Thoroughly Modern Flog It!

Hello, and welcome to a magnificent Sherborne Castle in Dorset,

and to another special edition of Ten Of The Best of "Flog It!"

Over the generations,

the Digby family have transformed this building

from a humble, rectangular, four-storey-high hunting lodge

into the grand house it is today.

During the 17th century, four wings were added to create

a very impressive H-shaped footprint to the building.

And later on in the 1900s, an extension to the west elevation.

Like many family homes, they get upgraded and extended over the years. This though, more than most.

For today's theme, I've unashamedly picked out

some of the most modern items to grace the "Flog It!" valuation-day tables.

Put your feet up and enjoy my thoroughly modern selection.

My first choice is something I spotted

in King's Lynn, in 2007. I love a good piece of modern glass

so I was thrilled to be seeing double!

At first glance, they look identical

but this one has a slight blue hue to it.

Now that is indigo, and this one, well that's definitely pewter,

but they do look alike.

Ev, that's strange name as well, what's that short for?

-It's short for Everard.

-Everard, right, OK.

-How did you come by these?

-I bought a house, these were part of the furniture that was left in there.

I paid £600 for everything that was left in the house,

including the car in the garage.

Gosh! People were desperate to move then, that's all I can say.

You got a really good deal. You obviously know what they are,

they're Whitefriars, the Drunken Bricklayer vase, designed by Geoffrey Baxter in 1967.

He was their most prolific recent designer.

He came up with the textured bark vase

because he had a little kiln at home, a little furnace,

and he thought, "Right, I'll collect twigs and leaves from the garden,

"wrap it around this mould and see what happens," and hey presto.

They liked it and they gave him a job as a designer.

I believe these are made...hobnail marks,

-hobnails that they put into the mould.

-Yes, they used to throw

all sorts of rubbish into the mould. It's quite clever really.

It's so iconic, this particular shape.

The collectors absolutely love them

and I've got to admit, the blue tablecloth doesn't do them justice!

You need to hold them right up in the light

and let the light bounce through these to appreciate the colour in the glass.

I think Geoffrey Baxter had that in mind when he designed them.

They should be on a glass shelf or windowsill,

with a lot of light flooding through them.

Any idea what you think they're worth? These were made in two sizes,

the smaller one's 180mm and the larger one's 340.

-I'm hoping they'll make at least £200 each.

-They'll easily make that.

I think the £600 you gave for the contents,

well, you've got £600 here quite easily.

Shall we put them into auction

with a value of 600-900?

-Happy with that.

-Happy with that? Let's flog it, then!

Well, I was sure we'd be hitting the top end at auction.

Whitefriars is a big "Flog It!" seller.

There are a lot of childhood memories with our next item,

brought into the Isle Of Wight in 2009.

Kate Bateman wasn't going to miss out.

Caroline and Evelyn,

you've bought the piece de resistance here.

For one night only, what have we got?

-You've got the Pelham Puppet theatre.

-Ta-dah! Look at this!

Yes, he waves, and er...the cat sort of...

Oh, wow, you are an old hand at this.

-This is years...

-Absolutely.

-..of practice.

-Years of playing,

years of practice.

-Presumably a childhood toy, is it?

-Yes, it belonged to my brother and I

and we used to stand on the dining-room table

-and do plays for my parents all the time.

-Your dear parents must have been so pleased!

-We've got donkey, cat, dragon, is it?

-Dragon.

-A baby dragon.

-OK.

-Muffin the Mule.

-And behind here, look, we've got even more.

-Yes, there's skeleton.

-Oh, my goodness.

-The scary one.

I'm almost afraid to get him out.

Look, he comes apart

-and er...his head...

-Dem bones, you know!

Right, OK, well here he is.

-How many have you got in total?

-In total, we've got nine puppets.

-And also, the theatre itself.

-Yes.

-It would be impolite

to ask their age, I suppose, if they're your toys!

-Around the early '70s!

-Let's date them vaguely.

Are any of them boxed, the other ones you've got?

Six in total that are boxed and three that are not.

-So...yes.

-You've had hours of fun, why are you selling?

My brother lives in Australia now

and unfortunately his wife's not very well with leukaemia.

We want to try and raise some money so we can get some airfares so we can go out and see them.

So the grandchildren can all go and join up together, you know.

Valuation-wise, maybe £80-120, straddling the £100 mark.

You look disappointed, is that the...

I think it's over the 100 when you think that they're in boxes,

most of them, which is usually the thing people are interested in.

OK, let's compromise. We'll put a £90 reserve, £100-£150 estimate,

which is a little bit higher than I would have liked but we'll see!

They are charming. You like them, somebody else will as well.

Exactly, hopefully somebody will enjoy playing with them at some point.

Shall we make them wave goodbye?

Well, Kate certainly had fun with those and what a comprehensive collection it was.

Now for something extremely modern

as we join up with Anita Manning in Oldham in 2007,

talking about Linda's vase.

John Ditchfield, Lancashire lad,

contemporary glass artist. Are you a fan of his?

Yes, most definitely.

He does very good work, very nice, individual pieces

but very good quality. Pieces of art, really.

They're all individual

and some of the designs are really fabulous.

Do you have many pieces?

I've got a few, I've got about seven pieces of his,

I've got a couple of vases and mushrooms, that sort of thing.

And he often has that little silver animal

on top of his paperweights, or the mushrooms.

The mushrooms I've got, one's got a dragonfly, one's got a frog,

and then there's a spider. They're all silver, those.

They're very popular pieces

-of art glass which is of today.

-That's it.

-Of the modern day.

People love collecting it.

Now, if we look at this one, it has the iridescent finish

which we're looking for in a piece of John Ditchfield.

We have these flowing heart shapes, they're like melting sweeties,

but I'm looking at it and thinking it's a wee bit crude.

It's very crude. There's no way a piece like that would get out of the factory now.

I definitely think it's an experimental piece.

Well, that's what I think, because of the irregularities.

-Yes.

-It adds a wee bit of interest for me and I think

you thought that when you bought it as well.

To think that's how he started off, with these designs,

with the iridescent and then to have gone on to what he's doing now.

-There's quite a massive difference.

-Where did you buy that?

-I bought it at a summer fair, during...

-How much did you pay?

-£5.

-You've got an eye for a bargain!

When I saw it, I thought, "It's so crude, is it Ditchfield?"

but yes, it's got all the telltale...

as well as the signature, but it has all the telltale signs of it being Ditchfield.

I think, to put it in at 30-50, it would be a conservative estimate,

but it would be an estimate that would at least give it a chance

-to go further.

-Yes.

Would you be happy with the vase going in at that price?

Yes, it would be OK, but I'd like to put a reserve on it of 30.

I wouldn't let it go for less than that.

-If it doesn't get 30, take it home again.

-Yes, I will. It'll go back in my collection.

We'll see a little bit later if something so modern is a hit

in the saleroom.

But first, let's go to Aylesbury, where, in 2007,

David Palmer found a wonderful set of 1950s toys.

Well, Pat and John,

-whose car is whose?

-I'd like the MGA!

-This one, yes?

-I'll have to go along with it, she's the wife.

-This one is my favourite, the old Austin A40.

-Right.

But we've got four of these wonderful cars here.

-Where have these come from?

-They've been given to me as presents

when I was a youngster, mainly by my aunties and uncles.

We've just found them, after being away for many years,

in my mother's flat. Unfortunately, she passed away and we had to empty the flat.

-I found them tucked away in one of her cupboards.

-Ah.

It's really nice to think that she kept them for you,

or kept them all that while.

These are of a very interesting period.

The '50s is now becoming so far ago that it's becoming collectible.

It's a little snapshot of history here.

This is what the cars used to be like and this is what you,

as a child of that period, played with. You enjoyed playing with these?

Very much so, yes.

You've done remarkably well in keeping them in good order

and each one has its original box which is a big plus sign.

I noticed there is damage, natural wear and tear, let's call it,

to several of the vehicles, and particularly to my favourite,

-the interior seems to have collapsed, unfortunately.

-Yes.

But so it did on mine, when I had one of these in reality.

But they are so wonderful, they are so beautifully made.

This is something you probably don't appreciate, it's a man thing.

-Yes.

-You don't fancy having any of these round the house?

-No, not really.

-No?

-No.

Fair enough. I think we should send them off to auction then.

I don't want to get you overexcited cos the collectors of anything like this

want them in pristine condition, that's the criteria.

That's the difference between an average price and a special price.

I'm going to be a little cautious and possibly a little mean.

They do have their boxes with them but there is a bit of damage

so from my point of view, I'd like to suggest something in the region

of £50-70 for them collectively, if you're happy with that.

Yes, that seems very fair.

They're all beautifully sporty so let's hope they race away

and catch plenty of interest.

I thought they were fabulous, but before I show you

if they raced off at auction, here's a quick rundown

on our other contemporary classics going off to sale.

I had high hopes for Ev's pair of Drunken Bricklayer vases.

The family had wonderful memories of their Pelham Puppet shows.

I was interested to see how Linda's 1980s Ditchfield vase would do.

And was very excited about those four 1950s cars.

Let's start in Lincolnshire for the sale of Ev's Whitefriar vases,

where David Palmer was wearing his other hat.

Just been joined by Ev and it's time to sell some 20th-century modern.

We've got two Drunken Bricklayer vases.

Let's hope we get that 900 quid, shall we?

As long as they make the six, I'll be happy.

As long as they make the six, so will I, then the pressure's off.

They're not going to be yours for much longer, I promise you. This is it, it's going under the hammer.

Lot 317, two Whitefriars

drunken brick glasses, showing there. Various interest in these.

At £400, 410, 420, 430, 440,

450, 460, 460 now, 470, 480,

490, 500, 520, 540. At 540.

560, 580.

It's going to be a long one, this, Ev.

600 now, this side at 600, at £600,

still here at 600, 620, 640,

660, 680, what are you doing on the phones?

700, 720, 740, 760,

780, 800, 820,

820 on the phone,

are you bidding? 840, 860,

880 on the other phone?

860 here. I sell on this phone, at £860.

At £860, finished at 860...

HE BANGS HAMMER

-Yes! £860, not bad, top end of the estimate.

-Proper job.

What a relief. Ev wanted £600 and got a bit more on top.

Curtain's up next for that wonderful set of Pelham Puppets,

which went under the hammer on the Isle Of Wight, in 2009.

We've been joined by Evelyn and Caroline, we've got nine Pelham Puppets going under the hammer.

What fun. So, did you go touring with your little troupe?

-No, home ground!

-Just home shows.

-Yes.

-That's great fun, isn't it?

-Oh yes, it was very good.

-Pulling all the strings,

and connecting little stories. We've got £100-150.

That sounds about right, doesn't it?

I think anything that has kids using their imagination

and not sitting in front of a TV screen has got to be worth that kind of money.

-It's creative.

-Yes.

-Good, creative entertainment.

Hopefully we've got some Pelham Puppet enthusiasts here. I know they sell well, we see a lot on the show.

-Do you?

-We've only ever had, in eight years of "Flog It!",

one other stage, so that's quite rare.

There you go, then.

There's nine of them, there's a lot for your lot here.

-Let's hope we upstage the other one!

-Yes!

272, nine collectible Pelham Puppets,

together with a Pelham Puppet theatre. It's a good lot.

Someone start me at 55. 55, 60 anywhere.

60 and 5, and 70 and 5,

and 80 and 5, and 90 and 5,

and 90 here, 5 anywhere? All over the place. 95, 100...

110, 120...

We're going to do it.

..130, 140,

150, 160, no?

150 in the centre, 160 anywhere,

in the centre at 150 and we're selling at £150, all done.

-We did it.

-Sold!

-£150.

They've gone, that was their last performance, wasn't it?

But hopefully not for long. I'm sure they'll be hitting the stage again very soon.

I was intrigued to see if something so recent

as Linda's 1980s Ditchfield vase was going to sell.

Linda, we're going to find out right now,

it's that John Ditchfield vase. £30-50.

You collect these and you're a bit of an expert on John Ditchfield.

So, why are you selling this one if you collect them?

Well, it's an interesting piece and I think...

I collect, sort of, a lot of the more modern things.

I like his old stuff but I think someone who collects

particularly his old pieces will be quite interested in this.

Although John Ditchfield's wares are modern,

they have become collectible

and they're coming into the salerooms, people like them,

and they're doing well.

Is this the new thing? Could this replace Troika and Whitefriars

-on "Flog It!"?

-They well could!

You heard it here first from your expert, Anita Manning!

Get out there and get buying it!

It's all down to you now.

Good luck, both of you, let's hope there's a big profit in this.

-Thank you.

-It's going under the hammer now.

John Ditchfield glass vase, here we are, £50, ladies and gentlemen,

50? 40, thank you, £40.

Yes, straight in!

At 40, 45, 45, 50, and 5.

At 55, 60, at £60 on my right, any advances, 65, sir,

£65, 70, I've £70 here.

It is the new thing!

Are we all done? At £70 then, in the room at £70,

first and last time.

-The hammer's gone down. £5 into £70.

-That's very good, isn't it?

Remember the name John Ditchfield, go out and buy it.

That was wonderful!

That was a good result, and only 30 years old.

Ditchfield is definitely a name to look out for.

We're travelling to Oxfordshire now for the sale of Pat and John's

fabulous set of 1950s toy cars.

Right now, it's time to change gear which is fitting.

We've got four toy cars coming up for grabs. They belong to Pat and John.

We haven't got a big valuation on these,

there's around £50-70 put on by our expert, David.

Yes, I feel it might be a tad too high for today.

Well, there's not many toys in the sale.

I just hope the viewers, the bidders here, have had a look, you know.

Perhaps sentiment will prevail and you'll take them home.

Could be tempted!

Four boxed 1950s battery-operated model cars. Start me at £50, please.

50, I'm bid, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85,

90, 95, 100, 110, 120,

130, 140,

130, got you at 130,

140, 150, 160, 170,

180, 190, 200, 220...

..240, 260, 280, 300,

320, 340, 360, 380,

400, 420, £400 now got you.

I think I'll find another job!

400 in the front now.

-Hammer's gone down, £400.

-And you damaged some of them!

They didn't even stop for a pit stop. How about that?

-That's amazing.

-That's shocked me, I have to say!

That's shocked me. You were being pessimistic!

You could go to a shop and get them for less than that, or similar!

They've found something we've obviously missed.

-What have we missed?

-I don't know, but they did.

Specialist collectors know what they're looking for.

These are going to a collection, that's for sure. £400.

What are you going to put that towards? Less the commission.

I think we'll have a very nice meal out.

You'll have a very nice meal out for that!

It just goes to show how collectible 20th-century modern items have become.

It seems to me, people are reliving their childhood

and willing to pay for it.

I've shown you many period properties over the years,

places like Sherborne Castle here.

But on a visit to Milton Keynes, back in 2008,

I couldn't resist visiting a brand-new development

to see how contemporary design was shaping modern homes and lifestyles.

These stylish new homes here in Oxley Woods went on the market

in 2007, adding colour and vitality to this rather leafy suburb.

They're the result of an unlikely partnership

between a building firm and a firm of architects

that brought us such iconic landmark statements

as the Millennium Dome in London and the Pompidou Centre in Paris.

Yet choosing to build 145 houses

here, in Milton Keynes, was no accident.

Milton Keynes landed on the map in the late 1960s,

born out of a government initiative to relieve housing congestion in London.

It dared to be different, designed using modernist principles,

which put function before decoration.

The roads were laid out

in a grid system. Straight lines connected areas designed

for living, work and recreation.

As the largest of the British new towns,

it has stood the test of time better than most,

proving to be flexible and adaptable.

More than 40 years on, this new development keeps that tradition

very much alive. This too was also born out of a government initiative.

But this time, the challenge was to build a house

that tackles the ecological and energy-efficient demands

of the 21st century.

As well as meeting these demands, the architects also wanted

to create homes that were visually striking.

The modernist principles came into play yet again,

function over decoration.

Using materials that meet the demands set

but also using a colour palette that makes these homes exciting to the eye.

But it's the way it all goes together that is key.

To meet the brief of eco-friendly, energy-efficient homes,

the architects turned to the prefab.

It's a way of manufacturing houses on a factory production line

and then assembling them on-site.

And it's an idea that's proved useful before.

After the Second World War, close to 160,000 cement-panelled,

prefabricated houses came off the factory production line.

They were bolted together on-site to make temporary shelters

for the homeless. They have survived long beyond their intended 10-15 years, and some,

well, they're still in use today!

Such housing has long suffered from the stigma

of uninspired design and shoddy construction.

But in recent years, all that's changed.

Architects have taken the idea of the flat-pack

and literally run with it, creating bold, bespoke homes.

And there's another really big advantage to these new houses.

They go together pretty quick, saving on construction costs.

The main structure is made in the factory in seven days.

Then it's assembled on-site in just two weeks.

But this is not just a story about the modern prefab.

These new homes at Oxley Woods might prove very tempting

as they reduce carbon emissions by almost 40%

and could save plenty of money on energy bills.

This cross-section shows the cavity wall

and it's filled with recycled paper which forms the insulation.

Believe it or not, it's recycled telephone directories

which are pumped in afterwards, so this could be your number!

It's all topped off

with a new roof. Let me show you this.

Again, a timber construction, it's quite heavy!

It's got a sandwich there of foam for your insulation

but it's all covered with this pink waterproof membrane

which is going to last, well, for the rest of our lives, anyway!

It's completely waterproof. This roof doesn't sit flat,

it sort of inclines towards the back of the house,

the water runs off and is collected in water butts to be recycled.

It's quite ingenious, really.

That's all well and good but the proof of the pudding is in the eating,

so what's it like to live in one?

What do you think of Milton Keynes?

I like it very much, I came down here about 30 odd years ago.

-Where from?

-Sheffield.

-What do you do as a profession?

-I'm an architect.

-Oh, that's great! Your head's in the right space, it's an architect's dream.

-Yes.

The first thing I have noticed is it's a wonderful feel here.

-It really is really nice.

-As soon as I walked into the show house,

I thought, "Wow, this is where I'd love to live when I downsize."

Has this space forced you to become minimalist?

It has done, yes. I had a much bigger house before

and I had to get rid of a lot of things.

What are the best bits about the house?

Er, I like the space, the feeling of spaciousness

even though it's quite a small house. And the light,

I like the fact it is energy-efficient,

-though I haven't counted up how many units...

-Have you had your bills?

We've had some and they haven't been too much of a surprise.

And the eco-features, the fact it was built partly from sustainable materials,

water-saving features and all those sorts of things.

They were all an added bonus to liking the design of the house.

Are there any downsides?

I suppose there is a bit of a lack of storage.

I've got a good space under the stairs,

but upstairs, there isn't a lot of space for wardrobes and things.

These homes might not be the answer to all of the questions.

A lot of people say, they're hard-looking,

they're too far removed from our love affair with bricks and mortar.

But they're a massive step forward to environmentally conscious house-building,

not to mention the fact

there's a bit of colour and vitality about the place.

It puts a smile on your face.

I think they sit right at home in Milton Keynes

as this place continues to develop as a thoroughly modern,

forward-thinking town.

So it's back to our valuation days, when in Watford,

in 2006, Thomas Plant found this large piece of 1960s pottery.

Liz, thank you for coming in.

I spotted this in the queue, your husband was carrying it around.

-He's been very good and hasn't broken it!

-No, no.

-How did you and your husband have this vase?

-It was a wedding present

-in 1969.

-It's a piece of Poole, and it's Poole Delphis pattern.

-Delphis.

-Delphis is the range.

And they produced that from the '60s up until about the 1980s.

Artists such as Guy Sydenham would have done some designs for this,

and other Poole painters and designers.

And I suppose, in 1969,

-it was quite a revolutionary thing.

-It was amazing, yes.

-This is... So were you a trendy couple?

-Yes, believe it or not!

-Yes.

-You're quite trendy now.

-Trendy now for an old girl!

Are you...well, they might not be around, the people who gave you...

-Oh, they are, very much so.

-Really?

They're my husband's cousins.

-Are they going to be mortified?

-No, they're very sensible, logical people.

-Really?

-Yes. They're lovely people.

This kind of ware is quite collectible now.

I think it probably went through a bit of a dip, really, from '69.

It was very funky then and quite fashionable.

It may be, in the harsh era of the 1980s,

-which I was only a young lad through...

-Indeed!

I still remember that grey and silver wallpapers and stuff.

But it wouldn't have done well in that.

People are now sort of embracing this sort of design and ware.

-Lots of people are collecting this stuff.

-It's extraordinary.

-It went with orange shagpile the first time round.

-Yeah?

-It has slightly stuck in a time warp.

-Yes, but it is still quite modern!

-It's stood the test of time.

-It has, yes.

In an auction, with an internet site etc,

it would be worth about £150-200.

-Right.

-And I'm quite happy to sell it at 150-200.

What was the reason you brought it to us?

It's been in and out of our house, it goes in the outhouse for a few years,

then it comes in and has umbrellas and walking sticks put in it,

then you think, "I don't particularly like it." I did wash it out this morning, don't panic!

It was filthy. It doesn't really do anything for our decor,

it's not anything I would treasure.

-In and out of the outhouse?

-Yes.

It's had the barbecue tools stored in it for a year or two.

Say, for example, we sold it, we got £150 for it,

what would you do with that 150?

It's probably the price of a nice meal out, isn't it?

Very nice meal out, with a few bottles of wine, that would be good.

-Something luxurious for the family.

-That would be a good way to use the money.

-As long as we sell it well for you.

-Yes, it's not worth selling it,

I'd rather keep it if it doesn't...

-Get 150.

-Absolutely.

-We'll put the reserve on at 150.

We'll find out shortly if Thomas' estimate was right.

First, I've got a quick selection of some of my favourite modern pieces

that have come through the "Flog It!" doors.

David Fletcher caught sight of this little sparkler in Truro, in 2009.

It belonged to Barbara's son, Nigel.

It's a platinum ring, it was made in London, and it's set

with nine graduated diamonds.

Nigel was thrilled when it reached £230.

Will went back to the '70s in Solihull with this next retro lot.

But what was it?

I think it's great. The first thing that strikes you

is the design, the shape. It's not the normal shape you associate

with a television. The other thing that catches the eye is the colour.

It made £120 at auction and I'd love to be watching "Flog It!" on that.

Lindsey brought this wonderful Christian Dior medal

to the Isle Of Wight in 2009, which Kate Bateman was rather taken with.

This is Mrs Alison Settle that's in the letter.

Yes, she was an editor of Vogue in the 1920s.

I think it was a thank-you for her interest in Christian Dior fashion...

-Her patronage, maybe she dressed head to toe in Dior!

-Absolutely.

It sold for £42, so although not worth a great deal,

it was a lovely item with provenance.

In Peterborough, in 2005,

I met Hilda and Bill, who got me all excited

about their wonderful piece of contemporary Cornish pottery.

My first question to you is,

have you been on holiday to Cornwall?

-Yes, many, many years ago.

-And that's where you got this Troika from.

-Yes.

-How many pieces of Troika did you collect?

-Just one.

That's right.

You went for it in style, look at that! Wow!

-It is quite a big piece.

-That's one of the largest pieces I've seen.

-You obviously watch "Flog It!" a lot.

-We do.

-You realise how important Troika is to the modern market.

-Yes, I hope so.

Prices are going up all the time. Why are you selling this?

I want to know that. Why aren't you keeping it?

Part of the reason is that we've had it for so long,

and we've changed the style of our property.

It's my parents' 60th anniversary this year.

-We want the money towards that.

-That's what the money's going towards.

Troika Pottery started in 1963, in a pub in St Ives.

One night, Benny Sirota, a potter, was having a few beers

with a couple of friends - Jan Thomson, an architect,

and Leslie Illsley, a sculptor. And they formed Troika.

-Oh.

-And that's how it got its name, it's Russian for "three".

There were three of them.

In that period, in the mid-'60s, everybody was into Barbara Hepworth

and her husband, Ben Nicholson.

This really is what Ben Nicholson was all about, I think this is what influenced Benny Sirota.

You've got these lovely concentric circles, the cubed designs.

He's given it this whole Celtic influence.

Benny Sirota has taken it and put the whole of Cornwall here.

We've got the texture, the sea, the rugged landscape,

-you've got that barren wilderness.

-I think it is the texture,

I think that's why, part of the reason, we bought it

-cos it's so different.

-May I ask how much you paid for this?

-Exactly £5.

-And that would have been 1972, '73, '74?

-No, later than that.

-'79.

-'79, OK.

I think this piece, we could strike lucky,

-and get 600 quid for.

-Really?

-Yeah, we could.

That'd be very nice.

I'd like to put an auction estimate of £400-600 on,

with a bit of discretion, so he has 10% just to get it in

-round the 360 mark.

-Yes, all right then.

-Happy with that?

-Yes, I think so.

I love anything Cornish and that was a great piece.

The biggest and the best I'd seen in a long time.

Adam's eyes lit up when John and Kath came to Bradford,

back in 2002, with an amazing collection

of 20th-century silver.

We've got some wonderful pieces of silver here. I'm most excited to see them.

Please tell me, how did you come to own these fantastic things?

The candlesticks and the set there came from my grandparents.

It's been handed down to my mother and father

and then we've got them. We've treasured them.

We are contemplating going to live in Spain next year sometime,

middle of next year.

I must say, they're both very handsome pieces

and lots that any auctioneer would like to have in their sale.

-Yes.

-We'll start off with these candlesticks.

-Yes.

-As I'm sure you're aware, they are hallmarked silver.

-Yes.

And they're a good weight, they're very heavy.

Wouldn't like to be hit on the head with one!

If you interpret these hallmarks, that crown is the Sheffield mark,

and the date letter there is an "A"

and that means they were made in about 1918 in Sheffield.

-The maker's mark slightly indistinct but it was one of the big Sheffield silversmiths.

-Yes.

They're a large pair of candlesticks, how high would you say? About 12 inches or more?

-Yes.

-Maybe 12 inches, yes.

-Around there.

Have you any idea what they might be worth?

Couple of years ago, somebody said they'd probably fetch around £400.

I think they're about right, were they in the business

-or was it a good guess?

-They were in the business.

We sold some of the furniture to this person

but not these at that particular time.

He took a liking to them, probably about £400, that's all I've got to go by.

Right, I think that's probably about right.

I'd probably put an estimate on £300-500.

-Which is...yeah...it's probably about right. Yes.

-Well, exactly.

And to get people interested, they might think, "I might get them for £300."

But I think they'll do quite a bit more, hopefully.

-Are you prepared to go ahead on that basis?

-Yes, I think so.

Candlesticks are popular because they're still functional, people can still use them,

as opposed to tea sets, which we move on to here.

This tea set is different from most ordinary silver tea sets

because it's by one of the most important silversmiths

and designers of the 20th century, by Georg Jensen, or "Ge-org Yensen" as some people say.

Pronounce it how you wish,

he was a very influential designer.

These are really wonderful examples of his work.

We've had a look at them and dated them to 1931.

It's a super four-piece tea set there.

And if we look underneath, all this writing here,

you can actually see Georg Jensen's mark there

and they're sterling silver so they're a very nice object.

-Yes.

-I think these will cause quite an excitement in the saleroom.

-That's interesting to know that.

-What do you think these might be worth?

I just don't know how much they are worth.

I've already given you a few clues by getting really excited about it!

-How about we say £800-1,200...

-Very encouraging.

-A tidy sum.

-Very encouraging.

-Very encouraging, I like that.

I think the reserve should be 750,

not a penny less and let's hope they go on and on and on.

-Yes, let's hope so.

-Then you might get me a beer afterwards!

-Maybe a gin and tonic!

-Really? That's very generous.

-If they get a good price.

Thank you very much.

I was feeling rather excited about that fabulous set

and I'll show you soon if they did get a good price.

And that's the last of my modern selection from the archive today.

Let's take another look at what we took off to the salerooms.

Liz brought in this wonderful 1969 Poole Delphis vase.

I loved Hilda and Bill's large piece of Troika.

John and Kath made Adam's day with those 20th-century candlesticks

and wonderful silver Georg Jensen tea set.

Our first sale is in Hertfordshire,

where we saw Liz' Poole Pottery vase go under the hammer.

It's a bit of Poole Pottery, studio pottery, it belongs to Liz.

We're looking for £200 top end here, hopefully, fingers crossed.

Yes, I don't know that it'll sell.

-You don't think it's going to sell?

-No, but never mind, we can take it home again.

It's been illustrated in a catalogue, on the website,

-it's gone global, there's no excuses.

-Is Tring global?

-Tring has gone global today!

-It has gone global.

-The collectors love this right now

and it hasn't peaked.

No, it hasn't at all. £150 is very reasonable.

Good design, good colours, lovely shape,

fit into interiors now, it's a good thing.

-Big and bold.

-Big and bold.

-Big and bold, brassy.

It's going under the hammer now, good luck.

Back to the present day, almost, this large Delphis vase.

There you are, good bright colours...

That's what you want Poole Pottery for, bright!

..200, 150 I'm bid,

60, 70, 80, 190,

200 I'm bid for it.

-200 quid.

-At 200 we're bid, at 220 I'm bid, at 220.

At 250 I'm bid, at 280, 280, 300 I'm bid for it then.

320 I'm bid, at 350, is it? At £320...

-What were you saying earlier?

-It wouldn't sell!

What's it doing?

400!

At 400 I'm bid, 420 now.

I can't believe it!

You've got to move it. I'm selling then, at £420.

-That's incredible!

-What do you think about that?

I'm amazed, I thought we were taking it home!

No, you're not, somebody else is!

420, what are you going to put that money towards?

We were going to have a meal out but we could have a meal out and something else!

-Or have a weekend away?

-Absolutely, yes.

-Yes?

-We're going to Ghent in two weeks, so we'll have a lovely weekend away.

Thank you very much, that's great.

That's a weekend out in Poole in Dorset!

Liz was delighted and really enjoyed her "Flog It!" experience.

Next, it's my turn and I had everything crossed

for Bill and Hilda's fabulous Troika vase,

which went up for sale in Lincolnshire.

It's the best bit of Troika I've ever seen in my life.

When I saw this, my eyes popped out of my head.

It belongs to Bill and Hilda.

Fingers crossed we're going to get top money for this.

I said, on the day, hopefully £800

but auctioneer's estimate, 400-600, bring them in.

Lot 429 is the large Troika vase. Couple of hundred to start,

200 I'm bid, at 200, 210,

220, 230, 240, 250

260, 270, 280...

You're getting there.

290, 300, 310, 320, 330,

340, 350, 360, 370,

380, 390, 400.

420, 440, 460, 480...

500, 520, 550, 580...

Keep going!

600, 620, 650, 680,

700. At 700 now. Goes then, at 700...720.

At £720. 750 on the phone? Try 740. 740, at 740,

goes on the phone now at 740, 760? 760.

At 760. 780?

Anyone else coming in?

All done, at £760, is that a yes, madam? 780.

At 780, back in the middle at 780. 800.

At £800, I sell then. At £800, it goes.

-Hammer's gone down, fantastic.

-Oh, thank you!

-Those memories, holiday memories of Cornwall in the '70s.

-Oh, yes!

-Gosh, you're so excited!

-Thank you very much.

-I'm so excited.

Well, that wasn't bad for a £5 purchase, back in the 1970s.

Bill and Hilda were delighted.

We're off to Ilkley now, where John and Kath's silver collection

was sold in two lots.

Kath, a few lots away, how are you feeling?

-Nervous?

-Yes.

-Do you want a gin and tonic?

-Yes, please!

-Two please!

-A double one.

-Two!

-A good deal with it.

Here we go, here we go.

320, a pair of candlesticks.

I have to start my bidding at £720,

do we have 740 in the room? Anybody? At 740? Quickly.

Nobody else bidding? 720, all done.

Brilliant! You've got the Midas touch, you two.

-I think we have!

-It's all to do with the valuation.

-It's all to do with the valuation!

-It is...

Finished at 260 this time, all done.

-Have you both recovered?

-A bit, yes.

No, not really, I will when I get a gin and tonic down me.

-We're hoping for top money on this.

-I'm very, very confident.

-You can blame me if it doesn't sell.

-Let's hope you're not disappointed.

I'm sure we won't be.

This is it.

A four-piece tea service in the cabinet down there.

A beautiful item, I have to start the bidding

at £1,800.

Do we have 1,850 in the room? 1,850. 1,900.

1,950. 2,000.

2,100. 2,200 in the room?

2,200. 2,300. 2,400. 2,500.

2,600. 2,700. 2,800. 2,900.

3,000. 3,200.

3,200. 3,200. 3,400.

3,600. 3,800.

That's unbelievable.

4,400. 4,600. 4,800.

£5,000. 5,200.

5,200 anywhere? All finished then at £5,000.

All done and finished.

I've got goose pimples.

Good gracious me!

-I've gone all hot!

-So have I.

I was confident but not that confident.

-I'm glad we brought it.

-I am.

We're glad you brought it in, we really are.

-Thank you very much.

-It's a wonderful thing.

Super. That really was a special "Flog It!" moment.

I was thrilled for John and Kath. Georg Jensen is pure quality.

I've certainly enjoyed looking back at some of my favourite contemporary classics, I hope you have too.

It just goes to show, things don't have to be antique

to be valuable.

I hope you'll join me again soon on "Flog It!"

and if you've got any unwanted antiques you want to sell,

bring them along to one of our valuation days.

You can pick up details on our website.

Log on to...

Until then, from Sherborne Castle, here in Dorset, it's goodbye.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd