Builth Wells 64 Bargain Hunt

Today, we are at the Royal Welsh Showground

for a one-hour long special version of Bargain Hunt,

featuring swimmers and lifeguards.

But will they sink or will they swim?

There's only one way to find out.

Let's go bargain hunting, yeah!

For today's 60-minute,

action-packed special,

we fiddled about with the format a bit,

which you'll find out about later.

But right now, let's dive straight in - and that's a hint -

and have a squint at what's coming up.

The strapping lifeguards go all girlie.

Just hold that for a second.

Oh, that's cruel!

Whilst the Blues have an identity crisis,

replacing swimming goggles for something racier.

So, I'm not swimming, I'm going vroom, vroom!

'And there is a crisis down at the auction room.'

But are these girls going to turn up? Who knows?

'But first, let's all get acquainted.'

Well, today our teams about to take the plunge

include a pair of lifeguards - Phil and Sam -

and for the girls, a pair of wild swimmers - Cath and Sarah.

-Hello, everyone.

-ALL: Hello.

-Lovely to see you. Now, Phil.

-Hello.

-You are a lifeguard.

-I am.

-You are in West Wales.

Is that like being in California?

It is like being in California, just without the weather.

-Just without the weather.

-So, you are a keen surfer yourself?

I am, I am.

Yeah, I do enjoy the waves and sort of travelling to find them,

sort of the perfect waves, yeah.

-Oh, you go around the world a bit, do you?

-In my younger days.

In my younger days, yeah,

we did travel through sort of Australia and Indonesia and so on.

Yeah. Now, Sam, you are a lifeguard and you love your surfing, too,

-is that right?

-Yeah, yeah.

Now, you are interested in photography, tell us about that.

Yeah, I like to keep in track of where I've been and stuff

and taking sort of memories, memory photos.

-Do you collect anything?

-Um, yeah,

I've got some old cameras that I keep in my house

from my grandad, my father and my brother.

Your father passed down these old cameras.

They're quite stylish objects in their own right.

-And nice to have about, actually.

-Yeah.

What are you going to be looking for between you

today when you get out shopping?

Well, I'd like to think there is some sort of old retro toys

out there.

-You're going to go for the toys.

-Yeah, I think so.

That's a bit of a challenge.

You never know what you'll find in Builth Wells. It's a great fair.

Good luck with that.

Now, Cath, tell me about this wild swimming. What is all this about?

OK, it's basically swimming anywhere that is not in the pool -

outdoors, whether it be lakes, the sea, rivers, quarries...

-Don't get bitten by a pike in a lake or anything like that.

-No.

-Quite.

So, was it swimming that brought you two girls together?

-No, Sarah was my tutor with the police.

-Right.

-You are in the right coloured team then, aren't you?

-Yeah.

Our girls in blue. Sarah, do you still work with the cops?

-No, I don't, no.

-What happened? You gave them up?

-I gave them up, yeah.

-Did you?

-Yeah.

So, what do you get up to now?

Predominantly now, I am a swimming coach, a swimming teacher.

Swimming is, would you say, the major force in your life?

-Yes. Yeah, it has been for a long, long time.

-Yeah.

Cos you are very modest,

-but you were the police swimming champion, right?

-Yes, I was, yeah.

So that is a big old thing.

Yeah, the World Police and Fire Games in 2007.

-Well, there we go. And where did that happen?

-In Adelaide, Australia.

Well, there you go! Don't feel too sad about that.

So, all-expenses-paid trip to Adelaide, eh?

-No, I paid all my expenses.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah(!)

-I did, but it was very... Well, it was worthwhile.

-Good.

And what sort of things are you going to be after today, Sarah?

-I am going to be looking out for frogs.

-Are you?

-Yes.

Why particularly frogs?

It has always been my sort of nickname because, as a kid,

I was a breast stroke swimmer,

which obviously we call a frog stroke.

-Yes.

-And it has gone on from there.

So what are your tactics today, then, girls?

Quirky.

-Something different.

-Something usual.

-We want it to jump out and say, "Buy me."

-Like a frog.

-Like a frog, all right. Well, you never know, do you?

-You never know.

In these glorious places. Anyway, now the £300 moment.

Here is your 300 smackers.

-£300 coming up. There you go, sir.

-Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Sam. You know the rules. Your experts await.

And off you go!

And very, very, very good luck.

So, as our teams dive into the bountiful beauty,

the two people hoping to save them from the rising tide...

For the Reds, Caroline Hawley certainly has the bottle.

And Colin Young is practising his brush stroke for the Blues.

So, if we are going to win, what are we going to buy?

Something quirky.

I'm hoping to find some old toys from my childhood days.

-A bit of nostalgia.

-A bit of nostalgia.

Yeah, something unusual, pretty.

-And what about you, Sam?

-Anything quirky with a sort of...

-With an interesting back story, I think.

-Right.

60 minutes on the clock.

Time starts now!

OK, let's see what we can find.

We have got hundreds of stalls to look at,

-so let's go bargain hunting.

-OK.

-Let's go bargain hunting!

Watch out you don't get any hassle off the dealers, eh, teams?

Only a few seconds in

and our lifeguards have already spotted a toy store.

-That's cool.

-What's cool?

-The little old...

That is a little doll's sort of push chair.

-Yeah, like a little pram.

-Yeah.

It is about 1920s, isn't it? I would think.

The whole thing collapses down. There is a little pin in here.

And you just pull the bar towards you and it collapses together.

-And two clips here, so that the arms move from there.

-Oh!

-That is good.

-Quite genius, actually.

-Yeah.

And I could see doll collectors, teddy collectors with that.

-That is what we are hoping, isn't it?

-That is what we are hoping.

We are hoping for a good price. What price is it?

I was asking 165 for it.

I think the money is too much.

It needs to be quite a lot less. What could you do?

-125 would be the best.

-125.

-Yeah.

-I think it needs to be 100.

-Yeah. I think we might have to keep going.

-What do you want to do?

We'll have a wander about and we'll come back.

-OK, thank you so much.

-Yeah, we might come back.

-Thank you.

Indecision and delay are dangerous tactics in this game.

It looks like someone is eyeing up their first potential purchase.

No pressure, boys.

The lady that is looking at it doesn't look like a dealer to me.

She looks like a collector. A private collector.

Probably a doll, teddy collector.

And I think you need to make a decision now if you want it.

-Let's get in there, I reckon.

-Yeah. Shall we?

-Yeah.

-Good choice.

Go on, go in and get it. OK.

Yeah, now that we've seen somebody else looking at it,

-we've made the decision.

-You've made the best decision.

-We'll have it off you.

-Yeah.

-Great, so thank you very much.

First bargain of the day. First bargain of the day.

Nice one, Phil. First deal done at £120.

Meanwhile, our swimmers seem to have made a bit of a false start.

It's only a pound.

-THEY LAUGH No.

-No? Not your sort of...

-No.

-Would you be surprised at the price?

-Yes.

-That's a definite no, then?

-No.

OK. Good system -

is there something that really does jump off the table at you?

You might see a frog, it might just jump out at you.

Well, something is going to have to jump out at you

if you want to get ahead.

I've spotted something. Swimming goggles.

Swimming goggles?

Yeah, early swimming goggles.

We are now into my territory - motorcycle helmets and goggles.

-Motorcycle helmet and goggles.

-Yeah.

-What sort of money are you looking for on this?

-40 for the two.

-40?

-OK.

-Shall I try them on?

-Go for it.

See if they look good.

I'm not going swimming, I'm going vroom, vroom!

-Time to get the helmet.

-Let's have a go.

Oh, it looks rather small.

-Just your colour, madam.

-It suits you.

THEY LAUGH

Do think we could make lots of money? That's the part...

I think there is a bit of money in that.

Obviously, try and get a little bit knocked off it.

But if you're not sure about it, let's keep it in mind.

We have got plenty of time left.

We know where they are, we know what they are.

-So, where would this have been made?

-It looks like it was 1950s, 1960s.

So are we asking for a better price?

-You are starting to warm to this now, aren't you?

-Yeah.

-I want to make some money.

-If you like them, go on.

-No, we'll have a look around.

-Have a look.

-We'll maybe come back to...

-OK.

-..your love after.

Decision-making isn't one of your strong points, is it, girls?

Come along now, keep up.

Meanwhile, it is boys with toys with the Reds again.

Oh, Phil, that is lovely.

"Jack Sharp - Liverpool, Made in England."

-No way!

-How much is it?

-It is like 50.

-I think 50 is quite a lot of money.

-Yeah, for this.

Hm, probably best you kick that one into touch, Phil.

I see a bit of a theme here, fellas.

-He really is into his toys, Phil, isn't he?

-I know.

That is a Meccano crane.

-I don't know whether it is in good enough condition.

-No.

I don't think it is.

And as we know, chaps, condition is everything in this game.

Any chance of you boys thinking outside the toy box?

-Flying pigs.

-Pigs might fly.

-Pigs might fly.

Yeah, and the Blues might make a decision.

We don't want those. Shovels and tools.

Anything you've seen yet, Sarah?

Come on, Blues, I think it is time you shelled out on something.

We see too many of them. No.

-Are you sure you don't want to go for it?

-No! No.

It is quirky and different.

How much would you spend on it if that was in an auction

and you thought, "Well, it is going cheap, I'll have a go."

-Probably only about 20.

-Probably only about 20.

-It is going to be worth a fair bit more than that.

-Is it?

Yeah, it is. It is actually a copy of Palissy ware.

-OK, I didn't know that.

-Which is very popular.

But nevertheless, it is still a decorative dish.

-I'm just going to have to ask the price.

-Yeah, go on.

-70.

£70, is it? Yeah, OK.

So there probably isn't much margin in it.

-There is certainly more than the £20 you'd spend on it, but...

-OK.

-OK? Give it a miss?

-Yes, please.

Well, you are going to start to feel the pinch

if you don't get a wiggle on.

Back with the Reds,

and Caroline may have found something that Sam will snap up.

That's part of your collection, Sam, your collection of cameras.

It's on a tripod. We have got a little compass here.

I think this is so cool!

It is like a James Bond type thing.

And then to light, you do that and it flicks up.

But how cool would that be?

You'd be a real James Bond character in your...

-And tchs!

-Oh, yeah.

Lighting the fire or something, cos we don't smoke.

You wouldn't do us a deal for a tenner, would you?

-No, I'm sorry, the deal is 15.

-15?

-You can't budge? Come on.

-No, I'm sorry.

-You've got to go down a bit.

-We can look for other things.

-Yeah.

Oh, well, chaps, it is certainly ain't no picnic, this shopping lark.

Ah-ha, we know what you are looking at.

-She's honing in, I can see that.

-Look how pretty this one is!

-It is all in its original package, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Oh, but it's got a break.

My gut feeling on it is it is one of the better sets that I've seen,

and the price reflects it, but I think we are probably just going to

get knocked away a little bit

because of that little bit of damage.

So my advice on this occasion would be walk away from it.

But for every reason you walked to it, I appreciate,

cos it is a really good item.

-Let's go. Take me away.

-Come on.

-Thank you.

So, half-an-hour to go and our Blues are swimming against the tide,

still no buys.

-No.

-No? Sorry.

-Are we the most un-decisive people you've ever seen?

-Oh, no!

Hm, a tactful approach, Colin.

It is definitely time to bag something for the girls.

Speaking of which...

What sort of price is that?

I'm open to offers on that one.

Right.

-Now, that is silver.

-Yeah.

And the chain should be silver as well. This lovely chainmail.

-It is like it is armour coated.

-Yeah, it is.

But the important thing with this is to check that the metalwork

is in good order. And I think it is, isn't it?

And then there is the hallmark there,

which I think we need to look at.

Yeah, it is 925.

Just marked 925 there.

What sort of year or date would that be from?

Well, they were made quite a lot in the 1920s.

-And you can see them with the sort of flapper style dress.

-Yeah.

Look, can you see? There is a little bit of damage there.

-Yeah, and there as well.

-And there. Just a tiny bit.

You see, you've got to look very, very carefully.

It could do to be about £30 or £40, really,

-but I am sure it won't be.

-Yeah.

-I think that is worth that sort of...

-Yeah.

Excuse me. What is the absolute best on this, please?

-You tell me, what sort of...

-40.

-40? Well, we were just...

Funnily enough, we were just saying we could go 30 on it,

if you would accept 30.

-I don't want it, you can have it.

-£30? Are you happy?

-I think we should, yeah.

-Can we just...?

-Can you just hold that for a sec, son?

-Oh! That's cruel.

Oh, suits you, Sam. Well done, Reds, that is your second item.

One more to go.

Now then, here is something that has been a bone of contention.

If you saw this sticking out of the ground,

it would be pretty obvious what it is, wouldn't it?

OK, what we have got is a bone joint

found here, in Builth Wells.

OK.

But this is no ordinary old bone

because if I reveal this section of the shaft,

you can see it has got an original pen-and-ink inscription.

And that inscription says, "Found 17 feet

"deep in the bed of the Thames when building Hungerford Bridge."

Do a bit of research and you will find that the Hungerford Bridge was

built in 1845 by Britain's greatest Victorian engineer -

young Brunel.

So, how old is this bone?

Potentially, this bone was dropped overboard in the Thames

when the Romans were there.

Now, the really weird thing about this bone is that at that time,

maybe 2,000 years ago, it was altered.

The bone was cut and then deliberately shaved

so that you get a roughly rectangular section now at the end.

And then, that was hollowed out to make a socket.

But what was the purpose of hollowing out that end

and shaping it in this way?

I thought I'd canvas a few bone experts

and get their view on what the mystery object was used for.

First up was Roy Stephenson, from the Museum of London.

But I do know what it is, Tim. It is what is called a pinner's bone.

And you can see these little edges.

A person sitting at home would be putting little shanks

of metal into those, tying them into place with wire

and putting a sharp point on the end of a pin.

And that phrase - doing things for pin money -

this is the accessory that goes with doing things for pin money.

OK, so it might be a pin bone.

Next I asked Emma-Kate Lanyon at Shrewsbury Museum.

What intrigues me as well is these scratches at the end.

They look very purposeful.

And whether they were used to record a tally or something,

to count up, I don't know,

but it looks as if they are definitely meant to be there.

-So possibly a tally bone.

-Yes.

-With a hole in the end.

'And finally, I asked Jeremy Lamond, from the local auction house.'

I just looked at it and thought knitting sheaths,

and those are for the needle that you put under your arm as a spare

-needle as you are knitting.

-Yes.

-And it is the right shape.

I have seen plenty of knitting sheaths, and they look like this.

So, we have got a number of theories.

One is that it is a pin bone for sharpening up pins.

I don't really go with that one.

The other is that it might be a handle and/or a tally.

But my vote goes for the Jeremy Lamond theory,

which is that it is a knitting sheath.

No-one can pull the wool over my eyes, Tim.

You are absolutely right.

20 minutes left, girls.

Now, I'm not going to make any bones about it - ha -

you need to get a move on. You still haven't bought anything.

Now, lads, you bought a toy rickshaw and a handbag.

How do you think it is going?

We bought well. Yeah, we're enjoying it.

-I think we've bought well, mate, haven't we?

-Yeah, I think so.

I think...

Certainly stuff I probably wouldn't take home for myself,

but I think people might buy in auction, yeah.

Phil bought the first buy within minutes,

really early in into the shops, probably six minutes in, I think.

And then I have been dragging him away from toy shops ever

since and managed to persuade them to buy a nice bit of silver.

So we have still got bags of time, we've got one item left to get.

But it is looking really good. They're great.

All very positive, Caroline.

Oh, hold on, I spoke too soon. More toys, boys?

Very collectible.

"Not suitable for children under 14."

-You are OK there, Phil.

-Just.

Step away from the teddy, boys.

Thank you. Cheers.

Meanwhile, could the Blues finally be singing from the same hymn sheet?

They stumbled across a walnut music cabinet.

Ticket price, £85.

And it comes with its own music scores.

Is it sellable?

It is certainly saleable. It is certainly

not as saleable as they used to be.

Hence why...the asking price that is on it.

But nevertheless, it is a really good late Victorian piece,

good mahogany.

Very lived in, very much used.

But it is really whether you fancy it.

If you do fancy it,

then you would need to do a fair bit of negotiation on it.

THE DEALER LAUGHS

But it is whether you like it or not, that's the key.

-If you get me a seat, I'll just sit down.

-Is this some...?

Is this original stuff that goes with it?

Is there some violin music here that we can use to

sort of pull on the heartstrings?

-I could do with some sweet soul music.

-You could.

-What is your very, very best price on that?

-What would you like to pay me?

-Let's get realistic.

-£60.

65, yours.

I have got 14 children in care at the moment.

Oh, Lordy, you should definitely sit down then.

My suggestion would be - stick with your guns at 60

and worth a gamble.

-Worth a gamble.

-£60, please?

-OK.

-Shake on it.

And that is music to my ears. Now, only two to go. No pressure, girls.

-At last.

-One down.

20 minutes left on the clock, Reds.

Ever get the sense of deja vu?

Check this other lot.

We have already been here with the Blues.

An original Thermos picnic set.

-Oh, that's nice.

-Really cool, isn't it?

Great.

-Would these be glass inside there as well? Glass flasks.

-Yes, yes.

Oh, look at the condition of this.

It is completely unused.

It has got the instructions and stuff inside it.

Crockery around the field.

The actual lunch boxes, they are even un-opened.

They've got the original cellophane or whatever on top of them.

That's the newspaper from the day they sold it, isn't it?

It's from the '50s, I would think.

That is nice. Look.

But the only problem is this here.

Which is annoying because it has never been used. How much is it?

£110.

Well, I can't see anyone paying over 100 for it at auction.

-No, I can't.

-No.

-Thank you.

-I would stretch to 70.

You would stretch to 70. You wouldn't stretch to 60?

Go on, then. Yeah?

-£60.

-Nice!

We'd love to take the picnic set.

That is lunch sorted, and the Reds have all their items in the bag.

But the Blues still have two items find.

You have the patience of a saint today, Colin, how is it going?

I think shopping is going really well, actually,

because we have got some bankers there that we can go back to,

so there isn't too much stress,

apart from the fact that I might actually have to run.

That is the only thing that is really worrying me on the shop.

We are going back to look at something that is

really where we started, so we're going to have to run.

Yeah, we're going to go back for the goggles, isn't it?

We are going back for the goggles. And it would be nice to find

something that we haven't yet looked at. Um...

But it's time. We're going to do it!

Chop, chop, Colin.

Actually, if we run backwards,

they might actually put the clock in reverse.

-OK.

-You never know your luck.

-Table and chairs.

-No.

-No.

-No? You su...? You keep going, I'll look at the price.

-OK.

I'll keep coming with you.

-Your frogs. Would you like to have a look?

-I've got to have a look.

-OK.

Look!

-Sorry, I am instantly drawn to frogs.

-There we go.

It is actually a solid cast piece.

Is it riveted, Colin?

Yep, they are modern, they are not going to make masses of money,

-what do you like it?

-I do.

As you can see, it is not just the fact that they have got frogs.

A candlestick as well. So they are actually a usable thing.

But having that within the body of it just makes it that

little bit more collectible.

I hear there are plenty of collectors of frog things

out there. And there is one here.

So if there is one here, there is a pretty good chance -

we've a one in three chance -

plenty of buyers at auction are going to be interested in it.

-So I think that is going to be OK.

-Good.

-You know, if the price is right.

-Go on, how much is it?

You can have that for £25.

-Ten.

-15 and you can have it.

Do you think it will make money at 15?

I think it shouldn't make us a loss.

-I'd agree.

-12?

Give me that fence to sit on.

-Please!

-OK.

-Thank you! 12.

-Well done.

I can't believe she is bidding for my frogs.

Good work, Blues. Is that a hop too far? We'll find out at the auction.

Five minutes left now. No, I'm not croaking. Get it?

Joking. OK, never mind.

Back to those goggles.

Can we make you a really bad offer

of sort of £20?

Any use?

-I'll meet you halfway at 30.

-Halfway at 30?

Do you want to go for it at that?

-Yeah.

-Halfway again? 25?

-It cost me 25 quid, I've got to make a living.

-27.

-I'll stick at 30.

-OK.

-30 is fine.

-You ladies want to go for it?

-Yeah.

Yeah, that's it, we've got a deal.

Time's up!

Is it going to be boom or is it going to be bust?

Well done, Blues, you got there in the end.

Now then, let's check out what the Red team bought, eh?

First up, they wheel a child's rickshaw away for £120.

Then they pursued the purse for £30.

And finally, the picnic set cost them £60.

So, how was the trail for toys for you?

Plenty of selection, great fun and there was plenty out there.

Just a shame we didn't have more time to play with the toys.

Yeah, you can't moan about the time, though, not really. Brilliant.

Anyway, Phil, which is your favourite piece?

Mine has got to be the Thermos picnic set that we picked up.

It was an original, unused picnic set, nice condition.

So I think we're going to do OK with that one.

-Is it going to bring the biggest profit?

-Um...

I'm going to say I reckon the purse might bring the biggest profit

-that we got.

-Yeah, I'm going to go with the picnic set.

OK, fine. Well, there are our predictions.

-How much did you spend all told?

-BOTH: £210.

-I'd like £90 of leftover lolly, please.

-Yep, there you go.

That goes straight to Caroline. There you go.

-There is your £90.

-Thank you.

And in addition, for our special programme, you get Tim's Ton.

-That is the additional £100...

-Thank you, Tim.

-..for the extra bonus buy.

-Yep.

And if you wouldn't mind bringing them back to me

to have a bird's-eye at, that would be lovely, Caroline.

Thank you very much. Team, relax. Meanwhile, we are going to check out

what the Blue team bought, aren't we?

Their first item was the music cabinet.

They paid £60.

Next up, Sarah was hopping with joy over the candelabrum.

They paid £12.

And finally, they had a giggle over the goggles

and motorcycle helmet, and paid £30.

Now, girls... Which is your favourite piece, Sarah?

-My favourite piece is the frogs.

-OK. Do you agree with that?

Um, I like the frogs, but I think my favourite piece was the helmet

-and goggles.

-OK. Are they going to bring the biggest profit?

I think they're going to bring the biggest profit.

-OK. Helmet and goggles. Frog?

-No, helmet and goggles.

-All right.

-That is going to get the most profit.

-All right, lovely.

I know you girls like to go out and spend a bundle,

-but how much did you spend?

-£102.

-That's nothing, is it?

-No.

£198 of leftover lolly, please.

Thank you very much.

Well, this is a good day's wages, isn't it? Look at that.

-Over to you, then, Colin.

-Thank you very much.

What are you going to spend it on?

I think we have got to go for something a little bit

in the range of quality.

Seeing as we have got the quantity in the money,

-quality in the object.

-OK, fine. Well, you're going to add to that

because I'm going to give you Tim's Ton

for our special 60-minute programme. You get an extra £100

for Tim's Ton bonus buy, so a double challenge there, Colin.

Meanwhile, why don't we find out how Caroline Hawley is

getting on with her purchases of her bonus buys?

Don't forget, Caroline, you have £90 for your bonus buy.

And for this 60-minute special, you have the extra Tim's Ton.

-So, this camera lighter.

-Yes.

What is your very, very, very best price, please?

-Well, really, it is 15.

-Is it?

-Yes. But if you keep on, I'll knock a pound off.

-Oh...

-Are you always so...?

-For good nature.

-For good nature?

-Whose good nature?

-Yours.

Certainly not yours!

-Oh, is that all?

-Yeah, I'm sorry because...

-I think you'll do well with it.

-Do you?

-Yes, I do, certainly.

-OK, I'll take your word for it. I'll have it.

-Thank you very much.

Great stuff. I think Sam will be chuffed you snapped that one up.

Even though I had lots of money left,

this thing was just a no-brainer.

Sam loved it.

And I think at £14, there is

a jolly good chance it is going to make a profit.

I don't know how much.

If I had to put money on it, I would say it'd make £10,

but it might make more.

Now, what is going to tempt you for Tim's Ton?

Maybe a set of napkin rings.

Ticket price - £125.

Could I offer you 75 for them?

You can offer me 75... Um...

I'll start off at 90.

-90?

-Yeah.

That's a bit better, yeah, that's a bit better.

-I love them. 85 and you've got a deal?

-OK.

-Thank you.

-OK.

-Thank you.

Well, that was quick work.

I've decided to buy these fabulous napkin rings - set of six,

pewter, all completely different.

We've got the arachnid here, we've got the fruit, the ivy.

They are all painted differently on the inside.

They're about 1900, 1910,

I would say. Absolutely beautiful.

So, let's have a good butcher's at what you bought, Caroline.

Now, Caroline, I gave you £90 for the team's bonus buy.

Tell us about what you bought.

-I bought this fabulous little miniature camera.

-Uh-huh.

Which is actually a cigarette lighter. It's Japanese.

Look, a little compass in it.

Press this. Isn't that fabulous?

It is delightful, isn't it?

-A bit of Four Star in there, you'll be fine.

-Yeah.

-And how much did you spend?

-£14.

I've seen them sell at auction, sort of virgin, new and unused,

for just under £100.

So I think, quite frankly,

if you spent 14, you've done extraordinarily well.

-Tim's Ton. I gave you £100 and you bought this group here.

-Yes.

-I did.

-How much did you spend?

-I spent 85.

-Did you?

-And I think it was 85 very well spent.

-OK, fine.

Now, I have got to make my prediction as to which of these is

going to bring, in proportion to the purchase price, the largest profit.

And I have to say, without shadow, hesitation or repetition,

that your Japanese miniature camera lighter is going to

bring by far the largest profit.

-Happy with that?

-Happy.

-OK. It is only a prediction after all.

Now, why don't we have a look at how poor Colin Young is

getting on with the Blue team's bonus buys?

Now, Colin, remember,

you have a whopping £198 to buy the team's bonus buy

and the additional £100 Tim's Ton.

That is quite a good piece. Factory, as we know - Worcester.

Nice markings on the bottom there.

Date-wise, just after 1900 - 1902, 1903.

Nicely hand-painted floral decoration.

No restoration around the neck.

Doesn't look like there is anything extra painted around that.

So I am quite happy that that is OK.

Price tag on it - 140.

That is going to be a bit keen if we go to auction.

You would certainly expect something like this to be over the 100.

So it is going to be a bit tight on the money,

but we'll see what we can do with a bit of negotiation.

Um, yeah, I think we could do a little bit on that for you.

It's 140. I think we can do... How does 120 sound to you?

120 sounds good. Something lower would sound better.

-But if that is what it is...

-I think 120 is a bit fair

-and I think you'll do very well at auction with that.

-You do?

You have confidence in it?

Absolutely, a lot of confidence in that piece.

-Excellent. Right, I think we'll have that, then.

-Very good.

We'll have the deal on that. Thank you very much.

Well done, Colin. Just Tim's Ton to go.

He's a quick worker, that boy,

and I think he's spotted something already.

Now, that's a really interesting fish slice.

Nice decoration.

Now, sir, I've seen your price on it.

I'm going to be a little bit cheeky here.

No word of a lie, I'm on an absolute budget.

We're doing something with Tim's Ton. I've got £100 to spend.

-Just this once.

-You will?

-One for one.

-One for one, excellent stuff. Thank you very much indeed.

-Thank you.

It's very obvious to everyone that silver is always a good seller.

When you're buying silver, always go for the better things.

It's always a good idea to go for things like cutlery and flatware.

Go for period. We've gone here - George III rather than Victorian.

Just a little bit older, little bit more interesting.

Well, I'll be the judge of that.

The revelation of Colin Young's bonus buys.

-Now, the team's bonus buy. You had £198.

-Yes.

-And you went with this little pot.

-Yeah.

-OK, tell us about it.

Um, the main thing I went for was I thought the money was right,

-or it seemed it when I was buying it.

-Yes.

-120 was spent on that, is that right?

-Yes.

-OK, fine.

Then I gave you Tim's Ton.

I gave you the £100 for the extra bonus buy.

-And is that what you went for?

-That's what I went for.

-Well, that's solid silver and in very nice condition.

-Marked at £200.

Don't tell me you got a £200 slice for £100!

-Oh, I cut off more than a slice. 100 it was.

-That is wicked!

Now, I have to make my prediction as to which item is going to

bring the biggest profit in proportion to its purchase price.

And without a shadow of a doubt,

I'm going to make my prediction that Tim's Ton Buy, Colin's

cunning purchase of the Georgian fish slice, will do precisely that.

But right now, for our lovely audience, we're going to

trot off to London, to a museum, a museum of social history.

Uh-ah!

The Geffrye Museum in London's East End

is set within a group of Grade 1 listed arms houses.

These were built as the result of a bequest from Sir Robert Geffrye,

who you see there, in the front of that facade.

And they were built in 1714 to provide shelter for poor pensioners.

Each of the rooms here reflects the homes of the middle classes

in London, the prosperous sector of society.

They depict how urban life has changed over the last 400 years.

The Geffrye's collection of interior design

and decorative arts has been arranged in chronological order.

And today, I'm going to have a look at four slices of the 20th century.

MUSIC: The Entertainer by Scott Joplin

And our first slice includes a typical Edwardian family home

as it might have looked around 1910.

What we have are

typically mass-produced, machine-made style

pieces of furniture,

like the satinwood inlaid Sheraton revival centre table.

But the overall impression that you get from this home

is Arts and Crafts.

The fire surround, although machine made in a factory,

has the elements of the Arts and Crafts movement.

Those little bosses in ceramic, heart-shaped,

just reek Arts and Crafts and Voysey.

And one of the foremost architects

and Arts and Crafts designers of the period

is Charles Robert Ashbee.

And an example of his handiwork is this silver trumpet

or tapering-sided vase.

The grade of silver is thick, it is a heavy object.

It has been entirely made by hand.

What I like about it is this bottom band

because this is a band of tightly drawn

and embossed foliage interposed by these oddball, little balloons,

which it could be argued are actually stylised honesty.

Honestly, it is the most divine object.

And here, if we scroll forward a couple of decades,

the horrors of the First World War have been endured

and the survivors just longed to live in an apartment like this.

Dating from, say, about 1930,

the absolute must-have modernity of that moment.

There's no fussy embellishment

in the Victorian or Edwardian style here.

This is the best of what goes to make up the Art Deco style.

Like this little tea set.

Here we have got something that looks just like Clarice Cliff,

except it ain't.

It is actually transfer printed

and then mechanically enamelled in the Clarice Cliff style.

But with these bright and jolly colours,

it too exemplifies

everything that is unusual and bold

about the Art Deco period.

ROCK'N'ROLL MUSIC

What were you doing in 1963?

Well, I suggest you don't tell the grandchildren.

But if you were posh in that period,

you would aspire to live in a room like this.

This is open plan living from the 1960s.

We don't have a fireplace anymore,

we have a room where everything happens, including the eating.

We've got a dining table with beautifully designed chairs

that exactly fit snugly under it, so when you're not eating,

the whole thing occupies the minimum of space.

And because we've got no fireplace together around,

what you did in the 1960s was to gather around the telly.

And in this display,

we have the most desirable of 1960s tellies,

something called a video sphere,

that looks like Sputnik's helmet and, of course,

is in the most desirable of colours - uranium orange.

And now, onto the '90s.

Around 1998,

the conversion of redundant industrial buildings

was all the rage.

And that's what this is - a loft conversion.

You can still see the remnant of the Victorian warehouse

in the cast-iron frame in the window, together with the use of a

mezzanine, that means the high-ceiling height

in the loft can be utilised.

The ultramodern stainless steel kitchen is not so different

from our kitchens today.

In fact, you could argue that we haven't moved on that

much from, say, 1998.

And now, for something potty.

Aren't they weird looking?

They are made by a potter called Sophie Cook,

and she made them in 1998.

She throws her stuff in porcelain, which is...difficult.

Half of them blow up in the kiln.

The survivors have quirky characteristics - tall,

elongated, rather futuristic looking things,

each of which has twists and kinks to them that are not replicated

one to another, and they have got a quality which demands a collection.

In other words, one of these on their own wouldn't look much cop,

but if you have two or three, they become very attractive.

But the big question for us today, of course, over at the auction is -

just how attractive are the profits going to be that our teams generate?

Or not.

Well, we have trotted to Shrewsbury, to be at Halls saleroom -

what could be nicer - with Jeremy Lamond.

-Jeremy, thank you for having us.

-Welcome, Tim.

Now, we have got a very strange mixture of stuff -

surprise, surprise -

starting off with the child's bentwood folding rickshaw.

Yeah, I think it is more likely to be a doll's

bentwood folding rickshaw,

or certainly it will now because I don't think it's...

For health and safety reasons,

-you probably couldn't put a child in it anymore.

-How much?

-We thought £20 or £30 to maybe a doll collector.

-Really?

-£120 was paid by our Phil.

-Hm.

Anyway, moving on to the kind of flapping period

with this silver mesh bag.

You know, they are not rare items.

-Made of metal, so lots of them survived.

-Hm.

Just not that much metal in it for me. How much money-wise?

-We think £15 to £20.

-OK, £30 paid.

So that is a bit tight, too. And now the picnic set from heaven

for the 1965 flavour of sandwiches and hot drinks outdoors.

I mean, that is just a peach.

I always think that these are underpriced for what you get.

They are nearly always unused or complete like this.

And I think they are underpriced at the moment.

-We've put £20 to £30 on them.

-Is that all?!

Our team paid £60, all right?

They really rated it. But there you are.

So it could be a problem for this team.

And they are definitely going to need their bonus buys,

so let's go and have a look at them.

Now, teams, this is exciting, isn't it?

You gave Caroline £90 of leftover lolly to find

the team's bonus buy. Caroline, what did you find?

I bought something which I think you are going to love.

-Look at that!

-Yeah, Sam?

-Yes! You are smiling, Sam?

-Yeah. It's good, isn't it?

I think it is fabulous.

Look at that. A little table lighter.

-In the shape of a camera, which you love, don't you?

-Yeah.

And how cool would you be?

That could sit on your desk, flick it open.

-Did you haggle him down?

-You walked away at 15, didn't you?

-Yeah.

-I squeezed a little bit harder.

-13.

-14.

-14.

He liked you more than me, then.

He liked us both the same. It is just I pressed a little harder.

-So, we're happy with that, then, aren't we?

-We are. We are.

How much do we think this will make at auction?

I think is going to make £20 to £30, depending on who's there.

-OK.

-Sounds good.

-Back over to Jeremy to find out his thoughts.

Well, J, jolly nice Japanese cigarette lighter

in the form of a camera.

Well, it is a novelty, isn't it? Every table should have one.

And, you know, if it had its original box, it would be a

lot of money, but it hasn't.

-And therefore, we think £15 or £20 for her.

-Yeah.

Cos in that box, they can make £60, £80, can't they?

Oh, they can, yeah.

OK, so that is fine, then. Estimate 15 to 20, lovely.

Now, for Tim's Ton, this is the second bonus buy.

There you go, Caroline. You had your £100.

You went out wilfully, honestly, and spent on this.

-Now, a set of six napkin rings.

-Napkin rings.

-Have a look.

-Right.

-They are pewter...

-Yeah.

-..on wood,

-painted differently, obviously, inside.

-Yeah.

-But wonderful Art Nouveau, Arts and Craftsy.

-They're lovely.

-Looking good, looking good.

-Good. What do you think I spent?

-85.

-OK.

-How much do you reckon they will bring?

-I think they are going to scrape the 100.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-It's certainly different.

-I am with you on that.

-I think we'll make 100 on them.

-Yeah?

-We should.

But just because we should, doesn't mean we will.

-Yeah.

-That is oh-so true.

Anyway, chaps, you don't pick now, you pick later,

either one of the bonus buys,

depending on whether you feel you need to take either one.

Let's see what the auctioneer thinks of Caroline's napkin rings.

Now, Tim's Ton. Caroline had 100 and she went out

and splashed it on those - six napkin rings.

Well, Arts and Crafts refurbished, I think. Pewter.

Not the best seller in the world, but there are six of them,

-they are a set, so... £20 or £30?

-Really?

-Hm.

-She paid £85.

-Yeah, that's...

But you never know, the team, with any luck, won't go with

the napkin rings, it'll go with the lighter.

-The lighter, definitely.

-Anyway, so, that's it for the Reds.

Now for the Blues.

First up for them is their marvellous walnut music cabinet.

-Yes.

-But very difficult to sell, I guess, J.

Well, you know,

brown furniture has had a bit of a knock

in the last 15 to 20 years even.

-Hm.

-But there are plenty of pianists who would like it

and plenty of people who could find something else to

put in the folio drawers, so that is all good.

We think £40 to £60 good.

OK, £60 paid, so that's fair enough.

-Next, we have got the singing frogs.

-Yeah.

-It is a particular taste, isn't it?

-Yes.

You'd have a grenouille on your table, like that.

They come from the Far East last year, don't they?

-They are modern reproduction.

-They probably are.

Um, £20 or £30 to a frog lover.

OK, £12 is all they paid, so that is about the right price.

And lastly, intriguingly, is the bit of the automobilia -

-your skid lid...

-Well, it really wouldn't work for me, I think

there'll be more appeal to these, actually.

Yeah, the lemon lenses are something else, aren't they?

What do you do with that? You can't wear it on your bike anymore.

Again, £20 to £30, we thought.

OK, fine, £30 paid, so that is neither here nor there, really.

It all depends on how they get on with their music cabinet as to

whether they are going to need their bonus buys or not.

Let's go and have a look.

Dear, oh, dear, oh, dear.

As you can see, Cath and Sarah are lost in transit.

Now, this doesn't happen very often, Colin.

And with any luck, if they beetle up the road to Shrewsbury,

they'll be here in time for the auction.

So, as if Cath and Sarah are here,

you had £180 of leftover lolly. What did you buy?

-Well, I bought a little piece of Worcester.

-Let's have a look.

So that's it. A little bit of Worcester.

-I have seen that before. We know all about that one.

-Right.

'But I wonder what Jeremy thinks about it.'

-Right, one baluster Worcester pot for the taking of.

-Yes.

James Hadley, early 20th century.

That should be £30 to £40.

Really, is that all?

Dear, oh, dear, oh, dear. £120 paid for that.

-Well, that's great, that's a retail price.

-Isn't it?

-He has paid the right money.

-OK, fine.

-But not for auction.

Not for auction and not for a bonus buy.

'What about Tim's Ton?'

You had £100, which is Tim's Ton,

which I will reveal for you, Colin. Which is... A fish slice,

about which we know everything.

So we don't have to explain about that to Cath or Sarah,

who hopefully will arrive at the auction all hot

and bothered in just a few moments.

If they don't, it is going to be a bit lonely, isn't it?

Don't worry, you can snuggle up to me, Colin.

'Hm, that's all very cosy, but what does Jeremy think?'

So, next up is Tim's Ton, which came in a box,

-ready to slice up your salmon.

-Well, this is quite good.

It has got an early fiddle pattern.

Regency period 1817 fish slice.

So we have put £40 to £60 on it.

But it could easily make £100.

So, actually the estimate is £40 to £60, but it might do better.

-Might do.

-Just like me.

-And you.

-Could do better.

-Thank you, Jeremy.

OK, Jeremy, look sharp, it's time to rush off to your rostrum.

-Did the girls make it?

-All done at 20?

First up, we have got the bentwood rickshaw, and here it comes.

20th century child's bentwood rickshaw is lot 278.

So, who's going to start me at a nice, low £10 for it?

£10 for the rickshaw.

Where is a tenner? £10.

Very back of the room, £10.

-A tenner!

-15, there you go.

-15.

15, 18, 20, 22.

-Come on!

-Give it a chance.

30 on the net. 35.

Yes!

35 in the room, then, at £35. 35...

At £35, all finished?

£35, I don't like the look of this.

That is five short of 40,

which means that is minus 85.

Oh, dear.

Oh, dear!

Here comes your mesh purse.

Mesh evening purse here.

What about that for a tenner?

£10 for it. Ten is bid.

Surley... Do you think so?

Only £10, £10.

At ten. Anybody else, then?

At £10. 12 here.

Yes? 15.

£15, then. At 15.

Selling at £15.

20 on the internet.

£20, it is here.

Two. £22 now.

At 22, the bid is in the room. 25.

-£25 now.

-It has got to be more than that.

-Oh, come on, one more!

-It has! It is so cheap!

The bid is on the internet at £30, and you are out at the back.

At £30. Finished at 30?

-GAVEL SOUNDS

-Come on... Oh!

-£30, wiped its face.

-We're still at minus 85.

-Here we go.

Here comes the picnic case.

Circa 1960s -

'50s, '60s - picnic set.

And I can start here at £25 for it.

28. £30 with me on commission.

32 with you.

£32 at the back of the room.

35 on the internet.

-Good old internet.

-Yep, 38. At £38.

38. It's with you at the back.

Come on! It's all done, then?

At 38.

-MOCK CRYING:

-38!

Two off 40. Oh, no.

That's minus 22. 85, 105. Minus 107.

-Yeah.

-So, which one are you going to go for?

Are you going to go for the table lighter or are you going to

go for the napkin...?

-Table lighter, is it?

-Yeah, we'll try that.

-Yeah.

-Yes?

-Yeah.

That is the bonus buy we're going with -

the team's bonus buy - and here it comes.

This is the novelty Japanese table lighter, lot 284.

It won't take your picture, but it will light your cigarette. Lot 284.

What about it? £15 for it?

-Who has got it?

-It has got to be 15.

-Got to be £15.

-It has got to be.

Who has got 18? 18 now in the room.

20 now on the net.

22. Internet, you are out. At 25.

-There we are.

-It's going, it's going.

At 25, it's on the internet. At 25.

-Come on.

-There you go.

-Come on.

£25, well done, is plus £11.

Well done, Caroline, that's marvellous.

Now, you didn't go with the special bonus buy, Tim's Ton,

but we are going to sell it anyway. And here it comes.

Six in the lot. Good set here.

Who is going to start me, £10? Tenner.

Ten is bid. At ten.

12 down here. 15 now.

18. 20. £20.

At 20 on the left. 25 on the internet. 30.

-It is 30 in the room.

-That is so cheap.

-They are so stylish.

-They are.

35 on the internet.

At 35, it is an internet bid now.

At £35.

And I'm selling. At £35... All done?

-No!

-£35 is minus 50.

You made the right decision not going with that, chaps.

Anyway, your £11 profit -

well done, Caroline -

on the team's bonus buy means that the team are minus 96,

which, bearing in mind this has been a bloodbath,

could be a winning score, all right?

Don't feel badly about it. Could be a winning score.

Don't say a word to the Blues

and all will be revealed in a moment, OK? Well done for that.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Now, let us hope that our Blues are going to arrive.

Now, we are a couple of dummies here,

-but are these girls going to turn up?

-Who knows?

Hello, we're here!

I mean, what is going on here, Cath, eh?

We can get the dummies out of the way. Where have you been?

We just had a little bit of a late start.

What do you mean a late start? You couldn't get out of bed, right?

-Our alarms didn't go off, sorry.

-Your alarms didn't go off!

It's like 12-year-olds, isn't it?

-Yeah!

-Anyway, you are here now, and that is the important moment.

First up is your walnut music cabinet, and here it comes.

Lot 301 is the Victorian walnut music cabinet.

Who is going to start me here?

£20 for it. £20.

Yes? 20. Two. 25. 28.

30. Five.

40. Five.

50. Five.

-I say!

-60. 65.

-Yes!

-That's all right.

-Yes?

£70, selling at 70...

The thing to do is to stay in bed.

THEY GIGGLE

Plus £10 for not getting out of bed.

-Here's my frogs.

-Here's your frogs, come on.

Ribbit!

Candelabrum. £20 for the frogs.

20 is bid, thank you very much.

Yes, you are in profit with that!

-22.

-Well, I jig it.

28. 30. 32.

35. 38. 40.

45. 45 in front.

At £45 for the frog.

40... Was it 45?

-Yes, it was 45.

-Check 45.

45 is lovely cos that is plus 33.

The vintage motorcycle helmet

and the goggles here

at £22 on commission. At 22.

25 now. At 25.

-28.

-Yes!

-Yes!

-29 here.

Yes, they're going! Go on, one more.

-32.

-Yes!

-32!

At £32 it is.

You have a profit on all three items!

£32 is plus £2, and that means...

Yes!

Well done, girls!

This is very good. You are plus £45, kids.

-That's pretty cool, isn't it?

-That's brilliant!

-£45!

Now, what are you going to do about these bonus buys?

We have on the table for your delectation

£120 worth of Worcester vase. That is the team's bonus buy.

Or the fiddle pattern fish slice for £100.

-No.

-No, were not.

OK, we are not going with the bonus buys, neither of them.

Well, we're going to sell them anyway.

And the first one is the vase, and here it comes.

I can start this one at £25, £30.

At 30. At £30,

it is a commission bid now at £30.

Five. 40.

£40, it is still with me. Five. 50 now.

120 paid.

£55 At the back of the room.

At £55, 60 if you like.

At £55, I'm selling.

60 on the internet.

60...

It is minus £60.

Sorry, we shouldn't be so...

Now, I had to make a prediction as to which one

I thought was going to make proportionally the most profit,

and I said the fish slice.

Now is lot 308, Richard Turner, 1817.

Start me at £30 for it.

Early silver fish slice, £30.

30 is bid on the internet.

Now at £30. Five. £35.

Are you bidding on the net? 40.

Five. Room bid, then, at £45.

All done at 45...?

£45 is minus £55.

So, there we are, I got that well and truly wrong.

And you did best, Colin, with your first bonus buy,

which only managed to lose £60.

But that doesn't matter cos the girls went with neither.

You stuck to your guns. You have £45 worth of profit.

You have a profit on all three items.

Don't say a word to the Reds.

-To the boys.

-All right? Don't say a word to the Reds, OK?

-Are you happy with that?

-Yeah.

-Magnificent performance.

Thanks very much for coming. Eventually.

THEY LAUGH

Well, well, well.

One of our teams today is smiling, but which one is it?

Have you been chatting at all about the scores? Not at all. OK, fine.

Well, I have to reveal it now.

And the runners-up today by a good old chunk just happen to be

-the Reds.

-Oh!

You are minus £96.

It would have been worse were it not for Caroline's Japanese lighter.

And I was with you with that, I predicted that that would do

best, Caroline, so we are both right on that one, my darling.

But only one team can win substantially,

and that team today are the Blues. So well done, girls.

You are going home with £45.

-Yay!

-£45.

And you not only get your £45, but you also get entry to the

-ancient and noble order of the Golden Gavellers.

-Yes!

-Yes!

These girls got a profit on every single item. Here we go, look.

Look at that, Cath. Go for it.

-Sarah, go for it. Colin, go for it.

-Thank you.

One for your collection.

-Yet another.

-How lovely is that? Good feeling, is it?

You'll be going off for a jolly nice swim in a minute, won't you?

-Yes.

-I bet you'll never ever be late for Bargain Hunt ever again, right?

No.

Anyway, that's a first. Good luck, teams.

It has been such fun, join us soon from some more

-bargain hunting. Yes?

-ALL: Yes!