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00:01The Derbyshire auction house is back.
00:03£7,000 has been!
00:06Irita Marriott, now in her third year of business.
00:09So far, it's been rather good.
00:11With her trusty team of porters.
00:13What little treasure trove we've got in here.
00:15And valuers.
00:16Do you ever think about anything else but furniture?
00:19Nope.
00:20Is being called out to even bigger jobs.
00:23This is insane.
00:24The word is out.
00:25Calling Andy and Nige.
00:27She's the one who delivers the big bucks.
00:30£1,500 to £2,000.
00:32That's amazing.
00:33Leaving no stone unturned.
00:35Gosh, that's a big loft.
00:38She hunts down treasures.
00:4018 karat gold.
00:42Heirlooms.
00:43Have you ever seen those paintings?
00:45No.
00:45Never.
00:46And phenomenal finds.
00:48Pele.
00:49I think we're gonna score with this one.
00:51Is this the great tree in robbery?
00:53Yes.
00:54To sell at auction.
00:55£2,000 is big.
00:57No.
00:58Making her cherished clients.
01:00£3,000.
01:01Oh, you are kidding me.
01:03Oh, my God.
01:04Life-changing.
01:05I'm losing track of ammo.
01:07Sums of cash.
01:09£6,900.
01:12What?
01:12Whoa!
01:29That was a bump.
01:30That's a sign of how today will go, Nige.
01:32It'll take more than a few bumps in the road to deter Irita and Nige, who are off to Salford.
01:38Have you been to Salford before?
01:40Years and years ago, when I first joined the army.
01:43And we had a night out in Salford.
01:45We're going to see a 90-year-old called Jim.
01:49He has military background.
01:51Oh, nice.
01:52I think you two are gonna get on like a house on fire.
01:56Hello.
01:56Here you are.
01:57Time for a brew.
01:57What you up to?
01:59Enjoying the sun.
02:00I don't know.
02:01Good health.
02:01Jim is joined at his home by his daughter, Elspeth, and he needs Irita's help.
02:07There's large amounts of stuff that I don't need.
02:12He doesn't want to spend his life dusting and cleaning pots, so it's really just trying
02:19to streamline you a little bit, isn't it?
02:21Very much so, yes.
02:23He wants all the clutter and all the things that he does not use to be gone.
02:28So it's Jim wanting to get into his military ways.
02:32He's like, I want everything spick and smack.
02:34Yep, yep.
02:35I can see that.
02:42Really pretty.
02:44Oh.
02:44Hi.
02:45How are you today, Rita?
02:46Hello.
02:47Nice to see you.
02:48Nice to meet you.
02:49Come on in.
02:50We were just admiring your garden.
02:53Oh.
02:53It is lovely.
02:55It looks a really big house and you live here all on your own.
02:59Yes.
03:00Wholly independent.
03:01And you don't like clutter, I hear.
03:04That's right, yes.
03:05Tell you what, you two have a little chill.
03:08I'll start downstairs.
03:09No, thank you.
03:11I'll leave you to it.
03:12There's two reception rooms, three bedrooms, and a garage to get through today.
03:17Look at that.
03:20Like a magpie.
03:22Straight to the cabinet with trinkets.
03:26There's everything from hallmarked English silver, little beaker, really, really pretty piece, to that piece from India.
03:41The fact that he hasn't got a mark doesn't mean it's not silver and it's not worth some money.
03:48While the UK and several other European nations have strict silver hallmarking laws, many countries don't.
03:54Luckily, Irita knows silver when she sees it.
03:57Silver has softness about it.
03:59So when you squeeze it, it will have give.
04:03If it is silver plate, it will not.
04:07Look at that.
04:08It moves nicely.
04:09There are three pieces of Asian silver here.
04:12My grandparents went to Thailand in the early 70s, didn't they?
04:16Because my uncle was living out there.
04:19And it's highly likely that they brought it back from there.
04:22Yes.
04:23Now this, I love.
04:28This little circle thing with the decoration is actually the way Burmese silver is marked.
04:34Given the name Burma as a British colony in the 19th century,
04:38the Southeast Asian country has been known as Myanmar since 1989.
04:43This is around 100 to 120 years old.
04:47And back in the day, they didn't have the tools that we have now.
04:50And yet they made pieces like this.
04:52These bowls were made using a technique known as repoussé, from the French for pushed up,
04:58where the metal is hammered on the reverse side to create a raised design on the front.
05:02If you combine all of that shelf together, there is probably two, three hundred pounds worth.
05:08The silver will be split into six lots, including the British hallmarked Victorian beaker,
05:14the early 20th century Indian silver bowl, and the early 20th century Burmese silver bowl.
05:20I call that a good start.
05:23Brilliant.
05:24Let's get packing.
05:25Oh, Nige.
05:28Oh my God.
05:29Anything takeable in here?
05:31Now we're talking.
05:33Ah, we love hearing those words.
05:36Three charut holders.
05:38Charuts were rolled cigars that came from India.
05:43Originating in southern India, the word charut comes from the Tamil word charutu, meaning a roll of tobacco.
05:50This was before filtered cigarettes.
05:53If you were a lady and you were wearing gloves, you didn't want to hold the cigarettes
05:59because your fingers would get nicotine staining.
06:03These particular ones are just on turn of the century, 1900, 1910.
06:07What we have is amber and then nine carat gold mounted on the top.
06:13Amber is a gemstone made from fossilized tree resin, mostly formed from ancient conifers
06:18that lived over 30 million years ago.
06:21Amber can float on sea water, and that's where you often find it on the beach.
06:26If you have a piece, you can test it with a hot needle.
06:30If it's real amber, it will smell of pine trees.
06:34If we put the three together, even though one of them has a little bit of damage,
06:38there is still value in amber and in the gold.
06:41Hopefully these resonate with the amber collectors on sale day.
06:46And if they do, how is Jim going to spend the proceeds?
06:50We're not anticipating vast sums of money from this stuff,
06:54but the money will go towards the replacement of the past.
07:00In the winter, they tend to be very slippy,
07:03and both she and I have fallen, haven't we?
07:07Well, we can't have that happening again.
07:10Irita, more things please.
07:11I just love how that feels, and the way it looks.
07:16And he has a secret.
07:18You twist it ever so slightly, and he lifts.
07:26Ta-da! Look at that!
07:29How absolutely marvellous is that card table, made around 1900, 1910.
07:37And then you fold it up and you have this beautiful inlay in it.
07:44It is just so smart.
07:48Have you found anything interesting?
07:50Where did that come from?
07:51Ah, that was my grandparents.
07:53I've just been admiring it.
07:55Yeah, it's a lovely piece of furniture that always stood in their house.
07:59I learnt to play card sat at that with them.
08:02Really? Yeah.
08:02Well, we're going to take it, OK?
08:06And we're going to put it in sale with an estimate of £40 to £80.
08:09OK.
08:10Yeah? Yeah, that's fine.
08:11Give it a new lease of life.
08:13It will, it will. Someone else can love it.
08:15This card table was also a favourite of Elspeth's mum and Jim's wife, Thelma.
08:20We met, I'd say, 21st birthday party.
08:26Later, after some persuasion, I wasn't very good at doing things like this.
08:33You're a bit shag.
08:34I rang her and we went from there.
08:37When he met Thelma, Jim had recently finished a two-year stint in the army.
08:42I was a national serviceman.
08:44I was based in Hong Kong and Korea and then the Suez Crisis took over.
08:51I thought I was going back in the army and we'd agreed that if that was the case,
08:58we would get married.
09:00Thankfully, Jim didn't get the call back to the army
09:02and he became a chartered surveyor.
09:05But they got married anyway and raised two children.
09:08My mum and dad had a really traditional marriage
09:11in that mum did the house, my dad went to work and did the garden.
09:16This amazing and happy partnership lasted 59 long years
09:19until Thelma became ill in 2017.
09:23Mum was feeling unwell at the Christmas time
09:28and then on February the 12th she was taken into hospital
09:32and we were told she had a brain tumour
09:35and sadly she died six weeks later.
09:39The way that he looked after mum when mum was ill was just incredible
09:44and it was a testament to a very long and happy marriage.
09:48The really sad part was we didn't reach 60 years' marriage.
09:56You were just short, weren't you?
09:58Just short.
10:02Can I have some bubble, please?
10:04Over the next two hours, Irita and Nige wrap...
10:09pack...
10:10I'll get it on the van.
10:11...and load everything that she thinks might sell at auction.
10:16Well, what little treasure trove we've got in here?
10:19Hello? Did somebody say treasure?
10:36Hello, Jim. Hello.
10:38It's amazing, some of the stuff you've got in here.
10:40These appear to be some Second World War medals.
10:44Any idea who's these belong to?
10:46Yes, my late wife's uncle who served in the RAF.
10:52It's certainly got around.
10:53We've got the Italian Star, the World War II medal,
10:58North Africa and the Second World War Star.
11:02The War Medal was given to military personnel
11:05who served 28 days or more during World War II,
11:08while the 1939 to 1945 Star was for longer periods of operational service.
11:15Stars were also awarded for specific campaigns in the war,
11:19including operations in Africa and in Italy.
11:22I notice in here as well, we've got the dead man's penny
11:25we used to get from the First World War.
11:27Yeah, that was... William Booth?
11:30My wife's uncle's mother, her husband, was killed in the First World War.
11:36Over 1.3 million of these memorial plaques
11:39were issued to the next of kin of British and Empire Service personnel
11:43who lost their lives in World War I.
11:45Around 450 tonnes of bronze was used in their manufacture.
11:49It just goes to show the loss of life in that conflict.
11:53Yeah, it's all very sad.
11:55The things have to be resolved by war.
11:58The medals will be sold in a group lot of World War II militaria,
12:02and the memorial plaque will go in a separate lot
12:05with some other World War I-related items.
12:10With the militaria and a few more bits and bobs loaded up,
12:13to be researched back at the auction house, it's time to go.
12:20Right.
12:22Come on in.
12:23You've got your garage back.
12:25Amazing.
12:26Incredible.
12:27It really is.
12:29We've also emptied some cabinets and taken things from upstairs.
12:33Lovely.
12:33There is definitely less dusting for you.
12:37I'm going to leave you to it, and I'm going to see you in Derbyshire
12:39in not too long.
12:40Thank you very much for all you've done.
12:43Yeah, thank you.
12:43You're welcome, and I'll see you soon.
12:45See you soon.
12:46Bye.
12:47Bye-bye.
12:49I really hope, after taking about 20 boxes worth of stuff,
12:54Jim can feel the difference in the house.
12:57And because they have no expectations
12:59of what they're all going to make at auction,
13:01I really hope that they're going to be in for a good surprise.
13:14The tolls are belling.
13:16With all of Jim's things back in Melbourne,
13:19Irita's team are getting it all catalogued and ready for the auction.
13:24These two really pretty little bowls have caught my attention.
13:28Valuer Sarah seems bowled over by these.
13:31It's using a technique called plique au jour, which basically means letting through the light.
13:37This is made out of a piece of metal.
13:40The decoration would have been pierced, where the enamelling would be filled in.
13:46This enamelling technique was first invented in Central Europe in the sixth century.
13:51Having no metal backing on these decorative pieces allows light to pass through the enamel, giving a stained glass effect.
13:58Rather than being completely filled in with enamel, we've actually got little gaps in there, which adds to the decorative
14:06design.
14:07These are pieces from the second half, 20th century, and these will have been made in China.
14:13I'm going to put these into auction with an estimate of 30 to 50 pounds.
14:19They're absolutely gorgeous and I hope they do really well.
14:26I actually think this might be my favourite thing that I took from Jim's house.
14:32Pendulum clocks have been around for a long time.
14:35They were invented by Christian Higgins in 1656.
14:38The Dutch scientist and inventor's clock design exploited the fact that a suspended weight swings at a constant rate due
14:45to forces of gravity.
14:47When they were invented, there were some problems.
14:49In summer, the rod would expand from the heat, making it slower.
14:54In 1721, English clockmaker George Graham invented the mercury pendulum.
14:59The heavy liquid metal was sealed inside a capsule with room for it to expand upwards,
15:04balancing out any changes to the centre of gravity caused by the lengthening of the pendulum through expansion.
15:10Before the invention of mercury pendulums, the time could be off up to eight minutes per week.
15:17But mercury pendulum clocks got it down to just a few seconds a week.
15:23This would have been made mid-19th century, around 1860s, 1870s.
15:29French-made, the quality of this clock is really, really nice.
15:34From the heavy brass around, the bevelled glass, just look at the detail.
15:40It is very good condition, and I really honestly don't think it will have trouble reaching the top estimate on
15:47it.
15:54At Melbourne Assembly Rooms, just five minutes down the road from Irita's shop...
15:59That's good.
16:00...Andy and Nigel turning the main hall into a sale room for the day.
16:04Looking a bit sparse on the cake front, mate.
16:06I'll see what I can get, eh?
16:07More cake?
16:08More cake.
16:08Well done.
16:09I'll just look after this, make sure nobody...
16:13Likely story, Nigel.
16:16They're displayed very nicely indeed at the moment.
16:20They are.
16:20The clock looks good.
16:21It does.
16:22I think the auction, we're both looking forward to it.
16:25We're not really expecting any great shapes by way of money, but I hope someone enjoys it as much as
16:35we've enjoyed it over the years.
16:39Jim, as a true military man, wants to put things in order, fixing those paths in the garden.
16:46I want to raise that money so he can keep his independence and enjoy the garden every single day.
16:53Jim's got 45 lots going under the hammer and over 1,300 people have already signed up online, all overseen
17:00by auction clerks Nick and Agita.
17:03Now, places please everyone, because the Derbyshire auctioneer is ready to go.
17:09Hello.
17:09Morning you.
17:10Excited?
17:11Very.
17:12Oh, I can see the sparkle in those eyes, Jim.
17:15Right.
17:15Where should we start?
17:17It's always good to start with impeccable timing.
17:20We have French Mantle Clock.
17:23Lovely Mercury Pendulum.
17:25Isn't that beautiful?
17:27£60 D.Y.C. please.
17:28£60 we have, thank you.
17:30£65, £70, £75.
17:33That's OK.
17:34I think this is better than that.
17:36£75, £80, £85, £90, £95, £100.
17:39Oh, wow.
17:40That's better.
17:41Over £100 is better.
17:43£100 is bid.
17:45Fair warning.
17:46£100 and selling.
17:48That's the top end of its estimate.
17:50Not bad for second hand.
17:52That's all right.
17:54Next, it's the Edwardian mahogany card table.
17:57Beautiful little piece of furniture.
17:59£30, please.
18:01£30 is bid.
18:02£35, £40, £45, £50, £55.
18:05Bid me £55.
18:06£50 is bid.
18:08Fair warning and selling at £50.
18:10A bidder in Staffordshire won that hand.
18:13Very well priced.
18:15Yeah.
18:15Now for the early 20th century Indian Rapusee Solid Silver Bowl.
18:20Do I see £50?
18:22Lovely bit of silver.
18:24£50 it is.
18:25Is there £55?
18:26£55 in the room.
18:28£60 online.
18:29£65?
18:30Is there £70?
18:32£70?
18:32£75?
18:33£70.
18:35Oh.
18:36£75.
18:37£80.
18:38£80 is bid.
18:39Fair warning and selling at £80.
18:42Irita polished that one off nicely.
18:44We've got Irita.
18:45That, that.
18:46And we have...
18:47And she forges ahead to sell more lots of silver, including...
18:51Selling at £60.
18:52The Victorian British silver beaker.
18:55And...
18:56At £55.
18:57The early 20th century Burmese Rapusee Silver Bowl.
19:02Wow, that was it.
19:04Yeah.
19:05Wow, that was it.
19:06Before moving on to...
19:08Amber Shrut holders with gold mounts.
19:11£30 for the three, please.
19:13£30 we have, is there £35?
19:15Incredible.
19:16£30 is bid.
19:17£35.
19:18Oh, wow.
19:19£35 has it.
19:20Fair warning and selling at £35.
19:23An online bidder in Kent was really charooting for those.
19:27£35.
19:29Over the next half an hour, Irita puts 34 more lots under her gavel, including...
19:35At £30.
19:37An early 20th century gold-plated pocket watch, along with a chrome-plated stopwatch.
19:43And...
19:44£35 has it.
19:45Fair warning and selling.
19:47The two 20th century Chinese plique azure bowls.
19:53Lovely.
19:54But Jim needs some bigger results to pay for the work in his garden.
19:58Can the final two lots of militaria pave the way?
20:01First, the World War One-related items, including the Death Penny awarded in honour of Corporal John William Booth, a
20:09relative of Jim's wife, Thelma.
20:11Straight in at £65.
20:12Is there £70?
20:14£70?
20:14£75?
20:15Gosh.
20:16£80?
20:17£85?
20:18Come back at £85?
20:19Quite amazing.
20:21£85 new bidder.
20:22Is there £90?
20:23£85?
20:24Fair warning.
20:25And I'm going to sell at £85.
20:28That's just over the estimate.
20:30Excellent.
20:32Now for the final lot, the Second World War Militaria, including the war medal and the three campaign stars awarded
20:38to Thelma's uncle.
20:39Some lovely medals.
20:41£50?
20:42£50 from United States of America.
20:46Oh wow.
20:46£55?
20:47£60?
20:47£65?
20:48£70?
20:49£75?
20:50£80?
20:50£85?
20:51£90?
20:52£95?
20:53£100?
20:53£110?
20:56£120?
20:58£120?
21:00£120 is bid.
21:02Are we all done and selling at £120?
21:05£50?
21:06The medals are off to the American bidder in Pennsylvania.
21:10I can see a smile now.
21:12Hey, there it is.
21:14Oh, that was the last of your lot.
21:16You've deluxeated me well.
21:18I'll see you out there in five, OK?
21:20Time to tot everything up and find out how much Irita has made to put towards the repairs to Jim's
21:25garden.
21:26We need some concrete results here.
21:41The main thing is we don't have to take it home.
21:45Hello.
21:45Hey.
21:46Hello.
21:47You must be exhausted.
21:49Did you enjoy it?
21:50Yes, very much.
21:51That's the main thing.
21:51How much money do you think you're going to go home with?
21:54A couple of hundred, do you think?
21:55Oh no, I think a little bit more than that, but not a great deal more.
22:00Well, after all the fees and commission, you're taking home £1,652.
22:06Very, very, very good idea.
22:08No, I'm not.
22:09Well, that is a lot better than I thought.
22:11A lot, lot better.
22:13I'm amazed.
22:13Well, we won't have to thumb a lift home, will you?
22:17And you can even afford lunch for that, can't you?
22:21The auction went really well.
22:23Really pleased with it.
22:24Delighted that the lots went as they did.
22:29Yeah.
22:29We had visions of some of them returning home with us, but that wasn't the case.
22:35No, we didn't want that, did we?
22:37No, they certainly didn't.
22:39What a fantastic auction Elspeth and Jim had.
22:42He was beaming, and they're going home with £1,600,
22:46which is going to go a long way to fixing those paths in the garden
22:50and just saying, I want to be like Jim when I'm 90.
23:04It's going to be a good day, Nigel.
23:07Good Lord.
23:09It's going to be a long day.
23:10It will not be a long day.
23:12It will be an amazing day.
23:14It's a treasure-founding day.
23:15I can feel it.
23:16I can feel the water.
23:17If Nigel's instincts are right,
23:19there might be gold to be found in Reading, specifically here.
23:23The caravan is really lovely.
23:26It's got lots of colours.
23:27In the home of Valerie.
23:28I remember the months that I had to save up to buy that.
23:32Who is joined by her daughter, Annette.
23:35I don't want to drop it.
23:36By the looks of things,
23:37Valerie might be into ceramic miniatures.
23:41I started collecting probably 50 years ago.
23:45I used to quite often go with my daughter to fairs.
23:51I collected pendelfin.
23:53They are many little rabbits with different expressions on their faces.
23:58I had a lot of Wade and then Mum joined in the collection with the Wade.
24:02It was just really good fun and it was something to do together.
24:05Over the last few years, Valerie, who lives here alone,
24:08has been dealing with a health diagnosis.
24:10As far as I knew, I didn't have any symptoms,
24:13but my doctor obviously had picked up something in 2021.
24:18I was actually confirmed with Parkinson's.
24:22Although not as life changing,
24:24Annette is also at a watershed moment in her life.
24:27Up until this year, I worked for a big IT company,
24:32but sometimes you need a change in life and we're going to be moving.
24:36Annette and her husband Andy also live in Reading,
24:40but are selling up and moving to Devon
24:41to a property with a separate annex for Valerie.
24:45Oh, that looks nice. Which is my bit.
24:48It's time to have Mum closer to us
24:50and to be able to look after her should she need us to,
24:55but also have her independence.
24:57But the big move to a smaller space
24:59means Valerie will have to downsize her huge collections.
25:03I'm not even going to look in the boxes because if I do,
25:06I'll start picking things out, picking it here and there,
25:10and then a bit will end up going.
25:13So... Which is why we've called in Irita.
25:16Yes!
25:18I wonder how easy it's actually going to be for Valerie
25:22to part with all these things,
25:23because these are things she's collected all her life.
25:25Yeah, she's collected all her life, yeah.
25:27I'll miss them, but I really think it's time for them to go.
25:32They need another journey.
25:34They need to move on.
25:37Right.
25:38I think it's this one here.
25:43Well, I'm going to let you get this sorted.
25:46I'm going to find some treasures.
25:52Hi, Irita.
25:54Hello!
25:54Lovely to meet you.
25:55Annette?
25:56Yes.
25:56Would you like to come in?
26:01Irita, this is my mum, Val.
26:03Lovely to meet you.
26:04I can see someone's a collector here.
26:07Yes!
26:08A long time ago I started.
26:11But it's time for someone else to enjoy it.
26:14Did you know that they were started by two friends in a garden shed?
26:19It was actually witches that they made first.
26:22Inspired by the Pendle Witch Trials of 1612,
26:25when ten people were executed for witchcraft
26:28in the area around Pendle Hill in Lancashire,
26:31Burnley-based Jean Walmsley Heap and Jeanie Todd
26:33initially made stoneware witch plaques.
26:36Switching to rabbits in 1955, Pendlephin enjoyed huge success,
26:40but it ceased trading in 2006 due to decreased sales
26:44and competition from the Far East.
26:46That little girl over here, that's quite an early one, isn't it?
26:50It is. She's got the long neck.
26:52That's how you can tell whether it was a 60s model.
26:55The long neck ones are the ones that collectors still want,
26:59but the following for Pendlephin isn't quite what it used to be years ago.
27:03I think the best thing for us to do is group them together.
27:07Three different lots with an estimate of 20 to 40 pounds.
27:12Ah, not exactly a 24-carat sum.
27:15Time for them to go on their journey now.
27:17Am I all right to go and explore and see what I can find?
27:20Most definitely. Go and help yourself, have a good look round.
27:23Have a little sit down. All right. OK.
27:25I'll catch up with you later.
27:27Hop to it, Irita.
27:29Let's find something to really impress Valerie.
27:32Meanwhile, Nige and the ladies can get these bunnies packed.
27:36Always sleeping bunnies.
27:41This is the true collector's room
27:44because there isn't just one box of crackers.
27:47There are 15.
27:49There isn't just one glass of baby sham.
27:52There's 15. Absolute classic.
27:55It was the first alcoholic drink
27:58that was advertised on national TV.
28:01Launched in 1953 by the showering family in Shepton Mallet,
28:06baby sham was a sparkling wine aimed at women,
28:08made from pears rather than grapes.
28:11At the peak of its popularity in 1973,
28:14144,000 bottles were being produced an hour.
28:18To see advertising pieces like this
28:21is actually quite fun
28:22because a lot of people will have little bar areas
28:26that will be retro-inspired.
28:28The baby sham glasses,
28:29lady in red advertising sign and bar light
28:32will be sold as a group lot.
28:35It's not enough to crack open the bubbly yet though, is it?
28:38The items that Valerie has collected over the years,
28:41like the Pendelphine, is not of high value.
28:43I need to find that something in that house
28:47that will get us out of trouble
28:48and make that total, that little bit better.
28:52Maybe Nige will have some luck.
28:55Oh, look at me here.
28:57Good question.
28:58We've got a few examples of what we call trench art.
29:01Trust the ex-army man to find some militaria.
29:04Trench art describes decorative or functional objects
29:07made from the by-products of modern warfare.
29:10Despite the term, in World War One,
29:12trench art was mostly made by convalescing soldiers
29:14away from the front line,
29:16prisoners of war or by local civilians after the war.
29:19The locals would go out into the fields,
29:21they would recover old shells, pieces of shrapnel
29:24and turn it into useful things,
29:26selling to the people who came over
29:28to see where their loved ones had met their end.
29:31We've got here a couple of artillery shell cases.
29:35All they've done is snipped away at the top,
29:38bent the ends in.
29:39Inside there would be a nice wick.
29:41They would like the wick.
29:42Paraffin inside there
29:43and they've got a nice cheap cheerful lamp.
29:46We've got a matchbox cover.
29:48Again, made out of metal that people have found
29:50just lying around,
29:51just so you can put a matchbox in there
29:53and protect your matches.
29:55Finally, mounted onto a nice heavy block of wood here,
29:58we've got different fuses from artillery shells.
30:03Now fuses, they are sort of the trigger
30:06or the timing mechanism of the shells that would be fired.
30:10These are commonly found as paperweights,
30:13just as a memento from the war.
30:16These will go in a group lot with some other metal items.
30:19But how is any money raised going to be spent, ladies?
30:23We are planning on buying a cat tree in Devon.
30:26Always loved cats, have cats of my own.
30:29With Irita's help, really hoping that we're able
30:33to put some money towards the cattery
30:35so that we can expand the business a bit.
30:38You are kitten me.
30:40That's going to cost.
30:41But the day is still young and for the next three hours...
30:45We've got some Japanese pots.
30:48Irita and Nige have a good hunt and rummage.
30:51Oh my gosh, look at the buttons.
30:53Trying to find anything that might carry the big bucks.
30:56That is one big loft.
31:00Ah, the last piece of house untouched by Irita.
31:03Could this be the place treasures are found?
31:21Hello.
31:22Oh, hi!
31:23You found the Wade collection then.
31:25Is that what it is?
31:26All of this here is Wade.
31:29Founded in Stoke-on-Trent in 1810,
31:32Wade made industrial ceramics before moving into the domestic market.
31:36You've got the little houses.
31:38Yeah, and there's a lot of those.
31:39And then you've got, of course, the animals.
31:44And then you go to the Whimsies.
31:46In 1953, the company introduced Whimsies,
31:49tiny ceramic collectible creatures that made them a household name
31:53in the UK and North America.
31:55You could get anything from farm animals to pets.
31:59Prehistoric animals as well.
32:01Yeah. Everything.
32:02There are so many collectors still out there,
32:05and that is what's going to sell this.
32:07There are over 500 pieces of Wade pottery here
32:10that will be split into a whopping 32 lots, including...
32:13Two group lots of over 100 Whimsy animal figures,
32:17one including apes, dolphins and birds,
32:20the other with more birds, dinosaurs and lions.
32:23A lot of 18 larger animals
32:25and a collection of 40 Wade buildings
32:27from their fictional village Whimsy in the Vale range.
32:31That's it. I got it.
32:33Have you got it? Yeah.
32:34After an hour of carefully manoeuvring
32:3620 boxes of ceramics out of the loft and onto the van,
32:40as darkness falls, it's time to call it a day.
32:43Right. Are you ready for this?
32:45Yeah.
32:46Come on over.
32:48Oh, wow.
32:49Wow.
32:50I can't believe that this room is empty.
32:53And the loft.
32:55And all your pendelfins gone.
32:58I haven't got to look at those funny little rabbits anymore.
33:02We can start a new journey.
33:05It's going to be great.
33:06Well, I'm going to leave you to it.
33:08All right. Thank you.
33:09And I'm going to see you in Derbyshire in not too long.
33:11It's been a pleasure.
33:12Thank you. Bye.
33:13Bye.
33:15I was a little bit worried,
33:17because what we had found was nice,
33:20but a little bit of yesterday's antique.
33:23And so is the Wade in the attic.
33:25However, there is so much of it
33:28that I think that will make all the difference.
33:30I just hope I'm right.
33:42Hold it. Hold your bottom.
33:44Come on.
33:45Annette and Valerie's things have arrived back from Reading,
33:48and Irita's team are already getting stuck into researching
33:52and cataloguing for the sale, including Sarah.
33:55I remember having these Christmas crackers from Wade when I was a child.
34:01It comes with a little porcelain miniature which is great.
34:04They are made in collaboration with Tom Smith.
34:07Now, Tom Smith, back in the day, was a gentleman that actually invented Christmas crackers.
34:13Dashing London confectioner Tom Smith was initially trying to find ways of marketing French bonbons wrapped in paper when he
34:20had the idea of adding a snap in 1861.
34:23The company he founded is still making crackers today.
34:27In this particular case, they are nursery rhyme themed,
34:30but you can get hedgerow ones, cat collections and various others.
34:37I've decided to sell them in boxes of three.
34:40I've mixed them up a bit so that people get different types.
34:45Would you keep them as a collectible or will you actually use them?
34:48I think I'd be very tempted to open some and see if that snap still goes bang.
34:53With nine lots in total, there could be a lot of bucks for these bangs.
35:01I love rummaging through a box of military buttons.
35:05Irita's admin assistant, Les, spent two years in the Women's Royal Army Corps,
35:10so this lot is right up her street.
35:12You've got all sorts of vintage, you've got brass, you've got stay boats.
35:16This is what I had in the military.
35:18So much easier. Just quick duster and we're done.
35:21Non-tarnishing stay-bright buttons made from anodised aluminium
35:25were introduced by the British military from the 1950s.
35:29Prior to that, they were mostly made from brass, like this.
35:32This one is an RAF button and it's made by Furman, London.
35:38Founded in 1655, Furman & Sons is one of the oldest manufacturing companies in the country.
35:43They currently supply buttons for the British Army, as well as uniform accessories for the military of over 30 other
35:50countries.
35:51They still actually use the old fashioned method.
35:54Hand stamping from dyes and hand finished.
35:58This is why the finish on them is pristine.
36:01There's a total of around 50 brass and stay-bright buttons here,
36:05dating from the early to late 20th century,
36:08which have been lotted up with a pair of World War One medals.
36:11It'll appeal to any military collector.
36:15Fabulous lot.
36:20Just a short walk from Irita's shop at Melbourne Assembly Rooms, it's market day.
36:25But inside...
36:27Here we go, now.
36:28Andy and Nigel working overtime to get everything ready for the auction.
36:33Tick tock, lads.
36:34I think that works.
36:36The bidders are starting to filter in and Annette and Valerie have already arrived from Reading.
36:42How are we feeling, ladies?
36:43I'm really nervous seeing some of the items go.
36:46We've had them for a long time and so it's time for someone else to enjoy them as I've enjoyed
36:53them.
36:54Let the rabbits go and the wage go.
36:56Yeah.
36:56They can all go and have a new run.
36:58Yeah.
36:59New life.
37:00Hey, that's it, they're having a new life, we're having a new life.
37:03Yeah.
37:04That's the spirit, Valerie.
37:06All set, Irita?
37:08Annette and Valerie are starting a brand new chapter in their lives together.
37:13But before they can do that, they've got to get through today.
37:17There are some things that might be a bit of a struggle.
37:20So I want to do my best to make sure that we can raise as much money as we possibly
37:25can.
37:26Well, let's strap ourselves in for the 79 lots going under the hammer today, shall we?
37:31Auction clerks Nikki and Sammy are logged on and ready to oversee the internet bids.
37:37Now we just need Irita to get things moving.
37:40Hello there.
37:41Hi.
37:41How are you feeling?
37:43Nervous.
37:44Aww.
37:45We can do this, we're going to do this together.
37:47Okay.
37:48First, it's time to say bon voyage to those bunnies, Valerie.
37:52We have a large collection of Pandelfin figures.
37:55There's over a hundred in this lot.
37:5630 pounds on these please, 30 pounds straight in, do I see 35?
38:0130 pounds is bid, do I see 35?
38:0430 pounds and selling.
38:06Not exactly a hair-raising sum, but at least they sold.
38:10That's okay.
38:11Don't have to take it all.
38:13And...
38:1420 pounds and selling.
38:16The other two lots of Pandelfin...
38:1820 and selling.
38:20...also meet their estimates.
38:21Now, that's one card load taken away in that, in that journey.
38:26Now for the first of nine group lots of Tom Smith's Wade Christmas crackers.
38:31We got three boxes of sealed crackers.
38:34I mean, who does not open crackers?
38:38That's just crackers.
38:4030 pounds.
38:4230 pounds in the room we have.
38:45Is there 35 please online?
38:4635, 40, 45.
38:4850 pounds is bid in the room.
38:50Do I see 55, or the room bidder has it, at 50 pounds?
38:54The gentleman in the room snapped those up.
38:57That's nice. Yeah.
38:59And after selling the rest of the Christmas crackers...
39:0135 and selling.
39:04Mostly to the same bidder...
39:06Yeah, 45.
39:08Can I come around for Christmas? Because it's going to be a good one.
39:12Irita tries to add more fizz to the party.
39:15A box of 22 Baby Shum glasses and a lovely sign as well there.
39:2020 pounds we have, thank you.
39:22Is there 25?
39:2325 in the room.
39:2430, 35.
39:2635, 40.
39:2740 back in.
39:2845?
39:29The lit up one's good.
39:30Yeah, it is.
39:3150 pounds online.
39:3355?
39:34No.
39:3450 pounds, fair warning, and selling at 50.
39:37An internet bidder in Stafford popped their cork for that one.
39:41That's good.
39:42Yeah.
39:43Over the next 20 minutes, Annette and Valerie wave goodbye to 34 more lots, including...
39:4835 and selling.
39:51The collection of military buttons and World War One medals.
39:55And...
39:5520 pounds for the metalware, fair warning.
39:58The World War One trench art, along with some other metalware items.
40:05Quite good.
40:06Yeah.
40:06But we still need a major cash injection for Annette's new business.
40:10Maybe the first lot of the massive Wade collection can do the trick.
40:15Wade and Whimsies.
40:16There is everything from a dinosaur to a lion or a bird.
40:2040 pounds do I see for the lot.
40:2340 pounds.
40:2445 in the room we have.
40:2550.
40:2655.
40:2660.
40:2765.
40:2870.
40:2870 in the room we have.
40:3075.
40:3080 online.
40:3185.
40:3290.
40:32100.
40:33110.
40:34120.
40:34130.
40:35140.
40:36150.
40:37160 we have.
40:38170.
40:39New bidder.
40:40180.
40:40180 in the room.
40:42Do I see 190?
40:43190.
40:44200.
40:46190 pounds is bid.
40:48Are we all done and selling at 190?
40:52A bidder in America paid well over the estimate for these.
40:55That's really good.
40:57And over the next half hour, Irita sells 30 more lots of Wade pottery, including...
41:0455.
41:05The lot of 18 larger animal figures and...
41:09130.
41:11The lot of 40 Wade buildings from the town of Whimsy in the Vale.
41:16That's not bad.
41:18Bringing us to the final lot, another collection of over 100 Wade Whimsies.
41:23This time we got apes, dolphins and birds.
41:26Start me at 40.
41:2740 pounds in the room we have.
41:2845.
41:2950.
41:3050.
41:3055.
41:3160.
41:3165.
41:3270 pounds.
41:3370.
41:3475.
41:3580.
41:3585.
41:3690.
41:3795.
41:38100.
41:38110.
41:39120.
41:40New bidders come in.
41:41130.
41:42140.
41:43150.
41:43160.
41:44170.
41:45180.
41:46190.
41:46It's rounded up online.
41:48200 is bid.
41:50The bids online are 200 pounds from America.
41:55Same bidder as before.
41:57200.
41:58Another estimate smashing result for the Wade.
42:01Nice.
42:03That's a good sum for those.
42:05I think we are all weighted out.
42:07We are all weighted out.
42:09I will see you outside in five, okay?
42:11Excellent.
42:12Now let's find out how much Irita has managed to raise Annette and Valerie to put towards the new cattery
42:18business in Devon.
42:19Some of the items sold really well, couldn't they?
42:21How are you feeling after that?
42:23Really pleased.
42:24How do you think we've done all together?
42:26I don't know.
42:27I didn't expect a lot.
42:28I said we'd be lucky to get a couple of hundreds, you know.
42:30Because I said there's nothing there to sell.
42:32After all the fees and commission, you're going to take home 2,909 pounds.
42:38Are you serious?
42:40Yeah.
42:41Wow.
42:42I wasn't expecting that.
42:44No.
42:44I did not expect even a thing.
42:47Are you okay?
42:48Oh, Annette.
42:49That is going to buy a lot of toys for those cats.
42:53It's worth letting the items go.
42:55Yeah.
42:57It was my pleasure and enjoy this next chapter.
43:01The amount that we made was amazing.
43:05Yeah.
43:06Absolutely.
43:07Flabbergasted.
43:08Beyond what we expected.
43:11We no longer need those items.
43:13Yeah.
43:13So we can move on and start afresh, can't we?
43:17The main goal was to make sure Annette and Valerie do not have to pack these things up and move
43:23them with them to Devon.
43:25And we achieved that.
43:27They are going home with nearly 2,900 pounds.
43:31And that is going to go such a long way to buy all the toys for the cats.
43:40APPLAUSE
43:42Tackling mechanical faults and preserving a legacy.
43:46The brand new series of Aussie Goldhunters continues tomorrow night at 9 Oak West.
43:50Striking a balance between quality and quantity next, it's the Yorkshire Auction House.
43:56Jesus.
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