Norfolk Bargain Hunt

Well, hello there. It's that time of day again.

How stupendous.

There's just about time for us

to enjoy the nature, the beauty, the tranquillity. Ah...

Ha! That's enough of that drivel!

Let's go bargain hunting!

Hello, there. You join us in sunny Norfolk.

There are over 400 stalls here

at the Royal Norfolk Antiques and Collectables Fair,

which means that our teams today are certainly going to have their work cut out.

Do you know something? I wouldn't have it any other way.

Coming up on today's show...

The stall holders stand their ground.

-Why not?

-You open your mouth again, it's 90 quid.

The Blues get lost at the fair.

We've lost our expert. Where's Charles?

And the Reds buckle under pressure.

Go up and buy something.

-It's your turn.

-I want more time.

We haven't got more time.

But everyone's in for a surprise at the auction.

-I can't believe this.

-Yes! Rock and roll!

I've got £300 for each of today's teams.

I bet you'd like to get your greasy mitts on this lot.

Well, the teams will have an hour to buy three items which they hope

will make them maximum profit away at the auction.

-For the Reds, we've got to Tim and Sula. Welcome.

-Hello.

-Hi.

And for the Blues, we've got Deborah and Sioux.

-Hello.

-Hello.

Now, you two, how did you first meet?

I met Tim while I was stacking shelves in our local convenience store.

We were both stacking shelves.

Quite. And it's stuck together ever since?

Yeah, we've got a similar sort of dry sense of humour,

very sarcastic. But he's a lot tighter than me.

-What do you mean, "tighter"?

-Cos he doesn't spend his money.

-Oh, I see.

That's why I need to have the money.

If you gave it to him, he wouldn't spend it.

-We want you to spend lots.

-I want to spend lots.

-How do you think you're going to do, Sula?

-Really well.

And what in particular do you collect, Sula?

-I do collect teddies.

-Hence our friend here.

I've brought my builders bear with his builder's backside.

-He speaks as well.

-So, what does he say, our Bob the Builder?

-Do you want to listen to him?

-Give it a squeeze, then.

'Come on, gorgeous, give us a kiss.'

"Come on, gorgeous, give us a kiss"?! Is that what your builder gets up to?

-Yes.

-Disgraceful. So, what sort of things do you get up to, Tim?

-At the minute, I do a lot of amateur dramatics with local theatre companies.

-What have you just done?

I've recently done West Side Story at the Theatre Royal in Norwich.

-I'm rehearsing for The Full Monty at the minute.

-Are you?

-D'you know what The Full Monty is?

-I do know what it is...

-Have you seen the film?

-I have, but we don't want that.

-This is a family show.

-We're not in Sheffield.

What about buying and selling things?

You're experienced in making profits, too, aren't you?

The biggest profit I've made was I bought an old sort of '70s bomber jacket for about £5.

Wore it for a year, then thought, "I'm going to have a clear-out,"

-and I sold it for £90.

-Did you?

Two experienced people on the team.

-We'll find out later.

-Well, very good luck.

-Thank you.

Now, for the Blues, girls.

It's the NHS, Sioux, that we have to thank for bringing you two girls together, is that right?

Yes, it is. We've been working together 22 years now.

-What do you do in the NHS?

-We're both psychiatric nurses.

-Oh, Lordy, you've got me worked out, then.

-Absolutely, yes.

So you do all kinds of stuff together, in work and out of work?

Yes, in work, there's only two of us in a team and we're it.

And out of work, we do lots of walking.

We like to go to Derbyshire, walking with our puppies and our husbands, if they're available.

-In that sort of order?

-Yes.

Deborah, it says here that your dog is spoilt for clothing.

-What's all that about?

-She does like to wear the odd bandana.

She's got ones with her name on, different prints.

-But Sioux doesn't approve of it.

-No.

Her puppy doesn't wear the bandanas.

You're bit of a hoarder, aren't you?

A little bit. Don't like to throw anything away.

-Do you ever sell anything?

-We did a few years ago.

We tend to hoard everything up in the loft and have a little bit of a clear-out every so often.

Lots of the children's toys.

And we took those of to a car-boot sale and actually made £500, so it was well worth hoarding.

Sioux, I have to ask you about your name because that's quite unusual.

Quite North American Indian tribal jobby.

It is. It's nothing pretentious like that, though,

because I was born in 1966 and most people were called Susan Jane.

I went to an all-girls grammar school, everybody was Susan Jane, so I changed it.

You became the North American version.

-I did.

-Well done, Sioux.

I wish you good luck. Now, the money moment.

£300, if I can only get it out. £300.

There you go. You know the rules, your experts await and off you go and very, very, very good luck.

So, whatever's going to happen today?

We've established our keen players, but who will be helping them through the labyrinth of delectables today?

The man fielding the dreams

for the Red team is none other than Mr Jonathan Pratt.

And poised for the challenge,

sitting pretty for the Blues, Mr Charles Hanson.

What is it we're going to look for today?

Definitely a piece of silver and if we can find something with a heart motif, I'd be really happy with that.

-What are you going for?

-Well, we're in Norfolk, so we want something country sports-ish, I think.

-Yeah.

-Or wood.

-OK, let's go for it.

-OK.

-Doulton figures.

-No!

Come on, Tim. Come on, come on.

I keep finding teddies.

-This...

-This little coal or log box.

-Right.

Late 19th century, Arts and Crafts.

Do you like it?

Er...

My instant thing is, I've got one at home in the garage.

-You've got it in the garage, cos you don't use it?

-Yes.

You're saying you've got another one of them?

-A similar sort of thing.

-I've got a tenner says you haven't.

I've got £300 here.

-How much?

-Bottom line would be 80 quid.

That's the bottom line? And the bottom line could go down to maybe...?

Is that the best?

-It's a sunny day.

-Give me 70 quid and it's yours.

-What do you think, Tim?

-I think it's pretty cool.

I think it's a possible.

-Give it five minutes?

-Yeah.

We'll make up our minds on that one.

-Thank you.

-What do we think?

Well, you like it, Tim likes it.

-I'm a bit...

-Iffy on it?

-Yeah.

-What's your problem with it?

-Just the condition of it.

-I know it's Arts and Crafts and whatever else you said.

-It's beaten metal.

-It's got character.

-OK.

We haven't bought nothing yet.

Offer him 60.

Then when he says no, I'll say 65, yeah?

Yeah, all right.

Go, Tim, it's yours.

-Drive a hard bargain.

-All right.

-Yes.

-60?

No, sir. You're a lovely man and I like you so much it's unbelievable.

-But if you don't give me 70 quid, I will swear.

-65?

-No.

£70 is my bottom line, seriously.

-Why not?

-If you open your mouth again, it's 90 quid.

Yes or no. I'm serious.

-I'm going to walk away.

-It's 90 quid now.

How about 70? I think it's fair.

-How about 70?

-There we go.

I don't believe we've just bought that.

Well done, Reds. First item down.

Clock's ticking away now. You've got 40 more minutes.

-Always a good seller.

-No, no, no.

Clarice Cliff, your sort of thing?

Hmm...not really.

-A bit jazzy? Do you like it?

-I quite like it, but where's the lid?

I'm sensing the Blues are going to be tricky customers.

Victorian papier mache inkstand.

Yes, but ultimately useless.

Quite right, yeah.

So the little meerschaum pipe here.

30.

That's not bad for a meerschaum pipe,

she says, sounding like she knows what the hell she's talking about. Is it complete?

Yeah, it's the original case and here you've got this little sort of typical Victorian lady.

I would date this to about 1900.

The detail's nice. So will you take £25 for it?

30 is the minimum.

-Would you meet halfway?

-Do 28.

28, OK. It's quite nice. It's our first item, possibly.

It's not bad. Do you think it will make some money at auction?

I hope so. It's novel, it's complete, it's socially interesting, from 110 years ago.

I think it has potential. Debs, what do you think?

I really like it. I think we should go for it, Sioux.

The first item. We've got half-an-hour to go, so we ought to now start investing.

Are you going to hand over the money to him or not?

Thanks, Mum!

Hmm, I'm sure Sioux will thank you for that comment later, Charles.

£28, then, for your first item.

Outside, Jonathan has his work cut out.

No, it's horrible. It's nice, but no. No.

You haven't got anything heart-shaped?

It's slow at the moment, I would say.

You said you liked wood.

-Mmm.

-And it's not a lot of money.

He says he'd do it for £65.

It's a late 19th century or Edwardian mahogany wall cabinet.

-Would you hang that on the wall at home?

-Personally, no.

Is there anything that you like?

-Hearts.

-Ruthless, just totally ruthless.

OK, that's a possible, then.

OK, we'll earmark that as a possible. OK.

We've got half-an-hour left, and that's now a possibility.

I think we really want to move back into the main area now.

Well, that's where the Blues are.

£145.

But they're having trouble finding a bargain.

Royal Worcester, a bit too expensive, unfortunately.

-£245.

-Yeah, no.

These are popular. These are what we call globular glass scent bottles.

That's pretty. I like them.

-Is it silver?

-Yes, what you've got is the mushroom silver embossed stopper.

You've got this wonderful cut-glass globular form.

And this type of stopper is typically Edwardian.

Do you think the stopper is actually what lives with it?

Difficult to say, but certainly that's a contemporary stopper or thereabouts.

Hallmarked for Birmingham, about 1906.

I like it. Shall we check the price with the stall holder?

It says £45 on the ticket, so shall we see what we can do?

Let's go and negotiate.

-40, I'm afraid.

-40?

-Yep.

-Thank you.

40, Charles.

Yes, in a saleroom, its guide price would be sort of 30 to 50.

There is scope at 40 - that's a mid estimate.

Sir, would you go 35 maybe?

-38.

-38. That's his final offer, so we can think about it, can't we?

-Yes.

-OK, sir, we might be back.

-Thanks awfully.

-Thank you.

Right, on we go. Sioux?

Yeah, I'm coming.

OK, ladies. 20 minutes to go and only one item bought.

Whilst you get going, I'll just take five minutes out.

I do love a novelty, I do. Do you like a novelty?

Well, what do you make of this?

It's going to appeal to different crowds of people, this object.

For a kick-off, if you're keen on your timbers,

you'll be attracted by this delicious honey-coloured grain,

and the box maker has carefully crafted it

and enhanced the tightness of the grain itself, this knotting.

The next thing this craftsman has done is deliciously make this lid,

which, if I hinge it open, you can see it's been made in the form of a little cigarette box.

And on the far side here, the hinge itself is entirely made out of wood.

But it's engineered in such a way that the surfaces of wood

go against one another almost seamlessly.

And then, to add to the delight of the thing,

at this end is a solid silver mount.

If I hinge it open, you can see it contains matches.

So it's a combination cigarette box and vesta holder.

The silver piece is solid silver.

It's hallmarked London at the end of the 19th century.

And you'd take your match out of here and simply strike it on the rough bit on the opposite end.

The mystery piece relates to the inscription on the end,

because it says "pretty work".

Why that inscription?

It's certainly not the name of a person,

but in my view it might be the name of a famous racehorse perhaps.

And if it was, of course that would enhance the value considerably.

So, how much? Well, it's £100.

Does that inflame your fancy or ignite your fuse?

With a striking £270 to spend,

are the Reds any closer to buying their second item?

-That's pretty cool. If someone's got a boxer dog, they're going to buy it, aren't they?

-No.

I'm thinking not.

-It's a hard lady to please, this one.

-Oh, shocking.

-Sula?

-I want hearts. Have you seen any?

Hurry up and buy something.

-It's your turn.

-Oh, Tim, shut up.

Have you got something in silver, something hearts?

What do you think of them, Tim?

-What do you think?

-I like anything heart-shaped.

-What about 25 quid?

-The both of them?

-Ooh, no.

What about that one?

You can have the both for...35.

That's absolutely rock-bottom and there is money to be made.

I think we should buy these, Tim.

-Right.

-My decision.

-You're confident?

Very confident. Jonathan's not about, so we're running out of time,

-we need to get another item.

-Do it.

-We're going to buy these.

-OK, guys.

-Jonathan, hello.

-I've made a decision.

-Have you?

Hearts, two of them.

-OK.

-Glass.

-Right.

-Signed.

-Signed by?

Um, a word that I can't pronounce.

Oh, it's Holmegaard. OK, 1950s.

A well-known Scandinavian glass factory.

You've got both of them, signed?

We've got both of them, signed, for £35.

That is exactly it.

£35 is not a lot and you've got two for the price,

so I think you've done quite well,

and I'll be gutted if you're the only one who makes a profit.

-Thank you(!)

-Let's do it.

-We're doing it, yes!

Definitely not doing it are the Blues.

15 minutes to go, £272 to spend,

and two items still to find.

We've have lost our expert. Where's Charles gone?

They've lost their expert

and they're back where they found the perfume bottle.

What about this, Sioux?

Dogs.

Dogs, windmills, Norfolk.

-I like that.

-Charles has gone.

We'll have to ask him about it in a minute. Do you like it?

I do like that, yeah. £45.

-OK, get Charles.

-Yep.

Ten minutes to go, and the teams are leaving it very late to buy their remaining items.

Quick, Tim, quick. I want more time.

Well, we haven't got more time.

# I'm under pressure. #

Uh-oh, here's trouble. How are you getting on, you girls, Charles?

We're doing very well. We've bought one object.

-Yes.

-And we're on the way back to get the other two.

Really? If they haven't been sold.

-We hope not, fingers crossed.

-How many minutes have you got left?

-Ten.

-Ten minutes and you've got two more to buy

and you don't know whether you've got them or not?

I don't think you should be ambling around, actually.

-Ten minutes. Keep looking.

-All right.

-What happens if we don't get anything?

-We need to!

If you had £300 in your hot little hand,

you'd try and spend the lot, wouldn't you?

But not today, because our teams have to leave some leftover lolly for their experts.

-BOTH: What?!

-Don't worry, it's all part of the master plan.

Your expert's going to trot off and buy something that he hopes

will boost your profits later at auction,

and you then have to decide whether you're going to trust his judgement.

Me, mine's a whippy. Mmm.

-They're still here, thank goodness.

-This little perfume bottle.

Charles, we saw this earlier.

And you quite like it? Why?

Cos of the dogs and the windmill.

OK, turn it round. I can see it's a silver collar.

It's nice quality and of course dogs as well.

Importantly, Sioux, with a teapot, condition - what's it like?

It's good. I can't see any chips on the spout

and the handle's not been off.

Quite right. Upside-down, the all-important mark, Royal Doulton.

We know from the style, this two-tone glaze,

fairly mass-produced,

but certainly 1900, 1910, thereabouts,

and the actual collar of the body is hallmarked for London.

-So nice quality.

-Yes.

What's it worth? What's on it?

-48.

-Do you think that's a bit too much?

With the scent bottle as well, there's scope to negotiate.

Hello, sir. If we wanted to buy both of these together,

what's your best price for the two together?

Would you take 70 for them both? 35 each,

70 for the pair?

-That's all we've got left, £70.

-OK, go on.

-Bless you.

-Thank you, sir.

With only five minutes left on the clock,

the Reds are cutting it a bit fine.

-I love that.

-Let's go through there.

Right, we're running.

-Is that silver?

-I don't like that.

-No.

-You don't like that?

-No.

-Yeah, but because you don't like it doesn't mean no-one else is going to like it.

-But it is Mappin & Webb.

-It is Edwardian.

-Yes.

That's quite sweet, actually.

I quite like that.

It is a nice colour. "Birmingham G."

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, 1907...1906.

-Little scent bottle.

-I like that.

-Do you?

-Yeah. Do you like that more than the cabinet?

I personally think a cabinet is more practical than a green bottle.

It's a very, very simple design.

It's marked at 165.

Shall I ask if they could go down?

If they went down to 120, what do you think?

It's your call. You do what you want to do.

120. If they don't go down to 120, we go back and get the cabinet.

And 130's your absolute best?

130 he's gone down to.

Go for it, go for it, go for it.

I like it. I'm going to have it.

On my head be it. I just like it.

Do we have a sale? We have a sale. At last!

It's time to stop the clock.

There's no time left to shop.

Let's check out what the Reds bought.

Coming in at £70, the Arts and Crafts copper box.

Red item number two, Sula picked the 1950s heart shaped vases for £35.

And with virtually no time left, and for £130,

the green glass and silver mounted scent bottle. Charming!

So, you two, you were late starters but you got there eventually.

-We did.

-Jimbo, which is your favourite piece?

Mine was the Arts and Crafts bronze box that I purchased myself.

You like the thing you found?

-Of course, yeah.

-What's your favourite piece?

I liked my heart glass vases, my heart shaped glass vases.

-Which, of course, you found yourself.

-Which I did, yes.

Yep, OK. We're digging in here.

And you managed to spend £235,

which is quite magnificent, I have to tell you, which is really good.

I'm pleased about that.

I'd like £65 of leftover lolly, goes straight to JP.

And so were they a handful at all today, Jonathan?

She was hard work.

-She? She that must be obeyed?

-They were great fun, actually.

Good. And what are you gonna do with the £65?

I've got to obviously please the lady, so...

You don't have to please anybody.

We want something that's gonna make a monster profit,

that's all you've got to...

-I'm certainly gonna find that.

-Good luck with that.

Let's remind ourselves what the Blues got up to.

First up, the meerschaum pipe, smokin' at £28.

Smelling good at £35, an Edwardian cut-glass scent bottle

with silver lid.

Finally, a Royal Doulton teapot, £35. Bootiful!

Excellent negotiation skills for you girls just at the end, wasn't it?

It was. We did well.

You did do well. Now, Deborah, which is your favourite item, baby?

-The perfume bottle, I really like that.

-And Sioux?

-The Doulton teapot.

-And which is gonna bring the biggest profit?

-We agreed...

-Charles' meerschaum pipe.

-Charles' meerschaum pipe.

-I hope so, too.

-That's confidence for you.

Anyway, you've spent a miserable £98,

I can't believe you only spent £98.

I'd like £202 of leftover lolly, there we go.

-£202. Charles.

-Thank you very much, Tim.

That's a lot of pocket money for you, boy!

It is, I can't wait to spend it!

Knowing these ladies, and the fact we haven't spent too much,

we want to buy something fairly classy, stylish.

A nice pair which will reflect my pair of ladies, hopefully.

Yes. I fancy you ought to shove off cos time's moving a long, isn't it?

Very good luck, Charles.

Now, for me, I'm going to fill my cultural boots here in Norfolk.

Felbrigg Hall started its days as a Tudor building in the 15th century.

After years of disreputable squires, squabbling siblings

and mortgaged estates, the Wyndham family re-established themselves

in the 1620s, and set about creating a much-loved family home.

The succession of owners and branches of the Wyndham family

made their individual marks on the estate.

In the early part of the 18th century, William Wyndham II

started to take over the estate here at Felbrigg.

As was so typical with noblemen of his class and type,

he headed off on a grand tour, a grand tour which

lasted no less than four years, returning to England in 1742.

And he brought back with him a great collection of art.

In this room alone, there are some 50 paintings hanging on the walls.

An artist that William particularly favoured

was Giovanni Battista Busiri.

And on his tour

he acquired from Busiri

no less than 20 images of views around Rome.

These are painted in gouache, which is a type of watercolour.

And with 20 examples of his work, this makes this

the largest collection of works by a single artist

that the National Trust own.

But why do all these paintings

look so spectacular in this particular room?

Well, it's all down to the wall covering.

Well, the wall covering and the colour.

This delicious plum red colour

actually sets off the incredibly busy gold frames.

The wall covering itself looks like wallpaper,

a bit like flock wallpaper, actually, but this is the deluxe,

expensive way to decorate your walls in the middle of the 18th century

because this stuff is silk damask.

You can see here it has been woven in sections about 20 inches wide.

The vertical lines represent the silk

and the wefts are made up of worsted wool.

All in all, creating an extremely exotic effect.

What's truly extraordinary in this house is that this material

is the same material that was hung in this room

in the middle of the 18th century,

which is what makes a visit to a National Trust house

such a glorious experience.

Now, the big question today is,

are our teams going to have a glorious experience at the auction?

Well, it's wonderful to be at TW Gaze's saleroom

at Diss, in Norfolk, with my old friend, Elizabeth Talbot.

Less of the old, please, Tim!

Sula and Tim, they went with this box.

How do you rate that, Elizabeth?

At a fair, it probably would stand out as being a little bit unusual,

but in the context of auctions, we see quite a lot of these.

And the condition's not wonderful.

So we haven't rated it so very highly, really.

No. Oh, dear, I'm standing by for something disastrous here.

What sort of estimate do you think?

Being as kind as we can, probably about £50 to £80.

-Well, that's not too unkind.

-Good, we try to be kind, here.

-Well, £70, they paid.

-Right.

-So 50 to 80...

They may do it.

Now, the next item is the Holmegaard glass pot and its baby.

So, what do you make of that?

It's nice to have not just one but two, and I think the two set each other off well.

We have collectors locally and have good contact from London buyers,

so I've estimated it at £40 to £60, and I think that's very realistic.

-Well, if you think that's very realistic it could make more?

-It could do, we hope so.

-£35, they paid.

-That's very reasonable.

Sula will be delighted about that,

cos she's very, very hot on these things.

Sula also went with the green scent bottle,

-which is in great condition, isn't it?

-It's lovely.

I like this period of glass myself.

It's very simple and classic and looks quite modern, actually, because of that design.

We think round about 50 to £70 would be a fair estimate

at auction for it. Bad news?

£130, so there's a bit of a dark hole, or should I say a green hole,

opening up around that.

-There is. Yes, yes.

-So they're going to need their bonus buy.

-Yes.

Let's go and have a look at it.

So, why are you so jolly, then?

You pretty confident about what's gonna happen today?

-I am quite confident, actually.

-Very confident with my buy, yeah.

Well, we've just had a little reminder, cos you've spent £235.

-Which is good.

-Which is good, good. Wasn't it?

-It was.

-Good, good, yes. And then you gave £65 to the maestro.

Now, Jonathan, reveal all.

-A box.

-A box. A pink box.

A pink box. Containing 15 carat gold sea pearl and enamel brooch.

It's a very pretty thing.

Very good condition.

How much did you pay for it, Jonathan?

I paid £60.

£60. Not having that much to spend.

And how much do you think we'll make at auction?

-I think we could make £20 out of it, at least.

-Do you like it, Sula?

-I love it.

-Yeah? What about you, Tim?

I'm up in the air. We'll see.

-You'll be led by Jonathan.

-Of course.

-And his advice...

-He's the expert, I'm not.

And he's saying you could make £20 or £30 profit.

If you need to go with it.

And we'll find out whether you need to go with it after the sale of your first three items.

But for the viewers at home, let's find out what the lovely auctioneer thinks about it.

Now, here's a little, delicate, feminine...

It is very delicate, isn't it? Very feminine.

-I like that.

-You like that?

-I do.

I like the design, the attention to detail, and it's in very good condition.

That should fetch £60 to £80.

Well, Jonathan will be delighted. £60, he paid.

-Very fair.

-And it could take off?

-It could.

-I think it's a peach.

So we've got high hopes for the bonus buy

which, frankly, makes a change.

And that is it for the Reds. Now for the Blues.

Deborah and Sioux, their first item is the meerschaum pipe.

Actually, it's a cheroot holder.

It is, yes, definitely a cheroot holder. A smaller bowl to it, yes.

But it is in lovely order and its in its case, which is lovely.

-£28 they paid, are they gonna make a profit?

-I think they should.

We are hoping for probably double that, £48 to £58 would be a...

What's with his eight business?

£48 to 58?

We like to be different here.

OK, fine. So £48 to £58.

They paid £28, so we're in for a bit of slug on that.

-I would hope so, yes.

-Well, that's great.

Now, the Edwardian cut-glass and silver-topped scent bottle.

This was essential for every Victorian woman's dressing table.

-It certainly was.

-Do people go with them now? Are they collectible now?

They are, and although the style isn't that unusual,

the condition will, for a collector, be quite a nice bonus.

-You don't want these things bashed or nibbled.

-No.

That one's great. What sort of estimate?

-£60 to £80 on that one.

-Brilliant. £35 they paid.

-That's a good buy.

-That's a result.

-A good buy, yes.

We've got two potential pluses, there. This is exciting.

What about the Royal Doulton teapot? Again, with a bit of silver on it.

I think they've got a good eye for little collectibles in this group.

But the Doulton stoneware does sort of yo-yo a bit in people's interest,

at the moment it's not at its hottest. We think round about £38 to £48.

38 to 48 again, more eights.

Well, £35 they paid, so if you're right on those three counts, Elizabeth, I tell you,

this team are going to be absolutely over the moon.

-But just in case...

-Yes.

..let's hedge our bets and look at the bonus buy.

So, you Blues, right, you spent £98, miserable,

and you gave Charles £202.

Now, Charles promised that he'd buy a pair of something-or-other,

and let's see what he's got.

Whoops! Oh, yes! So, girls, what do you think?

Actually, better than I thought it was gonna be.

-They're not bad. They're OK.

-Tell us about them.

Let me advocate their value to you.

They are American,

they're very much in what we'd call the art nouveau style.

A bit yellow but they're beautifully gilt.

-Early 20th century and I just think they'll do quite well.

-How much did you pay for them?

-Have a guess.

-You didn't spend all the 202, did you?

I... they are bronze spelter rather than being bronze,

but they are in fairly good condition...

That one's got a broken arm.

I paid £140 for them.

-Do you like them?

-They're OK, Charles.

I won't say "like", it's a bit of a strong word, but they're all right.

Good. Good.

What about you, Deborah?

Would you find a place in your house for them?

-Erm...

-Would you, Deborah?

-No.

-No.

-Oh.

But I still feel for £140, there's a fairly good opportunity for profit.

You've watched the master's lips, there, which is wonderful.

For the benefit of the viewers at home,

let's watch the auctioneer's lips.

So, Elizabeth,

-a pair of later painted spelter figural lamps.

-Mmm-hmm.

Is this something that lights the cockles of an auctioneer's heart?

Not this one, I'm afraid, no.

I had a funny feeling you were gonna say that.

They wouldn't have been my cup of tea even unadulterated,

but I'm afraid they've had some restoration,

-it looks like there's been some repair, and over the top of that...

-Well, this arm's been off.

That is not a piece of jewellery on this girl,

that's a sweaty weld, isn't it?

They're a good size, could have a statement,

but I'm afraid I don't think we're gonna have a good sale on these.

What sort of estimate would you put on them?

I'd have thought £60 to £80.

Oh, dear. £140 is where we're at with them.

But, as I say, you can do no more,

frankly, than sit on the rostrum and be as optimistic as possible.

-We could sell them, absolutely.

-Good luck today.

-Thank you.

-Thank you, Elizabeth.

So, Sula, Tim, great name. How you feeling? All right?

-Really excited.

-So, really excited?

-Yes.

-That's nice, isn't it? First lot up is your box, Tim.

On to lot 70 now, which is the Arts and Crafts twin-handled coal box.

I have interest on the sheet shown here, and I'll start at £40.

£40, I have, at 40.

It's with me at 40. 42, 45?

48? And 50. 50, with me at 50, I have at 50.

Five, new bidder. And 60? Five? 70?

Five? And 80?

Five, and 90?

90, with me at £90.

90, I have at 90. 95, new bidder.

100? 110? 120?

130? 140? 140, with me at 140. Are you all out now?

It's 140, commission bids are in at 140 and selling...

-Yes!

-Rock and roll!

That's very good.

£140, you have doubled your money.

Plus £70. Now, the little baby pot.

I have good interest on the sheets,

I have five interested bids on the sheets, and I start here at £28.

£28, I have, at 28.

Where's 30? 30 bid. 32? 35? 38?

42?

42, with me at 42.

42? 45? 48? And 50? Five?

-£60, I'm at 60 now. I'll take five.

-You're gonna double your money!

At £60, only. Any advance on £60?

Yes!

That's so good.

You are plus £25. Now, your other one.

Look out. You're £95 up, but it could all finish...

Lot 72 is the green glass silver-topped scent bottle

with original stopper.

It's Birmingham 1906. I have got good interest on this one again.

Oh.

And I'll start here at £38. £38 bid.

And 40? Two? 45? 48? And 50? Five?

60? Five? 70? Five?

75, with me at 75. Now at 75.

80? Five?

90, and I'm out. 90 in the room. At 90. I'll take five again.

95, a new bidder. 95, now, an untidy figure at 95.

The caller bid at 95. I'll take 100.

At 95, are you all done?

Oh, dear. £95 you sold that for, £95, minus £35 on that,

but you were plus 95 before, so you are plus £60,

all right?

You are £60 ahead.

-I mean, to be £60 in profit is pretty good.

-That's good, isn't it?

Now, you could bank that £60...

-Yeah, I know.

-That could be a winning score.

Cos you said mine was gonna bomb, and it didn't bomb that much.

-I know, but...

-Now, on the other hand, you could trust Jonathan...

-Be greedy.

-He's bought you...

-We live in a greedy world.

-Shh!

-He's bought you that brooch.

What are you going to do about the brooch?

-Why not? Can we...

-No.

-Sure?

-Yes.

-You're definitely not going with it, or you are?

-We are not.

-Go with it.

-No, we're not.

-Are you sure?

-Yes.

-No?

No? OK, we're not.

You're not gonna go with the bonus buy. We're gonna sell it anyway, and here it comes.

Lots 76, we have the bar brooch, this is pretty,

set with green enamel and sea pearls, stylised flower.

And on the sheets, interest shown again. I start here at just £30.

£30 on the little brooch, at 30.

Two? 35? 38? And 40? Two? 45? 48?

And 50?

50, with me at 50 now, at 50.

At 50, on the brooch. 50. 55?

And 60? With me at 60, are you sure?

£60, all out in the room? At 60 on commission, and selling.

£60, wiped its face.

-OK.

-No pain, no shame. That's fantastic, isn't it?

Now listen, don't tell the Blues a thing, right?

-Go out looking miserable.

-Mum's the word.

-Yes.

-OK.

-Isn't that good news, though?

Well done.

Now, girls, do you know how the Reds got on?

-No.

-No idea.

-You don't wanna know, I tell you!

So, how are you feeling? All right, Debs?

Yeah, nervous but really excited.

You have the unusual distinction of having an auctioneer's estimate

which is above what you paid on every single one of your items.

-Good.

-Yes!

I mean, the auction estimates can go a bit awry,

but she is predicting profit on all your pieces before we even start.

The first lot up, though,

is Charles' cheroot holder, and here it comes.

We have the early 20th century meerschaum figural pipe there,

depicting the female in the bonnet.

Interest on the sheet, here, and I'll start at just £32.

£32, and five? 32, I'll take five.

35. 38?

And 40? Two?

42, with me at 42. 45, commission.

48? And 50. Five?

55, with me at 55, now. At £55, bid.

At 55, with me at 55. All done?

-Yes!

-£55, well done.

That's two off 30, that is plus 27.

Plus 27.

We have the Edwardian cut-glass silver top scent bottled

with original stopper again.

It's Birmingham 1905, good period piece, and I'll start at £30.

£30, bid at 30. £30 bid. 32? 35?

38. And 40? Two? 45? 48? And 50?

No? 50, with me, at 50.

At 50, I have. Five, a new bidder.

60? Five? And 70? Five?

And 80? 80, on commission at 80.

I'll take five elsewhere. It's £80 on commission, the room is out?

It's £80, any advance on £80?

-Yes!

-Told you that was a good buy!

So, you have got plus £45 on that.

Look out, your teapot.

..hunting figures and a silver rim.

Interest on the sheet shown, I start at £30. £30, I have.

Two? Thank you. 35? 38? And 40?

Two? 45? 45, with me at 45.

48, the hand. And 50?

With me at 50. Now both out at 50? Again, on commission at 50.

Any advance?

£50, you are plus £15 on that

which means, overall, you are plus £87.

-Brilliant!

-Fantastic.

-You've made a profit on each item,

as predicted, and you are £87 in the bank.

-£87!

-Really?

That's pretty good, isn't it? I can't believe this.

Now, listen, what are you going to do about those old lamps?

We're going to stick, we think.

-Are we? Yeah? Yeah?

-You do?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

I have to tell you, we're gonna sell them anyway.

-OK.

-So here come the lamps.

-Well-played.

We have the pair of art nouveau style

spelter figural table lamp bases there, they've been over painted.

What might I say for a pair of these, good decorative item,

start me at 100?

£100 the pair, come on.

-The lamps, £100?

-Come on, surely?

-£100.

-£50 to start, surely?

-50, the hand, thank you. At 55?

-Let's go.

-And 60?

-Come on!

Five? 70? Five?

80?

Five? 90?

90's my left hand bid, at 90, I'll take five again.

At £90, you are buying both, remember, at 90. Any advance on £90?

Right decision. Yeah.

£90, certainly was the right decision.

You would have lost £50 if you'd gone with that.

But as it is, you ring-fenced your £87 very wisely,

-and I don't want you to talk to the Reds at all, right?

-OK.

Don't tell them this bit of news, because plus £87 could be a winning score.

How lovely is this, to have two very happy teams.

Look at their faces, they're all puckered up with pleasure,

it's great.

Cos they both know that they made substantial profits.

-Yes? Have you been talking to one another?

-No.

So the only thing to reveal is the scale of the winnings.

Sadly, the running up team today is...

The Reds.

No way!

I'm so sorry to tell you this.

You made £60, which is a considerable amount.

What are you gonna do with your share of the winnings, Timbo?

-Thank you.

-Spend it on myself, cos I'm greedy.

-OK, fine.

-Nicely put!

-What about you?

I'm gonna treat me and my boys to a day out somewhere.

-Are you?

-Yeah.

-Well, that's really nice.

And you'll be paying commission to Jonathan, naturally?

Not at all.

Not at all, she says!

The victors today, by a chalk, because they made a profit of £87.

And here we go, £87, Sioux.

Now, a great achievement to make a profit on every single lot.

Do you know how difficult this is to do?

I mean, it's come to you so easily,

but actually it is a very difficult thing to make a profit on every lot.

It is, it is, but we are very good.

-Yes, you are.

-All round.

-And so modest!

Anyway, we've had a great day.

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

-Yes!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

E-mail [email protected]