Jonty Hearnden v Christina Trevanion - Showdown Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

-NARRATOR:

-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...

Let's make hay while that sun shines.

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

-KNOCK, KNOCK!

-Who's there?

Each week, one pair of duelling dealers

will face a different daily challenge...

The original cheeky chappy.

Lovely!

..putting their reputations on the line...

And I'm truly rocking.

WOLF WHISTLE

..and giving you their top tips and savvy secrets

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

Getting there. SINISTER LAUGHTER

Today, two master dealers go head-to-head

in the greatest challenge an antiques expert can face.

Lean, mean profit machine Jonty Hearnden

takes on the fairest of the fair,

auctioneer extraordinaire Christina Trevanion,

in the brutal Showdown.

Coming up, Jonty shares his expert knowledge.

When you are cleaning silver,

make sure you do it as infrequently as possible.

Over time, you rub away the detail and rub away the hallmarks,

which ultimately devalues the object.

Christina gets very excited.

Yeah! Yeah!

No!

And our experts face the trauma of the Showdown auction.

-HE GROANS

-Oh, what a shame.

This is Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.

Fasten your seat belts and put your chairs in the upright position

because one of the greatest battles on television

is about to begin.

Two purchasing powerhouses are on the verge of attempting

the champion of challenges.

They will be thrown into the antiques amphitheatre

where they must buy and sell

on a scale that surpasses all that has gone before.

First up, a man with a thirst for thrift.

He devours discounts and deals in a heartbeat.

Always on target, he never misses out,

and his warm character and winning smile

can fool even the hardiest of hagglers.

Representing Oxfordshire,

it's the indomitable Jonty "The Hitman" Hearnden.

Let's see what happens.

Facing up to him, a woman with a hunger for danger.

A raucous risk-taker,

she'll try anything to claw her way to the top.

Her innate sense of what's hot and what's not

means she's streets ahead in the style stakes.

Flying in from Shropshire,

it's the invincible Christina "The Magpie" Trevanion.

I have always worked well under pressure.

So watch out, Jonty Hearnden.

Hmm. No ruffled feathers there. Completely calm.

Now, our gruesome twosome have £1,000 of their own money to spend,

and they'll be trekking through their traditional target locations -

an antiques fair,

an auction

a car boot sale

and a foreign market.

So there'll be punches flying in all directions.

Once they've hounded down their hauls,

they must sell everything on for maximum profit,

all of which goes to their chosen charities.

So, Jonty Hearnden and Christina Trevanion,

your lives up to now have been leading you to this point.

It's time to put your money where your mouth is.

-Hello.

-Christina. How are you?

-Very well. How are you?

-Excellent.

-Good.

-You excited?

-I am.

-Shall we read the rules?

-OK. Here we go.

"Welcome to the mighty showdown. The rules are simple.

"You must each buy two items at every one

"of your regular Put Your Money challenges.

-"You have £1,000 to spend."

-£1,000!

"You can sell up to four items wherever you want to

"and the rest will be sold at an auction.

"The winner is the dealer who makes the most profit."

And it says, "Good luck."

So what's your tactics?

It's that sort of delicate balance, isn't it,

between auction and private buys.

Are you going to save the best for the auction?

I don't know. I haven't thought about that yet. Have you?

Got something up my sleeve.

Oh, blimey, the man with tactics. I like it.

SHE LAUGHS See you later.

-See you later. Good luck.

-And to you.

Mmm. More on that in a minute, no doubt.

We race headlong into round one, the antiques fair.

Our daring duo will sprint through the stalls

at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern.

They must each find two prize purchases here.

So has The Hitman's hint about his secret plan

got Christina running scared?

Jonty keeps telling me he's got these secret tactics.

I think he might be full of bluster.

I think there's so much here to go at.

Let's just go quirky, let's go wacky, let's go completely all-out.

Mmm! She's giving it all she's got. So, come on, Jonty, spill the beans.

Do you want to know my secret weapon?

I have none.

Ah, so Christina was right. The Hitman is full of hot air.

But it has spurred the Magpie on to throw caution to the wind.

So maybe it was an ill thought through tactic on Jonty's part.

However, he is the first to see something he likes.

He's spotted an artist's set.

I really like this but my job is to resell it.

-Yes.

-And at £95, I'm nowhere near.

So you're gonna have to really tempt me.

-65.

-Will you do 50?

-Go on.

-Thank you very much indeed.

Yes, he's straight in there, and gets the box for almost half-price.

Now, this box really does look like it has never been used

by any artist at all.

The reason why I really do like this is

because it is in such mint condition.

Because it's not in a mahogany case, and this is in a tin case,

this makes this more likely to be early 20th century rather

than 19th century.

I know I'm in for a profit.

Seems like Jonty's got this buying task down to a fine art

and it's not long before he catches sight of something else.

What's your best price, then, sir?

I can let you have it for 40.

-Can I have it for 30?

-Meet me in the middle, 35.

-35.

-OK.

-Thank you very much, sir.

-Thank you.

And that's another nifty negotiation.

He's done and dusted in Malvern as quick as a wink.

Now, I'm really pleased with this investment here.

It's a lovely sign.

Now, a lot of reproductions were made 20, 30 years ago.

But I know this is the genuine article,

simply because there's actually too much wear, too much damage on it.

It has the right weight and also you can see clearly that it's enamelled

on the top of the metal base, so therefore it has to be 1930s, 1940s.

So perhaps this is a sign that things are going my way.

Well, let's not count those chickens just yet, eh?

So, Christina's playing catch-up, but not for long.

Our Magpie soon spots something shiny and makes her first purchase -

an Art Deco brooch for £50.

I am such a sucker for anything that glitters, I really am.

And look at this! Look how sparkly it is.

This is a bobby dazzler of a piece of costume jewellery.

By its very nature, it was cheaply made, costume jewellery,

but this has had some serious work put into it.

You can tell by the way that the stones are set.

They're all channel set individually around the edge of this brooch.

The way that the silverwork is pierced.

Yeah, OK, it's not diamonds.

It is only paste, which is effectively glass,

but it's a beautiful piece of Art Deco jewellery.

Oh, she loves a bit of sparkle, and she soon finds her second purchase

and it's also rather shiny.

She pays £8 for a figure of a rugby player.

I saw this earlier and I've come back for it

just because I think it's a really effective looking piece.

It looks very silver, or even pewter, from a distance.

And when you actually get slightly closer up,

you realise that it is probably just a painted plaster figure.

And can you imagine if I sold this to a rugby club,

can you imagine winning this as a player of the year

and going home with it? I think it's quite fun.

So, will Christina's figure help kick Jonty into touch

or will he convert his investments into greater profits?

Who can possibly know?

Before we change location, though,

let's take a look at the early figures.

Both our dealers arrived in Malvern with a Showdown budget of £1,000.

Jonty has so far spent £85,

leaving him a wallet-busting £915 for the rest of the challenge.

Christina has spent even less, just £58 so far.

That means there's £942 left in her kitty.

Our bargain busters are lining up

to lock horns at round two, the auction.

Their battlefield is the Reeman Dansie saleroom in Colchester.

There's a lot of expensive items on offer here

so how high are our hellbent handraisers prepared to bid?

I need to spend a bit of money now

because I haven't really invested too much so far.

Yes, he's in the mood to flash his cash, but will he be outbid?

This is Christina's territory, after all.

As an auctioneer myself,

it is brilliant to come and experience other salerooms

and see all the different ways that people do things,

although it is very alien to me to be sitting this side of the rostrum

and keeping quiet.

Yes, she knows how to read the room

and pounce when a lot is going cheap.

But once again, it's Jonty who jumps in first.

He likes the look of an Edwardian christening set.

90. Five. 100. 110. 120.

No, 120 gentleman's bid now.

-Sold, then, at 120.

-HE BANGS GAVEL

Add in the auction fees and Jonty pays £145.20.

This is an original box and it's typical form.

It's an Edwardian box.

Now, if you look at the outside, it's pressed paper

to make it look as if it is a natural skin.

So we've got a little knife and fork and spoon set,

and they are small in size simply

'cause they're designed as christening presents.

When you are cleaning silver,

make sure you do it as infrequently as possible

'cause the problem with silver is you can overclean,

which means, therefore, over time you rub away the detail

and you rub away the hallmarks,

which ultimately devalues the object.

So this is how I like to buy my silver at auction - filthy dirty.

Well, sounds like his dirty deal will garner a good clean profit.

And before Christina even gets a look-in, Jonty strikes again.

His next bid is for an early 20th-century claret jug.

-Selling.

-HE BANGS GAVEL

So, that's his second auction item.

The jug costs him £133.10 with fees.

It's a beautiful object. It's in the style of Christopher Dresser.

Now, unfortunately this is not by him

but it's in the style of Christopher Dresser,

and that's the reason why I bought it,

because it was just so simple.

Now, the top here looks silver. It's not. It's silver plated.

It's called a claret jug simply

because one would decant claret into it.

It's a lovely, beautiful, decorative object.

While Jonty can sit back and relax, what of our trusty Magpie?

Well, ever the risk-taker,

when our bargain bird spots a cage, she can't resist making it cheap.

-40. £40 for the cage.

-20?

Take 20 bid. The lady's bid now 20.

24. 26. At 26. 26. 28.

At 28. Over to me then, lady's bid at £28.

HE BANGS GAVEL

Even though the cage is tiny,

the Magpie flaps her wings and takes off.

Including commission, she pays £33.88.

I bought this little linnet bird's cage. It's so of its time.

We wouldn't dream now of putting a bird

in a tiny, weeny little cage like that,

but at the time it was fashionable.

It's a 19th-century example. It's quite naive.

What is really quite nice

is that it still has its little glass feeder in there.

I think it's really rather lovely and rustic.

Well, Christina's halfway there with her auction haul.

The next lot she's got her beady eye on

is a mother of pearl etui case.

Lady's bid in the room now at 75.

80 online. New bidder. At £80.

90. At 90. 95.

-In the room seated then at 95.

-HE BANGS GAVEL

She does the business - £114.96 with fees.

I bought this mother of pearl and silver etui case.

It would have been for a lady's little sewing kit.

Yes, OK, it has seen better days

but I think I'd probably be a little bit worn

if I was nearly 300 years old.

I'm going to have to find somebody who loves this with a passion

and doesn't really mind its bumps and missing bits.

But I'm sure there'll be somebody out there who loves it just as much as me.

Will the damage be Christina's downfall? We'll find out later.

For now we must bid farewell to the saleroom

and see what all that's done to the figures.

Both our experts started out with £1,000 of their own money.

Jonty ramped up his spending in Colchester,

£363.30 at this halfway stage.

He's now got £636.70 for the remaining rounds.

Christina has spent a fair bit less. £206.84,

leaving her £793.16 to play with.

Christina might struggle to spend all that

as we roll into round three, the car boot.

Their haggle hunt takes them to the giant sale at Marks Tey in Essex.

And Jonty is feeling bold.

I'm determined to find two gems, though, today.

The cost I don't really mind as long as I know

I can make a big profit on them.

Oh, the suspense. Show us the colour of your money, honey.

He first heads to the edge of the field

right next to the busy dual carriageway.

While the noise is enough to turn you Mutt and Jeff,

he's more interested in the dog and bones.

-So how much is this one?

-I'll do 55 on that one.

55. And 55 on that one.

-Well, what would you do for the two?

-100 for the two.

-Will you do 80?

-No. £95 I'll do.

-95.

-Good on you. 95.

Well, he said he wanted to spend big here and he's certainly done it.

But will The Hitman's phones ring in a profit?

I bought two 'cause I thought that if I could sell two to the same dealer,

I could literally double my profits.

They're very similar and, datewise, they're both from the early 1950s.

This one is fantastic because it has a little tray at the bottom here

and originally this would be designed to store your favourite numbers.

And the other reason why I purchased these as well

is because the gentleman I bought them from insists that they work.

Jonty's straight back on the hunt looking for something else to blow

a wad of cash on.

Will these lamps light up a deal?

-What's your best on them?

-Oh, here we go.

-60.

-I'll buy them for 40.

No. Not interested.

55 and that's my last and last offer. That's it, really.

-50 quid.

-He's reducing me to tears, you know.

-Go on, darling. Do a deal.

-I don't know what to say.

Do a deal else we'll have to take them home.

-50 quid. All right?

-Oh, I suppose so.

-Perfect.

Just as well that gentleman's wife got involved.

Without her, the deal might not have been struck.

Now, there's an awful lot of work to be done on this pair of lamps.

The glass needs to be fixed,

the actual metalwork needs to be fixed.

But somebody somewhere will turn these into a beautiful,

handsome pair of lights,

and I should be able to make a handsome profit on them too.

So, Jonty lugs away the lamps and, once again,

he's got his two items before Christina's even had half a haggle.

Has she been snookered?

What's your best price on a general load of stuff?

Would you throw in these?

-MAN:

-The whole lot? 25.

What about 15?

15 and you buy me a cup of tea,

'cause I ain't been able to leave this all day.

-That's a deal.

-That sounds like a deal to me.

-We've got a deal?

-£15.

-Excellent.

And a cup of tea. How much is a cup of tea?

-I don't know. About £5.

-No!

And right on cue, Christina goes straight to the refreshment trailer.

The cuppa actually costs just £1,

so in total, the whole snooker assortment cost £16.

There we go, my love, as promised. Cup of tea.

-You are a gem.

-Milk.

And she soon sorts out her other purchase.

She pays £40 for something that gives her a bit of a buzz.

This might look like a beehive,

and you could be mistaken for thinking it was one, but actually it isn't.

It's been made to look like a beehive.

It's probably just a storage compartment.

I hate to use the word but it is shabby chic.

People tend to bandy around the term shabby chic these days.

It is used very, very loosely to kind of cover up quite a lot of,

shall we say, defects.

So do make sure that

if you are buying something that has been shabby chic'd,

that it is actually structurally sound.

Well, as you'd expect, Christina's box is structurally sound.

So our two brave bargainers now have six items each.

Let's tot up their tallies so far.

Both our dealers started out with £1,000 of their own money.

Jonty The Hitman has forked out a total of £508.30,

leaving £491.70 in his kitty.

Christina The Magpie has spent £262.84, including that cup of tea,

meaning she launches into round four

with an enormous £737.16 left to spend.

The time has come for the final chapter in our tumultuous

tale of two traders.

It's the foreign market.

Jonty and Christina have converted

their last remaining pounds into euros

and travelled to the Porte de Vanves flea market in Paris

for a feast of French fancies.

And The Hitman is going grande.

So I need to find something really chunky, really impressive,

so I really, really need to concentrate.

Oh, yes, full focus required here,

none more so than for Christina, who's feeling nervy.

You know when you were at school

and you left all your homework very much to the last minute,

that's how I'm feeling slightly about the Showdown at the moment

in that I haven't really spent a lot of money so I have got quite a lot of work to do.

Well, she gets right down to business

and for once it's Christina who spots a potential purchase first.

I like that. I like that. What could you do?

Last price is 180.

-130.

-180 is the best price.

-150.

-170.

-160 and it's a deal.

-It's good, it's good.

-Yay!

She said she had a lot to spend here and that mirror certainly helps.

Once the cost is converted back into sterling,

The Magpie pays £145.45.

I've just bought this Art Deco coat hook, mirror and hallstand.

For me, the fact that it is in this wonderful Art Deco style,

I'm fairly sure it is a genuine Art Deco piece,

is what's really going to sell it for me.

I'm sort of thinking at the moment I might put it into the auction

because I think with international exposure it could do really well.

Yes, Christina Trevanion there, sharp at the Showdown.

And before she leaves that stall, something else catches her eye.

It looks like a projector.

-How much did you put on this?

-400.

370 I would pay.

Otherwise I walk away. I'm going. I'm going.

-370. Yes.

-Yay!

SHE LAUGHS

Yes, she's beaten him down.

Christina pays the equivalent of £336.36,

far and away the most expensive purchase of the day so far.

I had quite a lot of my Showdown money left to spend

and I've just spent 370 euros on this tripod and projector.

The tripod itself is really well made

with chamfered legs and lovely sort of brass fittings on it,

so it's really beautiful.

Just...there's something about it that just appeals to me. I think it's really quite cool.

Yes, and talking of things that are cool,

Jonty is stepping on The Magpie's territory.

He's spotted a very shiny tea set.

What is your best price?

Er, best price? 150.

-130 for me?

-OK.

-OK?

-All right.

-Merci.

Well, that was nice and easy. The tea set costs The Hitman £118.18.

You come to Paris and you expect to buy French Art Deco.

But I bought some English Art Deco - it's quite extraordinary -

from Liberty's London.

And the quality is just superb.

Now, the tray is not from Liberty's

and you can really see the difference.

The quality in this tea service is really quite superb.

It's time to celebrate. So is it time for tea?

Champagne.

Yes, I think he's trying to say Champagne with a French accent.

But there's nothing to celebrate just yet,

although Jonty soon finds his very last purchase.

Now, look what I've bought. Not the dog.

But a pair of beautiful bedside cabinets.

These have a 19th-century feel but they're not 19th century. They're probably postwar.

I have purchased these for 80 euros, so this is a great investment.

Now, you look after these and don't let Christina get anywhere near them.

Not your average guard dog, is he?

But Jonty ends with his favourite - furniture.

The cabinets cost £72.73.

So, there we go - the Showdown spendathon is over.

Eight items each, so let's find out the final figures.

Jonty and Christina each started the Showdown

with £1,000 of their own money.

Jonty race ahead at every point and has parted with £699.21.

Christina spent big in France and changed the face of her game.

She ran up a total bill of £744.65.

So before they return home, let's see how they think it's all gone.

-How was the buying for you?

-Good today, yeah.

-I mean, yeah, really enjoyed it.

-What was your favourite item?

Do you remember that rugby figure I bought? It was £8.

Really, really inexpensive and I just think it's great fun.

How about you?

Well, I think I might well have saved the best till last

because I bought here today

a really good quality Art Deco tea service by Liberty's.

Oh, wow! Oh, my goodness. That sounds pretty exciting.

-It is. I'm really pleased with it.

-Oh, God, I'm jealous now.

Oh, very nervous. It'll be fine.

So the bargains have been bought, but that's just the start

of today's ultimate challenge for glory.

As Jonty and Christina return to Blighty,

their masterful minds turn to selling,

and specifically offloading their haul for maximum profit.

But the showdown has a twist - the auction.

At least four of their purchases must go under the hammer,

and at that point, our excellent experts lose all control

over their prices.

They're in the hands of an auctioneer.

They could see their profits soar or they could lose everything.

So, back at their bases, our daring duo must choose carefully.

What will sell best at auction

and what will go for maximum money elsewhere?

In Oxfordshire, Jonty is surveying his haggling harvest.

Looking in front of me, I'm very, very impressed.

There's a reason why I bought the pair of telephones, 'cause they were cheap.

So I've got to find a buyer that's interested in buying the pair.

And I've got my art box set. It's absolutely in pristine condition.

My turn-of-the-century, maybe late Victorian claret jug.

Really good quality.

And I have to say, I am so impressed with my silvered tea set.

Pair of lights, 50 quid, great buy.

Pair of bedside tables cost me only 80 euros.

Now, to the right person they're worth

an awful lot more money than that.

The enamel sign, it's a great piece.

Somebody's going to bite my hand off for that.

And I've got my Edwardian christening set, really good quality.

Now, four of these purchases have got to go to the auction sale,

and at the moment, I'm just not sure which one they're going to be.

So, no clear plan yet and that could scupper him.

In Shropshire, Christina has gathered together

all her Showdown showstoppers along with her dog Wellie.

So what's she thinking?

So, this is what I've got lined up for the mighty Showdown.

This is my favourite piece, probably my Achilles heel.

I just love it. I need to do a bit more research on it.

But I think that could be a bit of a jewel in the crown.

This lovely little rugby statue

I would like to see going back to a rugby club.

And we've also got my pool equipment.

Hopefully we'll make a few pennies on that.

And then, of course, this beehive which isn't actually a beehive.

It's probably more of a storage container.

And then taking to auction,

we've got a little 19th century or possibly slightly earlier

linnet or bird cage.

Then we've got the mother of pearl and silver banded etui here,

or needlework case.

Then we've got this really rather beautiful costume jewellery brooch

here, very Art Deco.

And continuing that Art Deco theme,

we've got the wonderful hall mirror shelf and hooks on there.

I've got all my soldiers lined up and I'm ready to do battle.

Let's see who'll win.

Well, it's quite an arsenal, Christina.

And with her auction items already earmarked,

The Magpie is a step ahead.

So it's noses to the grindstones as our experts get to work

tracking down their best private buyers.

And remember, until they've shaken on it and the money's changed hands,

no deal is ever sealed.

And it's Jonty who's first out of the traps.

He hopes he's found the perfect buyer for the claret jug that

owes him just over £133.

Chris imports wines and spirits and they meet at a local vineyard.

-Look at that.

-That's fabulous, isn't it?

I was really taken by its shape and also its simplicity,

even though it's over 100 years old,

and it's in really perfect condition as well.

Now, what I was also struck by is the actual shape of the handle.

That's Victorian. So, do you like it?

I do. I love it. Yeah, I've got a place for it already.

-It's 250 quid.

-Ooh, come on, Jonty.

I'm...sort of more sort of 140, 150 mark.

225, something like that, I'm quite happy to make a deal.

If I went to 175, and then you end up somewhere between the two of us.

195 and it's yours.

Brilliant.

Mmm, Jonty took quite a hit on the price there

but he still makes a decent profit - £61.90.

Well, it's gonna be a great year for the vineyard

and another great profit for me.

Divine!

So, The Hitman's off and running, but Christina won't be outplayed.

She's staying on home turf as well, and she's hoping to score.

I'm here at my local rugby club in Whitchurch,

and I brought this rugby figure here with a rugby club in mind.

I only paid £8 for him and I think he would make the perfect addition

to somebody's trophy cabinet.

Let's hope they play ball.

So, will the club's coach Louis like the statue

as much as Christina does?

She paid £8 for it.

I bought this rugby figure

and I thought it would be perfect to sell it on to a rugby club.

Well, funnily enough, we've actually broken our tall trophy that we have

so we are in need of a bit of a trophy.

Oh, ideal. That sounds perfect.

It's very nice, actually, and, yeah, it looks like a quality piece.

Well, I was hoping to get somewhere in the region

of maybe £40, £50 for it.

So I was looking probably around the sort of £30 mark, really.

Are we feeling slightly more generous than £30?

Absolute max I could go to is £40.

I will certainly shake your hand. I know you'd give me a fair price.

Brilliant. I'm so pleased. Thanks ever so much, Louis.

I'm so glad it's gonna go to a home where it will be used.

So, no scrum needed.

Christina crosses the line with a profit of £32,

four times what she paid.

Before you go, we'd like you to come and join us

for a little bit of rugby, if that's OK.

Er, I...I don't play rugby. I'm not...certainly dressed not for rugby.

Well, we've got a little something here for you.

A rugby shirt and some shoes to borrow.

Oh! Lovely. Thank you very much.

-Oh, my God!

-SHE LAUGHS

Go.

THEY CHEER

Yay!

Yes, not sure the rugby scouts are going to be queuing up

to sign Christina.

She has an easy next sale, though.

The beehive box is bought by her next-door neighbour's daughter.

-Thank you very much.

-That's all right.

And I hope it provides a nice waterproof home for your wellies.

She pays £55, which gives Christina a profit of £15.

Jonty also slips in a quick deal.

He sells his early 20th century paint box to a local artist.

-95?

-Go on, then.

-It's yours.

-Thank you.

She pays £95, which brushes in a profit of £45.

Next up for Christina, she's back on her sporting theme

with her assortment of snooker and pool items.

She's in the village of Prees,

where she knows the sports club is looking to expand its snooker team.

The Magpie paid £16 for all the various pieces of equipment.

So are they what club manager Gary is looking for?

So, Gary, I've brought you all this wonderful

sort of snooker and pool equipment.

Is it something that you would potentially be interested in?

I think we could be interested.

We've had snooker at the club for nine years, but unfortunately,

due to our younger players getting a bit older and going off to university,

the snooker section at the moment has folded.

With this influx of young children and new blood coming in,

we're going to try and, hopefully, rebuild the snooker section.

-Oh, fantastic.

-And there's a lot of interesting bits and pieces here

that I like the look of.

Cos I was hoping somewhere in the region of maybe £60 or £70.

I think we could go to £60.

Oh, OK, brilliant. I'd be very happy at that.

-You would?

-Yeah, £60. It's a deal.

So, Christina gets a lucky break and pots a very nice profit of £44.

There's not much between our two gladiators

so every deal is crucial at this stage.

Jonty has travelled to Gerrards Cross in Buckinghamshire

to a shop that specialises in French country furniture.

So where better place to try and sell his bedside cabinets?

Jonty paid just under £73 for them.

So, Tamsin, this is my pair of bedside tables

I want you to have a really good look at.

They're in original state. They're oak.

Yeah, I think to fit in with our shop,

they definitely need to be painted, but the shape's perfect.

The style is 19th century but these are not 19th century.

These would be more like sort of 1920s in date.

-Do you like them?

-I do like them.

-180 quid to you.

-I'd be hoping for more like 140.

-What about 160?

-145?

-What about 155?

-I'll do 150.

-Go on, then.

-Yeah?

-They're yours.

-Perfect.

Yes, he more than doubles his money.

The cabinets make a profit of £77.27.

The Hitman's last private sale

is for his pair of mid 20th century telephones.

He sells them for £145 to a specialist dealer

in an antique centre in Essex...

-Go on, then.

-You can live with that.

I can live with that. Brilliant. OK. That's fine. Thank you very much indeed.

..and rings in a profit of £50.

So, Christina has one last item to offload.

After closer inspection of what she thought was a projector,

she's discovered that it's actually a vintage light,

and she hopes she's lined up the perfect buyer.

I'm here in Shrewsbury to meet up with Rosie,

who runs an antiques emporium,

and I know that she has a particular fondness for antique lighting,

so hopefully this will be of interest.

Now, Christina said this item is the jewel in her crown.

So let's hope it all goes well, then.

The light owes her a shade over £336.

So, Rosie, I brought you my lamp

because you've got some really quite funky lighting.

-Yeah.

-And it seems to be something that you are quite a specialist in.

-Is that right?

-Well, we love it.

We can't get enough of it, and this is absolutely fantastic.

It's got a really good look.

Having done a little bit of research,

I think this is some kind of stage lamp.

-It's pretty obviously a marriage.

-Mmm.

The lamp part and the tripod part did not start life together.

I've had to cut the fitting off

to comply with regulations selling electricals.

I was hoping to get somewhere in the region of about £400 for it.

If we could go nearer, I don't know, 340, I'd be really happy.

I would be hoping more maybe 360, would be my bottom, really.

That sounds fair.

-OK, I'll give it a go at 360.

-Brilliant.

-Rosie, I'll shake your hand at that.

-It's a deal.

-You're a star.

-Thank you.

-It's a deal!

-BOTH LAUGH

Yes, and it's more than that, it's the final deal,

and it earns Christina £23.64 profit.

So that's four items each done and dusted.

Now, before we confront the chaos of the Showdown auction,

let's do some maths.

Jonty "The Hitman" Hearnden

has had a good run so far.

His total profit at this point is £234.17.

Christina is not doing quite so well.

Her halfway profit stands at £114.64.

So now it's the moment we've all been waiting for.

Oh, yes. The Showdown auction is the stuff of nightmares.

No opportunity to haggle, hassle or sweet talk anyone.

Our experts must simply stand back and watch

as the sale room sorts the winners from the losers.

All of Jonty and Christina's items are going under the gavel...

HE BANGS GAVEL

..at Gildings auctioneers in Market Harborough.

And, as ever, they'll be paying all the normal house commission and fees.

So...how are they both feeling?

-Good morning.

-Hello. How are you?

-Very well. How are you?

-Oh, I don't know about that.

I'm...I'm feeling a bit nervous.

-Are you, Jonty?

-Yeah. How about you?

-Surely not. You've done this for years.

-I have.

But every time I come to an auction sale

-I just get that knot in my stomach, I don't know why.

-It's good, though.

-It's excitement energy.

-I know. How are you feeling?

-Pretty terrified.

-HE LAUGHS

No, I think positive thinking gets you everywhere. Best of luck.

-Yes, may the best man - or woman - win.

-Quite.

Oh, dear!

Well, don't worry, we'll soon put them out of their misery.

Before nerves get too frayed,

our pair of prizefighters check out each other's lots for one last time.

Now, I hate to admit this, but this wall stand is really good quality.

But Christina paid an awful lot of money for it.

So will she get a return on her investment?

I am not sure.

I hate to admit it, but I think Jonty has bought really well here.

Industrial chic is very in, and they are very, very collectable.

This is a decorative case.

Load of damage on the outside. Why did she buy it?

I think this is a really sweet set.

Great that it's got its original case as well,

and nice little decoration.

But the key to selling silver successfully

is to have useful pieces.

And although this is sweet,

I'm not entirely sure it's very usable these days.

This is a decorative little object of Christina's.

A little bird tells me that this will not make a profit.

I really like these and I can see why Jonty bought them.

However, when you've got a piece of gaffer tape

holding something together, it's always a little bit concerning.

This is a decorative little object, this.

Lovely Art Deco shape, lovely Art Deco form.

But 50 quid purchase? Will she make a profit?

I daren't broach the subject with her.

I was very green-eyed monster when I saw Jonty bought this.

It's SO stylish, so faceted.

Really liked it. Very nervous. Ouch!

Blimey! Tell us what you really think.

They didn't hold back there, did they?

So the auctioneer is on the rostrum.

That can mean only one thing - the time has come.

Our first item is Jonty's metal advertising sign.

He paid £35.

What I'm looking for is a load of chicken farmers in here.

-Have you spotted any?

-Well, what do they look like?

Ones carrying chickens. SHE LAUGHS

OK, here it comes.

At £15...I'm bid 18 online. At £20 in the room now, at 20.

-22. 25. 28.

-Come on bidders. Come on.

30. 32. 35.

-That's fantastic.

-40. 42.

-Online.

45. 48. 50 online.

-55. The bid now at 55. 60 online.

-Fantastic!

HE BANGS GAVEL Yeah! Ooh!

Well done. Well done. Well done.

-You say that through gritted teeth.

-Yeah, well done.

I'm so pleased for you.

Yes, once the fees are deducted, Jonty make a profit of £8.20.

Next under the hammer, The Hitman's wall lamps.

He paid £50 for them.

Do you like the tape?

Yes, it's a lovely later addition, isn't it?

-At £30. 32 I'm bid online at 32.

-Come along.

5 now online. 38 online. 40 bid then, at 40.

-42 online, at 42.

-HE BANGS GAVEL

HE GROANS Stabbed in the heart.

Jonty, I hate to tell you, it's not as bad as it could have been.

THEY LAUGH That's true.

Yes, she's right, but a loss is a loss.

After fees it's even worse.

So this is my first lot coming up now.

-Mmm. Yeah.

-What do you think of it?

It's a decorative thing. It's a pretty thing.

-Let's see. See what happens.

-Stony silence.

THEY LAUGH

The 19th-century linnet's cage owes our Magpie just under £34

and she's on tenterhooks.

She can barely watch.

-AUCTIONEER:

-And bidding starts here at 20.

£20. 22. 25.

28.

-There we go.

-Go on!

-The bidding's in the room and selling at 28.

-HE BANGS GAVEL

Not a profit, but not TOO much of a loss.

Not...catastrophic.

Not a total disaster, but it is a loss, nonetheless.

£16.92 after fees.

We soon move on to Jonty's English silver tea set.

Will it serve up a profit on the £118 he paid?

-It's £80. Fair warning at 80.

-HE BANGS GAVEL

Oh, I need that hanky. HE SOBS

-Jonty, that is not as bad as it could have been.

-SHE LAUGHS

-Real tears.

-Real tears!

Yes, that's clearly the catchphrase of the day -

"Not as bad as it could have been."

But it's still pretty dismal.

Taking the fees into account, the loss is £58.58.

Moving on, we reach Christina's Art Deco mirror.

She paid a lot for this - £145.

So will it fly or was it an expensive mistake?

I would like it known... that I got totally carried away,

fell in love with this and paid far too much for it.

I think it's nice.

Bidding starting at £30.

My God, Jonty!

32. 35. 38. 40.

It's gonna go through 100.

At 48. At £48...

-Right, cover up your...

-Oh, no!

-At 55...

-HE BANGS GAVEL

-Ow!

-SHE LAUGHS

You win some, you lose a lot.

BOTH LAUGH

What is going on today? That's a hefty loss.

The fees make it even worse.

£106.35 just disappears.

But that's not something we want to dwell on.

Onwards and upwards.

Christina's pinning her hopes on her £50 brooch.

But she's not confident.

This is going to be quite painful.

£15 pounds I'm bid, then. And 20. 22.

Go on! Go on! Come on!

Bid, bid, bid!

28 I'm bid, at 28. 30. There we are, 30.

Oh, go on. Go on, one more.

-And away at 30.

-HE BANGS GAVEL

Oh, well. Worse things happen at sea.

We're all still alive.

Well...what?! Like, what?!

Yes, Christina's trying to be jovial but her head is in her hands,

and that says it all.

That's her third loss in a row.

£31.40 after fees.

So Christina's last grasp at glory rests with her needlework case

that owes her very nearly £115.

But will its damage do her in?

Come on, Christina.

28 online. At 28. £28.

HE BANGS GAVEL

Oh, dear, no.

Ouch.

Yes, she can't believe it.

And Jonty's obvious joy probably isn't helping her either.

That's a fourth and final loss - £98 once fees are taken.

So Christina must be now secretly hoping that Jonty's last lot bombs.

And, judging by the way things have gone so far, there's every chance.

Despite its shininess, The Magpie wasn't too keen on the Edwardian christening set.

Jonty bought it for a little over £145.

Bidding opens here with me at £40. 50. 55.

Come on! Come on!

-SHE LAUGHS

-Shh!

More! NO! HE BANGS GAVEL

SHE LAUGHS

-HE GROANS

-Oh, what a shame.

THEY LAUGH

Well, that's lightened Christina's mood.

After the fees, Jonty makes a massive loss - £106.10.

-Never mind. How you feeling?

-Exhausted.

-It's an emotional roller-coaster.

-Yes. I'm drained.

Ah, I think we both of us could do with a consoling cup of tea.

-That's the best thing I've heard all day.

-Good. Come on, then.

Hmm, they might need more than a cup of tea.

Give them a slice of lemon drizzle cake as well.

So that's that, then.

Market Harborough has not been kind to our experts,

but that's the joy of auctions -

you never know whether the right buyers will be there on the day.

So before we reveal our winner,

let's remind ourselves what they both forked out on their items.

Both our experts entered the Showdown

with £1,000 for their eight purchases.

Jonty spent well - very nearly £700 all-up.

And Christina spent a little bit more - just under £745.

All in all, it proved to be a tough old gig.

Any profit that Jonty and Christina have made

from today's monumental challenge

will go to the charities of their choice.

So let's find out who is today's

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Showdown champion.

-Hello.

-Hi. How are you?

Well. How are you?

-Good.

-This is it!

I know. This is the big one.

Well, maybe for you.

Not for me, probably.

But wasn't the auction a complete and utter disaster?

Oh, not my finest hour, Jonty.

We're all still standing. Just.

-Yeah. Shall we see how we've done?

-Let's do it.

Yeah, let's do it, let's do it. Ready, steady, go!

Oh! That's actually not as bad as I thought it was gonna be.

-Wow, £56.13.

-I'm quite pleased with that.

-It's definitely not our finest hour.

-No, definitely not our finest hour.

So Jonty is today's winner.

But both our experts have been building up their profit pots

over a week of challenges.

They've struck an impressive 125 deals.

So let's reveal the overall winner.

So shall we see how we've done?

Let's do it. Let's get rid of that one.

-Quickly.

-Quickly.

Oh, what? Jonty, that's phenomenal!

That's a great result for me.

-But you've done well. That's great!

-Well...it's not too bad.

You know what? We've both done well.

-We've worked hard, haven't we?

-We both worked jolly hard.

Thanks for being such a wonderful...

-You have been an absolute star.

-..strong competitor.

THEY LAUGH

Well, that's some serious money -

more than £2,100 profit between them.

And every last penny of that will be going to their chosen charities.

The charity that I have decided to give my money to this week

is a charity called CRY,

which seeks to raise awareness of conditions

that can lead to young sudden cardiac death.

All of my profits this week will be going to Emmaus Oxford

that looks after the homeless of the city.

Well, it's been a week of no-holds-barred combat.

Our excellent experts have really put their money where their mouths are

and shown they can make a convincing profit

from buying and selling antiques when their own money is on the line.