Episode 2 Auction Hero


Episode 2

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Right now, all of us are feeling the pinch

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and our nation's charities are no exception.

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It's difficult to give as much as we used to

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and sadly it's the small charities that are suffering the most.

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It is a struggle to find extra money.

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I'm up to my limit. I can't work any harder than what I'm doing.

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These charities are run by volunteers

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who dedicate their lives to helping others.

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One adult, one child?

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That's correct, yep.

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'My life is a world away from Britain's struggling charities,

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'but now I want to give something back.

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'My name is Andrew Lamberty. I'm an international antiques dealer

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'based in London's Belgravia.

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'I find beautiful, esoteric, unusual, amazing things.'

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I've found a collection of glass eyes.

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I buy them and I sell them.

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'But now I think I can use my talent for buying art and antiques...'

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-550, is it.

-No. Well, 500 is it.

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'..to sell to my wealthy clients...'

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That has actually seen the Cuban Missile Crisis.

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'..and give the profits to these heroic small charities.'

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-Always go round the front of the horse.

-Hi.

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'But it's not going to be easy.

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'The recession has hit the antiques trade too...'

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Well, they're not right for this room.

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1,600 quid.

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MAN SIGHS

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In isolation, I probably wouldn't buy either of these.

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'..and making money is harder than ever before.'

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When the market was really buoyant, people would have to have your

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arm off for those, cos otherwise someone else would buy them.

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'I've given myself just three months to make the money

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'the charities need.

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'So I'm going to bid at auction, travel overseas to trade fairs

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'and even organise a special auction evening.'

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I am going to sell, thank you!

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CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

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'And rather than keeping the money, I'll give all the profits

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'to these small charities who make Britain a better place.'

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This represents changed lives, Andrew, it does.

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'I've been buying and selling art and antiques for the past 20 years.

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'Today I have a gallery in Belgravia,

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'but it hasn't been easy to get here.'

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Started as a van driver for a local auction house.

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I think my opening salary was 45 quid a week.

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I then left and worked for a dealer and in the evenings

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and at the weekends, I went to auctions

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and I started buying and selling, trading.

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Pine trunks, 50 quid, sell for 70 and it was graft.

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We call it in the trade "grocering", just simple buying and selling.

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And, you know, there was passion behind it, but I can't say

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the goods were particularly exceptional at that stage of my career.

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When you're driving around in a van that cost you 500 quid

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and you're driving 60,000 miles a year,

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you're on a steep learning curve and you're learning the value of money.

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'With some expert help, I've selected two small charities

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'whose donations are drying up.

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'In each case, I'm putting up my own money

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'to buy and sell art and antiques.

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'I'll do the work, the charities will get all the profits.

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'The first charity has brought me north of the border to Aberdeen.

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'In Britain, more than a million disabled people live alone

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'and this charity, called Future Choices,

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'provides a community club to bring disabled people together.

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'It's run by David Forbes, who's turned his own

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'family crisis into a reason to help others.'

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I was actually working. I got told to come through to the office

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and my manager at the time said,

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"Your mum's been rushed into hospital.

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"There's a taxi coming for you straight away."

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I realised it was a lot worse than that, cos you don't just get a taxi

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straight for you if it's just a fall.

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And I went into the room to see her lying on the bed, motionless.

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Seeing this person you've always called Mum lying there

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and then the doctor said that she'd been clinically dead...

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I was there...

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I was there all the time,

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by her side, talking a load of rubbish.

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It was three, four days down the line that nothing was happening.

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The machines was beeping and everything,

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the machines were keeping her there.

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And then there was one minute and her eyelash started to flicker and

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I've never shouted for the doctor so, so fast and so quick in my life.

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And then, when I went back in, she looked at me

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and I kind of thought... I didn't know what to expect,

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I didn't know if she was going to recognise me or who I was.

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And then when she said... silently whispered, "Hi, David."

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Nobody thought she would come through it and she did.

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They did some tests and it proved that she had a condition

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called hypoxic brain injury,

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and in English and broken-down terms,

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that's basically short-term memory loss.

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So it's made her require full-time, 24-hour care

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and so I decided to take the plunge, so to say.

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And a lot of people say that I was ridiculously stupid

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and, at such a young age,

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you're only mid-20 your life's just starting.

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But I decided to take care of her and eight years later,

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something like that, I love every minute of it.

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When the council was forced to reduce disability care

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because of budget cuts, David set up this charity to plug the gap.

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Not only does the charity provide a weekly social group,

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they also run a minibus to collect members from their homes.

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It was bought second hand and now needs vital repairs

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to keep it on the road.

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Without it, most of the members would be stranded at home, alone.

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-Hello.

-Hello.

-I'm Andrew.

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Hi, I'm David, I'm the chairman of Future Choices charity.

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Hello, nice to meet you.

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I'm obviously here to learn a little bit about the set-up

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of what you do and how you operate and what you need.

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People come here to socialise and they get to do activities,

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so it's kind of like being back at school.

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They can have a good old laugh and joke, catch up.

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Are a lot of them on their own for the rest of the week?

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Yeah, so this is the only time they get to see their friends.

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It is vital.

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It's a great place to come to, because you make new friends,

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you actually meet folk and you'd remember.

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Yes. I mean, we all need things to live for.

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I mean, would you say that you live for coming here?

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Oh, yes. Definitely.

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On a scale of one to ten, how important is it to you?

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-Ten.

-It is. Well, that was a quick answer, that was easy.

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'Another thing that struck me about the charity

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'was the number of young people volunteering.'

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It kind of seems really commendable that young people

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are coming and helping, you know.

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I think more young people should generally do it,

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cos it's a good thing to get into,

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it's not really any stress to do it and it's good to help out

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-other people that maybe aren't as fortunate as yourself.

-Yeah.

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It's just something good to do, really.

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I'm learning what kind of difficulties people

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have got in life, you know what I mean?

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It's not easy going out there

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and trying to push yourself in a wheelchair.

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You know, it's not easy using a walking stick either.

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I can see these people with the disabilities they've

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got are benefiting a great deal from coming here.

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Not only that, terrific group of volunteers who are energetic

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and generous-spirited and I want to match that generosity of spirit

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and I want to contribute something here myself.

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'David runs this charity on just £5,500 a year.'

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So, what an interesting morning.

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I now need to know what you need

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and what kind of target I need to set myself.

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One thing that springs to mind automatically is our bus.

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It is second hand.

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Always something to pay for to keep it running,

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to keep it legally on the road, et cetera.

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To pick up members, to take them to our class.

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So I'm looking for, say, 1,500 for the bus,

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just to keep the bus on the road.

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And then there's the social interaction and recreational

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activities and I would like a cinema screen, cos not

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a lot of people can go out into the town centre to go to the cinema, and

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a lot of our members would be over the moon in having a cinema screen

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so they can come together,

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very community-based group, come together.

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That would probably set us a target of around about £1,000.

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So we have to shake on that,

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on getting you £2,500, if I possibly can.

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And I shall go and head south and see what I can do.

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OK, thank you very much. Good seeing you.

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-My pleasure.

-Thank you.

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'The bus is only just on the road.

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'David needs money for it as soon as possible.

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'Six years ago, making money was easy,

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'but even my wealthy customers are cutting back these days.

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'So there are no guarantees, and the market goes dead in January,

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'so I have to make the deals before Christmas,

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'which is three months away.'

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I'm going to buy a number of items that I think I can trade quickly.

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I'm going to use everything at my disposal to buy really

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well on behalf of these charities. I'm going to go to little auctions,

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I'm going to go to trade fairs, I'm going to get my address book out

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to make the most sales I possibly can,

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get into my private clients.

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And I'm going to have a big charity auction

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coming up to Christmas, cos that's the way to make the big money.

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'I absolutely love antique globes.

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'Not only are they beautiful objects

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'but they tell us so much about the way the world has changed.

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'Previously, the most valuable globes documented the age

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'of exploration, but I've spotted a rare and rather different one that's

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'coming up for auction in Cirencester

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'that is out of this world.'

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It's a globe of Mars and it's a big one.

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It's very rare, I've never seen one as big.

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I'm hoping it's in good condition.

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I don't know, if you've seen a lot of globes, like I have,

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you get more interested in the quirky, rarer ones.

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So celestial globes, so the ones with the stars and

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the heavens, they're rather nice and they're always dark blue or black.

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And then the moon ones are very attractive, as well,

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and they were brought out after the lunar landings in 1969.

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You tend to gravitate towards the rare things, the unusual.

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And Mars globes are rare and unusual.

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'If the Mars globe is as good as I'm hoping, I should be able to

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'sell it on quickly to make a profit for the disabled community group.

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'I found an error in the catalogue.

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'That puts me at a distinct advantage,

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'as rival buyers are likely to overlook it.

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'In the antiques trade we call that a sleeper.'

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I must read you the catalogue description.

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"A good moon globe.

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"Unsigned and unlabelled by the maker.

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"Printed with named craters, mountain ranges,

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"valley seas and other distinctive features on stand."

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It's red. It's the Red Planet.

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The clue's in the colour.

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HE LAUGHS

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So it's a Mars, not a moon.

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'Today's a viewing day for dealers at this auction house which

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'specialises in historical artefacts and I'm in heaven.'

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Look at these.

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They're heavy, eh? Sorry, I'm meant to be looking for a globe,

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but I got distracted by machine guns. That's a...

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That is a rare Lewis gun.

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Look at that.

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Look at that.

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Have a look at this.

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I rather like the old signs for buses and Tubes.

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In fact, I bought... Last year,

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I bought about ten of the old enamel

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Tube signs and they were really lovely.

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I made them into kitchen tables and they sold like that.

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CLICKS FINGERS

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Some quite interesting kit here,

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but I can't find what I'm looking for yet. So try another room.

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Some seats from Concorde.

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'Concorde has its own collectors' market.

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'I once bought and sold the iconic nose cone, which was

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'a beautiful object, and I made a tidy profit.

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'But the seats, they're not pretty, so they're not saleable.

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'This is better. A wind tunnel model from the '60s.'

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A big one, as well. Nice, interesting.

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But the nose is down on the front,

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which is kind of not so attractive.

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'Right, back to what I've come here to find, the Mars globe.'

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Brilliant, the lot's really well hidden and it's basically been

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dumped under a girder in the corner and you can't see it.

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Oooh!

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It's nice!

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'This is one of the first ever globes of Mars,

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'with surface features provided by NASA's Mariner 4.'

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I don't want to attract too much attention to myself here.

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Let's view this quickly.

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It dates from the 1960s.

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That's a big Mars.

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'Sorry, I've got to say it - with globes, size is important'.

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Well, Scotland have lucked out today.

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Let's get out of here. There's more people coming.

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I really love it when you turn something up like this.

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It's like shucking oysters, isn't it, and then, "Whoa, pearl!

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"Result!"

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So what I'm going to do later on today is I'll book a telephone line

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and they will phone me live in the auction and I will bid live.

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Top limit's a grand.

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I don't want to pay a grand. I want to nick it,

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I want to nick it for 250 quid.

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PHONE RINGS

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OK, this is the auction house.

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The globes, great, thank you. The globe, yep.

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Yes, bid, good. Come in any time you like.

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150, we'll have that, yep, bid, bid, bid.

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Yes, go.

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220. Yes.

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Just bid 500.

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Oh, did you? Oh, thank you, was it my bid?

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Oh, goodness, I thought it was against me

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and I was going to try and blow them out.

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OK, we got it, done.

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Often a good tactic in a auction,

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if it's kind of like you're going from 300, 320, 340, 360, 380

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and you get into a habit-forming thing where the person just bids.

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Whereas if you actually stop them up by going, "No, actually,"

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bang, put in a big top bid, that normally holds them up.

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But he said actually they'd fallen out and that it was mine

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at £420, so yes, bought.

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'I'm on my way to meet the second small charity I'd like to help.'

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And I guess, in a way, these people are broadly similar to myself

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when I first started out.

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They are individuals with a passion or a drive who care

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particularly for something.

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In this case, it's not a business, but a charitable cause.

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'I'm going to use my expertise in the antiques business to help

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'the people who spend their lives helping others.

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'In Gosport on the South coast, Steve Dent

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'and his volunteers run a food bank on just £7,500 a year.

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'Relying on donations from the local community,

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'they provide emergency food parcels for families in crisis.'

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So, Steve, do you think demand is increasing, stayed the same?

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It's been increasing year on year,

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but this year we saw a significant increase.

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You think that's down to the economy?

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Yes, yeah, undoubtedly.

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It's difficult to actually pinpoint if there's one particular thing,

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but we've saw a 40% increase compared to the same time last year.

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And that's not just cos you're reaching out to more people more successfully?

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I don't think so, no.

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I just think the demand, the need, has just grown to that level now.

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'Across Britain, the number of food banks has DOUBLED in the past year.

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'This charity operates from the back

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'of a second-hand furniture warehouse.'

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Full of particularly choice furniture, yeah.

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We are not in Belgravia.

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'Because of the increased demand,

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'the existing storage space for food is now too small.

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'Eileen is one of the charity's 30 volunteers.'

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I've come to have a look at your setup today.

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We'd like a bigger place,

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we'd like a place where we can speak to the clients more.

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Yeah, it's a bit public here, isn't it?

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They find it embarrassing enough coming along.

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'Mark is one of 2,500 people in the Gosport area who use

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'the food bank every year.'

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-Oh, hi.

-Hello, love.

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I've got a voucher.

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Thanks. Have you been before, Mark?

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-Yes.

-You have.

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And it's one adult and one child?

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That's correct, yep.

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OK, won't keep you long. There's a seat there,

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-if you want to have a sit down, but won't be long.

-OK, thank you.

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So how do you end up... I mean, I know it's personal thing,

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but how do you end up stuck in a corner like you've...

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Well, I was in privately rented accommodation. Landlord decided

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-he wanted to put his house on the market, so we had to move out.

-Yeah.

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And the council said the only place they've got at the moment,

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until they re-house us, is a family hostel.

0:17:380:17:42

-Right.

-All the food I had, like, frozen has been like defrosted now

0:17:420:17:47

-cos there's no freezers at the hostel.

-OK.

0:17:470:17:49

Basically, whatever I get here today, obviously,

0:17:490:17:52

is going to help this week, until next week when I get paid.

0:17:520:17:54

Right, so how long do you think you'll be there?

0:17:540:17:56

Well, they said, "Up to four months, you could be there."

0:17:560:18:00

-Four months?

-Yeah.

-Wow, OK. Good luck, Mark.

0:18:000:18:02

-Thank you very much.

-And have a nice journey home.

0:18:020:18:05

And thank you very much for the food.

0:18:050:18:07

-You're very welcome.

-Bye, Mark.

-Thank you very much.

0:18:070:18:10

-Hope it goes well for you.

-Thank you, see you later.

-Bye.

-Bye.

0:18:100:18:14

It was bit of an eye-opener to meet Mark.

0:18:140:18:18

It's not that easy to witness it, actually. It's not that, you know...

0:18:180:18:22

It's slightly uncomfortable, cos it's...

0:18:220:18:25

You know, you feel very sorry for people

0:18:270:18:31

who've arrived at that kind of position in life.

0:18:310:18:36

I feel very lucky, feel a bit guilty to be so lucky.

0:18:360:18:39

Steve, thank you for asking me down here today.

0:18:420:18:45

It's been an eye-opener meeting Mark, talking with him,

0:18:450:18:48

talking with Eileen.

0:18:480:18:51

Now, what do you need?

0:18:510:18:53

Well, as you've seen, where we

0:18:530:18:55

currently are is just totally unsuitable.

0:18:550:18:58

We just can't support the need.

0:18:580:19:00

What we need is basically to move

0:19:000:19:02

and we're under a tight timescale, really.

0:19:020:19:05

I guess, you know, we're going to have to move within the next

0:19:050:19:08

three, three and a half months if we're going to be able to continue.

0:19:080:19:11

So you want to move. What's it going to cost and what do you...?

0:19:110:19:14

Well, probably in the region of about £2,000 in terms

0:19:140:19:19

of running costs, I guess.

0:19:190:19:21

There's the cost of moving and the cost of rent.

0:19:210:19:25

And then probably, you know, another thousand pounds, I guess,

0:19:250:19:29

in terms of being able to get set up.

0:19:290:19:32

OK, so I've got it clear,

0:19:320:19:35

you need £3,000 to move

0:19:350:19:38

and get a new place set up

0:19:380:19:41

and you need that money in three and a half months' time.

0:19:410:19:45

So I'm up against it on the time a little bit, as well?

0:19:450:19:48

OK, well, I'll have to bear that in mind.

0:19:480:19:51

That puts me under a bit of time pressure, but I'm sure I'll cope.

0:19:510:19:54

I will do my very best.

0:19:540:19:56

Oh, bless you, thank you. That'll be fabulous.

0:19:560:19:58

All right, well, I'm going to depart back for town.

0:19:580:20:01

'Steve is on a deadline to move and I've only got three months to make

0:20:010:20:04

'the money he needs, as the antiques market shuts down at Christmas.'

0:20:040:20:08

'I regularly go to Paris on buying trips for my business so, while

0:20:110:20:15

'I'm there, I can be on the lookout

0:20:150:20:17

'for my first item for the food bank.'

0:20:170:20:20

I'm here in Paris, the palaces of the Louvre to my left,

0:20:200:20:23

formerly the seats of the kings of France.

0:20:230:20:25

They were the wealthiest people in the world

0:20:250:20:27

in the 17th and 18th centuries.

0:20:270:20:29

It's not lost on me that I'm now here shopping for Steve

0:20:290:20:31

and some of the most disadvantaged people in our country.

0:20:310:20:35

'I've come to one of my favourite hunting grounds,

0:20:370:20:39

'the Marche aux Puces on the northern edge of the city.

0:20:390:20:42

'It's the biggest flea market in the world with over 2,000 stalls

0:20:420:20:46

'and a huge variety of items on offer.'

0:20:460:20:48

Great place to visit.

0:20:500:20:52

You always feel a sense of anticipation coming up here.

0:20:520:20:54

There's a lot of gear to look at and you always,

0:20:540:20:56

always find something interesting here.

0:20:560:20:59

It's inspiring too.

0:20:590:21:00

Few nice little pair of chairs here, always commercial,

0:21:020:21:05

small pair of chairs.

0:21:050:21:07

These little chairs are called salon chairs.

0:21:070:21:10

Now, 18th or 19th century?

0:21:100:21:12

I know what they are just looking at them from here.

0:21:120:21:15

First thing, style is 18th century, Louis XVI.

0:21:150:21:19

This, stylistically, first came about in about 1780.

0:21:190:21:25

What you want to do, though, is you want to look underneath the seat

0:21:250:21:27

in here and you see that's cut by a machine, not by hand.

0:21:270:21:30

If it's hand cut it's all serrated and rough,

0:21:300:21:32

that would mean it's 18th century.

0:21:320:21:34

If you look at the top here, it would be pegged here and here if it

0:21:340:21:38

was an 18th century chair.

0:21:380:21:39

This one is just tenoned through the joint.

0:21:390:21:41

So, these, 18th or 19th century?

0:21:410:21:44

19th, these came from about 18...

0:21:460:21:49

Ah, here we are.

0:21:490:21:50

These date from about 1890, 1880.

0:21:500:21:53

Smooth seat rail,

0:21:530:21:55

wear on the bottom of the feet, not too much.

0:21:550:21:57

Nice original paintwork,

0:21:570:22:00

but 120 years old, not 220 years old.

0:22:000:22:04

I would only buy a 19th century chair if it was absolutely

0:22:040:22:08

exceptional, a very interesting, quirky piece of design.

0:22:080:22:12

Otherwise, the market is stronger in the 18th century.

0:22:120:22:18

'I need to find an item that I can sell quickly.

0:22:180:22:22

'Time is ticking and I need to make the food bank £3,000.'

0:22:220:22:26

I've found a collection of glass eyes,

0:22:260:22:29

old glass eyes.

0:22:290:22:30

Judging from the box, I think they'd be around the turn of

0:22:300:22:35

the last century, about 1900.

0:22:350:22:38

They're fabulous. There's something really surreal about them.

0:22:380:22:41

'The box is covered in shagreen, which is stingray skin,

0:22:410:22:44

'and always an indication of quality.

0:22:440:22:46

'It become fashionable, again, from 1900.'

0:22:460:22:49

Vous m'avez dit mille cinq cents?

0:22:490:22:51

Mille cinq cents.

0:22:510:22:53

So these are 1,500. They're not cheap but it's given me an idea.

0:22:530:22:56

Today I think I might build a collection for Steve.

0:22:560:22:59

That might be the way forward.

0:22:590:23:00

When you put a lot of similar objects together, there's

0:23:000:23:04

an added value in there and make the objects really more appealing.

0:23:040:23:08

OK, we're in here.

0:23:150:23:16

This is fantastic.

0:23:160:23:18

Really nice collections

0:23:200:23:23

of starburst mirrors dating from the 1940s.

0:23:230:23:25

They're metal spiky ones and they're really cool.

0:23:250:23:28

I recently sold a set of ten of these for £11,000.

0:23:280:23:33

Oh, let's have a look at this fella.

0:23:330:23:36

OK, this one, condition-wise,

0:23:360:23:38

is what we don't want.

0:23:380:23:40

That's all rusted and oxidising

0:23:400:23:42

and the gilding's gone off it.

0:23:420:23:44

Nice plate, you do want that pitting on a plate there.

0:23:440:23:47

That's a nice old mercury gilded plate.

0:23:470:23:49

Let's have a look at the back.

0:23:490:23:50

Probably an original back, but it's not stamped.

0:23:500:23:53

I bet one of these is stamped.

0:23:530:23:54

Let's find one with a stamp.

0:23:540:23:56

'The stamp I'm looking for will read "Chaty Vallauris" after

0:23:560:23:59

'the designer and town of manufacture

0:23:590:24:01

'and is therefore an original.'

0:24:010:24:03

Yes.

0:24:030:24:05

OK, that's got an original back, that one there.

0:24:050:24:08

Gold spray cardboard back, Chaty Vallauris.

0:24:080:24:13

You should always look at the back of a piece of furniture.

0:24:130:24:15

Look at its oxidation, grub, general rusting from use.

0:24:150:24:20

You'd look for some wear on the hook where it'd been hung up,

0:24:200:24:22

obviously got some old dents.

0:24:220:24:24

You can tell it's an old one.

0:24:240:24:26

There's also a very rare one, which will be the centre of the

0:24:260:24:29

collection, which is an oval shape. I've never seen an oval one before.

0:24:290:24:32

I know I shouldn't get excited about an oval sunburst mirror, but I can.

0:24:320:24:38

Including the oval one behind me,

0:24:380:24:42

I would like to buy... I've looked around and I'd like to buy nine.

0:24:420:24:46

The price, it's...

0:24:460:24:48

Nine... 2,700.

0:24:480:24:52

For nine, let's call it 2,500.

0:24:520:24:56

-No, no, no.

-No?

0:24:560:24:58

No, because I buy sometimes 200,

0:24:580:25:01

sometimes I pay 250.

0:25:010:25:03

When I sell for 200, I will only...

0:25:030:25:06

So you want 2,700, but that includes this oval one here?

0:25:060:25:09

Yes, this is one I sell for the same price,

0:25:090:25:11

the big one I make the same price.

0:25:110:25:13

-OK.

-And sometimes I don't win.

0:25:130:25:15

'At just under £2,200 they are a really good buy.

0:25:150:25:20

'And I've got a client in mind.

0:25:200:25:22

Those...

0:25:220:25:23

'I'm back in Britain with my haul of mirrors in the back of the van.

0:25:280:25:31

'I've bought them at a great price. Let's hope I can sell them

0:25:310:25:35

'for an even better one.

0:25:350:25:37

'I'm meeting James Perkins at his country house

0:25:370:25:40

'to try and make a sale.

0:25:400:25:42

'He's a collector with eclectic tastes

0:25:420:25:44

'who made his money as a rave promoter in the '90s.

0:25:440:25:48

'I need to move these mirrors on quickly

0:25:480:25:51

'so I'm looking to sell for around £3,500, £4,000.'

0:25:510:25:55

I mean they're '40s/'50s. French, from Vallauris.

0:25:550:25:59

A few of them have the original backs on with the stamped label.

0:25:590:26:03

That's the really rare one, that oval one there.

0:26:040:26:07

That's a really nice one.

0:26:070:26:08

Yes, I've never seen an oval one.

0:26:080:26:10

I mean, my only comment would be they all seem to be quite

0:26:100:26:15

similar types of starbursts.

0:26:150:26:17

Hmmm... No, that one's round.

0:26:170:26:19

No, but you know in the way that they're detailed,

0:26:190:26:22

they all seem to have this sort of roping around.

0:26:220:26:24

With the rope twist, yeah?

0:26:240:26:25

Let me get up on a chair and have a look up here,

0:26:250:26:29

cos I think that's the only way you're going to get to see them.

0:26:290:26:31

Well, the thing that I obviously have to ask is - how much are they?

0:26:310:26:36

Well, you know I want to look after you.

0:26:360:26:39

3,800 quid for the lot.

0:26:390:26:42

I mean, can I ask you what they cost you?

0:26:440:26:47

You can, but I'd probably lie.

0:26:470:26:50

HE LAUGHS

0:26:500:26:52

See, that's honesty between friends, you see.

0:26:520:26:54

Err...

0:26:540:26:56

Hmm...

0:26:580:27:00

Well, look, they're very interesting.

0:27:000:27:02

I think it's a bloody good look as well,

0:27:020:27:04

and it's not a look that I've covered.

0:27:040:27:06

That's the thing... I say I haven't covered it,

0:27:060:27:08

-we're looking at a giant convex behind the polar bears.

-Yes, yeah.

0:27:080:27:12

-So shall we go and see if we can find a place for them?

-Mmm.

0:27:120:27:15

And then you can beat me up on the price.

0:27:150:27:19

Well, that's good.

0:27:190:27:20

I've learnt something - there's room for margin.

0:27:200:27:23

There you are, I thought I'd better just feed that one out.

0:27:230:27:26

Let me have a think on it.

0:27:260:27:28

I don't want to talk myself into it if it doesn't work.

0:27:280:27:31

Back in the day, when the market was really buoyant,

0:27:310:27:34

people would have to have your arm off for those,

0:27:340:27:36

cos otherwise someone else would just buy them.

0:27:360:27:39

I'd put them in the window of my gallery, they'd be gone. 24 hours, bang, done.

0:27:390:27:42

And for quite a lot more money.

0:27:420:27:44

But we are in more cautious times. There's less money about,

0:27:440:27:47

people are more cautious and they know they can drive a good bargain.

0:27:470:27:50

He knows it. He knows I know it.

0:27:500:27:54

'It's not lost on me,

0:27:560:27:58

'the contrast between James' millionaire pile

0:27:580:28:00

'and the food bank I'm trying to help.

0:28:000:28:03

'I've left the mirrors with James so he can decide

0:28:050:28:08

'whether to buy them or not.

0:28:080:28:10

'Let's hope he does the decent thing.'

0:28:100:28:13

'The Mars globe that I bought for the disabled community group

0:28:180:28:22

'in Aberdeen has arrived from the auction house.'

0:28:220:28:26

OK, well, I'll see you tomorrow night anyway...

0:28:260:28:28

'The charity needs £2,500 to keep their bus on the road.'

0:28:280:28:32

CAR ENGINE SPLUTTERS

0:28:320:28:35

Jim has been a volunteer driver for the charity

0:28:390:28:42

since his disabled wife joined the group six months ago.

0:28:420:28:45

This bus, it needs a new fuel tank.

0:28:470:28:51

We can only put half a tank of fuel in it.

0:28:510:28:55

And it needs new heaters for starting the engine in the frost.

0:28:550:28:59

And it's due an MOT in two or three months.

0:28:590:29:04

It will fail its MOT without spending money on it.

0:29:050:29:08

Cos I used to be an MOT tester.

0:29:100:29:12

HE LAUGHS

0:29:120:29:15

The bus is a vital resource for the members who have mobility problems.

0:29:150:29:19

Without it, they wouldn't be able to come to the community group.

0:29:190:29:23

DAVID: 'They've already told me they're scared to lose the service.

0:29:230:29:26

'If they lose the service, they have nothing left and I just can't...

0:29:260:29:30

'I can't even think like that.'

0:29:300:29:32

If we had £2,500, it would just be amazing.

0:29:320:29:37

I mean, we would allocate £1,500 - it's a nice figure.

0:29:370:29:43

We would have that for the bus, which I can't express how much...

0:29:430:29:48

..that would mean, especially to the members.

0:29:500:29:53

These people don't have anything

0:29:530:29:56

and because they're on benefits,

0:29:560:29:59

to have that kind of money to be given to us for the charity

0:29:590:30:03

for us to spend on them...

0:30:030:30:05

it would just... It would just be amazing.

0:30:050:30:07

My fundraising team wouldn't stop fighting, my fundraising team

0:30:070:30:10

would still be out there tomorrow getting as much things as

0:30:100:30:13

they can, but it would be a morale boost for them and it would be

0:30:130:30:17

a great boost of confidence and self esteem for the members.

0:30:170:30:21

'It's now October. I've got just two months to make both charities

0:30:270:30:30

'the money they need before the market goes quiet at Christmas.

0:30:300:30:34

'I'm getting a little worried.

0:30:340:30:36

'I've yet to hear from James Perkins about the starburst mirrors

0:30:360:30:39

'and in my business, no news is usually bad news.'

0:30:390:30:44

'I'm back in Paris for another buying trip for my business.'

0:30:480:30:51

Not glamorous Paris, in gritty banlieue Paris.

0:30:510:30:55

This is the Marche aux Puces, the flea market,

0:30:550:30:58

largest antiques market in the world.

0:30:580:31:01

'This is where I bought the starburst mirrors on my last visit

0:31:010:31:04

'so while I'm here, I'll be on the lookout

0:31:040:31:06

'for a companion piece for the Mars globe.

0:31:060:31:08

'Collections have more impact and they're worth more money.'

0:31:080:31:11

I don't know what I'm going to find here.

0:31:110:31:13

This is not stuff that's going to feature on the internet.

0:31:130:31:16

You know, this is graft.

0:31:160:31:17

You have to just do the miles.

0:31:170:31:20

'As yet, I've not made a penny towards the £2,500 the charity

0:31:200:31:24

'needs to keep the bus on the road.'

0:31:240:31:26

So you can see, there's a huge variety of stands here

0:31:260:31:30

selling all sorts of things.

0:31:300:31:32

'My strategy is to find pieces I can sell on quickly for profit.

0:31:320:31:37

'That means not paying over the odds.'

0:31:370:31:40

I like the look of this one.

0:31:400:31:42

Le prix?

0:31:440:31:45

OK, merci.

0:31:470:31:49

So this is a very nice lamp by Pierre Giraudon and he

0:31:490:31:53

pioneered making resin by putting

0:31:530:31:56

large volts of electricity through

0:31:560:31:58

it as it was drying and then that creates that kind of fractured look.

0:31:580:32:03

He started as a chemist, actually,

0:32:030:32:05

and then he became an artist and

0:32:050:32:08

he worked for all the big fashion houses in the '70s,

0:32:080:32:12

refitting shops and things like that.

0:32:120:32:14

And this became terribly fashionable, this look.

0:32:140:32:16

That's a very big one.

0:32:160:32:18

Super cool, but it's 3,500 euros.

0:32:180:32:22

That's a walk-away price.

0:32:230:32:25

Oh, that's a big globe.

0:32:270:32:29

Combien, le monde?

0:32:290:32:31

'The countries aren't labelled, so that tells me it's a military globe

0:32:330:32:36

'and would've been used for basic navigational training by pilots.'

0:32:360:32:40

I think it's expensive.

0:32:400:32:42

I've bought and sold a lot of globes in my life.

0:32:420:32:45

I think I can make a price.

0:32:450:32:48

'I'd say from the look of it's '50s,

0:32:480:32:50

'probably used during the Cold War by the air force or the navy.'

0:32:500:32:54

So what's the best price?

0:32:540:32:56

I can make 900.

0:32:560:32:59

I'd want to pay more like 600 for that.

0:32:590:33:02

I can make 750 cash.

0:33:020:33:05

If we talk livres sterling now,

0:33:050:33:07

cos I have livres sterling in my pocket.

0:33:070:33:09

I mean, I really... 500 is it. 500 sterling.

0:33:090:33:13

OK, give me £550...

0:33:130:33:15

-No, 500.

-550.

-500.

0:33:150:33:18

550 is it.

0:33:180:33:19

No, 500 is it.

0:33:190:33:21

-500?

-Yeah.

0:33:210:33:22

500 is very difficult...

0:33:240:33:29

Hmmm...

0:33:290:33:32

OK, OK, OK.

0:33:320:33:34

Done.

0:33:340:33:35

500 is good.

0:33:350:33:37

Ambush. Thank you. OK, I'm happy.

0:33:370:33:40

'At £500, I'm guaranteed to make a profit

0:33:450:33:49

'for the disabled community group.

0:33:490:33:50

'I'm going to see a collector who's bought many globes

0:33:500:33:53

'from me in the past.'

0:33:530:33:55

So, this chap.

0:33:550:33:58

I am selling this on behalf of a charity based up in Aberdeen

0:33:580:34:01

who are in need of some funding.

0:34:010:34:03

'Now to talk up the provenance and seal the deal.

0:34:030:34:06

'Where there's a story, there's a profit.'

0:34:060:34:09

So I went to Paris and bought this from a trader there who

0:34:090:34:13

bought it from an American who'd been based in Paris

0:34:130:34:17

all his life who was, I don't know, an admiral.

0:34:170:34:19

That's what he said, anyway.

0:34:190:34:21

So we can actually probably imagine, looking at the date of it,

0:34:210:34:24

from the '50s, that that has

0:34:240:34:26

actually seen the Cuban Missile Crisis.

0:34:260:34:29

Oh, yes, of course, yes.

0:34:290:34:31

It may have been plotting global defence.

0:34:310:34:36

No, it's beautiful. It's rather unusual,

0:34:360:34:38

because there's no names on it, country names.

0:34:380:34:40

No, I think you're expected to know your geography

0:34:400:34:43

if you're a rear admiral in the US Navy.

0:34:430:34:45

So it's them and us.

0:34:450:34:47

-This is a Cold War globe.

-Yes.

0:34:470:34:49

And these military globes are always very plain.

0:34:490:34:53

Sometimes you get just absolutely plain black ones

0:34:530:34:56

which you can chalk on.

0:34:560:34:57

-And rub out as you destroy the opposition.

-That's it.

0:34:570:35:01

Very best on this is...

0:35:020:35:05

750.

0:35:050:35:06

-Fine.

-And I think £750 is a very reasonable price.

0:35:070:35:13

Yeah, no, I think that's fair.

0:35:130:35:14

-I'm a good judge.

-Yeah.

0:35:140:35:16

-So shall we shake on that one?

-I think we've got a deal.

0:35:160:35:18

-Shall we get that done?

-Thank you very much.

0:35:180:35:20

Let's move that out of the way.

0:35:200:35:21

'So I bought that globe in a Paris flea market for £500,

0:35:210:35:25

'I just sold it for 750.'

0:35:250:35:28

It's a good start. It's a profit, I'm on the way.

0:35:280:35:32

'And with Pascal in a buying mood, I've sold him

0:35:320:35:35

'the Mars globe as well, for another £750.'

0:35:350:35:40

And you're now the proud owner of a rather wonderful Mars globe.

0:35:400:35:45

OK, cheers, cheers, bye.

0:35:450:35:47

'With both globes sold quickly, that's almost £500 towards

0:35:490:35:53

'the two and a half grand that the disabled community group

0:35:530:35:56

'need to keep that bus on the road.'

0:35:560:35:58

'But, so far, I have failed in my efforts to make any money

0:36:050:36:09

'for the Gosport food bank.'

0:36:090:36:11

So James didn't buy the starburst mirrors,

0:36:110:36:13

which is pretty disappointing.

0:36:130:36:15

I need to get going with those and get them sold.

0:36:150:36:19

They're a lovely-looking item and I've sold them before,

0:36:190:36:22

so I've got to get my skates on.

0:36:220:36:24

I haven't got long.

0:36:240:36:25

Steve needs to get that food bank open

0:36:250:36:27

and I need to get him the money.

0:36:270:36:29

The Gosport food bank is struggling to keep up with demand.

0:36:320:36:35

Tucked away in the back of a furniture warehouse,

0:36:350:36:38

they desperately need more space so they can continue to operate.

0:36:380:36:42

'Steve and one of the volunteers, Eileen,

0:36:480:36:51

'have invited me down to see their potential new premises.'

0:36:510:36:54

Ah, it's so much better. Look at the light coming in here.

0:36:540:36:57

Yes, yeah, wonderful.

0:36:570:36:59

It's over twice the space of where we currently are

0:36:590:37:02

and we can actually store probably three to four times as much

0:37:020:37:07

food here, which is absolutely wonderful.

0:37:070:37:10

This is the room, Andrew, that we're planning to use as a reception room.

0:37:110:37:16

And to make it more welcoming, we're going to be putting in some sofas.

0:37:160:37:20

I can really feel for these people and want to lift them

0:37:200:37:24

out of the mud that they're in, or whatever you want to call it.

0:37:240:37:30

Just lift their lives, so they can have a better life.

0:37:300:37:34

I have, in the past, had a hard time myself, way back in the past.

0:37:340:37:39

I married young, unfortunately it was not a good marriage...

0:37:390:37:44

but one perseveres.

0:37:440:37:47

We were very hard up. I had two children,

0:37:470:37:50

my first child had cancer

0:37:500:37:53

and eventually died of the cancer...

0:37:530:37:56

..and my husband was leaving me at the same time.

0:37:580:38:01

So...

0:38:010:38:03

It was not a good time in your life.

0:38:030:38:05

No and very, very hard up as well... Excuse me.

0:38:050:38:09

But that was a long time ago and things

0:38:110:38:14

are much, much better. And...

0:38:140:38:17

You bring the joy of your recovery to other people now, really, don't you?

0:38:170:38:20

-Yes, I know...

-You know there's a way.

0:38:200:38:23

Yes, exactly. I know there is a way, things can happen.

0:38:230:38:27

-It's about...

-Oh, come on.

0:38:270:38:30

I'm no nearer to making the food bank the £3,000

0:38:370:38:40

they need to move premises.

0:38:400:38:42

I need to sell these starburst mirrors.

0:38:420:38:45

And I've now just got one month to do it before the antiques market

0:38:450:38:48

shuts down at Christmas.

0:38:480:38:50

This is our dialogue with our customers

0:38:520:38:55

right here and so I thought we'll put these in the window.

0:38:550:39:00

They're quite Christmassy, we're coming up to Christmas,

0:39:020:39:05

they're kind of jewel-like, they're jewellery for your wall.

0:39:050:39:09

And I think they look absolutely terrific

0:39:090:39:13

and I'm hoping we'll stop a bit of traffic.

0:39:130:39:16

You know, people do actually drive past and call us up,

0:39:160:39:18

so it's giving them the best shot they can possibly have.

0:39:180:39:23

'I started in this trade 20 years ago,

0:39:310:39:34

'buying antique boxes for 50 quid and selling them for 70.

0:39:340:39:37

'With time against me, I'm going

0:39:380:39:40

'back to basics to make a quick turn for the food bank.'

0:39:400:39:44

'I'm seeing a local dealer who specialises in antique memento mori.

0:39:460:39:51

'Memento mori is Latin for "remember you will die"

0:39:530:39:58

'and this symbolic reminder has been used

0:39:580:40:01

'mainly in Christian art since medieval times.'

0:40:010:40:03

-Can we have a look at that?

-Yeah.

0:40:030:40:05

Thank you.

0:40:080:40:09

Has it got its liner? Yes.

0:40:090:40:12

This is made from brass, probably late 19th century.

0:40:120:40:17

-What, 1890?

-About right.

-Yep.

0:40:170:40:20

How much is it?

0:40:200:40:21

That's £100.

0:40:210:40:24

So, done.

0:40:240:40:25

OK, thank you. Would you like it wrapped, sir?

0:40:250:40:27

No, I don't need it wrapped, thank you.

0:40:270:40:29

I don't need the full service. Trade price.

0:40:290:40:32

I can take it out on my own.

0:40:320:40:33

'I've got a collector in mind who I'm seeing tomorrow evening.

0:40:330:40:37

'He's a bit of a fan of memento mori and I'm sure he's going to bite.'

0:40:370:40:42

'At the end of our business dinner,

0:40:460:40:48

'I slip the memento mori into the conversation.'

0:40:480:40:51

You see, they remind you of your own mortality,

0:40:510:40:53

they don't do anything to assuage it.

0:40:530:40:55

So you still end up looking like that.

0:40:550:40:58

I'm sure we can shake on...300.

0:40:580:41:01

Well, I'm going to pause for effect,

0:41:030:41:05

but I'm going to take your hand.

0:41:050:41:07

Thank you.

0:41:070:41:09

'That's a quick £200 for the food bank.'

0:41:090:41:12

'And I've had some great news about the starburst mirrors.'

0:41:160:41:20

Sold, yes.

0:41:200:41:22

I got a phone call.

0:41:220:41:23

They left a message on my mobile

0:41:230:41:26

saying they'll take them.

0:41:260:41:29

So we'll invoice those out today.

0:41:290:41:31

Sold for £4,000 for the whole lot.

0:41:310:41:33

So a nice, tidy little profit, actually.

0:41:330:41:37

'Added to the profit for the memento mori, that's £2,000 towards

0:41:370:41:41

'the £3,000 total that the food bank need to move premises.

0:41:410:41:46

'But with less than a month to make the rest of the money,

0:41:460:41:49

'I've now got to turn my attention to the charity auction that I've

0:41:490:41:53

'planned the week before Christmas.

0:41:530:41:56

'My strategy is to buy small, luxury items that will appeal

0:41:560:42:00

'to a festive crowd.

0:42:000:42:01

'I'm hoping in a single night I'll make

0:42:010:42:04

'the rest of the money for both charities.'

0:42:040:42:07

'I'm going to buy for the food bank first and I've spotted

0:42:100:42:13

'a piece of jewellery that's coming up for auction in Monte Carlo.

0:42:130:42:17

'While it would be nice, I don't actually have to be

0:42:180:42:21

'there in person to bid.'

0:42:210:42:23

Phone call from Monte Carlo coming through any moment

0:42:250:42:29

now for a rather lovely gold bracelet.

0:42:290:42:31

'This gold bracelet with pearl inlay from the '70s is the perfect

0:42:310:42:36

'impulse buy for my charity auction and it has a low estimate,

0:42:360:42:40

'so I hope to nick it for less than 1,500 quid.'

0:42:400:42:44

Deuxieme enchere.

0:42:450:42:47

Cinq cents.

0:42:490:42:50

Sept cents.

0:42:560:42:58

-Huit cents.

-Huit cents.

0:42:580:42:59

Oui, OK.

0:42:590:43:01

HE SPEAKS IN FRENCH

0:43:010:43:02

GAVEL BANGS

0:43:020:43:04

That is one beautiful 1970s gold and pearl bracelet.

0:43:040:43:08

Very wearable, very chic, Parisian chic.

0:43:080:43:11

'And at just under £1,400, it's a sure winner.'

0:43:110:43:15

'From Monte Carlo to Paris for my next buy for the food bank.'

0:43:230:43:27

-Bonjour.

-Ca va?

0:43:280:43:31

'It's a piece by French modernist sculptor Philippe Hiquily.'

0:43:310:43:35

A long time. It's called the Roberts, you know about it.

0:43:350:43:38

Yes, let me just say I can translate that, but I won't.

0:43:380:43:41

But if you think about the first thing that comes into your head

0:43:410:43:44

when you see this sculpture, that is the title.

0:43:440:43:46

'Hiquily has been exhibited at the Guggenheim in New York

0:43:460:43:49

'and the Pompidou Centre here in Paris.

0:43:490:43:52

'This piece is made of Perspex and polished bronze.'

0:43:520:43:55

Hiquily, he's quite irreverent, isn't it?

0:43:550:43:57

It's always quite naughty and it's quite sexual and...

0:43:570:44:02

Yes it was, he was.

0:44:020:44:03

And the furniture's very organic, and that's his style, isn't it?

0:44:030:44:07

Like this one, I mean, this is obvious what it is

0:44:070:44:10

-but you know, it's kind of... It's kind of fun.

-Yeah.

0:44:100:44:13

You look at that and you know it's naughty and it makes you smile

0:44:130:44:17

and it's quite sexy too.

0:44:170:44:19

It is sexy and the title of the sculpture, Les Roberts,

0:44:190:44:24

-in French means tits.

-Yeah, I know....

0:44:240:44:26

And a lot of sculptures,

0:44:260:44:31

his work, is turn on erotic things.

0:44:310:44:36

-Erotic things.

-Yeah.

0:44:360:44:37

Hiquily is not well-known in the UK except by people like me

0:44:370:44:42

who are, you know...

0:44:420:44:43

Collectionneur.

0:44:430:44:45

Informed, yeah.

0:44:450:44:46

He's more famous in New York.

0:44:460:44:49

Come on, then, let's cut to some pricing.

0:44:490:44:52

What are you asking for it in here, in the gallery?

0:44:520:44:55

You know, my dear Andrew,

0:44:550:44:57

-the price, le prix public...

-Oui.

0:44:570:45:00

-..is 10,000 euro.

-Yes.

0:45:010:45:04

And the prix special pour le client special?

0:45:040:45:08

The prix special is something like 6,000

0:45:080:45:13

and I won't go under that.

0:45:130:45:14

Jean-Marc, 6,000 is a very friendly price.

0:45:140:45:18

Thank you, you have a deal.

0:45:180:45:19

OK.

0:45:190:45:21

'Although Hiquily is less well-known in Britain, I'm inviting

0:45:210:45:24

'a number of international clients to the charity auction

0:45:240:45:27

'and at 6,000 euros, that's a fantastic price.'

0:45:270:45:31

With the sculpture and the gold bracelet bought for the food bank,

0:45:370:45:40

I hope to make the additional £1,000 I need to reach my £3,000 target.

0:45:400:45:45

'Now I'm turning my attention to the disabled community group.

0:45:450:45:49

'So far, I've made just under £500 from selling the Mars globe

0:45:490:45:53

'and the military globe.

0:45:530:45:55

'But they need £2,500 to repair their minibus.

0:45:550:46:00

'So I've decided to go for a famous name that is sure to drive up

0:46:000:46:04

'the bidding on the night.

0:46:040:46:05

'Pablo Picasso.'

0:46:050:46:07

If you want to own a Picasso, then you buy a ceramic,

0:46:080:46:11

because it's the inexpensive way to own one.

0:46:110:46:13

They're also absolutely typical of his work.

0:46:130:46:16

Anyway, this one, Dancing Figures, absolutely typical,

0:46:160:46:19

it's absolutely wonderful.

0:46:190:46:21

There's 400 copies of this produced in the world,

0:46:210:46:23

only 400 of them.

0:46:230:46:24

The guy's arriving any minute now, I've got an appointment with him.

0:46:240:46:28

The price is right.

0:46:280:46:29

If the condition's right, I'm going to buy it.

0:46:290:46:31

DOORBELL RINGS

0:46:310:46:33

Neil, come in. How are you?

0:46:330:46:35

-I'm very good.

-Nice to see you.

-Good to see you as well.

0:46:350:46:38

Come on in.

0:46:380:46:39

One Picasso.

0:46:390:46:40

Okey-doke.

0:46:400:46:42

Oh, yes, look at that.

0:46:430:46:46

So, you can see it's dated 1st August 1957.

0:46:460:46:49

It's called Dancing

0:46:490:46:52

and you have these three cavorting figures in the centre.

0:46:520:46:57

'Picasso began producing ceramics in 1947 at the

0:46:570:47:00

'Madoura Pottery in Vallauris,

0:47:000:47:02

'the same French town the starburst mirrors were made.'

0:47:020:47:06

Let's have a look at the thing at the back.

0:47:060:47:09

Oops, I don't want to tip it over too much.

0:47:090:47:11

So you've got the edition Picasso stamp.

0:47:110:47:13

Yep, so the ones you want are the ones with the small editions.

0:47:130:47:16

They're the really valuable ones, in the sort of 20s.

0:47:160:47:19

Yeah, I mean, to be honest, what sells is a pretty plate.

0:47:190:47:23

Yeah.

0:47:230:47:24

So if it's pretty, it sells, even if

0:47:240:47:26

it's an apres Picasso,

0:47:260:47:29

-frankly, there's not...

-Have a seat.

0:47:290:47:31

..there's not too much difference in value

0:47:310:47:33

whether it's an apres Picasso

0:47:330:47:35

or whether it's an original Picasso plate.

0:47:350:47:37

That is such a nice thing. I've been looking for one.

0:47:370:47:41

I've been really looking for one, Neil.

0:47:410:47:43

Thank you so much for bringing that.

0:47:430:47:45

What are you asking for it, retail?

0:47:450:47:49

Well, you have to remember that recently prices have zoomed

0:47:490:47:51

-skywards for these things.

-Yes.

0:47:510:47:53

I'm suggesting a retail price of

0:47:530:47:57

six and a quarter is quite a fair one

0:47:570:47:59

and seeing as you're a dealer,

0:47:590:48:01

I would afford you a 25% trade discount.

0:48:010:48:05

-A modest 4,650.

-Yes.

0:48:050:48:07

How does that sound?

0:48:070:48:08

Well, I said to myself,

0:48:080:48:11

"If it's under 5,000, it's well priced."

0:48:110:48:14

Yeah, I'll shake your hand on that and say thank you.

0:48:140:48:16

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

0:48:160:48:18

I'm going to sell this in a charity auction

0:48:180:48:20

and I'm going to give the profit away.

0:48:200:48:22

-I think there is a profit in it.

-I think there's a profit in it too.

0:48:220:48:25

-If someone pays 7,000 for that, they've not done badly at all.

-No, absolutely.

0:48:250:48:29

-You take care.

-And you.

-Bye.

-Bye. Good night.

0:48:300:48:33

'I bought the second item for the disabled community group

0:48:360:48:39

'through an online auction.

0:48:390:48:40

'It's a beautiful decanter box, complete with four crystal

0:48:400:48:43

'decanters and I stole it for £870.

0:48:430:48:47

'To ensure the maximum profit, it's at my restorers for a sympathetic

0:48:470:48:51

'clean and polish.

0:48:510:48:53

'Dating from around 1870, the case is made from walnut and ebony.

0:48:540:48:58

'It's the perfect small, luxury item for wealthy buyers

0:48:580:49:02

'looking for Christmas presents.

0:49:020:49:04

'It also has provenance, which gives authenticity

0:49:040:49:08

'and will help attract a good price when I come to sell.'

0:49:080:49:11

This case of four decanters was

0:49:130:49:15

the property of Admiral Sir Francis Bridgeman,

0:49:150:49:18

one-time First Sea Lord.

0:49:180:49:20

Resided at Copgrove Hall, near Harrogate.

0:49:200:49:24

So it's come from Yorkshire.

0:49:240:49:26

That is, presumably, something like his ex libris card.

0:49:260:49:29

That's a super, super little box. That's going to find a new home

0:49:290:49:33

and that's going to make some good coin.

0:49:330:49:36

'The evening of the auction has arrived.

0:49:410:49:44

'Tonight is my last chance to get the rest of the money

0:49:440:49:47

'the charities need.

0:49:470:49:48

'It's a black tie event

0:49:480:49:49

'and I've invited my entire black book of international clients.'

0:49:490:49:53

Hi, Andrew.

0:49:530:49:54

'I've also invited Steve from the food bank.

0:49:540:49:56

'I'm selling the gold bracelet

0:49:560:49:58

'and the Hiquily sculpture on his charity's behalf.'

0:49:580:50:01

Nice to see you in your glad rags.

0:50:020:50:04

'I need to make him £1,000 tonight to reach my 3,000 total

0:50:040:50:08

'so they can move premises.

0:50:080:50:11

'David and volunteer Aaron

0:50:110:50:12

'from the disabled community group are also here.

0:50:120:50:15

'I've only made them £500 so far with the sale of the globes.

0:50:150:50:21

'Tonight I'm selling the Picasso plate and the decanter set for them.

0:50:210:50:25

'If I get the prices I want,

0:50:250:50:27

'they will be able to repair that minibus.'

0:50:270:50:29

'I'm going to be the auctioneer. I'm going to be working that room

0:50:340:50:37

'and driving those prices up.'

0:50:370:50:40

I hope you've all drunk plenty of wine and you're all talked out

0:50:400:50:45

and now you're thinking about spending

0:50:450:50:48

a few quid, all in a good cause.

0:50:480:50:51

I am now going to get on with selling the first lot,

0:50:510:50:54

so cut lead glass crystal,

0:50:540:50:56

walnut case. It's burr walnut.

0:50:560:50:58

It's English, it's from about 1840, 1850,

0:50:580:51:01

and I'm going to get bidding under way.

0:51:010:51:03

So, could you please, please start me at 800 quid on this?

0:51:030:51:06

I have 900, 1,000,

0:51:060:51:08

1,300. Will I go 1,500 here?

0:51:080:51:11

1,600, thank you.

0:51:110:51:12

1,700, 1,800.

0:51:120:51:15

1,900. Was that a nod?

0:51:150:51:17

1,900.

0:51:170:51:18

GAVEL BANGS

0:51:180:51:19

Sold, thank you.

0:51:190:51:20

Next, a plate by the world's greatest 20th century artist,

0:51:200:51:24

Pablo Picasso.

0:51:240:51:26

4,500, I'll take 4,600,

0:51:260:51:27

we'll go up in hundreds.

0:51:270:51:29

4,600, 4,700.

0:51:290:51:30

5,000, 5,100.

0:51:300:51:32

5,200, I do have 5,200.

0:51:320:51:35

5,300, sir.

0:51:350:51:36

5,600, 5,700.

0:51:360:51:38

It's only money.

0:51:380:51:39

5,800, thank you. 5,800.

0:51:390:51:41

5,900.

0:51:410:51:43

And I am going to sell for £5,900.

0:51:430:51:46

6,000 behind you.

0:51:460:51:48

6,000.

0:51:480:51:50

£6,200, to the man who's heard of Pablo Picasso.

0:51:500:51:54

I am going to sell, thank you!

0:51:540:51:56

GAVEL BANGS

0:51:560:51:57

I'm going to cut to Monaco, that's where I bought this.

0:51:570:52:00

I would like to start you at £1,000.

0:52:000:52:03

1,000, thank you sir.

0:52:030:52:04

1,100.

0:52:040:52:06

1,200.

0:52:060:52:08

1,300. 1,400.

0:52:080:52:10

Would you like to bid, madam?

0:52:100:52:12

1,700.

0:52:120:52:13

2,300 at the front here.

0:52:130:52:16

Oh, 2,400!

0:52:160:52:18

Hammer down pronto, sold.

0:52:180:52:20

Thank you very much. I know you want it.

0:52:200:52:23

This is an artist's proof,

0:52:230:52:25

number one of the artist's proof.

0:52:250:52:28

Les Roberts by Philippe Hiquily, Perspex and polished bronze.

0:52:280:52:32

Who is going to start me at £4,000?

0:52:320:52:36

Are you really not going to buy this?

0:52:380:52:40

Come on!

0:52:400:52:41

Do you know what these retail for?

0:52:420:52:44

You'd be lucky to pick one of these up for under 8,000.

0:52:440:52:48

£4,000? No?

0:52:490:52:52

Is no-one going to buy this sculpture for 4,000, no?

0:52:530:52:57

Cos I will pass. No?

0:52:570:52:59

Pass.

0:52:590:53:01

'I knew that Philippe Hiquily wasn't that well-known in Britain,

0:53:010:53:04

'but I really thought that sculpture would sell.'

0:53:040:53:07

We have made you some money, as well, on the two trades

0:53:070:53:10

I've done, so you are going to be able set that thing up.

0:53:100:53:13

-Thank you very much.

-And if you can't from the money I've made,

0:53:130:53:16

I'll make up the difference myself.

0:53:160:53:17

Oh, bless you, thank you, that's really kind of you.

0:53:170:53:20

I'll write the cheque, I don't care.

0:53:200:53:22

'People can spend large sums in galleries like mine

0:53:230:53:26

'quite easily and yet £3,000 will make such a difference

0:53:260:53:30

'to small charities like the food bank.

0:53:300:53:33

'And on the profits of the gold bangle alone,

0:53:330:53:35

'I've made the final £1,000 they need,

0:53:350:53:38

'which is fantastic and a relief.'

0:53:380:53:41

So this is my wonderful Roberts, which didn't sell

0:53:410:53:44

at the auction, which was a bit disappointing, actually.

0:53:440:53:47

But the good news is it's sold now.

0:53:470:53:50

So that has turned a £500 profit,

0:53:500:53:53

which I shall add to Steve's total.

0:53:530:53:57

And I'm very pleased too.

0:53:570:53:58

I'm off to see Steve and I'm going to hand him over a fat cheque

0:54:050:54:10

and I have to say it feels very good to be part of his team.

0:54:100:54:15

'With the promise I made Steve at the auction,

0:54:150:54:18

'today's the day they're moving into their new premises.'

0:54:180:54:21

Three months of work, all condensed today

0:54:210:54:23

into one piece of paper with some numbers written on it,

0:54:230:54:25

which is going to make a lot of difference to a lot of people.

0:54:250:54:28

That's a good feeling.

0:54:280:54:29

-Andrew!

-Hello.

-Hi, welcome.

0:54:330:54:36

-Happy New Year.

-And to you, how are you?

-I'm good.

0:54:360:54:38

Well, Steve, the place looks fantastic.

0:54:380:54:41

It's a hive of activity today, and we're really excited

0:54:410:54:45

because this is the day that we've been waiting for.

0:54:450:54:47

So, anyway, I wrote the cheque out earlier.

0:54:470:54:50

The last bit of the cheque says 4p.

0:54:500:54:54

STEVE LAUGHS

0:54:540:54:55

But that's the less significant part of it.

0:54:550:54:57

I don't know, it all helps.

0:54:570:54:58

Anyway, there's a cheque for

0:54:580:55:00

just over three and a half grand.

0:55:000:55:02

Wow, thank you so much! That is amazing.

0:55:020:55:06

That is just stunning.

0:55:060:55:08

This represents changed lives, Andrew.

0:55:080:55:11

It does. For those people that are going through

0:55:110:55:14

a crisis in their lives,

0:55:140:55:15

this makes a significant difference.

0:55:150:55:17

So, genuinely, I mean this, thank you so much.

0:55:170:55:21

Very pleasurable thing to be able to do, to make a small

0:55:210:55:23

difference for someone like Steve and his dedicated team here.

0:55:230:55:27

It's called the Basics Bank and as with many things in life,

0:55:270:55:31

simple things done very well make a big difference.

0:55:310:55:34

That's what he's doing here.

0:55:340:55:36

'I've come back to Aberdeen to meet up with David

0:55:420:55:45

'and the disabled community group.'

0:55:450:55:47

I've got a cheque in my pocket for him and it's going to exceed

0:55:500:55:53

his expectations and I'm delighted

0:55:530:55:55

that I'm going to be able to give that to him,

0:55:550:55:57

because it's a bit extra and if anyone deserves it, David does.

0:55:570:56:01

How are you?

0:56:050:56:06

I'm very well, how you doing?

0:56:060:56:07

-I know you weren't expecting me. How's things?

-I'm shocked.

0:56:070:56:10

-How are you?

-I'm very well, thank you. I'm doing good.

0:56:100:56:12

Well, hopefully we've got you what you wanted, I think.

0:56:120:56:15

So you'll be keeping your bus on the road

0:56:150:56:18

and hopefully installing a cinema screen.

0:56:180:56:21

That's for you,

0:56:230:56:25

and it's a little bit more than...

0:56:250:56:27

-Oh, my God.

-..you requested.

0:56:270:56:30

And that should, as I said,

0:56:300:56:33

keep the bus on the road

0:56:330:56:35

and install a cinema screen, I hope, or a projector, yeah?

0:56:350:56:40

-Good.

-Thank you so much.

0:56:400:56:43

-My pleasure.

-Thank you so much.

0:56:430:56:44

I know you give your heart and soul into this charity,

0:56:440:56:47

-so it's nice to be able to help.

-Oh!

0:56:470:56:49

This means a lot.

0:56:510:56:53

Oh, I'm shaking now. I'm shaking. Thank you.

0:56:530:56:56

-Oh, I mean, this is going to fix...

-Good.

-..so much

0:56:560:57:00

and I just can't thank you enough.

0:57:000:57:02

I really can't. Thank you so, so, so much.

0:57:020:57:04

My pleasure, my pleasure, David. No, really, really.

0:57:040:57:07

'In total, I raised £2,873

0:57:070:57:11

'for David and the group.'

0:57:110:57:13

Ah-ha.

0:57:130:57:15

-WOMAN OFFSCREEN:

-Which one, that one?

-That one.

0:57:180:57:20

'This has been a humbling experience for me.

0:57:200:57:22

'I'm so glad I was able to help.'

0:57:220:57:24

I've been... I've been working away, sort of ducking and diving

0:57:240:57:28

and come up with that eventually.

0:57:280:57:31

So I hope that's going to help out a bit.

0:57:310:57:33

-Can I give you a hug?

-Yeah, course you can.

0:57:330:57:35

-Thanks very much.

-Thank you, thank you very much.

0:57:350:57:37

-Do I get one those every time I bring a cheque?

-Yes.

0:57:370:57:40

-Ah-ha.

-Oh.

-Down the bottom.

0:57:440:57:47

This is brilliant, isn't it?

0:57:470:57:49

Give me a kiss, I'm so happy. I'm so happy.

0:57:490:57:51

It's going to be great, cos people are going to be more

0:57:510:57:54

and more and more fun.

0:57:540:57:55

People are going to get out and about.

0:57:550:57:57

-DAVID:

-Seeing the members happy is why I do it.

0:58:020:58:05

I get to say to Mum that she's going to get out

0:58:070:58:11

and she's going to see her friends

0:58:110:58:15

more and it's just the best feeling.

0:58:150:58:18

It's, you know, it's like Mother's Day all comes at once.

0:58:180:58:22

It's the...

0:58:220:58:23

It's just the best feeling.

0:58:250:58:26

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