Hazel Cash in the Attic

Welcome to Cash In The Attic, the show that finds hidden treasures and helps you sell them at auction.

Today we are in Staffordshire, and I've come to look at the rather magnificent Tamworth Castle.

Dating from the 11th century, Tamworth Castle is located

next to the River Tame in the town of Tamworth, just a few miles north of Birmingham.

The site is open to visitors, who are free to explore

the impressive Great Hall or even the castle's very own haunted bedroom.

Now, to this day, Tamworth Castle remains

one of the best-preserved Norman motte and bailey castles in Britain.

And I hope it is not the last example of stunning preservation we see, because it's time now

to go in search of collectables and antiques to take to auction.

Coming up on Cash In The Attic, is our expert Paul

on a sticky wicket when it comes to pricing this cricket memorabilia?

-Value wise, I'm a bit stumped.

-Ooh!

The value of a rare piece of musical history gets me going.

-Do you know what? I'm all shook up.

-Ha-ha!

I've been practising that for the last five minutes!

-And there are tears at the auction.

-How do you feel about that?

Aw, are you upset about that?

But, is it good news or bad? Find out when the hammer falls.

We've travelled a short distance from Tamworth Castle

to meet a lady who called the Cash In The Attic team

because she wants to raise some money, not just for one but two building projects.

This modern four-bedroom house belongs to Nadine Hazell,

who's called us in to declutter her home and help a few good causes.

She has enlisted daughter Shelley to sort through the items

that have been sitting in boxes in her attic for years.

And I'm very glad to see they've already made a start.

-Paul!

-Good morning, Chris.

-Nice to see you.

-How are you?

-All right. I've got your work cut out today.

-Really?

-We are about to meet a lady who wants to make a big difference home and abroad.

-Home and abroad?

-How we going to do that?

-There's one way - raise a lot of cash.

-I've got my passport with me.

-You're not going anywhere.

-You are going in there to do some hard work.

-Go on, then.

-Come on.

-Are you sure I can't go anywhere?

-No. You're staying in.

-Well, hello.

-Oh, hello.

-Sorry to surprise you in your own kitchen.

-That's OK.

-You must be Nadine? That makes you Shelley.

Thank goodness for that, we've come to the right house!

Own up, who called the Cash In The Attic team?

Me. We moved house about 10 years ago, and we had all these boxes of stuff, and nowhere to put them.

And they were in the loft, and the garage, and the cupboards.

And I thought, "Must get rid of some of this."

So you want to raise some money for something special?

We do. We would like to raise some money for a charity for Malawi.

Wow. We're going to hear more about that later.

Anything else you'd like the money for?

I am having a new kitchen, hopefully, soon.

So I really need to save up for that.

-How much would you like to raise?

-I think £1,500 would be excellent.

£1,500? My goodness, we've got our work cut out today.

-Are you ready to get your hands dirty?

-Oh, yes.

-You looked like the kind of ladies who were going to work hard! Come on.

-We will.

It sounds like Nadine is quite the hoarder.

One man you will never hear complaining about too much memorabilia,

or even boxes languishing in attics, is our antiques expert Paul Hayes,

who has already found a piece of sporting history.

Ah, hello. How are you, all right?

You're not playing cricket in here. It's not allowed!

I think I would be cheating with two bats. Grab that.

-Thanks.

-What a fantastic bit of cricket memorabilia. Look at all these.

Two cricket bats. This one is signed by, it looks like, the 1978 season.

You've got Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Derbyshire and Sussex. Isn't that fantastic?

And I've got a Warwickshire John Player League champions 1980.

-Are you cricket fans?

-No, not at all.

-Really?

-Not at all. No, no.

Those came from my dad's house.

I think he sort of came by them through a raffle or something.

-Was he a massive cricket fan?

-No, he wasn't.

He just liked collecting things.

That's fantastic. Would you recognise any of these names, Chris?

I think we've got Dennis Amiss, I recognise that name.

I think I saw, I think this is Bob Willis.

Obviously he was a better bowler than he was at handwriting.

And Gladstone Small as well, so two England players.

That name's on here. I'm not sure who Gladstone Small was.

-Was he famous?

-Played for England, fantastic bowler.

We're looking sometime in the late '70s, the early '80s.

There's Gladstone Small. This is done by an artist called

Alan Fearnley. He is a well-known artist

in his own right. This is a signed limited edition

so he has only done 500 of these prints, which he's signed.

This is number 90. Then he's got all the cricketers of the day to sign

so that really adds a bit of memorabilia to it.

That needs framing up, but it's quite a nice item in its own right, isn't it?

I think I already know the answer to this one - are you happy to let this go?

-Yes, yes. Yes, yes, yes!

-You're not going to be crying when these go off?

-No.

-I don't think you will, will you?

-No. I won't miss them.

-Imagine my surprise!

What really helps, when selling an item like this, is to do your homework.

Go online, get a team sheet, and that team sheet then will help you to decipher some of the signatures.

A lot of the time you can't read who they are. There could be some big names here.

Value wise, I'm a bit stumped!

Ooooh!

Sorry about that!

If we said sort of £100 upwards, and see how it goes. How's that sound?

-Anything is better than nothing, isn't it?

-Exactly.

Let's hope we don't get a duck. Right, it's not a bad start.

I say start, let's scatter around this house and get rummaging. Thanks, Paul.

-No problem.

-See you later.

Well, "howzat" for an opener?

With a target of £1,500, there is still a long way to go,

but that cricket memorabilia certainly gives us a good start.

-Paul?

-A-ha?

I think I might have just found something that might be suitable.

That's interesting, isn't it?

I remember... I think I know what it is. I remember seeing it before.

-But not for a long, long time.

-Right. It's a hat stretcher.

-Yes.

-So, who was a milliner? Was anybody in the hat industry?

No, but my grandad looked after a pub called The Hatters,

and he had it on display in the bar with all the rest of his hats.

Of course. Well, this would have been used by a milliner

or sometimes for private use.

You would bring along your hat, which would sit on this area.

These blocks of wood would be screwed out until it was nice and tight,

and that would reshape the crown of your hat.

You've got the different sizes.

All the way up to 26 inches in diameter, that's enormous!

-Do you know where "Mad as a hatter" comes from?

-No.

When they used to make the hats, they used to use mercury,

and the mercury would have an effect after a while,

and people used to go mad. That was where it came from.

But these, I mean, obviously, these would be used for bowler hats.

That was the everyday hat that people had.

The top hat, about the size of this one.

A bowler hat, about halfway down.

If you were like me, you would have your flat cap.

There is a hierarchy going on.

Items like this can be really saleable. They're different, aren't they?

Anybody that is interested in social history, design, you know, scientific instruments.

If I said sort of £60 to £100?

That's good for something that's been in the cupboard for years.

-Do you think I'm as mad as a hatter?

-Probably.

Come on, then.

Well, it's hats off to Nadine's dad, because that Victorian hat stretcher

is just the sort of quirky item I am sure will raise plenty of interest at the auction.

Nadine has decided it is time for this 1930s mantel clock to go,

as it's no longer used in the house.

It is a Westminster chiming clock, which strikes every quarter of an hour.

It's not rare, but Paul thinks it could bring in a timely £20 to £40.

Shelley has discovered yet another remnant from her grandad's pub,

this miniature copy of a vintners' delivery van, probably dating back to the 1970s

and which Paul thinks could go for £30 to £60.

This is lovely out here. Sunshine, relaxing.

-And the best bit is Paul and Shelley are still working hard.

-That's good, isn't it?

-It's lovely.

You've told me about the kitchen, but what about this other project?

The Chinthowa Development Trust.

It's actually run by two friends of mine over in Atherstone.

They've been doing it for some years.

The object is to get this village of Chinthowa, in Malawi,

as self-sufficient as possible.

They're a long way from the main road, so they don't get any help at all from their own government.

So, through a lady that my friends knew, who is from Malawi,

they decided that they could help.

They're out there now, organising the building of a school.

So that's quite a big project to take on.

Have you always been passionate about that area in the world?

Really, it's my friends who were really enthusiastic about it.

Their enthusiasm rubs off.

You can't help but want to get involved

-and raise some money.

-It does sound like

a very worthy cause, but we are going to have to raise some money,

a lot of money, so we had better get back to work. Ready? Come on.

It's great to see that, whilst Nadine is preparing

to become a granny again, she's still finding time to think about less advantaged children in Africa.

We'll be doing all we can to make as much as possible for that worthy cause at auction.

Whilst I've been chatting to our host,

our swashbuckling expert, Paul, has made a rather dramatic discovery.

Nadine? Chris?

I've found some fantastic swords.

-Oh, you found the swords.

-Look at that!

Wow! Has somebody been a military collector or something?

No, no, It was my great grandfather. He was a career soldier.

He was...in the Hussars.

-The Hussars?

-Yes.

And this was his officer's Silver Sword, presented by the King.

It may be George V, I'm not sure, but it should have a star on it, as well.

-Yes, this is Edward VII.

-That sounds about right.

That's a great way to date a sword, actually, especially British swords.

They have these wonderful protecting areas at the hilt.

Of course, you've got the King or Queen's cipher on here.

That says ER, and then seven.

-So, Edward VII.

-I didn't realise that's what that was.

So this was 1901-1911, just before the First World War.

Everyone in the army was issued with a standard sword

like this one, which is very plain, nothing very fancy about it at all.

But the officers could buy them in the same pattern, and of course they would embellish them.

Sometimes you get these wonderful engraved blades, you get blued steel, real quality details.

They're fantastic. They're real works of art,

This one does match, the blades are original, it has ER VII on there.

Sometimes these happen to get replaced.

It's got its scabbard with it, it's got a sharkskin grip in nice condition.

-They're fabulous things.

-The way you've described them, there are obviously lots of memories.

-Oh, yes.

-Any sentimental value? Are you sure you want to let these go?

It does have a sentimental value, but I think they've got to go.

You have no provenance with them, no medals or letters or anything like that?

I have got photographs of Great Grandfather in his full uniform.

Don't give up the original photograph,

but it's always nice for collectors to know who these belonged to.

If you sent a photocopy, it would be fantastic.

Any information you have about him, that really helps when you come to value these items.

Things like medals, badges, they are more easily collected.

Swords, put them through the auction and we'll find a collector who'll deal with them.

But, there's something in here for everybody.

You've got a Waterloo sabre, you've got an everyday army cavalry sword,

and this one which belonged to an officer. The value is in this one.

Value wise, you're looking around the £500 mark.

£300-£500, how does that sound?

That sounds wonderful!

Fantastic. They're amazing and I'm sure someone would love them.

That impressive set of swords from Nadine's great grandfather is a terrific addition to our haul.

Do remember, though, to keep items like these well out of the reach of children.

Encouraged by such a magnificent discovery,

Paul is under yet another bed hoping to unearth more choice items.

Not quite in the same league, but still a good find, is this train set which belonged to Nadine's brother.

Made by the British Tri-ang Company, this set dates from the late 1950s.

There are plenty of model train enthusiasts around,

and with the right collector there on the day it could fetch £20-£40.

Now then, where has this plant pot come from?

-That's manufactured locally.

-Really? Somebody called George Skey.

Yes. That's it. They made earthenware. They are now Daltons.

It came from my father's house,

and I reckon it was around the late 1800s, early 1900s.

I think people have them in their conservatories

for palms and things like that.

The Victorians were obsessed with bringing the outdoors in,

so that really does it fit in, being a conservatory.

They give that sort of rustic look. This is called majolica.

It's very beautifully glazed,

thickly potted, very three dimensional in relief.

These are acorns. Or wheat sheaves, do you know?

I think they're wheat.

-Could be, around the oak tree. It's very symbolic.

-It is.

-It's very similar to Dalton, you're right.

-It is.

-This one has got a little damage.

-It is a bit battered, I'm afraid.

Which does happen. Has it had a lot of use?

It has, yes.

I have used it myself.

When I used to have a large plants I would use it,

but not recently. In fact, I don't even really like it.

So you're not going to be sorry to see this one go at all?

No. I won't be sad.

Value wise, it's majolica, it's 19th century,

if I said £50-£80, how does that sound?

I think that sounds very good for an old pot.

Can we throw the plant in as well?

I don't see why not, it sort of takes the ugliness off it!

-Cover it up!

-That's right!

Well, majolicaware, whilst popular in its Victorian heyday,

isn't to everyone's taste, but it is another good addition to the fund.

A double whammy too - Nadine gets rid of something she doesn't like,

and can hopefully make money into the bargain.

I've pulled you away from the rest of the gang because I want to know about this kitchen.

Is it your mum's idea, or your idea?

It was her idea, but I agree with her, I think it does need doing now.

-And you should know, because this is your business, isn't it?

-Yes.

I have a small kitchen business,

so I work from home and supply, on recommendation, people's kitchens.

I haven't twisted Mum's arm, she's thinking, keep it in the family

rather than go to somebody else, which is good.

So, are you going to design the kitchen yourself?

Yes, myself and my husband.

He's more technical, so he will do the design, and I'll do the ideas and the finishing touches.

Talking about planning, I've noticed there is someone else in this family, or at least on its way.

-Yeah.

-There's a nice little bump.

Yes, an eight-month-old bump at the moment.

My goodness, so not very long?

No, I think I've got about six weeks left, give or take.

-Is this your first?

-No, I have another little lad.

-He's seven years old.

-Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?

-It's going to be a girl.

-Congratulations!

Thank you. But my lad is intent on teaching her wrestling moves,

so I think she's going to be growing up a bit of a tomboy.

Oh, no. I suppose she has no choice, does she?

No, I don't think so.

You haven't got much choice, as we need to raise money for your mum's project in Malawi,

-and this kitchen won't get done on its own.

-No, it won't.

-Come on.

Whilst I've been chatting, Nadine's search has unearthed

yet more items from her dad's pub, The Hatter's Arms.

Pieces like these are highly sought after by collectors of pub memorabilia of known as breweriana.

Paul thinks this mix of branded drinks products

could go for as much as £50-£70.

We're doing well, but it's getting towards the end of the day

and there's still a long way to go to reach that £1,500 target.

I wonder if these next items will spark off some interest in the saleroom?

-How about these, Paul?

-Let's have a look.

-That's quite nice, like a horse's hoof.

-Yes, I wondered what it was.

Another pipe. Whose were these?

I think my dad had them from his grandmother.

Right. These are called meerschaum, have you heard of that before?

-I have.

-Do you know what it means?

-No, no idea.

-"Meerschaum"

is "sea foam", foam of the sea.

-It's found around the Black Sea.

-Oh, right.

All it is is a little mineral that is found at sea and it's impervious to flame so it's perfect for a pipe.

It will never go on fire.

It is very easy to carve, almost as good as ivory.

People used to carve it as a cheap substitute.

But beautifully done, isn't it?

Of course, when you go back to the Victorian times, Queen Victoria actually based

herself at Balmoral, in Scotland, so Scottish things were always collectable, it was very patriotic.

So the stag is very much a Victorian symbol.

But nice to be in its box as well.

-Yes.

-Do you think it's sentimental to you?

-Not really.

Not really. I would be quite happy for it to go.

You have got two collectors - people who collect pipes, and anybody into horses.

-It seems a bit military because...

-Well, that's his regiment, here.

Was somebody in the Royal West Kent Regiment?

I can't imagine that anybody from that family would be in the Royal West Kent.

I know that my great uncle was in the Staffordshire Regiment in the First World War.

But if it'd only tell a story, who knows where it has come from, eh?

But if I said, sort of...

-£50-80, how does that sound?

-That sounds reasonable.

While smoking may not be socially acceptable nowadays,

but objects with a history and that kind of craftsmanship are always sought after.

Our rummage continues, and, tucked away in a back bedroom, is this rather playful picture

of a dog and a monkey, which belonged to Nadine's father.

It's a bit of a mystery, this one,

as we're not sure who the artist is or its exact age.

But, we do know it is in the original frame

and could be worth up to £30-£50.

Paul finds yet another souvenir from the pub days when he comes across

this 1960s Double Diamond figurine made by Beswick.

Pieces like these are very collectable,

and Paul thinks it could fetch £20-£40. And it's not over yet.

Could a bit of rummaging under the stairs unearth any more surprises?

Paul, I think I might have just about made your day, possibly your life. Have a look at that.

Let's have a look at this.

Never?!

-Honestly?!

-It is.

That is, in fact, the holy grail of all records. That's fantastic.

This is the Sun edition of That's All Right by Elvis Presley.

This is THE record that started rock and roll.

Amazing! How have you got hold of it?

We went to an Elvis convention in Leicester, and they had a charity auction at the same time.

-And that was one of two items donated by Graceland.

-So this has actually come from Graceland?

-It came from Graceland.

-Wow!

A guy called Sam Phillips set up Sun Records in 1952, and the "Sun",

he's looking for new talent, a new start, new beginning.

Within two years, he'd signed up Johnny Cash,

Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley.

But Elvis went in to record a demo disc for his mum,

That's All Right, Mamma, that's what he recorded for her.

They took a shine to him, and the rest is history. This is how it all started.

But what a fantastic thing to have. Did you pay a lot of money for it?

It was about £400 at the time.

There were two bidders, and we got it.

Which always begs the question, you're almost hugging it there.

You don't want to let it go! But do YOU want to let it go?

Well, we've had it a while now, and it's been a pleasure to own,

but maybe it was a little bit of an investment as well.

So yes, quite happy to let it go.

I think this is a real, real winner.

There are a few times in your career you come across something you know is a great thing, a rare thing.

-And for me, this is it today.

-Would you like to make me an offer?

Well...! How about a tenner a week?!

For the next 12 years!

So, how much?

This is wonderful. I mean, if I said £750 upwards...

Oh, my goodness!

-That's very good.

-Sound all right?

-That sounds very good.

-Do you know what?

-I'm all shook up.

-Ha-ha!

I've been practising that for the last five minutes.

That's it. So we'd better bring in... Is she having a lie down?

-No, I think she's there.

-Shelley!

-Shelley!

-Come on in.

-What an amazing thing.

-We've just found a most incredible thing.

Come and join me here. That's about it.

You'll be much relieved, and I know we're relieved cos the baby didn't pop out during the rummage.

-What did you say that was going to be, Paul?

-At least £750, we'll see how it goes.

-How does that sound?

-Really good.

It's not too bad, is it? And it's time to have a bit of a tally up.

I know you wanted around £1,500, didn't you?

Conservatively, with all the stuff that we've found today,

we reckon we're almost there. £1,480.

-That's very good, isn't it?

-That's good.

-Excellent.

-Not too bad, is it?

-No, that's good.

Let's put your fingers together, fingers crossed.

I don't know whether she's coming along as well. It's off to the auction room.

It's been an amazing day, here at Nadine's house.

We've discovered a real variety of items,

and that's before we found the last piece of rock and roll history.

There's the Victorian milliners hat-stretcher,

which used to sit in Nadine's dad's pub.

Which could fetch between £60 and £100.

More family heirlooms are those Edwardian regimental swords

which belonged to Nadine's great grandfather.

This is a rare collection and Paul has valued them at £300 to £500.

And those two late Victorian decorative pipes.

One is still in its box, whilst the other has military connections.

And together they could bring in £50 to £80.

Still to come on Cash In The Attic, is the auction proving a bit too much for Nadine?

I think I might find a nice corner of a cupboard.

Paul is hoping it won't be return to sender for one special item.

My knees are shaking. I don't know if it's nerves or it's just Elvis.

Be there when the hammer falls.

It's been a couple of weeks since we helped Nadine Hazell

search her home for collectables and antiques in Tamworth.

She wants to raise £1,500 for two very different building projects -

one, a new kitchen, and two, she wants to make a donation to a charity

to build a new school in Malawi, so we've got our work cut out. Sadly, I can't make it to the auction today,

so I'm going to have to leave her in the capable hands of Paul, at Hampshire Auctions in Andover.

We've come to Andover not least because it's an area with plenty of military connections,

something we hope will work in our favour with those swords.

Happily, the saleroom is already filling with bidders looking for a bargain.

Meanwhile, I wonder what today's auctioneer, Aaron, makes of Nadine's varied collection of items.

-Good morning, Aaron. How are you?

-Very good.

-How do you think these are going to do today?

-There are three swords in this.

-There are.

We've got a lot of collectors for military memorabilia.

-We've got about four or five army bases here.

-Fantastic.

So military memorabilia just flies out of the house.

Those are definitely going to sell, and that's fantastic.

What about the pub memorabilia? There's a lot of that.

Yes, there are few Guinness items in there. Should do very well, actually.

There's something for everybody. There's every maker of alcohol under the sun.

And there's one thing that really is important to me, and perhaps yourself, the Elvis 78.

-What do you reckon to that?

-What a quality item.

We've done all we can, we've contacted the clubs, put it on the Web,

let's hope it can fetch what it should do.

Let's hope we get two real fans out there, and the phones go mad.

But a lot of wonderful items we have. All the best to you.

-See you later.

-Cheers.

Well, we've got the auctioneer on our side, all we need now is Nadine.

Sadly Shelley can't be here today, because her baby is almost due.

So Nadine has brought along family friend Rebecca for support.

For the record, it looks like they're raring to go.

-Nadine, Rebecca. How are you? I see Elvis has arrived.

-Yes.

Fantastic. How do you feel about selling him?

Is he all right to go?

Yes. I mean, we'd like to sell him, but only if we get the right price, of course.

Of course. This is a fantastic item.

We've contacted all the Elvis fans we could find, been on the Internet.

There's lots of awareness this is up for sale today.

So let's hope so. Now, it does actually catalogue at £2,000.

-Oh, my goodness!

-Don't build your hopes up.

People need to see it first, before they pay that sort of money.

Let's hope we get our 750 we said in the house.

-That would be good.

-We put that as a reserve, is that all right with you?

-Yes, that's smashing.

-750 minimum for Elvis.

Don't forget, you have those fantastic swords. We put a reserve of 300 on those.

-Is that all right with you?

-That's fine.

OK. Put that down and make sure that stays in good condition.

Let's take our place. The auction is about to start.

This way.

Fingers crossed we can make plenty of money

for Nadine's African charity, not forgetting the new kitchen.

If you look to sell at auction, do remember that commission

and other charges may apply, so check with the salesroom first.

As our sale finally gets underway, I think this first round could be on Paul.

OK, now then, we've got a collection of bar items here.

It's all things to do with, you know, Skol, Cognac, Guinness, there's a pineapple ice-box.

-Where have these all come from?

-They came from my father's public house that he kept for about 25 years.

When he moved, he took them with him.

Some of these are quite collectable, Guinness is very collectable.

-So we put these in at £50 to £70.

-That sounds good.

-Sound all right?

-Bottoms up. Let's see how we get on.

-What shall we say to start me?

£40 to get it going.

£40. 30, then?

30 I have. And 2, 5, 38,

40, and 2, and 5, and 8,

-and 50.

-That's what we wanted.

-At £50 I have, 2 is there.

52, 55, 58, and 60.

And 2, and 5, and 8, and 70. And 2?

At £70, is there 2? At £70 then.

-Wow! How's that?

-That's good.

-Is that all right?

-Oh, yes, fabulous.

That is a great start to the proceedings.

That varied collection of pub memorabilia gives Nadine's fund

a refreshing £70. Will the bidders play ball with this next lot -

a collection of 1970s cricketing items?

What we've done is printed a team sheet.

We've tried to decipher the signatures.

I wish they would sign clearly!

We tried, but weren't very successful.

We've got lots of them. I know there are a few good names that Chris certainly knew.

We said £50 each. Looking at £100.

So let's hope there are some Warwickshire fans and some cricket fans. Let's see how we go.

A bit of interest here. I've got £55 on them. 60 I'll take.

At £55.

£55 only. Is there 60? And 5,

70.

And 5. 80.

And 5. No?

At £80. 85 it is there.

That's £80 then. I will sell at 80.

Still, £80.

-That's £20 under the estimate. How does that feel?

-No, that's good.

It's a bit more money in the kitty for the Malawi project, so that's what I'm focused on at the moment.

We seem to be having a good innings so far.

And another £80 towards our £1,500 target is very welcome.

I wonder if the bidders will go "bananas" for this next lot.

Picture of a monkey and a dog, sitting at a table playing dominoes!

-Lot 280A.

-They're all laughing about that.

Sounds like a good picture, doesn't it?

What shall we say on this one? I've got £18. 20 I will take.

20 there is. 22, 24, and 6.

8? I'm out at £28. Is there 30 anywhere?

28 we've got.

I will sell then. At 28.

Well, £2 under our lowest estimate isn't bad, and the winning bidder

has certainly got some detective work to do on that unusual picture.

I remember two things from your house - one was the Elvis 78,

the other was that plant pot in the shape of a tree trunk!

Somebody loved it once.

-Not your cup of tea either?

-Not really.

Let's hope they all disappear. It's £50 to £80 as the estimate. Let's see how we go.

-I've got 30 on this.

-We're in.

£30 only. 32? At £30 only.

Oh, no. It might not sell.

-We'll have to pass the lot.

-No! It hasn't sold. How do you feel about that?

I think I might find a nice corner of a cupboard!

Well, there's no accounting for taste, and no sale

for that Victorian majolica pot isn't the best news, but there are still some great items to come.

Perhaps this British 1950s train set will put us back on track.

I can start straight in a £20. I'll take 2. 22 I have, 22, 24.

26, and 8. 30.

30 I have. 32?

No? £30 on my left. Is there 2?

-£30 then, I will sell.

-How's that?

-That's very good.

-This fantastic, isn't it?

-It's very good.

-Just for an old train set lying around.

Great. We're steaming on now.

Cash in the pocket rather than stuff in the cupboard.

That's a good show.

Doesn't quite roll off the tongue, though, Paul, does it?!

Not to worry. It's a very welcome £30 in the kitty.

We're almost at the halfway point of the auction.

With an estimate of £750 to £1,000,

I'm hoping this next item will have us rocking in the aisles.

Now I think it's fair to say that this really is the show stopper.

This is something that has taken to my heart.

It's the framed record by Elvis Presley.

The first Sun Record pressing of That's All Right, Mamma.

The feedback we're getting is it's all about condition.

There's a bit of a crack on it, a scratch on the actual thing.

But if somebody really fancied this here today, hopefully we'll get somewhere around the 750 mark.

Fingers crossed, come on.

My knees are shaking, I don't know if it's nerves or whether it's just Elvis.

Very nice item. Hopefully we've got a few collectors here. Lot 264A.

What shall we say on this one?

Start me at £500?

400 to get it going. 400 I have.

50 I'll take.

At £400. 450 there is. 500?

At £450 only.

At £450 then...

I'm afraid it didn't quite sell.

How does that feel?

Well, we can look after it for a bit longer, can't we?

Ouch. That's a real surprise, and a real blow to our £1,500 target.

We thought that historic piece of musical memorabilia would get the bidders going,

but it just goes to show that auctions really are full of surprises.

OK, we've reached our halfway point in the auction. Things haven't gone too bad.

Most things have hit the estimate, but of course, Elvis didn't leave the building.

Can I use that punch line?

So he's going home with you. How do you feel about that?

-He can come home with us, can't he?

-Yes.

It's undeniable it was a big chunk of the target, wasn't it?

We wanted £1,500.

At this point, bearing in mind you've got your swords and other

fantastic items to come up as well, we have actually raised here £208

-up to now. All right?

-OK. Yes.

It's a start, but we have a long way to go yet.

We'll take a little breather, have a look round, there might be something you want to buy.

-And I'll meet you back here in about five minutes.

-OK.

-Is that all right?

We're only halfway through, but the salesroom is still bustling.

Fingers crossed the bidding will pick up in the second half.

Whilst Nadine and Rebecca take a well earned break,

Paul seems to have found a bit of a blast from the past.

Ah! Now, do you know what, one of the fastest growing collectable areas has to be the computer.

We all take them for granted now.

This is a ZX81, and this is the computer that I remember my best friend buying right at that time.

It was such an innovation, such a new thing to have a home computer.

Very quickly technology moved on, and Clive Sinclair really revolutionised the whole industry.

What I love about this is it comes with a computer,

all the leads that you need, and the cassette recorder!

That's how these programme used to get put on here.

But people do want that nostalgic feel to an item.

It really is something that people can reminisce, it's modern history.

This dates back to 1981, or the black and white years, as I call it.

It's a fantastic thing to have, and people will remember this item.

Price wise, today, maybe £20, £30, but I think a future investment, I think it's priceless.

Well, Paul has certainly got a head for the world of collectables, but will we be going with cap in hand,

when this Victorian milliners hat-stretcher goes under the hammer?

We can start straight in at £40.

-£40 already. How's that?

-42. 45.

-48.

-48.

And 50. And two?

And five? And eight?

No, at £55, then. At 55. Do I hear eight?

-At £55 I'm selling.

-There you go, how's that?

-Yes, that's good.

-Just a little bit under there, isn't it?

-Yes, but never mind.

-Yeah, you've no use for it any more.

-I don't wear a hard hat! THEY LAUGH

Not a bad result for that hat stretcher.

It's another £55 in the kitty,

so Nadine's spirits should't be too dampened. Talking of which...

OK. A bit of pub memorabilia here, I assume.

It's a miniature Gilbey's van with bottles of drink in the side.

-That's very unusual, isn't it?

-They've never been opened.

-Never been tempted?

-No, and that's from the '70s, I think.

-Fantastic.

I can start straight in here at £18. 20 I'll take.

20 I have. And two. 22. 24.

And six. 28.

And 30.

32. No, at £30, then. With you.

At £30. I will sell.

-That's amazing, isn't it? That's what we wanted for it.

-That's good.

-There we go.

Bang on Paul's lowest estimate and another £30 in the kitty.

Now, I wonder if this next lot, the two Victorian Meerschaum pipes, will leave Nadine with a happy glow?

One of my favourite items is your Meerschaum pipe and other. Do you remember those?

-I do, yes. One's quite decorative, isn't it?

-That's it. They're beautifully carved. OK, here we go.

And I can start the bidding straight in at 32, four, and £6.

36 I have. 38 I'll take. 38 I have.

And 40 here. 42.

44. 46.

-48, new face.

-48 we're in.

At £48 then, at 48.

I will sell at £48.

-Great! How's that?

-That's good, yeah.

He's used his discretion there. It's £2 less than we wanted.

-That's fine.

-Is that all right with you?

-That's wonderful, yeah.

-Great.

Well, those Victorian pipes didn't exactly set the sales room alight,

but £48 is still money towards that new kitchen,

and, of course, the African children's charity.

OK now, a really unusual item - I think quite a collectable bit of pub memorabilia,

-is that walking gentleman. Is this Double Diamond?

-It is.

"A Double Diamond works wonders, so drink some today."

-I'll take your word for that!

-That's their slogan.

We've got two collectors -

Beswick collectors and you've got beer and memorabilia.

So I think £20-£40. I think this could do all right, actually.

-I've got £50 on this. Five I'll take.

-Yes!

-55 I have.

-Wow, look at that!

-And 60 here. Five.

£70. And five.

-Come on!

-£80.

And five. £90. And five.

£100. 110.

Fighting over it now!

120.

-130. No? 125?

-Ha-ha! That's powerful. Look at them - it's amazing!

With you, sir. £120.

-Wow! That's amazing!

-Talk about Double Diamond - that's double estimate!

-I wasn't expecting that to go for that much.

-£120. Neither was I. That's amazing.

Well, I think we might have finally hit our stride.

With only a couple of lots remaining,

that 1960s Double Diamond figurine

really did work wonders for our target.

Sadly, that 1930s Mantel clock

didn't seem to chime with the bidders.

At £14 then. 16 anyone?

At £14 then.

Yes, they only made £14. Not to worry, though,

because I have a feeling there'll be a bidding battle for our final lot,

those impressive Edwardian swords.

Now then, it's the moment of truth. This is a large chunk of our target.

-It's time for the swords. These were under your bed?

-They were.

If I remember right, someone was in the Hussars?

-That's my great grandfather.

-Great Granddad, right.

-And do these have sort of a sentimental attachment?

-Well, they do. Um...yeah.

-I had to think long and hard about bringing them for sale.

-OK.

But I think they should go because people will appreciate them

-and you can't always hang them on the wall these days, can you?

-I think you're right,

but we have put a £300 reserve on these.

But let's hope there's the museum or a collector who likes them. Here they come now. OK.

-And I'm straight in at £300.

-That's what we wanted 300.

-320.

330. 340. 350. 360.

370.

380. 390.

400.

-410. 420.

-It's fantastic!

430. 440.

450. 460.

No? At £450. Do I hear 460?

At £450 then, sir.

Oh! Well done!

That's great, isn't it? How do you feel about that?

Oh, are you upset about that?

-Is that bit of family history going?

-No, they've got to go.

-But how do you feel about the price - £450?

Yes, brilliant.

Well, Nadine's brave decision

to auction her great grandfather's swords

brings her another £450 towards her target.

There have been plenty of surprises at today's auction, but just how much have we managed to make?

Time to find out.

OK. That's the end of the auction. How have you found it?

-It's been very good.

-It's been a bit of a roller coaster, hasn't it?

It has. Exciting, because I have never been to an auction before.

I think they're really exciting places.

But we were here for business today and we wanted to raise £1,500.

-We did.

-I think we know we haven't quite got there. So, it's the moment of truth now.

We've actually raised here today...

a total of - wait for it...

-£925!

-Oh, right!

-Oh, that's very good.

-That is good without Elvis!

-It's all right, isn't it?

-Very good without Elvis, yeah!

What will you do with that? Will that go towards what you wanted?

Something towards my new kitchen and then a donation to the Malawi Trust.

It's amazing how things add up, though, isn't it?

-Considering you've still got Elvis and you've got that lovely plant pot.

-Wow!

Now's your chance, Rebecca!

-Woo-hoo!

-Not your cup of tea?

-No, I think I'm all right, thanks.

-I'm ready for a lie down!

-THEY LAUGH

It's a few weeks after the auction and, as well as spending some of the proceeds on a new kitchen,

Nadine's also keen to donate some to charity.

She's invited Brian and Margaret Ingram over to talk about their work

with disadvantaged children in the village of Chinthowa in Malawi.

We send out containers full of presents and gifts and things that will be useful to the village.

And the money will also go towards helping build a much-needed school.

It feels really good to be able to give them a little bit of money because they all work so hard and,

you know, they do so much work, it's almost like a full-time job trying to support this village.

So I'm really happy.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd