Shepton Mallet 11 Bargain Hunt

Another beautiful antiques fair,

in another beautiful part of this fair island of ours.

That can only mean one thing.

Let's go bargain hunting, yes!

Today we're at the Royal Bath and West Showground,

near Shepton Mallet in Somerset,

a place that is of course famed for its cider and the Wurzels,

but I'll bet you my combine harvester

that our teams will be able to reap

some good bargains here today. Ooh, yes.

-WEST COUNTRY ACCENT:

-'So, what's in store today then, bargain hunters?

'Well, we've got two teams with very different tactics today.'

They home in on things in a very particular way.

-Shoes.

-Shoes?

-Shoes.

-We like the head.

-We do like the head.

'The Blues may look gentle,

'but they're prepared to be ruthless to win.'

-Take them down?

-No!

We want to smack the red ones on the nose.

Smack the red ones on the nose?

'The aim of the game actually is for each team to spend

'up to £300 on three items, before selling at auction.

'The biggest profit or smallest loss wins the day.

'So let's meet these teams!

'No catching flies.'

Well, we've got two teams of friends today.

-For the Reds, we've got Angela and Kerry. Hi, girls.

-Hi.

-And we've Avril and Pat. Hi, girls.

-Hello.

-Lovely to see you.

Now, Angela, how did you two meet?

She used to date my little brother, about five years ago,

they're not dating any more but we've been good friends ever since.

Well, that's nice, isn't it?

So the friendship has survived.

Angela, what do you do for a living?

At the moment I'm working for a record label.

I'm their writer, doing press releases and articles.

Who do you send your press releases to? Around the UK?

Well, just to music magazines and music internet sites.

Kerry deals with that. She's the press officer.

What do you do when you're not writing?

I love to cook, experimenting with food.

-I'm good at soups.

-Really good at soups?

I like finding unusual vegetables,

putting them in the blender and seeing if they taste good.

-Do you like a bit of cooking too, Kerry?

-Definitely.

-Yes?

-I worked in a pub for a while, doing a bit of cheffing

and made lots of cake.

-Cake. In a pub?

-Oh, yes.

-What sort of a pub is this?

A good pub!

You're pretty keen on footy, aren't you?

Yes, I have to be because my dad likes it

and he'd disown me if I didn't support the right team.

-Who do you support?

-Bristol Rovers.

-Somebody's got to.

-Oh, I don't!

-That's one thing we disagree on.

-Do either of you collect anything?

I just like weird things that no-one else has.

Are you going to try and find the quirky and the oddball today?

Yes, but we'll keep our business minds on as well...

But it's definitely going to be a partnership between the two of you?

-Definitely.

-Are you definitely going to win today?

I should think so.

We'll have to see and it will be very good fun, I promise you.

Anyway, welcome.

Now, girls, are you excited about this?

-Absolutely.

-Definitely.

-How did you two meet, Avril?

I had a bed and breakfast business in Chippenham and Pat came to stay

when she was buying a house in Chippenham.

We struck up a friendship ever since.

-Do you still live nearby one another?

-Quite nearby, yes.

-Do you still run the guesthouse?

-No, not now.

-I've got too old for that.

-Oh, have you?

-Gosh, yes.

-What did you used to do when you were working?

-I was a registrar, births deaths and marriages in London.

-Were you?

-Did you have any surprises ever?

-Oh, yes. Yes.

-What sort of things happened to you?

-Strange names, unusual names.

I had a baby once called Whoopsie.

Did you?!

-Can you remember what the surname was?

-No.

-Was the second name Daisy?

-No.

-Whoopsie Daisy?

-No.

-It wasn't as bad as that.

-No, no. Do you collect anything between you?

-I collect cruets.

-Cruets?

-I expect there's about 24, 25 sets.

What about you, Pat? What do you collect, darling?

I've got about 200 key rings from travelling around.

-Key rings?

-Yes, key rings.

-This is fun, isn't it?

I think we're going to have a riot today, don't you?

Here we go, look. The money moment, £300 a piece. You know the rules.

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

Our teams are joined by a pair of keen experts to guide them

on their way.

Donning their thinking caps for today's show,

are elder statesman, Jeremy Lamond,

and the young pretender, Henry Meadows.

-Pat, Avril, how are we doing today?

-Oh, good.

-Oh, fine.

So, ladies, what are you looking for today?

It's got to be something that really jumps out at you.

Something old, something a bit unusual.

-Are you going to beat the Reds?

-Definitely.

-No question!

-Anything connected with the local history.

-All right.

Something nautical.

-Should we go?

-Yep.

-Yep.

-Let's go bargain hunting.

-I think it has spent more time in a pub than on a ship.

-A bit like us, really.

These are quite nice, aren't they?

Oh, my! All breakages must be paid for, Pat.

-You've heard of Pitcairn Island, presumably.

-Yes.

-Fletcher Christian.

-That's it.

-A souvenir from Pitcairn Island.

-That's good. That's nice.

-I should think it's a pipe rack.

-I'd think so, yes, with those holes.

That's a nice piece of wood, too.

What's interesting about it, though, is that it's made by survivors

on the island and made for the tourist market.

But it's nice because it says souvenir from Pitcairn Island,

home of the mutineers of the Bounty, 1790.

It's the sort of thing people collect.

-It's a good collectors' market.

-That is quite nice.

-What do you think of this one?

-Not a bad maker.

But not the oldest telescope in the world.

I can spy on people! It's quite a nice piece.

-It's a very attractive object.

-I'll show you a little trick.

-Over there, I can see what the Blues are buying.

-Oh, can I have a look?

I think we better get over there!

Spying on the opposition, eh? Really, Jeremy!

Can we go for it, then? See if we can beat them down?

Obviously, we need to be beat them down.

Yeah. That's quite a lot of money.

If we can get it down to 30 or 35, then it might stand a good chance.

-Do you want to do some negotiating on that one?

-Go on, Pat.

-Come on.

Morning.

-What's the best you can do on that one?

-38.

-38?

-36?

-What about 35?

-Round it up.

-36, that's the final offer.

-35 sounds better than 36.

-35 sounds best.

-Round it down.

-35, all right.

-OK.

So, have you got a deal? Shake the lady's hand.

-Well done.

-Thank you very much. Thank you.

A nautical theme is developing and the Blues are the first to set sail,

leaving the Reds marooned.

-£27?

-I don't think so. They'll be more than that. But they are quite striking.

-They're fantastic!

-I think they're Indian.

I think they're probably 1920s or '30s because of this padding here.

It's quite worn and faded.

-So these aren't new in any way.

-It's lovely and smooth.

-It's got lovely texture to it.

-It's lovely and smooth.

Where do you think it would have been hung?

I think it would have been hung on a wall as a trophy piece.

Because these are substantial, aren't they?

I think that is a big bull.

I think that these will appeal to pubs or gastro pubs.

-They're just so unusual.

-I think, once they're cleaned up,

you might find a couple of people fighting over them.

They might make 100.

-Would we like to inquire about these horns?

-Yes, I think we would.

Would we like to inquire about these horns?

-Hey, the horns are 75. That is not bad, is it?

-How about 60?

Think I can get it down to 60?

-Yeah.

-She will take 60.

-OK, we'll take them!

-Yeah. High-five!

I think we've grabbed the bull by the horns

and we're quids in for the first one.

-Let's carry on as we started off.

-Carry on.

£60 to grab the bull by the horns, eh?

Punt-tastic!

Those horns are quirky enough. Now, what's cooking for the Blues?

-These look nice.

-I think they're lovely.

-They're lovely.

-Yes.

They look very heavy.

-Do you know which factory might have produced them?

-No, I don't.

-They're by the Doulton factory.

-Are they?

-They're cauldrons, obviously.

-Yeah.

-That's the form.

-Should we ask how much they are?

-Yes.

-Excuse me, how much are the pair of cauldrons here?

-The price is £180.

-£180.

-Oh!

-Each?

-No, for the pair.

-For the two.

That's probably a bit high, really, for auction.

-We won't get that back.

-Yeah.

If they came in for sale, I would say, probably,

-£100, £150.

-My very best price would be 150.

-OK.

Obviously, we need to respect the gentleman's lowest figure,

but for us, I think it's going to be a bit too much for today.

-Yeah, I think so, too.

-OK. So, shall we move on?

-Yeah.

-OK.

-What about those stripy ones there?

-A good variety.

The Blues are taking it gently, in the autumn of their lives.

While the Reds are looking decidedly frantic.

Or is that madness?

Peg leg! Peg leg! Peg leg, peg leg, peg leg!

-Oh, it's beautiful!

-I like that.

-This goes with Bristol's history of pirates, obviously.

-Yes.

-Like Black Beard's peg leg, I recognise it.

-Yes, definitely.

-You've caught me on the hop a bit, because I don't know a lot...

-Jeremy, the pun master.

-It's not a stand-alone item.

-No, definitely not.

But with some help, I think it could go far.

Do you think anybody at all ever on Bargain Hunt has bought

-a peg leg before?

-No.

I think it is unusual item.

-I don't think, looking at the pricing here, that there's much money in it.

-No.

But if you're set on your leg...

I think it would be one small step for the auction,

-one massive leap for Bargain Hunt.

-I think so.

-Yeah.

I think we're only, really, in terms of time, in the second leg.

Oh, enough of those lame jokes.

Maybe we'll find a better peg leg.

I don't think we're going to find many peg legs here.

Hey, look, over there. Look, there are the Reds.

-Oh, right, OK. I wonder how they're doing.

-Let's see.

-Oh, it's the Blues!

-Oh, God!

This is turning into a Bargain Hunt standoff.

Quick, hide the leg, hide the leg.

-They won't be as good as us.

-No!

I hope they're going to hop off pretty soon.

-How many have you bought? We bought a massive horn.

-All right, good.

We're just on our second leg, really. How do you feel, ladies?

-Very good. Very good.

-Come on, you Blues!

-See you later and good luck!

-Wow, they look like they're going ahead. We better speed up.

-Yeah.

-We've got to catch up.

-Time to leg it, Reds.

-We want something to really jump out at us.

-Jump out.

-Like a deer or something?

-Something that is not within this world.

Oh, right, OK.

I don't think we've had a UFO on Bargain Hunt before, Avril.

Meanwhile, let's teleport over to the Red Team.

-Look, lawn bowls.

-Oh, golly!

-Oh, wow!

-A pub would really like that.

-We like this.

-It's by Jaques,

quite a famous late Victorian-Edwardian maker

of carpet bowls and croquet sets, especially.

We've got the Jaques, and it's actually marked Jaques. That's really nice, isn't it?

-This ties in with your pub theme, doesn't it?

-It does.

So, you've got the horns above the bar

and then you've got the lawn bowls out back

and you're going to have a drink and a bowl, aren't you?

-How do you know so much about lawn bowls?

-Misspent youth.

THEY LAUGH

-So, do you like that?

-Yeah.

-I think we do, yeah.

-Do you want to negotiate?

-I think we shall.

-We might have hit the Jaques pot.

-The Jaques pot.

-For the bowls?

-Yeah, you've got 68 on them.

-I wonder if you would take 50 at all?

-Ah... 68...

-Yeah.

-Do we have a deal?

-Lovely doing business with you.

-Lovely.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

The Reds scored their second item, they're on a roll!

So, what do our teams think of their experts so far?

-He's lovely, isn't he?

-He's very nice!

-I want him to be my uncle.

I've got ten grandchildren and I'll add him to the list.

-And Jeremy's jokes?

-They're a bit antique, but I suppose it fits.

Oh, look, Jeremy, you can improve your jokes.

-Yeah, cheers.

-Leave the jokes to me, eh, J?

-What are those little things there, by your hand, Henry?

-These?

-Yes.

Oh, right. They're made of conch shells, from the conch shell.

They're cameos.

-You know, you've seen nice Victorian cameos?

-Yes.

-Things like that?

That's what they are. They've got electric cables,

which, obviously, means they've been lights at some stage.

They'd look nice with a nice light inside them, wouldn't they?

Absolutely. You've got a mythological scene on yours.

-Sort of Grecian female.

-Yes. How old do you think they would be?

Looking at the style of carving, they're going to be early 20th century.

Perhaps 1910, 1920. Obviously, they're priced up at £28 each.

Yeah, but you're not going to pay that.

Perhaps, if we could buy the two, we could put them as one lot.

-Yeah, they're rather nice.

-Do you like them? I want you to be happy.

If they were rewired, I think they would be really, really pretty. And it would be worth doing.

If they came in to auction, I would say £40 for the two.

-£40?

-You should be doing... You should be doing this.

-You want to do some negotiating?

-He won't give any more, I don't think.

-We'll see what we can do.

-He can only say no.

-That's right.

Hi, these two.

-They're much too expensive for us.

-Right.

-£40 for the two?

-Go on, it's a nice day.

-Go on.

-Yes?

Well done, Avril! Looks interesting.

-How much have you paid?

-£40.

-That's marvellous!

-What do you think about them, Hen?

-I think they're smashing.

They're sort of tourist quality,

-but they're lovely and inexpensive at £40 for the two.

-I think so.

-And when they're lit up, they'll be lovely.

-They come from Naples, right?

The Bay of Naples. The old conch has come in from the bed

-of the Mediterranean.

-Oh, I see.

And the lovely Neapolitan craftsperson has cut this away

just like a cameo.

-That's right.

-Very clever, isn't it?

-I think they're lovely.

-Well, girls, that's extraordinary.

-Oh, aren't we clever?

Aren't all three of you clever! On that, I'll shove off. Thanks, girls.

-Bye.

-Bye.

-Bye. See you later.

I hope those shells don't wash up at auction.

Both our teams have just one more item to buy

and no time to get distracted. Go, J.

-Wow, look at those shoes! Shoes, shoes!

-Shoes!

-Shoes, shoes!

I think they're my size, actually.

-Anything to add, Jeremy?

-Shoes...

Didn't think so.

-When I was a little girl, about six or seven...

-Yeah.

We had this bath in the kitchen.

-And I got out of the bath, stepped back and sat on top of one exactly like that.

-Did you?

Oh gosh! It's what? An old kerosene stove.

-That must've given you a bit of a fright.

-It gave me something!

Ooh, painful! It's hotting up.

And with the clock ticking, the Reds are on the charge!

-We can't handle too much.

-The Blues are taking it nice and steady.

They want something a bit classy.

-What about some good quality stuff?

-Oh, all right. OK.

I'm all about quality.

-What price do you think they are? James?

-Henry.

-Henry.

They'll cut that bit out!

-Pat?

-You have to watch Pat because she does tend to wander off.

They were £60, those tall ones.

Well, we can look at those in a minute.

But Avril's got an idea in her mind

and she just wants to run through it.

What do you think about those two that we saw first of all? The pair.

-I like those.

-They were absolutely beautiful.

-They were good quality, weren't they?

-Yes.

I think, at the moment, we've only got bric-a-brac.

Yeah, we don't give them what he asked for.

-No, we need to get him down to £120, £130.

-Yes.

-We do, honestly, in order to make a profit.

-If we can do that,

-because he did say 150. He's got to come down more than that.

-Yeah.

-And we'll have them.

-OK. You lead the way, I'll follow.

-OK.

Avril's got a plan. Less haste?

But with time running out, the Reds have stepped up a gear.

-So, we've got about ten minutes.

-And counting.

I don't think they had any marks on them.

These are the ones that we saw, Henry.

-I think they are lovely.

-And what are the marks like on them?

-Inside, there is an impressed mark.

-Yes, there is. 1904.

-1904.

-Let's have a look.

-There you are.

-Oh, yeah. 1904.

1904 is not the date, it's the pattern or the mould number.

-I see, OK.

-But also, I've noticed here, can you see "EB"

incised into it?

-"EB." It's very difficult to see, actually.

-Oh, yes.

That's going to be the decorator's mark.

I'm afraid, off the top of my head, I don't know who EB is.

-Do you think you could make a profit on those?

-I don't think...

If we sell these, were not going to be sitting on a beach dining off the profit.

No, I don't think so either.

We could have some fish and chips.

-We might get to Skegness on it.

-OK.

-See what you can do.

-OK.

What would be the lowest you would take on these?

-It would have to be 140.

-135?

-Go on, it's a lovely day.

-It's worth a try.

-I'm a pensioner.

-Well, so am I!

-So are we!

-So am I!

-I like your style. Use your charm.

-OK.

-All right?

-Yeah, fine.

-We shake hands on this?

-We will indeed.

-If I can reach.

-Don't drop the vase.

Oh, I wouldn't do that. I think that's lovely.

-Thank you very much.

-You're welcome.

-Good.

-OK.

-Well, that's it.

-Well done.

-OK.

-Thanks.

-That old Greek Aesop had it about right.

With a bit of focus,

the blue tortoises have beaten the red hares to the finishing line.

We got very bold towards the end. We wanted to spend big. And we did.

We want to smack the red ones on the nose.

Oh, smack the red ones on the nose?

-Steady on, girl.

-Cup of tea time?

-Yes, definitely.

-Yes, please.

-Let's go. Come on.

-Okey-doke.

The Blues meander off for their hard-earned cuppa.

Meanwhile, the manic Reds are pushing it right up to the wire.

Keep up, Jeremy! It's almost last orders.

And look what we found, Jeremy.

OK, so what you've got here is a Victorian police truncheon.

A lot of these were made by Field of Holborn

and are marked or stamped on the end.

And this one is here. Hard wood, as you would expect.

And you've got the remains, really. 25 here. You've got the remains...

You've got some usage just over here.

-..of the Victorian painting.

-So what would've been painted on here?

Well, the royal coat of arms was often painted on here.

It would be blacked over there.

The only problem you've got now is that this one is cracked.

-How much is the truncheon?

-30.

-I think that's worth a go.

You've had bull's horns, you've had carpet bowls.

So, the last bit for your pub, something for behind the bar?

-Are we a done deal?

-We are.

-I think so.

-Let's go and have a pint.

-Excellent idea.

Job done, time for refreshment.

-There's a real head on that.

-Definitely.

-Cheers.

That's it, stop the clock.

Your destiny is sealed, there is no going back.

Let's now check out what our teams have bought, shall we?

The quick-fire Reds wanted quirky, and they got quirky.

They're hoping to skewer the bidders with these impressive cattle horns,

bought for £60.

That is if they haven't been rustled already. Yeah.

Maybe they'll play a blocker with this quality set

of garden bowls, for £50.

And if the damage doesn't knock them off track,

this Victorian truncheon for £30 might just do the business.

Hey, you lot. You better watch out, it's just about to rain.

-Have you had a nice time?

-Yes.

-We got everything in the nick of time.

-Got some very interesting objects.

-Oh, yes.

And what did you spend all round?

-140?

-140.

-OK, I'd like 160 of the leftover lolly, please.

-OK, here you go.

-Thank you very much. Lovely. £160.

-Jeremy, that's a tidy sum.

-I'm quids in this weekend.

Apart from your jokes, what else are you going to invest in?

Well, I think I might look for something small and profitable.

-So...

-For a change.

-Yes!

-Good luck with that.

Meanwhile, why don't we check out what the Blue team bought, eh?

The sure-footed Blues ambled their way through their purchases

and think this souvenir of Pitcairn Island, bought for £35,

might generate some interest at auction.

Will these early 20th century cameo lamps made from conch shells

light up the room at £40?

And they're hoping these two Royal Doulton cauldrons

will do the business.

Just look at these girls. Have you had a good time or not?

-I've thoroughly enjoyed it.

-Avril, well, I don't know, I've heard all sorts of stories

-as to what you've been getting up to, you two.

-Everything.

-That Patricia, I don't know.

-She is a one.

-She is a one, isn't she?

-Definitely.

-How's it gone for you, Henry?

They've both been great team-mates, I think we've got some good items.

-Yes.

-How much did you spend all round, girls?

-Well, I've got £90 to give you.

-£210.

-210, plus a bit of change.

-Well, £90 is enough to go and do something, Henry, isn't it?

-Notes and shrapnel, thanks very much.

-It's a good size fair and there's a lot of variety.

-Yes.

And very good luck. And good luck, Henry.

Meanwhile, we're heading off to Kelmscott Manor,

which is an extraordinary place, as you're about to find out.

Kelmscott Manor stands on the river plain

of the upper Thames in the Cotswolds.

The house was built around 1600 by the Turner family,

who lived here for 300 years before advertising it for rent in 1871.

In the same year, William Morris, the designer,

was looking for a country house to which he could withdraw

from the pressures of his life in London.

On discovering Kelmscott, he fell in love,

describing it as heaven on earth that he had seen in a dream.

When Morris died in 1896, his widow Jane bought the house

and she passed it on to their youngest daughter, May,

who lived in it until she died in 1938.

May was determined that the manor should remain as it had been

during her father's life. Accordingly, in her will,

she bequeathed the house to the University of Oxford,

who eventually passed it into the hands

of the Society Of Antiquaries in London.

The society has thoroughly and sympathetically repaired the property,

and the house now lives again as a beautiful country home

and memorial to Morris. When May Morris took over the house,

she brought with her some of the items from the Red House,

their previous family home of five years in London.

These two hangings were particularly important to May Morris

because, of course, her parents, when they went to Red House as newlyweds,

needed, like all newlyweds, house furnishings.

And her mother, Jane, discovered this blue serge.

And William came up with the design, incorporating daisies,

a particular favourite theme of his.

And together they snuggled down in the winter evenings

and worked up these hangings with these designs,

which are very special.

We have another Red House piece of furniture here,

which is a settle, a settle which William Morris was keen on

as a type of furniture because it harked back to a medieval period,

when, of course, draughts coming in

and the protection of your head and back were important.

It's interesting, the treatment

that William Morris gave this leather covering

because these top sections have been decorated with stencils,

some sort of lino or potato cut which repeats,

rather like tiles running along in this section.

And the lower part, which has some pretty comprehensively

decorated panels of tooled leather. You can see the tooling here

in all these almost lizard-like scales

and then painted on the outside, exquisitely, in my view,

with quite thick impasto paint, are stylized carnations.

The big question today is, of course, for our teams,

what sort of condition are they going to finish up in over at the auction?

We'll find out soon enough, as we're in Bristol...

..in the capable hands of Simon Rayner at Dreweatts Auction Rooms.

-Hi.

-Hello, Tim.

-Very nice to see you.

We start off with some pretty wacky horns here for the Reds.

I mean, these are amazing.

They are huge. They're amongst the biggest I've seen.

Where do they come from, Simon?

They could've come from Highland cattle.

I'm not an expert in this field. It's difficult to find out.

They could've come from a Highland cow, but they're enormous.

It would be a monster of a cow, wouldn't it?

-Might come from India.

-Could be, yes.

Well, I think it's a spectacular decorator's piece, don't you?

-Yes, yes.

-I mean, redo the pad, clean them up a bit, it's quite something.

It really is, yeah.

-How do you value them?

-£50 to £80.

I think it could do towards the top end of that estimate, though.

-It's a guess, isn't it, really?

-Yes.

-I mean, they paid £60.

-That's a good punt, I think.

-Now, the garden bowls.

-Gosh, this looks like a tatty old group.

-It is a little bit tatty.

I mean, Jacques are probably the best name in lawn bowls and croquet.

We have sold an identical example,

except in much better condition, for £38 a couple of years ago.

I looked through our auctions.

I think £30 to £50. What's nice,

it's got the ceramic jack still with it. That's good.

And you've got the instructions.

-They're just a little bit tatty. But you've got the box and everything.

-Yeah.

-Anyway, £50 was paid. Your estimate is £30 to £50?

-Yes.

-They might be a bit light.

-They're going to take a tumble, possibly.

-And the third item is the truncheon.

-Yep. Truncheons are collectible.

They need to be in much better condition than that, though, really.

You've got the remains of paint there. It's been badly cracked.

Nice turned grip on it. But I think it's going to be £10, £15.

OK, £30 paid. So, I fancy they're going to need their bonus buy,

so let's go have a look at it.

-Now, Ange, Kerry, leftover lolly, are you excited?

-Yeah.

-Definitely.

OK, £160 Jeremy had. What did you spend it on?

Well, I've got something under here which

isn't immediately obvious as an object.

I want you to tell me what you think it is. Not what it's worth,

but what you think it is.

-Is it a sewing machine?

-A sewing machine? Any others?

-Does that wheel move?

-It does move. And here is a little cotton reel.

That is a clue.

-Oh, you're such a tease, Jeremy.

-I am.

-You really are.

Is it for spinning or something?

In this country and Europe, what we do is use a chalk line.

If you're in Japan and you were an architect

and you wanted to mark out an area, you would get your

sumitsubo, which is what this is.

What you would do is drag your cotton reel over the ink here

and pull it out as far as you wanted to with your inky line

and mark your territory out.

Once they completed the building,

they would have sumitsubos presented ceremonially as a mark of

respect and thanks for the building that you had designed and marked out.

Now, these have been made for many centuries

and it's a traditional Japanese architect's tool.

-People like Japanese stuff, don't they?

-£95 paid.

-Oh, really?

When I bought this, very quickly, in a very busy fair,

I thought it was rosewood.

But looking at it here and feeling it,

I shouldn't be able to bend this wheel in my fingers.

And what I've bought here is a bit of plastic.

So, that doesn't mean that it wouldn't still work as an object.

-But it wouldn't be as valuable.

-Obviously not, no.

I don't know if people are going to pay for plastic.

No, I don't think they would either.

-But there's a lesson in that really.

-Try before you buy.

I'll get my coat.

Well, everybody is taken in by these very, very clever reproductions.

But as a matter of interest, let's find out what the auctioneer

thinks about Jimmy's plastic sumitsubo.

-Well, there you go, over to you, Simon.

-Really unusual object.

I've never seen one of these before. I had absolutely no idea what was.

Very ornate.

But something didn't feel quite right about it as I was looking at it.

And it looks as though it's carved wood, but it's not, plastic.

-This could be in the last 20 or 30 years.

-What's it worth?

I don't think it's worth an awful lot of money.

It's a mass-produced item, I would think, being in plastic.

An interesting item, but £30 to £50. Someone might take a gamble on it.

OK, £95 paid by Jeremy.

Anyway, that's it for the Reds, with their completely wacky group.

We'll move on to the Blues.

We've got an early-20th-century pipe rack.

Pitcairn items are collectible, but I don't particularly rate this one.

-There's no great quality to it.

-No. Well, it's just crudely carved, isn't it?

-Yes.

I've been to the Pitcairn Islands. It's a miserable rock in the middle of nowhere.

-What's your estimate?

-£10, £20.

-OK, I think that's fair enough.

They paid £35. What about these conch shell lamps?

Yeah, I quite like these. It's a shame it's two rather than a pair.

Different seams, different bases.

They'd look great with a light inside them,

seeing the light through that relief carving.

It's a nice object. I'd say £50 to £80.

£40 paid. They'll be all right.

I hope they should see a profit on that, small profit.

-And we've got these wacky cauldron pots by Doulton.

-Yes.

They scream Royal Doulton, don't they?

Edith Beard, I think, the artist inscribed EB.

Great condition, which is absolutely vital.

Nice examples I can see selling for £80 or so as a single item,

so the two of them together, I think 120, 180.

OK, that's positive. £135 for the pair.

To find a pair like that in brilliant condition in a retail environment is quite good.

-I think that's a good buy.

-Excellent.

Well, I don't think they're going to need their bonus buy,

but let's have a look at it anyway.

-Now, Avril, Pat, you spent, you darlings, £210, yes?

-Yes.

-Yes.

You gave £90 to our Henry. What did you spend it on, Henry?

-I hope it's something good.

-Are you excited?

-Yes! Definitely.

-What do you think to this?

-BOTH: Oh.

-A little bit short.

-Well, have a look at it anyway.

-Can I ask what we're supposed to do with it?

-It's a collectible.

There's lots of people out there that collect corkscrews.

-Any idea what sort of age?

-With a shaving brush on the end?

-Shaving brush!

It would depend what time you got up in the morning, wouldn't it?

That brush is known as the butler's brush.

-You use it to get the cork off the bottle.

-Oh, I see!

Any ideas about the age of it?

-Well, it's jolly old, that's for sure.

-1800s?

-It's going to be 1820, 1830, that sort of period.

-Really?

That confused me.

Well, it would, wouldn't it? Because that is made of badger's brush.

If the butler needed a close shave in the morning, he could have a quick whip-up.

-It's rather nice, isn't it?

-Yes, it is.

-It's in good condition for its age.

-The big question is...

-What did you pay for it?

What would you pay for it?

I have no idea but I would imagine somewhere around £40-£50.

-50 or 60.

-We're on the right sort of wavelength.

-I paid £35 for this.

-Is that all?

-Really?

-Oh, gosh!

-£35.

-I would have though you'd make a little bit on it,

if you get the right person there.

-It's a collectible.

-Yes.

-I think that's the way the market's moving.

I wouldn't be surprised if it made £40 or £50.

Well, Henry, that's successful. Let's find out for the viewers

what the auctioneer thinks of Henry's corkscrew.

-There we go, Simon.

-OK, nice 19th-century bone corkscrew.

Bone rather than ivory. You can see the flecks here.

Pretty good condition. You can see the worm here, nice and long.

Sometimes they've been broken off.

And very collectible corkscrews are.

-Very strong market.

-A lovely thing, I think. Estimate?

-£30, something in that region. £25-£35.

-Is that all?

I think so, yeah.

We might get a little more if we get a corkscrew collector

but there are better examples.

Our Henry paid £30 for that. I quite rate it.

He's made a pretty good buy, there.

I'd be disappointed if it didn't make £60-£80 - one in that nick.

-See what happens.

-We'll see what happens on the day.

-Yep.

-So, girls, happy?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Which will bring the best profit?

I think the horns look like the coolest thing in this room.

They must be.

-Your horns look like the coolest thing in this room.

-Yes.

It's quite a nice description. Well, you paid £60.

The auctioneer loved them, he has put £50-£80 on them.

-That's good!

-So, in the right frame.

And, quite frankly, if you're in the market

for two enormous horns like that, this is the place to buy them.

Not going to find better, not around here.

Anyway, first up are the enormous horns and here they come.

624, then, is the large pair of horns being shown there. Lot 624.

£50 for this lot. £50.

40 to start me. £40. 40 bid. Thank you. At £40. 45 now.

-At £40. 45? At 45. 50.

-I don't believe this.

-At £45.

-50 anywhere? At £45, all done?

-Oh, no, girls.

How disappointing!

-Minus £15.

-He sold them, though!

-He sold them?

Were you worried they wouldn't sell?

OK, here come the garden bowls.

625. Jean Jacques & Son. Set of eight lignum vitae bowls

with the original ceramic jack.

£20 for this lot. 20 anywhere? 20, thank you. 22 now then.

-At £20 only.

-This is like walking through porridge, isn't it?

22 anywhere? All done at £20 then?

So sorry for you. £20 for that is minus 30. This is not right.

Now, the truncheon.

Lot 626. Three commission bids here.

Starting off at £22. 25 anywhere? At £22 with me. 25? 25? 28.

-30. 32. 35.

-Profit.

-32 with me then.

-Profit! Profit!

-35 anywhere?

At £32. All done at 32 then? Thank you.

£32 is plus £2, which reduces your losses to only minus £43.

-I think we should go with the bonus buy.

-I don't think we should.

-You're not going to go with his buy?

-No.

Well, that is a huge relief all round.

The decision was made, we're not going with the bonus buy,

but we're going to sell it anyway and here it comes!

Next lot, lot 630. Unusual piece here. It's a Japanese sumitsubo.

Commission bids here with me at £30. 32 I can take in the room now.

At £30 here with me. 32. 35. 38. The lady's bid at £38. 40 now?

At £38. 40 for anyone? All done at £38?

The lady's bid. Sale in the room at £38. All done at 38? Thank you.

So that's two short of 40, which is 55, minus 57.

So, never mind you didn't go with it. It matters not a jot.

You preserved your score at minus £43, which could be a winning score,

so don't say a word to the Blues.

-You never know.

-Not a word to the Blues.

-Not a word.

-Now, Patricia, you bought the pipe rack from Pitcairn, yes?

-Yes.

You paid £35. The auctioneer's estimate is £10-£20.

-Oh.

-That's not so good, is it?

-No.

-No. Avril?

-Yes?

-You went with the conch shell cameo lamps, yes?

-Yes.

You paid £40 for those. You go to the top of the class

because the auctioneer has estimated £50-£80 on those.

-Oh, good!

-That's good, isn't it?

-That's encouraging.

So, with luck, you'll make back what Pat has just lost on her pipe rack.

-Oh, well, that's fair enough.

-I'll hang my head in shame!

-I think you two are in clover today.

Anyway, first up is the pipe rack from Pitcairn and here it comes.

650 is the hardwood pipe rack. A Pitcairn Island item.

Lot 650. £20 for this lot. £20. 20?

£10, then. 10 is bid. Thank you, at £10. 12 anywhere now then?

-At £10. 12 for anyone? At £10.

-Uh-oh.

Maiden bid of £10. 12 anywhere? All done at £10 and selling.

-Thank you.

-Did he say £10? That's a disgrace. Minus 25.

651, then. Two 20th-century conch shell cameo lamp globes. Lot 651.

-Now, conch!

-£40 for this lot.

-40 to start me.

-Stand by, Avril.

30. £30 anywhere?

-20 is bid. At £20.

-Cheap!

-22. 25. 28. No?

£25. You're sure?

28. 30. 32.

No? At £30. 32 now. At £30. All done at £30?

I'm selling at 30 then. Thank you.

£30 only he sold them for. Minus 10 on that.

-Uh-oh.

-652 then.

A pair of Doulton three-handled salt-glazed stoneware cauldrons.

Lot 652.

£100 start me on this lot. £100. Pair of them there. 100. 100.

No? 80 to start me then. £80. Thank you. 85 now. 85. 90.

95. 100.

110.

-Getting there.

-At £100. All done at 100? 110 anywhere?

At £100 then.

Thank you.

-Way under his estimate!

-That's terrible! That's dreadful!

-I'm going to cry!

-That's awful!

-Oh, I'm really disappointed.

-So, what are you going to do?

-Go with the corkscrew?

-BOTH: Yes. We might as well.

-Might as well sink.

-You are? Well, that's a sound move. Here we go.

656 then. The corkscrew turned bone handle with brush, lot 656.

£30 for this lot. £30?

I'll start on commissions at 20. 22 now in the room.

-At £20 here. 22 anywhere? At £20. 22 for anyone?

-Worth more than that!

£22. Commission bids out.

At £22. 25 anywhere? At £22.

-Thank you.

-Minus £8 on that, so that is minus £78.

Well, girls, it could be a winning score.

Clearly not our day today.

Definitely not. Bread and marge tonight!

Dear, oh dear, oh dear.

Well, it's no secret to the teams

-that the water in the auction room today was not running down your gutters, was it?

-Definitely not. No.

It was disappointing results all round, I'm afraid.

But on this programme we have to have winners and runners up.

And the runners up today are the Blues.

-Which is really tough for you to take, isn't it?

-Very much.

-You are so competitive, Avril.

-I know. We tried.

And, Patricia, I don't know what to say, really. I could cry for you.

If only I could find one item you made a profit on.

Just a close profit! But, sadly, it wasn't today, was it?

-No, I'm afraid not. Can we come back?

-Of course you can.

-Any old time. Come back tomorrow.

-I'll get the hang of it by then.

Well, it's been brilliant having you. Thank you.

The victors today, who win by only managing to lose £43, are the Reds.

Which is a miracle, isn't it? And you did actually make a real profit.

The only team to make one profit on one item today was the Reds

-and they managed to make £2!

-Yes!

Which is something else, isn't it?

Gobbled up by those losses, which totalled 43. Anyway. There it is.

-You had a good time, Ange, did you?

-Yes, I think we did.

-We're flushed with victory.

-Flushed with victory!

That's why you're the Red team. We had a lovely day.

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

-YES!

I know, you're sitting there thinking,

"I could've done better than that." Well, what's stopping you?

If you think you can spot a bargain, go to our BBC website and apply.

It will be splendid to see you!