Thompson Cash in the Attic

Welcome to Cash In The Attic. We have a tough task ahead. Everything must go, including the flat.

But will we find anything worth taking to the auction? Find out next.

'Coming up on Cash In The Attic, some Danish porcelain figures prove not to be to everyone's tastes.'

I don't like them personally, no.

They're a bit too... I find them a bit sinister, actually.

'And could our antiques expert finally have met his match?'

You're absolutely spot on. You've got the timber, the date. My job's done.

-Do you want to go home?

-I think I'll get my coat.

'Anyone would think we're dealing with a pro.'

-You've got the hang of that. You gave the auctioneer a nod.

-Very calm.

'But can we all remain unflustered during a turbulent day at auction?

'Find out with a final fall of the gavel.'

Today we are in Cambridge to meet two sisters who called our team

cos they want to raise some money for their grandmother.

'Sisters Jessica and Rachel Thompson hail from Cambridgeshire.

'They've been through some truly tough years, but even so,

'they've managed to build successful careers for themselves.

'Oldest sister Jessica is in publishing, a family tradition

'that runs through three generations, and she currently works for a bridal magazine.

'While younger sister Rachel followed a more theatrical route.

'She works at two local colleges as a special needs coordinator as well as teaching theatre studies.

'Away from the office, life has been anything but easy for the girls

'and with another of life's hurdles to overcome, they've decided to call in the Cash In The Attic team.

'Our expert John Cameron is here to help me on our mission.

'He's a valuer, an auctioneer, and perhaps today a knight in shining armour.'

-Ooh, this is what I like to see. People at work already.

-Brilliant.

-Looks like they've done all the unpacking!

-Where should he get started?

-Well, there's lots of ornaments in the living room.

-Go on, John, get started.

-Now, own up, who called the Cash In The Attic team?

-Jessica did.

-Why did you call us?

Well, basically, Dorothy, our grandmother, has had to go into a care home.

This is our grandma's flat, which is on the market at the moment,

but until this flat sells, we need some money to pay for the care home

which is about £600 a week.

It's always very difficult when you come to a family member's house

because there's sentimental value to items.

Are we facing a wrestling match for these belongings if John likes them and you want to keep them?

-Or are you fairly open-minded about getting rid of stuff?

-There are some things we want to keep

but we're fairly open-minded as to suggestions as to what to get rid of.

-OK, you go that way.

-OK.

-And Jess, we'll go that way.

'I can see just how fond the sisters are of their beloved grandmother

'and how important it is for them that Dorothy has the best possible care.

'Well, they've set our target at a realistic £600

'but clearly the more we can raise, the better.

'Good to his word, John is already hard at work.'

There he is! Hello, mate. I've got some great news for you.

We've had a long chat. Everything today must go.

-Sounds like a sofa sale!

-What have you got there?

Well, I've noticed quite a few ceramics around the house,

in particular animals, but also quite a few cows.

Is there any reason for the cow collection?

No, I don't think there's any reason for cows in particular,

but there's lots of animals. Dorothy's really into nature and animals.

I've focused in on a pair of 19th century Staffordshire figure groups.

-So Staffordshire, is that the breed of cow?

-No, it's not,

but you could be forgiven for thinking so.

It's the type of pottery. It's very distinctive.

Once you've seen a few pieces of Staffordshire, you never forget it.

They're made of earthenware, pottery, and they're decorated with these on-glaze enamel colours

which can be a bit worn, but the thing you have to check with Staffordshire is the condition.

Because being earthenware, it's quite brittle, so it is susceptible to damage.

Have a look at that back leg. That's been completely restored, as well,

and a good way to tell that, if you suspect it may have been restored,

just take a normal household pin or safety pin,

lightly drag it over the surface of the glaze and as it comes across anything restored, it will drag.

That's a good way to confirm your suspicions.

-So, do you like them?

-I like them, yeah, but I wouldn't want them in my house, so I'm happy to sell them.

OK, so they're off. How much for?

-Well, for this one and the udder one...

-Ohh!

..I think we're looking at about £50 to £80.

-That's not too bad. You happy with that?

-Yeah, that's great.

I'm still recovering from that gag. Come on.

'We all know his jokes are terrible, but he means well, and I have no beef with his valuation.

'He's got me started now. Rachel's search begins in the lounge.

'She decides to take a closer look at an octagonal plate

'that's hung on Dorothy's wall for as long as she can remember.

'It dates from the 18th century and is a Chinese export in a style popularly known as Famille rose.

'John thinks any porcelain collectors would be happy to pay

'at least £20 to £40 for it at auction.

'It looks like Rachel's on a roll.'

John, what do you think of this?

Ah, this looks an interesting item, Rachel.

-What do you know about it?

-Not very much.

-I was wondering if that was silver.

-Yes, it is silver.

It has got a complete set of hallmarks there.

The lion passant tells us it is 925 standard.

And the date letter for 1883 alongside Queen Victoria's head on the side.

-Do you know what it is?

-Erm, it's obviously to hold some kind of drink.

-But I don't know what.

-Have a guess.

-Maybe alcoholic?

Well, you wouldn't be far wrong. It is for alcohol.

It's a claret jug, a Victorian claret jug,

and they used jugs like this so that they could decant wine.

You don't have to do that today. With modern filtration, wine's always poured nice and clear,

so claret jugs have almost become redundant, albeit they are collected by lovers of fine wine antiques.

And that is a nice item. It's Victorian, it's silver-mounted,

-but have you ever noticed that decoration round the body?

-No, not closely, no.

Have a look at it now. It's a wonderful continuous scene

right around the body there with a chap on horseback jumping a fence,

dogs running through the forest and this wonderful foliage.

Just the attention to detail is mind-boggling and it's all been done by hand.

Now, what you often see are items of glass that have been later engraved to increase their value.

-But if you have a look inside through there where the handle is mounted to the back...

-Yeah.

..the detail of the tree and the foliage of the leaves carries on behind that handle

so that was engraved before this silver mount went on,

-so that's absolutely right for the period. What do you think it might be worth?

-Erm, maybe around £50?

-Well, try £150 as a minimum price.

-Really?

-I think this should make at least £150, £250.

-OK.

There is a lot of demand for good quality, wine-related antiques.

-So are we selling it?

-Yeah, definitely!

-Brilliant!

'But will we be toasting the success of the claret jug on auction day?'

-Start me £400 for it. £400. 20.

-Straight in at £400.

-440. 460.

-'Wow! Find out how much Dorothy's pride and joy makes later.'

-I can't believe that.

-480.

'Our hard work continues, though, and I'm busy searching the living room.

'Sadly, I don't think this porcelain cat will be of much interest to the bidders, so I'll keep looking.

'Fortunately, Jessica's had a little more luck.'

Hey, John, what do you think of this?

That looks interesting, Jessica!

-What's the story behind this?

-Well, I found it when we were clearing out Dorothy's kitchen

-and Rachel put it in the charity pile.

-What made you stop her?

It caught my eye cos it's silver and I like silver things and it looks Art Deco.

That's a interesting observation. What makes you say it's Art Deco?

Just cos of the style of it. The triangular handle and this shape here.

Well, if I were to say that this was probably designed

-a good 50 years before that, we're talking 19th century, the Victoria period...

-Really?

-..would that surprise you?

-Yes.

-It looks very modern, even today.

It's an interesting piece, certainly from an academic point of view

because, to me, this looks like the designs of Christopher Dresser,

a very important designer who actually started out and trained as a botanist.

His first passion was plants. He didn't really get the job he set out for,

so switched his knowledge to decorative arts.

He was heavily influenced by Japan and a lot of Peruvian decorative arts

and he went on to produce everything from wallpapers to textiles, furniture, glass,

metal ware and in particular silver-plated items which was a way of producing silver objects

for the working classes or the rising middle classes.

-At auction, this should make about £40 to £60.

-Wow, that's really good.

You can be the one to tell your sister that this humble little toast rack

may well in the end earn us a bit of a crust.

'Oh, what is wrong with John today? He's not paid by the joke, you know?

'Still, £40 is another very useful contribution. It takes us closer to that £600 mark

'that we're looking to raise for the continued care of grandmother Dorothy.'

This is my favourite time of the day. Out of the house, come down to the village green and catch up.

But by the sounds of it, both of you really need a break.

-You've had a tough time, haven't you?

-Yeah, it's been a hard few years.

Our dad got cancer and died in 2007

so during his illness, we were trying to move Dorothy

up to Cambridge so it was easier for us to look after her.

After he died, we moved her to Histon,

but the last couple of years, she's really deteriorated

and has been diagnosed with dementia and is now in a care home,

which is much better for her.

And we don't have a very big extended family.

Our dad didn't have any siblings

and he actually did everything, really, for Dorothy over the years

cos her husband died when she was quite young, as well,

so we've sort of inherited the responsibilities from him.

-So this is just one of them.

-Just one of them.

You say it so calmly and so coolly, but people in their 20s, that's a lot of responsibility.

Yeah, it does feel like that sometimes

when you can't do the same things that your friends might be doing.

But that's life, really.

-It's obviously been very difficult. Are you a close family?

-Yeah, we've got a younger brother, as well.

He's 19. And, yeah, we're very close with him.

He's the typical teenage boy so he needs quite a lot of looking after

and keeping in place.

So, come on, be honest, who's the bossy one? This one on the left?

Well, I have to say, I think you two are absolutely incredible

and I really want to raise that £600, so we'd better get back to the house.

'I think you'll agree, two quite remarkable sisters.

'I feel humbled by the strength they've shown over some truly tough years.

'Well, back at the house, John has kept up the good work.

'He's taken a shine to an item Dorothy is very fond of herself.

'She spent many happy hours playing her favourite game of bridge on this fine Edwardian card table.

'Sadly, items like these aren't that popular these days,

'but John still thinks this example could fetch £80 to £120 on sale day.

'We soon find more evidence of Dorothy's fondness for furniture.'

So this is one of my favourite pieces of my grandmother's.

-It's beautiful, isn't it?

-Yeah, I think it's mahogany.

-It is.

My gran probably bought it because of the gardening scenes down here.

She was a really keen gardener and into flower arranging and things like that.

-So what do you think?

-Well, I think it's a handsome piece of furniture.

Do you have any idea how old this might be, Jessica?

I think it's probably Edwardian.

You're absolutely spot on. You've got the timber, the date, my job's done.

-Shall we go home?

-I think I'll get my coat!

You're right, it does date to the Edwardian period and it's very typical of their break away

from the rather heavy, ornately carved furniture of the Victorian period.

And unlike the period furniture of that time, this has been painted.

It's faux marquetry. So the whole piece has been given the treatment and it's been used as a canvas.

And when you take a close look, as you've said,

you've got these beautiful draped swags there with those suspended trophies,

which I think are fantastic. They're artworks in their own right.

That one's got cans there, we've got arrows, as well as the gardening tools.

And even on the top, you've got this beautiful framework around this vase

of these interwoven foliage strands with these beautiful strands of pearls.

-But just look at the detail. Fantastic.

-And it's in quite good condition.

Overall, it's a lovely form. My only criticism is just on that little corner there where your arm is,

somebody at some point has cut that so it fits and that does happen.

It's quite sad. Not too bad here. I've seen a lot worse.

By and large, the colour is good, the decoration is wonderful,

I love the form of those concave sides.

-I think that's a rather attractive piece of furniture. I'd definitely give that house room.

-How much?

At auction today, I wouldn't hesitate with an estimate

-of £300 to £500.

-That's a great result. You happy with that?

-Yeah, really happy with that.

-Well done, Granny, eh? She had a good eye for some furniture.

'Now that is a terrific valuation.

'Let's just hope the bidders appreciate the cabinet as highly as we all do.

'As we carry on searching Dorothy's home,

'Jessica decides to add this beech side cabinet to the auction.

'This is Edwardian, as well, and it's where Dorothy keeps her playing cards.

'Sadly, it's not up to the standard of the hand-painted cabinet

'so John thinks £40 to £60 is a realistic figure to expect.'

John.

Hi, Rachel. What have you got there?

Well, I believe they're from Denmark. They've just been in my grandmother's cabinet for years.

She's had them as long as we can remember. I think they're called The Four Aches.

The Four Aches. We can see why, can't we? We've got headache,

ear ache, belly ache and toothache.

Or the easiest way to get yourselves out of double maths. Take your pick.

You said they're from Denmark and I think the clue is on the bottom when you turn it upside down.

Made in Denmark. But it also has another mark there

which is the mark of Bing and Grondahl, these three towers,

which comes from the Danish coat of arms.

Now the factory of Bing and Grondahl was set up in the 1850s in Denmark

by a chap by the name of Frederik Vilhelm Grondahl

and two merchant brothers, Jacob and Meyer Bing, who were actually book dealers.

Grondahl was the figure maker, he worked for the Royal Copenhagen Factory,

but set up in competition, making all sorts of dinnerwares and porcelain figures like this.

Eventually they were merged with Royal Copenhagen, so they're now one and the same.

But they made some charming figures and I think these are quite fun. I like them. Do you like them?

I don't like them personally, no.

They're a bit too... I find them a bit sinister, actually.

But I can see why my grandmother would quite like them. They're quite quirky and unusual.

I think they're collectable. I think they're a bit of fun.

-We're looking at something like £50 to £100. Happy with that?

-Yeah.

-Well, we're not doing too badly, but we're not quite there yet, so shall we see what else we can find?

-Yeah.

'I have to agree with Rachel, they're not my cup of tea, either,

'but hopefully they'll achieve John's estimate on sale day so he won't end up with ear ache.

'I've headed upstairs now after a good look around and I think I may have just come up trumps.

'This collection of silver includes napkin rings, spoons and pots.

'All were wedding gifts to Dorothy. Our expert is so impressed,

'he values them at a very pleasing £60 to £100.'

-So do you have an interest in antiques?

-Yeah, I've always liked antiques,

especially 1950s kitsch things

and I spend some of my lunchtimes looking round antique shops in Cambridge.

I'm a bit concerned now, because it sounds as if sister is going to spend all that money getting more.

Tell me about that little family behind you. We had a conversation in the park

about things that have happened to you in the past.

-Are you looking forward to the future now?

-Well, I think in about six months,

I might go travelling or something like that.

After we've sold this house and everything's settled with this, I might try and go away for a bit.

What about you, Rachel? Do you fancy travelling? What are your plans?

Yeah, I'm planning to do a bit of travelling, as well.

I'd really like to go to Russia and Mongolia.

And looking at that photograph behind you, there's the brother, as well.

Do you know what plans he has for the future?

Well, at the moment, Jonathan's in Thailand on his gap year.

He's been there for a couple of months now and is due to come back quite soon

-and then he's off to university in September.

-Right.

And eventually he wants to be a policeman.

A policeman. So he'll be looking after you at long last, right?

-Yeah.

-That's the plan, anyway. Do you think it'll happen?

-I hope so.

-HE LAUGHS

I really do wish you the very best of luck in the future. I know you're so strong, you've done so much

and I really believe everything will work out, but we've got to have one last push. Come on.

'Whilst we've been busy, John's taken a closer look at four of Dorothy's old chairs.

'They're all different styles and ages but the quality is good and John thinks they could add

'another £50 to £80 to our ever-growing kitty.'

We've just been looking in the spare bedroom and we found this.

It's one of Dorothy's paintings that she's had for as long as we can both remember

-but we don't really know much about it.

-Is your grandmother a fan of the arts?

Yeah, she was really into art. She's always had lots of paintings around her

and she did art courses and things like that, so yeah, she's a real art lover.

-A little bird tells me you're interested in art, as well.

-Yeah, I studied it at university.

I don't know anything about this artist, though, although I do really like the painting.

-Over to you, JC.

-Well, I am a bit of a fan of still life.

I think people often find them a bit bland.

But a very accomplished painting and the artist is well-known, too.

Maurice Decamps is a French artist, born in around about the 1890s in Paris

and studied under Pierre Montezin and exhibited at the Paris Salon

and experienced some degree of success in his own lifetime, winning several awards.

But still lifes do tell us a story if you look a little closer.

And if you look past the actual bloom of the flowers,

there's a lot of symbolism in still life painting and they often represent the cycle of life.

Up here, we've got young buds where the flowers haven't quite come out yet

and then we can see the flowers in full bloom

and down at the bottom, we can see some of the leaves have dropped off and we've got a dead flower.

I'm not even thinking about what stage I'm at in this. Are you sure you want to let this go?

Well, we do both really like it, but as with some of the other things,

there's not necessarily a place for them where we live, so we're happy to let it go.

-It's on its way. John, how much do you think we could get?

-It's very typical of Decamps' work.

It's what people tend to expect from him.

I've seen the market up and down a bit, but it has settled down in recent years.

But for a picture like this, I'd expect to make around £300 to £500.

-How do you feel about that?

-That'd be great.

-Yeah.

-Really good.

Well, that's it from us. It's been a brilliant day.

Looking around, the place is looking decluttered,

and I think we've done really well. I know you wanted £600

cos that's exactly how much it costs per week to look after your grandmother.

Well, I think we've done really well, because conservatively,

I think we could make around £1,140.

-BOTH: Wow!

-That's really good!

-That's fantastic! That would really help.

I'm sure it will. And that is conservatively, isn't it, John?

-I think we could do a bit better than that.

-It's been said I'm a bit mean with my estimates

-so hopefully we can do a bit more than that, it'll be great.

-Brilliant. Thanks so much.

-Thanks.

It's absolutely our pleasure.

'Well, I'm delighted we've had such a fruitful day in Cambridgeshire.

'Hopefully our good fortune will continue at auction and we'll raise even more cash

'so these girls can make life a little happier for Dorothy.

'Heading off to the saleroom, we have the stunning Victorian

'silver-mounted claret jug. It's in perfect condition

'and John thinks worth every penny of its £150 to £250 estimate.

'The original still life by the renowned artist Maurice Decamps.

'Dorothy loved it, but will the auction goers? We're hoping so,

'as it could bring in £300 to £500.

'And Dorothy's beautiful Edwardian cabinet

'with hand-painted decoration. We really want the bidders

'to dig deep and get their hands on this fine piece of furniture

'so we can exceed its £300 estimate.'

'Still to come on Cash In The Attic, the bidders go wild for some of our lots.'

-Happy with that?

-I can't believe it.

-Are you shocked?

-Yeah.

-That's awesome.

-Look at your face.

-How come it's worth so much?

'But it's not just the collectables that stand out in the saleroom.'

-I don't think there's enough room for these two smiles in here.

-THEY LAUGH

'But will we still be smiling at the last crack of the gavel?'

We had a great day with Jessica and Rachel at their grandmother's house.

They are two remarkable young women who've been through so much

and we hope that we can raise as much as we can.

£600 is the target, so fingers crossed, let's hope for a bit of luck as the final hammer falls.

'Well, we've brought all of the items we selected

'to Chiswick Auctions in West London.

'When we left them a few weeks ago, John was full of confidence

'about our chances of achieving their target, so is he still feeling as optimistic?'

-Hello, John.

-Hi, Chris.

-I see you're with our star item here.

It is a wonderful thing and it doesn't look any less impressive here.

It's a great piece. Excellent colour. Fantastic decoration.

And the form, nice petite, lovely shape to it.

-I really like this piece. I'm hoping it'll do well.

-Let's hope so. Let's go and find Jessica and Rachel.

'Now, since we last met Jessica and Rachel,

'we've heard some very sad news about Dorothy. She's passed away.

'The sisters are determined that we should go ahead to raise as much as possible

'as a tribute to their beloved gran.'

Hello, Jessica. And I was going to say Rachel, but this isn't Rachel. Where is she?

Rachel's got a school play today that she organised, so she couldn't make it.

-And this is?

-Pippa.

-Pippa, welcome to the gang. We're very nice, aren't we?

-Well, we don't bite.

-I've been warned.

I'm sorry to hear about the sad news that's happened. So we want to lift your spirits a little bit

by having a good day, and we've got the jug here.

My favourite item. The more I look at it, the more I admire the work that's gone into it

and the more I think I may have under done my estimate,

-but I don't mind being wrong if it's in your favour.

-Have you been to an auction before?

-No.

-Are you looking forward to it? You're looking very nervous.

-Er, no, I'm fine.

THEY LAUGH

-I'm fine. That doesn't sound fine.

-Not very convincing.

-Are you going to be a bit stronger for her?

-I'll do my best.

-Excellent.

The auction's about to start so follow us.

'The saleroom has filled out nicely for this auction

'so let's hope everyone's come with money to spend.

'However, there is one item they won't be bidding on

'and that's the Christopher Dresser style toast rack.

'It hasn't made it to auction.

'I know John was rather taken by it and losing it means our potential total auction income

'drops down to around £1,100.

'That's still a great figure to aim for as a means of commemorating Dorothy's life.

'So now to our first lot, that octagonal plate Rachel found.'

I've got down 18th century here.

-Have you got high hopes for this?

-Well, secretly, I've got high hopes for it.

I've only put £20 to £40 on it as an estimate, which doesn't sound a lot.

The market for oriental porcelain is quite good at the moment,

but they are picky about what they want to buy back. They're looking for imperial stuff

and not so much general export. But I like this plate. Good bit of history. Let's see how it does.

Is that worth a small bid of £20 to start me? £20 for it.

18th century plate. £20 for it. I'm bid £20.

-Yes! We're in.

-22. 25.

25. 28. 30. 32.

No, £30. £30. I'm bid £30, take two.

Are we done? Everybody out at £30, then? Your bid, £30.

-£30.

-That's all right.

-Happy with that?

-Yeah.

'Well, John did say £20 to £40 and it sells for bang in the middle.

'It's a positive start to our sale

'and we have our first contribution to Dorothy's memorial fund.'

Now, our next lot is not going to make a king's ransom for us.

It's a little Edwardian side cabinet. I think it's nice.

-Remember this piece at all?

-Yeah, it's always been in Dorothy's dining room.

She kept her playing cards and place mats, that kind of thing in it.

-What about you? Do you like antique furniture?

-I do, very much. Haven't got the budget for most pieces,

-but maybe I'll pick something up later.

-It's a good time to be buying.

I don't like to be hearing that. We're selling, not buying.

£50 for it. £30 for it.

-Oh, come on.

-£10 for it.

Bid at 10. Bid me 12. At 10. Give me 12.

At 12. 15. 15. 18.

At £15. Is that it? At £15.

Going to sell at £15, I'm afraid. Are you all done? Gone at £15.

-Wow. Some way under our bottom estimate there.

-£15.

'Hm. Someone's picked up a real bargain there.

'I do hope it's not an indication that furniture buyers aren't in

'as we have the much larger hand-painted cabinet coming up later.

'We'll find out, but all in good time,

'because next it's our first lot of porcelain.'

Never did I think I'd say this in a sentence,

but we've got a couple of damaged cows up next. Did you like these?

Not especially, no, but Dorothy was really into nature and animals

so I think that's why she liked things like this.

-Victorian Staffordshire, John.

-Staffordshire pottery has seen better days at auction.

Certainly demand's dropped in recent years and these had been repaired,

but they are a pair and cows are always popular,

so I think we've got a good chance with them.

£30? 30 bid. 32. 35.

At £32. Anyone 35? At £32.

-Come on.

-£32. That's the money so far. Bit disappointing.

At £32. 32. 35. At 32. 35. 38.

At 35. At £35. That's a bid.

At the door at £35. At 35 and gone. 154, £35.

-Another poor result.

-What happened, John?

Well, damaged. I had high hopes for them.

I thought they'd do a bit better than that. But just goes to show.

-Ten years ago, they'd have made £150.

-Really?

-Yeah. Really.

'Well, thanks for that uplifting fact, John.

'Sadly, £35 is all that today's bidders are willing to pay.

'Another disappointing result. Once again, it goes to show that condition is everything.

'Now, I do hope the chairs in our next lot have withstood the test of time a little more gracefully.'

Pippa, a bit of furniture for you here. 19th century dining armchairs.

Yeah, a little selection here. All odd chairs. Sets don't turn up at auctions these days.

But they look nice scattered around the house, and not a lot of money, £50 to £80.

£40. Take 42. At £40. 42. 45. 48.

-Yes!

-50. 55. 55. 60 there.

65. Bid of £60 on the four chairs.

At £60. Take 65. 65.

-70. 75.

-Yes!

75 there. I've got 80 there now if you like.

80. 85. 90.

5. 100. 110.

120. 130. 120. 130. At 120.

All done at 120? Last time, going at 120, your bid.

-Excellent.

-That's really good.

'Oh, what a terrific result

'and we're all pleased the chairs soar past their highest estimate.

'It was great to see Jessica's face light up there. Let's hope we have many more moments like this.

'There's no smiling going on with the characters in our next lot.

'It's the four porcelain pains. Rachel thought these were sinister

'but John was a fan. Let's hope he's not the only one who is.'

OK, we've got the white porcelain figures.

-Little babies. Do you like these?

-I quite like them, yeah,

but I don't think they're to everybody's taste.

-Bing and Grondahl, is that right?

-Yeah, Bing and Grondahl.

Good Danish firm. And I quite like these figures, they're quite charming.

Each one emblematic of different pains.

We've got headache, ear ache, toothache and belly ache.

Who'll start me at £50

Start me £30. A bid at £30. 32. 35. 38. 40. 42.

45. 48. 50. 5. 2 if it helps you.

-Come on.

-£50. Selling at £50 and going. All done? Are you waving or bidding?

Bid at £50. Selling, all done? £50.

£50, bottom estimate. We'd like to have got the top estimate but we got them away.

Yeah, £50, not bad at all for the babies, eh?

'Well done, John. Right on your bottom estimate.

'Good to see some healthy interest in another one of our lots.

'Let's hope it's a theme that continues,

'cos the first half of our sale has been somewhat hit and miss.'

-Well, John, it's been a bit of an up and down ride, hasn't it?

-It has been swings and roundabouts.

-I think we're best to look at the overall picture later on and see how we fare then.

-Covering your back.

I'm hedging it. But we have got some chunky items in terms of estimates to come.

So we've got the picture, the side cabinet and the claret jug.

So I think we can make up for lost ground.

There's a good reason John's saying that, cos we are a little bit behind.

Cos I know you wanted to raise £600.

Well, at the halfway stage, we're at £250.

-Oh, OK, that's quite good.

-It isn't too bad. How do you feel about that?

-I thought it was less than that.

-Yeah, it's better than I thought.

£250 and some big, big items to come.

'So the girls are pleasantly surprised with our half-time takings

'and I'm pleased to hear John's still confident about our overall chances of success.

'I'd say there's plenty to look forward to.

'If you're thinking of heading to auction,

'remember, fees like commission will be added to your bill

'so it's always best to check the details with your local auction house to avoid unwelcome surprises.

'Now where's John got to?'

-You hum it, I'll play it.

-Sadly, Chris, I never got round to my lessons,

but I've been asked to look out for a piano by a friend

and I think buying a piano at auction is by far the best way to do it.

This looks really lovely. I can imagine someone playing this with candles in there. How old is this?

This would date to the 19th century, Victorian, when the upright piano was developed

in the second half of the 19th century. A bit dark and ornate for most people today but I love it.

It's just a very reputable, the German firm of Seiler & Co.

-How much would this go for?

-Well, the estimate on this is £100 to £200.

I think that's optimistic. A lot of auction houses won't even accept them for sale these days

because it costs as much to move them as you'll get for it, so it becomes non-profitable.

If you wanted a piano, go down to your local auction house,

if they haven't got anything coming up, ask them to notify you when they've got one coming in

in a house clearance. It may just tempt them to bring it in if they know they've got a potential buyer.

'A good tip there if you're in the market for a piano.

'John said he thought the £100 to £200 estimate was optimistic

'but its Victorian charm seems to have rubbed off on the bidders because it sells.

'Bang on its lower estimate. We say, "Good luck getting it home!"

'Time for our second set of items and something far easier for the bidders to take home

'than an old Joanna. It's the collection of silverware that I found in a shoe box.'

We've got a nice lot here and you have sifted through this, Jess.

You and your sister have kept back a few bits that had sentimental value.

Yeah, I think we kept a couple of berry spoons which were really ornate and beautiful

and maybe a fish slice.

Well, it's a nice little selection. I've got £60 to £100 on it.

-It should do that, if not a little bit more.

-Let's hope so.

Start me... Silver. Start me at £50 for it. Bid of £50.

-£50 straight in.

-Yes.

5. 70.

5. 80. 5 90.

5. 100. Seated by the plant.

100. 110. 120. At 110. Take 120.

£110. £110.

Against you at £110. All done at 110?

-Whoa!

-That was quite good! Happy with that.

'I think we're more than happy. That's £10 over John's top estimate. Who found those? Oh, yes, it was me!

'We couldn't have failed to spot our next item in Dorothy's flat.

'It's her beloved card table. Now, considering how often she used it,

'the condition is remarkable.'

-Are you a card player yourself?

-Not especially.

But Dorothy was always into cards. She was a big bridge player.

I can just imagine your grandma playing a game of cards on there. Have you got high hopes for this?

Well, it's not huge money, £80 to £120, which is about right for an Edwardian table like this.

£100 for it. £100 for it. £50 for it. I'm bid at £50.

55. £50, take 5. At £50. 5.

60. 5. 70. 5.

80?

80 there. 85. 90. 5.

-100.

-Ooh.

-At £95. At £95, take 100.

Are we done at £95? It's going at £95.

-£95, not too bad.

-Really good.

-Look at your little face!

I don't think there's enough room for these two smiles in here. They're getting wider and wider.

'They certainly are and it's great to see the card table

'trumped its lower estimate and with two good sales in a row, let's see if we can make it three of a kind.

'It's time for that stunning Edwardian cabinet to flourish.'

Up next is something when we were having a close look this morning,

that beautiful mahogany cabinet with a gardening theme to it.

Dorothy was really into gardening and it's got some beautiful trophies

-on the side.

-It is beautiful. John, I hate going to auction with furniture cos it's so unpredictable.

The difficulties in the furniture market have been well documented of late

but it is a very nice piece, very elegant, very stylish.

I do like this. We're looking for upwards of £300. We've got a good chance.

Who'll start me at £200 for it? £200 for it?

Bid £200. At £200. Take 210. At £200. 210. 220.

220. 230. 240. 250. 260. 270.

280. At 270. 280.

280 there. 290. 300. 310.

-Yes!

-At £300. At 310.

310, back in. 320. 330.

340. 350. 360. 370.

360 bid. At 360. 370.

-380.

-Come on.

-One more. 380. 390.

One more for you, too? 380.

At 380 and selling at 380 and gone.

-That's good!

-Happy?

-That's really good.

-Not to bad at all, eh?

'Well, my worries were unfounded.

'The quality of the cabinet clearly shone through

'and what a great price, thoroughly deserved for a fine piece of furniture.

'Now, I wonder how many art lovers we have in the saleroom,

'cos it's time for our still life by the Parisian artist Maurice Decamps.'

-Did you like this, Jess?

-Yeah, I do like it.

It was one of Dorothy's favourites. She had it up in the living room as long as I can remember.

Dorothy's done so well so far today. What about this one?

I've pitched my estimate in the middle of where you would find sale results for the artist.

Maurice Decamps, very successful in his own lifetime

and still life painting does have a dedicated following.

If we've got the right buyer today, it will sell within the estimate. I just hope somebody's here for it.

Is that worth £200, start me for it? Start me at £200 for it?

£200 or I'll pass it. Thank you. At £200. Take 210. At £200.

Give me 210. 210. 220. 230. 240.

230 bid. At 230.

That's a bid at 230. At 230.

-Selling at 230. Are we done?

-No?

-230. I'm selling at 230.

-Are we done? All done at 230.

-Brilliant!

-Yeah.

-You got the hang of that. Gave the old auctioneer a nod.

-Very calm, Jessica.

'Yes, Jessica's acting like an old hand at this auction malarkey.

'The still life may not have achieved its estimate

'but the sisters both said it isn't to their tastes.

'Its sale gives us another healthy contribution to Dorothy's memorial tribute.

'Now we have just one lot left to sell in today's auction,

'and we've saved the very best until last.

'John thinks so. Let's hope the room agrees.'

Up next we think this potentially could be the star of the show

as far as we're concerned. Pippa, you've had a good look at this.

I like this. It's really nice and detailed. I think they could've given it a polish.

-Didn't you polish it?

-No.

-If I'd been there in the first place...

No polish, but we are hoping for big things from this, aren't we?

Well, I hope it'll certainly top my top estimate of £250.

It's a lovely thing. Lots of serious collectors of wine-related antiques will covet this in their collection.

That decoration around the body would look wonderful with a good claret in there.

-But, alas, we won't ever get to see that.

-No. I can only dream.

Start me at £400 for it. A bid at £400. I'll take 20.

Straight in at £400.

460. 480. 500.

520. 540.

-560.

-I can't believe that.

-580. 600. 620. 640.

660. 680. 700.

At 680. I want 7 now. At £680. Who else wants it?

-At 680.

-I can't believe it.

-Give me 7 for it. 700. 720.

720. 740.

At 720 bid. Are you saying no? At 720, that's your bid.

-740.

-How can it be worth that much?

760. 780. 800.

800. 820. The bid's here for £800.

Are we done? All done for £800? Are you out? Are you sure this time?

Wow! Happy with that?

-I can't believe it.

-Are you shocked?

-Yeah.

-That's awesome.

-Look at your little face.

-How come it's worth so much?

Hunting-related antiques are popular, wine-related antiques are popular, you have the combination.

Wow! What an incredible result!

'I can't think of a better way to finish off

'what must have been a poignant sale for Jessica.'

-How do you think you've got on?

-Well, I know that we've done quite well because of the jug.

Otherwise, I haven't been counting.

-I did say look at the overall picture.

-Look at him, looking so smug.

So just remind me, how much did you want to raise today?

-£600.

-£600.

Well, you've not only got over £600, you've absolutely smashed it.

-From today we've raised £1,865.

-No way!

-Oh, my gosh!

-And if anyone deserves a great result, it's your and your sister.

-So well done.

-Thank you.

'Well, some terrific results there for collectables which belonged to a lady who will be sorely missed.

'Dorothy Thompson passed away at the age of 90.

'She'd led a very busy life serving with the women's ambulance team during the Second World War

'before marrying a successful publisher. The couple went on to travel the world

'and Dorothy's memory will be treasured by the three grandchildren she leaves behind.'

Yeah, she was really into travelling.

She went on lots of holidays, lucky enough to go on lots of holidays

and to quite exotic places, as well, for that time.

-So I think she went to Africa.

-And America.

-And America.

-Erm...

-So, yeah, she was quite an independent woman.

She was quite interested in lots of different things and was lucky enough to have the opportunity

to pursue those interests in her lifetime.

What a great result for Jessica and Rachel at a very difficult time for their family.

All our good wishes and our thoughts are with them.

If you want to raise some money for something special and you think you might have some hidden treasures

why not apply to be on the show? All the details are online at:

Good luck and I'll see you next time on Cash In The Attic.

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