All language subtitles for Antiques Roadshow National Botanic Garden of Wales 2 BBC 1080p EN SUB
Afrikaans
Albanian
Amharic
Arabic
Armenian
Azerbaijani
Basque
Belarusian
Bengali
Bosnian
Bulgarian
Catalan
Cebuano
Chichewa
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Corsican
Croatian
Czech
Danish
Dutch
English
Esperanto
Estonian
Filipino
Finnish
French
Frisian
Galician
Georgian
German
Greek
Gujarati
Haitian Creole
Hausa
Hawaiian
Hebrew
Hindi
Hmong
Hungarian
Icelandic
Igbo
Indonesian
Irish
Italian
Japanese
Javanese
Kannada
Kazakh
Khmer
Korean
Kurdish (Kurmanji)
Kyrgyz
Lao
Latin
Latvian
Lithuanian
Luxembourgish
Macedonian
Malagasy
Malay
Malayalam
Maltese
Maori
Marathi
Mongolian
Myanmar (Burmese)
Nepali
Norwegian
Pashto
Persian
Polish
Portuguese
Punjabi
Romanian
Russian
Samoan
Scots Gaelic
Serbian
Sesotho
Shona
Sindhi
Sinhala
Slovak
Slovenian
Somali
Spanish
Sundanese
Swahili
Swedish
Tajik
Tamil
Telugu
Thai
Turkish
Ukrainian
Urdu
Uzbek
Vietnamese
Welsh
Xhosa
Yiddish
Yoruba
Zulu
Odia (Oriya)
Kinyarwanda
Turkmen
Tatar
Uyghur
Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,720
Today, we're at the National Botanic
Garden of Wales, in Carmarthenshire,
2
00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,200
tranquil setting of woodland lakes,
3
00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,480
and some spectacular plant life.
4
00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,280
Centre stage is
the Great Glasshouse -
5
00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:53,680
home to rare plants
from across the globe.
6
00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:57,960
And surrounding it are many
more unique gardens,
7
00:00:57,960 --> 00:00:59,960
including a Japanese garden,
8
00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:01,840
a walled garden,
9
00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:03,480
and this medicinal garden.
10
00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:07,680
Plants growing here have been
prized for their healing properties
11
00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:09,520
for hundreds of years.
12
00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:14,200
Traditional remedies for everything
from constipation to chicken pox,
13
00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:16,360
vertigo to verrucas.
14
00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,040
Later on, I'll be finding out
how plants like these
15
00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:24,680
made their way into bottles
like this.
16
00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,640
But for now, let's see what our
visitors have brought along today.
17
00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:32,760
It's the best history of an object
I've heard in a long time.
18
00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:36,720
No! You're joking!
19
00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:39,560
I mean, it's folk art at its best.
20
00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:42,720
The two of us, you know, by some
weird coincidence, are probably
21
00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:46,680
the people who know more about that
man than anyone else in the world.
22
00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,240
That's fantastic - oh, that's made
me go a bit goosey, actually!
23
00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:50,680
When did you first see it?
24
00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:51,840
20 years ago.
25
00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:53,600
In a shop? In a skip.
26
00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:59,200
I mean, what would you do
with the money?
27
00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:01,200
Don't go there!
28
00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:05,080
You have brought me the mother
of all hen's teeth here.
29
00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:06,960
Oh, my goodness. Oh!
30
00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:08,960
Fabulous!
31
00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:10,520
You've made my day now.
32
00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,440
Well, here we are in the
Botanic Gardens,
33
00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:25,240
and what could be more suitable than
Burne-Jones's famous Flower Book?
34
00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,400
Tell me how it came
to be in your family.
35
00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:32,400
Well, Burne-Jones was a friend
of my grandfather,
36
00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:38,960
and he painted a few pictures
of people in the family.
37
00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:42,760
And my father left me
that when he died.
38
00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:43,840
Fantastic.
39
00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:47,600
I mean, Burne-Jones, one of
Britain's greatest artists.
40
00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:51,560
In 1882, he started keeping a list
of the names of plants
41
00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,360
that he thought were
particularly interesting,
42
00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:56,000
and he was sort of assembling
this list,
43
00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,400
and as he was assembling
the list, he was thinking, well,
44
00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:02,600
"What can I dream up to illustrate
these funny names?"
45
00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:06,520
So, from 1882 to his death
in the 1890s,
46
00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:09,400
he gradually did
these watercolours and things.
47
00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:12,560
And then in 1905 they were
published here,
48
00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:15,360
in a limited edition, by his widow,
49
00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:17,400
and it's an absolutely
beautiful book.
50
00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,680
I think that some of these flowers
particularly appeal to you,
don't they?
51
00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:24,440
They do. It's because
of a mixture of the name,
52
00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:26,720
and what he's done with the name,
53
00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,440
because everybody
knows the Jacob's ladder flower,
54
00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:33,440
and that's how he's illustrated it.
55
00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,320
There's a very metaphorical aspect
about them, isn't there? Yes.
56
00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:37,640
Yes.
57
00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:40,840
And then I think there's
a Morning Glory.
58
00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:43,000
Yes, those lovely blue flowers.
59
00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,080
He's done angels... Kind of
in a very morningy light as well.
60
00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,960
Fiddling with clouds, sort of thing,
in the morning. Exactly!
61
00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:52,680
And this one? Meadowsweet,
62
00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:55,440
which of course, is just a boringish
white flower,
63
00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:56,800
isn't it, normally?
64
00:03:56,800 --> 00:04:00,760
And he's made this lovely
illustration from Arthurian legend,
65
00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:02,240
with the boat, and...
66
00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:04,400
It is very Arthurian, isn't it?
Yes.
67
00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:07,200
Well, it's one of 300 copies. Yes.
68
00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:08,600
And they're all numbered.
69
00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:12,040
You also have the original box
it came in, which is fantastic. Yes.
70
00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,000
And it's in this beautiful
original binding as well.
71
00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,640
It's a book that's extremely
sought after.
72
00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:22,280
Burne-Jones is such a famous and
valuable artist in his own right.
73
00:04:22,280 --> 00:04:24,120
I think if you were to put it
into auction -
74
00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,440
and several have come
through auction recently -
75
00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,080
you'd expect it to make
something like £5,000.
76
00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:30,520
SHE GASPS
77
00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:32,760
Gosh! Well, that is a surprise.
78
00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:36,000
Thank you!
79
00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:43,720
I'm shaking with anticipation
and excitement.
80
00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:47,760
This, I think, is an amazingly
iconic collection of objects,
81
00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:50,680
and an amazing story, too.
82
00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:53,400
So what we have here is something
that's pretty obvious.
83
00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:56,760
JB 007, a car number plate,
84
00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:58,880
doesn't need much explaining,
does it, at the moment?
85
00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:00,360
But we'll come back to that.
86
00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:03,880
And what we have here is a
bowler hat.
87
00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:07,000
And it's the bowler hat
from Goldfinger -
88
00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:11,840
arguably, I think, one of the best
James Bond films ever made -
89
00:05:11,840 --> 00:05:13,720
that belonged to Oddjob,
90
00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:15,320
Auric Goldfinger's henchman.
91
00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:18,880
Now, that's pretty incredible.
That's what I believe.
92
00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:20,640
Well, let's discuss that.
93
00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:23,120
Give me some provenance.
94
00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:26,880
Well, my brother-in-law
was the driver for Aston Martin,
95
00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:31,760
that took the Aston Martin back
and forward to Pinewood Studios.
96
00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:33,000
Right.
97
00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:38,400
And also was the person who picked
up Sean Connery,
98
00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:41,480
to take him, instead of him going
on the bus,
99
00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:43,080
back and forward to
Pinewood Studios.
100
00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:45,840
Really? So, what, so he went to
his hotel and picked him up,
101
00:05:45,840 --> 00:05:47,040
in the DB5?
102
00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:48,760
Yeah, in that actual car.
103
00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:51,040
That's him there. Yeah.
104
00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,960
Peter Davis, and his wife,
Shirley, my sister.
105
00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:57,720
OK. Well, that's a pretty
amazing story.
106
00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:02,200
Do we know how Oddjob's
hat came into his possession?
107
00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:06,200
Well, I was a big Bond fan.
108
00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,960
And my brother-in-law
asked Pinewood Studio
109
00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:13,280
if he could have one of the hats.
110
00:06:13,280 --> 00:06:16,440
What happened was, they wouldn't
allow it out of the studio
111
00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,640
without taking the metal out
of the top of the hat.
112
00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:23,280
Because, of course, we all know
the famous scene in the film,
113
00:06:23,280 --> 00:06:26,400
in which Oddjob takes off
his bowler,
114
00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:28,120
he whacks it out, it spins off,
115
00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:30,120
and he knocks the head off
the statue.
116
00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,240
So they left this, as far
as I'm aware -
117
00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:35,600
this is the story that I was told -
118
00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,280
they left the steel in the
bottom part. Yes.
119
00:06:38,280 --> 00:06:41,280
So, as you can see, by the state
on it,
120
00:06:41,280 --> 00:06:46,760
as a young lad, everybody
wanted to throw the Oddjob hat.
121
00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:50,520
And if you look at it,
everybody did throw the hat,
122
00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:52,520
because it's absolutely in pieces,
123
00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:55,280
because it didn't have the steel
in it any more,
124
00:06:55,280 --> 00:06:57,280
so therefore, whenever it landed...
125
00:06:57,280 --> 00:06:59,000
Yeah. ..it damaged it.
126
00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:00,480
Right, OK.
127
00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:02,960
We can see that it's definitely
a prop hat.
128
00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:06,360
And, you know, it's an iconic
part of Bond history.
129
00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:07,960
It really, really is.
130
00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:09,880
Now, the number plate.
131
00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:13,960
No secret agent would have JB 007
on his number plate, would he,
132
00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:16,040
because it would literally
be a bit obvious?
133
00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:18,960
We all know that, obviously - and
there's the DB5 there...
134
00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:20,680
With the correct number plate.
135
00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:22,560
..yes, with the correct
number plate.
136
00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:26,120
And I believe that probably what
Aston Martin would have done was,
137
00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,280
when they were using the DB5
to promote the film,
138
00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:32,600
they would screw this number plate
on to the front of it.
139
00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:33,880
Now, listen.
140
00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:37,760
Many years ago, Oddjob's
hat was sold in London.
141
00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:39,160
It was, yes.
142
00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:42,200
And there was a big
kind of promotional thing
143
00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:45,640
about it being the one and
only Oddjob's hat. It was, yeah.
144
00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:47,840
It made over £60,000.
145
00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:49,880
Right. OK. OK?
146
00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:51,320
Now, I really believe,
147
00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:53,480
and having had this conversation
with you,
148
00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,720
and seen all of this,
149
00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:59,320
that there was definitely
more than one Oddjob's hat.
150
00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:02,280
Anyone knows that if you're
making a movie,
151
00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:04,840
you're going to probably
have more than one
152
00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:06,240
of this kind of prop.
153
00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:08,720
So I'm going to talk about values.
154
00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:12,120
Because this, of course, has never
been used in a film or anything.
155
00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:14,240
Definitely not. It's a great plate.
156
00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:16,680
So I think, to a real
James Bond fan,
157
00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:20,400
that this is going to be worth
£4,000 to £6,000.
158
00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:21,440
Wow!
159
00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:24,320
Glad I didn't lose it, then.
160
00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:28,920
As for this - my gosh, you gave
it a hard time.
161
00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:30,440
You really did!
162
00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:35,720
And...I wish it were in
better condition. Me too.
163
00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:37,440
I really do.
164
00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:39,080
But, you know, boys will be boys!
165
00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:42,160
£20,000 to £30,000.
166
00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:44,600
GASPS OF SURPRISE
167
00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:47,480
OK!
168
00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:48,920
Right.
169
00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:51,960
Thank you. It's all I can say!
170
00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,640
To handle this item is an absolute
honour for me,
171
00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:57,400
so thank you very, very much.
172
00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,240
Thank you.
APPLAUSE
173
00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:24,880
Well, obviously, what we have here
is a rugby blazer and velvet cap.
174
00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:26,640
Tell me, what do they mean to you?
175
00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:31,600
Well, my father played for this club
in 1911-14...
176
00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:37,400
..and he was awarded - well, all the
players then were awarded
177
00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:40,400
the blazer, cap and the badge.
178
00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:42,240
So this is Ammanford RFC...
Ammanford.
179
00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:44,800
..which is, what, 20
miles or so from here, is it?
180
00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:46,880
It's quite close by. Ten miles?
181
00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:48,760
And obviously their season,
182
00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:52,160
or their three seasons, actually,
1912 to 1914,
183
00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,280
they're known as probably the best
team that the club has ever had
184
00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:58,400
and they were known as
the Invincibles. Invincibles.
185
00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:01,240
Well, obviously, we think of these
velvet caps, and they're beautiful,
186
00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:03,880
with their silver and gold bullion
that they have on them.
187
00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:07,200
And generally speaking, we think
of them, really, as being very much,
188
00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:11,000
they're either for international
games or county games. Yes.
189
00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,480
But I think they're also presented
for teams, really, that do something
190
00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:15,840
very exceptional, don't they?
191
00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:18,360
This is obviously why
they were awarded these caps,
192
00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:20,360
which wouldn't have been...
Very special.
193
00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:22,200
Very special, absolutely.
194
00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:24,920
And I actually have quite
an interest in rugby,
195
00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:27,720
in that my father was actually
a very well-known rugby player,
196
00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:29,160
some time after this, obviously.
197
00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:32,240
But he actually was the captain of
Maesteg... Maesteg, yes.
198
00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:36,760
..for the Invincibles season
that they had in 1949-1950.
199
00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:38,720
Well, thank you so much
for bringing it in.
200
00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:40,760
It's been a great pleasure
to see it.
201
00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,600
Obviously it's never going to be
sold, it belongs in the club.
202
00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,240
But I would think that, you know,
the blazer and the cap,
203
00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:49,880
you're probably looking at maybe
£200, £300, £400,
204
00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:51,480
something like that.
205
00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:53,240
Well, the money is nothing.
206
00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,760
Exactly. It deserves to be
kept in the club.
207
00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:57,800
It's in the club.
This is in the club.
208
00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:00,480
Thank you so much for
bringing it in.
209
00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:06,680
Kyffin Williams was,
as you know,
210
00:11:06,680 --> 00:11:10,520
one of the best loved Welsh artists
of the 20th century.
211
00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:13,320
But this isn't necessarily what you
would expect in one of his pictures.
212
00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:17,640
You might imagine a rugged Welsh
landscape view, perhaps.
213
00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:19,720
But this is a portrait.
214
00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:22,040
So what's the story here?
215
00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:26,880
Well, in the late '60s, my dad got
a job in Bangor University.
216
00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:30,440
We moved from Birmingham
to Anglesey.
217
00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:34,720
And I started to become interested
in art, through my brother.
218
00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:38,560
He started taking me to galleries,
where I saw paintings
219
00:11:38,560 --> 00:11:40,440
by Kyffin Williams.
220
00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:43,680
This was the first painting
I ever bought in my life.
221
00:11:43,680 --> 00:11:47,640
And it was £200 to £250, somewhere
between the two, I can't remember.
222
00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,680
And that was in 19...
Early 1970s.
223
00:11:51,680 --> 00:11:53,760
In-between in '72 and '74, I think.
224
00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:56,840
So this painting, we know,
was painted in 1959,
225
00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,880
as Kyffin Williams actually
confirmed to you in a letter,
226
00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:01,400
later on in life.
227
00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:03,320
And we actually also know
who the subject is,
228
00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:05,680
and the subject is
Ivor Roberts-Jones,
229
00:12:05,680 --> 00:12:08,400
who was an English artist of
Welsh descent,
230
00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:11,280
but a very successful sculptor.
231
00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:15,120
His best known work is the large
bronze, this huge bronze,
232
00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:17,800
in Parliament Square, of Churchill.
233
00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:20,800
What a lot of people don't know
about that bronze of Churchill
234
00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:23,560
is that it wasn't, in fact,
Churchill who modelled for it,
235
00:12:23,560 --> 00:12:25,640
it was Kyffin Williams.
236
00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:27,640
Kyffin Williams was the man who
stood there,
237
00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:28,760
in this great long coat,
238
00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:31,960
as Ivor Roberts-Jones was busy
there, making this plaster maquette,
239
00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:34,440
which was, of course, later turned
into the bronze.
240
00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:37,520
So they were close friends,
certainly, for that period.
241
00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:39,440
He was such a good portraitist,
I think. Sure.
242
00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:40,800
I mean, he approached his subject
243
00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:42,400
in the same way that he would a
landscape.
244
00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:45,040
I mean, all of the crevices
of the face are painted out,
245
00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:46,640
using that very thick texture,
246
00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:50,040
using a palette knife and applied
very, very heavily.
247
00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:53,160
So actually, yeah, I really do
rate him as a portrait painter.
248
00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:55,040
So, value?
249
00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:58,960
I think if this work were to
come up at auction,
250
00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:01,640
I would expect to see it
sell for a figure
251
00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:04,680
in the region of £10,000 to £15,000.
252
00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:09,520
Yeah, that's amazing. Yeah.
253
00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,080
Thank you for bringing it in,
and thank you for sharing the story.
254
00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:13,160
Yeah, cheers.
255
00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:18,640
They say true love is meant
to endure,
256
00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:21,920
but I think it's fair to say that
lots of the items and the pieces
257
00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:25,440
produced to commemorate true
love are meant to endure.
258
00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:29,800
And here we have a marvellous
Victorian Valentine's card.
259
00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:31,560
So I take it you're a romantic
person?
260
00:13:31,560 --> 00:13:34,480
I am a romantic person, yeah. Yeah.
261
00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:36,160
So did you buy this or...?
262
00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:39,000
No, it was left to me by one
of my aunties,
263
00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:41,040
because I've always loved it.
264
00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:44,360
And I just thought the poem
in it is really beautiful,
265
00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:48,720
and I read it every year
on Valentine's Day.
266
00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:51,160
You read it every year on every
Valentine's Day? Yeah.
267
00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:53,080
Just to honour their love, really.
268
00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:54,600
I'm going to read it now,
do you mind?
269
00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:55,720
No, not at all.
270
00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:57,720
Let's tip it out here, gently.
271
00:13:57,720 --> 00:13:59,560
"My dearest Jeanie.
272
00:13:59,560 --> 00:14:03,440
"I love the gentler sighing winds
that murmur over the lea.
273
00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:06,760
"I love the grandeur of the waves
upon a stormy sea."
274
00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:08,720
So sweet! It is, isn't it?
275
00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:12,520
Valentine's cards like this really
became popular in the 1800s.
276
00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:15,320
There was, with a sort of mass
production of paper,
277
00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:17,600
hundreds of thousands of these
things were being sent.
278
00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:18,840
Oh, right.
279
00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:20,320
So they're not uncommon.
280
00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:22,320
If you go looking, you can
find them.
281
00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:24,720
But for me, it's the detail,
282
00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:26,120
it's the condition - look at it.
283
00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:29,680
It is as fresh as the day
it was given and received with love.
284
00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:32,480
It's the box, but it's that poem
that really does it for me.
285
00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:33,600
Yeah.
286
00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:35,080
Yeah, it's really lovely, isn't it?
287
00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:36,240
A token of love.
288
00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:38,120
A token of £100 to £150.
289
00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:39,400
Oh, lovely!
290
00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:41,880
A little bit of love,
here amongst the flowers.
291
00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:45,120
Thank you very much. Thank you.
292
00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:50,360
Wander through the Botanic Gardens,
293
00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:54,320
and there's something intriguing
around every corner.
294
00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:56,400
I've just stepped away from the
queues for a moment,
295
00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:58,400
and come across this beautiful
garden,
296
00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:02,480
full of dahlias and snapdragons
and sweet peas,
297
00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:07,040
and the scent of the sweet peas,
in particular, is just heavenly.
298
00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:11,880
But plants aren't just
to be celebrated for their beauty
and smell.
299
00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:15,600
For thousands of years, they've been
used for medicinal purposes.
300
00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:18,240
And this is the medicinal garden.
301
00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:19,840
Marigold Calendula officinalis
302
00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:23,040
is the herbalist's go-to
first aid plant,
303
00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:26,160
used to reduce
soreness and inflammation.
304
00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:29,120
And Echinacea is good for
wounds and burns.
305
00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:32,520
And I love this, it's called
meadowsweet -
306
00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:33,920
you probably recognise it.
307
00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:37,200
You see it growing all over the UK,
along the roadsides in Wales.
308
00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:41,800
And it was used to create an early
form of aspirin in the 1890s.
309
00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:51,440
Right next door to the garden
is the Apothecary's Hall,
310
00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:53,560
an old Edwardian-style pharmacy...
311
00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:56,920
..where plant-based potions were
created
312
00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:58,800
to the pharmacist's own formula.
313
00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:01,760
And who better to tell me about them
314
00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:04,600
than our very own glass
specialist, Andy McConnell?
315
00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:06,520
Shame there's no remedy
for the rain!
316
00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:11,240
Andy, come and have a look at this.
317
00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:13,080
I want to show you this old
Edwardian pharmacy
318
00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:15,720
that's been recreated here at the
Botanic Gardens.
319
00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:18,600
And it's all the glass I want
to show you, in particular,
320
00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:20,840
all full of these
traditional remedies.
321
00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:24,920
As soon as glass became available,
the traditional substance, ceramics,
322
00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:27,680
was jettisoned in favour of this
much more practical substance
323
00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:30,000
that was see-through, transparent,
324
00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:32,240
so you could actually see
what was in it.
325
00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:34,960
And then, as history developed,
326
00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:37,640
we get a progression of types.
327
00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:39,080
So the blue glass and the
green glass,
328
00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:41,040
they're particularly
significant, aren't they?
329
00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:43,800
Well, the coloured glass meant
"Don't consume it."
330
00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:46,320
So, 18th century, we're
getting blue,
331
00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:48,440
and then...but green was cheaper.
332
00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:51,640
And then we have a development
from 1900,
333
00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:54,520
where we have the ribbed bottle,
334
00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:58,680
so dispensing chemists knew
that these were poisonous,
335
00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:02,280
and the blind knew
they were poisonous too.
336
00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:05,600
You could pick up your bottle,
as a blind person,
337
00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:06,920
feel the ribbing...
338
00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:08,680
Don't drink it!
339
00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:11,520
So it's interesting to think that
chemists were prescribing poisons
340
00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:12,680
for their patients.
341
00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:15,040
Well, I think the essence
of it was not to take too much,
342
00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:16,800
stay to the prescription,
because otherwise
343
00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:19,440
you could end up in the cemetery
even earlier than you thought.
344
00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:31,720
Let's roll back 90 years,
345
00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:35,040
we've gone out to the theatre, had a
wonderful evening. Yeah, yeah.
346
00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:36,680
Our chauffeur's over there.
347
00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:38,360
He's drawn up in the limo. Right.
348
00:17:38,360 --> 00:17:41,360
We jump in the back, and we say,
"James, home, please."
349
00:17:41,360 --> 00:17:43,440
And he switches on the lights.
Right.
350
00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:46,000
And what happens? Not only the
lights go on... Yeah.
351
00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,680
..but the mascot lights up. Right.
352
00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:51,040
Can you just imagine how brilliant
that would have looked,
353
00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,760
way back in the 1930s? Right.
354
00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:55,760
I thought it was later than that,
actually.
355
00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:58,520
But I've always thought
it was special.
356
00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:02,400
My father had it because somebody
couldn't pay for their petrol.
357
00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:04,200
He was in the garage business,
was he?
358
00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:05,720
He ran a garage business.
359
00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:07,200
They couldn't pay for the petrol,
360
00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:09,800
and I believe this was left
in lieu of the payment.
361
00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:11,600
And nobody ever came back.
362
00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:13,480
But then it sat in a drawer,
363
00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:17,120
with all his tools, in a duster.
364
00:18:17,120 --> 00:18:20,600
So it has survived quite a
long time, yeah.
365
00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:22,360
Well, I think what's so remarkable
about it,
366
00:18:22,360 --> 00:18:24,240
considering that it came
off the front of a car,
367
00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:26,240
you'd expect it to be chipped
and scratched. Yeah.
368
00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:28,400
But it's in pristine condition.
Yeah.
369
00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:30,680
After he died, I rescued
it from the garage,
370
00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:32,960
because it was in a tray of tools,
371
00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:36,400
and that's when I wrapped it
up and put it away. OK. Yeah.
372
00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:40,560
Well, this is the English equivalent
of the French make of Lalique.
373
00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:43,400
Lalique did a wide range of
glass mascots. Right.
374
00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:46,160
Again, they were all illuminated,
375
00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:48,280
but again, unusual to find
376
00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:51,240
both the mascot and the illumination
together. Oh, right.
377
00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:54,120
I just unscrewed it, and there's
still a light bulb in there.
378
00:18:54,120 --> 00:18:56,600
Really? It's a pink one.
So this is the pink lady.
379
00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,800
So that probably would have been
pink or red. Yeah.
380
00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:02,360
And it's called the Speed Head.
381
00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:03,560
Right.
382
00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:04,880
Because there she is,
383
00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:07,160
she's on the front of your radiator,
384
00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:08,840
hair streaming behind. Yeah.
385
00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:11,000
You know, what an attractive lady.
Yeah.
386
00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:13,480
Anyway, this one's made by a company
called Red Ashay. Right.
387
00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:16,520
And it says so on the base there.
388
00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:19,880
So would it have been made
for a particular car, or not?
389
00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:23,040
No, it was... You could put it on
whatever car you wanted to. Right.
390
00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:25,800
During the 1920s, '30s,
and way into the '40s,
391
00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:29,080
there were mascots on all cars,
virtually. Right.
392
00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,840
Some were made specifically
for that particular car.
393
00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:33,320
Humber would have a particular one,
394
00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:35,640
a Rolls-Royce had the Flying Lady.
395
00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:39,000
But there was lots of other cars
that didn't have mascots,
396
00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:42,880
and you could just go to a retailer
and buy either a glass one,
397
00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:44,840
or brass or bronze.
398
00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:46,800
Incredible. Right.
399
00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:48,800
I wonder how much the debt was
back then.
400
00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:51,920
I don't know. Petrol was quite
cheap, wasn't it? They might have
401
00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:54,760
been running out of petrol coupons
as well, I don't know.
402
00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:56,960
Because petrol was rationed,
as well, wasn't it?
403
00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:59,440
During the war? Absolutely.
Yeah. Absolutely.
404
00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,360
Well, I think it's a cracking piece.
405
00:20:02,360 --> 00:20:05,480
I think, at auction, if you sold
it today,
406
00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:09,120
it would fetch between
£3,500 and £4,500.
407
00:20:09,120 --> 00:20:11,480
You're joking! You are...
I don't joke, no!
408
00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:14,120
I don't joke. Sorry!
409
00:20:14,120 --> 00:20:16,800
£3,500 to £4,000. Really?
410
00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:19,040
My goodness! I had no idea of that.
411
00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:20,880
No idea whatsoever.
412
00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:24,080
It's, to me, it's...
I'm getting emotional now.
413
00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:27,080
It's something that I
remember my father by.
414
00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:28,880
Yeah, well, that's charming.
415
00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:31,360
Thank you very much indeed.
My pleasure. Thank you.
416
00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:35,520
I don't think he'd have believed it.
417
00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:39,320
It was in a drawer, with his tools,
wrapped in a duster.
418
00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:44,160
And he used to really enthuse
about the glass lady.
419
00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:45,840
So we're over the moon.
420
00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:58,280
Well, even this is glistening in the
rain today. It is.
421
00:20:58,280 --> 00:20:59,960
When did you first see it?
422
00:20:59,960 --> 00:21:01,760
20 years ago.
423
00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:03,520
In a shop? In a skip.
424
00:21:06,360 --> 00:21:08,840
Yes, it was retrieved out
of a skip for me,
425
00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,560
because the person thought
that I would like it.
426
00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:14,640
And I do. I love it.
427
00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:15,960
What do you know about it?
428
00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:20,120
Well, I can see from the design
that it's Arts and Crafts.
429
00:21:20,120 --> 00:21:21,360
Well...
430
00:21:21,360 --> 00:21:23,240
..Arts and Crafts,
431
00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:25,360
or even a bit earlier than that,
432
00:21:25,360 --> 00:21:27,320
Art Nouveau. Oh, right.
433
00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:32,840
So Art Nouveau, from the sort
of 1880s, through to sort of 1910.
434
00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:37,280
So this very sinuous, sort of
organic line of the honesty growing
435
00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:41,320
round here, really makes it Art
Nouveau more than Arts and Crafts.
436
00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:42,840
With a nice, authentic
437
00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:46,160
late 19th-century piece of mirrored
plate in it, too,
438
00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:47,920
and the silvering's gone.
439
00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:49,000
Yeah.
440
00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:52,240
But how could anybody put it
in a skip?
441
00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:56,120
God knows, but I'm so glad that it
was retrieved for me.
442
00:21:56,120 --> 00:21:58,920
I don't think it's by any
particular maker. OK.
443
00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:00,560
It's worth £300.
444
00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:03,720
Wow! Very nice.
445
00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:16,720
Now, it's true to say, isn't
it, that the minute you brought
446
00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:20,120
this to my desk, I said,
that's by Harry van der Weyden.
447
00:22:20,120 --> 00:22:23,600
Yes, and you even added "My hero."
448
00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:25,000
Well, he is a bit my hero.
449
00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:26,240
And what's he to you?
450
00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:28,280
Well, he's my great-grandfather,
451
00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,880
and he's my granddaughter's
great-great-great-grandfather.
452
00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:33,040
Well, there you are.
453
00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:35,160
The two of us, you know, by some
weird coincidence,
454
00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:37,840
are probably the people who know
more about that man
455
00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:40,080
than anyone else in the world.
456
00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:42,360
And I'm hoping you can tell me
even more, please.
457
00:22:42,360 --> 00:22:44,080
Oh, well, I don't know. We'll see.
458
00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:47,160
The first thing, though, is to
admire this beautiful watercolour.
459
00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:48,440
Isn't it stunning?
460
00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:50,360
It's lovely.
461
00:22:50,360 --> 00:22:54,200
It was hanging in my great-aunt's
home all my life,
462
00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:58,200
and when she passed on, I was
fortunate enough to inherit it.
463
00:22:58,200 --> 00:22:59,800
I love it.
464
00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:01,360
Dated 1923.
465
00:23:01,360 --> 00:23:04,280
I actually used to own another
version of this very same picture,
466
00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:05,520
so I know it's Rye,
467
00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:08,720
and the mudflats, at low tide.
468
00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:11,360
What's really clever about it,
I always think,
469
00:23:11,360 --> 00:23:13,760
is the way the moon is not
displayed.
470
00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:15,720
The most you see of it is reflection
471
00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:17,240
in the ripple in the foreshore.
472
00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:19,040
But it's not shown in the sky
at all.
473
00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:21,360
All you see is just the glow
of it and the track
474
00:23:21,360 --> 00:23:22,480
of it across the mud.
475
00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:24,920
And I believe that his early work,
476
00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:27,280
he was described as something
called a Tonalist.
477
00:23:28,360 --> 00:23:32,600
Yes, a Tonalist was a sort of small
school of American watercolourists,
478
00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:35,600
and what they were particularly
interested in was Japanese prints.
479
00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:38,600
And you see their very blocky
colours coming out,
480
00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:42,640
and also their quite close
tonal range coming out
481
00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:44,480
in their watercolours.
482
00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:46,400
But he was a very young man then,
483
00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:49,120
and he completed his education
by coming to France.
484
00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:52,040
You probably know most of this!
485
00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:56,000
Well, some of it, because
I have other paintings by him
486
00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:58,760
of other family members in France.
487
00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:00,440
Ah, I see.
488
00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:01,880
The First World War comes.
489
00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:06,040
He joins up as the camouflage
officer for the Royal Artillery.
490
00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:08,480
Did you know that? No.
491
00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:12,200
Well, you know, lots of artists
were drummed into, you know,
492
00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,600
providing for the war effort
by using their skills,
493
00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:18,320
and this meant disguising
tanks as bits of tree and stuff.
494
00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:20,520
And he was very good at that.
495
00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:24,800
And then he had a studio, I think,
on the Cote d'Azur later. Yes.
496
00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,280
So obviously he stayed in France,
497
00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:29,600
and he was painting down there.
498
00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:33,320
And I always imagined that
he was extremely wealthy.
499
00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:35,040
No. Not the case?
500
00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:36,360
No, not the case.
501
00:24:36,360 --> 00:24:37,800
You'd have to be, to live there now!
502
00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:40,400
Well, the family joke was
that he used to sell his paintings
503
00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:41,920
by the square yard,
504
00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:45,360
because they tended to be rather
large and quite heavy oils.
505
00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:49,440
Yes, but this very light,
beautiful watercolour.
506
00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,280
I suppose you've never valued it, or
anything like that? No, never.
507
00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:57,480
I think it's probably fair to say
that yours is worth
508
00:24:57,480 --> 00:24:59,840
£3,000 to £4,000.
509
00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:01,720
Wonderful. Thank you very much.
510
00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:03,360
I think it will stay
in the family.
511
00:25:03,360 --> 00:25:05,040
Oh, well, I do hope so.
512
00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:14,000
Well, you know the expression "rare
as hen's teeth", don't you? Yes.
513
00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:17,400
You have brought me the mother
of all hen's teeth here. Really?
514
00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:21,040
This is an extremely rare
expression of jewellery.
515
00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:24,200
But tell me about it, with
your kinsmanship, your family.
516
00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:27,000
Well, we've inherited it down
through the years.
517
00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:30,000
But it's because our kinsman
was Pugin
518
00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:31,640
and Hardman Powell.
519
00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:34,200
Augustus Welby Pugin. Yes.
520
00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:36,360
Who is, of course, the designer
of the interior
521
00:25:36,360 --> 00:25:37,960
of the Palace of Westminster,
522
00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:40,600
the most venerable palace
in the United Kingdom.
523
00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:41,960
It's for his family,
524
00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:43,880
but actually, it's not
necessarily by him,
525
00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:47,880
because it was made after his
death - he died in 1852.
526
00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:51,120
But everything in his life was
taken over by his son-in-law,
527
00:25:51,120 --> 00:25:52,600
John Hardman Powell,
528
00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:55,040
who had married Anne Pugin,
his daughter.
529
00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:59,320
So we see all the sort of ghostly
input from this great artistic
530
00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:02,360
architectural genius, rendered down,
531
00:26:02,360 --> 00:26:05,240
absolutely distilled into this ring,
532
00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:06,920
almost posthumously as well.
533
00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:09,280
But I wondered if you'd thought
at all about the significance
534
00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:11,400
of these little bead works
on the side?
535
00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:13,920
No, just assumed it was decoration.
536
00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:16,040
Well, and I think it is decorative,
of course,
537
00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:19,040
but the Pugin family and the
Hardman family
538
00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:22,680
were so entrenched in the
Anglo-Catholic tradition
539
00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:26,040
that they clearly adopted
a very ancient theme here.
540
00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:29,280
And this ring is called a decade,
and it's called a decade
541
00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:32,600
because there are ten of these
little pellets here,
542
00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:36,400
and each one of them is rather like
a rosary, a signal to the wearer
543
00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:38,400
to say "Ave Maria",
544
00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:40,840
and then, working round ten
Ave Marias,
545
00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:43,120
to reach the top and touch it.
546
00:26:43,120 --> 00:26:46,960
And so this is a very ancient,
medieval tradition.
547
00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:51,080
And we can see inside, the
hallmarks appear for Birmingham.
548
00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:53,800
22 carat gold, it's almost pure
gold,
549
00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:55,400
set with a cabochon garnet.
550
00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:57,520
It's very enviable.
551
00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:01,480
There are collectors of rings,
specialist collectors,
552
00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:04,000
and this is exactly what they want.
553
00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:09,200
They want context and excitement
and indisputable provenance,
554
00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:12,880
and something so rare that they can
never have it again.
555
00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:15,600
So, without a shadow of doubt,
556
00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:17,400
it's worth £8,000.
557
00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:18,600
Oh, my God!
558
00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:21,640
How fantastic!
559
00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:25,760
Oh, that dear little ring.
Dear little ring.
560
00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:30,040
So it's all about this, sort of,
you know, really luminous
561
00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:33,560
Anglo-Catholic excitement
from an architect, designer
562
00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:37,040
and absolutely somebody central
to the national identity
563
00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:39,040
of the United Kingdom.
564
00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:41,120
So, apart from that,
it's of no interest, really!
565
00:27:41,120 --> 00:27:42,320
LAUGHTER
566
00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:51,080
To hear that story, of how much
this tiny ring really means,
567
00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:54,120
how it condensed a whole big story
like that,
568
00:27:54,120 --> 00:27:56,280
how lucky are we to own it?
569
00:27:56,280 --> 00:27:57,560
That's fantastic.
570
00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:04,800
This is such a surreal collection
of photographs.
571
00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:08,240
There's two kids balancing
on a bicycle here.
572
00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:10,200
Some miners underground.
573
00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:12,680
This kind of weird, clown-like guy
with a big nose,
574
00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:16,760
and then a red box here,
that says in German,
575
00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:21,000
the Young German Miners
of the German Democratic Republic.
576
00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:24,120
What's the story here?
How did you come to have these?
577
00:28:24,120 --> 00:28:25,720
They belonged to my father,
578
00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:30,680
and in 1957, he went to Russia with
the South Wales Colliery.
579
00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:33,160
He went for a few months,
580
00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:35,520
and he was given all these
to bring back,
581
00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:37,480
and a collection of photographs.
582
00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:41,880
Well, it's a very interesting
and unusual group of photographs.
583
00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:44,400
They're all black and white
photographs,
584
00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:47,120
a big stack of them mounted
on these cards,
585
00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:50,240
and on the back of them,
there are captions in English,
586
00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:52,920
French, German and Russian.
587
00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:56,600
These are all about an organisation
of the youth miners
588
00:28:56,600 --> 00:29:00,280
of Germany, East Germany,
which was part of the Eastern Bloc,
589
00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:02,960
part of the Communist world
at that time.
590
00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:05,720
And all of the captions talk
about what a wonderful life
591
00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:07,280
these young miners have.
592
00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:09,480
Isn't it great they're so well
educated?
593
00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:11,360
They're doing all of these
fun sports.
594
00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:14,960
And, you know, these guys are
learning how to coal mine.
595
00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:17,080
They put on these sort of
entertainments
596
00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:19,640
in the evenings for them.
597
00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:23,400
My theory on this is that
this is all propaganda.
598
00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:31,440
This is the Soviet Union saying life
can be great under Communism.
599
00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:33,600
Yes. Yeah? Yeah.
600
00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:37,520
And I think they were trying
to appeal to hard-working people
601
00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:38,880
here in South Wales,
602
00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:42,320
and try and get them on board with
Communism as well. Yeah.
603
00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:45,240
Do you think your father
was convinced?
604
00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:46,800
No, not really. No?
605
00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:49,440
No! He came home and went drinking,
I think.
606
00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:51,000
Really?
607
00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,080
He didn't become a hardcore
Communist? No.
608
00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:56,960
I think it's a really, really
fascinating group of photographs.
609
00:29:56,960 --> 00:30:00,560
And I think they would really appeal
to collectors of photography.
610
00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:03,360
I think if you put these together
as a group,
611
00:30:03,360 --> 00:30:06,560
I think you'd expect them to make
between £600 and £1,000.
612
00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:08,800
Serious?
613
00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:10,280
Oh, my goodness!
614
00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:11,640
Oh!
615
00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:13,200
Oh, I didn't think it had...
616
00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:15,640
Oh, fabulous.
You've made my day now!
617
00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:18,160
You've made my day!
618
00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:20,120
Well, you made my day
by bringing them.
619
00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:56,360
My grandfather was a model engineer,
and when I was growing up,
620
00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:59,400
I was absolutely mesmerised by some
of the things he made -
621
00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:01,600
miniature steam engines,
stationary locomotives.
622
00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:05,200
So the moment I saw this,
I absolutely fell in love with it,
623
00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:08,760
because what we have here
is the most exquisite
624
00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:11,360
little stationary steam engine.
625
00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:13,320
Tell me a little bit about it.
626
00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:17,120
OK. Well, this is a steam engine
that's been made from a door knob
627
00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:20,520
by my four-times great-uncle.
628
00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:22,440
It's come down through the family,
629
00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:25,920
and has passed to me since my father
passed away in February.
630
00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:29,080
Right. I think what I most love
about this
631
00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:32,280
is the fact that it's made out
of a door knob.
632
00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:34,720
The boiler is a door knob.
633
00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:37,680
Do we know anything about him,
or his profession?
634
00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:41,080
We do. It turns out he was a
clockmaker. Ah!
635
00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:44,520
That answers a lot of questions,
because if we look at how
636
00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:48,480
exquisitely and finely made
this little object is,
637
00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:52,200
it certainly has the hand of a
watch or clockmaker in it.
638
00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:55,200
And I think we only need to look at
some of the kind of the mechanism -
639
00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:59,600
they actually look like watch
and clock cogs, don't they?
640
00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:02,040
I can see also that there's a
number.
641
00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:04,800
It says 1280 something
or another here.
642
00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:06,240
It's a very old ink number.
643
00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:08,040
Do you know what the significance
of that is?
644
00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:11,560
I do. So this says 1,280 hours,
645
00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:14,240
and that's the time that he's
spent making this.
646
00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:15,560
Oh, my gosh, so...
647
00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:16,920
..crumbs, try and work that out.
648
00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:19,800
If we do the maths quickly,
that's about 50-odd days,
649
00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:21,440
and that's 24-hour days.
650
00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:23,160
If we break that down, that's
about 100...
651
00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:26,800
That's about half a year
of working time,
652
00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:28,840
for an average day's work,
653
00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:30,960
to produce this little item.
654
00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:33,000
That's quite incredible, isn't it?.
It's amazing.
655
00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:35,240
And I can kind of see why.
656
00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:37,880
If I touch my finger on this...
657
00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:42,040
..it still is operating smoothly.
658
00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:46,520
And I suspect people are asking
the question,
659
00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:48,280
why aren't we running it?
660
00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:52,640
I think that's too risky
for an object of this type.
661
00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:55,680
Have you ever known it to run,
or has it run in your lifetime?
662
00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:58,080
I know it's run in my
father's lifetime.
663
00:32:58,080 --> 00:32:59,160
He's seen it running.
664
00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:00,480
I've never seen it running.
665
00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:03,920
It was the kind of thing that only
ever came out once or twice
666
00:33:03,920 --> 00:33:05,360
in my childhood.
667
00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:07,520
Right. And that was
a no-touch situation.
668
00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:09,000
Yeah, I'm not surprised.
669
00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:11,040
I mean, I could imagine it was
such a precious item,
670
00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:12,640
that obviously it's not a toy,
671
00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:15,920
and, you know, within the family,
it wasn't regarded as a toy.
672
00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:17,440
It sits under a glass dome.
673
00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:20,880
This is not the original dome,
but it's quite a good fit.
674
00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:23,080
It's an old outside light.
675
00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:24,440
Glass, actually.
676
00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:26,640
But obviously, it does its job,
doesn't it? Yes.
677
00:33:26,640 --> 00:33:29,960
My father spent many an hour toiling
garage sales trying to find it.
678
00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:32,480
Oh, really? One that fitted it.
679
00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:34,840
You could have a handmade
one made for it,
680
00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:37,800
and, do you know, it may be worth
that investment at some time,
681
00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:39,560
aesthetically, to have that
done for it,
682
00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:42,600
because it will have that waviness,
that kind of old look,
683
00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:45,080
that should really go with this.
684
00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:47,400
But let's talk about value on this.
685
00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:50,040
I know it's very precious to you,
isn't it? Indeed, yes.
686
00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:54,120
I honestly think that there are many
people out there who would give
687
00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:56,840
their eye teeth for this beautiful
little item.
688
00:33:56,840 --> 00:33:58,680
So I'm not going to bandy
my words about this,
689
00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:02,920
I'm going to give this a value
of between £2,000 to £3,000.
690
00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:04,320
Wow!
691
00:34:04,320 --> 00:34:06,000
OK.
692
00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,040
I think it's an absolutely
exquisite little thing.
693
00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:09,880
You are so lucky to have this.
694
00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:12,160
Thank you, it's just gorgeous.
You're most welcome.
695
00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:19,120
When this came out of your bag,
696
00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:22,680
I could see that this was
a tour de force of chip carving
697
00:34:22,680 --> 00:34:26,920
on a mahogany walking stick cane,
698
00:34:26,920 --> 00:34:30,720
and I could see that the top of it
here was covered in a profusion
699
00:34:30,720 --> 00:34:33,200
of geometric designs,
700
00:34:33,200 --> 00:34:35,880
and then we've got all sorts
of symbols going down here,
701
00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:37,400
and it says "Egypt",
702
00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:41,640
and it's got the compass and square,
the symbols of masonry. Mm-hm.
703
00:34:41,640 --> 00:34:43,480
So what do you know about that?
704
00:34:43,480 --> 00:34:47,040
Well, it belonged to my dad.
Yeah. He died last September,
705
00:34:47,040 --> 00:34:49,360
and I was clearing out the house,
706
00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:51,800
and he was a collector
of lots of different things,
707
00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:54,960
and he was also a Freemason...
Ah. ..for over 55 years.
708
00:34:54,960 --> 00:34:57,520
And we had an umbrella stand,
709
00:34:57,520 --> 00:35:00,280
with various walking sticks and
umbrellas and different things...
710
00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:01,440
And this is where it lived?
711
00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:03,960
..and I pulled it out, and I
thought, wow, look at this.
712
00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:05,400
This is just amazing.
713
00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:06,920
I'd never seen anything like it,
714
00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:09,560
and I looked at it, and I looked
at the date, and I saw "Egypt",
715
00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:12,280
but I wasn't even sure
if it was from Egypt, or 1826.
716
00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:14,520
I don't think it's
ever been near Egypt.
717
00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:18,880
It's where Freemasonry's origins
came from... Yeah.
718
00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:20,480
..was Egypt,
and that's why it's there,
719
00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:22,200
and there's loads of
references to Egypt,
720
00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:26,160
and you've got, erm, a pyramid
down here, with references to Egypt,
721
00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:29,360
and a sphinx, with this
funny-looking, funny-looking crest,
722
00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:32,400
and the Sphinx's breast there,
and its body coming back here,
723
00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:34,240
and it's also dated 1826.
724
00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:38,120
Do you know what that ref...?
No, no.
725
00:35:38,120 --> 00:35:39,240
I don't either.
726
00:35:39,240 --> 00:35:42,120
It could be something
in the Freemasons' calendar
727
00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:44,480
that I'm not aware of.
728
00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:47,160
You've got a snake spiralling
round the stick here.
729
00:35:47,160 --> 00:35:51,600
I mean, it's just incredible
how you can get so much information
730
00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:53,320
on the surface.
731
00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:55,240
He really was a genius,
the person that carv...
732
00:35:55,240 --> 00:35:58,040
I mean, it's folk art at its best.
733
00:35:58,040 --> 00:36:00,200
Have you ever thought
about a value for a thing like this?
734
00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:02,480
I've got no idea
how much it's worth.
735
00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:04,320
A stick like this, I think,
736
00:36:04,320 --> 00:36:07,760
would make between
£1,500 and £2,000.
737
00:36:07,760 --> 00:36:09,760
Wow.
738
00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:10,800
Thank you.
739
00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:34,440
So on the table,
we've got some photographs... Yeah.
740
00:36:34,440 --> 00:36:35,960
..a map, and some bits of paper.
741
00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:38,560
Now, I'm going to be honest
with you, apart from the map,
742
00:36:38,560 --> 00:36:40,600
the only bit of paper I recognise
743
00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:44,360
is this one here, for something
called the Caterpillar Club. Yeah.
744
00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:49,600
That means that someone had to use
a parachute from a doomed aircraft.
745
00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:50,800
Yes, that's right.
746
00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:52,320
Who was the owner
of this certificate?
747
00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:55,520
Yeah, this is my father,
Flying Officer Derek Maling,
748
00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:58,280
and he was an RAF navigator,
749
00:36:58,280 --> 00:37:01,520
flying back from
a bombing mission in Vienna.
750
00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:05,120
A shell hit their aircraft,
and, before it exploded,
751
00:37:05,120 --> 00:37:08,280
he remembers just
putting on his parachute,
752
00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:10,960
and the next thing he realises is
753
00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:14,000
he comes to,
in a field, in Yugoslavia.
754
00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:17,880
From what I've read in this account
that he wrote... Yeah.
755
00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:20,480
..no-one survives from his aircraft,
just him.
756
00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:23,320
Not only was he the only survivor
of that aircraft,
757
00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:26,400
but out of the whole of
the squadron that went out,
758
00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:27,840
probably ten aircraft that night,
759
00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:30,160
he was the only person
to make it back.
760
00:37:30,160 --> 00:37:31,440
Wow.
761
00:37:31,440 --> 00:37:33,640
It's amazing. So he's SO lucky.
762
00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:35,600
Yeah. What happened to him
when he landed?
763
00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:39,320
So he comes to in a field,
and it turns out that he's injured,
764
00:37:39,320 --> 00:37:41,640
and so he approaches a farm.
765
00:37:41,640 --> 00:37:43,480
This is enemy-occupied territory.
Yeah.
766
00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:46,960
Fortunately for him,
they were partisan sympathisers,
767
00:37:46,960 --> 00:37:49,880
and they brought a doctor,
who stitched up his wounds,
768
00:37:49,880 --> 00:37:51,280
and they looked after him.
769
00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:53,040
So he's come down in Yugoslavia?
770
00:37:53,040 --> 00:37:54,840
Yeah, just inside Slovenia.
771
00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:59,280
OK. And then he quickly crosses
the border into what's now Croatia.
772
00:37:59,280 --> 00:38:00,920
What is this piece of paper?
773
00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:03,880
This is the document that
he was given by the partisans.
774
00:38:03,880 --> 00:38:05,560
This was his travel document,
775
00:38:05,560 --> 00:38:07,840
for them to have
an account of who he was,
776
00:38:07,840 --> 00:38:10,480
and why he was travelling
with the partisans.
777
00:38:10,480 --> 00:38:11,920
Oh, that's incredible. It is.
778
00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:13,360
And what's this little book here?
779
00:38:13,360 --> 00:38:15,960
This is a really interesting book.
He met a doctor.
780
00:38:15,960 --> 00:38:18,240
She had quite good English,
and he was saying,
781
00:38:18,240 --> 00:38:22,080
"I'm having difficulty communicating
with the partisans,"
782
00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:26,680
and so she gave him this book,
which is like an English textbook,
783
00:38:26,680 --> 00:38:30,400
and inside we've got her name,
"Jelka Vesenjak".
784
00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:31,560
And what does this bit say?
785
00:38:31,560 --> 00:38:34,480
I've only just translated this,
and this is in my dad's writing,
786
00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:37,360
and it says,
"Dear love of my heart." Oh!
787
00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:41,360
So... So, intrigue, as well
as partisans, and trying to escape?
788
00:38:41,360 --> 00:38:42,400
Exactly.
789
00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:45,480
He makes it to where? Across
to this place here, called Vocin,
790
00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:49,720
about 200 miles to the east
of where he started from. Wow.
791
00:38:49,720 --> 00:38:53,040
The partisans were
supplied by the allies,
792
00:38:53,040 --> 00:38:55,600
and they used to fly in
to this airstrip.
793
00:38:55,600 --> 00:38:58,360
The pilot of the plane
didn't cut the engines,
794
00:38:58,360 --> 00:39:01,760
he turned round,
and they took off straight away.
795
00:39:01,760 --> 00:39:05,520
I think it's an incredible story
of a part of the war, Yugoslavia,
796
00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:07,560
which, actually,
we really don't hear about.
797
00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:08,920
It is the Antiques Roadshow.
798
00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:11,200
I do have to put some sort of
a value on this... Yes, yes.
799
00:39:11,200 --> 00:39:14,400
..and I think that's easily £500...
800
00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:18,320
Yes. ..which is not really
enough money for that story.
801
00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:20,920
Yeah, yeah. But I think that's,
that's probably where we are.
802
00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:22,760
Incredible. Yeah. Well done, Dad.
803
00:39:22,760 --> 00:39:25,000
Was he a nice man? He was brilliant.
804
00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:27,080
He was the BEST dad ever. Perfect.
805
00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:29,600
Well, best dad ever,
he did a fantastic job that day.
806
00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:31,840
Thanks very much for bringing
that in. It's brilliant.
807
00:39:37,200 --> 00:39:41,800
So you've brought along
a cheeky monkey, a ceramic monkey,
808
00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:45,480
porcelain, erm, with two fingers
that have come adrift.
809
00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:50,000
That's right, yeah. So what is
the story behind this character?
810
00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:52,160
Well, I've had him about 30 years,
811
00:39:52,160 --> 00:39:56,480
and he belonged to a very close
friend of my grandfather's.
812
00:39:56,480 --> 00:39:59,720
This lady who owned it,
she passed away when she was 93.
813
00:39:59,720 --> 00:40:02,840
When her estate was wound up,
this monkey ended up with me,
814
00:40:02,840 --> 00:40:04,520
because my father didn't like it,
815
00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:06,680
and he was actually destined
to go to house clearance.
816
00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:09,280
And he spent the first sort of like
six years of our relationship
817
00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:10,800
he spent in my bedroom, on a stand,
818
00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:12,480
so I had him in there
for quite a while.
819
00:40:12,480 --> 00:40:14,920
You shared your bedroom
with a monkey? A monkey, yes. OK.
820
00:40:14,920 --> 00:40:16,840
That's OK.
That's a claim to fame, isn't it?
821
00:40:16,840 --> 00:40:19,880
Yes. Shall we have a look at him?
Yes, absolutely, yes. OK, erm,
822
00:40:19,880 --> 00:40:24,160
because he's,
he's quite an unusual item,
823
00:40:24,160 --> 00:40:25,840
insofar as,
what on Earth is he doing?
824
00:40:25,840 --> 00:40:28,400
Cos he's got... Well, I wondered
that. ..he's got something,
825
00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:30,120
he should have something in there.
Yeah.
826
00:40:30,120 --> 00:40:33,080
If he could continue,
he'd stick it up his nostril.
827
00:40:33,080 --> 00:40:35,320
He would be taking snuff. Ah...
828
00:40:35,320 --> 00:40:39,320
So he's often referred
to as the snuff taker,
829
00:40:39,320 --> 00:40:43,520
and he's based on a figure
830
00:40:43,520 --> 00:40:48,640
that was modelled in around
about 1730, 1735,
831
00:40:48,640 --> 00:40:54,120
at a place called Meissen, which is
just up the river Elbe from Dresden.
832
00:40:54,120 --> 00:40:55,840
OK, so German.
833
00:40:55,840 --> 00:41:03,640
And there is a series of large
white glaze animals and birds
834
00:41:03,640 --> 00:41:04,920
that were modelled at that time,
835
00:41:04,920 --> 00:41:07,400
but I'd love this to be 1735.
836
00:41:07,400 --> 00:41:10,880
I'd really love to see
a little blue cross swords on,
837
00:41:10,880 --> 00:41:13,120
on the underside,
which is the mark of Meissen.
838
00:41:13,120 --> 00:41:15,680
I've looked underneath here,
839
00:41:15,680 --> 00:41:19,920
and, erm, and I'm not
seeing any marks whatsoever,
840
00:41:19,920 --> 00:41:22,600
so it's not Meissen, alas.
841
00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:25,720
I'm mindful that this one,
842
00:41:25,720 --> 00:41:29,760
he's got some age,
probably around about 1880.
843
00:41:29,760 --> 00:41:31,680
But just where he was made...
844
00:41:31,680 --> 00:41:34,760
I'd like to think that he was made
in the Dresden area.
845
00:41:34,760 --> 00:41:36,680
So, value? Hmm.
846
00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:41,800
I'll stick my neck out, despite the
fact that it's got lots of damage,
847
00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:44,160
it is a good decorator's piece. Yes.
848
00:41:44,160 --> 00:41:46,880
And so I'll say around about £500.
849
00:41:46,880 --> 00:41:48,760
OK. OK.
850
00:41:48,760 --> 00:41:53,040
Now, what about the 1735 price?
851
00:41:53,040 --> 00:41:55,080
Well, believe it or not,
erm, apparently,
852
00:41:55,080 --> 00:41:58,040
I'm told there are only
three examples from that period
853
00:41:58,040 --> 00:42:00,040
that are known, so, erm,
854
00:42:00,040 --> 00:42:01,760
£800,000.
855
00:42:01,760 --> 00:42:06,000
Really? Had it been
of the earlier period. Wow.
856
00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:08,360
That's amazing. Yeah.
But, no, delighted anyway.
857
00:42:08,360 --> 00:42:11,880
No, and just think of the liability
of owning something worth £800,000.
858
00:42:11,880 --> 00:42:15,400
I know! I mean, what would you
do with the money? I don't know.
859
00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:16,520
Don't go there.
860
00:42:21,800 --> 00:42:25,720
Well, it's been quite
a grey and wet day today,
861
00:42:25,720 --> 00:42:30,840
so it's delightful to see
this colourful and vibrant screen.
862
00:42:30,840 --> 00:42:32,760
How long have you known it?
863
00:42:32,760 --> 00:42:35,200
I've known it since I was six,
864
00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:39,440
and we used to sit in front of it,
or hide behind it,
865
00:42:39,440 --> 00:42:43,480
while the grown-ups
were talking, and, and listen in.
866
00:42:43,480 --> 00:42:46,200
And so what do you remember
from it, aged six?
867
00:42:46,200 --> 00:42:48,000
What was your impression?
868
00:42:48,000 --> 00:42:49,200
The parrots.
869
00:42:49,200 --> 00:42:52,800
The parrots fascinated me,
and the general colour.
870
00:42:52,800 --> 00:42:54,440
It was exciting.
871
00:42:54,440 --> 00:42:55,920
And so who did it belong to?
872
00:42:55,920 --> 00:43:01,080
It belonged to my great-step-aunt,
my grandfather's half-sister,
873
00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:04,680
and when she died,
it went to my aunt,
874
00:43:04,680 --> 00:43:08,720
and I actually asked my aunt,
in her old age,
875
00:43:08,720 --> 00:43:13,280
if she would consider leaving it
to me when she went.
876
00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:14,720
That's quite a bold thing to ask!
877
00:43:14,720 --> 00:43:18,720
It was quite bold, but she was
always easy to talk to.
878
00:43:18,720 --> 00:43:21,200
Yes, and you must have just
loved it so much, I mean...
879
00:43:21,200 --> 00:43:22,280
I did, it was...
880
00:43:22,280 --> 00:43:24,640
There are two parrots on it,
aren't there? Yes, there are.
881
00:43:24,640 --> 00:43:26,240
There's one up here...
And one there.
882
00:43:26,240 --> 00:43:28,960
..and I've just noticed there's
one down here... One down there.
883
00:43:28,960 --> 00:43:32,720
..so, aged six, it was at eye-level
for a six-year-old. It was, it was.
884
00:43:32,720 --> 00:43:35,480
I agree, I think,
everywhere you look,
885
00:43:35,480 --> 00:43:38,200
there are flowers
that you recognise.
886
00:43:38,200 --> 00:43:40,560
Parrot tulips, roses,
887
00:43:40,560 --> 00:43:42,960
auriculas, hollyhocks.
888
00:43:42,960 --> 00:43:45,040
Yes.
It's just one of those things.
889
00:43:45,040 --> 00:43:48,120
It's not very often you describe
furniture as being really pretty,
890
00:43:48,120 --> 00:43:51,160
but it is. It's just SO beautiful.
Yes.
891
00:43:51,160 --> 00:43:53,280
Well, let me tell you,
it's definitely not English.
892
00:43:53,280 --> 00:43:56,680
I think it's continental,
and almost certainly French.
893
00:43:56,680 --> 00:43:59,360
It's oil paint on leather,
894
00:43:59,360 --> 00:44:03,320
and the back is quite plain,
as most screens are.
895
00:44:03,320 --> 00:44:06,840
So it dates from around 1910,
early 20th century,
896
00:44:06,840 --> 00:44:08,760
just over 100 years old.
897
00:44:08,760 --> 00:44:13,280
So not as old as all of those rather
dark Victorian screens you see,
898
00:44:13,280 --> 00:44:14,880
but I think it's better,
899
00:44:14,880 --> 00:44:16,400
and I think it's worth
900
00:44:16,400 --> 00:44:17,840
£2,000.
901
00:44:17,840 --> 00:44:20,080
You're... No!
902
00:44:20,080 --> 00:44:21,120
You're joking!
903
00:44:22,360 --> 00:44:24,320
Oh, my goodness!
904
00:44:24,320 --> 00:44:25,800
I absolutely love it.
905
00:44:25,800 --> 00:44:28,680
It's the prettiest piece
of furniture I've seen for years.
906
00:44:28,680 --> 00:44:31,360
Really? Well, I love it, too.
907
00:44:46,200 --> 00:44:49,680
A little beaker like that
can only be made in France.
908
00:44:49,680 --> 00:44:51,880
I could see across the room
that that little beaker
909
00:44:51,880 --> 00:44:53,120
has come from France.
910
00:44:53,120 --> 00:44:56,000
Now, you've brought
it here to South Wales. Yeah.
911
00:44:56,000 --> 00:44:58,440
What does it mean to you?
Why have you brought it?
912
00:44:58,440 --> 00:45:02,800
So, my great-grandfather brought
it back after the First World War,
913
00:45:02,800 --> 00:45:07,360
and he was based out in Ypres,
and it was found in the trenches.
914
00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:08,680
This is your great-grandfather?
915
00:45:08,680 --> 00:45:10,560
That's my great-grandfather,
Henry Morris.
916
00:45:10,560 --> 00:45:13,240
In his uniform from the Great War.
917
00:45:13,240 --> 00:45:14,840
Yeah. OK.
918
00:45:14,840 --> 00:45:16,480
And he found it in a trench.
919
00:45:16,480 --> 00:45:19,000
In the mud? In the mud,
so it was all black and horrible.
920
00:45:19,000 --> 00:45:21,560
He used it while he was in the war,
as his shaving mug.
921
00:45:21,560 --> 00:45:23,480
When he came home,
922
00:45:23,480 --> 00:45:25,120
my grandmother said, "What's this?"
923
00:45:25,120 --> 00:45:27,360
And he said, "Oh, I don't know,
you can throw it away,
924
00:45:27,360 --> 00:45:29,240
"I've been using it as a shaving
mug."
925
00:45:29,240 --> 00:45:32,560
And then she said, "I think it's
silver," so she cleaned it up,
926
00:45:32,560 --> 00:45:35,280
and then when my mother
was born, in 1942,
927
00:45:35,280 --> 00:45:37,520
it was given to her
as a christening present.
928
00:45:37,520 --> 00:45:39,320
So that's how we...
And then it's come down.
929
00:45:39,320 --> 00:45:41,520
I mean, my mother still has it
in her China cabinet at home.
930
00:45:41,520 --> 00:45:45,120
Does she? Yeah, yeah. And he dug it
out of the mud in Ypres? Yeah.
931
00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:47,160
So, presumably,
it belonged to a Frenchman?
932
00:45:47,160 --> 00:45:49,240
It was a French trench, was it?
I'm guessing.
933
00:45:49,240 --> 00:45:52,080
I don't really know all the details,
but I'm guessing so.
934
00:45:52,080 --> 00:45:54,600
And so he recycled it
and used it as a... Shaving mug.
935
00:45:54,600 --> 00:45:57,160
..shaving mug, and then
it's been recycled again,
936
00:45:57,160 --> 00:45:58,760
back to what it was
originally, actually,
937
00:45:58,760 --> 00:46:00,960
which was a christening mug.
Oh, is that what it was?
938
00:46:00,960 --> 00:46:02,800
Yeah. Oh, wow!
939
00:46:02,800 --> 00:46:04,360
Probably. I mean, almost certainly.
940
00:46:04,360 --> 00:46:06,560
Oh, right, cos we've always said
it was a stirrup cup.
941
00:46:06,560 --> 00:46:09,320
No, no... Right. Quite often,
they're given in France
942
00:46:09,320 --> 00:46:10,560
as christening presents,
943
00:46:10,560 --> 00:46:14,400
and on the front, it's engraved
with a chap's name,
944
00:46:14,400 --> 00:46:16,880
which may well have been the soldier
of the Great War who lost it.
945
00:46:16,880 --> 00:46:18,880
Oh, wow.
So it's come full circle, in a way.
946
00:46:18,880 --> 00:46:21,560
That's fantastic. Oh, that's made me
go a bit goosey, actually.
947
00:46:21,560 --> 00:46:23,760
That's really nice.
And it's been through the war.
948
00:46:23,760 --> 00:46:25,240
Yeah.
949
00:46:25,240 --> 00:46:28,120
Oh, my mum will be
really chuffed with that.
950
00:46:28,120 --> 00:46:32,880
What's enchanted me about this
little mug is that story.
951
00:46:32,880 --> 00:46:35,880
I'll tell the truth, honestly,
it's not a valuable thing.
952
00:46:35,880 --> 00:46:38,520
It's not silver, in fact,
it's electroplated,
953
00:46:38,520 --> 00:46:39,920
it's silver plate.
954
00:46:39,920 --> 00:46:42,960
But this is a fantastic example
955
00:46:42,960 --> 00:46:46,040
of an antique, or an old object,
956
00:46:46,040 --> 00:46:48,200
that doesn't have to be worth much
957
00:46:48,200 --> 00:46:50,040
to be enormously valuable.
958
00:46:50,040 --> 00:46:51,160
It's great.
959
00:46:51,160 --> 00:46:53,640
It's the best history of an object
I've heard in a long time. Yeah.
960
00:46:53,640 --> 00:46:56,200
So that's just great. It's really,
it's really quite moving.
961
00:46:56,200 --> 00:46:58,280
Fantastic. Thank you.
Thank you so much.
962
00:47:01,440 --> 00:47:03,280
Where did you get these from?
963
00:47:03,280 --> 00:47:07,160
They've been passed down
from my family, my parents.
964
00:47:07,160 --> 00:47:10,680
Erm, both of them were
bought by my father.
965
00:47:10,680 --> 00:47:13,640
This one, specifically,
he bought for my mother,
966
00:47:13,640 --> 00:47:16,040
and it was passed down to me
when they passed away.
967
00:47:16,040 --> 00:47:18,120
Well, your parents treated it
as a love token,
968
00:47:18,120 --> 00:47:20,480
and that's just what it is,
969
00:47:20,480 --> 00:47:24,880
and I think you know that it's
called a stay busk... Yes, yes.
970
00:47:24,880 --> 00:47:28,200
..and they were worn
in a little pocket,
971
00:47:28,200 --> 00:47:34,000
and were pushed down to tighten
the corset, or corsage,
972
00:47:34,000 --> 00:47:35,920
so that your stomach was flat
973
00:47:35,920 --> 00:47:40,160
and you could achieve
that wasp-waisted look.
974
00:47:40,160 --> 00:47:43,600
But it's made of mahogany,
I think. Sometimes they make...
975
00:47:43,600 --> 00:47:44,640
I didn't know the wood.
976
00:47:44,640 --> 00:47:48,800
And of course, when it wasn't
in use, it has a little ring,
977
00:47:48,800 --> 00:47:52,280
and these were made as love tokens.
978
00:47:52,280 --> 00:47:55,240
The symbolism is highly important.
979
00:47:55,240 --> 00:47:58,600
Now, we have, I think,
an A and a G,
980
00:47:58,600 --> 00:48:01,320
so they were the initials
of the couple
981
00:48:01,320 --> 00:48:03,320
who obviously were betrothed,
982
00:48:03,320 --> 00:48:07,640
and then we have flowers
in the lower lozenges.
983
00:48:07,640 --> 00:48:10,840
But it's the symbolism,
the heart, for love,
984
00:48:10,840 --> 00:48:15,160
and have they ever noticed
this at the bottom?
985
00:48:15,160 --> 00:48:17,120
It's a tulip.
986
00:48:17,120 --> 00:48:21,120
And if you corrupt the word
"tulip" - "two lips".
987
00:48:21,120 --> 00:48:23,160
So it's this idea
of an eternal kiss.
988
00:48:23,160 --> 00:48:24,600
That's interesting, yes.
989
00:48:24,600 --> 00:48:29,520
So... And this is just simply
chip-carved, in a folk tradition.
990
00:48:29,520 --> 00:48:31,120
The Welsh made these.
991
00:48:31,120 --> 00:48:33,920
But I think this is an English one,
from the sort of north.
992
00:48:33,920 --> 00:48:35,560
It's a really good example.
993
00:48:35,560 --> 00:48:38,760
Now, you brought this along as well.
994
00:48:38,760 --> 00:48:39,920
What's that?
995
00:48:39,920 --> 00:48:42,040
I have no idea,
and that's why I brought it.
996
00:48:42,040 --> 00:48:44,520
It's like a miniature truncheon,
isn't it?
997
00:48:44,520 --> 00:48:46,440
That's what I've always
described it as.
998
00:48:46,440 --> 00:48:49,280
Yeah, but you wouldn't do a lot
of damage with that, would you? No.
999
00:48:49,280 --> 00:48:51,760
Well, it IS a miniature truncheon,
1000
00:48:51,760 --> 00:48:56,520
and it's actually called
a tipstave,
1001
00:48:56,520 --> 00:49:01,400
and it was a symbol of authority...
OK. ..before the police.
1002
00:49:01,400 --> 00:49:05,080
So if you were a local warden,
1003
00:49:05,080 --> 00:49:07,440
or a locally appointed constable -
1004
00:49:07,440 --> 00:49:10,920
this is before the police of 1829 -
1005
00:49:10,920 --> 00:49:13,400
this was your symbol of authority.
1006
00:49:14,680 --> 00:49:20,840
Another date, 1816, beneath a royal
crown and the initials of George III
1007
00:49:20,840 --> 00:49:24,200
and that's Georgius Rex
1008
00:49:24,200 --> 00:49:27,440
on the reverse, with a little three.
1009
00:49:27,440 --> 00:49:30,360
They're not that rare, funnily
enough, but this is a good one,
1010
00:49:30,360 --> 00:49:32,080
in good condition.
1011
00:49:32,080 --> 00:49:35,240
£150, £200.
1012
00:49:35,240 --> 00:49:38,800
But when you come to the stay busk,
much more desirable,
1013
00:49:38,800 --> 00:49:41,360
super condition, that's worth
1014
00:49:41,360 --> 00:49:44,120
between £500 and £800 at auction.
1015
00:49:44,120 --> 00:49:48,720
So, together, they're
worth between £650 and £1,000.
1016
00:49:49,880 --> 00:49:50,960
Thank you.
1017
00:50:09,560 --> 00:50:14,480
You know, I never understand how
koumpounophobics survive in life.
1018
00:50:14,480 --> 00:50:15,800
It must be terribly difficult.
1019
00:50:15,800 --> 00:50:18,320
Do you know what
a koumpounophobic is?
1020
00:50:18,320 --> 00:50:23,240
No. It's somebody who's scared of
these little critters. Buttons.
1021
00:50:23,240 --> 00:50:27,120
You're clearly not one,
with this many!
1022
00:50:27,120 --> 00:50:28,960
What's going on?
1023
00:50:28,960 --> 00:50:35,040
The story told is that my
grandmother bought it in the '60s,
1024
00:50:35,040 --> 00:50:37,600
from the company, I believe,
called Firmin's,
1025
00:50:37,600 --> 00:50:40,480
who were closing
their London office,
1026
00:50:40,480 --> 00:50:42,320
and we've had it ever since.
1027
00:50:42,320 --> 00:50:48,960
Apparently, it was done for
the Great Exhibition in 1851.
1028
00:50:48,960 --> 00:50:51,400
That's it. That is literally it.
1029
00:50:51,400 --> 00:50:53,960
You've mentioned
two fantastic names there.
1030
00:50:53,960 --> 00:50:55,640
Firstly, Firmin and Sons.
1031
00:50:55,640 --> 00:50:58,920
So Firmin were founded in 1655,
as button makers,
1032
00:50:58,920 --> 00:51:03,800
and they produced buttons
for all manner of sort of liveries,
1033
00:51:03,800 --> 00:51:06,400
military companies, aristocrats,
1034
00:51:06,400 --> 00:51:09,240
all sorts of dress
and uniform buttons.
1035
00:51:09,240 --> 00:51:12,080
They've held the royal warrant,
which you see here in the middle,
1036
00:51:12,080 --> 00:51:14,040
and they're still
in production today.
1037
00:51:14,040 --> 00:51:15,440
So a great, prestigious name,
1038
00:51:15,440 --> 00:51:18,120
probably one of the top names
in button making in Britain.
1039
00:51:18,120 --> 00:51:19,640
And of course the Great Exhibition.
1040
00:51:19,640 --> 00:51:25,080
The Great Exhibition, that fantastic
showcase of industry of all nations.
1041
00:51:25,080 --> 00:51:28,680
So this is a surviving part
of the Great Exhibition.
1042
00:51:30,000 --> 00:51:32,760
There's a huge selection
of different buttons here,
1043
00:51:32,760 --> 00:51:36,640
and button collecting is still
a relatively healthy area,
1044
00:51:36,640 --> 00:51:38,320
partly because it's so affordable.
1045
00:51:38,320 --> 00:51:39,920
So you can have buttons here
1046
00:51:39,920 --> 00:51:42,480
that were produced
in quite large quantities.
1047
00:51:42,480 --> 00:51:43,600
So they're much more common,
1048
00:51:43,600 --> 00:51:45,120
so values tend to be
a little bit lower.
1049
00:51:45,120 --> 00:51:48,720
And then, of course, we have
these very sparkly ones here,
1050
00:51:48,720 --> 00:51:50,840
which are made out of cut steel,
1051
00:51:50,840 --> 00:51:53,880
and then just here, we have these
very colourful enamelled ones,
1052
00:51:53,880 --> 00:51:57,920
and these are produced primarily
in pressed brass.
1053
00:51:59,120 --> 00:52:02,640
Is it the sort of thing you would
sell, or is it too sentimental?
1054
00:52:02,640 --> 00:52:05,120
I don't think I would sell it. No.
1055
00:52:05,120 --> 00:52:06,320
OK.
1056
00:52:06,320 --> 00:52:08,760
So we're not talking
a great deal of money
1057
00:52:08,760 --> 00:52:10,440
for many of the individual buttons
here,
1058
00:52:10,440 --> 00:52:11,880
especially the more common ones
1059
00:52:11,880 --> 00:52:14,080
that were produced for,
say, larger regiments.
1060
00:52:14,080 --> 00:52:18,160
However, these buttons here
are slightly more interesting.
1061
00:52:18,160 --> 00:52:21,160
But who wants this type of thing?
Where can this be displayed?
1062
00:52:21,160 --> 00:52:24,000
You've got to be
a pretty hardcore button collector
1063
00:52:24,000 --> 00:52:26,840
to want to have this hanging above
the mantelpiece in the living room.
1064
00:52:26,840 --> 00:52:29,160
Yeah. So values can come down
a little bit,
1065
00:52:29,160 --> 00:52:31,160
because of the way it's displayed,
1066
00:52:31,160 --> 00:52:34,600
and it would be terrible, I'm sure
you would agree, to split it all up.
1067
00:52:34,600 --> 00:52:36,320
Oh, absolutely.
1068
00:52:36,320 --> 00:52:39,760
I think if you were to put it
into auction, the size is an issue.
1069
00:52:39,760 --> 00:52:42,680
But I would imagine a collector
would pay somewhere between
1070
00:52:42,680 --> 00:52:45,600
£2,000 and 3,000.
1071
00:52:45,600 --> 00:52:47,640
Wow.
1072
00:52:47,640 --> 00:52:50,200
Pleased, you know. Absolutely.
1073
00:52:50,200 --> 00:52:51,240
That's good.
1074
00:52:55,880 --> 00:53:00,960
Half the people watching this
will hate these grotesque faces,
1075
00:53:00,960 --> 00:53:03,320
and the other half
absolutely love them.
1076
00:53:03,320 --> 00:53:06,360
I happen to be a lover, but I guess
you know what they are.
1077
00:53:06,360 --> 00:53:08,120
Well, I've had them all my life.
1078
00:53:08,120 --> 00:53:10,760
My father and grandfather
had them before me.
1079
00:53:10,760 --> 00:53:12,440
You know who made them? Yes.
1080
00:53:12,440 --> 00:53:14,320
Martin brothers.
The Martin brothers.
1081
00:53:14,320 --> 00:53:15,640
Four brothers.
1082
00:53:15,640 --> 00:53:17,640
Yeah. But that's all I know.
1083
00:53:17,640 --> 00:53:19,560
Well, three of them
were the most active,
1084
00:53:19,560 --> 00:53:23,840
and, yes, the Martin brothers were,
they were a pottery in Southall,
1085
00:53:23,840 --> 00:53:26,640
in London, at the end of
the Victorian era,
1086
00:53:26,640 --> 00:53:28,880
end of the 19th century,
beginning of the 20th century,
1087
00:53:28,880 --> 00:53:30,560
and they were these...
1088
00:53:30,560 --> 00:53:32,360
Have you ever seen a picture
of them? Well, no.
1089
00:53:32,360 --> 00:53:35,080
I haven't seen the picture
of the brothers. Of the brothers?
1090
00:53:35,080 --> 00:53:36,120
Amazing.
1091
00:53:36,120 --> 00:53:38,560
They've got these ridiculous beards
that come out about here,
1092
00:53:38,560 --> 00:53:41,800
like ZZ Top, and wild, wild hair.
1093
00:53:41,800 --> 00:53:46,160
Yeah. And they just looked like
crazed men in this studio,
1094
00:53:46,160 --> 00:53:48,720
with all these
ridiculous monstrosities
1095
00:53:48,720 --> 00:53:50,560
happening all over the place.
1096
00:53:50,560 --> 00:53:52,640
I'm a great Martin brothers fan.
1097
00:53:52,640 --> 00:53:53,880
The thing I like about them,
1098
00:53:53,880 --> 00:53:56,520
compared with so many other
potteries of the same period,
1099
00:53:56,520 --> 00:54:00,560
is they are all
individual creations.
1100
00:54:00,560 --> 00:54:02,240
We've got a mask jug here,
1101
00:54:02,240 --> 00:54:04,760
we've got a bird box
and cover here -
1102
00:54:04,760 --> 00:54:07,320
the head comes off -
and a jug here,
1103
00:54:07,320 --> 00:54:10,720
and no two pieces are identical. No.
1104
00:54:10,720 --> 00:54:12,800
They have been
individually modelled.
1105
00:54:12,800 --> 00:54:17,000
These two were modelled
by Robert Wallace Martin.
1106
00:54:19,120 --> 00:54:20,680
But this is also quite unusual,
1107
00:54:20,680 --> 00:54:23,000
but the decoration
on the side of this one's
1108
00:54:23,000 --> 00:54:25,840
by one of the other brothers,
this is by Edwin Martin.
1109
00:54:25,840 --> 00:54:28,000
They're not difficult things
to date,
1110
00:54:28,000 --> 00:54:32,520
because I think each one of these
has got a date on the bottom,
1111
00:54:32,520 --> 00:54:36,640
and if we look at this one,
it'll say somewhere here,
1112
00:54:36,640 --> 00:54:40,320
is that 11 or 10?
10, 1895.
1113
00:54:40,320 --> 00:54:42,200
I think it is.
1114
00:54:42,200 --> 00:54:44,040
This one,
1115
00:54:44,040 --> 00:54:49,400
it's actually round the back
on this one, it's there, it's 1901.
1116
00:54:49,400 --> 00:54:51,320
This one...
1117
00:54:51,320 --> 00:54:53,720
Can't really see it. I'm not sure.
I think it might be 1896.
1118
00:54:53,720 --> 00:54:56,840
But that's that one there.
But they all have an owl, well,
1119
00:54:56,840 --> 00:54:59,080
these two have got, have got...
1120
00:54:59,080 --> 00:55:00,560
Are these owls?
1121
00:55:00,560 --> 00:55:03,160
Well, it doesn't look much like an
owl, to me. Well, what are they?
1122
00:55:03,160 --> 00:55:05,720
Well, I don't know.
What do you think that is? A stork?
1123
00:55:05,720 --> 00:55:08,920
Yeah, some sort of crazy stork,
or crane, or something.
1124
00:55:08,920 --> 00:55:11,480
It's a fabulous, monstrous... Yeah.
..er...
1125
00:55:11,480 --> 00:55:15,080
I mean, the eyes of this one
are beautiful, lovely little eyes.
1126
00:55:15,080 --> 00:55:17,560
It's, it's absolutely ghoulish.
Yeah.
1127
00:55:17,560 --> 00:55:20,000
It's out of Lord Of The Rings
really, isn't it? Yes.
1128
00:55:20,000 --> 00:55:22,280
I think they are fantastic things.
1129
00:55:22,280 --> 00:55:26,240
I love them. Yes, keep,
keep your fingers away from them!
1130
00:55:27,360 --> 00:55:29,800
What else you want to know
about these?
1131
00:55:29,800 --> 00:55:32,480
Well, what are they worth?
1132
00:55:32,480 --> 00:55:35,200
Well, erm, yeah,
they're worth a bit,
1133
00:55:35,200 --> 00:55:36,720
or some of them are worth a bit.
1134
00:55:36,720 --> 00:55:38,440
This jug here,
1135
00:55:38,440 --> 00:55:40,280
at auction, it should be about
1136
00:55:40,280 --> 00:55:42,640
£5,000 or £6,000. Ooh!
1137
00:55:42,640 --> 00:55:43,960
Ooh!
1138
00:55:43,960 --> 00:55:46,520
I'm glad I brought them along!
1139
00:55:46,520 --> 00:55:49,640
Funnily enough, this one,
which doesn't look as interesting,
1140
00:55:49,640 --> 00:55:53,320
it's quite rare to have these
figures with the thin legs,
1141
00:55:53,320 --> 00:55:54,760
in this piece by Edwin,
1142
00:55:54,760 --> 00:56:00,000
and it's also worth
about £5,000 or £6,000. Ooh, right.
1143
00:56:01,760 --> 00:56:06,520
This one, I understand
is a smaller one than a lot of them.
1144
00:56:06,520 --> 00:56:09,360
There are others
that look similar to this.
1145
00:56:09,360 --> 00:56:11,640
Yeah, you do get them this big,
1146
00:56:11,640 --> 00:56:14,800
and you do get models that are
actually caricatures of people.
1147
00:56:14,800 --> 00:56:17,800
There is a Gladstone and Disraeli
model of the birds. Is there?
1148
00:56:17,800 --> 00:56:20,000
But this, so,
it is only a little one,
1149
00:56:20,000 --> 00:56:21,880
so it's really only, what,
1150
00:56:21,880 --> 00:56:24,000
£25,000. Ooh!
1151
00:56:25,800 --> 00:56:27,800
Yes. Ooh!
1152
00:56:27,800 --> 00:56:29,840
I shouldn't have
brought them along today!
1153
00:56:29,840 --> 00:56:31,760
My wife will see this!
1154
00:56:31,760 --> 00:56:34,720
Get rid of the telly.
Well, that's it, yes.
1155
00:56:37,120 --> 00:56:40,440
They are filled
with so much character.
1156
00:56:40,440 --> 00:56:43,080
They're the best of Victorian,
really. They're fabulous.
1157
00:56:43,080 --> 00:56:46,200
Fantastic, quirky, weird,
and they're unique, as well,
1158
00:56:46,200 --> 00:56:48,040
and I think that's really important,
1159
00:56:48,040 --> 00:56:50,640
because no-one else
has got one the same.
1160
00:56:50,640 --> 00:56:52,960
It'll go back in the
cupboard for the time being.
1161
00:56:52,960 --> 00:56:55,640
It'll turn into an old motorcar
or something,
1162
00:56:55,640 --> 00:56:57,600
because I love my vintage
and veteran cars,
1163
00:56:57,600 --> 00:57:00,320
so it'll no doubt turn
into one of those!
1164
00:57:11,720 --> 00:57:13,680
Well, the National Botanic
Garden of Wales,
1165
00:57:13,680 --> 00:57:15,680
in the middle of
the Welsh countryside,
1166
00:57:15,680 --> 00:57:18,400
is the last place I think
any of us would expect to see
1167
00:57:18,400 --> 00:57:20,160
Oddjob's hat from Goldfinger.
1168
00:57:20,160 --> 00:57:21,760
Who'd have thought it?
1169
00:57:21,760 --> 00:57:23,800
I'm tempted to put it on,
but today, frankly,
1170
00:57:23,800 --> 00:57:25,360
I could've done with a sou'wester.
1171
00:57:25,360 --> 00:57:27,720
From Carmarthenshire,
from all of us here,
1172
00:57:27,720 --> 00:57:29,080
until next time, bye-bye.
154523
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.