Freedman Cash in the Attic

Hello and welcome to the programme that takes you

into people's homes to find items with an intriguing story around them.

But even more important, items that we can take to auction

to raise money so that we can realise the dreams of the owners.

So the next time you're rooting around your own home,

why don't you think to yourself, "Maybe I have some Cash In The Attic?"

On today's Cash In The Attic,

our expert is totally flabbergasted by the location of a priceless heirloom.

What is it doing inside a cupboard in your dance studio?!

He's astounded, and he can't believe what's inside an autograph album of famous signatures.

It looks like it's written on a paper bag.

Yes, that's all we had available.

On auction day, will we be laughing all the way to the bank?

-£190, £200, £210, £220.

-I'm amazed.

Find out what happens when that hammer falls.

Now, today, I'm in the very pretty area of Bexhill-on-Sea,

right down on the south coast of England.

And I'm about to visit a lady who's got a total passion for dance.

A bit of the old Strictly Come Dancing, you know.

But she also wants to make a difference to the lives of her four children.

Diana Freedman, who's been dancing since she was a little girl,

is a teacher running two dance schools.

One of the studios is attached to her new home.

It's a large Victorian house which was bought with the idea of moving in

her elderly parents, but very sadly, they both passed away before the renovation work was finished.

Her parents were avid collectors, and the house is filled with their possessions.

Diana lives here with her husband Robert and, of course, their dog, Jazz.

Today, she's joined by her friend Charlotte, who's going to help her search for those hidden treasures.

So, Diana, how are you?

You exercise the dog as well as your students, do you?

-Yes, that's right!

-And this is Charlotte?

-Hello.

-Are you a teacher at the school?

-Yes, I am.

What kind of stuff do you teach?

Everything. Ballet, tap, modern, jazz, musical theatre. Everything.

-You're handy to have around, aren't you?

-Oh, yes!

Now, why have you called in Cash In The Attic?

My mum and dad recently passed away, and they'd collected lots of things.

My father hadn't left a will,

but I know he wanted to leave something for the grandchildren

so I thought I'd call in Cash In The Attic for all their different bits and pieces.

Were both your parents hoarders by nature?

Yes, they were, and Dad used to travel abroad a lot,

so he was given a lot of things from different countries.

You obviously have a great mix of things to sell, and potentially take to auction.

How much money would you like to raise?

Well, I'd like to try to raise £1,200.

That's quite a lot. You're aiming high.

-It is quite a lot.

-I know you girls are very fit, being dance instructors,

so you'll be able to work hard today to raise the money.

But James Rylands, our expert, is already plundering through cupboards and drawers,

so I think we should join him and see what he's found.

Our Sotheby's-trained consultant, James Rylands, certainly knows his stuff.

And it's not long before he spots the first great find.

Why is it I always catch you, James, sitting down?

Did you actually think I was going to come in my maid's outfit and serve you tea, is that the idea?

In my dreams, Gloria!

In my dreams. I've got everything here, the tea set. All that I'm lacking is the cup and saucer.

-Diana, you move closer because you know more about it than me.

-Is this an old family tea service?

Yes, it's my grandmother's.

OK, well, I've looked at the dates and it's hallmarked 1911, 1912. Would that figure?

I think it would. She'd have been quite young then.

Quite often, funnily enough, they were actually

presented as wedding presents, because the idea with this is that

you had your teapot, your jug and your sugar basin, and they really did epitomise the social function.

They were important parts of what class you were.

-And is it solid silver?

-It's solid silver, it's made in Birmingham.

But also on the bottom here, I can see a maker's mark.

Stewart Dawson Ltd.

Not only is it sterling silver, as opposed to plated silver, it's also by a good maker.

-Have you used it yourself?

-I haven't.

-Never?

-No.

-Have you cleaned it much since you got it?

No, I haven't, I hasten to say!

Don't worry, Diana, because this is what we'd call "in nice, country-house condition".

In other words, it's not been rubbed to within an inch of its life,

and often that's how people like things at auction.

So now we come to the whole point of money,

-of course.

-I think for the tea service in today's market, bearing in mind

other important things like the intrinsic value of silver,

it's melting at a very, very high price.

So we have to take that into account.

Value on it, I think at the moment, it's going to be around £250-£300.

Oh, that's wonderful. Gosh.

Well, that's one child taken care of!

THEY LAUGH

What a fabulous start to the day,

but, you know, we have a long way to go to reach that £1,200 target.

'In the hall, I spot a pair of Chinese cinnabar red lacquer vases.

'This elegant substance comes from the sap of the lacquer tree, and can be coloured

'by adding minerals such as cinnabar,

'which is an ore of mercury. They should fetch between £60-£100.'

Then upstairs in the bedroom, James has discovered something

that many of us will remember from our childhood.

I've got a little collection here of something

that everybody's heard of, Dinky Toys.

The firm was actually started in 1934 by Meccano,

which as every schoolboy knows, was a firm that made construction kits. Very, very popular.

Originally, these only cost around one and sixpence, which in today's money is about 7.5p.

But they've now become real collectors' items.

Just to give you some idea of how collectable these pieces are,

the top price paid for a single Dinky Toy is just under £20,000.

I'm sorry to say these aren't quite in that league, but the boxed ones

here in front, which probably date from the 1950s onwards, they're worth around £50-£80.

What have we got here? Another little collection in the box.

So together, I reckon we're probably looking at £200-£300.

So who's going to buy this collection?

Well, there are younger collectors, but there's still a hardcore of people

who are really trying to rekindle their youth.

All boys' stuff. On a similar toy theme,

Diana has found this bulldozer with a tractor and trailer.

They're not Dinky,

but that other famous British die-cast toy maker, Lesney Moko, who produced Matchbox toys.

We valued it at £50-£80.

Then on the landing, Charlotte comes across a really nice oak box.

It contains a 12-setting Mappin & Webb silver plate cutlery set.

Mappin & Webb is one of the UK's leading retailers of fine jewellery and silverware.

They have the Royal seal of approval, and are purveyors to both the Queen and Prince Charles.

Obviously, we hope that someone will fork out £150-£200 for them at auction.

Diana and her husband moved into this converted schoolhouse just under a year ago.

There's a dance studio on the ground floor where Diana teaches,

and a granny flat on the first floor, which was meant for her parents.

There are just so many rooms to explore.

You know, Diana, I'm almost loath to interrupt you

because it looks like you're having a really nostalgic moment there.

What are you looking at, exactly?

This is my daughter, Emma's wedding, which was only a few months ago.

I was so lucky because Mum and Dad were both there

at the wedding with the rest of the family, which is a lovely memory.

I'm sure it was a very happy day as well.

It was a lovely day. Wonderful day.

Is Emma your youngest daughter?

She's the middle daughter.

So your parents were obviously very glad to see her get married and be happy.

Oh, yes. Over the moon.

So what happened to your dad?

He had a silent heart attack, and was rushed into hospital about a month after the wedding.

He did recover from that, but unfortunately

picked up a chest infection and it was eventually pneumonia.

He couldn't fight off the infection.

-How old was he?

-He was 92.

What an innings, eh?

-Wonderful age.

-And then Mum?

She had to go into hospital just to have some antibiotics.

While she was there, she fell and broke her hip and had an operation.

And sadly died within about 48 hours of the operation.

So you lost her too?

-Yes.

-What was the time span between Mum and Dad?

-It was only nine days.

-Nine days?!

You've had such a year of it, haven't you?

Yes, it was so sad.

It's ironic that here we are, sitting right above the dance studio,

you can even hear the children dancing away downstairs.

And this is where your mum and dad were going to live with you.

-That's right.

-The fact that your mum loved dance so much,

she'd love to have gone down to see the children, wouldn't she?

Yes. For the few weeks she was here, she did come down and see the children and the mums.

Diana, I'm enjoying the atmosphere and I think that I'm just going to listen

to the children downstairs and have a little flick through your album.

Such a beautiful bride, beautiful day.

Diana's close-knit family have clearly given her great support at this extremely difficult time.

She wants to raise some money to give to her four children.

She feels that her parents would be happy for her

to sell some of the things they had collected over the years, in order to do so.

In a box with a silver tea set,

Charlotte has spotted this Viennese-style painted Pekinese dog.

As you can see, he's wearing a fez and sitting on a Turkish carpet.

Classified as a cold-painted item, it's fired in a kiln,

usually with a clear glaze and then painted afterwards.

The paint, I have to warn you, tends to flake easily.

James reckons this little dog should fetch between £30-£50.

And then James comes across an old autograph album that's in very good condition.

What have you found there?

Actually, Diana, I'm hoping you can tell me.

It's got autographs written on the front, which always intrigues me.

-Where did it come from?

-It was my mum's.

-So she collected autographs?

-Yes, she did.

I'm just flicking through, looking for well-known signatures.

Most of them seem to date to the 1930s.

Look, here's a name to conjure with. Gracie Fields, we like that.

We like that a lot. Music hall star, and dated 1938, so very much in her prime. Where did that come from?

She probably, you know, waited outside the theatre to see her.

She was a great fan of hers.

-There's another one, you know who that is?

-Tony Hancock.

I was there when she got that one.

I was there for that one.

-It looks as if it's written on a paper bag.

-Yes, that's all we had available to ask him to write on.

He was one of the most popular comedians of his day.

-Do you know the rarest signature in the world?

-No.

William Shakespeare. There are very, very, very few recorded signatures of his,

and if one just happened to come up for auction,

it would probably be worth about £5 million.

-Really?

-Oh, yes.

I'm afraid with this, I have to knock a few noughts off, just a few.

I think something like this at auction would probably be worth somewhere in the region of £50-£80.

That's wonderful, gosh.

The album may not contain signatures of Shakespearean value,

but let's hope those auction bidders will part with a sum that would have pleased Tony Hancock.

-Bid me at £30 or I'll pass the lot.

-£30.

-Oh, no. Come on.

Bid! Oh, we've got two bidders.

But will it be enough money to help Diana fulfil her parents' wishes?

Now, actually, you see, that was a snip for somebody.

All the drama of the auction still to come,

but as our search continues, Diana comes across this gold bar brooch with rubies and diamonds.

Diana's grandmother Ethel wore it when she went to afternoon tea with all the VIPs of the time.

Her husband was a councillor of a London borough, so she had to look smart.

James values it at a very impressive £200-£300.

We're just under £1,000 now,

so we're very close to reaching Diana's £1,200 target.

We may get a little closer with a discovery that Charlotte has made in the kitchen.

James, look what I've found.

Blimey, you found lots. Where did this come from, do you know?

-I'm not sure, but it was handed down in the family.

-In Diana's family?

-Yes.

-How old do you think it is?

-40 to 50 years?

-Keep going!

-60?

-It's probably around 140 years old.

-Oh, wow!

I reckon this dates to around the 1870s.

We've got, more or less, a complete dinner service.

I can see 12 plates there, 12 small plates.

We've got terrines, these graduated meat platters which are very, very desirable.

It's made in Staffordshire, and on the back, I can see Pandora, which is the name of the pattern,

named after a classical character representing hope.

Underneath here, I can see RH&S which actually Ralph Hammersley & Sons.

He was a manufacturer up in Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire,

which is the big potteries area of England where so many of these dinner services were produced

in the 19th century, and indeed in the 20th century.

This is actually made on what we call a transfer print. In other words, it's not hand-painted.

The decoration is just put on using a blue transfer

which is then glazed over it.

The good news is that we seem to have most of the elements of the dinner service here.

The bad news, I'm afraid, is that things like this just aren't as fashionable as they were.

-Do you like it?

-Yes, it's not too bad.

You didn't say that with a lot of enthusiasm!

It's not to my liking, really. But, yes, it's nice.

I think we're hoping it would be nice for somebody.

This isn't going to sound like a lot of money,

-but it's probably going to be worth upwards of £100.

-Oh.

Which is great, but it would cost a heck of a lot more

to buy something like this from an expensive retail shop today.

-But let's hope someone takes a shine to it.

-Yeah.

Come on, you'd better find something else for me, lurking in some cupboard somewhere.

There's always something lurking.

£100 would mean that we're very close to Diana's target.

I take the opportunity to find out a little bit more about Diana's interest in dance.

Wow, this is clearly your dance studio. What a space!

-It's wonderful, isn't it?

-Fantastic.

It's like having it in your own sitting room, really.

In your own home, not too far to go to work.

No!

What's the history of it?

It was a primary school, originally,

then a lady called Janice Blake bought the house and ran a dance school here for 30 years.

Which I used to go to when I was six, when it was Janice Blake's school,

me and my two sisters, and stayed here until I was about 15.

-Did you love it?

-Oh, I loved it.

Because it was a social thing as well. All my friends were here.

What age were you, Diana, when you started?

I was about six when I started, because my mum used to dance.

She sent me because I was very shy, that's why I originally went to dancing.

-You'd never believe it, would you?

-No.

-No!

THEY LAUGH

-Did it do the trick?

-It did, because I loved performing right from an early age.

-I liked performing on stage.

-So you went right on through with dance?

Yes, and I did some cabaret work, but I was really always wanting to teach.

Right from about the age of 13, I wanted to teach.

What's the spectrum of dance you teach here?

We take ballet, tap, modern, jazz, freestyle and musical theatre.

-Everything, really.

-All the stage side, yes.

What did you like best. Was it tap, ballet, what?

-I liked the modern jazz best, myself.

-Oh, good.

Although ballet was something that I really came into when I was older.

I took my fellowship in the ballet, which I really enjoy.

Yes. Do you know, the biggest row I ever had with my mum when I was a kid

was that she said she couldn't afford the lessons.

I even remember my little tap things.

-See, I remember from when I was even this size!

-Yeah.

We could stand here and talk about dance

and memories of dance all day, but we're slacking, so we've got to get at it and make some more dosh.

Shall we go?

James hasn't been wasting any time, either.

He's found this Swiss 18-carat gold keyless half-hunter pocket watch, which Diana found in a sock

under the bed and assumes it was her grandfather's.

Half-hunter means that the watch has a lid to protect the face.

But there's a small, glazed window so the time can be read when the lid is still closed.

James values it between £100-£200, but we haven't finished yet.

Diana, I can see you're engrossed. What have you got?

This is my grandfather in the RAF and these are my great-grandfather's.

-Oh, medals from the First World War.

-And my grandfather's.

Your grandfather's, what a nice collection.

Looking at your great-grandfather's medals, I can see here

we've got what was called the Mons Star, which was the 1914 medal.

That was awarded to all the people over in France and Belgium

fighting in the First World War around 1914 and 1915.

To give you some idea of just how many people were involved out there,

they awarded 378,000 of those,

just in that first year of the war.

Also here, I can see some commissions from the First and Second World War.

-So this is your grandfather?

-Yes, and he used to fly in the plane.

He was the gunner at the back of the plane in the First World War.

Wow, I can't tell you how brave he must have been to have done that.

I can see what looks like an early biplane crash-landed on the earth.

Presumably, that's his plane?

Yes, my mum told me that he crashed twice,

and walked away.

So it was amazing, really.

It's great to have the medals with the recipient's name engraved on the side, but to have the commissions,

the photographs, it all adds up to a nice collection.

So I think, conservatively, we'd probably estimate between £100-£200.

-That's very good.

-And I honestly think they'll go on and make a bit more on that.

-Oh, right.

The question is will Diana really want to part with such personal items?

We'll have to see if they make it to the auction on the day.

To ensure we've left no corner unexplored, Diana's taking one last look around the dance studio.

James, what about this? Is this worth anything?

Oh, I like the weight of that.

I'm loving this, Diana. I really am.

Now, let's have a look.

Excellent. Listen, here we go.

SJR, Stephen J Rose, very high quality makers, cigarette case.

Probably made in the 1920s which is when they were operating.

You know what, none of that matters because the important thing is,

looking at the hallmark, it's nine-carat gold!

-What?

-That's what we've discovered.

Oh, my goodness, I can hear your excitement all over the house.

-Solid nine-carat gold?

-Solid nine-carat gold. Just feel the weight of that.

Oh, my goodness.

I don't think I've ever seen a solid gold cigarette case before.

I think it's amazing to think they carried those round

in their inside pockets. It must have been a heck of a weight.

I could carry it around in rings and bracelets and things. That's amazing, isn't it?

A question, Diana. What's it doing inside a cupboard in your dance studio?

We're still trying to sort things out from Mum and Dad's house.

Some things we just put in the cupboards because we've not had time

-to sort them out yet.

-Who did it belong to?

I don't think it can be my father's.

You said early 1900s?

-Yes, probably 1920s.

-It must have been his father.

Listen, I haven't got a set of scales here

because the value is all in the gold price and what it's going to melt at.

I'm just going on the weight in my hands, I think we're probably upwards of £500.

-Wow!

-That's amazing.

-If you asked me if it's a good time

to be selling something like this, the answer is definitely yes, because the gold price is high.

So from something just in your dance studio in the cupboard, not a bad thing to finish off with.

Oh, that's fantastic. You know, the whole day has been really, really interesting

because your parents had obviously collected beautiful things.

Good news because you wanted £1,200, roughly.

You have got... We don't know exactly what everything will go for,

the solid silver, the solid gold,

-but you've got £1,790.

-Oh, that's amazing!

-Wow!

-How about that?

In order to celebrate, I want you to put James through his paces.

-Go, James!

-Come on, James!

Take your jacket off, James. I'll hold it.

I'm very worried about this, Charlotte.

So, feet in first. Just bring your arm up to second, and down.

CRACKING

Oh, the bones are...!

Ooh, my back! One's enough!

THEY LAUGH

Yes, I think James should stick to what he knows best.

And if his valuations are correct, we're in for a great day at the auction in a couple of weeks' time.

Here's a quick reminder of some of the things Diana will be taking there.

The solid silver tea service,

which Diana's grandmother used on very important occasions.

That should make £250-£350.

And the brooch which she may well have worn

at the time she was serving the tea, that would add another £200-£300.

Plus a collection of Dinky Toys.

Even though the majority of the cars aren't boxed,

they should still drive away with another £200-£300.

Find out how they all get on when the final hammer falls.

Still to come on Cash In The Attic, this crowd is looking tough, but will they be on our side?

A chance for £180? All done at £170?

£180 back in, you're making me work.

No, no, no.

And will the price of gold rush sky-high?

I think we're happy with it.

We'll soon see how far "upwards" is.

That's for us to know and for you to find out.

It's only been a couple of weeks since we met Diana at her home

in Bexhill-on-Sea and, indeed, her dance studio.

But it was really sad that she lost both her parents so close together.

They left behind some fantastic memories and some quite incredible items

which we brought to Chiswick Auctions here in west London.

Just to recall, Diane wants to raise about £1,200 so let's hope

there are some very eager bidders when our items go under the hammer.

This sale is held every Tuesday, and is very popular with dealers and individuals looking for a bargain.

It always has a great variety of objects for sale, and I know

that one of our items today isn't likely to come along any day of the week.

James already has got his hands on it.

James, you're like Mr Goldfinger standing there, look at you.

Actually, I loved this case on the day, didn't you?

-I did, it's so stylish.

-The thing is that I'd actually never seen a solid gold cigarette case before.

What price did you put on it?

We didn't have a set of scales with us,

so I just said it would be worth upwards of £500.

The auction house have now weighed it, are you ready for this, Gloria?

They've got an estimate of between £1,200-£1,500 on it.

-Isn't she going to be pleased?

-Oh, my goodness.

That's amazing. Have you told her?

-No.

-So we're going to keep this a secret?

-Ssh!

-What a surprise.

-But gold's doing so well at the moment.

-Isn't that amazing?

Yeah. And of course apart from the gold, she has a lot of solid silver.

She's got some great things, a very diverse collection.

-She's got those Dinky Toys as well.

-You like the Dinky Toys, don't you?

-I do like Dinky Toys.

I think we're going to have some fun today.

I'll have to keep my face straight and not give away the secret.

As usual, the auction rooms are attracting a great number of people

and hopefully that will be good news for Diana.

-Diana and Charlotte, surprise surprise, no dancing today, then?

-No.

-No teaching?

-A day off.

-I loved those little children, those little tiny ones which are so sweet.

-So sweet.

Have you been to an auction before?

-No, I've never been at all.

-Never ever?

-Never.

-Another two auction virgins, see?

We're finding a lot of them these days.

You've got to make the most of them. We're going to have some fun today.

-Are you excited about it?

-I'm very excited and a bit nervous.

-A few little tummy nerves, eh?

-Definitely.

So you're hoping for £1,200? Yes, that's right.

Quite a lot of money to aim to raise on this programme, isn't it?

I didn't see these on the day, whose medals are these?

-These were my great-grandfather's.

-Your great-grandfather's? Yes, from the First World War.

-Diana, did you bring the photographs you were going to copy to go with them?

-Yes. I did.

Excellent, because I think that'll help the price.

Are you ready for action?

-Yes, ready to go.

-OK, the auctioneer is about to get into position so follow James, and we'll do it.

Off we go.

There are over 700 lots in today's auction, so there's a lot of competition.

But Diana has 12 quality items, so I don't think she needs to worry too much.

Our first one to come up is the Mappin & Webb golden oak canteen of cutlery.

It's priced at £150-£250.

-Where did you find it, or whose was it?

-I just found it in my parents' loft in a bag.

Did you? In a bag? Any old plastic bag?!

Yes, in a plastic bag.

You thought, "Hey ho, what's this?"

Brilliant. And what did you make of it, James?

We've got an estimate of £150-£250, but it's actually a really nice, clean set. Really nice oak case.

For someone actually setting up home, it's ready-made.

-I've got four commission bids on this one. No mucking about.

-Four commission bids.

-Starting £170, I'll take £180 in the room.

-Into the estimate already.

£180 there, £190's my last. £200? Your bid at £200, I'll take £210.

-How about that?

-At £200?

No more competition, selling at £200.

-Wow!

-£200.

Lying in an old plastic bag.

That's a very reassuring start for Diana.

The bidders obviously have good taste, let's hope they like our next item.

It's the 19th century Pandora dinner service,

estimated at upwards of £100.

Somebody starts me at £70. £70 I'm bid, I'll take £75 now.

-£75, £80. £85?

-They're bidding.

-Good.

-At £80, I'm bid, I'll take £85 elsewhere. At £80 in front of me. At £80, is that enough?

Selling at £80, all done?

I didn't like that bit.

-They're getting an awful lot for their money, there.

-Yeah.

Obviously elegance just isn't as fashionable as it used to be.

OK, next one up is the tapered antique gold bar brooch.

Rubies and diamonds, £200-£300. Where did this come from?

-That's my grandmother's.

-You never want to wear it yourself?

No, I just didn't think I'd wear it.

I'd be frightened I'd lose it, to be honest!

So you'd like it to go to a new home?

-Yes.

-Start me on the money at £200.

£200 to start me? At £160, we'll see where it goes.

Somebody bid me, surely? At £160.

No bid at £160? I'll move on.

No interest at £160? Disappointing. Not sold.

So Diana, you might be wearing that brooch after all.

-Maybe it was meant to stay with you.

-Yes.

You know, I think it's very fitting for something so beautiful

and so treasured by Diana's grandmother

to stay within the family.

Our next item is that small Pekinese dog with a fez, sitting on a Turkish carpet.

Afraid I have to pass that one.

Clearly, nobody wants a Pekinese dog with a fez on a Turkish carpet, but we do have high hopes

for our next lot, which belonged to Diana's late brother.

How lovely it is to see these pristine toys displayed in their best light, and with such

an interest in toys in general, surely they'll attract some healthy bids.

-This one coming up now is the Dinky Toys.

-You're in your element, James.

One of my favourites. We've got a few boxed ones and then a nice motley collection of other ones.

The estimate, £200-£300, let's hope all the collectors are here.

-£200, start me.

-He's asking for the low estimates.

-£160.

No bids at £160, I'll move on.

No bids at all at £160? Well below estimate.

-No interest at £160, then?

-No, no, no!

-I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass that one.

-James!

I'm going to stamp my little feet and cry.

That is unbelievable.

There obviously aren't any toy fans in today

which doesn't bode well for our next lot.

The Lesney Moko tractor, bulldozer and trailer.

The good thing is they've actually got their original box.

-Did they belong to your brother as well?

-Yes, they did.

He must have been a very restrained child because they haven't been used very much.

That's what is hopefully going to help their value.

For this little lot, start me on the money at £50.

£50 to start me. £40...

£50 I'm bid, there. £55 now? £55, £60.

£65, £70. £75, £80. £85, £90.

£95, £100. £110, £120.

£130, £140. £150, £160. £170, £180.

£190, £200. £210, £220.

-I'm amazed.

-£240, £250. £260, £270.

£280, £290. £300, £310. £320, £330?

£320 in the heights, at £320.

Is that the money? £320, I'll take £330 now.

-Last chance, selling at £320.

-Wow!

Excuse me, there's no logic in that, is there?

The Dinky ones didn't sell, and this just raced ahead. Why is that?

-I think the bottom line is obviously Lesney Moko tractors are a little bit rarer than I thought.

-OK.

I like my Dinky Toys, the cars, but obviously the money is in the tractors. Love 'em.

Absolutely, and you never know what something is worth until it's sold.

We certainly didn't see that one coming. But it's given a huge boost to Diana's fund.

-Knowing that you're both auction virgins, are you enjoying the auction?

-Yes, very much.

Good. Have the nerves settled a bit?

-A bit.

-Mind you, you've had some ups and downs.

But you, in an ideal world, wanted £1,200.

But at the halfway stage, bearing in mind that some things didn't sell, you still have £600.

So you're halfway there already.

-That's brilliant.

-Not bad, eh? Halfway there at the halfway point.

What are we going to do, James?

There's something in this auction I want to show you, let's go and have a look.

He's always got something to show us, so let's have a look.

It makes it all exciting.

If, like Diana, for you're keen to raise money by selling at auction, I think you should bear in mind

that there are various charges to be paid for, including commission.

That commission can vary from one saleroom to another, so it's always worth checking in advance.

While Diana and Charlotte enjoying a well-earned break, James has got his eye on a very attractive timepiece.

Look, Gloria, here's something I want to show you.

You've heard in the auction business about pieces that are married up?

-Yes?

-This piece here, this clock, is more about polygamy.

It's a multiple marriage, lots of partners.

Basically what we've got here is a nice, English brass,

18th century longcase, or grandfather clock, face.

-Like this one?

-Just like this one.

What's happened is that the wooden case has obviously fallen to bits,

and someone's come along and said, "We've still got a nice clock here."

They've made a new case for it, but turn it round...

..and in the back, it's got a chiming,

three-train German movement in it, dating to about 1900.

So it's a complete mish-mash.

Surely no antique clock dealer or person interested in clocks would want an amalgam like that?

Someone is either going to buy it for the face, or think, "Well, it's a bit of fun."

It's not a timepiece I'd like on my mantelpiece.

I haven't got a mantelpiece big enough to take it!

Let's get back to the auction.

It looks like the bidders agreed with me, because the clock

didn't reach its £250 asking price and remained unsold.

Diana has got six items left, including the solid silver tea set,

not forgetting, of course, the very famous solid gold cigarette case.

We're keeping it a secret, that the value of this has more than doubled.

So if all goes to plan, Diana could be laughing all the way to the bank.

Our next lot on the podium is the collection of war medals

from Diana's grandfather and great-grandfather.

I saw those medals earlier on.

Absolutely. These are with all the documentary evidence,

and the photographs that you copied, so let's hope it makes a difference.

We've got an estimate of £100-£200, for your grandfather's

and great-grandfather's medals from the First and Second World War.

Start me on the money at £100, somebody.

£80, then, let's see where it goes. At £80. £80, I'm bid. £85, £90?

There is a couple I can see bidding.

-Do you see them?

-£120? At £110 in the gallery door, I'll take £120 now.

£110. Is that the money? All done?

£120 up on high now. £130. £140?

£130, the original bid.

I'll take £140 now, last chance.

-£130, selling, all done? £140, in time. £150, £160. £170.

-See how it can change.

£180? £170 then, with the original bidder.

Last chance, for £180.

All done at £170? £180 back in, you're making me work.

£190? £200.

£190 then, all done? He's done enough, £190?

Last chance and selling at £190.

All done?

Diana, what do you think?

That's good.

Right on the top end of the price.

-Absolutely.

-Only £10 underneath.

-£10 under the top estimate.

-I'm pleased with that.

Your grandfather and your great-grandfather, you've done them proud,

-which is great.

-Yes, you have.

It's good money, but it must be hard, nevertheless, to part with such personal items.

However, it's for a very good cause. The next lot is from Diana's mother.

The autograph album, priced £50-£80.

We've got everybody from Gracie Fields

to Clementine Churchill, Winston Churchill's wife, to Tony Hancock, who's my absolute favourite.

-Yes.

-Diana, you realise that Gloria is an expert on this because her autograph is very collectable!

No, the thing is, if somebody doesn't ask me for it, I chase them until they do.

For this little lot, start me at £30, please. Let's see what goes.

At £30, start me.

£30.

Oh, no, come on, bid.

-Oh, we've got two bidders.

-Still cheap. £38?

At £35. £38 there. £40?

At £38.

Surely £40? At £38, are we all done?

I'm going to sell it at £38.

-Actually, that was a snip for somebody considering they're such famous names.

-It was.

A lot of collecting in there, so I'm a bit disappointed on your behalf.

I am too. You should have got her to sign it.

If Gloria had signed the book...

I don't think so!

I think my autograph would have DEVALUED it even more.

Next up is something that Diana's grandmother used to serve tea to the bigwigs of the time.

Diana, we all love this tea set because it's solid silver.

It depicts that whole era of elegance.

I just wish, though, that these tea services were more fashionable

and that more people actually took time to take tea.

Start me at £200, somebody.

£200, start me, I shan't go lower.

Well below estimate at £200. £200, I'm bid. I'll take £210 now. At £200.

£210, £220. £230? £240. Still cheap.

£250? £240, shaking your head.

£250 in a new place, £260.

£270? £260 then, original bid. Any more competition at £260?

Are we all done? £260 and selling.

At just over James's lowest estimate, I feel

that Diana's grandmother would've been pleased with that sale.

The next lot is the only one that Diana will be sorry to see go.

The red lacquer vases.

The decorative cinnabar vases, 250A.

Start me on the money at £100?

£100? £80, then.

Dare I go to £70? Nobody going to bid me at £70? I'll move on.

No interest at £70 then, all done?

Unsold, I'm afraid.

There you go, they're going back to sit in your hall. Just as well you quite like them!

Yes, I do like them.

Yes, they're going home,

but I don't think Diana's too disappointed about this non-sale.

However, she does need another £112 to reach her target of £1,200, and she only has two more items to go.

-The pocket watch is up next, at £100-£200.

-Lot number 260A,

a 19th century 18-carat hallmarked half-hunter gentleman's pocket watch.

What shall we say on this?

Start me at £100, please. £100 I'm bid, I'll take £110 now.

£110 there, £120? £130, £140?

£130 I'm bid, I'll take £140.

£140 up on high, £150. £160?

£150 then, last chance. All done?

£160 in the doorway. £170. £180?

I can't see you. £170 I'm bid in front. I'll be selling at £170, last chance.

£180, back in. £190? In the doorway at £180.

Is that the money, at £180? Last chance to all. At £180 and selling.

£180, you did pretty well with your estimate, James.

That's well within it. I'm glad they're still appreciated.

Yes, that's good. And yet another quality item from Diana's collection gets a great price.

Now it's time for the solid gold cigarette case.

Remember, it's now been valued at between £1,200, and £1,500.

I can't wait to see Diana's face when she realises what it's worth.

You probably remember we didn't have a set of scales with us when we were there.

Well, the auction house weighed it and I think it's fair to say

that it's worth a tad more than the value we put on it.

As you probably remember, all I said was it would be worth £500 upwards.

We'll soon see how far "upwards" is.

-That's for us to know and for you to find out.

-Oh, right.

What shall we say, start me at £1,000, somebody?

-1,000?

-£1,000, whoa!

At £1,100, there.

£1,200. £1,300? I can't see you.

At £1,200 to my left, I'll take £1,300 now. Is that the money?

£1,200, last chance and selling.

-£1,250 I'll take. £1,300?

-£1,250.

At £1,250 in front of me.

Last-chance then, selling at £1,250.

-What do you think?

-Wow!

-Brilliant.

Gosh, that's double. Over double.

And that was your target, so you got your complete target in one sale.

-Yes.

-Isn't that astonishing?

Oh, that's amazing. That's great.

-Do you need us to give you a bit of a recovery now?

-Smelling salts.

What a result, and I think that's the highest amount

for a single item at auction

I've come across in Cash In The Attic.

James, did we have a good time or not?

We had a great time, just watching the reactions on your faces was worth a million dollars.

Now we come to the total. You got your £1,200 as you know, just with the cigarette case.

But your final total is... Are you ready?

-£2,518.

-Oh, wow!

-Brilliant.

£2,518, and you're going home with some stuff that didn't sell.

You're going home with diamonds, Dinky Toys and all sorts of things of value.

-Yes, the girls will be pleased, won't they?

-They will be, definitely!

They'll be round to your house really quickly.

Yes, exactly!

With just a fraction of that amazing total, Diana's chosen Theatreland in London's West End

to bring her three daughters on a very special night out.

Tickets, please.

Thank you, thank you very much.

Unfortunately, my stepson couldn't come today, because he's working late,

but it's lovely to all get together and go out for the evening.

It's really enjoyable.

They've got three hours ahead of great, great entertainment,

so let's hope that this dancing family aren't too critical of the choreography.

It was amazing.

-The show was fantastic.

-Hilarious.

-One of the best things I've ever seen.

Grandmother would be dancing in the aisles, wouldn't she?

Yes, very well choreographed!

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