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00:01The Moors are alive with the sound of money.
00:04£1,300 it is. Anybody in the room, just give them a nudge in the ribs, ladies, just...
00:09Because our favourite auctioneer is back with a bang.
00:14Angus's customers are happier than ever.
00:19And the jobs are bigger than ever.
00:22At the end of the rainbow, there's might be some treasure.
00:25With the help and support...
00:26I can't break.
00:27Of his talented team...
00:30I think it's in need of a bit of a tune.
00:32He's taking on even more jam-packed homes.
00:35There's a lot, isn't there?
00:36Finding priceless treasures.
00:38Oh, my word. Some box of gold. This is fantastic.
00:41Fascinating curios.
00:43How heavy is it?
00:44Not too bad.
00:46Cherished collections.
00:48End of an era?
00:49Oh.
00:50Didn't really expect to get emotional then.
00:51No.
00:52And family heirlooms.
00:54Could that go to auction?
00:56That could go.
00:56Oh, you've made my day. Thank you very much.
00:58Then, using his knowledge and expertise...
01:01What the highest orders of gallantry there is.
01:03And his gift of the gavel...
01:06At 1,550.
01:08You look tempted, sir.
01:09You do.
01:10He delivers a fantastic...
01:122,000 pounds.
01:14Cash.
01:15All done at 4,000.
01:17Ooh.
01:19Bonanza.
01:20I like it when it goes up like that.
01:32I think I love them.
01:33I think I love them on you.
01:35Not with the outfit.
01:36No.
01:36I don't want to damage the soul.
01:38Speaking of what's good for the soul...
01:41Today, Angus is off on a bit of a pilgrimage.
01:44Right, Jack.
01:44I'm really excited today.
01:46It is a very long drive.
01:48We're going to Alton.
01:50Yeah.
01:50Not Alton Towers.
01:52Alton Abbey.
01:54Oh, nice.
01:55Yes.
01:55Much better than Alton Towers.
01:57The Hampshire village of Beach is home to the Anglican Benedictine monastery, Alton Abbey.
02:02We're waiting to meet Angus, our Abbot Giles...
02:05I think it's Rebro.
02:07..and his younger sister, Lizzie.
02:09I'd rather like it.
02:11Well, you can't have it.
02:12I'm not asking you for it, dear.
02:16We're in North Hampshire, and the monastery has been here for 130 years.
02:23In 1895, we bought this property.
02:27And the building which we're sitting at the moment, which is the Abbey Church,
02:32the foundation stone, was set in 1905.
02:38Ooh.
02:39This brings back lots of memories, doesn't it?
02:42When her brother became Abbot in 1990,
02:45Alton Abbey became an important part of Lizzie's life, too.
02:49The girl's christening, mum's funeral.
02:52Yes.
02:53Your installation is Abbot, and your blessing.
02:55That was a very special day, too.
02:58And the whole church absolutely crammed with people.
03:03Yes, most of whom I didn't know.
03:06When I first came, they were about 18.
03:09The older monks eventually went to their eternal rest.
03:15We got down eventually to five,
03:17some of whom are now very sick people,
03:23and we don't know how long the Lord is going to allow them to remain.
03:27Sadly, we've closed our house,
03:30but we live in hopes that somebody will pick up our lifestyle
03:35and live it in perhaps in a different way.
03:39Most of the monks have now moved into residential care,
03:43and Abbot Giles is staying with his sister, Lizzie.
03:46The property is now, hopefully, sold,
03:50and my role is to try and disperse the goods that are here.
03:56I contacted Angus, because in a vast building like this,
04:00we have a lot of furniture,
04:02and it needs someone with a real knowledge.
04:07There could be some really interesting pieces there.
04:10There'll be bits that are getting sent to other churches
04:12and things like that,
04:13so it's not a case of everything to go.
04:16There's certain things that I won't allow at Seoul.
04:19They're being donated in various places.
04:24We've been open to giving things away
04:26rather than making a bomb out of anything.
04:29All the same,
04:31maybe Angus can make some dynamite finds today.
04:35Right, I'll find a way in and go find them.
04:38I'll have a little look around.
04:39You're loving this, aren't you?
04:46Hello.
04:47Morning.
04:48Abbot Giles.
04:49Hi.
04:49Lizzie.
04:50Lizzie.
04:50Do come in.
04:51Thank you very much.
04:54It is peaceful, isn't it?
04:55It is.
04:58So this is your quarters?
05:01I came into these quarters 30 years ago.
05:03But you've been here for over 60.
05:0560.
05:05That's quite incredible.
05:06It is.
05:07So what's the situation now?
05:09The monastery is closed,
05:11and the five monks are all dispersed now
05:14to residents where they can be looked after.
05:17And I suppose that's been a very tough decision.
05:20It hasn't been easy, but your monastery is your habit,
05:24not the building.
05:25Yes.
05:26Our hope is that you will be able to raise some money
05:30to help support the monks.
05:32I shall do my desk.
05:35And I suppose bits all over.
05:37Yes.
05:38Let's fry her up the engines then and have a look around.
05:42So we have this bench.
05:43My community believe that this went on the Mayflower of America.
05:48The Mayflower was a ship that transported a group of families
05:52known as the Pilgrims to America in 1620,
05:55where they founded the Plymouth Colony.
05:58Among them was Stephen Hopkins,
06:00a suspected ancestor of Reverend Charles Plomer Hopkins,
06:04who founded Alton Abbey in 1895.
06:07Our founder, when he came to this country,
06:10this was brought back to England.
06:12The Mayflower set to sail in 1620.
06:15These arms here sort of feel a bit later.
06:18Yes.
06:19But that could have been that it's been restored at some point.
06:22Yes, I'm sceptical about the whole thing.
06:24I think there is a story then.
06:25We can certainly say...
06:27Yes.
06:27..by repute.
06:28Yes.
06:29..relates to the family of.
06:31It's a nice link to the founder of the community.
06:34Absolutely.
06:34Everything has a story.
06:35Even if it's made up in monk's idle times.
06:38LAUGHTER
06:41That style of furniture isn't as popular as it used to be, sadly.
06:45If you take the story away, you know, it's in the low hundreds,
06:48but the story might just capture a few imaginations.
06:51Right, well, I'd best go find Jack and leave us to it.
06:57This is an incredible job, you know, an actual abbey.
07:01I really feel for Abbott Giles.
07:03This has been his whole life.
07:0460 years he's been here.
07:07The mission for myself and Jack today
07:09is extracting as many items as possible,
07:11get a full van load and raise as much as we can
07:13to help support those monks in their final years.
07:17APPLAUSE
07:18Jack, you're going to love it.
07:20Big job.
07:21There is a library.
07:21Just look at his little face
07:24while Jack skips off to his happy place.
07:27Why don't you check out the chapter house, Angus?
07:30That's the name for the room used for official meetings in the monastery.
07:34These are the sorts of things we'd expect to find in a place like this.
07:37Huge, massive floor-standing Victorian candlesticks.
07:41If you take these off, these have been made to put smaller candlesticks on,
07:44but actually these would have housed huge, massive altar candles
07:47that would have sat on this spike.
07:48More and more places, sadly, like this abbey, are being decommissioned.
07:53A lot of them now have become homes.
07:55So actually, if you bought a chapel like this,
07:58a pair of these, you know, either by a fireplace or something like that,
08:01there's a nice feature piece
08:03that just gives that little heritage touch back.
08:06That's where the market is.
08:07I think as a pair, maybe £200 to £400.
08:10There is a market for them, but it is a bit niche.
08:12Hopefully not too niche.
08:15Get them loaded, and then let's see how our saintly scholar Jack
08:19is getting on in the library.
08:22Jack in his natural environment.
08:24Exactly.
08:25That's quite nice, isn't it?
08:26Which library wouldn't be complete without a revolving bookcase?
08:29This style of bookcase was popularised by Ohio-born inventor John Danner in 1876,
08:34who patented a design with a central post revolving on a cast-iron bearing.
08:39They were really popular in the Edwardian period.
08:41It's a freestanding piece of furniture that actually houses a lot.
08:46It's got its faults.
08:47There's a bit of freeze off there, splitting top, and mahogany,
08:51but it's very faded.
08:52It's been in the sunlight.
08:53That sort of Edwardian office look has come really back in.
08:57I think because of the damage, though, sort of £100 to £200.
09:02Really good nick.
09:03It could be £400 to £600, but...
09:04Yeah.
09:05It's been well used and loved.
09:07Yeah.
09:07And there's plenty more furniture to get loading,
09:11from chests, benches and pews to...
09:14This is the Abbot's chair.
09:16It is the most uncomfortable chair in the Abbey.
09:18And how many years have you sat in that?
09:20Every day for 30 years.
09:23Sit tight, Abbot Giles.
09:26It's comfy chairs from here on in.
09:32This is Our Lady, who is Mary, Mother of Jesus.
09:36This is what we call a polychrome figure.
09:39Now, polychrome basically means many-coloured.
09:42It goes right back to the ancient Egyptians,
09:45and it was a way of bringing items to life.
09:48So it was a carved wood figure,
09:49and then they use these natural pigments and colours to paint them,
09:53quite often gold leaf, to really bring them out.
09:57Roughly 100 years old, give or take a little bit.
09:59And it's nice.
10:00It's had some knocks and cracks.
10:02There's a charm about that.
10:03So that's not the end of the world.
10:05Maybe £200 to £400.
10:06Let's just pray it gets an immaculate reception on sale day.
10:11With dozens of pieces of furniture and religious items loaded...
10:15Right, Jack.
10:19..it's almost time for the boys to head back to base.
10:22The van's quite full.
10:23I don't think we could get much more on.
10:25You managed to get that crucifix off.
10:28We did, yes.
10:29My word.
10:30We were going to put it in the front with Jack, but...
10:32I thought of it as a hood ornament. It would be quite good.
10:35Thank you so much.
10:37Yeah, it's all right.
10:38How are you feeling now?
10:40It kind of makes it feel a bit real now, I suppose.
10:42Yes, it does, really.
10:43Yeah.
10:43Seeing the spaces in the house.
10:45To actually know that it's going to be taken by someone...
10:49..who will do their best to find a new home...
10:52..is actually wonderful for us.
10:54Well, we'll hit the road and we'll see you up in Yorkshire.
10:58Wonderful. Thank you very much.
10:59Thank you very much.
11:00I'm looking forward to auction day.
11:02I thought meeting Anglis was great.
11:05I liked his approach.
11:07I enjoyed the experience.
11:08Don't tell him that.
11:12Well, what a day.
11:13We've got the best van load that we could.
11:16And we've got some really interesting, lovely items.
11:20But some of it is quite traditional,
11:22which the market's against at the moment.
11:24So there's a few challenges, I think, on auction day.
11:28But you know what?
11:30There's some also great pieces.
11:31It might take a leap of faith,
11:34but Abba Giles and the rest of the monks
11:36are counting on you to succeed, Angus.
11:38You know what to do.
11:55Hello, Millie.
11:56What have you got for me?
11:58I've got partial contents of an abbey.
12:01And lucky Millie gets to help unload it all.
12:04For example, you can tell we've been to an abbey.
12:08You've brought back a crucifix.
12:10Yeah, it's quite a heavy piece.
12:11This bronze study of Christ
12:13most likely dates from the early 20th century
12:16and is mounted on an ebonised
12:18or chemically darkened wooden cross.
12:21But it's a nice crucifix, that.
12:22This and everything else will need to be researched
12:25and catalogued before auction day in two weeks' time.
12:34I mean, it's absolutely fascinating from Alton Abbey.
12:38It is the Lubeck altarpiece.
12:40Not the original, it's a copy of...
12:42Painted by artist Hans Memling
12:45for the altar at Lubeck Cathedral
12:47in northern Germany in 1491.
12:49The original work features a triptych
12:52of three centre panels
12:53showing the passion, crucifixion
12:55and resurrection of Christ.
12:57Foldable outer wing panels
12:59depict several saints
13:00including St Giles and St John the Baptist.
13:03These are lithographs
13:05and lithographs is a type of print
13:07that was developed in the late 18th century.
13:10It's got lovely colourful pictures
13:12on these lithographs
13:13and the fact that it all folds into a cabinet
13:15makes it quite an interesting piece.
13:17The overall condition's OK.
13:18We're probably looking at about sort of 100 to 200 on this.
13:25Hi, Millie.
13:26Hello.
13:26What are you doing, cataloguing your piece of furniture?
13:28I just thought I'd give it a go.
13:30Millie's specialisms are fashion and ceramics
13:33but it's good to branch out
13:34in this case into the oak chair of Abbott Giles.
13:37It is what we would broadly term a Wainscot chair.
13:41A Wainscot was originally a high-quality oak board
13:44used in wall panelling.
13:46In the early 17th century,
13:48the term was also used to describe panel-backed oak chairs.
13:52Church furniture, generally oak
13:54because that's what was most plentiful.
13:56It's very, very hard-wearing as well
13:58and it would be expected to last for a long time.
14:00This carving is obviously very uniform.
14:03Yeah.
14:03You don't think this is pan-carved?
14:05No.
14:05I've been 99% certain that that was machine-carved.
14:08Yeah.
14:08Very typical in the Victorian era.
14:09They would over-carve everything
14:11to make it look a bit, you know,
14:12it became ye olde chair
14:14because they associated the carving with earlier centuries.
14:17But it's a nice-looking thing.
14:19Where did you pitch it, value-wise?
14:20I'd put 150 to 250 on that.
14:23I just think it is a really nice example
14:25of, like, a Victorian chair.
14:27It is a statement.
14:28So I think it should do pretty well.
14:36Excited about today?
14:38Yes.
14:38To see what's going to happen?
14:39Yes, it's been interesting.
14:39It'll be really nice.
14:40Yes.
14:41Abbott-Chaz and Lizzie have braved the Yorkshire weather
14:44to see their things go under the gavel.
14:46Oh, Mayflower Bench.
14:48Yes.
14:49I missed the...
14:50And the crucifix.
14:52Yes.
14:54Such of Our Lady.
14:57Yes.
14:58She's rather beautiful.
14:59Oh, the triptych.
15:03St Giles.
15:04Yes.
15:05And there's more...
15:07..loops further, I think.
15:10Yeah.
15:11Morning.
15:12Morning, Edgar.
15:12This is wonderful, isn't it?
15:13I personally did not know
15:15that St Giles and the others were here
15:17because when it was displayed at the Abbey,
15:20it was this bit that was on display.
15:22And it's lovely because it's St Giles.
15:25Ah.
15:25How about Giles?
15:26Striking resemblance.
15:28Watch it.
15:29LAUGHTER
15:31Any particular bits that sort of jump out for you?
15:34There's one or two things.
15:35That was your chair, wasn't it?
15:37It was, yes.
15:39You found it uncomfortable.
15:40Uncomfortable.
15:41Uncomfortable.
15:41Because you were sat on it.
15:42Yeah.
15:43Well, we won't tell them that when we're selling it, OK?
15:46LAUGHTER
15:47We'll just tell them it's a beautiful chair.
15:50Well, I'll get ready for the sale.
15:52I'll see you up on the rostrum
15:53and we'll see what we can do.
15:55Thank you very much.
15:56Do you know what?
15:56I really hope we do well today.
15:58Some wonderful items,
16:00but they're also very traditional
16:01and the market for that's not great.
16:03So we'll see how it pans out today.
16:04I'm hoping people want a bit of that history
16:07for Moulton Abbey.
16:08So, fingers crossed.
16:10Give us a hand
16:11and hopefully we'll have a good day.
16:14It feels strange to be here
16:16and see things that I've known
16:18in place at the Abbey
16:20for over sort of 60 years.
16:22It's difficult to put it into words, really,
16:25because so much of the furniture
16:27has been with me for such a long time.
16:30Some of it I've liked
16:31and some of it I haven't.
16:35Your dreaded chair
16:36and the 40 other lots from the Abbey
16:38will hopefully soon be just a memory,
16:41Abbott Giles.
16:42Auction clerks Jasper and Heather
16:43are standing by
16:44to oversee today's online bids.
16:47Now, as Angus takes to his rostrum,
16:49we can begin.
16:51Happy.
16:53Right, we start this wonderful collection,
16:56all from Alton Abbey.
16:57First up, it's the 19th century
16:59floor-standing ecclesiastical
17:02brass candlesticks.
17:03Look at these.
17:04These are superb.
17:06We're at 100, 110, 120, 130
17:09and I've got...
17:11Everyone's putting their hands up.
17:13We'll just let it calm down.
17:14I'll come to the room.
17:15190, 200, 210,
17:1820, 220 in the room
17:20at 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270.
17:24Another room bidder is there now.
17:26280, 290, 300, 320, 340, 360, 380, 400, 420.
17:33Room bidder at 420.
17:34You're out on line.
17:35The gavel's up.
17:36The candlesticks with two candles.
17:38Well, you know, they're not cheap now.
17:41440, see?
17:42At 440, 460, 460, 460, 460 it is.
17:47Then at 460, gavel's up at 460.
17:51Angus is burning bright today.
17:55460, 69.
17:56All right, good.
17:56Let's see if he can keep it up
17:58with Abbott Giles' Victorian Wayne Scott chair.
18:01The Abbott's chair.
18:02That's the one there.
18:03Beautiful piece there.
18:05Out the abbey there.
18:06While I've been talking,
18:07bids have been racing off.
18:08We're up to 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, 280, 290, 300, 320.
18:22At 320 pounds it is then.
18:24We're all done at 320.
18:27Sold to the room bidder and comfortably over its estimate.
18:32Well done, Angus.
18:33Sticking with furniture, it's the 17th century oak bench
18:37that might have been on the Mayflower.
18:40There was a bit of gossip in the abbey, wasn't there, about this?
18:44Very tangible, possible Mayflower look.
18:47I go straight at 120, 130, 150, a bit at 150, 160, 170, 180, 190.
18:52Round it up, 200 on line.
18:54210, thank you, madam, at 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, 280, 290, 300.
19:03320, 340, 360.
19:06At 360 it is then.
19:08Final call.
19:08We're all done for the bench.
19:10At 360.
19:12Gossip or not, that's a decent price.
19:16Brilliant.
19:16Yeah.
19:17Coming up, the early 20th century carved wooden polychrome statue
19:22of Mary with the infant Jesus.
19:24We started at 150 pounds.
19:26160, 70, 80, 90, 2, 10, 20, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, 280, 290, 300, 320, 340, 360, 380, 400.
19:40At 400 pounds, 420 is back in.
19:44440, 450, 460 bid, thank you.
19:47At 460.
19:48Back of the room at 460.
19:52Another monumental purchase for the gentleman at the back.
19:56Very good.
19:57Over the next half hour, Angus puts 36 more lots under the gavel, including...
20:02At 130.
20:04The Edwardian revolving bookcase and...
20:07At 540.
20:09The bronze study of Jesus on an ebonised wooden cross.
20:15That's enough to take on board.
20:17Yes, it is.
20:19But it's good.
20:19Lizzie seems to be taking all this harder than Abbott Giles.
20:23But there's just one lot to go.
20:25The lithograph copy of the Lubeck Cathedral altarpiece.
20:29There it is.
20:30The trip ticket all folds out.
20:32There we go.
20:32Wonderful.
20:33Lots of interest in this.
20:34We'll start at 300, 320, 340, 360, 400, 420, 440, 460, 480, 500, 520, 560 it is now.
20:43580, thank you.
20:44600, thank you.
20:45640, 660, 680, 700, 720, 740.
20:49640, 760, 780.
20:51800 pounds.
20:52At 800 it is then.
20:54At 800 pounds.
20:55We're all done.
20:56At 800 pounds.
20:59Sold to a bidder in Oxfordshire.
21:01Amazing.
21:03Nice.
21:03Oh, we're finished.
21:05There we go.
21:05Finished.
21:05With the treasures of Alton Abbey off to new owners, how much money has Angus made the
21:12Abbott and his monks for their much-needed rainy day fund?
21:29Yes, it's done very well.
21:31Yeah, it's very good.
21:31Hello.
21:32Hello.
21:33How was that?
21:35All right?
21:35Lovely, yes.
21:36Yes.
21:37I'm pleased there was lots of interest.
21:39I think what was raised on the statue of Our Lady, which is one I never liked.
21:44Oh.
21:46Sorry.
21:48Well, I think Our Lady's been looking after you today.
21:51Yeah.
21:52Absolutely has.
21:53All's forgiven.
21:54I shall answer for it in due time.
21:56Oh.
21:57And I suppose the altarpiece.
21:58That is amazing.
21:59Yeah.
21:59Yeah.
22:00I mean, it moved me to tears.
22:01I suppose you'd like to know what's to come back.
22:05Yes.
22:06After fees, you got £5,159.
22:10Gosh.
22:10That's amazing.
22:11Thank you so much.
22:13Well, it's been an absolute pleasure.
22:14We've enjoyed it.
22:15Thank you very much.
22:17It was breathtaking because for so long, one walks past things and the house and knew they
22:26were there because you've taken the notice of them very much.
22:28I am amazed and very touched at how much we have raised and the fact that so many people
22:38value and want these things and they will be cared for.
22:42I'm delighted that things so well.
22:44These items are going to live on and actually, Alton Abbey's living on really through these
22:49objects.
22:49Such a happy chappy, the Abbey, always chuckling away to himself.
22:53So I think we've done him proud.
23:04There she is.
23:07It's Charlotte's last day at the auction house.
23:13And you.
23:14I miss you so much.
23:15Because she's leaving the team for pastures new.
23:18I just want to say thank you for your last six years and wish you all the best for your
23:22studies.
23:23Over-made cake.
23:24Oh, Joe, thank you.
23:27Oh, I'm going to miss you all so much.
23:29We'll miss you too, Charlotte.
23:31Should we all have some cake then?
23:33Yeah.
23:33Yeah.
23:41Well, Nick, we've got a bit of a drive ahead of us, but I think it could be quite an
23:44interesting
23:45job.
23:45Okay.
23:46Best part of the job, where are we going?
23:49Well, Northamptonshire.
23:50A little village near Toaster.
23:53The boys have a three-and-a-half-hour drive ahead of them to the pretty village of Braddon.
23:58I love that photo as well.
23:59I love that photo.
24:00The way he's looking at you.
24:01Yeah.
24:01I wonder what he's seeing.
24:02Where they'll be meeting Margaret and her daughter Emma at the home Margaret shared with
24:08her husband, Den.
24:09We moved into this barn in 1983.
24:13Den was a builder and it was all his life's ambition to convert a barn.
24:18He was a very active man. He raced vintage motorbikes and race cars.
24:24I did a skydive with him for his 70th birthday.
24:27He was an adrenaline junkie.
24:29He was. He went car booting a lot. He's a big collector with many interests. It was incredible
24:36how he found things.
24:38He'd come in here at night thinking he's doing his office work and he's fiddling with some
24:43little toy he's found that wasn't quite right. And he'd be quite happy in his own little
24:48world in here playing.
24:50Four years ago Den received a life-changing health diagnosis.
24:55Den had always been a very healthy man. He then developed Parkinson's. It devastated him.
25:04He'd been such an active man throughout his life. To see him then become somebody that
25:09didn't have that mobility anymore was really hard.
25:13It was after Christmas he got poorly with a chest infection and he spent his last 13
25:18weeks in hospital.
25:19I miss him dreadfully.
25:21But in some ways there's a relief there that he's not suffering.
25:25Because he was suffering and it wasn't my old Den.
25:32Since Den passed away the family have been worried about what to do with his collections.
25:37There is stuff ranging from dinky cars, aeroplanes all over the ceilings. Every drawer you open
25:46is full of more toys. I don't know where to start. I don't know how much everything's worth.
25:53So I contacted Angus to see if he could help me.
25:58You know Margaret's at the stage where, you know, what do I do with all these things?
26:03But I think just really wants Dennis' collection to go to people that are going to love it like
26:07you do.
26:08I'm over 80 now and I don't want to leave it for the children to sort out. I don't think
26:14it's fair on them. I desperately need help.
26:18Right, here we are.
26:30Morning.
26:31Morning, Angus. Nice to see you.
26:32And you.
26:32I've brought Nick down with me.
26:34Hi, Nick.
26:34Hello, nice to meet you.
26:35This is Emma, my boy.
26:36Hi, you all right?
26:37Would you like to come in?
26:38Lovely, thank you.
26:44Oh, it's a wonderful-looking village. It's great to be down here.
26:47It is. It's a nice community here.
26:50How is it that we can help?
26:52Dan was a collector. And that's putting it mildly. He was always finding something somewhere
26:58that needed mending and he could mend it. There's one thing particularly I want to show you.
27:03Well, yeah, well, Nick, do you want to start on the bits in here?
27:05Yeah, wonderful.
27:06I'm going to leave you to it.
27:07OK, thank you.
27:10Come through this way, Angus.
27:12Oh, my word. I mean, this is Aladdin's den, isn't it?
27:15Where's it gone? Here it is. Den did tell me about it, but I've forgotten how to open it.
27:20OK. Franco-British Exhibition London, 1908.
27:26This exhibition was a large public fair celebrating UK-French relations that attracted 8 million visitors.
27:33Its purpose-built white exhibition buildings gave their name to the area of London known
27:40White City.
27:42I should imagine it was a souvenir from the exhibition. I think so. It's a pipe. You'd have had a
27:46little
27:47mouthpiece on there. So it's a bit of fun in the form of a champagne bottle. But look, look at
27:53that.
27:54There's a little glass bead in the end. And we have a picture of the exhibition. It's what we call
27:59a Stanhope.
28:00Invented by Lord Charles Stanhope in the 1800s, the Stanhope lens was a cylindrical piece of glass used as a
28:08microscope. It was later adapted for use in miniature form to view tiny photographs in novelty souvenir items.
28:14Over 100 years on and it's still there in all its glory. The Stanhope pipe will go in a group
28:20lot with some other vintage items.
28:22So it's pretty much a few bits in the house, but these two rooms you want clearing. Right, we've got
28:27some work to do. Lead me to it and we'll set two. I'll save the wine for later.
28:32Dennis sounded like a remarkable chap. Parkinson's is a cruel disease. My dad had it. I think really for Margaret
28:39and Emma, it's about moving Dennis' collection on to people like him that are going to love it.
28:45There's a lot of work to do and lots of packing up to do, but a fascinating job.
28:49Good thing you brought toy specialist Nick along, Angus. I just hope you packed lots of boxes.
28:54Guys, everywhere you look, there's just drawers full, even chest drawers and...
29:02Ah, OK, I wasn't expecting that. You know, we're in this room full of models, automobilia, and then randomly we
29:10have a lovely case silver cruet set.
29:13A cruet set is a collection of small containers for holding condiments like salt, pepper, vinegar and saucers.
29:19We have the lion on the hallmarks that tells us it's silver. The Q means it's 1915. And we've got
29:26the maker's mark there, which was for Alexander Clark and co.
29:30It's almost like a double set because you've got four pepperettes, four salts and two mustards.
29:37There are a few dings and conditions not fantastic, but there will always be a base level in value because
29:43of the silver.
29:44So we're probably looking at one to two hundred as a case set.
29:49Hopefully this little set cuts the mustard on sale day.
29:53Oh, Nick, I thought I'd find you in here.
29:55Oh, yeah, yeah. And I don't know how they had a taste for the vintage...
29:58Submarines?
29:59Yeah, Sutcliffe Toys, the Underwonder.
30:01What a name.
30:02This is from the 1950s, and it's a little clockwork submarine.
30:05So, I mean, these were designed to go in the water, weren't they, and paddle round?
30:09Play with them in the bath as a kid and so on.
30:11And they were a British company, weren't they?
30:13Yeah, yeah. They were mostly known for their boats, sadly now defunct.
30:17These are a little bit more interesting. A company called Harold Flory.
30:21They were basically air-powered. You'd have a squeezy little bow.
30:26Oh, OK.
30:27And there'll be a little rubber line attached to the mechanism.
30:30The air propelled it.
30:31Yeah, yeah, yeah. The mechanism's missing from this, and there's no boxes.
30:34But actually, you know, clean that up, that'll look quite nice.
30:37The three submarines will be lotted up with some small-scale cast metal ship models
30:42to try and make some waves at auction.
30:45But right now...
30:46What's that?
30:49Oh, I was going to say, it's a bit fire.
30:51The boys have hundreds more planes, trains, automobiles, and other vehicles to deal with.
30:56From a large 1930s-era London transport bus
31:00to Den's collection of over 50 toy motorbikes.
31:04His favourite was motorbikes.
31:07He'd come back from a car boot and he said,
31:09look, what I've found today comes out of his pocket.
31:11He was over the moon with it.
31:13Den's beloved bikes will be sold in a group lot
31:15to try and get the best price for the collection.
31:18If we did do well at the auction, Emma and I might make New York.
31:22We've just always said we fancy New York at Christmas.
31:25Come on then, Angus.
31:27Anything left in those cabinets to help pay for some flights?
31:30Actually, some of the cabinets in their own right are very saleable.
31:33These two in particular would have started off as shop counter display cabinets,
31:38sort of Edwardian period, sort of early 20th century.
31:40Now, the ones that sell really well are the branded ones.
31:44Somebody like Cadbury's Chocolate, for example.
31:46They're great if they've got branding on, these ones haven't,
31:49but they're still lovely, lovely display cabinets.
31:52And, you know, they add a bit of character and charm.
31:55The cabinets will be split into one lot of three small ones
31:58and a two-shelf countertop display cabinet will be sold separately.
32:03After a final hour of sweeping the home
32:06and with the last few boxes on the van...
32:09Right, Nick, I think we're all done. That was the last bit.
32:11OK.
32:13Right, come on through.
32:14Thank you, Kim. Oh, my God.
32:16And we haven't emptied it, emptied it, but we've...
32:19I think we've made a good impression on it.
32:21Pretty big impact.
32:22Yeah.
32:22I didn't realise how big the room was.
32:25It looked a tiny room before, but it doesn't now.
32:28I don't remember it this empty at all.
32:30I just hope it all goes to a nice home and I hope he approves.
32:35Well, hopefully do it for out.
32:36Well, I'll hit the road.
32:38I'll see you on auction day.
32:40Brilliant. Thank you very much.
32:42A couple of times I saw something going out
32:44and I thought, ooh, I remember that.
32:46I felt a bit emotional seeing his room, his office, so empty.
32:52But, again, I think we've got to be sensible about it
32:54and just know that we've done the right thing.
32:58You know, I know Margaret's been prepared for this,
33:00but it will be tough, you know,
33:01seeing that full room that was him is now gone.
33:06So we want to do a great job.
33:08To return tickets to New York,
33:10that might be a bit of a push, but we'll see.
33:13Margaret and Emma have a big appetite for the Big Apple,
33:16so it's going to be crunch time on auction day, Angus.
33:39All right, Nick.
33:39All right, Jack.
33:40You going to give us a hand?
33:41Yeah, sure.
33:41What have we got today?
33:42Quite a lot.
33:45Oh, my God.
33:46There is quite a lot, isn't there?
33:47There sure is Jack, so best hop to it
33:50and get all of Den's things unloaded.
33:52Here we go, Nick.
33:53Talk about that.
33:55Yeah, hands on.
33:56Indeed, Nick.
33:58Margaret bought this cheeky pewter-plated sculpture
34:00as a present for Den.
34:02It's by Bromley-based company, Compulsion Gallery,
34:05and is entitled Riley Kiley.
34:08It's quite a good design.
34:09Don't fall behind schedule, lads.
34:12There's hundreds of items to catalogue before sale day.
34:22Hello, Nick.
34:23Hello, Mark.
34:23Got a little job here.
34:25It's just a nice little collection of model airplanes.
34:26They've got little petrol engines.
34:28Most of them are tethered racers.
34:29You tie them to a post.
34:31You put a big post in the ground.
34:32They would literally just go round and round and round.
34:35Wooden, probably kit built to plans and so on.
34:39During the 1950s and 60s, it was a popular little hobby.
34:42Nice mosquito there.
34:43This is actually a really big tethered one.
34:45What's quite nice about this, it's all wood.
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