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00:02It's a truth universally acknowledged that no one does antiques quite like the British.
00:10And nowhere in Britain does antiques quite like the English Riviera.
00:15It is the antique capital of the UK.
00:18In this sunny corner of the world that sparkles it with opportunity.
00:24Who knows what could be in here?
00:27Where trading in treasure makes the world go round.
00:30That's fantastic.
00:32Attracting customers from far and wide.
00:34Wow, look at that. That's pretty cool.
00:37Whether buying.
00:38I'm happy at 500.
00:40Whee!
00:41Or selling.
00:42If the price is right, everything's for sale.
00:45There's a dealer for every type of antique here.
00:48Wouldn't it be marvellous if it was a real Picasso?
00:51Some do it for love.
00:52If anyone ever asks me what my job title is, I'm actually a treasure hunter.
00:55514 pounds.
00:56Really?
00:57Others for the money.
00:58If we were in the region of say 5,000 to 6,000.
01:00I would have thought it should go for more than that.
01:02It's more than just a job.
01:03There's a little bit of me in the shop and there's a little bit of everything.
01:06It's a way of life.
01:08A state of mind.
01:11Welcome to the Antiques Riviera.
01:23As Devon draws into the twilight of summer and locals and holidaymakers dress for optimism
01:28rather than forecast, the temperature in the Antiques Riviera has carried on regardless.
01:34Over the course of the season, it's taken in just about everything.
01:38Deal done.
01:39Deal done.
01:40Look at that.
01:40Nice doing business with you.
01:42Royal faces and cakes.
01:44Princess Diana cake here at 300.
01:47Heart haggling.
01:48What do you want on that?
01:49200.
01:49How much?
01:50200.
01:52Deal struck.
01:53300 pounds.
01:56A deal.
01:57That's a deal.
01:58And even the odd celebration.
02:03Summer may be on its way out, but the dealers and auctioneers are as busy as ever.
02:08Fair warning if you're done then at 400.
02:16They say the early bird catches the worm.
02:19In Ashburton, at the heart of the Antiques Trail, it's less about worms and more about stamina.
02:25Morning.
02:26Hi, Reuben.
02:30Off to Swansea.
02:31Yeah, off to sunny Swansea.
02:34Dealers Lydia and Reuben are up with the larks and venturing out of the Riviera on a buying trip.
02:39Yeah, I spent my entire life working on building sites as a plasterer.
02:45You should be used to an early start.
02:47I resent them.
02:48Who had Reuben as a former tradesman on their bingo card?
02:51Anyone?
02:52You've got to go.
02:53When an inquiry comes in, a phone call, an email, people have got things to sell.
02:58I'm there.
02:59I'm in the van.
03:00I'm going.
03:01A large part of my time is spent out on the road actually sourcing pieces.
03:06I've not only got to sell the items, I've got to go and buy them as well.
03:10You just never know what you're going to find.
03:13Yeah.
03:14You know, and that's what always gets me going.
03:18Well, hopefully this early start will be worth it.
03:20Let's get some coffee in you and it's a long way to Swansea.
03:31The Riviera is far more used to people arriving than leaving, drawn by the sea air and a steady
03:36pull of the antiques trade.
03:41In Exeter, a 10-minute stroll from its Gothic cathedral, Burnshampton and Littlewood Auctions
03:47is welcoming back Ben.
03:49All right, in you go.
03:55Ben's here to watch his collection of antique radios, gramophones and other audio equipment
04:00go under the gavel.
04:02He wants to fulfil a lifelong dream to fly in a Spitfire, but it's going to cost £3,000.
04:09When he last visited the Riviera, Ben danced his way to a deal with Lydia.
04:14I think you're probably better at dancing than I am.
04:17No, no.
04:18Securing nearly £900.
04:20That will only get me the front seat in the Spitfire.
04:24Before leaving the rest of his collection for auction.
04:27This time, with a flight in a Spitfire firmly in his sights, Ben needs to raise another £2,000
04:33to get airborne, and that's after auction fees.
04:37Ooh!
04:38There's air stuff clear.
04:40And he's counting on auctioneer Brian to get him off the ground, literally.
04:45Morning.
04:45Hi.
04:46Hello.
04:46Nice to see you again.
04:47And you.
04:48Have you had a lot of interest in it?
04:49We have had some interest, so I've done some condition reports and there's interest online,
04:53so we can see there's people bidding online.
04:54That's good, that's good.
04:55You know, but it's a nice collection, so it's auction, it's the lap of the gods sometimes.
05:00What about the little gem?
05:01Well, they're fairly common, aren't they?
05:02They're producing quite large numbers.
05:04So, you know, it's a nice example, it's in nice condition.
05:07But listen, here's a gem of a gramophone.
05:11Don't use it.
05:11No, I've got my list of jags, so I'll have it on the roster, but don't.
05:14We're relying on you.
05:15Oh, well, I'll do my best for you.
05:17They've told me you're brilliant.
05:20It's auction stations.
05:22Sit down and wait for the show to begin.
05:28Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
05:29I've got a lovely collection of pieces today.
05:31Lenset reserves on nearly all 13 lots, hoping to raise as much as one and a half thousand pounds.
05:37He's looking to the room and online bidders for a strong tailwind to keep his dream alive.
05:42So let's crack straight on.
05:44First up, one of his Bakelite radios.
05:47This is interesting.
05:48Let's see who that was made.
05:49Nice design there.
05:50And again, we're here at 75, 85, 95, 95 with me.
05:55Do I see 100 now?
05:56At 95, I did 100.
05:58100 is here.
05:59This is coming well.
06:00110 now in the fresh place.
06:02At 100 pounds here, at 100.
06:04110 if you will.
06:06At 100 pounds and at 100 pounds and at 100.
06:11OK.
06:12Ben's off to a cracking start.
06:14We have the Forens XL, the pocket phone, no pocket side.
06:17Gramophone and the red Crackle Glaze case, the unusual on the red.
06:20This lot has a 200 pound reserve.
06:23Can Brian get it tuned in a little higher?
06:25And I can see interest here at 120, 130, 140, 150.
06:30On the internet, 160 with me.
06:31170 now then.
06:33160 with me at 160.
06:34170, will you?
06:35170, 170, 180.
06:37170 back with me.
06:38180, will you?
06:40About 170 pounds then for this piece here at 170.
06:43At 170.
06:46Not quite, ladies and gentlemen.
06:48Disappointing, that one.
06:49It's still possible though, but will now depend on competitive bidding to beat those reserves.
06:55But over the next seven minutes.
06:56At 120.
06:58Not sold.
06:59Not quite, ladies and gentlemen.
07:01The 20th century echo radio.
07:03Any interest online?
07:05At 40.
07:07Two Bakerlite radios.
07:09At 35 pounds and at 35.
07:12Not sold.
07:14The goblin clock radio and.
07:16At 140.
07:18Not quite there, ladies and gentlemen.
07:20The sound burger stereo disc player all failed to meet Ben's optimistic reserves.
07:27Pardon?
07:29Ben's dream of a Spitfire flight have all but gone down in flames.
07:33But there's one lot left.
07:34Edison type one gem phonograph in the fitted case there.
07:37I see your internet at 60 pounds.
07:3965 with me.
07:4070 with you.
07:4075 and 85 and 90.
07:4395 and 100, will you?
07:45One more.
07:46100 and I can sell, thank you.
07:47You're at 100 pounds, it's here, they're not 100.
07:49Selling this time at 100.
07:52That's sold.
07:53We got that.
07:55A satisfying finale.
07:57With another small consolation, a post-auction buyer took the pocket phono at 200 pounds.
08:04After fees, that brings the total to 325 pounds.
08:08Still some way off the 2,000 needed.
08:12People who have a passion for these sorts of things, they've got their idea of what the value is.
08:17Whether or not it's sort of over exaggerated or whatever.
08:21But what we try and do, sometimes we'll put them in.
08:23We might be lucky and get somebody who pays that sort of thing.
08:26It's always an unknown with auctions.
08:28You know, you can't predict exactly what's going to happen.
08:31Despite a disappointing auction, this father and daughter's spirits don't stay low for long.
08:37Just in case we made it today, I thought I'd get the equipment ready.
08:42So I bought the helmet and I bought the goggles and I put it on there.
08:50And one day we'll get these goggles and helmet up in that Spitfire.
08:55Come on, chokes away.
08:56Chokes away.
08:58Safe travels, Ben.
09:0422 miles away.
09:06Oh, this is typical Devon. Small lanes, tight corners, small bridges.
09:14Squeezing their way onto the bustling streets of Ashburton, our married couple, Janet and Brian.
09:20So what's going to be our most valuable item? That's the question.
09:23Well, that's a really good question. I don't know.
09:28Down here? Should we have a look around here?
09:30Yeah, yeah. Or is it... Oh, hang on, hang on. Let's have a look in this one.
09:33This one looks interesting.
09:35Over the past few years, Janet and Brian have had to make the decision to put their parents
09:39into residential homes to help care for them, and have started the difficult task of sorting
09:44through years and years of precious possessions.
09:48When we had to move Dad out of the family home, we had an attic to clear out and a
09:54garage that was
09:55full of mess, but we found some real treasures.
09:59Brian, meanwhile, is looking to learn a little more about a few inherited childhood items.
10:04I was brought up in Bangkok from 1967 as a youngster and lived there. And we used to go visit
10:12this temple and there used to be a marketplace. And in that marketplace would be items, bowls,
10:18Ming vases, Chinese antiquities, cupboards. And we're looking at, at the moment,
10:24seeing if there's value in those. I'm absolutely clear in my mind the sentimental value
10:27is considerably more than small amounts or a few hundred pounds.
10:33I'm really hopeful that we might actually understand, get a bit more information about
10:40our antiques, some value. In a nutshell, fantastic. Oh, look, that's nice furniture.
10:47It's not just a fact-finding mission. Janet in particular is keen to release the funds from
10:52some of her finds.
10:54I would like to use the money to buy another painting, but putting the money somewhere that
10:59we perhaps will enjoy it more than it is at the moment. That's my plan anyway.
11:04Oh, that's got some nice stuff in there. I think they've all got some nice stuff in.
11:10Hello. Hello. Hi. I'm Jordan, by the way. Oh, hi, I'm Janet.
11:14Jordan is one of Ashburton's youngest dealers, but his youthful charm hides a vast knowledge when it
11:20comes to ceramics, which is handy for Brian. We'll start with the Thai, maybe the Thai stuff stuff.
11:26I'm wrapping. We moved to Thailand in the late 60s, and we used to visit Ayutthaya,
11:33which used to be the capital of Thailand. Yeah. And there used to be markets selling
11:39all these types of items. Yeah, the markets in Thailand are insane.
11:44Yeah, they certainly were in the 70s. Yeah. Now, that's nice and old.
11:51This is a domestic piece. Yeah. I was quite interested by the sand on the bottom.
11:55Yeah, it's from the kiln. It's just where it's been fired. Yeah. Yeah, it's all from the kiln.
11:59So it's not posh finish. It's not posh finish. No, this would have been someone's kind of daily
12:04eater, you know. But, you know, porcelain wasn't cheap, so it still would have been someone with a
12:08little bit of money. Brian's inherited more than a few ceramic pieces. Now, it's a case of working
12:14out what they really are. Let's have a look. So if I just, you've got an old mark over the
12:20mark.
12:20Yes, that must have been a label from the market. It's interesting. So it's got an earlier mark
12:25for Chinese porcelain, but the decoration's not really there to be Chinese porcelain. I think it is.
12:33Do you think it's a fake? From Victorian grandeur to art deco optimism, the English Riviera has long been a
12:52fashionable resort.
12:53These days, with its antiques trail in full swing, the appeal lies less in the view and more in the
12:59value.
12:59You could put it into auction, but it will only make, you know, a few pounds.
13:04From Ashburton to Torbay, it's a trade that's thriving.
13:12Nestled beneath the Devonshire Moors is Ashburton, where antique dealer Jordan is in full appraisal mode.
13:19I just think it's a fake. No, no, I think it is like Thai or something.
13:23He's examining some of Brian's old family crockery, uncovered while he and his wife,
13:28Janet, cleared out decades of parental possessions.
13:31It's like a slightly weak, weak painting.
13:35These should be more than one strand rather than one brush mark.
13:38It should be like a vine rather than just a squiggle.
13:41Oh, right.
13:41If it was Chinese.
13:43The ceramics may be pre-1800s antiques, but Jordan's not convinced they are the Chinese porcelain
13:48they appear to be at first glance.
13:51Looking at the piece, it has a Ming Dynasty mark, but looking at the calligraphy,
13:54it's very kind of wishy-washy and the glaze is wrong.
13:58It's, uh, the detail is just not there to be a Ming Dynasty mark.
14:01So it's what is known as an apocryphal mark.
14:04That's the symbol on the Chinese porcelain that suggests the reign of an older dynasty
14:08rather than the one in which it was made.
14:10An apocryphal mark from a different reign is more of an auspicious kind of thing to have on the piece
14:17rather than deliberately to deceive.
14:21China's producing this amazing porcelain and then Thailand's not that far away.
14:26And if you're a wealthy Thai merchant, you might want some made locally, you know,
14:30you'll bring back one you've bought and then locally you'll have ten maids.
14:34Right, okay.
14:35That kind of thing.
14:36Oh, interesting. Okay, so sort of more of a story on it.
14:38But does this antique Thai porcelain have a value in our modern world?
14:43If this was Chinese, we'd be ensuring this.
14:47Oh, would we? Right, okay.
14:49Right, okay.
14:49But yeah, quite nice. I would offer 180 on that plate.
14:54Okay.
14:54And then the bowl.
15:02It's quite nicely done.
15:03These are a little bit harder sellers, but I would offer you 160 on it.
15:11But will it be enough for Brian to let go of a family heirloom and the memories that come with
15:16it?
15:16Thanks, Jordan. I really appreciate you taking a really good look at them.
15:20I think we'll take that away and have a think about it, because some things we want to save,
15:25and some things are definitely ready to go to a new home.
15:28Yeah, we'll let you know.
15:29Perfect.
15:30Okay.
15:30I think secretly we knew that they weren't original Chinese, which of course would have made them very valuable.
15:36But it's been great talking to Jordan, got a really good opinion of things.
15:41Right, thanks very much.
15:42That's brilliant.
15:43That's brilliant.
15:43Thanks for your time, Jordan.
15:44Yeah, yeah, yeah.
15:45Much appreciated.
15:45Yeah.
15:46I don't think we'll be in a hurry to sell them, but, you know, we'll take a look,
15:51and we've got some nice pieces.
15:52I think we might add to them, actually.
15:55So that's no sale for Jordan, keepsies for Brian, and the start of a new antiquing collection.
16:07The English Riviera, once home to Agatha Christie, a place of grand views and even grander stories.
16:15But antique dealers know the best leads rarely stay close to home.
16:20So today, Lydia and Ruben have left the Riviera behind,
16:24making the near three-hour journey to Swansea in search of treasures of their own.
16:29You go to look at a particular piece, and then you spot something.
16:34There's something in the attic, in the basement.
16:37It's always in the attic.
16:39Yeah, and it sounds really cliché, but it is.
16:42When it comes to finding new stock, distance is simply part of the job.
16:50Ready to welcome them to their home in Mumbles, Swansea, are downsizers Sue and Reg.
16:57I've been born and brought up in Mumbles, and we both went to London together to work.
17:05And then we had our son, and I was pregnant with our daughter, and we desperately wanted to come
17:12down to Mumbles to be around family, and to give them the upbringing that we had.
17:18But now their children are grown and flying the nest, it's time to sell up.
17:22And that means shifting 27 years of inherited clutter.
17:26So when we first moved into the house, I mean, our furniture was very sparse.
17:31But over the years, family have donated, so, oh, you've got a big house, you can fit this in it.
17:38We just became, I hate to say this, but a dumping ground for other...
17:43I think repository's a nicer word.
17:48..and some things found their way up to the loft and never came back down again.
17:53Yes. A lot of things got up to the loft and never came back down again.
17:56Lydia did say she loves a good loft or attic. Now comes the moment of discovery.
18:01So, Lydia, would you like to come this way, and we'll go up.
18:04OK. Brilliant.
18:07OK. Shall we go through here? Yeah. Great.
18:10Lydia's hoping to discover some forgotten treasures buried away.
18:13But before she hits the top of the house, Sue's keen to show her something else.
18:17Do you mind if I get one down? No, of course not, please.
18:19Oh, there we go.
18:22That caught my eye, that one. And there's a date on that and names, I believe.
18:28There you go, Robert and Elizabeth Foreman, 1837.
18:33Yeah, we call this lusterware, as I'm sure you know, sort of Sunderland luster.
18:38Yes. You can see by the way it shines, you know, why they call it that.
18:42The glaze is a mineral oxide that creates the iconic shine.
18:46And this, along with new developments in pottery printing techniques,
18:49meant items were quick and cheap to make, as well as eye-catching.
18:52The perfect way to bring a bit of pizzazz to the working class dinner table.
18:56But these are very popular now. Are they?
18:58That's a nice size in good condition. OK, that's nice to know.
19:02I'll put it back up here for safekeeping. OK.
19:06Downstairs, Ruben is politely taking the tour.
19:09I'm not going to do a hard sell, but it is exactly the same size
19:12also as an American pool table. But after a three-hour drive from Devon,
19:16he hasn't come to admire the furniture. I've noticed something that you've got here,
19:22which is very interesting. So, you know, my field is more the arts and so on.
19:30But this, I think, is an Edward Lear.
19:34Most famous for his poems like The Owl and the Pussycat,
19:37and for coining the term nonsense poetry for his whimsical rhyme,
19:41Edward Lear began life as an illustrator and travelled the world over,
19:45drawing birds for the likes of the Zoological Society. They even named a parrot after him.
19:51We believe that's the case. I mean, Sue is the one whose family it comes from,
19:55and Sue is the one who knows more about the history of it.
19:57Right.
19:58By all means, have a good look. I'll go and get Sue now,
20:00and we'll come back and discuss with you. OK?
20:02That's fantastic. Thanks.
20:04Wow.
20:05From refined appreciation to unfiltered enthusiasm.
20:10Oh, I've found all sorts up here. Who let me in a loft?
20:14I love this stool.
20:16Lydia's finally made it to the top of the house, and she's exactly where she wants to be,
20:21rummaging through decades of Sue and Reggie's belongings.
20:28Definitely works.
20:29I love old gongs. Lovely old dinner gong.
20:34It says Burmese on it. It obviously needs some restoration work, but that's no problem.
20:39Every home should have a dinner gong. I love that. That's a great find.
20:47While Lydia digs for treasures, Ruben's after stories, starting with Sue's Edward Lear.
20:53This is beautiful. It's beautiful. I like the subject. I like the signature.
20:58I think that's very sweet. Do you know anything about the history in terms of where it's from?
21:03Yes. So I did actually take it along to an expert, and when he took the pack off,
21:09there was written where it had been painted by Edward Lear.
21:14That's lovely.
21:15So it is now the modern day where Kerala is in India. Edward Lear had a friend who was the
21:22governor
21:23of India at the time, and he said he would have gone over to stay with his friend, and that
21:29is when
21:29he painted it. I really like it. It needs some restoration, as I said.
21:36Hi, Lydia. Hi. All right. How's it going?
21:39All right. Yeah, good. Thanks. Interesting. Yeah.
21:41It's a good painting. It is. It's beautiful. It is lovely. It needs a little bit of attention to the
21:46frame,
21:47but he's hugely popular. You can't go wrong with him. Appeals to all ages.
21:54It's a name that everybody knows, isn't it? Yes.
21:56Devon. Oh, I think that might be Dan, the auctioneer. I'll just go and let him in. Excuse me.
22:05Hello, Sue. Hi, Dan. Hi. Daniel from Annabee auctioneer. How are you doing all right?
22:08Yeah, come in, please. Thank you so much. Yeah. You have a beautiful home.
22:15Reuben, Lydia, you all right? Hiya. Well, this is cosy.
22:29The Antiques Riviera is anchored by its community of experienced dealers and auctioneers.
22:35I'm here to do a deal. What do you think? $2,200? I was thinking more like $2,000.
22:41With antiques flowing in and out as regularly as the tide, they rely on each other for trade and new
22:46stock.
22:47Round figure, isn't it? Yeah, why not? OK. Well done. Fantastic. Thank you very much.
22:53But sometimes they're all competing for the best treasure on the same turf.
22:57I love dogs. I'm always drawn to anything that dogs. OK.
23:00And these would have actually been used to put your quills in. Really? Yeah.
23:06Today, Lydia, Reuben and Dan have made the nearly three-hour journey to Swansea
23:10on the hunt for hidden treasures in Sue and Reg's family home. Have you seen the court covers?
23:16I just noticed. Wow. Yeah, see, this is the piece I really like. I think this has a Devonshire link.
23:22These carvings here, the circular carvings, and these, this little sort of arched rail,
23:28are really typical of carvings that I see on Devon coffers. It's beautiful. I love it.
23:34While Lydia and Reuben examine the cupboard, later rival Dan is getting the guided tour with owner Sue.
23:40Excuse if I'm being a little bit nosy around as I go. When we go to our private house,
23:44we have to sort of take a really strategic stand, and we tend to start at the top and work
23:49our way
23:49through each room, one by one. What we try and have is a bit of a respectful rummage, really,
23:53and quite often some of the best items are just not in plain sight. Well, what will Dan find in
23:58Sue's attic?
24:00What is it? It's an old chainmail face mask. It's got metal eyelets on it.
24:06So what might that have been from? I suspect that is a World War I
24:12tank gunner's face mask. What? Gunner's masks, also known as splatter masks,
24:18were worn by tank crews in the First World War to protect their face and eyes from spalling,
24:22the hot metal thrown off inside a tank when its armour was hit.
24:27Made with chainmail and narrow eye slits, they offered a practical defence, less about comfort,
24:32more about survival.
24:47A hearty sail around the Cornish cliffs lies Plymouth, Britain's Ocean City. Once home to Captain Cook's
24:54adventures, now home to Parade Antiques, where dealer John's busy charting his own trip into the past.
25:02Oh, here we are.
25:04After 30 years of trading by the historic harbour, his stock is so weird and wonderful,
25:09he calls it a Curio's Museum.
25:12Maybe I'll find something I like in here.
25:14And really, where better for Brian and Janet to try their luck selling a few heirlooms?
25:19Oh, look, there's a Beryl Cook. And we're in Plymouth, where Beryl Cook came from.
25:25Yeah, where else to buy one? Unless, of course, they get distracted.
25:30In 1968, former model, showgirl and pub landlady Beryl Cook took on a guest house on Plymouth
25:37Ho. She'd spend the winter months painting, filling every wall with her bold and colourful, curvy characters.
25:43They'd go on to grace the walls of galleries worldwide, feature on a first-class stamp,
25:48and secure her an OBE. These signed prints will set you back £500 each.
25:55OK. We might be able to do a deal.
25:58Well, in order to do a deal, you need bargaining chips. So first on the table,
26:02for John's expert evaluation, is a retro coffee set.
26:06Brian's grandfather worked at Wedgwood, and when he retired, he was given two beautiful pink vases.
26:14Grandma didn't really like the vases, so she gave them back to Wedgwood in exchange for a coffee service,
26:22which I think was a pretty bad deal, because apparently the two pink vases are sitting in the museum.
26:29I'm not convinced she made the right choice, but let's see how the coffee set fares.
26:33What, 1960s, 70s?
26:36Yeah.
26:36It's very nice, it's elegant.
26:38Mm.
26:38It's commercial, so I would have said it's anything between £60 and £120.
26:45OK.
26:45So there's a set of how many cups of saucers?
26:49Five.
26:50Five.
26:50Ah, pretty.
26:51You think it should be six, do you?
26:53It should always be six, yeah.
26:55So, yeah, you've...
26:57Lost one.
26:58You've devalued it, I'm afraid.
26:59Oh.
27:00But I do like it.
27:01Just not enough to pay top whack. It's a £60 offer for the set.
27:06Chin up, gang. Grandpa was given something that Grandma didn't trade in when he retired from Wedgwood.
27:11We think it's just a print for a Wedgwood plate.
27:15That's really nice.
27:18That's really nice, I do like that.
27:20Bit different, isn't it?
27:21Mm, it's a printing plate.
27:22Yeah, yeah.
27:23It's the mirror image of the image you'd find on the plate.
27:29I would like to buy that.
27:30Great, that's good.
27:32Would £60 be acceptable for that?
27:33I think it'd be very acceptable.
27:35Yeah, very acceptable.
27:35Yeah.
27:36So that's two potential sales to get Brian and Janet off the starting blocks.
27:43201 nautical miles from Plymouth lies Swansea.
27:48Just checking it works.
27:50Where Dan's politely poking his way around Sue and Reg's home,
27:54guided by the lady of the house for anything he can whisk off to auction.
28:00One piece I'd like to show you is the court cupboard.
28:07Didn't Lydia have her eye on that?
28:09I smell competition.
28:11What a fabulous thing.
28:12It smells 17th century.
28:13It does, doesn't it?
28:16So that's what it is.
28:17I've got to ask, what's this one under here?
28:19Do you mind if I...?
28:20No, please, bring it out.
28:23That's actually not something that we thought about, but, erm...
28:27Well, it's more than just a doorstep, isn't it?
28:28Shall we...?
28:29Is there someone we can take us and have a look?
28:30Yeah, sure.
28:31Of course.
28:34Dan's antennae are twitching.
28:35That book's clearly not your run-of-the-mill bedside read.
28:39I do love the 19th century offset lithography.
28:41Isn't it lovely?
28:42It's quite graphic in some places, though, so it's quite hideous.
28:46I feel sorry for the guy that had to make the lithography plates for this.
28:50No, it's a fabulous thing.
28:51So, well, we'll do a little bit of research, see what we can...
28:54OK, well, that's interesting.
28:55..see what we can find out for you.
28:58Dan's heading off to work out what the cupboard, the book and the tank mask
29:01are actually worth in today's market.
29:03If Sue and Reg like his auction pitch,
29:05they'll be hearing his gavel in a few weeks' time.
29:09You turn up, not knowing what to expect,
29:11and you find things that people don't realise they've had sat there for years and years,
29:15and to try and extract some value out of that for people as well,
29:18it's really exciting. It makes us treasure hunters.
29:22But with Dan gone, the medical book sits forgotten,
29:26a gem of a find just begging to be snapped up by a savvy dealer.
29:30Let's have a look at this.
29:33So this is a surgical anatomy book. Oh, wow.
29:37But it's a really early one. Look at the condition of it.
29:41Ah, look at that.
29:43How early is it?
29:4518... 56.
29:47Yeah.
29:47Well, that is stunning. I'm definitely interested in this book.
29:52It's also beautifully bound.
29:54Beautiful.
29:56Good find.
29:59At Parade Antiques in Plymouth, Brian and Janet have piqued dealer John's interest.
30:04He's already offered £120 for their Wedgwood coffee set and a printing plate.
30:09They've got one more item to show him.
30:12This is an interesting beast. This is a magic lantern.
30:16Oh, right.
30:16OK.
30:16And this was my dad's pride and joy.
30:18And once you've seen it, you'll understand why, I think.
30:22Clips.
30:23Yep. There we go.
30:24Oh, that's nice.
30:25Dad would take it out and do demonstrations and he would dress up in the part and he would
30:31pretend he was a Victorian magic lantern presenter.
30:35The magic lantern was the grandfather of modern cinema
30:38and Janet's keen to prove it can still put on quite the show.
30:43There we go. That's a pretty sharp image. Yeah. OK.
30:47And then I can sort of show you a few more images. This is one of the coal mining ones.
30:52Well, I'm glad I've seen it like this. Ah, look at that.
30:57I like it. So this is the industrial series.
31:01This isn't the Nice Lake District.
31:03I think it's a building of the underground.
31:06OK. There we go.
31:07I don't have the Happen cape, unfortunately. No, I think that got lost when we moved house.
31:13I like it. And sometimes you buy things because you fall in love with it,
31:18not necessarily because you think commercially about it.
31:21I'd take it home, I think.
31:23I take that as a badge of honour.
31:26I'm letting my heart rule here, so I would be interested in buying it.
31:30Or even put it towards a painting? Yeah.
31:33Put a value on towards a beryl cook?
31:36I would be more than happy to do it that way.
31:39Yeah. Yeah. So if we say 350 as a part exchange.
31:43OK. Yeah.
31:44Result. John has offered £60 each for the Wedgwood coffee set and printing plate.
31:50Brings their total to £470.
31:53Pleasure. Nice to do business.
31:54And John is happy to offer the beryl cook print at a discount to make the transaction a straight swap.
32:01So, no money changing hands today, just antiques.
32:04I'm really pleased about the Magic Lantern. We always said we wanted it going to a good home.
32:09I'm someone who wanted to love it and I think John appreciated the value of it.
32:14It's not all about the money when it comes to Riviera deals.
32:17Janet and Brian are leaving with a head full of antiquing knowledge and a new family heirloom to treasure.
32:28Three hours away and a cheerful hop over the River Severn,
32:31Downsizers Sue and Reg are finally winding down after a full day of dealer wrangling.
32:37Lydia and Ruben have eyed up everything that isn't nailed down
32:40and are ready to put cash on the table for Riviera-worthy antiques.
32:46So, I can start, if you like, um, up in the loft.
32:51Right.
32:52I had a really good rummage around the loft.
32:53OK.
32:54Um, and I found a gong. It needs a bit of sorting out.
32:57The gong needs putting back on.
32:59Yes.
32:59I love it.
33:01And in that condition, it's worth about £60 to me.
33:04OK.
33:05So I'd be happy to buy it for that.
33:06Lydia also offers £50 for the Ceramic Greyhound Quill Holders,
33:10and £30 for the pink, lost-to-wear jug.
33:14And finally, court cupboard over here.
33:18I think it's a lovely piece, and I'd be offering you £350.
33:21OK.
33:21So that's my best lot of things.
33:23That's some of the pieces.
33:25With Lydia shopping this out of the way,
33:27it's time for Ruben to make his play.
33:29And he's got an art dealer's trick up his sleeve for the Edward Lear painting.
33:34So selling on commission is as old as the hills.
33:37It's a thing that's done in the art world, and it's particularly things done with more expensive pieces.
33:44Deferring the payment in this way means Ruben can offer a much higher potential sale price for Sue and Reg.
33:50So what valuation would you put on that one?
33:53So I would, um, it needs to be restored.
33:56Yeah.
33:56And it's then that we can make a real decision on the price.
34:01I would say £8,000 is possible.
34:04Right.
34:04But not in the state it's in.
34:07No.
34:07Currently.
34:09Restoration of the frame will cost around £300.
34:12If Ruben then sells it for £8,000 and pockets 20%, Sue and Reg still clear just over £6,000.
34:19Because I've had, I've had it looked at as given an estimation between six and eight.
34:23Yes.
34:23So I'm not so sure I'd be happy, you know, to, to let it go for less than that because,
34:29um,
34:31I would like to think I could achieve that.
34:33And it's not a big piece that I can't move with me.
34:36That feels like a polite way to say no.
34:39Lydia, help an old mate out.
34:41Is there anything else you, um, spotted?
34:43Um, there was a book actually.
34:45There was the anatomy book.
34:47If you don't want it, Ruben, I would certainly buy it if you didn't.
34:51Turns out there's a surprisingly fine line between helping a friend
34:55and claiming it for yourself.
34:57I would like to sell it for you, um, preferably on commission again,
35:05um, and try and get around £600 or I'd offer £200.
35:14So there you go.
35:15I've put my money, real money.
35:18Put your money where your mouth is.
35:19Yeah.
35:20There we go.
35:21And what say you, Lydia?
35:23Um, but I might put slightly more money on the table now.
35:26Right.
35:26To take it away.
35:27I'd probably be offering you 300 for it today.
35:31I think they've all forgotten about Dan.
35:34Is he about to miss out on one of the great house discoveries?
35:46The English Riviera is Britain's number one spot to buy and sell antiques.
35:50And to keep its crown, the dealers and auctioneers travel far and wide to source the rarest treasures.
35:59Across the border in Wales, Riviera dealers Lydia and Ruben and auctioneer Dan have been searching for new stock.
36:06Ah, that's fantastic.
36:09Dan's heading home to consider his options, but Lydia and Ruben have put bids in on their favourites
36:15and are now waiting to find out whether Sue and Reg will accept their offers.
36:19So what we'd like to go ahead and sell to you, Lydia, would be, um, the gong.
36:25Great.
36:26Um, the greyhounds we're happy, um, uh, to go.
36:30And also the, the luster jug. We're happy for that to go.
36:35It's a great start, but the profit on these items will just about cover petrol costs.
36:40What Lydia's really after is the 17th century cupboard.
36:44Will her £350 offer secure her a deal?
36:49Now, the cork cupboard, um, I was hoping for a little bit more than what you offered.
36:56So, um, I think I may try my chances at, um, taking it to auction.
37:03Mm-hm.
37:03Did you have a price in mind?
37:06I didn't really have a, have a figure in mind.
37:09Just that I think I would like to try it at auction.
37:13It's fair enough.
37:14You never know with auction, you take your chances there.
37:17Um, I think I offered a, a good fair price for it, but we'll, we'll see how it goes.
37:24Perhaps you'll have better luck with the next item, but you're up against Ruben's offer for this one.
37:29Um, the anatomy book.
37:32So, who has won the anatomy book?
37:35That's what I don't know.
37:36I don't need the cash immediately.
37:38I would go on the route of letting Ruben take that away to market at, uh, an attempt to, to
37:46sell at 600, or if he'd shot, looked around and it may be worth more.
37:51But anyway, I, I would, I would go that route.
37:53Yeah.
37:54Poor Lydia.
37:55But it's good news for Ruben.
37:56He'll take the book home without spending a penny, with his cut coming from the final sale.
38:02There's only one item left.
38:04Has our art dealer done enough to persuade Sue to part with her painting?
38:09Um, as for the Edward Lear, I feel a little, maybe uncomfortable of letting that go today on the valuation,
38:18but I would like to maybe give it a little bit more thought.
38:21I think that's a great idea.
38:23I would like to discuss it with you when I've just had a little bit more time to process it.
38:29So, no painting for Ruben today, but without putting his hand in his pocket, he's heading home with the anatomy
38:34book to sell on commission.
38:38And Lydia bought a stool and an oak settle as she left, spending a total of 470 pounds.
38:44No big items to fill the back of the van, but enough to make the journey worthwhile.
38:49All in all, it's been great.
38:50I've come away with some good pieces, so's Ruben.
38:53I'm really pleased. They're good items, all very saleable.
38:57They'll all sell really quickly.
39:10A few days later, Lydia's Welsh investment pieces are priced up and ready to sell in her Riviera shop.
39:17Hiya. You all right?
39:18Yeah, good, good.
39:20And fellow dealer John can't resist a sneak peek.
39:22Come and have a look.
39:23Okay.
39:24See what you think.
39:25So, I picked these up.
39:27Well, they're nice.
39:28You've had those before.
39:29You know all about those.
39:30Yeah.
39:30They're in really nice condition.
39:32And let me, I'll guess what you paid for those.
39:34You paid...
39:35Go on.
39:37£60, the pair.
39:38I got them for £50.
39:40Ooh.
39:42Very good.
39:42That's all right.
39:42There's money in that, isn't there?
39:43Yeah, yeah, yeah.
39:44They're nice.
39:45They're nice.
39:46They won't last long.
39:47There's also, you know, I love a gong.
39:50Oh, dear.
39:50Not another gong.
39:52Do the honours.
39:53Oh, dear.
39:53It's a good one.
39:58It's a good one.
40:00I told you it was.
40:01It may be all about the gong with Lydia.
40:06But 15 miles away in Paynton, it's hammer time.
40:11After Dan's visit, he dug a little deeper into Sue and Reg's treasures,
40:15and let's just say optimism was a touch misplaced.
40:18I had a bit more of a discussion about their big, beautiful court cupboard.
40:22And to be honest, we've been following them in the market at the minute,
40:25and they're really, really tough to shift.
40:27We weren't going to get them a truly good price for it by offering it here at auction.
40:31So we advised them we think it's probably not the best time to sell it.
40:35But Dan returned for another respectful rummage around their house and discovered
40:40a number of extra items they'll put in the auction today.
40:44A Chinese dish, some spooky Nora Welling dolls that were destined for the bin,
40:50French binoculars, two spelt of figures of musketeers, and a bag of coins Dan found in the loft.
40:56I really think the sort of star of their show at the minute is their World War I tank splatter
41:01mask.
41:01They don't come up very often at all.
41:03For every 300 we see, 299 are reproduced.
41:07This one's complete as it should be, it's got the original eye guards,
41:11it's got the original chamois leather inside it, and it's picked up a huge amount of interest.
41:15To experience the buzz for herself, Sue's made her way from Swansea to watch the auction live,
41:21with husband Reg logging in online.
41:24A few final checks. Everyone happy?
41:29First up, it's the two spelt of musketeers.
41:32I've got 8, 12, 14, 16, 18, looking for 20 please.
41:3620, 20 I have, thank you, 20, looking for 22.
41:39At 20 pounds, fair warning, hands up, at 20 pounds on the musketeers.
41:43Thank you both so much.
41:45It's a solid start. The French binoculars fetch 22 pounds,
41:50and the bag of swag is worth a cool 50 quid.
41:55The dolls destined for the bin.
41:58You don't want them back, do you see?
41:59Definitely not.
42:0015 pounds, they're all yours online.
42:03Go to an online bidder.
42:05So far, every item Sue and Reg have put up for auction has sold.
42:09It's another one that's had a lot of interest.
42:11A nice looking Chinese blue and white porcelain lotus dish.
42:15I have 200, 220, 220, looking for 240 please.
42:19Not bad for a dish that's been on a wall for many years, 220 pounds.
42:23You'll be pleased with that, it's a good looking thing.
42:25Nice.
42:26The gavel gods are on their side today.
42:29It's all been leading up to this final lot.
42:31Will their favour hold out?
42:34I have had more inquiries than I care to shake a stick out on this.
42:37It's a World War One tank crew splatter mask with the chainmail guard.
42:43The First World War tank gunner's mask has already had a flurry of pre-auction bids,
42:48so Dan's going in high.
42:49I have 600 straight away online.
42:53Everything's intact as it should be.
42:55I give you a warm chance online to come in at 600.
42:57And 20 pounds, 600.
43:00Did all the bidding already.
43:03Incredible.
43:04A maiden bid of 600 pounds takes it.
43:08Reg was really happy about the mask going, because that was something that, you know,
43:12we didn't even know was in the loft.
43:14Yeah, and the plate was a really nice surprise.
43:16The person who bought it apparently is in China, and it's being shipped back out to China,
43:21but, you know, to where it came from, so it's like going back home.
43:24So that's really special.
43:26After fees, Sue and Reg's auction earnings are just shy of 867 pounds,
43:32which takes their grand total to just over 1,300.
43:36And there's the 600-pound book Ruben's gearing up to sell in his gallery.
43:40Not a bad legacy for a dusty loft.
43:47Up and down the Riviera, every minute of every working day, bargains are being struck.
43:53650. What did you say you could possibly do on that?
43:57I could do you a bit discount. I can do you for 575.
44:00Are you sure? That's really kind, thank you. Sorry, a bit cheeky asking.
44:03But our dealers are always ready to welcome another to do business with.
44:08Hello. Hello, hi.
44:09Hi, Holly.
44:10You all right?
44:11Yeah.
44:11Thanks for coming by.
44:13Oh, no, you're welcome. This is beautiful.
44:14Oh, thank you. That's really kind.
44:16Holly steered a thriving interiors shop in Totnes for eight years.
44:20She's now expanding her empire, bringing antiques, cushions...
44:24OK, well, I think we're ready.
44:26..and a breeze of easy charm to nearby Newton Abbott.
44:32Oh, yay!
44:34And today, she's welcoming the rest of the Riviera to the shop's grand opening.
44:39Good afternoon, one and all.
44:41We wish Holly and her team a long and happy residence in Newton Abbott.
44:47CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
44:48God save the King!
44:56Hello, how are you?
44:57I'm all right. Thank you for coming out.
45:00The Riviera dealers are out in force, doing what they do best.
45:05Yeah, I think a lot of this game is helping people out and doing things for each other.
45:09I think, I make a joke, we all pay each other's bills in this game.
45:12I think there's a lot of, sort of, the trade working together.
45:20And while Holly sets off on this latest adventure,
45:23the quest for treasure continues in antique shops and auction houses throughout the Riviera.
45:28I get to enjoy a thousand treasures for a very short amount of time,
45:32and then pass them on, and then get a thousand new shiny things,
45:35which suits me down to the ground.
45:37With the season drawing to a close, our summer holiday may be over,
45:41but the dealers' and auctioneers' doors are always open.
45:46Welcoming thrill-seekers in search of antique gems.
45:50It's really a piece of its time.
45:53Selling heirlooms to be loved again by a new generation.
45:56It looks beautiful, actually. It looks just like the sort of thing I'm looking for.
45:59Oh, good.
46:00And finding joy in the forgotten and discarded.
46:04How much is this?
46:05Very primitive. £100 is the best.
46:07£100 I sold.
46:08Celebrating their fortunes in true Riviera style,
46:11until we return again.
46:14What shall we do with a broken sailor
46:17And in the morning?
46:20Hh-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h-h!
46:43The third floor is the sun,
46:43The third floor is the best.
46:43How much is this?
46:45Pemida's in the morning.
46:45How much is this?
46:46What shall we do with a country?
46:46How much is this?
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