Balbirnie Flog It!


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We've taken the high road, the low road.

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We've crossed the magnificent Firth of Forth and landed in Fife,

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famous for its golf courses and ancient universities.

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Welcome to Flog It!

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"FLOG IT!" THEME TUNE

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UPBEAT MUSIC

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Today we're near Glenrothes in the Fife countryside,

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about 30 minutes from Dundee and an hour from Edinburgh.

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It's a superb day

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so we've decided to hold the event outside to make the most of it.

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The crowds are gathering in the grounds of Balbirnie House

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here in the heart of Fife.

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It's an ancient kingdom, steeped in history,

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exactly what our experts will be looking for today.

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Someone in this queue could be going home with a lot of money.

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Stay tuned and you'll find out.

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It's not just our crowd who are enjoying today's sunshine.

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Our experts headed up by Anita Manning and James Lewis

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have a spring in their step, too.

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And things just started to hot up.

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A lovely barometer, in beautiful condition.

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Tell you the truth. When I want to see what the weather's like,

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I look out the window.

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THEY LAUGH

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That no-nonsense approach helped make Anita

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Scotland's first female auctioneer.

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James also is a successful auctioneer and valuer

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and has a more scientific approach.

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That's really very speculative and very interesting.

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Coming up.

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-55, 60.

-I have high hopes for one of our items.

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-This lot are going to go mad for it.

-I hope so.

-They will do!

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And expectations are high at our valuation day.

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-What do you think they're worth?

-It'd be nice if it'd be £1,000...

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It would be nice. It would be really nice.

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THEY LAUGH

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Anita is first to tee off, she's looking at model trains

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that Carol has brought along.

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The collectables market for train stuff is really good at the moment.

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But when I look at this what I think of is fabulous fun.

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When I was a wee girl my dad brought me train sets instead of dolls.

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-Where did you get this stuff?

-This is my husband's.

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He was given it by his father.

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Every Saturday, they would go up and buy something for the railway.

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And either it was an engine or a set or rolling stock, whatever,

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it was bought for him.

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He was an only child so he got everything.

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-It was bought over a period of years.

-Bought with love.

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I mean it's Tri-ang, which is one of the good makes.

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It was from the Lines brothers in the 1950s,

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but it's still absolutely wonderful.

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I've had a great time playing with it.

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And what we have here is a list of accessories

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and I think that's great.

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Another thing that strikes me and it's an important issue here.

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-The condition is wonderful. So it was well looked after?

-Yes.

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-Do you have sons?

-I have two sons.

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Are they interested in...?

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They were never allowed to play with them.

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-Never allowed. Got to look at them, but never allowed to play.

-Ah-huh.

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If these come into sale, I would put them into two different lots.

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I think that's the way that we can maximise.

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Now I'd put our first lot with this Transcontinental

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and this was an American model.

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I would put that with this Princess Elizabeth.

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-Now, to the collectors, this will be more interesting.

-Yes.

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Second lot, we would have this marvellous Davy Crockett engine

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and what I love about it is,

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you have the catalogues, you have order books,

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you have instructions.

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You even have an instruction manual for laying out the track.

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And I think that it's absolutely charming.

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-I think we should put the lot... each lot in at 80-120.

-Mm-hm.

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Would you feel happy about, erm, at that price?

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-Would you feel happy they went in at that price?

-Yes.

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That's fair. Shall we do that?

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-We'll put a firm reserve of say £80?

-Yes.

-On each lot.

-Mm-hm.

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-Will you be sad to see them go?

-Yes.

-Will you?

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I will be sad to see them go. They were part of my husband so...

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But I do honestly think I'd rather that somebody got them

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that can use them and enjoy them, rather than being in a box.

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These will go onto a collector who will cherish them and love them.

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That's a good way to go.

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Let's pass them onto a collector,

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put them to auction, 80-120.

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-We'll put a reserve of £80 on them with a bit of discretion.

-Mm-hm.

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Tiny bit of discretion, 80-120

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-and we'll go along and enjoy the auction.

-Thank you.

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The weather is so fantastic, it almost feels like a holiday.

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But there's plenty of work to do

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and so many bags and boxes remain unpacked.

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Can I be nosy? Can I dive in and have a look?

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I like the glaze on that!

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-Isn't that lovely? A little money box.

-Yeah.

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The sad thing about a money box like this, made of china,

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-is once it's full...

-No, you can get the money out.

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-How? Shaking it like that?

-No, with a knife.

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With a...with a knife!

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-Have you tried it?

-Definitely.

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Do you know something? Wait there, I'll be back in a flash.

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-Right.

-I'll give you a bit of information on this.

-OK. Thank you.

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So whilst I do more research,

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a collection of watches brought in by Norma and her brother Alan

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is being inspected by James.

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Welcome to Flog it!

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We're not looking at a rare, fine piece of work.

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I picked these out because up and down the country,

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from John O'Groats to Land's End,

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in almost every old chest of drawers, along with the jewellery

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and the things inherited, is grandfather's pocket watch.

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It's something that I see probably more often than anything else

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which is why I've picked them.

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Because you've got a real cross-section here,

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spanning probably 50 or 60 years and they must have a real history.

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So are they family pieces?

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Yes, my dad had got them

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and they were passed onto me when he died.

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-And my late husband's grandparents.

-OK.

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-So they're all men's watches, not ladies'.

-Yes.

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And whenever we're looking at a pocket watch, to start with,

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there are three different types. That's the first thing to say.

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There's an open-face pocket watch, this one here.

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And this one here.

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Those are pocket watches with only a cover one side, like that.

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One silver cover.

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Then we have hunter pocket watches which are these.

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A silver cover that comes over and covers the dial.

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Known as hunters because, if you're on your horseback, out on the hunt,

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and you fall off, you've got to protect the watch glass.

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You also get half-hunters.

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You don't have an example of that,

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but a half-hunter has a circular disc in the centre,

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-so you can still tell the time.

-Mm-hm.

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So we've got one, two, three, four watches.

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We've also got the Albert chain

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made fashionable by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband.

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After all these years of them being in the family, why flog them now?

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It's a shame they're just sitting in a drawer.

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-You don't wear them?

-Not getting used.

-Never worn them?

-No.

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OK, so this one here, about 1860 in date.

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This one here, about 1880, 1890.

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This one, around 1900, 1905.

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And this one, around 1920.

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The silver Alberts. Each individual link is hallmarked with the lion.

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Every single link.

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And here, just because it's silver,

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an old cigarette case from the same sort of period.

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What do you think they're worth?

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It'd be nice if it'd be £1,000...

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It would be nice. It would be really nice!

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-Well, now...

-I've jumped the gun.

-Yeah.

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They're not worth anywhere near that, I'm sorry.

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I mean, a little silver continental watch like that is worth about £30.

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-Oh.

-Erm, one like that, worth about £40, £50.

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A hunter watch like that, again £30-£50.

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Another one, worth about £30.

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Cigarette case, £20. And two Alberts, £20-£30 each.

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If we put an estimate of 150-250, and a reserve of 150,

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-how do you feel?

-Fine, yeah.

-Yeah?

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If they don't make that, have them back.

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-Got them back.

-Never know, the fashion of...

-Wear them.

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You could wear it, very dapper.

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Only time will tell if these watches do well at auction.

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After discussing the money bank with some other experts,

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I'm ready to report back to Janet about it.

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It looks very much like Denby ware, but with that Majolica glaze.

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I think it's Scottish because it was my mother's brother.

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-He died when he was four or five.

-When...

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At the beginning of the 20th century.

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Beginning of the 20th century.

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James's initial reaction was that's early 20th century,

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He'd say early 1900s, which correlates to what you think.

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But the inscription of "Robert", looks like it's 1860s, 1870s.

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-Maybe have been handed down, there was a Robert before.

-Was there?

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It's a lovely architectural detail. A finial, normally found in pairs.

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You see them on furniture.

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On top of buildings. It's an architectural detail

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that just sets off the dynamic and the vitality of the piece.

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And that's just lovely.

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Look at the colours.

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Look at that lovely sort of treacle glaze, the way it's dripping.

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Is this something you'd like to sell?

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Well, it depends how much it's worth.

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If you put this into auction and if it is Scottish,

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it might be worth £200.

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If it's Derbyshire, it might be worth £200-£300.

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-Is it...?

-I think we'll sell it, it's just been in the cupboard.

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-Let's agree to a value of around £150-£250.

-OK.

-OK?

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-With a bit of discretion.

-Right.

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-We'll put a reserve on at £100.

-Right.

-If that's OK?

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OK, we'll bubble wrap this for you.

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It then gets safely packaged up by the couriers

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and taken to the auction room

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where the auctioneer will catalogue and photograph it

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with the auctioneer's description after he's done his homework.

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And hopefully we'll see you in the auction room.

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And this could be worth a lot of money.

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If it is by a local pottery, they'll recognise it straightaway.

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That's exactly what you expect to find up here in Scotland,

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just outside St Andrews, a wonderful set of vintage clubs.

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Right now, it's time to go off and, no, not play golf,

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put our first items under the hammer.

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It's time to leave the tranquillity of this wonderful stately home

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and go to the action, to the auction room.

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Here's a quick recap of what we're taking with us.

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The pristine model train set that belonged to Carol's husband.

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That superb finial-shaped money bank,

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and finally, the selection of silver pocket watches

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that has been passed down through Norma's family.

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For today's sale, we've travelled south to Rosewell, in Midlothian,

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and to the Thomson Roddick saleroom.

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The commission rate here is 15% plus VAT.

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The auction is well under way, Sybelle Thomson hosting proceedings

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on the rostrum.

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79.

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First up is the money box, further research by the auctioneers

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pinpointed it to the Dunmore pottery in Stirlingshire.

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Now it's my turn to be the expert.

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We've got some Scottish pottery going under the hammer.

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-This lot will go mad for it, Janet.

-Hope so.

-They will do!

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-Especially if they're called Robert.

-That's right.

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Condition's good. It's unique, it's got everything going for it.

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And we're in the right place, at the right time.

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It's going under the hammer now.

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405A, the Dunmore money bank with the name Robert on it.

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Lots of interest.

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I'm started at 50 bid, 50 bid, 50 bid.

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55, 60, 5, 70, 5.

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80, 5, 90, 5,

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100. 100, 100. On commission.

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At 100, 110, 120. Against you at 120.

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130.

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140.

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150, 160.

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170, 180.

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Come on, come on, come on.

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190.

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190 on the telephone, at 190.

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Anyone else want in?

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At £190.

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-Yes! £190.

-That's brilliant.

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-Happy?

-Yes, that's lovely.

-I'm ever so happy as well.

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I'm splitting the money between my granddaughter

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and my niece's wee boy.

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-OK. What are their names?

-Alice and Robert.

-Alice and Rob...

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Yes, of course, you said, didn't you?

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They loved it. Now time for Norma's watches.

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And selling this lot is auctioneer Gavin Tavendale.

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£50. On my left at 50, all done at 50.

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Coming up right now, we've got a real mixed lot.

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Four pocket watches, an Albert chain, a silver cigarette case.

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They belong to Norma, who can't be with us today,

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but we have James Lewis, our expert.

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And we've got £150-£250 on this.

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I mean, this is one of the things

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-you can pretty much guarantee that these sell every time.

-Yeah.

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It's something almost everybody has in their chest of drawers.

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I like the hunters, the white enamel dial with the Roman numerals.

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-It's a proper antique lot.

-It is. It's a classic.

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Every family has either got

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a family Bible, sewing machine, typewriter or a pocket watch.

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-Every family has got one of those things.

-Yeah.

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Hopefully the bidders are here.

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-Hopefully.

-Precious metal prices are up.

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-It's a good time to sell.

-Great time to sell.

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Let's find out what they think, shall we?

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And we'll telephone Norma straight after the sale. OK? Here we go.

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Large lot of silver and other pocket watches.

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200? 100? 100 bid.

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-100.

-Right, we're in.

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110. 120. 130.

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140. 150. 160, in the room at 160.

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Standing at 160. All done at 160. 170.

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180. Any further away at 180?

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All done at 180? At 180.

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It's gone.

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-180.

-Bang in the middle.

-Quick wasn't it?

-Yeah.

-Spot on, James.

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-It is the sort of thing... It's not rocket science, pocket watches.

-No.

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You see them time and time again.

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-Do you have Norma's number?

-I can get it.

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-Give her a call.

-I'll find it.

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Good results so far. Will the train set be a "runaway" success?

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Carol, I can't believe the condition of these train sets

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-your sons were never allowed to play with.

-Never.

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-Never.

-What a classic boys' toy...

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Ah-ah. When I was a wee girl, my dad used to buy me train sets.

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-Not dolls.

-Dolls. Really?

-Yeah.

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We split them into two lots now. Two groups, both of £80-£120.

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-There's a lot of them, isn't there?

-Yeah.

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Right, they're going under the hammer. This is it.

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465A, now onto this extensive collection of Tri-ang toys,

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including coaches, and I can start this on commission at £80. £80.

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Right, it's sold straightaway.

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90, 5, 100, 110,

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120, 130, 140, 150.

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150. Would you like in on the telephone?

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150, 150. Jocelyn, do you want in?

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We're selling in the room at £150. Any ad...

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150, 150, I can't...150.

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Any advance on 160, 170?

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180.

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190.

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190. 190.

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Any advance on 190? Selling in the room at 190.

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Does he want to bid at 190?

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200.

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-200!

-200.

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220.

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240.

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Oh, my goodness.

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260. In the room at £260. Any advance on £260?

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-Yes.

-Carol, that's a great result.

-Yes.

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One down, one to go. Let's hope we get the same.

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480A.

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The Tri-ang Double O gauge. Who'd like to start me at £100?

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100. 50. 50 bid.

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55. 60. 5. 70. 5. 80.

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5. 85. Would you like in on the phone?

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85, 85. 90. 5.

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100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150

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160.

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160. Right at the back at 160. Any advance on £160?

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-A very good result.

-Good.

-Still good. Still good.

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-That's great.

-That's brilliant, isn't it?

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It just goes to show, you've got to look after your toys.

0:17:460:17:50

So that's a grand total of £420 for Carol. Brilliant result.

0:17:500:17:55

And there's more to come.

0:17:550:17:56

Anita meets someone who's keeping shtoom about her antique.

0:17:580:18:02

-But what did you use that for?

-Well, I wouldn't like to tell you.

0:18:020:18:06

THEY LAUGH

0:18:060:18:08

And James can't believe his luck.

0:18:090:18:11

Thank you for bringing that in.

0:18:110:18:14

-I'm thrilled.

-James's eyes popped out on stalks.

0:18:140:18:16

First, though, I delve a bit deeper into the history of Fife.

0:18:190:18:23

MUSIC: "Bonny Portmore" by Loreena McKennitt

0:18:310:18:33

Looking at this stunning countryside here in Fife,

0:18:460:18:50

it's hard to imagine this landscape has concealed a dark secret.

0:18:500:18:56

The entrance to it is in this rather ordinary-looking building.

0:18:580:19:03

Hidden deep below is an amazing network of corridors and rooms

0:19:030:19:07

amounting to about 24,000 square feet of accommodation.

0:19:070:19:10

Large enough to house up to 300 of Scotland's most important people

0:19:120:19:16

in the event of a nuclear attack.

0:19:160:19:19

It remained on the Official Secrets list until 1993,

0:19:200:19:24

when it was decommissioned as the atmosphere improved between the East and West.

0:19:240:19:28

That year it was put up for sale

0:19:280:19:31

and bought by Peter Gordon and his brother, Paul.

0:19:310:19:34

Peter, thank goodness, I thought I was going to get lost.

0:19:340:19:38

-There's a lot of corridor here.

-Like a rabbit warren, this place.

0:19:380:19:42

How did you find this place?

0:19:420:19:44

-It was advertised in the local paper as a country farmhouse.

-Yeah.

0:19:440:19:48

-Full stop.

-That was it?

-Yeah.

0:19:480:19:51

And what did the estate agent say then?

0:19:510:19:53

-He showed round the farmhouse upstairs.

-Yeah.

0:19:530:19:56

Eventually he said, "I've one more thing to show you.

0:19:560:19:59

-"This place has rather a large cellar."

-Wow.

0:19:590:20:02

-And now you're a museum owner?

-Mm-hm.

0:20:020:20:05

-Right, well, all I can say is let's have a tour. That way?

-Yeah.

0:20:050:20:09

Well, after miles and miles of corridor,

0:20:110:20:13

we're finally into a room, and thank goodness, it's got a tall ceiling.

0:20:130:20:17

Not too claustrophobic. How did they do it without locals knowing?

0:20:170:20:21

You can't build that overnight.

0:20:210:20:23

It took approximately two years to build. It was highly secret, OK?

0:20:230:20:28

It was built by the MOD and a few locals, sworn to secrecy.

0:20:280:20:33

So what period is this?

0:20:330:20:35

This is 1950. The Royal Observer Corps, they would be out there

0:20:350:20:40

with their binoculars looking for planes.

0:20:400:20:42

They would scramble the jets at Leuchars, our most northerly

0:20:420:20:47

fighter base.

0:20:470:20:48

All that became obsolete within six years of the bunker being built.

0:20:480:20:52

Due to radar.

0:20:520:20:54

It wasn't the end for the bunker. Over the years it was updated.

0:20:550:21:00

And in 1968 took on the role of being the base

0:21:000:21:03

for the regional HQ of Scotland in the event of nuclear war.

0:21:030:21:08

So this is the nerve centre, the control room.

0:21:080:21:11

How many people would have been down here?

0:21:110:21:13

46 people at any one time would be manning it.

0:21:130:21:17

If an alert was announced, there were barracks up the road,

0:21:170:21:20

and also down at Crail Airport.

0:21:200:21:23

If the Secretary of State was in Edinburgh,

0:21:230:21:25

he'd be flown to Turnhouse,

0:21:250:21:27

flown across the Forth, land at Crail, be shipped up here, rapid.

0:21:270:21:31

As soon as he was here with his entourage,

0:21:310:21:33

that was it, the bunker was sealed.

0:21:330:21:36

From here we had direct contact with London.

0:21:410:21:44

-So...that's main operations there with the red phones, etc.

-Yeah.

0:21:440:21:50

Is that the three-minute warning phone?

0:21:500:21:52

Aye. The codes would come through that phone.

0:21:520:21:55

I would relay their number, plus my number through the second phone.

0:21:550:21:59

That would be the Secretary of State's room.

0:21:590:22:02

Behind him is the nuclear keys, in a small safe,

0:22:020:22:06

and he would use them, and all hell would break loose after that.

0:22:060:22:11

That was a sobering experience.

0:22:110:22:14

That's the first nuclear bunker I've ever been in.

0:22:140:22:17

It's thanks to the dedication of Peter and his brother

0:22:170:22:19

a very important piece of 20th-century history

0:22:190:22:22

has now been preserved.

0:22:220:22:24

The sun is still shining at Balbirnie House.

0:22:380:22:41

Let's join everybody and see what other surprises we can find.

0:22:410:22:45

Off to a good start when Anita spots Hilda,

0:22:480:22:51

who has brought in a silver jug.

0:22:510:22:54

Where did you get this wee jug?

0:22:540:22:56

Well, it was actually my dad's.

0:22:560:22:58

There was a sugar bowl and a biscuit barrel.

0:22:580:23:02

It was a matching set.

0:23:020:23:04

But the biscuit barrel had went a wee bit wrong

0:23:040:23:09

because my dad was a painter

0:23:090:23:10

and couldn't find a place to put his brushes to steep in turpentine.

0:23:100:23:16

-So he got this idea of putting it in the biscuit barrel.

-Oh, no!

0:23:160:23:20

-What did you use that for?

-Well, I wouldn't like to tell you.

0:23:200:23:23

THEY LAUGH

0:23:230:23:25

-OK, let's have a wee look at it. Quite a handsome little jug.

-Yeah.

0:23:250:23:30

High Victorian. Lots of elaborate decoration.

0:23:300:23:33

What's interesting here, we have the signs of the zodiac.

0:23:330:23:37

And at that time, there was interest in mysticism and the future

0:23:370:23:41

-and astrology and so on.

-Yeah.

0:23:410:23:44

And it's reflected in these little designs here.

0:23:440:23:48

Made in Glasgow, and if we look at the bottom of it,

0:23:480:23:53

we see the Glasgow assay mark,

0:23:530:23:56

which is the tree, the bell and the bird.

0:23:560:23:59

-And we have a date letter for 1875.

-Oh.

0:23:590:24:05

Yeah, that's all the good news, Hilda. Do you want the bad news?

0:24:050:24:11

-You better give me the bad news.

-It's only a bit of something.

0:24:110:24:14

Like myself.

0:24:140:24:16

THEY LAUGH

0:24:160:24:18

So it would have been part of a big set.

0:24:180:24:21

Have you thought about price, Hilda?

0:24:210:24:24

-I thought maybe, say 75.

-Uh-huh.

-You know.

0:24:240:24:28

-That's a wee bit dear for an auction estimate.

-Uh-huh.

0:24:280:24:33

I would feel comfortable in it going to auction

0:24:330:24:36

between £30 and £50.

0:24:360:24:39

-That'll do fine.

-It may go more than that.

-Uh-huh.

0:24:390:24:43

But I think that is a reasonable estimate to put it in at.

0:24:430:24:47

-And we will put a firm reserve...

-Yes...

-..of £30 on it.

0:24:470:24:52

But I'm confident it will go more than that.

0:24:520:24:55

Oh, well, that's good. It's just that it's lying in a drawer

0:24:550:24:59

so it would be nice for somebody to have it that appreciates it.

0:24:590:25:03

It's just getting wasted.

0:25:030:25:05

Thank you for bringing it along.

0:25:050:25:06

I look forward to seeing you at the auction.

0:25:060:25:09

Sure we'll do well.

0:25:090:25:10

I think so. Thank you.

0:25:100:25:12

With any luck, it actually might meet up with the other three pieces

0:25:120:25:17

and become a set again.

0:25:170:25:18

Oh, well, I hope so.

0:25:180:25:20

-But not the biscuit barrel.

-Not the biscuit barrel.

0:25:200:25:22

It's such a lovely piece,

0:25:240:25:26

someone at the auction is bound to fall in love with it.

0:25:260:25:28

Connie has brought along an exotic panel that has intrigued James.

0:25:320:25:36

Connie, I have to say, I was not expecting to find

0:25:360:25:39

a piece of Japanese art here in Fife.

0:25:390:25:44

Well, I've had it a long time.

0:25:460:25:48

I inherited it and I don't know where my father got it.

0:25:480:25:51

-Really?

-Yes.

-Well, as I say, Japanese, Meiji period.

0:25:510:25:57

-1880 to 1910.

-Ah, right.

-Something made around there.

0:25:570:26:02

It is a panel that probably started life in a very fine cabinet.

0:26:020:26:07

The other option is it might have been a decorative plaque

0:26:070:26:11

in its own right

0:26:110:26:12

that would have had a black ebonised frame around it when sold.

0:26:120:26:16

Let's look at the design as a whole.

0:26:160:26:18

We have at the top here, this rockwork,

0:26:180:26:21

which is carved out of softwood.

0:26:210:26:24

Here, little sections of leafage and foliage carved in bone.

0:26:240:26:29

-Right.

-Do you think that's a chrysanthemum?

-I would think so.

0:26:290:26:33

-Something like that, carved in mother-of-pearl.

-Yes.

0:26:330:26:35

But this is where the real work comes in.

0:26:350:26:39

These three figures here are just wonderful.

0:26:390:26:43

This is hand lacquer

0:26:430:26:45

and the gold lines are gold paint.

0:26:450:26:49

-Very fine.

-Very fine.

0:26:490:26:51

-Painted probably with a brush with only one bristle.

-Yes.

0:26:510:26:55

-A piece of ivory, stained green.

-Oh, right.

0:26:550:26:58

-And the flautist has lost his flute.

-Yes.

0:26:580:27:00

But still absolutely wonderful quality.

0:27:000:27:04

Tell me, was your father a collector or...?

0:27:040:27:07

Not really, he liked nice things,

0:27:070:27:09

but there wasn't money about.

0:27:090:27:11

But in the early '20s, he worked in Burma for eight or nine years.

0:27:110:27:16

Did he?

0:27:160:27:17

As an agent, to bring supplies in for the British workers.

0:27:170:27:21

This might actually have been brought back from Burma.

0:27:210:27:25

He certainly never went to Japan, I know that for sure.

0:27:250:27:29

This has been in your family for so long. Sure you want to sell?

0:27:290:27:33

I would have to think what value you put on it and decide.

0:27:330:27:37

It's the sort of thing that's very fashionable at the moment.

0:27:370:27:42

When we decide on value, these are things we look for.

0:27:420:27:45

Provenance, we haven't got a great provenance, it was your father's,

0:27:450:27:49

but we don't know where it came from.

0:27:490:27:51

We look at quality. The quality is fabulous.

0:27:510:27:54

Lovely quality, so that's in its favour. Condition.

0:27:540:27:58

Condition isn't bad, but not great.

0:27:580:28:00

We've got sections of wood missing here. That's easy.

0:28:000:28:03

All we need is a bit of ebonised wood to go in there.

0:28:030:28:07

And that can be sorted. The flute is more difficult.

0:28:070:28:10

-And we've also got it starting to warp at the top.

-Yes.

0:28:100:28:13

Let's put a decent estimate on it. If it doesn't sell, have it back.

0:28:130:28:18

£300-£500. How about that?

0:28:180:28:20

-What reserve would you recommend?

-Well...

-I was going to say 400.

0:28:200:28:26

If you'd be happy at 400, let's put 400 and an estimate of four to six.

0:28:260:28:31

-450.

-450, with discretion, so that...

0:28:310:28:36

-Give the auctioneer discretion, so he can let it go at 400.

-Yes.

0:28:360:28:39

So 400-600, 450 reserve, with discretion.

0:28:390:28:43

-Right.

-Is that all right?

-That's OK. Yes.

0:28:430:28:47

-Brilliant. Let's give it a go.

-Thank you.

0:28:470:28:49

If you decide, you come to the auction and say,

0:28:490:28:51

"I've lived with this all my life, I don't want to let it go."

0:28:510:28:55

The deal isn't done till the gavel's down. You've time.

0:28:550:28:59

-Yes.

-All right.

-Thanks very much.

0:28:590:29:01

Pleasure. Thank you for bringing it.

0:29:010:29:03

-I love it. The quality is great.

-Right. Thank you.

0:29:030:29:07

Connie quite rightly drove a hard bargain there.

0:29:070:29:11

You need to make sure you safeguard yourself when selling at auction.

0:29:110:29:16

There are still people waiting

0:29:160:29:17

and all manner of objects to be inspected.

0:29:170:29:20

The Scots Magazine.

0:29:200:29:22

The proceedings of the political club.

0:29:240:29:28

Weekly essays.

0:29:280:29:29

Printed in January, 1743. What a lovely leather-bound volume.

0:29:290:29:35

Very nice. Not a great deal of value.

0:29:350:29:37

I'm sorry.

0:29:370:29:40

I hate to be the purveyor of bad news.

0:29:400:29:43

Let's hope Anita has got some better news for Alison.

0:29:430:29:46

Thank you for bringing in this lovely wee carriage clock.

0:29:480:29:53

Where did you get it?

0:29:530:29:55

Right, I unearthed it this morning from the loft

0:29:550:30:00

and I believe it belonged to my grandmother

0:30:000:30:02

and she passed it down to my aunt.

0:30:020:30:07

And it hasn't been used, but I found the key and wound it up

0:30:070:30:12

and was amazed when it started ticking.

0:30:120:30:15

It's ticking away as we speak.

0:30:150:30:18

That's testament to the craftsmanship involved

0:30:180:30:22

in the making of that clock.

0:30:220:30:24

It is a delightful clock.

0:30:240:30:27

I always like the craftsmanship involved

0:30:270:30:29

in carriage clocks where you have these nice bevelled panels.

0:30:290:30:33

The face is made of brass

0:30:330:30:34

and we have this delightful sea-scroll on the dial.

0:30:340:30:39

We have the key and a hanging handle

0:30:390:30:42

so we really have everything going for that clock.

0:30:420:30:46

-This clock would date from 1880.

-Right.

0:30:460:30:51

That's over 100 years old.

0:30:510:30:53

130 years old so it's a good age, still going well.

0:30:530:30:56

It probably needs a wee clean. But that's about all.

0:30:560:31:00

Gosh, that's amazing.

0:31:000:31:02

An auction estimate on this

0:31:020:31:05

would be between £100 and £150.

0:31:050:31:10

Would you be happy to sell it at that price?

0:31:100:31:14

Erm, yes, I've thought about this and I would be prepared to.

0:31:140:31:19

Uh-huh. We will put a reserve price of £100 on it.

0:31:190:31:23

But if it sells, and I'm sure it will, it will go to a collector,

0:31:230:31:27

it will go to someone who will tidy it up, clean it up,

0:31:270:31:31

put it on their mantelpiece and get pleasure from it.

0:31:310:31:35

-Shall we go for it?

-I think we should.

0:31:350:31:37

Tell me what you would spend the money on.

0:31:370:31:39

Well, I think I'm going to donate the money to my daughter.

0:31:390:31:42

She drew my attention to the fact that the evaluation was here today,

0:31:420:31:49

and she's driven me here. She helped unearth it this morning.

0:31:490:31:53

So I think she'd be deserving of the money.

0:31:530:31:56

-That's very nice of you. You're a nice mum.

-Thank you.

0:31:560:32:00

The big question is, what will the bidders make of our items?

0:32:010:32:05

We're about to find out, it's time to head off

0:32:050:32:07

to the auction room.

0:32:070:32:09

It's filled to capacity and things have been fetching good prices

0:32:090:32:13

so I have high hopes for our lots.

0:32:130:32:16

Here's a quick reminder of what we're selling.

0:32:160:32:19

Hilda's silver jug, engraved with the signs of the zodiac.

0:32:190:32:22

Alison's lovely little Victorian carriage clock.

0:32:230:32:27

And Connie's decorative Japanese panel.

0:32:270:32:31

The right place to sell it because they hold specialist Oriental sales.

0:32:320:32:37

I caught up with Sybelle to find out what she thought of it.

0:32:370:32:41

This Japanese ivory panel belongs to Connie

0:32:410:32:44

and James, our valuer, has put £450- £600 on this.

0:32:440:32:49

-Well, in the interim the reserve's been reduced to 400.

-OK.

0:32:490:32:54

We've been talking to the vendor. You'll see there's some damage.

0:32:540:32:58

But it is a nice ivory lacquer panel. Probably sort of 1900, 1910.

0:32:580:33:04

I wouldn't have a clue how to value this.

0:33:040:33:07

I don't know anything about Japanese ivory panels.

0:33:070:33:11

It's the quality. Look at the faces, the hands,

0:33:110:33:13

that's a sign of good quality.

0:33:130:33:16

If it was signed, it'd be worth up into four figures,

0:33:160:33:20

but there's no signature.

0:33:200:33:22

Will this find its way back?

0:33:220:33:24

It may well do. It may well travel across the world again.

0:33:240:33:28

-They're heavy buyers, aren't they?

-Very heavy buyers.

0:33:280:33:31

Well, good luck. I can't wait to see how our lots do.

0:33:310:33:34

-We'll do our best!

-Thank you.

0:33:340:33:36

I know they'll do a great job,

0:33:360:33:38

but first let's see if the carriage clock goes down with the bidders.

0:33:380:33:42

Going under the hammer, a brass carriage clock.

0:33:420:33:45

It belongs to Alison.

0:33:450:33:46

She can't be with us today. She's on holiday in America.

0:33:460:33:50

But we do have her sister-in-law with us as a substitute, aren't you?

0:33:500:33:54

-Yes.

-Good to see you, Helen.

-Thank you.

-Nice clock.

0:33:540:33:57

Very nice, yes.

0:33:570:33:59

Good luck. It's going under the hammer now.

0:33:590:34:02

45-50A. The brass carriage clock.

0:34:030:34:07

With fluted columns. £100 for the nice carriage clock. 100.

0:34:070:34:13

-I've got 80 bid.

-80 bid.

-We're in.

0:34:130:34:17

80 bid. Who is going on? At 80 bid.

0:34:170:34:19

85, 90,

0:34:190:34:21

5, 100, 110, 110.

0:34:210:34:25

Beside me at 110. Any advance on 110?

0:34:250:34:29

120.

0:34:290:34:30

At £120.

0:34:320:34:35

-Brilliant.

-Good.

-Thanks very much.

0:34:350:34:38

Will you be able to call her on the phone?

0:34:380:34:40

-She'll be phoning.

-OK.

-Lovely.

-Thanks a lot. Thank you.

0:34:400:34:45

So off to a good start.

0:34:450:34:47

But will the stars be smiling brightly on the zodiac jug?

0:34:470:34:52

Hopefully lots of local interest on this next item, a silver jug,

0:34:520:34:56

-Glasgow, 1875. It belongs to Hilda.

-Yes.

0:34:560:34:59

-Why are you selling this?

-Well, I'm not interested in it.

0:34:590:35:04

-Aren't you?

-And it's been in the family for so...

-Long time?

0:35:040:35:08

And I would sell it for somebody to appreciate it.

0:35:080:35:13

-It may go towards the top.

-That's good.

-It's not going to soar.

-No.

0:35:130:35:17

-But it will be fancied.

-Oh, yes.

0:35:170:35:21

It's down to that lot, really, isn't it?

0:35:210:35:24

Let's find out what they think.

0:35:240:35:27

255E. Victorian silver zodiac cream jug there.

0:35:300:35:34

50, 30, £20 to make a start.

0:35:360:35:39

£20 is bid. 2, 5, 8.

0:35:390:35:41

30, 2, 5

0:35:410:35:44

38, 40,

0:35:440:35:46

2, 5, 48.

0:35:460:35:48

48 is the lady's bid.

0:35:480:35:50

-50.

-There's fresh bids over there.

0:35:500:35:54

5, 60, 5, 65. Lady's bid at 65.

0:35:580:36:03

Are we all done at £65?

0:36:030:36:05

-Good price.

-Great price. Top end, plus.

-Oh, smashing.

0:36:070:36:12

Smashing!

0:36:120:36:14

Terrific.

0:36:140:36:15

If you've more silver, bring it along to another "Flog It!" valuation.

0:36:150:36:19

-I will do that.

-OK. See you in a year's time.

0:36:190:36:22

Well, maybe see you before.

0:36:220:36:24

So the zodiac jug exceeded its predicted value.

0:36:260:36:29

Now it's time to sell our final lot, the ivory panel.

0:36:290:36:32

Auctioneer William Smith is wielding the gavel.

0:36:320:36:35

It's that wonderful Japanese carved wooden panel,

0:36:390:36:42

inset with some ivory figures.

0:36:420:36:44

-Connie wants a laptop. You want to be mobile.

-Yes.

0:36:440:36:47

That could turn into a laptop, couldn't it?

0:36:470:36:51

In literally two minutes because it's going under the hammer now.

0:36:510:36:55

Let's watch the result and see what happens. Here it is.

0:36:550:36:58

Now we're onto 125A, this very nice 19th-century lacquered wood panel.

0:37:000:37:07

A lot of commissions on this one. We're starting the bidding at £550.

0:37:070:37:12

Straight in, Connie. No problem there.

0:37:120:37:16

Any advance on £550 for the panel? With me on commission at 550.

0:37:160:37:21

600. 650.

0:37:210:37:24

700. 750.

0:37:260:37:28

750 against.

0:37:280:37:30

800. 850.

0:37:300:37:33

950.

0:37:330:37:35

Top of the range laptop.

0:37:370:37:39

£1,000 with me.

0:37:400:37:42

Wow, he's got a bid on the book. and somebody on the telephone.

0:37:420:37:46

They're going bonkers over it!

0:37:460:37:47

£1,100. Any advance on £1,100 for it?

0:37:490:37:52

Behind me on the telephone at £1,100.

0:37:520:37:56

All done at £1,100.

0:37:560:37:59

-Wasn't that brilliant!

-Thank you for picking me.

-My pleasure.

0:37:590:38:03

Thank you for bringing that in. James' eyes popped out on stalks.

0:38:030:38:06

-I had a figure of 600 would be nice.

-That is brilliant, isn't it?

0:38:060:38:10

Well done.

0:38:100:38:12

-So that'll get you a laptop.

-And more.

0:38:120:38:16

Thank you so much for bringing that in.

0:38:160:38:18

What a wonderful end to a wonderful day here, just outside of Edinburgh.

0:38:180:38:22

I hope you've enjoyed the show. Join us again on Flog It!

0:38:220:38:26

But for now, from all of us here, especially Connie, a big goodbye.

0:38:260:38:30

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