James Lewis v Jonty Hearnden - Foreign Market 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

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

That's amazing, truly amazing.

Today, James Lewis takes on Jonty Hearnden in an all-out battle for profit,

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

Coming up, our duelling gents unearth some unexpected wares en France.

I knew it was English because I could see clearly these are the English hallmarks.

They expertly negotiate with tough French dealers.

-Trente-huit?

-LAUGHTER

And back home, know how to persuade people to part with their cash.

-Lovely, French, Art Deco, walnut...

-Cheap.

-Yes, you have to use the word "cheap".

-Cheap.

This is Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.

Today's epic fight-out pitches the unstoppable veteran of vintage,

James The Lionheart Lewis,

against the fancier of furniture, Jonty The Hitman Hearnden,

to see who can make the most profit from buying and selling antiques.

The stakes in this competition couldn't be higher.

It's the well-honed and competitive auctioneer from the north...

Oh, look at that!

..versus the suave, smooth-talking dealer from down south.

Now, this looks like Steptoe's Yard.

They are risking their reputations and their own hard-earned cash in a battle

that will test their knowledge and contact books to the absolute limit.

Lots of interesting objects, totally different to anything you see in the UK.

Today's battleground takes us across the Channel. It's the Saint-Ouen Antiques Market in Paris

where 3,500 shops and stalls are full to bursting with antiques and collectables.

They've got £750 of their own money to spend and all the profits go to their chosen charities.

James Lewis and Jonty Hearnden, it's time to put your money where your mouth is.

-Jonty...

-Welcome to "Paree".

-Thank you very much.

-I've been to Paris before, but I've never been to this market.

-It's a great market.

There is so much choice here. You can see such fabulous quality French antiques. They're wonderful.

They are, but I've got a feeling we'll need our entire £750 budget to buy one thing from here.

Now, there's got to be somewhere where we can have a rummage.

There are areas that, let's say, how can I put this, are slightly less expensive?

I'll spend my day rummaging, trying to find the bargains in the cheaper end,

something that may belong here, but find it cheaper over there. And you?

-I am hoping I can find something quite meaty that I can get my teeth stuck into.

-Let's go for it.

So our gladiatorial experts plunge in on their hunt for treasure.

Despite his plan to start at the cheap end,

our foreign market newbie heads in the opposite direction.

The seasoned Hitman is at a distinct advantage.

He knows the turf and his radar is set to bargain basement.

This market here, there's a complete contrast. At one end, it's really high-end antiques.

This end...

Spanners.

Jonty certainly has a ticket for the cheap seats, but James is on the hunt for quality.

It's landed him in the posh end of the market.

Oh, my word! I've got a feeling this is going to be an expensive day.

It's a mammoth market and while James is lost amongst the top end, high-priced antiques,

Jonty has found his first bargain buy, a glass vase.

This is a bit of 1960s French glass.

What one needs to check for is any chips.

It's filthy dirty, so all it needs is a jolly good clean.

At home, £30 to £60 to the right buyer.

Just what I was looking for in a French market. C'est magnifique!

So Jonty has delivered the first blow in this epic battle.

He cleverly negotiated the vase down to just 10 euros, just over £9.

James Lewis should be quaking in his boots, but he's window-shopping in the pricey end of the market.

# Money, money, money Must be funny

# In the rich man's world... #

That can't be the price.

That can't be the price!

It's the price.

£230 for the budgies!

Dear me!

1,000 euros! Cor!

Yes, James is like a poor man in a palace, but if he's got any hope of beating old pro Jonty,

he's got to find his way to the bargains.

# It's a rich man's world... #

In Cheap Street, the Hitman is powering around and has already made his second purchase.

-Combien?

-Cinquante.

-Cinquante.

The dealer has first started off asking for 50 euros.

We're now down to 15 euros.

I've bought it because it's a fabulous shape.

When I'm at a French market, I have to buy a piece of glass like this.

The reason is, I can sell them till the cows come home.

Yes, Jonty is scorching hot this morning and brimming with confidence.

He's just managed to beat the dealer down by 35 euros

and bagged the vase for just under £14.

Using his smooth negotiating skills to the max, the Hitman is cruising at high speed.

But old Lionheart hasn't even got out of first gear.

I've no idea where to go now.

I've covered such a huge section of this market

and I've spent nothing.

Not one euro.

The only thing I've wanted to buy so far is a crepe!

Oh, James has got to find a way out of this hole.

Time for a change of plan.

Earlier, I said I was going to try and find something that was at home in these top Parisian gallery shops,

but try and find it here in the cheaper end.

# I'll be working my way back to you, babe... #

Finally, he muscles in on Jonty's territory and it works a treat.

Before long, he's sniffed out a potential purchase - a carved coquilla nut,

but the dealer could be an even harder nut to crack.

-How much is that?

-This one? Pour quel prix on peut faire ca?

On peut faire ca... Quatre-vingt euros.

The dealer is after 80 euros.

-Could you do it anything cheaper?

-What cheap? I speak English little. I'm sorry.

-Vingt-cinq?

-Ah, non, vingt-cinq. Ah, non!

Do you like a...? JAMES LAUGHS

On peut faire cinquante?

The dealer concedes to 50 euros.

-It's wood, look.

-I know.

-Trente-huit?

-Oh, trente-huit!

Cheeky James tries his luck at 38 euros,

a whopping 42 less than the original asking price!

-Oui?

-38. It's OK.

-Well done.

-Good.

It's a textbook buy from the Lionheart and his charm wins them over.

He negotiates 38 euros, just under £35.

Finally, my first purchase. My goodness, did they haggle!

This is carved from a solid coquilla nut. It's a very hard nut and not easy to carve at all.

These little holes here are hand-drilled.

There should be at least some profit in this.

But he's got to keep it up because the Hitman is sweeping up bargains galore.

He's found a 19th century rosewood chair that's in need of some TLC.

For the fancier of furniture, this is the jackpot.

So I've found an absolute bargain in one of the most expensive markets in the whole of Europe.

45 quid for a 19th century armchair.

James, that's what I call a bargain!

The chair is certainly a catch at just over £45

and it puts Jonty the juggernaut in complete control of the game.

He's burning rubber and goes straight on to snap up yet another potential gold mine.

It's a lovely, French, walnut, Art Deco, occasional table.

Circular top, circular base.

The problem with this table is it has been stripped, it's been re-polished badly.

But if I put some money to reinvest in restoring it,

this table has to be worth £150, maybe £250 straight on to the trade.

Another bargain.

Jonty picks up the table for a little over £45.

Our resident furniture fancier is firing on all cylinders

with an incredible four items already in the bag.

The Lionheart is way behind, but might have just found something to light up his life.

These are interesting. These are 19th century in style,

but 20th century ormolu that's then been gold-painted over the top,

ormolu being gold-plated bronze.

What is your best price on this?

Soixante-dix euros pour la paire.

Madame wants 70 euros.

-50?

-Cinquante euros?

-C'est juste. Bon, cinquante euros.

-Oui?

-D'accord.

James bags his second item of the day,

a pair of wall lights for just over £45.

Believe it or not, a bargain. That's the first one of those I've had today.

James's exceptional knowledge is really working to his advantage in the cheaper end of the market

and he's starting to feel at home.

It's not long before his expert eye plucks out another hidden gem.

He pays less than £5 for a second lamp.

This one dates back to the 1920s

and is hidden inside a conch shell.

As the sun gets higher in the Paris sky, so does James's confidence. Hear that lion roar!

Watch out, Jonty! It's been a tough morning for our premier professionals,

so who has sped off and who has stalled at the start line?

They both kicked off the day with the equivalent of £750 of their own cash.

Jonty has had a great start.

He's bagged himself four items costing just under £114,

leaving him with more than £636 to spend.

James has picked up his momentum and now has three items.

He has spent just under £85,

meaning he's got more than £665 to play with.

It's Round Two of this French bargain bout

and with the Lionheart prowling round the Hitman's territory, Jonty is raising the bar.

He's paid just over £9 for yet another glass vase and never one to let a bargain slip by,

he sniffs out two silver-topped jars from the same shop.

As soon as I picked up this jar, I knew it was English

because I could see clearly that there were hallmarks.

If you just see on the side of the lid, these are the English hallmarks

and if you look at the top, the initials MR,

that means these two items here were part of the dressing table set,

so we've found some English antiques in the Frenchest of French markets

here in Saint-Ouen in Paris. Amazing, eh?

Jonty is as pleased as Punch.

He paid a little over £9 for the large jar

and picked up the smaller one for just under £5.

The Hitman came, he saw and he's conquered, but James is catching up fast.

He's rather taken with a decorative box, but the price, as always, is too high.

-What is your best price?

-120.

For me, it would be 70.

No, sorry. It's not possible.

I give you my last price - 100.

-OK.

-Voila.

That's, uh...

That's the best price.

-No...

-Not 100, 80.

-75?

-No, no, really no.

-OK, 80.

-OK.

What a pro! He holds out and gets the right price, just under £73,

and he's delighted.

I don't know when it arrived here in France, but it wasn't made here.

We've got a maker's label in the cover,

"Woodfield & Co, 145 Buchanan Street, Glasgow."

It's made in Coromandel wood

and it has these wonderful,

gilt metal straps in the Gothic style

and applied with banded, agate cabochons.

This is typical of 1860, 1865 British craftsmanship.

Another British treasure shines out at the French market.

James is pumped up, investigating every nook and cranny, and he soon pounces on a Japanese bronze,

but with a price tag of 100 euros, he's got some work to do.

Can we get a price a little bit...?

Quatre-vingt.

He comes down to 80 euros.

I was thinking 60 perhaps?

Soixante-dix.

Soixante-dix, 70...

-65 and you have a deal.

-OK.

65. Thank you.

There might be a language barrier, but it doesn't stop another brilliant barter.

James buys the bronze for just over £59.

Solid bronze, over 100 years old.

I'm hoping to get £120 to £180 for this.

It's a really nice thing. I'm chuffed.

This Lionheart has found his ideal hunting ground and he is foraging furiously,

but he's got competition on his hands. The furniture fancier has found himself another beauty.

I love the base. We've got this very attractive X-frame stretcher

and the carving and cabriole legs here, it is attractive.

It's walnut and so it suffers from woodworm.

If you notice these holes here,

sometimes it's a wee bit difficult to sell and to pass that on.

Jonty might have the nifty know-how, but the Lionheart remains undaunted.

I know the way Jonty works.

He has a really clever way of smooth-talking his way around any deal.

He uses that classic English charm

and the great thing about here in France, it doesn't work.

Deux cent cinquante?

Non.

-Non?

-Non.

Please?

-Trois cent euros au mieux.

-Deux cent cinquante?

-Je perds des sous.

-He's not biting.

OK, onwards and upwards.

Ah, the dealer wouldn't budge from 300 euros,

a cruel knock-back for Jonty,

but James wastes no time careering through the market

and soon lands upon a wooden chest.

One problem - the shopkeeper wants 250 euros.

-Is 150 any good? 150?

-Non.

160 I could do.

160...

-OK.

-OK?

-OK.

Yet again, James quietly knocks the dealer down.

He pays just over £145 for the oak chest.

This is a wonderful, solid piece of country furniture,

made around 1700, 1750.

It's had a few changes, but in the right home, that would look fantastic.

After a morning brimming with buys, Jonty's afternoon is looking less promising.

He's struggling to uncover more special pieces and his mind keeps flitting back to one thing.

# I just can't get you out of my hea

# Boy, your lovin' is all I think about

# I just can't get you out of my head... #

I've just got to go back and get that chair.

I keep on thinking about it. It's a beautiful shape.

I'm just going to do my best. I'm still going to try and haggle.

Yes, with his hard-nosed haggling hat firmly on,

the Hitman confidently strides back to the uncompromising French dealer.

He's ready for battle.

200... Let's meet halfway, all right?

-Do you speak English?

-No.

No.

Deux cent quatre-vingt.

Non.

-275.

-OK.

-OK?

It's paid off. He finally gets some money off the chair.

It works out at £250 exactly.

The Hitman makes a tactical decision to quit whilst he's ahead, but as he takes the weight off his feet,

he spots James who is still soldiering on.

Ah!

Greetings!

-How are you?

-Come and sit down.

I haven't got time. I need to buy something!

Jonty seems so relaxed. He's chilled, he's sitting there enjoying the sun.

He's obviously spent up.

Jonty may have decided to call it quits, but James can't rest easy.

Even as the traders start to pack up, the Lionheart keeps prowling,

desperate not to miss a trick.

-20 and I'll take it. 20 euros.

-That's OK.

He soon finds an ormolu lamp for just over £18.

These rather large candlesticks were originally made

for ecclesiastical use, probably on an altar, would have come as a pair.

This one some time in the 20th century has been converted for electricity for somebody's home.

Before I sell this lamp in England, I must get it PAT tested to make sure

the wires comply with British standards.

The cheapest way is to chop the lead off, then whoever buys it can do it themselves.

Like a well-oiled machine, James ploughs through what's left of the market

while Jonty sits and soaks up the atmosphere.

James finds some more ormolu.

A pair of 19th century candlesticks set him back a hefty whack - just under £173.

And James just can't stop. He won't give up till the whistle sounds.

And moments later, he finds his favourite. You've guessed it - more ormolu.

They were used for burning little incense sticks or something of that nature.

If not, purely for decoration.

Imagine those on a mantelpiece along with a pair of candlesticks and a clock in the centre.

They should make me a profit, I think.

The pots cost him just over £109

and as the final whistle blows,

the Lionheart ends on a high.

As the first half of our mighty battle comes to a close, let's find out who has spent what.

Both our boys started the day with £750-worth of euros.

Jonty started on a high, but pulled up early.

He bought eight items, but only spent just over £386.

James was a late bloomer, but ended the day with nine items,

costing just under £662.

Time for our clashing titans to meet up for a little apres-shop.

What a fabulous contrast! Look at the difference!

Glass on one side, ormolu and bronze on the other.

-Yeah, absolutely right.

-You've got a smile on your face.

My afternoon was better than my morning. I couldn't even find anything that I could afford.

You were right. You were right to come here first thing as well. What was your favourite find?

I really enjoyed finding my English silver.

It's so exciting to find something so English here in a market.

-But have you got something British there?

-Yes, Scottish Coromandel box. Don't think there's a great profit.

As I'd found something that was British over here, I felt as if I had to buy it and take it home.

-I felt exactly the same. So it was tough buying.

-Very tough.

-It's going to be tough selling too.

-Even tougher.

-Good luck.

-Same to you, sir.

Not too much though.

Our French foes buckle up and battle their way back to Blighty

because buying was just the tip of the iceberg in today's titanic trial.

Now it's all about smart strategies as they plan a scorching sell-off

in their full-scale war to see who can make the most profit.

In divine Derbyshire, James is digging into his dealer directory to devise the perfect plan.

I'm most pleased with the bronze. That was cheap. There's a handsome profit there.

That big oak blanket box at less than £150. Again, should be a profit there.

The ormolu candlesticks. It'll take a bit of work to double your money on that one.

The wall sconces were reasonably cheap. The big gilt lamp base, that was cheap.

But then the little pair of dressing table pots. There's going to be a difficulty getting profit there.

Overall, I think we'll be all right.

James also needs to find homes for his coquilla nut, the conch shell lamp and the tea caddy.

In Oxfordshire, Jonty is organising an awesome order to overwhelm his opponent.

I bought a few good things. I'm very pleased with quite a few of my items.

The rosewood chair, I thought that was a real bargain.

The other chair, I'm very glad I bought it in the end. I know I can make a profit on that.

The Edwardian glass storage jars. Great find those were.

And then my little French pewter vase. Again, it's charming, it's sweet. I can find a buyer.

My glass vases. I like to buy those whenever I've got the opportunity of buying abroad.

So, all in all, not bad.

Both our bruisers are sounding confident.

They've both got decades of dealing experience, copious contacts and plush pieces to profit from.

It's time to show what they're made of. Until they've shaken on it and the money's changed hands,

no deal is truly sealed. In a challenge as close as this one, every second counts

and the Lion Heart is swift to find his first potential sale. He motors across to Matlock

to meet his contact, Duncan. This could be sensational. James has three items to give the heave-ho.

The pair of wall sconces I know he'll love. They're perfect for his home. He collects boxes

and I don't think he's got one quite like that.

But the little conch shell lamp in my pocket, well, it's cheap. He might go for it.

The electrics in the conch lamp and wall light are not in working order,

so if Duncan buys them he'll have to get them rewired.

I got them in France. Have a look at that one.

They're gold-plated bronze. Ormolu. At some stage, somebody has gold sprayed them.

In here they would look fantastic.

-Just like that on the wall.

-Yeah.

For mood lighting at night, you know at dinner, when you don't want the main light on,

it would be lovely. I know you're a box fan.

That started life as a fabulous either tea caddy or a writing box.

-Right.

-It's changed its life. It's got a velvet interior now.

It's also got a musical box. And the final thing is this little chap.

I guess it's 1920s, looking at that stand.

It unscrews, you put a bulb in the middle. There we go. Like them all?

I'm not sure about the box. It's a bit dark, the wood.

Yeah, but look just how perfect it would look...

Oh, dear. It's not looking promising. An early disappointment?

I'll have to think about that a bit.

-Let's talk about these.

-Yes. Thirty quid apiece.

-No way!

-OK, I was hoping for around 220.

-220?!

-Yep.

That's a bit steep.

60 quid apiece. 120.

And I think that's about right.

160.

130.

-Give me 150 for that, for those...

-Right.

And you can have that for 30 quid.

OK.

OK? How about your box?

-Hmm. I think I'm going to leave that.

-OK.

-At least you sold these.

-If I get desperate...

-can I come back?

-You can!

-Cos I think it's worth more than that.

But we've got 50...150 and 30. That's 180.

-Deal?

-Deal.

The conch and the sconces get him off to an early lead, making a chunky profit of £130.

So, James, don't be sad about the tea caddy.

# Cos two out of three ain't bad... #

James will just have to get back on the phone to see if he can shift that coromandel chest.

Now the Hit Man knows he's fighting a tricky trader today and he starts as he means to go on.

He kicks off with a quick sale. His friend Ian likes the retro glass vase and snaps it up for £50,

giving Jonty a profit of nearly £41.

James will do anything to make a quick buck and Jonty knows it.

He's determined to stay ahead and he's got the perfect items - the two French armchairs he paid £295 for.

If there's one thing the Hit Man knows, it's furniture

so he powers up to London to see Simon, an upholstery expert.

He even calls himself the Chair Man, so will he give our Hit Man a run for his money?

-I take it you got these on the continent.

-Yes. Two completely contrasting chairs,

but both French, walnut-framed.

-This is a really lovely throne chair.

-It's a nice chair.

-Free woodworm with this chair.

-I've pulled this off. It's all hand-stitched.

-Nice rolled edge.

-Not bad quality.

-That takes some doing.

-It just shows that it's done properly.

-You realise you're tearing...

-I haven't bought it yet.

-Make sure he pays!

I'd love to do it in leather with either fleur-de-lis or get it embossed

and then put brass nailing round with the antique leather.

-It would look quite stylish.

-You could transform it.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Wonderful. Look at that.

-550 really is the sort of price I'm looking for this chair.

-Yeah.

-With the work involved, that's going to take it above what I can pay.

-OK, ponder that one.

-OK.

-Think about that one. I want to show you this chair as well.

-Pop that one down there.

-Now...

This beauty is absolutely gorgeous. Look at the quality of the carving on the back here.

-This has to be, because it's so deep, all hand-carved.

-Yeah.

-That needs to come off.

-He can't keep treating those chairs like that! He's not bought them!

-You see, you've got the original there. All hand-stitched.

-Isn't that beautiful?

-It's yours for 200 quid.

-I'll buy that straight away.

-You're happy?

-No question.

-I like buying chairs of this quality. I make money. Then what's the best on this?

-Bring it up.

Let's have another look.

If you are going to buy that, then really let's say 450.

-It's got to be cheaper.

-Er...400?

-Go on, then.

-400?

-Yeah.

OK. So 200, 400? You a happy man?

600. I suppose I have to be. And the woodworm comes free?

Absolutely free. Thank you very much.

# I'm gonna rock it up Gonna rip it up... #

Jonty has a rip-roaring good time with Simon and stuffs his own pockets with a comfortable profit

of almost £305. Jonty's furniture fancying has paid off.

In one fell swoop, he's way out in front, but there's no time to put his feet up.

He has to keep hammering away. He knows the Lion Heart will do anything to make a penny.

And he's not wrong. James has lined up another potential moneyspinner.

Fellow Derbyshire dealer George has come to meet him.

He's interested in the bronze James bought for a shade over £59.

I think it's late 19th century. Magi period. I think Japanese.

I agree with the date, but I'm pretty certain that it's Chinese.

The shape, I agree, is Chinese. This leg is very Chinese.

-But the Japanese were greatly influenced by the Chinese.

-Absolutely.

-How about 300?

-I've known you a long time.

You're a fair geezer.

I'll bid you...275 quid. Think about it.

-Got a deal.

-Good deal.

-Good deal.

James knows when he's onto a good thing and seals the deal.

The bronze brings home a whacking great profit of nearly £216!

Both our big guns have fired their selling salvos

and each is working hard to rake it in.

James, the Lion Heart, has sold three of his French fancies

and he's stacked up a profit of very nearly £346.

Jonty, the Hit Man, has also notched up three sales

and what's this? His profit is almost identical. In fact, there's only 45p in it!

This is one of the closest Put Your Moneys in history. There's no let up for our bargain brutes

as every penny counts.

The mighty masters must continue fighting tooth and nail and can't afford to be bruised.

So Mr Hearnden wastes no time. He's a lean, mean selling machine and he's straight round

to see his friend Bobbie to show off the pewter vase he bought for just over £9.

I do really like it. It's gorgeous.

So yes. I think in the bathroom with a pretty flower it would look stunning.

-The price is 40 quid.

-20?

Oh, no. That's half the amount. I can't do that.

I mean, let's cut to the chase. 30 quid is my bottom line there.

-OK, OK.

-30 quid?

-30 quid.

-Bobbie, thank you very much indeed.

-It was a pleasure. Thank you.

Bobbie's a happy customer and Jonty has plenty of reason to smile.

The vase makes nearly £21 profit.

With the Lion Heart suddenly on the back foot, he starts his comeback.

He's brought the blanket box to his contact Emily. She's fallen in love with it,

but she's a woman who knows how to haggle. Brace brace, James! Brace brace.

It's 18th-century. 1720, 1740, something like that.

Classically continental. You would never see these sort of raised panels

in any English blanket chest of this period. It's much fancier.

If I said to you...

£360?

-I would like to suggest maybe 200.

-Oh, she's going to make you work for your money!

That's quite a bit less. Whatever we settle on has to start with a 3.

How about 275?

-Please?

-It can't be. It's too cheap.

310.

-275.

-I'm not going to budge.

-280?

-No. I will go right down to the 300.

280?

285.

I will go under it... by a fiver.

-Oh!

-To 295.

-So if I meet you in the middle at 290...

-I'm not going to move. It's 295.

-290.

-5.

Deal.

-Do you know...

-No, I do love it.

My goodness me, she's a lady who knows what she wants. Emily haggles James right down

and he settles on a profit of almost £150.

So one minute Jonty is the muscular master, the next James is the strapping salesman.

With every single deal, the whole balance changes direction.

Can it possibly get any more exciting than this? The short answer: yes, it can.

It's time for Jonty's jars. The English glassware he rescued from France is back on home soil.

He paid less than £14 for them, so will they swing the contest back in Jonty's favour?

He's brought them to Sean, who runs a hotel near Abingdon.

-They're ladies Edwardian dressing table canisters. Storage jars, essentially.

-Yeah.

-So what's the interest?

-I'm looking for something for my mum's birthday.

I thought something a little bit unusual would be quite nice.

The taller jar, for instance, would be designed for hair pins.

This jar is not so obviously clear.

A more cylindrical jar, a fatter jar, is for potions and creams.

I think they're lovely. How much?

I'm looking for 45 for this one and 40 for this one. 85 the pair.

Would you take 60 for them?

Em...not 60, but I'll do 65.

65 I'll do, yeah. That'll be great. Lovely.

Sean's mum gets a bonzer birthday present and Jonty knocks off a profit of more than £51.

In the playpen of the Parisian market, James indulged his interest in gilt and ormolu

and he did it all with a contact in mind. He's near Melton Mowbray to meet Alice,

a woman who likes the shinier things in life. And he's got three golden items to make a profit on.

I have a friend who is absolutely mad on gilt chandeliers,

gilt light fittings and ormolu. I'm just hoping she'll give me a good profit on this lot.

James's trio of treasures cost him a whopping £300. Time for the big sell.

And that's the thing that I think is absolutely perfect.

It's a great big size. By the time it's got a lampshade on, it'll be another foot and a half higher.

-And it would fit the proportions of this room with the candelabra and the gilt chandelier.

-Yeah.

-I thought it was fab. Do you like it?

-I would almost expect to pick that up at a car boot sale.

I'll put that down.

Oh, James! Not much luck with the ladies today.

-Anyway, moving swiftly on...

-How about those?

I do like those, but I'm not much of a candle person.

-Oh, gosh, they are heavy.

-They are amazing quality. I haven't cleaned them.

-That's what they'll look like.

-Goodness me! They're not brass?

-Ormolu. Gold-plated bronze.

-Wow.

-They are nice.

-They're wonderful. They really are lovely.

-I can't believe that they come out as shiny.

-They are 1840, 1850.

Magnificent quality. I mean, I absolutely love those.

-Yeah, they are nice.

-They could be cleaned.

-They're nice.

-As I say, I'm not much of a candlestick person.

-OK.

-But I do like them.

-They are fab quality.

-Let's have a look at these.

-They're so cute.

-They're lovely.

-What are they?

-They're really just decorative for whatever you want to use them for.

-Yeah.

-For me, they'd be perfect on a dressing table.

-Yes.

For rings or something like that.

That's what you like. That's a better investment.

Investment and want.

And don't want.

Alice certainly speaks her mind, but can any of James's golden goodies make her pick up her purse

or will she leave him with a hefty headache? We'll find out later.

The end is in sight for our marathon masters and with just a couple of items weighing each of them down,

our antiques archers line up their sights on the target.

Jonty makes light work of his hand-blown French fruit bowl.

-His friend Alex likes what she sees.

-Let me just have one more look at it.

I think it'll have to stay there. Thank you very much. Go for 50.

He sells it for £50 and heads home with a profit of more than £36.

James heads to Hungerford in beautiful Berkshire to meet Anne who runs an antiques shop.

She falls for the coquilla nut and hands over £70,

giving James a profit of more than £35. And our man goes to Mansfield to see off his last item,

the tea caddy that was turned down earlier. He meets another Anne who buys the chest

for £140. And James closes with a profit of more than £67.

All we're left with is the Hit Man's walnut table. He had some concerns about the quality of the finish,

so he took it to James the furniture restorer to work some magic.

Including his costs, the piece has set Jonty back just over £95.

Will anyone go nuts for the walnut table? Jonty hopes so and heads back to London to meet dealer Tony.

-Lovely French Art Deco...

-Cheap.

-..walnut. Cheap. Yes, you have to use the word cheap.

It is cheap. It's really beautiful. I've just had it restored. I've had it revived, really.

-Revived! Revived sounds good.

-Is that a good word?

-Yes.

-I might need reviving!

-It was looking tired on the top.

The restorer's brought that lovely nutty, walnut colour onto the top. I think it's lovely.

300 quid is what I'm looking for. I think it's worth every penny. It's a gorgeous walnut table.

-What about 200?

-Oh, excuse me! No, no, no.

-That sounds good to me. A round figure.

-Absolutely not.

-It's a better round figure than yours.

-I could tweak it a bit.

275. And if you don't double your money, you're in the wrong business.

I'll phone you up. Yeah, OK.

-It's a deal.

-Good man. Excellent.

Nice work, Mr H. The table serves up an enormous profit.

Taking the restoration costs into account, he's very nearly £180 better off.

That's dealing at its best. I knew that table had potential.

So I bought it, invested the money in the restoration to get that fabulous £275 at the end.

Wonderful. That's what it's all about.

And that's where our epic encounter must come to an end.

Both our boys started out in France with £750-worth of euros to spend as they saw fit.

Lion Heart Lewis made nine Parisian purchases totting up to nearly £662.

Hit Man Hearnden, meanwhile, made eight French finds

and after restoring the table he spent more than £436.

They've bought, they've sold, but from this point on, profit is the only thing that matters.

All of the money that they have made today will go to a charity of their choice.

So, without further ado, it's time to find out who is today's champion.

-Bonjour, James.

-Bonjour. Ca va?

-All right. What a difficult market!

-Oh, it wasn't easy buying, was it?

That's a very expensive market, but a fantastic selection.

Typical you, you came home with bucketloads of antiques.

I was not having a good time of it, but I moved to that cheaper side

and I felt a lot more at home.

I found the selling really quite straightforward because I knew what I can buy

in France, and I stick to my tried and tested. And it worked.

I've sold all my things pretty well.

-OK. Well, how well? Let's have a look.

-Shall we find out?

-Yeah.

-Ready? One...

-Three...

-Two. One.

-Oh, look at that.

Almost £1,000! I have to learn a trick from you.

You spent all your money and you get the returns.

-Well, there we go.

-Well done, you.

So what did it for James? Is it possible that Alice took all his ormolu?

It's four for those, 250 for those

and 50 quid for that. Nice and even. I think that's fair, James.

-Don't be a misery with me.

-Deal.

-I did it! I did it!

-I can't believe you got that for 50 quid!

-A show-stopping sale!

Candlesticks, lamp stand and pair of jars shine brightly.

A glittering £400 profit.

It was a great challenge, but yes, I salute James.

He managed to buy more items and sell for much more of a profit.

From a really rocky start in Paris, I'm thrilled with the end result.

I found some lovely things and the right places for them. That is the key to a good profit.

Never fear, Jonty. Tomorrow is another day

and what a day it is! The challenge to end all challenges. The mighty showdown.

YES!

Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd - 2012

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