0:00:02 > 0:00:08Welcome to the show that rummages around people's homes and finds bits and pieces to take to auction,
0:00:08 > 0:00:11so their owners can raise money for a special treat or project.
0:00:11 > 0:00:16If you've already downsized to make life easier, what else might you part with?
0:00:16 > 0:00:19Find out in today's Cash In The Attic.
0:00:38 > 0:00:45'Coming up, I never said I knew anything about stars of the stage from Edwardian times.'
0:00:45 > 0:00:49- I thought he was a cowboy, Aubrey Smith.- No, no.- No?
0:00:49 > 0:00:53No, he was very much a classical actor.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58'This table is Edwardian too, but it's seen better days. Could it have any value?'
0:00:58 > 0:01:04- Pat!- Hello.- Paul has found...- A distressed table.- He's found a very distressed table.- Very distressed.
0:01:04 > 0:01:09'At auction, we discover just how sophisticated our expert Paul really is.'
0:01:09 > 0:01:15- Do you use a condiment set?- All the time, Jennie.- Of course.- One for red sauce, one for brown sauce!
0:01:15 > 0:01:19'Find out if his taste has improved by the time the hammer falls.'
0:01:19 > 0:01:23Today, I'm in the beautiful Gloucestershire countryside.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25I'm on my way to meet Pat
0:01:25 > 0:01:29who wants to make a very personal design a reality.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31'Sprightly Pat Harris is 78.
0:01:31 > 0:01:36'Her life so far has been full and active, some of it on a tea plantation in India.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40'We'll hear more about that later. She was guardian to five children
0:01:40 > 0:01:44'from a colonial family in India who came to study in Britain.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48'Then in 1963, she married Ken, a dairy farmer.
0:01:48 > 0:01:53'They lived together in the farmhouse which had been in his family for 200 years.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56'They downsized to a bungalow 13 years ago.
0:01:56 > 0:02:02'Pat and Ken were married for 44 years, but he passed away in 2007.
0:02:02 > 0:02:08'Pat wants to use the money she raises today to do something creative in his memory.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13'Paul Hayes is our expert today and we have instructions to head for the garden.'
0:02:16 > 0:02:20- Hello.- Ah, hello! Lovely to see you both.- You must be Pat.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24- That's right.- This is Paul. - Very pleased to meet you.- Hello.
0:02:24 > 0:02:30- I've brought an expert along, so he can look round your house.- Great. I think the cobwebs have gone!
0:02:30 > 0:02:34- Do you mind if I make a start? - Please do.- Ever keen.- Ever keen.
0:02:34 > 0:02:39That gives me a chance to have a little chat and find out... Why have you called us in?
0:02:39 > 0:02:44My husband died three years ago and his grave is looking very bare.
0:02:44 > 0:02:49It needs something, so I thought a wooden cross would be more fitting for a farmer.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52And so this is really...
0:02:52 > 0:02:55My nephew is designing the cross, etcetera.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59And we just hope we get enough money to pay for it.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02In all the time I've been doing Cash In The Attic,
0:03:02 > 0:03:06that's the most unique cause I've come across and very, very personal.
0:03:06 > 0:03:13- I gather you moved from a farm, so you had a great big farmhouse.- Yes, it was an eight-bedroom farmhouse.
0:03:13 > 0:03:19- You seriously have downsized from a whole farmhouse to a pretty, but small...- An eight-bedroom farmhouse.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23- My goodness me! So you've already had a massive clearout?- We have.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27- Have you got anything left for us? - Hardly. Hardly. Sadly.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32I've had to have a good look to see and I hope Paul can find something.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36So what sort of target do you think you would like to go for today?
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Possibly 500, if it's feasible.
0:03:40 > 0:03:46- And if there's any left over? - I would like to go on a trek or something of that nature.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50- I shall look forward to hearing more about that.- Thank you.
0:03:50 > 0:03:56- Right now, I've got to take you in the house, find Paul, see if he's found anything.- Good idea.- Come on.
0:03:56 > 0:04:02'Well, if Pat really did have a good clearout a few years ago, we'll have our work cut out today.
0:04:02 > 0:04:07'Paul has lived and breathed antiques for more than 30 years.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11'He's skilled at picking anything that might do well at auction.'
0:04:11 > 0:04:17- There you are. He's found something already. He's such a hard worker. - Yeah, I've made a start already.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21This is typical of what I would find in the countryside.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24It's a nice occasional table or a side table.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Where did you get it from, Pat?
0:04:27 > 0:04:34A farming friend from where we lived years ago wanted to sell her aunt's bits and pieces.
0:04:34 > 0:04:40And this was one of the pieces which I thoroughly enjoyed and said, "Right, I will buy it."
0:04:40 > 0:04:46It's made in the medieval style. This style of furniture has been made in the UK for over 400 years.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50It's very distinctive. It has quite architectural features.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54These look like the church windows that you would find
0:04:54 > 0:04:59and also you've got the egg-and-dart decoration from the plasterwork.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02So this would be 16th century, very expensive,
0:05:02 > 0:05:07but in the late 19th, early 20th century, they made reproductions and that's what this one is.
0:05:07 > 0:05:12We've always used oak in the UK because that's the most prominent wood that we have.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15And very strong, very sturdy, very durable.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20Always these lovely, wide planks and they will last for ever.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22So is the whole thing hand-made?
0:05:22 > 0:05:27Yes, the same method that was used 300 or 400 years ago, but it is a 20th century design.
0:05:27 > 0:05:33How do you feel about parting with it? You bought it because you liked it. Now it's going to go?
0:05:33 > 0:05:39I don't mind because it's going to go towards something which I feel I've got to do, I feel I must do.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41- And you want to do?- That's right.
0:05:41 > 0:05:47- Can you remember how much you paid for it?- I honestly can't remember. - It might be a good thing.- It might.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50If I said as an auction estimate,
0:05:50 > 0:05:53between £50 and £80, but if someone takes a shine to it,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56it could do a bit better. How does that sound?
0:05:56 > 0:06:01- That sounds fantastic.- Excellent. - I'm sure I didn't pay that for it.- Good.
0:06:01 > 0:06:06'That's a good start, but we can't leave all the work to Paul,
0:06:06 > 0:06:12'so I have a root around Pat's home to try and spot anything that will bring in a few pounds at auction.
0:06:12 > 0:06:17'Paul reckons this silver hip flask is something that should definitely go to the saleroom.
0:06:17 > 0:06:23'It's hallmarked "Sheffield 1961" and comes from Ken's side of the family.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28'It should attract £50 to £80.
0:06:28 > 0:06:34'And when it reaches the saleroom, the bidders definitely like what they see.'
0:06:34 > 0:06:38You'll be pleased to hear I'm straight in at £40. 40. 45.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41- 50.- Yes.- 55. 60... - Brilliant.
0:06:41 > 0:06:46'But how much do they like it? This could be exciting.
0:06:46 > 0:06:52'We're keeping busy in Pat's house and we're all delighted to see her fascinating mix of collectables.'
0:06:52 > 0:06:54- Hey, Paul, Pat.- Uh-huh?
0:06:54 > 0:06:59I like these. I really do. Some wonderful old pictures.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01These old photos, yes.
0:07:01 > 0:07:07- Isn't she gorgeous? Look at that. - They're great.- Look at that waist! - Absolutely wasp waist.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09- Incredible.- Who are these people?
0:07:09 > 0:07:13They're all artists from a period of my father
0:07:13 > 0:07:17because he was very much into amateur dramatics.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Thoroughly enjoyed it. It would be when they lived in Tunbridge Wells.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25They had a big amateur dramatics society there.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29- Are they all signed?- All signed. - They're all signed by the people.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32Did he stand outside stage doors and things?
0:07:32 > 0:07:38- Presumably, he might have done. - Or did he act with them?- He might have done that as well. Who knows?
0:07:38 > 0:07:42- Some of these are such characters. - They really are.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47- It's a long time ago. They're 1905. - That's right. - He wouldn't have collected those?
0:07:47 > 0:07:50He was born in 1800-and-something, so yes.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55But unfortunately, as time has gone on, these have now almost become forgotten.
0:07:55 > 0:08:01They're not the household name like Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn. That's what the collectors go for.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05One or two of those, even I remember. He was very well known.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09- What's his name?- Aubrey Smith. - Yes, C Aubrey Smith.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14- I thought he was a cowboy.- No, no, he was very much a dramatic actor. - Oh, was he?
0:08:14 > 0:08:20Anybody that was serious in the theatre world would have had a portrait photograph done.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Just like they do today. These were given out to fans at the stage door.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28These are very attractive indeed. I think they would frame up lovely.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32- If I said £30 to £50...?- Fantastic.
0:08:32 > 0:08:38- Does that sound all right?- It sounds very good.- We'll tread the board to the auction.- It does sound good.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43- Excellent.- I'll pop them back here. We'll go and find something else. - Come on.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45- What a lovely idea!- Yes.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49'The bidders may not remember these Edwardian stars,
0:08:49 > 0:08:55'but vintage card collectors may well be intrigued by mementoes like these.
0:08:55 > 0:09:01'Now our host has unearthed a box full of watches. It includes three silver fobs and two pocket examples.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05'They're from the Harris side of the family and were handed down to Ken.
0:09:05 > 0:09:10'None of them appears to be working, so Paul thinks a valuation of £40 to £60 is fair.
0:09:10 > 0:09:16'Going by our lowest estimates so far, Pat stands to make £170 at the auction,
0:09:16 > 0:09:21'which is good, but by no means good enough if we're going to reach her goal.'
0:09:22 > 0:09:27- So this is the design for the cross for Ken, is it? - Yes, that's right.- OK.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29Except for this bit, which I said no.
0:09:29 > 0:09:36- My dear nephew wanted to make it more flowery and I said no.- You wanted something very simple?- Very simple.
0:09:36 > 0:09:41He's putting stainless steel all round the outside to preserve the wood.
0:09:41 > 0:09:46And the plaque is going to have Ken's name and his brother Michael who was cremated,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49so I'm putting the wording slightly differently.
0:09:49 > 0:09:55- And how big will it be?- I can't remember exactly, but I think probably about three feet high.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58- So something quite sizeable? - That's right.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03So Ken was a farmer. You became a farmer's wife. What was that like?
0:10:03 > 0:10:08Well, I'm a country girl anyway and I love the country.
0:10:09 > 0:10:16And I suppose again I was used to that sort of life in a sense, although not necessarily farming.
0:10:16 > 0:10:21But I loved working on tractors and trailers and things like that.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23You kept a lot of animals, did you?
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Yes, Ken had a dairy herd.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29We had 340 acres, I think,
0:10:29 > 0:10:35then eventually, we also farmed our neighbours' land, so we had 600-and-something acres.
0:10:35 > 0:10:40Most of it was grazing and then it was grain.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43We had 220 head of cattle.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46We had new buildings put up.
0:10:46 > 0:10:52We had them going for a year when we had brucellosis and we lost the lot.
0:10:52 > 0:10:57- It's not an easy existence being a farmer's wife sometimes? - No, it can be very demanding.
0:10:57 > 0:11:03But the poor lad married me and five children because I was guardian of these five children,
0:11:03 > 0:11:05which were children from India.
0:11:05 > 0:11:11- So you presented him with these five children, though you had no children of your own?- I couldn't have any.
0:11:11 > 0:11:17My friends did me a favour. Three belonged to one family and they were seven, nine and ten.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22And the other two were six and eight, the other family. They were all tea people.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24- So they all lived in India?- Yes.
0:11:24 > 0:11:30The children had to come over to England to school when they were six and eight.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33So all the school holidays, all the time they were with you?
0:11:33 > 0:11:39Until the long holiday, then I took them to Heathrow and they went back to Assam.
0:11:39 > 0:11:46'I'm really keen to get back to work to help Pat reach that £500 target and maybe a bit more too.
0:11:46 > 0:11:52'Paul looks industrious. He knows the only way to find special pieces is to be thorough.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55'Pat's following his example in the utility room.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59'But it's my search that pays off with our next good find.
0:11:59 > 0:12:04'It's a small collection of silver condiment jars, hallmarked in Birmingham in 1924.
0:12:06 > 0:12:11'They've been in the Harris family for years and get an estimate of £30 to £50.
0:12:11 > 0:12:16'Our expert is on a mission to discover more gems like that,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19'but it's Pat who makes a lucky strike.'
0:12:19 > 0:12:22- Paul, can you come and have a look at this?- Uh-huh.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Oh, right. That's a nice one, isn't it?
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Now then, whose is this?
0:12:27 > 0:12:32- That was Ken, my husband's family's cup.- OK.
0:12:32 > 0:12:38I'm just reading the inscription here. "1905 - Highworth Christmas Market Challenge Cup".
0:12:38 > 0:12:43- Do you know what this was presented for?- I don't and Ken didn't either.
0:12:43 > 0:12:49They had cattle, a specific type of cattle which they always won prizes for.
0:12:49 > 0:12:55Mrs Harris had chickens and they had pigs. It could have been a ham, something of that nature.
0:12:55 > 0:13:00This is typical of what you would find. You get these wonderful presentation vessels.
0:13:00 > 0:13:06I've seen these with "Best Muck Spreader" or "Best Of Breed" or something to do with horses maybe.
0:13:06 > 0:13:13There's a wonderful collectors' market for agricultural items from this period. This is solid silver.
0:13:13 > 0:13:18- And here in the UK, we have a fantastic hallmark system. Can you see that?- Yes.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21The lion tells me it's solid silver.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25The anchor tells me it's made in Birmingham. And I love the chasing.
0:13:25 > 0:13:30All this has been done by hand. The silversmith has a die that he hits with a hammer.
0:13:30 > 0:13:36As he goes round, he makes this wonderful decoration and the end result is very pleasing.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Is it sentimental to the family?
0:13:39 > 0:13:44No-one in our family, no. There are no Harrises immediately left.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48Neither Ken or Michael, the two brothers, had children.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50- So that can go.- OK.
0:13:50 > 0:13:55I'm sure they wouldn't object to me using the money towards the cross.
0:13:55 > 0:14:00You've got a bit of agricultural history here, as well as a silver chalice.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02If I said around the £100 mark,
0:14:02 > 0:14:06if we said 60 to 100 as an auction estimate?
0:14:06 > 0:14:10- That's fantastic.- Does that sound all right?- It sounds very good.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14- It could be a nice goblet of wine for somebody.- Wouldn't it be lovely?
0:14:14 > 0:14:17- Let's keep looking, eh?- Right. - Excellent.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20'This lovely house is full of places to explore
0:14:20 > 0:14:24'and we are determined to leave no stone or ornament unturned.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28'Pat wonders if this collection of copperware might be of value.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32'The lot contains trays, a Victorian jelly mould and a coffee pot.
0:14:32 > 0:14:38'Again they've been handed down through Ken's family and could attract some attention on sale day
0:14:38 > 0:14:41'with an estimate of £40 to £60.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46'Pat is trying to find a new home for many things she's inherited,
0:14:46 > 0:14:50'some of which have been in the family for a very long time.'
0:14:50 > 0:14:52Patricia!
0:14:52 > 0:14:57- Hello.- Two nice little pictures here. - Right.- Do you know who did these?
0:14:57 > 0:15:01They come from Ireland. My grandmother's sister painted them.
0:15:01 > 0:15:08- A typically Victorian feature, these are painted on glass.- On glass? - A glass panel.- I didn't realise.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12And you would experiment in how to conduct oil painting or watercolour.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15In this case, oil paints. The result is very pleasing.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19You end up with these wonderful pictures. It was done by an amateur.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23- Somebody would do the best picture they could as a hobby.- Yes.
0:15:23 > 0:15:29They've been nicely framed, well looked after. They're not too intrusive. Two nice little items.
0:15:29 > 0:15:35They are. We had them in the drawing room at our home in Kent for years.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38I took them with me. My sister didn't want them.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41You get two types of glass painting.
0:15:41 > 0:15:47You get a painting done like this. They've used a plain sheet of white glass, then the decoration on top.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51Sometimes you get clear glass and they paint it from the back.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55It's called a reverse painting. But the process is very, very similar.
0:15:55 > 0:16:01- Are you sure you're all right to let them go?- Yes. My family are not interested in them at all.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03They can go with pleasure.
0:16:03 > 0:16:09- Realistically, if I said £20 to £40, how does that sound?- Fine, fine.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13It's not a vast amount, probably the cost of a bouquet of flowers.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16'What a talented lady Pat's great-aunt was!
0:16:16 > 0:16:20'There seems to be a creative streak running through the family.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24'Pat shows signs of it too in the way she's laid out her garden.'
0:16:24 > 0:16:28You've done so much in your life and much to do still.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32Has it come about because you were the daughter of an army man?
0:16:32 > 0:16:38We travelled around the British Isles quite a lot and we were never anywhere for any length of time.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42I suppose it gave me the feeling that I wanted to travel.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46It gave you a bit of a taste for the military life as well.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50We've spoken about how you were a farmer's wife,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53- but you were also in the RAF. - Yes, for four years.
0:16:53 > 0:16:59I wanted a technical training and decided at 17 that the only way to get it was to go in the forces.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03At the time, I did two terms at a pre-prep school teaching
0:17:03 > 0:17:07and I realised I did not have the patience for teaching.
0:17:07 > 0:17:12After you left the RAF, I know that you married for the first time
0:17:12 > 0:17:16and had a life in India on a tea plantation. What was that like?
0:17:16 > 0:17:19I went out there to marry, of course. I married out there.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22It was a new experience.
0:17:22 > 0:17:27I think why we were not compatible really is because I was bored to tears.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30I'm not a type that can be a lady of leisure.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33And although you play golf and tennis
0:17:33 > 0:17:37and mahjong and coffee mornings, etcetera, it's not really me.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41- So how long were you out there? - On and off, eight years.
0:17:41 > 0:17:48- Did you enjoy it?- Yes, I did. I was very young. I was only 23, so I did enjoy it. It was great.
0:17:48 > 0:17:53You're clearly not a lady who wants to stand still or do nothing,
0:17:53 > 0:17:56so what else have you got left to do now?
0:17:56 > 0:18:02I'd like to go back to New Zealand and travel around New Zealand in a mobile home type thing.
0:18:02 > 0:18:08I have a friend out there who would come with me. I said, "When I can afford it, I'd love to do this."
0:18:08 > 0:18:13I tell you what - you're a kind of renascent teenager, I think.
0:18:13 > 0:18:19That's brilliant. Maybe we'll make enough money to send you off to New Zealand in your camper van.
0:18:19 > 0:18:25- That would be fantastic.- We'll not do that unless we get back in there and find out what Paul's doing.
0:18:27 > 0:18:33'I do hope I have her energy and enthusiasm when I get to her age. She's a real inspiration.
0:18:33 > 0:18:39'But finding money for a trip to New Zealand as well could be a tall order, so we'd better get cracking.
0:18:39 > 0:18:45'Paul is still looking for family heirlooms and it doesn't take Pat long to get rummaging either.
0:18:45 > 0:18:50'Then I discover a pretty pastel entitled Barns On Boars Hill.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53'It was a birthday present to Pat some years ago.
0:18:53 > 0:18:59'Paul doesn't recognise the name of the artist and he says it's probably a good amateur.
0:19:01 > 0:19:06'It looks as if Paul's careful search through the cupboard has paid off.'
0:19:06 > 0:19:08- Patricia!- Hello.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Now then... I've found a lovely wall clock here,
0:19:11 > 0:19:15- but it's lying down. Are you not using this one?- No.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18It was my grandfather's, given to my older sister.
0:19:18 > 0:19:24My niece does not want it any more, gave it back to me and I, to be honest, do not like it.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28These are one of my favourite types of clock. It's an American clock.
0:19:28 > 0:19:36- Really?- I'll tell you what's unusual about this one. It has a name on the front - JG Graves of Sheffield.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40Sheffield isn't in America, but they would have been the retailer at the time.
0:19:40 > 0:19:46They would have imported this clock. It had a plain dial and they would have painted their name on it.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Liberty's, any good retailer used to do that.
0:19:49 > 0:19:55You've got this wonderful walnut case, then the carpenter has inlaid and taken out small sections
0:19:55 > 0:19:59and replaced them with contrasting woods.
0:19:59 > 0:20:05This swan has been carved out by hand and replenished with satinwood for a wonderful contrasting colour.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09What a nice example! You're looking maybe 1880, 1900.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12Let's open this front as it's lying on its back.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15What we have here are two going barrels.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19Let me just check that these haven't been over-wound.
0:20:19 > 0:20:24That one has a little bit, I think, and so has that one. They're a bit too tight.
0:20:24 > 0:20:29So if I said £120, £150, how does that sound?
0:20:29 > 0:20:31To be honest, a little low.
0:20:31 > 0:20:37- Would it be possible to put a reserve of 150?- That's fine. That's the top of the estimate.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41- So if we put that in at 120 to 150 with a 150 reserve...- Yes.
0:20:41 > 0:20:48- Are you happy with that?- Yes.- That's definitely going then and that's a big chunk of the target.- Fantastic.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52'Let's hope the bidders like it and we make that much or even more.
0:20:52 > 0:20:58'Pat's told Paul she has some other clocks, two of which Ken bought himself.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01'This decorative one was Pat's grandmother's.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05'Valued together, the trio bring in an estimate of £90 to £120
0:21:05 > 0:21:08'which is another great addition to the fund.
0:21:08 > 0:21:14'We're getting to the end of our time here, but Paul and I decide to give the bedroom one last sweep.'
0:21:17 > 0:21:20- Nice little games table here. - Oh, my goodness!
0:21:20 > 0:21:25It looks rubbish to me, I have to say. It's not very pretty, is it?
0:21:25 > 0:21:29"Distressed" is the term. It needs renovation, but I can see past that.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33- Pat? Hello? Paul has found... - A distressed table.- Very distressed.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37- I know. Very distressed. - Yeah. What do you reckon?
0:21:37 > 0:21:43- It's been in the family for many a day.- A family heirloom?- It is.
0:21:43 > 0:21:49- The incredible thing is, all these years I was married to Ken, I never looked underneath.- OK.
0:21:49 > 0:21:55- It was only this time I looked and they'd put another... - It had a different base.- Completely.
0:21:55 > 0:22:00- It's called a marriage.- Oh, is it? - A different bottom to different top.
0:22:00 > 0:22:05- So is it a beau mariage?- Well, some marriages aren't meant to be.
0:22:05 > 0:22:12- This would have had maybe a larger central section and two or three legs.- What period would the top be?
0:22:12 > 0:22:16- The bottom is obviously much later. - The bottom's sort of Edwardian,
0:22:16 > 0:22:19with these sabre legs. Sort of 1900.
0:22:19 > 0:22:24The top, let's say 1920. It looks like it could have been a tray top
0:22:24 > 0:22:30- and someone by hand has made this chess board.- Really?
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Someone's been quite creative.
0:22:33 > 0:22:39But actually it's not too bad. What's more worrying is that the top has been damaged.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43I would imagine water because it's lifted, hasn't it?
0:22:43 > 0:22:45I can see past all that.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49People love to spend hours renovating furniture
0:22:49 > 0:22:52and somebody would bring this back to life.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56If I said sort of £40-£60, how does that sound?
0:22:56 > 0:22:59- Absolutely fantastic.- There you go.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02Good gracious me.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06- Well, I can't wait for the auction. - You're so right! It'll be great fun.
0:23:06 > 0:23:12- It'll probably go for a couple of hundred quid!- Wouldn't it be wonderful?- It does mean
0:23:12 > 0:23:17we can end our rummage, actually. At the start we wanted £500
0:23:17 > 0:23:23so you can make that very personal, special cross for Ken. Do you think we've made it?
0:23:23 > 0:23:28Personally, no. I didn't think we'd got to that at all.
0:23:28 > 0:23:33Well, if Paul's got his sums right, hopefully you will make £600.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38That is fantastic. It would be great if we got to that point.
0:23:38 > 0:23:44I'll be intrigued to see how all Pat's belongings do at the sale room.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48Among them are the early 20th century photographs
0:23:48 > 0:23:55showing actors of the day. Let's hope Paul's valuation provokes interest for this specialist buy.
0:23:55 > 0:24:02Then there's that solid silver cup awarded to Ken's family for their prize-winning bulls.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06It'll go to the sale with an estimate of £60-£100.
0:24:06 > 0:24:11Plus the very attractive American wall clock, once the pride and joy of Pat's grandfather.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15Fingers crossed it reaches the reserve of £150.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17'Still to come:
0:24:17 > 0:24:21'Pat's hot and bothered after a good sale.'
0:24:21 > 0:24:26- I shall have to mop my brow! - You see? You ARE getting excited.
0:24:26 > 0:24:31'And Paul's on wobbly ground when we sell some kitchenware.'
0:24:31 > 0:24:33I was shaking like a jelly there!
0:24:33 > 0:24:38'Find out if we keep him upright until the final hammer falls.'
0:24:44 > 0:24:48Unusually, it's been quite a few weeks since we were at Pat's house.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Today we've brought everything to Chiswick Auction Rooms.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Pat's target is £500.
0:24:53 > 0:25:00She needs it to pay for a cross that's being made in memory of her husband, Ken.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02How close is it to completion?
0:25:02 > 0:25:06- Have you made any progress with that?- Yes, the wooden cross is made.
0:25:06 > 0:25:12I'm waiting for someone to put the stone and steel pieces around the outside to stop it rotting.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Let's get a spot. It's started.
0:25:18 > 0:25:23'It's clearly going to be a special tribute to her husband.
0:25:23 > 0:25:30'Her wall clock has a reserve of £150, so we're depending on someone recognising a thing of beauty.
0:25:30 > 0:25:37'There's just one piece missing from Pat's portfolio today - the small pastel of barns.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41'That means we're £30 down before we start,
0:25:41 > 0:25:47'but Pat should hopefully make up for it with her other possessions.
0:25:47 > 0:25:53'Her first lot was made by her great aunt. This pair of pretty flower paintings on opaline glass
0:25:53 > 0:25:56'date from the Victorian era.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59'The estimate is just £20-£40.'
0:25:59 > 0:26:03- These little glass plaques belonged to your grandmother?- Yes, they did.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06Presumably on her wall in Ireland.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10They came over to us and were in the drawing room.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14- How are you feeling about selling them?- Nothing, really.
0:26:14 > 0:26:19Sadly, they're not... of interest to the family, so...
0:26:19 > 0:26:23£10 for these, please. Two little opaline pictures. £8?
0:26:23 > 0:26:26Nobody want them? £8 I'm bid. Anybody else?
0:26:26 > 0:26:29I'm going to sell them at £8.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32Dearie me. Don't worry.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35- £8.- Did he sell them?- He did.- £8.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39- Just the one bidder, unfortunately. - I know.
0:26:39 > 0:26:47We could have done with a little more, but at least they've got us off the mark.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Out of all your items, this is one of my favourites.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54Those autographs of theatre celebrities of the day.
0:26:54 > 0:27:00- Where did these come from? - My father. I have no idea whether he was the stage door Johnny type
0:27:00 > 0:27:05or whether he acted a lot in amateur dramatics.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09He possibly got to know them and got them to sign.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13A little bit of interest already. I'm already bid £20.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17With me at £20. 22 I'll take. 22. 24. 26.
0:27:17 > 0:27:2028. 30. 32.
0:27:20 > 0:27:2235.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24£35 I'm bid now.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27I want 38. 38 in the distance.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31£38 in the far distance. At £38. Anybody else?
0:27:31 > 0:27:3438 is the bid. I'm selling them, then.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38Oh, never mind, never mind. 38 isn't bad, let's face it.
0:27:38 > 0:27:43And she's right. It was almost bang in the middle of Paul's estimate.
0:27:44 > 0:27:49Next it's the silver condiment set, hallmarked in Birmingham in 1924.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53It was in Pat's husband's family for many years.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55We're hoping it will fetch £30-£50.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01- Have you used them?- Oh, yes, a lot.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05We had formal dinner parties and everyone had a cruet set.
0:28:05 > 0:28:11- Do you use a condiment set? - All the time. One for red sauce, one for brown.
0:28:11 > 0:28:16That's a bit like my house! I don't possess such a beautiful piece.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19Start me at £20 to go. Surely for 20. £10?
0:28:19 > 0:28:22Come on. Here we go.
0:28:22 > 0:28:2410. 12. 14. 16.
0:28:24 > 0:28:2618. 20. 2.
0:28:26 > 0:28:2824. 26.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30- 28. £28 there.- Come on.
0:28:30 > 0:28:3428. 30.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36£30 there. At £30. Anybody else?
0:28:36 > 0:28:4032, seated. 34. 36.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43- 38. 40.- Yes!- 45.
0:28:43 > 0:28:48- Come on.- £45 standing. At 45. Anybody else?
0:28:48 > 0:28:5145 it is. 45.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53- There you go!- Brilliant.
0:28:53 > 0:28:59- That's excellent. - I shall have to mop my brow! - You see? You are getting excited!
0:28:59 > 0:29:04- So that really cut the mustard. - Oh, stop it, Paul! Go home.- Sorry.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08- Peppered it up a bit. - Right, I'm leaving!
0:29:08 > 0:29:11I'm in for quite a day with them!
0:29:11 > 0:29:19'Still, that's a small price to pay if we can keep up momentum and make sales like the last one.
0:29:19 > 0:29:24'Our next lot is the oak side table, which Pat bought from a friend.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28'It's 1930s, but crafted in a Jacobean style.'
0:29:28 > 0:29:32I love the design on this. Country furniture is fantastic.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36Not the most fashionable item, which is a real shame.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39We want anything over £50.
0:29:39 > 0:29:45The fashion tends to be now for more inlaid, delicate furniture than country furniture.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48Start me at £30, surely. 35. 40.
0:29:48 > 0:29:515. 50.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54- £50, great.- At £50.- Come on.
0:29:54 > 0:29:58All done at 50, then. £50 and selling.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01'I wonder if it's going back into a farmhouse?
0:30:01 > 0:30:06'The next lot has again come down through Ken's side of the family.
0:30:06 > 0:30:11'The collection of jelly moulds and trays, some silver-plated, others copper.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14'If they like them, we could make £40-£60.'
0:30:14 > 0:30:19I'll be interested to see if it makes anything. One tray was
0:30:19 > 0:30:23- silver-plated on copper and is now copper.- Worth something?
0:30:23 > 0:30:26It's quite a speculative lot.
0:30:26 > 0:30:32You've got some great kitchenalia. Those jelly moulds are always popular in country kitchens.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36So I quite fancy this lot. There's quite a lot to go at.
0:30:36 > 0:30:41We're looking at £40-£60. Yeah. Let's see. Could be a result.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45What am I bid for this lot? Start me at £10. Thank you, £10 there.
0:30:45 > 0:30:51Do you want £12? I'm bid 12 there. You're 14. 16.
0:30:51 > 0:30:5318. 20. 2.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56- 24. 26. - That's good. Come on.
0:30:56 > 0:31:00£30 there. 32 here. 35. 38.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02I'm amazed.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06£50, then. Standing at 50. At £50 it goes.
0:31:06 > 0:31:10- There you go! How's that? - What was it?- £50. Excellent.
0:31:10 > 0:31:16- Very good.- Amazing! - Bang in the middle. 40-60. - I was shaking like a jelly there.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18Got a bit tense, didn't it?
0:31:18 > 0:31:23'There he goes again, but another good sale, so I'll let it pass.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27'Up next, for £40-£60, are the three silver fob watches
0:31:27 > 0:31:31'and two pocket watches, all inherited by Ken.'
0:31:31 > 0:31:37This is a good restorer's lot. People will sometimes use the parts
0:31:37 > 0:31:41or they enjoy getting them going, a bit like a classic car.
0:31:41 > 0:31:45Even if they can make one good one out of them or use the parts.
0:31:45 > 0:31:50Start me at £20 the lot, please. 20 I'm bid and 2 I'll take.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52£20. 22. 24.
0:31:52 > 0:31:5526. 28. 30.
0:31:55 > 0:32:0032. 35. 38. 40. 5. 50.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02Is he over there?
0:32:02 > 0:32:06£60 there, seated. Anybody else want to come in?
0:32:06 > 0:32:08At £60 they sell.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12- Yes!- £60. He was determined to have them.- He was.
0:32:12 > 0:32:18Let's hope that winning bidder can restore them all to full working order.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22- So we're at the halfway stage now. It's so hot, isn't it?- Very hot!
0:32:22 > 0:32:28- Permanent drip.- Oh, I know. But we want that £500.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30At this stage you'd expect 250.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34I can tell you you've made...251!
0:32:34 > 0:32:38How extraordinary! That is incredible. I'm amazed.
0:32:38 > 0:32:43You just got there. We can have a breather. You looking around?
0:32:43 > 0:32:47- I'm going to show you something. - Oh, are you?- Yes.
0:32:47 > 0:32:52'Now if you have a special project and need to raise funding, auction is just one way.
0:32:52 > 0:32:59'But there are charges to be paid, such as commission. They vary from one sale room to another
0:32:59 > 0:33:05'so check the small print. General sales are good places to invest in antiques and drink in some nostalgia
0:33:05 > 0:33:11'from the 1960s and '70s. Paul's spotted something here that's spun him back to his childhood.'
0:33:11 > 0:33:14- Ha ha ha!- What have you found?
0:33:14 > 0:33:21I'm seven years old again! This is all the games I can remember as a child.
0:33:21 > 0:33:25It's a real nostalgia trip. Toys are so collectable,
0:33:25 > 0:33:28but the market likes what you remember as a child.
0:33:28 > 0:33:34If you haven't seen these for a long time, it's fantastic. You're transported back.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37You're looking at the 1960s, 1970s.
0:33:37 > 0:33:41That's the golden age for the games and what people are buying into.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45- Look at this. Do you remember Trumpton?- I do!
0:33:45 > 0:33:48- Of course. - A little tip here, actually.
0:33:48 > 0:33:53- You must make sure all the pieces are there.- All present and correct.
0:33:53 > 0:34:00That's a collectable item. This would be extremely collectable, the Mercedes and the E-type Jag,
0:34:00 > 0:34:05- but if you look inside, there's nothing there.- That's cheeky!
0:34:05 > 0:34:07That's no use to anybody.
0:34:07 > 0:34:13You really have to go through and check all these boxes, check they're complete. Great fun.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16- You're seven years old again. - Fabulous.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19It's in at £50-£80. Fantastic.
0:34:19 > 0:34:25- You'd probably find half a dozen really good quality games. That's a real bargain.- Excellent.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29- We'd better get back to the auction. - Just leave me here.- No, no!
0:34:29 > 0:34:34'How lovely to find the Mayor of Trumpton in such pristine condition.
0:34:34 > 0:34:40'We didn't see Cuthbert, Dibble and Grubb, but Paul is amused by the flurry of bids for these games,
0:34:40 > 0:34:42'bringing in...
0:34:42 > 0:34:45'£130.
0:34:45 > 0:34:50'We return to Pat's lots and next up is the walnut occasional table,
0:34:50 > 0:34:55'complete with chequerboard top. The estimate for it is £40-£60.'
0:34:56 > 0:35:02I'm intrigued to know what this will fetch because the top and the bottom don't go together.
0:35:02 > 0:35:08They haven't started out together. It's been put together at different times.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11Start me at £30? You know it's worth 30.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14- 30.- We're in. Here we go.
0:35:14 > 0:35:1738. 40. 2. 45.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20£45 I'm bid for that table. At £45.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24Anybody else? At £45. I can sell it at £45.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27All done? £45 and going for 45.
0:35:27 > 0:35:32That's not a bad result considering it was a mish-mash of styles.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35Next is another of Ken's mementoes,
0:35:35 > 0:35:40a quarter pint silver hip flask, hallmarked Sheffield, 1961.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42The estimate is for £50-£80.
0:35:43 > 0:35:50- What did he put in it?- Ken had gin and tonic always, so I don't know. I think probably not neat gin!
0:35:50 > 0:35:53No! One would hope not.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56I'm straight in at £40 for the lot.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59- With me at 40. 45. 50. - Yes.- 55. 60.
0:35:59 > 0:36:025. 70. 5. 80.
0:36:02 > 0:36:055. 90. £90. Anybody else?
0:36:05 > 0:36:10£90 it is. For the hip flask. 95 I'll take.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12£90. It goes, then. £90 and gone.
0:36:12 > 0:36:18Well, that's fantastic. It's the first one today to sell for more than our upper estimate.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22It's proof that silver is still selling well.
0:36:22 > 0:36:29'And that's good news for Pat. Her next lot is the Edwardian silver goblet, hallmarked Birmingham, 1903.
0:36:29 > 0:36:36'It was awarded to Ken's farming family and we're hoping it will sell for £60-£100.'
0:36:37 > 0:36:41This one had an unusual inscription. Can you remember?
0:36:41 > 0:36:45It was about pies and was to do with porkers.
0:36:45 > 0:36:51I think his grandfather and father had pigs. I'd completely forgotten because we didn't have pigs.
0:36:51 > 0:36:55I presume that's what it was. A Christmas fayre, I think.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57Straight in at £60.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59- £60.- Good. That's great.
0:36:59 > 0:37:0280. 5. 90.
0:37:02 > 0:37:045. 100.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08£100. £100 for the goblet. £100. 110.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10- 120. - Brilliant.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14£120 still. At 120. Anybody else? £120.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18£120. I'm going to sell it. 120 and going.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22- Fantastic.- Come on! - Silver's going well today.- It is.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26- Silver is in, isn't it? - It seems to be. I thought gold was.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30It's not just that. I think it's the inscription.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34It's a fascinating thing - best of breed, prize-winning.
0:37:34 > 0:37:39It's a great thing to own for anyone into farming history.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42And it's more than 100 years old.
0:37:42 > 0:37:46So if you have anything like that tucked away somewhere,
0:37:46 > 0:37:50now would be a good time to think about selling it.
0:37:50 > 0:37:56'Pat's last two lots have done really well. She has two more left, both clocks.
0:37:56 > 0:38:01'The first is the trio of mantle clocks. Two belonged to Ken and one from Pat's grandmother.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05'The estimate for these is £90-£120.'
0:38:08 > 0:38:10- Are they in working order?- They are.
0:38:10 > 0:38:16It's rather like that old song - they haven't been wound up since he died.
0:38:16 > 0:38:20- I took no interest in them.- OK. - What's that ancient old song?
0:38:20 > 0:38:27- They all stopped when the old man died.- Yes, of course. That's right. Ohh.- That's OK.
0:38:27 > 0:38:32But we've got three interesting clocks, all around the same age.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36One from America, one Belgium and an Edwardian balloon clock.
0:38:36 > 0:38:42Start me at £40. Must be worth more than £10 each. I'm bid 40.
0:38:42 > 0:38:4445, thank you. 50.
0:38:44 > 0:38:465. 60.
0:38:46 > 0:38:51£60, nearer to me. Doesn't seem a lot of money. 65.
0:38:51 > 0:38:57- £65 there. 65.- A little under. - Come on!- Come on.
0:38:57 > 0:39:02Nobody else? £65, I'll sell them. £65 and going.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06- 55's not bad.- 65.- Oh, 65? - That's even better!- Even better.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08- You're easily pleased now.- I am.
0:39:08 > 0:39:14Well, Pat may not be complaining, but it's a shame the clocks didn't climb just a little higher.
0:39:14 > 0:39:19Now to our final lot, the imported American wall clock.
0:39:19 > 0:39:24Pat wanted a reserve on the upper end, but she's decided against that now.
0:39:24 > 0:39:28It belonged to her grandfather and it's an attractive piece
0:39:28 > 0:39:30with a parquetry inlay.
0:39:32 > 0:39:37It was given to my older sister. When she died, my niece had it, her elder daughter.
0:39:37 > 0:39:43And she gave it to me and we never used it. It was...just there.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48Normally with clocks, the value tends to be inside.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52So it's the workings. In this case, really, it's that lovely case.
0:39:52 > 0:39:57You've got all that inlay, all that design. You can see the work that went into it.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00What am I bid for that? £60?
0:40:00 > 0:40:0460 I'm bid. Straight in, thank you. 65.
0:40:04 > 0:40:0870. 5. 80. 5.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10- 90. 5. - Good.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13At 95. Anyone else? Not quite enough.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17100 there. That's it. £100 in the room.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20At £100. Anybody else? £100.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22£100 and selling. £100.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26- HAMMER FALLS So how much?- 100.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30- Oh, well.- Not a clock day today, I don't think.- Not really.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32Never mind. £100.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36The last two sales were a little disappointing,
0:40:36 > 0:40:39but overall we've not done badly.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43Oh, right. Well, you'll be relieved to know that it's over.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47- Yes, the heat of the day! - You looked like you enjoyed it.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49I did, yes. It's interesting.
0:40:49 > 0:40:56We were looking for £500 so you can have this lovely cross to put on your husband's grave.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59It's a lovely cause and we wanted to help you.
0:40:59 > 0:41:04I can tell you that you made your target. You've made more than £500.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08- You've made more than £600, which we said on the day.- Yes.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12- You've actually made £671. - Oh, how fantastic. That's great.
0:41:12 > 0:41:17- Isn't that amazing?- It is amazing. It's the clocks that amazed me.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20I didn't think they'd make as much.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24It's been a great privilege to help you with this tribute.
0:41:24 > 0:41:29- Thank you.- We've had a good time. - We really have.- That's kind of you.
0:41:34 > 0:41:39So far, Pat's only seen photographs of the memorial to her husband, Ken.
0:41:39 > 0:41:43The designer, her nephew Terry, has now finished it.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45- Hello, Pat.- Hello!- Here you are.
0:41:45 > 0:41:49- You eventually got here. Fantastic. - What do you think?
0:41:49 > 0:41:52It's a beautiful piece.
0:41:52 > 0:41:56'He'd have said, "Fancy selling off the bits and pieces for it!"'
0:41:56 > 0:41:59But I just feel I needed to do this.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03The cemetery overlooks the land they used to farm.
0:42:03 > 0:42:10Ken's grave was once marked by a temporary cross, but Pat hopes this is a longer lasting tribute.
0:42:10 > 0:42:15The cross is fantastic. I'm so thrilled my niece's husband has organised this.
0:42:15 > 0:42:19And it really looks very, very good.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22Very much what my husband would like.
0:42:22 > 0:42:30There's still work to do on the plaque, but Terry has brought along a designer's proof of it.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39It was a great cause and I'm so glad we were able to help Pat.
0:42:39 > 0:42:45If you'd like to raise money for something special and have some antiques or valuables,
0:42:45 > 0:42:50apply to come on the show. You can find the form on our website.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54Good luck and maybe see you next time on Cash In The Attic.
0:43:10 > 0:43:14Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd - 2011
0:43:15 > 0:43:17Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk