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Well, our team of trusted experts are already valuing the antiques | 0:00:02 | 0:00:05 | |
and collectables brought along to our Dorchester venue today. | 0:00:05 | 0:00:09 | |
We'll be taking the best items off to auction later on in the show. | 0:00:09 | 0:00:12 | |
But all of this lot here have come to ask that all-important question, which is... | 0:00:12 | 0:00:16 | |
..what's it worth? | 0:00:16 | 0:00:18 | |
One of Dorchester's claims to fame | 0:00:41 | 0:00:43 | |
is that its splendid High Street, as you can see here, boasts over 70 | 0:00:43 | 0:00:47 | |
listed buildings, more than any other street in Britain. | 0:00:47 | 0:00:50 | |
I just hope our experts are having such a variety back over at the Dorford Centre. | 0:00:50 | 0:00:56 | |
In fact, it's a packed house over at our valuation day, | 0:00:56 | 0:01:00 | |
and our team of experts are already hard at work valuing the crowd's antiques and collectables. | 0:01:00 | 0:01:06 | |
Leading our team of experts are the ever-reliable David Fletcher | 0:01:06 | 0:01:10 | |
and Mark Stacey, both of whom work as independent antique valuers. | 0:01:10 | 0:01:16 | |
Antiques run in David's blood. | 0:01:16 | 0:01:18 | |
In fact, his first ever job was working in an auction house, and he's been hooked ever since. | 0:01:18 | 0:01:24 | |
He's very fortunate that he absolutely loves his job. | 0:01:24 | 0:01:26 | |
By contrast, Mark first started work in the care profession and came to antiques a little later on. | 0:01:26 | 0:01:31 | |
He began his foray into the business as a dealer and later went on to work for various auction houses. | 0:01:31 | 0:01:38 | |
You might need this as an umbrella! | 0:01:38 | 0:01:41 | |
We have some real treats coming up for you on today's show as we try to | 0:01:43 | 0:01:46 | |
unearth the hidden stories behind people's possessions. | 0:01:46 | 0:01:50 | |
They were modelled on a character called Toby Philpott, who literally drank | 0:01:50 | 0:01:55 | |
-16 pints of ale a day. -Well, I don't like them, anyway. No. | 0:01:55 | 0:01:59 | |
I'm with you! | 0:01:59 | 0:02:02 | |
But before all of that, David Fletcher is having a look at Lorna's collection of silver spoons. | 0:02:02 | 0:02:07 | |
-Soon be time for tea. -Yes. -Actually, I think they're probably coffee spoons. | 0:02:07 | 0:02:11 | |
I thought they were, yes. | 0:02:11 | 0:02:13 | |
Anyway, the important thing about them is that they're made of silver, | 0:02:13 | 0:02:17 | |
and they were made to commemorate the Battle of the Somme. | 0:02:17 | 0:02:24 | |
And each one of the bowls of these spoons bears the name of an action during the Battle of the Somme. | 0:02:24 | 0:02:31 | |
They are French and, being French, the standard isn't quite as high | 0:02:31 | 0:02:37 | |
as it would be on a piece of English silver. | 0:02:37 | 0:02:39 | |
-No. -And these tiny, tiny marks on the top right-hand side of each bowl tell us that. | 0:02:39 | 0:02:47 | |
There's an equally tiny mark on the left-hand side of the top of each bowl | 0:02:47 | 0:02:51 | |
-which tells us who the maker is, but I haven't been able to distinguish that. -No. | 0:02:51 | 0:02:57 | |
The finials are each dated 1914/1915 | 0:02:57 | 0:03:03 | |
and are enamelled with the flags of the Allies. | 0:03:03 | 0:03:07 | |
-Yes. -And can you trace them back to the Battle of the Somme? | 0:03:07 | 0:03:12 | |
Yes, because my great-aunt | 0:03:12 | 0:03:16 | |
was a Queen Alexander nurse and she actually was nursing in the front. | 0:03:16 | 0:03:23 | |
But she gave them to me as a wedding present in 1951. | 0:03:23 | 0:03:27 | |
-And how did she acquire them? -Well, I can only presume on an off-duty moment | 0:03:27 | 0:03:32 | |
from the field hospital, she went off to local places and picked them all up. | 0:03:32 | 0:03:38 | |
That's lovely, because it means we can provenance them right back to | 0:03:38 | 0:03:41 | |
the time when they first saw the light of day. | 0:03:41 | 0:03:44 | |
As a wedding present, you must be a bit sad to see them go. | 0:03:44 | 0:03:47 | |
Yes, I am. I like them, but I've got to downsize. | 0:03:47 | 0:03:51 | |
My family aren't interested, so I thought going to someone who might appreciate them... | 0:03:51 | 0:03:57 | |
You've got to move on, as they say, haven't you? | 0:03:57 | 0:04:01 | |
And you can be sure that these will go to a person who understands what they are, | 0:04:01 | 0:04:06 | |
-appreciates their social significance. So that will be good, I think. -I think so. | 0:04:06 | 0:04:13 | |
As far as the value is concerned, they're affordable, really. | 0:04:13 | 0:04:17 | |
I think, optimistically, we could expect them to make £10 a spoon. | 0:04:17 | 0:04:20 | |
-Yes. -Conservatively, I would be thinking in terms of an estimate of £30 to £50 | 0:04:20 | 0:04:26 | |
and, all other things being equal, would suggest a reserve of £30. | 0:04:26 | 0:04:31 | |
Yes. | 0:04:31 | 0:04:33 | |
It's not going to change your life, but it's going to help, | 0:04:33 | 0:04:37 | |
so let's go ahead on that basis, 30 to 50 with a reserve of 30, | 0:04:37 | 0:04:42 | |
and I look forward to seeing you at the sale. | 0:04:42 | 0:04:45 | |
-At the sale, yes. -Thank you very much. -Thank you! | 0:04:45 | 0:04:49 | |
With a history like that, we shouldn't have any problem finding a new home for Lorna's silver spoons. | 0:04:49 | 0:04:56 | |
But it's the real stories we're after, | 0:04:56 | 0:04:58 | |
behind all the antiques and collectables being brought in | 0:04:58 | 0:05:01 | |
before we take them off to auction. | 0:05:01 | 0:05:03 | |
Hello. That looks interesting. Is that Keswick or Newlyn? | 0:05:03 | 0:05:06 | |
-Keswick. -Yes, you can see the stamp. | 0:05:06 | 0:05:08 | |
Quite nicely stamped. | 0:05:08 | 0:05:10 | |
So, what's the story behind this? Are you a big Arts and Crafts fan? | 0:05:10 | 0:05:14 | |
Yes, I'm really into Arts and Crafts. | 0:05:14 | 0:05:16 | |
I bought this, along with another piece, about ten years ago, | 0:05:16 | 0:05:20 | |
and I've had them at home, using them ever since. | 0:05:20 | 0:05:22 | |
But I now have a new partner, | 0:05:22 | 0:05:24 | |
and she's not too keen on Arts and Crafts, | 0:05:24 | 0:05:27 | |
so we're looking to remodel the house! | 0:05:27 | 0:05:30 | |
So this is one of the things I'd like to try and sell. | 0:05:30 | 0:05:32 | |
That's the name of the game! That's why you're here to flog it, I guess. | 0:05:32 | 0:05:36 | |
Good luck, hopefully we'll see you later on. | 0:05:36 | 0:05:38 | |
Thank you. | 0:05:38 | 0:05:40 | |
Next up, Mark Stacey is talking to Michael and wife Jo, | 0:05:42 | 0:05:46 | |
who've brought in two Toby jugs. | 0:05:46 | 0:05:48 | |
Now, you get no prizes for calling these Toby jugs | 0:05:48 | 0:05:52 | |
or "Toby character jugs", but where did they come from? | 0:05:52 | 0:05:55 | |
Well, my mum bought this one many years ago. | 0:05:55 | 0:06:00 | |
I think I was nine or ten. | 0:06:00 | 0:06:02 | |
-Gosh! -And I liked it, | 0:06:02 | 0:06:04 | |
so I decided to buy Mum the small one for a Christmas box one year. | 0:06:04 | 0:06:10 | |
So you found another one that matched in with that? | 0:06:10 | 0:06:12 | |
And I think I paid about ten shillings and sixpence for it. | 0:06:12 | 0:06:15 | |
Gosh, that's quite a lot, actually. That's quite a lot. | 0:06:15 | 0:06:18 | |
For those who don't know what ten shillings and sixpence is, | 0:06:18 | 0:06:22 | |
-that's about... -55p? | 0:06:22 | 0:06:24 | |
-Is it about that much? -Yeah! -Ten shillings, that's 50p. Yeah, 55p. | 0:06:24 | 0:06:28 | |
I think the interesting thing is that character jugs, or Toby jugs, | 0:06:28 | 0:06:32 | |
really are 18th century pieces. | 0:06:32 | 0:06:34 | |
The earliest ones are made in lovely creamware and pearlware | 0:06:34 | 0:06:38 | |
by firms like Ralph Wood. | 0:06:38 | 0:06:40 | |
And they're modelled on a character called Toby Philpott, | 0:06:40 | 0:06:44 | |
who was a really larger-than-life character | 0:06:44 | 0:06:48 | |
who literally drank 16 pints of ale a day. | 0:06:48 | 0:06:51 | |
-Gosh! -Of course, in the 18th century, it was safer to drink alcohol - | 0:06:51 | 0:06:56 | |
gin, ale - than it was to drink water. | 0:06:56 | 0:06:59 | |
And in actual fact, ale was an upper-class drink, | 0:06:59 | 0:07:02 | |
-whereas gin was for the working people. -Right! | 0:07:02 | 0:07:05 | |
Reversed completely now, of course. | 0:07:05 | 0:07:08 | |
But the interesting thing about these is they're not 18th century. | 0:07:08 | 0:07:11 | |
-No. -They're not that old. They're about 60 years old, I suppose. | 0:07:11 | 0:07:15 | |
And some of our viewers who see this name very regularly will not | 0:07:15 | 0:07:19 | |
recognise that these have got the mark of Clarice Cliff on the back. | 0:07:19 | 0:07:24 | |
-Yes. -"Newport Pottery, England." | 0:07:24 | 0:07:26 | |
Now, I'm not sure that they had very much to do with Clarice Cliff. | 0:07:26 | 0:07:30 | |
I mean, the colours are quite bright, and they're quite vibrant. | 0:07:30 | 0:07:33 | |
He's quite rosy-cheeked. | 0:07:33 | 0:07:35 | |
I suspect they were probably made just after the war. | 0:07:35 | 0:07:38 | |
And this is actually a jug, of course. | 0:07:38 | 0:07:40 | |
And this, I think, would have come - it's Clarice Cliff again - | 0:07:40 | 0:07:43 | |
the same mark would have come from a little tea set. | 0:07:43 | 0:07:46 | |
This would have been a little sugar bowl, I think, | 0:07:46 | 0:07:49 | |
and you would have had a little creamer and a teapot to go with it. | 0:07:49 | 0:07:52 | |
So, in terms of value, | 0:07:52 | 0:07:53 | |
what do you think your ten shillings is worth today? | 0:07:53 | 0:07:57 | |
Would you be very disappointed if they weren't very valuable, | 0:07:57 | 0:08:00 | |
or have you decided, "Well, we don't like them"? | 0:08:00 | 0:08:02 | |
-Well, I don't like them, anyway. -I don't. -No. -I'm with you! | 0:08:02 | 0:08:07 | |
I'm not bothered, actually, whether they sell or not. | 0:08:07 | 0:08:10 | |
I think you've got to be realistic. They're a little bit of fun. | 0:08:10 | 0:08:13 | |
-Yes. -And I think we put them in with maybe an estimate | 0:08:13 | 0:08:17 | |
of £40 to £60 for the pair. | 0:08:17 | 0:08:19 | |
-Would you be happy with that? -Would you be happy with that? | 0:08:19 | 0:08:22 | |
-Yes, that's fine. -Yes? | 0:08:22 | 0:08:24 | |
What about reserve? Are you just happy to have them sold? | 0:08:24 | 0:08:27 | |
-We'll just let them go. -Have a bit of fun on the day. | 0:08:27 | 0:08:31 | |
They should make that and hopefully a little bit more, | 0:08:31 | 0:08:34 | |
because they are marked and they're sizeable pieces. | 0:08:34 | 0:08:37 | |
-So fingers crossed. -OK. | 0:08:37 | 0:08:38 | |
We might have a pint afterwards! | 0:08:38 | 0:08:41 | |
-Absolutely. -Or several gins! -Or several large gins. | 0:08:41 | 0:08:43 | |
Might not be good to drive home after several large gins. | 0:08:43 | 0:08:46 | |
It sounds like Jo will be glad to see the back of Michael's Toby jugs, | 0:08:46 | 0:08:51 | |
so we'll keep our fingers crossed for her | 0:08:51 | 0:08:53 | |
at the auction later. | 0:08:53 | 0:08:55 | |
Now, remember when I was looking | 0:08:55 | 0:08:57 | |
at that fabulous Keswick tray belonging to Andrew? | 0:08:57 | 0:09:00 | |
Well, David is talking to him now, | 0:09:00 | 0:09:02 | |
but he's far more interested in Andrew's copperware plate. | 0:09:02 | 0:09:06 | |
What can you tell me about it? | 0:09:06 | 0:09:08 | |
Well, I think it's Arts and Crafts from around 1900, 1910. | 0:09:08 | 0:09:13 | |
It does have a mark on the back, which is Beldray, | 0:09:13 | 0:09:16 | |
and I had a look on the internet, | 0:09:16 | 0:09:18 | |
and apparently they were a Birmingham company of that period. | 0:09:18 | 0:09:21 | |
I would absolutely agree with the dating. | 0:09:21 | 0:09:25 | |
I think 1900, 1910. | 0:09:25 | 0:09:27 | |
It's broadly speaking in the Art Nouveau style, | 0:09:27 | 0:09:31 | |
which, as you probably know, is characterised by | 0:09:31 | 0:09:34 | |
these sort of whiplash lines, sort of naturalistic lines, | 0:09:34 | 0:09:39 | |
quite unlike the Art Deco style which followed it, | 0:09:39 | 0:09:42 | |
which was to do with geometric shapes and geometric lines. | 0:09:42 | 0:09:47 | |
As you say, Beldray, | 0:09:47 | 0:09:49 | |
and they were a firm producing slightly more commercial things | 0:09:49 | 0:09:55 | |
than the true Arts and Crafts workshops at the same time. | 0:09:55 | 0:10:01 | |
So this, with the best will in the world, isn't a piece of Newlyn, | 0:10:01 | 0:10:04 | |
which I think is probably everyone's idea | 0:10:04 | 0:10:07 | |
of what good Arts and Crafts copperware should be like. | 0:10:07 | 0:10:11 | |
But on the other hand, | 0:10:11 | 0:10:12 | |
it's not something that was just stamped out by the thousand. | 0:10:12 | 0:10:15 | |
There is an element of design here, an element of quality control, | 0:10:15 | 0:10:19 | |
if you like, and it's a stylish piece. | 0:10:19 | 0:10:23 | |
Was it always made to hang? I assume that's original. | 0:10:23 | 0:10:26 | |
I think that's exactly right. Yeah, that is original. | 0:10:26 | 0:10:30 | |
Tell me what you think it depicts. | 0:10:30 | 0:10:33 | |
Well, I think it's a winter scene. | 0:10:33 | 0:10:35 | |
Obviously, it's a woman in the cloak, | 0:10:35 | 0:10:37 | |
-and you've got the bare trees in the background. -Yeah. You're right. | 0:10:37 | 0:10:41 | |
I think it's winter. | 0:10:41 | 0:10:43 | |
I'm sure it's winter, which suggests that it's one of a series of four, | 0:10:43 | 0:10:47 | |
each one representing a different season. | 0:10:47 | 0:10:51 | |
-So, are you going to miss it? -Yes. | 0:10:51 | 0:10:53 | |
It's sort of been hanging no the wall in my study, | 0:10:53 | 0:10:57 | |
but we're having a change of decor at home, | 0:10:57 | 0:11:00 | |
and this and the tray as well have to go, I'm afraid. | 0:11:00 | 0:11:04 | |
Right, so, what's it worth? | 0:11:04 | 0:11:06 | |
-I would suggest an estimate of £50 to £80. -Oh. | 0:11:06 | 0:11:13 | |
You don't look exactly thrilled by that. | 0:11:13 | 0:11:15 | |
-No, that's a bit less than I was hoping for. -You hoped more. | 0:11:15 | 0:11:18 | |
What did you pay for it? | 0:11:18 | 0:11:20 | |
Well, I bought it together with a large Keswick tray, | 0:11:20 | 0:11:24 | |
-and that was £300 for the two. -Right. | 0:11:24 | 0:11:26 | |
But obviously, the Keswick tray would have been worth... | 0:11:26 | 0:11:29 | |
A substantial part of that. | 0:11:29 | 0:11:31 | |
And we have to accept that the market's probably gone down a bit | 0:11:31 | 0:11:35 | |
in the last few years anyway. | 0:11:35 | 0:11:37 | |
-This was ten years ago. -Yeah. | 0:11:37 | 0:11:39 | |
You're being very philosophical. | 0:11:39 | 0:11:41 | |
If you can be even more philosophical | 0:11:41 | 0:11:44 | |
and agree to a reserve of £45, I'd be delighted. | 0:11:44 | 0:11:47 | |
-Yes, OK. -Jolly good. OK, Andrew, £45 fixed reserve, estimate 50 to 80. | 0:11:47 | 0:11:53 | |
I'll see you at the sale. | 0:11:53 | 0:11:55 | |
-OK. -Thank you very much. -Thank you. | 0:11:55 | 0:11:57 | |
Oh, dear. I do hope that Andrew isn't too disappointed | 0:11:57 | 0:12:01 | |
with David's estimate. | 0:12:01 | 0:12:03 | |
Well, I think it's about time we upped the tempo, don't you? | 0:12:03 | 0:12:06 | |
We have been working flat out here, | 0:12:06 | 0:12:07 | |
but we're going to put our experts' valuations to the test right now. | 0:12:07 | 0:12:11 | |
You've seen the items. | 0:12:11 | 0:12:12 | |
There's a few cracking ones there and hopefully one or two surprises. | 0:12:12 | 0:12:15 | |
We're making our way to Duke's, | 0:12:15 | 0:12:17 | |
leaving you with a quick recap, just to jog your memory, | 0:12:17 | 0:12:20 | |
of the items going under the hammer. | 0:12:20 | 0:12:22 | |
And stirring things up right now, it's time to find a new home | 0:12:22 | 0:12:25 | |
for Lorna's collection of silver coffee spoons. | 0:12:25 | 0:12:28 | |
Jo will be glad to see the back end of Michael's Toby jugs, | 0:12:28 | 0:12:32 | |
but will we be able to find a bidder to take them off her hands? | 0:12:32 | 0:12:36 | |
And finally, Andrew's Art Nouveau copperware plate | 0:12:36 | 0:12:40 | |
is going under the hammer. | 0:12:40 | 0:12:43 | |
Let's hope we can get him a good return. | 0:12:43 | 0:12:45 | |
And we're still in Dorchester, at Duke's salerooms, | 0:12:48 | 0:12:51 | |
and auctioneer Matthew Denny is on the rostrum. | 0:12:51 | 0:12:54 | |
The first of our items to go under the hammer | 0:12:57 | 0:12:59 | |
are Lorna's silver spoons. | 0:12:59 | 0:13:02 | |
Lorna, good luck. We've got our fingers crossed. | 0:13:03 | 0:13:06 | |
This is Lorna's first auction. | 0:13:06 | 0:13:08 | |
We're about to sell the silver coffee spoons. | 0:13:08 | 0:13:10 | |
-That's right yes. -There's a lot of silver here today. | 0:13:10 | 0:13:14 | |
This is a nice lot. I find it very interesting that one of the bloodiest | 0:13:14 | 0:13:17 | |
and most important battles of all time, the Battle of the Somme, | 0:13:17 | 0:13:21 | |
should be commemorated by these finely crafted spoons, | 0:13:21 | 0:13:24 | |
wonderful quality, in complete contrast, really, | 0:13:24 | 0:13:27 | |
to the nature of the battle itself, | 0:13:27 | 0:13:29 | |
a significant battle, and significant things. | 0:13:29 | 0:13:33 | |
Good luck, then. Here we go. | 0:13:33 | 0:13:35 | |
World War One period commemorative spoons. | 0:13:35 | 0:13:39 | |
These are interesting things. | 0:13:39 | 0:13:41 | |
I've got commission bids at £30 to start, I'll take 5. | 0:13:41 | 0:13:43 | |
At 35. 40. 5. 50. 5. Take 60 next. | 0:13:43 | 0:13:47 | |
60. 5. 70. 5. | 0:13:47 | 0:13:50 | |
At £70 on the side. I'll take 5. | 0:13:50 | 0:13:53 | |
At £70. 5, if you like. | 0:13:53 | 0:13:55 | |
On my left at 70. 5 anywhere? | 0:13:55 | 0:13:59 | |
Yes, £70! That was short and sweet, wasn't it? | 0:13:59 | 0:14:02 | |
Blink and you'll miss that one! £70. Are you happy? | 0:14:02 | 0:14:04 | |
Yes, I am, | 0:14:04 | 0:14:06 | |
because I thought originally they weren't valued that much. | 0:14:06 | 0:14:09 | |
No, I thought they would, so I'm thrilled. | 0:14:09 | 0:14:11 | |
I'm glad you're pleased too, Lorna. | 0:14:11 | 0:14:14 | |
-I am, yes. -Thank you. -Two people really thought them quite special, | 0:14:14 | 0:14:18 | |
and that's the beauty of auctions, really. | 0:14:18 | 0:14:20 | |
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. | 0:14:20 | 0:14:23 | |
Lorna's spoons have got us off to a really good start. | 0:14:23 | 0:14:25 | |
They went for well over the estimate. | 0:14:25 | 0:14:27 | |
There's been a change of auctioneer now, | 0:14:27 | 0:14:30 | |
and Gary Batt is on the rostrum. | 0:14:30 | 0:14:33 | |
Serving up right now we've got an Art Nouveau copper plate. | 0:14:33 | 0:14:35 | |
It belongs to Andrew, with a valuation of £50 to £80 on this. | 0:14:35 | 0:14:38 | |
Hopefully, we'll go at the top end, | 0:14:38 | 0:14:41 | |
-because it's very affordable and looks good. -If you're starting to collect | 0:14:41 | 0:14:44 | |
and you perhaps can't afford a piece of Arts and Crafts by Newlyn, | 0:14:44 | 0:14:47 | |
something like this will get you going. | 0:14:47 | 0:14:50 | |
As you say, 50 or 60 quid, really, it's not a lot. | 0:14:50 | 0:14:53 | |
It's nothing. It's absolutely nothing, no. | 0:14:53 | 0:14:55 | |
And I think that's what this saleroom's built on, really. | 0:14:55 | 0:14:58 | |
We'll find out what the bidders think. | 0:14:58 | 0:15:00 | |
Rather nice Arts and Crafts wall plate, a cloaked woman. | 0:15:02 | 0:15:06 | |
-Landscape, quite a stylish piece. -It's gone quiet. | 0:15:06 | 0:15:10 | |
I've got overlapping bids at £30 to start. I'll take a fiver if I can. | 0:15:10 | 0:15:14 | |
At 30. 5. Thank you. | 0:15:14 | 0:15:16 | |
At £35. 40 bid. | 0:15:16 | 0:15:19 | |
45. 50. Yes, madam, 50. | 0:15:19 | 0:15:22 | |
At £50. Any advance on 50? | 0:15:22 | 0:15:24 | |
50. Take a fiver from anywhere. | 0:15:26 | 0:15:30 | |
Selling, then, at £50. | 0:15:30 | 0:15:31 | |
Everybody finished? Clear at 50. | 0:15:31 | 0:15:34 | |
Good. It's gone. Well done. | 0:15:34 | 0:15:37 | |
Thank you so much. Well done. | 0:15:37 | 0:15:39 | |
-Just! -Great valuation. -Thank you, Andrew. Thank you. | 0:15:39 | 0:15:41 | |
Well, that one just scraped through. | 0:15:41 | 0:15:44 | |
I think it was right on the money, though. | 0:15:44 | 0:15:46 | |
Next up, it's time to test Mark's valuation | 0:15:46 | 0:15:48 | |
as we see what those two Toby jugs go for. | 0:15:48 | 0:15:51 | |
OK, we've got some Clarice Cliff going under the hammer. | 0:15:51 | 0:15:55 | |
It's a pair of Toby jugs. That's quite unusual, I think. | 0:15:55 | 0:15:58 | |
Not seen those before. | 0:15:58 | 0:15:59 | |
They're quite local, Paul, of course. | 0:15:59 | 0:16:01 | |
-Right, OK. Well, I know they were your family's, weren't they, Michael? -That's correct. | 0:16:01 | 0:16:05 | |
-Do you like these, Josephine? -No. -You don't like Toby jugs? | 0:16:05 | 0:16:07 | |
-I don't like Toby jugs. -Don't like Clarice Cliff? | 0:16:07 | 0:16:10 | |
-Not really, no. -But I'm sure somebody out there will love them. | 0:16:10 | 0:16:14 | |
Well, I'm not sure how much Clarice Cliff had to do with these Toby jugs. | 0:16:14 | 0:16:18 | |
-The printed backstamp could be put on anything by the factory. -Yeah. | 0:16:18 | 0:16:20 | |
But they're certainly quite colourful. | 0:16:20 | 0:16:22 | |
-Well, good luck, you two. -Thank you. -This is it. | 0:16:22 | 0:16:25 | |
Clarice Cliff Toby jug. And another. | 0:16:27 | 0:16:30 | |
Here we are, two Toby jugs. | 0:16:30 | 0:16:32 | |
Very decorative. I've got what for this lot? | 0:16:32 | 0:16:35 | |
£30 to start me? | 0:16:35 | 0:16:38 | |
-At £30? 30 bid. 35, anyone like? 35. -Dubious. The bidders are dubious. | 0:16:38 | 0:16:44 | |
-40 commission. 5. 50. -Oh, we've got 50. | 0:16:44 | 0:16:47 | |
-We've sold them. -60. 5. | 0:16:47 | 0:16:49 | |
70. | 0:16:49 | 0:16:52 | |
"Go on!" said Josephine! | 0:16:52 | 0:16:55 | |
We're out now. You're in at £75. | 0:16:55 | 0:16:58 | |
80? 80. Well done, sir. 5. | 0:16:58 | 0:17:00 | |
90. 5. 100. | 0:17:00 | 0:17:03 | |
10. | 0:17:03 | 0:17:05 | |
20. 130. | 0:17:05 | 0:17:07 | |
At £120. Near me, against you at the back, then. | 0:17:07 | 0:17:10 | |
Going at £120. Are we out and clear and sure I sell? | 0:17:10 | 0:17:14 | |
-Yes! They're gone! -Very good. | 0:17:16 | 0:17:18 | |
-Very good! Thank you. -That turned out to be a very good combination. | 0:17:18 | 0:17:24 | |
Yes, it did! | 0:17:24 | 0:17:27 | |
That was a brilliant result. | 0:17:28 | 0:17:30 | |
Michael's Toby jugs doubled the top end of the estimate. | 0:17:30 | 0:17:33 | |
I just love it when that happens. | 0:17:33 | 0:17:36 | |
And coming up later in the programme, Mark Stacey and I | 0:17:36 | 0:17:39 | |
are lucky enough to examine some collectables that just ooze history. | 0:17:39 | 0:17:43 | |
..little pieces of trench art, where the soldiers | 0:17:43 | 0:17:47 | |
used the spent cartridges and shells to make themselves practical things. | 0:17:47 | 0:17:51 | |
I tell you what, that's a | 0:17:51 | 0:17:53 | |
proper engineer's toy, that, isn't it? | 0:17:53 | 0:17:56 | |
So don't go away! | 0:17:56 | 0:17:58 | |
I'm on the island of Portland Bill, which is on the Dorset coastline, | 0:18:12 | 0:18:15 | |
which is south of Dorchester, because I want to show you something that I've been fascinated by | 0:18:15 | 0:18:19 | |
ever since I was a young lad, and that's these buildings, lighthouses. | 0:18:19 | 0:18:24 | |
As I grew up on the Cornish coastline, I've always been fully aware of the important role that | 0:18:25 | 0:18:29 | |
lighthouses play in helping to keep our sailing vessels safe all around the British Isles. | 0:18:29 | 0:18:35 | |
Trinity House is an organisation which oversees all the lighthouses | 0:18:35 | 0:18:39 | |
on the coastline of England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar | 0:18:39 | 0:18:43 | |
as well as providing other key services which are very important | 0:18:43 | 0:18:47 | |
to help keep our navigators safe. | 0:18:47 | 0:18:49 | |
The first lighthouse built by Trinity House was in 1609 in Lowestoft. | 0:18:50 | 0:18:55 | |
Today, Trinity House has 69 working lighthouses, which have been automated since November 1998. | 0:18:55 | 0:19:02 | |
That's when the UK's last manned lighthouse, | 0:19:02 | 0:19:05 | |
North Foreland in Kent, was converted to automatic operation. | 0:19:05 | 0:19:09 | |
Today, I've come to see this lighthouse on Portland Bill. | 0:19:09 | 0:19:12 | |
There's been a lighthouse here ever since 1760. | 0:19:12 | 0:19:15 | |
The one I'm looking around today was opened in 1906. | 0:19:15 | 0:19:18 | |
And to give you a measure of just how important these buildings are, | 0:19:18 | 0:19:22 | |
this is the fifth lighthouse to be built on the Bill. | 0:19:22 | 0:19:26 | |
I'm thrilled to be getting a personal tour from Larry Walker. | 0:19:27 | 0:19:31 | |
He was the last principal lighthouse keeper at Portland Bill | 0:19:31 | 0:19:34 | |
before it was automated, and he still keeps a watchful eye on it today. | 0:19:34 | 0:19:38 | |
-Larry? -How do you do? -Hi. Pleased to meet you! -I'm pleased to meet you, Paul. | 0:19:38 | 0:19:42 | |
I'm looking forward to my tour. | 0:19:42 | 0:19:44 | |
God, that's a strong handshake you've got! | 0:19:44 | 0:19:46 | |
How long have you been the lighthouse keeper here in Portland Bill? | 0:19:46 | 0:19:48 | |
On Portland Bill here, 32 years. | 0:19:48 | 0:19:49 | |
-You must love the job. -Oh, yes. | 0:19:49 | 0:19:51 | |
It's a vocation, not a job. | 0:19:51 | 0:19:54 | |
-Have you worked in any other lighthouse? -Oh, yes. | 0:19:54 | 0:19:56 | |
This is actually my 22nd lighthouse. | 0:19:56 | 0:19:58 | |
You've been in 22? | 0:19:58 | 0:20:00 | |
Yeah. The last lighthouse before I came here was Eddystone Lighthouse. | 0:20:00 | 0:20:04 | |
Plymouth Hoe. I've been up that. Did you know when you get to the top of that one, that one actually wobbles? | 0:20:04 | 0:20:07 | |
-Yeah, that one quivers. -I don't like that. I really don't like that. Does this one wobble? | 0:20:07 | 0:20:11 | |
A little bit. A little bit. | 0:20:11 | 0:20:14 | |
-Well, I'm really excited to get up this one. -Come on. | 0:20:14 | 0:20:16 | |
-So, we'll start at the top. -Yes, we are going to start at the top, Paul, up in the lantern. | 0:20:23 | 0:20:27 | |
But before we get there, you've got a long climb to go. | 0:20:27 | 0:20:29 | |
-How many steps are there? -There's 153 steps. | 0:20:29 | 0:20:31 | |
And I'll bet you know every single one. | 0:20:31 | 0:20:34 | |
-By a rude word, yes, I do. -Yeah. | 0:20:34 | 0:20:36 | |
And 20 years ago, I was able to do it in 42 seconds from the base of the tower into the lantern. | 0:20:36 | 0:20:42 | |
That's not bad going. Shall we try and beat it? | 0:20:42 | 0:20:44 | |
Well, you can, but I'm not. Right. | 0:20:44 | 0:20:48 | |
Well, this is obviously the main light, and I know that rolls on a bed of mercury, doesn't it? | 0:20:59 | 0:21:05 | |
That's correct. This is technically what we call a mercury-float light-revolving system. | 0:21:05 | 0:21:09 | |
It is doing one revolution every 20 seconds. | 0:21:09 | 0:21:12 | |
And if you look at the lens, you'll see that it's made up | 0:21:12 | 0:21:15 | |
of four lens panels, and there's one just coming round to you now, and one ginormous big reflector behind it. | 0:21:15 | 0:21:23 | |
And because the lens is revolving one revolution every 20 seconds, | 0:21:23 | 0:21:27 | |
the character of Portland Bill lighthouse is four flashes every 20 seconds. | 0:21:27 | 0:21:31 | |
Every lighthouse in the UK has its own distinctive character. | 0:21:31 | 0:21:36 | |
There's no other lighthouse in the UK that's got the same character as Portland Bill lighthouse. | 0:21:36 | 0:21:40 | |
How far away can that light be seen? | 0:21:40 | 0:21:42 | |
On a good night, Paul, it should be in excess of 25 miles you'll see this light. | 0:21:42 | 0:21:46 | |
-That's a fair distance. -It is, yeah. -That's the beacon of hope. | 0:21:46 | 0:21:49 | |
That's right, yeah, you see four white flashes every 20 seconds, | 0:21:49 | 0:21:53 | |
-it's got to be Portland Bill. -Home. -And then we're going home, yeah. | 0:21:53 | 0:21:57 | |
It must be kind of a solitary life. | 0:22:01 | 0:22:03 | |
It certainly was out at sea, but here at Portland Bill, it is what we call | 0:22:03 | 0:22:06 | |
a family station, so you would be here with your families. | 0:22:06 | 0:22:09 | |
But there's only one keeper on watch at any one time, so therefore yes, you are on your own. But as far as | 0:22:09 | 0:22:16 | |
not being lonely as such, but some people like being on their own, you know, and it's not too bad, | 0:22:16 | 0:22:20 | |
especially if they've got a nagging wife at home. | 0:22:20 | 0:22:24 | |
That's not for the camera! | 0:22:24 | 0:22:26 | |
Would you like to go and have a look on the gallery there and have a look around the gallery? | 0:22:29 | 0:22:33 | |
Oh, this is good. | 0:22:40 | 0:22:42 | |
I tell you what, it's not until you're up here you realise how high we are. | 0:22:42 | 0:22:46 | |
-Yeah. -What height is it, anyway? -You're about just over a hundred feet here on the gallery, Paul. -OK. | 0:22:46 | 0:22:51 | |
Look, that's choppy out there. | 0:22:51 | 0:22:52 | |
-That's the Portland Race over there, and that's where two of the tides meet. -It's lovely up here. | 0:22:52 | 0:22:57 | |
Well, it's fresh. | 0:22:57 | 0:23:00 | |
It's fresh. Come on, then. | 0:23:00 | 0:23:03 | |
Back in the warm, Larry takes me down one level, to the nerve centre of the lighthouse. | 0:23:03 | 0:23:09 | |
This is the service room, Paul. | 0:23:09 | 0:23:11 | |
The room below the lantern is always the service room. | 0:23:11 | 0:23:14 | |
And this is where the lighthouse would probably be run from. | 0:23:14 | 0:23:18 | |
In here, the keeper would have spent most of his watch-keeping. | 0:23:18 | 0:23:22 | |
I was going to say, it's really the hub of the building. | 0:23:22 | 0:23:24 | |
Yes. This is where the radios would have been, this is where the communications equipment | 0:23:24 | 0:23:28 | |
would have been, and he would come up here on the start of his watch. | 0:23:28 | 0:23:30 | |
He would have to make sure that his journals were OK, he had enough paraffin in the tanks that were | 0:23:30 | 0:23:34 | |
behind me here, the air pressure was correct, and then he'd spend his watch-keeping hours here, | 0:23:34 | 0:23:41 | |
other than checking the light upstairs and checking the light near the base of the tower. | 0:23:41 | 0:23:46 | |
We're heading all the way down now to ground level, to my favourite bit of the lighthouse. | 0:23:47 | 0:23:51 | |
Here we have two fog-signal air compressors. | 0:23:53 | 0:23:56 | |
-These compressors were actually used prior to 1995 to power the old air-type fog signal. -OK. | 0:23:56 | 0:24:03 | |
Now, since 1996 and automation, we have an automatic fog signal, and it's a squeak. | 0:24:03 | 0:24:11 | |
-It's a high-pitched squeak. -And it's only meant to be heard about a mile to two and a half miles maximum. | 0:24:11 | 0:24:17 | |
Can we hear the old sound? My tour wouldn't be complete without nostalgia. | 0:24:17 | 0:24:20 | |
-It will be loud. -OK. I've heard them before. | 0:24:20 | 0:24:23 | |
Right, so what I suggest you do is go out to the west door there and wait for it to be put on. | 0:24:23 | 0:24:28 | |
Do you know, I'm so glad it's got dark since I've been inside, | 0:24:30 | 0:24:33 | |
because I think this is the perfect ambience for listening to a foghorn. | 0:24:33 | 0:24:38 | |
Well, I've thoroughly enjoyed my trip here | 0:24:38 | 0:24:40 | |
at the Portland Bill lighthouse, but it wouldn't be fitting to leave this wonderful scene without hearing | 0:24:40 | 0:24:44 | |
that nostalgic blast from the foghorn, so any second now... Let's just wait for it. | 0:24:44 | 0:24:50 | |
FOGHORN BLASTS | 0:24:52 | 0:24:54 | |
Great! Absolutely fabulous! | 0:24:56 | 0:24:59 | |
Back at the Dorford Centre in Dorchester, there's been | 0:25:09 | 0:25:11 | |
no rest for our team of experts, who've been hard at work valuing the locals' antiques and collectables. | 0:25:11 | 0:25:17 | |
Mark Stacey is busy valuing a collection of World War One | 0:25:17 | 0:25:20 | |
memorabilia which was brought in by Barry and his wife Betty. | 0:25:20 | 0:25:24 | |
You've brought in a fascinating little thing. | 0:25:26 | 0:25:29 | |
This is the real fun of being in the antiques world | 0:25:29 | 0:25:33 | |
and the collectors' world, because you think you've seen everything... | 0:25:33 | 0:25:37 | |
..then a story comes along which is both very, very sad and actually quite humorous at the same time. | 0:25:37 | 0:25:44 | |
-Oh, it is. -Very funny, yeah. -Because on first glance, we've got a bronze plaque here that was | 0:25:44 | 0:25:49 | |
issued to everyone in the Great War, 1914-18, who died in active service, | 0:25:49 | 0:25:55 | |
and they were presented with a nice scroll, which is in the box here, and that's one part of it. | 0:25:55 | 0:26:00 | |
And that's worth anything from £50 or £60, I suppose. | 0:26:00 | 0:26:05 | |
Then you have these lovely little pieces of trench art, where the soldiers in the trench have had a | 0:26:05 | 0:26:11 | |
lot of time on their hands when they were doing nothing, so they | 0:26:11 | 0:26:15 | |
used the spent cartridges and shells to make themselves practical things. | 0:26:15 | 0:26:19 | |
And here, somebody's turned what looks like a pair of boots into a pair of lighters. | 0:26:19 | 0:26:24 | |
And that's a cartridge? | 0:26:24 | 0:26:26 | |
And this is from old bullets and cartridges. And they've decorated all these by hand... | 0:26:26 | 0:26:30 | |
-Goodness me! -..you know, which is absolutely charming. -Yeah. | 0:26:30 | 0:26:33 | |
But having said that, we then have a letter. | 0:26:33 | 0:26:35 | |
Basically, Gunner Fred Symes here, who is your... | 0:26:35 | 0:26:41 | |
-..great-great-grandfather? -Great. | 0:26:41 | 0:26:44 | |
..great-grandfather, of course, has been lost, he's had his letter. | 0:26:44 | 0:26:50 | |
His wife, Mrs Symes, is heartbroken, writes to his commanding officer asking his whereabouts. | 0:26:50 | 0:26:59 | |
She then gets a handwritten note | 0:26:59 | 0:27:01 | |
telling the sad story of his death, which was accidental. | 0:27:01 | 0:27:06 | |
-He fell down a cliff... -Yeah. | 0:27:06 | 0:27:08 | |
-..having left his post to go looking for rabbits. -Yes! | 0:27:08 | 0:27:12 | |
But it doesn't say how many rabbits he caught. | 0:27:12 | 0:27:15 | |
No rabbits for tea! | 0:27:15 | 0:27:17 | |
But I think... | 0:27:17 | 0:27:19 | |
this is... | 0:27:19 | 0:27:21 | |
history, isn't it? I mean, how on earth | 0:27:21 | 0:27:24 | |
can you not be sad on the one hand | 0:27:24 | 0:27:28 | |
but then on the other hand find the irony... | 0:27:28 | 0:27:30 | |
-Tells a human story. -Because he sounds a right character, | 0:27:30 | 0:27:33 | |
does Fred Symes. | 0:27:33 | 0:27:35 | |
It could have been Dad's Army, couldn't it? | 0:27:35 | 0:27:36 | |
Has it passed down the family? | 0:27:36 | 0:27:38 | |
Er, yes! You could say that! | 0:27:38 | 0:27:40 | |
You can be honest with me. | 0:27:40 | 0:27:43 | |
Nobody's watching, Betty. | 0:27:43 | 0:27:44 | |
-No, I'm sure! -But I just love it. | 0:27:44 | 0:27:47 | |
When you look at the consistent parts, you might say this is worth £50. | 0:27:47 | 0:27:52 | |
Those are worth, you know... This is damaged. £20 or £30. | 0:27:52 | 0:27:56 | |
But when you put the whole thing together, you've got to look at a history collector, a military | 0:27:56 | 0:28:02 | |
collector, who would be in heaven to be able to tie all that together. | 0:28:02 | 0:28:08 | |
And so what is it worth then? | 0:28:08 | 0:28:10 | |
Is it £200? Is it £300? | 0:28:10 | 0:28:13 | |
We honestly don't know. And you've saved it from the rubbish dump. | 0:28:13 | 0:28:16 | |
It was going out with the rubbish, yeah. | 0:28:16 | 0:28:20 | |
Can you imagine? That would have been terrible. | 0:28:20 | 0:28:23 | |
You know how enthusiastic I am and the team are here at "Flog It!" | 0:28:23 | 0:28:28 | |
to have a bash at it, but we do understand the difficulties. | 0:28:28 | 0:28:32 | |
No, I agree. | 0:28:32 | 0:28:34 | |
It comes to a time where the decision is yours, as they say. | 0:28:34 | 0:28:37 | |
-That's right. -We can't take it with us, can we? So...! | 0:28:37 | 0:28:39 | |
Would you like me to give it a try? | 0:28:39 | 0:28:40 | |
-Yes, please. -That's wonderful. | 0:28:40 | 0:28:42 | |
Thank you. And I do think we'll protect it with a reserve. | 0:28:42 | 0:28:45 | |
If it can't get 200, | 0:28:45 | 0:28:47 | |
then you must protect it, and we'll talk after the sale and we might find something else to do with it. | 0:28:47 | 0:28:53 | |
I think it would be lovely. Thank you so much. | 0:28:53 | 0:28:55 | |
-Thank you. -Thank you. | 0:28:55 | 0:28:57 | |
So Mark has put an estimate of £200 to £300 on Barry's collection of World War One memorabilia. | 0:28:58 | 0:29:04 | |
We'll see how that estimate fares shortly. | 0:29:04 | 0:29:06 | |
Next up, I'm wondering where everybody has gone! | 0:29:06 | 0:29:10 | |
Don't worry, I'm not turning into a cameraman. | 0:29:10 | 0:29:12 | |
I'm not checking the white balance or anything, I'm just waiting for one of our crews | 0:29:12 | 0:29:15 | |
to come back from lunch, because they have been working flat out. | 0:29:15 | 0:29:18 | |
-Hello, Paul. -Hello. What's your name? -Nigel. -Nigel. Pleased to meet you. | 0:29:18 | 0:29:22 | |
-I was just wondering what you thought of that. -I like that! | 0:29:22 | 0:29:25 | |
That's nice. Is that meths-driven? | 0:29:25 | 0:29:26 | |
-It is meths-driven. -Cor, there's quite a weight to it. | 0:29:26 | 0:29:29 | |
I thought it was going to be one of those lightweight Mamod ones, | 0:29:29 | 0:29:32 | |
-the ones that I had when I was a little boy. -Yeah. | 0:29:32 | 0:29:35 | |
Still tin-plate, but I tell you what, that's a | 0:29:35 | 0:29:38 | |
proper engineer's toy, that, isn't it? | 0:29:38 | 0:29:41 | |
-So the meths heats up... -Yeah, the hot air rises, pushes the piston up, and that starts it going. -Very nice. | 0:29:41 | 0:29:47 | |
-This one's not steam-driven, though. -No, it's not steam-driven, no. | 0:29:47 | 0:29:50 | |
Isn't that lovely? And had you played with this as a young boy? | 0:29:50 | 0:29:55 | |
I did. It must have been 50 years ago the last time I played with it. | 0:29:55 | 0:30:00 | |
I always remember when I was younger, I was slightly disappointed when I was given it because it didn't move. | 0:30:00 | 0:30:06 | |
It took me some time to get the mental adjustment that it was a stationary engine, not a moving one. | 0:30:06 | 0:30:11 | |
Well, you were a young lad 50 years ago, and this was a very expensive toy then. | 0:30:11 | 0:30:14 | |
-Yeah, it was handed down to me by my father... -You lucky thing! | 0:30:14 | 0:30:17 | |
..and I think by his father as well. | 0:30:17 | 0:30:19 | |
I'd put this around the early 1900s, wouldn't you? | 0:30:19 | 0:30:22 | |
Well, certainly I've had it 55 years, my father had it before me, | 0:30:22 | 0:30:27 | |
so that's got to date it about 95 years at least. | 0:30:27 | 0:30:31 | |
It's beautiful, it really is. | 0:30:31 | 0:30:33 | |
There was no way of controlling the speed, though, was there? | 0:30:33 | 0:30:35 | |
Once this heated up, that was it. | 0:30:35 | 0:30:37 | |
-That was it, you either had to remove the... -..flame. | 0:30:37 | 0:30:41 | |
..you had to remove the flame or turn the flame right down. | 0:30:41 | 0:30:42 | |
Yeah. Do you know, I think everybody will go absolutely crazy for this. | 0:30:42 | 0:30:47 | |
All the engineers in the auction room will, all the old boys that like tinkering with things. | 0:30:47 | 0:30:52 | |
It's a nice thing to have and hold. | 0:30:52 | 0:30:53 | |
And I'm quite surprised you want to sell this. | 0:30:53 | 0:30:56 | |
Well, as I say, I enjoyed it as a young boy... | 0:30:56 | 0:31:00 | |
Yeah, but this was your dad's. Don't you feel guilty? If this was my dad's, I'd never sell it. | 0:31:00 | 0:31:04 | |
Well, I feel more guilty on the basis that it's never used, never run. | 0:31:04 | 0:31:09 | |
We've seen the Mamod ones on the show before, and you know they fetch | 0:31:09 | 0:31:12 | |
around £80 to £120, maybe £150 if they're in good condition. I think this is far superior. | 0:31:12 | 0:31:17 | |
It's much earlier. I think we could be in for a surprise, both of us, in the auction room on the day. | 0:31:17 | 0:31:22 | |
Let's put it in with a cheeky £200 to £300 valuation. | 0:31:22 | 0:31:25 | |
-OK. -OK? It's going to do that any day of the week. | 0:31:25 | 0:31:29 | |
-But we'll put a fixed reserve of £200. -Super. | 0:31:29 | 0:31:33 | |
And hopefully the auctioneer will agree with me. | 0:31:33 | 0:31:35 | |
Do you want to hold it for one last time and say goodbye? | 0:31:35 | 0:31:38 | |
I'm going to make you feel really guilty here! | 0:31:38 | 0:31:40 | |
And that was Dad's and... Yeah, give it a kiss. Yeah, say goodbye. | 0:31:40 | 0:31:44 | |
I'll take that from you now! | 0:31:44 | 0:31:46 | |
-And I'll see you at the auction. -Thank you. | 0:31:46 | 0:31:49 | |
Well, we'll find out how Nigel's model engine does later. | 0:31:49 | 0:31:53 | |
But before that, David's examining a 19th-century pistol which has been brought in by John. | 0:31:53 | 0:31:58 | |
-Do you collect these? -Not really. | 0:31:58 | 0:32:01 | |
I did think I was going to collect them a few years ago, then I went on to firing real ones, and now I've had | 0:32:01 | 0:32:06 | |
-to stop that, I've got rid of the real ones and I'm now getting rid of the display ones as well. -OK. | 0:32:06 | 0:32:13 | |
So shooting was a hobby of yours. | 0:32:13 | 0:32:15 | |
-It was, yes. -And were you a good shot? Don't be modest. | 0:32:15 | 0:32:19 | |
No, I was never as good as I wanted to be. | 0:32:19 | 0:32:21 | |
Right. OK, well, this obviously is a firearm from a different era. | 0:32:21 | 0:32:27 | |
The first thing I would say is that it was made in the first 20 years of the 19th century. | 0:32:27 | 0:32:32 | |
This is borne out by the fact it has a crown, and beneath that are the initials GR, George Rex. | 0:32:32 | 0:32:41 | |
We can take it that it's late George III or early George IV, somewhere between 1810 and 1825, I would say. | 0:32:41 | 0:32:50 | |
The next thing to think about is the way it actually worked, | 0:32:52 | 0:32:56 | |
and what one did was to remove this part here. | 0:32:56 | 0:33:04 | |
You would put a little bit of powder down the barrel first, then a shot, | 0:33:04 | 0:33:08 | |
then you would push that home with this. Now, on a rifle, this would be called a ramrod. | 0:33:08 | 0:33:12 | |
Do you call it a ramrod on a pistol? | 0:33:12 | 0:33:14 | |
Er, yes, I think we would. | 0:33:14 | 0:33:16 | |
OK. And then, when you've loaded it, you push this back. | 0:33:16 | 0:33:20 | |
The next thing I think one would do would be to place a little bit of powder on the outside of the barrel. | 0:33:20 | 0:33:26 | |
And there's a tiny little hole there, | 0:33:26 | 0:33:28 | |
and by tilting this part back here, by lifting the cock back and pulling the trigger, | 0:33:28 | 0:33:36 | |
the flint, which is contained in this part here, scrapes on this part of the steel here, produces a spark, | 0:33:36 | 0:33:43 | |
and Bob's your uncle, there's an explosion and the bullet comes out of the end. | 0:33:43 | 0:33:48 | |
Now, you're a shooting man. | 0:33:48 | 0:33:50 | |
-How accurate were these? -Not that accurate. | 0:33:50 | 0:33:52 | |
Above 30 or 40 yards, you'd be lucky to hit anything. | 0:33:52 | 0:33:56 | |
Well, I suppose you could do quite a lot of damage at ten yards | 0:33:56 | 0:33:59 | |
on that basis, but it would be something you'd use in almost hand-to-hand conflict, really. | 0:33:59 | 0:34:06 | |
Flintlock pistols of this type at auction | 0:34:06 | 0:34:11 | |
generally come down between £200 and £300, as I'm sure you know. | 0:34:11 | 0:34:15 | |
You've got an idea of what it's worth. | 0:34:15 | 0:34:17 | |
You do occasionally see slightly a fancier one with chased brass detail | 0:34:17 | 0:34:22 | |
and sometimes a bit of chasing here, and they can make a lot more. | 0:34:22 | 0:34:25 | |
But I think it's true to say that this is a fairly standard-issue piece. We need to discuss a reserve. | 0:34:25 | 0:34:32 | |
I don't want to hold a pistol to your head, but I would suggest 180. | 0:34:32 | 0:34:38 | |
-Oh, right. -Just a little bit below 200. | 0:34:38 | 0:34:41 | |
Yeah... | 0:34:41 | 0:34:42 | |
-You'd hoped for more. -I would have liked more, but... | 0:34:42 | 0:34:44 | |
Well, let's hope it makes more. I mean, we can't really make them pay more than they're expecting to pay. | 0:34:44 | 0:34:51 | |
-OK? -Yeah. -So we'll go with that. | 0:34:51 | 0:34:53 | |
-Thank you. -And I look forward to seeing you on the day. -Yeah. | 0:34:53 | 0:34:55 | |
-Thank you, John. -Thank you. -Thank you. | 0:34:55 | 0:34:58 | |
Well, that's the last of our items for the saleroom, so it's time | 0:34:58 | 0:35:00 | |
to get over to the auction house and see how our valuations fare. | 0:35:00 | 0:35:05 | |
Barry and Betty's collection of World War One memorabilia will be going under the hammer. | 0:35:08 | 0:35:13 | |
Hopefully, there'll be some engine fanatics at the sale, as Nigel wants | 0:35:13 | 0:35:16 | |
his model engine to go to a good home. | 0:35:16 | 0:35:20 | |
And finally, we're here to find out if there are any takers for John's 19th-century pistol. | 0:35:20 | 0:35:25 | |
Before we see if John's pistol sells, I caught up earlier | 0:35:30 | 0:35:32 | |
with auctioneer Gary Batt to get his opinion. | 0:35:32 | 0:35:36 | |
It looks like you're in the firing line. In fact, I should do that. | 0:35:36 | 0:35:39 | |
-There we go! -I'm a bit happier now! | 0:35:39 | 0:35:42 | |
Early 19th-century George III flintlock pistol in very, very good condition. Standard issue. | 0:35:42 | 0:35:49 | |
We've got £200 to £300 on this. | 0:35:49 | 0:35:51 | |
Well, we HAD £200 to £300. | 0:35:51 | 0:35:53 | |
-That was the original estimate from your valuer. -Right. | 0:35:53 | 0:35:55 | |
-The vendor has asked for a specific fixed reserve of £250. -So John's been on the phone to you. | 0:35:55 | 0:36:02 | |
Yes. And I think that makes it a little more tentative, really, whether we sell it or not. | 0:36:02 | 0:36:09 | |
I think at £200, you'd be very confident. | 0:36:09 | 0:36:12 | |
At £250, it might just be a bit close. | 0:36:12 | 0:36:15 | |
Well, unless two people were in the room prepared to buy it at £200, | 0:36:15 | 0:36:18 | |
in which case the price would get automatically pushed up to 250, 270, 280. | 0:36:18 | 0:36:23 | |
-We'll do our best. -I think this is going to go. I think it will sell. | 0:36:23 | 0:36:25 | |
You've probably got your own opinion, but that's a bit of quality. That should sell. | 0:36:25 | 0:36:29 | |
I hope that the fact John has put up the reserve won't put the bidders off buying this pistol. | 0:36:29 | 0:36:34 | |
Still, I can understand he doesn't want to sell it for too little. | 0:36:34 | 0:36:38 | |
First, though, it's time for me to feel nervous, as it's my valuation being put to the test. | 0:36:38 | 0:36:43 | |
I love this next lot, obviously - it's one of my valuations! | 0:36:43 | 0:36:45 | |
But it belongs to Nigel here, and it's that lovely meths-driven little live engine, which is great fun. | 0:36:45 | 0:36:52 | |
And we've put a fixed reserve of £200 on this. | 0:36:52 | 0:36:55 | |
-We did. -We're not giving this away. | 0:36:55 | 0:36:56 | |
-No. -I just hope we've got a few enthusiasts out here that like tinkering with things. | 0:36:56 | 0:37:00 | |
That's what we need. | 0:37:00 | 0:37:02 | |
-Don't we? -You need at least two, don't you? | 0:37:02 | 0:37:04 | |
Two tinkerers. Here we go. | 0:37:04 | 0:37:09 | |
This rather fun little working engine. All go. | 0:37:09 | 0:37:12 | |
Hours of innocent amusement. | 0:37:12 | 0:37:14 | |
Lot 178. Who'll start me off with this, then? | 0:37:14 | 0:37:17 | |
-For the mechanical amongst us. -We need a guy that loves tinkering. | 0:37:17 | 0:37:21 | |
100 is bid. And 10 I'll take. | 0:37:21 | 0:37:23 | |
£100. And 10. | 0:37:23 | 0:37:25 | |
-120. -Good, look. There's someone in the room who's keen. | 0:37:25 | 0:37:28 | |
130, anyone say? 130. | 0:37:28 | 0:37:31 | |
140. 150. 150 bid. 160. 160. | 0:37:31 | 0:37:35 | |
-Yeah, 170. 180. 190. -Proper boys' thing, this, isn't it? | 0:37:35 | 0:37:39 | |
-190. 200. And 10. -Good. | 0:37:39 | 0:37:43 | |
No? At £200, then. Standing at the back at £200. | 0:37:43 | 0:37:47 | |
Are we all done with this lot? | 0:37:47 | 0:37:48 | |
-Done it! We've done it! -Yeah, yeah. -Put it there. | 0:37:48 | 0:37:52 | |
-That's great. -I am ever so happy. | 0:37:52 | 0:37:53 | |
Thank you. Thank you. | 0:37:53 | 0:37:55 | |
Nice thing to hold and talk about. | 0:37:55 | 0:37:56 | |
It was, yes, and as I say, I thought when I came to the valuation about a hundred. | 0:37:56 | 0:38:02 | |
-So that's double what I was expecting, so... -Good. | 0:38:02 | 0:38:06 | |
I think owning that model engine will make the buyer very happy, | 0:38:06 | 0:38:09 | |
and that's what it's all about, classic recycling. | 0:38:09 | 0:38:13 | |
Next up is Barry and Betty's collection of World War One | 0:38:13 | 0:38:16 | |
memorabilia, which is being auctioned by Matthew Denny. | 0:38:16 | 0:38:20 | |
Lovely story. I think it was the story that fixated us on the day. | 0:38:20 | 0:38:24 | |
-It was, Paul, it was. -Great-grandfather's. | 0:38:24 | 0:38:26 | |
Quite unusual, yeah! | 0:38:26 | 0:38:28 | |
Why have you decided to sell these items now? | 0:38:28 | 0:38:31 | |
Well, we keep moving house, and they're quite tiny, and I'm sure she'll move again... | 0:38:31 | 0:38:37 | |
-They're going to get lost. -And we've a daughter, and it's better that they go to someone who'll appreciate them. | 0:38:37 | 0:38:44 | |
I suppose so. It's a boys' thing, really, isn't it? | 0:38:44 | 0:38:46 | |
-Yeah. -Militaria is. | 0:38:46 | 0:38:48 | |
It stands alone in the auction room as a piece of militaria or World War One memorabilia, | 0:38:48 | 0:38:53 | |
-but nevertheless I think Mark's right on the money. -I hope so, Paul. | 0:38:53 | 0:38:56 | |
We've protected with a fixed reserve, because I just think this is such a wonderful story. | 0:38:56 | 0:39:00 | |
Well, it's your personal history, as well, so you need to protect this. | 0:39:00 | 0:39:04 | |
-Yeah. -You know that, don't you? -Yeah. | 0:39:04 | 0:39:06 | |
Good luck. Good luck, both of you. OK, this is it. | 0:39:06 | 0:39:10 | |
We come to the death plaque for Fred Symes. Nice thing. | 0:39:10 | 0:39:14 | |
Memorial plaque there and a collection of related ephemera and some trench art. | 0:39:14 | 0:39:19 | |
Nice little lot, and I've got £60 to start. Do you want to take 70? | 0:39:19 | 0:39:23 | |
-80 here. 90. -There's someone in the room. -100. | 0:39:23 | 0:39:25 | |
110. 120. 130. 140. 150. | 0:39:25 | 0:39:29 | |
160. 170. 180. 190. | 0:39:29 | 0:39:33 | |
195. 200? | 0:39:33 | 0:39:35 | |
No? 195 here. I'll take 200. | 0:39:35 | 0:39:38 | |
At 195. 200, if you like. | 0:39:38 | 0:39:40 | |
At 195 with me. 200 anywhere? | 0:39:40 | 0:39:43 | |
No? With me at 195, then. | 0:39:43 | 0:39:48 | |
-No. We just missed that one. -We missed it. -What, by £5? | 0:39:48 | 0:39:51 | |
I don't know what's happened! | 0:39:51 | 0:39:53 | |
By £5. We were short of £5, and the auctioneer didn't sell. | 0:39:53 | 0:39:58 | |
Because we had a reserve of 200, didn't we? | 0:39:58 | 0:40:00 | |
-Don't they have any... -Discretion? | 0:40:00 | 0:40:03 | |
Well, they should have done. I mean, did you have a fixed reserve? | 0:40:03 | 0:40:06 | |
We had a fixed reserve of 200, but I think they could have used a little bit of discretion on that. | 0:40:06 | 0:40:10 | |
Obviously, the auctioneer is acting on your behalf, as your agent, so if | 0:40:10 | 0:40:14 | |
-you say a fixed reserve of £200, he's got to get you £200. -Yes. | 0:40:14 | 0:40:18 | |
If you say £200 with discretion, he can take it 10% down. | 0:40:18 | 0:40:22 | |
I just think, really, | 0:40:22 | 0:40:24 | |
for the sake of £5, common sense... | 0:40:24 | 0:40:27 | |
He would lose £5 just to sell it at 195. | 0:40:27 | 0:40:32 | |
-But you wouldn't mind getting 195? -Not a bit. Not a bit. | 0:40:32 | 0:40:35 | |
Well, maybe they can find the underbidder. That's all I can say. | 0:40:35 | 0:40:38 | |
And then hopefully we can sell it. | 0:40:38 | 0:40:40 | |
But at the moment it stands as not sold. | 0:40:40 | 0:40:43 | |
It would be a shame to take it home, cos it may get lost! | 0:40:43 | 0:40:46 | |
Oh, that was so close to the reserve! | 0:40:46 | 0:40:49 | |
At the end of the sale, though, Mark Stacey arranged with the auctioneer | 0:40:49 | 0:40:52 | |
for Barry and Betty to sell their collection to the nearest bidder, and everyone went home happy. | 0:40:52 | 0:40:58 | |
It's time now for our final item of the day, as we test David's valuation of John's pistol. | 0:40:58 | 0:41:03 | |
John, I've just heard from the auctioneer you've upped the reserve. | 0:41:03 | 0:41:07 | |
-Yes. -We're talking about that wonderful pistol, that George III military issue. | 0:41:07 | 0:41:10 | |
We've got £200 to £300 on this with a fixed reserve of 180, but now it's gone up to 250. Why did you do that? | 0:41:10 | 0:41:17 | |
I just felt if there was no-one here who was interested in that sort of thing... | 0:41:17 | 0:41:20 | |
And a lot of your other stuff was | 0:41:20 | 0:41:22 | |
china, porcelain, that sort of thing, there might not be a pistol person here, | 0:41:22 | 0:41:26 | |
that it might not have gone for a sensible price. | 0:41:26 | 0:41:30 | |
OK. Fair enough. That's fair enough. | 0:41:30 | 0:41:32 | |
I'm still a bit concerned, Paul. | 0:41:32 | 0:41:34 | |
I think an extra £70 on my original estimate - we might just have priced it out of the market. | 0:41:34 | 0:41:38 | |
But we'll hope for the best. | 0:41:38 | 0:41:40 | |
And if it was going to sell, it was going to sell anyway, | 0:41:40 | 0:41:42 | |
so hopefully there was no need for you to do that. | 0:41:42 | 0:41:45 | |
Let's find out. | 0:41:45 | 0:41:48 | |
Tower flintlock pistol. This is a lovely thing. | 0:41:48 | 0:41:50 | |
-Nice order, good-looking lot. -It's in exceptional condition. | 0:41:50 | 0:41:52 | |
-Very nice. -Start you at £120, and I'll take 130. | 0:41:52 | 0:41:55 | |
At £120. I'll take 130. | 0:41:55 | 0:41:58 | |
Good, we've got a phone bidder. | 0:41:58 | 0:41:59 | |
150. | 0:41:59 | 0:42:01 | |
160. 170. 180. 190. | 0:42:01 | 0:42:06 | |
200. 220. | 0:42:06 | 0:42:08 | |
240. 260. | 0:42:08 | 0:42:11 | |
280. 300. | 0:42:11 | 0:42:14 | |
-Oh, Lord! -320. -Pleased to be proved wrong! | 0:42:14 | 0:42:16 | |
340 bid, it's commission. | 0:42:16 | 0:42:18 | |
I'll take 360, if you like. | 0:42:18 | 0:42:19 | |
At £340. I'll take 360. | 0:42:19 | 0:42:22 | |
On the telephone, then, at 340. 360, if you like, in the room. | 0:42:22 | 0:42:26 | |
We're selling at 340. | 0:42:26 | 0:42:28 | |
No? At £340, then. | 0:42:28 | 0:42:31 | |
Yes! Top end and a little bit more! | 0:42:31 | 0:42:34 | |
Well done. No need for raising the reserve. | 0:42:34 | 0:42:38 | |
That's good. You've got to be happy with that. | 0:42:38 | 0:42:40 | |
-Oh, yes. -That was quality. Good gun. | 0:42:40 | 0:42:43 | |
I'm pleased. It's a good result. | 0:42:43 | 0:42:45 | |
Well, that went with a bang! £340. | 0:42:45 | 0:42:48 | |
What a fabulous result for John. | 0:42:48 | 0:42:50 | |
I think he's going home very happy. | 0:42:50 | 0:42:53 | |
Now, do you have any unloved antiques or collectables lurking at the bottom of a cupboard? | 0:42:53 | 0:42:56 | |
If so, we would love to see you, so please check our website | 0:42:56 | 0:42:59 | |
to find out where we're planning to be for our next valuation days. | 0:42:59 | 0:43:04 | |
Just go to: | 0:43:04 | 0:43:06 | |
Click F for Flog It and then follow the links to find the list of towns we're coming to very soon. | 0:43:08 | 0:43:16 | |
Well, that's it. It's all over for our owners. | 0:43:16 | 0:43:19 | |
As you can see, the auction is still going on, but at least everyone's gone home happy. | 0:43:19 | 0:43:22 | |
That's the name of the game, and all credit to our experts. | 0:43:22 | 0:43:25 | |
But there were a few close shaves there. That's not good for your nerves, is it? | 0:43:25 | 0:43:28 | |
But that's what auctions are all about. | 0:43:28 | 0:43:30 | |
So, until the next time, from Dorchester, it's goodbye. | 0:43:30 | 0:43:33 | |
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd | 0:43:41 | 0:43:44 | |
E-mail [email protected] | 0:43:44 | 0:43:47 |