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

Wow.

>> Your tools are gonna be shaking around.

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

Whoa.

This is pretty full.

>> That is 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."

♪ >> You might have to do all of the driving.

You're really good at it.

>> Why am I doing all of the driving?

>> And I quite like being driven, Christina.

>> Really?

>> But you make it seem so effortless.

>> [ Laughs ] You can keep London and your traffic lights.

This is me, through and through.

>> You're in your element.

>> I am in my element.

>> This is Shropshire, home turf for you, Christina.

And we're headed to this large farmhouse which Andrea bought nearly 40 years ago and which she now shares with her son, James.

>> Very old building.

Fell in love with the place first time we saw it.

I've had some of the wood dated, and some parts of the building date back to 1375.

>> Andrea has bought and sold antiques over the years and has collected things on her travels all over the world.

She's also been called upon to store things for other people.

>> Unfortunately, because it's a big barn, when anybody in the family dies, we end up with the furniture.

>> We're gonna go and meet Andrea and James... >> Yeah.

>> ...who apparently have, and I quote, "A barn full of stuff."

>> A barn?

How big is this barn?

>> Well, if it were small, it would be a shed.

>> Yes.

>> And it's a barn.

>> A nice cave of furniture.

A lot of goodies there.

>> A cave.

I like that.

So it could be a whole load of things that aren't worth anything.

Or it could be a little treasure trove.

>> The property is bursting at the seams and things have become difficult to manage since Andrea developed M.S.

But the big turning point came when her mobility was seriously affected by a car crash.

>> Unfortunately, I was hit by a drunk driver and that was it, really.

That was a total write-off and I had to be cut out by the fire brigade.

>> It's heartbreaking to see my mama struggling in this house.

>> With narrow staircases and doorways and lots of stuff everywhere, the house is not easy for Andrea to negotiate in her motorized wheelchair.

>> I can't reverse in a car, and I'm even worse in a wheelchair.

I get very frustrated because I want to go faster than I can.

I get very annoyed because I want to do things that I can't do.

>> And the fact that she's in a wheelchair, yeah, it certainly breaks my heart every day.

It is what it is, and we have to make do and make the best out of the situation, really.

>> Though it's a bit of a struggle, Andrea remains as independent as possible with James there to support her.

>> I'd hate to leave this house, but I might not be able to stay here.

My health might not allow it -- me to stay here.

And we've been very, very happy here.

>> Very fortunate to live here as long as we have, though.

I'll do whatever in my power to keep my mum here as long as possible, living in this house because I know how much it means to her.

It means a lot to me as well.

But yeah, I do whatever I can.

It's my family home, and I've got many, many fond memories here.

Parties, birthdays, headlines in the newspaper.

The donkeys falling in the pond on Christmas Day.

Um, it's just a very memorable house.

A party house, a happy house.

And I don't want to let my mum's condition stop us living here ultimately, but we have to be realistic.

>> Andrea and James have called us in to help clear out the house and sell anything that's worth some money.

♪ >> There we are.

Take it easy.

Don't want to go in through the barn doors.

>> Now she goes.

[ Laughs ] >> Yes.

>> My goodness, we have got our work cut out here, today.

It's not one barn, it's many barns.

>> Many barns.

>> Plural barns.

Lots to be done.

♪ >> Hello.

>> Hello.

>> You must be Andrea and James.

>> Pleasure to meet you.

>> Now, I'm slightly anxious because we drove past barns on the way in here.

>> Barns, outbuildings, garages, swimming pool, barn of doom.

>> [ Laughs ] >> You've got it all.

>> A plethora.

>> I'm quite worried about the barns.

>> I'm not sure I'm okay with the barn just yet.

House first.

Let's go for it.

>> Please help yourself.

>> See you shortly.

>> See you in a bit.

>> This is a fantastic old house, and I'm really excited to see what might be hidden away.

There's a lot of stuff here.

>> There's a lot of stuff here.

>> And this is just the house.

>> There's lots of wood, but most of it's actually attached to the building.

>> Yeah, you don't have to take that out of the house.

>> These bits are really nice.

>> That could be slightly embarrassing if we left and the house fell down.

>> Yes, exactly.

>> Don't do that.

>> No.

>> Very nice.

Whoa!

>> Look at the size of that.

>> That's a vase bigger than me.

Is that bigger than me?

>> [ Laughs ] I don't think I can lift that.

>> Oh, come on.

Give it a whirl.

♪ [ Gasps ] ♪ >> [ Laughs ] Right.

>> That's a lot of stuff.

>> There are so many nooks and crannies here, who knows what might be lurking, just waiting to be discovered.

>> We could be in for a few surprises because I don't know what we've got here.

And I'm sure James hasn't been through everything we've got here.

>> Hopefully, yeah, they'll find something interesting.

>> I know we've got old, we've got new, and we've got downright crass.

>> Items from every genre known to mankind.

>> We don't have any ghosts as far as we know.

>> Monty the Headless Monk.

We do have a ghost.

>> Well, you've seen him, I haven't.

>> Yep.

>> I don't believe there's any ghost here, but he does.

>> Yeah.

>> Let's hope we don't have any surprise visitors today as we try to shift things out of Andrea's way.

Ooh, see?

Every good farmhouse has a good rustic scrub top table.

>> Lovely.

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

>> You know, the more wear and tear for me, the better.

>> But, Will, I just leant against it.

>> [ Clears throat ] They are loose, but look at the scratches on the legs.

>> Yeah, see, that has seen quite a few knocks and bumps.

>> And cheese.

Maybe?

It looks like something's chewed into the legs.

>> It's a good rustic piece, isn't it?

>> What if I manage to clean up the legs, clean up the sides, give it a bit of TLC?

>> Well, I would hope that a decent kitchen table is going to set you back a couple hundred quid, isn't it?

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah, yeah.

>> So there's still life in the old darling, yeah?

>> Exactly.

Work your magic, Mr. Kirk.

[ Laughs ] >> That's the number-one job on my to-do list today.

>> We need to raise some money.

I'm retired now.

Just to really repair the house for the damage that has occurred over the years.

>> With it being such a large property, parts of it have fallen into disrepair and some of the parts my mum can't even access anymore.

And if we got a lump sum, then we're just gonna throw it all at the property and get it back to its former glory again.

>> And I'd like to have a double glazing.

>> On more than one window, which is what we've got now.

Spoiled -- one double-glazed window in my bedroom.

>> We'll do our best to get things ready for auction.

First things first, Christina, I need you to give me a hand here with the heavy lifting.

>> And down.

>> There we are.

>> Oh, well, good luck.

I'll leave you to it.

>> Lovely.

>> Have fun.

>> Thanks.

♪ I'm making a start and cleaning up those table legs with a bit of old-fashioned elbow grease and the kind of cleaning materials I like to use on lovely old wood.

For the steel wool, a meths cleaning method is working really well.

It's taking off the dirt, but not any of that character there.

Sometimes there's a tendency to go straight in with sandpaper and a lot of the time that removes a lot of the sort of natural patina on furniture, which is a real shame.

You can have something that's quite old looking a bit too new.

Already you can see there's a huge difference between the areas I haven't cleaned and the area that I have cleaned.

Look at that contrast there in color.

It hasn't taken me long but made a massive difference.

>> While you get on with the table, Will, I'm off to the outbuildings and the so-called Barn of Doom.

That's fantastic.

That's like a proper bulkhead light, isn't it?

Something like that.

I mean, that -- Oof!

That would have to be attached to something very substantial.

Made in Poland.

1950.

I mean, that is the kind of vintage, cool thing that would just sell really quite well in the auction market at the moment.

Very nice.

I would expect these bulkhead lights to fetch up to £40 at auction.

>> I'm itching to know what's in the barns.

I don't know.

I can't get in there.

>> I do.

Don't worry.

>> All I can see is just a pile of stuff, and I'm probably more intrigued to find out if something that I liked and bought a long time ago turns out to be worth some money.

I'll feel vindicated.

>> You've got a good eye.

>> Oh.

>> All right, let's tackle you, Barn of Doom.

You're not looking too doomy at the moment.

Oh, it's not too doomy.

In fact, quite the reverse.

It feels more like a slightly cluttered living room, to be honest.

We've got a cooker.

What have we got here?

>> The most we ever had here is seven washing machines.

And now it stands that we're down to knickknacks, furniture, trinkets.

Bearing in mind we come from an eccentric family.

>> I opened up a box the other day and it contained a dog's ashes.

A dog that I know nothing about.

These things happen in this house.

♪ >> No washing machines and only healthy animals so far on my search.

But nothing for the auction yet.

♪ Look how cute they are.

I love these.

And they're stamped.

What are they stamped?

1919.

That is classic Arts and Crafts movement and so lovely to have a pair.

Look at them.

Love those.

First find in the barn, and I could see these making £60 to £100 at auction.

And there's more to come from this barn.

This is a rather sweet... [ Gasps ] [ Music box tune plays ] ...little musical jewelry box, which is really, really cute.

It's relatively modern Swiss musical movement, but sadly, its leg's been broken off.

I wonder if Will could just bob that back on.

'Cause that actually -- That's rather sweet, isn't it?

I love that.

I'll take it to him and see what he thinks.

Oh, my goodness.

There's so much stuff in here.

>> The upkeep of a property like this is expensive, and Andrea and James have learned to make do and mend.

>> The brickwork, the pond, the plumbing, the wiring, I'll have a go at anything.

I watch YouTube videos to learn how to fix things.

>> And my -- And my answer to everything with this house is, "Buy superglue in bulk."

And I do.

I buy cards of superglue.

>> I'm sure we'll be able to find items my mum has botched that Will can professionally repair, yeah.

>> I know you'd never botch a job, Will, so I'm trusting you to take good care of my finds.

♪ Will, I found a fixer.

>> Oh, that's so sweet.

>> I mean, I could have bought you a grand piano, but it's just tiny, mini piano.

>> Oh, that's really lovely.

>> One two-legged piano and one very small leg.

>> Leave it on the office desk and I'll sort it out.

>> Exactly.

All yours.

♪ Plenty more digging for me.

[ Groans ] I think that might be cast iron.

I've seen antique shops with less stock than this, quality pieces, too.

I like that very much.

[ Laughs ] It's really heavy.

[ Groans ] How are you getting on with the baby grand, Will?

>> This is wonderful.

I think it might be made of olive wood.

However, there's some scratches on the top there, and they need to go.

I think a lot of that sort of amber glow is in the varnish that's on there.

So if I sand that back now, it's gonna be incredibly hard to match that in with the sides.

So my plan is I'm gonna use a little bit of shellac polish and some of these raw pigments here.

♪ Pigments come in powder form and are derived either from petrochemicals or found naturally as earth pigments.

They are mixed with oils and paints to apply to surfaces and come in every shade under the sun.

♪ Color matching is something I do quite a lot.

You need a really steady hand for this.

♪ Really don't want to put too much on all at the same time because it can look quite artificial.

So you need to just go quite slowly and get a feel for the color you've mixed up.

This is really delicate work.

Well, I've touched in all the scratches now.

You can barely see that scratch at all.

I'm gonna leave that to dry, and once it has, then I can seal everything in with some clear wax.

Are you still in that barn, Christina?

A person could be lost in there for days.

>> Yep.

Still here.

James and I are taking a closer look at that heavy cast iron stand.

>> This was at the bottom of our house stairs for the best part of 30 years.

And obviously, with my mum needing the stair lift fitting, it just had to come out, so it's found its way across here.

And I've got no jardinieres to go on top of it.

So it's something else that can go.

>> I love it.

Coalbrookdale were obviously the absolute makers and the pioneers really of cast iron furniture such as this.

And that is what really makes the money.

The blast furnaces at Coalbrookdale used smelting and casting processes which fired the Industrial Revolution, producing the world's first cast iron bridge at Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire in 1781.

Later, Coalbrookdale evolved into the preeminent Victorian makers of decorative cast iron work for grates, gates, and gardens.

James, I have been looking over this for some time now and all I want to find is a mark that says Coalbrookdale, or C.B.

Dale, or a registration kitemark, which would identify it.

>> It would be lovely.

>> And I can't find anything!

It's deeply frustrating.

>> Fingers crossed.

But no.

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

>> It is.

It's certainly a quality piece.

It weighs an absolute ton.

>> Yeah, it really does.

>> So it's well-made, for sure.

Whether it's Coalbrookdale or not, it's certainly heavy.

>> Yeah, and there are very much collectors for this type of cast iron ware, so I'm sure we'll find a home for it.

>> Wonderful.

>> Well, I'm off to Andrea and James' pool house.

But don't worry, Christina, I'm not slacking off.

The only diving I'll be doing is into this pile of unused items.

Oh, this is nice.

What's in here?

Hmm.

That's quite nice.

Oh, hello, hello.

[ Grunts ] Oh, this is nice.

There's some potential there.

But the wood and the material will need some work.

>> Well, that chair could do with some brightening up, but I've come across something shiny.

Oh, that's lovely.

Silver bangle.

Silver napkin ring.

Oh, my goodness.

>> Organization is an issue, so there isn't a box of one type of things here, there's one box with everything in it, and there's about a thousand of those boxes.

So Christina's got her work cut out.

>> James, I've been having a rummage around, and I found these rather cool Art Deco figures.

>> Yes.

>> What's the story behind those?

>> These were bought by myself fairly recently and slightly impulsive purchase.

>> I mean, they're really cool.

>> They are pretty, aren't they?

>> Why don't you like them?

>> Uh [exhales deeply] I've got nowhere to put them, basically.

>> Now, that is true.

>> Is that good enough?

I've got nowhere to put them.

>> They're very Art Deco, though, aren't they?

>> Yeah, they're stylish.

>> Very stylish.

And I think they're chrome rather than any particular precious metal, but they're just very sort of early 20th century, really quite funky and really quite impressive.

>> It sounds like you like them a lot more than me.

>> I really do.

>> That's fine.

You can take them.

>> And then also, when I was rummaging through a box, I found this little silver bangle.

Did you know you had that?

>> Pretty little thing.

No.

I had no idea.

>> Now, this is by a maker called Adie & Lovekin who was a silversmith at the early 20th century.

The marks are a little bit rubbed, but I think it's Chester, sort of 1910, 1920.

And it's in a sort of bamboo style.

>> We like the Chester Hall mark.

>> So I very much like that.

And I think that would definitely be a set for a lot as well.

Should we add them to the pile?

>> Certainly.

>> I would value the bangle at £20 to £30 and the dancing ladies at £60 to £80.

I will grab these.

You grab our dancing ladies.

>> I'll grab these two.

>> And off we go.

>> So far, it's been a productive morning.

We found a scrub top table that scrubbed like a treat.

>> Some Arts and Crafts chargers that I'm hoping will be a copper-bottomed hit at the auction.

>> A tiny piano that I've tinkled -- sorry, I've tinkered with.

>> And a heavy metal classic.

♪ >> Back at the van and I'm taking a look at that chair I found in the pool room.

Now, this chair really caught my eye.

I think it's gorgeous.

It's a shame because the upholstery looks like it needs a bit of help.

The woodwork is really dull, there's splatters of paint on there, but I can really see the potential here.

I think I'm gonna start off by giving this a good clean.

I'm using my trusty recipe of meths, white spirits, and linseed oil, which helps to clean and enrich the wood.

Now, there are quite a lot of cleaning products out in the market that are really harsh when it comes to cleaning furniture.

A lot of them actually melt away really thin layer on the surface, which makes everything look clean and fresh.

However, if you're doing that quite regularly, as the years go on, you end up with no finish on your furniture.

If there's nothing on there, there's nothing on there to protect the wood.

Spill a glass of wine, it's gonna go into the wood -- ruined.

So something like this is really good because it doesn't chew into that polish.

It just clears away the dirt.

That looks brilliant.

With a really quick clean with the solution, it's made a huge difference.

You can see the arm I haven't yet cleaned.

Incredibly gray, pretty lifeless.

But the arm that I have cleaned, so much more color.

You can see the grain and that lovely luster coming through.

♪ >> Far from being the Barn of Doom, this place is stacked with great things.

Languishing on the billiard table are some fishing rods that I'm hoping James can tell me more about.

James, what have we got here?

Are you a keen fisherman?

>> I like to fish, but I usually end up drinking more beer than catching fish.

>> [ Laughs ] >> But my great uncle Bill was an avid fisherman, and I've inherited these from him.

>> They're fantastic.

And they are actually stamped Hardy as well, aren't they?

>> They are, indeed.

And I realize they are the Rolls-Royce of vintage rods.

>> It's claimed the sport of fly-fishing in the UK dates back to Elizabethan times.

Some believe that the great bard Shakespeare was a keen angler.

Imagine that.

But the heyday of the bamboo fly rod was the late 19th century, when the expansion of Britain's railways allowed the middle and lower classes to take weekend fishing trips.

The Hardy Brothers, initially gunsmith, set up shop in Alnwick in 1872, making their own reels and fine bamboo rods, selling to royalty and fly fishermen across the globe.

Along with competitors like Fosters or Woodfield and Sons, they produced hardwearing tackle, reels, and split-cane rods that are still highly valued by collectors today.

♪ Not only have you got the reel, you have got what looks to be three Hardy split-cane rods.

>> Yep.

>> And what I really like about it is that you've got two of the original cloth bags as well.

>> I do, indeed.

Yeah.

>> Which is really nice.

>> They're usually very moth-eaten, but they seem to be in quite good condition.

>> Yeah.

They really do.

Absolutely.

And there certainly is a collector's market for vintage fishing rods.

Prices aren't hugely buoyant, but nonetheless, they will sell for you.

>> Excellent.

>> I would hope that, courtesy of Uncle Bill, these would net £70 to £100.

>> I've been working away, smoothing out those bashes, bites, and scratches, and it's made quite the difference.

Well, the legs are clean.

I've smoothed back those rough edges.

Now I'm gonna seal everything with a thin coat of shellac.

The shellac is going to bring out the grain in the wood, and it's gonna protect it from the elements.

♪ Well, that thin coat of polish has really brought some warmth into this table.

It was looking really dry, but now you can see that lovely amber color coming back through.

I'm gonna leave that to dry, and once it has, I can touch in some minor details.

>> And while you revive those legs, Will, I can rest mine while I talk to Andrea about something unusual I spotted earlier.

Andrea, it's not often you find a rather incredible bell on a garden table.

>> It's not often that you find a lighthouse ship's bell on a garden table.

>> Indeed.

Tell me about it.

>> I actually bought this in America.

>> Right.

>> But it's very, very far away from home because it's from a lighthouse ship that was built in England in 1959.

>> And that's what it says on the side, isn't it?

It says Atlanta, 1959.

>> Lighthouse ship Atlanta.

>> The first light ship was moored at the mouth of the Thames in 1732 -- lanterns atop its mast to warn ships of hazards.

And for two centuries, such vessels sailed the world's dangerous seas.

The Atlanta was among the last generation, eventually replaced by automated buoys.

And she was broken up in 1991.

I think that they are always very popular at auction.

They really are.

And the fact that it is actually named to a specific ship and you've got the date there is fantastic.

So it's been in the garage for the last few years?

>> Getting in the way of the lawnmower.

>> [ Laughs ] >> Yes, it has, really.

It's on the floor.

It's too heavy to put on any shelves.

We're not using it, and it's in the way, so... >> It's time for it to go.

>> Yes.

>> At auction, the bell could fetch perhaps £200 to £400.

>> Our day here is almost done, and I'm busy putting the last touches to the piano music box.

A coat of wax.

This is just going to tie in those dry areas and give it a bit of extra protection.

And a good buff up.

That looks absolutely wonderful.

It might be a small piano, but it's looking pretty grand to me.

All buffed up.

Right.

That's the finishing work done now.

I need to fix that broken leg.

♪ At Dr. Kirk's micro orthopedic surgery, the operation involves drilling out the broken bit inside the box with a wooden dowel, fashioning a splint that will hold the broken leg back into place.

But will it fit?

♪ Perfect.

Wonderful fit.

Right, I'm gonna add a tiny bit of glue, then I can leave this to dry.

♪ The surgery complete and the patient is back on her feet.

>> While I could have spent all day in the barns, I need to delve into the contents of the house before we run out of time.

♪ James?

>> Christina.

>> Ooh, James, I found this stick stand on the landing.

>> You have.

>> And there's also another one in here as well, isn't there?

>> There is.

There's a large collection of walking sticks.

>> This is Mum's stick collection?

>> Certainly is, yep.

>> So where has she bought all these from?

>> Uh, we travelled all over the world when I was a -- when I was a wee bit younger, a wee, wee bit younger, and so some are from the Amazon, some of them are from England, there's some Georgian examples, Peruvian sticks.

So, yeah, it's pretty eclectic.

Eclectic collection.

>> Yeah, they really are.

And you've got some antler examples, you've got some animal examples here.

Fantastic.

Well, the highlight for me is, and I'm sorry, I do love the stick collection, but I also love this stick stand.

>> It is beautiful, isn't it?

>> It's a Chinoiserie example, isn't it?

>> With its original zinc liner as well.

>> Yeah, exactly.

You've got this wonderful red Chinoiserie lacquer decorated with cranes, which is very in vogue right now.

>> Excellent.

>> So I really like them, and I think they'd make a really nice lot as a group.

I would put an auction estimate on the sticks and the stands at between £30 and £50.

>> Time is marching on, and I think I've made some headway with that chair, which is all cleaned up.

What a massive difference a clean can make.

It's taken off all that dirt and almost breathed new life back into this chair.

I'm gonna finish this off by sealing it in with a really thin coat of polish now.

I got my polishing pad here.

That's got some shellac polish and a bit of meths, and that's just gonna give a tiny bit of protection from the elements.

♪ Well, there we are, all polished up now.

It looks absolutely gorgeous.

The only thing is, it's actually making the upholstery stand out.

Unfortunately, I'm not an upholsterer, but I think having this recovered will really give it a new lease of life.

I can't do that myself, but I think I might know someone who can help.

>> Now, the last thing I want to take another look at is one of the bigger items in the house currently taking up a lot of space in Andrea's bedroom.

Andrea, can you tell me the history behind this incredible vase.

>> On the way back from Chester Races Ladies day... >> Yeah.

>> ...probably late '80s... >> Mm-hmm.

>> ...and I'd had a very good win.

>> [ Laughs ] >> And I just happened to see it in a shop.

I went in and used my cash from the win to buy it.

>> Brilliant.

>> We had to get one of my farmer friends to bring it back in the middle of a load of hay bales.

>> [ Laughs ] >> So it's actually came back in the back of a tractor trailer from this shop in Chester.

>> It is incredible proportions, isn't it?

This wonderful sort of combination of these lovely bright pinks and greens.

It kind of defines it as being from the Port of Canton.

>> Oh, right.

>> Yeah, so it's what we call Cantonese, and it's got this wonderful gilt background and very typical flowers, all with very symbolic meanings and sort of auspicious symbols on it as well.

On your side over there, can you see all these wonderful courtly scenes here?

>> Yes.

>> I mean, you could turn it round and have a different scene, pretty much... >> Okay, yes.

>> ...for every day.

It's incredible, isn't it?

Porcelain was a Chinese invention.

In fact, it's so identified with the country that we still refer to it as China.

Cantonese porcelain comes from the port of Guangzhou on the Pearl River, a popular stop off for traders in the 19th century.

They were mainly there for the tea, but would fill the bottom of their ships with porcelain to serve as ballast and ship it back to the UK.

♪ Now, I don't think this is old enough to be of interest to a Chinese porcelain collector.

>> No?

>> However, I think to the interior design market, to the decorative market, it certainly has value.

>> Right.

>> Because it's so huge.

>> Quite a statement piece.

>> Absolutely.

Now, I think we're probably looking in the region of £200 to £400 if we put a modest estimate on it and hopefully we'll get bidders interested and it could go for more than that.

>> Meanwhile, that chair has been dispatched to James Davidson's upholstery workshop in Glasgow, and we're hoping for a Cinderella transformation.

What's your assessment, James?

>> When I seen the chair, I actually thought it's not too bad.

There's a small kind of hole in the front, but I think some horse hair had been taken out.

But all in all, there's not even a lot of tears in it, so it should be pretty straightforward to work with.

>> And with the base of the chair covered, James wants to make sure the pattern perfectly aligns on the back of the chair.

>> That's okay, so what we'll do is we'll just take that batting now and we can start working on it.

>> With a upholstering, it's all about the right fabric and the fine details.

>> As you can see here, it's been tacked in, which isn't that pretty, so what we're gonna do is we're gonna use a studding detail.

I have some here just to show you.

As I said, as you can see there, it's a lot prettier than what's on at the minute, and I think it will look real nice against the tartan.

>> I can't wait to see how James saves this chair from the skip.

>> I just don't like seeing anything old or anything at all going in the landfill, especially stuff that's that well-made.

As I said, it does apply much throwaway culture now.

The furnitures are cheap to buy.

Everybody's replacing it after a couple of years.

With antique stuff that's really well-made, it's not something you see in everybody's house.

If I can stop something getting thrown away, it does really make a difference.

♪ >> Back in Shropshire, we've trawled the house and the barns, literally tripping over this massive collection of stuff.

Okay.

Finding long-lost treasures.

Look how cute they are.

>> We've cleared some decks...

There we are.

>> Well, good luck.

>> ...uncovered some nautical instruments, and made some broken things shipshape.

You need a really steady hand for this.

All with a view to helping Andrea and James make their home more comfortable and wheelchair accessible.

So how've we done?

>> Andrea and James, it's been a long day, has it not?

>> It has.

>> And we've started to get together some of the items that we have collected from around your wonderful house.

It looks pretty eclectic, doesn't it?

>> Mmm.

[ Laughter ] >> Very interesting collection.

Where have you found all that?

>> Well, you would wonder.

[ Laughs ] >> We found so many things here that you haven't used for ages or even seen before.

So how does it feel to know that they're gonna be going on to greener pastures and used by someone else?

>> I think it's absolutely wonderful.

I mean, we do subscribe to the recycling ethos and it's wonderful.

I mean, there's things I haven't -- didn't even know I'd got, so I'm not going to miss those.

And the other things, it's wonderful to see the condition they're in now, and it'll be lovely to think that somebody else is going to enjoy them as much as I have.

>> Absolutely.

>> Someone's gonna get another hundred years out of that table now, so that means the world.

And the fishing rods are gonna get some use hopefully, as well.

>> Yes, it's wonderful.

>> Well, Mr. Kirk, it's time for you and me to climb into our vintage van and hit the road.

[ Engine starts ] >> Hey, there we are.

>> Ready?

>> Here we go.

>> Bye, you guys!

>> See you, now!

>> Bye!

>> Bye!

But we'll see Andrea and James again very soon.

Wee!

>> And after all the items have been cataloged, it's finally auction day.

Stafford Castle, perched on that hilltop since the Norman conquest, is our destination this morning.

I can see the castle.

>> Will, are you absolutely sure we're supposed to be driving up here?

>> Well, there's one way to find out.

>> Oh, do you think it's gonna make it?

Come on, van!

Come on, van!

>> I'm gonna stay in first gear, I think.

First gear and nice and slow.

>> Take it slow.

This is where we're hoping to make our antiques conquest on behalf of Andrea and James, once we've parked our siege engine.

>> Come on.

Our bespoke auction will be taking place in the castle's Visitor Centre, and all we need now are the bidders and, of course, the sellers.

♪ Hi, Andrea.

>> Hello.

>> Lovely to see you again.

>> Nice to see you, too.

>> Where's James?

>> He couldn't make it today, so he's watching the tan line now.

>> Yeah?

Do you remember the table?

>> No, I didn't recognize it as being mine.

It looks brighter, cleaner... >> [ Laughs ] >> ...more stable.

Sad to say, it's been in the home for a long time, but I didn't even recognize it, so when you don't recognize it, it can go.

>> It can go.

Brilliant.

Brilliant.

>> The other unrecognizable item is the chair back from the upholsterers and looking Bonny in its new tartan outfit.

>> Andrea, what do you think of the chair?

>> I didn't recognize that as being my chair, either.

It looks beautiful.

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

>> Really is.

>> I have cleaned up all the woodwork.

It looks quite glorious in its lovely brown color now.

>> It's beautiful.

>> But also we've had this sent off for re-upholstery, so it's been totally stripped back and re-upholstered with this lovely tartan.

>> It looks absolutely lovely.

And I love the tartan.

>> I'm hoping it's gonna do well at auction today.

>> Me too.

>> 26 lots from Andrea and James' house are going under the hammer today and potential bidders are assembled at the ready.

>> Huge welcome to you.

If you would like to bid today, make sure you bid nice and high with your numbers.

>> And with Richard Winterton's auctioneers taking care of our telephone and online bids, it looks like we may be all set.

>> So get bidding.

Bid higher is all I can say.

>> Are you excited?

>> Nervous.

>> Nervous.

Optimistic.

>> Yeah.

>> [ Laughs ] >> I hope there's lots of rich people about.

>> And I hope so, too.

First up, it's Uncle Bill's fishing rods.

>> I have interest here at £60, £70, £80, £90 from a bidder from America.

Online bidding at £90 and selling if we're all settled at £90.

[ Gavel bangs ] >> You've gone worldwide.

And we're off to a flying start there.

Perhaps we can follow that up with some cast iron bidding on that Coalbrookdale style jardiniere stand.

♪ >> Interest is reflected online at £65, £75, and £80 is bid.

And if we're all settled, I will sell to my Irish bidder at £80.

[ Gavel bangs ] >> We're doing well.

>> That's an excellent result.

Time now for that chair Will and James in Glasgow helped restore, now re-upholstered and looking fabulous.

>> The arms were quite scratched up and quite faded, so I've cleaned back all the woodwork, repolished and waxed it.

It's got so much charm.

And also it's been re-upholstered as well with this lovely tartan.

>> Mm, it looks really smart now, doesn't it?

>> It's a bit small for me.

>> Yeah.

[ Both laugh ] >> But ready for a new home.

>> Absolutely.

Who will bid me £20 for it?

Any interest in the chair?

£10, then?

Really sweet little example is for £10.

£10 is bid.

Thank you.

At £10 I have [gasps] £15 on the Internet just in time.

Will you go £20, sir?

>> Sneaky bidding.

>> £20 is bid.

At £20, they're not coming back to me at £25, so selling to you at £20.

[ Gavel bangs ] >> Yes.

>> You got yourself a bargain.

>> Yeah.

I'll say, but it's one more thing moved on to a new home.

>> And there was plenty of bidding action on the next few lots.

Those sticks and stands... >> Selling at £35.

>> Sold.

A fluke art squirrel.

>> £20.

>> And a bronze Indian runner duck.

>> I'm selling online to Spain at £80.

>> You're selling around the world.

>> I am.

>> A silver bangle... >> £35.

>> Shelley China... >> At £35.

[ Gavel bangs ] >> That's good.

And a vintage cocktail shaker.

>> Selling at £60.

[ Gavel bangs ] Cheers to another £265.

And more space in Andrea and James' home.

And now that piano musical box that Will fixed up, which we put together with another Sorrento style music box we've also uncovered.

♪ >> Very small.

I mean, it's not big enough for me to play 'cause I'm such a good pianist as, you know, Christina.

>> I have a bid of £10 from Italy, Will.

>> Oh.

>> Yeah, from Italy.

Looking for £15, but I will sell, make no mistake, if we're all settled at £10.

[ Gavel bangs ] >> Well, they're going back to Italy.

>> That's fine.

Yeah.

Yeah.

International.

>> That's it.

Viva l'Italia.

Next stop, the high seas.

It's the fabulous bell from the former light ship Atlanta.

>> Which I hoped could make £200 or hopefully a bit more.

£180, £200, £220 is bid.

Looking for £240.

Is there any further interest at £240?

Otherwise, I will sell at £220.

[ Gavel bangs ] >> Brilliant.

>> Have you ever used it around the house?

>> Oh, yes, I used to have it outside.

>> Really?

>> Yeah.

>> Ding dong.

Now it's time for Andrea's kitchen table beautifully refurbished by you, Mr. Kirk.

Looking for £70.

Any interest at £70?

>> Oh, come on, guys.

£70 is a bargain.

I worked really hard on that.

>> Any interest at £70 at all?

At £70, no?

We'll pass on that one then.

>> Coming back.

>> I think it's worth more.

It'll go in another auction.

Bless him, Will worked so hard on that table as well, and we didn't manage to find it a new home, but that's auction, isn't it?

You win some, you lose some.

And I'm sure -- It's a beautiful farmhouse kitchen table.

I'm sure that we will find it another home.

>> Fingers crossed for the last item for sale now -- that huge Chinese vase.

>> It's 1.53 meters.

Uh, meters?

>> Meters?

>> Yeah, I think it is.

It's 153 centimeters.

>> Yeah, it is big.

>> Nearly 6 foot, yeah.

> Yeah, 156 centimeters.

A six-foot vase.

It is quite phenomenal.

Who will start at £200 for it?

£200 is bid.

Thank you.

£200 is bid on the telephone, and I will sell this if there's no further interest.

I'm looking for £220, but I will sell if we're all settled at £200.

>> Yeah.

>> Good.

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

>> Yes, that's good.

>> I mean, you don't wanna be lugging that back into the house.

>> No.

>> A great result to end with.

That finalizes our auction for today, ladies and gentlemen.

So thank you so much for both coming and for bidding.

Very, very grateful.

Thank you.

[ Applause ] >> I'm really pleased that that vase had sold.

I've never seen such a huge vase.

It was taking up a lot of space.

And I think Andrea was slightly worried about breaking it, so I'm pleased that it's gone to a new home.

>> We succeeded in clearing some space for Andrea.

But how much money did we raise?

Time to reveal the tally.

Well, we've had a pretty exciting day.

I mean, the vase did really well, didn't it?

>> Yes, yes.

>> And your bell did really well.

>> The bell, yes, yes.

>> Yeah, which was incredible.

So I hope we've had some good results.

So I've got some numbers.

>> You got numbers?

>> I've got numbers.

>> Really?

>> Yeah.

Today we have made £842.

>> Brilliant.

>> And 16p.

>> Brilliant.

>> And 16p?

>> And 16p.

>> That's a few meals and bottles of cider, that'll do.

[ Laughter ] >> No, Andrea!

>> Cider?

No!

>> Cider, cider.

>> It's supposed to be going on improvements for the house.

>> It will, though, it will.

It will.

I've sold things to Italy, Spain, U.S.A.

I've really enjoyed the whole experience and I thank them for that.

>> Today we have gone in some way to helping Andrea just be a bit more comfortable in her home and regain ownership of it because there are so many rooms that she just can't get access to.

And I just think she needs to be comfortable in her home.

She deserves to be comfortable.

And I hope we've achieved some of that today.

>> It's time to break the news to James Right, I've got a final sum for you.

>> Very good.

>> You ready?

>> I'm ready.

>> £842.16.

>> Wow, that's not too bad, is it?

>> Well, mine's £800, yours is is £42.16.

>> Right, well [laughs] I'm sure we can weigh that out at a later date.

>> I'm sure we'll put it under discussion.

>> One last thing.

Remember that farmhouse kitchen table that you worked so hard to breathe new life into which didn't find a buyer?

>> Do I ever?

>> Well, the good news is, it sold at a subsequent auction for a tidy £80 and has cleared some much needed space in Andrea's kitchen.

Okay.

Whew.

>> I'm gonna miss this castle.

>> I'm gonna miss this castle.

Straps on, bad boy.

Let's go.

>> Perhaps enough for a cider or two to celebrate, after all.

>> The history behind this castle is amazing.

>> All the history.

>> Oh, where's the moat?

Where's the moat?

Avoid the moat!

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

♪ ♪ ♪