Nicholl Cash in the Attic

Welcome to Cash In The Attic, the programme that helps you

find antiques and collectables around your home

and then sells them with you at auction.

Today I'm near Brentwood in Essex

and inside this rather charming little 19th century cottage

is Brentwood Museum, which gives you a very graphic description

of what life was like here in Brentwood

at the beginning of the 1800s.

The building used to be the local cemetery lodge

and the Church Sexton, his wife and six children

all lived in this tiny space.

The museum collection reflects the everyday life of this town,

which became popular with London commuters

after the arrival of the railways in 1840.

Visitors can conjure up scenes of bygone domesticity and cooking,

and reflect on how people survived through two World Wars.

Well, after delving into the past,

let's leap right back into the future

and see what antiques and collectables we can find at our next location.

Coming up on Cash In The Attic, does Paul throw a spanner in the works?

It says AF. Now, do you know what AF is?

I haven't got a clue.

At fault.

'Is there some skulduggery afoot?'

She's got an ulterior motive.

Well, it doesn't surprise me in the least.

I just thought she was being helpful at first!

But when they get to auction it doesn't all run smoothly.

-Disappointment.

-A bit below what we hoped for.

-Yes.

Although something brings an optimistic cheer.

That's fantastic, isn't it?

So, what will the verdict be when the final hammer falls?

Well, I've now come just a few miles down the road to Billericay

where I'm about to meet Jeanette Nicholl and her friend Maureen.

They're huge fans of Cash In The Attic

and they've called us in to help them with a makeover.

This 1960s bungalow has been home to Jeanette Nicholl and her partner, Tony, for the last three years,

but today she's asked her bridge partner and pal Maureen

to pop around to help.

They've known each other for 20 years

and Jeanette hopes that their hunt for booty to take to auction

will be as adept and as sharp as their card playing.

-Good morning, Paul.

-Good morning, Angela.

-I haven't kept you waiting, have I?

-Not at all.

Well, if I have, I've had a very good excuse because I've been to Brentwood Museum this morning.

The good old days? They were the days, weren't they?

Oh, I don't know. I mean, there was no plumbing,

there was no washing machine, no mobile telephones.

Well, in contrast, we've got a very modern bungalow here,

but inside there's lots of Victorian furniture.

They're ready for a makeover,

so I think you're going to have a great day.

All right, let's have a look.

-Good morning, Jeanette. And you must be Maureen.

-I am.

-Hello, Angela.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to find you both playing bridge

this early in the day because that's how you met, isn't it?

It is. Over 20 years ago at a bridge club.

-And have you both got good poker faces?

-Jean hasn't!

THEY LAUGH

Well, I'm sorry to interrupt your game, but we've come here

to do some business today, haven't we, Cash In The Attic?

-Yes.

-Why... Why have you called us in?

I've called Cash In The Attic in

because I've moved from a very large Victorian house where,

over the years, I collected antique furniture and objects,

and the idea is to sell the antique furniture

and buy a piece of more modern furniture.

What do you think about her getting rid of all this Victorian furniture?

Yes, I think it's a good idea.

This is far too much clutter for this little room.

A nice modern table and a little sideboard

and then we can play bridge with much more room in here.

She's got an ulterior motive!

Well, it doesn't surprise me in the least.

I just thought she was being helpful at first,

asking me to clear the clutter, but I know now it's for her own end!

She wants more space to play the bridge!

How much do we reckon we might want to raise?

I thought about £500 would be very nice.

Well, you'd get a really good dining room table for 500 quid, I should think.

-And some chairs.

-Well, you might have to win a few more games of bridge in order to do that, I think!

But shall we go and find Paul

-because I know he's having a root around.

-Is he really?

Let's see what he's found, shall we?

You know, I have a feeling that this house is going to be absolutely full

of treasures and no-one will be happier than Paul Hayes.

With so much Victoriana to appraise his expert knowledge of the period

will be invaluable to Jeanette

when deciding what she should send to auction.

-Ah, hello.

-Hello. What have you got there?

Well, I found a nice collection of Toby jugs and character jugs.

Where did these come from?

I've collected them at various auctions over the past ten years.

I had a Victorian house and it was important to fill these rooms up

with all the antique furniture and the antique objects.

What did you like particularly, though, about the Toby jugs?

Well, I think they're fun and I think they're colourful

and they're bright and cheerful and I really enjoy buying them.

They are fun, aren't they?

They're a lot of fun, but they're actually based on one character, did you know that?

These Toby jugs here are all after Toby Philpotts

and he was a legendary character from the 18th century,

but he did nothing but drink ale and apparently he lived to a ripe old age

and it's... A man after my own heart, I think, here!

That's why... So that's why he's...

That's why he's always got this pint pot.

-Toby Philpotts, that was his name.

-Right.

And they reckon at the time it was safer to drink the ale than it was to drink water

because water obviously could be stagnant

or you don't know what it went through,

but with ale, it goes through a fermenting process and it was a lot safer to drink.

So, the full size item here,

which is a gentleman sat down, is called a Toby jug,

whereas a character jug tends to be just the head and shoulders.

And in this case, this is someone called Porthos.

One of the Three Musketeers.

There you go. But they're very nice though, aren't they?

-Do you still like them?

-I do still like them, but it's time to move on.

-And presumably they won't fit in your nice new modern home, then?

-Right.

-No.

It's a common thing, people used to go through the stage of making

their house look Victorian and cluttering up the shelves and so on,

but we have gone for this minimalist look now

and these have gone by the wayside, haven't they?

So, does that mean there's still a market for them among collectors?

Definitely. People always collect them.

You know, there's always a demand for them.

This is really where the value is, but if I said, at least a fiver each,

it's five, ten, 15, 20, 25, 30. If we say that sort of £40 to £60 as a lot.

Yes, that's fine. Yeah, fine.

-Let's see what else we can find.

-Great.

-Come on.

£40 is quite a good start, but still a long way off our target of £500.

But this house is chock-a-block with things

that Jeanette's lovingly collected over the years,

so I'm confident there's plenty more to uncover.

Maureen finds these delightful cow creamers.

They were made by William Kent Ceramics

in the home of pottery, Staffordshire.

The pair could fetch anything from £70 to as much as £140,

so as long as Jeanette's happy to let them go,

they're a very good addition to the fund, but we've hardly started.

Oh, Jeanette, don't put your feet up just yet!

Ah, hello. No... No resting now, come on, we need to get some work done.

-Well, there's a reason why I'm sitting in this chair.

-OK.

Because these chairs are the first pieces of furniture

that I bought for the Victorian house.

Oh, right. So, this started off the collection, then.

-This started the whole thing off.

-Wow!

These are French, about 1850, 1860.

They're walnut, they have scroll arms and cabriole legs,

beautifully made, and they would have been part of a salon suite.

But any idea why they would have such a large seating area?

-I've no idea.

-When you go back to Victorian times,

the ladies had these bustle dresses and if you can imagine they had lots

and lots of material and to sit properly you need a lot of area here,

so you'd have them nice and flat at the front wrapped around

and you'd look very prim and you can do your sewing and so on

around the fireplace, and that was the whole idea.

But I think we have to be realistic, though.

These are slightly out of fashion now. I mean, they're a nice pair,

I'm sure somebody would love them, but I'd say at least the £100 mark,

maybe 100, 150. Is that about what you paid for them?

No, it isn't. In all fairness,

I did pay a lot more for them at that time,

but the way I see it is

I've had ten years good use out of these chairs

and enjoyed them and they looked the part in my Victorian house.

It's time now to move on and say goodbye

and give somebody else a chance to enjoy them.

Well, that's a great, realistic attitude to have.

I hope we get it all wrong

and they go for fabulous amounts of money, all right?

-I hope so.

-Let's keep looking.

-Thank you.

Rummaging in the converted attic I found another chair.

Not one for grownups this time, though.

It's Victorian and extremely appealing,

so another good find that could be worth anything from £70 to £150.

There are some fascinating items

from Jeanette's old house here in the bungalow,

but in spite of her fondness for Victoriana

she's keen to update her new home and modernise throughout.

Jeannette, I can see why you say

this is a halfway house because we're in the modern half now...

-Yes.

-And it is a direct contrast

to the house you had before, the Victorian house.

So what was it that fascinated you so much about the Victorian period?

It's something that I've always been interested in, is antiques,

and I wanted a house of character.

But it was a house with a very specific history, wasn't it?

It was indeed.

When I went to view the house, it was explained to me that the house

belonged to Reggie Kray and apparently ran it as a brothel.

He used to collect all the rents and all the goings on from...

From this house of ill repute.

So, those were the rooms in which the prostitutes carried out their trade, as it were.

-Yes.

-Carried out their own business.

-This had been the rooms.

And what did the neighbours have to tell you about it?

Apparently Reggie Kray and Ronnie Kray used to bring all their floozies there.

So how much work did you actually have to do on it?

Well, for the first 18 months it was a question of camping in it.

It wasn't just wallpaper and paint, it was back to the bones.

It was rewiring, replumbing, everything.

But the most loveliest thing of all was going round the antique auctions

for ten years and buying all these objects to suit each room,

which is why I created this scrapbook

of what the house looked like before

and what it looked like when I'd finished it.

Your taste has changed quite considerably,

-in fact, completely the reverse.

-It has.

So, what happened, what made you decide out of Victoriana

to this very modern bungalow?

I became ill and had to sell the house and because that period

of ten years were so wonderful, I've had that, experienced that,

now it's time to move on and experience something new

and that is exciting in a very different way.

Well, let's take your book of memories with us now and find out

what else you've got in this house that we can take to auction

to make the new look house a reality.

Come on.

'Floozies, criminals, prostitutes!

'You never know what's going to turn up on Cash In The Attic!

'Thank goodness Paul is well out of earshot

'and concentrating on the main job of the day.'

Ah, are you all right, Maureen?

-Hello, Paul. Look what I've found.

-Oh, right, let's have a look.

Wow, look at those. Who collects all these?

Jean has collected them throughout the years around the auction markets, the auction houses.

-Right, so they're not inherited, they're items she's bought herself.

-She's bought them.

We've got a big collection here, but this one takes my eye straight away.

Have you ever seen one like this before?

I have, on the television.

-Now if you have a look there's two compartments, can you see that?

-Yeah.

So one would be for your eau de cologne.

The other is for smelling salts,

and do you know why they used to use smelling salts?

-Because the people were smelly?

-Well, that could be one reason,

but the main reason was ladies used to wear these tight corsets

and used to faint a lot and have to be brought round,

and also to disguise the smells if you went to a big town,

they were very smelly places and you used to be able to do that.

This is beautiful. It's called ruby glass

and that's made actually with gold oxide

-which gives its colour like that.

-Beautiful.

And these aren't silver ends, but they're very pretty, aren't they?

And what else have we got here? Let's have a look.

Well, the collecting area's massive.

We've got some nice porcelain examples here,

we've got some mother of pearl. People do go mad for these items.

So, do you think Jeanette would be all right to sell them?

I think she would. She's moving on now.

Right, well, these are real capsules of time, you know?

I think they're wonderful, bits of social history, really.

I mean, if I said at least £50 to £80 for that lot?

-I think she'd be very, very pleased.

-Shall we go and ask her?

-Yeah.

-OK.

'As the hunt continues to turn the old into the new,

'Jeannette shows no mercy for her Victorian items

'as she adds yet another piece of furniture to the pile.

'This time it's an Edwardian inlaid cabinet.

'Paul is confident that at auction it should fetch £50 to £80.

'And I come across a pair of interesting sculptures

'in the sitting room which look old enough

'not to be part of Jeannette's modernising plans.'

-Ah!

-Jeanette, these look as if they might be a candidate for going to auction.

-Yes, yes. I had made up my mind that they are going.

-They are?

-Yes.

Paul, you take a look at them.

-Well, these are the sort of thing you could buy actually about 1910, 1920.

-Yes.

And what would happen, you'd get a bronze maker, manufacturer,

who would make these items in solid bronze and they were extremely expensive,

and then they would take a cast of those and remake them in spelter.

So, what they've done, they've tried to paint them with this patina that a bronze looks like,

and actually there's a price ticket on the bottom here.

-It's a bit of a giveaway!

-Really? What does it say?

-Did you ever notice that?

-No!

-Do you spot that, as well?

-No, what a surprise! What did I pay?

It says £40, and then it says AF. Now, do you know what AF is?

I haven't got a clue.

-At fault. So that means that...

-Oh!

I think what it is they've allowed for the paint to be distressed

-and so on.

-I see.

-Yeah. So, there we are.

So, the 64,000 question,

if it says £40 on the bottom, what do you reckon they're worth now?

Well, not 64,000, which would be nice!

But actually these have been a good investment.

I think you would get your money back, so if I say £40 to £60.

-They're a nice pair of spelter figures and should sell for that quite easily.

-Crikey!

-Fair deal?

-Fair deal.

-OK.

-Fair deal.

-OK.

Why don't we put them up there with the dogs?

They look quite nice up there.

There we are, one goes that way, one goes that way. There you go.

Oh, I can't wait to see what else we can find now.

Come on, then.

'Well, that's good news.

'Jeanette should get back what she paid for them,

'it's not always the case,

'and she's had the added benefit of enjoying them in her previous home.'

Maureen, Jeannette, is it just bridge that keeps you together, or is there more to your friendship?

Well, we've been on a holiday cruise together

and we do socialise, as well.

We go out to functions together,

go to the Great Burstead Golf Club dinner and dances.

And, presumably, it's really helped a lot that you live very close to each other, don't you?

20 minutes' walk away.

Was that one of the reasons why you've moved here, then, so that you can be closer?

To be perfectly honest with you, it was.

I've a lot to be thankful to Maureen for

because when I became very, very ill

I didn't think I would ever be able to play bridge again,

but Maureen took me under her wing, so she's a very good friend.

Was that something, a kind of project that you set yourself?

Yes, she... Well, she'd had a nasty stroke

and she'd lost a lot of her memory

and she was trying to play cards again

so I said, "Well, we'll go out and we'll play."

So it was really you that got her back into playing bridge.

Well, Jeannette, you've obviously been to lots of auctions

because, of course, that's how you furnished the other house.

So many, so many.

-How about you, Maureen, have you ever been...

-Never.

So this is going to be a bit of an adventure for you.

Well, you've got all the fun to come now of going to an auction

and I think we'd better go and find Paul

and see what else he's found that we can take.

Come on, then!

While we've been chatting, Paul certainly hasn't been resting.

He's discovered a wooden mantel clock

tucked away in the back of the kitchen

and estimates it could sell for approximately £30 to £60.

-Paul?

-Ah ha?

-Would you have a look at these watches?

Oh, right. Let's have a look.

Ah, these are some of my favourite items, pocket watches.

Do you know who these belong to?

Yes, they're Tony's, my partner's.

-Right, OK, well these are actually lady's.

-Oh, are they?

-We thought this one might be, but didn't know about that.

-Yeah.

The smaller pocket watches are lady's pocket watches

and the idea was that they would go in your top pocket on your guard chain,

on the big Victorian chain. And the larger examples are the gent's.

They used to go in their waistcoat pockets.

But these are beautiful, but they're amongst the most underrated items.

-And just look at the work on the silver there, can you see that?

-Yes.

Aren't they beautiful? All that's been chased by hand.

And this one is obviously the Red Cross, so possibly used in the First World War.

-And no stories with that? You don't know who that belonged to?

-I don't, I don't.

-It wasn't Florence Nightingale's?

-No idea. I was with my partner when he bought them at one of the auctions.

-He's collected watches all of his life.

-Right.

Well, these are beautiful. I mean, you've got two ages here, actually.

-This one here is key wound, can you see that? The little keys?

-Yes.

So, they go into the little holes at the back.

Now, that was really phased out round about 1900

and at that time you get the screw wind appearing. Can you see that?

-Yes, I can.

-So, I'd say this one was late Victorian,

this one is just into the 20th century.

But these are solid silver and in the back here it says 935,

and that's the continental mark for silver.

That's the purity mark, all right?

It means it's 93.5% pure.

I mean, you're looking around the £50 mark,

-sort of £40 to £70 for the pair.

-OK.

And is this is something again of your partner's is it, this one?

-It is.

-And can that one go, as well?

-I think so.

I mean, obviously I'll have to check with my partner about the watches.

Well, if we just say those two for now,

and if you want to ask your partner about your wristwatch as well

-and, hopefully, that will really make a good parcel on the day.

-Thank you.

-OK.

So, we'll just have to wait and see.

Will Tony be happy to let them go to auction? Who knows.

Paul spies this telescope.

Now, the word comes from the Greek tele,

meaning far, and skopein, to see or look,

and with his excellent foresight,

Paul reckons it could make £40 to £60 at auction.

He also forecasts that these snuff boxes,

which belonged to Jeannette's great grandmother,

should go for £30 or even more.

Snuff boxes are highly sought after,

so if there's a collector on the day it could even go as high as £60.

Well, I must say, I love this cabinet.

-Was it always on this base?

-It all came as one piece.

Right. Well, what you've got here actually is a cabinet top.

At one point this would have been on a bureau.

-Now, can you see your sideboard there with the big top?

-Yes.

This is exactly the same piece.

Underneath here would have been a desk

and then somebody has made the base at a later date. That's what's happened.

If I just open this up here you can see each individual drawer here,

it's all beautifully made.

It's all solid oak. And the idea is that the Victorians were very much into specimens and collecting.

They were huge hoarders and what they would do,

they would put in here maybe a coin collection, you might have eggs, you know,

that sort of thing, your insects, and it's like a specimen cabinet.

But the overall result is wonderful, isn't it?

You've got a very visual cabinet, very useful cabinet and very saleable, actually.

That's great. Well, just before I reveal the price,

let's get Maureen and Angela in here.

-Guys? There we go. Isn't that a nice cabinet?

-Isn't it beautiful?

Such an unusual design. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like this.

No, it's a real mismatch, isn't it?

It's like all the styles rolled into one,

but the whole thing is solid oak, which is super, really.

No, it's a very, very pretty piece.

Well, Paul, you've told us a great deal about how it was made and about its history.

What you haven't told us is what you think it might make at auction?

Well, if I was being realistic here,

I mean, if I said around the £100 mark.

I think if two people really take a shine to it

and has a collection to go in there then it could really take off,

-but for the sake of the auction room, how does that sound?

-Yeah, fine.

Well, that's terrific. £100 to go in the pot for our fund.

Well, I'm delighted to tell you that if we get even the lowest price

on everything that Paul has looked at today

you ought to be able to afford not just the table,

but maybe the odd chair or two to go with it as well

because we hope that you're going to be able to raise at auction,

-£660.

-Very happy.

But, as Maureen was saying earlier, when she's watching the programme

and her heart is going, saying, "I hope people make the price,"

Oh, we hope you make that and some,

-but let's see what happens when we get to auction.

-Thank you.

It's going to be an exciting day

and to help us get that new furniture for Jeannette,

we're taking to auction the Victorian French armchairs,

which could leave her sitting pretty if they make £100 or more.

Will the cow creamers milk us a cool £70?

And do we enjoy the sweet smell of success

when the perfume bottles go for £50 or more?

Still to come on Cash In The Attic,

is the pain of letting things go becoming too much?

I've never seen someone so happy about things not selling!

But will it get easier as Jeannette gets into the swing of things?

-Pleased to see the back of that?

-Yes.

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

Well, it's been a week or two now since we joined the bubbly Jeannette Nicholl at her home in Essex

looking for antiques and collectables that

we could sell today here at TW Gaze at Diss in Norfolk.

If you remember, she had a house with a split personality

because the front was terribly modern and the back was very Victorian,

and what she wanted to do was raise £500 so that she can complete the transformation

of that 1960s bungalow and make it very 21st century.

So, hopefully, today she will get a good price for her things when they go under the hammer

and she won't be tempted to buy too many things!

This rural auction house

was originally established in 1857 as an agricultural auctioneers.

Nowadays it's a thriving salesroom

and we've got a good turnout with some serious buyers

eagerly appraising the many and varied lots on offer.

And our expert, Paul Hayes, has some good news for Jeannette.

Ah, now then, Angela.

-Hello, Paul. You're having a good look at the catalogue and...

-Yeah.

-Wow! Look at that.

-They're famous!

-Jeanette's items being featured in the catalogue.

-Exactly, yeah.

The auctioneers have got quite a lot of faith in the pieces we're selling today.

It really does help, because people go online and make sure what's coming up in the auction.

If they can see a photograph of the item, it's fantastic.

It really gives ours a plug. It puts ours to the forefront, if you like.

It does. These are in contrast to the furniture that she's got.

If you remember she had a house full of Victorian furniture,

her house had a lot of Victoriana in it, didn't it?

Exactly, yes. I think she'll be glad to let those go, but one thing's for certain -

she's not going to be buying anything. There is nothing made after about 1920.

-I wouldn't bank on it, if I were you.

-Probably not!

-Well, shall we go and find her and ask her?

-Of course.

-Yeah.

I can tell you there are some very tempting lots on display here today.

We'd better make sure that Jeannette keeps her hands firmly in her pockets.

-Ah, now then.

-Hi, Maureen and Jeannette.

-Hello.

Looking at the last of the tiny things that are going, yes?

-We are, we are.

-Second thoughts?

No, not really. It's, as I said to you earlier, Angela, it's time to move on now.

I've enjoyed these for years and it's been exciting travelling around the country

and going to the auctions and buying them and bidding for them,

and then bringing them home and placing them in a home and enjoying them. It's time to move on.

Now, Maureen, we know that Jeannette loves Victoriana.

How are you going to stop her buying anything today?

-I haven't let her register, so she can't.

-I never thought of that!

-It's a great idea! Yes.

But have you noticed in the catalogue that your things are very prominently displayed?

Oh, no! How exciting is that?

Because even though I'm parting with these things I'll take the catalogue home with me

and I'll be able to see the pictures so that's exciting. That means a lot to me.

-Oh, that's nice.

-Exactly. Now, what we can't see either in the catalogue or here are the watches.

That's quite correct. The watches was Tony's grandfather's watch,

so despite, you know, we could sell them and get the money,

some things are worth more than money, so we've decided to hold on to the memories.

That's rather nice, when you think, "Actually, no,

"the monetary value's not important, the sentimental value is."

That's what made us hold on to them.

Well, you may not have a number to buy anything, but we have got a position just over there

where we can watch what happens when your things are sold,

-so shall we go and take our places? The auction is about to start.

-Lovely.

When you go to an auction, you always have to register.

It's very easy and costs nothing. You just give your details to the house staff

and you're issued with a number. No number, no bidding.

The auctioneer is prepped and raring to go and proceedings are already under way.

Well, Jeannette, we've got the Toby jugs coming up now.

What have you got in the cabinet now?

Oh, there's all the other china, the antique china, cups and saucers,

little ornaments and things. They'll all have to go eventually.

-They will, but gradually.

-Well, yes, it's not so painful then if you do it gradually!

Ease the pain!

-So, the next lot, in the middle of the room...

-Being held up.

Where may I say for all of these? May I say £40? Lots of jugs.

A ready-made collection for you. Come on, £40.

20 to start, surely. Come on, £20.

-These are for nothing at £20. Does anybody want them? At £20.

-Oh, no!

Oh, I can't believe this!

-20 bid, thank you.

-20 bid.

-Oh, good. Excellent.

Oh, that was quick. 22 is now with the lady.

A good buy, that. 22. I'll take five. At 22.

Are you all done at £22?

In spite of the auctioneer's best efforts, the Toby jugs failed to find a buyer.

She decided not to let them go for £22 and I think that's a good thing.

It would have been a great shame to sell them for such a small amount.

Let's hope we fare better with our next lot.

This little collection of snuff boxes coming up now.

There are no snuff takers now, presumably, or are there, Paul?

No, but people look for social history with items like this

and they are nice little boxes.

You can use them for pills, make-up or just collections.

Collections of these sort of things.

But, £30, it's £10 each. Let's see how we get on.

And where may I say for these? May I say £30?

Barely £10 each.

£10 each. It's very cheap, isn't it?

Little collector's items here. 20 I'll take.

Come on, anybody in at £20, where are you?

They're good little boxes, there.

-20. Well done.

-20!

-£20 we're bid at the front.

Come on, come on, come on!

I'll take two. A bid at the front at 20 now. Where's two?

Are you all done? A maiden bid of £20.

£20.

Not as much as we'd hoped, £20. I do hope the sale picks up a bit.

The bidders seem reluctant to spend today. Jeanette's got such a lovely selection of collectables

we really need them to sell for a fair price.

Next up is the Edwardian display cabinet.

We've got £50 to £80,

-which is quite conservative.

-Yeah. I think these cabinets are beautiful.

They're very small, they fit in most houses, which is important.

Very elegant, Edwardian. Yeah, £50, hopefully. Minus contents!

-Absolutely!

-That's what we're looking for.

Where may I say for the display cabinet? May I say £80? £80.

She starts high, doesn't she?

-She's fishing, yeah. Hoping somebody will come in.

-Come on, £50.

It's a pretty cabinet. Are you in?

-No.

-Oh, you're smiling. 50 bid, thank you.

-50. We're in! That's what we wanted.

I'll take five. At £50. It's a good buy at 50.

-You're missing it here at £50. Then at 55.

-55, good. Good.

At 60. And five. And 70.

70.

Still at the back wall at 70 now.

It's a good cabinet for £70. Any advance?

No? Yes? 75 here, then.

-Yes!

-Here we go.

-80. Five. 90.

-Well done.

-90. Still at the back wall at 90.

Any advance on £90?

Yes! That's great.

Well, after a lukewarm start that was very exciting.

£90 is £10 over Paul's highest estimate.

That's a sale we badly needed if we're to raise

Jeanette's £500 target today.

Coming up now another collection, this time the pretty perfume bottles

including the double vial ruby star piece.

-Now, lots of people were looking at this little box of bits and pieces, weren't they, Paul?

-Yes, yes.

So, a lot of interest in it already. Let's hope it shows up in what they're prepared to bid for them.

-And I start here at £42. £42.

-Oh, she's already got a bid of 42.

-This is us at 42, that's amazing.

45. 48. 50. Five. 60. Five. 70.

-Excellent, there we go.

-80. Five.

-What!

She gets a wonderful rhythm with it, doesn't she? Fantastic.

-At £100 now bid.

-Like conducting an orchestra, isn't she?

-Yeah!

-At £100 only.

-£100.

-At £100. It's selling at 100.

There you go! There you are, quality shines through, doesn't it?

-Amazing! Absolutely amazing. We didn't expect that.

-We didn't.

-We did not expect that.

There's £100 worth just been littered around your dressing table.

Fantastic! £100! Another good result and way over the original estimate.

It looks like things really are picking up now.

Next it's the tiny Victorian chair Paul's estimated at £70 to £150,

so a pretty high price.

Today's bidders are a bit unpredictable,

so I wonder if they're going to be prepared to pay that sort of money.

This looks like an apprentice piece. Do you know where it came from?

-Yes, I bought it at Portobello Road.

-There you go.

An antique market. And I bought it for my doll

but the doll was too big to fit the chair,

and, as I won't part with anything, I've had it ever since!

Well, I think it's superb. I have put quite a high estimate on this, 70 to 150.

See how it goes, but it does look fantastic in the auction house.

-Where may I say for the miniature chair? May I say £80?

-Come on.

-Go on.

-50 to start, surely. That's a lovely little chair there.

£50. Anybody want this one for 50? Come on.

I see you're all tempted. 30 I'll take to start, if it helps.

-Come on, it should be worth that. 30 I have.

-30. We're in.

Low start at 30. Now I'll take two.

At 32. 35. 38. And 40. Two. 42. Above at 42.

It's still a bit less than what we wanted.

At £42 now on the little chair. At 42. Any advance on £42?

-42, thank you.

-That's disappointing.

-It is.

-It is.

-Do you remember what you paid for it in the Portobello?

-£30, so... Yes.

-You're on a profit.

-Still got a profit.

-Yes.

-Good.

-Great.

£42, which means it really didn't inspire anyone in the room,

and Jeanette was fond of that chair, but we need

every pound if we're to make the target of 500.

We've got the little cabinet now

which I absolutely loved.

It is rather lovely. Why are you selling it?

Well, I didn't really want to sell it because it's useful for bridge,

to put the bridge cards in and the scorecards and all the pens belonging to bridge.

I'm going to blame on Maureen because today is about...

-Poor old Maureen!

-..Maureen making me sell all these things,

and she's right, but I've put a reserve on it.

If I don't get the reserve it's coming back home with me.

-How much is the reserve?

-£200.

-You really want to take it home, don't you?

-Really, yes.

A very comprehensive piece of furniture. Where may I say for this?

May I say £200?

£200. It would fit anywhere. This one is small enough to fit in any bijou residence.

-£100 to start.

-She's really trying, isn't she?

Come on. £100. Anyone in? Does nobody want this one for £100?

-No, she's going to withdraw.

-I can't tempt you with £100? Nobody want it?

-I can't believe that. They've all disagreed with us!

-We'll pass that by.

-Right, so it's not sold. Well...

-No.

Look at the smile on your face!

-She's going to take it home.

-I've never seen somebody so happy about things not selling!

Jeanette may be delighted to be taking the cabinet home,

but it's another no sale

which means the money is not coming in as we hoped.

Well, we've had in the first half of the sale two no sales,

-but I don't think you're too disappointed with either of them.

-No, no, not really.

But that's made a bit of a dent, presumably, in what we're going to try and raise today,

because you want to raise £500.

Even though we haven't sold a couple of items and we're only halfway through the day,

-you've actually made more than half of £500.

-Really?

We've managed to raise so far £252.

-I never realised it was that much, actually.

-No.

-Oh, that's excellent news.

-Doing all right, aren't we?

-We are.

-And great things to come.

You've got the creamers, the spelt figurines.

You've got some really lovely stuff so, hopefully, the second half is going to give us a result.

-Paul, you've not had a chance to look round yet.

-I thought you'd never ask.

I can't wait to have a look round.

-So, shall we meet back here in a minute?

-Yes.

-OK.

-Good.

Considering a couple of things haven't sold,

that's not a bad half-time result.

Jeannette and Maureen take a break while Paul takes his chance

to see what else the auction room has on sale today.

Now then, do you know, I love having a rummage around in auction houses.

Some things do surprise you and I've got a perfect example here.

This is a 1920s pedal organ.

It's French, beautifully made, mahogany, a very elegant piece of furniture,

a very elegant instrument, but the actual organ wasn't working

so this was earmarked for the skip, it was going to be thrown out. So, what do you do with it?

Well, the pedals have been replaced and there's now a cupboard for your books or records.

The clever bit for me is actually in the front here. Look at that!

It is now a drop-down bureau. Fantastic.

Space for all your books in here, your writing items.

If you do have anything like this at home just be aware that it does actually cost money.

I imagine maybe 100, 150 it's cost to convert this item.

This is in the catalogue today between £200 and £300, an absolute bargain.

What a fantastic thing. It's... In fact, it's metamorphic.

Big words, Paul!

Changing from one thing to another, to the rest of us!

Let's see how much it makes when it goes under the hammer.

190 I'm out. 190 now in the room. At 190.

Paul thought that was a bargain for the catalogue price of £200 to £300,

so someone's done very well indeed at 190.

Remember, if you're thinking of heading to auction,

commission and other charges may apply so always check the details.

With the second part of the auction about to begin, it's hard to guess which way this sale is going to go

and it's the bronze-like figurines, or spelters, next.

Paul's estimated them at £40 to £60.

I have to say, and I think you'll agree, these look wonderful in this setting.

-This is where they belong, isn't it?

-They look stunning, don't they?

Sometimes you can live with an item for years and not really look at it.

It's only when you move them and put them in the appropriate place they come to life, really.

These are pretty ones. Where may I say for a pair of these? May I say £30?

£30. Pair of spelter figures. They're bronze. They're at £30.

A good classical style there.

-£30.

-Oh, no!

20 I'll take to start.

-Does anybody want these at £20?

-There's hands going up now at 20.

20 I have. A bid at 20 now. At 20. They should be worth that each.

-At £20 now, I'll take two.

-She's really trying for you, isn't she?

-She is.

-At £20. Where's two? 22. 25.

-There we go.

-28. No?

-Come on! 28?

-The lady in the middle at 28. £28.

-Little bid. They're still not dear.

-£30. We're in.

-New bidder.

-Two? 30.

Nearer to me at 30. I'll take two. At £30. Are you all done at £30?

-I didn't think it was going to sell at first.

-No.

-So, I'm pleased.

-Great.

-Very pleased.

-Good. Relieved.

£30? A bit under estimate, but Jeanette's happy and I think she did

want to see the back of those. But if Jeanette wants to

buy a good piece of modern furniture,

we need to do a lot better.

I wonder if the china cow creamers will hit the mark?

20th-century Staffordshire

cow creamer and the black and gilt example there, so two in a lot.

-They're very nice actually, aren't they? I like them.

-Charming pieces.

Where may I say for these both together? May I say £70?

-50 to start, surely.

-50 must be, come on.

Come on. Cow creamers there at £50.

-They're not the earliest. 40's bid. 40 I have.

-We're in.

-Bid at 40. I'll take two.

At £40. Come on, for both together.

At 40. I'll take two. At £40. The bids are in.

Are you bid... No. £40 at the front.

-You've all gone quiet further back.

-Come on.

-At £40. Are you all done?

The cow creamers, I've got to be truthful with you,

I was disappointed because I paid quite a bit of money for them.

They were pretty items and although they did sit in a cabinet,

I could have used them for cream if I wanted to.

I could've even used them as a money box because of the lid.

So, I was disappointed with the price of those.

Next it's the wooden mantel clock which Jeanette bought at an auction

in Essex about nine years ago.

Now, how's this for a description here?

"An oak mantel clock of architectural form, Roman numerated chapter ring

-"flanked by spandrels." Now, did you know you had one of those?

-Nope.

-I love that description. That's fantastic! It's your clock, basically.

-Yes.

-It's a nice old... Quite a slender one this.

-It fits nicely on the mantelpiece.

That's exactly what someone will do. We're looking about £30 for this one.

-30 I'll take to start.

-Come on!

Come on, £30. It's a pretty piece all ready to put on the mantelpiece, look.

-Where are we? Thank you, 30 bid.

-Ah, here we go.

30 bid. £30 I have, thank you.

At £30 bid. 32, gallery. 35. 38.

-Yes? 40. Two. 42 is now the gallery. Standing at 42.

-Fantastic.

-I'll take five.

-One more, one more.

-At £42 now. Any advance on 42?

There you go.

Pleased to see the back of that?

-Yes!

-I think it must have been the flanked spandrels that did that.

That's what did it, no question.

That's more like it!

£12 over the lowest estimate and another relic from Jeanette's

old home bites the dust.

Next it's Jeanette's partner's telescope.

-£50, look.

-Come on.

-Come on.

A decorative item and a practical item all together. 30 to start, surely.

Come on, where are you? At £30.

Come on, there must be somebody who wants it.

-Old telescopes are highly collectable, but there's no great age with that one, is there?

-No.

-£20 then to start.

-But it's a bargain.

Anybody want it? £20 bid. 20 I have. 22.

-There we go, all hands are going up now.

-28. 30. Two. 35. 38.

-Yes.

-This is more like it.

-There we go.

38 at the cabinet. 38 now. Where's 40?

-One more.

-At £38.

-One more, one more.

-You need a telescope to see the bidders!

-At 38 it will sell.

Oh, just under.

Just under our lowest estimate.

It's not bad.

-But that's not bad, is it?

-No, that's fine.

Sold for £38. Jeanette seems a little nervous

as we're still £100 off her target. Are we going to make it today?

The pair of chairs that we've got, the French elbow chairs,

they've not been empty since this auction began, someone's been sat in them.

But you went and did just a little bit of sort of salesmanship there, didn't you?

Well, I've been pointing out how comfortable

they are, how well made they are and how they're beautiful on your back.

-So, what do you reckon they're worth?

-600?

100, 150 is more realistic, but I do like your spirit there, that's good.

-I like her style.

-Yeah, exactly.

And I'll start at just £40. £40 a pair. At 40.

Interest is shown at 40. I'll take two.

At £40. Interest is shown on the chairs at 40. Now where's two?

Are you all done? 42. 45. 48. And 50.

-Come on.

-50. With me at 50. At 50.

-No! You can't let them go for that!

-Five. 70.

-She's got quite a lot of bids.

Five. 80. Five. 90. Five. 100.

-Yes!

-110. 120.

-Yes.

120. With me at 120.

Both out. 130's our commission.

-140. 150 and I'm out.

-150!

-Great!

-150's on commission.

At 150. I'll take 60. They're good chairs.

At £150. Are you all done?

-Crikey!

-Hey! That's fantastic, isn't it?

-Terrific!

-Why are you smiling?

That's more like it!

It was a bit tense at the beginning, but we ended up with £150,

at the last minute, too!

-That was fantastic, and what a great...

-Oh, that was good.

-That was really good.

I really enjoyed that so much!

Well, I hope you enjoy the next bit even more.

Just remind me what you wanted to spend this £500 on.

A dining room table, a modern one.

-A modern dining room table.

-Yes, yes.

Ah, you're going to get a great table because you got £552!

Ooh! Lovely.

You might be able to get a chair!

The big day has arrived and Jeanette is in the mood for shopping.

Coming with her to help make a decision is her partner, Tony,

and, of course, Maureen.

When I got up this morning I was really excited because we've been wanting this for such a long time,

to change the look of our home. So, I was really, really excited.

I had all butterflies in my tummy when I arrived.

This is nice. I like this, Tone.

The furniture here I've been told is very light and modern

and that's what attracted me to come to this particular shop.

Could the chairs be changed to like a cream leather chair or not?

Yes, you can. You can change the fabrics or to leather. I've got...

There's some fabrics there and there's some lighter ones.

Obviously, I couldn't come down without my partner, Tony.

It's since his home, too, so it had to be a joint decision.

We had to choose it together and that made it even more special.

There you go, sit down. Give that a go.

Oh, it's absolutely gorgeous.

-I think this is it, don't you, Tony?

-That's nice.

The whole Cash In The Attic experience has been has been

the most exciting thing that's ever happened to me.

It is a good match.

Oh, they're lovely. I could stay here for the day.

I feel quite special. I'm going to miss it when it all ends.

If you've got something that you would like to raise money for

and you think you have things lying around the house that you'd be very happy to take to auction,

then why not get in touch with the programme?

You'll find all of the details online at bbc.co.uk

and we look forward to seeing you on Cash In The Attic.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

E-mail [email protected]