Country House Auction S01E04 (2024)
Transcript
00:00Deep in the heart of Ireland, surrounded by rich and rolling countryside, lies the idyllic
00:09village of Durrow.
00:15It's here Tessa and Robin own the 300-year-old Castle Durrow.
00:24Building a stately pile with 48 bedrooms and 50 acres of land is no mean feat.
00:34To own its keep, the castle hosts all kinds of occasions, including one of Ireland's finest
00:41antique auctions, the Country House Auction.
00:54Incredible treasures are curated by world-renowned auctioneers.
00:58This is made of meteorite.
01:00Wow, I was not expecting that.
01:03Stories are unearthed.
01:05Jonathan Swift maybe learned how to play cards in this very room we're in.
01:09Rare finds are revealed.
01:14Valuations are made.
01:16I'd say between 30 and 35,000.
01:18400, 20, 440, 460.
01:20And nail-biting bidding unfolds.
01:2330,000 a bit.
01:24About 60,000.
01:25And 100,000.
01:26Got it.
01:27So delighted with myself.
01:28Magic.
01:29Welcome to the Country House Auction.
01:30Today, it's a job to keep everything under control for Tessa and Robin.
01:45Two or three sheep escaped into the local school, so we need to go and get those.
01:51An ancient amulet surprises even the experts.
01:55It's much bigger than I thought it was going to be.
01:57And trainee auctioneer James gets up close with some very expensive watches.
02:02This watch alone is worth close to 200,000.
02:06What?
02:07When the place you work is an 18th century castle, there's a never-ending list of things
02:15to do.
02:16And that couldn't be more true for Tessa and her husband Robin.
02:21What time are we expecting guests to arrive?
02:23Well, anything from 12 onwards.
02:2612?
02:27Both of us are the face of the place.
02:28Like, we're doing everything as a couple.
02:30Don't forget the real boss of the castle, Robin.
02:33Come on, Georgie.
02:34Well, he's the face of the place, too.
02:36Excuse me.
02:37He's our little mascot.
02:38As well as the castle, the 50-acre grounds have been lovingly restored.
02:51Plants, crops and flowers are grown to provide for the family and its guests.
02:57We like to bring as much from outside inside.
03:00I see you've made a few nice bouquets for the function room.
03:03Would you be able to make one for the middle dining room?
03:08All of the flowers that are arrangements that are in the hotel are from the garden.
03:12It's seasonal.
03:13It's what Castledurh has provided and it's nice.
03:19So what flowers were you thinking?
03:20Well, I was thinking of the periscaria and some of the aster.
03:24And we can take some of the ornamental grasses as well.
03:28Beautiful.
03:29Plus some of the rubeccia.
03:31Lovely.
03:32Part of the country life is just bringing that back again.
03:36Not everything is a bed of roses, though.
03:39This stately home always has a lot on its plate.
03:44We have a 70th birthday party and a wedding anniversary in one.
03:51So it's a double whammy.
03:53We're probably about 20 minutes until arrival and we've got to beat the restaurant that's
03:58running in parallel because this will put a little bit of a strain on the kitchen.
04:02There are kind of 40 orders coming in at once.
04:05So it's going to be all hands on deck.
04:08I love seeing people enjoying themselves and you come here to celebrate.
04:14Marriage anniversary and then a 40th birthday party.
04:17So if anyone needs some marriage tips, they could maybe reach out to them.
04:22No tips needed for these lovebirds.
04:25They set out on their path together a long time ago.
04:28We knew of each other in school.
04:30We wouldn't have had anything in common.
04:33We actually got talking.
04:34End of July 2020, and then got engaged three months later.
04:41Now we'll go out to VIPs to begin with.
04:45It just felt natural.
04:46There's no real other way of explaining it.
04:48No, couldn't get rid of you.
04:50So I thought the same could be said.
04:54For this little family, it's full steam ahead for their latest endeavour,
04:58the Country House auction.
05:04Running the show on the day will be world-renowned auctioneers
05:07that just happened to be a stone's throw away in the village.
05:11Should have the bigger pieces against the wall,
05:13the centre piece is structured down the middle.
05:16We're going to have the bigger pieces against the wall,
05:19Cousins Michael and Philip have been auctioneers
05:22in the family business for 50 years.
05:25No day is the same, no auction is the same,
05:28no objects that we handle are the same.
05:31A new consignment has just arrived
05:33that's the stuff of auctioneers' dreams.
05:36There's a lovely narrative happening here.
05:39When you make a great discovery,
05:41it's like being on a high from adrenaline.
05:45Two years of work to create one of those.
05:48Isn't that incredible?
05:50It is a beautiful piece, yeah.
05:52It's like an onion, you peel all these little layers back
05:55and you get more information, more information, more information.
05:58The officers would have literally handled this in their hand
06:01and I'm sure there was a lot of punch, drank.
06:04To be able to be a part of the story of these,
06:07giving them new homes and new lives, is exciting.
06:10It's a bit of a challenge.
06:12One piece that's causing a pre-auction stir
06:15is one of the oldest treasures in the auction.
06:18This is incredibly exciting, isn't it?
06:24I'm looking for the Holy Grail, two Egyptian pieces,
06:271,000 years BC or older.
06:30For me, that's the excitement of these pieces.
06:33Not for their value, I think,
06:36but for the value of the piece.
06:39I love having incredibly old pieces in the sale.
06:42Look at the colours, the colours are fantastic.
06:45Are you happy with them, James? Yeah.
06:48So what's on it? It looks like two figures
06:51and then you've got this, presumably it's a wolf on the back of it.
06:54They're lovely.
06:57To me, this is a piece of art with attitude.
07:00We're going to get an Egyptologist to have a look at them
07:03and verify exactly what they are.
07:06This is a very specialist area.
07:09To find out more about this ancient piece of ceramic,
07:12Michael's son and trainee auctioneer, James,
07:15heads off to Dublin to meet Egyptologist Dr Chris Naunton.
07:26Can I handle it? Yep. Is that OK?
07:31It's much bigger than I thought it was going to be.
07:34I was expecting it would be about this big.
07:37So this is like four times the size I thought it was going to be
07:40and it's quite heavy, actually.
07:43Wow. I was not expecting that.
07:46This mysterious artefact has Chris captivated already.
07:51This is an image of a recumbent jackal
07:54representing the god Anubis.
07:57And Anubis is the god who, more than anything else,
08:00is associated with mummification, which is what makes me think
08:04that this has got to be something that would be buried
08:07with somebody who has died.
08:10If you were to look upon this in position on the mummy,
08:13then these symbols are flat against the body of the deceased.
08:19Ancient Egyptians believed some objects held special powers.
08:23These treasures, called amulets, were often buried with the dead.
08:27Inscribed with sacred symbols,
08:30amulets were believed to protect the wearer in the afterlife.
08:33Both these symbols, the djed and the djet,
08:36often individually are amulets.
08:39So you might have a djed symbol and you might have a djet symbol.
08:42I was expecting to see these symbols.
08:45I was not expecting to see Anubis, so that's a really nice surprise.
08:48In this combination, I've never seen anything quite like this before,
08:51so from that point of view, this is very nice to see.
08:54Do you know how old this piece will be?
08:57Do you care to hazard a guess?
09:00When I was looking at it,
09:03all of these icons were in use for amulets
09:06for centuries and centuries from the Egyptian Old Kingdom,
09:09sort of 2,500 BC,
09:12right the way down into Ptolemaic and Roman times, 3 millennia later.
09:15Something like this has got enormous value, I think,
09:18in that it was obviously made a long time ago.
09:21Clearly a lot of thought has gone into the design.
09:24There's a lot going on here.
09:27OK.
09:30It was amazing.
09:33Chris just has so much knowledge and is just new on the spot.
09:36He knew all the different symbols, what they represented.
09:39Just a fountain of knowledge and that was just really interesting.
09:42With their research complete,
09:45the amulet has been valued at 3,000 to 5,000 euros.
09:48That's roughly 2,600 to 4,300 pounds.
09:51The next stop on its epic journey will be the auction.
09:57Not everything sold by shepherds is born of centuries past.
10:00And some of the more modern pieces
10:03can go for the biggest of bids.
10:06For many people,
10:09a luxury watch is the pinnacle of sophistication.
10:12Dedicated collectors will go a long way
10:15and spend a lot of money to get what they want.
10:18In 2019, in Geneva,
10:21the most expensive watch ever,
10:24sold at auction.
10:27It went for a staggering £24.5 million.
10:30It is an obsession Michael is very much aware of.
10:33The reason that there's such interest in them
10:36is because they are fascinating mechanical works of art.
10:39It is probably a dying art.
10:42There's only a few top-end watchmakers left.
10:45Possibly, there won't be any more.
10:48The next stop on its epic journey
10:52Luckily for Michael,
10:55he gets to sell two watches of particular significance.
10:58But the current owner is being very protective.
11:01He doesn't want to let them out of his sight
11:04and is keeping them at home until they are sold.
11:07First,
11:10he'll be selling an 18-carat rose gold
11:13Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore watch.
11:16It's a very expensive watch.
11:19Known as the Brick,
11:22due to its weight,
11:25it's a celebrity favourite
11:28and has a guide price of 50,000 to 80,000 euros.
11:31That's around 43,300 to 69,400 pounds.
11:34Secondly,
11:37an A. Lange & Söhne
11:40Langematik Saxomat.
11:43This prestigious timepiece in platinum
11:46dates from 2003
11:49and has a guide price of 25,000 to 35,000 euros
11:52or about 21,700 to 30,300 pounds.
11:55or about 21,700 to 30,300 pounds.
11:58The collection of watches that we have
12:01in this current sale has been a major
12:04I suppose the word coup is wrong
12:07but we've been trying to get them for over a year
12:10and the client loves the watches
12:13but ultimately
12:16we've managed to get the consignment
12:19the amount of enquiries about them has been phenomenal
12:22so we'll see what happens.
12:25When selling such expensive and precious pieces
12:28it's important to understand what makes them tick
12:31so James is on his next fact-finding mission.
12:34I'm going to meet Charlie Cullen
12:37he's a watch expert
12:40with more than 30 years
12:43in the luxury watch business
12:46Charlie literally has time on his hands
12:49First up, an A. Lange & Söhne
12:52the same maker as one of the timepieces in the auction.
12:55This is from 1998
12:58just to put things into perspective
13:01Rolex manufacture 1 million units per annum
13:04Lange manufacture 4,000 units
13:08This is a platinum, it's called the Big Date
13:11manual wind
13:14at the moment there is only one other
13:17for sale internationally
13:20in this combination with platinum and a black dial.
13:23This is beautiful
13:26isn't it?
13:29The detail that they put into the manufacturing
13:32of the whole movement, the accuracy
13:35Look at the detail
13:38You can actually see the gems
13:41and the engraving on the back plate
13:44There's a lot going on
13:47It's just stunning
13:50Charlie also has a piece
13:53that's the same manufacturer as the rose gold watch
13:56in the auction
13:59Can I show you something that's really special
14:02Original box
14:05Original sales tag from 1980
14:08Fantastic
14:11So this is 40 plus years old
14:14It's a one owner watch
14:17This watch alone is worth close to 200,000
14:20What?
14:23Oh my god
14:26So what model is this then?
14:29This is the moon phase
14:32That is calibrated to the phase of the moon
14:35It's very accurate
14:38Also the manufacturing of that watch
14:41in the case of that thickness
14:44That's an amazing achievement
14:47Currently there are only three of those models
14:50available for sale internationally
14:53This is so special
14:56Coming up
14:59Will the ancient Egyptian amulet
15:02ward off unwelcome bids
15:05Somebody started off at 1800 on bid
15:08A pair of gold leaf Louis XVI style chairs
15:11are hoping for an understanding home
15:14As you can see this needs a bit of TLC
15:1750,000, 55
15:20And there's a war on for the watches
15:24There are going to be casualties
15:33It's auction day at Castle Durrow
15:36Where the stage is being set
15:39for hundreds of rare treasures to go up for sale
15:46There's a lot going on
15:49and a lot of people relying on you specifically
15:52A lot of responsibility
15:55I've got to compromise aesthetics with practicality
15:58We're going in with this with great confidence
16:01Little do we know how much it's worth
16:04I'm just checking all the rooms
16:07We have a few guests staying with us this evening
16:10for the auction so I'm just making sure
16:13everything is ready to go and it's all perfect
16:16Keeping the hotel in tip-top condition
16:19Olivia is always on hand to help
16:22There's a buzz around the hotel over this auction
16:25so we're just preparing all the rooms
16:28for getting everything sorted
16:31I grew up here, I've been here my whole life
16:34I've had tree houses in most of the trees
16:37I've played all over here when I was younger
16:40A lot of memories for me really
16:43so it doesn't even feel like working
16:46but it is very much family run
16:55The awe-inspiring building isn't just a special place
16:58for Tessa and her family
17:01It has treasured memories for the Shepherds too
17:04We've had connections going back way over a hundred years
17:07so far as my grandmother worked there
17:10It has had a number of lives including that of a primary school
17:13A lot of us went to school there as kids
17:17Well today, Castle Durrow's latest incarnation
17:20is that of a global auction
17:23and lead auctioneer Michael is taking his responsibility
17:26very seriously indeed
17:29I probably know every item that's in the auction
17:32intimately and that's 1,200 items
17:35and I know every detail about it
17:38To go in, to a sale, not psyched up to do it
17:42and not prepared would be totally reckless
17:45This is the moment of truth for everybody
17:48And that includes the bidders
17:51Their hearts are set on certain pieces
17:54but there's no knowing whether they will walk away
17:57with their prize or empty-handed
18:00I have to be very controlled and measured
18:03I have to know exactly what my limit is
18:06In these situations, I can get carried away
18:09I certainly would be willing to go a bit over
18:12but we're always hopeful of a bargain, aren't we?
18:17Morning ladies and gentlemen
18:20and welcome to Shepherds at Castle Durrow
18:23First to go under the hammer
18:26is the ancient Egyptian amulet
18:29After its expert analysis
18:32the auctioneers have valued it at 3,000 to 5,000 euros
18:35Lot 273
18:38It's a precious piece of Egyptian art
18:41It's an amulet to ward off evil
18:44It's almost like you're being transported back in history
18:47Families would have had these made for their loved ones
18:50and this is something that they really cared about back then
18:53Somebody started off at 1,800 on bid
18:561,800 on bid, 2,000
18:592,000, 2,200
19:02The bidders in the room are silent
19:05Somewhere in the world there's a secret bidder
19:08fighting to win this piece of ancient history
19:112,200, 2,400
19:142,400, 2,600
19:172,800
19:20We've a lot of inquiries from overseas
19:23telephone bids being booked, everything sort of happening
19:26but the great unseen now is the internet
19:29At 2,800, 3,000
19:32The amulet is certainly doing its job of warding off bad vibes
19:353,400
19:383,400, 3,600
19:41Any further advance than 3,600 now for this lot at 3,600
19:44At 3,600, all out
19:47At 3,600, all finished
19:50At 3,600, going, going
19:53Gone at 3,600
19:56Sold to an anonymous bidder for 3,600 euros
20:00Another majestic offering up for auction today
20:03is a pair of Louis XVI-style chairs in gold leaf
20:06is a pair of Louis XVI-style chairs in gold leaf
20:09Furniture from this period is heavily influenced
20:12by classic Greek and Roman styles
20:15defined by elegant refined lines
20:18and classical ornamentation
20:21The seller of the chairs is no stranger to auctions
20:24Amanda has been sympathetically restoring
20:27Bern Church House in County Kilkenny
20:30for the past ten years
20:33Daughter-in-law Imogen helps run it with her
20:36So, this is Bern Church House
20:39We bought it about ten years ago
20:42and it has been a labour of love since then
20:45although we were lucky enough to buy it
20:48from people who had left all its natural features
20:51everything, its floorboards, its fantastic fan lights
20:54The house dates from 1817
20:57and was originally built
21:00for the rector of Bern Church and his family
21:03It just needed some updating
21:06and that's just what I was looking for
21:09Basically, all we wanted to do
21:12was put it back to the way it was when it was born
21:15Self-proclaimed antiques addict
21:18Amanda has meticulously sourced
21:21all kinds of furniture at auction
21:24Oh, my disease of auction shopping
21:27The fireplace, I think, is the be-all and end-all
21:30if I'm really honest
21:33I got the marble surround at an auction in Ireland
21:36but could not find the brass insert
21:39Weirdly, I ultimately found that at an auction
21:42in the centre of London
21:45and it went for virtually nothing
21:48Amanda has made some eccentric additions of her own
21:51including one named after a certain ex-England cricket player
21:54There's Graham, Graham Swan
21:57I was coming back after a glass of wine one evening
22:00walking down a pavement
22:03I suddenly saw Graham in a window
22:06He was stuffed by that point
22:09Yes, he was
22:12and he is looking a bit tired, poor old Graham
22:16He came to my door and said,
22:19I have to buy your swan
22:22and they were astounded
22:25We love Graham
22:28After a decade of dedicated buying
22:31antiques addict Amanda is finally running out of room
22:34We've been doing a lot of downsizing together
22:37There were entire rooms of the house
22:40that were full with gorgeous antiques
22:43We're going to auction two items
22:46One is a painting
22:49It's a 17th century portrait of a boy
22:52in an aquamarine jacket and a wig
22:55He's a nice looking picture
22:58Just when we re-hung everything
23:01we sort of couldn't find a space for him
23:04And then the other thing is
23:07in this auction a pair of chairs
23:10I'd sold them and I'd hoped to restore them
23:13but we just got to the stage where I'm now running out of steam
23:16The bones of both pieces are just so fabulous
23:24Because they'll be sold in need of a makeover
23:27the team at Shepherds want to be fully briefed
23:30on how big a job this will be for any prospective buyer
23:33They sent one off for a quick inspection
23:36by local Aussie furniture restorer Mark
23:39It's a fantastic old piece
23:42Original upholstery with stitched edges
23:45and webbing and coil springs
23:48and horse hair
23:51You can only admire the craftsmanship
23:54that used to go in the chairs like this
23:57Although the craftsmanship of the period is impressive
24:00time has not been so kind
24:03As you can see this needs a bit of TLC
24:06If I was restoring this
24:09I'd take it off as delicately as I could
24:12If we turn it onto its back here
24:15we have all these studs
24:18They'd all want to come out individually
24:21and ideally you'd be able to use them again
24:24because they're the original studs
24:27And then of course you've got the old fabric
24:30so you want to take that off as well
24:34You've also got to undress the whole chair
24:37before you can put it all back together again
24:40What you could do is find a fabric that's going to match in
24:43maybe a velvet or a satin
24:46and then you'd have a lovely
24:49clean finish on the back there
24:52and make it a much more comfortable chair
24:55because all the padding then is pushed forward
24:58It would be fabulous when it's done
25:04Back at the castle
25:07a pause in the auction is giving Tessa and Robin
25:10the chance to get up close to the rare pieces for sale
25:13Look, that's you
25:16Me?
25:19I haven't got a suit like that, maybe the hair
25:22I could get you one
25:25So should I grow it out like that?
25:28Yeah, see what happens
25:31Oh my god, please don't drop that
25:34Time to test out the valuation skills
25:37Guess what the value is
25:40Yeah
25:43I don't even see it signed
25:46There's a QR code there somewhere
25:49I have no idea
25:52Three grand
25:55Yeah, between two and three
25:58Valuation wise, the names don't mean anything
26:01I'm afraid
26:04Well, you don't know anything about any painters
26:07Fifteen hundred
26:10Oh god, no, way off mark
26:13For that he only needed his pencil case
26:16For this he needed a bit more
26:19So, ten grand?
26:22Between fifteen and twenty five
26:25Maybe not
26:30In another corner of the castle
26:33expert buyer Oliver also has his eye
26:36on an intriguing piece
26:39It's not something I usually look for, pincushions
26:42but I saw this and I saw the history of this object
26:45and it transformed it
26:48This was a pincushion for Florence V. O'Brien
26:51who was an incredibly important figure in Irish history
26:54London-born Florence V. O'Brien
26:57was a diarist and craftswoman
27:00who made Ireland her home in the 1880s
27:03As the arts and crafts movement was taking off
27:06Florence became a prominent figure
27:09in catapulting the lace-making industry of the city of Limerick
27:12onto the world stage
27:15You can see the pin marks on top
27:18It's just fascinating
27:22It's not just the pincushion's job
27:25as a tool of the trade that has enchanted Oliver
27:28This interestingly was hallmarked
27:31in London in 1883, which was the year she got married
27:34so it's almost certain that this was
27:37some type of wedding gift to her
27:40Clearly something that was dear to her
27:43You've got this lovely cast design
27:46that goes all the way round
27:49The fact that it was silver and made to this quality
27:52shows that it would have been
27:55a relatively expensive item in 1883
27:58Most people wouldn't have had a silver pincushion
28:01that's for sure, especially of this size
28:04If he's successful at the auction
28:07buyer Oliver has a plan for the pincushion
28:10I would definitely find an appropriate museum
28:13that it should go to and contact them
28:16That appropriate museum is already planning to bid
28:23Coming up
28:24This is where passion above logic comes in
28:27A very close competition
28:30Will I go one more? Will I go one more?
28:33The chairs catch the eye of expert buyers
28:36Oh yes, the beautiful
28:39And the castle's four-legged residents make a run for it
28:42Two or three sheep have escaped into the local school
28:45I hate those
28:54The country house auction at Castle Durrow
28:57is in full swing
29:00This must have taken at least two years to make
29:03I've sold a bigger house and I have no more room for this big ship
29:06I would be quite happy to get anything
29:09and then I can go on a cruise on a ship myself
29:12Not exactly at all, thank you
29:15Treasured antiques, each with their unique story
29:18are up for grabs
29:21The enigmatic Egyptian amulet
29:24sold online to an international buyer
29:27for 3,600 euros
29:31While the 17th century cheeky chappie
29:34has gone for 2,200 euros
29:37Are you going to miss his little pouty lips
29:41He was quite pleased with himself, wasn't he?
29:47Behind the scenes, it's always about pleasing the guests
29:50We need canopies, they definitely have to be showstoppers
29:53and plenty of colour
29:56Try a few different things, taste them, see what they're like
29:59This is one job where George's input isn't welcome
30:03Which one do you want to start with?
30:06You eat it first, so I can see how you eat it
30:09That's one way to eat it
30:12It needs to be redesigned
30:15I need housekeeping following you after eating that canopy
30:18Oh that's delicious though
30:21OK, so what do you want to go at next?
30:24We'll do this one here
30:27We've only wanted those, have we?
30:30Did someone steal something along the way?
30:33That wasn't me
30:36Maybe even a bib
30:39Narrowing down the choice there, I'm happy with everything
30:42I think it all ties in really nicely
30:47Prior to the auction, buyers from all over the world
30:50get to see the collection at preview day
30:53And the gilded chairs have caught the eye
30:56of professional antique buyers and curators
30:59Sinead and Aidan
31:02Oh yes, the beautiful agency chairs
31:05It needs a little bit of TLC
31:08But very doable
31:11What's next on our shopping list?
31:14They work for the government's Office of Public Works
31:17sourcing treasures for the country's
31:20most magnificent historical buildings
31:23Probably the bust of the Apollo Belvedere as well
31:26Today, they're hoping to fill some gaps
31:29in the collection of Emo Court
31:32A beautiful stately home in the Irish countryside
31:35We were looking at a pair of Louis XVI style
31:38giltwood armchairs
31:41They are not in great condition
31:44They need reupholstering
31:47But they would fit very well
31:50in one of the three rooms we're working on at the moment
31:53They're worth bidding for
31:56Back at the castle
32:00750 at 800
32:03It's hammer time for the gilded chairs
32:06You can really go down a rabbit hole
32:09of who used to own this and how did they get it
32:12in the first place and who gave it to them
32:15and for what reason and why don't they have it anymore
32:18With an estimate of 800 to 1200 euros
32:21or 690 to 1040 pounds
32:24could their condition create a bidding war
32:27and put people off
32:30At number 78 is a pair of 19th century Louis
32:3316 gilt chairs and an original gold leaf
32:36Sellers Amanda and Imogen
32:39are front and centre to see battle commence
32:42Somebody starts these off now at 500 euros
32:45Any bid of 500 euros
32:48Any opening bid of 500 to start at 500 and bid
32:51There are a couple of things about people bidding in the room
32:54The dealers typically, the guys that experience auction goers
32:57will just raise an eyebrow like that
33:00Or somebody just might do something like this
33:03Just move their finger like that
33:06Any kind of a movement
33:09500 and bid 550, 550, 600, 600, 650, 650
33:12It seems Sinead and Aidan aren't the only ones
33:15not put off by the needed restoration work
33:18700, 700, 750, 750
33:21800, 800, 850
33:24Any further advance than 850 now for the slot at 850
33:27At 850 all out
33:30But in the end the guardians of Ireland's most treasured properties win out
33:33At 850 we're selling at 850
33:36Going, going
33:39Gone at 850
33:42Professional buyers Sinead and Aidan
33:45have secured the chairs for just 50 euros
33:48Today went really well
33:51We're very happy aren't we
33:54Yeah I'm very happy
33:57It was much more exciting than I expected it to be
34:00500 and bid 550, 550, 600
34:03If a modern piece were to have the back
34:06all pulled out like that
34:09that would be most likely sent to landfill
34:12But because it's a period piece
34:16I'm really pleased, I'm very pleased
34:19that it's gone to somebody who wants it number one and number two
34:22wants some money to spend again
34:28Next to take centre stage is the pincushion
34:31And as auctions prove time and time again
34:34the most unexpected pieces can have more interest
34:37than you might think
34:40South of Durham
34:43in the heart of Limerick
34:46Dr Matthew Potter of the city's museum
34:49has his eye on the pincushion too
34:52We are the custodians of probably the largest
34:55collection of Limerick lace in existence
34:58Florence Vera Brine brought about a major revival of Limerick lace
35:01She set up a lace making school
35:04to transmit the skills of lace making to a new generation
35:07She employed women in their own homes
35:10to make lace which she then subsequently sold on
35:13Dr Matthew has devoted his life
35:16to promoting the legacy of this work
35:19I like the sheer beauty of Limerick lace
35:22the craftsmanship that went into its making
35:25the enormous impact it made
35:28on the social and economic life of Limerick city
35:31and the manner in which
35:34it carried the name of Limerick worldwide
35:37Accessories personally made by Florence
35:40were even bought by Queen Victoria
35:43who adored Limerick lace
35:46and often wore it during her reign
35:49I would really love to acquire this pincushion
35:52for the Limerick museum
35:55The pincushion itself is of very high quality
35:58made of silver with Florence's monogram on it
36:01We don't have any pincushion of any description in the museum
36:04so it would be the first of its kind
36:07So in this two horse race
36:10how far will Dr Matthew go to cross the finish line first?
36:13Go on Matthew
36:16we won't tell Oliver
36:19I don't want to put up the price of it as a result of me saying this
36:22At the auction I'd be prepared to bid
36:25up to a thousand euros to buy the pincushion
36:29The stakes are very high indeed
36:32I'd be very disappointed if I missed out
36:35because something like this does not appear
36:38for sale every day of the week
36:41Well, let the race begin
36:47Number 94 is a silver mounted pincushion
36:50This is an incredible piece of history
36:53The pincushion has a guide estimate
36:56Of all the seats in all the auction houses
36:59Oliver and Matthew have ended up right next to each other
37:02320 on bid
37:05320
37:08320
37:11340
37:14360
37:17380
37:20400
37:23440
37:26The action is attracting a lot of attention
37:29Bidding wars are the most exciting thing
37:32that you can have from an auctioneer's perspective
37:35A bidding war is just magic
37:38440
37:41460
37:44480
37:47This is where passion above logic comes in
37:50480
37:53480
37:56500
37:59I started bidding on the pincushion
38:02and then I quickly realised that the gentleman sitting next to me
38:05was one of the curators for the Limerick Museum
38:08So I stopped bidding
38:11500
38:14500
38:17500
38:20There's a joy in that, to see the victor
38:23I got the pincushion
38:26I'm absolutely overjoyed
38:29It's very important to me that these pieces go to their right homes
38:32and that piece absolutely went to its right home
38:35I secured it at 500 euro
38:38which was great because I was getting quite nervous
38:41but the relief after I had secured it was absolutely palpable
38:45It was just a wave of relief and delight swept over me
38:52Coming up
38:55The prestigious watches are about to make time stand still
38:58in the auction room
39:01There are heightened emotions, winning is everything
39:11In the heart of Central Ireland
39:14the country's premier auctions is well underway
39:17200 a bit, 220, 240
39:20Selling hundreds of artefacts
39:23Absolutely gorgeous
39:26Going
39:29Gone at 7,200
39:32On any given day at Castle Durrow
39:35Tessa and Robin have to do a bit of hustling of their own
39:40Two or three sheep have escaped into the local school
39:43Go get those
39:46Yeah well it's only two or three now
39:49but no doubt it'll be all 160 when the word gets out
39:52The sheep, so they're just here during the spring and summer
39:55which is actually lovely, really nice
39:58But they're little Houdinis, that's what they're known for anyway
40:01They get a kick out of it
40:04So this is actually the primary school I went to as a child
40:07And did you ever imagine you'd be back here chasing sheep
40:10Oh here we go, here are the culprits
40:13Don't go onto the grass, don't, no don't go up the grass or I'll destroy it
40:16I won't destroy the grass
40:23Well that was a quick fix
40:26You wouldn't even notice I've driven up there
40:29No just the tyre marks will give you away
40:32We've really got to know our neighbours on an extra level now
40:40Back at the castle, and the auctions seem big money
40:43That one at 3,600
40:45And a lot of passion
40:47That one at 500 euros
40:49Contribute to the continuing stories of wildly different pieces
40:56A handmade model of a 1920s passenger boat sailed away for 1,300 euros
41:04I'm quite happy that it's gone, I've no more room for it
41:07People in the audience were amazed when they carried it in actually
41:10But I'm glad I don't have to bring it home, it wouldn't fit in my car
41:16And a pair of Royal Dalton copper glazed vases sold for 380 euros
41:23I'm really delighted I was successful in getting this gorgeous pair of flambe vases for my client
41:28They're going to look really amazing and I'm going to be thrilled
41:31So happy days all around
41:35Now the prestigious watches are about to go under the hammer
41:42First up is the platinum A. Lange & Söhne wristwatch
41:47With an estimate value of 25,000 to 35,000 euros
41:52Somebody starts this off now at 15,000
41:54And he opened a bid of 15,000 to start this lot
41:5615,000 and bid, 15,000 and bid
41:59And he bounced down 15,000 for this lot of 15
42:0116,000
42:03And he further bounced 16,000
42:0517,000
42:0718,000
42:09At 18,000
42:11When I'm standing on the rostrum, you're analysing
42:13Are they bored? Are they happy?
42:15Are they about to bid?
42:17It's all excitement
42:19And then the occasional rally between 2 or 3 people
42:21That is the real buzz of an auction
42:2319,000
42:25At 19,000
42:2720,000
42:2920,000
42:3122,000
42:33At 22,000
42:3523,000
42:37TikTok bidders
42:3924,000
42:4124,000
42:43Going
42:45Going
42:47On at 24,000
42:51The watch has sold via a phone bid
42:53For 24,000 euros
42:55With its estimated value peaking at 35,000 euros
42:59Someone has bagged a luxury bargain
43:05Next is the rose gold Audemars Piguet
43:07With an estimated value of 50,000 to 80,000 euros
43:11It's the antique with the most expensive valuation in the sale
43:15Somebody starts this off now at 30,000
43:17Any bidders?
43:1930,000 and bid
43:21An anonymous bidder online makes the first move
43:2330,000 and bid, 35
43:25An auction is a war, so
43:27You know, there are people competing for things
43:29And for a lot of them
43:31Winning is everything
43:33At 35, 40,000
43:35At 45, at 45
43:3750,000
43:39At 50,000, 55
43:41Passion and a desire to win
43:43To acquire, to own something
43:45And there are heightened emotions
43:47That's why I compare it
43:49To a war zone
43:51Because there are going to be casualties
43:5360,000
43:56It's only further advanced than 60,000
43:58For this lot, it's 60,000 all out
44:00That's 60,000 going
44:02Gone at 60,000
44:06Again, a winning bid
44:08To a big spender on the phone
44:10The watch has gone
44:12For a staggering 60,000 euros
44:1660,000 is a lot of money
44:18For a small item
44:20So we're pleased, I think the vendor
44:22Is pleased as well
44:26It's the end of the auction
44:28Antiques gathered
44:30From across the globe
44:32Are now embarking on new lives
44:34With new owners
44:36The pincushion
44:38Of an internationally
44:40Significant craftswoman
44:42Sold for 500 euros
44:44The pair of Louis XVI
44:46Style chairs
44:48Sold for 850 euros
44:50And the
44:52Ancient Egyptian amulet
44:54Sold to protect a new owner
44:56For 3,600 euros
45:00This is like musical chairs
45:02You know, stuff going from
45:04One historic house to another
45:06It's magic
45:08It's a revolving door
45:10For the team at Shepherds
45:12There's many more precious pieces
45:14Waiting for their turn
45:18I'm ready for the next exciting chapter
45:24And for Tessa and Robin
45:26How do you think it went?
45:28Quite giddy towards
45:30Giddy? Yeah well maybe hosting
45:32Another one now soon
45:34It's gone down a treat
45:36And everyone's enjoyed the experience
45:40What do you think George?
45:42You enjoyed yourself
45:44He's so rat
45:46That'll be all that sheep rustling
45:54Next time
45:56I leave the beekeeping to him
45:58And I just eat the produce
46:00Mmm
46:02That'll do quite nicely
46:04Anytime we offer a
46:06Percy French for sale, everybody wants it
46:088,500, 9,000
46:10You see there's just a bit more
46:12And it's like 5,000, 5,500
46:146,000, 6,500 people that are just going for it
46:16Well to my mind
46:18Whiskey and wine as an investment
46:20Are better than gold
46:22Let's see if the price is right
46:52You