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Although the bulk of the items which form part of domestic property clearances are fairly run-of-the-mill – furniture, clothing, toys and books – there are sometimes gems hidden among the drawers or wardrobes.
Here, ASAP Clearances, who offer high-quality house clearance services in Potters Bar and across North London and Hertfordshire, look at some of the more unusual items which can be, or have been, discovered as part of the process.
Hidden Treasures
Two of the world’s first desktop computers – the Q1 – were discovered last year during a house clearance in Leicestershire. There are believed to be only three others still working across the world. They went on to form part of a computer exhibition at Kingston University in Surrey.
Some rare vinyl can be worth thousands of pounds; for example, John Powney, a record dealer in the north-east of England, had amassed a vast collection of valuable Northern Soul records which were only discovered after his death. Some of these were worth more than £25,000 each and was reported in the TV series Heir Hunters.
The programme also featured Richard Lay, who left behind a collection of toy cars (particularly Dinky ones) in their original packaging. This too, was only discovered when his house was cleared after his death and increased the value of his estate considerably.
Other unusual items (some of which have come from house clearances in the US) include old CIA documents, stuffed animals, and a set of first edition Charles Dickens novels.
Our team at ASAP Clearances has also stumbled upon some truly unique finds. We once cleared out an old property that had previously been a GP surgery and discovered a 1940s real human skeleton, which had been used for medical training. This remarkable find was carefully handled and subsequently donated to a medical school. In the same clearance, we uncovered some original journals belonging to Sigmund Freud, which were gratefully received by the Freud Museum in London - www.freud.org.uk.
"Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) was the founder of psychoanalysis, a theory of how the mind works and a method of helping people in mental distress."
Items to Look Out for Before a Clearance
There are a number of items which might not seem particularly valuable, but someone, somewhere, may be willing to pay a high price for them, so look out for them ahead of any professional clearance.
This includes jewellery and watches, not just because it's a brand name, or due to any particular age or antiquity, but because any metal content (particularly gold or silver) can have some inherent value when it’s melted down.
Ceramics, pottery and glassware can also be more valuable than you might expect, particularly if it’s a ‘big name’ such as Wedgwood or Royal Doulton.
There's also a big market for military memorabilia, due largely to its historical significance – so if you discover any medals, documents or uniforms ahead of any clearance, it is usually worth setting these to one side.
And valuables don’t have to be recent artefacts. There’s also a growing market for more recent memorabilia, such as autographed copies of TV and film scripts, as well as sports-related items such as signed shirts.
What You Should Do
Ahead of any house clearance, it's worth making an inventory of the contents. If we find anything unusual or valuable, we at ASAP Clearances will know what to do with it – either by alerting you, or by finding a suitable new home for it.
This could be particularly useful if it's a probate house clearance – which we can carry out in Enfield, Muswell Hill, and across North London and parts of Hertfordshire. This is because the value of the items can form part of the overall value of the estate, which can be passed on to beneficiaries or creditors.
A word of caution, though - not everything you or we unearth will be valuable. Some items may have no inherent value if it’s hazardous, too old, or simply unsellable, and may need to go to landfill. Rest assured, we at ASAP Clearances always try to avoid that situation and aim to find a new home for any items, and we recycle as much as we can.
House Clearance Services in Potters Bar from ASAP Clearances
For more information about our house clearance services, follow this link. You can also call us on 020 3475 0508 or fill in the online form here.