Lewes 8 Bargain Hunt

Today, we're in the county town of Lewes.

Quaint, idyllic, peaceful.

Well, it was until we got here!

Let's go Bargain Hunting! Yeah!

Right, folks, we've got an exciting contest today.

Our two teams going head-to-head are husbands and wives.

Except the wives and the husbands are playing against one another.

But which team will it be that lifts the Bargain Hunt crown, eh?

Gosh, this is going to be fun!

Both teams are flying high today.

Roger, over and out!

We could go this way, or we could go this way.

And the competition is fierce.

Nothing to see here.

But will their buys take off at auction?

All that excitement still to come.

Let's go and meet the happy couples.

Well, they're happy at the moment!

It's a contest of two halves today.

In the red team, we have the wives, the Clares,

the better halves, call them what you like,

and the blue team are the other halves, Andrew and Drew,

if you can believe that combination of names!

-Hi, everybody.

-Hi.

-Hi, Tim.

-Very nice to see you.

Now, Clare. You have a good knowledge of antiques, right?

Fair to middling!

What do you mean? Don't be modest.

What are you really interested in?

I like 1950s, 1960s Rye pottery.

Some of that can be worth a lot of money.

-Yeah. I don't own any of that, though.

-Do you not?

No, not at all. I buy it cheap, I buy it small and I buy it cos I like it.

But this is a very special day for you, Clare B?

-It is. Not just me.

-No.

-Andrew as well.

-It's our wedding anniversary today.

-Today.

-13 years, and they said it wouldn't last.

-Really?

-Yes.

Well, how wrong were they!

-Now, Clare P. You work as cabin crew.

-I do, indeed.

-Tell us about that.

I've been flying now for about ten years.

I've worked for three different airlines in that time.

And I really enjoy it, though it isn't as glamorous as a lot of people still think it is.

Well, I guess not. Actually quite hard work.

-It can be, yes.

-But you meet marvellous people, though.

Happy people going on holiday.

The majority, I would say yes. But you do get the odd difficult customer!

-What do you collect?

-I collect birds.

I collect birds on anything and everything.

I've got mugs, bowls, tiles, brooches, egg cups!

You name it, I have a bird on it.

-Are you going for the ornithological theme today?

-You never know.

-It would be nice.

-Are you nervous about taking your husbands on?

-No, not at all. Not at all. Because we will win.

-Of course. We're confident.

Well, you may have the tools to succeed with all that antique knowledge.

You never know.

So, Andrew, how did you two meet?

Drew and I met through Clare P.

-Clare P.

-Yes, Clare P.

-So I've probably known Drew as long as you've known Clare.

-Yes.

-Yes.

What do you do for a living, Andrew?

I worked for the Civil Service for 22 years

then I left in the last two years to seek my fortune

which I'm still looking for, Tim.

But I do run a transport management company

which looks after the interests of people who operate heavy goods vehicles.

You're also into heavy metal - well, heavy metal work.

I do enjoy working with metal.

I'm fortunate to have an old blacksmith's forge

which I enjoy making things on.

Sounds like a very handy contact, this!

-Drew, what do you do?

-Cabin crew.

-You're on the flying, too?

-I am, yes, with my wife.

How brilliant is that? Isn't that lovely?

-Do you ever work together?

-We did, before the children came along.

We flew together. That's how we met.

Was it romance over a trolley?

No. My wife offered to buy me a coffee from the vending machine

and I thought it was the closest I'd get to a date with her, so I accepted.

It took a while to ask her out.

But for me, love at first sight, yes.

-You summoned up courage eventually.

-Yes.

So how are you planning to beat the girls today?

Well, an all-out charm offensive.

-Absolutely.

-If that doesn't work, we thought a few tears.

-Yep.

-Maybe.

You'd burst into tears? You'd stoop that low?

Yes. Win at all costs.

-Did you realise what these men would get towards?

-See how desperate they are!

-I know.

I'm not sure owning up to crying before you start is actually the way forward! You never know.

Anyway, I suspect there's going to be a bit of pillow talk tonight!

The money moment. Here we go.

£300 apiece. You know the rules. Your experts await.

Off you go and very, very good luck.

Gosh, what is going to happen today?

Fighting for the reds today

we have the queen on the scene.

And for the blues,

it's the king of the ring!

Seconds out, Round One!

-Drew, Andrew. It's the boys versus the girls.

-It is.

-Who's going to win?

-I think we are!

The boys. Of course we are.

OK, ladies. This is it. Are we going to spend a lot of money today?

Well, it would be great to spend quite a bit.

-It would be nice to blow the lot.

-It would be.

-Your wife's a bit knowledgeable, is she?

-Yes, she knows her bric-a-brac!

-She does.

-Fortunately, she's got Catherine, so they need the help!

-We've got to beat those husbands, haven't we?

-Definitely.

It's our reason for being here, to beat the boys.

-Beat the boys.

-Come on, girls. Let's go shopping.

This is war!

Oh, look. This one is open.

Let's look in the window first.

It gives a flavour of what's in here.

-Wow.

-Is he like this all the time?

-Yes.

-We've got £300.

-But we've got to negotiate.

-Of course.

-But do you know what a club fender is?

-I know what it is.

It looks brass. It looks very nice.

-Where would it live, do you think?

-In front of the fireplace?

I do the jokes!

All right, Drew? Remember that, please!

This would have been...

Look out, chaps! Incoming!

Da-da!

Are you buying?

There's nothing to see. Nothing to see here.

What are you buying? Let's have a look.

I think your shop is located over there.

Let's leave them to it. They've got no chance.

Oh, blimey! It's hand baggage at dawn!

I think we'll have trouble with them. Let's get in before they come back!

The rivalry's started already!

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-Good morning!

Anything you see, tell me, and we can run through it, OK?

-OK.

-I'm looking for some undiscovered Faberge!

-Yes.

-Hmm.

-Keep looking!

Well, we're all after a bit of bling!

This is what we're going to have at the end.

Hang on, it's a bit early in the game to lob out crowns for victors, girls!

He was up early this morning!

Stone me, chaps!

-That little box with the buckle on it.

-The buckle's lovely on that.

-Is it a cigarette case? Cigar case?

-I don't know. Let's open it.

-Yes, you're right.

-Wow, look at that.

-That's nice.

A little mirror, and then perhaps this would have been...

-Would it have been...

-It doesn't look very feminine, does it?

Something for us gents, perhaps?

It's what you'd call a bit of treen, isn't it?

It's got £30 on it. It's something you probably wouldn't want to pay too much for.

Yes. It's quite nice work on it.

It's really... I think that's beautiful, actually.

The way these holes have been pierced, and the detail on the buckle.

And round the edge as well.

It would probably be quite nicely placed in that sale.

-Shall we see how much they'd take for it?

-We could do, couldn't we?

Go on.

I think you girls are going to do really well.

I've got this feeling in my bones!

So Clare B goes off to do their first deal

while the Andrews, well, they look a bit lost!

Hold on, get a handle on this.

-Oh, they're quite fun, aren't they?

-Arts and Crafts, are they?

-Well...

-That style?

They are kind of Arts and Crafts style, I suppose.

-I like the "Pull" and the...

-Pull and Push. No, Pull and Pull.

-Pulls. And we're on the pull, aren't we, for antiques.

-We are!

Those are quite fun, aren't they? What do you think of those, Drew?

-I quite like them, actually.

-I quite like them.

Oh!

You're used to doing that on the airlines?

Opening lockers, yes.

I imagine these would have come off some grand civic building.

-That's what I was thinking.

-Like a theatre or council chamber.

I rather like those, actually.

I'm more taken with these than the fender.

Are you? Gosh, we've got something positive out of you today!

I think we should all rest now for a while!

But I do like that exaggerated S shape, don't you?

I quite like those, I must say.

They're priced at £135 for the pair.

I think we're on a winner here

because you both like them

and this might "open the door" to big profits for us!

Pull the other one!

I warned you before! I've warned you before, Drew!

Pull yourselves together, chaps, and close that deal!

-Good luck!

-Thank you!

Right, then, girls.

22.

It's not going to break the bank!

-So I don't know. Shall we hang on to that?

-Yes, hang on to that.

-OK.

No time for dilly-dallying now, girls,

or the boys will fly away with this.

How are you getting on?

We can't get hold of the dealer,

so we can only go down to 110.

Do you think that's too much money for them?

I would have no hesitation in saying we could do it for 100.

-I think we should buy them.

-That's what we were saying.

Can you do it for £100?

Can he pull some strings?

I'll speak to my colleague.

I found this little pot in the same dealer's stand.

I rather like it.

It's hand-made and hand-beaten everywhere.

I like this very simple design around the top here.

It's bronze. It's not signed or anything.

-I just think there's something really simple...

-How much is it?

It's marked at 35.

I think there's something rather nice.

If we were to put that into the mix as well,

we're getting an idea here.

Both for 135?

-We could definitely do 135.

-For the two?

-Yes.

-Perfect.

-Hang on, hang on.

Don't be too keen!

-Because we're paying the full price for that, then, you see.

-We are.

But we've got those for 100.

-I'd be happy with that.

-Would you?

-We're only talking about five pounds.

It could be that five pounds that makes the difference between profit and loss.

But with your expert knowledge and your bonus buy...

Ah, so you're blaming me again!

This is what always happens!

Mark's absolutely right, chaps. Every pound counts in this game.

-Shake the gentleman's hand.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

-Thanks a lot.

You should take a leaf out of the girls' book.

We've got to make a bit of a profit on this, as indeed you have, we understand that.

-How does 15 sound to you?

-Oh, dear!

I can't do it for that. I'm giving it away. That's half price, isn't it?

20. 20's the best.

How about 17?

How about 19.50?

-Shall we do 19, and then we're done.

-Go on. 19 quid.

-19.

-Are you happy with that, ladies?

-Go on, then.

-Your first item.

-Yes.

-Are you?

-Yes.

-Are you sure?

-Yes, we'll go with it.

Good work, girls. You fought for every penny there.

I like this winning attitude!

Now, that little wooden case has given me an idea.

Inevitably in antiques centres,

you come across lots of wooden things.

And traditionally, an object like this

is described as a piece of treen.

That's because it's made of wood

and happens to have been turned on a lathe.

This is a bit of birch wood.

Because it's got these three circular feet on the bottom,

begs its tradition from Scandinavia.

It's practical. You could have it beside your bed,

put into it all those irritating things - coins, keys, what-not -

that you take out of your pockets at night.

What's it worth? Well, it would cost you £20.

Treen does, however, come in all shapes and sizes.

And this is another example of a treen object.

Not turned on a lathe, but this time constructed out of mahogany.

Down one end, it's got a fluted aperture.

This type of whistle or flute

is known as a swanee.

This is the thing that would have been in the wings

when the panto's on.

Widow Twankey's underwear descends...

DOWNWARDS SLIDING SCALE

..played from the wings...

And Widow Twankey's underwear ascends...

UPWARDS SLIDING SCALE

Huge fun, isn't it?

What's a collectable like this worth?

Well, it could be yours today, here in Lewes,

for £30.

Now it's back to our own pantomime!

And the boys are looking for the exit.

-Andrew, which way do you think we should go?

-Let's ask Drew.

We could go this way, or we could go this way.

-I think we're going that way.

-Looks like we are.

The boys are one up against the girls, who still have two items to buy.

Chop-chop!

Roger, Roger. Over and out!

Enough silliness, girls. Get a move on!

I thought you wanted to beat your hubbies?

-I didn't think it would be this hard.

-It's surprising how quickly the time goes.

-Yeah.

I'm really confident we're going to beat the girls.

I think so. I like the bowl. I like the handles.

-I can never make a decision.

-We're never organised at shopping.

-No.

-We'd better get our skates on!

-Yeah.

Ooh, this husband and wife battle is really hotting up.

Has Catherine spotted a winner?

What do you think about these? I like these.

They're carved soapstone.

And they're seals.

You've got all these Chinese characters down there.

But I think they would make fantastic bookends.

-They're so heavy, they would.

-I think they're lovely.

Can we have a little discussion? They're not something I would normally go for.

But I like them because I think they're quite charming.

It's a good luck symbol in Chinese.

They're sort of 1915, 1920, that sort of date?

Yes, from that period. The early part of the 20th century.

-You're not that keen?

-No, but I think they're a weighty piece.

-They're...

-They're a nice size.

What could you do on these? You've got 78 each. Each is that?

The trade normally would be 140,

but as it's you, I could about 120.

I'd prefer them if they were nearer 100.

I'll do a little bit more. 115. That would be absolutely it.

If you two are sold on them, that's the majority.

Ooh, the pressure!

-It's immense.

-I do really quite like them.

-Then let's go for it, then.

-Shall we?

-115.

-She keeps looking at me, saying, "Sure? Sure?"

-115.

-I feel I'm...

-Thank you very much.

-115. Thank you very much. I feel I'm going to get the blame.

-No, no.

You girls have got to stick together against those dastardly boys.

I'm not looking! I'm not looking!

That's not cricket, chaps.

Let's run across the road. Quick. Quick! Come on, guys!

We've bought all the good things already!

How childish can you be?

What about that game there, table bowls?

Oh, look.

I'm not sure what that does.

-Is that for tilting it?

-Tilting it, yes.

On the other side. Just roll it down.

These are quite nicely turned, aren't they?

But it's all there.

The box is a bit tatty, isn't it?

-But it's still nice to have the box.

-I like it.

-I do, as well.

It's quite well-made, isn't it?

I like the graphics here.

I think it dates it to 1915, 1920.

-How much is this, Mark?

-42, is that?

-42, yes.

-£42.

If we can get them down, that gives Mark plenty of money to go shopping himself.

Yes. Do you want to have a word with the manager?

-Let's see what we can do.

-Smile sweetly.

-Absolutely.

Maybe they've already met the women.

If that doesn't work, a few tears.

Ah, I was waiting for the waterworks tactic.

If they've already met the women, they'll feel sorry for you and give it to you!

Now, now, boys.

-Come back before they do.

-Absolutely.

That's the Andrews on the home strait.

But the Clares have still to find their final item.

Something would have slotted in there, wouldn't it?

But on the back, it says, "G.W.R".

-Great Western Railway.

-What was it for? Tickets or something?

I don't know. Cos it's got slats inside as well, hasn't it?

I'd keep recipes in there, if it was mine.

-Yes!

-Cake recipes.

Or I'd have it on the wall as a cupboard, that way round.

Thinking outside the box, there, Clare B!

-Your shelves would be coming down.

-Like that.

-Oh, I see what you mean. Right, OK.

Catherine, well, she's just not so sure.

It made me think, "You can't leave this shop without buying me."

-We've got five minutes. Five minutes.

-OK.

Come on, girls.

OK, there's this, which we could probably get for, I don't know. It's £39.

They'll probably give that to us for £30.

-Two minutes.

-OK, we'll go and ask them.

Dither, dither, dither.

Both teams need to strike a deal.

We're very interested in the table bowls.

We wondered what your best price would be.

Is that your absolute best?

-Please!

-OK.

-£35.

-35. Could you do it for 30?

Ah, they've found their haggling voice!

-That's OK.

-Why not?

£30 is the absolute best on that.

That's down from 39. That's not a huge amount off.

-No, £30, that would be fantastic.

-Fantastic.

-Very happy with that.

-Excellent.

-Thank you.

The clock is ticking, girls.

-CREW:

-25 seconds.

-25 seconds!

Quick. Make a decision.

-The box.

-The box. The box.

-The box.

If it makes a loss, it's my fault.

-No, no. We're a team.

-We're in this together, girls!

-We're a team.

-The box.

-The box.

OK. Box.

I think they've bought the box!

-Mark, we've done the deal.

-Yes? How much for?

-£30.

-Well done, guys.

-Brilliant.

-Well done.

-Thanks for your help.

I think it's time you made me a cup of tea!

-Wa-hey!

-Girl power!

Girl power indeed. That's the shopping done.

So, while the boys head off to find their better halves,

let's remind ourselves what the teams bought.

The reds showed off their haggling skills

to get the gents' vanity case down to £19.

The Clares were split over Catherine's Chinese seals

and bought them anyway for £115.

And with seconds left, the girls were well-chuffed with the railway ticket box

which cost them £30.

-We bought some great items.

-Brilliant.

-Hopefully we'll make some money.

-Did I hear the word "brilliant?"

-Yes!

-Is that your prediction?

-Hopefully.

-Fingers crossed.

Which is your favourite piece, Clare?

Um, I think the wooden railway box.

"The wooden railway box". And what about you, Clare?

-I think the wooden railway box!

-"The wooden railway box"!

Is the wooden railway box going to bring a bigger profit?

-Probably not.

-No.

-What's going to bring the biggest profit, then?

-The stand with the dogs.

-The dogs.

-The dog jobbies.

Soapstone dog jobbies.

We're trusting in Catherine!

-Well, you could do worse, I can tell you.

-It's all down to Catherine.

-How much did you spend overall?

-We've spent £164.

£164. Please can I have £136?

One hundred and thirty-six pounds precisely.

-Thank you.

-There you go, darling. What's to be done with £136, Catherine?

I don't know, Tim, but these ladies have very, very high expectations, so it's going to be tough.

-Not only high expectations, they have great expectations!

-Yes!

-Yes!

Anyway, good luck with that. Meanwhile, why don't we check out what the blue team bought?

After a slow start, the blues forged ahead,

buying two items at once.

The Arts and Crafts door handles for £100...

..and the hand-beaten bronze bowl for £35.

They raised their game for their final item,

a set of early 20th-century table bowls,

paying £30.

Hey, guys, you're looking happy!

-Hello, Tim.

-Everything all right?

-Very well.

-Has he looked after you?

-Yes.

-Really well.

-And you've just finished.

-Yes.

-How much did you spend?

-One hundred and...

-165.

-£165. Which is your favourite piece?

-I really like the bowls.

-You like the bowls.

-Yes, the table bowls.

-Do you agree, Andrew?

-I like the bowls, but we also bought a little bronze bowl,

-a hand-beaten bronze bowl, and I like that.

-Do you?

Is that going to bring the biggest profit?

-Probably not.

-Probably not?

-No.

-I think the table bowls.

-Right, fine.

All bowls with you lot, isn't it?

Anyway, that's that prediction.

-You spent 165.

-Yes, we did.

Please may I have 135 of leftover lolly.

Well done, Drew. Marvellous. £135. I won't count it, I trust you.

Over to the maestro. What are you going to do with that?

-I don't know.

-I've got something in mind for them

-which will fit in to their theme very nicely.

-More bowls, I suppose?

No more bowls!

Please, Mark, no more bowls!

OK, fine. Very good, chaps. Have a nice cup of tea. Good luck, Mark.

Meanwhile, we're heading off to the Surrey hills.

The splendid Surrey hills!

Polesden Lacey is as pretty as a picture.

Its origins date back to the 17th century

and it houses the most extraordinary collection of paintings and artefacts spanning 2,000 years.

This stunning portrait is of Mrs Margaret Greville,

portrayed in her wedding year, 1891.

She was one of Edwardian Britain's most successful hostesses

and this is just one of several hundred pictures

adorning the walls of her Surrey home.

Mrs Greville displayed her most impressive British portraits

in the dining room at Polesden Lacey,

including works by Raeburn, Lawrence and Reynolds.

But the fine art was not restricted to this room alone.

This is Mrs Greville's picture gallery.

Literally a barrel-vaulted long corridor

that runs the entire length of the building.

And it contains a surprising variety of treasures.

Not surprisingly, perhaps, lots of pictures.

And an early picture in the collection

is this triptych.

Strictly speaking, this was never made to be hung in a glazed frame.

Those two outer wings fold into the middle

to protect the painted surface

enabling this folded-up mini altar piece to be carted around the countryside.

It dates from around 1410 to 1430

and is supposed to be Italo-Byzantine.

It shows the infant Christ surrounded by saints.

And, of course, it's familiar to a British audience

because here in this panel, on the bottom left,

we have Saint George defeating the dragon.

And if we canter forward over 200 years to 1662,

we arrive at this masterpiece of Dutch art.

Mrs Greville had a considerable number of Dutch old master paintings

because she inherited them from her father.

He bought this picture, apparently, in 1896

for the then massive sum of £3,000.

It's by the Dutch artist Gerard Ter Borch

and it shows an encounter.

The fellow on the right is an officer, but not necessarily a gentleman!

The thing is supposed to have been painted in a house of ill repute.

The young lady in the exotic silver dress

doesn't look most terribly keen on the advance this officer is making,

and the old lady in the background in the middle

is supposed to be the brothel keeper.

What I love about it is the detail.

Look at the way that the artist has got the pommel of that silver sword.

The little shine of light off the breast plate on his armour.

And then there's the silk robe itself.

How difficult it must be to get all these folds in a textile

to shimmer and contrast so perfectly.

The big question today for our teams over at the auction,

are they about to make an indecent amount of money?

Well, well, well, how lovely is this? All friends together here at Bellmans

in West Sussex. How are you, JP?

-Very good, thanks, Tim.

-Very nice to be here.

Gosh, we've got a selection for you today.

What about that little leather - sorry, wood - little case?

-Isn't that the sweetest thing?

-I think that's really well done.

It looks like leather. Very sweet little thing.

Mirror inside. And the strap has the stitching and everything.

-Really rather sweet. Magic.

-How much?

-30 to £50.

-Perfect. £19 paid.

Moving swiftly on, we've got these two seals.

I know you love to sell a bit of Chinese stuff here.

-Hot at the moment, isn't it?

-It is hot,

but soapstone is a very easy material to carve.

And there are very many people for very little money

carving materials out in the Far East.

So for that reason alone, I've gone 20 to £40.

How much?! Our team spent £115 on these fellows!

Oh, sorry.

-I won't argue with you.

-I don't rate them that highly.

The proof's in the pudding. Moving on.

What about this fellow here? It's to do with the Great Western Railway Company.

-It says G.W.R on the bottom, so that's pretty much given.

-Yeah.

It's about what you did with it.

-Put your old tickets in there?

-No, I think you had a spool in there,

which then out of here was the first class, the second class...

-Then the ticket man would be...

-He'd rip it off and sell it to you.

But it's the most undistinguished box you could come across!

-It's quite charming, though.

-How much?

-I'd have thought about 20 to £40.

Absolutely right. £30 they paid.

So it's neither here nor there, really.

Their big punt is on these soapstone Chinese jobs

and they are about to be, according to you, torpedoed on that?

I would pretty... I'd be certain.

OK, if you're certain, they'll need their bonus buy. Let's have a look.

Now, Clare and Clare. This is vital now.

If you're going to beat those men folk of yours,

this thing has to make you a profit, doesn't it?

-Yes.

-Catherine? You had, darling, £136.

-Mm.

It's under that rag. What did you spend it on?

-Ooh!

-I have bought you a boot scraper.

Now, it's not old.

It is neo-classical in style.

But it's got that look.

-And it's heavy.

-And it's cast iron.

-Clare, have a feel.

-I don't think I need to hold it.

-Don't you?

-OK, then, if you insist!

I'm not going to insist, but I think it's quite nice.

Yeah, OK.

You're getting quite a lump there, aren't you?

Dare I ask, Catherine, how much did you pay?

-£15.

-OK.

-£15?!

-See how much better?

Immediately Clare wants to hold it now!

-Clare can't give it back!

-Outside your country house, in this area, you might have something like that.

Happy with that, girls? Catherine's pretty confident you'll get a profit.

But for the audience at home, let's see what the auctioneer thinks about the little scraper.

OK, JP. There you are. Something soulless for you!

The sign of a good boot-scraper is it doesn't fall over when you're scraping your boot on it.

And that's pretty stable.

So useful, functional.

Date-wise, you'd have thought it would be 1870, 1880, maybe.

-You'd think so, wouldn't you?

-But probably more like 1970 or 1980.

-One of those reproductions, yeah.

-Ten to £20.

-Ten to £20.

-Ten to £20.

Fair enough. Southon paid £15. So she's done very well.

-She might make a fiver.

-Now for the blues.

Drew and Drew have got those door pulls.

-Quite chunky things, aren't they?

-They are.

It's got to be a substantial door for it. Almost a council building or university building or something.

It's a limited market. But then the broadness of internet bidding.

-Yes.

-60 to £90.

-OK. £100 they paid.

-We could get that.

Good. That's reassuring. Now,

the hammered Arts and Crafts bowl, in bronze. Patinated.

-Lovely little border to its top.

-Beautifully done.

-Yeah.

Looks Chinese, smells Chinese. But could have come from the Cotswolds.

I like it. It's got one or two knocks in it,

but that obviously helps date it to the period that it's from.

-Late part of the 19th century.

-Just on the basis of its natural charms, how much?

-30 to £50.

-Good man. £35 they paid.

They could easily get £50 for that,

if somebody's here who recognises it for the chic that it has.

Excellent. Now, the table bowls game.

-You're supposed to set it up on the dining table.

-Of course.

-You'd have a baize for the table as well.

-Yeah.

And you'd then have the children and everybody whizzing these things all over the place.

Sounds highly dangerous to me.

But there it is. It obviously was popular in the Edwardian period,

because there's a few of them about.

What do you think it's worth?

-I would have thought 15 to £25.

-Right.

-In the region of.

In the region of. They paid in the region of £30,

so it's close enough. The whole thing's close enough.

They may not need their bonus buy. But let's have a look anyway.

Now, boys, Andrew and Drew!

Good.

-Now, how are you?

-Very well, Tim, thank you.

-Lovely.

-You spent £165.

-We did.

-You gave Mark Stacey £135.

Mark, did you blow the lot? Let me give you a hand there.

-Ooh.

-I say!

-No, I didn't.

Do help yourself to tea.

-Thank you.

-What's nice about this is I kept in with your theme.

-You bought a lot of metal-type objects.

-We did.

This is rather nice because it's stamped "Tudric Pewter" and a number.

Now, that tells us immediately it's Liberty & Co.

It's quite late, but I thought that tray has a lovely Arts and Crafts feel about it.

The little heart-shape motif at the bottom.

It's really quite solid. It's hand beaten

and I thought that was worth a punt.

It's very nice, Mark. What did you pay for it?

-Well, I made a hundred.

-Excellent.

-Which I think is not too bad.

So there's a potential profit there.

Very nice. I like that. Thank you.

All those bits, then, and you're predicting how much, Mark?

I would like to see the auction estimate at one to 150.

-So maybe 20 to £30?

-Good.

-Yeah.

Which, of course, you may not need to take.

Because you could be so far ahead at that moment in time

-that you just can't be bothered with it, right?

-Absolutely.

-Absolutely.

-We'll wait and see.

Let's find out what the auctioneer thinks about Mark's little set.

There we go. It's chunky. Any good this, do you think?

Of the four pieces, the tray.

It's Archibald Knox design.

There are a number of examples having sold on the internet

to this pattern with the same marking number on it.

Slightly erratic amount of money -

as little as 60, £80, and can make up to 150 to £200.

-And that's just the tray?

-Just the tray.

The tea service is probably in for the ride on this one.

So you've got almost an unknown three-piece tea set and a known tray.

-We've got the message, JP.

-Mm-hmm.

-How do you rate it, mate?

-Possibly cautious, I hope.

-Let's say 100 to £150.

-£100 paid by Mark Stacey, so that's pretty cool, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-That's incredibly encouraging. Thank you very much.

We look forward to a stunning result. Thanks, JP.

-Clare, Clare.

-Yes, Tim.

-This is exciting, isn't it?

-You really, really want to beat your husbands?

-Really.

-More than anything in the whole world?

-Yes.

First up is the treen vanity box, case, and here it comes.

Gentleman's treen, travelling case.

A little "necessaire" with this wonderfully carved buckle

carved into the wood.

-Straight in at £35.

-Look at that, girls!

-35, 40.

45. 50. £55.

-Keep going, Jonathan!

-Against you at £55.

Commission bid at £55. At 55. Do I see 60?

At £55. Any interest on the net?

£55 with me on the book. At £55. All done?

Selling £55.

-That is £36 up.

-Good.

-£36 in one hit. Well done, girls.

-Lovely.

-Very nice thing.

-Now the seals.

Two Chinese carved soapstone seals.

Modelled with Lions of Fo. Start me at £20 for these?

£20 for the seals?

Chinese lot here. Do I see 20?

No to the £20. Ten, then? Ten is bid, thank you. At ten.

Ten. I'll take 12. Do I see 12?

12. 15. 18. 20.

-25. 25. He stops there.

-Jonathan, keep going! No!

£25. Gentleman's bid, then. In puce, in the centre.

£25.

-I'm so sorry!

-£90!

75, 85, minus 90.

Look out, here comes the ticket office box.

A Great Western Railway ash and pine railway office box.

Early 20th century.

Bids on the book. Interest, too.

Well done!

-20, 25, 30.

-Well done!

£55. Straight in at £55.

-Do I see 60 now? £55.

-Oh, it's so nice.

60 on the net. 60, 65 with me.

-Look at this.

-Well done.

You never know your luck at £65.

-£70 there.

-Yes!

Internet bid at £70, then, and selling. All done at £70.

-Well done!

-So good, isn't it?

Plus £40 on that.

You are minus £14 after all that lot.

-Ooh.

-I can't bear it.

The excitement! Well done!

You were brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

-Don't you think that's marvellous?

-Fantastic!

-I never saw the ticket box doing that, I have to say.

-Well done.

-That was very good.

What are you going to do about the boot scraper?

-How much was it?

-£15.

-Yes.

-We'll do it.

-Yes.

-You're minus £14.

This could go horribly wrong, though.

-It can't. We're going to go for it.

-All right. Fine. We're going with the boot scraper.

A Victorian-style cast-iron boot scraper

of 18th-century neo-classical design.

Start me at £10.

£10 we've got. At £10. Do I see 15 anywhere?

-Go on!

-Please!

-15 on the internet.

-20 in the room.

-Yes.

20 in the room. At £20. Do I see five?

-It's £20 front row. Go on, internet.

-Go on, internet.

Take another one for a fiver. £20, front row, then.

Last chance. Against you, then, in the room at £20.

Misery! £20. Plus £5. Well done, Catherine.

-But it's very...

-That's good.

It was good, though.

Overall, you are minus nine pounds.

Who knows, that could be a winning score.

-Don't say a word to your hubbies!

-We don't speak to them often!

Drew, Andrew, have you been talking to your wives?

We try to avoid them, yes!

You'd have been down to the pub, wouldn't you?

Have one or two. Anything to avoid having a conversation! Only joking!

First up are the handles. Here they come.

A pair of Arts and Crafts brass door handles.

Detailed "Pull". Should be in a nightclub, really, shouldn't they?

Start me at 60, please.

I've got £60. I have a 60 commission bid. £60 on the book.

I'll take five, though. Do I see five on the net?

£60 with me. Looking for five.

£60, then. Commission bid at 60. No further interest. Maiden bid, £60.

£60. That's minus 40. I had a horrible feeling this would happen.

Late 19th-century hammered bronze bowl of Arts and Crafts design.

I have £20. With me at 20.

At £30 I'm bid. Do I see five?

25, thank you, and 30.

-Against you at 30.

-No money.

Against you at 30. Any more on £30?

Commission bid, then, at £30. I'll sell.

-Minus five pounds.

-That's cheap.

That's 45. Cheap enough. Now the table bowls.

Lot 1785. An early 20th-century table bowls game.

Once again, ten is bid.

Straightaway at £10. Do I see 50?

-Good.

-15. 20.

"No, thank you", she says. £20 I have.

I need 25 now.

It's £20 against you all. Surely worth 25?

-Any more at £25?

-It's not looking good, this!

On the net. Do you want to join in? It's £20, then.

Commission bid. I'll sell. £20.

Minus £10. That's 45, 55. Minus 55.

-Minus £55. That's a blow, isn't it?

-It is. I'm stunned.

-Yeah.

I'm stunned, too, really.

That's not so good. What are you going to do about the old Tudric?

-Have a go at that?

-Definitely.

-We both like it.

We like it. We're gonna go for it.

You're going with it. It could make all the difference. Here we go.

Lot 1789. A Liberty & Co Tudric Pewter tray designed by Archibald Knox,

number 043, circa 1900.

Start me at £100 for this.

-Surely worth £100.

-Come on!

Selling at £100. At £100.

50, then. £50. Surely worth £50?

Archibald Knox tray. £50.

£50 on the internet starting it off now. At £50.

-Sure to be someone else out there.

-I don't like the look of this.

Absolute gift at £50. I'll sell it for £50, maiden bid.

-I'll take five.

-Not good.

All done at £50, then? Selling to the internet bid. £50.

That's minus £50. That takes you neatly to minus 105.

-All right, pal?

-Things are not going so well, boys.

-No.

-I suggest we keep this very quiet from the wives for a minute or two!

-Yes.

-Yes, absolutely.

So who, exactly, belongs to who? Which Clare belongs with who here?

-I belong to Clare.

-You belong to Clare. And Clare, you belong to...

-No-one!

Sometimes I belong to him!

-Do you?

-Yes.

I hope we're not all going to be crucified by today's performance.

Cos we can only have one winner and one runner-up.

And there is a world of difference between our teams today.

The similarities are that nobody's going home with any money!

So you can reassure yourselves that on that front

there is not any cash going back and forth.

But the scale of difference in terms of losses between the two of you is enormous.

And the team with the whopping loss are the blues.

Yes!

How pleased are these girls?

I'm really sorry, boys, cos I know this is going to mess up your lives big time!

-You have no idea.

-You won't be able to go to the pub and hold your head up.

But anyway, there it is.

Minus 40, minus five, minus ten and minus 50 was not a great tally, across the board.

-It was consistent!

-It was consistent! Anyway,

total, minus 105. We will not dwell on this.

Suffice to say you had a nice time?

-We had a great time.

-Apart from the auction, it was great!

OK. Fine. Well, it is bad luck when it goes that way.

Because your wives did incredibly well.

They made big profits on three of their items

but the fourth one seriously let them down.

Overall, minus nine pounds.

Those wretched soapstone seals dragged you back by £90.

So that is really bad luck. But you've taken it on the chin.

You've proved that you can do it.

Just don't buy Chinese soapstone seals!

-Have you had a good time, Clare?

-We've had a great time.

-Fantastic, thank you.

Very good. And do be kind to your husbands.

They're looking slightly sore and bruised!

In fact, join us soon for some more bargain hunting! Yes?

Yes!

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