Episode 14

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0:00:02 > 0:00:05Hello, I'm Eric Knowles, and we've got an array of objects here.

0:00:05 > 0:00:09Some of which we'll show you how to restore and make money as well.

0:00:09 > 0:00:12It's all here on Restoration Roadshow.

0:00:18 > 0:00:23We are delighted that today's Restoration Roadshow is coming from Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire,

0:00:23 > 0:00:29birthplace of one of the country's greatest prime ministers, Sir Winston Churchill.

0:00:29 > 0:00:33This majestic building, built to commemorate the first Duke of Marlborough's victory over

0:00:33 > 0:00:39the French in 1704, was an inspiration to Churchill throughout his life.

0:00:39 > 0:00:43He once said, "We shape our buildings. Thereafter, they shape us."

0:00:45 > 0:00:52The Restoration Roadshow is already attracting hundreds of people, bringing an eclectic mix of tired

0:00:52 > 0:00:57and injured family heirlooms and the questions they really want answering are, how much are they worth?

0:00:57 > 0:01:00£5,000, without any question.

0:01:00 > 0:01:02Should they be mended and cleaned up?

0:01:02 > 0:01:06I think the teapot and the coffee pot deserve to be restored.

0:01:06 > 0:01:09- 35, 40.- 'And how much money will they fetch?'

0:01:09 > 0:01:12- 850.- 'If they go to auction.'

0:01:12 > 0:01:15At two-six, once, twice, all done.

0:01:17 > 0:01:22Coming up, an 19th-century print of an epic boxing match, marred by ink stains.

0:01:22 > 0:01:25And there's a surprise in store for its owner.

0:01:25 > 0:01:29Charles Turner, believe it or not, was a local lad.

0:01:29 > 0:01:31Do you know where his mother worked?

0:01:31 > 0:01:32I imagine...

0:01:32 > 0:01:35Quite right. She worked at the palace.

0:01:35 > 0:01:39A well-travelled Victorian wooden trunk that has seen better days.

0:01:39 > 0:01:41But is it worth saving?

0:01:41 > 0:01:43We thought it might need chopping up.

0:01:43 > 0:01:46That would be awful. That would be terrible.

0:01:46 > 0:01:50And we get a chance to marvel at the splendours of Blenheim, and discover

0:01:50 > 0:01:54how careful restoration keeps this 300-year-old clock ticking over.

0:01:54 > 0:01:56I'll set it going for us.

0:01:56 > 0:01:59PARTS CLANG AND WHIRR

0:02:07 > 0:02:11At the heart of Restoration Roadshow, our expert restorers already

0:02:11 > 0:02:16have their hands full tending to items that, quite frankly, look just one step away from the bin.

0:02:20 > 0:02:24Among the vast array of collectibles arriving today is a fantastic

0:02:24 > 0:02:2819th-century sporting print that's managed to fight its way back home.

0:02:29 > 0:02:35It's got bruise-like ink stains, but was a fortuitous find for its owner, Brian Murray.

0:02:37 > 0:02:43So, should I deduce that you're a collector of pugilistic art from this engraving?

0:02:43 > 0:02:48Certainly not, because I am not. I've got no interest in boxing at all.

0:02:48 > 0:02:50So next question, why have you got it?

0:02:50 > 0:02:53Because I like going to the occasional auction,

0:02:53 > 0:02:57and if there something to be bought for a bargain, I might go for it.

0:02:57 > 0:03:00I paid, honestly, £5 or £6, nothing more than that.

0:03:00 > 0:03:04So, this, stands you virtually at nothing.

0:03:04 > 0:03:06Absolutely nothing, yeah.

0:03:06 > 0:03:10It's an interesting print in many respects

0:03:10 > 0:03:14but this print originally dates to the 1820s.

0:03:14 > 0:03:20And the interesting thing is, the engraver, and his name's down here,

0:03:20 > 0:03:23Charles Turner.

0:03:23 > 0:03:25Charles Turner, believe it or not, was a local lad.

0:03:25 > 0:03:31Originally from Woodstock just down the road, Charles' mother even worked at Blenheim,

0:03:31 > 0:03:37but thanks to his talent, he went on to have an illustrious career, winning commissions from the King.

0:03:37 > 0:03:40So Brian certainly seems to have picked up a bargain.

0:03:40 > 0:03:46The print immortalises an epic boxing match between Jack "The Prime Irish Lad" Randall

0:03:46 > 0:03:48and Ned "The Out-And-Outer" Turner,

0:03:48 > 0:03:54fought in 1818 at the Five Courts in London's Haymarket.

0:03:54 > 0:03:58In its day, it would have been as big a match as Ali versus Foreman.

0:03:58 > 0:04:03But what I want to know from you is how much you think it might be worth.

0:04:03 > 0:04:08I don't know, £50, 100, £150, on the right day, if the right person's about.

0:04:08 > 0:04:12Well, it does depend on it being in the right sale at the right time with the right people.

0:04:12 > 0:04:16And I'm also, I have to say, aware of the condition. It seems a bit sad.

0:04:16 > 0:04:19That is very true because it does need some work on it.

0:04:19 > 0:04:24As you can see, it's got some blue ink stains in various places.

0:04:24 > 0:04:29But the big question is, how much is it going to cost

0:04:29 > 0:04:31to get rid of these blemishes?

0:04:31 > 0:04:35But can the ink be removed without ruining the vintage print?

0:04:35 > 0:04:38Sounds like a task for our paper restorer, Louise Drover.

0:04:39 > 0:04:46Louise has treated everything from Turner and Gainsborough watercolours to priceless 15th-century books.

0:04:46 > 0:04:49But will Brian's print prove a tough opponent?

0:04:49 > 0:04:52Do you think you can get rid of those stains?

0:04:52 > 0:04:55Yes, it may be possible to reduce some of these stains, actually.

0:04:56 > 0:04:58And certainly improve it a lot.

0:04:58 > 0:05:02I would need to do some tests and see if they were able to be reduced.

0:05:02 > 0:05:04That's going to be the tricky part.

0:05:04 > 0:05:08Ink's designed to leave its mark, so her first challenge is to test out the stains

0:05:08 > 0:05:12to see whether she has got an easy or more complex ink to remove.

0:05:13 > 0:05:18The big question is, how much is it going to cost?

0:05:18 > 0:05:26Yes, probably to reduce this, it would probably cost in the region of £130-£140.

0:05:26 > 0:05:28OK. All right.

0:05:28 > 0:05:33Bearing in mind that it cost you nothing...

0:05:33 > 0:05:38Yes, I think I'd like to go along with that, Louise.

0:05:38 > 0:05:41- Louise, work your magic!- OK, I'll do what I can.

0:05:43 > 0:05:49Even in its current state, I think this 19th-century boxing print is worth around £100.

0:05:49 > 0:05:56The restoration to tackle its unsightly ink stains will cost between £130-£140.

0:06:03 > 0:06:06It's going to be quite a battle to reverse this clumsy, inky mistake,

0:06:06 > 0:06:11so Louise needs to take the print back to her workshop.

0:06:11 > 0:06:16But will she be able to make those stains vanish? And will the print prove a knockout at auction?

0:06:16 > 0:06:1860, 70...

0:06:20 > 0:06:24Coming up - While things are ticking along at the Roadshow, we find out

0:06:24 > 0:06:30how 300 years of restoration has kept this famous Blenheim landmark running like clockwork.

0:06:30 > 0:06:36And we discover how the greenhouse effect has taken its toll on an antique Chinese wine cooler.

0:06:36 > 0:06:40It seems like it's been in a very, very hot room where the polish itself

0:06:40 > 0:06:43has bubbled up to the extent that it's actually shrunk.

0:06:48 > 0:06:54What I love about the Restoration Roadshow is that you never know what might turn up next.

0:06:54 > 0:06:59Those forgotten heirlooms that owners have stashed away in their attics and garages,

0:06:59 > 0:07:02thinking that they were worthless, can be quite surprising.

0:07:02 > 0:07:05We've got a very old trunk here.

0:07:05 > 0:07:09This weathered wooden trunk belongs to Ray and Kathleen Kinch.

0:07:09 > 0:07:15It's clearly been used on a fair few journeys, but has it reached the end of the road?

0:07:15 > 0:07:19Looks like a job for furniture restorer, Tim Akers.

0:07:19 > 0:07:22He's one of our most experienced wood wizards.

0:07:22 > 0:07:28Give him a piece of William and Mary walnut furniture and he will work wonders.

0:07:28 > 0:07:31I like it already, I have to say.

0:07:31 > 0:07:33It's got great appeal.

0:07:33 > 0:07:34Let's have a look at it.

0:07:37 > 0:07:40Can you tell me something about it?

0:07:40 > 0:07:42We inherited it from my mother.

0:07:42 > 0:07:47And we asked the family if they wanted anything at the house and my son said, he would like it,

0:07:47 > 0:07:52- so, he had it, and it's been with us in our garage for a few years now. - Right.

0:07:52 > 0:07:54I love the lining on it.

0:07:54 > 0:08:01To have the original lining throughout the whole box is half its charm, I would say.

0:08:01 > 0:08:05The inside is as important as the outside.

0:08:05 > 0:08:08Date-wise, I would have thought it was about 1880, 1890.

0:08:08 > 0:08:12- As old as that?- Yeah, I think so, and the lining would sort of go with that as well.

0:08:12 > 0:08:15So, definitely a late Victorian chest.

0:08:15 > 0:08:20There's water marks running down the front there and it's terribly scratched on top,

0:08:20 > 0:08:24and of course the straps are pretty tatty, but they will come up very nicely.

0:08:24 > 0:08:27I like the fact that some of them are chipped on the corners.

0:08:27 > 0:08:29It shows it's had

0:08:29 > 0:08:32a good amount of use.

0:08:32 > 0:08:36That's lovely, Tim, but what's the value of this well-travelled trunk?

0:08:36 > 0:08:41- Have you any idea what it's worth in its present condition?- Not really.

0:08:41 > 0:08:47We were just talking when we were bringing it up to you and we thought it might need chopping up!

0:08:47 > 0:08:49That would be awful, it would be terrible.

0:08:49 > 0:08:53I think it's got great potential. We could...

0:08:53 > 0:08:56In its present condition I would say it's worth about £20.

0:08:56 > 0:08:58Because it is a bit of a state.

0:08:58 > 0:09:00But I think it will clean up well.

0:09:00 > 0:09:07We will just clean it and wax polish it and remove some of the water marks and the scuff marks

0:09:07 > 0:09:11and give it a good shine, which will cost about £40-£50.

0:09:11 > 0:09:15- Would that be OK?- That sounds good, yes.- You're happy with that.

0:09:15 > 0:09:19I would say, because of its size, because of the lovely lining inside,

0:09:19 > 0:09:23because of the label, between £100-£120.

0:09:23 > 0:09:27- That's pretty good, yes.- Very good. Much better than we thought.

0:09:27 > 0:09:30- Let's go ahead and do that, then. - OK, thank you, Jim.

0:09:30 > 0:09:35If Ray and Kathleen decide to sell it, in its current condition the trunk is worth about £20.

0:09:46 > 0:09:50Tim's scrubbed up and keen to help Ray's Victorian wooden trunk regain

0:09:50 > 0:09:54its former glory, but will he be able to give it a new lease of life?

0:09:55 > 0:10:01Coming up, those pesky ink stains are proving extremely stubborn for Louise.

0:10:04 > 0:10:09Can she defeat them and help the vintage boxing print be a big hit at auction?

0:10:09 > 0:10:15And our ceramics restorer, Roger, has some harsh words for DIY fixers.

0:10:15 > 0:10:17That's so typical

0:10:17 > 0:10:18of household repairs.

0:10:18 > 0:10:22The amount of glue that's been used. An absolute mess.

0:10:28 > 0:10:32What's great about our restorers' skill is that it encourages people

0:10:32 > 0:10:36to think differently about re-using their antiques and collectibles.

0:10:36 > 0:10:38Look at that. What a difference.

0:10:38 > 0:10:41Particularly when they see the quality and craftsmanship

0:10:41 > 0:10:43that went into creating them in the first place.

0:10:43 > 0:10:47Although many owners think their items are only fit for the bin,

0:10:47 > 0:10:50when they see what our restorers are able to do,

0:10:50 > 0:10:55they genuinely seemed thrilled to be able to give their possessions a second chance.

0:10:55 > 0:10:58Unbelievable. I could hug you.

0:10:58 > 0:11:02But imagine the incredible restoration challenges

0:11:02 > 0:11:07you have to face when you're dealing with heirlooms on a Blenheim Palace scale.

0:11:09 > 0:11:13One of the most precious treasures here is the 300-year-old tower clock.

0:11:13 > 0:11:20It's marked the passing of time for centuries and has been looked after by a succession of restorers.

0:11:20 > 0:11:23John Richards is its 21st-century custodian.

0:11:23 > 0:11:26This clock, it is locally called Big Ben.

0:11:26 > 0:11:30Actually, it's exactly twice as old as Big Ben.

0:11:30 > 0:11:32It was made in 1710.

0:11:32 > 0:11:36So that makes it 300 years old.

0:11:36 > 0:11:42It was made by Langley Bradley, who, in his time, was an extremely important clockmaker.

0:11:42 > 0:11:47He was a friend of Sir Christopher Wren's, and he made the clock for St Paul's Cathedral.

0:11:47 > 0:11:50This is indeed a very rare clock.

0:11:51 > 0:11:56This clock is actually called a birdcage movement because of the shape of it,

0:11:56 > 0:12:01if you look at it, it does look a little bit like a birdcage, if you use a bit of imagination.

0:12:01 > 0:12:04And what is so nice about it is the fact that they used to

0:12:04 > 0:12:10make things in a rather light way, and it has a nice fleur-de-lys motif on two of the bars.

0:12:10 > 0:12:15But the best of all is the turning on the steelwork, at the sides.

0:12:15 > 0:12:18If you look at that, it's absolutely magnificent.

0:12:18 > 0:12:21But after nearly 300 years of faithful timekeeping,

0:12:21 > 0:12:24this magnificent clock was showing serious wear and tear.

0:12:24 > 0:12:28I noticed at the top that the cables were becoming corroded

0:12:28 > 0:12:32and beginning to fray, which is a sure sign that they need replacing.

0:12:32 > 0:12:35When you consider that, on each one, there's a quarter of a ton weight, hanging,

0:12:35 > 0:12:37you certainly wouldn't want it to break.

0:12:37 > 0:12:41You can't use a ladder to get up there because there's no room for it,

0:12:41 > 0:12:45and there are all sorts of bits and pieces sticking out all over the place.

0:12:45 > 0:12:50The corroded cables, as well as spelling possible disaster,

0:12:50 > 0:12:53also meant the famous clock could have stopped.

0:12:53 > 0:12:57John, who's tended to the clock for over 40 years, had to shin up

0:12:57 > 0:13:04through the top of the tower and replace three cables of galvanised steel, each one 40 metres in length.

0:13:04 > 0:13:08It was an extremely difficult job to do and very dangerous indeed.

0:13:08 > 0:13:14He also added a yellow marker to the winding drum, so that when it's wound, twice a week, there's

0:13:14 > 0:13:20no chance of it being over wound, so the clock should run trouble-free for another 50 years.

0:13:20 > 0:13:21I'll set it going for us.

0:13:25 > 0:13:28MECHANISM CLANGS AND WHIRRS

0:13:29 > 0:13:36Looking after this clock and indeed the rest of the clocks at Blenheim, is something I'm immensely proud of.

0:13:37 > 0:13:42It's a lovely place to work and it's a great privilege and I don't take it lightly.

0:13:42 > 0:13:47I understand the responsibility of it as well, but I've enjoyed it immensely.

0:13:53 > 0:13:57Back at the roadshow, our restorers and already in top gear,

0:13:57 > 0:14:03putting their years of experience to good use as they treat a steady stream of rather sickly patients.

0:14:04 > 0:14:09Push it in, very, very gently, and that's nice and firm.

0:14:09 > 0:14:13I've applied a light coating of wax to this frame and it'll take out

0:14:13 > 0:14:16the tiny, little hairline scratches that are on there.

0:14:18 > 0:14:21Letty Wicks has brought in a Harvest Ware tea-set.

0:14:21 > 0:14:26Made by Royal Doulton, it was a popular range.

0:14:26 > 0:14:30But tea-sets are relatively few and far between.

0:14:30 > 0:14:33However, this particular tea-set has taken a knock

0:14:33 > 0:14:37and someone has attempted - in vain - to fix it.

0:14:37 > 0:14:42Can our ceramics restorer Roger Hawkins do anything for it?

0:14:42 > 0:14:48Roger Hawkins is a champion of ceramics and his skills have taken him to America and Hong Kong.

0:14:48 > 0:14:54He loves his pottery and porcelain and rarely turns away any piece in need of help.

0:14:54 > 0:14:58Certainly it would be around 1890 anyway, because you have...

0:14:58 > 0:15:00- 180?- About 1890.

0:15:00 > 0:15:04- Really? Oh. That's a surprise. - How old did you think they were?

0:15:04 > 0:15:06I thought they were... I don't know.

0:15:06 > 0:15:09'40s, '50s, something like that.

0:15:09 > 0:15:13- No. No. No.- It used to belong to my mother in-law and my husband

0:15:13 > 0:15:17had it with me for at least all my married life, 26 years.

0:15:17 > 0:15:21But because it's broken, what do you do with them?

0:15:21 > 0:15:25That's so typical of household repairs.

0:15:25 > 0:15:28The amount of glue that's been used.

0:15:28 > 0:15:31Absolute mess. It looks hideous, doesn't it?

0:15:31 > 0:15:33- Absolutely.- We can certainly improve the restoration on that.

0:15:33 > 0:15:39We'd have to dissolve all this old glue, clean the surfaces,

0:15:39 > 0:15:43before I can glue it back on again, and do a full restoration.

0:15:43 > 0:15:48So in this sorry state, is the tea-set actually worth anything?

0:15:48 > 0:15:51As a set, like this, with the three pieces,

0:15:51 > 0:15:56our valuer put the value at around £80 to £100.

0:15:56 > 0:16:00- Yes. - If the set were perfect, altogether,

0:16:00 > 0:16:05our expert thinks it would fetch somewhere in the £150 region.

0:16:05 > 0:16:10- Hm, well.- But as for the restoration, you're looking at a total cost,

0:16:10 > 0:16:13just for doing these two, of something around £120.

0:16:13 > 0:16:15£120.

0:16:15 > 0:16:17And the whole set is, you say...?

0:16:17 > 0:16:20It's worth maybe 150, 180.

0:16:20 > 0:16:27- Doing this invisibly, so that you wouldn't know the handle has been restored...- Repaired.

0:16:27 > 0:16:30That would probably be around £60.

0:16:30 > 0:16:32- Really? That much?- Yes.

0:16:32 > 0:16:36- More than the actual worth of one of the pieces?- Yes, sadly.

0:16:36 > 0:16:42Because the restoration cost is just labour.

0:16:44 > 0:16:45Optimistic, Roger.

0:16:45 > 0:16:49I think this-tea set is currently worth less than £60.

0:16:49 > 0:16:56But to undo the household repair and make it look new again is a big job that would cost around £120.

0:16:56 > 0:17:00And once fixed, the tea-set is unlikely to fetch

0:17:00 > 0:17:01very much more at auction.

0:17:03 > 0:17:09You might just as well sell it as it is, because there's no point spending that money on it.

0:17:09 > 0:17:12So what do you think you want to do?

0:17:12 > 0:17:16- What's your idea?- Well, I think

0:17:16 > 0:17:18we will sell it.

0:17:18 > 0:17:22It's just a lot of money to spend on them.

0:17:22 > 0:17:26This is a classic case of when restoration simply isn't worth it.

0:17:26 > 0:17:31It's easy to get carried away and think that making everything look perfect will increase its value.

0:17:31 > 0:17:35That's why an expert opinion is vital.

0:17:35 > 0:17:41I've think to restore it's going to cost £3,000, which is somewhat like the value if you were to buy it.

0:17:41 > 0:17:45- I would suggest that it's not worth spending any money on it.- Right.

0:17:45 > 0:17:47- It's going to eat away at the profit. - Yeah.

0:17:47 > 0:17:50So Roger's advice to Letty is save your money and pass

0:17:50 > 0:17:54the repair on to someone who may be interested in buying it at auction.

0:18:00 > 0:18:03The roadshow's attracting hordes of people eager to have their

0:18:03 > 0:18:08broken family treasures resurrected by our team of experts.

0:18:08 > 0:18:11Our specialist furniture restorer, Rod, has been

0:18:11 > 0:18:18cornered by Roger, who wants an expert to cast an eye over his ancient hexagonal wine cooler.

0:18:18 > 0:18:23Rodrigo Titian is a master furniture guilder and lacquerer.

0:18:23 > 0:18:29His decorative handiwork has graced the hallowed halls of many of London's finest palaces and hotels.

0:18:29 > 0:18:33And he loves reviving tired old pieces with his skilful touch.

0:18:33 > 0:18:36- You know it would have had a metal liner on the inside?- So I believe.

0:18:36 > 0:18:39Yes. And over the years that's been lost. What's the story behind this?

0:18:39 > 0:18:42Well, we don't really know anything much about the history.

0:18:42 > 0:18:45It's been in the family, as far as I know, for quite a long time.

0:18:45 > 0:18:49I thought it was Chinese, because it looks Chinese, but...

0:18:49 > 0:18:56Yes, I would say it's been made for the European market, so it's been made possibly in China,

0:18:56 > 0:18:58but for the European market.

0:18:58 > 0:19:02It seems like it's been in a very, very hot room.

0:19:02 > 0:19:06So possibly something like a type of conservatory,

0:19:06 > 0:19:10greenhouse type thing, where the actual polish itself has bitumened up.

0:19:10 > 0:19:14It's actually bubbled up to the extent that it's actually shrunk.

0:19:14 > 0:19:18Unfortunately, that's all over, so if we were to bring that back

0:19:18 > 0:19:21to a smooth finish, it would be very costly affair.

0:19:21 > 0:19:23Do you have an idea of its value?

0:19:23 > 0:19:29Seeing the condition, we thought it probably had very little value, and in fact we were thinking of taking

0:19:29 > 0:19:34it to the local antiques shop and depositing it there, if they would take it, and if they wouldn't,

0:19:34 > 0:19:38- take it to the second-hand or the charity shop.- I see, OK.

0:19:38 > 0:19:40I would say that,

0:19:40 > 0:19:46finished, you're looking at about £800 to £1,200 in value.

0:19:46 > 0:19:51- Unfortunately, the restoration costs far outweigh that.- Yes.

0:19:51 > 0:19:55As you can imagine, there's a lot of hours that would be spent on this to do it properly.

0:19:55 > 0:19:59In its current state, the wine cooler's worth £200 to £300.

0:19:59 > 0:20:05Full restoration would be a costly labour of love at £2,500 to £3,000.

0:20:05 > 0:20:07And once restored,

0:20:07 > 0:20:10it wouldn't make much more than £800 to £1,200.

0:20:10 > 0:20:15So Roger's decided simply to hang on to it.

0:20:17 > 0:20:22Coming up, Tim's using elbow grease and old-fashioned beeswax to give that tired Victorian

0:20:22 > 0:20:28trunk a good polish, something we should all do once a year to preserve our wooden furniture.

0:20:28 > 0:20:33But can Tim rediscover the beauty of this vintage travel piece?

0:20:36 > 0:20:41Our paper restorer Louise Drover has got a fight on her hands, too.

0:20:41 > 0:20:44Remember Brian Murray and his inky boxing print?

0:20:44 > 0:20:51Louise has retreated to her workshop to tackle the obstinate stains on the 19th century sporting picture.

0:20:51 > 0:20:55You've got these ink stains here. Looks like fairly modern ink.

0:20:55 > 0:20:58She's hoping that the ink stains will throw in the towel

0:20:58 > 0:21:01and chemically dissolve when she starts to treat them.

0:21:01 > 0:21:07Basically, we need to pull the ink staining through as quickly

0:21:07 > 0:21:12as possible without it bleeding through into the main body of the paper.

0:21:12 > 0:21:18She's using a polyester film to protect the rest of the print from the treatment.

0:21:18 > 0:21:23I've cut a small hole, the same shape as one of the ink stains.

0:21:23 > 0:21:26So that's lined up nicely.

0:21:26 > 0:21:30So I just need to introduce the vacuum, and just switch the pump on.

0:21:30 > 0:21:34The print is sitting on a special vacuum tray which is

0:21:34 > 0:21:39constantly sucking at the print, like a high-tech vacuum cleaner.

0:21:39 > 0:21:45I'm just painting this solution on, and it's being drawn through by this vacuum.

0:21:45 > 0:21:48She's using water with just a tiny amount of ammonia,

0:21:48 > 0:21:52in the hope that the solution will effectively bleach the ink.

0:21:54 > 0:21:58Next she tries with a slightly stronger solution.

0:22:01 > 0:22:09So I think that's the last application for a moment, so I'm going to leave it to dry out.

0:22:09 > 0:22:15Just so that it pulls the moisture through and I can have a proper look when it's all dry.

0:22:16 > 0:22:22If you compare it to the picture from an hour or so ago, the ink really is beginning to lighten.

0:22:22 > 0:22:27But will Louise be able to improve it further?

0:22:29 > 0:22:36Louise still has a lot of work on her hands to get this vintage boxing print fighting fit for auction.

0:22:36 > 0:22:40Will all her efforts pay off, and when it comes under the hammer,

0:22:40 > 0:22:42will it be a winner for owner Brian Murray?

0:22:48 > 0:22:50It's been a cracking day here at Blenheim.

0:22:50 > 0:22:53Our restorers have been reuniting owners

0:22:53 > 0:22:57with their heirlooms and showing off their transformation skills.

0:22:57 > 0:23:00Good gracious me.

0:23:00 > 0:23:02Gosh. Is this really mine?

0:23:04 > 0:23:08But what will owner Ray Kinch make of the beauty treatment to his Victorian travel trunk?

0:23:08 > 0:23:12Has Tim sent those difficult watermarks packing?

0:23:15 > 0:23:19There you go, Ray. That's the chest, all waxed up - cleaned and waxed up.

0:23:19 > 0:23:21- What do you think? - Wow, it looks marvellous.

0:23:21 > 0:23:25Really. I mean, the grain that come out on the elm and the different part on the pine...

0:23:25 > 0:23:28- It's fantastic. - It's come up really well.

0:23:28 > 0:23:32- Much better than I expected it could from when we brought it today. - Well, that's right.

0:23:32 > 0:23:36Before, its owners thought this trunk was only fit for firewood.

0:23:36 > 0:23:41Now it's got its lustre back and, thanks to Tim's special polish,

0:23:41 > 0:23:44it looks every inch the dapper Victorian traveller.

0:23:46 > 0:23:49The hinges and that have come up really well. Everything's fine.

0:23:49 > 0:23:53And it was right not to do anything with it because they look their age.

0:23:53 > 0:23:57- If you painted them they would have looked terribly false.- Yes.

0:23:57 > 0:24:00So it matches the rest of the...

0:24:00 > 0:24:02distressed but loved the look of the chest.

0:24:02 > 0:24:06Yeah, it was £20 when we started, so it's worth a lot more now, I hope.

0:24:06 > 0:24:12Yes, £50 to do it up and I'm sure you'd get £100, £120 possibly,

0:24:12 > 0:24:17and maybe more, because it has come to life and it looks lovely. Would you consider selling it?

0:24:17 > 0:24:21I think we're going to keep it in the family, it'll be a third generation thing.

0:24:21 > 0:24:22It may even be longer than that.

0:24:22 > 0:24:27- Brilliant. I'm pleased that you brought it along.- Thank you very much, Tim. Very good, thank you.

0:24:27 > 0:24:30Wow, what a difference.

0:24:30 > 0:24:34The trunk looks stunning, and I'm not surprised that Ray's decided to keep it in the family.

0:24:37 > 0:24:40So, while Ray's happy to take his trunk home, here's a reminder

0:24:40 > 0:24:46of some of the bedraggled antiques that turned up at our Blenheim roadshow.

0:24:46 > 0:24:50Letty Wicks and her Doulton stoneware tea-set, with its sad old milk jug.

0:24:50 > 0:24:55She took Roger's advice not to restore, as it wouldn't make her any money.

0:24:55 > 0:25:00And Brian Murray's collectible piece of sporting memorabilia, bought for next to nothing.

0:25:00 > 0:25:06He's hoping that Louise can outbox the blue ink stains and make him a bit of money at auction.

0:25:11 > 0:25:17It's auction day at the auctioneer's, a specialist seller of sporting memorabilia.

0:25:17 > 0:25:21They have over 800 items on sale today, from champion fighters'

0:25:21 > 0:25:24boxing gloves to signed cricket bats.

0:25:24 > 0:25:26So Brian's print is in good company.

0:25:28 > 0:25:32Now, do remember that auction houses charge fees and commission and that

0:25:32 > 0:25:36everything that's being restored should be noted in the catalogue.

0:25:36 > 0:25:38£700...

0:25:38 > 0:25:42But first up, what will Brian make of Louise's handiwork?

0:25:42 > 0:25:45So, here we go, on the count of three. One, two, three.

0:25:45 > 0:25:48And let's have a see what we've got.

0:25:48 > 0:25:51That is a transformation, isn't it?

0:25:51 > 0:25:54It certainly is. Yeah.

0:25:54 > 0:26:00And I don't think there is a hint of any colour, because there were four or five spots round here.

0:26:00 > 0:26:03Yes.

0:26:03 > 0:26:06Before, Brian's print was spattered with ink.

0:26:06 > 0:26:12Louise ever so carefully set about removing the stains but not the print.

0:26:12 > 0:26:14That's quite a change.

0:26:14 > 0:26:17Do you know, I thought it had actually been remounted,

0:26:17 > 0:26:21because it's all looking sort of nice, sort of spick-and-span, isn't it?

0:26:21 > 0:26:24Yes. There's good definition around there. Yes.

0:26:24 > 0:26:27So it really has been rescued from the dead, hasn't it, in many respects?

0:26:27 > 0:26:32Oh, yes. I'm sure the blue ink spots on it would have turned off any

0:26:32 > 0:26:36prospective buyer but hopefully now it will have greater appeal.

0:26:38 > 0:26:42Now it's all down to whether the print finds a true boxing fan at auction.

0:26:42 > 0:26:47In its original state, it was worth less than £100.

0:26:47 > 0:26:50Louise has used her skills and saved it for £130.

0:26:50 > 0:26:53And I'm told it should make

0:26:53 > 0:26:55in excess of £250 at auction.

0:26:55 > 0:26:59But another challenger has entered the ring.

0:26:59 > 0:27:04There's an earlier tinted edition of the same print on offer, so will Brian's win through?

0:27:04 > 0:27:06This is our lot.

0:27:06 > 0:27:12Lot 454, it is the boxing print, which is showing up to my left.

0:27:12 > 0:27:20We can start this with some interest, actually, at 60, 70, £80, 90, 100, I have.

0:27:20 > 0:27:24A bit frustrating when you're at the back because you can't see who's doing the bidding.

0:27:24 > 0:27:29It's my bid and I'm selling at £100.

0:27:29 > 0:27:33- Come on, just need a few more. - At £100, then.- Go on, go on, go on.

0:27:33 > 0:27:37And that's £100 to paddle 900.

0:27:39 > 0:27:43- Ooh. Well.- It's OK. I mean,

0:27:43 > 0:27:45- you win some, you lose some.- You do.

0:27:45 > 0:27:48We're just about on the right side.

0:27:48 > 0:27:49That's disappointing.

0:27:49 > 0:27:56I thought it would go for more than £100, but the earlier coloured edition didn't sell at all.

0:27:56 > 0:28:01So on the day, Brian definitely backed the winner, even if he didn't make a profit.

0:28:01 > 0:28:03By restoring the print, he's saved a fascinating

0:28:03 > 0:28:08piece of history for the future that can now be admired by its new owner.

0:28:08 > 0:28:14Well, no real high-flyers today but no shortage of satisfied customers,

0:28:14 > 0:28:16whose antiques we've saved from the scrapheap.

0:28:16 > 0:28:20So, until the next time, it's goodbye from Restoration Roadshow.

0:28:26 > 0:28:29Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

0:28:29 > 0:28:33E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk