0:00:02 > 0:00:05Welcome to the show that searches your home for treasures
0:00:05 > 0:00:07and then helps you sell them at auction.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Today I'm going to meet a lovely lady
0:00:09 > 0:00:13who's hoping that the cash in her attic will help a good cause.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34'Coming up on Cash In The Attic,
0:00:34 > 0:00:37'I'm the sort of person who likes to cut to the chase.'
0:00:37 > 0:00:40Very pretty. Have you put a price on that yet?
0:00:40 > 0:00:43- All down to money, Lorne? - Yes, as ever.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45We need to make this money, so...
0:00:45 > 0:00:49'Our expert, David, poses awkward questions in the boudoir.'
0:00:49 > 0:00:53I was wondering why you had this piece of furniture in your bedroom.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55Ah. Well, it's my underwear drawer.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57HE LAUGHS
0:00:57 > 0:01:01'And Amanda has a great idea for making her money at auction.'
0:01:01 > 0:01:03And so David's picking up the difference, is he?
0:01:03 > 0:01:06- Cheeky!- What a good idea!
0:01:06 > 0:01:10'So, will David be out of pocket? Find out when the gavel falls.'
0:01:12 > 0:01:14Today I'm in Buckinghamshire to meet a family
0:01:14 > 0:01:17who've decided to declutter their ancestral home,
0:01:17 > 0:01:21and help the local community in the process.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23Here in this rural Buckinghamshire village
0:01:23 > 0:01:27lives ex-model Amanda Dobbs, a glamorous grandmother
0:01:27 > 0:01:31who once had a career as nanny to some very important persons,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34but now concentrates on this extra-special VIP,
0:01:34 > 0:01:36her grandson Dylan.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39They live together in the family home built by their ancestors
0:01:39 > 0:01:43nearly 400 years ago. Also with us today is Amanda's auntie Betty,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46not just to feed the chickens but to help with our search -
0:01:46 > 0:01:50although it looks like Bear, the family dog, has already made a start.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53We'll be depending upon the expertise
0:01:53 > 0:01:56of antiques valuer David Harper, a collector since childhood,
0:01:56 > 0:02:00now with over 20 years' professional experience.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Whilst he makes a start inside,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05I'm going into the garden to meet Amanda and Betty.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07THEY CHATTER
0:02:07 > 0:02:09- Good morning, ladies! - Hello!- Good morning!
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Well, you called in Cash In The Attic, and we're here.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14What do you want us here for?
0:02:14 > 0:02:17I've got a side wall to do some repair with,
0:02:17 > 0:02:22and more important for me is the donation to the children's play area.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24- OK. Now, you obviously live here. - Yes.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27- And you don't live too far away, do you, Betty?- Right there.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31- That'll be yours?- That's mine. - And we're not clearing yours today?
0:02:31 > 0:02:33- Er, no. - But this one could do with it?
0:02:33 > 0:02:36- Oh, I think so, yes. - So, where are the items from
0:02:36 > 0:02:40- that we're going to be looking at? - From family, from my mother's side,
0:02:40 > 0:02:44most inherited, some purchased by my mum and dad together.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46Have you got any idea how much you'd like to raise?
0:02:46 > 0:02:48About 700.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51All right. I know David's in, ready to go.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54We'll find him. Betty, will you start upstairs?
0:02:54 > 0:02:56- Yes.- Come on, then. Follow me.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59So, our target is set, and I wouldn't mind betting
0:02:59 > 0:03:03our expert, David, has already found a valuable trinket
0:03:03 > 0:03:05to get us off to a flying start.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09Ah, David! What have you found? That's very impressive.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11Oh, it is so gorgeous!
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Where's it come from? Tell me all about it.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17It came from the family in Devizes that Mum has.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21- Were they a particularly wealthy family?- Yes.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23- Were they very wealthy? - Very, very wealthy!
0:03:23 > 0:03:25I'm getting even more excited here,
0:03:25 > 0:03:28because that is utterly beautiful.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31The quality, the embossing there on the silver,
0:03:31 > 0:03:34the detail on the silver... The hallmarks are crisp and clear.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37I can tell you, by looking closely, you've got H and T,
0:03:37 > 0:03:39which I think is for Hilliard & Thomason.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43It was made in Birmingham. Interestingly here,
0:03:43 > 0:03:45we've got the monarch's head, Queen Victoria.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49Now, from 1784 to 1890, there was a government tax, a duty,
0:03:49 > 0:03:53placed on all silver, so when the silversmith paid his duty,
0:03:53 > 0:03:57to prove it, he'd stamp the monarch's head.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00So that gives you a helping hand in dating it.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04But the decoration and embossed work, Lorne, it's just...
0:04:04 > 0:04:07It's absolutely stunning. The craftsmanship on that is amazing.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09I love the handle.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Can I ask you, why are you thinking of selling it now?
0:04:12 > 0:04:14Because it's a beautiful piece,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17and it was one of my mum's favourites,
0:04:17 > 0:04:21but it will raise a considerable amount towards the end goal,
0:04:21 > 0:04:23so I'm happy for it to go.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26OK. Let's see how much you think it may help raise.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30OK. I think a conservative estimate would be 80 to 150.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34I'd like to see a couple of good dealers in the auction room
0:04:34 > 0:04:37fighting it out, because it's of that quality
0:04:37 > 0:04:40that they should see and appreciate the greatness of this thing.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44- 80 to 150. Is that good enough for you? You happy with that?- I am.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Well, it's a lovely piece. Let's see if we can find anything else
0:04:47 > 0:04:49from this particular family.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Well, the goblet is a terrific start to our day,
0:04:53 > 0:04:57and soon Betty makes her first discovery in an upstairs bedroom.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Carriage clocks originally travelled with their owners
0:05:00 > 0:05:02on bumpy journeys in horse-drawn carriages,
0:05:02 > 0:05:06so they had to have robust mechanisms and casings.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09This one, in plain brass with an enamel dial
0:05:09 > 0:05:13and blue steel hands, is characteristically French in style,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16and could make between £50 and £100 at auction.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20'The catalogue of goods and chattels for auction begins to grow.'
0:05:20 > 0:05:23David, what do you think of this?
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Mmm! That's a tea caddy, isn't it? Did you know it was?
0:05:26 > 0:05:28Well, I thought it might be,
0:05:28 > 0:05:31but it looked rather small for a tea caddy, for me.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Well, you get varying sizes of tea caddy.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36- OK.- But as a rule of thumb,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39the earlier the tea caddy, the smaller the caddy,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42because tea, if you think about it, in the early 18th century,
0:05:42 > 0:05:47was so dreadfully expensive that you could only afford a small amount,
0:05:47 > 0:05:49which meant also that the caddies that held the tea
0:05:49 > 0:05:53were very high-quality, because the people who could afford the tea
0:05:53 > 0:05:55wanted the very best container.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58It's like having a fantastic piece of jewellery.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00You wouldn't put it in a plastic container.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02You'd want a really expensive box.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05So you'd invite all your posh friends round
0:06:05 > 0:06:08and there'd be a tea ceremony. You'd have the finest china
0:06:08 > 0:06:12and silver, and your wonderful tea canister,
0:06:12 > 0:06:14and you would mix your blend, and you'd be known
0:06:14 > 0:06:16for making your own special blend of tea.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20It's a very important thing, a real social event.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24Well, let's have a look at it. It's mahogany veneer.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28You've got almost like that plum-pudding mahogany on the top.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31It's circa mid-19th century, so let's say 1850
0:06:31 > 0:06:34and a little bit either side, judging by the box, the wood,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37and the size of it. It's got twin canisters,
0:06:37 > 0:06:40the original satinwood lids,
0:06:40 > 0:06:43and this lining is the original lead lining.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45- Oh, wow!- So, of course,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48the interior here has been felted at some point,
0:06:48 > 0:06:50and that would have all been lead-lined
0:06:50 > 0:06:53to keep the tea in pristine condition.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56The blue wallpaper here is probably original.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58So, value - what do you think?
0:06:58 > 0:07:01I have absolutely no idea.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03OK. How about 30 to 50?
0:07:03 > 0:07:05Oh, wow! That's more than I thought.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08'Well, I'm happy to toast that result, Amanda,
0:07:08 > 0:07:12'as every little drop counts towards our grand total.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15'I'm particularly taken by these two silver gravy boats,
0:07:15 > 0:07:19'one made in Birmingham and the other in Sheffield.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21'Early models often had two handles,
0:07:21 > 0:07:25'but the single-handle design dates from the early 1700s.'
0:07:25 > 0:07:29David thinks this pair, made in the early 1930s,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32may pour another £40 to £50 into our coffers.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35While David and Betty carry on searching,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38I'm curious to find out more about our host, Amanda.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41So, tell me about some of the jobs that you've done.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Well, I started out doing some modelling,
0:07:43 > 0:07:47then got married and had my daughter, who's now 30,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51and helped my husband for a little while,
0:07:51 > 0:07:53while continuing to model,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56and sort of went into event organising
0:07:56 > 0:07:59and arranging parties, which I'd done for a long time anyway,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02and eventually ended up doing adult nannying.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Is that a bit like being a chaperone?
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Sort of. It's more of a social calendar,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10making sure they're where they're supposed to be on time,
0:08:10 > 0:08:13no unpleasant photographs are taken of them,
0:08:13 > 0:08:17they don't get caught out doing something they shouldn't do.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19So, what sort of people did you chaperone?
0:08:19 > 0:08:22- It must have taken you all over the world.- It has.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25I had to live in America for a while.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27I looked after Clinton for a couple of years,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30doing social calendars and bits and pieces for him.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33- Bill Clinton, as in the former president?- Yes.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36- Was he president at the time? - No. He had just stepped down,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39and he was doing an ambassadorial role.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42I've looked after heads of state.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44I've looked after members of the royal family.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47- You've looked after some really interesting people.- Yes.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51It's just different now. It's different. I've done that.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54- Been there, done that. - So tell me a little bit about Dylan
0:08:54 > 0:08:57and how comes you look after him.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00He's been brought up in an extended family unit,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03and he has the benefit of that. My father's here,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06so he gets his knowledge. He's got myself and his grandfather.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10He sees his parents. He's got his aunt and uncle next door.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14He's got cousins. It's a fantastic environment for a child.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Is that why you've got involved in the school side of things?
0:09:17 > 0:09:19Yes. In a community like this, so small,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22it's essential that you have schools,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24or else the community doesn't survive.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28The pre-school feeds the main school,
0:09:28 > 0:09:33and if the pre-school was to go, the main school would not survive,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36so raising money to keep the school going
0:09:36 > 0:09:40is part of what I'm dedicating myself to do at the moment.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44'I'm certain Amanda's community spirit will be greatly appreciated
0:09:44 > 0:09:48'by the local school. So let's see what we can do to help!'
0:09:48 > 0:09:52Talking of spirits, David thinks these three liqueur glasses
0:09:52 > 0:09:55probably date from the first quarter of the 20th century,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58because the inter-war years brought far less demand
0:09:58 > 0:10:03for hand-blown glassware, with such elaborate silver decoration.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07They should do well at auction, and raise our total by £40 to £60.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10With five items found, we still have a long way to go,
0:10:10 > 0:10:14but already Amanda stands to make around £240.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16She's declared nothing is out of bounds,
0:10:16 > 0:10:21so David's been keenly eyeing up yet more family treasures.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26Aha! Now, Betty, are we allowed to sell the family silver?
0:10:26 > 0:10:29That was my aunt Sarah's.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Oh, was it? Tell me all about it. Tell me what you know.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35She had a shelf, and these little bits of silver.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38- And did she use this, then? - No, I don't think so.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41It's more than an ornament, because it did have a function
0:10:41 > 0:10:44- when it was made, didn't it? - Mustard pot?
0:10:44 > 0:10:47Mustard, preserves... Could be anything at all.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Let me have a look at it. I've got my eyeglass here.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52I do absolutely adore silver.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55- So do I.- Hold the spoon, because that doesn't belong,
0:10:55 > 0:10:59but we'll put it with it. Let's have a look at the hallmarks.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02We've got JH, which I think is John Hines.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Um...
0:11:06 > 0:11:10There's no other hallmarks, Betty. That's a bit of a problem.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14- Isn't there?- Have a look. See you've got the JH there?
0:11:14 > 0:11:17- Yeah.- Naturally, a British hallmark should then follow on.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19- You should have the... - Yeah, the lion...
0:11:19 > 0:11:22The place of manufacture, an anchor for Birmingham,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24and then a date.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Well, I can date it to probably the late 19th century,
0:11:27 > 0:11:31- but where are the hallmarks? - Worn off?
0:11:31 > 0:11:33- Or isn't it silver?- Ah.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37- Is it British silver?- Even if it was a Continental imported piece,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40and JH is the importer, they would have import marks,
0:11:40 > 0:11:43a 925, a stamp from London, that kind of thing.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45They're not there. British hallmarks aren't there.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Now, there is a law, I think, that says
0:11:48 > 0:11:51that any piece of silver below 7.8 grams or thereabouts
0:11:51 > 0:11:55doesn't need to be hallmarked, but that's really unusual.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58The embossed decoration is 19th century. It's got a repair there.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01- Yeah. - That handle's been off, hasn't it?
0:12:01 > 0:12:04So there's going to be problems with this,
0:12:04 > 0:12:08because the auctioneer will probably sell it as white metal
0:12:08 > 0:12:11because of the ambiguity over whether indeed it is silver.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15Now, I would bet that it is silver, but it's up to the dealers
0:12:15 > 0:12:18in the auction to decide whether it is or not.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22So I don't think that's going to do much more than 30 to 50.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24- I think that's OK. - Can you make that decision?
0:12:24 > 0:12:27- Yes.- On your head be it, then. You've said yes. Come on.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29SHE LAUGHS
0:12:29 > 0:12:33Betty's offered a generous helping towards our total
0:12:33 > 0:12:37with that preserve pot. But will the bidders realise it's a bargain?
0:12:37 > 0:12:40No further bidding on £20. Shall I sell it? All done?
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Last chance. At £20 and gone... 22!
0:12:42 > 0:12:44- We're going.- 25. 28.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47And 30? Says no. At £28...
0:12:47 > 0:12:49All that's to come, but back at the rummage,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Amanda remembers another piece of silverware in the lounge.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54The coffee pot was made in Birmingham
0:12:54 > 0:12:57in the streamlined style of the early 1930s.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00The hallmark dates it as 1933,
0:13:00 > 0:13:04and David has valued it today at a rather smart £100 to £200.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07'That's a big step towards our grand total,
0:13:07 > 0:13:10'but Amanda has another heirloom to show David upstairs,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13'which has the potential to do even better.'
0:13:13 > 0:13:17What about this? This is surplus to requirements.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21I was wondering why you had this piece of furniture in your bedroom.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Well, it's my underwear drawer, actually.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26- HE LAUGHS - It makes a good underwear drawer,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28- but you know what it's called. - I think it's a chinois.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31- Chiffonier. - Oh, chiffonier.- Very close.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33- Chiffonier. OK.- But, of course,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36it does really belong downstairs in a dining room.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Now, what on earth has gone wrong there?
0:13:38 > 0:13:42My grandson unfortunately broke it. We do have the piece.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45- How does that affect it? - It will affect it.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48With furniture, you can get away with some repairs,
0:13:48 > 0:13:50as long as they're honest and well done,
0:13:50 > 0:13:54so if we send this to auction, stick it on. Bung it back on again.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56And in the crack, put a little bit of brown wax,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59so it might look like it's an old repair.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01People are very forgiving with furniture.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04So, solid mahogany, really well constructed.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08It's a good Victorian piece, dating to about 1817, 1818.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12So it's as early as that. It's got brass gallery top,
0:14:12 > 0:14:16good figured mahogany, it's solid, it's got turned and fluted columns.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18It's got everything going for it.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22Nice fielded panels down here. Now, look at the cut of the wood.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Can you see the way that they've cut the mahogany
0:14:24 > 0:14:28so that it causes a flame? Quite a posh thing.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31Then you open the doors, and it sort of loses the plot.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34- Yeah. It doesn't look right. - Not quite.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38I don't know why they've fronted the drawers in a basic pine
0:14:38 > 0:14:40and stained it to look like mahogany.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Potentially, Amanda, at some point in its life
0:14:43 > 0:14:47it's been sent back to the cabinet maker's and altered,
0:14:47 > 0:14:50because when you open the doors of a normal chiffonier,
0:14:50 > 0:14:52you'd find shelves. So now we see drawers -
0:14:52 > 0:14:56very practical, very useful, but they could have been added later.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00A dealer's going to ask that question and it will affect value.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03OK. So, what do you think the actual value is?
0:15:03 > 0:15:06I don't know if you know, but antique furniture
0:15:06 > 0:15:09- has gone off the boil in the last few years.- Yes, I understand.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12However, there is definitely a comeback.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15So I will put a broad valuation on this thing.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17In auction today, I think 200 to 400.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20- OK. It's worth what it's worth. - That's the right attitude.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23- You happy?- Yes.- Two to four. It's going to be interesting.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Come on. Let's continue.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28If Amanda can make that honest repair David suggested,
0:15:28 > 0:15:32that little cabinet could be worth over £200.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35While David carries on searching elsewhere,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38I want to learn more about Amanda's family and her village life,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41so settle down in the oldest part of the house.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45- So tell me, roughly how old is it? - About 400 years.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49OK. Obviously it's got bigger over that,
0:15:49 > 0:15:51- to accommodate a larger family.- Yes.
0:15:51 > 0:15:56- But originally... Is this the oldest part?- Yes, yes.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Um, this room was two,
0:15:59 > 0:16:03and a tiny little kitchen, and two bedrooms upstairs.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07No bathroom. My grandmother and grandfather lived here
0:16:07 > 0:16:09with 13 of their children.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12How did they manage with 13 children?
0:16:12 > 0:16:16They all had to have their jobs. They all had to work.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19The older ones were working in the woods,
0:16:19 > 0:16:23- being bodgers.- Now, what's a bodger?
0:16:23 > 0:16:25It's not somebody that messes up a job.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29It's a gentleman that had a pole lathe
0:16:29 > 0:16:33and he made chair legs for the Wycombe chair industry.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37Um, 1930s, '40s, '50s and '60s,
0:16:37 > 0:16:41that's all there was in Wycombe - furniture firms.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44- So, did your family have connections in that industry?- Yeah.
0:16:44 > 0:16:49My father, he started off in a tin shed,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52then he had a proper little factory.
0:16:52 > 0:16:57He made nearly all the chair legs for the industry in Wycombe.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00It's an amazing history, isn't it? And what about you?
0:17:00 > 0:17:04- Do you enjoy this house?- Oh, yes. - What is its attraction for you?
0:17:04 > 0:17:07We've got a fantastic community spirit here.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11On Friday evening, all the families take their children to the pub,
0:17:11 > 0:17:16and whether it's sort of six o'clock, seven,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19until about 8:30, the whole village turns out.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23Kids get to learn how to behave, really.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26You're obviously long-established here.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29- Are you the oldest family? - We're the founding families.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31- There are a couple. - Yes. There was the Ricksons,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34which we are a member of, and that's our main name.
0:17:34 > 0:17:39Then there were Jameses, Ridgleys and Floyds,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42four names that really started the village off.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46So it's quite important to you, keeping the family here together.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48Oh, I wouldn't move.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51I've lived here. My parents lived here.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54I like my village. I like my corner. I wouldn't move.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57- You like your family. - Oh, I do like my family.
0:17:57 > 0:17:58THEY LAUGH
0:17:58 > 0:18:01Quite right too, Betty! Whilst we've been chatting,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04our expert, David, has discovered this mantel clock,
0:18:04 > 0:18:07which used to belong to Amanda's great-aunt,
0:18:07 > 0:18:09who was a nurse for Queen Victoria.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12It's made from ivory and brass inlay,
0:18:12 > 0:18:14dates from the 1920s or '30s,
0:18:14 > 0:18:18and might dial up another £50 to £100 towards our total.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Next, David sets a bit of a challenge.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25Amanda, I'm going to turn the tables on you.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Come here.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30Tell me everything about this chest of drawers.
0:18:30 > 0:18:37Well, um, it belonged to my great-aunt Bette from Devizes,
0:18:37 > 0:18:41who was a nurse, and she used it as a medicine chest.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45There was a key, and...and it was always locked.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48- They were all kept in here. - Well, of course,
0:18:48 > 0:18:50because that's the whole idea of this chest,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53to lock away very important things.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56So it is a Wellington chest,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59and it's called that because of this locking mechanism.
0:18:59 > 0:19:04But it's a great system. One lock locks every single drawer.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08It's a good, stout piece of British furniture.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Date-wise, mid-Victorian, 1870,
0:19:10 > 0:19:14around that, made out of solid English oak.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Sometimes, I think because of the Wellington connection,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20people think they're campaign pieces
0:19:20 > 0:19:23or something an army officer might take on campaign in the field,
0:19:23 > 0:19:25or a wealthy merchant might travel Europe
0:19:25 > 0:19:28and have his manservants carry his Wellington chest.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32Well, they did, but generally those campaign pieces
0:19:32 > 0:19:34would have big grab handles on the side,
0:19:34 > 0:19:36- and I bet it's very heavy, isn't it? - It's very heavy.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40Now, look at the construction. Let's just see if it's original.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43- It is. It's oak-lined, as well. Good sign of quality.- OK.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46When this was built, it was a good thing.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Nice hand-cut dovetails, original turned handles,
0:19:49 > 0:19:51which is all absolutely fine.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55- But you don't have the key. - It's somewhere in the roof.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59- OK. We can be a bit forgiving there. - OK.
0:19:59 > 0:20:04Valuation - I think 75 to 150.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06Right. Now, I thought it would be more.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10It should make more money. But we have to put a tempting estimate in
0:20:10 > 0:20:13to get the dealers and the private buyers interested,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16- and it might make 200. Are we going to send it to auction?- Yeah.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19- Good.- Excellent. - Let's go and find the others.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21OK.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23'Our search is drawing to a close,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26'but there's just time for a couple more treasures.'
0:20:26 > 0:20:29Amanda carefully lifts this tureen from its cubbyhole.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32It was part of a dinner service belonging to her grandmother,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35and only brought out on special occasions.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39Amanda and the other children were always afraid of breaking it.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43There are several accompanying pieces from two separate sets -
0:20:43 > 0:20:45some Losol Ware in the Cranford pattern,
0:20:45 > 0:20:49and some Doulton Burslem, from around the 1890s.
0:20:49 > 0:20:54Together, all this crockery could dish up between £50 and £80.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Before winding up our day here in Buckinghamshire,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00Amanda has one last special timepiece to show our expert.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04David, what do you think about this?
0:21:04 > 0:21:08- Mmm! What do YOU think about this? - I think it's lovely.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11- I think it's gorgeous too. - Good.- Tell me about it.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15My mother bought it for my father about 25, 30 years ago.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19- It's always been very special to the place.- And to you?
0:21:19 > 0:21:22- Yeah, to me as well. - And how old do you think it is?
0:21:22 > 0:21:26I have no idea, but I think it's Art Nouveau-ish.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28You've just stolen my thunder there,
0:21:28 > 0:21:30because it is not just in the style of,
0:21:30 > 0:21:34it's period Art Nouveau, so it dates to about 1905,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36very organic, very, very stylish,
0:21:36 > 0:21:39and that decoration there is actually marquetry,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42and so it's not painted - it's cut into the wood
0:21:42 > 0:21:45using brass, what looks like fruitwood and shell.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48Very clever. You just run your finger across that.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Oh, right! You can feel the edges.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53So, you wind it once every eight days?
0:21:53 > 0:21:55- No.- You're very naughty.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58- I polish it, though. - That's all right,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01- but you need to wind it once a week. Got to keep it working.- OK.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05Looking at the face, the retailer's name has been rubbed.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08You can't make that out. But just below, you can see Keswick.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11So it was sold in about 1905, the northwest of England,
0:22:11 > 0:22:15and that's where it started its life. A very interesting thing.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18- Worth 100 to 150. Not a fortune. What do you think?- Wow!
0:22:18 > 0:22:21- Is that a good wow or a bad wow? - It's a good wow.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23Really? I think that's cheap for this clock,
0:22:23 > 0:22:27- but that's just what they make. - OK.- Shall we call the others in?
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Yeah. Betty? Lorne?
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Come on.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35- Ah, hello! - What do you think of that, then?
0:22:35 > 0:22:37Very, very pretty. Have you put a price on that yet?
0:22:37 > 0:22:40- Oh, down to money, Lorne! - Yes, as ever.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43- We need to make this money, so... - 100 to 150.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45- Oh, that's good, then!- That's great!
0:22:45 > 0:22:48- Did you think it might be worth that sort of figure?- Yes.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52Oh, you're very confident. We wanted to raise £700, didn't we,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55for this playground equipment and also the wall,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58so do you think we've come anywhere near that?
0:22:58 > 0:23:02- I'd think so.- And what about you? - I hope so. We better had.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Well, the value of everything going to auction comes to...
0:23:05 > 0:23:07£845!
0:23:07 > 0:23:10- Wow!- That's excellent!
0:23:10 > 0:23:13And that's taking the conservative lower estimate.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15So if there's a bit of excitement on the day,
0:23:15 > 0:23:17hopefully it'll make a little bit more.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20We've thoroughly enjoyed our day with Amanda and Betty.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Together we've unearthed some very desirable items to sell,
0:23:24 > 0:23:28and the local school will really benefit from Amanda's generosity.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31At the auction, I'm expecting the whiff of a bargain
0:23:31 > 0:23:34in the shape of our silver coffee pot
0:23:34 > 0:23:36to lure some early bidders.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39We'll be hoping it'll deliver £100 to £200 for our total.
0:23:39 > 0:23:44Mind you, they might be more tempted by Amanda's delicates drawer
0:23:44 > 0:23:48in the shape of the modified and repaired Victorian chiffonier.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50We'd really like to see it support our cause,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53perhaps for a comfortable £200 to £400.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56But if the bidders fancy something heavier,
0:23:56 > 0:23:58they can get a load of this Wellington chest,
0:23:58 > 0:24:02previously belonging to Amanda's great-aunt and made of solid oak.
0:24:02 > 0:24:07We're expecting it to carry off £75 to £150 from the auction.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Still to come on Cash In The Attic,
0:24:11 > 0:24:13what you gain on the swings...
0:24:13 > 0:24:17- £200!- Wonderful! - Absolutely brilliant.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20..you can lose on the roundabouts.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22- Unsold. I'm sorry. - The world is bonkers, isn't it?
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Real shame.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29Let's see if it all evens out by the last fall of the gavel.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37It's been a while since we met Betty and Amanda
0:24:37 > 0:24:40at their very picturesque Buckinghamshire home.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43They wanted to raise £700 for home improvements
0:24:43 > 0:24:47and to help the local community, so we've brought their items here
0:24:47 > 0:24:49to Chiswick auction rooms in West London.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52Let's just hope that today the bidders are feeling very generous
0:24:52 > 0:24:53with their wallets.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58It's always interesting to get in early to the auction
0:24:58 > 0:25:00and see what's on display.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03Amanda and Betty are bidding a final farewell
0:25:03 > 0:25:05to that beautiful silver goblet,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08and all their other family heirlooms dotted around the saleroom.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11- Good morning, ladies!- Good morning!
0:25:11 > 0:25:14You look fantastic. Did you coordinate this morning?
0:25:14 > 0:25:16- No!- Red and black?- No.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19Well, you look lovely. That's not really relevant, of course.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23That is also very lovely. How do you feel about selling that today?
0:25:23 > 0:25:26I'm happy for it to go. It's going to a good cause,
0:25:26 > 0:25:29so, yes, it's time to get rid of it.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31- Have you put any reserves on anything?- Yes.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35I've gone for the lowest on most of them, cos it is for charity.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38If they don't sell, will you take them home?
0:25:38 > 0:25:41I'd prefer not to take them home, but if I have to, I will.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44- It's a risky one. - There are two types of reserves.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47One is a flat reserve, so if you said a £100 reserve,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50the item has to get to £100.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53The other is the auctioneer's discretion,
0:25:53 > 0:25:55so we give him discretion, 10% leeway,
0:25:55 > 0:25:58- cos- £10... Yeah. I agree. - Better to have 90 in the pot
0:25:58 > 0:26:02- than none at all.- And David's picking up the difference, is he?
0:26:02 > 0:26:04- HE LAUGHS - Cheeky!
0:26:04 > 0:26:06What a good idea!
0:26:06 > 0:26:09I'm sure she's only joking about David making up for any shortfall.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13As it happens, Amanda has opted to put a reserve on the items,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16so we take our positions as the first lot goes under the hammer.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20It's one that Betty found - that silver preserve pot and spoon,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23sadly missing those crucial hallmarks,
0:26:23 > 0:26:26but it could still shine at around £30 to £50.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31The hallmarks have either been rubbed or they are non-existent.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33The only way you can describe it is white metal,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36but it is silver. I think anyone with any experience
0:26:36 > 0:26:38will spot it as being a silver item.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41What shall we sell this? Start me at £30, somebody.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45£20, start me. £20? £20 I'm bid.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48And two I'll take now. I'm bid at £20. Two now.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51At £20. No further bidding on £20? Shall I sell it?
0:26:51 > 0:26:55All done? Last chance. At £20 and gone. 22.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57- We're going.- 25. 28. And 30?
0:26:57 > 0:27:00- Says no. At £28 to my left, then. - Come on!
0:27:00 > 0:27:03Your bid, at £28. At £28 and done. 30. Thank you.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06- Oh!- 32.- Yes!
0:27:06 > 0:27:08The lady's bid at £30. I'll take two now.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Selling at £30, on estimate.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13- Yay!- £30.- Just in.
0:27:13 > 0:27:18- Sadly not £50. - No, but I did say 30 to 50,
0:27:18 > 0:27:20so you can't get any money out of me off this one.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24- You're all right this time. - You're safe.- You're fine this time.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26OK, David, she's let you off,
0:27:26 > 0:27:29since £30 was indeed the lowest estimate,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31and so we have our first result.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33Next is the brass carriage clock,
0:27:33 > 0:27:37which Amanda believes came from her grandfather's huge house in Devizes,
0:27:37 > 0:27:39where she holidayed as a child.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43Will it raise the estimated £50 to £100?
0:27:43 > 0:27:45And start me £50, somebody.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48£50, start me. £50 is bid. Thank you. I'll take five now.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52- At £50. Take five. Are we all done, then? A maiden bid.- Oh, come on!
0:27:52 > 0:27:54- At £50. Shall I sell it?- No!
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Last chance, then. At 50 and gone.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59DAVID GROANS
0:27:59 > 0:28:02- 50. It's still in estimate. - Yeah.- Are you happy with that?
0:28:02 > 0:28:05Well, we wanted some extra money from him!
0:28:05 > 0:28:09- But she can't. It's sold. - Actually, no, I am,
0:28:09 > 0:28:11cos I did say I thought it would go for the original...
0:28:11 > 0:28:15- As long as you're happy, I'm happy. - Oh, yeah! Yeah, yeah.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Just matching the lowest estimate of £50.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21The bidders aren't exactly getting carried away, though, are they?
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Let's see if this smart mid-19th century tea caddy,
0:28:24 > 0:28:27also a legacy from that posh house in Devizes,
0:28:27 > 0:28:32can deliver David's estimated price of £30 to £50.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35They used to make big money. People would collect them.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38- Gone off the boil slightly... - Is that a joke?
0:28:38 > 0:28:41No. A very bad one, non-intentional.
0:28:41 > 0:28:43But it should do well, could do well.
0:28:43 > 0:28:48Nice mother-of-pearl escutcheons. It's a nice thing.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51For this tea caddy, start me on estimate. £30.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53£30, start me. £20.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55- Oh! - £30 I'm bid, and two I'll take now.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58Ridiculously cheap at £20. 22, thank you.
0:28:58 > 0:29:0125, madam. 28. And 30.
0:29:01 > 0:29:0232. 35.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05- At £32.- Oh, come on!
0:29:05 > 0:29:10At £32. Are we all done? Last chance. Selling at £32 and gone.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14- Oh, well. - It doesn't seem a lot, does it?
0:29:14 > 0:29:16- Well, it's sold, hasn't it? - It did sell.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19- It's all going to a good cause.- Yeah.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22Well, the bidding was slow at the start there,
0:29:22 > 0:29:25but eventually we got £32 for the tea caddy,
0:29:25 > 0:29:27just £2 above our lower estimate.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30Gravy boats arrived in Britain in the late 17th century,
0:29:30 > 0:29:33inspired by dining habits from across the Channel.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36I wonder whether these 1930s models
0:29:36 > 0:29:39can travel beyond our estimate of £40 to £50.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43Start me £40, somebody.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45- £40 I'm bid. - Straight in at 40. Good.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47At £40. 45, thank you.
0:29:47 > 0:29:4950. Five. 60. Five.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53Says no. Thanks for the bid. £60, then. I'll take five.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55Are we all done? At £60 and selling.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57- That's all right.- £60.
0:29:57 > 0:30:02- No, that's really good. - Brilliant. There you go.- Excellent.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04Well, that's better, isn't it? At £60,
0:30:04 > 0:30:07£10 beyond our higher estimate,
0:30:07 > 0:30:09it's all good news for Amanda's cause.
0:30:09 > 0:30:13Next under the hammer is her great-aunt's stylish travel clock,
0:30:13 > 0:30:17another family heirloom from the big old house in Wiltshire.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21David hopes it will garner another £50 to £100.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24They had very good taste, down there, your family, didn't they?
0:30:24 > 0:30:26- They certainly did. - It should do well.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29Let's keep our fingers crossed.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31The Mappin & Webb clock with the eight-day movement,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34and what shall we say on this one? Start me at £50.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36£50. £40.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39- Come on.- Someone bid me £40, surely. At £40, I'm bid.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42And five I'll take now. No competition at £40?
0:30:42 > 0:30:46Am I going to sell it at £40? Last chance. And gone at £40.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51I'm astonished. Astonished.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54Well, that was disappointing. At £40,
0:30:54 > 0:30:56that was £10 under our lowest estimate.
0:30:56 > 0:31:00'I wonder if we're ever going to reach Amanda's £700 target.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03'As we approach the halfway stage, our sixth lot today
0:31:03 > 0:31:05'is this heavy Wellington chest.'
0:31:05 > 0:31:09It's a fine-quality oak, still with its lockable drawers,
0:31:09 > 0:31:13in which her great-aunt, a nurse, used to house all her medicines.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15- 75 to 150?- Yeah.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18- Still seems quite cheap. - It is very cheap.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20But again, they are cheap.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24But you can only value it based on what's going on in the market.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27It's so cheap that someone could take that
0:31:27 > 0:31:30- and paint it white if they really wanted to.- No!
0:31:30 > 0:31:32- Stop it. You can do that. - Awful!- No, it isn't,
0:31:32 > 0:31:35- cos it's recycling. - Well, I'm going to make sure
0:31:35 > 0:31:39this one doesn't go to some heathen who's going to paint it white.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41True.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43- I'm already bid here at £200.- What?
0:31:43 > 0:31:45- Whoa!- Well, of course.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49Somebody appreciates it and isn't going to paint it white.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51- 250. 260. 270.- Brilliant!
0:31:53 > 0:31:55280. 290. Says no at £280.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57Good Lord!
0:31:57 > 0:31:59290. 300. And 10.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02320. 330. 340. 350.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05360. 370.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08- 380. 390.- That's fantastic!- Whoa!
0:32:08 > 0:32:10400. 410.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12At £410.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14- 410?- Take 420 now. At £410.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17We're all done. Good price, I think, at £410,
0:32:17 > 0:32:20and selling. No further interest in the room, then.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22Yes!
0:32:22 > 0:32:24£410, and not a white-paint pot in sight!
0:32:24 > 0:32:28- Thank you very much. - Sold to the painter and decorator.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30He won't be by the time I've finished with him.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33- He won't be touching that. - That's fantastic.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36Way beyond our top estimate, and at £410,
0:32:36 > 0:32:40I'm pretty certain the buyer won't be painting it white.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42THEY LAUGH
0:32:43 > 0:32:46For the halfway stage, Amanda's target to help the local pre-school
0:32:46 > 0:32:48now seems well within our reach.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52For the time being, have you any idea how much we've made?
0:32:52 > 0:32:55- You wanted £700, didn't you? - I've not been counting.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58- No? Betty?- We must be creeping up.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01- Do you think so?- I think so. - We've crept up quite a long way.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05- We've got £622! - Really?- All that? Wow!
0:33:05 > 0:33:08- Wow!- Wow. - That's without anything else.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11- That's very good. - So, we've got a bit of a break.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13David, there's something you wanted to look at.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17- Shall I show you?- No, because it'll be a piece of brown furniture
0:33:17 > 0:33:20- that you want to paint white. I just know it.- After you.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23Well, from lovely Victorian furniture
0:33:23 > 0:33:26to something rather more alarming.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31- David!- You've heard of people with a forked tongue, haven't you?
0:33:31 > 0:33:35- Check that out.- I don't know quite what to say about this.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38It leaves me speechless. Obviously it's the Alien.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40Does it remind you of an old boyfriend?
0:33:40 > 0:33:43No. It just reminds me of a load of old nuts and bolts,
0:33:43 > 0:33:46and when you look at it, it is a lot of nuts and bolts.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49It is exactly that. Made up from old motorbike parts.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52But isn't it clever? You remember the Alien, don't you?
0:33:52 > 0:33:55Yes, but who in their right mind suddenly thinks,
0:33:55 > 0:33:58"I'm going to make the Alien out of old motorcycle parts"?
0:33:58 > 0:34:00They do them very well, though.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03They also make other movie, sci-fi figures as well.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06And these sell... It's the big money.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10£1,800 is the estimate, but I've seen them make an awful lot more.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13I've got one in my living room. Surely you've got one as well.
0:34:13 > 0:34:17No, I haven't, but up in Clacton there is a house,
0:34:17 > 0:34:20and at the entrance of the house there is one of these
0:34:20 > 0:34:22- that's even bigger. - Outside?- Outside.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24That's my house.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26- Oh, is it your house? - I've got one inside as well.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29David, you and I need to have a bit of a chat.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31- Really?- Yes. I'm very worried.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34Our expert clearly loves this nuts-and-bolts rendition
0:34:34 > 0:34:38of the classic movie monster. But will the bidders be so keen?
0:34:38 > 0:34:39Scrap-metal figure of an alien.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42Just what you've always wanted in your living room.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Is it worth £500?
0:34:44 > 0:34:47- Has the opening price frightened them off?- 650.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49Not sold.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52There's no prize, sadly, for this Oscar-winner today.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56If taking your belongings to auction is an alien concept to you,
0:34:56 > 0:34:59and yet we've inspired you to try, please bear in mind
0:34:59 > 0:35:02that auction houses charge various fees,
0:35:02 > 0:35:05such as commission and VAT. Your local saleroom will advise you
0:35:05 > 0:35:09on any extra costs. There's plenty still to come on Cash In The Attic,
0:35:09 > 0:35:11but first there's that dinner service,
0:35:11 > 0:35:15made from two sets - some Losol Ware and some Doulton Burslem,
0:35:15 > 0:35:19together expected to raise £50 to £80.
0:35:19 > 0:35:20£40...
0:35:20 > 0:35:22and we'll see where it goes. £40, start me.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24Opens at £40.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27- Come on. - No interest at £40? What am I to do?
0:35:27 > 0:35:31No bids at 40, then. Not sold.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33- Not sold.- We should paint it white, shouldn't we?
0:35:33 > 0:35:35THEY LAUGH
0:35:35 > 0:35:37Well, you can't win 'em all.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40Amanda will have to take all that crockery back to Buckinghamshire.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44Will the bidders show more interest in the ornate silver wine goblet,
0:35:44 > 0:35:48one of her mum's favourite possessions from her grandmother's house,
0:35:48 > 0:35:53priced modestly today at £80 to £150?
0:35:53 > 0:35:55It's a fantastic, fantastic goblet.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57It's obviously been well loved and well looked after,
0:35:57 > 0:36:02which is very important. I can't see it going for anything less
0:36:02 > 0:36:04than the higher end of that estimate, to be honest.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06Such a lovely piece. Let's see.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09I'm already bid at £100. I'm bid at 110. I'll take 120 in the room.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11120. 130. 140.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14150. 160. 170. 180.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18Bid at £170. I'll take 180 now. £170.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22- 180 there. 190. 200. - Come on! This is more like it!
0:36:22 > 0:36:25At £180. 190 there. 200. 210.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29200 with me. We're all done. We're selling at £200.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31And gone.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35- £200!- Wonderful. - Absolutely brilliant.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37That's marvellous. £200 is well above
0:36:37 > 0:36:40David's original come-and-get-me estimate.
0:36:40 > 0:36:45To follow, we have the set of three silver-decorated liqueur glasses,
0:36:45 > 0:36:50which, despite some minor damage, could still make £40 to £60.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52Start me at £30. Tenner apiece.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56At £30, start me. £30 I'm bid, and two I'll take now.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59A maiden bid of £30, and two now. At £30.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03- Right. £30.- Come on! Don't sell! - At £30 and gone, then...
0:37:04 > 0:37:07- Ouch!- £10 under what we wanted. Are you OK with that?
0:37:07 > 0:37:09- I'm fine. - There was only three of them.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12I know. £10 each, I suppose.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16That's a bit below our estimate, but another welcome addition
0:37:16 > 0:37:18to our grand total.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21The next piece has some sentimental value to Amanda.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24It's priced at £100 to £150,
0:37:24 > 0:37:27and it's the beautiful Art Nouveau period mantel clock
0:37:27 > 0:37:30with marquetry detail.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32Where did this one come from?
0:37:32 > 0:37:34This was something that my mum and dad bought together.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38It was almost like an anniversary thing,
0:37:38 > 0:37:42and actually it's been my favourite clock in the house.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44- So this is one... - This is more emotional for me.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47And for 240A I've got one, two, three bids,
0:37:47 > 0:37:50the highest being £80, and five I'll take now.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52At £80. Are we all done?
0:37:52 > 0:37:54- Come on.- 85. Thank you.
0:37:54 > 0:37:5790 I'll take now. At £85. I can just about sell it.
0:37:57 > 0:38:0090 there. 95.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03- Says no. At £90, then. - This guy's coming in here.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05Selling at £90. £90.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08£90, and you've sold it.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11Auctioneer's discretion, 10% either way.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14- Are you OK with that? - Yeah. Just a bit emotional.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16Is that because we didn't make the money?
0:38:16 > 0:38:18No, no, no. It's on the money.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22It's just the fact that it's letting go, really.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26I'm sure Amanda's parents would approve of their charming clock
0:38:26 > 0:38:31going for £90 towards a very good cause at the local pre-school.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35Onwards and upwards, and it's more of the family silverware.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38This time it's the 1933 coffee pot,
0:38:38 > 0:38:40estimated at £100 to £200,
0:38:40 > 0:38:43and so far today our silver's doing well.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46Now, I'm going to say, family in Devizes again?
0:38:46 > 0:38:48- No.- Oh! Where's this from, then?
0:38:48 > 0:38:50- Again, something my mother purchased. - Right.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53But you're OK about this being sold?
0:38:53 > 0:38:56Yeah. I've never really... It's not been important to me.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00It could be important to our target figure, so let's see.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04Lot number 250A, a silver kettle hallmarked 1933.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07We're told 16oz approximately here of silver.
0:39:07 > 0:39:11For 250A, this silver kettle. Start me £100, somebody.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14£100 I'm bid straight off the bat, and 110 I'll take now.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17110 there. 120. 130. Thank you very much for the bid.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20I'll take 130 in the room. 120. Are we all done at 120?
0:39:20 > 0:39:22And selling.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25Well, it looks like that buyer got a bargain.
0:39:25 > 0:39:29We've done well today, and it's time for our final item.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32Amanda will have to find a new home for her lingerie,
0:39:32 > 0:39:35as her mahogany cabinet goes under the hammer.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37It's had some modifications in the past,
0:39:37 > 0:39:40and Amanda's made a great job of an honest repair,
0:39:40 > 0:39:42as suggested by David.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46Nonetheless, we're hoping it'll fetch between £200 and £400
0:39:46 > 0:39:48in our sale.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50- This is a beautiful piece of furniture.- Chiffonier.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53- Well, that's a much nicer term. - It is.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56At £200, start me.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59At 160 if you like. Let's see where it goes at 160.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02At 160. Any bids here at 160?
0:40:02 > 0:40:05No-one's bidding me at 160. Shall I pass the lot?
0:40:05 > 0:40:07Again at 160.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09OK. Unsold.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12- Unsold. Sorry. - The world is bonkers, isn't it?
0:40:12 > 0:40:14- It really is.- Real shame.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16Oh, well, it's not to be.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19Amanda's dainties can go back in her drawers.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22But how has this affected our overall total here in Chiswick?
0:40:22 > 0:40:25Time to reveal our grand total.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28OK, that's the last of our lots.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30Now, obviously you wanted to raise £700, didn't you?
0:40:30 > 0:40:34- Do you think we've done it? - I think we're coming near.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36I hope we have.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38How would you feel, then, if I told you
0:40:38 > 0:40:40that, actually, you have made
0:40:40 > 0:40:43- £1,062?- Ooh, wow!
0:40:43 > 0:40:45Amazing! Really?
0:40:45 > 0:40:47And that's without the sale of the chiffonier.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50Brilliant.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52- 1,000...- And 62.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55- 1,062.- You're joking. - Shall I say it again?
0:40:55 > 0:40:57ALL: £1,062!
0:40:57 > 0:40:59Brilliant.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06As a result of the auction, Amanda has enough for repairs to her wall,
0:41:06 > 0:41:08and to make a terrific contribution
0:41:08 > 0:41:12to launch the playground fund for the village pre-school.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15She also has come to a very generous decision.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19I've decided to put all my plans on renovation at home on hold
0:41:19 > 0:41:22and just concentrate on the pre-school.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25I was at pre-school here. My daughter was at pre-school here.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27My grandson's been at pre-school here.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31The start that he got before moving on to the main school
0:41:31 > 0:41:35was magnificent, and we're hoping to raise enough money
0:41:35 > 0:41:39in the long term to build a play area
0:41:39 > 0:41:42that will enhance their imagination through play.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45The children have part of the village green to themselves
0:41:45 > 0:41:49with some plastic equipment, but Amanda hopes to raise £10,000
0:41:49 > 0:41:52to install something more permanent and more adventurous.
0:41:52 > 0:41:56Something that's eco-friendly, something that's sustainable,
0:41:56 > 0:41:59something that engages them,
0:41:59 > 0:42:03makes them play with their imagination.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09THEY CHATTER
0:42:09 > 0:42:12Cash In The Attic has been a great deal of fun.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14I've raised money for a good cause,
0:42:14 > 0:42:18and it's just been a nice experience.