Eric Knowles v Paul Hayes - UK Antiques Fair Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

This is Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is, the show that takes

the titans of the antiques trade and pitches them against each other...

-Mwah!

-'..to see who can make the most money from buying and selling.'

That's amazing. Truly amazing.

Today, young pretender Paul Hayes takes on veteran maestro

Eric Knowles in an all-out battle for profit,

giving you the inside view on the secrets of the trade.

Coming up - it's the unstoppable determination of the apprentice...

You have to sift through a lot before you come across that one item that says, that's a good thing.

..versus the mysterious powers of the master.

The psychic abilities actually might well be kicking in.

And we reveal the sacrifices our dealers are willing to make to assure victory.

I've actually used one of the kids' mattresses, can you see that?

So he's had nowhere to sleep last night.

This is Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.

Strap yourselves in, because our antiques experts are raring to go.

They're spruced, they're full of fuel and they're armed to the teeth with knock-out knowledge.

Today, our encounter features two of Lancashire's likeliest lads,

and it's very much a battle of master and apprentice.

In the first corner, it's one of TV's greatest antiques experts, the sage of ceramics,

the lord of all he surveys, Eric "Knocker" Knowles.

Facing up to him,

a young challenger whose admiration for the maestro knows no bounds.

He's the soldier of silver, the princely pretender

to Eric's long-held throne, it's Paul "Mr Morecambe" Hayes.

Our boy will have to put his admiration to one side today,

because Paul has to prove himself to the patriarch.

The challenge is simple - to make the most profit

from buying and selling antiques.

So, which of these mighty warriors will reign victorious?

After more than 35 years in the business, Eric lives and breaths antiques.

He is a man who knows what he likes.

Oh, it's glass. Forgive me, I thought it was ceramic.

And following in his footsteps, the handsome Mr Hayes - he may be young,

but Paul's no wide-eyed novice. Born into the family antiques business,

he's never afraid to try it on.

-160.

-Honestly?! Give me a break!

-I've got to try.

Our mighty merchants have £750 of their own money to spend

right here, the Malvern Flea and Collectors' Fair.

It's quite the battleground - 700 stalls to sift through on their hunt for maximum profit,

all of which goes directly to their chosen charities.

They're among the greatest experts in the land,

but failing in today's monumental mission risks the reputations

they have spent years building. So, will it be Eric "Knocker" Knowles

or Paul "Mr Morecambe" Hayes who takes the crown,

as we release our warriors from the North?

-Ey-up.

-Ey-up. Eric, how are you?

-The man from Morecambe.

The man from Burnley. Where's the whippet and the flat cap?

I left them at home. I did bring me pigeons - they're in the car.

I thought I might give them a flight out later.

I must admit, I do feel like the apprentice. Do you have a plan?

Yes, yes. This time I'm going to do something called psychic ceramics.

That's a great idea.

Basically, I'm going to wait for them to beckon me over and say, "Buy me."

So that's it, really. All very scientific!

-What about yourself?

-I have never heard that before.

I wondered how you did it. I'm looking for good quality items.

Quality, maybe a bit unusual. Good small bits and pieces.

Try to up my game a bit and avoid damage. Damage is the nightmare.

-It's a no-no. Well, we have £750 to play with today.

-Yep.

So, I suppose the first thing I'm going to go in search of,

and it's working now on a psychic level, is a cup of coffee, so...

-Fair enough.

-If you want to follow me, I'll catch you later.

-All right, see you in a bit.

And that's where the niceties end.

Mr Hayes hits the road running, sniffing out the very best buys

in his quest to prove himself, but it's a much more laid-back start

from Knocker, who's clearly relying on his much-hyped psychic powers.

Well, I managed to make my first meaningful purchase of the day.

I'm using it, actually, just to keep warm at the moment.

But when I alluded to a psychic ability,

in truth it's not absolutely the case, but I just thought

I would worry my opponent by having him think that I have got this extra ability.

Ooh, an underhand tactic right at the start.

A low blow, but a powerful one.

Because Eric's pretend powers have already got Paul quaking in his boots.

It is quite intimidating, being up against Mr Knowles.

I must admit he is a very, very knowledgeable chap.

I'm sure he's found something fantastic amongst all this lot.

He's got a very sharp eye. I might try that, what do they call it? Psychic ceramics, there we are.

But it's not long before the lad from Morecambe gets his mind straight

and homes in on some buried treasure.

What we've got here is a beautiful Chinese porcelain bowl that was on its way on a Dutch cargo ship

and it did not get all the way over to the British Isles, it sank.

But in the late 1980s, early 1990s, they started to excavate it and they found

this wonderful cache of Chinese porcelain and brought it to the surface.

I think there's a fascination there, if you think about it.

Something that's been at the bottom of the sea for a couple

of hundred years and then been brought up to life.

That's not bad, all that history for £60.

Hopefully I can get that for a little bit less.

Hello, sir, nice to meet you. You have £60 on this,

could you do anything better than that?

-I can do £40.

-Can't see £30? I have to ask.

-£35?

£35, OK, I shall have that, sir. Thank you very much.

From shipwrecked to shipshape.

Paul's straight in there and bags his first purchase,

a Chinese porcelain bowl, for a cool £35.

The clock is ticking and Eric's wandering the aisles,

but ending up on Struggle Street.

Well, the pressure's on, because I haven't bought a sausage yet.

You know, the psychic abilities actually might well be kicking in.

Because I have just got that feeling that the man from Morecambe

is doing a big spend at the moment.

I may be wrong, but I'm feeling that I've got to start spending

what is very close to my heart - money.

Yes, that is the aim of the game, Eric,

but there might be something in those psychic powers after all.

Is Mr Morecambe about to make a mighty purchase?

He's come across a pair of massive stained glass windows.

What I like about them is that they are a pair

and you can put these either side of an alcove.

They tend to be bought by people building houses, they include them into the houses.

I can envisage them on top of a staircase

or either side of a fireplace.

The only thing is the condition.

This one is quite badly warped and there are a few missing, actually,

but to be honest, these don't turn up at all.

Very, very rare items to find a pair like this

and not a bad price, really, but this one, I think is beyond repair.

I'll ask him if he will split them.

-Do you want to keep them as a pair?

-Not really.

Well, what sort of money are you talking about?

Sort of one-and-a-half for that one there?

It's not looking promising, but can he work some of his Morecambe magic?

Just the fact that it's damaged...

-Yeah. Go on, then.

-You want that?

-Yeah, all right.

-Thank you very much. That's £150, not £1.50!

Mr Morecambe sees the light and comes up with a divine deal,

but our Eric's supposed paranormal powers

must be messing with Paul's head - literally a couple of minutes later,

the apprentice has a sudden change of mind.

In hindsight, I thought, what a shame to split that pair up.

So I've gone back to the stall holder and he said I can have the damaged one for £50.

So now I have got two wonderful stained glass windows. Great.

So, Mr Hayes smashes his second deal of the day, a matching pair of stained glass windows for £200.

That takes him way out in front.

Our Knocker's still not spent a single penny,

but the race is far from over, Eric's bargain barometer is rising.

One of most famous images from Victorian England,

the Light of the World.

And if I'm not mistaken, it's by William Holman Hunt.

There are a couple of versions of it.

It is not the most saleable of objects.

Because it's a pre-Raphaelite,

I might, actually, probably for all the wrong reasons,

have a go at buying it.

Can I just ask you, it's all in perfect condition, your plaque?

-Yep.

-To use a well-worn phrase, what's the best we can do on it?

-14, I'll do it for.

-£14. OK, I'll make a purchase on that.

And he's finally off and running. The price is right,

no need for a haggle, Knowlesy knocks off his first purchase

and snaps up the pre-Raphaelite art for £14.

You have an awful lot of trawling to do,

before you can see even a sprat, never mind a mackerel.

So as far as the trawl is concerned, at the moment,

there is nothing here that floats my boat.

Do you get it - trawler boat?

Yes, there's no room for jokes,

Mr Morecambe is streets ahead in the buying stakes,

but it's not long before our trawlerman nets a shiny catch.

Well, from 100 paces, this shouts Art Deco.

As you can see, it is a sort of little table lamp

with this nice pyramidal-type design.

Pyramids are very big in Art Deco design.

It's got a modern fitting, I can see that,

I have turned it upside down it says, "Waite & Son Ltd, Surrey."

I've never heard of this before in my life!

But it's a good-looking thing and not a bad price. £35 is quite a good price.

But as I'm looking around,

there's lots of other things that I need to ask a price on.

All of a sudden, I've found myself with a stand

that's got my type of objects on it.

And the stall holder is the real winner,

because Eric can't keep his hands off.

He gets the lamp base for £25, spends another 25 on an orange vase

and rounds off his little run with a copper plate for £30.

Malvern is really testing the mettle of our mighty gladiators,

but they have still only seen a fraction of the fair.

Eric and Paul started out with £750 of their own money,

burning a hole in their pockets.

Spurred by the threat of his psychic opposition,

Paul sprinted off the blocks, picking up two purchases

for a total of £235, leaving him another £515 to spend.

Eric took time perusing the pitches, but he's gaining momentum fast.

Four deals done and dusted for just £94,

meaning he still has an enormous £656 to play with.

So, with mountains of money still sloshing about in their pockets,

Knocker Knowles and Mr Morecambe Hayes are totally focused

on digging out more dealer delights.

They're scouting the stalls like their lives depend on it.

It's a strange feeling - as you're wandering about, you tend to see lots of things

that you have seen before, and you try to put your quality head on.

You think, well, is that well-made? Is that item something that has been expensive

when it's been produced, you know?

You have to sift through a lot before you come across

that one item which says, that's a good thing.

And while Paul's quality head keeps his eyes spinning,

Eric packs a punch with a familiar find.

It's the Light of the World, version two.

Maybe with my Ridgeway plaque, the two would work well together.

Let me ask... Excuse me, sir, to use that, again, well-worn phrase

I hear all around me, what's the best we can do?

-The very best?

-I wanted 15, I'll take 10 for it.

-You'll take 10? OK.

All right. Well, at £10, you've got yourself a sale.

First of all, this is the best-selling engraving of the entire 19th century,

consequently, there are a lot of them around.

However, it is by William Holman Hunt, he is one of the very, very best of the pre-Raphaelites

and to be frank for you, for a tenner, well, I think the frame is worth that.

It looks like a blinder, and our Eric snaps it up,

but Mr Morecambe is hot on his heels.

He skids to a halt at one stall where he spies a beauty of a bronze.

What we have here is a fantastic modern sculpture.

I know it's not very antique, but it is a bronze.

It's in great condition, there is a signature on it.

It's a good researcher's lot, the sort of thing I can go back

and hopefully find out who the artist might be.

It's whether I want to punt £200.

-I'll see £160?

-Honestly?! Give us a break!

-I know, I've got to try.

-I'll take a tenner off.

190, then? I'm not going to waste any more of your time.

Shall we shake on it? All right. Thank you.

I've just bought a bronze.

It's me and Eric, first thing this morning.

# Just the two of us... #

Our Lancashire hotpots have plenty in common,

a passion for antiques and bags of banter!

This morning, they were the best of buddies, but now it's all-out war

and it's Knocker who strikes the next blow.

A tiled teapot stand catches his beady eye and £30 later, it's his.

It's Victoriana.

This is a ceramic tile and it's been made into a teapot stand,

which was quite often the way.

You can see it's got the oak frame around it.

It's got these little bun feet, it dates to probably about 1870, 1875,

and it's probably after a design

by a man called WS Coleman.

It's from a series of designs that he did

for tableware as well as for tiles.

I don't think there is a huge profit in it.

If I can get 50, I think I'd be doing well.

Maybe I should sign it on the back, maybe that would help. WS Coleman, not E Knowles!

Naughty Knowles! You keep your autograph pen in your pocket!

Right, OK. I think I have gone through all the outside pitches.

So I'm going to go inside, where all the smaller, prettier items are

and hopefully I can try my luck there, but, I must admit, I'm running out of time.

The wind is changing and Mr Morecambe alters his course, but Eric hasn't moved anywhere.

He's spotted an Art Deco clock on the same stall.

-£28.

-£28.

That is your definite price?

Well, seeing as it is nearly the end of the day,

I'll drop it to £20 for you.

-To 20?

-20.

-OK, hmm... Right.

-But you have to buy it at that.

Well, I will buy it at that, that's very generous of you.

Eric can't believe his luck.

He barters the vendor down and bags the clock set for £20.

Indoors, Paul's making brisk work of the wares

and he's come across a Worcester bowl.

There we go, is it in good condition?

-It's in perfect condition.

-No cracks, no chips?

-So what's the best you can do on this?

-I think 90 for best.

That's your very best? You can't do £70?

-One bid is worth 1,000 lookers-on!

-Can we meet in the middle, upper 80?

£80, right, I'll have that.

We're not a million miles away from Worcester.

Royal Worcester was the first factory to produce real porcelain in the UK.

So this is almost a first period Worcester, 1770, 1790. Recognisable by the crescent moon

on the bottom, this wonderful underglaze blue,

it is just a fantastic example.

So I think to real English porcelain collectors, that's a bargain.

Hayes the haggler strikes again and seals the deal on the Worcester blue and white bowl for £80.

But Paul better watch out, the competition's arrived!

It's nearly closing time. I have only just got in this pavilion.

I say pavilion, it looks like a cattle shed, actually,

but I'm really going to have to be businesslike, I'm really going to have to motor.

But has he arrived too late? Things are starting to get desperate.

The stall holders are already packing up.

The Art Deco clock is ticking.

Eric and Paul have to throw everything at this.

They've got to rummage like mad and pray for a miracle.

# Baby, you know that

# Maybe it's time for a miracle

# Cos I ain't giving up on love... #

Is this Morecambe's moment? His eyes land on a Japanese jar.

Just look at the intricate work on this. Isn't it fantastic?

All these little compartments here and these cartouches,

there is not any damage at all.

It's made from bronze, and soldered onto the surface, these tiny wires,

and those little tiny wires produce a cloisonne,

a French word for compartment,

and then they are enamelled over. It is fantastic quality, it really is.

This dates from 1890, 1900, the Meiji period, Japan.

It is very, very hard to find in good condition like this, you know?

But the lady did point out it has a little bit of a wobble on the top here.

Which happens, I suppose. I'm going to ask you the price, how much is it?

-It's a nice one, isn't it?

-We can do it for £140.

Well, it's a lovely thing, I'll think a bit for now,

but it has certainly taken my eye, one of the nicest things I've seen.

-Oh, great. That's good to know.

-Thank you. OK, fabulous.

Could that be a colossal miss for Mr Hayes?

Doesn't he realise old Knowlesy is snooping around?

But Paul can't resist that jar and just two minutes later, he's back.

-Ma'am, can I offer you something for it?

-140.

-Was that the price?

-Yeah.

-You can't do £100? No?

-No way.

-You can't do £130, taking off a tenner?

-£135.

-Oh! Well, you know what, I'm going to have to just buy it,

it's quality and I said I would buy quality.

Shall we shake on that? Thank you very much.

Not the most successful haggle of the day,

the vendor barely budged!

But a cracking Japanese jar for Paul for £135.

So there you are, that was a relief. The last minute there

that I managed to find some very interesting items,

some wonderful oriental items, fantastic.

And the master has notched up one last purchase.

No more of his psychic ceramics,

it seems he's developing a penchant for Deco clocks.

I've bought this little mantel clock. It's a classic piece, really, of Deco.

Because it has all the geometry going for it.

It's English, it's an eight-day clock.

It probably dates to round about 1930

and it is in perfect working order. It's keeping pretty good time.

So, how much did I pay for it, I almost hear you ask?

Well, I paid £40 and to be quite frank,

if I don't more than double my money,

I'm going to be more than a little disappointed.

Knocker knows quality when he sees it. Eric ends this delectables derby by treating himself

to the blue glass-rimmed clock and forks out £40.

So, after a good spend-up,

how much money have our bargain hunters invested?

They each started the day with £750 of their own money.

Paul was quick off the blocks and bought some big ticket items.

He made five purchases, spending £640.

Eric, on the other hand, bought eight items

but was more careful with his cash, handing over just £194.

Our boys have both played very different tactics, but how do they rate their performances?

To use the vernacular, Paul - I tell you what, we put some hours in today, haven't we?

We have. It's more than a walk along Morecambe promenade.

How has the psychic ceramics gone, all right?

Not too bad. Didn't work all the time,

but it kept me in touch with what you were doing! Best buy?

Come on, show me your best buy.

-You know I set out this morning to buy nothing damaged?

-Yes.

I came back with two stained glass windows. But there's method in my madness. I couldn't resist these.

I actually bought one, that's almost perfect.

A bit of restoration here and there, almost ready to go,

but rather than split them, I bought both. I'm glad I bought them both,

-but that one is slightly damaged. What's your favourite?

-Well, I bought all sorts of things.

I think from an interest point of view, the engraving.

It's not of any great value, but you see that little lantern? Believe it or not, that was made

in Birmingham as a prop for Holman Hunt.

Someone came to a valuation day years ago and showed me the drawing

and they actually owned that lantern.

I'm feeling for you, Paul, obviously I'm going to put these in my car and drive off with them.

But you're going on the train and that really worries me

a little bit with those, but good luck, mate.

There's a number 37 bus that passes any minute!

Eric and Paul are only halfway through their mighty challenge.

This is where we sort the wheat from the chaff.

The master and his apprentice focus on the tricky business

of selling and they're both back in their dens, planning their attack.

Our boys have got the knowledge and the contacts, but have they got

the brawn to outrun their opponent and pocket some hefty profit?

Knocker Knowles knows he can't afford the slightest mistake, his reputation rests on it.

But our young pretender will do anything to win.

Is it possible that he could triumph over his antiques idol?

In this game, anything is possible.

In magnificent Morecambe, Paul is pretty pleased

with his pile of purchases.

I'm delighted with what I've bought,

the oldest is this, it dates from 1780,

1800, a bit of history there, I think.

Then a very exciting item from the Tek Sing wreck,

that's a great, interesting story with that.

This is a cloisonne coral, it's used for burning incense,

and the amount of work and decoration that goes into this.

The only one I might struggle with is the bronze. Bronzes can do very, very well.

-That's the tricky one.

-And his piece de resistance, the stained glass windows,

but will a glowing profit shine through?

And it's all smiles for our mighty master.

Eric is ecstatic, but has his expert eye come up trumps?

Starting with Art Deco,

a lovely little clock garniture dating from about 1925, 1930.

Next to that, a ceramic table lamp base,

and a lovely little desk clock, that's my favourite.

Then from the world of Arts & Crafts,

a lovely copper dish, what about that?

A teapot stand with a Minton plaque.

This piece is a bit of a mystery to me at the moment.

I think it's by a firm called Walsh. And last, but not least,

the Light of the World, I have got a Ridgeway plaque

and I think I am going to have a buyer for the plaque -

and the engraving, I'll throw it in for free -

with a museum in the North West of England, fingers crossed.

No time to waste - with mountains of profit on their minds, our boys must sell

like they've never sold before, but until they've shaken on it

and the money's changed hands, no deal is truly sealed.

Paul gets straight down to business with his stained glass windows.

They won't be simple to shift. They're badly damaged.

If Mr Morecambe is to make a bright, shiny profit, he'll have to get them fixed.

I've contacted a professional stained glass restorer,

he's been out to have a look at them

and thankfully, he thinks he can do it. How fantastic is that? So hopefully I'm going to get back

two, a pair, of fantastic chapel windows - that's definitely going to sell really well.

Feeling all pleased with himself, young Hayes soon stumbles on his next problem,

how to transport the two fragile windows without causing any more breaks -

let's see how he does.

He resorts to roping in a neighbour to help him out.

Eventually, the windows arrive with Keith, the restorer,

who's come up with an inspired plan to fix them.

These bottom panes, we can take these pieces of glass out,

putting them into the main body of the window

and put something that is of the same...

-That goes with it.

-That'll complement the main one.

-So that is ingenious.

-That makes it more cost effective.

You are talking my language! Obviously, I'm on a bit of a budget.

Yes, it is still going to cost £100 for Keith's expertise,

piling more profit pressure on Paul.

Mr Knowles is quick off the mark as well.

He's got his two versions of the famous Light of the World painting.

He's in Manchester at the City Art Gallery, to meet collections manager, Ruth.

And she shows him their original piece of the artwork.

Wasn't this recognised

as the most popular picture of the entire 19th century?

Is that stretching a point?

I don't think it is. It certainly was one of the best-known images

of Christ in the 19th century. There were three versions

of the painting made. This painting actually attracted

blockbuster crowds when it toured the world.

This particular version went to America in 1857 and 1858.

Amazing.

Well, I've got two more versions that I'm holding here.

One is a print, the other is ceramic. Well, have a look.

Tell me what you think. There we go.

I certainly haven't seen the Light of the World looking like that before!

Well, it doesn't really compare

with the glorious coloured version, but it is something of a rarity.

Cos I've seen lots and lots of Ridgeway plaques

and I've never seen this one before.

No, and I haven't heard about it being reproduced on ceramics.

Literally a few minutes later, I discovered this,

leaning against a table.

Now, I do not haggle with museums, OK?

So it's really a case of you saying to me, "Eric, we are prepared

"to pay X amount for this." Come at me with a price.

£75, how does that sound to you?

£75, that's sounds perfectly all right to me.

-So, if we can shake on that.

-It's a deal.

-Excellent.

# Shine, shine, shine on... #

Noble Knocker won't push it,

the plate and the painting light up his world with a profit of £51.

Mr Morecambe's instantly playing catch-up. Now it's his turn to shine like an antiques beacon.

Paul has collected his restored windows and motored all the way to the Cotswolds,

but someone had to make a sacrifice to ensure the delicate glass survived the journey.

To make sure of safe transit, I've used one of the kids' mattresses.

So he had nowhere to sleep last night. But that adds to the suspension,

to keep them in the condition, hopefully, that they've arrived in.

Including the restoration, the windows have cost Paul £300. The man from Morecambe

is in Moreton-in-Marsh to meet Peter, who runs an architectural salvage yard.

-They are beautiful, aren't they?

-Yes, they are.

The colours, we can't get today in modern stained glass

because these are full of lead and you're not allowed to do that today. You can't get these rich colours

because we can't use lead in the pigments of whatever they make the glass from.

-There's lead to make the colour?

-That's right.

-They are not too religious.

Would these be classed as more commercial?

These are more commercial. Religious stained glass is quite hard to sell.

They're a bit tall to be perfect commercial,

you just have to think of who might possibly have a house big enough to take these.

I paid £200 for these, I spent another £100 to have them restored, so they stand me at £300.

I think they are good pieces.

-I would certainly show you a profit of maybe £150 on these.

-So, £450.

I was hoping for towards the £500 mark,

you couldn't meet me halfway at 475 on that?

-I can do £475.

-Would you do that?

-Yes, absolutely.

I will shake your hand and make sure I have hold of this one!

The windows bring in a colourful profit for the apprentice,

a hefty £175. The stained glass puts a crack in the master's master plan

and he's got to get back in the game.

He doesn't waste a second.

Eric sells the yellow lamp base for £35 to a man in West Sussex,

making £10 profit in the process.

The same man takes the orange vase off his hands as well,

and he pays exactly the same, £35, bringing in another £10 profit.

Our Eric is making headway,

but he is still lagging behind Mr Morecambe.

So, to clear his head, he visits one of the most beautiful parts of these islands.

# The hills are alive with the sound of music... #

I'm here in a sun-bathed English Lake District.

I'm here to meet a dealer,

a friend of mine called Michael Vickery.

Now, Michael is a specialist dealer in the decorative arts

from the late 19th to the early 20th century.

So I'm hoping that he's going to have an interest in my Arts & Crafts copper plaque.

So, I have to say that I'm now hoping

that the hills might be alive, but with the sound of profit.

-There it is, you have a look at it.

-This is a nice example.

I mean, what I will say about it, it could be a bit larger,

but otherwise it is very nice.

The colour is not bad. It's not been overpolished.

There is no maker's mark on it, which is a bit of a shame.

I know you are going to ask me about the price,

-because I know it is relative to size.

-It is.

I have to say, I was looking to get somewhere in the region

of a mere £80 for something like that.

£80. It's not a bad price, actually. It's not a bad price.

Hmm, I think I would go for £75.

Michael, I've known you a good number of years, you were canny then, you're canny now,

so if you want to give me £75, it's yours.

-Thank you very much. That's excellent.

-But hey, it's cash!

Yes, well, let's hope he doesn't pay in coppers.

The plaque profits to the tune of £45, and while Eric's in the Lakes,

he decides to spend some time enjoying the scenery.

# I love to go a-wandering along the mountain track

# And as I go, I love to sing, my knapsack on my back... #

There is nothing I like more

than putting on a pair of walking boots and going on a ramble.

In fact, I've been accused of being a professional rambler for many a year!

Surely no-one would describe old Knocker as a rambler!

Still, he's not the only one in beautiful surroundings - Mr Morecambe has taken a wander

along the River Thames in Surrey. He's stopped off at Shepperton to see Gary,

who runs a shop selling nautical antiques, including items rescued from the Tek Sing ship,

which sank in 1822, but will he want the bowl Paul picked up for £35?

It really is amazing. How many pieces, roughly, were on board?

People say there was a million, or 20,000. Do you know roughly how many were actually found?

On the Tek Sing, there were approximately 350,000 pieces

that went to auction. There was a lot more broken stuff that they never recovered

and I'm sure they didn't get everything that was down there.

So, it was a very big boat, a very big ship indeed.

-You're also a private collector as well?

-Yes, that's right.

You've some great examples here - there is one similar-looking to this,

but is this how they were found, with sediment on top?

There is a certain fascination, really, that it tells the story of where it's been just there and then.

If I was to ask you £50, am I going to be well out or is that about the going rate?

-How would you rate it, do you think?

-I would say that is a fair price.

Normally, that would retail for £100.

I would say £50 is a fair price.

-It sounds a fair price to me, is that OK for you?

-Yes.

-It will add to your collection?

-I shall put that in my collection, without a doubt.

-Fantastic. If I find a bowl to match,

-I'll give you a shout.

-You give me a call.

-Thanks very much.

Paul pitches the price perfectly and sinks a profit of £15.

Both our Lancashire lads have been racing all over the country

and the funds are flowing freely.

Eric, the master, has done well so far,

selling five of his items and sitting on a profit of £116.

Paul, the apprentice, has only sold two items at this midway stage,

but he's way out in front in cash terms with a £190 profit.

Each our of boys has three items left to sell.

While it's not looking good for old Knocker,

his collectibles crown isn't in enemy hands just yet.

And Prince Paul soon suffers a right royal setback.

He paid £135 for the Japanese jar,

but struggled to find a buyer, so he took it to a car-boot sale

and was forced to sell it for a paltry £80.

Including the car-boot fees, that is a clunking great loss of nearly £56.

But that setback for Mr Morecambe makes the contest incredibly tense.

There's now just a few pounds between our heavyweight dealers, so it's all to play for.

The master is determined to get back into control of the game

with the blue clock he paid £40 for.

He hotfoots it to Forest Row in East Sussex to meet Jeroune, a specialist dealer in Art Deco.

Jeroune? Hello, hello, hello, good to find you in your emporium.

-Nice to see you.

-Full of wonderful things.

Well, keeping in mind your interest in moderne,

have I got a desk clock for you?

Well, I hope so, because it's this little treasure.

Blue glass, actually, if you look at the edge, it is like a sapphire blue or electric blue,

but anyway, have a look, tell me your thoughts.

Proper period Art Deco clock. English, eight-day movement.

-Is it working?

-Yes, it's been working in my office for a few days.

The sort of thing that you would often see in the background of a Poirot episode, isn't it?

-Yes, it is good-looking.

-I was looking for around the £100 mark.

OK.

-I love that pondering! I love that pondering!

-Well, you know,

these clocks don't fetch a tremendous amount of money.

-£80.

-£80, it's yours.

-Thank you very much.

-All right. You're a star.

Eric doubles his money with the clock,

another £40 for his profit pocket.

And he soon sees off his other Art Deco clock.

The three-piece set goes for £50, chiming in a profit of £30.

The master is back in the driving seat,

teaching the young trainee a thing or two about successful sales, but has he learned anything?

Paul meets Royal Worcester expert Chris at an auction house in London.

So,can he make a profit out of the blue and white bowl that cost him £80?

What is it about Worcester that you like?

Worcester were an English factory which really got on the ball.

When they first started, 1752,

they perfected porcelain before anybody else in this country.

-They were the very first to come up with this white gold?

-Very white.

You see with this finger bowl here,

you see all the sand in here? It says it's early.

-OK. And the crescent mark.

-It's 18th century, it is about 1770, actually.

Gosh.

Also, you will notice a blue haze on this.

That blue haze indicates arsenic.

They put arsenic in the glaze to get the glaze brighter.

-So, cards on the table, right?

-This is what I'm dreading.

I was hoping for £120 for that.

I think it's a nice example and I think it's a good quality item.

That's what I would ask for it, so I would say £100 cash on that.

£100 cash? I think we'll shake on that.

Paul seals the deal and makes a useful profit of £20,

but is it enough?

Both our boys each have one item left to sell.

For Eric, it's the tiled teapot stand he paid £30 for.

He visits Sue in Kent, who collects and exhibits teapots,

thousands in fact, but will she go potty for his stand?

I might have said it before, but when does a collection become an obsession?

Well, people think I'm obsessed now!

-And you're still adding, too.

-Always.

-So, how many at the last count?

-Just over 6,500.

If we ever went to antique fairs and we could never find a teapot,

we'd get downhearted, and so anything related to tea,

we would buy just so we had something.

I suppose what I've brought along is teapot-related.

Let me show you my teapot stand. Have a look.

It's got a good pedigree. It is Minton.

It's in its original stand, mount, whatever you want to call it.

I think it is absolutely lovely. But I don't want to put words in your mouth.

It is bigger than I expected, actually.

When I saw the picture of it, I thought it would be a six-inch.

Well, I was looking for around about £80 for it, anyway.

Goodness me! How about 50?

I tell you what, if you just go that extra mile

and offer me 60, it's yours.

-OK, I'll give you 60 for it.

-Excellent.

I tell you, that's the best buy you will make this year, I promise you, I promise you.

Well, I tell you what, Sue, I'm desperate to have a look around,

I can see there are more and more corridors here.

And after that, how would you like to paint your own teapot?

I would love to do that, what a treat.

Eric doubles his money again with his last item.

The teapot stand serves up a piping hot profit of £30.

As Knocker extends his lead,

he sits down with Sue to decorate his teapot

and has a little message for his young contender.

A present for Mr Morecambe, from a certain Mr Wise -

-"Put kettle on, lad."

-But Paul doesn't have time for tea. He's got his last item to sell

and he needs it to blow Eric out of the water. Mr Morecambe's decided the best way to make maximum profit

on the bronze statue is to put it up for auction,

but he's hit an early stumbling block.

The estimate is between £70 and £100.

Now, bearing in mind this stands me at £190,

I need well over £200 to break even.

Dear me, it's not looking good, is it?

But the guys here think it's worth between that sort of money,

so let's hope we get someone who disagrees and it goes very well.

-Start me, £40, the lot.

-Come on!

45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80.

-80 to my left, then. 85, best bidding.

-It's well worth that.

So, will the bronze go bust, or can Paul pull it back?

All will be revealed in just a few moments.

Each of our experts had £750 of their own money to spend

at the antiques fair in Malvern. Paul only bought five items,

but after restoring the stained glass windows and car-boot fees,

spent just under £741.

Eric, however, made eight purchases, but only spent £194,

but the only thing that matters from here on in is profit.

All of the money that Eric and Paul have made

from today's challenge will go to a charity of their choice,

so, without further ado, it's time to find out

who is today's Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is champion!

-Eric! How are you? Lovely to see you.

-I'm all right, I'm very well.

I set out, I stuck to my guns, I wanted to buy nothing but porcelain.

-What did I come back with?

-Yep?

-A pair of stained glass windows. They really were a show-stopper.

-I had them restored, they looked amazing.

-I have to say that I was very happy

with my Light of the World plaque.

Which is now in the reserve archive of Manchester Art Gallery.

-Have you been on my patch?

-Well, are we going to do this? One, two, three.

-Oh! You got me again.

-Oh!

-You slime, £78.93.

We're not trouncing you, Mr Hayes,

but we are just making that tad more.

-You are, where has the 93 pence come from?

-Well, look at me,

I don't mess around in pences. That might be the secret, Paul.

93 pence, that will buy us about half a cup of tea, here, I think.

-Come on.

-It must have all gone wrong at the auction.

So, how much did the bronze statue go for?

-Come on!

-150 in the green stripe.

150 it goes. 150.

A lot more than I was expecting,

it would be nice to get a bit of a profit out of it, but there we are.

Including the auction costs, that is a loss of more than £75.

The apprentice still has a lot to learn.

You know what, I really can't understand how Eric Knowles

managed to beat me on this particular challenge

because I bought those fantastic stained glass windows.

Paul, you spent an awful lot more money at that fair

and you were only able to claw back a 10% profit or thereabouts,

so I think you've got to be very careful what you buy.

And Paul, avoid modern bronzes!

But Paul could still turn it around. He has another crack at Eric's crown tomorrow,

when battle commences at Duke's Auctions in Dorchester.

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