Corby 10 Bargain Hunt

It might be peeing down with rain,

but our hearts are full of sunshine!

So let's go Bargain Hunting!

We're at Deene Park Antiques Fair and it's a bit damp!

But we've got £600 to spend today

cos it's double-up day!

And here's what's in store.

The blue team struggle to find their way.

It's the other way? Run that direction!

The red team struggle to stay together.

We've lost Carol.

Carol, where are you going?

And I trot up the road to Sheffield, to the Millennium Gallery.

So, for the reds today we've got Mandy and Carol.

And for the blues we've got friends Megan and Carol. Lovely!

-Hi, girls.

-Hello.

-Mandy, tell me how you met, darling.

I was working at a bingo club when Carol came to join eight years ago and took over as manager.

That sounds special. Is it good fun?

It's great fun. We get to meet a lot of people.

We make a lot of friends.

You couldn't go out in your pyjamas cos everybody knows who you are.

I don't go out in my pyjamas much.

-Now, you are on a health kick at the moment?

-Yeah, me and Carol

decided we needed to trim up slightly

so three times a week, if we can, we get to the gym.

-Don't we?

-Yes.

-I drag her there, but we go!

-She's trying to get a shape like mine.

-Naturally, very nice, too.

-What tactics are you going to use today?

-Subtle.

-Stylish.

-Sophisticated.

-Like you lot, really.

-Yes.

-Yeah. We are the Bingo Babes!

That's sweet, isn't it? Do you ever go to bingo?

BOTH: No.

Already we feel a chasm opening up between our teams!

-Your biggest passion is your allotment?

-Allotment and wildlife.

I have hedgehogs that visit my garden.

I feed the little hedgehogs.

And we have a canal very close to the home

and they have little ducklings at the moment.

So every day I have to go and feed the ducklings.

-A lot of feeding going on in your area.

-It costs a lot of money.

-Carol, your job is pretty creative.

-It is quite creative, yes.

-Tell us about it.

-I recycle lots of old furniture, and turn them into something different.

-How long have you been doing this?

-Most of my life, since I was little.

-Are you going to use any of your knowledge to bag some bargains?

-I hope so.

-What do you plan to do?

-I'm going to think big and blow the lot.

-Really?

-Yes.

I love that, when the lot gets blown. Very good.

It's just as well it's double-up day

because today you get £600 apiece.

That's £1,200 to spend. You know the rules.

Your experts await. Off you shove! Off to the wet tents!

I think our teams will need a little help.

Today this comes in the form of Charles Hanson for the reds

and David Harper for the blues.

The rules are simple.

£600, an hour to shop, three items to find.

The team with the most profit at auction win!

Let's get cracking!

-OK. Double-up day today. £600 to spend.

-We're real excited.

-Where do we go with that?

-We're ladies. We like to spend. We'll spend it all!

Good luck, Charles!

Girls, this is a very scary day. We've got £600. What will we do with it?

I don't know. I think we're looking at perhaps some silver.

-Silver.

-Silver, glass.

-Are we going to spend the lot?

-Yes, please!

-Come on, then!

-OK. Do what you do best, girls, and spend some money.

-Yes, please.

-Come on, Carol!

-I've only got little legs.

Keep up, Carol. You've only just started, love!

A bit of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. If that's a real one, that would be nice.

This is a nice vase.

-Oh, I like that.

-It's really striking.

-Look at that.

-I like the red - they're like hearts.

A bit of romance and grace.

The spoons aren't going to be very expensive.

-No.

-You wouldn't see a profit.

-Sets of spoons,

possibly.

Nice glass. Caithness glass, all hand-blown.

But we've got 600 quid.

-Yes, this is it.

-I know.

-Down comes the rain. Let's go inside here.

-We'll head indoors.

Look out for that blue team!

-I love that pair of decanters.

-Yes, they are beautiful, aren't they?

-What's trade on that?

-They're not cheap.

-100 quid?

200 quid! Bit of trade on that.

175.

I wouldn't...

Oh, we're going to start a fight!

-I like this box. Do you?

-I do, yes.

It's a really handsome... If we close it up...

-Look at that. There you go. A really fine rosewood inlaid musical box.

-Does it still work?

We'll try it.

-MUSIC PLAYS

-There's a collector's market for these.

A massive market. This is a very good Swiss or German musical box,

probably around 1870.

-It was your entertainment of the day.

-Yes, If you were in an elegant household,

if you were suave and sophisticated, after afternoon tea, you might have this on display and play it.

It's priced at 695,

and I like it.

-Our mission, Carol, is to spend big, isn't it?

-It is.

-But not quite that big.

Mandy, you spoilsport.

Now, I know these two. They give fantastic deals.

Yes, you may laugh! Right.

What do we have, trade,

that stands you absolutely nothing,

that we might have a chance to make a profit in auction?

They're sweet, yeah.

They are absolutely gorgeous. They are all there.

So no sneezing!

It's a miniature domino set.

I suppose it's a quirky little number.

You might take it travelling. Imagine on your coach.

-Yeah.

-On a long journey.

Days on end.

-You could use it and play with it.

-You could still use it.

Carol, what drew you to it?

I don't know. The quirkiness of it.

-I quite like the box, actually.

-Mahogany, I think, isn't it?

I love miniature items. Miniature furniture can be worth more than the big pieces.

Because the quality is as good, but it's made in miniature.

There's so much craftsmanship goes into this sort of stuff. Amazing.

What's the absolute death trade?

The absolute death would be 38 on them.

Oh, you are being awful to me today!

You're normally much nicer than this!

-You're being terrible.

-They are a very nice item.

To be honest, at auction, they would do quite well.

-Because I've never seen another set like that.

-I haven't, either.

-I've never seen...

-Stop agreeing with her!

You're doing very badly!

They're lovely ladies!

The best I could do, being as it's you, would be 35.

I think, to be honest, that gives you a good chance.

I absolutely adore it.

-It's beautiful, isn't it, Carol?

-I do like it.

Let's think about age.

We do like to buy antiques and I think it's got to be heading to 100 years old.

I'd say if not older, to be honest with you.

-Definitely 100, maybe 150 years old.

-It could be that, yeah.

So it's not all about size, is it?

You keep saying that, David.

Sometimes it's quality.

-It's over to you.

-I think so, don't you, Carol?

-Do you like it?

-I do, very much.

-Yes.

And bearing in mind that the experts said we would have profit in it at auction.

I think so.

No, the stallholder is saying we'll have profit at auction!

-Happy?

-Yes, please.

-OK.

-I'm happy too.

-Thank you very much.

Well, isn't that nice? Everybody's happy and the blues have one in the bag.

What I do like are those scent bottles there.

-Yeah, but you're not going to buy them.

-Why not?

-They're too dear for you.

-How much?

-They're £225.

-Today we have £600 to spend.

-Carol, Mandy.

-Yes?

-Look at these.

There we go.

-Have a look at the other one, Carol.

-I will do.

-How old are these?

-I would say they're Edwardian in period.

The hallmark on here - are they 1902?

-1901.

-1901. Fine.

Look at the cut. Look at the quality.

Is the glass in good condition?

-It feels...

-Feels really good. There isn't any chips.

I've got a chip on this one. A chip on the corner.

-Well spotted.

-Does that affect the price a lot?

Yeah, it does. What a shame.

Small chip. What do you think? Seriously, what do you think?

-They're beautiful.

-Why?

I like the shininess, I like the glass through the light.

-Look at that.

-Would you have them on your dressing table?

-Yes, I would.

We've had a look at these scent bottles and we do like them.

Is there any chance we could tempt you with £150-worth of cash?

No, but you can tempt me with 160. You can't tempt me for 150.

-I like them. Let's do it.

-Let's do it.

Call it a deal? 160.

-160 it is.

-Thank you very much. I appreciate it. They're good things.

-OK. Great. Well played.

-Well done. First one in the bag.

-Excellent. Very happy.

Ready for the bingo lingo?

The beginning - number one.

-I quite like this.

-What do you think it is?

-I think it's a nutcracker.

-It is a nutcracker. A Black Forest bear.

-Nice.

-"What do you think of the show?"

-I like it!

-"Rubbish!"

Speak for yourself, baby!

Now for something a little weightier.

WHISTLES

Oh, hello.

What do you think about this?

I'm having a bit of a toss-up about it, to be perfectly frank.

What is it?

Well, it's a bronzed cased object.

Now, either this thing has been buried for a good 100 years,

or it's extremely old.

How old is extremely old?

Well, it could be as early

as 13th or 14th or 15th century.

So what would you use this for in 1200 or 1300, for example?

In a marketplace you'd be weighing commodities

and in those days, the scales that they used were a long steel yard,

hung in the middle.

One end of the steel yard would have a weight pendant from it, like this.

On the other end, you'd have your commodity. What's it worth?

Well, it could be yours here today for £30.

What's it worth if it's confirmed to come from the late medieval period?

I would think a good 400 to £500-worth.

So, to buy or not to buy?

These are weighty questions.

Keep looking, ladies.

What do you think, Carol? What takes your fancy?

Surely it's not that bad, Carol?

Ah, that's a smoker's cabinet.

-Little drawers for tobacco, tobacco jars, mixing bowls.

-OK.

-Everything you need...

-For the smoker.

-Yeah. Surely you smoke a pipe?

-Of course I do!

-Of course!

-In the evening after dinner!

-I heard, actually.

-I've caught her, as well!

But that's a collector's item.

It's a real collector's item, yes.

Late 19th, early 20th century. Probably Edwardian. 1900-ish.

And a scribbled out price, which means it's free!

-Yes!

-Is it for free?

What's the trade on that one?

-110.

-110. Is that the best trade?

-Mmm.

It's not a fortune actually. We can bear that in mind.

Carol, where are you going?

Sorry. I'll come back.

Come on, Carol. Keep up, love!

-That's plate. I'll leave that.

-It's a bit plain.

We need to seriously get something bought, now.

-There's half an hour to go, so we're OK. Don't panic, Mandy.

-OK.

Plenty of time.

Some nice beads here, Charles. What are these made of?

That's nice. They're ivory or bone.

-This is nice, Mandy.

-Charles, Carol's got the one that got away!

-What's the best price on that?

-I can do £40.

-What do you think?

-We could do with one of those today, Charles!

It's a really good late Victorian-cum-Edwardian parasol.

This collar here is actually later than the actual handle.

This might be ten years later or so. Importantly without courting bad luck,

what we'll do is just, without putting it up,

see that lovely quality?

-That's the original fabric on that.

-It is, absolutely.

I like it.

-What do you think, Carol?

-I'm leaving this one to you.

-What was your best price? 35, did you say?

-No!

- I'll do 38. - I thought she said 30!

-38.

-3-0, blind 30.

What are our tactics now, Carol? If we buy this,

where do we then go? We've got all this money left over.

We'll have to have our musical box.

-Carol, on your head. What do you think?

-Oh, gosh. Yeah, I'll go for it.

-Is it a yes from you?

-If Carol says yes, that's good enough for me.

Three yeses!

-And your best price is?

-38.

It's a deal. Thank you very much. Job done.

Three yeses and one little duck.

Item number two. Now,

what has David spotted?

-This is nice.

-Yes.

What have we got on that one?

-I've got 300 on that one.

-Really. What is it?

It's Fratelli Toso, a very good artist in Italy.

-Do you want to have a look?

-I'm tempted, yes.

-Let's have a look.

-It is an expensive piece.

-I know.

-We've got to have one.

-Yes.

-Oh, that is...

-Oh, dear.

-That's really pretty.

-I daren't touch it.

It's a Fratelli Toso. I've never had much to do with him,

but I can spot quality from a few feet away.

-Ooh, I don't...

-Hold it.

It's missing a stopper, I think.

Yeah? So it's a decanter, really.

It's more of a decanter than a vase.

What shape would the top be?

-A stopper.

-A stopper, yeah. A glass stopper.

How old would that be, then?

I think that's probably 1950s.

-'50s, '60s. It's got a '50s style to it.

-Yes, it has.

-A little pinched waist, hour-glass figure.

-Yes, that's correct.

-It's lovely quality.

-I like that.

-What is... We're talking cash here.

250.

Death. 250.

-We've got 20 minutes left.

-Well...

-Do you like it?

-I like it.

-Yes.

-I do like it.

-I think we ought to have a go.

-No, stop that! Stop saying that.

Because he won't come down from 250.

-OK.

-Hang on.

What about 200 or 225 on the spin of a coin?

You're killing me!

210 and 225.

-Ready?

-Yes.

-You call for us.

Not that old trick again, David?

-Heads.

-She called heads.

Yes!

Oh. The deal was made.

That's the winning formula. Whenever I call, I lose!

-What do you think about that?

-Brilliant.

-Brilliant. Well done.

-Thank you.

-We're taking a chance, but it's gorgeous.

Don't drop it!

You got the result you wanted there, Harper. £210. Two in the bag

for Megan and Carol.

They say small is beautiful.

See?

Thank you. What do you think?

What's that pattern on there? Is it anything particular?

If I said date, what would you say?

-It looks old.

-How old?

-I'd say 18-something.

-I'd say 1840.

-This goes back to around 1755.

-Wow.

It's a rare thing.

So...

Blue and white are made to imitate the finest Chinese porcelain.

Because at this time, we in England were only making porcelain for five or so years,

having discovered how the Chinese made it. But to the unassuming, it looks boring.

-Yes, it does.

-OK.

-Very everyday.

-They don't like it!

-Sorry.

-Right, OK. After all that lingo. Doesn't work.

How much is it, by the way?

395.

-It's not blingy enough.

-Not blingy enough?

With all those rings on your hand, I can imagine why!

Charming(!)

Wait a minute.

What about this one up here?

-I like the Art Deco vase.

-The big vase?

-This one?

-Yeah, this one.

-Art Deco. Always popular.

-That is nice, isn't it?

-So it's 1930s?

-Yes, it is.

-Where's it signed? Signed...

-I'll show you.

-Oh, wow! Yes, it's signed. Look. Muller Freres.

-Muller Freres.

-Is that a really good make?

-Right. The two brothers used to work for Galle.

-You've heard of Galle?

-Yes.

-Then broke away from him...

-And set up on their own.

-It is beautiful.

-And dated.

-It's typical Art Deco.

-Very much so.

It's got 450 on. What would be your very best price?

No, I'm not going to go up and down.

I'll tell you my very best and there is no movement. Dead 400.

-Don't look at me.

-That could be tricky for you, Charles!

-Don't look at me.

-Carol, what do you think?

-It leaves you with two pounds!

The thing is, it's a massive spend.

It leaves me with two pounds? Is that right? Two pounds?

-But you're the expert. You can buy something...

-Course I can.

-..for two pounds.

It's got a money spider in. That's a good sign, a money spider in there!

-Carol, was that "Go for it", you whispered?

-Yes. Go for it.

Go on, go for it.

400? It's a deal. We'll have that, thank you.

That's it? Thanks for inviting me. Two pounds to spend. Good day. Three objects.

-Good luck.

-Go for it.

-Very good luck!

-Don't believe it.

Cup of tea, number three.

Carol and Mandy are done. And with a cool 15 minutes to spare.

What have you got that stands you very handy, trade, that we might have a chance?

Something nice and interesting and quirky.

-You like WMF, don't you?

-I do like WMF. What have you got?

-I've got a couple of pieces.

-Show me. We've got very few minutes left.

Down here.

-Typical Art Nouveau design.

-Very Art Nouveau.

-It's got the stamp, WMF.

-WMF. It's a German piece. Art Nouveau manufacturer.

They made a lot of cutlery. They've been going for donkeys' years.

Prolific makers, good quality.

In the Art Nouveau period, 1890 to about 1910, before the First World War,

they were knocking out this stuff by the bucket-load. Really, really good quality.

I'm rambling on. We've only got five minutes.

Nothing new there, Harper!

-What's the trade on that?

-50 for trade.

-50 trade.

Aw!

-Couldn't be 20?

-You're right - it couldn't be!

I didn't think it could be! Three minutes to go, girls.

-What about the smoking box?

-You want another look at that? Would you mind?

-I might see you later.

-OK.

-Cheers. Run!

Come on. I want to see you run!

-Where is it?

-It's the other way!

-The other way.

-The other way?

Run that direction!

Come on, you lot, work out where you're going!

-You're not running!

-No!

-Here!

-There it is, yes.

-Hi, there. It's quite a clever little thing.

-Ingenious.

-Yes.

It's got a registration, which is like a patent number.

It's oak, Edwardian,

about 1905, 1910. Original handles.

Nice quirky action on the box when you close the drawer.

-How much was it?

-How much was that?

-110.

-Is that the very best you can do?

-We have two minutes.

-I'll give you the scent bottle with it.

-Where's the scent bottle?

-The one you were looking at.

I'll tell you what, you are brilliant.

-Bless her!

-I've got 40 seconds and I'll use all my time. How about if we gave you 80 including the bottle?

-No. 100 including the scent bottle.

-OK, girls. It's over to you.

-You have to make a decision.

-Just take it.

-Yes.

-£100 for the two.

-OK.

-You're a dreamboat. Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Thank you.

With seconds to spare, Megan and Carol are done.

Right. That's it for our teams.

They stop shopping in the luxury of that marquee.

Let's have a gander at what the red team bought.

They all smelt success

in a pair of cut-glass and silver bottles.

Charles found them a silver-handled parasol for £38.

And Mandy insisted they buy the Art Deco glass vase

for a cool 400.

Oh, dear!

-That's it. We've spent out.

-We have.

That's a really good call, isn't it?

In bingo, what do you call that?

-Bingo?

-I could say that's a full house!

-Quite right.

-Is that what you say?

-Full house, yes.

I think it's bingo cos you've got how much to spend? A pound?

On its own, Tim. Number two. Two pounds.

Two pounds. Where's the two pounds? Oh, you've got one each!

-Two little ducks.

-Was that good fun or not?

-It was.

-What do you call them? Two little ducks?

One little duck - number two.

One little duck is number two.

Is that what it is? Shows I don't go to bingo much!

From one little duck to one big duck.

I don't know what you're going to do, but very good luck!

Good fun. Now, let's remind ourselves what the blues bought.

Carol fell in love with the miniature bone dominoes.

They all liked the shape of the 1950s Fratelli Toso vase.

And in the dying minutes, they agreed upon the oak smoker's cabinet

and glass scent bottle for £100.

Well done! Right in the dying seconds. That's what I like to see.

Why does he always look so pleased with himself after the shopping?

-Because he's got all the money left, that's why.

-I'll give him the leftover lolly in a moment.

How good is this double-up day?

You get your £600, you get a first-rate man with you. Yes?

-Yes.

-Yes, we do.

-And then there's David.

Too nice. I knew you were just being too nice!

No, it was only momentary, that.

-Seriously, had a good time?

-We had a great time.

You took it right to the wire, which is really good. How much did you spend overall?

-£345.

-345.

-Yes, we did.

£345. That's absolutely super.

-Can I have £255 of leftover lolly?

-Yes, you can.

That's exactly what I'm looking for. Things are well-organised on this show!

Over it goes to you, Davido. That's a lot of money.

I haven't held that amount of money for a long time.

Good luck, girls. And David. Meanwhile, we're going to shove off to Sheffield.

The canny cutlers, platers and silversmiths of Sheffield

were always on the lookout for the very brightest of design talent.

The most successful of these designers

finished up as household names.

Their objects became iconic

and if they were really good, they'd find their pieces on display today

in the Sheffield Millennium Galleries.

The leading industrial designer of the 19th century

was, without doubt, Dr Christopher Dresser.

The items on this side of the table

are from designs attributed to him.

What's interesting about Christopher Dresser

is that he became an industrial designer.

He'd think of a form without ornamentation

that would be relatively simple to produce by industry.

It's all summed up, really, in this little teapot.

Look how unfussy these feet are,

the handle and spout and so forth.

He's done that so it would be simple to produce in a mechanical and industrial sense.

He's thinking about the man who has to make the teapot.

Will it go into mass production?

In this model, we've got an example of a sphere

which has been spun on a steam-driven lathe.

Once upon a time, this was a flat piece of metal.

It whizzed around on the lathe,

a chuck is introduced against that lathe.

The pressure and movement of the metal enables it to move and curl, if you like.

You get to this moment in time and stop spinning it.

You remove the chuck and there you've got, effectively, the body of the teapot.

If you look at the feet, that are sweated on to the sides of the sphere,

nothing could be more simple.

It's almost like a golf tee-type peg.

Then look at the other component parts, the cover, the knob and the handle.

They're angular, plain, very stylish and simple to make.

And they tick all the right boxes when it comes to Victorian industrial design.

Having set up a machine that can easily do this once,

it's perfectly possible for the machine to do it 100,000 times.

This coffee and tea service is also designed by Dresser.

It's in electro-plate.

But if you look at the design, it's a simple outline

into which Dresser has introduced some decoration,

but it's decoration that's mechanically produced.

If we scroll forward to the second half of the 20th century,

we come to another design classic,

produced by a Sheffield designer, David Mellor.

And this tea set, which, when you look at it, is not so different

from the Dresser tea set,

was produced by him in 1958. This range of wares is called Pride.

It, too, has little ornamentation.

Scrolling forward to the end of the 20th century,

Mellor comes up with his range of polished stainless steel cutlery

which is called City.

And you can't get more brand-spanking-new

and clean and simple a design than that.

The big question is today, of course,

are our teams' reputations going to be tarnished at all,

over at the auction?

We've pitched up at Mellors and Kirk saleroom in Nottingham.

And I just can't wait to find out what kind of bonus buy Carlos has found with next to no cash!

So, Mandy and Carol, this is the exciting moment.

You've left Charles Hanson with two pounds! We give you 600

and you spent 598. Are you taking the mickey or what?

-Well...

-Well...

-We are ladies. We like to shop. So...

-we never come back with any money.

-No.

For two pounds, I looked long and hard.

I went all round the fair two or three times and finally...

found this little man.

-Oh.

-Look at him.

-He's all right!

-A very sweet...

-1970s.

-Possibly.

-No, I like it.

-Perhaps Italian. Isn't he nice?

-I do. I do.

A penguin with all the feel of a cold, Arctic air.

Look at the two penguins within on this almost iceberg.

-Isn't it sweet?

-Yes.

-Blown. Italian. I don't know.

-Would you give it mantelpiece room?

-Yes, I would.

And for two pounds, I think that's a bargain.

-Importantly, look at the condition. It's in good condition.

-It's good.

A paperweight.

Exactly. Paperweight, ornamental. And surely for two pounds...

I like it. I do, honestly.

It's come out of a box. It's not antique. And at two pounds, I think that's pretty good going.

-Was it a box of crackers it came out of?

-Could be.

But you only gave him two pounds so you can't expect a work of art.

Is it going to make four pounds? Six pounds...

I'll say this is a guaranteed auction estimate at least of ten to £15.

With that in mind, OK, it might only make eight.

But I'm sure, I'm positive, it's going to make at least £15.

-I think it's a winner. I think it's a winner.

-I do.

Good, good. You've got two enchanted ladies here, Charles, which is a considerable achievement!

For the audience at home, let's find out now what the auctioneer thinks of the little penguin.

I'm ashamed showing you this, cos Charles only had two pounds left over.

He went out and spent his two pounds and got two decapitated cormorants

frozen in glass.

But still it's a paperweight and it's cased glass.

Two pounds is nothing, is it?

-I think he'll get 20 or £30 for that.

-Do you really?

They'll be overjoyed with that.

First up for Mandy and Carol,

-they've got this pair of cut-glass scent or cologne bottles.

-Yes.

Very typical of their period.

Silver-mounted, Edwardian.

Would they have come in a fitted set with a whole lot more of this, do you think?

They'd come with a dressing table set - tray, brushes and so forth,

rather than being in a fitted case.

They've lost their friends.

But we've got them together today. What will they make?

They're in reasonable condition, a little dented. Perhaps 80 to £100.

They paid 160.

-Next up is the parasol.

-Yes. They're difficult things to display. What do you do with them?

You can't open them. Or if you do, very often they're so frayed

-and threadbare they'll fall apart.

-The silks perish.

So they are uncommercial.

-How much?

-30 quid.

-OK, fine. They paid 38. No sweat about that.

Now, the big swell round here is this baby on the end.

-Yes.

-This daffodil/primrose yellow

opaque glass.

Um, I suppose it's a vase, isn't it?

It is a vase, yes. It's very distinctive and there's no ignoring it.

It's the sort of thing you respond to. You either love it or loathe it.

-Yes.

-Its sale value is going to be limited because of its rather poor quality of manufacture.

-So what might it bring?

-There's a limited market for it.

It'll make £100. 150, maybe.

-Really?

-Hmm.

-They paid 400.

-Goodness! That's brave.

-Anyway,

that's it for the reds. Now for the blues.

Megan and Carol, their first item is a miniature dominoes set.

These Victorian games, once so popular,

-are now completely lost at auction. They don't sell.

-Oh, dear.

They paid £35. Will they get any of it back?

-Maybe ten.

-Ten to £20.

-Yes.

-OK. Fine.

What about this Venetian glass waisted decanter?

Well, that has one great attraction

in as much as it dates from the 1950s.

It's quite... Whether it's going to make more than £100, I don't know.

They paid 210.

They paid fully the retail price for it.

Their last item is a stupid, strange combo

of an Edwardian smoker's cabinet and an atomiser.

It's quite well made, though. Edwardian, I would have thought.

It has a registration number on the drawer.

We're standing by them for a not particularly dazzling estimate.

-What do you think?

-60 to £80.

-That's not bad. They paid 100.

It's this decanter that's going to let them down a bit.

So they'll need their bonus buy. Let's go and have a look at it now.

Now, Carol and Megan. You spent £345.

You gave David Harper £255,

a small fortune for anybody.

-What did you spend it on, David?

-I'm quite excited about this.

This is a proper antique,

something I'd really get excited about buying.

Oh, I like that.

-Isn't that lovely?

-What do you think?

-Yeah.

-It's super.

-You know what it is?

-Of course.

-It's a sampler.

Samplers are always really highly collected.

There's an awful lot of people out there who want to buy these things.

We know the girl's name. We don't know her age - probably early teens.

A sampler is effectively a sample of your work,

a sample of your skill in needlework.

-Beautiful.

-It's a lovely thing.

-Yes.

-A lovely thing.

-How much?

-Do you like it, Carol?

-Yes, I do.

-Something that appeals?

-Yes, it is.

-Yes.

-I do like that.

-Yes.

-What about you, Megan?

-It's really beautiful.

-Depends on the price.

-Yes.

Well, this is it. This is where I could fall down.

It wasn't the bargain of a lifetime.

It took me an hour to buy it.

-OK.

-I spent £250 on it.

-Nearly the full wodge.

-I had a fiver left.

-I didn't have much left to work with.

-OK.

-What do you think it might bring?

-I think on a good day it might do £400.

On a bad day, I might lose 100.

You don't decide now. Let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about David's sampler.

-So, Nigel, as if by magic, there's your sampler.

-Indeed.

-That's David Harper's bonus buy.

-I like this sampler.

-What do you think it's worth, Nigel?

-Perhaps 200 to £300.

-Really?

-Mmm.

David Harper's going to be delighted. He paid £250.

-That was a very fair price.

-Right in the middle. Retail, 250 is a good number?

-It is.

Super. Well, all will be decided in the auction in just a moment.

-Thanks very much, Nigel.

-Thank you.

Mandy and Carol. How are you feeling, kids?

-Confident.

-Very confident.

-Are you?

-Got some good items.

-Did you have a good breakfast today?

-Oh, yes.

-Everything settled down? You're not nervy?

-Definitely not.

It's a bit like bingo, this. You just don't know what will happen.

-No.

-You don't know what numbers will come out of the hat.

-It's exciting. Charles hasn't got the faintest idea, nor have I.

-No.

First up, your scent bottles.

Lot 71.

£40 for them? 40 I'm bid. And five.

50 anywhere? 50. Five. 60.

And five? 65, madam.

70.

-Come on.

-75 with me. 80. 85.

90. £90 then, in the room. We sell.

At £90.

£90. Sorry about that, lads.

You are under 70 on that. Minus £70.

72 is a George V silver-mounted parasol.

£20 for it? 20.

£10.

-It's sunny out. You need one!

-And I'm bid £10. 15 for it?

15 do I see?

£10. All done. 10 only.

-I don't believe it.

-£10. That is minus £28.

-Not looking good.

-That was not an encouraging shout, I'm afraid.

Lot 73 is the Muller Freres primrose yellow glass vase.

At £80 I am bid on commission for this lot. £80. 85. 90.

Five for it? 95.

100 and ten. 120. 130.

140. 150.

160. 170.

180. At 180 on my left and selling at £180.

Bad luck. 180. You are minus £220 on that.

OK. We're £318 down the toileto.

-Are you going with the penguins?

-Where there's a will, there's a way.

We've got faith in the penguin. The penguin can do it for us. Is it worth £318, Charles?

-I think it'll do very well.

-But not that well!

-We'll slowly get away.

-I really hope it does well.

-The £18 would be good.

-We're going with the penguin?

-We want to go with it.

A seriously risky object, this. Two pounds!

-Here it comes.

-Lot 78.

The glass penguin embedded paperweight.

Lot 78. £20 for it?

Ten to get on. Anybody want it? £10.

£5. Five I'm bid.

£5 only.

At £5. All done?

-That's a £3 profit. Well done.

-It was worth much more than that.

-I'm sure.

-I don't think so, actually.

He's done very well to sell it for £5.

Very lucky to get an offer at all in this saleroom.

Three pounds off that. You are minus 315.

Which is a pretty spectacular losing score.

But you never know. It could be a winning score.

Or maybe not.

Now, Megan and Carol. Do you know how the reds got on?

BOTH: No.

-They're not giving anything away.

-Right. Good.

Let's find out where you're going to be. Your first lot is coming up.

Here come the miniature dominoes. And very lovely they are, too.

Lot 94. £20 for them?

20? £10?

-£5.

-Come on!

-Five I'm bid. At five.

Ten. 15? 15.

20? 20, sir?

-Yes!

-No? £15.

In the second row we sell at £15.

£15. Sorry, girls. That's minus 20.

Lot 95 is the Fratelli Toso

aventurine and filigrana glass decanter.

£30 for this, please. 1950s in date.

30? 30 I'm bid. At £30.

30. Five anywhere? Five. 40.

Five. 50? £45.

50. Five. 60. 65.

70. 75.

80. 85.

-90.

-Yes.

-95? £95.

100? No? At 95.

In the doorway. Selling at £95.

That is minus £115 on that.

Not looking good. Already minus £135.

Lot 96, the Edwardian brass-mounted oak smoker's cabinet,

together with a scent bottle. £50 I am bid for this. 50.

Five for it anywhere?

55. 60.

-Yes, go on!

-65. 70.

-Go on!

80. 85.

90. Five.

-100. And ten?

-Yes, yes, yes!

-All done?

£100.

£100. It wiped its face. Well done, Dave.

£100. No profit, no loss.

No shame, no gain. So you are, girls, minus £135.

-That's really bad.

-Now, a really difficult decision.

I know it's a difficult decision.

-Are you going to go with the 250 punt?

-Are we gamblers?

-Yeah.

-Yes. Without a doubt.

-I think so.

-You're gamblers?

-Yes.

-Really?

-Yes.

-OK. Well, you watched her lips.

101. Early Victorian linen sampler.

Dated 1846.

Half a dozen commission bids have been left on this lot.

£80 I have.

At 80. Five anywhere? Five.

90. Five. Five. 100 and ten.

-110. 120 with me.

-Yes.

-130. 140. 150.

-160. 170. At 160 the bid is still with me.

-Come on!

170. 180. 190. 200.

And 20. I'm out.

£220.

Dear, oh, dear.

So close, David. So close!

But not quite close enough. It's only £30.

Minus 30. You are minus 165.

Um, the tension is something else.

You can cut that with a knife.

Anyway, well done. It didn't quite work, but very, very close.

Minus 165 could be a winning score. Don't say a thing to the reds.

All will be revealed in a moment.

Well, it's double-up day.

Double the happiness, double the joy.

Double the losses.

-Have you been chatting, you lot?

-No.

-No.

-Good.

So you have no idea of the scale of the disaster that has befallen one of the teams.

And I'm afraid that the team that is running up by a long chalk is reds.

Oh, no!

-I'd stick to the bingo, if I were you!

-I think I will.

A magnificent team, though. Thank you.

The blues have done marginally better by only losing £165.

It's remarkable!

There's no great accolade there, either, 165.

But nevertheless, you are well and truly the winners today.

-Join us soon for some more Bargain Hunting! Yes?

-Yes!

Gosh!

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