[ Horn honks ] -[ Laughs ] -We’re back on the road in our trusty traveling auction house... -Go, go, go!

-Come on, man!

-...on the hunt for treasures hidden in homes all across Britain.

-Finding value in those overlooked objects... -Auction supremos Christina Trevanion... -Oh, that’s brilliant.

-...and Izzie Balmer.

-Ta da!

-Transforming has-beens into must haves, restorers JJ Chalmers... -I’m delighted with that.

-...and Robin Johnson.

-Look at that.

Doesn’t she sing?

-Our mission?

Ha.

-To give those unloved and forgotten gems a new lease of life.

-And make their owners some much-needed money.

We’ve probably got about 1,500 to 2,000 pounds.

Everything we find... -And fix... -...will go under the gavel in our traveling saleroom.

-Popping up in the most surprising of places... -We bring the auction to you.

-I’ve got to start this at £700.

-I can’t believe it.

-At 1,500 pounds, sold.

-You know what we say -- have gavel, will travel.

♪♪ -She is running smoothly this morning.

I tell you, I think she’s made for this kind of landscape.

-Oh, or this landscape was made for this van.

-Yeah.

-This morning, we’re driving the flats of Cambridgeshire on our way to Saint Neots.

-Is the van a boy or a girl, do we reckon?

-Ooh, that is a good question.

-She.

-She automatically.

She.

-I think it's subconsciously female to me, I think, because ultimately, she’s always got everything I need.

-Yeah.

-Must be female.

It's like my wife’s handbag.

-Yeah.

-Got everything that I need.

Oh, I’m like, oh, I’m feeling a little hungry.

Oh, there’s a snack in here.

-[ Laughs ] -So true.

And we couldn’t ask for a more trusty steed.

-We haven’t looked at this for a while, have we?

-No.

-Today, we are visiting sisters Sarah and Kay.

-That.

-Ah, here, that.

-Let’s toast the best man.

-Hmm.

-They were both born and raised in Saint Neots.

-So our parents lived in the same house for just over 45 years, where me and Kay grew up.

We had an amazing childhood, didn’t we?

An amazing upbringing.

Mum was a childminder.

It was always fun, always laughter.

Dad was quirky, loving, caring.

-Just felt like he was always there for us.

And you just always felt you were number one.

-Sadly, though, just before lockdown this close-knit family was changed forever.

-So, Dad passed away in February 2020 unexpectedly.

Dad was diagnosed with blood leukemia and unfortunately got sepsis.

So we’d lost him over a weekend.

-Mm.

-Yeah.

-Uh, yeah, it was just -- Mum was in total shock.

-Yeah.

-We then a few weeks later went into lockdown.

Everything -- losing your husband, being at home on your own, then going into lockdown and not being able to see family then was detrimental to mum’s declining health.

Two and a half years after we lost dad, we unfortunately lost mum.

-It is strange to -- to lose your both parents in such a short time.

-Yeah.

-I don’t think we still believe it now.

I just -- It was very -- Is very traumatic.

-With both parents gone, Kay and Sarah can’t yet bear to let go of their family home, so have decided to rent it out, but clearing it has been a real struggle.

-Over the last year, we’ve slowly been -- very hard -- -Painfully.

-Painfully taking things out and sorting it out.

-Because it’s such a hard process to do.

Everything in that house holds a memory.

I think as a sentimental person, it’s hard to see the items go.

-I feel a bit sad that Dad’s -- all Dad’s toys that he’s kept all these years.

But there’s just no point them staying in boxes.

I think dad would like them to go on to people.

-So far, though, they’ve only made their way to Sarah’s house, which is now full to the brim with toys, electronics, and old gadgets that their father, like Sarah, was unable to part with.

♪♪ -I mean, it must be hard enough losing one parent and then two years later, losing another.

It’s just... -Yeah.

-It took me four years to go through my father’s things.

A long time, yeah, a long time before I felt ready.

Yeah.

Might be a bit tearful today.

[ Laughs ] I know what they’re going through, and it is tough.

-Yeah.

I get it.

-So... -I believe we're very close.

-You think?

-I think it was down here.

-Urgh!

Round and round.

-Oh, the power steering in those arms, eh?

-Oh, yeah.

♪♪ -Hello.

-Oh, hello.

-Hey, they're in.

[ Laughs ] -Yes.

-Hello.

-How are you, ladies?

-Good.

Thank you.

-Good, thank you.

-Excellent.

-Sorry to hear about your losses.

-Thank you.

-Is this your parents' house?

-No, this is my house.

-Okay.

-This is your house.

-Yes.

-Are there any areas which are just don’t go in?

-Um, no.

[ Laughs ] -Far too kind.

-Yeah.

-Access all areas.

Fab.

Lead the way, then, team, lead the way.

-As Sarah lives just a few minutes from her parents house, most of their belongings are now overcrowding her home, so it’s our job to try and give her some space back.

-Well, there’s stuff in every room, so plenty of places for you to hunt out those items for auction, starting with the spare room.

-Oh, wow.

Okay, quite a lot of stuff in here, isn’t there?

-And you, JJ, have the run of the house and the garden to find anything in need of some love.

-Right.

What have we got here?

Shoe box.

Oh, this looks interesting.

Ooh.

Right.

Well, it’s a vintage policeman’s truncheon.

Believe it or not, these were still used up until the mid 1990s -- until they produced the collapsible baton.

First seen in Victorian times, the police back then used a much longer truncheon.

Over the years, this became shorter and was adapted to have a leather strap.

The earlier ones were made from a wood called lignum vitae, heavy enough to sink in water, and quite the weapon of defense.

You get some of them which are presentation batons or for particular purposes, and some of them have the most incredible gilt crests and lettering on them.

Often you see them with "VR" for Victoria and then perhaps with the particular division or force that they belong to, and those are particularly collectible.

-I’ve also found some military memorabilia.

If we group all these together, we could get between 60 to 80 pounds at auction.

-And downstairs, I too am on the hunt for my first project.

♪♪ -It’s a lovely front room.

Really nice traditional feel in here, although all of -- the all of the stuff is actually modern except for this.

This is an original, and that is a fantastic bit of furniture.

-As lovely as it is, though, I can see the oak finish is scuffed and worn.

-Oh, it’s empty.

Still suggests it’s on its way out the door.

It’s not quite at its best.

I think we can make that sing again.

♪♪ And to get the chorus full pelt means I need to open up the mean machine and get cracking.

But on closer inspection, there’s damage to the drawers, too.

-That is pretty remarkable.

Can you see the wear from this drawer coming in and out?

And this is oak.

This is a hard wood.

It really shows you its age, but also how much it’s been used in that time.

-This is going to be a much bigger fix than just aesthetics.

-I think what needs to happen is I need to get the old runners out, and I might not even need to replace them, but rather just flip them over because the underside of them is serviceable.

So, okay, it’s ready to come out of the front.

It might need a bit of persuading at the back.

Going to use the old mallet.

Let’s see.

But if the runner damage wasn’t enough, wear from the drawer has worn a nasty groove into the sideboard, and now, the wood from the runner has splintered as I’ve pulled it out.

-Little chip there.

-These runners are going to need a lot of TLC.

-They're much less worn out.

Just unbelievable.

And that is going to become my runner because I’ll flip the whole thing over.

-Hopefully, by turning them upside down, I can salvage the other runner, too.

But this is definitely a bigger job than I first thought, and I hope things are running smoother for you, Christina.

-They are indeed, but the only drawers I’m interested in are the ones I can rummage through.

-Those are quite cool.

I like those.

So we’ve got some pocket watches in here.

Oh, my goodness.

We’ve got a serious variety of pocket watches.

You’ve got different materials.

You’ve got different types.

The most exciting one is this one, which is -- I think -- let’s have a little -- oh, look at that.

Look at the detail of the engraving or the chasing on the back of this watch.

You’ve got this gorgeous floral engraving around this shield-shaped what we call cartouche.

You open the back and we’ve got -- yeah.

So this is 18K I think this is Swiss.

So it’s an 18 carat gold little ladies'...watch.

Isn’t that cute?

Because of the gold content and the fact it’s a lovely watch, it’s going to have quite a substantial value.

-I’m thinking in the realms of 2 to 300 pounds at auction.

And while I look around upstairs for more heirlooms, I hope you’re working just as hard outside.

JJ.

-Hi, JJ.

I brought you a cup of tea.

-Oh.

Cor, that’s far too kind.

-You’ve been busy.

-Yeah, I’m getting there.

There’s a few little fixes and whatnot.

This has been well used.

-It was originally in our nan’s house.

-All right.

-For as long as I can remember.

Nan passed away 20-plus years ago, so Mum and Dad had it, and then I’ve had it in my house for six years.

So, yeah, it’s been well used.

-How do you feel about saying goodbye to it?

-Well, very sad actually.

-Yeah?

It’s a beautiful piece, and it served us all well, but I think now it’s time for it to go to new owners, for somebody else to enjoy it and look after it.

-It’s been an incredibly stressful year for the whole family, including Sarah and Kay’s children.

-Mum and Dad were wonderful grandparents.

Couldn’t have asked for anything more from them.

They were just brilliant in every way with them.

Any money that we raise will be going towards a large -- very large -- family holiday for the nine of us.

So my family, Kay’s family, and all the children.

The kids, especially, they deserve a break because they don’t understand -- we don’t understand grief.

We don’t understand losing people, but they certainly don’t understand where Nan and Grandad have gone.

♪♪ -Not every family would go for a big holiday with, you know, everyone involved.

-Yeah.

-You guys have a pretty special relationship then?

-Yeah.

I think me and my sister have always been quite close.

Without my sister, I don’t know.

You know, it would have been a much harder process.

And it’s nice to know we’ve got each other.

-Whilst it’s clearly hard for Sarah to part with her family’s belongings, she also needs her house back.

-I think -- I think this used to be, like, the office, but it’s just full of stuff -- of boxes of stuff.

-I’m hoping relieving them of this huge piece of furniture will help them to clear out some space.

To mend the groove worn out by the drawer, I’m chiseling out the damage to replace it with some new wood, which I can fix in place with glue and a clamp.

-So just got a tiny little sliver of wood.

I’m basically just going to inlay that into it so you’ll never know it was there.

-Whilst this job is proving trickier than I first imagined, this much-loved, much-used family heirloom is definitely worth the effort.

I still need to replace the runners and clean up the top, but as the glue dries, I’ve got just enough time for another small project.

-And inside, I’m hitting bedroom number two.

-Oh!

Huh.

I love boxes like this.

Oh, where do we start?

What’s going to be in here?

Oh, a stickpin.

You never quite know what’s going to be in these boxes.

Oh.

That’s cute.

Oh, look at that we’ve got here.

Oh, it’s rather tangled, isn’t it?

But that looks like it’s a gold -- nine carat gold little bar brooch.

So everybody used to wear bar brooches back in sort of Victorian times.

They’d put little brooches on.

And this one has got a little bird on it.

-Swifts or swallows were often used on this type of brooch as a symbol of returning love.

Every year they migrate, but they always come back.

This is a lovely example, and could well belong to Kay and Sarah’s grandmother.

-I think that’s utterly charming.

Then this looks quite nice as well.

This is an opal and sapphire, by the looks of it.

Little gold bar brooch, a bit more modern, but nonetheless, that will make a nice little lot.

-And worth around 60 to 80 pounds at auction.

-Great find, Christina.

And whilst you’re covering inside, I’ve taken my search outside.

-Oh, garden gnomes.

Actually, tell a lie.

This guy doesn’t belong in the garden.

This is like a fire tool set.

And I reckon a little cleanup and that’ll be all the more desirable.

♪♪ Come with me, fella.

And more importantly, it’s a lovely, quick fix that will add value to this 1930s tool holder.

It’s rare to find one in such good condition, considering the constant heat of the fire they’re normally sat next to.

-And you know, these things are quite hefty.

Obviously, it’s going to be covered in soot and whatnot, so it’s just a case of getting all of that cleaned up, having them sparkling again.

And the same with the tools, really.

To get the soot off, a normal hand brush will do the job.

Next up, bit of sugar soaps.

And yeah, just a bit of a cleaner and a polish.

Close your eyes, pal.

-The sugar soaps are gentle cleaning product that won’t harm the enamel.

-There’s a few nooks and crannies that are a bit trickier to get into.

Toothbrush.

♪♪ That’s doing the job.

-Might as well do his teeth while I’m at it.

And the fire tools will get the soap treatment, too.

-So the tools cleaned and him looking spic and span.

He is ready to stroll off to auction.

-Every little helps, and this little chap could bring in around 15 to 20 pounds.

-And we can add that to the policeman’s truncheon, pocket watches, sideboard -- if I ever get it finished -- and jewelry.

-And I’ve also come across a great little coin collection.

-Oh, look.

Some pennies.

-But we’ll need more than a few pennies to send Sarah and Kay off on their dream family holiday.

-So it’s time to dig deep, and I’m leaving no drawer untouched.

-Right.

Drawers.

Oh, nice.

Oh, blimey.

So we’ve got a little two stone diamond ring here, and we’ve got a little diamond solitaire and a little ruby and diamond ring there as well.

Those are really gorgeous.

What were they doing in there?

-These could be a great addition to our auction, but as I know how sentimental Sarah is, I want to check in with her and Kay first.

I was rummaging around through the drawers upstairs and I found some little, rather beautiful rings.

What’s the history behind those?

-So that was given to Kay for her 21st birthday.

I don’t believe that Kay was ever given it in her hand, though.

-Oh, why?

-Maybe I wasn’t trusted to look after it well enough, so it was given to me, but hidden away.

-Oh, seriously?

So have you ever worn it?

-No, I haven’t had the pleasure to enjoy it.

-Oh, so all of these things are family pieces, aren’t they?

So we’ll split them up according to the market.

And I think we’ve probably got about 600 to 1,000 pounds.

-Wow.

-So that’s got to be a flight or so, hasn’t it?

-Yes.

-Go on.

-I’ll go and see if I can find any more in a few more drawers.

It’s a great little batch.

And luckily, as the more pragmatic of the two sisters, Kay seems happy to part with her 21st birthday present.

But we’ll certainly need more if we’re going to get the whole family away.

-Which means I need to bring my "A" game to this sideboard.

The glue on those front edge fillers has dried, meaning it’s now time to tackle those runners.

-So the drawer will run smoothly across that.

-And to secure the runner, I’m going to replace the old nails with some new screws.

-Pilot drill first.

Particularly because this is a pretty strong wood.

-This pilot hole is to stop the wood from splitting when the screw goes in.

-Running smooth, doesn’t catch.

Good as new.

-That’s the fix done.

Back to the clean.

-Or should I say clean up those badly scratched surfaces?

-So the hope and prayer is that I can sand just the top and try and do a bit of a color match, and then the rest of it will just take a wax and a clean.

-My orbital sander is perfect for stripping back the solid oak surface.

But with the scratches and stains now gone, the trickier part is matching the wax finish to the original.

-Antique brown, light brown.

Try these two.

I cleaned up a couple of spots on the back here that will never be seen so I can try out some of the different shades so I can try and get the best color match to the original shade.

So.

Okay, not bad.

Maybe a little light, but that is the light brown after all.

Antique brown, this is.

Right.

I think we’ve got a winner.

It’s antique brown.

-Long, steady wipes are my preference for a smooth, clean finish.

-You'll never know.

-And that’s it.

Not only does it look good, you know, functions as it used to as well.

That’s a great piece of furniture.

Pride of place in somebody’s home.

Delighted.

On to the next one.

-Great job, JJ.

Pieces of furniture like this can be worth anything from 50 to 100 pounds at auction.

And whilst you’ve been hard at it outside, I’ve been hunting for my next gem.

Okay, not very valuable nail varnish.

Oh.

Oh, cute, a sampler.

I love samplers.

What does this say?

So we’ve got an alphabet.

Numerical sequences.

"Esther Reeves.

Her work, September 29th?

23rd, 18 --" oh, 1828.

Isn’t that just absolutely delightful?

And I think in 1828, obviously, we’ve got George IV on the throne.

-In the 19th century, needlework was an essential life skill and a clever way of learning your alphabet.

-There is a cut off point of 1820, which, of course, when George III came off the throne, and sampler collectors really want them pre-1820, ideally even earlier than that, back into the 18th century.

So sadly, it is a little bit late, it is a little bit faded.

There are condition issues.

-But I still think it could make 50 to 80 pounds at auction.

-Wonder what that's for?

-No, we’re going to need more than that if we’re going to help Sarah and Kay.

-Ebony dressing table set.

Oh, that’s cute.

Very nice.

Okay, what else have we got in here?

We’ve got all sorts of things in there.

Oh, look at that.

That’s charming.

And with a hinged lid.

We have got a giraffe, a kangaroo.

Oh, a rhino.

Oh, we’ve got a little zebra, but he can’t stand up.

He needs a little -- little plinth on him like these other ones do.

-I know Sarah and Kay’s dad loved his toy collection, so this must have been one of his.

It's a lovely item, even if the animals are not in pairs.

Sorry, Noah.

-Hello.

-My little pal.

-I’ve got just the thing for you.

-That is so cool.

-Oh, isn’t it cute?

-It’s just delightful.

-Don't you just love it?

It just makes you smile.

-Yeah.

-When you’re looking at it.

-Yeah, honestly, it belongs in a museum.

-It’s cute, isn’t it?

-It is, it is.

-Dad would keep anything from a rusty old nail to, you know, all these lovely antiques.

Anything that was passed down to him from his mum, his dad, even their mum and dad, he couldn’t get rid of.

-I mean, it’s quite a sort of folky art type thing, but I have noticed a little bit of a problem.

-What’s up?

-I have a very lazy zebra.

-Okay.

-So I was wondering whether you might be able -- because these guys all stand up because they’ve got the little plinths, haven’t they?

-Yeah, lovely.

-Would you be able to fashion me a little stand for a zebra?

-A little base.

-Yeah.

-So that you can be cheery on the front.

-Exactly.

-Yes, I can do that.

-Would that be alright?

-Do you know what?

It’s one of these things.

It’s just a little, delightful job.

I’m quite happy with that.

-Which means I get to play and fix, two of my favorite things.

-This thing is just wonderful.

It’s clearly handmade, hand-painted, and I love working on things like that where you know that someone has touched it, created it.

-First things first, I need to get my zebra upright again.

The rhino's base provides a handy template to trace around and this plywood works well as a base, but he needs some holes if he’s going to stand.

-All right, so let’s see what size a zebra’s hoofs are.

4.25?

We’ll start with 4.2.

You can always make a hole bigger.

Can’t make it smaller.

-This small piece of wood is fiddly.

Careful of my fingers as I drill.

Now to check if my zebra fits.

-There we go.

Before I glue that on, I’ll give that a wee sand, a bit of black stain so it looks like the rest of them.

-Normally, I’d use wood stain, but as the weather’s a touch damp, I have a quick fix to add color but cut down on brush cleaning.

-Permanent marker.

And if I apply it consistently, it gives you the same effect, essentially.

It soaks nicely into the grain of the wood as well, and pretty much dries instantly.

It's got the rustic charm of the other bases too.

I think this is working a treat.

-And while JJ’s been working on his coloring, I’m keen to see what Kay’s found in the attic.

-What are you doing in here?

-These are all games from me and my sister’s childhood.

-Oh, really?

Is it your parents that have kept these?

-Yes.

My dad would have kept everything.

-Really?

-Yes.

-It’s quite clever that he’s kept this.

Because what we’re finding now is that vintage games in the gaming market is something that is actually getting increasingly popular at auction.

These were -- I think they were produced about 1983, 1984, you know.

What have you got here?

You’ve got a Mega Drive, you’ve got Commodore there, you’ve got games.

It’s all kind of coming into its own now.

-Yeah.

-This is really interesting, isn’t it?

-Yeah, it’s amazing.

Yeah.

-But I do think that we’re probably looking, I mean, I’d sort of say maybe 80 to 120 pounds for the group.

-Yeah.

-And see what we can do, but, hey, that’s not too bad, is it?

-That’s good.

That’s good.

-Some more valuable funds for the much deserved family getaway and more importantly, free up some space for Sarah, as long as she’s willing to part with them.

But how is your arts and crafts project coming along, JJ?

-Brilliantly.

My base is done, and it’s time to glue my zebra.

And whilst that dries, my final job, give the ark a clean up.

-So I’m using common household furniture polish.

Whilst this is a liquid, it creates kind of a protective barrier across the top of it rather than soaking into it.

-Spraying the polish onto my cloth rather than the ark itself stops me staining the paintwork.

-I’m pretty happy that’s just taken the dirt off because of the color of it.

It’s not red.

It’s not taking the paint off.

It’s like being back on ship.

Scrub the decks.

That is looking its best again.

So let’s get all the animals back on board.

Let’s get you off to the auction.

Off to a new home.

And I’ll off and get on with something else.

-That really is looking shipshape, JJ.

Amazing job.

And I think, added to some of dad’s other toys, it could fetch 50 to 80 pounds at auction.

Meanwhile, just time for one last search in the spare room.

-This looks quite cool.

What do we think this is?

Oh.

It’s heavy.

Oh.

Oh, it is heavy.

Now, what have we got?

Oh, wow.

So this is almost like a surveyor’s set.

All these little compasses and things when you had to hand draw everything out.

-And it’s not the only thing to catch my eye.

-This looks like one heck of a contraption.

What is this?

So this was some sort of counter or table mounted instrument.

I’m guessing -- It’s right!

Whoa.

And then we’ve got all these slides.

Oh, that’s interesting.

So it’s sort of concave shaped, huh.

So if we put that in there, and then we look through.

Whoa.

That’s weird.

-This intriguing bit of kit is a stereometer, once used to test visual perception and eye conditions.

It’s not dissimilar to the stereoscope invented in 1838 by English scientist and inventor Charles Wheatstone to make two dimensional images appear three dimensional.

-It’s almost -- It’s three dimensional.

Oh.

That’s wild.

Along with the compass set, I estimate 50 to 80 pounds at auction.

A great final find.

-Well done, Christina.

In just one day, you’ve uncovered some beautiful jewelry and so many retro toys.

-And you’ve restored some real gems, particularly that stunning oak sideboard.

-There she goes.

-The shop shut.

-Thank you so much for having us in your home.

Both of you.

-Thank you for coming.

-It’s been a joy.

We’ll see you at the auction.

And, yeah, you know, 45 years worth of memories.

And we will see if they, you know, can go on to make some new memories, which should be quite nice.

-Thank you so much for your time.

-Yes.

Thank you so much.

-A pleasure to meet you.

-Take care.

-Bye bye.

-All righty.

Are you ready?

-I am.

Right.

-Forwards and sideways.

-That way.

-Okay.

Left?

Left.

-Yes.

-All righty.

Let’s go.

-Right.

Drive off into the sunset.

♪♪ ♪♪ -Ten weeks later, it’s auction day, and we’re on our way to Market Harborough in Leicestershire.

-Ooh, I feel like we’re in some sort of Jane Austen -- -Oh.

I love how you went for Jane Austen, and I went for Postman Pat.

-[ Laughs ] -I think that says it all.

Today’s auction is taking place at the majestic Rockingham Castle.

-I love having an auction in a castle.

-Oh, yeah?

-Yeah.

Gives it a real kind of sense of occasion somehow.

-And this is like a real deal castle.

It was actually commissioned by William the Conqueror.

-That’s a proper castle, isn’t it?

-Yeah.

-This has been action, this castle.

Real deal, I like that.

-And it will see some action today.

-Oh, yes.

-Look out, Rockingham, here we come.

-I feel like a knight on a on a steed.

-This has got about one horsepower, so.

-Yeah.

[ Laughs ] -This beautiful building showcases a rich tapestry of English history, and we’re about to add to it with our little rostrum.

-Right.

Ah, look at her.

Isn’t she gorgeous?

-Yes.

-Ready?

Oh.

Got it?

-Yeah.

-Sarah and Kay have had a tough couple of years, losing both parents that they were incredibly close to.

So as we set up camp, our mission today is to make as much money as possible.

-Hopefully helping them to take both families on the holiday of a lifetime, to try and move on from their loss and make new memories together.

-Hi, JJ.

-Hi, JJ.

-Hello.

How are we doing?

-Yeah, good.

Thank you.

-Good, thank you.

-Yeah.

Very good.

I’m just doing the last little adjustments and clean up to these bits and pieces.

-Oh, wow.

-This little chap.

-They look great.

-Yeah.

I love this one.

Whose was this?

-Our dad’s.

-Aww.

Only two items here.

The sideboard.

Where is it?

-Sorry, JJ.

I’ve decided to keep it.

For a few reasons.

I love it.

I’ve always loved it.

It’s got a lot of memories, and I get to look at it every day because obviously, we use it as a TV unit.

So thank you for fixing it, though.

-Well, it was my pleasure.

Let’s see.

Actually, it was a lovely piece, but no, it actually works properly as well.

So I’m delighted that’s the case.

-I appreciate it and I apologize for it not being here today.

-Well, you’re not having these.

-When it came to parting with mum’s sideboard, understandably, it was just too much for Sarah.

-But we’ve made up for it with another discovery -- a nine carat gold watch chain.

-Since we’ve been to the house, there was a box of jewelry.

-Yeah, that would have been Nan’s jewelry.

-Nan’s jewelry?

Okay, this was at the bottom of that box of jewelry.

This is potentially one of the most valuable things in the auction today.

-Oh, wow.

-Yeah.

Estimate, I would say 5 to 700 pounds.

-No way.

-Yes way.

[ Laughter ] -So hopefully -- hopefully, fingers crossed.

That was -- That’s got to be a flight, hasn’t it?

-Yeah.

-That’s giving me goosebumps.

-[ Laughter ] -Oh, wow.

Including the watch chain, we have 20 lots up for sale today in the castle’s magnificent drawing room.

Greg and Melanie are helping run today’s auction in conjunction with Bateman’s of Stamford.

-As well as people in the room, we have two online bidding platforms opening up our items to buyers around the world.

Time to take our seats.

-Okay.

How are we feeling?

-Both: Nervous.

[ Laughter ] -You guys are perfect together.

-I think it’s fair to say there are mixed emotions from our two sisters.

-I would like to welcome Sarah and Kay to our auction room today.

Welcome, ladies.

Are you ready?

All right.

Let’s start with the group of vintage police and military collectibles, including a police truncheon.

Start me at 30 pounds.

30 pounds is bid.

Thank you.

At 30 pounds, I have.

35, sir.

Would you like to bid?

35 is bid.

Thank you.

In the room at 35 pounds.

Looking for 40 now.

At 35 pounds I have.

Looking for 40, but selling if we’re all settled to my room bidder at 35 pounds.

-You’re always in good hands when Christina’s on the case.

-Oh, thanks, JJ, Next up, the stereometer set that caught my eye.

-I have interest here already at 35 and 45 pounds.

Is bid already at 45 pounds.

Now looking for 50.

At 45 pounds I have.

And looking for 50 pounds now.

If we’re all settled, I’ll sell to my internet bidder.

All finished at 45 pounds.

-Another profit accrued in the blink of an eye.

-Moving on.

We have this very lovely retro fireside tool holder in the form of a clog-wearing Dutchman.

Talking of clog-wearing Dutchmen.

[ Laughter ] Or trainer-wearing Scotsmen.

-Yes, that’s me.

It was actually in very good condition, but, not surprisingly, it has been used to poke and prod at fires, so it was kind of covered in soot and a bit of dust and ash and whatnot.

So it’s had just a really good clean up.

-And he looks as shiny as a new pin.

I’m looking for only 15 pounds for it, for this really rather sweet little novelty item here.

15 is bid.

Thank you sir, in the room I see you at 15 pounds.

I’m looking for 18 pounds now.

At 15 pounds I have.

It’s against you online.

The bid is in the room and selling at 15 pounds.

-He’s off to a new fireplace.

Lovely.

-He was living in the shed, wasn’t he?

-Yes.

-Going to a good new home, so.

-Also looking for a new owner is the Commodore computer and accessories.

-No way.

-That’s Dad looking after everything.

-Look at that.

-And I’m looking for 60 pounds.

60 is bid.

Thank you.

Straight away at 60 pounds now.

Looking for 65.

Come back to me, online bidders.

I’m looking to you for 65 pounds.

65 pounds.

Just in time.

Thank you, sir.

In the room at 65 pounds.

70 pounds is bid, sir.

Will you go 5?

75 in the room.

Thank you.

At 75 pounds.

Come back to me online at 80.

80 is bid, sir.

Will you go five?

85.

Thank you.

Hours of entertainment.

At 85 pounds, the bid is in the room at 85 pounds.

Looking for 90 now.

90 is bid.

Would you go five, sir?

At 90 pounds I have, and five is bid.

Thank you.

In the room at 95 pounds, now looking for 100 from you online.

100 pounds is bid, sir, against you.

I’m looking to you now for 110 pounds.

110 is bid.

Thank you.

Room bidder at 110 pounds.

Now looking for 120.

The bid is in the room.

Or should I say in the castle?

The bid is in the castle at 110 pounds.

Then, sir, it’s yours at 110.

[ Applause ] -That’s a great result, Christina.

And the Sega Mega drive has also proved popular.

-At 70 pounds.

-And next up is another of JJ’s -- Noah’s Ark in a lot with dad’s childhood toys.

-We should make sure the money is bid.

-It has been enjoyed for generations -- hippos, horses, there's a wee dog kennel here, and even -- well, there I am -- we Scotsmen.

So there you go.

-A wee Scotsman indeed.

-There he is.

-Thank you very much.

And I already have interest, JJ Chalmers, at 50 pounds, is bid online, at 50 pounds.

I’m looking for 55 pounds.

We’re all settled at 50 pounds.

-Little emotional, that.

-Is it?

-Yeah.

Took my dad’s toys.

-That was a hard one for sentimental Sarah to let go of, but wonderful that something so loved is going to a new home.

And over the next half hour, item after item goes under the hammer.

-Online and room bidders snap up coins... -Selling at 22.

-...stamps, motorbike memorabilia... -Selling at 30.

-...and that sweet sampler... -At 40 pounds.

-...adding another 120 pounds to the pot.

-Great job, Christina.

And the big value items are still to come.

Next, the jewelry, starting with Kay’s 21st birthday present she was never allowed to wear.

-We have the two small 18 carat gold dress rings comprising the ruby and diamond ring and the furthering there, the little solitaire, and interest here.

What do we have?

We have 110, 120, 130, 135, splitting my bids.

At 135 pounds.

now looking for 140.

140 is bid.

Thank you.

At 140 pounds.

Round it up to 150.

150 is bid, now looking for 160.

At 150 pounds and selling then, all settled at 150 -- Just in time at 160.

At 160 pounds.

Come back to me at 170.

The bid is at 160 online.

170.

Thank you.

I see you at the back at 170, now looking online at 180.

-Banger nerves.

-Are you?

-Looking for 180 or I will sell, make no mistake, to my room bidder at 170 pounds.

[ Applause ] -Let’s hope all that glitters keeps bringing in the gold as next is this 18 carat gold diamond crossover ring.

-And I have interest here already at 80, 90, 100, 110, 120 pounds is bid.

At 120 pounds I have.

It's absolutely exquisite, this ring, I love it.

130 is bid, thank you, at 130 pounds.

130 is bid, now looking for 140.

At 130 pounds, looking for 140.

140 is bid, thank you, at 140 pounds.

Online at 140 pounds.

-Amazing work, Christina.

-And the jewelry is certainly proving popular today, with the gold bar brooches... -At 70 pounds.

-...and some costume jewelry bringing in nearly 100 pounds.

-Moving on now, we have this really rather beautiful 18 carat gold cased open face pocket watch with the Roman numeral dial.

And I have interest here already at -- what have I got?

I’ve got 200, 220, 240, 260, 280, 300 pounds, 300 pounds, 320 is bid, at 320 pounds I have.

-I thought it might shut off.

At 320 pounds, are we all settled?

340 I have, sir, thank you.

At the back at 340 pounds.

360 is bid.

380, sir?

All settled at 360 pounds.

-That’s brilliant, isn’t it?

[ Applause ] -What a result.

Sarah and Kay’s dad really did know his antiques.

-Now, last but certainly not least, the gold watch chain found hidden amongst some costume jewelry.

-Moving on now, to our little surprise lot of the day.

And I have interest here at 400, 450, 500 pounds is bid, at 500 pounds.

That’s a nice surprise, isn’t it?

At 500 pounds now, looking... -A lovely piece of jewelry.

-I didn’t even know we had it.

-Online at 525, 550 is bid.

At 550 pounds, looking for 580.

At 550 pounds.

Looking for 580.

580.

600 is bid.

At 600 pounds, I have.

At 600 pounds.

Now looking for 620.

Fair warning, 620 -- 650 just in time, at 650 pounds.

Looking for 680.

At 650 pounds.

Looking for 680 now.

The bid is at 650 pounds.

All settled, 700 pounds.

at 700 pounds.

Somebody give Sarah a hug.

At 700 pounds I have.

750 is bid.

At 750 pounds.

780.

800 pounds is bid.

At 800 pounds.

Looking for 820.

Selling to my online bidder at 800 pounds.

-What a phenomenal end result.

-I know, isn’t it?

-That was unexpected.

-Exactly.

Yeah.

-Very.

-Ladies and gentlemen, that is the last lot for today.

But I’d like to say a big thank you to Sarah and Kay.

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you.

Thank you.

[ Applause ] ♪♪ -Those girls have been through so much in the last few years, and I think this was a real turning point for them very much emotionally.

-I think we all enjoyed that auction.

There was highs and lows, but what was really lovely was just watching two sisters look after one another through an emotional process.

And I cannot wait to let them know how much they’ve made today.

-Hello!

-Hello.

-You alright?

-Very well.

-Good.

-How are you feeling?

-Good.

-Yeah.

Good.

-That chain.

-That was a shock, wasn't it?

-I think that was a big shock.

-Right.

-Would you like to hear the sum total?

-I think we’d love to.

-I don’t know what it is.

-Here we go, here we go.

-So after fees and commissions, what you’re actually taking home... -No, no no, no.

-Not taking home.

They’re going to be hopefully... -Oh, yeah.

-Jetting off.

-Yeah.

-True.

Taken on holiday.

-Yeah.

-So it’s just a little over 1,800 pounds.

-Wow.

-That’s really good.

-That’s so good.

-That’s brilliant.

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you.

-Absolute pleasure.

It’s been an absolute joy to be part of this with you.

So thank you.

-No, thank you.

-Right.

-Off on holiday then.

-Yeah.

[ Laughter ] -Will you send us a postcard?

-We will absolutely.

-Promise?

-Yes.

Promise.

-Thank you so much for your help.

-Thank you for everything.

It’s been brilliant.

-Absolute pleasure.

You travel safe, and we’re back to work.

-Enjoy.

Bye.

-Bye, guys.

-Back to work.

-Back to work.

Come on.

-JJ and Christina have been absolutely fantastic from beginning to end.

I’ve said from the moment we met them, it was like inviting family into our house.

And it couldn’t have gone smoother.

-The money we raised, I think will, yeah, send us on our way to where we want to go.

-Definitely.

-And we couldn’t be more delighted for them.

-And I really, really, really hope they manage to get away somewhere gorgeous.

-Yeah, that is fantastic.

All the family.

I probably have to tag along.

They’ve adopted me, essentially.

-Yeah, exactly.

Can I get an invite?

-Um... I’ll take you somewhere nice.

-Oh, thank you.

[ Laughs ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪