- 11 hours ago
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Three years combined experience.
00:02Three leading antique and salvage dealers are joining forces.
00:06From West Wales, country house connoisseur Alistair Dreibera loves the traditional.
00:11It's all right, isn't it?
00:12It's nice, Welsh. It's handsome.
00:14Pine, tavern, settle.
00:15Don't try to sell it to me.
00:16No, I'm not trying to sell it to you.
00:18Edinburgh-based dealer Vicky Knott has an incredible eye for interiors.
00:22I just think it's ever easy.
00:25I just think that's brilliant.
00:27In London, Shirkan Yamakja is a devotee of retro design and industrial salvage sourced from all over Europe.
00:34These were made by gents of Leicester, and it's a general post office one.
00:39While his brother Jay restores items back to life.
00:42There's nothing to rust, nothing to go wrong, and that's why these last forever.
00:47Together, they're travelling the country on the hunt for the very best antiques and decorative salvage.
00:57This time...
01:00Oh, hello!
01:02In West Sussex, Shirkan and Jay finally meet their match.
01:05That's a very nice beard you've got there, do you know? And Jeff?
01:08You know, it's an honour of you guys, obviously.
01:11In Wales, Al and Shirkan discover a historic maritime warehouse where the past is etched into the fabric of the building.
01:19There are beautiful pencil drawings of tall ships all over the walls, yeah.
01:23It's mind-blowing, isn't it?
01:25Yeah.
01:26It's part of the history of the place.
01:28And it's a Cardiff flea market.
01:30Things take an unexpected twist.
01:32Are these old dogs?
01:33I mean, these...
01:34These...
01:35Yeah.
01:36Look at the tangle, mate.
01:37Oh, right.
01:38You're making it worse.
01:44Based in North London, dealer Shirkan and restorer brother Jay specialize in industrial salvage, vintage lighting, and bold design.
01:54When sourcing new stock, they like to visit hoarders and collectors of salvage, or rare vintage pieces.
02:01Potential treasure troves where there are hundreds of items under one roof.
02:05In our trade, one of the most exciting places to visit are avid collectors and passionate salvagers.
02:12Those type of people, they've put in a lot of hours, they've gone all over the place and they've built up this massive collection.
02:19We have to visit people like this, you know, and you don't mind paying that little bit extra because it saves you having to go all over the place to find these items.
02:27Nine times out of ten, when you visit those places, you come leaving there with some amazing treasures.
02:34Today, the brothers are heading to Horsham in West Sussex, where they're visiting two collectors turned dealers who have spent years salvaging rare neon lights, vintage Americana, and automobile memorabilia.
02:47Right, we're going to pop in and see Dino and Jeff.
02:51We've known them both for quite, I mean Dino, over ten years we've known him, we've known him for so long.
02:57And you know, Dino's always been our go-to guy when it comes to automobiles and anything that we want to know automobile related.
03:04Dino and Jeff, you know, they're really clued up, so I reckon today we're going to be coming back with some automobile memorabilia.
03:12And Dino's always got some nice neons.
03:15Yeah, he does a lot of neons, doesn't he?
03:17And their knowledge is like, yeah.
03:19Yeah, and you know, they've got the knowledge of it, they've got the stories behind everything they collect. They're characters, both of them.
03:25Horsham has thrived as a market town since the 13th century and still retains its historic charm with cobbled streets and centuries-old buildings.
03:36This leafy location is the unlikely home to a huge haul of colourful vintage rarities.
03:43The result of the shared collecting passion of Dino Nicolau and Jeff Hall, who trade under the name of Retro Heist.
03:51We met at London Caboo. I'd taken a wacky van and an electric milk float up for display and I wandered around the market and found this young man.
04:06I was selling there and you were annoying me and came to have a little chat for five minutes and stayed all day.
04:13Yeah, we just gelled and he had some really cool stuff, so that was it.
04:18I've been collecting since I was about 18. I was totally into the American cars and things like that.
04:24And it just grew and grew and went to this sort of level now, you know?
04:29Level of madness.
04:31Level of madness, yes.
04:34I know Shere Khan and Jay, they've never seen my place though.
04:39They've only seen a little taster of what I take to market.
04:42So, this may blow them away. Who knows?
04:45I've met the guys as well. I met them a little while ago.
04:49I think the only issue we've got today is probably beard envy really.
04:52I think that's the problem.
04:54We could do something about that.
04:55We might do something about that. We'll work on that.
05:00Ah, hello.
05:03Welcome.
05:04No introductions necessary. How are you doing?
05:06Mate.
05:07That's a very nice beard you've got there, didn't you?
05:09In honour of your visit.
05:10It's an honour of you guys, obviously, you know.
05:12Yes, yes.
05:13We're not going to be out bearded this time.
05:14We do not owe it.
05:15It suits you, you know.
05:16Come and grow a beard.
05:17Come on.
05:18Let's have a look inside.
05:19Come inside.
05:20You guys have packed this place out, haven't you?
05:22Oh, there's some say.
05:24Dino's Diner.
05:25Of course.
05:26Was that actual thing or did you have that? You didn't have that made?
05:28No, that's from a 1970s theatre show.
05:31That's a good find for you.
05:33It has a little connection to me, yes.
05:35Yeah, your name.
05:36And then we have the only Forrest Gump neon in the world.
05:40Baba Gump.
05:41Although they have these restaurants in America, none of them have a neon.
05:46That's the only one in the world.
05:48There is an actual Baba Gump restaurant?
05:50There was in London.
05:51It shut down a couple of years ago.
05:53And they were going to throw that in the skip.
05:55And just by luck, we were passing by it when the builders were there.
06:00Oh no, please, please don't throw that away.
06:03It's always exciting to see Dino and Jeff.
06:06You never ever know what they'll have.
06:09What you do know is whatever they've got is going to be out of this world.
06:14Weird, fabulous.
06:16Dino and Jeff, both of them, very specialist collectors.
06:19They collect and accumulate some really crazy stuff.
06:24The rollercoaster neon.
06:26Yeah, that's an original fairground one.
06:29You can tell by the fact that all the letters are not even...
06:33Yeah.
06:34They're sort of different sizes.
06:35It was very, very handmade.
06:37The fairgrounds would have all gone over to LEDs and bulb lights a long time ago.
06:43So neon is very, very unusual.
06:45You can tell.
06:46This has got some age to it.
06:48And it's just fantastic subject matter and very, very saleable.
06:53Dino tells me it's actually from a fairground.
06:56So it's, you know, it was in situ.
06:58It was used for purpose.
07:00Quantacosta?
07:02What's the best for a friend that you've known for a decade?
07:07Maybe more.
07:09Well, probably about two and a half.
07:12Two and a half grand?
07:13Hundred.
07:14Oh.
07:15Hundred.
07:16Look at that.
07:17He can't believe the value.
07:18Bloody hell.
07:19He said two and a half.
07:20Yeah.
07:21All right.
07:22Jay.
07:23That one.
07:24What do you think of it?
07:25I quite like it.
07:26It is nice.
07:27Yeah.
07:28Thank you, sir.
07:29$2.50 on that one.
07:30Fantastic.
07:31Pleasure.
07:32A lot of times you find the neon.
07:34It's always a punt whether it's going to work or not.
07:36You know, you could buy, you could spend a good bit of money on it,
07:39go back and the gas has been released.
07:41You need to have it re-gassed and that can cost you a lot of money.
07:44This one's already working.
07:45All plugged in and everything.
07:47And the price is great.
07:49Oh!
07:50Oh!
07:51Hey!
07:52You don't like the weight of him, yeah.
07:54That's...
07:55That's the old Volvo.
07:56The Volvo man.
07:57Very much like the Michelin man.
07:59Yeah.
08:00But an ultra, ultra rare version that they made for Volvo.
08:05But that one does look like it's never been used.
08:08It's in good condition, isn't it?
08:10Yeah.
08:11This one is Jakob.
08:12It's the Volvo emblem.
08:13So these used to be on the old big Volvo trucks.
08:17Would have these at the top.
08:19It's in very good condition.
08:21No cracks, no breakages.
08:23The hole's ready for the light.
08:25What's your best on that?
08:27Best.
08:28180.
08:29What?
08:30Excuse me.
08:31Bloody hell.
08:32It's a heart condition.
08:34200.
08:35It would be the absolute death on it.
08:39Fantastic.
08:40Geoff, the best he can take on it is 200.
08:42I know it sounds a lot,
08:44but with this kind of automobile subject matter,
08:46and you've got a character like that,
08:48they can sell very, very well.
08:50Come through here.
08:51There's lots more.
08:53A few of these bus direction things.
08:55Who's got Peckham?
08:56Oh, Peckham, Peckham boy.
08:58Bought these a long time ago,
09:01before everybody got into cutting them to pieces.
09:03Yeah.
09:04Probably 80s that one, I'd say.
09:06Yeah, yeah.
09:07The old bus blinds,
09:08so it will tell you where the bus is going.
09:10Now, these have become really quite fashionable,
09:14where people will cut them out,
09:17and they'll frame them,
09:18because every kind of stop on there
09:20means something different to someone else.
09:22They're mainly South London.
09:24You've got Peckham there,
09:25you've got Peckham Roy,
09:26you've got Elephant and Castle.
09:27Perfect.
09:28What have you got on that one?
09:29What do you reckon, Geoff?
09:30I just want to know what you've got on it.
09:34180.
09:46Brothers Shere Khan and Jay are in West Sussex,
09:49visiting a treasure trove of retro lighting
09:51and vintage automobilia,
09:53collected over years by dealers Dino and Geoff.
09:57You guys have packed this place out, haven't you?
09:59Oh, it's some say.
10:00And they've found a vintage London bus sign
10:02that's just the ticket.
10:04But they're not sure if the price is right.
10:08What have you got on that one?
10:09What do you reckon, Geoff?
10:12I just want to know what you've got on it.
10:14180.
10:18Shake the man's hand.
10:20Is that the best, 180?
10:21It is, yeah.
10:22It's the really best.
10:23I mean, there's loads left in that.
10:24Yeah.
10:25So these will either go to someone who deals in print
10:30and they'll do all the mounting and the framing,
10:32leave it to them, sell it to them as a lot,
10:34or I'll get them cut up.
10:36I'll get them mounted and framed
10:38and I'll make a lot more profit on them that way.
10:40I don't know if you've seen some of this artwork here,
10:42which is, this is original artwork.
10:44So we love all this.
10:47If you look in detail at that,
10:49it's just something quite special.
10:52These were done for Autocar magazine.
10:55Motor magazine.
10:56Oh, yeah, yeah.
10:57Yeah, they're all by different artists,
10:58but they were pulled out of a skip.
10:59They're all hand drawn.
11:00Yeah.
11:01Not computer generated, anything like that.
11:03They're done by a really famous artist called Brian Hatton,
11:07who was famous for doing these car diagrams.
11:10He used to do them for some really famous motoring magazines
11:13in the 1960s.
11:14But these ones, they're like the actual hand drawn ones.
11:17They're signed by him.
11:19They're perfect.
11:20They're really, really good things.
11:22Best known for his cutaway drawings of cars,
11:26Brian Hatton was an illustrator for Motor magazine
11:29in the 1960s and 70s.
11:31Expertly capturing the mechanical workings of everything
11:34from formula cars to small family vehicles,
11:37Hatton's work is highly collectible today.
11:40And these original examples,
11:42rendered in pen and ink on artboard,
11:44could be worth around £225 each.
11:47What kind of money are these ones?
11:52I'd need to see £100 each back on them.
11:55But they represent a certain era before, obviously, computers,
11:59because you're never going to see the likes of this again.
12:01Exactly.
12:02Geoff, I'm going to take a punt on that one.
12:04OK.
12:05Yeah.
12:06They're just so nice.
12:08I think that's...
12:09Which one's that?
12:10That should say on the back we've got.
12:11Vauxhall Victor.
12:12So that's another Vauxhall.
12:1365.
12:14Look at that one.
12:15Yeah.
12:16Yeah, I'm going to take that one as well.
12:19Fantastic.
12:20I picked out two,
12:21and they're 1960s Vauxhall's.
12:23One's a Vauxhall Victor,
12:25and the other one's a Vauxhall Viva.
12:27Never sold anything like this.
12:29And this is why we come to places like this.
12:30Now I know they're there.
12:32You know, there's a chance you can sell them,
12:34but who knows?
12:35As long as I can sell these ones fast enough,
12:36I could be back more for more.
12:38I think that's it.
12:39Have we seen everything?
12:40I think you've pretty much seen everything.
12:41All right.
12:42So, let's get in the office.
12:44Kettle on.
12:45A cup of tea,
12:46and then we sort some reddies out.
12:48Cash.
12:49Cash, man.
12:50All right.
12:51Lovely.
12:54So, today's been a really good day.
12:56I mean, you see their collection.
12:58I mean, this has come from all over.
13:00You know, these guys, they're hard workers.
13:03And it shows.
13:04You know, from something really little,
13:06like a little car lamp to a massive fire engine.
13:10You know, what they've got in between,
13:13it's absolutely crazy.
13:15I think the most interesting thing I bought today is the Jacob,
13:18the Volvo Viking.
13:19I'm really happy about that.
13:21I don't think many people have seen that.
13:23That's going to be very, very new to the market.
13:26And hopefully, it will sell very, very quickly.
13:28Lads, thank you very much for today.
13:30It's been a pleasure.
13:31Nice to see you both.
13:32And to you, man.
13:33Always a pleasure, Dino.
13:34Yeah, thank you very much.
13:35I'm sure we're going to do you again.
13:36Yeah.
13:37Amazing.
13:38Yeah.
13:39Until the next time, my friend.
13:40All right.
13:41Take care.
13:42We'll be back.
13:43We've had a very nice day with the boys.
13:46Yes, it's nice catching up with them again.
13:48Definitely great to see them and nice guys.
13:50And, you know, just really easy to get on with,
13:52knowledgeable and passionate about the stuff that we like as well.
13:56And you can see in their eyes, it's exciting them.
13:58And that's what we want.
13:59We want to see people excited by the, you know,
14:02the stuff we've got.
14:03Stuff? Stuff?
14:04Is it stuff? I don't know.
14:05Stuff.
14:06A lot of stuff.
14:07No.
14:09You're going to need a bigger shed.
14:10You're going to calm down a little bit now.
14:17That was fun, man.
14:18That was good.
14:19Yeah, they've got a good collection of stuff there.
14:21I really like that Volvo man we bought.
14:23Oh, yeah.
14:24That was nice.
14:25Yeah, I've never seen one of those.
14:26I mean, I've seen the actual Volvo man.
14:28Yeah.
14:29But I've never seen one available before.
14:31And Dino and Jeff, always a laugh.
14:33What about them coming out with them beards?
14:35Still not good enough.
14:36Listen, man, if you can't grow your own beard,
14:39don't come with a fake beard, innit?
14:41You're going to come to us.
14:42Come with a...
14:43Grow your beard and then come back.
14:45No, it was funny, though.
14:46It was funny.
14:47It was funny.
14:49It's been a successful trip,
14:50with a haul of colourful items
14:52for the brothers to add to their stock.
14:55While Jay heads back to North London with their finds,
14:58Shere Khan is continuing his buying trip.
15:01He's travelling five hours west to Wales,
15:04where he's joining up with local dealer Alistair Drybra,
15:07who's gained access to a historic location close to his patch,
15:11filled to the brim with an array of salvaged treasures.
15:15Right then, Shere Khan.
15:18Today, mate, we're going to my second home.
15:21Nice.
15:22We're going to Abatevi.
15:24Abatevi?
15:25Abatevi, mate.
15:26Where is that?
15:27We're going to see James Lynch, right?
15:28OK.
15:29He owns a hotel called The Albion.
15:31OK, nice.
15:32Right on the waterside.
15:33And he's got a garage,
15:36and he's got a warehouse across the water,
15:40full of surplus furniture, lighting,
15:45and various other items.
15:46OK.
15:47And you'll love Cardigan, mate.
15:48OK.
15:49It's beautiful.
15:50It's got a castle.
15:51I love it, and I'm really excited about taking it.
15:52It's very picturesque.
15:53Yes, it's lovely, mate.
15:54That's what we like.
15:55It's lovely.
15:58The town of Cardigan is known in Welsh as Abatevi,
16:01meaning mouth of the River Tevi.
16:04In the early 1800s, it was Wales' second busiest port
16:08and a centre for shipbuilding and transatlantic trade.
16:11Today, it's known for coastal wildlife watching
16:14and its many independent shops and businesses,
16:17including Albion Abatevi,
16:19a former warehouse that's been transformed into a hotel
16:22by owner James Lynch.
16:24Over the years, I've been buying properties like the hotel
16:34I actually bought in something like 2003.
16:37At the time I bought it, it had been used just for tyre storage.
16:40It was in a pretty sad state.
16:42Structurally, it was quite poor inside.
16:44Historically, though, it's very important.
16:46It's a maritime warehouse.
16:47It's been used as a grain store, as a bonded warehouse,
16:51as a sail loft.
16:53I collect lots of materials,
16:55and I collect objects and furniture.
16:57There's bits that I've used now in this building
17:00or in other buildings that I've probably had for 40 years,
17:04and finally I can find a use for them.
17:08Actually, converting buildings is a project,
17:11so you set about doing something that you've got a passion for.
17:15It's nice if it makes money as well.
17:18That's the tricky bit.
17:19But it's satisfaction, I guess, in doing the job.
17:23Good morning, James.
17:24Hello, both.
17:25How are you doing?
17:26I'm Alistair.
17:27Hi, Alistair.
17:28Hi, James. Shia Khan.
17:29Hi, Shia Khan. Great to meet you.
17:30You too.
17:31Welcome to the Cardigan and the Albion Abatevi.
17:33What a place.
17:34So how long have you had this?
17:35You had the building for about 25 years,
17:37but we restored it to the Albion during lockdown.
17:40Brilliant. It's a beautiful building.
17:42Absolutely beautiful.
17:43Can I show you inside?
17:44Yeah, please.
17:45Yes, please.
17:46I love a stone building, Alistair.
17:48Do you?
17:49I do.
17:50I come to Cardigan a lot.
17:52There's a good vibe here,
17:54and I can't wait to look inside the Albion
17:56because he's transformed an old, pretty much derelict building
17:59into this fantastic hotel, and it's just caked in history.
18:03So I can't wait to get in there.
18:05There's something up here that I'd like you to see
18:08that's quite important about the building.
18:09OK.
18:10You realise that on this floor in particular,
18:13there are beautiful pencil drawings of tall ships
18:15all over the walls, yeah.
18:17Oh, wow.
18:18And there's calculations there for lengths of rope or sailcloth.
18:22Blow my neck.
18:23So having discovered that, you know, one drawing at a time,
18:26and then realising the whole floor was covered in them,
18:29I thought, this is just so valuable.
18:31This is a gift.
18:32It's mind-blowing, isn't it?
18:33Yeah.
18:34Yeah.
18:35It's part of the history of the place.
18:36Yeah, they're all from about 1850, 1860.
18:39OK.
18:40That was a particular period,
18:41and to be able to retell the story is important to the essence
18:43of, you know, what we do.
18:44Definitely.
18:46To go upstairs and see all those drawings
18:49that past employees have done, sailors have done on the walls,
18:53it's amazing, you know.
18:54That took time to discover that wall, but it was worth it.
18:59After taking in the history of the hotel,
19:02Alistair and Shere Khan are keen to see the stall rooms,
19:05filled with architectural salvage and furniture
19:08that James has collected over the years.
19:10And so this is one of the several stalls we've got.
19:13OK.
19:14An old garage?
19:15It's an old garage, Pioneer garage.
19:17OK.
19:18I've always wondered what was in here.
19:21Right, so here we are.
19:23Now this store is parked, store, parked.
19:26Dumping ground.
19:27More salvage materials, yeah, dumping ground.
19:29There's all sorts of stuff here.
19:30Canoes, lots of doors.
19:32You like your old paint too, don't you?
19:34I do, yeah, yeah.
19:35Don't get rid of that.
19:37No.
19:38Yeah.
19:39Lovely.
19:40Don't you see these?
19:42Trestles.
19:43Yeah.
19:44It's amazing, they were actually workman's trestles, cast iron.
19:47You selling these?
19:48I could sell those.
19:49How much do you want for them?
19:51Well, I know how much they're worth.
19:52But I'd go probably 140 for the pair.
19:57You wouldn't do 120.
19:58I know it's cheeky.
20:00I'll do 120.
20:01All right.
20:02I'll take those at 120.
20:03I'll shake your hand at 120.
20:04That's your last bargain.
20:06Fantastic.
20:07Lovely.
20:08Those are really nice.
20:09Yeah.
20:10Trellis top on that.
20:11Desks in London, they love them.
20:12There you go.
20:13Happy?
20:14I am happy.
20:15Good.
20:16Good.
20:17I've got a garage full of wood.
20:18My brother's going to put some of that wood together.
20:20He's going to make a lovely table top for that.
20:23Um...
20:24And probably £350.
20:25Right, so this is the coal yard.
20:26It actually was a coal yard.
20:27A coal yard.
20:28Yeah, Ronnie Rees' coal yard.
20:29Yeah, Ronnie Rees' coal yard.
20:30What about that, James?
20:31It looks like it's been maybe cut, doesn't it?
20:32Because it's odd proportions, isn't it?
20:34But these are right at the back.
20:35Yeah.
20:36Should we pull it out into the left?
20:37Yeah, yeah, sure.
20:38This is a pine tavern settle of really nice, small proportions.
20:43You know, these tavern settles, they were all over the pubs in Wales years and years ago.
21:00And if they didn't quite fit in a corner, they'd chop it down.
21:05May have been cut down, but that doesn't matter.
21:08It's a nice thing.
21:09It's pine, it's raw, and it's a box settle.
21:14So, storage.
21:17From the late 18th century, pine was imported in huge quantities from North America to ports like Cardigan.
21:24Cheap and abundant supplies of softwood were used for shipbuilding, chapel interiors,
21:29and functional furniture for taverns and cottages across Wales.
21:33With its distinctive high back to protect against drafts,
21:36this 19th century settle is a classic example of Welsh country furniture.
21:41And with some restoration, Alistair thinks it could be worth around £600.
21:47I've got a feeling it's been cut down.
21:49Yeah, that panelling, asymmetric panelling's a bit old, isn't it?
21:52Yeah, but it's a handy size.
21:54Yeah.
21:55Yeah?
21:56Probably from a pub or something, a tavern settle, isn't it?
21:58That's what it looks like, those arms.
22:00Nice hallway piece.
22:01It'd be a nice hallway piece, wouldn't it?
22:02Yeah.
22:04So, would that be for sale, James?
22:05Yeah.
22:06Yeah?
22:07I can't see us using that anywhere soon.
22:08240.
22:09Alistair and Shere Khan are in Cardigan, Wales, visiting a former shipping warehouse
22:26with storerooms filled with salvaged treasure.
22:29There's all sorts of stuff here, canoes, lots of doors.
22:34And Al has set his sights on an antique Welsh settle.
22:38But he still needs to secure the deal.
22:41I just like the proportions of a 240.
22:44I'd be happy with that.
22:45Yeah?
22:46Good deal.
22:47That was easy?
22:48Yeah.
22:49Excellent.
22:51It's nice.
22:52It's nice.
22:53It's handsome.
22:54You like that?
22:55I do like it.
22:56Don't try to sell it to me.
22:57They're useful in two ways.
22:59You can sit on them, and you can also store things in these box settles.
23:02So, yeah, they're always a good seller.
23:04I always try and have them in the shop.
23:06And this one, I can't see it staying around for long.
23:09It's just a nice, small thing.
23:11We've got to stack some more stuff upstairs.
23:13OK.
23:14Brilliant.
23:15Can I have a look up there?
23:16Up there, yeah.
23:17Cool.
23:23Wow.
23:24OK, so this is, as I was saying, there's more furniture up here.
23:28Yeah, just a bit, isn't it?
23:29Different sorts.
23:30Right, so just have a good rummage then, is it?
23:32Are you selling the gallery heads?
23:34Yeah, I mean, we do have a lot of those opal church lights that we use.
23:38Yeah.
23:39You know, we've got them over in the pub.
23:40Yeah.
23:41But yeah, I mean, I'd let those go because once the glass is gone, you're left with the gallery.
23:45Yeah.
23:46It's because I've got, like, shelves of...
23:47Spears, yeah.
23:48Spears, so I always need them.
23:50I mean, I pay, like, 50 quid for the pair.
23:54Go 60 and I'll accept that.
23:55I'll take that.
23:56Good.
23:57Fantastic.
23:58The copper or brass part at the top, which is called the gallery, holds the light, and
24:03a chain then holds that to the ceiling.
24:06Those galleries are about 1930s, they're pre-World War II.
24:09They have a white opaline diffuser, which is kind of like an acorn-shaped shade.
24:14There are different types that will fit that gallery.
24:17When I'm going through car boots or when I go to antique fairs, if I ever see just galleries
24:22on their own, I always buy them.
24:24And there's one other thing I saw on the side.
24:27Could you reach that?
24:28There's a tulip...
24:30Where are you?
24:31...opaline there.
24:32This one?
24:33Yeah.
24:34Are those for sale or do you need to use those?
24:36Yeah, we had six of those.
24:37We used the other five, so that's an orphan.
24:40You haven't got the...
24:41I think these were made by GEC.
24:43I think I've got fittings for these.
24:45Yeah, it's a sort of flat metal cap.
24:47Yeah, and it goes in.
24:48Yeah, yeah.
24:49Again, about 30 quid.
24:50Well, say 100 for the three.
24:52100 for the three.
24:53Fantastic.
24:54With the tulip-shaped GEC opaline as well, I've got an original fitting for that.
24:59They take a monk's cap gallery.
25:01I've just paid £40 for that.
25:03Now, a little secret, I'm always collecting parts, like when I find galleries without the glass,
25:08or if I find the glass without the galleries, because when it's incomplete, the person selling
25:13it to you will always sell it to you cheaper.
25:16There's a much bigger margin when you can find the pieces separately.
25:20So, that's a bit of a trick.
25:23I think we're done.
25:24I think we are.
25:25Well, thanks very much.
25:26Should we get the man paid?
25:27Just getting paid, do some paperwork.
25:28OK, James, let's get you sorted.
25:34I had a really good day with James today.
25:37Nice to finally meet the man, you know.
25:39I've heard a lot about him over the years.
25:42He's a good businessman, but he's also got an eye.
25:45He's got an eye for salvage.
25:48He knows what he's doing, and he does it right.
25:51James.
25:52I hope it's been fruitful for you.
25:53It's been amazing.
25:54Thank you very much.
25:55Well appreciated.
25:56Thank you, James.
25:57It's been fun having you here.
25:58See you soon.
25:59Cheers.
26:00Bye-bye.
26:04Cardigan is beautiful, isn't it?
26:06Really.
26:07It's like, take a picture, put it on a postcard.
26:09There's very good profit in everything I bought.
26:11For me, it was making that contact with somebody who's an hour down the road.
26:16That's it.
26:17Yeah.
26:18James is always buying property.
26:20He's always going to want stuff, isn't he?
26:22Yeah.
26:23And he's got an antique dealer living an hour up the road from him.
26:25There you go.
26:26With some great finds in the van, Al and Sheerkan have one more visit lined up.
26:32They're staying in Al's homeland, heading east towards Cardiff, and a sprawling indoor market
26:38that has the potential to offer up all kinds of treasure.
26:42Right, Alistair, where are you taking me today?
26:45We're in Cardiff, mate.
26:46OK.
26:47We're capital of Wales.
26:49Nice.
26:50Been here before?
26:51I don't think I have, you know.
26:53But yeah, Cardiff indoor flea market.
26:55But I think it's more of a centre vibe.
26:57OK, so like an antique centre?
26:59Yeah, but they call it flea market.
27:00OK.
27:01It's always worth looking at.
27:02Yeah.
27:03Any, like, flea market, car boot, you know, I always stick my nose in.
27:07I think you've got to, but, you know, you can go to them like ten times and maybe buy
27:11something else, can't you?
27:12Yeah.
27:13But then again, you can go to them ten times and that one time you find something.
27:16Yeah.
27:17And then, you know, it's that special something that you found.
27:20Yeah.
27:21Yeah.
27:22The history of Cardiff stretches back over 2,000 years, with a Roman stronghold later
27:29rebuilt and enlarged by the Normans.
27:31Declared the capital of Wales in 1955, the city hosts many national institutions and attractions,
27:38including one of the largest antique marketplaces in Wales, the Cardiff Indoor Flea Market, managed
27:45by Laurie Rossiter.
27:47So we started the flea market ten years ago.
27:50We've got about 40 independent traders selling everything from antiques and vintage, retro,
27:55jewellery, everything you can imagine.
27:58I think the flea market is a wonderful concept.
28:01It allows small businesses to really either to start up with minimal costs or it allows
28:08them to sort of thrive without all the pressures and all the economic overheads that you might
28:12incur if you're having your own retail store.
28:18Morning.
28:19Hello.
28:20Nice to meet you.
28:21I'm Alistair.
28:22Hi.
28:23Morning, Laurie.
28:24Nice to meet you.
28:25How you doing?
28:26Thank you for joining us today.
28:27Thanks for having us.
28:28We've got about 30,000 square feet of space here.
28:31Wow.
28:32Really?
28:33So do you manage the centre or do you own it?
28:34I own the centre.
28:35OK.
28:36Yeah, so we've got about 40 independent traders here with us.
28:38Can we have a look around?
28:39Please do.
28:40Shall we go this way?
28:41Yep.
28:42Let's do it.
28:43Good luck.
28:44Thank you very much.
28:45When you come to these places, you can be a bit like a rabbit in headlights.
28:49OK, your eyes are looking everywhere, but they're not really zoning in on things
28:54like this is so much stuff here.
28:55And that's a cofferbach.
28:57What does that mean?
28:58A small coffer.
29:00Bach is small.
29:01OK.
29:02Ah.
29:03So you've got to slow yourself down and just go through it methodically.
29:07Can you help me with these blankets you've got?
29:10Yeah.
29:11Oh, they're nice.
29:13Right.
29:14Got to open them out, mate.
29:16Let's look.
29:17Can you feel that they haven't been washed?
29:19OK.
29:20Which is good.
29:21That's a good thing?
29:22They're firm, aren't they?
29:23Yeah.
29:24Are these old, though?
29:25I mean, these two.
29:26Yeah.
29:27We're in a tangle, mate.
29:28Oh, right.
29:29OK.
29:30You're making it worse.
29:31Look at that.
29:32Oh, two different sides as well.
29:33Look.
29:34Yeah.
29:35These are singles, aren't they, by the looks of it?
29:36Yeah.
29:37Is that a single?
29:38Yeah.
29:39Yeah.
29:40Sold a lot of Welsh blankets over the years.
29:43And you get collectors.
29:45People collect blankets, OK?
29:47And then you get house furnishers, interior designers, who use the blankets.
29:51But the purists, and that's what you want to get the top money for, they want them to be perfect.
29:56Can we have a look at the other one, too?
29:57Yeah.
29:58If that's not too much of a...
29:59No, no.
30:00I've got the hang of it now.
30:01You know, I've had people coming into the shop.
30:04They put the Welsh blanket over their head and walk outside and look up into the skies.
30:11Because they're prone to moth holes, so you can see the light shining through.
30:15And that's how all the serious buyers buy Welsh blankets.
30:19This one, though, is in better condition than that one.
30:23Singles are always harder to sell.
30:26Are they?
30:27Yeah.
30:28You only want doubles?
30:29Yeah.
30:30Really?
30:31Depends on the price.
30:32OK.
30:34Um...
30:35Do you like them?
30:37They're quite nice, actually.
30:39They're plastic, Oscar.
30:41It's good, Oakland.
30:42Extremely real.
30:44I've had nothing to do.
30:45Yeah.
30:46So why have you got two switches?
30:48Because, look, yeah, and you can...
30:50Ah!
30:51You can have three.
30:52Two?
30:53No, three.
30:54So...
30:55One.
30:56One.
30:57Two.
30:58And then just the bottom.
30:59Three.
31:00Three.
31:03Yeah.
31:04The company's an Italian company called Stilnovo.
31:06They're about 1960s.
31:07They're what we call three lamps in one.
31:10So you press one button, only the bottom lights up.
31:13You press another button, only the top lights up.
31:15So the bottom stops and...
31:17Or you can press a button again and both light up.
31:20It really adds to the whole effect of that light.
31:23These are Opaline glass.
31:25They're beautifully made.
31:26They're ready to go.
31:27They're a near pair.
31:28Always do better on a pair.
31:31You all right, mate?
31:32How you doing, mate?
31:33How you doing?
31:34Take my place.
31:35We've met a few times.
31:36Here and there.
31:37You OK?
31:38Yeah.
31:39How you doing, mate?
31:40I'm sure these are by a company called Stilnovo,
31:41the Italian company.
31:42Yeah, but the designer...
31:43Yeah, OK.
31:44Reggigini.
31:45Reggigini.
31:46Frederico Reggigini.
31:47Yeah, Reggigini for Stilnovo.
31:48Yeah.
31:49OK.
31:50So what have we got in there?
31:51It's $450 the pair, yeah?
31:52It's $300.
31:53In Cardiff, Alistair and Shere Khan are visiting a huge antique and vintage flea market, crammed
32:00with potential treasure.
32:02Among the scores of stalls, Shere Khan has spotted a stylish pair of Italian designer lambs.
32:09Frederico Reggigini.
32:10Yeah, Reggigini for Stilnovo.
32:11Yeah.
32:12Yeah, Reggigini for Stilnovo.
32:13Yeah.
32:14And he's determined to bag them for the best price.
32:15OK.
32:16So what have we got in there?
32:17It's $450 the pair, yeah?
32:19It's $300.
32:20Oh, that's a good discount, isn't it?
32:2170% of mine's straight, so...
32:22Oh, is it?
32:23Fantastic.
32:24Fantastic, yeah.
32:25Lovely lamps.
32:26Nice.
32:27That's a...
32:28Very nice lamps.
32:29Yeah.
32:30Been rewired as well.
32:31Yeah.
32:32Beautiful bedside lamps.
32:33Really well made.
32:34Got the maker's marks on them.
32:35Yeah.
32:36Yeah.
32:37You can't see that.
32:38Yeah.
32:39Yeah.
32:40Yeah.
32:41Yeah.
32:42Yeah.
32:43Yeah.
32:44Yeah.
32:45Yeah.
32:46Yeah.
32:47Yeah.
32:48Yeah.
32:49Yeah.
32:50Yeah.
32:51Don't go far wrong.
32:52The dealer Dave.
32:53His unit, it sticks out, yeah?
32:56It draws you in.
32:57It's colourful.
32:58It's done in a tasteful manner.
33:01And things are just laid out correctly.
33:03There's a lot of light in here.
33:05It's fresh.
33:06That's a Anders Pearson Swedish.
33:08Anders Pearson for lighting, isn't it?
33:10Yeah.
33:11Lovely.
33:12I've had that in brass.
33:13Have you?
33:14Yeah.
33:15You always get cracks in those.
33:16You always get chips in those.
33:17This one, perfect.
33:19There's like a round grill underneath it.
33:22All totally perfect.
33:23The original brown paint on it, no scratches, no blemishes, which is quite important with
33:29especially Swedish lights.
33:30We like patina.
33:31We like things to show their age.
33:33But with some of the mid-century style people like them also to look spot on.
33:40In the 1960s, lighting pioneer Anders Pearson embraced the Swedish design principles of
33:47form, function and colour, creating a range of stylish lamps that help bring Scandinavian
33:53style to homes around the world.
33:55This example, known as the nubbling lamp, dates from the 1970s and features a translucent
34:02plastic shade.
34:03In excellent condition, Shere Khan thinks it could be worth around £750.
34:08It's up at £650.
34:09It's up at £650.
34:10400.
34:11Could do a £350, could you?
34:14Fantastic.
34:15Nice light.
34:16Yeah, it is a very nice light.
34:17It's one of them, find another one.
34:18Yeah, yeah, yeah.
34:19It's a big light.
34:20It's a statement piece.
34:21I'm amazed that it was here in the flea market in Cardiff.
34:22And that's why you need to come to places like this.
34:23And that's why you need to look through all of the rest just to find that.
34:37We shook on £350.
34:38Plenty of bunts.
34:40These blankets, mate, what have you got on these?
34:43We've had a quick look.
34:44They're singles there.
34:45Oh, they're singles?
34:46Yeah, yeah, yeah, weren't they?
34:47Yeah, singles.
34:48I'll do £300 on the pair.
34:50£150, blanket.
34:52That's pretty much what I could probably get for them.
34:54And there was a...
34:55Was there a big darn hole on that one?
34:56On that one.
34:57There is a darn...
34:58Yes, colours of goodness.
34:59But there's a darn hole in the middle.
35:01Where was it, mate?
35:03There.
35:05Ah, right.
35:06Yeah.
35:07£250.
35:08£250, the pair.
35:10Nice.
35:11Blankets have become so fashionable these days.
35:13Years ago, you could pick them up in charity shops, 20, 30 quid.
35:16Not any more.
35:17You've got to pay up for them.
35:19And people do command high prices for blankets.
35:22So these were £250 a pair.
35:24That's all right.
35:25You know, they're singles, but it's a good price.
35:27There's money left in them.
35:28Definitely.
35:31What's that chair there?
35:32No.
35:33Just come in.
35:35What, this?
35:36No.
35:37Yeah, just come in this morning.
35:38Oh, that one, yeah.
35:39Is it atomic?
35:40Yeah.
35:41I'll put a little fiberglass shade on it or something.
35:45Oh, really?
35:46Yeah.
35:47Cute, isn't it?
35:48Yes.
35:49The little lamp, it's not a complex thing.
35:51And that's what attracted me to it also, is it's just simple.
35:55It's given me a taste of something different to try.
35:58And it had old paint on it, crackling.
36:01I like the look of it.
36:02How much is that?
36:0460, that.
36:0560.
36:06And if you put a shade on it, we're sort of...
36:09Do you like that?
36:10It's all right.
36:11It's all right.
36:12It's got a nice look.
36:13It's not been tested or anything.
36:14No, no.
36:1560 quid as is.
36:16Yeah.
36:17Cool.
36:18It's literally just walked through the door.
36:19It's a nice little thing.
36:20Yeah.
36:21For me, it ticked the boxes.
36:23But maybe if you're really into your mid-century stuff
36:26and you want the best examples of everything,
36:29then that lamp might not be for you.
36:31I just like the look of that.
36:32You might need someone to revive that.
36:34What, your brother?
36:36You won't do it.
36:38Who won't do it?
36:39It's been really good.
36:43You know, I didn't buy a lot,
36:44but I bought two really good items.
36:46And, yeah, the items that I bought,
36:49the profit in them is more than worth me
36:53spending the whole day here.
36:54It's all down to perseverance
36:56because you will buy things here.
36:59There's so much stuff here,
37:01the odds are you're going to buy something.
37:03Be Welsh blankets, you know,
37:04wherever I go and I see a blanket that's buyable,
37:08you've got to get it in the van.
37:10Yeah, because they sell.
37:12They sell day in, day out.
37:14Yeah, mid-century lighting, it's an experiment for me.
37:18It's something I'm going to give a go.
37:20There's not a lot of work to do to it
37:22and it didn't cost a lot of money.
37:24You all right?
37:25Thanks for having us today.
37:26Thank you so much for coming out.
37:27Have you had a good day?
37:28Thank you very much.
37:29Really good.
37:30We did.
37:31Any good bargains?
37:32I found a couple of smashing lights.
37:33Yeah.
37:34A couple of blankets.
37:35Amazing.
37:36Yeah, it's been good.
37:37It's been well worth it.
37:38Thank you very much.
37:39Take care.
37:40Cheers.
37:41All right, mate, what do you think of the indoor flea market?
37:47A lot of stuff in there.
37:49It is big.
37:50Masses, mate.
37:51Masses.
37:52It is a lot of stuff to get through to find that bit of treasure.
37:56The larger Lampapool, the Swedish one.
37:59And when we go to Germany, when we go out into Europe,
38:03I expect to find things like that.
38:05But to come all the way to Cardiff and find that...
38:08You didn't expect that?
38:09Didn't expect that.
38:10Are you going to do all right on that?
38:11I'm going to do very well on that.
38:12But those Welsh blankets...
38:14Can you imagine north to south Wales, full of woolen mills, right?
38:19Okay.
38:20That's part of our Welsh history.
38:22Big, big industry, woolen mills in Wales.
38:25And each mill are different patterns.
38:28So there's more to a Welsh blanket than meets the eye.
38:31You know, people collect them, mate.
38:33They collect blankets.
38:34Do you know what I mean?
38:38It's been a successful week with a haul of great finds.
38:41And visiting places loaded with antique treasures has paid off.
38:46While Shere Khan travels back to London,
38:48Alistair's returning to West Wales.
38:50But before heading to his shop,
38:52he's paying a visit to an old contact,
38:54who he's hoping can reveal more
38:56about the Welsh blankets he bought in Cardiff.
38:59Today we're not far from where I live,
39:01and I'm coming to see a friend called Jane.
39:03Jane Beck.
39:04She's a specialist in Welsh blankets.
39:07I want to know more about the history of the blankets.
39:09I want to confirm I've got the right mill.
39:11I want to confirm the age.
39:13Because all of this is just going to add value, okay?
39:16And I want to be confident in what I sell.
39:19Well, hello.
39:20For a dar, Jane.
39:21You coming in?
39:22What have you got with me, then, today?
39:23Well, it's blankets, funnily enough.
39:31Every time I come here,
39:32you've got a really good display of blankets.
39:35I can spot these two here, similar to what I've bought in.
39:38Yeah.
39:39But it changes all the time with you.
39:40The colours are amazing.
39:42What would you call these now? Vintage or...?
39:44Yeah, the vintage. Vintage is 50 years old.
39:46Hantique is 100 years old.
39:48Yeah.
39:49This is what everybody identifies as being a proper Welsh blanket.
39:53It's double cloth, it's not really a tapestry.
39:55You've got one pattern one side, one pattern on the other side.
39:58Yeah.
39:59Historically, Welsh blankets were made on looms in people's homes and farms.
40:04But in the 19th century,
40:06large water-powered mills began producing wool on an industrial scale.
40:10However, the influence of traditional designs and vibrant colours remained.
40:15Bought these in Cardiff Flea Market.
40:18OK.
40:19A near pair.
40:21I believe, right?
40:22Quote me if I'm wrong.
40:24I will.
40:25I know.
40:26Deryl Mills.
40:27Mm-hm.
40:28Carnarvon pattern.
40:29Mm-hm.
40:30Mid-60s to 70s.
40:33Yeah?
40:34Pretty much.
40:35Yes.
40:36So, Deryl Mills, what can you tell me about them?
40:38It was a very, very productive mill.
40:40They produced woolen goods there from 1896 to 1983.
40:45They used to produce stuff for their own shop and for other shops,
40:49but they also used to do a lot of wholesale and trade to other people.
40:54The Deryl Mill was one of many woolen mills that flourished in Carmarthenshire
40:59from the late 19th century onwards.
41:01One of the mill's most popular patterns was the geometric Carnavon pattern,
41:06reminiscent of the portcullis gates used on that town's famous castle.
41:10Within each mill, a single weaver would make a whole blanket,
41:14each with its own subtle character.
41:16So it's possible to connect these blankets with the people who made them.
41:20In fact, these were woven by my friend Ken Cole, who sadly died last year.
41:26Really?
41:27He worked for them for 40 years and he told me a story about weaving these.
41:31He was left to his own devices.
41:33These were originally supposed to be blue and pink.
41:36Well, he was left without enough yarn.
41:38OK.
41:39So he mixed the yarn to make them go further and created this two-tone effect.
41:44Luckily, it turned out to be one of the most popular colours.
41:47In fact, I've got a photograph of him.
41:48Have you?
41:49Yep.
41:52So this was the staff line-up.
41:54Right.
41:55In 1956 to 1957.
41:57Amazing.
41:58So he would have been working for them for just over a year.
42:00And there he is there, a really tall, smiley bloke at the back.
42:04And he did these blankets.
42:05And he wove these blankets.
42:07You're confident that he wore...
42:08Yeah.
42:09He's had his hands on these, he's done these.
42:10Yeah.
42:11That's amazing.
42:12So when I went to Cardiff and bought these, never in a million years would I think I'd
42:17be bringing them here and you'd be showing me a picture of the guy who actually made them.
42:22Brilliant.
42:23Yeah.
42:24That's made my day, that.
42:25Yeah.
42:26Right.
42:27Thanks for today, Jane.
42:28You're welcome.
42:29To come here, to see his picture, to know he's the guy who made these blankets.
42:33Amazing.
42:34Yeah.
42:35You can't get much better provenance than that, can you?
42:37You can't.
42:38No.
42:39Definitely.
42:40Allister's heading back to his shop a happy man.
42:47And with some great finds across the week, both he and Shere Khan are delighted with the
42:52vintage and antique bounty they can add to their stock.
42:57It's been a really good week again.
42:59It's been really nice, especially to visit Dino and Jeff.
43:02Both Dino and Jeff actually just started off as collectors.
43:06And then that collection turned into their business.
43:09That's exactly the type of people we love in this business.
43:12And it's exactly the type of people that we just want to keep meeting.
43:15On Alistair's turf, we're back in Wales.
43:18Cardigan.
43:19We went to see James.
43:20Those Opaline lights, those galleries and things like that are essential to us.
43:24Any time we find them, they don't even have to be complete.
43:27We will always buy them.
43:28We'll put them aside because one day we will find the other pieces.
43:31Alistair as well picked up some really good stuff.
43:34Just meeting these people, you know, getting their number, them taking your number, and you never know what's going to come in the future.
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