Johnny Ball v Eddie Large Bargain Hunt Famous Finds

Hello there! We've got a lot of business to fit in today.

We're in London, where dealing is the name of the game

and profit margin is king.

We have two celebrities and their partners geared up to do battle today

armed with £300 and a lot of enthusiasm,

the idea being to buy, buy, buy and then sell, sell, sell for a big, fat profit.

First let's get to know our famous face for the Reds.

It's the teacher you wish you'd had, calculus supremo Johnny Ball.

Johnny started life wanting to be a drummer, but in 1967 via a career in the RAF

and a stint as a stand-up comedian, he had moved into children's television presenting.

He's fondly remembered by those that watched his popular maths, science and technology programmes

and who were inspired by his unconventional approach to educating whilst entertaining.

But will he reveal an inner spark today for bargain hunting?

Welcome to Bargain Hunt Famous Finds, Johnny.

Thank you very much. Great to be here.

Will you adopt a scientific approach today or just think of a number, double it and hope for the best?

I'll go and say, "That can't be worth that,"

beat them down as much as I can and buy something awful

as I don't have the eye, but I have a partner who has more of an eye than I have.

So this accounts for Brenda.

Brenda is a family friend of ours. We've been great friends.

-How do you do? Nice to meet you.

-How do you do?

-Are you a collector?

-Yes, I collect children's chairs.

-I'm interested in all things old, which is why I'm with him, really.

-Precisely!

So we're going to get some cheap gags as well!

Terrible, terrible jokes. There's no such thing as an old joke.

Now we're going to see a worthy opponent for that mathematical brain of yours and here he comes.

Heading up the Blues today, it's comedian Eddie Large.

Eddie's best known as one half of the hugely successful double act, Little and Large.

The lads from Manchester were given their own series, which was watched by millions and became cult viewing.

He's a grandfather of three, but could he be the granddaddy of antiques?

Hi, Eddie. Now, who have you brought with you as your team-mate to help today?

Well, my fellow Hobbit...

I met her on the train on the way here.

No, this is my wife, Patsy.

-Hi.

-Hi.

Lovely warm hands!

We've just celebrated 15 happy years of marriage.

-We have been married 25 years.

-Yeah, but only 15's been happy.

Oh, oh, oh!

There's the first bargain, a cheap joke!

So what do you collect?

We have got some Lladro. My mum and dad used to go to Spain a lot and brought back a lot of Lladro.

-You've bought some Lladro.

-I have, yeah.

-Are you going to go for a bit of Lladro if you see it today?

-No.

-No.

We're going to go for jewellery.

-Try something different.

-Jewellery?

-Have we let a trade secret out?

No, no. I should think they're witless with fear!

I am. I am a bag of nerves, but I have my strength here in Brenda.

I'm a bag of nerves as well!

In fact, we're all a bag of nerves!

Anyway, the money moment, here is your £300.

There's 300 smackers, 300 smackers. You know the rules.

Your experts await and off you go and very, very good luck.

So let's find out who is dishing out the advice today.

Dressed for the kill today, Phillip Serrell.

And making sure the Blues stay out of the cold is David Barby.

-Hey, Johnny, what do you think of this? Isn't that gorgeous?

-Wow. That's lovely.

-It's fabulous, isn't it?

-Can I have a look? I really like that.

I think it's late 20th century, probably European.

Like tortoise shell glass.

-It reminds me of scent bottles...

-Perfume bottles. Yes.

-How much is it?

-£60.

Do you know, I wouldn't be surprised if that made anywhere between £40-£60. She's a real...

We won't make a fortune.

-But you'll make a profit. Somebody will like it. We like it.

-If we can get it down to that.

-I think there's a profit in this, OK?

-I do too.

-She's absolutely lovely.

-I think it's lovely too.

-Will you do a deal?

-Yeah.

Sort the dealer out. We'll see what else we can find. Come on.

Brenda got the vase for a shapely £40.

-Oh, look at this.

-What?

-Poppy!

-Who's Poppy?

-I like that.

-Who WAS Poppy?

-My cat, actually, my cat....

-She's died now.

-Popped.

-She's popped. No, don't.

-That's terrible!

-I know. I apologise.

-I love cats.

-Do you know what you've picked up? What's that label say?

-Derby cat.

-Royal Crown Derby, nice porcelain.

-I love it.

-These were desk ornaments, paperweights. There's a whole range.

Cats, lions, camels, elephants and they have been going for yonks.

-That's probably one of their early models, lovely quality. And what's price?

-£120.

That's half our budget.

That is half our budget. Too much.

I can see that going at auction around about £50, £60.

-Oh!

-If you can't get it below 50, forget about it.

-We're out there to make a profit.

-That's true.

-Yeah.

-Are you a good negotiator? Is she good?

-She's brilliant.

-We'll try!

-What have we found, then, guys?

-Well, this might have brandy in it, but it might not.

There's a slight smell of brandy or something. You've got spirits and a cigar tube.

-I think that's lovely. Can I have a look?

-Yeah.

Not too much age, probably not quite as old as me, really.

That's old enough.

Easy! I love the idea that you're out for a quick walk

and if you fancy a quick swill and a quick smoke, you're all sorted, aren't you?

I wouldn't think this is more than 10 or 15 years old.

-Wouldn't you?

-But I think it's great.

You see, it's just a base metal thing, £33 priced up at.

If that was a piece of Victorian silver, I think you'd be looking at probably £200-£400, £300-£500.

I think it's lovely. That would make nice present for somebody, don't you?

-Yeah.

-What would you pay to give that to your son?

£40-£50, not more I don't think.

-I think at auction that is going to make probably between £20-£40.

-Yeah?

So if you can get it for £33... Have a chat to the dealer

and see if they'll do you favour. On that note, you go that way.

-I think that's really nice.

-Let's find our third object.

-You did well.

-See you later.

Think of a number. Yes! 25! And still £235 to spend.

-Eddie, what have you bought a football for?

-Look at this.

-That's where you put the CD.

-Yeah.

-Close it up. I put the power on.

# 1, 2, 3 o'clock, 4 o'clock, rock!

# 5, 6, 7 o'clock, 8 o'clock rock! #

-I think I like this.

-How do you switch it off?

-I love it!

-Dah dah!

-I didn't know you were an electrician. Brilliant.

-That is absolutely fabulous!

-Isn't it? I love it.

-Because it was a CD, it's got to date from the mid '90s.

-Fair enough.

And if I remember, these were popular for only a very short period

and they were sold on the high street,

but they only lasted for about eight months, so this is a rarity.

Have you bought it for yourself or for Bargain Hunt?

I don't know. We do like it!

I bought it for myself, but she's bought it for Bargain Hunt.

That's good because if you like something,

there's bound to be somebody else with your peculiar taste as well.

-I thought it was the buy of the century!

-Did you hear that?!

We're told to buy for auction anything quirky and you couldn't get anything more quirky than this.

It's so unusual.

-Have you negotiated a price?

-Yes, we did.

-Really?

-£28.

-£14 each.

I think you should buy it. Let's have another play.

-Oh, go on, then.

-What do I press?

-You press CD.

-Here we go.

# 1, 2, 3 o'clock, 4 o'clock rock! 5, 6, 7 o'clock, 8 o'clock, rock! #

Yeah!

The Blues are getting giggly with it.

Eddie scored £28 for his disco ball.

-The two things we've bought are very much late 20th century.

-Yeah.

This is an antique programme. It'd be nice to find something...

-Something really old.

-A bit of age. Look at that.

-Do you like that?

-I like it.

That's right up my street.

-What is it?

-This is 18th century porcelain.

-Wow!

This is from the cradle of English porcelain making and I would think this dates from about 1770-1775.

Wow, so early!

That blue crescent mark there, that's the Worcester mark,

but just to add a little bit of confusion, the factory up the road use that mark as well.

-There's two tales, this is getting really anoraky.

-No, it's fine.

If you get a piece of Worcester, and you shine a strong light through it,

and as if by magic you put that through, can you see the greeny tinge?

-Oh,

-yes.

-That's pure Worcester.

If it came from up the road it would have a yellower, strawy-coloured tinge.

-Really?

-If it's green, it's Worcester.

-Absolutely.

-Wow!

If it goes into auction, surely the auctioneer will talk that up, give the history.

-Have you ever known an auctioneer to not talk something up?

-Yeah!

I mean, this has got a price tag of it of £110.

If that came into my sale room I would put that at £60 to £90.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-So we've got to get it at a cheaper price than that, then?

No. WE haven't...

Oh, not me!

You go and have a chat and we'll go and report back to base.

Let's hope it's up the bidders' street when they get to auction.

Johnny splashed the cash at £65, making £130 their overall spend.

Now, Eddie, why do you like this so much?

David, this is quality, and I do like quality.

I think it's very good.

I like the combination of these semiprecious stones

and if you look carefully

all these sections here are silver-gilt mounts.

Now, what period would you associate this with?

-Well, because they were using quill pens...

-Good

-..it's pre-Biro.

-Be serious, darling!

But that's good observation actually.

When I look at this I think in terms of Little Dorrit,

which is set in the earlier part of the 19th century.

So this is French early 19th century.

-What's that?

-Well, these are all interesting components.

That you've just handled is the pen, but the thing that I LOVE is this.

It looks like a nail, but in fact, it's a swan's quill and that is clamped there.

It's a special bridge to clamp the nib in.

-Every time you wrote a letter, you had to cut yourself a quill.

-Lovely.

-That's the pen, and if you look at the top here, it's got a seal.

-Yeah.

After you've written your letter, you've got an envelope.

You put a blob of wax and then you seal it there.

We should do things like that!

When you get a letter,

that's the envelope opener, so you just split it open.

Ah. This is a collector's piece.

-Exactly, and at auction, that's the sort of person you're going to appeal to.

-Yeah.

It's £170.

Seems a lot of money, but you're dealing with semi-precious stones,

silver-gilt mounts, so it's up to you two.

-Do you like it enough to want to negotiate to buy it?

-I do, yeah.

Are you going to negotiate this one, then?

-You're a much better negotiator.

-I'll do it with you.

-If it's going to get lovey-dovey like that, I'll leave you.

-We'll do it together.

-Do your best.

-We will.

Mutually negotiated, the Blues paid £150 for the desk set.

Ooh! Their time is up and SO is mine!

Let's take a look back at how they got on.

I thought the vase was really quirky and different

and I think it will appeal to all sorts of people.

It's just a fun thing.

£40 for the vase.

Something shiny for those vices?

£25.

The cigar flask is lovely

because it's very simple and it's not very expensive.

And finally £65 for a little piece of old England.

I don't think we'll lose much and I think they might lose more!

-Yes, we're fairly confident, I would say.

-Yeah, yeah.

Let's recap on what Eddie and Patsy bought!

First up was the Crown Derby cat.

Patsy did a great negotiation.

It's a fabulous-looking cat. It's really colourful and everything

and it was £120, but I managed to get them down to £48, so we bought it.

It's beautiful, and we love it.

My favourite item is the football because my house is full of stuff like that

that we don't use, but it's working.

For £28, they got themselves

a proper bona-fide antique disco ball - not!

The pen set - we both loved it because it is quality, a real, real collector's item,

but it was quite expensive, wasn't it?

-We were nervous about paying that much.

-Yeah.

Let's hope at £150, it can write its own cheque at auction.

I can't see the Reds beating us, not...

-Let's hope so.

-Not with the eagle eye of Patsy!

And whilst our experts are searching for their bonus buy,

we'll check out what the auctioneer thinks their goods are worth.

For the auction today, we're at Criterion auction rooms in London.

Daniel Webster is our auctioneer.

-Hi, Dan, how are you feeling?

-Good, thanks, Tim, yes.

First up, then, for Johnny and Brenda is the simulated tortoise shell glass vase.

Now, this should stir a chord in any honest man's heart, because it's curvy, isn't it?

-Certainly a shapely thing.

-Yes. Curvy in the right places.

Is it likely to be saleable, do you think?

It's an unusual thing. It'll appeal to someone today, yes.

No great age, is it?

-No, no, just a decorative thing.

-So how much then, do you think?

-We've got £30 to £60 on that one.

-Fair enough. £40 paid,

so that's slap bang in the middle.

Next up is the silver-plated cigar spirit flask thing.

-Quite a stylish thing.

-Just a pity it's not silver.

-It's almost chromium-plated, isn't it?

-As opposed to silver plate, yes.

-They only paid £25.

-OK.

-What will it bring?

-We've got £20 to £40 on that.

-That should do all right.

-I should think so.

-A bit of hope about.

The contrast now of stepping right back into the 18th century

and going with this Worcester bowl is quite something, isn't it?

Does anybody buy this?

Crescent Worcester, not as popular as it used to be, but there are still collectors of it.

Unfortunately, it's a bog-standard bowl.

-So how much, Daniel?

-We've got £50 to £100.

Well, that's fine. £65 paid.

So overall, I think, estimate-wise versus what they've paid,

-they've done pretty well.

-They have.

They may not need the bonus buy.

But let's go and have a look at it anyway!

Now, Johnny and Brenda, you spent a handsome sum, £120,

which meant that £170 of left-over lolly went to Phillip Serrell.

-I thought I'd copper bottom our investments with this lovely Arts and Crafts tray.

-Oh!

-Oh, wow!

I paid £80 and if the right people are here it could make £80 to £120.

-If the wrong people are here, it's £30 to £50 worth.

-Is it old?

It's older than us, Johnny. I think it's a stylish thing.

Yes, it is stylish. Whether it's £80 worth of stylish.

I think it is but the question you've got to ask yourself is whether it's £80 today or not.

I personally think that what you paid for it was a pretty high price for today's auction.

-What do you think, Brenda?

-I agree, yeah. I think it's about...

-We're doomed!

-All its money, really.

-Oh, dear.

-Yes, I do.

Right. On that happy note, let's find out for the viewers at home

what the auctioneer thinks about it.

Gosh, Daniel, that's a handsome tray, isn't it?

It is, yeah, good Arts and Crafts plunged copper, nice shape and a popular thing these days.

What's your estimate?

-I've got £50 to £100.

-Oh, right.

-Phillip paid £80.

-Did he?

He may well have to sing for his supper! Anyway, that's it for the Reds.

Now, for the Blues, Eddie and Patsy,

and first up is their little Derby pussycat.

Yes, as you say, Tim, Royal Crown Derby, not tremendously old,

but they're always popular in the typical Crown Derby palette

of the blue and red and we've got £20 to £40 on it.

Well, Patsy loved it. She paid £48 and I have a horrible feeling she's paid too much.

-She has.

-Simply because she's gotten emotionally involved in the subject matter.

Next up is the fake football CD player, which I have to say I think is great fun.

Antique of the future, possibly, Tim.

We'll have to wait quite a long time to find out!

Our team didn't pay much, £28.

-Will they make a profit, do you think?

-I think they'll struggle.

We got £10 to £30 on it.

-That's a broad estimate, isn't it?

-It is, yeah.

And their last item is this very nice onyx desk set,

probably made to go alongside an inkwell, don't you?

On the whole, it's a very well-made thing

in that it's a very nicely polished agate handle on each of the items.

The blade on the knife is nicely decorated.

The mounts, unfortunately, let it down a bit.

What, the gilt brass mounts?

You would expect them to be more crisp in their casting.

-What's your estimate as to value?

-£40 to £80 on that.

-How much?!

-40-80.

-40-80?! Is that all?

-Yes.

Do you know what they paid?

-£150.

-Did they?

We're going to have blood flowing down the gutters!

Never mind, Daniel! They've always got the bonus buy.

Now, Patsy, Eddie, you spent £226.

You gave David Barby £74 to find your bonus buy.

What did you spend it on, David?

-I spent £48.

-48.

-Ah!

-Doesn't that look wonderful?

-That is wonderful.

-Very colourful.

-What did you really buy?

This is lovely!

It's glass that was produced around about 1900, 1910.

Many companies were producing this, certainly in Stourbridge.

Another company, Powell and Company, produced this type of glass.

What I like is this clear glass and then this trailed green all over the surface.

This is a hand-crafted piece of glass.

-Just look at it!

-It's beautiful.

Let them handle it, David. That's the secret.

I can imagine the fish swimming round. It is nice.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

-Now, then...

-If you like green!

How much profit will you make?

-I would like to see it go for about £60 to £70.

-Oh.

-Could be £30 profit in that. £20 or £30 profit.

-Oh, right, yeah.

-Sounds good to me.

-It does.

Patsy, do you like it? Is it something you would enjoy owning?

I do like it, but let's hope it makes a bit of profit, if we choose this.

-If you choose it!

-If you choose it.

-What do you think, Eddie?

I think it's very, very, very attractive, much like David himself.

He's so kind. How observant!

Anyway, you don't decide right now. You decide after the sale of your first three items.

But for the audience at home, let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about David's bowl.

Oh, look at that...

-Great green, isn't it?

-Good colour green, yeah.

How you do that, I don't know.

-Nice quality.

-And in good condition?

-Condition's good as well.

-What's your estimate, Dan?

-£20 to £40, Tim.

-Oh, dear, £48.

David Barby will be disappointed if it doesn't make £48

and he does get so excited about these things.

-Anyway, good luck. You're our auctioneer tonight.

-I am.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Now, Johnny and Brenda, how are you feeling?

-Expectant.

-Expectant?

So how do you think you're going to do? Any prediction?

Will you make stonking profits?

I think, I think it's all down to the bowl.

-Down to the bowl!

-I think it's all down to the bowl.

It's all downhill, I don't know about down to the bowl!

We might make a modest profit.

First up, then, is your female bust and here she comes.

Lot 22 is the 20th century

simulated tortoise shell female bust form vase,

good shapey thing and £20 for it. 20 is bid.

At 20, 25, 28, 30.

At £30 were seated near at 30.

Are we all sure? 35 over there.

-Go on!

-35, 40, 5, 50.

-Yes!

-At 50.

2 if it helps, sir? No. At 50. We're away. Right.

At £50, then.

Yes! £50! That is excellent.

-Get in there!

-Top £10.

-Top bust!

Lot 123 is

a silver-plated combined cigar case-spirit flask

and yet again with interest, 35 got.

-We're in profit.

-The money's here, 40 takes it if you like.

At 35 and here with me at £35, then...

-£35, that is brilliant.

-Yeah.

-You've got another tenner.

No pressure here then, these two have made a profit!

The bowl! The Worcester bowl!

Lot 124 is an 18th century Worcester bowl, there you go.

Crescent Worcester, a neat thing.

£40 for it. 40's bid. 5 with me.

At 45, and here with me. 50 I'm out, sir. At 50, 5, 60, 5.

65 now.

OK. He's going to sell it.

At 65. Are we done? For 65...

£65. It's wiped its face.

You are plus £20. How brilliant.

Oh, a fortune, a small fortune, but a fortune.

-Yeah, £20.

-Fantastic.

That is fantastic! You can bank that money, if you like,

or you can take a chance and go with the bonus buy.

Now, you don't like that bonus buy, I know,

and you have got £20 in the bank, so this is a tough decision to make.

Are you going to go with the bonus buy or not?

Brenda, what are you thinking?

-I'm thinking probably not.

-Probably not.

-You're going to stick?

-Sorry, Phil.

I don't think it'll make much of a profit.

-We're in profit, we'll stay.

-Yeah.

-Are you quite sure?

-We'll stick.

-You're going to stick.

-You are a gem, you know.

It's marvellous when people have confidence in you, isn't it?

Lot 128 is an Arts and Crafts copper rectangular tray.

There you go. £30 for it.

At £30 somewhere, surely.

30 is bid, 5, 40, 5.

50, madam?

50, 5?

60, 5?

65 way back.

At £65. Are we all done and sure?

At 65...

Bad luck, Phil.

You're just off on that, £65 is minus £15,

but quite frankly, it could have gone anyway, couldn't it?

-And we didn't take it anyway.

-You didn't take it, so you're all right.

You can bank your £20.

The big thing now is not to talk to the Blues at all.

Just go out. Look miserable.

Difficult for Johnny I know, but just look miserable, OK?

-Now, Eddie and Patsy, do you know how the Reds got on?

-No idea.

-No? You haven't been communicating?

-No.

-No.

I'm very pleased about that because we don't want you to know how they've done, actually.

-But let's be optimistic.

-Absolutely!

First up is the Royal Derby paperweight and here it comes.

The Royal Derby porcelain cat desk weight, £10 for it.

-At £10 somewhere, surely. 10 is bid, 15, 20.

-Oh, come on!

5, 30, 5, 40, 5, 50, 5, 60, 5...

At £65 standing back.

At 65, are we all done? 65?

Yes! £65! You are plus £17 on that.

Have a stroke! Well done, Pat.

What a great idea for me to tell you to buy that cat.

-Here's your football.

-Lot 159 is an Umbro faux football CD player.

There you go. £10 I have.

At £10, and here with me at 10, are we all sure?

-12 I'll take, 15? At 15 now.

-Come on.

-What's wrong with these people?

15, 18, 20, 2, 5, 8, 30, one more.

5, it's yours.

35, look at that!

£35, then.

£35, you're plus £7 on that!

You are plus £24.

Now, the desk set.

A 20th century French agate and silver-gilt desk set, good quality thing.

Interest at £50, and 5 now.

At 55, 65, 75, 80, it's yours.

-At £80.

-Come on! Come on! Come on!

For £80, are we all sure at... 85?

90, 5.

-Go on! 100, 10.

-Come on.

20, 30, 40.

-Come on!

-50.

-Come on!

-It's only money, Ray.

-60.

-Yes!

160 now. At 160, are we all done?

For 160...

160, plus £10 on that!

Oh, you little...

That was just phenomenal.

I can't believe it! Darling, kiss me! You've done great.

You are plus £34.

That's sensational, it's got to be a record.

£34, that is so good.

-I'm so excited.

-Is that not good?

That is good, good.

Now, the big question is,

are you going to bank your profits, all right?

It could be a winning score, £34, or are you going to risk it

and go with the bowl? What are you going to do?

You've got the bonus buy.

You've got that bowl.

It costs £48.

You already have £34 profit. What are you going to do, quickly?

-Risk it. Risk it.

-Let's go for it.

-Go for it.

-We respect his judgment very much.

-Are you sure?

-We'll gamble.

-Are you sure?

-We might never see him again!

-You sure?

-Yeah, we're doing it, yeah.

-You're going to go?

-Yeah.

They're determined to go with the bonus buy and here it comes.

An early 20th century Powell & Co clear glass bowl with green piping,

good thing, interest, £10, 15, got.

At £15, 25, one more.

At £25 and here with me at 25...

-Excuse me!

-Come on!

Excuse me, well shouted. At £30, are we all done? I'm out at 30. At 30.

Are we all sure? For £30, then...

That's minus 18.

-Why did you decide that?

-It was you as well.

Oh, was it me?

You are £16 profit, all right?

You have £16 profit. You had £34.

Oh, God!

-David!

-Oh, don't, don't.

-Never trust an expert.

-No, it's not his fault.

He did his best.

-It was so cheap!

-£16 could be a winning score.

It could be a winning score. You never know.

It could be. You're not in the red.

-Not in the red.

-You're in the blue, darling, actually.

-We're in the blue.

-£16 could be a winning score.

Don't tell the Reds a thing, all will be revealed in a moment.

Well, how exciting is that?

There is hardly a sheet of bronco between these two teams today.

-Have you been talking to one another?

-No. No.

-No.

Then you have no idea just how close today's competition has been,

and it is my duty to reveal now that the runners-up are...

the Blues.

Such bad luck, I can't tell you, because you were streaks ahead.

You went with that wretched bonus buy job and finished up as plus £16,

but nevertheless, that is an achievement, Eddie.

-If we hadn't have gone with David, we'd have won?

-Yes.

-Would we? David!

But it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter.

-You got your £16. Here you go. There's your £16.

-Thank you very much.

What will you do with the £16?

The British Heart Foundation.

-The British Heart Foundation get the cash.

-Yeah.

It's not a lot of cash, but they appreciate just how difficult it is

to make a profit on and I congratulate you. Well done.

-but the victors today are the Reds...

-Wonderful!

..who have won by making £20.

-Each?

-No, no, between you.

And here is your £20.

What are you going to do with the £20?

I'm an ambassador for the NSPCC and their efforts in Swindon and it'll go to them.

That's extremely good. Brenda, have you had a good day, darling?

-I have had a wonderful day, thank you.

-And Johnny?

-Fabulous.

Thank you so much for joining us.

Join us soon for some more bargain hunting. Yes?

ALL: Yes! Yes!

For more information about Bargain Hunt,

including how the programme was made, visit the website at bbc.co.uk.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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