0:00:02 > 0:00:05We have arrived! Today "Flog It!" is in Richmond, Yorkshire,
0:00:05 > 0:00:09and hopefully the locals will be making their way to the Market Hall
0:00:09 > 0:00:12laden with unwanted antiques and collectibles.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Yes, "Flog It!" is in town!
0:00:33 > 0:00:36The picturesque town of Richmond is situated on the banks
0:00:36 > 0:00:39of the River Swale, and is steeped in history.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43High above the town is the breathtaking Richmond Castle,
0:00:43 > 0:00:45which was built in the reign of William the Conqueror.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48Its construction is of stone rather than wood,
0:00:48 > 0:00:50which was incredibly unusual for its time.
0:00:50 > 0:00:55In fact, it's thought to be the first stone-built castle in England.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00Back down at ground level, I hope this huge crowd gathering here
0:01:00 > 0:01:03have got some unusual antiques for our experts to value.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07And they've all come to ask that all-important question, which is...
0:01:07 > 0:01:09THEY ALL SHOUT What is it worth?
0:01:09 > 0:01:11And when you know, what will you do?
0:01:11 > 0:01:13- THEY ALL SHOUT Flog it!- That's right!
0:01:13 > 0:01:15It's now 9:30. Let's get the doors open
0:01:15 > 0:01:18and get this massive crowd inside. Ready to go in?
0:01:18 > 0:01:20THEY ALL SHOUT Yes!
0:01:20 > 0:01:24The hundreds of people that are streaming into the Market Hall
0:01:24 > 0:01:26will all have their items valued by our team of experts,
0:01:26 > 0:01:30who are led today by James Lewis, who's attracted to a bit of metal.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Surprisingly, under that soft exterior
0:01:33 > 0:01:36beats the heart of a heavy-metal fan.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38All the plate's come off, hasn't it?
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Imagine what it would have been like!
0:01:40 > 0:01:43He's joined on the tables by Adam Partridge,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45whose musical tastes are a bit different.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47Those are quite nice things to own,
0:01:47 > 0:01:49but don't let anyone catch you framing them!
0:01:49 > 0:01:52He used to be a professional violin player.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Everyone knows now!
0:01:55 > 0:01:57We've got a great show for you today.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59James makes an interesting discovery...
0:01:59 > 0:02:01This is gruesome, isn't it?
0:02:01 > 0:02:03When you stab somebody,
0:02:03 > 0:02:05it's easier to draw the blade out again.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07That's why they're made.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10..while Adam is predicting great things.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12I think we'll sell it, and I'm going to be bullish
0:02:12 > 0:02:16and say it should be worth the four figures that you're hoping for.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21And I tread the boards in one of the most intact Georgian theatres in the world.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
0:02:25 > 0:02:27Here I am!
0:02:28 > 0:02:32As you can see, we've got a full house, which means lots of antiques.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35We really do have our work cut out, so let's get on with it.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39Adam Partridge is at the tables. Let's take a closer look at what he's found.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43- Janet and David... David and Janet. - Yes!
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Hello. Welcome to "Flog It!". Thanks for coming along.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48This piece needs no introduction.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50I'm sure everybody knows what that is.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54It's the very distinctive shape and design of the Moorcroft Pottery.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57How have you come to own this one?
0:02:57 > 0:03:00I bought it in a little antique place
0:03:00 > 0:03:03within a big department store in Newcastle
0:03:03 > 0:03:06- about 25, 26 years ago.- OK!
0:03:06 > 0:03:08I just passed by. The colours caught my eye.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12- I thought, "That's pretty." - Do you remember how much it was 25 years ago?
0:03:12 > 0:03:14- £6.- It's probably 50 quid now.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16- Yeah?- Maybe.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19- Yes.- Getting on for £50 now. So, why are you selling it?
0:03:19 > 0:03:22- It doesn't take up much room. - Not at all.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25We didn't know for ten years that it was Moorcroft
0:03:25 > 0:03:28- or anything important. - Or the significance of...
0:03:28 > 0:03:31But as soon as I found out the significance of it,
0:03:31 > 0:03:34I thought, "Somebody's going to drop it and break it,"
0:03:34 > 0:03:37- and I nearly did, once or twice. - Oh, really?- Yeah.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40- So it's had a couple of lives... - When we first got it,
0:03:40 > 0:03:44I used to let my kids fill it with water and paint with it.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47- So it could easily have not survived.- I don't know how -
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Any idea what it's worth now?
0:03:49 > 0:03:52I'd like to think it was over £100.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54I agree. I agree.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57I'd say an estimate of 100, 150 would be about right,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00would be a realistic guide. I'd like to think it'd make 150,
0:04:00 > 0:04:04- because, of course, small is beautiful.- Yes.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07- THEY LAUGH - I'm not tall myself.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12In collector's terms, also, the smaller the piece of furniture,
0:04:12 > 0:04:14the miniature vases,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17make often much more than their great big counterparts.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20So, um, a reserve of 100 - would that sound...
0:04:20 > 0:04:21Excellent. Yes. Fine.
0:04:21 > 0:04:26And Moorcroft, it doesn't really need... It sells itself.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29- Anyone can sell Moorcroft. Have you done any auctioneering?- No.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32If you were to start, that would be a good thing to try on,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35- because there'd be hands everywhere. - That would be nice.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38It's the leaf-and-berry pattern, by the way,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41which dates to the late 1930s,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44and that "Potter to HM the Queen" confirms that date.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46- Yes.- That confirms what you knew.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50It would be a little bit more if it was under a flambe glaze.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53It would be maybe 200 or 300. I hope it goes to a new home,
0:04:53 > 0:04:55- and goes very well.- I hope so.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58Would you reinvest in antiques?
0:04:58 > 0:05:02I've often wanted to go down to the pottery that does it now.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05- To the Moorcroft potteries? - Yeah.- It's quite near me,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08- so let me know if you're coming. I'll take you out to tea.- Thanks!
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Well, that's an invite that would be hard to refuse.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14I love having a rummage, because you never know what you might find!
0:05:14 > 0:05:17Some pot lids. Oh, look at these!
0:05:19 > 0:05:21- Do you collect pot lids?- I do, yes.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24- How many have you got?- About 85.
0:05:24 > 0:05:2785? You're bonkers about pot lids, then.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30I was bonkers, but I've been going now for about 15 years.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33- We're downsizing a bit, so... - They've got to go.- Some of them.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36Why are you downsizing? I'm just being nosy, but -
0:05:36 > 0:05:39We've redecorated throughout because we're retired,
0:05:39 > 0:05:43and we want to make things easier. Everything came off the wall.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45I had them on every wall of the lounge.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47- So now the walls are bare.- Yes!
0:05:47 > 0:05:49- What's going back on them? - Not a lot.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Not a lot at all.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Good luck. I know there's plenty of collectors
0:05:54 > 0:05:56that will want this kind of thing.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59We've seen them do really well on the show before,
0:05:59 > 0:06:02and it's nice that that's just a set of four rather than your 80 at once!
0:06:04 > 0:06:08It's amazing how well made everyday items have become collectible
0:06:08 > 0:06:11and valuable! The solid-silver cutlery set Sue has brought in
0:06:11 > 0:06:14is another classic example of that.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Sue, were you born with one of these in your mouth?
0:06:18 > 0:06:19No, not at all!
0:06:19 > 0:06:22- No?- No. It's quite funny, actually.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24I got them when I bought my first house,
0:06:24 > 0:06:27and a friend of my father's said, "Would this help Sue out?"
0:06:27 > 0:06:30because I got the house but nothing to put in it.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34So, your first-ever home, and there you are with solid silver.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38- Can't be bad.- I know! Probably worth more than the house.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Let's have a look. These are a pattern
0:06:41 > 0:06:44that's known as Old English pattern. It's just a rounded end,
0:06:44 > 0:06:49very, very plain, with a down-swept terminal to the end.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52In the 17th century, you'd have a dog-nose, then a trefid
0:06:52 > 0:06:55that's split into three, then a Hanoverian pattern,
0:06:55 > 0:06:59and then this Old English pattern really came into fashion
0:06:59 > 0:07:01around 1750, 1760.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04This example was made a hundred years later...
0:07:05 > 0:07:08..in 1896, 1897.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11We've got the anchor, we've got the lion,
0:07:11 > 0:07:13and we've got the date letter -
0:07:13 > 0:07:16the lion meaning it's Sterling-standard silver,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19the anchor which means it was assayed in Birmingham,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22- and the date letter for 1886/7. - Right.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26Then we've got "E & Co Ltd" - Elkington & Co.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30Elkington & Co, one of the most famous silversmiths of all time,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33- makers for the Queen in the 19th century.- Oh!
0:07:33 > 0:07:37Very good quality. We've got five teaspoons.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39They're worth about £2 each.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42- Really?- That's all.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44- £2 or £3 each. - I'm really disappointed!
0:07:44 > 0:07:48So let's forget the teaspoons. This is where the real value is.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52Dessert forks like that, a set of six...
0:07:52 > 0:07:54The tines aren't quite level.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59When you're looking at forks, the tines should be level at the top.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03- These have had a bit of wear. - Chased some peas round.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05- They have.- Exactly.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08A set of six of those are going to be worth £60 to £100.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10- Excellent. - A set of six dessert spoons
0:08:10 > 0:08:13will be worth about the same. £60 to £100.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16We've got 60, we've got 60,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19we've got 20. £140, lower end.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23- So if we put 150 to 200 on them... - Lovely.- Is that all right for you?
0:08:23 > 0:08:26Very nice. And what do you think... Because of the make,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28will they be melted down,
0:08:28 > 0:08:30or are they likely to be bought to be used?
0:08:30 > 0:08:32They will be probably melted down.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Right. OK. It's a shame, isn't it?
0:08:35 > 0:08:37I hate to think of them going down that road.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40But then again, you know, they're early,
0:08:40 > 0:08:43- but...- Not that special. - They're not that special.- No.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47Like I always say, antiques are the ultimate recyclables,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50and although it's sad for Sue to think they'll be melted down,
0:08:50 > 0:08:52at least they'll go on to make something else.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55'I've been investing in a bit of precious metal myself.'
0:08:55 > 0:09:00I've got a flashy silver pen now, and it shows up on my photograph.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02- HE LAUGHS - Thank you.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05- Thank you very much.- Thank you. - That's come in quite useful.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09We've got all different-size valuation tables on "Flog It!",
0:09:09 > 0:09:11but sometimes people bring their own in,
0:09:11 > 0:09:15although this beautiful little table is gracefully hiding its real use.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18We're not often lucky enough to see furniture,
0:09:18 > 0:09:20especially not such a nice object as this.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23- How did it come to be yours? - It was my grandmother's.- Right.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27And on my father's death ten years ago, it passed to me.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30- You've always known this piece. - Since I was a toddler.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34That's lovely, isn't it? And what's made you decide to sell it now?
0:09:34 > 0:09:37I think living in a modern house.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40It takes up quite a bit of room in our house.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44- It's a bit incongruous with the rest of the furniture.- Yeah.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Yes, we've loved it, but perhaps it is time to pass it on,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50let somebody else perhaps appreciate it as well.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Some people watching will be thinking, it's only half my size.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55"What's he talking about, it's too big?"
0:09:55 > 0:09:58- I know what you mean. It's not the most practical thing.- No.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Very decorative, and it's in satinwood.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04- Satinwood, yes.- I would date that to the William IV period,
0:10:04 > 0:10:061835 or thereabouts.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10This carving on the columns is typical of the William IV period.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14And this is an elaborate teapoy, tea caddy, on a stand.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16Oh, there we are.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19And it's a beautiful satinwood interior,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22and it's in really, really lovely condition.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24- Beautiful smooth wood, isn't it? - It really is.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28And these lift out, and they're wonderfully made,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31mahogany and then satinwood.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Just lovely things in their own right, aren't they?
0:10:34 > 0:10:37- They are. - These are the original bowls,
0:10:37 > 0:10:40because there's no give there. They're well fitted.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43And it's an object of real quality.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46You see the thickness of the brass hinges,
0:10:46 > 0:10:49and this Bramah patent lock - things that was put on furniture
0:10:49 > 0:10:52of high quality. It's a dual-lock mecha-...
0:10:52 > 0:10:56- I don't suppose you've got keys. - We have no key, no.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59It's a complicated lock, but it's a sign of great quality,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02and, of course, tea was a valuable commodity in the 19th century.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06- Keep the servants out! - That's right! Lock the servants out,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09and keep your green and black tea separate.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Tea isn't such a valuable commodity nowadays.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14It's a bag of dust in a mug now, isn't it?
0:11:14 > 0:11:18But the teapoy is still quite a commercial piece of furniture.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20You told me you wanted £1,000, really.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23- Is that right?- It was in my head.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27- Yeah. So we're going to go with a reserve of £800.- Yes.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29- Is that happy with you? - I'm happy with that.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31If we put an estimate of 800 to 1,200,
0:11:31 > 0:11:35when we go to the auction, the auctioneer might say,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38"You're quoting us ten-years-ago prices,"
0:11:38 > 0:11:40but I think we'll sell it. We'll be all right.
0:11:40 > 0:11:45I'm going to be bullish and say it really should be worth the four figures you're hoping for.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48If it doesn't make £800, it's not worth you selling it.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52- No. No.- So it's a good test of the market here.
0:11:52 > 0:11:57And we're going to find out exactly what the market thinks, as we're about to up the tempo!
0:11:57 > 0:12:00We've been working flat out. Let's put those valuations to the test
0:12:00 > 0:12:02in the auction room. Catch you there.
0:12:08 > 0:12:13Going under the hammer with Graham's stunning teapoy are Dave and Janet's miniature Moorcroft vase,
0:12:13 > 0:12:17which they're afraid they might break if they keep it,
0:12:17 > 0:12:21and Sue's silver cutlery, which was a very welcome housewarming present.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26Today we're the guests of Thomas Watson Auctioneers in the heart of Darlington.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Now, I've been to hundreds of auctions in my time,
0:12:29 > 0:12:31and there's always a guaranteed surprise.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35Today I'm pretty sure we'll have one or two. Keep watching,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38because someone's going home with a lot of money. I don't know who,
0:12:38 > 0:12:44but you've heard our experts. Let's catch up with today's auctioneer, and see what he's got to say.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Commission is standard in all salerooms,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50but the amount can vary, so check the auction catalogue
0:12:50 > 0:12:53to see what it will cost you to buy and sell.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56Here at Thomas Watson Auctioneers, you pay a buyer's premium,
0:12:56 > 0:12:59which is commission at 15 percent plus VAT.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03'Auctioneer Peter Robinson has a different idea
0:13:03 > 0:13:06'about how much the teapoy could sell for -
0:13:06 > 0:13:08'but is it higher or lower?'
0:13:08 > 0:13:11- It's in the satinwood. - It is, which is super.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14- I mean, look at the workmanship. - Look at the grain!
0:13:14 > 0:13:17- Look at that figuring! - The caddies, original bowls,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20the carving to the base... It's got all the credentials.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23My worry is the market that we have today.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27Ironically, if it was just the box, just the caddy top,
0:13:27 > 0:13:29it probably would be better received,
0:13:29 > 0:13:32because boxes are selling like wildfire.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35It's a funny piece of furniture to have in a room, a teapoy.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38It is. It has no usefulness to it at all.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42It's purely ornamental. If you've got somewhere a corner
0:13:42 > 0:13:45that you want a pretty piece of furniture, it's ideal,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48but, at the end of the day, it's people bidding.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51The fitted interior is wonderful. When you look at that,
0:13:51 > 0:13:54you can see it's definitely worth £1,000.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Absolutely. There's a lot for your money.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59To ask a cabinet-maker to make this today,
0:13:59 > 0:14:02he would want probably £5,000 minimum,
0:14:02 > 0:14:06so it should sell, but we are governed by the marketplace
0:14:06 > 0:14:08and what people will buy.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Well, the good thing about this is, you can't pick any faults.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15There's nothing wrong with it. Collectors are a picky bunch,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18but they'll appreciate the quality here,
0:14:18 > 0:14:22and we'll get this one away. Fingers crossed!
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Everyone agrees that it's a very classy piece,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27and we'll find out very soon whether the bidders agree.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30But first up is the Moorcroft vase.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Why are you selling it?
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Because we're downsizing, going to sell the house.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40- I know it's small - - They all say that, don't they?
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Yeah. Remember the lady with the thimble?
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Yeah, or a little picture, a miniature.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47- "Oh, I'm downsizing." - Every little helps.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50When you pick it up and dust it, I keep thinking,
0:14:50 > 0:14:52"I'm going to break this. I'm going to break this."
0:14:52 > 0:14:57- We've had it for 25 years.- Yeah. - Well, good luck, is all I can say.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00Moorcroft is big business. They're still making it today.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03- Yes.- Collectors all over the world are buying.- They love it.
0:15:03 > 0:15:08Let's hope they're here today. OK? Good luck, everyone. Here we go.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11Nice little piece of Moorcroft,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14and I'll have £50 to start me. At £50 for it.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17At £50. 60, second row. 70 in the left.
0:15:17 > 0:15:1880, 90.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21100? £90 on my left now.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24- £90 for the lot now. It's at 100 now. 100 I'm bid.- Good.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26Everywhere you go.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29130. £120 I'm bid now.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32£120. Are you all finished? £130, then, bid.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35It's always a sure thing with the Moorcroft.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39It's on my left. At £130 bid. Being sold now to my left at £130.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42- That's good, isn't it? £130.- It is.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45- That's fine.- Decent profit. - That's what it's all about.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49Thanks for coming. I hope you find a new receptacle for your paintbrush.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52I don't want the grandchildren to get a hold of it!
0:15:52 > 0:15:56Not surprisingly, the Moorcroft collectors have put their money where their mouths are.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59But will the silver spoons have their fans, as well?
0:15:59 > 0:16:03Now, these were really kind of a housewarming present, weren't they?
0:16:03 > 0:16:05They were, yes, for my first house,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08and I didn't have any furniture,
0:16:08 > 0:16:11but a friend of my father's thought these might come in helpful!
0:16:11 > 0:16:13- THEY LAUGH - A collection of silver!
0:16:13 > 0:16:17Well, you've got to start somewhere. And you obviously used them.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21- No.- Oh, you didn't? - No. No, we haven't,
0:16:21 > 0:16:23and it's not straightforward dishwasher stuff.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27No, but you could just wash them under a bit of warm, soapy water.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30- Yes.- It's not that hard work, is it, really?
0:16:30 > 0:16:33We don't all have servants to do it for us, Paul.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37I do it myself. Look, it's a great time to sell silver, anyway,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40so let's see what the bidders think. Here we go.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44The collection of cutlery. £100 bid for the cutlery.
0:16:44 > 0:16:45At £100. At £100.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48Come on. Where are all the hands?
0:16:48 > 0:16:51130, 140, 150, 160, 170.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54175? 180.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56190? 180 with me, the bid.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59At £180. 190, then, on my right now.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03At £190. Selling on my right at £190.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05- All finished now at 190 for the lot? - HE BANGS HAMMER
0:17:05 > 0:17:09- Hammer's gone down. That was good. - Brilliant.- £190.- Brilliant.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11So, are you going to buy something for the house?
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Er, possibly use it for spending money on holiday.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17- We're going to Northern Cyprus. - Oh, lovely!- Northern Cyprus!
0:17:17 > 0:17:20- So, lots of ice creams.- Baklava!- Yes!
0:17:20 > 0:17:24That's a great result for Sue, and a spot-on estimate for James.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27Next up is the teapoy that everybody has fallen in love with.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30I really hope it reaches its full potential!
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Your grandmother really looked after this.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36- She did.- The condition! There's not one stain or chip on this.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38- You've looked after it, as well. - We have.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42This is wonderful. I know you fell in love with this, as well.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45It's got the quality of Gillow's about the workmanship.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48It's just splendid. If it doesn't sell, it's a travesty.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50Had a chat to the auctioneer.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53He said it's not a popular piece of kit.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55If it was a tea caddy, people would want to own it,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58but as a teapoy, it's a free-standing piece of furniture.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02- What do you do with it?- But you could say that with lots of things.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04- Course you could. - It should make four figures,
0:18:04 > 0:18:06but it's an uncertain market these days.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10We're putting it to the test. That's what this is all about.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Let's find out what the bidders think.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15At £600.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18At £600. At £600 with the teapoy.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20650, can I say?
0:18:20 > 0:18:24- At £600. - Not exactly flying away, is it?
0:18:24 > 0:18:25650. 80. 700.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28At £700. At £700.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32720? At £700. No further bidding?
0:18:32 > 0:18:35- Looks like it's going home. - At £700, short of the reserve.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39At £700. All finished, then, at £700.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Sorry. Unsold.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44- Unsold.- It's going home. - I'm not too disappointed.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47- No. You've got a lovely spot for it at home.- Absolutely.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49- Enjoy looking at it, as well... - Yeah.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53..just musing over the little hinges and the dovetails.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55- It's, um... - No.- Well, thank you anyway.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59It's a luxury item, and it's a joy to behold and have.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03Well, Adam did say that if it didn't sell at the reserve of £800,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05Graham should take it home, and I for one would be ecstatic
0:19:05 > 0:19:08to have it in my house.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12If you want to sell furniture, bring it along to one of our valuation days.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15You can pick up details on our BBC website. Just log on to...
0:19:17 > 0:19:21All the information will be there, and hopefully we'll be near a town
0:19:21 > 0:19:24very close to you soon, so come and join us.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31While I've been in Richmond, I had a look at a local treasure
0:19:31 > 0:19:34just down the road from the Market Hall.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40I've come to the centre of Richmond to visit a building
0:19:40 > 0:19:42that holds a very important place in history
0:19:42 > 0:19:44and in the hearts of all the local people here.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48And it's this very building - the Georgian Theatre Royal.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51OK, it looks unassuming on this road right here
0:19:51 > 0:19:55with these cars going by, but it is a Grade I listed building,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58and it also has a very important claim to fame.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02It's the oldest and most complete Georgian playhouse in Britain,
0:20:02 > 0:20:05and that's a fact. All the good stuff is on the inside,
0:20:05 > 0:20:09so without further ado, let's go in and view the piece de resistance.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15In the early 1700s, there weren't any theatres in Britain,
0:20:15 > 0:20:17as it was illegal to act for money.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21However, plays were performed by travelling companies of actors,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25who found ways around the law. From the 1760s,
0:20:25 > 0:20:28royal patents were granted to a few leading provincial theatres.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31But the biggest change came in 1788
0:20:31 > 0:20:34with the passing of the Theatre Licensing Act,
0:20:34 > 0:20:37which allowed companies of actors to apply for licences
0:20:37 > 0:20:41to put on classical plays for 60 days at any one time.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46It was shortly after the Theatre Licensing Act
0:20:46 > 0:20:49that a remarkable Yorkshireman called Samuel Butler
0:20:49 > 0:20:52signed a 21-year lease with the Richmond Corporation.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55And on 2nd September, in 1788,
0:20:55 > 0:20:59this remarkable, unique little theatre was opened to the public.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02And isn't it just marvellous?
0:21:02 > 0:21:04It really is!
0:21:04 > 0:21:08It's so tiny, though, but it's just fabulous!
0:21:08 > 0:21:12When it first opened, this venue was simply named the Theatre.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15And Butler's company of actors played not only here
0:21:15 > 0:21:21but at seven other theatres that the entrepreneurial Butler had established across Yorkshire.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25Sadly, in 1830, the lease on this building was never renewed.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28The theatre and the Butler company parted ways.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32Over the following centuries, a few odd performances were played out
0:21:32 > 0:21:37on this very stage. But in general, the theatre was put to different uses.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40It became a wine vault. During the Second World War,
0:21:40 > 0:21:42it was a storage depot, and believe it or not,
0:21:42 > 0:21:44it was even an auction room.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47But thankfully the core, the fabric of this very building
0:21:47 > 0:21:51was never altered greatly. That's why it's become so important
0:21:51 > 0:21:53to theatre historians all over the world -
0:21:53 > 0:21:58it's the best surviving example of a Georgian playhouse in Britain,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01and it's an absolute architectural delight.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06The dilapidated theatre has been firstly restored in the 1950s,
0:22:06 > 0:22:09and then again in 2003. On both occasions,
0:22:09 > 0:22:13restoration was undertaken carefully and sympathetically,
0:22:13 > 0:22:17so that the theatre appears much the same as it would have been
0:22:17 > 0:22:21when the Butler company were performing all those years ago.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25It's known as the Courtyard Theatre,
0:22:25 > 0:22:29because it mimics the space you'd find behind a public house,
0:22:29 > 0:22:32which is where the touring troupes of actors would have played
0:22:32 > 0:22:36before theatres were even built, and this theme carries on to the ceiling.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39If you look up there, you can see fluffy white clouds
0:22:39 > 0:22:42blowing along in the breeze, mimicking the open-air space
0:22:42 > 0:22:44that the plays were watched in.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48The stage itself is typical of the period,
0:22:48 > 0:22:54and is known as a proscenium arch, acting as a window to the action.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57The stage is raked, and it's a foot higher at the back
0:22:57 > 0:23:00than at the front, in order to give the audience a better view.
0:23:01 > 0:23:06Today, the Georgian Theatre Royal can seat up to 214 people,
0:23:06 > 0:23:12but back in the Georgian era, 400 eager audience members would have squeezed in.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16You can imagine how lots more people were jammed in this small space together.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20But which were the good seats and which were the bad?
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Up here is called the gallery, and these are the cheap seats,
0:23:24 > 0:23:28used by the young and the dissolute. To watch performance here
0:23:28 > 0:23:32back in the Georgian period would have cost you one shilling.
0:23:32 > 0:23:33- BANGING - Did you hear that?
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Don't worry - that was me.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38This gallery has a unique Georgian feature.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40It's known as the kicking board,
0:23:40 > 0:23:42and that's exactly what you do to it.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48The Georgian patrons would have used this to show signs of disapproval
0:23:48 > 0:23:50if the act wasn't working out properly.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52I've been told it's still used today,
0:23:52 > 0:23:57but only as a sign of approval, to encourage an encore.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00- HE KICKS BOARD - Yeah! More, please! More!
0:24:00 > 0:24:03I say, who's that talented chap down there?
0:24:03 > 0:24:06This whole area is known as the pit.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08It's more expensive than the gallery.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Theatregoers would pay two shillings to watch a performance here
0:24:11 > 0:24:13when the Butler company was in town.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17I would have preferred to have sat here, in one of these seats.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19They're considered to be the best in the house.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23To sit in one of these boxes would have cost you three shillings per person.
0:24:23 > 0:24:28In fact, this is the royal box. It's the best seat in the house.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Why? Because it has a direct eye line
0:24:30 > 0:24:33with the actors onstage right in front of you.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37And up here is another example of a typical Georgian feature.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40This is called the Juliet box. It's not for the audience to sit in
0:24:40 > 0:24:44and watch the plays. It's for the actors to use for balcony scenes.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47Of course, it's named after the most famous heroine of all -
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Juliet, from Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet.
0:24:50 > 0:24:55Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
0:24:55 > 0:24:56Here I am!
0:24:56 > 0:24:59'So, that's how the Georgians would have watched theatre,
0:24:59 > 0:25:03'but I'm interested in seeing what went on behind the scenes.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06'I'm going to tread in the actors' footsteps, as I head down
0:25:06 > 0:25:09'through the dressing room to the very guts of the theatre.'
0:25:10 > 0:25:13I'm underneath the stage right now. There it is, look -
0:25:13 > 0:25:17there above me. This whole area is known as the machine room.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20And these are the footlights, or the floats, as they were called
0:25:20 > 0:25:22back in the Georgian period.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26Now, these candles would have been alight in troughs of water,
0:25:26 > 0:25:29and this whole trough would have been winched up
0:25:29 > 0:25:31by this winch here, going up to the stage
0:25:31 > 0:25:35to project light back onto the actor's faces so you could see them.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37They were in water because, if the candles fell over,
0:25:37 > 0:25:41it would put the flame out and the whole place wouldn't catch on fire.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46Perhaps one of the most exciting parts of the theatre
0:25:46 > 0:25:50is operated from right down here, and that's the trapdoors.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54Now, this enables items and actors to spring up out of nowhere
0:25:54 > 0:25:58onto the stage. There were originally three trapdoors here,
0:25:58 > 0:26:01but now there's only one, and this is a reconstruction.
0:26:01 > 0:26:06Sadly, it doesn't work, either, so I've got to take the long way back up.
0:26:08 > 0:26:13The Georgian Theatre Royal holds such a prestigious place
0:26:13 > 0:26:15in the history of theatre in Britain
0:26:15 > 0:26:19that many of our country's finest actors feel it's a status symbol
0:26:19 > 0:26:22to have played here. Timothy West, Judi Dench,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25and plenty of other legendary actors have graced the stage here.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28And I have to say, yours truly is very proud
0:26:28 > 0:26:32to have been able to visit this fascinating piece of theatre history.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46There are still plenty of Yorkshire folk coming to the Market Hall
0:26:46 > 0:26:49with their antiques and collectibles, hoping to flog it.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54Welcome back to our valuation day in the heart of Richmond.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56As you can see, it's still a full house.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00Let's catch up with our experts and see what else they've spotted.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04James has set his sights on this pair of Derby figurines,
0:27:04 > 0:27:06brought in by Harry.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09I have to say, I was not expecting to travel
0:27:09 > 0:27:11all the way up to Richmond in North Yorkshire
0:27:11 > 0:27:14to find two things that were made
0:27:14 > 0:27:16about five miles from myself in Derbyshire.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19- Isn't it a small world? - Yeah, isn't it just?- Yeah!
0:27:19 > 0:27:22The initial Derby factory, right back in the 18th century,
0:27:22 > 0:27:25started making figures around 1750,
0:27:25 > 0:27:28and if you turned up an early Derby figure,
0:27:28 > 0:27:30you would see three little patch marks
0:27:30 > 0:27:33that would indicate... Those are the little pads
0:27:33 > 0:27:36to stop the figure sticking to the bottom of the kiln.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40Today, with the new factory, Royal Crown Derby is a lot easier.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43Turn a figure over - there we are, a great big mark
0:27:43 > 0:27:46that says "Royal Crown Derby, English Bone China".
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Then we have "XLIX".
0:27:48 > 0:27:53So that's the Roman figure - "XL", 40, "IX", nine.
0:27:53 > 0:27:5749. The first Roman numeral was put on in 1938.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00- Oh, right.- So we add 49 to 1938,
0:28:00 > 0:28:02we get 1987.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05- That's when this figure was made. - Oh!
0:28:05 > 0:28:07We've got this canted square base
0:28:07 > 0:28:10with a Greek-key decoration around that base,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13and that's harking back to an earlier period,
0:28:13 > 0:28:15because these figures, allegorical of water,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18allegorical of air, are inspired from figures
0:28:18 > 0:28:22that were dug up in Herculaneum, Pompeii, Vesuvius.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26So these are very much a modern figure,
0:28:26 > 0:28:28but with a very traditional past.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32So, tell me - why have you got them, how long have you had them,
0:28:32 > 0:28:35and what are they doing here at "Flog It!" today?
0:28:36 > 0:28:40Well, what I'm trying to do is, I'm trying to sell them
0:28:40 > 0:28:42- for the grandchildren.- OK.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44- Cos my wife's died, and...- Oh, OK.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47And, um, I'm hoping to split the money.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50I've got a grandson and a granddaughter.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53- OK.- And I'm going to give them half and half.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56Lovely. The thing about these is, because they're modern,
0:28:56 > 0:28:59and this one's had a, um...
0:28:59 > 0:29:01been through the wars a bit...
0:29:01 > 0:29:03- It wasn't me!- Are you sure?
0:29:03 > 0:29:05HE LAUGHS No, no.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08If I'd have fixed that, you'd have noticed.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10I would've used a lot of glue.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14- Is it your job to do the dusting? - No. I mustn't touch it.- Really?
0:29:14 > 0:29:18- No.- What, in case you break them? You might have had two broken ones.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20- I'm too clumsy, really.- Oh, well...
0:29:20 > 0:29:25Hopefully the auctioneers won't be clumsy, and hopefully they'll do a good job for us.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29So I think, auction estimate, £50 to £70.
0:29:29 > 0:29:33Almost all the value is in that one, and I'm sure they'll sell.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35- Fingers crossed on the day. - I hope so.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38'Everyone's got their fingers crossed today,
0:29:38 > 0:29:41'hoping they've unearthed a treasure that could be worth a fortune.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45'There's still a lot to get through, so we're all working very hard -
0:29:45 > 0:29:47'well, perhaps not everyone.
0:29:47 > 0:29:50'Adam has found a magnificent bronze statue, brought in by Diane.'
0:29:50 > 0:29:52Thank you very much for coming along.
0:29:52 > 0:29:56- And do you have a name for this? - We call her Ruth,
0:29:56 > 0:29:59because she was my mother's. My mother was called Ruth.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02She's a lady gleaning in the fields, so we call her Ruth
0:30:02 > 0:30:06- after Ruth and Naomi. - Appropriate on more levels than one!
0:30:06 > 0:30:09- So, this was your mother's? - It was, yes.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12- Do you know how she came to own it? - My grandmother bought it for her,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15- possibly in the late '30s, early '40s.- Right.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18- Because of the Ruth... - Because of the Ruth connection.
0:30:18 > 0:30:24Excellent. How has she ended up on a table here in Richmond in 2010?
0:30:24 > 0:30:27- She's a big girl.- She is a big girl. - She's a heavy girl.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30- She's very big and heavy. - I have nowhere to display her now
0:30:30 > 0:30:33- to her advantage. - Have you moved house?- Yes.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36- Gone into somewhere small. - That's often the problem.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38And she does take up a lot of space
0:30:38 > 0:30:41because she needs room around her to be shown properly.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44She's got the mark here of Fournier.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47That's the French sculptor, Paul Fournier,
0:30:47 > 0:30:49and it'll date her to the end of the 19th century,
0:30:49 > 0:30:52- late 19th or turn of the century. - Right.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55She's mounted on this big rouge-marble base here,
0:30:55 > 0:30:59which has had a few...nibbles, would be a kind way of putting it.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02- It was like that when we got it. - It doesn't really detract.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04A lot of them have lost the base altogether,
0:31:04 > 0:31:07and she'd still work as a figure without the base.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11- She's incredibly heavy, but rather nicely modelled.- Yeah.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13We can't sell her for ANY price.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16I would suggest that she'd make £300 to £500 at auction...
0:31:16 > 0:31:20- Right.- ..and that you should put a reserve of £300 on her.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23- OK.- Otherwise she's probably not worth selling.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26No. I'd rather keep her than just give her away for nothing.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29And then you'd have to find a new home for her,
0:31:29 > 0:31:32or you could try her again, or something else.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34- Does that sound in line with your expectations?- Yes.
0:31:34 > 0:31:36I'd like to see her making 500 or 600,
0:31:36 > 0:31:41because she's so big and so decorative, she must be worth that.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44I bet Ruth turns some heads when she gets to the auction room.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47Now I've found Carol with an item that has a secret.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52This piece of furniture is the right height for an arm rest.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55- It certainly is, isn't it, Carol? - It is.- At the end of a long day!
0:31:55 > 0:32:00If you put this on the floor, it would make a wonderful footstool
0:32:00 > 0:32:03- with a cushion on it. Have you ever done that?- I haven't.
0:32:03 > 0:32:08- So what have you done with this? - It's just been sitting there in the dining room, doing nothing.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10Or you could chill your champagne in it.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13- That's a very good thought! - You never thought of that!
0:32:13 > 0:32:17I had not thought of that, no. Brilliant idea!
0:32:17 > 0:32:19It's got a multiple of uses.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23- Now, people will be wondering, "What does he mean?"- Exactly.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26- "What does he mean?" - Exactly. It's late Victorian,
0:32:26 > 0:32:29circa 1880. It's made of Spanish Cuban mahogany.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32It would have been owned by a wealthy family in its day.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36- Really?- Are you ready?
0:32:36 > 0:32:38- Here we go! - HE LAUGHS
0:32:38 > 0:32:42- SHE LAUGHS - It's a little tiny baby bath!
0:32:42 > 0:32:44- Isn't that cute?- That's right.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47That is so cute. This is probably made by Doulton.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49Oh!
0:32:49 > 0:32:53The frame's made by a cabinet-maker. It's just incredible!
0:32:53 > 0:32:55- Do you know how much this is worth? - I haven't a clue.
0:32:55 > 0:32:59Well, sadly, only around £60 to £80,
0:32:59 > 0:33:03and I think it's a shame to put it into auction for that sort of money.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05Yes. I agree. It was just a novelty thing
0:33:05 > 0:33:07- I thought would be of interest. - Yeah.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10You're better off using it as a footstool.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12- I think that's a good idea. - It's quite solid.- Mm-hm.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16Or fill it here full of ice, and a bottle of champagne -
0:33:16 > 0:33:19- Put champagne in it! - And there you go.- Oh, right!
0:33:19 > 0:33:22There's your cellarette.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26I love to find a piece of furniture with a multitude of uses.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29Our last item is a group of military items
0:33:29 > 0:33:31that David has brought along.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34- You've got a real assortment here. - Right. Yeah.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37- Tell me what you know. - Sam Brownes are for officers.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40Swords and swagger sticks are for officers,
0:33:40 > 0:33:43and binoculars are for officers. And I was a trumpet major,
0:33:43 > 0:33:45which is a staff sergeant in the army.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48Trumpet major? Is that the person that...
0:33:48 > 0:33:51- Yes. I play at all military funerals...- Oh, do you?
0:33:51 > 0:33:54- ..of the regiment. - How incredible!- Hard work,
0:33:54 > 0:33:57but that's my job. Been there for 23 years.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00So these are bits you've picked up over the years?
0:34:00 > 0:34:02A few bits of military things.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05- OK. Shall we start with the Sam Browne?- Right.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Um, this would originally have had a three-pegged badge
0:34:08 > 0:34:11- with the emblem of the regiment on it.- Absolutely.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15- Correct. Yeah. - So we can say that this is 1935
0:34:15 > 0:34:17- to 1950, something like that, in period.- Yes.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20- Maybe a bit later. - They still use it in dress parades.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23Oh, they do. All officers get issued with them.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26- Financially they're not worth a lot of money.- No.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29We still see a lot of them. Let's move on to the sword.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33- Matches nicely, doesn't it, with the leather scabbard.- It does, yes.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35- Let's take that out.- Yep.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38And we have a single, straight, pointed blade.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41- Ah, this is gruesome, isn't it? - It is gruesome, yes.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44The idea of the fuller down the centre there,
0:34:44 > 0:34:47the fullered blade, so that when you stab somebody,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50it's easier to draw the blade out again.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54That's why they're made. And it's a sharp point, as well,
0:34:54 > 0:34:58- so you can go in quite a long way. - Oh! Moving on very quickly...
0:34:58 > 0:35:02And then we've got a... what's known as a basket hilt.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04- Yes, it is. - Pierced basket hilt...- Yes.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08..and a shagreen grip, wire-bound shagreen grip.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11This is made from shark skin. This is chrome.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13- We've got the George V cipher there. - Yes.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17So this would date to about 1920 to 1930, something around there.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19- Yeah.- OK.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23- We have a pair of binoculars, again Second World War period.- Yeah.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25- 1943, I think. - Are they dated somewhere?
0:35:25 > 0:35:27- Yes, they are.- Oh, there we are.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30Kershaw, maker, 1943.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34Typical army officer's binoculars, aren't they?
0:35:34 > 0:35:38- Yep.- You see chaps standing out the top of the tanks with these...
0:35:38 > 0:35:41- That's right.- ..in the war films. Finally we've got the swagger stick.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44On the end there we've got the regimental motto...
0:35:44 > 0:35:47- Oh, the Royal Corps of Signals!- Yes.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50- And in the centre we've got Mercury. - Yes.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54And that's a figure of Mercury after a bronze sculptor
0:35:54 > 0:35:57called Giambologna, Italian, and Mercury stands
0:35:57 > 0:36:02wearing a winged helmet, and little wings on his feet, as well.
0:36:02 > 0:36:07- And he was the messenger god, which is why the Royal Corps of Signals use Mercury.- Yeah.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11We've got a hallmark for London, 1927,
0:36:11 > 0:36:14and there we have a Malacca shaft.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18It was seen to be the best material to use as the shaft of a cane.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22OK. When it comes to values, we've probably got £10 or £15 there,
0:36:22 > 0:36:26the Sam Brownes. I think the sword is £60 to £100.
0:36:26 > 0:36:31- Right.- I think the swagger stick is probably £30 to £50.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34- Right. - So we're up to about £100 there,
0:36:34 > 0:36:38- and there's another ten there. - Right.- So I would say 100 to 150.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41- I think that's a good idea. - And what would be your minimum?
0:36:41 > 0:36:44I would say 125.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46- 125. OK.- Would that be all right? - That's fine.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50Because the reserve has to be around the bottom end of the estimate,
0:36:50 > 0:36:54we'll up the estimate slightly and we'll put 120 to 180 on them.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57- All right?- I'll be very happy with that.- Fantastic.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01It's time to take our last three items to the auction room,
0:37:01 > 0:37:04but first, a quick recap. Leading the charge with his military items
0:37:04 > 0:37:09is David, followed by Harry, who wants to give the money from the sale of his Derby figures
0:37:09 > 0:37:12to his grandchildren. And finally Angela
0:37:12 > 0:37:15and her French bronze statue, that her mother named Ruth.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20Thomas Watson's salerooms are buzzing with buyers and sellers.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24First up we've got Harry with the Derby figurines.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31After the valuation day, he had a chat to the auctioneer,
0:37:31 > 0:37:34and changed the "no reserve" to a £40 reserve.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38We've got some Royal Crown Derby, two figurines, Air and Water.
0:37:38 > 0:37:42They belong to Harry, and all the money is going to the grandchildren.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45- How many have you got? - Only two.- What are their names?
0:37:45 > 0:37:47Scott and Katie.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50OK. And I know initially James put a value of around - what?
0:37:50 > 0:37:53- £40 to £60?- 50, 70. Yeah.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56No reserve, and I know you've had a chat to the auctioneer.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00A bit wise! These auctioneers like things with no reserve.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03- Ken told me to reserve them.- Did he?
0:38:03 > 0:38:06- Let's hope we get top money for this, shall we?- I hope so.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08Fingers crossed!
0:38:08 > 0:38:10Royal Crown Derby bone-china figures,
0:38:10 > 0:38:13at £40.
0:38:13 > 0:38:18At £40, the two of them. At 50, can I say? £50.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20£60. 70 now. At £60.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22- That's good!- That's good.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25All they're worth, at £60? Royal Crown Derby.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28At £60. They're being sold at £60.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31- All finished now, then, at £60? - HE BANGS HAMMER
0:38:31 > 0:38:35Well done. Thank you so much for coming in, Harry.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39- And thanks for your help. - Pleasure.- Oh, that's all right.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42'Right in the middle of the estimate! Well done, James.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46'Harry's gone home happy. Will Angela be just as happy
0:38:46 > 0:38:49'when her bronze statue, nicknamed Ruth, goes under the hammer?'
0:38:49 > 0:38:53Coming up next we've got that wonderful bronze. It's titled Ruth,
0:38:53 > 0:38:56- and it made the front page of the catalogue!- It did.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00- Who have you brought along with you? - My granddaughter, Emma.- Hello.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02Gosh, you're tall, aren't you?
0:39:02 > 0:39:05What do you think this is going to go for today, Adam?
0:39:05 > 0:39:09Well, having spoken just before, I'm hoping it doesn't sell!
0:39:09 > 0:39:14Oh, why? What's happening? I've missed out on something.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16Angela's got in trouble with her granddaughter
0:39:16 > 0:39:19for offering it without checking with her first.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22- Oh!- She had her eyes on it. - This is the inheritance!
0:39:22 > 0:39:24Granny's selling all the inheritance, yes.
0:39:24 > 0:39:28- Naughty Granny! - What are you doing, Granny?
0:39:28 > 0:39:30Never mind. We'll see. She might not sell.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35It's quite unusual that we're all hoping that it doesn't sell!
0:39:35 > 0:39:37The auctioneer has done us really proud.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40It's made all the trade press. It's on the front page,
0:39:40 > 0:39:44and I think it should do quite well. I really do.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47- I have a suspicion myself. - Oh, dear, oh, dear.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52The French bronze, the style of Ruth.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54Open the bidding at £200.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58- At £200 for the bronze. - Not gone past it. OK.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02At £200. At £200, at £200. 220.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04250. 280. 300. 320.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06- Gone.- Gone!
0:40:06 > 0:40:10380. 400. At £400, being sold now.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13At £400. Have we all finished?
0:40:13 > 0:40:17- The bronze, at £400. All done? - HE BANGS HAMMER
0:40:17 > 0:40:20- That was short and sweet. You were bang-on there.- Gone.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22Yeah. £400.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25- Oh, dear! - I feel like I'm in trouble.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28- I didn't want to say! Yes.- I feel like I've been really naughty.
0:40:28 > 0:40:32- And would the money come in useful? - THEY LAUGH
0:40:32 > 0:40:34What will you do with the money, Granny?
0:40:34 > 0:40:37We have two special birthdays in the family this year,
0:40:37 > 0:40:40- so it'll come in handy. - And neither of them are yours.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42I'm sure Granny's got lots of other lovely things
0:40:42 > 0:40:47- that you'll inherit one day. - Yes, I think so.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51That's a bittersweet result for Angela and her granddaughter,
0:40:51 > 0:40:54but I'm sure the £400 will make up for it.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58Luckily, David is happy to sell his collection of military items,
0:40:58 > 0:41:01so let's get them under the hammer.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04Next up, a collection of militaria belonging to David.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- You can stand at ease now. - Thank you very much.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09- You look very smart. - Thank you. For the occasion.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12- What regiment is this? - The Royal Tank Regiment.- OK.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15- You were in the services for how many years now?- 23 years.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18And are you donating some of the money to the regiment?
0:41:18 > 0:41:22I'm donating half the proceeds to the regiment benevolent fund.
0:41:22 > 0:41:27OK. I think your items are the only items of militaria here.
0:41:27 > 0:41:29- Yeah.- But we do have the power of the internet,
0:41:29 > 0:41:32- so hopefully... - Makes a huge difference.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35There's no excuses for an auctioneer any more.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38We can't say, "It was the wrong day. No-one was here."
0:41:38 > 0:41:40One of the big "Flog It!" excuses out the window!
0:41:40 > 0:41:44- It's out of your hands.- It is, yeah. - The auctioneer's hands.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46So, fingers crossed.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48Collection of military items here,
0:41:48 > 0:41:50and opening at £100.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54At £100. 110, can I say, for the collection?
0:41:54 > 0:41:58110 bid now. £110. £120, can I have?
0:41:58 > 0:41:59At £110. 120.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01- In the room.- 120. 130.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03140.
0:42:03 > 0:42:04150.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07160. 170 with me. 180.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09190.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11200. 210.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16- 220. 230.- This is good. - It is good, yeah!
0:42:16 > 0:42:20220 beside me, the bid. At £220, being sold there.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23You finished, sir? Bidding? 230.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25- 240.- That's very good.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27250.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29Nice lot.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32No? Shakes his head. 240, then. The bid's beside the rostrum.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35- At £240.- £240!
0:42:35 > 0:42:37- £240.- That's the excitement of the auction room.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41- Isn't that great? - It is. Wonderful. I think so.- £240.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43Well, it is exciting when it goes THAT way,
0:42:43 > 0:42:47when it does well. It's not so fun when it struggles.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49- That's a lot of money, isn't it? - It is, yes.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52Half's going to the benevolent fund, anyway.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56- And the other half you're keeping. - Probably give it to my family.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59- Good.- Well done. - Good to catch up with you.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02- You still look so fit and so smart! - Thank you very much, Paul.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04That's being in the services for you.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06As you can see, I've always kept fit.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09'I'm saying nothing, James! But that's a good result
0:43:09 > 0:43:11'on our military items.'
0:43:11 > 0:43:13It's all over for our owners,
0:43:13 > 0:43:15and that concludes another "Flog It!" auction.
0:43:15 > 0:43:19What a wonderful day we've had here! A few highs and a few lows,
0:43:19 > 0:43:23but that's what auctions are all about - a roller-coaster ride of emotions.
0:43:23 > 0:43:26I hope you've enjoyed the show. Join us again soon for many more,
0:43:26 > 0:43:27but for now, it's cheerio.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:31 > 0:43:35E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk
0:43:35 > 0:43:36.