Eric Knowles v Catherine Southon - UK Antiques Fair 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...

Let's make hay while that sun shines.

..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 chappy!

-Lovely!

..putting their reputations on the line...

And I'm truly rockin'!

WOLF WHISTLE

..and giving you their top tips

and savvy secrets on how to make the most money

from buying and selling.

Get in there!

EVIL LAUGHTER

Today, two prime profiteers go head-to-head as

seasoned ceramics master of the universe Eric Knowles goes up

against awesome auctioneering goddess Catherine Southon

at one of the UK's largest antique's fairs.

Coming up, Catherine crumbles over a canine collectable.

Now I'm dithering...

I don't know what to do about that dog.

This is the true me.

..while Eric comes out fighting...

She is up against...

the pride of Lancashire. She is up against "Knocker" Knowles.

..and we see the lengths Catherine will go to to secure a sale.

It's been a long time since I've...

-bowled an over.

-We'll see what you're like.

Come on, then. Come on, then.

This is Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.

Welcome, thrill-seekers everywhere,

to another tiptop, bric-a-brac battle as two tussling traders

step up to the challenge and go toe-to-toe, face-to-face

and eye-to-eye in this race of hard-nosed, hand-to-hand combat.

Their aim is to lasso some lovely items

and then shoot from the hip as they sell them on for maximum profit.

Our first gunslinger is a lone operator with

the fastest counteroffer in town.

He can pick out pukka porcelain at 50 paces

and he means business around here all right!

Riding in from Lancashire,

it's Eric "Knocker" Knowles.

My number one problem in life is being born with so much taste,

but just not enough money.

And he has a fearsome contender, a woman with

a reputation for rustling up golden deals at rock-bottom prices.

When she rides into Haggle County,

bargaining bandits had better beware.

She sleeps with one eye open...from Kent,

it's "Cunning" Catherine Southon.

I could be the one winning a gold medal.

Today, we're way out in West Sussex as our duel takes place

at an antiques fair in Ardingly.

They've brought £750 of their own money to spend

and they'll need to quick draw their wallets as this place is

larger than a buffalo's backyard,

a mind-blowing 1,700 stalls to survey.

So, Eric Knowles and Catherine Southon, hang onto your holsters,

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

-Eric, lovely to see you.

-And you too.

Oh, forget the handshake, straight in for the kiss.

-Ha, ha! I'm learning!

-Welcome to Ardingly.

-Yes, and we've got £750 to spend.

-Hmm.

What are you going to do with it?

Well, I'm going to spend as much as I can,

-but I've got a really good strategy today.

-Go on, then.

And that is to try and remember where I am in this colossal fair.

I know, it's enormous, isn't it? This is the problem.

You see something, you think, "I'm going to come back for that,"

-and then you can't remember where on earth it was.

-Exactly!

So, I'm just going to buy when I see it.

-It's going to be fast, furious buying today from me.

-OK.

-Well, I wish you good luck, Eric.

-Thank you, my dear.

And, should you need one, I've got a spare compass.

Oh, thank you, I might need that.

Yes, you heard the lady, we're braced for fast, furious and

quite frankly, frantic foraging as our two compass-wielding competitors

desperately try to ensure that the needle always points to profit.

It really is a case of the early bird often gets the worm.

And, um, if I could paraphrase that, I'm up against a bird, um,

who knows how to catch worms so I've got to be on me mettle.

Well, Eric, Catherine is certainly no pigeon or sparrow. Oh, no!

She's a soaring eagle, a high-flying kite, a mighty condor and,

just as she intended, this bird of prey is quick to swoop

on a potential purchase.

What does this say to you?

Do you know what it says to me?

Plants.

OK, yes, it's a birdcage, but imagine this in your garden

with all your lovely green plants going in it.

I think that could look quite attractive.

How much is your bird cage, sir?

Uh, 35.

Oh! But it has no birds in it!

-It's decoration stuff, darling.

-What about 20?

-I cannot do it.

-What can you do?

-35.

-No, that's not coming down! I'll give you 25 for it.

-We make 30 round. A nice figure.

-Please can I give you 25 for it?

-Give me 25, it's yours.

-25, it's mine?

-Yes.

-You're a lovely man.

-I know.

-Thank you.

And our bird of prey proves she's no caged canary.

She spreads her wings and flies off with an early lead.

And I think this would look particularly nice

outside a shop, big florist.

I do like the ones that are slightly more architectural

and this is quite simple.

I might have to get myself a few cheeky plants to go inside

just to demonstrate the idea.

Cunning Catherine always thinking, and by sticking to

her super fast strategy, she's reaping the benefits already.

There's no time for dithering.

I'm going to make those decisions quickly.

I'm going to be fast and furious.

Super Southon forges forward.

Will she maintain her impressive momentum or

will "Knocker" Knowles knock her into touch?

Well, not yet he won't.

Eric, always the cautious man, is still casually perusing,

when Catherine spots a name she hopes might lead her

further down the road to profit.

It's a sign called Townley Street

and I know someone called Mr Townley.

It's hedging my bets a bit,

so I'm only going to be interested in it if it's mega, mega cheap.

Catherine is hot to trot.

Having a buyer already in mind is a huge advantage.

Excuse me, how much is your sign?

-£60.

-SHE GASPS

Oh, gosh, no. Ideally, I'd like to pay 30 for it.

I couldn't do it for 30.

-I'll tell you what, if we can do 40, I'll take it from you.

-OK, 40.

40, OK, that would be lovely. Thank you very much indeed.

Catherine gets a price she's happy with,

but will the sign show her the way to the high-earning highway?

That sign is superb.

The combination of the blue and white enamel is priceless

and the fact that that probably dates from about 1900, 1910,

I think I've definitely got myself a winner.

Oh, two thumbs up! Must be good.

But what if this Mr Townley doesn't want his name all over

a street sign? Then Catherine will head down Loss Avenue,

turn left at Humble Pie Road, and straight into the dead end

of Catastrophe Close, and that's no place for a lady.

Eric is still on the prowl, desperate to take off. That's right,

Captain Eric K Knowles of the Starship Wants-the-Prize has begun

his mission to seek out new finds,

explore uncharted trading territory,

and he's going all out to avoid the ceramic system.

I've boldly gone where, um, I've not been before.

I've actually bought myself a print, but I was just taken by the view.

It's a London view, which is always going to be something of a bonus.

Um, date wise, well, maybe it is the early part of the 19th century.

I've paid £30 for this print

and I think I might struggle to get more than £50.

I bought it purely for its decorative merit

and I thought that the price was a reasonable one to ask.

Let's go now in search of a few more buys.

Well, Eric thinks he's got a bargain, but, will a picture of

Buckingham Palace bring in the royal readies?

The important thing is that he's finally into the game,

albeit still behind Catherine and she's keen to keep it that way

when suddenly the glint of a silvery motoring mascot catches her eye.

It's off a Yankee lorry, American lorry.

It looks quite funky, doesn't it?

What's the very best on that?

-65.

-All right. Let me go in the Sheep and Pig.

Yeah, have a wander round.

And I'll have a wander and I'll think about that.

Hold on, she's meant to be buying things the moment

she claps eyes on them.

Well, I said I was going to be definite and decisive,

and now I'm dithering.

I don't know what to do about that dog.

This is the true me.

Uh-oh. Catherine's designs on decisiveness are disintegrating,

but Eric is standing strong with his strategy

of steering clear of ceramics.

Our all-action antiques hero has now found a wooden box

he thinks might help him put away a profit.

Just a nice little box with this parquetry work round the edge

where you get that sort of geometric design.

Um, what makes it unusual is that I've never seen one which is

inlaid in mother-of-pearl and engraved "Handkerchiefs."

I like that, but I'd like to know what the asking price is.

-It's 120, we're asking for it.

-Is there an Eric price?

-Well, how's 110?

-£110.

-£110 it is.

-OK.

Well, Eric said he'd spend as much as he could

and that certainly helps him along the way.

It looks like you've got the original hinges,

so that's what you're looking for.

You're looking for the original mechanism.

Date wise, probably we're around 1850, 1860?

-I'm not an expert, you are.

-Ah! Ha, ha!

It's a dangerous thing to admit to that.

Oh, don't be coy, Knocker.

Eric's expertise has secured a second piece

of treasure for his trove.

Our daring dealers are now even stevens,

so, who will blink at a bargain first?

After a bit of a meltdown over the metal mascot,

Catherine's calmness has been restored.

She found a pair of fish-shaped tongs priced up at a fiver.

A bit like ice tongs, but they're not.

They're for getting sardines out of a tin.

The thing is, with these silver plated items like this,

sometimes they were made by silversmiths

so the quality is really there and although this is silver plate,

they're still really finely made. Very nice.

I'm going to give them a fiver for these.

Is that quick and decisive enough for you?

-Hello, sir, good to see you! How you doing?

-Fine, thank you.

Good, good. I'm going to have these for a fiver.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them.

-Actually, I'm going to pinch one of your cherries.

-What a cheek!

Perfect cherry pincher. Wonderful.

-There you go.

-Thank you very much.

-Have a fiver.

'A delicious deal for Catherine in more ways than one.'

It's clear her incredible promise of directness

was no red herring after all.

Now, Eric insisted he'd be sidestepping the ceramics,

but did anyone actually believe he'd manage it?

No, of course not.

And, as sure as eggs is eggs, the temptation has proved too much.

I know I've been saying that I'm sort of avoiding ceramics to

a certain degree, but, you know,

this is a classic case of something I've not seen before.

What I like is that the actual mounts are marked H&H,

Hukin & Heath,

a good maker of plate and silver

working in Birmingham.

And it's got a registration number on there, which is quite nice.

So, the asking price is, what? And then...

85.

-70 no good to you?

-75...

-75, OK, 75.

I could see the pain in your face and that's where we're at. OK.

Yes, our prince of porcelain is a fair man

and he's particularly pleased with his pot.

They often call them tigs, but the very fact that it's got

a metal cover and, you can see...look at the gilding on that!

I mean, that is just as good as the day it was made

and the day it was made...I don't know,

I think would probably be around about 1885.

It just might have been used as a large tobacco jar.

Having said that...

it just might be for biscuits!

And Eric definitely takes the biscuit,

but Catherine is still in a quandary over the motor mascot.

That dog, I might go back and buy him.

£65 does seem a lot of money for a chrome mascot.

But I think I could do quite well with him. Shall I go and buy him?

Shall I?

Well, Catherine clearly values your input, good viewers,

but there's no doubt the Put Your Money pressure gauge is steaming.

Can our dithering damsel steel herself and rally,

then add the dog to her tally?

Hello, sir. Doggy, doggy.

Good afternoon, again.

OK, I'll give you 60.

Hmm? Is it a handshake, is it a high-five? Who knows?

The important thing is she's made a decision

and got a fiver off as part of the deal.

Once upon a time, this was on an American truck.

It's got a great face, it's got a great character,

and I'm probably going to sell it as a paperweight,

perhaps to somebody who's crazy about bulldogs.

I've just got to use my imagination with this piece.

Hmm. Not sure he looks too thrilled with that idea.

Our two trading tornadoes are now flying round the fair,

so, let's focus on the figures so far.

Our dynamic duo both came to Ardingly

with £750 of their own money to spend.

Eric had a very slow start,

but he's picked up the pace and picked up three items for £215,

which means he has a chunky £535 left in his back pocket.

Despite a dash of dithering, Catherine has kept up momentum.

Four purchases made for £130,

leaving her kitty bulging with £620.

Well, this magnificent menagerie of antiques mayhem is well under way.

Our collecting couple call a momentary truce to meet up

in no-man's-land.

-So, is this your idea...

-Oh, hello.

-..of being fast and furious?

"Oh, I've got better things to do than to talk to you, Eric!"

I can see you've invested in a bun anyway.

-Hmm, well, actually, would you like half?

-No! No, no.

-In fact, you can have it.

-I'm watching my figure.

-Well, how's it going for you?

-Very well.

-I am being fast and furious, actually.

-Yes.

The problem is, Eric, I just want to find one thing that's

actually quite expensive and really special, that really sings to me.

It's all well and good being fast and furious,

as long as you're never fast and loose!

Anyway, listen - you enjoy yourself.

Take your time. I'm off to find what you're looking for. Bye!

Catherine Southon, fast and loose! Never, Knocker!

But, it seems Eric has got under his rival's skin.

In fact, he's given her the haggling heebie-jeebies.

I'm a little bit concerned that I'm buying novelty collectables.

So, I think now...

I have to get the cash out...

and buy serious antiques.

It sounds like she means business,

but it seems Eric doesn't buy Catherine's bluster.

Well, I realise why they call my opponent "Cunning" Catherine,

because, you know, she puts on this, "Oh, I'm so weary.

"I'm not sure I can do this..." And I know full well it's just an act.

She's out to win it.

What she hasn't taken into account is that she is

up against the pride of Lancashire.

She's up against "Knocker" Knowles.

Yes, fighting talk from Eric there.

And that's the attitude both our bargain hunters need.

This is a bloody battle and they both want the glory.

Eric soon jumps to it and makes his next non-ceramic purchase.

He's paid £15 for a silver plated dish.

I just love the design on this.

Uh, you've got this incredible spider's web, um,

and then you've got flowers and it's in, you know,

reasonable condition for a bit of plate.

Date wise, I would have thought that is probably around about 1880.

Uh, and for £15, well, it just said, "Take me home,"

and that's what I'm going to do.

Ooh, the silverware is talking to Eric

and Catherine has found herself an intriguing little collection.

A set of ice skating awards from the inter-war period.

So, we have got two silver... Have we got two silver?

Yes, two silver, two bronze.

It'd be wonderful to find out who won these.

How much are all of them? Your best possible price.

30.

You wouldn't come down to 25?

Yes, I can take 25.

-OK, I'm going to give you the £25 for them.

-Thank you very much.

So, will the awards reap rewards? Catherine certainly thinks so.

These date right back to the '20s and the '30s.

What's nice about them is you've got the old ice skates on them,

you've got the blades there that were fixed onto the shoes.

There's definitely a story to be told here.

Really? And what does every story need?

A dashing, smooth-talking hero, just like "Knocker" Knowles,

and you'll never guess what he's looking at.

Oh, yes, you're right.

Ceramics.

Nice design, isn't it? Lovely.

It's an early one, about 1928.

A Carter, Stabler and Adams, so we're talking Poole Pottery.

Dare I ask the price? Well, I would dare cos, how much is it?!

£230.

Is there any flexibility in that? Is that cast in stone?

My very, very best price that I can do for you

is 200.

200?

It's a classic vase, isn't it?

You know, it's talking to me at the moment.

"Ooh! Take me home, Eric!"

Dare you tell me to take you home?

"Oh, go on, you lithe, Lancastrian lovely. Take me home!"

-OK, £200.

-£200.

Old Knocker can't resist the ceramics,

so what's made him go potty over this one?

Apart from the fact that it talks to him, obviously.

Well, I've just bought myself a classic Poole pottery vase

and when it comes to the British interpretation of Art Deco,

I'll tell you what, Carter, Stabler and Adams take some beating.

They're such strong sort of geometric motifs.

If you ever come across a piece which is marked

Carter, Stabler and Adams and it's got a terracotta body,

then you are going to be dealing with a piece made in the inter-war years.

You have to admire Eric's enthusiasm.

He really does love his pots.

Across the fair, things aren't going so well for Catherine.

She's struggling to spend money.

I had my mind set that I wanted to buy something expensive, something

that I was really happy with and something I was really excited by.

I haven't quite found that piece yet.

But it's only a short time later that Catherine makes a purchase,

although it's not that prized big money spend.

She's stepped up to the crease and bought a selection of

cricket prints and she's hoping to hit them for six.

I just bought these for £50.

I know nothing about cricket, but I couldn't resist these,

I thought these images were really striking.

This is dated at the top, 1881. Now, this is a print,

which would have been part of a supplement for a magazine,

Vanity Fair, and I would say that the actual supplement was

probably produced early 20th-century.

I love the way that we can see how the cricket outfit has

completely changed.

Whatever I'm going to do,

I'm completely bowled over with these images.

What do you think?

Howzat?

And, on that small victory,

Catherine makes the tactical decision to call it a day,

despite not having spent as much as she set out to.

A risky strategy by anyone's reckoning.

Eric, however, powers on

and there's light at the end of the treasure tunnel,

when he spots two glass lampshades, and as any dealer

worth their salt will tell you, it's always nice to have a pair.

Well, it's nice to have a pair, yes.

There you go.

-They're cut, aren't they? I can see they're cut.

-Yes.

So, maybe the top's moulded, this bit's moulded,

but this is certainly cut.

What price do they come at, then?

I was asking 130 on them.

Would £90 buy them?

-No.

-No? All right, that's OK.

-The very best on them would be a straight 100.

-A straight £100?

-Yes.

-OK, I'll take them for £100.

-Thank you.

Well, I bought myself a pair of what are probably Edwardian

lampshades and they could possibly date from around about 1915,

but it is rare to get a pair.

And the rare pair brings this buying battle to a close.

Our dealers have dug deep

and they've given it all they've got, but have they bought well?

Well, as the dust settles, let's have a look at the money.

Both our daring dealers came to West Sussex with £750 each.

After a flurry of big money buys,

Eric spent £530 and leaves with six items.

Catherine also bought six times, but she spent considerably less,

just £205.

That's less than half of Eric's total outlay.

So, before they turn their hands to selling,

our two connoisseurs of collectables

get together to discuss how they did.

So, after the heat of battle, what was your favourite buy of the day?

Come on, Catherine, spill all.

Well, I started up really well and I'm quite happy with my sign,

-actually.

-Do you know anybody by that name?

-I do.

-Oh, well.

So, I've got it in my mind that I'm going to sell this to

-a lovely gentleman that I know.

-And you like cricket, I see.

I know nothing about cricket, but I just thought they're wonderful.

But you've bought some delicious things too.

If I could keep any of these pieces,

-it's the Poole Pottery vase down here.

-It's been really hard today.

I found it almost impossible to spend serious cash today.

Just a bit of advice here -

-the world hates a whinger.

-Oh!

-I'll stop.

-HE LAUGHS

So, with Catherine left in no doubt about Eric's competitive nature,

our battle of the sexes spins on its axis

and our hardened hagglers become serious sale-makers.

They must assess, advertise and offload their haul for hefty

profits, and this is where their expertise really comes to the fore.

To find the best buyers requires lateral thinking,

extensive contacts, and some serious old-fashioned luck,

but, until they've shaken on it, and the money has changed hands,

no deal is truly sealed.

Our Duke and Duchess of dealing return to their respective homes

to see how their shopping shapes up.

Eric is realising that his range of wares isn't

quite as diverse as he'd planned.

There seems to be something of a Victorian theme,

which was not my real intention.

My colour print is actually a copy of a Victorian aquatint, which should

date to around 1830, whereas this one probably dates to around about 1920.

My silver plated cake basket is

certainly of around about 1880,

and I just love that

spider's web design.

What about a pair Edwardian cut and pressed glass lampshades?

I mean, very rare these days to find such things.

My Coalport three-handled tig with a gilt metal cover.

Now, that is unusual.

The handkerchief box, again, around about 1860.

What makes it is this mother-of-pearl inset panel, which is

actually beautiful inscribed "Handkerchiefs."

But my biggest spend on the day was my Poole Pottery vase.

As far as I'm concerned, that ticks all the boxes.

I'm quite confident with my purchases on the day. Confident...

but never smug.

Yes, and that's the reason why you're a master of the game, Eric.

"Cunning" Catherine is back home in Kent.

She may have spent several hundred pounds less than Eric,

but she's quietly confident.

The cricket prints, I'm going to sell them to a cricket club.

They're already interested and I am going to make BIG bucks on these.

Remember these little ice skating medals?

They're actually very early.

They're 1930s and they're some of the first medals that were produced.

My tatty birdcage - OK, it does need a bit of TLC.

Street sign - I've got a man in mind for this.

If he doesn't buy this, I'll be in trouble.

When I first saw this bulldog, I was very impressed,

and splashing out £60 was perhaps a little bit too much.

For £5, wouldn't you just love these little fish tongs?

I can see them selling for £30, £40.

Well, I'm pretty confident about all my items.

I've just now got to put all that confidence into practice.

Indeed you do, Catherine.

'Our titanic twosome get back to the phone bashing'

and the online operations.

They need to pick up potential purchases and go in with a hard sell.

Eric, like a finely honed athlete, is straight out of the blocks.

He wants to brighten his balance sheet at the outset

with his pair of lampshades.

He's brought them to Jeff at his light emporium near Hartford.

Eric paid £100 for them, but will they illuminate the way to a profit?

I'm assuming these are around about, what, 1910, 1920?

-Yeah, if not a little bit earlier.

-Oh, right.

-Maybe...

-I notice...

..with that copper gallery on the top there, there is

not one mark on these shades, not one flea bite.

They're in absolutely perfect condition.

How many of these do you see in a year?

-Not many, to be fair.

-Not many.

-Very few.

-I was looking around the £150 mark.

-I would go for £90 for the pair.

I mean, if I could go for 120?

-Um, I'm ahead of the game.

-If you meet me at 115...

OK, go on, put your hand there. So, what are you going to do with those?

I've got a customer for these already. Thank you!

Hah! It's not what you know, it's who you know.

Hmm, Jeff may well have come out of that rather well.

Not the greatest profit for our Eric - a low wattage £15.

It was hardly a dream start, but, I have to say, and if you're

watching, Catherine, it's not where you start, it's where you finish.

Well, Catherine knows that only too well.

Our cunning Cat has motored all the way to Berkshire for her

first attempt at a sale.

She's at an ice skating rink in Bracknell,

so, is she chilled or could she be skating on thin ice?

I've come here to meet Elaine Hooper and she's an ice skating historian.

She's expressed some interest in my medals

and this is the perfect surrounding to make a sale.

I'd better get my skates on.

Oh, how exciting!

Could we be about to see Catherine take to the ice and dazzle us

with her skills?

No, she and Elaine have decided to meet in the stands.

There we are. We have two silver...

-..and two bronze.

-Yes. These are test medals.

You've got a preliminary test medal, a third class,

an intermediate second class, and a second class.

And, at the time these were won,

I don't think the intermediate first class test was skated for, then, and

this inter-silver medal is hallmarked at 1938

and that particular test

wasn't instituted until October 1938, so, I would suggest...

So, this was one of the first medals?

This was one of the very first inter-silver medals.

I'm guessing that makes it quite rare?

Yes, it would be slightly more valuable

than an ordinary inter-silver test medal.

Oh, that's music to my ears. That's lovely. So, what do you think for

this little collection?

-Would you be interested in this?

-I certainly would, Catherine.

Oh, lovely. How does £100 sound?

Um, what about 80?

Can we say 90?

-Yes, that's a deal.

-Wonderful!

Thank you very much indeed.

And that's a very good start.

Catherine glides away with a £65 profit,

which instantly puts her way out in front.

And look at this!

Our Catherine does take to the ice,

but this part of the performance isn't quite so impressive.

This is harder than it looks.

SHE PUFFS AND SIGHS

MUSIC: "The Blue Danube" by Johann Strauss II

Oh, look at her go. Safe to say, Jayne Torvill can rest easy.

Eric is hoping he'll be flying with his next item.

He's decided to wave goodbye to his handkerchief box that cost £110.

He's brought it to West London, but will this be a tearful farewell?

Not if there's a decent profit in it.

Well, I'm in the hustle and bustle of Chiswick High Road

and I'm here to meet Gerald who deals in wooden boxes.

Now, I've seen his stock.

It's very good quality but, there again,

so is my handkerchief box, so let's see if we can do the business.

But there is my handkerchief box.

-It's a very pretty little box, isn't it?

-What...? Look, have a go.

We both know this is a touchy-feely business, so have a look at it.

It dates to about 1860, 1870, walnut, as you can see,

mainly walnut. Little...I can see some tulipwood banding.

It's very, very attractive.

If I was to tell you I wanted to come in with an asking price of £150...?

I mean, I'd be happy to pay £120 for it.

I really would like to get around about 135.

-130.

-130?

-Yes.

-130.

Put it there, 130, we've got ourselves a deal.

Well, while a profit of £20 shouldn't be sneezed at,

Eric needs bigger figures if he's to nose in front of Catherine.

Well, it was a reasonable increase on my expenditure and one that,

quite frankly, I wouldn't want to sniff at.

Having said that, it's all about making money, honey,

and yes...it's you I'm talking to, Catherine.

Well, the lady needs no advice from you, Mr Knowles.

Catherine is doing just fine all by herself.

She'll no doubt be dogged in her negotiation for

the chrome car mascot.

It cost her £60 and she's brought it to

Alison from the London Bulldog Association and, as you can see,

this lady loves bulldogs, particularly Basil and Pussy.

Yes, you heard it right - a dog called Pussy.

-I can see bulldogs everywhere.

-Yes! Yes, yes, yes!

We've had bulldogs for about 35 years.

-Our first one was a bridesmaid at our wedding.

-Oh, really? How funny!

-What do you think about that?

-These were designed in 1932...

-Right.

-..for Mack Trucks.

-It's a sort of mascot, isn't it?

Yes, it's a hood ornament.

I've thought about getting one in the past, but never got round to it.

-The chrome is in very good condition.

-It is in good condition, isn't it?

-Yes, yes.

-Is it something you would be interested in purchasing?

Yes, it is, yes.

How does £100 sound to you?

Not that unreasonable, because you've still got the base.

If I offered you 85?

I wouldn't mind sort of meeting you at 90, would that be all right?

That would be fine.

Well, I think it's going to an extremely good home and, uh,

-that's very important to me.

-Yes.

But, of course, it's not just what you like,

it's what our little friends like as well.

What do you think, Pussy? What do you think, Basil?

And Pussy snuggles up to her new playmate

and Catherine earns herself a treat.

£30 profit on the motoring mascot and she's a happy Cat.

And, like her feline namesakes, she was transfixed by a birdcage

and pounced on it for £25.

She's brought it to David, who's a florist in Croydon,

but what will he make of it?

I've come to talk about my birdcage.

What do you think?

Well, em...

..it's big, yeah, pleased it's big.

Um, we'd probably use it to put flowers in.

I think it could be useful, yes.

Because I've seen that you've got some others dotted around,

-but they're obviously reproduction ones.

-Of course.

-This has got a bit of age to it.

-Oh, dear!

I think we can see that from the rust. What would you do?

-Sort of paint it up, do you think?

-I think we'd have to respray it.

-It all comes down to money and I am asking about £60 for it.

-£40?

50?

Done.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you very much.

Well, that was blooming marvellous and I have doubled my money.

I hope that rattles Eric's cage.

So, the cage brings in another £25 to Catherine's profit pot

and piles more pressure on Eric.

'But he's calm in the face of competition.

'He sells his three-handled pot that cost him £75.'

Even though it had the Hukin & Heath name on it,

he only managed to get £80 for it,

which means Knocker gets a knockdown profit of just of just £5.

Our two dynamic dealers are whistling through their sales,

so let's have a look where the pounds are piling up

and where there's still work to be done.

Eric Knowles has sold three of his items so far and has marked up

a modest profit of £40, but he still has that big money vase to sell.

Catherine Southon has been living up to her "Cunning" nickname.

She's also sold three items,

but her significantly smaller spend is proving a clever strategy.

She's up by £120.

So, Catherine is queen for now,

but can our Knocker knock off her crown?

He's counting on an imminent silver lining from his electroplated dish.

He paid £15 for it in Sussex

and has brought it all the way to Leigh-on-Sea in Essex.

He's hoping design shop owner Phil will serve him up a tasty profit.

Do you know, I'm a little bit worried because I'm looking around

and all I can see is sort of, you know, top design.

What is it about this piece that's attracted you?

Well, the advantage for having this piece in the shop is

the contrast in design between, sort of, the classical design...

versus the very contemporary design that we sell generally.

OK, well, show me a modern cake stand.

Right. I'm glad you asked, because here we have one.

All right. And you see how the two different sells...

-..contrast. Is that the word?

-Yes, contrast and support each other.

I was looking for £60 or thereabouts.

HE INTAKES SHARPLY

44?

Can we make that 45, by any chance?

-OK.

-OK, put it there!

A much needed injection of £30 boosts Eric's morale.

So much so, that he brings out his trump card -

the 1920s Poole Pottery vase that cost him £200 and it's vital

he nails this one.

Well, I'm in South London, and I'm here to meet a dealer who specialises

in really good Art Deco, so I've got one cracker of a Poole Pottery vase.

The question is - is he a buyer?

The Art Deco dealer in question is James.

Here is one Poole Pottery vase.

What attracted me was that great sort of Deco design, I mean,

it's wonderful.

This is the 966 shape

and it's a really popular shape amongst collectors

and they look for the really sort of punchy, powerful Art Deco designs.

So, how would you know it was a 966 pattern?

-It's incised in the base of it.

-Oh, is it?

And that's the pattern code and that's the paintress.

So, when it comes to the money,

I was looking for starting around about the £300 mark.

I would pay 300 if I had to, but 280 would be a little bit better.

£280, it's yours, OK?

Well, that's a crucial deal for Eric.

The vase brings him in a very healthy profit of £80

and Catherine is no longer sitting pretty.

She's now suddenly playing catch up, but she's got more deals to do.

At just £5, her tongs were always likely to make her money,

but, the question is, how much?

I'm here in Shirley Hills, at a venue that I know rather well.

Now, this is somewhere where I hold my auctions,

but today I've come to the restaurant and I've come to see

manager Jeremy who's interested in buying my fish tongs.

He's not going to be a pushover, so wish me luck.

I'm a bit concerned about how big you think these fish tongs are,

because...

-they're actually quite small.

-They are, yes!

-THEY LAUGH

-Have a look. What do you think?

-Well, they're fine for whitebait, aren't they?

-They are, yes!

Would you use them here?

Yes, I could probably serve salmon with them, I expect.

Yes, for serving salmon, for serving whitebait from a flat,

they would come in handy for that.

On a buffet table, to individuals,

people coming up to a buffet table, of course.

-I would put these maybe 1960, 1970.

-Yeah.

I remember when I was in catering college back in the '70s,

we used to have a pair very similar to this.

I would like around £30, £40.

-Could we sort of scale it back, as we might say?

-Scale it back!

I like it! Very good. Scale it back how far?

To 25, shall we say?

-Shall we say 30?

-I think 30 will be fine, actually, yes.

-Are you happy with 30?

-I'm happy with 30.

-And they're going to be put

-to good use?

-They'll be put to very good use.

-Put it there, Jeremy.

-Absolutely.

-Thank you very much indeed.

Well, Catherine got a run for her money,

but she leaves the restaurant £25 better off.

We're reaching the climax

of this carnival of commerce and the scores couldn't be tighter.

Catherine's Townley Street sign pays off.

The man she was thinking of, Robin Townley,

does indeed take it off her hands.

It looks great with you, Robin.

-HE LAUGHS

-I'm very proud.

Robin buys it for £60 and Catherine pockets a profit of £20.

Eric's 1930s print

of Buckingham Palace is next.

He takes it to a pub just a short walk from the royal residence

and meets the landlord Martin.

Actually, just round the corner here,

we have another print from the other end of the lake

looking at Horse Guards Parade so that would fit in nicely.

I was hoping for somewhere around about the sort of £50 mark.

Could you make it £40?

I think we will make it £40 because I want it to stay here.

-Thank you very much.

-Cos it's sort of...

-It'll find a good home.

Well, it's homed in on you, hasn't it?

The royal landscape doesn't bring in royal riches,

but it does bring a profit of £10.

Catherine is

stepping up to the crease to try and offload her last purchase -

the cricket themed artwork.

I'm here at Blackheath Cricket Club

and I've come with my lovely cricket prints to see Nick and Peter.

Let's just hope they play ball.

Catherine paid £50 for the prints, but will the cricketers Nick

and Peter be bowled over, or will Catherine be caught out?

So, I've got the president and the chairman,

the men who can make the decisions, that's what I like.

Right, I have brought along my cricket prints.

I think the interesting one's the Spy Carter

and he is better known, I think, than the others.

Yes, he is a more known caricaturist or cartoonist.

-So, the cricket club was founded in the 1870s.

-1878.

-Right.

-OK. And you have a new building.

-Yeah.

Perhaps you might need to furnish your building with some new prints?

-Well...

-SHE LAUGHS

There are one or two gaps on the walls.

Oh, good, that's what I like to hear.

Who's the one that makes the decisions when it comes to finances?

-The chairman.

-Well, I really have to have a committee behind me,

but I'm sure I'll be allowed a little bit of discretion.

Well, what sort of price are you looking at for the whole set, then?

I would like...

somewhere around 100 to 150.

I think 150's probably a little bit more than we can go,

but do you think we could go to 100?

I think if we really push we could go to 120.

-Oh!

-120 - £20 a picture.

-£20 a picture.

-Oh, really?

-Oh, Peter, I'm liking you more!

-THEY LAUGH

-We'll go to 120.

-Really? Oh, I'm really pleased.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Thank you so much, Peter.

Is it possible you could give me a quick lesson?

-It's been a long time since I've...

-SHE CLICKS HER TONGUE

-..bowled an over.

-We'll see what you're like.

-Come on, then.

Nick, you ready?

-I'm ready.

-Umpire?

Ready.

MUSIC: "Dreadlock Holiday" by 10cc

Yes, not bad, Catherine.

Our lady knocks them for six and makes £70 profit.

And that is our maiden over.

This monumental match is now concluded.

While Catherine heads to the pavilion to take tea,

let's remind ourselves of what our terrific traders spent.

After a whole day scouring the stalls,

Eric bought six items and spent £530.

Catherine shopped with surety, most of the time.

She also bought six items, but spent a lot less - £205. So, did her

lack of spend damage her chances?

All of the money Catherine

and Eric have made 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.

-Well, there you are.

-Hello.

-Well met. Mmm. Ha, ha!

-Come on, tell me about the selling?

-The selling was brilliant.

I was so sporty, Eric, you'd be so proud.

I played cricket, I went ice skating, the list is endless.

-Cor, that's amazing.

-Great fun.

-If you remember, I bought a coloured print...

-Mm-hm.

-..looking across St James' Park to Buckingham Palace.

-Oh, yeah.

I found a hostelry just around the corner,

with a mine host who was very pleased to make a purchase.

-We do get to travel...

-We do.

-..in this programme.

-So, do you want to do the honours?

-Go on, then.

One, two, three.

BOTH: Oh!

-Well, this is getting interesting.

-Oh, right, come on then, Eric.

-OK.

I'll teach you a few moves.

I'll tell you what - I'll get me skates on.

She came, she saw, she conquered.

A sporting victory for Catherine and it was her ice skating

and cricket profits that landed the knockout blows.

Full credit to my opponent.

It's a tough ask to buy at that fair and resell,

and she certainly stole the show this day.

Well, I've done it, just about,

but I think it was the ice skating that helped most of all.

So, after today's humongous haggling hunt,

is it possible for our heroes to do it all again tomorrow?

You bet it is! Our dealing dynamos will be slugging it out at

a car boot sale in South London.