Oswestry Bargain Hunt

We're in Oswestry, Shropshire,

a busy little town nestling on the border with Wales.

Its markets have attracted trade

since the Middle Ages, so let's hope that our teams today

will keep the tradition alive and kicking.

Each team has 300 quid, and an hour

to sniff out those bargains which will be sold at auction.

The winners are those that make the most profit,

and to help them on their way, they'll be given an excellent expert.

Let's go and meet the teams!

Today we've got two teams of happily married couples,

Graham and Charlotte,

and Theresa and Ernie. Welcome to Bargain Hunt.

-Charlotte, you only got married last year.

-We did, yes.

How long have you known each other?

We actually first met at school when we were about 16,

but we lost touch after that,

and got together again about three years ago.

-And you haven't got rid of him since?

-No.

-And now

-you're expecting a baby?

-I am, yes.

-Congratulations on that.

-What are you hoping to have?

-I really don't mind.

Graham's already got a son, and he's seven,

so he's very excited as well. I think he'd like a boy,

but I'm fine with either.

-What do you do for a living?

-I'm a GP.

-Oh, are you?

-Yes.

-Where do you do that?

-In Northwich, in Cheshire.

-Brilliant.

What do you do with any precious spare time?

I read an awful lot.

Rather conveniently, Graham, you're particularly keen

-on books, aren't you?

-Yes.

A few years ago, when moving house,

I decided to try and sell a few I had spare,

and found it went quite well, and I thought I'd try it full-time

and make a bit of money. So that's what I do for a living now.

That's rather fun. You obviously love your books, what's the big tip of the moment with paperback books?

It varies, depends what's out of print,

but Paul Gallico, the American writer, that's often...

You can pick those up fairly cheaply, and sell them on at a profit.

Well, there's a tip. Thanks for that, and very good luck today.

-Thank you.

-Now, the blues. Ernie,

-you've been married for 52 years?

-Yes.

-How did you first meet?

Well, I was in the Navy, I was home on one leave,

and a friend of mine who was in the Army was home together,

so we was going out together. And as I came out of the house,

-there was these two girls on the other side of the road...

-Oh, yes.

..seemed to be having trouble. Theresa had got a puncture.

-Being the gentleman I am...

-You'd put the nails on the road first...(!)

I repaired it for her... I repaired it for her!

And then we invited them to come down to play golf,

-which was quite handy, cos they caddied for us!

-Brilliant.

-And that's how we met!

-You had a puncture, you had a game of golf and free caddying?

-Yes!

Well, it sounds like a marriage made in heaven to me!

Theresa, is there anything you like to collect?

Yes, I like to collect Royal memorabilia,

little tiny, lovely little handbags...

-But you're also a talented writer.

-Well, I wouldn't put it like that, but...

I entered a competition once, and wrote a poem about sausages, and won a nice little trophy.

-Sausages?

-Yes!

-Is that the trophy?

-Yes.

Well, that's brilliant, isn't it?

-He's also got a bow tie on.

-He has got a bow tie on.

But thank goodness he doesn't have a moustache!

I've got a little poem here about a certain bow tie.

You've written one about me?

Have you noticed Tim's bow tie?

-Cheeky and charming, like his eyes.

-Ooh!

I wonder who's the lucky girl

to make Tim's bow tie twist and twirl...

Dirty beasts!

This is a family show!

-Anyway, the money moment. £300. There you go, £300.

-Thank you.

You know the rules, your experts await,

and off you go, and very, very good luck.

So will it be the bookish reds,

or the poetry-loving blues who make the grade today?

Catherine Southon is making sure

the reds play by the book.

And the blues better watch their P's and Q's with James Braxton.

I like the look of that.

I like the colour. Ooh, that's lovely.

-What have you got there?

-I'm not sure.

If we just open it up, let's see...

-we've got ourselves a little watch.

-It's very neat.

-Why did you go for this?

-The colour, it's nice and bright,

and it contrasts to the rest of the stuff on the stand.

-Do you like it?

-The case is lovely.

-I love the colour...

-Yes.

-..it's a really nice, good vivid red,

obviously, it's lovely snakeskin. Never heard of that name before,

I have to say... "Laco 17 Jewels." I guess that means 17 jewelled movement.

Let's have a look around... Here we are.

"US." It's obviously an United States of America make.

It'd be really nice if it was an English watch,

but...nevertheless, we have got a nice case.

-What do you think?

-It seems very tactile, it's lovely.

I mean, I've certainly never seen anything like it before.

-It was £60 on the ticket.

-Right.

-Any good?

-What do you think it'd make?

-It may be slightly high.

If we could get that down a bit, maybe £40 - £50, we should make a profit on that.

Try and get it for a little bit less. Be mean.

-Tell them we've no money and see what you can do! Good luck.

-We'll try.

They trousered the watch for £55.

But will it be a profitable purchase or a waste of time?

-What do you think about this, Ernie?

-It is very nice, I like that, yeah.

-I think it's lovely.

-It is, yeah.

-I tell you what we'll do.

-What?

-MOBILE PHONE RINGS

-Hello?

Hello, James.

Hello, Theresa.

Can you come and find us, cos we've found something very interesting?

Yeah, certainly.

Why have you beckoned me over?

I've just put down a kettle for... What's this?

It certainly looks like Mickey, but what is it?

It's a Mickey Mouse telephone from the '70s.

I used to work for BT,

and when we went public in the... '70-something, I can't remember now,

we brought all these unusual phones out

and Mickey was one of the first we brought out.

Where's the handset?

In his rucksack, I see.

So, Tyco. And actually made in Hong Kong. My word.

The crucial thing is, what's the price?

-£29.

-£29.

And, you know, are you happy, Ernie,

-about spending £29 on this?

-What do you think?

-Would it make a profit?

-I haven't a clue. It's not my area of expertise.

Mickey Mouse is a fine fellow, isn't he? But let's get it at a low price,

-and see if we make a profit.

-Well, she's the one who can do the bargaining, believe you me!

No need to phone a friend on this one.

Theresa got the dog and bone for a mouse-sized £15.

-Catherine?

-Yes?

-We found this.

-Ooh, he's adorable!

-He's lovely, isn't he?

-Why did you go for him?

-He's just gorgeous,

-his face is lovely.

-Silly question, really, cos he's so lovely!

-Yes.

-Oh, I love him! Let me tell you something about him, because he's really rather smart.

-He's not an English bear...

-Right.

-..he's actually Austrian.

This bear's actually made by Fecta. Fecta was a partnership,

there were two people making these bears

at home in their small little cottage.

They became so popular that, in time, a couple of years later,

they opened a factory and began producing thousands of these bears.

-Right.

-I can see why he appealed to you,

because he has got a lovely character and nice mouth.

What else was it that you went for?

-I...I think he looks loved.

-Did he shout out at you?

-"Come and buy me!"

-He did, yeah.

You're not saying much, Graham! I know it is a bit of a girly thing,

-a bit of a mummy thing.

-Well, I don't want to look too soft!

-What do you think?

-I like it. I think it's...

-Have a little feel.

I don't know if we'll make anything,

because it's so old and a bit worn, but...we'll see.

Don't worry about that. I mean, there's...

teddy bear collectors everywhere, and they buy them worn.

-They're not worried about that, it adds to the character, so don't worry.

-OK.

What worries me more, is the fact that the pads have been replaced.

If you just look onto the paws here, you can see that these are replacement.

They probably would have originally been velvet.

-How much are they actually asking for this?

-They were asking 88,

-but we've actually bought him.

-I was going to say, "were" asking?

Yeah, we bought him. We bought him for 50.

-I don't think that's too bad.

-Good.

-I think you might have got yourself a bargain there.

-Great.

-Excellent.

-I'd like to see it at auction...

probably with an estimate of £50 to £80, and hope it does quite well.

But there's more bargains to be had! Come on, let's get hunting!

£50 spent on ted.

A cute route to profit, or an unbearably high price?

James...

What do you think about this?

Theresa... Oh, wow!

What a splendid tray!

Now, the person who'd have a Mickey Mouse phone in their home

would have this as well, wouldn't they?

-With Mickey on it!

-Probably with Mickey on it.

Very nice. Do you know where it comes from?

Well, I had an idea it came from Italy,

because when we was in Venice,

I saw something similar to these in the shops there.

You're dead right, Ernie.

-Do you like it, Theresa?

-I think it's lovely, I love all this

-inlaid work.

-Mainly, it's southern Italian...

marquetry, and it's mainly centred around the town of Sorento.

-This is generally referred to... the lighter wood's referred to as boxwood...

-Yeah.

..and the stained wood, especially green,

is normally a sycamore, which is known as harewood.

Hopefully it's not plastic.

-And do you think there's any profit in this?

-Ah...

-At £28, Ernie... No.

-Oh.

-Theresa, you'll have to do your magic work again!

-Yes, I'll get that down.

I want £10 or £15 from you, OK?

I think this is going to look great in a home in Cheshire.

Fantastic!

They got the tray for a mere £15.

So let's hope it gives them something to smile about at auction.

After shopping time is over,

each team's left-over LOLLY

will be given to their expert

to scurry around the fair, to find some excellent object

with which he may boost, or deflate, the team's profits

when they're sold at auction. Do you know something?

You can't lick this left-over lolly. Mm!

-I think we've bought some good things.

-Oh, I see, you two just sit there and relax,

and I'll go off and do all the hard work for you(!)

Well, I know you wanted a bit of silver...

-What do you think about that?

-I really like that.

-It's a nice piece.

It's quite plain, which I really like, because I think it's...

-it's classy, isn't it?

-It's not too fussy.

-Plain but classy.

-I think you hit the nail on the head there!

It's not highly decorative, but it has a few lovely qualities.

Graham, you like it, but would you actually buy it yourself?

I would worry about cleaning it, but apart from that...

I could see us having that. How old is it?

Hallmark is actually dating it, it's got the date letter C...

so that's telling us it's 1927.

It's actually got the anchor as well, which tells us that it's made in Birmingham.

I just think it's a good, classic, elegant piece.

-It's got that lovely weight to it...

-Yeah.

..it's not thin, it's got a good quality to it.

It was up for £147. Bit of a strange amount, I know,

but I've been talking and dealing, and I can get it for £95.

-That's a good reduction!

-That is a good reduction.

-What do you think it will make at auction?

-I'd like to think we could get a bit of profit on this,

just because it is slightly unusual, the handle is unusual,

and this lovely little detail under the spout.

So I would like to think we would get £100 plus.

-You've convinced me!

-Yes!

Well, with £95 paid, they'll be hoping to cream off a profit with that one.

James, Ernie, come and look at these.

Very smart, aren't they?

I think so.

Do you know their purpose? Everything had a purpose.

-Butter knives.

-Butter knives.

For cream teas, scones, crumpets.

Not necessarily just for the butter.

They were colloquially known as tea knives.

What's the material there?

-Well, it's silver.

-It's silver, is it?

I think it says stainless, myself.

I think you're both right, really.

So the blade is stainless steel,

and this is not solid silver, you're right.

It's a case, a sort of silver case

and then they fill it up with a hot resin,

and that secures it. What's the date? It says 1932, doesn't it?

-1932.

-1932, yeah.

-Do you think they'll make money at the auction?

-How much are they priced at?

-34.

-34.

You've really got to get it a lot lower than that.

Sort of thing at auction, we work on them making

-about £5 to £10 a box.

-I'll really have to...

-So there's a disparity there.

-Yeah.

So go off and bargain, and get the price down as near as £10.

Right, I'll try and do that, then.

It's not a matter of trying, Theresa, it's needing.

You're right again, James.

Getting the knives for a tenner was a tall order,

but they clinched the deal for £28.

Time's up!

Let's take a butcher's...

at what the teams bought.

The reds are hoping to clock up a profit

with their American watch, bought for £55.

They're playing the cute and cuddly card with the Austrian bear,

bought for £50.

And are hoping the £95 spent on the silver cream jug

will leave them minted at auction.

The blues are HANGING ON for a profit,

with the Mickey Mouse phone, bought for £15.

But will they be celebrating

when their £15 drinks tray goes under the hammer? Yeuch!

Or could the £28 spent on the silver handled butter knives

slice into their profits?

So Charlotte and Graham, you spent £200.

-We did.

-Very respectable.

You gave 100 to Catherine, what did she spend it on?

Well...

Ta-dah!

Now, you may well ask, as indeed I did!

Graham, I thought of you, because Charlotte and I

pretty much had our own say when we went round the fair...

-We did!

-..and you were, sort of, standing back. Now, I know

that you're a book dealer, and this is

-a silver bookmark.

-I think it's very nice.

-I've never seen anything like it before.

-It's actually Birmingham,

-it's hallmarked 1890, and it has a mother-of-pearl handle.

-Charlotte will love this.

-I love it, it's gorgeous.

-It's quite dinky.

-Yeah. How much did you pay for it?

I actually paid £40, which I didn't think was too bad.

I mean, I have to say,

I'm not hugely experienced on these, so I don't know exactly how much

they would make at auction, but I'd hope

it would make, around, sort of, 55, that sort of price.

-Yeah.

-Very good.

-Would people collect this kind of thing?

-I hope so!

And I hope they're here today!

Shall we just have a little look and see how it works, Graham?

-Because it's an oddball design, you're quite right. Looks like a trowel...

-Yes.

..with a mother-of-pearl handle. You simply slip this little trowel in,

and that tongue would grip the piece of paper

and...you'd know where you were next time round.

-Yes.

-Which I think is rather brilliant, isn't it?

-I think so,

-I think it's a very pretty object.

-£40 paid.

Theresa and Ernie, you've spent 58 miserable pounds.

£242 went to James

to buy you a bonus buy. Let's have a look at it.

-Or, them...

-I have an undying love for these particular vases.

This sort of case glass, so you get three colours.

Green and yellow, can I hand that to you?

-Oh, yes.

-And Ernie, you've got a red and yellow...

I've got a red and yellow. I thought it might make...

-If you just hold that, an attractive garniture of three.

-Yes.

-A garniture of three.

-How much did you pay for them?

-What do you say?

I paid £105 for the three.

105!

You see, your money's safe with me!

-Yes.

-What do you think of them?

I think they're very nice, I love the colours, and I think,

-with the light shining through...

-Don't put them somewhere dark.

-What do you think?

-Well, I'm sorry, but I disagree.

-They just don't do anything for me, you know?

-Really?

-No.

-Well, we'll see what happens.

-Sell your first three...

-Yes.

-..see what position you're in then,

and then decide if you're going to run with this or not, OK?

So, Charlotte and Graham, how are you feeling?

-Terrified. Quite nervous!

-I mean, how about you Graham?

-More hopeful than terrified.

-That's what we like!

-He's very solid, your old man, isn't he?

-Yes, yes.

Anyway, let's quickly run through the lots.

The snakeskin case Movado type watch, you found that, Graham,

which was great. Paid £55. £30 to £50 is his estimate.

-But it may do OK.

-Yes.

-It's a nice little thing.

-It is a good thing.

-Charlotte, you found the bear.

-Yes.

-Lovely cuddly bear.

-We like that.

-40 to 60 is the estimate on that. You paid 50.

-We paid 50, yes.

So that's kind of on the cusp. And the little cream jug

-was a joint effort, I think.

-Yes.

-55 to 60 is his estimate,

-which is a really tight estimate.

-It is a very tight estimate.

And £95 was paid, so there could be... If there's any holes in this at all,

it will be that cream jug, in my opinion. But if the worst comes to the worst,

-you've got that lovely bookmark to fall back on...

-Yes.

-..which you'd really like to own yourself, wouldn't you?

-Yes, we would!

Anyway, fine. So, first up is going to be your watch, Graham,

and it's coming now.

Next lot is 200, a lady's travelling watch, in a red snakeskin case.

There we are. Pretty little item there.

Lot 200, start me at £30, please.

£30. 30 bid, take two.

At £30, 32, 35...

We need some more bids here.

35, at £35. 38...

and 40, 42... 45, 48...

50, 55,

60, 65,

60, in the corner.

£60, any more now? £60.

All done now at £60.

-£60 is £5 profit.

-We just squeezed in!

Well done, Graham. That's all I can say. Now, your little bear.

Austrian bear by Fecta.

There we are...

Lot 201, the Fecta teddy bear, lot 201.

Where do you wanna be, £50?

50, 40?

-Come on, he's so sweet!

-Come on!

40 bid... 5, 50, 5,

at 55. Any more now at 55?

All done then at 55.

£55, that's fantastic! Plus £5 on that.

-Now the cream jug.

-1927, there we are.

What is it, £40 worth?

Start me there. £40...

£40 worth.

-No!

-It's gone very quiet.

I'm bid £30 then, take two.

-At 32, 35, 38... 38 in the doorway.

-Come on!

£38, that's its money. 38, are you all done? 38?

Any more now at 38?

All done, 38. On estimate, then, at £38.

-£38.

-Oh, dear.

-I don't believe that.

You are minus £47.

-You were doing so well!

-So what are you going to do?

-Are you going to go with the bookmark?

-Oh, yes!

-Yes.

-Definitely.

-I don't blame you. I think I would too.

-Yes.

-And here it comes.

-Next up is 206,

it's a silver bookmark in the form of a trowel, Birmingham 1890.

pretty little thing there, should be £20.

20 bid, take two. At £20, 22,

25, 28, 30, 32...

35... 38...

-35 at the back.

-Oh, a little bit more!

-£35 at the back of the room.

Any more now? 35, and selling.

35... £35, so that's minus £5.

I don't believe it!

-Theresa and Ernie.

-Yeah.

-Do you know how the reds got on?

-No.

-No idea.

No idea, well, that's fantastic, actually.

-Mickey Mouse, you're a cheeky one, aren't you?

-Mickey Mouse!

£15 only, you paid for that. 15 to 25 is the estimate,

-which is fair enough, isn't it?

-That's not bad, really.

Not bad, really, no, not bad. You should get a profit on that.

-Er, your...your drinks tray, Ern, right.

-Yes.

I'm afraid, I'm not very often that I'm rude about anything,

-but I have been pretty rude about your drinks tray.

-Right.

It just touches a nerve with me, that stuff.

-Would it have been better if I'd had some drinks on it?

-Now you're talking my language!

Anyway, you paid £15, he's put £10 to £20 on it,

you'll probably make a profit, and I'll look really stupid.

But I have been pretty crabby about that, for which I apologise, but it is my view.

The case set of knives, you found those, Theresa. £28, you paid for those.

-He's put about 10, £12 on it.

-Oh, no!

-So there are one or two holes there, I have to tell you.

-Yeah.

But if the worst comes to the worst, you can always fall back on James' vases.

£105 paid, and there's a chance there

that he could dig you out of trouble, right?

-My money's on James!

-Your money's on James. Yes...

-We'll see!

-..that's...that's great!

-No comment!

-Very good, Ernie!

First up is going to be your Mickey Mouse telephone, and here it comes.

The next lot is 225, the Mickey Mouse phone.

There we are, what a good fun item that is.

Lot 225. £1,000 for this(!)

£100, then.

It's quite rare, I believe.

£20. How about 20?

20's bid, take two. And £20 is bid.

At 20, at £20, any more now at 20?

All done at £20, at £20.

Brilliant! £20, that is fantastic!

-Thumbs up to Mickey!

-Plus £5. Well done, darling, that's great!

Now, look out, here comes the drinks tray.

The Italian marquetry drinks tray.

Stunning piece, I'm bid 50, 60,

70, 80, 90 and a pound... Is there 2, now?

At a pound bid. At a pound, any more now?

A pound the only bid, take two?

Surely 2, 3, 4...£4 here.

Any more? It's worth more than £4 as well.

At £4. 5, 6, 7,

8, 9, 10, 12...

14, 16, 18, £16 here.

Any more now? 16... £16.

Are you all finished here? At £16.

What a brilliant auctioneer! £16, that is brilliant. Well done!

Here we go, plus £1. Well, I eat my words!

Here we go. Now, the butter knives.

Stainless steel bladed tea knives

with silver handles, from Sheffield, 1932.

And £10 for these?

£10 for these. 10 bid, take 12. 14, 16,

18, 20.. 18, front row, £18.

Any more on these at £18? Are you all done at 18?

-Any more at £18?

-Come on!

£18, bad luck. You're minus £10 on that.

You were plus six, you're now minus four.

-That could be a winning score.

-Yeah?

It could be a winning score, right? Minus four could be a winning score.

Are you going with these glass vases, Ernie, or not?

-I'm not that sure.

-We're on the show, we're having a go.

-Yeah.

-You're on the show, you're having a go!

-Yeah.

-Well, that's a very good title for a new programme!

We're on the show, we're having a go, you are minus £4,

-you're going with the bonus buy...

-We are.

-..and it's coming up now.

-How exciting!

-Three, or garniture of three,

Italian...stylish...

very stylish Murano Seguso vases there.

What about £50? Please.

-50, gosh.

-£50...

£30 then...

-Ten quid each?!

-I've never heard my showroom so quiet.

-£20.

-Oh, no...!

-£20 for these.

-No, I've got a terrible feeling.

-..I don't think, are they?

-£20.

-I don't think he's going to get even £20.

Well, they're without reserve. £10.

-Come on, five?

-£10, £10...

12? What took you so long?

-CROWD LAUGHS

-15? £12 over here.

£12 here. £12... Is there 15?

Come on. £12 for these, at £12.

£12. That is minus...

-£93.

-Yeah.

That is minus £93.

Minus £93...

and you had minus four before, that means you are minus 97 smackers.

Oh, we nearly did the ton!

You nearly did the ton! Well, I tell you what,

you're on the show, we're having a go...

You've been on the show and now you've gotta go!

Well, well, well, what an extraordinary turn of events, isn't it?

That you should gamble or not gamble. The proof is going to be shown today.

-Have you any idea of what the scores are between the two of you?

-No.

Well, I tell you, if you did know, you'd be bursting into tears,

because sadly the runners up, and I'm not sure they should be the runners up,

-are the blues.

-Oh, no!

-I'm so sorry about this.

You were actually only minus £4, and then you went and did this bonus-buy larky,

and then you finished up, all of a sudden, somehow minus 97.

-Minus 97 is not a great score, I have to say.

-Dear, oh dear.

-Right,

Anyway, there it is. It's happened...!

Well, I'm not pointing any fingers. But I have to tell you,

you have been great sports about this, you've gambled, and I'm afraid you failed.

But the victors today, congratulations, minus £52,

that's all you were, all right? And it was a miserable result, really,

-cos you made profits...

-We did.

-..that wretched cream jug let you down,

-and I don't understand why the bookmark didn't do better.

-No.

-But you've come up stinking of roses.

Anyway, we had great fun, you've been great teams.

-Join us soon for some more bargain hunting, yes?

-ALL: Yes!

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visit bbc.co.uk/lifestyle

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