Scott Cash in the Attic

Hello and welcome to the show that helps you raise money by rooting out

the valuables in your home and selling them at auction.

Today, I'm on my way to meet a lady who wants to turn her treasured possessions

into a Transatlantic trip.

Coming up on Cash In The Attic, our expert uses his charm on our well travelled host.

-I've been admiring your small drawers.

-Oh, really?

-Steady on!

There's some good news about an exotic heirloom.

-Wow! That's brilliant!

-Yes.

-Fantastic.

And at the auction, there's a surprise in store for one unsuspecting item.

-Block his ears.

-He didn't hear that!

Be there when the hammer falls.

I'm in South London to meet a lady who's called us in

to help her meet her faraway friend in style.

Diana Scott has enjoyed a particularly interesting life.

Brought up in India on her father's coffee plantation,

she returned to the UK in the 1950s

and went on to have a successful career in the civil service.

She met her husband in the early 1960s

and they went on to enjoy 40 years of happy marriage.

Her husband passed away ten years ago,

but Diana still travels widely and loves to play a few hands of bridge with her friend Joan,

who'll be helping on today's rummage, so while our expert Jonty starts the hunt for collectibles,

I'll go to meet our intriguing host.

-Ah, ladies. Look at you two, thick as thieves!

-How are you how are you?

-Nice to see you. You're Diana, yes?

-Hello.

-And who have we got here?

-This is Joan.

-Hi, Joan.

-You've been dragged along.

-Not exactly dragged.

Go on then, Diana. Why have you called us in here?

I want to flog a few things, so I can get to New York to see a friend of mine,

-an ex-office colleague who's not well.

-Have you been before?

-Yes, several times. I love New York.

-Do you?

-Absolutely. How did you two meet?

-Was it anywhere as glamorous as New York?

-No Balham!

-Close!

-Close.

-How much are you hoping to raise?

-800 upwards.

-I want to go on the QM2.

-Oh, wow! So two grand would be better. Lovely.

-Three, if you like. I could have a private cabin.

-You could take this lovely lady with you.

-Of course.

Yes, and if one shares a cabin, it is cheaper.

Single cabins are extremely expensive. They're more than double.

You're talking yourself onto the trip already!

The good news is that I come as a duo as well.

Not as formidable, us two, though. I've got Jonty Hearnden with me.

An expert. He's already started. The plan is you go upstairs and carry on and we'll meet Jonty.

-Lovely.

-OK.

'Given Diana's travel experiences, I'm hoping we'll find some pieces of international interest,

'as we search through her comfortable and orderly home.

'Talking of comfortable and orderly, Jonty Hearnden has spent years appraising collectibles,

'so if anyone can spot a prized piece, he's the man that can.'

-What did I tell you, look, we have an expert.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-How are you doing? Nice to see you. I've been admiring your small drawers.

-Oh, really?

-Steady on!

He's a smooth talker!

What have we got here?

This particular chest of drawers is actually almost 200 years old, which is quite amazing.

-What's the history?

-It belonged to my grandparents

and has been handed down through the family.

-Did you know how old this was?

-No, I didn't.

I had no idea it was that old, no. I'm very pleased to hear that.

It's so nice to see a smaller piece,

but they're made and constructed in exactly the same way

as you would do a regular bedroom chest of drawers.

But this bow front was very popular in the early part of the 19th century.

And the timber, of course, used is mahogany,

which was very popular in the 19th century, all the way through

the 19th century, mahogany was more often than not the timber of choice.

Is it in good nick?

There are a few chips

and breaks where you would tend to see them, so it's really round the side of the drawers

and often the handles as well, but having said that, it's pretty good condition.

The way you can date it clearly is not so much

the shape of the furniture, but just look at the handles.

-I see.

-These ebony handles here, these are Regency handles.

-Oh.

So early 19th century.

So circa 1815 to 1830, this piece of furniture would have been made.

The question is, we need to get this lady to New York, what's it worth?

The value of this particular piece will be between 150 and maybe £250 at auction.

-Oh, good.

-You're not smiling. You are now!

-Are you happy with that?

-Oh, yes. That's good.

-Absolutely.

-It's CHEST a start!

-Yes.

-Sorry. I'm here all day.

'Nothing wrong with a well placed pun.

'As our rummage really gets under way, Joan finds this piece,

'in the form of a Victorian mourning brooch, which belonged to Diana's grandmother.

'Queen Victoria wore a mourning brooch after the death of her husband, Prince Albert,

'which led to them becoming very fashionable.

'Some brooches even contained locks of the deceased person's hair.

'This brooch is made of jet, which is essentially fossilised wood,

'and is very collectible.

'Jonty estimates a hammer price of £30 to £50.

'And it looks like Joan is really on form today.'

-Jonty, look what I've found.

-What have we got here?

-I think they're tea caddies.

-Are these for sale, do you think?

-I think they could be.

-OK.

What we're looking at is a Chinese tea caddy.

Looking at the decoration, this has all been turned on the lathe

and also hand carved.

If you look at the top, this white metal top, this is not silver.

It gives us some kind of indication of age.

Can you see how clean and fresh that looks?

This tea caddy was probably made any time after the Second World War.

-It's not particularly old. What have we got here?

-This is a metal one.

Yeah, OK. Again, if I turn that upside down,

can you see that's rather fresh looking?

It's not that old. Where would Diana have got these from?

Hong Kong, I expect.

Britain and China have this very long history with tea.

Tea comes from China, but in order for us to acquire tea

in the early 18th century, we supplied them with opium.

There's this history, this combination of China,

the Orient, tea, and to have Chinese caddies as opposed to English made caddies

sometimes is a little bit special.

Value wise, we're not going to get a very high figure for them,

but put the two in together and we'd get roughly £40 to £60 for them.

Do you think that's going to be OK for Diana?

I think actually that every little helps. She'll be delighted.

Pop those down on the table for safe keeping and off we go.

£40 won't get Diana out of the Solent, let alone halfway across the Atlantic,

but it's still early.

There does seem to be a decent range of pieces on offer.

I spot this elaborate silver plated jardiniere,

which Diana brought back from India, plus this Indian copper tray

she picked up at auction in the early 1960s.

In many parts of India, this sort of silverware was often given

to the bride as part of her dowry, or used in religious ceremonies.

It's a decent lot

and Jonty's hoping for a very attractive £60 to £80 at auction.

Whilst our expert carries on the good work, I've noticed an intriguing image.

This is a fantastic photograph.

My husband used to be an animal photographer.

-Wildlife, he did, mainly.

-Why did he enjoy animals so much?

He was very good with animals. He really should have been a vet.

So what's the story behind this little fella?

This one was found in the middle of a road down by the roundabout.

-This squirrel?

-Yes, when he was a baby. He fell out of the tree.

He leapt out of the car, picked it up and brought it home.

Of course, it was just about that big, four inches.

He fed him every two hours with a little pipette of warm milk.

And we kept him and he used to sit in my dressing gown pocket

and travel all round the house with me.

-Really? In the dressing gown pocket?

-Really! So he was hand reared.

He stayed with us for three years. Oh, he was great fun!

And then, one day, there was another squirrel out the back there.

It had no hair on its tail, a dog had got to it. It looked more like a rat.

We called him Rat Tail. And he took him off nightclubbing, obviously.

He used to spend nights away from home.

And one day, he disappeared altogether. Couldn't find him.

-The weeks went by and Malcolm was really devastated.

-I bet.

I was sitting here and there was a little tap on the back window

and I looked out and there was Peanuts.

I said, "Peanuts!" He kept going towards the back door.

I went to let him in. I shouted up to Malcolm, "Peanuts is back!"

I went out.

Sitting on the table in the garden was another little baby squirrel.

-He'd brought his little son or daughter to show us.

-Wow!

-By the time Malcolm got downstairs, he'd disappeared again.

-Oh, no!

Took his offspring and disappeared. Wasn't that lovely, that he should bring his offspring to see us?

-What a fantastic story! And you've got this to remember him by.

-Yes.

-He was adorable.

-What do you think your husband would make of you coming on Cash In The Attic?

-I don't know. He always said my back view was the best!

-Nonsense.

-He always did.

-He was better with animals.

He wasn't telling the truth.

I think we should carry on with this rummage and get you to New York.

-Yes.

-We should squirrel yourself, eh?

-Oh, yes! Right.

-Let's go.

'It's been lovely talking to Diana and I think she's a very determined lady.

'It's not long before she spots this ornately carved oak chair.

'It belonged to her grandparents and has been in the family for over a century.

'Oak has been a desirable material for furniture making for many hundreds of years

'because it's so hard wearing and has a very attractive grain.

'This 19th century example should make us

'a comfortable £60 to £80 at auction.

'We seem to be turning up some fascinating pieces.

'Hardly surprising, when you consider our host is such an interesting lady.'

-What have you got in your hands there?

-It's an inkwell.

-Isn't that beautiful?

-It is rather lovely.

-Whose was this?

It came from a great uncle of mine, Henry Capali, on my father's side.

Yes, it's come down through the family. I think it's rather lovely.

We've got an inscription just here on the lid.

It says "HC with love from MKM".

HC will definitely be Henry Capali, yes.

Looking at the decoration on the outside of this inkwell,

it looks silver, but the decoration is not English. Where is it from?

I think it must have come from India.

-Henry Capali was a coffee planter out in India.

-If it is Indian, it won't have an hallmarks.

If you look round the rim, there is no hallmarks on there at all.

That makes sense. I think that's really beautiful.

-And it also looks like it's in very good condition.

-Yes.

-Have you used it, yourself?

-No, I haven't. I think my mother did.

And my father. But I haven't used it as an inkwell.

What I find interesting about inkwells, they have been fashionable for a long period of time.

But by the 1880s, the invention of the fountain pen came in,

so you didn't need an inkwell.

You'll find good quality inkwells will probably be

more 19th century, rather than into the Edwardian 20th century period.

I think this is charming and there's a lot of people

who would love to still have this on their desk.

-They're more decorative than anything else. Is this an object you might think of selling?

-Yes.

-I think I'll have to part with it.

-I think it weighs against it that it's not British,

because those hallmarks give it absolute clarity that it's silver.

In an auction catalogue, you can't call it silver.

It would be called white metal. But everyone will know it's silver.

It's good enough quality.

-At auction, that's £60 to £80 of anybody's money.

-Ooh, good!

-Happy about that?

-Yes. I'm pleased with that.

-I'll look after that very carefully. Let's carry on.

-Right.

We've seen a lot of £60 to £80 estimates from Jonty today.

But if Diana's going to make it to New York, let's hope

the inkwell brings in a good deal more than that on auction day.

£50. £30, bid at £30.

32, £30.

32, 35, 35, 38.

Looks like the bids are flowing, but will it reach that estimate?

As our rummage continues, there's plenty of evidence of an Indian theme.

Not least this magnificent beast. I don't mean Jonty.

-One elephant for you, sir.

-Let's have a look. He's rather handsome.

-He is.

-Gosh! There's lovely movement to him.

You see a lot of elephants around, carved elephants, that have

come from Asia on the high street and the quality is just not there.

-If I could compare the two, there would be a marked difference.

-Lots of lovely detail.

That's what you're looking for, be it something carved out of a solid piece of timber,

or a sculptural piece of work, maybe a bronze.

It's the detail. Have a look at the top and the detail on the back.

And on the front, and even the floor that it's standing on here. All hand carved.

-What about the fact that it's tuskless?

-That can be replaced.

You could even have some fresh timber there, bleached timber.

A restorer could easily put that back in.

-Presumably, he's an Indian elephant.

-Yes. Came from Ceylon.

Yes. The Indian elephant are a subspecies to the Asian elephant.

Different to the ones you would see in Thailand.

They're taller and thinner. But they all have smaller ears than the African elephant.

But the detail is all there. Look at that. It's so tactile.

-We'll put it in the auction sale.

-Diana is willing to part with it, but for the right price.

-So what's it worth?

-I would value him between £50 and £80.

-Aha.

-Are you happy with that?

-Yes. That would be nice.

-Time to say goodbye to the item.

-Ah! Ciao bella!

Yes, ciao indeed!

Not quite the hefty price we'd really like, but a useful amount towards our £800 target.

Let's hope it makes its upper estimate and beyond.

I know Jonty takes great pride in his appearance, so it's fitting

he finds this silver dressing table set, including mirror,

brushes, comb and matching compact, all the things he uses daily!

It belonged to Diana's mother and has a Birmingham hallmark, which dates it to 1929.

These were popular at a time when grooming

and dressing was a much more elaborate process than it is today.

There's plenty of avid collectors of sets like these, and even though it's not in the best condition,

Jonty still gives it an attractive estimate of £100 to £150.

This is an oasis of calm in the centre of London.

All you can hear is birdsong. It's lovely.

You've led a pretty eventful life.

I suppose I started travelling when I two and a half.

That's when I went out to India. We were backwards and forwards.

I just love travelling,

I love meeting people and I loved languages at school.

-That was my forte.

-What was life like in India?

-Oh, I loved it.

You didn't have to think for a second.

-What was so special about it?

-Oh, well... The climate.

We lived on an estate, so there was plenty of space and I had all these pet animals.

Spotted deer, a lamb, ponies. My father had a beautiful Arab stallion.

Beautiful.

I had to go to boarding school

because there were no schools near the estate.

I was a bit of a tomboy.

So I'd be caught sliding down a marquee or climbing a tree.

If I got out twice in a term, I was very lucky.

I didn't care for that so much, but otherwise life was good.

So, cruising to New York. Why cruising?

-Have you been on a cruise before?

-No. Never.

-A first for you. Fantastic!

-That's why I'm so keen to do it.

-You're really looking forward to it.

-Really, yes. And seeing my friend.

-Are you going to go for a long time?

-No, I like to get back to old Paddy.

You've got to come back for Paddy the dog. You can't stay for too long. After New York, where's next?

After New York? I had an offer to go to Mongolia, but it's not on my hit-list.

If you want to get to New York, we should carry on with this rummage and find some treasure somewhere.

Usually under the bed or in the cupboard! Let's go.

'It's great to see Diana's passion for travel and new experiences is still very much in evidence.

'Joan is keeping busy and soon spots this pair of Buddhas,

'brought back from China by Diana's uncle in the mid 1920s.

'Made of ivory, figurines like these would have been made

'for the tourist or export market and appear to be representations

'of the fat or laughing Buddha, rather than the more formal pieces.

'International trade treaties mean that only ivory

'worked before 1947 is legal for sale at auction.

'Happily, this pair can make the journey to the sale room at £50 to £60.

'Our rummage continues and it looks like the ladies may well have it covered.'

-Yes, lovely.

-Have you found anything for me?

-What do you think of this?

That's very beautiful. We're looking at a shawl.

-Whose shawl is this, or was this?

-It came down from my grandmother.

It was a christening shawl, my mother was christened in it.

-I believe I was christened in it.

-It seems to be in very good condition.

But looking at the style of these flower heads,

this looks like it's probably a good 100-years-old.

-Oh, yes! Must be.

-Isn't it beautiful? What do you think, Joan?

It's beautiful, the work that's gone into it. It's fabulous!

-Is this usually packed away?

-Yes, packed away in a drawer.

What about selling it?

Obviously, this is a large part of your family history here.

I've got no-one to pass on to, so I think someone else might like to enjoy it.

-And maybe another christening will take place in it.

-Who knows?

The great thing about this shawl, this lovely cream colour, you could wear this at almost any occasion.

It's a very commercial piece.

And the detail here is really lovely,

and a lot of people will greatly appreciate that.

No holes, anyway.

Well, that's what I find so incredible,

because items like this are so susceptible to moth damage,

-you know, insect infestation.

-Yes.

So, because you've kept it in such good condition,

this single item is going to be worth between £50 and £80.

Oh, that would be nice. Yes, good.

I think that's a really lovely quality,

definitely worth putting in the auction, so, well done.

Right, let's go and find some more stuff, come on.

Diana is definitely focused on that trip to New York,

the question is, will we make enough to get her there?

With our rummage winding down, Jonty spies another oriental piece,

in the shape of this glazed Chinese jardiniere.

It hasn't come that far though,

because Diana picked this one up at £20 at a London restaurant in the 1950s.

In Chinese tradition, the elaborate dragon decoration represents abundance,

prosperity and good luck,

let's hope we can count on some of that

when it goes to the auction at an estimate of £50 to £80.

Jonty, what do you think of this necklace, what do you think of that?

I say, look at that.

Does this have a story?

Yes, it was given to my mother by the Maharaja of Mysore at his Durbar,

and all the ladies who were invited got a special present,

and she had that, I think it's rather lovely.

-So, do you remember any grand events yourself?

-Well, I remember that.

So, you remember being at this very event?

Oh, yes, I did, it was absolutely splendid,

all the elephants were trooped on, followed by the horses and the dogs,

2,000 dogs, imagine, in packs of four coming on with all the things.

It was absolutely marvellous, then the fireworks were set off,

and the fountains in the Mysore Palace gardens all came up,

all different colours, and it was absolutely a night of magic.

What I would have paid to have been standing there, observing the whole thing.

Yeah, it was great.

Because all one sees is those rather faded black and white images

of those very grand events.

-It was a privilege just to have been there.

-Oh, absolutely.

Yes, what's so exciting about this necklace as well

is that we've got a real sense of weight here.

We have these lovely, stylised peacocks

-with their plume of feathers.

-Yes.

We also have all of this enamel work,

the drop on here, on the front, it's absolutely beautiful.

So, would you consider selling this now?

Yes, I would, it just sits in a box now.

How much do you think it would be worth?

Well, let's consider value for a moment.

-Can we gatecrash this party, please?

-You can, have a look at this.

You know he's got something up his sleeve when he's presenting something like that.

So, go on, Jonty, how much?

We have a bit of an issue

because we can't tell of the quality of the gold.

We also have the added issue of the fact

that we have the enamel here as well, so, that's extra weight.

So, this is a bit of a guesstimate at the moment,

but I'm hoping that in my hand here we are looking at between £300-500.

-Wow!

-Well, that's brilliant.

-Oh, it is.

-Yes, yes.

Fantastic, so, Diana,

how much were you hoping to raise for this cruise to New York?

Oh, 800...more.

I can tell you, if we take Jonty's lowest estimate on all your items,

we're looking at making something in the region of £1,000.

-Ooh!

-That's good, isn't it?

-Lovely.

-That would be great.

-We can all go.

Wehay, yeah, why not? I fancy a weekend in New York, be lovely.

Girls, it's been absolutely fantastic,

really enjoyed meeting you, and we'll see you in the auction.

-It's been really nice to meet you both.

-Yes.

-Really, a great thrill.

So, Jonty's not sure as to the quality of this necklace,

but he's sticking his neck out,

and giving it a very optimistic valuation.

In any case, it's a beautiful item to end our fascinating day.

And there's been no shortage of pieces which should

create some interest in the sale room. That mahogany chest of drawers

has been passed down through Diana's family,

and is almost 200-years-old.

At £150-£250, let's hope it will furnish our travelling fund.

At £60-£80, we're hoping that inkwell

which belonged to Diana's father

will sell with quite a flourish.

And that silver, 1920s dressing table set should prove a real beauty

when it goes under the hammer at £100-£150.

Still to come on Cash In the Attic, is it a disastrous day for Diana?

£38.

Hasn't paid for the taxi fare yet, has it?

Or will she be sailing in to the sunset?

We made it.

It's got you closer to New York, that's why we're here.

Find out when the final hammer falls.

Well, it hasn't been that long since we spent a lovely day

with Diana and Joan rummaging in their house in South London.

Now, Diana would, ideally, love to cruise her way to New York, wouldn't we all?

She's brought her stuff to Chiswick auctions,

let's hope the bidders get on board.

Well, this is always a busy saleroom attracting a variety of bidders,

there's plenty of interest in today's lots,

so I have high hopes for Diana's pieces when they go under the hammer.

Sadly, Jonty's not able to make it today,

so, the ladies will have to put up with me.

Hopefully, I can bring a little of Jonty's effortless gravitas and style.

Yeah, who am I kidding?

First things first though,

and Diana's decided she can't bear to part with that Chinese jardiniere,

decorated with dragons, we found it in the rummage.

So, we're one down on the lots already.

Then there's that lovely Indian necklace,

given to Diana's mum by a maharajah, no less.

Which seems to be causing auctioneer, Tom Keane,

a touch of concern.

You're looking very stern, why did you want to see me about this?

-Aled, we've got a problem.

-I don't like it when you say that.

Oh, well, listen, do me a favour, smell that, will you?

-Smell it?

-Smell it.

And tell me what you smell.

Why do you want me to smell... OK, I'll smell it.

I'll do what you want.

-What can you smell?

-Metal.

-Alloy?

-Yeah, alloy.

Gold doesn't smell.

-That does.

-Yeah.

There's no smell at all off gold,

so if you ever smell an alloy, sort of, sniff, like you're doing now, it's wrong.

So, it's not gold, it's a mixture of brass and tin,

and it's junk jewellery, £40 or £60.

Uh, easy mistake to make?

Easy enough, but not many dealers know,

trust your nose because the smell gives it all.

Gold doesn't smell, end of.

So, I suppose I've got to go and tell the ladies the bad news?

You can give the bad news, not me.

-Thanks so much.

-Good luck.

Yes, typical of Jonty not to be here when I need him,

let's hope Diana and Joan aren't too upset with the news.

It's an easy mistake to make, apparently,

but I've just learnt a fantastic lesson from the auctioneer here,

and he said that gold doesn't actually smell of anything.

Except perfume if you've got it on your arm.

But we're looking at probably £40 to £60.

-Oh.

-But I'm still confident that we will get you on your cruise, OK?

-Are you?

-Yes, I am.

-Oh, oh!

I love the fact that Diana's got such a keen sense of humour,

but I know she really does want to make that trip to New York.

Fingers crossed, our other items will more than

compensate for the news about the necklace.

As the auction gets underway, our first lot is a rather sombre piece,

that Victorian mourning brooch, if you remember,

crafted from jet and made fashionable by Queen Victoria.

OK, first up then is the Victorian brooch,

tell us the story about this again.

It was my great grandmother's, it's just been handed down.

We're hoping for £30-£50,

that will get you an inch closer to New York.

We'll be all right, keep smiling. Let's see how we get on, here it comes.

£30 for it?

£30 for it? £20 for it?

A bit at £22, 25, 28?

28, 30, 32, 35, 38?

£35, see you at £35, are we done?

At £35, cheap at £35, selling, all done?

35, your bid at 35.

Hey, that's good, Jonty said £30-£50,

and we're £5 over his lowest estimate.

-Wow.

-We're up and running.

Well, I think that's a pretty good start to the auction,

and hopefully a good omen for the rest of our day here.

Next up are those mid 20th century Chinese tea caddies,

which still contain some old tea leaves.

There's definitely a market for pieces like these,

but are the right collectors in the room today?

You found this, didn't you?

-I did.

-A good find.

Um, tell us about it.

They were given to me by my boss,

I did a reception for him at his house,

he was pleased at the way it went, so that's my little caddie.

You're so pleased with them that we're giving them away.

Well, hopefully not giving them away, we're hoping for £40 to £60.

Let's hope.

For the two, £40, should make more, £40?

£20?

Bid at £20, 22? Bid at 20, I need 22, at 25?

25, 28, 30?

30, 32, 35,

let's see, 35, 38, 40?

42?

We're bid at £40.

Bottom of the estimate bid, at £40, at £40, £40, selling, all done?

£40, again, our lowest estimate, but not bad.

I'm glad you're smiling.

I'll be weeping in a minute.

Well, those caddies did, at least, manage their bottom estimate,

which has got to be a good thing.

I wonder if our next lot will leave us feeling a little more serene?

Those two ivory, seated buddhas

were bought by Diana's uncle in the mid-1920s.

We're hoping at least one bidder

will contemplate our estimate of £50-£60.

For the two, £50.

£30?

I'll work it down, £30, £20?

A bid at £20, at 22 there,

25? 25, 28? 28.

30? 32? 35? 35.

38? 40? 42?

42, 45? 48? 50?

Says no, a £48 bid there, 48, I'll take 50, 48,

all selling and done, 48 and going. Definitely out? Gone, £48.

£48, that's two pounds below Jonty's lowest estimate,

but still, still good.

Marvellous.

I love you, you've always got a smile on your face.

Yeah, she might be smiling,

but Diana's definitely underwhelmed by that result.

I'm hoping that the intricate Victorian shawl warms things up for us a little.

Next is the shawl, this was your grandmother's christening shawl, wasn't it?

Yes, my grandmother, great grandmother, actually.

My grandmother had four kids so they all had it.

Are you going to be sad to see it go?

Not really, it's only lying in a drawer.

-£50 to £80.

-I hope it gets it.

-Yeah.

Otherwise you might take it home with you.

£50 for it? £30 for it? It's worth that.

-I'm bid at £30, £30 for the antique shawl.

-Come on, £30, please.

32, 35, 38, 40?

See you at 38, take 40, 38, is that it?

At £38, seems cheap at £38,

I'm going to sell it at £38 and going. All done at £38? Finished.

£38, how do you feel about that? Oh, you're gritting your teeth, oh, no.

Are you sad about that?

-It hasn't paid for the taxi fare yet, has it?

-No, it hasn't.

It was fantastic, the work on it, um,

-you didn't put a reserve on it so it's gone to somebody for £38.

-We didn't.

They've got a bargain, to be honest.

I think it's a pity that such a beautiful item should be sold for so little.

It's always worth putting a reserve price on your best items,

enabling you to remove them from the sale

if they don't reach the price you want.

Now, Diana's carved, teak elephant, minus his tusks,

is a lovely reminder of her time spent in India as a child.

So, the elephant up next, the tuskless elephant,

it's got the sort of look on its face saying, please, don't sell me.

Don't say that, you'll make me feel so sad.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

-It is a beautiful elephant.

I found it, I remember, on that shelf, and it weighs a tonne.

-I know.

-Just like the elephant itself.

-Will you be sad to see it go?

-Really, yes, but, times must.

-And also, New York beckons.

-Yes.

Right, let's see how we get on.

Start me, £50 for it.

Start me, £30 for it? Not a hand moving, £20 for it?

Oh, no.

£20, £20, start me at £20 for it? A £10 note for it?

Oh!

Look at that, five hands go up now, bid at ten there, 15? 15, 18, 20?

At 18, have I got 20 in front of me?

20, thank you. 22?

Room full of people, we've got £20,

I'll take 22, at £20, you've got it.

Block his ears.

Shush, you didn't hear that.

Poor Jumbo, sadly, we did hear that very disappointing result

for such an impressive piece of craftsmanship.

Well, will our next lot do any better?

It's the ornate, Indian, silver jardiniere and Persian tray,

another memento from Diana's many travels.

You don't mind giving it up?

I do mind, but, you know, I'm on my way out, so...

Don't say that, you just said you were full of positive energy,

now you're talking about 'on the way out'.

Well, let's hope that the jardiniere and the tray are on the way out.

Hope so, I really do.

No flagging now, ladies, come on, positive energy.

Start me £50, please, bid at £50,

55, say 55? 55,

60, 5, 70, 5, 80?

5, 90? 5?

100, 110, 120, 130, 140?

130, bid at one 130 in the door, at 130, are we done?

Who else wants it? At 130 going to go, all done at 130 and gone.

Good riddance!

It's got you closer to New York, that's why we're here.

At last, a result we can really be pleased with,

that's a decent £50 over Jonty's upper estimate, phew!

Well, the first half has certainly given us food for thought,

with many items unable to reach their lower estimates.

But as we hit the halfway stage of the auction,

where do we stand with our target?

OK, ladies, half time and all is not lost, don't look like that.

I can tell you, at the moment, we've raised £311.

Oh, yes, just about get on the M4 then.

We're just outside Southampton at the moment.

-Yes.

-I'd say all to play for, wouldn't you?

I think we need to have a little break.

I think so, a stiff gin.

Maybe a stiff gin, I think I'll come and join you,

and we'll come back in about 15 minutes or so.

-All right.

-OK, lead the way, Joan.

Well, we're certainly keeping our fingers crossed our fortunes improve in the second half.

If you'd like to have a go at selling some of your items at auction,

do bear in mind that various fees do apply, including commission.

Charges tend to vary from one saleroom to another,

so it's always worth checking in advance.

So, as we reconvene for the sale, it's still all to play for,

with this 19th century silver carved inkwell,

which Diana inherited from her father.

So, ladies, let's hope that the writers are in the room now,

because it's the inkwell up next.

-Did you ever use this?

-Once, when there was ink.

Really? Who did you write to, do you remember?

It wasn't a love letter, please, don't tell me that.

No, it was to Winston Churchill, I admired him very much,

he didn't reply, but...

£50? £30?

I'm bid at £30, 32? Take 32, at 30.

Thank you, 35, 38, 40?

40, 42, 45, 48,

50, 52, 55, 58?

60? I'm bid at £58 and I'll take 60, you're saying no,

at £58, all done and going, all done at £58 then. £58.

-At least you're making some money.

-Mmm.

-You wanted to de-clutter, and you've done that.

-Yes, yes.

-And you're still making money.

-Mmm, how much have I made so far?

I'll let you know later, that's jumping the gun.

That's another of our pieces to come in under its lowest estimate, but only just.

Let's stay positive though,

because we still have some decent lots to go under the hammer.

Jonty didn't have to comb the house too much for our next item,

this Birmingham made silver dressing table set was used by Diana's mother

in the late 1920s, but will its quality be reflected in the price?

£100.

£50?

I'm bid at £50, £50, take 55, 55, there, 60 there, 65?

70? 5? 80? 5? 90? 5?

100? And ten? 120?

£110, bid at £110, 120, 130?

New bid at 120, 120, take 130, are we done this time?

All done at 120? Gone.

-£120, that's more like it, isn't it?

-That is more like it.

-Bang in the middle, Jonty said 100-150.

-Oh, good.

-Good.

The boy done good.

He certainly did, that's really a really healthy result,

could things finally be picking up for us?

Will this cautious crowd be as enthusiastic for our next lot,

the finely carved, high backed, Victorian chair.

It's been in Diana's family for over a century.

You could have sat in that instead of this.

-I know, it's beautifully cared.

-Absolutely stunning.

-It's solid, it takes my weight.

-Shush.

£50 for it.

£50 for a good chair? £30 for it?

-Oh, God.

-Bid at £30, £30, give me £32?

At £30, another bid at 32, 35, 38, 40.

42? 45? No?

Your bid at £42, take 45? Selling at 42, are we done?

Last chance, 42 for the chair, and gone, £42.

-A bit disappointing that, wasn't it?

-Yes, it was.

Worry not, darling, it's not as bad as a bad marriage.

You'll get over it.

Yeah, there we go, it's not as bad as a bad marriage.

I suppose that's one way of looking at it, Joan,

but we will need to make over £300 to meet that £800 target.

There are just two items left to sell.

This lovely, early Victorian, bow fronted,

miniature chest of drawers, belonged to Diana's grandparents,

and is a fine piece of mahogany craftsmanship.

Beautiful piece of furniture.

Beautiful isn't it, yes?

If I remember rightly, Jonty said it was in good condition.

Yes, it's in very good condition, yes.

We're hoping £150-£250, and if we don't get it,

you could well be going to Newark, not New York.

Let's hope not.

I've got two on the telephone waiting to bid,

and people in the room as well, start me at £150, here it goes.

At 150, the bid's there at 150, 160, 170, 180, 190?

200, and 20,

240, 260, 280, 300?

320? 320, 340,

360, 380, 400?

420, 440?

460? 480, 500?

520, 540?

560? Now at 540, bid at 540, madam, do you want to bid now?

Bid is at 540, yours if you want it.

Going to go once at 540, twice, and third time at 540, it's sold.

-Yes!

-£540.

We were after £150 to £250 and you got £540 for it.

-Lovely.

-What did I tell you?

Your positive energy has gone into the room.

We're on the way, Di, we're on the way.

Thanks to that telephone bidder, Diana's got herself

a fantastic sale. I think we really are back in the running,

or should that be cruising, for that trip to New York.

This auction has been quite the rollercoaster ride,

and our final lot seemed almost destined to stall before we'd even begun.

We now know it's not gold,

but I wonder if that ornate, Indian necklace,

which was a gift to Diana's mum from an Indian maharajah,

will enchant the bidders. Let's find out, shall we?

We're saying £40 to £60, who knows,

wouldn't it be great if it went for £300 to £500?

It would be a miracle.

Start me, £40 for it?

£40 for it, nice necklace? £30 for it?

Bid at £30, 32, 35?

35, 38?

38, 40? 42,

45, 48?

48, 50, 55.

60, 5, 70, 5, 80, 5,

90? 5, 100? 110?

120? 130?

120, bid at 120, the bid at 120, take 130, at 120, are we done?

Last chance, it's going to go at 120, the bid's there at 120.

-That's great news.

-Great news, yes.

-Wow.

-What's Jonty's address?

He's homeless at the moment I think.

I'm not surprised.

Well, I think Jonty's forgiven,

that's a much better result than we could have imagined,

and another very attractive amount to go into the cruising kitty.

After all's said and done, though,

just how much have Diana's varied selection of pieces managed to make?

Well, glamorous ladies, I can tell you that your work here is done.

We've had a few ups and downs, haven't we, it's fair to say.

You're hoping for £800 to take you on that cruise to New York.

You've actually raised £1191.

-Yay!

-Wow, yippee!

One trip to New York.

And I must say, it's been lovely meeting you,

and it's been lovely meeting you as well.

-And very nice meeting you.

-It's been a pleasure.

-Absolutely.

I've had lots and lots of fun,

and you have a fantastic time in New York.

-Thank you very much.

-Send me a postcard.

-We will.

-Definitely.

-OK.

Diana's voyage is a year away,

but she's so excited about her auction earnings,

that she couldn't resist popping down to Southampton with friend Joan,

to sample a taste of what's in store on the majestic Queen Mary II.

It's absolutely massive, I think, you know,

it's going to take me a week at least to find my way round to different places.

But it's gorgeous.

She's just the largest floating hotel that one can imagine.

But has their fact-finding mission been a success?

Absolutely, I can't wait,

so, next year, I just hope to be on here again,

we're looking forward to it very much indeed.

Well, I'm ecstatic that Diana's antique items have done so well for her,

and we wish her all the best on the high seas, I'm rather jealous.

If you want to raise money for something special,

and you think you've got the antiques scattered around your home,

then why not apply to be on our show?

Just fill out the form on our website. Good luck to you.

We'll see you next time on Cash In the Attic.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd