Norfolk Bargain Hunt

Excuse me, what's the time?

Well, according to my friend here, it's time to go bargain Hunting!

I'm a Norfolk terrier.

Ah, that would be why I'm in Norfolk,

actually at the Royal Norfolk Show Ground.

You watch out because in a minute we won't be seeing a turkey anywhere.

It's going to be bootiful, just full of bootiful bargains.

All right, boy? There you go.

Ow!

There's plenty to look forward to on today's programme.

There's no pleasing some people.

-No.

-No.

-No.

-No.

-Look at that there.

-No. They're awful.

Cor, there's a bit of friction in the red team.

You like it.

That's when men are appeasing a woman, you go, "In your eyes..."

And there's trouble brewing at auction.

Oh, Charles!

And for the Reds, things are really hotting up.

We set our teams the challenge of finding three items which are

likely to make monster profits when they sell them on later at auction.

The team that makes the most profits wins. Simple, really.

So, let's go and meet today's teams.

Today, we have two teams of couples.

For the Reds we've got Angela and John,

and for the Blues, Theresa and Peter. Welcome.

-Morning.

-Morning, lovely.

Now, Angela, do you get out much?

Since I've been semi-retired I've been looking at things on the television.

We've been to antique fairs and car-boot sales and I've sold a few things at auction myself.

-Have you?

-Not with much success.

Oh. We shouldn't get too excited then.

No, it doesn't bode well. And what do you get up to in your spare time?

I actually belong to a book club and we meet once a month

and we've been going for about three and a half, four years,

and we all read the same book for that month and then we discuss the book for about ten minutes

then we drink the wine we bought for the rest of the evening!

What do you call your club?

-Rampant Readers.

-Rampant Readers. It sounds great fun, doesn't it? John, are you in the club too?

No. Not at all. No. That's a ladies' night out.

-Oh yes.

-I go on a gentleman's night out once a month.

A gentleman's relish, is it?

Sort of, a few beers and a glass of wine or two and a meal, which is quite nice.

This isn't wrapped up in some intellectual pursuit like book reading?

No. No. No. We don't do anything like that.

-Just food and drink.

-Just a beer up, really!

-And what do you call your club?

-We call them Monthly Minstrels.

What you folk get up to here in Norfolk is nobody's business, is it?

You have some experience and should do pretty well today, so good luck.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-Now for the Blues.

Theresa, how did you and Peter first meet?

-We met when I was a bailiff.

-Ah.

I went along to Peter's garage and bought a car.

-You were immediately fond of Peter, were you?

-Absolutely not!

-Oh.

No. I found him quite irritating.

Oh.

That's honest!

So this irritating car salesman, who's now your husband, and you've been together for...

-Approximately 16 years.

-Brilliant, so it was an irritation that really worked.

I absolutely adore him now.

Yes. But he was irritating at the time?

Yes, I understand he didn't particularly like me either!

And then what happened?

I bought a second car.

Well, relationship building I find endlessly fascinating.

-It's extraordinary how things do pan out in life.

-It is, yes.

-And you adore him now?

-I do.

So how did this career start for you?

I left the Air Force and I wanted to get into sales,

but because I had no sales experience the only option open to me was the car industry.

And what did you do in the RAF?

-Air traffic control.

-But you're not in the motor business now.

No, I changed about eight or nine years ago now and I'm in financial services.

-Is that good fun?

-Very good. I have a good team of lads.

So, that means you'll be good with the money today.

That's the theory, Tim, we'll see.

Good, well that prompts the money moment because here's your £300.

£300 apiece, you know the rules.

Your experts await and off you go and very, very, very good luck.

So, what's going to happen today?

Both teams are experienced for a change.

Will it be the Reds that pot the best bargains first, or will the Blues just race ahead?

# One, two, three, four! #

So our teams only have one hour but they do have £300 at their disposal.

But it's not as easy as it looks trying to find three items at a fair this size.

Our teams are going to need some experts.

Raising a glass of red and joining our Red team

in one of their favourite hobbies is expert, Jonathan Pratt.

And trying to catch up with the Blue team today

is their expert, Charles Hanson. Come on, faster Charles, come on!

What are we going to start looking for?

Something small, probably something we might like,

we'd buy ourselves in auction.

-Some silver.

-A nice, varied selection.

-Classy.

-Classy, you're a classy lady, that's great.

-Classy.

If you like it then the chances are someone else will and then hopefully we're on the right way.

A chance of selling it, yes.

Rustic, charming, idyllic.

-Absolutely.

-Norfolkesquey. In Diss.

-Hopefully.

-Absolutely.

A nice little box as well.

Yeah, it's presented quite well.

-It is diamond.

-Yes.

And a red stone, which probably are rubies.

It's a Victorian piece, £110.

-Quite a lot of money.

-Like a little horseshoe, isn't it?

Yeah. The price I'm afraid is...

The price is not going to make that much money, is it?

-No.

-To us anyway.

-No.

0.2 of a carat, that's about £50 a diamond, £60-£70, you know,

it would have to be nearly half.

-It's pretty.

-Mmm.

-It says the quality of...

-Go down to 60?

Hard man, we're a hard people to bargain with, aren't we?

-Do a deal at 60, I reckon.

-Yeah.

I can let you have it for 65.

-£65?

-You think so?

-Yeah?

-Yes.

A good deal. A good deal then, a pretty little thing, isn't it?

-It's a nice thing.

-A pretty little thing.

Let's hope the horseshoe brings the Reds luck with finding the rest of their items.

Now, have the Blues also got off to a good start?

They can £20, they can be £15,

but this nice sort of almost Arts and Crafts, it's quite nice.

-It's got a nice finish.

-It has, you're quite right.

The top can be polished up.

-Yes.

-It's a bit tired but I'm sure the lady can do a deal.

I can't take less than 30, I'm afraid.

Food for thought.

I think so.

-Shall we do a little bit more looking and then...

-I think so.

Unless we can get it for 25.

-I think we need to do a bit of looking anyway.

-Yeah.

-We like it. Very nice.

-See how we go.

You're right, Pete.

But be careful time doesn't run away with you.

Now I think you know when you've found something good, and that's exactly what I've done.

Morning. Isn't it lovely to find a nice furniture stand in the fair?

What do you think about this?

Is it giving a fair reflection, do you think?

Well, it ought to, because frankly this is a big enough mirror plate, isn't it?

This type of dressing glass is called a cheval mirror.

What's spectacular about this mirror is the timber that's been selected.

Just look at this exotic and very intricate grain,

all the way around the supports and the frame.

Nicely turned frame, look, and here we've got a moulding,

almost a half round moulding that encloses the plate itself.

Full of this very busy grain.

It looks like an exotic timber, like rosewood, or calamander wood,

but just come here and look closely,

because if you look closely at this,

here we've got two almost eye-like forms of grain.

This isn't real grain at all.

What's extraordinary about this cheval mirror is that it's been

made out of a relatively cheap pale wood, like beech,

and then the furniture-maker has just taken a pot of pen and ink

and he's drawn in pen and ink every single line that you see

on the figured and grained surround on this cheval mirror.

Not one bit of it is expensive rosewood or calamander wood.

Every single piece of this has been created by pen and ink paint effect, which is quite extraordinary.

The other remarkable thing about this cheval mirror is the price, because it's priced

at £1,350. Cor!

That's enough to crack the mirror!

Right, how are the Reds getting on outside?

-I just spotted it there, but I don't know if that has any resaleable value.

-Yeah.

But it's just with my physio background, as a physio, I couldn't resist seeing it,

but if it doesn't sell on there's no point.

It's a London mark, 1896, by a chap called William Comyns.

Obviously it's known...

He's a well-known silversmith.

This is very typical for that period.

You'd expect it to be of that sort of date.

The sort of thing that will be made, often inspired by the Dutch taste of this period.

Is it resellable?

-Every nurse used to wear one, didn't they. They don't any more.

-They don't any more.

-It's got a...

That's the whole point. Is it nostalgia, or is it not?

It's a cabinet piece, isn't it?

You said you'd offer us a very good price.

-Did you?

-Yeah.

He did as I was wandering up, he said come and buy something.

What's very good?

-£55.

-£55.

-Still, we've got to make a profit, haven't we?

-So has he though.

-Yes, yes.

-Er...

I don't know, don't let me sway you, it's just with my physio roots, I rather like it.

Do you mind if we reserve it?

-Yeah, I'll put it aside.

-For half-an-hour. OK?

The Reds have only been shopping 18 minutes

and it looks like they've already found their second item.

That horseshoe brooch really must be a lucky charm for them.

-I don't like that.

-Would you take 30 for it?

-Yeah, go on.

-What could we get that for?

-£30.

-So it's a decent deal.

It's a good price. The thing is, you must like it.

Yes, it has its damage, some wear and tear,

-and I'm the first to say condition is so important.

-Yes.

But with a nice early photo frame, it's silver, it's £30,

to me it's quite reasonable, but early days.

-OK.

-OK.

-OK.

Our Charles does enjoy a good look around before he parts with any cash

and obviously he's encouraging his team to do the same.

But I do hope they keep one eye on the clock.

-Nice clock. What sort of age is that?

-We'll go on for a little while.

Go on for a little while. We may be back.

So it's George V, but sadly you can see where over time

it's had some wear and tear. It's a shame.

-What's that?

-There.

-Oh, they're dreadful to sell!

Charging set light weight.

-It's a very interesting piece, but it's going to be very strange to sell.

-Quite heavy to carry.

With half their time used up both of our teams need to get a shifty on.

Jonathan, hello?

Have a look at this. Quite expensive, £125.

A smoker's companion, not PC at the moment.

Not PC, is it? No.

But different.

-It's kind of fun, you have this...

-It's unusual, quite fun.

-Quite sweet.

It's a smoker's cabinet, late 19th century, early 20th century.

The condition's not fantastic. The wood is in good condition,

the hinges are in good condition, the plaque has come off the top.

-The plaque's in there.

-The plaque's in there, as is the remainder of that lot.

-Yeah, yeah.

You could use it quite easily for other things.

-It could sit on a desk and you could use it for something else.

-Yeah.

-How much is it? It could be 90.

-It's got authenticity there.

Is this the price? It says £15!

It's an old valuation!

We'll go with that one! We'll go with that one.

There's definitely an art to negotiation and it looks like Angela might have mastered it.

Are you sure you couldn't go down to 75?

-Go on then, 75.

-Go down to 75, will that move up there or not?

I haven't seen one with this metamorphic base before, it could be used quite easily for other things.

-There's no reason why it has to be a smoker's cabinet.

-Why not?

-The guy said £75.

I think that's fair enough. If we go for the buckle,

that's basically you've got one, I'll have chosen one and John will have chosen one.

-That's true.

-Let's go for it.

-Yeah, OK. I'm happy with that, yeah.

With two items bought and £160 left, the Reds are doing well

and it looks like the nurse's buckle will be their third and final item.

That's what I call teamwork!

The Blues, however, can't seem to find anything they like.

-No. No. It doesn't appeal.

-No.

-No.

No. No. No.

-Nice bed.

-I don't like it.

Look at that there. Look at these.

-No. No.

-No!

-They're awful.

-No, they're awful!

-Zebra?

-No, I don't fancy that one.

-OK.

Remember Theresa, you're looking for items that will make a profit at auction, not ones to take home.

-What about over here?

-What shall we go for?

-I know. We've got to start whittling them down. Charles.

-Yes.

It sounds to me like the Blues are starting to feel the pressure.

Time for a team talk, what!

-We've bought nothing yet, have we?

-No.

-It's getting near the time.

-Let's go back and start buying some objects.

-OK. Let's go.

That's probably a wise move, with just 20 minutes left.

-What's this?

-That's nice, a little collector's cabinet.

-Coins.

-What price you asking for that?

-Let's have a look at that, be nice and careful.

-It's heavy.

If I take it off you, let's have a look.

So if you open it up, there we go, and Theresa, look at the drawers.

There's about 25 drawers there.

-It's about 1900.

-So, realistically you reckon...

If it came into to a sale...

I'd have said to you in all honesty, on a good day, it would make £150.

I'm happy to go with it, but, there might be if we're lucky, a small profit.

-If you think it stands a chance...

-It's a lot of money to lay out.

Potentially, there's not a lot.

We'll just check the back. Spin it right round.

I do like it.

It's a quality object. We like it.

We do like it, we'd like to make some money.

We do like to make some money, that's the only thing.

Five minutes, and we might come back, OK?

-Thank you very much, air, I appreciate it.

-Thank you.

It might not be there in five minutes! I really wouldn't risk it.

If you like it, just buy it.

After all, you've still got all your money left.

The Blues need to get a move on.

There's less than 15 minutes left and they've not bought a single thing.

That's a nice chair there over there.

Is that a French chair?

Yes.

-How much?

-48.

Nice for that, but a bit steep.

How about 25?

Gordon Bennett! It gets better.

Can't get much better than that.

It's nice. It's is French, from the style of the top rail and the shell motif,

and these rich cabriole legs, and the original rush seat.

-It's very elegant.

-It is.

It's 1920s. The problem is, dare I say it,

20th century furniture in sale rooms,

is improving, but the market is still very flat, sadly.

-You're quite taken with it?

-Let's go for that.

-OK.

I think that's quite reasonable, isn't it? Are you happy with that?

I think it's a chance.

It's a bargain.

There must be some money in that!

-I hope so.

-We do!

Let's hope there is. Now, don't hang about.

You've got two items to buy, a whopping £275 left, but hardly any time left to search.

Bargain hunting isn't as easy as it looks, but it's just as much fun.

It says here, you don't have to be an antiques buff,

but a keen interest and willingness to learn would help.

If you have an outgoing personality, and want to be considered,

then drop us an e-mail to...

So, have the Reds gone back to buy the nurse's buckle Angela spotted earlier on?

-I'd trust you.

-You like it.

That's the way, when men are appeasing a woman they go, "You like it!"

Well, yes.

You've got to buy something and both Jonathan and John have given it the thumbs up.

What are you waiting for? There's no time to sit on the fence.

-It's pretty.

-I think so.

-I quite like that.

£50 paid for the buckle. Nice work, Reds.

-We've got 10 minutes left and we've taking less than 50 minutes.

-That's pretty good.

We can hot foot it back for a cup of tea, and wait for the others.

-That's fine.

-And take the Michael!

I don't know, the Blues still have a lot of work to do.

They've looked at plenty of items, but will they back for any of them?

10 minutes to go. I think we ought to go for your coin, oak cabinet.

It is nice, isn't it?

But also over here...

My silver photo frame as well.

It's so original, it's Birmingham 1915.

I know your concerns are it's a bit tired, but it's all there.

Will it make money?

I wish I could tell you for sure.

But what's so nice, look at the back.

It's the original oak back.

It's a nice size, it's George V.

Just in that First World War period. I think it's delightful.

-For £30 to me, it's a good buy.

-OK.

I'll see you shortly, OK?

Two down, one to go. Let's hope that coin box is still there.

Is it still on sale?

-It's just been sold.

-OK.

-Sold.

-Have you bought it? It's gone?

-It's sold.

-Oh dear.

Five minutes to go. I don't believe it!

There are only minutes left, after desperate searching,

it looks like they're going to go with the first box they saw.

Fingers crossed that that one isn't sold.

Would you take 25 for the box?

28. The lowest.

-What do you think?

-It's a nice box.

It's come from where, remind me?

-It's come from the Duke of Buccleuch's estate.

-Right.

-Duke of Buccleuch's estate.

-Yes.

It's a nice tale to it, so we know it's of quality. Feel the weight.

There's a nice weight.

-It's quite heavy.

-It's a very decorative box.

We've got a mahogany hinged top,

these nice Arts and Crafts copper mounts.

It could make £30, it could make 50, it could make 10.

It's a bit desperate, and it's difficult.

-It's mahogany, isn't it?

-Yes.

And is the base oak? No, it's plywood, isn't it?

We're out of time, unfortunately.

-25 would be nice.

-Oh, all right!

-Thank you.

Nice move, Pete. You never know. That could make the difference between a profit and a loss.

The hour hand has completed its revolution.

It's high noon, which means it's time to stop shopping!

Will the horse shoe brooch race away at the auction at £65?

I sure hope so.

Cigarettes may well be out of fashion,

but let's hope bidders can find an alternative use

for the smoking box, £75 paid.

Nostalgia took over and Angela fell for the nurse's buckle

and with Jonathan's help, bought it for a £50.

It was like a walk in the park, really, for you guys?

And you shopped very leisurely, and you finished in good order.

-Thanks to the expertise of your expert, no doubt?

-Pleasant stroll.

Pleasant stroll. Now, which is your favourite item?

The brooch, I think, was very nice.

Angela, what was your favourite?

The nurse's buckle, which I thought was nostalgic.

And you spent a magnificent £190. You've done very well on that.

I'd like £110, please, for Jonathan.

That's quite a lot, isn't it?

I think I have a couple of things in mind.

You're well qualified on the negotiation stakes. Good luck.

Excellent. Let's remind ourselves of what the Blues bought.

After a very slow start,

Pete decided the French chair at 25 would be a good bet.

On Charles's advice, they went with the silver photo frame.

Will the bidders snap it up at the auction?

£30 paid.

It's not the coin box,

but out of desperation, the Blues went with another box.

Even under pressure, Pete managed to get the price reduced to £25.

That was hectic, wasn't it?

Talk about a blinding rush!

And then you missed that item. What a shambles.

-That was really sad.

-It was sad.

-It just shows, you've got to cough up early, isn't that right?

-Quite right.

-Which is your favourite piece, Theresa?

-The box, I think.

-What about you, Pete?

-I think the chair.

The chair's your favourite.

-Which piece will bring the biggest profit?

-The box.

-The box?

-I think Charles's picture frame. It's going to do it, yeah. We've lots of decisions.

You spent the most pathetic £80.

-That's amazing.

-I would have spent more if I could have done.

That's what they all say. Anyway, £220 left over, please.

£220.

Thank you very much, Tim. I'm going to try and maybe find something with a certain boxy emphasis...

-Yes.

-..and hopefully at a good price.

-Lovely.

Off you go on your jolly way.

I've got a VIP pass somewhere very special here in Norfolk. Follow me!

I'm at Felbrigg Hall in north Norfolk,

where this stately home

seems to have something of an identity crisis.

In fact, it's got a split personality.

Originally a Tudor construction built in the 15th century,

Felbrigg has seen some major architectural makeovers.

With so many alluring and emerging styles during the 17th century,

it's no wonder that the resident family

found themselves wanting a little bit of everything.

Two very different, individual English architectural styles, and

most unusual to find them competing for space in the same building.

On this side, the original Jacobean structure, completed in the 1620s.

On this side, an immaculate brick, classically-inspired extension,

put on in the 1680s.

Fascinating.

I'm going to go and have a poke about in the old bit.

Here we are, in what is the early 17th century Great Hall.

Here is something completely oddball.

We've got a massive heavy marble top,

supported on the most slender legs.

It dates from the middle part of the 18th century.

It's made of mahogany and guess where it comes from?

Typical piece of Irish furniture.

A beautifully embellished shell in the middle of the apron,

as with pierced scrolling supports on either side,

and then, as I say, these most delicate of cabriole feet.

It's a gem.

Over here, we've got a piece which may not be quite as fine,

but it's absolutely a mystery piece.

This cabinet has never been open to the public before.

The key's stored here...

Undo this door, like that.

And, oh!

Fling the thing open.

How about that for a bit of veneering?

Isn't that special?

This thing is sometimes referred to as the walnut-veneered cabinet.

But actually, it's veneered in some things called oysters, and it's laburnum wood.

What we've got here is a contrast between what you and I've never been allowed to see before,

that's oysters in laburnum wood, before they got faded and polished.

We can compare and contrast

the timbers on the inside and outside, most deliciously, here.

This cabinet was made around about 1680, 1700.

To make an oyster, a shape like that,

you take a piece of laburnum,

which is a piece of wood like my forearm,

and cut it and slice it like a piece of salami.

The oval grain within the piece of laburnum,

when cut and sliced, looks like that.

Very, very beautiful, like my forearm,

and very, very desirable, unlike my forearm!

The big question today is, over at the auction,

will our teams have anything as attractive as my forearm?

We're at TW Gaze's sale room in Diss in Norfolk,

with our auctioneer of the day.

-Elizabeth Talbot.

-Hello, Tim.

For the Red team, Angela and John, their first item

is this little piece of jewellery.

How's that going to go?

I hope it's going to go very well. It's a nice sparkly little piece.

Jewellery sells well at the minute.

We do have quite a following.

And the horse shoe does tend to appeal to local equestrians.

-What's it's worth?

-We hope somewhere between £120 and £180.

-Well, £65 they paid.

-They should do OK on that.

Jonathan Pratt and co would be very pleased.

What about this smoker's box?

Not the most exciting piece,

I can almost see it being bought in order to store something else.

You have a pretty box on the side,

into which you put something more tasteful than smoking items.

Either way, nice little piece.

As a table cabinet, £70 to £90, that sort of level?

£75 they paid. And then their last item is the nurse's buckle.

Nurse's buckles in their own right aren't unusual,

but it's nice that this is made by William Comyns,

-and of course the name for silver collectors will be a boon.

-Yes.

It's very ornate, a pretty piece.

-It would be a lucky nurse to wear that one.

-And heavy.

And heavy, good gauge of silver.

Good order, I'd have said £80 to £100.

-Well, they paid £50.

-That's very fair.

You never know, on the face of it they seem to be

sitting with three winning cards. Just in case,

we'll have a look at their bonus buy anyway.

John and Angela, you spent £190?

You left Jonathan with £110 of leftover lolly to find a bonus buy.

What did you find, Jonathan?

Well...

Wow!

-It's a watch strap.

-Tell us...

Silver, T-bar, very finely-stitched leather,

with a little buckle on the end and plated interlinks.

Modelled as sort of a horse's bit, I'd say.

-What's it for, a fob watch?

-Yeah.

You've got a lot of money left then?

-I've got quite a lot of money left!

-This sarcasm!

How much did you spend on this?

I spent £35.

Well then, he's a lot of money left. A cautious purchase.

-So how much will it sell for?

-It's very unusual. It's not a lot of money, a novelty.

-People collect this sort of thing. Why not?

-What sort of profit?

I paid 35. I don't think we're going to shoot off...

Hundreds, here.

We might canter away with something!

Canter, and stirrups, very clever.

Let's think there may be £5 or £10 minimum on it.

Anyway, for the benefit of the viewers at home,

let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about Jonathan's little strop.

So, Elizabeth, are they going to snaffle this up?

Oh, very good, Tim. I like this.

Again, a piece of horse-related equestrian-linked ware.

And the little watch fob chain there is lovely.

The leather is in good order.

I don't think it's had much use.

The value is £28 to £38.

Jonathan paid £35. I think it's a perfectly reasonable price to pay.

Once again, I've got a funny feeling about this.

I think it might just tickle along there. You could get to 50, I think.

Somebody will like the look of it.

I'm more optimistic than pessimistic so I wouldn't disagree.

Now, that's it for the Reds.

Next for the Blues. The French rush seat ladder-back chair.

Gosh, that's a boring piece of furniture if ever I saw one! What's that worth?

It isn't the most exciting or the oldest piece, and there's just one.

A chair of that type, unless you put it in the bedroom and hang your socks over it

there's not much else you can do with it.

So it is a bit of a lone one, so the value is low. It's only £15 to £25.

-I'm pleased to say they only paid £25.

-There we go...

Brilliant. The photo frame looks as if it's been run over on the A36.

It's a bit bashed, isn't it?

It's a wooden frame with a very thin layer of silver

tacked to the front. That's what they are.

-It's like Bacofoil.

-There isn't much silver to it.

-How much, then, do you think?

-Well, in that bashed up state...

-From 1915 it's had a few partnerships and it's down to £40 to £60.

-Is it?

-Yes.

£30 was paid, so they're fine.

The last item is this absolutely ghastly box.

It is a box, but...

It's hardly beautifully made, is it?

-In all seriousness, it is a kind of a DIY...

-Shed work.

What you need is a good tin of brown boot polish, polish up the copper

and it could look better than close inspection would suggest.

It's got potential, again. I can let you into the secret

that they only paid £25 for it, which is not a lot of money.

It's good solid mahogany and it's fine and it'll do a job.

-So what's the TW Gaze estimate?

-It's £28 to £38.

£28 to £38. £25 paid. That sounds very reasonable.

-Ties in.

-If they do anything, there are tiny, tiny profits here,

so I guess we'd better go and have a look at their bonus buy.

Now, Theresa and Pete, you spent a miserable £80. Can't get over that.

-£220 went to Charles Hanson.

-Go on, ready. I'm excited.

-Here we go!

-Woo.

-OK.

-Oh, wow.

Well, that is different.

Here we are in Diss, which had a wonderful saleroom for domestic bygones.

And this lot in question came out of an old dentist's, from about 1920.

So it's full of magical potions, formulas and anaesthetics

for that wonderful age-old toothache problem from 1920.

-The box is superb, isn't it, Tim?

-Yeah, it's a super box, Charles.

How much did you spend on it?

-Well... Oh, and also, we have some books as well.

-Right...

All to do with the teeth.

So really, it's a great archive and really it ought to be in a museum.

Charles is such a good politician.

He had a perfectly straight question put to him, which he has avoided.

How much, Charles?

-It was £220.

-Was it?

-It was.

You might say, "Crikey O'Riley..."

-Crikey O'Riley.

-"..what are you doing?"

Will it make any money?

Well, I have speculated.

Certainly have.

So 150, 250 is my line of enquiry but certainly, here in Diss,

I would hope it will make certainly £200 or £300.

What's your initial reaction, Theresa?

It's a fascinating piece.

I've got to say, it really is fascinating.

Certainly totally unexpected.

-What about you, Pete?

-It's interesting.

-Yes.

On that happy note, let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about Charles' dentistry kit.

Well, Elizabeth.

Does this take you back to visits to the torture chamber?

My eyes are watering at the very thought. It's an amazing collection.

All crammed into this little box. It's quite extraordinary.

You've almost got all the kit in something you can pick up and take about with you.

-Absolutely. It's a portable...

-..dental surgery.

It's got a carrying handle and you're all set to go.

-And you've even got the books, look.

-Learn as you go along!

Just hang on a minute while I check out about this molar.

The value we put on it is around about £150 to £250,

in the hope that we will attract the right clientele.

Charles Hanson paid £220.

-Right.

-He is, as they say, putting his money where his mouth is.

Oh, very good...

-So we'll stand by, then?

-Absolutely, sir.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

So how are you viewing things? Are you quite confident?

I'm looking forward but I don't know whether I'm very confident at the moment.

We'll see as the lots go through.

-Yeah, what about you, John?

-Similar.

Hopefully we'll make a bit of a profit.

The first lot coming up is the brooch, and here it comes.

The bar brooch set with ruby and diamond horseshoe

in the original fitted case. Pretty little brooch, this one.

Where will I say for this one? May I say £50 to start?

A lovely piece of jewellery there at £50. Anybody at 50? Bid I have.

55. 60. Five. 70. Five. 80.

£80 on my right. Surely worth more.

At £80, are you all done?

£80. It's OK, it's £15.

-Not as much as...

-Profit, OK.

You've still £15 profit. Thank you very much.

Now, the smoker's box. What's going to happen here?

We have the Edwardian mahogany smoker's cabinet, there.

Lovely piece of cabinet-making there. I say £50 on the cabinet.

50 straight in. 50 I have. I'll take five.

55. And 60. Five. 70. Five.

80. Five. 90.

Five. 100. 110. 120.

At 120, now, are you all done?

At £120...

Get in there!

That's a bit more like it, £120.

That's £45.

Plus £45 on that.

That's a bit more like it. Now, your buckle, Ange.

The nurse's buckle, London, 1896.

It's by William Comyns. A good name. Look at that one.

Beautifully worked. 30 I'll take.

30 bid. 30 I have, only, at 32.

35. 38.

40. Two. 45. 48.

And 50. 55, a new bidder. 55 has moved to the front.

At 55 it's not dear.

60, new bidder. 65. 70. Five.

80. 80 now standing in front at 80.

80. Any advance on £80?

£80, well done. You're plus £30 on that.

-You didn't want to be the one that didn't make a profit.

-No, no!

Poor Ange. 45, 55, 60...

You are plus £90.

£90 in the bank.

-That's good.

-£90 profit, you two.

At least we know we can't lose £90, can we?

So, the fob cost Jonathan £35, yes?

So what are you going to do, because you've been a great team.

You've been very strongly bonded here.

We decided that we've got to go with it.

£35. You're going to risk 35.

The theory being we can't lose a lot but we might make a fiver.

We're going with the bonus buy, and here it comes.

We have the silver and chrome-plated leather fob there.

Start me at £30. 30. 20 I'll take.

£10, then, to start. £10 bid.

10 I have. I'll take 12. At 10.

12. 15. 18.

It's above now, with the gentleman at £18.

Are you all done?

Never mind. £18.

Very sorry about that.

All the prediction was that it was going to do well.

And they just didn't want it.

But it was £18.

Two shy of 20, which means you're minus £17 on that, which means, overall, that you are...

-Plus... 90, 80... £73!

-Oh, wow!

£73 in the bank.

-Lovely.

-Which is a very good result, I have to tell you, irrespective.

-The big thing here is not to mention a word to the Blues, all right?

-Definitely not.

Can you go out looking depressed?

Can you do that? No, you can't.

-OK, fine. Well just don't...

-Try your best.

Now, Theresa, Peter, been talking to the Reds?

-No.

-No.

-Not a word?

Good. We don't want you to know how they got on.

First up, Peter, is going to be your chair. Here it comes.

The French rush-seated chair, carved-top detail,

10 I'll take. Sitting on your hands. Come on, £10,

surely, on the chair. It's for nothing. Five I'll take. Five bid.

-Five. Six.

-Seven.

Eight. Ten. Ten is on my left.

It's getting exciting for a moment at £10. 12. 12 is bid.

-12 is now in the gallery. At £12.

-Keep going.

-Where's 15?

-One more.

-£12. You're missing out below.

-One more.

-£12 and selling.

-£12. Not a lot of money, that.

-That was painful.

I should stick to financial services work, you. Yes, minus £13.

OK, photo frame next. OK, Carlos.

-Nice object.

-Stand firm.

-Yeah, nice object.

We have the silver photograph frame there, with embossed rims.

-£30 for this one. £30.

-Surely.

20 I'll take to start.

Ten is the bid. At ten.

Where's 12? 12 is bid. 15. 18. 20.

Two. Is it goodbye here at £22 only?

25, new bidder.

Any advance on 25?

Oh dear. £25. That's not good, Charles.

Minus £5 on that.

Now, your box, Theresa.

Useful box, look. An interest on the sheets here, starts at just £18.

£18 I have. At 18, and 22.

25. 28. £30 and I'm out.

£30 I do have at £30, now.

Where's two? It's £30, back of the room, at 30.

-Selling at £30.

-Bit more. Bit more.

£30. You're in profit, girl.

Well done. Plus £5 on that, which means overall you're minus 13.

So, the big choice.

OK? You are £13 down the spout. What are you going to do?

Will you with the big choice here of taking the £220 dental cabinet?

-We'll go for it.

-We'll go for it.

-Just like that?

-Yes.

-Are you?

-Yes.

-You're going to go with it?

-Good luck.

-And I don't blame you.

Early 20th century mahogany dentist box. And I start at £60.

£60, I have at 60.

At £60, the budding dentists of you out there. 65 and 70. Five.

And 80. Five. And 90. Five. 100.

-100 with me at 100. Don't miss it.

-I don't believe it.

120. 130.

-140.

-Come on.

-140. With me at 140.

-Let's keep going.

140. Where's 50?

It's £140 and you're all out.

-Let's keep going.

-140 and selling.

Oh, Charles!

140. Which is minus £80.

I don't believe it.

Minus £80!

-You had minus 13 before, so overall, you're minus £93.

-Sorry!

-That's all right.

-Which is not so bad.

Could be a winning score, really...

Well, we've all heard of the expression "poles apart."

And here we have an ample illustration, in today's result, of poles apart.

The runners up today, by a whopping margin, are Blues,

who are at the bottom of the pole, the South Pole, with minus £93.

Going with the dentist's business proved to be a bit of an error, didn't it?

-It was a wrong 'un.

-Nothing ventured, nothing gained, Charles?

-Life's too short.

-Absolutely. It was lovely to see you anyway.

But the victors, who are going to take home cash, £73 of cash,

are at the top of the North Pole, which is wonderful. There you go, darling.

-Thank you very much.

-You made a profit on all three of the items that you bought. There's your £73.

And I do congratulate you, because to make a profit is nothing short of a miracle, as we all know.

Anyway, congratulations. I hope you've had a nice day.

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

-Yes!

For more information about Bargain Hunt,

including how the programme was made, visit the website at bbc.co.uk.

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