Lissanoure Castle Flog It!

We've flown across the Irish Sea to Ballymoney

in the heart of Northern Ireland.

And what a magnificent, beautiful setting we have for today's Flog It!

Lissanoure Castle dates back to the 14th century.

It was largely destroyed in 1847 when unused caskets of gunpowder

were accidentally ignited.

And this Tudor archway is one of the survivors of that huge explosion.

But it's out in the barn in the grounds of the castle today

that scores of people have turned up laden with bags and boxes

full of antiques and treasures to be valued by our team

of experts and hopefully sold off to the highest bidder at auction.

Joining us today is expert Will Axon

who likes handling the goods, especially when it's a handful of gold.

What have we got... They're going to be of interest to someone.

Catherine Southon has had an eye for antiques since she was a child

and when she finds something, she just can't let it go.

You can't sell that!

And coming up, we take a trip down memory lane.

'I've got my eye on the ball.' Oh, missed it completely!

Will is in touch with his animal side.

Tigers attacking elephants.

And Catherine gets flirty.

Put my number in your phone, give me a call!

Well, I'm bally well done in after that.

Everybody is safely seated inside and somebody here in this massive crowd -

and 400 or 500 people have already turned up first thing this morning -

somebody is going to go home with an awful lot of money.

It could be you, it could be you, it could be this chap here.

Who knows? But keep watching and you'll find out,

and it looks like Catherine Southon is our first expert to the tables.

Let's take a closer look at what she's spotted.

It's Heather's vase that's up first.

Heather, I do love Charlotte Rhead, I do actually collect

Charlotte Rhead myself. Are you a collector of Charlotte Rhead?

No, not personally, but I think it's rather nice.

So where did you get this vase from?

I bought it in Scotland last week just.

-Last week?

-Yes, last week, yes.

Right, OK. So did you buy it at a fair?

I bought it in an antiques centre.

Right, OK. Can I ask how much you paid for it?

-30.

-£30?

-Yes.

OK. Well, let's just have a look at it because it screams out

Charlotte Rhead, it's got all the characteristics we know and love.

The yellow and oranges of the 1930s and then obviously the tube lining

here which I always think looks a bit like an icing bag,

-when you're doing your icing.

-I appreciate that.

Looks as if it has been squeezed out of the bag.

What I think is quite unusual is that it's not a smooth piece,

-it's very bumpy.

-Yes, that's what caught my eye.

It's got that sort of textured look about it.

-But the rest of it is all quite standard Charlotte Rhead.

-Yes.

Now, let's just turn it over here.

And we can see the signature there of Rhead,

C Rhead. And obviously she was the designer for the factory.

-Yes.

-The Crown Ducal factory.

Now you say you paid £30 for it.

Yes, I was surprised when he said 30, and I said, "Yes, that's fine."

-So do you actually buy to sell?

-Well, I do for charity fairs mainly

and I just love the buzz of buying and selling

-and it keeps the grey matter active.

-I think that's wonderful.

-Now, you certainly will make a bit of a profit on this.

-I'm hoping to!

I'd like to see this vase really make between £60-80 at auction.

-Yes, that's fine.

-It should make £80,

but I think let's keep it at £60-80 with a £60 reserve.

-Does that sound good?

-Yes, that's fine for me.

-So this particular item you bought in Scotland last week?

-Yes, yes.

That's amazing. This must be one of the quickest items you've had.

-It definitely is!

-So you've had it in your possession about four days.

I came back on Sunday night and this is now Wednesday.

-So three days and then it's off.

-Three days!

-Well, I hope we do you justice at the auction.

-I hope so.

-It's a wonderful story and thank you so much for coming along, Heather. Thank you.

-OK.

Things are moving along nicely here today.

As you can see, it really is in full flow.

It looks a bit chaotic but believe me, everybody knows

what they're doing, and this I have to show you

because it's the first piece of Irish silver I've come across today.

It's a wonderful Georgian ladle.

Instantly you can tell it's Irish or Scottish because the handle is a lot

longer than the English ones, but there's some nice weight there.

It's a good time to sell silver

because everybody is investing in it now.

But if I show you here, the owner has put some

Sellotape on the back of the assay marks because she's frightened of

cleaning them too much when she's cleaning the rest of the ladle.

If this was English, a ladle like that dating from around

the early 1800s would realise in auction around about £100-120 tops.

But because it's Irish and it's from Dublin, this ladle is worth £300.

I think she'll be pleased with that.

From a dainty piece of silver to Sharon's mighty bronze.

I hope you haven't had to lug this here on your own - there's quite a weight in this.

-Have you got a big, strong man helping you?

-I did bring him along.

-Excellent, he's hiding off camera, is he?

-Yes.

Keeping under wraps?

Well, it's an impressive bronze you've brought along today.

-What can you tell me about it?

-My parents had it in their hall since

I was a child, it always just sat in the hallway.

-Yes.

-Nobody ever talked about it.

-Really?

-And then I inherited it about 10 years ago.

Well, I really like it.

When I saw it across the room, it really caught my attention.

It's beautifully modelled. That's one of the key things with bronzes,

how crisp and detailed it is.

The bull's face here and the detail in his skin and this Japanese man,

because that's what it is, a Japanese bronze.

We can tell that by this figure

who's very much similar to the kind of figures we see carved in ivory,

-okimonos and that sort of thing.

-OK.

-This is going to date

from around late 19th century.

Early Chinese and Japanese bronzes, they were ceremonial pieces,

tigers attacking elephants, that sort of quite, shall we say,

macho bronzes that a lot of people aren't that keen on.

This obviously doesn't have any ritualistic connotations to it.

The whole fashion started to change with the rise of Buddhism

when more naturalistic themes started to come into their thinking.

Sort of farmers, rural workers, fishermen, the same applies

-to the ivory carvings that we get from Japan as well.

-Yes.

So you remember it from your childhood,

you've no inclination to hold on to it, really?

Well, I've tried to...

grow to like it, I've put it in my hall a few times, let it sit there and then I put it back in the garage

-and it's been in the garage for ten years.

-In the garage?!

Oh, that's terrible, we hear that all the time on Flog It!

-Oh, dear!

-If it's not in the wardrobe, it's under the stairs or in the garage.

I'm glad it's seen the light of day today

and I think we could do well with this at auction.

Did your parents ever let on what they thought it was worth,

or have you seen similar items?

-No, I didn't even know it was bronze, to be honest.

-OK.

Bronze has got a scrap value as well, let alone what it's going

to be worth for its artistic merit.

But I wouldn't be surprised if we could put this in the sale room

-at around £400-600.

-OK.

Is it something that you think would sit well with you and perhaps

your sons who might stand to perhaps get a cut themselves?

I'm sure they'd be happy enough!

Yes, I'm sure they are, they'll be watching now saying, "Go on, Mum!"

But I'll be there with you on the day to hopefully see it sold. Thanks for coming, Sharon.

This is the bit I love at valuation days, dipping in and out

of the queue before the experts see all the little treasures.

I'm sitting next to Helen who's got a bit of tissue paper.

What are you going to reveal there?

Oh, look at that.

What's that going to do?

HE LAUGHS

And now it's Brian and Ellen who have brought in some of the family silver.

Thank you very much for coming

and bringing along this lovely piece of Victoriana.

From first glimpse we could think it might be a little Victoria handbag.

But if we just open it up here...

..we can see...

that it's probably a little food warmer of some description.

So perhaps used to put your water.

I don't think you'd have put candles underneath because

it's probably a little bit dangerous because of this barrel shape here,

so perhaps put your hot water

and then you'd have put something on the top here to heat it up.

-Now, tell me a bit about it, where did you get this from?

-Well, my mother left it to me.

It was her grandfather's.

-Right.

-Yep.

-So it's been handed down through the family?

-It has, yes.

-Now, if we look on the front here, it does say,

there's a little inscription here. It says, "Presented to..."

I'm just trying to make that out.

N Luke Esquire, by the peoples of the Metropolitan

-School of Art in Dublin.

-Yes.

-Your grandfather was actually given this as a...

-Retirement present.

-As a retirement present?

-He taught art in this college.

And are you an artist yourself?

-He dabbles.

-I do a bit.

-Oh, he dabbles? Oh, very nice.

It says it's

a token of their esteem and affection.

And that's May 1879, so right at the height of Victoriana.

That works perfectly with all this lovely decoration here.

The Victorians liked to go over the top really, didn't they? But this,

I love, it's really beautiful.

Now have you actually ever used this as a warmer?

-No, no.

-I was sort of afraid

to do anything with it in case it wasn't the right thing.

I thought at first of just putting muffins or something to warm

them but then I was afraid of that.

I mean, I really think that's probably what you used to do,

put little muffins or something like that on the top.

I have to say it's been beautifully made.

It's not silver. Had it been solid silver,

we'd be talking about something very special.

If you turn it over here,

you can see there the registration mark which is actually 1876.

-Have you ever had it valued before?

-Yes, about 1960 something.

I got it an insurance appraisal of £10.

£10? I'll give you £10 for it now, I'll give you 15!

I'd like to say probably £100-150.

-Terrific.

-Let's hope it makes more than that.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you very much.

Thank you so much for coming along and I'll see you at the auction.

This is Ballymoney and this is Margaret I've just met in the crowd who's my new best friend.

Go on, take it away, why are there so many Ballys around here?

Well, if Ballywalter hadn't been so Ballymena with his Ballymoney,

he could have bought a Ballycastle for his Ballyholme.

Well, I'm bally-well done in after that.

Next up, it's aspiring collector Danielle.

You're somewhat below the demographic age

that we usually see on this programme which I'm

pleased about, I'm glad to see a younger generation coming through.

And you've brought what I'd call a piece of sort of almost

folk art, I suppose, that sort of, well, let's call it what it is,

a chessboard/draughts board, isn't it? What can you tell me about this?

Are you a chess grandmaster, is this what you practise on?

Me and my brother, it was actually just a phase of playing

chess and draughts at the time

and me and my dad would be a regular goer to car boot sales.

I spotted this and I said it was nice and I asked how much it was,

and the lady told me it was £2.

But I had a pound in my pocket so I said would you take a pound?

And she said yes, take it with you. So I was quite happy and me and my brother played on it for a while.

-So you actually used it?

-Yeah, for a while.

And you got her down to a pound from two, that's good work,

good haggling, I like your style.

I don't think it's going to be hugely valuable before we get too

excited but I just like its honesty and its simplicity, shall we say.

I say simplicity, it's actually quite

sophisticated marbling on here.

-Yeah.

-You've got this border around the outside with these

wonderful shamrocks.

Sort of ribbon-tied shamrocks, very apt being here in Northern Ireland.

And in the corners we've just got

these compass-type stars, aren't they?

That sort of feel and all hand-painted remember,

-this is all hand-painted.

-Yes.

You've got these double lines,

this red line bordered in yellow and then you've got this

marbled effect in the squares to denote the black and white squares.

How old do you think it is, have you any idea?

-Maybe ten, 20 years.

-Ten or 20 years?

-Yep.

-So what are we talking,

80s or 90s, I think it's a bit older than that to be honest.

I'm going to say it's definitely 19th century so we're talking 1800.

-Yeah.

-So you liked it,

you've used it, you didn't pay a lot for it, so why are you selling it?

Daddy said just take it to the

-antiques today to see what it's worth.

-Did he?

-Yeah.

Daddy said! So I've already told you

more or less that it's not going to be worth a fortune.

-That's fine.

-But I think as someone

who likes it and would probably have a go at it if I saw it in a

sale room, I'd be prepared to pay between 30, 40 maybe £50 for it.

So how does that sound as a return on your pound purchase?

That sounds fantastic.

Well, some fabulous items there.

Even the dog's giving them the nod of approval. We're halfway through our day which means

it's time for our first visit to the auction room. You've heard what our experts have said,

you've probably got your own opinions. I think there could be a real surprise there.

Let's get over to the sale room and find out what the bidders think.

Today, we're at McAfee's auctioneers.

Good luck! Hopefully you're going to be bidding on some of our items,

well, I hope so.

It's a jam-packed sale room here in Ballycastle.

Someone today is going home with a lot of money, but do you know what?

Auctions are so unpredictable.

It can be a roller-coaster for everybody.

Someone may be going home very disappointed.

I'm going to catch up with our owners and we'll leave you

with a quick run-down of the items going under the hammer.

We have Heather's textured Charlotte Rhead vase.

Eagle-eyed Danielle's bargain chessboard.

Brian and Ellen's silver-plated food warmer

and Sharon's Japanese bronze bull.

Jerry McAfee is on the rostrum.

Let's hope it's checkmate in one.

You know what I'm talking about. I've been joined by Danielle,

we're talking about that lovely

chess board, we've got £30 to £50 on this and you got this for just £1.

Yes, at the car boot sale.

At the car-boot sale. Have you been back since?

-What?

-Have you been back since?

-Yes.

-Any other bargains?

-We've got a few teapots and a few books and stuff.

The good thing is, you've been playing chess as well.

-Yes, and draughts.

-And beating her brother. Do you play chess?

Yes, I used to play a lot with my father and my grandfather was good.

It was nice to see someone that's, you know, keeping the tradition

going because I imagine it's a game that's dying out.

I tell you what, this is a lovely, unique piece.

You could say it's a bit of folk art -

a bit of Irish folk art. It's beautifully painted.

You could put any sort of chess figure on this.

Why do you want to sell it? Are you trading upwards, going to put the money towards something else?

Yes, I'm just looking, because like it's worth so much compared to what

I bought it for, I just think it's worth more money and sell it.

-OK and buy other things?

-Yes.

That's the spirit. Always trade on and trade upwards. Right now, we're

trading this one in and it's going right under the hammer, good luck.

We have a wooden chess board, a very nice early wooden chess board

being held up at the back of the room.

What will I get for the wooden chessboard, £40. 30?

-10 bid, wooden chess board at £10.

-That sounds cheap.

-We're in profit.

16, 18. £20.

We like it, they like it, Danielle.

25 here, £25.

Good value at £25. This chessboard at £25. I'm selling it.

If we're all finished now at £25?

The bid's here at £25. Last call, selling it at £25.

The hammer's gone down.

-£25, that's a good result.

-Yes.

You paid £1 for that.

Don't forget, there is commission to pay. Anyway,

that's good for you, because you can go off spending it

and trade upwards. What's on your shopping list?

Anything that's anything, to make money.

We've got the makings here of a real dealer, haven't we?

-It's great, good to see.

-Maybe Danielle will even

be one of our future experts.

Next, it's Brian and Ellen's pretty silver-plated food warmer.

Brian and Ellen, it's great to see you. Love the American accent.

-Come on, give us a bit.

-Howdy, y'all.

How long have you been in Ireland?

I've been here for 21 years.

Wow. And you were working here,

-you were obviously working across the road, that's how you met?

-Yes.

That was a good day, wasn't it?

-Yes, it was.

-How many years ago was that?

-That was 17 years ago.

-17.

-My car had broken down and he helped me.

-He fixed it.

-Ah, that's love, isn't it?

-Love at first sight.

Good luck, good luck.

I agree with the value anyway.

Well it's a piece of Victoriana, isn't it? A high Victoriana.

-Very dressy.

-It is, really dressy

and I think it's quite good quality, it should do top end.

It's got the look, it's got the look. Let's find out what the

bidders think. It's going under the hammer right now. Here we go.

A fine silver-plated food warmer,

a biscuit box, circa 1870, a lovely piece of early silver plate

and I can start it off with an internet bid of £70.

£70, bid at £70. With me at 80.

85. £90.

95, £100.

-Keep going.

-Bid at £100.

£100. £100 for the food warmer, £100. 105.

110. 110, at 110.

115. At 115.

The bid's in the room at £115.

I'm selling at £115...

It's gone. £115.

-Happy?

-Yes.

-Happy? Good.

Maybe you can treat yourself for a nice meal out,

the two of you together.

-A romantic supper.

-Yes.

-Yes? OK.

Another meal, care of Flog It!

It's good to be of service.

Next up, there's some more meat on the menu.

We've got some real quality going under the hammer right

now, it's the Japanese bull bronze.

We have that, unfortunately Sharon, the owner, can't be with us tonight,

but we do have Will, our expert.

£400 to £600, a lot of money...

It's got to be worth it, hasn't it?

I think so, yes. Got a packed saleroom, let's find out

right now what the bidders think. Here we go, this is it.

The large Japanese bronze of a bull and herdsman, nicely carved,

a very fine bronze here. A lovely carved base, very, very nice piece.

Start at £300.

£300, bid at £300. 320.

340.

360. 380. Big bronze now at 380.

£400. The bronze now at £400.

This big bronze at 420 on the phone.

-We need somebody in the room now.

-£420.

The bid's on the phone at 420. 440.

It's like a Jack Russell wrestling with an old sock, won't let go.

-I was thinking that.

-In the room at 440 and selling at £440.

It's gone down. 440, that's good.

-I think we need to get on the phone and tell Sharon.

-Yes.

-Within estimate anyway, so she's going to be really happy.

-I hope so.

If you've got anything like that, we would love to see it.

Bring it along to one of our valuation days.

You can log on to bbc.co.uk/flogit.

Go to the links and hopefully

we'll be coming to a town very near you soon.

Aspiring collector Heather followed this advice and now

her vase is going under the hammer.

Heather, I love the vase as well.

The thrill of buying and selling is good, isn't it?

The hunt, the search.

I've just been joined by Heather, we're putting the Charlotte Rhead

-vase under the hammer, which came all the way from Scotland.

-Yes, it did. Perthshire.

Are we going to make a big profit?

-We should do.

-We should do.

It screams Charlotte Rhead though, doesn't it?

It's got the colours, the pattern

and that tube lining, it's a nice thing.

It's the only piece like that here today.

-Yes. A good sought after name.

-Yes.

Great name. That's going to get it away, isn't it?

-I hope so.

-So do I.

We're going to find out what the bidders think right now,

because this is your lot.

The Charlotte Rhead crowned vase.

Lovely quality, lovely colours.

Somebody give me £100.

£100 for the Charlotte Rhead vase £100?

-Go on, Gerry.

-Start it at £50.

£50...

-Fingers crossed.

-55, bid. 55, £60.

Vase at £60.

Another five anywhere, at £60?

A bit more!

I'm going to sell it then, the crown vase at £60.

-Just on its reserve.

-Low estimate.

-It's gone.

-That's OK.

-Happy?

-It only cost me £30.

It only cost you £30, that's a good result.

Doubled your money, didn't you?

That's what it's all about, profit, profit, profit.

Well, so far, so good. That concludes our first visit to

the sale room today. We are coming back here later on in the programme,

so fingers crossed there's going to be one or two big surprises.

The Irish are very passionate about keeping their traditions alive.

# Where we sported and played... #

And this can be found in music

and dance and one very unique sporting event.

The All Ireland Finals are national occasions, arousing such

passions, becoming an obsession,

overwhelming every other aspect of life for weeks before.

The team sport of hurling is one of

the fastest field games in the world.

It's frenetic, it's energetic

but much importantly, it's born of Irish tradition.

The men of the county hurling team prepare for the all-Ireland

hurling final.

Hurling is an ancient sport.

It came to Ireland with the Celts.

For the past two millennia,

the Irish have celebrated its legendary status.

It's in their blood.

So what's involved in the game? Well, two teams of up to 15 players

try to get a ball between two sets of extended goal posts.

They get one point for doing that and three points for getting it in

the back of the net past a goalkeeper.

More recently during the Troubles, hurling has become

even more important.

By uniting communities, it's helped to heal the divide

in Northern Ireland.

But on the pitch, things have been known to get a little out of hand.

It's tremendously exciting but what's caught my eye

is the attention to detail in making this very simple piece of equipment.

Michael Scullion runs a hurl-making business from his backyard.

That's how it starts. You can see it taking shape now.

I can show you in the workshop.

Sure, OK.

How many do you make a year?

We'd make between 8 and 10,000 of all sizes.

-Gosh, that's a lot, isn't it?

-It is.

That is a lot.

Ash wood is used for its flexibility and strength.

Michael customises the hurls for each player's needs.

You've made this so quickly.

You've turned it almost into a piece of sculpture.

It feels so perfect.

It really does.

There's great balance there.

That's what you're looking for.

I'm very impressed with that. I really am.

If you've got a quality tool, surely you're halfway there.

Maybe not. I think I might need an expert to show me how.

One more.

You could dribble with it like this.

And then as soon as you've got it up...

When you've got it up, you're allowed

to take four steps with the ball in your hand.

So, I'll try and get away from you.

I can set it on there and when that ball's...

-Free like that you can try and tap it away.

-I see.

The ball's coming in and we're trying to...

-Do people get hurt in this?

-Yes.

Hurling is fast, furious and above all, fun.

For the Irish, it's more than a sport.

And it's vital this tradition is kept alive

and handed down to future generations.

'At all the pubs and the roads, there were celebrations.

'At every one they sang the same song - The Banks of Lee.'

At Lissanoure Castle, there's a buzz in the air.

All these people have come here to ask that all-important question...

What's it worth?!

And what are you going to do when you find out?

Flog it!

And that's what Joan is hoping to do with her pottery.

Can you remember how much you paid?

Well, I know it wasn't any more than £2 each.

I tell you what, can I come with you next time?

You certainly can because it would be great to have the expert.

For £2 each, I think you did pretty well.

Do you know anything about these at all?

No, only what I found out from you watching your programmes.

When I bought them, I didn't know at all.

So, you didn't know they were Moorcroft.

-No.

-They're quite clearly Moorcroft.

They have that distinctive look that we know and love from Moorcroft.

They're quite late in date, probably 1930s.

This one, the brown and this sort of coral or orangey flower,

the pattern is known as hibiscus.

This is probably like a little bon bon dish, something like that.

I don't like this one so much.

The colour isn't so commercial and also the shape

whereas this one, you could nicely display this in your home

and the colour is more commercial, it'll be more collectible.

The pattern on this one is called clematis.

This dark, very dark blue.

It's quite dusty. It could do with a clean.

Value-wise, this one,

we'd be looking at £40-£60.

This one would be about 80, £80 to £100.

-How does that sound?

-That's lovely.

On £2, pretty good going.

-A good return.

-Not bad at all.

Why do you want to sell them?

Well, I have grandchildren

and I'm scared they'll get toppled over and they'll be worth nothing.

This way, if I sell them now, I can have a holiday to Blackpool.

I love going to Blackpool.

I have to say it's a good return on £2 each.

-Very much so.

-Very good. Next time I'm coming with you

so put my number in your phone and give me a call and we'll be there together.

But you've made everybody so wise now to it, we're not getting bargains!

Time for some fresh air.

Cherry and Hector have brought along a family heirloom.

Our experts are working flat out inside the castle,

but I've decided to do this one outside.

It's drizzling, but this castle dates back to the 14th century

and I'm sure it's seen a lot worse.

-We didn't mind a bit of drizzle, do we?

-We call it mizzle.

-Why do you call it mizzle?

-I don't know!

-Do you really?

-It's mizzling.

Hopefully, it'll clear up a bit anyway. But we don't mind.

It's not dampening our spirits.

We know what this is.

Do you know what this is?

-Not really.

-If I spin that round...

Have another think.

OK, it's an ornament of some sort.

It does on a desk.

-Ink well?

-Yes, look.

That's where the glass liner should be.

Sadly it's missing. But that doesn't matter really

because hundreds of those have survived.

Not many of these have. I'm sure we can find a replacement for that.

So, tell me how did you come by this?

Well, I think it came back from India with one or other of two great-uncles of mine

who worked there in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Were they in the forces?

They both worked for the railways in India

-although one was a volunteer in the armed forces with the railway.

-OK.

It probably did come back from India but it found its way out to India.

This was made in England.

It is unfortunately the down side - it's only silver plate.

It's electro-plated on a Britannia metal.

Queen Victoria was made Princess of India and there was this sort of

zest for anything that had the Raj influence.

I think an officer and gentleman serving in the army

took this out on campaign with all of his wonderful mahogany camping furniture.

He'd have stuck that ink well on it

and that would have reminded him of home, and also of where he was -

it's an Indian elephant because it's got small ears

and a wonderful ceremonial headdress as well. It's a very good casting.

I like this matt groundwork because that gives the texture

of the elephant's skin which is thick and undulating and hairy.

I think if you put this into auction,

we'd give a valuation of £120 to £150. It should do around 150-180.

-Well done.

-I like it a lot.

That's delightful.

-Something you'd like to own?

-Yes.

Come along to the auction, you never know! You could be the owner!

-That's right.

-See you there.

There's just time for one more and it's Frank's carriage clock.

Frank, welcome to Flog It! And you've brought a four glass mantel clock.

Is this something you've bought for yourself or a family piece?

When my mother was a young girl, she was a servant.

-She was in service? In the big house on the hill.

-That's right.

-And this was gifted to her?

-It was.

A very nice gift. We hear that a lot in this business.

Let's have another look at the clock itself.

Called four glass for obvious reasons - glass on each side.

Nice clean dial with the winding hole and another winding hole.

I've looked at the movement. It's stamped France -

they're fairly standard movements.

They were produced in large numbers and were imported into this country.

It strikes on a gong rather than a bell.

Not the most popular striking mechanism, the gong.

People tend to like the bells because it suggests they're earlier as clocks.

But the bit I like is the mercury pendulum.

We want clocks to be accurate.

You don't want a clock losing a minute every hour because then you don't know what time it is.

Heat expansions of the pendulums used to affect the distance of the arc, the tick.

That in turn would cause it to lose time or gain time. The pendulum that was filled with mercury

would compensate for that temperature change and therefore, in theory, it would keep better time.

-Have you any idea what it might be worth?

-No idea.

-No idea at all.

If I said it was worth £100 or so, would that be a figure you'd be happy with?

Well, to be quite honest, I thought it might have been worth more.

Well, with clocks, the buyers and collectors are really after named makers, that's what they want.

This is going to be too sort of industrial for them,

a mass-produced example of the four glass mantel clock.

I know you want it to be worth more. I'D like it to be worth more.

The auctioneer would like it to be worth more.

Let's fix the reserve at £100.

Will you let me run with this one?

It doesn't stop it making more, remember, at an auction.

Put a reserve of 125 on.

125. That's going to look a bit...

Let's go 120.

You've seen the name of the programme. It's Flog It!

-OK, right.

-120.

-120.

We'll fix it at 120. It'll go and make £400 now, won't it?!

It's time to leave Lissanoure Castle.

We're making our way to the auction room and leaving you

with a quick recap of all the items.

Catherine was amazed by Joan's £2 Moorcroft finds.

Frank's clock ticks all the boxes

and Cherry and Hector are selling their exotic inkwell.

We're back at McAfee's in Ballycastle.

Frank and Will disagreed about his clock's value.

What will auctioneer, Gerry, think?

We've got a valuation of £120-£150 on this.

It should certainly make 120. It's a nice clock in working order.

-The case is a wee bit plain.

-It's very, very...

Which will appeal to some people and not to others but it should certainly get away at the low estimate of 120.

That's good, that's really good.

We need two people to fall in love with it and bid against each other.

-That's what auctions are all about.

-Getting the numbers up.

It's time to see if the bidders are here because it's going under the hammer right now.

Good luck, good luck. The tension's building.

I think it's about time we found out what Frank's clock is worth. It's been in the family a long time.

It was brought in to my house and my grandchildren didn't like it striking.

-Oh, they didn't? Oh, dear. I love that sound.

-Yeah, nice.

Good luck. Good luck. Let's find out what the bidders think. This is it.

A very nice French brass carriage clock, folks, you all viewed it.

Very, very good working order.

Nice, clean brass case, here. A French brass carriage clock.

Somebody give me a couple of hundred for it?

A couple of hundred for the brass carriage clock?

A couple of hundred? 180? £100, start me at £100.

The brass carriage clock, 110.

At 110 beside me, 110.

120. 130. 140.

150. 160. 170. 180...

This is good. We like it.

The gent stood there at £190.

Nice carriage clock now at 190.

And I'm selling to the gent stood at £190.

-Yes! Hammer's gone down - £190. Good result. Happy?

-Yes.

What are you going to spend your money on, Frank? Your wife?

The wife will have to get some of it.

-OK.

-And I'll get some of it.

And a digital clock for the grandchildren! No chiming.

Sold over the estimate, and Frank and family can divvy up the cash. Will Hector and Cherry be as lucky?

If you've got a good memory - one like an elephant -

you will remember this next lot belonging to Hector and Cherry - that wonderful elephant inkwell.

What a charming little thing.

It would grace any gentleman's desk.

So, what have you been up to since we last saw you? Anything?

-A bit of gardening?

-Enjoying the good weather.

-Enjoying the good weather.

-It has been beautiful.

-Have you seen the inkwell here?

-Yes.

-Yes, up at the top there. It looks well.

-It does look well.

-So, hopefully, we're going to sell it.

-Hopefully.

-If we don't, it will go home and you won't mind.

-We will welcome it home.

I bet you will, because it's a lovely thing.

It's going under the hammer right now.

Very unusual silver-plated inkwell in the form of an elephant.

Nice bit of early, silver-plated inkwell in the form of an elephant.

Couple of hundred pounds for it? 180? 50?

Start me at £50.

The silver inkwell now at £50. £50 bid now, at 50. 60 bid. 70 bid.

-Looks fabulous, doesn't it?

-It looks better...

It's surely worth more. The inkwell now, at only £80.

85? 85 bid.

£90, the inkwell now at 90. At 90, what about £90?

Hoping for more now, at £90.

This silver-plated inkwell in the form of an elephant only making £90.

Sorry, we're going to have to leave this now, folks, at £90.

Do you know, I'm pleased it's going home

because it didn't sell at the price you wanted.

-We protected it with the reserve. A sensible reserve.

-Yes, yes.

-I'm glad it's going home.

-Good.

-Do you know, I bet it never leaves your sight again.

-Never again.

Well, at least Hector's happy to be taking it home.

That's just the way it goes sometimes.

Our last items of the day are Joan's Moorcroft pieces,

which have been split into two lots.

Going under the hammer right now we have some real quality.

I've just been joined by Joan, it's your Moorcroft. Two lovely finds.

-Yes.

-From a bric-a-brac sale?

-Indeed.

-How long ago?

At least 10 years.

-OK, OK, not recently, though.

-No.

So, the first is the little vase, isn't it? £80-£100?

Why are you selling now?

-Well, there's none of the family interested in it.

-Aren't they?

No. And they're always telling me to downsize.

I live in a fold which... You can only have so much. So I really have to downsize.

-You live in a what?

-A fold.

-What's a fold?

I've never heard of that, a fold.

-Can't say I know what a fold is.

-What's a fold?

It's...you're independent living, but you have a supervisor to check on you to see that you're all right.

-So you do need to declutter a bit?

-Yes. Really.

-Good luck.

Let's hope all the collectors are here. Here we go.

We're now into two very nice pieces of Moorcroft

starting at lot number 325, the Moorcroft vase.

Who will give me 150 for it? 150? 125.

£100, the Moorcroft vase.

50 bid. 60 bid. 70 bid. 80 bid.

-Well, we've sold this one.

-£90.

-Come on!

£90? £100.

Standing here at £100.

The Moorcroft vase at £100. 105 on the phone. 110. At £110.

Excellent! That's what we like.

On the phone at £115. I'm selling on the phone if we're all out. 120?

Back in at £120. £125 on the phone.

On the phone at £125 and selling.

Yes, hammer's down at £125. This is the second lot, it is the bowl.

Hopefully, we will get 50, £60?

Who will give me £100 for this one?

£100 for the Moorcroft comport.

£100? 90? 80? £50 for this one?

30? Start me at £30. At £30, it's Moorcroft, 35?

40 here.

45. £50. £50, the lady's bid at £50.

55 over here. £60 here. £65.

-£70.

-This is great.

-I'm very pleased about this.

-£75 over here.

And I'm selling now at £75, if we're all finished.

-At £75 now.

-Marvellous.

-Very good.

-As we always keep saying on this show, quality always sells.

Joan, that's marvellous, isn't it?

Not bad for £2.

-That's going to come in handy. £2 from a bric-a-brac sale.

-Yes.

-Good on you. Good on you.

-And that's you educated me.

And are you going to spend the money on yourself?

I love Blackpool and I'll probably book a holiday to Blackpool.

Holiday to Blackpool. Aw, lovely!

Well, we've come to the end of another day in another auction.

It's been a marvellous roller-coaster ride of emotions,

some highs and lows, some hits and misses but that's what auctions are all about.

You can't predict what's going to happen and I can't wait until the next one.

Join me again soon but, for now, from Ballycastle in Northern Ireland, it's goodbye.