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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.
00:23Who 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?
00:56Others for the money.
00:58If we were in the region of say five to six thousand.
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.
02:40Yeah, 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, you know.
03:18Well, hopefully this early start will be worth it.
03:20Get some coffee in you and it's a long way to Swansea.
03:31The Riviera is far more used to people arriving than leaving,
03:34drawn by the sea air and a steady pull of the antiques trade.
03:41In Exeter, a 10-minute stroll from its Gothic cathedral,
03:45Burnshampton and Littlewood Auctions is welcoming back Ben.
03:49All right, in you go.
03:50And daughter Claire.
03:52Oh, OK.
03:52Oh, here we are again.
03:54Let's hope we're lucky.
03:56Ben's here to watch his collection of antique radios, gramophones
03:59and other audio equipment go under the gavel.
04:02He wants to fulfil a lifelong dream to fly in a Spitfire,
04:06but it's going to cost £3,000.
04:09When he last visited the Riviera,
04:12Ben danced his way to a deal with Lydia.
04:14I think you're probably better at dancing than I am, Ben.
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,
04:30Ben needs to raise another £2,000 to get airborne.
04:34And that's after auction fees.
04:37Ooh!
04:38There's our staff, Claire.
04:40And he's counting on auctioneer Brian to get him off the ground, literally.
04:45Morning.
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.
04:50So 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...
04:57Yeah.
04:57It's auction, it's the lap of the gods sometimes.
04:59What about the little gem?
05:01Well, they're fairly common, aren't they?
05:02Oh, they are.
05:03Producing 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.
05:10I'm sorry.
05:11Don't use it.
05:11No, I've got my list of Jags, so I'll have one on the last one.
05:14But 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.
05:27Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
05:29We've got a lovely collection of pieces today.
05:31Ben set 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.
05:48See, 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.
05:59It's coming well.
06:00110 now in a 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 Gramophone and the red Crackle Glaze case,
06:20the unusual on the red.
06:20This lot has a 200 pound reserve.
06:23Can Brian get it tuned in a little higher?
06:26And 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.
06:57At 120.
06:59Not so.
06:59Not quite, ladies and gentlemen.
07:01The 20th Century Echo Radio.
07:03Any interest online?
07:05At 40.
07:07Two Bakelite 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 Soundburger Stereo Disc Player all failed to meet Ben's optimistic reserves.
07:29Ben's dream of a Spitfire flight have all but gone down in flames.
07:33But there's one lot left.
07:34The Edison Type 1 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.
07:47At 100 pounds, it's here.
07:48They'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, you know.
08:28You 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.
08:57Chokes away.
08:58Safe travels, Ben.
09:0422 miles away.
09:06Oh, this is typical Devon.
09:09Small 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?
09:22That's the question.
09:23Well, that's a really good question.
09:25I don't know.
09:28Down here? Should we have a look around here?
09:30Yeah, yeah.
09:30Or is it, oh, hang on, hang on.
09:32Let'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.
10:11And we used to go visit this temple and there used to be a marketplace.
10:14And in that marketplace would be items, bowls, Ming vases, Chinese antiquities, cupboards.
10:22And we're looking at, at the moment, seeing if there's value in those.
10:25I'm absolutely clear in my mind the sentimental value is considerably more than, than, than small
10:31amounts or a few hundred pounds.
10:33I'm really hopeful that we might actually, um, understand, um, get a bit more information
10:40about our antiques, some value.
10:42In a nutshell, fantastic.
10:45Oh, look, that's nice furniture.
10:47It's not just a fact-finding mission.
10:49Janet in particular is keen to release the funds from some of her finds.
10:55I would like to use the money to buy another painting, but putting the money somewhere
10:59that we perhaps will enjoy it more than it is at the moment.
11:02That's, that's my plan anyway.
11:04Oh, that's got some nice stuff in there.
11:07I think they've all got some nice stuff in.
11:10Hello.
11:11Hello.
11:12Hi.
11:12I'm, uh, I'm Jordan, by the way.
11:13Oh, hi, I'm Janet.
11:14Jordan is one of Ashburton's youngest dealers, but his youthful charm hides a vast
11:19knowledge when it comes to ceramics, which is handy for Brian.
11:23We'll start with the Thai, maybe the Thai stuff stuff first.
11:26I'm wrapping.
11:27We moved to Thailand in the late 60s, and we used to visit Ayutthaya,
11:33which was the, the, used to be the capital of Thailand.
11:36Yeah.
11:37And there used to be markets selling all these types of items.
11:41Yeah, the markets in Thailand are insane.
11:43Yeah, they certainly were in the, in the seventies.
11:48Yeah.
11:48Now that, that's nice and old.
11:51This is, this is a domestic piece.
11:53Yeah.
11:53I was quite interested by the sand on the bottom.
11:55Yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's from the kiln.
11:57It's been fired.
11:58Yeah.
11:58Yeah.
11:59It's all from the kiln.
11:59So it's not posh finish.
12:01It's not posh finish.
12:01No, this would have been someone's kind of daily eater, you know, but you know,
12:05porcelain wasn't cheap, so it still would have been someone with a little bit of money.
12:09Brian's inherited more than a few ceramic pieces.
12:13Now it's a case of working out what they really are.
12:16Let's have a look.
12:18So if I just, you've got an old mark over the mark.
12:20Yes, that must have been a label from the market.
12:23It's interesting.
12:23So it's got an earlier mark for, for Chinese porcelain.
12:27Mm-hmm.
12:28But the decoration's not really there to be Chinese porcelain.
12:32I think it is.
12:33I just think it's a fake.
12:35Erm.
12:45From Victorian grandeur to Art Deco optimism,
12:49the English Riviera has long been a fashionable resort.
12:53These days, with its antiques trail in full swing,
12:56the appeal lies less in the view and more in the value.
13:00You could put it into auction, but it'll 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,
13:15where antique dealer Jordan is in full appraisal mode.
13:19I just think it's a fake.
13:20No, no, I think it is, like, Thai or something.
13:23He's examining some of Brian's old family crockery,
13:26uncovered while he and his wife Janet cleared out decades of parental possessions.
13:31It's, like, slightly weak, erm, 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,
13:45but Jordan's not convinced they are the Chinese porcelain they appear to be at first glance.
13:51Looking at the piece, it has a Ming Dynasty mark.
13:53But looking at the calligraphy, it's very kind of wishy-washy, and the glaze is wrong.
13:58The detail's 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 made.
14:34Right, okay.
14:35That kind of thing.
14:36Oh, interesting. Okay, so sort of more of a story on it.
14:39But 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.
14:49But yeah, quite nice. I would offer 180 on that plate.
14:54And then the bowl...
15:02It is quite nicely done.
15:04These 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,
15:34which 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.
15:42That's brilliant.
15:43Thanks for your time, Jordan.
15:44Much 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. I 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.
16:14But 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.
16:49Ready 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,
17:09and we desperately wanted to come back down to Mumbles to be around family,
17:15and 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, sort of,
17:36oh, 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.
17:59Now comes the moment of discovery.
18:01So, Lydia, would you like to come this way and we'll go up?
18:04OK. Brilliant. OK, should 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.
18:24And 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 also as an American pool
19:13table.
19:14But after a three-hour drive from Devon, he hasn't come to admire the furniture.
19:19I've noticed something that you've got here, which is very interesting.
19:25So, you know, my field is more the arts and so on. But this, I think, is an Edward Lear.
19:34Most famous for his poems like The Owl and the Pussycat and for coining the term nonsense poetry
19:39for his whimsical rhyme, Edward 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.
19:50We 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.
19:57By all means, have a good look. I'll go and get Sue now, and we'll come back and discuss with
20:02you.
20:02OK?
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 Reg's belongings.
20:28It definitely 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.
20:40Every 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.
20:56I like the signature. I think that's very sweet.
20:59Do you know anything about the history in terms of where it's from?
21:04Yes. 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
21:22the governor of India at the time, and he said he would have gone over to stay with his friend,
21:28and that is when he painted it.
21:31I really like it. It needs some restoration, as I said.
21:35Hi, Lydia. Hi.
21:37Hi, all right. How's it going?
21:39All right. Yeah, good, thanks. Interesting.
21:41Yeah. It's a good painting.
21:41It is. It's beautiful. It is lovely. It needs a little bit of attention to the frame,
21:48but he's hugely popular. You can't go wrong with him, you know. Appeals to all ages.
21:54And it's a name that everybody knows, isn't it?
21:56Yes. Devon.
21:57Paul. Oh, I think that might be Dan, the auctioneer.
21:59I'll just go and let him in. Excuse me.
22:02Dan?
22:05Hello, Sue. Hi, Dan. Hi.
22:07Daniel, come in. It'll be awesome. How are you doing, all right?
22:08Yeah, come in, please.
22:10Thank you so much. Yeah.
22:11You have a beautiful home.
22:15Reuben, Lydia, you all right? Hiya.
22:17Well, 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 two grand.
22:41With antiques flowing in and out as regularly as the tide, they rely on each other for trade
22:46and new stock. Round figure, isn't it? Yeah, why not?
22:49OK. Well done. Fantastic. Thank you very much.
22:52But 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.
23:00OK. And these would have actually been used to put your quills in.
23:04Really? 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.
23:14Have you seen the court covers? I just noticed. Wow.
23:17Yeah, see, this is the piece I really like. I think this has a Devonshire link. These carvings
23:23here, the circular carvings, and these, this little sort of arched rail, are really typical of carvings
23:30that 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 me 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. And
23:54quite
23:54often some of the best items are just not in plain sight. Well, what will Dan find in Sue's attic?
24:00What is it? It's an old chainmail face mask. It's got metal eyelets on it.
24:05Oh, so what might that have been from? I suspect that is a World War One
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. Made with chainmail and narrow
24:29eye slits, they offered a practical defence, less about comfort, more about survival.
24:35I mean, if this is original, it's going to be somewhere around £600 to £800.
24:39What? Something that I didn't even know was in the box.
24:48A 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. After 30 years of trading by the historic harbour,
25:07his stock is so weird and wonderful, he calls it a Curio's museum.
25:12Maybe I'll find something I like in here. And really, where better for Brian and Janet to try
25:17their luck selling a few heirlooms? Oh look, there's a Beryl Cook. And we're in Plymouth,
25:23where Beryl Cook came from. Yeah, where else to buy one? Unless, of course, they get distracted.
25:30In 1968, former model, showgirl and pub landlady, Beryl Cook,
25:34took on a guesthouse on Plymouth, Ho. She'd spend the winter months painting,
25:40filling every wall with her bold and colourful, curvy characters. They'd go on to grace the walls
25:45of galleries worldwide, feature on a first-class stamp and secure her an OBE.
25:51These signed prints will set you back £500 each.
25:55OK. We might be able to do a deal. Well, in order to do a deal, you need bargaining chips.
26:01So first on the table for John's expert evaluation is a retro coffee set.
26:05Brian's grandfather worked at Wedgwood. And when he retired, he was given two
26:12beautiful pink vases. Grandma didn't really like the vases. So she gave them back to Wedgwood
26:19in exchange for a coffee service, which I think was a pretty bad deal because
26:25apparently 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.
26:34What, 1960s, 70s? Very nice. It's elegant. It's commercial. So I would have said it's
26:42anything between £60 and £120. OK.
26:45So there's a set of... Well, five, actually. How many cups of saucers?
26:49Five. Five. Ah, pretty.
26:51You think it should be six, should you? It should always be six, yeah.
26:55Yeah. So yeah, you've... Lost one.
26:58You've devalued it, I'm afraid. But I don't 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. Hmm. That's really nice. I do like that.
27:20Bit different, isn't it? Hmm. It's a printing plate. Yeah. Yeah.
27:23It's a mirror image of the image you'd find on the plate.
27:29I would like to buy that. Great. That's good.
27:32Would £60 be acceptable for that? I think it'd be very acceptable.
27:35Yeah. Very acceptable. Yeah.
27:36So that's two potential sales to get Brian and Janet off the starting blocks.
27:44201 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, guided by the lady of the house
27:56for 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? I smell competition.
28:11I think so. What a fabulous thing. It smells 17th century.
28:13It does, doesn't it?
28:16So that's what it is.
28:18I've got to ask, what's this one under here?
28:19Well... Do you mind if I...? No, please, bring it out.
28:23That's actually not something that we thought about, but...
28:27Well, it's more than just a doorstep, isn't it?
28:28Shall we...? Is there someone we can take us and have a look?
28:30Yeah, sure. Of 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? It's quite graphic in some places.
28:45It's quite hideous. I feel sorry for the guy that had to make the lithography plates for this.
28:50No, it's a fabulous thing. We'll do a little bit of research, 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 are actually worth in
29:02today's market. If Sue and Reg like his auction pitch, they'll be hearing his gavel in a few weeks' time.
29:09You turn up, not knowing what to expect, and you find things that people don't realise
29:13they've had sat there for years and years, and to try and extract some value out of that for people
29:17as well is really exciting. It makes us treasure hunters.
29:22But with Dan gone, the medical book sits forgotten, a gem of a find just begging to be snapped up
29:28by a savvy dealer.
29:30Let's have a look at this. So this is a surgical anatomy book.
29:36Oh, wow. But it's a really early one. Look at the condition of it.
29:41Oh, look at that.
29:42How early is it?
29:4518... 56?
29:47Yeah. Well, that is stunning. I'm definitely interested in this book. It's also beautifully bound.
29:54Beautiful. Good find.
29:58At Parade Antiques in Plymouth, Brian and Janet have piqued dealer John's interest. He's already
30:05offered £120 for their Wedgwood coffee set and a printing plate. They've got one more item to show him.
30:12This is an interesting beast. This is a magic lantern.
30:16Oh, right, OK.
30:16And this was my dad's pride and joy. And 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 pretend
30:31he
30:31was a Victorian magic lantern presenter.
30:35The magic lantern was the grandfather of modern cinema, and Janet's keen to prove it can still put
30:41on quite the show. There we go. That's a pretty sharp image. Yeah. OK. And then I can sort of
30:48show
30:48you a few more images. This is one of the coal mining ones. Well, I'm glad I've seen it like
30:54this.
30:55Ah, look at that. I like it. So this is the industrial series.
31:01Yeah. This isn't the nice lake district. I think it's a building of the underground. OK. 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, not necessarily because
31:19you think commercially about it. I'd take it home, I think. I'd take it home.
31:24I'd take that as a badge of honour. I'm letting my heart rule here, so I would be interested in
31:30buying
31:30it. Or even put it towards a painting? Yeah. Put a value on towards a barrel cook?
31:36I would be more than happy to do it that way. Yeah.
31:39So if we say £3.50 as a part exchange. OK.
31:43Yep. Result. John has offered £60 each for the Wedgwood coffee set and printing plates.
31:50Brings their total to £470. Pleasure. Nice to do business.
31:55And John is happy to offer the barrel cook printed a discount to make the transaction a straight swap.
32:01So no money changing hands today, just antiques. I'm really pleased about the Magic Lantern. We
32:06always said we wanted it going to a good home and someone who wanted to love it. And I think
32:11John
32:11appreciated the value of it. It's not all about the money when it comes to Riviera deals. Janet and
32:18Brian 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, Downsizers Sue and Reg are finally
32:33winding down after a full day of dealer wrangling. Lydia and Ruben have eyed up everything that isn't
32:39nailed down and are ready to put cash on the table for Riviera-worthy antiques.
32:46So I can start, if you like, up in the loft. Right. I had a really good rummage around the
32:53loft.
32:53OK. And I found a gong. It needs a bit of sorting out. The gong needs putting back on.
32:59Yes. I love it.
33:01And in that condition, it's worth about £60 to me. OK.
33:05So I'd be happy to buy it for that.
33:06Lydia also offers £50 for the ceramic Greyhound quill holders and £30 for the pink Lust-To-Wear jug.
33:14And finally, the court cupboard over here. I think it's a lovely piece and I'd be offering
33:19you £350. OK. So that's what I found a lot of things.
33:25With Lydia shopping this out of the way, it's time for Ruben to make his plate.
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. It's a thing that's done in the art world and
33:40it's particularly things that are 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.
33:49Reg. So what valuation would you put on that one?
33:53I would, um, it needs to be restored.
33:56Yeah. And it's then that we can make a real decision on the price.
34:01I would say £8,000 is possible. Right.
34:04But not in the state it's in. No. Currently.
34:09Restoration of the frame will cost around £300. If Ruben then sells it for £8,000 and pockets 20%,
34:15Sue 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. So I'm not so sure I'd be happy, you know, to, to let it go for less than that
34:29because,
34:30um, I would like to think I could achieve that. And it's not a big piece that I can't move
34:35with me.
34:36That feels like a polite way to say no. Lydia, help an old mate out.
34:41Is there anything else you, um, spotted?
34:43Um, there was a book actually. There 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 and claiming it for yourself.
34:57I would
34:59like to sell it for you, um, preferably on commission again, um, and try and get around
35:10£600. Or I'd offer £200. So there you go. I've put my money, real money.
35:18Put your money where your mouth is. Yeah.
35:20There we go. And what say you, Lydia?
35:23But I might put slightly more money on the table now. Right.
35:26To take it away. I'd probably be offering you £300 for it today.
35:31I think they've all forgotten about Dan. Is 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, and sell to you, Lydia, would be, um, the gong.
36:25Great.
36:26Um, the greyhounds we're happy, um, to go. Great.
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?
37:05I didn't really have a, have a figure in mind. Just that I think I would like to try it
37:12at auction.
37:13It's fair enough. You never know with auction. You take your chances there.
37:18Um, 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.
37:27But you're up against Ruben's offer for this one.
37:30The anatomy book.
37:32So, who has won the anatomy book?
37:36You don't need the cash immediately. I would go on the route of letting Ruben take that away.
37:40Ah, there you go.
37:42Uh, at an attempt to, to sell it at 600, or if he'd shot, looked around and it may be
37:50worth more.
37:51But anyway, I, I would, I would go that route.
37:53Yeah.
37:54Poor Lydia. But 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
38:16on the valuation, but 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,
38:33he's heading home with the anatomy book 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.
38:52So's Ruben.
38:53I'm really pleased.
38:54They'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.
39:23Come and have a look.
39:23OK.
39:24See what you think.
39:25So, I picked these up as a pair of these.
39:27Well, they're nice, you've had those before, you know all about those.
39:29Yeah.
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.
39:39I got them for £50.
39:41Oh, very 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.
39:45They won't last long.
39:47There's also, you know, I love a gong.
39:50Oh dear, not 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 and they're really,
40:26really 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
40:39and discovered a 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,
40:49French 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. For 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.
41:16To experience the buzz for herself, Suze 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 is the two spelt of musketeers.
41:32I've got 8, 12, 14, 16, 18, looking for 20 please. 20, 20 I have, thank you. 20, looking for
41:3722.
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. You 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. So far, every item Su and Reg have put up for auction has sold.
42:10It's another one that's had a lot of interest. A nice looking Chinese blue and white porcelain
42:14lotus dish. I have 200, 220, 220, looking for 240 please. Not bad for a dish that's been on a
42:21wall for
42:21many years. 220 pounds. You'll be pleased with that. It's a good looking thing. Nice.
42:26The gavel gods are on their side today. It's all been leading up to this final lot. Will their favour
42:32hold out? I have had more inquiries than I care to shake a stick out on this. It's a World
42:38War One
42:38tank crew splatter mask with the chainmail guard. The First World War tank gunner's mask has already
42:46had a flurry of pre-auction bids, so Dan's going in high. I have 600 straight away online. Everything's
42:53intact as it should be. I give you a warm chance online to come in at 600. And 20 pounds,
42:59600.
43:00Did all the bidding already.
43:03Incredible. A maiden bid of 600 pounds takes it.
43:07Reg was really happy about the mask going, because that was something that, you know,
43:12we didn't even know was in the loft. Yeah, and the plate was a really nice surprise. The person
43:16who bought it apparently is in China, and it's being shipped back out to China, but, you know,
43:21to where it came from, so it's like going back home. So that's really special.
43:26After fees, Sue and Reg's auction earnings are just shy of 867 pounds, which takes their grand total to
43:33just over 1,300. And 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. Hi, Holly. You all right? Yeah.
44:11Thanks for coming by. Oh, no, you're welcome. This is beautiful.
44:15Oh, thank you. That's really kind. Holly steered a thriving interiors
44:18shop in Totnes for eight years. She's now expanding her empire, bringing antiques, cushions...
44:24OK, well, I think we're ready. ..and a breeze of easy charm to nearby Newton Abbott.
44:34And today she's welcoming the rest of the Riviera to the shop's grand opening.
44:39Good afternoon, one and all. We wish Holly and her team a long and happy residence in Newton Abbott.
44:49God save the King!
44:56Hello, how are you? You all right? Thank you for coming out.
44:58Thank you for coming out.
45:00Thank you for coming out.
45:00The Riviera dealers are out in force, doing what they do best.
45:05I 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.
45:29I 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 is sold.
46:08Celebrating their fortunes in true Riviera style, until we return again.
46:14What shall we do with a drunken sailor
46:17where I lie in the morning?
46:35Chris and papa said,
46:36The weather are always at home and that Salut всё is on your way.
46:38I'm afraid of everything when you see a gig
46:44The first thing we see during the Movies will be.
46:44we'll take...
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