0:00:02 > 0:00:03- From art...- To antiques.
0:00:03 > 0:00:06Ceramics to signs.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08- Taxidermy...- To toys.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11- From the common...- To the curious.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14We're a nation of collectors.
0:00:15 > 0:00:16Follow me, Mel Giedroyc.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20And me, antiques expert and lifelong collector, Mark Hill.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23As we go behind closed doors
0:00:23 > 0:00:26to uncover Britain's secret collections.
0:00:26 > 0:00:31And reveal what they're really worth, with surprising results.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35- Collecting and curating. - Selling and displaying.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38- For collectaholics everywhere. - We're here to help.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50Oh, good God!
0:00:50 > 0:00:53'On Collectaholics, we'll be delving into the extraordinary
0:00:53 > 0:00:56'collections that have taken over people's lives.'
0:00:56 > 0:00:59I've never seen so many signs.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02'Swallowing up their space and using up their income.'
0:01:02 > 0:01:06- What's the most expensive piece you've bought? - It'd be sort of £8,000 to £10,000.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08'And pushing their relationships to the very edge.'
0:01:08 > 0:01:11It's this room and that's it.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14'I'll be helping our collectors deal with their collections in crisis.'
0:01:14 > 0:01:17- Could I possibly call it an obsession?- It is bordering on that.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21'And I'll be finding out what drives them to buy and buy and buy.'
0:01:21 > 0:01:25Do you think this is what your collection's all about, Shirley, that one original doll?
0:01:25 > 0:01:28'This week, the man whose buying habit is so extreme,
0:01:28 > 0:01:32'he had to buy the property next door to house it all.'
0:01:32 > 0:01:34I know very quickly whether I like a piece or not.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36'But he still needs more room.'
0:01:36 > 0:01:40A lot of the artwork is not more than sort of 2cm apart.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43- Argh! It goes on for ever!- Where?
0:01:43 > 0:01:46'The Star Wars fanatic with a 35,000-piece collection
0:01:46 > 0:01:49'that's taken over his entire house.'
0:01:49 > 0:01:50I've threatened him with skips before.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53One day he will push me too far if he doesn't change.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55It has gotten out of hand.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57They literally are everywhere, Shirley.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00'And the woman who shares her home with a family of 300.'
0:02:00 > 0:02:01I just like to take care of them.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04'And we'll be blown away to discover what they're all worth.'
0:02:04 > 0:02:08- Oh, my days.- You're joking? Really?
0:02:13 > 0:02:15Our first stop is Cambridgeshire,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18to meet 57-year-old music teacher Graham.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22So, Mark, an exciting day. We've got the sun
0:02:22 > 0:02:25and we've got modern prints.
0:02:25 > 0:02:26We have indeed.
0:02:26 > 0:02:31In the past, Graham's excessive buying has forced him to take drastic action.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35To house his expanding collection, he bought the house next door.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38I think collecting has become an obsession.
0:02:38 > 0:02:39It's a very pleasant obsession.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43It's a hobby in the most compelling
0:02:43 > 0:02:47and possibly compulsive way of looking at it.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49But, despite all those extra walls,
0:02:49 > 0:02:53every inch of space is covered by his 350-piece collection.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57If he's going to live for another 20, 30 or 40 more years collecting,
0:02:57 > 0:02:59not quite sure how we're going to fit everything in.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01It's almost like an addiction.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Graham's obsession is with modern original prints.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08They're hugely popular and I love them so I can't wait to see inside.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11- Hi, are you Graham?- Come in, yes. - Hi, I'm Mel and this is Mark.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15- Hello, Graham, nice to meet you. - Hi, Mark. Please come in. - Thank you very much, thank you.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Right, please come through.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20- Whoa...- Oh, God.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Is it a house or is it a gallery?
0:03:22 > 0:03:25- It goes on.- It's both. - It's a cornucopia of colour.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28And it literally... It moves everywhere in the house.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30The whole of Graham's house,
0:03:30 > 0:03:32every single room, every nook and cranny,
0:03:32 > 0:03:35has got some part of his art collection in it.
0:03:35 > 0:03:36(There are so many.)
0:03:36 > 0:03:39It's absolutely everywhere.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43'With so many different pieces, it's totally overwhelming.'
0:03:43 > 0:03:47It does look slightly as if you are running out of wall space.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51Now Graham's 40-year compulsion has left him facing a crisis.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53Graham, you're not going to stop collecting,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56you have a finite amount of space.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00- How are you going to deal with that? - Er, probably buy ever smaller pieces,
0:04:00 > 0:04:02or move it even closer together,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04although even that's becoming a bit of a challenge.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06'Buying another house isn't an option,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09'so we need to find a solution.'
0:04:09 > 0:04:14'Graham thinks he's spent more than £50,000 feeding his passion for art.
0:04:14 > 0:04:19'So we'll also be getting a valuation to find out how much it's all worth.'
0:04:19 > 0:04:22'Has he got a good eye?
0:04:22 > 0:04:25'It's impossible to tell with this wallpaper of art.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27'Time to take a closer inspection.'
0:04:27 > 0:04:29I haven't got a huge amount of abstract act,
0:04:29 > 0:04:35but Bridget Riley's vibrant colours and lines are fascinating to me.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Now, this is very familiar. It's a Kandinsky?
0:04:37 > 0:04:40- It is a Kandinsky, yes. - Oh, you're getting good!
0:04:40 > 0:04:44I've often bought artwork as a sort of souvenir.
0:04:44 > 0:04:50Artwork has been acquired because I wanted a record of something
0:04:50 > 0:04:53that affected my life at that particular moment.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56How long has it taken you to collect all of these?
0:04:56 > 0:04:58Well, I can remember exactly when I collected my first piece.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02It was 1975 in the church where I was organist.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06I was a student in Manchester. And it cost me £18.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10It seems to me, Graham, as if a lot of different styles kind of draw you in.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13I know very quickly whether I like a piece or not.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15- How do you know? - It's a gut reaction.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17It's an emotional impulse.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19But as the collection becomes more serious,
0:05:19 > 0:05:24then you do start looking for more specific examples of pieces,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27either the same artist or a completely different artist,
0:05:27 > 0:05:31that will actually go with the collection as it exists.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33This one looks interesting. Who's this by?
0:05:33 > 0:05:36Paula Rego. Her work has become very desirable
0:05:36 > 0:05:39and, not surprisingly, also very expensive.
0:05:39 > 0:05:44So I was very pleased to get an early print of hers.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47'Rego's work often uses folk tales from her native Portugal
0:05:47 > 0:05:51'to create images with a dark and sometimes political edge.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55'A prolific artist, her precise and linear drawing lends itself
0:05:55 > 0:05:57'to the techniques of printing.'
0:05:57 > 0:05:59How do prints actually work?
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Print is an actual art form in its own right.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05A number of artists are actually exclusively printmakers,
0:06:05 > 0:06:07and prints can start from what's called a mono-print
0:06:07 > 0:06:09where there is only one,
0:06:09 > 0:06:11and of course they are comparatively expensive,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14through to limited-edition runs.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16'Known in the art world as original prints,
0:06:16 > 0:06:19'they're not reproductions of existing art work.
0:06:19 > 0:06:24'They are the art themselves, always conceived as a print.'
0:06:24 > 0:06:26And what did you pay for this, Graham?
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Well, I managed to get... buy that for under £400.
0:06:32 > 0:06:38So, Graham, I know that you think you might have spent about £50,000 on the collection?
0:06:39 > 0:06:43- As far as I can even begin to get my mind round...- OK.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47..30-plus years of collecting, nearly 40 years of collecting.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50OK. Mark, would that seem like a...
0:06:50 > 0:06:53I think...I think a little bit of an underestimate there.
0:06:53 > 0:06:58When it comes to the value of the collection, what do you reckon?
0:06:58 > 0:07:01Well, if I can't even work out how much I've paid for it,
0:07:01 > 0:07:05the chances of working out what it's worth are even more unlikely!
0:07:06 > 0:07:10We'll be valuing his collection to find out if he's spent wisely.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14And with not an inch of wall space left, action is desperately needed
0:07:14 > 0:07:17to find a way for Graham to continue collecting.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27Limited-edition prints exploded in popularity
0:07:27 > 0:07:29after the Second World War, in the '50s,
0:07:29 > 0:07:34largely because people had money to spare for the first time in decades.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38They'd recovered from the effects of the war and wanted to buy status,
0:07:38 > 0:07:43and prints were an affordable way to put big-name artists on your wall.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49Director of the London Original Print Fair Helen Rosslyn has come
0:07:49 > 0:07:52to meet me at an art gallery to explain the magic of print-making.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56I think what's so lovely is that some of the real iconic images
0:07:56 > 0:07:58that we recognise are prints.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00Swimming pool, it's got to be Hockney. Am I right?
0:08:00 > 0:08:02- It's Hockney, you're right.- Come on.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Do certain artists lend themselves
0:08:04 > 0:08:07better to the print-making process, do you think?
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Well, I think certain artists lend themselves to
0:08:09 > 0:08:12certain techniques, yes.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16- These are absolutely massive. - Aren't they?
0:08:16 > 0:08:20And that's what's so spectacular, because these Bacon lithographs...
0:08:20 > 0:08:23- Francis Bacon?- Yes, Francis Bacon. - And they're actual prints?- Yes.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27You would think being this size that they're paintings, but they're not, they're prints.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34And this one's a great illustration of the fact that print-making's not
0:08:34 > 0:08:37- just contemporary prints, cos this is Picasso.- Picasso, wow.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41Yes, and he, again, was a master of the techniques of print-making.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43This is an etching,
0:08:43 > 0:08:47- and you can see actually because etching is done on copper plate... - Right.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49..and you can see the indentation
0:08:49 > 0:08:53where the plate sits on the paper, what's called a plate-mark.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56They're cheaper, aren't they, than buying, obviously, a Picasso oil painting?
0:08:56 > 0:08:59They're cheaper. It's often called a democratic art form,
0:08:59 > 0:09:02and I think that's a reason why a lot of artists do make prints.
0:09:02 > 0:09:07'Although this print would still set you back more than £50,000.'
0:09:08 > 0:09:13Prints by big names like Picasso can fetch eye-watering prices.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15His weeping woman recently sold at Christie's
0:09:15 > 0:09:19for a staggering 5.1 million.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21'Prints are big business.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24'Helen's brought me to meet printmaker Bob Sachse
0:09:24 > 0:09:27'at a graphic studio to see the process in action.'
0:09:27 > 0:09:30The interesting thing about prints is there are probably really
0:09:30 > 0:09:33five main printing techniques, of which this is one,
0:09:33 > 0:09:37screen printing, and screen printing, really, is the most modern of the processes.
0:09:37 > 0:09:42- (I used a potato print to get into Glastonbury festival once.)- Did you?
0:09:42 > 0:09:45Potato print, boom, on the hand. Straight in.
0:09:45 > 0:09:50'Most American artists from the Pop Art era of the '60s,
0:09:50 > 0:09:52'such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein,
0:09:52 > 0:09:54'favoured the screen-printing method,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57'and Bob here has been making prints with established artists
0:09:57 > 0:09:59'for 45 years.'
0:09:59 > 0:10:03What I'm doing here at the moment is I'm just putting another colour
0:10:03 > 0:10:07on this Basil Beattie edition that we've been working on recently,
0:10:07 > 0:10:11and the process is basically a colour at a time,
0:10:11 > 0:10:12a sheet of paper at a time.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17Bob, it strikes me that you are the man doing the kind of...
0:10:17 > 0:10:19the donkey work. Not the donkey work, but you're doing
0:10:19 > 0:10:21ALL the work, essentially.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24It's more of a collaboration really. The artist is the key factor,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27as far as it's their image and how they do it.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31What we do is just try and facilitate the best way of producing that image.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34- But don't underplay your role. - Exactly.- It's the technical know-how.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36If you look over there, you can see a list.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39This looks to me as if it's all the stages of the printing
0:10:39 > 0:10:41- you've already done, on this...- Yes.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44- There are 23 steps here, Bob. - 23 steps, yeah.
0:10:44 > 0:10:49- And is that going to be from start to finish on Basil's picture? - Yes. Yeah.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52- So that's incredibly laborious, though, isn't it?- Exactly.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54'Bob uses a sheet of acetate
0:10:54 > 0:10:57'to ensure every print is placed perfectly.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02'Each print in this run of 75 is placed under the screen
0:11:02 > 0:11:06'in exactly the same place, before a layer of paint is added.'
0:11:09 > 0:11:12So, there we go, that's the first layer of the blue.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14That is so cool.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16What's amazing about it, though, is the actual quality.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18It looks as if it's been drawn.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22Because it's a layering process, a lot of artists are always
0:11:22 > 0:11:25- looking for thickness and texture and weight of colour.- Right.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28And that's something that the screen process can give.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32- Now you've seen the whole process, I really want you to see...- Ooh.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35..the final print and how it's going to be.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38- Look at that. Isn't it beautiful? - (Oh, wow.)
0:11:38 > 0:11:41'So there we have it, an original print.'
0:11:41 > 0:11:45Isn't that beautiful? So the penny is slightly dropping.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49Each of those 75 prints have been through the 23 steps.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53- That's correct, yeah.- Which makes each an original artwork,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55- essentially, doesn't it?- Yes.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59They look the same but each has gone through the process and the work.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03Exactly, which is why we call them original prints.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Our next stop is London, where an ordinary family house
0:12:12 > 0:12:15is hiding a very extraordinary collection.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20Star Wars is the ultimate story of good versus evil
0:12:20 > 0:12:22and good overcoming evil.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24It's the ultimate film for people of my generation.
0:12:24 > 0:12:30But 41-year-old father-of-three James has taken it to the extreme.
0:12:31 > 0:12:36This is James's collection, an estimated 35,000 Star Wars pieces,
0:12:36 > 0:12:40all hidden inside piles of brown boxes.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43It's a bit of a shock to the system when anyone walks in
0:12:43 > 0:12:45and sees how much collection he's actually got.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49Wife Sarah and their three children, Daniel, Yoni and Miriam
0:12:49 > 0:12:52are literally living in a Star Wars storage facility.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55The only rooms which it's really not in
0:12:55 > 0:12:57are the bathrooms and the kitchen.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59- There are a lot of figures. - Star Wars Lego.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01- There are lightsabers. - About 10 or 12 of those.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04- Gentle giant busts.- Signed pieces.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07- Life-size props. - Got R2KT in Miriam's room.
0:13:07 > 0:13:08And it's like an Aladdin's Cave.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11It is so chock-a-block.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13It's like Moscow at rush hour.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17We're very much a Star Wars family. I just wish he didn't have so much of it.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21'As a collector myself, I can sympathise with the temptation
0:13:21 > 0:13:26'to buy and buy and buy, but James's collection is out of control.'
0:13:26 > 0:13:29'So, Mark and I are coming to help James and Sarah find a way to live
0:13:29 > 0:13:32'WITH the collection rather than under it.'
0:13:33 > 0:13:37- Hey there.- Hello.- Hello. Are you James?- Yes.- Hi, I'm Mel. - Hi, nice to meet you.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Hello, James, good to meet you. Go forth!
0:13:42 > 0:13:44Oh...my...days.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47- Do you actually know what's in there?- Yes.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49- Every single thing?- Pretty much.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51I don't believe you. You can't possibly...
0:13:51 > 0:13:53How long did it take to fill this room?
0:13:53 > 0:13:57'Despite two extensions built to house it all,
0:13:57 > 0:14:01'the 35,000-piece collection has still engulfed the family home.'
0:14:03 > 0:14:05- Argh! It goes on for ever.- Where?
0:14:05 > 0:14:08Mark, come and have a look, get your head round.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12- How can you get to the stuff that's in here?- I can't. Obviously.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15So, why? What's it all doing there?
0:14:15 > 0:14:18'And, worryingly, the boxes don't stop here.'
0:14:18 > 0:14:23- B-bedroom. Is it a bed...? - There's a bed in here?! - Does somebody sleep in it?
0:14:23 > 0:14:26'The kids' bedrooms are under siege as well.'
0:14:27 > 0:14:32- Right, OK. Who...who lives here? - Daniel, my eldest.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34There's more Star Wars than Daniel.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37This takes over the whole space, this takes over THEM.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42- I mean, this is their bedroom. My bedroom was my lair, it was my cave, it was my home.- Yeah.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45You know, and all of a sudden, there's Dad's stuff!
0:14:45 > 0:14:48'I can honestly say I've never seen anything like this.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50'Sarah must be a saint.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52'Or she's just not putting her foot down.'
0:14:52 > 0:14:56Is it difficult to see the collection taking over your children's lives as well?
0:14:56 > 0:15:00They're going to be Star Wars fans. They didn't really have a choice in that.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02It was inevitable!
0:15:02 > 0:15:06But I do worry about the impact it has because they...they don't have normal bedrooms.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09They have boxes of Star Wars stuff and it's not normal,
0:15:09 > 0:15:11and I do worry about the effect.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14'This is amassing, not collecting.'
0:15:14 > 0:15:17- Ooh!- Now, what I've got in this room, at the back there is a replica
0:15:17 > 0:15:21of that, and it's signed, it's got a plaque that's signed by Mark Hamill.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24- And that, you can't even get to? - I can't get to it. - James, that's ridiculous.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28That's a key piece of memorabilia, that should be on display somewhere.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30'So, how did it get so bad?
0:15:30 > 0:15:34'James first began collecting when he was just seven years old,
0:15:34 > 0:15:37'but as a teenager, his collection didn't survive.'
0:15:37 > 0:15:39My parents got divorced in '86,
0:15:39 > 0:15:44and...unfortunately my dad destroyed all of my Star Wars collection.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47I'm sure he had his reasons because he was clearing out the house
0:15:47 > 0:15:48and it was just one of those things.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51I'm really sort of quite intrigued by what happened.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53I mean, your father threw away your collection?
0:15:53 > 0:15:58Extensibly, yes, so when I got our stuff back, it wasn't there,
0:15:58 > 0:16:00and I didn't speak to my father for a few years.
0:16:00 > 0:16:05'They've since made up but it was a difficult time for 16-year-old James.'
0:16:05 > 0:16:08It was obviously a very, very painful experience, um...
0:16:08 > 0:16:13that still is, you know... still hurts me today.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16Um...but that's life. You get on with it, pick yourself up,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19dust yourself off and carry on as best you can.
0:16:19 > 0:16:24Do you think this is part of the reason why you're just amassing everything?
0:16:24 > 0:16:28They're your items, it's your collection, you've got the control of it all.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31There's obviously something like that that's harking me back.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35'James didn't begin collecting again for another ten years.'
0:16:35 > 0:16:40I was in Southgate and there was an antique shop there which had some vintage figures in the window,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44and I went and bought him an Ewok, and it was just one Ewok.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46That sort of re-sparked
0:16:46 > 0:16:49something that was laying dormant for many years.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53I don't know how much he's spent. I don't want to ask.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58So, how would you like the house to change?
0:16:58 > 0:17:00What would you like to see happening to your house?
0:17:00 > 0:17:05I would like one room, which would house his collection.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09I do appreciate the fact that it has gotten out of hand.
0:17:09 > 0:17:14I need there to be some commitment from him that...
0:17:14 > 0:17:17when we get the house in order, and it has to be a when, not an if,
0:17:17 > 0:17:21cos I've threatened him with skips before and, it, you know...
0:17:21 > 0:17:25One day he will push me too far. This is a family home not a museum.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28If he keeps it all in boxes, he might as well just throw it
0:17:28 > 0:17:31all away cos it's just sitting there and doing nothing.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33'There's more at stake here than just the collection
0:17:33 > 0:17:36'and something needs to change.'
0:17:36 > 0:17:40You're not playing with it, you're not opening it up, you're not handling the actual goods inside.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42And, aesthetically,
0:17:42 > 0:17:46- you're not really getting a lot out of it either.- No.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48So kind of on both fronts it seems as if...
0:17:48 > 0:17:51It's a waste at the moment.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55- It's a waste.- Oh, James, that seems too harsh, though. - We need to do something better.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59Well...at the moment it's a pile of boxes and it's not really a lot more.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02Your home is a storage facility with boxes piled up into it.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05You need to turn it back into a home.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08'Unable to see it, this collection is pointless.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14'Not least because James has hit upon one of the world's most popular collectibles.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17'Star Wars merchandise is not only big business,
0:18:17 > 0:18:21'it's also earned its very own place in history.'
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Whether you're a Luke Skywalker, Han Solo or Princess Leia fan,
0:18:24 > 0:18:28there are hardly any of us that haven't seen a Star Wars film.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31It's one of the most famous film franchises of all time.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34However, it's not just the movies that made big bucks.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41'Since their first appearance in 1977,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44'the films have revolutionised the toy industry.'
0:18:46 > 0:18:51Movie tie-ins had been around since the very earliest days of cinema.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55As stars of the silver screen gained popularity and notoriety,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58theatres could purchase items such as pillow cases with
0:18:58 > 0:19:01photographs of the stars to give away to or sell to the public.
0:19:01 > 0:19:06And then, of course, there was Walt Disney and his big star, Mickey Mouse.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09'But by the time Star Wars came along in the late '70s,
0:19:09 > 0:19:13'the big toy companies had all but given up on movie memorabilia
0:19:13 > 0:19:17'and simply weren't interested in making Star Wars toys.'
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Even the distributors 20th Century Fox had no faith
0:19:20 > 0:19:24in the virtues of merchandising, or even in the films themselves.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28'In one of Hollywood's most famous deals,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31'George Lucas agreed to a reduced salary in exchange
0:19:31 > 0:19:36'for 40% of box office takings and all the merchandising rights.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39'Lucas joined forces with toy manufacturers Kenner
0:19:39 > 0:19:42to produce a range of Star Wars figures.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46'It was a partnership that would prove to be an enormous success.'
0:19:47 > 0:19:49The marketing team initially
0:19:49 > 0:19:51had thought about producing a 12-inch figure,
0:19:51 > 0:19:55so very much like GI Joe in America an Action Man over here in the UK.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59However they very quickly realised that a 12-inch Han Solo
0:19:59 > 0:20:01would require a five-foot Millennium Falcon.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06They then turned to the president of Kenner, Bernie Loomis.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08His response was this -
0:20:08 > 0:20:10three and three quarter inches.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15It was the new size of figure which kept manufacturing costs down,
0:20:15 > 0:20:19and that meant everybody could afford a little piece of Star Wars.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23And that was important for children and, of course, their parents,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26because, as well as aiming to collect the entire set,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29you could let your imagination run wild as you acted out
0:20:29 > 0:20:31your favourite scenes from the films.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34It was a whole new way to play, and today
0:20:34 > 0:20:37the three-and-three-quarter-inch figure is very much the industry standard.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41Lucas and his friends had surprised everyone
0:20:41 > 0:20:44and surpassed all expectation.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47The marketing strategy and production of such a vast range
0:20:47 > 0:20:50of toys turned many a young boy into a collector.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53Driven by nostalgia, prices for these early vintage
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Star Wars pieces can be stratospheric.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58A set of the 12 original figures,
0:20:58 > 0:21:01mint on card and in exceptional condition,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04recently sold at auction for over £12,000.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08As of 2012, the Star Wars films have generated an estimated
0:21:08 > 0:21:134.4 billion in ticket sales, but that's compared
0:21:13 > 0:21:18to an estimated 20 billion worth of merchandising sales.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21Star Wars didn't just tell us about the exploits of an empire,
0:21:21 > 0:21:23it created an empire.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31And our next collector has created her very own empire.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34We've come to meet a woman who's worried about the future
0:21:34 > 0:21:37of her collection and has no idea of its true value.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40KNOCKING
0:21:40 > 0:21:42- Hello. - Hello, pleased to meet you.
0:21:42 > 0:21:43- Are you Shirley?- Yes.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47'And for grandma Shirley it's a very large collection.'
0:21:50 > 0:21:51Wow.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55They literally are everywhere, Shirley.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Goodness me! How many have you got?
0:21:57 > 0:22:01I've got 73 prams and I've got approximately 300 dolls.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04- 73 prams.- Prams.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Where are the other...65?
0:22:07 > 0:22:09- You'll see them in a minute. - Right, OK.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15Shirley can't stop buying dolls, and has done so since her childhood.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17They now fill six rooms of her home.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22I don't smoke, I don't drink and I don't go out with men.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25SHE LAUGHS
0:22:25 > 0:22:27So that's my hobby.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30There's something very odd going on with the eyelids on this one.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Yeah, she moves, her eyes move.
0:22:32 > 0:22:33I just like to take care of them,
0:22:33 > 0:22:37I always feel sorry for a doll if it's battered about.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40I feel like I want to take it home and look after it.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Hello, little ones.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45You look very at home there, I do have to say.
0:22:45 > 0:22:46THEY LAUGH
0:22:47 > 0:22:50'But now 69-year-old Shirley is facing a problem
0:22:50 > 0:22:53'all collectors will have to deal with at some point.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56'What happens to your collection after you've gone?'
0:22:57 > 0:22:59I am concerned about the future.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01If I sort of kick the bucket and go, like,
0:23:01 > 0:23:03what's going to happen to them?
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Who's going to look after them and do the necessary?
0:23:06 > 0:23:10'This is Shirley's life's work and passion.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13'She wants to pass the dolls on to her grandchildren
0:23:13 > 0:23:14'but they have no idea
0:23:14 > 0:23:17'what to do with them or even what they're worth.'
0:23:17 > 0:23:22How much do you think you've spent in your 50 years as a collector?
0:23:22 > 0:23:25- I don't know.- Ah-ha.
0:23:25 > 0:23:26Look at this little cluster!
0:23:26 > 0:23:30'This is a collection that demands an extensive valuation.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32'Until we know what it's all worth,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35'we can't help Shirley decide what its future should be.'
0:23:35 > 0:23:37'50s dolls, hard plastic dolls,
0:23:37 > 0:23:40- are really coming into their own at the moment.- Oh, really?
0:23:40 > 0:23:42And I think perhaps that's partly to do with nostalgia.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45- I think we like to collect toys that we had as children.- Yes.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47And maybe it's a generation now collecting the dolls
0:23:47 > 0:23:50- of the '50s that they had when they were younger.- Ah.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53You could be talking sort of up to a couple of hundred pounds.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55- Really?- But it needs a little bit more work on that.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58'What I really want to know, though, is how do you go from buying
0:23:58 > 0:24:01'a few dolls to owning a collection of more than 300?'
0:24:03 > 0:24:05Did you have one specific doll as a child
0:24:05 > 0:24:06that you were very attached to?
0:24:06 > 0:24:09My first doll I ever had, my mum bought me,
0:24:09 > 0:24:11and I idolised that doll.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14I came home from school one day and she'd gone,
0:24:14 > 0:24:18and my mum told me that she'd given it to a family
0:24:18 > 0:24:21who lived over the road who had about seven or eight children,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23and a few days later I saw the doll
0:24:23 > 0:24:25and it was just smashed to bits in the garden.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27- Oh, Shirley, no! - Shirley, stop it.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29Yeah, I know.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32Do you think this is what your collection's all about, Shirley?
0:24:32 > 0:24:34It's the search to find that one original doll
0:24:34 > 0:24:37- that was taken away from you? - Maybe subconsciously.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39- Shirley, onwards. I can't bear this. - Absolutely.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41- Onwards, please.- Show us some more.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Oh...my...days.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45You sleep in this room with the dolls?
0:24:45 > 0:24:47- This is my bedroom. - This is your bedroom.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49This is like a car park of..
0:24:49 > 0:24:51- A pram park.- Isn't it?
0:24:54 > 0:24:58'I have to say, I'm blown away and, if I'm being honest,
0:24:58 > 0:24:59'(a little bit spooked.)'
0:25:00 > 0:25:04Sorry, one of them is actually staring at me quite intensely.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08- No, I can't look at him! - Now look what you've started.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10Shirley, be my buffer, please be my buffer.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13'Shirley is a collectaholic in every sense of the word.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17'As her grandchildren, Lucia and James, know only too well.'
0:25:17 > 0:25:18How does it work in reality?
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Every time she goes to an antiques fair
0:25:20 > 0:25:22she will say to me on the phone, "I am not buying no prams,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24"I'm not buying no dolls, I'm going to look."
0:25:24 > 0:25:27You ring her up that evening, "Nan, what did you buy?"
0:25:27 > 0:25:28"I bought two dolls and a pram."
0:25:28 > 0:25:31- Ah. Oh, no! - SHE LAUGHS
0:25:31 > 0:25:33I remember going to these fairs with her
0:25:33 > 0:25:36and putting the back seats down, trying to fit the pram in the back.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Put three prams in the back and... SHIRLEY GIGGLES
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Yeah, with all the dolls and...
0:25:40 > 0:25:42If I say, "James, there's an antique fair coming soon."
0:25:42 > 0:25:45"No, no, I'm not coming, don't ask me." THEY LAUGH
0:25:45 > 0:25:48'When the time comes, Shirley's grandchildren
0:25:48 > 0:25:51'have no idea what to do with the collection.'
0:25:51 > 0:25:53They did say when I kick the bucket
0:25:53 > 0:25:56that they're going to stick 'em on eBay.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Are you daunted by the prospect
0:26:00 > 0:26:05that you're going to have this huge collection to deal with?
0:26:05 > 0:26:06I wouldn't know where to start.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08- Really?- Really.
0:26:08 > 0:26:09Internet.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11- Internet?- Online auctions.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14- I'm joking. - Listen, she doesn't want that.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16No, I know, she wants them to go to loving homes and...
0:26:16 > 0:26:18I think she'd haunt me if I done that.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21That was the first doll like that that my mum bought for me.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24'I mean, I think it is fair to say that it's something
0:26:24 > 0:26:26'that seems to worry Shirley a bit isn't, it?
0:26:26 > 0:26:28'If you collect something,'
0:26:28 > 0:26:31if you've got a passion for something and you love something so much
0:26:31 > 0:26:33then obviously you're not going to want that thing
0:26:33 > 0:26:34to get damaged or hurt,
0:26:34 > 0:26:37so obviously that's when her feelings come into play.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39It would be nice in a way to kind of find
0:26:39 > 0:26:41some options for her, wouldn't it?
0:26:41 > 0:26:43Yeah, keep her mind at rest.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46It would be nice to have, like, a plan so it all goes smoothly.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Well, hopefully we can help.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50- Yeah, sounds brilliant. - Yeah, good.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53'Getting everything valued is the first step to giving Shirley
0:26:53 > 0:26:55'the peace of mind she's longing for.'
0:26:55 > 0:26:58'And it's becoming clear that Shirley has no idea
0:26:58 > 0:27:00'just how much it's all worth.'
0:27:00 > 0:27:03- She's probably worth £150, £250 I would think.- Yeah?
0:27:09 > 0:27:11Art collector Graham is facing a crisis -
0:27:11 > 0:27:16how to keep collecting when he's run out of wall space.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19We've brought him to London to a very special house indeed.
0:27:20 > 0:27:25This was once the home of 19th century architect Sir John Soane.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Something of a collector himself, Soane created this house,
0:27:28 > 0:27:32with its picturesque and poetic interiors, to inspire amateurs
0:27:32 > 0:27:36and students in architecture, painting and sculpture.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38It was his gift to the nation.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43Welcome to Sir John Soane's picture room.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47Wow. Good heavens. Absolutely astonishing.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51John Soane built this room in 1824, when he was 71,
0:27:51 > 0:27:55to house his enormous and growing collection of pictures.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58This room is not all that it seems Graham,
0:27:58 > 0:28:01- there's a bit of an optical illusion in here.- Right.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03Cos he had a lot more pictures to deal with than
0:28:03 > 0:28:06the ones you can just see hanging up.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10'Soane was immensely proud of his use of large moveable planes
0:28:10 > 0:28:12'to maximise hanging options.'
0:28:13 > 0:28:15Good heavens, yes, this is the perfect solution,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18I shall have one of these constructed as soon as I get home.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20- More of them?- Yep.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24In fact, the whole room has doors that open up to hold more pictures.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26How clever.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28It's like a sort of gigantic advent calendar.
0:28:28 > 0:28:29THEY LAUGH
0:28:29 > 0:28:33'The effect was such that this 13 by 12 foot space
0:28:33 > 0:28:36'is actually capable of displaying as many pictures
0:28:36 > 0:28:39'as a gallery of 20 by 45 feet.'
0:28:39 > 0:28:40It's just absolutely amazing,
0:28:40 > 0:28:44just how you can show everything off quite so easily.
0:28:45 > 0:28:46I think it's ingenious.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51Housing works by great artists such as Canaletto,
0:28:51 > 0:28:55Turner and Hogarth, it's said that Soane used more
0:28:55 > 0:28:59than 704 books of gold leaf to gild their frames.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03Do you feel a sort of connection across the centuries
0:29:03 > 0:29:06with this extraordinary collector?
0:29:06 > 0:29:07Yes, I think there are...
0:29:07 > 0:29:09There's a strange vibe about all this,
0:29:09 > 0:29:13because you can see the same single-mindedness
0:29:13 > 0:29:17and the same joy of collecting and the same pleasure,
0:29:17 > 0:29:20to get it on the wall so that others can enjoy it, as well.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26Can you see yourself, Graham, doing something similar?
0:29:26 > 0:29:28- It is food for thought, isn't it? - And for the eyes.
0:29:28 > 0:29:29It's going to happen.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31- It's going to happen, Graham. - It'd be a feast.
0:29:35 > 0:29:40'Recreating Sir John Soane's picture room is a touch ambitious,
0:29:40 > 0:29:42'but I think it's perfect inspiration
0:29:42 > 0:29:45'for a collection as jam-packed as Graham's.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48'So I've brought in builder Stewart to see what's possible.'
0:29:48 > 0:29:50What areas are we looking at?
0:29:50 > 0:29:52Well, Graham, what do you think?
0:29:52 > 0:29:56Well, it's where you can actually hinge some of these partitions
0:29:56 > 0:29:58on which you can then hang additional pieces.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01We can certainly do something within here.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04Just looking at it, perhaps a sliding door there,
0:30:04 > 0:30:07so you could hang art this side and from that side.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10- Right.- As well as, you know, making the most of that wall.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12What were you thinking, Graham, in terms of
0:30:12 > 0:30:13where it will be in the house?
0:30:13 > 0:30:17Well, I'm still trying to get my mind around the concept in any shape.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19'It's a lot for Graham to take on board.'
0:30:19 > 0:30:21How many pictures would you want to put on?
0:30:21 > 0:30:23We're looking at one, two, three...
0:30:23 > 0:30:25About half a dozen on either side,
0:30:25 > 0:30:27so you're looking at another dozen pictures.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30- That's...that's pretty amazing. - It's achievable.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33How about perhaps doing something here to form a screen
0:30:33 > 0:30:35- so you separate the room. - Double doors!
0:30:35 > 0:30:38- That meet to form a single wall. - Which we can slide.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42Graham. And you can emerge through the wall to your guests.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46This does have mileage, doesn't it? Which I don't have.
0:30:46 > 0:30:4824 pictures, Graham. 24.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51'Sounds promising, and I'm hoping there'll be more good news
0:30:51 > 0:30:53'when it comes to the valuation.'
0:30:53 > 0:30:55- It's remarkable, isn't it? - It is rather.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58He's choosing art which is technically very complex.
0:30:58 > 0:31:00'Alex Hayter from Bloomsbury Auctions
0:31:00 > 0:31:02'has come to give me the lowdown.'
0:31:02 > 0:31:06At the end of the corridor here we've got a number of pieces
0:31:06 > 0:31:09that are almost sort of like a roll call of contemporary artist's names.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11Bridget Riley, for example, two pieces.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13Very much so, and they're great works.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16She's one of the most important British artists
0:31:16 > 0:31:18of the 20th century, and it's very sought-after.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20So what's that worth today, for example?
0:31:20 > 0:31:22She's a fashionable artist, isn't she?
0:31:22 > 0:31:24Well, two years ago, probably £1,500.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27- Now, £3,500, £4,000. - That's an enormous rise!
0:31:27 > 0:31:28It is, but she's very in vogue.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32'Whilst some have increased, others aren't what they seem.'
0:31:32 > 0:31:33This series was...
0:31:33 > 0:31:35It's one of the most important series of prints
0:31:35 > 0:31:37by Hockney from the mid-1960s.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40This was part of a book.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42It was a book of 13 etchings,
0:31:42 > 0:31:45and it's effectively been taken out of the book.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48It's still an etching by David Hockney,
0:31:48 > 0:31:51there's no question of that, but it's been taken out of a book.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54'And so it's only worth about £100.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57'But Graham's got a great eye for emerging talent.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01They're by a relatively unknown artist called Colin Wiggins.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05He's made these...these portraits of other artists,
0:32:05 > 0:32:07and other artists have produced a portrait of him.
0:32:07 > 0:32:08They're beautiful things,
0:32:08 > 0:32:11they're really brilliantly crafted, clever etchings.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14- And they're from tiny editions. - Minuscule, minuscule.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17These are incredibly rare things. I've seen this once.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19'And that can only be a good thing.'
0:32:21 > 0:32:24'There are some big-value pieces here,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27'and whilst Graham has bought straight from the galleries
0:32:27 > 0:32:28'at the highest prices,
0:32:28 > 0:32:32'there are plenty of artists whose careers are still maturing.'
0:32:35 > 0:32:40'With 350 separate pieces, this might take some time.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43'You're not going to tell me anything, are you, Mark?
0:32:43 > 0:32:45'Nope. Not yet anyway.'
0:32:49 > 0:32:51'Star Wars fanatic James's
0:32:51 > 0:32:54'35,000-piece collection can't be enjoyed.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57'It's piled up in boxes and has completely overrun
0:32:57 > 0:32:59'his children's bedrooms.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02'He knows it's out of control, but he's ready to make a change
0:33:02 > 0:33:06'and convert the entire attic into a purpose-built showroom.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10'So, I'm taking James and wife Sarah to meet a fellow collector
0:33:10 > 0:33:13'to see how a large collection can be balanced with a family home.'
0:33:13 > 0:33:15- Hi.- Hello.- Hello, Debbie.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18- Yes.- Good to see you. - Hi, come on in.- Hi.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22'Peter's die-cast van collection spans 22,000 items.'
0:33:22 > 0:33:24It's really beautiful, Peter.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27A whole new collecting experience for you, James.
0:33:27 > 0:33:28Yes, unbelievable.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30- It's like an art gallery. - Yeah.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33'But wife Debbie has put her foot down.
0:33:33 > 0:33:37'The collection stops on the stairs to the attic and comes no lower.'
0:33:38 > 0:33:43- Just a few bits. - 22,000, James.- 22,000, OK.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48So, James, what do you think?
0:33:48 > 0:33:50It's amazing.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52- It's very organised. - It's a bit of a collection.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55It is, but it's all so well displayed.
0:33:55 > 0:33:56It needs displaying.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59- You need to see it, you need to be aware of what you've got.- Yes.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03'You said it. This is the total opposite to James's.
0:34:03 > 0:34:04'The collection can be enjoyed
0:34:04 > 0:34:09'and every available space has been used - even the sloping ceilings.'
0:34:09 > 0:34:12For me to have the collection out on show is something that,
0:34:12 > 0:34:15- you know, I want to do. - It's great, isn't it?
0:34:15 > 0:34:16So much pleasure.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19- And I think I'll enjoy it a lot more.- You will.
0:34:19 > 0:34:20'Peter's love of vans began
0:34:20 > 0:34:24'when he bought a life-size one more than 40 years ago.'
0:34:24 > 0:34:27And I went to Spain and lived in the back of one
0:34:27 > 0:34:30- for 13 months as a hippy... - I'm loving that.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33..on a strawberry farm. You were there.
0:34:33 > 0:34:37Not actually, in Spain but you were of the '70s ilk, you know..
0:34:37 > 0:34:41- Well, yeah, kind of, mainly '80s...- Yeah, but we...
0:34:41 > 0:34:44Is this all taking you back then to those hippy days
0:34:44 > 0:34:46- living in the back of a van? - Part of it, yeah, yeah.
0:34:46 > 0:34:47Is that what it's about?
0:34:47 > 0:34:51Everyone underestimates the vanning movement.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54How much do you reckon you've spent in total?
0:34:54 > 0:34:56What a question that is. I don't know.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58You can't put a value on it.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01- You can't put a balance sheet on enjoyment.- Yeah.
0:35:01 > 0:35:02'We're leaving the boys to it.'
0:35:02 > 0:35:04Is there a board behind there?
0:35:04 > 0:35:06So obviously you're not going directly into the...
0:35:06 > 0:35:08- I've double plaster-boarded that. - Right, OK, fine.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10'I want Sarah to see how the collection
0:35:10 > 0:35:12'doesn't have to take over the whole house.'
0:35:12 > 0:35:16How did you manage to kind of mark out this territory so clearly?
0:35:16 > 0:35:20- I just said, "I just don't want it everywhere in the house."- Yeah.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23You know, I just want some areas that I can call my own really, so...
0:35:23 > 0:35:25This is the mistake I've made.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27I clearly haven't been strict enough with that.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30- Do you think that's what it is? About being strict?- It really is.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32I tell you, give them an inch, that's it.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35How does it feel meeting a fellow collector's wife?
0:35:35 > 0:35:37Good luck!
0:35:37 > 0:35:38SHE LAUGHS
0:35:38 > 0:35:40Aww.
0:35:40 > 0:35:41It's great.
0:35:41 > 0:35:46I'm very pleased that I can see how it could be at the other end.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50'Whilst Mel's been finding out how they can display the collection,
0:35:50 > 0:35:53'I've been trying to work out exactly what's here.'
0:35:54 > 0:35:57'Most of the collection is from the late 1990s onwards.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01'With many of his items produced in huge quantities,
0:36:01 > 0:36:05'they don't command nearly as much value as the older late 1970s ones.'
0:36:07 > 0:36:11'But James has kept all his modern figures mint on card,
0:36:11 > 0:36:15'pristine and preserved in their original packaging.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17'And, with duplicates and triplicates everywhere,
0:36:17 > 0:36:21'selling them could bring in several thousand pounds.
0:36:21 > 0:36:25'And he does have some star items that should be out on display.'
0:36:27 > 0:36:30'But finding them all is impossible with the collection in this state.'
0:36:32 > 0:36:36Well, that's all about to change as we're taking drastic action.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40To get the attic converted into James's Star Wars haven,
0:36:40 > 0:36:42everything's going to be packed up and shipped out
0:36:42 > 0:36:45to a huge storage facility.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48No matter how much wall space you've got, you'll need more.
0:36:48 > 0:36:49Yeah.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51'At last James can see beyond the boxes,
0:36:51 > 0:36:54'and Sarah can see life without the boxes.'
0:36:54 > 0:36:56So what do you reckon?
0:36:56 > 0:36:58It's amazing, absolutely amazing collection.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00- Beautifully displayed. - It looks cool, doesn't it?
0:37:00 > 0:37:03- Really cool.- But I really, really like some of the ideas.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06I like the shelf in the middle. Really good food for thought,
0:37:06 > 0:37:08I'm getting a bit excited now.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11'Moving everything is going to be a huge job for us,
0:37:11 > 0:37:15'but for James it's finally time to relinquish control.'
0:37:21 > 0:37:24'We're back with Shirley,
0:37:24 > 0:37:27'who doesn't know what to do with the dolls she's hoping will be
0:37:27 > 0:37:29'an important nest egg for her grandchildren.'
0:37:29 > 0:37:32I think they need help, you know what I mean?
0:37:32 > 0:37:33I mean, I could kick the bucket tomorrow,
0:37:33 > 0:37:36I might live another 20 years, we don't know yet,
0:37:36 > 0:37:39but I think they would need help and advice from somebody.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41- Mark is your man. - Absolutely. I'll do my best.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45'Inheriting a collection is hard.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48'Inheriting a collection this big is terrifying.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51'And valuing it all is an intensive process.'
0:37:52 > 0:37:54Could I have a look at those two?
0:37:54 > 0:37:57- I can sort of see value there already.- Can you?- Absolutely, yes.
0:37:57 > 0:37:58'When it comes to valuing dolls,
0:37:58 > 0:38:00'you've got to know what you're looking for,
0:38:00 > 0:38:02'and Mark knows where to start.'
0:38:02 > 0:38:05- What are you doing? Winding the doll? - THEY LAUGH
0:38:05 > 0:38:08What I'm doing is looking at the back of the head
0:38:08 > 0:38:10because, as Shirley well knows... Can you see here?
0:38:10 > 0:38:13- What does it say? Oh, Germany! - All the clues here on the back.
0:38:13 > 0:38:14On the back of the neck.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16And these marks will often give you clues as to
0:38:16 > 0:38:19- when the doll was made and who made it.- Ah.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23And look at that. Nice little bit of detail up there.
0:38:23 > 0:38:24Her eyelashes are intact.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27- If we turn her over, let's see who made her.- Germany.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31- There we go, but AM here stands for Armand Marseille.- Marseille.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34Who are one of the most prolific doll makers.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36'German manufacturer Armand Marseille
0:38:36 > 0:38:40'was so popular that in the early 20th century their factory
0:38:40 > 0:38:44'was producing up to 1,000 porcelain doll heads per day.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47'These were affordable, but well-made dolls
0:38:47 > 0:38:50'and they're just as popular now as they were back then.'
0:38:50 > 0:38:52And with the clothing I could see a dealer
0:38:52 > 0:38:55easily selling her for £250 or so.
0:38:55 > 0:38:56'It's not just the dolls.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58'Shirley's got 73 prams.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02'And with prams it's the maker that's all important.'
0:39:02 > 0:39:04- This is Silver Cross, isn't it? - Silver Cross Princess.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07- But this is the Rolls-Royce of prams...- Yeah.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09- I mean, my goodness me. - Yeah, definitely.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13'For me, dolls are just a childhood memory of playing mum,
0:39:13 > 0:39:15'but that's not what the collector market sees,
0:39:15 > 0:39:17'and it's a huge market.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20'I've come to the Museum of Childhood in London
0:39:20 > 0:39:23'to meet an expert who knows all about the value
0:39:23 > 0:39:25'and history of dolls.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27'Rachel Gotch has been a doll valuer
0:39:27 > 0:39:30'at a specialist auction house for 15 years.'
0:39:31 > 0:39:35Dolls, I believe, go back to as early as the Egyptian times,
0:39:35 > 0:39:38but the dolls that we consider as collectible now,
0:39:38 > 0:39:41the first commercial dolls, if you like,
0:39:41 > 0:39:45- are William and Mary period, so about 1680s.- Right.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49'We're being given a very special treat -
0:39:49 > 0:39:52'a private look inside the museum vaults.'
0:39:52 > 0:39:57- Oh, my word, look at this, Rachel. - Is this solid doll world?
0:39:57 > 0:39:58- Absolutely.- Floor to ceiling.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02- This is the heart of the museum. - I want to open all the boxes!
0:40:02 > 0:40:04I know, but you'd be here all day, I'm afraid.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07'The museum has over 4,000 dolls in their collection
0:40:07 > 0:40:11'with everything from modern day Barbies to early wooden dolls.'
0:40:12 > 0:40:15- She would date from about 1750, 1760.- That old?
0:40:15 > 0:40:17Oh, look! She's got a little...
0:40:17 > 0:40:19- It's like a little watch. - I love her clothes.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21That's her little pocket watch to keep the time.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23They think that these were made possibly by travelling
0:40:23 > 0:40:26furniture makers, and they would do this as a sideline.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29So the popularity of dolls would be literally word of mouth
0:40:29 > 0:40:31or people seeing one and thinking, "I'd like one of those."
0:40:31 > 0:40:34Yes, I think a sign of prosperity within the family
0:40:34 > 0:40:37because they would have cost quite a lot at the time to be made,
0:40:37 > 0:40:40and I think probably passed around after dinner parties to talk about.
0:40:40 > 0:40:41It was a trinket.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44So not given to your six-year-old to have a good old...?
0:40:44 > 0:40:47No, I don't believe so. They're very rare.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51We have quite recently sold an extremely rare example,
0:40:51 > 0:40:56a little earlier than this one here, and she actually achieved £58,500.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58- Wow.- Yes.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02'The 19th century Industrial Revolution
0:41:02 > 0:41:04'led to the mass production of dolls.'
0:41:04 > 0:41:06Ooh, it's like Christmas!
0:41:06 > 0:41:10'A growing demand from the emerging wealthier population was fed
0:41:10 > 0:41:12'by an increasing number of factories
0:41:12 > 0:41:14'based primarily on the Continent.'
0:41:14 > 0:41:17Ooh, wow. Oh, look.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20'And one of the most popular materials they used was bisque,
0:41:20 > 0:41:24'which was faster and easier to produce than wood.'
0:41:24 > 0:41:28It's like a china material, it's fired, then it's painted by hand
0:41:28 > 0:41:32and it's not glazed, so it doesn't have the shine of china.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35'A number of factories in France became renowned
0:41:35 > 0:41:39'for their fine quality, artistry and beauty.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42'Jumeau, who made this Emile doll, were one of the best.'
0:41:42 > 0:41:45These would have been extremely expensive in their day,
0:41:45 > 0:41:47perhaps as much as a week's wages.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50And today, presumably, she's much sought after, a doll like this?
0:41:50 > 0:41:54Jumeaus are one of our most popular dolls with collectors.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58They can achieve anywhere between sort of £3,000 and more.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02She's got more outfits than Cheryl Cole, this one.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05'By the 1930s bisque had become too expensive to make,
0:42:05 > 0:42:08'so a cheap and simple alternative was found -
0:42:08 > 0:42:10'composition.'
0:42:10 > 0:42:12A bit like papier-mache, it's sort of sawdust,
0:42:12 > 0:42:14I think perhaps a bit of chalk,
0:42:14 > 0:42:17and it's all mushed together and moulded into shape.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20And, yes, they would be much more affordable.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22'Composition dolls are still very popular
0:42:22 > 0:42:28'and collectors can pick up the most common for as little as £15 or £20.'
0:42:28 > 0:42:29I rather like her, actually.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38'Shirley's collection is predominantly
0:42:38 > 0:42:39'composition and bisque.'
0:42:43 > 0:42:47'But the dolls range in size, variety and, therefore, value.'
0:42:51 > 0:42:55How much do you reckon you have spent on amassing the collection?
0:42:55 > 0:42:58The most I've ever spent on a doll was £300,
0:42:58 > 0:43:02but that was just a one-off, and some I've only paid £20, £10.
0:43:02 > 0:43:03Yeah.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08How much do you reckon the collection is worth?
0:43:08 > 0:43:11Could be hundreds, I don't think it goes into thousands,
0:43:11 > 0:43:13but it could be hundreds.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15It would be interesting just to see
0:43:15 > 0:43:18- if they have increased in value or gone down.- Yes.
0:43:19 > 0:43:23'So, just what secrets does Shirley's collection hold?
0:43:23 > 0:43:25'And what kind of nest egg has she built for her grandchildren?'
0:43:31 > 0:43:35'In London it's removal day at James and Sarah's house.'
0:43:35 > 0:43:37- It is huge!- Massive.
0:43:37 > 0:43:38It needs to be big.
0:43:38 > 0:43:40It does need to be big, Sarah, exactly.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43'Everything must go so the building work in the attic can begin
0:43:43 > 0:43:46'and the collection can be valued.'
0:43:46 > 0:43:51- Until now the flow has been in, one way only.- Yes.
0:43:51 > 0:43:54We're about to reverse that and move everything out.
0:43:54 > 0:43:58- I'm so excited. - I've got a bad feeling about this.
0:43:58 > 0:43:59Why?
0:43:59 > 0:44:01No, it's just, you know, nervous, anxiety, you know.
0:44:01 > 0:44:03It is positive.
0:44:04 > 0:44:08'But, with so many boxes, it's going to be a huge task.'
0:44:08 > 0:44:10What do you think about this, guys?
0:44:10 > 0:44:13It's the first time I've ever seen anything quite like it, to be honest with you.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15'And a huge upheaval for James.'
0:44:15 > 0:44:17There was a loose figure that just went on the top.
0:44:17 > 0:44:19Just be careful with the bubbles.
0:44:19 > 0:44:21Dad's been threatening to cancel.
0:44:21 > 0:44:22- Knowing him... - He feels a bit nervous.
0:44:22 > 0:44:24Your collection is in safe hands, James.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27- Yes, exactly, exactly. - Don't worry, it's in safe hands.
0:44:27 > 0:44:29- Deep breaths. - Yep, I'm absolutely fine!
0:44:31 > 0:44:32Are you really?
0:44:32 > 0:44:34Um...
0:44:34 > 0:44:37Valium would be quite good right now. A valium or a drink.
0:44:37 > 0:44:40I notice your voice has gone up a few octaves there.
0:44:41 > 0:44:44I think we'll leave it at that for the moment.
0:44:44 > 0:44:48'No time to dwell, James, it's all happening today.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51'Builder Stewart has arrived to work out how to get the collection
0:44:51 > 0:44:53'out of boxes and on display.'
0:44:53 > 0:44:56The first challenge is space, of course. What are you thinking?
0:44:56 > 0:44:57Bearing in mind...
0:44:57 > 0:44:59- This as well as what we've just seen?- It is, yes.
0:44:59 > 0:45:03Wow, OK. You may have to get rid of some of it.
0:45:03 > 0:45:06'The plan is to renovate the attic into a purpose-built showroom
0:45:06 > 0:45:08'combined with storage units.'
0:45:08 > 0:45:11And I know you had some concerns about lighting, Mark.
0:45:11 > 0:45:13- I think we could either go for LED for halogen.- Yep.
0:45:13 > 0:45:16- And I believe it's LED that doesn't generate heat.- That's right.
0:45:16 > 0:45:18And I think with plastic figures you don't really want
0:45:18 > 0:45:20to introduce them to a lot of heat.
0:45:20 > 0:45:24And, most importantly, Sarah is putting her foot down.
0:45:24 > 0:45:25This is it, isn't it?
0:45:25 > 0:45:28James has his boundaries set for the Star Wars collection.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30It's this room and outside on the landing, and going
0:45:30 > 0:45:35down the stairs, up to Miriam's door and above her door, and that's it.
0:45:37 > 0:45:39'The boxes are gone, everything's out
0:45:39 > 0:45:42'and now it's time for everyone to see the transformation.'
0:45:42 > 0:45:44- Ooh.- Wow!
0:45:46 > 0:45:48- Wow!- This is so good. - It's so good!
0:45:48 > 0:45:51- Night, Dad.- Look at this space!
0:45:51 > 0:45:54Last time I think I probably touched the back wall,
0:45:54 > 0:45:58I think...six years ago, when I was four?
0:45:58 > 0:46:00- What do you think of the space? - It's amazing.
0:46:00 > 0:46:02It's a really good use of the space.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05- Miriam's enjoying the space down there. - SHE GIGGLES
0:46:08 > 0:46:11'The Star Wars collection has all been moved
0:46:11 > 0:46:14'to a 2,400 square foot storage space.'
0:46:17 > 0:46:19'And I want to show James
0:46:19 > 0:46:22'and Sarah just how much stuff was stuffed into their home.
0:46:22 > 0:46:24'I think they're in for a surprise.'
0:46:33 > 0:46:35OK.
0:46:36 > 0:46:38Welcome to your collection.
0:46:38 > 0:46:41That's mad. It's absolutely mad.
0:46:42 > 0:46:43Ridiculous!
0:46:43 > 0:46:46It sort of questions why you need to do this, doesn't it?
0:46:46 > 0:46:49When you see a collection like this, why you need to have so much.
0:46:49 > 0:46:51You don't need to have so much.
0:46:51 > 0:46:53You need to choose what you want to collect and stick to that.
0:46:53 > 0:46:55- Oh, 100%, 100%. - That's what you need to do.
0:46:55 > 0:46:56'It's a positive step.
0:46:56 > 0:47:00'James is starting to realise he doesn't need to have it all.'
0:47:00 > 0:47:02SHE LAUGHS
0:47:02 > 0:47:05The hysteria really has set in, hasn't it, now?
0:47:05 > 0:47:07The shock of it all.
0:47:08 > 0:47:09We made our house bigger
0:47:09 > 0:47:12and squeezed the children into smaller and smaller spaces.
0:47:12 > 0:47:15- This is obscene.- Do you feel a bit ashamed of it, as well?
0:47:17 > 0:47:18Um...
0:47:22 > 0:47:25I think I'm ashamed that I've let it get this far
0:47:25 > 0:47:27without stepping back and doing something about it.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30Self control is something you're going to have to
0:47:30 > 0:47:31- exercise from now on. - 100%, 100%.
0:47:31 > 0:47:32See this?
0:47:32 > 0:47:34- BANG - I'm putting my foot down.
0:47:34 > 0:47:36That's fine. That's absolutely fine.
0:47:36 > 0:47:40'An eye-opening experience all round, but there are signs James
0:47:40 > 0:47:43'is becoming more of a collector and less of a hoarder.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46'I can't wait to see everything displayed in all its glory.
0:47:46 > 0:47:50'And, of course, find out how much it's all worth.'
0:47:53 > 0:47:56'Like any collector, Shirley has invested time,
0:47:56 > 0:47:58'money and emotion into her tribe of dolls.'
0:48:00 > 0:48:02'After 50 years of collecting,
0:48:02 > 0:48:05'it's time to reveal how much it's all worth.
0:48:05 > 0:48:08'This will help Shirley's grandchildren make an informed
0:48:08 > 0:48:10'decision on what they should do with the collection
0:48:10 > 0:48:13'when they inherit it.'
0:48:13 > 0:48:15Do you have figures in your head?
0:48:15 > 0:48:17Not a couple of grand, but in the grand, I'd say.
0:48:17 > 0:48:19- You'd say in the thousands? - Yeah.
0:48:19 > 0:48:20- James?- Four grand?
0:48:20 > 0:48:24Shirley, you said to me that you thought the collection
0:48:24 > 0:48:28- was worth maybe the late hundreds, £800, £900.- Yeah, maybe.
0:48:28 > 0:48:30OK. I'm desperate. Mark, please.
0:48:30 > 0:48:32Come on, four eager faces.
0:48:32 > 0:48:36Your collection of dolls, Shirley, and prams...
0:48:38 > 0:48:40..if sold on today's market...
0:48:41 > 0:48:44..would be worth in the region...
0:48:47 > 0:48:50..of £27,000.
0:48:51 > 0:48:53You're joking?
0:48:53 > 0:48:55Oh, my days.
0:48:55 > 0:48:57You're joking. Really?
0:48:57 > 0:48:59£27,000.
0:48:59 > 0:49:01£27,000.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05Do I spot a little tear in your eye?
0:49:05 > 0:49:06Well, it's shock, isn't it?
0:49:06 > 0:49:09We need another of your cups of tea, I think, Shirley.
0:49:09 > 0:49:12- I think we do, a nice strong brew. - A massively strong brew.
0:49:12 > 0:49:14I never thought it'd be that much.
0:49:14 > 0:49:18'Nor me, but Shirley's made some great investments.'
0:49:18 > 0:49:19'Indeed.
0:49:19 > 0:49:23'The prams alone are worth around £200 each,
0:49:23 > 0:49:27'making up a staggering £14,000 of the total valuation.'
0:49:28 > 0:49:30What did you pay for her Shirley?
0:49:30 > 0:49:32Er, £16.
0:49:32 > 0:49:34She's worth about £150 today.
0:49:34 > 0:49:36I bought five of them like that.
0:49:36 > 0:49:39'Shirley's intuition for buying dolls has paid off.
0:49:39 > 0:49:41'When it does come time to sell the dolls,
0:49:41 > 0:49:45'Shirley and the grandchildren have a number of options.
0:49:45 > 0:49:48'There are auction houses, but they can carry heavy fees.
0:49:48 > 0:49:52'Online auctions have lower fees, but can be time consuming.
0:49:53 > 0:49:56'As Shirley wants her dolls to go to good homes,
0:49:56 > 0:49:59'we're recommending a specialist dealer.
0:49:59 > 0:50:00'They'll still charge a fee
0:50:00 > 0:50:04'but they'll be able to find the best homes for the best prices.'
0:50:04 > 0:50:06Shirley, I should imagine this will appeal to you.
0:50:06 > 0:50:09They'll make sure they go to good homes.
0:50:09 > 0:50:10- So it's less hassle.- Yeah.
0:50:10 > 0:50:13And then you know you're getting your money's worth, as well.
0:50:13 > 0:50:16'Hang on, though. Shirley's got other ideas.'
0:50:16 > 0:50:19- I'm just not going anywhere. - Shirley!- I'm staying for ever.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22We'll just get a big enough coffin to put them all in.
0:50:22 > 0:50:26Actually the old Kings of Lithuania used to be buried
0:50:26 > 0:50:28with all their horses buried around them.
0:50:28 > 0:50:31I'm going to have a pyramid built, there we are.
0:50:31 > 0:50:32I love this idea,
0:50:32 > 0:50:35an enormous great mausoleum full of dolls watching you.
0:50:35 > 0:50:37I'll get my own pyramid built.
0:50:40 > 0:50:43Could you do something just with that space? A little cupboardy...
0:50:43 > 0:50:46Yeah, we could do for smaller artworks, you know,
0:50:46 > 0:50:49like you say, little bi-fold doors that concertina against each other.
0:50:49 > 0:50:53'To show off his ever-expanding collection of 350 prints,
0:50:53 > 0:50:55'Graham took drastic steps,
0:50:55 > 0:50:57'buying the house next door and knocking through.'
0:50:59 > 0:51:01'But to solve his display problems,
0:51:01 > 0:51:03'we've come up with a rather unusual solution -
0:51:03 > 0:51:05'put the walls back up.'
0:51:05 > 0:51:08Think I preferred the sliding panels.
0:51:08 > 0:51:10Certainly it's worth considering in a way
0:51:10 > 0:51:14that I would have even remotely thought of it before today.
0:51:14 > 0:51:18'That's great news, and it means he can buy more prints.'
0:51:18 > 0:51:20'Only if they're worth it.
0:51:20 > 0:51:24'Graham thought he'd spent £50,000 plus on his collection.'
0:51:24 > 0:51:26Graham, I'm in the dark.
0:51:26 > 0:51:28So, Mark, come on spill the old financial beans.
0:51:28 > 0:51:33If you were to sell your whole collection on the open market
0:51:33 > 0:51:37at auction, we feel that it would fetch in the region
0:51:37 > 0:51:39of £85,000.
0:51:40 > 0:51:42Mm-hm.
0:51:42 > 0:51:43Well, that's nice to know,
0:51:43 > 0:51:47and nice to know it's moved in that direction, I must say.
0:51:48 > 0:51:53'Our valuer identified 48 key prints that make up
0:51:53 > 0:51:55'more than 50% of the total value.'
0:51:55 > 0:51:58'There's a Paula Rego piece from her hugely popular
0:51:58 > 0:52:01'Peter Pan series from the early '90s.
0:52:01 > 0:52:05'At nearly £2,000, it's more than double what Graham paid for it.
0:52:07 > 0:52:11'And, of course, the quartet of Colin Wiggins collaborations
0:52:11 > 0:52:13'that are so rare.'
0:52:13 > 0:52:15Do you know how much you paid for them?
0:52:15 > 0:52:17Yes, £600 each.
0:52:17 > 0:52:23Your £600 each has turned into, for the full set,
0:52:23 > 0:52:25around £6,500.
0:52:25 > 0:52:28MEL WHISTLES Wow.
0:52:28 > 0:52:30That's, er, produced a rosy glow.
0:52:30 > 0:52:32This was certainly one of my better judgments.
0:52:32 > 0:52:34'It certainly was.
0:52:34 > 0:52:36'Graham's clearly got a great eye,
0:52:36 > 0:52:38'and if he takes Sir John Soane's lead,
0:52:38 > 0:52:41'he should have plenty of room for more purchases.'
0:52:41 > 0:52:44- Tempted to sell it?- No.
0:52:44 > 0:52:45Not for anything?
0:52:45 > 0:52:46No, it's part of me,
0:52:46 > 0:52:49and it's been part of nearly 40 years of collecting,
0:52:49 > 0:52:51and if we get the sliding partitions done
0:52:51 > 0:52:54we might even have a few more pieces.
0:52:54 > 0:52:5724 pictures, Graham. 24 pictures on two doors.
0:52:57 > 0:52:59- Well... - Quite exciting, eh?
0:52:59 > 0:53:02Yes, and I wonder how long I can spin that out for.
0:53:04 > 0:53:06There's one more person to see.
0:53:07 > 0:53:11It's been six weeks since James's 35,000-piece collection
0:53:11 > 0:53:14was removed from his house and the attic conversion began.
0:53:19 > 0:53:25Seeing all of those boxes laid out was just an unbelievable moment.
0:53:25 > 0:53:28It has changed my whole outlook on collecting.
0:53:28 > 0:53:31I didn't have the control before over what was coming
0:53:31 > 0:53:34into the house and how it was being displayed, and...
0:53:34 > 0:53:38And now I have that control back, and it's not going to take over
0:53:38 > 0:53:40the rest of the house again.
0:53:40 > 0:53:42Cos I won't let it.
0:53:42 > 0:53:46Well, it looks the same from the outside.
0:53:46 > 0:53:47It does indeed.
0:53:47 > 0:53:49'It's finally time for us to see the renovations
0:53:49 > 0:53:52'and reveal just how much James's collection is worth.'
0:53:52 > 0:53:53- Hello.- Hello.
0:53:53 > 0:53:55- How are you? - Good to see you, James.
0:53:57 > 0:54:00'The empire begins on the staircase.'
0:54:02 > 0:54:04Oh, my lord, I can see it.
0:54:04 > 0:54:06Oh!
0:54:06 > 0:54:09'James's mint on card figures line the walls
0:54:09 > 0:54:12'like a piece of postmodern abstract artwork.'
0:54:12 > 0:54:15- You can actually see the stuff. - Yes.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18So is that the kind of invisible barrier there?
0:54:18 > 0:54:21Yes, just here and also above Miriam's door.
0:54:21 > 0:54:24I think they look absolutely extraordinary.
0:54:24 > 0:54:25What do you think guys?
0:54:25 > 0:54:27I think it's great. I think it's absolutely brilliant. Sarah?
0:54:27 > 0:54:31It's worked out so much better than we could ever have imagined.
0:54:31 > 0:54:35'But it's in the attic where the real change has taken place.'
0:54:37 > 0:54:40That is beautiful. Look at it!
0:54:40 > 0:54:43Oh, my goodness, it feels so big!
0:54:43 > 0:54:46This is the room where the bunk beds were, isn't it?
0:54:46 > 0:54:48- Yep.- Yeah.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50'Gone are the bunk beds and boxes,
0:54:50 > 0:54:52'and in their places LED lighting,
0:54:52 > 0:54:54'glass shelves and plenty of storage.'
0:54:54 > 0:54:57- Slightly freaked out by the Vader head. - THEY LAUGH
0:54:57 > 0:55:01'Even the sloping ceilings have been put to use.'
0:55:01 > 0:55:03Look at all these amazing things.
0:55:03 > 0:55:04They all look as if they're doing
0:55:04 > 0:55:06the thing that they were meant to do.
0:55:06 > 0:55:09They were made for display, not for storing in a box
0:55:09 > 0:55:11- in a big pile in the corner of a room.- 100%, 100%.
0:55:11 > 0:55:14Whilst we're here, do you want to handle a lightsaber?
0:55:14 > 0:55:16So when did you actually last handle these?
0:55:16 > 0:55:18Some of them had never been opened.
0:55:18 > 0:55:20How on earth could you leave it that long?
0:55:20 > 0:55:23They were in a box, he couldn't get at them.
0:55:23 > 0:55:25- Says it all, doesn't it, really? - It does, it does.
0:55:25 > 0:55:29'It's an amazing contrast and a whole new attitude to collecting.'
0:55:29 > 0:55:32This whole process will change what I buy moving forward and how I buy.
0:55:32 > 0:55:35Instead of buying five or six, you know, just buy one thing
0:55:35 > 0:55:36because I actually like it.
0:55:36 > 0:55:39Do you think you've turned into a different type of collector?
0:55:39 > 0:55:42- Yeah, definitely.- And would you see that as a progression?
0:55:42 > 0:55:43- Yes, yes. - In what way?- It's growing up.
0:55:43 > 0:55:46- Are you proud of him? - I'm really proud of him.
0:55:46 > 0:55:48He's saying things that I never thought I'd hear him say.
0:55:48 > 0:55:51So if it was like this, would you mind it growing a little more?
0:55:51 > 0:55:54As long as it grows in the room. The line has been drawn.
0:55:56 > 0:55:58'James finally has the collection under control
0:55:58 > 0:56:01'and Sarah and the kids have their house back.
0:56:01 > 0:56:05'And, even better, James is showing a commitment to keep it that way,
0:56:05 > 0:56:08'as he's agreed to sell 29 boxes off at auction.'
0:56:08 > 0:56:12'So, come on Mark, tell us what the whole collection's worth.
0:56:12 > 0:56:14'James thinks he's spent between £25,000
0:56:14 > 0:56:16'and £30,000 on his Star Wars stuff.'
0:56:17 > 0:56:20We've had a specialist go through your collection,
0:56:20 > 0:56:23and we feel that if we were to put it into auction
0:56:23 > 0:56:26it would fetch somewhere in the region
0:56:26 > 0:56:29of £45,000 to £55,000.
0:56:30 > 0:56:31- OK.- That's...
0:56:31 > 0:56:33That's a good thing.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36- It's nice to know that it hasn't gone down. That's really nice.- Yes.
0:56:36 > 0:56:38Does that make you happy, James?
0:56:38 > 0:56:42I don't know what it makes me, to be honest, because I'm not...
0:56:42 > 0:56:44I genuinely am not really bothered about the money side of it.
0:56:44 > 0:56:47I'm doing it because I enjoy it.
0:56:47 > 0:56:50'James has nearly doubled the money he spent,
0:56:50 > 0:56:53'and the star item is his much-loved Clone Trooper.'
0:56:53 > 0:56:57He's incredibly scarce. What is it - five of these were made?
0:56:57 > 0:56:59- Yes, that's right. - Only five?- Only five.
0:56:59 > 0:57:03'Our valuer thinks James could expect around £1,000,
0:57:03 > 0:57:06'but with no previous sales as a benchmark
0:57:06 > 0:57:08'it could fetch far, far more.'
0:57:08 > 0:57:11There will always be more than five people
0:57:11 > 0:57:13who'll want to collect this.
0:57:13 > 0:57:16- I mean, if two people get behind it, 3, 4, £5,000.- Yep.
0:57:16 > 0:57:20They've never been seen for sale before on the open market.
0:57:20 > 0:57:22But it's plastic bricks!
0:57:22 > 0:57:24But the hands are moveable, slightly.
0:57:26 > 0:57:28- Ooh! - SHE LAUGHS
0:57:28 > 0:57:32'Luckily for me, the money doesn't mean that much to James and Sarah.'
0:57:32 > 0:57:34'They've got their house back
0:57:34 > 0:57:37'and a wonderful collection they can now enjoy.'
0:57:37 > 0:57:39I don't think either of us
0:57:39 > 0:57:42had any control over what was being collected.
0:57:42 > 0:57:44Now I know that we've got the control back.
0:57:44 > 0:57:47James has control, I have control - it's a better situation to be in.
0:57:47 > 0:57:50I'm very happy that I've given the family their home back.
0:57:50 > 0:57:52I think that was very, very important.
0:57:52 > 0:57:55It was obviously selfish of me for what I was doing
0:57:55 > 0:57:58and I think I needed a kick to break that cycle.
0:58:01 > 0:58:06I can't remember the last time it was a proper family home,
0:58:06 > 0:58:09and now it's a proper family home again.
0:58:09 > 0:58:10Our work here is done.
0:58:18 > 0:58:19Oh! There we go.
0:58:21 > 0:58:23It's turned out nice again, hasn't it?
0:58:23 > 0:58:26- Mmm, it has, actually. - Very clement.
0:58:26 > 0:58:28DEEP BREATHING
0:58:28 > 0:58:30SHE COUGHS
0:58:30 > 0:58:31'Excuse me.'