Eric v John - 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.

I'm a double-your-money girl.

And gives you the insider's view of the trade.

You've got to be in it to win it.

Each week, one pair of dealers

will face a different daily challenge.

Lovely!

We've got some work to do.

Putting their own money and their hard-earned reputations on the line

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

Get in there!

Today, consummate ceramics connoisseur Eric Knowles

takes on the undisputed maestro of memorabilia John Cameron.

Coming up, John has a crisis of confidence...

I paid a lot more money for that than I'd hoped.

..Eric gives us his auction survival guide...

If you have not viewed that item, do not bid on it.

..and the Hammer reckons he has got the inside track

on making top profits.

We have not hit the buffers just yet.

I am hoping there will be the right type of leaves on the line.

It's Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.

Take cover and lock up your valuables because our gung-ho

gunslingers are rolling into town and they are ready for a rumble.

It is Eric "Knocker" Knowles with over 30 years experience

wrangling antiques. Here's the dealing grandmaster.

It puts the pressure on a bit.

Versus John "the Hammer" Cameron.

The South Coast's sharpshooter who has his sights

fixed on anything that might make a profit.

Still bidding.

Our very own Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are hoping

for a buying bonanza today at Duke's Auction House in Dorset.

They are out to capture collectables

they hope will make them the most money.

They have each got £1,000 of their own cash to spend

and the profit goes to the chosen charities.

Eric Knowles and John Cameron,

it is time to put your money where your mouth is.

Eric Knowles, what are you fiddling with there?

My dear boy! Listen, that is what I call sartorial elegance.

I think it is probably not the weather for it.

I have some memorabilia I wanted you to have a quick look at.

-Do you mind?

-No. I am your man.

Someone was at my graduation ceremony. There we are together.

-How lovely!

-I did love you with the moustache. I still love you now.

I think it looks wonderful.

-Look at you.

-I don't know what happened with the haircut. I'll put it down to the mortar board.

ERIC LAUGHS

We're here in Dorchester at the auction house.

Do you have your £1,000 to spend today?

Burning a hole in my pocket. I'm going to spend it wisely.

-I am not going to go into panic mode.

-I have marked a few lots.

I want to have a quick look at them before the auction starts.

-We are a bit pushed.

-I will leave you fiddling around.

I'll see you later. Well, there you go.

Question. Are there really two Ds in Stradivarius?

Ooh, he's a bit of wag our Eric,

but our boys do need to keep their wits about them

and pick the right plan of attack for the upcoming antiques show.

I've been working in the auction business for almost 36 years.

I don't mind admitting that when I'm the auctioneer,

you do get butterflies before you go up.

It is worse when you are the buyer.

Who fails to recognise Eric?

The ladies love him

and people will be approaching him for his autograph.

I've done a dirty trick.

I have been telling people, go and ask him for a photograph

and autograph. He doesn't mind.

Oh, John, you son of a gun!

Eric will be swamped.

The Hammer has no plans to play fair in this fight

and is quick to identify some pieces to take a pop at.

This is the first item I am interested in.

It is a mid-19th century cast iron boot scraper

and it does exactly what it says.

You have it on the floor outside the door.

What I like about this is the design.

There are two sphinxes here sat proudly either side

and that reflects the interest following the conquests

at the beginning of the 19th century.

You see these Egyptian elements in all areas of the decorative arts.

Under here, amongst all these cobwebs,

I can see the name of A Kenrick.

That is Archibald Kenrick,

a good quality iron foundry in West Bromwich around 1791.

The company continued to produce things up until 1991.

They are also famous for making knockers.

We want to beat the Knocker here today.

That is the first lot I am interested in.

John is full of determination,

but Knocker's also lining up his bidding targets.

I am looking at a nice miniature of Henry VIII.

You really should be looking for miniatures of people who were

alive and kicking when this painting was made.

Stylistically, this could be 18th-century

but he had been long gone by then. Who the artist is, I don't know.

If it is going cheap, I might have a go at that.

Time will tell if Knocker can get the miniature of Henry VIII for the right price.

Will it be a happy marriage or will he lose his head in the pressure of the auction room?

I'm having one last look at a lot I may be interested in buying.

It is known as an epergne which translates into "to save".

They were used as centrepieces on dining tables.

The trumpet vase is hand-blown glass.

This has been silver-plated and probably dates from the 1920s.

It will polish up quite well.

I should get a punter for it providing I buy it right.

I will keep my eye on it when it goes under the hammer.

No time left to size up any more bounty because it is time for our

gutsy go-getters to step into the auction room ready for the gunfight.

Bit of a tip - if you're at an auctioneers, and it

looks like something is going very cheap, it is tempting to dive in there and bid.

Take my advice, if you have not viewed that item, don't bid on it.

9 times out of 10, you will come a cropper. Trust me.

The first bit of booty up for bids is the boot scraper

with sphinxes that John likes the look of.

£40 for the sphinxes.

He's off! He's off!

55, 60, 65. Going at £65. Selling all done.

GAVEL BANGS

-Yes!

-It's first hit to the Hammer, who has corralled

the boot scraper for £80.22 including fees.

We'll find out later what sort of a profit he can scrape up with it.

I didn't even spot that when I was doing the viewing

so I am feeling slightly miffed.

I am looking on the bright side.

I am wearing this jacket and not that jacket.

Sartorial standards aside,

it seems that the Hammer's strike has knocked Knocker's confidence.

As you can see, Eric is still hard browsing during the auction,

which is an indication he has not marked down enough things to buy.

He may be going into panic mode which does happen at auctions.

I think John thinks I'm panicking, but I'm not panicking at all.

This is what you call restrained anxiety.

It is close but it is not panicking. I promise you.

Ooh, Knocker, keep those nerves in check and find some lots

as the Hammer's about to hustle for another bit of booty.

Coming up at lot 81 is a quite unusually large leather mailbag.

It is good quality leather, dating from 1953,

the year of the coronation.

Estimated at £50-100. I have seen a few people looking at it.

If I can buy it and think about a profit, I will have a go.

£50, 60, 70, 80, 90. At 90.

This bounty hunter is holding his nerve.

Come on, John.

30, 40. A beautiful piece.

-40, 50. £140.

-I've paid a lot more money for that than I had hoped.

GAVEL BANGS

He may have paid a few dollars more than he wanted for the mailbag,

but it delivers John his second buy of the morning for £172.76

including fees.

It is a really interesting item, dates from 1953.

It is made of leather with a metal lining inside.

It is catalogued as a post bag. I think perhaps not.

As well as having this royal coat of arms on the front,

it has a broad arrows stamp right here.

That tells us this was military issue,

possibly navy, possibly army.

This could be some sort of military mailbag.

It may have been some huge ammunition pouch.

I can see this beside someone's fireplace

or in the lobby of a posh hotel.

John is riding high. He is two items up on Eric.

Now Knocker needs to lasso a great deal quick sharp

to catch up with his rival.

First thing I've got an eye on is a very attractive Oriental hardwood tray.

60, 5, 70, 5, 80,

5, £85.

-90.

-90, five, 100? No?

£95, selling at £95.

GAVEL BANGS

Disaster. A rival bidder's just shot down Knocker's chances of a buy.

It puts the pressure on a bit.

Knocker is in trouble and it looks like it is about to go from bad to worse as up next

is the epergne, top of the Hammer's most wanted list.

45, 50, I've got 45, I'll take 50.

50 bid, 50.

At £50. It's going to go at £50.

There should be a profit in that. It may get me out of trouble I get with that mailbag.

John has bought the epergne for £61.70 including commission.

Let's see who is the hero of the hour

and who is trailing in the dust.

Each of our buying bounty hunters started the day

with £1,000 of their own money to spend.

Eric "Knocker" Knowles is having a terrible time.

He hasn't managed to catch a single item

and has all of his £1,000 yet to spend.

John the Hammer Cameron has shot down his rival at every turn

buying three items so far and spending £314.68, leaving him

with £685.32 to play with.

-Just passing through.

-No, no, no.

-How's it going?

-Um, it's a slow start.

I think this could be a tortoise-and-hare situation.

JOHN LAUGHS

-I know you've got off to a good start.

-Look at that.

140 quid for that mailbag. I'm not even sure if it is a mailbag.

I'm a bit shaky over that.

I can't say too much to you. Just dive in.

-Just enjoy yourself.

-All right.

Yes, Knocker's putting a brave face on it,

but he's in a corner and needs to fight his way out.

He is back browsing new lots,

desperate to find something to bid on.

# I'm hunting high and low... #

Still looking.

Still looking.

And all the searching finally pays off.

Eric has just won an iron plaque for £90.72 including fees.

At last, the lad has bagged some booty.

I readily admit that this was an impulse buy,

but at least it got the ball rolling.

In fact, when you look at it,

it appears to be bronze which is in its favour.

I know it looks like cast iron from where you are.

I would have thought that this is around 1848-1860.

I don't think it's any later than that.

It is just beautifully cast.

This has been made at a quality foundry.

When it comes to George and the dragon,

when it comes to buyers, why am I thinking public houses?

Always good to have a plan, Eric.

Up next under the hammer is the miniature of Henry VIII

that Eric took a shine to earlier.

Could this herald the turnaround in our maestro's fortunes?

50, five, 60.

£55 at the back.

Uh, no.

It is a case of waste not the money.

Just keep it all in reserve.

But our brave bandito ain't giving up under fire

and decides to capture a lot consisting of a miniature

and a carved mother-of-pearl panel with an estimate of £30-50.

I think we are looking at early 17th century.

Maybe a little bit earlier. We will soon find out.

I am quite prepared to spend considerably more than 30-50.

50? 60, 70, 80, 90.

At £80. I'll take 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160.

I will take 160 now.

Are we sure? All done? 150.

I was prepared to pay double what I have just paid.

Let's see where we go.

Yes, that is more like it, Eric.

He scores the lot for a hefty £185.10 including costs.

As you can see, there is a battle scene going on there

and rather appropriate really.

I consider this lot the spoils of war.

This is late 19th century. It could be as late as 1900.

This, I am hoping, will be an awful lot earlier.

I am not certain if, at one stage,

this was part of a very beautiful box.

I can tell you that the carving on that has to be 18th, if not, 17th-century.

If I've played my cards right - sorry, Bruce -

but if I have, then this one could be something of an earner.

So Knocker's finally found his form

with a lot that might just bring in a top dollar profit.

But the Hammer hopes to derail Eric's chances of catching him

by bidding on an old railway sign.

Sale to... 1545 there.

John's paid a first-class price for the railway sign,

£92.56 including fees.

Collectors of railwayana love this sort of thing.

They put them up around the house,

pretty much the way people who like old advertising

put their signs around the house.

It is a nice thing.

They are becoming rarer,

but I think I may have paid a bit too much for it.

I'll probably only get 100,

120 if I'm lucky for it.

But I think it's a definite sell.

I like it. I just wish I'd paid a lot less for it.

And John better watch those pennies, as Eric is fighting back

with a whole new strategy.

So exactly what cunning game plan

has he devised for picking his next lots?

I'm going for this lot as it's local to where I live.

Well, you're the expert, Knocker.

Thank you. And the number is...

Eric's won a watercolour of the Thames

for £80.22 including costs.

This is a view that I know only too well,

cos I don't live too far away.

It says "On the Thames at Bisham"

and it's been painted by Percy Wild,

who hired The Studio in Marlow, so he's a local artist.

It's been reframed.

I think sympathetically,

I would date this probably around about 1900 or thereabouts.

I'm going to do a bit of homework,

find out a little bit more about Percy Wild,

because I can't help but think

there's plenty of pictures in that part of the world by the same artist.

The big question is, is there anybody living in that part of the world

is in the market for another?

Our antiques assassin is on the attack.

He's ready to take a shot at another lot.

There's just one slight problem.

To be frank, I'm not sure if it's a print or a watercolour

cos I can't get near it, it's high up on the wall.

£77...

And the picture costs Eric £86.38 including fees

but is it the real deal?

It looks like I've got...

Looks like I've got the real thing. Excellent.

Well, if that's the case, it was quite a good buy.

What a comeback! And Knocker's spotted yet another lot he hopes

will take a bite out of John's lead.

I doubt it's got any great age, but it is great quality,

so I'm hoping the quality will out.

At £90... 100. 110?

No? With you at 100, then...

This is all beautifully worked silk.

I think it's an absolute tour de force, as we say up north,

and I'm very pleased with it.

And I'm now in search of somebody

who's bonkers about English setters.

The dog embroidery costs Eric

£123.40 including costs,

and is indeed Knocker's best friend

as it takes him into the lead.

He's now got five items to John's four.

The Hammer's got to find another lot to bid on fast.

And it's time to pull a late tactical move.

Now, I don't want to draw attention to the item I have my hand on

because the auction's in progress, the furniture buyers are in

and I don't want anyone to know I'm interested in it,

but this little pine chest of drawers

is a good bread-and-butter piece

and I think I probably have a buyer lined up for it.

What I like about it are these drawers.

They have an absolute matchbox fit.

This is a real tight 19th-century stripped pine chest.

They used to be hugely fashionable about 15 years ago.

Would have sold back then for about £600.

I'm hoping to buy it for around 100,

maybe get 200, 250 for it.

As I say, I need to buy some extra lots now. That's a good candidate.

The last lots of the day are coming up

and it's time for the final stand.

WESTERN MUSIC

It's got to that time of the day where I've decided

this auction ain't big enough for the both of us.

John wants the chest of drawers

and Eric's got his sights on an arts and crafts table and chairs.

The Hammer is first to take a shot at his lot.

155, 160.

160 beats me, am I bid 170?

At £160, 170.

170, 180.

At 170, your bid, I'll take 180.

-For 170...

-GAVEL BANGS

I did want that. I do think it's a really good example.

Hopefully, I'll squeeze a profit out of it.

I've just seen the Hammer

pay what I think is a very, very exorbitant amount

for a chest of drawers.

I can only imagine that they must be signed Gillows

or maybe Chippendale.

John guns down the chest of drawers

but it's cost him dear

at £209.78 including fees.

Now, it's Knocker's last chance

to take down a mighty fine furniture find.

110? At £100 only, I'll take 110.

110, 120?

130. 140.

150.

160.

Knocker's not giving in.

170, 180.

170, I'll take 180.

For £170...

180, 190.

200.

At £190 only, I'll take 200.

At 190.

Two anywhere? Gentleman's bid...

GAVEL BANGS

It was a fierce fight,

but Eric takes the table and chairs

for £234.46 including costs.

They've been carved by a chap called Frank Rosier,

and I'll put my hand up, I've never come across this gentleman before

but I tell you what, he's a craftsmen.

The carving on these chairs alone is absolutely beautiful.

What is wonderful from my point of view

is that I've got a copy of the original invoice.

It's dated 1934.

Table and chairs worked out at £24.

That was a tidy sum in 1934, I can tell you.

They need a bit of tender loving care.

There're looking a bit sad now. That can all be brought back.

What I like about the table is,

in this condition, it is just perfect for a small flat.

However, it has the advantage

of being extendable. That's what you might call a bonus.

The gavel has fallen for the final time

and the winning bidders are picking up their purchases.

The good, the bad

and the ugly. So, it's time to find out who's spent what.

Eric and John each started the day with £1,000 of their own money.

In a reversal of fortune,

Eric "Knocker" Knowles went from panicker to purchaser

and ends the day having done six deals,

spending £808.28.

John "The Hammer" Cameron

struck an early lead but was caught in the final stages.

He's bought a total of five items,

spending £617.02.

Now, neither of our brave boys have spent all their budget

but this game is about who will make the most profit.

Duelling done, the dust has settled

and it's time to see who will ride off into the sunset with what.

You did say it was a bit like the hare and the tortoise,

and looking at what you bought, you certainly caught me up.

Listen, I don't mind telling you,

there is no way that you can have a plan of action.

What's your favourite buy? Show me the one that excited you most.

I think the one that will give me the most interest has to be this

because at this point, I've no idea what it is!

It was tentatively catalogued as a postbag,

but it's got a broad arrow stamp on it, so it's military issue.

The things I wanted that I didn't get, what a shame,

but the things I wanted and did get, I paid too much for.

I know you're a bit like the cat that got the cream

with one of your purchases...

Well, yeah. I was very, very pleased

to get this lovely sort of mother-of-pearl carved plaque.

It has a battle scene on there and it's got some age to it.

As for the other things, a lot of these objects

sort of landed with me on an opportunist level.

All in all, I think I've got quite a balanced selection.

In keeping with your carved mother-of-pearl battle scene, Eric,

you may have won the buying battle,

but you certainly haven't won the selling war just yet.

Fighting talk from The Hammer.

But now, our gutsy gunslingers must swap their cowboy hats

for thinking caps, as this is where the going gets really tough.

Buying the booty was just the beginning of today's bonanza.

Now it's time to sort the dealers from the deadbeats

as Eric and John go all-out to sell their items

and see who can make the most profit. In Buckinghamshire,

Eric "Knocker" Knowles is sizing up his captured curios.

So I'm back from the wild west. I'm back from Dorchester.

I'm at home, and it's time to take stock

of what I actually ended up buying.

Conspicuous by its absence

is my wonderful arts and crafts dining table and four chairs.

They're in store at the moment.

I think I've got quite an interesting selection,

with my English setter

who just happens to be Chinese.

The painting, I think is lovely, I love that painting,

that's quite local to me.

It's about...three miles that way.

I'm intrigued by my lovely little mother-of-pearl panel,

but it came with a portrait miniature

which has to be worth £30, £40 by itself.

If you're big on cheese,

dessert wine, and fruit and nuts,

then have I got a drawing for you.

And last but not least,

St George.

So all in all, I think,

not a bad day's work.

Knocker is feeling upbeat about his purchases,

but on the south coast, John "The Hammer" Cameron

isn't quite so chipper about the items he won.

I'm back from the auction and I'm surveying the items I purchased,

and I have to be honest,

I'm not feeling terribly confident.

I think I paid all the money, as they say, for these items,

and there isn't much profit in them.

So to give myself a bit of a puncher's chance,

I've had to do some of the restoration myself.

I've used some of my household leather soap

to polish up my vintage luggage here.

My boot scraper is a good item.

I've done some research, worked out the history,

and I've polished up my silver-plated epergne

and washed all the glass.

And my little sign here,

I do have somebody in mind for that.

I'm even contemplating giving my waxed pine chest of drawers

another coat of wax.

But I'm going to be here at the final bell.

It's all going to come down to who wins the fight on points.

It's time for our duelling dealers

to put their pedals to the metal

and start selling their prized purchases,

knowing that no deal is truly sealed

until they've shaken on it and the money is in their hands.

It's Eric whose first into the fray.

He's come to a historic pub in Buckinghamshire

with plans to sell the St George and the Dragon iron plaque

that he paid £98.72 for. The pub is full of unusual artefacts,

so will landlord Matthew want to add Eric's plaque to the collection?

So I want you to feast your eyes

on the patron saint of our nation.

I want you to hold him, I want you to feel him,

I want you to get the weight of him,

I want you to look at the quality of that casting.

I can see by the scales of the dragon, it's very good quality.

Do you think you'll find him a home? I realise, at the right price.

I think it's perfect for the pub.

The happy dilemma is where to put it

because the pub's full of lovely objects.

So if I were starting at around about 250...

250's not bad, but you're telling me to come down.

No! No, I'm not telling you to come down at all.

I was hoping you were going to offer me 300.

I would have to counteroffer.

If I paid £200, then that would be a fair price.

I'm in the habit of doing that little bit of compromise.

If I could just go to 220...

Let's say, 210.

-OK, so £210, you've got yourself a patron saint.

-Done. Thank you.

Knocker's slain that all-important first sale

and made a profit of £111.28 on the plaque.

But The Hammer isn't about to let Eric run away with an early lead.

He's come to Southsea with plans for the cast iron boot scraper.

John's meeting client Colin, who lives in a grand period house.

So will the boot scraper be a welcome addition to this fine home?

-This is the boot scraper I came to see you about.

-Right, yeah.

It pretty much, like Thomas Ellis Owen's architecture,

borrows from Georgian times, because although you've got these sphinxes

set either side of the boot scraper there,

that is a feature you see heavily around 1810, 1815,

following the various conquests on the Nile with Nelson and Napoleon.

That probably puts this in the same sort of period of your house.

-Do you want to have a look at it?

-Yeah, I'd love to.

So do you like it?

Yeah, do a job, I suppose.

-Shall we try it on the step?

-See what it looks like.

Yeah, looks OK.

So would you be interested in it?

At the right money.

So I'm looking for £170 for that today.

-125.

-Can you do any better than that?

130, last offer.

-£130?

-Yeah.

£130...

and I don't have to carry it back along the seafront,

-you've got yourself a deal.

-Good man. Thank you very much.

John does more than scrape a profit.

He makes a healthy £49.78 on the boot scraper.

But Knocker has come to Oxfordshire,

with plans to put a stop to The Hammer's moneymaking schemes.

Well, it's a very blustery day here in Bicester.

Now, I'm here to meet a lady

who can actually lay claim to being the granddaughter

of one Frank Percy Wild.

Yes, the very same artist responsible for this beautiful oil painting

of the River Thames at Marlow.

Now, she actually runs a web site dedicated to her grandfather,

and that is how I tracked her down.

Now, bearing in mind I paid £80 for this painting,

if I can double my money and make a little bit more,

then I still think that she will be getting a real bargain.

Beatrice owns several of her grandfather's works,

so will she want to add Eric's auction find to her collection?

It's great to see an image of the man himself.

I don't mind admitting, until I bought this picture,

I knew nothing of your grandfather

so it's been wonderful to get on that learning curve.

I like landscapes, that's what attracted me to this one.

-Here it is anyway.

-Oh, I'd love to see that.

-There it is.

-That is gorgeous.

Got beautiful texture on it,

and it's just so typical,

he always seems to have a little punt in his pictures.

There's always somebody punting.

The fact is that it doesn't seem to bear a signature on the front

but are you happy that that is the work of your grandfather?

It does look very much like his writing,

and he did operate out of The Studio in Marlow.

I mean, I know it's been reframed,

and actually, it's not a bad,

-not a bad frame at all.

-No.

-It's quite acceptable.

I'm going to ask you what you would consider to be a fair price.

I know what I would like for it.

I think, and I feel, that I've brought it home.

Exactly. I am interested. And it would be coming home

-and it would get pride of place and it would stay in the family.

-Right.

So I'd be happy to offer you £200?

£200...

Do you consider £200 to be a fair price?

-I do, actually, knowing what I paid for some of the other ones.

-OK.

Look, this is a haggle-free zone.

If you offer me it and you're convinced that is a fair price,

I am very happy to shake on £200.

-Right, brilliant.

-OK.

-Thank you very much.

-It's a pleasure.

Not only does Eric make a good profit of £119.78,

but Beatrice is reunited with one of her grandfather's paintings.

Nice one, Knocker.

So can The Hammer match Eric's winning ways?

Well, he's come to Southampton to a company that sells pine furniture.

He's hoping for a sale of the chest of drawers.

John paid £209.78 for it at auction,

so will managing director Richard

be willing to offer him more?

This is the pine chest I told you about.

I know you've seen your fair share of pine chests over the years.

I have too. What I liked about it in the auction house,

these drawers, they're like silk.

-Yep.

-But the best thing

-is I've oiled all of these locks.

-They all work, do they?

And I sat and went through a whole box of keys, look.

All the locks work.

My only criticism is that

you can see where it had the old Georgian handles on it.

-Someone's replaced them.

-Yeah, in the 19th century, which they did,

they swapped the handles.

I think it'd be nice to put some Georgian handles back on there.

It's a nice chest. Interested?

At the right price.

I was doing this 20 years ago, and you know, back then,

I would have had no problem getting about 600 quid for that.

We're looking for around four today.

-Really?

-Yeah.

You said you used to do this. You know how much hard work is involved

-in selling this kind of furniture.

-I do. I do.

-Where would you see it?

-Erm...

I would say...

it's about two-and-a-half.

I don't mind telling you, I didn't pay much less than that at auction.

Could you do something like 330, 340?

Still a bit strong.

I would go...three.

Do you think you could go an extra tenner?

Why don't we knock a tenner back off?

I'll take the three!

I'll take the three! I'll cut and run.

Yes, it was always going to be tough trying to sell to trade,

but The Hammer still manages to turn a profit of £90.22

on the chest of drawers.

It's two deals apiece in this fight for profit

but Knocker hopes to get ahead of his rival

with a sale of his still life.

He's come to the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising in London

to meet Miranda, who represents the company that owns the biscuit brand

depicted in the painting.

Eric paid £86.30 for the still life at auction

but when it comes to the crunch,

will Miranda make him a good offer?

Well, here it is.

-It's all crayon.

-Wow, really?

-Which is remarkable. It's crayon.

When I bought this, I bought it at an auction, it was high up

and I just loved the composition.

I think it'll look good in our Carlisle site,

because we've got quite a lot of historical memorabilia

up in the boardroom up there,

so lots of old paintings and old ledgers and things like that,

so I think this could really look good amongst that sort of stuff.

I was looking around the £250 mark,

but you tell me,

because you obviously have a budget.

Like I said, it's a very impressive piece

and it's a lot bigger than I thought, but

we were thinking more along the lines of £200.

Well, I'm more than happy to sell it for £200.

Thank you very much.

-Deal's a deal.

-Fantastic.

Yes, Eric's not crackers.

He's just made a profit of £113.62

on the sale of the still life.

Now, it's midway in the battle for today's title,

and time to find out whose moneymaking plans have been left for dust,

and who's corralled the biggest profit.

So far, Eric "Knocker" Knowles has done three deals,

making a profit of £344.68.

John "The Hammer" Cameron has sold two items

and made a lot less profit,

just £140.

But this final fight between our duelling dealers isn't over yet.

Our brave boys now need to go all-out to target buyers,

shoot down the best deals

and maximise their profit pots.

John is trailing, but he's got plans to catch his venerable opponent.

He's in Hampshire, hoping to sell the railway sign he paid £92.56 for.

But will model rail enthusiast John help The Hammer get back on track?

MUSIC: "Locomotion" by Kylie Minogue

John, this truly is a sight.

I have to tell you, I've never seen anything like it. It's wonderful.

Loving the waiting room over there,

and I think I've got just the thing to go on it.

-Really?

-Well, I hope so, anyway.

I think it's perfect. Look at this.

"Great Western Railway notice,"

"no unauthorised person allowed in this box by order."

Now that has to go on the front of the waiting room, doesn't it?

It certainly does, yes.

THEY LAUGH

-So, do you like the sign?

-Yes, I do.

Yes, that's lovely. I'd love to buy that.

-You would?

-Yes, I would. I gather you wanted between £120 and £150.

That's what I'm thinking. What are you...?

I threatened to start at £121, didn't I?

So is that your opening offer?

That's the opening offer.

-So, we haven't hit the buffers just yet.

-Not quite.

I'm hoping there'll be a few more

of the right type of leaves on the line, John.

So can we do any better than that?

Could we, say, go to 145, something like that?

John seems keen on The Hammer's railway sign

but will they be able to strike a deal at £145?

We'll find out later.

He goes on to sell the Edwardian epergne to dealer Mark

and it delivers him a healthy profit of £58.30.

I'll find a home for it.

-Good, good.

-Thank you.

But Knocker's determined to stay ahead of The Hammer. He's got plans

for the arts and crafts table and chairs

that cost him £234.46 at auction

and has brought them to an antiques shop in Beaconsfield,

hoping to sell them to dealer Nigel.

-That's your lot.

-That's it, is it?

-That's your lot.

These are by a chap called Frank Rosier.

A church carver?

-He was a church carver.

-It looks like it, doesn't it?

Yes. I know they look as though

they should be about 1910

but in actual fact, these are 1934.

How do you know that?

Because I've got correspondence between Mr Rosier and his client.

It is a nice solid piece of furniture.

It's just, obviously it needs a lot of work doing to it.

-It comes down to price, really, cos I've got to...

-Yeah.

I'm thinking somewhere around the 500 mark, but...

Oh, quick intake of breath! Quick intake of breath.

350.

Can we settle at four?

-375.

-Oh, no, no. Nigel...

Give me 385 and you've got yourself a deal.

No, 375.

-That's your final bid, is it?

-That's my final offer.

OK. 375.

-Got a deal?

-Yeah, we got a deal.

A hard haggle, but Eric's made a handsome profit

of £140.54 on the table and chairs,

but he doesn't do so well with the mother-of-pearl panel and miniature.

He sells them to collector Beatrice

for a profit of just £14.90.

That's a done deal?

Great. Yes, I think this is gorgeous, yes. Beautiful.

The battle between our boys is nearly over

and our duelling dealers have still got work ahead of them.

MUSIC: "Please Mr Postman" by The Marvelettes

The Hammer has come to a hotel in Southsea,

hoping for a sale of the leather mailbag.

John paid a pricey £172.76 for it at auction,

so will hotelier Farid

be willing to offer him more?

You've seen a photograph. What's it like in the flesh?

It's better than I expected it to be, to be honest.

It's fantastic quality, isn't it? It's got a hell of a shine.

-Look at the crest there, that works.

-It's beautiful, isn't it?

-Yeah.

What I've done to it, I gave it several coats of saddle soap

and I've given it several coats of wax, normal shoe polish wax

but it's come up beautifully.

It has a broad arrow stamp right on the front here,

and the date as well,

and the broad arrow stamp is like a crow's foot, it's like that,

and it's marked on property that was from the Admiralty

or now it's the Ministry of Defence,

and it goes back to literally Tudor times.

So I think it was probably a postal bag of some description

or a dispatch satchel.

This I see somewhere perhaps near reception

as your mailbag for the postman to deliver to.

Do you like it?

I love it. I really do love it.

All right. I think this is about 350 quid's worth.

350 quid,

I think that's a little too much, isn't it? 350 quid.

I like it, but I'm not sure how much I like it.

-How much do you like it?

-How about £250?

300?

270?

I'll tell you what, make it 275

and you've got yourself a deal.

-275, you got a deal.

-Good man!

The mailbag delivers The Hammer

a profit of £102.24.

MUSIC: "Walkin' the Dog" by Rufus Thomas

That just leaves our Eric with his last item to sell,

his embroidery of an English setter

that cost him £123.40.

He's come to London, to a gun and shooting ware retailer,

but will he be able to tempt creative director Niels

into splashing some cash?

Looking at this particular example,

I think it may be about 25, 30 years old, it may even be more.

I've tried to do a certain amount of research

but I was just captivated by the quality.

Absolutely. It's definitely our subject as well, though.

I think I've got a buyer for it already, so I'd be interested, yes.

I'm tempted to say, what will you offer?

But I've got to be fair to you.

I was hoping for somewhere in the region of a couple of hundred pounds.

Done.

-Just like that!

-Done.

THEY LAUGH

I knew I should have asked for £1,000 but there you go.

Knocker walks away with a profit of £76.64

for the silk embroidery of the English setter,

but will it be enough to beat The Hammer?

All will be revealed.

Eric and John each started out with £1,000 of their own money.

Eric "Knocker" Knowles did six deals, spending £808.28.

John "The Hammer" Cameron bought a total of five items

and spent £617.02,

but the only thing that matters now is,

who has made the most profit?

All the money Eric and John have made today

will go to the charities of their choice, so without further ado,

let's find out who is

today's Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is champion.

-Mr John Cameron!

-Eric! How are you?

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

What about this...

this railwayana that you bought at the auction?

Well, the market's not buoyant.

I did manage to turn a small profit.

Now you bought a lot of pictures at the end of the sale.

How did you get on with those?

I had the most fun

with the local view, with the Thames at Marlow,

because I actually tracked down the granddaughter

of the man who painted it around about 1898.

Only you, Eric, could track down the granddaughter of the artist.

So shall we see who the auction king is?

Go on. All right. Are you ready?

One, two, three...

-Oh!

-Oh, Eric!

You are the man.

Pass me that crown! Well, there you are.

And every cloud has a silver lining.

In your case, I'm buying. Come on.

Teach me about pictures, Eric.

So it's a convincing win for Knocker today.

John managed to sell his railway sign for £145,

making him a very respectable £52.44 profit.

-I'm happy with that. I think we can have a shake on that.

-Lovely.

But it wasn't enough to win him the game.

Eric turned out to be the auction master.

He said it was a case of the hare and the tortoise

and he did pip me at the post.

He bought more items, he sold more items and he made more profit.

Well done, Eric. I'm pleased for you.

Well, I think it's fair to say

that the auction rooms are my sort of natural habitat.

In fact, I spent 30-odd years of my life working for one.

What wasn't usual for me was buying pictures,

but I'm glad I did because if nothing else,

I managed to see off the lad.

Eric has struck a blow to The Hammer today,

but things could all change tomorrow as our dealers battle it out

at a car boot sale in Hertfordshire.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd