Dobbs Cash in the Attic

Welcome to the show that searches your home for treasures

and then helps you sell them at auction.

Today I'm going to meet a lovely lady

who's hoping that the cash in her attic will help a good cause.

'Coming up on Cash In The Attic,

'I'm the sort of person who likes to cut to the chase.'

Very pretty. Have you put a price on that yet?

-All down to money, Lorne?

-Yes, as ever.

We need to make this money, so...

'Our expert, David, poses awkward questions in the boudoir.'

I was wondering why you had this piece of furniture in your bedroom.

Ah. Well, it's my underwear drawer.

HE LAUGHS

'And Amanda has a great idea for making her money at auction.'

And so David's picking up the difference, is he?

-Cheeky!

-What a good idea!

'So, will David be out of pocket? Find out when the gavel falls.'

Today I'm in Buckinghamshire to meet a family

who've decided to declutter their ancestral home,

and help the local community in the process.

Here in this rural Buckinghamshire village

lives ex-model Amanda Dobbs, a glamorous grandmother

who once had a career as nanny to some very important persons,

but now concentrates on this extra-special VIP,

her grandson Dylan.

They live together in the family home built by their ancestors

nearly 400 years ago. Also with us today is Amanda's auntie Betty,

not just to feed the chickens but to help with our search -

although it looks like Bear, the family dog, has already made a start.

We'll be depending upon the expertise

of antiques valuer David Harper, a collector since childhood,

now with over 20 years' professional experience.

Whilst he makes a start inside,

I'm going into the garden to meet Amanda and Betty.

THEY CHATTER

-Good morning, ladies!

-Hello!

-Good morning!

Well, you called in Cash In The Attic, and we're here.

What do you want us here for?

I've got a side wall to do some repair with,

and more important for me is the donation to the children's play area.

-OK. Now, you obviously live here.

-Yes.

-And you don't live too far away, do you, Betty?

-Right there.

-That'll be yours?

-That's mine.

-And we're not clearing yours today?

-Er, no.

-But this one could do with it?

-Oh, I think so, yes.

-So, where are the items from

-that we're going to be looking at?

-From family, from my mother's side,

most inherited, some purchased by my mum and dad together.

Have you got any idea how much you'd like to raise?

About 700.

All right. I know David's in, ready to go.

We'll find him. Betty, will you start upstairs?

-Yes.

-Come on, then. Follow me.

So, our target is set, and I wouldn't mind betting

our expert, David, has already found a valuable trinket

to get us off to a flying start.

Ah, David! What have you found? That's very impressive.

Oh, it is so gorgeous!

Where's it come from? Tell me all about it.

It came from the family in Devizes that Mum has.

-Were they a particularly wealthy family?

-Yes.

-Were they very wealthy?

-Very, very wealthy!

I'm getting even more excited here,

because that is utterly beautiful.

The quality, the embossing there on the silver,

the detail on the silver... The hallmarks are crisp and clear.

I can tell you, by looking closely, you've got H and T,

which I think is for Hilliard & Thomason.

It was made in Birmingham. Interestingly here,

we've got the monarch's head, Queen Victoria.

Now, from 1784 to 1890, there was a government tax, a duty,

placed on all silver, so when the silversmith paid his duty,

to prove it, he'd stamp the monarch's head.

So that gives you a helping hand in dating it.

But the decoration and embossed work, Lorne, it's just...

It's absolutely stunning. The craftsmanship on that is amazing.

I love the handle.

Can I ask you, why are you thinking of selling it now?

Because it's a beautiful piece,

and it was one of my mum's favourites,

but it will raise a considerable amount towards the end goal,

so I'm happy for it to go.

OK. Let's see how much you think it may help raise.

OK. I think a conservative estimate would be 80 to 150.

I'd like to see a couple of good dealers in the auction room

fighting it out, because it's of that quality

that they should see and appreciate the greatness of this thing.

-80 to 150. Is that good enough for you? You happy with that?

-I am.

Well, it's a lovely piece. Let's see if we can find anything else

from this particular family.

Well, the goblet is a terrific start to our day,

and soon Betty makes her first discovery in an upstairs bedroom.

Carriage clocks originally travelled with their owners

on bumpy journeys in horse-drawn carriages,

so they had to have robust mechanisms and casings.

This one, in plain brass with an enamel dial

and blue steel hands, is characteristically French in style,

and could make between £50 and £100 at auction.

'The catalogue of goods and chattels for auction begins to grow.'

David, what do you think of this?

Mmm! That's a tea caddy, isn't it? Did you know it was?

Well, I thought it might be,

but it looked rather small for a tea caddy, for me.

Well, you get varying sizes of tea caddy.

-OK.

-But as a rule of thumb,

the earlier the tea caddy, the smaller the caddy,

because tea, if you think about it, in the early 18th century,

was so dreadfully expensive that you could only afford a small amount,

which meant also that the caddies that held the tea

were very high-quality, because the people who could afford the tea

wanted the very best container.

It's like having a fantastic piece of jewellery.

You wouldn't put it in a plastic container.

You'd want a really expensive box.

So you'd invite all your posh friends round

and there'd be a tea ceremony. You'd have the finest china

and silver, and your wonderful tea canister,

and you would mix your blend, and you'd be known

for making your own special blend of tea.

It's a very important thing, a real social event.

Well, let's have a look at it. It's mahogany veneer.

You've got almost like that plum-pudding mahogany on the top.

It's circa mid-19th century, so let's say 1850

and a little bit either side, judging by the box, the wood,

and the size of it. It's got twin canisters,

the original satinwood lids,

and this lining is the original lead lining.

-Oh, wow!

-So, of course,

the interior here has been felted at some point,

and that would have all been lead-lined

to keep the tea in pristine condition.

The blue wallpaper here is probably original.

So, value - what do you think?

I have absolutely no idea.

OK. How about 30 to 50?

Oh, wow! That's more than I thought.

'Well, I'm happy to toast that result, Amanda,

'as every little drop counts towards our grand total.

'I'm particularly taken by these two silver gravy boats,

'one made in Birmingham and the other in Sheffield.

'Early models often had two handles,

'but the single-handle design dates from the early 1700s.'

David thinks this pair, made in the early 1930s,

may pour another £40 to £50 into our coffers.

While David and Betty carry on searching,

I'm curious to find out more about our host, Amanda.

So, tell me about some of the jobs that you've done.

Well, I started out doing some modelling,

then got married and had my daughter, who's now 30,

and helped my husband for a little while,

while continuing to model,

and sort of went into event organising

and arranging parties, which I'd done for a long time anyway,

and eventually ended up doing adult nannying.

Is that a bit like being a chaperone?

Sort of. It's more of a social calendar,

making sure they're where they're supposed to be on time,

no unpleasant photographs are taken of them,

they don't get caught out doing something they shouldn't do.

So, what sort of people did you chaperone?

-It must have taken you all over the world.

-It has.

I had to live in America for a while.

I looked after Clinton for a couple of years,

doing social calendars and bits and pieces for him.

-Bill Clinton, as in the former president?

-Yes.

-Was he president at the time?

-No. He had just stepped down,

and he was doing an ambassadorial role.

I've looked after heads of state.

I've looked after members of the royal family.

-You've looked after some really interesting people.

-Yes.

It's just different now. It's different. I've done that.

-Been there, done that.

-So tell me a little bit about Dylan

and how comes you look after him.

He's been brought up in an extended family unit,

and he has the benefit of that. My father's here,

so he gets his knowledge. He's got myself and his grandfather.

He sees his parents. He's got his aunt and uncle next door.

He's got cousins. It's a fantastic environment for a child.

Is that why you've got involved in the school side of things?

Yes. In a community like this, so small,

it's essential that you have schools,

or else the community doesn't survive.

The pre-school feeds the main school,

and if the pre-school was to go, the main school would not survive,

so raising money to keep the school going

is part of what I'm dedicating myself to do at the moment.

'I'm certain Amanda's community spirit will be greatly appreciated

'by the local school. So let's see what we can do to help!'

Talking of spirits, David thinks these three liqueur glasses

probably date from the first quarter of the 20th century,

because the inter-war years brought far less demand

for hand-blown glassware, with such elaborate silver decoration.

They should do well at auction, and raise our total by £40 to £60.

With five items found, we still have a long way to go,

but already Amanda stands to make around £240.

She's declared nothing is out of bounds,

so David's been keenly eyeing up yet more family treasures.

Aha! Now, Betty, are we allowed to sell the family silver?

That was my aunt Sarah's.

Oh, was it? Tell me all about it. Tell me what you know.

She had a shelf, and these little bits of silver.

-And did she use this, then?

-No, I don't think so.

It's more than an ornament, because it did have a function

-when it was made, didn't it?

-Mustard pot?

Mustard, preserves... Could be anything at all.

Let me have a look at it. I've got my eyeglass here.

I do absolutely adore silver.

-So do I.

-Hold the spoon, because that doesn't belong,

but we'll put it with it. Let's have a look at the hallmarks.

We've got JH, which I think is John Hines.

Um...

There's no other hallmarks, Betty. That's a bit of a problem.

-Isn't there?

-Have a look. See you've got the JH there?

-Yeah.

-Naturally, a British hallmark should then follow on.

-You should have the...

-Yeah, the lion...

The place of manufacture, an anchor for Birmingham,

and then a date.

Well, I can date it to probably the late 19th century,

-but where are the hallmarks?

-Worn off?

-Or isn't it silver?

-Ah.

-Is it British silver?

-Even if it was a Continental imported piece,

and JH is the importer, they would have import marks,

a 925, a stamp from London, that kind of thing.

They're not there. British hallmarks aren't there.

Now, there is a law, I think, that says

that any piece of silver below 7.8 grams or thereabouts

doesn't need to be hallmarked, but that's really unusual.

The embossed decoration is 19th century. It's got a repair there.

-Yeah.

-That handle's been off, hasn't it?

So there's going to be problems with this,

because the auctioneer will probably sell it as white metal

because of the ambiguity over whether indeed it is silver.

Now, I would bet that it is silver, but it's up to the dealers

in the auction to decide whether it is or not.

So I don't think that's going to do much more than 30 to 50.

-I think that's OK.

-Can you make that decision?

-Yes.

-On your head be it, then. You've said yes. Come on.

SHE LAUGHS

Betty's offered a generous helping towards our total

with that preserve pot. But will the bidders realise it's a bargain?

No further bidding on £20. Shall I sell it? All done?

Last chance. At £20 and gone... 22!

-We're going.

-25. 28.

And 30? Says no. At £28...

All that's to come, but back at the rummage,

Amanda remembers another piece of silverware in the lounge.

The coffee pot was made in Birmingham

in the streamlined style of the early 1930s.

The hallmark dates it as 1933,

and David has valued it today at a rather smart £100 to £200.

'That's a big step towards our grand total,

'but Amanda has another heirloom to show David upstairs,

'which has the potential to do even better.'

What about this? This is surplus to requirements.

I was wondering why you had this piece of furniture in your bedroom.

Well, it's my underwear drawer, actually.

-HE LAUGHS

-It makes a good underwear drawer,

-but you know what it's called.

-I think it's a chinois.

-Chiffonier.

-Oh, chiffonier.

-Very close.

-Chiffonier. OK.

-But, of course,

it does really belong downstairs in a dining room.

Now, what on earth has gone wrong there?

My grandson unfortunately broke it. We do have the piece.

-How does that affect it?

-It will affect it.

With furniture, you can get away with some repairs,

as long as they're honest and well done,

so if we send this to auction, stick it on. Bung it back on again.

And in the crack, put a little bit of brown wax,

so it might look like it's an old repair.

People are very forgiving with furniture.

So, solid mahogany, really well constructed.

It's a good Victorian piece, dating to about 1817, 1818.

So it's as early as that. It's got brass gallery top,

good figured mahogany, it's solid, it's got turned and fluted columns.

It's got everything going for it.

Nice fielded panels down here. Now, look at the cut of the wood.

Can you see the way that they've cut the mahogany

so that it causes a flame? Quite a posh thing.

Then you open the doors, and it sort of loses the plot.

-Yeah. It doesn't look right.

-Not quite.

I don't know why they've fronted the drawers in a basic pine

and stained it to look like mahogany.

Potentially, Amanda, at some point in its life

it's been sent back to the cabinet maker's and altered,

because when you open the doors of a normal chiffonier,

you'd find shelves. So now we see drawers -

very practical, very useful, but they could have been added later.

A dealer's going to ask that question and it will affect value.

OK. So, what do you think the actual value is?

I don't know if you know, but antique furniture

-has gone off the boil in the last few years.

-Yes, I understand.

However, there is definitely a comeback.

So I will put a broad valuation on this thing.

In auction today, I think 200 to 400.

-OK. It's worth what it's worth.

-That's the right attitude.

-You happy?

-Yes.

-Two to four. It's going to be interesting.

Come on. Let's continue.

If Amanda can make that honest repair David suggested,

that little cabinet could be worth over £200.

While David carries on searching elsewhere,

I want to learn more about Amanda's family and her village life,

so settle down in the oldest part of the house.

-So tell me, roughly how old is it?

-About 400 years.

OK. Obviously it's got bigger over that,

-to accommodate a larger family.

-Yes.

-But originally... Is this the oldest part?

-Yes, yes.

Um, this room was two,

and a tiny little kitchen, and two bedrooms upstairs.

No bathroom. My grandmother and grandfather lived here

with 13 of their children.

How did they manage with 13 children?

They all had to have their jobs. They all had to work.

The older ones were working in the woods,

-being bodgers.

-Now, what's a bodger?

It's not somebody that messes up a job.

It's a gentleman that had a pole lathe

and he made chair legs for the Wycombe chair industry.

Um, 1930s, '40s, '50s and '60s,

that's all there was in Wycombe - furniture firms.

-So, did your family have connections in that industry?

-Yeah.

My father, he started off in a tin shed,

then he had a proper little factory.

He made nearly all the chair legs for the industry in Wycombe.

It's an amazing history, isn't it? And what about you?

-Do you enjoy this house?

-Oh, yes.

-What is its attraction for you?

We've got a fantastic community spirit here.

On Friday evening, all the families take their children to the pub,

and whether it's sort of six o'clock, seven,

until about 8:30, the whole village turns out.

Kids get to learn how to behave, really.

You're obviously long-established here.

-Are you the oldest family?

-We're the founding families.

-There are a couple.

-Yes. There was the Ricksons,

which we are a member of, and that's our main name.

Then there were Jameses, Ridgleys and Floyds,

four names that really started the village off.

So it's quite important to you, keeping the family here together.

Oh, I wouldn't move.

I've lived here. My parents lived here.

I like my village. I like my corner. I wouldn't move.

-You like your family.

-Oh, I do like my family.

THEY LAUGH

Quite right too, Betty! Whilst we've been chatting,

our expert, David, has discovered this mantel clock,

which used to belong to Amanda's great-aunt,

who was a nurse for Queen Victoria.

It's made from ivory and brass inlay,

dates from the 1920s or '30s,

and might dial up another £50 to £100 towards our total.

Next, David sets a bit of a challenge.

Amanda, I'm going to turn the tables on you.

Come here.

Tell me everything about this chest of drawers.

Well, um, it belonged to my great-aunt Bette from Devizes,

who was a nurse, and she used it as a medicine chest.

There was a key, and...and it was always locked.

-They were all kept in here.

-Well, of course,

because that's the whole idea of this chest,

to lock away very important things.

So it is a Wellington chest,

and it's called that because of this locking mechanism.

But it's a great system. One lock locks every single drawer.

It's a good, stout piece of British furniture.

Date-wise, mid-Victorian, 1870,

around that, made out of solid English oak.

Sometimes, I think because of the Wellington connection,

people think they're campaign pieces

or something an army officer might take on campaign in the field,

or a wealthy merchant might travel Europe

and have his manservants carry his Wellington chest.

Well, they did, but generally those campaign pieces

would have big grab handles on the side,

-and I bet it's very heavy, isn't it?

-It's very heavy.

Now, look at the construction. Let's just see if it's original.

-It is. It's oak-lined, as well. Good sign of quality.

-OK.

When this was built, it was a good thing.

Nice hand-cut dovetails, original turned handles,

which is all absolutely fine.

-But you don't have the key.

-It's somewhere in the roof.

-OK. We can be a bit forgiving there.

-OK.

Valuation - I think 75 to 150.

Right. Now, I thought it would be more.

It should make more money. But we have to put a tempting estimate in

to get the dealers and the private buyers interested,

-and it might make 200. Are we going to send it to auction?

-Yeah.

-Good.

-Excellent.

-Let's go and find the others.

OK.

'Our search is drawing to a close,

'but there's just time for a couple more treasures.'

Amanda carefully lifts this tureen from its cubbyhole.

It was part of a dinner service belonging to her grandmother,

and only brought out on special occasions.

Amanda and the other children were always afraid of breaking it.

There are several accompanying pieces from two separate sets -

some Losol Ware in the Cranford pattern,

and some Doulton Burslem, from around the 1890s.

Together, all this crockery could dish up between £50 and £80.

Before winding up our day here in Buckinghamshire,

Amanda has one last special timepiece to show our expert.

David, what do you think about this?

-Mmm! What do YOU think about this?

-I think it's lovely.

-I think it's gorgeous too.

-Good.

-Tell me about it.

My mother bought it for my father about 25, 30 years ago.

-It's always been very special to the place.

-And to you?

-Yeah, to me as well.

-And how old do you think it is?

I have no idea, but I think it's Art Nouveau-ish.

You've just stolen my thunder there,

because it is not just in the style of,

it's period Art Nouveau, so it dates to about 1905,

very organic, very, very stylish,

and that decoration there is actually marquetry,

and so it's not painted - it's cut into the wood

using brass, what looks like fruitwood and shell.

Very clever. You just run your finger across that.

Oh, right! You can feel the edges.

So, you wind it once every eight days?

-No.

-You're very naughty.

-I polish it, though.

-That's all right,

-but you need to wind it once a week. Got to keep it working.

-OK.

Looking at the face, the retailer's name has been rubbed.

You can't make that out. But just below, you can see Keswick.

So it was sold in about 1905, the northwest of England,

and that's where it started its life. A very interesting thing.

-Worth 100 to 150. Not a fortune. What do you think?

-Wow!

-Is that a good wow or a bad wow?

-It's a good wow.

Really? I think that's cheap for this clock,

-but that's just what they make.

-OK.

-Shall we call the others in?

Yeah. Betty? Lorne?

Come on.

-Ah, hello!

-What do you think of that, then?

Very, very pretty. Have you put a price on that yet?

-Oh, down to money, Lorne!

-Yes, as ever.

-We need to make this money, so...

-100 to 150.

-Oh, that's good, then!

-That's great!

-Did you think it might be worth that sort of figure?

-Yes.

Oh, you're very confident. We wanted to raise £700, didn't we,

for this playground equipment and also the wall,

so do you think we've come anywhere near that?

-I'd think so.

-And what about you?

-I hope so. We better had.

Well, the value of everything going to auction comes to...

£845!

-Wow!

-That's excellent!

And that's taking the conservative lower estimate.

So if there's a bit of excitement on the day,

hopefully it'll make a little bit more.

We've thoroughly enjoyed our day with Amanda and Betty.

Together we've unearthed some very desirable items to sell,

and the local school will really benefit from Amanda's generosity.

At the auction, I'm expecting the whiff of a bargain

in the shape of our silver coffee pot

to lure some early bidders.

We'll be hoping it'll deliver £100 to £200 for our total.

Mind you, they might be more tempted by Amanda's delicates drawer

in the shape of the modified and repaired Victorian chiffonier.

We'd really like to see it support our cause,

perhaps for a comfortable £200 to £400.

But if the bidders fancy something heavier,

they can get a load of this Wellington chest,

previously belonging to Amanda's great-aunt and made of solid oak.

We're expecting it to carry off £75 to £150 from the auction.

Still to come on Cash In The Attic,

what you gain on the swings...

-£200!

-Wonderful!

-Absolutely brilliant.

..you can lose on the roundabouts.

-Unsold. I'm sorry.

-The world is bonkers, isn't it?

Real shame.

Let's see if it all evens out by the last fall of the gavel.

It's been a while since we met Betty and Amanda

at their very picturesque Buckinghamshire home.

They wanted to raise £700 for home improvements

and to help the local community, so we've brought their items here

to Chiswick auction rooms in West London.

Let's just hope that today the bidders are feeling very generous

with their wallets.

It's always interesting to get in early to the auction

and see what's on display.

Amanda and Betty are bidding a final farewell

to that beautiful silver goblet,

and all their other family heirlooms dotted around the saleroom.

-Good morning, ladies!

-Good morning!

You look fantastic. Did you coordinate this morning?

-No!

-Red and black?

-No.

Well, you look lovely. That's not really relevant, of course.

That is also very lovely. How do you feel about selling that today?

I'm happy for it to go. It's going to a good cause,

so, yes, it's time to get rid of it.

-Have you put any reserves on anything?

-Yes.

I've gone for the lowest on most of them, cos it is for charity.

If they don't sell, will you take them home?

I'd prefer not to take them home, but if I have to, I will.

-It's a risky one.

-There are two types of reserves.

One is a flat reserve, so if you said a £100 reserve,

the item has to get to £100.

The other is the auctioneer's discretion,

so we give him discretion, 10% leeway,

-cos

-£10... Yeah. I agree.

-Better to have 90 in the pot

-than none at all.

-And David's picking up the difference, is he?

-HE LAUGHS

-Cheeky!

What a good idea!

I'm sure she's only joking about David making up for any shortfall.

As it happens, Amanda has opted to put a reserve on the items,

so we take our positions as the first lot goes under the hammer.

It's one that Betty found - that silver preserve pot and spoon,

sadly missing those crucial hallmarks,

but it could still shine at around £30 to £50.

The hallmarks have either been rubbed or they are non-existent.

The only way you can describe it is white metal,

but it is silver. I think anyone with any experience

will spot it as being a silver item.

What shall we sell this? Start me at £30, somebody.

£20, start me. £20? £20 I'm bid.

And two I'll take now. I'm bid at £20. Two now.

At £20. No further bidding on £20? Shall I sell it?

All done? Last chance. At £20 and gone. 22.

-We're going.

-25. 28. And 30?

-Says no. At £28 to my left, then.

-Come on!

Your bid, at £28. At £28 and done. 30. Thank you.

-Oh!

-32.

-Yes!

The lady's bid at £30. I'll take two now.

Selling at £30, on estimate.

-Yay!

-£30.

-Just in.

-Sadly not £50.

-No, but I did say 30 to 50,

so you can't get any money out of me off this one.

-You're all right this time.

-You're safe.

-You're fine this time.

OK, David, she's let you off,

since £30 was indeed the lowest estimate,

and so we have our first result.

Next is the brass carriage clock,

which Amanda believes came from her grandfather's huge house in Devizes,

where she holidayed as a child.

Will it raise the estimated £50 to £100?

And start me £50, somebody.

£50, start me. £50 is bid. Thank you. I'll take five now.

-At £50. Take five. Are we all done, then? A maiden bid.

-Oh, come on!

-At £50. Shall I sell it?

-No!

Last chance, then. At 50 and gone.

DAVID GROANS

-50. It's still in estimate.

-Yeah.

-Are you happy with that?

Well, we wanted some extra money from him!

-But she can't. It's sold.

-Actually, no, I am,

cos I did say I thought it would go for the original...

-As long as you're happy, I'm happy.

-Oh, yeah! Yeah, yeah.

Just matching the lowest estimate of £50.

The bidders aren't exactly getting carried away, though, are they?

Let's see if this smart mid-19th century tea caddy,

also a legacy from that posh house in Devizes,

can deliver David's estimated price of £30 to £50.

They used to make big money. People would collect them.

-Gone off the boil slightly...

-Is that a joke?

No. A very bad one, non-intentional.

But it should do well, could do well.

Nice mother-of-pearl escutcheons. It's a nice thing.

For this tea caddy, start me on estimate. £30.

£30, start me. £20.

-Oh!

-£30 I'm bid, and two I'll take now.

Ridiculously cheap at £20. 22, thank you.

25, madam. 28. And 30.

32. 35.

-At £32.

-Oh, come on!

At £32. Are we all done? Last chance. Selling at £32 and gone.

-Oh, well.

-It doesn't seem a lot, does it?

-Well, it's sold, hasn't it?

-It did sell.

-It's all going to a good cause.

-Yeah.

Well, the bidding was slow at the start there,

but eventually we got £32 for the tea caddy,

just £2 above our lower estimate.

Gravy boats arrived in Britain in the late 17th century,

inspired by dining habits from across the Channel.

I wonder whether these 1930s models

can travel beyond our estimate of £40 to £50.

Start me £40, somebody.

-£40 I'm bid.

-Straight in at 40. Good.

At £40. 45, thank you.

50. Five. 60. Five.

Says no. Thanks for the bid. £60, then. I'll take five.

Are we all done? At £60 and selling.

-That's all right.

-£60.

-No, that's really good.

-Brilliant. There you go.

-Excellent.

Well, that's better, isn't it? At £60,

£10 beyond our higher estimate,

it's all good news for Amanda's cause.

Next under the hammer is her great-aunt's stylish travel clock,

another family heirloom from the big old house in Wiltshire.

David hopes it will garner another £50 to £100.

They had very good taste, down there, your family, didn't they?

-They certainly did.

-It should do well.

Let's keep our fingers crossed.

The Mappin & Webb clock with the eight-day movement,

and what shall we say on this one? Start me at £50.

£50. £40.

-Come on.

-Someone bid me £40, surely. At £40, I'm bid.

And five I'll take now. No competition at £40?

Am I going to sell it at £40? Last chance. And gone at £40.

I'm astonished. Astonished.

Well, that was disappointing. At £40,

that was £10 under our lowest estimate.

'I wonder if we're ever going to reach Amanda's £700 target.

'As we approach the halfway stage, our sixth lot today

'is this heavy Wellington chest.'

It's a fine-quality oak, still with its lockable drawers,

in which her great-aunt, a nurse, used to house all her medicines.

-75 to 150?

-Yeah.

-Still seems quite cheap.

-It is very cheap.

But again, they are cheap.

But you can only value it based on what's going on in the market.

It's so cheap that someone could take that

-and paint it white if they really wanted to.

-No!

-Stop it. You can do that.

-Awful!

-No, it isn't,

-cos it's recycling.

-Well, I'm going to make sure

this one doesn't go to some heathen who's going to paint it white.

True.

-I'm already bid here at £200.

-What?

-Whoa!

-Well, of course.

Somebody appreciates it and isn't going to paint it white.

-250. 260. 270.

-Brilliant!

280. 290. Says no at £280.

Good Lord!

290. 300. And 10.

320. 330. 340. 350.

360. 370.

-380. 390.

-That's fantastic!

-Whoa!

400. 410.

At £410.

-410?

-Take 420 now. At £410.

We're all done. Good price, I think, at £410,

and selling. No further interest in the room, then.

Yes!

£410, and not a white-paint pot in sight!

-Thank you very much.

-Sold to the painter and decorator.

He won't be by the time I've finished with him.

-He won't be touching that.

-That's fantastic.

Way beyond our top estimate, and at £410,

I'm pretty certain the buyer won't be painting it white.

THEY LAUGH

For the halfway stage, Amanda's target to help the local pre-school

now seems well within our reach.

For the time being, have you any idea how much we've made?

-You wanted £700, didn't you?

-I've not been counting.

-No? Betty?

-We must be creeping up.

-Do you think so?

-I think so.

-We've crept up quite a long way.

-We've got £622!

-Really?

-All that? Wow!

-Wow!

-Wow.

-That's without anything else.

-That's very good.

-So, we've got a bit of a break.

David, there's something you wanted to look at.

-Shall I show you?

-No, because it'll be a piece of brown furniture

-that you want to paint white. I just know it.

-After you.

Well, from lovely Victorian furniture

to something rather more alarming.

-David!

-You've heard of people with a forked tongue, haven't you?

-Check that out.

-I don't know quite what to say about this.

It leaves me speechless. Obviously it's the Alien.

Does it remind you of an old boyfriend?

No. It just reminds me of a load of old nuts and bolts,

and when you look at it, it is a lot of nuts and bolts.

It is exactly that. Made up from old motorbike parts.

But isn't it clever? You remember the Alien, don't you?

Yes, but who in their right mind suddenly thinks,

"I'm going to make the Alien out of old motorcycle parts"?

They do them very well, though.

They also make other movie, sci-fi figures as well.

And these sell... It's the big money.

£1,800 is the estimate, but I've seen them make an awful lot more.

I've got one in my living room. Surely you've got one as well.

No, I haven't, but up in Clacton there is a house,

and at the entrance of the house there is one of these

-that's even bigger.

-Outside?

-Outside.

That's my house.

-Oh, is it your house?

-I've got one inside as well.

David, you and I need to have a bit of a chat.

-Really?

-Yes. I'm very worried.

Our expert clearly loves this nuts-and-bolts rendition

of the classic movie monster. But will the bidders be so keen?

Scrap-metal figure of an alien.

Just what you've always wanted in your living room.

Is it worth £500?

-Has the opening price frightened them off?

-650.

Not sold.

There's no prize, sadly, for this Oscar-winner today.

If taking your belongings to auction is an alien concept to you,

and yet we've inspired you to try, please bear in mind

that auction houses charge various fees,

such as commission and VAT. Your local saleroom will advise you

on any extra costs. There's plenty still to come on Cash In The Attic,

but first there's that dinner service,

made from two sets - some Losol Ware and some Doulton Burslem,

together expected to raise £50 to £80.

£40...

and we'll see where it goes. £40, start me.

Opens at £40.

-Come on.

-No interest at £40? What am I to do?

No bids at 40, then. Not sold.

-Not sold.

-We should paint it white, shouldn't we?

THEY LAUGH

Well, you can't win 'em all.

Amanda will have to take all that crockery back to Buckinghamshire.

Will the bidders show more interest in the ornate silver wine goblet,

one of her mum's favourite possessions from her grandmother's house,

priced modestly today at £80 to £150?

It's a fantastic, fantastic goblet.

It's obviously been well loved and well looked after,

which is very important. I can't see it going for anything less

than the higher end of that estimate, to be honest.

Such a lovely piece. Let's see.

I'm already bid at £100. I'm bid at 110. I'll take 120 in the room.

120. 130. 140.

150. 160. 170. 180.

Bid at £170. I'll take 180 now. £170.

-180 there. 190. 200.

-Come on! This is more like it!

At £180. 190 there. 200. 210.

200 with me. We're all done. We're selling at £200.

And gone.

-£200!

-Wonderful.

-Absolutely brilliant.

That's marvellous. £200 is well above

David's original come-and-get-me estimate.

To follow, we have the set of three silver-decorated liqueur glasses,

which, despite some minor damage, could still make £40 to £60.

Start me at £30. Tenner apiece.

At £30, start me. £30 I'm bid, and two I'll take now.

A maiden bid of £30, and two now. At £30.

-Right. £30.

-Come on! Don't sell!

-At £30 and gone, then...

-Ouch!

-£10 under what we wanted. Are you OK with that?

-I'm fine.

-There was only three of them.

I know. £10 each, I suppose.

That's a bit below our estimate, but another welcome addition

to our grand total.

The next piece has some sentimental value to Amanda.

It's priced at £100 to £150,

and it's the beautiful Art Nouveau period mantel clock

with marquetry detail.

Where did this one come from?

This was something that my mum and dad bought together.

It was almost like an anniversary thing,

and actually it's been my favourite clock in the house.

-So this is one...

-This is more emotional for me.

And for 240A I've got one, two, three bids,

the highest being £80, and five I'll take now.

At £80. Are we all done?

-Come on.

-85. Thank you.

90 I'll take now. At £85. I can just about sell it.

90 there. 95.

-Says no. At £90, then.

-This guy's coming in here.

Selling at £90. £90.

£90, and you've sold it.

Auctioneer's discretion, 10% either way.

-Are you OK with that?

-Yeah. Just a bit emotional.

Is that because we didn't make the money?

No, no, no. It's on the money.

It's just the fact that it's letting go, really.

I'm sure Amanda's parents would approve of their charming clock

going for £90 towards a very good cause at the local pre-school.

Onwards and upwards, and it's more of the family silverware.

This time it's the 1933 coffee pot,

estimated at £100 to £200,

and so far today our silver's doing well.

Now, I'm going to say, family in Devizes again?

-No.

-Oh! Where's this from, then?

-Again, something my mother purchased.

-Right.

But you're OK about this being sold?

Yeah. I've never really... It's not been important to me.

It could be important to our target figure, so let's see.

Lot number 250A, a silver kettle hallmarked 1933.

We're told 16oz approximately here of silver.

For 250A, this silver kettle. Start me £100, somebody.

£100 I'm bid straight off the bat, and 110 I'll take now.

110 there. 120. 130. Thank you very much for the bid.

I'll take 130 in the room. 120. Are we all done at 120?

And selling.

Well, it looks like that buyer got a bargain.

We've done well today, and it's time for our final item.

Amanda will have to find a new home for her lingerie,

as her mahogany cabinet goes under the hammer.

It's had some modifications in the past,

and Amanda's made a great job of an honest repair,

as suggested by David.

Nonetheless, we're hoping it'll fetch between £200 and £400

in our sale.

-This is a beautiful piece of furniture.

-Chiffonier.

-Well, that's a much nicer term.

-It is.

At £200, start me.

At 160 if you like. Let's see where it goes at 160.

At 160. Any bids here at 160?

No-one's bidding me at 160. Shall I pass the lot?

Again at 160.

OK. Unsold.

-Unsold. Sorry.

-The world is bonkers, isn't it?

-It really is.

-Real shame.

Oh, well, it's not to be.

Amanda's dainties can go back in her drawers.

But how has this affected our overall total here in Chiswick?

Time to reveal our grand total.

OK, that's the last of our lots.

Now, obviously you wanted to raise £700, didn't you?

-Do you think we've done it?

-I think we're coming near.

I hope we have.

How would you feel, then, if I told you

that, actually, you have made

-£1,062?

-Ooh, wow!

Amazing! Really?

And that's without the sale of the chiffonier.

Brilliant.

-1,000...

-And 62.

-1,062.

-You're joking.

-Shall I say it again?

ALL: £1,062!

Brilliant.

As a result of the auction, Amanda has enough for repairs to her wall,

and to make a terrific contribution

to launch the playground fund for the village pre-school.

She also has come to a very generous decision.

I've decided to put all my plans on renovation at home on hold

and just concentrate on the pre-school.

I was at pre-school here. My daughter was at pre-school here.

My grandson's been at pre-school here.

The start that he got before moving on to the main school

was magnificent, and we're hoping to raise enough money

in the long term to build a play area

that will enhance their imagination through play.

The children have part of the village green to themselves

with some plastic equipment, but Amanda hopes to raise £10,000

to install something more permanent and more adventurous.

Something that's eco-friendly, something that's sustainable,

something that engages them,

makes them play with their imagination.

THEY CHATTER

Cash In The Attic has been a great deal of fun.

I've raised money for a good cause,

and it's just been a nice experience.