South 21 Bargain Hunt

Do you know, there's something in the water today on Bargain Hunt?

Well, something's got into their heads.

Our teams are about to take the business of buying antiques incredibly seriously. ..Not!

I can see we've got trouble on our hands today, so let's go bargain hunting.

We've made our way to the Hungerford Arcade in Berkshire,

where our teams have £300 and an hour to shop for three items

which they'll sell at auction and make a massive profit.

Sounds easy, doesn't it? Well, we'll find out just how easy it is.

There's certainly an eclectic mix of items here, bargain hunters.

Let's meet the teams.

For the Blues, we've got Amanda and Joan, and for the Reds, we've got friends, Phil and Dave.

Welcome, chaps. Nice to see you. Phil, you used to have connections with the Fleet Auxiliary?

-Yes, I used to work on the flight deck.

-Vital tasks?

-Yes.

I was there for about four years and then one day I decided to fall through the ship.

-Fall through?

-Yes, 65 feet.

-I bet that didn't do you any good?

-No.

-I had two-and-a-half years in hospital.

-My gosh!

Shattered pelvis in 32 places.

I'm glad to see you looking so perky.

-How do you think you're going to get on on Bargain Hunt?

-You've got the winners, definitely.

We like to hear that little bit of ambition in there.

-Dave, you were in the Army for a long time?

-23 years. I was an inventory manager.

I do the same thing now

-but I look after an inventory of about 6.3 million of furniture.

-So you know about furniture?

Modern furniture, yes.

Not so good for us though.

No. Not today!

You're a bit of a collector as well?

Oil lamps, baseball caps, of which I have one here.

-That would be a moose.

-That would, yes.

Somebody bought this for me. I don't wear them normally.

Definitely not indoors.

Someone bought this for me from Canada.

Get away! Definitely suits you.

I think you're going to do very well today. Now, the girls.

What are you laughing at?

-Joan is your mother-in-law.

-She is.

-Are you going to make a good team?

-Oh, yes.

-You've got your hands full at home, haven't you?

-I've got four girls.

Have you? How lovely. What sort of ages?

Nine, seven, two and one.

It says here, "Does your husband help around the house?

"Is he handy and is he the romantic type?"

-No, he's not really romantic but his dad is.

-He's not really romantic.

His dad is, and he did go to his dad for some advice over a very expensive bottle of champagne that he had,

so his dad advised him to run a nice bath, so when I came in from work, have a bowl of strawberries...

-For you?

-Yeah, for me.

Feed them to me, I reached down to pick up a strawberry

and his cat decided to deposit a mouse's head there instead, and I nearly ate it!

-What?

-The champagne came up pretty quickly afterwards.

You nearly ate a raw mouse's head?

Disguised as a strawberry! I hope you'll be up to keep your wits about you today, my girl.

I don't want any mouse-eating here.

Joan, you have an incredibly adventuresome spirit, don't you?

-Oh, I love travel.

-You like travel?

-Yeah.

What sort of places do you go to?

Well, I've been to Vietnam.

-Have you?

-Kazakhstan.

-Kazakhstan?

Yeah, but that was a train journey, five-week train journey.

-All very comfortable facilities, was it?

-Well, except for the Vietnamese train, yes.

-Oh, why?

-The toilets were the French variety.

-What's that, then?

-Two footprints, and very awkward on a moving train.

-A moving train! With just the footprints.

-Yes!

-A round hole.

-Yes!

-And did you see the track going underneath?

-Yes. And an open window there.

An open window? That is friendly, isn't it?

They're extremely good stories from you today. This has been amazing.

Now, the money moment. £300 apiece. There you go.

You know the rules. Your experts await!

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

Let's hope our two experts today are prepared to be given the run-around,

as they hand out their advice to the teams.

Mark Stacey is in training for the Reds,

while Philip Allwood is resting before tackling the Blues. Ah!

With only one hour to go, the pressure is on.

Get a move on, you lot!

Oh, actually, there's a fair bit of weight on that, actually.

-Yeah.

-And it's nice engine-turned.

Not a bad price, £100, actually, for a nice little quality box like that.

If we bought it, we'd have to try and...a little bit.

-Yes.

-Now, what have you got there?

-I've got a little Tiffany note case.

This is something completely different, because this is very modern.

You can see that it's modern. You buy it because it's Tiffany.

-It's a Tiffany card case, yeah.

-And it's not too bad.

-It's nice, 55.

But you've got Tiffany on the back there. Sterling underneath.

-I'd double-check that. And it comes of course in its...

-In its own case.

-..in its fitted case, with its original little...

-Little box.

-Yeah.

-Why don't you ask the dealer what the best price is on it?

Now, cash, we're talking here.

-Yes.

-We want... We want to make a profit on this.

-Profit.

Because all our profit is going to charity, you see.

That's the technique! We'll leave the Reds to their bartering,

while the Blues get inside help.

I've got something a little bit unusual to show you.

-It's an old posset warmer.

-Goodness gracious!

And it's allegedly the property of James Fenimore Cooper -

author of The Last Of The Mohicans.

This letter seems to authorise that, from 1919. I found that inside here.

What would this have been used for?

Right, a posset it was a drink for all ailments.

It was a sort of ale and herbs,

and this would have been filled with hot water,

-placed at your bedside, with a beaker or...keeping it warm.

-Yeah.

-So it was for drinks.

-A drink.

-Alcohol, there you go!

It probably would have had some sort of alcohol in there, yes.

It was in the days when this was made,

-it was considered a good thing to have.

-Absolutely.

-Erm, and 150 is your best on it? If you've just got it in?

-Come down. Come down.

You can do a little bit for us, can't you?

I'll do it for 140.

Because I do think it's got some interest value. Pewter...

-125.

-How much?!

-I can't do 125!

-She's hard!

135.

I've just paid 110, seriously.

-That's a quick profit, then.

-135. 135, then.

-Shall we go for that?

-Yeah.

-Done.

-Excellent! Who's been done?

Well, we'll find that out at the auction.

So, the Blues have their first item,

while the Reds are busy sealing the deal for the Tiffany silver card case.

-38?

-38...

-OK, then.

-Sure?

38. No, I'm not sure, but I will.

-Very kind.

-That would be brilliant at 38.

-Yeah, 38 would be fantastic.

Good job, guys. Elsewhere in the antiques centre, the Blues are making bargain-hunting look easy.

Just wanted to have a look at the pedestal bowl there, on the base, that...

And can we have a look at the jug as well?

This jug, the one right in the corner that's furthest away from you and more difficult to get!

-So, what we have here is two things to think about, don't we?

-Mmm.

The jug or the sugar basin.

Given away by the tongs.

But the one thing that concerns me about it is,

if you look closely on the base, you can see where the nickel is coming through.

-Oh, yeah.

-So, a plated base on a silver...

I'm not sure about that, I'm a little bit uneasy. I think it should be a silver base.

-I wonder whether it's been attached. This, however...

-I like this.

..is pretty. Nice clear silver hallmark there for London, 1922.

We've got £105 on it. We really need to be getting it down below £100.

Closer to £80 or £70, on a good day.

I think we need to try and do something with that.

-OK, fine.

-Shall we go and see if we can find out what he'll take?

-Yes, definitely.

-OK.

Another decision well made.

They bought the cream jug for £85.

Now, what have the Red Team found?

It screams one period only -

Art Deco.

You have this ribbed body and rather funky form.

And bright colours on it.

Crown Ducal are quite well-known.

But in the '20s and '30s, they did develop quite a culture for this Art Deco movement.

Charlotte Rhead became a designer for them.

-She ranks up there with people like Clarice Cliff and Susie Cooper, for example.

-Really?

-Yeah.

-Now, it's not signed, but it's very much in her style.

-With this little tube line decoration, etc.

-Yeah.

-It's a little bit expensive at 56, isn't it?

-Mmm.

-Get that down.

-A few pound off.

If we can get that down to sort of £40 or so, or £45,

then we might be in with a chance.

-Yes. I like that.

-Very nice.

It's a unanimous decision.

But at £40, is it a clever one?

Now, what's Philip Allwood managed to unearth?

It's had some little alterations underneath it.

These pine blocks put in there.

Is that to make it more sturdy?

-Yeah.

-To keep it together!

-Exactly.

Does that devalue it much?

Well, the thing is with this, they normally come in pairs.

-Right.

-To go on either side of a door in the hallway.

-Yeah.

-You can imagine a big marble hallway, these sitting either side,

-they'd look elegant as a pair.

-They would.

As a single chair, they're a little bit more difficult to place.

But a very architectural design.

It's a nice back, architectural design there.

Broken-arch pediment. It's got a touch of elegance about it.

Good, solid piece. What are they asking?

Oh, £39.

I wonder if we could get it down to sort of more like

25 quid. That would help.

Do you think it would stand a chance?

-Well, it's not an expensive buy at 25 quid, is it?

-No, I don't think...

I don't think so, for a solid oak chair, I don't think that's bad.

How long have we got before we...?

We've got about 20 minutes.

-Oh.

-So we could come back to it.

-If we leave it here...

Give it 10 minutes. And if there's nothing else, we'll come back.

Exactly, we'll have a go at it.

Yeah, I think it might be worth a punt.

While the Blues are hedging their bets,

the Reds have got a whopping £220 left for their final item.

Gosh, that's quite fun, isn't it? In a fireplace, it's quite fun.

I don't know if people use these things any more.

-It's fun more than anything, I suppose. It's what we generally refer to as a companion set.

-Yes.

But I can see it in an Old England fireplace or something like that.

-Yes.

-It's marked up at £34, so we should get some money off.

We could get a few pounds off that. Make a little profit.

Well, you never know. I mean, would you have it in your house?

David would, cos he's got a nice little fire stove.

I've got a wood-burning stove.

Should look all right, by the side of my stove.

Well, there we are. If you like it, then we should have a go at it.

Get a few pound off of that.

-Old shoe nails as well.

-Shoe nails.

Old shoe nails? Nice!

With £20 paid, the Reds now have all three items.

After a look around, the Blues are back at the little wooden chair.

But is the price right?

I've rung the dealer.

He thought 25 was a bit too low.

But he's prepared to go to 28.

Oh, that's... I think 28's OK.

-We'll live with that.

-Yeah?

-I think it's got just as much chance really at 28 as 25.

-OK, fine.

-It's not a million miles out.

-No, no.

-We're not going to argue over £3.

-I don't think so, no.

I think we'll do that deal.

-Thank you.

-We'll take up to the front.

-Wonderful.

Is that the third item? That's the third item. We are done.

We can have a cup of tea!

And a chat. My favourite pastime.

A cup of tea. That sounds good.

Let's recap on the Reds' buys, while the kettle boils.

The Tiffany silver card case, in its original pouch,

seems like a good buy at £38.

At £40, the Crown Ducal vase might be a steal.

And finally, at £20,

was the rusty, rustic companion set - a brilliant buy for the Reds?

So lads, did you have a good time shopping?

-Brilliant.

-Which was your favourite piece, Philip?

-The Tiffany cardholder.

-And you, Dave?

The same, the Tiffany card case.

You spent a pathetic £98.

Dear, oh, dear. £202 of leftover lolly.

202, thank you very much, Dave.

What about this, Mark?

I found something which I think is a bit of a good buy, not anywhere near £200.

There you are. You're such a tease.

You better slip off and make quite sure that you get it.

Let's remind ourselves of what the Blues bought.

The Blues paid £135 for the pewter posset warmer.

The Silver Queen jug cost £85. It's very pretty, but is that too much?

At £28, the Victorian hall chair seems quite a good buy,

but it's missing its partner.

-Now you two, did you have a good time shopping?

-We did, yes.

Which is your favourite piece?

-The silver jug.

-Favourite is the silver jug.

What about you?

I like the silver jug, but I think the pewter posset warmer.

It could either fly or bomb, but I like that. It's interesting.

How are you with the posset, Joan?

-Fine.

-Have you been recently?

You spent £248, which is great.

I want £52 of leftover lolly, which goes straight here to find your bonus buy,

which the team will not see until they get to the auction, which is exciting.

-Got anything in mind?

-I have, yes. No clues.

-It's not scales.

-It's not scales?

-Or a tea caddy.

-They will be pleased.

But you have something in mind?

-Marvellous.

-It is going to be fine.

Seize the moment!

35...40...5...and 50.

55, 60, 5, 70.

All done?

It's grand to be with Richard Kay at Lawrences saleroom in Crewkerne.

-Hello, Tim.

-Great to be here.

Our Red team today, Phil and Dave, first item is this Charlotte Rhead lookalike pot.

Very stylish piece, very evocative of its era, inter-war British design.

It lacks a signature on the bottom.

Therefore it's probably 30 or £40, I think, at best.

-£40, they paid.

-So they're in the frame.

Next, is this seriously heavyweight fireside companion.

It's missing a couple of bits.

I think that shows rather too much evidence of the way in which it was made. 15, maybe £20.

No sweat, they paid £20, they didn't over-pay for it. It's a bit of fun.

Once again, they might just get there.

Last item is the Tiffany card case, complete with its pouch.

Is that something that appeals to you, Richard?

It does rather because Tiffany is associated with

very good-quality craftsmanship.

-I think it would make 30 or £40.

-Brilliant. £38, they paid.

That's fine. A very good price.

We have a trio here, I think, with immense potential.

But just in case they might need their bonus buy, let's go and have a look at it.

-Oh, my...

-I thought "quirky". It's a 1930s motorbike fire extinguisher.

You wouldn't put a lot out with that.

I think that's rather a collector's item.

And it was only £25.

"Only"?

I think that might make £30 or £35.

Mr Stacey has often been right in the past, particularly with his automobilia punts.

I think he might have got it wrong on this one.

Thank you very much for that.

For the viewers at home, why don't we find out what the auctioneer

thinks about Mark Stacey's fire extinguisher?

Quite how much broad appeal that's got, I don't know.

If anyone would pay more than £10, I don't know.

Once again, it's been inexpensively bought at £25 and, you never know.

-You never know.

-Anyway, that's it for the Reds, now for the Blues, Joan and Amanda.

They've been tempted, first off, with this pewter posset warmer.

I'm sure you'll agree, few things more irksome than a cool posset,

so the need to warm it up is quite important.

But this is a very cumbersome device.

A curious extra element is that I gather

it was once owned by James Fenimore Cooper.

According to that letter.

I don't know whether the collectors of pewter posset warmers

care two hoots about James Fenimore Cooper, or vice-versa.

It might make £40 to £60.

OK, they paid £135, which doesn't sound so much if you say it quickly.

Brilliant. What do you think about the cream jug?

Small silver is collectible,

so I would hope that that would make perhaps £30 to £40.

£85, they paid, you see? That's right pushing the outer edge

of the retail value, with something with rub marks and no great weight.

Their last piece is an incredibly unfashionable, uncomfortable

and difficult piece of furniture to sell, I would have thought.

It's hard to believe they were designed to be sat on.

Only briefly, I fancy.

While you were waiting in the hall.

I think it might make £20, perhaps, if two people want it.

OK, they paid £28, so not a huge price.

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

Let's go and have a look at it.

Now, Joanie, Amanda, you spent £248,

you gave Philip Allwood £52, what did he spend it on?

Well, a very classy-looking piece of mahogany,

dating to probably 1920-ish,

and a super pedestal bowl.

I think it was a very reasonable £40.

-That's not bad.

-Not too bad.

That's super, isn't it?

-Do you like it, girls?

-I like it, yeah.

Well, you've got a hit there, Philip.

For the audience at home, let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about Philip Allwood's nut dish.

This is beautifully made and it's got a lovely rich colour to it.

I think that's a fruit bowl for an Edwardian or post-Edwardian dining table.

It's an item that feels slightly out of time at the moment.

The estimate on that, it might make perhaps £30 to £40.

Philip Allwood loves it, he paid £40, which again is not a lot.

And you're in charge.

Good, well, I'll do my very best to get the best possible price.

We're in safe hands.

Phil, Dave and Mark, this is just so good, isn't it?

Oh, it's absolutely brilliant.

What's your prediction? Are you going to do all right, Dave?

Um, I don't see why not.

I think we got some good stuff.

Yes, I think we could make a few bob.

First up, though, is the Charlotte Rhead vase. Here it comes.

Lot 231 is a 1930s Crown Ducal three-handled vase,

possibly by Charlotte Rhead.

Can we say £30 for that? £30 to start me.

30 I see on my far right, 30. There is a starting bid at 30.

Can I see 5 anywhere?

-It's at £30, then.

-Go on.

-£30 and I'm selling last time at 30 only.

£30.

Not good, that. -£10.

Look out for the chain set.

Lot 232 is the rustic chain companion set.

Bids start me here at £10.

£10 I have.

12, 15, 18, 20, 22, 25, 28.

Lady's bid at 28, standing by the door at 28. And selling at 28.

All done at 28 for the last time.

-Yes!

-£28, plus £8. Well done.

Now, the Tiffany card case.

Lot 233 is a silver card case by Tiffany.

Bids start me here at £22, £25.

25 is bid. 28, 30, £32 now.

At £32, I'm selling now at £32.

-All done at 32.

-£32.

You're -£6 on that.

Overall, I make you on -£8.

What do you think?

-Might as well, might as well. We're down.

-Yeah.

OK, we're going for the bonus buy and here comes the fire extinguisher.

Lot 237 is a 1930's chrome motorbike fire extinguisher.

There it is. £10 for that, if you will.

£10 for it.

-5 then to start off?

-Oh!

-Oh no, come on.

-At £5?

£5, thank you. Seated at 5

8 now. It's £8, lady standing at 8 and I'm selling at £8 only.

At £8, all done.

-Oh my God!

-£8.

Well, it extinguished the auction.

I'm afraid that's -£17.

Oh, well.

By anybody's money, it's -£17.

Plus the -8 means you're -25.

That could be a winning score, though. Don't despair.

-Well, we don't.

-You don't.

No, we don't. We never despair.

Don't tell the Blues anything either.

-Won't say a word.

-Well done, boys.

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

-No.

-No.

-You don't?

-No.

-No.

-They didn't tell you?

-No.

-No.

-Good. Lovely. How are you feeling, by the way? All right?

Yeah, I was.

What do you mean "you was"?

Well, I was but seeing everyone's faces, I'm a bit nervous now.

-Are you?

-I was really confident.

-What about you, Joanie?

-Excited.

-You're excited?

-Yes.

-I trust you.

That's the spirit. The first item up is the posset warmer. Here it comes.

Lot 253, is a pewter posset warmer.

Bids start me here at £30 for it.

£30 is bid. At £30, can I say 5?

It's at £30. All done. Perfect for keeping your posset warm.

Oh, God!

£30 it is then. I'm selling at 30.

Last time.

£30. So it's -105.

-That's not good, is it?

-No. Here comes the cream jug.

Lot 254 is a 1922 silver cream jug. Bids start me here at 35, 40.

£45 is bid. 50, 55.

60 now. I'm out at £60.

At £60 and I'm selling at £60.

It's in the room at 60. Selling now at £60. All done.

Good. £60, better than estimate, but I'm afraid still -£25.

Lot 225 is a late-Victorian oak-panel seated hall chair.

Start me at 20 on this one, if you will. £20 for it. £20 for the chair.

£10 then if it helps. £10, thank you. £10 only and I'm selling at 10.

Any more? 12 now. 15.

18. 20. £20. Any more?

It's at £20 and selling. Lady's bid seated at 20 and selling now at £20.

He is selling at £20, you are -8 on that.

Overall you are -138.

-It's a whopper.

-It is.

It's whopping up there, I'm afraid. What do you think about this mahogany bowl?

-I'm going to have it.

-It will be better.

-Are you going to bite his arm off for that?

-We'd better go with that.

I don't blame you. £40.

You are definitely going with that?

Here comes the mahogany bowl.

Lot 259, early-1920s mahogany bowl of Campana form.

Bids start me here at £35.

It's on commission at £35. 40, 45.

At £50. It's on my left.

I'm selling at 50. At £50, all done.

At £50 and selling.

For the last time at 50.

Well done.

-The right way.

-It's fair enough.

That makes your score 128.

I'm afraid it's losses but £128, it could be a winning score.

Don't talk to the Reds.

We will find out what happens in a sec.

Some days is good days and some days is bad days.

Today, well, it's too close to count, isn't it?

-Been talking to one another?

-No.

You haven't. There's a sucking great gap between you, I have to say.

Somebody has to be the runner-up, right?

With some enormous losses, the runners-up today are the Blues.

Oh, dear.

£128-worth of losses.

Do you all still love each other?

-Absolutely.

-As much as you loved each other before you went shopping?

-More.

-Says the man.

You've been great fun, thank you so much for joining us.

The victors today, by only losing £25, is you guys.

Mark found the rustic companion set which made a cool £8.

Otherwise it wasn't much cop, was it?

There you go, you can't have everything.

You've had a great day, anyway. We've loved having you on.

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

-Yes!

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