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

Woo!

>> Ohh.

>> 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 and good as new.

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

>> Is that a Fender Strat?

>> It is.

>> There we go.

Everything we find... >> ...and fix... >> will go under the hammer in our traveling 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 off on the hunt for items of value once again.

>> Anything coming?

>> No, we're good.

Go, go, go, go, go, go!

And we are off.

>> Out and about in some glorious countryside.

So where in the world are we, Will?

>> We are in Northamptonshire today.

>> We are.

>> Apparently there is a village nearby where folklore says villagers were able to pay their rent by apricot.

>> What?

>> An apricot.

>> So you'd pay your rent with a fruit?

>> With a fruit, yeah.

>> Oh.

>> Well, hopefully today we'll find something that'll be worth more than a bag of fruit.

>> Oh, let's hope we find lots of carats?

>> Carrots?

Oh, I like that.

>> In diamond version.

>> We're off to see Carol, who lives in Desborough with Buster, the French terrier.

And close by is her son, Keith, and his partner, Natasha.

>> My mum, she'd do anything for anyone.

She spoils me rotten.

I'd be lost without her.

>> You're a good boy.

>> Carol moved here 20 years ago with her motorbike-mad husband, John.

His passion for the two-wheeled machines infected the whole family.

>> When got the children, got two boys, Keith and Thomas, we had a sidecar.

So from Friday till Sunday, we were out rallying every weekend on the motorcycle.

>> But when he retired, John decided he needed a new hobby.

What he got hooked on was a far cry from the noisy, high-speed world of bikes.

>> So he decided he wanted to go to antique fairs and look for things.

We'd go to antique centers.

His real passion was the little silver boxes with enamel on the top of them.

He loved them.

>> But sadly, John passed away very recently, leaving the whole family devastated, and his vast collection of precious items on shelves all over the house have become a constant reminder to Carol of her loss.

>> I've got so many memories round me -- I've got too many memories round me.

So I'll be really pleased to have some of the memories removed.

It might sound harsh to some people, but I've got certain things that I like around me that remind me of John, but I've got too many.

>> I think is very difficult when you've lost someone to suddenly then kind of start to clear their things, because they were so personal to them, weren't they?

And you've got to be emotionally ready to do it, I think.

>> But it sounds like Carol and her family are ready to kind of make that first step.

And that's where we come in.

♪ >> Our job will be to help sift through John's huge collection with Carol and Keith, to work out what needs to be kept and what should be moved on.

>> And to find new owners who will get as much pleasure from them as John did.

>> Well, it's going to be an emotional day.

>> It is, indeed.

>> It looks like we've made it to the right place.

>> Just here.

Look.

>> Here, this one?

Oh, okay.

>> Wonderful.

>> We better go and introduce ourselves then.

>> Oh, my goodness.

Shall I knock?

>> Go on.

>> Shall I?

So exciting, isn't it?

There's no one in.

>> Ah, there is someone in!

>> Hello.

>> No, I'm Keith.

I'm the better-looking one.

Would you like to come in?

>> Love to.

I think we should say hello to the lady herself.

>> Thanks for having us in your house.

It's lovely and warm.

>> Yeah.

>> We're very toasty in here.

>> You're not going to be in here for long, though, sunshine.

>> I know.

I know.

>> Don't worry.

I'll bring you a cuppa.

>> We already spy a few little pieces around.

There's a lot of stuff here.

>> There is so much in here.

It looks fantastic.

Now, Carol, are we alright to go and have a wander and have a little look and see what we can see?

>> Of course you are.

>> Access all areas, right?

>> Mostly.

>> [ Laughs ] Mostly.

>> Alright, we'd better get started.

>> Brilliant.

Let's go.

>> Come on.

It's time to split up.

It's off to the back of the house for me.

What is in here?

Ooh, conservatory.

And you don't have to look very hard in here to find evidence of a collector at work.

These lighters -- I think it's made of brass.

It is made of brass.

Well, actually, it says brass on the front, so that's a bit of a giveaway.

Actually, there's loads of lighters.

Oh, gosh, there's more.

I think I'm beginning to see the scale of John's obsession.

>> While our bright spark's busy in the back, I'm starting off in the dining room.

So many Dalmatians.

Lots to look at in here, too.

That's all very spotty.

>> And I think I might have already found something for auction -- some of John's favorites.

My eyes absolutely lit up when I saw this little collection of patch boxes.

They're just so sweet, and they are really popular in the market, because they're so collectible and they're so tiny, you can collect more of them.

They were made to contain patches or beauty spots, which were the height of lady's fashion from the 16th to the 18th centuries.

Not just decorative, they helped disguise blemishes and scars from smallpox and other nasty diseases.

These particular examples and many of the patch boxes were made in Staffordshire and they're known as Staffordshire, enamels or Bilston enamels, and it was a process where they were actually enameling onto copper.

But the crowning glory of this little selection here is this, which is quite incredible, this casket.

Now, I think we've got an inkwell here and this is a pounce pot, but it's just quite exquisite.

And it really just takes Staffordshire enamels into a totally different league.

It's beautiful.

Each one of these Georgian-era boxes could easily fetch £60 to £100.

That's a smashing first find.

To be perfectly honest with you, when I walked into the house, I was a little bit anxious, because it is quite a contemporary home, but the quality of these have got me very excited, and we've barely scratched the surface of John's collection.

Who knows what else we'll discover?

♪ >> Well, I've met a few new friends here in the conservatory.

Oh, look at these two.

[ Groans ] That is a pretty cool motorbike.

The lovely little couple sitting on there.

I think that's a husband and wife team.

I like that a lot.

[ Groans ] But not something that needs my handiwork.

What else?

Look at this.

This is really sweet.

Now, that's a nice little clock.

Oh, my gosh.

There's water damage across the top here and down the side as well.

All the varnish is actually peeling off.

Hopefully it hasn't actually got inside the clock, because I know water and clock mechanisms don't really like each other.

The inside is dry, which is good.

I think structurally, the wood is in decent condition, but I think I can clean that old varnish off and give it a new lick of varnish.

Definitely bring out that lovely color in the wood, 'cause at the moment, it looks very dull and very dry.

Definitely worth restoring that, I think.

So we're both coming up with the goods.

Made any discoveries, Christina?

>> I think I might have found something.

A sauna?

A sauna in the garage?

Huh.

♪ I need one of these in my life.

I love this thing.

Once turned on... >> Unbelievable.

>> Hi.

I mean, I know you love your wood, but this is the kind of wood I can get on board with.

>> Isn't it a bit hot in there having a jacket on inside the sauna?

>> I haven't managed to turn it on yet, but if you get cold outside today, this is the place to come.

Right on.

>> I'm going to leave you with that, Christine.

I'm going to go and do some work.

>> Okay, alright.

See you later.

>> Have fun.

I think we might not hear from her for a while, but in the meantime, let's get our mobile workshop up and running and look at that timepiece in the cold light of day.

This is quite a sweet clock.

There's so much detail on the front here, which is quite sweet.

All the numerals hand-painted.

You've got the sort of sun and the moon there.

I mean, it's a really nice thing to have.

However, time's not been kind to this little clock.

That water damage has really done a number on the wooden case.

Now that I've got the clock outside, you know, I can really see the damage a lot clearer.

There are loads of cracks going through the polish here, areas where it's gone sort of yellowish and it's just flaking off.

It's really bad.

I can't actually save this polish.

You can't clean it up or anything.

I'm going to have to remove that completely, clean back the surface back to the bare wood, and repolish it.

And I think I might have just the thing to do it.

>> Now because he was such a prolific collector, John's presence is everywhere in this house, and having lost him very recently, it's no wonder that Carol is a bit overwhelmed by it all.

>> Since John's passed, it's very hard work to keep the collection looking nice.

If I cleaned all the silver, it takes me a day at least.

At my age, I don't want to be cleaning silver all day, so I'm going to let it go, very reluctantly, anyway.

>> We're going to try and sell John's cherished antiques to people who love them as much as he did.

And with the proceeds, Carol has big plans.

>> With the money that's raised at the auction, eventually, I'd like to redesign the garden, because it's a lot of work for me now, and make a nice memorial to John from the pond at the bottom.

>> That was his favorite place.

He loved it in the morning.

He used to go out, feed the fish.

>> It'll be a nice place to go and sit and be, and all the family can enjoy.

>> And then Mum can have a chat to him when she's having a good day or a bad day.

>> That sounds like a lovely and very fitting tribute to him.

Now, for Carol's garden plans to blossom, we need to find more things to sell.

And I'm on the hunt for another of John's collecting passions.

Look at that.

Oh, my goodness.

What a beautiful collection of silver.

I'm going to need a hand with all of this.

Carol, come on in.

Can you tell me about the silver collection?

>> What was it about silver that he loved so much?

>> I just think he liked things that's shiny and bright.

All his bikes were like that, shiny and bright.

He just come in to silver.

>> The collection of silver that you've got here, obviously, is just one of several around the house, isn't it?

>> Yeah.

>> So you've got a sedan chair that then you open up and you've got two little packs of miniature playing cards in it.

So I love that one.

Which is your favorite piece of the collection, Carol?

>> This piece.

>> Well, it's got some rather beautiful agate panels on the side.

What is it?

>> An etui.

>> An etui.

Look at that.

That's fantastic, isn't it?

Wow, I love that.

So the word etui, do you know what it means?

>> I think it sort of means, small pieces to carry around with you.

>> The word etui literally translates as "case," which is exactly what it is, isn't it?

>> A carrying case.

>> Exactly.

And in here you've got all sorts.

What's that?

>> It's a spoon.

But it is a spoon for your ears.

>> Really?

>> Yeah, to clean out the wax.

>> Oh, no, Carol!

>> I think that's what it is.

>> Well, nonetheless, a fascinating piece.

I mean, etui originally were really for women to carry around with sewing equipment and all that sort of thing.

And then you've got little pairs of scissors and all sorts.

There's a knife, there's a fork.

That is utterly delightful.

This lovely item could fetch in the region of £200, but the value of everything on this display stand will be substantially more.

Well, I think John's collection is beautiful.

>> He loved it.

>> I bet he did.

I will enjoy cataloging it very much.

>> That should keep Christina busy for a while.

And out at the van, I'm breaking up the heavy-duty stuff to try and sort out that clock.

I've got a small jar here of paint stripper.

Gonna use this to remove this old varnish off the surface of the clock.

It can really irritate your hands, so it's always good to have the right protective equipment.

I'm using a brush and some gloves whilst I'm using the stripper.

The brush is really good.

It's got quite stiff bristles, and it's allowing me to really work it into that polish.

Now, whilst it's nasty stuff to get on your skin, this paint stripper makes the job a breeze.

It gets into the polish and swells it up, causing it to lift away from the wood.

I'm gonna leave that to work its magic, then I can clean that residue off the surface.

And while we're waiting, I've got a pal coming around to lend a hand with something else.

>> Hi, Will.

>> Hi, Sally.

Nice to see you.

>> Oh, nice to see you too.

>> Now, among all those teddies in the conservatory, I found a little friend who could do with Sally's particular skill set.

>> Let me see.

>> Meet Monkey.

>> Wonderful.

Oh, my.

I think he needs a little bit of TLC.

>> I think he needs a bit more than that.

>> Can I have a look?

>> Yeah, definitely.

>> This little chap was made by German toy manufacturers Steiff, who've been turning out teddies and other soft toys since 1880.

Some of their very early toys can fetch big prices at auction.

And whilst our monkey isn't quite in that league, he could still be very collectible, although not in his current condition.

>> He's missing a lot of foot and something going on with the hand there.

I have a feeling Buster the dog might have had something to do with his sorry state.

There's a rip in the ear.

>> Yeah, that looks a little bit more delicate.

I'm going to perhaps look into how I can fix that for him.

>> If you could, that would be absolutely amazing.

>> Okay, it's no problem.

>> Thanks a lot, Sally.

I'll see you soon.

>> Okay, take him with me.

Thank you.

>> I always knew you were a softy, Will.

Now back inside, I've come across some more of John's favorite enamel boxes, and these ones are a bit special.

Let's see what Keith knows about them.

I've been having a little look at your dad's rather beautiful enamel case little collection here.

What do you remember about your dad and these cases particularly?

>> I didn't know it was my dad what collected them.

I honestly thought it was my mum.

And then when my dad passed away, my mum said it was my dad what done all the collecting.

He loved it.

>> He was obviously a bit of a romantic as well, because if you look at the cases that are in front of us here, they're all depicting courting couples, lovers, if you like.

>> I've never took any notice of that, to be truthful.

Those are serious cases.

>> Clearly, you're not as romantic as your dad was.

>> No.

>> But if you look at them, you know, the enameling on them, especially this example here.

It is a masterpiece in miniature.

>> You've got a beautiful Vienna enamel casket here in the style of a sedan chair.

Your dad had quite a few sedan chair-type things.

Do you think he envisaged himself going around on one?

>> Well, he did have a vivid imagination, so I'd never know with him sometimes, yeah.

>> But I have to be honest with you, this is my favorite.

I love this example with this incredible chinoiserie design on the front here.

And if you open it up, on the inside, you've got this gold liner, or what we call silver gilt interior with some really nice, clear marks on the inside.

So it's by a maker called Henry Clifford Davis and it's Birmingham 1926.

>> It looks well for the age, then.

>> It is incredible for its age.

And I think for a collector, that is a really special piece.

A really special piece.

I'd estimate that one at £300 to £400, and the same for the sedan chair.

But if we can get bidders as mad for these cases as John was, we could be looking at well over £1,000 for all of them.

>> Sounds like good news for Carol's plans for the outside of the house, where at the moment, things have turned a bit on the damp side, with me included.

Well, the weather has taken a slight turn for the worst.

The heavens have opened up and it's starting to rain, so I've moved inside the van.

The good thing, though, is that the stripper has worked.

It's taken off all the old varnish off the surface.

I'm now just whizzing over the wood with some really fine sandpaper.

One of the key things when it comes to polishing furniture is preparation.

If it's really rough, then the wood absorbs so much of the polish and you don't get that lovely luster and shine.

But this is feeling really smooth now, so it's ready to start polishing.

I've taken off some of the metal decorations to protect them, and to make sure that the polish covers all the wood, not just the bits that are seen.

Right.

Let's give this a go.

Oh, look at that.

How gorgeous does that look?

That's walnut, and you couldn't actually really see that grain in the beginning because the yellowed varnish, whereas now, I've cleaned that back.

I put on a really thin coat of polish now, and it's really looking wonderful.

I've just got to do the rest of it now.

>> Looking good, Will.

Back inside, I'm still finding things in the living room.

Look at all these little collections we've got here.

Including some of John's more quirky purchases.

Oh, I love this.

Wonder if he still works.

[ Chirping ] Oh, I love it.

Carol, are you there?

>> Yeah.

>> Can you hear your little birdie singing away?

>> I can.

>> I'm going to take him off his rather exotic clip.

Now, what is this?

Because this looks like quite a late example.

So we've got KG.

So Karl Greisbaum there.

But I love the fact that he still works.

I mean, he sings away, doesn't he?

>> Oh, he sings away.

He's got a good whistle on him.

>> He has!

It's all powered by an ingenious bit of clockwork hidden in the base, which operates a tiny bellows and a Swanee whistle to create the birdsong.

>> What do we think of this?

Do you still love it, Carol?

>> Well, I love everything I've got, but it's impossible to keep everything.

It's just getting too much like an antique shop in here.

>> Oh, bless you.

Well, at auction, yes, the 18th century ones command huge sums of money.

If you can't afford an 18th century one, this is a brilliant -- >> The next best thing.

>> It is.

You're absolutely right.

And I reckon this 20th century tweeter could still command up to £200.

>> You're going to have to sing for your supper, little birdie, and hopefully, we'll find you a new home.

What do you think of that?

>> Fingers crossed he doesn't go "cheep" at the auction.

Now I've just popped back inside, partially to get out the rain, but mostly to see if I can rustle up another project to work on.

Oh, that's very nice.

Oh, look at this.

This is very smart.

[ Groans ] Better be careful.

Looks like someone's getting ready for a game of chess.

This is really nice.

I think you should be able to turn this like that, and then the sides flap down.

I won't flap them down now, because all the chess piece are gonna fall off.

That's great.

That's very strange.

I think that these chess pieces are from another chessboard, because if you line them up, they are all slightly too big to fit in their places.

Is there a drawer?

There we are.

So there's a drawer on either side.

I think these smaller pieces will be sort of better suited for this size table.

I think this is definitely a Victorian games table, well over 100 years old, and considering its age, it's in a pretty good state.

There are some scratches on the bottom of the leg there.

There's a few little nicks and chips, but structure-wise, it seems pretty stable.

And I've actually seen quite a few of these sell for a reasonable sum of money.

So I think if I can buff up the top, maybe touch in a few of those little chips and sort out the scratches on the leg, I think that would look really smart on auction day.

And that's just one of the many things we've discovered that should go down well with the bidders.

There's the clock I found that, once finished, should look stunning.

>> And I found an embarrassment of riches just in the living room, from John's cherished collection of enameled items...

Courting couples, lovers, if you like.

...to our little feathered friend.

And not forgetting a huge number of silver items, more of which keep cropping up all over the house.

I think they're all going to be very sought-after.

>> They're all off to new owners with a aim to raise enough money for Carol to redesign her garden and to make space in memory of her beloved John.

>> But for Carol and Keith, saying goodbye to some of these items will be emotional.

>> I think the hardest part of this process is going to be watching this stuff go.

When the hammer goes down, you know that's the last you see of them, because a lot of this stuff was very dear to my father's heart.

He was very proud of the stuff what he bought.

>> Getting rid of it all is... hard but essential.

It's going to help me to start my life again, because I've got to start a new life now.

>> But thanks to her close-knit family, Carol won't be making that journey on her own.

Her other son, Thomas, has also pitched up to lend a hand, and he knows only too well how supportive this family can be.

>> How are you, Tom?

>> Hey, Mum.

>> Thomas was about 18 and he had a serious road bike accident, and it hit us all for six.

>> The hospital told us Tom was never, ever going to leave the hospital bed unless a miracle happened, and I couldn't accept that.

And I just from 8:00 in the morning until 10:00 at night, I stayed in the hospital and I did everything for him, talked to him all the time.

And I got him so well that eventually the doctors started getting him out of the bed into wheelchairs so we could take him home for a day release.

>> It was a long and painful road to recovery, but once Thomas was well enough to come home for good, his parents were there to help him start a new chapter.

>> Mum and Dad sat him down and said, "Right, Thomas, what would you like to do in life?"

And he sat and thought about it and said, "I'd like to drive a pushbike."

Because of his disability, Dad was a bit dubious, but he got him a pushbike and he adapted his bike to help him, because Tom's left arm's paralyzed, so he only had one arm to sort of steer the bike.

So my dad made an adaption so his arm could sit in it.

And then from then on, he progressed.

>> So much so that he began to compete in races, getting to international level.

During his career, Thomas won medals galore and held world records, but his proudest achievement was representing Britain at the Sydney Paralympics.

He came home with the silver -- his dad's favorite precious metal, of course.

Ah, there we go.

I've got a slightly easier challenge for him today -- [ Accordion plays ] Helping me find out about this beast.

I'm calling you with my sweet music.

Can you recognize my tune?

>> Yeah, it's wonderful.

>> It's "Happy Birthday."

>> I'm not sure anymore.

>> Tell me about your piano accordion.

>> What's there to tell you?

My husband bought anything and everything.

He decided he was going to learn to play it and bought it and thought, "I'll have a go," but never did.

>> Oh, bless him.

Was he quite a musical person?

>> Yeah, he played the piano, and through that, that's how I learned to play.

I also played the organ.

>> Oh, really?

>> He wanted me to have a go on it.

>> Oh, bless him.

And did you have a go on it?

>> I did, but I couldn't do it because of me arm.

>> But you play the organ as well?

>> I play the organ, yes.

>> That's incredible.

How do you manage to do that?

>> Well, my dad made me a stand for my left arm it sits on, and I move that with my right leg.

>> Oh, wow.

>> So I can do the left arm with my right leg and I can play the chord.

>> Oh, my goodness.

Not only did your dad encourage your musical talents, he also encouraged your cycling talents, didn't he?

>> My dad and my mum, they did everything for me, took me everywhere and did everything for me.

>> Amazing.

Parents are pretty cool, aren't they?

>> Yeah, brilliant.

>> I don't think this is going to make a massive amount of money at auction, but do you want it off the top of your cupboard?

>> I do.

I've got it gathering dust.

>> And I don't think you're ever going to play it again, are you?

>> I don't know if I'll ever lift it.

>> Well, let's hope that somebody buys it who might be able to get a tune out of it again, rather than my rather terrible wheezing.

>> John, wasn't much better, even though he could play the piano.

>> Thankfully, out at the van, you can barely hear Christina's musical stylings.

And it's a different sort of playing for me as I take a look at that Victorian chess table.

The top of this table is really nice.

It's a beautiful piece of walnut veneer there, going around the outside, with a lovely figure in the grain of the wood.

The ones I've seen in the past, the tops end up getting quite bowed and they start to wobble around.

But this is incredibly flat, so it's just superficial damage.

I mean, all I can really see are a few scratches on the legs there.

Actually looks like it's been chewed by a dog, but I'm not pointing any fingers.

>> You'd never do that, would you, Buster?

>> Now the top of the table could do with a bit of a wax, but there's a few chips and dings to look at first.

It's really good that this hasn't been left near a radiator or a window, because if the sunlight comes in or there's a hot radiator, there's so much veneered inlay on the top here, it could easily start to peel off and ping off the surface.

And once those scuff marks have disappeared with the help of some polish and pigment, it's on with the wax.

This is a mix of beeswax and palm tree wax.

It's all natural, environmentally friendly, and it brings tired, old tables like this up a treat.

This table is made out of walnut, which is a hard wood.

Once it's been sanded and polished, you get a really nice shine to it.

So once I've waxed this and I've buffed it up, it's going to look absolutely gorgeous.

And when it's done, it should be ready for another century of opening gambits and checkmates.

>> Now time to catch up with Will's little Steiff monkey.

He's been whisked off down the road to Kettering for a consultation at Sally's teddy hospital.

Let's hope the prognosis is good.

>> He has a missing foot and he has part of a missing hand and a torn ear.

And the ear is obviously very important on a Steiff item, because that's where its button is.

>> That button is the manufacturer's mark of authenticity.

Sadly, our monkey's button is long since lost, but with some careful surgery, Sally can repair our little chap's other problems and get him ready to sell.

>> One of the fabrics I'm going to be working with is felt, which, by its nature, has a tendency to be quite fragile.

I turn it inside out because, obviously, I don't want people to see the stitches, and more importantly, I'm replicating how it was originally made.

There's also detailing on it to show the monkey's fingers, so I'm going to hand-stitch it, 'cause it's very tiny.

>> And once he's got the right number of toes and fingers again, he'll get a nice wash and brush up to show him at his best.

>> I hope this monkey's going to do very well at auction, because he certainly deserves it, and it will be a great addition to any collector.

>> Well, we'll find out when we next see him.

Back at Carol's house, I think we're just about done with our search, although Christina seems to be recruiting a new assistant.

>> What do you think of this, Buster, eh?

What do you think of this?

>> And after all that hard work, I think we deserve a spot of R&R.

I've got just the thing.

>> Here we are.

>> No wonder you're not concentrating.

>> Hey, Buster.

I've come to hang out with you.

>> Yeah.

>> And Christina, I suppose.

>> Thanks.

>> Look at this.

>> That's very cool.

I really love it.

Where'd you find that?

>> I just found it in a corner in a room.

>> Buster, what do you think?

>> Waiting to be played with.

>> This lovely French mechanical game is from the early 20th century.

The big cup in the middle was where you would place your bets.

>> Shall we have a game?

>> Shall we have a game?

>> First past the post?

>> Choose a horse.

>> Okay, I'm going to go for the gray one.

>> The gray one?

I'll going for this white one here, number 3.

>> I'm so competitive.

This is driving me a little mad.

>> Okay.

You ready?

>> Okay, I'm ready.

Steady... Come on, number 3.

>> Come on!

>> Come on, number 3.

>> Come on!

>> Hold on, hold on!

>> Oh, my God.

I'm still going.

>> No, no, no, no, no, no, no!

>> Well, clearly, mine is a very fast horse.

>> Okay, I should have checked that this game works properly before I would... >> Your horse is retired.

>> Mine is going so fast, Christina, that it's stationary.

>> I think this could be a winner at auction.

£70 to £90 is my estimate.

Maybe more if the bidders fancy a flutter.

>> Where's Buster?

Gone.

You see?

So fickle.

>> Where has he gone?

He's probably out the van with you.

>> I'm gonna go and find him.

See you later.

Buster?

>> Tell Buster I love him.

From racing games to rather fine silver ware, it's been a joy to discover John's collection.

>> We've cataloged a whopping 87 auction lots today, so with any luck, we can raise some funds to give Carol's garden revamp the go-ahead and make a special place in memory of her husband.

>> Thank you so much for having us in your beautiful home.

>> It's been nice to meet you both.

>> I have loved today, just having a look at all the different collections that you have, so it's been a pleasure.

We've got some really lovely lots for the auction.

>> My highlight has to be Buster.

Sorry, sorry.

>> He's not for sale.

>> Buster has stolen the show.

>> Thank you very much for coming, Will.

You've done some beautiful work to the stuff as well, so... >> It's been a pleasure.

I hope it's going to really help out on auction day.

>> Yeah, I think it will.

It's going to be really exciting.

Are you ready?

>> We'll see you soon.

>> Thank you very much.

>> Bye-bye.

♪ >> What a day.

>> What a day, and it's going to be a great auction, isn't it?

>> There's loads of stuff to go to auction.

You'll have a busy day, I think, come auction day.

>> Yeah, I think you're right.

Another busy day.

>> Well, I'm always there for support, Christina.

>> Oh, well, thanks.

Don't worry, Will.

I'm sure I can find lots for you to do.

>> A few weeks later and a couple of counties over, our traveling showroom is on the road once again.

>> Whee, over the bridge.

Hold on to your tummies.

>> Whoa.

>> Our auction today will be in Worcestershire, in the delightful surroundings of the Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings.

They rescue old buildings that are going to be knocked down or made redundant or whatever and they rebuild them at the Avoncroft Museum.

>> Brick by brick?

>> Yeah, really important for historical conservation.

>> Exactly, exactly.

Which is what we are also about.

>> Yeah.

>> Saving things from going in landfill.

>> Yep.

>> Giving them a new lease of life.

>> Absolutely.

>> Which is what we're hoping to do today with all of Carol's possessions.

We just need to give this place that auction house vibe to entice the bidders in.

>> Got it?

>> Got it.

>> Ah, good work, multi-tasking.

>> Look, one-handed me.

>> Yeah.

So much to do.

Okay.

So little time.

>> And here comes Carol and Co. Looks like they're having a full family day out.

Look who it is.

>> Hiya.

>> Lovely to see you all.

>> And yourself.

>> I've got something to show you.

Do you remember our monkey?

>> He's not minus a foot now.

Very good.

>> Monkey now has all four limbs and hands.

He looks very handsome now, doesn't he?

>> Nearly as handsome as the dog that bit his foot off.

>> And that's not the only surprise I have in store.

That old water-damaged clock took a lot of work to bring back to its former glory, but I'm happy with the end result.

>> That is looking absolutely stunning.

You've worked hard on that.

>> She was going to put it in the bin.

>> Were you?

>> I seriously was.

>> No.

Well, I'm pleased that you didn't because... >> You done a cracking job on it.

>> Hasn't he just?

>> I think that could go for £30 to £50 now it's fixed.

>> Well, I think it's time.

>> No.

>> Yes.

>> No.

>> To get this ready for auction.

If you grab your seats, I'll see you in a sec.

>> Thank you very much.

>> Thank you very much.

>> Well, with a host of eager bidders and dealers all pulling up a pew, we're just about ready.

Taking care of our telephone and internet bids, we have Sonya and Emma from local auctioneers, Hansen's.

>> Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

A huge welcome to you all today.

Without further ado, let's start our auction.

>> And first out the gate, that French horse-racing game.

The bookies have this at £70 to £90.

>> I've got £70, £80, £90, £100, £110, £120, £130.

>> You might be taking it for Christmas.

>> The bid is at £130 and looking for £140.

But selling, if we're all finished, at £130.

Well, that one certainly galloped away.

A very good start.

More fun and games now, the chess table.

Do the honors, will you, Will?

>> I'm going to try not to drop this.

That'd be really embarrassing.

Lovely games table, nice bit of burr walnut on the top there.

It was quite scratched, missing a few bits of veneer.

Patched those, cleaned it up, polished it, and it's good to go.

>> I've got £95.

I'm looking for £100.

At £95, looking for £100.

Selling online, and if you're all settled, at £95.

Well done, Will.

>> A maiden bid, but it was a good one.

>> Up next, the mechanical bird.

I think it could be worth up to £200, but will it hit the right note with the bidders?

>> At £150?

£140, if it helps you, then, at £140.

>> Might be coming home with you.

>> We're all settled at £140.

All pass on that one.

>> I'm not going to let that go for less, but there's still a spot for it back in Carol's living room.

♪ And I've got bids flashing away in front of me.

Now, silver was a big part of John's collection, so much so that it makes up over half of our lots today.

The bid is at £270, looking for £280.

>> Everything from lovely little ring boxes.

>> Really very beautiful, chased with a lily on the cover there.

Absolutely exquisite example, this one.

>> To that novelty sedan chair playing card case.

>> At £100.

All that silver adds just under £2,000 to the kitty, and we're not done yet.

>> We have the late Victorian, very lovely silver shade quatrefoil reticulated bowl.

And I've got interest here at £100, £110, £120, £130 is bid.

At £130, I have.

I'm looking for £140, but selling if we're all settled at £130.

>> Make that over £2,000 now.

>> Up next, Carol's favorite bit of silver, the etui, estimated at £200.

I've got £150, £160, £170, £180, £190 is bid.

>> Everything he liked.

>> £190.

I'm looking for £200.

>> Come on.

>> I've got £190.

Fair warning, selling, if we're all settled, at £190.

Pretty much on the money there.

It was a lovely piece.

>> Now, liberated from the top of the cupboard, that piano accordion.

>> We almost got this working, didn't we, Carol?

>> It does work.

We didn't know how to do it.

>> Yeah, you're right.

My tunes were not great.

I'm looking for £20 for it, at £20.

Only £20.

Carol, do you want me to go down to £10?

>> Yeah.

>> £10, I'm looking for, for the accordion.

>> You don't want it, do you?

>> No.

>> £5.

Give me £5.

£5.

There we are.

I've got a bidder.

Madam, you have yourself an accordion, unless there's a bid of £10.

No?

It's yours.

There you go.

>> Oh.

>> Now that's one happy customer, and it means Christina can't knock out a tune on it ever again.

>> Time for some monkey business.

Now fully restored after its run-in with Buster.

>> He's all sweet now.

>> Now he's all fixed.

>> Oh, he's really sweet, isn't he?

>> I've got £15.

I'm looking for £20 for the little Steiff monkey.

>> That's a bargain.

>> At £15.

Who'll bid me £20?

We're all settled then.

All finished at £15, and selling at £15.

>> Well, that's off to a new home.

Let's just hope there's no French terrier living there.

>> Thanks, Will.

>> It's a bit receding on the top, but most of us now down.

>> You have to put it down, darling.

You can't take him home.

>> Really?

>> Yeah.

>> I really quite like him.

Okay, bye.

>> Don't go anywhere yet, Will.

It's your restored clock up next, valued at £30 to £50.

>> It's ready to look beautiful amongst some clock collection, maybe, on your mantelpiece or something like that.

>> Yeah.

At £30.

Any interest at £30?

Come on, somebody in the room.

£30.

Thank you, madam.

Looking for £35 now.

>> Thanks, love.

>> At £35 with you, madam.

Thank you.

And £40.

madam.

£45.

Thank you.

And £50?

Thank you for your bidding at £45.

With the lady at £45, and I'm selling, if we're all settled, at £45.

>> Perfect.

>> Thanks.

>> Not a bad result, and much better than chucking it in the bin.

>> Time for another of John's obsessions, All those enameled cases.

Don't miss it for a bid.

You will regret.

>> From snuff boxes... >> £100, I have.

Thank you.

>> ...to patch boxes.

>> I've got already £55, £65, £75, £80.

He loved them, and it looks like our bidders do, too.

Now, this is quite the most exquisite little snuffbox I've ever seen.

At £350, I'm looking for £360 from you now.

£360.

Thank you.

£380, the bid is, with my commission bidder now.

Looking for £400.

£400.

Thank you.

If we're all settled, fair warning at £400.

>> Well, that added a nice chunk of cash to our takings.

>> And up next is my favorite, the lovely 1920s chinoiserie case.

I've estimated £300 to £400 for this.

And again, I have interest here with me at £300, with me on commission, at £300.

I'm looking for £320 now.

At £300, the bid is with my commission bidder at £300.

I'm looking for £320.

Where are you, online?

It's at £300 with my bidder, then, if we're all settled, fair warning at £300.

I'm absolutely delighted with that.

Such a lovely piece.

>> And finally, that enamel sedan chair.

£300 to £400 is the valuation for this, and we've got two online bidders battling to carry it away.

>> I've got £280, £300, £320, £340, £360, £380, £400, £420, £440.

At £440.

£460.

Thank you.

£480 is bid.

£500.

Thank you.

Come back to me at £520, bidder.

£520 is bid.

£540.

They're back.

£560.

Thank you.

At £560.

£580 is bid.

£600 is bid.

Looking to £620.

The bid is at £600 pounds, And I'm selling.

£620.

They're back at £620.

At £620.

Come back to me at £640.

And selling then at £620.

My goodness.

>> And that smashing result marks the end of our sale.

It's time to find out how much money Carol has for her memorial garden.

>> My goodness, what a day, team.

>> Yes.

Good.

>> That must have freed up some space in your house.

>> I don't know what I'm going to do with all the space it's left.

I really don't.

>> Okay, Will.

Tell us, how much have we made?

>> So today, after fees... >> [ Imitates drum roll ] >> ...we've made £4,083.

>> Wow.

>> Wow.

That's a lot.

>> A lot more than what we thought.

>> Well, congratulations.

That is absolutely fantastic.

>> Thank you very much for doing a good job for us.

>> Oh, right.

Come on then.

Let's go and pick some plants.

I think it's safe to say they'll get one or two with that amount, enough to make a lovely spot in memory of John.

>> We're putting a pond in, and we're going to put some things around there.

We've got an awful lot of motorcycle signs that he collected and they're going to be put all around.

So when we get that done, that should be a nice memorial for us to remember him for.

>> Slam.

>> Watch your fingers.

>> You're getting really good at packing up the van.

>> Practice makes perfect.

We've had a blast today, but it's time we moved on.

>> Back on the road to see if anyone else needs our help.

Look at that driving!

Right, let's go get something to eat.

>> Yeah, that sounds like a plan.

>> I've definitely worked up an appetite.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪