Charity shop buys could prove a great investment

Plates and jewellery bought from charity shops can be worth a lot of money, as viewers of STV's The Hour found when antiques expert Anita Manning valued their bargain buys. Maureen Allison had brought in a plate that she got from a second hand shop in Kirkcaldy. “The plate was covered in grease and when I took a wee bit of the grease off I saw the pattern and really liked it,” Maureen said. “When I got home and washed it I realised it was a Wemyss plate.” Wemyss is one of the most famous potteries in the world and the plate is a wee bit unusual. Anita said: “Usually the background of Wemyss is white or cream but the background used here is black. “Black was used briefly in the late 1800s, and this is quite a rare plate by one of the best decorators in the Wemyss factory. I would value it at £500.” Maureen also had a collectible beetroot jar valued at £15. She is planning to hold onto both items. Elizabeth Prentice had some enamel jewellery that she bought from a charity shop: “I liked the colour and had always liked enamel, and it only cost me £3.” The jewellery set consisted of a necklet, a bracelet, a pair of earrings and two brooches. Anita said: “This is a Scandinavian 20th century design. It’s Danish and is worth about £450.” Elizabeth also brought in a vase: “This is also a 20th century Scandinavian design, Swedish this time from the factory of Gustav Berg,” said Anita. “The range is called Argenta and it has overlaid sterling silver on the flower on the front.” She valued the vase at £120. Source: STV website