Yurica Cash in the Attic

Welcome to Cash In The Attic,

the show that searches out the hidden treasures around your home

and helps you sell them at auction.

Well, today I'm in Kensal Green in northwest London...

which borders with trendy Ladbroke Grove, a popular hang-out for many celebrities

and where the Notting Hill Carnival takes place every year.

A stone's throw away from this bustling high street is one of London's oldest public cemeteries

where the famous British engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, was finally laid to rest.

Well, not far from this fascinating spot is a home

that today we'll be searching for more historic treasures.

Coming up on today's Cash In The Attic, Paul needs some fashion advice.

It's for your bra and knickers, Paul, but I didn't like to tell you!

Really! He's getting a little bit fruity.

Who was the lady with the pineapples in her hair?

And he's obviously got me on his mind.

We're just looking for an elegant lady with lots of taste and style.

But will all this frivolity affect our sales? Find out when the final hammer falls.

I'm on my way to meet a couple

with a passion for yoga, travel and antiques.

They've called in the Cash In The Attic team

to help raise some funds so we can pack them off on a big adventure to India.

This two-bedroom flat is the spiritual home

of Pilates instructor, Debra, and her yoga teacher husband, Siraj.

It's here they live a very tranquil life, with Debra's 14-year-old cats, Jake and Zula.

But since meeting and marrying in India eight years ago,

they have longed to return and are hoping the Cash In The Attic team can help them all relocate.

Morning, Paul. Oh, good morning. How are you?

Have you been practising your yogic poses? I usually pose like this... near the kettle!

We've got a lovely family today, so I have a feeling

we might come out of the house with more Zen than we go in with!

My body is now a temple, so I'm ready when you are.

If your body can find the kettle, that will be good. OK!

Is there a knack to turning the kettle on? Well, I think you've got it!

Ah, good morning. I see you've started the rummage, then, already, which is good to see.

Tell me a bit about why you've called in Cash In The Attic?

Because we're going to be moving to India and we want to let go of some of our possessions

that will probably get rusty there, for one, and make some of our shipping costs.

What made you decide to move to India? Our family is there, basically,

the weather, I love the culture and we are going to start a business.

We've bought a guesthouse.

So what sort of money would you like to raise?

I'd like to raise money for shipping costs for my cats, to ship my cats to India.

And how much is that going to cost? About 650.

So we need to raise ?650 so we can get the two cats to India.

We'd better crack on and get rummaging, so follow me. OK.

On the surface, Debra and Siraj's home is a relaxed haven in a state of calm, but with the imminent move,

chaos is not far away, and hoping to cut through that clutter is our very own Paul Hayes.

With his antique expertise gained over 20 years, he can't hide his passion for collectables,

and he'll all fired up about his first discovery of the day.

Have you found something already?

Yes. There's loads of interesting bits and pieces, but I've found a fantastic Japanese case.

So Debra, where is this from?

I got it in Seattle at my friend's shop

called Deluxe Junk.

What did you like about it?

I've always really liked Asian things, so anything from Japan,

China, India - the older things I love, they're absolutely beautiful.

I think the quality is superb.

You do tend to find with Japanese items that the smaller items,

they spent months on sometimes creating these wonderful things,

but this is called lacquer work,

which is a very traditional material that you'll find out in Japan,

and the way it works is that they have a metal case, in this case, brass,

and then they would overlay it with several layers of lacquer,

and then what happens, someone carves through, and what you end up with

is the brass showing underneath and you get this sort of three-dimensional effect.

On the front here, we have a dragon and an eagle, and the dragon is two things in Japanese culture.

It's a power symbol but it's also a symbol of wisdom, and then on the back here we have Mount Fuji,

which is very typical to what you find in Japanese export things,

things made for the European market.

So, Paul, what sort of value could we be talking about?

Well, if I said ?50 to ?100 and see how it goes.

Yes, that sounds good. That's not bad, is it?

That will help the cats go on their voyage to India! It certainly will.

It will help them leave the country! I'm not sure if it's enough to get to India!

Come on, let's see what else we can find. OK.

Well, the cigarette case might not be making the long trip to India,

but if we want to raise the ?650 needed for Jake and Zula to go,

we'll need a lot more valuables to tempt the bidders.

Could Siraj's stash of 19th-century photographs in this leather-bound album,

which he bought at a market in New Mexico,

do the trick at ?50 to ?100?

And while those Victorians might not be the brightest treasure

we've found so far today, the same can't be said

for the decorative pieces Paul has got his hands on.

Hello. What have you found there, Paul?

I hope you don't mind - I've come across this box of costume jewellery. I don't mind at all.

It's fabulous, isn't it?

It's like the "who's who" of costume. Are these items that you bought?

Yes, they are. I've bought them over the past 30 years.

I can't stop myself!

This one here is Miriam Haskell. You have several pieces by her. I mean, do you know who she was?

I know she's quite desirably collectable and I know I just love her designs.

I think she does a really wonderful job.

Well, she really was one of the very first to cotton onto the whole costume jewellery scene

and what's very rare to find with all costume jewellery, really, is the maker's name on the back.

A lot of it was very mass-produced,

but there are one or two designers that you look for, and Miriam Haskell is one of those.

She was best friends with Coco Chanel, and what she did is,

she did the accessories for the Chanel outfits,

and that's really where the term "costume jewellery" comes from.

It's your costume, your full regalia, your accessories, really, that made your outfit.

Then you've got another well-known name in the jewellery world. Is it a belt or something?

No, it's a necklace, actually, and...

Let's see if we can get it untangled, there we go.

So it would be worn like that. That's amazing, isn't it!

It's really beautiful. On a plain top, it's just a stunning piece.

And this one here really reminded me of the 1930s and '40s,

when you've got this feeling of travel and escapism, and these ladies here remind me of...

Who was the lady with the big pineapples in her hair?

Carmen Miranda. That's what it reminds me of, that period,

with these wonderful exotic characters,

and then you're looking into the 1950s for some of this as well.

So what I would suggest we do, I think quite easily we could find

?100, maybe ?150-worth, say, of these items - items that you are willing to part with, and go from there.

How does that sound? Great. That sounds really good.

Let's keep looking. OK.

It's a little hard to sell my costume jewellery

because I've collected it for so long and I've got a vast collection,

but it's time to let some of it go.

So far we've found some marvellous goodies -

some slightly more extraordinary than others.

But I hope our rummaging ways haven't turned Debra to the drink!

Thankfully not, but she does think this commemorative Russian spirit flask from the Second World War

could lead us to victory, which Paul values at ?30 to ?50.

And Siraj has uncovered another first-class find.

Paul, come and have a look at this.

All right, look at that! It's an old stamp album, is it?

Whose is this, then? It's mine. Really! Wow!

I didn't know you were a philatelist!

So is this something that you've bought, then?

Yeah. Well, let's have a look. This is a great album. It's not in the best condition...

Oh, that's a great giveaway here, right in the front page it says here, "2,910 stamps",

so that's how many are in this album.

It becomes a bit of an obsession, if you think about it, but there are two types of stamp album.

One is called a schoolboy collection and one is a serious collection, and what would happen

is that an album like this would be aimed really at the schoolchild,

and what he would do is that when the letters came into the family home,

he would take off the stamp from the envelope and stick them into an album like this,

so you have all different ones from different countries and nationalities.

But a serious collector would pay a week's wages for one stamp at the time, you'd handle it with tweezers

and it would be in a beautiful bound album, and they're obviously the ones which are very desirable indeed.

There is something here for everybody.

You've got all the stamps of the world.

You never really get a full album, but there's a lot of stamps in there.

If that came into auction...

If I said a minimum of ?100, see how that goes, I mean, does that sound all right to you?

Yeah, that's good.

So does that have your stamp of approval?

Come on, let's keep looking! OK.

We're edging closer to our target,

but if we want to make that ?650, we're going to have to poke around some more,

and with Paul doing such a sterling job, I take Debra and Siraj off

to a more peaceful location at their local park.

So tell me, how did you two meet?

We met when I went to India for a year, teacher's training,

and Siraj was doing the same training in the south of India.

So was it love at first sight?

Yeah. Was it? How romantic!

So tell me a little bit about, not just how you met, but you got married in India, is that right?

We did. OK. So what was the wedding like, then?

She'll.... Do you want me to explain?

Yeah, you're going to explain. It was very fast.

You hear about Hindu weddings being three days long and elaborate

and we were married and I was converted to Hinduism within 45 minutes! Really!

Yeah, it was very quick! What did you do, the speedy option, then?!

I think we must have, yeah, but I had to ask him because it was all in his language,

and I said, "Are we married yet?"

And he's like, "Yes." I said, "Am I Hindu?"

And he said, "Yes."

Oh, excellent! Did you enjoy the day?

We did. We had a big party afterwards with all his friends and family in a hotel nearby.

Now it's very different, isn't it, actually living in a country, as you know yourself.

Do you have any fears about this move to India?

I'm sure I'll have my moments of melting down, but Siraj will help me through that.

I told him to just give me a hug if I start shouting or crying too much.

I think I'm going to have a meltdown of the wrong variety if we don't find more stuff to sell,

but I'm not going to hug Paul Hayes.

Shall we go back to the house and see how he's getting on?

In our absence, ever the expert, Paul has continued with the hunt for collectables,

putting in some serious legwork in the process,

which eventually pays off when he spots a huge collection of postcards

that Siraj has collected over many years -

a mixture of European images with a price tag of ?80 to ?120.

At this rate, we'll easily have raised the fare needed for Jake and Zula to travel in style to India.

This home is simply overflowing with fantastic bits and pieces, ripe for Paul's picking.

I must admit, Debra, something that you don't really see over here in the UK is native Indian art.

Where has this come from? A friend of mine left it to me, a very dear friend, so...

The reason I'm not taking it to India is...I'm afraid it's going to get eaten.

I don't want to see it in a chest for ever.

I want someone to enjoy it, because it's a beautiful piece.

The nice thing about this one is that you've got a label on it, and it says here...

Right. Now, what I know about Oregon region was that it's very much a farming community.

There are lots of sheep out there. That's the reason why lots of factories relocated

to get the wool from the local sheep, and it says at the bottom here,

"Robes and Shawls",

so these were actually designed to be worn, then, I take it.

I think it probably would be worn or perhaps used as a horse blanket.

I'm not sure, but that's what my guess would be, because I have seen them on horses.

But I do know one thing about these sort of items,

is that when they have a plain edge like this, it tends to be designed for a male. OK.

And when they have the frilly edges, it's for a female, which translates globally, I suppose.

Yeah. So this would have been the male blanket or robe, but the way they made them is fabulous.

Nobody knows how old these designs are.

They know that they're pre-European, before we had any influence on them,

so this is a very traditional item, very much in the American culture,

and the great thing about them is they used vegetable dyes, and those dyes will outlive me and you.

This rug will last literally for ever if it's looked after,

so you've got a real find here, actually, and I think if we put that into a general sale,

what I would have to do is put it in with a fairly conservative estimate...

Right. ..and maybe make a few phone calls, get the right people interested and go from there.

How would you feel about that?

Maybe, maybe not. I'm not sure.

Well, if you did decide to go ahead, I'd put an estimate of at least ?50 to ?80.

I think that's a minimum, but on the day we could probably do a lot better than that,

but it's obviously something you have to decide.

I'm not convinced Debra is ready to let go of her cherished blanket, and if that is the case,

we have to make sure we have a host of alternatives,

so the team has turned the searching skills up a notch.

Once again, Siraj's obsession for collecting all and everything comes to our rescue.

These two stamp albums full of first-day covers,

along with his selection of cigarette cards,

could help boost our sales by at least ?80 to ?150.

While upstairs, Debra thinks she can help make up our funds, too.

Paul... Yep. Do you think this could be worth anything?

What have we got in here? Is it a gramophone or something?

No. Let me open it up for you.

Oh, wow, that's lovely!

It's a whole vanity case. You've got your brushes and your toothpaste holders and your mirror.

Where did this come from? I bought this at a yard sale in Seattle.

Did you? About 20, 25 years ago.

Do you know, I really like that, actually.

It brings back the golden age of travel, and when you go back to the 1920s and '30s,

you know, you need a whole accessory of items to go with you,

so you'd have your matching suitcase, your outfits, your handbag,

and your vanity case would mix in as well.

If you have a look at one of the brushes here, it's very Art Deco.

The use of geometry is one of the major things with Art Deco period,

and the dead rectangular handle there.

This is melamine or possibly Bakelite, but is it a double compartment, then?

What's underneath here? Underneath it's basically just a few more strange things there.

Aah! It's for your bra and knickers, Paul,

but I didn't like to tell you! Really?

I couldn't possibly comment.

I've never seen one like that, actually.

What did you pay for it? I think about 20 dollars.

Well, at today's exchange rate, it would be about a tenner.

?10, yeah. So what do you think about that?

It must be worth more than a tenner.

It's worth a lot more than a tenner, yes.

What I'm checking is that all the pieces are complete.

Now and again you find one that's missing and you'd never find the same design.

I'd say you were looking ?50 now.

?50 to ?70. Is that a price that... Does that sound all right?

I'm a little surprised at that. I thought it would be more.

Really? Yes. Why did you think it would be worth more?

I thought maybe ?150 to ?200, something like that.

I've got to be realistic, but it's up to you whether you want to sell it or not.

I do. Right. We'll see what happens.

OK, well, no time for titivating now.

I think we need to find some more stuff to sell, don't you? Come on! OK.

It's in perfect condition, the comb has all its teeth,

there aren't any cracks or chips or anything,

so I think it's worth a bit more than that, really.

Debra may have been disappointed with Paul's valuation,

but it's a good investment and all money towards the kitty...

Well, kitties, to be precise! If we want to raise that ?650, though, we need all the help we can get.

Not quite what I had in mind, Paul!

This late 19th-century Royal Doulton vase I found is more like it,

picked up by Debra at a car-boot sale

and decorated in relief with floral sprays,

it could take us ?40 to ?50 closer to our target.

I know we're here to raise money to ship the cats to India,

but I want to know more of what's in store for Debra and Siraj's new life overseas.

So tell me a little bit about what you plan to do when you get to India?

We'll start by decorating our guest house and our new home, I think, and just figuring all that out.

You refer to it as a guesthouse, but you have bigger plans than that.

What sort of guesthouse do you envisage this being?

I'm going to do theme rooms, like a Japanese room, I'm going to do an Australian and New Zealand room,

I'm going to do an African room, a British room, and then we'll probably have treatments.

Ayurvedic medicine is very big there,

so we'll probably extend into that and teach yoga and Pilates.

Do you see yourself staying in India for the rest of your life?

I don't say the rest of my life about many things, because you never know what's going to evolve,

but I'll probably be there for some time,

if not for the rest of my life.

We'll see, but I'm going to be there for a while.

You're not going to get there...

Well, you'll probably get there, but the cats won't get there if you don't find enough stuff,

so shall we see whether Paul's found anything else we can sell? That's a good idea.

Our trawl for treats must continue if we want the family pets to cruise off to their new home in India,

so it's crucial that we find plenty more antiques worthy of the auction saleroom.

This eye-catching Art Deco necklace that I've discovered hidden away

definitely lives up to that accolade.

Although without a hallmark, it's uncertain whether it's gold,

and so Paul must give it a conservative estimate of ?60 to ?80.

And his animal instinct for top-notch goods has led him to the possible king of this jungle.

Hello, Paul. Hello. What have you found now?

Is it a family heirloom, a little stuffed lion?

No, no, I bought that in Seattle, probably about 20 years back, 25 years, something like that.

Did you know this was actually made by Steiff? Yes! Right.

Margarete Steiff is the lady that's been credited to inventing the teddy bear,

and it was a story, funnily enough, it was about Teddy Roosevelt, the American President,

and what apparently happened, he was on a hunting trip

and refused to shoot a bear cub, and it became a massive story at the time, and she created Teddy's bear,

and it was very successful and it went on to be a massive factory,

but they went through a stage of making all sorts of animals, like a menagerie,

and they would make all the animals of the animal kingdom, and there are certain ones to look out for.

The elephants are very popular because the early symbol that Margareta Steiff used

was an elephant on the buttons, so they tend to be quite popular.

This is very collectable and it is in marvellous condition.

I don't think any children have got hold of this, so that's in your favour,

and add to the fact that it's a cat and it's by one of the best manufacturers, it's a good item.

Value-wise, it's not antique. It's probably 1950s, 1960s, but ?50 to ?100. How does that sound?

Good. Let's tell the others.

Lorne! Ah, here we are. Aah!

Now then, we've got another ?50 for the tiger there.

That's going to be a great help.

How have you found the rummage today?

Good! Yeah? It was a lot of fun.

Well, from one big cat to two slightly smaller pussy cats.

We need to get them out to India, don't we?

What was the figure that you said? It's 650.

If I tot up the total of everything we know

is definitely going to auction, the value of the items comes to...

?690!

That's great! Isn't that good, darling? That's good. That's without the blanket.

If you did decide to bring the blanket along as well, then that will bring the total to ?740. OK.

So it means they could have some top quality food on the way! Yes.

Better than what's usually served on an airline! First class!

So are you pleased with that figure?

Yeah, that's great! That's very good!

The next time I'll see you guys is when all these items

will be laid out in the saleroom, ready to be sold. OK. I look forward to it.

It's been one of the most chilled rummage days that I can remember,

with Debra and Siraj today, and I've loved being around such a laid-back couple.

We just need the bidders to have a positive vibe for all their collectables on the day.

These will include...

Debra's huge collection of designer costume jewellery,

Debra's huge collection of designer costume jewellery,

dating back to the 1930s, and valued at ?100 to ?150.

The Japanese cigarette case,

hoping to light up the saleroom by ?50 to ?100.

And ?50 to ?70 for the Art Deco vanity case.

And finally, that Native American Indian blanket,

worth ?50 to ?80, if Debra decides to bring it to auction.

Still to come on Cash In The Attic...

I'm dishing out sound advice.

You should take it to India as your lucky mascot!

And Paul and I need to have words.

I haven't got room to clutter up my house with that, young man, believe me! Right!

But will we all be friends at the end of the day?

Find out when the final hammer falls.

It's been a week or so since we were at Debbie and Siraj's house in Kensal Green,

where we found plenty of antiques and collectables to bring here to Chiswick Auction Rooms.

Now remember, they're starting a new life in India, but not alone.

They want to take the cats with them, which is why they need to raise ?650,

so let's just hope that when the items go under the hammer today,

there are plenty of bidders looking to lap up their items.

Well, there's no shortage of potential buyers

in the auction house today, and while they spend time

perusing the items on offer Paul Hayes can't wait to get his hands on Debra's crown jewels.

Morning. Good morning. How are you? I'm fine.

These are stunning pieces, aren't they? Yeah.

We're looking for an elegant lady with lots of taste and style to buy a job lot of costume jewellery.

They're such nice pieces in here.

So this is all in, which is good news, isn't it? Yeah.

We don't know about the blanket, do we?

That had a lot of personal history to Debra,

and being made by the Navajo Indians, how fantastic is that,

so I don't think that will arrive here today.

That's understandable. One thing we do know is here is that lovely Steiff lion!

It is pride of place in the cabinet. Get it?

Let's go and meet the couple. It could be a roaring success!

If the jokes don't get any better than that, I think we could be in for a very long day.

But if it's successful for Debra and Siraj, that's all that really matters,

and judging from their cool composure, nothing will get this couple flustered.

Aah, good morning! Good morning!

So you have decided to bring it, then?

Yes. So what made you decide that now is the time for it to go?

I don't think it will do very well in India with different little critters

and all sorts, so I think it would be better to let it go.

And you've got the Steiff lion.

Yes, yes, it's one of my favourite items.

It doesn't half grow on you, that.

I know... It's been watching me from the cabinet, waving!

I just think it's ironic that we've got this lion

that's going to contribute to the cats going to India!

Are you looking forward to the auction? Yes.

The auction is about to start, you probably will have noticed that, so shall we go and get in position?

Come on, then. Follow me.

If you feel like going along to your local auction, you'll have to pay commission

and possibly other charges, so be sure to check what fees apply.

With a packed house in position and an auctioneer ready at the helm,

we find a quiet spot at the back of the room as our first lot goes on display.

We want ?60 to ?80 for this hand-crafted masterpiece,

but is Debra going to crack under the pressure?

The Art Deco necklace actually breaks my heart a bit,

because I've had it for ages, but I don't wear it that much,

so I might as well see what I can get for it.

Enamel-work is always popular, and the phrase "yellow metal"

means that they possibly think it could be gold,

but they can't officially call it gold because it's not hallmarked, so they put in "yellow metal".

?30 to start me for that.

?30, I'm bid. ?30. 35. ?40 now?

?40 I'm bid. ?45 I'm bid.

?50, ?55, ?60.

?65, ?70, ?75, ?80.

85. At ?85 on my left.

Do I see 90 anywhere else?

At ?85, going for 85, and selling... 90, lady's bid... Oooh, lady's bid!

95 I'm bid.

100, madam? At 95, then...

The gentleman wins the day.

Yes! Now, ?95, what a result, but is that based, do you think, on people thinking it is gold?

I think so. You can still sell it. It's a very attractive item,

so the fact that it's not hallmarked there doesn't really come into it.

So gold or not, the necklace gets us well on our way with ?95.

Let's hope the bidders' love of Debra's collectables continues and that they're prepared to pay

the ?50 to ?100 asking price for her next item.

He may be small, but they do say size isn't everything, eh, Paul?

Now, the next lot is my favourite. It's the Steiff lion.

Are you happy about this being sold? Yes. I've had it a long time, so...

This is one of your "mane" items to go! Oh, dear!

Can we just sell it?! Come on, it's coming up next!

?100 for that? 30 to start me, then, at ?30.

And 30, 35... Come on! At 40 now for lot 40a.

At ?35, at ?35 for the lion. Any advance on ?35? Where are you?

Any further bids on 35? Disappointing... ?35.

That is unsold. Oh, that's a shame!

It's good news and bad news there.

We didn't make the money we wanted to.

The good thing is he hasn't sold it for too little.

Right. What do you think you're going to do with it?

You should take it to India as your lucky mascot, surely!

OK, that's a good idea! Definitely, yeah! Yeah, why not!

So, it now looks like we've got a third cat

in need of transportation to a new home in India.

But we can't get disheartened.

Up next is that car-boot find of Debra's,

which I hope will see our funds flourish by at least ?40 to ?50.

Lot number 30a is the Royal Doulton vase, decorated in relief.

Royal Doulton, most people think of the figurines, the tea services and so on,

but they did have this wonderful art pottery going on, the late 19th century, early 20th century,

and some of it is stunning, and I think this is a great example, and ?40 is well worth it, I think.

?20 to start me, then, at ?20.

And 22, 25, 28, 30. At ?30.

Can I tempt you to 32? 32 I'm bid.

On my left at 32. Is it 35 now?

35 in a new place. Have another one at 35, with bar 246. Do I see 38?

Any advance on 35? Any more? 35.

Selling. 246, 35.

Fabulous! No attachment to it whatsoever and I'm glad it got near what we valued it at.

Coming in at just under estimate at ?35,

but that sale means one less thing to take to India.

If we want to raise enough for the family pets to be shipped there,

we're going to need some generous sales, but will our unusual war memorabilia

tempt anyone in the room, and push our total ahead by a further ?30 to ?50?

Our next lot is a "Russian spirit commemorating the heavy armoured weaponry of the USSR,

"1941 to 1945, in gilt and enamels".

I think that's a pretty good description.

Says it all. I couldn't have said it better myself.

20 to start me, then, at ?20. I'm bid ?20, 25. ?30 I'm bid on my left.

At ?30. ?35, ?40.

Have another one at ?40 on my left.

At 40. Do I see 45?

I'm selling at 40 unless I see further opposition.

Going for 40 and selling. Excellent! ?40!

That was good, wasn't it! That was good, yeah.

We're tanking towards our ?650 target now, which is great news.

But will we be winners at the end of this auction battle,

and can the cigarette case bought from a junk shop in Seattle

strike up enough interest with the bidders?

The next item, I think, is a really lovely quality piece.

It's that Japanese yellow metal with the sort of dragons on it.

We've got a good estimate on it.

They're under-rated, really.

The amount of work that goes into an item like this is fantastic.

The only drawback you've got is that not as many people these days smoke!

?30, at 30. 35 I'm bid. 40. 45 I'm bid. 50 I'll take.

I'm bid ?45. Do I see 50 anywhere?

At ?45. In the middle of the room, standing at ?45, it's going.

All done, are you sure?

Just under, ?45.

?45. That's all right.

Yeah? Are you sure? OK.

?5 shy of Paul's lowest estimate isn't bad, but I hope

we get top dollar for these fabulous postcards from around the world, worth a staggering ?80 to ?120.

I know you're well-travelled, but you've got a whole collection of postcards here!

That's down to him! Oh...

that's your collection, is it? Yeah.

You kept that quiet, didn't you?

So you're quite OK about them being sold now?

Yeah. It's time to go.

At ?20 for the postcards.

22 do I see? 22 I'm bid. 25, 28.

At 28. 30?

35, 40. Any more at ?40?

Not quite enough at ?40.

Do I see 45 anywhere? No further bidding.

The bidding got up to ?35, and the auctioneer has basically not sold them.

That's a really disappointing sale, but Debra can see the bright side.

I'm a little sad for Siraj that the postcards didn't sell,

but I think he's quite happy to actually keep them,

because he loves his postcards and stamps and coins.

That does mean a big hole in our funds though, surely!

That's the end of the first half of the sale, as far as we're concerned, anyway.

We've had a few of unsold lots.

The little Steiff, and the postcards, so I think that's fair enough because

it means you can keep something and you can keep something.

Now, we wanted ?650, didn't we, for the cats?

So far we've made ?215, so how do you feel about that?

That's not bad, that's a good start.

Absolutely! I've got more to sell a bit later on, so shall we have a bit of a break?

While Debra and Siraj head off for refreshments,

Paul can't help his inquisitive nature

and goes for a closer lot at what he considers the catch of the day.

A-ha! Ah! Ships ahoy!

You're thinking is that the Peregrine Galley?

I was thinking where on Earth do you house something that size!

For an office or for larger premises,

a big open flat or something, but this has a lot of history, this boat.

It was built in around 1700 and disappeared mysteriously in 1761.

Did it? Yeah. This is a scale model that somebody has made and it's beautifully done.

All these are individual planks. It has taken hours and hours to do this and nicely presented.

So what's the estimate on this?

Well, it's in at between ?150 and ?180.

Well ?150, I mean, that just seems like a bargain buy to me!

It's very decorative. It needs somebody who lives by the sea to buy it!

Can you think of anybody?

I haven't got room to clutter up my house with that, young man, believe me! Right, OK.

I've only got a tiny, weenie sea view, so... OK.

The second half of the auction is well under way when we return to our places,

just in time as our vanity case is shown to the room.

We're hoping to clean up a further ?50 to ?70 for this piece.

OK, now our next lot, I must say, one of my favourites,

is that lovely Art Deco travel set, in a beautiful colour.

I just love the design of it.

It's a beautiful set, but I have noticed one of the pieces is damaged.

Has that happened in transit, or happened here?

I think it's happened here. Oh, what's happened to it?

One of the pieces has snapped, because of the brittle age of it.

I think someone has viewed... OK. I think it's OK...

I think it could be repaired easily. Start me at ?40 for that.

There it is - fine case full at ?30, then at 30.

At ?30 at 35. 35 I'm bid. ?40?...

Come on! 45, 45 I'm bid. At ?45.

Lady seated at 45. Any further bidding on ?45?

In the room at 45.

?45. Are you happy with that? That's good.

Good, good. So, I don't think the damage, even though it's unfortunate,

I don't think made a difference to the price.

Yeah, that's good. A promising start and inches us closer

to getting Debra and Siraj's beloved cats, Jake and Zula, off to India,

but will we get a picture-perfect result

of ?50 to ?100 for Siraj's leather-bound photograph album?

Now were these your family or were they?

No!

Are you sure? Yeah. OK. Now these are interesting items, because people do

love this sort of social history, these old Victorian-looking people.

The ones that tend to go very well tend to be anybody in uniform, something like yourself...

you've got a hat or a military outfit or you know, a fabulous dress...

that's what people go for. ?30 to start me for that.

Bidding ?30, I'm bid here at ?30, I'm bid at 30. 35?

40 now? ?40 I'm bid at ?40.

Do I see 45? I'm bid ?40, the bid is near me at 40.

45 in a new place. 50 now?

Are you bidding? ?50... ?50.

55... That's great!

?60, 65, ?70, 75,

?80, 85, ?90, 95?

At 95. On my extreme right at 95. Anybody else coming in? 95, selling.

That's great, isn't it!

OK, who was in the photograph album?

There must have been somebody of note in there, I would have thought?

I don't know! Amazing! Well done, you!

Brilliant, well-spotted, that's great!

Coming in just under Paul's highest estimate, what a terrific sale that was!

But Debra's decided her precious native blanket

needs some protecting, and has put a ?50 reserve on it.

We did decide to bring the blanket in the end,

but we've put a reserve on it because I have mixed feelings about parting with it,

so, we'll see how it does.

This item will either sell, for more than that, or you might have to take it to India with you,

but let's just hope that two people want it and the bidding goes mad.

30 to start me, then. At ?30, at 30, 35. Is it 40, now?

At ?35. The real thing here at ?35.

Can I take 40 for it? Any advance on ?35?

No further interest.

I'm afraid that isn't sold.

Are you pleased that he's not sold it for ?35?

Yes, I am. I'm very pleased because it's worth more than that by a long shot.

The sentimental value obviously meant more to Debra than the cash

so I'm glad she's taking the blanket home.

However, I'm sure the owner of the model ship Paul and I looked at

earlier is hoping it will be sailing off to pastures new.

310 now is the model of the warship, Peregrine Galley. 150 I'm bid.

At ?150 is bid. 160, 180?

I have ?180 for Lot 310. At 180.

Do I see 200 now? I have ?180 and I'm selling at 180.

Sold. There you are! ?180!

?180. It could have been a darts player!

The bidders reached deep into their wallets on that sale,

and if we want to reach our ?650 target,

we need them to dish out another ?100 to ?150 for our international treat.

Our next lot is the stamps.

This is your collection? Yes, that's right.

I know you enjoy collecting these, so are you sad to see them go?

Yeah. Are you?

And I'm bid ?100 to start me, at ?100 I'm bid. 110, 110 I have.

120, 130. I have ?130. Do I see 140?

Have you finished at 130?

Selling for 130 unless I see 140 quickly. 130 going.

Sold for ?130, that's not bad at all, is it?

The stamp album which made 130, I'm very, very happy about

and I'm sure Siraj is very happy with that as well, cos I doubt that he paid that for it!

So far today, Siraj's items have fared pretty well.

The bidders can't get enough of his treasures,

but will his collection of cigarette cards

and first day stamp covers deliver us the ?80 to ?150 we so desperately want?

?80 to start me for them.

50 then, if you will. 40, ?40 and 40 for Lot 310A.

Do I see 45? Any further bidding on 40? No more at 40.

I'm afraid those are not sold.

Oh, dear! He's unsold them. Unsold.

It's a mystery to me why those fabulous collections didn't sell,

but with no takers,

our ?650 target could be on the rocks!

We need the fashionable selection

coming up next to be all the rage with the room

and lift our funds and spirits by ?100 to ?150.

What's amazing is you used to be able to buy collections like this affordably.

You've got some great designer names amongst that.

People are waking up for that market, so I'd be interested to see how these go on.

I don't think you'll be too sad to see these go. No.

?80 to start me there? 90, at ?90.

Is it 100? 100 in the doorway.

110, 120, 130, 140.

Five, 150... Yes... ?150.

That's excellent! 155, if we're in 5s? The bid is there at 150.

Are you bidding? Any more? 150. ?150!

That's great, isn't it! Well done!

What a fantastic end to the day, but with our earlier disappointments,

will we be anywhere near our target?

It's all over.

You're taking a couple of pieces home. You're taking home the blanket, and also the Steiff

and one of your collections, too, so there's a fair bit, really, hasn't sold.

Given that, do you think we've made the ?650 we were looking for?

I don't know. I haven't been keeping track, really.

And what about you? I've no idea!

No idea? OK, all right.

Well, I think we've done pretty well - ?635! Oh, really?

Yes. That's great!

Yes, and that obviously includes the fact that some of those items haven't sold at all!

That's really good. That's good. Happy with that.

So is that good enough to get the cats there?

Yep, that's it! Fantastic!

?15 below, that's it.

Safe in the knowledge that the shipping costs for the cats' passage to India is paid for,

Debra and Siraj have come to Brighton to turn their attentions to their planned future

of running a guest house, and want to check out an inspirational hotel.

Hello there, I'm Martin. Welcome to the Town House.

Hi, Martin. I hear you've got an exciting plan?

We do, we do. Off to India? Yeah.

Let me show you some of the hotel. Come and see Kasbah.

Wow!

This is amazing! Well, the idea here was

really to make it feel like you're sleeping and sitting in a Kasbah, so what we've tried to do

is to make sure that you can do a 360 degree turn in the room and not see anything that's out of place.

And it doesn't stop there.

Here you can travel to the jungle...

That's amazing! I'm speechless, actually!

One room is just better than the next, only not better!

Colonial India... Wow!

Amazing attention to detail!

And even a Mandarin temple!

While the couple is getting invaluable guidance,

creating a hotel of this calibre takes hard work, which Martin explains can sometimes be in vain.

We've had two complaints with this room

that there's plaster falling down the walls!

I had to explain that it cost me a lot of money to have that plaster fall off the wall!

Debra's not afraid of the task ahead, although the visit has made her question her plans.

Although I had ideas and I thought they were pretty well-formed,

they are certainly in the scrap heap now and I'm starting over!

I'm going to rethink everything we're doing, basically, but it's totally inspirational.

Yeah, we've got a lot of ideas, good ideas.

A lot of good ideas!

We enjoy it. Very much!

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