Cornwall 5 Bargain Hunt

150 years ago, Wadebridge was a market town

trading in cattle.

Today, we're in the marketplace

trading for bargains!

So let's go bargain hunting!

The Royal Cornwall Showground is our venue today,

with 250 stalls for our teams to poke around at.

And an expert to help them!

Philip Serrell heads up the Red Team.

I think you've got to start buying stuff.

Henry Meadows leads the Blue Team.

It's good, isn't it?

So let's go and meet today's contestants.

Today, for the Reds, we have friends Anna and Gail

and daughter-and-father combo Freya and Peter for the Blues.

-Hello, everyone!

-ALL: Hello.

-How lovely!

How do you two know each other?

I met Gail's daughter Meg about ten years ago when they first moved to Cornwall.

She was in my class at school and we became firm friends.

And then last year, I moved in with Gail, so I'm now her lodger

and we've become really good friends.

-I'm like part of the family!

-That's rather fun!

You're friendly with everybody! Which is brilliant.

Now, you're in the property business, Gail.

Well, thrown into it 13 years ago

when I inherited the company from my mother, who died.

-Me and my sister now are directors.

-Lovely.

What do you do to relax and unwind?

Well, I've got three children, three dogs and three horses, so not a lot of time to relax,

but when I do, I am out on the cliffs, on the beaches with my dogs, riding my horses.

My animals are my de-stresser.

-Sounds absolutely blissful.

-It is.

-And you look very unstressed, if you don't mind my saying.

-Thanks!

Which is nice.

-In this wind in mid Cornwall!

-Indeed!

Anna, why do your friends call you Granny Annie?

Because I love bargains, antiques, things like that.

They think I'm a right grandma, even though I don't think it's grannyish.

Also, I'm the grown-up, kind of sensible, caring one out of the group of friends,

so I've kind of got this nickname. But I like it.

If you go around the fairs, the number of youngsters who are out there poking about,

looking for trendy things, retro fashion, whatever it might be,

there's a lot of young enthusiasm in this business,

so tell your friends you're not Granny Annie at all.

-You're just cool.

-Cool Annie!

Do you guys think you're going to make a great team?

With my experience and Anna's great confidence, I think we're a recipe for success.

That's well said! You've done that terribly well!

-Good luck, girls.

-Thank you.

Peter, originally from Cornwall, but you've done some flitting about.

Yes, quite a bit actually.

I was born in Polperro and left there when I was around 15 years of age.

Came back for a little while,

and then when I was 20,

I took my family to Australia for three years,

and then went to Scotland and bought a little hotel up there.

-Gosh!

-And then about five years ago, I came back to Polperro again.

What do you get up to now you're back in Cornwall?

Well, I retired at Christmas,

but I've been trying to build up this little retail business

selling bric-a-brac and antiques.

-You're a dealer!

-But I didn't know anything,

so it was a case of on a hope and a prayer

that somebody might like what I bought and buy it.

Is anybody buying anything?

You've got to be sensible about the prices, put it that way!

Freya, you've got your own reasons for going to auctions with your father, haven't you?

Yes. I'm a qualified hairdresser, that's my main job,

but about a year and a half ago, I set up a business

making bridal bouquets out of antique jewellery, lace, buttons and beads,

so they're something for people to keep forever.

So I get a lot of my things from auctions.

I love going round and searching for bits.

You two are experienced hands. What are your tactics?

Just to find something as low a price as we can

and hopefully, something that we know will sell well.

Sell for thousands. I've got my pension resting on this.

That's good. Just as well you're very young!

Now, the money moment. Here we go. £300 apiece.

-There you are, girls. £300.

-Thank you.

Your experts await! Off you go! Very, very, very good luck!

Gosh! What fun! Who's your money on?

-Go! Get in there!

-Get in there!

Well, whichever team you're backing, you'll need to know the rules.

They've got £300 to spend, an hour to shop and three items to find.

Whoever makes the most profit are declared the winners.

So let's get cracking.

-Old handbags!

-Handbags...

-I can't see anything jumping out at the moment.

-BOTH: No.

I think those are really nice.

-What have you got there?

-It's an old railway lamp.

-Any markings on it, like BR, or anything like that?

-No.

-I think it's seen better days.

-I think it has!

-Yes.

-Now, tell me, what's VR?

-Victoria?

Good girl! Get in there!

-What's the "R"?

-Regina.

-Well done.

-We're a good team!

And this is...

-So we know that's dated from 1837 to 19...whenever she popped it.

-OK.

What you should now do is ask this lovely gentleman,

flutter your eyelashes - them, not you -

-and ask what his best price is.

-Your very best price.

-What is your very best price?

-£40.

Are you prepared to put this back and then...

I'll sell you it for £35.

Are you prepared to put it back for now so we can have a look round?

-Could you put it by for about 45 minutes?

-It will literally...

-You're a gentleman.

-Fantastic. Thank you.

-Thank you.

Ooh. A cautious start.

-It's not my favourite.

-No.

Now, Blues, are you being more bullish?

-That's quite nice, isn't it, that gong?

-That's lovely.

-Shall we have a look at it?

-Yes.

-What have we got?

We've got the brass gong.

It's oak-backed, brass lion-mask decoration.

-What sort of period do you think that is?

-I haven't the foggiest!

I'd say probably Edwardian. 1910, that sort of period.

It was the sort of thing that would be in a middle-class person's home,

you know, ring the gong and come down for dinner.

-How much is it?

-There's no price.

-Shall I ask the stallholder?

-That'd be a good idea!

-Hello there.

-Can we ask you how much your gong is?

-28, I put on there.

-28. That's not out the way.

-No. How much do you think it would make?

I think between £20 and £30.

If we could shave a little bit off

-we stand a chance of a profit.

-Get it for 20?

-You can use your charms on the...

-Would you take 20 for it?

-22.

-21?

-Go on! 21!

-Look at that! Brilliant!

-21.

-You've got yourself a gong!

-That's a good deal all round.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Great start. Going, going, gong.

-How much are those, please?

-Erm, I'll do those for 20.

Little Georgian ones, aren't they?

-They're really interesting.

-I've never seen that shape before. Have you?

-Yes.

-I think they might be Middle Eastern.

-Oh, right, OK.

But, normally, they have lots of gold inlay.

-What's the very best you can do?

-Oh, go on, then, £15!

The truthful answer is I don't know what they're like.

-They might be Georgian, 18th century, haberdasher scissors.

-Might be.

But I sold a pair of scissors, not too dissimilar to this, about six months ago

and they're Islamic.

But I think at £15... Do you want to buy those?

-Is that your best?

-It is.

-You can't do it for ten?

-No.

-12?

-No.

These guys have got a living to make. They travel all over the country doing this.

Do you think it's wise to do it this quickly? I know we've only got an hour, but...

-Do you want me to put them by?

-I don't know whether somebody would go "Wow!".

-If you want to do that, you can. If you'll put them by?

-Yes.

-You're an angel.

ALL: Thank you.

Oh, Anna, you've got to buy something eventually!

-No, I definitely don't think that's Newlyn.

-No, I don't.

-See if we get any luck in here.

-This looks like great fun in here.

-You've got 40 minutes left, girls.

-Oh, OK.

-That's fine.

"That's fine. Chill. That's fine!"

You don't sound too sure, Phil.

And you're right to be worried. The Blue Team are on the boil.

This looks quite nice. Do you like copper,

-copper kettles and things like that?

-Yes.

-What about this piece?

-Unusual, isn't it?

-Classic piece of design.

I'd say probably Late Victorian, 1890, 1900.

-It's very much in that sort of Art Nouveau style.

-Yes.

And what's nice about this piece is, it's got a name on it.

You can see here, "Boyd's Patent".

I think anybody who's interested in copper of this period,

it's something that they can research.

-And I just think it's a nice touch.

-It's a lovely piece.

-This is iron, isn't it?

-Yes.

-And you've got the copper and brass kettle there and the burner

-and it's complete, isn't it?

-Yes. No damage.

-The question is, how much is it?

-Exactly.

I was asking about 50.

-Er...

-Would you take 40?

Yes, I'll do 40.

I think that sounds like a really fair deal.

-We'll buy it from you.

-Ooh, right!

-Ooh!

LAUGHTER DROWNS OUT SPEECH

I think you've just made her day.

Phil, tell us how your day's coming along.

I'm having a bit of a panic. The fair's a lot smaller than I thought it was.

So, you know, it's time to kick on a bit.

You might be struggling, but I found something pretty cool.

Don't you think he's handsome?

The hairdo could do with a little bit of patching.

The face has suffered a degree,

but you've got to remember

that this gadget is at least 80 years old

and it could be 90 years old.

Did you ever wonder about ventriloquism?

Well, this is your moment.

Because in one lot, you get this fellow

and you get the instruction book.

Look at that. The Secrets of Ventriloquism.

One shilling.

It tells you how to speak from the belly,

which is what ventriloquism, in Latin, means.

It says here, "You may have difficulty in pronouncing some the words with closed lips,

"but this can be easily overcome

"by substituting other letters that may sound similar,

"for instance, V is substituted for B.

"W is pronounced duggle-you.

"For P use fee.

"A big piano could be used as 'A vig fiano'."

Good, isn't it? I think the thing is an absolute gas!

What makes it for me, though, is having the original book.

And what does he cost?

Watch those lips and he'll tell you.

"£120!"

£120 for all this fun and entertainment.

You could ask him, "What's it worth?"

It could be worth £300 to £400

in one of those Magic Circle special auctions

way up there, somewhere in... "London".

There's some rummagey ones over there.

-Right, then, boys, I'm feeling a little bit left out.

-Are you?

There's been lots of shiny brass boy things been bought.

Yes, there has been a bit of a bias.

I think something gorgeous and girly is on the cards.

-Let's go for some girly items.

-What about that?

-BOTH: Oh, yes!

-Bakelite radio.

-It's really pretty, isn't it?

-Is it?

-It's tiny.

It's a Kadette Jewel, so it's American.

It's the smallest radio they made around, erm, 1935.

-Brown Bakelite.

-Yes.

-Erm...

-Bakelite's quite collectable?

-It is.

-With its...

-Oh, look!

-It's got its original valves.

-It's got all its valves.

And how much is it?

-We've got 200 on this at the moment.

-Hm...

Obviously, that's the sort of figure that you feel...

Well, I could do quite a bit on it. I'm prepared to move a bit.

-I mean -

-50?!

Maybe not that much! Nice try, though!

-I mean, is 100 too low for it?

-Erm...

-That's a huge sort of...

-Yes.

-I could go...

Well, I could come down quite a lot on it.

-You've got expensive tastes.

-I know!

We may well be back for that. Thank you.

But Freya wants something girly, Henry!

Reds, isn't it about time you bought something?

-I quite like that.

-I like that, as well. And you're so into horses, Gail.

This is just some sort of...

-..probably beech or something, isn't it?

-Probably.

And that would date to what, 1920s?

-What's the best you can do that for?

-About 60.

-Yes.

-You're after a bargain, aren't you?

-Yes, we want a real good bargain!

-I think that's a cool thing.

-We could do it for 50.

I think you've got to start buying stuff.

-OK -

-But just...

-Let's go and talk tactics. Come over here.

-Thank you.

-Don't sell it for two minutes.

This is close to getting to decision time.

-Do you want to buy the scissors?

-We like the scissors.

-Yes.

Right, you want to buy those. Er...

-Do you like the saddle rack?

-I do. I think it's unusual.

I do, as well. Do you think I could get any more off it?

-Do you think it's worth trying?

-You've got to ask that one, not me.

While you have a chat here, I'll whizz up there and see what else I can see,

-and then we'll have a decision.

-OK, come on, Gail.

Any chance you could do it for a little bit less? Maybe 45?

-Go on, then.

-Fantastic! Thank you.

-You're welcome.

-That's lovely.

Reds, you've finally saddled up! About time, too.

Vogue Women's Shoe! It caught my eye!

I'm not going to be able to help you with that one!

Nice try, Freya.

I love the kimonos and things like that. They're so hard to come by.

They're always so fragile, though. What period would you say that is?

-'20s to '30s? Something like that?

-I guess so.

-The age of...

-The lining is just gorgeous, as well.

I'd quite happily flounce around in this!

If that's the sort of thing that you like, don't be afraid to ask the price.

But I'm not sure how well placed it will be in Jefferys.

-It's about 85.

-85, yes. All right.

-Wishful thinking there!

-Come on.

-Do you two want to go and do the deed with those scissors?

-How much were they?

-15 quid.

-Let me have a wander.

-OK.

-If I see anything, I will...

-OK.

-Goodness. More decisions.

-We've come about the scissors.

-We'd really like to make a deal.

-Excellent.

-£15?

-Quite happy?

-Very happy. They're lovely.

-I'll wrap them up for you.

-Lovely. Happy, Gail?

-Super.

-Brilliant.

Two down. Now you're firing on all cylinders.

What's that smell?

-There's a Chanel No5 over there, which is iconic.

-Oh, right.

-Why are they that size? Just for display purposes?

-Yes.

Or because they're for very large people?!

In shop windows, I guess they have them...

-Right, for advertising.

-Yes.

I thought you were meant to be the expert, Henry?

I think that one, rather than the others.

That one, to me, looks more iconic. Audrey Hepburn, that sort of...?

-And me. I wear it, too.

-Oh, right!

-It's what she wants.

-Forget Audrey Hepburn!

-I have to say, this one's going right over my head, but...

-Yep, we noticed.

-Shall I ask her what the best price would be?

-Yes, absolutely.

There's no harm in trying.

All I know is, they do sell for a lot of money on the internet.

It would be about £100, I think.

90?

Erm, 95.

We haven't got any spare fivers. WOMAN: It makes all the difference!

For the sake of a fiver, it's neither here nor there.

-I think we should go for it.

-ALL: Go for it.

We've got a couple of like...

-Thank you very much.

-WOMAN: Good luck.

£95. Sweet.

How much is that?

-That can be 60.

-Do you like that?

-GAIL: I do.

I think it's got a use, which is a good positive, you know?

Which would you rather, that or the truncheon?

-What would you rather go for?

-I think this,

because it has a use if you had a fire.

I could imagine it in a Cornish home.

-I don't think it's a make I know.

-It's a late 19th-century metal or toleware.

-Toleware is painted metal.

-OK.

-I'm really into metal.

This is meant to look like sharkskin because it looks like shagreen.

-A bad day at auction, this is £30.

-Yes.

-On a good day, you may get 80.

But, the but is, you both really like that.

-I was drawn to it.

-And I think you should buy what you like.

We've got things that have got a use,

-which I really like that theme.

-The scissors, the saddle rack,

-which I don't think'll make money, but...

-It doesn't matter.

And, er... Do you want to go and look at the truncheon again?

To be honest, it is quite plain, you can just about see what it is. I prefer this because it has a use.

Time's running out. BOTH: I'm happy with it.

-I walked up to it, so I like it.

-You go and speak to the good lady.

-So £60, best price?

-You've got a deal.

-Fantastic.

-Do you like it?

-It's lovely. Thank you.

Scissors, saddle rack, scuttle. Go "esses".

They've haggled, bargained and bought.

Thank goodness, because time's up.

Reds eventually got under way with a 19th-century saddle horse.

They all felt the Islamic scissors were a snip at £15.

And in the end, they settled on a late-Victorian coal box.

-You spent £120.

-120.

-Did I hear £120 was spent?!

-You did.

-That's rather good, isn't it?

-Rather mean!

-Did you add it up correctly?

-ALL: Yes.

He's very good with the maths. He knows what's what about the cash.

-Which is your favourite piece?

-Erm, well, I really like the scissors.

-You like them.

-Never seen anything like that before.

-Do you agree, Anna?

-I agree. I've never seen anything like them.

-Are they going to make the biggest profit?

-I think so.

-Yes?

-Hopefully.

-Are they a snip?

-They are a snip!

Oh, good. That's good. Lovely.

Anyway, £120 spent,

-I'd like 180 of leftover lolly.

-Sure thing.

180 coming out of the lovely Anna's pocket.

There we go. All nice and hot, Philip, the way you like it.

-What are you going to spend it on?

-I haven't got a clue!

But I'm going to try and find something that might just appeal to these girls.

-And make a profit. And cheap.

-Yes. I'm going to go and find something. BOTH: OK!

I'm going to pop off and check out what the Blue Team bought.

Henry got them under way with a wall-mounted gong.

They spent £40 on a copper kettle.

And Freya, bless her, went for something girly -

an oversized perfume bottle for £95.

They're very different, all the buys.

Tell me, is there a smell about or is there not a smell about?!

There's rather a fragrant smell about!

Super. What did you spend in total?

-£156?

-Yes.

156. I'd like £144 of leftover lolly, please.

It's coming out in bits. My pockets want to keep it.

Your pockets are very deep!

-And four smackers. There we go. £144.

-Thank you very much.

Which is your favourite piece, Peter?

I like the little copper kettle on the stand.

-That's your favourite?

-Yes.

-Is that going to bring the biggest profit, Freya?

-No, my one will.

-"My one will"!

-Chanel, darling!

Oh, Chanel, darling! That's why there's such a good smell about.

-So, that's your prediction for the best profit?

-Absolutely.

-And have you had the most divine day, Hen?

-I've had a fantastic day.

We've looked at the weird and the wonderful,

but I have to agree, I feel quite pleased.

-Let's put all our faith in the internet channel, shall we?

-Fingers crossed!

We'll cross everything. Very good luck. Good luck with your bonus buy.

Meanwhile, we're heading off to St Michael's Mount.

Now, there is something special.

This magnificent outcrop is St Michael's Mount.

It lies off the south Cornish coast at Marazion,

and during its long history has been a place of pilgrimage,

a working harbour, a garrison, a priory

and most recently, since 1647, a family home.

Generations of the St Aubyn family

have occupied the Mount.

But the one single factor that has dominated their lives through the ages

has been the sea.

At low tide, a causeway leads to the island, but only briefly.

For eight hours at a time, St Michael's Mount is completely cut off from the mainland.

If you live in a house governed by the tides,

you need some way of telling when they'll occur.

This is a snug little room, isn't it?

Sir John's room. A sort of study.

And what more comforting thing to find in a study

than a longcase clock, on a wintry evening,

going "tick-tock" in the corner of the room.

What's happened to this longcase clock, which was once at least seven-feet tall,

is that it stood downstairs in a room with a stone floor,

and the old maids used to come in and chuck out a bucket of water,

get their mop, do a bit of a splish-splash.

You do that for 50 or 100 years, the mahogany doesn't like it very much, it rots away.

The owner of the stately home says, "I'm fed up with that clock" and they chuck it out!

This one, however, was preserved on its replacement plinth and brought upstairs.

Why?

Well, part of the secret is told by the dial.

Phew! That's a relief!

Anyway, I'll pop that safely down on top of here.

We can now have a full-frontal view of this lovely silver dial.

The first thing you look for is the maker. We've got Roger Wearn.

Roger Wearn was a clockmaker up the coast at St Erth.

So we have a local Cornish clockmaker,

in 1780, producing this clock

specifically for this house.

The unusual thing about it is this arrangement in the arch.

It says at the top,

"High water at Mount's Bay".

So Mount's Bay is outside, you own this house,

you're trotting back and forth over that causeway,

you need to work out very, very carefully what the tide is doing

and that's what this tidal longcase clock will do.

So what Roger Wearn has done

is to paint in this dial a solid disc of brass

and then the clockwork movement inside will advance that disc.

If I revolve it now,

you can see that we go from no moon at all, new moon,

all the way through until,

at 14 and a half days through the cycle,

we have a full moon.

So if you watched that moon appear,

you'd be able to work out where the spring really high tides were

and where the really low neap tides were.

Clever, isn't it?

It's no wonder they never wanted to get rid of this longcase clock

from this particular house,

and that's why all that repair work went on underneath.

The big question today is, of course,

will our teams' fortunes over at the auction room

be waxing or waning?

Now's the time to find out over at Jefferys Auction Room.

The auctioneer, Ian Morris,

is ready to receive us.

Ian, how long has this auction house been here?

It's been here round about 100, 140 years in different guises, different names.

But it's always been a part of the landscape.

You've obviously got your loyal following

because there's lots of people running round, which is encouraging.

Anyway, first up is going to be this wall-hung saddle crutch.

You get a lot of riders and equestrian folk in Cornwall, so this should be interesting.

It's a kind of rustic look that people seem to be looking for at the moment,

so even if they doze at their saddles,

good decorative piece.

I think that, erm, that's going to sell.

What's it worth?

I put an estimate of 30 to 50. I think that's fine.

-That's about the mark of it.

-That's about the mark of it.

Well, £45 paid, so they might've paid a top end on that.

-Yes.

-Not a guaranteed profit, by any manner of means.

Now, these, I think, are absolutely fascinating,

-don't you?

-I've never seen anything quite like it before.

We've catalogued it as early 19th century, but it could be earlier.

What I'm fascinated by is the design. Look at that.

Where you'd normally expect two finger holes for scissors to shut together like that,

meaning that the width of the thing at this point is that broad,

this lot fold into one another,

giving you one slender slither of metal when it's closed

that would go into a leather sheath.

They're beautifully made in steel.

Could be Damascus, somewhere like that.

-They could be 200 to 300 years old, couldn't they?

-Yes.

-What's your estimate?

-I've just put 15 to 30 on it.

It's a guesstimate, because we've never sold anything like it.

Our lot were cute because they only paid £15 for it.

-The last item is much more standard, isn't it?

-Yes.

This rather dull and rusty coal bin. What do you make of that?

It's the kind of thing that, in the last 20 years, has got increasingly hard to sell.

People don't have so many open fireplaces.

It's got a certain appeal, but I think it's limited.

How limited is the appeal in money terms?

I think I put 25 to 40 on there.

-I think we'll get closer to the 40.

-They paid 60.

I can't see us getting back all their money.

Well, if there's a dark hole, it's going to come from the coal pit. I'm sorry, the coal scuttle!

In which case, they'll need their bonus buy. Let's go and have a look at it.

A and G, Anna and Gail!

You spent 120 petals.

You gave him £180, the brute!

-What did he spend it on?

-Well, I only spent £70.

-But I think these are really funky. Isn't that just lovely?

-Wow.

-Do you like that?

-I love it.

-What's it made of?

-Well, it's brass.

There's a copper simulated bamboo column there.

I just think it's a real fun thing.

For the pair of them, I paid £70.

-So I paid a lot for them.

-Yes.

So you've got to play this quite tactically, I think, when you decide to go with it or not.

I really like them. They're different.

I think they're fun. BOTH: They are.

So £70 spent, girls. That's what you've got to think about.

Will they make more than 70? You pick after the sale of your three items.

For the viewers at home,

let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about Phil's sticks.

-There we go. Rather sweet, aren't they?

-Yes, charming.

We've got this... I don't know whether it's a Warwick bear,

-but that kind of symbol of the City of Warwick is a dancing bear, isn't it?

-Yes.

-They're nice, though.

-They're very pretty.

I like the bear supports. Er... It's just that brass isn't an easy seller.

No. What sort of auction estimate would you put on these?

-I just put 25 to 40.

-Have you?

-Yes.

Philip paid £70. He rather rates them.

-It might prove a little bit tricky.

-You know your crowd and we respect that.

Anyway, that's it for the Reds. Now for the Blues, Freya and Peter.

What a mixture they've got.

How do you rate this wall gong?

It is fairly bog standard, for want of an expression.

We see quite a few through. Early 20th century.

Not a terrific amount going for it.

-What do you think it's worth?

-I've put an estimate of 15 to 30.

That's OK. They only paid £21.

Complete with the beater and the gong and the bracket, I don't think that's too bad.

-They're not going to lose a lot.

-That's at least reassuring.

What about this copper kettle and burner on the wrought-iron stand? There's a lot there!

There is. You do get a lot for your money.

The styling is good, in the Art Nouveau period.

It's just the medium again, the copper and the iron,

it's not the best medium to sell.

-What's the estimate?

-30 to 50.

I think I've been a little bit mean and it'll do a little bit more.

So nearer 50 to 80, probably.

They'll be delighted. They only paid 40.

What about the third item,

the Chanel display showcase perfume bottle?

It looks very impressive. Not the kind of thing I've sold before.

It's a bit of an unknown quantity for me,

so I, again, erred on the side of caution.

-How cautious?

-I'm always very cautious. We are cautious in Cornwall!

Cautious Cornish!

-20 to 40 pounds.

-Gosh, that's cautious!

£95 they paid.

Yes, I think, again, it'll do better than my £20-40 range.

Whether you'll see the money back, I'm not so sure.

But it is quite an impressive piece for decoration.

It might just get there.

Depending on how the Chanel does, they will either need or not their bonus buy.

Let's go and have a look at it anyway.

-Freya and Peter, are you excited?

-Yes.

What do you suppose Henry has spent your £144 of leftover lolly on?

Henry, show us your wares.

-I hope you like this, but anyway...

-You look worried!

-Remember this?

-Yay!

-Have a look.

I bought this, to be honest, because curiosity killed the cat.

-We spoke about it at the antiques fair.

-I loved it.

I thought it was unusual. I know you liked it and we were torn between the perfume and this.

You got them down a bit on that, didn't you?

I got them down from 200 to 120, so...

-Do you like it?

-BOTH: I do.

It's quirky and unusual.

It's 1930s, it's unusual, it's speculative.

Hopefully, it should find a good home with collectors.

-Don't you think it's tiny?

-That's why she said it was unusual.

They didn't have a lot on the radio in those days!

I've never seen one.

-You're going to have to decide, aren't you...

-We are.

..after the sale of your first three items.

But right now, let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about Henry's radio.

Now, what about this, Ian? That's exciting, isn't it?

It's a lovely piece of Art Deco radio.

-It's got that Art Deco styling, hasn't it?

-It has.

If you look in the back, all the valves are there.

-It's all filthy and dusty, just like you'd expect.

-Yes.

-I'm not sure if it's digital or not.

-I don't think it's digital!

I don't think it's legal to wire up, either.

-It would probably blow up if you plugged it in.

-I would be worried about that wiring.

-What's your estimate?

-I've just put 40 to 60 on it.

Oof! Dear, oh, dear! Poor old Henry! He paid 120 for this.

There could be serious interference, if you know what I mean!

Anyway, the team may not go with it. It may not be a disaster. We'll find out in a minute.

-Are you taking the sale today?

-Yes. And if I was a betting man,

I'd stick with the three the team bought.

Right. Well, there's a prediction. Thank you very much.

At 20. 22? 22. 25? 25.

28? 28. Five. 45. 48?

45 at the back.

-Anna and Gail, are you OK?

-BOITH: Yes.

-You look excited.

-I'm really excited!

-We're seriously jammed in here.

This is the tiniest sale room I've been in for half a decade!

-Shoebox selling!

-It's a shoebox.

Looking around, there are so many people here and so few lots to buy,

if they all took home two lots each, we'd just about clear the place. Anyway, here we go.

The saddle rack. Lot 202. £30 away? £20 away.

£20 I'm bid. I'll take two to get on.

At £20. 22. 25. 28. £30. 32?

32. 35. 38? 38.

-£40. 38 at the front.

-Oh!

-At £38.

-At £38.

-So nearly!

-You are minus £7, girls.

-Minus seven.

Anyway, here comes the scissors.

Islamic-style steel scissors.

Nice ones there. £50 away? 30 I'm bid.

At 35. £40. 45. £50. At £50, the bid's with me.

Are we all done at £50?

-I thought it was cheap, actually.

-That's £50. That's plus £35.

Look out. £35, girls! Here comes the coal scuttle.

Lot 204 there, a late-Victorian painted brass coal hub there.

I've got three bids, all very close together. Start at £40.

£40. £40 I'm bid. At £40, are we all done?

The bids are with me at the £40.

£40, sadly, is minus 20.

-But overall, you are plus £8.

-Score!

-That is something else, isn't it?

-That's amazing!

-All thanks to those scissors.

-You spotted them a mile away!

Listen, what are you going to do about the bonus buy? Are you going to hang on to £8 profit?

-Do you think they'll make profit?

-I think they're beautiful...

-I think you're doing the right thing.

-Yes. I think we'll stay.

We're not going with the bonus buy, but we'll sell them anyway. Here they come.

A pair of amusing brass bear support candlesticks,

with an engraved and embossed circular decoration.

£30 away? £20 away for the candlesticks.

Ten bid. At ten. At 12. At 15. At 15. At 18. At 20. 22? 22.

25? At £22 bid, the candlesticks.

I think you made the right decision.

Are we all done at £22?

-How much did he sell them for, £20?

-22. That's a monstrous loss.

Ouch. That is minus 48.

You girls did so well in not going with them. Bad luck, Phil.

On another day, my man, they are worth 70 to £100.

Not your day. So overall, girls, you are plus-eight smackers.

-How good is that?

-Brilliant.

-Excited?

-Nervous.

-Nervous! Are you nervous, Pete?

-Absolutely.

-I'm nervous for you!

-His reputation's on the line.

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

-No.

-Well, you don't want to.

-What are you nervous about?

-I'm not really.

-You're not. Just general butterflies.

-It is.

First lot up, here it is. We're off.

The wall-mounted gong with brass lion-mask fittings.

£30 away? £20 away. £10 to start me.

A fiver bid. I'll take six now.

At £5. Six. At eight. At ten? At ten.

At 12. At 14? At 14. At 16? At £14, the bid's in the middle.

At £14 bid... At 16. At 18?

At £16, then, going at £16.

-16.

-I cannot believe that!

-It's a lovely-looking thing.

-Minus £5.

-Somebody got a bargain.

-That is cheap!

Good design there. Lot 227. £50 away? £40 to start me.

£40 I'm bid. At £40.

-45. £50.

-You're in profit.

-65. £70 with me.

-You know your market, as well!

£70.

-Well done.

-£70 is plus 30!

It's going to go horribly wrong now!

You are plus 25.

Chanel No5, the large cut-glass perfume decanter and contents.

£50 away?

I've got two bids. I've got to start at 60.

At £60, the bid's with me. At £60. 65.

£70. 75. Out at 75 right there.

At £75. We're done at 75.

I can't bear it! £75. He's very quick on his hammer.

£75, minus 20 means overall you are plus £5.

-Oh.

-You're £5 up. What are you going to do about the Bakelite radio?

-BOTH: we're going with it.

-Definitely?

-Definitely.

You could hang on to your five-pound note. That's 2.50 each!

-You can't even get a pint of beer for that!

-Exactly.

-In for a penny...

-Seriously, you're going to go with it?

-BOTH: Yes.

-Definitely?

-Definitely. They're

-a couple of punters!

There's no deflecting them. Determined!

-We're going with this.

-Fingers crossed.

Good 1930s-style radio. Lot 234.

-Two bids on this. I've got to start at £30.

-30?!

45. £50. 55. £60.

-Come on!

-At £60 I'm bid.

At £60, the bid's made. The bid's going with me at £60.

-Henry...

-Oh, Henry!

-I'm really quite upset, actually.

-Not to worry.

That is minus £60.

That means, overall, your score has slumped to minus £55.

-I'm so sorry.

-Don't be sorry.

-That's not too bad!

-It's just a game...

-I felt it was going to be worth it.

I honestly did. I'll give you a fiver. How's that?

Another day, who knows what that thing is going to make?

Somebody's going to take it away for £60, probably sell it on

and make a tidy profit and it ain't gonna come your way, which is bad luck.

-There we are!

-Nevertheless, it's been lovely.

Minus £55 could be a winning score.

She laughs! She's clearly not watched the programme!

-I've seen worse!

-A lot worse!

Anyway, it could be a winning score. Therefore, don't talk to the Reds.

Well, today's programme is all about

whether one should take the bonus buy

or not take the bonus buy,

because at that moment in time, a great fissure opens up in the earth,

the decision-making process.

Because today, one team did it and suffered the consequences

and one team didn't and look how happy they are.

The team that did and are unhappy are the Blues.

-We're not unhappy, Henry, are we?

-No.

-Not at all.

-The sun is shining!

Minus £55 is the score.

You did have a fiver in your pocket until we got to that black moment,

which was the decision about the leftover lolly.

-But as you say, you're not unhappy about it.

-No.

-And the radio, on another day...

-It was lovely.

-We wanted to know the value.

-I suppose we did!

-At the market price!

-In case we find another one!

-Well, quite. In which case, you'll not pay more than £50.

There we go, lots of lessons learned.

I hope you've enjoyed yourselves. We've loved having you both,

the father-and-daughter combo from heaven.

And now, for the victors today, the Reds, who are going to take home £8!

-ALL LAUGH

-Which is quite something!

There was this three-pound difference, you see, between the two of you at one point,

-which is what has made today's programme so thrilling.

-Yes.

-Again, we hope you've had a great time. Have you?

-BOTH: Yes.

-We've loved having you on.

In fact, so much so, you should join us soon

-for some more bargain hunting. Yes?

-ALL: Yes!

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