Fell Cash in the Attic

Hello and welcome to the show that searches for hidden treasures around your home, sells them at auction

and raises funds for you and your family.

You know what it's like when you downsize, you think you've got rid of the clutter

but you end up taking it with you. That's happened to the lady we're going to be meeting today,

but she's decided to clear it all out and find out whether any of it

has any value on today's Cash In The Attic.

On today's Cash In The Attic,

James goes gaga over a 1970s vinyl record.

Well, hey-hey, Larry Lurex!

And his head is turned by a pretty 20th-century bust.

-Well, when you turn her up and you see the magic word Lladro written on the bottom...

-Yeah, yeah.

That wasn't actually what I expected to see.

And at auction, are mother and daughter thinking of taking up another hobby rather than antiques?

-Well, we may have to start reading them now!

-Exactly!

That's you sorted out, isn't it?

Well, let's see what they do sort out when the final hammer falls.

I'm in Chester to meet a mother and daughter

who've had rather a tough year, so they've called in

the Cash In The Attic team to help them raise some money for a rather special trip.

75-year-old Margaret Fell is a woman with quite a past and has led a very glamorous life.

In the 1950s she met and married Ray Fell, a budding comedian who

went on to appear in many television variety shows, including Three Of A Kind with Mike Yarwood and Lulu.

Margaret and Ray had two daughters, Melanie and Karen.

In the late 1970s the family moved to Las Vegas, but after two years

Margaret and Ray divorced and she returned to Chester with their teenage girls.

Nowadays daughter Melanie lives directly opposite her mother in a new mews development

and is currently undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.

They hope that the money they raise from selling at auction

will help to fund a Christmas family holiday to Las Vegas.

Our expert to help them on their way today is James Rylands.

-Ah, good morning, ladies.

-Hello.

-Morning, morning, morning!

-Lovely weather, isn't it?

-Now, are you OK if James gets going and has a good look round?

-Yes.

-Go for it!

-Hot to trot, I'm off!

-Over to you, then.

Now, tell me, how long have you two lived so close to each other?

About nine months now.

So what's made you decide to call in Cash In The Attic?

There is still an awful lot of clutter because Mum

has been a collector over the years, as I have too, and some things

we didn't really want to part with and then you think,

"Well, maybe I'll sell them one day," and so we have

over many years now... I think Mum started in the '70s, collecting things from old house sales.

Right. How much money would you like to raise?

Well, about 500 would be lovely.

We'd like to visit Melanie's sister.

-And where does she live?

-In Vegas.

-She lives in Las Vegas.

And what's made you decide to want to do that trip now?

Well, I was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. My sister and father live in Las Vegas.

We'd like to be together for Christmas and New Year this year, so that's our plan.

-All right, well, let's go and see if James has got anything for us to see yet, shall we?

-Lovely.

-If you go back to your place, we'll pop over to you in a bit.

-OK.

-Let's check out Mum's first. Come on.

-All right, thank you.

And Margaret's certainly created a beautiful home here in Chester.

It's a real reflection of Margaret's life, with a touch of Las Vegas glitz combined with English style.

Ah, James, have you found something already?

Well, it didn't take me long, did it?

-Wow, this is lovely.

-It is.

I see we've got two of these tables. Where did they come from?

-There's a third one, there's one behind.

-Oh, right, you've got three.

-It gets better!

-Yes, it's a lovely set.

So what's the story behind these?

These were a surprise gift one Christmas morning.

I saw them in Waring & Gillow, who used to be in Chester in the 1970s.

I fell in love with them and kept going on about them, but my husband said, "No, no, no, no."

But on Christmas morning a neighbour knocked on the door

and said, "I have another gift for you in my house."

And there the three were.

My husband had bought them as a surprise, but he couldn't hide them anywhere.

-You can't fit these in a sock, can you?

-No, so they kept them next door.

Robert Gillow started bringing back

the first consignments of mahogany furniture

in the early part of the 18th century.

-Yes.

-Well, of course yours aren't made of mahogany. They're actually

made of gilt brass. And I guess for the three tables,

being mean with you, conservative,

we'd probably put £60 to £100 on the three.

-Yes.

-What do you think of that valuation?

-That's great.

-Are you quite happy with that?

-Yes.

Good. Well, let's hope we can spend the whole of the day getting lovely valuations like that.

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

-Thank you.

Not a bad start to the day.

James heads over to Melanie's house to search for items with potential there.

But back in Margaret's house, I'm in the bedroom where I spot this framed

19th-century fan which Margaret bought 25 years ago.

It's made out of black lace and mother-of-pearl,

At just £20 to £40, we're making very slow progress today.

James, I found this record. It's been knocking around

in my drawer for quite a long time and I don't know much about it.

Well, hey-hey, Larry Lurex!

Now, do you know who that is?

Somebody mentioned to me once that Larry Lurex might have been an early name for Freddie Mercury.

Well, close. Close, close, close.

In 1973, basically Trident Studios... Who should be working in the same

studios, but Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor.

So, this is before they first became big with Bohemian Rhapsody and things like that.

And really the value on this is the fact that Freddie Mercury has actually sung on it.

-Oh, right.

-So it's one of his earliest recordings, if you like, so it's actually quite a rare thing.

It has got a crack, but never mind, never mind.

-For someone who actually wants... I mean, Queen are huge, still.

-Yes.

So, value wise, well, I'm hoping we'd get £50 or £60.

-Gosh, that's marvellous.

-Let's just hope at the auction

there are going to be a few Freddie Mercury fans

and that it fetches a record!

James also spots these two etchings by Roland Langmaid.

He was appointed artist to the Mediterranean Fleet in the Second World War

and a collection of his paintings are in the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich in London.

Unfortunately it's not a great valuation again,

with James giving them just £20 to £30.

Melanie has spotted something of her mum's in her flat.

They're two Italian cherubs that Margaret bought at auction.

They're from the 1960s and get another low estimate of £20 to £30.

James has headed back to Margaret's house, where she has dug out

an ornate Victorian desk set. It has pen holders, a stamp box

and two inkwells made by the well-known firm Coalport.

James hopes it'll make £40 to £80.

At the auction, will the sale of that decorative inkwell be anything to write home about?

70. I have £70 in the centre. At 75, fresh money.

-How high does it go?

-80. Five. 90. Five.

-Find out later.

All that drama is still to come.

Back at Mum's house, we continue with the rummage.

Margaret has come across 13 volumes of Thackeray books

which she bought at a house sale more than 30 years ago.

William Makepeace Thackeray was an English novelist of the 19th century

and his most famous work is Vanity Fair.

James gives them another low estimate of £20 to £40,

which means the trip to Las Vegas is still out of our reach.

-Now, we're in Chester and that's where you come from.

-Yes.

I was born within the city walls, one of the original Cheshire Cats.

-What made you decide to leave this area?

-My husband got into show business.

We needed extra money and he had a very good singing voice and he had talent.

To help pay the mortgage, my husband used to go out to Liverpool, to the clubs.

All the known names would be over in Liverpool working one club or another,

sometimes two, sometimes three a night.

And anyone that had that twang, Northern twang, was picked up

and went along on that tidal wave that followed The Beatles into London.

But then he got a show on television, Three Of A Kind,

the first Three Of A Kind with Mike Yarwood and Lulu.

And what role did you play in all of this?

Well, I was a shorthand typist.

I looked after the accounts and the scripts, sitting up till the early hours going through gags and jokes,

mostly in the bath at home, and I'd say, "Oh, don't do that one," or, "Yes, do that one."

What's the connection with Las Vegas, then?

How did you end up going out there?

Ray was going on the QE2 on a round the world cruise, but it was ending

at LA and he phoned me and said, "There's a chance that they're looking for a comic, a comedian,

"in Vegas for one of the shows and there's a chance that I can make it."

And I said, "Yes, go for it." I did encourage that. That was wonderful.

I understand you had a dinner date with Cilla Black?

It was lovely to meet her and to listen to her accent and, yes,

and Bobby, her husband, was with her.

And it was a happy time, a happy night.

And Ray met the Beatles, too.

Ray had been booked to appear as the presenter at the Hammersmith Palais

in London, but this particular photograph was backstage

and I think Ringo's looking at Ray's nose

because there wasn't much difference in the size of their noses!

Have you ever regretted the change between your lifestyles?

No, I don't, because I had it.

We were married for 20 years and I had that life

and it was a wonderful experience,

but there's been many more wonderful experiences here in England.

You've definitely had a very glamorous life, haven't you?

I'll tell you someone else who's got a rather glamorous past

-and that's our very own expert, James Rylands, so shall we go and see what he's found?

-Yes, let's.

James is on the landing at Margaret's house when he notices seven 20th-century prints.

Two are watercolours by a local artist, JW Gill, which Margaret bought at auction 30 years ago,

and the other five are by a Shropshire artist, Jesse Thurber.

James gives the lot a £30 to £50 price tag.

But that's not all he's spotted.

What's really taken my eye is this wonderful extravagance.

-I have to say, it's not the sort of thing I normally expect to see in a bedroom.

-No!

Why is it in the bedroom?

Because there's nowhere else to put it!

And where did it come from? Did you buy it for this property?

I bought it in an auction and I thought it looked stunning.

-How long ago did you buy it?

-About 20 years ago.

-OK.

No, well, that would actually figure because basically it's not that old.

It is very much a 20th-century Italian copy

of a 19th-century French original.

And, I mean, the original idea was that in the days before electric light

you needed to be able to see what time it was, so you'd have this on your mantelpiece and then you'd have

the candlesticks either side with candles in and you'd be able to see what time it was telling.

But it is wonderfully extravagant.

We've got marble here, a nice sort of Italian pink marble, and then the rest is a sort of gilt brass

or possibly gilt bronze, but with these little patinated figures of what we call fauns.

And also these little amorini.

So value on it today, I would think, is probably going to be

between £200 and £400, something like that, but it's basically...

-It's a decorative value rather than antique or rarity value.

-Yes.

-But are you happy with that?

-Yes, I am. I need the space.

You need the space.

-I would imagine sleeping in this room being woken up with the clock going off!

-It's a chiming clock!

James and I continue the search, but while Margaret is still in the bedroom she opens up a box

containing some 1950s doll's house furniture which she bought in Chester over 40 years ago.

They're made of Limoges porcelain, an exquisite form of translucent pottery.

Their valuation is just £15 to £20.

While the cat grabs my attention,

James is having a final search around the lounge.

-Ah, hello!

-Hello.

Jasper and I could hear you coming.

-Cool!

-What do you think about this?

Look at this! Oh, she looks fun. Where did she come from?

She came from an antique fair at a place called the Northgate Arena

and I took my daughter, dropped her off, and as I walked out

I saw this head through the corner of my eyes and I thought, "Oh, my God, I love her."

But I said, "No, no, no, be strong, be strong, walk, walk, walk, walk."

And went home. And when I got home the phone was ringing,

it was Melanie and she said, "Have I got a head for you!"

-Oh, how lovely.

-Yes. You've got them well trained, haven't you?

-Yes.

I tell you what, she wasn't actually what I expected her to be because,

well, when you turn her up and you see the magic word Lladro

written on the bottom. That wasn't actually what I expected to see

because she's not actually very typical of Lladro.

But what I find unusual is that most of the Lladro figures we see,

you normally get far more pastel colours, you know, with the...

greys and they're very, very light. Having this sort of...

-This sort of quite brown, almost bisque porcelain...

-Yes, yes.

..with the sort of matt glaze on it is actually quite unusual.

Value wise, being mean, probably between £80 and £120, something like that?

How does that sound?

Oh, I think she's worth a little more than that. She's rather lovely.

What about a reserve of, say, 200?

No, that's fine.

No, I think that's absolutely fine because if you think retail,

what you'd pay for something like that new, it would be a lot more.

-Now, you wanted £500, didn't you, for the trip to Las Vegas?

-Yes.

The good news is the value of everything going to auction

-comes to £675.

-Oh, that's wonderful. Yeah.

So with a bit of luck, if they do make that money,

there'll be a little bit of money there for a few slot machines!

Melanie's told me all about that!

Will Margaret's Lladro bust reach her £200 reserve?

We'll have to wait for the auction in a couple of weeks.

And here's a quick reminder of some of the things Margaret and Melanie will be sending there.

The Larry Lurex seven-inch vinyl record on which Freddie Mercury

makes one of his earliest recordings.

Hopefully it won't bite the dust at £50-£60.

And those three gilt brass Waring & Gillow tables

that were a Christmas surprise present for Margaret.

Let's hope they give her another surprise

and surpass James' estimate of £60-£100.

Plus that 20th-century reproduction ornate marble clock with candelabra

which received James' highest valuation today at £200-£400.

'Still to come on Cash In The Attic, we're pleasantly surprised by some of our items.'

Next time you say, "Do you want to see my etchings?" I'm going to say, "Yes."

'And double entendres seem to be the name of the game today.'

Obviously there's someone out there who's an old Queen fan.

Or an old queen, one or the other.

'James is clearly not amused.

'Find out what happens when the final hammer falls.'

Now it's been a few weeks since we met Margaret

and her daughter Melanie.

Now, if you remember, Margaret had already downsized,

but still had plenty of items that she was prepared to sell

in the effort to raise the money she was looking for to go on a trip to Las Vegas.

Now, she wanted £500 and the items we found,

we've brought here to Cuttlestones Auction Rooms in Staffordshire,

so let's just hope that today the bidders are feeling very generous.

'Cuttlestones is based in the historic market town of Penkridge in Staffordshire.

'It originally traded as an agricultural auction

'but changed to antiques and collectibles as recently as the early 1990s.

'There are certainly some interesting items

'from Margaret and Melanie going to auction.

'So fingers crossed, and mother and daughter are already here.'

-Good morning, ladies.

-Oh, good morning.

-Good morning.

-She's lovely, isn't she?

-Yes.

-She is.

-Gorgeous, yeah.

Don't say that, they won't want to sell it!

Well, I've seen lots of people looking at her, I must say.

I thought about doing this, taking her home!

Is there anything you haven't brought to the auction?

The Limoges miniature furniture,

I couldn't find it at the last moment.

-So it's missing in action?

-It is.

-It's probably meant to stay with you, then.

-Well, it doesn't take up a lot of space.

-No.

-No.

-Are you looking forward to the auction today?

-Yes.

-Very much so.

-Very excited.

-Yeah.

-OK, well, we need to make that money, don't we?

-Yes, please! Yes.

-Well, we're only going to make it if we make sure

that everything that's here gets sold and not taken back home.

-Yes.

-Right.

-So hands down there. Good sign.

-OK.

-Come on, let's go and get in position, ready.

I think this is going to be an emotional sale for Margaret.

She's very fond of some of her things going to auction today,

but she also wants that holiday, so let's hope they go for a good price.

And the first lot to go under the hammer is the pair of Italian cherub figurines.

They're delightful, but not antique, so James has put a conservative estimate of £20-£30.

At £20 I'm already bid. £20. £20.

22. 25. The bid's with us at £25.

All done at £25?

Sold there at £25.

£25, bang in the middle of the estimate. Are you happy?

-Yes.

-Yes, absolutely.

It all builds up, though. That's all right.

'That's the first one under our belt and right on mid-estimate.

'Phew! Only ten more to go.'

Our next lot is the Victorian desk stand

and I've never seen one quite like this,

with the two Coalport inkwells. So where did this come from?

-A house sale.

-Do you remember what you paid?

-About £30.

-Right, OK. And how long ago was that, do you think?

-I would say late '70s.

-Yeah.

-That was a lot of money in those days

because we've got an estimate of £40-£80.

It's very high Victorian.

-I hope you get your money back.

-Thank you. I hope so!

I have £70 in the centre.

At 75, fresh money. 80. Five.

90. Five.

-Ah! Excellent!

-100. 110.

At 110 seated. At 110 bid.

-£110...

-GAVEL BANGS

-Excellent, excellent.

-Now that was a good investment then, wasn't it?

'£110. That was a pleasant surprise.

'Next up is the two etchings of the boats by Roland Langmaid.

30. Two. 35. 38. 40. Five.

50. Five. 60. Five. 70.

-75.

-Wow, this is brilliant!

85. 90. I have £90 in the doorway.

-At 90.

-90 in the door.

-At £90.

Doorway I have. Five, if you like.

At £90. The bid's away. At 95. Back in 95. 100.

At £100. No, he says. At 100 away.

100 bid and selling there at £100...

GAVEL BANGS

Next time you say, "Do you want to see my etchings?" I'm going to say, "Yes."

-I think your ship came in on that one!

-Absolutely.

'Fantastic, £100!

'£80 above the lowest estimate.

That's quickly followed by the trio of tables,

which top up our kitty by another £65 - not too bad at all.

'The 19th-century framed fan is up next.'

Now, did you have this framed or did you buy it like this?

No, I bought it, I bought it.

-A friend was selling several of them and I bought one.

-Do you remember what you paid for it?

-About £50.

-Yes, about £50.

-A long time ago.

A long, long time ago, yes.

It'll tempt you all day long, I'm only bid £20 for it.

-He's up there already.

-£20 I've got. The framed fan at £20. Cheap lot at £20. Two if you like.

At £20. 22. Lady's bid at 22.

I'm out at 22.

It's all your own way. At £22. At £22. 25.

28.

28. I have the lady's bid in the centre at £28. Are we 30 quickly?

It's here to sell. At £28. 30.

32.

35.

38. £38.

Still in the centre at £38. You're out on the right and no mistake.

We sell at £38. 516, thank you.

-£38. Are you a bit disappointed with that?

-No, no.

-No?

-It's fine.

£38 for the framed fan. That was a good sale.

With half our lot sold, we've clocked up £338

towards that £500 target.

We're well on our way to Vegas.

Remember, if you are thinking of heading off to auction to raise some money,

do bear in mind that there are charges to be paid, such as commission.

These vary from one saleroom to another so check in advance.

'Our next lot is 13 volumes by the English 19th-century novelist

'William Thackeray.

'James originally estimated these at only £20-£40, but the auction house has advised a higher estimate.'

The big question, Margaret, have you read them?

No. No, definitely not, no.

At £50 I'm only bid. At £50. Five.

60. Five. At 65 I'm only bid.

Lady's bid at £65. Are we 70 now?

There and done at 65?

We've got to hang on to those at 65.

-They didn't reach the price he wanted so they're not sold.

-OK.

-How do you feel about that?

Well, I'm happy. That's fine.

-Well, we may have to start reading them now!

-Exactly!

That's you sorted out, isn't it?

'Well, it's good Margaret and Melanie can see the funny side,

'but it's a loss to the much-needed £500 target

'for their trip to Las Vegas.

'We've still got over £150 to raise.

'I know I sound like a broken record,

'but can the Larry Lurex vinyl do the trick?'

I'm just hoping there are going to be some old groovers out there who really want to get on down.

-Apart from yourself.

-Apart from myself. Just keep my hands down.

Larry Lurex, the vinyl single,

and we've got interest in it and I will start straight in at £35.

It's out of the Spector, the Wall of Sound stuff, and I'm bid £35.

Obviously there's someone out there who's an old Queen fan.

Or an old queen, one or the other!

The commission bid is with me and it's all I have. 38 if you like. At £35. Where are we, Mrs Fell?

Do we sell it at £35?

-Yes.

-I think so. Yes?

-Yes, yes.

-Yeah.

At £35. It doesn't want to go home and it's sold at £35.

-Excellent. I'm happy with that.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

'£35 is a good sum. The legendary name sold it in spite of the damage.

And there's another few pounds in the pot

when the collection of prints go under the hammer.

All done quickly at £32...

Selling for just over James's £30 estimate.

I think that's a bargain!

Our next lot, I have to say, is probably my favourite.

It's that Lladro bust and I just think it's a lovely piece of art,

with or without the Lladro name, James.

I'm hoping the fact it is unusual is going to help it.

It is still there? You haven't smuggled it out?

I've been watching her!

I will start it straight in at £100 bid. On the Lladro bust at £100.

At £100 I'm only bid there. 100 bid.

At 100. At 110.

120. I've 120 bid only. At 120.

I'm only bid at 120. I think this is too low.

Staying with us and no mistake at £120. No, that stays with us at 120.

So, having made sure you didn't smuggle it out of the auction house,

you can now, officially, proudly walk home with it.

'Mum and daughter are happy it didn't sell.

'Very cleverly, Margaret put a reserve price of £200

'on the Lladro piece,

'a decision which turned out for the best.

'Our final lot is the clock garniture set.

'This comes with a hefty £200-£400 estimate.'

And we will start the garniture straight in at £200.

-We're in there!

-Good!

At 200. At £200 I'm bid. At 210.

220. 230. 240. 250.

My commission's out at £250. At 250.

Only bid at 250. At 250. 260.

I have 260. Standing at 260.

Are we 270? At £260...

'£260, what a fantastic end to the sale.

'That's really boosted the total. I think they may even be able

'to have a little flutter on the tables in Las Vegas now.'

-Well, you wanted £500 for your trip to Las Vegas.

-Yes.

Despite not selling two items you've actually made £665!

-Oh, fabulous.

-That's great. That's great.

-That's really good.

-There's a bit of extra money there. What's that going to go on, ladies?

-I think probably gambling!

Well, thanks to their success at auction,

Melanie and Margaret's dream came true

and they spent five weeks in Las Vegas with Karen and her family.

It was very emotional to see my sister...

-Yes.

-..and also my nephew and brother-in-law.

It's always fantastic to see them.

We cried when we got there and we cried when we left!