Probably a daft place to ask, but some of you may know the answer;

I'm in the UK at the moment and having a major clear out of the house. Now we've come across some boxes of our late parents (mine and OHs) belongings, that we put in our loft when we cleared their houses. We've gone thru them, taken out the sentimental bits and pieces, laughed and cried at the old photos etc... But we're now left with "stuff" Some of it maybe valuable, I'm sure alot of it isnt. My mum had a tea service that was her mothers and still seems to be in good condition, we've got bits of silver, jewellery, some of FILs medals, letters he wrote to MIL from POW camp, you know the sort of things. What does one do with them???? We're in mind to sell them, but where and how?? Whats worth something and what isnt?? Does anyone know how we find out??? I dont want to go down the house clearance/junk shop route in case anything is valuable, but I dont want to make a fool of myself and go to "Southerbys" with jumble


Jo xxxx

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There are salerooms or auction houses in most areas and most will have free valuation days. It should be easy to find one close to you using google.

This is what my sister did with my parents household items when they moved from their house recently.

If any of the jewellery is gold, it's selling at record prices at the moment.

I'd be wary of some of those shops who buy gold though - they might not offer very good rates, and unless you know what you are doing will try to con into believing that what you have is less valuable than it really is i.e tell you something is 9 carat when it's really 18 carat.

Actually, it's all pretty difficult unless you know what you are doing. Even a reputable dealer will try to buy from you as cheaply as possible, to maximise their profit at resale!

Things like tea sets and silver plate tea pots have been out of fashion recently, and you might not be offered much for them.

Might be worth dividing the stuff into separate lots - jewellery, medals, etc so you can keep anything which you find has more sentimental value, than sale value.

All you can do is shop around and haggle a bit.

Much militaria is of low commercial value, but often well recieved by regimental or similar museums. Medals, letters and the like all tell s story, especially when seen in context.

If you have the time and any of the pieces are marked with maker or other identifier, much can now be found out using google...

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Before facebook nobody cared what you had for breakfast; they still don't.

My 'antiques' are probably your 'junk'. Therein lies a problem.
Many of those things will have a value for you and OH beyond money, especially the letters and other personal stuff.
You may regret parting with them......
When my very old-fashioned and very old gran died my very modern aunt came from Canada and swept through our house like a peroxided tornado, chucking out everything including priceless objects from Nan's childhood and early life..priceless not in terms of money but things like the ivory-handled button hook she used to do up her boots, cameo brooches, a box to hold collar studs and worst of all...my grandad's wind-up gramophone with a huge collection iof 78s he had brought from America, where he emigrated as a boy from North Wales. Some of those old records dated from the 30s...he was a fan of blue grass so he had Carter family and similar...
I wish we had those things for both sentimental and curio reasons..
When will you be back in Spain?

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'The Owl of Minerva spreads her wings only at the onset of dusk'.

Looks like we'll be seeing you on Antique Roadshow, Jojo!

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“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.”

With regards your Father in laws war medals and letters. Please consider offering them to a museum, whilst personal they do tell a story, one that might be of interest to others if you really don't value them for what they are worth. To me such things are priceless, they tell of suffering, of sacrifice, of innocence lost, of freedom gained. My sons have told me on no account must I ever get rid of my mothers, my fathers war medals and certainly must not get rid of their own fathers. So whilst your children might not be interested here and now, perhaps one day in the future when they are older and a little less 'now' inclined as most kids are, they might want to know about their grandfathers experiences.

As for the silver and jewelry, in terms of value, you might get a few quid, but they too tell a story, how your mum used the tea service only when folk came to call, how your granny polished the silver till you could see your face in it like a mirror.

I know I am a sentimental old fool, but sometimes things that don't seem that sentimental are just waiting to be remembered.

Besides, antiques only appreciate.

Or junk yard challenge!!!


Jo xx

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This is the kind of place I mean. There's bound to be one in your area.