0:00:01 > 0:00:05I'm Eric Knowles and I'm surrounded by people with broken antiques.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07They're here to see if we can give them a new lease of life
0:00:07 > 0:00:10and maybe make a little bit of money along the way.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Find out how much on Restoration Roadshow.
0:00:20 > 0:00:26'This is Chatsworth, a majestic 450-year-old estate set in the heart of the Peak District.
0:00:26 > 0:00:31'It's a picture-perfect venue for today's Restoration Roadshow.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35'Many of you have pitched up bearing all sorts of tired antiques,
0:00:35 > 0:00:37'and I'm getting quite excited.'
0:00:37 > 0:00:38Well, I like that.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43'But the all-important questions you want answered are...
0:00:43 > 0:00:44'How much are they worth?'
0:00:44 > 0:00:46If I want to go and buy one of these,
0:00:46 > 0:00:50the price tags are in the £4,000 to £5,000 bracket.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52'Should you get them cleaned up and restored?'
0:00:52 > 0:00:56Wow, look at this! It's got to be restoration. It's got to be conservation.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59'Will the items go home or be taken to auction?
0:00:59 > 0:01:02'And how much will they make under the hammer?'
0:01:02 > 0:01:04At £2,100, then...
0:01:07 > 0:01:12Coming up on today's programme, giving this pair of early 20th Century figurines
0:01:12 > 0:01:16the their tiny hands back is going to be a major operation.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20We battle to save a piece of First World War military history,
0:01:20 > 0:01:23a map of the Western Front.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26He must have carried this around with him in the trenches, looking at the state of it.
0:01:26 > 0:01:32'We need to preserve it for the brave soldier's granddaughters.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35'And, while I'm not a squeamish man, I have my limits.'
0:01:35 > 0:01:38No, don't show me any more. I can stand the look of it.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41'Can we save this French gilt chair that's had the stuffing knocked out of it?
0:01:41 > 0:01:46'And will it get everyone jumping out of their seats when it goes to auction?'
0:01:49 > 0:01:55'Chatsworth is a grandiose mansion with attitude and pulling power.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57'It's luring in a steady stream of Derbyshire folk
0:01:57 > 0:02:01'with their motley collection of treasures old and new.
0:02:01 > 0:02:06'I'm taken by this fabulous 19th Century ornate gilt chair, brought by Mel Dexter.
0:02:06 > 0:02:11I don't know about the word restoration. I think you chair is in need of first aid.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15Not quite open heart surgery, but it's in a bit of a state, isn't it?
0:02:15 > 0:02:20- It is.- Was it in this state when you inherited it, or did you buy it?
0:02:20 > 0:02:23I bought it in Paris at an antique market.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25And I thought it had got potential.
0:02:25 > 0:02:30- Yes.- But I stuck it in the garage and it's been there ever since.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33What a comedown for this beautiful ornate chair.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36It harks back to the baroque furniture made popular
0:02:36 > 0:02:41during the reign of Louis XIV, back in the late 17th Century.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44What did you pay for it? That's what I need to know.
0:02:44 > 0:02:45It was about £80.
0:02:45 > 0:02:50Money very well spent. I reckon it's got to be worth two - minimum, as it is.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53However, once you spend that money on and get it looking
0:02:53 > 0:02:58absolutely the bee's knees, you could be, you know, £350, £400.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01But if Mel's got any chance of selling his chair,
0:03:01 > 0:03:06he needs our textile man, Rick Turner, to get it into a state fit for a king.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10When it comes to upholstery, Rick's the ruling champion.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14From breathing new life into Chippendale chairs for Oxford University
0:03:14 > 0:03:19to restoring vintage cars from Rolls Royces to Aston Martins.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23Now, Rick, I've got you listed as Dr Textiles,
0:03:23 > 0:03:27so are you going to need an awful lot of scalpel work on this job?
0:03:27 > 0:03:30That's full surgery, I'd rather say.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34It's got to be completely restored, everything taken off.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Underneath I see there's a board, so that's got to come off.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40- So you'd expect webbing under there? - Yeah, there'd be webbing.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43- It's absolutely rotten.- Right, OK.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45So that's all absolutely had it.
0:03:45 > 0:03:51Once you take that off, we'll be stripping the webbing off, ripping the seat out completely.
0:03:51 > 0:03:57- It's done in horsehair.- Is that what that is? I don't want to get too near that. It takes me back...
0:03:57 > 0:04:01- Very dusty.- I'm just thinking of the Grand Cinema on a Saturday morning.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04I was sat on that stuff.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07No, don't show me any more. I can't stand the look of it.
0:04:07 > 0:04:13- OK, so what sort of money are we in for?- I reckon about £250 or so.
0:04:13 > 0:04:18OK. It's a chunk of money, but I think we both agree, do we not,
0:04:18 > 0:04:20that it'll be money well spent?
0:04:20 > 0:04:22I think so. It looks like we are in safe hands.
0:04:22 > 0:04:28'You can be sure of that, Mel, because at the moment, this chair's worth around about £200.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31'But once Rick's does his stuffing and covering for £250,
0:04:31 > 0:04:35'Mel could see his chair fetch up to £400 at auction.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39'But first, Rick needs to rejuvenate this regal piece, and that means
0:04:39 > 0:04:43'putting the original, if a little itchy, stuffing back in the chair.'
0:04:47 > 0:04:52'Our restorers are already tending to the first casualties of the day.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55'Next up is an incredible trench map from the First World War.
0:04:55 > 0:05:00'Preserving it will call for someone with specialist surgical skills.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04'That's a call to arms for paper conservator, Louise Drover,
0:05:04 > 0:05:10'who's worked at London's Victoria and Albert Museum and helped save many a work for the National Trust.
0:05:10 > 0:05:16'This map has certainly seen a lot of action and survived life in the trenches, but only just.
0:05:16 > 0:05:22'It belonged to the grandfather of Yvonne Culverson and her sister, Marie. So it means a lot.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25- Do you want to see a photograph of him?- Yes, let's see it.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Oh, it's lovely.
0:05:28 > 0:05:33That was him about 1916, we think. He served, we think, at Passchendaele,
0:05:33 > 0:05:38- and then he was gassed in December 1917.- My goodness!
0:05:38 > 0:05:43Sent back to England to convalesce, got married in the March and then got sent straight back again.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45Oh my goodness me!
0:05:46 > 0:05:50'This map dates back to January 1917.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54'Over 6 million lives were lost in the Great War, with a further 14 million injured.
0:05:54 > 0:05:59'Allied forces ran the gauntlet of death daily in no man's land,
0:05:59 > 0:06:03'coming under constant attack from snipers and shelling.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05'It beggars belief that this map survived at all.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09'But the burning question is, can Louise rescue it for the future?'
0:06:09 > 0:06:13I would recommend three things to do to this.
0:06:13 > 0:06:14A good surface clean
0:06:14 > 0:06:18because we've got lots of ingrained dirt and surface deposits.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Second thing would be to flatten out this deep creasing
0:06:21 > 0:06:26that's actually causing these fractures to become worse.
0:06:26 > 0:06:31They're actually detached all together. And reattach those areas
0:06:31 > 0:06:36and reinforce this loss and perhaps any weaknesses in the folds.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38It will be much more stable.
0:06:38 > 0:06:44- The cost for this would be in the region of £150 to £160...- Right, OK.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48..just to stabilise those areas and flatten out this deep creasing.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51Yeah, that would be lovely.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54'Louise, you really have your work cut out with this one.
0:06:54 > 0:07:00'It's currently worth around £50 and Louise will expertly tend to its injuries for £150.
0:07:00 > 0:07:07'This map isn't going to go to auction and the truth is it won't go up much in monetary value.
0:07:07 > 0:07:13'But it holds real sentimental value for Yvonne and Marie, and you just can't put a price on memories.
0:07:13 > 0:07:18'So, can Louise fill those missing gaps? Find out later.'
0:07:20 > 0:07:23'Coming up, a well-travelled 1920s chest.'
0:07:23 > 0:07:26My grandma took it from China to Hong Kong.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30'But will it go the extra mile and bag a high price at auction?'
0:07:30 > 0:07:33- £100, please. - He's starting at the top end.
0:07:33 > 0:07:39'And Rick's going flat out to give this 19th Century gilt chair the majestic seat it deserves.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43'But will his hard work be royally rewarded when it goes under the hammer?
0:07:43 > 0:07:45280, do I see?
0:07:45 > 0:07:46Come on, where's 280?
0:07:51 > 0:07:57'Our restorers have no time to dawdle, so it's paint pots to the ready and chisels to the fore.'
0:07:57 > 0:08:01It's fairly obvious that there are a lot of scuff marks and scratches here.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04It's worth spending money on, it is a really pretty box.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06The workmanship in that is fantastic.
0:08:06 > 0:08:11'Christine Bird has turned up with an injured pair of early twentieth-century nodding figures.
0:08:11 > 0:08:17'Restoration paramedic, Roger Hawkins, is charged with rebuilding their missing limbs.
0:08:17 > 0:08:22'When it comes to ceramics and porcelain, Roger is one of the country's leading restorers
0:08:22 > 0:08:26and his reputation has taken him as far afield as Hong Kong and America.
0:08:29 > 0:08:34They're absolutely typical German nodding figures.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37They're made from what's called hard paste porcelain,
0:08:37 > 0:08:39but they're actually called bisque figures.
0:08:39 > 0:08:46And that referred to the fact that they just have a first firing and they're not glazed.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48It's actually a French term and it means biscuit firing.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50Have you any idea of the age?
0:08:50 > 0:08:53They have to be over 100-years-old.
0:08:53 > 0:09:00These type of figures, they were making these through the 1880s up to the 1920s, so it's easily
0:09:00 > 0:09:04imaginable that these were from that date, so absolutely spot-on.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06And were they always broken like this?
0:09:06 > 0:09:09Yes, I've never known them with the hands on.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Right, OK. You'll be pleased to hear that I can make those hands,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16put the hands back on and you'll never know they'd been damaged.
0:09:16 > 0:09:21The worry we have is the cost of doing that, because I assume you'll
0:09:21 > 0:09:25be wanting to keep them, will you, because of the sentiment attached?
0:09:25 > 0:09:29Yes. They belonged to my father's cousin and they were his mother's.
0:09:29 > 0:09:34In auction, if these were perfect, you would expect them to fetch between £30 and £40.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38The cost of restoration - and we've seen that it's just
0:09:38 > 0:09:41both hands are missing, one hand on each figure -
0:09:41 > 0:09:46to make those hands would probably cost in the order of about £80.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Now that is more than they're worth.
0:09:49 > 0:09:56You have to decide whether the sentiment attached to them is worth you spending that £80 on them.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58I think it would be nice to have them done.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Good on you, Christine.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Everyone needs a hand!
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Sadly, these little figurines aren't worth much at the moment.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09Roger wants £80 to restore them.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11But then Christine would be lucky to get £30 to £40
0:10:11 > 0:10:14if she took them to auction.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17But, as we see so often on Restoration Roadshow,
0:10:17 > 0:10:19many of you aren't motivated by money.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23It's sentimental value that counts.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Let's hope Roger's efforts will meet with the approval of these figurines.
0:10:32 > 0:10:38All work and no play make our restorers such a happy bunch.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40Let's open it up. Oh, look at that!
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Great, what a difference! Wow!
0:10:43 > 0:10:46But they're not the only ones hard at work.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Chatsworth is also undergoing much-needed restoration.
0:10:49 > 0:10:55Behind these huge tarpaulins, some specialist undercover work is going on.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59The Chatsworth masterplan is a five-year plan of conservation,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02restoration and renewal of large parts of this building.
0:11:02 > 0:11:08Part of the huge undertaking is giving the stately home's exterior a good old scrub.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11And it's producing some great results.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14That's how dirty the stonework was three months ago, so it's wonderful
0:11:14 > 0:11:18to see this really vivid contrast, taking off 300 years of pollution,
0:11:18 > 0:11:25smoke, soot and bringing it back to this incredibly crisp original colour and condition.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29These really do look brand new pieces of stone, as though they were quarried yesterday.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31But in fact, they are 300-years-old.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40'So, while the stonemasons give Chatsworth a wash and brush-up,
0:11:40 > 0:11:45'at the outdoor workshop, Rick is rescuing Mel's 19th Century gilt chair
0:11:45 > 0:11:52'while Louise has locked itself away to preserve Yvonne and Marie's important piece of heritage.
0:11:52 > 0:11:57'It might be broken, hidden under the bed and a family heirloom, but is it worth restoring?
0:11:57 > 0:12:00'Not always.
0:12:00 > 0:12:01'Wei Ling Gi has a case in point.
0:12:01 > 0:12:07'She's brought this interesting 1920s chest. And it's been a real globetrotter.'
0:12:07 > 0:12:11I have to admit that, at first appearance, I thought it was lacquer.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14But I notice it has been stitched down the side.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17It's actually covered in leather, in hide, isn't it?
0:12:17 > 0:12:22Date-wise, it must be some time in the 1920s.
0:12:22 > 0:12:27I think my grandma took it from China to Hong Kong after the wedding.
0:12:29 > 0:12:35I think that's why it has been used, actually. It's not been well kept.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38- So it's been a working trunk?- Yes.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41- Can I have a look inside?- Yes. - It's not locked, is it?- No.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43So we just open that up and...
0:12:43 > 0:12:45So it's quite simple inside.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Just looking at it,
0:12:50 > 0:12:53I don't think there's an awful lot you can do to it.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56- Do you know what it's worth? - I've no idea at all.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00Right, well, personally, I don't think it's going to be worth an awful lot.
0:13:00 > 0:13:05As it is, it may be worth £30 to £40.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08You need to just give it a little bit of attention.
0:13:08 > 0:13:13What I would recommend is a tinted beeswax.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16Just give it a going over with tinted beeswax because
0:13:16 > 0:13:20with a bit of beeswax, you may find yourself getting nearer £50 or £60.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Is it something you are thinking of selling?
0:13:22 > 0:13:28Well, I wouldn't mind to sell it because I haven't got much room to put it in at the moment.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Right, OK.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34'So it's off to the auction for this oriental 1920s chest.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37'While it's worth £30 to £40 now,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40'it's a small item, so Wei Ling could save money
0:13:40 > 0:13:46'and give it a little polish herself to improve her chances of getting £50 to £60 at auction.
0:13:46 > 0:13:51'It just goes to show, sometimes even the simplest bit of care can make a difference.'
0:13:55 > 0:14:01'It's all go here at Chatsworth, with dozens of broken heirlooms demanding our attention.'
0:14:01 > 0:14:04- Oh dear! Two headless figures. - Headless women.
0:14:04 > 0:14:11'But, while new treasures keep coming in, Rick's been working away on Mel's worn-out gilt chair.
0:14:11 > 0:14:18'He's already taken the board off the bottom, replaced the old webbing and reattached the springs.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22'And now it's time for a spot of stuffing.'
0:14:22 > 0:14:27The next process is to actually start putting the horse hair in these pockets.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Go all the way round.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35'Horse hair was commonly used in upholstery in the 1800s,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38'so it's the only option if Rick want to retain
0:14:38 > 0:14:42'the authenticity of this 150-year-old chair.'
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Horse hair's brilliant, because it's very springy.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48It gives a good edge roll as well.
0:14:48 > 0:14:53Some of these modern ones don't last, this will last a long, long time,
0:14:53 > 0:14:55a lot longer than modern ones.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59'I suppose there is no arguing with that. The chair's lasted this long.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01'We want it to survive a whole lot longer.'
0:15:01 > 0:15:06A little bit of felt on top, then calico, then the cover.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12So it's quite a lengthy process. It's going to be brilliant when it's finished.
0:15:12 > 0:15:17'I like Rick's confidence, because we need this imperious chair
0:15:17 > 0:15:21'to hold court and command a top price when it comes up at auction.'
0:15:24 > 0:15:30'Remember that wonderful First World War trench map belonging to Yvonne and Marie's grandfather?
0:15:30 > 0:15:35'Louise has retreated to her workshop where she's lovingly piecing it back together.'
0:15:35 > 0:15:39So I'm just preparing these edges.
0:15:39 > 0:15:45They've been slightly reinforced at the back with a very fine cotton tissue.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48I'm just rolling back any of these curled up areas
0:15:48 > 0:15:53which have all the detail on.
0:15:53 > 0:15:58They've got the roads, there are various farms and villages.
0:15:58 > 0:16:05I'm just basically preparing this section so that it can be married up with the rest of the map.
0:16:05 > 0:16:11'It's an exact science, aligning the pieces with all the map details to match up.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13'With that done, it's the turn of the holes.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16'Now that looks like a job and and a half to me.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19'I can't even imagine how Louise will actually fill all those gaps.'
0:16:19 > 0:16:24This material here is a polyester that we use.
0:16:24 > 0:16:31It'll enable me to trace round the hole, so I'll trace around this hole
0:16:31 > 0:16:34first using this pen.
0:16:34 > 0:16:41I'm just going to come over a couple of millimetres, because the edges are so friable.
0:16:41 > 0:16:46I just want to make sure that this patch is well attached.
0:16:46 > 0:16:54So I've made a shape so I can easily trace through using my tissue.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58I shall trace through using a needle,
0:16:58 > 0:17:00and I can see that perfectly well,
0:17:00 > 0:17:04and this is basically going to score a line round the tissue,
0:17:04 > 0:17:08and then I shall finish it off by applying a water pen,
0:17:08 > 0:17:13which will actually break the tissue through and leave a few fibres
0:17:13 > 0:17:18at the edge so that they can latch on to the edges of this loss.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24'Now that's clever. It's just like darning, but with paper.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28'I'm amazed such a delicate medium can be conserved like this.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31'It's work that requires the skill and nerve of a surgeon.'
0:17:33 > 0:17:38'Speaking of which, ceramics restorer Roger is also back in his workshop
0:17:38 > 0:17:43'preparing to carry out some hand transplants on those early 20th Century bisque figurines.'
0:17:43 > 0:17:51Here's some epoxy resin filler, and I have to make from this a hand.
0:17:51 > 0:17:56Now the hands on these figures are, fortunately for me, fairly crude.
0:17:59 > 0:18:04So stick it on there and see whether it looks about right.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08That's about it the right size and shape, I think,
0:18:08 > 0:18:12so I'm going to put a little indentation in the middle -
0:18:12 > 0:18:17one there, and one there -
0:18:17 > 0:18:20and then just dent them there
0:18:20 > 0:18:26to make the little finger tip, and that's already a little hand.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31'You've got to hand it to Roger, when it comes to ceramics he really is top dog.
0:18:31 > 0:18:36'But will Christine agree when she sees her reconstructed figurines?
0:18:36 > 0:18:40'And will it be an emotional reunion for Yvonne and Marie
0:18:40 > 0:18:45'when they set eyes again on their grandfather's First World War trench map?'
0:18:45 > 0:18:47- Are you ready?- Yeah.- So exciting.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Here we go.
0:18:49 > 0:18:50Oh!
0:18:55 > 0:19:01'Back at Chatsworth, and it's that all-important Restoration Roadshow moment.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04'It's why we were all here, and our restorers haven't even managed
0:19:04 > 0:19:08'a tea break between rescuing those broken and tired treasures.'
0:19:08 > 0:19:09Oh my goodness!
0:19:09 > 0:19:15'Fingers crossed we'll be seeing a few smiling faces when everyone's reunited with their heirlooms.'
0:19:15 > 0:19:16Oh, it's magnificent!
0:19:16 > 0:19:20'Rick's been busy reviving Mel's 19th Century gilt chair,
0:19:20 > 0:19:24'and now it's time for the grand reveal.'
0:19:24 > 0:19:27Now, I can tell you that I've been watching Rick all day,
0:19:27 > 0:19:31and he's certainly put in the hours, so how are we feeling here today?
0:19:31 > 0:19:35- I'm really excited.- Let's see what you get for your money.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39Oh, wow. Yeah, that's fabulous.
0:19:39 > 0:19:40- I love it.- You do?- I do.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42It's really made a difference.
0:19:42 > 0:19:48Rick, I've got to say, how on earth did you manage to bring this chair back to such a wonderful state?
0:19:48 > 0:19:53It's a matter of stripping it all out and rebuilding it,
0:19:53 > 0:19:58you know, using all traditional methods. Being wood it's a bit
0:19:58 > 0:20:03porous in places so I had to use a staple gun here and there.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07'Well, whatever Rick's had to use, it certainly worked.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11'Before, the bottom of the chair was held together by an ugly board.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14'Rick's replaced it with webbing and covered it in new material.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19'The edges were stained and rusted, but now they have a delicate trim.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22'The seat was all saggy and lumpy,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25'but the horse hair stuffing has plumped it right up.
0:20:25 > 0:20:31'And I think Rick's chosen a fabric that revives the chair's long-forgotten regal splendour.'
0:20:31 > 0:20:37- Where's my chair? I love it. - You do, you love it, but you're thinking of selling it?
0:20:37 > 0:20:40- As much as I love it, I really want to sell it.- You do?- I do.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44- You're going to stick to your guns on this one?- I am, yeah, go for it.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48- The odds are stacked in your favour, I think.- OK.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51'But we still need the right bidders on the day,
0:20:51 > 0:20:55'ones who'll appreciate Rick's skilled work when it comes to auction.'
0:20:55 > 0:20:56At 270? super chair.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Come on, come on.
0:20:58 > 0:21:04'Meanwhile, Roger's been carefully crafting new hands onto Christine's early 20th Century figurines.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08'So, will his work get the nod?'
0:21:08 > 0:21:11- You're looking forward to, yes? - Yes, please, I am.- Shall we?
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Brilliant, yes.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20- This is the hand you've put on, isn't it?- Yes.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23I can't remember which one, was it that one?
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Can't you remember?
0:21:25 > 0:21:27Don't you know which hand I've done?
0:21:27 > 0:21:31- No, that's a testament to your work, isn't it?- That's good!
0:21:31 > 0:21:35- I think it's that one.- That's right, yes, that's the one that was off.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37I'm really pleased with them.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41'And I'm pleased, too. Before, these bisque figurines
0:21:41 > 0:21:45'seemed destined to be disfigured for life.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49'But Roger has given them back their hands, and they're perfect.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53'It really is quite impossible to tell which ones are new.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56'So, was it money well spent?'
0:21:56 > 0:22:02I know they're not going to be worth what I'm spending on them, but they mean a lot to me,
0:22:02 > 0:22:08and they are, whatever the value, a family heirloom, aren't they?
0:22:08 > 0:22:10I'm happy with them.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20I have to say, our restorers have worked like Trojans today.
0:22:20 > 0:22:25I'm really chuffed, and seeing all the wonderful reactions they've inspired makes me feel warm inside.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29Here are some of the treasures that have benefited from their handiwork.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33As we've just seen, Christine's figurines are now intact
0:22:33 > 0:22:37and can nod to their hearts' content in her living room.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40We have a couple of treasures heading for auction -
0:22:40 > 0:22:44Mel's 19th century gilt chair that wouldn't look out of place in
0:22:44 > 0:22:48a royal palace, and the Wei Ling's (????) grandmother's leather chest.
0:22:48 > 0:22:54All it needs is a bit of spit and polish, but will it bag any bidders when it goes under the hammer?
0:22:57 > 0:23:02But before we go to auction, let's not forget Yvonne and Marie's Great War trench map
0:23:02 > 0:23:06that Louise has spent hours painstakingly piecing together.
0:23:06 > 0:23:11- So before we draw back the curtain, how are we feeling, ladies?- Excited.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14Very excited, it's fantastic, yes.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17- Are you ready?- Yeah.- Here we go.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- Wow.- Wow!
0:23:23 > 0:23:25That is really good.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27That's amazing.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31- That's so much cleaner than it was before.- And it's filled in
0:23:31 > 0:23:37- all the bits that were missing, and you can just see so much more of it. - Fantastic.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39That's no exaggeration.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43Before, this map was being assaulted on all fronts.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48It was full of holes and the folds were coming apart hiding the minute details.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Now, with the ragged tears filled in, you can clearly see the names
0:23:52 > 0:23:59of towns and villages, but, most importantly, its deterioration has been stopped in its tracks.
0:23:59 > 0:24:04And the really nice thing as well is it still looks like a really old
0:24:04 > 0:24:07map that's literally been through the wars.
0:24:07 > 0:24:08That's great.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11You can still see the folds, but they're not crumbling any more.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14No, she's done an amazing job on it, hasn't she?
0:24:14 > 0:24:16This has cost you how much, ladies?
0:24:16 > 0:24:21- £150.- But in return you've preserved a piece of family history,
0:24:21 > 0:24:25- because this has been in your family for almost 100 years.- Yes.
0:24:25 > 0:24:30It just looks stronger and like it's going to last.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36So have I got two happy ladies?
0:24:36 > 0:24:38- Absolutely.- Yes, it's fantastic.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40It's a really good job.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50It's auction day Bamford's in Derby.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52There's a flurry of activity, as bidders check out the treasures
0:24:52 > 0:24:56on offer and limber up for the specialist sale.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58We have just over 500 lots this morning.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02But do remember that auction houses charge fees and commission,
0:25:02 > 0:25:07and everything that's been restored will be noted in the catalogue.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12First up is Mel's 19th century gilt chair.
0:25:12 > 0:25:18Even in its sorry state, I valued this ornate chair at £200-250.
0:25:18 > 0:25:23Rick then gave it back its noble features for £250, so that now
0:25:23 > 0:25:26I reckon it deserves to get £400 at auction.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29- Lot number 50.- This is it.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33A nineteenth-century France giltwood saddle(???) corner chair, really nice thing.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37He's giving it be good push, isn't he?
0:25:37 > 0:25:41I can start at £270. 280 do I see?
0:25:41 > 0:25:44- Good start.- At £270, 280 now?
0:25:44 > 0:25:48- At 270, super chair. - Come on, where's 280?
0:25:48 > 0:25:53280, thank you Madam. 290, 300...
0:25:53 > 0:25:56- Come on, come on.- At 290, it's still with me, 300 do I see?
0:25:56 > 0:25:58At 290.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02- No, it's worth more than that. - All done then at 290?
0:26:02 > 0:26:06I'm afraid that remains with me, not quite there.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10- A bit disappointed.- Yeah, me too. I mean that's worth all the money.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Some you win, some you lose.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15There was obviously some interest there, but it just waned.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Are you happy to take it back?
0:26:18 > 0:26:19I would be really happy to take it back anyway.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21- You would?- Yeah.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23- It's a good-looking object.- It is.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25It's been given a new lease of life, hasn't it?
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Yeah, and it'll sit really well in my sitting room anyway.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30Lot number 170.
0:26:33 > 0:26:39Next up is Wei Ling's leather chest, and she's brought along her partner, John.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43You've spent no money at all on having the thing restored?
0:26:43 > 0:26:46- No, I didn't. - A bit of furniture polish.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48A bit of furniture polish, who did that?
0:26:48 > 0:26:51- Me.- Oh, you did that, did you? OK.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54When I first saw it, I thought the chest was worth £30-40.
0:26:54 > 0:27:00All it needed was a bit of buffing to make it worth near £50-60, but are those bidders out there?
0:27:02 > 0:27:10- Lot number 170. An early 20th century Chinese lacquered rectangular linen chest, great lot.- OK.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12£100 please. £100?
0:27:12 > 0:27:15- 50.- He's starting at the top end.
0:27:15 > 0:27:1830 then, let's start. £30 bid.
0:27:18 > 0:27:19Yeah, we've got a buyer at 30.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23We want a buyer at 35, we want a buyer at 40, don't we?
0:27:23 > 0:27:26- 35.- We've got another buyer.
0:27:26 > 0:27:2740, 50, 55...
0:27:32 > 0:27:34£55 now bid.
0:27:34 > 0:27:3758, 60...
0:27:37 > 0:27:40It's going, it's working. Come on.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43At £60, all done and selling at 60.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48- £60.- That's not bad.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50So, what do we think?
0:27:50 > 0:27:52- Yeah, very good.- A result?
0:27:52 > 0:27:54I was sad to let it go, but you can't keep everything.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56You can't.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00- And they are rather bulky, to say the least, aren't they?- Yes.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03It's obviously going to find itself a new home now, isn't it?
0:28:03 > 0:28:05- Yes, it is.- And you're OK with that?
0:28:05 > 0:28:08I'm OK, I'm quite happy with that.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11I hope they enjoy it as much as I have.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15So, join us again for some more nail-biting action, and to find out
0:28:15 > 0:28:20if your tired antiques can make some money here on Restoration Roadshow.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:46 > 0:28:50E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk