0:00:02 > 0:00:07Welcome to the programme that loves to help you raise money for a special project or treat
0:00:07 > 0:00:11by finding things that you can sell at auction.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15Today's family decided they would move to the country,
0:00:15 > 0:00:22but will the things they take to auction reflect their city life? Find out on Cash In The Attic.
0:00:42 > 0:00:50'Coming up: a unique letter associated with Captain Scott's ill-fated expedition to Antarctica.'
0:00:50 > 0:00:54He was in the party that found Scott's body on the ice barrier.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58'Plus some very pretty hand-painted porcelain from the 1920s.'
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Is this a tea set or a coffee set?
0:01:01 > 0:01:07In the north of England, you'd require a bigger cup than that! Not worth wasting the teabag!
0:01:07 > 0:01:13'On auction day, our hosts explain why they have so many paintings.'
0:01:13 > 0:01:15- We can't stop!- We don't stop.
0:01:15 > 0:01:20'Will we be as pretty as a picture when the hammer falls?'
0:01:20 > 0:01:25I'm in East Sussex today on my way to meet Jane and Geoff,
0:01:25 > 0:01:31who will part with some of their possessions so that they can buy a new piece of art.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35'It was love second time around for Jane and Geoff Allum,
0:01:35 > 0:01:43'who left behind the hustle and bustle of London to enjoy a gentler pace of life in East Sussex.
0:01:43 > 0:01:50'They share many passions, such as collecting antiques and renovating properties.
0:01:50 > 0:01:56'It's clear that they're rather good at both. They fell for this house the first time they set eyes on it.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59'And the grounds are pretty impressive, too.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04'See that boat - Geoff rowed it across the Atlantic.
0:02:04 > 0:02:10'I'm not sure what our expert John Cameron is like at rowing, but he's good at peddling antiques.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15'While he makes a start in the house, I'm going to meet the family.'
0:02:15 > 0:02:21Hi, Jane and Geoff! I have to say this house is full of nooks and crannies
0:02:21 > 0:02:25with the most amazing, eclectic collection of bits and pieces.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29- Are you both inveterate collectors? - We can't stop ourselves.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34- We buy junk all the time - it's mostly junk!- I'm sure it's not!
0:02:34 > 0:02:40But you have a wonderful knack of being able to make everything look absolutely right in a house
0:02:40 > 0:02:47- which is how old?- About 1630, we think. It's one of the oldest timber-frame buildings
0:02:47 > 0:02:51- in Sussex, so it's pretty old. - It's absolutely fantastic.
0:02:51 > 0:02:56I can't wait to have a good look around, so you'd better tell me now why you've called us in?
0:02:56 > 0:03:01We've got lots of bits and pieces that we don't really look at
0:03:01 > 0:03:07- and we should condense it down and buy one nice piece.- What sort of thing are you thinking of buying?
0:03:07 > 0:03:14We've seen some paintings in a local gallery. They're not a load of money, but it would be nice to have.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18Roughly how much do you think we might make? What's your goal?
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Well, we hope about 500, but we'll wait for the expert.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26Well, that expert is John Cameron and he's already rummaging.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30I think we'd better go and find him and see what he thinks.
0:03:30 > 0:03:37'Now I wonder where John's disappeared to. He's going to be like a child in a sweet shop today
0:03:37 > 0:03:43'with so much to look at in so many rooms. It is a treat to be in such a delightful building.'
0:03:43 > 0:03:49Geoff, this is a wonderful glory hole. I'm not surprised that John has got started in here.
0:03:49 > 0:03:55There's plenty in here. I've just come across a letter that's interesting, signed Tryggve Gran.
0:03:55 > 0:04:00Tryggve Gran. With Robert Scott at the South Pole, 1910-1913.
0:04:00 > 0:04:05- How did you get a letter from him? - I had a correspondence with him years ago.
0:04:05 > 0:04:11We exchanged a few letters and we talked about rowing the Atlantic, which I did.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14And he talked about the Antarctic.
0:04:14 > 0:04:20- You had an interest in the Antarctic. Is that how you knew who he was?- Yeah.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24We took a copy of The Worst Journey In The World on our rowing boat.
0:04:24 > 0:04:29- And so I knew all about his role in Scott's expedition.- Which was what?
0:04:29 > 0:04:37He was the Norwegian ski expert that Scott employed. None of the English sailors he took could ski,
0:04:37 > 0:04:42so he employed Tryggve Gran. He was an Olympic skier.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44And he taught them to ski.
0:04:44 > 0:04:50Then, subsequently, he was in the party that found Scott's body on the Great Ice Barrier
0:04:50 > 0:04:53and built the cairn in memorial.
0:04:53 > 0:04:59- What was he talking to you about in this letter?- The effect of the cold on the younger men
0:04:59 > 0:05:05and how they suffered worse than the older men in the Antarctic, and in my case, too.
0:05:05 > 0:05:11- You'd suffered from frostbite.- Yes. - John, this is not actually about the expedition itself
0:05:11 > 0:05:17- so does it still have a value? - There is a lot of interest in anything like this,
0:05:17 > 0:05:23especially related to tragic expeditions, things like this and Mallory and Irvine,
0:05:23 > 0:05:28the Titanic. Any correspondence directly relating to those events
0:05:28 > 0:05:31are always very popular.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35This is unrelated to the expedition, but there would be interest.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39Taking that into consideration,
0:05:39 > 0:05:43I'd be tempted to put £100-£200 on it and see where you go.
0:05:43 > 0:05:49What a wonderful thing to start off with. I don't know if you've looked round, but there are so many things,
0:05:49 > 0:05:55we're going to have a great day. Shall we go and see what else we can find?
0:05:56 > 0:06:00'A great valuation, which gives us our first contribution.
0:06:00 > 0:06:07'Jane is downstairs in the dining room, having decided it's time to part with an old stein
0:06:07 > 0:06:09'that belonged to her stepfather.
0:06:09 > 0:06:15'It was in the 16th century that lids were first attached to mugs and jars to beat disease.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19'In Europe at the time, there were problems with vermin and flies,
0:06:19 > 0:06:25'which lead to outbreaks of bubonic plague. No such problem these days.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28'Steins are mainly produced for the tourist market.
0:06:28 > 0:06:33'This could wet someone's whistle with a £30-£50 estimate.
0:06:33 > 0:06:38'How close to the mark is John's estimate, though? Close enough!'
0:06:38 > 0:06:40£30 for it? Thank you.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44- Straight in at £30. - 30 quid right away.
0:06:44 > 0:06:4635? 38. 40.
0:06:46 > 0:06:4842. 45.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51'Stand by for a bidding war.
0:06:53 > 0:06:58'As the search in this 17th-century converted barn continues, I've spotted a watercolour.
0:06:58 > 0:07:03'It's one of a pair of rural scenes given to Geoff's mum by a friend,
0:07:03 > 0:07:11'but they're not to Geoff's and Jane's taste. They were painted by an artist called Martin in 1983.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15'Despite his research, John has been unable to identify the artist
0:07:15 > 0:07:19'and his estimate of £40-£60 reflects this.'
0:07:19 > 0:07:21John?
0:07:21 > 0:07:26- Hi, Jane. - I've got a collection of these, but I'm ready to sell this one.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31Woodblock print, still life by John Hall Thorpe. You have a number.
0:07:31 > 0:07:37I've only got four in here and a couple more downstairs. My sister's borrowed two.
0:07:37 > 0:07:42- What made you collect Hall Thorpe? - I was given one by my stepfather.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47I just thought it was a one off and then I saw another and rather liked it.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50I found there were plenty more.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54I just bought this one because I saw it in a market in France.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57It's got to be worth something.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02They're woodblock prints, which reproduces pictures en masse
0:08:02 > 0:08:05by cutting the design into the wood.
0:08:05 > 0:08:11He was an Australian artist who trained at the Sydney Art School,
0:08:11 > 0:08:18before becoming an engraver and designer for the Sydney Mail, and he worked on the newspaper.
0:08:18 > 0:08:24He developed his own very distinctive style, which was very popular at the time.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27People were buying Oriental items.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30It's nice, even though it's faded.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33We should still be hoping for around £100-£200.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36- All right.- OK?- I should think so.
0:08:36 > 0:08:42- Jolly good. Keep hold of this one. You don't want to sell the others? - No.- All right, come on.
0:08:42 > 0:08:47'We've already uncovered some lovely collectables in this property.
0:08:47 > 0:08:54'Its lucky residents fell in love with it the moment they set eyes on it.'
0:08:54 > 0:09:00You live in the sort of house that most people dream of living in in the country.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04But you very nearly didn't get it, did you, Jane?
0:09:04 > 0:09:10No, we were trying to buy the house and somebody zipped in and took it from under our noses,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13so we went away and were a bit sad,
0:09:13 > 0:09:20got on with our lives and then, eight years later, I looked on the internet and there it was.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24- We thought we'd have another look! - And here you are.- Here we are.
0:09:24 > 0:09:32- Did you do all the work on the renovation?- It was pretty well like this when we got it, Angela,
0:09:32 > 0:09:37although we did do quite a lot of work because it was a bit rundown. We've put in a staircase
0:09:37 > 0:09:42and put in a new terrace. Stuff like that, just bits and pieces, really.
0:09:42 > 0:09:47- We do everything ourself.- Literally, you are into do it yourself.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50- Oh, yeah.- We have to be.- Why?
0:09:51 > 0:09:55Because after you've bought it, you haven't any money left!
0:09:55 > 0:10:01But this isn't the first major job you've taken on like this. You did something very similar in France.
0:10:01 > 0:10:06Well, a much bigger project in France. That was a wreck. We really built that up,
0:10:06 > 0:10:13- so we have learnt over the years. - That meant living in France for three years.- Yeah.
0:10:13 > 0:10:20Our son went to the International School in Toulouse and we mixed the concrete mixer every day!
0:10:20 > 0:10:25Tell me about the painting you want to put here. A local artist?
0:10:25 > 0:10:30Charlotte Snook. She's an artist we've seen in Hastings, which is local to us.
0:10:30 > 0:10:36- We like her work.- Have you decided where you're going to put it? - No, we haven't.
0:10:36 > 0:10:41It depends how big it is and how much money we make!
0:10:41 > 0:10:45We're not going to make anything sitting here, are we?
0:10:45 > 0:10:50It is such a large house, we'd better get back to work again.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54I'll see you later. Let's see what else we can find.
0:10:54 > 0:11:00'Going by John's lowest estimates, we stand to make £270 with everything we've found up until now,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03'so we're not doing badly at all.
0:11:03 > 0:11:09'John has disappeared into what was the cow shed and comes across a Victorian washstand.
0:11:09 > 0:11:16'This was another purchase by Jane's stepfather, but it's been relegated to the back of the property.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20'It's a heavy piece with a marble top,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24'but if we can get it to auction, John thinks it'll fetch £50-£100.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26'I'm searching in a bedroom,
0:11:26 > 0:11:31'but I'm not sure this African necklace will be of interest.
0:11:31 > 0:11:36'Luckily, John's indoors again, so maybe he's having more luck.'
0:11:36 > 0:11:40- Yes, John?- An interesting book. You've got one or two more here.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42Grey Owl.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47Yeah, yeah. Grey Owl. Funny character. He was an Englishman
0:11:47 > 0:11:50who went to Canada, became a trapper, then a conservationist.
0:11:50 > 0:11:56He passed himself off as an Indian and was presented to the King and Queen and lectured the princesses,
0:11:56 > 0:12:00and he was, in actual fact, born in Hastings.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04- Not an Indian at all. - He's quite a famous guy.
0:12:04 > 0:12:11- There have been films about him. - With Pierce Brosnan.- He was actually born, as you say, in Hastings.
0:12:11 > 0:12:16- Archibald Belaney.- Yeah. - And he went out to Canada to work as a fur trapper
0:12:16 > 0:12:23- and I believe he married an Indian woman.- Yes.- But it was an affair with a Mohawk Iroquois.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26She persuaded him to stop trapping
0:12:26 > 0:12:29and to write down his experiences
0:12:29 > 0:12:33and try to make something of them by publishing books.
0:12:33 > 0:12:39He was hugely successful. As you say, lectured to high society and convinced everybody.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43- He really does look like an Indian! - He used to, apparently,
0:12:43 > 0:12:48practise in front of the mirror to look like an Indian.
0:12:48 > 0:12:54Underneath his own photograph, he's written, "I am an Indian. I speak with a straight tongue."
0:12:54 > 0:12:59- That's very interesting, given that he wasn't and he didn't!- Ironic!
0:12:59 > 0:13:05- A remarkable story. How many of these have you got? - Oh, I guess 10 or 12.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Four or five of them signed, perhaps.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12What I need to do is get them all together, see which ones are
0:13:12 > 0:13:15first editions or second editions.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Whatever we can find there. And then look at them for condition.
0:13:19 > 0:13:24- That's the real key thing with books. From there, we can estimate. - Thank you.
0:13:24 > 0:13:32'Another fascinating discovery and a further search uncovers a further ten copies of his books.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36'The four signed ones will be the most sought after,
0:13:36 > 0:13:40'but as one lot John thinks £80-£120 is a realistic estimate.
0:13:40 > 0:13:45'Let's see how they fare on sale day.
0:13:45 > 0:13:50'Jane is continuing her search in the living room and adds this mahogany cabinet
0:13:50 > 0:13:54'to the ever-growing list of items that are going to auction.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58'She bought it in West London in the 1980s for £20.
0:13:58 > 0:14:04'John thinks it could fetch £50-£75. Sounds like a canny investment to me.
0:14:04 > 0:14:11'The goodies are really turning up thick and fast and I may have found something else with real potential.'
0:14:11 > 0:14:14I found this rather pretty tea set.
0:14:14 > 0:14:19John, take a look at the mark on that. Where did you get these?
0:14:19 > 0:14:26We bought them in Yorkshire. We went on a little holiday and saw them. They were so pretty,
0:14:26 > 0:14:32- I treated myself.- It's quite nice. The pieces are made of earthenware and they are hand-painted.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35The little design is put on before the enamels.
0:14:35 > 0:14:41I love those organic handles. They're very typical in a sort of '20s and '30s style,
0:14:41 > 0:14:45similar to Carltonware and Clarice Cliff, in a way.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50Interesting if you turn them and have a look at the mark. It's Burleighware.
0:14:50 > 0:14:57Burleigh is a company with a very long family history. The company goes back to 1851.
0:14:57 > 0:15:03A good year for the Great Exhibition and the interesting thing about this mark on the bottom
0:15:03 > 0:15:07is it says "Registered in Australia". Why the did that was
0:15:07 > 0:15:12a lot of English pottery was having great success internationally.
0:15:12 > 0:15:19There were very competitive markets in the Far East, Japan, making copies and exporting them back.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23In order to protect their markets, they realised there was a loophole.
0:15:23 > 0:15:29If you registered a design in Australia, Japan weren't allowed to copy Australian designs
0:15:29 > 0:15:31because of their proximity.
0:15:31 > 0:15:37- This was how to stop it. So they registered that design in Australia.- A wise move.
0:15:37 > 0:15:42They all look in perfect order. Is it a tea set or a coffee set?
0:15:42 > 0:15:48Well, I think the size of the cups would suggest coffee. Certainly in the north of England,
0:15:48 > 0:15:53you'd require a bigger cup than that for a cup of tea! Not worth a teabag!
0:15:53 > 0:15:57- So what money could we put on these at auction?- I think £50-£70
0:15:57 > 0:16:00would get the bidding started.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04- Who knows where you go from there? - Let's just put these back.
0:16:04 > 0:16:10That is such a pretty little set, but, gosh, there's lots more stuff here to find!
0:16:11 > 0:16:18'Geoff is searching through boxes in the loft and digs out a set of 1930s Art Nouveau plates.
0:16:18 > 0:16:24'They're by the manufacturer Eichwald, which produced majolica at their factory in Bohemia,
0:16:24 > 0:16:26'now part of the Czech Republic.
0:16:26 > 0:16:32'These plates were quite possibly among the last ceramics to have been made at the factory,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35'as production ceased there in 1939.
0:16:35 > 0:16:40'John thinks any collectors might be willing to pay £30-£50.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44'There's something to look at wherever you turn in this property.
0:16:44 > 0:16:49'Geoff told me they are feverish collectors and he's not kidding,
0:16:49 > 0:16:53'but I get the impression they always need to do something,
0:16:53 > 0:16:59'whether it's buying antiques, renovating properties or, in Geoff's case, rowing the Atlantic
0:16:59 > 0:17:01'back in 1971.'
0:17:01 > 0:17:07- This is such a lovely room. What's there?- This is a photograph I said I'd find for you of us
0:17:07 > 0:17:13- just after we'd rowed the Atlantic. - Us being you and...? - My cousin Don.
0:17:13 > 0:17:20- We'd landed on the beach in Barbados. - I've seen the boat in which you rowed across the Atlantic.
0:17:20 > 0:17:26- How big is it?- It's 19 feet long. It's about the size of a family car.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30Whatever made you and your cousin think that you wanted to do that?
0:17:30 > 0:17:34It's men showing off, I think. It's what men do.
0:17:34 > 0:17:39- But the Atlantic is big - 3,000 plus miles.- It is big. - How did you navigate?
0:17:39 > 0:17:43With a sextant. The same way Columbus did it.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47And the stars and the sun and navigation books.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52- So what was the worst moment? - When we ran out of water on the eighth week.
0:17:52 > 0:17:59We had to go down to half a pint a day each and it was 100 degrees, so that was shocking.
0:17:59 > 0:18:04- And the best moment?- The best moment was when we picked up a water bag.
0:18:04 > 0:18:11My cousin picked up a water bag when we saw land and he held it up and poured two pints down his throat
0:18:11 > 0:18:17and handed it to me. And we drank as much as we wanted, then we rowed in and landed.
0:18:17 > 0:18:24But whatever else happens, you and your cousin still hold the record for being the first.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28We were the first east/west crew, double crew.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32And we did it in the fastest time, which stood for 26 years.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36- Which was how long exactly? - 73 days and six and a half hours.
0:18:36 > 0:18:41You really do have to write this account. It's a most extraordinary story.
0:18:41 > 0:18:47- But we haven't got time now because we need more things for auction.- Absolutely.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51I am so impressed with that story. It's amazing!
0:18:51 > 0:18:57'I'm not even going to waste my breath asking if we can take his faithful boat to auction,
0:18:57 > 0:19:02'but might John have found something that accompanied Geoff at sea?'
0:19:02 > 0:19:06Jane? I found this compass in your desk over there.
0:19:06 > 0:19:11- This isn't the compass that Geoff used to cross the Atlantic?- No.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15We found it in Donald's flat, his cousin he rowed with.
0:19:15 > 0:19:21It was something somebody gave him when they heard he'd rowed the Atlantic. They gave him this.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26- It's a rather nice little present. - Not with a leather case?- No.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30It's a hand-held field compass, a First World War compass.
0:19:30 > 0:19:36Sometimes referred to as a marching compass. These would have been made in really huge numbers
0:19:36 > 0:19:40and dished out to the troops in the trenches.
0:19:40 > 0:19:45These would have been used to find your way across open territory.
0:19:45 > 0:19:50You literally lift it up like that, the front cover comes up and that glass has a faint line.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55That's your object line, so you focus on something.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58This one has a little prism viewer.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03And you line up the two. Then you've got your magnetic north.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07If you look through the prism, you can then read what's on the scale.
0:20:07 > 0:20:12You can fix your bearings and that's the direction you head.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16It hasn't been over-polished. Just a shame it lost that case.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20- Would Geoff be happy for us to sell it?- I'm pretty sire, yeah.
0:20:20 > 0:20:25Jolly good. Even without the case, we should be looking at £30-£50.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29- Oh, pretty good.- Happy with that? - Yeah, absolutely.
0:20:29 > 0:20:34I don't need this to navigate round your house, but let's carry on.
0:20:34 > 0:20:40'Another useful addition to our target, but sadly time is running out on our day here.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44'I decide to conduct one last sweep around the house.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48'My effort pays off when I come across this pair of brass sconces.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52'Geoff bought them at a car boot sale back in the 1980s,
0:20:52 > 0:20:58'but they've never been used in anger or for decoration, so he's happy to sell
0:20:58 > 0:21:02'and John thinks they could bring in £30-£50.
0:21:02 > 0:21:08'And just when we thought we'd searched every last nook and cranny, Jane comes up with more goodies.'
0:21:08 > 0:21:14- Angela, shall I show you these? - Oh, aren't they sweet?- Yeah. - Little embroidered pictures.
0:21:14 > 0:21:19We've got The Good Old Days. A lovely mail coach and four.
0:21:19 > 0:21:24And The Present Time - 60 miles an hour. Geoffrey?
0:21:24 > 0:21:25John?
0:21:26 > 0:21:30- Aren't these sweet, John? - Yeah, they are interesting.
0:21:30 > 0:21:35- Where are they from? - They're from my mum's house. And her mum's before that.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39They've always had them on the wall. Possibly my great-grandmother's.
0:21:39 > 0:21:44- Do you remember seeing them in the house?- Yes, always. Always.
0:21:44 > 0:21:50- Did they fascinate you as a boy? - Particularly by The Present Time - 60 miles an hour.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54Even as a young boy, I knew that was old-fashioned!
0:21:54 > 0:22:00- They're an obvious pair. - Yes, and they seem to have the original mounts.- They have.
0:22:00 > 0:22:07They're known as Stevengraphs, a name given to them after the designer who invented the process
0:22:07 > 0:22:12of producing these silk pictures. A man called Thomas Stevens.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16He was a silk worker, who plied his trade in the Coventry area,
0:22:16 > 0:22:20before setting up his own firm at the tender age of 26 years old.
0:22:20 > 0:22:26By modifying a portable loom and using a graph system that could reproduce original drawings
0:22:26 > 0:22:29to recreate these images in silk.
0:22:29 > 0:22:36I must admit I love that rather lovely sort of muted colour that you've got on them.
0:22:36 > 0:22:41- This is the mail coach, but they're not mail coach colours. - That is a critical point.
0:22:41 > 0:22:47Originally, those colours would have been much more vivid. They have suffered some fading.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51You do see a lot of these at auction and the condition is key,
0:22:51 > 0:22:55so although we do still have colour, they were more vivid than that.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59- What age would you put on them? - Certainly the 19th century,
0:22:59 > 0:23:03but probably framed again in the early 20th.
0:23:03 > 0:23:09In spite of the fact that they've faded, I think that adds to them. I like that subtle colouring.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11How much might they make at auction?
0:23:11 > 0:23:17- These days in this condition, I'd expect about £40-£60.- OK.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19- Does that sound about right? - It does.
0:23:19 > 0:23:25If we add that £40 to all the other things John has looked at today, taking the lowest estimates,
0:23:25 > 0:23:33I know you want to raise £500, but I think with a bit of luck we might make as much as £630.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37- Oh.- You can buy a bigger picture! - Oh, yeah, absolutely.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40- Thank you.- Let's see what happens when we get it to auction.
0:23:40 > 0:23:47'I've thoroughly enjoyed my day in the countryside, and what a wealth of collectables we found.
0:23:47 > 0:23:53'Hoping to fund their new piece of artwork, we have the letter from Tryggve Gran,
0:23:53 > 0:23:57'the ski instructor on Captain Scott's Terra Nova expedition.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01'It's a unique item of great value with a £100-£200 estimate.
0:24:01 > 0:24:08'Those signed copies of Grey Owl's books by the British-born conservationist
0:24:08 > 0:24:12'whose ethics inspired millions. Maybe we'll see a few naturalists.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15'The estimate is £80-£120.
0:24:16 > 0:24:22'And let's not forget the brass field compass. It may not have helped Geoff on his Atlantic row,
0:24:22 > 0:24:29'but we all hope it will help navigate us towards our target and sail past the modest £30 mark.
0:24:31 > 0:24:37'Still to come: a very determined bidder for the stein.'
0:24:37 > 0:24:42- He's not even taking his hand down! - 70. 5.- Wow!- 80. 5.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46'The dealers seem impressed by Geoff's Atlantic rowing record.'
0:24:46 > 0:24:52- It was written to me in about 1971. - When you rowed across the Atlantic? - That's right.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55No wonder you lost weight!
0:24:55 > 0:24:59'Find out how our expedition goes when the hammer finally falls.'
0:25:05 > 0:25:12What a fantastic house Jane and Geoffrey have and they both have extremely good taste,
0:25:12 > 0:25:18but now it's time for some of those things to go, so we've brought them here to the Chiswick Auctions
0:25:18 > 0:25:24and hopefully they will raise at least £500 so that Jane can buy a piece of local art.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Now it's all down to the bidders.
0:25:28 > 0:25:34'These weekly auctions always attract a good mix of buyers looking for something special.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38'I wonder what they'll make of our selection
0:25:38 > 0:25:42'and a unique letter to Geoff from a Norwegian Antarctic explorer.'
0:25:42 > 0:25:47- Having a last read of it? - Yes, before it goes for sale.- Yes.
0:25:47 > 0:25:53- Any regrets about selling it now that it's here? - Yes, yes, sort of,
0:25:53 > 0:25:58- but we have got a reserve on it. - What's the reserve? - I think it's £100.
0:25:58 > 0:26:03It's an unusual thing, a one off, but £100 doesn't seem unreasonable.
0:26:03 > 0:26:09- And I think we might get some internet interest because of the international interest.- Yeah.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12He was an important person. He was with Scott at the South Pole,
0:26:12 > 0:26:16but he was also the first person to fly the North Sea,
0:26:16 > 0:26:20so he was quite an important character in early exploration.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24- Put a reserve on anything else? - Yeah, on the Hall Thorpe.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28- Just 100.- I think that was faded, but still a nice example.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31So £100 again isn't out of the way.
0:26:31 > 0:26:36- Have you got your eye on a piece of art yet?- We have something in mind. - Great!
0:26:36 > 0:26:43'One thing Jane and Geoff forgot to mention is that they've decided not to sell those silk pictures.
0:26:43 > 0:26:50'The value in monetary terms is much less than the sentimental as they've been in the family over 100 years,
0:26:50 > 0:26:56'which means we'll have to make up the £40 on all the other lots if we're to make the target.'
0:26:56 > 0:27:00Geoff, we've got a WWI brass trench compass.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04Is this a family heirloom or did you buy it cos you liked it?
0:27:04 > 0:27:11- This came from my cousin Don, the Atlantic rower.- But you didn't use it to row the Atlantic?
0:27:11 > 0:27:15He had one on one of his voyages a lot worse than that.
0:27:17 > 0:27:22Cos he lost his main compass. He would have been pleased of that.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26This one is dated. It is an Admiralty piece, official military.
0:27:26 > 0:27:32The compass is in good condition. I'd be disappointed if it didn't sell for around our estimate.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35£30? £30 for it? A bid of £30.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38- Straight away.- 35. 38. 40.
0:27:38 > 0:27:4242. 45? At £42.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44£42. 5 I'll take. 45, new bidder.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47At 48? £45. That's the money, £45.
0:27:47 > 0:27:5048 for it? 48 there. 50. 52.
0:27:50 > 0:27:5355? £52.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57£52 and going. All done. At £52. All out?
0:27:57 > 0:28:00- Brilliant.- Fantastic.
0:28:00 > 0:28:06- You've got to think of the history. It was 1915, it was in the trenches in France.- Amazing.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09When you think of what action that might have seen.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14'Hopefully it's gone to someone who appreciates its worth.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18'Maybe it will become part of an existing collection.'
0:28:18 > 0:28:24- Next up we have our Gothic sconces. Where did these come from, Geoff? - A car boot sometime,
0:28:24 > 0:28:26about 30 years ago.
0:28:26 > 0:28:33- Don't ask me how much we paid!- We've carried them around for years! - I've got £30-£50.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35A couple of people were looking.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39Hopefully that'll go past my estimate.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41£50? £20?
0:28:41 > 0:28:44I'm bid at 20. 22. At 22.
0:28:44 > 0:28:4725. 28. 30.
0:28:47 > 0:28:4932. 35. 38.
0:28:49 > 0:28:5240. 42?
0:28:52 > 0:28:55The bid's here at £40. 42? At £40, are you all out?
0:28:55 > 0:28:59I'm selling at £40. Are we done at £40?
0:28:59 > 0:29:05- 40. Right in the middle, John. - I'm happy with that. - Well done. Exactly. Very good.
0:29:05 > 0:29:11'With luck, the winning bidder will make use of them instead of just moving them around! Next,
0:29:11 > 0:29:18'the pair of watercolours of rural scenes. The artist's name is Martin and they were painted in 1983.'
0:29:18 > 0:29:24- You have quite a lot of pictures, all over the place. You like collecting pictures.- We do.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27- We can't stop ourselves.- We can't.
0:29:27 > 0:29:34- But we need to clear out sometimes and these two are going.- To make room for your new ones.- Exactly.
0:29:34 > 0:29:38- They're very atmospheric. - Aesthetically pleasing.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41They give a lovely country feel.
0:29:41 > 0:29:46I've got £40-£60 because I couldn't find anything about the artist.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49I'm sure it's an amateur artist.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53Start me at £40? £40 for the two? £30?
0:29:53 > 0:29:57£30? £20? No bid at £20.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01I'll pass on. £20? No bid at £20? A bid at £20.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05With the bidder at £20. I'll sell at £20. Take 2. At £20.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09Only at £20. Going to go at £20. Are we done?
0:30:09 > 0:30:14- That's disappointing.- Yeah. - But probably an amateur artist.- Yes.
0:30:14 > 0:30:20- I was hoping to get that for each of them, not for the pair. - Not to worry, not to worry.
0:30:20 > 0:30:27'So they have some much-needed wall space for their new painting and £20 towards its purchase.'
0:30:28 > 0:30:34Next up are three Eichwald pottery plates that are decorated in the Austrian secessionist style.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37- What was the story with these, Jane? - Well, I used to do antiques
0:30:37 > 0:30:42in a little dabbly way years ago and it's something I bought,
0:30:42 > 0:30:46but I don't have them out any more so there doesn't seem any point.
0:30:46 > 0:30:53Well, I think they're very stylish. I've got £30-£50 on them. Hopefully, they'll make that.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55£30? £20?
0:30:55 > 0:30:58£20. I've got £20. 22?
0:30:58 > 0:31:02At £20. Is that it at £20? I'll take 22. At £20.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06The bid I've got is £20. At £20, going.
0:31:06 > 0:31:13- 20. A bit lower than our estimate. We thought 30 they might make, but 20... Pleased?- That's fine.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16They're gone, they're gone.
0:31:16 > 0:31:21'Jane has just the right attitude. She's not hung up on each sale,
0:31:21 > 0:31:25'just focusing on the end figure being somewhere near what they want.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29'Their next offering is the collection of Grey Owl books,
0:31:29 > 0:31:32'written in the 1930s.'
0:31:32 > 0:31:37An Englishman who went to Canada, reinvented himself as an Indian,
0:31:37 > 0:31:41and it wasn't until after he died that people found out he wasn't.
0:31:41 > 0:31:48- He wrote a number of books and they're quite hard to get hold of. - And these are signed.- Some of them.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51And some are first editions.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53£100 the lot?
0:31:53 > 0:31:57I thought you would. £50 the lot. A bid of £50.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00At £50. Take 55. 55. 60.
0:32:00 > 0:32:0365. 70. 70. 75.
0:32:04 > 0:32:0580.
0:32:05 > 0:32:0880. 5?
0:32:08 > 0:32:1182 if it helps. £80. Take 82.
0:32:11 > 0:32:155 or 2, I don't mind. Are you going to bid?
0:32:15 > 0:32:17£80. At £80. All done.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19- £80.- Bottom of the estimate.
0:32:19 > 0:32:24- Fantastic.- You're going well. - Fantastic.- Great.
0:32:24 > 0:32:29'That very good result is welcome after our last few low sales.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33'So far we've raised £212 towards Jane and Geoff's new art,
0:32:33 > 0:32:36'but I'll keep that to myself.
0:32:36 > 0:32:41'If you'd like to have a go at buying or selling at auction,
0:32:41 > 0:32:46'do bear in mind that fees such as commission will be added to your bill.
0:32:46 > 0:32:51'This varies, so it's always worth checking in advance.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55'Jane and Geoff's next lot to go is that large stein with a pewter lid.'
0:32:55 > 0:33:00- Did anybody ever drink out of these things?!- It would be difficult!
0:33:00 > 0:33:05- Or are they just dust collectors? - Well, it was in our house!
0:33:07 > 0:33:12- Why did you buy it, then?- It was my stepfather's and he liked it.
0:33:12 > 0:33:17We brought it home, but it's been in a box ever since. It's silly.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19Somebody, I'm sure, will like it.
0:33:19 > 0:33:24£30-£50 to stand on a shelf or to use it, John?
0:33:24 > 0:33:30This one's got nice decoration. The Prussian artillery. So hopefully we'll hit our mark.
0:33:30 > 0:33:35- £30 for it? Thank you. - Straight in at £30.- 30 quid.
0:33:35 > 0:33:3835. 38. 40.
0:33:38 > 0:33:4142. 45?
0:33:41 > 0:33:4342. 45. 48? 48.
0:33:43 > 0:33:4750. Take 2. 52. 55? 55. 58.
0:33:47 > 0:33:52- He's not even taking his hand down! - 70. 5. 80. 5. 90.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55He wants it!
0:33:55 > 0:33:59120. 130. 140. 150. 160.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01Crikey!
0:34:02 > 0:34:05At 150. It'll go.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08- Well...- Fantastic.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10That was £150 there.
0:34:10 > 0:34:18Amazing. Blasted my estimate, no pun intended. Definitely the Prussian scene sold that.
0:34:18 > 0:34:24- The bidder just kept his hand raised.- He never took it down! - I know him. He's very determined.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27So there was a bidding battle there.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30I'm really pleased.
0:34:30 > 0:34:35'And who wouldn't be at three times the upper estimate? We're surprised!
0:34:35 > 0:34:39'We don't have much time to recover before their next lot,
0:34:39 > 0:34:46'the Burleighware coffee... or tea set comes up.' Jane, I seem to remember finding this
0:34:46 > 0:34:50in that lovely cabinet you had. It looked absolutely lovely there.
0:34:50 > 0:34:55- It looks lovely here. Why are you selling it?- My days of Deco
0:34:55 > 0:35:01are over. I think I'm moving off and I'm preferring more modern things.
0:35:01 > 0:35:06I've enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to buying something new.
0:35:06 > 0:35:12- Do you remember how much you paid? - Gosh, probably about £15. - We've got £50-£70 on it, John.
0:35:12 > 0:35:19- That would be a pretty good investment.- We've got some wonderful shapes here.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22I love the little handles. It's nice, condition's good.
0:35:22 > 0:35:2550-70 doesn't sound unreasonable.
0:35:25 > 0:35:31£50 for it. £50 for it. A bid of £50. Take 55.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34- OK, got it in the end.- Yes.
0:35:34 > 0:35:3670. 75. 80.
0:35:36 > 0:35:3885. 90. 95.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41- - 100.- Well done! - - Fantastic!
0:35:41 > 0:35:44130. 140. 150.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47160. 170?
0:35:47 > 0:35:49160 bid. At 160.
0:35:49 > 0:35:56170? At 160. Is that it? All done at 160? 170? Bidder at 160 and going.
0:35:56 > 0:36:03- Another incredible price! - Almost £100 over your top estimate. - That I can live with!
0:36:03 > 0:36:09- You've obviously got a great eye, not just for a bargain, but for a bit of real quality.- Thank you!
0:36:09 > 0:36:14'Absolutely incredible. And again quite unexpected.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18'I'm not sure how much more excitement we can take!'
0:36:18 > 0:36:24Our next piece of furniture has seen a drop in demand. It is a nice Victorian mahogany cabinet.
0:36:24 > 0:36:29- I've got £50-£75 on this. Is this going to be missed? - I don't think so.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32It wouldn't be here if it was!
0:36:32 > 0:36:38Hopefully we'll get that. Condition wasn't that bad on it and there are still buyers.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41£50 for it? £40?
0:36:41 > 0:36:44- I'm bid £40. - £40 we've got.- 42. 45.
0:36:44 > 0:36:4648. 50. 5.
0:36:46 > 0:36:4955. 60?
0:36:49 > 0:36:53At £55. You want 60? 65. 70. 75. 80.
0:36:53 > 0:36:5580. 85?
0:36:55 > 0:37:00A bid of £80. I'll take 85. All done for £80. Going.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04- You look really surprised!- We are!
0:37:04 > 0:37:09'Jane paid around £20 for that cabinet back in the 1980s,
0:37:09 > 0:37:15'so £80 makes a significant and welcome return. Now it's time for the woodblock print
0:37:15 > 0:37:19'by John Hall Thorpe, originally painted in 1925.'
0:37:19 > 0:37:25- Nice picture, slightly faded, but typical for the artist. Any regrets?- No.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29It's not the best example and I've got a lot that are much crisper.
0:37:29 > 0:37:34I would like to get that one in a nice, crisp condition.
0:37:34 > 0:37:39- I did try to prise some of the others from you.- No, no.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42£100 for it?
0:37:42 > 0:37:43£80 for it?
0:37:43 > 0:37:47Start me at £80 for it. A bid of £80?
0:37:47 > 0:37:51Nobody to buy at £80? I'll pass the lot.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54- You've put £100 on this.- Yes.
0:37:54 > 0:38:00- Sorry, no bids.- No bids. But thank goodness you put a £100 reserve on it.- Mm.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04- It'll go back and join the rest of them.- Maybe. Maybe.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08- It might stay here.- It could. - It could stay here!
0:38:08 > 0:38:13'That's true. It may meet Jane's reserve on another day,
0:38:13 > 0:38:17'but it's the first of their lots to go unsold today.
0:38:17 > 0:38:23'Next, the Victorian wash stand. Jane and Geoff kept it in the cow shed!'
0:38:23 > 0:38:28- Are these things still fashionable? - They're harder to sell these days,
0:38:28 > 0:38:33but this one has nice features - brass towel rails, marble top, the splashback.
0:38:33 > 0:38:40So it's got some nice features. I'd hope we'd get towards our bottom estimate. It's a nice thing.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42£50 for it? £40 for it?
0:38:42 > 0:38:45A bid of £40. At £40. 42?
0:38:45 > 0:38:49At £40. 42? 42, thank you. 45.
0:38:49 > 0:38:5145...
0:38:51 > 0:38:55- 48? 48. 50. 5. - OK.- Come on.
0:38:55 > 0:38:5755. 60. 5? 60 bid.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00Take 5. At £60.
0:39:00 > 0:39:06- For the wash stand. It's going to go. You've got it - £60.- Not bad for something in the cow shed!
0:39:07 > 0:39:09Fantastic.
0:39:09 > 0:39:14'The second half of the auction has been very successful.
0:39:14 > 0:39:20'Their final lot is the letter to Geoff from the Norwegian involved in Captain Scott's last expedition
0:39:20 > 0:39:25'in Antarctica, to the South Pole. How is that going to fare here?'
0:39:25 > 0:39:30- A framed, typewritten letter. How do you pronounce that? - Tryggve Gran!
0:39:30 > 0:39:36A Norwegian author, explorer and pilot. Dated and inscribed. Tell me about him.
0:39:36 > 0:39:41Tryggve Gran was an explorer. He was on Scott's last expedition.
0:39:41 > 0:39:46He signed that "With Robert Scott at the South Pole, 1910-1913".
0:39:46 > 0:39:52- It was written to me in about 1971. - When you rowed the Atlantic. - That's right.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54No wonder you lost weight!
0:39:54 > 0:40:02Right, Tryggve Gran and it's signed by him as well. I'm bid £80 to start me.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04Commission bid of £80. 85.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Thank you. 90. 95. 100. 110.
0:40:07 > 0:40:12Your bid at 110. Take 120. At 110. At 110.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14That's it... 120.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16130. 140.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19140. 150. 160?
0:40:19 > 0:40:23Bid's here at 150. Selling now at 150. Last chance.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25It goes at 150.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29- 150. right in the middle of the estimate, John.- Fantastic.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32Pleased? £150 of history there.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36'It would be fascinating to know why the winning bidder wanted that,
0:40:36 > 0:40:38'but he was a bit camera shy.'
0:40:38 > 0:40:42There were quite a few big surprises today.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44- There were.- A few surprises.
0:40:44 > 0:40:49The tea service did particularly well.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53- And there was a surprise with the wash stand.- And the stein!
0:40:53 > 0:40:56- Yes!- That was incredible. - Good heavens.
0:40:56 > 0:41:02I hope you'll be equally surprised by what you made in total. How much is this piece of art?
0:41:02 > 0:41:05- It's about 500.- About 500.- Yes.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09Well, you can probably buy something else as well. You've made £812.
0:41:09 > 0:41:15- That's fantastic! It is fantastic. Fantastic. - More stuff!- More stuff!
0:41:15 > 0:41:19- Yes. You never stop.- No.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22- Really good.- Fantastic.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24- Thank you.- Well done.
0:41:28 > 0:41:34It's been a little while since the auction and Jane and Geoff have chosen their new painting.
0:41:34 > 0:41:40It's still part of this exhibition in Hastings, but after that, it'll take pride and place in their home.
0:41:40 > 0:41:45So they've come to view it and meet the artist herself, Charlotte Snook.
0:41:45 > 0:41:52- So here we are.- Looks fantastic. - Do you like it with the others? Do you see the connection?- Yes.
0:41:52 > 0:41:56- And the black frame. - 'It's nice to see the painting'
0:41:56 > 0:42:02framed properly and hanging in an exhibition with all its partner paintings, as it were.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04And to meet Charlotte again.
0:42:04 > 0:42:11I imagine it's going to look wonderful in the grand hall of their 17th-century barn conversion.
0:42:11 > 0:42:17It's a great bonus that Charlotte's paintings are quite small. It won't take up much room
0:42:17 > 0:42:22and we've cleared so much space that we're really, really pleased.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26We've had a great time. We really enjoyed the whole thing.
0:42:31 > 0:42:37I do love seeing the expression on people's faces when they realise they've made far more money
0:42:37 > 0:42:41than they ever thought they might. Jane and Geoff did really well.
0:42:41 > 0:42:46I do hope they enjoy that new piece of art that they have in their home.
0:42:46 > 0:42:52If there's something you would like to raise money for, then why not get in touch with the programme?
0:42:52 > 0:42:56You'll find all our details on our website.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00We look forward to seeing you on Cash In The Attic.
0:43:16 > 0:43:20Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd - 2011
0:43:21 > 0:43:23Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk