Stafford 10 Bargain Hunt

Welcome to Stafford Market Square.

Today a great place to go shopping or visit

an exhibition in Shire Hall.

But if you came to the Shire Hall a couple of hundred years ago,

you could seriously be in big, big trouble,

because behind these doors are the criminal courts

where wrongdoers, counterfeiters,

even murderers, were sentenced to hang.

Well, I'll be keeping law and order over proceedings today.

Let's go bargain-hunting! Yeah!

Today's show comes from Stafford Antiques Fair,

where over 300 stands offer everything from the refined,

to the more rustic.

So much to learn, and so little time.

Our teams have one hour, and £300 to find their three items.

Let's take a peek at what's coming up.

Sisters Bev and Jet, for the Blues, are full of the theatrics.

And the Reds only have one thing on their mind.

-Oh, look, a sewing box!

-Oh, yes.

-How about that?

-That's a sewing box.

-It is a sewing box.

-A 19th-century one.

-Oh, another sewing box!

And at the auction, there are giggles and gasps.

But, before all that, let's meet the teams.

7621.

Right, today, we're going to find out whether blood really is thicker

than water, because for the Blues, we have Bev and Jet,

who are sisters.

And for the Reds, jolly good friends Anne and Sue. Hello, everyone.

-ALL: Hello!

-Hello!

Now, Anne, your favourite pastime is quilting? Tell us about that.

Oh, well, I've been quilting for about 30 years

and I prefer the hand sewing, which is applique.

And I've made two Baltimore quilts,

which take about two years each, and I'm on the third one.

Are you? Now, tell us about the Baltimore quilt,

what's special about that?

Why does it take so long?

It's all hand sewing, and you form the flowers as three-dimensional

flowers first, then you sew them onto the background,

and each block, or each square is completely different,

so you have 20 squares, all different.

So, when you're not chain piecing or prairie-ing,

what do you get up to?

Oh, watercolour painting, family history, and darts.

-Really, darts?

-Oh, yes.

So you like to go into the pub and have the few pints, and...?

Oh, no. This is all in aid for the WI.

-Oh, it's the WI darts?

-WI dart competitions.

-I thought that was all Jerusalem, and jam and cakes.

-Oh, no, no.

-We do other things.

-I've never heard about darts.

-Oh, yes.

-That's an interesting twist.

-A regular annual event.

-Is it?

-Oh, yes.

-You like a good bull's-eye too, don't you?

-I do, yes, yes.

I have my dartboard on the kitchen door.

So when I'm cooking, I chuck arrows at the kitchen door.

What? Let's put the sprouts on! That's quite fun, isn't it?

It is, it's great. Actually, it's wonderful practice.

-You're looking forward to this Bargain Hunt lark?

-Oh, I am.

-Yes.

-Yes. So, anything connected with the WI,

-you'll go for that, won't you?

-Yes, we will.

Anything connected with darts or needlework.

I mean, there's a raft of interest here.

-Oh, we've got everything to go for.

-We have.

Well, we'll look forward to it with interest. Good luck, girls.

-Now, Bev.

-Hello.

-You are no stranger

-to performing in public, are you?

-I'm not, no.

So, tell us about your performing past.

-I used to be a professional dancer.

-Did you?

-A lot of work out in Bahrain, Oman, Dubai.

-Yeah?

-A lot of work out there.

-They love it, do they?

-They do.

It says here that you're a bit of a miniaturist.

-I am. I have doll's houses.

-Do you?

-12 scale doll's houses.

-Do you like to go and shop for miniature objects?

-I do.

Indeed, here at Stafford, I've been to a miniature dolls fair here.

They have them here, twice a year.

I mean, these things are exquisite, often, aren't they?

-Yes, they are.

-I mean people think they're for children,

and playthings, but it's not at all.

Now, Jet, tell us about your dance career.

Yeah, I used to work on the UK holiday centres.

I started off as, um, a dance captain.

Then I moved on my way, through the years to entertainments manager.

-You used to dance and do a bit of panto, didn't you?

-I did, yes.

When I was younger, I used to be in the local amateur dramatic

-pantomime group, yep, in our village.

-And you've had co-stars?

-I have had co-stars, yes.

-Famous co-stars?

A particularly famous co-star, yes.

I was in panto with Gary Barlow.

-Gary Barlow! What, from Take That?

-From Take That.

-Good Lord!

-Why were you performing with him?

-Well, he just...

obviously just wanted to be with me, didn't he, really?

Exactly, so he heard that you were in the panto, and he signed up!

-How lovely was that?

-It was lovely.

Well, almost as much fun

as we hope you're going to have on Bargain Hunt today.

Here we go, here's the money moment.

-£300 a piece. There's your £300.

-Thank you.

You know the rules, your experts await, and off you go!

And very, very, very good luck!

I always fancied a bit of quilting myself.

Helping the teams navigate their way to a bargain

is dedicated supporter Colin Young.

And for the Blues, Kate Bliss is getting in the groove.

-Now, Bev and Jet, it's great to have a sister team.

-Yep.

-Yeah.

-Go, girls.

So, ladies, what are we going to buy?

Well, I want to buy sewing bits and bobs

and perhaps antique lace bobbins.

-What are we looking out for, Bev?

-I've absolutely no idea.

-Really?

-No idea whatsoever.

-No, we're going to go with the flow today.

-Have you got any idea at all, Jet?

-No, whatever takes my fancy.

On reflection, teams, your 60 minutes starts now.

-WHISTLE BLOWS

-Let's go shopping.

-Shall we go to it?

-Yes.

I've got a good feeling about this. Go, Reds.

And they're straight in to the sewing.

-I think that's a possibility.

-Yeah, the sampler.

-Yeah.

-Don't knock it all down.

-Is there a date on it?

-No.

No, and it looks a bit too modern.

It does look a bit modern but let's have a look at the price.

-That's the important thing.

-18.

-£18.

-Well, you know...

-It's a modern sampler.

It is a modern sampler and at £12... would you buy it

-if you went to an auction? That's always going to be the...

-Mm...

-No, I don't think so.

-No.

-That's a no, isn't it?

-How about the bonnet?

-No, I don't think I fancy the bonnet.

-No, you don't?

-You don't fancy a bonnet?

-No.

-She doesn't like the bonnet.

-She doesn't like the bonnet.

-It doesn't suit me.

-Pop that back.

I like the bonnet.

-I know dancing is a huge part of your life.

-Yes, it is.

-It is, yeah.

-Absolutely.

-And I think we're probably

-going to see quite a lot of dancing figures around.

-Yes.

She's got a bit of an ugly face.

-Do you think she has, Bev?

-Yeah, she's got dodgy eyebrows.

-Don't hold back now. Say it as it is.

-And look at that foot.

-She can't have that foot.

-No, she's got a dodgy foot.

-Oh, has she?

She's got what we would call a sickle.

It's when your ankle goes in the wrong direction, so...

-So, we don't want any sickles?

-Absolutely not.

-No.

Ooh, harsh critics.

-Sewing.

-Sewing. Think of sewing.

Stick with sewing. Stick with what you know.

-Yeah, bobbins, sewing boxes...

-No, I haven't seen anything.

Nice hats.

-Look at that one. That's quite nice.

-Yeah.

-Lovely, thanks.

So, is this the kind of thing you would have worn in the theatre?

-Oh, yes, definitely.

-Yeah, definitely.

-Have a little... Oh, Jet.

-Fab colour.

-Oh, is it my colour?

-Go on, give us a twirl.

No, it's not your colour. You're the Blues.

-Oh, look, a sewing box!

-Oh, yes.

-How about that?

-It looks a bit modern.

-Do you know how to date something like that?

-No.

-Well, very simple.

You take it out for a meal, buy it a few drinks

and I've always found that's worked.

Oh, Colin, stop flirting and start purchasing.

Let's hope the Blues are taking things a bit more seriously.

-There's a nice top hat.

-We need to start buying, don't we?

We do need to get a buy in. There's a frame in the corner there

but that looks quite modern. That's a pretty one.

We quite like the frame there, is that a period one?

-It is a period one. Yes.

-It's very pretty.

What do you think of that, Jet?

I think that's lovely, yeah. I like the detail on it. It's lovely.

-So how much is that?

-Let me just check, please.

-It is hallmarked, isn't it, Kate?

-Birmingham 1906.

-1906 is real art.

-And it's 158.

-£158, eh? Crikey.

-Well, let's have a closer look at it.

Now, let's just look for the hallmark,

-which should be somewhere...

-There.

There we go. Right at the bottom there.

So it's very early 20th-century, just Edwardian.

Nice clear hallmark.

But the other really nice thing is that you've got the original back.

-The original.

-Yeah. It tells a story, doesn't it?

It's a bit worn but it is...

I would much prefer to have a worn original one

-than a replacement...

-And this is

fabric in here as well, isn't it?

Yes, it is. That's silk.

It's a little bit dirty and a bit marked but I suppose

you'd be a bit dirty and a bit marked at that age, wouldn't you?

Yeah. What would be the best price on that?

-Yeah, let's talk about the price. Madam.

-Yes.

What would you pay for it, Bev. What's your gut feeling?

I would only have paid about £70 for it.

Yeah, I would have said 70, 80. That's what I would have said.

Obviously we're going to put it into an auction,

-which is a wholesale environment, which is very different.

-75.

-75, my goodness.

-75.

-I think 75 is worth a chance, I really do.

I think it's a really nice one.

-Shall we go for it?

-Yeah. Definitely.

Are you sure about that, madam?

-First purchase, thank you so much.

-Thank you ever so much.

Wow, the Blues have got the photo and frame for half price.

So what about those Reds?

Now, how long have we got?

-We've got another 50 minutes.

-Oh, brilliant!

-Fantastic!

-We're doing well.

-We're doing better than I thought.

Doing well? You haven't bought anything yet.

-That's a sewing box. That's a sewing box.

-It is. A 19th-century one.

-Another sewing box.

-Yep.

-Yes.

-Do you like it?

-Is it a lid on the top or just drawers?

-It's mahogany.

-Just a single drawer to it.

-Very nice.

-Yeah.

It's a bit scratched on the top. Would that polish off?

-Neither here nor there.

-That's nice.

-Right, how much is it?

-Oh, look at that.

-Yeah, it's got bits as well. I like that.

-You do like it?

Yes, I do like it. How much is it?

At auction I would have expected that to realise maybe 120, £150.

-Something like that.

-Oh, right!

-Well, that would be all right.

-So...

But they can retail at quite a lot higher so let's see.

-Who's going to ask the question?

-I'll ask the question.

-Sue will.

-And you know where your parameters are.

-Yeah.

-Do not go beyond them.

-Do not go beyond the 120.

-No, but inquire.

Can you give me a price on the sewing box?

-No, unfortunately, I can't.

-Oh, why not?

Cos it's not my stall.

Whoopsie.

-That's a good one, innit?

-Well, make a guess.

-Go on, make a guess.

-I tell you what, you can have it for a fiver.

No, no, I didn't say that. It's this stall here.

-I think it's actually that chap.

-OK. I'll go...

-Go and have a wander.

See what you can do.

-What did he say?

-He wants 135 for it.

-Oh!

-Oh, that's...

-Do you think he'd take 100 for it?

-Well, I...

-Do you think...? Can we be cheeky?

-Yeah, go on.

Well, I wouldn't argue with you.

Oh, you cheeky devils, you.

All right, I'll go and see what I can get.

Here she comes back again. Come on, then, Sue, what have you got?

-He said 110.

-110. Oh, well, that seems fair.

-Are you happy with that?

-So I said I'm happy with that

-and I'm sure you will be.

-Oh, yes, that's no problem.

-Right.

-OK?

-Deal done.

-Deal done.

-Great. Lovely.

-Brilliant.

Good work, girls. One sewing box in the bag.

With all that chatter, I thought they'd never do the deal.

Meanwhile, the Blues haven't got far.

They're still at the same stall.

-What is it anyway?

-A powder compact.

-Yeah, open it up.

-And what's this? MUSIC PLAYS

-Oh!

-It's a musical powder compact.

-What do you think of that, Kate?

Well, I think it's lovely that it's musical.

-I mean, that's an added feature, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Powder compacts are very collectable

but their commercial appeal

depends on the design,

but also the name.

-People do like leading manufacturers.

-Right, yeah.

Let's just have a little look at this.

Ah, now this is Clover we've got on there.

Now, that isn't one of the leading manufacturers

but it's quite nice that we have got a name. Glass is all in condition.

-It obviously works.

-So, what do you think, Kate?

Well, I think it's rather nice. Let's find out the price.

-How much on that, madam?

-Well, I had with the lighter for 48.

-So it comes with the lighter?

-Oh, I see. That's matching. Right.

-It's a matching set.

-So, altogether, best price...

I can go half. 20.

Because it's got the musical aspect I think you're onto a good thing

-there. You've got another one there.

-This one is a Stratton.

-Aah!

-That's what Kate was just talking about.

-Lovely.

So, this has got a leading name.

Stratton were leading British manufacturers of compacts.

It's a great shape. Do you see that nice curve there?

So it would fit in the pocket really well, which is quite nice.

It's a little bit more worn.

Condition isn't just quite perfect but if we open it up, there we go,

it's in really nice order inside and there we have the Stratton name,

which is really nice. So how much just for this one?

-30.

-30.

Or do you want all for 40?

-So, all three pieces for 40?

-Yeah.

-38?

-No, I can't do it. Please.

-No. It is a good price.

-Yes?

-You're the boss, you make the decision.

-You prefer that one...

-Yeah.

-I prefer this one so that sounds like a deal really, doesn't it?

-Yeah, OK.

-Job done.

-Job done.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-OK.

-Thank you so much.

Pleasure, pleasure.

I hate to tell you this but there is a huge fair out there.

-I know, and we've stayed with this one lady.

-But this lady was so nice.

-Come on, come on.

-These girls make a jolly good team.

-Two buys down.

-Yeah, two really good buys and we're only halfway through.

-Halfway through.

-Halfway through!

So, what do they make of it all so far?

-That poor lady had everything we wanted.

-Yeah, she had everything.

We told you we didn't like shopping very much, so I'd have just bought

a third one off her and gone, "Let's have a cup of tea!"

-Or a glass of wine.

-Or a glass of wine.

Meanwhile, there's only 30 minutes left

and the Reds still have two items to buy.

Right, Colin, what do you think?

-What do I think?

-Well, it's a little Dinky sewing machine.

Well, I suppose we'd need to find a little bit more about it.

-Do we know if it's working or not?

-Is it working?

Yes, it's fully working. They do actually sew

but because there's no bobbin in the bottom it doesn't hold.

Don't forget it was made for a child in the 1960s.

-It was the stallholder's.

-Oh!

-It was actually this child's.

Well, that does add quite a lot to it.

£25. I'm going to say it's too much because it's not an antique

because this young lady...

Clearly, if it was in her youth, it does not

have the age whatsoever

and I think that really you should be down to about 15.

How about 18?

-Oh, all right, then.

-Go on, then.

-Are you going to go for it?

-Yes.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you very much indeed.

It's the first time charm's ever worked in my life.

Well, the charm's working on Anne and Susan.

They just can't stop giggling.

And now for something I found in Stafford.

What about this?

You could say, "From the sublime to the ridiculous."

The big question is, which is the sublime one

and which is the ridiculous?

For me, the sublime one, in terms

of the way in which it's been made,

has to be this little toad.

Made of two-colour glass, blown first in clear glass

and then with an overlay of green glass,

and to create that effect in glass is a skilful job.

Now, stuck in its mouth is the secret to the whole thing

because we've got a turned button there,

and if I take the button out, that shaft should be connected

to a long ivory or bone spoon

because this thing, in China, would have been used as a snuff bottle.

What would it cost you? Well, if you had your eyes open,

you might acquire it for as little as £90.

What might it be worth?

To the international snuff bottle collecting society,

I think you get as much as £300-£400.

As to the ridiculous, well, you can't fail but to smirk

when you see this cheaply produced glass-blown container.

And its relevance is of course that

the wallaby is holding a cricket bat and this was made

for some entrepreneurial sweetie manufacturer.

It's got a tin-plate screw-on bottom, look,

and the sweetie manufacturer would have filled the wallaby

with brightly coloured sweets, and if you went to the Oval,

no doubt these things were on sale around the ground

for parents to buy their children their sweeties in.

Except this one didn't get thrown away by that little boy

and he was incidentally a very keen fisherman.

How do I know that?

Because the bottom of the screw-on cap has got lots of little holes

in it, look, and this little boy liked to go fishing with live bait.

So, he'd go into the garden, dig up a few earthworms,

shove them in the, by then, empty sweetie bottle, screw on the bottom.

Those are the air holes to keep his bait alive when he went off

with his rod and hook to try and catch a fish in the river.

Isn't that charming?

So, what might you have to stump up for such a thing?

Well, in a fair like this, it could be yours for £8.

And what might you get for it when you sell it?

Goodness only knows.

How's that?

Back with our teams, both have one item left to buy

and only 20 minutes to do it.

A miniature fan, Bev has spotted something small

but perfectly formed.

Look at that little miniature set, talking of miniatures.

-Oh, look!

-Oh, yes, look at that!

-Have a look at it, if you want.

Do you want to have a look?

-Yeah, let's have a look, shall we?

-What do you think, Jet?

-Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.

-So, it's the four pieces, is it?

-Yeah.

-They're sweet, aren't they?

-They're lovely, aren't they?

-Yeah. They're quite heavy, actually.

-Are they?

-Yeah.

I've never actually bought any silver for my doll's houses.

I've got wooden and it's cost me that amount of money too, so...

I think they're rather sweet

and then you've got a bit of abalone shell in there.

And how much was it?

-Yeah, how much was it?

-85.

What's your very, very best?

-I can do 75.

-75.

Can we have a think about it?

-Cos we've got some time, haven't we?

-We have got a bit of time, yeah.

-We've got some time, haven't we?

-Would that be your very best?

I would think so, really. There's not a lot in it for me at that.

Well, let's keep that one in mind.

-Can we keep it in mind if we've got a bit of time?

-Let's do that.

-Don't sell it.

-Please don't sell it.

-I'll try not to.

-Please.

Clever play from the Blues. Banking an item for the future, eh?

The Reds however are about to get a nasty shock.

-You've only got seven minutes left.

-Seven minutes?

-Oh, dear.

-Oh, my word!

-Better get a move on, then, girls.

I know we bought all those things off that lady's stall

-but she's given us some really good bargains.

-Yes.

Do you think there's something else we'd find on her stall cheap?

What about the miniature doll's...?

-Or do we go to the miniature silver?

-I just think £75 is too much.

We could go and offer her a wee bit less and see.

-Shall we go and see if we can knock down a bit?

-You like that idea, Jet?

-Do you?

-I think it's us, isn't it?

I'm worried if there's nothing on the stall that we like

-on the other one, we're stuffed.

-Yeah.

-OK, let's go.

-Come on.

-Let's see.

-With only five minutes to go, the Reds are still dawdling.

Ah, but look, something sewing-related.

So what exactly is this? But I love it.

It's actually, er, 19th-century... It's Chinese silkwork,

-what's known as a rank badge.

-A rank badge?

-Can you tell us a little bit more about it?

-Yeah, sure.

This is what they call a fifth rank badge and the beauty about this

is the colour, the closeness of the weave or the knot.

It's called a Peking knot.

-Peking, which is...

-Is it actually embroidery, rather than woven?

-It is embroidered.

-It is embroidered, not woven.

Now, normally to get a rank badge like that

you'd probably be talking about...

..anything from 800 to 1,200.

-I want 150 quid for it.

-So, no? Yes?

-No, no, I like it.

-Sue?

-I like it.

-It's your choice but...

-Yes. I like it.

-Let me just have a closer inspection.

-Yes.

-Well, you like your needlework.

-We do, we do.

-That's a good example by any stretch.

-Yeah.

If we don't do a deal now, we've just got to choose

-one of the other two things.

-No, that one. I think we all agree.

-You will go for that one?

-Yes, I will.

-A bit of an appreciation of the quality here.

-It is the quality.

I think it's beautiful. It shines through.

The work is absolutely beautiful.

OK.

You said 150. You know I'm going to turn around and say 100.

Can we end up at 120?

-We can get, er, at 125 but that is the death.

-125?

-Yeah, that's fine.

-Are you happy with that?

-Yes, I'm happy with that.

-Excellent.

-Have we got a deal?

-We have got a deal.

-I'll put my hand out, then.

-Brilliant.

-Well done, girls.

Well done, girls. That's their three items bought and paid for

but the Blues are cutting it fine.

-How long have we got left?

-About 30 seconds. Quick!

-We couldn't find you.

-OK, let's have another look.

We've literally got about two minutes, madam.

I think the first question has got to be,

is there anything you can do on price for us?

I am a doll's house collector

so I do understand them so...

-Pretty please?

-What do we think, guys?

-Please!

-I could do 70.

-You could do 70?

-Yes, but honestly it's the best I can do.

-70 is the best?

-Yes.

- From 95. - 68?

- Go on, then. - Oh!

-You're a star, madam.

-Brilliant.

-Shall we go for it?

-Yeah, go for it!

-Let's do it!

Thank you very much indeed. You are brilliant.

-Thank you so much. That's lovely.

-Thank you.

The time's up. Fancy a bouffant, eh?

-And one, two, and three, and four...

-The Blues just want to dance.

..five, six, and seven, and eight...

Let's check out what the Red Team bought, eh?

The Reds are sewing mad and couldn't resist

this needlework table for £110.

Not content with the table,

they bought a little sewing machine for £18,

and for £125 they bought this embroidery,

making a trio of sewing buys.

-Well, girls, you did all right, didn't you?

-Oh, very well, yes.

-You tested his mettle, I tell you.

-We did, we did.

-How much did you spend in total?

-253.

-Lovely. That's a mature amount.

-I'd like £47 of leftover lolly, please.

-There you go, sir.

-There's the £47.

-Yes.

-Now, Anne, which is your favourite piece?

The last one, the fifth rank badge embroidered. Beautiful.

-But I do like the sewing box, as well.

-So you have two favourites?

-Yes.

-OK, well, that's fair enough.

Which piece is going to bring the biggest profit, Sue?

-I'm hoping it's going to be the embroidery.

-Yeah, definitely.

Yeah, well, it's got to be with your interest, hasn't it?

Anyway, here we go.

Not so much cash for you to spend this time, Colin,

-but how do you feel about £47 coming your way?

-I think it will be OK.

A couple of things that we're going to go down with the bonus buy.

-Maybe something oriental, maybe Japanese, Chinese, maybe.

-Oh, yes.

But of course we do have the backup of anything needlework related.

You never know what's going to come out next with Colin.

Anyway, we stand by, Colin. Thank you very much.

Right now, though, let's check out what the Blue Team bought, eh?

Is this a face that launched 1,000 ships?

And how much will this one in a frame make?

More than the £75 paid, I fancy.

This charming collection cost the girls just £40.

They haggled hard to get this miniature suite for £68.

-Well, girls, that was great, wasn't it?

-It was.

-Brilliant.

-You spent 180 odd but how much was it?

-183 we spent.

-183.

-I'd like £117, please.

-OK.

I was actually allowed to have the money, which is unusual.

Were you, Jet? Well, you've been jetting about today.

-There we go. Thank you.

-God, you've got some thrust.

Now, tell me, which is your favourite piece?

-Mine was the silver photo frame.

-Silver photo frame. Sister, agree?

No. My favourite is the miniature set,

the sofa and the chairs and the table.

Is that going to bring the biggest profit?

No. I think the compacts that we bought,

-the little trio with the two compacts in.

-Yeah, I think so.

-That will bring the biggest profit?

-I think so too. Yeah.

OK, well, we have agreement there between the sisters from heaven.

-Now, Kate Bliss...

-Thank you very much.

-..here is your £117...

-That's good.

..which is handy. Quite a lot of cash, actually.

-I think I'll make a good hole in that.

-Good.

Brilliant. Is that a promise or a threat?

These girls have kept me on my toes.

Well, good luck with your quest because we're about

to head off to Stratford-upon-Avon for the auction. How lovely is that?

Our host auctioneers today are Bigwood,

and I'm chatting to auctioneer Mark Ashley about our items.

-Good morning, Mark.

-Morning, Tim.

-It's a treat to be here.

Now, the Red Team have bought a lovely selection of goods

starting off with this mahogany worktable.

Does that light the cockles of your heart?

Well, when I took the fabric store out

cos naturally the fabric's replaced,

that under carcass is made of plywood, quite new plywood,

so it could be a conversion of probably a little side table.

So presumably that is reflected in your estimate?

-It is. We've put 60-80 on it.

-OK. Well, they spent £110.

It could do better than our estimate

but probably I'd stick with our estimate, I think.

Well, thank you for looking at it so closely, that's great.

Let's hope for the best. Next is the charming tin-plate child's toy.

Will this sort of thing sell?

It's got its box, it looks pretty virgin to me.

Well, that's what I like about it. It's in good condition, got the box.

-It's made by a firm called Stucco.

-What might it bring in the sale?

Well, we've only put 15-25 on it.

-The team paid £18 so they should make a profit.

-Fair.

-I think they paid a sensible price.

-Brilliant.

Now we move on to the silkworked picture

and if you look in detail at that and added up the number of stitches

per square inch, I mean, it's unbelievable, isn't it?

There's a lot of work in it.

It's a lovely thing and most probably silver or gold threadwork.

When I look at that wing and I see it's sewn on

OVER some silk stitching and the beak is sewn on over stitching,

that didn't start out life like that, did it?

It looks like it's probably been overlaid on top of the panelling.

I think that's why we've probably been

-a little conservative in the estimate.

-How little conservative?

-Well, we've only put £30-£50 on it.

-How much?

-30-50.

-The team paid £125...

-Right.

..which is a big old wodge, isn't it?

Whether we'll get there, I don't know.

That could be the dark pit into which they're about to plunge.

But if that's the case they'll need their bonus buy.

Let's go have a look at it.

-OK, girls, £253 is what you spent.

-Yep, that's it.

I'm so proud of you. And you gave the 47 to our Col.

Colin, what did you spend it on?

-Oh!

-Oh. Rather small.

-It's rather small, isn't it? Yeah.

-What is it?

Well, it's actually a Japanese tsuba.

It's a guard that you would expect on the front of a sword or katana

-or something like that.

-Oh, right.

It's not one of the metallic ones that would be used in action.

-This is more of a decorative item.

-Right.

-I think at £47...

-You spent the lot, then?

-You spent £47?

-On that?

-I did, yes, yeah.

Wow. Money well-spent.

-Well done, Colin.

-Do you reckon?

-How much are we going to get for it?

I'm hoping that we get at least 48 for it

but a possibility of maybe 60 or 70 if we're really lucky.

Well, that would be OK.

-Susan, what do you think about it, honestly?

-What do you think?

Go on, handle it.

-It doesn't really float my boat.

-Does it not?

-No.

-Aw.

Why don't you like it?

-Well, it's brown.

-OK, brown.

-Right.

That is on the horizon after the sale of your first three items.

-Right, OK.

-No problem.

So, gather yourselves together and have a little think.

-We will consider.

-Consider.

-We will consider.

-Think on, as they say.

-We will think on, yes.

Meanwhile, for the audience at home, let us think on and find out

what the auctioneer thinks about Colin's little doobry.

-OK, Mark, what do you make of that?

-Well, I don't think it's horn,

it's not bone. I'd hate to say, it might almost be resin, you know.

It probably is resin. It's not Japanese either, is it?

-Chinese, isn't it?

-Chinese, yeah. So Chinese, probably resin,

-a nice design...

-Yes, I agree.

-Nothing to do with swords.

-I wouldn't have thought so.

-No.

As for it being a tsuba, I really don't know.

We've put 30-40 but probably now we've been talking about it,

I think I've probably been a bit optimistic at 30-40.

-OK, 30-40 is your estimate.

-Yeah, that's what we've put.

Well, Colin paid £47 and in fairness to Colin,

he didn't have an awful lot of time and he only had £47 to spend...

-He spent all his money.

-..and he spent the whole lot.

Now, moving on, that's the end of the Reds. Onto the Blues.

They've got the Boots Pure Drug Company photo frame.

Well, tell us about that. What's it got to do with Boots?

-Well, they actually had a silver department.

-No?

-Yeah, absolutely.

-Really?

It wasn't all pills and tablets and hair lotions.

-Well, that makes it rather fun, doesn't it?

-I like it.

It's a nice little frame. Always popular are picture frames.

Yeah. What's it worth?

Well, we've only put 40-60 but I think that's pessimistic.

-I think it'll do better than that.

-So it might make 60-70?

-I would have thought it ought to.

-OK, £75 they paid.

Now, next are the powder compacts. Anything special about those?

Well, one's by Stratton, which is a nice little Birmingham factory,

which is a good thing. They're collectable.

And what is fun about the one with Mount Fuji on the front

is it's musical, so you open it

and there's a little musical movement, which is quite sweet.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, it's a nice little thing.

-OK.

-Absolutely.

So what sort of money are we talking about?

To be honest, I don't think we put enough,

when I come to think about it.

We've put 20-30 and I think they'll do better than that.

-Like 40 or 60?

-Absolutely. I think they could do that.

Well, that's good cos the team paid 40

and I think for three pieces it jolly well ought to be OK.

And then lastly I think they bought this little suite of miniature

not quite doll's house, is it? But it's something to go in the cabinet.

Absolutely. A nice little thing to put in a cabinet.

-They're well-made.

-What sort of value?

Well, we've put 60-80 on them.

OK, fine. Well, £68 was paid so they paid the right money

and I have a funny feeling that with a fair wind this team won't need

their bonus buy, but you never know so let's go and have a look at it.

£117 went to Kate Bliss. What did you spend it on, Kate?

We were quite girlie, weren't we, ladies, in our purchases?

-Yes, we were.

-Yeah.

-So I have bucked the trend

-and I've gone for something for the gentlemen.

-Oh!

-Are they buttons?

-They are cufflinks.

-Cufflinks!

Yeah. So, we've got a pair of cufflinks and they have

hound heads on the inside here...

-Right, OK.

-..cos I know you're animal lovers, aren't you?

-Yes, we are.

-So, we have some little dog heads in there.

Now, these are very much in the manner of crystals

known as Essex crystals.

However, they are a simulant, if you like, a lookalike,

which makes them much more affordable.

So, how much were they, Kate?

-I spent 20.

-£20? Wow.

-They're brilliant.

-My husband would love those.

-I think it's a jolly, jolly nice buy.

-Yeah.

-We're really pleased, really pleased.

-Really like them.

-Really British of you, Kate.

-Everybody happy?

-Very happy.

-Excellent.

-Very good.

Let's find out for the audience at home whether the auctioneer...

Find out whether he's happy.

These are rather charming, aren't they, Mark?

Well, it's a good subject, isn't it?

It's rather nice these crystal intaglios, with the dog's heads.

I think they've got all the things to make them sell,

-I would have thought.

-How well might these dogs sell?

Well, we've put 40-60 because I think they're good present material.

£20 paid by that cunning Kate Bliss.

The big question is, will the team go with the bonus buy?

Now, enough of all that chatter.

It's time for Mark to take to the rostrum.

-Now, Anne, Susan?

-Mm-hm.

-Uh-huh?

-All ready for the big bucks.

-Are you?

-Yes, we're retiring early.

Yes, exactly. Well, first up is the worktable and here it comes.

Lot 93 now, a useful little thing. Who's got £70 for it?

-Start me where you will.

-With that lovely write-up.

-Madam, thank you.

30 bid. You are my saviour, madam, at £30. Do I see 5?

-It's 35 on the internet.

-More bids.

-35.

-5 please, internet.

Come back for another. It's against you in the room.

-The casters are worth that.

-I have 45 on the net.

I have 50, the lady's bid in the room at 50.

-Come on.

-Do you have another? Are we all sure?

-GAVEL BANGS

-Madam.

-£50 is minus 60. Oh, girls.

I think this is building up to be a bit of a bloodbath in here.

-Right, let's hope little Betty does better.

-Oh, yes.

Lot 94, the Little Betty child's sewing machine.

Isn't this rather fun? That's got to be £20 of anyone's money, hasn't it?

-£20, surely.

-That's your favourite lot, isn't it?

-It is.

So what about it? Who's got a tenner for it? That's nothing.

Sir, at £10. Do I see 12? It's still cheap.

At £10, madam, 12, 14, sir, don't let her have it.

16, don't let him have it. The gentleman's bid at 14

and I'll sell it at no mistake.

-At £14 it's away.

-Uh-oh.

-Sir, 14.

Minus £4.

That's our best item.

Now, if you think things are bad, girls...

-dig deep.

-Oh, dear.

-OK?

Lot 95 is the Mandarin rank badge.

It's probably about the fifth rank,

so it's probably someone in charge of paperclips.

-There we are, what about this one, then?

-Oh, that's not true.

-Wicked man.

-It's a good line, though.

-Who's got £50 for it?

-It looks lovely, doesn't it?

-Yeah, it's beautiful.

£30 then, surely?

Who's got £30? Looking around at an empty room desperately

looking around, surely 20? Who'll start me off?

£10, thank you, sir. £10 bid. The internet's come in at 15.

20, 5, please on the net. 25, 30...

We're going to be all right.

I have 30. The gentleman's bid in the room.

The internet has now gone to sleep.

-Are we finished? We'll sell at £30.

-£30, girls.

-GAVEL BANGS

-7621.

-£30 is minus 95.

You were minus 64 before. I make that minus 159.

OK. What are we going to do about this bonus buy business?

-Oh, we'll go for it.

-Good old Colin.

-Yeah?

-We're pinning our hopes on you.

-We're going for the bonus buy.

We're at minus 159, we're going to go with the bonus buy, all right?

This bonus buy has come in. Now, I have to tell you

that the auctioneer is not so frightfully keen on this bonus buy.

Oh!

All right? He doesn't really like it awfully.

There's a bit of a chip in it and he sees what he thinks

might be a bit of a resinous business going on.

We've got a decision here.

You're minus 159, you want digging out, you're going to go

-with the bonus buy and here it comes.

-Right!

-Lot 99. There was a lot of controversy on this piece.

-Oh, good.

-Good.

-Oh, excellent.

-It's been described as Japanese and Chinese.

It's been described as a tsuba. Bid me on it. £10 to start me.

Who's got £10?

Sir, 10 bid. At £10 we'll sell it.

Are you all sure?

Gentleman's bid. At 10, are we all done?

-Sir.

-GAVEL BANGS

£10 is minus 37 so that's not so good.

That's six.

I make that 196 so minus 196 could be a winning score.

-He says.

-He says.

-Do you reckon?

-No. But it could be.

-OK, now, this is exciting, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Do you know how those Reds got on?

-No.

You don't want to know, I can tell you.

Now, Jet propelled, you're looking a bit shifty to me.

What's the matter with you, girl?

I think we might be paying a lot of money.

I think we paid too much money.

-You think you've paid too much?

-Yeah.

-Do you?

-Yeah.

We're a bit... Yeah. But we'll see.

Your first item is the Boots Drug Company solid silver

picture frame and here it comes.

Lot 112 now is the rather nice little silver photograph frame.

Who's got £50 for such a nice little frame as that? Start me off.

Where will we start? £30. Who'll start me? Madam, straightaway at 30.

-Oh, good, madam.

-40 on the net.

5, 50, 5, 60, 5?

70, net, please.

I have 65 bid in the room.

70. It's now jumped to 80.

-I think there are two screens here...

-80, yeah!

..having a little bit of a battle in cyberspace. We're at 80. 90 now.

-SHE GASPS

-90?

Two screens are having a go. Are we going to finish at £90?

-No, we're not.

-Madam, I may come back to you and say,

"For this lovely frame would you bid me £100?"

-Yes, go on. Have another.

-Come on!

-You're looking at each other.

Go on, it's a lovely thing and you won't see many

pieces of silver from Boots. At £100, the lady's bid at 100.

Is the internet now out?

I'm with the lady in the room at £100 for the frame and I'll sell it.

-GAVEL BANGS

-Well done, girls. £100. Hoo-rah-rah.

Plus 25. That's what we like to see.

-Wow.

-Now, you've got the compacts.

These must make more than £40, please.

So, now we have 113.

We have two powder compacts there.

One is by Stratton, good Birmingham firm.

Another one with the little musical movement. Who's got £20 for those?

That will be for nothing. Straightaway, a hand at no mistake

at 20. Do I see 5? At 25, sir, 25.

30, 5? 40, 5?

No? 40 at the very back then at 40.

-Go on.

-It's still a good lot.

At 40. I'm sure there's mileage in it. Who will have 45?

-£40 and we'll sell.

-Oh, one more.

-41?

-GAVEL BANGS

-40 sold.

40. Bad luck. You've wiped your face, that's fair enough.

No profit, no loss, no pain, no shame.

Now we have lot 114.

This is a lovely little suite of furniture for the cabinet

and would you believe with all the interest,

-I can start it straight off here at £60.

-That's what we like.

Do I see 5?

Look, she's bidding. She's straight in.

-I'm now with the lady at 75. Commission is out.

-You're in profit.

-80, sir, standing. 5, madam, surely.

-Go on, madam.

It's 80 with the gentleman standing at the very back.

Are you sure, madam?

-Will you not have one more?

-One more, go on.

I'm with the gentleman then standing at the back of the room.

At £80 and I'll sell.

£80. That's very nice. Thank you very much.

That's plus 12 so you had 25, 35... You have plus 37 now.

Your big decision now is you can part with 37,

-which is a nice bit of profit, right?

-Mm-hm.

Nice for anybody to take home, that's folding money,

or you can go with the Essex crystals. What are you going to do?

-We both like them.

-The worst we could do is lose £20, isn't it?

-We both love them.

-You both love them.

Anyway, you have plus 37 so that's brilliant

and we're going with the bonus buy and here it comes.

We now have lot 118, the little 1920s, '30s gilt metal

and glass cufflinks in the Essex crystal-style there,

in the Harrods box. £50 will start me. Straightaway and 5.

Thank you. 55. Who's got 60? I should think so.

-Look at that, Kate.

-Yes!

-At 55...

-You can spot them, Bliss.

I'll take another. At £55 with me here and I'll sell.

60, 5, 70?

Have another. 65. Oh, go on.

I bullied you before but can I bully you again? At £65.

-I'm on the book at 65 and I'll sell.

-I think I might faint.

-Oh, don't.

-I'll sell them for 65.

Are you all done? Are you all sure? They're away.

-GAVEL BANGS

-65.

Fine. So, that means you've made a profit amazingly of £45.

Well done, Kate, on your bonus buy, which takes the total to plus £82.

-How cool is that?

-Brilliant.

-I mean, that's, like, seriously cool.

-Anyway, the cool thing is...

-Amazed.

-Amazed? But very happy, right?

-Yes.

I bet. Well done, Kate.

Anyway, say not a thing to the Reds, all right? Well done, girls.

-Chill.

-Well done. Have a quick fan.

Well, well, well, well, well.

Are we on the same planet, these two teams?

-Have you been chatting at all about the score?

-No.

No? You just can't believe they've been shopping in the same place

and selling in the same place all according to the performance

-because today the Reds are the runners-up by a long chalk.

-Really?

-Really.

-Really?

Minus 196, that's what it is.

-I mean, you spent 253 and you lost 196 of it...

-Well, you know.

..which is pretty cool, isn't it really?

-Anyway, I'm not going to go through the Reds' score.

-No, please don't.

-It just hasn't been your day, has it?

-No, no, don't.

You two have laughed from beginning to end on this programme

and we've loved having you on it,

-I have to say.

-It's been great.

-We have enjoyed it.

-Yeah, exactly.

-Every minute.

-Thank you very much

for coming and giving us such fun

cos I'm going to hand out profit, substantial profit,

-of £82 to the Blues.

-THEY CHEER

So look at that, it's a £50 note, that one, and the two.

Look at that. You nearly made a profit on all three items.

Two profits and a wiped face is very, very close

to the territory that a lot of people aspire to.

-Congratulations.

-Thank you.

-It's been wonderful.

Well, why not have a little bit of a bird's-eye at our website?

It's a good place to go

-and of course join us soon for some more Bargain Hunting, yes?

-Yes!