A ONE-of-a-kind fire brigade helmet from the historic vehicle manufacturer, Thornycroft, has been valued by Paul Martin from Flog It!
One of 12 that were made for Thornycroft's own private fire brigade, the Victorian piece, belonging to Steve and Pam Partridge, from Old Basing, is believed to be the only one of its kind left.
Steve explained that during the 1950s, Thornycroft sold 11 of the helmets to a scrap dealer, but his father, who was the chief fire officer in the factory, retrieved this particular helmet before it could be sold.
Steve said: "This is a Victorian fireman's helmet belonging to my father, who worked at Thornycroft and has been in my possession since the 1950s."
READ MORE: BBC Flog It! Paul Martin in Basingstoke for free valuations
Paul Martin, presenter of the TV show Flog It! was in The Tea Bar at the Top of Town on Wednesday, October 16.
He took a closer look at the piece, which is similar to helmets used by the Birmingham Fire Brigade, but with a 'T' for Thornycroft on the front of the helmet, and determined it was worth between £400 and £600.
Steve said: "I don't know if I'll sell it, I'm thinking about what to do with it."
Other pieces that were valued by the television presenter included a Carltonware footed bowl circa 1930, which belongs to Becky Norwell.
The bowl was valued between £80 and £100 and originally belonged to her mother, Becky said: "I've left it with him [Paul] to sell it, and I'm going to put my other items in a display cabinet."
Paul and Jill Tarry from Hatch Warren brought an art nouveau Cloisonńe double gourd flower vase by Amphora.
The vase was made circa 1910 and had been stored away in a cupboard in the couple's home for some time.
Paul valued it between £100 and £200.
Alan and Jane Wilson, from Kempshott, brought a rather unique Troika pot to be valued.
The pot was decorated with Celtic designs and was slightly misshapen, which Paul determined was down to the fact that the kiln must have been turned off during production, causing it to get pulled to one side.
The pot was made in Cornwall and dates back to the 1970s. It was decorated by artist Ann Lewis, with Paul explaining that similar pieces had been valued and sold at around £200.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here