Holt Cash in the Attic

Welcome to Cash In The Attic. This is the show that hunts down

all the antiques and collectibles in your home and then helps you sell them at auction.

I'm in Essex and I've stopped off to take a walk

on the beach at Canvey Island.

'But I don't think I'll be swimming today.'

This is where the River Thames meets the North Sea

so it's chilly even in the summer

and anyway, I've found the perfect retreat -

the stunning Labworth Restaurant is a fantastic example

of 1930s architecture, built to cater for the growing tourist trade.

It's a beautiful day and I'd love to stop for ice cream

but I don't have time because I'm about to meet a couple

who live not far from here, and they've called

because they're hoping we can find buried treasure

that will do well at auction.

Coming up on today's Cash In The Attic,

some rather unloved antiques...

-You don't really like it, do you?

-I don't like it at all!

..A somewhat preoccupied expert...

This one seems to be pointing at the kettle. Come on.

-At the kettle, yeah?

-Let's follow it.

..And a family with their mind on the goal at auction...

The season ticket's gonna be OK!

That's all she's worried about!

Let's hope we'll still be smiling when the final hammer falls.

I'm on my way to meet a couple of football fanatics

who've called in the Cash In The Attic team

to help them score at auction.

This detached house in Canvey Island in Essex

is home to local business owners, Ian and Paula Holt.

The couple are avid antique enthusiasts

and the house is full

with their collectibles and things they've inherited over the years.

But their three daughters have finally convinced them

to declutter and this football-crazy couple know just what to spend the money on.

-Morning, Paul.

-Good morning. You're here before me!

I cheated a little bit because I only live 15 minutes down the road at Leigh-on-Sea.

-Right, and I don't.

-No, but obviously in Morecambe, it's famous for its cockles.

-Yes.

-The boats hadn't come when I left but I promise

-I'll get you cockles from Leigh-on-Sea for lunch.

-Really?

-They do that here?

-Yes, of course! Anything you want, we'll provide.

Are you going to provide some good valuations today?

Hopefully. It's got a lot of potential, doesn't it?

-It's a nice area...

-I don't want any own goals

-because they're football fanatics in there. What team do you support?

-Morecambe FC.

-Oh, dear.

-Of course. They're doing well at the moment.

-Really?

Yeah, yeah. We're in the league.

-Hello, here you are!

-Hello.

-How are you?

-Fine. I heard you are football fanatics. Arsenal over here?

-Yeah.

Yeah, unfortunately.

Is it football memorabilia we'll see today?

No, I think I'll hold on to the football memorabilia.

That's still something I want to keep.

We've got some items that Ian and I have bought over the years

from auctions, car boot sales, jumble sales.

We've been everywhere buying antiques over the years.

What's made you decide now's the time to get rid of some?

Well, our daughters have been driving us mad about cluttering the house up.

It is getting quite bad now. I mean, everywhere has got too much junk, it seems.

If we do find plenty to take to auction,

how much money would you like to raise, Paula

-and what do you want to spend it on?

-£1,200 is a season ticket now for Arsenal, so if we could

manage to raise some money to pay for that, that'd be wonderful.

So who, if we're raising £1,200 for a season ticket,

whose season ticket is that?

I suppose your one.

-My one.

-I'll have to go and work a bit harder for my one.

I've got good news and bad news. The good news is Paul Hayes

is here to do valuations. The bad news is he supports Morecambe.

-Oh...

-But we can get him round. Follow me, let's go and see him.

I can see how passionate this family are about their beloved Arsenal,

so with a £1,200 target, we'll have to be at the top of our game.

Paul Hayes' home team may not quite be FA Cup winners

but I'm sure he'll put in a Premier League performance for us today.

-Ah, Paul.

-Hello. How are you?

-Fine. What's that?

It's a bronze sculpture, I mean, it's fantastic.

It's got a weeping gentleman and a child.

Where did this come from, Ian?

That was from Wales actually. It was my Dad's.

He originally was in London and I think he had friends

in Portobello Road and he used to go to places like that.

He probably he picked it up from somewhere like there on his travels.

Right. This is a very good sculpture.

-It's by a guy called Dalou, have you heard of that?

-Never heard of it.

Jules Dalou was one of France's best-known sculptors in bronze

and he was very much a rebel and went for this naturalistic look.

-I've got to ask you, have you had it a while?

I must have had it 30 years, I should think.

Right, OK. Well, chances are, this is a right one.

The reason I ask that is

that lots of these bronzes in the 1990s were bought up,

sent to the Far East,

and then re-cast and new bronzes were made from them.

It's very difficult to tell but this one does have a natural patina.

You can see where my fingers are sort of handling here,

you've got a very brassy effect.

That's the oil and grease of the last 100 years. This is dead right.

So, Paul, what sort of value are we talking?

-Well, if I was being conservative, it's at least 150 upwards.

-Yeah, yeah.

If you get a bronze specialist, you might do all right.

-Yeah. I'd be over the moon.

-Yeah?

-Be well pleased with that.

-Don't really like it, do you?

No, I don't like it at all to be honest!

-I can't make out what it is.

-Yeah, OK.

£150 sounds like a good start. Shall we see if we can find anything else?

-Let's see if we can find something you do like.

-OK.

It may not be Ian's favourite but £150 for the bronze is a great start.

We need to keep up the pace if we're going to reach our target.

Paula's already hard at work and upstairs in the bedroom

she finds this lovely Art Nouveau figure,

which adds £150 to £250 to our football fund.

Ian isn't playing around when he finds

this Victorian walnut games table, which Paul values at £100 to £200.

We've made a cracking start and upstairs, the search continues.

-Paul?

-Yeah?

-Is this anything worth looking at?

-Surrounded by boxes, aren't you? Lots of boxes.

-I know.

Has that been a collecting passion of yours?

Yes. Yes, it was but I'm not any more really.

I never got round to restoring them, so...

-Te truth there it's a lot harder than it looks...

-Mmm, it is, yes.

..to restore these items.

-So that started off your collection then?

-Yes.

These are actually referred to as writing slopes, a writing box is something different.

If you have a look at the corner here, you can see it's like a wedge.

The idea is it's at a slight angle because you've a perfect surface

-so you'll be able to write a beautiful letter on this leather top.

-Like a mini desk.

-Exactly.

And that's what it was, a travelling desk or the very first laptop, if you like.

Doesn't need any wires, though, in here.

But in here would be your ink, which would have had a lid on at some point.

You keep all your pen nibs and things in there.

-Is there still a market for them?

-Definitely.

-They still make these.

-Do they?

But they're very expensive, yeah. So how many did you end up with?

-Three.

-Are they all pretty much in this condition?

-Yes, yes.

What makes a difference is if you get them absolutely mint

-and totally restored and you can get quite a lot for them.

-Yes, I have seen them.

Well, if we said at least...

80 to 120, how does that sound?

-For the three? Yeah, that's fine, yeah.

-All right.

-Well, let's keep looking, eh?

-Yep.

£80 to £120 takes us further towards our football fund.

After a successful morning, I leave Paul to carry on rummaging, supposedly,

while I find out a bit more about our football-loving couple.

So how did you two meet then?

We met in Benidorm on holiday.

I was there with my friends, like, when I lived in London

and Paula was with her sister and we met and got together and been together ever since, really.

So tell me about your children then.

I've got three girls, 25, 23 and 19.

They all work in London now and the eldest one has moved out and the other two still live at home.

Do they share your love of football?

No, they're not, I'm afraid.

I can't get them into football at all.

We did take them once to a match

and my oldest one sat there with her hands on her ears and said, "Please stop shouting, Mum."

So I get the impression Arsenal's fairly important.

I mean, how vital is this season ticket?

Well, every year the price of the season tickets is going up and up

and it is important that we keep going.

We've been going to football for a long while.

My Dad's from North London originally

and he started taking me when I was 10 years old and I've just got the bug now.

In that case, shall we go and have a look and see what Paul's found?

-See if he's got anything else?

-Yes, yeah. Let's go and look.

With Arsenal such a lifelong passion,

we need to keep our minds firmly on the goal for the rest of the search.

Our expert proves he's doing just that when he finds this silver cruet set.

We're searching every cupboard and cranny today, and the gents decide to tackle the dusty shed.

Ah, now then, Ian. Look at that!

That's a compass. Where did that come from?

That was someone in the pub cleared a house or something

and they asked me, "Would you be interested in that?"

For some silly reason I give him £10 for it and when I brought it home,

Paula went, "Get that thing out of the house.

"I don't want that in there."

Well, it's been in that cupboard in that shed, generally, for the last 10 years.

Well, I don't know what it is even.

Well, it's basically a marine or it could be an army compass.

Actually it could be for the water or for the land, but it's definitely military issue.

Here, you've got the military arrow there, that's the MOD.

And the original ones of these used to have four points on it, north, west, east, south,

but this one has 32. Can you see that?

North-north-west and so on, all the way round here.

-Yeah.

-But nowadays, the more sophisticated they are, they have something like 6,000.

What it does, if you get it a millimetre out,

it can be a difference of a metre over a kilometre.

So if you're aiming at something, you need to get it right, so it's a very important bit of kit.

Some of these can fetch a fortune if you can work out which ship it came off,

or if you had an early 18th-century example,

you're talking a lot of money.

This one looks like 1940s, 1950s.

It's quite simply made, but you're still looking 45 to about 75 quid.

That'd be great, yeah. Well, been in the cupboard for that amount of time so I think that money'd be handy.

I tell you, though, this one's unique, it seems to be pointing at the kettle.

At the kettle, let's follow it.

Well, kettle or not, the compass certainly pointed

our target in the right direction.

Meanwhile inside, Paula spots this pretty miniature portrait.

She paid £10 for it 20 years ago and what a great investment as Paul

values it at £80 to £100 today.

We're well into the second half of today's rummage but we need to

rack up a few more finds before we can blow the final whistle.

Guys?

-I found a band of monkeys.

-Right.

And there's more than the three wise ones, as they say.

Now this one's got a mark on it, Paul, but the others haven't.

Yeah, these are a very well-known type of figure.

-They're Meissen figurines. Have you heard of Meissen factory?

-I have, yes.

-Right.

Well, they're obviously Germany's most famous factory

but they did do a range of these monkey bands in the 18th century.

They're extremely rare and in museums now.

But like anything else, they were reproduced late 19th, early 20th century,

which is when these ones date from.

This one's obviously the conductor.

But the crossed swords there tells me they're definitely Meissen porcelain.

This one has a little bit of damage to it,

but these figures are getting quite rare.

So you've got six, we've only got six.

-Were there any more when you bought them?

-No.

-That's the lot.

-Just the six.

I think nowadays you're looking probably £30 to £50...

each. So if I said £200, the lot.

Yes, that's really good.

-All right?

-Yeah, that's a good investment, isn't it?

-A six-piece band, is that enough for you?

-That's enough.

All right there, Mr Wise Monkey.

-I'm gonna pretend I see no evil, hear no evil, and let's move on and find something else.

-OK.

Well, that valuation was music to all our ears.

And our coffers get another boost when I spot this carriage clock.

They were developed as travelling clocks in 19th-century Austria

and we send this example on the long journey to auction,

with an estimate of £100 to £200.

It's almost the end of our search but Ian's determined to find one last item, come rain or shine.

-Paul?

-Yep?

-I've seen this barometer here that my Mum give me and I wonder if that's of any interest.

-Oh, right.

Just be really careful if you want to take it off the wall.

That's a cracker, isn't it? That's a genuine antique, that.

So who collected all these antiques?

My mum had this and she weren't that keen on it and she asked me if I wanted it a couple of years ago.

Well, this is a great item.

This is a stick barometer and it measure atmospheric pressure,

and of course the pressure is measured in bars,

that's where the term comes...barometer.

What they were used for was to forecast the weather.

So if you had a sudden change in pressure,

especially a low pressure, you'd get a stormy weather approaching.

So what you would find, anybody that had a business in the country or near the sea,

you would need to know really, or have a good idea what the weather was going to be like.

And I said to keep it upright

because if people lay these down flat, all the mercury runs out

and you end up with air bubbles and I see someone's already done that. Can you see?

Yeah. So it needs some repair done to it.

It needs a bit of restoration, but these stick barometers were made

late 18th century into the 19th century, so a long time ago now.

These can bring very large amounts of money

and I think even in this condition, it's potentially a great item.

If I said £250?

Oh, yeah, that would be great. Yeah, we'd be over the moon with that.

-You said £250?

-Yes!

-OK, we can definitely sell this?

-Yes, I think so.

-Yeah?

-Go head.

Good, because I think that might have saved the day

because we've run out of time for rummaging.

But we did have quite a big target figure really, didn't we? £1,200 for a season ticket.

Well, the value of all those items going to auction comes to £1,255.

-That's brilliant.

-Great, isn't it?

-So really good, isn't it?

-Yeah, we'll be happy to get that.

That'd pay for one season ticket.

Well, we've certainly proved to be a successful team when it comes to rummaging,

and we've got a great collection of items for auction.

The three writing slopes.

The contemporary bronze.

The quirky monkey band.

Still to come on Cash In The Attic...

-Some of our items fail to make the grade.

I'm glad you didn't because they were worth more than that.

But others fight their way to success.

-Really a struggle but we got there.

-We got there in the end.

So will we have reached our target when the final hammer falls?

Now it's been a few weeks

since we had a good look through Ian and Paula Holt's home in Canvey Island in Essex.

After years of collecting, it's no surprise we found plenty of antiques and collectibles

to bring here to Sworders Olivers Auction House in Sudbury in Suffolk.

Now they're mad keen football fanatics and want to raise a massive £1,200,

so let's hope we don't hit any own goals today

and come out top of the League when our items go under the hammer.

The saleroom is already filling up with professional dealers and avid collectors.

I just hope they've all come armed with wads of cash to spend.

I spot our Paul Hayes in the midst of all the activity.

Ah, you've found your way!

I've worked out that north is that way, so we're OK,

-early Sat Nav system!

-What else has taken your fancy?

The monkey band, we'll have to see how they get on today, I think,

cos they can be a bit hit and miss, as the music industry is.

And, of course, we have got that fantastic bronze.

The Dalou bronze, I think it's very attractive.

I think it's a very well executed bronze, so £150 upwards.

Let's go and meet them.

The bidders are taking their seats around the saleroom and we find

our couple giving those monkey figurines a final look over.

-Do you think you're going to miss these?

-Yeah, I will.

Yeah. They had pride of place in my lounge, the little monkeys.

-How does it feel when you see your personal items here?

-Nah, it's good.

I'm quite looking forward to it, it should be interesting. It's good to see our items.

Yeah, I'm really excited about it.

I'm nervous as well, I'm worried we're not going to get there but...

We've got ten items that we're selling here today.

Hopefully, if we hit our estimate on them, then we'll go past our target.

-Ready to get in position for the auction?

-Yeah.

-Yeah. We're ready.

-Come on.

'If you decide to buy or sell antiques at an auction house,

'remember that commission and possibly other charges will be added to your bill.

'So check the details with the saleroom first.

'With the bidders ready and waiting, we take our places just in time

'as our first lot comes under the hammer.

'And it's got at least one fan in the room.'

These carriage clocks, they're top quality.

They made so many of them, these were the must have at the time.

-Look, the quality is super.

-Is it?

Yeah. So I think £100 is a good buy.

It's all pretty much intact.

And 50 to start. 55, 60.

65. 70, 75, 80.

85, 85, near the doorway at 85.

I'm gonna let it go at £85.

That all right?

Yes. Fine, yes.

Selling only just under estimate, the carriage clock has got us off

to a solid start.

Our trio of writing slopes are up next.

We're hoping they'll make £80 to £120.

They all need a little bit of work

but I have seen a couple of gentlemen looking at them.

They tend to enjoy doing them up, I think. So £80 is minimum.

-Let's see if we can get that then.

-50, I'm bid. At 50.

At £50. 55, 60.

65, at £65. At 65.

You all finished and done with at 65?

Considering the restoration needed,

we're all satisfied with that result. With a £1,200 target,

we need the rest of our lots at the top of their game though.

Will our silver cruet set put a sparkle in the bidder's eyes?

Paul valued it at £100 to £200.

At £50. 55, 60.

£60, all finished and done with then at £60?

Pass that one.

I'm glad he didn't. They were worth a lot more than that.

'It's our first unsold lot of the day, but we're all glad it didn't sell

'for such a small amount.

'We've had two items selling under estimate and one no sale so far

'but maybe the boxed compass,

'or as Paul put it, early Sat Nav, will point us

'back in the right direction.'

Starting at 25.

30. 35, at 35. At £35.

You all finished and done with then at £35?

Pass that over.

-OK, that's finished.

-No sale.

-He's passing it over.

-Yeah.

'It's a disappointing result and there's yet another item

'heading back home to Canvey Island when the pretty games table fails

'to meet its £100 to £200 estimate.'

The main bid of £50...

Right, we leave that one.

'After a promising start, the saleroom seems to have shifted

'down a gear but maybe there'll be some art lovers in the room.'

Our next lot is the 19th century miniature on ivory.

-So what do you want for this?

-About £80 to £100.

-If we knew who the sitter was...

-Mmm.

-..that could increase the value.

-If it was Napoleon!

-Oh, gosh!

At £50, on the books with me at 50. 55.

60. 65, I'm out...

65 on my right, 70 at the back...

-75, 80. 85...

-That's what we wanted, 80.

85 on my right, I'm selling at 85.

-Sold.

-£85, a bit of a struggle, but we got there.

'Phew, our first item to sell over estimate.

'It may not have been Napoleon,

'but the portrait has made a big contribution to our football fund.

'But we've still got a long way to go. One of our more highly

'valued lots is coming up next and we're keeping everything crossed.'

Our next lot is the bronze bust of a young woman, which I think is French?

This looks French and they've researched the artist on this one.

I don't think it's as old as the Dalou bronze that we've got later

but we're looking for a similar sort of price. I want £150.

120, I am bid on the books.

30, 140. 50,

160. 70, 180.

90, 200.

and 10, 210 on the phone. I'm out.

220 in the room. 230,

240. 250,

260 again.

270, all finished and done with then at £270.

-Brilliant.

-Yes.

That's excellent isn't it, hey? That's really good.

'What a brilliant price for the bronze bust,

'selling for £20 over Paul's top end estimate.

'Let's hope that excitement continues

'as Paula's beloved monkey figurines take centre stage.'

-What do we want for those, Paul?

-I was hoping for about 200.

Being honest, they don't look as attractive here as in your house.

-No, no.

-So let's see how it goes.

And I'm starting this at 120.

30, 130.

At 130, all finished at 130?

-No.

-Have to pass that, I'm afraid.

'Unsold.

'That's a massive blow to our target but Paula seems secretly pleased!

Never mind, I shall find them a nice spot in the lounge

and they can play their music and live with us for a bit longer.

'We've only two items left to go under the hammer today and we're

'still a long way from the £1,200 we need for Paula and Ian's

'football season ticket. So the pressure is really on our next lot.'

Now, guys, this is one of our important pieces - the Dalou bronze.

We've got a reserve on that?

Yeah, I put them in with a reserve of £150 on them, so let's hope so.

And I'm starting this at 130.

35, 40. 45, 50.

I'm out. 60. 65.

This is getting interesting.

170. 175, 180.

At the back of the room, 185, 190.

5, 200.

20, 40.

60, 280.

300, 320.

340, 360.

380, 400.

420, on the phone at 420.

You're all finished at 420 then, selling at 420 on the phone.

HAMMER FALLS

-Hey!

-That's brilliant.

-£120.

'What an amazing result. We've no time for celebrations though

'as our final item is about to go under.

'It's the stick barometer that Paul valued at £250.'

And I'm starting this at 200. 200.

10, 20.

30, 230 at the back.

230, 240 on the phone.

250, 260 on the phone.

270, 280.

-290, 300. 310.

-And that's damaged as well.

320, 330. 340.

350, 360, 370.

-Oh, my goodness!

-380, 390, 400.

410, 420. 430.

430 right at the back, is that a bid?

440, 450.

460, 470, 480.

490, at £490.

You're all finished and done at £490.

500.

500, you're all finished and done with, then, at £500?

-Aye!

-£500.

The season ticket's going to be OK.

-A box!

-That's all she's worried about!

The number of games she'll go to!

'What an end to our day, the bids just kept coming in for that lot.

'After those spectacular

'final two sales, it's time to blow the whistle and tot up our total.'

-You're taking a few pieces back home.

-Yeah.

-But you're quite happy about that too?

-Yeah, yeah, that's fine.

OK. Right, you wanted £1,200. Well, you've actually raised £1,425!

-That's good!

-Are you pleased with that?

-Really pleased. That's excellent.

-Is that going to be enough?

It'll buy one season ticket, yes!

So you're sorted, you know what you're going to do?

Still have to carry on working, I suppose!

'A few weeks after their resounding auction success,

'our football-mad couple can start enjoying their new season ticket

'and they're making the most of their visit to London with

'a meal at their favourite restaurant.'

-Nice to see you.

-Thank you.

Bit of a ritual now - we've been coming here for quite a few years.

'It makes more of a day of it, and then go on to the match.'

And it's... We enjoy doing that now.

Some of this. That is hot...

'The extra cash from the auction means Ian and Paula can splash out on a pre-match meal together.

'But before long, it's time to swap the fajitas for football

'and head to the stadium.'

We've got our season tickets and we're chuffed we've got 'em.

Oh, I love it. Umph, I got it! Thanks to Cash In The Attic.

Well, I don't think you can meet two more fanatical football fans than Ian and Paula.

Thank goodness they did so well at auction

and can support Arsenal all the way.

If you'd like to raise some money because you've got a special project

in mind, or you just fancy treating yourself, why not get in touch?

You'll find more details at the BBC website -

We'll see you again next time.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

E-mail [email protected]