foreign
[Music]
behind the doors of homes of all shapes
and sizes lay astonishing hordes of
potential Treasures we're not collectors
we are hoarders we are actually hoarders
extraordinary owners have crammed their
rooms with items they've Acquired and
curated I remember counting 600 dresses
long ago
if there was space anyway I believe more
is more is more or obsessively collected
I seem to keep buying cars
but faced with challenging times there's
definitely been things that have kept us
awake at night the walls are falling
down we're absolutely desperate for
money
will a valuable item amongst their horde
provide the windfall they desperately
need I think there might be hidden
treasures here we're really unaware of
it's exciting
now the best in the world of antiques
and collectibles people do call me Mr
miscellaneous because I just love all
sorts of objects we'll use their
experience as a pawn broker I see a
variety of checks every single day and I
do know the best way to get the best
price for them expert I for me it's all
about creating a look and that's what
really sells and contacts rock stars
a-listers they're all in my little black
book to identify the treasures oh
Whoever thought these were a great idea
and sell them for much needed funds
they're insane so happy but will the
hordes deliver the goods got some bad
news no value whatsoever
will these extreme collectors be able to
park
possessions
their lives for the better so wow you
bought very well yeah
have to ask the move into
a Millions not far from the dollar oh my
God
it's the start of a new week in East
London
how are you hi and an inquiry has landed
on Clive's desk nice to see you great to
see you which is Keen to discuss with
the team Rachel how are you doing hello
well hey Paula hey teasing coffees
anyone that sounds delightful yes please
yeah
I have had a call from a family who've
got a castle in Scotland oh wow amazing
indeed who doesn't like a console wow
they've been there the family for 800
years or something like that it's not
like oh I got some stuff and then left
in the shed yeah if you haven't
collected a lot of interesting things
over that amount of time then I'd be
astonished you lucky thing well perhaps
it could be you know us being a lucky
thing I mean us yeah because I reckon
it's right up your street I think you
should come to see the castle with me I
was just experiencing a little bit of
fomo
fear of missing out and now you're
inviting me I think there's definitely
pictures on the wall yeah so there's art
there he said they've got like documents
and staff they seem motivated to
research and get some things sold
I know I am feeling slightly jealous
I mean who knows this could be something
that delivers the big one
if it's going to be anywhere
it's going to be in the castle isn't it
ERS we are the we are actually hoarders
it's just nobody's ever thrown anything
out
set in 600 acres of unspoiled Scottish
Countryside lies crawfordland Castle
it is Simon Crawford's family home
crawfords have been at croftland since
12 45
the first time I met Simon's parents I
was nervous halfway up the drive Simon
says to me oh I suppose I should let you
know my parents live in a castle and I
remember coming through the blue door
I thought I can't not say anything it's
also just kind of said
nice house Mrs Crawford
in 2011 Simon and Aditi gave up their
successful corporate careers and took on
the castle instead moving in with their
two daughters
but maintaining an 800 year old building
with 35 rooms and Acres of ancient
Woodland is a big responsibility there's
awake at night
heating we spend 1300 pounds a month
over the year
insurance is absolutely phenomenal
because this is an e-listed building I
think this year the insurance
80 000 pounds
to cover costs of over a hundred
thousand pounds a year the couple run
business ventures on the grounds
including an activity center and
restaurant
we're not at the stage to be taking any
money out that's how businesses go bust
we repair ourselves less than other
members of staff
but we want to get it to the stage that
it's self-sustaining
enough that the girls have a choice
whether they want a career here or they
choose to have a kid outside
Simon and Aditi need a cash injection to
keep the castle and businesses going in
order to try and raise cash to do our
next project
we're looking at whether or not we've
got something that would raise in the
region of about fifty thousand
and the answer could lie in the Castle's
vast collection of antiques books and
manuscripts that have been hoarded over
Generations but some of those things
have a direct link to the heritage in
the history and so there are some things
that I wouldn't consider selling however
much you see they're worth
but there are other things not connected
directly to us they probably are of
greater value for somebody else if we
can sell them and create something new
for the castle that's great
you take it on as generation number 28.
you know one generation 28 to be the one
that lost it
the family have called in Clive and
Ronnie who have over 50 years of
experience between them in the art and
antiques trade to see if any of the
Castle's keepsakes can raise the cash
Simon in a DT need people have a
responsibility when they live in castles
they need to maintain the heritage of
our wonderful country and that requires
oh wow I am very excited I cannot wait
to get in I'm thinking to myself it's a
nice looking building there's obviously
something nice behind the door
your heart races a little bit and you
think well that's going to be good
hello hello
running after you thank you wow this is
fantastic isn't it how long have you
guys been here then on the 28th
generation that's quite a Legacy Legacy
responsibility
is well I can't wait to crack on and
find some things
research begins Simon wants to show
Clive and Ronnie an example of the
Crawford family history
original letters from Mary Queen of
Scots I am that's America's got's
signature this is 1561 Archibald
Crawford was pointed as armor to Queen
Mary of Scots this was the gift of land
and to the crawfords of crawfordland for
the service the wow that Archibald had
served when they showed me the Mary
Queen of Scots letters I knew this
family was properly connected to Serious
history didn't expect to find that
within what we're in one minute in and I
just thought anything is possible here
it means so much more than money for us
this because this is directly my
bloodline then we'll have to find some
things that aren't off limits won't we
with 35 rooms to conquer Ronnie and
Clive split up
Ronnie starts his hunt at the far side
of the castle
oh wow which Simon and Aditi hire out to
Payne guests portraits everywhere but
they probably won't sell these they're
obviously family portraits but they've
got eminent artists to paint them
family member again
gosh
that says that's comfortable on there
Constable is massive here's this like
the god of English 19th century
landscape painting it's one I have never
seen
I thought
that's a constable
but is it a constable why haven't they
mentioned this painting
ten years ago the family had the
painting valued for insurance purposes
but it was dismissed by a local auction
house as a fake
so it's been hanging in the guest Wing
just behind the telly
Ronnie however isn't so sure
interestingly this is blazed someone's
thought to preserve this
it's a nice scene it's a bridge over a
river and it actually says it's old
bridge over the Avon
why shouldn't it be real
we're in good company here we're an
illustrious company here come and have a
look at this Ronnie calls in Clive for a
second opinion he felt well there's a
picture over in the corner there
Constable that's the one how about that
then well there's no reason to think
it's not right is that I've encountered
many things that auction houses have
said aren't right that turn out to be
right this could easily solve all their
financial problems
2012 one of Constable's land
s 22.4 million pounds at auction
let's see if we can get it down and take
a closer look it's relatively heavy
because it's a nice room oh there's a
barcode on the back uh Ikea it says
Ronnie
where do you want to go in the light
that wasn't done in the last two weeks
was it no this has been on on the wall
here for a long time when you see
something of that stature you know it's
going to be hard work but you can't not
do it because of that that's my job
that's what I do so the next step really
is it has to be qualified as a piece and
that means a specialist we're in this
for the the thrill of finding those gems
the big hitters look at this I've got
the shading there you know it's not
starting to look architectural I'm not
gonna buy it Ronnie doesn't matter how
convincing you are yeah it's not for me
I prefer dogs playing pool
looking for Treasures to help free up
cash to keep the centuries-old
crawfordland castle running for future
Generations
oh my God there's an attic in there
Ronnie's already found a possible
Constable painting he feels is worth
investigating
now he's extending his search in the
library where something has caught his
eye a hotel guest book from 1844.
my great-great-grandfather John Reginald
Harrison Crawford traveled as a young
man to splugen and he stayed in a hotel
then he went back years later
with his family and he realized it was
the same register and he looked through
it to find his own signature from his
earlier visit he then realized that he
actually recognized quite a lot of names
probably the one that everybody
recognizes Charles Dickens apparently
stayed in August 1861.
so he made a rather strange request and
he said
can I purchase the register and I think
the hotelier thought was money
in the guest spot there was some
interesting signatures
it was like a who's who but I think a
really niche market actually my question
I guess is whether or not people would
be interested in this it depends what's
in it and this has got huge potential
I think it's worth about a thousand
pounds but I think our best bet is to
track the hotel down in Switzerland and
see if it still exists
and if it does the owners of the hotel
would potentially be the best buyers for
that it would be really interesting to
them I think maybe that's a job for
Clive
I love it here can I move in but that's
not all watch your step this is all the
archive material anticons we don't know
what all of it is there is a bundle of
documents which had letters to do with
people who have literally note we think
we've got something written by Robert
Burns
wow the national Ballard of Scotland who
wrote Auld Lang Syne I did and the Old
Lang Syne amongst many other things that
means many other things
the business letter concerning an order
of wine includes scribbled calculations
and on the other side a humorous Rhyme
or Epitaph for an imaginary gravestone
of a notorious local character
apparently written by Burns himself so
the Epitaph is not particularly
complementary
well he's a man of the people yeah so he
lies with deaths or Grizzle Grimm
Lincoln's ugly witch or death and what
taste have they can lie with such a
it's a bit like hip-hop
it's a bit like hip-hop
gangster rap from the 18th century
good old Robbie
my understanding is that burns wrote a
poem called Grizzle Grim which is the
last two words of the first Lane and his
inspiration for it was this epitaph
gold and diamonds and silver Treasure
isn't what you expect it to be very
often I also love that about it I love
the literary nature of it you cannot lie
with such a the next step is to
get it authenticated beyond the shadow
of a doubt it's what this job is all
about
in the guest wing of the castle
clivers discovered another painting that
could help the family raise the 50 000
pounds they need to invest in the
building well I never
sometimes you get so in it just makes
your tail go bushy
old stretcher
William Marlo
William Marlow was a famous British
painter in the 18th century renowned for
marine and Landscape scenes you kind of
think oh this could be a picture that
could be worth thousands I think that we
are talking about the real deal and I
have the perfect man to speak to Ian how
are you good how are you guys Ian brunt
is an art specialist and I can think of
few people in the world who are better
placed to give this thing a value and
find the right buyer
I'm kind of excited because if I can
spin my phone round
um you can see what I can see which is
this rather delightful painting here
now there we go if it's a William Marlow
it's obviously 220 years old at least
yeah that view of the Westminster
Bridges without Big Ben or the house of
parliament which were built in the 1830s
so it's pre-1830 but Milo died in 1813.
it's probably late 1700s
but is mono collectible oh very very
he's a known artist I mean Marlo's in a
lot of the museums in the Royal Academy
a lot of my clients live in New York and
they have very stylish English
decoration
and this size of painting is perfect for
that Ian will take on the task of
finding a buyer using his Global
contacts another possible win to add to
Simon and aditi's three items to sell
meanwhile back at base how many sugars
do you have again officially one but
let's say two Paul has been approached
by a client in need of help with his
horde on a slightly different scale
I'm going to see a chat called Pat who
I've been speaking to and Pat has this
incredible fashion collection which
that's music to my ears
the problem is is that he lives in a
small flat but it's just chock-a-block
full apparently of all of his clothes oh
from Victorian Edwardian 1920s so I'm
looking forward to rummaging around and
seeing what he's got but it sounds
incredible
I collect vintage fashion
I've been collecting clothes that are
vintage for 22 years
I have possibly thousands of items in my
collection hundreds of pairs of shoes
bags accessories jewelry I remember
counting 600 dresses long ago I have no
idea how many now
Pat lives in North London and works
part-time as an online fashion editor
and stylist I love pretty face and
pretty things are like art art makes you
feel exciting makes you feel happy he's
dialed a friend 22 years ago and since
then his collection has grown and grown
as a stylist normally you go out and you
look for clothing for the specific
situation what I do as a personal
stylist is I have those items of
clothing already in my Arsenal
this particular shoe here is From Prada
that is a beautiful example of choose as
art this kind of old style clothing
where everything is aesthetic and it's
got high individuality to it that's rare
I think it's important that it's
preserved for the future
the money Pat earns goes straight into
his passion but it's not enough to
achieve his dream of moving to Japan
where vintage clothing is in high demand
my plan is to relocate to Tokyo because
that's where the work is I have an
affinity for Japan because all my
friends are women from Asia I like their
understanding of vintage I like their
love of history and culture they are my
ultimate Muses I need to be in Japan to
be able to do what I was basically
putting this Earth to do
I need about ten thousand pounds to
start off it would fund the VISA it
would fund the flight there
but to raise the cash he'll have to sell
part of his precious collection having
somebody like an expert coming to see me
and start rooting through boxes and
opening up things that's going to be
like oh my God
thank you so much WoW Pat lives in a
one-room Studio
that is surrounded by the most magical
beautiful vintage
it would be Narnia if Narnia was just
inside the Wardrobe you've got Victorian
a little bit of Edwardian then you've
got 1920s all in the bags amazing 30s
40s 50s 60s you are incredibly organized
I mean you've cataloged it beautifully
how many dresses and how many pieces of
clothing goodness me probably the most
extensive collection in the smallest
space that I have ever seen in my entire
life
um
only I wouldn't be wanting to sell
anything because I'm in love with
everything but I need to live in Tokyo
and for my clients who are Japanese
women normally it makes sense I know
lots of people who are willing to spend
a lot of money on these vintage pieces
the trick is finding items that Pat will
part with and that will also appeal in
today's market
amongst the horde of Pat's garments
something has caught Paula's eye oh my
goodness look at that that is incredible
oh wow
that is Lovely isn't it so you've got
silk and you've got velvet when he
showed me parts of his flapper dress
collection from the 1920s so exciting so
so flapper dresses really it was it was
moving on from Edwardian when all the
women were sort of trussed up and small
race and that very overemphasized
women's physique and then suddenly with
freedom and after the first world war
yes it's a symbol of emancipation and
Liberation for women it's a great time
to be selling items like this I have um
a little black book of contacts and
people who may be interested in
purchasing some of these items we need
to raise that 10 000 pounds and if we
can do that if I can do anything to help
with that then you know I'm happy thank
you I'm happy too with Paula's brilliant
find of the flapper dresses the team are
on a roll
up in Scotland Ronnie's invited one of
the world's leading experts on burns
Professor Gerard Caruthers to find out
if the manuscript is authentic
we got here so we've got a very brief
letter two buns which is interesting in
itself and then we've got a bit of
doodling arithmetic that bonds has done
as he often does on Bits of Paper in the
course of his duties as a Gauger as an
excise man on the other side we have a
mock Epitaph where he's imagining a
woman that he doesn't like in our grave
and the kind of joke is is also
addressing death and saying
how can you stand at death to be lying
in the grave with this horrible woman
very vitriolic it's virtual but humorous
yes it's black humor isn't it it's dark
tumor exactly that Ronnie but is this a
genuine letter worth serious cash to a
collector or just a worthless forgery
here is a printout of bonzi's most
notorious forger antique Smith
the forgers don't realize that burnsy's
handwriting changes this is a fact
similarly of a genuine Burns manuscript
what you get in the authentic buns is
the straight back D but sometimes also a
loop-d in the same manuscript
and we see that here
there in lincluding is a straight back
deer I don't know if you can see that
right yeah yep yeah and there we've got
a loop d a bit of a tilt it in old girls
say yeah no forger would not to do that
yeah also there is mention of a Mr
Hutton and no forger would know who Mr
Hutton was he was a wine merchant in
them fresher so there isn't a snowball's
chance in hell that this is not
authentic
so what do you think the market will be
like for this wonderful item the letters
uh will go for anywhere between 79 000
pounds with with your verification that
this is genuine I can offer it to an
auction now
very very exciting
in East London
raised the 10K fashion collector Pat
needs to move to Tokyo for work Paula
has delved into her black book of
contacts and invited her celebrity
stylist friends to view his 1920s flap
addresses
thank you so much for coming there's no
better way of encouraging people to buy
than to get people in one room all
looking at the same limited amount of
things and all doing each other up into
a little bit of a frenzy
it's very difficult to come across
flower dresses which are in good
condition and if you find them they're
extremely expensive and this one in
particular is in really gorgeous
conditions I mean the beading you know
I've I've been looking at lots of
dresses and you'll have runs you'll have
beading that's missing and that actually
is quite difficult to correct is anyone
interested in perhaps a little purchase
do you know in fact we've just it's just
been the second Downton Abbey movie
apparently yeah it's been all over and I
know an actress friend of mine was
looking for that really very petite so
sometimes it's down to timing isn't it
100 yeah Paul has generated some
interest but no money in Pat's pocket
the pressure is on to find a buyer
so I haven't got any specific offers yet
if this doesn't come off I'll be gutted
for for Pat
but I do have one more person up my
sleeve he may be my winning ticket
expert Paula is trying to sell Fashion
Stylist Pat's dresses to raise ten
thousand pounds he needs to move to
Japan with no taker so far she's invited
tatler magazines contributing fashion
editor and celebrity stylist James Brown
for a private viewing and here we have
the beautiful 1920s flapper dresses
I've gone Goosebumps they stop you
breathing like oh my God what's an
expert wow
silk velvet absolutely really gorgeous
I didn't know what I was going to see
today yeah I know I like the Tongue Tied
it's so amazing
so it's so interesting this era the 20s
and the 60s I think were the like
revolutionary times we forget
everything's so accessible now but they
didn't have fast fashion or fast food so
they're all pretty small a lot of them
are one-offs aren't they so 100 sure but
as soon as I see them I literally can
see people in these at events like how
you can modernize that like you can make
that yeah look nature I mean so when you
say events you're thinking of red carpet
or is it parties or cheese your
Annabelle's when I saw these I thought
of Sienna Miller I thought of Kate Moss
like I could just see them really
fighting over these the best designers
in the world were also killed to get the
hands on this stuff because this is like
you know the next five years of
inspiration so much does he want to
raise ten thousand ten thousand
it would be great if I could photograph
some of them
then send them out to people the
challenge has been set James has offered
to forego his commission and try to sell
the dresses for Pap to reach his goal
and how much more is there how do I get
to see it where is it hiding
well that's that's on the need to know
basis but we can chat we can chat right
that needs to be my new best friend
meanwhile in central London Ronnie is
taking the next steps to see whether the
painting he spotted in the castle could
be an original John Constable he's
invited Caroline lay Auctioneer and art
specialist to have a look
I am incredibly excited to see this
if it is it would more than cover the 50
000 pounds Simon and Aditi need to
invest in the castle wow
it's interesting isn't it
I'm sure you have the same trepidations
as I do in authenticating Old Masters
particularly Constable he's notoriously
difficult
to try and help prove that it could be
an original they first need to look for
clues or similarities with Constable's
work and establish its age we know
Council loves a bridge we know that he
loves to paint trees in the sky he loves
a horse he loves a horse and he loves
red and there's a little flash of red
there on his neckachie yeah it's very
comfortable like the paint has cracked
which is always an indication of age and
you know I know that cracky lure can be
faked and this clearly is not looking
here there's
there's that detail in the trees that
looks more modern to me some of
Constable's unfinished pieces were
worked into and then sold on after he
passed away so the family could make
money I don't know it's all speculation
at this stage but yeah very good
observations
look for paint that may have been added
after the original work was done
Caroline uses a UV light modern paint
fluoresces in a different way
oh
could that be
signature it could be painted over a
previous signature it could be painted
over a bit of damage the painting
repairing it or it could be another
artist's hand
and some of this Crackle has been
painted in which is to protect the
Integrity of the painting so it doesn't
all just crumble away from the canvas
it's been repaired you know someone's
looked after this
this looks like a study to me yeah you
know for a larger picture yeah he was
best known for his six Footers wasn't he
and painted the same scenes over and
over again so I think that would be a
good lead for us if we look further into
where this could be on the even yeah
it's quite vague to say a bridge over
the Avon the Avon's a long river if I
can find evidence that he was there in a
letter to somebody some correspondence
or even if there's a sketch of a
location that tallies with the painting
that would be another huge step forward
so we haven't found anything yet to say
that it's definitely not a constable
but we haven't found anything yet to say
that it definitely is a constable
the painting requires further
investigation and will be looked at by a
constable specialist
the journey here could be a long one
might take a couple of months maybe six
months maybe even a year
I'm a bit daunted but not so much so
that I won't do it
for Simon and Aditi I had to say there's
a possibility here and I'm prepared to
do the homework
with no sales yet achieved to make the
50k Simon and Aditi need to invest in
the castle Clive has been working on
finding a buyer for the hotel guest book
and appears to have come up trumps hello
Luke
hi Cliff he's found the current owner of
the hotel where the book came from
that's unbelievable what do you have in
your hands there we are very interested
in having the book again it's the
perfect finish for our 300 years you
believe we would have the book back
perfect
with a sale secured Clive has invited
Simon and Aditi to London to share the
news the hotel that the book is
associated with had a really good chat
with the owner and he is more than a
little excited to get it back
in his hands amazing it's a great story
that you could have you know two
generations ago but we bought the book
off
I I went to Market with a Punchy price
um which was a couple of thousand on a
really great day in a really good
auction you might just get there however
he really really wants it and he would
like to drive over personally to collect
it from you so it couldn't turn out any
better but Clive's not finished there
he's got exciting news about the Marlow
painting and has brought them to a
London Gallery where it's being held
you're going to recognize this aren't
you indeed
I've engaged with the chap called Ian
brunt who is the kind of expert in this
area
um he's been out and spoken to other
people that he knows and we do have some
buyers for it potential buyers for it
which is nice they would want to buy it
restored so there's a kind of a thousand
pounds fee but it's specialist work yeah
it takes a long time yeah so I feed a
liquid in a brush
exactly the number is nine and a half
thousand that's what they've come back
with so you're seeing eight and a half
thousand pounds return for this picture
but it's a nice number how do you feel
about that guys exciting yeah it's good
yeah I mean you know with no idea
actually what it's worth but yeah you
know if that can help us get towards
that goal that we've got which is well
that would be one of the process yeah
so if somebody else can enjoy it then
that makes a lot of sense that really is
what the whole process is about wand
around find something that the family
are happy to sell and get it sold for
the best achievable price I think the
girls will be really really excited as
well especially when we tell them about
their guesswork yeah totally I've never
I never even occurred to me that it
could go back to the hotel no I know it
is incredible more than the price of it
it's just that story yeah
my job was to sell the Marlow sell the
guest book done them both ticked the
boxes ten and a half thousand in the pot
perfect result
Paula has been hard at work trying to
raise the ten thousand pounds Pat needs
to achieve his dream of moving to Japan
celebrity stylist James Brown saw the
potential in the flap addresses
but has he achieved a sale
hello James it's Paula hi Paula I have
managed to sell nine of the beautiful
dresses for part oh my goodness I know
I'm so excited oh my goodness
I managed to get nine thousand
nine thousand for the nine dresses oh my
good James that's incredible we did it
Paula we did it we did it but can I dig
a little further and find out who it is
or is that top secret uh
and hopefully it'll be a great contact
for him moving forward oh fantastic
thank you so much James you are a
miracle worker but will Pat be happy
with the news
how are you
so I have been talking to an old friend
of mine a friend called James Brown he
is known as one of the old sort of Brit
gang with Kate Moss and the supermodels
he's very known in fashion circles
excellent James has managed to contact
somebody who is an A-list designer wow
so this designer wants inspiration and
you Pat to provided the inspiration he
needed he would like to purchase nine
dresses from him
Pat he would like to pay you 9 000
pounds wow do we have a sale absolutely
brilliant thank you so much Paul thank
you honestly it's been the most
wonderful privilege it puts me closer to
where I need to be absolutely so I think
the dream for going to Japan is are we
nearly there or are we there oh we
better be way
I've had many people telling me just
give up this nonsense get out of fashion
forget Japan I've had so many people try
and put me off this has been I can't get
the right words out oh it feels like I
was put here for this One Singular
purpose and I'm finally going to be able
to get to do that now
I'm getting emotional now Pat I'm so
happy for you thank you I'm so happy
I feel like Cinderella's fairy godmother
honestly it's to be able to make
somebody's dream come true is just my
dream come true
I'm so happy
sales raising 10 500 pounds for Simon
and Aditi it's now down to Ronnie to add
to the castle coffers and sell the burns
manuscript
it's been accepted by one of the world's
most prestigious auction houses some of
this is the right place for a piece of
that stature and Sotheby's is an auction
engine that reaches the world and
reaches the best people
I always feel a lot of responsibility
for anything I sell for a client I'm
confidently nervous
it's like being the best jockey in the
world on the best horse you're still
nervous you could fall at the last
hurdle
the team have successfully sold a
William Marlow painting and a hotel
guest book raising ten and a half
thousand pounds for Simon and Aditi to
go towards investment in the castle
today is the Sotheby's online auction of
their Robert Burns letter
exciting but nerve-wracking day because
this is the day the burns auction ends
and I want to be with Simon and Aditi so
we all hear the news together it's
lovely to see you
good to see you really nice to see you
you've been busy very busy and the
auction's in progress right now so it's
nerve-wracking should we have a look
one bed Reserve met
so someone wants it okay we just need
somebody else who wants we need we need
three other people that want it and
sometimes people do wait to the last
minute and they go in with another bid
to get it
all right so This Is Us oh my God this
is terrible do you know why it's an
exciting minute whatever happens isn't
it oh my God I think I could feel sick
oh gosh my heart is going I can actually
feel my heart going I can't stand
that red line I'm going to be dreaming
about this red line
five four three two
one wow
oh my God yay
wow honestly oh excellent like really
really that's a good start
by selling the guest book The Marlow
painting and the burns letter the family
have made close to 19
000 pounds
I am so happy for you but I've got some
even better news if you think this is
good okay yeah well that's interesting
since discovering the possible Constable
painting in the guest quarters two
months ago Ronnie has been searching for
evidence to help prove whether the
painting is real or a fake it's funny
because it's a picture that sat on a
wall that I've seen I've done them how
many times I've never actually probably
um paid attention paid any attention to
it you said it's been looked at and it
was considered not to be real yes so
Caroline and I showed an image to the
comfortable specialist and expert
now 98 of constable she gets shown are
rejected
two percent she considers okay we're in
the two percent
I'm so glad I didn't listen to you
and she says any opinion I give is with
the reservation that I have not seen it
firsthand it needs cleaning and Studio
examination to give a definitive opinion
all that takes time
however usually high-res photos are good
enough to tell fairly accurately if
something is obviously wrong areas of it
look pretty convincing in terms of
ground priming colors and handling
further search would be necessary to
identify the location that's where I
went
think I found the bridge so I'm going to
show you this
Bridget Abingdon
look at that building
a similar Bridge still stands not over
the Avon but the Thames
and I think it's a framer's mistake or
could be but you've got different Arch
formations those arches there's no big
arch like that but it's been changed
photographs from 1890 show that it
matched the bridge in the painting until
it was partly rebuilt in the 1920s the
angle of the building I think he might
have Twisted for his composition that's
that artistic license
but is only tweaking she says here and
whether the same place is found among
comfortable sketchbooks which I found
the same place is the bridge at Abingdon
June the 7th 1821 proof it was Abington
in the 1820s yeah and proof the bridge
used to have buttresses and multiple
arches
it's still not definitive but it's very
compelling I have to ask the movie and
do a question a million's not far from
the dollar
okay
so that's that's the sort of value it
could be if it turns out to be a
constable the auctioneer would suggest
an estimate of 800 000 to 1.2 million
oh my God
into the business well for the house
everything but could you have to attend
the big F there the biggest it's the
biggest
but I have a lot of confidence in this
and then the next part of the journey
will require a lot of confidence backed
up by a little bit of money
and that could take six months or even a
year
it would be silly to stop the journey
now absolutely
I'm really thrilled about what Clive and
myself have managed to sell I know that
Simon and Aditi are really appreciative
of the work we've done and we've raised
them some money
what's not to like
but the castle is jam-packed with things
amongst them some Treasures
regarding the possible Constable watch
this space
the potential that that painting could
bring to what we want to do with the
estate going forward is it's not
life-changing just for us it's a it's a
legacy that will go on for I would hope
generations and generations
hi Hi how are you sure I'm guessing that
you must have more news what I've come
to tell you is about provenance I'm so
excited I I don't know what words to use
in your relatives correspondence we
found documents that were dated 1918
yeah the chat that owned your painting
was the finest collector of his day
JP Hessel time he is so important he
owned 600 Old Master drawers including
Rembrandts
Michelangelo's Diora
Constable well and your Painting came
from this man's collection amazing you
know his provenance is off the scale
you've got gold my hands are actually
shaking all that's left now is a
constable expert's opinion and the
forensic work this just elevates the
value more to double one to two million
do I have champagne I think a whiskey
might be even cool
Cheers Cheers
thank you