Gloucester Bargain Hunt

MUSIC: "At The River" by Groove Armada

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.

MUSIC: "Going Out Of My Head" by Fatboy Slim

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 aren't.

-I am, for my sins.

-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.

But you're famed for your get-rich-quick schemes, aren't you?

-I am, yes. The big one at the moment is gargoyles.

-Is it?

-Yes.

-Gargoyles.

Because when I work in Doug's shop, we have American tourists coming in

asking for replica gargoyles from the local church.

I thought Doug could take a plaster cast of the gargoyles and have a few

-knocked up for the American tourists. I think they'd fly out.

-Replicas?

-So, Gargoyles-R-Us.com?

-That's right.

That's going to be your next money-making scheme.

I think so, yes.

Well, very good luck on that sentiment. Now, Terry and Lesley, welcome.

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 in 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.

-Isn't that nice?

-Yes.

-Do you think you'll be any good at bargain hunting?

I'm going to have a wonderful time, I don't know whether I'm going to be any good at all.

Well, we'll find out in a minute.

How did you and Terry get together?

I've known Terry ever since we were in nursery school in Gibraltar.

We went to our very first school together and then we lost touch with each other.

But when we were about 17, we used to go out together in a group of friends.

And I married her in 1972, so we've been married for 36 years

-and I've known her practically all my life.

-Well, isn't that lovely?

Anyway, the £300 moment. There you go, chaps. You know the rules.

Your experts await and off you go!

And very good luck.

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!

Are you barking mad?

-No, I'm not.

-Is he licensed?

He's trained.

-Who? The dog?

-Both!

So, what do we know about it? Is it made by anybody, is it marked?

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.

But they did specialise in making very realistic models

and when you look closely here, you can feel the fur, can't you?

You can. It looks like a real dog.

I would be tempted to call him a half dog.

You could put him beside the fireplace at night.

It's something appealing to look at, I suppose.

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.

-They are beautiful. They're really 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?

I love it. Look at the way the reds are picked out.

It's not overdone, it's just every now and then. It looks terrific.

-Definitely a pair.

-They are a pair and also the gilding is good.

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.

Boys, look what I've found!

Oh, they may not make a profit, but they're the best buy of the day!

MUSIC: "(Love Is Like A) Heatwave" by Martha & The Vandellas

While we're on the subject of pairs, Charles, I wondered what you think of these. Are they a pair?

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 and 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

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

It is very flowing, isn't it?

And when you first see it, it looks like an Art Deco shape. With that bright lustre.

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,

Typical of this lustre, you do get some crazing.

That's nothing too much to worry about, providing it's not very stained, which it isn't.

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

I actually paid £15 for it.

No, he's bought it already!

-It was very cheap.

-He's cheap?

Well, I don't know, you know him more than I do!

I think that's not bad, actually. Well done, Lesley. Thank you.

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.

-Charles, what do you think?

-It's very interesting. 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.

I reckon I can half that.

I need to try and buy something as well for you.

All right, I'll leave you a couple of pounds.

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?

-I love it because of the embossing there

and all the little flowers there.

Well, you see the funny thing, a lot of people don't sew as much as they used to these days, do they?

So I think this would go more for a collector who wants to put a little

collection together in a side cabinet or in a collector's table.

Yes, like my friend does. He's got a cabinet full of sewing items.

-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.

£150 paid for the Satsuma vases,

but will it get the taste buds going at auction?

£115 paid for these flat-backed Staffordshire figurines.

They paid £18 for the fashionable Whitefriars vase.

So, boys, did you have a good time?

Terrific. Wonderful. Loved every minute.

-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.

-Yeah?

-No, no, no, no. My little, cheap piece of Whitefriars.

-OK, Doug.

That's going to bring the biggest profit. We've got that prediction.

A bit of a split there between the brothers in law.

Anyway, you spent a magnificent £283.

-That was a really sterling effort. Well done!

-£17 for Charles.

-17 miserable little...

-It's not an awful lot.

-Not really.

There's a challenge here even to find anything, I'd say, for £17.

I'm sure there's something out there...

-Sorry.

-Watch and wait. We'll find something.

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

Let's remind ourselves about what the Blues bought.

Terry paid £120 for the Beswick dog.

But will anyone at auction think it's worth that much?

The cheap and cheerful Royal Winton jug cost them just £15.

£40 were paid, though, for the French needle case.

I hope they don't get stitched up with that one.

-Well, did you have a good time?

-Fantastic.

-Fantastic.

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've 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.

-So in your view they're not gonna be lining up from Japan to pick these up then?

They're not going to be lining up from Swindon.

-Well, stand by for a bit of a loss there, then!

-Probably.

-Moving on, we've got these perfectly jolly little Staffordshire figures here...

-Yeah.

which I think are in reasonable 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,

and perhaps a little profit on the 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.

Yeah. Decorative. You're the expert.

We'll see later.

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.

Fair enough.

In fairness, Charles Hanson only had £17 to spend, will they go with the bonus buy or not?

We'll find out in the course of the auction.

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

-Leslie, their first item is this Winton jug.

-It's a Winton jug.

It's a bit... 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.

-There is.

-This is a country area, hunting, shooting, people very keen on their dogs.

I think it'll be quite popular, and would make £50-£80, something like that.

Great, they paid 120.

-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.

-Only?!

-Only!

-You're not impressed?

-I think Terri really loves it, don't you, Terri?

I don't like these men, definitely wouldn't date any of them.

-They all look a bit grumpy, don't they?

-They do.

-How much profit do you reckon?

-It would have been a lot more

a few years ago when Satsuma was much more collected,

but I think it's quite an honest 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.

Very good.

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. Are you excited?

-Apprehensive.

-Apprehensive?

-Yes.

-First time I've seen you apprehensive, mate!

And you, Doug? You're the excitable type.

I'm confident my Whitefriars will show a bit of profit.

-Really?

-Absolutely.

-Charles's excitement is legendary.

-I hope so.

-First up, your Satsuma vases, here they come.

Lot number 134,

the pair of Satsuma pottery vases.

Who will start me, 50...?

Nice little pair of vases, £50? 30, then?

20, got to get on. £20 I'm bid.

At 25, 30 if you like. At 25 here. At 25 the pair.

£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. Minus £80, lads.

-Someone's got a bargain.

-Here we go, here comes Whitefriars.

Number 136 is the Whitefriars vase,

pretty little piece there, where are you going to be for that?

Is that £20? Must be 20. Nice piece of Whitefriars.

10, then, to get on. 10 I'm bid.

At £10, 12, 15, 18, 20,

two, 25. At £25 at the back there. 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.

You're gonna trust him?

-He's the guy for me!

-Absolutely.

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.

Who will start me, is that £50?

-Let's go.

-30?

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!

Don't tell the Blues a thing, all right?

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.

What are you clutching here then?

That's my Gibraltar ape and my mascot.

-Is it?

-Yes.

Doesn't bite, does it?

Oh!

We always have this with these soft toys.

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,

should be 100 really. Start me 50...

£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.

Where are you going to be for that? Who will start me, a tenner? £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...

Watch this make 200 now!

Who will start me, is that £40?

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.

-Now, don't say a word to the Reds.

-No, promise.

We'll let them out of their agony in just a moment.

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!

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