Katherine Higgins v Phil Serrell - Auction Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

This is Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is,

the show that pitches TV's best-loved antiques experts

against each other in an all-out battle for profit...

That could present a problem for me.

..giving you the insider's view of the trade.

HE ROARS

Each week, one pair of duelling dealers will face

a different daily challenge...

I've got a heavy profit here!

..putting their reputations on the line...

I wasn't a Girl Guide for nothing.

..and giving you their top tips and savvy secrets...

Let's make hay while that sun shines.

..on how to make the most money from buying and selling.

Get rid of it! HE CACKLES

Today, grand master of the gavel Phil Serrell goes up against

vintage queen Katherine Higgins at an antiques auction.

Coming up, there's a tussle in the saleroom...

He's bought my lot! He's bought my lot.

..it all gets too much for Phil...

I've just broke the paddle!

..and Katherine lives life in the fast lane.

Whoo! Oh, no! Ahhh! No!

This is Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.

Welcome, treasure hunters everywhere!

It is time to grab your popcorn, dim the lights...

Selling, fair warning.

Sold.

..and sit back to watch two superheroes of the antiques world

go head-to-head in a battle to control the Earth,

the universe...in a saleroom in Sussex.

Up first, is it a bat?

Is it a spider? No, it's a fox.

This caped crusader of collectables has profit-hunting superpowers

and a steely determination to beat his archrivals.

It's the Dark Knight of Worcester, Phil "The Fox" Serrell.

# There may be trouble ahead... #

His nemesis is the Wonder Woman of the Home Counties,

a fearless fashionista who sets her sights on victory

and will do anything to win.

It's Guildford's true heroine, Katherine "The Great" Higgins.

Oh! My heart is going dud-dud-dud-dud-dud!

These supercharged buying machines are crashing at Bellmans Auctioneers

near Billingshurst in West Sussex.

Yes!

They're each armed with £1,000 of their own money

and are here to maximise profits for their chosen charities.

So, superpowers at the ready, let's get this bidding battle underway.

Phil Serrell and Katherine Higgins,

it's time to put your money where your mouth is!

-Hi, how're you?

-Hello.

-Welcome to Sussex.

-This your home patch, isn't it?

It is my home ground, I feel safe in this territory...sort of.

-How much money have we got to spend?

-Well, this is the point.

We've got £1,000 in theory...

That's a problem for you, isn't it?

It's a huge problem for me because it's an enormous amount,

but actually, it diminishes

because we've got to take out the auction house cost,

so buyer's premium is 20%, so...

But if I could just stop you, it's about 800?

-It's about 800.

-Right. What have you got marked today?

I'm not going to tell you! They're my secret things.

I think there are some fashionable scarves that have caught my eye.

Well, I've seen some rather nice horse racing scarves as well.

I'm just going to go and have another look at them. I think they're lovely.

I wanted those!

Yes, our antiques avengers are playing their cards close

to their chests.

They need to take advantage of the presale viewing time now,

as with over 300 lots on sale, they are going to need all their

profit-hunting tactics to bag themselves the richest pickings,

and savvy Serrell knows exactly how he's going to play it.

I've got a tactic for auctions.

Now, the thing is, an auctioneer's job is to try and sell you

something for a bit more than you wanted to pay for it.

Mark your price, stick to it,

don't get carried away, and then, everything should just be all right.

Wise words from our foxy auctioneer. But what about the opposition?

I've got a very interesting strategy

because I know that there's something amazing in this auction

that I'm really hoping other people haven't seen,

so I can't go spending any money until that lot comes up

because I've got to save it for that.

Will I do it? I don't know!

Oooh! A risky strategy from our great gambler.

You know what they say about putting all your eggs in one basket.

Come on then, Katherine, let us in on the show stopper.

Look here. A little secret.

So, rolled up here, in the corner, with the umbrellas,

is a vintage film poster of James Dean's great film

Rebel Without A Cause.

What you've got here is an Italian film poster by one of

the great Italian movie poster artists

and, at 250-350, which I think is the guideline estimate,

it's a brilliant find.

Mmm, obviously she wants to keep this lot her little secret,

so she doesn't even unroll it for a closer look. Clever.

Foxy is on the prowl, too, leaving no pot, picture

or piece of furniture unturned.

Here's a tip.

If you're going to buy at auction, always look for the mixed lots,

because you're going to get better value for money, by and large.

This is a little interesting lot of treen. Treen is turned wood -

small, little wooden objects.

So, we've got a pair of candlesticks

and here we've got a lovely little inkwell

in the form of a coal scuttle,

and that's for wiping your nib on.

This is a string box, so you undo this here, the string will go in

there, the end would come out of there and normally you'll have a little cutter on it.

Estimate is £60-£80, is there a profit in that?

Well, you tell us, Phil!

And now, Katherine has found something to whip her

opponent into shape.

There are two items in this lot,

but the one I'm most interested in is this riding crop. Really nice

horn or bone handle going down into a little silver cap, and then

this lovely piece of cane all the way down and into the leather whip.

The reason I'm particularly interested in it

is because it's got the maker's name on it and that is Brigg.

They were THE firm to go to if you wanted a cane.

They were the masters of it.

The other item is what we call a "swagger stick".

You would have held it under your arm as a military man.

They were very popular at the turn-of-the-century.

They're estimated at £60-£80, so watch this space.

I'm not sure what it's going to go for, but I'm going to

find some interesting home for it - IF I get it, that is.

So, our vintage queen marks her catalogue and with that,

time's up for viewing.

The sale is about to get underway, so our Buccaneer Bidders

find themselves prime positions in the room...

And with the poster not up for nearly 200 lots,

our great lady can take things easy.

I'm just going to make myself completely at home here,

dragging the furniture around, finding myself a little seat.

Got my tea. I can just relax.

Well, don't they both look cosy!

Meanwhile, the hammer begins to fall.

It's 380 on the net now, it's 400 on the net now.

Upward bidding on the phones and internet.

500 on the net, now, £500.

Sold.

It seems the prices are steep.

Nice carved marble tablet...

It's just a lump of marble off a fireplace!

-And you know, it's a popular lot, this.

-Here we go.

Hark at this.

It's 520 on the net, selling 520. All done, 520.

GAVEL BANGS

Gosh. That was FIVE TIMES the estimate!

If everything goes like this, we are in serious trouble.

It's like going to a football match

and realising you've left your boots at home.

No point in getting changed, really.

Oh, dear! The nerves are mounting and now Foxy's ears prick up

at a pricey collection of animal bones.

190 an amount now, 190 on the left...

That's £200 for a pile of old bones!

Selling 190.

Going home.

Oh, where's he off to?

Come on, Mr Serrell! Don't give up.

It's at this point in the proceedings

that you realise you've

got to gird your loins and get on with it.

That's more like it, Phil!

And he's got a pair of lamp bases in his sights.

I really love these aged glass lamps. They're Victorian.

I'd love to try and buy them for around 100-£120.

You know, I think there'd be a... Not a massive profit,

but there'd be a profit in there.

The thing is to just set yourself that limit, don't go over it.

110 I have.

120, 130. 130, 150. 160 and I'm out now.

I'll sell one at 160.

PHIL CHORTLES

Get in! I just broke the paddle!

Steady on, old chap!

And what happened to setting a limit?

With fees, the lamp bases cost just over £198 -

substantially more than the £120 Phil wanted to pay.

-I've just bought the dearest lights in the world.

-OK, what did you buy?

OK, I'm liking that.

-Do you want my lamp?

-How much did you pay?

-Don't ask.

Oh, dear. He's overspent already.

Well, they may have cost Foxy a pretty penny,

but at least he's off the starting blocks,

which is more than can be said for some.

Two pages to go until the poster goes up for sale.

I'm just... My heart is going, if you could hear it,

dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum...

Mmm, it's all or nothing for our poster girl Katherine.

And while she's a lady-in-waiting, Phil is lining up buy number two.

Lot 2096, treen ware, a pair of small Victorian candlesticks.

A couple of other bits there.

-It's just that little bit of treen I looked at.

-£60.

Who needs 60, who's got five? 65, 70. 75-80 with me.

85-90 with me.

£95.

That little lot has just cost me around £120.

And I reckon I've got a pair of candlesticks that are probably

worth 20, the inkwell might be worth 50 or 60,

and I've got a string barrel that might be worth 30.

Never been a strong point, maths, really, you know?

Er, yes.

The collection costs just under £118,

so Phil's going to need to sell his socks off to turn a profit.

It's two-nil to Phil

and the sale is flying by, with half the lots already sold,

but now it's finally the moment of truth for our great gambler.

Two lots to go until the poster comes out.

Getting quite excited, actually.

But wait!

Has the Fox got a whiff of something in the air?

2127.

I ought to really see it before I bid on it.

Where's he gone? Where's he gone? He's disappeared.

I need to buy some things, so I've seen in the catalogue there's a

poster, Rebel Without A Cause, James Dean, who was a legend.

I haven't even seen it.

Oh, could Foxy be about to set our great lady asunder?

Will he track down the hidden poster?

I'm not sure what he's doing.

Still viewing, the sale is going on.

That indicates a note of worry.

But, at the last minute, Phil's distracted

when he spots the lamp bases he bought earlier. Phew!

I just bought these. They're 19th century, late Victorian,

raised on this marble base.

I'm hoping that that's the light that'll brighten my darkness.

So, with her opponent preoccupied,

all eyes are on Katherine as the poster goes under the hammer.

This is it.

2127, Italian vintage film poster, Rebel Without A Cause.

-Right.

-I've got two matching bids

and I'm taking the one on the book at £280.

With me at 280.

300, the net now, takes it away.

James Dean. There we are.

-320 in the room.

-And she's in.

Go on, my girl.

350. 380 in the room, 380.

-Someone else knows about it.

-Come on, girl, get in there. Spend your money.

I'm bidding against the internet.

480. 500. 520 in the room.

I don't know how high I can go, actually.

Can she hold her nerve?

-550's bid. 580 in the room. Going to go 600?

-No.

It's in the room at £580.

-One more, maybe?

-No.

-580, then.

Fair warning at £580.

-Last chance, 580.

-Lock it down.

She's done it!

-WHISPERED:

-Yes! I got it for £580!

I cannot believe that. Plus commission, that's nearly £700.

Katherine Higgins. I don't believe it.

I'm left with hardly any money to spend on anything else,

that's a massive problem, but the gamble has paid off.

Oh, my heart is going de-de-de-de-de.

That was a colossal purchase

at a whopping £719.20, with fees,

and nearly 3/4 of her budget in one go.

Come on then, let's take a closer look.

This is the moment of truth,

so I'm going to unroll it in front of your eyes.

Oh, my gosh.

Look at this lithographic printing.

It is beautifully done.

Now, this has actually been linen-backed,

which is a very expensive thing to do.

It's exceptional, really.

So, this is a poster pasted up

on a giant, giant billboard,

advertising the film, so Rebel Without A Cause,

which came out in 1955.

Oh, my gosh, wow!

This is... This is amazing.

The graphics are so striking.

This is a poster by Luigi Martinati,

one of Italy's greatest film poster makers.

Gosh, you can't get better than this.

The size, the fact it's survived.

So I paid £580,

but that's money well spent because these posters can go into the...

wait for it...thousands.

The sad thing is, if I wasn't doing this contest,

I'd be keeping it for myself.

Well, she's a very happy buyer

and after that dramatic purchase,

how are the figures looking?

Our bounty hunters each arrived

with £1,000 of their own money.

Phil has managed to bag himself two items so far

and spent £316.20,

leaving nearly 684

still to play with.

She may have bought just one item so far,

but Katherine's poster has wiped off a massive £719.20,

leaving just under 281

for the rest of the sale.

So a bold purchase from the great Miss Higgins

and Phil is keen to find out why.

You told me I never spend any money.

Hell fire! You've had a go, haven't you?

It's really nice, but listen,

I'm in a terrible situation now.

I have spent pretty much my entire budget,

so I'll just have to buy everything that goes for very little.

-I've got a lot coming up, but I've worked out a new strategy.

-OK.

I'm going to unplug the internet.

Now, now, Phil, play fair!

Katherine may have spent more than double her opponent,

but with a total of three lots between them,

they both need to get buying and fast.

This is a new strategy.

Because I have spent such a vast amount of money on the poster,

I have £200 left.

I've got some great things that I should be buying, I can't,

because I haven't got enough money left.

And this auction isn't a great place to be

if you need to watch the pennies.

Our brave redhead needs to keep an eye out for the cheaper lots.

2148 - a pair of expanding table trivets.

I spent 40-£60.

This could be part of my strategy.

-£50 I have.

-Oh. I can't afford that.

-2149 - a quantity of Victorian and early 20th-century papier mache accessories.

-Yes.

I've got £120.

Oh, no!

-I can't buy it.

-Down the front, 140, who's got 150?

And it's a really nice lot as well.

Things start really cheaply

and then they just spiral upwards and upwards.

With prices flying over estimate again and again,

does she have any chance with the horsey lot she spotted earlier?

Ah, this is the riding crop.

Now this might be in my favour.

I've got £60.

-60.

-'5, 70.

-No.

'5, 80. 85.

Oh, watch out, Foxy's about!

Is he bidding?

I think the competition might be bidding on this.

At £85, then. Fair warning, selling, £85.

-436.

-He's bought my lot!

That's cost me cost me about 105 quid.

I'm hoping that that crop might get 60 or £70

and the stick might get me perhaps another 30 or £40.

So, at £105.40,

sneaky Serrell whips the lot from under his rival's nose

and it's 3-1 to Phil.

Botherations!

Is the great one on the ropes?

Now, I'm just going to have to buy whatever is...

£50.

We've got pages...

Oh, no. We've only got two pages to go...

..so this could not be a good situation.

She's really played a risky strategy

cos she's put boatloads of her money into one poster.

Now, Jimmy Dean is either going to do her proud...or he might sink her.

But Foxy should know better than to underestimate his rival.

She hears a lot going under £50

and quickly throws her bidding card into the air.

It's 35. 40. Commission's gone. It's 40 in the room, at 40.

It's £40 in the centre of the room, then, at £40...

-Oh, do knock it down to me, I need it.

-Fair warning at £40.

I don't know what I've bought. 2-1-6...

OK, so I've bought a piece of surveying equipment,

but that's my second item I've bought. Phew!

So Katherine spends £49.60 on an ivory sector sight unseen

and she chances her arm at another blind bid

when she hears a mixed lot going under the hammer.

£40...

Is bid. Thank you. At 40.

Where's 5? Any more at £45?

-50.

-Yes!

50 gets it now. Seated left at 50.

Oh, I've got no idea what I've bought.

At 50.

435.

I've bought a brass coal bin and...

a fire screen.

-SHE SIGHS

-Mm.

Well, they cost £62, with fees,

and this time she wants a closer look.

The first item is very highly polished brass,

moulded almost and shaped as a kind of harvesting hopper.

We are firmly, I think, into the 20th century with this piece.

What it was made for, I will do some research and find out.

This is a rather attractive fire screen

and this is, again, a rather lovely piece.

Didn't intend to buy them, but watch me work away.

Our gutsy lady is really taking risks now

and she makes it three in a row

when she wins a collection of vintage car badges.

£95 in the middle of the room.

Katherine has got into the second-hand car market.

The badges cost nearly £118 and leave Katherine

just £51 left to play with.

As this saleroom steeplechase enters its final furlong,

the pressure's on both our buyers to land their final lots.

The next few items are all horse racing scarves

and our fine Philly was first out of the gates.

2199 - a silken derby scarf.

Can we take 30 there? 30 at the front.

Here, 30. 5.

But, coming up on the inside, it's the Worcester stallion.

-HORSE NEIGHS

-35.

He's buying my lot.

And Serrell's over the first jump

but with another scarf on the horizon, Katherine's gaining ground.

Silk coronation derby scarf commemorating the victory of Pinza.

-I'll have that.

-33.

35 on the left then. At 35.

I think I'm OK with those five.

-Selling 35.

-Great.

So, with one scarf each,

as our thoroughbreds enter the final stretch,

there's another scarf up next.

But, with Katherine out of money, the fox makes a break for it.

35. Selling 35.

Well, I'm going to put two scarves together -

that's what I'm going to do.

And he's done it. So the results of our scarf-buying derby are in.

Katherine the Great bagged herself one for just over £43, with fees,

but Phil the Fox had a final sprint

and won two scarves at a total cost of nearly £87.

But is he odds-on for profit?

I really don't know.

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

But if you want to find out all there is to know about these,

go and listen to Katherine cos, let me tell you, she'll know.

Well, over to our resident fashionista then.

This scarf celebrates the victory of Pinza.

The great horse that came first, over the Queen's own horse,

and took the 1953 Derby by storm.

It's made of silk and, generally, these pieces are quite hard to find.

It's almost immaculate. It's quite magical, actually. It's very...

Yeah, it's very awe-inspiring.

So Katherine ends her sale on a high and that's the auction over.

But, as the bidders head home,

our wily fox has snuck into the back office to make one final purchase.

He spotted an unsold lot with a £60-to-£90 estimate

and bags a last-minute discount.

I've had a word with the auctioneer.

I've been able to buy these two bits after the sale that remain unsold.

This is a really lovely decanter.

It's silver mounted. Dated 1928.

And this is a little silver cut glass sugar sifter,

probably a little bit later than the decanter.

What am I going to get for them? Well, I sort of, kind of hope...

that I might get £60 or £70 for that.

That's got to be worth £10 or £15 of somebody's money all day long.

And that's a final £55.80, with fees, from Phil's pocket.

A smart move from an auctioneer in the know.

And that brings this bid-tastic bonanza to an end.

But, before they get a nose at each other's treasures,

what were those final figures?

Well, they both arrived in Sussex with £1,000.

Phil leads with six items

and spent £564.20.

Katherine may have just five items,

but she blew her budget on that

poster and spent a total of £992!

Two very different strategies from our duelling dealers,

but they both had to fight tooth and nail for every lot.

-Ugh!

-Ugh!

Well, you've had a day, haven't you?

-Can I just see the seat of your pants?

-Yeah.

You have had... I mean, I think your poster's fantastic, right?

If I'd have seen that, I wouldn't have bought it

because I wouldn't have known what you know.

Yeah, but you did buy other lovely things.

Not many of them, but...

-Oh! She's so horrible to me!

-But you did buy...

-I love these.

-I love these! They are so now. They're so decorative.

-Yeah, yeah.

They're so of our time. Goodness me,

I think you could do really well with those.

-What about the scarves?

-Oh!

-I'm either twice as well off

-or twice as worse off, I'm not sure which.

-I love it that we've bought

-the same thing. Isn't that interesting?

-Yeah. I wouldn't mind

betting that you might do better out of your one

than I do out of my two, though.

So I say may the best scarf win.

Well, first past the post.

-Oh!

-Come on!

-Come on!

So, our bidding buccaneers head home with their auction bounty.

It's time to mop their brows, grit their teeth

and prepare for a selling spectacular.

They've got to find the very best buyers for all their lots

and use their charm, and cheek, to eke out every penny of profit.

Down in Surrey, our great lady is still reeling from the sale.

Well, goodness me,

that auction was a shocker, really.

For me, it hinged on acquiring this lot.

Just looking at it, I mean, I've been photographing it all morning,

just looking at it is just a dream.

I've already had a couple of phone calls

to a number of vintage poster dealers

who are really specialist in this kind of area,

and it would definitely be one of their clients

who would love to scoop this up.

Destination for all my other items,

so my 1953 Victory Of Pinza scarf is a horse racing item

and I think that will go to someone in the horse racing world.

The car badges, well, I'm thinking laterally here,

and I think I quite fancy driving something fast with those.

So roughly 90% of my budget went on the poster

and 10% went on everything else.

It's a kind of risky, risky strategy,

but it's only one that Katherine the Great can take.

Well, we don't doubt you for a minute.

She also has to sell her ivory sector,

fire screen and brass coal bin.

Over near Worcester, Phil's putting in some elbow grease.

Never let it be said that I'm not a modern man.

And you know, presentation is the key to selling all of these things.

So if I can just perhaps clean the inside a little bit

and get this all polished up,

that's going to help when I come to sell it.

These scarves, I am so far out of my comfort zone with those.

These are my favourite piece. I absolutely love these.

I was a bit concerned, well, not a bit,

because this, as you can see, has just broken down here.

Now, Worcestershire is the centre of the glass industry in this country,

Stourbridge in particular,

and I've been on the phone to the museum up at Stourbridge

where they have a restorer, and he tells me,

and I think this is just incredible,

that basically they can cut this off here, and they can either,

if he's got an old one, put a new base on it,

or he can make a new base for me,

and it's going to cost around £50.

That's going to put these in at just about £250.

I still think they're cheap.

I think they're lovely.

I just hope the buyer does.

He also has to sell his riding crop and collection of treen.

Any money they make will go to their chosen charities,

so our daring duo waste no time hitting the phones.

They're lining up potential buyers across the country,

but until they shake on it, no deal is ever sealed.

Phil's first port of call is the glass-restorer in Stourbridge

with his Victorian lamp.

The damaged part is removed under Foxy's nervous eye.

I think, if I did this,

I'd probably break more than I'd mend.

Having kittens here.

LOUD MACHINERY

There we go, just like that.

The bill for the new base actually comes to £40,

so Phil needs to get his thinking cap on for a buyer.

Meanwhile, his great opponent is revving up

for her first potential profit.

I've brought my vintage car badges to Reading

and I've come to see Dominic, who is a bit of a petrolhead.

He owns this go-karting track

and I think he's really going to like them.

Mmm, she's certainly thinking outside the box,

but can she turn a profit on the £117 purchase price?

I have bought you something that connects with motoring history.

-I've bought you four car badges.

-Fabulous.

Emblems that would have gone on the front of your motorcar.

The first is the AA badge, which I think is, you know,

rather striking and dated to the 1960s with the serial number there.

The second is the Royal Automobile Club.

You've got the Royal Signals here,

and here, from the Worshipful Company of Carmen,

so the idea of transport wagons carriage.

That is the badge that marks all of that. What's your first impression?

I think they are lovely.

I could see them going on display in one of our venues or something like that.

And do you know if these would have sat as a set on one car?

They would have sat as a set.

So it's interesting who would have owned these

because there's a connection with the Royal Signals,

-there's a connection with a livery company in London...

-OK.

..but they're all individually quite sought after.

Price-wise, as a group, I'm thinking the £250 mark,

that sort of price would be my opening gambit.

How about this?

-I'll buy them anyway...

-Oh, good.

-..for 150.

-OK.

And if you can beat me on the circuit, I'll pay 200 for them.

This sounds a really good deal.

The only worry is I've got to beat you. Help!

Well, you did say you fancied driving something fast, Katherine.

Our racing redhead hits the track.

Oh, no!

But it's Dominic who takes the lead.

No, no, no. No!

And he's passed the chequered flag.

Well done, I think you won.

-Thank you very much.

-So the deal is 150.

-£150.

Yes, podium or not, that's still £32 into her pot.

So, our speedy seller is up and running.

Meanwhile, the Fox has scampered over to Leicestershire

with his lamp bases.

After the restoration, his costs stand at over £238

and he's got a meeting with lighting specialist Tom.

I thought these would just be right up your street.

-They're great. Nice, big near pair.

-When I bought these at auction...

-Yeah.

-..this was in two pieces, the base.

That's quality restoration.

Now I think that these were around 1880

and I think that they've been lampised probably 1910, 1920, perhaps.

I don't know, yeah, anywhere, by looks of this,

from the '20s through to the '50s. It's difficult to know.

-So probably into war then, really?

-Yeah.

So you'd be interested in buying them?

-I would, yeah.

-What will you do with these to sell them?

First of all, we'll strip them

completely down, so they get cleaned inside and out and polished up.

And then the wiring is the most important part -

-everything has got to be renewed.

-Pat tested.

All Pat tested, all that kind of thing.

So now we come to the crucial bit.

-You want to buy them off me?

-I would.

Well, I'm thinking that they're worth between £800 and £1,000,

that's what I'm thinking.

I'd be happier nearer the £550/£600, really.

£750, would that be any good, do you think?

Can we do something at 600 quid?

650 and they're yours.

Go on, then.

That is an enormous profit from superstar Serrell.

£411.60 on his very first sale.

And he hits the ground running

when he goes on to sell his collection of treen to Herefordshire

dealer Stephanie for £165,

making him just over £47 profit.

So, our Red Queen has a lot of catching up to do.

Her next target is in Newmarket,

where she's taking the silk racing scarf she bought for £43.

Well, I've actually done quite a lot of research on my scarf

and I've tracked it down to this actual racing stables,

where Pinza himself was trained.

I've come to meet Graham Budd, who's a specialist sporting auctioneer,

and I think he'll really love this piece of racing memorabilia.

Smart thinking from our fine filly.

We are at the heart of the Newmarket stables, really.

We're here where Pinza, on my scarf, was trained.

Absolutely. I believe in that stable over in the corner there was

where he was trained and won the Derby in 1953.

Did he really look like this?

I'm going to show you the scarf now because

you never know whether reproductions are accurate.

The answer is, if I'm being honest, that is

-not a portrait of Pinza or the jockey.

-OK.

It was a template that they used every year.

-You've put the correct number on the saddlecraft there - 23.

-Yes, 23.

And then, of course, you'd paint the owner's colours on there.

But, no, it's not really an actual portrait is the answer.

And were these actually worn?

I mean, this is in an unfinished state,

so we've got rough and ready edges here.

They were all a bit of a rush job.

The reason was the Derby was run on the first

day of the meeting, on the Wednesday,

and by the Thursday these were actually being sold on the racecourse.

-Gosh, that's quick, isn't it?

-Yeah, it is.

Price-wise, I was thinking of around about the £100 mark.

-I think we're close, I think we're close.

-Good.

I was going to offer you £80 for it.

-£80, it's a deal.

-It's a deal.

-A racing deal has been stuck.

-Horse-trading.

-Horse-trading!

Yes, that's what we've done.

So, Katherine nearly doubles her money, making £36.60 profit.

But the celebrations are cut short as she stumbles at the next hurdle,

when she tries to sell her antique surveyors' equipment.

Well, I've tried extremely hard with this sector.

It's not been very easy to find a buyer,

so what I have decided to do is sell it to a private collector,

but he's only prepared to pay me £40.

Technically, I haven't made a loss because it was £40 hammer price.

Have I? Really? OK, a little bit of a loss.

Maybe? Possibly.

I never make a loss.

-I've made a loss!

-Oh, dear.

A loss of nearly £13, in fact.

It's been a rollercoaster ride,

and there's no doubt who's in the lead,

but let's see how the numbers stack up so far.

Phil has sold just two of his six auction buys,

but has banked a massive profit of £458.80.

But Katherine is trailing way behind.

She's sold three of her five lots, but only made £55.90.

The challenge is far from over though.

With plenty of big lots to sell, anything could happen.

So, as Katherine plans her next move,

Phil is already trotting off to his next potential sale.

He's come to an equestrian centre in the Cotswolds to try

and sell his riding crop

and swagger stick to vintage side-saddle enthusiast Lydia.

You collect lots of vintage tack and stuff, don't you?

I do, and that's one of the reasons I really like side-saddle

because there's loads of vintage saddles and crops and canes,

and there's a lot of rich history.

1920 was the heyday of side-saddle.

Can we just check out the date on that?

-1922.

-As if by magic.

-Funny old world, isn't it?

-Bang on.

-So is that a crop?

-It's a hunting crop

and it would have been used in the hunting fields.

-To open gates is what you use the bone handle...

-Put it on there.

-Yep.

-It's a stag, isn't it? A stag horn.

-Yes, a stag horn, that's right.

And then the shaft is cane. Is it bamboo?

I think it might be a piece of bamboo.

That's by Brigg.

They were a famous London maker and they had a big shop in London.

Well, that's the one part of it because this came with it.

-It looks like a little swagger stick.

-Yep.

But what's interesting is this here, look, because this is hallmarked silver.

Might these be something that you might be interested in?

-Definitely, definitely.

-Have you got one like this?

-No, I haven't got one like this.

-(Thank you, thank you.)

They've cost me £105 or thereabouts, so I was hoping to get 180/190.

I mean, I'd take 180, how does that sound?

I think that's OK. I think that's OK.

-Thanks, Lydia. You're an absolute angel. Thank you.

-Thank you.

Another £74.60 into Fox's profit pot

and he didn't even have to haggle.

Lydia was really very fair with me.

I just had one overwhelming fear that she'd ask me to get on that horse.

Side-saddle or otherwise, that wouldn't have been for me,

probably, or the horse.

We'll take that as a neigh then.

Our selling stallion is way out in front, but his rival has been

playing the long game and she's about to bring out the big guns.

Well, I've come to London to sell my vintage poster to a specialist

dealer Simon Dwyer and I think it will just be his cup of tea.

The thing is, you see, you've got to spend a lot of money in order

to accumulate a lot of money. That's my philosophy...

or it was when I bought it.

Having spent a massive £719 on the poster,

the stakes have never been higher.

I can feel the tension mounting as I get closer to his house.

Deep breaths, Katherine.

So, first reactions, is it as good as I said it was?

It's really, really good.

The thing about Italian posters is that the inks fade,

the background paper goes brown.

They printed on appalling quality newsprint, which was only

designed to last a few weeks, so, actually, the colour is fabulous.

They would have printed maybe a couple of thousand of these.

So, of those 2,000,

probably no more than 50 were surviving at the end of the year.

Of those 50, most of them have been recycled, repulped.

Now, 10/15 left,

so they are incredibly rare.

Wow, I didn't realise quite how few there were.

The Italian film posters are actually worth more than

the American film posters which, for the archetypal American film,

you might find surprising.

This is proper art.

To be honest, these are so rare, people want these.

In terms of what I would like to see for it, I'm going

to start quite high because I know it's rare, I know it's special.

I'd like to see something around about £2,000.

I'd normally sort of pitch at around £1,000.

I don't know. Would 1,500, how does that, sort of, sit with you?

1,300.

1,400 and we've got it.

-1,400 and we're there.

-1,400 and we're there. Perfect.

She's done it! And that's a £680 profit.

It's a blockbuster result for Higgins the haggler.

I did it.

I spent a lot in the first place, but I doubled my money

and what a result.

As if there was any doubt.

With that sale, she's back in the game and back in the lead.

Her opponent isn't slowing down though.

Phil is still on his equestrian run and has brought his silk scarves

to a horse-themed pub in Worcestershire.

Rebecca, I'm hoping to add to your equestrian theme

because I brought these to show you.

They're Derby scarves and each year there was a scarf produced

to commemorate the Derby winner,

and with your jockey theme here I thought they might be ideal for you.

-What do you reckon?

-Yes.

I was kind of hoping that I might get around £150 or £160 for the two.

That seems a little bit steep.

Go on, then, make me an offer I can't refuse.

-120 would be the last offer on them.

-120.

-I'll tell you what, I'll take that. Thank you very much indeed.

-OK, thank you.

Well, that's £33.20 profit on the pair.

Phil finishes his quest when he sells his glass decanter

and sugar sifter to a jeweller in Malvern...

And that, David, will just sweeten the deal.

..netting him a final £39.20 profit.

So, Foxy is over the finish line.

Katherine the Great has one final lot to find a home for.

She bought the fire screen and coal bin at auction for £62, and quickly

makes back £40 when she sells the screen to a dealer in Hove.

But, the brass bin in the shape of a grape harvester's pod

proved surprisingly popular

when she advertises on an international dealers' website.

Oh, that's the sound of America.

In fact, a specialist who deals in grape harvesting bins

in Savannah, Georgia is interested in taking a closer look.

-George, is that you?

-Hello, how are you, Katherine?

It's going to be interesting to show this to you over

the internet, but I'm going to start from the top.

So you can see the almost repoussoir decorations.

Then, if you look further down,

it's actually got a nice rural interior scene.

And then the back is actually plain, so it's flat-backed,

and I think you can see that there.

That would be most likely strapped to their back and the

grapes would be put in there to carry from the vineyards.

It hasn't got any holders for straps,

so I was wondering whether it was actually a functional piece

or whether it's a decorative piece.

Do you know about the age of that particular one?

I thought it was around about the turn of the century.

I think it's perhaps just a little earlier

because of the craftsmanship.

It is a unique piece.

You usually see the vineyards,

-more of a landscape-type environment.

-Yes.

This one shows inside environment...

-It's a domestic scene.

-..and I like that about it.

-Yeah.

It sets it apart from a lot that I've seen.

Price-wise, I was hoping for

around about 700-plus, something like that.

How does that feel?

That is a massive opening gambit.

You'll have to hold your breath and wait to see if George was

feeling flush, or whether the price tag scared him off.

Before we reveal all, let's remind ourselves of what they spent at auction.

Phil and Katherine both put £1,000 of their own money to Sussex.

Phil won six lots and spent just over half his budget at £604.20.

Katherine bought one item less,

but spent £995.30, including postage costs.

But now it all comes down to who turned the most profit.

All of the money that our brave duo made from today's challenge

will go to charities of their choice.

So, the wait is finally over.

It's time to find out who is today's Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is champion.

-Hello.

-How are you?

Now, I have got some trepidation here.

I've referred to you to everybody as poster girl. You are my poster girl.

-I am your poster girl.

-Well, go on, tell me. How good was it?

It was right and it went to a great dealer,

-who has recognised a good thing.

-Great, fantastic.

Those vases I adored.

Well, they were a fantastic story because I got the one restored,

you would never ever know it was broken, it's fantastic.

-But the thing is, we bought the same lot, didn't we?

-We did, yes.

-Our racing scarves.

-I had a tough time with those scarves.

-Did you?

Yeah, like a real... And you?

Well, I had a great time. I went up to Newmarket,

it was fantastic, and traced back to the stable Pinza was in.

-The Green Goddess.

-That's me.

I am your poster girl and I think, without further adieu...

Go on, then.

-One, two, three, go.

-Go.

Oh!

Actually, gosh, you've done a lot better than I thought you would.

Oh, thank you(!)

You are horrid.

What do you mean I've done better than you thought?

Well, I was quite surprised, actually.

Yes, it's a resounding victory for Katherine.

They don't call her the Great One for nothing.

So, just how much did she sell the coal bin for?

Can we shake a virtual hand with 650?

Oh, my gosh, we have a deal.

So, that's a massive profit of over £394 for the bin and screen.

What a way to end her selling spree.

Well, I'm just totally delighted.

It was all about that poster, really.

It was nerve-racking buying it, but I held my own in the end

and it was worth it.

I thought I'd done OK at the auction.

Those glass lamps, they really did me proud and I was pleased with them.

But then poster girl comes along,

rebel without a cause,

Phil without a clue, I got spanked.

But, the wily fox gets another chance to beat his opponent tomorrow,

when they rev their engines at an antiques fair in Donington.