WE turned our gardens into mini-allotments, cut up old curtains to make clothes and the food on our plates was severely rationed.

And as the threat of the Second World War became a reality, homes became shabbier as we were forced to repair and recycle our old furniture instead of replacing it.

The message was clear – make do and mend.

But now this 1940s message could be set to make a comeback, according to Calderdale auctioneer Ian Peace, who says for those of us furnishing our homes, it's the sales rooms, not the sales, we are hitting.

We are buying old instead of new. Recycling, repairing and repainting instead of replacing. "There was a time when old brown furniture simply wasn't selling. It had fallen out of fashion and no one wanted to buy it," says the man behind Calder Valley Auctioneers, based in Fairlea Mill, Ellen Holme Road, Luddenden Foot.

"But suddenly the market has picked up and there's an audience for it."

He says he always knew it would pick up. It was just a matter of time. And it has taken a credit crunch to bring it about.

"There was a time when people would have simply gone out and bought new when they were looking to furnish their homes. Particularly the younger end, setting up home.

"But the credit crunch is stopping them doing that. Now they're at the auction rooms looking for good-quality pieces at much more reasonable prices," he says.

For Ian, who has years of auctioneering experience, moving to Calder-dale to set up his business in 1972, there is a sense of déjà vu.

"We saw all of this in the 1970s when the recession hit and people had to tighten their belts. We all had a tough time, especially with the winter of discontent, and people were buying old instead of new. Well, it's come round again," he says.

Ian says the benefits of buying second-hand are not just financial ones.

"Obviously you can expect to spend less but you can always get a real quality piece. And even the cheaper pieces can be adapted and restored. You hear about people painting old furniture these days to give it a new look, a new lease of life."

Buyers are also looking to mix old pieces with new and inspired by design magazines and television programmes they are now heading to the sales room in their droves.

"When we set up home many years ago it's what we did and it's back again. The prospect of going out and buying everything new is just not an option in this economic climate," he says.

"The easy, throw-away era we've been used to for so long will gradually come to a stop."

And as we tighten our belts, the auction room is not simply an attractive place for buyers – sellers are heading here, too.

"In the past two or three weeks we've had quite a few people bringing things in with the idea of raising a bit of money and paying the bills," says Ian.

"Often it's a piece that's been in the family for many years. It's sad but that's a sign of the times."

• Tomorrow you can bag a bargain at Calder Valley Auctioneers when the next sale gets under way at noon. Viewing of the items will be held today from 4pm to 6pm.

• Comment

Doing your bit...
Make do and mend became watchwords of the war effort with people being urged to do their bit.
In addition to the rigid rationing of food, clothes were also rationed and controlled by the issue of clothing coupons.
In 1942 the amount of material used when making clothes was limited - a man's suit could have a maximum of three pockets, no turn-ups and the width of the trouser bottoms could not exceed a circumference of 19 inches.
Thanks to the Mrs Sew and Sew campaign, it was not unheard of for old curtains to be made into skirts and dresses. Women's clothing was restricted to no elastic waistbands, no fancy belts and shoes with a maximum heel height of two inches.
Old jumpers would be unravelled and reknitted into socks and scarves for troops.
Homes grew shabby as furniture could not be replaced. Utility furniture was intro-duced, using as little wood and raw materials as possible but it was made available only to newlyweds and those who had lost everything in the air-raid bombings.