James Lewis 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.

And gives you the insiders' view of the trade.

Who's there?

Each week one pair of duelling dealers

will face a different daily challenge...

The original cheeky chappies.

Lovely!

..putting their reputations on the line...

Full house.

Well, I say!

..and giving you their top tips and savvy secrets

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

I'm feeling rather lucky.

Coming up on today's show, James Braxton offers some sound advice...

Always sensible just to check for cracks.

If it rings true like a bell, it's probably sound.

James Lewis hands out valuable auctioneering tips.

Smile, because they're not going to want to take bids from you if you look like a miserable auctioneer.

And our dealers' futures look uncertain...

Beware of these red trousers.

This is Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.

Yes, welcome, sports fans, to your very own front-row seats

in the stadium of antiquities, and what a clash of the titans we have in store for you today,

as two of the country's top auction experts throw caution to the wind

and put their heavyweight reputations on the line.

First to stand up and be counted is a real giant of the antiques world.

He's as smart as a button, as strong as an ox,

but you wouldn't want to make him angry.

Don't think twice. Buy it.

And so who would be brave - nay, foolhardy - enough to take on the Lionheart?

The antique world's answer to Bertie Wooster that's who.

He's suave, he's sophisticated,

and he's been in the fine art auction business since he was knee-high to a grasshopper.

It's the aristocratic antiquarian himself...

You've got to be a fast mover on this sort of thing.

Now, both our experts are going to have their wits about them

as they're about to go way out of their comfort zones.

These two chaps are high-end auctioneers,

but today they're going to be cast headlong into a car boot sale in Denham in Buckinghamshire.

There might be a hidden treasure out there somewhere,

but they're going to have to root around in the tat to find it.

And with just ?250 of their own money to spend,

negotiations are going to have to be tight,

as the winner will be the expert who makes the most profit.

All the profits they make will go to their chosen charities.

So, James Lewis and James Braxton,

it's time to Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.

James. How are you? Morning. Morning.

A lovely, bright one, isn't it?

Our real chance to find something exciting.

You're quite experienced at this, aren't you?

I've done car boots since I was very young.

Best find? A nageire vase.

I bought it for about ?35.

Sold it for ?3600 and something.

Wow!

That's a one-off. So it can happen? It can.

It can, and fingers crossed, it might happen today.

Well, good luck. Happy hunting. Bye.

Yes, James Lewis, the car boot king of collectibles.

Having attempted to intimidate his opponent with his former glories,

he now lays out his own strategy on how to find money in them there car boots.

The key in a car boot sale is to get there early,

and if you find something you think is worth it, don't hang around thinking about it - buy it.

That's some sage advice from the Lionheart.

He's really in his element here, fishing around for bargains,

whereas Bingo is more like a fish out of water

when it comes to the cut-and-thrust rummaging required

to uncover treasure from the car boot, so is he feeling intimidated

going up against such a heavyweight?

James is an experienced hand in all this carbooting.

I'm not so experienced, but what I've seen this far is very encouraging.

So Bingo also in fine fettle today, but don't hang about, mate -

if you don't snap it up it'll be gone, possibly to your rival

who as we speak is lining up his first purchase,

albeit an odd one - a sea cadet's uniform.

How much is it? ?45.

Ooh!

I was thinking a lot less than that. How much less?

Quite a lot less. I thought it was worth 15 quid.

If I do ?20 on it... ?18, and you've got a deal.

All right, then. Thank you very much.

# In the Navy... #

So James has kicked off proceedings with his first item of the day.

?18, and Lionheart is the proud owner of a sea cadet uniform.

But why?

Whether I find an old seaman, or somebody who's in a play.

Probably not a great profit in it, but there should be a lot of fun in it.

Yes, but this is not Put Your Funny Where Your Mouth Is.

James kicks off the buying with a quirky purchase,

but Bingo is still trying to find something worth forking out for.

They've got a lot of stuff, but it's just finding the goodies.

Yes, but Bingo, you're going to have to get stuck in

if you want to unearth the gems, and walk away victorious.

In fact, for all their good intentions, both experts are finding it quite tough going here.

Car boots is an eclectic mix, and not necessarily what our boys are looking for.

Well, if I was looking for new tools, toilet paper,

jars of honey, washing-up liquid,

this is the place to be.

But when it comes to antiques

it's a bit of a desert.

No-one said it was going to be easy, and talking of deserts,

as the early sun rises majestically over Denham,

and the final wisps of silver-grey retreat into the misty morn,

Bingo is feeling epic.

Or perhaps he's just feeling like buying some binoculars.

Watch out, though, Bingo - your rival's about.

So, how much are they?

Hello.

I'm selling them for ?30.

They're really cheap at that. Don't knock anything off.

Yeah. Thank you, James.

What a terror. Isn't he a terror? He is.

They're very nice. I'll give you ?30.

Yes, look at that. As if things weren't tricky enough here,

naughty James Lewis completely undermines Bingo's barter,

and he has to pay the full asking price,

but is he pleased?

With binoculars, you're always looking for a great manufacturer,

and the Crl Zeiss are a good German manufacturer.

They're very tidy, neat fellows.

They've got an eight times magnification.

I've had a look down the barrel.

You've got a nice lot of light coming into the objectives.

The only thing that's taken a beating is the case, and the straps have gone.

I'll just shorten those, and I'll fix them correctly.

Bingo's first buy is finally in the bag,

but across the market, his rival is already eyeing up his second,

as James Lewis has spotted a silver penguin brooch that has piqued his curiosity.

The little mark on the back says True Art, Sterling.

If it was British, it would have a hallmark with a lion, a town mark, and a date letter.

The fact that it's sterling could mean it's American.

So what I'm going to do, I'm going to look up True Art on the internet, see if I can find a maker,

and hopefully there's a good collectors' forum for them,

and if there is the price'll go up.

Good thinking, Mr Lewis. Since the arrival of internet auctions

he knows distance is no longer a barrier to selling his items.

In fact, if there's a collector of mortarboard-wearing penguins out there

that ?10 brooch could soon be bringing home the bacon.

Bingo too is getting into the swing of it

as a glass vase has caught his eye.

How much for this little fellow?

I'll take a tenner off you.

So, ?10 for a Whitefriars glass vase,

and whilst he's at the same stall, Mr Braxton spots another item.

He might have been trepidatious about the car boot, but Bingo is showing

he still understands the universal language of buying and selling.

As a repeat customer, can I get a discount?

This is like a loyalty thing. How about a fiver?

I'll do you eight quid.

Go on, eight quid.

Eight quid... Go on.

Two good buys from that stall. Lovely bit of Whitefriars glass.

Nice pretty colour, and the reassurance of a lovely label.

I've got to do a little more work on that.

What is it? 1960s? A rather nice fellow.

And then from the same stall, this rather nice beaker.

Now, these would have been given out for the Coronation of George V.

Made by Royal Doulton. Every place setting would have had one of these,

and you would have taken it away at the end.

Always sensible just to check for cracks.

If it rings true like a bell it's probably sound.

I'm pleased with those.

So Bingo's happy with his latest two purchases,

and he's now fully into the swing of the car boot competition.

James Lewis is also moving fast, and has found a set of garden table and chairs.

How much are they?

To you?

45 quid. It's a lovely set.

It is, but where would you put them?

A little cottage with a little... Yeah.

Patio.

Sat on there.

Yeah, but what would you put on the table?

Nice cold drink.

Mm.

You're selling it to me.

And to us.

I'd be looking in the twenties.

Come on, you can do better than that.

30 quid.

All right, I'll give you 30 quid.

You've got a deal. God bless you. Thanks very much.

Well, whether that was a hard bargain or a hard sell,

James gets the garden set for ?30, and a bit of work on his hands to boot.

Garden furniture really comes in four major types.

Wood, plastic, aluminium and iron.

Iron itself in two different forms.

The most saleable and most desirable is cast iron.

That sort of furniture made by Colebrookdale in the 19th Century.

This is wrought iron. It's just bent, but it's certainly made for a small home

because it folds up - that's really what attracted me to it.

If it was just a standard three-piece set

I'd have left it where it is because it is in shoddy condition.

I've got to strip it back, got to paint it, and then

I've still got to make a profit on it,

which I think should be fairly easy.

Yes, James Lewis supremely confident. He knows the car boot is his manor.

And while Bingo is sifting through bric-a-brac,

James is inexorably drawn towards some more potential bargains.

I've just asked the price of this pair of Victorian lathe back kitchen chairs.

They're ?12. How much are the taps, please?

?12? Would you take a fiver for the pair of chairs?

What would be your best on those?

?8 would be the best. ?8...

I'll do ?10 on there.

?15 the two?

?18. ?18. Go on.

So, a pair of chairs and some bath taps are his for ?18.

Happy, James?

I have to say, I am totally made up with these chairs.

They're Victorian, they're about 1870.

The seats are made of elm, the backs are made of ash.

They are typical of the chairs made at the time.

They're known as stickback or lathe back chairs.

They've got little bits of damage on them, but, do you know, the interesting thing is,

I think in a way it adds to their charm,

because this little nail has got a hatched top.

It's a 19th Century nail, so this bit of damage

has been there for over 100 years.

I reckon they're going to be worth ?30 to ?50.

I paid ?8, and if I find the right home for them

there's a good profit.

Now, together with the chairs came this.

A pair of mixer taps by CP Hart of London.

Now, to buy this new I reckon is going to be about ?250 to ?300.

What did I pay for them? A tenner.

And that's worth 20 quid in scrap brass,

so guaranteed profit.

James add three sure-fire bargains to his tally,

and goes straight on to purchase three more - old hard helmets.

?8.

Yes, James is powering around like a booty-buying beagle,

snapping up bargains all over the place.

But Bingo's no slouch, no.

He's gone off-piste, and bought some vintage ski equipment.

Some Second World War vintage sort of Alpine sticks.

These are ski poles, but they're rather fine, and they're a ?1.

I'm sure some Alpine restaurant selling fondues and raclettes will love these.

The ski poles only cost ?1, so could prove a profitable little purchase,

but if he continues to spend his money ?1 by ?1, Bingo is going to run out of time.

As we approach the mid-way point of this epic buying battle,

our heroic pair call a brave truce,

and meet up in No Man's Land to size each other up.

How are you doing? All right. How are you? Very good.

Are you winning?

Yeah, I think so. Not too bad. How about you? What did you find?

Amongst all the flotsam,

there are some things that just stand out, aren't there?

Yeah. I bought a lot of low-level stuff,

but hopefully everything with a good profit in it.

That's car boots. Exactly. Which way are you heading? That way?

I'm heading... You know, how about a bacon sandwich?

So, as they head off for a quick pit stop and a refuel,

let's find out what they've spent so far.

Remember, they each started the day with up to ?250 of their own money.

So far James Lewis has bought six items.

He's spent less than half his budget.

But considerably more than James Braxton.

He has only bought four items.

He's not going to win this competition at this rate,

so he needs to really redouble his efforts, and get spending.

But as our two conjurors of collectibles dive back in,

Bingo is still struggling to find those magic items he so desires.

James Lewis on the other hand is buoyed by their little chat.

One thing I have sized up today, and that's Mr Braxton.

I don't reckon reckon he's got his eye in.

He's not buying as much as I am, so today, Mr Braxton,

I think I've got you.

Don't be too sure, James. Bingo is a wily competitor,

eye on the ball, never distracted.

Well, almost never. What's he doing with a record?

This is the first 18 I ever saw.

Saturday Night Fever, and I saw it... I went with a friend, and we went on a cycling trip.

We went down to Bognor Regis, and we managed to sneak in at about the age of 15.

Yes, this trip down Memory Lane is all very well, but what's it got to do with the competition?

It's not as if you're going to buy the album, are you?

I mean, who buys vinyl these days?

Eh?

How much have you got on your album here?

Oh. I think I'm asking for ?4. What do you think?

?4?! How about ?1.

?1? Oh, dear.

Shall we meet in the middle?

Why not? ?2.

This is a lovely album made by people who had big hair.

Big hair makes great music. I'll find somebody...

Hopefully I'll find somebody with a bit of a bouffant.

# Night fever, night fever... #

There we go. Boogying Braxton is the disco king.

And according to him, big hair makes great music.

Better not mention that to Elton John.

Anyway, while he looks to the past, James Lewis is looking to the future.

He's doing so well with his buying that when he spots a fortune teller

he decides to pop in for a reading.

You're a gentleman that's had hard times as well as bad times.

I can see a great victory for you.

But you also have a challenge that's coming your way.

By a gentleman that wears red trousers.

Is he very posh? Oh, yes, he is.

But don't worry. You have victory over him.

Well, that's that, then.

Or is it, because Bingo is a man who knows his fate is in his own hands.

He's the master of his own destiny, which appears to involve yet more eccentric purchases.

Hi. How much for your Honda there?

A lawnmower, Bingo? Are you sure?

Any movement on price on this?

?70.

Well, you've got yourselves a deal. I'll buy it.

Yes, Bingo adds to what must be one of the oddest collections in Put Your Money history.

Perhaps he knows something that we don't know.

James Braxton...

has bought a lawnmower.

James! (HE LAUGHS)

What?

The sign of a desperate man. What on earth have you bought that for?

I've always wanted a Honda lawnmower.

Honda, the new Rolls-Royce of mowing your lawn.

This is men and mowers.

A new show - Men and Mowers.

How much do you think I paid for it?

I think you paid ?45 for it.

I'd love to have bought it for ?45. I paid ?70.

?70?! And it's hardly been used, but if you went into a shop to buy a Honda lawnmower

I'd hate to think how much it would cost.

At least ?75.

I'm not listening. I'm off. You're going mad! I'm off.

Are you suffering from something? No, spring has come.

The grass is growing. They need me.

I'm off. I'm cutting. Bye.

?70! For a second-hand lawnmower.

From a car boot sale.

Even James Lewis is speechless, and that's saying something.

Perhaps this is all part of Bingo's cunning psychological plan

to distract the Lionheart, and put him off his game.

Mind you, if that is his plan, it's not working.

Of all of the things that I have bought at today's car boot sale

this is my favourite by a mile.

But you always say, have a look at the back, and at how many stitches there are per square inch,

and the more stitches, the higher the quality of the carpet.

And that really isn't bad.

It also has a sheen to it.

It's got a mixture of silk and cotton. ?20 is a bargain.

So the Lionheart, apparently deciding to wear the rug,

isn't allowing himself to be put off by Bingo's curveball purchases...

such as six scenic coasters.

Look at this - scenes of Eastbourne.

Six for ?1. Bargain.

They are a bargain, aren't they? I'll give you ?1 for those. That's very kind.

But why has he decided to buy six old drinks coasters for ?1?

Somebody with a sort of more vintage interior might love these.

You never know - I might double my money.

Well, Bingo looking to double his money on the drinks coasters.

That'll be ?1 profit. Hm...

On the other side of the market, James Lewis must be quaking in his boots.

Oh, no, hang on - he's not. He's haggling on a snuff box.

Would you take ?20 for it?

Give us ?25. Come on.

Chip on the base, and on the top.

?25. Come on.

?25. Thank you very much.

Anybody who knows me knows I have an absolute addiction to snuff boxes.

This one is mid-19th Century.

Most of these snuff boxes were made in Scotland.

Sometime you have an agate top. This one is probably cow horn from the colour, rather than stag horn.

But a classic shape, moulded side.

Hinge at the back, and it still fits nice and flush.

For ?25 I think there's a profit in it.

Not a huge one, but I'm going to try and take this to somebody

who stills manufactures snuff today.

So, eight purchases under James Lewis' belt,

but he isn't stopping there.

As the stalls start to pack away, the Lionheart is scouring for even more hidden treasure,

eager to spend his money even if it means taking a gamble.

Yes, a true competitor.

I've got so much money left that I've had to spend...

..?45 on two tiny objects,

neither of which I think are that genuine.

The first is that.

It's a Yugoslavian airman's badge.

We see the bombs, we see the propeller,

and a little symbol of the balloon at the top there.

But I have to say, if it's right it's worth ?300 or ?400.

The other thing is that - a relic. The body part of a saint.

And this one is B Domenici.

And if, for example, you were building a church, say for Saint Mary,

you would apply to the Vatican for a body part of Saint Mary.

They would send one through to you with an official seal to say it is genuine.

You would bury that in the foundations of your church,

and Saint Mary would be the guardian of your church.

If it's genuine it's worth a couple of hundred pounds.

If it's not, it's probably worth ?30.

James taking a bit of a punt on the medal and the relic.

He spent ?45 on the two, but has he made a fatal error,

or will that holy body part bring him a bit of luck, and a huge profit?

Back over with Bingo Braxton, he has at last found something with a bit of age to it.

Just found this. It's a little sort of novelty.

A paperweight, brass. What could this be?

Three quid. Would you take ?2?

Go on, take my last ?2.

Bingo splashes out the grand sum of ?2 on the brass weight,

and believe it or not, calls it a day.

Our two experts have invested in what must be one of the oddest collections we've ever seen,

but before they reveal their peculiar purchases to each other

let's remind ourselves who spent what.

James Lewis made ten purchases.

James "Bingo" Braxton was out of his comfort zone at the car boot,

but still managed to buy eight items.

But before the selling starts, it's time to check out their wares.

My word. I must say, I was expecting a little more from you.

Oh, I've been restrained. My wife would love that CP Hart. Very smart.

Good, isn't it?

You know, the bargains can still be found at the car boot.

They can. The Whitefriars is good.

Yeah, and reassuring with the label, isn't it?

Very reassuring. Should be profits all round. Apart from maybe...(COUGHS)

the mower.

The mower's going to bring home the bacon. No, I don't believe you.

Good luck.

With the buying done, both our intrepid purchasers must now become selling machines

as they sell all their items for as much money as they can manage,

hoping to make the biggest profit, and walk away today's winner.

But before the selling commences,

the two James head back to their HQs

to organise, energise, and strategise.

Back at the Lionheart's lair, Mr Lewis feels like he has the upper hand.

James, or Bingo, was really jealous of these.

CP Hart... (IN POSH ACCENT) "I see you've got some CP Hart taps.

"Blimey, they're expensive." And I paid a ?10 note for them.

Three tin helmets, a naval uniform,

and the badge.

The badge has turned out to be Yugoslavian Air Force.

The snuff box, I've decided to sell that to a snuff retailer in London.

The garden furniture. I need to find the right person to sell it to

where I'm going to get the best profit.

The best thing, by a colossal mile,

the carpet.

The new cost is about ?2,000.

What did it cost me? 20 quid.

Bingo, you're going to have to go some to beat me on this one.

James Lewis also has the penguin brooch to sell, and the chairs.

Now, Bingo Braxton should be quaking in his loafers,

but holed up in his Sussex bunker,

he's coming out all guns blazing.

The lovely thing about car boots is, you go for the ?20 note,

and then the chap says two.

My most expensive buy there is this mighty beast here, the Rolls-Royce of lawnmowers.

I hope to find a very keen gardener with that.

We've got a pair of racing binoculars.

Here they are, in here, made by a fabulous maker -

Carl Zeiss.

And then the rest is really pennies, and that's the glorious thing about car boots.

My Saturday Night Fever. It's a double album, ?2.

I've got to find some sort of disco king.

Nice brass paperweight, again ?2.

These are views of Eastbourne. They have a real '50s, '60s feel.

Also ?1, these fabulous Alpine sticks.

They were used in Canada during the Second World War.

I rather like this. I bought it because it has the label on it.

Provides that slam-dunk of comfort for a buyer.

We've got this lovely Doulton, and this would have been part of a Coronation breakfast,

and probably given away by the then Mayor of Pontefract in West Yorkshire.

Gathered around me I see large profits.

Whether it's enough to beat James the Lionheart I do not know.

Don't let his modesty fool you - both our dealers have plenty enough tricks up their sleeves.

They now begin the hard work necessary to make the sales.

Remember, no deal is sealed until they've shaken, and the cash is in their hands.

And first off the mark, it's Bingo and his lawnmower.

His rival was doubtful he could make any profit on the ?70 he paid for it,

so will he prove the Lionheart wrong when he comes to sell it?

Bingo has cleverly targeted Vicky, a keen gardener and nursery owner,

hoping that the mower will provide the perfect solution

in reaching the parts larger mowers can't reach.

So, Vicky, this is your problematic garden, is it?

It is, it is. Presumably you have big mowers here, do you?

Yeah, we've got a big mower that goes on the back of the tractor,

but some of these paths are a little bit narrow.

They are quite narrow, aren't they?

So it would be quite useful to have something to get in-between those awkward gaps.

You've got a great engine - four-stroke engine, so unleaded petrol -

and you've got the metal cutting deck.

Right. Are you sold?

It's how much? What I'm hoping for is sort of ?150.

Half-price. You must be joking!

What would you like to pay for it? 80 quid.

80 quid, Vicky! 80 quid.

Split the difference - ?130.

No. ?120.

?120. Gone. Love to give it to you for ?120.

Mr Braxton is quite rightly pleased,

having proved his instincts were right, and cut a whopping profit...

..showing that he's no fool when it comes to making money.

So Bingo is off the starting blocks, but James Lewis is close behind.

He's up in Yorkshire hoping to kick off his selling spree after having targeted a buyer for his rug.

Potentially my biggest profit.

This was the rug from the car boot sale.

Paid ?20.

Retail - a couple of thousand pounds.

Profit...a few hundred.

I've brought it to Nicola who's just built this magnificent house,

and I'm hoping this will look great in it.

James Lewis loves his rug,

but will Nicola want to find a home for it in, well, HER home?

Thank you. Wow, what a super place!

So, what's the idea with the rug? Oh, for here?

Right, OK. This is, you know, bare, and I just think it would be really nice.

The first thing to say is it's not a handmade one, it's a machine-woven one.

You can see that by the uniformity of the stitching on the back.

It's probably made within the last 20, 30 years.

It's a silk-cotton mix, so it's quite easy to clean.

Easier than if it was just a pure silk one,

but also has a little bit more of a hard wear to it.

James has a cunning plan - put the rug in place, and hope Nicola is unable to resist.

It's brilliant, isn't it, and the colour is so good.

It's just perfect. Lovely.

Retail, they cost an awful lot of money.

BUT I did not pay very much at all for this rug.

What sort of price did you have in mind?

Well, when I originally saw it, I thought it would be between ?400 and ?450.

Yeah. How about ?350, knock ?100 off? Oh, gosh.

Eh? He's haggling the wrong way!

It leaves a bit of money for a clean, then.

Oh, yes, ?350 would be fantastic. Lovely. You've got a deal.

Well done.

What a gent Mr Lewis is.

What a great profit, and Nicola has got a bargain as well.

The old Lionheart strikes again.

(GROWLING)

So the Lionheart shows he's got a heart by dropping the price for Nicola

whilst still making off with a profit of ?330 for the rug.

Next, he makes a tactical decision to sell his wrought iron garden table and chairs as they are,

saving himself the time and expense of restoring them.

They cost him ?30, and he's set his sights on Jane, a homes and gardens shop owner

as a possible buyer.

It's definitely post-war. Whether it's '50s, '60s or '70s I'm not sure.

Lends itself to somebody who has a small cottage garden.

I do like the style. I think it's got a lot going for it.

I actually, strangely, quite like this distressing on it. Do you?

If you call it that. But I do have a clients who maybe would like to see a new finish.

Yeah. I'm thinking for the three pieces...

somewhere around...

?150.

In that case, what I would say is you've been very fair with your opening offer.

I'm not going to haggle up. I'll knock you 10 per cent off.

Shake on it. ?135. Is that all right?

Shake. Shake. Deal.

What?! He's done it again! He's gone mad.

It's not just rugs. It's also 10 per cent off garden furniture.

Hurry while stocks last.

Despite the knockdown prices, kind-hearted James

still makes a profit of ?105 for the garden furniture.

With the selling now properly underway,

the Lionheart makes a further profit selling the Penguin brooch,

and talking of funny-looking creatures in cold environments,

James "Bingo" Braxton seems to have gone quite some distance for his next sale.

Here I am in the heart of the Alps. What I mean is the Sussex Alps.

I bought these ski poles at a car boot sale.

I didn't want to sell them until I'd tested them.

Let's see how they work.

You what they say - what goes up must fall down.

Look at him go - it's James "The Eagle" Braxton.

My poles have stood up to the test.

I think I'd better sell them before they break.

So, having tested the poles, James has arranged

to meet the owner of the skiing centre who he hopes might buy them.

These are the fellows, Steve, I mentioned to you.

And they're sort of World War II era.

They were... A chap spent his World War II in Canada, so they've lasted all that time.

Is this the sort of thing that you'd decorate -

Oh, it's always nice to have bits of ski memorabilia on the walls.

Yes, indeed. So these are classic 1940s ski poles.

Have a feel of them.

The basket's intact. Beautiful leather on there as well.

Metal ring holding it together. That would normally have broken by now.

And the handles of course have been...

They've been rebound, haven't they?

These were a particularly good pole in their day.

To be aluminium that long ago is quite unusual.

They're straight, which is unbelievably unusual!

So obviously, you don't expect to see a straight ski pole.

What would you offer for these? Somewhere around about ?20, maybe.

?20? What about... I'll squeeze you a bit. ?30.

Shall we meet in the middle? ?25? Yeah, why not?

Come on. Thank you very much. Put it there. Delighted.

They're lovely. They really are a little piece of history.

And James slopes off with a profit of...

He's certainly having no trouble selling all his items.

He sells the Whitefriars vase to Rupert, an antiques dealer, for a profit.

He then also makes a profit for the Pontefract beaker

after selling it to Alan, a Pontefract builder.

Which brings us to the half-way point, so let's find out who's selling like there's no tomorrow,

and who's in danger of being yesterday's man.

James Lewis hasn't looked back since making such a huge profit on the rug.

He sold three items and made a cracking profit.

James Braxton has sold four of his items,

but he's behind.

But in this twisting, turning tale of buying and selling antiques,

there's no second-guessing who's going to win.

James Lewis certainly has victory on his mind as he travels up the country,

and back in time to West Yorkshire town Haworth.

(AS CHURCHILL) Never has so little be sold for so much

to so few.

Mr Lewis is hoping to sell his army helmets and child sailor costume

at this 1940s-themed weekend.

Do you know, I think I'm in the middle of some weird, surreal dream.

The only thing to say is, chocks away, chaps.

I'm off on a mission.

Tally-ho, Flight Commander Lewis. Your mission is to keep calm, and make some money.

James' cunning plan is to gather a crowd, and hold an impromptu auction here at the event,

but knowing how tricky that can be,

the Lionheart has a back-up plan to train up a new recruit

in the form of Harriet, a James Lewis fan and amateur auctioneer enthusiast.

First, he passes on some handy tips on how to do it.

Have confidence in what you're saying,

and smile, because they're not going to want to take bids from you

if you look like a miserable auctioneer like that.

By bringing those little things like, "in the blue",

"in the red", all those sort of things, they just give confidence to the person that's bidding

that they know the bid's with them.

The main thing is getting as much money... As much money as possible!

Every auctioneer is up there for a reason.

You're working on behalf of your client, and you're trying to get the best result.

Now, with Harriet fully briefed in the ways of auctioneering,

and having borrowed another James to model his sea cadet suit,

James sounds the siren to get their attention.

Hang on - that's not James!

Oh, there he is.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,

and welcome to the auction.

So, who needs an air raid siren when you've got James' fog horn voice?

The child-size sailor suit cost him ?18,

so he'll be looking for a good profit here.

We'll start it low. ?10 somewhere. ?10 bid, and ?15...

That was a lot of money back then.

At ?15, and ?20 now. ?20 bid.

Yours at ?20. Well done.

James sells the sailor suit, but for a paltry profit of ?2.

He'll have to work harder than that.

Next up it's the three hats.

With new recruit Harriet waiting in the wings, James is cunningly maximising his profit potential

by selling them one at a time.

Lot 2. World War II English helmet.

?15 bid. ?18.

?18 bid. At ?20 it's with you.

Last time at ?20...

Yours, sir. Well done.

Next, James deploys his secret weapon -

the Harriet jump jet.

OK, do I have ?10 anywhere?

?10. ?10. ?15. ?20.

And ?22.

Going...going...

Gone.

Well done.

James' prodigy Harriet does a tremendous job selling the helmet, and goes on

to sell the last one for ?24,

winning James a splendid profit for all three.

So, he walks away victorious, but this is a war, not a battle,

which James Braxton knows all too well.

He has two victories himself when he sells the Eastbourne coasters

to antiques dealer Rupert for a profit of ?4,

and the brass paperweight to East Sussex-based Caro

for a profit of ?8.

Next, Agent Braxton is in Hungerford on a secret mission to sell his binoculars.

Deadly opponent, he's focused, smooth, suave.

Just now, I managed to drop the whole thing,

and the strap's come off, so I think I'd better sell these before I destroy them.

Hm, more Johnny English than James Bond.

Still, James take the binoculars to Adrian, an antiques shop owner, in hope of a sale.

They're quite pretty, aren't they? I think so.

Nice size. Watch your winning horse come in.

I think they're in good condition. They've obviously been kept in the case,

and the case is the fellow that's taken the beating, of course.

How much do you want for this, that's the thing?

?60, or ?50, really.

I know which one you're going to choose.

Well, ?50. I would definitely go for ?50.

Gives me room for profit then. Adrian, I'm going to take the ?50.

Are you? Oh, wow! Because you've got a bit of work with the strap to do.

It might need a little clean, and I make a little profit out of it.

James Braxton makes a profit of ?20 on the binoculars,

and he only has his vinyl movie soundtrack left to sell.

James Lewis also has the finishing line in sight.

Having found a buyer for his chairs,

he also sells his taps to property developer Isabelle,

making a substantial profit of ?80 for the both.

But the sale of the snuff box to Leicestershire-based collector Ros brings in a more modest profit.

Back in Yorkshire, James has cleverly targeted a possible place to sell his relic.

That's right - a shop called Yorkshire Relics.

Clever tactic, Mr Lewis. The relic cost him ?10, so when he comes up against shop owner Jackie

and grandson Jack, does he have a prayer of making a good profit?

It's not gold, just brass.

I think to start with it was probably gold-plated.

It's not an amazing-quality one that would have been owned by a Cardinal.

It's a little novelty one.

Probably something that was brought back on the Grand Tour or something.

Somebody visiting the Vatican. I should think 1890 to 1910.

I would put an auction estimate of ?30 to ?50 on it.

?25?

Cor, straight in. Um...

What would you think?

?35 or ?40.

Ah, you see! He's on my side. I think ?40, Jack, is very generous.

Um...

Shall we meet him halfway?

Yeah. ?35?

Would that be all right? Go on, then.

Yeah? ?35.

Brilliant, brilliant.

Yes, James is happy with a profit of ?25 for the relic,

and never one to turn down an opportunity,

James sees whether Jackie and Jack are interested in his medal.

The good news is he does manage to sell the medal.

The bad news is he sells it for ?35.

BUT with time being money, James is happy to cut and run,

certain of avoiding any loss, and so it's time for Bingo Braxton's final sale.

He's in Cheshunt, where he's taken his Saturday Night Fever double album

in the hope of making something on the ?2 he paid for it.

But when he turns up in the middle of a class, will dance teacher Paul

help him spin out a profit?

Hi, Paul. That was tremendous.

Thank you.

I love that. How long have you been doing all this dancing?

We've been doing this since the '70s. Since the '70s!

Yeah, we're still going. So, Saturday Night Fever was a big catalyst.

Oh, definitely. Now, this is the vinyl I spoke of.

Oh, that takes me back. It does take you back, doesn't it?

Double disc, 1977.

It is absolutely immaculate.

It's in great condition. How much do you want to give me for this?

I don't know.

?10. Oh, a bit more than that, Paul.

How about ?20? You can have it at bottom price.

Oh, I don't know... What about ?15?

?18, and you can have it cheap.

Go on, then. ?18. You've got a deal. Thank you very much indeed.

James makes a profit of sweet ?16, meaning he's all spent up,

and having shown us some impressive dance moves in this selling shuffle,

it's time for him to strut his stuff on the dance floor.

Hm... John Travolta he certainly ain't.

No, Bingo Braxton has two left feet.

And two left hands as well.

Having both shaken their booties and sold their wares,

let's remind ourselves of how much our boys spent today.

Both started the day with ?250 of their own money.

James Lewis made ten purchases, spending a total of...

James "Bingo" Braxton made just eight purchases,

and spent...

But one question remains - who's made the biggest profit?

All the money that James and James have made 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.

How was it? Yeah, all right, all right.

I didn't think you were at home at the car boot sale, I have to say.

You have to look, don't you? You really do.

Have to fight. Best buy?

Oh! Best buy of the whole thing was that silk carpet.

God...

Shame on me. I think I was rather rude about that. You were.

But yeah, how about you? What was your best buy?

I think it was, bizarrely, that Honda mower.

No! It was. No.

I took the Mickey out of that as well.

Shall we see the truth?

Three, two, one...

Three figures, and a convincing three figures there.

Anyway, a scone and clotted for you?

Come on.

So James Lewis walks away today's victor,

because although his opponent made consistent profits on everything he sold,

James Lewis made bigger profits from the rug and the garden furniture,

and secured his victory.

Well, I have to say, I was thrilled with that result,

and as soon as I saw that rug at the car boot

I knew there was a good profit to be had.

Going around that car boot sale, buying items for ?1, ?2,

and making some fun profits with them.

I loved my ski poles, but the one that came home for me

was that mighty Honda engine.

Tomorrow, Bingo has a chance to fight back as they go head-to-head

at an antiques fair in Ardingly.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd