Gloucester 29 Bargain Hunt

This is the life, very relaxing.

But I can't hang around here all day.

I have got two keen teams, so let's go bargain hunting.

You've guessed it. We're in dock.

Gloucester Docks to be precise, which are based

beside the River Severn, Britain's longest river

and an important thoroughfare for trade for over 2,000 years.

Today's traders, our contestants, are shopping in the Gloucester

Antiques Centre behind me in their quest for bargains.

The aim of the game is to make a profit.

I gave each of the teams ?300 and an hour to shop for three items

and they get the help of their very own expert.

Their items get sold at auction and any profit, they keep.

Let's meet the teams.

Today we are keeping it in the family.

For the Reds we have got brothers-in-law, Doug and Rob.

And a lovely married couple called Lesley and Terry for the Blues.

Welcome to Bargain Hunt.

Thank you.

So, you're brothers-in-law, but who is married to who?

I'm married to Rob's younger sister.

We've been married 12 years.

What do you do for a living?

I'm an art dealer.

You have your own gallery?

I have a gallery in a little town in the Cotswolds called Winchcombe.

I sell art, picture frames.

You also have a gift shop.

Yes and I employ more brother-in-law a little bit to help out.

Is he a good shop assistant?

I've got an O-level in adding up.

That's all you need, isn't it?

That's the equivalent of a degree today.

Terry, you haven't got off to a very good start today.

No, we haven't.

I was wishing we had the red tops because it is our national colours

i Gibraltar, the whites and the reds.

You're from Gibraltar?

We are from Gibraltar.

Both of you?

Both of us.

And you've come over here especially to be on Bargain Hunt?

Yes, especially to be on Bargain Hunt.

Anyway, the ?300 moment.

There you go, chaps.

You know the rules.

Your experts await and off you go!

Helping the Reds sail the seven seas its Charles Hanson.

Shiver me timbers.

Helping the blues on the hunt for treasure it's Mark Stacey.

Come on, Terry, what are you doing sitting down on the job?

Look at his puppy face!

Is he licensed?

So, what do we know about it?

It says "Beswick".

That's the model number there, 2,300.

Beswick specialised in this type of thing, making models

of animals and birds.

They're not terribly old.

How much is it?

?140.

That's a bit high, isn't it?

So it's your job to smile sweetly and get

that price down, OK?

Shall do.

Off you go.

Woof Woof.

Thank you!

Terry's smile did the job and she got the Beswick dog for ?120.

What have you got?

This is quite nice.

What we've got are a really stunning pair

of Japanese Satsuma vases.

120 years old.

What I like so much is the detail in them.

Can you see that?

There's no real signs of losses, damage or wear and tear.

What sort of money are we looking at?

It's half of our

overall figure to spend.

They're ?200 on, but we can buy them for ?150.

We'll trust you.

If you can get them for ?150, buy them.

We'll go and find something else.

Sure enough, Charles got the Satsuma vases for ?150.

What we've got are what appear to be a pair of Staffordshire figures.

What concerns me slightly are the stands.

One is a foliate base in a green, brown, enamel and the other one

is purely gilt-lined.

To me, they've been matched up.

What concerns me slightly here is maybe her hand has had

some slight restoration.

Can you see that?

Yes.

Otherwise they're in pretty good order.

They're busy, they're vibrant, but they're Victoriana

and the market today isn't so buoyant.

The stallholder wants ?160 for them.

I think in the current market downturn, my value to you would be

between 80 and 120 or 100 to 130.

I trust you.

I think they're a bit of quality and I'll take responsibility.

I'll go an see if I can knock something off.

I think they're quite expensive, but if you can get a good figure

for them we could be in luck.

Rob did get a good figure for them.

?150.

MUSIC: "9 To 5" by Dolly Parton

?115.

I liked the shape of it and this sort of leafy flower.

It is very flowing, isn't it?

When we have a look at it, it says Royal Winton,

Royal Winton is the trade name.

The firm that made it is Grimwades, who were based in Stoke-on-Trent.

That could well have been made in the 1930s,

but my hunch is that it was probably made just after the war,

What I like even better is it's only ?18.

I actually paid ?15 for it.

No, he's bought it already!

Let's hope it makes a lustrous profit

at the auction.

Come on.

Charles?

Rob?

What do you think of this?

A bit of Whitefriars glass.

It's what we call a finger vase.

We know it's Geoffrey Baxter, it's that gnarled, bark effect,

which was fairly mass produced post-1967 and pre-1980.

Importantly, any collector would pay ?10 to ?20.

It's 28.

Not a huge outlay.

And I'm going to knock him down big time, so I've not got

a lot left to spend.

True to his word, Doug knocked the price down to ?18.

We need to find that third item, because we're running out of time.

Exactly.

We have about five minutes.

I would've found a needle in a haystack.

What is that?

That's a needle holder.

Is it?

Now, how does it work?

Just pull it out, put your needles in.

That's it.

And there's a little mark there.

It looks French, it looks continental.

What do you like about it, Terry?

So how much is it marked up at?

47.

Well, we are running out of time, so we have little choice,

and I don't want to needle you, but I think we have

to get on with it.

OK.

Fair enough.

I'm happy with it, even if we don't make a profit.

I'm happy as well.

Perfect.

HOOTER IMITATES DUCK

Time's up.

Let's check out what the Reds bought.

So, boys, did you have a good time?

Terrific.

Wonderful.

And so which was your favourite piece?

The pair of Satsuma vases.

That's your favourite?

Yes.

Which piece is going to bring the biggest profit?

Uh, probably the Satsuma vases.

That was a really sterling effort.

Well done!

?17 for Charles.

17 miserable little...

It's not an awful lot.

Over to you, then, Carlos, and good luck.

Tell me, which is your favourite piece?

The dog.

Do you agree with that?

I agree.

It's my favourite piece too.

It reminds me of a dog that one of my neighbours had.

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

?175 you spent, ?125 of leftover lolly, Mark.

Thank you very much.

How about that, then?

It's a lot of money, isn't it?

It's a big responsibility, Tim.

So what are you going to spend it on?

I've got three or four items and I can't quite pin it down.

Oh, Lord, well, you better go off and have a go, then.

Get pinning.

Well, it's gorgeous to be in the heart of Gloucestershire,

at Moore Allen and Innocent saleroom, with Philip Allwood.

Good morning.

Now, the Red Team, Doug and Rob, their first item is the pair

of Satsuma vases, genuine Japanese.

They're bright and colourful, they'v got everything

going for them, apart from quality.

And the lower end of this market isn't particularly brilliant

at the moment.

I think we've said about ?30-?50, they're decorative pieces.

They paid 150 for them.

?150.

Moving on, we've got these perfectly jolly little

Staffordshire figures here...

Yeah.

nick, aren't they?

Apart from the severe restoration to her arm, which is what we call

an agricultural repair.

So, with the damage and this and that, you're gonna

tell me they're worth ?80.

Or less.

I think we've officially said 40-60.

?40-60.

?115 paid.

Really?

Yeah.

We can always back up for their last item, which is the Whitefriars

glass vase.

Yes.

?10, ?20, maybe.

Something like that.

Well, they paid ?18.

They paid around the right money.

I can tell you that with two whopping great losses,

Whitefriars, this team are definitely going

to need their bonus buy, so let's go and have a look at it!

The fascination of the box, here, I've got not one

box but two boxes.

There we go.

They're functional and for ?17, I thought the red box,

for the Red team, it's typical lacquer, early 20th century,

export ware, and likewise a good decorative French box

with a bevel top.

I mean, my guide price would honestly be an auctioneer has

a low but wide girth, so ?15-?25, to me, I can see

an itsy-bitsy profit.

OK, we're very impressed.

Anyway, let us find out what the auctioneer

thinks about the boxes.

It looks every inch a piece of Chinese

lacquer, doesn't it?

Yes.

Lovely little box, enamelled inside, with a little French

dressing table box there, which is not very old,

and not very pretty.

So that's worth a pound or two?

Maybe three or four.

Right.

And this, if it were that lovely lacquer that you see

produced by those wonderful Chinese people in the 18th,

19th centuries, would be worth a reasonable sum,

but it's a look-alike, you might possibly get

?10-?20 from somebody that doesn't really care.

That's it for the Red Team, moving seamlessly to the Blues,

Terry and Leslie, their first item is this Winton jug.

It is, we've seen a few of them, this sort of lustreware

is not uncommon.

But that said, it's a jug.

It's a nice enough jug in reasonable condition.

10 or 20 quid.

?15, they paid.

Fair enough.

Now, there's a big woofer for you.

and would make ?50-?80, something like that.

Now, from the sublime to the ridiculous, we've got

that fiddling little bit of silver there.

Yes.

The top, I don't think belongs to the bottom.

I suspect that it actually was a pencil cover originally,

that somebody's put a needle case top on, to try and make it

look more interesting.

What's your estimate, then?

We've been I think a little optimistic at ?5-?10.

Oh, Lordy, ?40 paid.

Was it?

Overall they're gonna need their bonus buy,

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

Leslie and Terri, the bonus-buy moment.

You spent 175, Mark had ?125, what did he spend it on?

I spent it on this.

Japanese Satsuma earthenware vase.

Should have been one of a pair, but I thought it was nicely

decorated with these immortals around here.

And it's got a little signature on the bottom as well

which we haven't been able to translate but I thought

it was attractive, and only ?70.

little piece so maybe ?10-?15 profit.

Fine, fine.

That's not bad.

That's a nice prediction.

But you decide later, after the sale of your first three items,

but for the viewers at home, let's find out what

the auctioneer thinks about Mark's little pot.

vases in a way.

Well, we've sort of covered it with the previous

vases in a way.

I mean...

Are those the same quality as that, that sort of period...?

I think much of a muchness, it's a bit more interesting cos

you've got these deities or theatrical figures here,

?20-?30 or so, something like that.

Oh, Lordy, he paid 70 for that.

So he could be crying into his beer.

You'll be up there doing the stuff?

We'll certainly do our very best with them, and you never know.

You can't ask for more than that.

Thanks so much, Phil.

So, Doug and Rob, here we are on the edge of

the auction.

First up, your Satsuma vases, here they come.

Lot number 134, the pair of Satsuma pottery vases.

?30.

Five, 40, at ?40?

Lady has bid here, 45, 50...

Let's go.

At 50.

Five anywhere now?

At ?50, lady's bid at ?50.

5 anywhere?

At ?50, are you all done?

I don't believe it.

Charles!

That's minus ?100.

Ssh!

Staffordshire figures of musicians, where are you going with those?

50?

?30.

20, then, it's got to be 20.

I don't believe this!

Mr Allwood!

?20 I'm bid there, lady's bid at ?20.

Anyone else?

This is ridiculous.

Let's go!

30 if you like, at 25, 30.

Five, ?35, 40 anywhere now?

At ?35.

Are you all sure, selling then at 35...

?35, that's minus ?80.

Here we go, here comes Whitefriars.

Number 136 is the Whitefriars vase, pretty little piece there,

Must be 20.

10, then, to get on.

10 I'm bid.

At ?10, 12, 15, 18, 20, two, 25.

28 now?

At ?25, right in front of me, then.

At 25...

Hang on, not over yet.

At 25.

Now, it is.

?25.

That's brilliant.

You've made plus ?7, which means overall

you are minus ?173.

?173.

What are you going to do?

Are you going with this?

We've got to.

OK, fine, we're going with the bonus buy, then.

Yes, absolutely.

Selection made, and here it comes.

140 is the gilt metal jewellery box and the trinket box there.

Well, 20 to get on?

Pretty little boxes, at ?20.

They are pretty.

A tenner?

Let's go.

At ?10 I'm bid on my right.

12, 15, at 15...

18 if you like now.

At ?15.

Selling on my right at ?15.

18 anywhere now?

Are you all sure?

It's at ?15, are you all done?

Oh, Charles!

?15, that is bad luck, minus ?2.

That was a good selection, lads!

Minus 175, all right?

Didn't we get to 180?

A round ton and three quarters!

Terri and Leslie, do you know how the Reds got on?

Have they said anything?

No, nothing.

Good, we don't want you to, either.

First lot up, Leslie, is your jug, here it comes.

Good-looking piece in good condition, where will

you be for that?

Who'll start me, ?20 or ?30?

10 to get on...?10?

Come on!

Yes, ?10 I'm bid there.

12 if you like now...

?10 I have in front of me here.

At ?10.

12.

15, 18, 20, two...

At ?22 on my left here.

Five anyone?

At ?22, on my left.

?22, good boy, plus ?7, well done, Leslie.

Now, Terri...

160 is the Beswick figure of a Beagle, good size this piece,

?50.

30 to get on, then...

Yes, ?30 I'm bid there.

At 30.

In front of me now, at ?30.

Five, 40, 5, 50.

At ?50 in front of me now.

Five anywhere?

?50.

In the room with me at 50.

55 here.

At 55, 60 anywhere?

At ?55, are you all sure at 55?

?55, that's not so good, is it?

Nope.

That's minus ?65, that.

Now, your needle case, Terri.

161 is the needle case.

?10?

?5 to get on.

At ?5, a bid on my right.

At five, seven, 10, 12 if you like.

At ?10 on my right.

That's not enough.

15, 18, 20, two, 25, 28.

30, 5.

At ?35 on my right here.

At ?35.

40 anywhere now?

At 35, are you all sure?

That is very good!

?35!

That's only minus ?5 on that, which means,

overall, you're minus ?63.

I think ?63 could be a winning score.

?63 could be a winning score.

That's the prediction.

From the only man who has made a profit so far.

So, are we going to listen to Leslie here?

Are we gonna listen to our man?

Yes, we are.

Lot number 165, the Satsuma vase...

20?

?10 to get on.

At ?10 a bid there.

12 if you like.

?10 a bid here.

At ?10.

12, 15, 18, 20, two, 25.

At ?25 on my left here.

28 now, at 28...

30, 5, 40, at ?40 on my left here.

At ?40.

Five anywhere now, then?

At ?40, are you all sure at 40?

?40, bad luck.

Sorry.

You were right not to do it.

You got more than was predicted.

Good!

It is minus ?30 and you did well to pass on that.

Well, it's no big secret that today our teams have not made much

in the way of profit.

So it's a question of scale of loss And it is my duty to tell

you that the team with the greatest losses are the Reds.

Yes, you did really well, guys - minus ?175, which,

in the scale of things, is quite an achievement.

But you've been such good sports, and you've had a great day.

I've had a wonderful day, fantastic.

Thank you very much for joining us.

But the victors today are the Blues, our team from Gibraltar,

the rock over the water.

Your best move today was not taking the bonus buy.

Which means that you retained your overall loss of minus ?63,

which is indeed a winning score.

So well done.

We have had the most extraordinary day today,

join us soon for some more bargain hunting,

yes?

Yes!