Richard Wynn,

0:20:540:20:57

and then it's been embellished and played with a little bit over the centuries.

0:20:570:21:01

Was the leather panelling part of the package out of the crate as well?

0:21:010:21:04

Yes, when it came back from America, it was completely black.

0:21:040:21:07

We took advice from the V&A

0:21:070:21:09

and they said the best thing to clean it with is spit,

0:21:090:21:12

so we spent six months, I'm afraid,

0:21:120:21:14

and, a lot of spit later, it now shines.

0:21:140:21:17

But we both ended up with very bad sore throats at the end of it.

0:21:170:21:20

Oh, dear, I can't imagine you spitting at that.

0:21:200:21:22

-THEY LAUGH

-Spit and polish... I guess that's where the saying comes from.

0:21:220:21:26

-Exactly.

-What a wonderful tale.

0:21:260:21:28

Is there anything else you're looking out for?

0:21:280:21:31

Yes, we're now looking for a second missing room.

0:21:310:21:34

William Randolph Hearst bought two rooms from Gwydyr in the 1921 sale

0:21:340:21:37

and we're now looking for the oak parlour, which is also missing.

0:21:370:21:41

But sadly... We think it's in America somewhere but we just don't know.

0:21:410:21:45

-It had obviously got sold to a different owner.

-Yes.

0:21:450:21:48

It was disassociated from this room, which is the dining room, so yes.

0:21:480:21:51

-Fingers crossed.

-Indeed, yes.

-Let's hope it's not in some ranch house in Texas.

0:21:510:21:56

I know! That would be a disaster and a sadness for Gwydyr, but I hope we're able to get it back.

0:21:560:22:01

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

-Thank you for showing me around.

-My pleasure.

0:22:010:22:05

It's time to see what else our experts have discovered at Pritchard Jones Hall.

0:22:100:22:15

Mark's with Robert and Margaret, but what have they brought with them?

0:22:150:22:18

Shall we reveal... Put us out of our misery? Oops.

0:22:200:22:23

-Well, that's rather glitzy and glamorous, isn't it?

-Yes.

0:22:230:22:27

Now, do you comb your lovely white hair with this, Bob?

0:22:270:22:30

-Yes.

-Every day.

0:22:300:22:32

-100 strokes at night.

-Yes!

0:22:320:22:35

Where has it come from?

0:22:350:22:36

Originally from my grandparents.

0:22:360:22:38

-Right.

-And it's been in a cupboard ever since, more or less.

0:22:380:22:42

-You don't...?

-Well, I used to use it when I first had it, and then

0:22:420:22:45

it needed cleaning all the time, so it just went back in the cupboard, and that's where it's been...

0:22:450:22:50

It's really rather sad, isn't it, that we do these sort of things, but unfortunately it's one of

0:22:500:22:55

those antique items which really is just completely useless for modern-day living.

0:22:550:23:00

-Yeah.

-It's just not practical any more.

0:23:000:23:04

What we've got, of course, is a dressing-table set, and almost complete.

0:23:040:23:07

We've got the lovely mirror,

0:23:070:23:09

the two brushes, the two side brushes, even a little nail buffer.

0:23:090:23:13

We are missing a comb, which would have gone in the little slot

0:23:130:23:17

at the back there, and we might have had a little manicure set with it.

0:23:170:23:20

Tortoiseshell and silver, absolutely charming-looking item.

0:23:200:23:25

The only bits, really, of the set that are fairly commercial these days are the hand mirrors.

0:23:250:23:30

The rest of it, people just don't want, which is such a shame.

0:23:300:23:33

-Yeah.

-And if we take the mirror out, it's quite simply made.

0:23:330:23:36

This is sheet silver,

0:23:360:23:37

which has been made in a mould,

0:23:370:23:40

which is then wrapped round a filled centre.

0:23:400:23:42

People have rubbed it where they've handled it. And the glass is put in,

0:23:420:23:46

and the tortoiseshell backing was put in with the silver inlay already put in there.

0:23:460:23:50

And it's quite a nice, quite a weighty object, but that's not solid silver like you'd expect it to be.

0:23:500:23:56

It's really such a shame,

0:23:560:23:57

because you could imagine a rather grand family owning this.

0:23:570:24:01

Have you looked at the hallmarks?

0:24:010:24:03

I know it's silver, cos it's got the little lion on.

0:24:030:24:05

-That's right. You've been watching Flog It!, haven't you?

-Yes!

0:24:050:24:08

LAUGHTER

0:24:080:24:10

It has. It's got the lion for sterling silver.

0:24:100:24:12

It's also got a leopard's head for London and a date code

0:24:120:24:16

for 1922, 1923, so really... kind of an Art Deco period.

0:24:160:24:23

And when you look at it, you've got those very straight lines.

0:24:230:24:25

You've got the Edwardian shape but then these lines

0:24:250:24:28

of silver in the tortoiseshell which slightly raise it to Art Deco.

0:24:280:24:32

I love it, I have to say.

0:24:320:24:33

It's just the value.

0:24:330:24:35

To be honest, to be brutally frank with you,

0:24:350:24:38

if we're putting this into auction, we'd be looking at something like...

0:24:380:24:42

£80 or so. £60-£80, with a reserve obviously.

0:24:420:24:46

We'd put a reserve on it of £50. It might, you know...

0:24:460:24:50

Because of the combination of tortoiseshell and silver,

0:24:500:24:53

it might just do a bit better.

0:24:530:24:56

And you've had it for all these years. Are you not sad to see it go?

0:24:560:25:00

-Oh, yes, I'm sad to see it go.

-We're sad to see it go.

0:25:000:25:03

Yes, I am, but it's in the cupboard, we'll never use it, so...

0:25:030:25:08

-Time for somebody else to enjoy it.

-Mm.

0:25:080:25:10

Beautiful items, but Mark's right.

0:25:110:25:13

There may not be much of a call for them these days.

0:25:130:25:16

Adam's next, with Mike and Gwyneth, who have a remarkable tale.

0:25:190:25:23

Gwyneth, you look lovely with that hat.

0:25:230:25:26

-Oh, thank you very much.

-It's a very bonnie hat, isn't it?

-Too true, yes.

0:25:260:25:30

Down to business. You've brought this fascinating-looking weapon in.

0:25:300:25:34

It's clearly of some age, early 19th century by the look of it,

0:25:340:25:38

so we've got no issues with its legality.

0:25:380:25:41

-Where did you get it from?

-Well, in 1962, when we got married,

0:25:410:25:45

we moved to this house in Prestbury, Cheshire.

0:25:450:25:48

Oh, that's round the corner from me.

0:25:480:25:50

In those days, they had a septic tank in the garden, so we dug a hole

0:25:500:25:55

-to make a septic tank...

-Oh, right, yeah.

0:25:550:25:58

..and this virtually came out. Anyway, I just put it in a box,

0:25:580:26:03

-took it in the house and forgot about it for about five years.

-Yeah.

0:26:030:26:08

Then, five years later, I went up to Scarborough and I went to a customer

0:26:080:26:13

who was an engineer and also a gunsmith as well, and he kept it for a year.

0:26:130:26:17

-Yeah.

-I went back and said, "Have you done anything with the pieces of gun I brought?"

0:26:170:26:21

He said, "Yes, it's all done."

0:26:210:26:23

-How much did he charge you to put it together?

-Nothing.

0:26:230:26:25

Did he tell you about it at all?

0:26:250:26:28

He did mention something, but quite honestly it's such a long time ago...

0:26:280:26:31

-Did he say Spanish?

-I was just about to say, I think it might be Spanish.

0:26:310:26:35

It looks like a Spanish flintlock to me,

0:26:350:26:37

and this sort of decoration on the barrel

0:26:370:26:40

indicates that as well, I think, a little bit.

0:26:400:26:42

So I think early 19th century, probably Spanish,

0:26:420:26:45

walnut with brass fittings.

0:26:450:26:47

What it's going to make nowadays? It's quite a tricky one.

0:26:470:26:51

-Yes.

-Because it's had a few things happen to it,

0:26:510:26:54

had replacement parts, et cetera. I think if it was all original it'd be quite a valuable firearm.

0:26:540:26:58

-I think so.

-I think it would be probably £1,000, £1,500 worth.

0:26:580:27:04

As it is, though, I'd be tempted to go a lot lower. What do you think?

0:27:040:27:08

-150 quid?

-I was saying 150, plus.

-Yeah.

0:27:080:27:10

-You thought that, didn't you?

-Yeah.

0:27:100:27:13

I think that should probably be our reserve, shouldn't it?

0:27:130:27:15

Estimate £150-£250, and if it goes and makes a lot more, then I shall be embarrassed, won't I?

0:27:150:27:20

Well, I'll be very pleased.

0:27:200:27:23

-What would you do with the money?

-I would like to take my wife away somewhere nice and hot.

0:27:230:27:27

-He's romantic!

-Thanks very much for coming.

0:27:270:27:30

-I hope it goes with a bang.

-Yeah, cheers.

0:27:300:27:32

What an interesting story, and what a find!

0:27:320:27:36

With the current price of gold, it's no surprise

0:27:360:27:39

that Mark is interested in Arthur and Karen's gold watch and chain.

0:27:390:27:44

You've brought in a very typical item that we see quite a lot of on Flog It! What's the family history?

0:27:440:27:49

It belonged to a great uncle of mine

0:27:490:27:52

and he passed it down to my father, and my father passed it on to me.

0:27:520:27:56

-It's been in the family a while, then, Arthur.

-Yes, it has been.

0:27:560:28:00

But you don't wear it now, I suppose, do you?

0:28:000:28:03

No, I've stopped wearing waistcoats, you see, so...

0:28:030:28:06

-He used to look very handsome in it.

-Oh, did he?

0:28:060:28:08

-I bet. It's a bygone era, though, isn't it?

-Yes, it is!

0:28:080:28:11

There are three parts to this item.

0:28:110:28:13

You've got the pocket watch,

0:28:130:28:15

which is an open-faced watch, but it's not gold.

0:28:150:28:18

It's gold-plated, which is quite typical.

0:28:180:28:20

Most people had a retirement gift

0:28:200:28:23

and if you were a very expensive factory,

0:28:230:28:26

you got it in 18-carat gold, and if you weren't, you got it in gold-plated or even silver.

0:28:260:28:31

Then you've got this lovely chain, which we refer to as an Albert,

0:28:310:28:34

and then you've got the little sovereign hanging on it as well,

0:28:340:28:37

so there are two constituent parts.

0:28:370:28:40

You've had it for quite a long time. Why have you decided to sell it?

0:28:400:28:44

-Well, it's coming to...

-It just sits in the drawer, doesn't it?

0:28:440:28:47

Yeah, it does sit in the drawer now,

0:28:470:28:50

and I've no-one to hand it down to that's really interested in it.

0:28:500:28:54

-So get the money and spend it on something you want. What would you buy if you made a lot?

-I don't know.

0:28:540:28:59

-New golf clubs.

-Yes, yes, well, I'm sure he'd share it with you. But I don't know how much golf clubs cost,

0:28:590:29:04

you might be terribly disappointed, but I've been looking at values.

0:29:040:29:08

I have weighed this.

0:29:080:29:09

The chain itself weighs about 50g and it's about £6 a gram.

0:29:090:29:13

It's nine-carat gold.

0:29:130:29:16

So we're looking at a scrap value of around £300.

0:29:160:29:19

The sovereign of course is worth around £100 or so,

0:29:190:29:23

so as an auction estimate

0:29:230:29:25

I would put the little package in at £400-£600.

0:29:250:29:29

It could well do a bit more, because obviously that's the scrap weight,

0:29:290:29:32

and then, just to protect it, a reserve of 400.

0:29:320:29:35

If someone really wants it, it might get to the middle of the estimate.

0:29:350:29:38

-Would you be happy to sell it for that?

-Yes, I would.

0:29:380:29:41

-And do you golf as well?

-No, I garden.

-Well, I think I'm with you.

0:29:410:29:45

I can't see the point of it, can you?

0:29:450:29:48

Not really, no. But when you're getting on, you need the exercise.

0:29:480:29:51

Oh, tell me about it, tell me about it.

0:29:510:29:53

Now I'm getting old, I could afford an electric golf trolley now.

0:29:530:29:56

-MARK GASPS

-He's got it all planned out.

0:29:560:29:59

-He knows what he's going to do.

-Yes, definitely.

0:29:590:30:01

Well, that sounds like the money is already spent.

0:30:010:30:04

Before the sale, let's find out what auctioneer David Rogers-Jones makes of Mark's choice.

0:30:040:30:11

This is an absolute cracking lot. Mark did the valuation of this.

0:30:120:30:16

He's put £400-£600 on it.

0:30:160:30:18

Wonderful watch and also gold fob chain with a full sovereign.

0:30:180:30:22

-It should do that.

-It should. It's lovely quality.

0:30:220:30:26

We just felt, Paul, that the watch being rolled gold

0:30:260:30:30

pulled the whole thing down a little bit.

0:30:300:30:33

Had it been an 18-carat gold watch, fine, OK.

0:30:330:30:35

And because the sovereign and the chain...

0:30:350:30:38

it's got two swivels, it's got a T-bar.

0:30:380:30:41

-That has to be worth three to four.

-Yeah, and it stands on its own,

0:30:410:30:44

without the watch, so, rightly or wrongly, we split it.

0:30:440:30:47

No, I think you're right, actually, because somebody might have

0:30:470:30:50

a wonderful full-hunter or half-hunter and they might want that chain and fob.

0:30:500:30:55

We have customers just for Alberts, and very often they're not interested in the watch, so it should be OK.

0:30:550:31:00

OK, so you've divided them into two lots.

0:31:000:31:02

What are you putting on the fob and sovereign?

0:31:020:31:04

On the watch chain and fob and the sovereign, £350-£400.

0:31:040:31:10

-OK. Discretionary reserve of 350.

-Yeah, it's top-quality.

0:31:100:31:15

And I guess, on the watch, you're looking for around £40-£50.

0:31:150:31:18

Yes, £40-£50. It's just a rolled-gold watch, fairly standard, Paul, so, um...

0:31:180:31:23

But it still makes up the £400-£600, yes, so I think everyone's happy there, don't you?

0:31:230:31:27

There's just time for a second look at what our experts have picked out to take off to auction.

0:31:290:31:34

Mark was taken by the boxed silver and tortoiseshell dressing-table set.

0:31:340:31:38

Let's hope it gets the attention it deserves.

0:31:380:31:42

Adam spotted the pistol.

0:31:430:31:45

It's not only a nice item, it delivered an interesting tale, too.

0:31:450:31:50

Mark's final item was the gold watch and chain with sovereign attached.

0:31:500:31:53

With gold doing so well, there's no point in it just sitting in the drawer.

0:31:530:31:58

First up, an elegant reminder of a bygone era.

0:31:580:32:02

This next lot smacks of real quality.

0:32:050:32:07

It's a combination of tortoiseshell and silver, and it's a wonderful little vanity case.

0:32:070:32:11

-It belongs to Robert and Margaret. Is that right? I got the names right?

-Yes.

0:32:110:32:15

Now, this has been in the family a long time, hasn't it?

0:32:150:32:18

-It was your grandmother's, was it?

-Yes, my grandmother's.

0:32:180:32:20

Why are you selling it? It's not a lot of money.

0:32:200:32:22

£60-£80 is what we're looking for.

0:32:220:32:24

It's been in the cupboard, we're not using it.

0:32:240:32:27

Well, thank goodness in a way it's been kept in the cupboard.

0:32:270:32:29

That's its virtue cos it's complete and the condition is absolutely fabulous,

0:32:290:32:34

-and there's no fading to the tortoiseshell, is there?

-No.

0:32:340:32:37

There's no cracks, absolutely nothing.

0:32:370:32:38

I'd like to see what the collectors think because it is a collectible...

0:32:380:32:42

-It IS collectible?

-Yes, but they are a minority and I just hope they're here in this packed saleroom today.

0:32:420:32:48

Absolutely. They do go for the mirrors more than anything else.

0:32:480:32:51

-Yes.

-The brushes not so much, but the mirror's in good condition, which is a bonus.

0:32:510:32:55

Let's find out if they're here. It's going under the hammer right now.

0:32:550:32:58

The silver and tortoiseshell seven-piece dressing-table set,

0:33:000:33:04

London 1922.

0:33:040:33:06

You've even got the buffer still there. £80?

0:33:060:33:09

-£50? 40 I'm bid. 40.

-Come on.

0:33:100:33:13

50 anybody? At 40, 50. 50 bid.

0:33:130:33:16

That's good. That's a sensible start.

0:33:160:33:19

At 50 in the room, 60 anybody? 60, 70, 70 bid.

0:33:190:33:23

Well, we're getting there.

0:33:230:33:24

At 70. 70 bid, 75?

0:33:240:33:28

75, and again now.

0:33:280:33:30

75, one of you?

0:33:300:33:32

One more. Come on, get it up to 80.

0:33:320:33:34

£75. Everybody done?

0:33:340:33:36

At 75, online the bid.

0:33:360:33:38

Final call at 75...

0:33:380:33:41

-That was a good bid, the top end of the estimate.

-£75.

0:33:410:33:44

-Quite pleased with that.

-That's good, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-That'll help with the decluttering.

0:33:440:33:48

It's a meal out, isn't it? Let's face it.

0:33:480:33:50

-After commission and paying for the petrol to get here, but a bit of fun.

-A bit of fun.

0:33:500:33:55

OK, it's not a fortune, but I think they enjoyed themselves.

0:33:550:33:59

Next, Mike and Gwyneth's pistol, a find from their garden.

0:33:590:34:03

In the firing line right now, we've got Mike and Gwyneth with that early-19th-century pistol.

0:34:030:34:09

We've got a valuation of around £150.

0:34:090:34:11

Let's hope we get it. A great story involved here because you dragged this out of the ground, did you?

0:34:110:34:16

Well, no, we dug it out of the ground when we tried to make a septic tank.

0:34:160:34:20

-Great story, isn't it?

-Oh, yes.

0:34:200:34:21

-How did it end up there?

-Someone hid it there one day. I wonder why.

0:34:210:34:27

-Some highwayman or something.

-Yes. Yeah, hiding the evidence.

0:34:270:34:31

It's now down to the bidders here in North Wales to decide exactly what this one's worth. Let's find out.

0:34:310:34:37

The brass and mahogany Turkish pistol.

0:34:380:34:40

I normally view these with a bit of disdain,

0:34:400:34:43

but this is a very, very nice-quality one

0:34:430:34:45

and it's got lovely patina on it, both on the brass and on the wood.

0:34:450:34:49

Starts with me... Well, I'd like to start it at about 180.

0:34:490:34:52

150? 120 I'm bid. At 120. 120 bid.

0:34:520:34:55

120, 120,

0:34:550:34:57

140, 140, 140. Is there 60?

0:34:570:35:02

At 140, 160, 180, 180, 200.

0:35:020:35:06

-200 bid. 200 in the room.

-They like it.

0:35:060:35:09

-I'm liking it more.

-You're liking it!

0:35:090:35:12

Lovely quality, at £200.

0:35:120:35:14

Anybody else coming in? All done. On my right, the bid, seated.

0:35:140:35:18

£200 and going...

0:35:180:35:21

Well, that was a good day's work, wasn't it? £200 from out the ground.

0:35:210:35:25

Well done. Good digging!

0:35:250:35:26

Everyone's happy with that.

0:35:280:35:30

I think David, our auctioneer, may have done the right thing

0:35:300:35:33

splitting the gold watch from the chain and sovereign.

0:35:330:35:36

We'll find out now.

0:35:360:35:38

Arthur and Karen, it's good to see you.

0:35:400:35:42

We're here just in time because your lot is about to go under the hammer.

0:35:420:35:45

-The auctioneer has decided to split the watch from the gold fob chain with the sovereign.

-Yes.

0:35:450:35:49

Which he says is a good idea because not many people would want the watch,

0:35:490:35:54

and it puts the value up of the fob and chain,

0:35:540:35:57

so we're going to find out. First to go is the watch.

0:35:570:36:00

This is nervy. It really is nervy, cos we're starting with the one with the least value.

0:36:000:36:04

It would be really nice to start with the fob and the sovereign,

0:36:040:36:07

-then think, "Yes, we've got 500 quid or something."

-Well, you know...

0:36:070:36:10

-Then anything's a bonus.

-Things can only get better, Paul, after this.

0:36:100:36:13

-I think there's a song there.

-I think there is.

0:36:130:36:16

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

0:36:170:36:21

The Dennison Star rolled-gold pocket watch with a white enamel dial.

0:36:210:36:25

Bid me 50?

0:36:250:36:27

25 I'm bid. 30, anybody?

0:36:270:36:30

At 25, 30, 30 bid. Five I'll take.

0:36:300:36:33

At £30 only... Five, 35, 35 online.

0:36:330:36:36

-Come on, come on.

-I'll take 40. £35. 40 if you like. Everybody done?

0:36:360:36:41

-Oh, Arthur.

-Before it goes at 35...

0:36:410:36:45

It's gone at 35.

0:36:450:36:47

That's kind of what we imagined.

0:36:470:36:49

Yeah, I think I would've left it with a mixed lot and just be done with it and let someone sort it out.

0:36:490:36:53

-We thought more 25, so it's better than that.

-Well, at least we're not disappointed, OK?

0:36:530:36:59

Next to go under the hammer, we've got that wonderful fob with the sovereign.

0:36:590:37:03

We're looking for around £400 for that, which would be really nice.

0:37:030:37:06

It's going under the hammer now.

0:37:060:37:08

This is a lovely parcel,

0:37:090:37:11

so we've ended up with a gold sovereign, 1912 in a mount,

0:37:110:37:15

nine-carat gold graduated double Albert,

0:37:150:37:19

two swivels, T-bar, and the total - 60g.

0:37:190:37:23

-The suspense!

-I've got two identical bids on the book...

0:37:230:37:26

-What's he going in with?

-..of...wait for it...

0:37:260:37:28

£510.

0:37:280:37:30

-Start at 510.

-£510!

0:37:300:37:33

510 I'm bid. At 510...

0:37:330:37:36

-The panic's over.

-It can be 20, but that's what it's got to be.

0:37:360:37:40

At 510, if there's no advance on that, then it has to go at 510,

0:37:400:37:44

and the rule is it's the first bid lodged in the saleroom.

0:37:440:37:49

Any advance before it goes at 510?

0:37:490:37:52

It's sold. Yes!

0:37:540:37:56

510, plus the original 35,

0:37:560:38:00

so that's really good, isn't it?

0:38:000:38:03

Gives us £545. Got to be happy with that.

0:38:030:38:06

Thank you for bringing that in, and you were right all along, Mark.

0:38:060:38:09

Well, it was great. Well done.

0:38:090:38:11

I'm really pleased for you, actually. I'm delighted.

0:38:110:38:14

What a lovely end to a wonderful week here we've had in North Wales.

0:38:140:38:17

I hope you've enjoyed the show.

0:38:170:38:19

There's plenty more surprises to come on Flog It!

0:38:190:38:21

because, as you've just seen, it's not an exact science.

0:38:210:38:24

Anything can happen in an auction. See you next time.

0:38:240:38:27

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