Devon 27 Bargain Hunt

Today we're coming to you

from one of the most picturesque parts of Devon.

We're on the Exe estuary at Topsham

and I feel bit of divine Devonian inspiration coming on.

Let's go bargain hunting!

The news is that our teams have £300 to scour the Topsham Antique Centre

to try and find three items to sell on later at auction

and hopefully make a profit.

And here's a quick peek at what's coming up.

Today we're in a warren of wonders.

-The Reds dither.

-Can we think about those?

-Let's have a think.

-So we've got one on the back burner.

-Come back to it.

-Off we go, then.

-OK.

Whilst the Blues know what they like.

-I like it a lot.

-It's quite nice.

-It's decorative.

So now let's meet the teams.

Today we have the best of friends versus father and son.

For the Reds we've got Jackie and Jane

and for the Blues we've got John and Philip. Welcome.

-Lovely to see you.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-So how did you two girls meet, then?

-Erm...

-Well, a long time ago.

-Long, long time ago.

Well, long, long, long time ago.

Jackie moved in opposite me when she nothing and I was two.

-Really? A seriously long, long time ago.

-A seriously long time.

So what do you do for a living now, Jacks?

I'm a staff nurse and I work at Rowcroft Hospice in Torquay,

which is a great place to work, yes.

I work with a very good team of people

and, yeah, thoroughly enjoy it.

-It must have its stressful moments, though.

-It does

but it's a worthwhile job and I enjoy it.

Jane, you're the person I need to ring if I have an emergency, right?

-That's absolutely right.

-Tell us about it.

I'm a call-taker for the ambulance service.

-And do you get asked for advice in the emergency, then?

-Yeah, we do.

We, obviously, give advice on CPR

but also, the best thing for me is when you give advice on how to give birth.

-Has that ever happened to you?

-Yeah. It's happened three times now.

The best one was a lady on her way to hospital stopped at a pub car park

because she couldn't go any further.

She needed a drink?

She certainly did afterwards.

-It says here that you're a bit of a collector, too.

-I am.

I collect old Torquay pottery, mainly because I come from Torquay.

-You might find a piece or two here in Topsham.

-I might.

-Yeah.

Well, very good luck. I should think this has got the Blues quaking in their boots.

-Absolutely.

-John, you're looking scared.

-Absolutely.

-Philip, you run the family business.

-That's right.

Along with my step-mother - the two of us run the business.

-What is the business?

-We're publishers.

We publish magazines and books on coins, medals and military history.

-Do you?

-That's our area.

Dad was involved but he semi-retired a couple of years ago.

and now Carol and myself run it.

-You inherited your hobby from your father.

-I did, yes.

I collect military medals

and it's one of Dad's passions for years.

Have you got any particular favourites in your collection?

I actually collect medals to chaplains - men of the cloth, vicars, that sort of thing.

It fascinates me that these guys can go onto the battlefield

-without any weaponry to defend themselves.

-Yes.

And I do have one particular medal, a Zulu war medal, 1879, to a chaplain

who actually gave the last rites to the Prince Imperial on the battlefield.

But Dad's a Zulu war medal collector as well,

so he's a little bit jealous, I think.

Now, John, it says here you've been banned from riding on horseback.

Yes. I started riding about ten years ago

and I should never have started because I've been thrown off twice

quite badly, and the second time I was told I'd broken my back.

-But they discovered it was an old break.

-Oh.

But the surgeon said, if you get thrown off again, you won't make it.

Why did you start ten years ago?

My wife rides and I just liked the idea of riding along with her and...

-A big mistake.

-You're no stranger to antique fairs, are you?

Oh, no. That's one of my pastimes.

So what sort of things between you will you be looking out for today?

Well, probably medals, militaria, that sort of thing.

Something local, maybe. Good quality items.

-We won't be spending £3 or £4.

-Oh, good.

You'll be spending proper money. Folding money.

If you can find the right things. It's jolly difficult.

Talking of money, this it the money moment. Here's your £300, girls.

-There's your £300 apiece.

-Ooh.

-Thank you.

You know the rules. Your experts await and off you go

and very, very, very, very good luck.

Do I feel an emergency coming on?

Our experts are of a fine calibre.

For the Reds, we have a man who can spot a bargain a mile off.

It's Philip Serrell.

And the Blues will be guided by a man whose glass is always half full.

It's Charles Hanson.

-So you two are the best of mates?

-Yeah, we are.

-You're not going to gang up on me, are you?

-Never.

-Is there a plan? What are we going to buy?

-Anything fluffy.

-What?

-She's into rabbits.

-Coins and medals is our speciality.

-Much else?

-Not personally, no.

-No?

-No. Anything old and cheap.

Sounds good to me.

He's seen this show before.

-You're into knitting, are you?

-I do knit.

-Do you?

-Yes.

-What do knit?

-Well, I make half things, really,

because I tend to get halfway through them and give up.

Well, if you've only got one leg you know where to go for your socks.

-But it's not necessarily practical for everybody.

-No.

In today's living, there's no way you're going to want something of this size, this age.

-Correct.

-So we need something that's small, something people can use.

-I like the bears.

-I think we should look at those.

-I do like them.

-I like the one with the reel.

-The cotton reel, yeah.

I was thinking perhaps we could buy a family of bears.

Is that supposed to be with that or have they added that?

-He's a cotton reel holder, isn't he? Do you like them?

-I do.

-Yeah.

-That's half the battle, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-I just wonder how much age that's got, at the bottom.

-Mm.

-Do you reckon?

-It doesn't look as good as the others.

Or is he...? He looks a bit older.

-And he's quite fun.

-I like him with the reel on.

-That's my favourite.

I like that. It's fun.

-That's £45.

-Yeah.

-Get it for about 30?

-If we could get it for 30, that would be fantastic.

-OK, let's have a word and see if we can do that.

-Lovely.

-Purchase number one.

-Well, we hope.

-Hopefully.

-That might be wishful thinking.

Go on, then, Goldilocks. Get haggling.

-What's the best on these, then, Albert?

-£38.

38? That's a good discount, isn't it?

-Would 35 buy them, do you think?

-I don't think so.

-Shall we take them out...?

-Yeah.

-Because otherwise we'll be locking cabinets.

-I'll ask Albert to put them behind the counter for us.

-Lovely.

So we'll have a look round. That's almost... How long have we had?

-About 15 minutes?

-Yeah.

-And we've almost got one already.

-Our first thing.

Albert, you're a gentleman and a scholar.

Well, almost buying isn't actually buying.

-Thank you.

-Thanks, Albert.

-Are you happy with that?

-I think that's a great idea.

-So we've got one on the back burner.

-We can come back to it.

-Off we go, then.

-OK.

-OK.

Will the Blues be more decisive? They've found something "tray" bon!

-Is that a tray?

-What do you think? John, what do you think?

-It doesn't do it for me.

-John, just look at the size.

-What price is it?

Hide that price and you give me your all-encompassing opinion on that.

-What's it made of?

-Mache.

-Yes, paper mache.

-Paper mache.

-Probably mid-Victorian.

-Mid-Victorian, yes.

1860. I quite like it because if you look at the condition, it's in quite nice order.

The gilding is pretty strong.

What would it cost in an antiques centre?

-£35.

-No, no, more than that.

-More than that?

-Yeah.

-OK.

-I know nothing about this.

-John, how much?

-£125.

-How much?

-35 was my...

Well, I think it's quite nice because we've met halfway - it's £65.

-65.

-65.

-I think that's not a bad object.

If it was smaller and therefore practical, I would say yes

but I can't see that fitting in anyone's kitchen or dining room - it's just too big.

Come on, Philip. Sometimes big is beautiful.

-Mid-Victorian. £65.

-I don't mind it. Maybe it's one we can come back to.

-Not a lot, is it?

-We might get it for 50.

-Exactly.

Food for thought, John.

-There are some coins over here, gents.

-Ah!

-There's tools. Are they any good? Old tools?

-Yes.

There's no tool like an old tool.

Do you like these or are you just grasping at any straw?

-Any tool.

-I do like old tools, I have to say. I really do.

There's something aesthetically pleasing about them.

-You know that they've been used, don't you?

-Some skilled...

What about those? Shall we ask Albert to find out...?

You've got 25 quid, there, look.

-What are these?

-Those are a pair of dividers.

But they're definitely 19th century. I think they're really nice.

-Shall we find out from Albert?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Great.

If we can them for 15 or 20 quid, that's a bit of a shout for us.

-I like that.

-OK.

-What do you think?

-No.

-But I thought you loved coins?

-Yeah but not those prices.

-No, they're all too expensive.

-John, when you purvey a good coin, what do you look for?

-Oh, condition.

Condition is all important, particularly with milled coins,

which are the later ones.

There's a very nice sixpence there.

It's still got the original patina on it, which is nice.

-And which one is that?

-The 1787 sixpence.

-But that is really top end. I wouldn't want to pay that much.

-No.

The prices there are probably about right

but we need to try and make a profit.

And how has the coin market performed in the last 20 years?

-Very good.

-Has it?

-I wish I'd bought these coins 20 years ago.

-Really?

Oh, it's phenomenal. Coins now are going through the roof.

And you can make a mint.

Albert's come back. Let's see what he's got to say.

-£22 the pair.

-£22 for the pair. Right.

Don't tell me you're almost buying these, too?

-What I suggest that we do, let's ask Albert to put those with our...

-Bears.

-With our bears.

-Is that all right?

-Quite all right.

You're a gentleman and a scholar.

Come on, teams! Buy something, one of you!

-I like this.

-I like the timber, actually.

-I like it a lot.

-It's quite nice.

-It's decorative.

It's practical, as well. It's the sort of thing you can use as a...

-I don't know.

-I know what you're thinking of. It's like a coin collector's chest.

-But it's the sort of thing that you can actually... It's decorative.

-Yes.

It's pretty. It's something that you can actually use and it's 135.

-Mm.

-I like that. What do you think?

Of course you've got the mother-of-pearl, the abalone, on the lacquered, hinged doors.

-This top section might also hinge open, like that.

-It does.

And you've got the drawers within.

It's quite a nice item.

-Shall we take it down?

-Yeah.

-It needs slight work, I think.

-There we are.

-It's Japanese.

-With the hinged handles on either side.

-This top section opens up to reveal divisions for maybe...

-Could be anything.

Could it be a specimen cabinet of some sort?

-Well, whatever it is, it can be used for anything, can't it?

-Yeah.

And the patination is nice, the colour.

-I like the colour of it.

-It must be, what, 1900, 1890, in date?

-Yes.

-And how much is it?

-They're saying 135 but let's see what we can get.

-Is it worth a question?

-I think it is.

-OK.

So where's our Albert, then?

Hello. Who's this?

I've just had a word with the lady and she said £100 would be OK.

-Great.

-Sorted. Excellent. Are we happy with that?

-Yeah.

Right, brilliant. That's great.

Hurrah! Someone's spent some cash.

Marvellous, isn't it? You want to know the time, you've got a wristwatch.

You've got a mobile phone.

You watch the BBC - they give you regular time checks.

But in the old days,

you might have had to resort to using one of these things.

This thing is called an armillary sundial.

It's a peculiar-looking thing.

Running across the globe is a bar

and the idea is that you line this armillary sundial sphere up

with the sun and follow the passage of the shadow

that's created by that central bar

as the sun moves and casts its shadow through the day

on the different numerals.

And if I give this tweak, you can see the bar line moving

until we get here, for this example, to number four.

It's four o'clock. Clever, isn't it?

Well, it's fine until the sun goes in.

What I like about this piece is the colour of the metal.

This thing's made of bronze

and as you know, if bronze is left out of doors,

like a piece of sculpture,

ultimately it goes greenish brown.

It's called verdigris.

It has been out of doors for maybe 100 to 150 years

but what I can tell you is that these things, when they have any age,

are rare and it's the sort of thing that, amazingly,

you can still pick up for around £140.

What might it make in a scientific instrument sale?

I would be surprised if it made less than £1,000.

So you see, aren't we blessed? It's a sunny day.

Our teams haven't had much time to enjoy the sun, though.

Sometimes life can be tough as old boots.

Do you know, I'm a sucker for kids' shoes and clogs.

-Do you like those?

-Oh, they're beautiful.

Aren't those fantastic, look? Look at those.

-They're all leather.

-Yeah.

-How old would they be?

-1920s. But they've never been worn, have they?

-Hardly.

Aren't they cute? I just love...

I bet they weren't very comfortable, really.

That's probably why they've not been worn.

I don't know if they're your size, Phil.

No but I just think...

They're like the crossover between the working man's clogs and the child's shoes.

-They were probably for Sunday best, maybe.

-They're fantastic.

-I think they're lovely. Shall we ask another question?

-Yes.

Albert! We can ask Albert.

Albert was only 23 when we started this programme

and we've had him running around...

Now, those are 44 quid, Albert. We'd like them for 30. How's that looking?

Don't worry, Albert. They've got to buy something at some point.

What a man, Albert. Get in there.

-38 would be the best?

-38.

Out of the three things that we've put by, I would buy the tools

because I think they're really interesting,

-perhaps a bit more blokey.

-Possibly.

-And I'd buy these.

-They're not fluffy, aren't they?

-No, no.

And I'd buy these.

Don't tell me they're actually going to buy them?

-All right?

-Can we think about those?

-Let's put them in our little pile.

No, no, no, no. They're not going to buy those either.

Do you know what, Charles, I think we need to be looking at the bottom of cabinets and at the top

because I think we're in danger of looking at what everyone else has looked at

-and these things have been here for a long time.

-Exactly.

-If we start looking up or down...

-Exactly.

-..we may make some money.

Let's go down below, OK?

Hit the deck, boys.

-John, this is quite a sweet thing.

-Silver photo frame.

-The photo frame.

-Can you see? What is so nice is it's a pretty lady.

-Is it silver?

Yeah. Well, it says silver.

-It's got an interesting patina on it, though - a pewter colour.

-It has.

-I might enquire. Hello, sir.

-And silver has gone up.

You're all right, Albert. The Blues seem to be spending their cash at last.

It's not awful lot of silver, though, if you look.

-It's very, very thin. Very thin.

-It is.

-It's not a solid silver frame.

-But hasn't it got style?

It has, yes, you're absolutely right.

Look down there. What are they?

-The hallmark letters.

-Exactly.

-What date is that, Charles?

It's actually not very old.

The hallmark is for London,

-date code probably no earlier than 1960 or 1970.

-Yeah, '60s.

I think in an auction you might guide it between £40 and £60.

Charles is sold on this. I'm not sure about Phil and John, though.

-I prefer it to the platter or the tray, though.

-Do you?

I prefer it to the tray.

-It's priced at £45.

-It's worth more.

-Is it really?

-Yeah.

Well, thank you.

-39.

-39? Oh, you're teasing me now, you're teasing me.

38.99.

-What do you think?

-I will leave it up to you

-but I would say at £39...

-It's a good buy.

-Yeah, it is a good buy.

-All right.

-What do you think?

-The final decision's yours.

-OK. £39. We'll go for it.

-Are you sure, Dad?

-Yeah.

-Cheers, Dad. We'll take it. £39. Great.

-Are you happy with that?

-I'm... No.

-Not really.

I think our Albert is just happy that cash is being spent by somebody.

This is quite nice because this is all Exeter silver.

That's quite nice.

That's £330. We can't afford that.

-But there is a premium for that, as you can see.

-Yes.

-Yes.

Walk on, I think.

I think the place to buy Exeter silver is probably in Sheffield.

Speaking of silver, how's the Blue team feeling about purchase number two?

I do like my silver photo frame.

It has great style and I think for £39 it's a good buy.

So, so far so good.

We're getting on really well and there's good team spirit.

I'm not entirely certain about the picture frame

-but we'll go with Charles's...

-We'll go with Charles.

We'll go with Charles's expertise.

Right, good to see everyone's on the same page.

The Reds are tearing the place apart.

-Let's have a look, girls.

-It doesn't feel very substantial.

-Do you know why that is?

-Because it's not.

-You got it.

-It looked nice from a distance.

-Yeah, about three miles.

-You need to get out more.

-All right.

40 minutes gone, chaps. Come on!

-It's a really extensive tea set, isn't it?

-It is.

-Copeland Spode and there's a lot there, isn't there?

-125.

-125? Well, we've got 161 left, I think, but it's too...

-Big?

Again, I'm not struck. Is it complete?

-Well, it's got six cups.

-Six cups.

-Six coffee cans.

-John, it's a good spot.

-We've got another floor, we've got 20 minutes - let's come back.

But you're on track. Two items with 20 minutes to go.

The Reds, on the other hand...

Are you thinking that perhaps adding something to those two tools might be an idea?

-It might be an idea, yeah.

-What about that, look?

-Isn't that a lovely ruler?

-That's nicely made, isn't it?

-That's eight quid.

-What's so different about this one, then?

Erm, well, as a rule...

-THEY GROAN

-If you didn't see that joke coming, you're probably from outer space.

-I think that's a good plan, do you?

-Yeah. £6.

-Six quid. So I'd go for that.

-Yeah.

-I think that's... I think so.

Something tells me it's going to be the bears, the tools and the boots.

Go on - put us out of our misery.

The Blues still need a final item.

-Eight minutes to go.

-All right, we'll split up.

You go over there, I'll go over here.

-I can't see anything at all.

-Nothing leaping out at you?

Why not take a leaf out of the Reds' book and think back.

-It could be the paper mache tray.

-I think you might be right.

Five minutes to go and we finally have decision in the Red camp.

I think you should go and buy those three bits.

-Go and charm Albert. Go on.

-See what we can do, shall we?

He doesn't know what he's got coming.

Mm. And it's decision time for the Blues.

It's your decision. It's the tea set or the tray.

You make the decision.

-Go for the tray.

-Really?

-Go for the tray.

-If it's still there.

-If it's not, we go for the tea set.

-It might be gone.

-Right.

-That's the bears, the boots and the tools, please.

-The tools.

So if we do all them for £104?

-Excellent.

-That sounds a bargain.

-Yeah.

-Right.

-Excellent.

-Lovely. Thank you very much.

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

-You're going to thrash the Blue team, aren't you?

-We hope so.

Well, they're confident - indecisive but confident.

It's got to be the tray. We made the decision upstairs, didn't we?

-We made the decision. We'll go for this one.

-I don't think we go far wrong with this.

-Can we negotiate?

-Hard.

-Can we negotiate on what?

-We're real hard negotiators.

-Let's have a look.

The death on that one would be £50.

-Is that what you call the death?

-That's it.

We did say upstairs, didn't we? We did say upstairs.

-That's a really good discount and I think...

-For £50.

-All right, we'll go for it.

-We'll take it. Good man.

-We've got it.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you, sir.

-We're down to the wire.

-Yeah, that's true.

We're at 58 and a half minutes, OK, so well done.

-We can now relax. OK - a cup of tea in the sunshine?

-Absolutely.

-Come on, let's get out of here.

-Thanks, Charles.

-Well done.

That's it. Time's up.

Let's remind ourselves what the Red Team bought.

A pair of Black Forest bears set them back a roaring £38.

After the bears came boots.

This pair of children's hobnailed footwear cost them another £38.

Their third purchase ensured they'd be tooled up for the auction,

costing them £28 for the set.

-Mm.

-After all that flimflam, which is your favourite bit, Jacks?

Erm... I'm not sure really. I like all of them.

-I like the boots.

-The boots are your favourite.

-Those are your favourite. And are those going to bring the biggest profit?

-I think so.

-I think they're lovely.

-Yeah.

-Do you agree?

-Yes, I do.

-Best to agree with her.

-You don't know what she might say otherwise.

-Quite.

Good. How much did you spend all round?

-£104.

-Yes, it was.

-Is that all?

-Yeah, that's all, I'm afraid.

We tried to spend more.

Can I have £196, please?

-190...

-There you go.

-Ooh, there's the one.

-A bit of loose change.

-Look at that.

Look, they've done it in twenties. That's rather sweet, isn't it?

Well, that's a very nice amount for you.

-Can you find something?

-That's the issue, isn't it?

I don't want to blow it all but I'm going to go and try and find something

that might take your eye but is perhaps a bit different to what we've bought.

Good. That would be good.

I think there's a lot of secret messages in that Philip Serrell, you know.

Stand by. Have a nice cup of tea, girls.

Meanwhile, we're going to check out what the Blue Team bought, eh?

The Blues didn't want to buy big

and this Japanese chest fitted the bill perfectly.

£100 paid.

They weren't too sure about the silver frame but Charles thought it pretty as a picture

at £39.

Finally, after umming and ahhing,

they chose this papier-mache gilt tray for £50.

-Pretty good. Thank you.

-Well, that was close work, wasn't it?

-It was.

Talk about giving us all a bit of a heart attack.

-We went to the wire.

-Yes.

-Absolutely.

-You had a good time, John?

-Yes, indeed.

-Which piece is going to bring the biggest profit?

-Hopefully, the cabinet. Fingers crossed.

-And what was your grand total?

-I think we spent £189.

189. That's one off 90, so I'd like 111, please.

-Who's got the 111?

-I've got the money.

-Very good.

-Lovely.

-There we are, sir.

-Thank you very much.

-That goes straight over to Charles Hanson.

-Thank you very much.

-Your big challenge.

-It is.

And they have a massive passion for medals and coins,

so maybe I can find something on those lines.

-Well, maybe.

-Maybe.

-There's a hint. Be careful, Charles.

Anyway, all the very best, lads.

Meanwhile, we're heading off somewhere positively divine.

Antony in Cornwall has been home to the Carew family for over 600 years.

It continues to be a home to the latest generation of Carew Poles

and is also the perfect space to display the wide variety

of fascinating artefacts, antiques and furniture

the family have collected.

it was the Roman philosopher Cicero who said,

"To add a library to a house is to give it soul,"

and here at Antony, certainly this library is a soulful place.

And out of the collection of books in the library,

one of the most notable

and most pertinent to the house and the family is this volume,

which is a survey of Cornwall written by Richard Carew

in 1602.

It's entitled The Survey Of Cornwall

And An Epistle Concerning The Excellencies Of The English Tongue.

Born in 1555, Richard Carew had already become an accomplished author

by the time he wrote The Survey Of Cornwall,

a book that shows his love and fascination for his home county.

This volume dates from 1723

but if I quote from one or two passages,

you get the feel of why Carew felt

that Cornwall was such a special place.

"Touching the temperature of Cornwall, the air thereof

"is cleaned as if with bellows

"by the billows and flowing and ebbing of the sea

"and there through becometh cure and subtle

"and by consequence, healthful."

In other words, Cornwall is a healthy place to visit.

This is a bit like a tourist guide.

Life, though, for the tin miners in Cornwall

was not necessarily quite so healthy.

And he records the mining industry here.

He says, "The loose earth is propped by frames of timberwork as they go

"and yet now and then falling down,

"either presseth the poor workman to death

"or stoppeth them from returning."

In other words, they get stuck down the mine.

Cornwall, like other places, suffered with vermin, as he describes.

"Of all manner vermin, Cornish houses are most pestered with rats,

"a brood very hurtful for devouring of meat, clothes and writings by day

"and alike cumbersome through their crying and rattling

"while they dance their gallop galliards in the roof at night,

"making a wretched noise."

So popular was this book that it's been reprinted numerous times

through the centuries.

And the other book that's caught my eye is this,

which is absolutely unique and relevant to Antony.

If I turn to the title page,

it says Antony House in Cornwall A Seat Of Reginald Pole Carew.

In the introduction page, it identifies the author,

the landscape gardener Humphrey Repton,

who produced this for Pole Carew in October 1792.

This particular book is a facsimile, it's a modern reproduction,

but it contains plates that are relevant,

so let's pop outside and have a bird's-eye.

So in 1792, Reginald Pole Carew would have stood here

on the north front of his mansion house,

looking out over the garden with Humphrey Repton.

And the view they would have seen at that moment looked like this.

Effectively, a tall stone wall ran through the park at this point,

with the distant Tamar beyond.

Such was the magic of Repton's art,

that by folding back these paper sections,

he'd be able to illustrate to Reginald Pole Carew

exactly what he would see from this point

after the works and plantings had matured.

And if you look at his vision for the future

and then what we see today,

sure enough, you do get three delicious glimpses

of the distant Tamar with those lovely hills beyond.

Hmm! Clever, isn't it?

The big question today is, of course, for our teams over at the auction -

are they going to be similarly clever

or not?

Well, we've meandered away from the River Exe and Topsham

and gone east to Honiton

and to Bearnes, Hampton and Littlewood's saleroom.

Brian Goodison-Blanks. Brian, good morning.

-Good morning.

-Lovely to be here.

-And we've got an extraordinary mix.

-It is quite interesting, isn't it?

For the Reds, two Black Forest bears.

They're quite fun little things, aren't they?

Produced really from the late 19th century, early 20th century, as souvenir pieces,

obviously from the Bavaria, Black Forest, Germany, Austria, that sort of region.

-Nice inset eyes. Sort of £10 to £15.

-Is that all?

-I think probably for those. We do see so many of them.

-OK.

-£38 they paid.

-Mm.

-That's not going to be a great start for them.

-What about the pair of shoes?

-They're wonderful things, aren't they?

They're hobnail boots and they'll last for a long time.

-Look at the metalwork on it.

-I know. They were produced to last.

If you see on the bottom, they have a utility mark dated 1941.

-Oh, yes.

-This is the war period.

The government took over the raw materials for the production of leathers

and leather was needed for aircraft manufacture.

-Wonderful little things.

-How much?

-Probably about £20-£40.

OK, £38 paid, so they're a bit light on that, too.

And lastly, the drawing instruments.

A bit of a mix, aren't they?

These things make a lot of money if they're planes

and early saws and stuff like that.

-They are.

-They make a lot of money.

-They make a lot of money.

A Norris plane will make probably £300-£400

but unfortunately, these - not a great deal.

Probably £10-£15.

OK, they paid 28, so I make it, on all three items,

they're going to make a small loss compared to the estimates,

which in case they're going to need their bonus buy, so let's have a look at it.

-OK, Jacks and Jane, are you excited about this?

-Very.

-Very excited.

I've been told you're really looking forward to seeing what your bonus buy is.

-We are.

-We're looking forward to Philip revealing it.

-Revealing all.

-196 squids' worth he had to spend.

-Ooh!

-There we are - that is a copper tray.

-Ooh!

And I bought that because I thought, well, we're in Devon,

Devon's not far from Newlyn,

this looks, with a bit of imagination, like Newlyn school,

-so there's a bit of a local theme...

-That's beautiful.

-..with a broad imagination.

-Do you like it?

-I'd like that myself, actually.

-Yeah.

-And that's cost £35.

-No!

-Yeah, yeah. So I like that.

-How do you know it's Newlyn?

-We don't.

-Oh.

Newlyn style.

-You should take that as sort of auto-suggestion, really.

-OK.

We're trying to get that thought into the minds of the buyers.

You paid £35. How much do you think it's worth?

Between £30 and £45.

-So not a lot of profit in it.

-No, no, no.

I'm sorry. I tried hard.

-Some people are never satisfied.

-It's difficult to predict, though.

-That's the whole point.

-It is, it is, it is.

Anyway, don't pick now, you pick later if you want to,

after the sale of your first three items

but for the viewers at home, let's find out what the jolly old auctioneer thinks of Phil's tray.

Now, Brian, something for you to polish up.

Ah! It looks like it's had a very good polish, with some of the decoration that's worn away.

-Yeah.

-But Newlyn style? A very loose association, I think.

I think people are a bit fed up of polishing brass at the moment.

It's only going to be about £20-30.

I think you're absolutely right. £35 paid.

It may not be a guaranteed winner, that bonus buy.

Anyway, we shall see. That's it for the Reds.

Now for the Blues. Nice selection here.

Kicking on with the Japanese lacquer and parquetry cabinet.

-Handsome.

-It is, isn't it? Early 20th century.

If you'd gone to the grand Edwardian house for the weekend,

you may have been put into the Oriental bedroom with this sort of thing.

We do see quite a number of them, so we're probably looking at about £40-£60.

-Is that all?

-It is at the moment, yes.

I don't like saying this. £100, they paid.

-Well...

-Might it get to 100? Are you sure you're not being a bit teasing here, Brian?

Possibly. We'll have to see.

Anyway, moving on. The silver photo frame.

If this was a period, 1900, 1905 frame,

-it would be worth a lot of money, wouldn't it?

-It would.

-Liberty, something like that.

-Liberty - a nice maker.

Archibald Knox and Tudric and all those names we'd associate with Art Nouveau.

Unfortunately, it's out of period, which really does have an effect on its value.

-So it's hallmarked what?

-It's hallmarked 1968.

-Right.

So a reproduction of that earlier style but it looks good, doesn't it?

It does look good. It's aged a little bit where it hasn't been polished,

so it does look the part.

-Don't polish it, that's the answer.

-That's the clue.

How much do you think it's worth?

It think, probably, with the frame being out of period, it's £25-£30.

-OK. They paid £39. It might just creep up.

-It may do.

And lastly is the papier-mache tray

that looks to me as if it should be a candidate for a table.

Nice folding stand underneath, make that into a coffee table.

It would do, yes. It would serve another purpose.

-It's nicely decorated, 19th century.

-Definitely English

and definitely in that nice Wolverhampton papier-mache.

It is, isn't it? It is a nice piece.

Again, it's going to be about £40-£60.

OK, £50 paid, so that's spot on, right in the middle.

It all depends on how the Japanese cabinet does

and if it does badly, they're going to need the bonus buy, so let's have a look at it.

Now, John and Philip, this is your moment.

You gave Charles £111. Did you blow the lot, Charles?

-John and Philip are hugely into coins...

-OK.

..so I found the case for you two.

-Ah!

-Do you like it?

-Excellent.

-Pretty.

Yeah, a leather covered, gilt brass mounted sovereign and half sovereign case.

-It's not my best find.

-You don't look impressed, Dad.

-What did you pay for it?

-What, for £111?

-It's quite expensive for 111.

-Let me tell you.

If you were a late Victorian gentleman

with your half sovereign and sovereign, you'd want a nice case.

I love this leather finish. It's a bit shabby and chicy.

But it is all there and complete and it may have been on the end of your fob chain.

-I hope you didn't pay 111 for it.

-No, well, well...

Yes, it does, it works, so... What do you think?

-I think it's probably worth...

-Come on, Dad.

-40?

I was going to say at retail I would have thought £75-80.

-£35.

-Oh, well, there you go.

-You did well.

It might just stand a fair chance of hopefully making 45 or 50.

-As I say, it's not my best find.

-With the wind up its tail.

-I like it.

-Do you?

-I think it's nice.

I just wish that it had a sovereign and a half sovereign in it

-but I think you did well.

-That's very kind.

-Well, that's a nice reaction. Do you agree with that, John?

-Yes, I do.

All right, super. Let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about Charles' sovereign case.

Well, there you go, Brian. A little bit disappointing, I'd say.

It possibly is very disappointing, really.

It's a sovereign case, leather covered,

but it's probably very low end of sovereign cases.

That would be the sort of thing, if it came in, you'd put in a box

with a dozen other little objects.

-You'd not make it an individual lot in the sale, would you?

-No.

The value is far too low.

-So is it worth a £5 note?

-It might make £10-£15.

Somebody might put their £1 coins in for the parking meters but that's about it.

Well, I hope Charles hasn't completely lost his marbles here

because he paid £35 for it.

As a bonus buy, it's quite a brave step, isn't it?

-It's a shot in the dark.

-A shot in the dark, all right.

I think it's a shot in the foot.

-Anyway, we shall see in a moment, won't we?

-We will.

-We will.

-Now, girls. Happy?

-Yes.

-Very happy.

Out of the £104 that you spent,

he's not predicting much of a profit, frankly.

-Neither were we.

-On any of it.

But on the other hand, you didn't spend that much.

It's not big profits you're after. Your strategy is just to make a little and often,

which is fair enough

and that, hopefully, if we cross our legs,

-is exactly what will happen.

-Excellent.

-And if the worst comes to the worst, you've got Phil's tray to fall back on.

-Beautiful tray.

The first lot up are your two bears and here they come.

Two Black Forest carved wooden bears.

And what am I to say for those? £15?

£10? £10 here I have. At 10. And 12 now for the bears.

-At £10, maiden bid only.

-No!

-12 at all?

-£10. 12 on the internet, I'll take. 15.

-It's on the internet.

18, internet? I've got 15 in the room, I want 18 online.

18, fresh place. 20?

22, 25. At least he's here. £22. In the second room, then. At £22.

-£22 is minus 16 but let's not fret.

-Is it? Oh, that's a shame.

Because here come the old boots.

Early 20th century child's hobnail boots, size 12.

-Rather interesting, these ones, and I'll start these here at £20.

-Ooh.

Commission bid with me. 22, now?

22, 25, 28, 30, 2.

-35, 38. Are you sure?

-Oh, come on.

-We want more.

Commission with me at 35. 8 now elsewhere?

Are you quite sure, then? For the pair of shoes at £35...

-No money. Bad luck.

-THEY GROAN

That is just minus £3.

35 is minus £3, totalling minus 19 so far.

-OK, here comes the tools.

-The set square, the dividers and the rule.

What am I to say for those?

£5? 5 I have, thank you. Eight?

10. 12?

12 online? At £10 in the room, then. At 10. And 12 online? No.

-Oh, lord.

-At £10, then, in the room.

12, fresh place. 15?

£12, now. Thank you, sir.

At £12 here. In the room, then, at 12.

-A hat trick - all three. A

-hat trick of losses, sadly.

So 19, 29, minus 35. You are minus £35, girls.

-Wow!

-Now, the Newlyn copper tray cost £35.

-I think we've got to go for it.

-What do you think, Phil?

Well, I don't know, really.

-I think we'll go for it.

-We've got to.

You don't have to, actually. You can just park it.

Because minus £35 could be a winning score.

-Are you going for it or not? Quick!

-Go for it.

-Go for it.

-All right.

We're cracking on.

The Newlyn-style copper tray and commission's with me here at £20.

22, now? 22. 25. 28? 30, 32, 35, 38?

40, 2, 45. 48?

45 my bid, then. At £45.

And eight now, anybody else?

-Good man!

-Commission's with me, then, at 45.

Eight, now? At £45...

-Yes!

-Good decision, girls.

-That's plus £10.

-See the faith we had in you?

-Good boy. That's reduced your losses to minus £25.

-Minus £25.

Which is more respectable.

That's why you love the man. That's why he does the business for you, which is marvellous.

Anyway, so you've got a total of minus 25, which could be a winning score.

-It could be.

-So say not a word to the Blues, OK?

-OK, JP, how's it going for you? All right?

-Yeah, yeah, it's fine.

-Confident?

-No.

-Oh, come on!

Anything you wish you hadn't bought, John?

I'm a bit worried about the silver frame.

-Are you?

-But the rest I'm quite happy with.

-Yeah.

Well, the cabinet is first up and here it comes.

So the pearl cabinet there, with the inlay

and specimen woods, as you can see.

And interest here with me at £40.

At 40 with me. And five I'm looking for now. My bid here at £40.

-Commission at 40. Five, I can see.

-Come on.

-50, 5, 60, 5.

OK, OK. Come on.

-70, 5.

-OK.

£70 bid is with me. And five elsewhere?

-Anybody else? Anybody else?

-My bid then at £70.

-Come on.

-THEY GROAN

-£70.

-I felt sure that one was worth more.

-Miserable.

Minus £35. Miserable.

OK, now the photo frame.

The Art Nouveau-style silver photograph frame.

It's London 1968, at 20, 25, 30.

-OK, that's good.

-Good.

-35, now?

-Come on.

£30 bid is here. Five I'm looking for.

-Oh, somebody...!

-35, 40, 45 online.

-Come on, come on.

-My bid at 40. 45 internet?

-I don't believe this.

At £40, then.

£40 and you are plus £1.

-We're playing catch-up.

-That means you're minus 29.

-Oh, dear.

-Now the rectangular tray.

The Victorian papier-mache gilt rectangular tray

and commission's here with me at 40.

-At £40 here. 45 I'm looking for.

-Come on.

-At 40 with me.

-Somebody!

-42 I'll take. 45, 48.

-One more.

-Let's not haggle. At 45 with me.

48, now? At £45 then...

-My bid at 45.

-I can't believe it.

-Disappointing.

-Very.

That is minus £5 on that, which means you're back to minus 34.

Minus £34. So are we going with the sovereign case or not?

I think we have to, don't you?

-You don't have to. Minus 34 could be a winning score.

-It could be but I think...

-You can park it.

-We're not going to make... I don't think we're going to lose on it.

-Let's go for it.

-Let's go for it.

-I agree.

-A bit of excitement.

We've got nothing to lose, have we?

I think it will go for 40. We'll make £5 on it.

OK, we have a prediction.

-Are you happy? Are we going to go with it?

-Definitely.

-OK, lovely.

-We're going with the bonus buy at £35...

-Come on.

-..and here it comes.

It is the late Victorian leather case sovereign holder.

-More like a charity case, this one.

-Charity case?

-Bid me £5.

-Five I have, thank you.

-Five?

-Eight. Ten I have, here. 12? 12 I have.

-And 15.

-Oh, for goodness' sake.

-18.

-Come on!

-This is mean.

-20, 22, 25, 28, 30, 2.

-One more, sir.

-At £30 here.

-One more.

-32 at all?

-One more?

-Quite sure, then, at 30?

THEY GROAN

So instead of making five we lost five.

-Didn't you say a profit of £5?

-I thought we'd make a profit of £5.

-I meant the word "loss".

-You had five in your mind.

-I meant "loss".

-You had five in your mind but in the mists of your prediction...

Yeah, I got that wrong. I did mean a loss of £5.

-Anyway, minus 39 is the end score.

-Never mind.

-That could be a winning score. Don't talk to the Reds.

-We won't.

-All will be revealed in a moment.

-Fantastic.

-Thank you very much.

-Brilliant. Thank you, Tim.

This has been great.

-Now, any idea where you stand in the pecking order?

-No.

-No idea.

-No!

-Well, if I told you that there's only £14 between you...

-Ooh...

And if I was to tell you that neither team has made a profit...

We're in the minus score area but there is only £14 between you

and the team that is marginally behind today are the Blues.

-Oh!

-Yes!

-Yes!

-Shame!

-Well played.

-Minus £39 is the overall number.

-You made a handsome profit of £1 on your very best item...

-I was proud of that one.

..which was the photo frame but otherwise it just wasn't your day.

-Not my day at all.

-Funny how it works out like this.

Some days is good days, some days not so good.

-But you've had a good time?

-A great time, thank you.

The victors aren't going home with money

-but they go home with their title intact...

-Yay!

..having managed to win by only losing £25.

-That's not so bad, is it?

-Minus £25. Not really, no.

-Not so bad.

-And it could have been worse without Serrell's bonus buy....

-Yes.

-..the Newlyn tray for a £10 profit, which was jolly good.

-Well done.

-Anyway, enjoyed it?

-Yes.

-Loved it, thank you.

It's been fun. Join us soon for some bargain hunting, yes?

Yes!

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