Eric Knowles v James Braxton - Car Boot 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.

Hey!

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

-I am on the case.

Each week, one pair of duelling dealers will face a different

daily challenge...

I am a cheeky chancer. Lovely!

..putting their reputations on the line and giving you top tips

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

-Let's go and spend some money.

-Get in there!

Today, the dashing dealing duo of Eric "Knocker" Knowles

and James "Bingo" Braxton meet in a no-holds-barred

battle of antiques wit and will.

Coming up - James goes all out to get the best buys...

Whatever the price they say, I am paying it.

..Eric is driven to despair by his opponent's star purchase...

I wonder what it is? I wonder what it was?

..and the race is really on when it comes to selling their wares.

-Time is marching on.

-Time is money.

This is Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.

As morning breaks in the sleepy Leicestershire

town of Melton Mowbray, it is a picture of calm.

The sun is shining, the birds are singing their sweet melody

and the local car boot sellers set up their stalls blissfully

unaware of the epic battle that is about to ensue.

Strutting into the arena is a warrior who shows no

mercy in his quest for amazing antiques.

It is the crusading ceramics connoisseur Eric "Knocker" Knowles.

I am in it to double my money.

And ready to retaliate is the south coast battler

renowned for his predatory prowess.

It is the take-no-prisoners lord of the loot, James "Bingo" Braxton.

He will have to go some, I think, to beat me today.

Today's theatre of battle is the Melton Mowbray market car boot

sale where the contents of attics, cupboards and spare rooms

lie in wait to be rummaged through in search of that hidden gem.

Each of our heavyweight auctioneers has £250 of their own money

to spend and all the profit they make goes to their chosen charities.

But which of these Goliaths of the antiques trade will be

crowned the victor?

Eric Knowles and James Braxton,

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

Well, an early start,

but at least the sun is shining on the righteous this morning.

-It is glorious. What a lovely drive it was this morning.

-Melton Mowbray.

What do you think of when you think of Melton Mowbray?

I think of delicious pork pies. ERIC CHUCKLES

This is one car boot where I think you might struggle to spend £250.

£250. That is what I love about car boots, you go in your hand

for a tenner and it always seems to be priced at £2.

It is refreshing, isn't it?

I am going to follow the three its - see it, like it, buy it.

I bet there will be some people watching you, Eric.

As soon as you pick up anything, they will be on it in a second.

-Anyway, listen.

-Good luck.

-Just go for it.

Yes, don't let their smiling faces and chummy demeanour deceive you.

These fierce rivals know that a raucous rumble for profit

lies ahead and they've both come armed with plans of action.

I think my strategy today is stay outside.

If I was a stallholder, I think I'd want to be in the sunshine.

I am going to be looking out for bargains. I want to spend some money.

But when you come to a car boot, it is

very difficult to have a specific strategy.

In fact, in my case, it is going to be something called an exit

strategy and that is before I buy something,

I have to think who on earth I am going to sell it on to?

So let the most daring dealer throw the first profitable punch.

He may be somewhat out of his comfort zone, but James knows that

every second counts and is quick to pinpoint that first profit buster.

They're quite fun, aren't they? How much for the pair of those?

-£15 each, £25 a pair.

-£25 for the pair?

-Yes.

Obviously, originally for geraniums or something like, weren't they,

flowering plants?

Yes, I think I will go for those. This was my first purchase.

Rather nice pair of Denby pottery flowerpots.

Nice big size, always fun to buy things in pairs.

By the designer Glyn Colledge.

I know Eric will be urged to give me a thousand words on Glyn Colledge.

I can only give you two and that is his name.

Clearly the gloves are off in this tussle as Bingo

muscles in on the territory normally associated with pottery-lover Eric,

and James extends his lead by bagging a retro artist's box

for £5.

On the other side of the car boot sale,

eagle-eyed Eric is focusing on launching his own buying mission.

His eye has been caught by a plate that is out of this world.

# Spaceman... #

It is all to do with where were you in 1969?

I am fascinated with anything connected with the first

lunar landing of mankind.

If I'd have had spectacles with powerful lenses, I could have looked

up in the sky and actually witnessed one giant leap for mankind.

I have just spent the princely sum of 50p, the asking price.

We do not haggle. Probably made in America. I love it.

I think anything to do with the moon landing has got to be worth

having because, let's face it, it is

the most significant event that has happened in my life so far.

Yes, you cannot argue with that,

but Eric will need more than one giant leap of buying if he is

to catch James who is lapping the car boot at breakneck speed.

He will have to go some, I think, to beat me today.

Brimming with confidence, Bingo proves that there is truth

in the phrase the early bird catches the worm,

or in James's case, the early dealer pockets the pair of silver brooches.

I got to the stall, one of the early birds,

and this chap brought out this fabulous brooch. Style personified.

Georg Jensen, the Danish jeweller. It is a numbered pattern.

It is a very stylish deer and squirrel,

there it is, for the princely sum of £30.

It does not stop there because this man also had another.

So I'll put that back in there, and he showed me another.

He said, "You like that one? Well, here's another," he said.

Stylised ibex running away there. It is a beautiful fellow.

Again Georg Jensen, again silver. We've got all the hallmarks.

That one, £22.

So for the price of £52,

I have got two fabulous bits of design-led jewellery.

Our knights of the antiques realm have had differing fortunes

so far in this epic encounter.

While Sir Bingo of east Sussex has thrown down the gauntlet with

some sizeable buys, Lord Knowles of Burnley has found it

difficult to splash the cash, but that might be about to change.

-Right. £1.

-Wishful thinking.

Last of the big spenders,

Eric cannot resist a second piece of intergalactic loot.

A Kennedy Space Center book for £1.

There is a strategy appearing here, in so far as I seem to be

finding lots of things connected with space exploration.

The thing is, what I need now is Buzz and Neil's telephone numbers

but the chances are,

they have already got one of these for Christmas.

Rocket man Eric is hoping his two space-related buys will

beam him back a stellar profit but with only £1.50 spent,

Knocker knows he needs to get buying and thankfully for him,

his next purchase is already calling out to him.

I have just purchased a jar with a wooden cover made by Portmeirion

and I have just bought it for a fiver,

for the simple reason is that it's got a barn owl on it

and I have to say the barn owl

is one of my favourite, favourite birds.

It is not very old. It may be 20 or 30 years old.

The sum of £5 lands Eric his third buy

but his archrival is quick to retaliate.

James has a buyer in mind as he carves out

a deal for £25 on some vintage carpentry tools.

Really pleased with these.

I know a really lovely builder from Leeds who is a joiner, that is his

real love, and we have got a lovely mortise gauge here for your jointing,

rosewood, gilt brass, but this also very unusual item. It is

a set square but it is a square for 45 degrees, so for mitred joints.

Great fun, isn't it? A real novelty, so the two items, £25.

My haggling is non-existent. Bingo is being very kind in Melton Mowbray.

The sun is out, I am feeling warm to all man

and whatever the price they say, I'm paying it.

Something very strange is happening to our dealers.

-Whatever the price they say, I am paying it.

-We do not haggle.

No haggling?! Paying full asking price?!

It seems our experts are so happy with the valuations of vendors

they see no need to barter. What are we going to hear next?

You've got to sort of morph once you come to one of these places.

You got to morph into what you might call the human ferret.

The mind boggles.

Anyway, back to the business of ferreting out those buys.

Eric spots an antique willow patterned plate

but will he dare haggle?

I am told that this plate is the princely sum of £1.50.

Shall we push the boat out? Come on. Listen, no haggling.

-£1.50, is that right?

-£1.50, that is right.

-£1.50.

I have just bought this plate.

It's a derivative of a Chinese landscape design that

came into this country in around about the late 18th century.

The Victorians made a big thing about this

and they wove a story into the design.

The date on this one, about 1820, 1830, so £1.50,

I'm in it to double my money.

And hoping to square things up,

Eric finally splashes some notable cash on a buy that has him fizzing.

He pays £20 for a cased bottle of 20-year-old champagne.

-I hope you are watching this, Bingo.

-HE CHUCKLES

Fighting talk from the Knocker but not even a bit of bubbly can

-shake the irrepressibly chipper Mr Braxton.

-Blessed is the boot-off.

What a fabulous couple of hours I have already had.

I have been buying like a good'un.

Now, let's go and find out where old Knocker is.

I've got him a little pressie.

-Oh, Bingo.

-Hi.

-Listen, I am buying.

-Well done. So am I.

The sun has shone on me. Anyway, I have got us a little sustenance.

-A little... Melton Mowbray's finest. Half for you.

-What a man.

-Look at that. Look at that. This is the finest.

-You go first.

Are you pretty well all spent up?

Well, no, I'm not all spent up but I could do with having a good

look round because I don't want to leave any table unturned.

The long and short of it is if you don't buy it when you see it,

when you go back, I promise you it is not there.

So he who hesitates, definitely loses at a car boot

-but you have to be methodical.

-And also you have to be lucky.

I went to a stall early on and found a nice thing.

I am smiling, Eric. ERIC CHUCKLES

-I am not.

-I'm sorry.

-I would be a useless poker player. I really would.

-Oh, right.

It obviously was a very, very nice thing. It is cruel.

It is cruel to say that to me actually,

because now I will be wondering.

Anyway, I'm going to leave you with that thought. Good luck, Eric.

That's a very pleasant thought.

I mean...don't you just hate people ho crow about their successes?

Do I detect a note of pressure, Mr Knowles? Anyway, it is

time to see how our knights of the buying roundtable are getting on.

Eric and James each started that day with £250 of their own money.

Eric has kept his spending tight with five buys

at the cost of just £28, leaving him with £222 to spend.

James has been less cautious, also making five purchases

but parting with £107, leaving him with £143.

So as our two clashing profit hunters return to

the fray for round two of buying,

it seems Bingo's bragging has rattled our prince of porcelain.

Everything was going swimmingly well until I bumped into Bingo

and he tells me about this amazing object he has bought.

I don't mind admitting it slightly unnerved me

because I am thinking now, "I wonder what it is? I wonder what it was?"

Our Eric will need to quickly compose himself

if he is to win this boot sale battle,

because James is looking to gain the advantage on the grounded

Knocker by flying full throttle into his next deal.

-That is great fun, isn't it? This is the Red Baron.

-This is the Red Baron.

-This is the man. It can be yours, James.

-How much for?

-50.

-£50.

It is great. He has a great, maniacal face, hasn't he? Look at him.

-I think it's fantastic.

-I will give you 50 quid for it.

First World War flying ace Baron von Richthofen.

We have even got his guns here. I've got them in my pocket,

they just need a bit of glue. Here he is, with his guns.

I know somebody with a rather smart aeroplane who might be very

interested in this. It is a great item.

James jets away with his sixth buy, paying £50 for the model

First World War Fokker triplane.

This clash for antiques bragging rights is really heating up.

Composure regained, Knocker is right back into the action,

circling the car boot sale before locking target on his next purchase.

I have just come across this... sort of...

I have never been sure if they were chocolate or coffee.

I have always thought of them as coffee pots,

the sort of thing that you see in engravings in the 18th century.

This is a 19th century one.

-It has been through the wars, hasn't it?

-It has.

-It has suffered a bit.

-As a result of that, what is the asking price?

The absolute best price it's got to be is £5

-and I think it is worth that.

-OK. All right.

-For a fiver, you have got a deal.

-You can't say no.

-I can't!

In fact, there is a song, if I was a woman,

I would be the woman that could not say no. There you go.

Yes, it is another bit of booty for the man who just can't say no and

it brings our battling bargainers neck and neck with six buys apiece.

Knocker is not clocking off buying just yet, though,

as he finds purchase number seven.

As time is of the essence, you might say, I will whisk it away.

I am very pleased with my mantel clock.

It dates to about 1905, 1910, so let's call it Edwardian.

It appears to be in mahogany.

I love that arch top and the dial is nice and clean

and I think for £25, money well spent.

I am hoping to get at least £50 for it.

I think my starting price will be around the £75 mark.

Once it is cleaned up and looking the bee's knees, well,

that will add £10 to it anyway.

The Edwardian mantelpiece clock chimes another buy for Knocker,

but there is no time to rest when there's loot in every boot.

This is a pair of fireside tongs,

which are, date-wise, early 19th century.

I like those.

That, at one stage, should have had a steel little shovel,

-which has long gone missing.

-Make me an offer.

I don't want to insult you because I am not a haggler,

because I just know it is going to cost me good money to try and get

one of those made and I am not quite sure where I can have one made.

If I said 35, would you be interested?

-I tell you what, I would be interested at 30 quid.

-Sold.

-Are you sure?

-Absolutely.

-OK. All right. You are on.

-Thank you very much.

-Who these days has an open fire?

If you do, I envy you.

Eric is really notching up the buys now as he brings his total to

eight items.

Bingo Braxton, on the other hand, has taken his time finding one

-final purchase.

-Good solid fellows, aren't they? Not terribly old.

They have got quite a bright "Made in England."

But they are heavy.

-Yes, they are heavy. How much have you got on them?

-15 for the pair.

-They could be 12.

-Could be 12. Come on, I will give you 12.

-I don't want you to suffer too much.

-JAMES LAUGHS

A nice octagonal shape and they will do well, won't they?

They will not get knocked off in a hurry. I like those.

Our battling behemoths are hurtling towards

the end of the day, but Knocker is not done yet.

He is back at a stall that he has already bought from with

his eyes firmly set on a pair of Staffordshire pottery dogs.

-So what is the asking?

-Asking 18 but you can have them for 12.

I mean, I cannot say no, can I? Look at that.

No, I'm not going to say no. I'm going to say yes. Yes. OK.

I will give you those and I will get you some cash.

I am very pleased with my Staffordshire spaniels

because these two characters have been

together from probably around about 1850, 1860,

and you can tell by the sort of detail that you

get in their faces, those lovely eyes, the detailing on the muzzle.

You have a blueish glaze pooling down here.

You turn it upside down, that is

the sort of base you are going to be looking for.

My buying price of £12 should see me with a tidy profit.

And there is no restraining Eric as he pounces straight on to his next

buy, paying £20 for two mid-19th century etchings of Killiney Bay

in Ireland. Will they prove to be his lucky charms?

Eric has now bought ten items

and sneaks in one more budget buy before the final whistle -

a late 19th-century glass vase for £1.50.

Now, if Bingo Braxton has a cat,

it almost certainly wears that expression

because I have got to say, he has always got a smile on his face.

What I cannot do with at the moment is the fact that the smile

has turned to a bit of a smugness

ever since he told me about this mystery bargain buy.

And with that, this money-making excursion to Melton Mowbray is done.

Our daring duo have given heart, soul,

and a stash of cash but now it is time to see who spent what.

Our brave battlers each started the day with £250 of their own

money to spend.

Eric went for quantity, racking up 11 buys for a total of £121.50,

while James spent more but bought less,

his seven purchases costing £169.

Our duelling dealers have done all they can in their bid for

today's top spot, so now it is time to take stock of each other's wares.

Have you had an enjoyable day, Bingo?

I have had a good day, I really have.

I have walked around, there has been lovely sunshine

and I managed to find some things pretty smartly on.

I do like your... I suppose it is a triplane, isn't it?

-It is a triplane, the Red Baron.

-It must be. For £50. No!

-I think that was £50 very well spent.

-Yes, I like it.

-How about you, Eric?

-Well, I have been happy with everything, really.

The things I like the most - probably the spaniels,

because they cost me all of around £12,

which if I cannot make a profit there, I am in the wrong business.

My best buy you have not seen yet, well, one of my best buys.

Is this what you have had me on tenterhooks all morning?

I say morning, we have been here...

-Talk about raining on somebody's parade.

-Georg Jensen. Georg Jensen.

-Without even turning it over.

-I know.

-Look at that.

That is beautiful!

Just to compound your worries, there is another.

Hang on. Give you that back.

-Oh! I might as well concede.

-Course you are.

Two fabulous pieces of Georg Jensen silverware,

at a car boot in Melton Mowbray. I'm just having a quiet moment.

ERIC PRETENDS TO SOB

I am sorry, I did not want to say it to you, Eric.

I thought we were getting on so well.

-Well, all I can say, Bingo, is congratulations.

-Thank you.

-I have not had this luck.

-Well, we all need a little bit of luck.

I just wish yours would have come with another opponent.

Our trading titans may have survived the buying battle

but that was just the beginning.

Now our dealing dynamos need to make a profit selling

all their items or their efforts will have been in vain.

So, as our eminent experts head for home,

one thing is on their minds - sales.

They will need to call on every bit of their antiques know-how

and selling skills, along with a touch of luck,

if they are to reign supreme in this contest.

Back at Knocker Knowles's HQ,

a confident Eric is taking stock of his wares.

I'm happy with everything I've bought

although I'm thinking of where on earth am I going to place them?

I've got some lovely fire irons, so I'm thinking, fireplace, shop.

I've got a lovely little clock which has got a hint

of the Arts and Crafts about it. Staffordshire dogs.

They were such a good buy because they cost me £12.

Obviously it was a be-kind-to-Eric day.

Space memorabilia, well, moon landing anyway.

I'm having to do some homework and I have tracked down a place in Leicestershire that might be

the ideal selling venue.

Eric also needs to sell this 1970s Portmeirion Barn Owl biscuit jar, a 19th-century Willow Pattern

plate, a cased bottle of champagne, two 19th-century Irish colour

etchings, a late 19th-century glass vase, and a 19th-century copper pot.

So there is the buying. The hard part now is in the selling.

I'm up for it. Bingo, I wish you a limited amount of luck.

Eric's clearly revved up for the race and over in "Bingo" Braxton's

bolthole, James is soaking up the sun while sorting through his stash.

What a glorious day.

It was a similar day at the car boot in Melton Mowbray.

It was bizarre.

I bought the items that Eric probably would have loved to have bought.

The Glyn Colledge. That is totally Eric.

The Denby Potter. The rather nice designer.

This was my lead, in fact, that magical stall. This was the artist's box.

I know somebody for that.

From that artist's box, I bought these two fabulous Georg Jensen pieces there.

I bought this model of the triplane. The Red Baron. There he is.

Sitting in his cockpit, machine guns ready.

I had the most fabulous day, a day that I will find hard to replicate.

Bingo also needs to sell an early 20th-century mortise gate and set square,

and two modern brass candlesticks.

I think, Eric, it is probably done bar the shouting really.

James is confident this contest is already over, but will his words

come back to haunt him as this match-up is only at the halfway stage?

So as the bell sounds for the next round, it's time for our two

champions of the antiques arena to don their selling gloves

and strike out in search of profit.

Remember, no deal is truly sealed until that final handshake.

Eric is looking to land the first blow as he hits the road

and heads north to try and sell his £5 1970s Portmeirion biscuit barrel.

He's taking it to show friend and auctioneer Peter

and there's a very specific reason why.

The reason I thought of Peter is the fact that wherever

I go in his house he's got owls. He's owl mad.

Consequently my barn owl was forever destined for this

part of Staffordshire. I'm going to be very sorry to sell it.

-I want to keep it. Hello.

-Eric!

-Don't get up. It makes me feel important!

-Listen, I was at what you would call an antique fair/car boot.

-Yes.

I cast my eyes on an object, an image of both you

and Elizabeth came into my mind.

Because I know that when it comes to owls, you are a bit of a soft touch.

-Absolutely.

-Let me show you what I went for.

-Oh, glorious, glorious Technicolor. A barn owl too.

A barn owl as well.

Listen, have a fondle, and if you turn it upside down, its pedigree is there.

The good news is that I bought it

-so inexpensively, I am now able to sell it to you...

-In my price range.

In your price range. I am looking for £25. I know I've lost my senses.

-Let's say £20.

-Put that there because life's too short.

-It is.

Knocker feathers his nest with a tidy £15 profit.

I knew from the minute he set eyes on it he wanted it.

So it's Eric who lands the first blow, but James is quick to respond.

He is hoping to land his first profit punch by taking

the artist's box he bought for £5 to the studio of local

artist Nicola who teaches his wife.

-And she's midway through her latest masterpiece.

-Who's that fellow?

You've got my teeth. You've got my eyes, you've got my nose.

-Just give me a bit more hair!

-No problem.

Anyway, Nicola, I went to a car boot sale the other day,

and I saw this and thought of you.

I was hoping that it might be an nice wooden box.

-You'd like a wooden box?

-Yes.

Nicola is not immediately sold on the box, but Bingo persists.

I suppose these are about £1 each.

So if you worked on these being about 30p to 50p,

somebody's had a good old squeeze, but if you worked on a third

retail, that's £7.50, knock off a bit, that's about a fiver. How much? Tenner?

-Yes, I'll give you £10.

-You'll give me £10?

-Yes.

I'll take £10.

Yes, it's a hard earned £5 profit on the artist's box for James.

£5 profit is certainly going to not beat Knocker.

Indeed, Mr Braxton. It's going to take bigger profits than that to

knock out Knocker,

particularly as Eric seems to be targeting an exclusive clientele.

He's brought his £12 19th-century Staffordshire spaniels to

upmarket Chelsea to show Victoria, a friend

and antiques dealer who specialises in porcelain.

I can see you're not short of Weymss Pigs and I spy a cat down there.

I also know that you have a fondness for Staffordshire dogs.

That is correct.

I've sent you an image and you've not seen these in the flesh

if I can say that. But they are what they are.

They are, I would have thought...

-I would think these date to about 1860.

-Correct.

They are perfect in so far as there are no chips.

I've known you long enough, Eric, to know that

when you say they're perfect, they're perfect. They've got nice expressions.

A little fugitive gilding - that is wear and tear

and they've probably been washed.

Legs close together so they're fairly late.

So an early one would have the legs slightly splayed apart?

Earlier ones would be a separate leg.

Most of them have the legs joined together as you know.

Just give me a good figure that makes you happy.

All right. I would be more than content... I would drop down to £50 for the pair.

-Done.

-Put it there.

Eric finds the two dogs a good home getting a £38 profit,

not to mention a tasty treat.

Not only am I now better off to the tune of £50, I am better off by

the fact I am on eclair number two which is going to

add a few more pounds, but of the wrong type and in the wrong place.

So if you are watching, "Bingo" Braxton,

this is the way we do business here in Chelsea.

That's two items down for Knocker and the veteran of many

an antiques fight heads straight back into the ring and lands the old one-two,

first heading to an architectural reclamation shop

-in Islington where he sells the early Victorian fire utensils...

-£80.

-£80.

OK. You've got yourself a deal at £80.

..pocketing him a handsome £50 profit,

then he parts with a 19th-century Willow Pattern plate selling

to an avid collector, giving him a profit of £3.50.

Eric is leading on the judges' cards with four sales to James's

one, but battling "Bingo" Braxton comes out fighting.

He's brought the vintage model

of a First World War German Fokker triplane that cost £50 to Lewes

where he's meeting a long-time acquaintance and dealer of vintage toys.

-Is it bigger than you expected?

-It's a little bit smaller actually.

-I think it's probably 1950s.

-I've not seen one like this before.

-It's quite fun having a triplane, isn't it?

-Yes, it is.

Sort of based on an early 1914-1915 aeroplane.

-It looks like the Red Baron.

-It does.

-The propeller is lovely.

The propeller is superb.

I've been chatting to some people about it

and they were suggesting 200 to 300 is about the level of it.

-What would you like to pay for it?

-What would I like to pay for it?

-I think about £100.

-You see I think that's a bit low. Could you do 220?

-I'd go 140.

-140?

-Yes, I think there's a little bit left in it for me.

Tell you what I could do. I'd split the difference with you.

I'd be very happy with 180.

-165.

-170 and you definitely have a deal.

-Go on, then.

-Thank you.

So after some very civilised haggling, James's profit pot

really takes off as he adds £120.

That's not a bad profit.

Watch out, Knocker.

Yes, Bingo's flying and full of confidence after that deal.

He goes on the attack again,

firstly selling the vintage mortise gate and set square to

a builder who has done work for him, carving out a profit of £5,

and then cultivating a deal on his £25 1970s Denby plant pots

that blooms into a £5 profit.

Knocker isn't throwing in the towel yet, though.

He's working hard to sell his remaining items and he's hopeful

he may have found a buyer for the boxed champagne he bought

for £20 as he gallops his way to a stables in Wales to meet another Knocker Knowles.

Horror of horrors, I have discovered that I am not only Knocker Knowles in the world.

But whereas I'm on two legs, the other is on four legs,

because he is a thoroughbred racehorse.

I'll stay away from the rear.

Eric is hoping to be lucky in the profit stakes by selling

the champagne to Emma whose husband trains Knocker Knowles,

so they can toast future victories.

I believe this fellow has been doing good things recently. Am I right?

He's run three times this year. He ran very well last time at Windsor,

but did actually win last year as a two-year-old.

So, when it ever stops raining I think he'll win again.

Yes, he likes to race on the dry, is that right?

-Yes, he likes it a bit firmer.

-I came across something quite unusual.

I came across a box of Moet.

This champagne is actually at a knockdown price. It's a mere £40.

-What do you say?

-I think you've got a deal.

-Have you got a hand free?

I definitely think we've got a deal for champagne.

He can't raise a hoof or anything like that for me to shake?

-He probably would.

-He would if he could, wouldn't you?

They shake on the deal and Eric trots away with a £20 profit.

And how about another part of the deal from you,

if you fancy doing a bit of mucking out now?

One good deal deserves another.

As you can see, they didn't have any mucking-out clothes,

but I said I'd do the job and I'm good to my word

because I'm mindful that where there's muck, in this case,

there is a bottle of champagne and a £20 profit.

Ask yourself, Bingo, would you do this for 20 quid? I'm out to beat you, mate.

Eric proves he's prepared to do almost anything to ensure victory.

But it does get easier for Knocker as he sells the 19th-century colour

etchings of Killiney Bay in Dublin to an Irish pub owner in London,

downing a £25 profit.

So at the halfway point,

just how are our antiques sluggers getting on?

Has one of them been boxing clever?

The other one got stuck on the ropes?

Eric came out punching

quickly notching up six sales

and making a profit of £151.50.

James is slightly behind,

having sold four items,

turning in a profit of £135.

It's an incredibly close contest with nothing to

call between these two antiques heavyweights.

It seems like this match-up might take something a little extra

special to win it -

something beyond the realms of average antique selling.

The dealer that reaches up to the sky and deep beyond.

And in his search for profit, Eric is taking that giant leap -

well, the small step to the National Space Centre in Leicestershire.

He has brought his lunar landing plate

and Kennedy space book to show a collector of space memorabilia.

In my business, I come across a lot of dealers, but you

are my very first space memorabilia dealer that I've ever come across.

Where do you find it? What are you finding? Where do you sell it?

We go to shows. We take displays and things that we collect.

These are the Russian cosmonaut gloves and if you were to buy

these off me today, you'd have to give me £1,000.

I'm feeling like a real cheapskate because what I've got for you

today are what you might call at a bargain price.

Let me show you first of all... This is the dish.

Obviously it's never been out of its box.

-I think that adds a little bit of a premium to it.

-Yes.

Not only have I got the souvenir glass dish, but I've also got

the Kennedy Space Center visitors' guided tour catalogue.

-What do you think?

-Shall we start at 20?

For reasons that might become obvious,

-I would like to get £21.50. How does that sound?

-That sounds very good.

-£21.50.

-Deal.

-The deal is done.

Eric rockets to planet profit as he turns his £1.50 purchases

into £20 profit.

As the contest nears the final bell, Bingo is hoping to deliver

a knockout blow with his star items.

He's on his way to London to see a jewellery dealer with the

two mid-20th century Georg Jensen brooches that he paid £52 for.

But there's a twist in the tale of Bingo's treasure.

During his research, he learned that one of the brooches is

actually Georg Jensen-inspired design rather than the real

-thing, halving its potential value.

-Here we are.

What have you got in these boxes? You've been busy. Very nice.

-Very in line with what I sell.

-Good. Yes, I had a quick look round the stock.

This is Tarratt. George and Ivan Tarratt, Leicester.

She confirms the first brooch is actually made by British

jeweller George Tarratt.

..in the '60s. I guess they were really

influenced by Georg Jensen and they designed really abstract

jewellery, quite different for that time.

But what of the other brooch that is an authentic Georg Jensen peace?

This is I think much nicer than the other ones that he

did a little bit later on.

This would have been made in the '40s by Arno Malinowski.

Why is George Jensen so desirable?

I guess he was just very innovative and he did really unusual things.

Really unusual designs, beautifully made. Not made now.

This was made in the '40s. I don't know how long they went on for.

Maybe up until the '60s. There wouldn't be millions of them around.

-There would be quite a few, but not many.

-These two bits, come on, money.

-Money, money, money.

-Start off with the Tarratt.

The Tarratt. The Tarratt is slightly less interesting

and slightly less desirable, partly

because there isn't a big collectors' market for it.

It is just nice English jewellery. I can find them for £60 or £70.

But sometimes I land up paying a little bit more.

-Could you run to 100 for that?

-90 would be good for that.

-90.

Bingo snares a sterling profit of £68 on the George Tarratt

brooch and we'll find out later

whether he manages to make a better profit on the Georg Jensen.

In Buckinghamshire, Eric has made time to try

and sell his next item to clock specialist and good contact Nigel.

I'm here to do a sale on my clock. Looking at the time I'm late.

In fact...

-ERIC:

-# I'm late, I'm late for a very important date

# No time to see hello goodbye I'm late, I'm late, I'm late

# If you do I'm in a rabbit stew. #

ACTUAL RECORDING: # I'm late, I'm late for a very important date

# No time to say hello goodbye

# I'm late, I'm late, I'm late. #

You decided to come, then, did you?

Apologies. Yes, it's the late Eric Knowles. I'm sorry about that.

-What a masterpiece.

-Well, I would say that.

Have you been to more car boot sales?

You may be right, you may be wrong. What do you make of that?

I thought that had an Arts and Crafts feel - barber pole stringing...

-Edwardian, isn't it?

-I thought maybe 1905, something like that.

I would agree with that. A bit of dial damage to the enamel.

-What about the mechanism?

-It's not the original mechanism.

It's been changed. The original would have been more like a carriage clock movement.

-It wouldn't have had a pendulum on it?

-No, not at all.

-Right.

-It had the balance, but this almost looks like an alarm clock

-movement that someone's put in.

-Does it really?

-Yes, it does.

-Tell me how much you want?

-50 quid. 50 quid.

-It's nice, but not £50 nice.

-How nice is it, Nigel? Come on. At me with a price.

Go on. As it's you, £40.

-£40. That suits me ahead of a loss, so 40 quid we've got a deal.

-You've got a deal.

So that timely sale gives Eric a profit of £15.

And hoping to tempt Nigel into another buy, Eric shows him

-the 19th-century copper pot he paid £5 for.

-28.

-Go on, then.

-28 quid.

-Put it there.

You're a star.

Yes, it's another result for Knocker as he notches up a £23 profit.

With the finishing line in sight, our selling stalwarts both have

one item left to trade.

Eric is first to sell up, flogging the 19th-century glass

vase for £10, earning him a tidy £8.50 profit.

But with time ticking away, Bingo has hit a snag.

He has managed to get lost in London trying to find a possible

buyer for his final item - the pair of candlesticks.

I'm not having much luck here. It's another dead-end.

It's not looking good for James but Mr Braxton won't be beaten.

Unable to find the shop

and unsure the dealer he's looking for will buy anyway,

Bingo markets the candlesticks to an inquisitive man relaxing in his garden.

Is one of those thousand things to do before you die

buy from a strange antique dealer? Have a closer look.

-Am I allowed to cross your threshold?

-Yes, yes.

-They are very cheap.

-I'll give you 12.

-Are you trying to...?

-12 each? Would you? 24?

-He's got to make his money.

-£12.

I'll tell you what. Could we chop the difference?

16? It's a deal. Thank you very much indeed.

They shake on it.

James adds £4 to his profit pot and with that last-minute surprise sale

both our trading titans hang up their selling gloves.

Only one of them can be crowned king of the car boot sale,

but who will it be?

Our antiques heavyweights both had

£250 of their own money to spend.

Eric laid down the gauntlet by

splashing £121.50

on 11 buys.

James made seven purchases

spending £169.

But now the only thing that matters

is who has made the biggest profit?

All of the money that James and Eric have been from today's challenge will go to

charities of their choice, so without further ado, let's find out

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

-Eric.

-James. You had quite a good day at the car boot if I remember rightly?

I had a miraculous day, a day that is never likely to be repeated.

-..the fabulous triplane.

-I have to say that that was something special.

-I actually met another Knocker Knowles.

-Really?

Yes, and he's proving to be something of a winner.

-I'm not going to say any more.

-Are you ready?

-I think I have this one.

-I think you might.

Go on.

Oh! You've done it. You've done it, old bean. Congratulations.

-Thank you very much indeed, Eric. The tea's on me.

-I should hope so too!

So James Braxton emerges triumphant today with a convincing victory

and what about the Georg Jensen brooch?

-I certainly would pay 200.

-I'm very happy with that.

-200 for that fellow and 90 for that?

-Sure. Super.

-Thank you very much.

Well, Bingo sold it for the stylish sum of £200, giving him

a fabulous £170 to add to his competition winning profit pot.

Beaten by two silver brooches.

But at least my bottle of champagne sort of opened the key to

the stable door to allow me to meet the four-legged Knocker Knowles.

It was a convincing victory. I was very lucky at that car boot.

Eric went one way, I went the other, and I bought well.

But all is not lost for Eric

because tomorrow he has his chance to redeem himself

as our duelling dealers go head-to-head at the auction.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd