The Travelling Auctioneers

>> We're hitting the road in our trusty travelling auction house.

>> Whoa-oh!

>> Your tools are gonna be shaking around.

On the hunt for treasures hidden in homes all across Britain.

Whoa.

This is pretty full.

>> That's huge.

And our mission -- to find these unloved and forgotten gems, give them a new lease of life, and make them into money.

>> Oh, wow.

Look at that.

Transforming has-beens into must-haves.

>> It's a job well worth doing.

>> Master restorer Will Kirk.

>> Glue, glue, and good as new.

And finding value in those overlooked objects, auction supremo Christina Trevanion.

>> Is that a Fender Strat?

>> It is.

>> Here we go.

Everything we find... >> ...and fix... >> ...will go under the hammer in our travelling saleroom.

�850, �900.

>> Popping up in the most surprising of places, we bring the auction to you.

>> �2,200.

[ Gavel bangs ] You know what we say -- Have gavel, will travel.

We're in Oxfordshire, famous for its historic university.

And today we're bringing our own slice of history in the shape of our little blue van, which isn't coping well in today's downpour.

>> Oh!

>> What?

>> Water, water everywhere.

>> Just a bit of water, Christina.

>> Oh!

>> Now, to be fair... >> Yeah.

>> ...the van needed a bit of a wash, anyway.

It's been a while since you've had your bucket and sponge out.

>> [ Laughs ] >> And if the van makes it through this deluge, we're heading to Bicester, which has its own claim to fame.

>> Can you believe that the shopping mall in this area attracts more visitors than most London museums?

>> Really?

>> Yeah.

>> Wow!

>> I know!

>> It sounds like everyone wants a bargain.

>> Yeah.

Yeah, well, absolutely right, but I think I'd much rather go to a museum.

>> I would, too, actually.

I can't stand shopping unless it's something for myself, honestly.

[ Both laugh ] >> The house we're heading to in the suburbs of Bicester has its own unusual attraction, too.

I think they've got quite a fondness for exotic pets.

>> Oh, no, Christina.

No more spiders, please.

>> Good guess, Will, but not quite.

We're on our way to meet couple Louise and Paul, their pet snake, Ray, and cat, Khaleesi.

>> I think we both describe ourselves, and I'm quite comfortable with it myself, as quite geeky, nerdy people.

>> I can be myself around Paul in a way that I've never been able to before.

We love festivals.

We love music.

We love being outdoors.

If I feel particularly geeky and want to go to a Comic-Con dressed up as a superhero, Paul will be there alongside me, dressed in an equally extraordinary outfit.

>> Outside the house, the couple are just who they want to be, but in their home there's something stopping them from being themselves.

>> There's a lot of my family possessions here, and Mom inherited a lot of possessions from a variety of different parts of the family.

And while it's lovely inheriting stuff, it also means we've always had to sort of fit in around the furniture.

And it would be nice to build up our own style.

>> We can't use it.

>> No.

>> We don't have space for it.

So, it would be good for this kind of stuff to go somewhere where there is space for it, where it can be used.

>> They seem to have accumulated generations and generations of different things.

>> It seems to be a sort of familiar situation with lots of families, where you inherited a bit of furniture, and then you don't want to throw away or give it away because -- >> Or offend someone.

>> Exactly.

So, you say yes, and then you've got loads of antiques.

You've got, like, your own antique shop, basically.

>> What I really want is for it to be wanted and want to go into a home where people really want it to be part of their lives.

That's super-important to me.

>> And we're here to help Louise and Paul lighten their load.

We'll have a good look through their possessions, with their permission, of course, and auction some of the things that have literally been cramping their style.

>> The best thing is?

>> What?

>> It stopped raining.

>> Yes!

Thank goodness!

Here we go.

>> Oh!

>> Hi.

Nice to see you.

Come on in.

>> Thank you.

Hi!

Thank you very much.

Now, Louise and Paul, this is a big house, isn't it?

>> Yeah, it's fairly big.

>> Yeah, absolutely.

And it looks like there's already quite a lot of stuff already.

>> There's far too much stuff.

We need your help.

>> With only a day to look through a whole house of treasures, it's time to split up and search.

I'll tackle the upstairs bedrooms.

>> While I start looking for items I can transform with a little TLC.

>> What's in here?

Oh, wow.

Look at that!

That's beautiful.

So, we've got a chinoiserie 1920's display cabinet lacquered, which probably would have been part of an entire suite that went into a room.

Really very lovely, very commercial in the market right now.

People turn them into cocktail cabinets.

So, yeah, I can imagine this full of, like, martini glasses and cocktail shakers and just loveliness.

I'm going to value this beautiful cabinet at �100 to �150 -- a pretty encouraging first find.

>> The pieces in this house might not be to Louise's taste, but they seem right up your street, Christina.

Mm.

This is nice, isn't it?

>> Isn't it fab?

>> This guy's got the same hairstyle as you, Christina.

>> He has, hasn't he?

[ Both laugh ] So ahead of his time, or maybe I'm behind the times.

Okay, well, if he's got my hair, that is the expression on my face when you're driving -- terrified!

>> It is, actually.

>> [ Laughing ] Yeah.

>> Uncanny.

>> Aahhh!

>> Uncanny.

Always gets me nervous seeing things on the top of this lovely surface because easy to scratch.

>> And very difficult to restore, I'd imagine.

>> Yes.

So, be careful with him.

>> Okay.

>> Be careful with them all, Christina.

>> You mean don't drag this across it?

>> Don't drag anything across the top.

>> Okay.

Alright.

>> I'm going to leave you in here safely, Christina... >> Thank you.

>> ...and keep on looking around, alright.

>> Thank you very much.

See you later.

>> I'll get out of your way and get back downstairs.

[ Chuckles ] Look at that.

That's an absolute beast, the sideboard.

That's really nice.

>> What have we got?

Basic horses.

Very pretty standard, unfortunately, brown-glazed and gray-glazed basic horses.

>> This is a lovely bit of carving.

So much work has gone into making this.

Gorgeous.

And out in the hall, there's even more to look at.

It's a little kneehole desk.

What?

I was not expecting that at all.

That is really cool.

>> Oh, I like that.

"He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul."

My goodness.

So, you'd better do as you're told, Will.

>> So far, so good but nothing that could use my repair skills yet.

This is really nice.

I'm not sure how much this is worth.

Luckily, my travelling companion knows a thing or two about the value of antiques.

>> That's beautiful.

Oh, that's really beautiful.

Who's it by?

>> Barraud and Lunds.

>> Clockmakers Barraud and Lunds was founded in London in 1869, but the business had previously traded since the 1700s, as Barraud's of London.

Philip Barraud had settled there in 1680, along with hundreds of other Huguenot silversmiths and clockmakers fleeing religious persecution in France.

This led to a golden age of clockmaking in England, with Barraud's becoming clockmakers to the Royal Navy before merging with the Lund family in the 1800s to make iconic clocks and pocket watches.

We can date this sort of post-1870, but an absolute dynasty of clockmakers for hundreds of years.

That's an incredible piece.

>> This is beautiful, isn't it?

>> Really beautiful.

>> Those sweet acorns on the top.

>> Yeah, absolutely.

I mean, it is actually technically a bracket clock.

Have you found the bracket it sits on?

>> No, but we might find that somewhere around the house.

>> But I've got some damage over here.

Are you able to do anything with it?

>> Have you just damaged something?

>> No, I haven't!

I promise!

I didn't touch it.

>> There's damage to the fretwork on the side.

>> Yeah.

>> Do you think that if I can replace those missing pieces, that might add some value to this?

>> Definitely.

So, I think anything you can do for it would certainly help.

>> Yeah.

>> Beautiful thing, really beautiful thing.

What a great find!

>> Thank you.

Well, I did find it.

So, I'm gonna take all the praise for that.

[ Both laugh ] >> If Will can fix that intricate side panel, I'd value this clock at between �400 to �600.

>> This house is a treasure trove of eclectic antiques and makes you wonder where it all came from.

>> I've grown up with a lot of these items.

They're very familiar to me, and it's all stuff that there's quite a lot of family history.

My grandmother and my great-aunt and great-uncles had some really nice things that all came down to us.

>> Louise's mom had been the keeper of all the family heirlooms.

So, when she was diagnosed with a serious illness eight years ago, they made a plan for her and the family's antiques to move in.

>> One of the problems we had was moving my mother in with us, as well.

Meant we were combining effectively three households into one.

Paul has two daughters.

So, there was all of their things, all of my mother's things.

There was just a lot of stuff.

>> They bought a house big enough for the furniture and were looking forward to a new life together until her mom's illness took a turn for the worse.

>> Mom's condition, which was early-onset Alzheimer's, progressed incredibly fast, faster than any of us expected.

So, we weren't allowed to have her living with us anymore.

For a while, it was incredibly traumatic.

I feel a lot of sadness that Mom couldn't live with us longer.

It absolutely broke my heart, but there was nothing we could do.

We had no choice.

>> With so many possessions a painful reminder of that time, it's clear that we have a lot of work to do.

I've been searching through the Victorian sideboard and have found something that I want to talk to Louise about.

So, where have these pieces come from?

>> So, these pieces were my mother's and my grandmother's.

They had one set each.

>> Oh, that's really sweet.

>> I remember them on the dressing tables.

>> Well, I think they're lovely.

I mean, the reflection isn't great.

Let's be honest.

But they are very typical 1930's art deco, enameled-back dressing-table set.

And they would have come in a fitted case originally.

And this wonderful sort of sunray motif that you've got on the back of each of the brushes was such a typical art deco motif.

And can you imagine going to, rising out of your bed, going over to your dressing table, and having these sort of laid out on your dressing table and being greeted by the morning sun on your brushes?

>> That's pretty cool, isn't it?

>> It is pretty cool, yeah.

I think this would make a great, little lot for the auction, and I'd estimate at around �30 to �50 -- not bad for something hidden away in a drawer.

Come on, then.

Let's empty these drawers, get you some space.

Louise's mom is now happily living in a local care home but no longer has any memory of her family heirlooms, which leaves Louise and Paul with a house full of her inherited antiques that the couple don't really know what to do with.

>> It's been quite difficult for me because of sentimental reasons and with all the guilt over my mother's condition.

And there's been a reluctance to deal with it, as a result.

And I think we do need to deal with it now and clear our house.

>> Well, we're happy to lend a hand to help Louise and Paul declutter and start a new chapter.

>> And I'm doubly determined to get this clock fixed so it can find a new home.

Off to my alfresco workshop on the drive to get things started.

There we go.

Yes, look at that!

It's come out in one panel, which is brilliant.

Aah!

Starting to rain -- just my luck.

Some days I wish I had your job, Christina -- inside where it's nice and warm.

Canopy's up.

Time to get back to this clock.

>> Well, I've spotted something that might just brighten up your day.

Oh, Louise, you know what this is?

This is the bracket for the bracket clock.

Take that out to Will because I might need that.

Some jewelry, maybe.

Ooh, no!

Bits -- fretwork bits off the side of the clock.

That's fantastic.

Oh, my gosh, I hope he hasn't started to try and cut that, because those will be very useful to him.

I'll take those out to him now.

Will?

Oh, there you are.

>> Ah.

>> Oh, my goodness.

Look at what I found.

>> What's that?

>> It's the bracket for the bracket clock.

>> Oh, it's the bracket!

>> Yes.

>> That's really nice, isn't it?

>> Cool, isn't it?

>> It doesn't need anything done to it.

So, don't worry.

>> Brilliant because I've got my work cut out quite literally with this.

>> Uh-huh.

>> I'm missing so many pieces.

It's really fragile.

>> This might excite you a little bit more.

>> Are you proposing?

>> Are you ready?

>> What's inside?

I do!

I do!

Look at that!

>> There we go.

Bits!

>> Oh, brilliant -- bits.

>> Not sparkly bits.

I was hoping to open that and see diamonds.

And I got wood, and I thought, "Will will love that."

>> And I do.

Right, so, they are hopefully some of the missing pieces.

I don't think that's everything, but that's really going to help out.

>> Are you going to be able to match it, though?

>> I hope so.

>> I hope so, too.

You look like you've got a jigsaw puzzle to go at.

So, I'll see you later.

>> Thanks, Christina.

While Christina leaves me to this jigsaw of pieces... >> I've got my eye on another clock.

I think someone in the family must have had a bit of a fondness for them.

>> It was my great-aunt's.

She died a few years back.

Not sure where she got it from or how long she'd had it.

>> So, do you know that it is what we would term as a skeleton clock?

And it was basically a way of clockmakers, to be honest with you, kind of showing off, sort of saying, "Look what I can do.

I'm not going to put this in a big brown case.

I'm going to show you exactly what I can do."

As you can see, the whole point of the skeleton clock is, is it looks like a skeleton, doesn't it?

It looks like this wonderful, sort of incredible sort of architectural almost structure.

Tell me.

Does it actually work?

>> It doesn't really keep time.

And we've been reticent to overwind it or anything or damage it further.

So, we haven't really used it as a clock.

>> It'd be lovely to see it working again, wouldn't it?

>> Absolutely, and I'd love to hear it chime again.

>> If it was in good working order, this beautiful clock would be worth between �400 and �600.

>> Outside, I'm problem-solving, and, as I thought, there aren't quite enough spare fretwork pieces to fill the hole on the clock panel.

Luckily, those loose pieces Christina found might work as a good template to make some more.

I'm going to get a spot-on, exact replica of what needs to be replaced.

This is the delicate part now.

Very fiddly, so I have to be very careful.

You wouldn't think delicate, lacy fretwork and power tools would be a good mix.

But this bandsaw is just the ticket.

Well, that's the first hoop out.

And it's kind of starting to take shape.

So far, I'm really chuffed.

It's time to take a break from all this fiddly detail and see how Christina's getting on.

>> Hi, Ray.

Come on.

Come out and play.

>> Who you talking to, Christina?

>> Ray the snake.

>> The snake?

>> Snake's in here.

>> Really?

>> [ Laughs ] >> Really?

>> I found another creature for you, Will.

>> Aw, Christina.

I don't want to come too close.

>> Okay, I'm going to open the door.

>> If she's coming out, I'm off.

>> I'm opening the door.

>> I'm off.

[ Both laugh ] >> Here she comes!

I'm going to close that quite quickly now.

>> Meanwhile, that skeleton clock has made its way into another safe pair of hands.

>> If clocks haven't been worked on for quite some time, they run out of steam just purely because of dirt and wear.

>> Andrew McClennan is a horologist, a sort of clock doctor.

He studied for years so he can bring even the most damaged clock back to life.

>> There could be some sort of catastrophic failure.

The nature of the beast is that until we get a clock apart, we don't actually know what we're going to find.

I'm just going to take the hands off.

>> It's delicate work, as Andrew inspects each individual piece.

>> Taking the dial off because the dial is delicate, and I don't want to damage it.

Just checking for little bits and pieces of wear.

There are little dimples that you can get on levers that can stop a clock working properly.

But everything looks okay, to be honest.

I can't see anything nasty.

Nothing looks like it's broken.

It just needs a good clean and an overhaul.

>> I can't wait to see it back together in one piece.

We'll leave him to it and head back to my own workshop of fiddly fixes.

And fiddly doesn't even cover it as it's now time to see if the pieces I've made to fit the holes for the clock's broken latticework will actually fit.

This is really intricate work.

I'm going to start off by gluing the new pieces to the original.

And once I've made up some bigger chunks, then I can stick everything in place.

And I'm hoping it's going to go without any issues.

This needs to be perfectly aligned because if this is slightly out, the very last bits of the puzzle that I'm going to pop in isn't going to sit properly.

Okay, last piece.

Please fit.

Success!

The last piece is in, and finally the puzzle is complete.

>> While Will fusses with his fretwork, I'm going foraging through the furniture.

It's almost like a little, miniature, what we call a Wellington chest with these sort of side-locking mechanisms.

Now, this is not the sort of chest of drawers to hold your pants or socks.

The Victorians called them "collectors' cabinets" because they were designed to display the spoils of an unusual hunting trip.

In the late 19th century, there was a bit of a mania among particularly wealthy people in the aristocracy for collecting birds' eggs.

And clearly it is illegal to trade or sell any kind of birds' eggs at all.

But back in this day, there was this mania in natural history.

Today, it would be great for your jewelry collection, perhaps.

It's really lovely.

And I wouldn't hesitate to put at least �100 to �200 on it at auction.

So, we'll add the beautiful Victorian collectors' chest to our ever-growing pile of auction lots.

So far, drum roll, please... We've got a very collectible chinoiserie cabinet, an art deco hairbrush set, and the skeleton clock, which will hopefully be all cleaned and mended.

Fingers crossed for a great auction.

>> And then there's our restoration project, the fabulous Victorian gothic bracket clock.

>> And I found another sneaky fixer-upper, if Will can squeeze it in.

The very, very gaffer-taped drawer, which looks like it's got Will Kirk written all over it.

Look at this.

That doesn't look like it would hold a huge amount anymore.

Let's take that to Will.

See if he can do anything with it.

Hi!

>> Here comes trouble.

>> [ Chuckles ] Will, I feel like we got to the point in our relationship where I'm going to give you a drawer, and you can move in.

>> Is it that type?

Where's that tape come from?

Have you tried to fix it yourself?

You've come outside.

>> I did find it in a chest of drawers in the house.

But this bottom -- look -- is basically being held up by gaffer tape.

So, to me, this has got you written all over it.

So, I thought I'd leave it with you.

>> Very kind.

>> You're very welcome.

See you later.

>> You know I like to keep busy, Christina.

>> Bye.

Speaking of which, there's no time to lose.

Back inside, a chinoiserie desk in the dining room looks like it might hold some surprises.

Hmm...a bit random -- a ring tree on top of a jar.

Oh, some jewelry in it -- that's right up my street -- and some nice-looking boxes.

Might just take this all and can have a good rummage.

Let's hope Louise can shed some light on them.

I haven't had a look in these yet.

Are they full of -- tell me they're full of jewelry.

>> Yeah, there's quite a lot of random stuff.

>> And that's the challenge -- to root out the good stuff from the pile of costume jewelry.

We've got from Victorian to sort of 1970's, 1980's kind of funkiness going on.

>> Yeah.

The bracelet in your hand my grandparents gave me.

It's missing one of the coral pieces, I think.

>> Louise, that's not costume jewelry.

That is a very lovely coral-and-pearl-set bangle.

That is really very lovely.

So, I wouldn't hesitate to put at least �100 to �200 on that, even though it has got a little missing stone.

>> Wow.

That's surprising.

>> It is a lovely thing, a very lovely thing.

Right, Louise?

Costume or not costume?

>> Costume.

>> Costume, yes.

You're right.

>> Very definitely.

>> Costume or not costume?

>> Costume.

>> Yes, you're right.

She's learning quickly.

Wow, this might be a whole new game-show format.

I could be here for some time.

>> Well, it might be fun and games inside, but out here, I've got myself into a bit of a sticky situation.

Gonna take this off, if it comes off.

Oh, gosh, that is really sticky.

However, as I like to say, where there's a "Will," there's a way.

What I'm going to try to do is take these nails off the back and slide these panels forward into the groove.

Add a bit of glue, and once it's dried, it should be sturdy once more.

There we are.

You might feel like you're ripping your drawers apart, but actually most have to look worse to get better.

I'm adding a bead of wood glue inside to this groove here.

When the glue dries, that bottom panel isn't going anywhere.

Get that first panel in.

This is really fiddly to put back together.

No wonder someone thought it would be a good idea just to stick some tape on the base.

Well, that's it.

Final nail.

It's been glued and nailed.

It's not flapping around the face anymore.

Hopefully, the nails and glue will make sure the drawer will hold together for another 100 years or so.

It's ready to go back into the chest of drawers.

>> Inside, we're making progress, too, finding some rather special things in amongst the bling.

Okay, final box.

Here, what have we got?

Oh, a charm bracelet.

>> This is my mother's charm bracelet.

I used to have one, as well, but my mother sold mine off when she got Alzheimer's initially, thinking it was hers.

>> And you've got a very broad variety of charms going on here.

And I particularly love the articulated charms.

So, this one you've got, which is a little church.

Articulated charms have hinges and often open to reveal a tiny surprise inside.

And then you open it up, and you've got a little christening scene going on there.

>> They were always my favorite growing up.

I used to play with them.

>> Charm bracelets go as far back as the ancient Egyptians, who believed in the power of gems and magic symbols to affect their lives.

Queen Victoria made them popular in Britain, and she even had a charm made containing a lock of her husband, the late Prince Albert's, hair.

On the table here, I would say we've got at least sort of �400 to �600 here.

>> Just in these little bits that I found in random places.

>> Let's put them forward to the auction and see what we can raise for you because the saddest thing for me is they just sat in a box in the bureau not being worn.

And these sort of things, they will definitely be worn again.

That's what they're for, isn't it?

>> Yes, indeed.

>> I think at last we're on the homestretch with the clock.

Well, the new pieces are glued in now.

The shape is there.

It's nice and uniform.

However, what stands out like a sore thumb is the color.

Time to apply some stain.

I've been mixing pigments for many years now that it's almost become second nature when color matching.

So, I know how much brown to put in or how much orange to put in.

But it takes a while to get that knack.

>> I'm on the homestretch, too.

Having made it all around the house, I'm back where we first came in.

This is fantastic.

I love it.

It's a -- I think it's a horse tie-up or a horse-hitching ring.

I think that's fantastic.

The first recorded hitching post was in 1625.

They were normally carved from stone and enabled riders to tie up their horses outside taverns and public places.

They were later made of cast iron and were built as distance markers between villages.

Louise, tell me about your hitching post.

>> It's great, isn't it?

It's extremely heavy.

>> Let me test that theory.

>> [ Laughs ] >> Hang on a second.

>> Be careful.

>> Oh, yeah, no, it really is.

Yeah.

I suppose -- I mean, it would have been used initially to tie up horses, so it had to be pretty substantial, didn't it?

>> Absolutely, yes.

>> And how on earth has it come into your possession?

>> My mother has always been a horsey person, and Mom retired and moved to a small holding, where she rescued ponies, and she gave them a last few years of life running wild in the Welsh countryside.

And she saw this, and I don't know where she saw it, but one day it turned up in her house to complement the whole horsey theme in the property.

It's a great piece.

>> Yeah.

>> It's certainly a talking point.

>> But are you happy for that to be added to the auction list?

>> Absolutely.

>> Perfect.

Alright, then.

Well-done, Dobbin.

>> There's only one final thing to do to finish the clock, but it could end in disaster.

A lot of hard work has gone into fixing this.

Now it's time to set it in place.

I'm very nervous about this because this is still quite fragile.

Even though I've glued all the pieces back together, it's still very thin.

Okay, I'm gonna slide that back in there.

Oh, please fit.

That's the bottom in.

We're in.

We are in.

Well, that fits like a glove.

There we are.

All dry, job done.

It wasn't a disaster after all.

In fact, it was a triumph when you consider how damaged this poor clock was in the first place.

>> From art deco brushes to Chinese collectibles, we've discovered a treasure trove of items in Louise and Paul's home.

>> We've breathed new life into one clock whose time was nearly up and sent another for specialist restoration and saved a final chest of drawers from the scrap heap.

>> Let's hope all our efforts pay off at the auction.

Louise and Paul, thank you so much for letting us in your house today.

It's been joyous.

We found some really interesting things, didn't we?

>> We have and also inside and outside your house, as well.

>> Thank you both so much for coming along.

And it's been lovely to meet you both.

>> Oh, bless you.

It's been a joy to meet you, too, and rummaging through all those drawers.

It's been great fun.

Now, are we ready?

>> We're ready.

>> Yeah?

Bye, guys.

>> Bye.

>> Time to head off, but we'll see Louise and Paul again at the auction.

>> Oh, the sun's come out.

>> Sunshine!

>> Let the sun shine >> Let the sun shine >> It's auction day in Oxfordshire, and we're excited to see what the bidders make of Louise and Paul's items.

>> Ooh, it's bright sunny this morning, isn't it?

Very bright and sunny.

We've arrived at the River & Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames, where we'll be setting up our mobile auction room.

The river here is a boat lover's paradise and site of the annual Royal Regatta since Victorian times.

Well, this looks a bit swanky pants, doesn't it?

>> It does.

Ooh, I can see the water!

>> Can you?

>> Yeah, I can see the water over there.

>> Can you see any boats?

Any boats?

>> No boats yet.

Oh, look at that.

Parking right outside the front door.

>> Wow.

Oh, my goodness.

Right.

Are we ready?

>> Yeah, let's go.

>> What is the most important ingredient for auction day?

>> Me.

Ah, the rostrum.

>> Ta-da!

>> There we are.

>> Got it, got it.

Our trusty prop.

All very well-engineered.

>> Piece of wood.

>> You need to turn something nicer for that maybe.

>> Well, if I had the time, Christina.

There you go.

>> Okay, ready, ready?

Let's go!

Oh, my gosh, Will, you've got so much stuff in here.

>> I need a bigger van.

>> You do need a bigger van.

>> I like the fact that the rostrum is very clean, having been rolling around in the back of the van.

[ Both laugh ] We're setting up our pitch in the museum with plenty of space for local bidders.

And we've also drummed up some online interest.

So, here's hoping for some antiques enthusiasts who will go crazy with their cash.

And bang on time, Louise and Paul have arrived to the auction.

[ Clock chiming ] >> Hello.

>> Oh, look at that.

It's almost like I summoned you.

Lovely to see you both.

>> And you.

>> Good to see you, as well.

>> And remember that incredible skeleton clock that we sent off to see if we could get it working again?

Look at the clock.

>> It looks incredible.

>> So, this has been meticulously taken apart, polished up, and everything is working... >> Wow.

>> ...including this lovely pendulum at the back there.

>> Fantastic.

>> Oh, that's nice.

>> Look at that swing.

>> It's great to see it working again.

>> Well, now that it is working, I'm hoping that someone's going to see the beauty in this and snap it up today at auction.

>> Fantastic.

See you in there.

>> Thank you.

>> It's nearly time for the bidding to begin.

This clock's just one of 44 lots in the auction today that will hopefully raise some cash for Louise and Paul to make some family memories.

As well as our roomful of bidders, we've got local saleroom JS Fine Art Auctioneers taking care of our online bids.

So, let's get this auction started.

>> It's nice and warm inside, as well.

>> Much warmer than outside.

>> No snow.

>> First up, Louise's mom's horse-head hitching post.

>> And who will start me at �100 for it?

�100, �110, �120, �130 is bid straightaway online at �130.

I'm looking for �140 now.

>> Good.

I didn't want to carry that.

>> At �130, if there's no further interest, our sale online, if you're all settled, at �130.

[ Gavel bangs ] >> Well, that's us off to a galloping start.

Sold.

That's good.

So, you don't have to lug that back home.

[ Laughs ] >> Next up, the chinoiserie lacquered desk that was storing all the jewelry in Louise's dining room.

And who will start me at �65?

�70 I have.

Thank you.

At �70.

Bid me five and selling, if we're all settled, at �70 and selling at �70.

[ Gavel bangs ] Well, that's one happy customer and one less piece of furniture cluttering up Louise and Paul's house.

Next up, a pair of Chinese vases that we found with the chinoiserie furniture.

Start me at �200 for them, please.

Looking for �200.

My goodness.

At �200, �220, �240, �260, �280, �300 from China.

>> Well, there's the magic of online bidding.

It really is global.

>> �320, �340, �360, �380, and �400.

At �400 -- I have online bidding here at �400.

I'm selling, if we're all settled, at �400.

>> Now, that really is an unexpected windfall.

That's really good.

>> Yeah.

>> See, we might be by a river in Henley, but we're selling to China.

>> Yeah, it's really impressive.

>> I mean, who doesn't need one of these in their lives?

Louise And Paul's wasn't just home to a live menagerie of cats and snakes.

We found this brass critter in a cupboard.

And who will start me at �40 for him?

At �40 and �45 and �50 and �55 and �60 and �65 and �70 and �75 and �80 and �85.

Looking for �90 but selling, if we're all settled, online -- She's bidding at �90.

There she is, in the room at �90.

�95 against you.

Will you go �100?

>> Come on.

Yes!

>> I've got �100.

�110 we're at now.

�120?

Oh, heavy breathing -- >> That's a bargain!

>> At �110.

You won't regret it.

Bid �120.

At �110 -- >> Yes!

Come on!

>> �120 I have.

Looking for �130 from you now online.

Otherwise, I will sell to my lady at �120.

[ Gavel bangs ] [ Cash register dings ] Yours.

>> Yay.

>> You are now the proud owner of an armadillo.

>> Thank you.

>> Very welcome.

>> Next up, the gorgeous art deco hairbrush set that belonged to Louise's grandmother, which I hoped would fetch at least �50.

And �100 I have straightaway.

But already the online bidders have smashed my estimate.

>> Have you ever actually used any of those brushes?

>> Never.

>> At �100... >> [ Laughs ] Maybe for the beard.

>> Well, yeah, maybe.

Yeah.

>> Looking for �110, but selling to my absentee bidder at �100.

�110 -- just in time.

That was lucky I didn't put my gavel down, wasn't it?

At �120.

Come back to me at �130, online.

At �120, then, and selling at �120.

Thanks to the lively online bidding, the brushes went for well above the estimate.

Next up, the first of the items transformed with an injection of Will's skills.

Looking for �20 for this chest of drawers.

Didn't you do something to this?

>> Yes.

I did.

>> Didn't you put a drawer -- I've seen you.

Don't worry.

I will be taking that bid very shortly.

Don't worry.

>> Someone obviously dazzled by the celebrity DIY.

>> Didn't you put a bottom in a drawer?

>> That bottom drawer was broken, so I glued it back together.

>> See, it even has working drawers.

�20.

I've got you, sir, at �20.

A bid is in the room at �20.

>> Yes!

>> All these drawers now working at �20.

If we're all settled at �20... [ Gavel bangs ] Well, that's created even more space in Louise and Paul's home.

They'll be positively minimalist at this rate.

>> That's really good, isn't it?

>> Next is a collection of jewelry, starting with Louise's bangle, which I had hoped would make �100.

What have I got?

I've got �200, �220, �240 online.

�260 with me.

�270, �280 with my commission bidder.

Come back to me online at �290.

Selling at �290.

[ Gavel bangs ] The bidders are loving the jewelry.

That went for almost three times the estimate.

>> �290 -- it's already beginning to add up, isn't it?

>> Yeah, definitely.

>> The vintage cameo depicting an angel at �85.

[ Gavel bangs ] >> Over the next 15 minutes... >> The silver charm bracelet with various silver-and-white metal charms.

�40.

[ Gavel bangs ] >> Rapid fortune.

...Christina sells 19 lots of gold and silver jewelry... >> At �80.

[ Gavel bangs ] At �190.

[ Gavel bangs ] >> ...making over �800.

Well-done, Christina.

That's really boosted the coffers.

Next, the diminutive drawers made for Victorian collectors ready to be reinvented as a jewelry box perhaps.

>> I'm looking for �40.

�40 is bid.

Thank you.

At �40.

With you, sir, at �40 and selling, then.

�45 with your mate.

There we go.

And �50.

Thank you.

�50 with you, sir.

At �50 is bid.

But selling to you, sir, if we're all settled, at �50.

[ Gavel bangs ] That's what we like to see -- some friendly rivalry to boost the bidding.

>> Next, the skeleton clock we sent away for specialist restoration, which now keeps perfect time, and which I'd like to think would get at least �400.

>> Looking for �220, �220, �240.

My goodness -- �260, �280, �300.

�320, �340, �360, �380.

>> That's good.

>> Wow.

>> See?

Because it looks so shiny now.

>> �400, looking for �420 from you now online.

�420 is bid.

�440 is bid.

�460, �480.

They're back at �480.

Bid me �500.

>> Come on.

Come on.

>> At �480.

�500 is bid.

>> So close.

>> Thank you very much.

�550 I have.

>> My gosh.

>> Looking for �600.

�600.

�650.

They're back.

Determined bidding here.

>> �650?

That's good.

>> Looking for �700 now.

>> Yes!

>> At �700, I have at �700.

Looking for �750.

Selling, if we're all settled, at �700.

[ Cash register dings ] >> That's really good, isn't it?

>> They obviously wanted it, so it will go to a really good home.

>> Oh, yes.

Oh, yes.

That was well worth the effort of getting it back in good working order again.

Well, that would be hard to top, but I have high hopes for the bracket clock that I restored.

Beautiful fretwork, don't you think?

I put so much work into fixing that wooden clock.

I mean, all the fretwork that was damaged.

I'm really hoping my hard work is going to pay off today.

>> When we first saw it, didn't have one of the grilles on the side, did it?

>> No.

There's a lot of damage to the fretwork on the sides.

So, I replaced a lot of missing pieces.

>> Right, I have lots of bids in front of me who will be delighted to know.

>> Oh, yes.

>> So, all your hard work putting that jigsaw puzzle back together, I'm hoping it will pay off.

But I can already start the bidding here at �650 with my commission bidder.

�700.

�750.

�800, �850.

I'm looking for �900 from you.

The bid is with my absentee bidder at �850 and selling, if we're all settled, fair warning, at �850.

>> Yes!

[ Gavel bangs ] Well, I wouldn't want to fix another one anytime soon, but that was a great result.

>> That was all because of your work.

>> All because of your work -- really?

>> Yeah.

That was me.

Once I've taken my commission... >> It looks like all that fretwork did pay off, Will.

>> That's good, isn't it, though?

>> Yeah, excellent.

>> Really good.

>> I think that is the end of your collection.

So, thank you very much, guys.

>> Thank you for bidding.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Well, there we are.

Auction's finished.

>> That was fantastic.

>> It was amazing.

>> Did you both have fun?

>> Yeah, definitely.

>> Yeah?

>> Yeah.

>> Right.

Should we head off?

>> Yeah, let's go.

>> Let's get going.

That's a fabulous result to finish with.

Congratulations to Louise and Paul and well-done, Christina.

>> I don't think you should ever underestimate when you've inherited things that, of course, you're going to be sad to see them go, because it's moving on to a new chapter, isn't it?

But I think what was really interesting is that the items that they sold were of really good quality, really good quality, and went to very specialist collectors.

And quality always sells.

And we've seen that in our auction today.

And after auction fees are deducted, let's find out how much we made for Louise and Paul.

It was a very "clocky" day, wasn't it?

>> Very time-oriented, and I think it's time to find out how well we've done today.

>> Oh, look what he did there.

>> Be very interested.

>> Well, I'm delighted to say -- >> Oh, I don't actually know.

This is really exciting.

They already told him.

Go on.

>> We are looking at �4,313.76.

>> Wow.

>> That's unreal.

>> Yeah, I had no expectations along those lines.

That's incredible.

>> That is incredible.

>> Wow.

That's really impressive.

>> Just sitting around the house.

>> Yeah.

>> That is a substantial amount of money.

It really is.

Just remind me what you were intending to do with it, guys.

>> My mother's illness really taught us that you have to live your life and do the things you want to do now.

And we're going to invest in a really nice family holiday so we can get those memories and times that, you know, you don't know where you are in a few years' time, and we want to make those memories now.

>> Yep.

>> That holiday is going to be just the most amazing time to make new family memories and have just time together.

I love that.

>> After some great results, our visit to Louise and Paul is over.

>> Come on.

Don't you want to go find a holiday?

>> Yeah.

>> Let's go.

>> We've earned enough to give them some fabulous family time together... >> Jamaica!

>> ...declutter their house, and remake their home in their own unique style.

>> I'm really pleased, really pleased with the results, really pleased we're not taking many things back home again.

>> Yeah.

>> And I just hope they all find very good, new homes.

>> The panettone.

The panettone!

I think our job here is done.

It's time for us to hit the road in search of new antique adventures, to boldly go where no travelling auctioneer has gone before.

>> Whee!

Come on, "Captain Kirk."

Let's not get carried away.